Election in the Philippines Essay

â€Å"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities,† said Dumbledore of one of my favourite books, Harry Potter. Was my ‘direct speech’ properly-written? *stereotypical-cheerleader-giggle* Being a democratic country, we are given the opportunity to choose our country’s leaders in a marvel called ‘election’. But in a country where officials use their position for graft and corruption and enjoy a monopoly of political power to the disadvantage of rival leaders called â€Å"political dynasty†. Some of them even resort to unfair if not illegal means to keep their political rivals out of office: corruption, fraud, violence, vote-buying and intimidation. Graft and corruption in the Philippines has long been a topic of concern for those interested in improving the conditions in the area. The corruption of government officials and the failure of governmental leaders to use their position of power wisely has led to ongoing financial hardship throughout the nation and restricted its economic growth and cultural development. Since its inception, the Philippines has been known as an area suffering from such severe corruption. Moreover, the issue of political dynasties has heated up in relation to the 2013 candidates for the Senate who come from one and the same family or clan and thus bear the same surname as another senator, or President Aquino himself. In this sense, loud public criticism and some cynicism greeted the announcement of senatorial candidates for the 2013 elections. One set belongs to the majority coalition: Bam Aquino, the President’s cousin; Sen. Alan Peter, brother of Sen. Pia Cayetano and others. Under the banner of the United Nationalist Alliance, led by Vice President Jejomar Binay, the senatorial candidates include his eldest daughter, Nancy; Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. who would be joining his father, the Senate President; Rep. J.V. Ejercito who would join his brother, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. In this rumpus, we can also cite many provinces and cities with political dynasties giving no opportunity to other aspiring leaders which may be more competent. The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them. To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, *ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made government ofiicials should on no account be allowed to do the job. This year is our chance to contend with this. Make shrewd decisions and choices because our choices will affect our future. In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to infinity of choices. Choices. Choices. Choices. You are doomed to make them. This is life’s greatest paradox. The chains continue to ignite. I am part of the chain; you are part of the chain. Can we be chains of positive change? For sure, none would claim he has seen three sides of a coin. Decisions, coming by two, are always placed in the individual’s capacity to discern truthfulness and goodness against fallacy or wickedness. Are you HEADing out for a brighter country free from corruption and poverty or are you TAILing down on a movement towards gloomy befouled Philippines?

Free Essays on Symbolism Of A Goodman

Symbolism of a Goodman Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† in 1835. This story tells about a man’s day in his so called peaceful life. He follows a man on a journey to a meeting where he sees all the â€Å"nice† townspeople doing this very evil thing. Three symbols play very big parts though out the story they are Young Goodman Brown, his wife, Faith and the color pink. Young Goodman Brown is the most used symbol throughout the story. Not himself but, his name. Young shows that he is a young a new person in the town and is learning new ways. Goodman tells exactly what it says he is a good man, he very good with his life and the man with his wife, Faith and he wants nothing to do with anything does not involve her, ’†What a wretch am I to leave her on such a errand†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(634) . And lastly Brown which tells that he is a common man he’s no king or anyone famous. Putting the name together Young Goodman Brown is an everyday man just living a day at a time. Faith, his wife is also a symbol though out the story. Right away in the story Brown leaves Faith on his way on this journey. Leaving Faith shows he is leaving faith in God as she is also since she went to attend this meeting of evil. Brown going on this journey instead of staying with Faith they both end up losing the faith they had in God. ‘â€Å"Faith! Faith!† cried the husband, â€Å"look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (642). Calling for his wife did not help him get his wife back from the devil having him lose his faith in God also. Even though he put his faith against Faith he ended up losing all. Also, in the story the color pink is used as a symbol. Pink is used to tell different situations When Brown and Faith were very happy Faith, â€Å"letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman Brown† (634). When Brown was on his journey and knew evil was around â€Å"But s... Free Essays on Symbolism Of A Goodman Free Essays on Symbolism Of A Goodman Symbolism of a Goodman Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† in 1835. This story tells about a man’s day in his so called peaceful life. He follows a man on a journey to a meeting where he sees all the â€Å"nice† townspeople doing this very evil thing. Three symbols play very big parts though out the story they are Young Goodman Brown, his wife, Faith and the color pink. Young Goodman Brown is the most used symbol throughout the story. Not himself but, his name. Young shows that he is a young a new person in the town and is learning new ways. Goodman tells exactly what it says he is a good man, he very good with his life and the man with his wife, Faith and he wants nothing to do with anything does not involve her, ’†What a wretch am I to leave her on such a errand†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(634) . And lastly Brown which tells that he is a common man he’s no king or anyone famous. Putting the name together Young Goodman Brown is an everyday man just living a day at a time. Faith, his wife is also a symbol though out the story. Right away in the story Brown leaves Faith on his way on this journey. Leaving Faith shows he is leaving faith in God as she is also since she went to attend this meeting of evil. Brown going on this journey instead of staying with Faith they both end up losing the faith they had in God. ‘â€Å"Faith! Faith!† cried the husband, â€Å"look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (642). Calling for his wife did not help him get his wife back from the devil having him lose his faith in God also. Even though he put his faith against Faith he ended up losing all. Also, in the story the color pink is used as a symbol. Pink is used to tell different situations When Brown and Faith were very happy Faith, â€Å"letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman Brown† (634). When Brown was on his journey and knew evil was around â€Å"But s...

