It 236 Navigation Assignment

Point Navigation IT/236 Instructor †¦ by †¦ The purpose of this paper is to search for and identify examples of how we would like our site navigation to work and function. I have included three different web sites that all use a similar style of navigation which is the same style I would prefer to use with my site. Since their styles are practically the same, I could agree with or use either one of their styles on my site and be satisfied with the way it functioned and the outcome.The apple web site navigation bar, allows the user to click on the tab of interest when ever he/she desires, and go to that section of the site from which ever page they are currently on. And, it is not difficult for the user to know where they are currently browsing either, because the site shows you by changing the color of the tab you’re viewing. The site also has gorgeous images of its products without slow loading times, which allows navigation of the site at great speeds. The user can easily browse the site jumping from tab to tab.Next on the list of choice is, the World of Warcraft site, it may not be familiar to everyone, however it is in the same category of navigation styles that I’m interested in using for my site. Similar to the apple website navigation, is a series of linear icons that allow the user to click and select an area of interest to load that page from what ever page they are currently viewing. It doesn’t matter if they are on the home page or not. This is the Web-structure that I also plan to use for my site.And, as it is definitely needed, the developers of this site have made it easy for the user to identify their current location on the navigation bar so they do not have to question their current location, or ever feel as though they cannot accomplish something on the site because they are lost. Finally, is the Expedia web site, which is primarily used for booking flights and hotels, rental services, even cruise line vacations and more. One can easily view this web page once it’s been entered and executed in the browser’s address bar (sometimes this site naturally takes a bit longer to load).And upon arriving at the site they can, similarly to the other two sites, click on whichever tab they desire based on their traveling, vacation, or rental needs. Without complication the user is capable of viewing their current location and loading the desired web page from what ever location that may be, as it is not required to return to the home page each time the user wishes to view a new section/tab. To my knowledge, each of these three web sites uses the Web-structure for their sites. Meaning the user doesn’t view the site and its pages in a linear manner.They are free to browse however they wish. And in my opinion, this is probably one of the most effective ways for a site to be constructed. All in all, these three web sites that I chose to display the navigation style that I’m inter ested in, all use the same type of style. They allow the user to comfortably jump to which ever section of the web site that they desire, without any required starting points, and at the same time they keep the user informed of which page they are currently viewing. Image here Image here New Image here New Image here

Future events Essay

Richard here talks of a forthcoming golden era full of glory and hope. Whilst speaking in public, Richard uses this opportunity to defend him from being accused in future events. By praising the running of the country nobody would suspect him of becoming a family murderer. Again, in private Richard reveals his true feelings and again reveals to the audience future plots.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots I have laid, inductions dangerous.† (Act 1 scene 1.Lines 30 +32) When speaking concealed away from the public, Richard provides insight into future events. Although it may appear that the war is over the royal family is about to confront another battle in the eyes of Richard. It is through what is said in private that Richard sheds light on future plots and events and to an extent he draws a relationship with the audience because of this.  The final area in which I will explore appearance and reality will be through the manipulation of religion. Richard of Gloucester is not the only character in the play to use appearance and reality as his two â€Å"partners in crime† prove. Catesby and Buckingham use religion as a weapon of disguising for Richards true personality and intentions. † He is within, with two right reverend fathers, divinely bent to meditation †¦.. To draw him from his holy exercise.† (Act 3 scene 7.Line 60 + 61)  Buckingham endeavors to make Richard appear holy and innocent by portraying him as a devout, holy and religious man. By this point in the play we know that Richard’s life is not based on serving god but rather serving his own desires. His allies continue to do their utmost to mask his evil traits in front of the politicians.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This prince is not an Edward. He is not lulling on a lewd love-bed, but on his knees at meditation.†(Act 3 scene 7.Line 70-71) Again, religion is manipulated to give a false identification of Richard. Their aim is to get Richard to become king and attain ruler ship thinking that they may get something in return. Buckingham’s language reveals that he; Catesby and Richard are play acting.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Two props of virtue for a Christian prince †¦.. and see a book of prayer in his hand.† (Act 3 scene 7.Line 95+96)  Buckingham makes it apparent that this is a play within a play and uses the church and the word of god as a prop to make Richard look convincing on stage. Richard also does his part in covering up his true personality. â€Å"I do beseech your grace to pardon me, who, earnest in the service of my god.† (Line 104-105)  Richard once again stresses how devoted he is to god when really he is only devoted to getting himself raised to a godly figure in the form of king. Shakespeare reveals yet another plane to Richard’s ever- changing character through the manipulation of religion as we not only see a deceitful interpretator, a cold-blooded murderer but also a manipulative man. He has no regard for family, women or even god and this manifests the extent that he is willing to go to get what he wants. Shakespeare provides us with another peek into future events through the manipulation of Richard. â€Å"Come, let us to our holy work again.†(Act 3 scene 7.Line 245)  This â€Å"holy† work will in fact not be holy but will rather entail unholy and irreligious dealings. The work will contain further plotting and this braces the audience for further manipulation. This device measures the extent to which Richard will go to change his character. It also reveals that Richard isn’t the only character that utilizes appearance and reality in the play and this reflects the amount of manipulation contained within the play. Appearance and reality is a device that Shakespeare cleverly uses to keep the character Richard of Gloucester running throughout the play. It revitalizes his character and interest in him is always stimulated because of this. To an extent, Richard uses appearance and reality as a stepping stool for further dealings in the future. Richard, the anti-hero, uses his physical appearance as a driving force for evil traits and deceive4s others into thinking that it makes him weaker. His contrasting treatment of women perfectly illustrates how well he can adjust roles when required. He is the master of deception as his opening soliloquy proves. It is what is said in private that reveals to the audience what Richard’s true intentions are and it is what is said in public that reflect lies. Shakespeare makes this link early on so that Richards changing won’t fool the audience. Shakespeare mirrors appearance and reality through the manipulation of religion to show the extent that Richard will go to obtain what he requires. Appearance and reality is important because it shows that Richard is a character of dual interpretations and Shakespeare makes sure Richard uses it continually so that his character continues to fuel interest for the audience. Appearance and reality is a vital tool in the play as it not only plays a huge part in shaping events in the play but it also reveals future events that are to take place.

Operations Management Synthesis Essay

Product Design The products that will be made out of the given components are corrective lenses for eyeglasses. The product will have the following features: a. Corrects near-sightedness or far-sightedness, whichever may be the case, through varying curvatures of the lenses, for different grades b. May be rectangular or circular in overall shape c. Around 1.5 inches in length, 1 inch in width d. Clear and transparent, not dark Considering that the finished goods (lenses) are very much expensive in relation to the raw materials (marbles), it would be safe to say that much value was added to the raw materials by the process of manufacturing, as a result. Process Design and Layout Given a product with just modules and essentially made from the same base – standard glass lenses, the process could be considered as repetitive-focus. Given the raw materials of only marbles, the illustration above is the process diagram that will be used. In order to clearly explain the diagram, the process involves the following steps: a. Crush marbles b. Melt marbles c. Add chemicals to treat the glass for durability d. Check for proper consistency/ratio of chemicals to glass and impurities e. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle f. Cool the material g. Check for bubbles h. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle i. Roll out the cooling glass j. Shape or cut out into shape (either circular or rectangular) k. Check dimensions (1.5 inches by 1 inch) if correct l. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle m. Curve the lens according to specifications using a curving machine n. Check if curvature specifications are met o. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle p. Final cleaning for any impurities q. Polishing of lenses for a shiny or glossy finish r. Final checking of lenses s. Package the lenses t. Ship the finished goods u. Administer preventive maintenance before next cycle (general cleaning of machines, check for machine irregularities) The layout is done in such a way that in case of defects, the transfer back to the start of the production cycle would be easier. Furthermore, the layout allows for job expansion for the workers due to them handling more than one step in the process. Also, this layout is supposed to minimize the amount of distance from one process to another, as long as these processes follow each other. Quality Management Initially, quality checkpoints are put up right after every crucial process. Meanwhile, the concept of six sigma is also implemented in order to address and eventually minimize them. By using the DMAIC, the following is how defects would be addressed: a. Define defects (For instance, bubbles were found.) b. Measure and collect process data (Identify how many products were defective and how much of the production process was affected.) c. Analyze data (What was the cause of the defect? i.e., inconsistency of chemical-to-glass ratio) d. Improve process (What should be done to prevent it from occurring again? i.e, thoroughly checking for proper consistency/ratio of chemicals to glass and/or hiring experts/more skilled employees) e. Control new process to make sure performance is maintained Location The primary determinant of location would be costs of rent and delivery of raw materials. The factory must be closer to suppliers than customers. If we are to apply clustering, it would also be good to be close to competitors, as it would implicate a technology spill-over. To compare the advantages of the possible different locations and the advantages of each, the center of gravity method is while also determining the most convenient manner of delivering orders. Human Resources The main objective of the human resources department is to make sure that the employees are skilled in glass processing. This is in order to troubleshoot properly and detect any defects in the product itself. Since the process is repetitive-focus, the qualifications of the workers are not as high as the qualifications needed for a process-focus design but still higher than that of the product focus. Salaries would be a bit higher than the minimum wage. Furthermore, the following factors shall be observed: a. The criteria on determining which Individual should be assigned to a station must be based on their skills, talents, and strengths (i.e, hiring field experts for checking for defective products and hiring capable persons for cleaning, packaging, and preparing for shipping). b. Employee empowerment should be considered through incentive systems (i.e, offering incentives to employees based on their needs, for instance, car loan for managers while food/transportation bonuses for the laborers). c. Employee empowerment through job expansion (i.e, enriching/enlarging the scope of the jobs, for instance, 1-2 employees assigned for all checkpoints instead of having 1 per checkpoint). Supply Chain Management .The primary suppliers should easily be accessible since raw material orders will only be issued upon demand. There must be a strong relationship that would be built with primary suppliers in order to eventually avail of discounts and a higher assurance of good quality. There should always be backup suppliers in case the main supplier fails to deliver. Other suppliers would include actual glass manufacturers in case of the lack of materials from primary sources. Inventory Management In order to maximize resources and keep inventory holding costs at a minimum, we will employ the Just-In-Time method for managing inventory. Furthermore, we will order only when we need to produce; thereby not falling into the trap of availing of quantity discounts which sometimes incur more expenses in the long run. As a result, to further reduce inventory costs, finished goods could be shipped out of the plant as soon as possible. Scheduling All orders will be taken and processed in a uniform manner. Orders may be changed in specifications only until the preliminary process of producing the modular standard glass lens is concluded, meaning that once the process of curving the lenses, which is the process where the orders differ, the orders cannot be changed anymore. Regularly, orders will be processed and queued regularly, preferably every day, Maintenance Preventive maintenance is done every after cycle, which involves the standard operating procedure of cleaning the machines. When factory is not scheduled for production, a more general preventive maintenance is undertaken to ensure smooth operations during the scheduled productions by increasing the reliability of the machines.

