Report on International Development

Executive Summary The country of Syria â€Å"is an Asian country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan and Palestine to the south, the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon to the west (Benn 2010 p. 138). Some people like to refer to it as the Euphrates, famous from industrialization and civilization of Mesopotamia.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Report on International Development – Syria specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Syria is in the headlines currently for all the wrong reasons one may say. These reasons are based on the riots to demonstrate about the politics of the country and the struggle for ‘democracy’. Devlin indicates that, â€Å"The People and Their Culture Syria is a Muslim society, that is to say, six out of seven Syrians identify themselves as Muslims† (1983 p. 25). And the â€Å"Syrians still resent th e loss of so many lands and peoples formerly associated with their country. Syria’s people are mostly Arabs, and the major religion is Islam, although there are other ethnic and religious minorities† (Morrison and Woog, 2008 p. 16). Once a revolution is experienced in a state, there may be many reasons for that to happen. One may be able to emancipate people from political tyranny or poor state of the country. Whichever the reasons are, this paper examines why Syria is classified as a developing country. The World Bank definition of developing countries includes all low income and middle income countries (except economies with a population of less than 30000), including countries in transition (Ross and Harmsen, 2001 p.4). The question then should be, is Syria a developing economy country or is it developed? The paper tries to examine the situation in the country focusing mainly on the status of its economy and why the country is a developing country. Statement of the P roblem In the recent past, Syria has hit the headlines because of its security situation. The security situation became worse because of the uprising popularly known as the Arab uprising which hit countries like Libya, Morocco, Egypt and now Syria which are Arab countries. It is rare for the masses to rise against their governments in protest. Uprising usually comes in when people realise they are being oppressed or have been made political slaves of a given family lineage. The situation in the Arab countries has been associated with long serving heads of state. With the world economy dwindling and food prices escalating, the masses have experienced inflation in their houses. Generally, people are facing extreme conditions and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening which may make people to revolt.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Considering the situation in Syria , what would be the state of the economy of Syria? Developing, underdeveloped and developed countries are the terms used to explain the economic status of a country. The characteristics which are common to these countries are specified by the definition itself. Poverty, income and accumulated capital backwardness in technique by the standards of North America, Western Europe and Australia. But even with respect of these characteristics, there are big differences between the under developed countries and the rich under developed countries and is close to the poorest advanced country (Perthes, 2004 p.4). The state of the economy of one country as compared to the other determines whether it will trade competitively. The economic growth of a country as well depends mainly on the policies and legislation that encourages business activities while protecting the consumer. The work of the Central Bank to control the flow of money and curbing of money crimes is also very important. With this information, the basis of this study is set and the main point is to analyse and conclude that Syria is a developing country. It will also be important to analyse the actual state of the economy of Syria. In summative phrase, the main theme is to prove that Syria is considered a developing country. Objectives The main objective of this report is to explain why Syria is a developing country. To achieve this objective, it would be subdivided to more discrete objectives that can be quantified as follows: To find out the indicators of underdevelopment To find out the remedies put in place by the government in improving the state of the economy in Syria To find out the problems preventing the moving out of underdevelopment in Syria and why are the remedies are not being effected effectively What is the political will in the improvement of the economic status What are factors contributing mainly to the state of the economy in Syria As this report tries to sum up the objectives above, i t is proper to state that in Syria, â€Å"a state agricultural policy also becomes more essential, now that the obstacles to expansion of the cultivated area have been removed by mechanization and water control it is time to think of better farming† (Taheri 2002 p. 22). Perhaps these statements that may have been made years ago would have made sense now that the economy is far from a developed country’s economy. Ethical Considerations on the Report The work reported in this work is purely based on the available information from academic and credible internet sources. The report is a collection of information trying to analyse the state of the economy of Syrian as indicated by the scholarly and other peoples work. The report is none biased to the best of the ability of the writer. However, some of the information may not be verified but the sources of the information are credible. Extreme care is to taken in giving fair reporting of the information and as accurate as po ssible. It would be awkward to imply religion, racial or even economic discrimination. The careful selection of the sources of information presented in this report gives it the credibility that may be desired.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Report on International Development – Syria specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other issues relating to copying someone else’s work without person is well taken care of by citation and actual request for information. Otherwise, all information relating to information rights were strictly adhered to. The work is also presented in a way that does not prejudice the Syrian people in any way. The Economic Status as Indicated by World Bank Economy (2010) GDP $59.4 billion Real growth rate (2010) 3.0%. Per capita GDP (2010) $2,893. Natural resources Petroleum, phosphates, iron, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower. Agricu lture Products–wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets, and other fruits and vegetables; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, and other dairy products. Arable land–33%. Industry: Types–petroleum, textiles, pharmaceuticals, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seed extraction, and car assembly. Trade: Exports (2010 est.)