Natl – the Cane Farmers

Case: â€Å"Nghe An Tate & Lyle Sugar Company (Viet Nam)† Question : Are farmers likely to convert to sugar cane ? The farmers who lived within 50 kilometers of the sugar mill are likely to convert to sugar cane in term of economic return and other benefits. – Economic return: Net returns to farmers per Hectare from growing Sugar cane is high. From Exhibit 9 with norminal cash flow of a crop life cycle ( 4 years), the total rerurn of one hectare is 6,900 (000’VND) and net present value is 3,841 (000’VND) with nominal discount rate 13. 3%/year.Compare to coffee and rubber, sugar cane need only one year to revenue. Compare with other crops ( pineapple, coffee, rubber †¦), Sugar cane can get highest economics from exhibit 10 as below: Unit: Dong per hecta | Sugar |Pineapple |Coffee |Rubber |Peanuts |Peanuts |Peanuts | |   |  cane | | | |and Maize |& peanuts |and Rices | |Number of years |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 | |Planting years |105 |140 | 168 |120 |0 |0 |0 | |Typical years |315 |280 |252 |300 |420 |420 |420 | |Revenue |2,835,000 |3,955,000 |4,536,000 |3,000,000 |2,856,000 |4,032,000 |4,080,300 | |Total Costs |2,110,500 |3,255,000 |5. 21,100 |3,097,500 |3,696,000 |3,864,000 |3,906,000 | |Total net return |724,500 |700,000 |-485,100 |-97,500 |-840,000 |168,000 |174,300 | |Return per year |1,725 |1,667 |-1,155 |-232 |-2,000 |400 |415 | | Note: 420 is lowest common multiple of crop life cycle (4,3,10,28) and assume that time value of money is ignored (no discount to present value). From exhibit 11, Net return from Cane also get highest net present value for period from 1998 to 2015 with nominal discount rate 13,3% per annum and opportunity cost of labor is $1. 0/day: NPV Cane +82,894; NPV pineapple +19,617; NPV coffee +2,438; NPV rubber -13,557, NPV combo A -34,515; NPV combo B +6,902, NPV combo C -2,158 (US$ in thousand). – Other benefits: One of three parts of NATL’s development plan is an outreach progra m to help local farmers to convert to cane production which means that their sugar cane will have more added value because cane production can sell with higher price and the farmers can use their products. The company expected to employ 725 people, provided n-house traning so many members of the farmer family can be come workers, educated ones can also become staffs. This will creat many good affects to the local farmers. The project would need roughly 300 lorries during the harvest season so some farmers can borrow money from local banks to buy new hauliers to transport cane to the factory. With many benefits as above, before converting to sugar cane the local farmers need to understand/know the risks of converting. The first risk is to avoid converting too much from the beginning of the project. The factory will reach full capacity by the 2002/2003 harvesting season, so for the period from 1998 to 2002, the numbers of hactares convert to cane need to increase arcordingly. – Second risk is related to the NATL’s complex payment system, with the first installment, approximately 75% of the total, would be made within 14 days of delivery and the rest would be made at the end of the season with adjustment for sugar content and market price.The local farmers seem to familiar with simple full payment upon delivery even though with lower price, many poor farmers can have enough cash for their daily life and no effected by adjustment with the old payment method. With these analysises, the famers will have much more benefits, some related risks can be considered and controlled so I believe that they will convert to sugar cane.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Essay

Many people are affected by genetic disorders every day. Abnormalities in one’s DNA are what cause a genetic disorder. These disorders could be as little as a mutation in a single gene. In another case, they could be as severe as having an extra chromosome, or taking away a chromosome. Genetic disorders are present from birth, but they may not be visibly seen until a later age. Some mutations could be heritable, or from your parents genes. Some forms of cancer can be inherited form a parent. Although, in most cases, these mutations are new changes to the DNA. â€Å"All humans have the same basic set of genes†. This means that everyone has the probability that they could get a genetic disorder. The thing that makes us different is the genetic sequence. There are many different types of genetic disorders. A few of them are: Angleman syndrome, Hemophilia, Sickle-cell disease, Neurofibromatosis, Cri du chat, and Down syndrome. People are born with these diseases and have to face many challenges every day to live with these genetic mutations. This essay is going to specifically cover one genetic disorder called Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a genetic disorder that occurs in the nervous system. Each word in ALS briefly describes what the disorder is. Amyotrophic has two parts to it. The prefix â€Å"amyo† means muscular atrophy. Atrophy means to waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells. The suffix â€Å"trophic† means that it is relating to feeding and nutrition. So to sum it up, amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. Lateral usually means the side of something. In this case, it means that the mutation is affecting the sides of the spine. The sides of the spine are where the nerves that nourish the muscles can be found. Sclerosis is the abnormal hardening of body tissue. In this case its referring to how the mutated part of the spinal cord develops hardened or scarred tissue, in place of healthy nerves. The mutation damages nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The damage caused by it, most of the time, leads to one’s death. After motor neurons die, the brain is unable to control muscle movement, and the victim becomes paralyzed. It targets the motor neurons that allow you to make voluntary movements and it effects your muscle strength. Voluntary movements are movements in which you control. These are movements that require you to think about the action in order for it to happen. For example, lifting you leg to kick a ball is a voluntary action. Involuntary actions do not require any thinking and some happen automatically, such as your heart beating, or breathing. There are many symptoms in that come along with ALS. Most of the symptoms do not occur unless people reach the age of 50. Although there have been some cases, where the symptoms occur in younger people. According to some studies, the first two muscles that are most often affected are the muscles that allow you to swallow and breathe. There can be many noticeable symptoms because your muscles get weaker. You may notice an increase in gagging, drooling, and choking. You may feel that you cannot lift your head up, because your neck muscles are weak. There are many physical tests that can be given to attempt to diagnose Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Certain physical tests could show muscle weakness in certain areas, weird walk or posture, and abnormal reflexes. There are tests that can be used to diagnose ALS. One method is taking a blood test, so that the doctors can rule out any other possible disease that it could be. Victims can also receive a spinal tap, a MRI, or even a family background check to see if there is any history of ALS in the family. There is one major problem with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Scientists and doctors have still not been able to find a permanent treatment for it. Although there is one medicine called riluzole that can slow down the symptoms, giving victims longer to live. Physical therapy and the use of braces, are non-medicinal ways of helping with the muscle weakness. There are many medications that can be used to help with specific symptoms of ALS. Since choking is common in someone with ALS, most people are hooked up to a tube and are fed through it. This is called a gastrostomy. A gastrostomy is when they make an opening in the stomach from the abdominal wall so they can put in food. This is obviously a surgical procedure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is named after Lou Gehrig, who was a famous baseball player in 1930s. The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot because the first recording of ALS was in 1869 by a French doctor named Jean-Martin Charcot. Stephen Hawking is one of the more famous people with ALS. He has had ALS since the start of his adult life, and he has been living with it for more than 50 years. Most people die from it three to five years after the symptoms become noticeable. This is why Stephen Hawking’s case is very special. It was just after his 21 birthday when he found out something was wrong. Yet he is still living and doing the most he can with his life. For example, being one of the smartest people on earth. People that live with ALS every day. Once the symptoms start to show, and or get serious, they are unable to care for themselves. They are usually taken care of by a family member or even a close friend. In some serious cases, victims must remain at the hospital because they are unable to eat and function without medical assistance. As mentioned previously, the victims sometimes have to be fed through a tube because they are unable to chew. Living with ALS is a very hard thing to do. It’s hard for the family members, friends, doctors, and most importantly, the victim.

Investments Homeword

MGT 6080 Investments Homework 1 Note: Due time/date for this homework is 4:30pm on February 5. Please make online submission at T-square. 0. Today you bought 100 shares of ABC Inc. at $100 per share. A year from now ABC will pay a dividend of $2 per share for sure. The price of ABC a year from now is uncertain and depends on the state of the economy. A year from now the economy will either be in a recession, a state of â€Å"normal† growth, or a boom with probabilities of 30%, 40%, and 30% respectively.After analyzing ABC you determine that the price of ABC a year from now in these various states of the economy will be: State of the Economy Recession Normal Growth Boom Price of ABC $80 $110 $130 What is the expected return over the next year to your investment in ABC? What is the standard deviation of that return? 1. You are considering buying equity in a firm. If you purchase the equity, in one year you will receive $1. 5 million with 40% probability and $1. 2 million with 60 % probability. Currently the yield on one year T-bills is 4%. Suppose that you require a risk premium of 10% to invest in the equity of this firm.In other words, your minimum required return on this investment is 14%. (a) What is the most you would be willing to pay for the equity? (b) If you pay this, what is the expected rate of return on your investment? (c) What is the standard deviation of the return to your investment in the firm? 2. Based on your examination of the historical record, you calculate that the expected return on the S&P500 over the next year is 6% over T-bills with a standard deviation of 15%. Currently a T-bill with one year to maturity and face value of $10,000 is selling for $9,615.You have $1 million to invest and you will put all of your money in some combination of the S&P500 and one-year T-bills. Calculate the expected return and standard deviation of that return for 3 different portfolios. (a) Portfolio #1 is invested 100% in the S&P500. (b) Portfolio #2 is invested 50% in the S&P500. (c) Portfolio #3 is invested 10% in the S&P500. 3. Do the following recommended problems. (You don’t have to submit the solution for this part. ) End of chapter problem sets in your textbook, Investments by BKM Chapter 2: Chapter 3: 6, 9, 11 9, 16, 17

