Half of a Yellow Sun Essay -- Analysis, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

To go to war is to engage in a fight with another Nation. Many view war as being an appropriate action that can only solve problems. Others believe that war is a violent action that leads to nothing but casualties. In the article, â€Å"Regarding the Torture of Others† Susan Sontag writes about the torture soldiers are inflicting on prisoners. Some torture was done so brutally that the some of the soldiers deem that acts as correct and in the process seem to try to dehumanize the victims. The bush administration considered torture as being mistreatment not evil. The Blog â€Å"Military Blog† by Zachary Scott-Singley deals with the day by day life and thoughts of a solider at war. Zachary Scott-Singley is a soldier struggling with the wrong of his actions. At one point, he believes that the killing of Iraqis is okay, but he then believes it is not. He was torn between he believes is right and not. The story â€Å"Half of a Yellow Sun† by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche is a story about a young girl and her families struggles during the Nigerian civil war of the 1960’s. Her family has pride like much of the people of Biafra. That all changed when her younger brother Obi died, and the family realizes at that point the war was lost. While Sontag still maintained that war was not bad, she still believed that it was the torture of others that made war such a brutal action. On the other hand, Zachery from military blog was lost trying to find out if War was correct or not. The characters from â€Å"Half of a Yellow Sun† share a belief that war is necessary to defend their nations honor and pride but as the war progresses and it began to affect them they begin to see that the war was not as productive as they hoped it would be. Looking at pictures of war is like l... ...at can come from war. War is seen as a last resource because of all the physical and mental damage it causes. In the story â€Å"Half of a Yellow Sun† war was seen as a way to gain the respect of a nation, but as the story progressed the family became affected, and the war that was supposed to benefit did nothing but badly affect them. In the blog Military Blog the main character saw war as a way of defending is nations pride along with protecting his family, but his continuing struggles with his actions kept him from being comfortable with his actions. In the article "Regarding the torture of others", Sontag saw the war as being a process that was not wrong but that was turned upside down because of the immoral actions of the soldiers. All the characters in each text showed how war changes not just the picture of war but the emotions and reasons that change afterward.

