Monday, September 30, 2019

Perspective on the Teachings of Jan Hus

Jan Hus From â€Å"The Church† Jan Hus was a Czech Roman Catholic preacher and writer in Prague. His teachings were influenced by the English theologian Wyclif. Wyclif was one of the earliest opponents of papal authority influencing political power; he started anticlerical and biblically centered reforms known as the Lollard Movement. The Lollard Movement was a precursor to the protestant reformation. Likewise, Hus called for radical reforms in the church. Of primary concern to Hus was the designation of the Pontiff, or Pope, within the church.Based on his radical views and strong opposition to the church’s foundational belief that the pope is the head of the church, Jan Hus was accused of heresy and was condemned. Hus recorded his perspective and teachings in monographs which were used by his accusers to build a case against him. Of the thirty-nine sentences read to him at his trial, twenty-six of them were based on his work â€Å"The Church. † Because Hus refus ed to renounce his beliefs he was burned at the stake, becoming a national martyr against the Catholic Church.The excerpts from his work â€Å"The Church† express Hus’s opinions on the papacy. He begins by characterizing the role of Christ within the church. Hus uses scriptures from Matthew, I Peter, Hebrews, Luke, John, Philippians, and revelations to support his argument, that Jesus is the only true roman pontiff, or bishop, of the Roman Catholic Church. Hus interprets these scriptures as describing three major themes of Christ: 1) Jesus is at the right hand of god, and no one can be saved without him, 2) Jesus is omnipresent and all knowing, and that 3) Jesus is god.Jon Hus uses these scriptures to contend that Jesus is the only true bishop because he baptizes and takes away the sins of the world, holds supreme guardianship over man, and that he is the pope, or father of the future age. Hus concludes that everyone is subject to the pontiff, Jesus, for salvation, and that there is no other pontiff except for jesus. Hus’s major contention with the church centers his beliefs that there is an abuse of the term pope within the church since anyone, ordained or not, can e elected as a pope, and that expressed belief in one individual, the pope, is needed for salvation. To support the first belief, Hus goes provides examples of popes who were unlettered, female, and/or heritics. He concludes that under current conditions within the church, even an antichrist could be elected as pope. Hus uses these examples and the potential for an antichrist religious leader to drive home the point that no pope is the most exalted person of the Roman Catholic Church besides Christ. Therefore, no pope is the head of the Catholic Church except for Christ.To support the latter belief, Hus suggests that it is not a necessity for salvation that people should believe expressly that any one is head of any church whatsoever; unless the works of the individual plainly moved others into believing it. He claims that if the body of Christ, the people, follows a bad head, the pope, then both body and head will end up in the precipice. Therefore, people should choose who they wish to follow as a head, and that their decisions should be based on the works of the individual. Hus’s beliefs posed an immediate threat to the Roman Catholic Church and, more importantly, to its leaders.By stating that popes are not ordained of god, and that popes have historically assumed contradictory roles to their appointed position, Hus questions the legitimacy of the elite position within the church. The pope Alexander V excommunicated Hus and his followers in 1409 and outlawed public preaching. The government however, took the side of Hus, and the power of his movement increased daily. Despite the ban on free preaching, Hus continued to preach in the Bethlehem Chapel. It appeared as though the ban itself caused little result. Tensions between the church and Husâ €™s movement continued until a council was called in 1414.The council of Constance was an attempt to put an end to the division of people due to the papacy and to take up the long desired  reform of the Church. Hus agreed to go to the council on the premise that he would be given safe passage. However, it has been proposed that he suspected that he would be killed at Constance; this is evidenced by the will he wrote prior to going. Within a few weeks after his arrival, Hus was imprisoned, put to trial, and burned at the stake. His execution was an attempt by the church to squander the reform that he had started in Bohemia. However, the eople of Bohemia responded to his death by moving even more rapidly away from Papal teachings, and by announcing a  crusade  against them. A  Papal bull was then issued by the pope  which stated that all supporters of reformers like Hus and Wycliffe be slaughtered. The crusaders lost, as did the second and third crusades that followed. A century later, as much as ninety percent of the  Czech Crown lands  still followed Hussite teachings. Although some revolutionary movements do not end in a revolution, there accounts can provide powerful insights into the views held among the people.It is too often that only the perspective of the rich and noble are recorded in history; revolutionary movements offer some of the few accounts of the opposing ideals held among the commoners. Jan Hus’s reform resulted in his death, and the death of many of his followers, but its impact upon the church was far reaching. Hus was a key contributor to the creation of Protestantism which strongly influenced European States, as well as Martin Luther. The reform started by Jan Hus resulted in the Basel Compacts which allowed for a reformed church within Bohemia.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Juridical Interest Under Maltese Law Essay