2 to 3 Page Student Life Comparison Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2 to 3 Page Student Life Comparison Paper - Essay Example The Senior Management Team, which includes the Assistant Vice President for Student Life, is headed by the Vice President for Student Affairs (Caltech, 2006c). The deans and directors of the different colleges and departments, respectively, are also under the Student Affairs Office (Caltech, 2006c). On the other hand, Pepperdine University has different Student Life Offices, one for each of its five colleges: Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Graduate School of Education and Psychology School of Law, and School of Public Policy (Pepperdine University, 2009a). They also have varying titles, Student Services, Student Affairs, and Student Life, to name three. Each of these offices is headed by the Dean of the college or school; all are under the Provost, who acts as the chief academic officer (Pepperdine, 2009b). The Student Affairs Office of Caltech handles housing, financial aid, health aid, counseling, career development, athletics, fellowships, and international programs, among other things (Caltech, 2006c). Like Caltech, Pepperdine’s five student life offices also offer the same services, with the exception of fellowships. What is interesting is that Caltech has a Women’s Center that was established in 1993 to â€Å"work for the advancement of women in science and engineering† (California Institute of Technology Womens Center, 2008). Pepperdine also has a program focused on the needs of women. However, the Women’s Ministry program is a part of the Family Faith network that aims to enlighten and reinforce women’s beliefs and practices â€Å"about Gods role in family life† (Pepperdine University, 2009c; Pepperdine University, 2009d). While the former aims to break gender barriers in the dominantly male composition of science and engineering, the l atter seems to promote a regression in gender equality by

Procurement and management of construction Essay

Procurement and management of construction - Essay Example It is major contributing factor to client satisfaction in the entire processes as well as the accomplishment of the plan with reference to the above descriptions and definition of the project participants and authorities (Cox 2005, p 75). There are numerous procurement methods and their selection can result to a successful or unsuccessful project. It is advised that procurement method selection is of greater importance especially after the recent financial slow-down and the latest bubble bursts among properties. Its importance is based on the ability of controlling the risk, time, responsibilities and entire building costs. The selection of a procurement method is mostly based on the scope and nature of the work under preposition. Other factors may include apportionment of the risks, where and how the design responsibility has to be placed, coordination of the entire process and the contract price on which the entire process is to be awarded. In choosing and settling on the forms of contract, it is essential to make a choice on the type of contact and procurement method. Procurement using the traditional approach has the clients accepting consultant’s appointment for designing, controlling cost, administration of the contract and that is the outworker is accountable for the works being carried out. These discussed responsibilities are extended to all employees or workforces that include suppliers and sub-contractors. The disadvantages of the traditional method of contracting include the engagement of contractors in the nominated, named and pre-selected methods. This is because the contractors may take full charge of the performance or even have limited responsibilities. In the case of the latter, it is essential to have a warranty between the sub-contractor and the clients. Another disadvantage is that the choice of contractors is usually based on competitive tenders that include presentation of documents to provide complete information. Other factors th at can be used in the choice of contractors include earlier appointments through nomination information, partial nomination or through negotiation. In most cases, people use the accelerated traditional method of contracting that involves two stages of negotiating or tendering. An advantage to this method is the ability for the construction to run or continue parallel to an extent that is limited. An additional advantage is that it creates an opportunity for early starting on the site as well as entailing costs that are less certainty. Other traditional methods include sequential traditional lump sum system of building contracting. The client and the construction company In the projects discussed below, there are numerous contractors and subcontractors involved with the client being Wembley National Stadium Limited. The construction industry in the United Kingdom is consisted of about three hundred firms that offer employment to almost two million individuals. These people are held u p in different roles and embraces suppliers and producers, products and construction materials, manufacturers and building services, installers and providers, contractors and sub contractors, advisers, professional and construction clients. Others who are included into this industry are organizations relevant to design, operation, building and refurbishment of buildings. In the UK, construction is essential since it provides a gross value added of about 8.7% that can be

Yuanlin-Wharton-essays1,2-0926-ec19970 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Yuanlin-Wharton-essays1,2-0926-ec19970 - Essay Example I started my career with the battery division of Sony as a sales officer. The times saw the battery division limping far behind the other departments of Sony in terms of sales and revenue. I analyzed the issue and addressed the problem by preaching the â€Å"Sony Team Spirit’ within the team which initiated cross-division collaboration. This resulted in the packaged sale of the battery along with other Sony products like T.V, Camera and Music Systems which within itself contributed 30 percent rise in the revenue of my division. My analytic skills brought me the opportunity to work as Asian market analyst at DSM. The market data model as well as the marketing and sales strategy-decision platform which existed was found be too much outdated to compete with the rising demands of the corporate world. I renovated the platform and established a team which monitored all aspects of business including market trends and hidden problems. The idea proved to be efficient as this strategic platform was widely applied in thirteen countries and contributed greatly to DSM’s global growth. Eventually DSM global headquarters included this system in its Corporate Vision 2010. In 2006, I took the position of Business Development manager at DSM. The price war was eating up the sustainable growth of the organization and its products. My strategy for this problem was to differentiate DSM as a customer oriented solution provider rather than a mere product supplier. My market analysis strategically led us to three emerging markets, giving us the advantage of an early-driver. I developed a business ecosystem in symbiosis with other organizations producing relative products. A united fleet of service providers was established resulting in more than twenty collaborative projects a year which generated sales revenue more than 1 million USD. As I grew in experience, I could envisage my prospect in helping the domestic Chinese companies to attain a global level. This thought eventually

Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solution - Essay Example 2014). Content marketing targets attracting and retaining the customers of a business through continuous creation and development of content which are focused on changing the behaviour of the consumers (What is Content Marketing? 2014). The contents for content marketing have to be in association with the particular needs of the business, which would essentially vary from one company to another. Hence in order to achieve successful content marketing, the goals of the business have to be clearly set and planned (Baer, 2014). This step involves identifying the audience to whom the content would be targeted. There should be a particular aim of the execution of a particular content. Hence in this step, the business organization needs to identify the aim or the purpose that the business wants the content to fulfil (Baer, 2014). This is the step where the business needs to identify what it is producing, when, and for whom. This is extremely important since the content will have to be based on this information. The information and the audience have to be connected through the content being developed (Baer, 2014). Atomization would involve considering a key or a major idea related to the business, and executing smaller contents from the big concept. This is a form of reinvention which would help the business to create innovative contents for its purpose of marketing (Baer, 2014). This step suggests that the content marketing needs to be marketed by the business. Contents cannot be just created and people be attracted. Content executions will have to be created such as the product, and they will be required to be launched in the market like a business would do with a product. Integrated marketing tactics need to be followed for this purpose to bring the contents in front of the public (Baer, 2014). Contents are more effective for marketing if they are measured. By this it is meant that the business needs to measure

Persuasive Communications, Campaigning and Public Opinion & Reputation Essay

Persuasive Communications, Campaigning and Public Opinion & Reputation Management - Essay Example After the first week, communities can hire teams of two police to patrol their neighborhood for a set fee. The fee that will be charged each community will depend upon different factors – how many homes will be patrolled, what the historical crime rate is in each community, and the ability of that community to pay. The MPS will make it known that they will not necessarily charge poor communities more, if they have higher crime rates, acknowledging that these are the very communities that would need the Rent-A-Cop services the most. The MPS will also hold periodic press releases regarding the program. Included in these press releases will be the rate in apprehending criminals, as well as an overall overview of the program’s successes. The purpose of these press releases will be to keep the program in the public eye. The press releases will feature not only the rates of apprehending criminals, but will also feature â€Å"feel good† anecdotes, where the officer conducting the press release will detail the charitable work that the rent-a-cops do for the communities, and any human interest stories that might arise during the course of the officers’ tenure in these

Japans Cultural Analysis through Hofstedes Dimensions Term Paper

Japans Cultural Analysis through Hofstedes Dimensions - Term Paper Example However, Japanese are still less hierarchical than their Asian counterparts and believe in joint decision making to some extent (Geert Hofstede n.d). Individualism/collectivism: this dimension measures the extent of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We† prevailing in the society. In Japan, collectivism is at a high which characterizes harmony, coordination, group efforts, consensus and mutual sharing. Japanese are, however, less collectivist than Chinese. Masculinity/femininity: this dimension tells about quality vs. quantity of life preferred by people in a society. Japan depicts a very high score of 95 which means Japanese are highly masculine- they prefer success, ambitions, competition, and excellence over coordination, consensus, care and overall quality of life (Geert Hofstede n.d). Uncertainty avoidance: future is unknown. Uncertainty avoidance measures whether people in a society try to bind it or let it happen the way it is supposed to. Japan is one of the nations having the highest score of uncertainty avoidance. Japanese tend to control the future through planning, precautions, and regulations and are always wary of the unknown. They study and analyze risk factors in great detail before commencing upon anything. Long-term/short-term orientation: it is a time-based point-of-view towards the achievement of goals and results. Japanese score 80 here which means they are long-term oriented and invest heavily in real-estate and properties to secure their future. They believe in virtues, steadiness of results over time and generations serving the society at large. Canada, unlike Japan, is a country with lower PDI score which means inequalities in power distribution are perceived lesser than that of Japan’s. People respect the status and authority and accept the distribution (Geert Hofstede n.d). Canadians are relaxed when ambiguities and uncertainties are talked of. They suit their laws and regulations with the situations and do not panic; unlike Japanese who always carry a detailed list of rules and risks before doing anything.

