Barangay Information System Essay

Significance of the Study -This study was made to find out that the use of residence information system will lessen the time for the transaction of encoding. Also in using this system it can recognize the person involve in this study. To the Barangay – It will help for them to lessen the time for the transaction of encoding. The system will be the census like having a system of the barangay for all of its constituents and new people who will live in the place. The system will be effective in maintaining, searching and storing of records of all resident in the barangay. To the Residence – For they will be accommodated easily for they will have an identification that can be used to access their accounts if there are some changes to be done in their part. It will also be easy for them in requesting some information and services because the barangay had already have it. This will also assure the residents that their information is properly secured and maintain through the manipulation of the proposed system. To the Secretary of the Barangay – It will help to organize the record and monitor the information of the residence. Foreign For further understanding of the study, the researchers made use of different reading materials related to the information system. These materials such as books, magazines, newspapers, thesis and other web articles are essential in broadening the knowledge of the researchers. These will also guide the researchers to achieve their target objectives by getting ideas on other related studies and make improvements as possible.   According to Jennifer Rowley (2005), information system are a tool to support information management. Information systems are increasingly being used in organizations with the object of providing competitive advantage. The information systems used by organizations can be grouped into different types such as transaction processing system, executive information system,  expert systems and office information systems. Information Technology has heralded the advent of the information society. The University of Minnesota Research and Training Center has released its annual Residential Information Systems Project report. The report provides state-by-state statistics with long-term trends on residential services, settings, populations and expenditures for people with developmental disabilities in state, nonstate, and Medicaid-funded residential programs. Characteristics of residents, movement and staffing patterns in large state residential facilities are included. The report uses 2012 data to examine trends in residential supports for people with developmental disabilities. The report found that the majority of people with IDD that do not live with a family member live in a setting with three or fewer people with IDD, with more than three-fourths sharing a home with six of fewer people. The report notes that there are significant differences in the data between states for many topic areas, including setting size, waiting lists, and average expenditures for HCBS. O’Brien, (2011) defines information system as the organized combination of people, hardware,software, communication networks and data resources, that control, transform and disseminateinformation in an organization. In partial fulfilment for the requirements in Software Project presented to the faculty of IT Department Ebora, Vanessa Grace I. Casas, Lori Anne S. Rapisora, Sheryl L. Tambongco, Steven CHAPTER 1 The Problem and Its Background Introduction Setting of the Study The study was conducted at Barangay Katipunan-Bayani which has a approximate popul.ation of 8,000 residents. The barangay is located at Rodriguez Ave. Tanay, Rizal. Vicinity map of Barangay Katipunan-Bayani Theoretical Framework Conceptual Framework Statement of the Problem This discuss about the problems of existing system that will be resolve by the researcher through computerized Residence Information Sysytem 1. Open- source data 2. Back-up storage incase of loss 3. Time consuming of filing application form 4. Sharing of documents 5. File storage Objectives General The researcher aims to develop a system that will help the client to reduce the load of the barangay staffs in saving the residents files. Specific 1. Have a security to secured all the important records of the residents. 2. Have a back-up storage file in case of corrupting data. 3. Have a network-based for easy transferring of file needed. 4. Have a data base for data storage. Scope and Limitation The system is designed to have a security for the records to be secured that  only the authorized person can only handle the system. It can be saved on a folder for file back-up. It has data base for storage of saved data. It can print documents such as Barangay Clearance, Indigency etc. The system cannot produce hard copy of total records of barangay constituents. it did not contain residence number.

Human Impact of Climate Change Essay

Climate change concerns to a statistically momentous deviation in either the mean state of the climate or in its variability, remaining for an extensive period (normally decades or longer) (What is climate change, 2001). Climate change is term that adverts to any major and long-term change in average weather in a specified region or whole Earth. Fundamentally important variability of average weather over longer time period can be depicted as climate change. Climate change is due to natural internal procedures or external pressures, or to relentless anthropogenic alterations in the composition of the atmosphere or in land utilization. Earlier in the beginnings of Earth’s history climate changes were normally induced by different vibrant processes on Earth but recently it is caused by human activities. This is the reason that in our everyday talks the term climate change refers to climate change caused by global warming. The most disposed signs of climate change are glaciers that are presently melting at rapid level which entails climate change has already began. This time, climate change is only due to the recent human activities and had resulted in global warming process. Today, Global warming has become synonym for climate change due to its role in climate change. Undue emission of injurious greenhouse gases into atmosphere is causing a raise in average temperature that in turn is affecting the climate on Earth (What is climate change, 2001). The use of fossil fuels as a dominant aspect is continuing to emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases into atmosphere that is causing even more grave effects to climate change. With the rise in temperature globally effects like severe changes in weather patterns, climbing sea levels and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather is been experienced. The world’ most susceptible areas are around Earth’s poles and Africa and these areas had already started experiencing momentous increase in average temperature. The depressing fact is that one can’t stop climate change and can only make attempt to adjust to it and not making it worse with its own activities. Our own activities induced global warming and at this time all of us are confronted with the climate change as our most prominent environmental challenge. Although, all of us are already aware of climate change but still lacking in our activities to stop further increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For dealing with this present environmental challenge, there is a need to work vigorously for a global agreement to control climate change and to take possible domestic actions to attain satisfying diminutions in our own contribution. Discussion Significance & Scope of the Issue The management of the severe environmental challenge is essential as otherwise it could direct us towards drastic results. Already climate change is responsible for 300,000 deaths a year in accordance to former UN secretary general Kofi Annan’s think tank, the Global Humanitarian Forum. The study generated by the Global Humanitarian Forum also claims that approximate 300 million people in a year are affected by the outcomes of climate change (The Human Impact of Climate Change, 2009). Climate change is not only an all-encompassing menace but it is also an arbitrary threat-multiplier. With the affects of climate change a number of vulnerable communities of this planet can get destroyed (2009 Forum-Human Impact of Climate Change, 2009). The devastating effects of our development and measures for national, regional and global security are not measurable presently, but slowly or gradually its affects will start appearing along with destruction. The different studies done in this field projects that the increasing severity of events, like flooding and storms due to climate change will be accountable for approximately 500,000 deaths a year by 2030. Currently climate change is stimulating losses of over $125bn a year that is greater than the last year total of world aid. Anticipations exhibit that by 2030, losses could be around $600bn a year. With this weather related disasters problems like hunger, disease, poverty and lost livelihoods can increase (The Human Impact of Climate Change, 2009). If within coming 25 years, emissions are not brought under control the 310 million more people will start suffering with unfavourable health consequences connected to temperature gains, 20 million more people will fall under poverty and 5 million more people will be expatriate by climate change (The Human Impact of Climate Change, 2009). These statistics regarding the effect of climate change demonstrates that in present this is most significant environmental challenge that the world is facing. This need to be managed as soon as possible for everyone as otherwise it could lead to pressurize food production, decrease sanitation, and block economic development and degradation of ecosystems. Specific causes of Climate Change Climate change is the result of both the natural and human factors, but from some past decades it is mainly due to the subsequent human factors: †¢The most prominent reason of climate change is releasing of greenhouse gases and aerosols into the atmosphere. From last two hundred and fifty years, the concentrations of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide have increased due to the burning of fossil fuels for energy production. The more the countries are moving towards industrialization and development, the more they are affecting their environment, which is resulting in the climate change (Climate Change, n. d. ). †¢Another prominent reason of climate change is deforestation, which is related with agriculture and urban development and harvesting timber for fuel, construction and paper. When the ecosystems are altered and vegetation is either burned or took out, the carbon stored in them is relinquished to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (What causes global climate change, 2005). †¢Sulphate Aerosols and Black Carbon are other two crucial instances of anthropogenic forcings. Current industrial activities have recently increased the concentration of sulphate aerosols and black carbon in the atmosphere that is making imperative effect on our climate in the form of drastic weather events. Critical Analysis & Evaluation of Environmental and Ecological Consequences Earlier, the Earth’s atmosphere was changed very little. The temperature and the equilibrium of heat-trapping greenhouse gases were appropriate for humans, animals and plants to stay alive but presently everyone is confronting problems in maintaining the balance due to increasing industrialization and development activities. For our own comfort of life and economic development, all of us are making increasing use of fossil fuels from heating our homes to creating energy. This is adding more and more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that in turn is raising the warming potentiality of the natural greenhouse effect. This enhanced greenhouse effect is causing environmental and ecological concerns as it has the potency to warm the planet at a range that has never been went through in human history. This warming of the climate is resulting in more extreme weather patterns, chances for several ecosystems to adapt naturally are decreasing, sea levels are rising, glaciers are melting, ocean acidification is increasing and agricultural outputs are ailing resulting in hunger. All these consequences are related with the use of fossil fuels that is the significant reason for CO2 emissions. The use of fossil fuels in turn is closely linked to economic growth, lifestyle and our culture. In present every human being is contributing to the CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere (Climate Change, n. d. ). Though, the person’s lifestyle and culture determines the amount emitted by him. The more flourishing a country’s economy is the superior is its fossil fuel consumption, ensuing in higher greenhouse gas emissions. Success of Solutions’ Proposed & Applied Climate change is affecting the whole world. Number of developed and developing countries are working together to discover the solution of environmental challenge of climate change. From the time, this issues has emerged a number of efforts had been done some of which had attained success and some had failed. In June 1992, 154 countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) that corresponded to alleviate the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that would not cause destruction. In Kyoto, in December 1997, Japan, Canada and 160 other industrialized nations committed to cut down their greenhouse gas emissions, as component of an international agreement on climate change identified as the Kyoto Protocol. This eventually came into force throughout 2005. Till the time these efforts had not attained immense success but with these efforts modest emission reductions had been encountered from industrialised countries. Countries are trying to reduce their emissions as now they had become aware with its severe results. Conclusion With the detailed discussion it can be said that in present climate change is with us. A decade ago, it was only an assumption but currently the future is unveiling before our eyes. Canada is experiencing it in the form of vanishing Arctic ice and permafrost. Latin America and Southern Asia is seeing it in lethal storms and floods whereas Europeans are experiencing it in melting glaciers, forest fires and disastrous heat waves (Pearce, 2006). All these experiences of different countries disclose that the consideration regarding this environmental challenge is imperative as otherwise more and more countries of the world will start experiencing its effects. The present rastic change in the climate needs to be controlled for assuring an appropriate level of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere as otherwise it could bring unpredictable changes in our environment and ecological system. For controlling this environmental challenge staying educated about climate change and supporting attempts to deliberate its progress are the things that everyone can do and should do. Our ef forts regarding the climate change could make our economy more internationally competitive by creating expansion and jobs while raising less waste, pollution and greenhouse gases.

