The Role of the Special Needs Assistant Assignment

The Role of the Special Needs Assistant - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that in connection with the various types of help that are essential for the learners, first of all, one should understand that children are different in all aspects, and according to their capacity different types of strategies should be used to inculcate new ideas in them. There emerges the importance of the new provision SNAs, that is, special needs assistants together with a number of resource teachers. It satiates the need of one to one support for pupils in the mainstream schools. Special needs assistants have now proved as an integral part of the educational system of Ireland. Sally Beveridge, Senior Lecturer in Special Educational Needs confirms the role of SNA when she writes, â€Å"†¦all teachers are teachers of pupils with special education needs, with a central role not only in their identification and assessment but also in developing classroom strategies to meet these needs. Researches underline the fact that children have cognitive limitations or other mutilations that may hinder their academic and non-academic development and pave the way for poor classroom performance. Many countries developed sufficient methods and strategies to solve and modify the system of education. Previous studies reveal that Ireland’s educational policy has changed towards enclosure in accordance with the international trends and acceptance. Learning and other behavioral disabilities paved the way for the emerging of new stipulation Special Needs Assistance (SNA) that support the students to overcome his/her learning disabilities in schools. In Ireland, special needs assistants became an integral part of the education scenario. A research article in The Frontline writes, â€Å"Almost 70% of the SNAs surveyed were assigned to one pupil only, and 23% were assigned to two pupils†. The changing nature of Special Needs Assistants serves more serious responsibilities.

The perception of freshmen computer engineering students Essay Example for Free

The perception of freshmen computer engineering students Essay Poverty is one of the biggest concerns that our world encounters at present. Many solutions have been made to alleviate this problem but none of them seem to work. Everyone thinks that overpopulation is the reason behind why the populace lives in a life of insufficiency. Because of this common thought, the United Nations Organization (UNO), in collaboration with the World health Organization (WHO) started to inform the people concerning reproductive health and everything tied with it. The UNO and WHO thought that this would be the answer to overpopulation. By informing the people about natural and artificial family planning methods, it will be of great help in minimizing and controlling the birth rate. In this world with over 7 billion population, in the years that passed by, we cannot negate the fact that our world will be occupied to spilling level soon. And because of this, poverty might be a greater issue. Our country is considered a third world country. This only indicates that most of the people living in this nation are below average. According to United Nations World Population Prospects, the Philippines is ranked 12th among countries with large population. And to overcome this problem which results to poverty, many programs and solutions were made and one of them is the Reproductive Health Bill which was signed into law on December 21, 2012 and now known as Republic Act 10354. It is an act providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and for other purposes. It is also an act which guarantees universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care. It is also an act aiming to fight against poverty. But as a Christian country, the Catholic Church emphasizes the rejection of the RH Law. The Catholic Church strongly opposes the said act. The Catholic Church pointed out that the opposition was not about a Catholic decision but a deliberation of the â€Å"fundamental ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people† (Sison 2011). There are also many people and agencies that are against the RH Law. Even so, the Congress, the Senate and the President of the country believe in its potential to answering problems on overpopulation. Saint Mary’s University, as a Catholic School, and a center for excellence, has also a side in this issue. The young students must be knowledgeable of what is going at present. The RH Law is a current issue and a good subject to deal with. Every individual should involve himself in present concerns. Dr. Jose Rizal once said that young people are the hope of the nation. In this context, everyone must know the position of every youth. This study was conducted in order to know the perception of youths particularly the freshmen Computer Engineering students toward the RH Law, if either they say Yes or No. Statement of the Problem Reproductive Health Law is a timely issue and a good subject to talk about. Students who belong to different gender, religion and cultures of Saint Mary’s University should be involved in it. This study was conducted to know the views of freshmen Computer Engineering students towards RH Law and its benefits. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is the perception of students towards the Reproductive Health Law (Republic Act 10354) and its benefits? 