Handicraft business in the UK

Handicraft business in the UK INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to study and prepare the business plan for a handicraft business in UK. This business plan deals with the feasibility analysis, idea generation, and industry analysis at both the local and global level to understand the market and business factors. The market analysis is also done, primarily through the secondary sources to capture the potential demand of handicrafts in the UK market and the trends which the customer are looking for in this industry. After analyzing the demand, the technical analysis was done for the business. For the success of any business, it is necessary that the idea or the basis of the plan should be strong. But it is also imperative that the plan should take into account a true picture of financials to have a strong foundation on which the business can be built upon. Therefore in the report, a detailed preparation of cash flow analysis, profitability analysis and the expected expenditure in the business has been taken care of. The report has taken into consideration the risk factor also which the business needs to consider before commencing on the work. Handicraft is a business which needs not only financial capital but also human capital and it is necessary that skilled labour is available in plenty. The attrition rate is low in this industry provided they are provided with adequate support and wages. In the report I have tried to touch upon that issue as well. Also the manner in which the products would be sold and promoted in the market would be taken care of. We would not be opening our own stores for now and would be selling on to other retailers. However the idea of opening the stores is not discarded as whole for now and would be seen as an option at a later stage in the life of the business. Heavy spending is planned to promote the products in the initial phase of the business and various media vehicles would be tried upon to promote the products well in the market. The business as of now focusing primarily on the UK market and later on in the later stage, the business can be expanded further. Handicraft Industry The handicraft industry is one of the most productive sectors in the economy. The reason being that this sector not only uses the raw materials but also give employment opportunities to a number of people. Thus not only financial capital and raw material is employed but also a lot of human capital is also used in this business (Garrison, 2008). According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Symposium on â€Å"Crafts and the International Market: Trade and customs codification†, Manila, Philippines, October 1997. Handicrafts can be defined as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from the raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, cultural, artistic and may have a social, religious and symbolic significance (Robertson, 2002). Industry Analysis UK has been a country with a rich and diverse culture. Lot of migrant population also resides in various parts of the country. It is because of this that handicraft industry has played an important role in this country. The industry provides economic advantage much because of the demand from various strata of the population (Mathias, 2001). Handicrafts have always attracted people much because of their cultural importance and it crosses barriers too. The customers in any market look for handicrafts from not only the local market but also from the other countries (Barlow, 1991). Therefore both the cultural and financial values are attached to this industry. This industry by its mass and production scale lies in the middle class as not much finance and manufacturing facilities are needed in this business. The industry is decentralized and is labour intensive. Not many players fight in this market and only small players operate in this area. The sector employs a lot of people and thus acts as a medium of employment for lot of people. The sector has seen an increase in growth much due to the fact that people have been more open to the culture of other countries and are accepting it more often. The era of globalization has helped in the revival of this industry not only in the UK market but also in other markets too (Andrews , 2009). Classification of Handicrafts Industry Handicraft products can be distinguished into the following: Metal ware Wood ware Hand printed textiles Embroidered and crocheted goods Shawls Carpets Embroidered goods Bamboo products Zari goods Earthenware and jute products Miscellaneous handicrafts SWOT Analysis of Handicraft Industry Strengths Market is diversified and has huge potential Presence of large product variety because of various cultures Low capital investment Flexibility in production of goods as per market demand Low barriers to the entry of new players Products sold are high value ones and have diversified usage Weakness Lack of coordination between government bodies and companies Inadequate information on the current market trends Lack of skilled labour Opportunities Development of domestic tourism sector which helps in boosting sales. Usage of internet and other technologies in boosting the market potential Rising demand because of people becoming more open to cultures Threats Lack of branding opportunities in this sector Threats from the developing countries like India and China in terms of resources Business Proposition We would be dealing in the limited set of handicraft industry as many products come under its purview. Our company would serve the needs of the customers in only the wooden handicrafts market. The reason for choosing this is that in UK market these products are used almost in every home. Products like decorative chairs, desks, beds, sofas which are made by hand are seen as high value products in the market as customers look for something different. Particularly for the UK