Emergence Of The Buddha Essay

A). Outline the social, political and religious background from which Buddhism emerged. (10) Buddhism is one of the major religious traditions of the human race today. Buddhism was influenced by many different cultures over the thousands of years. This essay will outline the social, political and religious issues surrounding the background and the emergence of Buddhism in Indian Society. â€Å"In the 1920’s archaeological excavations of the ancient cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in North West India revealed the existence of an urban civilisation. This is called the Indus Valley Civilisation.† (Buddhism Dominique Side) The background from which the Buddha emerged from stretched as far back as C2700 in a place called the Indus Valley. This was the first sign of civilisation to live on the Indian subcontinent. People were attracted to the Indus Valley because of the of the River Indus. The River provided a good source of vegetation; there was also flat land, stones and trees. The Indus Valley was an Egalitarian society, which meant that everybody living inside the society were all equal and they worshipped both Gods and Goddesses. They believed and worshiped in Brahman, who they believed was the most looked up to and modest God. Archaeologists found statues with engraved scriptures of Gods and Goddesses on; the finding of these pots is where it is believed that the Religion began, although there were never any findings of temples to prove this. â€Å"Artefacts show it’s Religion to be related to the forces of nature†¦ the worship of a mother Goddess, sacred trees and fertility symbols.† (Buddhism Dominique Side) The valley was believed to have been a strong central government and to have two main political centres, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. The Indus Valley civilisation began to move out, many people today still believe this was because of a natural migration. After the civilisation of the Indus Valley had left, Aryans then began to set up home on their land. Aryans were nomadic; they travelled around a lot, never staying in one place for very long. They brought animals with them and built up a strong military. They were thought to be good at building and carpentry. The official religion of the Aryan conquerors of India is referred to as the Vedic religion after their holy books or Vedas (knowledge). The priests of this religion were known as Brahmans or Brahmins and are often mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures. The Aryans were unquestionably tough people, military strong, and they were fierce and war like. Their culture was oriented around warfare, and they were very good at it. The Aryans were a new start in the Indian culture; they adopted almost nothing of Harappan culture. They built no cities, no states, no granaries, and used no writing. â€Å"†¦They worshipped a pantheon of gods and were mostly connected with forces of the natural world, especially those powers on which humans were dependent.† (Buddhism Denise Cush) The Indian caste system began to develop and the civilisations were placed into the category that they belonged too. â€Å"Each mans duty was to follow the profession suitable for his social class.† (Buddhism Dominique Side) Even today the values of the caste system are held strongly, it has kept a sense of order and peace among the people. The caste consists of six different levels, and as a pyramid starting from the highest and working down. The highest being the Brahman, then Kshatriya, Valishya, Shudra, Harijans and the Untouchables. Within each of these levels are the actual â€Å"castes† within which people are born, married and die into. They all have their own place among each other and accept that it is the way to keep society from disintegrating to chaos. The system has worked well for Indian people and still has a major role in modern India. The Aryan society was patrocol, which means it was all male. It was now no longer an egalitarian society. Indus Valley people and Aryans began to mix, which is how the Indo-Aryans were formed, this was the beginning of Hinduism, which was a mixture of Indo and Aryan beliefs and practices. From these two religions they made a relationship and formed the Indo- Aryan people. â€Å"Like a mighty river, created from mainly tributaries that fed it, Hinduism is an amalgamation of the beliefs of the many people who settled in India in ancient times.† (A beginners guide to Buddhism, Gillian Strokes) People now did not sacrifice animals for their religion but would now give gifts to their God called offerings; these would consist of flowers and vegetables. The Indo Aryans did not have or worship a holy scripture, however they did have Vedic hymns that were sang and collected, and which were later written down in the â€Å"Veda†. This means they have a cultural importance. They also worshipped a pantheon of gods. They believed in the highest form of God, the Brahman who was the highest level of the caste system. There was an amalgamation of Indo and Aryans that became the religion Hinduism. Women now did not have any power; men now did everything, women were now considered inferior to men. As a belief in the caste system, you were only allowed to marry within your level of the caste system. The political organisation was hierarchical and centralised. Kingdoms varied in size and kings were no more than village leaders. Some people believe that Hinduism began with the Indo-Aryans, while others believe that it began with the Indus population. Hinduism has no founder and no single moment of beginning. The emergence of Buddhism was now falling into place. Hinduism is the largest religion of India. The religion is based on prayers and believes in many gods and goddesses. However, one God named Brahman was more significant than the others. There were special priests known as Brahmin who were used to help you worship this special God, they helped to channel people’s faith. Asceticism defined as the practice of self-disciple, voluntary undertaken, in order to achieve a higher or spiritual ideal began. People didn’t agree with Brahman priests, they wanted to live a simple life in the forest. Hinduism also believes in reincarnation, this is rebirth – the cycle of life. It consists of Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth; you undergo the cycle over and over again. It is thought that if you live a good life you will be born into a better caste in your next life. You will achieve good karma if you do your duty well which is determined by the caste you are born into. Good karma means a good next life and bad karma means a bad next life. The only way to get out of the cycle is to have continuous good rebirths, which means you will enter Nirvana. All these backgrounds lead to the emergence of Buddhism in some way. Ascetics would move away to the forests and leave all their family and objects behind, even the idea of the caste system. They wanted peace of mind and to achieve enlightenment. The best way to do this was to meditate. They also wanted to get out of the life cycle and achieve Nirvana. Siddhartha Gautama was an ascetic, he was born a Hindu but wanted to escape the life cycle. He emerged as the Buddha after achieving enlightenment and people began to follow his way of life. Political aspects were that people did not use the caste system and also rejected social and political values. They wanted an egalitarian society where everyone was equal and treated with the same amount of respect. â€Å"One of the effects of these changes was the creation of new professions, such as state officials and traders, which had no place in ancient caste system.† (Buddhism Dominique Side) Therefore in conclusion I can see how Buddhism has emerged over thousands of years and that Buddhism now does not have any thing in common with the earliest religion found. Buddhism needed the other religions to be in place in order for it to exist and without the other religions; it might not have existed today. I think Buddhism has become the fairest religion, as it believes in equality. Therefore it has adapted out of the many religions that came before it. B). â€Å"The Buddha turned his back on all the Religious teaching of his age.† Assess this view (10) Buddhism is an Eastern Religion that is over two thousand years old. Buddhism as a religion was influenced by this historical context. The origins of Buddhism are closely connected with the origins of Hinduism. Buddhists don’t believe in a God they just worship the highest in the caste system, the Brahmin. The Buddha is a highly respected person in the Buddhists Society. Buddhism is an amalgamation, an adaptation of Religions over time. This part of the essay requires assessing the view of how the Buddha turned or didn’t turn his back on the religious teachings of his age. The Buddha lived and taught in the Northeast India about 2,500 years ago and the development of the Religion was influenced by this historical context. He lived for around eighty years, somewhere between the 4th and 6th centuries BCE. Siddhartha Gautama developed most of his ideas for Buddhism from Hinduism. He changed and developed them to suit his new religion. He took some but changed them. He was born a Hindu and born into the Kshatriya Caste. He became an ascetic. I believe that the Buddha turned his back on his religious teachings for an important reason; therefore I believe this is because he wanted to get himself out of the life cycle. The Buddha wanted to go to the forests to meditate and reach Nirvana. The Buddha did not want his teachings to be taken as something sacred in itself, but as a means to an end. He made it clear that any teachings, including his own were not to be accepted without noticing but with faith and reverence, but should not be tested out in experience. The Buddhism religion was not just something to believe in or discuss, but something to try out to see if it worked. When you have tried it out it could make you a better person or takes you nearer to your spiritual goal. Siddhartha Gautama did turn his back on the previous teachings are the Caste system; the Caste system was a very important part of the social and religious life within India and Hinduism. When Prince Siddhartha went to find enlightenment he forgot all about the ideas of the caste system even though he was born into a good Varna. The Buddha’s invitation was to come and see for yourself, join him in his meditation to reach Nirvana. The Buddha wanted to get out of the cycle of; life, death and rebirth and be enlightened to discover a new life. He didn’t completely want to get rid of rebirth; he wanted to incorporate it into Buddhism. He believed in renunciation, which is what the ascetics believed in. They renounced with the Buddha to the forest. They gave up there existence. The Buddha did not want to pray to Brahman anymore, he wanted to break away from the priestly religion and become personal. Men and women both did this. Personal is being spiritual instead of Religious. The Buddha also incorporated Karma into Buddhism because it’s still the action needed for rebirth. He couldn’t change that. He did turn his back on the caste system though as it was seen as a social class factor and not needed for the religion, as everyone was equal for him. The economic developments destabilised the Brahminical order. Prince Siddhartha still believed in the ideas of rebirth and the cycle of life, but came up with a way of escaping the circle.

Mission Statement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Mission Statement - Assignment Example It also aims at teaching them to adhere to the spirit of rules thus instilling habits that lead them to better and healthier lives. In addition, the program aims at building community by engaging the young people and creating an environment through which other people can also enjoy the experience. The issues that the program is likely to face include: firstly, insufficient funds to carry out all the obligations. Being a new program, we are not likely to get sponsors. I will address the problem by organizing fundraising events to ensure that we get enough funds. I will also look for charity organizations that can support us however small. Secondly, the program is likely to have poor reception (strong opposition) in the area because many parents prefer curricular activities (Murphy, 2011). I will carry out awareness programs aimed at educating parents on the benefits of co-curricular activities. This will make the parents to allow their children to join the program. I will also encourage my students to balance between athletics and class work to ensure that they excel in both. Finally, we are likely to be faced with youth sports violence. For instance, some parents being unhappy about unfair treatment their children receive and hence verbally abusing the coach (Murphy, 2011). I will ensure that equity and equality is observed all the time and also that all complaints are listened to and addressed fully. Such parents will be made to understand the role youth sports play in the society and not viewing them as just games of

I just need you to paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

I just need you to paraphrase - Essay Example The profession requires nurses to be able to deal with emergency cases, on-call duties and extended working hours, as well as be able to deal with emotional aspects of patients as well as their families. A good nurse needs to be able to give patients consistent moral support, take care of their needs and advocate on behalf of their patients. All of these tasks and requirements mean that a nurse must be empathetic, mentally prepared, are physically able to handle long hours and show professionalism always. There are skills needed when pursuing a nursing career. A nurse is required to provide care for people of all ages and background, ensure that patients are comfortable and ensure that all their needs are addressed (Daniel 2011, p. 57-63). Communication and observation are crucial to good nursing. Listening and being constantly alert to changes in a patient’s condition and the implications are also other important aspects. Having the ability to work as part of a team is a qual ity that every nurse should possess. A nurse one is always part of a multidisciplinary team that includes doctors, pharmacists, dentists and many more and should be able to relate and easily work with the various specialists to solve a particular problem (Strauhair 2012, p. 162-167). Additionally, a nurse needs to know how to deal with emotionally charged situations. Nursing sometimes involves managing distress; whereby one wills at various times to help the patients and their families in solving their problems. In this case, a nurse should be able to strongly and professionally handle such situations without getting emotionally involved. There are certain right values and behaviours required in the nursing career. They are defined as the 6Cs, which include care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. Care is a vital element in nursing and as patients requires it in their daily life. Compassion is shown by a nurse towards a patient and includes sympathy, resp ect and dignity. Competence refers to the ability of a nurse to comprehend both the health and social needs of a patient. With regard to this, nurses’ expertise, clinical and technical knowledge required for quality delivery of information and healthcare treatment requires research and evidence (Neil and Katherine 2009, p. 16-17). Communication is essential to caring relationships and teamwork as it helps in ensuring that the nurse is able to understand, inquire about and take care of the patient’s condition. Commitment and courage are very important in nursing as they guide the nurses in their duties and enable them to work diligently and embrace new ways of working (Straughair 2011, p. 162-164). The concept of compassion is an essential virtue and one that is needed for one to qualify as a professional nurse. Ranges of contemporary political and professional literatures endorse the principal of compassion in nursing as a core and underpinning philosophy fundamental t o the profession. Compassion can be thought of as a type of love that requires critical self-reflection but also something that has a tremendous ability to that has an enormous power to increase the self-esteem of the patient. The duty of a nurse is to make sure that patients are not under unnecessary stress. These roles ensure that the concept of comp

IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ON INNOVATIVENESS IN ITRC Research Paper

IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ON INNOVATIVENESS IN ITRC - Research Paper Example If the knowledge management system of Iran Telecommunication Research Center (ITRC) is efficient and effective, then innovativeness in the telecom industry will be enhanced by improving the knowledge management process, knowledge creation and knowledge sharing. There are 64 respondents in this study who comprises of 49 males and 15 females. The majority of these respondents are graduates of technical fields such as computer science, digital communication, and telecommunication engineering.Among the respondents,12.5% are Ph.D. holders,18.75% have a master’s degree,25% have a bachelor’s degree,31.25% have an associate degree and 12.5% have a diploma or a technical graduate diploma (Aghmyoni, 2012) The research has obtained valuable data in areas that include different types of managerial decision effects on knowledge creation process, requirements in knowledge creation process, impressive organizational cultures that are useful in knowledge creation and sharing. The available data include the data from a comparative analysis that is coded and classified. Based on the analysis and classification results, the most important type of decision in the managerial level that has the greatest effect on knowledge creation according to the survey is senior managers’ support followed by creation of a cultural context and lastly being thoughtful managerial

Should schools require student uniforms Term Paper

Should schools require student uniforms - Term Paper Example In this regard, the aim of the current essay is to propose to the school administrators, parents and students that school uniforms should be prescribed. The discourse would initially present a brief review of literature from previous studies that delved into the subject. Subsequently, some statistical information would be provided to determine how many public or private schools in the United States prescribe wearing school uniforms. In addition, the effects of wearing school uniforms to students’ academic performance and to other variables would be determined and examined. Finally, a concluding portion would firmly establish support for one’s initial contention. Review of Related Literature In a study written by Gentile and Imberman, the authors examined the effects of wearing a prescribed school uniform on the behavior and academic performance of students in a large urban school district in the southwest portion (LUSD-SW) of the country. As disclosed, â€Å"uniforms g enerate improvements in attendance and test scores. These results are particularly strong for girls in middle and high school. We also find evidence that suggests behavioral problems shift towards less severe infractions for both genders in middle and high school. ... The author revealed that there are various benefits for enforcing school uniforms that include focusing on academic pursuits, fostering of a team-like spirit, and creating a more conducive school climate for learning, among others. Likewise, in another article written by Konheim-Kalkstein, the author contended that â€Å"when students dress alike, proponents say, the school climate may be improved† (Konheim-Kalkstein 25). The author likewise looked into other aspects and effects of using school uniform in terms of potentially reducing violence, improving the school climate, and saving money (Konheim-Kalkstein). Statistics on School Uniform Use In the statistics provided in the Statistic Brain website, it facts revealed that 23% of all private and public schools combined in the USA have a clearly defined school uniform policy (School Uniform Statistics). The information was noted to have been verified from the US Department of Education, NCES, ECS, NAESP, and University of Flor ida (School Uniform Statistics). Likewise, uniform sales were noted to have reached $1.1 billion in 2000 and an average annual cost of having the school uniform produced according to the prescribed design is $249 per annum (School Uniform Statistics). The city with the most percentage of schools adhering to a prescribed school uniform in public schools was disclosed as New Orleans (95%); while the city with the smallest percentage of users is Cincinnati at 50% (School Uniform Statistics). It is also interesting to note that from the reasons provided by parents and teachers regarding implementing the use of school uniforms, majority of parents (49%) indicated that â€Å"the school uniform has been financially beneficial for my household†

