The Realization of My Advantages

Each individual is unique—this is one of the very cliche lines which most people hear all too often. However, the reality is that this line is something that we must learn to remember. Being an individual means that we are different from other people and that we have different things to offer for various situations. Every person specializes in a skill or talent where he or she can excel, no matter how insignificant that skill or talent may be for others. Thus, I personally believe that it is important for us to seek our own interests to fully realize our capabilities while enjoying the things that we must do. I view that this is crucial whenever a person reflects on the advantages that he or she possesses. Even during my younger years, I have already been interested in colors and shapes. My parents used to buy coloring books and materials for me when I was a kid, and before I knew it, I was fascinated with colors. I tried various colors to match another color by mixing them in the corners of the plain drawing. As a child, I was developed a fascination for building things with my own hands. However, with my limited dexterity at that time, I was not able to build anything successfully. Although my mother often appreciated the small things that I created, such as boxes I made out of recycled materials, I always felt that I could do it better Thus, as I grew older, I became very keen on details, most especially with the things that I design. I started looking at magazines and was able to distinguish the designs that I like. Sometimes, I draw what I think or directly create things from scratch. Although this activity is very time consuming, I believe that this will hone my skills and will directly address my issues in being a perfectionist. I do think that in order to be the best in my craft, I also need to critique myself constructively. It is essential to be aware of my weaknesses so that I could improve as an artist. My training at Parsons, The New School of Design that offers a world-class education, is something that I have always been very proud of. As the said school is used in a popular reality show as a training ground for many fashion designers, being granted with the opportunity to attend training here would definitely have a great impact in my future career as a designer. Parson has a great faculty and staff members who provide top-of-the-line training for their students. By passing the training at Parson, I gain the impression and image that I am capable of making designs that the world can acknowledge as exceptional. In addition, the training which I have received as well as the design perspectives made me feel confident with myself. Thus, I believe that my training at Parsons provided me a competitive edge. Considering my personal assessment of myself, I believe that I am very unique from the other design students in terms of my willingness and devotion to this field. From the time that I was young up to this very day, I do think that my trivial interest developed into a strong passion for creating designs to make life more beautiful comfortable for people in different walks of life. Hence, my advantage is my passion to work which could be a trademark that would be remembered by others. By making a simple design that is captivating to the eyes of the viewers as well as convenient for those who would use it daily is one of the most important values that I have as a designer. This attitude is one of my competitive advantages that I possess that aid me in creating a name for myself to be acknowledged just like the other renowned artists in the world. For me, advantages are only a plus to the natural abilities and the talents which are bestowed upon us. Nevertheless, my education, personality, perspective, and my passion are the best advantages that I have. These competitive advantages will stand as my weapons to prosper and be noticed as an artist in my own genre and be appreciated by those who also believe in the mixture of beauty and comfort.