Gun Control

Gun Control Gun Control The issue of gun control is of immense significance to the United States for a number of reasons. Firstly, America is the only country in the world with 300 million firearms in circulation, which implies that virtually every adult possesses a firearm. This fact cannot but evoke deep concerns about an increase in homicide rates. Secondly, the point is that the murder rate in the U.S. is fifteen times higher than that in other developed countries, which have implemented stricter laws regulating the private ownership of firearms. As Major Michael Bloomberg mentioned, We are the only industrialized country that has this problem. The only one (In Other Countries, Laws are Strict and Work, 2012). Therefore, it can be reasonably argued that tougher gun laws will help to decrease the homicide rate, since it will be very hard to get any kind of weapons. To see how strict gun laws work, it is essential to consider practices of other countries. Australia is the brightest example. When a gunman shot thirty-five people in 1996, the government needed several weeks to ban shotguns and assault weapons, tighten licensing and finance buyback programs and gun amnesty. Since then, the homicide rate in Australia dropped by 59 %, and there were no gun massacres causing people deaths. Likewise, the British government imposed stricter gun laws after the school massacre in 1996, in Scotland. The authorities have banned all automatic weapons and almost all handguns, so that a person could not easily get even a hunting rifle. Further, in Japan, with its very tough laws, only eleven deaths were caused by firearms in 2008, whereas the same rate in the U.S. constituted 12,000 (In Other Countries, Laws are Strict and Work, 2012). According to other data, tougher gun laws are necessary, since weak gun control greatly contributes to an increase in justifiable civilian homicides, especially if combined with stand-your-ground-laws, implemented in the U.S. in 2005. Since then, as the Guardian analysis proves, the homicide rate has increased by 25%. What makes matters worse is that these measures encourage citizens to kill a potential enemy at once rather than try to escape or avoid threats first (Enten, 2012). It irreversibly leads to the fact that more people will carry guns in more places in order to defend themselves, which, in turn, cannot but cause a general increase in shootings. Besides, if more civilians carry firearms, it will be even easier for experienced criminals to steal weapons and kill people with their help. Although the opponents of tough gun laws, including Sohn (2012), argue that the latter will not prevent offenders from committing homicides, since criminals will find a way to access guns no matter what the rules are, this argument seems rather week. Firstly, even if a criminal is an insane person and wants to steal a gun, he will simply have no way to do that, since ordinary citizens will not carry weapons, and it will be rather hard to steal them from a police officer or specialized shops. Secondly, the Sohns (2012) argument that an armed citizen is one of the criminals biggest fears does not necessarily imply that an offender will not shoot at an armed person. Thirdly, the belief of Sowell (2012) that guns are not the problem but people including people who are determined to push gun control laws is false in essence: if there were no firearms, including other kind of weapons, there would be no murders. To sum up, taking into consideration the above mentioned facts, it can be claimed that stricter gun laws are necessary to reduce the number of homicides. This conclusion is based on the real data proving that limited access to firearms or even the complete prohibition of weapons really works. The prevailing opinion that these are not guns but people, who are guilty of the overwhelming number of murders, seriously undermines the possibility of human survival. It is true that homicides are usually committed by violent or insane people, but violence cannot overcome violence. If more and more individuals possess firearms, homicide rates will swiftly go up. Moreover, easy access to weapons will only intensify the already existing tendency that people get accustomed to murders and approve them as a means of self-defence. They become completely incapable of solving problems without weapons, and this phenomenon cannot but disturb. The wild west system of defence and justice is unacceptable i n the twenty-first century, if humanity wants to survive, and it is high time for every nation and country to acknowledge this.

