Wheelchair Basketball Free Essay Example, 3000 words

The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) governs the sport itself. The height of the basket and the size of the court are the same as in the running version of the game (10 feet from the floor and 28mx 15m, respectively). The duration of for all international games is 40 minutes. In terms of eligibility, athletes using wheelchairs play wheelchair basketball, and whose disabilities might include lower limb amputations, paraplegia, polio and cerebral palsy. In general terms, any individual who cannot participate in stand-up running basketball as the direct result of an injury, disabling condition, etc. is eligible to play wheelchair basketball. It is important to note that not all participants in wheelchair basketball use a wheelchair for daily living. (Paralympics. org: 2011). Other important classifications to notice are the points rating system. Athletes in wheelchairs are classified by their physical ability and are given a point between 1-4.5 to distinguishabilit y. 4.5 are the least disabled while one pointer is the most severely disabled. No more than 14 points be exceeded at a single time, or can they play with more than five players. We will write a custom essay sample on Wheelchair Basketball or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

DAECHER Surname Meaning and Family History

Occupational in origin, the Daecher surname most likely derived from the Old High German word decker, denoting one who covered roofs with tile, straw or slate. The meaning of the word expanded during the Middle Ages to encompass carpenters and other craftsman and was used to refer to one who built or laid the decks of vessels From the German Decher, meaning the quantity of ten; this may also have been a name given to the tenth child. Surname Origin: German Alternate Surname Spellings:  DEKER, DECKER, DECHER, DECKARD, DECHARD, DEKKER, DEKKES, DEKK, DECK, DECKERT, DEKKES, DECKARD, DEKK, DECK, DECKERT Famous People with the DAECHER Surname Jessie James Decker -  American country pop singer-songwriter and reality T.V. personalityEric Decker - American National League Football wide receiverDesmond Dekker - Jamaican  singer-songwriter and musicianThomas Dekker -  English  dramatist and pamphlet writer Where is the DAECHER Surname Most Common? The Daecher surname, according to surname distribution information from Forebears, is primarily found in the United States—especially in the state of Pennsylvania, followed by California and New York. WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Daecher surname is most common, as might be expected, with people living in Germany, followed by those in the United States. Within Germany, the Daecher surname is found most frequently in Hessen, followed by Nordrhein-Westfalen and Thuringen. Within the United States, the majority of the individuals with the Daecher surname are living in Pennsylvania. Genealogy Resources for the Surname DAECHER Daecher Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Daecher family crest or coat of arms for the Daecher surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. DECKER DNA ProjectMore than 100 members have joined this project for the Decker surname (and variants such as Daecher) to  work together to find their common heritage through DNA testing and sharing of information. DECKER Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Decker ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Decker ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries.   FamilySearch - DAECHER GenealogyExplore over 1.3 million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Daecher surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. DECKER Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Daecher surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. GeneaNet - Daecher RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Daecher surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Daecher Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Daecher surname from the website of Genealogy Today. Ancestry.com: Daecher SurnameExplore over 2.6 million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Daecher surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com ----------------------- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Racial Discrimination in US Employment Free Essays

string(32) " against the employee involved\." The United States has been long considered as a nation defined by diversity. An article from the website Mesriani Law Group mentioned that this country is a point where in culture and faces meet. It is the union of languages into one word, and images of many people into one name. We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Discrimination in US Employment or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, it cannot be helped that cultures would clash, and the array of disagreements could be far and wide. It cannot be helped that some minds could remain closed even after all the decades different people co-existed. There remains biases and stereotypes, which label so many people with negative names. Although there has been actions and campaigns to counter this unjust behavior in society, it cannot be helped that the ideal one nation is still under construction. Racial discrimination is also most evident in the workplace, where