Library Descriptions and Challenges

The name of the library, which we are concerned with, is Clayton and it is a county library system. The library began in January 1941 by Jonesboro women’s club and at that time, it had 200 books only (McCook, 2011). A certain women’s club rented a room along the old Jones Brothers Department store on south Main Street. The club’s first librarian was Mary Barnette.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Library Descriptions and Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Around 1960, Jonesboro library was built near Flint River Regional Library System that had its headquarters in Griffin. The alliance gave permission to citizens of Clayton to be using the books and staff at large. Later in 1964, Jonesboro library was started and around 1966, it opened another branch; the present Jonesboro branch. Around 1967, the Forest Park Branch was opened at Main Street in Forest Park. The next branch was Riverd ale, opened around GA highway 85 near upper  Riverdale Road. Morrow branch followed later in 1975 and it was located on the old Rex Road on a store front. By 1981, the Clayton county libraries had become so successful with the Flint River Regional System and since then, the fame of Clayton County Library System began to increase (McCook, 2011). The headquarters of the library were built in 1988 on Battle Creek and was followed closely by the Morrow branch in 1991, built on Maddox road. Riverdale branch was next and it was built on Valley Hill Road by 1998. The Lovejoy Branch was the 6th and last since then and it was constructed in 2005 on McDonough Road (Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, 2009). Organization and Governance of the Library The Clayton library has clay county board of commissioners with Eldrin Bell being their chairman and the library board of trustees has Judy Serritela as their chairperson (Stockham, 1969). From the chairman, the hierarchy goes down to Carol J Stewar t, who is the chief of staff next to director library services. Next, there are departments of technical service headquarters, community services, youth services, information technology, branch services and collection development headed by various assistant directors. The headquarters managing librarian is Sherry Turner and at the lowest levels, there are small departments like; youth service librarian, technical assistant, and part time assistants among others (Stockholm, 1969).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Service Populations In Clayton county library, there are friendly staffs ready to attend to client’s questions and recommend reading materials (Kelly, 1966).The library has got free computers for public use, which are connected to the internet and installed with Microsoft office software like word and PowerPoint in addition to the availability of free typewrit ers to its clients. The children section computers have got educational software and word processing software (Kelly, 1966). There is wireless internet access in all its branches and the headquarters have got two dedicated legal research computers. Adult literacy information and referral subscriptions are there for over 150 magazines and newspapers. Multi-purpose rooms are also available for the sake of; not for profit organizations, academic and cultural activities in all branches except Jonesboro branch. Furthermore, there are Federal and State tax Forms and voter registration forms. Holds may be placed on PINES libraries in person, online or on phone. Books may be borrowed from other PINES libraries at no cost from any library PINE throughout the state. The system has got library inter-loan allowing individuals to borrow books from outside libraries, out of the PINES network and only the postage costs incurred are paid. Moreover, the library has monthly program calendar of events , online resources and live homework help (Kelly, 1966). The Brief History of the Library The Clayton library was founded in January 1941, with the support of Jonesboro women’s club and at the beginning it had only 200 books. All these books were initially borrowed from the WPA by the women’s club. By then, there was no specific building designed for the library but instead, they rented a room on the south Main Street across the rail depot above the old Jones Brothers Department. Mrs. Mary Barnette had a chance of being its first librarian (Bobinski, 1969). Jonesboro library was put together with the Flint River. In 1960, the alliance allowed the regional library system and its headquarters were in Griffin where citizens were allowed to access the large collection of books, professional librarians and bookmobile services available. At the end of 1964, the library grew in fame until 1966 when it was officially opened in its current Jonesboro library branch location.Adve rtising We will write a custom report sample on Library Descriptions and Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 1967, Forest Park branch opened on Main Street in Forest Park, which was followed by Riverdale branch in 1970 and it was located in GA highway 85 near upper Riverdale. This was followed closely by the Morrow branch in 1975, which was opened in a store front on Old Rex Road (Bobinski, 1969). By 1981, the library system had been formed while its headquarters was built in 1988 on the road of Battle Creek. In 1991, Morrow branch was built on Maddox Road followed by Riverdale branch in 1998 in Valley Hill Road. The final branch, which is Lovejoy, was opened in January 2005, on the McDonough Road (Bobinski, 1969). This branch was the sixth one in the growth of the libraries. The Geographical Service Area of the Library The project is located in a place called Jonesboro found in Georgia, between the southeast ends of H artsfield International Airport (Barnett, 1987). This is ranked to be among the busiest airports in the globe. A strip is said to exist between the two projects and it is said to be folksy; a hand painted where a person can pull with a pick up along side. This way, the ZZ top can come to you through an open window and in this place; information is searched for practical reasons and for personal history. The library is actually a filling station for information for life (Barnett, 1987). The site is well bounded on the north by Battle Creek Road, on the East by Jester’s Creek and its more associated flood plain, a wooded area lush with a lot of hardwood and pines. In the south and west, it is by other county facilities. The library building is located on the south portion of the site, directly in front of the building. The plan is well organized around two creeks where the north-south axis connects the parking lot, entrance and circulation desk (Barnett, 1987). This axis inters ects an east-west axis at ninety degrees and connects the woods and flood plain east of the site. The building is functionally organized into two areas; which are the administration and the public area. The public area tends to occupy a large, open room oriented to the woods and creeks. There is a monitor dividing the space and emphasizing the line of travel towards the genealogy collection (Barnett, 1987). The roofs of the space spring toward the east and the woods which are arranged to fan up on the southward direction and allow the north to enter at each step.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 services of children are located at the lower space and the general location with the tallest stacks; being located where the roof is at the highest. The structure is actually a steel frame with long span truss joists of wood and galvanized steel. The foundations are concrete footings and the exterior skin is combined into metal sidings with a variety of textures and patterns (Barnett, 1987). Source: (Clayton County Library System, 2010). The Mission Statement of the University The mission of the university is to contribute to the success of the citizens  of our diverse community by offering a full range of library services that meet their informational educational and leisure interests, fostering the love of reading in our youth and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge for all. (Clayton County Library System, 2010, p.1) The Library’s Catalogue The library’s catalogue directs its readers to make their work easy and avoid a lot of confusions. For example, the websit e informs its clients on the classes offered online and good examples are; computer classes, the location of the library, the month of library cards sign up and library meetings among others. The website suggests on PINES catalog, PINES search tips, how to go about the process and suggest books recommended for reading (Bertot, Jaeger, Langa, McClure 2006). On the research section, there are various databases, subject guides and articles like Galileo’s. There is also other things to do; events and classes, online calendar and monthly newsletters and in case of confusions, there are clear guides on how to go about to clear the confusions like wireless access, FAQs, information for parents, information for educators as well as ESOL information (Bertot, Jaeger, Langa, McClure 2006). Challenges Facing the Library Funding Problems Most public libraries depend heavily on their local government funding but some proactive librarians have formed alliances with patron and civic groups so as to supplement their financial needs. With the current cost of running local government increasing, libraries are forced to focus ahead of the tax base of the communities they are serving (Irwin, 1964). For example in the United States, libraries in financially