Discussion a solution to the problem of dealing with economic crisis Essay

Discussion a solution to the problem of dealing with economic crisis - Essay Example Most of the foreign assets are denominated in dollars and the value of the currency has further appreciated due to the investors winding off their position. This has led the foreign creditors to pull out their money from the country as the value of their debt is falling with the rising dollar. The values of the homes have dropped drastically due to auctioning and early foreclosures. The government can buy back the foreclosure and sell them at a discount to the construction companies with the condition of not building any new houses. This will put a check to the housing surplus. The US trade deficit is very large. This is the result of US corporations outsourcing their production of goods and services. To settle these deficits the countries acquire US based companies, invest in real estate, purchase treasury bonds and invest in derivative instruments like mortgage based securities which are the main reasons for the spread of the financial crisis. These mortgage based securities precipitated the financial crisis. Since many institutions had invested in these instruments which were backed by customers with a bad credit record the default of the customers was inevitable. This calls for the regulation of financial markets. But here also caution should be exercised with regard to over-regulation or wrong regulation. To put a check to the trade deficits steps should be taken for indigenous production of outsourced services. The credit cards should be issued after a thorough scrutiny of the credit history of the applicant. Also, sufficient reserves should be maint ained against the rising outstanding. This will prove to be a cushion in case the cardholder defaults in payment. This will also strengthen the banking system. The government can also lower the tax rates and freezes it for a certain period so that the corporate agencies are encouraged to invest in new avenues. This will solve the unemployment problem, increase the confidence of the people

Impact of cigarette packages warning labels on Saudi Arabian people Research Proposal

Impact of cigarette packages warning labels on Saudi Arabian people and to what extent - Research Proposal Example In 2012, six Gulf States enforced a law to use graphic warnings which will be printed in all cigarette boxes. Some of the images are of ill people, skeletons, black teeth, and other pictures that are discouraging smokers to quit their behavior. Furthermore, the images are accompanied by warning phrases. However, a study that was conducted in Saudi Arabia indicates that these measures have done very little in deterring smokers from going on with their behaviors. With Saudi Arabia being the 23rd country with the largest number of smokers despite having a small population of approximately 25 million people, the measures are yet to yield any fruits. Many of the smokers in the country have stated that they are more aware of the consequences of their behavior than before (Fischhoff, Brewer, Downs, & United States, 2011). Have the graphic images have not dampened their desire to smoke. Many state that whenever they come across the graphic warnings, they become more aware that smoking is hazardous to their health. Nevertheless, the addition empowers these cautions and the desire to quit the vice. Labeling of cigarette packages with warnings has a major impact on deterring new smokers from starting this behavior. Many of the young people feel that the graphic images make them to think of the repercussions of starting this behavior. However, those who were already affected by addition find it very hard to stop it (La, 2013). Therefore, the number of people who are joining the list of smokers has reduced in Saudi Arabia. However, the number of those who are quitting is very minimal. This is an indication that the warnings are more effective in deterring non-smokers not to engage in smoking behavior rather than encouraging the smokers to quit this vice. Therefore, the government should implement other more effective measures such as imposing stricter law on public smoking and stiff penalties to those who

How to Watch Your Brother Die Essay Example for Free

How to Watch Your Brother Die Essay The poem How to Watch Your Brother Die is a clear representation of the struggles of the homosexual community and how the outside world views them. The author recreates a situation in which a man is struggling with the death of his gay brother and learns the everyday trials he faced. The poem is told in first person so the readers can see firsthand what the straight brother is thinking. It has been a long time since he exiled his brother for being gay and gets the phone call that he is dying. (2-3) He is dreading flying to California and meeting the lover. (8-9). He symbolizes the fact that he has to keep a straight face and keep the emotions out of it. (10-11) He is very uncomfortable with the sexual orientation of his brother and cannot comprehend how a man can look at another man with love. (14-17) Reality sets in and he remembers his brother and the love they had for each other before the conflict with his brothers’ sexual interest. He misses those times deeply. (18-24) He tries to relate to the lover even though he doesn’t know how. He brought up the fact that the lover was an extremely good looking man but yet all he wants to see is his reaction. At this point he is just trying to understand how a man can love another man. This is a question that has puzzled him for a while. He finally gets his answer when the lover explains that it is just like the love between a husband and a wife but deeper because the odds are greater. He still doesn’t understand. (25-39) They drive into Mexico to acquire drugs that are not legal in the U. S. This is where he finally realizes the challenges