People Should Not Persuade Others to Join Their Religion Essay Example for Free

People Should Not Persuade Others to Join Their Religion Essay I agree with the statement ‘People should not persuade others to join their religion’ because it’s the persons choice. Everyone has the right to choose what religion they want, or don’t want, based on their own reasons and feelings and no one should try and influence them into choosing one religion that they may not actually believe in but have been persuaded by others that it is the best religion to choose. Traditional Christian Missionaries would most likely disagree with what the statement says. They believe that they should go around spreading the gospel to persuade people to join Christianity because it is a job that God wants them to do. They take passages from the bible like John 14; No one can get to God except through Jesus, and John 3:14; Whoever believes in Jesus will not die but have eternal life, literally and use them to convince others that they have to join the Christian faith because it is the only way they can truly be connected with God. I do not agree with this point of view because if they are following their faith to the letter, then most religions teach that God will always be there for you even if you don’t have a faith so you don’t have to believe in Jesus to connect with God. However the fact that they have based what they believe in on the bible shows at least that they are trying to do what they believe is right and what God has told them and what they are supposed to do. Alternatively, modern missionaries might also agree with the statement because, instead of trying to persuade people to join Christianity, they do good work and evangelise because they believe it’s what God wants them to do. They believe God does not need them to convince others to join Christianity but just to spread his word to everybody because they are all one in Jesus Christ no matter what their faith is and as long as they keep spreading the gospel rather than using it to encourage people to join their faith they are doing what God wants and if people do convert to Christianity because of it then it has been their choice to do so. I think this is a much better view of what a missionary should do because it means they can still spread the word of God to people who might need to know about it so it can help them and they can still do the good work that God wants them to but they are not trying to be bias to any religion and they do not take away anybodies right to choose the way that they feel or believe. Atheists do not believe in any religion or God which is why some people may believe that they need to be persuaded to a become religious because they  think everyone needs to believe in God or a God and everyone needs to have a faith. However I don’t think that atheists would want to have anybody trying to persuade them to join their faith because they do not think any God exists. They may also argue to people who say that everyone has to have a faith that their faith is that they believe that the Wholly Other is not real. They would probably agree with the statement if people have chosen what they want to believe in then people should accept what they have chosen. Overall I agree with what the statement says because it is everyone’s human right to have a choice about everything they believe and other people trying to change that shouldn’t happen.

Critical Analysis of Leadership Theories and Assessing Links

Critical Analysis of Leadership Theories and Assessing Links An organization is comprised of a large set of individuals, working together to attain a specified common goal. The concrete organisational framework is based upon specified values and positive culture escorted by charismatic leaders that are required to comprehend their roles and responsibilities towards both the employees and the organisation. A positive work environment is comprised of intellectual and enigmatic leaders that believe in empowering employees and appreciate their active participation in the progression of the company (Balain, and Sparrow 2009, p. 227). The concept of leadership is generated to monitor the behavioural patterns of employees including and motivate them to enhance their loyalty towards the organisation. The behavioural patterns of employees greatly vary depending upon their individual circumstances and therefore, it is extremely crucial for the leaders to develop an empathetic approach towards resolving the issues of employees and to inspire them for eff ective contribution to achieve the organisational objectives. It is the responsibility of the organisational leaders to develop challenging but achievable goals and boost the team spirit amongst the employees to achieve maximum organisational productivity (Knight, Durham and Locke 2001, p. 329). There could be diverse range of motivational factors that might influence an individuals conviction and the effective leaders have the ability to single out those factors to persuade the employees to enhance organisational growth and maximise its productivity (Choi 2006, p. 26). This paper is intended to analyse the role of leadership and employee motivation in long term organisational success by critical evaluation of the theoretical underpinnings of the subject. The idea is to reflect the behavioural patterns of both the leaders and employees by recognizing the need for employee motivation and understanding the role of leaders to optimistically incite the employees in the best interest of the organisation (Knight, Durham and Locke 2001, p. 335). The main objective of this paper is to explicate the functional features of an organisation in which the role of leadership becomes extremely significant in order to develop smart employee motivational strategies to ensure their satisfaction and thereby, producing constructive employees attitudes to preserve long term organisational success. ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN ORGANISATIONAL SUCCESS Routine official work environment has several challenges and issues which are required to be sorted with sheer intelligence and determination. Organisational structure is extremely complex including diverse nature of employees and therefore, the role of leader becomes extremely significant to maintain a positive and constructive workplace (Hamlin 2002). The most integral aspect of a leaders personality is the understanding towards responsibilities and willingness to combat with difficulties and challenges. Not all managers can become effective leaders (Knight, Durham and Locke 2001, p. 335) as the complex organisational structure and diversity of employees makes it difficult to realize the dynamics of key motivating factors that facilitate in enhanced organisational productivity. The globalised work environment of today is comprised of organisations having employees coming from different backgrounds, speaking diversified languages and competent in varying range of skills and therefor e, leaders today, are not just required to focus on task accomplishment but must also address the employees expectations by engaging them as effectively contributing member of the organisation. Employees look upon their organisational leaders as a coach who enables them to understand and perform their task in correct manner (Hamlin 2002). Employees expect their leaders to effectively communicate and direct them to prevail over the work-related issues and obstacles by motivational skills. The concept of leadership is based upon the combination of personality, ideologies, intellect, motivation and trust (Balain, and Sparrow 2009, p. 228). Organisations endeavour fiscal growth and productivity which can be achieved by progressive employees followed by a charismatic leader. It is significant for the organisational leaders to recruit maximum number of followers and for that, leaders through their personal charm, ideologies and intellect gain trust of employees and motivate them to accomp lish organisational goals (Kaplan and Norton 2004, p. 37). Long term organisational success is highly dependent upon leadership and employee motivation. It has been studied that, in order to