strapped communities compete with other public institutions financially. Examples of such institutions include the police, schools and even fire fighters among others. As a strategy of reducing cost and boosting saving, some United States cities; such as New York, San Diego and Philadelphia have reduced their number of employees and service costs simultaneously (Irwin, 1964). The strategies applied by all these cities are; cutting or reducing library funding, closing down numerous branches and reducing working hours and the number of employees in all there branches that were operational (Irwin, 1964). These strategies have greatly affected the library operations in the United States although there are some reports that their return has increased. For instance, a 2008 survey prospected that there is increased funding in the United States libraries, but their growth is still wanting. Various influences have led to a decline of monetary support of public libraries by various governments for entities (Irwin, 1964). A second example of a survey is that of the American library association that has reported a fall of 41 percent in the 2009 budgets for public library funding. As a result of this, most libraries have strained to catch up with cost of upgrading electronic hardware, creation and maintenance among other resource costs. For example while funding was declining or remained the same, the price for printing books and magazines went up (Irwin, 1964). Technological Challenges The internet is modernizing many aspects of lives including public libraries that we use from time to time and more especially the vast and growing information available in the internet that is vital to various academic fields and researches creating a lot of competition for public funding of libraries. Many feel that, if their public libraries were shut down, they would have lost a very important and essential thing that will affect the entire community (Bertot, McClure, Jaeger Ryan, 2008). There have been various efforts during the several past decades to upgrade technology and more specifically internet access so as to enable all citizens’ access the new technologies regardless of their economic status. Libraries also play an essential role in educating school children and the older students like the university students and so they are required to call for active governance so as to position them securely (Bertot, McClure, Jaeger Ryan, 2008). Human Resource Challenge Lack of adequate and competent staff, which can perform the library activities as required can be a major challenge (Jones, 1997). For example, most public libraries are computerized and for one to operate those systems, he or she requires to be computer literate. This poses a lot of challenges to libraries with illiterate or semi-literate computer staff members (Jones, 1997). Discussion by the Local Newspaper Various local newspapers feature various events about Clayton library. For example, in the case of economic down turn, there is need for public library services. Clayton has an increase in demand whereby, branches in nearby Henry County, all other libraries are usually closed during the weekends and  most of its patrons use the Clayton libraries. The Clayton spent little during that year and it did not cut their hours but Carol Stewart said that there were other costs saving measures in the budget including a 3-month hard freeze on hiring all Clayton County employees including the staff had to take three furlough days that year. This information was available in Clayton News Daily on January 26, 2010. (Allan, 2008, p.61) The local newspapers feature the Clayton Library almost daily in various aspects like; hostage of various programs and work shops, celebrating reading of children books, the struggle in meeting the target demands, launching of various programs like the launch of New Teen web site on July 08, 2010 by Curt Yeomans, educating on family life like story time bringing families together, targeting adults reaching programs and creating social networks like face book whereby they interact with anybody worldwide(Allan, 2008). The Likely Direction That the Library Will Take First and, the library should ensure that it targets to employ the skilled staff especially on computer latest technology so as to ensure that they go along with new technologies. This staff should be fully informed on what should be happening in the library whether with the use of computers or without. The library should ensure that its number of employees is adequate for the efficient running of activities in the library so as to stop overworking the few employees available, which is likely to reduce the output or lead to poor work being done (Jones, 1999). Financially, the library directors should never rely on funding programs; which are likely to break down at any time. They should look for better alternatives like investing in projects that can benefit them financially. The library should also ensure that it works hand in hand with the community members; these are the people who are readily available to assist the library in various ways as they also benefit from the same libraries. The directors of the various branches should be in competition to ensure each one of them is the best and this way, the library in general will grow all round (Jones, 1999). What the Library Will Look Like In Ten Years to Come If at all the recommended measures are taken by the library officials, geared by their directors, the library will grow to a world class library by ten years to come and it will realize its mission, vision, objectives and goals. The challenges facing the library right now like technological and financial challenges will be far gone by ten years to come. If all these are achieved, the library will stand as one of the best in the world (Jones, 1999). Strategic Plan for the Library The library has got a strategic plan of expanding its services worldwide. This will be possible by opening more branches so as to reach many people in Africa, Asia, and Australia. The library is targeting to stand out as the best worldwide or a world class library (Predeek, 1947). Analysis and Response to the Plan From the various achievements, the library is in a good position to open its branches worldwide because technologically, they are trying as much as possible to be updated. In human resource, they can employ more staff and train them adequately and it will be a better idea to get local people from each area they tend to go and train them because it will cut on costs of transporting them to their work places. At the same time, local people will work better in their ho me countries as compared to foreigners because they will not experience homesick, culture shocks and the likes (Raven, 2006). Generally the library is in a good position to implement the plan. The plan has put into consideration the challenges it is facing, and it has given itself like five years to find solutions to these challenges before proceeding to expand its services globally. Conclusion This library has come up very well since its early ages to date. Its management is still okay regardless of the various challenges that it faces like; financial problems but I believe that with the laid strategies, it is in a good position to rectify the wrongs and implement the rights. Its strategic plans of expanding its services across the world are possible as long as they continue working as one team. The management of this library has brought it far and I believe it is taking it far. References Allan, D. (2008). A Nation of Readers: the lending library in Georgian England. London: Briti sh Library. Barnett, G.K. (1987). The history of public libraries in France from the Revolution to 1939. London: Library Association. Bertot, J.C., Jaeger, P.T., Langa, L.A., McClure, C.R. (2006). Public access computing and Internet access in public libraries: The role of public libraries in e- government and emergency situations. Web. Bertot, J.C., McClure, C.R., Jaeger, P.T., Ryan, J. (2008). Public libraries and the Internet 2008: Study results and findings. Web. Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. (2009). Global Libraries: Opening a World of Information and Opportunities. Web. Bobinski, G.S. (1969). Carnegie Libraries: their history and impact on American public library development. Chicago: American Library Association. Clayton County Library System. (2010). Mission Statement. Web. Irwin, R. (1964). The Heritage of the English Library. London: George Allen Unwin. Jones, B.M. (1999). Libraries, access, and intellectual freedom: Developing policies. Chicago: American Library Asso ciation. Jones, T. (1997). Carnegie Libraries across America. Washington: Preservation Press. Kelly, T. (1966). Early Public Libraries: a history of public libraries in Great Britain before 1850. London: Library Association. Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects. (2010). Clayton County Headquarters Library, 1980-1989. Web. McCook, K. (2011). Introduction to Public Librarianship (2nd ed.). NY: Neal-Schuman. Predeek, A. (1947). A History of Libraries in Great Britain and North America. Chicago: American Library Association. Raven, J. (2006). Libraries for sociability: the advance of subscription library. The Cambridge History of Libraries in Britain and Ireland (Vols 3). New York: Cambridge University Press. Stockham, K.A. (1969). British County Libraries: 1919-1969. London: Andrà © Deutsch. This report on Library Descriptions and Challenges was written and submitted by user Trey Love 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.