Discussion a solution to the problem of protecting endangered species Essay

Discussion a solution to the problem of protecting endangered species - Essay Example Humans must realize that we are not the only creatures which use the world. Many species of animals are all around us, and sometimes our activities destroy the specialized habitats that these animals need in order to live, produce young, and have enough to eat. In the case of the right whales, conservationists recognized a need to preserve this rare and beautiful animal which was hunted nearly to extinction before being protected. Once protected, human activities were still killing the whales. The shippers did not have to entirely eliminate using the Bay as a port, but changing the routes to avoid the places where the whales spent their time meant that continued human activity would not continue to destroy the endangered species. This example shows that it is possible for conservationists, activists, industry and government to work together toward a common goal. Sometimes activists would like to completely prevent industry from exploiting natural resources, and sometimes industry does not make wise choices and completely destroys the habitats of endangered animals. The result of the small change in the Bay of Fundy was a record number of right whale births in 2009, which is a big step toward rebuilding the population of this endangered species. Small changes lead to big changes when humans pay attention to their

Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Technology - Essay Example This can be a stepping-stone to the child or adolescent to start bullying their immediate or fellow students and their teachers. Children bullying at tender age may just tease their fellow student, neighbors and teachers but when they grow up with such mentality, bullying altogether take a different meaning and as it expands, date violence, sexually harassing girls. As a human being we express our feelings through emotions, when we feel happy we express it through smile, when we are angry we show it by shouting at someone or by through force, when we feel sad we cry, like that human beings emotions are a way to express themselves. Emotions are complex that don’t have a single universally accepted definition. These are termed as mental states that arise spontaneously without any conscious effort. Some experts feel emotions are a cognitive process and are physical expressions that are related to feelings, perceptions or belief about objects and relations between them. When it comes to scientific research emotions are divided into multiple dimensions such as behavioral, physiological, subjective and cognitive. According to experts deeds, ideas, emotions and physiological states are the four components of human behavior. Idea and deed can be chosen independently but emotions and physiological states cannot be chosen independently. The basics start at school and slowly as they become mature they realize learning is a long process and helps them to be disciplined. The importance of learning is to share with others and make them educated. Studying at colleges and universities is totally a different ball game compared to schools. In colleges and universities the curriculum will be based on practical assumptions. Courses offering at universities and colleges are termed as professional courses and inclined towards engineering, management and political careers. The

Supreme Court Justice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supreme Court Justice - Term Paper Example Records of the Supreme Court lists her as the fourth female justice to have served in that capacity and one hundred and twelfth overall judge among all the judges that have served in the supreme court since its establishment (O’Connor, 2004). Kagan was appointed to the position to succeed an outgoing justice Paul Stevens. Sworn in by the leader of the court, Chief justice John Roberts, Kagan officially began her term on the seventh day of August in the year 2010 after confirmation by the Senate. In reference to her earlier academic and legal career, she has served as a legal clerk for justice Thurgood of the American Supreme Court and also for Judge Abner formerly of the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia circuit in the Year 1987. In the year 1991, she worked as an assistant Professor in the department of Legal studies at the University of Chicago. She graduated to the level of an associate professor of law in the year 1995. Her first publication on law was a n article review on law titled† The first Amendment hate speech†. This article mainly analyzed the consequences of the motive in government regulation of speech. She also reviewed Stephens Carter’s book in relation to judicial confirmation process (O’Connor, 2004). ... She replaced James Buckley in the United States court of appeal district Of Columbia circuit after being nominated by President Clinton to the position (Holzer, 2012). After her stint at the white house, Kagan went back to academic roles once again serving as the dean in the department of law at the University of New Mexico. She is also credited to having transformed Harvard law school from a hostile student environment to student centered environment. At the beginning of President Obama’s regime, he made an announcement that he was going to nominate Kagan to the position of the solicitor general despite the fact that she had no prior records of having argued any case before the court. In the year 2009, the senate confirmed her nomination making her the first woman to hold that position in the history of the United States. In September the same year she made her first ever appearance before the Supreme Court. However, contentions arose in regard to the arguments she advanced i n her capacity as the solicitor general. Cato institute and the first amendment centre disputed her arguments. Her nomination to the Supreme Court was a subject of great interest even before the election of President Obama to office. The media was rife with speculation of her potential nomination if a democrat president carried the day in the elections. This was because of her position as the Solicitor general which was seen to serve as a great leverage (Toobin, 2008). However, this was not to be as Obama had nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Following the announcement of Justice Paul Stevens on his intentions to retire, speculations emerged once again on the possibility of Kagan nomination to the Supreme Court. Kagan’s

General Motors Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Motors - Term Paper Example For most of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, General Motors has been the world largest automobile manufacturer in the world. It is one of the largest assembly and distribution companies dealing with automobiles. It is an American multinational corporation founded in 1908 under the leadership of William C. Durant. The main aim was to bring together the different motorcar companies that were producing brands such as Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Buick together and streamline its production processes. It started in Flint Michigan with an aim of making it possible for more people to acquire automobiles across North America. At the turn of the 20th century, less than 8,000 automobiles were present in America, and Durant, under his Buick Company, was a successful manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles.Between 1909 and 1929, the imagination that automobiles brought to the table was incredible and many more additions increased GM’s reach in the country. The addition of Vauxhall, Che vrolet and Opel diversified the company’s selection and production, making it easier to target different individuals across the divide. The Cadillac LaSalle of 1927 made people realize that cars were not only a source of transportation but also a statement of style for those conscious of such attributes and details in their possessions. Innovations that followed in the 1930s up to 1950s made it easier to provide more vehicles to suit individual needs as well as make production cheaper and costs lower to make it easier for everyone to own a car.

Project management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project management - Research Paper Example In such cases there may be no time for iterations even if it means compromising on product quality. The adaptive model solves these problems and delivers solution according to the situation. This is an excellent model and would fail only if the project team is incompetent to adapt to the changing objectives. Extreme PMLC model has a high probability of failing at each step because the objectives are not known beforehand and are derived from previous phases. Thus, there is a high chance of going awry. The risks associated with this model can be mitigated by high level of client involvement (Wysocki & Rudd, 2003). Critical path chain method proves to be more efficient than critical path method for project management. Critical chain method helps in reducing the project duration by about 30% generally. It leads to better utilization of resources. The critical and non-critical tasks are both given equal attention in this method. Critical path chain method makes optimum use of buffers which is not done in case of critical path method. It also adds the best practices from PMBOK, Lean and Six Sigma to critical path method. For example, Critical path method if used by Navy would tell the critical path but would give misleading information because a number of days in between are safety days or lags which the navy cannot afford. The same are removed in critical path chain

Robinson Crusoe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Robinson Crusoe - Essay Example Daniel Defoe had done a good job to bring Robinson to the wilderness of deserted island by a shipwreck, which was essential for the rebuilding of his own future. It was the only event which was a turning point in the life of Robinson Crusoe. It was the ending of his otherwise prolonged journey. The moments he spent there were teaching him new lessons. Slowly he recognized the environs, the features, the objects which were offered to him. In his own words, â€Å"the total nature itself fetch him essentials for his life†. The fear of solitude surrounded him there. This led to the construction of his shelter. It was necessary for him to become self sufficient in every matters like food, drink, animal husbandry, and plantations. When he noticed the miraculous growth of the corns he realized that these are the results of fate ,"for it was the work of Providence as to me, that should order or appoint, that the ten or twelve grains of corn should remain unspoiled, as if it had been d ropped down from Heaven" ( Defoe, 79). Man has such a particular nature to develop special qualities for the improvement in a totally alien surroundings. Defoe filled his hero with the power and strength. For this he uses his own religious believes also. It is Crusoe’s Christianity that helps him to attain richness both spiritually and financially. In that way he became a real colonizer. Thus Defoe represents the island as a symbol of the outside world. All the time Crusoe was trying to recreate his past life. There was surely a conflict arises in the mind of Crusoe, a conflict that of a civilized man and unsophisticated circumstances. Every actions of the hero were that of a civilized man. He learnt to meet all the necessities from the neighboring materials itself. The materials and the nature itself generated ideas in the mind of the hero. These ideas can be treated as intuitions or insights the primitive man was

