Sources of Government Revenue in South Africa

Sources of Government Revenue in South Africa Topic Describe and explain sources of revenue for national, provincial and local spheres of government in South Africa. What are some of the ways in which government has encouraged the provincial and local spheres to generate additional sources of revenue to address the growing needs of communities? Introduction Revenue for South Africa is a massive task due to the corruption taking place. , all 3 spheres of government must work together to stop corruption. Since 2012 an anti corruption team has been set up to solve this issue. This assignment will focus on ways the government tries to encourage other speheres to generate their own income. In a more specific detail this assignment will focus on ways national government promote ways to generate income for provincial and local government. This is not an easy task and thus the challenges is also a main concern and will outline the challenges and possible solutions to overcome this. Solutions will be outlined in a detailed way to overcome the issues we are facing , the definitions of the terms as well as the Significance of the Study. This assignment will conclude the information gathered and what steps needs to be taking to achieve greater results. How does national government get income? Taxes collected are the main source of revenue of national government. 97,1% of revenue of national government was collected as tax. The main sources of tax for national government are taxes paid by individuals, taxes paid by businesses, value added tax and excises(statssa.gov) Taxes on income, profits and capital gains are attributed either to individuals or to businesses. These taxes are generally levied on wages, salaries, other compensation, interest, rent, capital gains, profits of businesses, and taxable portions of pension. The first type of tax and income for the government is Value-added tax(VAT) .VAT is a tax on goods and services collected in stages by enterprises but which is ultimately charged in full to the final purchaser. VAT is usually charged at 14% on consumers final goods and is included in the price you pay for most items such as food items , petrol ,etc. the second type of tax collected by the government is excises tax. Excises are taxes levied on particular products and may be imposed at any stage of production or distribution. Excise duties are imposed mostly on high-volume daily consumable products (e.g. alcohol and tobacco products) as well as certain non-essential or luxury items (e.g. electronic equipment and cosmetics). Administrative fees are also another income for government . administration fees are similar to user charges, but differ in the sense that the service (or benefit) received in return for the fee is defined rather broadly and imprecisely.Such fees include business licences, television licences, diamond export rights, fishing licences, and motor vehicle licences. The dreaded parking ticket and speeding fine can also be added to the list. Administrative fees and fines are insignificant sources of revenue. South Africa’s major source of income is borrowing and taking loans from other countries to sustain the economy and the needs of the citizens Government can borrow from its own citizens and from abroad. Borrowing is often used to finance capital expenditure. Borrowed funds must be repaid at some point and therefore amount to deferred taxes. Because lenders have to be adequately compensated for current consumption forgone, it is imperative that borrowed money should be spent on productive activities. Sometimes government uses borrowed funds  to finance current consumption, a practice that cannot always be defended on economic grounds.   Classification of taxes There are two types of taxes such as direct and indirect. below are the two types of taxes discussed and defined. Direct Taxation Direct taxes are imposed directly on individuals and companies (e.g. personal income  tax and company tax). This distinction fundamentally revolves around the issue of tax incidence  (i.e. the question of who really pays the tax). It would suffice to say that we simply cannot tell with certainty in advance what the outcome is going to be. The second type of tax is Indirect taxes .indirect taxes are taxes which are likely to be shifted and are imposed on commodities or market transactions. Examples are excise ditties and fuel levies. It is also more difficult to adjust the tax rate to the personal circumstances of the consumer. In the  case of indirect taxes it is often possible to shift the burden of the tax to someone else. There are various types of taxes which government collects revenue from. A primary source of wealth tax for the government is property tax. The property tax base can be defined very broadly to include real property (realty) and personal property (e.g. furniture, motor vehicles, shares, bonds, and bank deposits). Another important tax is the capital gains tax. Capital gains can be defined as increases in the net value of assets over a period (e.g.an accounting period or fiscal year).the most popular type of tax is the wealth tax .Income and consumption are flow concepts since both are measured over a period of time. Income consists of wages, rental income from property, interest on savings, dividends on shares, and so on. In contrast to income, wealth is a stock concept which is measured at a particular point in time. Acts and laws pertaining to national government revenue The main act with regard to national revenue is the Public finance management act.The Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999) (as amended by Act No. 29 of 1999) The Act promotes the objective of good financial management in order to maximise service delivery through the effective and efficient use of the limited resources and focuses mainly on national and provincial spheres of government.(treasury.gov.za). the second and one of the most discussed about act is the National Revenue Fund . There is a National Revenue Fund into which all money received by the national government must be paid, except money reasonably excluded by an Act of Parliament. (sa constitution) How does the National budget effect other speheres of government The national budget plays a major role . each year the budget gets less for the community for goods and services. Our recent budget speech , more money will be spent on eskom rather than other essential needs of the community . with a limited budget , revenue will be hard to receive for other spheres and thus have to generate their own income How provincial government gets revenue Provinces have little revenue of their own but there is a process governed by the Division of Revenue Act as amended which enables a formula to be used so that provinces receive shares of revenue collected nationally. Provinces then have some discretion as to allocation of what they receive. government research in 2008 showed that Mpumalanga spent a lower percentage on health than did Western Cape as an example. The needs for the community is growing and with a limited budget and corruption in national government revenue for provinces becomes less each year. President zuma has now given more funds to eskom to settle the energy crisis thus making it less for other departments.(SONA). The only way now for provincial government to provide services is to get back to basics. In a recent interview with our provincial mayor, getting back to basics is a must.(daily news) . Kwa zulu natal relays mainly with tourism. 2014 has had the most tourism compared to any other year. Also each province relays on own source of revenue such as provincial taxes and fee ,license and fines. A government may expose taxes other than income tax ,etc. Durban also has one of the biggest harbours in the world and receives a lot from custom tax. Johanessburg has the biggest international airport in Africa also benefits a lot from foreigners for tourism. National government is also aiding provinces with grants due to the service deliver protest. Provinces still have little revenue of their own and are highly dependent on the national sources. It is fortunate that this is governed by legislation. The national government cannot discriminate against opposition controlled provinces such as WC now and KZN previously. There are also joint meetings between provinces and national government which look at issues like resource allocation. How does national government encourage revenue for provincial sphere One of the main ways provinces gets a share from national is the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC). The FFC is an independent body that is set up under the Constitution to advise government on the portion of revenue that should go to provincial and local government to subsidise services for poor people. But these funding are not adequate ,thus the provinces have to generate own source of income . generating income is not an easy task for the provinces as the unemployment rate is rising each year and citizens don’t have enough buying power or to support any fund raising activities. South Africa is known for the variety of sports we play and throughout the year there is various international and local events happening. Each province generate income through sports , generating income from the citizens via the sales of tickets ,etc. cricket ,soccer and rugby are the main sports in south Africa with a huge support of fans. South Africa is currently in the bid for the 2022 common wealth games which is to take place in Durban . This can contribute to a even higher revenue for that year for the province as over 20 