achieve long-term organisational success, leaders are required to gain trust of employees and motivate them (Baldoni, 2005, p. 175). The distinct qualities encompassing excellence in performance and management skills ascertain the organisational leaders. The ability to envision, empathise, and empower are the three core components that determine the charismatic attribute of a leader. Envisioning behaviour of a leader influences other organisational members by stimulating a need to accomplish and the empathic behaviour facilitate the followers to gel with their leader based on ideological affiliations (Choi, 2006, p. 41). ANALYISING THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP Leaders are the symbol of ideologies that are followed by others and organisations acquire tremendous growth and success by integrating charismatic leadership within their work environment. Interaction of leaders with the followers tends to develop a positive and highly motivated work environment which eventually results in the organisational success (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 27). The six most integral leadership theories have been critically analysed to understand the reasons behind advanced performance levels which enhances the economic and organisational strength. Great Man Theory The theoretical model of Great Man theory was based on a belief that the leadership is confine only to the aristocratic people that are destined to escort the rest. Formerly the people belonging to upper-class were treated differently and were looked upon by others due to specific qualities they posses or the exceptional standard of living they enjoyed. It was believed that only a limited number of people were uniquely gifted with certain abilities and traits that made it possible for them to become leaders and the rest are meant to follow them (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 32). The most critical element of the Great Man theory was the blind conviction in the leadership of aristocratic people and firmly believing that the traits of leadership can never be inherited, developed, learnt, or acquired (Baldoni, 2005, p. 179), which limited the scope of leadership. The term Great Man itself has a limited scope as the theoretical model is primarily male, military and west oriented. While analysin g the phenomenon of intrinsic supremacy of the Great Man theory, it is indeed true that there are certain men possessing some congenital power to influence over their contemporaries, substantiating their right to leadership however, the concept of limiting the headship to a group of aristocratic is inequitable (Choi 2006, p. 42). If the Great Man model is applied to the contemporary organisational structure, it might produce unconstructive outcomes as the diversification of employees background, languages, skills and individual circumstance has given rise to a much perplexed work environment where aristocratic aspect of Great Man theory would develop pessimism amongst employees. The globalised nature of work environment has developed a breed of employees that are much more aware, educated, skilful and competent (Hamlin 2002). Employees today do not necessarily be content with handsome remuneration package instead they look forward to professional growth and enhanced opportunities. T he Great Man theoretical model does not address the prospects and expectations of existing organisational workforce as it is confined to offer leadership opportunities to aristocratic group of people only. Followed by the Great Man theoretical model which advocates the innate superiority, the exceptional traits, qualities and attributes of the leaders were explored and as a result of which Trait Theory was developed. Trait Theories The Trait Theories were developed with a purpose of determining the core characteristics of leaders that contributed towards organisational success. The theory was put forward with intent to facilitate the organisations in the identification of key traits, qualities and attributes of leaders so that the correct set of people can be recruited and installed into leadership positions of the organisation. There are a number of leadership traits identified by several studies including adaptability, decisiveness, cooperation, dependability, assertiveness, determination, self confidence (Wheatley 2001, p. 92) however, it has been observed that there is no quantifiable means to identify leadership characteristics and there are no consistent set of qualities that might support the concept of a true leader (Baldoni, 2005, p. 212). Human beings have numerous positive and negative traits that are responsible in shaping up the overall personality of an individual. All leaders posses the universal quality to influence others however, the set of fundamental traits that enables them to dominate over their contemporaries might considerably differ (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 37). It has been studied that the generic qualities of a leader such as charismatic personality, sociability and intelligence are not limited to themselves only instead the most commonly held traits of leaders can also be shared by diverse group of people which do not necessarily become leaders. On the other hand, generic traits of the leaders might be similar however, the absence of some of these generic traits do not make them any less leader. There has been somewhat consistency in the generic traits of leaders that may include administrative skills, decisiveness, responsiveness and astuteness which enables them to ensure enhanced organisational productivity. It has been argued that there is the probability of prominent leaders being gifted by few common traits nevertheless; it is nearly impracticable that all leaders pose a collective set of characteristics (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 39) and hence, the Trait Theory failed to sustain its momentum. It is significant to note that, neither the authoritative traits corroborate the position of a leader and nor the position of leadership can be acquired by the identified authoritative characteristics (Gosling and Mintzberg 2003). Behavioural Theories The contradictory nature of the Trait Theories, lead the researchers to focus on the behavioural aspect of organisational leaders and as a result of which the Behavioural Theories were formulated that are primarily based on studying the varying leadership styles. The McGregors X Y Managers Theory has been widely publicised stating that the leaders assumptions about human nature greatly influences the overall organisational leadership stratagem. In accordance with McGregors theoretical model, the theory X managers deem that there is an intrinsic aversion amongst human beings towards obligations and responsibilities which circumvents their desire to work unless persuaded. Theory X managers are required to consistently direct and control their workforce to achieve organisational objectives. On the other hand, theory Y managers believe that correct work atmosphere combined with employees commitment facilitates people in exercising self-direction and self-control that ultimately aid in a ccomplishing the pre-set organisational goals. By analysing the McGregors theoretical model, it can be observed that the theory X mangers support the domineering style whereas; theory Y managers support a participative approach of leadership. The domineering leaders have strict control over their employees characterised by their decisiveness conversely, the participative leaders are much more considerate and are found to behave sympathetically towards the employees and thereby, develop a sense of affiliation and trust (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 40). While contrasting both the leadership behaviours it can be constituted that the autocratic leaders are strict but disciplined which results in obtaining better results in terms of enhanced fiscal growth conversely, the participative leaders are the preferred choice of the employees but the performance margin is considerably reduced due to their considerate behaviour. The Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid is another behavioural theory focuse s on organisational production and employee orientations by analysing the combinations of concerns between the two extremes. Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid measures the leaders concerns for production on horizontal and concerns for people on the vertical axis by identifying the five key leadership styles. By analysing the Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid, it has been observed that the most crucial aspect of leadership behaviour is to value the collaborative approach and teamwork that eventually results in long-term organisational success. Situational Contingency Theories Depending upon the consistently evolving work environment and inconsistent circumstances, it can be constituted that the leadership styles has to be considerably flexible and adaptive in order to address the underlying organisational issues. After identifying the behavioural aspects of leadership it was inevitable to apply them in varying situations to assess their practicability. Fiedlers Contingency Model was put forward with intent to address workplace issues that are highly reliant upon the impinged situational factors explicating that mechanistic organisational environment may progress well with autocratic leadership style whereas a participative approach is suited to a dynamic work environment having a flexible approach (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 882). Fiedler Contingency Model categorised managers in two distinct groups i.e. task and relationship oriented and environment as favourable or unfavourable. This model enables the leaders to manipulate the environmental var iables to match their leadership styles. In accordance with the contingency model the relationship and power positioning of a leader with its team members greatly influences the task structure (Baum and Locke 2004, p. 587) and it has been observed that the favourable work environment characterised by constructive leader-member relationship tends to yield a high task structure where a leader has the power to appreciate or penalize its employees with absolute authority and vice versa. Both the task motivated and relationship motivated leadership styles comes with their relative set of pros and cons as the task-motivated leaders can gain fiscal growth by outperforming the key competitors (Kaplan and Norton 2004, p. 42) whereas, the relationship motivated leaders gain customer satisfaction which establishes the positive image of the organisation which fairly contributes in attaining long-term organisational success. The theoretical grounds of Hersey-Blanchard Model of Leadership are bas ed on assessing the developmental capacity of employees which tends to determine the suitability of a leadership style in a specific situation. The theory is based on the combination of task behaviour and relationship behaviour of a leader depending upon the maturity of its subordinates within a workplace setting. With respect to the situational variables of subordinates maturity levels, the leadership style have been categorised into four kinds out of which two major leadership styles including directive behaviour and supportive behaviours are deemed as the most significant (Perren and Burgoyne 2001). In directive behaviour category the leaders adopt a one-way communication strategy where leaders decide, communicate, direct and closely monitor the performance of the subordinates to achieve the core organisational objectives (Balain, and Sparrow 2009, p. 229). On the other hand, the supportive behaviour of a leader is two-way communication process in which leaders adopt a flexible a pproach by engaging the subordinates in the decision making process, listen to their views, offer support and encourage their contributions in task performance. The most significant aspect of Hersey-Blanchard Model is that, it provides a multi-purpose approach by allowing the leaders to assess the maturity level of their subordinates and thereby, adjust their behaviours accordingly. The theory emphasises on enhancing the maturity level of subordinates by effective coaching techniques, increased support and motivational schemes so that the burden on leadership can be fine-tuned as per the developmental capacity of the employees which not only benefits the leaders but is equally favourable to the organisation in longer run. The Tannenbaum Schmidts Continuum model is an extension of contingency theories suggesting that there are four main leadership behaviours varies along a continuum including autocratic or telling style, persuasive or selling style, consultative or consulting style and democratic or joining style. The continuum model has distinguished the leadership styles and applied them to specified situations as for example telling style is most suited to mature team in an emergency situation, the selling style is applicable to an aggressive work setting where leader is decisive however the enthusiastic participation of the subordinates is equally valued. The consulting and joining leadership is complimentary to somewhat similar situation where collective decision making by both the leaders and subordinates result in enhanced productivity of the organisation (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 886). Another significant situational or contingency model is the Adairs Action-Centred leadership which is characterised by a three circle diagram. The situational and contingent elements determine the responsiveness of leader to address the organisational issues and achieve the desired goals. Leaders and Followers Previously the concept of leadership was confined to idealise the solo frontal figures that contributes in achieving organisational objectives. The theories of Leaders and Followers are intended to highlight the interdependency of leaders and their subordinates and reflect the significance of collaborative work environment. The theory of Servant Leadership determines the individual perception to serve first and then lead by encouraging teamwork, prescience and trust within the organisational structure by empowering all and treating them with fairness. Team Leadership is another theoretical approach that is put forward by Meredith Belbin emphasising on the balanced team efforts by proposing a network of individuals working together for a common organisational goal having both individual strengths and weaknesses. Team work is most suited to the complex structure of globalised work environment as the leaders are less interfering and believe in engaging their subordinates as actively par ticipating members of the organisation (Goleman, McKee and Boyatzis 2002, p. 22). The volatile organisational structure of today requires concerted working relationships due to its diverse nature and the leadership style that promotes employees development offers a holistic approach where problem solving and decisiveness of a leader is complimented and supported by the entire team. In addition to this, James MacGregor Burns came up with the Transactional and Transformational Leadership Model which is which enables to develop an understanding of monetary and ethical needs of organisation followed by a leader. The transactional leadership is based on business perspective by relying on short term fiscal benefits to maximise organisational efficiency. The transactional leadership focuses on tactical issues and is hard data orientation by supporting the entrenched structure and systems and is predominantly occupied by power, politics and perks (Baum and Locke 2004, p. 589). On the other hand, the foundation of transformational leadership is has high moral and ethical grounds based on pre-defined purposes. The significance of transformational leadership is the diffusion of duties and responsibilities amongst the team to acquire meaningful and challenging job roles for the subordinates in order to develop a sense of self-worth by acknowledging the human potential (Drach-Zahavy and Erez 2002, p. 668). Transformational leaders work towards acquiring long-term organisational success by prudently aligning the internal structure and systems without comprising the core values and