Demand and Supply of Oil Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Demand and Supply of Oil - Case Study Example As with any commodity, pricing is determined by demand-supply dynamics, with the market price being set where demand levels equal supply levels (Rowling, 2014). As basic economics would have it, the price would go up if there is an excess supply of the commodity. Same is the case of oil in international markets. The United States, once the highest importer of oil, is now sitting on the largest oil reserves in the world to such a great extent that it has become an oil exporter itself. With so much excess supply and lack of demand, oil prices were bound to face an upward trajectory. Â  What is rather more interesting is that OPEC countries supply around 40% of the world’s oil output. Rather than curbing output in a bid to push up declining prices, Saudi Arabia, the largest contributor of oil within the OPEC, has pleaded to maintain its output levels at the same levels instead of decreasing them in a bid to capture market share. According to statistics, if production continues at the same levels from OPEC and other oil producing countries, then this would translate into a major stock-pile of oil in the first half of the calendar year 2015 to 2 million barrels of oil per day (Rowling, 2014). Again if one understands basic economics, this could mean a further slash in oil prices in the upcoming year. Â  According to my own opinion, there needs to be a proper interaction between real demand and real supply so that an efficient price of oil could be determined. At the current levels where oil prices are going down to new lows in recent times, there is a possibility of consumers over consuming the commodity when they don’t even need to. What needs to be understood here is that oil is a depleting commodity and it has finite reserves. One day these reserves would run out and we would be left with no alternative.

Compare and Contrast Great Britain and France's most recent elections Research Paper

Compare and Contrast Great Britain and France's most recent elections - Research Paper Example This writing will focus upon the recent elections that took place in France as well as Great Britain. This writing will focus upon the differences between the election procedures, power structures, voting trends and voting systems experienced by the Great Britain and France. Body French Elections 2012 The presidential elections of 2012 that were held in France during the month of 2012 had a total of 10 individuals running for the president. These ten individuals included Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy was the previous president of France and was running for the seat for the second time and according to the constitution of France; he was running for the second and the final time. After the first set of elections, both Sarkozy and Hollande stood as the leaders with 28% votes earned by Hollande and 27% votes earned by Sarkozy. This led to the second round in which both Hollande and Sarkozy took part, the end result of the second round was that both failed to gain majorit y and the difference between the percentage of votes for both the candidates was only 3%. Hollande took the lead by winning 51.64 votes and Sarkozy stood second by winning 48.36% votes (Thompson 131). This ended in the victory of Hollande and after this election followed the elections of Legislative level. The number of people who voted during the second round was much higher than the number of people who voted in the elections of the Great Britain. The average votes from all the territories was 82%, in which highest turnaround was experienced in the voters of Lot and lowest turnaround was experienced in the votes from the region of Saint-Martin. Sarkozy had a stronger hold in the southern and eastern regions of the nation and he was able to secure 60% of the total votes. Sarkozy even gained majority in areas that had voted in round one for Marine Le Pen but ample amount for support from Hollande was even available because of his proposal of Change. A two staged election process is used in France to select the president of the nation, in the first round different parties take part and one candidate from these parties is selected to run for the president’s office. Those who are elected as candidates have to attain 500 endorsements before being selected as a candidate. If the results of the first round do not select a majority, then a second round takes place in which two candidates who have the most number of votes run for the office and the individual who secures the majority of the votes in the second round, ends up securing the position. The voters list of France comprises of all French citizens who have reached the age of 18, these people include only those who are regarded as French Nationals and are registered to vote. There are several issues on which the voters of French presidential elections cast their vote. One of the major issues concerning the voters is the issue of unemployment which as been quite high in the recent past. According to the 2 007 statistics, the rate of unemployment in France was 9% (Brooke 757). The most lethal issue experienced by voters is the issue of immigration. It is said that the French community has become divided due to the issue of immigration. The numbers of immigrants that have been deported from France since 2002 have increased and have doubled. Another issue experienced by the voters of presidential elections is the issue of Law and order. The most popular party

Prisons and Jails Essay Example for Free

Prisons and Jails Essay Almost all nations and cultures have made laws to protect their citizens. From the early years and over the decades these laws have been kept in force to prevent the societies from experiencing situations of anarchy. Different punishment has been provided for in different countries to prevent its people from adopting a path and practice of criminal activities. The world of today is characterized by the presence of criminals who are brought to book and punished in a variety of ways depending on the culture and values of any country or society. Prisoners have been locked up in prisons and meted out with terms that include punishment by way of a rigorous regimen of hard labor while undergoing the term as also milder ones that may include a stint in reformatory homes. Historically punishments have ranged from corporal punishment to death penalty, Several countries have for long been awarding the death penalty for committing heinous crimes that were executed in several forms that included, hanging, guillotine, by firing squad, lynching and now electric chair. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi is the oldest record available to ascertain that a egal system existed to award punishment in the Middle East. Western countries were influenced by and followed the laws enacted in ancient Rome whereby each city had a court that worked under the Law of Twelve Tables so as to protect citizens and to make the rulers and governments effective. The Justinian Code is considered to be the most logical and effective legal system that was most effective in ancient times whereby punishment was meted out by the process of Law. In due course people began to realize the value of a legal system that protected citizens and each country began to appoint heriffs to deal with punishments and the justice system became a major part of society although they were never fool proof and were always characterized by shortcomings that put a question mark on the efficiency of the judiciary. In ancient times the justice and reform system was often misused when criminals were hung on crosses, sometimes tortured to death or placed in dungeons to die. Those citizens who protested were also treated as criminals and tortured or put behind bars. It was during this time, in the 19th century and mainly in the Roman Empire that civil justice was effectively implemented nd more prisons were built to punish criminals humanely. This soon had effect on the rest of the world and with the emergence of the modern world more prisons were built and departments set up to manage them effectively. With the widespread maturing of the legal system over the decades, more and more criminals were brought to book and the law abiding citizens heaved a sigh of relief especially during the time of the Queen of Britain at the turn of the 19th century. Under the new system the criminal was given an opportunity to prove himself innocent and the overnment had to prove a person to be guilty of crime within the prevailing provisions of law, before he could be sentenced to a term of punishment and imprisonment. Although capital punishment continued to prevail but it was awarded in the rarest of rare cases. Over the years with the influence of Human Rights Organizations and Civil Rights Movements, the trend has set in to rather reform the wrong doers than to award extreme penalties by giving sentenced criminals opportunities to amend themselves and to come back within the mainstream of society. Under the system convicts are put on probation or parole under the watchful eyes of probation officers appointed by courts to ensure that such people remain disciplined and strictly follow the code of conduct as outlined by the court. The view of punishment taken by society has changed dramatically over the years. Initially punishment comprised of physical torture, maiming, death by burning, hard labor, deprivation of food adequate clothing and shelter, but attitudes of the society have changed now and the belief is to punish by way of imprisonment of varying periods epending on the severity of the crime. Imprisonment today is considered punishment for one’s wrong doings, which is also consistent with the society’s objective of keeping such people aloof until they are reformed to lead a normal life within society. To insist that a person is sent to prison so that he is punished is wrong in today’s context since after he completes his term he has the justification to return to his old ways. Hence prison authorities today have a duty to fulfill by way of reforming the convict during his term so as to transform him into a more responsible citizen. It is for this reason that in most countries modern society is characterized by a prison and punishment system that strongly believes that the most effective form of punishment is to deprive the convict of his freedom until he is reformed. In this context the composition and diversity of prison population in America has been examined and found that presently over two million people are in American prisons. This does indicate that modern society has now been characterized by a pattern, which clearly indicates that the government is duty bound to ensure freedom to criminals once their 4 rison terms are over and that they gel back into society with a tag of respect and positive aspirations. The changing attitudes and trends have seen a constant inflow of inmates in the Federal, State and local prisons. The Federal government held a majority of 63% of the inmates while local municipal and county jails held 30%, and the remaining being accounted for in other prisons.. Most states have been experiencing a 5% increase in the number of inmates over the last three years. Private prisons held about 86626 prisoners which accounts for about 7% of the inmates in American prison. A private prison is a place in which convicts are physically detained by a private organization for profit at the instance of the legal authorities. These companies enter into an agreement with the federal government to take care of and reform and motivate prisoners and claim from them a fixed fee amount per prisoner. There are about 264 private prisons/correctional facilities in the United States that take care of about 110000 offenders. The concept of private prisons was floated to reduce government expenses in the long run, but the scheme has not worked effectively due to private sector neffectiveness with convicts, and having realized this the federal government is not encouraging further addition to their numbers. The number of private prisons is now set to decline gradually. Rates of imprisonment have greatly increased due to increase in the rate of criminal offences, which is considered a consequence of the fast track development that is taking place in the modern world. More delinquencies resulting from human inadequacies to tolerate inequalities have resulted in people taking the course first towards minor crimes and then graduating to bigger ones and then ultimately falling into legal traps that lead to their conviction and further imprisonment. In America imprisonment is the most common sentence in legislation for serious offences in terms of dealing with criminal activities, which explains the high number of prisoners in jails. Only effective and well targeted correction measures and programs can reduce criminal offending and over time there is good reason to target investment in preventive approaches for the betterment of those undergoing prison sentences. As discussed earlier, in the modern world the biggest punishment for a criminal is to urtail his freedom for the duration of his sentence and during this time it is the duty of the jail administration to make him undergo a rigorous regimen of correction and transformation into a more responsible and law abiding citizen. The American government has an arrangement in place whereby all jail administrators are to undergo a training program to specialize in dealing with and reforming convicts and to encourage them in displaying their creativity and interests so that when their prison term is over they can lead the life style that is in keeping with that of a responsible and respectable citizen. The American judicial and correction system is such that it is considered to be one of the most liberal in terms of providing guarantees of human rights and opportunities for misguided people to reform themselves. There are several government sponsored programs that provide for opportunities for such people to reestablish themselves for a better means of livelihood. The punishment part for their wrong doings gets over the moment they finish with the duration of their prison sentence and after that they can look forward to a happier life free of the stigma that attaches to a person of such background.