the battle for the better color continues. It could be the pressure from the norms constructed then construed by society. It could be the tradition they never outgrew. It could be the close-mindedness of people developed by years of inclusion from the many realities of life. Whatever caused this unjust treatment in the workplace, it persists to be a problem in an individuals professional life. This paper aimed to give light to the basic laws that protect the employees from the different forms of discrimination in the workplace. Finding the basic information one should know about this unjust activities is essential in finding conclusions regarding the matter. Furthermore, this paper aims to relate cases into the deliberation to have a firmer grasp about the issue at hand. This is to re-establish the reality of this issue in the country. Discussion Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 With the rise in statistics regarding racial discrimination in the country, laws were also raised and deliberated upon to protect those who experience this kind of injustice. According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there is a law that aimed to protect the individuals who are discriminated against due to their race and place of origin, as well as their sexual orientation and religion. The law also aimed to protect those who are discriminated due to the color of their hair and eyes. This category also includes individuals who are in anyway associated with any particular culture that is different from the host country. This law is the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employment cannot be denied of any person due to the color of their skins. This law also mentioned that it is applicable to any organization. The local and state government organizations are not exempted from this law and should abide by it. Under this law, it is also prohibited to make organizational decisions based on the stereotypes and general assumptions of different cultures. They cannot point specifically the different races, even those multi-racial individuals, when regarding the total functioning of the organization. In this light, it is considered unlawful to evaluate an individual for recruitment, hiring promotion and termination based on the color of their skin. Their wages and other privileges in their employment should not be affected by this factor as well. Organizations should be very particular that they do not have policies that may spite or render a culture discriminated against. Instead, they should be able to adapt a one culture that discourages racial slurs and prejudices. Kinds of Racial Discrimination in the Workplace According to the aforementioned website Mesriani, there are two kinds of situations wherein racial discrimination occurs. This needs to be re-established so find certain solutions to remedy the predicament. The first kind of racial discrimination is the Disparate Treatment. This is the basic form of racial discrimination where the individual is judged by his or her ethnic background and other similar characteristics that may bring about a similar impact on the individual. The second kind is called Disparate Impact. This, on the other hand, is discrimination brought about by the policies rendered by management, which had a negative effect on an individual based on the color of his or her skin. Website Making Sense also mentioned these kinds of racial discrimination. But they called these as Direct and Indirect discrimination respectively. Those Who Need Protection These people who are being discriminated against need all the protection they could get. They are the people of color, and there exists a certain spite in between. As much as anyone would need, an individual needs to make a living to survive this fast paced society. If they would be discriminated against in employment, then these individuals are only offered the kind of jobs that were stereotyped to fit them. They will not be able to grow, not have any professional advancement, regardless of their capabilities and educational attainment. Furthermore, a lot of individuals of color have superior knowledge and skills. But because of discrimination, they cannot surpass judgmental eyes and their own aspirations. They are unable to make a career and a life because certain people think that they are not capable of doing anything except for menial and routine jobs. Should not one look far beyond, and go deeper than the color of one’s skin? Those Who are Liable On the other hand, who are liable for this kind of unjust treatment in the workplace? Website the New Black Magazine wrote that those who ultimately are liable in such situations are the employers. They are in charge and are responsible for the welfare of every employee, regardless of race and certain physical features of an individual. When an employee is involved in the case of discrimination, both he and the employers are taken during the deliberation. It is a rare case though, as the magazine mentioned, for the employer to win against a case of racial discrimination in their office. In the cases when they do, the case continues against the employee involved. You read "Racial Discrimination in US Employment" in category "Papers" Race Relations Act of 1976 Simultaneously, there is another act that aims to protect different races. This is called the Race Relations Act of 1976. This, on