Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Religion and Education Essay Example for Free

Religion and Education Essay In this aper, I will discuss and explain the influence of religion and education on societies since the beginning of mankind. 1) Religion deals with almost all aspects of human life. 2) History cannot be taught in education without the mention of religious influences on civilizations. 3) The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone, since the beginning of mankind every civilization has shown some type of evolution within their religious and educational institutions. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. ) All societies and civilizations are made up of individuals that belong to families. Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will society as a whole. 1) It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. American religious education, as a kind of spiritual support, has been playing a supportive role in Americans outlook on life, the realization of life value, the shaping of personality, ethic concepts and national spirit. Its important role is manifested in the economic and political fields. (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. No. 2 1001, p. 231) Religion influence many aspects of day to day issues such as life choices, dress, and education. As shown in the article, Religious Experience and Progressive Education, published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, A recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life revealed that fully eighty-four percent of Americans identify themselves as adherents ofa specific religion. Eighty-eight percent are absolutely or fairly certain of the existence of God or a universal spirit, including fifteen percent of self-identified atheists. Eighty-two percent of the population considers religion to be very or somewhat important in their lives, and seventy-five percent of Americans, including ten percent of atheists, prayed at least once per week. (p33) This demonstrates how religion is an important entity in the daily lives of many. This is because religions deal with the human life as a whole. For centuries people have searched for the meaning and truth of their own nature and the nature of the universe, religions are the result. We view religions as communities of people who share practices and beliefs, who gather together in special buildings to worship, and ho have a special way of living. More than three-quarters of the worlds population consider themselves members of some kind of religion. Religion influences almost all aspects of human life. It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. ) The United States was founded on the principles of religion, the citizens of this country can practice whatever religion they like without being persecuted. The liberties provided under the Constitution allow individuals to practice their religious beliets openly and without Judgment. These beliets provide guidance and structure in the lives of these individuals. After the founding of the United States, although the Constitution clearly regulates secularism, rel igions in America are always closely intertwined with the process of American history, and play a huge impact on the political, economic, legal and cultural fields. American sociologist Richard Newhouse said, A basic fact about the United States is that Americans themselves claim that most of them are Christian and the moral foundations of American society are Jewish-Christian morality Just as non-Christian believe. (Zhang, 2007, p. 13) (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. 7. No. 2, 2011). There are thousands of religions and thousand more subdivisions of those. Religions are divided mainly into ancient and modern religions. Not to say that the modern religions Just originated in the past couple years, Just they are still practiced in present times. Some of the ancient religions include Egyptian, Zoroastria, Greek, Norse, and Celtic. (Source and Cite) 3) People have been shunned, ostracized, sacrificed, and killed because of their religious beliefs. These acts take place because individuals have different views. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how idespread the problem is. American society is a blend of secularized and religious elements. Anderson (2004) noted that these two elements have always posed a dilemma for public education. The struggle is how to accommodate both of these societal characteristics. He pointed out that the secular nature of American public culture and its underlying pluralistic character are important aspects of the context for our system of education. The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. Thomas (2006) reported a case in France in which a Muslim girl was expelled for wearing a traditional Islamic headscarf. The President supported the move saying that religion should not be permitted in public schools. Islamic leaders protested that the ban was prejudicial, singling out Muslims for discriminatory practices. Hinsliff (2004) reported an interesting controversy in which Christian evangelists in England wanted to have the strengthening of faith teaching in schools. They dropped the idea when 4) Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will affect society as a whole. The religious choices of a family will influence an individuals decisions that will in turn affect society as a whole. What in individual puts out into society will come back as their decision and actions