Free Essays on Microsoft Apps

Common Questions About Trees How can I tell if I’ve picked a site with good drainage? Start by digging a hole as deep as your planting hole. Fill the hole with water and watch to see how water drains from the hole. If it drains at a rate of less than 1 inch per hour, pick a new site. If that’s not possible, consider installing some form of drainage to carry water away from the base of the tree. Also consider using water-tolerant species, such as: Red maple Sycamore willow oak river birch How big should the planting hole be? While you might be tempted to dig a very deep hole, in fact a tree requires a shallow planting hole that is no deeper than the root ball. However, it is very important to make sure the hole is wide enough. As a general rule, make yours three times as wide as the root ball. Such a wide shallow hole encourages the horizontal root growth that allows your tree to thrive. Should I add anything to the soil? You may be accustomed to backfilling planting holes with peat moss or other organic matter when installing perennials. When planting a tree, however, you should fill the planting hole with the unamended soil (that is, soil to which nothing has been added). This ensures that the soil around the root ball has the same density as the soil the roots will encounter later, as they spread beyond the original planting hole. A marked difference in density between the planting hole and the surrounding area can limit growth. Do I have to do anything to the tree before planting? All trees sold at Long Meadow Gardens come with roots wrapped in untreated burlap, which will degrade quickly in the soil after planting. To plant a tree wrapped in untreated burlap: 1. Remove any tags from the trunk and branches. 2. Place the entire root ball, including the burlap, into the planting hole. 3. Untie the twine from the base of the tree. 4. Push the burlap down to the bottom of the plan... Free Essays on Microsoft Apps Free Essays on Microsoft Apps Common Questions About Trees How can I tell if I’ve picked a site with good drainage? Start by digging a hole as deep as your planting hole. Fill the hole with water and watch to see how water drains from the hole. If it drains at a rate of less than 1 inch per hour, pick a new site. If that’s not possible, consider installing some form of drainage to carry water away from the base of the tree. Also consider using water-tolerant species, such as: Red maple Sycamore willow oak river birch How big should the planting hole be? While you might be tempted to dig a very deep hole, in fact a tree requires a shallow planting hole that is no deeper than the root ball. However, it is very important to make sure the hole is wide enough. As a general rule, make yours three times as wide as the root ball. Such a wide shallow hole encourages the horizontal root growth that allows your tree to thrive. Should I add anything to the soil? You may be accustomed to backfilling planting holes with peat moss or other organic matter when installing perennials. When planting a tree, however, you should fill the planting hole with the unamended soil (that is, soil to which nothing has been added). This ensures that the soil around the root ball has the same density as the soil the roots will encounter later, as they spread beyond the original planting hole. A marked difference in density between the planting hole and the surrounding area can limit growth. Do I have to do anything to the tree before planting? All trees sold at Long Meadow Gardens come with roots wrapped in untreated burlap, which will degrade quickly in the soil after planting. To plant a tree wrapped in untreated burlap: 1. Remove any tags from the trunk and branches. 2. Place the entire root ball, including the burlap, into the planting hole. 3. Untie the twine from the base of the tree. 4. Push the burlap down to the bottom of the plan...

Gun Control Saves Kids Lives

Gun Control Saves Kids Lives There was a day and time when kids at a young pre-school age could play with toy handguns and itdidn't present a problem. The world we live intoday doesn't allow for such recreation, becausein this environment today one doesn't relatehandguns to shooting pop-up duck targets, butrelates it to deaths. The kids today are relating the useof handguns to self-defence, agression, or revenge.It's not like it was in the 50's, kids today live in a liveammunition world.Kids shouldn't have access to handguns through any means especially legal ones. "Parents, professionals and many others are concerned about the increasing numbers of children and adolescents killed by firearms. This was in a fact sheet (July 1999) on the internet titled "Children and firearms." This statement lets the reader know that there is a problem with kids possessing firearms.I was looking at a 30 minute pro-gun program (July, 25 1999) sponsored bythe (NRA) National Rifle Association on CBS, and the pro-gun people didn'tbe lieve that a ban on handguns would make society safer, but they never gave any statistic; Banning of handguns save kids lives.English: A wide shot of the muskets and handguns t...Where is Britains crime rate after they ban handguns compared to where it was, it is down according to the book Gun Control, it state on (pg 5)...When gun crime rates in the United States are compared with those in foreign countries, the comparison shows that most industrially developed Western nations experience lower rates than America. All the crime that's accoring in my community led me to look up these statistics in this book by Franklin E. Zimring and Gordon Hawkins. Before I could get into the book where it states that America has such a high rate of crime by guns than any other country, I...