principles. Dispersed Leadership It is an informal leadership style that is significantly dissociated with the organisational hierarchal model. The Dispersed Leadership model is the most contemporary theoretical model which encourages the all individuals within an organisation to contribute their leadership skills without any limitations of hierarchy and positively influence their colleagues to maximise organisational productivity. It has been studied that, by developing leaderful culture and work environment by the help of synchronized, cooperative and empathetic leadership model (Raelin 2003, p. 62), the organisations can become more progressive as the responsibility and commitment of a leader can be extensively entrenched throughout the entire organisation without the limitations imposed by formal chain of commands. The relationship and social behaviour of an individual determines its leadership qualities and the intrinsic characteristics and traits of a leader have the power to influence other by producing follo wers (James and Burgoyne 2001). Hence, the phenomenon of dispersed leadership i.e. encouraging the development of leaders amongst the small groups of same ideologies may also benefit the organisation by the prelude of a modern work environment having shared set of responsibilities. ASSESSING THE LINKAGE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION Leaders are expected to generate enthusiasm within their subordinates to maximise their efficiencies and are far-sighted to develop effectual strategies to overcome the obstacles that may hinder in smooth progression of the organisation. The most highly equipped organisational leaders utilise useful tools of communication, problem solving, people management, decision making and motivation to develop a strong bond with their team members and gain their trust to extort utmost output of their organisational performances (James and Burgoyne 2001). Suited to the diverse range of situations and contexts, the organisations put forward effective leadership styles in order to develop affiliations with their employees by exhibiting incredible drive and enthusiasm in order to achieve the desired goals. To acquire the desired results by the enhanced efficiency of their subordinates, leaders are required to stimulate them with the help of numerous motivational tools including incentives, growth o pportunities and rewards (Rodgers, Frearson, Holden and Gold 2003). Leadership theories combined with correct motivational strategies tends to deliver enhanced organisational productivity. Leaders are therefore anticipated to understand the human psychology as the organisational performances are greatly influenced by the psychosocial objectives of an individual (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 882). It is extremely significant to acknowledge the substance of human needs while developing organisational objectives as the labour force of the organisation is predominantly humans that are engaged in specific job roles to fulfil their basic needs. Apart from monetary benefits, an individual may also have varying psycho-social needs that develops an individual personality based on a personal belief system (Raelin 2003, p. 65). An organisation can successfully develop a high-performing workforce by addressing the psycho-social needs of its employees through monetary and symbolic rewards that tends to enhance a sense of self-worth and thereby contribute in acquiring the desired organisational goals (Renn 2003, p. 572). Considering the primary human needs and psychosocial necessitates, smart leaders develop effectual strategies to motivate their subordinates by unswervingly stimulating the correct individual motives (Wegge and Haslam 2005, p. 404). The employees of today have tremendously grown in terms of educational qualifications and thrive on knowledge based work environments where they expect to receive the due respect to their ideologies and acknowledgement of their contributions and efforts benefiting the organisation. Leaders are the primary and the most vital connecting point of the workforce with the organisation that enables the workforce to express their views with complete freedom and recognise their organisational contributions Goleman, McKee and Boyatzis 2002, p. 22). The previous methods of managing subordinates through leaders have been replaced by the contemporary techniques of employing personnel-centric strategies within the organisation in order to exceedingly motivate employees to gain competitive advantage in the market. Managers are required to motivate the employees and attain their utmost loyalty and devotion by inspiring them through effective leadership styles. The democratic nature of contemporary organisation supports the idea of empowering their employees and the leaders are now anticipated to produce their followers by adopting a flexible approach and widely accepted leadership style. Today, the products and services offered by the organisations are not the only means to compete in the market but the power of an organisation to retain a highly competitive, loyal and productive workforce determine their market supremacy (Drach-Zahavy and Erez 2002, p. 669). The linkage between true leadership and motivational strategies has been greatly emphasised by the organisations and it has been observed that leaders with their motivational stratagem play an integral role in maximising organisational productivity. The autocratic leadership styles followed by strictly hierarchal organisational structures have been subsided in the contemporary globalised work environment where employees prefer a democratic leadership that is meant to respect their psy cho-social objectives and is fair towards acknowledging their individual contributions in the overall organisational success. It has been identified that the contemporary workforce appreciates leaders that are persuasive and not coercive. Employees have now become more inclined towards professional pragmatism and challenging job roles rather than restricting their growth opportunities to short-term benefits like status and position (Goleman, McKee and Boyatzis 2002, p. 39). Therefore, organisations have also recognised the strong bond between effective leadership and motivational strategies and have put forward their enigmatic leaders that are willing to acclimatize their leadership skills in order to address the psycho-social needs of todays workforce. The long-term organisational success is highly reliant upon its progressive and devoted workforce (Hamlin 2002) that can be achieved by integrating the right set of motivational strategies through the most appropriate leadership styl es. Organisations prudently choose the appropriate leaders that have sufficient proclivity of analysing the core psycho-social needs of the employees and correct knowledge about the organisational environment (Wegge and Haslam 2005, p. 401). The intensity of leaders receptiveness to appropriately retort towards the consistently evolving situations together with their ability to address the unprecedented expectations of employees, ascertains the long-term organisational success. CONCLUSION (250) Peoples attitudes towards their employment have been considerably altered due to a shift from manual to knowledge based work environment in the contemporary globalised organisational structure. The fast-paced work environment combined with highly responsive employees behaviour has enhanced living standards and employees expectations and therefore, effectual and integrated leadership has become indispensible to motivate the organisational workforce of today. Depending upon varying situations, organisations position their best leaders that are required to motivate their subordinates through the most suitable leadership techniques in order to preserve the loyalty and commitment of the employees towards achieving maximum organisational productivity. To conclude, there is a strong relationship between effective leadership and employee motivational strategies that not only generate fiscal benefits by enhanced organisational productivity but also contribute in accomplishing long-term organi sational success.