2. Is there a difference in the perception of students in terms of: a. Gender, and b. Religion? Conceptual Framework Figure 1. Conceptual Framework The study is about the Reproductive Health Law. This topic was chosen for it is timely and a good subject to talk about. The perception of the students will be known through the perceived benefits of the Reproductive Health Law. As the study goes further, the researchers will determine the relationship of gender and religion on the perception of the respondents. Significance of the Study This study was conducted to help people widen up each and every individual’s mind setting about our society nowadays. This study will relatively serve the following. The Students. This study will be of great help to them in becoming aware and knowledgeable about the current situations. This will also help the students to think of their stand on the subject of this study. The Church. The results of study will help the church become aware of the thoughts of the young generation particularly the students. The Government. The results of this study can be one of the basis of the government to know whether the implementation of RH Law is significant or not in the present times. The Future Researchers. This study will also be important to the researchers that will study the same subject in the future. With this study, it will help them think of the ways to improve this research. Because the topic of this study is a current issue, with its limited resources, the results will be helpful to them. Serving as a supplement to their study. Scope and Delimitation This study is only about the perception of the young generation particularly the freshman Computer Engineering students of Saint Mary’s University towards the Reproductive Health Law (Republic Act 10354). This is conducted during the second semester of the School year 2012-2013. Moreover, this study is also conducted to determine if there is a difference in the perception of students in terms of their gender and religion. Other students of different courses are not included for easier data gathering process. Definition of Terms The following terms are defined operationally to facilitate comprehension of the study. Bill. This term in the political process refers to a proposed law placed before a legislative body for examination, debate, and enactment. Law. This term refers to body of official rules and regulations, generally found in constitutions, legislation, judicial opinions, and the like, that is used to govern a society and to control the behavior of its members. Perception. This refers to the view, opinion, and stand of the respondents towards the benefits of the RH Law which reveals if they disagree or agree with the subject. Reproductive Health. This term refers to the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health or sexual health/hygiene, that address the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life. Chapter 2 METHODOLOGY Research Design This study used descriptive and survey type of research in determining the perception of the respondents. It aimed to find out if there is a difference of the respondent’s views in terms of gender and religion. Understanding the sections of the Consolidated Reproductive Health Law and classifying the benefits of the Law made it descriptive. The study was made a survey type of research because of the manner of data gathering. Research Environment This study was conducted at Saint Mary’s University, a Roman Catholic institution owned by the Belgian missionary congregation CICM located in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. This learning institution is comprised of 8 college departments, namely School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Accountancy, School of Business, School of Health Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Administration and Governance, School of Education, and School of Computing Science and Information Technology. Subjects of the Study The participants of the study are the freshmen Computer Engineering students of the Engineering and Architecture Department of Saint Mary’s University S.Y. 2012-2013. The researchers randomly chose 40 respondents. The participants are 28 males and 11 females. They are again classified according to their religion. There are thirty (30) Roman Catholic respondents, five (5) Born-Again, four (4) United Methodist, and one (1) Jehovah’s Witnesses. Research Instrument This study used questionnaires. The questionnaire contained the benefits of the Reproductive Health Law as stated in the sections of the Consolidated RH Law. The sections which the benefits were derived from are the following: Data Gathering Procedure Figure 2. Data Gathering Procedure Everyone was given the task to get information about our subject in the library. The researchers gathered data from newspapers and some used the internet in finding resources. With the information sought, we formulated our research problem. Given the needed information and the problem, we were able to create and formulate the questionnaire. The questionnaire was verified and was readied for distribution. The questionnaire was distributed to 40 freshmen Computer Engineering students. The results were gathered, classified, assessed and interpreted. Data Analysis To answer the questions, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages. The researcher tallied the respondents’ answer on component numbers 1-15 and also if it was â€Å"strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, or