A Region in Europe Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

A Region in Europe - Term Paper Example 2. Location 3. 3. Sicily’s Physical Geography Sicily is famous for its unique geographical features such as its topography, rivers, climate and vegetation that distinguish it from any other European region. 3.1. Topography and Landscape Figure 3 – Contrasting Landscapes in Sicily 3.2. Rivers and Catchments The longest river in Sicily is the Salso. Its tributaries start in the Madonie Mountains in Central Sicily, and flow southwards through the providences of Enna and Caltanissetta into the Mediterranean near the sea port of Licata. It’s Sicily’s longest river at 89 miles, and its drainage basin covers an area of 819? miles (Wikipedia: Salso, 2010). Sicily’s rivers are usually fast flowing with irregular volumes of water. Flash flooding in the winter months contrasts with the drying up of rivers in summer. Figure 5 – The River Salso Other notable rivers include the Simeto, Sicily’s second longest river at 68 miles, which channels waters from the Caltagirone, Gornalunga and Dittaino catchments (Wikipedia: Simeto, 2010). It flows into the Ionian Sea, on Sicily’s eastern coastline, south of the populated region of Catania. It’s regarded as Sicily’s most important river in terms of its watershed and the number of people who rely on it for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. 3.3. Sicily’s Climate Sicily’s weather is dominated by its Mediterranean climate, consisting of hot dry summers and mild wet winters. The city of Catania is the ‘sunniest’ place in Europe, with 2492 hours of sunshine per year (6.8 per day) (Peter Sommer Travels). 3.3.1. Temperature June to September are Sicily’s hottest months, were temperatures regularly exceed 25Â °c (World Reviewer). Sicily’s coolest months are December to February were temperatures range from 10Â °c-16Â °c (Peter Sommer Travels). Despite Sicily’s small geographical size, there are also climatic diff erences between locations of the island, ranging from an annual average of 19Â °c on the coastline, to 13Â °c in mountainous regions (Sicily: Italian Marina). Figure 6 – Sicily’s Average Annual Air Temperatures (Cited from Worldreviewer.com) 3.3.2. Precipitation Sicily has an annual mean precipitation rate of 24 inches (611mm), in which 75% of rainfall occurs from October-March. Less than an inches worth of rain falls between June – August (World Reviewer). Figure 7 also highlights that Sicily’s rainfall is not evenly distributed, and low lying ground such as the plains of Catania receive far less rainfall than mountainous regions. Figure 7 – Precipitation Rates in Sicily (Cited from BestofSicily.com) 3.3.3. Sea Temperatures As an island, the temperature of the sea surrounding Sicily has a bigger effect on its climate than inland regions in mainland Europe. Sicily’s average sea temperatures are hottest during the summer (24Â °c) and coole st from January-March (14Â °c) (Peter Sommer Travels). 3.3.4. Vegetation Sicily’s temperate Mediterranean climate has played a major role in determining its vegetation. The typical evergreen Mediterranean shrub is widespread in coastal areas and much of Sicily’s wild vegetation consists of papyrus, palm trees and stone pines. Numerous trees, shrubs and flowers are native to Sicily, including wild olive trees and manna ash (a medium size deciduous tree, which contains a sugary extract in its bark used as a natural sweetener). Citrus and fruit orchards, grape vines and

Gay Marriage and its Legalities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gay Marriage and its Legalities - Essay Example For proponents of the human rights issue, the matter would appear to be rather open and shut in terms of challenging constitutionality and this issue impacts decision-making at the social level, even if this practice is discouraged in the rule of law. This division seems to maintain the gay marriage and its constitutionality while this divisional approach exists. â€Å"Consistent with the rule of law, however, the Department of Justice has long followed the practice of defending federal statutes as long as reasonable arguments can be made in support of their constitutionality, even if the Department disagrees with a particular statute as a policy matter, as it does here." (lawlib.state.ma.us, 2). In defense of those who uphold the constitution as a foundation on which to mold new social policy, leadership recognizes that policy on gay marriage stands and will remain defended providing there are no significant grounds on which to proclaim the act unconstitutional. Federal support for the program without claims of unconstitutionality put this issue much into state-level hands, with federal level support in the objective if the goal is to uphold this civil rights matter. The mid-tier court system that governs and shapes these policies is currently made up of very conservative judges and a blend of more liberal decision-makers (Chemerinsky, 3). Division at this level and lack of solid ground on which to claim opportunity for repealing federal policy halts the progress of ensuring adequate legal protection for gay marriage. Under this system, challenges to decisions made at the district level are put forward to the Supreme Court in the pursuit of discretionary review. In general, gay marriage will likely be decided at the highest levels of judicial scrutiny providing that a resolution (either for or against) is determined at the inferior levels of justice. States that allow gay marriage include California, though its momentum is continuously challenged.  

