Parents Taking Control Of Their Childrens Education :: essays research papers

Never before in the United States have parents been so disgruntled about their children's education. The main reason behind this massive disruption is that public schools are not living up to parent's standards. Therefore, parents are taking their children's educations and futures into their own hands, and doing so quite efficiently. Many parents are turning to ["an alternative"] means of educating known as home schooling. Home schooling is simply ["education of school- aged children at home rather than at school."] Parents are choosing home schooling over public because public schools are not meeting their children's academic, individual, and handicap needs. First, parents are choosing home schooling over public schooling because public schools are not meeting student's academic needs. [Parents expect their children will learn to read, write, and acquire basic math skills by the time they graduate.] However, public schools throughout the United States are failing to teach these basic achedemic skills. Recent studies show that [" Of the 2.4 million who graduate, as many as 25% cannot read or write at the eighth grade level or "functionally literate," level, according to some estimates."] This is a tragic statistic for a nation claiming to be so developed. There are more opportunities to education in the United States than any other country in the world, yet evidence shows that the United States ranks [" at the bottom of 19 industrial nations in reading, writing, and arithmetic."] In addition, students are ranking lower than ever on Academic Achievement Tests (ACT). Children who attend public schools rank in the [" 50th percentile."] whereas, home schooled children [" typically score at the 65th to 80th percentile...."] To add to these statistics, [" in December 1989, the education press reported the amazing news that children schooled at home seemed to be five or even ten years ahead of their formally trained peers in their ability to think."] These statistics prove that home schooled children are doing better in math, science, reading and writing, compared to children attending public schools. Secondly, parents are choosing home schooling over public schooling because public schools are no longer taking student's individual needs into consideration. Since students are taught lessons based on an academic calendar year, they are expected to be able to complete specific tasks by the end of that year. When students fail to meet these expectations they are required to repeat the same grade the following school year.

Instrumental Rationality and the Instrumental Doctrine :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Instrumental Rationality and the Instrumental Doctrine ABSTRACT: In opposition to the instrumental doctrine of rationality, I argue that the rationality of the end served by a strategy is a necessary condition of the rationality of the strategy itself: means to ends cannot be rational unless the ends are rational. First, I explore cases-involving ‘proximate’ ends (that is, ends whose achievement is instrumental to the pursuit of some more fundamental end) — where even instrumentalists must concede that the rationality of a strategy presupposes the rationality of the end it serves. Second, I draw attention to the counter-intuitive consequences — in cases involving ‘non-proximate’ ends — of substituting (allegedly more manageable) questions about de facto ends for questions about the rationality of ends. Third, I argue-against Nozick — that it is a mistake to suppose that the only question dividing instrumentalists from non-instrumentalists is whether the instrumental doctrine needs sup plementation. Finally, I try to show that questions about the rationality of ends need not be viewed as impossibly daunting. According to the instrumental doctrine of rationality in the version relevant to the argument of this paper, an action (decision, policy, strategy, etc.) is rational provided it is an effective and economical means to the achievement of some de facto objective. If we formulate the instrumentalist position in terms of the familiar doctrine of the practical syllogism, the crucial thesis is that the action which forms the conclusion of the syllogism is rational provided (1) the major premise identifies a de facto objective of the agent's, and (2) the minor premise shows the action to be an effective and economical means to the achievement of that objective. The typical noninstrumentalist position, by contrast, would be that for the action in the conclusion to be one it is rational for the agent to perform, it must serve an objective it is rational for the agent to pursue: the major premise must identify a rational objective of some sort, not simply an objective the agent happens to have . I. The Instrumental Doctrine and "Proximate" Ends One way of denting the instrumentalist position is to explore cases where the action said to be rational is an effective and economical means of enabling the agent to achieve an end he or she is pursuing only because its achievement is (held to be) indispensable to effective pursuit of some more fundamental objective. These are cases where the agent is pursuing (what we might call) a "proximate" end, an end which is thought to be worth pursuing only because its achievement is a means to effective pursuit of a more basic end.