that his brother has faced. They are stopped by border control and are told they cannot bring the drugs back. As he rages with anger he thinks about his children getting used to another mans hatred. (40-52) This is the climax of the poem. Society has made it difficult for people of same sex relationships to be able to coexist in today’s world without feeling exiled. He realizes he is one of the ones that judge them. He calls his wife to update her on the status of his brothers’ health. He asks her â€Å"How could anyone’s commitment be deeper than a husband and wife? † She is disgusted by his question and does not answer. The brother slips into a coma and his time is almost up. The man is trying to stay strong and understanding as he holds the lover. He still cannot understand how a man can hold another man, as he grieves for his brother. (59-68) The funeral director tells him that he cannot embalm the body for fear of contamination. The man feels anger and hatred towards him. This symbolizes the fact that homosexuals are always covered up, having to hide per say, from showing who they really are. The man now understands what struggles his brother went through in life. As the man stands by the casket and greets the hundreds of homosexuals that pass by the show their respects. He realizes his brother’s life is much different from his own. Everything he thought was normal perhaps was not normal for everyone. As the passing lovers ask each other â€Å"Who will be next† we understand that the brother died from AIDS. (74-83) As the man is driven to the airport from the lover he finally gets the closer he needs. The lover tells him â€Å"Forgive yourself for not wanting to know him after he told you. He did†. As he found this closer he learned to accept the lover for who he was. A man who loved and took care of his brother the way he should have. (84-98) One the way home the man has a few drinks. This symbolizes the cliche of men being strong and keeping everything inside hidden. He strokes the scar on his eyebrow and smiles. He knows that his brother is in a better place and has forgiven him. He thinks of his children and not wanting to make the same mistakes with them as he did with his brother.

Statistical Analysis of Cricket Matches

Statistical Analysis of Cricket Matches Abstract The effect of playing home or away and many other factors, such as batting first or second, winning or losing the toss, have been hypothesised as influencing the outcome of major cricket matches. Anecdotally, it has often been noted that Subcontinental sides (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) tend to perform much better on the Subcontinent than away from it. In 2009, Joshi published an article in the Royal Meteorological Society Journal Weather which suggested that the prevailing weather conditions were more important to the results of the Ashes test series in Australia than were the relative strengths of the teams. In this paper, focusing on results of mens One Day International (ODI) matches involving England, I investigate the extent to which a number of factors including playing home or away (or the continent of the venue), batting or fielding first, winning or losing the toss, the mean temperature and humidity during the game, the condition of the pitch, and the strength of each teams top batting and bowling resources influence the outcome of matches. I employ a variety of Statistical techniques, and conclude that the continent of the venue does appear to be a major factor affecting the result, but winning the toss does not. In the second part of this study, I will use any significant factors to attempt to build a Binary Logistic Regression Model that will predict the chance of England winning at different stages of a game. The study also looks at using this model to consider different gambling techniques to see which would have created the most profit for past games. Introduction 1.1 Understanding the Basics of ODIs A One-Day International (ODI) is a game of cricket between two International teams. The team that wins a coin toss has the choice to either bat or bowl in the first innings. The team batting first have a maximum of 50 overs or 10 wickets to score as many runs as they can, this is more commonly known as setting a total. An over consists of 6 balls from one bowler and the following over must be 6 balls from a different bowler from the opposite end of the pitch. Each bowler is allowed a maximum of 10 overs each. The first innings will be complete when either all 300 legitimate deliveries have been bowled or all 10 wickets have been lost. The team batting second then have 50 overs and 10 wickets to score more runs than their opponents, this is referred to as chasing a total. 1.2 History of cricket formats Cricket has been a game played in England for hundreds of years, and it is believed that it may date back to 1500. However, the earliest records available are from the early 17th century. There are currently 3 popular formats of the sport played at International level and below. The longest format of the game is either called a Test Match in International cricket or a first-class match in domestic cricket. Test matches are played between two nations which have reached Test status. This is determined by the International Cricket Council (ICC). In a test match, both teams have two innings each to accumulate more runs than their opponents. Test matches have a maximum time allowance of 5 days, if the result of the game is not already decided at the end of day 5, then the match ends as a draw. Throughout history, there have been games that have lasted more than 5 days, however in recent years this has been a strict guideline. The most famous case of an extended test match was when England toured South Africa in 1939; the game was extended to the 9th day to produce a result, however when England required only 41 more runs to win, the England players had to