Domestic Partnership Essay

The advantages gained by providing benefits to domestic partners can outweigh the costs. This report will define domestic partnerships, outline the various benefits available for dependants, provide analysis related to the cost of providing benefits to dependants of domestic partnerships, discuss various benefit package options and related costs, and provide details related to the value the company stands to gain by offering such benefits. Domestic Partnership Domestic partnerships are generally thought of as a relationship between two members of the same sex. While same sex relationships garner most of the attention, domestic partnerships are not always between members of the same sex. California Family Code Section 297 defines domestic partners as â€Å"two adults who have chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring. To establish a domestic partnership in California, a couple must file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Secretary of the State, share a common residence, not be married or in a domestic partnership with someone else, not be related by blood, both are over the age of 18, both are the same sex, or opposite sex over the age of 62 and meet the eligibility criteria under the Social Security Act. Legal Issues Currently, 18 states offer domestic partner benefits for same-sex partners of state employees. Several state and local governments that offer health insurance and other benefits to employees’ unmarried domestic partners are currently facing lawsuits. Proponents of the Defense of Marriage Acts (DOMA) claim these constitutional amendments prohibit governments from offering such benefits to any dependent of a relationship that does not fit the state’s constitutional definition of marriage. Both gay-rights advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union dispute such amendments and are currently engaging DOMA proponents in courts across America in attempts to resolve their differences (Gentile, 2006). The costs associated with defending such legal matters can prove to be very cumbersome. Types of Employer Benefits When seeking employment, benefit packages play a major role in attracting and keeping employees. Employer benefits consist of more than the basic medical, dental, and vision plans. A variety of additional benefits being sought after by potential employees include, but are not limited to, retirement plans, life insurance and the family medical leave act. To qualify for domestic partner benefits, employees may be asked to sign a statement or submit an affidavit asserting they live with a domestic partner and are financially interdependent† (Greenwald, 2003). Health Insurance â€Å"For most nonelderly people in the United States, health insurance and access to health care derive from one’s own or a family member’s employment† (Ash and Badgett, 2006). In all fairness, these types of benefits should be offered to these types of families under the cu rrent guidelines of Domestic Partnership. Two levels of benefits are offered by employers, single coverage and family coverage. Single employees are at a disadvantage when it comes to compensation because some employers offer their employees a flexible benefit to assist with costs. These benefits will include all the same privileges that legally recognized families are currently receiving. The entitlement shall consist of doctor’s visits, prescription drug coverage, hospitalization, and eye exams (Briggs, 1994). Dental Benefits Dental care is an essential benefit which should be available to all family members. Preventive dental care could significantly reduce loss of productivity and catch problems before they become chronic or severe† (Gustin, 2003). Dental benefits are very affordable and valuable. One available option is for this company to offer dental as a voluntary option. This would enable the employees and their domestic partner to take advantage of the dental plan at a group rate, but the employee woul d be responsible for the cost (Gustin, 2003). Retirement/401K Retirement Plans and 401K’s are benefits that are only available to employees; however, choosing beneficiaries is a very important detail to these plans. Although domestic partners cannot be given all of the rights of spouses, plans can be structured to provide them with many of the benefits available for spouses† (Davis, 2007). In addition to being named as beneficiary, a hardship withdrawal can be taken based on the need of the domestic partner, and domestic partners will have the right to rollover death benefits (Davis, 2007). Life Insurance Employee life insurance is available at a more affordable rate through employer plans. Adding family members is an optional benefit. Under this plan, domestic partners and children would be entitled to life insurance coverage for just pennies a day. This would incur no expense for the employer and the employee would benefit from a group rate. Cost to Employees and Employers The cost of healthcare is on the rise and no end to this crisis is in sight. Most people believe all employers should offer health insurance to its employees; however, with the cost of healthcare so high companies who offer these benefits are trying to find ways to offset costs. If all employers did offer health, dental, and life insurance, who would cover the cost? A survey administered by the Commonwealth Fund titled The Public’s Views on Healthcare Reform in the 2008 Presidential Election asked that question to 3,500 randomly selected adults. 