The Triumph of Science Over Religion Essay Example for Free

The Triumph of Science Over Religion Essay In her book, Rapture Culture: Left Behind in Evangelical America, Frykholm (2004) explains her interest in evangelism – that, in fact, her family had converted to evangelical Christianity and she had explored the faith in depth during her teenage years.   However, the author was not able to find the answers to her religious questions.   This made her a skeptic, as religious people would refer to her as. As a matter of fact, Frykholm realizes the differences between her beliefs and those of evangelical Christians.    She mentions, for example, that she was living with her fiancà © before marriage, while Christianity manifestly prohibits fornication.   Moreover, the Left Behind series appeals to people who are homophobic among other things, also according to the author.   Thus, she refers to the rapture culture – of the believers in rapture – as a part of Christian fundamentalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book, Rapture Culture, is a qualitative study relating the views of readers of the Left Behind series.   Frykholm seems to have undertaken the project because of her deep interest in evangelical Christianity.   Yet, she has approached the study as a disbeliever in evangelical Christianity.   She criticizes many of the beliefs of Christianity, which practicing Christians might consider as mockery.   It seems, however, that Frykholm would like the readers of the Left Behind series to help her understand the reasons why they believe in the rapture while she does not. She finds that the series strengthens the faith of some of the readers, while others find the series interesting because it allows them to learn what they had never paid attention to.   Frykholm discovers that the readers of the series differ in terms of what they gain from books about rapture.   All the same, it is not only a discovery of their understanding that the author is concerned with.   She describes her own perspective of Christian beliefs at every turn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frykholm’s doubts about Christianity are not unique in our time.   There are countless people in the United States and the Western world as a whole who were born into Christian families but have given up the practice of religion.   Fornication is quite common among such people.   Furthermore, it is considered abnormal by them to oppose homosexuality, even though the Bible strictly speaks against it in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Practicing Christians are of the opinion that this is one of the signs of the end times.   Frykholm, on the other hand, is confident that the rapture culture is the culture of a people that differ from her fundamentally.   Hence, the title of the book sheds more light on the ‘us versus them’ mentality of Frykholm as well as the evangelical Christians.   Needless to say, religion is at odds with the cultural norms of the majority in the West today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is, therefore, important to understand the history of the division in society as far as the practice of religion is concerned.   Frykholm does not have a problem referring to her book as a qualitative study, which suggests that scientific understanding is easier for her.   But, she is not the only person in the West who finds it easier to respect science as opposed to religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By the sixteenth century, the Western experience with religion had turned bitter.   The Catholic Reformation, also referred to as a Counter Reformation, was a response to the great Protestant Reformation in Europe during this period of time.   There were two elements of the Catholic Reformation.   First of all, Catholics were being called for a renewal of piety and of virtue in the form of renewed commitments to prayer as well as mysticism.   This component of the Reformation was particularly evident in the clerical orders.   The ordinary folks had nothing whatsoever to do with this component of the Reformation, seeing that even the clerical orders were not looked upon as worthy guides.   Secondly, the Church was being asked to reform in order to deal with unparalleled as well as swift changes in society, and abuses that accompanied those changes.[1]    There was turbulence witnessed in the societal structure, and one of the reasons why it was necessary to initiate the Catholic Reformation was that the humanists had revived classical pagan philosophy in the fifteenth century, using the new miracle of printing to shift the attention of society from the after life to the present.[2]   At the same time as the classical pagan philosophy was being circulated, the Church was going through a period of decline with a desiccation of scholastic thinking.   Internal abuses at the Church were also well-known, and these involved simony, the sale of indulges, multiple benefices, and much more.[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Church could not be trusted as much as it was meant to be.   As a matter of fact, the condition of religion in the sixteenth century was characterized by turmoil.   King Henry VIII of England created the Church of England in the year 1533 A.D. by splitting from the Roman Catholic Church.   Around the same time, the French Wars of Religion were waged between the Catholics and the Huguenots in France.[4]   How much confusion such chaos would have birthed in the minds of Western Christians with respect to their religion could only be imagined.   Christianity was, after all, supposed to be a religion of peace and unconditional love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Western religion around 1500 A.D. was chiefly Christian, and the sixteenth century has been described as â€Å"probably the most intolerant period in Christian history.†[5]   It was not the scientists that were killed during this time because they came up with new ideas.   Rather, in the sixteenth century, there were thousands of people that were killed because they were called heretics by religionists.   Michael Servetus was only one such individual.   He was burned in 1553 A.D., alive, on the order of John Calvin in addition to the city authorities, because he had made theological speculations that Calvin believed to be falsehoods.[6]    To put it another way, the religious authorities of the time would not allow people even to deviate in their thinking with respect to religion.   Christians of the West were required to think of Christianity in the way that the religious authorities felt was appropriate.   Critical thinking or questioning was not allowed by any means.   What is more, the religious authorities were known to be corrupt enough for places of worship to be closed down.   Clarke writes:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In January, 1535, the newly appointed Vicar-General of the English Church, Thomas   Ã‚  Ã‚   Cromwell, sent out his agents to conduct a commission of enquiry into the character and value   Ã‚  Ã‚   of all ecclesiastical property in the kingdom.   Overtly, they were reformers, exercising the new   Ã‚  Ã‚   powers accorded to the Crown by the Act of Supremacy: from time to time to visit, repress,   Ã‚  Ã‚   redress, reform, order, correct, restrain and amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offences,   Ã‚  Ã‚   contempts and enormities . . . which ought or may be lawfully reformed.   But Dr. Richard   Ã‚  Ã‚   Layton, Dr. Thomas Legh, Dr. John London, and the other tough-minded and venal officials   Ã‚  Ã‚   chosen for the job had no doubt what the Crown expected of them.   It took them only six   Ã‚  Ã‚   months to submit for Cromwells scrutiny an accurate and detailed tax-book, the Valor   Ã‚  Ã‚   Ecclesiasticus.   Along with it came evidence of corruption and scandalous immorality in   Ã‚  Ã‚   Englands monasteries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such evidence was not hard to find, for by the 16th century many of the religious houses   Ã‚  Ã‚   had long since lost their sense of purpose.[7] The religious turbulence of the sixteenth century was continued into the seventeenth century.   The government of England had become known for its harassment of Catholics as well as Jesuits.   On 20 May 1604, certain religious men began to plot the destruction of the government after having heard Mass.   One priest knew about the plot, and was made to pay the price of this knowledge later on.[8]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The religious authorities of the Near and Far East were not facing religious turmoil around that time, however.   Nor were the people of the advanced civilizations of the Near and Far East being confronted with religious confusion.   Furthermore, scientists of the Near East were especially involved with their work during the sixteenth century, as for a number of centuries before.   The Ottoman astronomer, Taqi al-Din, created astronomical tables in the sixteenth century.   These tables were considered as accurate as the ones made by Tycho Brahe in Denmark during the same period of time.   All the same, the Ottomans are known to have ceased their support for scientific innovations and research a century later, as their priorities took a shift.[9]   The West, on the contrary, continued scientific explorations even after the sixteenth century. The East had maintained its religions.   It was only the West that had showed immense intolerance toward different religious beliefs and practices, even with respect to its own faith.   Whereas religious authorities stopped Westerners from thinking and reasoning, science opened up a new world for the ordinary people.   They were not called heretics because of their new scientific ideas.   Rather, people who came up with new scientific ideas were in the company of many others who came up with great new ideas in the scientific arena.   Giordano Bruno, Girolamo Cardano, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, William Gilbert, Johannes Kepler, Paracelsus, John Napier, and Andreas Vesalius are only few of the important Western scientists of the sixteenth century. Besides, the same century saw the birthing of Copernicus’ theory, the import of new plant species from the Americas into Europe, and new inventions that revolutionized manufacturing and other features of living.   The wheel-lock musket, the helicopter, the spinning wheel, the pocket watch, the diving bell, the seed drill, the camera obscura, the knitting machine, the compound microscope, the Gregorian Calendar, and the enameling of pottery were all brought into the world in the sixteenth century.[10]   So, while religion disappointed people, science brought renewed hope of existence through new products and discoveries.   No scientist could be killed in the name of science.   Hence, science was safely meant to stay on in the West despite the good or bad luck of religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frykholm seems to have chosen the safe side, although believers in rapture may not believe in her safety in the afterlife.   According to the latter, this division would remain real until final judgment time.   The author of Rapture Culture, on the other hand, does not claim to understand the truth of religion as opposed to the truth of science. Bibliography Clark, L. The Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th Century. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007, from http://www.historynet.com/. Frykholm, A. J. (2004). Rapture Culture: Left Behind in Evangelical America. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oxford University Press. Hogge, A. (2005). God’s Secret Agents: Queen Elizabeth’s Forbidden Priests and the Hatching of the Gunpowder Plot. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. How the Idea of Religious Tolerance Came to the West. MacroHistory. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007, from http://www.fsmitha.com/review/index.html. Lewis, J. J. (1998). Women Saints: Doctors of the Church. London: Penguin. Timeline 16th Century. Magic Dragon Multimedia. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007, from http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline16.html. Olin, J. (1990). Catholic Reformation: From Cardinal Ximenes to the Council of Trent, 1495- New York: Fordham University Press. Pollen, J. H. (2004). The Counter Reformation. The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: K.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knight. [1] J. H. Pollen, â€Å"The Counter Reformation,†The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: K. Knight, 2004). [2] Jone Johnson Lewis, Women Saints: Doctors of the Church (London: Penguin, 1998). [3] John Olin, Catholic Reformation: From Cardinal Ximenes to the Council of Trent, 1495-1563 (New York: Fordham University Press, 1990). [4] â€Å"Timeline 16th Century,† Magic Dragon Multimedia, available from http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline16.html; Internet; accessed 16 November 2007. [5] â€Å"How the Idea of Religious Tolerance Came to the West,† MacroHistory, available from http://www.fsmitha.com/review/index.html; Internet; accessed 16 November 2007. [6] Ibid. [7] Lindsay Clarke, â€Å"The Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th Century,† available from http://www.historynet.com/; Internet; accessed 16 November 2007. [8] Alice Hogge, God’s Secret Agents: Queen Elizabeth’s Forbidden Priests and the Hatching of the Gunpowder Plot (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005). [9] â€Å"Cutting-Edge Science in the Middle East;† available from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/themes/science/index.html; Internet; accessed 16 November 2007. [10] â€Å"Timeline.†