Harrison Bergeron Essay Example for Free

Harrison Bergeron Essay Kurt Vonnegut’s fictional society adopted the theories of Social Contract and Social Justice to establish a new social and legal order. The people amended the constitution to attain equality for all. With the amendments, they created laws to make a uniform citizenry out of their people and in the process stripped them of their individuality. These laws were also intended to make them think and act alike which was their idea of equality. As to who is benefited from such extreme version of social control depends on whose viewpoint it was coming from. Despite their unrestricted freedoms no one was ultimately benefited in this kind of system. It was no guarantee of peace and absolute control, as in the case of Harrison. His physical and mental states were no match for the handicaps. Once both powers were unleashed and unrestrained what resulted was a blending and coordination that produced a beautiful symphony of dance and music. It was symbolical of the good things that can happen or that can be achieved if we let our natural gifts, talents and skills work for the common good. There can be unity in diversity and peaceful co-existence may be possible. In a controlled society as this fictional one, there were no norms, values, and culture that may identify them. For norms, values and culture were what will set them apart. This was a robotic society where the norms were that which are forced upon them because of the handicaps some were made to wear. Acceptable norms were absent because the standard (equality) was built into the system. In effect one had a common standard to follow in which to comport oneself, no less and no better that the others. There was only one value that stood, no one was above the other in appearance and in the treatment he gave and he got. Culture should define who and what this society was, but what would make it truly unique? There was nothing neither appealing nor interesting in it because everything went against the natural ways of man. People followed rules not out of their volition. How were they to know the good was turning bad, and worse was turning worst, if something in their brains signaled a censure. This restraint was basically against their good and benefit, but they had no choice but to obey what was programmed in their system. Once, this was a society that had reached the extreme end of the balance with their all-out freedoms and unchecked rights of individuals. The situation had reached unmanageable proportion that they had to resort to dramatic crisis control which brought them to the other extreme end by way of the encroachment on their rights and freedoms. This society took not only the people’s freedoms but their right senses as well. In what they figure to be the correct moves to effect change, their agitation towards a freak of nature was alarming, like when â€Å"some things about living weren’t quite right †¦ April not being Springtime† (Vonnegut, 1961). Law and society have interchangeable attributes. Law may change a society and society may change the law. In the case of Harrison Bergeron, society had made 3 amendments to their constitution out of desire for and necessity to change. They wanted to regulate and curb freedoms to a comfortable magnitude. The change in the law made this society a strictly tempered one. Lawyers and the legal system do not have a place in this society anymore. The Handicapper General proceeded to punish without trial law breakers. The only crime that can be committed was taking one’s handicaps off and that did not need investigation and defense. The crime and the criminal are self-evident. The fictional society does not have any direct similarities in today’s time. However, the inference to the curtailment of freedoms is plenty. When a society does not allow an artist to express his heart in his art, the Harrison Bergerons to criticize the government which should be for, by and of the people, and ease the fear of ordinary citizens, they are the translations of Vonnegut’s transgressions of freedoms in his fictional society. Instead of seeking for equality in the extreme, working with diversity might be the better option.

Organisational Issues in Health and Social Care Services

Organisational Issues in Health and Social Care Services People do not care about organizational boundaries when seeking support or help and expect services to reflect this. From Our Health, Our Care Our Say (DoH 2006) Introduction Since the introduction of the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act it is no longer an option for human services and public sector organizations to work in isolation. Handy (1997,p.18) has argued against the introduction of market principles into areas that are generally regarded as the responsibility of the state welfare system, because this could harm those who most needed the help. This merging of human services with public sector organisations has meant that an increasing number of human service workers are employed in the private sector. Human Service organisations are comprised of medical staff and others such as administrators, cooks and cleaners employed by the NHS or in private practice, the police and probation services, the prison services, social services, and to a limited extent those working in education. This assignment will look at some of the effects of current policies on the organisational structures of health/social care and partner organisations. There will be an exami nation of issues of power and inequality in organisations and an exploration of the notion of partnership working. The success of such policies will be explored through the experiences of people with mental health problems. Partnership working is most especially relevant to people with mental health problems and the Government has promised greater concentration on this in the White Paper that came out this year, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say.[1] Organisations Social services and Health Care are what as known as human service organisations, that is to say they are there to help people in need.. People working in social services generally do so because they are motivated by a desire to see that people receive the kind of help that they need in times of crisis. Human Services operate in the public and the private sector. Which ever area a person chooses they are more likely to find work in the human services if they have had some prior experience either work placements or some other voluntary role. In social work prior community involvement is seen as an asset. Most social workers work in the public sector. Social Services used to be known as personal social services because social workers are most often concerned with individuals and the care they may need. Social work is both typical, and untypical, of the human services in general, firstly its aim is just that, providing a service that benefits other people, in the second instance social workers are more likely to be involved with people on an individual basis and often for a prolonged period of time. This last is not always the case in other areas of the human services (Postle et al, 2002). A social worker who works in mental health may find themselves attached to a hospital as well as to social services. This means inter-agency working which is becoming more common in the human services especially as the legislative and policy requirements of the1990 Care in the Community Act have increasingly focused on health and social care agencies working collaboratively with service users. This is more common since the Government directive ofJuly of last year.[2] Parliament decides what social work consists of. This is because the Government defines the statutes that outline social workers responsibilities. This includes the people that social workers have a responsibility towards, the manner in which such responsibilities should be undertaken, and the legislative framework that underpins the professional practice of social work (Brayne and Martin, 1995). Social workers have to abide by the code of practice of the General Social Care Council and are bound by the 1970 Social Services Act as it applies to local authorities. Since 1998 social workers are bound by law to respect the inherent rights and dignity of every human person. Social workers also have to be familiar with the 1990 Community Care Act and subsequent legislation. Local Authorities are bound by the Disability Discrimination Act and a social worker working with people with mental health difficulties would also need to know the terms of this Act and the Chronically Sick and Disabl ed Persons Act of 1970. These inform social workers’ decisions. These may involve having to define mental health difficulties and in what ways their needs might best be addressed. This is particularly so for Approved Social Workers. The social worker has a duty to perform an assessment of need for anyone in the local area who is defined as having a disability, including mental health difficulties, whether the or not the person requests a service. Ongoing training and development for professional social workers is a requirement of the job. If you work in disabilities, particularly mental health then some social workers may specialize in mental health and work towards becoming an Approved Social Worker. Social workers operate within a framework that is informed by human rights and social justice and they need to be aware when the code of practice within which they carry out their duties, is contrary to the values underlying this framework. Within social work it is generally accepted that all people are of value and are entitled to be treated justly and humanely. Social workers who deal with users who have mental health problems now have to work closely with the NHS and with Voluntary Organisations such as Mind. Partnership Working The Griffiths Report (1988) which was commissioned by the Government recommended that local authorities should be enablers, who organized and directed community care. Local authorities would no longer be the sole providers of care, but would have their own budgets to purchase care from the private and voluntary sector. This became law under the 1990 Act the terms of which resulted in an increase in the burden of care for the social work profession. The Act emphasized partnership working in all areas and social workers now have to consult with professionals from all walks of life in order to adequately provide for their clients needs. The introduction of new working practices and the necessity for a greater degree of inter-professional working has meant that the autonomy that social workers once enjoyed has been increasingly eroded (Challis, 1991). Molyneux’s (2001)[3] research into successful inter-professional working established three areas that contributed to the success of such partnerships. Staff needed to be fully committed to what they were doing and personal qualities of adaptability, flexibility and a willingness to share with others were high on the agenda. Regular and positive communication between professionals was seen as endemic to good working relationships and service delivery. This communication was enhanced (in the study) by the instigation of weekly case conferences which allowed professionals to share knowledge and experiences (2001, p.3). Handy (1993) has argued that in order to work successfully together organisations need to find optimal or win/win solutions rather than have their discussions end in wasteful conflict. A major problem with inter-professional working in organisations is that both sides can become defensive of their positions (See Handy, 1993 ch.12). This is particularly the case whe n people are asked to do something that goes against their professional ethics and beliefs (see ch.15). Thus a social worker would not be happy with solutions that did not, in their view, serve to empower clients with mental health difficulties. The inclusion and empowerment of this client group is a central feature of the 2006 White Paper which promises ongoing care not just for those with mental health difficulties but for their carers as well.[4] These arguments are endorsed by Laidler (1991) because in order to be successful across professional boundaries people need to be confident of their own professional role in order to be able to step outside their professional autonomy and work successfully with others. It helps in inter-professional working if all members of the team are particularly focused on the needs of the service user. In this way people reach ‘professional adulthood’. According to Norman (1999) mental health professionals working within teams were reluctant to obey decisions taken by others because it threatened their own professional judgement. It does not help matters when the Government stresses the need for inter-professional working and then sets separate performance targets, rather than integrated group ones. Hudson (2001) maintains that because government has been concerned to prioritise choice and introduce competition in public services this has left professionals with feeling of insecuri ty and a lack of faith in organisational infrastructure. It would be a cruel irony if, having achieved the holy grail of local integrated working, the government, with Sedgefield’s local MP at its head, now puts in place measures that result in its dismantling (Hudson 2005 no page number).[5] At the same time Government expects social care and health professionals to work closely and collaboratively with service users. In social services there is quite an emphais on encouraging the user to participate in decisions regarding their care. In the NHS however, many professionals still work with the idea that the patient does as the professional tells them. This makes it difficult for social workers who are encouraged to lessen the power differential between themselves and service users, this means engaging in anti-oppressive practice e.g. accessible language, and doing what they can to empower individuals. Social Services and Mind Mind is a charity that works for those with mental health problems. The charity points to the fact that the right kind of social care can go a long way to alleviating the stress that mental health difficulties may bring, and which are often ignored. Until recently mental health users received only a small amount of social care and were often referred for medical help alone. However, this course of action neglected the enormous social consequences that mental health difficulties can have and how it affects family units. This is beginning to change and there is an acknowledgment that greater availability of social care would go a long way to alleviating such difficulties. This has been recognised to some extent in the Government paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say. The increasing Government emphasis on partnership working should lead to a greater connection between those who work for social services, the NHS and the charity called Mind. Conclusion This assignment has looked at organisations and the structure underlying social service departments and other human service organisations such as the NHS and the charity called Mind. It has looked at the legislative and policy contexts as they apply to people who need social care and who may also have mental health problems. It has looked at partnership working and how the responsibilities that are incumbent upon social workers are intended to minimalise inequalities and to substantially lessen the power differential between service users and service providers. References Griffiths Report (1988) Community Care; An Agenda for Action, London: HMSO Handy, C 1993 Understanding Organisation London, Random House Handy, C 1997 The Hungry Spirit London, Random House Hudson, B. â€Å"Grounds for Optimism† Community Care December 1st 2005 Kirk, S. 1998 â€Å"Trends in community care and patient participation: Implications for the roles of informal carers and community nurses in the United Kingdom† Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol 28 August 1998 Issue 2 p.370 Laidler, P. 1991 â€Å"Adults and How to become one† Therapy Weekly 17 (35) p.4 Molyneux, J 2001 â€Å"Interprofessional team working: What makes teams work well?† Journal of Inter-professional Care 15 (1) 2001 p.1-7 Norman, I and Peck E. 1999 â€Å"Working together in adult community mental health services†: An inter-professional dialogue† Journal of Mental Health 8 (3) June 1999 pp. 217-230 http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PressReleases/PressReleasesNotices/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4116486chk=zOTHS/ http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/76/04/04127604.pdf Our Health, Our Care, Our Say 1 [1] http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/76/04/04127604.pdf [2] http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PressReleases/PressReleasesNotices/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4116486chk=zOTHS/ [3] Molyneux is a social worker who was part of the inter-professional team on which the study was based. [4] http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/76/04/04127604.pdf [5] http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2005/12/01/51988/Grounds+for+optimism+.html?key=BOB+HUDSON accessed 4/4/06