–$12.84 billion: crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fibre, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat. Major markets (2007)–Italy 22%, France 11%, Saudi Arabia 10%, Iraq 5%, Egypt 4%, Jordan 4%. Imports (2008 est.)–$17.2 billion f.o.b.: machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, and paper. Major suppliers (2007)–Russia 10%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Ukraine 6%, South Korea 5%, Turkey 4%. In 2010 the European Union (EU) was Syria’s biggest trading partner, accounting for 22.5% of Syrian trade, followed by Iraq (13.3%), Saudi Arabia (9%) and China (6.9%.) Turkey was in fifth place with 6.6% and Russia was ninth with 3%. *according to International Monetary Fund (IMF 2010) statistics The data above shows the average transactions in terms of the economic activities being carried out by the Syrian people in income generation. These factors generally explain the state of the economy. The relationship between exports and economic growth, including the direction of causality between the two variables has been a subject of much debate in the international economics literature over the past two decades (Kaushik, Arbenser and Klein 2008 p. 155). It is vividly clear that the relationship between imports and exports of a particular country mainly determines the state of the economy. Despite this fact, other players may come like the ability of the citizens to afford basic needs like food, cloth ing and shelter. From the above report of World Bank, it is clear that Syria is a developing country. According to Benn (2010, p.8), â€Å"in its extreme form, it is characterized by lack of basic human needs such as adequate and nutritious food, clothing, clean water and health services.† Agba et al (2009, p. 1) believe that poverty is a state where people lack basic human commodities which are inadequate food, clothes and housing. If the poverty level of a country is that one that 20% or more people are living below the poverty line then, even if the country has a balanced importation versus exportation, it is terribly underdeveloped. When we look at the economic indicators in comparison with the population, an assumption that one can make is that the country is a middle economy country. A middle economy country is a country that is developing at a very high rate per year. The Syria crisis could be a deterrence of the growth. The installation of proper development policies that encourage investment both local and international would be a brilliant thing that any government must do. Another thing is that the government must be in a position to work ways of increasing exports in other goods other than petroleum products and tourism so as to encourage foreign income.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The World Bank (2012) classifies countries using some Criteria. According to World Bank (2012), â€Å"Economies are divided according to 2010 GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method.† The groups are classified as; low income, $1,005 or less; lower middle income, $1,006 – $3,975; upper middle income, $3,976 – $12,275; and high income, $12,276 or more (â€Å"Data† 2012). From the assumption, Syria is a developing economy. Array of Indicators What would be the indicators of underdevelopment in Syria? A nation that is developing is defined as country whose cumulative average income is much below that of industrialised states. Such economies are characterised by low volumes of exports and traditional agricultural techniques. Food supply in these countries does not meet the demands of the population. â€Å"Developing nations have also been called underdeveloped nations,† (Hirsch, Kett and Trefil 2102 pp. 316). Having this in mind, on e can be able to list the indicators of Syria as a developing country. From the IMF classification, it is evident that Syria is a middle lower income country. According to Syria Agriculture (2012), the following indicators are listed: â€Å" Farming methods are crude: The average farmer’s reliance on out dated and inefficient irrigation methods is a major obstacle to improving agricultural outputs. The introduction of drip, sprinkler, and subsurface irrigation methods is handicapped because of the limited amount of money available to the common farmer. Because of these shortcomings, Syria is susceptible to food shortages during long droughts.† The decline of oil reserves, therefore, casts a shadow of uncertainty on the sustainability of the current Syrian economic program as oil revenues decline, the government could be faced with hard times (Cavendish 2006 pp. 280). This kind of economic activity is serious pegged on the amount of the reserves that are available for export. The economy mainly depends on the oil industry but it is affected by extremist activities and terrorism. Sometimes the country has been put under economic sanctions which are not healthy. According to Sukkar (2006, p.33), â€Å"Al-Utri attributed the moderate performance of the Syrian economy to eight negative factors which will be explored more fully in the subsequent analysis: Weakness in the performance of some economic sectors and low personal income Population growth pressures Dependency of export on declining oil production Small return on investment Low levels of national and foreign investments Low productivity and growing unemployment Low levels of wages and corresponding low levels of incentives Poor technical standards in the production sectors.