1malaysia Concept free essay sample

These elements comprise A Culture of Excellence in performing all duties and responsibilities; A Culture of Precision in terms of time management and improving efficiency; Courage to innovate and explore new opportunities; Meritocracy in assigning tasks to those best fit to execute them in accordance with the Federal Constitution and national policy; unwavering Loyalty to our country; Perseverence in the face of adversity of any kind and Integrity in all matters and transactions. The inculcation of these Aspirational Values will distinguish ourselves as a powerful, respected and admired Malaysian Community, befitting the identity of a thriving and developed nation. In delivering its commitment to the Rakyat, the government presented the theme â€Å"People First, Performance Now† as part of the 1Malaysia concept. This theme signifies that while reinforcing the call for unity amongst Malaysians, the government will also prioritise issues that the Rakyat feel strongly about. The government also places great weight upon the performance and results of all public servants when engaging with the Rakyat. We will write a custom essay sample on 1malaysia Concept or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In other words, the government recognises the importance of the efficiency and quality of public service in enhancing the quality of life for the Rakyat, hence the adoption of a people-friendly approach in all government agencies is critical. In view of this, a Key Performance Index (KPI) will be implemented in all government matters, beginning with the KPI monitoring exercise for all Ministers. A Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department is already assigned specifically to ensure the smooth implementation of the KPI. The Minister responsible will provide further details on the KPI and a detailed system of implementation to fulfill this government objective. Such initiatives are expected to produce significant changes not only in government administration, but more importantly to lead to the betterment of the Malaysian people’s standard of living. Above all, 1Malaysia â€Å"People First, Performance Now† is expected to generate a definitive transformation, towards an advanced Malaysian nation, underpinned by a firmly united people, and esteemed by the world.

Tourism in Antarctica

Tourism in Antarctica Antarctica has become one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations. Since 1969, the average number of visitors to the continent has increased from several hundred to over 34,000 today. All activities in Antarctica are heavily regulated by the Antarctic Treaty for environmental protection purposes and the industry is largely managed by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). History of Tourism in Antarctica The first expedition to Antarctica with travelers was in 1966, led by Swedish explorer Lars Eric Lindblad. Lindblad wanted to give tourists a first-hand experience on the ecological sensitivity of the Antarctic environment, in order to educate them and promote a greater understanding of the continents role in the world. The modern expedition cruise industry was born shortly after, in 1969, when Lindblad built the worlds first expedition ship, the MS Lindblad Explorer, which was specifically designed to transport tourists to Antarctica. In 1977, both Australia and New Zealand started to offer scenic flights to Antarctica through Qantas and Air New Zealand. The flights often flew to the continent without landing and returned to the departure airport. The experience was an average 12 to 14 hours with up to 4 hours flying directly over the continent. The flights from Australia and New Zealand stopped in 1980. It was due in large part to the Air New Zealand Flight 901 accident on November 28, 1979, in which a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 aircraft carrying 237 passengers and 20 crew members collided into Mount Erebus on Ross Island, Antarctica, killing all onboard. Flights to Antarctica did not resume again until 1994. Despite the potential hazards and risks, tourism to Antarctica continued to grow. According to IAATO, 34,354 travelers visited the continent between 2012 and 2013. Americans contributed to the largest share with 10,677 visitors, or 31.1%, followed by Germans (3,830/11.1%), Australians (3,724/10.7%), and the British (3,492/10.2%). The remainder of the visitors were from China, Canada, Switzerland, France, and elsewhere. IAATO The IAATOs original visitor and tour operator guidelines served as the basis in the development of the Antarctic Treaty Recommendation XVIII-1, which includes guidance for Antarctic visitors and for non-government tour organizers. Some of the mandated guidelines include: Do not disturb wildlife either at sea or on landDo not feed or touch animals or photograph in a way that will disturbDo not damage plants or bring invasive speciesDo not damage, destroy, or remove artifacts from historic sites. This includes rocks, bones, fossils, and content of buildingsDo not interfere with scientific equipment, study sites, or field campsDo not walk onto glaciers or large snowfields unless properly trainedDo not litter There are currently over 58 vessels registered with the IAATO. Seventeen of the vessels are categorized as yachts, which can transport up to 12 passengers, 28 are considered category 1 (up to 200 passengers), 7 are category 2 (up to 500), and 6 are cruise ships, capable of housing anywhere from 500 to 3,000 visitors. Tourism in Antarctica Today Most ships depart from South America, particularly Ushuaia in Argentina, Hobart in Australia, and Christchurch or Auckland, New Zealand. The principal destination is the Antarctic Peninsula region, which includes the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Certain private expeditions may include visits to inland sites, including Mt .Vinson (Antarcticas highest mountain) and the geographic South Pole. An expedition can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Yachts and category 1 ships generally land on the continent with a duration lasting approximately 1 - 3 hours. There can be between 1-3 landings per day using inflatable crafts or helicopters to transfer visitors. Category 2 ships typically sail the waters with or without landing and cruise ships carrying more than 500 passengers are no longer operational as of 2009 due to concerns of oil or fuel spills. Most of the activities while on land include visits to operational scientific stations and wildlife sties, hiking, kayaking, mountaineering, camping, and scuba-diving. Excursions are always accompanied by seasoned staff members, which often includes an ornithologist, marine biologist, geologist, naturalist, historian, general biologist, and/or glaciologist. A trip to Antarctica can range anywhere from as little as $3,000-$4,000 to over $40,000, depending on the scope of transportation, housing, and activity needs. The higher end packages typically involve air transport, on-site camping, and a visit to the South Pole. References British Antarctic Survey (2013, September 25). Antarctic Tourism. Retrieved from: antarctica.ac.uk/about_antarctica/tourism/faq.php International Association of Antarctica Tour Operations (2013, September 25). Tourism Overview. Retrieved from: http://iaato.org/tourism-overview

