Black Leaders Essay Example for Free

Black Leaders Essay Booker T. Washington and William Edward Burghardt Du Bois were influential black leaders. Their leadership strengthened the minds of the black race. During the decades of Reconstruction following the Civil War, African Americans struggled to be assimilated into the new American society. To do this African Americans required social and economic equality. Two great Negro leaders that emerged for this cause were Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. With these two strong-headed men, another problem arose. They both sharply disagreed upon the strategies needed to gain these equalities. Washington preferred a gradual, submissive, and economically based plan. On the other hand, Du Bois relied upon a more agitating and politically aggressive plan. They worked for the advancement of African-Americans in American society, but their methods of achieving this goal and their leadership style differed greatly from one another. It is hard to fathom that two men, who helped to strive for the great goal of racial fairness, could have been such opposites, but it is true. Booker T. Washington, a former slave and the founder of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, believed that African Americans needed to accept segregation and discrimination for the time being and concentrate on elevating themselves through hard work and material prosperity. The eventual acquisition of wealth and culture by African Americans would gradually win for them the respect and acceptance of the white community. This would break down the divisions between the two races and lead to equal citizenship for African Americans in the end. Also he urged blacks to accept discrimination for the time being and concentrate on elevating themselves through hard work and material prosperity. He believed in education in the crafts, industrial and farming skills and the cultivation of the virtues of patience, enterprise and thrift. This, he said, would win the respect of whites and lead to African Americans being fully accepted as citizens and included into all strata of society. Washington wanted blacks in the south to respect and value the need for industrial education both from a vantage of American and African experience. Booker T. Washington was born a slave on April 5, 1856 in Franklin County, Virginia. Once the slaves were emancipated, his family moved to West Virginia. There, his family was poor, and he had to work in a salt furnace and then a coal mine. In school he named himself Booker Washington. Only later did he find out his name was Booker Taliaferro. So he combined both names to form his now famous name, Booker T. Washington. He went to school at the Hampton Institute, which was an industrial school for blacks. Later on, he based his educational theories on his time at Hampton. He founded the Tuskegee Institute, which was a Negro school, which eventually became known for its hardworking, reliable graduates. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born into an affluent family on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Bois took college preparatory classes while in high school. He was also a column writer of a newspaper, the New York Globe. While still young he attended town meetings to listen to people discuss concerns of the town. He spoke about Wendell Phillips at his high school graduation. Du Boiss mother unexpectedly died in 1884. After high school, he attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the first black person to obtain a Ph. D. from Harvard. He taught at Atlanta University. At Fisk he took part in public speaking and debates. He edited the Fisk Herald, the schools paper. At Fisk he realized that his goal was not for his own happiness, but for the advancement of the black race. He graduated from Fisk in 1886 with an A. B. degree. After Fisk he was accepted into Harvard. In 1895 Du Bois became the first African American to get a Ph. D. from Harvard. Even with a Ph. D. from Harvard he did not feel he was ready to deal with the problems that African Americans faced. He then spent two years at Berlin University. This gave him an extended outlook on the race problem. In the south, African Americans received segregated and unequal education established by white Americans. Du Bois was confident that he could get white Americans to give up discrimination. Du Bois was motivated to lead African Americans out of the disadvantaged position they seemed to be in. He believed the key to their advancement was in education. Near the end of the 1800s African Americans occupied unskilled jobs in southern cities. Their economic situation was not good. Du Bois felt compelled to work to improve this situation. He initially wanted to dedicate his life to education. In 1909 he contributed to the development of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). According to Gerald Hynes, Du Bois was not pleased with the group, due in part by it being under the leadership of whites. He agreed to work with them and became the editor of The Crisis (1909-1934), a publication from the NAACP. He also led the Niagara Movement. The Niagara Movement was an organization founded by black Americans to racial discrimination. The movement placed most of the blame for Americas racial problems on whites. It opposed the view of Booker T. Washington. He later became a Marxist and a Communist. Washington and Du Bois were alike in few ways. They were both black leaders. They were both teachers and authors. They were also both subject to discrimination from whites. They were both spokesmen for their separate ideologies. Du Bois and Washington were polar opposites of each other in every aspect except for the reasons previously stated. They were so much so that Du Bois published a book named The Souls of Black Folk, which contained many essays criticizing Washingtons views. Du Bois went on to write many other essays and speeches opposing the viewpoints of supposed Uncle Toms. The author believes that Booker T. Washington developed a leadership style based on the model of the old plantation house servant. He used humility, politeness, flattery, and restraint as a wedge with which he hoped to split the wall of racial discrimination. His conciliatory approach won the enthusiastic support of the solid South as well as that of influential Northern politicians and industrialists; their backing gained him a national reputation and provided him with easy access to the press. Members of his own community were filled with pride to see one of their own treated with such respect by wealthy and influential leaders of white America. Du Bois assigned Washington of giving the black race the distinct status of civil inferiority. Washington was for surrendering basic human rights and dignity for economic advancement. Du Bois thought that was detrimental to the black race. Washington thought that a vocational education was far more important to blacks than higher education. Du Bois thought that the really important things in life laid in the realm of the mind. The term The Talented Tenth was the trademark of his educational philosophy. To him, this was, The