strongly disagree†. After it, the tallying the result were summed up. To get the percentage, the frequency count was divided by the total respondents multiplied by 100. Chapter 3 presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data This chapter describes the analysis of data followed by a discussion of the research findings. The findings relate to the research questions that guided the study. Data were analyzed to identify the perception of Computer Engineering students toward the Reproductive Health Law. The data were also analyzed in order to describe the relationship and difference in the perception of the respondents in terms of gender and religion. A total of 40 questionnaires were received, however, only 39 were usable in classifying the male and female respondents because 1 respondent did not complete the questionnaire and left the gender unchecked, and so in tallying, 1 respondent checked twice under the component number 6 making it null and void. The table shows the perception of Catholic Computer Engineering students about the RH Law. It can be seen that 13 or 43.33% strongly agree on the component number 6 (Parents will be instructed and become knowledgeable about responsible parenthood.); 20 or 66.66 agrees on the component number 5 (All serious Reproductive Health conditions such as HIV and Aids will be given maximum benefits as provided by Phil Health programs.); 11 or 36.66% are undecided on component number 2 (Hospitals will be established and upgraded.); 6 or 20% disagree on component number 15 (Unwanted pregnancies will be avoided.); and only 1 respondent strongly disagree on component number 8, 11, and 14 (Children will know the limitations in their sexual life/aspects; Individuals will have an easier access in purchasing Family Planning Supplies; and Abortion will be prevented). We can see that Catholic Computer Engineering Students supports the benefits that RH Law gives. We can infer in the table above that opposing the RH Law is one of the teachings inside the Roman Catholic Church. This implication is in accordance with Sison (2011) in which he said that there is an obvious and strong disagreement of the Catholics toward the RH law. Table 4 shows that 3 out of 4 or 75% of United Methodist Computer Engineering students answered strongly agree on the benefit of RH law which is stated on item 8 (Children will know the limitations in their sexual life/ aspects.); 4 or 100% agreed on the component number 10 (Maternal death will be lessened.); 3 or 75% are undecided on components number 5 (All serious Reproductive Health conditions such as HIV and Aids will be given maximum benefits as provided by Phil Health programs.) and 9 (Violation against women will be eliminated.); 1 or 25% disagreed on components number 2 (Hospitals will be established and upgraded.) ,11 (Individuals will have an easy access in purchasing Family Planning supplies such as contraceptives, pills, etc.), and 13 (The youth will become more responsible through sex education.); and none strongly disagreed on the benefits stated. This implies that United Methodist Computer Engineering students are pro-RH Law. This is contrary to Silverio (2012) in which she said that the non-Roman Catholic Churches in the Philippines (NCPP), which includes the United Methodist Church, supports the RH Law mainly because it dwells on the issues of responsible family and recognizing the right of couples to determine how to plan their family. Alonto, N. (2011). Unknown voice: A Muslim’s view of the RH Bill. Retrieved January 15, 2013, from http://fightrhbill.blogspot.com/2011/04/young-muslim-versus-rh-bill.html. Amores, A. Capistrano, J. (2007). Pills be with you: A comparative content analysis of thecoverage of reproductive health bill issues by the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Philippine Star from 2008-2010. Comparative Content Analysis, University of the Philippines Diliman, College of Mass Communication.p.34. Bill. Microsoft ® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Cabradilla,P.M. and Malaki,N.M.R. (2007). The allocative efficiency of the devolved Department of Health and its impacts on family planning. Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman, School of Economics.p.6. Diaz, J. (2012, December 3). RH fight in final stage. The Philippine Star, p. 22. Gonzales, J. (2011). Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines (Part 1): Facts and salient features. Retrieved on January 4, 2013 from the website http://politikalon.blogspot.com/2011/02/reproductive-health-bill-inphilippines.html. Introduction to Jehovah’s Witnesses. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://www.ethnicityonline.net/jwitnesses.htm Macaraig, A. (2012). Senators approve RH bill on final reading. Retrieved January 4, 2013, from the website http://www.rappler.com/nation/18112-senators-approve-rh-bill-on-final-reading. Probert, Walter. Law. Microsoft ® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Silverio, I. (2012). Non-Catholic groups recognize value of RH bill to maternal health. Retrieved January 4, 2013, from the website http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/08/10/non-catholic -groups-recognize-value-of-rh-bill-to-maternal-health/. Tinoco, M.L.A.K. (1999). A study on the perception of child-bearing couples on themessages conveyed by television advertisement on contraception. Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman, School of Economics.p.10, 13.

