Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 18

Letter - Essay Example As for my country, I would like to come up with the best health care plan in the world where every citizen is entitled to free medical healthcare. With a healthy nation, the currency will increase in value thus, improving the economic level. For me to reach the presidency, people in my Arabian community would have had a greater share of me. This is only possible if I am their Governor. Following the discussions I had with a number of governors in Saudi Arabia, my people have been deprived their rights for a very long time. A time for change has come and with his guidance, I will sail through. During my years in college, I had started a community based group called â€Å"The Young Flames† which encourages young people to spearhead for real change and fight injustice. We have been able to reclaim over a hundred youths who had sunk into drug abuse and with this we thank ourselves. After college, I want to improve our group for it to become a national movement in future and am certain of this. My political science course has been the most enjoyable and with it, change is going to be

Business as a bridge between social and economic development Assignment

Business as a bridge between social and economic development - Assignment Example A solution to this problem has risen in the form of business , and the practices involved with it that have strived not only to improve the financial gains of the individual behind it, but has also been given a social responsibility in the region it is located at as well (John and Dan 60). Business can be used as a bridge so to speak to close the gap formed by the differences in these two aspects. The social responsibility that is involved with business ensures that it is able to do this effectively and include a number of activities that technically do not hold any financial gain for the company/organization but better the lives of those living in the area in which it is located (Luis and David 23). Some of these responsibilities include the provision of employment to individuals who residing in the area. When a company sets up in a given region, it is expected to offer the work available to those living within that area instead of outsourcing thus providing financial stability for the members of that society. The improved financial conditions also lead to better standards of living as well which happens to be a social goal (Richard 51). Another method business uses to bridge the gap between social and economic goals are the environmental responsibilities that it takes on. Business do this through a number of ways such as ensuring that they do not pollute the area they are working from or their surrounding areas such as rivers and lakes. This is usually an aspect when a business handles the production of its own goods, and there are factories involved. Businesses can also make generous contributions to movements that are involved in the conservation of the environment if they are not directly involved in the activities. The donations made by the business can go a long way in improving the state of the environment in that area leaving it for the

Them typical of the detective Genre Essay Example for Free

Them typical of the detective Genre Essay This is typical in detective fiction because the detective has already solved the case, but doesnt reveal it until he has all the evidence to back up his theories. For example in The Beryl Coronet when Watson is narrating, we can clearly see that even Watson doesnt know what his companions conclusions are about the crime. It was obvious in despair. This shows us that Holmes has made his conclusions and Watson and the audience cant even dimly imagine what it could be. On the other hand there are also concrete clues which are simple and easy to follow for the reader, an example of this would be in the Solitary Cyclist. The horse and trap were to have come this week, but for some reason they were not delivered. The reason this is a concrete clue is because, you can clearly see that the horse and trap were not delivered for a reason, and you can even begin to link Mr Caruthers in with the solitary cyclist. The horse and trap would mean that The Solitary Cyclist would not be able to follow Miss Violet, so if it did not arrive it would be quite convenient for The Solitary Cyclist. Another example of a Concrete clue would be in The Speckled Band when Holmes has to work out how Julia Stoner was killed because there was no way someone could get in. The Speckled Band is a locked Room mystery meaning it will create more suspense and tension. The dummy bell-pull and the ventilator are significant concrete clues because, it gets the reader thinking why there is a bell which doesnt work connected to a ventilator which is not in use. Red-herrings mislead us in our trail to find the villain in a crime, but they also add a sense of mystery and suspense. The gypsies bandana is a very crafty red herring used in the Speckled Band; it leads us to think that the gypsies have something to do with Julia stoners death, because her last words are about a Speckled Band. But further on we are aware they have nothing to do