The Secret To Visiting All The Colleges On Your List

Whether you’re just starting the college application or deciding where to commit this fall, one thing will certainly help with your decision: a college tour. Unfortunately, colleges are not always close in proximity, and it’s often costly to make the trip. On top of that, with midterms and finals, students may not have the luxury to take a week off of school. The solution? Virtual college tours.With on-demand technology, students can now experience what a college is like without physically being on campus. Universities that were not marketing much on the internet have now collaborated with virtual college tour companies, such as YouVisit, to make sure prospective students are getting a holistic sense of what a school has to offer. On these virtual college tours, visitors are taken across campus, just as they would in real life. There is typically a voiceover of a student tour guide introducing each campus spot with the added ability to pause the videos to read up on the things mentioned during the tour. Though it may not be the same as physically being at a school, this alternative has helped many prospective college students gain access to a more aspects of a college without taking on the heavy financial burden of traveling to visit each one. On average, 80% of applicants visit no more than 4 colleges in person, but, with online campus tours, the schools applicants are able to reach are much more expansive. This has helped many incoming freshman make a more informed decision about where to go to school. However, The benefits aren’t just one-sided. Virtual college tours have also helped increase enrollment rates at certain universities. The United States Air Force Academy, for example, has seen improvements since its launch of their 3D virtual campus tour, increasing their enrollment rate from 10% to 15%. With better technology, these virtual campus tours are becoming more informative and more realistic. From campus tour video chats to 3D campus tours to, now, the possibility of experiencing a school through virtual reality, schools are banking on the positive impact an immersive campus experience will have on its attractiveness to prospective students. YouVisit started to work with Oculus Rift two years ago to transform this experience with the help of Yale University. Mark Dunn, Yale University’s director of outreach and recruitment, believes that it will help students better understand and experience what the school represent for those who are unable to visit. There are definitely many elements that still make in-person college tours more attractive, such as sitting in on college lectures, meeting professors, asking college students questions face-to-face, and experiencing the overall campus vibe. But, with all the effort put into virtual college tours, they dont seem to be a bad substitute at all.

Simultaneous and Simultaneously

Simultaneous and Simultaneously Simultaneous and Simultaneously Simultaneous and Simultaneously By Maeve Maddox The following sentence on a professional writing site caught my attention: Simultaneous people (e.g. the editor and writer) can work on the same document at the same time, ensuring changes aren’t lost in old, misplaced drafts. I have seen nonprofessional writers use the phrase â€Å"simultaneous people† in the context of computer use, as in this exchange between a customer and a service provider: Question: How many simultaneous people can be logged in on my account? Answer: Only one person can be logged in on a computer per account.   If you log in on a computer and are already logged in elsewhere, you will be logged out of your older session. For other devices such as Roku, iPad and iPhone, 3 people can be logged in simultaneously.   Note the use of the adverb simultaneously in the answer to describe a situation that includes multiple users. The principal definition of the adjective simultaneous is â€Å"existing, happening, occurring, operating, etc., at the same time.† I suppose that in one sense we are all â€Å"simultaneous people† because we are all living our lives on the planet at the same time. In most contexts, however, simultaneous usually applies to things or events, whereas people do things simultaneously. Here are some conventional uses of the adjective: In 1964, roughly nine of ten Japanese watched the final match and felt a collective joy in the moment of victory. This simultaneous emotion created a strong feeling of community among them. In 10 years there was a fall in the marriage-rate and a  simultaneous  fall in the value of exported British produce. Id say the scratch  was simultaneous  with the punch.   Before the Rebels threw a monkey wrench into the Empires plans, how many simultaneous Death Stars were envisioned by the Empire? An event at which a chess master plays games with multiple players at the same time is called a â€Å"simultaneous exhibition† or â€Å"simultaneous display.† A â€Å"simultaneous equation† is â€Å"an equation involving two or more unknowns that are to have the same values in each equation.† In the context of oral translation, simultaneous is used to describe human beings who translate from one language into another as a speaker utters it. One of the key skills of the  simultaneous interpreter  is decisiveness. Simultaneous interpreters must have not only complete mastery of the languages, but also of their cultures. A Google search suggests that even in this profession, it’s more common to refer to the act of translation rather than to the translator as being simultaneous: simultaneous interpretation: 434,000 results simultaneous interpreting: 361,000 results simultaneous interpreters: 161,000 Note: The phrase â€Å"simultaneous people tracking† racks up about 19,000,000 results when searched without quotation marks. A phrase associated with robotics, it doesn’t refer to â€Å"spontaneous people,† but to â€Å"spontaneous people-tracking.† The phrase has to do with the fact that a robot must be programmed to avoid human obstacles as it moves about. Here is a suggested revision of the sentence that prompted this post: Editors and writers can work on the same document simultaneously, ensuring that changes aren’t lost in old, misplaced drafts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)"Have" vs "Having" in Certain Expressions10 Tips About How to Write a Caption