What is gender culture With reference to Sabrina Petra Ramet's paper Essay

What is gender culture With reference to Sabrina Petra Ramet's paper Gender Reversals and Gender Cultures - Essay Example ies regarding the type of gender differences, the levels of gender inequality, and the amount of violence that is necessary to maintain both systems of difference and domination. Following Ramet (1996): ]Gender culture† â€Å"is meant a society’s understanding of what is possible, proper, and perverse in gender-linked behavior, and more specifically, that set of values, mores, and assumptions which establishes which behaviors are to be seen as gender –linked† (2). Gender culture is a socially constructed phenomenon which reflects social values and perception of male and female members by others. This process occurs through a complex interaction of identification processes, symbol systems, and social institutions, gender differences are produced--typically in the form of a dichotomy that not only opposes masculinity to femininity but also translates these oppositional differences into gender hierarchy, the privileging of traits and activities defined as masculine over those defined as feminine. Ramet (1996) explains that: â€Å"gender cultures also define the limits of social tolerance and, in this regard, may be seen within the scope of the overarching cultural system as a whole† (3). Similar ideas are expressed by Moir and Jessel (1992) who stated that it is important to recognize the cultural variation in how gender differences are formed and expressed, it is also important to stress the political nature of gender as a system of diff erence construction and hierarchical dichotomy production that is constitutive of almost all contemporary societies. In societies, gender is about power, and power is gendered (115). Dress, make-up and occupation are vivid examples of ‘gender culture’ For instance, â€Å"Casting a woman in the role of King Lear or Hamlet tantalizes the audience with veiled allusions to female gender culture, and prompts questions about the gender ambiguity of behavior â€Å"(Ramet 7). Ramet underlines that sexual differences in certain adaptive

Journal Entry Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal Entry - Article Example Our parents did not teach us to breathe or to swallow. We learned to walk on our own and we picked up speech without the aid of a teacher. There was some coaching involved along the way. We were encouraged to form certain words and rewarded for making the correct sounds. We were likewise penalized and punished for incorrect grammar and pronunciation. Perhaps there was an intuitive process that neither our parents nor we were consciously aware of. We imitated what we heard our parents say as best we could by parroting and repeating simple sounds and phrases. Some experts see the environment and the exposure to language as a critical element in learning a to speak. Other experts see language as a unique skill, its proficiency ruled by an inborn program that will rise out of us with no prodding by parents or the environment However, some exposure to language is necessary and learning a language depends on that exposure. The language a child acquires is that of his/her environment or surroundings. The fact that has already been tested and proven is that children who are deprived of language or a language environment simply do not begin to speak spontaneously. This was the instance in the well-known case of Genie. If we study the way a child interacts with their environment and the way adults provide feedback to a young child, we will see that there is a myriad of ways that they are provided to acquire language. The child will usually focus on the language of the mother due to the maternal bond. The parents provide a framework for learning many other routine tasks such as using eating utensils and bathing. It is the secure atmosphere of parental trust and interaction that language first begins to be uttered. The first sounds are usually the intuitive "ma" that is universal among children of all nationalities. As the sounds of the mother and father become more formalized, the emotion motivates the child to copy and to learn. Eventually, the child