the other hand, also aims to protect individuals not only in employment but also in housing, education, and the availing of other products and services. On top of daunting discrimination, as the earlier law entailed, this law is aimed to encourage race equality. It takes the issue of equal rights across cultures to a higher level. A Council under this Act is conjured for three reasons. They should eradicate discrimination against different racial groups, promote opportunities across the culture, as well as to reinforce the importance of having good relations between racial groups. Growing Statistics Despite the Improvements According to USA Today, there is a 24% increase in the number of cases about racial discrimination in the workplace. This was reported by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There are 6, 977 cases reported in the year 2007, in comparison to the 5, 646 of the previous year. The article also mentioned that the number of reported unjust activities to the commission was raised to more than half since the year 1991. It was also written that the Commission is yet to study the sudden rise in numbers. However, their speculations are that the spike began with the case about six black teenagers and their white classmate. This injustice also stretched to the offices no one would have found unethical in this sense. On the other hand, an article from the New York Times also mentioned that there is an obvious increase in the number of racial discrimination cases in the workplace. Author Linda Greenhouse mentioned that the Supreme Court has been rather active regarding this kind of cases. One of the cases newly reported then is concerned about the protection of one employee who retaliated against a discriminating supervisor. The other was based on age. Although Title VII also included protection individuals against retaliation, the article mentioned that certain courts do not take this as serious as they should. Moreover, this kind of protection was only given to those employees who instigated the complaint against their employers, or those who formally approached the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In this regard, an article from the website Human Rights Watch implied that despite the growing number of cases about racial discrimination in the US workplace, those in government still failed to find an answer to completely annihilate the problem. They have been battling with the issue for so many years, and yet the statistics continue to rise. They have signed and implemented many of these laws, but there are more unhappy employees. The laws they created looked very promising. Actually, it promised a lot of things. It promised protection and be on equal footing in regards to employment. Yet the stereotypes remain to be eradicated. The color of the individual’s skin is assumed to be tied with a certain kind of job, despite the achievement and credibility he or she carries. The above mentioned article said that there was little progress, even during the time of Clinton. The public officials each have an obligation to the advancement regarding the human rights of each individual in their country. Yet many did not fulfill them, or chose to ignore the rising issue. The article mentioned that thousand of workers are discriminated against, harassed and threatened each year because these individuals persisted that they practice their rights to employment. Moreover, in certain states, there were campaigns against migrant workers. The research studies done my many organizations about the issue should be a signal loud enough for the politicians to move. Unfortunately, little effort was made on their part. Small Scale Beginning With this problem, the solution should start at a small scale. That is for the individual to have the initiative to make that change. By beginning from where the case occurred, the government might be further called that the people are doing something about it, and that they need the full support of the people the citizens voted into those positions. The victim should first know his or her rights as an employee. He should be educated about the laws by the government and the policies and regulations of the company regarding their welfare in the workplace. Being educated is their biggest defense. With this knowledge, they would know when employers are being discriminatory of their employment. They could be discriminated against for many reasons. However, it is racial discrimination in the workplace that is most prominent in the a diverse country such as the United States. Backed with this basic tool, an individual will be able to recognize when an employer or co-employee is being discriminative of his person as a man of color. When this situation rise, he or she should immediately report this to the authorities. In the recent years, authorities have been more strict about these situations, and protection can definitely be attained. In this light, there remains the question why, despite the laws for protection, these kinds of problems continue to rise. They have become more strict, yet there were no significant changes. Responsibility of the Employer On the other hand, the employers should also do something about this kind of injustice in the organizations they own or manage. The Race Relations Act gave suggestions to what employers should do especially when they are