Challenges to the pharmaceutical industrys blockbuster-driven business Essay

Challenges to the pharmaceutical industrys blockbuster-driven business model, and the effectiveness of GlaxoSmithKlines strategies for meeting these challenges - Essay Example Scientific innovations take unexpectedly long periods to record progress or profits, which is pulling back the pharmaceutical industry’s blockbuster-driven business model (Antonijevic, 2013, p. 4). Many pharmaceuticals that launched blockbuster models between 1995 and 2000 were the outcome of discovery events began between the 1970s and 1980s (Ding et al., 2013, p. 426). Pharmaceuticals made these efforts to commercialize the upsurge of scientific understanding that had been growing for two decades. Recent scientific developments such as increased amounts of screening and genomics have raised output but their effect is yet to be felt at the bottom line. In the meantime, numerous pipelines guarantee just single digit rates of growth following the expiration of patent effects. Increases in development costs pose as another challenge for pharmaceuticals’ blockbuster strategies (Shore, 2012, p. 116). Declining success rates, higher medical expenses per patient, and the need to carry out bigger tests to gratify increasingly strict regulatory barriers cause increases in development costs. Recently printed surveys indicate that the general expenses for an effective medication increased more than twice during the 1990s, reaching $800 million, counting capital expenses (Dubey and Dubey, 2010, p. 182). While R&D is turning out to be less productive, this data is conservative, particularly for extremely competitive blockbuster groups. As a result, rises in development costs could have caused a much more significant blow to blockbuster-driven business models before the 2000s. The deterioration of patent protection contributed significantly to the collapse of blockbuster-driven business models among pharmaceuticals (Rickwood, 2012). Patent challenges included briefer durations of exclusiveness that raised competition from rival commodities that get FDA approval

Tenant vs Landlord Case Paper Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Tenant vs Landlord Case Paper Review - Essay Example lure to comply fully with all applicable environmental laws, or by reason asserted or actually falling to comply with the provision of the above paragraph. In line to the landlords earlier view, tenant may dispose, handle, use or store those products that contain little quantities of hazardous materials to the extent necessary and for premises use as a general office provided he shall handle, dispose, store, and use them in a lawful and safe manner and does not allow them to contaminate the building, premises, land or the environment. The definition of a hazardous materials clause comes about. This is because the law places the responsibility of hazardous materials on the owner of the property where it was created, disposed, used, spilled and any other involvement with the material that regards the environment. The landlord should consider what kind of business the tenant is engaging in and the past records in regarding hazardous materials. It would be unfair on the side of the tenant because, even if a lease may be industrial or retail, the tenant has to use general office purpose, and will force him to use some equipment that are regarded by the law as hazardous. The tenant can bring things that are hazardous but use them without causing harm to the environment. Restricting him not to bring them is absurd. The landlord’s clause is, therefore, unjust to the tenant. The tenant clause is, therefore, good because it considers that the equipments a business or a resident is dealing with may not be totally free of any hazardous materials. It includes that the tenant shall handle, dispose, store, and use them in a lawful, and safe manner, and does not allow them to contaminate the building, premises, land or the environment. Again the landlord’s clause is limiting the business of the tenant to grow, evolve and transfer from one tenant to another. Being involved in dealing with one thing may lead to the need of complementary goods or services which may be limited

How to make life meaningful Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

