Unintended Consequences from the Naked Economies” - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2054 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Introduction Charles Wheelan considers global economy as naked amidst the current economic challenges in the book, Naked Economics. The book critically analyzes the concept of unintended consequences by integrating the aspects of individualism and the society as the contributors of globalization and its impact on economic growth. This paper will, therefore, analyze the ideas of Wheelan regarding unintended consequences in economic expectations in relation to other scholars. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Unintended Consequences from the Naked Economies†" essay for you Create order The findings indicate that there are negative as well as positive consequences that emerge from certain decisions make within and outside an organization that contribute to the overall outcome. The outcomes normally influence the economic impacts on an individual, society, and the entire globe. While addressing the virtue of â€Å"Undressing the Dismal Science,† Charles Wheelan identifies that decision-making in regard to ethics and moral regulations are the major contributors of unintended consequences. According to him, the unintended consequences can either be an unexpected benefit or a drawback that result from an introduced policy or regulation (Wheelan 25). Noting that production is the key to an economic development, Wheelan observes that every agent is entitled to optimize output in a way that benefits the society and the organization at large. The productivity is seen to be on the increase upon globalization. Through the emergence of global economies, determining factors such as skills, education, and governmental policies are improved. Consequently, individuals gain the ability to control and manage resources, leading to a positive impact on the economy (Wheelan 77). Nevertheless, it is important to consider the fact that globalization may result into negative effects. Wheelan maintains that the United States’ government has some of the best global economic policies. The government ensures checks and balances in the monetary and market value to promote fair trade (Wheelan 102). However, the unintended consequences are inevitable. First, developers and agents tend to emphasize on their own benefits. The resultant effect is normally a negative outcome on pricing as well as the working environment. Moreover, the problem mostly affect the strong economies whereby much control over the workforce in terms of skills, level of education, and health leads to lower productivity (Wheelan 123). Secondly, globalization increases outsourcing, including hiring workers from overseas. Consequently, the local professionals lose their jobs while the growing economies absorb them. Essentially, wheelan’s assessment indicates that the outsourcing concept is beneficial at first as it saves time but eventually becomes disastrous as the economic growth is slowed down. Negative consequences An example of a negative economic consequence is the move by the federal government to impose minimum â€Å"Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)† standards for some types of vehicles. According to Mims (Np), there was the need to regulate the fuel consumption in a bid to improve the environment. However, poor structuring of the rules led to some leakage, especially in States like California. Some manufacturers continued to sell low-fuel-economy vehicles to other states amidst the higher-fuel-economy policy in California. By so doing, they were able to satisfy the state’s as well as the national standards. Some economists averaged the leakage in California to be 74%, a much higher level as compared to the national regulation (Mims Np). Therefore, the intention to reduce the emissions was not met, hence, the continued negative effect on the environment. Elsewhere, Mittelstaedt et al. (68) reiterated that the United States suppressed the production and supplies of alcohol in the 1920s. This move led to the closure of many small-scale manufacturers and opened up the market for large-scale producers and eventually, high demand as well as rise in the prices. Few years later, it was realized that many illegal alcohol industries cropped up across the country and held more criminal organizations which funded the brewers. Similarly, the prohibition intended to improve the war against illegal drug trade but instead strengthened the drug dealers by enhancing their power and profitability (Mittelstaedt et al. 68). Initially, the use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol was seen as a factor that lowered the productivity. However, the introduction of strict laws led to a new problem that was associated with rising capital to fight the emergent illegal trade and the drug cartels. Positive Economic Consequence Christopher Mims’ article in the Wall Street Journal indicated a positive consequence on the introduction of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) as from the 1970s. From his article, Mims said that â€Å"the lower cost of ATMs allowed the banks to expand into more branches, thus employing more people† (Mims Np). The primary intention of introducing the devices was to expand the banking services, and more so for the entrepreneurs and the government-owned premises. However, the expansion has also led to the increase in the number of tellers and other operators. Besides, there are more manufacturers, servicemen, and software operators, all who benefit from the business either directly or indirectly. In yet another observation, medicines have unintended consequences which are mainly considered as side effects. Conversely, some of the side effects are beneficial. A good example as explained by Dahler-Larsen is aspirin (Dahler-Larsen 12). Dahler-Larsen explains that aspirin is an anticoagulant as well as a pain reliever. Apart from these actions, the drug is also beneficial in the prevention of heart attack and the reduction of the severity of thrombotic strokes. Similarly, Viagra was initially designed as a drug the lower blood pressure. Later, during clinical trials, it was discovered that one of its side effects was genital stimulation which is the most current and widely used purpose (Dahler-Larsen 16). All in all, the primary consequence of an action or economic benefit can eventually yield a new and positive benefit upon utilization. Individual motives Individuals have different motives that are critical in influencing unintended consequences. The author, Wheelan, observes that people work hard to make their lives better, mostly for their own benefit (Wheelan 44). Actually, the products that make life enjoyable and easy are always on high demand, a fact that enhances the growth of an economy. However, different people have different preferences. There is, therefore, a sharp distinction between various groups including those working within the same organization. For instance, the rich do not worry about their basic needs as compared to the poor (Wheelan 53). At times, the less fortunate get humiliated as they work in the private sectors where they feel that they benefit the wealthy proprietors. On the other hand, the proprietors are sometimes not sensitive to the needs of their workers. These perceptions normally become a great setback to productivity, thus poor economic performance. Scholars provide an idea that as far as someone does something to profit him or herself, others also benefit. Essentially, the fundamental intention of any investor is to make profit from the resources available. Mittelstaedt et al. (68) considers the virtue of ownership of a property. Through his observations, he notes that the owner exercises some rights to it to a point of imposing obligations which may be negative to the consumers. At the end, both the owner and the consumer can develop reliable expectations about the property. For example, the buyer may be in a position to assess the end price. If the expectations are not achieved, the seller may lose the buyer or end up disposing the product at an unintended price (Mittelstaedt et al. 68). It is, therefore, important to evaluate individualism in a bid to plan and execute the likely consequences. Social structures Wheelan expresses the social structures in the context of global economies and the gap between the poor and their employers (Wheelan 43). The rich form small groups that seem to enjoy subsidies that risk the overall economy over time. The groups normally develop powers that enable them to manipulate the laid down policies by blocking the legislations that would benefit the whole society. As a result, the global perspective of trade and the efficiency in driving the economy is interfered with in a way that favors the few. On the other hand, the poor continue to depend on them and remain undermined by their inability to influence the political class and the respective investors (Wheelan 177). At times, the upcoming businesses meet restrictions that promote the concept of monopoly. Through monopoly, the producers do not have enough driving force to improve the quality of their products because of lack of competition; hence, the continued loss of productivity and innovations. Regardless of whether the outcome is positive or negative, the unintended consequences are greatly dependent on human social settings. Since the masses are not certain about the course of human choices or nature, they only depend on guesses (Mittelstaedt et al. 69). Economists hold on the fact that personal decisions must be considered while interacting with others opinions for the purpose of minimizing the risk of failure (Mittelstaedt et al. 71). In essence, the knowledge of the expectations helps in analyzing social perceptions and different ways of making moral decisions. Incentives As mentioned earlier, increasing productivity is the main driver to a successful economy. To optimize the production, entrepreneurs employ the concept of incentives to motivate the employees who in turn work towards their own benefit as they get the rewards. These incentives can either be in form of compensation, recognition, rewards or appreciations. Naked Economies, therefore, tends to expose the idea of individualism in the entire economic development processes since both the employers and the employees work hard upon the promise of reward (Dahler-Larsen 12). It is true to say that economies do well where there are motivators. Primarily, incentives are used with the intention to achieve the expected goals in an organization. However, the expectations are not met while in some cases, they are exceeded. According to Mittelstaedt et al. (68), one of the major drawbacks of incentives is risking the virtue of teamwork or cooperation. Providing an incentive to individual performance tends to break collective responsibility as the individuals tend to improve work output at personal level. It is important to influence a collective role by designing programs that target the general behavior rather than a divided culture. For positive consequences, the recognition activities must be built on transparent and trustworthy approaches where no employee is unequally treated or demoralized (Dahler-Larsen 12). Equilibrating forces Equilibrating forces in an economy are normally influenced by the empirical trends in the demand and supply of a commodity. These are the forces that determines the market price of a product or service; hence, becoming the legitimate as well as realistic drivers of the economy. The main role of the forces is to ensure an acceptable balance between the quantities supplied and demanded (Mittelstaedt et al. 68). Therefore, an economy is referred to be at equilibrium when the opposing forces are balanced in both static or dynamic states and either in a single or multiple markets. In most cases, the equilibrium is not attained; thus, the emergence of unintended consequences. These consequences are normally brought about by economic shifts that comprise of factors such as change in customer preferences, financial crises or deflation, government policies, and natural calamities. For instance, if the preference for a certain product drops, the demand lowers while the supply exceeds the market requirement (Boudon 17). This experience leads to a temporal state of imbalance and the expected price is lowered. Boudon’s analysis indicated that the 2008’s financial crisis led to imbalance in the housing business (Boudon 32). On the other hand, natural disasters such as fire outbreak may lower production and consequently, the supply but an increased demand while floods may increase the need for the replacement of the damaged goods. Basically, any prompt change in the quantities demanded or supplied to the market is highly unexpected; hence, unintended conse quence. Conclusion The findings indicate that there are negative as well as positive consequences that emerge from certain decisions make within and outside an organization that contribute to the overall outcome. The outcomes normally influence the economic impacts on an individual, society, and the entire globe. Charles Wheelan identifies that decision-making in regard to ethics and moral regulations are the major contributors of unintended consequences. The unintended consequences can either be an unexpected benefit or a drawback that result from an introduced policy or regulation. All in all, the consequences are controlled by the prevailing factors such as the involved individuals or parties, the society, appropriate use of incentives, and the equilibrating forces that control pricing. Therefore, it is important to make proper decisions for the sake of minimizing negative impacts while maximizing the positive impacts.