† The indicators listed above are characteristics of an unstable middle economy of the state of Syria. It is clear that if there is a problem in any economy in its production and labour channels, then one can conc lude that the economy is facing hard times in the economic development of the country. With the facts presented, it is evident that the economy of this country needs a number of remedies in order to forge forward and move away from a low middle income economy to a higher middle income economy as the oil reserves are getting depleted. Therefore, one can conclude that Syria is a developing country (United Nations Development Program, 2012). Remedies of the indicators of Underdevelopment In every situation a country gets into, there are avenues through which it can forge its prosperity ahead. This purely depends on the political will and the workmanship of the people of the country. The policies that will be designed and followed to the later will enable the country to do great things in economic development. Syria put in place such remedies to the obstacles of development in the country and are examined below. At times, the economic policies of a country do not rhyme with the demand o f its local market thereby, going against each other. This in turn makes it difficult for the government to go beyond its boundaries to look for foreign markets (â€Å"AKDN† 2012). The country is using development partners in wealth creation and foreign investments to increase employment opportunities which are not enough for the ever growing population. A high population may be a very good market for locally produced goods but if production is not sufficient, there is extreme pressure on the available products. That will cause an undesirable effect of high prices and occasional lack of commodities for sale. The increase in population should be looked at carefully and be controlled as much as possible with regard to the growth of the economy. For instance, â€Å"the Aga Khan foundation introduced the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture which are proposing investments that will combine tourism development with conservation and re- use of landmark monuments, rehabilitation of historic areas, urban planning, and wide-ranging socio-economic development to boost living conditions in historic areas and create new opportunities for residents† (Aga Khan Development Network 2012). This may help in the improvement of the tourism sector which will increase employment opportunities in Syria. Talking about policies that affect both international and local business in the country is a thing that the government has been trying to do in order to make the country sail ahead. Simmers et al (2008, p.67) stated that, â€Å"as indicated by the U.S. Library of Congress, spot shortages of basic commodities occurred frequently and industry operated far below capacity because of routine power outages. Foreign exchange reserves plummeted, the trade deficit widened, and real gross domestic product (GDP) growth fell as economic difficulties compounded. Although the government instituted limited reforms to respond to the burgeoni ng crisis, Syria’s pressing economic problems required a radically restructured economic policy to improve future economic performance†. It is clear that the policy makers and implementers have not thought of far reaching effects of the policies they make and try to implement. Its trade partners like Iraq have been in a series of crisis activities which have been making trade with its neighbours very difficult. It is recorded that Iraq that was under war had sanctions but since Syria is its neighbour, it was allowed to trade with it (Simmmers et al 2008, p.9). As it engaged in the trade of essential commodities, the country helped Iraq to smuggle oil to other countries which was against the sanctions that were put. This made Syria to be charged at the United Nations Security council and later, Iraq was attached and it lost because the pipeline they purported they were trying was destroyed. These and many more instability issues affected largely its endeavours in economi c policies hence, dragging it to be a developing economy (Aldosari 2002, p.6). Modernisation theory, â€Å"sees economic development as a process by which traditional societies become more complex and differentiated, in order for economic development to take place, modernisation theory proposes that countries have to change their traditional attitudes, values and institutions† (Andersen and Taylor 2007 p. 252). Syria however, did not embrace much change in its development. For instance, it did not open the internet services as fast and the telecommunication facilities were so much controlled by the government. If some of these ways of disseminating information cannot be liberalised so that people can communicate freely and effectively, a country may lag behind. A number of Syrians are Muslim extremists which mean that they had to conserve some values that may not be good for economic development. An example perhaps could be the fact that Muslim women cannot work in a bar woul d really affect the tourism sector in one way or another. Things like satellite TV, Facebook, twitter and other social networks were not allowed in the country. The information system was strictly controlled implying that there was no innovation or even copying from the outer world. However, since the effects of these restrictions were evident, the government allowed people to access social sites. In February 2011, Syria announced on a Wednesday that it would reopen access to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. For the first time since 2007, Syrians were able to access these sites freely without going through proxy servers abroad (â€Å"France 24†, 2011). As the news spread, the internet activity was evident because people who were under restriction and had devised mechanisms of manoeuvring around found using the facility very easy. Some sites and blogs were never left open to the public. This may have been confused with westernisation which in their view is a bad t hing. The hate of the so called Western Culture would have influenced the thinking. This in itself indicates signs of a developing country. Analysis of the Alternative Perspectives Dependency In any country, the dependency ratio is very critical in its economic status. If the economy’s population is largely containing working youth with less people depending on them, the growth of the economy may be fast. The Age dependency ratio of the old (% of working age population) in Syria was last reported at 6.67% in 2010, and the age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) in Syria was last reported at 69.05 in 2010 according to a World Bank report released in 2011 (Trading Economics 2012). This indicates the population that depends on the working population is very high hence, a slow growth in development. If this won’t change in a few years, then Syria may as well retard back to the low income economy rather than a developing economy that it is right now. Post Colonia lism Chaitani’s goal is to show that the approaches to economic relations between Syria and Lebanon before and after independence did not necessarily follow the lines that one would have expected (2008 p. 268). He first lists three main groups of economic and political voices which are Syrian Arab nationalists, Lebanese Arab nationalists and Lebanese nationalists. These divisions within the Syrian people did not work well for the economy of the