How to make life meaningful - Essay Example Since the stated goals of positive psychology are to create thriving people and lead to a more fulfilling life, the interests of positive psychology are no longer treating people with disorders or illness but making the life of a normal person more fulfilling and flourishing. Hence, the mission statement of positive psychology accompanies the act of pursuing a meaningful life. The mission statement states: A Meaningful life is connected to positive functioning: work enjoyment, satisfaction in life, hope, general positive effect as well as happiness and a higher degree of well-being. Research has demonstrated that people have a propensity to create stories as a means of understanding occurrences in life with a life story being a means of imposing meaning on life and therefore connecting people to occurrences (Loewenstein 46). In regards to the manner in which meaning in demonstrated, understanding loss appears as more important during the adjustment process subsequent to the loss while recognizing the benefits may be a more long-term process that takes place over time with the biggest benefits becoming evident later on. There is a consensus that individuals should remain true to what matters and themselves in order to get a meaningful life (Baumeister and Bushman 435). Various strategies exist that can be used by individuals to uncover their true selves and identify and challenge their obstacles that hinder them from seeking their dreams. Three significant steps towards making life meaningful include: For most of the people, simply understanding who they are is a challenging endeavor and based in research that has been conducted previously, approximately forty percent of all the people in America have not yet identified a sense of purpose as far as their lives are concerned. It can be easy to tell people to live life on their own terms, but if they have not been able to identify their own terms, they may develop the feeling that they are drifting

Assessment Of Community Resource Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Assessment Of Community Resource Management Environmental Sciences Essay This is a community development planning study which examined the resource management capacity of selected barangays given the prevailing mindset of people (i.e. no sense of ownership of local resources), how local organizations worked to effect protection and development of these resources, and how the stakeholders managed these resources. To pursue with this aim, the study covered barangays Ayala, Talisayan, Pamucutan, La Paz, Cawit and Tulungatung west coast of Zamboanga City. It utilized Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA) in data gathering. Data gathered were subjected to SWOT analysis. Results of the study revealed that the communities resources are so vast and rich which barangay officials cannot manage alone. LGUs have laudable resource management plans that need peoples cooperation to implement. However, people do not participate because they believe this is LGUs sole responsibility. Meanwhile, investors, mostly outsiders, have more access to resources, which some over-utilize and/or pollute with industrial wastes. Results of the study, therefore, indicated a need for barangay officials and the people to build their capacity to effectively manage community resources through collaborative efforts in all stages of development. Thus, the study recommended a resource management action planning to be participated in by both barangay officials and sector representatives. Introduction Natural resources are the foundation from which the rural poor can overcome poverty. (Ferrer, et al, 1996). However, in a country like the Philippines which is noted for its rich and vast natural resources, it is a paradox that poverty continues to reign especially among rural folks. Although poverty alleviation and sustainable development are components of Philippine government programs, planning has been concentrated at the higher echelon of government bureaucracy leading to a top down approach which fails to attain participation of concerned communities leaving no feeling of ownership in the programs implemented. Local level participation and grassroots initiatives are key elements in any community resource management effort. (Ferrer, et al. 1996). One of the approaches which placed emphasis on community involvement in management of resources and social justice is community-based coastal resource management. Community-based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM) is one of the most significant approaches used because of its emphasis on both natural resources and social justice. Its roots come from two strains of civil society movements in the Philippines, namely: environmental conservation and human rights. It undertakes Community Resource Management in the context of community transformation by ensuring social and economic equity, holistic and integrated management, and sustainable livelihood and development. Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) is one of the most important manifestations of true decentralization as it relates to control of rural resources. CBNRM programs, if successful, can be models of local empowerment, imbuing communities with greater authority over the use of natural resources. Under the right circumstances, they can also bring important benefits to poor people and poor communities (Holmes Cooper, 2005). The ECSOM (Ecosystem-Based Community-Centered Sustainable Development Organization and Management) proposed by the Maximo Kalaw Institute for Sustainable Development, is also one such community-based sustainable development framework. ECSOM provides the local government and other sectors, the framework for designing and instituting programs for economic development and poverty alleviation, and affirms what is already provided for in the 1987 Constitution and Local Government Code of 1991 (Roxas S.K., 2007). A study is deemed necessary in establishing an ecosystem-based community-centered sustainable development organization and participatory management preparatory and pre-feasibility phase. As such, emphasis is put on expanding participation beyond consultation. It