countries participate in these games with tourism for all over the world. Conferences is also taking place in south Africa and Durban ICC remains positive, new destinations and Convention Centres are being developed throughout the world, which will result in even greater competition for conferences and events in the future. Each province also has a main attraction and highlight to attract visitors , example: Durban has the beautiful beaches , ushaka marine world and a diverse of cultures. Cape town has robben island , table mountain and the beautiful scenery. Johannesburg is the hub for film and tv casting , with tall skyscrapers and movie studios , as well as theme parks , shopping malls , and best airport in Africa. Laws and policies pertaining to provincial sphere to promote revenue and to provide services. One of the main laws which was recently passed was the Inter-governmental Relations Framework Act. It was passed to make sure that the principles in Chapter Three of the Constitution on cooperative government are implemented. The Act seeks to set up mechanisms to coordinate the work of all spheres of government in providing services, alleviating poverty and promoting development. (etu.org.za) Another structure in place is the Provincial Inter-governmental Structures. This act is about the relationships between the three spheres of government The Premier in each province is responsible for coordinating relationships between national, provincial and local government in the province. A Premier’s Inter-governmental Forum consists of the Premier, the local government MEC, other MECs, Metro and other mayors. (etu.org.za).National government also contributes by new laws which makes new business to open easier and funding if you follow the BBBEE, Act, 2013 (Act No. 46 of 2013). Broad- Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is a specific government policy to advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation of black people in the South African economy.(seda.org.za) How local government gets revenue Municipalities get their revenue from three sources. First, they raise some of their own revenue by charging all people who own property such as land, houses and businesses rates based on the value of their property. The second way they raise revenue is by charging tariffs for services like water, electricity, refuse removal and the use of municipal facilities such as sports grounds. Some municipalities can generate a lot of revenue in this way, while poorer municipalities raise virtually nothing and are almost totally dependent on funding transfers from national government, which is the third source of revenue for municipalities. Municipalities also receive funding from national government in the form of conditional grants . (localgovernmentaction.org) Challenges for local government Local government relays more on taxes. There has been many challenges regarding taxes as more than 50 percent of south Africa lives in informal settlements and don’t pay taxes.In the past, municipalities have not spent all the money allocated to them through this grant due to a lack of capacity and the mismanagement of funds. During the 2010/11 financial year, for example, 272 municipalities in South Africa did not spend a quarter of what was available to them and some of this money had to be returned to Treasury. This has most certainly contributed to the slow pace at which municipalities are providing infrastructure for services. (localgovernmentaction.org) Although funding from national and provincial government are given to local government , many ward municipal managers do not do their jobs to monitor and evaluate the needs for the community thus from above funds was given back to the treasury. How does national government encourage revenue for local sphere National government encourages various ways to get income. First they offer many incentives in the form of money. These usually occur if they follow the BBBEE procedure. Secondly , fund raising take place , many NGOS often have fund raising schemes to help support a needy course or to fund problems in the area. NGO’s play a vital role and a big help to the government for providing goods and services to the community. Examples of NGO’S are â€Å"feed the babies fund†, and NORSA. Municipalities with the most clean audits also gets rewards. The link between national sphere , provincial sphere and local sphere The different spheres of government depend on each other for support in project implementation, and regular communication is essential. For example, when a municipality proposes the development of a new township in its Integrated Development Plan, health and education services have to be provided by provincial government. Water services have to be provided by national government, and finances for housing development have to be transferred from national to provincial government from where it goes to the housing developers approved by the municipality. Laws and policies pertaining to local sphere to promote revenue and to provide services. The first act is the Municipal systems act 32 of 2000 . It is a Framework for planning, performance management system, effective use of resources and organisational change. , it also provides Core principles and mechanisms and processes necessary for community participation. Chapter 4 of the Act deals with community participation and define the need for the development of community participation. Another act which relates to this is the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. This act regulates budget and financial management practices in municipalities and Helps to maximise the capacity of municipalities to deliver services to all communities. Integrated development plan (IDP) The IDP is a 5 year plan by the government to eridacte poverty and to create jobs . Every municipality has to draw up an Integrated Development Plan (IDP). An Integrated Development Plan is a super plan for an area that gives an overall framework for development. It aims to co-ordinate the work of local and other spheres of government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in an area. It should take into account the existing conditions and problems and resources available for development. The plan should look at economic and social development for the area as a whole Conclusion From the above discussion all spheres of government must work together to achieve greater results. They need to be inter related and distinctive. All the steps and polices must be implemented to achieve best results and a corruption free society and country. The national budget as we learnt also plays a vital role in the revenue for all 3 spheres of government. Ward councillor’s and mayors have a big task to maintain and improve conditions for society. There are many challenges which all spheres need to overcome in order to maintain a good service delivery to the community Reference page websites Polity.org.za,. Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 Of 2003). N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015 Acts.co.za,. Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 56 Of 2003). N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Etu.org.za,. Inter-Governmental Relations And Planning In Government. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Parliament.gov.za,. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Mogalecity.gov.za,. Mogale City. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Tshwane.gov.za,. Home. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Localgovernmentaction.org,. Municipal Budget | Local Government Action. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. Books moeti, kabelo. Public Finance Fundementals. 2nd ed. cape town: juta co, 2014. Print. Introduction to local government , 2nd ed. Cape town :juta Journals k, phago. Democracy In South Africa. Journal of Public Administration vol 49.3 (2014): n. pag. Print. Politeia :Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa 0256-8845 Africanus Department of Development Administration and Politics, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa 0304-615X

Personal And Professional Skills Identification Personal Development Essay