Talented Tenth of the Negro race must be made leaders of thought and missionaries of culture among their people. No others can do this work and Negro colleges must train men for it. The Negro race, like all other races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. In the authors opinion, theres any question that Booker T. Washington did accept segregation. Booker T. Washington was an accommodationist. And his program was to accommodate the social and political situation of the South. Du Bois was not in complete disagreement with Booker T. Washington. Du Bois referred to Booker T. Washington as the greatest black leader since Frederick Douglass. And also referred to Washington as the most distinguished man, black or white, to come out of the South since the Civil War. So it wasnt as though Du Bois disagreed with Washingtons program, but Du Bois felt that there was room for more than one solution to the problem. And just as Washington advocated vocational education for the majority of African Americans in the South, Du Bois felt yes, there were African Americans in the South, perhaps the majority who at that point in their historical development were better off with vocational education. But there were others among the race who needed to be the individuals who were at the top, the individuals who did the training, the individuals who were the intelligentsia. And that you needed this group of people. And I think that was the basis of their disagreement. Not that Du Bois felt that Washington was completely wrong, but that Washington needed to have more than just one way of approaching the problem. And then of course the other issue on which they disagreed was Du Bois did not feel that you could accommodate injustice. And he felt that Washington was placing upon his shoulders an extremely heavy responsibility by advocating that African Americans accommodate the social and political system in the South. Washington stated that blacks should work hard and become economically prosperous before they should ask for racial equality from the whites. Du Bois thought that this was absolutely preposterous. Blacks shouldnt have to ask for equality from whites, it is Gods gift to them and every human being deserved it. Du Bois believed that the whites were responsible for keeping the black men down and that the black man should cry out and declare his independence. Washington wanted to please the whites, because he thought that was the only way anything good could happen. Even when he was a child, he made his name Washington, whom was a well-known white historical figure of prominence. Du Bois was more radical, whereas Washington was very moderate. Washington was a realist, Du Bois was a romantic. Du Bois wanted to stir mens hearts, Washington wanted to stir mens minds. Washington was loyal to his country, Du Bois was loyal to his race. Washington was possessed humility, and could relate to the common man, Du Bois was arrogant, egotistical, and imperious. Since he could not believe that the average Southern white man had any desire to help the Negro, Du Bois could see no future in the South for the ambitious young people of his race. Directly contradicting Washingtons counsel, Du Bois urged them to go North for freedom and advancement. He encouraged urban migration at every turn, believing that the country represented oppression and serfdom, while the city represented opportunity. It is very clear to see that their experiences were different and this is very important in understanding how they saw the future of the race. But its also important to keep in mind that for both of them, race uplift was the central key. Despite all of Du Bois attacks on him, Washington still managed to be more popular at the time, and more famous today.

Accounting Student Internship Report

Accounting Student Internship Report Chio Lim Stone Forest (CLSF) was founded in 1985 and it started from a textile centre in Jalan Sultan to the present Wilkie Edge in Sophia road. CLSF is a member of RSM International, the 6th largest accounting and consulting firms worldwide, with 736 offices in 76 offices. Member groups in RSM International unite together to offer their clients the premier quality of services. In Singapore, CLSF is the first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firm to be ISO 9002 certified and largest CPA firm outside the Big 4. It has extensive experiences with all sizes of clients but caters best to the mid markets in terms of giving advisory services. It also offers a wide spectrum of business services (see Appendix 1) that caters to every stages of a business growth. Their value system which consists of passion, proactive, practical, personal, perseverance, progressive and professional forms the guiding principle of their service delivery. CLSF has an open platform where there is no bias towards any race, religion and language. Having an open platform is important as it helps to create a harmonious working environment. In terms of the number of employees, it has 572 staff from 17 nationalities, comprising of 19 partners and 15 directors currently (see Appendix 2). With regards to the revenue earned, it is ranked 10th among the member groups in RSM International (see Appendix 3). In addition, CLSF is committed to being a socially responsible corporation by contributing back to the society through sponsoring book prizes, bursaries and giving donations to charitable organisations. What makes CLSF different from any big four firms is that it is ambitious-grown oriented. Building on technical competence, proactive client servicing and an obligation to integrity and professionalism enables CLSP to provide value-added services to clients to help their businesses grow. This can be seen from the fact that the number of employees in the company grew by 17% per annum for the past 22 years due to more and larger clients i.e. listed companies. Description of job/work assigned (500-600) 594 words I learnt to perform audit for an investment holding company (ELC Success Pte Ltd). At the start of audit, I prepared lead schedule using the clients management accounts i.e. trial balance report. Using previous years template as a guide, I transferred the final audited figures to the last year figures column (2009) in current years template and then keyed in current year (2010) figures under the unaudited figures. I would ensure the figures in the respective sections such as cash and cash equivalents tied to both balance sheet and profit and loss report before I start my audit planning. I read the previous years file to have a better understanding of the client and take note of any outstanding matters for this years audit. I then proceeded with the completion of planning forms such as engagement risk questionnaire, independence questionnaire, materiality determination form etc to understand the clients business. Engagement risk questionnaire helps to identify the risk level through factors like ownership, management, business environment, financial and liquidity considerations to determine if we should accept/reject the audit. Independence questionnaire is an evaluation of the companys compliance with ethical