Bathroom and Rituals Free Essays

Nacirema HR 582 Managing Global Diversity Patsy A. Shepherd March 22, 2012 In Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, Horace Miner writes about the strange rituals that people do in America. While reading the story I was almost fooled, but as read further I realized the spoof of Nacirema; Nacirema is American spelled backwards and the references in the myth are the backward strange American everyday rituals. We will write a custom essay sample on Bathroom and Rituals or any similar topic only for you Order Now Miner’s word usage made it obvious it was just a myth, words like magical, fascination, bewitched, and mythology gave it away. Miner portrays Americans as a tribe that go through their daily life by performing painful and needed rituals to their bodies. It is not obvious at the beginning of the case study that the tribe Miner is talking about is American people. The rituals they perform mainly focus on the human body, and if Americans skip these rituals we will have a nasty society of individuals. (Miner disguises the bathroom as a cleaning shrine, the medicine chest as the major device in the shrine and the hair on a stick as a toothbrush. He describes the shrine as a private and secret place where cleansing and makeup rituals take place. The box and the chest have charms and potions from the medicine men). Harvey, C Allard, J (2005) Understanding and Managing Diversity: readings, cases and exercises Pearson Prentice Hall 4th edition p. 19 Rituals are ceremonies and most rituals have a purpose. In my observation of Nacirema I want to know why the tribe conducts these types’ rituals. How are the rituals performed? Where are the rituals performed? Tribal rituals play a large part of everyday life in the Nacirema and American culture. Rituals are what we do on a regular basis, repeated over time; that which bring people together; shared beliefs; and loyalty. Many of the events that occur in day to day life in Nacirema are just past down customs, rituals, and beliefs. Many of our customs are a belief system past down from generation to generation. So their customs, rituals, and beliefs, are their basis of structure for their entire village, and society. We can’t live without customs, rituals, and beliefs. Without customs, beliefs, and rituals, the people of Nacirema have no explanation for living, or being on Earth. Without customs, there is no reason for doing anything we do. Customs stem from our beliefs, so we have to believe in something. While spending time in Nacirema I realized we have some of the same customs and beliefs. Nacirema’s shrine with a box or chest in the wall is just a bathroom with a medicine cabinet. Small bundles of hog hairs and certain magical powers are simply toothbrushes and toothpaste. Holy Mouth Men are Dentist. Highly formalized series of gestures is the art of brushing teeth. The box and the chest have charms and potions from the medicine men are doctors writing the prescriptions we keep in our medicine cabinets. During my fieldwork in Nacirema from December 2011 to February 2012, I concentrated on investigating the main principles governing Nacirema’s culture. I did my research before arriving in the village, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. I was quite anxious so I interviewed the tribe individually, I asked each individual to tell me what happens in Nacirema on a typical day? How do you feel about me being here? What can you tell me about how Nacirema developed? What do you think should be different, if anything? Also give me just a little background on Nacirema as far as government policies, tourism, business opportunities, and brief me on customs. After my interview session, I learned that these crude rituals are just a sequence of daily activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed on a daily basis. These daily activities are no different from the daily activities that individuals in America perform on a daily basis. Most individuals spend a lot of time in the bathroom bathing, brushing their teeth, applying makeup, and combing their hair. Would this be considered a ritual? Of course not to me or you it’s just our daily routine. This routine was passed down from my parents to me and to my children the art of hygiene. My three months of fieldwork in Nacirema was no different from my day to day in America, I actually over stayed my welcome, but I didn’t want to rush my process. I wanted my evaluations to be honest and I also didn’t want my personal opinions or issues to cloud my judgment. In conclusion I found that Nacirema myths are truths in America. (Notgnishaw, the Pa-To-Mac, and the cherry tree with the Spirit of Truth mean America lies between Canada and Mexico. The Ancient Code/Secret Language true meaning refers to the joke that a doctor’s handwriting is illegible, particularly on prescriptions. An Herbalist is just a Pharmacist. Ritual ablution of the mouth for children true meaning describes cleaning their mouths out with soap if they say something wrong. Men scraping and lacerating the surface of the face with a sharp instrument is shaving. Women bake their heads in small ovens for about an hour is an old-fashioned hair dryer at a beauty salon. Latipsoh true meaning is a hospital. Thaumaturge and group of vestal maidens are Doctor and nurses. A magic wand in the supplicant’s mouth is a Thermometer. A listener is the local Psychologist. The sociological standpoint is that culture is based on rituals and that each culture defines its reality and acceptable behavior and chooses its authorities by rituals). Miner, Horace â€Å"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema†. Retrieved from http://www. westminster. edu/staff/brennie/wpgroup4/brotn. html on March 20, 2012 How to cite Bathroom and Rituals, Essay examples