with the case and are just there to hoodwink us. Another well used red herring would be Arthur Holders debts, initially you would firstly presume that he needs money and would go to extremes measures, even steal from his own father to clear his Gambling debts. Theses are the three main types of clue and a well written detective story will contain all three, just like Arthur Conan Doyles literature does. Although Sherlock Holmes solves most of his cases there isnt always a punishment, for example in The Beryl Coronet, when Mary Holder and George Burnwell escape without a suitable punishment. Although they do not receive a physical punishment, they will receive a moral one. There punishment will be as Sherlock Holmes puts it a more than sufficient one. In contrast in the Speckled Band the mystery is solved and the culprit is found, although he has already received a more than suitable punishment, of death. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. Grimbesby Roylotts death, and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavy upon my conscience. This quote shows us that although Holmes is responsible for the death of Dr. Roylott, it will not affect him that much because he feels that Dr. Roylott deserved what he got for all his sins. Even though Edgar Allen Poe, Wilkie Collins, and others had written mysteries before him, somehow Arthur Conan Doyle captured the public imagination as no detective writer has. The formula Doyle helped establish for the classic English mystery usually involves several predictable elements: a closed setting such as an isolated house or train; sometimes corpse; a small circle of people who are all suspects; and an investigating detective with extraordinary reasoning powers. Edgar Allen Poe was well known for his crime stories in the 19th century and his stories are still popular today. Although he cant really be called the inventor of the detective story he certainly created a kind of detective. Chevalier C Auguste Dupin was his name; he was a brilliant detective quite like Sherlock Holmes in fact. The detective and mystery stories we read and watch on television and in film can often be traced directly to this literary tradition. Contemporary writers continue to reinvent the basic formula so that, over a hundred years since readers met the great Sherlock Holmes, the detective story is more fresh, interesting, and popular than ever. The key to Arthur Cannon Doyles success include many factors such as, his timing. Doyle let his stories loose in the 19th century where people felt insecure and unsafe; Doyles captured their hearts by introducing to them an extraordinary detective who could solve all their problems when they needed him the most. Also Doyles stories were predictable to a certain extent this made his audience feel safe and reassured that the detective would always solve the case unlike the police at that time. Doyle used crafty red-herrings to complicate matters in his stories adding more suspense and keeping his audience at the edge of their seats although the plot would always be predictable. In addition Doyle knew his target audience, so he used sophisticated language and settings and characters which they could easily relate to. This made Doyle stories very suitable to their target audience. Doyles stories often contain many of these features making them typical of the detective genre. Radia Osman Miss Mubashar English coursework Page 1 of 5 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

Achieving Universal Electricity Access

Achieving Universal Electricity Access PART I: INTRODUCTION Background of Study The importance of modern energy services in promoting socio-economic development has been extensively documented in the literature (Kaygusuz 2011), (Kanagawa and Nakata 2007) (Kanagawa and Nakata 2008). Access to modern energy services is closely related to other indicators of a descent standard of living in the 21st century, namely, availability of portable drinking water, literacy, health services, child mortality, etc (Meisen and Akin 2008). For example, in rural areas, the higher luminance of modern lighting brightens homes and encourages pupils to study in the nights; clean cookstoves and cookers using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can reduce incidences of indoor-air pollution caused by reliance on traditional biomass for cooking (Isihak, Akpan and Adeleye 2012), etc. As the most versatile carrier of energy, electricity is important in the provisions of basic social services in health, water, etc. Electricity is also useful promoting the income formation in rural areas through t he development of rural microenterprises (Akpan, Essien and Isihak 2013a). Electricity also powers large machinery in factories to increase productivity. Modern energy services, especially electricity, are crucial to several sectors of the economy of any country: higher education, agriculture, financial services, communication, rural development, etc. Despite the huge advantages of having access to electricity, several millions of persons around the world lack access to electricity. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that in 2011 about xxx billion persons lacked access to electricity of which xxx million were in sub-Saharan Africa (IEA 2011). Consequently, one of the major energy challenges confronting countries in sub-Sahara Africa is that of providing access to modern energy services to its citizens. The electricity access situation in Nigeria is similar to that of many developing countries: the electricity access rate in Nigeria – the percentage of population without access to electricity – is 56% (NPC 2014) which is equivalent to about xxx million persons. However, the electricity access rates in the various states vary significantly from 10.9% in Taraba State to 99.1% in Lagos State as shown in Fig. 1. Figure 1: Electricity access rate in Nigeria by states Source of data: (NPC 2014) Three main factors which are inter-related are responsible for this disparity in the electricity access rates across the states: The population density across the states varies significantly as shown in Fig. 2. Places with higher population density have higher commercial activities and in-turn higher demand for electricity. Therefore, transmission and distribution lines are often constructed to deliver electricity to such locations because the electricity so delivered will not be under-utilized[1]; The major sources of electricity generation are natural gas and hydro. The gas-powered plants are located in the Niger Delta area where there is abundance of natural gas while the hydropower plants are in Niger State. Because transmission lines are constructed to evaluate power from the generation source to demand areas, these states and other states along the path of the transmission lines tend to have higher electricity access rates; Due to the first two reasons itemized above, the national grid does not cover all parts of the country. The electricity grid covers the states with high population density but not those with low population density as shown in Fig. 3. Figure 2: Population density across the different states in Nigeria Source of data: (National Population Commission, Nigeria 2006) Figure 3: Map of Nigeria showing existing, ongoing, and proposed generation and transmission (HV) projects Source: Transmission Company of Nigeria Given the importance of electricity access to sustainable socio-economic development of a country, the government of Nigeria carried out comprehensive reforms in the electricity sector to promote efficiency in the sector. One of the objectives of the electricity sector reforms is to increase access to electricity in areas with low electricity access rate. Consequently, the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 created the Rural Electrification Agency to set up and administer the Rural Electrification Fund. As noted in the Act, the purpose of the Fund is to promote rural electrification programs through public and private sector participation in order to achieve more equitable access to electricity across the various states and to ensure universal access to electricity in Nigeria within the shortest possible time. Most rural electrification projects are done by extending the existing grid to the unelectrified communities. However, studies have shown that in situations where there is a larger problem of availability of sufficient generation capacity such as in Nigeria, extending the existing grid only connects households to the grid but does not necessarily imply that electricity will be available for household or productive uses (Akpan, Essien and Isihak 2013a). Moreover, grid-extension is capital intensive which implies that it will only be cost-effective when there is adequate demand for electricity in the unelectrified communities, otherwise, it will lead to underutilization. Incidentally, as we highlighted earlier, the population densities of the states with low electricity access rate are also relatively low. In addition, substantial percentage of the population in these places lives in rural areas where energy is needed mainly to meet the basic needs of lighting and cooking. The high cos t of extending the existing grid, coupled with the low population density and the low energy demand implies that other options for increasing electricity access in these areas, i.e. decentralized option, may be considered. Indeed, studies have shown that the use of decentralized option to increase electricity access in rural areas with sparse population settlement pattern and low electricity demand profiles is usually cost-effective (Bhattacharyya 2012a). The decentralized option will often use locally-available energy sources, usually solar, wind, or hydro, to generating electricity to meet the demand in the unelectrified community. These locally available energy sources may be complemented by a stand-alone diesel/gasoline generating set. The role of the rural electrification planner in this situation is to examine the cost-effective technology option, between grid-extension and decentralized electrification, for providing access to electricity in unelectrified communities. Spatial Electricity Planning Given the huge capital outlay required to construct transmission and distribution grids, and the fact the in many developing countries a large percentage of the population resides in rural