is making the people not mere data sources but also involving them in the process of data gathering and in building their aspirations, needs and abilities toward a just, equitable and sustainable future for all. On this principle was this study anchored, as conducted in barangays Ayala, Talisayan, Pamucutan, Lapaz, Cawit and Tulungatung which form the ECSOM cluster in the west coast of Zamboanga City. Method The study covered the whole communities of the six barangays in the west coast of Zamboanga City, as the main subjects of the study. Specifically, it mobilized the following stakeholders from each community: barangay officials represented by the Chairperson, Kagawads and Sangguniang Kabataan, the Barangay Health Workers, Day Care Workers, Purok leaders and PO leaders, and representatives of sectors such as; farmers, fisherfolks, women, youth and factory workers. The study used primarily the Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA) procedure that enabled participants to unravel and analyze their situation, and in acting/planning on their own. The PRA is an approach that evolved from a series of qualitative multidisciplinary approach to learning about local-level conditions and local peoples perspective including agro ecosystem analysis (IBRD/WB, 1998). It seeks to generate knowledge and then to use that knowledge to empower the participants as they create solutions to the problems they face. Outcomes are focused not only on the creation of that change, but also on individual and group empowerment, and the creation of a heightened sense of self-esteem through ownership of the process and the solution (Palloff, 1996, p. 47). Secondary data were also collected and analyzed to generate the barangay profiles and served as input to the development planning process. Four phases marked the assessment process. (1) emergence and development of research design which was inspired and influenced by the Ecosystems-Based Community Centered for Sustainable Development Organization and Management (ECSOM); (2) pre-study consultation with respective officials and stakeholders of concerned communities to present the proposed study and agree as to its purpose, scope and coverage, and to generate commitment of stakeholders to participate in the process; (3) mobilization and engagement which entailed the formation and orientation of the PRA team. The actual data collection used PRA tools (resource mapping, social services mapping, production flow chart, seasonality diagram, organizational matrix, historical transect, pie chart of household income and expenditure) facilitated through workshops and focused-group discussions conducted in the six barangays with the people as partners in data collection and analysis. Analysis of data was done on the spot by local re search participants during the presentation of workshop outputs that provided opportunity for checking and feedback, triangulation of findings from three (3) sources (e.g. workshops, focus group discussion and interview with identified key informants, and secondary data) to determine trends and priorities, subjecting data gathered to SWOT analysis, and conducting of consolidation workshops and data validation; and (4) action planning which was a two-pronged process of (a) strategic planning that resulted in the formulation of the 3-year development plan and 1-year investment plan of the barangays consolidated as a cluster plan for the 6 barangays; and (b) institution building which included formation of a viable organizational structure required to operate and implement the cluster plan, complete with vision and mission. Based on the conceptual flow of the study, the primary source (input) in data gathering was the production sectors in the community which included the agricultural and fishery sectors as well as the local government, community-based people organizations, non-government organizations, and the business sector. The data gathered from the participants were used to determine the state of resource management practice of the community in terms of availability, access, utilization and sustainability. Results In order to determine the community resource management capacity of the six barangays, results of the assessment were classified as follows: (a) natural resource (specifically pertaining to the main production sectors i.e. agriculture, fishery and forest resources); (b) basic social services; (c) community infrastructure; and (d) organizational management/ governance. Results of the study revealed a vast and rich natural resource base for the six barangays which comprises of the production sectors such as agriculture and fishery. About a 30-kilometre shoreline traverses the coastlines of barangays Ayala, Cawit and Talisayan a primary source of fish, lobsters and other marine products for small-scale fishermen. It provides great economic opportunities for both local and foreign investors who engage in fishing, canning, box and tin can production, and fish mill operations, all of which provide ample income to some residents and outsiders. Small-scale fishermen, both resident and non-residents of the area have lesser access to fish resources as their fishing technology are no match to the big boats of commercial fishers. Furthermore, they have now to go far out at sea as there are hardly any fishes near the shorelines due to water pollution by industrial wastes. In terms of resource utilization, while large-scale fishers do it for commercial purpose s, small-scale fisher folks do it primarily for subsistence, and whatever extra, they sell (See Table 1). Sustainability of marine resources is challenged by