standards and to ensure that there are no threats to independence. Materiality determination form documents the calculation of planning materiality which guides the extent of the audit procedures performed. It enables us to propose either adjusting or waiver audit adjustments based on the materiality limit. After completing the planning forms, I arranged for an internal planning meeting with my manager. The meeting highlighted any matters that I had to take note for this years audit such as investment property, both current and deferred taxes and to review my planning forms at the same time. Once the forms were approved and signed by my manager, I started my audit fieldwork by following the audit procedures closely in the manual audit programme sheets (MAPS) on the various sections like revenue etc. I obtained the analysis of revenue and checked the casts. After which, I agree to the ledger and cross reference the supporting analysis to the lead schedule. I also reviewed and documented the clients revenue recognition policy. For the section on revenue from the use of assets, I performed rental reasonableness test to test the completeness for the quantity of units of assets owned by the company and checked the total revenue by applying the rates in the rental contract. In addition, I sca nned the journals to identify any major or unusual transactions. After completing the programme sheets on the different sections, I drafted current years financial statements, with the help of an accounting guidelines book and previous years financial statements. I amended the wordings according to the book and updated the current years figures based on the audited figures in the lead schedules. In addition, I was also taught how to do an accounts strike-off for a company that is winding up (Austro Asia Pte Ltd). The purpose of doing a strike-off is to close and zero-rise all accounts. I had to ensure that all expenses are taken up till the date of the strike-off before closing the accounts. Hence, I would look at the bank statement for any movements in the cashbook. Then, I passed adjustments to record any expenses that were incurred i.e. filing, audit and XBRL fees but not yet recorded in the general ledger for that year. I also did statutory audit to certify that the register of members is accurate and there were no changes to be made. After that, I would prepare and send the confirmations to the directors for approval. Learning experiences achievements (300-400 words per section) Before my internship, I was thinking: Would there be amble opportunities for me to experience the life of an auditor since I am only an intern? This question was answered after 3 months in CLSF. Indeed, I have gained new knowledge and skills that would prepare me well for the working environment. Interpersonal Skills 396 words I am more proactive in terms of asking questions whenever I faced any doubts. This arises because I hope to be given more opportunities to learn and make the most of every opportunity. As such, I would consolidate my doubts and ask whenever I faced anything that is not familiar. Initiative starts with I and it helps a lot to take the initiative to clarify doubts. I keep an open mind about new audit procedures as it is impossible for me to know everything. My first engagement was the most difficult and longest task to complete. I consulted my seniors and the task was made easier with them explaining to me on what I should do. I am grateful that they were always there to guide and assist me. This was very different from my character in school where I tend to be quieter. I would ask questions at the end of the lessons because I do not want to interrupt the class and I am afraid of asking irrelevant questions. As such, I would consult my friends first before seeking help from my tutors. Working as an intern has also taught me to be more determined. There is no such thing as failure, but only feedback. Every setback that I faced enables me to move on and become a stronger person. An example was when I was the auditor-in-charge for a small client. When I saw the review points, I was not disappointed as it was my first time attempting it. In fact, I was eager to know my mistakes and learn from it. This clearly shows that I am someone who adopts a never say die attitude where I am willing to accept and learn from my mistakes. It gives me ability to improve as a person instead of giving up. Similarly, I had this attitude of determination and willingness to learn in school. I had difficulties coping with my studies initially as I could not adapt to the Polytechnic life where they adopt lectures style. However, I tried my best and gave myself ample time to get used to the teaching style. I was eager to learn accounting modules as I enjoyed studying a subject that I like. Hence, I was determined to do well and my hard work eventually paid off when I was awarded the Directors list for 2008 and 2009. Teamwork 380 words Building team spirit is necessary for a team to come together to achieve a common goal-quality audit. Teamwork is important, especially in an audit department, since we are grouped into different teams. Teamwork enhances our skills of coordination, communication and in a way allows us to see the bigger picture. I have learnt to be a better team player when I was first involved in an audit engagement with my 2 seniors. I also realised the significance of trust when my team members are allocated to work on the different sections of the audit work papers. Hence, we have to trust that one performs his allocated task accurately especially when some sections of the working papers are linked together. For example, I was tasked to do 2 sections mainly, sales completeness test on the sales commission income and trade receivables confirmation. When I did the section on the sales commission income, I had to rely on the section on trade receivables confirmation as one of the audit procedures is to verify those unpaid invoice to trade receivables ageing for completeness. This audit procedure ensures that there is existence of sales even though the amount has not been paid. Furthermore, I was involved in a group presentation where my team members have to present the MAPS on the topic of completion and finalisation of audit. We had our first meeting and it was awkward at first as we were not familiar with one another. However, things were better after introducing ourselves. I also realised that a team needs a leader In order to progress. My senior led the discussion and we began to share our opinions and thoughts on the presentation materials, Similarly, in both project work and CCA, I have to cooperate with my team mates to achieve common goals. I enjoyed myself working in teams because we enjoy the fruit of the labour together when everyone cooperates. I also believe that two heads are better than one as there will be always more ideas, which we could improve on and learn from one another, as compared to an individual. There is a saying that goes T.E.A.M. Together Everyone Achieves More! In a way, teamwork leads to effective learning and work allocation which is crucial in a working environment. Effective Communication 