Gun Control A Reference Handbook - 1639 Words

Although, he is mostly known for his contributions to science and mathematics, Plato, a Greek philosopher, too held views on armament control. To expand, he reflected praises for an oligarchy government, a government with all power, along with favoring the withdrawal of arms from citizens and a desire to enforce the holding of weapons in his state. Plato also wished to impose obligatory military training and have military operations once a month, as mentioned by Earl R. Kruschke in his book Gun Control: A Reference Handbook. The policies that Plato once respected are much like policies that are in place and are in consideration for the future. Gun control, a major issue throughout the world, is a controversial topic within many countries.†¦show more content†¦Patrick J. Charles, a former legal analyst, presents an illustration from eighteenth century England, Thomas Erle, a former general, brought to the attention of the Parliament that â€Å"every substantial householder i n any town or city should be provided with a good musket in case of invasion†. Other beliefs of the people in this era were that firearms were for the purpose of suitable protection, which both gun rights and gun control advocates are in support of. In relation, Kruschke describes a case that takes place under Germanic Saxon laws. Under these laws, men obtained the requirement to join the army and any man who withheld land was to have armor and weapons. Furthermore, training in the practice of the people’s weapons, along with â€Å"annual military exercises for the purpose of review† were in place. In the countries that enacted laws for the handling of arms, a large amount of preparation obliged the government to ensure proper use of weapons. In like manner, there was an abundant amount of other laws practiced in the past to benefit the control of hunting, crime, and carrying of arms. In England there were countless laws on hunting privileges. Many laws of the f ifteenth century focused on this concern. King Henry VII had multiple rulings forbidding certain weapons to help reduce hunting in his kingdom, but

A Day Without a Phone free essay sample

Over this past weekend, when given the challenge to shut off my phone for 24 hours, I didn’t believe I could make it. My phone is probably involved in almost every activity I do throughout the day. Weather its taking notes down for my classes or tweeting my latest pointless thought. It guides me when its dark, tells me when its going to rain, and even notifies me when I get poked on Facebook. I can honestly admit to being one of those people who are completely dependent on their phones. Knowing this about myself I had to factor in three important variables; what day, what am I going to do, amp; of course how will I notify people of my whereabouts! Being the weekend and all, its kind of hard not being on the phone making plans for the night. How will I go about organizing a little get together with the close friends? So I thought to myself, Friday and Saturday are too important to be out of the loop. We will write a custom essay sample on A Day Without a Phone or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I finally made my decision that Sunday is perfect! I mean, who cares about Sunday? It’s a day of relaxation so I thought it would be perfect! Now I had to plan, what am I going to do. Earlier this weekend a friend of mine who was actually visiting from Florida had called me wanting to meet and catch up. Right before turning my phone off late Saturday I gave him a call explaining the situation, he laughed and told me to come pick him up from his aunts at 12 AM and to just simply get out of my car, walk to the front door, and knock. (Obviously texting a simple â€Å"here. † Would have been simpler). Besides that I thought I would just wing it and see where the day takes me. Now I just had one last issue, I got to hide it! Knowing myself pretty well, I knew it was a bad idea to have the phone around me, if I planned to actually commit to this. I decided to simply leave it in my mother’s possession for safekeeping. With these three issues resolved I’m now ready to, â€Å"slide to power off†. So Sunday begins. I woke up at around 11AM (kind of late due to the fact I couldn’t set the alarm on my phone). I got out of bed rushed out to the kitchen and looked at the oven for the time! I quickly proceeded to shower and get ready. At 12AM I arrived at my friends aunts house to pick him up, knocked on the door and he came right out (no big deal after all). We then went to lunch and spent a few hours talking and playing some call of duty on my Xbox. Without noticing, it was almost 6 at night! Wow! I was impressed. By this time I probably would have had to plug my phone in for the second charge of the day! Now it was time to go to the gym, I usually use my phone to play music but I had to bust out my little mp3 from back in the day. At the gym I’m rarely on the phone so this hour and a half went by swiftly has well. When I returned home I showered and started preparations to begin on my homework. It being 8PM now I thought the worse was over! So I read my 20 pages of Feed and did some of my history assignment and probably finished at around 9:30PM. At this point of the day I didn’t even remember I didn’t have my phone glued to my side. I realize now that having all those cool features and apps on my phone only makes me waist my time and procrastinate on the important things I should be doing. The last few hours till midnight I simply watched a few episodes of The Walking Dead to pass the time. It really wasn’t much of a challenge after all; it was actually very relieving not being involved in any social media and texting throughout the day. Perhaps I will make this an event for every Sunday!

The Tennis Serve Essays - Anatomical Terms Of Motion, Elbow, Serve

The Tennis Serve The tennis serve is the stroke that puts the ball in play and is often referred to as the most important stroke in the game of tennis. It has become a principle weapon of attack and is used to place the opponent on the defensive by forcing a return from the weak side or by moving the receiver out of position. A good strong serve can sometimes be the basis of winning a game of tennis. I have included eight picture sequences to illustrate the tennis serve. Represented in picture A is the stance of the serve. In this part of the serve, the person needs to take a position sideways to the net, about three or four feet to the right center mark behind the baseline. The left foot is two to three inches behind the line, the toes pointing toward the net post. The back foot is parallel to the baseline and spread conformably from the front. Pictures B and C represent the preparation phase. In these pictures, the execution of the ball toss is performed. The ball toss is the key to a well-executed serve: a good release consistently places the ball in the proper hitting position. A poor release can throw off timing and ultimately cause a bad serve. In pictures D-F the action phase is represented. In picture D of the action phase, the elbow reaches a position slightly higher than the shoulder, then the elbow bends and the racket head drops down behind the back into what is called the back scratching position. In picture E, the ball should be at its maximum height of the toss before striking it. In picture F, the last of the action phase, the movement of striking the ball is explosive in an upward and forward motion until contact Pictures G and H represent the follow through. In the follow through the action is performed up and out, not down, in the direction of the intended target area. The follow through is a natural continuation of the stroke. A good follow through will help prepare for the next step in approaching the net for a return. Kinematics is defined as the study of motion. It is compiled of different bodily planes and different joint motions. In the beginning of the serve, during the stance (picture A), the feet are outwardly rotated. The hips and the trunk are extended. The left shoulder is slightly flexed along with the right shoulder and the shoulder girdles are slightly abducted. Both of the wrists are pronated with the elbows slightly flexed. During the preparation (pictures B and C) the feet are still in an outwardly rotated position. The hips slightly abduct with the trunk still in full extension. The shoulders are abducted, with slight elevation of the shoulder girdle. Both elbows are extended, but the right wrist stays in a pronated position and the left wrist is supinated. During the action (pictures D-F) the right foot inwardly rotates along with it performing planter flexion but the left foot stays in an outwardly rotated position. The hips are adducted but then they shift to abduction. The trunk starts in hyperextension then get fully extended and slightly rotate to the left. Both knees flex but the left knee extends while the right knee stays flexed. The left shoulder goes from flexion to extension while the right shoulder performs high diagonal adduction. The left elbow goes from extension to flexion and the right elbow goes from flexion to extension. The left hand goes from supination to pronation while the right hand stays in a pronated position. Finally, during the follow through (pictures G and H) the left foot inwardly rotates along with some planter flexion. The right foot inwardly rotates and goes back to a naturally flat position. Both hips are flexed along with the flexion of the trunk and it's rotation. The left shoulder remains in an extended position but the right shoulder follows through with the high diagonal adduction, while both shoulder girdles perform abduction. The right elbow slightly flexes but the left elbow extends. The knees go from flexion to a greater degree of flexion. The kinematics of the tennis serve is a complicated thing, it consist of