Consider Briefly but Critically the Notion of Juridical Interest An interest may be defined as â€Å"the object of any human desire and the object of such desire must be distinguished from the thing in respect of which the desire is entertained† The notion of juridical interest links the substantive with the procedure in civil law, where the individual goes on with a civil action because he has a right and interest to institute the case and hopefully obtain a favourable result. Moreover, juridical interest forms part of the â€Å"presupposti processuali† that is a requirement to have in existence a valid action and in fact without the juridical interest an action cannot be instituted. This â€Å"presuppost processuali† is so important that for the action to remain valid till the end the juridical interest has to exist in the individual bringing the action or the individual responding to the action till the end. Once interest stops the action becomes defective and â€Å"locus standi† no longer subsist. Various authors have propounded different theories on juridical interest, but what is undisputed is that the scope of having a juridical interest throughout the action is to circumvent those actions which are frivolous and vexatious and therefore protect the courts from unnecessary delays. Having sufficient interest means that either the â€Å"kjamat† or the â€Å"intervenjent† is able to show that one of his rights has been violated or that one would like to get damages and the re-instatement of rights after the violation. Showing interest to get a remedy or else a declaration of righteousness is of utmost importance. Our Maltese code does not contain any provision of law defining juridical interest or setting out the requirements, but the requirements at law can be deduced from some of the articles such as: 960. Any person who shows to the satisfaction of the court that he is interested in any suit already pending between other parties, may, on an application, be admitted in statu et terminis, as a party to the suit at any stage thereof, whether in first or in second instance; but such admission shall not suspend the proceedings of the suit. 422. During the compilation of the competition proceedings, no money forming the subject-matter of such proceedings may be paid out without the consent of all the parties interested, unless the court, with a view to avoiding the accruing of interest to the prejudice of all the parties, or for any other good reason, shall deem it proper to satisfy the claim of any one of the  competitors the priority or preference of which has not been contested. In Muscat pro et noe vs Buttigieg pro et noe it was stated that juridical interest has to be direct and personal, legal and actual or immediate. Where the Court ruled stated that: â€Å"L-interess irid ikun a) guridiku, jigifieri d-domanda jrid ikun fiha ipotesi ta’ l-ezistenza ta’ dritt u l-vjolazzjoni tieghu; b) dirett u personali: fis-sens li huwa dirett meta jezisti fil-kontestazzjoni jew fil-konsegwenzi taghha, personali fis-sens li jirrigwarda l-attur, hlief fl-azzjoni popolari; c) attwali fis-sens li jrid johrog minn stat attwali ta’ vjolazzjoni ta’ dritt, jigifieri l-vjolazzzjoni attwali tal-ligi trid tikkonsisti f’kondizzjoni posittiva jew negattiva kontrarja ghall-godiment ta’ dritt legalment appartenenti jew spettanti lid-detentur. Il-Qorti sabet illi l-attrici ma kellhiex interess guridiku biex tistiwixxi l-azzjoni u b’hekk cahdet it-talbiet taghha.† An interest which is direct and personal means that it should pertain to the parties involved in the case that is the plaintiff, defendant, the joinder and the intervener, where all of these need to have a direct and personal interest to be included in proceedings. The interest needs also to be based on law; one cannot claim a breach of one’s right, when in actual fact the law does not give any right to the individual in the first place. Moreover, interest needs to be actual that is directed to a benefit which does not necessary mean money or property, but may also be directed to the seeking of god name in society. However, over the 20 years there has been a movement to accept collective juridical interest. Recently House of Parliament passed the Collective Proceedings Act, which makes provision for a group of individuals with common interest to institute an action collectively against a defendant. Although, the remit within which this law will operate is restrictive since it applies to consumers, yet it paves the way for further similar legislation on the matter. Some other legislations give a legal standing to NGOs, since they generally represent the common interest of their members, yet our law does not give locus standi to NGOs as yet.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Tesco Competitive Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tesco Competitive Strategy - Case Study Example echoes that, today the challenges for companies is not just providing high quality product but the ability to provide these products at a lower cost and price (Prahalad & Hamel 1990). These must be incorporated in the company's strategies. Against this background companies are in dear search for different ways and measures to remain competitive and consequently create values for their shareholders. (Hamel & Prahalad, 1994). Having said this, the paper focuses on TESCO. In section two I will provide an overview of the company, its products, people and resources, part two of the paper looks at its competitive position in line with the five forces model, while part three discusses its competitive advantage, and the last section provides the conclusion and recommendations. TESCO Plc is an international retailer founded by Jack Cohen in 1919 that has established itself as the largest super store in Europe (Report 2008). According to the company 2008 corporate report and the website, being an international retailer, its principal activities include food retailing, simple travel insurance, personal finance, TELECOM and recycling having over 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom (Company's Review 2008). The company also has stores and retail outlet in other countries like the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China (Tesco 2006 Review). In addition, it operates 165 International Express stores. In addition it operates 39 stores in China, 111 in Japan, 13 in Malaysia, 62 in South Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 219 in Thailand, 35 in Czech Republic, 87 in Hungary, 105 in Poland, 91 in Republic of Ireland, 37 in Slovakia and 8 in Turkey. (Tesco Annual Review, 2008). It therefore operates round the clock which demonstrates its commitment to create customer value which in turn generates superior value for its shareholders. The success of this international giant in the retail sector can be attributed to its aggressive global strategy of geographical diversification, product differentiation, cost focus and it use of umbrella branding. In its attempt to renew the brand and keep it in sync with changing customer tastes, Tesco follows an umbrella strategy including international diversification, providing value to customers, product diversification, innovation, acquisition and umbrella branding. (Tesco Annual Review, 2008). 2.0 Tesco and Porter's Five Forces Framework Through the below stated framework developed by Michael Porter we will identify the sources of competition in an industry. Here, according to Porter (1990), the sources of competition in an industry such as the grocery sector in the case of Tesco can be easily depicted. Figure 1: Porters Five Forces Framework adapted from Johnson et al (2007) Figure 1 above depicts the forces of competition in an industry. According to Porter (1990) enables market analyst and investors to asses the attractiveness and profit potentials likely to be in an industry. Using this framework an analyst gets to identify the sources of competition in an industry or sector (Johnson & Scholes 2005). The basis upon which this framework is built will serve to

