Austria Essays - States Of Austria, Salzburg, Austria, Alps

Austria Essays - States Of Austria, Salzburg, Austria, Alps Austria Austria Austria is the republic in central Europe. It is about 360 miles long and has an area of about 32,378 square miles. Vienna is the countrys capital and largest city. Austria is predominantly a mountainous country, with an average elevation of about 3000 feet. Most of the land falls within the eastern part of the Alps. In general the major mountain ranges of Austria run in an eastern-western direction and are separated from one another by large valleys. The northernmost line of ranges includes the North Tirol Alps and the Salzburg Alps. Among the central range is the Hohe Tauern, which tops in the Grossglockner, the highest elevation in the country. The Pasterze Glacier, one of Europes largest, descends from the Grossglockner peak. The southernmost ranges include the tztal Alps, the Zillertaler Alps, the Carnic Alps, and the Karawanken Mountains. Besides these eastern-western ranges, several series of mountain extend in a northern-southern direction. The mountain barriers of Austria are broken in many places by passes, including the Brenner Pass and the Semmering Pass. The principal river is the Danube, which enters Austria at Passau on the German border. Austrian tributaries of the Danube include the Inn, Traun, Enns, and Ybbs rivers. In the south, important rivers are the Mur and the Mrz. In addition to the rivers, the hydrographic system of the country includes numerous lakes, Bodensee, and Neusiedler Lake in Burgenland. The lake is the countrys lowest elevation point. The Austrian climate varies with altitude. Mountainous regions are subject to moderate Atlantic conditions and experience more precipitation than the eastern lowlands. Spring and fall are usually mild throughout the country. Summers are short with moderate temperatures. Cold and often severe winters last about three months in the valleys. The foehn is important to Austrias agricultural production, allowing for early cultivation of the southern valleys. Average annual temperatures range between about 44 and 48 F throughout the country. Average annual rainfall is about 26 inches in Vienna and about 34 inches in Innsbruck. In some interior valleys, the average annual rainfall is between about 60 and 80 inches. Austria has large deposits of iron ore, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, and natural gas and is a prime world agent of high-grade graphite. Some small deposits of bituminous coal have been mined, as well as lead, zinc, copper, kaolin, gypsum, mica, quartz, salt, bauxite, antimony, and talc. Deciduous trees, mainly beech, oak, and birch, are predominant in the lower altitudes. Spruce, fir, larch, Austrian black pine, and stone pine extend to the timberline. The higher altitudes have a very brief season during which alpine plants, including edelweiss, gentians, primroses, buttercups, and monkshoods, come into brilliant flower. Wildlife is generally scarce in Austria. Chamois, deer, and marmot are still represented; bear, which were once abundant, are now almost completely absent. Hunting is strictly regulated to protect the remaining species. The Austrian people are German-speaking, but the country has a varied ethnic mixturea legacy from the time of the multinational Habsburg Austria. About 96 percent of the population is ethnic Austrian. Minority groups include Croats and Hungarians, Slovenes,Czechs, as well as small numbers of Italians, Serbs, and Romanians. A large amount of refugees in the years following World War II increased their numbers, and new groups, such as the Turks, were added. According to the 1991 census, Austria had a population of 7,795,786. The 1996 estimated population was about 8,023,244, giving the country an overall population density of about 248 people per square mile. About 61 percent of the population is urban, with more than one-quarter of the people living in the five largest cities: Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Austria is divided into nine federal provinces: Burgenland, Krnten, Niedersterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark , Tirol, Obersterreich, Vienna, and Vorarlberg. Roman Catholicism is the religion of about 78 percent of the population of Austria. Reformed Lutherans and various other Christian denominations account for 8 percent, and Muslims make up 2 percent. Those without a religion or whose faith is unknown constitute 12 percent of the population. German is the official language of Austria. About 2 percent of the population speak languages other than German, mainly Croatian, Slovenian, Czech, and Turkish. The basis of the Austrian educational system is the national law that requires school attendance for all youths between the ages of 6 and 15. Austrias long tradition of free education dates from the Educational Reform Act of 1774, instituted by the Empress Maria Theresa. This law, which was expanded in 1867 and again in 1962, largely accounts for the fact that virtually all