Racism in The Color of Fear Essay example -- Color Fear Film Movie Rac

Racism in The Color of Fear Let’s start with the definition of racism. Racism refers to the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals should be treated differently based on their ascribed race. There are two main issues in the movie the â€Å"The Color of Fear† that I will discuss. These two issues include grouping people of color on the basis of the way one looks, and the attitudes of different races towards one another. Including also the idea that the white â€Å"do-gooder† feels that subconsciously racism is being taken care of, when in all reality it isn’t. The eight men in The Color of Fear candidly discussed racism not only as "whites oppressing blacks," but also the less addressed sides of racial trouble in America. A white man earnestly stating that he had never oppressed anyone in his entire life, and a Hispanic man talking about being afraid of driving in front of pickup trucks with gun racks, shows how there needs to be more progress towards ending these feelings in America. Stereotypes were openly declared, from Asians as "the model minority" to blacks as "lazy, violent, and dangerous." So the first issue is mainly a white culture problem; white people like to categorize those who do not look white and put the non whites into groups based on the color of their skin. Whites like to group together that which they do not understand. Man has been taugh...

Ancient Man, Clovis :: essays research papers

Ancient Man and the Disco Ball Essay One)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thousands of years ago, primitive man walked the earth very similarly to the way he does today. We can discern this from the cultures that remain nearly intact from that time, and by analyzing what remains from those ancient peoples. Technologies change, making life easier for people, and ensuring the survival of the species (things like medicine and modern farming techniques), but the people themselves change very little.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ethnographically, people like the !Kung bushmen are very specialized. In actuality, any and all of the remaining societies that have survived outside of mainstream culture must be very specialized. There are few places in the world untouched by civilized man (perhaps none at all), and the only places that have managed to elude him thus far are the regions that are generally unwanted. These places, like the Kalahari, Arctic Circle, and South American Jungle, are the only locations containing native people living in their traditional ways. All of the people living in these places have to live in a very specific way, or they simply cannot survive on what the land gives them. Of, course all of the ethnographic records we have show highly specialized people, we killed all the ones that lived where they could be more generalized and still survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The archaeological record shows us what the intelligent ethnographers preach; there is more out there than what we see, and we are constantly underestimating the cultures that came before us. The widespread use of tools like harpoons and spears, the spread of pottery and boxes, and the actual contents of ancient stomachs (like the Ice Man's) show us that ancient people were once more variable than they are now. Considering that ancient men spread from Pittsburgh to South America in an incredibly short span of time (though from whence they came is unknown), ancient people must have been very adept at adapting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Archaeologists are trying very hard to understand the ethnographers. They do this because they want to understand just what it is that they are digging up, and the best way to find out is to ask the people who use them. Of course they are not perfect, and some archaeologists dig competitively (almost like tomb raiders), but overall, we can learn a lot about ancient people from the work of these two groups of scientists working together with the past and the present.

Declining Air Quality :: Environment Environmental

Declining Air Quality Section A The declining air quality can be held responsible for many things such as city smog and the greenhouse effect. Such problems are very definite in America since they are one of the top air–pollutant–creating countries in the world. The original list of air pollutants created by US industries was made up of arsenic, asbestos, benzene, beryllium, coke oven emissions, mercury, radionuclides (radioactive isotopes), and vinyl chloride. In the 1990’s this list was expanded to include 189 substances, and by the end of the 1990’s regulations were put in place for the â€Å"major sources†, which require the emission of no more than ten tons of any of these substances and no more than twenty five tons of any combination of them per year. Air pollution that worsens the global air quality is mostly generated by the wealthier, more populated nations. America has a population of 275,372,000, making it one of the most populated countries; it is also the most powerful nation in the world. As a result almost every household in the United States own a car or two. Cars are major contributors to the ozone hole and when almost every household in one of the most populated countries in the world own one, the level of air pollution emitted would be paramount. As a result, many of the major cites in the US such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles have very bad smog that reduce visibility and increase health risks. In Los Angeles, for example, the smog causes eye and chest irritations for residents and exacerbates asthma. Attempts have been made to clear the smog, but no reasonable success has been achieved. There have been measures taken to stop the problem from getting noticeably worse, but it is not a long term option. The smog in LA is caused fundamentally by the Californian sun. The heat of the sun creates a layer of warm air that acts as a seal, trapping the cold air in the basin of the Los Angeles harbour. This effect traps all of the industrial pollution and the car exhaust above the city. The millions that live there are all exposed daily to harmful levels of carbon monoxide. It is not yet known what the long term effects of this will be. Due to this hazard to human health the Los Angeles authorities have been urged to cut down on pollution, which means burning fossil fuels more completely and restricting the industries, all at the cost of millions of dollars.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a “Child-Free”Lifestyle