affect society as a whole. Religion is an important entity in the lives of many. According to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, Religious freedom includes the right to assemble for private and public worship, determine the conditions of membership, give religious instructions, preach its message publicly, and publish and circulate religious material (International Religious Freedom, Sec. (3) Article 18). The United States is one of the nations with most fantastic religious background, and in reality religion and religious education permeates all aspects of American life. Religion lies in American family education, school education, political activities and social life, playing a role that cannot be ignored. (MENG Abstract p. l) Conclusion: Although religion has been and is a heated topic at times and since the beginning of mankind, we cannot deny the fact, the influence it has had in educational institutions through the development of all civilizations, I teel that this is a great thing. ou will not get very tar into any educational issues without somehow bumping into religious themes. Marty goes on to explains in Christianity and its legacy in education that We Americans are taught to think of American society as a secular one in which religion does not count for much, and our educational system is organized in such a way that religious concerns often receive little attention. But if you think for a moment, you may realize that a better question is, where does religion not come into all this? (Burke and Segal p. 631). To have religion thwarting together with education is what gives us history. It is what takes us to the next point in life. It gives us guidance and even sometimes warnings. As a young boy that has been brought up in the ministry and to see how religion has played a key role in my life and education applaud this. It is known that religion and education has been around for thousands of years and I believe it will continue for many more. From teaching your grandson to assemble a tomahawk to worshipping the Greek god of war, people show religion and education in many different ways. As, David P. Setran referenced in the Teachers College Record article More Religion in Education and More Education in Religion: Liberal Progressivism and the Educational Common Faith, 1917-1940, The Kingdom of God proved to be a powerful image of the ideal democracy and a powerful representation of religion and education working together to build a better world. It is recommended that future scholars continue to look in other parts of the country and among other individuals to trace these powerful cooperative relation, thus restoring the place of religion as an important source and ally of progressive education. (p. l, abstract) (Teachers College Record, vl 14 nl 2012. 29pp. Religion and education have been wedded in western culture for as long as schools have existed, and as long as religious diversity and democratic decision-making endure in American society, then struggles between and about religion and education will continue in American schools (Religious Experience and Progressive Education, published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, p33. ) Religion and education has been around for thousands of years and it will continue for many more.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Polar Bears :: essays research papers fc

Polar Bear is the name for a white bear found on the icy sea of the Arctic throughout the North Polar basin. Being the only bear considered being marine, it is longer than other bears and streamlined for aquatic life. It has the â€Å"plantigrade† feet (heel and sole touching the ground) which are typical in all bears, with five sharp, claws on each foot for grasping at the ice and holding its prey. Long hair between the pads protects the bear's feet from the cold and provides traction on the ice so he doesn’t slip. Hard hairs on the forelegs, and very wide front feet, help the bear swim. All polar bears are white, although their fur may yellow in the summer because of the fat from animals it kills. The largest wild bears ever weighed—were more than 800 kg (which is more than 1800 lb)—have been polar bears. However, most male polar bears weigh an average of about 350 kg (about 880 lb), and most females weigh about 250 kg (550 lb). Polar bears have a strong navigational sense, an extremely good sense of smell, and they are extremely good at solving problems in order to obtain food. They eat primarily ringed seals, and sometimes they also enjoy bearded seals, walruses, or even white whales. They also feed on berries, sedges, mussels, and kelp when they have no other food sources left. As with other â€Å"true† bears, polar-bear mothers and young create strong bonds. The young cubs are very small when they are born: about 1 kg (about 2.2 lb). Their eyes remain closed for about 40 days and they must be fed every few hours. The mother keeps them close to make sure that they stay warm. Except during the breeding season, male polar bears are solitary and walk over vast amounts of sea ice while hunting. During the breeding season (which is from May to June), the males fight nonstop over females. Both the male and female may mate with other individuals as well.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Mark Sexton and Todd Story