Personal And Professional Skills Identification Personal Development Essay In order for any manager or leader to achieve the goals set for themselves as well as the goals set for the organization, possessing appropriate skills are most important aspect. Before we can understand the important of either managerial skills or leadership skills (both personal as well as professional skills), we need to understand as to what differentiates these two professional positions from each other. Understanding the meaning of a leader- Leader is a person who not only helps the organization reach its goals but also helps to develop people at the same time. A leader is said to be a person who does the right things at the right time. Leadership is all about effectiveness. Leadership is all about innovation, inspiration and motivation. Understanding the meaning of a Manager- A manager is an entity in organization who helps to direct the actions of the employees or the members to achieve the organizational goals. A Manager is all about doing the things right and its all about efficiency. Manager is all about managing the resources of the organization. Understanding the common and unique differences between a leader and a manager will help us to understand the skills that are required in the organization: A manager believes in administration whereas a leader goes for innovation. Manager is all about organizing and scheduling but leadership is all about motivating the people in the organisation. A manager at the end of the day has employees working under him or her but for a leader, they have people who wants to becomes like them in future. A manager always ensures that the short term goals are achieved first but a leader wants to ensure that the short term goals are acheived in such a way that they help is achieving the long term goals. A manager works to ensure the stability in the business but a leader looks out for changes that can bring about the stability in the business. Personal and Professional Skills- Now as we know the difference between a manager and leader, we need to understand some of the personal and the professional skills that are important in an organization. Personal skills includes effective communication, being accountable and dependable, adaptable and appropriate work place behavior etc. Professional skills includes effective communication, time management, conducting and being part of meetings, managing stress at workplace, preparing appropriate presentations, management of performance and observation of performance, motivations and stabilization at work place. In order to understand the Manager role in a professional environment we will focus on four major skills that every potential Manager is expected to possess in an organization and these skills are: Time Management skills- Time is a very important aspect for any business. Effective management of time is essential for success of any organization or even a project. A manager can effectively manage time if they concentrate on the important aspects of the business or the organization first and then keep the other factors secondary. Effective management of time not only helps us understand what many say Time is money as well as stress reduction can be due to effective time management. (Marc Mancini, 2007) There are many options available for managers to effectively manage there time, they need to understand the priority of the work that has been assigned to them and ensure that they are working efficiently to deliver the required work on time rather then wasting the time on some work which is currently not important. A manager can also manage time if the work has been organized and distributed properly. If we take an example, Toyota works on the principle of JIT (Just in Time) and they are a very successful company known for there quality and on time work. If a person can learn to effectively manage their time, they are on their way to achieve their goals. But before a person can learn to manage time, they need to be aware of the factors that can affect the time management. These factors will include Unorganized work format, inappropriate judgment for delivery of the work, Not giving the complete attention to the current work and delaying it by working on something else at the same time. Conducting meetings- Conducting meetings or being part of the meetings are one of daily roles of a manager. Meeting is the forum through which gathered members or the people not only discuss and understand any situation but also try and develop ideas to decide on any issue. It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that he or she carries and arranges meeting in such a way that the end result leads out to an effective meeting (be the purpose of the meeting was informal talk or formal data communication). Depending on the reason or the purpose of the meeting, there can be many advantages that can be derived out of the meetings. When ever there is any formal or informal meeting, the Manager always has an edge over the members of the meeting. An effective manager utilizes meetings for not only relaying information to the co-workers but also to brain storm to generate ideas pertaining to there departments. We need to always remember that in a meeting it is not necessary that all the members will come with the same opinion. An effective manager uses the meeting as a forum to not only strengthen his team on the whole but also to give individual attention to the members of the team. On the whole meetings always help to develop good work place environment through good working relations. An effective manager is expected to have conducted an effective meeting if they have first and foremost achieved the main objective and idea behind conducting the meeting. In order to achieve this the manager needs to ensure that the members of the meeting are not only aware about the entire schedule of the meeting but also have information on the content of the meeting. An effective manager not only conveys all the information accurately but also ensures that the opinions of the members of the meeting is gathered at the end. Preparing presentation- Preparing and giving presentation is another important skill that is required for any manager. Presentation skills are just not important for managers, it is an essential aspects in every field of work in todays world. Presentation is a skills through a manager not only relays important information to the co-workers but also effectively utilizes various tools like Optics and graphics to get into the details of the information. In any company, presentations are used for meetings, discussing financial issues and even in senior board meetings. On the whole apart from the members of the presentation meeting the effectiveness of the presentation also is very critical. How can a manager not only prepare but also deliver an effective presentation? There are some of the methods that can be implemented and utilised to get to the required results of the presentations. These points are as follows: Every manager needs to ensure that they understand the importance of the presentation that they will be delivering and should be well prepared for it from before. If we check on www.nwlink.com, an effective presentation should have a good content. By this it means that it should only contain the information that is relevant. Every presentation should have a good format or structure- It should have a good start, middle and the end of the presentation. Every presentations should ensure that it understands that viewpoint and connects to the people involved in the presentation. Time is one of the most important aspect in presentations, the presenter needs to ensure that the time is utilized effectively in the presentation. Stress management skills- Skills that help and aid in managing the stress effectively are known as stress management skills. In simple terms stress can be defined as the response that is generated by our body depending on positive or negative conditions of outside or inside pressure. If we ignore the conditions and reasons for the stress, it can lead to lack of concentration and and difficult to work. Depending on the causes of the stress, they can be classified into different categories Stress caused due to survival factor- People have heard that the survival of the fittest, and this can lead to serious stress among the people. This can be applied in personal or even professional place. Stress caused due to internal or personal factors- This stress factors can be caused due to any personal reasons, financial problems, family problem anything. Stress caused due to environmental factors- Some people cannot take certain changes in environment like loud noise, pollution and get stressed out easily. Stress caused due to work place- People working in an organization get over worked and over tired and get stressed out. Managing the stress at all these situations is extremely important. Task 2. Practical Methods of development of above mentioned four skills In this section we will cover some of the practical methods that can be utilized to develop the above discussed four important skills required for a successful Managership. Methods for the development of Time Management Skills- Through the below mentioned methods we will learn to develop our time management skills and learn how to effectively and efficiently utilise the time. Preparing a list that contains the informations of the works in hand and needs attention can definitely help in managing the time. Always keep idea about the time that needs to be spent on the completion of each task available. Distribution of work also is another practical methods that can not only reduce stress but also save time for other task as well. By ensuring that no additional work is undertaken unless the assigned work has been completed. Always try and work in a team. Ensure that the work is not postponed to another time and date. Always be ready to say No other other including your Boss in case you already have enough work at your hand. Methods for the developing the meeting Skills In order to develop the meeting skills, manager needs to ensure that they understand the objectives and the purpose of the meeting. Every action that is taken should always lead to the achievement of the goal of the meeting. Ensure that the important information and data is discussed well within the time. Ensure that the meeting content was valuable for every member of the meeting. Always be well prepared and organized (time, agenda etc) for the meeting. Ensure that the feedback is taken from the members regarding the meeting. Methods for the development of presentation Skills Just like meetings skills, ensure that the presenter is well organizedd and prepared for the meeting. Ensure latest technologies are utilized to enhance the presentation (visual aids). Always keep everyone involved in the presentation and keep eye contact with everyone while giving presentation. Always ensure that you have practiced the presentation well in advance to avoid any anxiety. Methods for the development of