leave the ground to catch the last ferry home and the match ended in a draw. (sahistory, 2014) First-class is a term that describes the highest level of domestic cricket played within each of the cricketing nations. Each nation has a first-class competition which must also consist of two innings each and last at least 3-days. In England, first-class cricket is a 4-day competition played between 18 counties. This was the only format of the game throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. County cricket is where all England cricketers develop their game, and Moores and Tickner (2016) say that The key to improvement is not to radically overhaul our county system. It is to embrace it. This is regarding ongoing controversy towards the argument that the English county system is at fault for Englands failures. A 2015 ar ticle written by Kevin Pietersen entitled Broken county system is damaging our national side is a key example of this, where Pietersen argues that bowlers arent quick enough and too much cricket makes county players fatigued. However, Moores and Tickner are stating that there are many talented cricketers in the county circuit, who are overlooked due to their lack of international experience, and the only way for them to gain experience is to be given a chance. They argue that the blame for Englands failures often comes through not using the top county cricketers, rather than the county system itself. The first ever official Test match was in 1877, when England narrowly lost to Australia at the Melbourne cricket ground. Then 5 years later, when England lost to Australia at home, The Sporting Times printed a mock obituary of English cricket which concluded that The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. (Lords, 2016). This was the start of the infamous Ashes series that is still contested today between the 2 nations. Limited Overs cricket was first introduced in 1951 in a small town in Kerala, India. KV Kellappan Thampuran formed the Tripunithura Cricket club before coming up with the idea of playing a one-day game. (Kerala Cricket Association, 2016). It was adopted into County Cricket in England in 1962 when the Midlands knock-out cup took place between Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottingham and was 65 overs per side. In 1969, there was a change in the law which allowed more sporting events to take place on a Sunday. (Miller and Tickner, 2016). This was an opening for Sunday League cricket, where counties would play a limited overs game on the Sunday following a first-class match in the week. The number of overs per side have since been reduced to 60, 50, 45 and 40. (BBC cricket, 2006). The first ODI was played on 5 January 1971 when the first 3 days of a test match between Australia and England were washed out, so a one-off 1-day game consisting of 40 8-ball overs was arranged. This game was played with white kits and a red ball. Soon after this, ODI cricket caught on and became increasingly popular towards the end of the 1970s, the World Series Cricket was organised and the 1979 season saw the start of coloured kits with a white ball and 50 6-ball overs in ODIs. This was an unpopular decision at the time as it was only done to fit in more advert breaks. (Jackson, 2014). However, these advert breaks allowed more money to come into the game to be spent on, not only player development, but players wages to make cricket a more appealing profession. Until these advert breaks came in, most cricketers would be working two jobs and now that cricket could be their main priority, there was a big increase in terms of fitness, technique and overall development of the game. ODIs have changed a lot since the 1970s; there are now fielding restrictions, powerplays and other factors that have led to scores increasing within 50 overs. In the 1980s a score of 250 in 60 overs was thought of as a good total, but whilst this study is taking place, in 2017, teams are looking to set a total of 300 in most matches. Below is a table taken from howstat.com showing the top 20 ODI scores in history. Table: Top 20 ODI team totals. Taken from howstat.com Here you can see that all the top 20 scores have been in the last 11 years, even though ODIs have been around for 46 years and ODIs in the 20th Century were often 55 or 60 overs. For this reason, when I investigate factors that influence the chance of England winning an ODI, I only take data from the 21st Century as I believe the statistics from earlier ODIs are almost irrelevant to todays game. Twenty20 (T20) cricket is the newest cricket format. Each side has just 20 overs each to score more runs than their opponents. However, the number of resources (wickets) stays the same, allowing for a more attacking style of play throughout the whole game since losing wickets is not as harmful to the team. The cricketing authorities were looking to boost the games popularity with the younger generation in response to dwindling crowds and reduced sponsorship. (Cricketnext, 2009). 1.3 Why ODIs? There are several reasons I have chosen to use ODI statistics rather than Test matches or T20s. The overall aim of the study is not only to find significant factors that influence the outcome of cricket matches, but also to use these factors to be able to predict the chance of England winning a game. I believe that Test matches end in a draw too often to build a win predictor, and Frank Duckworth (2001) said one of the great weaknesses of first class cricket is that the most usual result is a draw. This doesnt mean that the two sides have performed equally, but that the game was unfinished when time ran out. Through collecting data from cricinfo.com and taking the means of draws per country in test match history tells us that there is a 32.07% chance that a Test match will end in a draw. This could be due to defensive tactics as the game lasts much longer than other forms of cricket. Bad weather