where the electricity demand profiles may be low thereby leading to gross under-utilization of electricity, several studies have used electricity planning models to obtain the cost-effective option between grid-extension and off-grid electrification for increasing electricity access in rural areas (Sinha and Kandpal 1991), (Nouni, Mullick and Kandpal 2008), (Parshall, et al. 2009) (Deichmann, et al. 2011). These studies examine the cost of delivering a given amount of electricity from the point where the existing grid terminates to an unelectrified community by extending the existing grid and compares that the cost of using an off-grid option to deliver the same amount of electricity. The cost of grid-extension usually covers the capital cost of extending the medium and/or low-voltage transmission or distribution lines to the unelectrified communities having different levels of load, the cost of increasing the generation capacity to meet the additional load levels, the cost of constructing 33/11kV substations if required, the maintenance cost, and the potential transmission/distribution losses. The cost of the off-grid option usually include the cost of constructing the distribution lines and the cost of generating electricity using different locally available sources of energy, and the maintenance cost. In more recent times, some studies (Parshall, et al. 2009), (Sanoh, et al. 2012) have incorporated geographic information system (GIS) models to this traditional electricity planning method. GIS enables the planner to visualize the spatial location of the unelectrified communities in reference to the location of the electricity grid and to calculate the spatial distance of the communities from the grid. This procedure eases the process of estimating the capital cost of extending the existing grid because the capital cost is directly proportional to the distance of unelectrified communities from the grid. Another study (Kemausuor, et al. 2014) applied the Network Planner Tool which is a free web-based program that integrates geospatial information with energy demand information at a disaggregated level to assist electricity sector planners in determining the least-cost technology option for increasing electricity access. The model was developed by the Sustainable Engineering Lab of th e Earth Institute, Columbia University, United States. Objective of the Study This study seeks to examine the cost and the least-cost technology options for achieving universal electricity access in Nigeria, i.e. electricity access for all, within a specified investment timeline. This is done by applying the Network Planner Model at the state level and then aggregating the results to provide a whole picture for the entire country. It is important to note that the model may be applied at the national level but we preferred the state level so as to provide a picture of the situation at a disaggregated level. Organization of the Study This study is organized into five parts: Part I is the Introduction which sets the background for the study; Part II is an overview of the electricity sector in Nigeria; and Part III is a presentation of the Network Planner Tool which is used in the Study. In Part IV, we present the comprehensive results; while in Part V we provide our concluding remarks. PART II: Electricity Sector in Nigeria Legal Framework The year 2005 is a pivot year in the organization of the electricity sector in Nigeria because of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 2005 which is the prevailing legal framework governing Nigeria’s electricity sector. Prior to 2005, the sector was managed by a centralized, vertically integrated, state-owned monopoly called National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) which was created in 1972. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, NEPA was characterized with large wage bills due to over-staffing, accumulated debt, low rate of recovery of bills, and corruption. The poor performance of the sector in terms of low generating capacity relative to high demand, and erratic nature of supply necessitated reforms. The reforms were envisaged as a vehicle to attract private sector investment in the generation segment, improve reliability of electricity services, and improve operational and managerial efficiency in the sector. Prior to the enactment of the EPSR Act 2005, there was the N ational Electric Power Policy in 2001 which expressed the readiness of government to engage in far reaching reforms to increase the operational efficiency of the sector and set the stage for the Act. The EPSR Act 2005 mandated the vertical unbundling the various segments of the electricity value chain; the horizontal unbundling of the facilities in the generation segment; the decentralization of the distribution activities; the privatization of the successor companies from the vertical and horizontal unbundling; the creation of an independent regulator (Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission) which is also mandated to promote private sector participation in the generating segment through independent power plants (IPPs); and the establishment of the Rural Electrification Agency. The present