Amtrak: Long Distance Trains: FY 2008 Long-Distance Train Facts †¢ A long-distance train typically consists of sleepers, coaches, a diner and/or a lounge car. †¢ Long-distance trains travel as far as 2,800 miles and pass through as many as 12 states. †¢ Amtrak operates 15 long-distance trains over 18,500 route miles serving 39 states and the District of Columbia. These trains provide the only rail passenger service to 23 states. †¢ In FY 2008 these trains carried 4. 2 million passengers accounting for 2. billion passenger miles—42% of Amtrak’s total—and produced ticket revenues of $415 million. †¢ The average long-distance train passenger traveled 626 miles in FY08. †¢ Long-distance trains run primarily on tracks owned and maintained by private freight railroads. †¢ These trains are not the big money-losers that they are often portrayed to be; only about $300 million annually would be saved if they were eliminated, and only afte r a five-year period. Background InformationAmtrak’s long-distance trains provide an essential transportation service for many communities and to a significant percentage of the general public. Many long-distance trains serve small communities with limited or no significant air or bus service, especially in remote or isolated areas in the United States. As a result of airline deregulation and decisions by national bus carriers to exit many communities, rail transportation may provide the only feasible common carrier transportation option for a growing number of areas. If long-distance trains were eliminated, 23 states and 243 communities would be left with no intercity passenger rail service and 18 other states would lose some service. No state or private operator has picked up a long-distance route that Amtrak has eliminated. Amtrak Government Affairs: February 2009 Amtrak: Long Distance Trains: FY 2008 Importance of the Long-Distance Trains The route across the northern tie r of states, the Empire Builder, with 554,000 passengers in 2008, is the only public transportation service in many communities in North Dakota, Montana and eastern Washington.For most of the states along the Empire Builder, tourism serves as a major economic engine. A recent study identifying the economic contributions of the Empire Builder showed nearly $14 million in annual economic benefits in Montana alone. 2 Long-distance trains also provide transportation during periods Amtrak’s California Zephyr follows the of severe weather or emergencies that stall other modes of same route over Donner Pass as the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. transportation.This was demonstrated after the September 11 terrorist attacks that grounded air travel. Additionally, these trains provide a strong economic benefit for the states and communities that they serve. The majority of passengers on the long-distance trains do not travel between the endpoints, but rather to any com bination of city pairs. For example, the Southwest Chief, which travels from Chicago to Los Angeles via Kansas City, has 33 stops, creating 528 possible trip combinations.Measuring Financial Performance of Long-Distance Trains Most of Amtrak’s expenditures are due to the immense capital needs of its infrastructure, particularly the Northeast Corridor, not the operating costs of the long-distance trains. These operating cost figures should be cited with caution. Critics often refer to the â€Å"loss per passenger† of the longdistance trains. However, each long-distance train passenger is the equivalent of five short distance train passengers because of the greater distances traveled.More importantly, these â€Å"loss per passenger† figures often include not only the â€Å"avoidable† costs of operating individual long-distance trains (such as the cost of diesel fuel) but all of the shared costs that Amtrak incurs for the benefit of both long-distance and co rridor trains (such as the cost of mechanical facilities, Amtrak’s computer systems, and stations like Los Angeles Union Station). Including shared costs produces inflated and misleading â€Å"loss† figures, since these costs will not go away if long-distance trains are eliminated. Eliminating all long-distance trains would produce negligible cost savings in the first few ears because Amtrak must pay labor protection to impacted employees. When these payments end after five years, the savings would still be minimal—around $300 million annually, or about a quarter of Amtrak’s annual appropriation in recent years. Eliminating individual trains produces even fewer savings—most of the shared costs of Amtrak’s long-distance network would remain. Additionally, Amtrak continues to make changes to its long-distance trains that will improve revenue and finances for the system. Amtrak exited from the mail and express business in 2004, resulting in sho rter and more convenient schedules, with reduced labor costs.The repair of wreck-damaged equipment continues and will allow Amtrak to increase capacity, and therefore revenues, on long-distance trains, which often sell out. Amtrak began a Simplified Dining Service on most long-distance trains in early 2006. These changes will help further reduce the losses of long-distance trains. 1 Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation: AASHTO, 2002. 2 Analysis of the Economic Benefits of the Empire Builder, R. L. Banks & Associates: http://www. mdt. state. mt. us/tranplan/docs/empire_builder. pdf Amtrak Government Affairs: February 2009

The Acoustics of Speech in Individuals Who Stutter

The Acoustics of Speech in Individuals who Stutter: Literature The Acoustics of Speech in Individuals who Stutter Introduction Research concerning acoustics in children who stutter, who have recovered from stuttering and adult stutterers shows that there is a lack of coherency in the data collected and reforms need to be made to the methods involved. The research that has been conducted on stuttering pertains mostly to the condition in children; stuttering is most prevalent in younger children and in most cases will be corrected by the later years of youth. Researchers working within the field are confronted by many problematic factors when both conducting their research and specifically in analysing data. Diverse methods of data compilation and independent methods of interpretation mean that what one scientists concludes from an experiment may not support established theories and existing information on the subject. It can be assumed that analysis of acoustics in stuttering needs to be done with a specific framework that all researchers can work from. Issues like the diagnosis of stuttering complexes from mild, moderate and severe; the focus on frequency changes; and subtyping have all been encountered and brought up for review by researchers who wish to have a more fully rounded database from which to study stuttering in all its forms. A review of literature on the subject exposes many difficulties within the field of research and offers suggestions on how these might be addressed and overcome. Once a basic premise for observation, study and analysis is reached, the database will be much more comprehensive and useful to future research. Literature Review Acoustic analysis is the foundation to stuttering research conducted by many different scientists and scholars; the ways in which this research is conducted vary, however, and therefore can produce subsequently varied results and different ways of looking at stuttering itself. Some researchers are of the opinion that stuttering is heavily influenced by the actual perception of listeners, and that though analysis of reaction and perception of acoustics in stutterers it is possible to more fully comprehend those characteristics of speech that are a part of the disorder (Amir, Yairi). Through analysis of speech patterns in preschool aged children, the researchers concluded that interval duration in speech patterns must exceed 70 ms to be considered normal speech; under 50 ms interval duration was therefore attributed to stutterers. Some researchers have taken acoustic analysis to a new level with the use of the computer as a more failsafe analytical tool; due to a lack of specific acoustic parameters by which to classify stuttering the computer offers a more solid foundation for diagnosis and treatment (Brosch, Hage, Johannsen). Research conducted by these authors was inconclusive because of a lack of