customer, they need products which not only serve their functional purpose but also add something extra. It is with this that we plan to enter in this industry with this specific set of products. Wooden handicrafts refer to a wide range of wooden items carrying utilitarian and artistic value that are made by hand o with the use of simple tools. They are made by unmatched workmanship, have fine designs and have subtle elegance. The products require low capital investment to manufacture. The wooden handicraft sector provides a high ratio of value addition and has emerged as one of the major sources of foreign exchange in the country too. (Sumption, 2010) Market Analysis Majority of the current players in the market deal in almost all the product categories in the wooden handicraft industry. (Macleod, 2006) Retailing is not done by them and they deal in mostly the production part. They have retailing contracts with other partners which help them sell the products Monthly production units are majorly in the range of thousands of units for all the products combined Wooden and glass handicrafts are majorly in demand in the UK market. (John, 2006) Inventories are usually kept low as these products are sold and produced in lower units in the market. Almost all the players in the market hire the labor at a contractual basis rather than on a permanent basis. Many of the players take the route of exhibition to promote their products to the customers. (Mathias, 2001) These products are high margin products as they are mainly value based ones. Hence high margin and medium volume is generally the trend in the industry Competition The following players currently operate in the market and sell wooden handicrafts in the market. World Art and Crafts Ltd. Java Art Elements Ltd. Demand Analysis and Forecasting During our study we also analysed the demand pattern for the various products in the wooden handicraft market and it came to around 50000 units per month on approximation. There is a demand supply gap in the market as according to our supply the current players in the market are able to provide close to 30000 units only. Hence we consider a huge potential to be catch up in the market.(Boseley,2009) The market is growing closely at an annual rate of 15%. Hence it is decided that the capacity would be initially 60% for the first year and then it will grow accordingly. Marketing Channel As mentioned before, our business involves only manufacturing the products. Therefore we would use a network of retailers called partners to sell our products in the market. These would be mainly big retailers like WalMart, Tesco etc. Strategic Marketing Plan Wooden handicraft particularly the furniture part is an unbranded commodity and hence manufacturers generally do not have to spend too much on the promotional part. It is better for them to increase the margin given to the retailers so that they push the company product more in front of the customers. However in order to differentiate our offering and to capture the customer base, it is necessary to have a basic strategic marketing plan. The following would be the strategies used by us: Steady supply with timely delivery to fulfill the demand in the market thereby providing products with high quality Products would be given emphasis on the design front. Designs would be based on several themes Orders would also be taken online from the customers apart from being available in the retail The company plans to both manufactures the products locally in the UK market as well as import some of it from the Indian market. Indians play a vital role in UK both in terms of trade and demographics and thus there is a market to serve the Indian community. The other reasons to source the products from India are: The demand for Indian wooden handicrafts is evergreen. It is both difficult for the labour in UK to produce these handicrafts as the design in Indian art work is quite intricate. Hence it is decided that some portion of our products would be sourced directly from the Indian producers, mainly based in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indian being a developing country, both the labour and raw materials are quite cheap as compared to other developed countries. Hence it makes sense to outsource some of the production work. Indian artisans are well known around the world. British make a major portion of the people visiting India every year and hence they come in contact with Indian art and culture too. Thus getting products from market like India helps in understanding the customer taste and keep the product portfolio up to date. Some of the Indian players which have been shortlisted and considered for sourcing of the products are as follows: Khan Arts India Madnik International Goyal India Indus Trade Handmade Crafts Antiquity Handicrafts All the products in the portfolio would be sourced from these six major exporters in India. These players have been selected after thorough search of their business and their financials. They enjoy good reputation in the Indian market and also export to other players in different countries. It is decided to have business with six players as it will help us diversify our risk and help us maintain a steady flow of products from India. These players are from different parts of the country and thus the products served by them would have different designs as India being a vast country has many sub cultures which attract many people worldwide. Technical Analysis Wood carving is a time consuming process as craftsmen take time to make every piece. The process may take a week to months depending upon the level of intricacy in the design. The process use a lot of different tools also like saw, lathes, drills, chain saws etc. Machinery Involved The following machinery would be used by the workers in the business: Chemical treatment plant Seasoning plant Surface planner Grinder Driller Gaze machine