The Ethics Of Predator Drones Criminology Essay

The Ethics Of Predator Drones Criminology Essay Since its inception in 1995, the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator was initially intended for reconnaissance and forward observation roles, but the September 11 attacks changed that altogether. During February 4, 2002, the CIA deployed the first unmanned, armed Predator drone in an assassination attempt. The strike was to happen in the city of Khost, a province in Afghanistan. The target was Osama bin Laden, or at least someone who the CIA thought was him. Armed with a payload of Hellfire missiles, the drone attacked a group of would-be insurgents. Days later, local journalists and Afghan civilians reported that the dead men were civilians collecting scrap metal. What ensued thereafter was backlash from the public condemning its use. Using (UAVs) unmanned aerial vehicles to kill suspected terrorists marks a radical departure from the ways we have dealt with enemies before. Drones have unofficially become the weapon of choice for counter-terrorism. And over the coming decades, are expecte d to replace piloted aircraft. With the future of warfare pointing to the use of drones, legal and ethical issues surrounding their use must be explored. Since their deployment, armed combat drones have killed terror suspects as well as innocent civilians. The Ethics of Predator Drones Introduction From Davids slingshot, to the invention of bows and arrows, then guns, and missiles, major advances in military technology have revolved around the ability to kill from a distance. Just like a sniper able to shoot down an NVA commanding general from a mile away, the ability to shoot at your enemy from a greater distance than he can shoot back at you is one of the reasons why warfare continues to evolve. The MQ-1 predator drone is just a new tool in a new kind of war. A war waged in the 21st century, the height of technological advancement in weaponry. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were used by the US military as a test bed for their development of future weapons. The US military might is one of the greatest of the world. The US spends more money in defense than all of the other countries combined. The money spent is used in the hopes of lessening military casualties, and to help in accomplishing missions and tasks in a more effective way by using new technology. Their latest inventions include an assortment of robots that are capable of performing EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) destruction missions. Some robots have even cross-trained to a more combat role. For example, the US military have deployed a robot called the Foster-Miller TALON. This robots mission ranges from reconnaissance to combat by employing a rifle mounted apparatus to its tracked chassis. Calibers from the M16, M249, M240 machine gun, .50 Barrett, and sometimes a six barreled 40mm grenade launcher have all been outfitt ed into its tracked chassis. These are just examples of the robots that are deployed on the ground. The most noticeable robot from this new generation of combat robots is the MQ-1 Predator drone. To this day, the Predator drone has flown more than 1 million flight hours. Combat Capabilites The CIA began experimenting with reconnaissance drones since the early 1980s. It was only in the early 1990s when they finally found a suitable prototype that could meet their intended mission needs. Before the production of the current MQ-1 Predator, most of the prototypes were so loud that their detection was inevitable. A chief designer from the Israeli Air Force immigrated to the US in the 1970s and started his own defense contractor business and called it General Atomics. The CIA secretly bought 5 drones from General Atomics and equipped with a more improved and quieter Rotax engine that is driven by a propeller. The Predator drone can fly a range of 770 miles and stay in the air for up to 40 hours, cruising at altitudes over 25,000 feet. Its top speed is 135 mph which is powered by a 115 horse powered Rotax engine. With a payload of 450 pounds, most of the equipment include: infrared tv cameras, and a ground-scanning Synthetic Aperature Radar. A variant was also produced to pro vide a more combat-centered role. This variant is armed with a pair of AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided, anti-armor missiles. Another variant called the MQ-9 Reaper is their latest incarnation of combat drones. The MQ-9 Reaper is much larger and also capable of autonomous flight operations. It is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-edurance missions. The Predator can be disassembled into 6 main components and loaded into a container which makes it rapidly deployable. Included in the Predator package is a 20ft satellite dish and other supported equipment. The satellite dish provides a link to communicate with the operators at a distant remote location. The ground station houses the multiple support staff from pilots to sensor operators. The remote link could be as far as 5000 miles away, which makes the predator a system rather than an aircraft. The advantage of using such a system is that it has all the advantages of a traditional reconnaissance sortie without ever exposing the pilot to a hostile environment. Combat Record Currently the US Air Force has over 190 MQ-1 Predators and over 25 MQ-9 Reapers in operation. Over 250 missiles have been fired in Iraq and Afghanistan alone since 2008. An estimated 70 Predators have been lost due to weather, equipment failure, operator error and an additional 4 have been shot down. With over 1 million flight hours, the Predator has maintained a 90 percent mission capable rate. With no US casualties related to operating a drone, this proves advantageous in combat operations. The Predator drone first took flight over the Balkans. It provided reconnaissance during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Then in 2000, the CIA and the Pentagon joined forces to locate Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The first flights over Afghanistan were more of an observatory role which provided intelligence for the locations of suspected terrorists. It wasnt until the September 11 attacks that the US started to seriously consider arming the Predator with weapons for combat purposes. After successful testing of the newly armed Predators, the US found more missions for the Predator to perform and more are used today in multiple combat zones. With its newfound role as a combat drone, the US began to deploy the Predator on missions to Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, and other middle-eastern countries in which suspected terrorists are expected to be in hiding. During missions in Iraq, several Predator drones encountered Iraqi MiG-25s and participated in the first air to air combat between a drone and a piloted fighter aircraft. In fact, the US stripped multiple Predator drones of its sophisticated weapons and sensory systems and used them as decoys in the sky to entice Iraqi air defenses to expose themselves by firing. The most recent account of a Predator being used to kill high-profile terrorists was during an operation to apprehend deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, several Predators have returned to Libya in support of the Benghazi attacks. Civilian Casualties Despite its combat effectiveness against suspected terrorists, reports suggest that far more civilians have been killed by US drone attacks than US officials have acknowledged. A new study by Stanford University and New York University contends that CIA targeted killings arent making America any safer and instead has turned the Countries that these drones have ravaged against the US. The study calls for the Obama administration to be more transparent and accountable for its actions, and to prove compliance with international law. One instance in dispute involving civilian casualties occurred during a drone attack on March 17, 2011. An estimated 42 people were killed during a Jirga, a meeting of elders. According to reports, most of those killed were civilians with only 4 known members of the Taliban in attendance. The disparity of civilian deaths to militant deaths calls to question the legal basis for targeted killings by drones and the criteria in which an authorized strike is recommended against armed men who fit the profile of militants. The study says that the drone attacks violate international law because the government has no proof that the targets are direct threats to the United States. The following graph displays the reported fatalities resulting from US drone strikes conducted in Pakistan. As you can see from the graph, fatalities have risen significantly since 2004. The dramatic rise in fatalities correlates to the frequency of use. Not only has President Obamas administration embraced the CIAs campaign of Predator drone strikes in Pakistan that began under President Bush in 2004. It has also continued an acceleration of the campaign that began in July 2008 during the last year of President Bushs tenure (Woodward 2010: 25). There is also evidence that the range of persons being targeted has expanded. In particular, it has been widely reported that late in the Bush administration, the CIA received permission to broaden the scope of targeting from an exclusive focus on high-value al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban targets to include low level fighters whose identities may not be known and that this broadened scope has gradually come to include the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban (Kilcullen, Exum, Fick and Humayun 2009: 18; Mayer 2009; Entous 2010). More and more pressure has been added by the international community to stop these drone attacks, but top US officials have defended its use. A top US counter-terrorism official cited the benefits of its uses. Such benefits include reduced danger to US pilots and limited US military involvement overseas. Legality There were reports from the Wall Street Journal that revealed the Bush Administrations and CIAs plan to set up hit squads to capture and kill Taliban and Al Qaeda militants around the world. The anger from the public grew even more when the Times reported that the CIA planned to carry out these hits by employing the controversial private contractor formerly known as Blackwater. Members from both the House and Senate intelligence committees claim that these plans were hidden from them and demanded a thorough investigation of the programs created to carry out those hits. Although the program was never fully operational, many legal experts contend that if they were, it would have violated President Gerald R. Fords 1976 executive order in which it bans American intelligence forces from engaging in assassinations. Although the targeted-killing program was never fully implemented, many consider the Predator program to be an extension of its intended