10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals

10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals By Michael How do you express numbers in your writing? When do you use figures (digits) and when do you write out the number in words (letters)? That is, when do you write 9 and when do you write nine? 1. Number versus numeral. First things first, what is the difference between a number and a numeral? A number is an abstract concept while a numeral is a symbol used to express that number. Three, 3 and III are all symbols used to express the same number (or the concept of threeness). One could say that the difference between a number and its numerals is like the difference between a person and her name. 2. Spell small numbers out. The small numbers, such as whole numbers smaller than ten, should be spelled out. Thats one rule you can count on. If you dont spell numbers out it will look like youre sending an instant message, and you want to be more formal than that in your writing. 3. No other standard rule: Experts dont always agree on other rules. Some experts say that any one-word number should be written out. Two-word numbers should be expressed in figures. That is, they say you should write out twelve or twenty. But not 24. 4. Using the comma. In English, the comma is used as a thousands separator (and the period as a decimal separator), to make large numbers easier to read. So write the size of Alaska as 571,951 square miles instead of 571951 square miles. In Continental Europe the opposite is true, periods are used to separate large numbers and the comma is used for decimals. Finally, the International Systems of Units (SI) recommends that a space should be used to separate groups of three digits, and both the comma and the period should be used only to denote decimals, like $13 200,50 (the comma part is a mess I know). 5. Dont start a sentence with a numeral. Make it Fourscore and seven years ago, not 4 score and 7 years ago. That means you might have to rewrite some sentences: Fans bought 400,000 copies the first day instead of 400,000 copies were sold the first day. 6. Centuries and decades should be spelled out. Use the Eighties or nineteenth century. 7. Percentages and recipes. With everyday writing and recipes you can use digits, like 4% of the children or Add 2 cups of brown rice. In formal writing, however, you should spell the percentage out like 12 percent of the players (or twelve percent of the players, depending on your preference as explained in point three). 8. If the number is rounded or estimated, spell it out. Rounded numbers over a million are written as a numeral plus a word. Use About 400 million people speak Spanish natively, instead of About 400,000,000 people speak Spanish natively. If youre using the exact number, youd write it out, of course. 9. Two numbers next to each other. It can be confusing if you write 7 13-year-olds, so write one of them as a numeral, like seven 13-year-olds. Pick the number that has the fewest letters. 10. Ordinal numbers and consistency. Dont say He was my 1st true love, but rather He was my first true love. Be consistent within the same sentence. If my teacher has 23 beginning students, she also has 18 advanced students, not eighteen advanced students. Video Recap 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†50 Nautical Terms in General UseEnglish Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases

Anja Balanskat, Stella Kefala and Roger Blamire Research Paper

Anja Balanskat, Stella Kefala and Roger Blamire - Research Paper Example In primary schools in Europe, the authors note that use of ICT improves achievement in English as a home language in addition to encouraging better performance in science and design in children aged from seven to sixteen years. Schools with well developed ICT programs and related resources demonstrate better achievement in all subjects compared to those with poor levels of the technology. However, better performance while using ICT in schools is realized if education policy makers establish favorable environment for effective application of the technology in educational institutions (Anja, Stella and Roger, 14). Use of ICT in learning institutions has remarkable impacts on teachers and teaching process. According to Anja, Stella and Roger(17) the technology increases enthusiasm among the instructors leading to heightened positive attitude towards their careers. Ina addition, ICT enhances their efficiency especially in preparation of teaching plans. Effective use of information manage ment systems while teaching encourage collaborative learning among teachers leading to better teaching experience. However, various barriers impede realization of projected gains of adopting information technology. These include poor ICT competence in the teaching fraternity, which lowers their confidence in the class while applying the technology. In addition, poor organization, inadequate maintenance of ICT hardware and limited access to appropriate ICT infrastructure prevents learners from gaining maximum benefits from ICT technology (Anja, Stella and Roger, 17-28). 2. Ellen, Wartellla and Nancy Jennings. â€Å"Children and Computers: New Technology, Old Concerns.† The Future of Children, 10.2(2000): 31-40. The authors examine the concerns of increased exposure of children to computer applications and related technology. According to, Ellen and Nancy (32), wired computer provides the modern society with new mass media including computer games, CD ROMs and the web. In Unite d States, about 60% of homes with young children aged from eight to seventeen years own computers that are connected to the internet with intention of learning (Ellen and Nancy, 33). However, Ellen and Nancy notes that the society needs to balance the educational benefits of using computers with the potential harms. The authors compare the recent controversy of using computer technology with the controversies that characterized application of earlier technologies such radio, television films and movies. Introduction of films in American society in the early 1900 was met with considerable support from parents who considered them as important sources of entertainment and education to their children. Later, the same society that supported watching of films especially among young children began opposing them on the grounds that they promoted immorality, violence and delinquency in children and teenagers. These concerns raised the issue of censorship and restricting access of various fil m and movie content to the children (Ellen and Nancy, 35). Unlike film industry that was regulated later after the society raised concerns about its effects on children, radio was regulated by the federal government immediately after it was introduced. Similarly, introduction of