structure of the Nigerian electricity sector is shown in Fig. 1. Figure 1: Organizational structure of the Nigerian electricity market Source: Author’s compilation Energy resources and utilization Nigeria is highly endowed with energy resources. Its resources based comprises of solid, liquid, and gaseous fossil fuels as well as renewable energy although they are not equally distributed across the country. Fossil Fuels Nigeria’s crude oil is classified as â€Å"light† and â€Å"sweet† and is concentrated in the Niger Delta part of the country as well as the Bight of Bonny. At the end of 2011, Nigeria’s proved recoverable crude oil reserve was estimated to be 37.2 billion barrels making Nigeria to have the ninth largest  [2] crude oil reserves in the world and the second in Africa (World Energy Council, 2013). Nigeria produced about 1.75 million barrels of oil per day in 2013 (based on figures from the organization of petroleum exporting countries, OPEC) and exports a greater part of the unrefined crude oil. Xx% of domestic demand for refined products is met through imports. In terms of end-use, Xx% of gasoline (premium motor spirit) and diesel is consumed in the transportation sector, xx% for self-generated electricity, and the remaining used as industrial inputs (ref). As with crude oil, Nigeria’s natural gas is concentrated in the Niger Delta part of Nigeria and the Bight of Bonny. At the end of 2011, Nigeria’s proved recoverable gas reserves was estimated to be 5110 billion cubic meters (180.5 trillion cubic feet) making Nigeria to have the eight largest natural gas reserve in the world and largest in Africa (World Energy Council, 2013). Although Nigeria produces and exports much of its gas, a large proportion is being flared. In 2011, (World Bank, Flaring Estimates Produced by Satellite Observations, 2011) estimate that 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas was being flared in Nigeria. Domestic utilization of gas is mainly for power production and a small percentage is used for domestic cooking. Of the xxxMW of installed generation capacity in Nigeria, 6558MW is from gas-powered generating plants (UNECA, 2011). Nigeria also has considerable amount of coal and tar sand which are barely utilized. The Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) 2012 estimated these to be 2.7 billion tons and 31 billion barrels of oil equivalent respectively (Energy Commission of Nigeria, 2012). Renewable Energy Nigeria is blessed with enormous renewable energy resources, mainly hydro, solar, wind, and biomass. The hydrography of Nigeria is made up of several rivers as shown in Fig xx and these rivers are themselves parent rivers to many other adjoining streams. This network of water bodies provides huge potential hydro-electric power. The REMP estimated that up to 11250MW and 3500MW of large and small hydro electricity power respectively can be obtained from Nigeria’s hydro resources. However, this potential has been grossly under-utilized because only 1900MW and 64.2 MW of large and small hydro power plants have been installed till date. The southern fringes with the Atlantic Ocean experience up to 3500mm/year of rainfall occurring in over eight months while rainfall in the northern Sahelian region has rainfall sometimes last for only three months yielding 500mm/year. This implies that even though there is high potential for mini hydro electric schemes in the entire country, the most attractive regions for mini hydro power will be Southern region. Figure 2: Major Rivers in Nigeria Source: Author’s adaptation from blank map by RadosÅ‚aw Botev Due to the diverse climatic zones ranging from the mangrove swamps in the South to the Sahel savanna in the North, together with very diverse physical geography, Nigeria’s solar and wind resources vary significantly across different parts of the country. According to the REMP, average solar irradiation is between 4 and 6.5 kWh/m2/day while average wind speed is 2-4m/s at 10m for mainland areas. Till date, only about 15MW of solar installations exist often as solar home services, public lighting, or traffic lights (refs). Geothermal energy resources exist in some part of the country (Kurowska Schoeneich, 2010) identified warm springs in Ikogosi (Ondo State), Wikki (Bauchi State), Ruwan zafi (Gyakan hot spring, Adamawa State), and Akira (Awe local government area, Nassarawa State). However, a techno-economic feasibility and viability study on the potential for geothermal based electricity is yet to be conducted till date. Biomass is perhaps the most used energy form in Nigeria. According to xxx, biomass use consist of xx% of final energy consumption in Nigeria. Xx% of rural areas rely on biomass to meet their cooking needs (expand and consolidate). Biomass accounts for 37% of aggregate energy demand and 95% of rural energy use (REMP, 2005). Biomass is being depleted in some of the northern states due to desert encroachment. Studies have shown that even people with electricity access still really on biomass for cooking (Bhattacharyya, 2012; IEA, 2010). The reliance on biomass for cooking seem to be more cultural than economical Electricity Supply and Demand Publicly distributed electricity generation