stress Management Skills In order to develop the stress management skills, first learn to understand the reason which is leading to stressful situation. Either you can avoid the things which are causing stress or try and adjust yourself to that situation which will reduce stress. Another method is either to change the cause of stress or accept the cause of stress. Always try and re-frame the issues leading to stress and try and distribute work which will reduce the workload stress. Reward yourself when accomplishing any task, this can reduce the stress a lot. Avoid negative methods to manage stress, adapt healthy way for stress management. Outcome 2. Evaluation of Personal Skills through Audit Task 3. Personal Skill auditing Every person has there own way and approach of learning things in life, these approaches can be considered as the individual learning style. A manager is expected to understand there method and style of learning things and turning the negatives into positives. Individual specific learning style helps them to make and alter there weaknesses into their strength through every action that they take. After long understanding and thinking, I can say that I have a Learning style which is combination of being Theorist as well as Linguistic. Depending on my learning style, I have performed the below audit to highlight my strength and weaknesses. Skills Strength Weakness Organized P Communication P Time Management P Management of Stress P Delegation P Meetings and Presentations P Efficient and Self confident P Learning methodology P Interpersonal communication P Technological skills P Coaching and mentoring P Learn from experience P Logical thinking skills P We we take a look, we can clearly see that there are quite a few noticeable weakness in my learning style. These weakness can lead to non effective performance of the manager. The weakness are always a hindrance in a work place towards success. If we take a look at the people and the businesses which are currently blooming, they have got success as they have studied from there past experiences and changed their weakness into their strength. Performance in a business world is the key to success and survival. Now after understanding and performing the self audit for the skills, there weakness which can affect the development of the four skills mentioned earlier are: Communication- Communicating in an effective way is crucial for manager. This weakness can affect all the four skills like Time management, Stress management, Meeting and presentations skills. Communication is the backbone for the proper development of the skills. A manager needs to communicate clearly about the work in hand and the time it will consume to reduce the stress later on. Communicating effectively is the main factor to turn the meeting and presentation important and meaningful. Delegation- This is one weakness which can have an impact on Time management as well as Stress management development. A manager needs to learn to delegate work to reduce the self burden and lack of time. Logical thinking skills- A manager needs to ensure that they think effectively for all possible reactions and reasons before taking any action. Taking action without thinking can create stress at work and management of stress can be serious issue which will involve lot of time. Outcome 3. Personal Development plan Task 4. Personal development plan Before we can develop a personal development plan, we need to understand the importance of development plan. What are the significant weakness in self? I have performed the self skill audit to understand as to where I stand in terms of the skills I possess and the skills that needs to be developed and worked upon. Why need personal Development plan? If I want to become a successful manager, I need to ensure that there are not significant weakness in my professional and personal skills that can have a huge impact on my learning. No body can be perfect but at least we can try to be close to being perfect. What I am targeting to achieve through the development plan? I am targeting not only to maintain my current strength of skills but also convert my weakness into my strength to ensure that there is very less scope of weakness in future. I need to ensure that my learning style helps in this process. The personal development plan should be aligned with SMART objectives and the self SWOT analysis. Objectives of SMART will ensure that I have developed a plan which is not only realistic but also time based, which I will be measuring and checking on time. I need to ensure that all the development plan is aligned to minimize my weakness. My personal SWOT analysis: Strength Organized Time Management Management of Stress Meetings and Presentations Efficient and self confident Learning methodology Interpersonal communication Technological skills Coaching and mentoring Learning from experience Weaknesses Communication Delegation Logical Thinking skills Opportunities Being part of most of the meetings and presentation at work shops All the facilities available in the college to aid in development Online tutorial for learning Learn through lectures at college Start workshop to help others in developing some skills Threats Missing out important lectures Lack of time for different activities Unable to be part of more work shops Less number of students to enroll for the workshop for skills development Depending on the Personal SWOT analysis, I have prepared a personal development plan as follows (this plan has been developed for a period of 4 months and post this Ill be performing another audit to verify the status of my skills): Skills that Needs development Action to be taken to overcome the weakness and the required resources Time line set for development Communication Try and communicate to as many people possible. Send out reports and data to work on my written communication. Take regular meetings and presentations. 4 Months Delegation Delegate work to reduce the time consumption and the over load stress. Try and work independently but ensure to not over work and encourage others through work delegation. 2 Months Logical Thinking skills Try and think and analyze every situation to come up with possible solutions. Can talk to people about their opinion on a particular situation. 3 Months Task 5. Monitoring and Feedback In order to ensure that the development plan is progressing on a success path, regular monitoring and feedback is essential. The development plan for tackling the weakness covers communication, delegation and logical thinking skills. During the course of the development plan, I feel that I am not only try to communicate to a lot of people but also trying to encourage my co-workers through assigning tasks to them. This is not only helping them to develop their skills but also reducing the stress from me but also Im saving a lot of time for other works. Due to the development plan, I have able to think logically and come up with ideas for the development of the department as well as the co-workers. This has helped me to enhance my communication skills in meetings as well as while giving presentations. Apart from the work place, have been visiting and talking to lot people outside to understand there feeling and style of learning things. Task 6. Conclusion and Learning Advanced Professional Development- This course might seem boring but when we get into the details we will understand that this subject is a critical part of being successful and achieving our aim.It is important to learn from experience but if we dont have any information on the basics of skills required for being Manager, it is totally worthless. This assignment has helped me understand the importance of being the manager and the skills that can lead to the success of being manager. Through this assignment I have understood the importance of my learning method and how I have been using it from long time for many assignment without giving it much thought. Every work involved going through lot of theoretical data (through various sources). But at the end of the day, I have learned immensely through this assignment, the knowledge gathered through this assignment will not only help in being a good manager but also can applied in any field that I would be working in future. At the end I would like to thank all who have helped me in understanding the importance of this assignment and the importance of being a leader and mentor for others.

An Analysis of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s, A Very Old Man with Enormous W

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Analysis In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,† he was able to exaggerate an element of our lives in order to prove that everything we have known and come to believe is actually not what it seems. Marquez has twisted something so solid in our beliefs such as an angel, in order to help us understand that nothing can be assumed from popular belief and appearances. Upon immediate viewing of the angel, the perception of reality has changed in its entirety. All past knowledge has become irrelevant now that it has been proven false. In an instant, an entire belief system has crumbled. Pelayo and Elisenda refuse to think of this man as an angel even though he clearly was. â€Å"That was how they skipped over the inconvenience of the wings and quite intelligently concluded that he was a lonely castaway from some foreign ship wrecked by the storm.† Angels in our minds have been known as beautiful creatures that are pure and clean. They are the epitome of man’s view of perfection. Marquez has created an angel that is rank, disturbing...