Make Hot Maple Syrup Ice Cream - Molecular Gastronomy

Make Hot Maple Syrup Ice Cream - Molecular Gastronomy Who says ice cream is a dish best served cold? Maybe you should try it hot. Heres a molecular gastronomy project that applies science to make hot ice cream. The key ingredient is methylcellulose, a polymer  that gels when its heated rather than chilled. Try hot maple ice cream on in an ice cream cone or perhaps top your waffles with it. Hot Maple Syrup Ice Cream Ingredients 150 grams (1-1/4 cup)  plain yogurt115 grams (1/2 cup) cream cheese50 milliliters (3-1/2 tablespoons)  maple syrup75 milliliters (5 tablespoons)  water20 grams (5 teaspoons)  sugar6 grams (2-1/4 teaspoons)  methylcellulose powder (Methocel food gum, SGA 150) If youre not a fan of maple syrup, make chocolate ice cream by using chocolate syrup instead of maple syrup. You could use other syrup flavors if you prefer. Lets Make Hot Ice Cream! In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cream cheese, and maple syrup. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil.Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the methylcellulose powder. Mix in the powder until the mixture is smooth.Whisk the two mixtures together until they are fully blended. This is your ice cream mixture.Refrigerate the ice cream at least 2-3 hours.When you are ready to serve the ice cream bring a pot of water to a simmer.Use an ice cream scoop to drop spoonfuls of the ice cream mixture into the hot water. You can drop multiple scoops into the pot, as long as there is room for them to remain separate.Let each scoop of ice cream simmer for 1-2 minutes.Use a slotted spoon or ladle to remove each maple syrup ice cream scoop. Drizzle on maple syrup, if you like. Enjoy it while its hot since this ice cream melts as it cools, rather than as it heats up. Do you want to try another molecular gastronomy project? How about making powdered olive oil.

Quantify

Quantify Quantify Quantify By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked me to discuss the word quantify: I was hoping you could help me with the word quantify. I feel like Im not quite using it correctly. As a term in logic, quantify means to ascribe universal or particular quantity to a term or proposition. For example, the statement â€Å"Dogs are playful† is not quantified. Adding a word like some or all quantifies it: â€Å"Some dogs are playful.† â€Å"All dogs are playful.† The Ngram Viewer indicates that quantify, along with metrics, has become especially popular since the 1960s. A Google search brings up 23,700,000 results for quantify and 90,600,000 for metrics. Note: The business definition of metrics is â€Å"standards of measurement by which efficiency, performance, progress, or quality of a plan, process, or product can be assessed.†    The urge to quantify by accumulating metrics seems to be as popular in our culture as coveting granite countertops. Job hunters are urged to quantify their resumes. Organizations study performance metrics. Bloggers quantify success by counting such things as visits and comments. As far as I can tell, in general usage, quantify means â€Å"put everything you can in the form of numbers or percentages.† Three ways to Quantify Achievements on Your Resume Quantifying the Clickbait and Linkbait in BuzzFeed Article Titles Track Thyself: Quantify Your Life For Productivity, Fun Quantify your ergonomic risk The Quantified Baby How to quantify your bodybuilding and transform your physique Social media users are obsessed with quantifying: I wish that I  could give more than five stars  for mobile kangaroo! . On a scale of 1 to 10  how would you rate your life? As of today I have over 100 followers on Twitter, and more  than 80 subscribers to my blog!   My  meow mix  video got a million shares  on Facebook today. The only errors I found in the use of quantify were in statements that used quantify where I would expect qualify. For example: â€Å"You need to quantify your opinions.† As the speaker was not asking for numbers, the verb qualify, â€Å"to modify (a statement, opinion, etc.) by the addition of some limitation or reservation,† was the more appropriate choice. If there’s a problem with the use of quantify, it lies in the implied message that everything of importance can be rendered in terms of numerical facts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Greek Words You Should Know"Owing to" vs "Due to"How Do You Fare?

