MMP Representation in New Zealand A Case of the Tail Wagging the Dog

In 1993 New Zealand citizens voted, in a national referendum, to drastically amend their voting system from the British-modelled traditional first-past-the-post (FPP) to a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) representation (Bowler Farrell, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The genesis of proportional representation (PR) in New Zealand can be traced back to the 1950s, when the political landscape of the country witnessed a gradual breakdown of public trust and confidence in politicians and parliament, followed by large-scale disillusionment with the old two-party system (National and Labour) among New Zealanders (Bale Bergman, 2006; Newman, 2010). Although the PR system initially received accolades as a powerful political instrument capable of making New Zealand the most effective, most inclusiv e democracy globally (Little, 2005), it has continued to draw criticisms from varied quarters, with some critics suggesting that it brings into the limelight a situation where the ‘tail wags the dog’ (Vowles, 1998). This paper purposes to illuminate evidence to support assertions made by MMP’s critics that PR indeed results in the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ Simply put, PR is based on the notion that if a particular party gets 20 percent of the vote in elections, then it is entitled to 20 percent of seats in parliament. Consequently, the major driving principle of PR, according to Bale Bergman (2006), is that political parties should be given power in proportion to the actual number of voters who vote for them. When it comes to the MMP system as practiced in New Zealand, each voter casts two votes, with one vote meant to decide their local member of parliament (electorate vote) and the other deciding which party they would like to represent them federal ly (party vote). Newman (2010) posits that â€Å"†¦under the MMP, the party that wins the greatest party vote on the election night is given the chance to form a government by†¦horse trading with potential coalition partners† (p. 1). As already mentioned, one of the major objectives of the MMP was to bring proportionality to the electoral system (Malpass, 2010), but this objective appears not to have been met even as New Zealanders prepare to go into the referendum to determine the effectiveness of the system.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A number of situations can be used to demonstrate evidence that PR results in the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ First, the critics of MMP have argued that although PR originally meant to achieve proportionality in New Zealand’s electoral system, it inarguably led to a system whereby small parties wielded, and continues to wield, disproportionate power (Vowles, 1998; Bale Bergman, 2006). One important consequence of such an electoral disposition is that the party with massive voter following must negotiate with other smaller parties in order to have important policies implemented. Consequently, and contrary to the maxims of a stable and representative government, it can be argued that the MMP as practiced in New Zealand permits coalition governments to form where minority parties have in their possession a disproportionate share of power, leading to a system in which the ‘tail wags the dog.’ A case in point is the smacking debate of 2009, which revolved around the issue of whether smacking children should be viewed as a good parental correction or a criminal offense (Ritchie, 2009). In this debate, the Green party successfully projected its anti-smacking campaign against the will of the majority who wanted the bill on smacking of children re-legalized, implying that it was the tail wagging the dog in this particular debate. To put it in perspective, MMP has brought into the fore situations in which major parties take superfluous and unpopular standpoints so as to pacify minor parties. Another consequence, which is intrinsically related to the first, is that minority parties, even if they have no real power, are not only capable of holding the bigger parties (National and Labour) to ransom, but are also able to project their opinion in parliament (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Such predispositions, according to Vowles (1998), are bad for democracy because they not only lead to a more consensual type of government, but also trigger a reduction of political transparency and accountability for laws passed by parliament. In 1996, for example, Winston Peters of the minority party New Zealand First, along with 13.3 percent of voters, held the other 87.7 percent of the voters to ransom by playing the ‘king maker’ in an exhibition of the way governments were to be created under MMP, not at the ballot box, but after, by a choice from minority parties between the two dominant parties – Labour and National (Vowles, 1998).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is important to underline the point that the political compromises the MMP has encouraged as a result of allowing smaller parties to wield disproportionate power has not only led to a more consensual form of government as elaborated above, but â€Å"†¦has also contributed to ad hoc law making, an inability of government to take proper charge of [the] legislative programme, and a pork barrel politics and back room deals† (Malpass, 2010 para. 3). For example, the government of the day is unable to take proper charge of its legislative programme due to the fact that minority part ies have a greater say in controversial legislation than their vote merits. In equal measure, it is possible for the prime minister of New Zealand to be defeated by a simple majority; that is, a majority of individuals who cast their votes or refrain from voting rather than a majority of seats in the legislature (Bale Bergman, 2006). This effectively implies that the office of the prime minister, which is traditionally the centre of power, is unable to govern effectively as power has been delegated to the periphery. A case in point here is the secret backroom deal between the National party and the Maori party in 2008 even after it was apparent that the National party was in a position to govern after securing the support of ACT and United parties (Newman, 2010). In respect to the New Zealand’s government not been able to either implement policies or take charge of important legislative programmes, political commentators are in agreement that MMP has only worked to perpetuat e some form of centrism in New Zealand politics which has, in effect, encouraged the sidelining of important issues (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Evidence to back this assertion arises from the prediction by the Royal Commission, who observed that there might be prolonged periods where the New Zealand government is inarguably unable to take decisive action when doing this seems the only right way to follow (Newman, 2010). A case in point is the sidelining of debate concerning the Maori seats, where the National party (with the majority) wish to abolish them but the Maori party (minority) wish to embed them. The perceived indecisiveness of the National party in this debate, ostensibly because it fears to loose the support of the minority party, implies that nothing progressive will be accomplished in this fundamental but unpopular area. Surely, it is a case of the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ It can also be argued that MMP has led to the proliferation of minority parties and other interest groups in parliament, setting the stage for a scenario where the stability and effectiveness of government are threatened (Bale Bergman, 2006). The system has been accused in various quarters for not exercising fairness and, as such, always puts political parties in a collision course at the expense of passing important bills for the country to move forward. There exists compelling evidence to support this assertion.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the 2008 national election, for instance, the 4.1 percent of the vote received by New Zealand First successfully ensured that the party had no representation in parliament, whereas ACT, with only 3.7 percent of the vote and one constituency seat, went ahead to gain 5 MPs in parliament (Gallagher Mitchell, 2010). Such an inconsistency, in my view, can only serve to threaten the stability of government, and it is vivid pointer to the PR’s trajectory of the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ Lastly, it can be argued that the MMP system has drastically elevated the number of minorities represented in the legislature to a level of excessive overrepresentation (Gallagher Mitchell, 2010). Such overrepresentation, according to the author, is bad for democracy as it shift power from its rightful owners according to the wishes of the electorate to place it in other peripheral locations that do not in any way enjoy the support of the majority of the electorate. We only need to re call the overrepresentation of the Maoris to see how such an electoral and political disposition can cause elevated public outcry because of the actual or perceived fear among the electorate that the minorities are indeed calling the shots in government. To conclude, it is indeed true that New Zealand’s encounter with PR has unconditionally demonstrated that MMP provides minority groupings with disproportionate influence, which inarguably comes at a cost to democracy (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Evidence have been adduced to support this claim, including how these minority parties act to circumvent the implementation of policies perceived to be of great importance to New Zealanders, how they perpetuate centrism, how they curtail political transparency and accountability, how they contribute to ad hoc law making and back room deals, and how they hold major parties to ransom. With the coming referendum in November 2011, therefore, New Zealanders need to consider all the important i ssues highlighted in this paper and vote consciously on whether they want to retain the MMP system or whether its time to introduce a new electoral system. List of References Bale, T., Bergman, T (2006). Captives no Longer, but Servants Still? Contract Parliamentarism and the New Minority Governance in Sweden and New Zealand. Government Opposition, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp 422-449. Bowler, S., Farrell, D.M (2006). We know which one we Prefer but we don’t know really why: The Curious Case of Mixed Member Electoral systems. British Journal of Politics International Relations, Vol. 8, no. 3, pp 445-460. Gallagher, M., Mitchell, P (2010). The Politics of Electoral Systems, 2nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Little, G (2005). Development of MMP in New Zealand. Web. Malpass, L (2010). Superseding MMP: Real Electoral Reform for New Zealand. The Centre for Independent Studies. Web. Newman, M (2010). Proportionate Representation, Disproportionate Power. New Zealand Centre for Pol itical Research. Web. Ritchie, K (2009). Kiwis Consumed by Smacking Debate. Web. Vowles, J (1998). Voters’ Victory?: New Zealand’s First Election and Proportional Representation. Auckland: Auckland University Press. This essay on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ was written and submitted by user Alexander Maddox to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Republic Of Panama Essays - PanamaUnited States Relations