country. Some of them were seen to be detrimental to the economy of the country because of the extremist’s activities within the Syrian economy. It is clear that a divided nation with political agitation is not healthy to economic development but scares aware investments. Localism In plain words, localism is the use of political philosophies which prioritize the local, that mainly support local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identity. Clea rly, this is something that can affect trade directly in the Syrian Republic. Trade is something that must involve exchange of goods and services. Syria has to be ready to buy goods from countries it sells oil to. Critical Feminist Hooks indicates that, â€Å"feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and exploitation† (2000 p. 1). For sure, the past was so blurred because any economic opportunity was mainly directed to men. This meant that women cannot do certain things in the society just because they are women. This has remained an issue in Syria for quite long because of the traditional and religious beliefs. Country’s that embraced the feminism strategy surely realised changes in lifestyles because the number of dependants on the working was drastically reduced. For Syria, this is still a challenge. Religious Views Other factors that can affect the economy are things that people believe in and which define their way of life. Religion can be defined as the spiritual beliefs and practices of an individual (Simmers et al. 2008 p. 291). Religion obviously affects people’s way of life and their day to day activities. Some religious practices are backward whereas others enable people to practice moderation in all that they do which is a good thing. In Syria however, Islamic extremism has made the economy to have little or no progress at all. Conclusion In conclusion, it is clear that Syria is a low middle economy country referred to as a developing country. With its numerous economic issues like unemployment, classify it as an underdeveloped country. Its economy solely depends on oil production, tourism and commerce. Industrialisation is not coming out clearly. Another issue is that it has been in various political crises, its neighbours too have experienced political instabilities which has adversely affected its economy from time to time. Its implication of helping Iraq to smuggle oil outside the sanctions that had been pu t on them was a setback in its economic operations. Reference List Agba, M., et al 2009, Poverty, Food Insecurity and the Rebranding Question in Nigeria, Canadian Social Science, Vol. 5, No. 6,Pp., Canadian Research Development Centre of Sciences and Cultures. Aga Khan Development Network 2012. Web. Aldosari, A. 2002, Middle East, western Asia, and northern Africa, Marshall Cavendish, Singapore. Andersen, M. Taylor, H. 2007, Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society, Belmont, California. Benn, T. 2010, Muslim Women and Sport, Taylor Francis Publishers, New York. Cavendish, M. 2006, World and Its Peoples, Marshall Cavendish, New York, NY. Chaitani, Y. 2007, Post-Colonial Syria and Lebanon: The Decline of Arab Nationalism and the Triumph of the State, Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 19, no. 2, Tauris, London. Hirsch, E., Kett, J. Trefil, A. 2002, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, NY. Hooks, B. 2000, Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionat e Politics, Pluto Press, London. IMF, 2010, Syria, Journal on Syrian Arab Republic, Vol 167, International Monetary Fund Publication Services, Washington D.C. Kaushik K., Arbenser, L., Klein K. 2008, Export Growth, Export Instability, Investment and Economic Growth in India: a Time Series Analysis, The Journal of Developing Areas, Vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 155+, via ProQuest LLC. Morrison, J. Woog, A. 2008, Syria, 2nd Edition, InfoBase Publishing, New York. Perthes, V. 2004, Economic Challenges and Policy Responses. Web. Ross, D. and Harmsen, R. 2001, Official Financing for Developing Countries, International Monetary Fund Press, Washington, DC. Simmmers, A., et al. 2008, Diversified Health Occupations, 7th Edition, Cengage Learning, Clifton Park, NY. Sukkar, N. 2006, Pitfalls Along Reform Road, Oxford Business Group, Lebanon. Syria Agriculture 2012, Information about Agriculture in Syria. Web. Taheri, A, 2002, An Alternative Syrian Voice: Meet Nabil Sukkar, National Review Online Journ al, Vol 3, No. 2, Syrian Embassy. The World Bank 2012, How we Classify Countries. Trading Economics 2012, Age Dependency Ratio: Syria. Web. United Nations Development Program 2006, Human Development Report. Web. This report on Report on International Development – Syria was written and submitted by user Hugo Mccarthy to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Child Support Example

Child Support Example Child Support – Coursework Example Child Support Child Support In the United s, the enforcement of child support is a function of the local and ities, which are mandated to enforce child support policies and laws. It is only in few circumstances that the federal government takes part in issues related to child support. Issues relating to child support should be reported to the local and state enforcement agencies and authorities. An assessment of the child support in the United States reveals that it is being enforced to the fullest. The relevant authorities ensure that parents provide financial support to children who are in their custody. Enough is being done in child support enforcement since the state and local authorities conduct regular assessments to ensure children receive the necessary care from their care-givers. In instances when caregivers are unable to provide support to the children, the state government intervenes and provides financial aid to the child (Morgan, 2011).Enough is being done in terms of ch ild support since the government prosecutes the parents who violate child support. Parents who fail to provide moral and social support to their children are considered as law violators. The failure to pay child support is illegal under the United States law. Some of the penalties that arise from the failure to pay child support include imprisonment and fines. In every state, there is a program that enhances child support enforcement. The state governments play a crucial role in establishing paternity and implementing child support orders. Low-income families are assisted to meet the needs of children through welfare programs that set aside monies for the children (Morgan, 2011). ReferencesMorgan, L. W. (2011). Child support guidelines: Interpretation and application. New York: Aspen Pub.