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter The major characters go through many changes due to all of the events that have taken place, but the torture they have to live and die with is all within themselves. Hester Prynn has always been strong, but being isolated from society and raising a child who constantly punishes her for her love affair makes her grow stronger and tougher. Chillingworth, who once was a caring man who loved Hester, shows his darkest side when he sets out to destroy the soul of an already weak man. Dimmesdale becomes weaker when he finds he can't purify his soul from the sin he has committed. The major character changes come from within and are controlled by the characters. Once her jail time had been served, the worst of Hester's punishment had only begun. She had confessed and had no guilt to live with, but society had completely shut her out. Also, aside from the embroidered scarlet letter she had to wear, she also had to live with her child who was a daily reminder of her sin. In order to survive her daily pain, Hester grows stronger and blocks out a lot of her emotions. It is noticed that the tougher she got inside, the tougher her appearance becomes and the more plain she dressed. Once she meet with Dimmesdale in the forest, she told him of Chillingworth, which shows she had grown strong enough to not let him hold her down. When she gained that strength, her beauty was expressed by: Her sex, her youth, and the whole richness of her beauty, came back from what men call the irrevocable past. Chillingworth had not been able to harm Hester because of her inner strength. At the end of the book, she is the only one who has survived emotionally. Chillingworth wanted a woman who would love him, but when that failed, he found a new love. His new passion became the destruction of the man who took Hester away from him. He tells Hester of his plans when he says: I shall seek this man…There is a sympathy that will make me conscious of him. I shall see him tremble. I shall feel myself shudder, suddenly and unawares. Sooner or later, he must needs be mine! When Chillingworth moved in with Dimmesdale and controlled his every day life, his whole life was based around Dimmesdale's destruction. Since Dimmesdale had not yet confessed his sin to the town, Chillingworth was succeeding in his plan to destroy Dimmesdale's soul easily.

Philosophy- Locke Hume and Kafka Essay

1. Explain how Locke and Hume view personal identity, or the â€Å"Self†. How do you see Kafka’s â€Å"Metamorphosis† as exemplifying these philosophical themes? You may choose Locke or Hume or both, or argue why you see neither of their theories as showing up in Kafka’s work. Locke’s theory of personal identity does not rely on substance to explain personal identity. Locke’s theory is person one at time two is the same person as person two at time one if and only if person one and person two are both persons and person one can remember at time two (his doing) what person two did or felt or what have you at time one. Hume’s theory of the self-held that the self is nothing but a bundle of experiences or perceptions linked by the relations of causation and resemblance; or, more accurately, that the empirically warranted idea of the self is just the idea of such a bundle. In â€Å"Metamorphosis† Kafka takes on Locke’s view of the self. Kafka illustrates that Gregor Samsa is the same person as he was when he was human even though he has changed into a bug. Kafka does this by showing that Gregor still has the same thoughts, memories, and tries to continue the same routine even though he has become a bug. Gregor stills tries to wake up and catch the train for work, he still knows how his sister, parents, and boss will act, and he still has the same feelings and emotions towards his life and the people who are in it. All of these explain go along with Locke’s view of the self verses Hume’s theory.

Inherent Risk Essay

Inherent risk Computerizing risk Non-routine transactions (Beasley 2010, p268) ‘Transactions that are unusual for the client are more likely than routine transactions to be incorrectly recorded, because of the client often lacks experience in recording them. ’ Why it is risk: Santos use a series of computerizing or IT technology to support their business for increase market competition. IT technology has been used for trade ordering systems between customs and Santos. Customers can order or purchase goods online. Therefore, non-routine transactions might occur if customers not familiar with the computerizing system. What’s more, Computerizing system would always make the same mistake, if the system has not designed properly. Thus, It might also contain some misstatement of transactions or increase opportunities that the transaction record incorrectly, such as , some of sales transactions might record in ‘other income’ due to computerizing system design mistake. Misstatement of sales account would lead to estimate wrong actual profit at the end of financial year, thus it contain risks to estimate wrong also affect the Evidence: Make sure that the computerizing system had been designed properly; review the computerizing system to identify whether there are some mistakes. Investigate sales account and other income account, identify whether every transaction has been recorded correctly. Management risk Factors related to fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets (ASA 240 incentives/pressures) Adverse relationship between the entity and employees with access to cash or other assets susceptible to the theft may motivate those employees to misappropriate those assets, for xample: promotions, compensation, or other rewards inconsistent with expectations. Management and weaknesses in internal control may be present when misstatement due to either fraudulent financial reporting or misappropriation. Why it is risk (ASA240 ) Asset misstatement or been record incorrectly due to motivation that theft could benefit from it. Weak management of internal environment would lead to fraud or misst atement happened by personal motivation.