held liable to every name listed in their payrolls. According to the act, the employer should take charge in monitoring their staff, including the applicants for hiring and candidates for promotion and further training. On top of this, they should be able to monitor the grievances by these employees. It should be well documented. No matter how minimal the complaint is, they should always give just attention to it. In line with this, they should also monitor the cases wherein disciplinary actions were implemented. This is also to see if their part as an employer is doing what they can in their level. They should also be able to monitor the outcomes of performance assessment of the employees. While they are taking care of the welfare of each employee, they should still be able to keep the performance of the employees in line with the objectives of the company. This is to keep the employee’s end of the bargain intact and active. As the nature of business is, it is a give and take relationship. It is also important for the employers to monitor the type of training they have for their employees, and who are taking these trainings. Training has a huge effect on the kind of work life existing in the workplace. If their training have any effect on the behavior of their employees, then there are also effects on the output of each employee. Lastly, the Race Relations Act also suggests that employers should take note of the people who were dismissed or have resigned from the organization. The statistics from these numbers could lead to how the organization should change, if necessary, or if there are some improvements that could utilize for both their benefit as well as that of the employees. Conclusion Racial discrimination in the US work environment is a reality one will eventually have to face. When one thought that this kind of prejudice only happens in the the community, it also stretch in the offices both small and broad across the country. Many are affected as there are a wide array of cultures that clash against each other. It cannot be helped that there are cultures that will ultimately contradict the next. However, when dealing with professionalism, these biases and prejudices should be put aside for the progress of both the individual and the organization. There is progress on the laws being implemented for the protection of these individuals. Unfortunately, it is not yet enough to cover all grounds. There is politics where there should not be. There is already injustice to those who are in charge of doing justice. In the end, the people help themselves until they are given full support. Racial discrimination should not exist in the office or the community. It should not exist at all. How to cite Racial Discrimination in US Employment, Papers

Compare Contrast Rape in China vs Us free essay sample

Performers formed a procession which paraded in the streets, entertaining spectators. The celebrations usually began on Christmas Eve and continued until New Years Day. After the abolition of slavery, there were a few changes in the practice; however, the main change that occurred was in the purpose of the celebration which shifted from being mainly for fund-raising but for entertaining and socializing instead. The main characters in Buru include Horse-Head, Donkey and Madder Lundy. However, over time, other characters were introduced such as Cow-Head and Doctor. These characters were all generally played by men as it was considered vulgar for women to lift their skirts the way in which the dance movements required. Masks were used as part of the costumes in order to hide the identity of the wearer. This was necessary as often times, the Buru characters poked fun at individuals or events in the society through song, so the activity served as a sort of social commentary. The Buru characters are always accompanied by musicians. There are at least three drummers and other musicians who use scrapers, rattles and other percussion instruments. The drums used are the funded, the repeater and the bass, the same drums that are now used by the Nyahbinghi Rastafarians. Some researchers even argue that present-day Nyahbinghi music is a fusion of early Buru and Kumina drumming styles. Traditional Buru songs were topical and told stories or related events that happened in the community during the previous year. Therefore, as a means of spreading local gossip, new songs were created each year. As a result, persons within the community were always mindful of the fact that if they participated in any scandalous activity or displayed similar behaviour, it is possible that they could ecome the topic of a Buru song. As with most, if not all African-derived traditions, dancing generally accompanies singing in Buru. The dance movements place a lot of emphasis on hip movements as well as contact with the earth. The main dance movement is one which is flat-footed so as to maintain contact with the earth, in which ancestral spirits reside. T he hip movements are often times exaggerated and as such the dance is often seen as being very suggestive. However, practitioners say that the dance is a celebration of fertility, similar to many dances still practised in Africa. In Jamaica, Buru is currently practised in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine and in Clarendon in communities such as Bowens and Hayes. However, the tradition, like many