Sample Application Essay for College Admissions

Sample Application Essay for College Admissions The sample application essay below was written by Felicity for personal essay option #4 of the pre-2013 Common Application: Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. With the current Common Application, the essay could work well for essay option #1  that asks students to share a story about something that is central to their identity. Note that Felicitys essay is from before the Common Application implemented the current 650-word length limit. Felicitys College Application Essay PorkopolisIn the South, where I grew up, pork is a vegetable. Actually, it’s used as a â€Å"seasoning,† but so commonly that it’s almost impossible to find salad without bacon, greens without fatback, white beans free of pinkish shreds of ham. It was difficult for me, then, when I decided to become a vegetarian. The decision itself, made for the usual reasons of health, ethics and ecological conservation, was easy; putting it into practice, however, was another matter. At every restaurant, every school lunch, every church potluck, every family gathering, there was meat- in the entrà ©e, the sides, the condiments. I suspected even innocent-seeming pie crusts of secretly harboring lard.Eventually I worked out a system: I brought my own lunches to school, asked servers about the broth used in the soup of the day, avoided the usual suspects of beans and greens. This system worked well enough in public, but at home, I faced the challenge of respecting my parents and harmoniously sharing meals with them. They were excellent cooks, both of them, and I had always enjoyed the country-fried steaks, burgers and ribs they’d served to me for so many years- how could I now say â€Å"no† to those delicacies without angering or inconveniencing them, or, worse, hurting their feelings?I couldn’t. And so, I backslid. I’d manage to live a pure, meatless life for a few weeks, subsisting on pasta and salads. Then, Dad would grill an especially juicy teriyaki-marinated flank steak, look at me hopefully, and offer a slice- and I would accept. I’d mend my ways, steam rice and stir-fry snow peas with mushrooms . . . and crumble at the first whiff of the Thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven and the proud smile on my mother’s face. My noble goals, it seemed, were doomed.But then, I found a role model, one who demonstrated to me that I could live without meat and still be a functioning member of society, eschew my parents ’ pork chops and fried chicken without giving offense. I wish I could say that I was inspired by one of history’s great artists like Leonardo da Vinci, or a leader and inventor like Benjamin Franklin, but no. My inspiration was Lisa Simpson.Let me pause here to acknowledge how absurd it is to be inspired by an animated sitcom character, albeit one as smart and together as Lisa. Yet it was the very absurdity of feeling, somehow, moved by Lisa’s resolve and strength of character, her refusal to compromise her beliefs, that convinced me I could follow her example. In the pivotal episode, Lisa is tortured by visions of the lamb whose chops provide her family’s dinner. â€Å"Please, Lisa, don’t eat me!† the imaginary lamb implores her. She is moved by ethics, yet almost breaks her resolution when Homer prepares a pig roast and is hurt by his daughter’s refusal to partake. Like me, Lisa is torn between her convictions and her fear of disapp ointing her father (not to mention the undeniable deliciousness of pork). But she manages to explain her beliefs to Homer and show him that her rejection of meat is not a rejection of him- that she can share his table and his love while still living according to her principles.Again, I admit- as inspirations go, this one is a little ridiculous. No imaginary lamb-conscience spoke to me, and unlike Lisa, I was not able to celebrate my vegetarian lifestyle by triumphantly singing with Quickie-Mart manager Apu and guest stars Paul and Linda McCartney. But seeing the very obstacles that stymied me being overcome by a yellow-skinned, spiky-haired caricature was so silly that my difficulties, too, seemed silly. â€Å"Well heck,† I thought, â€Å"if Lisa Simpson- a cartoon character, for heaven’s sake- can stick to her guns, then so can I.†So I did. I told my parents that I had decided to really commit myself to vegetarianism, that this was not a passing phase, that I was not judging or seeking to convert them, but that this was simply something I had decided for myself. They agreed, perhaps a bit patronizingly, but as the months went on and I continued to forego the chicken in my fajitas and the sausage gravy on my biscuits, they became more supportive. We worked together on compromise. I took on a larger role in preparing the meals, and reminded them to please use vegetable stock in the potato soup and to reserve a separate pot of plain spaghetti sauce before adding the ground beef. When we attended a potluck, we made sure that one of the dishes we brought was a meatless entrà ©e, so that I would be guaranteed at least one edible dish at the pork-laden table.I did not tell my parents, or anyone else, that Lisa Simpson had helped me say