352 words Effective communication is a key aspect in carrying out audit work. Without it, no work could ever be accomplished. Having effective communication also helps to build good rapport with clients through audit fieldwork. I have learnt the significance of effective communication when I had to request source documents from a Japanese client. As she could only understand basic English, I had to use words that are more simplified to communicate with her so that she could understand and get back to me. I was also questioned for the reasons of requesting invoices and sales contracts from her and I had to explain to her. Hence, a key challenge that I faced would be asking the right questions. It is only through asking the right questions and then listening to the responses that information is obtained on the issue being discussed. As such, listening skills is an integral part of communication. Being an active listener enables me to understand better and know more opinions. This was evident when I was involved in my group presentation meeting. Instead of leading the whole discussion, I listened to everyones views first before sharing with them my thoughts. We incorporated some views which we thought were useful and seek everyones agreement before reaching a conclusion. Working as an intern helps me to improve my interaction and communication skills because I have to communicate daily with my various managers, seniors, and clients on the job. It is also unnoticeable that I tend to be more conscious when I communicate with someone who is of a higher level. I would always think and form the sentence in my head before speaking to my seniors and managers. I am someone who is not proficient at English language since young. However, I have attended many English speaking and writing courses to improve my English language. Having enrolled in business communication classes for 3 years has gained my confidence in public speaking and the ability to write more fluently and professionally. In order to improve my English language, I would often reach office early to keep myself updated with the recent news. Continuous learning and growth 394 words Learning is never ending and each is growing continuously. For me, I think that continuous training and skills development is critical because an individual who possess the right combination of skills would increase a companys productivity. CLSFs director, Mr Tay, also mentioned that in a CPA firm, an individual becomes more valuable when he grows older due to experiences. I strongly agree with his statement. Within these 3 months, I have attended 4 workshops to upgrade myself with the latest international commercial (INCO) terms, revised FRS 2010, Microsoft Word training for the preparation of audit report and audit 1B. The soft skills which I have acquired would be the use of Microsoft Word to prepare audit report. I was taught to use several useful functions that would assist me in making my amendments and these functions include the use of cell reference specific sum formulae, using bookmark to link figures from the Notes to the Financial Statements and using the Index And Tables feature to generate the Table Of Contents of the audit report. This workshop enabled me to understand what the formulas mean and how the figures are linked together. This makes it easier for me to know how the rest of the data in the reports are affected when making my amendments. This is in contrast in school where I had a module entitled Decision SpreadSheets where I learnt more about Microsoft Excel applications such as creating pivot tables, macros and charts. I was also taught of the different functions in Microsoft Excel like sum, if etc. In a way, I could apply the information technology (IT) skills which I have learnt for my audit work. This would help me to be a more efficient and effective auditor in preparing audit reports. As for the technical skills, I was introduced to the new version of MAPS in the audit 1B workshop. This workshop is very useful as it provided me a clearer insight and a deeper understanding of the steps and reasons to perform audit procedures in the different sections of the working papers. I was also taught on communication skills, extensible business reporting language (XBRL) and basic taxes. This is different where I learnt more about the theory of audit in school, as compared to the practical way of performing an audit in a working environment. Therefore, I could use my audit knowledge and apply in my audit work. Relate an incident (300-400 Words) 398 words The incident all started when the 2010 version of MAPS in the lotus notes (companys database) was introduced. Most of the audit programme forms were new, especially on materiality determination. We would normally use the higher of net assets or total assets for the materiality limit. However, I was told to use normalised comprehensive income before income tax so that I could test the revenue amount. When I did the depreciation reasonableness test, I realised that the difference in depreciation expense amount is material. Therefore, I had to make current year and prior year adjustments to correct the depreciation expense as the client had over-depreciated in the previous years. Then, I realised my unaudited figures for investment property, depreciation expenses and retained earnings were wrong. I immediately edited the lead schedule and did my statement of cash flows. The statement of cash flows did not tie despite attempting for several times. I attempted the lead schedule again and realised that there were some mistakes which affected my statement of cash flows. I consulted my senior and she explained to me about the item i.e. deferred tax which I had not taken into account. After correcting the mistakes, I submitted the audit file when I suddenly realised that I forgot to change the net profit before tax figure in the income taxes programme form. I immediately rushed my work as I had yet to change the figures in my lead schedules and all the statements and I had to submit the file that day. After attempting the programme on income taxes, I discovered that there would be no impact on current taxes figures because taxes are calculated based on rental income and not net profit before tax. After that incident, I told myself to be more composed and meticulous. I should not rush haphazardly but give myself ample time to think about the impact of depreciation expense on the financial statements i.e. expenses, income taxes and retained earnings first before editing my lead schedules and statements. This would save time and effort. If I ever faced with this situation again, I would learn to stay calm and take one step at a time. I would ensure I have edited all figures in the lead schedules accurately by checking the audit programme forms to ensure that I have made my prior year adjustments before completing my statement of cash flows

The Effect of Divorce on Children