Free Essays on United States Air Force And IT

The Air Force has a communications and information team seeking to make the Air Force better while enabling everyone to do their jobs better, faster, cheaper, and smoother through the smart use of information technology. This, Air Force Information Technology Management Strategic Plan, establishes the fundamental vision, goals, and strategies for being world class acquirers, users, and managers of information and information technology. The United States Air Force seeks to make information technology professionals the best in the world at applying information technology to the mission and business processes of the Air Force. Discussed will be the Air Force infrastructure, challenges with technology attacks and the internet. The Department of Defense (DoD) infrastructure, alone, consists of over 2.1 million computers, 10,000 local area networks, and 1000 long distance networks. Over 95% of the Defense Department systems utilize public communications networks available to the general public. These networks are classified as the global, national, and defense information infrastructures (GII, NII, and DII). They all use interconnected transport medium linked to public switches that route data between geographically separated systems. This includes the Department of Defense classified systems that operate on the Secret Internet Protocol Routing Network or SIPRNET. The Department of Defense also critically depends on information technology to help design weapons, identify and track enemy targets, pay soldiers, mobilize reservists, and manage supplies. Basically to command, control, protect, pay, supply, and inform the force. As dependence on increasingly interconnected information systems grows, so does t he Department of Defense vulnerability. To meet these new challenges, the information technology community in the Air Force is reshaping its focus. That focus consists of the following operating philosophy: Make Air Force mis... Free Essays on United States Air Force And IT Free Essays on United States Air Force And IT The Air Force has a communications and information team seeking to make the Air Force better while enabling everyone to do their jobs better, faster, cheaper, and smoother through the smart use of information technology. This, Air Force Information Technology Management Strategic Plan, establishes the fundamental vision, goals, and strategies for being world class acquirers, users, and managers of information and information technology. The United States Air Force seeks to make information technology professionals the best in the world at applying information technology to the mission and business processes of the Air Force. Discussed will be the Air Force infrastructure, challenges with technology attacks and the internet. The Department of Defense (DoD) infrastructure, alone, consists of over 2.1 million computers, 10,000 local area networks, and 1000 long distance networks. Over 95% of the Defense Department systems utilize public communications networks available to the general public. These networks are classified as the global, national, and defense information infrastructures (GII, NII, and DII). They all use interconnected transport medium linked to public switches that route data between geographically separated systems. This includes the Department of Defense classified systems that operate on the Secret Internet Protocol Routing Network or SIPRNET. The Department of Defense also critically depends on information technology to help design weapons, identify and track enemy targets, pay soldiers, mobilize reservists, and manage supplies. Basically to command, control, protect, pay, supply, and inform the force. As dependence on increasingly interconnected information systems grows, so does t he Department of Defense vulnerability. To meet these new challenges, the information technology community in the Air Force is reshaping its focus. That focus consists of the following operating philosophy: Make Air Force mis...

Leadership Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Theories - Essay Example It is a tough call because leaders and followers are unique human beings and thereby each situation has an unknown entity factored in. A range of leadership theories have tried to put forth different leadership styles which is the recurring pattern of behaviours exhibited by a leader. A leader's style is based on the degree of concern to the accomplishment of the task and the people who do the task. The early Trait theories of the 1920's and 1930's, tried to understand the specific traits that differentiated leaders and non-leaders. These may be physical traits like age, height, weight, or social characteristics like being popular, charismatic or diplomatic or personal traits like being self-confident and adaptable. Task-related characteristics include being driven to excel, accepting of responsibility, having initiative, and being results-oriented. Trait theories concentrated on the inherent individual traits rather the situation but their drawback was that they did not take into account situational differences. Also, they did not take into account the fact that when these attributes are cultivated by education and training whether they were as effective as the inherent qualities. Due to the uniqueness of situations and individuals, trait theories lost their vote when compared to situational theories. Contingency Theories take into account environmental factors and recommend adaptable leadership behaviour to actual situational requirements. Fiedler's contingency theory was based on the premise that good leadership is always a match between leadership style and situational demands. What works in a particular environment may not be successful in a different environment. Fiedler's theory consisted of three contingency variables. The first was the leader-member relations (good or poor) that determined group support for the leader. The second was the task structure (high or low) that specified the accuracy of the task and goals. And the third was the position power that determined the power or authority of the manager to punish or reward his subordinates. These are combined in a weighted sum that is termed "Favourable" at one end and "unfavourable" at the other. Task oriented style worked with better member relations while or relationship oriented style is defined for other circumstances. Thus, a given situation might call for a manager with a different style or a manager who could take on a different style for a different situation. Fiedler's theory is successful only when there is a good match between style and situation. The task-motivated style leader takes pride in his work and feels happy in the achievement of company goals. The relationship-oriented manager seems to place more emphasis relationship building. Therefore this works only when the prospective managers have the right situation that suits their predominant style and is dependent on internal and external constraints. The leadership qualities that are required to make a good leader can vary in different organisations, teams and situations. This is one of the fundamental principles underlying most popular leadership systems such as Situational Leadership (developed by Blanchard and Hersey in the late 1960s). Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership model suggests that successful leaders can adjust their styles depending on the readiness of the followers to perform in a given situation. The leadership styles portrayed are combinations of task oriented and relationship