Properties of Prunus Persica Linn

Properties of Prunus Persica Linn Review on Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Prunus persica Linn. Monika Rana *1, Deepak Kashyap2, Atul Kabra3 ABSTRACT Prunus persica Linn. Batsch (Family: Rosaceae), commonly known as Peach tree in English and Aru in Hindi, is native to Persia, China and also distributed in Australia, India and USA. Traditionally, the plant used in the treatment of constipation, laryngitis, menostasis, dermopathy and contusion. The major phytoconstituents reported in the plant include amygdalin, prunasin, persicaside, ÃŽ ²-sitosterol, quercetin etc. Pharmacological studies reported in this plant are antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antiphotoaging, antitumor and spasmogenic effects. This review provides valuable information on phytochemical, pharmacological and traditional properties of the Prunus persica which will help the researcher for further studies. Keywords: Prunus persica Linn.; phytochemical; pharmacological; amygdalin. INTRODUCTION According to the World Health Organization, more than 80% of the world’s population mostly in poor and less developed countries depend on plant-based medicines for their primary health care needs.[1] About 35,000 plant species are being used in various human cultures around the world for medicinal purposes.[2] About 170 active compounds currently isolated from higher plants are widely used in modern medicine. Even today, approximately 80 % of such compounds depict a positive correlation between their modern therapeutic use and the traditional use of the plants from which they are derived. At least 7,000 medicinal compounds in the modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants.[3,4] Prunus persica Linn. Batsch (Family: Rosaceae), commonly known as Peach tree in English and Aru in Hindi, is native to Persia, China and also distributed in Australia and USA. In India, it is cultivated only in the Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.[5-7] Traditionally, the plant used in the treatment of constipation, laryngitis, menostasis, dermopathy and contusion.[8] Synonymns P. persica Linn. is also known by other names i.e. Pygeum persica Linn., Amygdalus persica Linn.[5] Vernacular Names P. persica Linn. has various vernacular names[6,8,10] as mentioned in Table 1. Table 1. Various vernacular names of Prunus persica Linn. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION The peach is a small, deciduous and glabrous tree which grows upto 6m in height (Figure 1). The leaves of the plant are simple, alternate, long-lanceolate, serrulate, 8-15 cm long, 15-35 mm wide, petioles 1-1.5 cm, with glands and small stipules. The flowers of the peach are 1-2 cm in diameter, bisexual, pink, sepals pubescent on exterior, sepals and petals 5, stamens many, inserted with the petals on the calyx tube, pistil1, with 2 ovules. The fruit of the plant is 1-5 cm in diameter, tomentulose, drupe, with a fleshy outer layer surrounding a hard stone containing the seed, the stone deeply sculptured in the month of April- May. The fruit is matured in the season of August- September.[8] Figure 1: Plant of Prunus persica Figure 2: Fruit of Prunus persica Geographical Distribution Prunus persica is native to China and Persia. This plant is also cultivated in USA, New Zealand, Australia and Temperate Asia. In India, it is cultivated in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Utttar Pradesh, and to a limited extend in Nilgiris. The plant is also distributed in the Pakistan, Japan and in the Deccan Region.[5-7] Ethnomedicinal Use The leaves of the plant are used as anthelmintic, insecticidal, laxative, sedative and vermicidal and also in the treatment of piles, leucoderma, and whooping cough. The fruit is used as an aperients, aphrodisiac, antipyretic, antiscorbtic, brain tonic, demulcent, mouth freshener, stomachic and useful in thirst, biliousness and â€Å"kapha†. [5,6,10] The oil from the seeds is abortifacient, good in piles, deafness, earache, stomach troubles of children.[10] The flowers are used as an anthelmintic and purgative.[7] CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS Prunus persica Linn. contains cyanogenetic glycosides, namely, amygdalin and prunasin[11,12] as the major constituents isolated from the seeds along with the glycerides,[13,14], sterols[15] and emulsin[16]. Rho et al. (2007) reported a new alkaloidal compound, persicaside, isolated from methanol soluble extract of the seed.[17] The stem bark of the plant contains 6-hydroxy 4-methoxy 2-O-ÃŽ ²-D-glucopyranoside, Crysophenol 8-O-ÃŽ ²-D-glactopyranoside, ÃŽ ²-sitosterol and Quercetin[18]. The leaves of the plant contains the caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol, quercetin, quercetin-3-glycoside, quercetin-3-rhamnoside, quinic acid, tannin, urosolic acid and zeaxanthin[19]. The essential oil from the plant contains the 130 compounds, the most important of which are benzaldehyde, limonene, 1-methylethylhydrazine, 4-ethenyl-1,4-dimethyl cyclohexene and 3-carene.[21] Fixed oil, called persic oil extracted from the seeds contains ÃŽ ²-sitosterol, and squalene [Figure 2] .[7] Figure 2. Various chemical constituents present in Prunus persica Linn. Traditional Uses About  ½ teaspoon of young leaves, pounded and mixed with water, is given twice daily after meal in dysentery. The leaves warmed over fire are rubbed against insect bite and pain in eyes. The pounded young leaves are applied on wounds for killing the wound worms in case of animals such as cow and mithun.[21] The paste of the plant along the table salt and water is applied on affected skin twice a day to kill germs in wounds and fungal infection.[22] The powdered seeds is mixed with water and usually applied on hands as vulnerary during winters.[23] The fruits of the peach is used in the treatment of damaged hair.[24] Therapeutic uses The plant is used to remove maggots from wounds and also used as demulcent and lubricant.[25,7] Crushed leaves are used to stain palms and feet, in wound healing, burning sensation, colouring palms and feet.[26] The oil extracted from seeds is applied externally for massaging in rheumatism.[27] Veterinary uses The plant leaves are used as a anthelmintic in traditional veterinary practices for the treatment of helminthosis in animals.[28,29] Non-medicinal Uses The fruits of the plant are edible, leaves serve as fodder and stem as firewood.[23] Root bark is used as a dye.[30] PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES Anti-inflammatory activity Prunus persica Linn. possessed anti-inflammatory activitiy against rat osteoblast sarcoma cells whereas in carregenan induced paw edema it showed anti-inflammatory activity at a dose of 250 mg/kg. .[17,18,31] Antiallergic activity The ethanolic extract of the plant inhibits mast cell-mediated allergic inflammatory reaction by controlling calcium influx and NF-jB signaling.[32] Antiphotoaging effect The plant possesses the anti-photoaging effect which was assessed by DPPH, Western blot and reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis. A compound named 2-methoxy-5-(2-methyl propyl) pryazine isolated from the peach was responsible for this activity.[33] Antitumor activity The cyanogenic glycosides, amygdalin and prunasin, isolated from Prunus persica seeds, significantly inhibited the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation induced by tumor promoter and showed anti-tumor activity.[12] Protection against skin carcinogenesis The Ku-35 extract of the plant showed protection against UV-induced DNA damage and carcinogenesis when applied topically.[34] Protection against UV-induced skin damage The protective effects of the flower extract of the plant (KU-35) were evaluated against solar ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin damage using in vivo models of UVB-induced erythema in guinea pigs and ear edema in ICR mice. Ku-35, a new cosmetic ingredient, showed protection from UVB-induced skin damage by topical application.[35] Spasmogenic effect The aqueous extract of peach leaves caused a dose-dependent spasmogenic effect at the dose range of 1–10 mg/ml in isolated guinea pig ileum.[36] REFERENCES WHO. IUCN and WWF: Guidelines on the conservation of medicinal plants, IUCN Gland, Switzerland 1993; 1:4-6 WHO. Quality control guidelines for medicinal plant materials. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2008. Fabricant DS, Farnsworth NR. The Value of Plants Used in Traditional Medicine for Drug Discovery. Environ Health Perspect 2001;109: 69-75. Harvey A. The place of natural products in drug discovery. Drug Plus Int. 2004; 3: 6-8. Nadkarni KM. Indian Materia Medica, Ist Vol., Bombay, India: Popular Prakashan; 1976: 1036-37. Pulliah T. Encyclopedia of World Medicinal Plants. India: Regency; 2006: 1620-1621. Bhattacharjee SK. Hand Book of Aromatic Plants, 1st ed., Jodhpur, India: Popular Offset Service Pvt. Ltd; 2000:119–471 WHO. Medicinal Plants in The Republic Of Korea. Manila: World Health Organization; 1998. The Wealth of India (Raw Material), New Delhi: Council of Industrial and scientific Research; 2005; 8: 274-79. Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian medicinal plants with illustrations. Dehradun, India: Oriental Enterprises; 2003: 1334-37. Fukuda T, Ito H, Mukainaka T, Tokuda H, Nishino H, Yoshida T. Anti- tumor promoting effect of glycosides from Prunus persica seeds. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2003; 26(2): 271-273. Ministry of Health and Welfare, â€Å"The Japanese Pharmacopoeia 14th Edition,† ed. by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan; 2001:803-806. Takenaga A, Ito S, Tsuyuki H, Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo Gakkaishi 1982; 29:724-729. Kosuge T, Ishida H, Ishii M. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 1985; 33:1496-1498. Morishige H, Ida Y, Shoji J. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 1983; 37: 46-51. Fujisaki M, Ishizawa K. Symposia on Enzyme Chem. 1952; 7: 95. Rho JR, Jun CS, Ha YA, Yoo MJ, Cui MX, Baek HS, et al. Isolation and Characterization of a New Alkaloid from the Seed of Prunus persica L. and its anti-inflammatory activity. Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2007; 28 (8):1289. Raturi R, Sati SC, Singh H, Sati MD, Bahuguna P, Badoni PP et al. Chemical examination and anti-inflammatoty activity of Prunus Persica stem bark. Int. J. Pharm. Sci. 2011; 3 (5):315-317. Duke JA. Handbook of Phytochemical Constituents of GRAS Herbs and Other Economic Plants. Florida: CRC Press; 1992:488-490. Hekai R, Weiliang J, Xianglong S. Study on chemical components of the essential oils from Prunus persica and P. davidiana. Chinese Tradit. Patent Med. 1992; 14: 33-34. RC Srivastava Nyishi Community. Traditional knowledge of Nyishi (Daffla) tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Indian J. Tradit. Know. 2007; 9 (1):26- 37. Abbasi AM, Kham MA, Ahmed M, Zafar M. Herbal medicine used to cure various ailments by the inhabitants of Abbottabad district, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Indian J. Tradit. Know. 2010; 9(1):175-183. Hussain F, Shah SM, Sher H. Traditional Resource Evaluation of Some Plants Of Mastuj, District Chitral, Pakistan. Pak J. Bot. 2007; 39(2):3339-54. Nidal A. Jaradat. Medical Plants Utilized in Palestinian Folk Medicine for Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiac diseases. J. Al-Aqsa Unv. 2005;9:1-28. Singh VK, Ali ZA, Siddiqui MK. Folk medicinal plants of the Garhwal and Kumaon forests of Uttar Pradesh, India. Hamd Med. 1997;40:35-47. Abbasi AM, Khan MA, Ahmad M, Zafar M, Jahan S, Sultana S. Ethnopharmacological application of medicinal plants to cure skin diseases and in folk cosmetics among the tribal communities of North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2010;128:322-335. Sharma J, Painuli RM. Plants used for the treatment of Rheumatism by the Bhoxba tribe of District Dehradun, Uttarkhand, India. Int. J. Med. Arom. Plants 2011;1:28-32. Hussain A, Khan MN, Iqbal Z, Sajid MS. An account of the botanical anthelmintics used in traditional veterinary practices in Sahiwal district of Punjab, Pakistan. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2008;119:185-190. Akhtar, MS. Anthelmintic evaluation of indigenous medicinal plants for veterinary usage-final research report (1983–1988). Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.1988. The Useful Plants of India, Fifth Reprint. New Delhi: NISCAIR; 2006:496. Deb L, Tripathi A, Bhowmik D, Dutta AS, Kumar KPS. Anti-inflammatory activity of N-Butanol Fraction Of Prunus Persica L aqueous extract. The Pharma Res. 2010; 4:74-78. Shin TY, Park SB, Yoo JS, Kim IK, Lee HS, Kwond TK, et al. Anti-allergic inflammatory activity of the fruit of Prunus persica: Role of calcium and NF-jB. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2010; 48: 2797–2802. Han S, Park KK, Chung WY, Lee SK, Kim J, Hwang JK. Antiphotoaging effect of 2- methoxy-5-(2-methyl propyl) pyrazine isolated from peach (Prunus persica (L) Batsch). Food Sci. Biotechnol. 2010;19(6):1667-1671. Heoa MY, Kima SH, Yang HE, Lee SH, Jo BK, Kima HP. Protection against ultraviolet B and C-induced DNA damage and skin carcinogenesis by the flowers of Prunus persica extract. Mutat Res. 2001;496:47-59. Kim YH, Yang HE, Park BK, Heo MY, Jo BK, Kim HP et al. The extract of the flowers of Prunus persica, a new cosmetic ingredient, protects against solar ultraviolet-induced skin damage in vivo. J. Cosmet Sci. 2002;53:27-34. Gilani AH, Aziz N, Ali SM, Saeed M. Pharmacological basis for the use of peach leaves in constipation. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000;73:87-93.