Essays --

Aisha Tosado English 101-71 Cyber Bullying Cyber bullying is when someone is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, or just a target by a mobile phone or internet, most of the time, both. Cyber bullying can include anything from the list provided above, by text message, instant message, email, blogs, social websites, etc. As more and more children gain access to these, the more people are being harmed. Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Usually, it is repeated over time. Normally, bullying involved actions such as: physical bullying, verbal bullying, or intimidation through gestures or social exclusion. Cyber bullying affects many young people all over the world to a point that the victims and their families and friends suffer serious emotional and physical problems. To help avoid future tradgeties, I would like to educate you more on what it is. Cyberbullying emerged when online technology became more accessible to teens. Many schools began looking at bullying as a serious problem, and most began the zero-bullying policies. But cyberspace is a new territory, and schools aren't sure how far to extend their authority. Bullies have evolved with new technology. Since bullying hasbecome a serious problem in society, laws have been pointed against it. Cyberbullying can be addressed under civil law or criminal law, based on the situation. Civil law: This is the branch of law that deals with property rights, personal dignity and freedom from injury. 1. A cyberbully may be engaged in defamation, defamation is when the person who is bullying causes harm to someone’s reputation by spreading false information about that person. In general, defamati... ..., setting boundries and rules with mobile devices but who's to say what these young teens can learn outside of their home. It's very vague to resolve this issue, but there are plenty options in trying to help prevent it from occuring again, especially if you've experienced it either by being the victim, bully, parents, etc. One who bullies can use guidence or counseling to learn healthy ways to interact with people and help them understand why it is hurtful to others. Victims of cyber bullying can speak up and tell someone, block the bully, do not reply to messages and save them so they can be reported, also parents being involved more or even just putting parental controls on websites that are vulnerable to something of this nature can help prevent cyber bullying. The most effective way of getting away from it, is to simply â€Å"Log off† and say bye.

Spaying and Neutering: How Soon Is Too Soon?

English 101 29 May 2012 Spaying and Neutering: How Soon is too Soon? Often referred to as â€Å"man’s best friend,† dogs have been around for thousands of years. They provide their love and services to their human counterparts, and most often receive love, food, and shelter in return. Responsible dog owners everywhere would agree that neutering your dog is important and something that must be done; but the question is when? Most people neuter their dogs between 5- 7 months, simply because this is was common tradition.A common tradition that needs to be re-evaluated. What most people do not realize, is that it is most beneficial to his/her health when a dog is spayed or neutered after his/her first birthday to promote a healthy, prosperous, and disease-free life. First off, what does it mean to spay or neuter your dog? Also known as desexing, it’s the process of removing their sex organs for population control, health, and behavioral modification (O'Meara). The op eration requires general anesthetic, stitches, and a close watch to ensure safe healing.Because the procedure requires anesthetic, most veterinarians recommend that your dog be in the 5-7 month range for desexing. Most veterinarians say it is safer for the dogs to wait until this age before undergoing a anesthetic surgery. They believe the liver and kidneys in younger animals are less mature, and less capable of tolerating the effects of the anesthetic (O'Meara). However, some veterinarians now are saying it is safe and effective to neuter your pet before this 5-7 month-mark.Dog owners can ask to have their pet desexed at an earlier age. The practice was approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and studies done at the University of Illinois provided evidence of successful early desexing of dogs (Fuess). Another common belief concerning desexing dogs at this stage is to eliminate the ‘naughty behaviors’ dogs will develop if neutered too late. Undesi rable sexual behaviors such as roaming, mounting, and masturbation can be reduced by neutering your male dogs (Clark Animal Hospital ).However, this is untrue: â€Å"The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early† (Zink). After I graduated high school, I got a Bullmastiff puppy. A lot of people told me to neuter him when he was 5 months, but I wanted to wait. They told me if I didn’t do it soon, he would start to develop these bad habits. Now, he is almost a year old and I have no issues with his behavior, at all.He also found a report from the American Kennel Club suggesting males and females who were spayed or neutered early having problems with aggression and fearful behaivors (Zink). Neutering a dog at an early stage in life may not have a positive, but rather a negative effect on their demeanor. Whil e it seems all anyone is interested in how early you can desex your dogs, and some believe it is effective to neuter your animal at an early stage, it is the most beneficial to health to wait until after their first birthday.Chris Zink, veterinarian and Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, considers early neutering and spaying for dogs any desexing procedure done before puberty. He noticed many differences between dogs desexed at an earlier age, and those who weren’t. He noticed variables in dogs’ health concerning orthopedics, cancer, behavior, and other health concerns related to these animals. One common reason people neuter their male dogs before 7 months is to decrease their chance of developing prostrate cancer. However, there have been some studies that suggest that this provides no benefit (Zink).He also noticed a difference between dogs who had developed bone cancer and those who had not. One source indicated a two-fold higher risk in d ogs that were desexed early and others who waited (Zink). Growing up, my family always had a dog. Our first dog was a blonde German shepherd named Clyde. We followed the status quo, and when he was 6 months of age we had him neutered. He was the most loyal, obedient, handsome, fun-loving dog, and we loved him. However, when Clyde got older, we had to have him put him down because he had developed bone cancer.After reading the findings of Dr. Zink I ask myself, â€Å"If we had waited to neuter Clyde, would he still have developed bone cancer? † However, my decision to neuter Bentley at a later age will not make up for the thousands who do not. Most people spay or neuter their dogs at 5 to 7 months, simply because of tradition; but this is a tradition that needs to be re-evaluated. Practices amongst vets need to change. When someone goes in for an appointment with their veterinarian, there should be a lengthy discussion between them and the dog owners about spaying and neuterin g options.Most people don’t even know that waiting to desex is possible. The veterinarians, breeders, and owners who do believe in waiting to desex need to do a better job of advertising, educating, and supporting this campaign. Its an issue I always bring up when I take my dog to the dog park. When discussed most people don’t even realize it’s an option; however, I am not a licensed vet, so not only I do encourage others to research the topic for themselves, but to also talk to their veterinarian about their options to get a professional opinion. Now I am on my own, and I have a dog of my own.Bentley, my 110 pound 11-month old Bullmastiff, is intact and healthy. When I bought him as a puppy, the breeder was very stern about waiting to neuter the puppy. Bullmastiffs are considered a giant-breed-dog; due to their massive size, they are prone to some diseases such as hip dysplasia. â€Å"Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age† (Zink). I’m choosing to keep my dog intact until after his 1 year mark because it will promote his best health. and will reduce his risk of developing this painful disease. Waiting also reduces his chance of accumulating a behavioral disorder, and bone cancer. Desexing your dog at the 5-7 month range does no such benefits. Bentley is apart of my family, and I want the best for him. The best food, the best toys, and most importantly: the best health. Although it would have been safe for me to do so earlier, neutering him after his first birthday will be the most beneficial to his health; my vet, my breeder, and myself agree. Works Cited Alice Villaolobos, DVM.Veterinary Practice News. 1 Dec 2008. 29 May 2012 Web. . Chris Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP. â€Å"Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian's Opinion. † 2005. caninesports. com. Web. 28 May 2012. Clark Animal Hospital . Spay & Neuter. 28 May 2012. Dr. Becker. Dn't Neuter Your Dog YET- Read This Information First! 17 February 2011. Web. 28 May 2012. Dr. Shauna, O'Meara. Pet Informed. Web. 28 May 2012. Theresa A. Fuess, PhD, VM-3. â€Å"Early Spay/Neuter: An Overview. † Illinois Veterinary Bulletin 6. 1 (1998).