creation. It so happens, that the Predator program also uses private contractors for maintaining the drones, equipping it with Hellfire missiles, and also flying it. There are currently 2 drone programs in which the US government runs. There is the military version, for which it is publicly acknowledged and operates in recognized war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The military version is considered to be an extension of conventional warfare. Then there is the CIAs version, which aims at killing suspected terrorists around the world, including in countries where US troops are not present. The latter is covert and not much information is provided to the public about how it chooses its targets, where the operations are conducted, or how many people have been thought to have been killed. The international community condemns these targeted killings and suggested that these attacks would encourage other countries to disregard long-established human rights standards. Some even suggested that these drone strikes may even constitute war crimes. Powerful countries such as China, Russia and other countries have publicly criticized the US drone attacks. The concern is mostly about the use of drones outside of recognized war zones and the secretive nature of such operations. Aside from the lawful use of drone attacks in which it is involved in armed conflict, some consider the secondary attacks on rescuers who are helping the injured after the initial drone attacks, those further attacks are suggested to be war crimes. Ethical Concerns One of the main concerns about using the Predator drone, despite its exemplary combat record, is that drones could lead us down the road to building fully autonomous weapons systems; machines that can make their own lethal decisions on the battlefield. Its hard to distinguish which weapon system is considered autonomous, so for the purpose of making a quick distinction, I will refer to any weapon that makes a decision to launch a lethal attack as fully autonomous. So, a heat-seeking Hellfire missile that follows a target would not be autonomous because a human entity made the decision to push the button to launch it, but a Predator drone programmed so as to make the decision for itself to fire on a specific target of its own accord would be. So as long as the human element is present for each particular lethal decision, it would not be considered autonomous. Many consider autonomous drones to be morally impermissible and are afraid that the move to make current drones autonomous is j ust around the corner. Another concern pertains to the drones decreased ability to discriminate combatants from noncombatants. The concern stems from the trust-worthiness of intelligence and also from the ability to discern different people from a video feed in which the operator is literally thousands of miles away from the battlefield. The examples given before in which the toll of civilian deaths were reported to be significantly larger than the combatant deaths attest to this concern. Some are worried that the use of drones leads to psychological conflicts for their operators. A drone operator would go home or to a PTA meeting after a hard days work of killing suspected terrorists from the comforts of his work desk. Some argue that this places unjust psychological burden on them and causes cognitive dissonance in the mindset of the warrior. An even greater concern is that drone operators would treat warfare as if it were a video game; as a result from the cognitive dissonance which will weaken a warriors will to fight. This could ultimately lead to mental problems or even PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) which would likely affect the operators decision-making on the battlefield. Another criticism is that drones create unjust asymmetry in combat. The objection follows: The use of technologically superior weapons such as drones by one force against another force that does not have the means to attain similar technology crosses an asymmetry threshold that makes the combat inherently ignoble. Its considered to be morally impermissible to pit two opposing sides against each other whose combat abilities differ greatly. Imagine pitting a lion against a dog. The same principle applies when you consider jus in bello (Laws of war). This position is usually held because in such circumstances one side literally does not take any life-or death risks whatsoever (or nearly so, since its warfighters are not even present in the primary theater of combat) whereas the opposing side carries all the risk of combat. (Stawser, 2010) A Moral Case for Drones There are many advocates for the continued use of drones. Some argue that the US is not only entitled but morally obliged to use drones. Considering all the advantages, there is really no downside to using them. Drones are merely an extension of a long historical trajectory of removing a warrior ever farther from his foe for the warriors better protection. (Strawser, 2010) Predator drones have been credited with the removal of top Al Qaeda and Taliban members, the most recent being Al Qaedas No. 3, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid. Stopping these influential terrorist leaders proved to be valuable in stopping large scale terrorists plots aimed at destroying or even devastating US cities and their allies. Conclusion Its only a matter of time when drones will rule the sky. Not only are drones being used in the combat zone, assassination plots, or just surveillance, there are plans in the future for them to roam in the sky of our own US cities. Plans to make drones an extension of law enforcement are inevitable. Before that happens, we have to be responsible citizens and look deep into the ethical problems that they provide and not be blinded by its technological superiority. As the drone attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere have demonstrated, we now have the ultimate in push button warfare. There is always an advantage to having military superiority over your enemies. However, I think its important that we not fall into the trap of thinking that just because our slingshot has a greater range than the other guys, we are morally justified in using it in every case. Military superiority brings with it a moral responsibility not to use the superior weapons we possess merely because we possess them.  (Vincent, 2009)

Modern technologys effect on ecology :: essays research papers

?It is because of those scientists? inventions.? ?Modern technology owes ecology an apology!? This is what some people say when the read the news about haze, deforestation, extinction of flora and fauna and global warming. They blame modern technology, the materials and ideas developed in the last century to assist humans in their activities, for the deterioration of ecology. The ecological cycle has been very much disturbed by the developments humankind have achieved. Despite these allegations, we should stop and think, does modern technology really owe ecology an apology? For what reason does it owe ecology an apology? Is it because it took away its attractiveness and reduced attention and respect to nature?s beauty? Is it because it harmed the environment? Has all modern technology harmed Mother Nature? I think modern technology does owe ecology an apology as some but not all of it has negatively affected the ecology. First of all, let?s examine the consequences of modern technology on the environment. Modern technology indeed has harmed the environment. It created bulldozers, cranes, guns, nuclear weapons and other dangerous equipments that have been used by man to clear forests for the sake of urbanization. Nuclear weapons that have been used in wars such as the one that was detonated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 has left a huge impact on the environment.

Biosafety Protocol: Is There A Need For One? :: essays research papers fc

Biosafety Protocol: Is There A Need For One? Outline Thesis statement: An international biosafety protocol should be created to establish and maintain control over the products designed with biotechnology. I. The existing laws and regulations that govern the release of transgenic organisms are inadequate or nonexistent. A. The developed nations of the world are using regulations that were designed to control and monitor crops created with traditional technologies. B. Biotechnology is regulated by three different agencies. C. The undeveloped nations have virtually no regulations governing transgenic organisms. 1. This indicates that biotechnological research can and is being conducted in these countries without regulation. 2. There are many biotech companies based in developed countries that have branches or joint ventures around the world. II. The potential risks of transgenic organisms to the environment is still being determined. A. Some experts warn that there is a danger that biotechnology can create mutant hybrids. B. Biotechnology has the potential to harm the economies of some developing nations. C. The last and possible the most important argument for an international biosafety protocol is in the name of ignorance and caution III. The United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia are the only countries opposed to the biosafety protocol. IV. The need for a change in the world of agriculture is undeniable. As the world moves closer to the 21st century, research and development in the area of biotechnology has increased dramatically. According to Bette Hileman of Chemical and Engineering News, the world population will increase by 3 billion people in the next thirty years while the amount of land available for agriculture cannot be greatly expanded. "Biotechnology - specifically that aspect involved in transferring genes from one species into the [DNA] of another - has the potential to alleviate . . ." (8) this and many other problems facing the world in the near future. Even though biotechnology has already shown dramatic results in the creation of beneficial transgenic (genetically engineered) species, many countries and researchers are ". . . quite leery about the uses of biotechnology" (8). Therefore, an international biosafety protocol should be created to establish and maintain control over the products designed with biotechnology. The existing laws and regulations that govern the release of transgenic organisms are inadequate or nonexistent. In general, the developed nations of the world are using regulations that were designed to control and monitor crops created with traditional technologies like hybridization and cross-breeding (Hileman 8). Pamela Weintraub, of the National Audubon Society, states that many expected problems with biotechnology can be kept under control with proper regulations, but the regulations (where there are any) governing biotechnology today are "tangled and obscure" (164). In the United States for example, biotechnology is regulated by three