Hitler's table talk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hitler's table talk - Essay Example The book â€Å"Hitler's Table Talk† by Cameron et al. containing private talks by Hitler between 1941 and 1944 reveals important details about Hitler’s personality. This essay discusses Hitler’s personality as the main contributing factor to the actions of Hitler by drawing reference to the book, â€Å"Hitler's Table Talk†, as well as other secondary sources. Among the various factors that contributed to the outbreak of the Second World War were activities of one leader Adolf Hitler of Germany. In fact, most of the blame for the outbreak of the war rests on his activities as well as ideologies. As the world went through the Second World War, most people Germans included, hated their dictatorial leader. When the war broke out, other factors contributed to its growth and development to a fully blown war. One of the biggest contributing factors to the actions of Hitler was his personality (Encyclopedia of World Biography web). Although the world knew Hitler a s a dictator, he was a religious man, who strongly believed in religion. Little literature exists about this man’s religious affiliations and beliefs. However, Cameron et al reveals that Hitler not only engaged in different talks about religion, but was also a believer in Christianity. He believed that it was only with the help of the Orthodox priest that it was possible to do something on Russia. As such, this shows that he had strong respect for Christianity (Zalampas 6). Further, his agreement that the priest played a big role in uniting the Russians reveals his undisputable respect for the Christians. Although it is not clear whether himself was Christian or not, this recognition of the Christians in the society significantly contributed to the development and shaping of his personality  (Giblin 66-70). He even believed in the existence of God, who makes the natural laws throughout the universe. In his description about the nature of God, he agreed that he was mighty an d bigger (Cameron et al 3). He even agreed that the Jesuits would play a significant role in the winning of the war against the soviets. Hitler was a philosopher who believed in his philosophies and those of other people. Before he started engaging in talks with other allied nations, he held the philosophy that only war could solve the problems that the world was facing then. Even before the war broke up, Hitler was aware that his activities would spark another war, with much intensity than the first intensity (Hitler 46-50). This was actually his main intention and target. Subsequently, he took his time in developing strong ties with different leaders in order to win their trust. He even developed philosophies such as the philosophy of fear intimidation. He did not see the use of his goods competing with cheap goods from the English region. Rather, he believed that Germany should have controlled the world trade since it had a more superior military then most of the countries involv ed in the international trade (Cameron et al 9). He believed that despite the differences that existed between Germany and England, the war would unite the two countries, making them friends (Cameron et al 12). Hitler from a tender age was a highly ambitious person, who dedicated his time and efforts in pursuing his dreams. Since a young age, Hitler was a passionate artist who loved painting and drawing. He even used the concept of art in the war against England, as he observed the culture of the English

Rocks and Minerals in Indiana Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rocks and Minerals in Indiana - Assignment Example Additionally, minerals occur in abundance within this state. Estimates are that Indiana has approximately 100 different minerals, although other minerals exist in scarcity. This implies the state has more than 100 minerals considering the scarce mineral deposits that are present within the region. Despite the huge deposits of minerals across Indiana, only some minerals occur in large quantities. The most plentiful of the minerals in Indiana include calcite, clay minerals and quartz (Smith, Brookley and McGregor 12). The largest percentages of the minerals that are present in Indiana are widely dispersed while others are totally covered by the earth crust. Therefore, this makes economical utilization of these minerals impossible, especially in large-scale mining. Additionally, the process of mining and searching for these minerals can be uneconomical since the minerals occur sparingly. Calcite occurs in Indiana as one of the most abundant minerals. It is usually present in different rock layers. The mineral is considered the largest carbon depository and takes up the form of limestone coupled with marble. Limestone is generated either through chemical precipitation of CaCo3 or changes that transpire on various constituents in the period that diagenesis occurs. Conversely, marble is generated in the instance that limestone gets exposed to towering temperature and pressure. Nearly all the calcite that is present in Indiana is colorless or possesses yellow and brown shades. Calcite has hexagonal shaped crystals in case they are visible to the eye. The calcite present in Indiana has crystals that bear other minerals such as pyrite although this phenomenon rarely occurs. Outstanding specimens of calcite and other related mineral deposits are present in Indiana, with some possessing large crystals (IGS1). The properties that calcite possesses makes the mineral exceptional during identification thus making it easier to recognize the mineral.