PROMOTION in the Merchandising Environment - Glamourflage - Part 5-10 Essay

PROMOTION in the Merchandising Environment - Glamourflage - Part 5-10 of the Project - Essay Example Glamourflage has a variety of tailor-made products which guarantee beauty, gun and joy! If you want to spice up your holiday, then you should try it out. In the current market, social media has grown to become a very critical promotional tool. Therefore, staying in contact with the clients on social media platforms will allow Glamourflage to create a personal bond and relationship with the clients. Moreover, the social media platforms will act as a communication avenue through which the clients can learn more about the products. To achieve this, three social media platforms will be used. These are Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Being one of the most widely used social media platform, Glamourflage will use Facebook as the primary way of socially interaction with the clients. Through Facebook, the brand can showcase its products and portray itself as a fun brand through various pictures, announcements and postings from satisfied clients. Personal videos will also be posted in the page so that client awareness is created. Clients will be encouraged to tag their friends and share the pictures and posts in the page. The Facebook page will have several options as shown below. Glamourflage will have its own Instagram page. The content in the Instagram page will be in line with what has been posted in the Facebook page. The various posts on the consumer experience, pictures of the products and the videos from the clients will also be shared on the Instagram page. By doing this, more clients will be attracted to post their pictures and share with others how the Glamourflage products has make skin caring process

How technologies can be used to make the border system stronger Dissertation

How technologies can be used to make the border system stronger - Dissertation Example The topic of research is based on the concept of border security. In the past, the researcher has worked in the Homeland Security Centers of Excellence and it is through his experience at the department that directed him towards basing his research project on border security. Homeland Security dispatches a range of resources and funds to the federal, state and the local governments, allowing the amalgamation of a number of individually-operating agencies into a collective whole. The agencies work in collaboration with each other for the achievement of shared objectives. These objectives aim to uphold the integrity and security of the country and subserve to provide the utmost protection to the US population. The Homeland Security Centers of Excellence operate under the Office of University Programs and aim to recruit and attract renowned researchers and enthusiasts for carrying out research programs. The research brings together professionals from various fields and uses their expert ise to come up with solutions for homeland security. Each research center is affiliated with a university and their research ventures are supported and collaborated upon by a number of agencies including think tanks, laboratories, and private institutions. The research work carried out at the Security Centers is in line with the research requirements of the divisions of the Department of Homeland Security  Science and Technology Directorate. The collaboration helps to deliver top-of-the-line technology solutions for the problems facing the Department as well as the country on the whole (U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2009). In particular, one of the Centers, National Center for Border Security and Immigration, is focused on the promotion and enhancement of border security. This was the Center that I was associated with. The Centre is led and supported by two universities: one being the research co-lead while the other is the education co-lead. The Center is committed to the development of technologies, tools and sophisticated procedures to regulate and monitor immigration and business across the borders. This involves the development of projects that promote border security and make it stronger and more effective. There are a number of aspects relating to borders security that the Center focuses on; these include risks and weaknesses, better surveillance and screening, analysis of immigration patterns and improvements in immigration law enforcement (U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2009). The conditions that have developed after the 9/11 have exposed many gaps in the security and surveillance mechanisms. These gaps and vulnerabilities have become yet more acute in light of pressing security demands after the rise in terrorism over the previous years. Besides the post-9/11 conditions and terrorism there are other factors that have necessitated a revision of the immigration and border security systems. These include greater security reviews, insuffic ient collaboration with NGOs and the government, disputed policy tensions etc (Kerwin 2011). My research question is how important is border security today and what measures can be taken to improve it? The research project focuses in particular on the development and enforcement of better surveillance mechanisms and advanced technologies for regulating the influx of immigrants as well as goods such as false documents, illegal medicines, drugs and other illegal items. The project focuses on various aspects associated with development of such technologies, including their pros and cons. One of the key features that guarantees the success of a research project is the amount of information collected regarding it. Keeping this in mind, the research objectives can be defined as follows: Revisiting the importance of border security Identifying the need to develop better methods of surveillance and border security Reviewing the available literature and successful technologies used