The Civil War Essays - Union, Medal Of Honor, Free Essays

The Civil War Essays - Union, Medal Of Honor, Free Essays The Civil War For minorities, as for other Americans, the Civil War was an opportunity to prove their valor and loyalty. Among the first mustered into the Union Army were a De Kalb regiment of German American clerks, the Garibakdi Guards made up of Italian Americans, a "Polish Legion," and hundreds of Irish American youths form Boston and New York. But in Ohio and Washington, D.C., African American volunteers were turned away from recruiting stations and told, "This is a white man's war." Some citizens questioned the loyalty of immigrants who lived in crowded city tenements until an Italian American from Brooklyn turned that around. In the New York Senate, Democrat Francis Spinola had been a vigorous foe of Republican policies and Lincoln. But now he swore his loyalty with stirring words, "This is my flag, which I will follow and defend." This speech gave great assurance that the masses in the great cities were devoted to the Union and ready to enlist for its defense. More than 400,000 European immigrants fought for the Union, including more than 170,00 Germans and more than 150,00 Irish. Many saw their services as a proud sacrifice. The first officer to die for the Union was Captain Constatin Blandowski, one of many immigrants who earlier had fought for freedom in Europe and then joined Lincoln's army. Born in Upper Silesia and trained at Dresden, Germany, he was a veteran of democratic struggles - a Polish revolt at Krakow, the Polish Legion's battles against Austria, and the Hungarian fight for independence. Some nationalities contributed more than their share of Union soldiers. Some immigrants earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Italian American officer Louis di Cesnola, was the Colonel of the 4th Cavalry Regiment. At Aldie, Virginia, in 1863, he earned the Medal of Honor and was appointed a general. He charged unarmed at the foe, read his citation, "rallied his men ...until desperately wounded and taken prisoner in action." In 1879 Cesnola became director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum then became, wrote a critic, "a monument to his energy, enterprise, and rare executive skill." Italian American privates also won the Medal of Honor. Joseph Sova of the 8th Cavalry earned it for capturing the Confederate flag at Appomattox. Private Orlando Caruana of the 51st Infantry won it at Newburn, North Carolina. With bullets whizzing past him, he saved wounded men and rescued the U.S. flag. As 1865 came on, the feel of victory was in the Northern air. And so the Civil War was over. Yet even the ending of the war did not bring real peace. On Good Friday, April 14, 11 days after Union troops had entered Richmond, an actor named John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln as the President watched a play from his box in Ford's Theater, Washington, D.C. The one man who might have brought about a just peace was dead. The Civil War had solved some old problems for the United States. But it created some new problems as well. But many of the problems created by the Civil War have been solved. Towns have been rebuilt, new industries flourish, and new schools have been erected. Most of the damage of war has been long repaired. North and South both enjoy prosperity. But many of the human problems still remain.

Utopia by Thomas More essays

Utopia by Thomas More essays ****Writer's note: This paper dissects Thomas More's Utopia and Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince in an effort to discover their views on Human nature-This paper can easily be transformed from this topic****** Niccolo Machiavelli vs. Thomas More : Defining Human Nature It is difficult to determine Niccolo Machiavellis and Thomas Mores view on humans nature. Each took a different approach to the topic. Through Utopia, Thomas More attempted to change mans thinking by creating an ideological society. Niccolo Machiavelli, through The Prince, attempted to teach man how to deal with human nature. With this in mind, Machiavellis concept is much more realistic than Mores; therefore Machiavelli better represents human nature. Machiavellis view of human nature in The Prince, presents, on the surface, a view of governing a state drastically different for his time. Machaivelli believed that the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put into effect a policy which would serve his best interests. With this, Machiavelli uses the prince as man, and the state as the mans life. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power. Though in some cases Machiavelli may seem harsh and immoral, one must remember that his views were derived from concern of Italys unstable political condition in the 1500s. Machiavelli seems to be teaching the common man how to live his life so that their life is good and prosperous. Machiavelli generally distrusted citizens, stating that since men are a sorry lot and will not keep their promises to you, you likewise need not keep yours to them (Machiavelli 651). Furthermore, a prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promises when, such an observance of faith would be to his disadvantage; and when the reasons which made h...

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically Essay

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically discuss this statement using two concepts from the mod - Essay Example These are a few of the ways in which information systems have provided advantages to the regular activities (Morgan, 2006). Based on this aspect, the report describes how information systems have influenced and revolutionised the way people work. Furthermore, the report also illuminates two key aspects of information systems along with their impact on work. Defining Information Systems Information system is regarded as the technology which is used for storing, controlling, dispensing and generating information. This technology includes any mechanism capable of processing data of information systems. Information systems use certain tools in order to perform calculations, record information, manipulate data and communicate messages to people. On the other hand, the ways in which people work comprise procedures used for individuals and organisations. Individuals and organisations apply certain procedures in order to accomplish subjective task (Yu, 2004). Computer Have Revolutionised the Way We Work A vital example of information system is the development of computer. The work of every individual and organisation has completely changed with the advent of computer. Computer system actually arrived during 1930s and laid the foundation for numerous activities. The present world is completely revolutionised by computer systems. Computer is presently observed in every office of metropolitan areas and it is difficult to think about modern organisations without computers. Regular tasks would be extremely inefficient without using computers. For example, managing customer records in an organisation can be performed effortlessly with the use of computers. Computer systems have replaced manual management of customer records to electronic ways of management (Zammuto & et. al., 2007). In today’s information age, computers are regarded as a machine that can process information and provide the function of communication. The first thematic ritual in the history of computer took form with queries impersonated by experts and pioneers of digital computing. The second thematic tradition in the history of computer is shifting focus to historical roots of the information age and the third thematic tradition is pioneering machines that can be differentiated with the work of historians. The history of computing is a hybrid area that has increasingly drawn on diverse disciplines and methods. Researchers in the area of humanities and social sciences frequently demonstrate a form of hybrid vigour where a core area of discipline is invigorated by the exchange with neighbouring areas or disciplines. Historians of computing have positively looked outward to neighbouring areas and disciplines for conceptual inspiration. Various organisations, corporate cultures and industries have found importance of flow of information in order to carry out regular activities (Misa, 2007). Computer Revolutionised Workplace Activity Computer has changed the paradigm of

Financial analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial analysis - Assignment Example The steel company will have the lowest because steel production is very asset intensive, meaning the company will have to invest billions in equipment, plants, and property required for steel manufacturing. Additionally, equipment used will have a long lifetime. As a result of this high investment and its long lifetime, the sales for a steel company will be relatively low, leading to low asset turnover (Rodgers 23). While supermarkets have low sales margins, pharmaceutical companies, jewelry retailers, and software companies have high sales margins. Supermarkets have low sales margins because of the high intensity of competition in the sector. In addition, there is minimal product differentiation because they mainly carry similar brands. Consumers also have a high sensitivity to price changes and switch costs tend to be low. As a result, competition in the sector is mainly based on pricing, which results in extremely low margins (Rodgers 48). On the other hand, software companies have the highest sales margins because consumer-switching costs are high, while production costs tend to be relatively low. Finally, most costs for initial development of software are previously expensed. Thus, the sales margins are higher than for the rest. I disagree with James Broker’s assessment. While earning numbers and operating cash flow are essential in the evaluation of a company’s prospects, they will differ because of long and short-term accruals. Some current accruals like credit sales lead to higher earnings than operating cash flows. On the other hand, other current accruals like unpaid expenses result in lower earnings than operating cash-flows. Non-current accruals like deferred taxes and depreciation also result in differences between operating cash-flows and earnings. Understanding the difference between earnings and operating cash-flows, in this case, is more important than the fact that earnings are higher than

Marriage in Other Countries Essay Example for Free

Marriage in Other Countries Essay This paper will be about a traditional dress from my native land and other countries. The traditional dress I will be writing about is called a wedding dress. A wedding dress is used throughout the world in various countries including China, Japan, India, and Vietnam. This paper will also detail different cultures, religions, types and colors of wedding gowns that symbolize the bride or groom wealth, occupation and or belief. In the Americas, weddings performed during and immediately following the middle ages were often more than just a union between two people. They could be a union between two families, two businesses or even two countries. Many weddings were more a matter of business than love, particularly among the wealthy people. Brides were therefore expected to dress in a manner that made their family seem more presentable, for they were not representing only themselves during the ceremony. Brides from wealthy families often wore rich colors and exclusive fabrics. The amount of material a wedding dress contained also was a reflection of the brides social standing and indicated the extent of the familys wealth to wedding guests. In the 1920s, wedding dresses were typically short in the front with a longer train in the back and were worn with cloche-style wedding veils. Today, Americas traditional wedding color is white because of the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Victoria wore a white gown for the event to incorporate some lace she prized. Before then, white was a mourning color, it represented a bride whom had recently lost a loved one. Black was actually a color that was worn by the lower class because it was more favorable and could be worn again on many occasions. In the eastern cultures, the traditional wedding color was red, the color red symbolizes good luck and favorable. In modern Chinese weddings, the bride will opt for Western style dresses and traditional costumes for the official tea ceremony. In India a choice for a bride is a wedding sari, which is a traditional garment for Indian women. Over time color options and wedding fabrics have changed throughout the eastern countries. Fabrics have expanded and today, fabrics like crepe, georgette, tissue, silk, and satin have been used. Colors such as gold, pink, maroon, brown and yellow have also expanded. It seems as if the other countries around the world are starting to adopt the western tradition. At Japanese weddings, brides will often wear three or more dresses throughout the ceremony and subsequent celebrations with a traditional kimono, white and color dress combination being popular. The Javanese people of Indonesia wear a kebaya, a traditional kind of blouse, along with batik. The Native Americans have traditions different from most other countries. A Hopi (A Native American tribe) bride traditionally would have her garments woven by the groom and any men in the village who wished to participate. The garments consisted of a large belt, two all-white wedding robes, a white wedding robe with red stripes at top and bottom, white buckskin leggings and moccasins, a string for tying the hair, and a reed mat in which to wrap the outfit. A Pueblo bride wore a cotton garment tied above the right shoulder, secured with a belt around the waist. In the traditions of the Delaware, a bride would wear a knee-length skirt of deerskin and a band of wampum beads around her forehead. Wedding dresses are very diverse and unique. There are a few things that all weddings dresses have in common among all cultures. The most important thing is that bride’s want to look and feel beautiful. The wedding dress is plays a significant part in the wedding ceremony. The wedding dress gives the bride the opportunity to stand out. A wedding dress represents one of the most precious garments that a woman will wear in her lifetime. It represents religions, cultures and family traditions. Although it’s just material, the wedding dress is very important because it symbolize marriage, the union of two people who love each other.