Rethinking Pattern Of External Referencing â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Rethinking Pattern Of External Referencing? Answer: Introduction Investment in education can be considered as the main focus of the economic developmental policy of country. This investment can also be regarded as investment in human capital. Such type of investments can benefit the people in the present as well as in the future. The Senate of Australia has signed different bills and this has helped in improving the schools and universities of the country. The higher education institutes of Australia do not receive the full amount of fees which is paid by the students. Under such circumstances, the students expect that they will get more benefit from the university but they do not get so. The government will reduce its expenditure on education and the students have to take loans from the banks to continue their higher education (Thompson and Cook 2014). The rise in fees and faster repayment schedules of the students will be accompanied by efficiency dividend and thus it helps in reducing the fund which is involved in teaching. The quality of educa tion that will be delivered by the universities for such students will be under financial stress. The performance contingent funding will help the universities in the reduction of funds. In many cases, it was seen that the universities gets overfunded but the funding reduction and the hike in fees were less compared to the expectations of the students. The Australian Government has accounting a wide range of reforms to improve the quality of higher education sector. These reforms will provide more choice to the students and thus increase the accountability and transparency in higher education. These reforms in higher education sector will be responsive and it will fulfill the aspirations of the students and the needs of the future workers (Savage et al. 2013). Analysis of the reforms in the Australian Education System The people of Australia give more preference to education and their social and economic success. It can be said that education plays a vital role for the promotion of social mobility. The expenditure on primary and tertiary education in Australia is 5.6% of the total GDP (Hardy 2014). The spending on primary, secondary, tertiary and non-tertiary education is increasing at a faster rate than the growth of the students. The universities along with the government are trying to reduce the cost of spending on education. The universities and the educational institutions are not only trying to retain the students but also improving the quality of education. The reforms will also help in improving the sustainability of higher education. This will be done by sharing the cost of education between the students and the tax payers and strengthening the responsibility for quality teaching and learning. The students will have to pay higher amount of fees and thus their share in the funding process will increase. This will be phased in from 2018 to 2021 with 1.8% increase each year (Ford 2015). The students will also receive private returns from this reform which may yield either financial or non-financial benefits. The Government is also trying to reduce the fund of the Australian Universities by 20%. Moreover some universities also get extra funds and thus it helps them to increase their efficiency level (Singh et al. 2014). There will be arrangements for indexation which will help in the repayment of thresholds for Higher Education Loan Progarmme (HELP). This new schedule of the repayment threshold will be accompanied by improved arrangements which will help in the indexation of thresholds. There will also be subsidies accompanied with loans for the permanent citizens of New Zealand and Australia. These students will be treated as domestic students and thus they will receive CGS subsidies. They will not be eligible for HELP loans except the Australian students. Thus, this reform will try to address the anomalous environment by extending loans to the permanent citizens and remove CSPs. The students instead of paying upfront fees will be eligible to defer payments in their tuition fees through student loans. The access to student loans will attract the new students for whom the upfront payment was a disincentive and hurdle in their study. The Government o Australia will commit $15 million in four years an d thus assist in the management and establishment of regional study centers in Australia. This reform will also help to identify the gaps in the university provisions for the remote students who want to pursue their education in their home country or their regional area. Therefore these hubs will also support the regional students to pursue the courses which can be delivered by any university in Australia through distance mode. It will help to reduce the upfront course and the fixed operation cost which will do be suitable for any university which is dependent on students contribution (Lingard and McGregor 2014). The focus of the educational reforms in Australia must be such that it concentrates on the learning capabilities of the students. The students must be given quality education though it is seen that the Australian Government do not pay much emphasis on the quality of education. The main baseline for measuring the success of economic reform in Australia is the standard of education. The students of Australia who are weak and are underperformer are supported by the government and the universities and they must be brought up to the standard. The universities select the skilled persons to provide assistance to such students. The Government or the authority should not make any changes in the education system without analyzing the outcomes. Australia must learn from other countries which have implemented the reforms in education sector. This will help the universities to identify the capabilities which are required to bring these changes. Thus, it can be said that proper planning is necessa ry to implement the changes in the economy and understand the phases of educational reforms (Macdonald 2013). The shortfall in the funding of the universities will be provided by the students. The Government has proposed that it will remove the cap on the tuition fees of the students and thus allow the university to setup their own fees structure. The Government of Australia also expects that this deregulation will create competition which is based on innovation and quality. It will also provide more choice and opportunities for the students. The universities sometimes will have to face difficult situations such as they might not be sure of how much fund to expect in from the students. Sometimes there might be cross subsidies from different courses and in such cases there might be low government contribution and high student contribution. There has been widespread speculation on how the fees might increase. Though the Government has predicted that there will be increase in fees and this will help to amend the HELP provisions and thus remove the cap on the amount a student may borrow. The bud get measures which are related to HELP will increase the cost of deferring the loans. The deregulate provision for the fees has commenced from 2016 for the students who has applied from 2014. Further arrangements will be made for the current students who are pursuing different