FIN 6130: Individual Assignment (case study) Case Study: Mark Sexton and Todd Story, the owners of a manufacturing company have decided to expand their operations. They instructed you as their newly hired financial analyst to enlist an underwriter to help sell $35 million in new 10-year bonds to finance construction. You have entered into discussion with Kim McKenzie, an underwriter from the firm of Raines and Warren about which bond features your company should consider and what coupon rate the issue will likely have.Although your Bosses are aware of the bond features, they are not sure about the costs and benefits of some features especially how they will affect the coupon rate of the bond issues. This is more so that your firm is not a publicly traded company. You have been asked to prepare a memo on the effect of each of the following bond features on the coupon rate of the bond. It is expected that you will emphasis on their perceived benefits. The bond issuer/the borrower/the b osses: Mark Sexton and Todd Story Bond value: $35 million Bond maturity: 10 years Financing purpose: constructionHired underwriter: Kim McKenzie (Raines and Warren) .Case Studied Memos: 1. The security of the bond- that is, whether the bond has a collateral. Secured bond is with collateral, whereby the issuer pledged specific assets in case of bankruptcy or unable to pay debt. A bond with collateral will have a lower coupon rate (interest/return) and lower the security’s risk but with higher credit ratings, which less likely it is to default. But the issuer need to ensure that the collateral is in good working order and cannot be sold until the bond is matured.Considering bond with collateral is secured investment to investors, during default, the investors may receive all or part of the collateral in the value of debt unpaid. Collateralized bond is also marketable to the secondary market especially if it is a non-publicly traded or listed company recognized among investors. In term of outlining the specific security of collateral attached to a bond, it’s best to put clear guideline of what sort of asset eligible to be put as collateral and define certain rule of how the asset’s value can be sum up to secure the bond maturity period. 2.The seniority of the bond In case of liquidation or bankruptcy, senior bond has higher priority to be paid first compared to another bond that is considered junior or the subordinated bonds. Senior bond gets full payment in bankruptcy which its covenant may restrict the borrower from issuing any future bonds senior to the current bonds. A junior bond’s security ranks lower than other bond securities in regard to the owner's claims on assets and income if the issuer becomes insolvent. Bondholders of secured debt (with collateral) must be paid before the holders of unsecured debt.Bondholders of unsecured debt must be paid before preferred shareholders, and finally, preferred shareholders must be satisfi ed before common shareholders. In general, a junior security entails greater risk but offers higher potential yields than securities with greater seniority. To be more appealing to investors, the bondholders should propose senior bond in able to offer lower coupon. 3. The presence of a sinking fund Bond sinking fund is a restricted asset where the issuer is required to set aside money for redeeming back or buying back some of its bond payable by deposited money with an independent trustee.Sinking fund is a partial guarantee to bondholders that will reduce the coupon rate. By having sinking fund, it allows the issuer to repay specific bond’s value at a certain period or retire a portion of the bond every year until it’s matured. It’s a great program but the issuer must be able to generate cash flows to make the interim payments into a sinking fund or else, face default. By having the presence of a sinking fund as collateral support of a bond, it promotes financia l security which will attract investors to accept bond with lower interest rates.With the sinking fund, it will also gain benefits through taxation and enjoy capital gain. It also secured a good management of long-term debt in advance. 4. A call provision with specified call dates and call prices Adding provision to a bond with specific call date and prices will benefit the bond issuer more than the bondholder but it will definitely increase the coupon rate. Able to repurchase bonds before maturity (or at a specified date according to provision) is called callable bond (or redeemable bond) at a special price (not obligated).Any future payment to the bondholder is immediately and indefinitely cancelled once the bond is called. Recalling a bond with lower the debt and is hence liberated from paying interest on the called bond. Normally, the bond is called because the issuer no longer needs to borrow the money, or because interest rates have fallen and the issuer want to issue new bond s at a lower interest rate. In security purpose of long-term benefit with uncertain financial forecast, it is not applicable to issue call provision. 