DaVinvi The last Supper Essay -- essays research papers

The Last Supper has been and will be one of the most talked about works of Leonardo Da Vinci’s work of art. The work of art was started in 1495 and was completed in 1498; it contained the event depicted in the bible as the final days when Jesus announced that he would be betrayed by one of his twelve disciples.† Leonardo had chosen to depict the moment when Jesus says, â€Å"One of you will betray me†.1 The painting is located in the dining hall of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan Italy. The painting was commissioned by Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. The painting it self has a massive presence of 15 feet high by 29 feet wide. Even though most facts stated that the painted was not completed until three years after it was started. It was also well known that Da Vinci was a procrastinator, meaning the he did not consistently work on the art for a time period of three years but on and off when he had the time, subjects and motivation. It is said that most of his ti me with the painting was looking for model for the art work it is said that when he working on the picture it’s self he would stare at it for hours and then climb the ladder and paint for hours. Later he would not be seen for days and then show up paint a few stokes ad leave again. Much of the work was sporadically done. The painting was done on a large dry stone wall that was first treated with a base or primer. The stone wall was sealed with a layer of pitch, gesso and mastic. From there it was painted with tempera. U... DaVinvi The last Supper Essay -- essays research papers The Last Supper has been and will be one of the most talked about works of Leonardo Da Vinci’s work of art. The work of art was started in 1495 and was completed in 1498; it contained the event depicted in the bible as the final days when Jesus announced that he would be betrayed by one of his twelve disciples.† Leonardo had chosen to depict the moment when Jesus says, â€Å"One of you will betray me†.1 The painting is located in the dining hall of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan Italy. The painting was commissioned by Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. The painting it self has a massive presence of 15 feet high by 29 feet wide. Even though most facts stated that the painted was not completed until three years after it was started. It was also well known that Da Vinci was a procrastinator, meaning the he did not consistently work on the art for a time period of three years but on and off when he had the time, subjects and motivation. It is said that most of his ti me with the painting was looking for model for the art work it is said that when he working on the picture it’s self he would stare at it for hours and then climb the ladder and paint for hours. Later he would not be seen for days and then show up paint a few stokes ad leave again. Much of the work was sporadically done. The painting was done on a large dry stone wall that was first treated with a base or primer. The stone wall was sealed with a layer of pitch, gesso and mastic. From there it was painted with tempera. U...

A Dream of a Social Entrepreneur

â€Å"I have a dream that in the near future, Ecolife Cafe will become the bridge of knowledge for people in Phu Long and promote Community Ecotourism for the Protection of Mangrove so that tourists and foreigners will know and love the community initiatives to protect the green environment here, and then have a chance to experience life with local people in our island. Lying on the coastal island of Cat Hai, Hai Phong City, Phu Long commune’s population is consisted of 70% people earning their lives by small-scale aquaculture and rudimentary fishing – their lives depend much on the nature and they often suffer from crop failure during the flooding season. Phu Long does not have conditions for produce growth, thus the locals’ life totally depends on supply of produce from the outside. Phu Long is connected with Hai Phong City via Dinh Vu ferry. It takes up to 3-4 hours to transport passengers and goods over that less-than-30km distance. The difficulties in transportation make the living cost in Phu Long high. In the tough economic time, with unstable prices of seafood like the recent years, the lives of people have become tougher and riskier. Getting over the obstacles, the people here are seeking for the new livelihoods, specifically with the Community Ecotourism having flourished. People doing this work just have the simple wish of making more income for the family, feeding and educating their children, and at the same time caring and preserving the nature. This can be done by tours experiencing and plating mangroves to better off the biodiversity. Mangroves account for one-third of the Phu Long area. They are not only the â€Å"green walls† protecting people’s life and property from natural disasters, but the â€Å"green lung† providing fresh air for the city. Contributing to the effort of protecting humane values and the environment, Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) in coordination with Vietnet Information Technology and Communication Center (Vietnet) and the community’s representatives led by a social entrepreneur in Phu Long mobilize investment from personal capital and social capital to establish and open the Tourist Information Center and Environment Education Ecolife Cafe in Phu Long, Cat Ba in the summer 2012. Ecolife Cafe Phu Long is primitive, simple, environment-friendly and close to the people in the commune, which is located on the area of more than 200m2 on the family’s ground of the social entrepreneur Vu Hong Hung. He is the Head of the Cooperation and Operation Board of Phu Long’s Community Ecotourism. Initially, Ecolife Cafe has had a bookcase for community with more than 50 books on culture, environment, law, engineering, which partly met the reading demand of the people. Hung has also finished installing a wireless Internet connection here. Hung shares that his wish now is to facilitate Phu Long Ecolife Cafe a number of used computers which can connect to the Network that he has set up. Every day, people in the commune can drop by and connect to the internet to read the news and search information about the new farming techniques which are economically efficient and environment-friendly to preserve the green space here. In addition, households participating in his Community Ecotourism Board will have internet access to introduce the land to the domestic and foreign tourists. Talking about the cost, Hung expressed his willingness to pay for utilities and take time to ask for experts coming to the commune to teach IT for local people, especially the young. Since then, Phu Long can reach millions of people loving the sea, people in the coastal areas and the mangrove and they will come to this land. Summer 2013 is coming, this story intends to reach people loving sea nature and understand the difficulties of local people, with the hope to seek for the accompany with Social Entrepreneur Vu Hong Hung to realize the dream of Education Center, Phu Long Ecolife Cafe. Let wish that there will be more and more Ecolife Cafe like this presenting in every coastal areas throughout the country , with the spirit of social entrepreneur to enrich the knowledge, livelihoods and protect the environment for the future generations. Individual/organization willing to share with Phu Long Ecolife Cafe, please contact: – Entrepreneur VU HONG HUNG – Manager of Phu Long Ecolife Cafe Tel: (084)976 433 656 Address: Phu Long commune, Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city – Ms. Pham Tu Uyen – Vietnet Information Technology and Communication Center (Vietnet-ICT) Tel: (084)914 717 695 Email: [email  protected] org Address: Room 3104, Building 34T, Hoang Dao Thuy street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi

Effectiveness Of Monetary Policy Essay

Monetary policy is basically a stabilization policy adopted by a country to deal with various kinds of economic imbalances that occur in the country. It’s a flexible instrument which allows authorities to move quickly to achieve stabilization, since it deals with the monetary aspect of the general economic policy. It controls the supply of money and often targets a rate of interest and also controls exchange rate and influence credit conditions for the purpose of promoting economic growth and stability. It is often termed to be as an expansionary or contractionary. It basically deals in open market operations, and basically controlling the money supply through buying and selling various financial instruments such as T-Bills, bonds etc. Control of money supply through an appropriate monetary policy is greatly effective in controlling inflation. Objectives: The main objective of the project is to understand the effectiveness of the RBI monetary policy for: * It is well used in stabilizing inflation in a country under the CPI index * Maintaining price stability i.e. a targeted price level can be reached over time * Maintaining desired growth rate over a period of time  * Understanding various monetary policy tools and its impact in short term as well as in long term. * Achieving a stable foreign exchange rate Issues or problems to be studied: High inflation usually has an adverse effect on grow. Distortion of relative prices which lowers economic efficiency, redistribution of wealth between debtors and creditors etc. are all factors that affect high inflation. There is always thrift as to increasing the financial stability of the country, but the main priority should be maintaining stability in the banking system. There is always a tradeoff between inflation and growth of the country so which policy should be implemented by RBI to curb inflation without hampering the growth rate of the country and the main issue is whether RBI is capable of controlling inflation while maintaining economic stability. Sources of Data: The data collected will be from the following secondary sources: * Books * RBI circulars from RBI website * Journals and publications * Other sources from internet Expected out-come of the project: The outcome of the project will be highlighted in the following areas: * How well the RBI has been successful in taming inflation * How all the different rates of interest i.e. the bank rate, CRR, SLR etc. is managed as to achieve a desired growth rate of the economy * Providing an in-depth analysis so as to how different monetary tools are used in short term as well as long term basis