The Effect of Divorce on Children Divorce and their effect on children Introduction: One of the prime feature of the modern age happens to be the rising index of performance pressure and market competition. Immaterial of the genre, competition happens to be the order of the day in the current times. Quite naturally we see that the pressure, tension and the anxiety quotient in the current times is on an ever increase. The people in this age always happen to on the edge of everything and are running an inevitable race for their retribution. Everything I seems depends on the results or the outcome of this race, the survival of the fittest has become the order of the day. Quite naturally we see that the modern men and women always happen to be in a frenzy regarding the quality of their output or performance. It seems that being on the top is what that matters the most at the of the day. Hence this almost barbaric pressure at work often takes a toll on the personal health and the personal lives of the current age men and women. Family life in the course of events takes ab ack seat and relationships often becomes a second priority. Hence one hand if professional excellence marks the era, on the other hand dilapidation of the institution of relationships is also a quintessential feature of the reigning times. Quite naturally the unfortunate event of breaking down of relationships, an often example of which is found in the divorce settlements of married couples happens to be a regular feature in the current times. The research in its discourse tries to analyze the hidden effects of these divorces on the unfortunate and innocent children of these couples who happens to face the worse brunt of these divorce cases. Problem Statement: As mentioned in the earlier segment although divorce is a settlement that happens between two individuals the brunt is often born by more people than just the man and the woman who decides to part their ways. It has been observed that although divorce is an unfortunate event and is disliked by people and societies all over the world but there are certain more orthodox societies to whom the implications of such an event happens to be all the more grave and perilous. In such societies breaking down of marriages are seen as the worst social dishonor that can be brought down to the families of the man and woman involved in the decision. The situation happens to be all the more grave and disturbing if children are involved. As clearly stated earlier although the decision of parting ways happens to be that of the man and the woman who are living as husband and wife, the total effect of the situation is worst on that of the psyche of the children of the couples. Every research has a statement that happens to be the protagonist idea or concern of the discussion, investigation of which adds further significant dimensions to the discussion. The statement in this case happens to be the facet of the effects of the process of divorce between a couple that can be observed on the psyche of their children. On the pivot of this statement the research delves deeper into the psychological problems that has often been found to develop in the personalities of the children from the broken homes and the consequences of the same that has been recorded pertaining to the society and their own families that gets build up in the future. The problem statement reflects and revolves around the effects of divorce that has been observed on the children especially against the traditional backdrop of UAE society. Research Question: Every research has a few questions stated clearly within the scope of their discussion. I fact it can be said that the course of the research proceeds with the answers that are found in the investigation of the said questions. These questions happens to elucidate the basic points of concern that happens to be the protagonist ideas of the research. In this context it can be said that there is a popular belief that every research is to have as single question answering which will be the sole aim of the research discourse. However in this reference it can be said that a said research can have more than a single question as the central attention of the scope of research. Along with the main or the protagonist question new cans ay that there can be a number of other tributary and distributary questions answering which can be also within the scope of the research. In fact the answers to these tributary and distributary questions might add new dimensions to the research. In the case of our research the main question happens to be is to evaluate the effects of divorce that can be observed on the children of the broken home. The research happens to be set against the particular backdrop of UAE. However in addition to the main question there will be certain other allied questions that will also have to be answered in the course of the research. Following are the other questions that also has to be answered in the course of the discussion: What can be the consequences of the effects of divorce in the future? How does the society gets effected by these children from broken homes in the coming future. What are ways that society can help rebuild the personality and the future of these children. What are the steps that the parents can take to comfort and support their children as parents to their children and jot as a couple after their separation. How to treat such children Research Objectives: The objectives of a research often happens to be to bring about certain effects or to influence the filed in which the research is being conducted or regarding which investigations are being made. The objective for all researches happens to create a difference in the future and to alter the way things are being done in the present. The objective in short of all researches is to make a positive contribution in the filed of research so that the society can see a better tomorrow. Our research happens to be no different. The investigation that we are making into the effects of divorce that has been observed in the children from the broken homes also has its main objective of giving these children a better future by suggesting means and methods to them, their families and the society in general regarding the kind of help that they can extend to these little hearts and minds in the times of some very grave challenges. Following are the objectives that can be listed of our said research: Finding ways and means through which the friends and families can support and comfort children facing the trauma. Make the parents realize the difficulty that they have put their children into and hence the support that they can extend. Creating awareness in the society regarding the responsible and sensitive behavior that the children should be getting from their immediate society. To create an awareness and realization amongst the mature generation, regarding the problems that they throw in the ways of their little ones due to the brash and irresponsible behaviors of theirs’. Conclusions: On a concluding note it can be said that divorce is probably the last resort that is left as an option to the couples. In case the couple also happens to be parents, their decision regarding the future must take in to account their responsibility as a father and a mother and must be in alignment with the task of giving their children a promising and stable future.