Corporate Strategy and Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries Such as India Essay

Foreign direct investment (FDI), in its simplest term, is when a company from one country makes an investment into building a facility in another country, or when investments are made in order to acquire a certain stake in enterprises operating outside the economy and country of the investor. FDI plays an extraordinary role for firms wanting to operate and compete in a global business. It can provide a firm with new markets to penetrate, cheaper production facilities, access to new technologies, skills, and financing. For a host country or the foreign firm receiving the investment, it can provide many opportunities that are necessary for economic growth and development. FDI can also come in many different forms, such as direct acquisition of a foreign firm, setting up a facility in a foreign country, or investing in joint ventures and/or strategic alliances with local and foreign firms (Kim & Kim, 2006). In the past decade, due to a dramatic change in the way businesses are conducted, combined with loosening of governments’ regulations on foreign investments, FDI has increased dramatically on a global scale. When companies make decisions regarding FDI, this process require the efficient allocation of funds to investment opportunities, which often require large amounts of money that will hopefully bring greater returns to its investors. With foreign investments being far riskier than domestic investments, the effective and efficient use of funds is critical for the future performance of a multinational company. Multinational companies that engage in FDI provide a range of potential benefits that extend to the actual investors as well as the host country that is receiving the investment which are quite apparent. An example within many of these advantages include, increased profits for the industry or the firm due to lower costs of resources abroad, and increase in jobs provided in the host country. However, despite the positive arguments for FDIs there are still also many reasons how or why these type of investments can prove to be harmful. Domestic firms may consider these investments as unfair competition because the home-market is losing jobs that are instead being set-up abroad. Also, the host country may feel that they are losing their national identity due to foreign cultures and influences being imposed on them. Despite the many benefits that FDIs have provided both companies and host-countries, it is still unsure that such activities will not extend harmful effects to either participant due to the various reasons mentioned above. A reasonable outline for investments should be set-out in order to allow investors reap the benefits of their investments, while simultaneously contributing positively towards the growth and development of the host-country. The following sections of this report will attempt to analyze FDI effects on developing countries, the means available for companies to invest in foreign markets, mergers and acquisitions, and other issues related to the field of foreign direct investment. Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries Foreign direct investments initiated by MNCs occur primarily because in most cases these type of activities aim to fulfill all MNC’s primary objective; to maximize shareholder value (stock price) by â€Å"taking-on† various value-adding activities or investments. As such they are considered as being major contributors to economic growth for developing countries. A host country will usually want to attract foreign investors in order to acquire additional resources such as capital, new technologies, knowledge, as well as increased job opportunities for its population. Over the past decade globalization has increased dramatically, which has also sparked increasing flows of FDI in developing countries as governments begin to ease up on their regulations. According to publications from the Institute for International Economics, FDI in developing countries, and countries who are in a transition phase of their economy (i. e. China) grew dramatically during 1990-1998, from $24 billion per annum to approximately $120 billion per annum. Mentioned in the previous section, FDI in theory, as well as in practice, has proved to offer several gains to developing host countries who accept MNC’s investment efforts. From these gains, the major ones that are usually more specific to developing host countries include the transfer of technology that couldn’t otherwise be acquired through investments or