Philosophical Methodologies to the Self Term Paper

Philosophical Methodologies to the Self - Term Paper Example In comparison with the nominal self, the narrative of self implicates endurance over time and is distinctly pertinent to discourses of memory and individual personality. This is an advancing agreement amid philosophers and cognitive scientist about the significance of narrative and connection to discontinuous memory. There are, nevertheless, two dissimilar perceptions of how narrative self is regulated. On a more protracted standpoint, the self is a rich fusion of narratives that permits for the ambiguities, self-deception and contradictions of individual life. There are several ways of understanding the perception of a nominal sense of self. For this case, it is relevant to understand how we utilize the first person pronoun when we are referring to ourselves in a manner that never allows errors (Neisser 1998). In a real sense, the mind is an amalgamated being. Rather, it is a natural model that consists of numerous segments. As we know, the human mind has many diverse feelings, inst incts, and desires. The self, in reality, is essentially a creation of the mind and society. The min to utilizes the notion of the self so that it can operate in a consolidated manner. By abstracting itself as a more compacted and singular object, the mind is then able to comprehend its feelings and desires far much easier. Further, the mind creates the self to amalgamate all the diverse feelings, desires and instincts into one rational set. Thus, the mind utilizes these notions to make decisions and vindicate past decisions (Bermudez 2006). Next, the community and other people also utilize the perception of the self to comprehend and associate with a human. In reality, it is improbable and impractical to know all the diverse desires, instincts and feelings that affect the humans thereby causing them to act in certain manners and to reach particular decisions. For this case, to comprehend the nature of humans, we perceive them as singular individuals with singular selves. Elementary wisdom also affects our notion of the self.     Ã‚  