Dave Barry: The Evolution of a Creative Genius :: Writer Writing Humor Papers

Dave Barry: The Evolution of a Creative Genius Humor, as a creative effort, has been respected throughout the world, I’m sure, since the beginning of spoken language. There is nothing in the world like conjuring up a joke or some other anecdote that sends a group of people off into a fit of laughter. In fact, throughout time, people have attempted to make humor at least some part of their professional career. Court jesters made the royalty of the castle laugh at his foolish behavior. Playwrights have included humor in their tragic works to provide some comedic relief from all of the terribly sad events. Today is no different. The sheer number of careers available for those interested in making people laugh for a living reflects our society’s great appreciation for novel humor. Comedians, book writers, columnists, actors, television and movie writers, cartoonists, and musicians all attempt to add some laughter to peoples’ lives on a daily basis. Dave Barry, as a creative humor writer, has proven himself quite successful in the field. As a humorist, he has created in many different fields of humor, his products including a number of very successful books, a weekly column syndicated in several prominent newspapers across the country, and even a musical band. Barry has proven himself a master, and debatably, a maker, in the verbal/linguistic domain of Gardner’s intelligences. His intelligences span beyond that, however, and include proficiency in both the visual/spatial and musical domains. At the present time, Dave Barry is at the pinnacle of his career, enjoying the sweet success of creating something truly novel that millions of people can enjoy every day. The growing-up and maturation process Barry has gone through over the course of his young, and adult life reflects the transformations in Gardner’s intelligences he has experienced. The relationship between child and adult creator, the relationship between Barry and others in his field, and the relationship between him and his work have all changed in meaning over the course of his life, as reflected by the profound changes he has undergone over the course of his life. Growing Up Dave Barry was born in 1947, to a middle class working family in the small town of Armonk, New York.

The Theory of Human Development :: Papers

What makes a person what they are? Why does a person do what they do? Where does personality come from and how does it grow? These are some frequently asked questions when discussing the topic of personality. The latter of the questions is actually an answer in itself. Personality does originate from a specific point, and from then on it continues to grow and become exponentially more complex. This core point from which personality begins and the growth of it will be discussed in the sections to follow, but first we must look at certain assumptions that are commonly made when developing a personality theory. Assumptions The first of these assumptions concerns whether one believes that the behaviors, any type of action, a person exhibits are produced by conscious choices and decisions, also known as free will, or "determined" by forces beyond one's control. I believe in the free will explanation, but not the type of free will commonly imagined. Humans do ultimately have the power to choose their actions, however the extreme influence of other factors, such as heredity, environment, and learned behaviors, may make it seem like a persons actions were predetermined. For example, if a starving people were put into positions where they could either eat a Subway turkey round placed in front of them or just sit there and stare and stare at it, common sense shows that these people would eat. However, it is possible that one person, like an anorexic, would just sit and stare at the sandwich. For that reason, it can be assumed that human beings do have free will, however the choices made are greatly impacted and seemingly determined by inherited basic needs, environment, and learned behaviors. This leads us into a second assumption, rationalism or irrationalism. Do human beings operate primarily on the basis of intellect, or on the basis of impulses and passions? The answer is the latter theory. Going back to the Subway example, the most likely decision on whether or not to eat the turkey round would be based on an irrational impulse in one's subconscious. The basic physiological need of food has a profound influence on the given choice. But note that this is only the most likely response and not a definite one. There is always the chance that a person could make a conscious, rational decision not to eat. Because a people ultimately do have some sort of a conscious decision over their actions, it cannot be assumed that behavior is solely determined by irrational impulses.