courses in various universities of Australia (theconversation.com 2017). According to different economists, there are various factors which are associated with the success of educational reforms. This includes equal resources of educational opportunities, materials and a proper environment. On the other hand, many economists have stated that the reforms have failed because there was limited support by the local authority to implement the changes. Moreover, they did not have any commitment to produce and implement the changes. The economist who supported the functionalist policy has failed to diagnose the problem and thus they could not give proper solutions. They have also failed to find out the goals and the purposes of educational reforms in Australia. Moreover, there were certain reforms which were vaguely stated and thus it implies no implementation. The decision makers do not conduct the evaluation of the program before implementation of the reform programme (Thompson and Cook 2014). The Australian economy and the labor market has been increasing progressively and thus change is reflected in tertiary education The higher education funding, regulation and policy are the responsibility of Australian Government and the government is working to achieve the approaches. The financing system of each sectors and their effect on tertiary education to operate in a much better way must be managed by the government. The shortcomings in tertiary education will have in differential treatment of students, inconsistent access to income contingent loans and inconsistent access to student income support. In higher education system in Australia there is effectively student entitlement to public subsidy for undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses. The state or the territory must increase the use of subsidy settings and various eligibility criteria to control different outlays. The students according to qualifications will receive different subsidies from the government in dif ferent states and territories of Australia. There are wide variations in the subsidy level based on the public benefits of the students. The variations in results will be applicable according to state and thus it will be inappropriate for the individual needs and circumstances in local as well as national level. The public university enrolment has been increasing rapidly especially when the demand driven growth is supported in different places (Kaiser et al. 2014). An integrated tertiary education model funding must be applicable to all universities. There must be consistent and affordable HELP arrangements for the students who are enrolled with other universities. However, they will not be eligible to receive any kind of government subsidies. The government of Australia will finance the full cost of the students in such circumstances. There will be provision of consistent HELP loans and it will be applicable for all students irrespective of higher education programme. Another important benefit of expansion in the higher education system in Australia is to provide access to the students who are from diverse economic backgrounds Assistance must also be provided to the students in sub bachelor courses. This assistance must be demand driven. The current government policies largely imply that government needs to provide support to the students who are enrolled in private institutions at higher education level. The public university students must no t only have their tuition fees subsidized by the government but they need not to pay any administration cost (Lingard et al. 2015). With the implementation of HELP programme by the Australian Government, the students were benefitted because it has reduced the burden of the student. The cost of fees became lower. Moreover the outstanding loan balances were indexed and the students have to make repayment when they earn a minimum amount such that they can repay the loans. The students are provided with the opportunity that they can repay the loan based on their convenience and the government will bear the deferral cost for them. The Government will also provide support to the students for pursuing higher education. The students will be provided with various kinds of scholarship from the Government (Malak 2013.). There should be better use of standards to improve the learning processes. It is important to focus on the learning ability of the students rather than implementing the changes without analyzing the effect. This requires better measurement and an approach which is based on standards and thus it priortizes the learning outcome of the students. It must also be ensured that the teachers are aware of the impact that will be on the students. Therefore, it is also critical to take a student centric approach on teaching. The main goal of the teachers must be such that they train the students in a way that they can become a resilient member in the society and thus capable of making a positive contribution in the social and economic goals (Framework 2013). The reforms will help in shaping the education system effectively. There is also a need to increase the availability of courses in Australian education and thus it must be framed so as to maximize the needs of the students. The courses that will be delivered by the providers will have the capacity to change according to the demands of the students. The disparity in funding arrangements in bachelor courses will be preferred more than the sub bachelor courses. The options which will be available to the students will also be very less and the cost will also diminish. An important benefit of the higher education sector is that the institutions will have the access to analyze the students from different economic backgrounds and circumstances. There may also be disparity for the students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and thus their access to education will not be properly addressed. This is due to the strong growth in enrolments of different universities (Lingard et al. 2015). The university leaders in Australia have favored the idea of setting up the tuition fees but the legislation has debated the entire process. There have been certain concerns in providing financial aid to the students as well as the reducing the tuition fees of the students. With the real level of public funding in the universities, the budget restraint and public competition has increased the expectation of the students. The government funding of each student has decreased in real terms since 1994. The frequently changing policies and the budget priorities has assured