in Nigeria is dominated by hydro and gas-fired plants with an installed capacity of 1900MW and 6558MW respectively (UNECA, 2011). However, as at the end of 2012, the combine operational capacity of all the generating facilities was below 4600MW (FGN, 2013). There are also cogeneration plants; completed generation projects under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs)[3]; and stranded power from completed IPPs which are yet to be connected to the grid (Eberhard Gratwick, 2012). As a fast-growing economy with a population of over 165 million (World Bank, 2013) and a rising number of middle-class, the demand for electricity in Nigeria far outpaces the effective capacity to supply. Daily data on peak generation and peak demand forecast from May through September, 2014 from the website of the Presidential Task Force on Power Reforms[4] showed that peak generation fluctuate between 3000MW and 4000MW while peak demand is over 12000MW yield ing a supply gap of between 8000MW and 9000MW with resulting frequent sporadic outages in areas that are connected to the grid. Moreover, Nigeria’s generation capacity per capita is relatively low when compared to other developing countries as shown in table xxx while the demand for electricity is constantly increasing. (what is the estimated electricity demand in Nigeria and the projected level of increase? ) The program requires data at different levels – household, community, and national. At the household level, data on household electricity demand profile are required. Since households belong to communities, the summation of the electricity demand of all households in a community forms the electricity demand – and also requires different types of data which may be grouped into five categories. We present below the data requirement and the modeling procedure of the Network Planner Tool. Geospatial data The model requires data on the spatial location (longitude and latitude) of the demand centers. The model also requires data on the coverage of the existing medium voltage in the area where demand centers are located. [1] It is important to mention that in states that have very low population density, there is also much variation in the population densities across the local government areas (LGAs). For example, even though the population density of Taraba State is 54persons/km2, within Taraba, the population density varies from 10 persons/km2 in Gashaka LGA to 713 persons/km2 in Jalingo LGA (2006 Census Report figures) [2] Tenth, if oil sands are included in Canada’s oil reserves. [3] Details of the structure and projects under the NIPP can be found at http://www.nipptransactions.com/ [4] http://www.nigeriapowerreform.org/

Blood In Macbeth Essay -- essays research papers

William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is about a struggle for power in Scotland. Macbeth, the main character, gets prophecies from three witches about his future accomplishments that will come to him. One of his prophecies is that Macbeth will become king, Macbeth hearing this he becomes ambitious and later kills the current King Duncan, making himself the new king. A tragic ending comes to Macbeth when the people leave him and his world collapses around him. Blood is a recurring theme in this play; the theme of blood shows the setting of the play at that time and the different moods and emotions acquired by the characters. This idea of blood in the characters mind reverse from the beginning of the play to the end. Blood traverses the play Macbeth.King Duncan is the first to bring up blood in the play. Scotland at this time is fighting Norway; Macbeth and his best friend, Banquo, lead the Scottish forces to victory. The blood brought up by Duncan shows the honor and the heroic deeds done by Macbeth. "What bloody man is that?" Duncan asked to which Malcolm tells him it is the sergeant who had saved him and fought honorably. The sergeant shares his story of how Macbeth has fought so honorably even outnumbered "carv’d out his passage." This valiant story with the bloody sergeant being weak from his war injuries enhances Macbeth’s heroic appearance. Duncan’s response to the story shows his respect for Macbeth and realization of Macbeth’s honor, "O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!" Blood as it shows the good also shares the evil.Lady Macbeth portrays the evil side that blood offers to contrast with the good. Lady Macbeth hears from a messenger that the king shall arrive at the castle tonight. Lady Macbeth is the evil one of the pair while Macbeth seems full of good in this world Lady Macbeth sees opportunity. The only problem she finds wrong with herself is that she is a woman; she wishes that her weak female body change, "unsex me her, / and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full/ of direst cruelty!" With this change she wants her blood to become thick, thick blood would help Lady Macbeth become strong and let her kill without regret, "make thick my blood, / stop up th’ access and passage to remorse." Macbeth soon finds out what the word blood is to him.Macbeth after he has killed Duncan is in shock, h... ...ks, her maid and a doctor observe her. She rubs her hands together