others, is dying due to the lack of interest on the part of the young people in these communities. Buru thrived in a time when the younger generation was willing to learn the traditions of their forefathers and when entire communities participated in the spirit of Buru; this is no longer the case. Jamaican Drum Feel the Beat Traditional Jamaican drum types have predominantly African origins. During slavery, drumming was often banned because the whites were irked by the heathen sound of the drum, and feared its power. The drum was used by the slaves to communicate in ways the whites could not understand, and so could be used to incite unrest and cause revolt. But no amount of prohibition could permanently silence the sound of the Jamaican drum. Drumming played a vital part in the slaves recreation, in their worship, in their celebrations. When necessary, drums would be dismantled after use to avoid detection by the authorities. Popular music in Jamaica today often uses the traditional Jamaican drum alongside American style drum kits and computerised drum machines. It is in the area of folk music and our traditional folk forms that African derived drums and drumming have retained their supremacy. Let us take a look at the major African Jamaican drum types and their uses. The Harp: Bass, Funde, Keteh These three drums originated in Buru music a recreational dance and drumming style derived from Africa. Buru has had a great influence nRastafarian nyabinghi drumming, in which the three drums are collectively known as The Harp. The Bass drum (also called Thunder) is a double-headed drum, played with a padded stick. It underpins the music with a steady, regular stroke on the 1st and 3rd beat. The bass player will occasionally syncopate the stroke. The Funde (fundeh) is a cylindrical single-headed drum, played with the hands. It carries the heartbeat rhythm which is the essence of Nyabinghi music. Because of the importance of keeping the heartbeat rhythm going, the fundeh player does not improvise much. The Keteh (or Repeater) is the smallest of the three, and the highest in pitch. It too is a single-sided cylindrical drum played with the hands. The keteh player plays on the 2nd and 4th beat, and does a lot of improvisation. Gumbeh (Goombay) The Gumbeh is a single-sided square Jamaican drum on legs, used mainly by the Maroons. It is built with a smaller drum hidden inside (called The Inner Baby). The Gumbeh is played with the hands. The Maroons also use Bass and Repeater drums their repeater is round, and is played with sticks. And heres a Maroon Bass Kumina Drums: Kbandu and Playing Kyas Kumina is considered to be the most African of all the Jamaican folk forms. It is a dance ritual that has both sacred and secular elements. On its sacred side, it focuses on communication with ancestral spirits, with spirit possession being a manifestation of this communication. The Kumina tradition is strongest in the parish of St. Thomas, where it was originally practised by African indentured labourers who came to Jamaica after the abolition of slavery. Before Kumina drums are made, libations of rum are poured to appease the spirits of the wood and the goat skin. Newly made drums are consecrated by rubbing rum (and sometimes sugar water) into the drum skin. Drummers sit astride the drums, and use their heels (well as fingers and hands) to change the pitch and tone of the drums. A second player sits at the back of the drum and plays a different rhythm on the side of the drum with sticks known as katta tick. The Kbandu (pronounced bandoo) is considered to be a male drum. It is about 20 inches long, and about 14 inches in diameter. It is a single sided drum played with the hands. The Playin Kyas is considered female, and is higher in pitch. It resembles the Kbandu, but is a bit smaller. The player executes more complex rhythms than those of the Kbandu. The rhythms of the Playin Kyas are used to summon the spirits generally, and also to communicate with specific spirits. Different rhythms will call different spirits. Tambu In former times the Tambu drum functioned similarly to Kumina drums it was used to communicate with ancestors long gone. The drum gave its name to dance music in the parish of Trelawney, where indentured Africans also settled. Kumina and Tambu both seem to share Congo origins, but Tambu is now done mostly for entertainment. The main player sites astride the drum, uses the heel to vary pitch while playing with the hands, while another player beats katta sticks on the side of the drum. Djembe, Bongo, Conga These drums are found widely throughout the Caribbean. The Djembe (prounounced jimbeh) is shaped like a goblet, is single-headed, and comes in different sizes. Bongo drums are played in pairs, held between the knees. Conga drums are tall cylindrical drums, open at one end. All are played with the hands. Congas are sometimes played in twos or threes, with sticks. The Jamaican drum has come a long way in terms of being accepted by society. Traditional drums are now widely used to accompany singing in Roman Catholic and Anglican (formerly Church of England) services. That would have been absolute heresy in colonial times! I have to tell you, I find the rhythms of our traditional drums mesmerising. They take me somewhere that feels slightly outside of myself a great feeling, but a little scary! No drugs needed, high from the beat.