How Texas Changed U.S. History Essay

The United States of America is the world’s leading super power. Through the years, there have been many events that occurred which contributed to the kind of nation it is at present. It is a country with a rich and extensive history behind it. One of the significant aspects in the history of the United States is the state of Texas. Texas played a crucial role in the development of the nation. This research paper aims to discuss how the independence of Texas and its membership and re-admittance to the Union changed the course of U. S. history. Texas was originally occupied by Indians before the 16th century (â€Å"Timeline†). Numerous tribes of Native Americans resided in what is now known as Texas, and they were the inhabitants before the place was discovered by the Spaniards (Calvert & Doughty 10). For more than a century, Texas was under Spanish control, as it was considered a territory of the Spanish Empire (Calvert & Doughty 1). The Spanish explorers first arrived in Texas in 1519, and Alfonso Alvarez de Pineda was the first one to explore the place and map the shoreline (Calvert & Doughty 10; â€Å"Timeline†). After de Pineda, there were other Spanish expeditions and eventually, missions were sent in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11). In February 18, 1685, Frenchman Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle claimed Texas for France by setting up Fort St. Louis in Matagorda Bay (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline†). La Salle was soon killed, but the Spanish were threatened by the actions of the French (Calvert & Doughty 11). As a result, the Spaniards eliminated the French port and established more missions. In addition, Spanish towns were built in Texas, such as San Antonio, Goliad and Nacogdoches (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline†). However, the 19th century ushered in a time of struggle for Spain, as it began to lose its power over Texas due to the expeditions of Americans (Calvert & Doughty 11). In 1810, a group led by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla attempted to free Mexico from Spanish authority. The plan failed, but it caused restlessness in Texas and Mexico. In 1813, Mexican Bernardo Gutierrez and American Augustus Magee occupied three Spanish towns in an effort to topple the Spanish authority in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline†). They failed. Spain soon realized that the Spanish settlements in Texas were not enough to secure it from the threat of other countries (Calvert & Doughty 11). The Spanish authorities thought that an increase in population was needed. American Moses Austin asked permission from the Spaniards in Mexico to be allowed to stay in Texas; this request was continued by his son Stephen after his death. In 1821, Mexico became independent from Spain, and Texas became a part of Mexico (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The Mexican government agreed to Austin’s plea, and they had begun to let foreigners settle in Texas. In 1836, 50,000 people had resided in Texas; 20,000 of which were from the United States (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). Most of the Americans in Texas were cotton planters, and went there because of land opportunities (Perry 505). Moreover, these people brought slaves with them to help them with cotton cultivation (Calvert & Doughty 11). However, Mexico met slavery with opposition, as the country abolished it in 1824 (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The Mexicans soon realized that they were being outnumbered, so they resorted to efforts that would curb the number of Americans in Texan soil (Perry 505). The Mexican authorities stopped immigration from the United States and banned arrival of slaves (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505; â€Å"Timeline†). This move angered the Texans, but the tension continued to increase with the dictatorship of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The discontent of the people increased with the imposed customs duties collection (â€Å"Revolution†). In an effort to gain their independence, the Texans started the revolution on October 2, 1835 (â€Å"Revolution†;â€Å"Timeline†). The revolution began in Gonzales, Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution†; â€Å"Timeline†). Texans repulsed the Mexican troops in Gonzales, and emerged victorious in the first battle in the struggle for independence (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution†). The succeeding battles were also won by the Texan forces (Calvert & Doughty 11). In November 3, 1835, there was a convention in which a provisional government, based on a document called the Organic Law, was set up by the Americans in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline†). During the said convention, the Texans held an election for gubernatorial and council positions. On March 2, 1836, American Texans declared their independence from Mexico and established a constitution which allowed slavery; David Burnet was the provisional president while Sam Houston was the Texas troops’ commander in chief (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline†). Then there was the Battle of the Alamo. The Alamo is actually church originally known as the Mision San Antonio de Valero (â€Å"Alamo†). It was used by the Texan forces as a fort. Unfortunately, the Texan forces were defeated by the Mexican troops, under the leadership of Santa Anna. However, Santa Anna was not victorious for long; in April 21, 1836, he was captured by Houston and his forces at the Battle of San Jacinto (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution†;â€Å"Timeline†). Afterwards, Santa Anna signed a treaty recognizing Texan independence (Perry 505). Texas became a republic (â€Å"Revolution†). In 1845, the Congress of the United States pushed to annex, or make the Republic of Texas a part of the United States (Perry 505). U. S. President James Polk signed a bill that made Texas the 28th U. S. state on December 29, 1845 (Calvert & Doughty 12; â€Å"Timeline†). On April 25, 1846, the Mexican-American war begun over the disagreement on the boundaries of Texas (â€Å"Timeline†). Mexico claimed that Nueces River was the boundary of Texas; Texans, on the other hand, insisted that Rio Grande was the boundary (Perry 505). The Mexicans were