Edit the Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Edit the Resume - Essay Example I would appreciate the opportunity to meet you to discuss my qualifications and the opportunity for a position in your company. Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing my application. I will contact you within the next ten days to confirm your receipt of my application and to answer any questions. Thank you very much for the opportunity to discuss openings at the entry-level in the accounting department of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I enjoyed meeting with you and learning more about your company and the career paths available. I am confident that a career at ---- will present many exciting opportunities for me to develop my potential and be an asset to the company. I believe that my personal skills and the solid foundation in commerce which I have developed through my studies at the University of Toronto equip me for an entry-level position in your company. I would like to add that the Choi Jung Ho Accounting Tax Service achieved their best record for accuracy during the summer I worked there. I am confident that I have the accounting savvy necessary to ensure that I will be productive and profitable accountant at ------. I can be reached at 647-300-8548 or by e-mail at cuttyhindi@hotmail.com. I look forward to speaking with you soon, and will keep in touch with you in the hope that you will give me the opportunity to join your firm. Thank you once again for your time and

African American and Conflicting Perspective Essay Example for Free

African American and Conflicting Perspective Essay Every individual has a perspective on things in life and their personal idea of the truth. These are universal concepts and are widely seen in ted Hughes poems â€Å"birthday Letters†. Birthday letters is a set of poems, said to have been written by Hughes for six years prior to his death, on his ex wife’s birthday each year this the selection of poems being called birthday letters. The selection on poems surrounds his problematic marital issues between himself and his wife Sylvia Plath. It is also to show the conflicting perspective on their relationship. This is mainly towards the criticism he received all those years after her suicide. He had been blamed for being the catalyst for her suicide/death and so began a collection of poems regarding their relationship but in some way, excusing himself and explaining that she was already on a destructive path. Through two of his poems, Fulbright scholars and the shot, an understanding of the poems have thrown lighten the concepts of conflicting perspectives. Two other complementary texts such as letters from two jima and to kill a mockingbird convey conflicting perspectives however on issues such as racial discrimination and the perspectives of an opposing country that has been marked as enemies. Fulbright scholars are the first poem in the birthday letters collection. Hughes here tries to remember how he met her and first know of her existence. He does this whilst looking at a picture that was taken at university, when he was a naive young man. He ponders about her throughout the poem trying hard to delve into his psyche hopelessly to recollect something about her when they met at a party. This can be noted by the quote â€Å"were you among them? † which refers to the picture of Fulbright scholar. In terms of conflicting perspectives, the e poem can also be seen as a text that he wrote implicating how difficult it is t recall that first meeting, however he begins to explain his perspective of Sylvia Plath. He says â€Å"your exaggerated American grin for the cameras† which referred to her as someone with false appearances. The various techniques Hughes used to convey his ideas were the use of rhetorical questions such as â€Å"were you among them? †, the repetitions of the word maybe and the use of the I persona, and metaphors such as the â€Å"first fresh peach†. Rhetorical questions he used as a means of asking himself how he met her and what she first looked like to him. The metaphor ‘delicious peach† can be said to be another way to say she was the first girl he â€Å"ever tasted†, in terms of the experience of truly liking someone who seemed special to him. Reputation is used throughout the poem of maybe can be analyzed as a way of trying to remember what he saw of her and his knowing of her existence. The I persona is an important tool in terms of Hughes alluding to the very personal nature of his reflection. The poem ‘the shot’ is also one from the collection and conveys Plath as someone different to what her fans saw her to be. As he says that she was deceitful in terms of appearance of a good and decent person/poet. In the poem, the shot is a metaphor of Plath being bullet shout out a gun. It can also e sad that Hughes thinks that he was the one shot. Hughes perspective on paths â€Å"destructive path† is one that she has always been on, saying that she was already a bullet long before she has met him. Followers of Plath as a victim view him as a catalyst for her suicide but in the poem he tries to explain that she was already suicidal as she tried to commit suicide when she was younger. The use of word â€Å"daddy† is one of great importance as it refers to her childish attachment to her father. This is also the title of her famous poem daddy. Hughes also explains that from his perspective, that he himself has become the father figure that she had ways been looking for. Overall, the concept of the two poems depict conflicting perspectives through analysis of ted Hughes’ birthday letters. The text letters from Iwo jima is similarly to birthday letters, a conflicting perspective however of the Japanese however of the Japanese soldiers during the American invasion of to two jima in ww2. It depicts their perspective throughout the turbulent time, showing that even were still human beings with the same universal feelings. Clint eastwood directed the film letters from Iwo Jima in 2006, trying to show an American or non Japanese audience their side of the story or their perspective. Here, a conflicting perspective is shown. Throughout the film, eastwood wants us to empathise with the Japanese perspective f the same terror and emotions that the Americans felt at that time too. The main character is a young Japanese soldier called saigo who is little enthused on fighting and going to war. This is all seen through techniques eastwood input such as flashbacks- which were important in the film. The audience is then able to see how the soldiers were like before the war and what it was like for them when they got conscripted. Their reflections are a huge part in their conflicting perspective and also a great important technique is the Japanese language. Eastwood used the language to give a strong sense of ethnicity and strong sense of tradition. To kill a mocking bird written by Harper lee in 1960 conveys the conflicting perspectives of the treatment of African Americans in Alabama. This conflicting perspective is seen through the eyes of a young white girl, rather than n African American person. The text shows her view o the racial discrimination against the Negroes and the treatment, prejudice and violence they receive. The event takes place that’s how a conflicting perspective is the court case scene, where an African American man is accused of raping a young white girl. The perspective here is not only through the girl, Scout Finch, but also her father Atticus finch which is the lawyer defending the accused. However he took on a case he know that with all the racial discrimination and prejudice around, he would inevitable lose. The fact that he took on the case shows a conflicting perspective of a white American man who has no prejudice against African Americans. The daughter scout finch views the situation on a different level as well as she was basically raised by African American woman and didn’t judge her, as many people did in Maycomb County. She begins to see and understand the prejudice and discrimination when the man is accused of rape as the majority people did not like his race at that time. It was seen as stereotypical to blame him for the rape. The conflicting perspective here is that the perspective o a young white American and her family on the treatment the Negroes received. It can be said that harper lee wanted the audience to challenge their beliefs and see events from the perspective of a young child who is horrified by the treatment of the Negroes.