Always Remember That Java Is A Case Sensitive Language

Always Remember That Java Is A Case Sensitive Language Java is a case-sensitive language, which means that the upper or lower case of letters in your Java programs matter. About Case Sensitivity Case sensitivity enforces capital or lower case in the text. For example, suppose you have created three variables called endLoop, Endloop, and EndLoop. Even though these variables are composed of the exact same letters in the same exact order, Java does not consider them equal. It will treat them all differently. This behavior has its roots in the programming language C and C, on which Java was based, but not all programming languages enforce case sensitivity. Those that do not include Fortran, COBOL, Pascal, and most BASIC languages. The Case For and Against Case Sensitivity The case for the value of case sensitivity in a programming language is debated among programmers, sometimes with an almost religious fervor.   Some argue that case sensitivity is necessary to ensure clarity and accuracy  - for example, there is a difference between Polish (being of Polish nationality) and polish (as in shoe polish), between SAP (an acronym for System Applications Products) and sap (as in tree sap), or between the name Hope and the feeling hope. Further, the argument goes, a compiler should not try to second-guess the intent of the user and should rather take strings and characters exactly as entered, to avoid unnecessary confusion and introduced errors.   Others argue against case sensitivity, citing that it is harder to work with and more likely to result in  mistakes while providing little gain.  Some argue that case-sensitive languages negatively impact productivity, forcing programmers to spend untold hours debugging issues that end up as simple as the difference between LogOn and logon. The jury is still out on the value of case-sensitivity and it may be able to pass final judgment. But for now,  case sensitivity is here to stay in Java. Case Sensitive Tips for Working in Java If you follow these tips when coding in Java you should avoid the most common case sensitive errors: Java keywords are always written in lowercase. You can find the full list of keywords in the reserved words list.Avoid using variable names that differ only in case. Like the example above, if you had three variables called â€Å"endLoop†, â€Å"Endloop†, and â€Å"EndLoop† it would not take long before you mistype one of their names. Then you might find your code changing the value of the wrong variable by mistake.Always make sure the class name in your code and java filename match.Follow the Java naming conventions. If you get into the habit of using the same case pattern for different identifier types, then you improve your chances of avoiding a typing mistake.When using a string to represent the path of a file name, i.e. C:\JavaCaseConfig.txt make sure you use the right case. Some operating systems are case insensitive and dont mind that the filename isnt exact. However, if your program is used on an operating system that is case sensitive it will produce a r untime error.

Capital Punishment3 essays

Capital Punishment3 essays In society today there are murders committed everyday. And everyday the people who commit these crimes are found guilty in a court of law and sentenced to like in prison. Some even get chances for parole. What the courts should do is take every murderer, give every one of them the death penalty, and follow through with it. The death penalty should be legal in all 50 states and carried through when given out as a sentence. Gary Gilmore faced a firing squad at the Utah State Prison on January 17, 1977. There have been 55 murders in that state during 1976. During 1977, in wake of the Gilmore execution, there were 44 murders: a 20 percent decrease. As you can see, the execution had some effect on the murder rate in Utah. There are very few proven facts about capital punishment deterring crime at this time. This is so because capital punishment is not used enough to actually have an effect on people. It is a fact that of all murder sentences that 38 percent get the death penalty. If that 38 percent only 0.1 percent are executed. If we use the death penalty more often and actually carry through with it will have an effect on the crime rate in the country. People will see that finally we have justice in this country and if they do this, there is a large chance they are going to be caught and they are going to receive the death penalty. We also need the death penalty in this country because if we execute the murderer that person has no chance to ever kill or harm another person again. The person will never have a chance for parole and there will never be a risk of this person ever ruining another familys life. It is not fair for a murderer to get life in prison. The murderer still can have a life, not much of one, but they do have one. He or she can still communicate with their families. The victim of the murder cannot. The victims family will never be ...

Reformation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reformation - Research Paper Example Luther, along with some other like-minded churchgoers, had become increasingly distraught about systematic corruption in the form of indulgences and simony (selling and buying clerical seats) that had apparently become rampant within the Roman Catholic Church. Luther observed these offenses in person during a previous trip to Rome. These concerns were compounded by disagreements about doctrine, the sacraments, celibacy, and the power of the Pope. At the same time as Luther’s uprising, a similar movement was forming in Switzerland led by Huldrych Zwingli. The two would not join forces however, as some disagreements kept them apart. The Reformation was condemned by the papacy and Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Following these events, Protestant groups throughout Europe would find common ground in the writings of John Calvin, and the movement would soon gain ground from the Roman Catholics. Major Beliefs and Practices Protestant is a broad term that app lies to Churches that protest the ways of the Roman Catholic Church (though some reject the label, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). While there are many different denominations of Protestantism, some beliefs do apply to virtually all of them. The doctrine of Sola Scriptura holds that the Bible itself, rather than traditions or interpretations, is the ultimate source of Christian authority. The doctrine of Sola Fide reserves salvation for the act of faith in Jesus, rather than as a result of personal actions or good deeds. Solus Christus refers to the holiness of Jesus and denounces the power of men assuming a similar position (such as the Pope), Sola Gratia argues that salvation cannot be gained by work, and Soli Deo Gloria, the belief that humans are not worthy of glory. Additionally, Reformed Churches typically have less elaborate periods of worship when compared to the Roman Catholic tradition, though exceptions do exist, and a concept known as the univer sal brotherhood imbues the duty to read the Bible regularly and to take part in all Church processes. This approach places all members on equal ground and opposes the hierarchy found in Roman Catholic systems. Categories and Demographics There are several categories that have been used to describe the many denominations of Protestantism. The â€Å"Mainline† Protestant group consists of churches that identify with Lutheranism, Calvinism, or Anglicanism. Churches in this group typically adhere to the original doctrines that came from the Reformation. Baptist Churches are identified by the lack of infant baptism rituals, but involve the regular baptism of adults. Also, Anabaptist worshipers are categorized based on the re-baptizing of converts. Denominations that fall in each of these categories can differ in any number of ways, including their belief in the nature of Christ’s presence at the Last Supper. Today, participation in Protestant religions is large throughout ma ny countries. A 2008 article by Michael Paulson states that over half of all Americans are members of Protestant religions. Other countries with a large number of Protestants include the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, and China (Central Intelligence Agency, 2008). Additionally, Protestantism practically dominates religious practices throughout the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland). Membership in the mainline sector of Protestantism has

Brandon Beaver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Brandon Beaver - Essay Example The effect of the ERG in any firm can only be secondary, compared to the situations in the workplace which principally defines employee sentiment towards the corporate leadership. Therefore, where the underlying working relationship is essentially adversarial, any management-sponsored ERG initiative will be perceived with suspicion as a ploy by management to take advantage of the employees (Ashton & Sung, 2002). The post’s identification of possible drawbacks to the ERG is perceptive. Because the ERG, in order to be effective, will tend to focus on particular minority groups or their specific situations, their members tend to stand out more distinctly rather than blend in with the majority. This is, I think, the paradox of most diversity and inclusion efforts. The effort to more effectively create inclusion tends to deepen the demarcations. The challenge to management is how to sponsor the creation of ERGs in such a manner that employees come to view the ERG as more closely id entified with the needs and aspirations of the employees, rather than with the desires of management. If the ERG is identified more closely with management than it is with the workers, it may be seen as just another means of manipulating and controlling the work force to comply with managerial designs against their better interests. References Ashton, D N & Sung, J (2002) Supporting Workplace Learning for High Performance Working. Geneva: International Labour Organization Catalyst (2008). Employee resource groups: valuable to employees; valuable to business. www.catalyst.org. Response to post of student 2: Christopher Gilbert The post mentions, strangely enough, the matter of the Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day. I believe this has little bearing on the matter of diversity and inclusion in the workplace towards its employees, or in the company’s dealings with its customers and the public at large. The Chick-Fil-A issue was more about the inclusion working the other way around, th at of the right of a person to express an opinion and the guarantee attached to that right. The ERG cannot be empowered to dictate changes from above, or from external movements and elements that have little relevance to what happens in the workplace. Diversity and inclusion involves unity of action and goals, not necessarily unity of beliefs and the core principles of individuals (Herek, 2000). The ERG’s goal is to pave the way for tolerance and respect for the diversity of beliefs and opinions that are present in any group at any time. There is a difference between inclusion and uniformity. Inclusion allows for variety and amiable co-existence while retaining people’s innate individuality. Uniformity is intolerant of differences, and wishes to create a single likeness among people, therefore denying them their individuality. The use of employee reference groups should be clear on its objectives, which is to address the diversity and inclusion needs of the employee gr oup while maintaining strategic relevance to the firm’s business goals and objectives (Catalyst, 2008). The Chic-Fil-A issue does not have anything to do with the acceptance of people with different sexual orientations at the workplace and among consumers, it is about the political issue of the legalization of same-sex marriage. In actuality, ERGs should avoid getting themselves embroiled n political contests because they are divisive and have little bearing upon the form’s operations. For ERGs to be effective as tools of the organization, they must be careful not