quality as well as improved the performance of the students. The changes made in the fees and funding will be difficult for the students to get accustomed with it and thus they will be looking for jobs in different areas (Takayama et al. 2013). The private training institutions have performed very well in the provision of vocational education and training. There are certain private nonprofit government colleges which have received different kinds of government subsidies and this has to be compensated for different kinds of financial losses which arise from embargo on tertiary fees. It has been difficult to identify the institutions of Australia where there is no government provision. The available sources suggest that private education providers have sporadic and fluctuating existence in Australia. The on job and the in house training which are provided by the education institutions also need to undergo certain changes. The public sector of technical education of Australia is relatively small and needs to undergo certain changes. The dual system of post school vocational education and training which is famous in Australia will comprise large and small institutes. There was also complete separation of public providers and pr ivate providers which are accessible in terms of government resources (Waldow et al. 2014). Monopoly in case of public funding and recognition of other provisions in terms of higher level education is not recognized. The government also needs to take special care in this aspect. There must be a transition of recent training programmes and this will help in the improvement of market reform processes. Certain major steps have been taken in the direction of equalizing the financial condition under public and private providers which has to operate in different circumstances (Davidson et al. 2017). The higher education policy of Australia aimed to achieve internationally competitive higher prices and thus it expanded the opportunities of all the students. The agenda will focus on both the qualitative and quantitative aspect of education and thus it will reflect the global trends. The implementation and formulation of these policies will be examined accordingly. The theories and analytic framework will focus on different ambitious approaches and it will determine the policies and formulas which are to be implemented (Tan and Chua 2015). Coercive federalism and competitive federalism are gaining importance in this present era. The government has to take a decision whether granting the schools and the universities higher level of autonomy will create difference despite the fact that the best and the top performing schools must be given higher level of autonomy (Gillies 2015). Certain reforms must also be implemented in the education level of the teachers. There should be a balance between the decentralization and centralization of power in the governance of the schools and universities in Australia. The education reform in Australia is more likely to be connected with the challenge of achieving new federalism. Moreover, social justice and fairness are the two core and vital issues which are associated in evaluating any kind of change in the educational reform. The main purpose of education is to establish a value chain system which conflicts with the concepts which are supported by the capitalist society (Bulfin et al . 2014). Conclusion The education policy in Australia is focused with the aim of achieving the economic growth which is vital and necessary for the improvement of the education system. The education policy of Australia focuses on the qualitative as well as quantitative perspective of education processes. It is necessary to consider education as an important engine for the future prosperity of Australia.The students of Australia who are weak and are underperformer must be supported by the government and the universities and they must be brought up to the standard. The universities must also appoint skilled persons to provide assistance to such students. The Government or the authority should not make any changes in the education system without analyzing the outcomes. Efforts must also be made to promote excellence in learning and teaching processes and thus providing quality education. Loans must be provided to people of all economic backgrounds so that every people can pursue higher education and thus t ake a loan to participate in the process. The restructing of HELP programme will help the students to repay the debts quickly and it will be interest free for them. The policy framework for the reforms in education system in Australia must basically focus on four main important aspects i.e. diversity, sustainability, quality and equity. The government must also increase the contribution of the students and thus strengthen the governance. Provision must also be made to provide full time quality education to the eligible students of Australia. The Government must provide financial assistance and ensure that there is quality in the higher education system. Reference List Bulfin, S., Pangrazio, L. and Selwyn, N., 2014. Making MOOCs: The construction of a new digital higher education within news media discourse.The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning,15(5). Davidson, P., Tsakissiris, J. and Guo, Y., 2017. A systems model comparing Australian and Chinese HRM education.Journal of Learning nursing,10(1), pp.31-40. Ford, D., 2015. Cambodian Higher Education Growing Pains.International Higher Education, (44). Framework, A.Q., 2013. Australian qualifications framework.Australian Qualifications Framework Council. Gillies, R.M., 2015. 13. Education Reform: Learning from past experience and overseas successes.ANALYTIC APPROACHES WITH STREET WISDOM, p.193. Hardy, I., 2014. A logic of appropriation: Enacting national testing (NAPLAN) in Australia.Journal of education policy,29(1), pp.1-18. Kaiser, F., Maassen, P., Meek, L., van Vught, F., de Weert, E. and Goedegebuure, L. eds., 2014.Higher education policy: An international comparative perspective. Elsevier. Lingard, B. and McGregor, G., 2014. Two contrasting Australian curriculum responses to globalisation: What students should learn or become.Curriculum Journal,25(1), pp.90-110. Lingard, B., Thompson, G. and Sellar, S. eds., 2015.National testing in schools: An Australian management. Routledge. Macdonald, D., 2013. The new Australian health and physical education curriculum: A case of/for gradualism in curriculum reform?.Asia-Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education,4(2), pp.95-108. Malak, M., 2013. Inclusive Education Reform in Bangladesh: Pre-Service Teachers' Responses to Include Students with Special Educational Needs in Regular Classrooms.International Journal of Instruction,6(1), pp.195-214. Norton, A. and Cakitaki, B., 2016. Mapping Australian higher education 2016.Grattan Institute. Savage, G.C., Sellar, S. and Gorur, R., 2013. Equity and marketisation: Emerging policies and practices in Australian education. Singh, P., Heimans, S. and Glasswell, K., 2014. Policy enactment, context and performativity: ontological politics and researching Australian National Partnership policies.Journal of Education Policy,29(6), pp.826-844. Takayama, K., Waldow, F. and Sung, Y.K., 2013. Finland has it all? Examining the media accentuation of Finnish educationin Australia, Germany and South Korea.Research in Comparative and International Education,8(3), pp.307-325. Tan, C. and Chua, C.S., 2015. Education policy borrowing in China: Has the West wind overpowered the East wind?.Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education,45(5), pp.686-704. theconversation.com 2017.Higher education reforms. [online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/higher-education-reform-small-changes-for-now-but-big-ones-to-come-76978 [Accessed 24 Aug. 2017]. Thistlethwaite, J.E., Forman, D., Matthews, L.R., Rogers, G.D., Steketee, C. and Yassine, T., 2014. Competencies and frameworks in interprofessional education: a comparative analysis.Academic Medicine,89(6), pp.869-875. Thompson, G. and Cook, I., 2014. Education policy-making and time.Journal of Education Policy,29(5), pp.700-715. Waldow, F., Takayama, K. and Sung, Y.K., 2014. Rethinking the pattern of external policy referencing: media discourses over the Asian TigersPISA success in Australia, Germany and South Korea.Comparative Education,50(3), pp.302-321.

Housing Crisis and Architectural Solutions in Auckland City

Question: Discuss about the Housing Crisis and Architectural Solutions in Auckland City. Answer: Introduction: The main problem identified in Auckland City is the housing crisis due to insufficiency of houses for despite the growing population. The cost is too much besides poorly designed and poor quality existing housing stock. Despite New Zealands renowned for high-end architecturally designed houses, the architects involvement in designing affordable houses or homes has remained minimal (Ng 2011). The facts have shown a rising cost of Auckland house prices at a double-digit rates yearly relative to less than five percent growth rate of the rest of the country. The Auckland city has a severe inadequacy of housing along with the issues of pricing. Indeed, despite 8,000 new homes per year, the city will still have a shortage of sixty thousand homes by 2020 which even doubles the current shortage (Ng 2011). Architectural Solutions Architectures can fix the crisis by dedicating the design-led public or private partnership. This will be done by integrating housing, landscape, urban design as well as social infrastructure (Melbourne 2016). Also, a well-designed, affordable medium-density housing will help architectures mitigate the crisis in Auckland city (Melbourne 2016). The architecturally-designed medium-density housing will also be viable, affordable as well as architecturally appealing alternative in a rising space limited region. References Arbury, J., 2005. From Urban Sprawl to Compact CityAn analysis of urban growth management in Auckland. Unpublished Thesis, Auckland University, Auckland. Melbourne, A., 2016. A roof over ones head: housing crises in Auckland, London and New York. Architecture Now , pp. 1-4. : https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/a-roof-over-ones-head-housing-crises-in-auckland-london-and-new-york/ Ng, T., 2011. New Urbanism in Auckland.

Legal Drinking Age free essay sample

The social, health and emotional problems associated with alcohol abuse have led some politicians and commentators to suggest that the legal drinking age should be raised from 18 years to 21 years. Do you agree? Give reasons and supporting evidence for your answer. The issue of whether Australia should raise the legal drinking age to twenty-one or keep it at eighteen is a widely debated topic, this essay will educate and argue points in favour of the drinking age being raised. write my essay for me Alcohol is the most widely consumed drug in the world (Shannon 2002), and is the most prevailing drug used by Australian high school students (Yalom 1996). In Australia, it is illegal for people under the age of eighteen to buy, receive, possess, or drink alcohol in a hotel or other public place such as streets, parks and beaches (Shannon 2002). Reducing alcohol consumption by young people through a raise in the drinking age should be a priority for the Australian community and government. We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Drinking Age or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay will attempt to argue three main points in favour of the Australian legal alcohol drinking age being raised from eighteen years to twenty-one years. Firstly, the dangerously close ages of legally consuming alcohol and legally driving a motor vehicle; secondly, the health issues related to the consumption of alcohol amongst young people; and thirdly, some positive points that have come from the United States after the drinking age was raised from eighteen to twenty-one. In Australia, a person can, at the earliest, gain their drivers licence at the age of seventeen; only one year before s/he can legally consume alcohol. Drink driving is one of the greatest problems caused by alcohol. Biddulph (2003), states that drivers under the influence of alcohol suffer from impaired vision, perception, judgement, and reaction due to the effect on the central nervous system that alcohol has. Biddulph also states that due to slower reaction times, limited coordination, and lack of attentiveness, which are all crucial to driving, young drivers become increasingly prone to being injured or even killed in a car accident. A report by the National Drug Research Institute in 2000 found that alcohol was involved in one third of all serious car accidents in Australia, causing more than 400 road deaths and 7700 serious road injuries on average per year (Shannon 2002, page 14). Car accidents caused by drivers under the influence do not always end in the driver being injured or killed, many times the lives of innocent people are ruined because of another person’s foolishness and lack of awareness. The penalties received for driving under the influence may be harsh, but they are