Analysis of Pilotage and Pilots Limitation of Liability

Analysis of Pilotage and Pilots Limitation of Liability Provisional title of the thesis: A comparative analysis of pilotage and pilots limitation of liability in Australia. Area of investigation and/or the questions to be investigated Consider the following scenario. A vessel under the control of a compulsory pilot is maneuvering within a port limit. Master of the vessel follows the on-shore directions by the pilot and due to negligence of the pilot the vessel crashes into a wharf. Some basic questions that could arise from the above scenario are: Who is responsible for any damages? If the master, following an on-shore direction, enters a compulsory pilotage area without a pilot on board, is he guilty of an offence for proceeding without a pilot? Is the pilot liable for acting outside of pilotage? When does pilotage actually commence? Should the statutory rules regarding limitation of liability for pilots be changed to hold negligent compulsory pilots individually responsible for actions outside of pilotage? If a master follows a radioed direction provided by an on-shore pilot, should he be liable for proceeding without a pilot in a compulsory pilotage area?What is the liability for negligence of compulsory unlice nsed pilots?[1] Finally, what is the appropriate description of a master-pilot relationship? This research will investigate these questions. Theoretical significance of the project A pilot is someone who is very familiar with the port; endowed with a requisite professionalism and necessary local knowledge to maneuver a vessel in a port safely.[2] In addition, he is responsible for the protection of the environment and the promotion of the efficiency in the harbor.[3] In Australia, under section 6 of the Navigation Act 1912, pilot means a person who does not belong to, but has the conduct of, a ship. In terms of limitation of liability, section 410B(1) of the Navigation Act stipulates that a pilot who has the conduct of a ship is subject to the authority of the master of the ship and the master is not relieved from responsibility for the conduct and navigation of the ship by reason only of the ship being under pilotage. Although there are consistencies in the meaning of pilotage among jurisdictions in Australia, the pilotage legislations are slightly different in some states. For example, while the New South Wales Marine Safety Act 1998[4] considers the pilotag e as conduct of a vessel, the Port Authorities Act 1999 (WA)[5] describes pilotage as being in command of a vessel. The first issue is the definition of conduct of a ship. In Braverus Maritime Inc v Port Kembla Coal Terminal Ltd[6]the Federal Court of Australia concluded that the statute considered the pilot as the servant of a ship owner and simply listed the definition of pilot as it stands in the Navigation Act. In Fowles v Eastern Australian Steamship Co[7] Chief Justice Barton ,with reference to the Queensland Navigation Act (1876), explained thatthe master shall deliver and give in charge the vessel to the duly qualified pilot who shall first board or go alongside of such vessel in order to conduct the same into port, and such pilot shall if required by such master produce his authority to act as such pilot, and no master of any such vessel shall proceed to sea from any of the said ports or quit his station or anchorage in any port, without receiving on board the harbor master or some pilot appointed as aforesaid to move or conduct the said vessel to sea. Further, the comment of Christopher Hill stating what a pilot is not, purely and simply, is an adviser[8] is inconsistent with the practical concept[9] and the statutory definition of a pilot. The second issue is pilots limitation of liability. Under Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) section 410B (2) the exclusion of pilot from liability is absolute. Porter LJ in Tower Field v Workington Harbour and Dock Board[10]clarified that under Section 410B of Navigation Act  a ship owner who through a compulsory pilot is responsible for faulty navigation is responsible for damage to his own ship as well as for injury to the property of another. As far as the limitation of liability is concerned, the state legislations in Australia are comparatively aligned with the Navigation Act. In New South Wales, all pilots and pilotage service providers are excluded from liability for negligence.