Humanitarian Intervention Essay Example for Free

Humanitarian Intervention Essay By way of analogy, one should think of the world as a large neighborhood where people live and go about their business. Naturally, whenever one would ask for help, they would approach their neighbor for it and it is up to the latter to render that help or not if it is within their capacity to provide that help. The issue here now is what if help is not asked for and yet a neighbor sees trouble. Would he let them be or get involved to address the issue? Viewing it from a bigger picture, the world stage also faces this kind of problem. There are states that also face a similar situation. The challenge now is, should other states intervene even if they are not â€Å"invited? † This is the dilemma facing members of the international community today and even the United Nations, supposedly the first line of defense and the court of last resort of states that are in danger of becoming failed states or where political instability is too much for national governments to handle on their own or they became repressive towards their own people that the latter have nowhere else to turn to. There are some states that want to intervene in the affairs of other states precisely for this reason, which is primarily to help, nothing more. But this would present a dilemma. Which is more important or carries more weight, (international) human rights, or (national) sovereignty? Is there a distinction between â€Å"humanitarian intervention† and imperialism? What could be well-meaning intervention to help the poor and oppressed people of a particular country could be viewed as an invasion or an encroachment or violation of sovereignty and thereby earn the condemnation of the rest of the international community. The issue now is if the intervention undertaken is legitimate. Legitimacy of actions is not definite and is subjective, depending on how one views it. The Following are cases of humanitarian interventions conducted in the past and how did the international community react to it: East Pakistan (Bangladesh) – 1971: When British India became independent from Britain in 1947, it had adverse consequences, independence also led to the partition of India which saw the creation of a separate Muslim state of Pakistan. Pakistan, in turn, was divided into West Pakistan, where the seat of government is situated and East Pakistan, located along Indias eastern border. These two states are separated by India. Furthermore, despite carrying the same name â€Å"Pakistan,† these two states are culturally different despite being Muslim, those in the east speak Bengali, a language that is related to that of the Indians. The east Pakistanis did not feel any cultural affinity with those from the west and they feel marginalized. Because of this â€Å"cold† treatment from the west, they began batting for autonomy led by the Awami League of Sheik Mujibur Rahman. The leaders in the west saw it as an act of secession and moved swiftly to suppress it through military intervention. What happened next was a virtual civil war as the East Pakistanis, or Bengalis resisted the West Pakistanis, seeing them more as invaders and the latter responded with severe repression that saw countless atrocities being committed. The matter was brought up the United Nations (UN) where the actions of Pakistan was condemned yet no severe action was taken as the UN Security Council was divided with the United States and China backing up Pakistan and the Soviet Union on Indias side. The partiality of the superpowers prevented any punitive measures taken against Pakistan. India had been covertly supporting Bengali resistance served as the latters staging area for attacks against Pakistani occupiers. This led Pakistan to believe India joined the battle and the Third India-Pakistan War broke out. Eventually, Indian forces prevailed. India’s victory also assured the independence of East Pakistan which was renamed Bangladesh (Wheeler, 2000, pp. 63-64). Somalia (1992-1993): UN involvement in this East African nation stemmed from the famine that has nearly devastated Somalia. This was further exacerbated by the increasing anarchy brought about by the lack of a central government and with competing warlords vying for control as civil war broke out in 1991. The UN organized a peacekeeping mission called United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) calling for the establishment of a security force of 50 UN troops in Somalia to monitor the ceasefire. Despite the UNs efforts, the ceasefire was ignored by the warlords, especially Mohammed Farid Aidid. Fighting continued and further intensified, jeopardizing UN relief efforts as they were targeted for attacks as well. The harassment of UN personnel prompted the intervention of the United States in what became Operation Restore Hope to ensure the continuation of the relief efforts and what makes American presence different was that it was authorized to utilize all necessary means to ensure the protection of the relief efforts which it initially did, conducting proactive military operations against militias until October on 1993, following the â€Å"Blackhawk Down† incident in October of 1993, the Clinton Administration, in a knee-jerk reaction to the casualties incurred (18 US soldiers killed and one captured), ordered the pull out of US forces from Somalia (Wheeler, 2000, pp. 172-176). The absence of American military muscle also led to the pull out of UN forces from the region as well and Somalia is still what it was 10 years ago where lawlessness still prevailed and this was further evidenced by the proliferation of pirates along the Indian Ocean which used Somalia as the base of operations owing to the lawlessness there. Rwanda (1993-1994): In the case of Rwanda, ethic conflict broke out between the Hutus and Tutsis. The UN intervened through the creation of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) on October of 1993 to oversee the peace efforts in the region. The biggest contributing countries along with Belgium were Ghana, Tunisia, Bangladesh, and Canada. In the latter part of 1993, both Hutus and Tutsis appeared to be honoring the Arusha Accords, and reaffirmed such commitment to creating a new, broad-based transitional government by the end of the year. However, things went sour following the downing of the aircraft carrying Rwandan President Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntarayima of Burundi. It inflamed hatred and a killing spree ensured. Among the first targets of the genocide were Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and 10 Belgian members of UNAMIR after handing over their weapons to Rwandan government troops. In a knee-jerk reaction similar to what the Clinton Administration did following the international embarrassment the United States suffered in Somalia in 1993, Belgium pulled out its troops from UNAMIR and other contingents followed suit. UNAMIR was left with 270 soldiers supported by less than 200 local authorities. The UNAMIR did the best it could with what forces remained. As individuals and as a group, members of the UNAMIR forces did manage to save the lives of thousands of Tutsis in and around Kigali and the few areas of UN control. Despite their best efforts, to the eyes of the world, they appeared to be apathetic or indifferent, standing idly by as Hutus were murdering Tutsis on a larger scale. The French deployed troops following the outbreak of the genocide yet it was for the purpose of evacuating their embassy as well as several members of the late president’s cabinet (Wheeler, 2000, p. 219). The genocide eventually abated with the arrival of a multi-national force from several African states. Yugoslavia (1995-Present): Following the collapse of the communist regime in Yugoslavia, age-old ethnic hatreds reemerged as pre-World War I states began to come back into existence as the nation Josip Broz Tito once ruled disintegrated. This was very apparent in the hatred towards the local Muslim population, particularly by the (Bosnian) Serbs. There were eight UN PKOs in the former Yugoslavia and they were made up of over 20 member states. Despite signing a truce, the civil war resumed and it was the Bosnian Muslims, and later the Kosovars who bore the brunt of Serb brutality which was presided over by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and Serbian leader Radovan Karadic. They invoked nationalism to inflame the passions of the Serbs who then proceeded to conduct â€Å"ethnic cleansing† which was underscored by the massacre at Srebrenica in 1995 which was supposed to be a UN â€Å"safe area† and this happened after Serb forces drove a UN peacekeeping contingent out when the latter could not defend themselves against a larger Serb force and had to pull out. In retaliation, there were some peacekeepers even held hostage by the Bosnian Muslims and used as human shields to force the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into attacking the Serbs. Seeing the ineffectiveness of the UN PKO, NATO began to intervene to add more political muscle starting with air strikes to bring the Serbs back to the negotiating table and eventually deploying troops to enforce the peace in the troubled region as a â€Å"stabilization force† and took it upon themselves to go after Serbian war criminals (Wheeler, 2000, p. 16). Analysis: Upon close analysis, all these situation involved humanitarian intervention which called for the deployment of a military force to make humanitarian relief efforts possible. Among the given cases, it would be nearly impossible to determine which is the least justified. If there needs to be one, it would have to be India’s intervention in Pakistan’s civil war which became its war against Pakistan as well. It would be least justified if it is seen from a legal perspective. India was interfering in what seemed to be an internal dispute between Pakistan. Beyond the legal however, one has to take into consideration that India is flanked on both side by East (Bangladesh) and West Pakistan and strategically she would be in peril considering that her relationship with Pakistan is anything but cordial and as such would rather the face one opponent instead of two. Secondly, the Bengalis were closer to them than the Pakistanis despite being Muslim. Somalia, as well as Rwanda’ would turn out the ones that badly need humanitarian intervention. Given the utter lawlessness and chaos that has visited the country, it appears that the Somalis and Rwandans could not seem to address their problems and this thereby necessitates humanitarian intervention given the fact its people are suffering from famine and genocide respectively. Aid could not get through to them since there is virtually no government there to bring order and it is the warlords who are in charge and they care about is power. After seeing the UN as weak in enforcing its will, the United States, under the first Bush Administration, took the lead in bringing order back into Somalia but unfortunately the Clinton Administration took a different approach especially after the â€Å"Blackhawk Down† incident. Instead of following through to bring Aidid to justice, they decided to pull out. The same thing can be said in Rwanda as well, especially after the murder of the Belgian peacekeepers. Putting them together, the west appeared to be somewhat unwilling to make sacrifices to help address the problems of the Somalis and Rwandans, especially after the deaths of their people. It is as though they felt Africans were not worth saving or dying for and this has sent a wrong message – the west is unwilling to sacrifice for Africans and this also contains racist undertones and has placed a sense of embarrassment to the west for their apparent apathy or â€Å"cowardice† towards Africa. Yugoslavia proved to be the application of the lessons learned from Somalia and Rwanda as the Serbs went on an â€Å"ethnic cleansing† spree, killing Muslims. When news of the atrocities became known throughout the world, they took a stand and finally acted upon it with the deployment of NATO forces to enforce the peace but at the same time, operate with rules of engagement that would enable them to defend themselves appropriately while carrying out this vital mission. Wheeler’s point is that moral considerations should be taken into account. It can be inferred in his work that human life is the most precious thing on the planet and these are wasted or sacrificed needlessly by their own people and government for the sake of power or out of spite. Governments are supposed to look out for their citizens and if they cannot do this, who can the people turn to? This is a symptom of a failed state and it should be the moral responsibility of the international community to help restore order. The problem with laws, both national and international is that it is not perfect. Just because things are put into law does not mean it is perfect and explicit. Laws are inherently implicit as loopholes will be found and used to get around it and this is what prevents humanitarian interventions from taking place or condemn those who do intervene. Nevertheless, Wheeler presents a valid point in emphasizing the moral factor which he feels, as well as most of the world probably feels as well that as a (global) community, â€Å"neighbors† should look out for each other as well because what may seem an internal matter might someday move to their doorstep someday. This has to be addressed the soonest to preserve the peace and order in the community.