70% of people surveyed thought the cost should be shared equally between the employer, employees, and the government. 80% of the people surveyed also thought that if an employer did not offer health insurance they should contribute to the cost of coverage (Lubell, 2008). Tax Equity The Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2007 was introduced March 29, 2007. The act states employers offering healthcare insurance have to provide healthcare coverage to domestic partners, same-sex or opposite sex. This law has been added to stop federal tax inequalities same-sex couples currently face when receiving healthcare benefits offered by their employers (Postal, 2007). The new law significantly affected employers in the Northeast and Western states because 42% of larger companies in the Northeast, and 38% of companies in the West have same-sex domestic partner healthcare coverage. Only 14% of large companies in the Midwest and 10% of companies in the south have this type of coverage (Cohen, 2004). Dual Coverage Because the cost of healthcare has increased 15% since 2003, some states in the U. S. have prohibited employees from claiming their spouses/domestic partners as dependents; thus, prohibiting dual coverage in the workforce. Banning dual coverage for these employees saves the state tax payers several million dollars per year while the employees and their families have suitable health insurance coverage. Employees rely on dual health insurance coverage to cover out of pocket costs resulting from procedures which are not fully covered by their primary carrier. Dual coverage insurance can save families hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per year, but can potentially cost the employer hundreds or thousands more (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Annual Cost According to a research study performed by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Education Trust in 2006, private employers nationwide spend an average of $4,242 for single coverage and $11,480 for family coverage on employer sponsored health insurance coverage annually (Employer Health, 2006). Whether the employee is a single hetero-sexual or homo-sexual the rate for single coverage remains the same. The same for family coverage, the married hetero-sexual couple and the same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partners family coverage cost also remains the same. Employees are paying an average of $1,860 for single coverage and $4,848 for family coverage annually. These costs are causing employers to raise workers’ insurance premiums or reduce coverage. Some companies perform internal audits to eliminate ineligible dependents, older children, and ex-spouses/ex-domestic partners. If an employer finds dependents on an employees’ insurance that should not have been covered, the employee is required to pay back medical bills and insurance premiums through payroll deductions (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Using information from these internal audits employers may notice a slight domestic partner enrollment increase: 0. 1%-0. 3% for gay and lesbian partners and 1. 3%-1. 8% for heterosexual partners. The increase in enrollment does not significantly affect the annual cost to the employer for employer-sponsored benefits provided to domestic partners and their families (Ash and Badgett, 2006). Benefits to the Company Healthcare continues to be a concern to both employees and employers. Employers are developing and offering programs and incentives to attract various types of workers, including those in domestic partner relationships, to attract more qualified candidates. Making benefits available to an employee’s domestic partner, a company is likely to hire and retain an employee whose work output is optimal. Employees in a domestic partner relationship appreciate their employer considering their particular need which results in a higher production rate. Davis 2007). Increased Productivity An employee who is healthy and has a healthy family is less likely to call in sick and take unnecessary time off to care for his or her family. In a study conducted by Ipsos-Reid (2004), two main contributors to employee absenteeism are depression and stress. Health benefits made available to an employee and his or her domestic partner can help reduce these factors. Mark Cauthen, benefit manager for the city of Colorado Springs, believes if one’s dependents feel better, the employee is more productive and focused at work (Wojcik, 2007). Preventative Measures Many companies have recognized the importance of helping employees manage their work and personal lives. Some of the more common preventive measure benefits currently being offered to employees, their domestic partners, and other immediate family members residing in the home are: wellness, flu shots, and fitness programs. Offering these various programs help the employee feel the employer cares for the health of his or her family resulting in increased productivity (Meghji 2007). Lower attrition rates An employer must also be concerned with the effect of employee retention. Currently 50% of Fortune 500 companies are providing benefits to employees involved in same sex domestic partnerships and heterosexual partnerships. Conclusion Offering benefits to domestic partners makes good business sense. While providing benefits to domestic partners may slightly increase employer cost, the benefits will prove profitable. As the research has indicated, enrollment will increase slightly which will not pose a financial hardship to any corporation.