Déjàvu and the Brain :: Biology Essays Research Papers

UGH! I Just Got the Creepiest Feeling That I Have Been Here Before: Dà ©jà   vu and the Brain, Consciousness and Self We have all some experience of a feeling, that comes over us occasionally,, of what we are saying and doing having been said and done before, in a remote time - of our having been surrounded, dim ages ago, by the same faces, objects, and circumstances - of our knowing perfectly what will be said next, as if we suddenly remember it! (Dickens in David Copperfield - chapter 39 (1)) It happens to me and it has probably happened to you. It is sudden and fleeting, leaving as unexpectedly as it came. While the experience is striking in its clarity and detail, it is difficult to recapture or recount. Generally, it is left unexplained and is described in a vague sense, often simply as, "Wow, I just got the strangest dà ©jà   vu." Because it is so difficult to research and seems to have no deleterious effects on daily and long-term nervous system function, dà ©jà   vu has been left largely to the wayside of neurobiological investigation. In all of its ambiguity, dà ©jà   vu is still a perplexing phenomenon that has not yet been fully explained. The value of truly understanding the source of dà ©jà   vu and its circuitry is in uncovering one of the many keys to the role of the conscious self in the functioning of the brain. What is dà ©jà   vu and how does it work? Dà ©jà   vu is considered a common phenomenon. Surveys show that about one third of the population has had the most common form of dà ©jà   vu sensations (1). Due to the subjective and often indescribable nature of the associated feelings, it has been difficult, to determine who is actually experiencing dà ©jà   vu. In general, however, dà ©jà   vu is "any number of hard-to-explain sometimes upsetting occurrences of unexpected recognition, in which the person involved has trouble identifying an antecedent for the events and/or places which seem so strangely and intensely familiar (1)." Dà ©jà   vu has been defined as "familiarity without awareness (13)." While the situational cues of a dà ©jà   vu are familiar, there is a definite lack of awareness about the specific source of the memory. Arthur Funkhouser (1) defines three types of dà ©jà   vu in an attempt to more clearly delineate between associated, but different, neurological experiences. These are dà ©jà   vecu (already experienced), dà ©jà   senti (already felt) and dà ©jà   visità © (already visited).