pollution due to dumping of untreated industrial wastes into the sea, and by oil spill from factories. On the other hand, dynamite fishing destroys coral reefs fingerlings. Similarly, the use of fish nets by small-scale fishermen, does not also spare fingerlings, resulting in decreased volume of fishes in the area. Both commercial and small-scale fishers do not heed an existing ordinance on fish ban during the breeding months from October to December. Table 1 Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Marine Resources Accessed by both big commercial boats owned mostly by foreigners and their Filipino partners; and by marginal fishermen, both residents and non-residents of the area. For fish canning to supply local and foreign markets. For subsistence and small-scale sale of fishes by marginal fishermen. Community Resource Management Capacity (Marine Resources) Approximately, a total of 182 hectares of rich agricultural land are devoted to rice-farming in the low-lying barangays of Ayala, Cawit and Talisayan. Upland barangays of La Paz, Pamucutan and Tulungatung have rich agricultural farms that produce rice, vegetables, fruits, poultry, and cock. These farms employ tenant farmers and farm laborers. La Paz and Pamucutan are engaged in large-scale production of vegetables and other high-value crops. Continuous skills and technology development in these modes of agricultural production are provided by the Department of Agriculture. Earnings and income generated from a 50-hectare farm is estimated at Php100, 000 per harvest (See Table2). The cluster produces sufficient rice supply to the residents of the six barangays. Large areas (in hectares) are devoted to rice farming in the following barangays: Talisayan 180, Tulungatung 115, Pamucutan 100 and Ayala 40. However, the utilization of the potentials of the agricultural land resource is not maximized as harvest is only twice a year. Sustainability-wise, majority of the farmers do not use organic fertilizer and insecticides and still rely on chemical-based ones. Moreover, some farmers complain of lack of post-harvest facilities. Others have difficulty in bringing products to the market due to poor road condition, giving chance for middlemen or compradors to buy farm products from farmers at very low price, almost 1/3 of the market price. Kaingin system, which is still being employed in some areas, endangers the soils richness while illegal cutting of trees in forest areas to supply the box factory and for charcoal making of Talisayan, has led to soil erosion and subsequent siltation in rivers, endangering the supply of water in irrigation systems (See Table 2). Table 2 Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Agricultural Resources (Agricultural lands, irrigation) Accessed largely by local people. Employs local people as tenants or farm hands. Vegetable, fruit, rice, poultry and cock farms for subsistence and commercial purposes. Community Resource Management Capacity (Agricultural Resources) Two (2) major rivers the Dumalon and Sas rivers supply water to the irrigation systems of Cawit, Tulungatung, Ayala, Talisayan, and Pamucutan. These rivers and their tributaries, aside from being source of irrigation water, also provide good quality sand and gravel a source of a quarrying business thriving in the area by outside investors (See Table 3). However, unregulated sand and gravel quarrying, coupled with cutting of trees in forests, has resulted in soil erosion and erosion of river banks and subsequent siltation. This condition has resulted in flooding in adjacent barangays prompting fishpond owners, in Cawit particularly, to complain. Aggravating the situation is the dumping of garbage in rivers by some residents. A potential proposed mining exploration can pollute the water. Moreover, a proposed mining exploration in the area poses an additional threat to rivers through chemical pollution. Table 3 Community Resource Management Capacity (Rivers) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Rivers (with good quality sand and gravel) (Common resource of the six barangays) Some barangay people and some industries have access to forest resources and wildlife Sand and gravel accessed by outside investors. Provide water for farm irrigation and for household, commercial and industrial use. Sand and gravel quarrying for business purposes by non-resident investors. The Ayala watershed consists of 102 hectares, with 277.46 hectares of close canopy area, 217 hectares of plantation forest, 1.93 hectares residual forest, 663 hectares cultivated area, and 11.14 hectares open grass land. There is an existing agreement between the city government and DENR for the protection and conservation of the Ayala watershed that provides potable water to the whole of Zamboanga City. On the other hand, La Paz watershed is protected and preserved through the presence of the WMSU College of Forestry and Environmental Studies WMSU experimental project which covers 1,277 hectares planted to indigenous trees. But local people access and illegally cut trees, including bacawan trees, basically for building houses and other similar structures, without reforestation. There is also rampant cutting of trees to supply raw materials for the box factory in Talisayan. Noticeably some forest areas are gradually denuded. The number of wild animals like deer, wild pigs, monkeys, tarsiers and birds is increasingly decreasing due to continuous hunting by local residents and those from neighboring areas like Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. There is no barangay ordinance to regulate the activity. Table 4 Community Resource Management