conditions can also take a whole day or more out of the match and this coupled with the m ore defensive style can make it harder to get a result. From the first ODI game up until the 19th July 2016, 33 out of 3764 games resulted in a tie, meaning that less than 1% (0.87%) of matches have been tied. This is clearly a much lower percentage than in test matches. Also, when an ODI produces this result, it is usually because the game deserves to be a tie as the two sides have performed equally rather than any other factors. The less ties result will allow me to build a win predictor more accurately. T20 is a relatively new format of cricket where teams go away from typical tactics and playing proper cricket shots and instead use a hit out or get out style of play. This means that it is much harder to predict who will win a T20 game as one good individual performance can all but win the game. For example, if one batsman scored 100 in a T20 match, even if the rest of the team only gained another 30 runs, a total of 130 could still win the game. Comparatively, in ODIs much more of a team effort is required, and a sustained performance is needed to win the game. There are also not as many patterns in T20 games, as usually, the whole 20 overs are spent attacking. Whereas ODIs require defence, patience, tactical field settings and tactical batting in terms of when to up the run rate. In an ODI series usually the better or higher ranked team will come out on top. However, in T20 matches this is much more unpredictable, and countries such as Afghanistan and the Netherlands have had succ ess in T20 format, despite the latter not being in the 2017 ICC ODI rankings (ICC 2017). 1.4 D/L Method One issue which has always been present in cricket is that bad weather conditions, especially rain, will often affect games, especially in limited overs cricket. For the first 30 minutes of delay there are no overs lost, then every 5 minutes after this there is 1 over lost per side. For an ODI to be completed there must be at least 20 overs per side played. There is usually no reserve day for a game that ends as a no result, due to tight scheduling. To minimalise the impact of weather factors that cannot be controlled, the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method is used to calculate the target scored for the team batting second where the rain has interrupted the game. It is a mathematical formulation that takes in to consideration how many overs and wickets remain so the game has a higher chance of ending in a result. The fundamental basis of the Duckworth/Lewis (D/L) method is that we do not correct the target by the proportion of overs lost, but by the proportion of the total run-scoring reso urces lost. (Duckworth 2001) There have been many previous attempts at creating a system to set a total so that games can be completed, including the average run rate (ARR) method and the most productive overs (MPO) method. The average run rate method was used to set a total, and it did this by taking the average number of runs scored per over x the reduced innings. The problem with ARR is that it is too simplistic, and gave an unfair advantage to the team batting second if there was rain. The most productive overs method was introduced by the Australians and it set the target to chase by reducing the total based on the number of runs scored in the most productive overs. However, this did not take in to account when the overs were lost and could result in a very unfair target. (Duckworth and Lewis 2012) As an aside, a way to solve the problems of weather affected matches could be coming in the form of indoor cricket. The first indoor match to be played was an ODI between Australia and South Africa on the 16th August 2000 (Ramaraj 2013). However, this has not caught on around the world despite the promise of a full days play. Jonty Rhodes (Grunill and Lillywhite 2005), a South Africa player in the game, said there were problems to overcome, namely the fact that players were looking up at the lights even when the ball was at head height as the lighting was not on pylons. 1.5 Initial Variables Winning the Toss The coin toss is contested between the home and away captain 30 minutes prior to the first ball being bowled. The captains will go out onto the pitch and before contesting the toss they will assess the conditions to help them make their choice of batting or bowling first. Some of the conditions they consider are also variables I have looked at in this study. In the 17th century it is believed that the winning captain also got to choose which pitch was used for the game, a job that is now left to the umpires. Hypothesis 1: Winning the toss will significantly increase the chance of winning an ODI. Batting or bowling first Upon winning the toss, the captain is left with the strategic decision between batting first or second. Some people believe that a team should bat first and produce a psychological hurdle for the second team to overcome. Other people believe that there is an advantage in batting second as the score required has already been produced. (de Silva and Swartz, 1998). Some people also believe that it is best to look at several factors before making the choice of batting or bowling first. Hypothesis 2: There will be no significant increase in the chance of winning an ODI by always batting or bowling first.       