Analysis of War Photography

Analysis of War Photography War photography has existed since the nineteenth century, when Roger Fenton set out to photograph the Crimean war in 1855. From the beginning of war photography questions have always been raised about their representation of the truth. Compared to modern day cameras the exposure time required to take a photograph ensured that action shots were not possible. The images could only be of dead on the battlefield or posed for. This was apparent throughout Alexander Gardeners photos of the American Civil. The photographer, who created the book Photographic Sketch Book of the Civil War, was famed for staging various shots. The image which was captioned, The home of a rebel sharpshooter was proved to have been staged. Civil war experts reviewed the image revealing that Gardner had dragged the body into the shot and twisted his head towards the camera. The gun also within the image was placed strategically by Gardner. During World War two the staging of photographs continued. The cameras used during this war were a significant improvement and allowed for action shots to be taken but still questions were being asked about the authenticity of some of the photographs. Yevgeny Khaldeis famous photograph of a Soviet soldier placing the Soviet Unions flag atop of the Reichstag building in Berlin was in fact staged. The photo was taken three days after the Soviets had firstly placed a flag at the top. The image was taken at such an angle to prevent showing other Soviet soldiers who were looting and the soldiers were handpicked by Khaldei. Another of a photo which is circled by rumours of being staged is the most reproduced photo in the world. Jim Rosenthals photo of the flag rising at Iwo Jima was claimed to be, too perfect. The image taken was not the first picture of a flag being raised. Marine Photographer took the first picture of a flag being raised earlier in the day while the marine were under heavy fire. Rosenthals photo was taken later in the day and pictured a much larger flag. There has always been a partiality of representation in major wars simply because usually only one side is reported on by journalists representing news institutes from the same country as the army they report on. This begs the question of what is the purpose of war photography. Is it to inform the public or to provide morale for troops and the home public? The purpose of war photography has shifted throughout the years. During earlier wars photos were purely used to inform the public. Images were sent back to keep the public updated on what their troops were doing. In contrast, recent war photography, due to censorship and embedding, has become nothing more than propaganda. Staged and altered shots are created in order to show the military in a positive light, therefore limiting the offence they create to the viewing public. Other factors need to be taken into account, in order to determine whether war reporting is purely for morale of the country or to inform the public, such as the safety of the nation. For instance the World wars threatened national survival, so therefore reports and photographs released and published were intended to create a sense of morale and keep the war effort going. This was mainly as everyone would have been affected by the war., while wars being fought in foreign countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan lead to a sense of anonymity as it is out of direct view of the public. Reports and images published from these photojournalists need to carry a certain amount of truth to inform the public back in their home countries. The Vietnam War is known as the war that was lost on TV. The media was allowed to publish all kinds of images. During Vietnam the press was given remarkable freedom to report the war without any government control. Vietnam was the most heavily covered war in which reporters were not subject to extensive censorship. Pictures of decapitated bodies and civilians injuries were being broadcast back in America causing the public to think twice about the war that was taking place. President at the time Richard Nixon stressed this issue by saying, In each nights TV news and each mornings papers the war was reported battle by battle, but little or no sense of the underlying purpose of the fighting was conveyed. Eventually this contributed to the impression that we were fighting in military quicksand, rather than toward an important and worthwhile objective. The severity of the images was one of many factors that contributed to the American government losing the will to fight on in the war. Many journalists generally reported what they saw both positive and negative, according to James Reston, journalists didnt think it was their mission to serve the war effort. The freedom they were given was interpreted in several different ways, with the majority reporting the war in a completely subjective way. Reston goes onto say, for better or worse it was the journalists views that prevailed with the public, whose disenchantment forced an end to American involvement. This was especially prominent in independent photographers, as they would not have an editorial agenda to adhere to. Inevitably during military briefings they would lose the idea of the big picture. Although it can be argued that military briefings are often thinly disguised as propaganda anyway. The general stance on reporting the war started to change as the war progressed. The longer the conflict continued the more graphic the images and reports were. The offensive and disturbing reports from Vietnam as well as conscription and the fatality rate led to many people staging an anti war protest and voicing their concerns about the war. The largest of which was at Washington DC when a reported two hundred and fifty thousand people gathered in joint protest. Although it is claimed to be one of the contributing factors Professor Daniel Hallin of the University of California at San Diego conducted a study into the Vietnam coverage. He concluded that the war coverage was almost completely sanitised on television, due to the need not to cause any offence to any of the soldiers families. As a response to what happened in Vietnam, the censorship put upon the press by the British government during the Falklands war was at an extreme. Every inch of columns and pictures had to be check thoroughly by army officials before it was then passed onto the Ministry of Defence, who then proceeded to check it again before it could be published. The censorship in the Falklands was so extreme that it led to the word censored actually being censored. Due to the negative press that was created throughout Vietnam, the British government made a deliberate attempt to stop people knowing what was going on. The government were keen to project a positive picture back the British public and it did this by starving the press of any influential information. This was evident on the 14th of May 1982 when an Exocet missile hit HMS Sheffield. The military ensured that the news was delayed in reaching the reporters present. All reporters were also kept at arms length any live footage sent back to Britain was shot from a few hundred metres away. Very few clear picture of HMS Sheffield were shown back in Britain. Before the invasion of Iraq it was decided that journalists would be embedding among soldiers The concept of embedding reporters was an initiative proposed by the US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The concept was introduced after initial pressure from the countrys news media. The press were disappointed with the level of access that they were granted in previous conflict zones. The concept of Embedding reporters was not a new on but it was never carried out on this kind of scale before. After deciding to embed reporters among soldiers Rumsfeld explained the reasoning behind his decision, We need to tell the factual story-good and bad-before others seed the media with disinformation and distortion, as they most certainly will continue to do. Our people in the field need to tell our story-only commanders can ensure the media get to the story alongside the troops. The main concept of embedding reporters is that they would identify with the troops around them. Each journalist would be assigned to a company of soldiers and would experience the war first hand in the frontline. Each reporter would be issued with military equipment; they would also eat and sleep alongside their respective soldiers. By assigning a journalist to a troop, it meant that the reporter could be placed anywhere. This meant that the position of the embed could be decided by the military. Around six hundred national and local journalists were embedded with troops as they entered Iraq. The system of embedding reporters tended to have a psychological effect upon reporters causing them to lose the ability to remain objective. The system also led to reporters having tunnel vision especially when reporting on tactical operation. Journalists would only see one or two units in action, and therefore only reporting upon what they were doing. Gordon Dillow an embedded reported said, I fell in love with my marines I wasnt reporting; the point was I was reporting the Marine grunt truth which had also become my truth. The following images and articles will be analysed using Roland Barthes theory of semiotics. Building upon Ferdinand de Saussures linguistic theories Barthes constructed his own theory of semiotics. According to his paper Myth today (1957) the theory consists of a signifier, the signified and the sign. The signifier is the term used to describe the image, which is being examined, and the signified is the term used to describe any ideas which are raised by the signifier, and the sign is the correlation of the signifier and the signified. Barthes also noted that anything signified by the signifier is culturally specific, Signifieds have a very close communication with culture, knowledge, history, and it is through them so to speak, that the environmental world invades the system. Barthes (1967) This would suggest that whatever is being signified may change over time and that different people would interpret signifieds differently. For example within an Indian culture cows are perceived as a sacred holy animal, while in western culture the cow is simply a provider of food. Due to the fact that each signified is culturally specific Barthes theory also takes into account the uses of denotation and connotation. Denotation is a literal description of the image or object being examined while connotation is the ideas associated with the image or object. When analysing press photographs it is important to also include the caption, as Barthes claims that the image and the caption are two different structures. Barthes uses the terms anchorage and relay when referring press photograph captions. Anchorage refers to when the text within the caption, directs the reader through the signifieds of the image causing him to avoid some and receive others. Barthes (1977). Relay describes the addition of something in the caption, which is not actually present in the image. Barthes also included in his theory of semiotics the element of myth. Myth is described as, a second-order semiological system. Barthes argues that signification is divided into two different sections connotations and denotation and myth is signification in the connotative level. Myth sees the signifiers in its raw form. Similar to signifieds myth is divided into two categories, the language object which is the linguistic system and myth itself which is described as metalanguage because it is a second language which talks about the first one. Barthes described the use of myth as, When he reflects on a metalanguage, the semiologist no longer needs to ask himself questions about the composition of the language object, he no longer has to take into account the details of the linguistic schema; he will only need to know its total term or global sign (Barthes 1967) When using Barthes theory two competing myths can be attained about war. One myth is based upon General William Tecumseh Shermans quote that reads, It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for bloodWar is hell. The competing myth to this is that war can be fought in a morally acceptable way. Making a war morally manageable is minimising the risk to casualties and soldiers and hence political and electoral risks to their masters. By using various photographs and articles from differing conflicts such as Vietnam, the Falklands, and Afghanistan, this essay will use Barthes theory of semiotics to test the theory that images from non embedded reporters will support the myth that war is hell and embedded photographers will show that war can be fought in a morally acceptable way.