as if she was washing them. She continues to "wash" King Duncan’s blood away until she reminds herself of the bell she rang to summon her husband. "Out damned spot! out, I say!" When Lady Macbeth thought of Macbeth being king she thought that no one could oppose his power and killing Duncan wouldn’t cause any harm to her. "What need we fear who knows it, what none can call our power to account? —Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?" She although adds that Duncan has a lot of blood and this reminds her of her guilt. This guilt plagues her and she is devastated in her dream when she realizes that, "Here’s the smell of blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." Lady Macbeth’s perspective changed at this point on blood and she will later commit suicide.Imagery is a useful tool used by many authors. Shakespeare used "blood" as an image throughout his play to show the emotions and actions of characters as well as the mood for that part of the play. This imagery is useful because it describes the characters

Parental Involvement Week 2 Paper

Parental Involvement Parental Involvement Joi I. Booty Grand Canyon University SPE-522 Module 2 May 9, 2012 Introduction This essay will strive to discuss the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on special education reform, specifically the relationship between parents and teachers. We will discuss parental involvement in the education of their children in schools and ways to increase participation in a school setting.Lastly, we will discuss what schools can do to involve more parents in the educational process, rights and responsibilities as a parent of a special needs child and a parent’s candid opinion of how they would build a reliable alliance with their teacher and school. My interview is with a mother of a freshman at Southwood High School in Shreveport, La. This was a telephone interview and the mother was very forthcoming in answering all the questions. On the first question â€Å"How has NCLB (general education and special education reform) affected the relation ship between parents and teachers?The parent replied: I believe it has made it better for my child. I have three school age children that have gone through the Caddo Parish School System and with my older child I did not get all the updates and information that I have now with my youngest child. (K. Davis, personal communication, May 7, 2012). The second question â€Å"Have you been actively involved in your child’s education throughout your child’s school life? In what ways? The parent replied: Yes I have. I am firm believer in being active in my children school work and after school activities.I am a member of the PTA, a parent monitor, teacher helper; and I also bring extra school supplies at the beginning and during the school year. (K. Davis, personal communication, May 7, 2012). The third question â€Å"What can schools do to involve more parents in the educational process†? The parent replied: Schools should make participation mandatory and not an option . Parents should have so many volunteer hours that they must complete every semester or every month. I volunteer twice a month in my child’s class, one block, and twice a month, that’s only three hours a month.Parents have to volunteer at these private schools or else their child cannot attend, it should be the same in a public school. The second thing I think would be good is to allow parents to teach a class, just for 30 minutes or so. If the parents knew all what teachers have to do in a class, then they would be better able to help the kids at home. (K. Davis, personal communication, May 7, 2012). The fourth question â€Å"Do you know your rights as a parent with a special needs child†? The parent replied: â€Å"Yes, I am very well aware of my children rights when it comes to special education.I stay informed and read a lot on the internet and the hand outs my I. E. P. holder gives me at her meetings. † (K. Davis, personal communication, May 7, 2012). The fifth question was â€Å"How would you as a parent build a reliable alliance with your teacher/school†? You should have a reliable alliance and communicate with your child. You should listen to them when they come to you with things, and not make them feel like they are lying to you all the time. Sure kids bend the truth, but that’s just the point, it’s got to be some truth in what they say to you. Listen to your I. E. P. holder; he is your personal advocate for your child.I call him and leave a message for him all the time, and he calls me back usually the same day, even if it’s after school is out. You as a parent must call teachers, I. E. P. holders, go to meetings, and move your schedule around so you can be there. These meetings are important and it tells your child you mean business. Work with all the staff that works with your child. Communication is the key. (K. Davis, personal communication, May 7, 2012). According to Farenga and Ness (2005) , â€Å"the most important component to successful family involvement in the provision of services to children with special needs is information. Information is what K. Davis; the mother that this author interviewed talked about. She said communication