They got next Essay -- essays research papers

They Got Next On April 24, 1996, women’s basketball announced â€Å"We Got Next† as the NBA Board of Governors approved the concept of a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to begin in June 1997. Since that day in 1996 there have been many firsts for the WNBA: Val Ackerman -- the first president of the WNBA; Sheryl Swoopes -- the first player signed to the WNBA; Cynthia Cooper -- the league’s first Most Valuable Player; the Houston Comets -- the first WNBA Champions; Lisa Leslie -- the first WNBA player to capture all three MVP awards (regular season, All-Star and Championship) in one season. The WNBA deserves the same attention and respect equal to the NBA due to its equal entertainment value, competitiveness, and their rights to compete and be seen, and get paid just as much. Critics say that the WNBA isn’t really entertaining because the game is just about running up and down the court shooting lay-ups and making free throws, that there is always one team dominating, and that the game is boring because none of the ladies can dunk. Well, the slam dunk is no longer a move reserved for Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant and the other high-flying guys of the NBA. Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks made history on July 30, 2002 when she did a one-handed slam dunk in a game against the Miami Sol. Leslie's history-making move should pave the way for more women to try slamming the ball during WNBA games. Lisa Leslie is just one of the women making the WNBA more exciting and entertaining. Although Leslie was the big story for the league in 2002 becoming the first WNBA player to capture all three MVP awards in the same season, joining NBA greats Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Willis Reed as the only pro hoopsters to accomplish that feat. In 2001, The WNBA welcomed its 10 millionth fan prior to game 2 of the WNBA Championship at the Staples Center. The Seattle Storm won the first pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft in the inaugural WNBA Draft Lottery held in New York. Things got even more entertaining when the top ten picks included four of the most exciting college players coming from the same team that won the National Championship that year. They were Connecticut Huskies Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Ashja Jones and Tamika Williams going 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th in the draft. Now two years after Cash was drafted to the Detroit Shock, and after going 9-25 in the 2002 season... ...0 per season, while the guys (even those that play only a minute or two) rake in $4.5 million on average. The situation is so bad that many of the women are forced to play a second season in Europe just to make ends meet. The NBA and the WNBA are owned by the same management and says that women can’t have more because their league is still losing money, as most startups do. The men’s side didn’t turn a profit in its early years either, but the players weren’t shortchanged. Decent salaries were considered an investment in the future of the league. Besides, the women aren’t asking for those mega-millions. They just want a raise. And one way to get it would be to adjust the money formulas. NBA players get close to 60 percent of revenues back in salaries. The women get a pathetic 15 percent, and are prohibited from the lucrative endorsement deals the men enjoy. Even though the WNBA is still a young league, it is showing great strength that the women are hear to stay and they are not just going to knock on the door to prejudice they are going to kick it down in order for them to be seen as real professional athletes who are just as entertaining and competitive as the men of the NBA.

Deception Point Page 24

In that same edition, paleobiologist Stephen Jay Gould summed up the problems with ALH84001 by pointing out that the evidence in it was chemical and inferential, rather than â€Å"solid,† like an unambiguous bone or shell. Now, however, Rachel realized NASA had found irrefutable proof. No skeptical scientist could possibly step forward and question these fossils. NASA was no longer touting blurry, enlarged photos of alleged microscopic bacteria-they were offering up real meteorite samples where bio-organisms visible to the naked eye had been embedded in the stone. Foot-long lice! Rachel had to laugh when she realized she'd been a childhood fan of a song by David Bowie that referred to â€Å"spiders from Mars.† Few would have guessed how close the androgynous British pop star would come to foreseeing astrobiology's greatest moment. As the distant strains of the song ran through Rachel's mind, Corky hurried up behind her. â€Å"Has Mike bragged about his documentary yet?† Rachel replied, â€Å"No, but I'd love to hear about it.† Corky slapped Tolland on the back. â€Å"Go for it, big boy. Tell her why the President decided that the most important moment in science history should be handed over to a snorkeling TV star.† Tolland groaned. â€Å"Corky, if you don't mind?† â€Å"Fine, I'll explain,† Corky said, prying his way in between them. â€Å"As you probably know, Ms. Sexton, the President will be giving a press conference tonight to tell the world about the meteorite. Because the vast majority of the world is made up of half-wits, the President asked Mike to come onboard and dumb everything down for them.† â€Å"Thanks, Corky,† Tolland said. â€Å"Very nice.† He looked at Rachel. â€Å"What Corky's trying to say is that because there's so much scientific data to convey, the President thought a short visual documentary about the meteorite might help make the information more accessible to mainstream America, many of whom, oddly, don't have advanced degrees in astrophysics.