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis Essay

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis - Essay Example Nevertheless, for a number of children the disease can become critical and necessitate hospitalization owing to complex lower respiratory path virus that include bronchiolitis and pneumonia which can cause permanent lung injury and may result in death (Owen, 18-19). About 20,000 RSV infected children in Britain are sent to hospital every year and the death rate among these children is 0.5-1.5% (Collins and Pollard, 10-17). A research in the USA stated that RSV bronchiolitis was the main cause of children hospitalization throughout 1997-2000 (Leader and Kohlhase, S142-149). Children at high danger of getting serious RSV infection comprise of babies below 6 months. Critical RSV disease has also been linked with lower socio-economic position (Collins and Pollard, 10-17). RSV is extremely transmittable and can be permeate air-borne drops, fomites, by direct communication with emission and through the healthcare team taking care for children with RSV disease. RSV can comprise of a large number of hospital-acquired diseases in children and presents a unique challenge to paediatric wards throughout the winter outbreak. As diseases in the community rises there is an influx of children with critical RSV diseases to paediatric wards and the diseases is passed to children exposed to critical RSV diseases and healthcare personnel in these wards. A study of nosocomial RSV diseases in paediatric wards indicated that hospital-acquired RSV throughout the 1960s and 70s could be as high as 100% of hospitalization (Mlinaric-Galinovic and Varda-Brkic, 237-246). Yet, more researches have proved nosocomial diseases to vary from 1%-29% of hospitalizations conditional on the infection control methods employed (Madge et al, 1079-1083). It has also been proved that the danger of nosocomial RSV rises with the period of hospitalization. As cure and prophylaxis of RSV diseases have inadequate achievement, it is necessary that the contiguity of RSV disease is stopped through disease control. A number of researches have proved that conformity of infection control and cohorting of patients can decrease hospital-acquired RSV to a minimum level (Doherty et al, 203-206). Prognosis RSV disease can, in exceptional cases, trigger fatalities in children. Nevertheless, this is improbable if the children are consulted by a healthcare provider early during the complaint. More critical RSV infection may be observed in: Premature children Children with constant lung infection Children whose immune system does not function well Children with some kinds of heart ailment In older children and youths, the illness will generally be mild. Some data implies that children who have had RSV bronchiolitis are at greater danger for asthma. Its Treatment Treatment for children with bronchiolitis created by respiratory RSV consists of supplemental oxygenation, nasal suction, liquids to stop dehydration, and other helpful treatments. Susceptible children who should be hospitalized comprise of those under three months and those with a preterm birth, cardiopulmonary illness, immunodeficiency, respiratory pain, or insufficient oxygenation. Inhaled beta2-agonist bronchodilators and

Investigating Entrepreneurial Opportunities of business that focuses Essay

Investigating Entrepreneurial Opportunities of business that focuses main on setting up swimming pools and fountains in the gardens of houses - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in the recent year, the American construction industry has developed in a very drastic way. Nonetheless, there are very few construction companies that have specialized in setting up swimming pools and fountains in the gardens of houses. The few companies that are doing this have dominated the business giving room to monopoly. The problem with monopoly is that the people in business are able to control the business for lack of competition. According to Grant monopoly disadvantages, the consumer in many ways but mostly is the fact that they have no options to choose from and hence are vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation from the monopolists. Many at times they are forced to pay high rates and prices. This is because the consumers need the services or the product but are limited to choice. This is regardless of whether the product and services are of the right quality. The above situation is the reason why the researchers decided to start a business that focuses mainly on setting up swimming pools and fountains in the gardens of houses. Every American home is now embarking on setting up swimming pools in their backyard or at least a fountain. New homes and those that have been constructed before are all seeking to have an extra facility that will make the house more self-sustained and reliant. Apart from home, new markets like hotels and resort centers are very attractive since clients want to go to places that can meet their leisure needs. Combining these two potential markets the business is guaranteed to succeed and make profits. There are other opportunities related to the same like cleaning and maintaining of the swimming pools and springs. The researchers intend to specialize in this area also in order to guarantee our clients a complete package that will run even after the installation or set up of the pool or spring. By specializing in this business, it means that even construction companies that do not set up swimming pools and fountains will be seeking to give our business sub-contracts in order to satisfy their clients. Likewise, individual homeowners will be seeking our services when the construction companies they are working with are not able to facilitate this service. For a start, such a business will need a trained team that will work on commission for every work done. A training program will also be put in place for new employees in order to make sure that they are working within our standards.