defeated; as a result, the United States acquired more than half of Mexican territories, including New Mexico and California (Perry 505). The independence of Texas was relevant in United States history. This is because it was the event that paved the way for the United States to obtain territories that would eventually be a part of it. The addition of states did shape U. S. history, as all these territories contribute to the general legacy of the nation. Without the new territories, the development and growth of the nation would not be the same, simply because certain elements would be excluded. As a member of the Union, Texas also proved relevant in shaping U. S. history. Texas did secede from the Union, but its participation in the American Civil War was still crucial in the nation’s development. The American Civil War came about as a result of Abraham Lincoln’s victory at the 1860 presidential elections (Perry 507). Lincoln was a Republican, and the Republican Party was created with the objective of abolishing slavery. The Southern states, including Texas, who were in favor of slavery decided to secede from the Union. These said states formed the Confederate States of America. Texas seceded from the Union on February 1, 1861 (â€Å"Timeline†). At that time, Sam Houston was a governor, and he opposed that decision to secede as he was a Unionist (Calvert & Doughty 12). However, he was outnumbered by pro-secession delegates at the Secession Convention (â€Å"Timeline†). On May 13, 1865, the last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 12; â€Å"Timeline†). The Battle of Palmito Ranch occurred close to Brownsville, more than a month after General Robert Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered at Appomatox, Virginia. On March 30, 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union by U. S. Congress (â€Å"Timeline†). After the Civil War, Texas had several other contributions that did affect U. S. history. First, Texas helped the federal government defeat the Native Americans (Calvert & Doughty 12). From the Civil War until the Reconstruction, the western frontier was poorly guarded; the Native Americans bothered the residents, which were prompted to leave their homes. The U. S. government realized this problem and sent out federal troops to address the issue. These troops were helped by the Texas Rangers. The Texas Rangers started as a group of volunteers that helped curb Indian attacks (Connor 135). Eventually when Texas became a republic, they became an official, full-time corps that was employed to protect the frontier. After the battles between the Native Americans were over, they became agents of law enforcement in the state (Connor 135). The state of Texas also contributed to post-war animal industry with cattle (Calvert & Doughty 12). Except for hides and tallow, cattle were initially invaluable as the markets were too far. However, with the establishment of railroads, Texan cattle were able to reach more consumers (Calvert & Doughty 12). Nonetheless, it was the cotton from Texas that exerted more economic influence in the U. S. (Calvert & Doughty 12). As the railroads progressed in the West, there was enough land for the growth of cotton. The cotton grown in Texas eventually reached the world market. As a result, Texas became a major cotton producer in the U. S. by the year 1890 (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas again participated in U. S. history in the 1890s, which marked an era of racial discrimination (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas was one of the states that were characterized by much tension between the whites and the blacks and Hispanics. It all began in 1896 when the Supreme Court upheld that segregation did not infringe the 14th Amendment. Hence, Texas passed legislatures that encouraged and promoted segregation of whites and blacks in the community (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas was also responsible for the Prohibition (Calvert & Doughty 12). There was a time when progressivism was rampant in Texas, and one of its most notable ideas was to forbid the sale of alcohol. The Texan progressives thought that selling alcohol was detrimental to a democratic society and its consumption was evil. In 1887, Prohibitionists relentlessly campaigned to ban alcohol. When it was thought that alcohol impeded the U. S. efforts in World War I, a law was passed in 1918 to prohibit the sale of alcohol beverages in Texas. In January 1920, the 18th Amendment, which prohibits the sale of alcohol in the entire country, was included in the U. S. Constitution (Calvert & Doughty 12). After the American Civil War, Texas proved relevant in the history of the United States. Along with the federal troops, the Texas Rangers participated in resolving the Native American conflict. Without the rangers, the endeavor would have been more difficult; the task was made easy by the fact that the rangers have been the guarding the frontier for a long time. Texas also contributed to the U. S. economy through its cattle and cotton industries. Segregation also occurred in Texas, an occurrence that would later cause the Civil Rights Movement to arise. Lastly, the Texan prohibitionists were responsible for the passing of the 18th Amendment. If Texas had not been readmitted to the Union, some of the aforementioned events may have never occurred, drastically altering the course of U. S. history. From its independence to its readmission into the Union, Texas proved to be an important player in the history of the United States. Its independence brought the United States the territories it has at present. Its readmission brought both social and economic reform that would not have possible if the state remained in its seceded state. If one would remove Texas from the history of the United States, it would not be the nation it is now. Works Cited Calvert, Robert A. , and Robin W. Doughty. â€Å"Texas. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. Microsoft Corporation. 10 April 2008 . Connor, Seymour V.â€Å"Texas Rangers. † Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc. , 1992. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. â€Å"Texas History Timeline. † Lone Star Junction. 1997. 10 April 2008 . â€Å"Texas Revolution. † Lone Star Internet. 2 Feb. 2007. 10 April 2008 . â€Å"The Battle of the Alamo. † The Alamo Site. 2007. 10 April 2008 .