The Advantages Of Studying Abroad Education Essay

The Advantages Of Studying Abroad Education Essay The development of the society is going towards a globalised world where the social, cultural and traditional differences between people are becoming less distinguishable. One of the key factors which has largely influenced in the development of peoples way of understanding and analysing social and cultural values is education which has taken an important place in the new century. Education is an essential foundation for personal, social and economic success in a globalised economy (OECD 2008). International studies are becoming the new trend of young people as a way to expend their education beyond their traditional education style and their everyday world (Spiering and Ericson 2006). Johnson and Mulholland (2006) consider international education as an opportunity to increase the awareness of the people about the culture of the world which can contribute in creating individuals with a broader understanding of issues concerning todays society rather than limiting them in the scope of home educational system. In this point of view, studying abroad students gain the opportunity to learn more about world affairs and increase their acceptance of other countries regardless of the differences in culture or language. Moreover studying in a foreign directly benefits in learning a new language. Pellegrino (1997) argues that study abroad is one of the most effective ways of becoming proficient in a new language. Students who chose to spend a certain amount of time in a country the language they are willing to learn is spoken, have the opportunity to interact with native speakers a fact which would directly influence in the improvement of their linguistic and sociolinguistic skills to achieve real communicative goals, and to experience the tangible and visible manifestations of the culture of the country (Pellegrino 1997). Individuals who have studied abroad in foreign language often demonstrate cognitive development, creative thinking which surpass the abilities of individuals who have educational experiences of their home country only (Kinginger 2007). One of the reasons why studying abroad is becoming more important nowadays considering the effects of globalization, is the international job market. Qiang (2003) observes that there is a significant increase in the number of recruitments regarding the international workforce due to globalization process which has caused the education system, especially higher education, not to be strictly viewed in the national context. Mpinganjira (2009) analyses that the need of being competitive in the international job market has influenced many students to look to opportunities to enhance their career prospects through acquiring high quality education with qualifications that are recognised worldwide. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to analyse the advantages of studying abroad from the students point of view and to propose some new ways of thinking for students when evaluating the possibility of studying in a foreign country. The hypothesis to be studied is: students in the Southern and Eastern Europe think that high quality of studies can only be achieved through studying in a Western country. In addition the primary and secondary research will attempt to identify some of the factors that influence in the choice of students regarding their studies. Some of the major objectives of this study are: The guiding factors for young people toward choosing a university abroad rather than going in a local university How important is the financial situation in deciding to study in a foreign university What role plays the learning a new language in deciding in which university to go Identify the opinion of students about the influence that a period of studies would have in their personal life and future career MATERIALS AND METHODS The research process was divided into two major parts which contributed in the collection and analyze of the data. The first part included secondary data collection from different sources related to the subject of research. Some of this sources are used in the paper in order to explain different facts regarding to the topic. The second part consisted of primary data collection through a survey which was designed in accordance to the characteristics of the population it was intended for (see Appendices Survey). The survey was distributed to young people (high school and college students) in Korca, Albania by e-mail. It resulted in 25 respondents out of 50 actually delivered or 50% response rate. In order to increase the number of respondents the survey was redistributed to students in Perrotis College completing the intended number of respondents, 50. After the data were collected Microsoft Excel was used in order to organize the data in tables. Afterwards the data were imported to JMP 8 statistical software where the data were analyzed using tables, charts and other statistical analyses figures. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Characteristics of the population From the analyse of the data using JMP 8 the characteristics of the population were identified. Table 1 contains the full characteristics of the population and the responses retrieved from the survey. No. of partecipants Gender Factors in deciding where to study Would you go to study abroad Why foreign university Advantages of foreign universities Western Universities offer quality 16 male Quality Quality More opportunities personal experience yes 17 male Quality Quality More opportunities quality of studies yes 18 male Quality Quality Excellent experience quality of studies most likely 19 male Quality Quality Couldnt study in my country Language proficiency yes 20 male Quality Quality Couldnt study in my country Language proficiency yes 21 male Quality Quality Couldnt study in my country personal experience yes 22 male Quality Quality Excellent experience quality of studies yes 23 male Quality Quality Excellent experience quality of studies yes 24 male Quality Quality Excellent experience quality of studies yes 25 male Quality Quality Excellent experience multicultural experience most likely 26 male Quality Quality More opportunities multicultural experience yes 27 male Quality Quality More opportunities personal experience most likely 28 male Quality Quality More opportunities multicultural experience most likely 29 male Quality Quality More opportunities quality of studies yes 30 male Cost Cost Excellent experience Language proficiency yes 31 male Cost Cost Excellent experience multicultural experience yes 32 female Location Location Excellent experience personal experience yes 33 female