Sanding machine Structure and Civil Work Labour Requirements Handicraft is a labour intensive product and thus a lot depends on the kind of labour employed. Financial Analysis Basic Assumptions underlying the financial projections The construction period will last one year The company would work 365 days a year The expected capacity utilization will be 60% in first year, 65% in second year and the increment based on past performance. The term loan would be re-paid in 14 equal half-yearly installments. The interest rate on the outstanding term loan would be 12% The bank finance for working capital will cost interest rate 12% The depreciation rates for company law purpose would be Building 3.34% Plant and Machinery 8% Misc fixed assets 5% The suppliers for raw material would provide credit for 15 days The salvage value is assumed to be 5% of fixed assets. Sales Forecast Sales Forecast (units) Year20102011 2012 Units95001200015000 Conclusion The business plan has been prepared keeping in mind all the factors and taking financials to the best of the present picture. It is therefore expected that the actual outcome would represent the true picture of this outlined plan. Finally, my personal interest in this field will lead to establish my own business. These will result in successful and sustainable business. References Andrews, J.(2009).Handel allinglese, Playbill,. Accessed from: http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4236.html (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Barlow, I.( (1991) Metropolitan Government. Accessed from: http:// www.new.wales.co.uk (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Boseley, S (2009). The question: Whats behind the baby boom? The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/14/familyandrelationships.women (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Garrison, Webb B. (2008).Why You Say It. Accessed from: http://www.readbooksonline.net (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) MacLeod, Donald (2006). Britain second in world research rankings. The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/mar/21/highereducation.uk4 (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001). The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Accessed from: http://www.johnbirchall-economist.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001).The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Published by: Routledge, ed.2, pp. 56-58 Mensah. J (2006). British culture on a high rise. Robertson, Kirsty (2006), How to Knit an Academic Paper. Queens University, 30 March 2006 Sumption, M.(2010). The UKs new Europeans: Progress and challenges five years after accession. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Accessed from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Bibliography Bhagat, Usha, ‘Life to a dying art, The Hindu: Folio, 21 March, 1999, pp. 45-56 Rajkumar, Nonika, ‘Life to a Dying Art of Embroidery: The Chmba Rumal, House Calls, Vol 2, No. 1, March-April 2000, pp 12-21. Philippson, Peter, British Gestalt Journal, Vol.1 No.1, July 1990 Chamberlain, A. H., Opportunities and limitations of paper and cardboard in school, Manual Training Magazine, January, 04, p 34 Cremins, J. C, ‘Design in the primary grades, Year Book, Council of Supervisors of the Manual Arts, 2006, pp 74-76. Daniels, J. F., ‘Library handicraft at Greeley, Manual Training Magazine, Jan., 2001. Dodd, A. E., ‘Handwork training for the normal student, Proceedings Eastern Manual Training Association, Ed. 2, pp 93-101 Bailey, H. T., ‘Analysis of modern printing, The Printing Art, May, June, 2007, pp -84-89.

Blessed Are the Peacemaker

CHAPTER ONE: Peace Makers INTRODUCTION: The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace. But now they are told that they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult. Now, PEACEMAKING is a divine work. For peace means reconciliation; and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation. †¦ It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that â€Å"they shall be called sons of God. For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love. 1. 1Who are the Peace Makers Being a peacemaker is part of being surrendered to God, for God brings peace. We abandon the effort to get our needs met through the destruction of enemies. God comes to us in Christ to make peace with us; and we participate in God's grace as we go to our enemies to make peace. For no one has ever been converted by violence. Mak ing peace makes us God's children—and kin to each other. According to Michael H. Crosby, in his work ‘Spirituality of the Beatitudes’. The peace intended is not merely that of political and economic stability, as in the Greco-Roman world, but peace in the Old Testament inclusive sense of wholeness, all that constitutes well-being. †¦ The â€Å"peacemakers,† therefore, are not simply those who bring peace between two conflicting parties, but those actively at work making peace, bringing about wholeness and well-being among the alienated. However, they play a vital role by their impact by creating peace where violence has taken control. It is important to note that peacemakers are honoured insofar as they speak about peace as something already victoriously won that we can celebrate as part of our glorious past or as something that will be won in the other world. They continue to be dishonoured insofar as they continue to point out injustice, hypocrisy, and suffering. They are noble when their actions bring to light, problems far away from us; they are an odious nuisance when they point out our own sins. We are called peacemakers as Christians by our ways of life. However, in our reflection, it’s interesting to point out that, none of those theologians seem to give much thought to how one deal with evil. Are we supposed to give in and allow violent, evil people to make slaves of us all? That would be the result of peace making at any cost. Hitler and his people would be ruling the world today, people would be evaluated according to their mental and physical abilities and those who are for whatever reason unable to participate and contribute would end up in concentration camps. Muslim extremists are not all that different; a good example is the recent religious crisis in Jos Plateau state. Perhaps Mr. Bush and his people were wrong for starting the war and as he himself has said, we might never know the answer but evil and injustice must be fought against with every thing we have. Jesus commanded us to do good and that includes putting down evil action. As long as there are violent self-serving leaders in charge of underdeveloped countries there is nothing we can do. The poor will ever benefit from our charity. 