Capacity (Forest, Watershed, Wildlife) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Forest trees and wildlife Occupied by farmers under stewardship program. Landowners and local populace have access to forest resources. Residents and non-residents have access to wildlife resources. Farmers raise vegetables. Landowners cut down trees for construction. Wildlife hunted for food by residents and non-residents. Ayala -La Paz Watershed Protected area Source of potable water for commercial, industrial and domestic use. Although the rich mineral resources in some barangays remain untapped, there is a proposal of a mining company do to mining exploration in Baluno and La Paz covering around 5-7 hectares. Residents strongly oppose the proposal having experienced the effects of mining done by Zambales Mining at La Paz ten years ago. Ayala farmers were also affected because they were not able to plant for almost ten years. There are still remains of poisonous substances in the riverbeds due to the Zambales mining operations more than a decade ago. Today, some residents engage in camote mining (small-scale) for subsistence (See Table 5). Table 5 Community Resource Management Capacity (Forest) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Mineral Resources (e.g. gold, copper, zinc, manganese and ore found in La Paz and Pamucutan) Access is limited to residents in the area who engage in small-time mining activities or camote-mining. To meet subsistence needs. Social services found in the six barangays, mandated of barangays local government units (BLGU), are day care services, elementary and secondary schools, health center, barangay hall, church or masjid, and cemetery. Health services are available 24/7 although some medical facilities are lacking. Basic education is well-provided in the six barangays, with only two barangay high schools serving the whole cluster. The main problem of these schools is inadequate school facilities. Various organizations present in the barangays which offer microfinance facilities are KFI, TAYTAY, Ayudahan and ASA. Land Bank itself gives up to Php300, 000-loan to farmer coops. Loans are availed of in order to finance family enterprise or to subsidize rice farming inputs. However, due to poverty, loan proceeds are sometimes used to buy basic necessities. But the sadder thing is that others spend on vices (See Table 6). Table 6 Community Resource Management Capacity (Basic Social Services) Community Basic Resource Resource Available Access Utilization Health Generally accessible to residents thru barangay health centers, lying-in clinic in Ayala and wellness center in La Paz, which operate 24/7. However, not very accessible to residents of La Paz and Pamucutan due to distance and lack of transporation. High utilization. Education Pres-school and elementary education are available in all six barangays. Secondary education available only in Ayala and Talisayan. In La Paz, households are dispersed making it difficult for children to attend school due to distance. School children avail of educational facilities. Credit facilities Several microfinance facilities operating in the area (KFI, MEMPCO, TAYTAY, Ayudahan and ASA) Land Bank gives up to Php300, 000-loan to farmer coops. For family enterprise or to subsidize rice farming inputs; some spend proceeds to buy basic necessities; others, on vices. As mandated, all the six barangays have their respective elected Barangay Councils. Government line agencies as well as instrumentalities of the city government do their part in addressing the basic services needs of the populace. Community-based organizations are also operating in the area such as womens organizations, farmers associations, and youth associations, sustainability of which are challenged by the fact that these are mostly leader-driven. The local catholic church exerts a degree of influence in the affairs of these communities. A number of non-government organizations also implement projects in these which offer free medical services and housing projects, to name a few. Local and national line agencies of the government also provide services to the barangays. Likewise, the Zamboanga City Water District and the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative also extend their services (See Table 7). Table 7 Community Resource Management Capacity (Operational Management And Governance) Resources Available Access Utilization Sustainability Office of the Barangay Council per barangay Line agencies: DepEd, DOLE, PNRC, PCSO, DAR, DSWD, CSWDO, PNP, FD, CAO, CEO, others. Most accessible structural resource to all constituents Utilized by people for settlement of disputes; emergency assistance; issuance of certificates; and making impartial decisions on barangay affairs. Barangay officials readily available. There is a need to strengthen their capacity to manage and regulate utilization of community resources thru ordinances and resolutions. NGOs/Pos People in communities have access to membership in POs. People have access to services offered by NGOs in the area like Gawad Kalinga, Glee Club, Kasanyangan Foundation, Inc. (KFI), Tzu Chi Foundation and USAID Equals. Community people take advantage of the services and technical assistance offered by NGOs and POs like housing projects and loan grants. Usually, these organizations are leader-driven. Not fully functional as leaders are lacking in capacities. Organizations need continuous capacity building. Only few members sustain their membership. The six barangays covered by the study have some if not all of the basic community infrastructures. The barangays have their respective Barangay