Republic Of Panama Essays - PanamaUnited States Relations Republic of Panama An emerging nation is a group of people linked together through nationalism in the hopes to rise from obscurity with the common goal to become a more productive and cohesive country. Panama is indeed known as one of the worlds emergent nations. There are many plans under way to ensure a better, more productive future for Panama. The current president, Ernesto Perez?s main platform was to modernize Panama. He hopes to achieve this by reforming labor codes, investment laws, decreasing import barriers, privatizing the public sector companies, passing anti-monopoly laws and improve Panama-US relations, just to name a few. President Perez is planning redevelopment of the Panama Canal Zone. Efficient operation of the Zone is expected in the year 2000. The most important interest the United States has in Panama is definitely the Panama Canal. (2.)The Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and1979 returns the Canal from the U.S. control to the Panamanians. Between that time the U.S. agreed to pay $10 million for control of the Canal until 1999. Also an annuity of $250,000 was tacked on and we promised independence for Panama. Each year the price we pay for the canal rises. The total in 1995 was $100.2 million due to certain provisions of the treaty. (1.)The treaty also set up the Panama Canal Commission Organization (PCCO). The PCCO is a part of the executive branch of the United States. It was enacted to manage, operate, and maintain the canal until the term ends on December 31, 1999. The commission is expected to recover all costs of operating and maintaining the canal through tolls and other revenue. This includes interest, depreciation, capital for plant replacement, expansion, improvements, and payments to the Republic of Panama for Public services and annuities. The revenues are deposited into a U.S. Treasury accounted known as Panama Canal Revolving Fund. (3.)The tolls being paid are based on ships tonnage. Currently the tolls are $2.39 per PC/U.S. Net Tons for Laden (w/passengers or cargo) vessels, $1.90 per PC/U.S. Net tons for Ballast(w/out passengers or cargo) vessels, and $1.33 for other miscellaneous vessels. Though tolls have been gradually increasing there is an expected deficiency in the future. In 1997 tolls increased 8.2% and in 1998 they are only expected to rise7.5%. In 1996 a total 13,536 and 198,067,990 in vessels and cargo passed through the canal. That equals $486,688,265 in tolls. We could probably have a substantial amount of profit from the tolls if we didn?t have to rent the canal from Panama every year until 1999. Specifically for U.S. interest, in 1995, 899 thousand long tons of Japanese?s automobiles were ship to the canal. Half of these were marked for the United States. Also, 44.1 million long tons of grain coming from the gulf went through the canal which was mostly heading for the far east. (4.)Approximately 13% of international seaborne trade passes through the Panama canal. This doesn?t seem like much but the United States is one of the major users of the canal. Economically, Panama hopes to the trading hub of this hemisphere. Anyone who has control of the Panama Canal will eventually be the trading hub this hemisphere. This includes instillment of a banking center of the world, free movement of capital, a better tourism incentive, and a restructured economy based on free markets. (5.)In 1995 Panama?s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 6,961. The GDP per capita was 2,646. Panama?s natural resources are timber, seafood, and copper ore. Most of the products they export are bananas, corn, sugar, rice, coffee, shrimp, timber, assorted vegetables, and cattle. The United States is one of Panama?s major markets for their exports. There are 2 billion tons of copper ore which is reality able to be mines. Also they export approximately $14 million in tropical fruit a year. The export of vegetables has doubled in the last three years. Another of Panama?s resources is the tourist attractions. There are miles of white sandy beaches and numerous islands on each coast. This allows for excellent snorkeling, skin diving, and fishing adventures. The climate in Panama is tropical all year round. It is rather unclear to ma as what the United States should actually do with Panama. Do we really want to give the canal to the Panamanians. I don?t think so. Do we have to give the canal back. NO, we stole it first, fair and square. Yes we do have a treaty with Panama but it would not be the first time a country has broken a