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Analysis

To some extent, the characters in both stories seem to be ruled by fixed ideas, prejudices and limited social values and attitudes. Explain and compare how each writer deals with this aspect. You might like to consider social context and values, time, plot, style and language, as well as the characters themselves. TKAMB and An Imaginative Woman are stories whose plot revolves around the idea of prejudices, social status and the attitudes of the era in which they are based. Both texts deal with these issues but in slightly different ways, because An Imaginative Woman is a short story, there isn't enough space to cover prejudices of all the characters in detail but because TKAMB is a novel, over the story although maybe not directly, the characters, personalities and viewpoints are developed until you can form an fairly solid idea of what they believed in and what they were like. For example, TKAMB is set in the 1920's and 30's at which time the prejudice of whites against blacks was very apparent even though slavery had been abolished years before the blacks we're treated as second class citizens. This is a main factor of the plot and as Scout (Jean Louise Finch) is growing up it started to become apparent to her at an early age when she, Jem and Calpurnia visited Calpurnia's church ‘Lula stopped but she said â€Å"You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here – they got their own church, we got our'n†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Then later in the story of the trial of Tom Robinson Vs Mr. Ewell ‘†Lemme tell you somethin' now, Billy† a third said, â€Å"You know the court appointed him to defend this nigger. â€Å"‘, ‘†Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Also the use of the offensive term nigger (deriving from Spanish word negro meaning black), which today is politically incorrect, is a sign of the prejudice and social split between blacks and whites at that time. Atticus is an exception to this prejudice as are his children as Aunt Alexandra puts it: – â€Å"I mean this town. They're perfectly prepared to let him do what they are too afraid to do themselves. † In reference to Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black person. In An Imaginative Woman there isn't such prejudices as between blacks and whites but seeing as it is set in the 1800's there is an element of prejudices as between males and females: – â€Å"†¦ She had never antecedently regarded this occupation of his as any objection to having him for a husband. Indeed, the necessity of getting life-leased at all cost, a cardinal virtue which all good mothers teach† This means, she does not see her husbands job as a reason not to marrying him, after all she needs someone to bring in some money, the idea that women themselves cannot do so because they are not allowed to work. This explains why Ella Marchmill is at home most of the time and has the time to write all the poetry. The fact that she had to pretend to be a man is also a sign of prejudice against women at that time as perhaps because nobody would believe such poetry could come from a woman's hand. In TKAMB Harper Lee deals with social etiquette and ideals and makes them very apparent and openly deals with them as it is the main theme of the plot, in An Imaginative Woman Thomas Hardy does not openly express the social ideas as prejudice, even thought this may be because they were openly and socially acceptable at the time and unlike TKAMB, An Imaginative Woman is not set in a time of change, such as black rights movements and female liberation movements where people became widely familiar with, and accepted prejudice was happening. In TKAMB many people who are examples of different castes in society, Aunt Alexandra being one of them â€Å"†¦ Aunt Alexandra was one of the last of her kind; she had a river boat, boarding school manners; let any moral come along and she would uphold it†¦. † Aunt Alexandra is fixed into society by morals and personal standards that she considers to be very high and this makes herself seem to be upper class society, but she will still gossip She was and incurable gossip† and will still dabble in what would seem to be a lower class of society. You also have examples of people who in contrast are of a lower caste of society for example, the Cunninghams who appear to have no money because they are farmers and when the economic crash happened in America it hit them the hardest â€Å"The Cunningham's never took anything off of anybody, they get along on what they have, they don't have much but they get along on it. † When Jem tries to describe the caste system of Maycomb towards the end of the book the social attitudes of the time are very apparent â€Å"There's four kinds of folk in the world. There's the ordinary folks like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes† This puts richer white people above poor white people, above white trash and finally above black people. In An Imaginative Woman the idea of social caste is perhaps not so apparent. The main theme of the text is the ideas of marriage, as it was in the 1800's divorce was unthinkable otherwise Ella would have left her husband â€Å"She came to some vague conclusions, and since then had kept her heart alive by pitying her proprietor's obtuseness and want of refinement† Also affairs in marriage was not common place and illegitimate children were prejudiced against, it was a widely conceived thought that if a child was not born to a married couple they were rejects and should be treated thusly. At the end of the book Will Marchmill's imagination leads him to believe that he and Ella's youngest son was actually the son of Robert Trewe's despite the fact that they never met, his final line and the final line in the book sums up the ideas of the time about illegitimate children â€Å"Get away, you poor little brat! You are nothing to me! † The idea that you are rejected from society regardless of class of family if you are illegitimate is perhaps the main issue to do with social class in the text, linking although not completely with the idea of class in TKAMB. I have dealt with some ideas of prejudice and class, prejudice against blacks and women, the social status of people in Maycomb and of the Marchmills and other families like them in the 1800's. I have identified that the authors deal with it in different ways, Harper Lee is more direct and to the point with describing racism and social etiquette whereas Thomas Hardy suggests it but does not openly say that such things are wrong. The reason for this could be because TKAMB is written from the first person viewpoint and individual beliefs and reasons feature much more in the story line, An Imaginative Woman is written from the third person viewpoint and is as such an account rather than a personal experience, you are distanced from the plot and personal beliefs are left for you to decide. The stories differ again, TKAMB is a novel and therefore has more room to describe and show the ideas of the time, whereas An Imaginative Woman is a short story and does not develop as much. The language differs as TKAMB is set in 1920's/30's America and the â€Å"Deep Southern† American colloquial style of speech the text is perhaps more easily interpreted as it is not complex language, the terms used are more up to date and understood today. An Imaginative Woman is written in early modern English and some of the terms are very outdated and hard to comprehend without further help from dictionaries or thesauruses this makes it harder to pick points from it and to see the prejudice or social attitudes. I have explained about the social attitudes and how they govern people within the stories and I think that this is very important to both stories plots, it helps shape the people and gives you a good idea of what life was like at the time, both stories end tragically in someway or another and I believe this is a deliberate move by both authors to suggest that prejudice and ism's (sexism, racism etc) are in the end tragic.