[11] Though, the pilot who willfully endangers the vessel or her crew is guilty of an offence.[12] In South Australia a pilot is excluded from liability for negligence.[13]In Victoria, under the Marine Act 1988 (Vic) a pilots liability is limited to $200 plus the amount of pilotage.[14]In Queensland, Pilots a re excluded absolutely from liability for negligence or damage.[15] Finally, in Western Australia, the pilots liability is limited to $200.[16] Moreover, a pilot is excluded from liability for negligence causing damage to the vessel.[17]In Oceanic Crest Shipping[18], where a vessel under the control of a negligent compulsory pilot damaged to a wharf in Western Australia, the pilot and harbor authority were completely excluded from liability for negligence. As can be seen, the traditional approach to pilotage has introduced difficulties and the concerned parties including, harbor authorities, ship owners and pilot service providers are faced difficulties to answers the questions mentioned in the section i. This research will help to solve the problems in dealing with pilotage by focusing on three main areas. First, the Australias pilotage regime should be re-assessed to provide clarified definitions. Second, the inconsistencies between the states should be eliminated through a uniform pilotage regime which is agreed by the states. Third, the pilotage regime should also determine a fair limitation of liability of pilots. Indeed, since the application of above mentioned changes will result in changing the settlements of claims and the expenses incurred by the relevant parties, this research will focus on how these changes would be addressed in future pilotage regime. Therefore, this research is aiming to reduce the inconsistencies either in the liability of pilots or in the limitation of liabilities in Australias pilotage regime. Proposed research methods I would provide a theoretical understanding of the research, that the legal regulations concerning pilotage and the limitation of liability in the light of the analysis of different states legislations in Australia and various legal acts in different countries. Therefore, the method which will widely be used is comparative method. The Function of pilots, their liabilities and the limitation of their liabilities will be studied and compared in the following acts, legislations and case law. Australia: Under Commonwealth Legislation: Navigation Act 1912 (Cth). The state legislations in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The United Kingdom: Pilotage Act 1987 (UK) and Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (UK). Canada: The Pilotage Act, RSC 1985, c P-14. The United States: The national system of pilotage regulation both by the states and by the federal government. The reason these countries were selected is because their legal systems are mainly based on English common law. The analytical method will be implored to analyze legal concepts and rules concerning pilotage and limitation of liability in different legal systems. This is important because through this method, appropriate conclusions would be drawn, and possible suggestions would be proposed in the bid to improving Australian Legislation of Limitation Liability of Pilots and Pilotage. Proposed thesis structure including where possible, provisional chapter sketches Preliminary table of contents: Introduction Fundamental concepts of pilotage and pilots limitation of liability. National approaches to the pilotage and limitation of liability. 1. Australia 2. The United Kingdom 3. Canada 4. USA. Analysis of findings focusing on pilotage and limitation of liability in Australia. Conclusion including suggestions and mechanisms of addressing problematic issues. Timescale for the research: Year Research activities 1 To draft a research plan. Collation of data, reading of relevant materials and writing of the Introductory chapter. 