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY- Final Peper Essay

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY- Final Peper - Essay Example The members who got into the treaty hope to achieve a complete recovery of the ozone layer by the year 2050 (Benedick, 2007). c. Number of participants and the reasons for the level of participation. The protocol has managed to attract international co-operation exceptionally due to the widespread implementation as well as adoption of the treaty. The treaty has been ratified as perhaps one of the most successful agreements of international scale to date. The treaties that fall under the Montreal Protocol have successfully been ratified by the European Union as well as 197 other states. This therefore makes the protocol alongside the two ozone treaties involved the most ratified of all the treaties in United Nations history. Other participants in the treaty include the Cook Islands, Holy See alongside Niue. The protocol has its proceedings in major languages so that no one fells left out. The languages are French, English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. This is one of the major factors that contributed to the fact that many participants were attracted to the protocol. The other reason for such level of participation is the common goal that drives the desire to protect the earth from losing the all important ozone layer. The countries that went into the treaty, the latest entrants being South Sudan, all had the common purpose to work towards eliminating harmful substances and controlling emission of such substances that can greatly affect the ozone layer (Chasek, 2013). d. Compare the success of the Montreal Protocol to that of the Kyoto Protocol and address the reasons for any differences in terms of National Interests of those that elected to participate and those that have not. The differences witnessed between Kyoto protocol and the Montreal protocol is that the one in Montreal imposed on all countries strict restrictions from the start. That mostly differs from the mode of operation of the Kyoto protocol. The other difference that can be observed in t he two protocols is that strong incentives were created by the Montreal protocol with regards to participation and compliance if a country is to be part of the main agenda. Montreal also created a positive feedback system whereby each step aimed at reducing the depletion of the ozone layer as well as creating incentives whereby each country would feel involved in the process of decision making in regards to taking steps forward. This effort in the long run provided the participating countries with an avenue to place their trust on the efforts of fellow states and hence national interests in the Montreal protocol turned up to be higher than that of the Kyoto protocol (Dotto, 2006) 2. United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea. a. The issue of â€Å"Property Rights† as it relates to UNCOLS. This treaty arose from the third conference held by the United Nations that took place right between the years 1973 and 1982. The laws in this treaty tend to define responsibilities of countries on how they utilize the resources from the sea as well as the oceans of the world. The treaty laid basic guidelines for environmental conservation, conducting business alongside good use of marine resources found naturally. UNCLOS came into effect in the year 1994 after signing Guyana a year earlier. By October of 2012, the treaty enjoyed the company of 164 nations alongside the European Union. The UN is

Are criminals born or made Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Are criminals born or made - Essay Example 47 - 48). Considering the question â€Å"are criminals born or made?†, I personally take the side that criminals are not born but made. In the process of convincing the readers that criminals are made rather than born, a wide range of research evidences will be presented in this study. In the process of going through the main discussion, this study will discuss and examine the relationship between race and criminal activities throughout the United Kingdom. To strengthen the argument that criminals are made and not born, some gathered past and recent facts and figures which are significantly relevant in suggesting a strong relationship between race and crime will be provided in details. Criminals are made not born. This argument can be noted in response to the socio-economic difficulty that takes place over the past few years. As a result of high unemployment rate, the economic recession that took place recently has led to an increase in the number of violent crime and burglaries throughout the United Kingdom. Criminal activities are referring to any forms of act which are illegal and could either directly or indirectly cause physical, mental, or emotional harm aside from the possibility of incurring financial and property loses towards another person. Among the type of criminal cases that occurs in the United Kingdom includes: violence, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, theft and handling, fraud and forgery, drug offences, and motoring offences among others (Jones & Singer, 2008, p.94). Many people have the wrong connotation that criminal behaviour is hereditary such that people who belong to either the black population and/or the other minority groups have more courage to actively participate in notorious gangs that are prone to committing different types of criminal activities ranging from simple vandalism of public property and thieves up to a certain degree wherein they commit violent crimes related to murder

Tuberculosis infection rates as a global and local public health issue Essay

Tuberculosis infection rates as a global and local public health issue - Essay Example To achieve this end, the partnership has undertaken a multi-faceted approach. The main mission objectives are to stop the spread of TB, to lessen the social and economical cost of TB, and to develop and implement new methods and ways to diagnose, prevent and treat TB. The partnership targets to reduce the occurrence and death rate of TB by 50% by the year 2015 relative to 1990 estimates. Another target is to have the world free from TB by the year 2050 (Actions for Life: Towards a world free of tuberculosis, 2006). To achieve this dream, the Stop TB Partnership developed a Global Plan to Stop TB in the year 2006. The proper implementation is expected to save about 14 million lives, provide treatment for 50 million people, and offer better access to diagnosis and treatment for everyone. The Plan identifies the challenges in achieving this target and has developed seven working groups to address the challenges directly. The TB facts As per World Health Organisation reports, one-third o f the world’s population is currently infected with TB bacillus bacteria. According to reports, the number of people who died from TB in the year 2009 is 1.7 million. In addition, as Sharma and Mohan (2004) state, the estimates are that between 2002 and 2020, the number of newly infected people will be about 1,000 million and the number of tuberculosis deaths will be 36 million. As Ewbank and Gribble (1993), and National Research Council (US) Working Group on the Effects of Child Survival and General Health Programs on Morality observe, tuberculosis may be responsible for more deaths than any other single pathogen. In addition, it is found that one-six of the tuberculosis infections happen in people who are infected with HIV (ibid). The WHO aims The World Health Organisation report ‘Global Tuberculosis Control (2010)’ identifies its major targets to reach its goal of 50% reduction of disease by 2015. The targets are diagnosis, notification and treatment of approx imately 7 million cases, a 90% success rate in treatment, 100% detection of HIV in TB patients, providing co-trimoxazole preventive therapy to HIV positive TB patients, testing all previously treated TB patients for MDRTB, those who are identified with MDRTB are provided new treatment according to international guidelines, and to spend US$ 7 billion per year for the purpose, and an additional US$ 1.3 billion on research and development (ibid). Challenges ahead Murray (2006), in American Medical Association, writes about the challenges of tuberculosis control in the present world. The problems identified are divided into five key areas: inefficient diagnostics and treatment, the need for expansion of the World Health Organisation Directly Observed Therapy, short course (DOTS) program, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB), and HIV co-infection (ibid). In addition, as Boogaard, Kibiki, Kisanga, Boeree, & Aarnoutse (2009) report, the existing diagnostic test- sputum microscopy- ide ntifies only advanced pulmonary TB and the remaining cases go unidentified. In addition, the DOTS strategy developed by World Health Organisation is expensive and labor-intensive, and hence less effective in developing nations (ibid). Now, taking the economic side of the disease into consideration, a study by Grimard and Harline prove that even a 10% fall in the