Evaluate How Own Knowledge Understanding and Skills in Literacy

UNIT 303 How my knowledge, understanding and skills in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT impacts on my practice. In this assignment, I am going to describe how my knowledge and understanding and skills in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT help and impacts on my teaching assistant role at my school. All teachers and their assistants are required to have the literacy, numeracy and ICT knowledge, understanding and personal skills. This will equip us to develop inclusive approaches to addressing the literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of our pupils.I believe I know how to find information from books and know how to use the Internet efficiently to provide me with a good background idea. I often take notes to help me be ahead of the lesson or to remember what is the lesson about and I refer to the planning, which I am provided with by the teacher on daily basis. I believe I am confident in feeding back information to the teacher I am working with about our activities or group work. Literacy, Numeracy and ICT support: I play a key role in supporting the children with their activities after the teacher’s input.I usually support smaller, lower ability groups. I find out from the teacher about our activities beforehand, how is the lesson organized and or what is my specific role in the learning activity. I would prepare the resources needed for the particular lesson ahead, often while the teacher is providing the input for the children and do necessary photocopying or sticking pupil’s work into their books. While working with the groups I make sure I am being encouraging during the activities and that all the children implement the right, agreed strategy throughout the lesson.I provide the feedback and monitor the progress of the pupils and report any problems to the teacher. I often get to mark my group’s work if there is enough time afterwards or possibly in the afternoon while children do more independent work. Within the Literacy timetable I am often reading with children and provide constant feedback to the teacher about their progress as well as assessing them in t heir reading ability and benchmarking them to the next level if required after the discussion with the teacher.I also support lower ability group in their phonics lesson, I prepare daily activities for this sessions and provide progress report to the teacher on weekly basis. I play games with the children, use visual strategies and revise with them all the time to extend their phonics basics. I also do weekly spelling tests in groups and keep records of their progress in spelling area of Literacy. I regards to Numeracy sessions, again they often run similarly to Literacy lessons, where I get to prepare appropriate maths resources and organize the group work or work with certain individuals.I often need to repeat teacher’s instructions to re-enforce what pupils should be able to achieve and maybe introduce follow-on tasks to extend learning of the more able pupils. I feel, I still have a lot to learn in Numeracy department, partly due to the fact that I was not educated in the UK and the strategies for some mathematical activities are solved very differently here that I would had been used to. Luckily in Year 1 I can catch up fairly quickly and I am learning along side our children. I can pick right resources for their activities – like number lines, numbers squares, counter and on.I am fairly confident computer user and I use it in every day activities or planning time. Our children use ICT suite facilities on weekly basis and I have found that my ability in ICT has improved over time. I usually help children with logging in if some struggle, I help with opening particular programs and save and retrieve work when and where necessary. Also I can use email, which I often use in communicating with teacher or currently my tutors. I understand about health and safety related to using computers not just thinking about unsafe cables but also computer ergonomics and e safety.I am not necessarily always aware of how the programmes the children use work, b ut on this level it is all quite self-explanatory or if I’m unsure I ask our ICT lady and she is always happy to brief me before the session. I believe I am able to solve problems related to I. C. T to a certain extent. I am confident with printing documents although am cautious when determining the number being printed. Also I am confident with straight forward photocopying and getting more practice with more complex photocopying features like enlarging or manipulating the image.Every so often I come across the situation in the classroom where I need to ask or be advised about how to resolve the issue or find out the answer from the teacher or other staff. That is a proof of my need to improve and learn every day because I as long as there are questions that need answering, my learning does not stop yet. I would like to extend and put in better use the correct mathematical vocabulary and try to use various prompts to encourage mathematical skills in our pupils. I would also like to become more familiar with wide variety of techniques in problem solving exercises.I have learnt basics of the Phonics sessions, but would like to extend this knowledge further and hoping to receive the training from my school in near future about the Phonics system in more detail. I would help me tremendously as I sometimes run out of ideas to teach my group the same sounds over and over again without them getting bored and uninterested at times. There are few areas in ICT I would also need to brush up on – for example PowerPoint programme, as I do not use it very often, but do find it useful when I do get to use it.Also spreadsheets on Excel programme are not my strong point. But as with anything, if you do not use it very often, it becomes less familiar. Smart boards are a little bit of a mystery to me, too as I do not get involved in preparing daily input on it or uploading the files, but I can use it when it is on and running. So plenty to improve on and develop i n future and that is why I am also attending this course – to provide me with better and deeper understanding of my role in school and improve my knowledge and skills in various types of the curriculum.

Analysis of a Primary Source Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of a Primary Source - Essay Example over to Christianity before 197, maybe motivated by the gallantry of Christian saints, and afterward came back to Carthage where he captivated his significant abilities for the benefit of the congregation. His marriage to a Christian is clear from his treatise tended to my wife. His appointment as a minister is less sure in spite of the fact that Jerome alluded to him as a center of life and presbyter of the congregation. Tertullian arranged himself as a layperson. Tertullian was the most productive Latin journalist until Augustine and formed works that are contrite, polemical, and moral in nature. After years of guarding universal Christianity, in any case, he turned to Montanism, a Spirit-based development, which Tertullian called the New Prophecy and which underscored prescience, elate articulations and glossolalia, women in service, thorough profound quality, and eschatological desires. As stated by Augustine, Tertullian withdrew from the Montanists to establish his own particular gathering of Tertullianists, making yet an alternate break. The year and way of his demise are obscure, yet Jerome reported that he existed to a progressed age. Late grant has called into address much of what Jerome reported about Tertullian. Timothy David Barnes, specifically, destroyed Jeromes life history of Tertullian and reproduced a short anecdotal representation built exclusively with respect to Tertullians own particular revelations. According to Barnes, Tertullians surviving works secured a concise period from 196 to 212, permitting a conception date as late as 170 (Ward, pp. 137-139). The explanations for Tertullians acknowledgement of Montanism remain a puzzle tohistorians. He offered no subtle elements in his surviving compositions, despite the fact that his lost treatise On Ecstasy potentially held such information. Jerome proposed that Tertullian was determined to Montanism by clash with Roman church. The trickiness of Jeromes confirmation that Tertullian was a