The Xia Dynasty Essay

The first prehistoric dynasty is said to be Xia, from about the twenty-first to the sixteenth century B.C. Xia-dynasty was founded by the Si-clan, who were descendants of the clan’s foundation father, Yu. Because of the lack of written sources, historians have still not gained a correct idea of how the people lived at that time. According to the later tradition, Yu spent thirteen years to dig out channels and maintain dikes. When emperor Shun died, the officials disagreed with the imperial decision of letting Shun’s son inherit the throne. They wanted Yu instead, who after his death was followed by his son. It was Yu who founded the first imperial dynasty in China. Until scientific excavations were made at early bronze-age sites at Anyang, Henan Province, in 1928, it was difficult to separate myth from reality in regard to the Xia. But since then, and especially in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists have uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs that point to the existence of Xia civilization in the same locations cited in ancient Chinese historical texts. At minimum, the Xia period marked an evolutionary stage between the late neolithic cultures and the typical Chinese urban civilization of the Shang dynasty. Xia was conquered by Tang, and a new era had begun, the Shang-dynasty was founded. Created by Yang Lu Stunning Capital of Xia Dynasty Unearthed Chinese archaeologists recently found a large-scale building foundation in Erlitou Ruins of Yanshi, central China’s Henan Province, which belongs to the later period of Xia Dynasty. The discovery, the first of its kind in China, again excited the archaeological field after the heated discussion on the division of Xia and Shang dynasties . â€Å"The site causes great concern because it was founded at the key moment when the Xia Dynasty (c. 2100 BC – c. 1600 BC) was replaced by the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC – c. 1100 BC),† said Dr. Xu Hong, head of the Erlitou Archaeological Team under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. â€Å"Was it built by people of the Xia or the Shang? Further excavation will help find the final resolution and provide new materials for periodization of the two dynasties.† Erlitou Ruins, a new mystery The Erlitou Ruins were discovered by Chinese scholars in their field research of Xia culture. In the following 40 years’ outdoor excavation, they obtained rich relics and references. As a result, the Erlitou Ruins were confirmed as the ruins of an important capital existing between the Xia and Shang dynasties. The first-hand information and scientific materials laid a solid foundation for the research of Xia culture. Meanwhile, since its discovery, disputes about it have never ended. Situated in the central area of the Xia Dynasty as shown in historical records chronologized as in the Xia Dynasty, the Erlitou Ruins naturally became a key site in the exploration of the Xia culture as well as the division between Xia and Shang dynasties. The question remaining is whether it is a Xia-dynasty capital or the Shang capital Xibo. Disputes also center on the nature of the Erlitou culture. Some think it featured Xia culture in early period and Shang culture in later period, while others believe it was of pure Xia culture. After the periodization of the Xia, Shang and Zhou (c. 1100 BC – 221 BC) was completed, more and more experts tended to believe Erlitou was a site of Xia ruins and it once served as the capital during the dynasty’s middle and later periods. â€Å"This means people can almost touch the pulse of China’s first dynasty. I say ‘almost’ because many mysteries about the Erlitou Ruins remain unsolved,† Dr. Xu Hong said. â€Å"We’ve got only an outline of the information it has provided, such as the internal layout, evolution process, culture, social life, organizational structure and ethnics, of this capital.† â€Å"The final solution to the mysteries of Erlitou culture and Xia culture still depends on more historical witnesses, such as the creation of characters,† Xu said. â€Å"With further investigation, excavation and research on the Erlitou  Ruins, people will better understand the significance of the ruins in exploring the source of Chinese culture, Chinese early civilization and formation of state.† Palace complex: the earliest ever found Under the No.2 site of Erlitou Ruins, which is the foundation of a large-scale palace complex, archaeologists recently discovered a new site of rammed earth, which indicates an earlier, larger and more complicated structure once existed there. It pushes the age of China earliest palace complex back 100 years. According to Dr. Xu Hong, the site, encoded No.3, should belong to early-period Erlitou culture. To date, it has been confirmed that the structure was about 150 meters long, and its major body comprises at least three courtyards. Before the discovery, archaeologists believed the No.1 and No.2 sites of Erlitou were the earliest large-scale palaces in China, leading to the conclusion that the early period palace was simple in structure and usually had one gate and one courtyard. The excavation of No.3 site, however, made them change minds. The Erlitou Ruins, dating back 3,850-3,550 years, were found in 1959. As early as in 1978, archaeologists had noticed large-scale rammed earth under the No.2 palace site and decided to explore its scale, structure and date. In recent years, the Erlitou Archaeological Team has focused their field work on early buildings of Erlitou and its relationship with later buildings. Since autumn 2001, more than 3,000 square meters have been excavated. The result is the discovery of the more complicated No.3 and No.5 palace sites, which sit side by side, one in the east, the other in the west. Under the passageway between them, there is a 100-meter-long wooden-structured drainage culvert. In the middle and south courtyards of No.3 site, archaeologists also found rows of medium-sized tombs, of which five have been cleaned up. All of the tombs are paved with cinnabar and traces of coffins can still be seen. Burial articles unearthed include bronze, jade, lacquer and white pottery ware as well as glazed pottery inlayed with turquoise and artifacts made from seashells. Many items, such as white pottery in shape of wide-rimmed bamboo hat, jade ornament looking like a bird’s head, large vessel inlayed with turquoise and ornament composed of nearly 100 gear-like holed clams, had never been seen before. The discovery of the tombs with so many aristocrats is of great significance to the study of the nature of No.3 site and the burial ceremonies of the Erlitou culture. Basic structure of Erlitou made clear In the past half a century, Chinese archaeologists have dedicated themselves to seeking relics of the Xia Dynasty and their work centers on western Henan Province. Historical records show the western part of Henan Province was the central area for activities in the Xia Dynasty. In 1959, historian Xu Xusheng found the large ruins of Erlitou in Yanshi of western Henan Province. Since then, three generations of archaeologists have conducted more than 40 excavations. Research proves this was the largest living community in China and even in East Asia in the first half of c. 2000 BC. It boasted the earliest palace building group of China, earliest bronze sacrificial vessel group and earliest bronze smelting workshop. It is the earliest capital city which can be confirmed to date. Dr. Xu Hong, head of the Erlitou Archaeological Team under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stresses the academic significance of the work: it helps better understand the nature of Erlitou Ruins as a capital, the emergence of city, and the early form of state. The palaces in the Erlitou Ruins had three avenues: the one in the east was nearly 700 meters long, the other two in the north and south were over 300 meters each, with a distance of 400 meters between them. Also, several paths were discovered in the palace area. Between No.1 and No.2 sites, large areas of earth, hundreds square meters of pebble and some rammed-earth foundations were found. The latest exploration and excavation show the palace ruins were distributed in a northwest-southeast trend along the ancient Yiluo River. The longest distance from east to west was 2,400 meters, and that from north to south, 1,900 meters. The northern part of it had been damaged by the Luohe River, with only a three-square-kilometer area left. The most important part was the highland in the southeast, with palace foundation ruins, bronze smelting workshop ruins and medium-sized tombs. The western part of it was relatively low and used to be common residential areas. On the edge of the eastern part a ditch extending 500 meters intermittently was found. It was believed to be a ditch providing earth for construction or pottery making in the past. Also, it formed the eastern border of the palace. Background: Journey into the Xia Dynasty Erlitou is a common village on the northern bank of the Luohe River, Henan Province. Few has known it was the location of the capital of China’s first dynasty, Xia between c.1900 BC to c. 1600 BC. It witnessed the prosperity of the Xia and the transmission from the Xia to the Shang. However, the memory about the Chinese nation seemed to dim from people’s mind and some even doubted if there had been such a brilliance. In the 20th century, the discovery of inscriptions on tortoise shells or animal bones and excavation of the Yin Ruins of Anyang proved the existence of the Shang Dynasty. This greatly encouraged Chinese scholars, who hoped to restore the real appearance of the Xia Dynasty by seeking relevant relics. Since Erlitou was discovered by Xu Xusheng and his archaeological team in 1959, Chinese archaeologists have entered a new stage in the exploration of  the Xia culture. The continuous excavation brought to light ruins of large-scale palace foundations, large-scale bronze smelting workshop, pottery making and bone article workshops as well as buildings related to religious sacrifice, 400 tombs, sets of bronze and jade sacrificial vessels. All these have proven Erlitou was the earliest capital ever founded in China. Along with new discoveries, the disputes over Xia culture and the division of the Xia and Shang dynasties have heated up again, attracting both domestic and overseas scholars. The periodization of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties greatly promoted the study of Xia culture. The initial building of the Shang city in Yanshi has been confirmed as a boundary mark between the Xia and Shang dynasties, and Erlitou Ruins, a capital of the Xia Dynasty. More and more scholars begin to accept the view that the mainstay of Erlitou culture was Xia culture. Now the exploration on the source of Chinese civilization and Xia culture is still going on. Dr. Xu Hong, as well as other scholars devoted to this study, is fully confident of the future: â€Å"The discovery of the Yin Ruins astounded the world in the 20th century. We believe the Erlitou Ruins will lead the study of Chinese ancient civilization to a new stage in the 21st century.