Very Short Wedding Toasts :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Very Short Wedding Toasts The Light that Shines There is a light that shines beyond the heavens; this is the light that shines in your heart when you are in love. "May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart!" ~Eskimo Proverb The Days of your Life May you live all the days of your life. — Jonathan Swift From this Day Forward May the face of every good news, And the back of every bad news, Be toward you, From this day forward. No Sorrow May the goblets of life hold no dregs of sorrow. Happy Endings I love weddings. They are where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible. Your Grandchildren’s Hair May I see you grey And combing your grandchildren’s hair. Your Right Hand May your right hand always Be stretched out in friendship And never in want. Luck Always remember, if you’re enough lucky to be married to _______, then you’re lucky enough! Misfortune May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, but never catch up. Mountain Girl Marry a mountain girl and you marry the whole mountain. The Bannister of Life As you and your wife slide down the bannister of life, May the splinters never point the wrong way. Your Laugh May your laugh, your love and your wine be plenty, thus your happiness will be nothing less. Your Enemies, Enemies. May God bless and keep in good health your enemies, enemies.

Prison and County Correctional Faculties Overcrowding Essay

The subject of prison overcrowding has been an issue for many years. It is not just the prisons that are overcrowded but also the county correctional facilities. In the U.S.A. today 1 in nearly 100 Americans are currently incarcerated (â€Å"Alec†, 2014). The reasons that the numbers are so high are due to the many different laws and strategies that have been put into place to try and stop crime. Laws such as â€Å"The three strikes law† that California implemented calls for mandatory sentencing for repeat offenders and New York’s â€Å"Broken window† stagey that calls for all crimes big or small to be prosecuted. These are good in theory but can also cause the prison system to be over loaded with offenders. In an effort to provide an example of overcrowding I chose the state of Tennessee to look at their inmate numbers and how the lack of space causes the overcrowding. There are 14 prisons in the state of Tennessee, 11 of them are run by the Department of Corrections and three are run by private companies. Each facility is up to 90% capacity and currently there are 20,476 people incarcerated in Tennessee prisons (â€Å"Alec†, 2014). There are 759 correction officer employed though out these prisons, and as you can see by the number there is an abundance of inmates compared to the amount of officers able to patrol this beat. In looking at the statistics one must not just look at current offenders that are serving time, also the offenders that are out on parole and probation. In the state of Tennessee alone there are 13,546 people on parole and 57,234 people on probation (â€Å"Alec†, 2014). There are only 759 officers for all these offenders. This number is where a lot of the influx of inmates comes from. The offenders that become inmates are not just due to fresh crimes. They are more often than not offenders that have reoffended or violated probation or parole. It is not just the prison facilities that are overcrowded; it is also the county corrections facilities or otherwise known as the county jails. As a former corrections officer I saw the overcrowding first hand, in  a jail that was made to house 180 inmates, there are currently to date 279 people taking up space in this jail. There is a small population of inmates with in this facility that are awaiting a bed in prison, so they are stayi ng in the county jails due to the fact they cannot move on to the prison system. They are serving TDOC time with the county; due to this jail being overcrowded they will often ask other jails that are within a certain radius to take inmates for safe keeping. This then transfers the inmate from one county jail to another, causing overcrowding for them. It is just they are less over crowded then the jail asking for the move. As discussed earlier, the new laws enacted and strategies put into place are done to prevent offenders from continuing to offend. It is used almost as a scare tactic; however most offenders that have more than one offense on their record are not unfamiliar with jail and trouble. They have more than likely been in and out of correctional facilities since they were young. I think for a slim few these laws and strategies are effective. I also feel that there are not enough programs to rehabilitate offenders; if the idea is to keep these people out of jail then society has to help them become a respectable part of it. In order for these programs to work research shows they much include; academic education, vocational education, moral recognition therapy, reasoning and rehabilitation, cognitive restructuring, cognitive behavioral treatment for sex offenders, behavioral treatment for sex offenders, surgical treatment for sex offenders, multi-system therapy, drug courts, drug treatment in the community they live, incarceration based drug treatment (â€Å"Analyzing the Effectiveness of Rehabilitation,† 2009). There must be a curriculum to these programs; the effort put forth to succeed must be done by the offender. There are many people in the prison system that with the correct amount of reconditioning can become law abiding citizens. One such program in the state of Tennessee is called Tennessee Reentry Collaborative, this program that was established in 2004 and works directly with The Tennessee Department of Corrections. Through the establishment of this program, smaller programs were formed that are local to all surrounding prisons and county jails. This program works closely with The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Children Services, Department of Veteran Affairs and many other agencies with in the state. These programs work together to establish regulations and rules that the programs must follow  (â€Å"Tennessee Department Of Corrections†, 2014). Another program that is located in Tennessee is called â€Å"Take One. This program enables the community to take control of the rehabilitation of offenders. The program Take One main purpose to the have individual organizations agree to mentor just one returning offender and his/her family for a period of one year. The offender is given an assessment and after they are classified the organization that chooses to help them with their rehabilitation begins to meet with the offender. This is usually about one year prior to release. Unlike some offenders, there are many that once their time is served they have no obligation to see a parole or probation officer. So once back in to society they have no guidance. This program helps keep them on track and continuing to get them the help they need to keep on the right path (â€Å"Tennessee Department Of Corrections†, 2014). References ALEC. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.alec.org/initiatives/prison-overcrowding/prison-overcrowding-tennessee/ Analyzing the Effectiveness of Rehabilitation. (2009, May). , (), . Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=srhonorsprogTennessee Department of Corrections. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/correction/rehabilitative/trec.html