Monitoring Risk in Project Management

Monitoring Risk in Project Management Risk identification and analysis lies in the hands of the owner who is the first participant in any type of project. When they are identified earlier, then there is a plan on how to manage them. If this task is to be given to any other personnel, then he/she should have the skills to interpret those risks. Although the owner may fail to identify all the risks, then there should be an integrated project team who will assisting this. Any plan that is designed for the project should have the risk identification part. In a certain flower farm, the owner saw it appropriate to test a certain variety of flower and see how it would perform in the ecological zone he was in. Before doing anything else, he contacted each and every employee to tell them about his idea. Most of them were very willing to help in anything they could. One of the ways he started doing is to group we as employees into groups that would work as a team to achieve this. He could also call upon some of us in a face-to-face interaction and this improved on trust of all of us. He could also contact specialists in the sector in question, not because we could not do it by ourselves but because he wanted a variable number if ideas. Team members also needed to play their roles effectively. They needed to actively involve themselves by giving ideas and nobody was permitted to criticize. On the same note, each of the identified risk would be recorded whether relevant or not. All this would help to identify all the risks possible with the help of missions, strategies and goals of the project, cost estimate, procurement, and execution and financing plan, projects Environmental Impact Assessment among others. This process was repeated several times before the outcomes were realized. We as teams then took the challenge to rank these identified risks in the order in which they could be severe. The lowest rank held those risks that were less severe and we categorized them as negligible. Marginal, critical and catastrophic were among the more severe. This ranking was based on value in other words number of dollars and indicated that there will be minimal environment damage. On top of this was the marginal risks where we indicated that there will be imitable environmental damage and that there will be restoration activities that will take place. On and on until we got to the catastrophic ones where we showed that there would be irreversible environmental damage and that the business would be closed. We went ahead and ranked them on the basis of likelihood where we ranked them as certain, likely, possible, unlikely or rare. The rare ones were those that were unlikely to occur although they were possible. The unlikely are those that could reasonably expected to occur. Those that are possible are those that will occur severally while the likely will occur frequently. The certain ones are those that will continually be experienced. Monitoring the risks was also the mandate of the teams. We had identify all new risks and take action in managing them. We also examined and documented the effectiveness of risks responses. We also could measure the technical performance of the risks. Before all this, we could first evaluate the risks whether all our assumptions were still valid, whether the risks have changed from the prior state, whether the proper measures for are being followed or whether they needed to be modified in line with the aim of the project. On top of all this, the owner had an idea of purchasing a new car that he would use to convey the flowers when they will be ready to the market. What motivated him was that he had enough money to purchase it cash. He would get the car of his choice as well as the one that will be suitable to carry out the function. He was sure enough that the value of this expected car will be covered by the expected sales of the flowers. REFERENCES Wardlaw, C. Wardlaw, C. (2017). 8 Important Decisions to Make Before Buying a New Car. NY Daily News. Retrieved 13 March 2017, from http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/street-smarts/8-important-decisions-buying-new-car-article-1.2558671 Reincke, K. (2017). Monitor Control Project Work myPmps. Mypmps.net. Retrieved 13 March 2017, from http://www.mypmps.net/en/mypmps/knowledgeareas/integration/monitor-control-project-work.html Ranking Risks: Rare to Certain, Negligible to Catastrophic. (2017). Project Smart. Retrieved 13 March 2017, from https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/ranking-risks-rare-to-certain-negligible-to-catastrophic.php

The Color Of Water by James Mc Bride Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Black Power†, the word alone raises an abundance of controversial issues. Black power was a civil rights movement led by the black panthers which addressed several issues including segregation and racism. Black power had a different meaning to every member of the Mc Bride family, Ruth and James both looked at black power from a different angle. In â€Å"The Color of Water†, The author James Mc Bride admired the black panthers at first, but slowly he grew afraid of them after fearing the consequences his mother might face for being a white woman in a black community influenced by black power. James’ worries were baseless, black power’s motive was to educate and improve African American communities not to create havoc or to harm members of the white community. There was a time in James’ life when he was thrilled to see member’s of the black panther. James’ states â€Å"But our favorite was a gleaming black, souped-up GTO with the words â€Å"Black Power† written in smooth white script across the hood and top†(26). James admired the owner of that car, He wanted black culture to be carried out and he seemingly loved â€Å"dap†, the black panther’s handshake. The media assured their viewers that the black panthers were a threat to whites anywhere ,Which planted a seed of fear in James’ mind. James was so afraid that he wouldn’t be able to sleep till his mother was home(33). James would sometimes find himself in situations where people would call his mother names for no apparent reason other than ...

The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Essay -- essays research papers

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ No other event in history has been the object of as much scrutiny and criticism as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Christ is the basis upon which all Christianity stands. If the resurrection never happened, then there would be no Christianity, as the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." This is why opponents of the Christian faith have tried to attempt to discredit the Biblical account of the resurrection. Of the many theories of the resurrection, the Biblical account is the only historically reliable and possible explanation of the resurrection. The historical reliability of the Bible is the first matter that needs to be discussed. There are three criteria that the military historian C. Sanders lists as principles for documentary historical proof: the bibliographical test, internal evidence test, and the external evidence test (McDowell 43). The bibliographical test is the examination of text by the documents that have reached us. The reliability of the copies of the New Testament is tested by the number of manuscripts (MSS) and the time intervals between the time in which the piece of literature was written and our earliest copy. There are more than 5,300 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament and 10,000 Latin vulgate manuscripts, not to mention the other various translations. Totally there are around 24,000 total MSS for the New Testament. The next closest document in respect to MSS is the "Illiad" by Homer, with 643 manuscripts(McDowell 43). The textual reliability then continues with respect to the time interval between the original and the first known manuscript. The shorter the interval, the more reliable the text is. Homer's "Illiad" was written in 900 BC and the earliest copy was found in 400 BC. This is compared to the New Testament that was written from 40-100 AD. The first known manuscript of the New Testament was found in 125 AD. This twenty-five year gap is very impressive as compared to the Illiad's five hundred year span (McDowell 45). This first test has basically shown that the text which people have in their possession is essentially the original text. &... ...Roman governor (McDowell 230). The seal was used to show authenticity, to prove that Jesus was inside the tomb (McDowell 230). If the women had gone to the wrong tomb there would have been no broken seal, because it was not common for dead bodies to be protected by the Roman government. The Biblical account of Christ's resurrection is the only historically possible version of the resurrection. The other theories that have been introduced all have large holes in them. Many do not take into account all of the facts of the resurrection, because they do not view the Bible as the historically reliable piece of literature that it is. When one takes into account the reliability of the Bible, and the many facts of the resurrection it is impossible to conclude any other theory than that of the Bible. Christ died on the cross for man's sins. On the third day He rose from the grave, proving all He had preached and taught. The fact of the matter is this: all the opponents of Christians at the time of Christ's resurrection had to do was find the body and march through the city square. They weren't able to, because it wasn't there, He has arisen, and that's a fact!