Criminal Justice Reform Essay

A. I have a strong proposition for the California Legislature†¦and that is a strict and logical reform to the present Criminal Justice System in California. B. ‘The California Legislature is to be commended for its stance on crime. Not for their ‘get tough’ policies such as the ‘Three Strikes’ law but for their enactment of a little known section of the Penal Code entitled the ‘Community Based Punishment Act of 1994.’ (Senator Quentin Kopp, Time Magazine Feb 14, 1996) C. By passage of this act, the State of California has acknowledged the limitations of incarceration as both punishment and a deterrent to criminal behavior. D. The legislature has in fact declared that ‘California’s criminal justice system is seriously out of balance in its heavy dependence upon prison facilities and jails for punishment and its lack of appropriate punishment for nonviolent offenders and substance abusers who could be successfully treated in appropriate, less restrictive programs without any increase in danger to the public’ II. More facts, Opinions and Developmental Ideas A. In essence, this law proposes a community based system of intermediate restrictions for non-violent offenders that fall between jail time and traditional probation such as home detention with electronic monitoring, boot camps, mandatory community service and victim restitution, day reporting, and others. B. Pilot programs are to be developed as a collaborative effort between the state and counties requiring a community based plan describing the sanctions and services to be provided. C. A progress report on an actof this kind would be made by the California Board of Corrections on January 1, 1997 and annually thereafter to selected legislative committees. III. Informatives A. ‘It seems clear that the California Legislature has determined that incarceration is not appropriate for many criminal offenses and that alternative sanctions are preferable for non-violent offenders. ‘ (Randy Meyer, Political Official) B. But while this approach is to be applauded, its spreading prevents the fulfillment of its true potential. C. ‘By retaining those non-violent offenders that are currently in state prison and continuing to pursue defensive punishment at the local level in the form of short term ‘shock incarceration’ and bootcamps, the costly and ineffective methods of criminal behavior correction remain intact.’ (Charles Calderon-US News) D. By immediately eliminating incarceration for all non-violent offenses and requiring victim compensation and community service, resources can be committed to preventing crime rather than to the feeding and housing of offenders. E. This is consistent with the findings of the legislature and is cost efficient, requires minimal systemic change, and increases public safety and security. IV. The Proposal A. ‘Our current criminal justice system appears to be based upon the Old Testament proverb that ‘your eye shall not pity; it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’ Revenge thus plays a part of the punishment model.’ (LA Official Boland) From a societal standpoint, we expect punishment to prevent the offender and others from further criminal behavior. Incarceration of offenders as the punishment of choice thus theoretically provides revenge, individual  incapacitation, and restriction. But I submit that such a philosophical foundation is flawed. Revenge while understandable from an individual human perspective is not a proper basis for society’s response to the misbehavior of its laws. This human urge to punish should be removed from the current system and replaced with methods of restrictions that utilize the offender’s potential to benefit his victim and society at large. In other words, in a free society the end desired is the correction of behavior that utilizes the least force . This conforms to the principles of limited government, efficiency, reduced cost, and personal freedom as advocated by both liberals and conservatives alike. The basic underlying concept of this proposal is that incarceration should be reserved for those who are violent and thus dangerous to the public. Violent crimes would be defined broadly to include any act or attempt to injure the person of another except by accident. This would therefore range from murder to driving under the influence with current distinctions of misdemeanor and felony offenses remaining in place. The court sentencing procedures would also be modified to exclude incarceration for non-violent crimes with an emphasis on victim restitution and community service. The court would maybe rely on probation reports to provide the necessary offender personal history including employment, job skills (or lack of), and personal resources, e.g. bank accounts, property ownership, etc. Based on this information, the court would apply the appropriate sentence of victim restitution and community service with close monitoring by probation officials. As with all human endeavors, compliance by offenders would most likely not be 100%. The threat of incarceration would have to exist for those failing to submit to or comply with court ordered repayment and public service. Many will not agree with this due to the complexity and in many cases there can be more harm done then it could be beneficial. But for the most part there  is no reason to believe that the failure rate would be any higher under this type of system than is currently the case V. Conclusion This proposal provides a policy alternative to the current criminal justice emphasis on incarceration as punishment. It is based on the premise of effectiveness and cost efficiency with a high regard for individual liberty that is essential to a free society. It moves away from the concept of punishment and focuses on a more functional goal of victim and societal repayment. The proposal offers prevention at the front end rather than repayment at the back end of crime reduction efforts. The advantages of such a system are numerous. One of the most important assets of a revision of this kind is that of allowing for a major change in the criminal justice system with a minimum of disruption to the status quo. Rather than requiring an entire systemic change, this proposal works within the current practices of the court, police, and corrections. Indeed, very few authorized changes would have to be made. Enactment of this proposal would eliminate the need for future bond measures for prison construction. Not only would it save taxpayer money, it would be most advantageous to the remaining employees of the California Department of Corrections by allowing for the closure of outdated and unsafe facilities. In addition, unemployment could be kept to a minimum by offering qualified state correctional officers employment with local law enforcement agencies. It is time now to look beyond revenge and the emotionalism associated with current justice system practices. ‘There is only one practical method of reducing crime and the subsequent public’s fear and that is through a high level of police presence on the street.’ (Randy Meyer, M.A.) In essence, this revision allows for a return of the local neighborhood police officer who is familiar with its residents and business owners. In the final analysis, our very freedom depends on how we treat society’s criminals and misfits. By continuing to create a criminal class that has not been rehabilitated through incarceration, we are ultimately sabotaging our own security. Maybe with this we can have a means of reversing the trend of incarceration as punishment while increasing our personal safety and diminishing the fear that is rampant among us. QUICK FACTS *The current California prison population is 135,133 and is expected to increase to about 148,600 by June 30,1996 per the California Department of Corrections. *42.1% of these inmates are incarcerated for violent offenses, 25.3% for property offenses, 26.2% for drugs, and 6.4% for other. *Average yearly cost: per inmate, $21,885 and per parolee, $2,110. *California Department of Corrections budget for 1995-1996: $3.4 billion; proposed budget for 1996-1997 for both Corrections and Youth Authority: $4.1 billion. This compares to $1.6 billion for community colleges and $4.8 billion for higher education. *California Legislative Analysist Elizabeth Hill advised on February 26, 1996 that 24 new prisons will need to be built by the