cohesive data on the subject, however it is their belief that with further study one might better understand the correlations between specific acoustics and the different stages of stuttering. The primary factor thought to be attributed to stuttering in different stages is age. Chang, Ohde and Conture believe that it is a disorganization of specific factors of speech, in particular the transition rate of speech formation, that can be cited as a precursor to stuttering. This research is key to the development of tuttering studies because currently there are very little data or theoretical models to explain the conditions that lead to stuttering in children. Through acoustic analysis not only of children and adults who currently stutter, but the acoustic analysis of children who will later develop a stutter, these researchers believe that more will be understood about the progression of the disorder and subsequen tly the treatment methods themselves. Given the generalities of much stuttering data, it has been concluded that subtyping of the disorder would help greatly with further research and the uture specialization of treatments and diagnoses (Yairi). In this case, the acoustic analysis carried out by researchers would be made very specific and varied: attention would be paid to transition rates, vowel duration, particularities of speech disfluency and other inconsistencies attributed to stuttering. Yairi’s research has yet to lead to subtypes of the disorder, however the belief remains that through more acoustic analysis, enough data will be gathered to start separating the disorder into more than one general field. Frequency changes and second formant transitions in reschool children who stutter persistently and who have recovered from the condition show general differences in speech patterns between the two groups. Most poignant was the fact that the research showed frequency ch anges in persistent stutterers were discreet while the recovery group showed marked frequency changes (Subramanian, Yairi, Amir). Research such as this helps to support Yairi’s theory that subtyping may be useful in the field. Along these lines, Armson and Kalinowski pointed out the difficulties in performing acoustic analysis on stutterers when the condition itself may be changing the data. These researchers feel that to properly assess acoustic data they must learn how to separate those factors out which cause stuttering, and which are inherent in individuals only after one has begun to stutter. The acoustics of one individual in a pre-stuttering state might show related frequencies and vowel duration, as well as the same speech rate and consonant-vowel repetitions to that of a stutterer; the researchers maintain, however, that the cognitive functions of one who stutters might be significantly different that that of an individual who does not stutter but will later develop the disorder. Cognitive and acoustic factors of stuttering are currently inextricable from those of the prestutterer, and until these can be separated the data gathered on the subject will remain generalized and of less value than it might be. As well as this, information on acoustics must be analyzed both during the stutter and during normal speech in the same individual. Paden, Abrose and Yairi studied the phonological acoustics of stutterers and non-stutterers to ascertain whether there were any significant differences between the two groups. Through the observation of children over a two-year span, attention was paid to not only current differences in the phonological skills of the children but the changes in those skill levels over time. They found that the phonological skill level of children who had recovered from stuttering were markedly higher than that of children who currently stutter; over the course of two years, however, the skill levels were developed and no significant difference could be shown. Flipsen Jr. , Hammer and Yost point out that perhaps the major flaw in the field is the fact that Clinicians are esponsible for identifying stuttering cases and labelling them either mild, moderate or severe. This means that Clinicians must rely on their own individual acoustic analysis to interpret the severity of stuttering case by case, and in doing so are likely to be inconsistent. Personal analysis of the acoustics of several different individuals who stutter means that although analysis is based on regimented di sfluency factors, such as vowel duration and frequency, relying solely on acoustic interpretation though listening cannot be scientifically sound. The researchers propose that a better method must be contrived in a study that supports Brosch, Hage and Johanssen’s computer analysis theory. In keeping with the idea that research on stuttering must be more specialized, Louis, Myers, Faragasso, Townsend and Gallagher have studied a particular disorder that is often attributed to stutterers but which they insist is a different disorder. Cluttering is an irregularity that has to do with the rate of speech: people with this condition will either speak more rapidly than normal or they will have inconsistencies in the rate of speech. While many researchers will have cluttering placed in the same field as stuttering, Louis (et al) believes that it is generalizations like this that cripple the scientific community. Acoustic analysis of cluttered speakers shows clearly that the condition is not the same as stuttering: while stuttering has a more clustered effect on the phonemes of speech, cluttering is less specific to certain vowel and consonant groups. Gohinho, Ingham, Davidow and Cotton have discovered that in treatment of stuttering, the reduction of short-deviation phonetic intervals has a direct affect on the condition. Acoustic analysis of normal stuttering and manipulated speech in normal stutterers suggested that phonetic interval distribution in the two speech groups were generally different; this theory was inconclusive. In terms of treatment, however, it has been useful and is thought to offer new possibilities in treatment procedures. Ingham, Fox, Ingham, Xiong, Zamarripa, Hardies and Lancaster conducted their own research based on gender differences between stutterers. Data were collected in terms both of acoustics and of cerebral blood flow in adults. While females are more likely to recover from stuttering in childhood and males are generally more susceptible to the condition, this research found that the stages of recovery were not significantly different between the gender groups. The researchers concluded that chronic stuttering was related to abnormal speech-motor and auditory region interactions. Healey and Ramig conducted research into stuttering that was specific to treatment, specifically treatment length and its effect on differing severities of the condition. Acoustic analysis of patients undergoing treatment showed that the severity of each case made no significant difference to recovery and the transition from one level to another; similarly treatment time made no difference in the progression and recovery of stutterers. Max and Caruso also explored treatment options, finding that fluency adaptation through the process of repeating specific readings was improved over other methods of treatment. With specific phonological aspects in the readings, designed to ontain certain phrases and vowel-consonant groups that give stutterers trouble normally, these were given to treatment patients to repeat until any changes were observed in speech patterns. Repetition