Market efficiency Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Market efficiency - Assignment Example Private market efficiency refers to the measure of access to information that market players can use to maximize their gains on investment at a minimum transaction cost (Jarrow & Larsson , 2011). Market efficiency widely known as the Efficient market Hypothesis (EMH) and introduced by Eugene Fama in 1970 stresses that market prices is a reflection of all the available information to the investors regarding a particular stock at a particular time of trading. According to Fama‘s interpretation of an efficient market is a situation were no individual investor has an advantage over others in predicting excess returns on securities above the existing market price (Jayasuriya, 2008). This claim is based on the premise that at any given time no one will have information over and above what is available to other players. The information necessary to make judgment is often readily available to all players at the time of trading and for this reason no individual player can beat the marke t. Valuation of investment is the main determinant of whether a market is efficient or not and where the inefficiencies are evident. An efficient market can be determined through market prices considering that it is only estimate for measuring deviation from true value (â€Å"Market Efficiency†, 2011). This is because an inefficient market will only be determined by market price deviation from the true value. Efficient market must be supported by a number of conditions most of which revolved around valuation and information availability for it to take place. The is means that information and market prices are integral components of market efficiencies consider that investors make investment strategies based on the information they have assuming that at a given time traded assets(s) are under or overvalued (Yang & Leatham, 1998). The market prices in an efficient market are often unbiased estimate of the asset’s true value and they are expected to shift randomly dependi ng on the behavior of the investors. Investors play a significant role in bringing efficiency in private markets considering their diverse reaction to available information. A number of conditions need to take place in the private market place in order for efficiency to be achieved. In other words, market efficiency does not happen automatically as certain forces drive it. The first condition is the existence of profit maximization investors (â€Å"Market Efficiency†, 2011). Investors will always try to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way to make profits. This is often based on the perception of the investors that the market is inefficient and one can leverage on the inefficiencies to beat the market. In other words, the investors must recognize the potential for bigger returns, replicate their beat the market strategies and invest their resources repeatedly until the end of inefficiency (Lee, etal, 2009). The more the investors continue to actively parti cipate in trading activities the more likely they create market efficiency. For instance continuous sale and purchase of stocks will always have a double edged impact considering that market prices can be pushed above or below fair value at every point in time. This makes it very difficult a single or a group of investors to predict the existing undervalued stocks irrespective of the applied investment strategy. The timing and nature of the information available to the investors is also another important condition for achieving market efficiency. Information availability is an integral part of market efficiency considering that an efficient market is defined based on the kind of information that is reflected on the price and available to the investors. Take for instance a strong form efficiency which is exudes that under such a circumstance an investor with insider information will not be able to make excess gains over other because the market prices reflects all the information bot h private and public. It is noteworthy that market efficiency

Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement Essay In rerouting my life for a better future, I have chosen to pursue computer science. Upon setting foot in Houston Community College (HCC), I enrolled in engineering chemistry. However, I have decided to seriously take computer science in the prestigious school of University of California (UC). My desire to switch course and school has been influenced by the fact that I find less satisfaction with the present course I am taking. Until, I realized that computer science is my professional call and UC will be the best school that will fully educate me and will develop my skills and capabilities to its maximum potential. My intention and interest to take computer science is brought by the fact that today’s era is marked by computer and technology. The technological innovation is unstoppable and drastic. Through which, the demand for computer scientists has also intensified. In addition, my interest in computer science is molded by my innate interest in math and chemistry. Even as a kid, I had been excelling in math. I believe that my talent in loving and easily grasping the complexities of math is a God’s given ability that will eventually lead me to the life I had always wanted. As such, I want to blend my talent with the demand in the society in the field of computer science. Furthermore, I have considered that having a career in technologically- innovated field would effectively make me a better person and a contributor to the society. As an ordinary person, I also wished to be of help to other people, especially to the needy. In this era, I have seen many who are still striving to adopt the culture and to learn computer. For some students and other unemployed, they find their innocence and ignorance to technology as an adversity that hinders them to change their life for the better. Among the unemployed, they have admitted having been denied work due to their inadequate knowledge in computers. As a good citizen, I want to help in minimizing this common problem in the society. This could also be my chance to help in giving hope to those who are discouraged because of their ignorance in technology. For this reason, I have made a firm decision to pursue computer science. Interestingly, the church has been one of the major influences in my life and to my decisions. In church, helping other people is always reiterated. Even to an ordinary person, it is natural to extend help to others. At church, I had been an active member of the band as a singer and sometimes playing the drums. During services, our band leads the song. Through my membership in church activities, my self-esteem and socialization skills have been improved. Significantly, leading the whole church to sing and maintaining the momentum of praise is not an easy task. Taking the lead in singing is important in order to give the expectation of the church-goers and try to persuade them to sing in chorus. Aside from that, it is also important that the message of the song is being delivered well and understood by the attendees. In doing so, it is necessary that the songs that are being played correspond to the mood of the people. In addition to my membership in a band, the church to where I am affiliated also exposed us to charity works and volunteering activities. Some of the activities include mentoring children about values and religious teachings. We also initiated programs for the underprivileged by going to their places and provide foods and clothing. My experiences and membership in a group greatly improved my perception about friendship and trust. Significantly, my involvement in community services has nurtured my idea on grace and benevolence. As a band member, I had the chance of meeting real friends I can truly trust for every simple secret shared. In doing community service, I felt the satisfaction that any material things can ever offer to me. Having seen a smile among the children happy in receiving our aids brought joy to my heart. From there, I committed myself to maximize my capability in helping other people. I also realized that it is through extending financial and emotional help and eventually changing other’s life for the better is a way by which I can truly say to myself that I am an asset of the society. For these noble reasons, I decided to pursue computer science. As a human being, mere experiences and perception of the future is not enough motivation or factor in achieving goals. Values and characters are also important for it helps one in making his decisions and on how he looks at things. In life, there are plenty of struggles that everyone has to meet. These struggles may comprise of problems and temptations. As for me, I have plenty of struggles that have kept on pulling me down from fulfilling my dreams. The diversity factor is one thing that usually weakens my self-esteem. Aside from that, I am also living away from my family which makes me feel alone most often. However, I have to overcome these adversities in order to achieve my dreams. In having this kind of thinking, being optimistic has helped me a lot. Since childhood, I always viewed things in the positive light. I try not to be discouraged by any disappointments that may come in my life. My battles with diversity have been won through optimism and courage. Furthermore, in surviving the trials in life and in ensuring success in the future, I believe that it is vital to be honest, persistent, and determined in everything that I have to do. Before coming here in United States and since childhood, my parents have reiterated the importance of these values in life. As I grew old, I realized that my parents are right. At this stage of my life, I need to be persistent and determined so that I will be able to fulfill my purpose in life.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Driven b

The Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex Before we approach this complex question inductively, we are at first obliged to contemplate what definitions and assumptions are being made. This essay, perhaps more so than others, requires a more extensive look at this aspect of the question, because of the sheer variety of possible responses. However, I now have reduced them to three possibilities. Firstly, we could make the assumption that perhaps as destiny controls all fates, then Oedipus' character was created long before he was conceived. On the other hand, we could also say that perhaps Oedipus' horrific fate came about because of his character and fate. The final possibility is that everything is inevitable - therefore no one ever has had any say in their own fate, let alone Oedipus. In this essay I would like to discuss these three ideas, and perhaps draw a conclusion at the end on which I feel to be the most valid. The first solution to this question, as I said earlier, is the idea that destiny makes character. As destiny supposedly in the Greek mindset maps out all events before they occur, we can today assume with this logic that perhaps the components that "built" Oedipus' character were caused by fate. We know today that character is determined by biological factors and experience. These biological factors would have been determined by how well he was fed, how well he developed, his genes etcetera. The experience would have also been determined by the pre-destined master plan of Fate. Thus it is possible to argue that Oedipus, as components of his character and mind, was entirely shaped by fate and therefore cannot be held responsible for what he has done, as he has no control over his actions. But the premises that th... ...e dealt with in a normal way. This is theatre. It has been crafted to look as though the fall is due to some error of action, strongly interlaced with fate. Yet despite all this, I do not feel that this is how the play has materialised. It seems to me as though Oedipus could not have stopped the actual horrific incest and patricide occurring, only the realisation of it. To me, as a non-believer in fate, nothing is due to Oedipus' character. He seems merely unfortunate, a victim of superstition. Yet to those of you who accept fate, then perhaps this could be the explanation. It is a completely subjective decision, based on a personal interpretation. This is something that I cannot decide. Thus I leave the decision open, but my decision closed. Neither is right, and neither is wrong. Works Cited: Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991.