Location Location More opportunities quality of studies most likely 34 female Quality Quality More opportunities quality of studies yes 35 female Quality Quality Excellent experience quality of studies yes 36 female Quality Quality More opportunities multicultural experience yes 37 female Location Location Couldnt study in my country personal experience yes 38 female Quality Quality Excellent experience Language proficiency yes 39 female Quality Quality More opportunities multicultural experience most likely 40 female Cost Cost More opportunities multicultural experience most likely Distributions Age Age of Respondents Figure 1 Frequencies Level Count Prob 17 18 9 0.18000 18 20 11 0.22000 20 22 22 0.44000 22 24 5 0.10000 above 24 3 0.06000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 5 Levels Figure 1 illustrates the age characteristics of the sample involved in the survey. As it is shown the majority of the respondents belonged in the age group of 20 22 years old which corresponds to the first year of college for many countries. Gender Distribution of the sample by Gender Figure 2 Frequencies Level Count Prob female 19 0.38000 male 31 0.62000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 2 Levels From figure 2 gender characteristics can be understood. The research has been directed to 50 individuals where 62 % or 31 of the respondents were males while 38% or 19 respondents belonged to female gender. Factors in deciding where to study Important factors which influence the students when choosing where to study. Figure 3 Frequencies Level Count Prob Cost 11 0.22000 Location 3 0.06000 Quality 36 0.72000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 3 Levels The above figure summarises some of the most important factors which influence the young people by the most when making a decision about the university they are going to be attending. As shown the most important factor in students opinion, is the quality of studies that a university offers or the fame of the university. Would you go to study abroad The students willingness to study abroad Figure 4 Frequencies Level Count Prob I dont know 22 0.44000 No 2 0.04000 Yes 26 0.52000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 3 Levels When asked about their willingness to continue their studies in a foreign university 52% of the students answered that they would chose a university outside their home country for their studies while, 44% of them answered that their choice would depend on the characteristic of the universities they would go in their country. This part of the questioned sample would go for studies abroad only if the universities in their country would not offer the preferred characteristics for the students. Only 4% of the students answered that they are not considering at all the possibility of studying in a foreign country. Why foreign university Reasons for choosing a foreign university Figure 5 Frequencies Level Count Prob Couldns study in my country 11 0.22000 Exellent experience 18 0.36000 More opportunities 21 0.42000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 3 Levels The majority of the students think that foreign universities offer more opportunities for their future career, therefore, they would go to study abroad. The other part of the students consider studying abroad as an excellent experience in their lives. On the other hand, the minority of the questioned students would go in a foreign university only if they wouldnt be able to study in their preferred university in their countries. Advantages of foreign universities Advantages of studying abroad Figure 6 Frequencies Level Count Prob Linguage proficiency 5 0.10000 multicultural experience 18 0.36000 personal experience 11 0.22000 quality of studies 16 0.32000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 4 Levels Regarding to the advantages that the foreign universities offer compared with studying experiences in the home countries, students are approximately equally divided regarding to what they think are the advantages of studying abroad. 36% of the students consider the multicultural aspect of the studies as the most important factor on studying in a foreign university while 32% emphasise the quality of studies in other countries as the main aspect. Also the possibility of personal experiences and opportunity to know yourself better are very important in students evaluation for a university. While the opportunity of learning a new language proficiently is less important. Financial implications of studies Students opinion about the impact of costs associated with studying abroad Figure 7 Frequencies Level Count Prob Agree 14 0.28000 Dissagree 1 0.02000 Dont know 8 0.16000 Strongly agree 27 0.54000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 4 Levels The biggest part of the students strongly agreed that the cost of studying in a foreign university plays an important role in deciding to go for studies abroad or not. Western Universities offer quality Do western universities offer better quality? Figure 8 Frequencies Level Count Prob most likely 12 0.24000 yes 38 0.76000 Total 50 1.00000 N Missing 0 2 Levels When asked if they think that universities in the Western Europe offer a better quality compared with universities in their own countries, the majority of students, 76% agreed that the universities in the west offer more opportunities for a high quality of studies, while, 24% of them answered that they were not sure on this statement. There were no students to disagree. Contingency Analysis of Western Universities offer quality By Home Country Mosaic Plot Contingency Table Home Country By Western Universities offer quality Count Total % Col % Row % most likely yes Albania 6 12.00 50.00 19.35 25 50.00 65.79 80.65 31 62.00 Bulgaria 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 2 4.00 5.26 100.00 2 4.00 FYROM 3 6.00 25.00 50.00 3 6.00 7.89 50.00 6 12.00 Greece 1 2.00 8.33 12.50 7 14.00 18.42 87.50 8 16.00 Moldova 1 2.00 8.33 50.00 1 2.00 2.63 50.00 2 4.00 Turkey 1 2.00 8.33 100.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 1 2.00 12 24.00 38 76.00 50 Tests N DF -LogLike RSquare (U) 50 5 3.7635068 0.1366 Test ChiSquare Prob>ChiSq Likelihood Ratio 7.527 0.1843 Pearson 7.710 0.1730 Discussion In the table above can be observed that the model constraint by the hypothesis has a log-likelyhood of 3.763 while the ChiSquare has a non significant p-value of 0.1843. The hypothesis risen in the beginning that Student from Eastern and Southern Europe think that high quality of studies can only be achieved through studying in a Western country is supported by the values given form the contingency analysis. Therefore the hypothesis is accepted. CONCLUSION