Unit #8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit #8 - Assignment Example Students study different things depending on which school they attend and which region it is located (Klein, 2001, Page 67, paragraph 1, line 15-17). This challenge was there in the former system of education, and it is still there in the K-12 system. Students who have trained at same levels but in different schools are not equal. The employers prefer employees from certain schools rather than others. Some students may find it unmanageable to work in other states due to this problem. To solve this problem, the government should consider designing a new uniform curriculum that will be used in all the schools. Deaf education is subject to challenges due to the learning capability of the deaf students and those with hard hearing challenges. In the current system, most students with hearing capabilities start getting attention at late stages of their education. Early intervention will enhance educational development (Marschark & Spencer, 2003, Page 67, paragraph 6, line 1-3). It is important to introduce a new policy that requires deaf children to receive special education even during the initial phases of their education. This will help in increasing the chances of the students with hearing capabilities achieving more in education. Curriculum developers in all the states in USA should come together and propose a uniform curriculum that will enable the students undergo one similar system. Although it might be challenging, it will have a lot of advantage in terms of equating all the students and increasing their employability chances in future. Parents with deaf children and children with hard hearing capabilities should notify the teachers at early stages. This will help in installing learning aids for students during initial stages of education The medical fraternity should help parents in knowing if their children have hearing disabilities at early stages. This coordination will help identify students will hearing disabilities and assist them at

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Green & Competitive Qs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Green & Competitive Qs - Assignment Example The Ecomagination initiative is a program was launched in 2005 with an aimed of providing a long-term environmental solution for the sake of future generation. Through this initiative, the General Electrical Company emphasized on clean technology whereby, the company encouraged utilization of solar energy, fuel cells, low engine fuel consumption capacity, as well as application of clean technology to curb environmental pollution (Wittenberg, Russell, Lipsky & Enterprise Sustainability Action Team, 2009). In 2008, the General electric company invested 1.4 billion dollars in clean technology as part of reinforcing its Ecomagination initiative. The company brought numerous products such as Engines that utilized biogas as well as halogen lamps. The establishment of those products into the market obtained a positive response from consumers. This initiative made the company to obtain twenty five billion dollars revenues. The General Electric Company has continued to invest heavily on clean technology and hard started adhering to strict environmental regulations despite the heavy cost involved in promoting an eco friendly environment (Porter, Michael and van, 1995). BP Company is a British Petroleum company with its headquarters in London; the company operates in Petroleum Industry. The company extract and process oil to produce a wide range of products such as motor fuel, petroleum natural gas to mention just but a few. However, the company had been receiving great criticism from members of the general public all over the word because of producing products that are not environmentally friendly leading to water and air pollution. For example in 1999, BP company was charged with one hundred and four claims of oil spills in Arctic Ocean in America, further the company was accused of environmental pollution as well as cases of violation of human right in Columbia which greatly tarnished the reputation of BP company. In an effort to rebuild back its reputation, BP

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Obama Re-Election Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Obama Re-Election - Annotated Bibliography Example Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated, coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives while leadership refers to a process that helps direct mobilize people and their ideas. Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated (Bernard, 1985), coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives while leadership refers to a process that helps and directs people and their ideas. Some of the aspects of leadership that are fundamental for success in the project are challenging existing process and systems, motivating and inspiring (Bernard, & Bruce, 1994). The concept of Leadership assessment helps an organization or a project to work more effectively with other members for cohesive working environment. The best methods of leadership assessment are Self evaluation methods. Finally some of the best leadership aspect include; mentoring, reflex action and networking (Edgar, 2010). Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated, coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives (Edgar, 2010). It is a process that is ongoing; it does not constitute an end in and itself. Management is directed towards achieving and attainment organizational goals. It involves planning, setting short time goals and budgeting. Leadership refers to a process that helps and directs people and their ideas. Leadership involves on organizations symbols, rituals and culture. It also deals with challenging existing process and systems and motivating and inspiring project members. Challenging existing process and systems: Leadership focuses on the future of the project and immerse themselves in the culture of their project. Motivate and inspiring: It is concerned with motivating project members and enabling them to act by

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Less stuff, more happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Less stuff, more happiness - Essay Example It is actually a change of paradigm of how we think, of how we prioritize things in our lives, on how we arrange our values and belief system and what we believe and think that could make us happy. And his idea is grounded on good reasoning, economics and pragmatism and is actually doable. He opened his speech or lecture by asking what’s in the box? This is quite intriguing and invites to listen more to know he is up to. This is actually a good strategy because it engages us and gets us into thinking. He then outlined his thesis that less may actually be more. Less stuff means less space and it would equal to less carbon footprint saving us dollars and the environment along the way. TED proposed a strategy on how to do this which is he called â€Å"Life edited† which is really living little. He enumerated his three approaches that are edit ruthlessly, think small and make multifunctional things. By editing ruthlessly, he meant cutting the extemporaneous things in our li ves – to think before we buy if the thing we intend could truly make us happy. By thinking small, he meant efficiency to limit consumption to what we actually need. In his words, he put forth the idea that small is sexy. And lastly, he put forward the idea of being multifunctional with things that can do several functions. As a conclusion, he answered his question intriguingly of â€Å"what’s in the box†. That it doesn’t really matter because he knows he doesn’t need it. Because less is more and we have to lessen to make room for the good stuff. Going through his speech/lecture made me think about lot of things. He made me reevaluate what does it take to be happy and lead a good life. So I dissected the term in a manner that we study things in school. The term â€Å"good† refers to anything that is desirable or can be qualified under specific standards, or a moral occurrence, definitions that are general and relative. Inferring from TED†™s lecture, I now define the term from a psychological perspective to be an act or state of mind that yields more benefits than harm and offers a net good. Being happy and leading a good life therefore means engaging in activities that generate net good to a person’s life. I mention this because TED missed something on what makes us truly happy. He only argued that we do not need a lot of things to be happy but he did not answer the bigger question of what makes us happy. Such, I will pick up where TED ended and will provide my own thoughts on what makes us happy with TED’s lecture in mind. Beyond the material things that get us in debt by our acquisitiveness, I believe that the best things in life that could make us truly happy are free. These things do not come from department stores or do we need to purchase them with our credit cards but actually comes from our social ties that make our heart quiver with joy and happiness. They usually come from our social ties t hat not only minimize our sadness but also make us happy. We can find these ties from our family and loved ones and they do not cost us anything except time and our willingness to open ourselves to love and be loved. Like TED, I will also mention an advantage. Unlike him, I will not equate it in dollar terms but rather, in psychological term as what I have previously mentioned. Social ties lead to a person’s longer lifespan in addition to a better quality of life. The quality of life manifests not only on the person’