Juvenile Delinquent

Juvenile Delinquent Renee Washington American Intercontinental University ? Abstract This report is in regards to our young people today that need to be helped to a point that they have meaning in their lives. There are ways that can be presented to insure that young offenders can work through the pain, and rage surrounding their emotions which causes negative behavior. Healing programs have been a recommendation thru the court systems to analyze juvenile delinquency, and find the factors that lead to meaningful resolutions. ? IntroductionMany of our young people have lost their way in this land of democracy. Why are the statistics so high regarding juvenile delinquency, and a young male, or female appears in our courts every single day before a judge for crimes committed against other people, someone’s property, or belongings that have been vandalized. Where are the families to these lost children? What causes them to erupt into crimes of violence, and mayhem? Something has t o be done to help juvenile delinquents reflect on their lives, and the criminal offenses they commit.Illustrate Offenses The attitude that leads young people toward a cycle of negative behavior comes from deep rooted emotional rage, and pain which causes them to retaliate by committing offenses to others through stealing, vandalizing property, and sometimes violence against other people physically. The courts have begun to intervene on behalf of the juvenile delinquents by recommending healing programs that have been put in place to analyze juvenile delinquency, and find the factors that will lead to a resolution.Tell Causes The individual history of being betrayed by someone they trusted who cared for them as a young child. They were often neglected, abused, and victimized by a parent, or caregiver. A large number of family factors are associated with juvenile delinquency. Although it doesn’t excuse the offender’s behavior it does help to explain why so many young boy s, and girls naturally vulnerable, and instinctively trusting become victims at the hands of his, or her own parent, and their whole life begins to unravel.Without positive intervention the child is at risk of violating the law at an early age, and charged as a juvenile delinquent. Consequences/Outcome A parent that has been abused or rejected will eventually lead to emotional wounds within the souls of their children. These wounds can be painful, and traumatic to the child because of where they originated from a family member, or loved ones. Without getting the specified, and intentional healing the infection from the wounds will manifest into bitterness, rage, and pain which will lead toward delinquent patterns.Conclusion Juvenile delinquency is one of the major problems being recognized and dealt with regarding the youth in today’s society. In â€Å"An Update on the Cycle of Violence†, by Cathy S. Widom, and Michael G Maxfield, (2001), stated that children being vic tims of abuse, and neglect in all likelihood will be arrested as juveniles if a positive intervention of hope doesn’t present itself in their lost lives.The Bethesda Family Services Foundation provides the type of programming needed for the juvenile delinquent, and his, or her family to start having hope toward healing. ? References Herbst, Dominic P. Helping Juveniles Reflect On Their Lives and Criminal Offenses. Corrections Today, Jun2005, Vol. 67 Issue 3, p22-25, 3p Retrieved October 30, 2012 From MasterFILE Premier Widom, Cathy S. ; Maxfield, Michael G, An Update on the Cycle of Violence Research Brief