What do you find irritating about a certain media text Essay Example for Free

What do you find irritating about a certain media text Essay A media text that I find quite irritating is the reality television programme Big Brother. This programme has become something of a phenomenon since it began in the Netherlands in 1999, spreading throughout various countries normally a series or two each year. The show is based around a number of contestants who are isolated from the outside world in a Big Brother House one by one being eliminated until there is an ultimate winner. The show relies on its vast audience to vote for whom they would like to be eliminated from the house each week. It is this huge response that the producers receive each year that keeps the show running, however over the years, this huge following has resulted in each contestant only applying for the show because of the quick rise to fame that follows after the show ends, and according to the Learning and Skills Council; one in seven UK teenagers hope to gain fame by appearing on reality television. The media have also become obsessed with the programme, and it is not unusual to see these contestants on the front pages of magazines, revealing shocking stories of their past. The fascination and ultimate obsession that the public has with these ordinary contestants has caused many unnecessary disagreements both on and off the show, which have dominated newspaper headlines when there may be something of greater importance to account. The idea of Big Brother did originate from Dutchman John De Mol, however the shows name comes from George Orwells novel Nineteen-Eighty-Four, in which there is a character named Big Brother who oversees all of dystopian Oceania. The contestants that are sent into the house are often chosen from a sociological perspective, where tension can arise quite easily between people, i. e. placing a loud extroverted person with quite a withdrawn individual in the same room would cause a lot of arguments due to clash of personality. These clashes of personality have cause many incidents over each series of the show, often escalating each year. One example of this would be the fifth series of Celebrity Big Brother (a spin off show of Big Brother containing contestants of a small celebrity status) which took place in January 2007, where a row sparked by racial comments towards Asian contestant Shilpa Shetty was heard around the world. Channel 4 stated that they received a record number of complaints citing racial bullying, and blamed producers for not intervening with the situation. The current prime minister Gordon Brown was hounded by the media to give his views on the incident, which one may find incredibly absurd, as it seems we live in a world where a television programme has more priority than important political affairs. The reaction in Shettys native country, India, was also incredibly shocking as citizens took to the streets of India and burned effigies of the shows organisers. After this huge and rather outrageous reaction, many protested that Big Brother should be axed from Channel 4 and a new series should not return, however this is not happen and Big Brother returned in the summer for an eighth series. The continuation of the show has much relevance to the key concepts, involving the institutions that produce shows such as Big Brother and the audiences that consume them. The reaction that the media and audiences gave to the producers on the racial bullying that appeared on Big Brother may not have been incredibly positive, however it still caused an enormous controversial uproar in the media world, which acted as good publicity for the Big Brother brand. This is proven with the rating figures that followed with Big Brother 8 which were some of the highest the show had ever received, and there is a simple reason for this audiences are addicted to the taboo effect that the show can bring into the household, along with an incredible fascination with watching and analysing ordinary people in an extraordinary environment. What is normally kept behind closed doors in everyday life is available for all to see on national television, and audiences take full advantage of the fact that it is possible to peek into anothers personal space. The media (magazines, newspapers etc. ) observe this fascination and fuel it with articles that ridicule certain contestants to pass them up to the public for furthermore analysing and examination. However, the scrutiny of certain individuals on the show does not seem fair in my opinion, but the show has become so widespread it is now a known fact that any person that enters the house is aware that the media will ridicule their lifestyle. Screenwriter Sheryl Longin stated the difference to the brain between watching reality television and scripted drama is like the difference to our vision between High Definition television and 1970s quality video. In my opinion this is incredibly unfortunate as television is being dominated by these reality television shows due to our obsession with.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Benefits of Quitting Smoking Group name: Anca Manaf, Asmita Ghale, Comfort Kumi, Hannah Cotton, Ma-Myo Thuzar. Introduction This essay attempts to discuss the health promotion activity on the benefit of quitting smoking. The assessment of health need, epidemiology, demography, current national or local health policies, identification of target group, approaches chosen will be discussed. Ultimately, this essay will evaluate the effectiveness of the health promotion activity. Assessment of health need Health need assessment (HNA) is an essential component of effective health promotion (Carroll, 2004). According to Cavanagh and Chadwick (2005), HNA is a systematic approach of recognising priority health issues, targeting the populations with the most need and taking actions in the most cost-effective and efficient way. MacDowall, Bonell and Davies (2006) stated, HNA is important for health promotion as it provide an opportunity to engage with specific populations and enable them to contribute to targeted service planning and resource allocation. Bradshaw (1972) therefore outlines the four main categories of needs; normative need, comparative need, felt need and expressed need. Hence, normative need was the chosen need for the health promotion activity. Consequently, this need was chosen for the health promotion activity as it is based on the opinion and experience of experts according to the current research and findings (Wills, 2011). They will provide advice, evidence based information, provide individual with range of services, techniques and support them throughout the process of quitting (Will, 2011). Epidemiology and demography, data and trends The number of smokers over the age of 16 in the UK is reducing, from a high of 45% in 1974 to 21% of men and 20% of women in 2010 (Rutter, 2013). Smoking is most common in those aged under 35; 32% in people aged between 20 and 24, and 27% in those aged 25 to 40 (Lader, 2007). It is least common among people aged 60 and over (Public Health England, 2012). Prevalence of smoking among people in the routine and manual socio-economic group (33%) continues to be higher than amongst those in the managerial and professional group (14%) (Public health England, 2013). In England, 2010-2011, 459,900 of NHS hospital admissions were attributable to smoking among adults aged 35 and over (ASH, 2013). Among pregnant women, smoking prevalence is highest for those under aged 35 (Penn and Owen 2002; Sproston and Primatesta, 2004). Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths and disease in the UK (Cancer Research UK, 2012). About half of all life-long smokers will die prematurely, losing on average 10years of life. Findings has shown that smoking related deaths are from; lung cancer, respiratory disease and circulatory disease (Huffman, 2003). This attributed to; 36% (22,500) of all respiratory deaths, 28% (37,400) of all cancer death and 14% (18,100) of all circulatory disease (Public health England, 2012). In 2011, there were a total of 442,759 deaths of adults aged 35 and over in England of which 79,100 (18%) were estimated to be attributable to smoking (ASH, 2013). Target group and why health promotion is required The target group for our health promotion activity is focused on smokers. This is because recent statistics has shown that smokers have a significantly increased risk of avoidable mortality and morbidity compared to non-smokers (Heidrich et al, 2007). Thus, Petrosillo and Cicalini (2011) identified that, the major causes of this excess mortality and morbidity among smokers are diseases that are related to smoking such as; cancer and respiratory and circulatory disease. Therefore, health promotion will be required as it is aimed at raising awareness of the health dangers of smoking and tobacco use, and encouraging smokers to try and quit, doing so in the most effective way (DOH, 2013) by providing motivational advice and support. Is smoking a public health issue Smoking is one of the biggest threats to public health, costing more than 120,000 lives per year in the UK (Peto et al, 2004). Behaviour factors affecting health issue Research identified ranges of behavioural factors that influence uptake and pattern of smoking (Nichter, 2003). Some of these behavioural factors include; addiction and attitude to smoking. Being addicted are commonly mentioned reasons for keeping people smoking (Siqueira et al, 2001). People tend to find it difficult to quit smoking because they are addicted to the effects of nicotine addiction. Research reports that smokers who consider themselves to be addicted to nicotine had not expected to become so when they had started smoking (Balch et al, 2004). Furthermore, smokers who have attempted to quit smoking experience withdrawal symptoms including; cravings, difficulty dealing with stressful situations, increased appetite, frustration, irritability and anxiety (Siqueira et al., 2001) Having more positive attitudes towards smoking has been repeatedly related to an increased risk of smoking (Buller et al, 2003). Smokers have more positive attitudes towards the mental effects, appearance features and are less concerned about negative physical and social consequences. Policies: A recent policy that was relevant to the health promotion activity was developed by DOH in 2013, called reducing smoking. Its stresses that high prices put people off smoking, most especially young people and people on lower incomes. Therefore, the government aims to continue to set tax rates high enough to discourage people from smoking, provide updated guidelines to make it easier for local trading standards and HM Revenue Customs officers to work in collaboration to enforce the law against fake and smuggled tobacco. The policy also highlighted that the government will continue to run ‘smokefree’ campaigns to encourage people to change their behaviour. In 2005, the WHO issued a global policy by developing a framework convention on tobacco control, which provides international cooperation to support tobacco control. The initiative of the policy is to protect the present and future generations from the devastating health consequences of tobacco consumption, by providing a framework for tobacco control measures to be implemented worldwide. The tobacco control measures includes; price and tax policies, bans on tobacco advertising, protection from exposure to second-hand smoke, education and public awareness measures, regulation of tobacco product contents and disclosures treatment for tobacco dependence, and measures to combat illicit trade. Approach Health promotion has been applied to wide range of approaches to improve health of people, communities and populations. Naidoo Wills (2009) acknowledged that there are five different approaches to health promotion, which are; medical, behavioural change, educational, empowerment and social change. However, the approach chosen, to this health promotion activity was the educational approach. This approach was chosen to provide knowledge and information to the target group on the benefit of quitting smoking, the support available and develop the necessary skills in order to enable them make well-informed and rationale choices about their lifestyles and behaviour (Gottwald Brown, 2012), through provision of leaflet, visual displays and one-one education. Health belief model (1974) proposed that, people need to have some kind of cue such as; one-one-education, distributing of leaflet, mass media campaign, to take action to change behaviour or make a health-related decision. This informa tion provided will help them explore their values and attitudes and a willingness to change behaviour and lifestyles. An advantage of educational approach is that, it enables individuals to develop their knowledge and change their attitude (Gottwald Brown, 2012). However, Naidoo Wills (2009) expressed that; educational approach can be time consuming and individual may not make healthy choices. Aims and objectives The aim for the health promotion activity is to promote smoking cessation by increasing awareness of the benefits of quitting smoking. The SMART objectives were; by the end of this session, the participants will understand three benefits of quitting smoking, be able to name two diseases caused by smoking and be aware of where to get help. Evaluation Evaluation is an essential element of systematic programme planning (Timmereck, 2003). It is important to assess whether an activity has met its objectives and find out if method used were appropriate and efficient, as it will give a sense of achievement and help work out ways to improve for future (Raingruber, 2014). Therefore, Naidoo wills (2009) identified that, there are three stages of evaluation; process, impact and outcome. Process evaluation involves assessing the activities in the program and quality of the program (Naidoo Wills, 2009). The group used posters, leaflets, NHS free quitting kits, cigarette timeline, AR lung website and one-one communication to address different learning styles, providing information to the target audience that came to the stand. Findings on learning styles Kolb (1984) has shown that people learn differently, so using a range of styles allow for the use of range of learning experiences to help learners develop a wider repertoire than their usually preferred style ( Bunton Macdonald, 2002). The posters were colourful, and clear at first glance, appealing and had catchy slogans to attract the attention of the target group. Koelen, Anne Ban (2004) suggested that, posters should be eye-catching, appealing and stimulate the viewer to think about the content of the message in order to achieve the desired objectives. Leaflets were distributed to the target audience during the one-one communication and education. According to Koelen, Anne and Ban (2004) leaflet may have a meaningful function following interpersonal communication. This leaflet comprises of information of the health benefits of quitting smoking, advice on how to stop smoking, stop smoking service and getting professional support. Therefore, this will enable them to re-read the information given at own pace and at the moment they have a need for this information. The NHS free quitting kit was employed by the group of health promoters to the target audience to help them think about reasons for quitting and recognising the triggers that can make them crave cigarettes, improving their chances of quitting successfully. The NHS free quitting helped the target audience work out how much money they will be saving by quitting. The cigarette timeline contained information of the health benefit of quitting smoking and the healing process, that is, what happens in the body when a person stops smoking. The AR lung website was used as a shock tactic to demonstrate to the participants the damage smoking does to their lungs. In addition, the group communicated effectively with the participant, ensuring that the language used was clear, understandable and Jargon free to convey messages (Lehman Dufrene, 2008). Impact evaluation involves measuring the immediate effects of the program (Naidoo Wills, 2009). In measuring the effect of the activity, questionnaires were handed out to the participants to collect immediate feedback and assessed their level of knowledge at the end of the activity (Powell, 2009). It consisted of few questions that assessed the participant’s on their knowledge and understanding of the benefit of quitting smoking. The data collected showed that, 93.3% of the participants were able to name three benefit of quitting smoking. 80% of the participant answered the questions correctly in regards to diseases caused by smoking. 40% of the participant knew the three available services of helping people to quit smoking. 100% thought the activity was very useful; however, this may not be accurate as participants may find it difficult to give negative feedbacks due to the presence of the group. 60% of the participant did not suggest any further improvement for the activity; nevertheless, 40% requested for free freebies. The second and third questions were misinterpreted by the participant which may have been the reason why 80% incorrectly answered the question. Therefore, in future when writing the questionnaire, the health promoters will ensure the questionnaires are re-framed in a much easier format, to aid easy understanding. The table was not big enough to contain all our leaflet, therefore In future, a bigger table will be deemed necessary for any future health promotion activity. Also, the group will have more interactive game and free freebies to attract more participants to the campaign. Outcome evaluation involves measuring the long-term effect of the program (Naidoo wills, 2008). The outcome will be unrealistic to measure as it will be difficult to gather participants together again due to the small scale of the activity, lack of resources necessary for undertaking the survey and time to assess participants in the future. Boltz (2012) suggested, outcome evaluation is more complex, difficult, costly and time consuming to implement. Therefore, HP activity on the benefit of quitting smoking can be carried out in the hospital and community, as supported by Youndan (2005), nurses are in frequent contact with smokers in the community and hospital, therefore, the role of nurse as a health promoter is important. WHO (2014) suggested that, smoking is one of the biggest threats to public health; hence, nurses are in a major position to help people quit by offering encouragement, providing information and refer them to smoking cessation services. In addition to Christensen ( 2006), nurses have a wealth of skills and knowledge and must be able to use this knowledge to empower people to make lifestyle changes and choices. These skills include; excellent communication and negotiation skills, caring and empathetic, non-judgemental and counselling skills (priest, 2013). Conclusion Health promotion is carried out in order to enable individual increase their control and improve their state of health. Undertaking this health promotion activity has broadened student’s understanding on the important of health promotion in nursing. WORD COUNT: 2, 197 References: Ash. (2013). Smoking statistics: Illness and death. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_93.pdf Balch, G. I., Tworek, C., Barker, D. C., Sasso, B., Mermelstein, R. J., Giovino, G. A. (2004). Opportunities for youth smoking cessation: Findings from a national focus group study. Nicotine Tobacco Research, 6 (23), 9-17. Boltz, M. (2012). Evidence based geriatric nursing protocols for best practice. (4th ed.). New York: Springer publishing company. Bradshaw, J. (1972).Ââ€Å"A taxonomy of social need, Problems and progress in medical care. † (7th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press Buller, D.B., Borland, R., Woodall, W.G., Hall, J.R., Woodall, P. Voeks, J.H. (2003). Understanding factors that influence smoking uptake. Tobacco Control, 12 (16), 25. Bunton, R. Macdonald, G. (2002). Health promotion: disciplines, diversity, and developments. (2nd ed.). London: Routledge. Cancer Research UK. (2012). Smoking. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/lung/smoking/lung-cancer-and-smoking-statistics Carroll, P. (2004). Community health nursing: A practical guide. Canada: Delmar, division learning. Cavanagh, S. Chadwick, K. (2005). Health needs assessment: a practical guide. London: National institute of health and clinical excellence. Christensen, M. (2006). From expert to tasks, expert nursing practice redefined? Journal of Clinical Nursing, 15(11), 1531-1539. Department of Health. (2007). Review of the health inequalities infant mortality PSA target. London: Department of Health. Gottwald, M. Brown, J.G. (2012). A guide to practical health promotion. London: open University press. Heidrich, J., Wellmann, J., Heuschmann, P., Kraywinkel, K. Keil, U. (2007). Mortality and morbidity from coronary heart disease attributable to passive smoking. European Heart Journal, 28(11), 2498-2502. Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical herbalism: The science and practice of herbal medicine. London: Healing arts press. Koelen, M.A., Ban, V.D. Anne, W. (2004). Health education and health promotion. Netherlands: Wageningen Academic publishers. Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. Lader, D. (2007). Smoking-related Behaviour and Attitudes. Office of National Statistics: Newport. Lehman, C.M. DuFrene, D.D. (2011). Business communication. Mason, OH: South-western/Cengage learning. McDowall, W., Bonell, C. Maggie, D. (2006). Health promotion practice. USA: Open University press. Naidoo, J. and Wills, J. (2009) Foundations for Health Promotion. London: Baillià ¨re Tindall Elsevier. Nitcher, M. (2003). Smoking: what does culture have to do with it? Addiction, 98(1), 139-145. Penn, G. Owen, L. (2002). Factors associated with continued smoking during pregnancy: analysis of socio-demographic, pregnancy and smoking-related factors. Drug and Alcohol, 21 (11), 17–25. Peto, R., Lopez, A., Boreham, J., Thun, M. Heath, C.J. (2004). Mortality from smoking in developed countries. London: Oxford university press. Petrosillo, N. Cicalini, S. (2013). Smoking and HIV: time for a change? BMC Medicine, 11(16), 1741-7015. Powell, A. (2009). Exploring stakeholder engagement in impact evaluation planning in educational development work. Evaluation, 15(3), 285-306. Priest, H. (2012). An Introduction to Psychological Care in Nursing and the Health Professions. Canada: Routledge. Public health England. (2012). Statistics on smoking. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB07019 Raingruber, B. (2014). Contemporary Health Promotion in Nursing Practice. USA: Jones Bartlett learning. Rosenstock, I. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health education Monographs, 2(4), 332-334. Siqueira, L.M., Rolnitzky, L.M. Rickert, V.I. (2001). Smoking cessation in adolescents: the role of nicotine dependence, stress, and coping methods. Archives of paediatrics Adolescent medicine, 155 (11), 489-495. Sproston, K. Primatesta, P. (2004). Risk factors for cardiovascular disease. London: The Stationery Office. Timmreck, T.C. (2003). Planning, program development, and evaluation: A handbook for health promotion, aging, and health services. (2nd ed.). London: Jones and Bartlett publisher. United Kingdom. Department of Health. (2013). Reducing Smoking. London: HMSO. United Kingdom. National Institute For Health and Clinical Excellence. (2014). Smoking cessation services. London: HMSO. United Kingdom. Public health England. (2013). Statistics on Smoking: England, 2013: London: HMSO. Wills, J. (2004). Vital notes for nurses: promoting health. London: Blackwell publishing LTD. World Health Organisation. (2005). Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Retrieved April 27, 2014 from http://www.who.int/fctc/text_download/en/ World health organisation. (2014). Tobacco Free Initiative. Retrieved April 27, 2014 from http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/tobacco_facts/en/ Youndan, B. (2005). Nurses’ role in promoting and supporting smoking cessation. Nursing times, 101(10), 26-39.