Monday, September 23, 2019

Family Law and the various areas that are involved in the legal Essay

Family Law and the various areas that are involved in the legal processes - Essay Example Another very detrimental part of this research is in the concept of domestic violence and how it is perceived in society. This is an issue that often goes unreported and therefore many cases are left with unanswered questions as to how and why it happens. The laws surrounding it are also included in this research. The main goal is to provide more insight into what laws are set up to assist families and protect their rights in various situations. Also, what new reforms are taking place and how they are being implemented and carried out to improve the quality of life for families The Family Law Act that was approved and passed in 1996 radically changed the way a lot of legal issues involving family related areas were previously handled. It has had a tremendous impact on specific views of divorce proceedings, consultations for marital breakdowns, the welfare of children, marriages that are of the same sex; and a mass variety of other family related areas. ... king a divorce are especially affected by the new legislation as instead of granting a quick divorce to a couple, the legalities have become stricter and now function in a slow and systematic process to allow for time to consider the well being of the children involved and the effect the divorce proceeding might have on both parties with consideration to finances and living accommodations. Now, more than ever before within the UK, marriage is being considered as a top priority. This specific area that unites a family is considered to be deserving of extra attention and efforts to maintain it and keep it from becoming a problem that disintegrates and deteriorates the whole family structure. Therefore, a good variety of legal implementations are being made in the family courts that have already been introduced to persuade couples from divorcing but rather seek counsel and evaluate their relationships thoroughly before opting to dissolve of them altogether. Marriage is a highly valued principle of life so there are certain steps that have to be taken before a petition for divorce will even be looked upon by the court system and achieve any form of consideration. Some of these phases of the family legal process have been placed in the following outline: The institute of marriage should be supported more so than divorce Any and all applicable steps to save the marriage should be utilized by the couple whether it be marriage counseling or by alternative means such as living apart for a specified period of time If the marriage is found to be unsalvageable it should be absolved with the least amount of stress possible to both parties and with respect for the children's welfare Consideration should be given to the children's needs and wants as well as their rights entitle

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Drug Use and Delinquency Essay Example for Free

Drug Use and Delinquency Essay Drug Use and Delinquency Response Adolescents may try drugs just to experiment or by feeling pressured into trying the drug by other family members or friends. Drug use among adolescences may lead to delinquency for the fact that an adolescents’ behavior most likely started before the start of drugs or alcohol. I will give a brief explanation on reasons for delinquency and drug use starting with reasons adolescents may start using drugs or alcohol and then describe how drug use may relate to delinquency. According to studies adolescents who experienced substance abuse gave several reasons in why they turned to drugs or alcohol such as â€Å"my friends pressured me† or â€Å"I wanted to feel good and get high,† â€Å"to have a good time with friends,† or to â€Å"escape from my problems† (Titus, Godley White 2006, p33. ). Adolescents may also be influenced by other negative events that may be happening in the adolescent’s life. Research typically shows the reasons related to starting drugs or alcohol is peer-social behavior, dealing with negative conditions or feelings, or achieving a satisfying state (Titus, Godley White, 2006). Studies reveal positive and negative emotions in the understanding of deviant behavior in youths’. Most teenagers generally use drugs for gratification however the adolescents who may become addicted say they are unhappy with past decisions or current situations (Brunelle, Cousineau, Brochu, (2005). There could be many factors in how drug use becomes related to delinquency for example by having family conflict inside the house it could lead to an adolescences delinquency such as damaging property or the start of substance abuse. Research shows adolescents with less supervision and monitoring, more family conflict, and weak parent/child attachment most likely is at more risk in delinquency and drug use (Fagan, Van Horn, Antaramian Hawkins 2011).

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Library catalog Essay Example for Free