The Middle Ground Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Middle Ground - Assignment Example One plans to propose a resolution to the conflict, even in theoretical means, as disputing parties, particularly China, signify a selfish approach by indicating suggested resolution from the international organization that is assigned to resolve territorial disputes using the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). In this regard, one hopes that the reader would understand the arguments posed by each party and decide for themselves, other alternative courses of action that would assist in resolving the dispute. 2) What did you learn from completing this assignment? Did you experience a new understanding of the topic? Did you change your perspective after completing the research? One learned that there are some issues or controversies that are not simple and that would require some form of third party mediation to resolve. However, in this case, it is more complex since China explicitly indicated refusal to accept third party resolutions to the dilemma. As a result, one definitely experienced greater depth in understanding the topic and enabled one to gain increased appreciation for conflict negotiations or resolving issues using middle ground concepts. 3) What difficulties did you encounter during the research, writing, or editing phases of the assignment? The difficulties encountered during the process were trying to locate authoritative information on the topic being researched and to find a balanced discourse that would present both sides of the arguments. There were also some challenges in trying to fit the arguments into the specified word count and therefore observe quality in writing. Finally, there was extreme difficulty in proposing a middle ground solution because of China’s stance on the issue. 4) What did you enjoy about this assignment? The assignment proved to be very enlightening and informative in terms of the knowledge gained from the research. One learned to use skills in research, writing and editing to ensure that the f inal structure would comply with the needed requirements. Therefore, the assignment was an opportunity for both personal and professional growth. 5) What made you decide to write about this particular topic? Is this a topic that you are discussing in another course? Is this a topic that concerns you in particular? The topic was decided on due to its current nature and the controversial issues that emerged. Likewise, one could note that since this is a territorial dispute between China and the Philippines, one might conclude that other countries are not, in any way, affected by the issues. However, one believes that its immediate resolution would benefit, not only these countries, but others who trade and inter-relate with them in any way. 6) Is there anything else you would like for me to know before reading your essay? None anymore, except that this middle ground essay is an effective way of enhancing skills in both thinking (analytical) and writing and is therefore a rewarding end eavor. The Middle Ground Essay Introduction and Claim The topic to be discussed, evaluated and expounded on is the current maritime and territorial dispute over Scarborough Shoal by two countries: China and the Philippines. According to the website Disputed Territories, â€Å"the Philippines controls and runs this group, but China (People's Republic of China) lays claim to it, as part of its Paracels, Spratlys, and Zhongsha Islands Authority, and Taiwan (Republic of China) expresses sovereignty too, in the context of being the 'true ruler of China'† (Disputed Territories par. 1). As disclosed by BBC News Asia, â€Å"China's claim includes almost the entire South China Sea, well into what the UN Convention on the Law

Leadership in Nursing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership in Nursing - Assignment Example This study will be aimed at addressing the scope and need for development in United Healthcare with the intention to suffice the growing requirements for quality assured medical services within the next decade. Contextually, the study will also exhibit a strategic plan taking into account the aspects of network growth, nurse staffing, resource management and patient satisfaction in order to assist United Healthcare to deliver adequate support to the growing needs of the population. Strategic Planning for United Healthcare United Healthcare has been much concerned towards enhancing its performances by continually delivering proper and effective services to the clients (Patients), especially in the form of health insurance programs. As the organization aspires to improve the quality standards and effectiveness of the medical facilities being rendered to Americans, it becomes highly significant for the company to continually enhance its performances on the basis of particular strategic guidelines. Hence, to meet the rapidly increasing demand of global customers, the organization will need to redesign its strategies in regard to network growth, nurse staffing needs and procedure, management of the resources and quality standards (United Healthcare, 2013). ... However, since the health care needs of the population in America are increasing at a rapid pace, the organization would need to spread its operations or network to a wider extent. In this regard, the unit can establish some more hospitals under its umbrella, especially in the interior parts of the country where lesser numbers of quality health care service providing operators are available. This will further enable the organization to convert its aim of providing quality services to almost every citizen of the country into reality. Furthermore, adding more and more hospitals and health care professionals within its operations will further lead to an enhanced reputation of the organization throughout the country. Spreading its network in the interior regions of the United States, where there are lesser numbers of health care units, will also portray the responsiveness of the organization towards the societal needs; thus, sufficing its vision of responsiveness (United Healthcare, 2013 ; Lighter, 2011). Nurse staffing Nurses are quite a vital part in health care business. As a matter of fact, even though doctors are perceived to be bestowed with the primary role in any of the health care organization or service system, the role and the responsibility of nursing staff are irreplaceable. Nurses are often considered as the ultimate pillars in regard to acquiring maximum customer satisfaction. As stated earlier, with the increase in the demand of the customers for quality services in this sector, the health care units in America are in need to revise their nurse staffing strategies in order to develop an effective set of nursing team that would be able to meet the requirements of the customers with diversity and efficiency. United