The Enforcement of International Law Essay -- United Nations Legal Jus

Members of The United Nations have a duty â€Å"to maintain international peace†¦in conformity with the principles of justice and international law.†[1] China, a core member of the United Nations since its formation in 1945, fails to comply with international human rights’ norms set forth by The United Nations Charter. This failure is noticeably prevalent in the practices of the Chinese Legal System. Its judicial proceedings in handling peaceful, political dissenters fail to provide the minimum protection of human rights guaranteed to all through international law. By examining accounts of Tibetans detained for such peaceful protests, this paper will set out to highlight the discrepancies between Chinese enforcement of international law in theory and in practice. Before this paper goes any further, the notion of international law must be explained. Providing a better understanding of international law will make easier the task of highlighting Chi na’s struggles with enforcing such standards. â€Å"On November 21, 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution 174 (II), establishing the International Law Commission and approving its statute.†[2] The International Law Commission encourages the development of international law and its codification. The Commission deals primarily with public international law, but also hears private cases as well.[3] International law is applied within an international community, such as the United Nations, and functions to define the proper norms or standards for members to abide by in a collective manner. Examples of such standards could be a ruling on The Universal Declaration of Human Rights or on threats to peace within the International Community. ... ...30†¦> (23 Feb 2003). (21)Eckholm, Erik. â€Å"The New York Times† From a Chinese Cell, a Lama’s influence Remains Undimmed. 23 Feb 2003. www.nytimes.com (28 March 2003) (23) â€Å"Amnesty International† People’s Republic of China: Amnesty International condemns execution of Tibetan, following unfair trial. 27 Jan 2003. (23 Feb 2003). (27) Canada Tibet Committee. â€Å"World Tibet Network News.† 1 Jan 2003. www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2003/1/1_3.html (6 March 2003). (28-32) HRIC. â€Å"HIRC† April 2000. Impunity for Torturers Continues Despite Changes in the Law: Report on Implementation of the Convention Against Torture in the People’s Republic of China. (6 April 2003). (33) People’s Supreme Court. Chinese Criminal Procedure Law. 29 June 1999. The Enforcement of International Law Essay -- United Nations Legal Jus Members of The United Nations have a duty â€Å"to maintain international peace†¦in conformity with the principles of justice and international law.†[1] China, a core member of the United Nations since its formation in 1945, fails to comply with international human rights’ norms set forth by The United Nations Charter. This failure is noticeably prevalent in the practices of the Chinese Legal System. Its judicial proceedings in handling peaceful, political dissenters fail to provide the minimum protection of human rights guaranteed to all through international law. By examining accounts of Tibetans detained for such peaceful protests, this paper will set out to highlight the discrepancies between Chinese enforcement of international law in theory and in practice. Before this paper goes any further, the notion of international law must be explained. Providing a better understanding of international law will make easier the task of highlighting Chi na’s struggles with enforcing such standards. â€Å"On November 21, 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution 174 (II), establishing the International Law Commission and approving its statute.†[2] The International Law Commission encourages the development of international law and its codification. The Commission deals primarily with public international law, but also hears private cases as well.[3] International law is applied within an international community, such as the United Nations, and functions to define the proper norms or standards for members to abide by in a collective manner. Examples of such standards could be a ruling on The Universal Declaration of Human Rights or on threats to peace within the International Community. ... ...30†¦> (23 Feb 2003). (21)Eckholm, Erik. â€Å"The New York Times† From a Chinese Cell, a Lama’s influence Remains Undimmed. 23 Feb 2003. www.nytimes.com (28 March 2003) (23) â€Å"Amnesty International† People’s Republic of China: Amnesty International condemns execution of Tibetan, following unfair trial. 27 Jan 2003. (23 Feb 2003). (27) Canada Tibet Committee. â€Å"World Tibet Network News.† 1 Jan 2003. www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2003/1/1_3.html (6 March 2003). (28-32) HRIC. â€Å"HIRC† April 2000. Impunity for Torturers Continues Despite Changes in the Law: Report on Implementation of the Convention Against Torture in the People’s Republic of China. (6 April 2003). (33) People’s Supreme Court. Chinese Criminal Procedure Law. 29 June 1999.