1. 2The Cry of the Beatitudes: Get a New Heart One after the other the beatitudes tell us that the blessings of eternity will be given only to those who have become new creatures. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. If we don't obtain mercy, we receive judgment. If we don't see God, we are not in heaven. If we aren't called the sons of God, we are outside the family. In other words these are all descriptions of final salvation. And it is promised only to the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. Therefore the beatitudes are like long spikes holding down the lid of the coffin on the false teaching which says that if you just believe in Jesus you will go to heaven whether or not you are merciful or pure in heart or a peacemaker. In fact, from beginning to end the Sermon on the Mount cries out, â€Å"Get yourself a new heart! Become a new person! The river of judgment is at the door! † You recall the words of verse 20: â€Å"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven† (Matthew 5:20). And at the very end of the sermon in (Matthew 7:26f), the Lord calls out over the crowds, â€Å"Every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it. † In other words, a life of disobedience to the beatitudes and to the Sermon on the Mount will not stand in the judgment no matter what we believe! 1. 3How to Become Sons of God When Jesus says, â€Å"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,† he did not tell us how to become a son of God. He simply says that sons of God are in fact peacemakers. People who are peacemakers will be recognized as the sons of God at the judgment and they will be called what they are and welcomed into the Father's house. To see how to become sons of God we can look, for example, in John 1:12 and Galatians 3:26. John 1:12 says, â€Å"To all who received him (Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. And Galatians 3:26 says, â€Å"For in Christ we are all sons of God through faith. † In other words, we become sons of God by trusting in Christ for our forgiveness and hope. What Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:9 is that people who have become sons of God have the character of their heavenly Father. And we know from Scripture that their heavenly Father is a â€Å"God of peace† (Romans 16:20; 1 Thessalonia ns 5:23; Hebrews 13:20). We know that heaven is a world of peace (Luke 19:38). And most important of all, we know that God is a peacemaker! God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them† (2 Corinthians 5:19). He made peace by the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:20). In other words, even though by nature we are rebels against God and have committed high treason and are worthy to be eternally court-marshaled and hanged by the neck until dead. Nevertheless God has sacrificed his own Son and now declares amnesty free and clear to any who will lay down their arms of independence and come home to faith. God is a peace-loving God, and a peacemaking God. The whole history of redemption, climaxing in the death and resurrection of Jesus, is God's strategy to bring about a just and lasting peace between rebel man and himself, and then between man and man. Therefore, God's children are that way, too. They have the character of their Father. What he loves they love. What he pursues they pursue. You can know his children by whether they are willing to make sacrifices for peace the way God did. By the sovereign work of God's grace rebel human beings are born again, and brought from rebellion to faith, and made into children of God. We were given a new nature, after the image of our heavenly Father (1 John 3:9). If he is a peacemaker, then his children, who have his nature, will be peacemakers too. CHAPTER TWO: 2. 1The Spirit of God Is the Spirit of Peace To put it another way, as Paul says in Galatians 4:6, â€Å"Since we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father! ‘† And therefore, as he says in Romans 8:14, â€Å"All who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. † And being led by the Spirit always includes bearing the fruit of the Spirit. And the fruit of the Spirit is peace! So you see why it must be so, that the children of God must be peacemakers. It is by the Spirit of God that we are made children of God, and the Spirit of God is the Spirit of peace. If we are not peacemakers, we don't have the Spirit of Christ. So we do not earn or merit the privilege to be called sons of God. Instead we owe our new birth to the sovereign grace of God (John 1:13). We owe our faith to the impulses of the new birth (1 John 5:1). We receive the Holy Spirit by the exercise of this faith (Galatians 3:2). The fruit of this Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22). And those who bear the fruit of peace are the sons of God. Our whole salvation, from beginning to end, is all of grace—therein lies our hope and joy and freedom. But our final salvation is not unconditional, we must be peacemakers—therein lies our earnestness and the great seriousness with which we must deal with these beatitudes, and seek the grace of God in our lives. Now let's look at . . . what it means to be peacemakers. 