Halls or Barangay Offices. Multi-purpose covered courts are also available in these barangays which were constructed inside school campuses and others in donated lands. Barangay Ayala specifically has a mini-gymnasium where public events and activities are oftentimes held. Other community infrastructures available in these barangays are the buildings which house the health centers, day care centers and the schools. Discussion The study revealed the existence a vast and rich community resource base in the clustered barangays, particularly, natural resources. But the people remain generally poor. Some benefit from industries through employment, but this is seasonal. Results of the study also indicated that the communities have lesser access to some resources than outsiders; and that they are not able to manage their natural resources effectively, leaving outside investors to bring havoc to these resources through pollution and over-utilization. Barangay local government units admit they have to formulate more ordinances to protect the resources, while, existing ordinances are hardly implemented. Meanwhile, the rape of the environment flourishes. Clearly, the damage wrought by industries outweighs the benefits from their ventures, especially on the long-term. Although local people have high access to agricultural lands, farmers are beset with lack of farm facilities and needed infrastructure. Infrastructure is known to be the economys backbone. Power and water supply, transportation and communication systems are all important elements in peoples quest to improve their quality of life. Overcoming poverty means individual and collective empowerment, strengthening productive and income generating capacities and increasing opportunities. This requires a clear understanding of the activities of poor people and of the natural, social, economic and political environment in which they live. It also requires supportive policies, institutions, services and investment (IFAD, 2006). The study also revealed that the barangay LGUs have very good resource management plans. However, these remain unimplemented. Given the vastness of the clusters resources, and considering the extent of the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization both by residents and non-residents of the barangays, local officials certainly cannot do it alone. This political exercise necessitates the involvement of prime stakeholders the people, even at the planning stage. It also necessitates concerted effort among the six barangays who are intertwined by the ecosystem. Community based resource management is not only about communities taking on the mechanical management responsibilities. It also requires involving communities in all stages of making decisions about the nature and direction of development and conservation (Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme, 2004). However, the study indicated that majority of local folks remain passive about their role in managing community resources. To them, this is the sole responsibility of government officials. Thus, there is a need for a two-way paradigm shift: (a) for local officials to encourage people participation even at the planning stage of development initiatives, based on local officials mandate (1991 Local Government Code); and (b) for local people to understand and appreciate their vital role in purposively planning and managing their resources for maximum access and sustainability. Cognizant of these imperatives, the participants of the study proceeded with the formulation of the Three-Year Development Plan and the One-Year Investment Plan. The planning activity was an exercise in community-based resource planning that involved the representatives of the various sectors of the community together with local officials who participated in the study, as inspired by ECSOM and as recommended by the study team. The cluster members likewise institutionalized their plans by forming the cluster organization called the Alyansa de Costa Oeste Para Progreso Y Prosperidad, and created committees to pursue the identified priority projects. The biggest challenge now that confronts the clustered communities is how to sustain the momentum and achieve their goals.

Reaction Paper: Was Marx Wrong? -- essays research papers

Karl Marx was an influential character of history, a man of tremendous intelligence as well as a great inspiration to many philosphers and people past and present. Karl Marx was a man of action for the less fortunate class, in that sense his theories are not wrong, to a certain extent they are positve inquisitions. It is those whom have practiced Marx theories that have misinterpreted his works giving Karl Marx a negative demeanor. Specifically Lenin and Stalin are two leaders who have brought shame to the works of Karl Marx and make this philospher seem like a barbarian. " Marx is a humanitarian because he took the side of the working class."-Overstreet Marx is considered a humanitarian because he was in favor of the non exploitation of the lowest class. His main concern was for the individual in society, Karl Marx's studies yield that he wanted the individuals of civilation to live fulfilled lives. In Karl Marx's economic policies he states that " The workers labor power is a commodity." This holds truth, a workers labor is very valuable, like goods that are sold by a merchant. His labor is not to be taken advantage of because he is an individual fending for a living to survive. Marx states in his teachings that because workers are such a commodity to society that a laborer should not be undermined or exploited, such as the slaves...