no, forever, to eating meat. Doing so would cast the decision, one that many teenagers passionately make for a few months and then abandon, in the light of well-intentioned immaturity. But Lisa did help me live a more healthy, ethical, and ecologically sound life- to say no to pork, in all its guises. Critique of Felicitys College Admissions Essay Overall, Felicity has written an excellent essay for her Common Application. She does, however, take a few risks that could backfire. The comments below examine the essays many strengths as well as a few of the potential problems. The Essay Topic Felicity has certainly avoided some of the worst essay topics, but when students are asked to write about a fictional or historical figure for an application essay, admissions officers expect to find an essay on one of the likely suspects like Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, or Albert Einstein. For fiction and art, applicants tend to think big- a Jane Austen heroine, a Monet painting, a Rodin sculpture, a Beethoven symphony. So what are we to make of an essay that focuses on a seemingly trivial cartoon character like Lisa Simpson? Put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. Its tedious reading through thousands of college applications, so anything that jumps out as unusual can be a good thing. At the same time, the essay cant be so quirky or superficial that it fails to reveal the writers skills and character. Felicity takes a risk in her essay by focusing on a rather silly fictional role model. However, she handles her topic well. She acknowledges the strangeness of her focus, and at the same time she produces an essay that really isnt about Lisa Simpson. The essay is about Felicity, and it succeeds in showing her depth of character, her inner conflicts and her personal convictions. The Essay Title Titles can be difficult which is why many applicants skip them. Dont. A  good title  can grab your readers attention and make him or her eager to read your essay.   Porkopolis doesnt make clear what the essay is about,   but the strange title still manages to make us curious and pull us into the essay. In fact, the titles strength is also its weakness. What exactly does porkopolis mean?. Will this essay be about pigs, or is it about a metropolis with too much pork-barrel spending? Also, the title doesnt tell us what character or work of art Felicity will be discussing. We want to read the essay to understand the title, but some readers might appreciate a little more information in the title. The Tone of Felicitys Essay Among the essential writing tips  for a winning essay is the inclusion of  a little humor to keep the essay fun and engaging. Felicity manages humor with wonderful effect. At no point is her essay shallow or flip, but her catalog of southern pork dishes and introduction of Lisa Simpson are likely to receive a chuckle from her reader. The essays humor, however, is balanced with a serious discussion of a challenge Felicity faced in her life. Despite the choice of Lisa Simpson as a role model, Felicity comes across as a thoughtful and caring person who struggles to mesh the needs of others with her own convictions. An Assessment of the Writing Felicitys essay is from before the current 650-word limit on Common Application essays. At about 850 words, the essay would need to lose 200 words to comply with the new guidelines. When it was written, however, Felicitys essay was a good length, particularly because theres no obvious fluff or digression. Also, Felicity is clearly a strong writer. The prose is graceful and fluid. The mastery of style and language marks Felicity as a writer who would be capable of performing well at the countrys  top colleges  and  universities. Felicity grabs our attention with her humorous first sentence, and the essay holds our interest throughout because of the shifts between the serious and the whimsical, the personal and the universal, the real and the fictional. The sentences mirror these shifts as Felicity moves between short and long phrases, and simple and complex sentence structures. There are most likely strict grammarians who would object to Felicitys liberal use of the dash and her lack of the word and to introduce the final items in some of her lists. Also, someone might take issue with her use of conjunctions (and, yet, but) as transitional words at the beginnings of sentences. Most readers, however, will view Felicity as a dexterous, creative, and talented writer. Any breaking of the rules in her writing works to create a positive rhetorical effect. Final Thoughts on Felicitys Application Essay Like most good essays, Felicitys is not without risk. She could run up against an admissions officer who thinks the choice of Lisa Simpson trivializes the purpose of the personal essay. However, a careful reader will quickly recognize that Felicitys essay is  not trivial. Sure, Felicity may be grounded in popular culture, but she emerges from the essay as a writer who loves her family but is not afraid to stand up for her own convictions. She is caring and thoughtful, playful and serious, inward and outward looking. In short, she sounds like a great person to invite to join ones campus community.