Existing Global Institutions and their problems :: Essays Papers

Existing Global Institutions and their problems In an increasingly connected and interdependent world, global institutions play an important role in promoting stability and guiding developing countries towards becoming market economies. This process and the importance of this role was never more clear than during the 1990s. In Eastern Europe, a host of new countries appeared on the world map franticly began running towards capitalism and prosperity. The premier international institution, the International Monetary Fund, was given the difficult task of crediting emerging economies and providing the western know-how to build strong market economies. Alas, in many cases, it failed. Possibly, the most tragic example was that of Russia. Some argue that the fund had modest desings and was fundamentally uncapable of this great project. This essay will explore why the fund failed, how its decisions were made, and what must be done in an ideal institution that would be able to accomplish the task. Currently, or over the last decade, the fund was in a peculiar situation. It essentially gave loans to countries that were politically important to the west, such as Russia and Brazil, repeatedly bailing them out of crises which their poor policies led it to. The fund also prescribed certain reforms and policies that should improve the economy over the long tuerm. Unfortunately, these recommendations were all too often either incorrect, as in Asia, or were ignored altogether, as in Russia. The reason is the simple moral hazard. There was no real reason to comply and change inside, when a state knew that they will be given the loan anyway, for the west had political reasons such as the fear that the country will renounce democracy and the like. It is important to refute the illusion early on that the IMF was truly international or independent body. It was, and is massively underfunded ant the result is that its directors have to ask the US treasury department for funds, giving the bosses of the treasury such as Robert Rubin and Larry Summers immense influence over the fund's policies. Therefore, while the fund essentially promoted policies of the American government, or the "Washington concensus", it was often used as a scapegoat. Whenever something was wrong, such as a crisis precipitating due to poor and not peer-accepted recommendations, as was the case in Asia in 1998, few blamed the department of the Treasury of the Clinton administration. Problems were attributed to the fund, which is labeled as international, and to such mysterious and ill-understood phenomena such as globalization.

Economic Conditions of Japan :: Business Economics Globalization

Economic Conditions of Japan Japan is currently in an economic recession. We can see that the value of the yen is falling; unemployment is rising, and purchasing of durable goods is down. This unhealthy state of economy has progressively become bleaker over the years. Many believe that the start of the slump was due to the economic bubble in the late 1980’s when low rates encouraged an inordinately large amount of investment. When a country has an elevated investment rate, large amounts of capital stock are purchased. This means that an elevated rate of investment must be maintained in order to accommodate for the high levels of depreciation. In the early 1990’s when investment began to slip asset values imploded. As a result, banks were making bad loans. The Japanese government was not quick to react, and by 1998 many major banks were on the verge of collapse. To try to combat the trend of failing banks, the Bank of Japan Governor, Masaru Hayami, started a â€Å"zero interest rate policy† in 1999. This move built confidence in Japanese banks and the Japanese economy. However, this positive reform did not last. Banks were not using this recovery policy to write off their bad loans. They also did not get rid of very risky stock market shares. Hayami became fed up with the actions of the banks and raised interest rates in August of 2000. Then when the stock market began falling, those risky shares that the banks owned caused them to lose even more money. So now the country is a facing a major problem: what to do about the losses experienced the stock market and from default loans. In the worst-case scenario calculated by Merrill Lynch credit analyst Koyo Ozeki, banks would have to write off more than 70 trillion yen in loan losses. In order to do that, banks would have to pull the plug on thousands of deadbeat borrowers. This would be devastating to the unemployment rate. Japan’s unemployment rate is currently at 4.9%, which is a postwar high for the country. This is due in part to the number of workers losing their jobs. Another big part of the increase in unemployment is due to the increase in the labor force. Economic Conditions of Japan :: Business Economics Globalization Economic Conditions of Japan Japan is currently in an economic recession. We can see that the value of the yen is falling; unemployment is rising, and purchasing of durable goods is down. This unhealthy state of economy has progressively become bleaker over the years. Many believe that the start of the slump was due to the economic bubble in the late 1980’s when low rates encouraged an inordinately large amount of investment. When a country has an elevated investment rate, large amounts of capital stock are purchased. This means that an elevated rate of investment must be maintained in order to accommodate for the high levels of depreciation. In the early 1990’s when investment began to slip asset values imploded. As a result, banks were making bad loans. The Japanese government was not quick to react, and by 1998 many major banks were on the verge of collapse. To try to combat the trend of failing banks, the Bank of Japan Governor, Masaru Hayami, started a â€Å"zero interest rate policy† in 1999. This move built confidence in Japanese banks and the Japanese economy. However, this positive reform did not last. Banks were not using this recovery policy to write off their bad loans. They also did not get rid of very risky stock market shares. Hayami became fed up with the actions of the banks and raised interest rates in August of 2000. Then when the stock market began falling, those risky shares that the banks owned caused them to lose even more money. So now the country is a facing a major problem: what to do about the losses experienced the stock market and from default loans. In the worst-case scenario calculated by Merrill Lynch credit analyst Koyo Ozeki, banks would have to write off more than 70 trillion yen in loan losses. In order to do that, banks would have to pull the plug on thousands of deadbeat borrowers. This would be devastating to the unemployment rate. Japan’s unemployment rate is currently at 4.9%, which is a postwar high for the country. This is due in part to the number of workers losing their jobs. Another big part of the increase in unemployment is due to the increase in the labor force.

Physics Lost Insulation

Why loft insulation is needed? Loft insulation is the most cost-effective energy efficiency measure that can be installed. It can reduce heating costs up to 20%. The purpose of them is to hold the heat below within the property, reducing heat loss to the roof void and outside but also reducing the amount of heating needed to maintain the property at an ideal temperature. With insulation, the property will be warmer, more comfortable and it will cost less to heat. How loft insulation reduces heat loss? Heat will always flow from a warm area to a cold one.The colder it is outside, the faster heat from your home will escape into surrounding air. Glass fibre is laid across the loft to reduce heat transfer out of the roof. Glass fibre traps air and trapped air is a poor conductor therefore reduces heat transfer from the ceiling to the loft by convection and conduction. How the thicknesses of the loft insulation affect heat loss? As you increase the level of insulation in the loft, it will slow the rate of heat loss and maintain the comfortable temperature for longer.Installing 290mm thick insulation can save up to approximately 20%, compared to thin insulation which is only 14% The pay back time is long term Generally, loft insulation cuts loft’s u value rom around 2. 3 (for an uninsulated loft) to 0. 16 W/m2K, a reduction of around 95%. A more specific example is sheep wool. It shows for sheep wool over 140mm, it has a U value of 0. 16 compared to over 250mm, it has a U value of 0. 11 showing how thickness can affect heat loss greatly.

All In The Name Of Honor Essay

Yale lecturer Joanne Freeman (2001), in her book, â€Å"The Affairs of Honour†, dissects the New Republic through cultural microscopic lenses by focusing on the Founders’ personal honor and reputation as the underlying factor for all political action in America’s inchoate democracy. The auhor strengthens her thesis as she explores with compelling narratives how the nation’s Founders behaved and acted, all in the name of personal honor, to an extent of reckless violence in order to claim their rightful positions in the annals of history. The most stunning account in the book is the renowned duel between then vice-president Col. Aaron Burr and Gen. Alexander Hamilton, former aide-de-camp to George Washington, stemming from a criticism allegedly made by Hamilton against Burr, saying the latter is, â€Å"one who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government† (Freeman, 2001, p. 6). By publishing articles on the American Citizen that were deemed insulting to his honor and reputation, Burr eventually made the bold duel dare to Hamilton, who accepted, and lost his life in the end. In saying , as a forewarning to the reader, that â€Å"†¦we must concede that there was a larger logic underlying the duel, a belief so strong that it compelled men to hazard their lives† (Freeman, 2001, p. 65), and proving later on that both men were compelled to risk their lives because of their own vanities, Freeman is actually telling the reader that both men, although great in their own respects, were too obsessed with personal honor to do anything of political significance. Freeman presents the Founders as alpha males out to satiate their personal egos and risking even their lives to prove so. Freeman plays too much emphasis on looking at decisions at face value and ignoring to appreciate the political significance or rationale behind them. For instance, when she says â€Å"at various points in their political careers, even men of seemingly ironclad principles like Jefferson and Hamilton were rumored to have abandoned their supporters to join with former foes† (Freeman, 2001, p. 269), she is misleading and unfairly painting a picture of treachery and backstabbing in the Founders as if to do so would be unforgivable betrayal to the American people. To Freeman, affairs of honor were a way out for great personalities of the New Republic to cope with the seemingly unstable political life, along with gossip networks, media, and duel as the last resort. As there were no established political parties yet, politics was personal, alliances were unpredictable and in short, you could trust no one during this period. Therefore, the â€Å"code of honour did more than channel and monitor political conflict; it formed the very infrastructure of national politics, providing a governing logic and weapons of war† (Freeman, 2001, p. 146). Dueling, like she says, was a trend. A careful reading of literature mentioned by David Waldstreicher (2002) in his article Founders Chic as Culture War appears to indicate a growing trend and acceptance in a cultural (re)writing of American history, from the traditional bottom-up approach to the top-bottom perspective, characterized by what I think, is an unfortunate emphasis on personalizing the progress and gains of the American revolution. While themselves admittedly more appealing than the traditional textbook-styled accounts of history, the accounts by Joseph Ellis, David McCullough and Joanne Freeman being reviewed by Waldstreicher have the effect of de-emphasizing the complex political process during those times to mere political squabbles and â€Å"affairs of honour† instead of an interplay of the yet fluid political divisions (governors) and the people (governed) and how these two groups came to terms in order to produce the democracy that America champions. Judging by the way Waldstreicher presents his views on the three, it is apparent that he agrees with some of the authors, not particularly on Freeman, on how individually, the Founders struggled with their own personal demons, but the former carefully points out Ellis, in still adulating them, saying , â€Å"Things fell apart, but character—greatness—held† (Waldstreicher, 2002, p. 187). A culturalist also, he is careful to create a demarcation line between the views espoused by Freeman and his own, suggesting that Freeman is in a way reviving the Washington beltway vision of how politics operates, telling it from the perspective of the leader or the general, and throwing aside ideologies, partisanship, policy and instutional development. Freeman’s return to the â€Å"dead white men† perspective and exaggerated emphasis to humanize Founders in her book undoubtedly makes for a compelling story; one that would make for a good history read. However, the extreme focus on the personal traits of the Founders in her book undermines historiography in general. I do not believe that men like Adams or Jefferson, could be that dense, especially while basking at the still-idealistic mood out of the gains of the revolution, would have thought that only their personal honor was at stake. There is without a doubt several failings in character among the Founders, like all other human beings, but, like Waldstreicher, an appreciation of them should be based on the political significance of their actions, not on anything else. I possess no sacred reverence for the Founders in excess of how I appreciate their individual contributions in concert with the actions of a vigilant people who, collectively, shaped America to what she is today, faults and all. By singling out the Founders and presenting evidence on how they backstabbed, deceived or shifted allegiances is to ignore that the same culture pervades in modern America and elsewhere as a political maneuver allowed in a democracy. By representing history solely on individual action and characters of the Founders is to brandish a reportage of events that generally undermines American heritage. References Freeman, J. B. (2001). Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Waldstreicher, D. (2002). Founders Chic as Culture War. Radical History Review, 84, pp. 184-94.