Developing Twenty-first Century Civil Engineering Essay

Developing Twenty-first Century Civil Engineering - Essay Example Civil engineering is a discipline that is changing rapidly. There has been a major development of civil engineering in the twenty-first century due to changes in technology and weaknesses in the old civil engineering methods. This is because this century offers solutions to many problems in the building and construction industry. This includes upcoming of many institutions that offer formal training of civil engineers to create professionals in the field. There are firms formed by civil engineers that look at the construction needs and challenges to find solutions. They also act as a standard setting institution to certify civil engineers before they get to the construction industry so that they are competent enough. This century presents many challenges in civil engineering. This is because most problems that the society faces today have a direct relationship with this field. For instance, some road accidents are associated directly with poor road construction which is under civil e ngineering (Seely, 1999, p.8). This perception by the society calls for a change in the framework of our structures for professional and educational bit of this discipline. To cub this challenges, the civil engineering discipline liaises with other related disciplines like surveyors and architects so that construction of buildings is carried out to meet quality standards.It is for this reason that a framework has been set to improve the competency of civil engineering in this century.... There has been change in this trend due to factors like technology. It is for this reason that colleges and universities have been built to provide formal education on this discipline. The first college to offer formal education on civil engineering was known as Norwich University in the United States. They offered degree courses in this area to ensure that civil engineers came out competent and well equipped with all relevant skills (Seely, 1999, p.87). This has greatly led to an improvement in the construction industry. Developing Twenty-first Century Civil Engineering Civil engineering is a discipline that is changing rapidly. There has been a major development of civil engineering in the twenty-first century due to changes in technology and weaknesses in the old civil engineering methods. This is because this century offers solutions to many problems in the building and construction industry. This includes upcoming of many institutions that offer formal training of civil engineer s to create professionals in the field. There are firms formed by civil engineers that look at the construction needs and challenges to find solutions. They also act as a standard setting institution to certify civil engineers before they get to the construction industry so that they are competent enough. This century presents many challenges in civil engineering. This is because most problems that the society faces today have a direct relationship with this field. For instance, some road accidents are associated directly with poor road construction which is under civil engineering (Seely, 1999, p.8). This perception by the society calls for a change in the framework of our structures for professional and educational bit of this