relatively insignificant when compared to the costs in lives of many accidents caused by drink drivers. By raising the drinking age to twenty-one, the Australian government would be protecting the people most likely to suffer from alcohol related harm, because the likelihood of people contributing to such harm would have been lowered. Young people will become more experienced, safer drivers on the roads and be less tempted to drive after consuming alcohol, which will, in turn, lower the number of possible accidents on Australian roads through the act of raising the legal drinking age in Australia to twenty-one. As well as the issues involved with driving under the influence, there are many health issues that come with drinking alcohol at a young age. Shannon (2002) explains that younger people do not have enough experience with alcohol to know how much is too much, which is why many young people result in getting intoxicated and drunk at social gatherings. By drinking too much alcohol, which many people around 17-19 do, great strain is put on the organs in a body, especially the liver and the brain. Scientists have told us that the brain does not finish developing until a person is twenty years of age; the final part of the brain to develop is the part that makes responsible judgements (Shannon 2002). Through drinking alcohol at the young age of eighteen, critical brain development is damaged and irresponsible choices and judgements will most probably result. By raising the drinking age to twenty-one, the brain is able to fully develop every part, ensuring a healthy future. Other health issues directly related to drinking at a young age include a loss of memory, a poor school performance, and possible injuries and mortalities. When young people drink excessively, they will begin to notice a decreasing level of memory. Biddulph (2003) tells us that up to ten per cent of a person’s memory can be lost within a given period. Memory loss is the most noticeable complaint of young people. At age seventeen a person graduates from their last year of high school; in the year of s/he turning eighteen they begin their further studies at university or TAFE. The average time spent doing further education is approximately four years, from eighteen to the year a person turns twenty-one. During these vital first years of further education, under the current drinking law, a person has the freedom to be under the influence of alcohol, harming the brains development and also creating a loss of memory, neither of which would help a person undergoing further studying. Additionally, alcohol can also be directly related to a poor school performance by a person. This is because a poor performance academic wise has been linked with young alcohol abuse (Biddulph 2003). Alcohol decreases a student’s ability to consistently meet the rigors of school work, because alcohol abuse clouds a person’s mental capacities and influences motivation and attitudes about achievement. Thirdly, alcohol can ignite possible injuries and mortalities. A study shows that alcohol caused more than 100,000 deaths annually, and one person every two minutes is injured in an alcohol related accident in the United States (Biddulph 2003). As alcohol consumption increases, so to does the likelihood of traffic accidents, deaths, and criminal violence. Healey (2007) states that â€Å"Young people engaged in more risky behaviours when they drink, 25% of people aged 18-24 experienced alcohol related injuries, compared to 18% of adults†. He also found that â€Å"50% of cases of domestic, physical and sexual violence† amongst young people were due to being under the influence of alcohol (page 37). By raising the legal drinking age, young people will be supported in their studies, helping them in the long run both academically and physically in relation to their health. The third major point in favour of a raised drinking age are the positives that have come from the United States after they raised the legal age from eighteen to twenty-one. Drinking alcohol should be delayed for as long as possible, this is because the older teenagers are before starting to drink, the less likely they are to use alcohol excessively. Initially, the United States’ main aim of raising the legal drinking age was to reduce the serious consequences that alcohol has on youth, which in Lenk (2009)’s opinion, has been a success. By raising the drinking age to an age of greater maturity, alcohol abuse is decreased. Evidence from the United States shows us that lowering the legal drinking age increased consumption as well as related problems; while increasing the drinking age has reduced problems and ultimately saved the lives of many young people (Lenk 2009). Given that young Australian lives are at risk, we cannot afford to forget what a cost to America an eighteen drinking age was and how much of a success a raised twenty-one years drinking age was. George Santayana (historian) once said â€Å"Those who cannot remember their past are condemned to repeat it† (Lenk 2009, page 7). In conclusion, the physical consequences and health problems surrounded by consuming alcohol in addition to the proven success of the United States raised legal drinking age has proved that Australia too should raise the legal drinking age to twenty-one years. Through the evidence provided it is clear that a person’s health can be greatly damaged permanently because at the age of eighteen, a person’s body is not fully developed or capable of taking large amounts of alcohol when compared to a person at the age of twenty-one who has greater maturity levels, more life experience, and a fully developed brain as well as other organs. At age eighteen, a person has a greater vulnerability to alcohol and its effects, leaving them more likely to indulge in risky behaviour. Therefore, to protect not only the lives of Australia’s youth, but also of all Australians, raising the drinking age to twenty-one years of age is the best choice to make as it comes with more positives than an eighteen legal alcohol consumption age does. Reference list Biddulph, S. (2003). Alcohol: What’s a parent to believe? Minnesota: Hazelden. Pp:34, 37-39. Healey, J. (2007). Alcohol abuse. Australia: The Spinney Press. Pp: 1, 3, 11-13, 19, 27-31. Lenk, L. Nelson, T. Toomey, T. The age-21 minimum legal drinking age. Policy case studies Pp: 1, 7. Doi: 10. 1111/j. 1360-04 43. 2009. 027 42. x Shannon, M. (2002). Drugs in Australia: alcohol. Australia: Binara Publishing Pty Ltd. Pp:4-16. Yalom, I. (1996). Treating adolescents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Pp: 77-78.