2 Reading and evaluation of limitation of liability legislations in the United Kingdom and Australia. 3 A reading and evaluation of the limitation of liability legislations in Canada and USA. Publication of the main some aspects of the dissertation in the books, monography (this may not be necessary for now). 4 Analysis of findings, arrangement of thesis and final submission. Bibliography Table of Cases Braverus Maritime Inc v Port Kembla Coal Terminal Ltd [2005] FCAFC 256 Federal Court of Australia, 12 December 2005. Fowles v Eastern Australian Steamship Company Limited [1913] 17 CLR 149. Oceanic Crest Shipping Company v Pilbara Harbour Services Pty Ltd [1986] 160 CLR 626. Tower Field (Owners) v Workington Harbour and Dock Board [1950] 84 Ll. L. Rep. 233, 255. Textbooks Christopher Hill, Maritime Law (Lloyds of London, 3rd ed, 1989) 376. Table of Legislation Harbors and Navigation Act 1993 (SA). Marine Act 1988 (Vic) . Marine Safety Act 1998 (NSW). Pilots Limitation of Liability Act 1962 (WA). Port Authorities Act 1999 (WA). Port Authorities Act 1999 (WA). Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 (Qld). Online Sources Shilavadra Bhattacharjee, What Are The Duties Of Officer On Watch When Pilot Is On Board Ship? (Marine Insight, 2016) accessed 6 December 2016. Henrik Nicander and Isak Isak, What Skills Do Port Pilots Need? (2014) accessed 6 December 2016. [1] Braverus Maritime Inc v Port Kembla Coal Terminal Ltd [2005] FCAFC 256 (12 December 2005) [2] Shilavadra Bhattacharjee, What Are The Duties Of Officer On Watch When Pilot Is On Board Ship? (Marine Insight, 2016) accessed 6 December 2016. [3] Henrik Nicander and Isak Isak, What Skills Do Port Pilots Need? (2014) accessed 6 December 2016. [4] Marine Safety Act 1998 (NSW) s 71(1). [5] Port Authorities Act 1999 (WA) s 3(1). [6] Opt.cit.n.1. [7] Fowles v Eastern Australian Steamship Company Limited [1913] 17 CLR 149. [8] Christopher Hill, Maritime Law (Lloyds of London, 3rd ed, 1989) 376. [9] Ibid. [10] Tower Field (Owners) v Workington Harbour and Dock Board [1950] 84 Ll. L. Rep. 233, 255 (Porter LJ). [11] Marine Safety Act 1998 (NSW) s 80(1): Neither the State, nor the Minister, nor a pilotage service provider is liable for any loss or damage that is attributable to the negligence of any person made available as a marine pilot by the pilotage service provider while the person is acting as a marine pilot. [12] Marine Safety Act 1998 (NSW) s 81: A marine pilot of a vessel who, by any wilful act or omission, endangers the vessel or its crew is guilty of an offence. [13] Harbors and Navigation Act 1993 (SA) s 36(3): The liability of the owner or master of a ship for damage resulting from a fault in the navigation of the ship is unaffected by the fact that the vessel is under pilotage or that the pilotage is compulsory. [14] Marine Act 1988 (Vic) s 104: A pilot is not liable in negligence in respect of the voyage on which the pilot is engaged for more than $200 plus the amount of pilotage in respect of voyage. [15] Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 (Qld) s 101(1): A conducting pilot is not civilly liable for damage or loss caused by an act or omission of the conducting pilot. [16] Pilots Limitation of Liability Act 1962 (WA) s 3: Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Act or law, but subject to the Navigation Act 1912 of the Parliament of the Commonwealth, a pilot is not liable for neglect or want of skill in piloting a ship beyond the amount of $200 together with the amount payable to him on account of pilotage in respect of the voyage in which he was engaged when he became so liable. [17] Port Authorities Act 1999 (WA) s 99: The owner or master of a vessel moving under compulsory pilotage in a port is liable for any loss or damage caused by the vessel, or by a fault in the conduct or navigation of the vessel, in the same manner as the owner or master would be liable if pilotage were not compulsory. [18] Oceanic Crest Shipping Company v Pilbara Harbour Services Pty Ltd [1986] 160 CLR 626.