Oedipus Rex – Entrapment of Mankind Through Reasoning

For example, when Alias and Oedipus Rexes were reveled with their prophecies, they tried to divert themselves away from it. As a result, they reverted themselves into the prophecy, therefore fulfilling it. Although man tries to control their own fate, in reality, such control is impossible and cannot be possessed. Through the use of Oedipus' life decisions, diction, and connotation of words to display the idea that man's most powerful attribute fails mankind. In other words, through Oedipus Rexes, Sophocles shows that reasoning cannot give mankind the power and control they sire. Therefore, such control and power for mankind does not exist.Oedipus Rexes proves that man's most powerful attribute Is reasoning. Sophocles gives his readers the idea that mankind is trapped through their most powerful attribute. Oedipus Rexes believed that he could escape the reality of his prophecy through his attempts to reason throughout it. However, his aim to avoid the prophecy using reason failed him . As the prophecy was revealed to Oedipus, he believed he could avoid it by leaving Corinth and the family whom he believed was his own blood. However, this thought of his is what failed him and lead to Oedipus actually fulfilling the prophecy.This decision leads mankind to believe that they can control their life through reasoning. As Oedipus moves onto Thebes, he crosses through the road where three roads meet. At this exact road, he meets Alias, his father, whom he does not know. Alias and Oedipus begin a feud start brawling with one another. Thus, completed. Although Oedipus continues onto Thebes and solves the sphinx's riddle, his success leads him into the second part of his prophecy being fulfilled as he meets Coast, marries her, bears children with her, and birth children of incest.In spite of the fact that Oedipus' best characteristic is his constant attempt to reason, it's his exact reasoning and questioning that lead him to the â€Å"truth† of the prophecy. Despite Oedipus' failed attempts to control the prophecy, Alias is also another culprit of failed attempts to reason. Alias, King of Thebes, birth a child with Coast and believed that he could become the next ruler of Thebes. However, a prophecy was told to Alias that his own son would soon murder him and take over. At this very moment, he decides It's best to bind Oedipus' feet and send him away to die.He does not realize, however, that this decision leads him Into the entrapment of his own life. He fulfills the actual prophecy when he tries to take Oedipus out of his life. This Is another failed attempt of reason. Therefore, man's most powerful attribute of proves that reasoning brings mankind doom. As Alias did not want his baby to kill him, he sends the baby away. The Old man sees the baby and picks it up because no mortal being would see a baby hurt and abandoned without having to pick it up. He gives the baby to his King of Thebes because he knows they cannot bare a child, feeling pi ty for them all.Oedipus himself hears about the prophecy and runs away from it. All these people, all these steps were made from attempts to reason and control the world, when in reality, it ultimately failed. Mankind cannot use their so- called â€Å"most powerful attribute of reasoning† to control their lives. If reasoning brings doom to mankind, what is the purpose of reasoning itself? Sophocles answers this question by proving through Oedipus Rexes that reasoning traps mankind, making mankind limited. The Chorus, whom supports Oedipus the most out of all characters of the play, reveal their thoughts and true emotion towards the doom of Oedipus.Through their character, Sophocles conveys the pity one may feel towards Oedipus whom was a great man dealt with UN inevitable doom. In a passage by the Chorus on pig. 18, they stated, â€Å"A prince of men/ Whose loot what citizen/ Did not with Emmy see,] How Deep the billows of calamity/Above him roll/Watch therefore and regard t hat supreme day;/And of no mortal say/That man is happy,† datelined by no grievous ill/He pass Life's goal In this passage, the Chorus shows how great of a man Oedipus was, nonetheless, how great of a King he was.He was not only great because of his role as King, he was great because he reasons. However, this characteristic of constant reasoning, to pursue and search for the truth leads to the fulfillment of the prophecy. When the Chorus says, â€Å"billows of calamity', they talk about the mass destruction Oedipus was placed in. On that day, he was realized he entrapped himself into the prophecy. Therefore, Oedipus acts as a representation of mankind, conveying the idea that seasoning dooms us all and traps mankind. Mankind is under the illusion that control exists and reason works.Through the first half of the stanza, the Chorus exemplifies their support for Oedipus. He was a Prince out of all the men, who gained respect and order from his people. After Oedipus discovered h is tragic state in the prophecy, such a situation could not be explained. It was disastrous, catastrophic, devastating, but all these words do not show how grievous this day was for Oedipus. He believed he escaped the prophecy and lead to be a King, a King of whom many honored. He set out to believe that he must save his city from disaster, from the plague, when he was the plague himself.The Chorus tells the readers to watch the day Oedipus fell into the prophecy and learn that no human being is lucky. No man has a goal, for their most powerful attribute fails them ultimately. Therefore, no man is lucky until they are dead. Sophocles shows through Oedipus Rexes that reasoning cannot give mankind the power and control that they desire. Through the understanding of the way Alias and Oedipus both failed at their attempts to reason and the Journey Oedipus invests myself into throughout the play, readers are able to see how Oedipus portrays a representation of mankind.Through his represe ntation, one may find that although doom upon him. This leads to the idea that reasoning fails mankind and the purpose of reasoning is invalid. Sophocles uses Oedipus life decisions, diction, and connotation of words to display the idea that man's most powerful attribute fails mankind. Although man tries to control their own fate, in reality, such control is impossible and cannot be be possessed.