The eNotes Blog Essential Literary Elements, Part2

Essential Literary Elements, Part2 Here at , we’re constantly reading and trying to figure out the myriad meanings found within our favorite texts. One of the ways we try to better understand what’s going on is to refresh ourselves on the many literary elements found in works across literary genres. Let’s look at five essential literary elements in Part 2 of this ongoing series. What Are Kennings? Most often associated with Old-English poetry, such as Beowulf, but also used in Old Norse and Icelandic poetry, kennings are figurative expressions that serve as a particular kind of metaphor. To make a kenning, an author uses a pair of words to refer to something, either concrete or abstract, with additional meaning. We actually use kennings fairly frequently in English; for example, you can call someone a â€Å"bookworm† or a football a â€Å"pig-skin.† Since first he found him friendless and wretched, The earl had had terror: comfort he got for it, Waxed neath the welkin, world-honor gained, Till all his neighbors oer sea were compelled to Bow to his bidding and bring him their tribute: An excellent atheling! - Beowulf, translated by Lesslie Hall No thought had the monster of deferring the matter, But on earliest occasion he quickly laid hold of A soldier asleep, suddenly tore him, Bit his bone-prison, the blood drank in currents, Swallowed in mouthfuls: - Beowulf, translated by Lesslie Hall What Is a Metaphor? A metaphor is one of the most common figures of speech that writers have used for generations, possibly since the advent of writing. Metaphors rely on a grammatic structure to compare two things, either explicitly or implicitly. In building a metaphor, the writer does not explain the nature of the comparison; readers interpret it for themselves to develop a deeper understanding of what is being described. All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. - William Shakespeare’s As You Like It I have measured out my life with coffee spoons; - T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufock† This is the Hour of Lead- Remembered, if outlived, As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow- First- Chill- then Stupor- then the letting go- - Emily Dickinson’s â€Å"After Great Pain, a Formal Feeling Comes† What Is Meter? One of the aspects of prosody, a term that describes the technical aspects of verse, meter refers to the recurring pattern of sounds in poems that give them distinctive rhythm. While once the the definition of poetic form, adhering to a regular meter or consistent rhyme has fallen out of fashion since the 19th century, with poets experimenting more and using meter as it suits their needs. Meter is measured in metrical feet, known as iambs- an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overhead In a full-hearted evensong Of joy illimited; - Thomas Hardy’s â€Å"The Darkling Thrush† Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. - William Shakespeare’s Macbeth There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; - Sara Teasdale’s â€Å"There Will Come Soft Rains† What Is an Oxymoron? An oxymoron is a particular kind of figure of speech in which a pair of contradictory terms are put together for emphasis. By contradicting one another, these closely linked elements express something else entirely, creating a rhetorical effect or showing more complicated, figurative meaning. For example, several oxymorons include â€Å"deafening silence,† â€Å"bittersweet,† and â€Å"passive aggressive.† Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! - William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Down the close, darkening lanes they sang their way To the siding-shed, And lined the train with faces grimly gay. - Wilfred Owen’s â€Å"The Send-Off† A dungeon horrible, on all sides round, As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames No light; but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe, - John Milton’s Paradise Lost What Is a Paradox? A paradox is similar to an oxymoron- in fact, an oxymoron can be considered a compressed paradox. In a paradox, a statement that appears to be contradictory or impossible actually expresses a striking truth. Other women cloy The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry Where most she satisfies. - William Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra The broadest and most prevalent error requires the most disinterested virtue to sustain it. - Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† I must be cruel, only to be kind:   - William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Ocular Centrism and the Other Senses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ocular Centrism and the Other Senses - Essay Example The author traces such an ocular centric culture from the renaissance era during which individualism took shape and found more application during the industrial era of the 19th and 20th century that have led to the present technological dependence of mankind, however, he also cites a few examples of ocular centric architecture as early as the age of the Greeks. In addition, the author feels that significance given to the power of sight has been witnessed in the architectural structures and the culture of the respective periods. For example, a person with blindness is considered severely disabled when compared to one who is deaf. The ocular centric nature of succeeding cultures has not only led to an increasing dominance of sight and its influence of culture, it has led to ignorance of the other senses which has also influenced architecture by making it one – dimensional. In order to prove this point, the author examines various structures of the past that have