Library catalog Essay Today, libraries are intensified and triggered by many advances and rapid inventions of science and technology that are greatly affecting the library operations as a whole. The non-stop discoveries of this new technology, particularly computers, redefined the role of libraries. A library is a collection of information, sources, resources, books, and services, and the structure in which it is housed. It is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. In a more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books (â€Å"Library†, 2009). The library, more than any instrument of the society, is open to public use and the knowledge embodied in books are the foundation of a society to attain or develop more the potentialities of man which in return, will be a great factor in the progress of a nation. The library has the responsibility to upgrade its status through open access to these advances, to develop a plan of action in order to contribute and to become an effective partner especially in instruction, research and extension programs of an educational institute (Enem, 2002). From the statements above it is proven that the library has a big role not only to the students but also to the society and our country. Through the help of modern technology and information system, the library circulation system can improve. Library circulation or library lending comprises the activities around the lending of library books and other material to users of a lending library. A circulation or lending department is one of the key departments of a library (â€Å"LC†, 2009). Library circulation provides lending services and facilities for return of loaned items. Renewal of materials and payment of fines are also handled at the circulation desk. Circulation staff may provide basic search and reference services, though more in-depth questions are usually referred to reference librarians at the library reference desk. The circulation desk is in most cases staffed by library aides instead of professional librarians. The functions of the circulation desk staff may include the lending materials to library users, checking in materials returned, monitoring materials for damage and routing them to the appropriate staff for repair or replacement, troubleshooting circulation technology, i.e. library circulation software, scanners, printers, etc. , and collecting statistics on library use, i. e. patron transactions, material checkouts, etc. The two categories of Information System (IS) are the manual or traditional system and automatic or also known as Computer-Based Information System (CBIS). Before the use of CBIS, all the data are processed manually in a traditional system, where all the information are written and stored in different files. Sometimes, this process is called non-computerized system. Non-computerized is not efficient because it consumes a lot of time to find and update the information. To eliminate this problem, a new system was created which is known as computerized system or CBIS. Computer-Based Information Systems (CBIS) is composed of hardware, software, databases, telecommunications, people, and procedures that are configured to collect, manipulate, store, and process data into information (Abraham, 2009). The library of University of the Philippines Diliman was established in 1922 has grappled with four basic concerns: the book fund, staff development, library services and information technology. And in 1999 the university had opened an online public access catalog and launched the university library web. Another school that has a library system running in web based is the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in 1999. Each year, the school library acquires new resources and upgrades equipment for the use of students. As of august 2009, the library has a collection of over 122,000 book titles and more than 45,000 titles of electronic books. Using CBIS nowadays as a tool for development not only uplifts a company’s reputation, but also help fix things to the best. And also by using the intranet as a platform of the system can be a great help for improving the services of the library. An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet technologies to securely share any part of an organizations information or operational systems with its employees. Sometimes the term refers only to the organizations internal website, but often it is a more extensive part of the organizations computer infrastructure and private websites are an important component and focal point of internal communication and collaboration (King, 2002). Mr. A. T. Valdes, the librarian of NPCMSTI said that the library is an instrument that is used to provide data and information needed by the student in his study by collecting books that are important in their subjects as references. He added that from the books collected and selected, they are maintained in  order to be available to the students when the need it (personal communication, April 6, 2002). In addition, there are problems encountered in the manual or traditional library system of NPCMSTI based from the study conducted by the students of NPCMSTI. These include more effort and slow inventory of books, inefficient searching of books, inefficient generation of reports, and inefficient monitoring of books. The library has more than 4000 number of books and monitoring all these books require a lot of time and effort (Carreon, Delmendo, Maala, Mendoza Penequito, 2008). Considering the advantages brought by CBIS and the problems encountered in the existing library system of NPCMSTI, the researcher decided to propose a computerized library system for NPCMSTI. Company Background The vision of the NPCMSTI library is to be a functional media center for meritorious resources especially in Nautical Science or Marine Transportation, Marine Engineering, Computer Science, Criminology, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Technical Vocational courses towards an excellent training development of professionals, diligent seafarers and skilled workers in the community. Its mission is to seek endeavor to provide quality service and to support the school’s educational programs, planning, research and extension services and instructional needs of the academic through stipulating bits of information comprehensively in any structure, in any part of the country, and of the whole world. Quality Objectives. The school library has the following objectives: (1) to strengthen and upgrade the library resources; (2) to upgrade library facilities and equipment;(3) to train personnel to enhance their technical skills and competitiveness; and (4) to link and network with local, national and international institutions. The library has a total of 11,832 book collections from the Degree courses to Non-Degree courses. The primary function of a library system are to facilitate the loan of books to borrowers, record receipt of returned books, and keep track of the status of books that should be returned. Reference Services. The obligation of the library is to render full assistance to readers in using the library and its contents. The librarian handles library resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, biographies, atlases, and gazetteers. Orientation. The librarian’s unique responsibility is to utilize fully his resources in making as nearly certain as possible that the best materials for the particular purpose find their way to the readers. Also, the librarian serves as the mediator between man and the graphic records that he and his previous generations have produced and that the goal of the library is to maximize the social utility of graphic records for the benefit of the society. Library Hours. The library is open with its continuous hour service, from Monday to Friday which starts from 7:30 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. Responsibilities of the Library Staff. The Northern Philippines College for Maritime, Science and