trade, development of human capital through employee training, and gains in profits resulting from corporate tax revenues in the host country (Loungani and Razin, 2001). The fact is that the impact of FDI in a certain country may vary from one country to another country, therefore the degree of FDI impact really depends on the government policies and regulations that are set forth in order to either attract or deter FDI inflows. Therefore, we could concur that government policymakers have the most important role when it comes to FDI decisions. They should be aware of the different methods that could be used to promote FDI and how each of these means would affect the development and growth of the local economy. Often, policymakers seem to rush into FDI liberalization policies without considering the pros and cons of such actions. However, as the South East Asian economies have well proven to the rest of the world, if FDI can be used strategically, it can be an extremely useful tool for emerging economies and developing countries. FDI in India India’s recent liberalization of its foreign investment regulations has generated strong interest by foreign investors, turning India into one of the fastest growing destinations for global FDI. Foreign firms are setting up joint ventures in several of India’s fastest growing sectors such as telecommunications, computers software, financial services, tourism, etc. According to a global survey conducted by KPMG International on corporate investment plans in June 2008, India is expected to experience the largest overall growth in its share FDI, and will most likely become a haven for investments within the manufacturing industries. It’s true that India is becoming one of the most favored investment destinations for many developed countries as well as countries whose economies are in a transition phase. The following diagram shows how GDP per capita growth, trade volumes, and FDI inflows have surged over the years 2001-2006. Within the past few years, Japanese firms are increasingly purchasing various amounts of equity ventures in Indian firms, particularly within the automobile, electronics, and IT sectors. FDI is now recognized as one of the most important drivers of economic growth for India, and as such, the Indian government is making all efforts to attract and facilitate FDI and investment from foreign investors. India’s liberalization efforts have not only removed national barriers towards foreign investments, but have also made the process of investment activities much easier by establishing various measures. According to India Business Directory (IBD, 1999-2009), some of these implemented measures include: †¢Loosening of foreign exchange controls in order to promote greater tradebetween India and other countries †¢Companies now have significant amount of freedom to raise funds from foreign markets in order to invest and expand their foreign operations in India †¢Trade between countries is subject to fewer trade restrictions; i. . decreasing tariff levels †¢Foreign investors can pass on earnings from Indian operations with relative ease As India and its industries continue to develop and expand, more and more investors are attracted to its market with hopes of experiencing great returns. The possibilities of foreign investment in India seem endless with the combination of incentives and benefits that the Indian government offers to foreign investors. Some of these incentives include tax exemptions due to the various tax treaties that India has with 40 other countries, as well as investment incentives offered by the Indian government and the state (IBD, 1999-2009). One of the major reasons why India has attracted vast amounts of FDI in recent years is due to its FDI policies. According to the Embassy of India website (2009), FDI up to 100 percent is allowed under the â€Å"automatic route† in all sectors and activities except for those that are otherwise stated. Some of these sectors that don’t permit full ownership by the foreign investor include such items that require special licensing; i. e. alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and tobacco products, electronic aerospace and defense equipment, explosives, and hazardous chemicals. There are also other sectors of the economy that are prohibited from receiving ANY form of FDI, which include atomic energy, railway transport, ammunition and defense equipment, and mineral oils. However, most of the sectors fall under the â€Å"automatic route† for FDI, which basically implies that FDI can take place without the approval of the central government.