year 2005 to keep pace with the incarceration rate. This will cost taxpayers $7 billion for their construction and increase operating costs to $6 billion annually. *California Attorney General Dan Lungren announced on March 12, 1996 that the number of homicides reported in 1995 in the most populated two-thirds of the state had declined 3.1%, rape 3.9%, robbery 7.9%, aggravated assault 4.2%,  burglary 8.9%, and vehicle theft, 11.4% (San Jose Mercury News, 3/13/96). This is consistent with a 5% decline in the national violent crime rate for the first half of 1995 per the FBI. MANUSCRIPT An analysis of Department of Corrections data by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco, CA, in Nov, 1995 indicates that since the enactment of California’s ‘Three Strikes’ law two years ago, 192 have ‘struck out’ for marijuana possession, compared to 40 for murder, 25 for rape, and 24 for kidnapping. I have a strong proposition for the California Legislature†¦and that is a strict and logical reform to the present Criminal Justice System in California. ‘The California Legislature is to be commended for its stance on crime. Not for their ‘get tough’ policies such as the ‘Three Strikes’ law but for their enactment of a little known section of the Penal Code entitled the ‘Community Based Punishment Act of 1994.’ (Senator Quentin Kopp, Time Magazine Feb 14, 1996). By passage of this act, the State of California has acknowledged the limitations of incarceration as both punishment and a deterrent to criminal behavior. The legislature has in fact declared that ‘California’s criminal justice system is seriously out of balance in its heavy dependence upon prison facilities and jails for punishment and its lack of appropriate punishment for nonviolent offenders and substance abusers who could be successfully treated in appropria te, less restrictive programs without any increase in danger to the public’ In essence, this law proposes a community based system of intermediate restrictions for non-violent offenders that fall between jail time and traditional probation such as home detention with electronic monitoring,  boot camps, mandatory community service and victim restitution, day reporting, and others. Pilot programs are to be developed as a collaborative effort between the state and counties requiring a community based plan describing the sanctions and services to be provided. A progress report on an actof this kind would be made by the California Board of Corrections on January 1, 1997 and annually thereafter to selected legislative committees. ‘It seems clear that the California Legislature has determined that incarceration is not appropriate for many criminal offenses and that alternative sanctions are preferable for non-violent offenders. ‘ (Randy Meyer, Political Official). But while this approach is to be applauded, its spreading prevents the fulfillment of its true potential. ‘By retaining those non-violent offenders that are currently in state prison and continuing to pursue defensive punishment at the local level in the form of short term ‘shock incarceration’ and bootcamps, the costly and ineffective methods of criminal behavior correction remain intact.’ (Charles Calderon-US News). By immediately eliminating incarceration for all non-violent offenses and requiring victim compensation and community service, resources can be committed to preventing crime rather than to the feeding and housing of offenders. This is consistent with the findings of the legislature and is cost efficient, requires minimal systemic change, and increases public safety and security. ‘Our current criminal justice system appears to be based upon the Old Testament proverb that ‘your eye shall not pity; it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’ Revenge thus plays a part of the punishment model.’ (LA Official Boland). From a societal standpoint, we expect punishment to prevent the offender and others from further criminal behavior. Incarceration of offenders as the punishment of choice thus theoretically provides revenge, individual incapacitation, and restriction. But I submit that such a philosophical foundation is flawed. Revenge while understandable from an individual human perspective is not a proper basis  for society’s response to the misbehavior of its laws. This human urge to punish should be removed from the current system and replaced with methods of restrictions that utilize the offender’s potential to benefit his victim and society at large. In other words, in a free society the end desired is the correction of behavior that utilizes the least force . This conforms to the principles of limited government, efficiency, reduced cost, and personal freedom as advocated by both liberals and conservatives alike. The basic underlying concept of this proposal is that incarceration should be reserved for those who are violent and thus dangerous to the public. Violent crimes would be defined broadly to include any act or attempt to injure the person of another except by accident. This would therefore range from murder to driving under the influence with current distinctions of misdemeanor and felony offenses remaining in place. The court sentencing procedures would also be modified to exclude incarceration for non-violent crimes with an emphasis on victim restitution and community service. The court would maybe rely on probation reports to provide the necessary offender personal history including employment, job skills (or lack of), and personal resources, e.g. bank accounts, property ownership, etc. Based on this information, the court would apply the appropriate sentence of victim restitution and community service with close monitoring by probation officials. As with all human endeavors, compliance by offenders would most likely not be 100%. The threat of incarceration would have to exist for those failing to submit to or comply with court ordered repayment and public service. Many will not agree with this due to the complexity and in many cases there can be more harm done then it could be beneficial. But for the most part there is no reason to believe that the failure rate would be any higher under this type of system than is currently the case This proposal provides a policy alternative to the current criminal justice  emphasis on incarceration as punishment. It is based on the premise of effectiveness and cost efficiency with a high regard for individual liberty that is essential to a free society. It moves away from the concept of punishment and focuses on a more functional goal of victim and societal repayment. The proposal offers prevention at the front end rather than repayment at the back end of crime reduction efforts. The advantages of such a system are numerous. One of the most important assets of a revision of this kind is that of allowing for a major change in the criminal justice system with a minimum of disruption to the status quo. Rather than requiring an entire systemic change, this proposal works within the current practices of the court, police, and corrections. Indeed, very few authorized changes would have to be made. Enactment of this proposal would eliminate the need for future bond measures for prison construction. Not only would it save taxpayer money, it would be most advantageous to the remaining employees of the California Department of Corrections by allowing for the closure of outdated and unsafe facilities. In addition, unemployment could be kept to a minimum by offering qualified state correctional officers employment with local law enforcement agencies. It is time now to look beyond revenge and the emotionalism associated with current justice system practices. ‘There is only one practical method of reducing crime and the subsequent public’s fear and that is through a high level of police presence on the street.’ (Randy Meyer, M.A.) In essence, this revision allows for a return of the local neighborhood police officer who is familiar with its residents and business owners. In the final analysis, our very freedom depends on how we treat society’s criminals and misfits. By continuing to create a criminal class that has not  been rehabilitated through incarceration, we are ultimately sabotaging our own security. Maybe with this we can have a means of reversing the trend of incarceration as punishment while increasing our personal safety and diminishing the fear that is rampant among us.