treatments have traditionally very popular and due to their superiority over many other methods these treatments continue to dominate in the field. Specific study of the different aspects of language and acoustics means that a scenario for stuttering can be pieced together slowly and fo rmed of many different speech parts as well as cerebral and other physical data (Natke, Grosser, Sandrieser, Kalveram). Research into the effect of stressed syllables within speech and stuttering was conducted with reference to the length of such syllables. Natke and his colleagues hypothesized that stressed syllables were responsible for stuttering in many individuals, and studies proved that these were indeed catalysts for stuttering in most cases. Whether or not duration of stressed syllables has anything to do with disfluency is not yet apparent. Currently, Yaruss believes, no correlation can be drawn between utterance rates and response time latency. His own research explored these and consequently still was not supportive of the theory that conversational speaking rates were actually related to response time latency. He does believe that if more research were conducted into this area, a correlation would indeed be found; inadequate methods of acoustic analysis are cited as the reason why hypotheses such as these remain unproven. In Yairi’s response to the criticisms of Wingate on his theories of diversity in the field of acoustic study, he asserts that there are many different ways to study stuttering and that these varying methods should be valued. Wingate proposes, like many scholars, that there should only be one method of study so that subsequent data compilations are relevant to one another and more easily formed into future subdivisions of the disorder. While Yairi does not dispute the value of specialization within the field for the sake of greater knowledge and better treatment plans, he does maintain that a fundamental diversity among researchers is a positive attribute. In terms of acoustic analysis, this means that the lack of cohesion between existing research would persist. Evaluation of Published Research and Conclusions Overwhelmingly, researchers in the specific linguistic field that study stuttering and its related conditions are asking for continuity in research methods and data organization. While independent researchers and study groups might be able to find their own way of cultivating date, studying acoustics of stutterers, non-stutterers and recovering stutterers and interpreting this data, it is essentially of no use to the rest of the field unless aspects of the study can be repeated. Researchers like Brosche, Hage and Johanssen are particularly forward thinking in their approach to acoustic analysis, because unlike so many of their colleagues they are not continuing to rely on what they believe to be inferior techniques. The use of computer analysis in terms of stuttering acoustics not only means that a discrepancy between professionals can be ruled out in the future but that further information can be gathered concerning speech patterns that are undistinguishable to the unaided ear. Yairi is also correct when he says that there is more than one way to study stuttering. If all researchers relied on exactly the same techniques then no breakthroughs could be expected in the field; despite this fact most acoustic analysts who wish to better understand stuttering simply want a basic framework upon which to base their own studies and interpret the results of others. If a certain degree of flexibility could be maintained in acoustic analysis while certain fundamental factors were incorporated, researchers would be in a better position to interpret and present their own results in relation to the work of colleagues. Factors that might feature in each research project might nclude vowel duration, second formant transition, conversational speed and other specific disfluency forms. By using these factors in all research related to stuttering, whether the study is based on such factors or not, will mean that although two research projects might be based on completely different theories the results can still be comparatively put together. If one research projec t focuses on brain activity and blood flow during stuttered speech, and another focuses on frequency, results may still have relevance to one another because of the use of basic acoustic analysis. Coherency is needed in this field of research so that results and future treatments are made clearer. Implementing basic acoustic analyses in every research project will help to form a stuttering database that can be referenced by every researcher. Reference List Amir, O. , Yairi, E. (2002). The effect of temporal manipulation on the perception of disfluencies as normal or stuttering. Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 35, 63-82. Armson, J. , Kalinowski, J. (1994). Interpreting results of the fluency speech paradigm in stuttering research: Difficulties in separating cause from effect. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, vol. 37, 69-82. Brosch, S. , Hage, A. , Johanseen, H. (2002). Prognostic indicators for stuttering: the value of computer-based speech analysis. Brain and Language, vol. 82, 75-86. Chang, S. , Ohde, R. , Conture, E. , (2002). Coarticulation and Formant Transition Rate in Children who Stutter. Vanderbilt University. Flipsen Jr. , P. , Hammer, J. , Yost, K. (2005). Measuring Severity of Involvement in Speech Delay: Segmental and Whole Word Measures. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 14, 298-312. Godinho, T. , Ingham, R. , Davidow, J. , Cotton, J. (2006). The Distribution of Phonated Intervals in Individuals who Stutter. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, vol. 49, 161- 171. Healey, E. , Ramig, P. (1989). The Relationship of Stuttering Severity and Treatment Length to Temporal Measures of Stutterers’ Perceptually Fluent Speech. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, vol. 54, 313-319. Ingham, R. , Fox, P. , Ingham, J. , Xiong, J. , Zamarippa, F. , Hardies, L. , Lancaster, J. (2004). Brain Correlates of Stuttering and Syllable Production: Gender Comparisons and Replication. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, vol. 47, 321- 341. Louis, K. Myers, F. , Faragosso, K. , Townsend, P. , Gallaher, A. (2004). Perceptual Aspects of Cluttered Speech. Journal of Fluency Disorders, vol. 29, 213-235. Max, L. , Caruso, A. , (1998). Adaptation of Stuttering Frequency During Repeated Readings: Associated Changes in Acoustic Parameters of Perceptually Fluent Speech. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, vo l. 41, 1265-1281. Natke, U. , Grosser, J. , Sandrieser, P. , Kalveram, K. (2002). The Duration Effect of the Stress Component in Stuttering. Journal of Fluency Disorders, vol. 27, 305-318. TermPaper? Blog. com Paden, E. Ambrose, N. , Yairi, E. (2001). Phonological progress during the first 2 years of stuttering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Subramanian, A. , Yairi, E. , Amir, O. (2003). Second formant transitions in fluent speech of persistent and recovered preschool children who stutter. Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 36, 59-75. Yairi, E. (2001). Letters to the Editor. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, vol. 44, 585-597. Yairi, E. (2007). Subtyping Stuttering I: A Review. Journal of Fluency Disorders, vol. 32, 165-196. Yaruss, J. (1997). Utterance Timing and Childhood Stuttering. Elsevier Science.