† The first prehistoric dynasty is said to be Xia, from about the twenty-first to the sixteenth century BC. Until scientific excavations were made at early bronze-age sites at Anyang, Henan Province, in 1928, it was difficult to seperate myth from reality in regard to the Xia. But since then, and especially in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists have uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs that point to the existence of Xia civilization in the same locations cited in ancient Chinese historical texts. At minimum, the Xia period marked an evolutionary stage between the late neolithic cultures and the typical Chinese urban civilization of the Shang Dynasty. The Xia Dynasty is traditionallly supposed to have begun with the reign of Yu the Great and ended with the fall of Jie,lasting for more than 400 years, from approximately the 21st century BC to a little earlier  to the 16th century BC. THere were altogether seventeen kings in fourteen generations. According to an ancient version of history, however, it was not Yu, but his son Qi, who founded the dynasty. Towards the end of the Xia Dynasty, social contradictions and confict grew sharper. Tradition has it that in the 16th century BC, the last ruler of Xia, Jie, abused his power and increased oppression. He exhausted the resources of the people to build palaces and pavilions for himself. The people were also forced to go to war. Filled with hatred for Jie, the people could no longer put up with his despotic rule and fled in large numbers. Even his court officials cursed him and wished his death, although that might mean that they themselves would perish. The origin of Xia Dynasty — The Great Yu and the terrible Flood Shang Tang sezed this opportunity. took a revolt and finally overthrew the Xia Dynasty and founded the house known as the Shang Dynasty. Legend has it that some four or five thousand years ago there occurred once in the Yellow River valley a terrible flood which washed away whole villages with their houses and inundated large areas of cropland. Many people lost their lives in the flood and those who were fortunate enough to survive were forced to abandon their homes and go and live on hillsides or migrate to places far, far away. At that time, the leader of the confederation of tribes was a man named Yao who at once summoned together the chieftains of all the tribes to discuss how to get the flood under control. At the meeting, a man named Gun was elected by unanimous vote to take charge of the fight against the flood. Under Gun’s leadership, the people spent nine long years building dams and dykes to stop the flow of the rivers. All the efforts however ended only in more disastrous floods. It happened more than once that no sooner was a dam or dyke built than it was destroyed by flood which carried sands and mud downstream until the mouth of the Yellow River was choked up and the afflicted areas became larger and larger while the number of victims  increased. By this time Yao himself was getting very old and so he yielded his place to one named Shun who attached great importance to flood control and went to the work sites for a personal inspection. When he found that Gun had failed in his mission, he first had him incarcerated on Feather Hill and then killed. After that he gave orders that Gun’s son Yu should carry on the work of fighting the flood. There have been many mythical stories about Yu’s birth. One is that three years after Gun was killed, his dead body still showed no signs of putrefaction and when someone cut it open, out bounded the boy Yu. Another has it that Yu’s mother gave birth to him after eating a kind of wild fruit. Anyway, in ancient times everyone seemed to believe that Yu was the son of a god, an ingenious, capable and peerless hero. It was barely four days after he got married when Yu received Shun’s order. Determined to have the flood under control and remove the menace to the people, he left his wife behind and set off for the work site. Yu first made a study of the causes that had led to his father’s failure. Then he made a careful survey of the afflicted areas and asked for advice from experienced workers. Knowing that water tends to flow from higher to lower regions, he abandoned Gun’s method of building dams and dykes to stop the flow of waters. Instead he led his men in digging ditches and canals to divert the flood and also in dredging the river channels so as to provide outlets for the floods into the sea. In those days there was a high mountain, Mount Longmen, in the upper reaches of the Yellow River that blocked the way of the river. When the turbulent waters reached the mountain, it overflowed the banks, causing floods in the vicinity. In order to cut a canal into the mountain, Yu turned himself into a bear and stole into the mountains to do the digging. He also enlisted the help of Ying Long, Huang Di’s brave warrior. Eventually, he succeeded in cutting a canal through Mount Longmen an d thus made it possible for the floods to flow by way of this canal and the dredged rivers into the sea. Rain or shine, Yu worked in the midst of his men, digging and taking earth away all through the four seasons of a year. His face became sun-burnt and his body spare and thin. Even the hair on his calves was worn away. But he was so dedicated that it was said that he had three times refrained from entering the door of his home when he was passing by. One story has it that he happened to be passing the door when his wife was giving birth to his son Qi. He heard the baby crying, but in order to get the flood under control as early as he could he turned away from his door. Thus after thirteen long years of continuous efforts, Yu and his men succeeded in dredging all the rivers, big and small, and in doing away with the evil of flood. Those who had gone to live on hillsides or had migrated to remote places now came back to their native places. Under Yu’s leadership, they tilled the land and planted crops and developed agricultural production. As a result, people were beginning to lead a good life. Yu was held in great reverence by all the tribes who now addressed him as Yu the Great. Shun was convinced that Yu had both fine qualities and great competence and so recommended him as his successor. After the death of Shun, Yu became the head of the tribal confederation. Later his own son Qi set himself as the successor and it was Qi that set up the first slave-owning state in Chinese history – the Xia Dynasty Xia Dynasty 2100 BC – 1700 BC According to legend, the Chinese people originated in the Huang He (Yellow River) valley created by the god, Pan Ku. There is little archaeological evidence of this, although remains of Homo Erectus dating back 460,000 years have been found near Beijing. Several villages & farms from about 10,000 BC have been found by archaeologists in northern China. Although little is known about the Xia Dynasty, the Xia are assumed to be descended from the Huang He people. Until recently the dynasty was thought of as mythical but archaeological evidence has now proved its existence. In about 3000 BC the  Lungshan people emerged and were the first people of the Xia Dynasty. They made silk, fine pottery and bricks baked in ovens to build their homes. They learned how to control floods and irrigate fields and had great engineering skills. There are no written records although it is assumed that they had a writing system of some sort. This first hereditary dynasty lasted some 400 years and tradition says it ended when a Xia ruler started mistreating the people and was overthrown. The Xia Dynasty is portrayed as the tutorial missions in Emperor. In prehistoric ancient China several nomadic families joined together and settled along the fertile banks of the Wei River. The settlement of Banpo starts very small requiring only the basics of life but, as the years pass, the settlement prospers and they establish farms together with the manufacture of luxuries such as beautiful ceramics. Later still, explorers go out from the town to search for other communities and a new town is established on the plains of Erlitou and rudimentary trade between cities is started. At last the silk-worm and the beautiful fabric that can be made from it are discovered. As with most societies, war threatens and copper is mined to make weapons and arm soldiers. Taxes have to be levied with the tax collectors using wooden ledgers for record keeping. Finally the tutorials (and Xia Dynasty) end with victory in battle The establishment of the Xia Dynasty (21st – 17th century BC) is an important milestone in the history of Chinese civilization and marks the end of the Primitive Society and the beginning of the Class Society. It is the first dynasty in Chinese history, and lasted nearly 500 years including the reigns of 17 emperors. It is thought that most of the Xia people probably inhabited the western area of Henan Province and southern Shanxi Province. Political History It is Yu the Great who first set up the dynasty under the Abdication System (choosing the leader according to their ability). After he died, his son Qi broke up this system and made himself the Xia emperor. From that time onwards, the Abdication System gave way to the Hereditary System. Following the system of hereditary, 15 offspring of Qi succeeded him after  his death. Among them, emperors like Shaokang, and Huai made great contributions to the development of Chinese society. However, there were also many tyrannical emperors during this period such as Taikang, Kongjia, and Jie. Economy and Crafts During this dynasty, many achievements were made. People lived mainly through agriculture using tools made of stone or bone. The Jade ware at that time was quite delicate and bronze vessels were well smelted. Craftwork made of bronze embedded with jade also appeared. Commodity exchanges developed. A calendar system was devised which used both lunar and solar movements. Decline Xia ended under the reign of Jie, a very notorious tyrannical emperor in Chinese history. After he succeeded to the throne, he lived an extravagant life day and night without any thought for his country or its people. In addition, he killed the patriotic ministers who presented him with good advice. All of his actions enraged the people so much that at last they rose up under the leadership of Tang (the chief of the Shang tribe and latter set up Shang Dynasty (17th – 11th century BC) and overthrew Xia. The realm of China has been well renowned for its sundry and unique culture – that is why a lot of researchers, students, and tourists became very much fascinated with the historical background and roots of this culture. For decades, Chinese history and culture have undergone huge tons of changes – from the places, food, clothing, political beliefs, spiritual choices, attitude of people, structure of buildings and residences, government types, arts, and others alike. All of the alleged factors have undergone change and innovation throughout the point in time, living massive impact on its people. To better acquire an understanding of the up-to-date transformation in the ethnicity and traditions of China, it is better to be aware of the roots of modernization where innovation and colossal amendment took place. According to unswerving sources, there are proof and substantiation that the immense variations on the Chinese history and culture was distinguished and  took consign during the Xia