2. 2What It Means to Be a Peacemaker The promise of sonship in the second half of the Matthew 5:9 points us to Matthew 5:43-45 for our main insight. Both of these texts describe how we can show ourselves to be sons of God. You have heard that it was said, â€Å"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. † But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Notice verse 45, â€Å". . . so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. † The thought is the same as in Matthew 5:9. There, we must be peacemakers to be called sons of God. Here, we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us if we would be sons of God. So probably Jesus thinks of peacemaking as all the acts of love by which we try to overcome the enmity between us and other people. And if we ask for specifics, he gives two examples. The first thing he mentions is prayer (verse 44): Pray for those who persecute you. Pray what? The next chapter tells us. In Matthew 6:9-10 Jesus says, â€Å"Pray like this. † Pray that you and your enemy would hallow God's name. Pray that God's kingdom be acknowledged in your life and his life. Pray that you and he would do God's will the way the angels do it in heaven. In other words, pray for conversion and sanctification. The basis of peace is purity. Pray for yours and pray for his, that there might be peace. Then in Matthew 5:47 Jesus gives the other specific example of peacemaking-love in this text: â€Å"If you salute (or greet) only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? † In other words, if there is a rupture in one of your relationships, or if there is someone who opposes you, don't nurse that grudge. Don't feed the animosity by ignoring and avoiding that person. That is the natural thing to do—just cross the street so that you don't have to greet them. But that is not the impulse of the Spirit of a peacemaking God, who sacrificed his Son to reconcile us to himself and to each other. Peacemaking tries to build bridges to people. It does not want the animosity to remain. It wants reconciliation. It wants harmony. And so it tries to show what may be the only courtesy the enemy will tolerate, namely, a greeting. The peacemaker looks the enemy right in the eye and says, â€Å"Good morning, John. † And he says it with a longing for peace in his heart, not with a phony gloss of politeness to cover his anger. So we pray and we take whatever practical initiatives we can to make peace beginning with something as simple as a greeting. But we do not always succeed. And I want to make sure you don't equate peacemaking with peace-achieving. A peacemaker longs for peace, and works for peace, and sacrifices for peace. But the attainment of peace may not come. Romans 12:18 is very important at this point. There Paul says, â€Å"If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. † That is the goal of a peacemaker: â€Å"If possible, so far as it depends on you . . . † Don't let the rupture in the relationship be your fault. 2. 3A Tough Question: Peace and Truth? What raises a tough question: Is it your fault when the stand that you take is causing the division? If you have alienated someone and brought down their anger upon your head because you have done or said what is right, have you ceased to be a peacemaker? Not necessarily. Paul said, â€Å"If it is possible . . . live at peace. He thus admits that there will be times that standing for the truth will make it impossible. For example, he says to the Corinthians (11:18-19), â€Å"I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. † Now he would not have said that, if the genui ne Christians should have compromised the truth in order to prevent divisions at all cost. It was precisely because some of the Christians were genuine—genuine peacemakers—that some of the divisions existed. (Also see 1 Corinthians 7:15. Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, thus: Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. In other words, you must love peace and work for peace. You must pray for your enemies, and do good to them, and greet them, and long for the barriers between you to be overcome. But you must never abandon your allegiance to me and my word, no matter how much animosity it brings down on your head. You are not guilty; you are not in the wrong if your life of obedience and your message of love and truth elicit hostility from some and affirmation from others. CHAPTER THREE: 3. 1Social Injustices as Demands for Personal Repentance There is another explanation for why he preaches the way he does. In Luke 13:1-5 some people confronted Jesus with one of Pilate's atrocities. Here's the way he responded: There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And e answered them, â€Å"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. † He took a major social outrage of injustice and turned it into a demand for personal, individual repentance. â€Å"Unless you repent you will all likewise perish! † That's what he always did. Why did he do this? Because for Jesus, the eternal d estiny of a human soul is a weightier matter, a bigger issue, than the temporal destiny of a nation. . 