5. A deferred call accompanying the call provisionA bond with call provision accompanied by a deferred call will actually prohibited from calling the bond before a certain date. It is call protected or Period of Call Protection during the period of time which the bond may not be prematurely redeemed. During the call protected period (the cushion period), coupon rate payments are guaranteed but not later. After the call date, the bond may be redeemed by returning principal to the bondholder and ceased the coupon rate. The call provision accompanied by deferred call in a bond is to protect the bondholder from the falling of interest rates before the call date.A deferred callable bond may demand a slightly higher coupon rate compared to a normal bond due to its callable feature as investors are exposed to the reinvestment risk assuming th at the prevailing interest rates then is lower than the coupon paid by our bond on the callable date. 6. A make-whole call provision A bond with a make whole call (provision) allowing the issuer to pay off remaining debt early by making lump sump payment based on NPV (net present value) of future interest payments that will not be paid in cause of the call.This type of call should lower the coupon rate than the normal call provision with specific dates. Bondholders will receive the market value of the bond if it is a make whole provision which then they can reinvest in another bond with same criteria. The make whole call will be defined in the indenture. Normally, an issuer doesn't expect to have to use this type of provision, but if the issuer does, investors will be compensated, or â€Å"made whole†. Because the cost can often be significant, such provisions are rarely invoked.Hence, it is recommended that the bond issuance should not have a make-whole call provision. 7. An y positive covenants. Discuss any overall positive covenants that your firm may consider. The presences of positive covenants (also called as affirmative covenant) protect bondholders by forcing the company to undertake actions that benefit bondholders. A positive covenant would reduce the coupon rate but will increase the trust of bondholders. For instance, it requires the issuer to cover the principal of the bond; enough liquid assets must be maintained.More commonly, a positive covenant requires the issuer to have a certain amount of insurance or submit to periodic audits. 8. Any negative covenants. Discuss any overall negative covenants that your firm may consider. A negative covenant would reduce the coupon rate. Remember, the goal of a corporation is to maximize shareholder wealth. The presence of negative covenants protects bondholders from actions by the company that would harm the bondholders. This says nothing about bondholders. In example, the issuer cannot increase divid ends, or at least increase dividends beyond a specified level.The downside of negative covenants is the restriction of the issuer’s actions. 9. A conversion feature The conversion feature is a financial derivative instrument that is valued separately from the underlying security. Therefore, an embedded conversion feature adds to the overall value of the security. The conversion feature would permit bondholders to benefit if the company does well and also goes public. Even though the company is not public, a conversion feature would likely lower the coupon rate.The downside is that the company may be selling equity at a discounted price. Convertible bond is an example of an asset that can undergo conversion. It gives the bondholder the option to exchange the bond for an amount (predetermined) of the bond issuer’s equity. Typically, the bondholder will exercise the option when the total value of the shares received from conversion exceeds the bond's worth. 10. A floating rate coupon Floating rate coupon is a bond with floating coupon payments that are adjusted at specific intervals.It is all known as a variable rate bond which has a floating or variable rate interest, or coupon rate. The bond is payable to the bondholder upon demand following an interest rate change. The rate adjusts according to a predetermined formula outlined in the bond’s prospectus or official statement. Generally, the current money market rate is what is used to set the interest rate (plus or minus a set percentage). As a result of this, the coupon payments can change over time. A floating rate coupon or variable rate bonds' market values fluctuate less than other bonds.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

The Israel Palestine Conflict Essay - 987 Words

Dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, Israel’s and Palestine’s relationship took a turn, causing wars to break out and many unnecessary deaths to occur. Since then, things have changed greatly, and I don’t believe the conflict between them can currently be solved. The friction between these two countries and religions is still increasing, and so is the hostility that’s contained by the Palestinian people. Israel has committed many human rights violations, including killings, beatings, torture, and shootings at unarmed civilians; this includes children. Palestinians have no state or army, but only weapons such as bombs, knives, rocks, and many youths who are willing to die by using them against the Israeli troops. The Israeli†¦show more content†¦These two groups have lived together for thousands of years, and things started heating up during the 20th and 21st centuries. According to the Bible and Quran, a sacred text of Islam, these two groups are actually close â€Å"family-members†; they are descendants of Abraham’s children Isaac and Ishmael. Because of this, there is a belief that these two groups of people were usually peaceful with each other prior to the 20th century.The start of the conflict was due to many unsolved issues after the First World War. One of these unsolved issues was immigration of thousands of Jewish people to the British Mandate Palestine known as the Zionist Project (1920-1930). This caused unrest in the Arab community. In 1937, a Royal Commission from Britain suggested that the land be divided up into a Jewish state and an Arab one. Both Palestinians and