Effects of Television on Society

THE EFFECTS OF TELEVISION ON SOCIETY December 12th, 2007 At the end of the XVIIIth century, scientists have discovered a way to transmit an image from a point to another. It was the beginning of television. Since then, every household has a television. Over the years, it has revolutionized people’s life. Now, as it has become a spread consumer good, everybody has one television at home, even sometimes, two or more. It has changed people’s life because the television is seen as a mean of entertainment. The striking point is that television has become a usual good whereas in the past it was almost considered as an expensive good that not all the families could afford. By watching television, people are easily able to escape from the routine of their everyday life, and to relax. In other words, television is a mean of discovering, exploring, learning, dreaming, and thinking. However, even if it has changed people’s life and has a good effect on them, it has many bad effects on them too. In fact, it is also a mean to destroy people’s life. It destroys people life because, in most of the cases, it influences a lot of people. Orson Welles, a famous American screenwriter, film and theatre director, a film producer and an actor in films, and theatres, once said: â€Å"I hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I can’t stop eating peanuts†. This quotation is a way to show to people that television can be compared as a drug that people cannot get rid off. Like drugs, it makes people doing things that, in most cases, they would not have done. Actually, it has a strong power of influencing people in a bad way. It influences the ones who are psychological weak, and people who cannot make the difference between the fiction and the real life. As a result, some people think that violence on television influences people because they are not able, to see what is true and what is false. However, even if it has some bad sides, television is seen as educational and a mean to develop people’s knowledge. Even if books and newspapers are the two most important ways of learning, television had conquest people’s heart and now is trusted by lots of them. Television has many bad sides and bad effects that can be very dangerous for people and the ones who live around them. It destroys people’s life in a way, and sometimes pushes them to do things they would not have thought they would have done such as commit crimes. Over the years, television has become a drug for a large amount of people. In fact, they cannot live without it and have to watch it everyday. People became addicted to their everyday shows, and cannot live without watching them. Actually, some people cannot imagine their everyday life without a television. Television has become their most popular hobby. It is, in fact, the most popular one even before sport or going out with some friends. Socialization does not seem anymore to be a priority in people’s life. It seems that nowadays, people prefer watching TV rather than doing other things. According to the website www. turnoffyourtv. com, people spend about two hours per day in front of their television set. In this survey, men are pointed out because they spend more time watching television than women. So, they are more addictive than women because they watch television between two and three hours per day. It is all the more outstanding as television has become most popular than other hobbies such as sport that could be more interesting. To show that people are really addicted to television, the Media Awareness Network website says that â€Å"A scientific American article entitled â€Å"Television Addiction† examined why children and adults may find it hard to turn their TVs off. According to researchers, viewers feel an instant sense of relaxation when they start to watch TV—but that feeling disappears just as quickly when the box is turned off. While people generally feel more energized after playing sports or engaging in hobbies, after watching TV they usually feel depleted of energy. According to the article â€Å"this is the irony of TV: people watch a great deal longer than they plan to, even though prolonged viewing is less rewarding. † Because of this addiction, people can withdraw into themselves and live apart from the society they are living in. According to another website, children spend twenty five hours per week in front of their television set instead of spending their free time playing with their friends or practicing sports. This behavior should alert their parents because going outside and meeting people are parts of their education. As a result, children should not stay all day long in their house watching television and playing video games. It is not good for their education as well as for their socialization. Moreover, the television has other bad consequences and the first target is children. In addition to what was said previously, television influences the youngest. In fact, children are an easy target for television producer. They are much more easily influenced than adults for example. As a result, they can be influenced by violent movies such as thrillers, and can have a weird and violent behavior after having watching such a movie. Watching a violent show can give children the taste of violence and other related behaviors. As they are innocent, they cannot make the difference between what fiction is and what reality is. They want to do what their superheroes do, no matter what. As a result, watching a violent movie can affect in a bad way the weaker. It can make them thinking about murders and sometimes make them committing crimes. Even a person who comes from a well educated and wealthy family can be touched by it. It does not only affect people with financial and other problems. As a result to this violence on television, on April 19th, 2001, in Columbine High School, Colorado, two teenagers named Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed twelve students and one teacher and then killed themselves. They had guns that they had ordered online and homemade bombs they had made days before the massacre. According to the media, they did that because they were both influenced by television and both influenced by a singer named Marilyn Manson and his music videos. Moreover, as they were the victims of mockeries and were rejected by the others, they decided to killed people to show them that they were not as stupid as they thought. In a way, both killers were influenced by violent movie. They were both full of anger and were ready to kill everybody. In fact, in the cybercollege website, it is said that the more children watch television, the more aggressive they become in the future. Moreover, they would be more likely to repeat what they have seen on television. In addition to that, an article in changingchannels. com says: â€Å"Basically, what these studies indicate is that violent media images tend to make us all just a bit more aggressive and impatient. The effect is more dramatic on children, who mentally process media violence the same way they would actual violence — and can be traumatized by exposure to excessively violent scenes. † As a shocking fact to prove that, in howtotalktoyourkids. om website in 2001, 75% of boys and 60% of girls said that they hit somebody in the past year because they were angry. Another outstanding fact that could be added is the event that occurred on April 16th, 2007 in the United States of America. Seung-Hui Cho, an American Korean who was a senior at Virginia Tech University, killed thirty three people and killed himself. His motivation to commit murders was because he wanted to kill people. In other words, h e did that just to kill and to have blood on his hands. In fact, this student had psychological problems as doctors said. However, he was not the only one to be blamed. In fact, as he was also part of a generation that spends their time watching violent movies and that is very easily influenced, television should also be blamed. Plus, by watching such movies, kids can think that violence resolves any problems they have to face. As a result, they are willing to practice bullying, to employ swear words and to hit people if they do not have what they want or if they are disappointed of something. They think this is the only way and do not think that talking could be a good solution. Moreover, the ones who watch violent movies could become afraid of the reality. They could, in fact, think that what happens in movies could become true. It can destabilize them. As a result, they can have psychological problems. The university killer had psychological problems, so people can say that he may have watched violent show on television when he was young, and since then he had been traumatized. Then, people should be aware that sometimes wrong information is given on