Choose to scenes from the film that illuminates the text of Educating :: English Literature

Choose to scenes from the film that illuminates the text of Educating Rita by Willy Russell When the play was written there was a still a cultural divide between the uneducated (as in no higher education) working class and the cultural and educated upper class but higher education was slowly being madeavailable to the masses. This was partly due to Open University (OU) with provided a university education to those who normally would have not been able to go due to employment or the fact that they might feel they wouldn't fit in, like Rita, because of the cultural differences. Rita feels she needs an education to fill her life, as she knows that something in her life is not right and so she turns to the part of a life she doesn't have -education and knowledge of culture- to fill the gap. However as we find out this is not necessarily what she is missing, but in her search for an education she finds 'a new Rita', she even changes her name back to Susan. Susan is Rita's real name, however when she started OU she changed it to Rita after Rita Mae Brown, someone who she thinks writes literature, but in fact writes "pulp- fiction" stories, because at this time she thinks all books are literature- this shows the cultural difference. The play Educating Rita by Willy Russell gained great popularity especially during the early eighties. There has also been a movie made from it starring Julie Walters and the more famous Michael Caine. As so often the case, the movie was more elaborate with additional scenes, some of which were spoken of or retold by the actors in the play. The movie also included several actors while the play only featured two, Frank and Rita. In this essay I am going to explore how the film illuminates parts of the text when performed on stage. Although most of the details are small and subtle, they have a great impact on how the story portrayed. The movie offers much more background information on other characters and events that are important to the story. The play is much more restricted in the sense that a great many things are bound not to happen on stage, especially as there are only two characters. In fact nothing taking place outside Frank's office can be seen by the audience. All action is then confined within the stages four walls. When Frank invites Rita to his home for dinner in the play the

Intermediate Sanctions

Intermediate sanctions are the sanctions that are more restrictive than the probation and less restrictive than imprisonment. It is also intended to relieve the pressure on the over crowed facilities that deal with the corrections and the probation departments that are understaffed. The purpose for the intermediate sanction in the criminal justice process is that it helps with any of the concerns from the facilities being packed and over crowed. Jails and the prisons are packed more this century then the last century. It also helps with the short staff that is in the offices and the probation officers short staffed. The government should take it under consideration that the criminal justice system needs the staff and the money to make the criminal justice organization work together. There are two functions as a sentencing alternative in the intermediate sanction. They are to divert the offenders from the overcrowded jails or prisons. The second one is to place the different offenders under the higher levels of the control. It is the risk that the community poses to. * I believe that the intermediate sanctions are not an appropriate punishment. People should not have to serve their time behind bars because they prisons and jail cells are over packed and crowded. The government should put in more funds so that if people do the crime, then they should do the time. Also, probation is an advantage and that people should not be misused. * In conclusion, I believe that the intermediate sanction can work out if people do not take advantage of the probation punishment. This punishment should only be used if there is no room in the jail cell or the prisons. I believe that once someone does a crime, that that person may do it again.