Home or Away Home team advantage is believed to be a significant factor in most, if not all sports. In a 2008 study Measurement and Interpretation of Home Advantage, Stefani says that the biggest factors believed to lead to home team advantage are travel fatigue, home team spectator support and home team familiarity. In ODI cricket, travel fatigue should not be too much of a factor as teams will usually arrive at the opposition country a week or 2 before the series. Morley and Thomas (2005) find that attendance figures at English cricket matches do not give any significant advantage to the home team. They do however state that in certain venues this may not be the case. This leaves us with home team familiarity, and I believe this factor weighs heavily in the outcome of ODI matches. The average score at a ground in England can be very different from a ground in another continent. For example, the average run rate in ODIs at the Kia Oval in London, United Kingdom is 4.84 and the average run rate in Lahore, Pakistan is 5.24. (howstat, 2017). Both grounds have been hosting ODIs since the 1970s. This means that teams must change their mindset about what is a good 1st innings total when they play away from home. Weather conditions and cricket pitches also vary in different countries and continents. There are 9 official test teams in the ICC rankings and each of these countries has a usual type of pitch. The term dead pitch is used to describe pitches that are flat and offer little help for bowlers. Dead pitches are the most common wickets that are prepared these daysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. the most common pitch type in ODIs. (cricketequipmentusa, 2017). These pitches are often found in Australia, South Africa and the West Indies. English pitches are usually encouraging for fast bowlers; pitches are often referred to as green tops. These pitches are also found in New Zealand and sometimes South Africa, they have a thin layer of grass which helps to produce swing and seam. Overcast and windy conditions are often present in England, which can correspondingly assist the ball to swing. Pitches on the subcontinent are often the opposite, where wickets are dry and dusty. The subcontinent is a term used to describe a large part of Asia, and includes the 4 big cricketing nations; India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The lack of rain in the subcontinent means no green on the pitches and the dr yness creates a lot of spin and uneven bounce. This is undoubtedly the reason why subcontinent teams have produced some of the best spin bowlers and why teams like England seem to struggle when playing away there. Hypothesis 3: England perform significantly better at home than anywhere else. Hypothesis 4: England perform significantly worse in the subcontinent than anywhere else. The first section of my study will test the variables mentioned above using a three-way ANOVA table. I test for statistical significance (

Components Of Law :: essays research papers

Components Of Law   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In class, we broke components of law up into four categories. System of social norms on which laws are based, a group empowered to enforce the laws, a legitimate system of enforcement, and a system for interpreting the law. Throughout this essay I’ll divide up these categories, and give examples of each of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A system of social norms on which laws are based, generally determine what is good or bad in a society. Legalization of alcohol consumption makes it moral to consume alcoholic beverages, but stores that sell have guidelines to sell the legal beverage. But the illegalization of prostitution, however, is immoral. No one should have to sell their body for money in our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Law enforcement is a group empowered to enforce the laws. Some laws are unenforced, such as traffic and jay walking laws. There is also a legitimate system of enforcement, that lets a body that has seen a legitimate act to carry out the law. An example is a police officer acting on an observed robbery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last component of law is a system for interpreting the law. All laws cannot cover every situation that may happen, therefore it must be interpreted. The Supreme court applies or interprets the law and/or gives the law meaning. Words have no meaning unless we give them meaning to laws and the constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sociological Definition of law suggests a link between laws and customs. To understand laws you must study social conditions and background(effects all of society). Components Of Law :: essays research papers Components Of Law   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In class, we broke components of law up into four categories. System of social norms on which laws are based, a group empowered to enforce the laws, a legitimate system of enforcement, and a system for interpreting the law. Throughout this essay I’ll divide up these categories, and give examples of each of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A system of social norms on which laws are based, generally determine what is good or bad in a society. Legalization of alcohol consumption makes it moral to consume alcoholic beverages, but stores that sell have guidelines to sell the legal beverage. But the illegalization of prostitution, however, is immoral. No one should have to sell their body for money in our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Law enforcement is a group empowered to enforce the laws. Some laws are unenforced, such as traffic and jay walking laws. There is also a legitimate system of enforcement, that lets a body that has seen a legitimate act to carry out the law. An example is a police officer acting on an observed robbery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last component of law is a system for interpreting the law. All laws cannot cover every situation that may happen, therefore it must be interpreted. The Supreme court applies or interprets the law and/or gives the law meaning. Words have no meaning unless we give them meaning to laws and the constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sociological Definition of law suggests a link between laws and customs. To understand laws you must study social conditions and background(effects all of society).