Role of Youth

[pic] Prepared by: Jennifer Corriero Date of Release:January 2004 Lead Organization: TakingITGlobal Special Thanks: Advisors: Professor David Wheeler, PhD Joseph Amati, Masters Student Ellen Ratchye, Research Analyst, Fallon; Shelley Smith and Robert Bernard, DCODE Technology Support: Martin Kuplens-Ewart Data analysis and research support: Jacob Bleakley, Noor Alibhai, Hugh Switzer Final Edit: Huss Banai and Michael FurdykTable of Contents: |1 |Executive Summary |3 | | | | | |2 |Introduction |5 | | | | | |2. 1 |Demographic Force |5 | |2. |Democracy on the Rise |5 | |2. 3 |Culture of Leadership |6 | |2. 4 |A Shift in Power Dynamics |7 | |2. 5 |TakingITGlobal Online Community and Vision |8 | |2. |Youth as Key Stakeholders |9 | |2. 7 |Youth as Engaged Citizens |10 | |2. 8 |From Student to Teacher |10 | |2. 9 |Young Employees as a Source of Innovation |11 | |2. 10 |The Interactive Consumer |12 | |2. 1 |The Need for a Holistic Perspective on Youth |13 | | | | | |3 |Role of Youth S urvey: Key Objectives |14 | | | | | |4 |Role of Youth Survey: Methodology |15 | | | | | |4. |Promotion of Survey |16 | |4. 2 |Analysis of Survey Results |17 | |4. |Demographic Profile of Respondents |20 | | | | | |5 |Defining Youth |22 | | | | | |6 |Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Youth |26 | | | | | |7 |Issues of Importance to Youth |29 | | | | | |8 |Participation in Decision-Making |31 | | | | | |9 |Factors Influencing the Changing Roles of the Youth |34 | | | | | |10 |Youth as Agents of Change |37 | | | | | |11 |Conclusion |40 | | | | | |12 |General References |42 | 1. Executive SummaryThis report is the outcome of a larger process, building on months of reading and research of secondary materials, years of personal experiences meeting with and understanding the issues and perspectives of young people around the world. This research seeks to demonstrate that globally, young people today have more power and potential to create change than any previous generation of y outh. It seeks to discover the ways in which young people define themselves, how they are perceived by society, how they are best engaged in decision-making, and the role of technology in facilitating the shifting role of youth. This report is based on a survey designed by Jennifer Corriero, based on five prevalent categories: Defining Youth, Perceptions and Attitudes towards Youth, Youth Participation in Decision-Making, The Role of Technology, and Youth as Change Agents.Conducted in partnership with an international NGO, TakingITGlobal (TIG), the electronic survey was promoted and filled out by over 1,400 respondents, after which qualitative and quantitative questions were separated, organized, grouped, and analyzed, with the assistance of a number of individuals. Finally, this report was created to communicate the values and trends underlying the statistics and statements of respondents from around the world. The question of how youth is defined resulted in an interesting array o f suggestions. Age led with over half of the responses, followed by suggestions that youth represents personality characteristics or outlooks on life. A young female in India suggests that youth are those who are vivacious, full of energy† – people who â€Å"want to make a mark in life†. The idea of youth being a life stage between dependant and independent was another major grouping of responses, suggesting that youth are â€Å"starting to enjoy freedom for the first time†, according to a young man from Zimbabwe. As the perceptions and attitudes towards youth were investigated, it was discovered that the majority of youth (62. 3%) have a lot of reasons for hope for the future. In regions such as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, a stronger sense of optimism could perhaps be attributed to the need for a positive outlook to survive in many of the developing countries in those regions.Consumer culture was consistently felt around the world to have too much influence of today’s youth, according to 76% of respondents. Education was seen as meaningful and important by 89% of survey participants, with 62. 2% feeling that youth are not equipped with the skills they require for jobs. Education, employment, friends, music and various social issues were stated as the top areas of concern and interest of youth within their communities. Sustainability only made it into the top 10 in Africa and Asia, suggesting that the rest of the world has yet to make sustainable living a priority, or even something that people are aware and confronted with as an important issue.Employment was in the top 3 in every region, and was first in South America, with many young people expressing concerns about ensuring that they have the necessary skills and experiences to be employed in their field of interest at a sustainable wage. As youth participation in decision-making was explored, it was discovered that the highest area of youth participation takes plac e within local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with national NGOs close behind. Youth were least involved with national governments, which in most countries have yet to engage in meaningful strategies to encourage or facilitate youth participation, evidenced by the low voter turnout rates amongst youth, especially in North America.As Jesse Ventura, governor of Minnesota put it once on CNN â€Å"Youth don’t vote because they say politicians don’t care about their issues. Politicians don’t care about their issues because youth don’t vote! † It appears that NGOs have the best relationships with youth and thus are best positioned to meaningfully engage youth in various political processes. Respondents were very positive about the role of technology in transforming the role of youth in society and organizations. The majority see technology as an enabler for information to be shared and meaningful communication to be had. A variety of concerns wer e also brought up such as the digital divide, and how technology helps those who have access to it.Many examples were highlighted discussing the various ways that young people have made a meaningful impact in their communities and how they would change or improve the world, their countries and the role of youth in their communities. Overall, the sample of youth in this survey uncovered an optimistic, forward-looking generation encompassing young of age and youth-minded individuals. They are comfortable with and enabled by technological progress and change, interested in engaging in local and global decision-making, and they are already having significant impacts in their communities, countries, regions, and around the world. They want to be educated, they recognize gaps in their skills, and in many cases they can clearly identify the needs of not just themselves but of their peers.The sample was respectful of the wisdom of the elders that have led them to where they are, but also re ady and willing for the challenges that await them as they mature and discover the complexities of our global ecosystem. 2. Introduction Young people growing up today have far more power and potential to create change than any previous generation of youth growing up. Much of this shift is a direct result of the information revolution and access to opportunities that have been provided to people of all ages, especially to those growing up in the information age. This report will discuss prevalent demographic and political trends, the nature of youth in today’s global information society, and will provide reflections on the changing roles and responsibilities of youth in this new setting.A discussion concerning youth as stakeholders will look at how traditional perceptions of the role of youth as passive citizens, students, employees, and consumers are actively challenged and questioned today. An empirical narrative providing background on my experiences most relevant to this t rend, moreover, will be shared to provide personal context to this research. Lastly, the results and key findings from a survey conducted on the Role of Youth will be shared. 2. 1 Demographic Force Young people are also an ever-growing demographic force. According to UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), there are more than one billion people between the ages of 15 and 24 on the planet. [i] In the developing world, where 80 percent of young people can be found, youth comprise up to 70 percent of some nations’ populations. ii] In the United States of America, the baby boom generations of the 1940s 1950s made possible the subsequent echo boom (those born between 1977 and 1997), of which today’s young people are a substantial part – 80+ million strong[iii]. 2. 2 Democracy on the Rise The transformation of many authoritarian states to democracies (as shown in figure 1 below) has further improved and provided the essential conditions and environment for young peopl e to explore their interests, express themselves, take action on issues they care about, and access information. [pic][iv] As a result of the Internet, population growth, and rise of democratic societies, a new paradigm in the role of young people is beginning to emerge, resulting in the recognition of youth as citizens, students, employees and consumers.As many as 620 million people have access to the World Wide Web and related information and communications technologies (ICTs) worldwide, with the majority of Internet users based in the non-English-speaking countries. [v] English comprises 36. 5 percent (230. 6 million) of the world online population language, while the non-English-speaking world represents 63. 9 percent (403. 5 million). [vi] According to 2000 statistics from Forrester Research, 56 percent of 16-22 year-olds are online in the United States. They spend an average of 9 hours online, 38 percent more than the average wired adult and are involved in a wider variety of online activities compared to adults – 20 percent more. vii] The same survey found the majority of Internet users in the United States to be in the 18-49 age-group (63 percent), with only 37 percent of users in the 50+ age-group. [viii] 2. 3 Culture of Leadership The culture of leadership for much of the twentieth century was influenced, and modeled after, centralized structures of governance and rigid forms of authority. The onset of the Industrial Revolution unleashed a series of uncontested norms and universally-accepted orthodoxies that associated centralized management systems and constant decision-making with effective leadership. The social consequences of mass production and centralized management of many industries reduced the traditional family into solitary unit of production.As observed by one of the foremost theorists of management theory, Peter F. Drucker, the massive standardization of production methods and operating procedures (‘machine bureaucracy†™) also served to loosen the some conventional familial characteristics, ultimately culminating into the â€Å"crisis of the family†: On the farm and in the artisan's workshop husband, wife, and children worked together. The factory, almost for the first time in history, took worker and work out of the home and moved them into the workplace, leaving family members behind — whether spouses of adult factory workers or, especially in the early stages, parents of child factory workers. [ix]This centralized view of management in latter half of the past century, however, gradually conceded to more diffused and informal structures of governance; as more theorists and practitioners arrived at the common conclusion that â€Å"the better a business firm [organization] is organized, the more naturally decision rights gravitate to the spot where the best information is available about the specific decision that has to be made. †[x] The emergence, and mainstream influence of, the Internet in the past decade, moreover, has had a profound impact on the way a given society manages its daily affairs – socially, politically, and economically – bringing with it new, and never-before-heard-of industries, such as biotechnology and IT telecommunications.Whereas we may make the case that the rigid structures of the industrial age had a number of indirect negative impacts on families as a result of its emphasis on standardization and mass production, many believe that the information age, with its focus on integration and wide-scale distribution of information, has served the family by highlighting the importance of local communities and inter-cultural communication. [xi] Under the centralized form of governance, and prior to the Information Revolution, those with the most power and experience effectively possessed a monopoly over access to sources of information, and, therefore, tended to act as leaders within their communities. The â€Å"decisi on rights† of the younger and more inexperienced people were virtually non-existent and often viewed as being connected to those of women and the less advantaged in the society.In many ways, this paradigm still persists today in the sense that young people are seen by many as having passive roles in society, such as the student who is there to learn rather than teach, the young employee who needs to do what he/she is told rather than provide a source of creative and innovative input, the consumer who is viewed as a target to influence rather than to truly support, the child who needs to learn how to ‘grow up’, and the citizen who is disengaged because he/she either cannot vote or is part of a population whose voice matters little. In addition, because young people (defined as those between the ages of 13-30) are at the frontlines of change from being dependent on older generations to being independent, they have been especially vulnerable to external influences an d often lack a sense of empowerment because they suffer from the lack of essential resources, and limited involvement in decision-making. 2. 4 A Shift in Power DynamicsThe emergence of the Internet and other ICTs (Information & Communication Technologies) has been a catalyst for change, especially within the context of shifting traditional power dynamics. Increasingly, leadership is based on effective networks of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Transforming leadership strategies from what they were during much of the past century has, to state it mildly, a challenge for most organizations and companies. More inclusive methods of governance, be it in the corporate world or the bureaucracy of the state, have been implemented in order to encourage, or project the image of, socially responsible behaviour. [xii] This transition, however, has almost been a foreign concept to youth growing up in the digital age.The advent of the Internet offered an opportunity to young people – most of whom are much well-versed in using computers and digital devices than their parents’ generation – to develop new virtual interests, relatively unknown and foreign to previous generations. This new medium no longer involved complex and rigid forms of management and communication that were associated with previous power-centric models of governance. The diffusion of the hierarchies and power structures also meant the decentralization of information and the formation of simple, and easily-managed, networks of people, accessible at the click of the mouse worldwide. In this new environment, sources of influence do not simply come from the top, but are inspired or affected by the views, ideas and perspectives of many stakeholders who are affected by the decisions being made.Governments and other formal decision-making bodies have been challenged to hold higher levels of transparency and accountability in order to gain institutional trust. Companies are increasingly interested in what their employees, customers and general public think about their business practices and increasingly aspire to become more socially responsible in order to address the needs and concerns of their stakeholders. [xiii] Instantaneous access to information and online resources has enabled the ‘common person’ make a contribution to organizations and society at large, while being able to demand a greater level of participation and involvement in decision-making.More than ever, young people growing up with technology have the opportunity to empower themselves using their unprecedented access to real-time information and knowledge sources that can be attained through ever-expanding social networks, new alliances, businesses, protests and advocacy campaigns, and websites expressing divergent views and perspectives. 2. 5 TakingITGlobal Online Community and Vision The TakingITGlobal. org Online Community provides: †¢ A pathway to support local action †¢ A platform for the voices of young people to be heard †¢ A framework for understand global challenges and issues †¢ A connection to resources and opportunities †¢ A network of interesting, dynamic and diverse young people †¢ A virtual space to showcase cross-cultural perspectives and expressions.In addition to engaging members of the online community, TakingITGlobal supports the needs of youth-led initiatives, educators and international organizations through its thematic, educational and organizational engagement strategies. TakingITGlobal’s 2010 Vision includes the following: †¢ To realize the potential of at least 5 million young people as leaders for the benefit of their local and global communities. †¢ To bridge the ‘continuity gap' enhancing the effectiveness of youth action by connecting all major youth activities, events, programs and initiatives in a global network. †¢ To mainstream recognition that young people are key stake holders in all national and international policy making. †¢ To produce the world’s most comprehensive and powerful knowledge resource – pushing the boundaries of online community and technology as a tool for social empowerment. To instigate significant evolution in the present concepts of school-education by increasing global connection, meaningful use of ICT’s (information, communication technologies) and inspiring student engagement. †¢ To demonstrate innovation, excellence, creativity and professionalism in the management of a new style of international organization that is entrepreneurial, technology-enhanced, and youth-driven. 2. 6 Youth Are Becoming More Engaged as Key Stakeholders When key stakeholders are brought together to share a vision for the future, it is critical to recognize that although most young people are unable to formally represent a business, government or non-profit institution as a key stakeholder, they do have the largest sta ke in the future and can often help to revive and refresh various perspectives being shared. Youth participation often requires changes in the way adults perceive and deal with adolescents, since the rights of young people and their capacities to make decisions for themselves are often unrecognized and undervalued. †[xiv] Increasingly, institutions are recognizing the importance of bringing the voices of young people to the forefront. On a global level, there are numerous summits that have brought together various leaders and decision-makers and have included young people as a key stakeholder or ‘major group’. For example, as a participant at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa, I was part of what the United Nations considers to be a ‘Major Group’ within the overall process of the summit along with women, indigenous people, farmers, business etc.According to Agenda 21, involving each of the major group s in the decision-making process was recognized as being a â€Å"fundamental prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development†[xv] The Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development states that the process is inclusive of youth: 34. We are in agreement that this must be an inclusive process, involving all the major groups and Governments that participated in the historic Johannesburg 170. Promote and support youth participation in programmes and activities relating to sustainable development through, for example, supporting local youth councils or their equivalent, and by encouraging their establishment where they do not By promoting, supporting and involving youth as a major group, a statement is made about the importance of recognizing youth as key stakeholders.At the recent World Summit on the Information Society Preparatory Meetings which have been held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Youth Caucus is one of the strongest and most active groups, participating in the process alongside government, industry and other NGO groupings. 2. 