Serial Killer Nurse Kristen Gilbert

Serial Killer Nurse Kristen Gilbert Kristen Gilbert is a former Veterans Administration (VA) nurse who was found guilty of murdering four VA patients in the early 1990s. She was also convicted of attempting to murder two other hospital patients and has been suspected in the deaths of dozens more.   Childhood Years Kristen Heather Strickland was born Nov. 13, 1967, to parents Richard and Claudia Strickland. She was the oldest of the two daughters in what appeared to be a well-adjusted home. The family moved from Fall River to Groton, Mass., and Kristen lived out her preteen years without any significant problems. As Kristen grew older, however, friends say she became a habitual liar and would boast of being related to Lizzie Borden, a notorious serial killer. She could be manipulative, threatening suicide when angry, and had a history of making violent threats, according to court records. A Nursing Job In 1988 Kristen earned her degree as a registered nurse from Greenfield Community College. That same year, she married Glenn Gilbert, whom she met at Hampton Beach, N.H. In March 1989, she landed a job at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Northampton, Mass., and the young couple bought a home and settled into their new life. To fellow workers, Kristen seemed competent and committed to her job. She was the type of co-worker who would remember birthdays and organize gift exchanges during the holidays. She seemed the social butterfly of the C Ward where she worked. Her superiors rated her nursing as highly skillful and noted how well she reacted during medical emergencies. In late 1990, the Gilberts had their first child, a baby boy. After returning from maternity leave, Kristin switched to the 4 p.m. until midnight shift and almost immediately strange things began to happen. Patients began dying during her shift, tripling the medical centers rate of deaths over the previous three years. During each incident, Kristens calm competent nursing skills shined, and she won the admiration of her fellow workers. An Affair After the Gilberts second child was born in 1993, the couples marriage seemed to falter. Kristen was developing a friendship with James Perrault, a security guard at the hospital, and the two often socialized with other workers at the end of their shifts. At the end of 1994, Gilbert, who was actively having an affair with Perrault, left her husband and their young children. She moved into her own apartment and continued to work at the VA hospital. Kristens co-workers began to grow suspicious  about the deaths that always seemed to occur during her shift. Although many of the patients who died were old or in poor health, there were also patients who had no history of heart problems, yet were dying of cardiac arrest. At the same time, supplies of ephedrine, a drug with the potential to cause heart failure, began to go missing. Suspicious Deaths and a Bomb Threat In late 1995 and early 1996, four patients under Gilberts care died, all of cardiac arrest. In each case, ephedrine was the suspected cause. After three of Gilberts coworkers voiced their concerns that she may have been involved, an investigation was opened. Shortly thereafter, Gilbert left her job at the VA hospital, citing injuries she sustained while at work. By the summer of 1996, Gilbert and Perraults relationship had become strained. In September, federal authorities investigating the hospital deaths interviewed Perrault. Thats when the bomb threats began. On Sept. 26 while working at the VA hospital, Perrault took a phone call from someone claiming to have planted three bombs at the hospital. Patients were evacuated and police called, but no  explosives were found. Similar threats were made to the hospital the next day and on the 30th, all during Perraults shifts. Two Trials It wasnt long before police linked Gilbert to the calls. She was tried and convicted in January 1998 of making a bomb threat and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Federal investigators, meanwhile, were getting closer to linking Gilbert to the patient deaths at the VA hospital. In November of 1998, Gilbert went on trial for murder in the deaths of Henry Hudon,  Kenneth Cutting, and  Edward Skwira, as well as the attempted murders of two other patients,  Thomas Callahan, and Angelo Vella. The following May, Gilbert was also charged in the death of patient Stanley Jagodowski. The trial began in November 2000. According to prosecutors, Gilbert committed the murders because she craved attention and wanted to spend time with Perrault. In seven years at the hospital, prosecutors said, Gilbert was on duty when more than half of the 350 recorded patient deaths occurred. Defense lawyers countered that Gilbert was innocent and that her patients had died of natural causes. On March 14, 2001, jurors found Gilbert guilty  of the first-degree murder in three of the cases and second-degree murder in the fourth. She also was convicted of  attempted murder in the case of two other hospital patients and sentenced to four life sentences. She dropped her appeal of the sentence in 2003. As of February 2017, Gilbert remained incarcerated in federal prison in Texas. Sources Farragher, Thomas. Caregiver or Killer? The Boston Globe. 8 October 2000. Goldberg, Carey. Former Nurse on Trial in Patients Deaths. The New York Times. 23 November 2000. Gorlick, Adam. Murderous Nurse Escapes Death Penalty.  ABC News. 26 March 2001. HLN Staff. When Serial Killers Strike: The Angel of Death on Ward C. CNN. 1 April 2013.