2The Truly Weighty Matter in the World Today Now let's go back to the question. Why does a message on peacemaking from the Sermon on the Mount focus on the individual issues of prayer and greetings and personal reconciliation? Aren't these personal issues insignificant in comparison with the issues of nuclear war, military budgets, arms talks in Geneva, apartheid in South Africa, and religious crisis in northern Nigeria, civil wars in Central America, religious oppression in Romania and Russia, and international terrorism? The answer is no, because the point of these personal issues in the Sermon on the Mount is to make crystal clear that every individual within the hearing of my voice must become a new creature if you are to have eternal life. You must have a new heart. Without a merciful, pure, peacemaking heart you cannot be called a son of God at the judgment day. And that is the truly weighty matter in the world today. Is the Son of Man confined in his views of the world, is he out of touch with the real issues of life because he regards the eternal salvation of your soul as a weightier matter than the temporal destiny of any nation on earth? Blessed are you peacemakers who pray for your enemies and greet your opponents with love and sacrifice like your heavenly Father for the reconciliation of people to God and to each other, for you will be called sons of God and inherit eternal life in the kingdom of your Father. CONCLUSION Blessed are the peacemakers. But if you look around you, peacemakers are extremely rare. In fact, conflict is basically everywhere on the face of this earth – because of religion, because of politics, because of just simple old bald-faced human nature, we have massacres and destruction and ayhem and wars all over this earth. Even our court systems seem to make everybody unhappy with the judgments that are rendered. And of course we hear many things coming out of Congress that sometimes make you wonder just exactly what are they trying to do? And of course Cincinnati has become, in the last little while, renown for its conflicts as well. Isaiah the prophet wrote these words, he said, â€Å"Th e way of peace they have not known, there is no justice in their ways. They have made themselves crooked paths and whosoever takes that way, shall not know peace. â€Å"

Will Obesity And Diabetes Cause Deaths Of The Young...

Will today’s children die earlier than their parents? Will obesity and diabetes cause deaths of all the young generation? How can we reduce the load of these health conditions on the health of future generations? (Gray, L. 2014) These are some questions which we need to get answers for and on which we should concentrate. The above mentioned issues are creating a sense of fear for the parents as how they can avoid the increasing diabetes issues; and save their children from dying younger than we do today. We will look at the findings of the research done on the above statements. You will also read ahead the intergenerational cycle of obesity and diabetes; which is the main fact causing the health deteriorating of young individuals.†¦show more content†¦(Alabama AM University, 2003). And due to body being unable to produce enough insulin. It is a serious medical condition requiring use of anti-diabetic medication to keep blood sugar levels under control. Screening for diabetes: The following tests can be performed in order to screen diabetes-: the biochemical tests that are available are blood glucose or urine glucose measurements, glycated Haemoglobin or blood fructosamine measurements. The screening tests are followed by diagnostic tests which are fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). (WHO, 2003) However it can be prevented or treated at an early stage if detected. Type 2 diabetes can be managed by following a proper balanced diet and regular exercise. Earlier research( Leontis, L. and Hess-Fischl, A.) demonstrated that the symptoms of diabetes are as follows: excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, extreme tiredness and sudden loss of muscle mass. If a person is overweight then weight loss can help to improve the extent of diabetes symptoms. Diabetes has many complications associated with it like-: heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye disease, nerve damage which raises risk of amputation. (Mantzoros, C. 20 06) Even in the UK there was a ‘national health emergency’ because of the Type 2 diabetes which is mostly linked to obesity. (Gray, L. 2014) Whereas in the past people used to die due to heart attack and stroke but now

Special Education Students Placement and Performance...

The issue of educational placements for students with disabilities has been an ongoing issue of debate brought to attention in 1975 by the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). This act required that procedures be enacted that would protect the rights of disabled children and assure that to the extent appropriate handicapped children are educated with children who are not handicapped and that the removal of handicapped children from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of that handicap is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplemental aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily (Part B,†¦show more content†¦This leads individuals to question the appropriateness of many educational factors in regards to students with disabilities such as: placement, teacher qualification, instructional methods, and curriculum used in resource ro oms versus inclusion classrooms. Statement of the Problem: The intention of this study is to investigate whether there is a correlation between academic results and academic placement of special education students. Specifically, if students in an inclusion math class with a content area certified teacher perform higher on state assessments. According to Cawley, Parmar, Yan, and Miller, (1996), students with special needs consistently perform at lower levels than their peers without special needs than students receiving the math instruction in the resource classroom with a special education teacher. Review of the Literature: This tends to be the case across all areas of instruction. Limited research has been conducted in the area of mathematic instruction and special education students’ progression in this area. Math is one subject area in particular that students Special Education Students Placement and Performance Outcomes on Math Assessments with disabilities and their teachers struggle with the concepts. So the question of appropriate placement of students comes to further discussion. 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