Technology Library is manned by a Librarian, Assistant Librarian, and Library assistants. The Librarian shall administer the library, direct the activities of the staff, keep financial records of the library, keep records of the replacement of books, in charge of collecting and monitoring late fees, select and purchase books, library materials and supplies, stimulate growth of library services, attend library meetings or seminars, undertake indexing, classification and cataloging books and non-book materials and maintain relations to publishers and distributors. The Assistant Librarian shall take charge in absence of the librarian, help the librarian in indexing, classifying and cataloging of books and responsible for materials like clippings, periodicals and other documents, take charge in clipping and binding press and reviews, undertake the processing of books and non-book materials from putting accession number and stamping ownership mark to shelving. The Library Assistant shall issue and retrieve books at the circulation section, do the shelving and shelf reading of books retrieved, Paste torn pages of books and periodicals, undertake filing of clippings in the vertical file, type book cards, paste pockets and date due slips in books, cover books with plastic cover, stamp on books and periodicals, and file cards in the card catalogue. Cataloging and Classification. In the cataloging and classification of the book collections, the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules is adopted and the method used to describe an item that the library acquired. Also, the Dewey Decimal Classification System, the Sears List of Subject Heading and the Cutter Number of Tables are used in the NPCMSTI library. Borrowers. The student registered in the college, faculty members, staff, administrators, alumni of the college, and scholars or researchers from other institutions or organizations with endorsement letter from their librarians can use the services of the library. Importance of the Study This study is important to the following entities: To the Community. Through the help of this study it shall uplift the community’s education of the Filipinos by improving the services of the library. To the NPCMSTI. The output of the study shall be a great aid to the people using the library in the school. By improving and implementing the computerized system, books are monitored and also the quality of service that the school renders shall be uplifted and it also helps meet the vision and mission of the school. To the Staff-in Charge. The output of the study shall help easy recording and accessing of books records. By this study, librarians can monitor the status of the book at the library if it is available or borrowed. They can easily generate book reports such as available books, borrowed books, and inventory of the books by category. From this they shall save time and effort, and they can do more output in simple way. To the Faculty. The study would be beneficial to them for faster searching of the book information. By using the computerized system, the instructor can determine the book information in which they can use as their references in their subjects that they are teaching. They can also determine the book status whether it is available or borrowed by using the search feature of the system. From this they can save more time and effort. To the Students. The study would be beneficial to them in which searching of the book information would be faster. By using the computerized system, the student can determine the book information and also the book status if it is available or borrowed by using the search feature of the system or if they know the title of the book they want to borrow, they can easily determine if that book is available at the library, from this study they can save more time and effort. To other Researchers. This shall be a reference in conducting studies related to computer on wider prospective and may also serve as a basis for further study related to computer program. To the Researcher. Through this, the researcher shall be able to determine and appreciate the impact using technology for the productivity of every individual. Statement of the Problem The main aim of the study was to design and develop a computerized library circulation system for NPCMSTI. Specifically, the project aimed to answer the following questions: 1. What are the processes involved in the existing library circulation system of NPCMSTI along the areas on: a) borrowing and returning of books and other reading materials, and b) inventory of books and other reading materials, and  report generation? 2. What system features can be incorporated in the proposed library system in terms of: a) functionalities, b) back-up and restoration facilities, and c) security and control measures? Objectives of the Study The researcher aimed to design and develop a computerized library circulation system for NPCMSTI. Specifically, the study aimed to achieve the following: 1. Identify the processes involved in the existing library circulation system of NPCMSTI along the areas on: a) borrowing and returning of books and other reading materials, and  b) inventory of books and other reading materials, and report generation. 2. To determine the system features that can be incorporated in the proposed library system in terms of: a) functionalities, b) back-up and restoration facilities, and c) security and control measures. Definition of Terms The following terms are operationally defined: Administration. This refers to the supervision of the library by full-time, professionally-trained staff under a well-defined organizational setup. Back-up. This is the capability of the system to create a copy of the database. Book Category. The classification of a books as Filipiniana or Foreign. Borrowing of books. This is the process of lending available books and reading materials at the library. Inventory of Books. The process of generating a list of books borrowed, list of books available, and list of Filipiniana books and Foreign books by course. Filipiniana. These are books and non-book materials, published in the Philippines or abroad, written by Filipinos in any dialects or in English. Foreign. These are books and non-book materials, published in the Philippines or abroad, written by foreigners in any dialects or in English. Library System Functionality Features. These are the functions that are incorporated in the system such as searching of books, and verifying of borrowed books and returned books. Library Automation. It is an innovation using the computer to enhance the operation of the library. Library Circulation. It is comprised of the activities around the lending and borrowing of library books and other material to users. Library Environment. This refers to the physical condition, site, facilities and equipment of the library. Library Resources. This refers to the library personnel, book collection, services and use of the library. Non-print. These are non-book materials in various formats and style. Readers Services. These are services provided to customer such as bibliographical instruction on the effective use of the library, abstracting, information retrieval, reader’s guidance, and indexing. Report Generation. The process of generating a report on books needed by the librarian. Restore. Capability of the system that restores backup database into the system. Returning of Books. The process of returning the borrowed book at the library by the borrower. Searching of Books. The process of searching books at the library. Security measures. These are the computer controls that the library system will adopt in-order to protect the information or data in the database. Services. These are the activities that ensures maximum access and availability of resources and satisfactory use of the Library. Staff. They are the human resource of the library that maintains the services. This includes the professionals and the non-professional staff.