television. As a result, people should remain conscious that information can be amplified to scare people. Most of the time, the weaker cannot see what is wrong and what is true. People should listen to what is said on television; but to confirm what they have learned they should read the newspapers, for example, to expand their knowledge and to have many different points of view to construct their culture. The more information people have about a subject, the more able they are to see what could be true and what could be false. So, while everybody is sitting in front of the screen, many people work â€Å"behind† the television set. Who are these people see? Who controls what will be shown and what won’t? People do not know anything about what happens backstage, and all these people who are working hard â€Å"behind† have a big influence on television viewers. Most of the viewers do not know it, but they work in order to control their mind. Even if they think they can have their own opinion on what they are seeing, television has an important influence on people’s thoughts. If people do not know a part of an information, or if they only have one point of view about the news, they can not be really objectives. In fact, television is absolutely not objective! There are too many possibilities to influence people thanks to television (for politics, or economics managers) than it is a very practical way to introduce some ideas in households and in people’s minds. Television also influences people in their way of consuming goods. It has, in fact, increased the amount of goods purchased per family. Kids sometimes see some toys on television advertisement and want it because it is brand new. They are always influenced by new products coming out and their parents have to buy the toys they want. Because of television and its commercials, people are willing to buy the same things. So, television is used by brands to promote themselves. That’s why there is a lot of advertising on television, during movies, between programs. Companies use the fact that many people watch television to set their spots when many people will see it. As a result to that, most of households have felt into a society of mass consumption that increases each year. Finally, television has bad effects of people’s healthy development. Researches were made to prove to people that watching television increases people’s obesity. In fact, people like eating junk food and drinking sodas while watching television. Excess of nibbling between main dishes is not good for people’s body and increases a lot their weight. A lot of American families cannot spend their television time without eating food. They need at least something to put in their mouth to feed them. However, it does not only touch the American culture. As the Media Awareness Network website shows, almost one in four Canadian children, between  seven and twelve years old, is obese (researches made by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada). Moreover, watching too much television during the same period of time is not good for people’s eyes. In fact if people stay focus in the same position and in the dark while watching their favorite show, it will damage their eyes vision. In addition to that, smokers smoke a lot of cigarettes while there are in front of their television set. So, it increases a lot the possibility for them to have a cancer. It also touch people’s health because instead of doing sport people do another one which is â€Å"coach potato†. This sport is not a good one for people’s health. As a result, people do not lose ny weight because most of them spend a lot of their free time in front of their television set. However, some people think television is good for everybody because positive points can be seen. In fact, even it influences a lot the weaker; it gives a lot of useful information and is a mean of learning. First, television is a new way of learning. When television firs t arrived, it was a revolution for people because they could get the chance to have news from it by watching the daily news magazine. It gives people information about what happen all around the world. It is a mean to have more information so that people can easily make up their mind. In fact, by reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, and then watching documentary shows or news on television, people can increase a lot their knowledge. Television is also seen as a mean to learn. For example, in schools teachers use a lot television to show to their students some documentaries that could be related to their courses. This is seen as an incentive for students. Thanks to it, they can make direct relationships between what their teachers have taught them and what they have seen on television. As teenagers were born with a television, not as most of the teachers were, the teachers think that using television could interest them more. Laurie Rozakis, a writer, focuses a lot of the good effects television has on people. In fact, in Writing Essentials for the Pre-GED Student, she stresses the fact that television helped her in three different ways. First, it helped her to learn English better, and then, it helped her to learn more about the country she was living in: the United Sates of America. The third way was that television helped her to stay out of trouble. She did not go outside at night because she was watching the shows she liked the most. Then, television is a way to escape from reality. Sometimes, it helps people dreaming about a new world for example. Some movies can help them traveling. For example, the ones who cannot travel would enjoy watching a travel documentary of the country they are dreaming about. Television also gives the â€Å"family model† through shows on television. It is the model everybody dreams about. In addition to that, people who have financial problems or who are in hospital can escape their problems by watching television. Thanks to that, they forget for some hours what they have to endure every day. Television is also a family time. It gathers people around the same thing. The Media Awareness Network website focuses a lot on the fact that television is good for family values. First, it allows people to spend time together. Nowadays, people do not have a lot of time to spend with their family. As they spend many hours at works and in transportations, they do not get the chance to have time with their family, except during week ends. As a result, television watched at fix hours allowed them to gather and to discuss together about important subjects. The more information people have from others, the better it is for them and their general culture. As a result to these discussions, children would learn more from it and would become more open-minded. Moreover, they can have the chance to discuss these subjects in class, and give their own opinion to their class. To conclude, the effects the television has on people are an opened debate since many years and would still be in the future. Even if it has bad repercussions, such as fear of the others, violence, mass consumption, it has also good effects. In a way, television increases people’s knowledge. It gives them more information about an event, and it gathers people round the same sofas to share ideas, opinions and feelings. As the Media Awareness Network website says â€Å"Parents should also pay close attention to what their children see in the news since studies have shown that kids are more afraid of violence in news coverage than in any other media content. Fear based on real news events increases as children get older and are better able to distinguish fantasy from reality. † It has been shown that television is something very important in households, and that many people care a lot about their television and about what is shown. However, people who control television channels know that and they try to influence people. They know that what they will show will be heard by thousands of people and that it will have an important influence on the society, and sometimes on the consumption. So, people should seriously take into consideration that television has both good and bad effects on them. These people should warn the youngest about what is good and what is bad, and what to do with the massive information the television gives them. BIBLIOGRAPHY Rozakis, Laurie. Writing Essentials for the Pre-GED Student. Thomson Peterson’s. 2003: 182. †¢ Changing Channels Website. http://www. changingchannels. org/effects1. htm. 16 October 2006. †¢ Media Awareness Network website. http://www. media-awareness. ca/. †¢ Kill Your Television. http://www. turnoffyourtv. com. †¢ How To Talk To Your Kids website. http://howtotalktoyourkids. com/index_base. html †¢ Medias Literacy Review. 15 October 200 6 http://interact. uoregon. edu/medialit/mlr/readings/articles/front. html