Women in Leadership Roles

This report examines the research on gender equity in educational leadership published since 1997until 2010. Even though women attaining jobs in school leadership has increased, women still do not fill administrative positions in comparison to men. The majority of research related to women and leadership examines the barriers women face in entering or moving up in the leadership hierarchy. Looking at the differences and similarities in how men and women take on and exercise leadership roles, the authors of the articles suggest ideas based on biological, psychological and sociological theories that stress gender difference. The article, â€Å"Re-thinking educational leadership: exploring the impact of cultural and belief systems† written by Shah, discusses how education and educational leadership theories and practices are influenced by culture and belief systems; with a focus on gender in Muslim societies. The first priority of Muslim women was to look after their family; therefore, before taking on any professional responsibility they had to ensure that no decisions or actions brought shame to their family or extended families. According to Shah, the Muslim women who participated in leadership positions often felt powerless because their decisions and actions were regularly scrutinized by men. The second article, â€Å"Gender Differences Among New Recruits to School Administration: Cautionary Footnotes to an Optimistic Tale† written by Riehl and Byrd discusses the factors affecting leadership among men and women in elementary and secondary education. Even though the women were as highly educated as the men, the men often were given many more opportunities. Women were still seen as displaying nurturing characteristics in their leadership style. The article also discusses women’s leadership aspirations to that of their male counterparts. The third article, â€Å"School leadership, sex and gender: welcome to difference† written by Kruger brings into light the biological differences in genetic make up of men and women. It discusses how different hormones and brain structure are the reasons for differences in behaviour and personality among men and women, which is considered a deciding factor in their leadership styles. Kruger also examines how the environment plays an important role in the realization of gender differences in leadership. The last article, â€Å"Gender and educational Leadership in England: a comparison of secondary headteachers’ views over time† written by Coleman discusses the expectations of women and men as principals in England in the 1990`s and in 2004. The article focuses on women with regards to work and personal life. Coleman reports that women have larger roles at work and at home, whereas men generally concern themselves with work only. Notably, women were seen as inferior so they adopted male work ethics. The results of Coleman’s studies are similar to those in other countries. It was very interesting to review the articles I chose to better understand the ways that educational leadership is perceived with respect to gender in the education system. As I continued to review the research, I thought it was of importance to examine the differing leadership styles and barriers, along with the similarities women faced in both western and non-western cultures. Throughout this inquiry I will cite several reasons for the low proportion of women as educational leaders. According to Shah, â€Å"Men and women are conceptually divided into two separate worlds. Home is defined as a woman’s legitimate ideological and physical space, while a man dominates the world outside the home† (p. 31). With the ever-changing society, Muslim women started exploring their options and took more of an active role outside the home. Interestingly, the women who attained positions of leadership worked in the women-only establishments. It was troublesome for a woman to work in a mixed gender environment because their educational decisions went through a male counterpart, regardless of their seniority. Women still held strong beliefs and values with respect to education; similar to western cultures, but the notion of women in a male dominated hierarchy was still considered problematic. I strongly believe that family and home responsibilities are still more likely to affect the career paths of women than of men today as they pursue administrative positions. Riehl and Byrd also believe that gender plays a major factor in the career development process to the degree that men and women encounter different circumstances, act differently, and/or experience different outcomes. The theoretical explanations that have emerged are as follows: women have not been socialized to aspire to administrative roles or to prepare for them, higher level jobs were designed to exclude women and school leadership is located in male dominance in society overall, not just educational (p. 46). I believe society as a whole is more accepting of these barriers now; however, these issues are still evident, but not as strong. Similar to today, women as teachers and principals were more likely to be found at the elementary level and men at the secondary level. While I do see many women teaching as previously mentioned, it was interesting to hear that men at their level receive more administrative practice, thus leading to senior administrative positions. Also, the amount of education one received didn’t play a huge factor in the hiring process. According to Riel and Bryd even the objective factors such as â€Å"obtaining education or experience increased women’s chances of becoming administrators, they did not bring women’s chances to parity with men’s† (p. 61). Kruger also examines gender differences but relates it to the biological sex differences in school leadership. Women by nature have a more caring, nurturing personality and this influences their administrative styles in a male dominant society. Kruger found that: â€Å"women are stronger educational leaders than their male colleagues. They carry out more educational activities and spend more time on educational matters than men. Women are more focused on instruction and education, on the school goals, they are higher on creating a positive culture and an orderly learning atmosphere, they have a stronger classroom orientation, they reward teachers more often and they create more professional development opportunities for teachers† (p. 62). It appears as though women are strong educational leaders; however, we have learned throughout this course that male and female styles tend to differ even when they occupy the same leadership role. Women, who already face enough resistance and obstacles in a male dominated field, find their leadership styles are judged more harshly by men; however thi s is not the same for the men. According to Kruger, â€Å"Women who display male leadership styles are more negatively judged compared with those who do not, but men with a female leadership style do not seem to be more negatively judged† (p. 164). Despite these factors more women tend to work under male principals then they do women. The reason for this is perhaps do to personality conflicts they may have with the same sexes on ideas of what successful administration entails. Another deciding factor in this is that women tend to be more education rooted and become administrators because out of their desire to improve education, whereas men take on administer roles mainly for the salary. Coleman’s research states that the stereotypical leader is a white, heterosexual, middle class male; therefore, women are often viewed as outsiders in a position of leadership. Coleman identifies various factors effecting women’s likelihood of becoming leaders such as â€Å"discrimination, lack of confidence, hesitation in making career plans, stereotyped into ‘caring’ pastoral roles that were then not seen as fitting them for leadership and there were multiple difficulties for women in combining a family and career† (p. 385). Women’s leadership styles were seen as passive and gentle, while men were stronger and more decisive. In 2004, only half of the women surveyed report experience in discrimination related to advancements due to the likelihood of being labeled a feminist (Coleman, p. 86). Surprisingly, the traditional male style leadership has given way to more feminine styles of leadership. Males have been seen as putting work first over family at all times, which has influenced women to the point of minimizing maternity leave and foregoing their desire to be supportive figures to younger women. Throughout this course we have discussed various effective educational leadership practices. Leaders should be able to adapt their leadership styles according to the situation. Therefore, change is necessary if we want to move ahead in our respective field. The passive, nurturing, education orientated and productive styles depicted by women in these articles are accepted today by both genders in leadership positions. Noteworthy, a strong dominant leader is not always effective or seen as an acceptable style. As a teacher, I often see different leadership styles and can conclude that men and women at times see things differently. In conclusion, the role of women in educational leadership positions continues to evolve; however, there still needs to be work done in order to ensure equality. If one were to look at our current list of administrators in the school board they would notice that there is significant higher ratio of male to female administrators. The females are often placed in small, rural elementary schools or are the vice-principals of secondary schools. I truly believe women will always face barriers while trying to attain leadership positions; however, if we work together, take charge and voice our opinions things may change in the upcoming years.