Not Satisfied with School Canteen Food

TASK 4: You are not most satisfied with the food provided at your school canteen and would like to convince your principal or the school management to change the vendors or the food sold at the canteen. Imagine that you have been granted an interview with the principal. Prepare a speech to express your opinions to the principal. SPEECH: Introduction: Good morning principal. Today, I would like to raise an issue on the food in our school’s canteen. I have been in this school for 6 years and the food was delicious, however, recently, I have noticed some flaws in our school’s food system.Prices Too High: Firstly, I would like to bring up the issue of the food being too expensive for many children to afford. When I accompany my mother to shopping trips outside, and have noted that the food outside are much cheaper than the food sold in Nan Hua although they were the same. As supermarkets like â€Å"Sheng Siong† are big companies and our school is only a small school, it is expected that the prices in the markets should be cheaper than that in our school. However, I find the prices in our school really very outrageous.For example, once when I was in a supermarket, I saw a particular snack that our school sold. The price was S$0. 80 for 5 packets, however in our school the price was S$0. 40 for each packet. Another example is the cheese sausage sold at the â€Å"Chinese Cuisine† store. The price was S$1. 00 for one sausage while outside, it was sold as 5 in a packet for S$2. 50. The prices are outrageous in our school! S$1. 00 is the Primary Ones and Twos‘ pocket money for a day and they could not possibly spent all their money on one sausage! Bad Attitude To Children:The second issue is our school vendors’ attitude. Being in Primary Six, I seldom encountered someone scolding me or trying to cheat me of my money. However, I do often see lower primary pupils, especially the Primary Ones and Twos, being have to bear the vendorâ €™s temper when he or she was feeling not particularly well. Once, I was queuing at the snack store when I saw a Primary One girl. She handed up 50 cents for something that costs 70 cents. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the store owner reply that the snack costs 70 cents and pointed to a sign behind the snacks that labelled â€Å"S$0. 0†. â€Å"Read! † the vendor had said impatiently, eyes bulging. The girl took back her money and backed away fearfully. I think that the vendor should not behave like that. Most likely, the girl did not learn to recognize money yet and could not count the amount. The vendor should have patiently told her that what she handed was 50 cents and not 70 cents and help her find the money. Slow Serving: The third problem is one that pupils of all levels come across, that the vendors are too slow at serving. Once, my friends and I were dismissed late.We tried to grab a chicken chop from the second stall. I did not want to eat anything el se. We queued for 15 minutes before we were served, and were almost late for class. I noted that the vendors, especially the new store number 2, â€Å"Asian Favorites†, was very casual in their movements. The second store so-called â€Å"aunties† often stopped what they were doing to talk to each other, and their movements were as slow as you can get. Conclusion: Perhaps the school could install â€Å"Satisfactory Testers† at the side of each stall.These machines comprise of two buttons, one smiley face and one sad face. If the number of smiley faces for the stall each month is above 50% of the total number replies, the stall could remain. If the stall had less than 50% smiley faces for two consecutive months, the school could change the vendor. This way, we would have included the whole school’s judgement. It is important that we count in everyone’s judgement. Having a good canteen gives us a more conducive learning environment and helps pupils to concentrate on their studies better.

Philosophy in Education Essay

With the rise in technology and the globalizing economy, educators and companies nowadays are finding ways to find suitable mechanisms to enhance education among individuals. The challenge now is for educators to synthesize the technology available and collaborate on the proper teaching method to address the needs of students today into the future. At the same time, students and workers must carefully piece out ideas and facts that will be suitable in the learning process. With the cooperation of both parties, full and quality education shall be achieved. I believe that every individual has their utmost desire to learn and each one has their own subjective interests and field that they want to study. With this in mind, every individual seeks to find an institution that will cater to their need to learn. Thus, it is therefore important for institutions like colleges, universities and schools to continually solidify and harness these interests for it to be beneficial in each ones future endeavor. However the feat must not only be one-sided – the action must also come from the student’s desire and efforts to learn. For students, efficient teaching practices are vital in the development of their individual skills and talents. Educators must continually be trained to address the current demand and needs of students. In addition, with the evolution in the literature and studies as far as education is concerned, issues such as (1) learning, (2) teaching styles, (3) models and (4) proper funding must be continuously address to ensue that each one is coping up in the recent changes in time. As far as students are concerned, their part and contribution to the learning process and education is also vital for the sector to be successful. Students in their own way must contribute to the rise of educational quality brought about by schools, universities and colleges. Since they are the target population of the mentioned institutions, each one must foster and catalyze continuous improvements. In addition, as courses and fields of study become more specialized, students must cope with the challenges and try to gather as much knowledge as they possibly can because the environment changes in the work community. Achieving a degree in a college, university or school does not stop an individual from learning and being educated. I believe that continuous education is vital in the work environment. The work environment also caters to an individual’s learning process. As the worker continuous to gain experience from work, the depth and level of learning and education also increases. However, I argue that there will come a certain point wherein an individual who is working reaches his/her optimum potential to learn. With this, there will now be a decline in learning as familiarization and a routinely work environment enters the picture. Thus, the challenge for companies is to continually motivate workers and introduce new concepts to make the atmosphere more susceptible to learning and education. Companies must create scenarios that can enhance workers education and learning. This can be done by (1) creating efficient and effective training that will update workers of changes, (2) provide incentives to qualified workers to pursue a higher career in education, (3) synchronize company objectives by allowing gradual changes to occur to prevent growth stagnation of the workforce and (4) introducing new concepts that will preferably facilitate better methods to do quality work and at the same time learning. It is said that the only thing that does not change is ‘change’ itself. Education and the learning processes are continuous to evolve through time. With this in mind, mankind must also address these changes for us to adapt and be capable of survival in the future. Man’s constant quest for knowledge does not stop at school, it only progresses and increases as he/she gains experience in the work environment. Education as a concept is not stagnant. One must strive and work hard to achieve his/her endeavors in life. This is my philosophy with regards to education.

Art During The Renaissance in Venice

Art During The Renaissance in Venice Just as with Florence, Venice was a Republic during the Renaissance. Actually, Venice was an empire that controlled land in modern day Italy, a whole lot of sea coast down the Adriatic and countless islands. It enjoyed a stable political climate and thriving trade economy, both of which survived outbreaks of the Black Death and the fall of Constantinople (a major trading partner). Venice was, in fact, so prosperous and healthy that it took someone named Napoleon to undo its empire status...but, that was quite a while after the Renaissance had faded away and had nothing to do with art. The important part is, Venice (again, like Florence) had the economy to support art and artists, and did so in a big way. As a major port of trade, Venice was able to find ready markets for whatever decorative arts Venetian craftsmen could produce. The whole Republic was crawling with ceramists, glassworkers, woodworkers, lace makers and sculptors (in addition to painters), all of whom made entirely satisfactory livings. The state and religious communities of Venice sponsored massive amounts of building and decorating, not to mention public statuary. Many private residences (palaces, really) had to have grand facades on at least two sides since they can be seen from the water as well as land. To the present day, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities on earth because of this building campaign. Artisan guildswood carvers, stone carvers, painters, etc.helped ensure that artists and craftsmen were properly compensated. When we speak of the Venetian School of painting, its not just a handy descriptive phrase. There were actual schools (Scuola) and they were highly selective about who could (or couldnt) belong to each. Collectively, they guarded the Venetian art market zealously, to the point that one did not purchase paintings produced outside of the schools. It simply wasnt done. Venices geographic location made it less susceptible to outside influencesanother factor which contributed to its unique artistic style. Something about the light in Venice, too, made a difference. This was an intangible variable, to be sure, but it had an enormous impact. For all of these reasons, during the Renaissance Venice gave birth to a distinct school of painting. The key characteristics of the Venetian School The main word here is light. Four hundred years prior to Impressionism, the Venetian painters were keenly interested in the relationship between light and color. All of their canvases clearly explore this interplay. Additionally, the Venetian painters had a distinct method of brushwork. Its rather smooth and makes for a velvety surface texture. It seems, too, that Venices geographic isolation allowed for a somewhat relaxed attitude toward the subject matter. A great deal of painting dealt with religious themes; there was no getting around that. Certain wealthy Venetian patrons, however, created quite a market for what we refer to as Venus scenes. The Venetian School had a brief fling with Mannerism, but mostly resisted depicting the contorted bodies and torturous emotion Mannerism is known for. Instead, Venetian Mannerism relied on vividly painted light and color to achieve its drama. Venice, more than any other location, helped make oil paint popular as a medium. The city is, as you know, constructed on a lagoon which makes for a built-in dampness factor. Venetian painters needed something durable! The Venetian School is not known for its frescoes, however. When did the Venetian School arise? The Venetian School arose in the mid to late 15th century. Pioneers of the Venetian School were the Bellini and Vivarini (descendants of those marvelous Murano glassworkers) families. The Bellini were of particular importance, for it is they who are credited with bringing the Renaissance style to Venetian painting. The important artists Well, there were the Bellini and Vivarini families, as mentioned. They got the ball rolling. Andrea Mantegna, though from nearby Padua was an influential member of the Venetian School during the 15th-century. Giorgione ushered in 16th-century Venetian painting, and is rightly known as its first really big name. He inspired notable followers such as Titian, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese and Lorenzo Lotto. Additionally, a lot of famous artists traveled to Venice, thanks to its reputation, and spent time in the workshops there. Antonello da Messina, El Greco and even Albrecht DÃ ¼rerto name but a fewall studied in Venice during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Elvis Presley Essays