Mathematics & Natural Sciences with absolute certainty (TOK) Essay

Write an essay outlining your personal response to this topic. â€Å"Mathematicians have the concept of rigorous proof, which leads to knowing something with complete certainty. Consider the extent to which complete certainty might be achievable in mathematics and the natural sciences.† To what extent can man use mathematics and the natural sciences to embrace the concept of achieving absolute certainty? It is not possible for humans to achieve absolute certainty in knowledge using mathematics and the natural sciences. This is because mathematics is a creation of man to organize and communicate highly complex concepts and theories to others through a kind of language which goes beyond the spoken or written word. Many people believe the written word to be more true that the spoken word, the same can be applied to mathematics. Just because something can be written in the numbered format by a credible source, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true. The same can be said about the level of certainty to be achieved using proofs from natural sciences, with additional external variables. This can be explained through evolution. The natural sciences were discovered, observed and recorded to be studied further by man. The small level of certainty which can be obtained is from the inability to change nature without physically disturbing it and that human observations themselves are a big problem in the natural sciences. Conversely, absolute certainty can only be found in a few instances in nature. Math and the Natural Sciences are the two areas of knowledge which have the highest impact on our ability to achieve absolute certainty in knowing. The world revolves around proving knowledge with scientific claims, however any such claims must originate from the mouths of highly regarded mathematicians and scientists. Just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, validity of knowledge is in the mouth of a credible source. If I were to go up to a friend and state that there is a mathematical sequence that can be found in every naturally produced object on earth, the friend would hinder. If I were to approach this friend with long papers written by credible mathematicians, the friend would be swayed to believe its likelihood. The same goes for the natural sciences. If I were to approach a friend and state that every living  organism on earth is made up of billions upon billions of cells, assuming this friend wasn’t the brightest of individuals, the friend would not be completely persuaded by the fact. If I were to approach the friend again with evidence of this fact being true, backed by credible science, there would be a significantly higher chance that the friend would be convinced this fact remains true. Logical reasoning is commonly connected with math, which is supported by certainty in that if A=B and B=C that A=C. When individuals try to back decisions with reasoning, they are using this deconstructive problem solving, assuming that it will lead them to the correct results. Unconsciously we are convinced that because both natural science and mathematics are backed by numbers, the results are going to be more accurate than more subjective reasoning. This goes without saying that most people believe that because both involve mathematical terminology, natural sciences and mathematics are interlinked. First of all, the concept of math is man-made, created to provide evidence for the natural sciences. Natural sciences was a term created by man, but originating from human’s very own existence. Natural science wasn’t created by man, it has always existed on earth. In other words, what we study from the natural sciences is purely based off of thousands of years worth of observations of what’s happening around us. Using technology, humans have began to glance deeper into the natural sciences, but it’s all still just observations of either how things function and came to be, or simply to predict where we were, where we are, and where we will be. People seem to believe that because mathematics and natural sciences have some similarities and use similar problem solving techniques, that they are connected. Observations are a big problem in science. If a biologist and a person with no experience with this work were trying to differentiate an Indian Rhinoceros and a Javan Rhinoceros, the biologist would rely on the perception of the rhino’s appearance and behavior. The biologist would have the training experience to determine these characteristics, but the person who doesn’t could easily mistake the two or not even know the differences. Although the biologist may have the title and credibility of making the  conclusion to differentiate an Indian Rhinoceros and a Javan Rhinoceros, and the person with no experience and no training doesn’t, it doesn’t mean that the credibility of the biologist provides absolute certainty. Slight imprecisions are not very significant and probably wouldn’t alter the results. However, even the most insignificant factors would prevent the biologist from being completely certain. An example involving mathematics which follows similar principals to the biologist and the rhinoceros’ would have the same outcome. This saying that science and mathematics can only be highly meticulous; it cannot achieve absolute certainty. Although ethics and emotion have very little effect on the natural sciences and mathematics, religion often does. The ethical viewpoint from which any mathematician or scientist have, will show no effect on his or her work. This is because a mathematician won’t refuse to answer an equation or attempt to explain a theory because of his ethical considerations. A scientist wouldn’t sit down and conduct an experiment using the wrong variables in a moment of extreme emotion. The only counter argument that stands is religion. Conversely, a hypothesis may be formed with religious consideration, straying far from achieving an absolutely certain result. Scientist William A. Dembski is a highly regarded advocate of the Intelligent Design theory. Although he thoroughly investigated the argument and determined that it’s more likely