Cybersecurity Best Practices Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cybersecurity Best Practices - Assignment Example The safety of one’s computer, network or personal information need to be protected by viruses, identity thieves, malware and any other form of threat. The steps to be taken to protect the above and safeguard personal systems shall be addressed in relation to two case studies analysed herein. Upon receiving a new computer for the home environment, it is necessary to ensure this system is as secure as possible. Both the computer and the home network need to be protected from viruses, hackers and malware. The home network should be guarded from external threats because it is used to perform sensitive transactions such as online banking services, online shopping among others that may require one to share private information. It is this information that hackers seek access to, in order to attempt to steal a person’s identity and use their credit card information or bank details, for example, to access the victim’s finances. In addition to numerous security tools and programs that one can install into their computer and use to keep the system secure, it is advisable to take an interest in hacking methods, so that one knows when their system is under threat. It is due to this type of negligence that many victims fail to prepare themselves properly in case of an attack. This lack of preparedness has also seen efforts to recover from cyber-attacks rendered ineffective. Such information can be found online in trusted websites, with training on the latest hacking methods and scams being identified and addressed. It is therefore important for individuals to take up some time and learn about hacking and methods of countering the same. In order to secure this type of network, the following steps should be undertaken. The setting up of a home network has the advantage that an individual can have access to the internet from any point within the premises either

Sense of purpose and achieving happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sense of purpose and achieving happiness - Essay Example We are endlessly searching to find happiness within the bounds of what is tangible and existent around us,oftentimes limiting ourselves within the confines of material gains, wealth and luxury How we define happiness is contingent with our very own beliefs, values, philosophy, ideals, achievement, preferences and the world around us. Some people associate happiness with the word "contentment," in belief that one can only find true happiness if he is complacent and self-satisfied of who he is and what he have gained. We relentlessly pursuit happiness - in as simple as purchasing a classic novel to pursuing a career in law may all be our goal to attain joy, contentment and thus, happiness in life. As we achieve our primary goals and sufficiently feed ourselves with basic needs and desires, we tend to aim more, work more and achieve the greater good that will ultimately bring satisfaction and pleasant state of consciousness. And on the course of finding happiness, we then realize the th ings that will truly make us happy lies not on luxury but on a deeper sense of purpose for ourselves. We tend to explore more on the other side and look for something that will make our lives worth living. There will come to a point that our views about happiness may change and that we are compelled to create a purpose other that achieving the feeling of happiness. In her online article entitled, Is Happiness Overrated?, Wang explained that "people who focus on living with a sense of purpose as they age are more likely to remain cognitively intact, have better mental health and even live longer than people who focus on achieving feelings of happiness." It apparently suggests that happiness is not limited to extrinsic rewards such as money, work incentives and the like, rather it connotes a deeper sense of achievement and of self-satisfaction way beyond of what we can see and touch. The same idea revolves around a theory of what Aristotle called "eudaimonia." Although this is mistran slated and used interchangeably as happiness, Aristotle interpreted it as a virtue of good spirit, personal well-being as the chief goal of men. He discusses a more robust concept of happiness that is something we can obtain from the inside and not from the outside. It constitutes not only the subjective state of doing and feeling well, but it also corresponds to the idea of being loved and virtuous. His principle helped us establish two distinct characteristics of personality with differing perspectives on the concept of happiness. "Eudaimonic well-being" parallels with people who are living with a sense of purpose - those who would rather opt to go on volunteering, providing elderly care or pursuing further studies that will give a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment (Wang, "Is Happiness Overrated?"). In contrary, the "hedonic well-being" coincides with people who focus on achieving feelings of joy and happiness. These people tend to seek short-term and momentary happiness thr ough status and material gain - purchasing a large LCD flat screen television or driving the latest sports car in town. However, Wang noted that for over the past five to 10 years, psychologists have investigated the unique effects on physical and psychological health of eudaimonic versus hedonic types of happiness. In fact, researchers say that "too much focus on feeling happy can actually lead to feeling less happy" (Wang, â€Å"Is Happiness Overrated†). The conclusion implies the paradox of intentionally searching for happiness and the feeling of being entertained, pleased or elated can eventually stresses you out. This may leave us frustrated if we are not able to realize our goals and meet expectations we have set for ourselves. Moreover, in a study conducted by Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, they found out that "those reporting a lesser sense of purpose in life were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease compar ed with those reporting