7 Youth as Engaged Citizens On a national level, one of the basic conditions of a healthy democracy is having a population that votes. However, those under 18 are unable to participate – and not effectively inspired to vote once they’re able to, which has been leading to a large decline in youth voter turnout. In the US, only 60% of eligible voters under 25 have registered, and only 24% of those eligible to vote and over 20 say they â€Å"always vote† during elections. At the same time, many young people are civically engaged in many other ways – 40% of U. S. outh 14-24 have volunteered, 38% have participated in a boycott, and 44% have done some type of fundraising for charity, all within the last year. [xvi] There is a need to increase awareness and trust in political process, while also validating and supporting other forms of civic participation. There are a growing number of re gional, national, and local youth councils and networks sprouting up due to interest, support, and demand. Increasingly, different youth councils are strengthening their efforts through forging more partnerships and raising their profile. An example of this is the European Youth Forum, ‘a platform organization, it is the representative body for its members towards the institutions and partners active in the youth field.The 89 member organizations of the European Youth Forum represent a wide range of interests: student organizations, political organizations, organizations concerned with environmental protection, minorities, young rural organizations, conscripts organizations and many more. The European Youth Forum has member organizations including both national youth organizations and international youth organizations, drawn from throughout the European continent. The highest decision-making body is the General Assembly, which elects a Bureau made up of volunteers every two ye ars. The Bureau meets monthly to assess political priorities, implement its work plan and advises the Secretariat in its work. ’[xvii] Increasingly, youth councils are being formed and strengthened in order to provide opportunities for young people to have a stronger voice. 2. 8 From Student to TeacherDue to the rapid revolution in Information and Communication Technologies over the last decade, young people growing up as these technologies evolved have become innately comfortable using them, and have become neighborhood authorities on computer technologies. As the education system began to introduce computers in the classroom, young people were often frustrated as they were forced to re-learn skills they already had developed, such as BASIC programming and keyboarding. Over time, students’ expertise with technology has become accepted by teachers, and a variety of programs, such as Generation YES, have been developed to harness the skills and enthusiasm of students fo r technology to assist teachers in more meaningfully integrating it into the classroom. Young people are also learning from a wide variety of sources, and are increasingly deriving knowledge from their peers and non-school sources.As Don Tapscott cites in his 1998 book â€Å"Growing Up Digital†, many young people growing up in the late 80’s and early 90’s have learned basic skills from educational software like â€Å"Reader Rabbit† and video games. Thanks to online communication tools like ICQ, students are able to collaborate in real-time with their friends and peers across town or across the ocean, and share knowledge and ideas with each other. All told, this amounts to quite a challenge for the average teacher to cope with – a variety of students all with varying levels of technology access and external influences – as early as junior kindergarten! Of course, to meet the needs of these wired students as they progressed through the school system, Universities began to experiment with online course delivery and some now offer complete degree programs using a combination of ICTs.The role of a teacher has also evolved in these situations to more of a mentor and coach as needed, versus needing to hand-hold students through courses, enabling them to provide maximum value in supporting the course content versus needing to focus on content delivery. This generation of youth also enjoys sharing opinions – and teachers can’t escape! Websites like RateYourTeacher. com and RateMyProfessor. com showcase the ratings of teachers by thousands of students, opening up the previously untouchable teacher relationship to transparent feedback and criticism by ‘consumer’ students. 2. 9 Young Employees as a Source of Innovation There are a variety of implications for human resource departments in companies and organizations as they begin to hire and integrate new talent into their workforce.Because there is a lar ge population of youth who are entering the workforce and who carry a range of unique skills and perspectives (especially technology-related), the existing strategies that attempt to attract, retain and develop the next generation of talent need to adapt to a different set of needs, expectations and opportunities. Young employees, especially those doing internships, can provide an incredible source of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and creative potential. In an organization where having many years of experience is valued, young people can be an overlooked, untapped resource. In the context of trying to solve problems in new ways, it is important to engage those who have not yet been institutionalized and are unfamiliar with the way that things have always been done.It is critical for organizations to develop new strategies that can allow them to more meaningfully involve young people in both problem-solving and decision-making processes, in order to respond to the complex and ev olving organizational challenges being faced. As it was mentioned above, the onset of the Information Revolution, coupled with the period of massive decentralization across-industries, had a profound impact on the way young people identify with the work environment. In the knowledge-based industries, rigid and strict structures of the past are largely associated with inefficiency, and are largely thought of as counterproductive to personal development.Having grown up with this mindset, young peoples’ perceptions toward decision-making and effective problem-solving are mainly derived from their experiences in the digital world, where interaction and inclusion of perspectives are essential, if not required, for achieving common goals. Therefore, in dealing with this new technologically-empowered demographic, new knowledge-based industries will have to reinvent many of the old approaches toward this new generation. This, in fact, means that they (industries) would have to appeal to their knowledge-workers â€Å"by satisfying their values, and by giving them social recognition and social power† which they have grown accustomed to. [xviii] 2. 10 The Interactive ConsumerDue to the nature of the Internet as a medium which allows for and is based upon networks and interactions, young consumers have the opportunity to be creators of media and content rather than simply consume what is produced for them. â€Å"Broadcast technology, like television, is hierarchical. It depends upon a top-down distribution system. Someone somewhere decides what will be broadcast and our role is limited to what we choose or do not choose to watch. There is no direct feedback from the viewer to the broadcaster†¦The internet depends upon a distributed, or shared, delivery system rather than a hierarchical one. The distributed, or shared, power is at the heart of the culture of interaction. [xix]† (p79)Due to the nature of the medium that young people are enabled by, they are able to demand a greater level of information, interactivity and involvement when it comes to products, services and the overall customer experience. Shopping comparison websites such as MySimon. com and BuyBuddy. com allow for intelligent and informed purchasing decisions to be made based on product-reviews and price comparisons. As a result, consumers are more empowered and can make more informed purchasing decisions. The Internet has provided other opportunities for consumers to be empowered by providing a vehicle for complaints to be expressed to large numbers of people. An example of this includes websites that are developed to discuss how a particular company ‘sucks’. Many URL’s have been purchased that say CompanyNameSucks. om and provide an avenue for disgruntled customers to share their complaints and concerns. Over half (55%) of survey respondents report boycotting a company or product at some point in their life, with 38 percent saying they h ave used their stick as a consumer in the past 12 months. And boycotting — buying a product or service because they like the social or political values of the company which produces it — is only slightly less prevalent. Just under half (45%) report having done so at some point in their life, while 35 percent have used the consumer carrot in the past 12 months. [xx] Bad experiences for unhappy customers can quickly become devastating experiences for a company’s image.This demonstrates that consumers have the opportunity to become more engaged and influential through the opportunities for interaction that the Internet provides. Because 85% of teens in Canada have Internet access and are online for over 9 hours per week[xxi], young people are especially in a position to become empowered consumers, as they frequently and simultaneously combine the process of learning, working, and play/entertainment, allowing them to constantly observe and share opinions and best pr actices. 2. 11 The Need for a Holistic Perspective on Youth as Stakeholders While looking through various reports, studies, books and other secondary sources – all of which offer a variety of insights related to the interests, needs and experiences of young people, a clear research gap became evident.Much of the research that exists on young people does not involve a global perspective, and often focuses on youth in the context of consumers in order to support business decisions, or youth who are ‘at risk’ and are a segment of the population vulnerable to a variety of social problems. Rarely are youth examined in the context of having the potential to be agents of change, problem-solvers, or leaders of the information society. In addition, major studies do not involve youth in the process of survey design, which can affect the potential bias of the research. In trying to examine if and how the role of young people has changed as a result of technology, the need f or a unique study involving youth leaders and influencers from around the world who have access to technology became clear. 3. Role of Youth Survey: ObjectivesIn order to gain a deeper understanding of how the role of young people is currently perceived and how it has changed over the last 100 years, a survey was designed to explore the following: Defining Youth ? How is ‘youth’ defined? Are notions of ‘youth’ associated with positive or negative connotations? What are key differences between the perceptions of youth vs. perceptions of adults? Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Youth ? Is this generation of youth perceived to be enabled and engaged or disadvantaged and disengaged? Are they optimistic or pessimistic about the future? What other perceptions and attitudes towards youth exist and are there regional differences? Participation in Decision-Making ? How important is it for young people to be involved in decision-making?What is the current perceived level of youth participation in decision-making on local, national and global levels? The Role of Technology ? Has technology played a role in transforming the role of youth in society at large and within different organizations and institutions? What impact has technology had in transforming the role of youth? Youth As Change Agents ? Are there interesting examples of young people having a meaningful impact in their communities? If so, what factors appear to enable this to take place? What are the hopes and ideals held by today’s generation of youth leaders? What recommendations can be offered in terms of the conditions that must exist for youth to become leaders? 4. Role of Youth Survey: MethodologyThe following is an Overview of the Survey Questions: Demographic Information: for people to fill out their gender, date of birth, city, country, educational background, employment status, volunteer status and Internet usage. Defining Youth: open-ended questions about what images and phrases come to mind when they hear the word ‘youth’ and ‘adult’ and a question asking how youth is defined. Key Issues and Interests: participants were asked to identify the key issues and interests of youth in their community. They had to select from drop-down lists and rank the top 3 in order of priority. Words included: Arts, Business/Entrepreneurship, Community, Education, Employment,Environment, Friends, Fundraising, Globalization, Health, HIV and AIDS, Human Rights, Leadership, Media, Music, Peace, Political Action, Religion, Romance, Sports, Sustainable Development, Technology, Travel, Volunteering, War. Attitudinal Characteristics: respondents were asked to rate 14 statements related to whether or not people agreed or disagreed with statements about youth on a scale of 1-5. Statements explored whether or not youth are perceived to be motivated, connected to opportunities, knowledgeable, inspired, informed, skilled, interested in being involved , focused, influenced by consumer culture, supported or lacking support from adults, optimistic or pessimistic.Additional questions about education and age were asked. Role of Youth – Today: participants were asked to give their opinion on the role of youth in their community. They had to select from drop-down lists and rank the top 3 in order of priority. Words included: Students, Workers, Members, Mentors, Trend-Setters, Activists, Citizens, Victims, Leaders, Criminals, Technologists, Volunteers, Artists, Role Models, Soldiers, Children, Innovators, Peace-keepers, Consumers, Trouble-makers, Employees, Entrepreneurs Participation in Decision-Making: a question about the importance of being able to participate in decision-king was asked (on a scale of 1-5).The second part of this question asked how involved young people are in decision-making on local, national and global levels for Business, Government and Non-Profit Organizations. Meaningful Impact: participants were asked to identify an example of how a youth within their community was effective at having a meaningful impact. Role of Youth – Historically: respondents were asked to identify whether or not the role of youth has changed over the past 100 years, and if so, has it been positive or negative. The response was based on a scale of 1-5. They then explained their response. Impact of Technology: respondents were asked to identify whether or not technology impacted youth in their community, and if so, if the impact has been positive or negative.They were given a scale of 1-5 and were then asked to explain their answer. Creating Change: A series of open-ended questions were asked about how survey respondents would create change in the world, their country, and the role of youth in their community, along with what conditions need to exist for youth to become leaders 4. 1 Promotion of Survey On December 23, 2002, the survey was sent out to over 15,000 people from over 190 countries. There wer e a variety of ways in which the survey was promoted. An automated, personalized e-mail was sent out to all members of the TakingITGlobal online community (which included over 13,000 people from over 190 countries at the time).The e-mail explained that as a ‘valued member of TakingITGlobal’, they were invited to participate in an ‘online survey to help determine their view on the role of youth in society’. The e-mail stated that it would take approximately 10 minutes to complete and that all of the information shared would be kept confidential and anonymous (meaning that their name would not be used without their permission). Although the survey was completely voluntary, an incentive for participating included having their name entered into a draw to win TIG t-shirts and mouse pads. In addition, each survey respondent would receive a free electronic copy of the final results once compiled.All survey participants were given until January 21st 2003 (approxima tely 4 weeks) to fill out the survey. In order to avoid an overwhelming amount of replies to the e-mail, the letter was signed from TakingITGlobal’s Research Team as opposed to coming from a specific individual. A modified version of the e-mail invitation to participate in the Role of Youth Survey was created and sent out to all of the organizations listed in the TakingITGlobal organizations database (over 1,000), along with youth mailing lists for various organizations and youth caucuses, and other personal networks. People were invited to pass the information along and invite others to participate in the survey.In order to maintain high levels of integrity, survey participants did not need to become a member of TakingITGlobal in order to fill out the survey, and did not need to fill out their name. If they were interested in receiving a copy of the final results, they were invited to provide their e-mail address. It is important to note that due to the nature of how the sur vey was promoted, all survey respondents have access to the Internet and are connected to existing networks that attract youth who are engaged. Thus, there exists some bias in the sample of survey respondents. In addition, there was no age restriction in order to participate which means that people of all ages were invited to fill out the survey, which was done for the purposes of comparison between different age groups.The views, opinions and perspectives that have emerged as a result of the survey findings are not a representation of international youth in its entirety, but rather, a reflection from a targeted sample of engaged youth who have some access to the Internet and are able to read and write English. With this in mind, based on the goals and objectives of this study, it is an appropriate audience to survey as the focus is on trying to better understand the views and perspectives of youth who have access to technology. If there were greater resources available for this stu dy, an offline component would exist and the survey would also be made available in multiple languages. This may be something to consider as a follow-up opportunity in the future.Once the survey responses were sent in through the online survey application, Martin Kuplens-Ewart exported the compiled responses into various files for analysis. The quantitative responses were sent in SPSS format for graphs and frequency tables to be generated. The extensive qualitative responses were formatted and printed in charts and tables. 4. 