NFL Personnel Hiring for market plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

NFL Personnel Hiring for market plan - Essay Example This was done in order to guarantee a large audience-not everyone can make it to the stadiums. Some of the television stations include NFL network, ESPN, FOX and NBC. Some of the radio stations owned by the NFL include Westwood one, Sports USA and the United Stations Radio Networks. (Green Berg, 2007) Players in the NFL all belong to a union called the NFLPA. This union has the mandate to negotiate contracts for players. The players are governed by a contract called the CBA. Players are only allowed to play for teams that endorse them. Other older players are allowed to negotiate their contracts with other teams after a certain number of years. The contract signed by the players and the NFL has regulations regarding salary packages and it stipulates what are the minimum and maximum amounts to be paid to players. The NFL has a peculiar way of picking out its players. It normally uses the NFL draft. Teams usually endorse a player and earn the right to keep him. However, trades can be made for players from other teams upon agreement by the first team that chose him. The NFL requires that the Franchise owners pay an amount of fifty dollars when they appear for drafting. This is normally done annually in the month of April. There are specific amounts given to those who get first, second and third place. Franchise owners are allowed to make moves as soon as the draft is complete. They also have to pay a small amount for every interchange made in order to finance an award at the season's end. (Sands, 2002) Once these players have been selected by their teams, they are allowed to play in any position within the team that chose them. Franchise owners are supposed to choose players from six categories that include quarterbacks, kickers, defenders, running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. Each category has a maximum number allowed by the league. Franchise owners should submit in names of players that will participate in the expected week's game from all the categories listed above. Trade offs between franchise-owners for players are permitted only after notifying the commissioner. In addition, there must both agree to the terms of the deal. This can only be done within a stipulated amount of time. Franchise owners must make sure they do not exceed the deadline. Waivers can be done all through the season after payment of a specified fee. In addition, there must be a notification to the franchise owners that a player has been waived. (Ed Gruver, 1997) The League can overrule a player trade off that has been done unfairly. This could be possible when a team has taken a player in order to weaken a certain team and to strengthen itself unfairly. Franchise owners can also conduct a vote that overrules decisions by the commissioner. Names chosen by Franchise owners must be free of offence. This is especially in regard to players' wives. The commissioner can also reject names that are deregulatory or stupid. As franchise owners enter the league, they ought to submit their logos. Lastly, there is a provision for a modification of the rules after the end of the season. Here, there must be a unanimous vote by franchise owners. How the last Franchise expansion was done There are a number of franchise expansions that have characterized the National Football League. A good example is the Houston Texans Team. This expansion was done in the year 1997 by franchise owner Bob McNair. He wanted to bring

Doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignity - Essay Example Aside from being an ultimate legal source, the fact that the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty has been recognized under the Communities Act 1972 make this doctrine even stronger. Note that the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty is enshrined in the European Communities Act 1972 which provides that the Parliament has the final say when it comes to what laws are to be or should be implemented within the territories of the United Kingdom4. The powers of the Parliament are separate and distinct from the powers of the courts and the courts may not usurp the powers of the Parliament by declaring the laws enacted by the Parliament to be invalid. Technically, this means that when since the powers of the Parliament are distinct, any other government agencies cannot usurp or put limitations to such powers without violating the laws5. Although English law gives the Parliament the powers to enact laws and enjoy sovereignty, the doctrine of parliamentary sovereign has been challenged many times in the past and will be challenged again and again in the future. The devolution of the powers of the Parliament together with some laws and treaties put pressure on sovereignty the sovereignty of the Parliament. Note that there are provisions under the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and in a number of European Union (EU) treaties that may weaken and even override the inherent powers of the parliament. When it comes to the Human Rights Act, there are provisions in the act that allows the courts to review the legislations made by the Parliament or declare these legislations as incompatible with the European Commission on Human Rights (ECHR). On the other hand, the ratchet clauses in some EU Treaties allow the transfer of powers from the UK Parliament to the EU without the need to amend the treaty. Moreover, there are some provisions in the treaties that require the implementation of EU laws over local laws which

Rulfos Narrative Techniques & Characterizations of Humanity in El Essay

Rulfos Narrative Techniques & Characterizations of Humanity in El Llano de Llamas - Essay Example Rulfo attained most of his acclaim through his 1955 publication of Pedro Pramo. Yet many literary critics have thought that the genius of Rulfo's works are within his short stories, where "the elaboration of a single event of the introspection of a single character allows him to illuminate the meaning, often the utter despair, of a man's life" (Schade, p.ix). Rulfo utilizes secondary characters, often family members, to cause reactions from the protagonists. By this, we access the protagonists' humanity. In 'Macario,' character is accessed through use of time and place: the story and its events are chaotic. Macario is an individual, but impossible to understand for his complexity. His ideas and perceptions are contrasted with their opposites, all two thousand words of this piece's prose run in one single paragraph. It's difficult for the reader to orientate themselves within the text. More importantly, it is impossible to distinguish Macario's perception of the outside world, the frogs, the toads, Grandmother, Felipa, food, starvation, etc. There is no second character's point of view given within 'Macario' to counter the ideas or impressions stated. There's no one else's dialogue. Readers must take the information and the character as he is and interpret Macario's life, time and place as he gives it. I believe this is the basis for Gyurko (1972) to state that "Character is stripped external appearance and splintered into existential shards; plot is inconsequential or nonexistent; action decelerates into stasis. Narrative continuity is fragmented into bits of dialogue and truncated memory" (p.451). Macario's inner dialogue is difficult to follow. The sequences of his thoughts have a semblance of sequence or order, but in final interpretation, they are weird. Rulfo uses this stylistically. Macario's first sequence of inner dialogue opens the first paragraph of the first page of the first short story in 'El llano de llamas.' While Macario is musing over the frogs that he is waiting for, the readers are introduced to the idea of an individual's complexity and peculiarity: Las ranas son verdes de todo a todo, menos en la panza. Los sapos son negros. Tambin los ojos de mi madrina son negros. Las ranas son buenas para hacer de comer con ellas. Los sapos no se comen; pero yo me los he comido tambin, aunque no se coman, y saben igual que las ranas. Felipa es la que dice que es malo comer sapos. Felipa tiene los ojos verdes como los ojos de los gatos. Rulfo paints a portrait of a disjointed mind, incomprehensible to others. 'Macario' is then used as an overlay to the short stories that follow. The subsequent short stories have to do with tension between people, and often both viewpoints are easily perceptible, unlike Macario's inner ranting. Rulfo uses secondary characters as a tool to give readers feedback on the protagonists. Rulfo's protagonists are often extraordinary and peculiar individuals struggling to survive in un-ordinary and harsh circumstances, like Natalia in 'Talpa' and Ignacio in 'No oyes ladrar a los perros.' Such characters might be difficult for the reader to relate to or comprehend. For this, Rulfo utilizes secondary characters, usually family, like Natalia's mother and Ignacio's father, to build humanity and provide an