Arabs rejected this and wanted an end the the immigration. Opposing violence continued un til 1938 when reinforcements from the UK stepped in to end it. Then around 1948 was when it became a conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arab people. In 1956, there was an Israeli attack on Egypt, in collaboration with France and Britain. Then around 1967 was when the Arab-Israeli War started. This was when Israel launched an air attack on Egypt, Jordan, and Syria in response to the request by the Egyptian President, Nasser, that the UN withdraw its forces from the Egyptian territory and the buildup of Arab armies alongShow MoreRelatedIsrael And Palestine Conflict Between Palestine And Israel1303 Words   |  6 Pagesborders between Palestine and Israel have been unfair. The Israeli people have taken a majority of the Palestinians land. This had caused conflict between these two territories for years. The Israel and Palestine conflict has been going on for many decades and nothing seems to be able to solve this issue. All because the Israeli government is very stubborn. The y are not willing to make a compromise in this situation. The main issues between the Palestinians and the Israelites are; Israel has been unfairRead MoreConflict With Israel And Palestine Conflict Essay1776 Words   |  8 Pagesgets put on the â€Å"back burner† is the conflict with Israel and Palestine. I believe this is because the Israel and Palestine conflict has gone on for so long. So the question is how do you stop the Israel and Palestine conflict? What is a solution? Is there a solution? Over 116,000 Israelis and Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of this bloody conflict. This has to stop. There needs to be a resolution. To give you a little background on the conflict. Jews and Arabs have been at each other’sRead MoreThe Israel-Palestine Conflict3449 Words   |  14 Pages30-40% remained opposed for religious, nationalist or security reasons. 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Seeing that this new conflict has the potential for escalation, Jordan immediately called for anRead MoreThe Conflict Between Israel And Palestine Essay2089 Words   |  9 Pages The conflict between Israel and Palestine has raged on since Israel s founding in the 1940s, the solution to this problem is not always straight forward or clear. It seems lik e everyone has formed their opinions and are stuck in their ways. The United Nations has even seem to accept the conflict as a certainty and for a large part does not wish to address it (Baker). However just because this problem is complex doesn t mean there is no hope for a solution. This conflict is generally seen as aRead MoreConflict Between Israel And Palestine1045 Words   |  5 PagesThe big question we ask ourselves today is, will Israel and Palestine ever agree to stop fighting? The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been traced all the way back to 1948 through 2005 in The Israel Palestine Land Settlement Problem, written by Charles Rowley and Jennis Taylor. However, this conflict did not end in 2005. This article was written in 2006, so anything within the last 10 years is not included. The conflict between the two counties still continues to this day and still remainsRead MoreThe Israel-Palestine Conflict Essay1002 Words   |  5 PagesThe Israel-Palestine Conf lict The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a part of the greater Arab-Israeli long-running conflict in the Middle East. The main point of this conflict is the existence of the state of Israel and its relations with Arab states and with the Palestinian population in the area. The idea and concept of Israel was born in the mid 19th century. Jews of Europe and America wanted a place for their homeland, where they could go and beRead MoreOverview of the Conflict in Israel and Palestine2176 Words   |  9 Pagesnot at all contradictory. There are problems in Israel and problems amongst the Palestinians/Arabs when it comes to achieving peace; to say that Israel is being dishonest in blaming Hamas lack of official recognition of the Israeli state does not preclude the fact that the emerging Palestinian state faces sever internal conflict regarding the direction it wants to pursue in all matters of foreign and domestic policy, and especially the issue of Israel. That you think these two situations cannot coexistRead MoreCBA: Israel-Palestine Conflict 688 Words   |  3 PagesThe most essential reasons behind the Israel-Palestine conflict were geocultural factors. These factors contributed greatly to the contentious argument between both groups because with the geocultural perspective, the religious tensions between Muslims and Jews have resulted in the problematic issue over the holy structures in Jerusalem. The second most contributing factors in the Israel-Palestine conflict were psychological factors. These were the second greatest factors that started the disputeRead MoreThe Conflict Between Israel And Palestine2424 Words   |  10 Pages The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is an endless battle about land that has caused political tragedy, greatly impacted the residents, as well as has caused worldwide attention in international disputes to find a solution for both states. How did the conflict between Israel and Palestine begin and how does the world contribute to this conflict? Due to previously chronicled occasions, there is a great deal of disarray about whose land it truly is. There have been many great lives of both troopers and