Maceda and Recto Law Essay

These two laws are relevant and are very often the issue of many court cases. Both laws govern the sale of property by installments. The Recto Law, which forms part of the Civil Code, covers installment sales of personal property while the Maceda Law governs installment sales of real property. The Recto Law The Recto Law comprises Articles 1484 to 1486 of the Civil Code. It was added to the Civil Code to prevent abuses in the foreclosure of chattel mortgages, such as when mortgagee-creditors foreclosed mortgaged property, bought them at a low price (on purpose,) then prosecuted the mortgagor-debtors to recover the deficiencies. In the event a buyer of personal property defaults by failing to pay two or more of the agreed installments, the seller can do any of the following: 1.) Demand that the buyer pay (a.k.a. specific performance) 2.) Cancel or rescind the sale 3.) Foreclose the mortgage on the property bought (if there ever was a chattel mortgage) Regarding no. 3, this happens when a person takes a loan to buy something and he mortgages the thing he bought to ensure the creditor that he will pay the loan. Remember: If you choose one remedy, you can’t choose the others. These remedies, believe it or not, are also available to the buyer. You also can’t use all or any of them at the same time. The Recto Law also won’t apply to a straight sale (i.e. a sale where there is a downpayment and the balance is payable in the future in a single payment only.) The seller can also assign his credit to another person, making that person the new creditor. If the buyer refuses to surrender the items to the seller, he becomes a perverse buyer-mortgagor. When that happens, the seller can recover expenses and attorney’s fees. The Recto Law also covers leases with the option to purchase. The Maceda Law The Maceda Law, RA 6552, is the real estate equivalent of the Recto Law. Like the Recto Law, it also covers financing of sales of real property (which is why mortgages also come in.) It doesn’t apply,however, to the following sales: 1.) Industrial lots 2.) Commercial buildings and lots 3.) Lands under the CARP Law Depending on when the buyer defaults, there are two (2) possible scenarios: if the buyer paid at least two (2) years’ installments and if the buyer paid less than 2 years’ installments. If the buyer paid less than 2 years’ installments and defaults, he is given a grace period of sixty (60) days starting from the date of his last installment to resume paying. This period can be increased by the seller. If after the grace period the buyer still can’t pay, the seller must make a notarial demand to cancel the sale. The cancellation becomes effective thirty (30) days after the buyer was notified. So it’s possible that the buyer could be notified two months after the 60-day period and then the 30-day period will begin. If the buyer paid at least two years’ installments, the buyer can pay the unpaid balance without interest. The grace period is computed at one (1) month per year of installment payments. It also begins from the time the buyer paid his last installment. The grace period can be used only once every five (5) years of the sales contract’s life -including its extensions. So it’s possible to have a grace period of a year if the buyer had been  paying his installments faithfully for 12 years. Once the buyer chooses to use the grace period, he can’t get it again until another five years are over. If the seller wants to cancel the sale, he has to refund the buyer of 50% of the actual payments. If the buyer paid more than five years’ installments another 5% for every year is to be added to the refund, but only up to 90% of the total payments made. The payments mentioned here include the downpayment, options and deposits. The refund is made in this way: if the buyer paid more 2 to 5 years’ installments, he can get back 50% of the cash surrender value. If he paid for more than 5 years, he can get the 50% plus 5% per year up to 90%. The buyer is also allowed to make advanced payments, or even the full price, without interest. He can also assign his rights to another person, making that person the new buyer, but he can only do that with a notarial deed of sale assignment. The Maceda Law cannot be used by a real estate developer (see here.) It also cannot be used by the highest bidder in foreclosure proceedings. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6552 REALTY INSTALLMENT BUYER PROTECTION ACT AN ACT TO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO BUYERS OF REAL ESTATE ON INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS Section 1. This Act shall be known as the â€Å"Realty Installment Buyer Act.† Sec. 2. It is hereby declared a public policy to protect buyers of real estate on installment payments against onerous and oppressive conditions. Sec. 3. In all transactions or contracts involving the sale or financing of real estate on installment payments, including residential condominium apartments but excluding industrial lots, commercial buildings and sales to tenants under Republic Act Numbered Thirty-eight hundred forty-four, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Sixty-three hundred eighty-nine, where the buyer has paid at least two years of installments, the buyer is entitled to the following rights in case he defaults in the payment of succeeding installments: (a) To pay, without additional interest, the unpaid  installments due within the total grace period earned by him which is hereby fixed at the rate of one month grace period for every one year of installment payments made: Provided, That this right shall be exercised by the buyer only once in every five years of the life of the contract and its extensions, if any. (b) If the contract is cancelled, the seller shall refund to the buyer the cash surrender value of the payments on the property equivalent to fifty per cent of the total payments made, and, after five years of installments, an additional five per cent every year but not to exceed ninety per cent of the total payments made: Provided, That the actual cancellation of the contract shall take place after thirty days from receipt by the buyer of the notice of cancellation or the demand for rescission of the contract by a notarial act and upon full payment of the cash surrender value to the buyer. Down payments, deposits or options on the contract shall be included in the computation of the total number of installment payments made. Sec. 4. In case where less than two years of installments were paid, the seller shall give the buyer a grace period of not less than sixty days from the date the installment became due. If the buyer fails to pay the installments due at the expiration of the grace period, the seller may cancel the contract after thirty days from receipt by the buyer of the notice of cancellation or the demand for rescission of the contract by a notarial act. Sec.   5. Under Section 3 and 4, the buyer shall have the right to sell his rights or assign the same to another person or to reinstate the contract by updating the account during the grace period and before actual cancellation of the contract. The deed of sale or assignment shall be done by notarial act. Sec.  6. The buyer shall have the right to pay in advance any installment or the full unpaid balance of the purchase price any time without interest and to have such full payment of the purchase price annotated in the certificate of title covering the property. Sec. 7. Any stipulation in any contract hereafter entered into contrary to the provisions of Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6, shall be null and void. Sec. 8. If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, no other provision shall be affected thereby. Sec. 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved: August 26, 1972 Source: http://www.foreclosurephilippines.com/2011/04/maceda-law-full-text-ra-6552.html#ixzz2WU4VzLe8