† â€Å"Did you know,† Corky said to Rachel, â€Å"that I've just learned our nation's President is a closet fan of Amazing Seas?† He shook his head in mock disgust. â€Å"Zach Herney-the ruler of the free world-has his secretary tape Mike's program so he can decompress after a long day.† Tolland shrugged. â€Å"The man's got taste, what can I say?† Rachel was now starting to realize just how masterful the President's plan was. Politics was a media game, and Rachel could already imagine the enthusiasm and scientific credibility the face of Michael Tolland on-screen would bring to the press conference. Zach Herney had recruited the ideal man to endorse his little NASA coup. Skeptics would be hard-pressed to challenge the President's data if it came from the nation's top television science personality as well as several respected civilian scientists. Corky said, â€Å"Mike's already taken video depositions from all of us civilians for his documentary, as well as from most of the top NASA specialists. And I'll bet my National Medal that you're next on his list.† Rachel turned and eyed him. â€Å"Me? What are you talking about? I have no credentials. I'm an intelligence liaison.† â€Å"Then why did the President send you up here?† â€Å"He hasn't told me yet.† An amused grin crossed Corky's lips. â€Å"You're a White House intelligence liaison who deals in clarification and authentication of data, right?† â€Å"Yes, but nothing scientific.† â€Å"And you're the daughter of the man who built a campaign around criticizing the money NASA has wasted in space?† Rachel could hear it coming. â€Å"You have to admit, Ms. Sexton,† Ming chimed in, â€Å"a deposition from you would give this documentary a whole new dimension of credibility. If the President sent you up here, he must want you to participate somehow.† Rachel again flashed on William Pickering's concern that she was being used. Tolland checked his watch. â€Å"We should probably head over,† he said, motioning toward the center of the habisphere. â€Å"They should be getting close.† â€Å"Close to what?† Rachel asked. â€Å"Extraction time. NASA is bringing the meteorite to the surface. It should be up any time now.† Rachel was stunned. â€Å"You guys are actually removing an eight-ton rock from under two hundred feet of solid ice?† Corky looked gleeful. â€Å"You didn't think NASA was going to leave a discovery like this buried in the ice, did you?† â€Å"No, but†¦,† Rachel had seen no signs of large-scale excavation equipment anywhere inside the habisphere. â€Å"How the heck is NASA planning on getting the meteorite out?† Corky puffed up. â€Å"No problem. You're in a room full of rocket scientists!† â€Å"Blather,† Ming scoffed, looking at Rachel. â€Å"Dr. Marlinson enjoys flexing other people's muscles. The truth is that everyone here was stumped about how to get the meteorite out. It was Dr. Mangor who proposed a viable solution.† â€Å"I haven't met Dr. Mangor.† â€Å"Glaciologist from the University of New Hampshire,† Tolland said. â€Å"The fourth and final civilian scientist recruited by the President. And Ming here is correct, it was Mangor who figured it out.† â€Å"Okay,† Rachel said. â€Å"So what did this guy propose?† â€Å"Gal,† Ming corrected, sounding smitten. â€Å"Dr. Mangor is a woman.† â€Å"Debatable,† Corky grumbled. He looked over at Rachel. â€Å"And by the way, Dr. Mangor is going to hate you.† Tolland shot Corky an angry look. â€Å"Well, she will!† Corky defended. â€Å"She'll hate the competition.† Rachel felt lost. â€Å"I'm sorry? Competition?† â€Å"Ignore him,† Tolland said. â€Å"Unfortunately, the fact that Corky is a total moron somehow escaped the National Science Committee. You and Dr. Mangor will get along fine. She is a professional. She's considered one of the world's top glaciologists. She actually moved to Antarctica for a few years to study glacial movement.† â€Å"Odd,† Corky said, â€Å"I heard UNH took up a donation and sent her there so they could get some peace and quiet on campus.† â€Å"Are you aware,† Ming snapped, seeming to have taken the comment personally, â€Å"that Dr. Mangor almost died down there! She got lost in a storm and lived on seal blubber for five weeks before anyone found her.† Corky whispered to Rachel, â€Å"I heard no one was looking.† 26 The limousine ride back from the CNN studio to Sexton's office felt long for Gabrielle Ashe. The senator sat across from her, gazing out the window, obviously gloating over the debate. â€Å"They sent Tench to an afternoon cable show,† he said, turning with a handsome smile. â€Å"The White House is getting frantic.† Gabrielle nodded, noncommittal. She'd sensed a look of smug satisfaction on Marjorie Tench's face as the woman drove off. It made her nervous. Sexton's personal cellphone rang, and he fished in his pocket to grab it. The senator, like most politicians, had a hierarchy of phone numbers at which his contacts could reach him, depending on how important they were. Whoever was calling him now was at the top of the list; the call was coming in on Sexton's private line, a number even Gabrielle was discouraged to call. â€Å"Senator Sedgewick Sexton,† he chimed, accentuating the musical quality of his name. Gabrielle couldn't hear the caller over the sound of the limo, but Sexton listened intently, replying with enthusiasm. â€Å"Fantastic. I'm so pleased you called. I'm thinking six o'clock? Super. I have an apartment here in D.C. Private. Comfortable. You have the address, right? Okay. Looking forward to meeting you. See you tonight then.†