Using Data Wrangling and Gemms for Metadata Management

Using Data Wrangling and Gemms for Metadata Management Sharan Narke , Dr. Simon Caton AbstractData lakes are gestated as to be a unified data repository for an enterprise to store data without subjecting that data to any of the constraints while it is being dumped in to the repository. The main idea of this paper is to explain about the different processes involving curating of data in the data lake which facilitates and helps wide range of people other than IT staffs in an enterprise or organization Keywords- Data Lake ; Data Wrangling ; GEMMS I. INTRODUCTION In the current scenario, data is seen as a valuable asset for an enterprise or organization. Many of the organizations are now planning to provide with personalized or individual services to its customers and this strategy can achieved with the help of data lakes. Data wrangling refers to the process which starts right from data creation till its storage into the lakes. James Dixon, the originator of terminology explains the difference between data mart, datawarehouse and data lakes as, If data lake is assumed to be a large water body, where in the water can be used for any purpose then data mart is a store which has bottled drinking water and datawarehouse is marked as a single bottle of water (OLeary,2014). Even though data warehouses, data marts,databases are used for storing data, but data lakes provides with some additional features and even data lakes can work in accordance with all of the above ones. Data lakes address the daunting challenge : how to make an easy use of highly diverse data and provide knowledge? Huge quantity of data is available,but most of the times data is stored in information silos with or without connections between these data. If any clear insight is to be derived then data in t he silos is to be integrated.(Hai , et al. 2016) Instead of performing the traditional methods of data warehousing for data management likewise transforming ,cleaning and then storing into repository, here in the data is stored in original format and as required the data is processed in data lake. By implementing in such approach data integrity is achieved (Quix, et al.2016) As per the present situation in the big data world, evaluating large data sets with their quality cleaning them which are of various types has become a challenging task and data lakes can help in achieving them (Farid, et al. 2016) II. LITERATURE REVIEW For easing the process of data curating there are two methodologies namely Data wrangling and GEMMS which helps in achieving the curation process. A. Data Wrangling B. GEMMS A. Data Wrangling Data Curation is in use to mainly specify the required necessary steps in order to maintain and utilize data during its life cycle for future and current users Digital curation involves following steps The data is selected and appraised by archivists and creators of that data Evolving the provisions of intellectual access, storage which are redundant, transformation of data and then committing the specific data for long term usage Developing digital repositories which are trustworthy and durable Usage standard file formats and data encoding concepts Giving knowledge regarding the repositories to the individuals who are working with those repositories in order to make curation efforts successful(Terrizzano, et al.2015) Figure 1: Data Wrangling Process Overview(Terrizzano, et al.2015) In the above figure it represents a number of challenges inherent in creating, filling, maintaining, and governing a curated data lake, a set of processes that collectively define the actions of data wrangling Different steps involved in the data wrangling process are:   Ã‚   1. Procuring Data: It the first step of data wrangling process, Herein the required metadata and data is gathered so as it can be included into the data lakes(Terrizzano, et al.2015) 2. Vetting data for licensing and legal use: After the data procurement is done, then the terms and conditions are determined so as the data can be licensed (Terrizzano, et al.2015) 3. Obtaining and Describing Data: Once the licensing relating to the selected data is agreed upon, the next task is loading the data from source to data lake and the presence of data alone cannot serve the needs, data scientist working on that data should find out that data to be useful so that it can be used to derive useful information out of it. (Terrizzano, et al.2015) 4. Grooming and Provisioning Data: Data obtained in its raw form is often not suitable for direct use by analytics. We use the term data grooming to describe the step-by-step process through which raw data is made consumable by analytic applications. During Data Provisioning, we now focus on getting data into the data lake. We now turn to the means and policies by which consumers take data out of the data lake, a process we refer to as data provisioning (Terrizzano, et al.2015) 5. Preserving Data: This is the final step of the data curation process isManaging a data lake which requires attention to maintenance issues such as staleness, expiration, decommissions and renewals, as well as the logistical issues of the supporting technologies (assuring uptime access to data, sufficient storage space, etc.). (Terrizzano, et al.2015) B. GEMMS(Generic and Extensible Metadata Management System) Generic and Extensible Metadata Management System (GEMMS) which(i) extracts data and metadata from heterogeneous sources,(ii)stores the metadata in an extensible metamodel, (iii)enables the annotation of the metadata with semantic information, and (iv)provides basic querying support (Quix, et al.2016) We divide the functionalities of GEMMS into three parts: (i)metadata extraction,(ii) transformation of the metadata to the metadata model and (iii) metadata storage in a data store Figure 2: Overview of GEMMS system architecture (Quix, et al.2016) (i). The Metadata Manager invokes the functions of the other modules and controls the whole ingestion process. It is usually invoked at the arrival of new files, either explicitly by a user using the command-line interface or by a regularly scheduled job (ii). With the assistance of the Media Type Detector and the Parser Component, the Extractor Component extracts the metadata from files. Given an input file, the Media Type Detector detects its format, returns the information to the Extractor Component, which instantiates a corresponding Parser Component. (iii). The media type detector is based to a large degree on Apache Tika, a framework for the detection of file types and extraction of metadata and data for a large number of file types. Media type detection will first investigate the file extension, but as this might be too generic (iv). When the type of input file is known, the Parser Component can read the inner structure of the file and extract all the needed metadata (v). The Persistence Component accesses the data storage available for GEMMS. The Serialization Component performs the transformation between models and storage formats (Quix, et al.2016). Evaluation of GEMMS System: The goal of evaluation had two parts and GEMMS satisfies these to a major extent (i). GEMMS as a framework is actually useful, extensible, and flexible and that it reduces the effort for metadata management in data lakes (ii). GEMMS system can be applied to a system having large number of files (Quix, et al.2016) II. CONCLUSIONS Data lakes is getting hotter in enterprise IT architecture. However, the company should decide what kind of data lakes  they need based on the current data process systems. Data lakes have its own assumptions and maturity growing framework. The IT leader in large organization should pay attention to the data lakes and figure out their own way for implementing these new IT technologies in their organization (Fang,2015) In this paper, we discussed about Data wrangling , which helps in design, implementation and maintaining the data. Along side the metadata management aspects using GEMMS, which efficiently eases the process and giving the evaluation how GEMMS stays on top in the meta data management in the  data lakes which helps large organisation in managing the data if that organisation is implementing Data Lakes REFERENCES OLeary, D.E., 2014. Embedding AI and crowdsourcing in the big data lake. IEEE Intelligent Systems, 29(5), pp.70-73. Hai, R., Geisler, S. and Quix, C., 2016, June. Constance: An intelligent data lake system. In Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Management of Data (pp. 2097-2100). ACM. Quix, C., Hai, R. and Vatov, I., 2016. Gemms: A generic and extensible metadata management system for data lakes. In CAiSE forum. Farid, M., Roatis, A., Ilyas, I.F., Hoffmann, H.F. and Chu, X., 2016, June. CLAMS: bringing quality to data lakes. In Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Management of Data (pp. 2089-2092). ACM. Terrizzano, I., Schwarz, P.M., Roth, M. and Colino, J.E., 2015. Data Wrangling: The Challenging Yourney from the Wild to the Lake. In CIDR.