Decriminalization Vs. Prohibition :: essays research papers

Decriminalization vs. Prohibition The idea of Drug Prohibition made sense: lower the availability of drugs by the use of law enforcement. Unfortunately, Drug Prohibition means heavy costs while proving to be ineffective and counterproductive. I was thirteen when I saw drugs for the first time. I was with some of my friends that live down the road from me. They asked me if I wanted to get high with them. At the time, I didn't know what getting high meant, so I asked them. One of them pulled ut a long slender object, similar to a cigarette, but twisted on either end. They told me it was something special. I was still bewildered. They said "It's pot, you know, marijuana?" Immediately I said no. I had seen several anti-dug commercials, all with the same motto, "Just Say No". I felt so good about myself. I had done the right thing. I said no to my friends, which is a very hard decision to make at that age. I was not going to be one of those sad cases, where my life is wasted away. I was not going to be a crazed addict, who would stop at nothing to get a hit. I was not going to be dodging the law my whole life. I was going to be everything I wanted to be, and drugs were definitely not going to get in the way. I promised myself I would not end up like Jimi Hendrix, or Janis Joplin, both found dead after overdoses, because I had the power to say no. I had read stories and seen news flashes about the side effects of some drugs. I had read newspaper articles about people in Rome, which is just a few minutes away, dying of heroin overdoses. I had seen people on TV that were alive, but were not conscious of their surroundings, because of drug use. Their lives were basically over. I had listened to speakers preach that drugs were one of the Devil's tools. There was no way I would even consider ever trying them, because once a person starts, they can't stop. It was a few years later that I heard the other side of the story. I learned that not only were we losing the war on drugs, but that the war had been corrupted. The government was wasting money on something without a cause, or hope. It wasn't long after that when I tried marijuana for the first time. I remember it well. I was with my sister, who was the only person that I couldn't

Martin Luther/ John Calvin Biography

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben Germany. His father was Hans Luther, a miner married to Margarete Luther, Martin's mother. Hans was determined for Martin to study law and eventually become a lawyer. Martin attended grammar school and once he graduated fulfilled his fathers wishes by attending law school. He then proceeded to drop out of law school, the story goes he was in a bad storm and was afraid he was not going to survive, he dropped to his knees and said â€Å"Help! Saint Anna, I will become a monk! †. This story may or may not have happened but nevertheless Martin did in fact become a monk.Luther fully dedicated himself to monastic life, devoting himself to fasting, long hours of prayer, and frequent confession. But during this time Luther was not happy, he felt he had lost touch with Christ and his religious values. He informed his superior Johann von Staupitz of this and in response Staupitz sent Luther to study theology in college. In 1512 he was awarded his Doctor of Theology, and he then joined the senate of theological faculty at the University of Wittenberg. In 1516 Johann Tetzel, a friar who went to Germany to sell indulgences to raise money for the rebuilding of St.Peter's Basilica in Rome. A year later Luther wrote to his bishop to protest the sale of indulgences and other church practices he disagreed with, this became The Ninety-Five Theses the document Luther is most famous for. Luther never meant to confront the church, he merely viewed his arguments as scholarly objection, he just wanted to state his opinion on church practices. Whether he wanted to confront the church or not some of his theses did have a challenging tone, in one of them he suggests that the Pope use his own money rather than taking money from the poor through indulgences.The famous story about Luther is when he took a hammer and nail, and posted his theses on the door, once again there is no proof to say he actually did this, it is simply an other legend. Two years later the Ninety-Five Theses was translated from Latin to German so the public could read the document. Luther's Protestant views were condemned as heretical by Pope Leo X in the bull Exsurge Domine in 1520. Consequently Luther was summoned to either renounce or reaffirm them at the Diet of Worms on 17 April 1521. When he appeared before the assembly, Johann von Eck, by then assistant to theArchbishop of Trier, acted as spokesman for Emperor Charles the Fifth. He presented Luther with a table filled with copies of his writings. Eck asked Luther if he still believed what these works taught. He requested time to think about his answer. He was granted an extension to think about his answer. When the counselor asked the same question to Luther the next day, the Luther apologized for the harsh tone of many of his writings, but said that he could not reject the majority of them or the teachings in them.Luther stated, â€Å"Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scri ptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen. † On May 25, the Emperor issued his Edict of Worms, declaring Martin Luther an outlaw. Luther had powerful friends among the princes of Germany, one of whom was Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony. The prince arranged for Luther to be seized on his way from the Diet by a company of masked horsemen, who carried him to the castle of the Wartburg, where he was kept