qualities absent in contemporary architecture. For example, the author explains the use of light and shadows in some famous structures and how a lack or limited amount of light contributes to the aesthetic beauty of a structure. He also goes to propose that light in the use of today's structures invades privacy and has other effects such as limiting the creativity of the human mind. With respect to sound, he says that although it has been taken into account in today's buildings, they do not aid the effects of hearing such as its interactive ability which was incorporated in structures of the past. Similarly, the power of smell and touch have not only shown to be important factors in architecture, they are shown to have an influence on the human mind itself. Therefore, by ignoring these senses in creating architecture, western culture has also experienced a significant reduction in the qualities that is attached to these senses such as intimacy which is associated with touch, warmth associated with smell and interactivity associated with hearing, etc. Therefore, the resulting structures are one-dimensional in nature and do not engage the individual as intensely as with structures of the past. Hence, architecture needs to encompass the variety of senses and emotions experienced by an artist rather than the dominating sense alone. The author also establishes that art is as much an interaction between the viewer and the structure as it is with the quality of the structure alone. Ocular centrism has not only led to a one-dimensionality of the structures but also a corresponding quality in today's artists that significantly decreases the quality of contemporary art. Today's structures are built with the idea of optimality and rationality than through the experiences of the artist. The author also cites simple buildings such as hospitals and houses for this purpose (Pallasmaa, 285-296). Human Rootedness The author's remarks are significant because of the importance of architecture i n human life. Architecture is a reflection of the characteristics of the culture of the particular period. It is the same reason architecture is studied in such detail while endeavoring to know about the nature of past civilizations. Architecture and other forms of art deal with questions that have been at the centre of man's imagination ever since civilization took shape. This is evidenced in the ancient cave paintings around the world to the relatively

Kazakhstan Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Kazakhstan Development - Essay Example International trade involves movement of people, movement of capital and movement of raw materials to and fro developed and developing countries. The beneficiaries of globalization are the developed economies since the companies and trade have spread to other regions in the developing economies. Despite the free movement of people and other business related resources countries are still struggling with unfair distribution of resources, slavery, limited use of technology in developing countries, destruction of natural resources and unemployment. Nigeria being a developing economy has not enjoyed the benefits of globalization due to slow export business, huge debts and poor economic conditions that scares away the investors (Onwuka1 and Eguavoen 2007, P. 45). This paper will critically evaluate the development of Nigeria’s economy as a result of globalization. Country analysis The Nigeria economic development has been influenced by the availability of oil. Before the oil explora tion the economic grew by about 3.1 percent per year while from 1960 they was a positive growth by 6.2 percent per year but from 1980 there was a negative economic growth but rate due to adjustment and regulation the economic expended by about 4 percent. This positive economic growth due to oil drilling led to migration from rural areas to urban areas (Ekpo and Umoh 2013). As a result of industrial development, migration to urban areas and oil drilling the agricultural activities were neglected and therefore the country started to import fundamental food commodities. Domestic investment and savings also reduced while inflation rates increased to about 23 percent by the year 1976, 41 percent by the year 1989 and 72.8 percent in 1995 but later the inflation rate reduced to 9.5 percent in 1998 (Ekpo and Umoh 2013). Redundancy and joblessness was about 5 percent from 1976 to 1998 per year though its hard to document unemployment and its estimated that the rate of unemployment could be h igher due to recession in 1990s(Ekpo and Umoh 2013). As the world trade and economic expansion were being experienced in several parts of the globe Nigeria was experiencing economic recession, unemployment, scarcity of vital food items and high rate of inflation and thus failure to catch the attention of international investors and low gross domestic product. Nigeria therefore need to address it export diversity, imports, minimize debts and provide conducive environment for the foreign investors (Onwuka1 and Eguavoen 2007, P. 45. Is globalization jeopardizing developing nations’ economic development? Udombana (2002 p.11-17) reports that globalization is an incentive that unfairly and unequally solve problems of developing nations by enticing them to democratize, privatize and decentralize ,yet, industrialized nations are at a comfort zone where their currencies are strong and terms of trade stable to handle any changes in the world’s economy. Hobdell (2001) asserts tha t this is seen so because, globalization is driven by the same colonial powers who launched global campaigns of imperial control of people and resources targeted primarily at the developing nations. In disguise this force is