Music Education Advances Culture Essay examples -- School Art Essays

Music Education Advances Culture With many music programs now beginning to be cut from public schools, music educators now find themselves having to defend the value of their art in an educational setting. Most educators view music education to be an important aspect of overall education, but they view it as luxury rather than a necessity. Often times, music and art education unfortunately lead the way when tough budget cuts have to be made. Some people even believe that the arts should not be included in curriculum because it is difficult to evaluate art formally. Others believe that a culture as advanced as ours should have the arts as the keystone of our educational system. I believe that music education plays an important and valuable role in the further development of our culture and is essential to a good education. Music education is important in the development of a stronger culture and society because it encourages creativity and individuality. Students are provided with an opportunity to expand their minds and experience what their true potential is through the art of music. This encourages individual opinions and allows students to draw their own conclusions without a correct or incorrect answer. I believe that music education should be a keystone in the foundation of our educational system. As Williams states, "the arts are a basic and central medium of human communication and understanding."(Williams 190) Music communicates aurally what we can not put into words or visual images. Music and the other arts should be treated as essential to improving and strengthening our culture. Music always requires more than 100%. It is not enough just to play all the correct notes. Musicians strive for something greater than ... ...and increased math and reading scores. I think that we will find that music directly impacts math and reading skills. I believe that music requires a more diversified utilization of the brain, and that it inherently combines both math and communication skills. Yes, it is true that music may not fit into our modern mold of statistics, test scores, and financial value. Although music may not fit the mold, it is essential to all advanced cultures and its value is shown throughout the history of the world. Although technology in the modern world offers quick satisfaction, we must remember that without music and the arts culture becomes stagnant. Music is essential to our culture and should be essential to our educational system. Works Cited Dahl, Ronald. "Burned out and bored" Hughes, Robert. "Behold the Stone Age" Williams, Harold M. "Don’t Ignore the Arts"

Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

Going back to the previous stages of Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Theory of Development I have been, I think I have been fixated at my Latency Stage during my elementary years because I was not that free to explore things on my own. I do not mix up with my other grade school friends back then that much. I didn’t even play basketball with my nearby neighbors that’s why until now, I do not know how to play basketball. I and my siblings used to stay at home all day, all night even our parents were not around. We are not allowed to go out of the neighborhood just to roam around and talk around. Maybe this is the reason why I do not know how to socialize totally with other people, keeps me of not being hooked up with some of naughty things and vices. And gets me out of danger and trouble in the way. I think I am a well-rounded person already, regardless of being my unsociable behavior wherein I can’t and I don’t easily get involved nor caught up with the jests of my friend and when it’s my turn, they always find me corny and some sort of out-of-the-world guy. But then, I still thank my parents for raising me up like this. In such a way that it’s only me and my family can understand each other. It’s quite selfish though, but I like it that way.