An Overview of Scandium (Sc or Element 21)

An Overview of Scandium (Sc or Element 21) Basic Facts Atomic Number: 21Symbol: ScAtomic Weight: 44.95591Discovery: Lars Nilson 1878 (Sweden)Electron Configuration: [Ar] 4s2 3d1Word Origin: Latin Scandia: ScandinaviaIsotopes: Scandium has 24 known isotopes ranging from Sc-38 to Sc-61. Sc-45 is the only stable isotope.Properties: Scandium has a melting point of 1541 Â °C, a boiling point of 2830 Â °C, a specific gravity of 2.989 (25 Â °C), and valence of 3. It is a silvery-white metal which develops a yellowish or pinkish cast when exposed to air. Scandium is a very light, relatively soft metal. Scandium reacts rapidly with many acids. The blue color of aquamarine is attributed to the presence of scandium.Sources: Scandium is found in the minerals thortveitite, euxenite, and gadolinite. It is also produced as a byproduct of uranium refinement.Uses: Scandium is used to make high-intensity lamps. Scandium iodide is added to mercury vapor lamps to produce a light source with a color resembling sunlight. The radioactive isotope Sc-46 is us ed as a tracer in refinery crackers for crude oil. Element Classification: Transition Metal Physical Data Density (g/cc): 2.99Melting Point (K): 1814Boiling Point (K): 3104Appearance: somewhat soft, silvery-white metalAtomic Radius (pm): 162Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 15.0Covalent Radius (pm): 144Ionic Radius: 72.3 (3e)Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.556Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 15.8Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 332.7Pauling Negativity Number: 1.36First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 630.8Oxidation States: 3Standard Reduction Potential: Sc3 e → Sc E0 -2.077 VLattice Structure: HexagonalLattice Constant (Ã…): 3.310Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.594CAS Registry Number: 7440-20-2 Trivia Scandium was named after Scandinavia. Chemist Lars Nilson was attempting to isolate the element ytterbium from the minerals euxenite and gadolinite when he discovered scandium. These minerals were primarily found in the Scandinavia region.Scandium is the transition metal with the lowest atomic number.The discovery of scandium filled a spot predicted by Mendeleevs periodic table. Scandium took the place of the placeholder element eka-boron.Most scandium compounds have scandium with the Sc3 ion.Scandium has an abundance in the Earths crust of 22 mg/kg (or parts per million).Scandium has an abundance in seawater of 6 x 10-7 mg/L (or parts per million).Scandium is more abundant on the Moon than on Earth. References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001) Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) International Atomic Energy Agency ENSDF database (Oct 2010)

Environmental ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental ethics - Essay Example r, some argue that a good way to do so would be to develop a non-anthropocentric ethical outlook that would taken into account rights of the animals and change the way people interact with nature. This paper will present how Islam can shape relationship between people and nature. By far the concept of oneness of God should be seen as an essential one in Islam. What is more important is that it is not found on theological level only, but is implemented on every other level. In other words, while Islam is a religious tradition, it also has some ideas that are relevant to the environment. It is estimated that the Quran has around 650 references to ecology (â€Å"Environmental Ethics in Islam†). However, one of the most important ones is the understanding that God is one and all environment belongs to Him. Therefore, people simply must not harm nature in any way. The most important thing about environmental ethics of Islam is that God Said in Quran: â€Å"And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought† (Qurad 45:13). It is suggested that when God created everything in the world, He left different signs in His creation that would reflect his majesty and glory. That is why a true believer should look at the environment as a collection of signs that show how great God is. With this idea in mind, it is absolutely impossible to permit any kind of harmful actions towards the nature and that would be seen as a deliberate ruining of harmony which was established by God Himself. The Quran states that all things in the world are â€Å"created in proportion and measure† (Quran 54:49). That is why if a person makes any change in the environment, for example by making an entire species extinct, than this balance is broke once and for all. What is more important is that people do not possess wisdom to restore the balance; that is why they should never perform actions that have