The Psychology of Adult Learning Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Psychology of Adult Learning Case - Essay Example I have selected this student for the case study because she is one of the most successful and influential models in my life. In contrast with most of the students her age in Saudi Arabia, KM loved going to school from the beginning of primary classes. In addition, KM, as was evident to those who have known her from her youth, has a strong character and power to change things she does not like. She loved working and helping other people, which has helped her to become a doctor in her future life. The theory of motivation is going to be applied to illustrate how it psychologically influenced KM to pursue this particular career. As such, the attached transcript (Appendix 4) will relate these issues to the existing theoretical position within psychology and adult education. In particular, this case study will investigate how these theories are related to the participant’s experience. The interview for this case study was conducted in the participant’s home on Sunday 31 December. Before this date, the interviewer sent KM an online copy form of the â€Å"invitation to be interviewed† and the â€Å"case study participation consent form†. After having a discussion about the issue online, the participant and the interviewer agreed that it would be better for both of them to meet at the participant’s home. The reason for this choice was that both sides would feel more relaxed and comfortable in a private and familiar setting as this would be more suitable within the culture of both the participant and the interviewer. In addition, this was where the participant studied and read during the period of her school and college attendance. The interviewing method was also chosen because it allows the participant to express her views in a free manner. It also allows the interviewer to gain first-hand information about the participant’s views towards a particular subject area.

Consent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consent - Essay Example Treatment review occurs only when treatment is new, controversial or bordering on the experimental. Ethics and credential committees perform such reviews. Other licensing or regulatory bodies that require adherence to similar guidelines govern organizations not receiving funds from the Canadian or American federal governments. Individual researchers who do not receive government funding and who do not belong to an organization are not required to adhere to such regulations. However, adherence to the guidelines is recommended for good practice, research and citizenship and to avoid legal liability. When organizations or groups without ethical review boards propose research, a university, hospital, licensing or professional organization, or another institution does reviews. Psychologists performing research or working within provincial or state agencies may need to follow additional guidelines. Individual researchers and practitioners are required to follow consent guidelines in lock step. Thus, consent information is usually given through a typed document with a set order of information. Unfortunately, these documents are often long and complex and require a college education in order to be understood by the participant. In addition, the order in which information is presented can make comprehension difficult for the participant. The complexity of informed consent documents prompts many to return to old complaints about the intrusion of ethics review bodies into research or treatment and the impracticality of consent. In order to improve the consent process, empirical studies of the efficiency and value of current methods are necessary. Instead of spawning such research, complaints have led to a lessening of consent requirements. For example, an exempt-from-ethics-review status for research designated as no risk has been introduced other jurisdictions simply maintain existing general guidelines. Coal of Consent The cause for this requirement of accomplishment comprise: a partial view of consent, bewilderment over what constitutes "informing," the techniques of achieving consent, the lack of a comprehensive theoretical base for consent, and reluctance by researchers. The imaginary view that individuals have the right to make assessment for themselves forms the root for well-versed consent. Nevertheless, this philosophy was included into consent guidelines only after frequent subject and patient mistreatment. Changes in consent processes have often been reason by political view rather than empirical study of informed consent. As a result, many researchers and practitioners view consent as a necessary burden rather than a useful adjunct to good research or practice. At the same time, current consent methods are perceived as optimal, even in the face of contrary evidence. Just as past guidelines, new requirements for ensuring scientific integrity have been established without empirical study. While some rules have been