Social Consequence of the Internet for Adolescents Essay Example for Free

Social Consequence of the Internet for Adolescents Essay Social consequences of the internet for adolescents. â€Å"Obviously, when media use changes, its outcomes may change. Because adolescents now predominantly use the Internet to maintain their existing friendships, the condition for negative effects of the Internet on social connectedness and well-being no longer exists. It is no surprise, therefore, that most recent Internet studies have demonstrated that adolescents’ online communication stimulates, rather than reduces, social con- nectedness and/or well-being. For example, in a 2-year follow- up study based on their initial sample of Internet novices, Kraut et al. 2002) found that Internet use improved social connect- edness and well-being. Several other recent studies have dem- onstrated significantly positive relationships between online communication (mostly IM) and adolescents’ social connected- ness and/or well-being (e. g. , Bessie` re, Kiesler, Kraut, amp; Boneva, 2008; Valkenburg amp; Peter, 2007a). However, these positive results are only found for adolescents who use the Internet predominantly to maintain existing friendships (Bessie`re et al. , 2008). When they use it primarily to form new contacts and talk with strangers, the positive effects do not hold (Bessie`re et al. 2008; Valkenburg amp; Peter, 2007b). † The study shows that adolescents strive for more friendships online then they do when they are face to face. The study shows that males open up more online then they do in person. Being online helps them express their feeling better through online self disclosure. The challenges these teens face as a result of technology, I believe is balancing the two of them. For a teen who is very open online, but when they get into a personal setting cannot display the same social skills, then that could hurt some of their friendships. They are almost living a double life. Online they are this larger than life personality. When they are in person they are an introvert. Social development for our grandparents was very different. If they did not go out and make friends, then they had none. Everything for them was face to face. Their was no technology for keeping in touch other than the telephone, but even that was not used the same. Back in those days there were a lot more social gatherings. And when they had the gatherings a lot of people would attend. Because, that’s how they kept in touch with each other. Reference: Social Consequences of the Internet for Adolescents, Patti M. Valkenburg and Jochen Peter

Legend that College Roommates Death Boosts GPA Essay -- Urban Legends

Dead Man's Curve--College Roommate's Death Boosts GPA Introduction and Background The legend I collected was one that I had heard before, although this version differed a little from the way I remember it. The storyteller was a 19 year-old male first year student at the University. He’s from Columbia, and his dad works in business while his mother is a homemaker. The telling of this story took place at the diner after we had finished eating: Well, my brother told me one his first summer back from attending University. He had heard the story one late night just before finals were supposed to begin. He was with a small group of friends and he had told him that he was worried about his grades. That was when a friend joked, â€Å"Well, if you’re desperate, you could kill your roommate.† The friend then elaborated that if his roommate died he magically would receive straight A’s for that semester. Context I had first heard of this legend when I saw movie on television called â€Å"Dead Man on Campus.† The film originally came out in the fall of 1998, but I had not seen it until 2003. I asked my subject if he had seen or heard of the movie. He told me that he had not. Although this legend may at first appear to be fairly straightforward, my research has shown that this legend exists in several forms. In the film version that I known, after hearing about a campus policy that gives a 4.0 to anyone if their roommate commits suicide, two freshman try to find a third roommate who is suicidal and push him over the edge. There are differences between the story I am familiar with and the story that was told to me by my subject. In my version, the death had to be a suicide while in my subject’s version any... .... The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings. New York: W.W. Norton, 1981. Butcher, James N. "Assessment in Clinical Psychology: A Perspective on the Past, Present Challenges, and Future Prospects." Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 13(3)(2006): 205-209. IMDb. 2007. The Internet Movie Database. 1 April 2007. http://www.imdb.com/. Mikkelson , Barbara. "Urban Legends Reference Pages: Grade Expectations." Urban Legends Reference Pages. 03 Mar 2007. Retrieved on 1 April 2007. http://www.snopes.com/college/admin/suicide.asp. Mortenson, Tom . "Suicide Among 15 to 24 Year Olds by Gender 1940 to 1998." Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY Number 132Jun 2003 01 April 2007. http://www.postsecondary.org/archives/previous/117302SUICIDE.pdf. Reisberg, Leo. "Hollywood Discovers an Apocryphal Legend." Chronicle of Higher Education (1998).