Joseph Andrews and Abraham Adams Essay

Such devotion is clearly evident in Adams, not only because of his position as a clergyman but also in his actions. During an episode in which Joseph and Adams are in great danger, Adams’ devotion to God is proven. â€Å"Adams now fell on his Knees, and committed himself to the Care of Providence . Joseph is likewise devoted to God. he still settles himself to the wishes of God, making his devotion clear Mr. Abraham Adams was an excellent Scholar. He was a perfect Master of the Greek and Latin Languages In comparison to the normal human of the time, Adams seems to be more intelligent. The first meeting between Adams and Joseph depends upon Joseph’s similar aptitude for learning compared to similar people his age. After questioning Joseph about several subjects, Adams declares that, â€Å"he answer’d much better than Sir Thomas, or two otherDespite their many similarities, Adams and Joseph differ on several points. One of them is their view on schools. The essential debate comes down to the quality of British public schools. Joseph Andrews throws his support towards public schools. Adams holds a different opinion on this matter, however, which coincides with his position as a clergyman and his devotion to God. â€Å"Public Schools are the Nurseries of all Vice and Immorality. All the wicked Fellows whom I remember at the University were bread at them,† Joseph’s willingness to contest Adams’ opinions shows that they must differ in some ways. The simplicity of Adams’ character is evident in his gullibility compared to Joseph. During one episode, they are promised several extravagant offers by a gentlemen who pretends to be sympathetic to their Case. After giving several excuses that prevent him from following through on his promise, Adams still doesn’t understand the situation. â€Å"This must be a sudden Accident, as the Sickness or Death of a Relation. Adams honestly believes that the man had intentions of honoring his promises. Joseph is less gullible, and know that the man has been playing with them.. Joseph sees through the lies he is being told and falls back upon his greater experience of the world than Adams. Throughout Joseph Andrews, the relationship between Adams and Joseph forms an important element of the story. Their great friendship brings them through difficult times and benefits them both. This friendship is composed of both their similarities, which help them get along, and their differences, which allow each of them to expand the other’s world view. The relationship would not be as dynamic without the interaction derived from these similarities and differences. In comparison, they devote themselves to God, rise above their peers in moral character, and posses greater learning than their peers. In contrast, they differ in their views of schools and their gullibility

Europe After The Rain Essays - Web Colors, Surrealist Techniques

Europe After The Rain Essays - Web Colors, Surrealist Techniques Europe After The Rain The Painting was made by Max Ernst in 1940. Max Erns, was the inventor of the technique called frottage. I characterized this painting to be very expressive. The painting illustrate the consequences of a storm and the effects it has in our nature. It is a representation of Europe after a day of a storm. Ernst used a special Technique called Frottage, with this technique he was able to create a numerous variety of textural effects. Ernsts technique consists of putting a piece of paper over a texture surface like floorboards and wooden surfaces, and then rubbing a soft pencil across the paper. He would then arrange these textures in visions of surrealistic forests and beautiful landscape. The painting was made of oil on canvas. H 21 9/16in. W.58 3/16in. It posses an analogous color scheme, made up of blue, yellow, white, black and green. The painting is a study in athmosphetic perspective, the sky appears white and blue, and mountains appear black and yellow. The black and yellow color gives the mountains a hot dry look and the white and blue color shows how hot the atmosphere is. The appearance of both warm color (yellow) and cool color (blue) tend to evoke a Sense of contrast tension when they both appear to be together on the same painting. In conclusion the painting impact me for it visual texture. Its view of a real storm, each color on it, reflects the causes of a real storm and the way the artist develops it.