Turkey in the European Union

Turkey in the European Union The country of Turkey is typically considered to straddle both Europe and Asia. Turkey occupies all of the Anatolian Peninsula (also known as Asia Minor) and a small part of southeastern Europe. In October 2005 negotiations began between Turkey (population 70 million) and the European Union (EU) for Turkey to be considered as a possible member of the EU in the future. Location While most of Turkey lies geographically in Asia (the peninsula is Asian), far western Turkey lies in Europe. Turkeys largest city of Istanbul (known as Constantinople until 1930), with a population of over 9 million is located on both the east and west sides of the Bosporus strait so it straddles both what are traditionally considered Europe and Asia. However, Turkeys capital city of Ankara is fully outside of Europe and on the Asian continent. While the European Union is working with Turkey to help it move toward being able to become a member of the European Union, there are some who are concerned about Turkeys potential membership. Those opposed to Turkish membership in the EU point to several issues. Issues First, they state that Turkeys culture and values are different from those of the European Union as a whole. They point out that Turkeys 99.8% Muslim population is too different from Christian-based Europe. However, the EU makes the case that the EU is not a religion-based organization, Turkey is a secular (a non-religion-based government) state, and that 12 million Muslims currently live throughout the European Union. Nonetheless, the EU acknowledges that Turkey needs to Substantially improve respect for the rights of non-Muslim religious communities to meet European standards. Secondly, naysayers point out that since Turkey is mostly not in Europe (neither population-wise nor geographically), it should not become part of the European Union. The EU responds that, The EU is based more on values and political will than on rivers and mountains, and acknowledges that, Geographers and historians have never agreed on the physical or natural borders of Europe. Too true! A third reason Turkey might have problems is its non-recognition of Cyprus, a full-fledged member of the European Union. Turkey will have to acknowledge Cyprus to be considered a contender for membership. Additionally, many are concerned about the rights of Kurds in Turkey. The Kurdish people have limited human rights and there are accounts of genocidal activities that need to stop for Turkey to be considered for European Union membership. Finally, some are concerned that Turkeys large population would alter the balance of power in the European Union. After all, Germanys population (the largest country in the EU) is only at 82 million and declining. Turkey would be the second largest country (and perhaps eventually the largest with its much higher growth rate) in the EU and would have considerable influence in the European Union. This influence would be especially profound in the population-based European Parliament. The low per-capita income of the Turkish population is also of concern since the economy of Turkey as a new EU member might have a negative effect on the EU as a whole. Turkey is receiving considerable assistance from its European neighbors as well as from the EU. The EU has allocated billions and is expected to allocate billions of euros in funding for projects to help invest in a stronger Turkey that may one day become a member of the European Union. I was particularly moved by this EU statement on why Turkey should be part of the European Union of the future, Europe needs a stable, democratic and more prosperous Turkey which adopts our values, our rule of law, and our common policies. The accession perspective has already driven forward bold and significant reforms. If the rule of law and human rights are guaranteed throughout the country, Turkey can join the EU and thus become an even stronger bridge between civilizations as it is already today. That sounds like worthwhile goal to me.

Fashion is never still, it constantly changes and evolves Essay

Fashion is never still, it constantly changes and evolves - Essay Example The essay "Fashion is never still, it constantly changes and evolves" investigates the notion of fashion. Fashion can be applied to many fields of human activity, for example, art, music, theatre, politics, economy, architecture –and it is not the complete list. In the past the term fashion when used in terms of clothes implied the generic style for everyone who wanted to be fashionable. Nowadays the things have changed completely – clothes are no longer the manifestation of equality with others. Choosing one’s style in fashion is the way to express oneself, to express the mood or in most cases to distinguish oneself. So, today, to be fashionable means to have your own creative fashion but not to stick to the trend of the season. People all over the world may choose from the variety of styles: to be a got or to wear romantic clothes, to have a business style or extravagant – everything is fashionable nowadays. However, fashion originates somewhere and seve ral great minds decide upon the trends of the coming season. These decisions come from the Fashion Weeks where the prominent fashion designers demonstrate their vision of seasonal trends. The most popular collections dictate fashion to the rest of the world. However, fashion can spread and in another way - via celebrities. Seeing a famous person in unusual clothes or with extravagant hairdo or make up, thousands of fans start copying him/her. Fashion varies tremendously not only in time, but also in class, income, nationalities ad world views.

Preditory Business Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preditory Business Practice - Essay Example The bad thing with predatory lending that the borrower is left at a very big economic disadvantage, and this in most cases ends up disrupting their financial and economic stability. The fact that these bad loans are given to so many people mean that when these people are financially disrupted, the economy at the end will suffer (Moses, 2010). There is a debate of who should carry the blame and bear the responsibility with regard to such loans. The truth is that the loan originators use very aggressive and sometimes methods that border the illegal practices to be able to lure the borrowers. Most people do not have an inside understanding of how finances work and if the lenders refuse to disclose all the implications of the contract that a customer enters into when taking such a loan the borrower can end up entering into a predatory relationship. The loan may look attractive to the borrower while the truth is that it is very harmful and it will eventually place them at a point of disadvantage. However, both the borrower and the lender can be seen has bearing some level of reasonability when such a loan turns out to be a predatory loan. The lenders or the originators of these types of loans should bear some responsibility in that they cheat the customer to think that the loan is going to be simple to pay off and that it will leave them at an advantage. Most of these subprime lenders do not consider the customer’s interest when giving such loans but instead only look for ways to benefit them. In most cases, it is the loan brokers who benefit the most, sometimes even more that even the lenders themselves. In such a case, they have to bear the responsibility for not carrying out fair business activities. If a relationship between a lender (or a loan originator) can be said to be a contract, then the lenders may need to bear some of the