Hume Essays - Arguments For The Existence Of God, Free Essays

Hume Essays - Arguments For The Existence Of God, Free Essays Hume "I was from the beginning scandalised, I must own, with this resemblance between the Deity and human creatures." Philo David Hume wrote much about the subject of religion, much of it negative. In this paper we shall attempt to follow Hume's arguments against Deism as Someone knowable from the wake He allegedly makes as He passes. This kind of Deism he lays to rest. Then, digging deeper, we shall try our hand at a critique of his critique of religion, of resurrecting a natural belief in God. Finally, if there's anything Hume would like to say as a final rejoinder, we shall let him have his last word and call the matter closed. To allege the occurrence of order in creation, purpose in its constituent parts and in its constituted whole, regularity in the meter of its rhythm and syncopations, and mindful structure in the design and construction of Nature is by far the most widely used and generally accepted ground for launching from the world belief in an intelligent and omnipotent designer god. One does not have to read for very long to find some modern intellectual involved in the analysis of some part of Nature come to the "Aha!" that there's a power at work imposing order, design, structure and purpose in creation. Modern religious piety salivates at the prospect of converting scientists and will take them any way it can. From Plato to Planck the problematic lion of religion must be rendered safe and tame. Religion must be reasonable, for, after all, we are reasonable "men." Einstein writes that the scientist's "religious feeling takes the form of rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural! law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection." We have been struck dumb, however; we can no longer be incautious with such temptations to believe, with such sirens sounding for sensible, systematic sureness. The Design Argument has been mortally wounded by David Hume. The god arrived at by arguments on the one-way street of effect to the cause is dead; we should never have allowed him to live. In Section XI of the Enquiry, and throughout the Dialogues Hume subjects the Argument from Design to searching and searing philosophical analysis, to the point in his mind that it is forever dead, and to the point in our minds that we wonder why the world has not yet received the obituary. Why did it not die from the exposure to which Hume subjected it? Who resurrected this false phoenix? Has the Design Argument been forever altered by Hume? Can it render service in post-Hume discussions? These are the questions we should confront. David Hume's philosophy of religion is fatal to the natural revelation of Deism. His arguments the camp of unbelief have appropriated. It is an argument against any inductive proof for God's existence. What Hume seeks to show is the failure of this argument to establish the type of deity that belief in a particular providence or divine action must require one to assert. This he sets out first and in preliminary fashion in Section XI of the Enquiry and with more plethoric attention in the Dialogues. In both books he employs the dialogue form to embody his attacks. The argument of the former is mistitled. Fourteen of the seventeen pages have nothing to do with immortality or "particular providence." Hume's argument here is from the particular effect to the existence of a cause sufficient for its production. Causes are to be known from effects alone; to ascribe to it any superfluous qualities goes beyond the bounds of strict logical reasoning. The imagination must be philosophically bridled. When ten ounces are raised in a balance one can surely surmise a counterbalance exceeding ten ounces, but one can hardly offer any justification for the counterbalance to weigh 100 ounces. Transferred to philosophical theology, it is impos-sible to derive legitimately from a natural theology any relevancy in conclusions arrived at over and above what can be independently and directly supported by empirical study of the universe. Such innocuous-sounding, even camouflaged assertions by Hume were in actuality a D-Day invasion on the