What to expect from your book cover designer

What to expect from your book cover designer What to expect from your book cover designer You’ve written a brief and commissioned a designer. What’s next? In this guest post, bestselling book cover designer Simon Avery explains the process of working with a cover designer, from the first concepts up to the final payment.  Professional cover design is part of what makes a bestselling title. So it’s no wonder that successful indie authors are serious about the process. Once you’ve tracked down a cover designer you like, the first thing you’ll need is a good brief (which you can learn how to do with this guide). But after you've come to an agreement to work together, what comes next? Round One – The concept stageThe first and longest part of the process is the concept stage. In a nutshell, your book cover designer will take your brief and produce several potential ideas for a cover.Behind the scenesFor me, the concept stage takes between 1-2 weeks. In this time I create 10 or so designs, many of which will never see the light of day. The best 3-5 will be sent as concepts to the author to give a feel for how the final cover could look.In the concept stage I’m also doing a  number of things:Consulting image librariesA good designer will subscribe to a big selection of image libraries. This ranges from well-known libraries like iStock and Shutterstock to smaller specialist outlets. For example, I might consult a library that stocks edgy urban images. This also means my clients get pictures that are not in wide circulation. Image libraries charge for picture downloads. Some designers charge extra for this but I personally include it as part of my fee. The final concept stageArmed with the favourite concept, I then tidy up and polish. This is my favourite part of the process. I add any suggested changes. For example, an author might ask to change the eye colour of a character or make some element more or less prominent. For the most part, however, I’m just finalising the chosen concept ready to publish.The big finish!The cover is done and the author might use it to Tweet and gain social media prior to publication. When authors are happy with their cover they ‘sign it off’, meaning I forward them all the artwork and they pay me.Check out Simon Avery’s profile on Reedsy:  https://reedsy.com/simon-averyWant to learn more about Reedsy's book cover design professionals and how to work with them? Click here!

Case Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Analysis - Assignment Example With this reason, managers are obligated to manage people efficiently and effectively. The activities of a Human Resource Manager will involve planning, recruiting, choice and training amid other obligations. The jobs must be analyzed, labor requirements planned, employees carefully selected, oriented and trained. Communication and maintaining commitment of employees enhanced. Human capital plays a key role in an organization. It refers to skills, knowledge and ability of the people in an organization. All organizations require a combination of human capital, finances and physical capital. To build the workforce of an organization, staffing is needed. Staffing is a process that integrates acquisition, deploying and retaining a workforce responsible for the success of the organization. It focuses on quantity and quality of human capital for cost control and profit-making. After staffing, retention of qualified workers posses a great challenge. An organization might keep on recruiting and training workers often who quit after a short period without being profitable to the organization. New strategies and tactics are needed to keep employees recruited and trained. Some of the solutions include: †¢ Implement a leaders program, †¢ Train the managers and †¢ Improve employee recognition programs. ... A good working environment may include taking responsibility of offering transport of your employees to and from work place on daily basis. Good public relation relationship between the managers and the first line supervisors builds self-esteem for the employees. The managers need training so that they play their roles effectively in recruitment and retention of workers. This is important because the managers need skills, tools, and knowledge to understand their workmates. After providing a working environment, the employees need to be recognized, rewarded, with a reinforcement of the right behavior. Appreciating employees makes the proud of their work and build the pride of being associated with the organization. Rewards such like bonuses, the best rated employee annually motivates employees and instills discipline at work (Smith 84-88). Sometimes, bonuses may be substituted with a dinner certificate or an expensive ride that an employee won't forget. The employees' children who do well academically may be awarded scholarships. The employees must be engaged through incorporation of their ideas and suggestions. This provides a sense of ownership to the employees. The employees' ideas are exposed to research, providing a healthy climate of innovation for new products. Through suchlike programs, the skills and potential of employees are developed. Annually, a survey is to be conducted through interviews on production, job satisfaction, work programs and ways of improving hiring processes. Turnover of the business and retention of employees also need to be evaluated (Smith 70-73). QUESTION 3: In general, is there additional information you would like to see/ discuss that would improve the quality of your recommendations? YES. Incorporation of Strategic Human Resource

Elements of Competency for Engineers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Elements of Competency for Engineers - Essay Example Another element of competency for engineers that I want to achieve perfection in is professional and personal attributes. I realize that engineering as a professional plays a very instrumental role in the economic development of society. As such as an engineer I will be a play a role that touches on the lives of many as well as aspects of society, economy and environmental issues. As such high standards of ethics and professional conduct will be expected of me by the large society. I will, therefore, use information and engineering technologies in a manner that is beneficial to all stakeholders. I am currently working to achieve this competency by thinking creatively, innovatively and maintaining a proactive personality as an engineer. I try to carry myself in an orderly manner and effectively practice teamwork. These competencies are set in order to stimulate engineers to rise to the occasion and serve the community in a manner that is diligently ethical, professional and beneficial . As a future engineer being competent in these important skill areas will be of extremely crucial important. By appropriately and proactively applying my skills, I will be able to serve the society by addressing defined engineering problems. I will consider the consequences of my actions to clients, society and the environment and make the most appropriate decisions when executing my duties as an engineer. By upholding high standards of ethics and professionalism I will be able to place first the interest of the public.