Andrew Jackson Hero of the War of 1812 Essay

â€Å"One man with courage makes a majority.†-Andrew Jackson, these words truly capture the spirit of man behind the American victory at The Battle of New Orleans. The greatest patriot of his time Andrew Jackson served his country honorably. He dedicated his life to serving Americans as a drummer boy, a general and later president. Leading by example Jackson recruited, trained and commanded his army with courage and pride as reflected in the battle. Most expected the militiamen to flee at any sign of British attack, but Jackson’s men took everyone by surprise by taking the offensive and striking first. The attacks lead by Jackson and his army excited and inspired Americans to stay and fight. It is Jackson’s victory at The Battle of New Orleans that would increase national pride and later secure him the presidency. The Battle at Fort McKinley was the first major stand against the British attacks. Before the battle would begin an order is placed for the largest American flags yet to be made. One flag is raised shortly before bombardment of the fort began form the British naval fleet. On one of the ships stopped just off the shore sat a young man named Francis Scott Key, watching from a between the blasts Key was inspired. He jotted down a few lines for a poem as the bombs burst through the air creating a fantastic display of light and sound. What inspired him most came after the smoke cleared. After more than a day of bombardment the British retreated having realized the Americans would not surrender. At the end of it all American troops replaced the first flag that had been tattered and torn from blasts, with the second flag. Key and many other Americans saw and were over joyed at the sight that the flag was still there. The War of 1812 appropriately named The Second War of Independence, created the American identity and strengthened the nation. Americans now had leaders to be proud of, shared culture and national pride. The proud patriots of America proved to the world that the nation would survive. It took the pressure of war to once more unite Americans. George Washington once said: â€Å"Firearms are people’s liberty’s teeth.† The people of America had earned their liberty after The Revolutionary War and would fight until Britain and the world recognized their freedom and independence.

Class Prophecy

Everyone has a dream he wants to pursue and achieve. As they say, there is nothing wrong to dream and aim high especially for the children like us who have the courage to overcome trials and obstacles to reach the star that we’ve been dreaming to get someday. But if you were to write your own prophecy of the future, what would it be? Would it be a once-upon-a-time story? Or a happy-ever-after one? For the six years that we have been together, we have shared our dreams and ambitions with one another. Some want to be a superior pilot while many of us dream of being a professional journalist.Now that we are about to graduate, we have reached the climax of achieving our goals in life. Here is my prophecy of the future and how the Galileans value their dreams with our future diverged in a yellow wood. â€Å"Congratulations! † The professor happily told me when I graduated in college. But something bothered me for awhile. What have happened to my elementary classmates now tha t we graduated in College? I wondered. To achieve my dream of being a professional journalist, I went to Los Angeles to learn more and to know more. I worked hard and studied hard in journalism.At last, I did it!! I am now a highly-qualified journalist and known all over the world. I pursue my career in New York where I worked in a famous publication as a news writer and wrote editorials about the latest issues. I earned a lot and made my own novel known as â€Å"The Forsaken Love† featuring the love story of my past friends. It was a hit and was liked by many people so there came another opportunity. So I made a new novel featuring my own story. I was famously known all over the world so someone called me on the phone and invited me to a talk show.I can’t believe it, the host was Diane, my childhood classmate and friend. We talked about our lives. I said, â€Å"Hey, how are you? †. Then she answered ,†Oh, I’m fine. I also write novels and stories a bout friendship†. I was so proud of her that she achieved her dream of being a famous journalist and a well-known author. Suddenly, an unexpected text message came into our sight. We read the message on the phone and stated,† Dear Grade School classmates (Galileans) batch 2011-2012, you are all invited to our reunion that will be held at Pin’s Hotel, 8 pm.Hope you can come. SEE YOU!! †. Diane said,† Hey, I’ll go! †. Then I said,† Me too. I wonder how they’re doing right now and besides I miss them already†. She told me,† Ok see you tomorrow at 8. † Then the awaited day came, I arrived there just on time. I cannot believe it, almost everything had changed. Jego who was so small looked so matured and became a skilled pilot. I was looking for Glaysa and there she arrived with her purple dress and believe it or not, she was a certified teacher of Cambridge University.I talked with her for a moment and saw Carina gracefully walked on the carpet. We were glad that she is now a highly-qualified doctor for discovering medicines to cure serious diseases such as cancer without suffering from any chemotherapies. And there came Angela with her head high for being an outstanding scientist who first invented an Earthquake Detector successfully in her generation. The ever stylish Yannina came to the place with her nice outfit became a famous fashion designer and didn’t expect cooking to be her profession in Paris, the home of the best chefs in the world.Then a group came in. The boys namely Dave, Lauren, Sean and Earl along with the good ‘ol singer Alyssa,were there carrying their guitars and drums. I never thought that they will make their own band. But their childhood fantasy happened in reality. They have made their own band known in the Philippines as the â€Å"Band Aid†. Many of us arrived including Marymil who became a talented essayist and Mona who turned out to be a good th eatre actress together with her best friend, Rachel.There also came James who in grade school was the best artist became a very talented painter all over the globe. Nicole and Chubie became hip-hop dancers in the United States and Joeana excelled being a professional dance instructor and she taught many famous actors in the showbiz industry how to dance. Fatima who dreamed of being a singer has released her album and were bought by many people. all of us were there, enjoying and living the time. Band Aid played performed many songs and became the star of the night.They rocked the party while we were having fun. All that we could do that night id to reminisce the moments and memories we’ve had together while our grade school pictures were flashed in the screen. I was happy that all of us have reached the star that we’ve been dreaming to get. I hope that this prophecy of mine would come true someday. Whenever you face many trials and obstacles, never give up even though how hard it s, it is just the challenge for you to be a better person. So live life and remember, YOU ARE THE RULER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY.

Overview of Ames Test

The AMES test also known as bacteria reversed mutation assay is used to evaluate the mutagenic properties of test articles. The test was first developed by Bruce Ames in 1974 (Krebsfaenger). The amino acid dependent strain of S. typhimurium and E. coli are used in this experiment where in the absence of the external histidine source, the cells cannot grow to form colonies. Specifically these strains of Salmonella are defective in 1. ) Repair of mutations (uvrB) and 2. A rfa mutation (eliminating a portion of lipolysaccharide (a coating of outer bacterial surface)). The rfa mutation here fulfills two purposes: 1. ) Helps Salmonella in growing in presence of sodium desoxycholate or crystal violet. and 2. ) Increases the cell permeability allowing more mutagen to enter the cell. The lack of uvrB gene in the decreases the rate of repair mechanism of mutations occurring resulting in the increased incidences of occurring mutations. These auxotrophic strain cannot grow on the media without histidine and biotine (due to uvrB).If these organisms are allowed to grow on the media lacking both of these, the strain get converted to prototroph resulting the organisms to grow on the mutagenic chemicals to be tested in the media. If the chemical being tested is mutagenic, the organisms will grow as some substance are capable of causing mutations in the cells at same site or at nearby sites resulting in restoring gene's function and these mutations in the cells can revert back the gene regaining its function (Tejs).These revertant cells are then able to grow on the media which does not contain histdine as it can now synthesize histidine on its own. This mutation causes the cells to divide continuously. If there is no further mutation occurring in the cell, the cells will die out like normal cell. But if any further mutation occurs which allows the cells to grow for many generations, then the cancerous cells will be formed. The principle of Ames test is specifically based on the hypothesis that any substance that is mutagenic for the bacteria used in this test may also turn out to be carcinogenic (compound causing cancer).The most important limiting points of the Ames test includes first an assumption that though Ames test is being tested on prokaryotic microorganisms, it will detect the mutagens or cancer causing agents in human beings. (Though this test uses rat liver enzymes, Ames test is not able to serve the perfect model for human beings. ) Secondly, mutagens found by this test might not be carcinogenic i. e. further test may be required. also all carcinogens are not mutagens ( i. e. Ames test is unable to find such agents eg: asbestos).Third, some nitrate containing compounds lie nitroglycerine can cause false positive production by producing nitric oxide. ? Works Cited 1. Krebsfaenger, Niels. â€Å"AMES TEST: Bacterial Reversed Mutation Assay. † Genpharmtox, Assay Sheet AMES TEST. Gen Pharm Tox, n. d. Web. 21 Nov 2012. . 2. Tejs, Sebastian. â€Å"The Ames Test: A methodological Short Review. † Environmental Biotechnology. Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, n. d. Web. 27 Nov 2012. . 3.