2 Analysis of Survey Results The process of analyzing the survey data was far more extensive, complex, lengthy and overwhelming than what was initially expected. A variety of people were involved as part of the research team in order to assist in the initial process of compiling, reviewing and making sense of various sections of the survey.A special thanks goes to Noor Alibhai, Jacob Bleakley, Hugh Switzer and Huss Banai who were all part of the research team a t TakingITGlobal. Much of their involvement was in the initial phase of reviewing the thousands of responses which were given for the various qualitative questions. They helped sort responses into various categories and tallied up similar responses in order to generate graphs which provide a glimpse at the nature of the responses. Once initial pie charts were generated, the results were discussed as a team and I was able to continue further analysis. The following is an overall break-down of the data analysis process: ? Phase 1 – PowerPoint Presentation Including Initial GraphsThe program used to analyze the quantitative survey results was the SPSS Educational Version. After an initial tutorial session with Joseph Amati who has a lot of experience in working with SPSS, a 44 page PowerPoint presentation was put together with support from Noor, which included graphs for each of the survey questions. The deck of slides was presented to advisors for feedback. The key learning was that all the labels which included N/A or 0 as the description needed to either be removed or modified. In most cases, the information provided by this column was one that reduced the quality and overall effectiveness of the graphs. This decision meant that all the graphs needed to be regenerated.Various other lessons were learned including analysis of frequency tables. ? Phase 2 – Regional and Age Break-Down of Graphs After a great deal of experimentation and technical support from Martin at TIG, appropriate labels were modified and new forms of categorization was implemented within the survey file to allow the data to be sorted by region and age. Graphs were regenerated for each of the questions in order to include the appropriate break-down. All of the new graphs compiled were put together in a Final Results word document. Since Microsoft Word and SPSS are not entirely compatible, a lot of time was wasted in regenerating and reformatting new graphs for the final results d ocument.In addition, certain graphs involved greater levels of complexity. Those questions which asked survey respondents to rank words on order of priority involved three sets of data which had to be added up in Excel prior to being able to generate the graph. Appropriate steps were taken to generate these graphs for global and regional responses. ? Phase 3 – Qualitative Results Initial Categorization of Responses ? In total, the survey involved over 10 open-ended qualitative questions which each had their set of over 1,000 responses per question. The overwhelming amount of data collected through these questions involved extensive hours of interpretation and results compilation.The first phase of this process involved a team of researchers from TakingITGlobal tackling a specific question and developing different categories for the responses based on frequent responses. The categories established are quite subjective and as different people were involved in the process, certa in categories were modified. Initially, a larger ‘other or inapplicable’ section existed for the various categories. A second review of questions involved breaking-down the ‘other’ responses into further sub-categories in attempt to further identify key patterns and occurrences. In addition to categorizing responses and generating pie graphs in Excel to reflect the overall responses, a series of summaries were created for each of the qualitative questions.Each summary included a description of the category identified and a general overview of the responses that were placed in the category. Beneath the description included a few selected quotes which offered a general idea of the types of responses included within the identified category. A variety of challenges were encountered throughout this process, including the fact that many responses could have easily been placed in multiple categories. To adequately deal with this challenge, in the final tally, they were often placed in both categories and the total number increased. In the final graphs, the ‘other’ category has been removed from the pie chart in order to leave room for smaller categories which emerged from the initial other category.Rather than view the final pie charts as conclusive or statistically accurate, it is important to see them from the perspective of general categories of responses from highest to lowest frequency. ? Phase 4 – Advice, Suggestions and Feedback from Advisors The compiled graphs for quantitative results and qualitative survey results summary pages became the first version of the Final Results document which was 60 pages. This document was then shared with a variety of advisors including Robert Bernard and Shelly Smith from DCODE, a strategy and market research firm based in Toronto. A variety of suggestions and recommendation were provided by D*CODE in order to strengthen the overall impact of the survey results. Many lessons were learned through the feedback shared.Some of the advice was integrated; however after then speaking to my academic advisor, I was able to distinguish which changes were most appropriate to make for the purposes of my final report. One of the suggestions made included grouping the age categories differently in order to have fewer categories. The suggested age groupings include 14-19, 20-24, 25-30 and 31+. This proposed grouping addresses a few issues. Since there is a very small sample under the age of 14, it eliminates their responses from the results. Since youth is defined as up to the age of 31 and there are a smaller number of respondents over the age of 31, it helps to create one category of ‘adult’ or the purposes of comparison. This change was not made due to time constraints and in order to avoid over-simplifying the results. Another suggestion included removing the ‘neutral’ responses from graphs and clumping the ‘somewhat’ and ‘v ery’ categories together. Although this would have helped to provide clearer contrast between how the responses were weighted, it would have also reduced opportunities of noticing situations where many people were ‘neutral’, which is an observation in itself. In reviewing the charts which identify the top issues and concerns of youth, D*CODE suggested that it would be helpful to have them listed from the highest to lowest priority.Additional tables were created which identify the top 10 issues in each region in order of highest to lowest. In addition, percentages were added on existing bar graphs. Another major distinction was made between what was necessary to include in the results compared to the discussion about the results. The results of the survey are presented in the order that the questions were asked. Each graph includes a brief description. The discussion of the results is categorized in a way that makes the most overall sense, especially in terms of t he flow. In addition, only the most interesting patterns, trends and observations are highlighted in the discussion about the results. ? Phase 5 – In-Depth Reflection and Analysis of Qualitative ResponsesThe amount of qualitative responses meant that several ‘passes’ at reviewing the data were necessary. Members of the research team who were initially involved with analyzing particular questions were involved in a discussion about the results and each had an opportunity to present their findings to one another in front of an audience of other TakingITGlobal staff members. As a group, general patterns and trends were discussed and further areas of exploration were identified. After that, I spent quite some time re-reading and reviewing all of the raw qualitative results along with survey summaries. I tried to extract patterns and conclusions from the categories f responses, to better explain the impact of the data. A variety of new charts and summaries were develo ped for questions based on an additional review through the various responses to qualitative questions. These were then shared with a few other groups of people for feedback. ? Phase 6 – Written Descriptions for All Graphs Presented in Final Results After evaluating the many graphs included in the report, I looked through the data in greater detail and produced written descriptions to accompany the graphs, both to provide additional information and insight, but also to help the reader more quickly discover the wealth of data each chart had to communicate.Throughout this process, certain graphs were regenerated in order to further improve the quality of labels, the ability to view responses from both age and regional break-downs, and to include percentages where appropriate on selected graphs. ? Phase 7 – Review Final Results for Key Findings ? With the final compilation of updated graphs, descriptions and survey response summaries, a comprehensive overview of the Final Results document took place. With the editing assistance of Hussein Banai and Michael Furdyk, this final report was created. 4. 3 Demographic Profile of Survey Respondents Region: The Role of Youth Survey involved a total sample of 1443 respondents from 126 countries. The majority of respondents reside in North America (29. %) and Africa (27. 4%). There were 16. 9% of respondents from Asia and the Middle East, 14. 3% of respondents from Europe, 7. 1% from Oceania and 4. 3% from South and Central America. Gender: A higher number of respondents were male (58. 7%) compared to female (38. 7%). There were notably more female respondents compared to male respondents in North America and Oceania, whereas in Africa, there were a greater number of male participants. This may be because it is less culturally appropriate for women to have access to computers in Africa. Age: A larger number of survey respondents were under the age of 30 (75%) compared to those who are age 30 and over (25%).Thi s is likely because the survey was about youth and was promoted throughout many networks that are specifically intended to connect youth. The average age (mean) of the sample was 26 years old. Employment Status: The majority of survey respondents are currently employed (63. 7%), while 36. 4% are unemployed. Many of those who identified themselves as unemployed are in the under 25 age-group, while those with a job are mainly in the 26 and up age category. Volunteer Status: There was a relatively even number of respondents who identify themselves as volunteers (53%) compared to non-volunteers (47%). There were more volunteers in the under 30 age category compared to the 31 and up age category.Educational Status and Background: Only 40% of the respondents identify themselves as students compared to 59% of respondents who are not currently students. The are a higher number of respondents who identify themselves as students in the 16-20 age category. The survey sample is fairly educated in the sense that they are literate, they are able to speak and write in English (many also speak other languages fluently), and a large number of respondents have completed primary and secondary education. 55. 2% of respondents have completed or are attending University or College and 20. 9% of respondents have completed or are pursing Post Graduate Studies.Online Activity: All survey respondents have basic access to the Internet, whether it be through an Internet cafe, library, school, work or home computer. 46% of the respondents stated that they are online between 1-10 hours per week. 22. 9% of respondents are online between 11-20 hours and 24. 5% are online for more than 21 hours each week. When asked what they do online, they key reoccurring themes involved communication, research & information searching (including working on projects and employment), music, games & entertainment. The following is a summary of the major online activities respondents are involved in: †¢ Co mmunication: Almost every response made reference to checking e-mail, if not instant messaging and/or chat room use. †¢ Research and information:Most users identified reading various newspapers, searching background information on their interests and using online information resources to aid completion of their work and/or homework as frequent uses. †¢ Work – on projects, employment: Work was often cited as NGO involvement, general employment and the development and maintenance of personal web-pages. †¢ Music, games and entertainment: On-line time is shared among downloading music, playing games and generally related to any other media/entertainment purposes. 5. Defining Youth In looking at how the concept ‘youth’ is defined, there are different notions and interpretations that can be grouped into three major areas.The most common conceptions present youth in the context of having bountiful energy, a sense of leadership, curiosity and vision for th e future. â€Å"Period of the life when we are still dreaming;† said a 30-year-old male, Skopje, Macedonia. Just over half of the survey respondents expressed that ‘youth’ is defined by the age of a person; with most of the respondents in the 13-30 age-group. The next major interpretation of how youth are defined was expressed through various personality characteristics and outlooks on life. â€Å"Vivacious, full of energy, want to make a mark in life, impulsive and one who are not scared to take risks;† said a 19-year-old female, Pune, India. Many descriptions shared by survey respondents clearly define ‘youth’ in a positive and idealistic light.The third major category defining youth focuses on the particular life stage that people are situated in while in transition from being dependents to being independent. â€Å"A person who is starting to enjoy freedom for the first time†¦;† said a 26-year-old male, Harare, Zimbabwe. A key t heme that is frequently repeated throughout this stage of transition is the freedom and lack of constraints that exist compared to older adults who are weighed down by greater responsibilities and societal pressures. Societal institutions develop various mechanisms to train and nurture the development of young people who are at a life stage that allows them to be open-minded, free-spirited, creative and imaginative.There exists a clear correlation between the social conditioning of young people who need to prepare to become adults and the aspirations of adults to re-connect with their ‘youthful creative energy’ in an age where creativity and innovation are highly valued and a scarce resource in large bureaucratic institutions. However, there is both a strong contrast and a connection that exists between notions of ‘youth’ and ‘adult’. A common thread is that both involve age as part of the definition. The following chart highlights the contrast that exists between the most frequent expressions that emerged in response to the questions ‘What words, images and phrases come to mind when you hear the word ‘youth’ and then asked the same question for ‘adult’: Associations with the word ‘Youth’ |Associations with the word ‘Adult’ | |Lack wisdom, need guidance |Caregivers, Standard Setters | |Dreamers, Visionary, Hope for the Future |Critical, Dream-Killers, Few Idealists | |Freedom, Experimentation, Playfulness |Burdened, Busy, Responsibilities | |Open-Minded, Flexible, Innovative |Rigid-Thinking, Stuck, Conservative | |Rebellious, Free-spirited |Professional and traditional | |Innocence, Naive, Potential |Greedy,Corrupt, Selfish | |Disadvantaged, Vulnerable, Unheard Voice |Decision-Makers, Positions of Authority | In reflecting on the nature of the responses to this question, it is important to note that the overall perceptions of ‘adults’ are negative com pared to perceptions of ‘youth. ’ This bias may exist as a result of the sample size which involved 75% of people under the age of 30. It is possible if more adults were surveyed, especially those adults who are less involved and connected to youth networks, there may have been more negative categories for youth. It is also important to keep in mind that certain words and phrases can have both a positive and negative interpretation.For example, depending on the context of the situation, being rebellious can be seen as something that involves creating trouble or struggling towards positive change. Being a dreamer may imply that one has a strong sense of imagination while at the same time, having the potential of being caught up in a fantasy which is never actualized. A variety of the characteristics which describe adults involve ideals which youth often aspire towards attaining such as being a decision-maker or someone in a position of authority. These are perceived atti tudes however there may be more instances where adults feel powerless and that they are not in a position to make decisions. This may help to explain the sense that people have of ‘adults’ being busy and burdened with responsibilities.Overall, there appears to be an interesting generational relationship and potential communication gap that exists which involves both tension and aspiration. The survey results suggest that ‘youth’ can be a great source of energy, vision, hope and potential, while at the same time being vulnerable, voiceless and rebellious. The results also demonstrate that although ‘adults’ can be conservative, critical and rigid in their thinking, ultimately, they are relied on as care-givers, decision-makers and sources of knowledge and authority. The challenge for youth is to find their voice and become empowered without losing their sense of spirit and optimism.The challenge for adults is in finding ways to handle increasing amounts of responsibility and power in a way that doesn’t exclude, ignore or disengage youth, while also reconnecting their own sense of youth. While exploring and more deeply understanding the role of young people in the context of today’s society, it is important to note that generational barriers have existed and persisted throughout the course of history. It is possible that this generation of youth will have greater opportunities to empower themselves to have a voice as a result of the many forums which are emerging, however it is also clear that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in order to allow for positive intergenerational partnership.When we asked the survey respondents to identify the role that they saw youth having within their communities, the most common response across all regions was youth having the role of the student. This makes sense for a variety of reasons. Those participating in the survey are either currently students or have g raduated and feel that since a great deal of time as a young person is spent on learning, whether it be in school or in other contexts such as the home or workplace, it is appropriate that the role Role of Youth The role of youth in realising the dreams of Dr. Kalam â€Å"Dream, dream, dream, your dreams will transform into thoughts, thoughts lead to honest work, work results in action and you will succeed† has been rightly said by Dr. Abul Pakir Jainul Abideen Abdul Kalam. Dreams can be accomplished by youth as they have commitment to action. To quote Jean Ingelow â€Å"Youth! Youth! How buoyant are the hopes; they turn, Like marigolds, towards the sunny side†.Students’ life is meant for studies to become true and responsible citizens, formidable leaders and esteemed legislators as India entails such intellectually alert and adroit disciples. A nation of disciplined youth can travel in the path of progress. They play a crucial mantle in the endeavours for equality and justice. They must assimilate from the very beginning- the lessons of self-help, self-reliance and self-sacrifice. Youth should be jawans and take up arms against the corrupted people and spill the beans o n to the public so as no person ever never has the nerve to indulge in any illegal activities.As sizeable part of Indians are unscholarly and backward who are unknown regarding the new-fangled evolutions, the allegiance falls on us to empower and bring perception to them with latest trends, technologies and scientific inventions. As Shankaracharya says, â€Å"The springs of patriotism are deep rooted in Indians†, we should show it beyond the desire. â€Å"Janani janma bhoomischa swargad api gariyasi† said lord Sri Rama to Lakshmana when the latter, attracted by the opulence of Lanka, expressed an ardent desire to settle down there. Your mother land, great or not, are forsooth greater than a paradise. † Hence, we should comprehend that our mother land is the only place where we can reach maximum glory and recognition. We should also look for jobs within the country and strive for its progress. We must play a paramount role in safeguarding our country by involving ourselves in politics. We are the best judges as we have mentally matured minds to differentiate between good and bad which is prevailing in the society.India being the country of many races, languages, religions and beliefs we should have unity. Thus, said Mark Twain â€Å"India is the cradle of human race, the birth place of human speech, the mother of human history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition†. But despite of this diversity the social structure there has been an unstable unity and affinity which had bound the people of this vast country into a well-knit nation throughout its chequered history.The requisite of maintaining this unity in diversity and national integration is all the more indispensable. We should make people inculcate the ideal â€Å"One flag, one nation, one land, one hand, one heart, evermore! † which eventually leads the country to the pinnacle of success. Women constitute the most pivotal role for the upliftment of our country. The strength of our country depends on them. â€Å"Next to God we are indebted to women first for life itself and then for making it worth living. We should accept equal participation of women in all fields to make the country economically amiable. We should all create a nation which is one of the best places to live in and which brings smiles to the billion faces and also to realize the dreams of our former President, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, a dynamic and versatile person. Therefore, always be ready to walk in the unexplored path as to succeed in life everyone must understand and master three mighty forces- desire, belief and expectation.