The role and value of play Essay

All children and young people need to play. Children’s play is behavior which is freely chosen, self-motivated and personally directed, and the impulse to play is in all of us. Through play the child explores the world and its creative potential, discovering all the while, a flexible range of responses to the challenges, she or he encounters. By playing, the child learns and develops as an individual and as a member of the community – be it at home, the street and area they live in, their school or a holiday play scheme. As such, play is a right, recognised in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – Article 31. Play is essential for children’s physical, emotional and psychological growth, as well as their intellectual, creative and educational development. When children play they build up a sense of identity, self-respect, confidence and their own self-worth. Through playing with others, children build a resource of behavioural techniques to help them navigate complex social worlds including younger children not to feel intimidated by older children. The contemporary environment in which many children grow up is not designed with them in mind, and at times and in some areas provides limited opportunities for safe and creative play. Increasing traffic due to continuous property development, parental fears of strangers and lack of open spaces all restrict children’s play outdoors, but by providing and protecting play-rich environments for children we can counteract these limitations. Much has been written on the subject of play and there is visibility in legislation and guidance for professionals: – Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, has said that â€Å"play is anything that spontaneously is done for its own sake†¦appears purposeless, produces pleasure and joy, leads one to the next stage of mastery† (as cited in Tippett, July 2008; italics added). – Edward Miller and Joan Almon describe play as â€Å"activities that are freely chosen and directed by children and arise from intrinsic motivation† (2009, p15). – Jeannine Ouellette refers to play as â€Å"activity that is unencumbered by adult direction, and does not depend on manufactured items or rules imposed by someone other than the kids themselves† (Ouellette, 2007, para13). – â€Å"The main characteristic of play – child or adult – is not its content, but its mode. Play is an approach to  action, not a form of activity.† Jerome Bruner, quoted in Moyles (1989) – â€Å"From an early age, play is important to a child’s development and learning. It isn’t just physical. It can involve cognitive, imaginative, creative, emotional and social aspects. It is the main way most children express their impulse to explore, experiment and understand. Children of all ages play.† (Dobson, 2004, p8) In June 2010 the coalition government set up a Childhood and families taskforce, Nick Clegg, Deputy prime minister said in his opening speech, â€Å"For too many British children, childhood has become a time of stress, anxiety and insecurity, when it should be a time of discovery, learning and adventure. My purpose in politics – and the job of this coalition government – is to change that, to live up to our responsibility and lay the foundations for better lives for our children.† At the launch of the revised EYFS, published March 2012, following the Tickell review, we were once again reminded that â€Å"play is essential for children’s development.† When children play, they are actively engaged in activities they have freely chosen; that is, they are self-directed and motivated from within. â€Å"Best Play† starts with a definition of play and with a set of values and principles. Both the definition and the values and principles are well recognised within the play work profession, (though they can be expressed in slightly different ways, for instance they can be found in the National Occupational Standards for National Vocational Qualifications in Play work and in the New Charter for Children’s Play (Children’s Play Council 1998), though perhaps less so outside it. It then looks at evidence and arguments about the role of play in child development and the consequences of a lack of good play opportunities. â€Å"Play is freely chosen, personally directed, intrinsically motivated behavior that actively engages the child†. This definition draws closely on the work of Bob Hughes and Frank King. Children choosing what they want to do, why and how they want to do it then when to stop and try something else is the simplistic breakdown of the definition. Free play has no external goals set by adults and has no adult  imposed curriculum. Although adults usually provide the space and resources for free play and might be involved, the child takes the lead and the adults respond to cues from the child. When children can pursue play under their own impulse and initiative, they are able to: Practice decision-making skills Discover their own interests Engage fully in what they want to pursue Develop creative problem solving skills Practice skills in resolving conflicts Develop self-regulation Develop trust, empathy, and social skills Develop language and communication skills Use their creativity and imagination Develop skills for critical thinking and leadership Analyse and reflect on their experiences Reduce stress in their everyday lives However, there is a growing consensus about some of the possible implications of play deprivation, based on reasonable assumptions about the role of personal experience and self-directed activity in the development of a range of competences. Depending on the types of play opportunity that are lacking, children could be affected in the following ways: Poorer ability in motor tasks Lower levels of physical activity Poorer ability to deal with stressful or traumatic situations and events Poorer ability to assess and manage risk Poorer social skills, leading to difficulties in negotiating social situations such as dealing with conflict and cultural difference Every child is different and will play in their way. As an adult and the manager of the After School Club (ASC) I need to recognise the impact that myself and co workers have on a child’s play opportunities. Throughout the session I take time to observe, consult, plan, and participate in play knowing the great potential for learning that play offers – developing skills and abilities, providing opportunities to co-operate, developing  friendships, taking turns, resolving conflicts and solving problems, and developing knowledge and understanding of the world. While children will sometimes need support, it should be recognised that they will often benefit from opportunities to play without adult supervision. Therefore we, the play workers, must understand the impact we have, giving consideration to the differences of each child including behaviors. Bob Hughes (2006), a playworker and play theorist, has identified sixteen play types, including creative, dramatic, explorat ory, fantasy, locomotor, mastery, object , role, rough and tumble, social, socio-dramatic, symbolic, deep (extremely risky) and recapitulative (ritual) play. Their very description indicates a relevance to the social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional development. Snapshots of play at ASC: Eddie and Eleanor are playing a new game – Mancala. Eleanor was pleased to discover the game in the cupboard and is teaching Eddie as she has the game at home, she told Eddie how she loves playing it with her Dad. Eleanor explains the rules and object of the game, they play repeatedly, both enjoying the competitiveness. George, Robert and Calum have built a play scene on the wooden piano using the play animals, a piece of camouflage material and wooden tree pieces. They have built dens for their animals at different levels and then use blocks and vehicles they have made from lego to destroy the animal’s dens. The tigers dens is last to be destroyed says Calum â€Å"they are the fiercest animals and will fight you really hard to protect their home† â€Å"Foxes are fierce, said Robert, they ate my rabbit.† Libby, Evie and Katie asked to share a dance they had learnt at school today. Mrs. Colucci found the CD player for them to use. They had fun performing their routine to an audience and added props and different costumes to wear as they repeated their performances. They add a new piece to the end and are going to show that to their teacher tomorrow. Dylan and Alfie are playing with the cars, lining them up to move around the mat to get to the garage. Toby, Sam and Ben are building a ramp over the garage for the cars to be able to loop the loop and fly through the air! In summary – Play can be fun, challenging and enjoyable for both adults and children. By helping children to take part in different types of play on  their own and with others, and by providing a well-resourced play environment inside and outside, adults can greatly enrich the learning opportunities that play provides. â€Å"Play is the answer to how anything new comes about.† Jean Piaget REFERENCES FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES EVERY CHILD MATTERS, THE 5 OUTCOMES AND THE UNCRC NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PLAYWORK PLAY ENGLAND – MAKING IT HAPPEN, IMPLEMENTING THE CHARTER FOR CHILDRENS PLAY PLAY ENGLAND – PLAY, NATURALLY – A REVIEW OF CHILDRENS NATURAL PLAY PLAYWORK PRINCIPLES. SKILLS ACTIVE PLAYWORK SECTOR / EYFS BRIEFING DOCUMENT Play, naturally A review of children’s natural play Stuart Lester and Martin Whilst researching material for writing this essay I enjoyed reading the following publication. Their suggested reading list is one I will work my way through to continue to extend my knowledge on this subject. A guide to child-led play and its importance for thinking and learning Playing to learn A publication commissioned by ATL from Di Chilvers Recommended reading list from the publication Broadhead, P. (2004). Early Years Play and Learning – Developing Social Skills and Cooperation. RoutledgeFalmer. Broadhead, P. (ed.) (2010). Play and Learning in the Early Years. Sage. Bruce, T. (1987). Early Childhood Education. Hodder and Stoughton. Bruce, T. (1991). Time to Play in Early Childhood Education. Hodder and Stoughton. Bruce, T. (2001). Learning Through Play: Babies, Toddlers and the Foundation Years. Hodder and Stoughton. Bruce, T. (ed.) (2006). Early Childhood – A Guide for Students. Sage. Lindon, J. (2001). Understanding Children’s Play. Nelson Thornes. Manning, K. & Sharp. A. (1977). Structuring Play in the Early Years at School. Ward Lock Educational. Moyles, J. (1989). Just Playing? The Role and Status of Play in Early Childhood Education. Open University Press. Moyles, J. (ed.) 1994. The Excellence of Play. Open University Press. Project Zero. (2001). Making Learning Visible – Children as Individual and Group Learners. Reggio Children. Siraj-Blatchford, I. et al. (2002). Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years. Department for Education and Skills and the Institute of Education. Research Report 356.