Dynasty, roughly around 2100 B.C. to 1600 B.C. The Xia Dynasty lasted for nearly 500 years and during those long years, a lot of modification has been made doable under diverse leaders from one generation to another. All through those years, the nation of China has been under the leadership of 17 different emperors that has left a lot of remarkable changes in the country’s culture. The Origins and Development of the Xia Dynasty First, it is important to go through the origin of the Xia Dynasty – where did it all start? There are a lot of different versions and story lines on the subject of the roots of the Xia Dynasty but regardless of those speculations, lone factor will remain the same, and that is Xia was the very first established dynasty system in China. Long before, the Xia Dynasty had been established through battles between two tribes that had long existed – the two battling tribes are the Xia tribe and Chiyou’s tribe. The Patriarch of the Xia Tribe The Xia tribe was noted to progressively develop and took place during the time of Zhuanxu, who is well acknowledged as one of the five great emperors of China. According to classical research, reviews and historical texts, a lot of evidences have proved that Yu the Great, which is the first leader of China during the Xia Dynasty was the grandson of Zhuanxu. Other classical facts and historical rites profess that Xia is a member of the fifth generation of Zhuanxu. Whether of the alleged facts are true or not, the only fact that will remain the same is that the first conqueror and leader of China’s Xia Dynasty originated from the Zhuanxu, evidently making it possible that the Xia clan was mainly the descendants of the great emperor. Areas of Habitation and the Abdication System The development of the Xia Dynasty served as a very significant part of the Chinese history and culture since during those periods the development has marked the end of the Primitive civilization and highlighted the beginning of the class and more modernized society. Most people during the Xia Dynasty period localized in the western area of the province of Henan and some also inhabited the northern and southern part of the province of Shanxi. During  the earlier times of Xia Dynasty, the approach in selecting the right leader was first set up by Yu the Great, who made the Abdication System the way of choosing the right leader. The Abdication System is an approach where a leader is chosen according to their advanced ability and competence. Gun’s Mission to Stop the Flooding at the Yellow River Throughout the Xia Dynasty, the main problem that Yu the Great had to deal with was the flooding of the Yellow River. Long before the time of Gun, known as the earliest member of the Xia clan and also the father of Yu the Great, Gun and other tribe members attempted to solve the problems of flooding. Gun was appointed by Yao to stop the flooding of the Yellow river; Yao ordered the establishment and construction of large line of defense and blockade that would stop the flooding and destruction of their farm or field crops. The attempt of Yu’s father to build a defense and effective barrier to prevent and control the flood lasted for nine long years, but in the end they still failed to attain their goal since the flood became stronger and more uncontrollable. That failure has lead to the order of execution of Yu the Great’s father Gun, who was ordered by Shun the succeeding leader of the throne. Gun’s Execution and Yu’s Mission Gun was ordered to be executed on the mountain located between the Donghai countries – because of his father’s failure to solve the flooding, Yu the Great was motivated to continue his father’s attempt to stop the flooding of the Yellow River. Since Yu the Great was highly trusted by Shun, he was then assigned to continue his father’s work – the method and technique of Yu greatly differ from his father’s approach. As you can recall, the method used by Gun was to build a blockade that will redirect the path of the water to stop the flood but since it is a failure, Yu the Great tried a whole lot of different approach. The first step that Yu considered was to acquire help from other tribes. What he did was unite people coming from the different tribes and ordered them to lend him a hand in solving their flooding problems by effectively building canals in all the major rivers around China, which will redirect the water into its way to the sea, co nsequently preventing it from flooding their farms. Yu’s Dedication to Stopping the Yellow River Floods Yu the great has dedicated 13 years of his life in order to complete his mission and during those 13 years, he did not go home to see his family. It was said that throughout that 13 years he only passed by looking at his house without going inside and talking to his family. He was very much dedicated and highly motivated, he was an epitome of strength and intelligence may be that is the reason why all his hard work eventually paid off, and his technique was successful in leading the water directly into the sea, thus preventing the flood. Mission Accomplished: Prosperity Ensues The prevention of the flood eventually lead to the affluence and growth of the farm crops that was usually destroyed by the flood and this growth has lead to the strengthening of the Xia tribe, making Yu the leader of other surrounding tribes. Then eventually after several years, Shun abdicated his throne to Yu since Shun himself is getting old and needs to pass the throne and authority to a competent leader – he then chose Yu to succeed on his position. And that was noted as the first year of Yu’s leadership and also the birth of the Xia Dynasty. After several years of leadership, Yu was ought to pass the throne to a worthy leader but instead of choosing according to the competence and ability Yu chose to give the throne to his son Qi; that act marked the start of the Hereditary System in selecting a leader and began the era of clan leadership style of governing. The throne was continuously passed to sons of the kings, from generation to generation until the time of Jie took place. Jie was the last ruler of the Xia dynasty he was perceived as a corrupt leader, which lead to the rebellion of the people against his leadership that eventually lead him to be overthrown by Tang who started the Shang Dynasty. Xia Dynasty Technology & Innovation Other changes that were noted from the period of Xia Dynasty was subsequent, the use of stone tools like the hand axe, they also made use of fire in perfecting the stone tools that they created. Agriculture was also improved during the Xia period and pasturing was started. Irrigation technology was also greatly improved, the production of dried and earthen goods also took place, the use of ships and vehicles arose, the use of varnish became common practice. Silk production and weaving also took place during the Xia dynasty  as well as drilling and carving technology. But the most recognized innovation during this period was the creation of the calendar based on two different patterns, the use of jade, bronze vessels, and bronze casting also became popular at this era. XIA Dynasty Religion Government Geography Economy Society First Chinese Dynasty Marked the transition between primitive society and class society. First began with an abdiction system Choosing leader by ability. After Yu the great died, his son Qi changed to the hereditary system choosing the leader by the bloodline. The Xia Dynasty had no written records so at times they are considered myth. There society was based on slavery. Their culture was very into astronomy. They were among the first to chart constellations and supernovas. Most of the Xia was learned from ancient records from other civilizations because the Xia themeselves had no form of writing. Some of these records include the Bamboo Annals and the Records of the Grand Historian. They were believed to be Aryans who migrated into the area and they were able to take down the locals and conquer it. There are credited for discovering silk and an early lunar calendar. In the beginning they believed in natural religion. This included shamans, spirits, and cremation of the dead bodies. With time the larger population became Buddhist. Tangut monks translated many sutras to the Xia language. After the 11th century the Xia went into Lamaism Thats another form of Buddhism. Smaller religion present was Chinese Daoism. They were very family oriented, they honored their family. Most of the myths about the Xia had godlike leaders or gods included in them. They had a large amount of cattle herds that they used to make a lot of woolen products. They depended on their resources. For example fishermen depend on fish. They had no trade with others because they were involved in so much war. Had frontier market to supply their own country. Made coins to buy within their country. Made tools and weapons out of stone, bone, and wood. In the time of Yu the Great there were many floods that destroyed the crops and home of the people. Due to excessive floods, Yu built canals leading to the river and the sea. The canals also helped with agriculture when they began farming. There were a total of 17 emperors The first one was Xiayu, who was in power for 45 years The Xia was based on  slavery The leader that ended the Xia dynasty was named Jie he was a tyrant. Jie was in charge for 52 years They lived next to the yellow riverbend. The Xia were very good fishers. The Xia had descended from a wide-spread Yellow River valley Neolithic culture known as the Longshan culture. There is only some written records of this. The Xia dynasty lasted 500 years. On a warm spring day, in Xia times, some children went out in the fields to play. In those days, if you had a problem you went to see the local wise woman. In this village, the wise woman’s name was Loawnu. Alarmed at what they saw in the fields, the children ran up the hill to Loawnu’s house. â€Å"Loawnu,† they shouted. â€Å"The sky is falling down!† Loawnu smiled at the children. â€Å"Don’t be worried. Find all the pieces of sky that have fallen, and bring them to me. I’ll sew them together again in time for the festival.† The spring festival was nearing. This was a time when the young people gathered from many villages to meet one another and to find husbands and wives. The children’s village had been honored this year as the meeting village. It would be a horrible time for the sky to fall down. The village would be disgraced! Off the children ran to pick up the pieces. But some were missing! â€Å"Loawnu!† cried the children, as they tore up the hill, breathing heavily. Loawnu only smiled. The next day, the children ran outside and looked up. The sky looked as it always looked on a warm spring day, clean and fresh and blue. They were so happy. That night, they were amazed! The sky had always been dark at night. That night, it was filled with light! Loawnu had patched the missing pieces of sky with bright twinkling light! How beautiful! How clever! We shall have the happiest spring festival in all the land! How lucky we are to know Loawnu! All the village agreed. From the canals that Yu built, he was praised and was made him the leader of the Xia Dynasty Archeologists found bronze implements and tombs proving that the Xia dynasty lived through 2100- 1800 BC.