Abu Bakr - the First Muslim Caliph

Abu Bakr - the First Muslim Caliph Born to a wealthy family, Abu Bakr was a successful merchant with a reputation for honesty and kindness. Tradition has it that, having long been a friend to Muhammad, Abu Bakr immediately accepted him as a prophet and became the first adult male to convert to Islam. Muhammad married Abu Bakrs daughter Aishah and chose him to accompany him to Medina. Shortly before his death, Muhammad asked Abu Bakr to offer up a prayer for the people. This was taken as a sign that the Prophet had chosen Abu Bakr to succeed him. After Muhammads death, Abu Bakr was accepted as the first deputy of the Prophet of God, or caliph. Another faction preferred Muhammads son-in-law Ali as caliph, but Ali eventually submitted, and Abu Bakr took over governance of all Muslim Arabs. As Caliph, Abu Bakr brought all of central Arabia under Muslim control and was successful in spreading Islam further through conquest. He also saw to it that the Prophets sayings were preserved in written form. The collection of sayings would be compiled into the Quran (or Quran or Koran). Abu Bakr died in his sixties, possibly from poison but just as likely from natural causes. Before his death he named a successor, establishing a tradition of government by chosen successors. Several generations later, after rivalries led to murder and war, Islam would be split into two factions: the Sunni, who followed the Caliphs, and the Shiite, who believed that Ali was the proper heir of Muhammad and would only follow leaders descended from him. Also Known As El Siddik or Al-Siddiq (The Upright) Noted For Abu Bakr was the closest friend and companion of  Muhammad  and the first Muslim caliph. He was one of the first men to convert to Islam and was chosen by the Prophet as his companion on the  Hijrah  to Medina. Places of Residence and Influence Asia: Arabia Important Dates Born:  c. 573 Completed  Hijrah  to Medina:  Sept. 24, 622​ Died:  Aug. 23, 634 Quotation Attributed to Abu Bakr Our abode in this world is transitory, our life therein is but a loan, our breaths are numbered and our indolence is manifest.

Mandrill Baboon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mandrill Baboon - Essay Example The discussion typically focuses on the Mandrill sphinx, the mandrill species, which posses unique social characteristics, physical appearances, and behavior traits. The physical and behavioral traits of mandrill are particularly explored. The discussion also explains in depth the Class, Family, Order, and taxonomy of the species along with its biological description and habitat facts. The social behavior and reproduction facts of these species are also explained in detail. The systematic classification of this species provides an in-depth knowledge about the animal and its phylogeny. As per the taxonomy, animals are typically classified as Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. Mandrill come under the Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Chordata; Subphylum Vertebrata; and Class Mammalia (Gron, 2009). They belong to the biological Order Primates, and typically come under the Suborder Catarrhini, which comprises of apes and the Old World monkeys. Mandrill is considered to be an Old World monkey, characterized by its long limbs, larger size, upright tail, and light colored fur. They are further classified under the superfamily Cercopithecoidea, which consists of the Old World monkeys, as well as is a part of the family of Cercopithecidae and the subfamily of Cercopithecinae, consisting of baboons, macaques, mangabeys, and other relatives. Mandrill or Mandrillus sphinx is a largest primate belonging to the Papionini tribe and comes under the genu s of Mandrillus, which includes both drills and mandrills. There are no subspecies under this category and so are referred with their common name, instead of scientific name. Mandrills are found in and around the dense tropical rainforest as well as in the grasslands of southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Congo in the western-central parts of Africa. The geographical range of these mandrills is bordered between the

Workforce Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Workforce Development - Essay Example According to Thomas Guskey the best fit of a expert development occurrence for any local background requires acknowledgment, "collection and psychiatry of the five critical stages of information" (Guskey 2002). Each stage is more compound than the stage before. Success at an early stage may be essential for optimistic results at the next higher one; it's clearly not enough. Stages progress from decisive (especially stages one and two) to collective appraisal (especially stages four and five). The power of thinking in terms of the five estimation stages is engaging teachers in the planning of skilled development activities. Guskey defines the procedure for "running backwards" from Stage 5 "the student knowledge outcomes that you want to attain" and through each succeeding stage to "what set of experiences will allow participants to get hold of the needed knowledge and skills (Stage 1)." The depiction of each stage follows. Second, most of the currently identified characteristics of effective professional development seems best described as "yes, but . . ." statements. For example, yes, enhancing teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge is important, but existing research is limited mainly to investigations of mathematics and science instruction. Yes, professional development should provide sufficient time and resources, but such time and resources must be used wisely, focusing on activities that positively affect learning and learners. Yes, professional development should include procedures for evaluation, but evaluations that focus narrowly on educators' self reported satisfaction with professional deve