Business Administration class Internal Analysis Essay

Business Administration class Internal Analysis - Essay Example The mission and vision statements of StilSim Company requires the company to acquire respect in the existing market through providing the best or quality services and going the extra mile to meet the clients’ requirements. This mission statement acts as a guide as it states the positions and expectations of StilSim Company. StilSim accomplishes its mission by adopting strategies such as developing long lasting relationships with its clients, exceeding productivity standards, adoption of the best and cheapest strategies, and developing synergistic teamwork within the organization. Furthermore, they also incorporate their core values in ensuring that their mission and vision are realized. These core values are professionalism and integrity other values include leveraging technology, innovation, and teamwork to satisfy customers, decisiveness and embracing growth opportunities and setting meaningful goals (StilSim Personnel , n.d.) StilSim Company envisions itself as being the best in the region. This goal is to be realized in the next three years. The company plans to train it current workforces to use new tools to satisfy his customers’ demands, and improve on it internal communication strategy. These two are the main point for which the company banks on. However, the company is strategizing on various ways of motivating its performing employees. This tool is mainly used companies to evaluate the existing strengths and weaknesses within a business. It serves as a strategic management tool for identification and evaluation of all function areas within an organization. Moreover, it gives an actual picture of how functional business areas relate to each other. There are strengths that facilitate the existence and performance of any organization. StilSim has been operational for more than twenty years. This can be directly attributed to the company’s long history of providing good services to customers. The quality

The Perfect Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Perfect Failure - Essay Example The plans for the invasion were begun under President Eisenhower and continued under President Kennedy. It was hoped that exiled Cubans could form a government outside Cuba to replace Castro after a successful invasion. This is where some of the initial failings took place. The exiled Cubans were incapable of establishing a government and had no clear leadership. Ike was animate about the formation of the government and insisted that the plan could not go forward without a leadership in place.2 Yet, according to Richard Bissell who was directing the CIA operation, there never was any cooperation among the Cubans who Bissell called "hot tempered and hardheaded" and incapable of forming a government.3 By the time of the invasion there was not sufficient political unity to manage and direct the overthrow of Castro.4 One of the key ingredients for a successful invasion was to be the element of surprise. However, training a force of 1500 exiled Cubans in Guatemala was difficult to keep secret. The New York Times had run a story detailing the planned operation in October 1960, six months before the invasion.5 Though the CIA assumed that Castro was unaware of the plan, when April 1961 rolled around and the invasion was taking place, Castro was well prepared to respond and was expecting the military action.6 Castro had also thwarted CIA plans to infiltrate Cuba by detaining and arresting large numbers of his opposition.7 The original CIA plan called for small groups of exiles to infiltrate Cuba and set up pockets of resistance. However, by November of 1960, the exiles were having difficulty establishing any kind of underground network inside of Cuba. It was at this time that the CIA changed plans from an infiltration campaign of internal revolt to a large-scale invasion.8 This continual changing of plans and goals also diminished any hope of success for the operation. Shortly after the election of 1960, Kennedy was briefed on the CIA plans for the invasion. At that time, the plan was to use 600 to 750 exiles and invade Cuba at Trinidad.9 They would be aided by CIA flown air strikes flown out of Nicaragua in conjunction with a massive propaganda campaign. It was hoped that this would trigger internal resistance and defections from Castro's military and result in his overthrow. The key to the mission was dependent on the Cuban people actively supporting the uprising. In February 1961, the Joint Chiefs of Staff raised some doubts about the operation. In a report to Kennedy, they indicated that the success would be totally dependent on the uprising within Cuba and there were "...no margins for miscalculation".10 However, the invasion sight was abruptly changed from Trinidad to the Bay of Pigs, and was planned to take place at night, which presented a special logistic challenge. The Bay of Pigs was surrounded by eighty miles of barren swamp, which no one had taken into account.11 According to Bissell, Lewis, and Pudlo, "The concept that had been appropriate for a Trinidad landing was retained even though it was inapplicable to a Bay of Pigs landing".12 The CIA's inspector general would later conclude that it was unrealistic to expect the operation to "[...] prevail

Does the Problem of Evil Provide a Defeater for the Existence of God Essay

Does the Problem of Evil Provide a Defeater for the Existence of God - Essay Example One of the major functions of religious belief has been to give human beings a structure and a set of codes to help them minimize their exposure to this evil, by concentrating on God and keeping themselves pure and well away from temptations and sins. This paper traces some of the main arguments that have been used throughout history to explain the problem of evil and concludes that it can never be fully explained due to the difference between human and divine ability to understand things. In the simplest terms there is a basic contradiction in the fact that both God and evil exist. We can accept that it is not possible to know where God came from, since he is eternal, having existed always, existing now, and going on to exist for ever into the future. But what about evil? It seems unlikely that a God who is absolutely good would actually create evil. Similarly, if he came across evil arising out of what he created, then it seems logical that a God who is good would eliminate evil from the world, or would prevent it from occurring in the first place. How can a good God stand by and watch terrible injustices, suffering of innocents, or indeed be the cause of these evils? This is a big moral and logical problem which has been tacked from several different angles. From an atheist perspective the answer is quite straightforward: the absence of intervention to stop evil from happening proves that there is no such thing as an absolutely powerful and absolutely good God, as defined in the Judaeo Christian tradition. One solution to the apparent contradiction between the existence of evil and the existence of God, is to argue that God and evil are two separate and different things, and that evil is in some mysterious way the â€Å"opposite† of God. This line of reasoning preserves the absolute goodness of God, and means he is not contaminated by the bad things that happen in the world. From this position it can be argued that that evil is a necessary thing because without it, we would not be able to understand the goodness of God. An analogy from the physical world would be the relationship between light and darkness. It is possible to conceive of absolute light, and absolute darkness, but in these two extreme situations we would be blind, and not able to appreciate anything in the middle of them properly. This is quite a promising line of argument, because it places the problem in the limited, physical nature of man, rather than the realm of logic or ideas. The physical world, unlike the world of pure ideas, is not an absolute situation, and it exists between the extremes of good and evil, in such a way that they set up a contrast, allowing us to operate in the grey area in the middle, an by implication make choices to orient ourselves towards the one or the other extreme. In the history of Christianity this kind of thinking was put forward as a suggestion but quickly condemned, and it is since known as the â€Å"Manichean heresy.† The problem with this line of argument is that it waters down the essential nature of the divine being, in order to explain away the problem of evil. This solution also implies either that evil was co-existent with God from the beginning, so that good and evil define the nature of G od, or that God in some way relinquished some of his omnipotence when he created the earth, and allowed evil to take on existence

Anthropological Perspective on Education Reform in Chicago Research Paper

Anthropological Perspective on Education Reform in Chicago - Research Paper Example The Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 has been a clear example of the efforts of legislators in USA to identify educational systems that can be feasible, in terms of the resources available, and that ensure equality and quality in education. The above Reform Act has introduced a unique scheme, the Local School Councils (LSCs). This scheme aimed to ensure that student learning is kept at high levels in all public schools in Chicago. In practice, it has been proved that the achievement of the above target is related to many challenges. One of the key weaknesses of LSCs has been its failure to secure the participation of parents in critical educational decisions. Of course, it has been proved that not all parents are ready or willingness to support such initiatives. Still, it seems that the high majority of parents would be ready to participate in innovative schemes, such as the parental networks, for improving their cooperation with their children in regard to the learning process. The review of the literature published in this field has proved that the involvement of parents in parental networks would highly improve the performance of LSCs. At the same time, parental networks would help parents to participate more actively in the learning process, a fact that would make this process more attractive to children. As a result, the parental networks could support the increase of responsiveness of children to learning, either in the short or the long term. 1. Introduction Education in Chicago is provided under the control of the Chicago Board of Education (CBE). The above organization, which was first established in 1840 (CBE 2012), has ‘the responsibility for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of public education in Chicago’ (CBE 2012). Education in Chicago has passed a strong crisis. In 1987, the region’s public schools were considered ‘as the worst across the nation’ (CBE 2012). Today, the public schools of Chic ago are considered as a model of innovation, a fact related to the Chicago School Reform Act of 1988/89 (CBE 2012). For many years, education in Chicago public schools had been problematic. The Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 has introduced in order to help towards the decentralization of Chicago’s school, a strategy that was expected to support the improvement of Chicago’s educational system (Soltero 2009, p.58). The increase of participation of parents in the local educational system and the enhancement of the power of the major to participate in the decisions related to Chicago’s public schools were two important features of the Reform Act (Soltero 2009, p.58). The provision of equal rights to children of different racial and economic background has been one of the priorities of the Chicago School Reform. The Reform has been based on the rules of ‘1988 Chicago School Reform Act’ (Koval et al. 2006, p.249). The Reform has been initiated so that two key issues are addressed: a) ‘equality and quality in education are secured’ (Koval et al. 2006, p.249), b) the current market needs for appropriately educated professionals are fully covered (Koval et al. 2006, p.249). The establishment of the Local School Councils (LSCs) was considered as a strategy that could educators to achieve the above goals. Through these Councils ‘