Friday, September 20, 2019

History Of The Dna And Forensics Criminology Essay

History Of The Dna And Forensics Criminology Essay Wyman established the foundation for the concept with the hallmark observation and White (1980) of a polymorphic DNA locus characterized by a number of variable-length restriction fragments called restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). The history of DNA fingerprinting, is even more recent, dating from 1985 with the paper Hypervariable Minisatellite Regions in Human DNA by Alex Jeffreys et-al (Kirby, 1998 p.19) In 1985, a routine investigation into the structure of a human gene led to a breakthrough discovery that portions of the DNA structure of certain genes are as unique to each individual as fingerprints. Alec Jeffrey and his colleagues at Leicester University, England, responsible for these revelations, named the process for isolating and reading these DNA markers DNA fingerprinting. As researchers uncovered new approaches and variations to the original Jeffreys technique, the terms DNA profiling and DNA typing became applied to describe this relatively new technology (Saferstein, 2011p.226). The theory that a criminal perpetrator leaves a part of himself at the scene of a crime and takes a piece of the crime site with him was postulated by Edmund Locard Lyon,of France, who established the worlds first crime lab. Referred to as the Locard exchange principle, this idea, along with the need to reconstruct what took place at the site of a criminal act, is the basic rationale behind crime- scene investigation (Fisher, p 4). The term associative evidence describes traces of things that, pursuant to the Locard principle, connect a suspect to or associate him with the scene of an offense (Fisher, 2008 p. 4) Benefits of DNA in society Through the discovery of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the deciphering of its structure and the decoding of its genetic information our understanding of the underlying concepts of inheritance changed and expanded. Molecular biologists are unraveling the basic structure of genes at an incredible pace; we are now able to create new products through genetic engineering and develop diagnostic tools and treatments for genetic disorders (Saferstein, 2011 p. 266). How DNA affects investigations? The legal system, in both the criminal and civil arenas, may well be revolutionized by the advent of forensic DNA typing. One state trial judge has written that DNA typing can constitute the single greatest advance in the search for truth, and the goal of convicting the guilty and acquitting the innocent, since the advent of cross-examination. People v. Wesley, 140 Misc.2d 306, 533 N.Y.S.2d 643 (Co. Ct. 1988) (Kirby, 1993 p. 206). DNA identification analysis, identity testing, profiling, fingerprinting, typing, or genotyping refers to the characterization of one or more relatively rare features of an individuals genome or hereditary makeup. Every human, has a characteristic phenotype or physical appearance because each possesses a unique hereditary composition. An exception to this rule is identical twins, because they possess the same unique genotype but, because of the consequences of developmental events, have faintly different phenotypes. The DNA of any individual is identical whether extracted from hair bulbs, white blood cells, or a semen specimen. The uniqueness and identical DNA structure within all tissues of the same body provide the basis for DNA profiling (Kirby, 1993 p.18). The forensic applications of DNA typing are limited only by precaution and alertness of the criminal mind. Regardless of the type of crime committed, whatever trace evidence is appropriate for DNA analysis, left behind by the p erpetrator, is later recovered by the police. Forensic test results can prove to be important investigative tools. Most frequently, such evidence will be found because of violent crimes (Kirby, 1993 p.207). What Controversies are there in the use of DNA evidence in criminal cases? The inventor of DNA fingerprinting Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, recently launched a candid attack on the way the genetic profiles of suspects in the UK who have been cleared of any crime are still stored by the authorities. He believes that the practice of storing the genetic profiles of suspects who have not been found guilty of a crime is a step too far. Professor Jeffreys said, The practice was discriminatory and measures should be taken to safeguard against particular individuals or groups being targeted. In addition, he called for the creation of a national database, storing the profiles of the entire UK population, managed by an independent body. He said, If were all on the database, were all in exactly the same boat the issue of discrimination disappears. Another potential problem according to a number of scientists is that as the database grows the probability of two very similar profiles from two different people emerging increases (Anonymous, 2002). These arguments are ech oed in the United States as well. For police and prosecutors, DNA science has been a double-edged sword; Thousands of rapists and killers have been identified by DNA and sent to prison. On the other hand, DNA technology also reveals flaws in other forensic sciences such as bite-mark and hair follicle identification. It has also exposed weaknesses and corruption in the way crimes are investigated (Fisher, J. 2008 p 231). What Benefits are there in the use of DNA Evidence? The forensic science community finds DNA of great value because forensic scientists now have the ability to link biological evidence such as blood, semen, hair, or tissue to a single individual with confidence (Saferstein, 2011 p. 266). What improvements can be made in the use of DNA in Criminalistics? In an effort to improve the crime-fighting potential of DNA profiling, the FBI initiated a pilot project called Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The program would link data banks across the country housing computerized collections of DNA profiles of arrested felons. Investigators would be able to submit an unknown DNA profile for identification by activating one computer instead of running the evidence through dozens of statewide systems. An evidence submission that matches a DNA profile in one of the databases is called a hit, when such a computer match is made; it is tantamount to solving the crime and proving who committed it. CODIS promised a crime-fighting potential equal to the FBIs Integrated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System. Even better, the criminals caught by CODIS would be the worst of the worst- rapists, child molesters, and sexually motivated killers serial offenders all (Fisher, 2008 pp. 231-2). The National DNA Index (NDIS) contains over 9,535,059 offender profiles and 366,762 forensic profiles as of March 2011. Ultimately, the success of the CODIS program will be measured by the crimes it helps to solve. CODISs primary metric, the Investigation Aided, tracks the number of criminal investigations where CODIS has added value to the investigative process. As of March 2011, CODIS has produced over 141,000 hits assisting in more than 135,500 investigations (FBI) The United States is having a backlog handling all of the data being submitted to the forensic laboratories. There are two types: (1) casework backlogs and (2) convicted offender and arrestee DNA backlogs (DNA.gov , n.d.). The demand for DNA testing is rising primarily because of increased awareness of the potential for DNA evidence to help solve cases. The demand is coming from two primary sources: (1) the increased amount of DNA evidence collected in criminal cases and (2) the expanded effort to collect DNA samples from convicted felons and arrested persons. According to a 2010 report from the National Instituted of Justice Until laboratories can meet the rising demand for DNA services and until their capacity to process samples is greater than the demand, backlogs will continue to exist and increase in proportion to the demand for services (Nelson, 2010). Crime laboratories are processing more cases than ever before, however expanded capacity to meet the increased demand (Nelson, 2010). What is in the future of DNA in society and what benefits will they bring to the criminalistics and forensic investigations? In the future, we will be able to determine the color of a persons hair and eyes though a sample of DNA taken from blood, sperm, saliva or other biological materials relevant in forensic case work. Criminals can run, but they might be leaving some incriminating evidence behind. Scientists have figured out how to use DNA information to predict a persons hair color. In the near future, DNA from blood, sperm or saliva samples being used to help track down an unknown perpetrator. Dutch researchers from Erasmus Medical Center and their collaborators in Poland have discovered 13 genetic markers in 11 genes that can be used to predict hair color. The research was published in the journal Human Genetics, where scientists, claim they can predict if a person has red hair or black hair with 90% accuracy. When it comes to predicting if a person has blond or brown hair, the scientists claim to be 80% accurate. The scientists can also predict different shades of hair color, so people with dirty blond hair or other unusual colors can be tracked down too (Dickinson, B. 2011). The necessary DNA can be taken from blood, sperm, saliva or other biological materials relevant in forensic casework. Prof. Manfred Kayser, Chair of the Department of Forensic Molecular Biology at Erasmus MC, who led the study, stated, That we are now making it possible to predict different hair colors from DNA represents a major breakthrough as, so far, only red hair color (which is rare) could be estimated from DNA. For our research, we made use of the DNA and hair color information of hundreds of Europeans and investigated genes previously known to influence the differences in hair color. We identified 13 DNA markers from 11 genes that are informative to predict a persons hair color. Predictability Prof. Ate Kloosterman, of the Department of Human Biological Traces at the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) said: This research lays the scientific basis for the development of a DNA test for hair color prediction. A validated DNA test system for hair color shall become available for forensic research in the not too distant future (Erasmus Medical Center 2011). This study might pave the way for yet another DNA test that would give forensic scientists more tools to crack unsolved mysteries. Predicting human phenotypes like a persons hair color would certainly give crime fighters an edge Dickinson, B. 2011). DNA and its application to Criminalistics are changing the way evidence is pursued. The past decade has seen enormous advances in this powerful criminal justice tool: deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. DNA can be used to identify criminals with incredible accuracy when biological evidence exists. Similarly, DNA evidence can be implemented to clear suspects and exonerate persons mistakenly accused or convicted of crimes. DNA technology is increasingly vital to ensuring accuracy and fairness in the criminal justice system. We take for granted all the progress that has been made in the last few decades due to new breakthroughs in science. DNA has not only affected science and medicine in our society but it also has affected the judicial system, and the way we conduct our criminal cases in the courts of the United States.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Munchausen Syndrome Essay -- Disease/Disorders Health