about a year.He grew a wide flaring beard; took on the garb of a knight and assumed the pseudonym Jorg. During this period of forced sojourn in the world, Luther was still hard at work upon his translation of the Bible. During his translation, Luther would make forays into the nearby towns and markets to listen to people speak, so that he could put his translation of the Bible into the language of the people. John Calvin John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509 at Noyon, France. His father, Gerard Calvin was a church leader holding offices for the lordship of Noyon.Calvin’s mother was Jeanne le Franc, the daughter of an innkeeper. John Calvin’s father destined him from the start for a career as a priest, and paid for his education in the household of the noble family of Hangest de Montmor. In May 1521 he was appointed to a chaplaincy in the cathedral of Noyon. He lived with his uncle and attended as an out-student the College de la Marche. From the College de la Marche he moved to the College de Montaigu. John Calvin speedily outstripped all his competitors in grammatical studies, and by his skill as a student of philosophy, and debate.Although not yet ordained, Calvin preached several sermons to the people. After some time, Calvin changed his mind about becoming a priest. He had fallen out of favor with the cathedral chapter at Noyon. On the advice of his relative, Pierre Robert Olivetan , the first translator of the Bible into French, Calvin began to study the Scriptures and to disagree with the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin agreed with his father’s suggestion to move from Paris to Orleans in March of 1528, and change his career to a study of law.Calvin’s progress in the study of law was quick, and he was soon and frequently called upon to lecture. Other studies, however, besides those of law occupied him while in this city, and moved by the humanistic spirit of the age he eagerly developed his classical knowledge. From Orleans, Calvin went to Bourges in the autumn of 1529 to continue his studies. There, by his friend Wolmar, Calvin was taught Greek, and introduced to the study of the New Testament in the original language. The conversations of Wolmar may also have been of use to him in. is consideration of the doctrines of the Reformation, which were now beginning widely diffused through France. From this time forward he became very well known, and a ll who had accepted the Reformed doctrines in France turned to him for instruction. Calvin moved to Basel, Switzerland, where he was welcomed by the band of scholars and theologians who had conspired to make that city the Athens of Switzerland. There Calvin now gave himself to the study of Hebrew. When Calvin was 28, he moved again, to Geneva.Switzerland, and he stayed in Geneva, with the exception of a brief trip, for the rest of his life. While staying in Strassburg in 1540, Calvin met and married Idelette de Bure, whom Calvin had converted from Anabaptism. In her Calvin found, to use his own words, â€Å"the excellent companion of his life,† a â€Å"precious help to him amid his manifold labours and frequent infirmities. † She died in 1549, to the great grief of her husband, who never ceased to mourn her loss. Their only child Jacques, born on the 28th of July 1542, lived only a few days.In his later years, Calvin was afflicted with fever, asthma, and gout. On. the 6th of February, 1564 John Calvin preached his last sermon, having with great difficulty found breath enough to carry him through it. He was several times after this carried to church, but never again was able to take any part in the service. On the 25th of April, 1564, Calvin made his will. He spent much time in prayer and died quietly, in the arms of his faithful friend Theodore Beza, on the evening of the 27th of May 1564.

Timor Leste essays

Timor Leste essays After centuries of external oppression as well as civil war, the Democratic Republic of East Timor is facing both challenges and opportunities with regard to the country's economic and environmental sustainability. Politically, oppression has been suffered at the hands of the Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese and Indonesians. The country has finally overcome all these invasions and gained its independence under United Nations mandate, to become a sovereign state on 20 May 2002. However, the repercussions of poor governmental management along with other issues have kept the East Timor wedged in its third-world status, with few resources to promote either financial or environmental sustainability. Combined with political difficulties, East Timor is furthermore challenged by its geographic environment. The country is for example very mountainous, which causes agricultural problems. Few crops will grow in such a region. Developments such as roads and other modern infrastructure are also difficult and expensive, due to the landscape structure. The current situation of the people in East Timor is that the nation comprises more or less four million inhabitants, relying mostly on crops such as rice, coffee and coconuts. Poverty and unemployment are two of the biggest social problems in the country. However, its recent gain of independence has injected into the country and its people a sense of both urgency and eagerness to rise above their situation. This paradigm should then be used by the international community to help the country achieve its ideal of becoming economically and environmentally sustainable. Being representative of the global community, the United Nations Development can make a significant contribution to improving East Timor's situation by means of its Environment and Natural Resources Unit. Inherently, East Timor has the capacity to be both enviro...