God exists, probably because of his religious background as a practicing Catholic. The religious bias shaped to his beliefs. Unlike the chance of interfering religious ideology, scientists and mathematics generally steer from involving ethics or religion into their work. The only emotional factor would be commitment. Mathematicians and scientists who work in the fields of the natural sciences dedicate their lives to their work. They strive to find the absolute certain answer but the best they can ever do is find a highly precise one. This is why the advancement of knowledge often takes a long time. The mathematician or scientist will generally have endless approaches to solving or proving their work. The golden ratio is a formula used in both mathematics and the arts which can be applied the geometric relationships. The ratio is one of the only  absolute certainties founded by mathematics. The golden ratio wasn’t created, it was discovered in nature. Simply, the golden ratio is when a geometric shape (golden rectangle, regular pentagon) has the ability to be split infinite times, and remain in the same ratio. It is only found in nature and only proved by theories. The term golden relates it to perfection, or in relative terms, absolute certainty. It is not possible for humans to achieve absolute certainty in knowledge using mathematics and the natural sciences. Mathematics is a creation of man to organize and communicate highly complex concepts and theories to others through a kind of language which goes beyond the spoken or written word. Most people do believe the written word to be more true that the spoken word, as seen, this can be shown just as thoroughly in mathematics and the natural sciences. Just because something can be written in the numbered format by a credible source, it doesn’t mean it’s true. The level of certainty to be achieved with absolute certainty of knowledge concludes with the same results, using multitudes of empirical evidences from observations. Therefore, although the natural sciences and mathematics may achieve highly precise and accurate results, with very few exceptions in nature, absolute certainty cannot be attained.

Helping Young People Learn

Taking part in youth club activities has provided me a rich experience, which includes finding a way to help and teach the young. Whenever we visit a community, we make it a point to dress up casually so we can relate easily with people, and give them the idea that we have a lot in common. This allows them to feel comfortable to share their ideas and feelings with us, making us understand their situation more vividly. Most of the communities we visit are composed of poor families, so they normally expect us to give them food, clothing, and toys for the kids.Aside from the material things, part of our program also provides tutorial sessions for children to help in their studies, and give them an idea of how they can contribute to the family's financial resources. Particularly, I was assigned to tutor a group of young people about the age of thirteen. The teenagers were not classmates in school, but they belonged to only one level, thus their lessons were the same. Our regular session consisted of discussing topics in Science and Social Studies, and answering Math problems. 1.As we progressed with our tutorial sessions, we became close, and eventually, they shared with me their experiences in school and at home. I learned that one of them was suffering in class because of the family’s financial constraints. There were times when her parents did not have enough money to finance her projects in school, or provide her everyday meal allowance. Given this situation, I helped the child find other ways to do her projects. For example, when they were asked to make a calendar in their Art subject, I taught her how to use recyclable materials such as colored paper cups, old magazines, and empty snack foils.In the next project that she did, I noted that she used this kind of materials and accomplished the project on her own using other recycled resources. Based on this, I felt that the girl learned something from me regarding cost cutting when accomplishing school pr ojects. Teaching someone to be resourceful is important to enhance creativity as well. According to Vaune Ainsworth-Land (1982), there are four categories of a process and its product. The first category operates out of necessity. In my experience, we see that we were able to come up with a good output out of the need to make a project at a low cost.In Maslow’s, this category is a primary one, as it centralizes on the idea of materialistic need. The second category involves the analytic process. Referring back to our experience, the child found out that she could do a lot of things even without spending, and she would receive a better grade by recycling materials. In behaviorist theories, this explains the operant response in which the individual is rewarded for a good behavior. The third category involves synthesizing and innovation.As mentioned above, the child learned to accomplish projects using the same kind of material, thus she was able to apply her knowledge in other things. This behavior represents Koestler's bisociation, because the child was able to apply the learned concept to different aspects. The fourth category is â€Å"the ultimate form of relatedness,† (Ainsworth-Land, 1982) in which the person is seen to attain a â€Å"transformed consciousness. † Applying this to the situation, the child that we referred to would later attain this, when she continues to apply her knowledge into practical terms.Another student that I tutored had difficulty in solving word problems in Math. Based on his behavior, I recognized that his problem aroused from not having enough patience to comprehend items in problem solving. Apparently, reading problems confused and bored him the moment they appeared. To address this problem, I challenged him to imagine what was being described in one of their math problems, and illustrate what he understood in it. It showed that the boy understood the problem completely after illustrating it, and he was able to solve the problem after that.The theory of Situated Learning (1988) by J. Lave explains that a child can learn easily when the context and activity are based on his own experience. To help the child in problem solving, what I did was to situate him in the activity, and made him a part of the situation by asking him to illustrate based on his background of the problem. Particularly, I let him draw the situation and did not dictate what was conveyed. The activity made the child express himself better, which also led to motivate him to come up with the correct answer.Other theorists such as Brown, Collins & Duguid (1989) emphasized active perception over concepts and representation. Thus, by illustrating, the child gained an active perception of what was presented in the problem. The other boy that I handled had problems with his classmates who bullied him. Due to what his classmates did to him, he felt reluctant to go to school, and pretended to be sick at times. During our sessio n, I asked him first what the other boys told him, and why they called him with nasty words. The boy said that the other boys called him names and wrote on his notebook.I felt the boy’s pain as he told me about the hostilities of his classmates, so right away, I informed his mother of the situation, and advised her to consult with the classroom adviser or the guidance counselor in the school. I believe that this should be handled by authorities in the school as other students were involved. Through reporting to the teacher and school counselor, the boys were reprimanded of their teasing, and my friend felt better. Later on, he felt more comfortable going to school because the other boys already stopped teasing him.A lot of teenagers undergo this stage when their peers bullied them for nothing. In these cases, the victim tries to keep the situation to himself because he is afraid to create a scenario in class, or is threatened by his peers. According to Maslow’s theory of Motivation and Personality (1954), a person is driven by both internal and external factors. In addition, one’s motivation is dominated by his specific needs. In the boy’s situation, we can identify his need for belongingness as the factor that made him dissatisfied with school.Because this need was not realized, the boy felt reluctant to go to school, thus the motivation to go to school was associated with his need for friends and companionship. When the need was addressed, the barrier to learning also collapsed. 2. Aside from tutoring students in their academic subjects, I also told them stories to teach values like friendship, honesty, and service to others. In one session, I told them a fable, in which a rabbit sacrificed for another animal. Having told the story, I challenged them to do something similar to what the main character did, and tell their stories next time.Amazingly, one of the children took my challenge seriously, and did what I told them. He narra ted to us how he helped a man he saw on the street by sharing him some food, and giving him medicine to heal the man’s wound. In telling this story, the boy expressed how it felt good to do such kindness, and how the man thanked him with a smile. He professed that he will do this again once he sees another person needing his help. Just like the character in the story, he said that the kindness he showed the man will go a long way because by helping, he brought hope to the man, and made him feel loved.The boy added that if other people would do the same, no man will by lying cold on the streets. The words the boy uttered reflected his own realization based on experience. Those words also reminded me of the Good Samaritan, who helped an ill man lying in the cold. The experience of the boy reminded all of us, especially me, of our responsibility to others, especially the needy. With such good Samaritans like the boy, we can see hope in the next generation. 3. The success of a te am depends on the performance of each member’s role.Applying Meredith Belbin’s (1981) Nine Roles in Team Management, I served as the â€Å"specialist† in the tutorial session for teenagers, teaching them how to use the Internet as a useful tool for research. Due to the limited number of computers, and my own hope of making them learn how to teach others, I initially taught only four students to access the Internet. In turn, these students taught their peers and served as the â€Å"company workers† who provided the work of teaching others in their community.In one week’s time, we were able to teach a total of forty-five children how to use the Internet in their assignment and advanced readings. As discussed by Tuckman (1965) in his Stages of Group Development, we exhausted the means to reach our common goal of attaining learning for the group. In addition, we also assessed individual performance by asking them to make a simple research on their topi c of interest. During the Performing stage, the â€Å"company workers† or those tasked to teach their peers experienced some problems in that their peers wanted to spend time visiting gaming sites.This somewhat forfeited the purpose of teaching them the use of the Internet for research purposes, but with close monitoring, the behavior was corrected right away. After the Performing stage, the core group was asked to evaluate what they accomplished in terms of their own roles during the training. Notably, the students felt very proud of being able to teach their peers, and looking at the outputs, they cherished memories of taking part in other’s learning. References Berguist, Carlisle. (n. d. ) A comparative view of creativity theories: Psychoanalytic, behavioristic, and humanistic.Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://vantagequest. org/trees/comparative. htm Famous models: Stages of group development. (2001). Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://www. chimaeraconsulti ng. com/tuckman. htm Gawel, Joseph E. (1997). Herzberg's theory of motivation and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation, [ED421486]. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/files/herzberg. html Manktelow, James. (2003). Belbin’s team roles. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://www. mindtools. com/pages/article/newLDR_83. htm