ProBritain essays

ProBritain essays The British established colonies along the Atlantic coast in New England by the end of the 17th century. After a long series of wars with the French, Britain was in a financial bind. The pressing issue of taxing the colonists arose from this situation. Should the colonists be required to pay taxes to Britain? In my opinion, the answer to that question is yes. Britain founded the colonies. The country supplied the colonies with many valuable materials. The colonists should be grateful enough to the British government to repay them in the form of taxes for helping them prosper. The colonists owed their allegiance to their founding country. Not only did the British government supply the basic necessities to survive, but they also helped the colonists in time of war. While the colonists were fighting the Indians, Britain sent over a massive army to help conquer them. Many British men were expended in this effort. However, man wasn't the only thing that Britain shipped to the colonies in the time of war. They sent a million pounds in direct donations and millions more in food, supplies, and forms of transportation. The British government was already facing a national debt of 75 million pounds. The war effort caused that amount to increase to 133 million pounds. As you can see, Britain was facing major financial problems. The colonies benefitted considerably from Britain's military expenditures. Since the colonies were at a time of prosperity, the British government could find no other practical way of reducing their debt than by taxing the colonists. They had been helped in a time of need. Now it was their turn to return the favor to Britain. ...

Ethics of Sex Education in Public Schools Essay

Ethics of Sex Education in Public Schools - Essay Example irst understand and realize that the agencies involved in implementing these policies are in reality the Federal government, the state, the local agencies, the school board of education, the teachers and finally the students. Sex education is of vital importance and needs to be taught by an expert who is trained to impart a sensitive issue, the synonym of which is symbolic to the attitudes, beliefs and values of a stable mind set, in an expert manner. While the Federal government is the overall authority in formulating policies, it does not take interest in the execution of sex education principles and thus relies heavily on the state and local bodies for the same. (Irvine, 2002) At the same time, as all the major funding activities pertaining to the school education system is done by the Federal government and hence, it has the right to exercise control over the ways and means of compiling and executing the policies pertaining to sex education in a public school environment. On the whole, it is the state and the local bodies, with special regards to the school education board and the related teachers, who influence the curriculum and execute it to perfection. Hence, a majority of decisions are ideally made at the local level. (Irvine, 2002) It has to be noted that a state mandate is essential to implement a particular curriculum regardless of what the school thinks about it. For example, if the state mandate requires schools to include HIV/AIDS or the risk of having sex with multiple partners, the local body has no choice but to implement the same in their school prospectus. Similarly, if the state mandate puts a restriction on the use of HIV/AIDS or the risk of having sex with multiple partners, the local bodies would have to do as told and cannot overrule the state decision. (Went, 1985) The content of sex education is not fixed and varies in accordance to the community and the age of the students enrolled in the program. In all honesty, the course

Beck Depression Scale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Beck Depression Scale - Essay Example One final goal of assessment is to get a clear understanding of the structure and functioning of the family. The MFT has specific information that he is looking to obtain during the assessment process. First and foremost, the MFT wants to gather as much information as possible on the problem the family is faced with. This includes the length of the current problem, the family's history of conflict, the family's history of solutions, and the family's motivation to rectify the current problem. The MFT also wants information about the structure of the family, such as any cultural or religious influences, socioeconomic status, and the hierarchy of the family. At the same time, the MFT wants to understand how the family functions; their conflict resolution strategies, how well they communicate with one another, each member's role in the family, and individual and collective goals. Finally, the MFT is interested in finding out what the family's goals are for therapy. There are many different ways in which the MFT can gather this assessment information, but they all fall into two broad categories: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative assessment allows the therapist to make inferences about certain behaviors and reactions of family members during an assessment task, whereas quantitative assessment is in the form of a standardized instrument, usually a pencil-and-paper questionnaire or scale. There are many advantages of using qualitative assessments. The family plays a larger, more important role in the assessment process, the assessment becomes part of the treatment process since this type of assessment tends to be therapeutic in and of itself, the therapist can pick and choose different techinques that fit nicely with his specific theoretical orientation, it allows the therapist and family to work together in assessing the information obtained, the family is often more committed to therapy because of the vital role they play in the assessment process, individual family members learn from one another and can learn how each member is affected by the family as a whole, allows the family to be viewed in a three-dimensional context, and it can be used with families from various cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds (Deacon & Piercy, 2001). There are many qualitative techniques available for the MFT. Qualitative assessments include the use of art, guided imagery, photographs, role playing, sculptures, free association, metaphors, and circular questioning. The idea behind this type of assessment is that it takes the focus off of the individual, and places it on the task at hand, often making the clients less defensive and more emotive (Deacon &Piercy, 2001). While there are many advantages to qualitative assessment, it is not for everyone. Some therapists and clients may not feel comfortable with such exercises, and these exercises may in fact exacerbate any anxiety felt towards therapy instead of relieving it (Deacon & Piercy, 2001). In such a case, these exercises should not be pushed. If these activities are forced, the information gathered will most likely be scarce. Deacon and Piercy also note that while qualitative assessments can provide the therapist with a wealth of information, it cannot provide certain informa tion that can only be obtained through quantitative asse