Elvis Presley Essays Elvis Presley Paper Elvis Presley Paper What can you learn from Source A about Elvis Presleys impact on popular music in the USA in 1955? (6) Source A is an article from a magazine called Billboard, a US magazine on 3rd March 1956. It is a positive article for Elvis Presley as it promotes his success that he has achieved. The source states that he has six hit singles on the RCA Victor labels hit lit of top 25 best sellers. It also goes on to state that the two singles heartbreak hotel and I was the one is the labels number two best seller, behind Perry Comos juke box baby. From this information we can draw that Elvis Presley made a huge impact on popular music in the USA in 1955. To have six hit singles in the companys top 25 best sellers is a large percentage to the extent that he dominates the hit list and proves that he must have taken the US by storm and made his presence felt. Yet with all of the critics that he had during that time Elvis was still able to please his fans with the music they adored. The tone of the article is that of someone who has been entertained and is only full of positive praise when writing about him. The word hottest is used to describe Elvis, which means that he must have been the topic of a lot of peoples discussions, as he appeared a controversial character also. Even though the headline says Presley hot as $1 pistol, which probably would been to many as a negative remark, $1 was worth more in the 1950s compared to what it is worth now and wouldnt be a disgrace to be compared alongside. Elvis Presley must have provided something different to his fans compared to all of the other artists that were around at that time, as with all of the critics that he had, he must have had a lot of fans to succeed as an artist. This source in my opinion is a reliable one as it, compared to a lot of reviews, gives a different point of view from the negative view to the positive one about Elvis music. The reason why I say this is because this is a magazine, which is probably, read a lot of people which will spark off reactions mostly positive ones but also negative as some people didnt like him in the first, let alone if he was getting positive publicity. 2) Study Source B, C and D. Do sources C and D support the evidence of Source B about the impact of Elvis Presley? (8) Sources B, C and D seem to contradict each other as source B contains different newspaper articles describing Elvis Presleys appearance on the Milton Berle Show on NBC-TV on 5th June 1956 which are completely negative. Compare Source B to sources C and D where source C states that the show topped Phil Silvers Sergeant Bilko in the ratings for the first time all season, which is a positive as the show also included Elvis Presley. Source D also contradicts the negative views of source B, as there is a photograph of Elvis performing on stage at the show, where all of the fans look ecstatic to see Elvis Presley perform and from their facial expressions, quite well too. Source B contains 3 newspaper articles from different newspapers describing Elvis Presleys performance at the Milton Berle show, all of which do as much as they can to write something negative about his performance and ability. Firstly The New York Times states that Elvis Presley has no singing ability. Secondly The New York Journal also comments on Elvis voice and also the lyrics of his songs, describing them as unintelligible and his voice inadequate. It goes on to comment on physical and that it is probably too difficult to describe in terms suitable to a family newspaper. Finally the Daily News takes on another level in saying that music has reached its lowest depths from the emergence and antics of Elvis Presley. The article then states that he gave an exhibition that was suggestive and vulgar. Such words like this represent the fact that these journalists opinions on Elvis were created before the performance at the Milton Berle show and this probably triggered their emotions even more as Elvis was getting cheered and attention which was the complete opposite to what these critics wanted for Elvis. Source C is a piece of writing from variety, an American television and radio magazine, June 1956. It explains how the Milton Berle show was a success and doesnt mention surprisingly anything negative about Elvis Presley, but also does not mention anything positive. The fact though that from what ratings suggest the show was a huge hit, means that Elvis had a part to play in this happening and although this is not stated in writing, it is clear from source D that the fans were enjoying Elvis Presleys performance just as much as he was himself. Source D is a photograph of Elvis performing at the show and in my view the reaction of the fans seems positive and that they are enjoying his performance an actually seeing him in the flesh. Elvis seems quite confident in the photo and this usually occurs when a person is getting positive attention. If Elvis was getting negative attention then his self confidence would have been drained and he would find it hard to complete his performance but the complete opposite is happening according the photo and this seems to have spurred Elvis on. From all of the support thought that Elvis is getting, which can also affect someone in a negative way as they get too excited and loosen too much, he is still in full concentration as he committed to performing to the best of his ability. The photograph also shows how most of the fans were young teenage girls, who were trying to reach out to touch their idol, which shows how much they basically worshiped him. From this I can learn that Elvis had a huge impact on young teenage girls especially when he producing his rock and roll style music, as they were fond of the characteristics that he possessed. Sources C and D do not support the evidence of source B about the impact of Elvis Presley. Source B is a collection of articles, which represent anger for the character that has stood up to so many challenges without backing down, and this annoys people, especially people like the journalists who wrote those articles. The journalists in that source are representing their views on Elvis as a whole and not just based on his performance at the show which is clear as such words as vulgar are used to describe Elvis, which is out of proportion. There could be an argument known that even though Source B is useful in showing that there were a mixture of views on Elvis Presleys music, they only represent three articles whereas the other two sources represent a larger majority of positive representation. Source C shows that with Elvis performance included, the Milton Berle shows topped Phil Silvers Sergeant Bilko in the ratings for the first time all season. Source D shows a very large majority of teenagers, especially girls, showing their appreciation towards their idol. Sources C and D, especially D provide information that suggest there is not only one view on Elvis Presley in America, which is totally negative, that there are a mixture of views on Elvis music. 3) Study Sources E and F. How useful are these sources as evidence of the impact of Elvis Presley in the mid 1950s? (10) Sources E and F are another example of how US society had conflicting views about the character of Elvis Presley. Source E gives three examples of quite powerful people views on Elvis. The first is of the congressman Emmanuel Celler speaking in January 1957. He describes how rock and roll has given great opportunities to coloured people, but the music of Elvis Presley and his animal gyrations violate all that I know to be in good taste. Emmanuel Celler clearly doesnt approve of Elvis Presleys music and his mannerisms and this is shown as such phrases as animal gyrations are used to describe Elvis, which is quite harsh to say as he is comparing Elvis to an animal, but you can see that his emotions were probably caught up when saying that. A congressman such as Cellers position in society is very high especially in the United States and a lot of the public would have listened to his views and then either agreed or disagreed with him. This speech could be seen as a positive as the way he is talking suggests that he is not racist, as it seems that he is not using the fact that Elvis Presley approves of coloured against him but just simply does not like his character. The second is from a member of the Ku Klux Klan speaking in 1956. Clearly from the speech that this member has made suggests that he despises Elvis and would rather see him dead than alive. The member says weve set up a twenty man committee to do away with this cannibalistic, negro-loving rock and roller. Such words as cannibalistic and negro-loving are hardly surprising coming from a KKK member but the fact that he is able to confess these feelings in a speech is frightening for Elvis. Elvis Presley most definitely knew that he was going to get a lot hostile reactions from the view that he was there to accept and embrace the coloured and not be against them as they so wished he would be. These are the kind of speeches that made Elvis more determined though to prove wrong those who criticised him. Finally the third is a speech made by Billy Graham, an evangelical preacher speaking in 1957. He said that I would not let my daughter cross the street to see Elvis Presley. This reaction from Billy Graham could have been for a number of reasons as Elvis Presley was quite a controversial character but I think the most important factor here is the impact that Elvis Presley had on teenagers in the US. At the time when this speech was made, which was 1957, this was the time when Elvis took his solo career to another level in terms of him dominating the late 1950s charts, according to source F. Billy Graham was an evangelical preacher which meant that he was totally against things like promiscuity and this was what Elvis regarded as one of his less important issues, which leads for Billy Graham to dislike everything about him as Elvis did most things that Billy Graham was against. It could be that Billy Graham knew of Elvis Presleys influence on teenagers and was furious that his child could have been a victim of this and rebelled against him, as this was also part of Elvis character. The fact that Billy Graham mentioned his daughter in his speech shows that he was maybe frightened because of the way so many teenagers had taken to Elvis Presley and that they were the main group that bought his records. Source F is a list of the top five singles of the year 1955, 1956 and 1957. This is a good source as it shows the rise of Elvis Presley clearly in terms of record sells. In 1955 Elvis did not manage to get in to the top five singles of the year according to the list, which was because he had just signed his first contract at that time with RCA Records and was working his way to the top. In 1956 though Elvis made himself famous with claiming four of the top five singles of the year which was a great achievement considering all of the criticism that was thrown at him along with all of the pressure that was put on to turn out a success. Elvis then claimed three of the five top singles of the year 1957 and carried on his success in the US which shows a great deal of dominance of the music industry. Sources E and F are considerably different in terms of evidence of the impact of Elvis Presley in the mid 1950s. The reason why I say this is because Source E gives Elvis bad publicity, with three individuals individually talking about how Elvis Presley has had a negative impact on the music industry and also US society as a whole. On the other hand though Source F sheds a positive light on nothing but Elvis record sells and show that the majority of US society must have liked Elvis Presleys music at least as in 1956 and 1957 he has clearly dominated the charts. It is interesting to se that all of the speeches made by the three individuals in Source E were in 1956 and 1957, but not in 1955. The reason for this was because Elvis had not emerged fully on the scene yet so therefore there was no need for those three particular people to feel threatened in any way. For example the Ku Klux Klan member speech was in 1956 at a time when Elvis had four of the top five singles of that year and he was threatened and worried by the views of Elvis towards coloured people as it could damage more people joining his group and instead taking the other option and agreeing with Elvis views on the subject of coloured people. The sources tend to be full of emotion and may not always be accurate or true but they are nonetheless useful in explaining the impact of Elvis Presley in the mid 1950s. These sources may not be accurate because they are quotes from a very long time ago and there has always been the problem of certain people editing speeches to support a certain argument. Source E shows the negative impact Elvis had on US society whereas source F help explain how Elvis rose up from not being in the charts in 1955, dominating the charts in the consecutive years of 1956 and 1957.