is key between parents and the school, the teacher, special education support staff and especially your own child. She also agreed with Farenga and Ness (2005), when they noted, â€Å"All children must show adequate yearly progress. † In summary, partnering with families is an important part of the reauthorization of Public Law 101-476,otherwise known as (IDEA), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and a part of the latest revision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.This act mandates more accountability in terms of academic results and more flexibility on how local school board and districts divide their federal dollars. Plus it gives parents from lower income families’ ways to send their children to better schools and have more input on their educational outcomes. These mandates help to level the playing field for all special education students and help them achieve a quality education. ConclusionThis essay discussed the effects of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† on special education reform, specifically the relationship between parents and teachers. We discussed parental involvement in the education of their children in schools and ways to increase participation in a school setting. Lastly, we discussed what schools can do to involve more parents in the educational process, rights and responsibilities as a parent of a special needs child and a parent’s candid opinion of how they would build a reliable alliance with their teacher and school.References Farenga, J. and Ness, D. (2005). Families of Children with Special Needs, Encyclopedia of Education and Human Development. Vol. 3. Armonk, NY; M. E. Sharpe, 2005. 891-893. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 May 2012 Farenga, J. and Ness, D. (2005). Families of Children with Special Needs, Encyclopedia of Education and Human Development. Vol. 3. Armonk, NY; M. E. Sharpe, 2005. 891-893. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 May 2012

Benefits of Human Resource Portals Essay

Torres-Coronas & Arias-Oliva define a human resource portal as a set of applications which avails a single gateway to personalized as well as customized information (2005). It is worth mentioning that Portal strategies are currently being either adopted or employed in many modern organizations. This has been necessitated by the need of organization to implement one common base in terms of Human Resource procedures and policies throughout the organization. In addition, there is an increase in the number of international branches in several organizations due to the urge for global expansion. With this background this paper will objectively discuss the reasons for the popularity of human resource portals among the human resource managers. Human resource portals enable the human resource managers to experience enterprise unification especially if a global HR portal is put in place. This solution ensures the provision of better services to the employees. Besides, human resource managers in global organizations find it very easy to connect directly with the employees and the entire workforce of the firm in all locations. Employees can easily access all the relevant services via the employee portal and as such the human resource manager does not have to attend to each individual employee unless under very special circumstances. This consequently reduces the workload of the human resource managers due to the availability of short cut processes (Torres-Coronas & Arias-Oliva, 2005). Additionally, the managers are in a better position to focus on the achievement of organizational strategic goals. A case in point is the Time Warner’s portal, which is referred to as the Employee Connection. This portal gives the 80,000 employees of this organization, expense reimbursement, access to benefits enrollment and other services (Robb, 2006). The recruitment process has equally been made easier, faster and more efficient. Considering global staffing technology and operations, the BearingPoint portal is a milestone achievement when it comes to global recruitment. Its â€Å"Called Career Connections† enables employees to access and apply for jobs internationally, thus making it very simple for human resource managers to carry out recruitment. Moreover, the referral section found in this portal allows for online employee referrals that give room for new employees, unlike initially where the firm relied on premium job boards which were very expensive (Robb, 2006). It is worth mentioning that these portals are usually affected by issues such as local regulations in terms of taxation as well as privacy. For instance, the Data Privacy Directive employed within the European Union which restricts transmission and monitors the type of data in question. This therefore implies that some employees working in other international branches of any firm may not be able to access information stored in other parts of the world (Hildebrandt & Gutwirth, 2008). However, when the right measures are put in place, there are more advantages that come with the employment of these portals and as such human resource portals are increasingly become more popular among the human resource managers.