Munchausen Syndrome History Munchausen Syndrome, an illness of psychiatric nature, was first introduced by Richard Asher in 1951 (Zibis et al., 2010). Although Munchausen Syndrome had been described in 1931 by Karl Menninger in medical publications it wasn’t until 1951 that Richard Asher published three case reports and the disorder gained interest (Turner, Reid 2002).The syndrome, as described by the Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals (2008), is a severe form of a factitious disorder in which the patient tends to feign some kind of illness (physical or mental) without an external reason. Richard Asher was a renowned British endocrinologist and hematologist who is said to have named the syndrome after the fictionalized accounts of Baron Karl Friederich Munchausen (1720-1791) a German soldier who was famous for the adventurous tales about his life (Murray, 1997). Consequently because of the extensive traveling, peculiar stories and refractory treatment, as more cases appeared the syndrome took on various names such as the following: pathologic malingering, chronic factitious illness, and peregrinating problem patients (Justus, Kreutziger, Kitchens 1980). Diagnosis Patenaude, Zitsch, and Hirschi (2006) define a factitious disease as one in which the patient consciously and purposely injures themselves in order for a physician or caretaker to make a wrongful diagnosis and thus be submitted to treatment. Munchausen Syndrome is characterized by the patients’ continuous attempt for admittance at hospitals after a dramatic show of physical symptoms (Zibis et al., 2010). The disorder is associated with severe emotional problems specifically in patients with histrionic or borderline personalities; these ten... ... http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/psychiatric_disorders/somatoform_and_factiti ous_disorders/munchausen_syndrome.htm Murray, J. (1997). Munchausen Syndrome/Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. The Journal Of Psychology: Interdisciplinary And Applied, 131(3), 343-352. Patenaude, B., Zitsch III, R., & Hirschi, S. D. (2006). Blood-but not bleeding-at a tracheotomy site: A case of Munchausen's syndrome. ENT: Ear, Nose & Throat Journal,85(10), 677-679. Turner, J., & Reid, S. (2002). Munchausen's syndrome. The Lancet (Sciencedirect),359(9303), 346-349. Zibis, A. H., Dailiana, Z. H., Papaliaga, M. N., Vrangalas, V. A., Mouzas, O. D., & Malizos, K. N. (2010). Munchausen syndrome: A differential diagnostic trap for hand surgeons. Journal Of Plastic Surgery And Hand Surgery, 44(4-5), 222-224.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The National Assemby and Restructuring The French Government :: essays research papers

ON WHAT PINCIPLES DID THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEEK TO RESTRUCTURE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY IN THE YEARS 1789-91? When the National Assembly established a dominant position in the running of the French state in 1789, they needed to move quickly to reform the old state around them into one that corresponded to the political views held within the new Assembly members. A ‘principle’ or origin from which all remodelling could take form from, and that would justify the actions of the Assembly to the people as they began reconstructing the state into a ‘ uniform, decentralised, representative and humanitarian system’ was needed. The question being asked is for us to define this principle used by the Assembly to remodel French society and government, a question that can only be answered by studying the declarations of the Assembly to discover the point at which they declare the main principles of their new system openly in a bid to justify further actions. When the newly gathered members of the National Assembly met on the royal tennis court on the 20th June 1789, they declared a vow that was to be remembered as the ‘Tennis court oath.’ This vow was to never rest until they ‘provided France with a constitution,’ a basses that the Assembly could remodel France around. However, constitutions were new to this time in history and the constitutional writers needed time to discover the art of preparing such a document considering the lack of knowledge they had in the field. They may have been aided by information from the recent events in America and the benefits from studying their new American Constitution, but the Assembly still needed time to insure success, and this meant they needed a temporary base of principles to work from. The starting point in the history of the Assembly’s actions to change France can be seen in the 4th August ‘ August Decrees.’ The Assembly had drawn up this set of principles after the pressure created by the Great Fear had forced action to be taken for the safety of French society. The assembly had wanted to calm down the peasant rising in the country and at the time this meant abolishing the feudal system, a system that hung around the shoulders of the peasantry mass. This action would provide the country with a freedom from personal servitude along with the removal of the dues that restricted the peasantry from day to day.