History of Vietnamese Essay

According to research findings, the history of Vietnam can be traced back to four thousand years. It is evident that this nation was under the rule of China between the periods 111BC to the beginning of the tenth century. This nation is known to have gained sovereignty early years of the 10th century. During the Yuan Dynasty, this nation repelled three invasions by Mongols. A look at the history of Vietnam shows that the independent period was cut short by France. This is when France decided to colonize Vietnam. When there was the World War II, the French were expelled by Imperial Japan. It is worth noting that this nation however, decided to retain the French administrators. When the war ended French tried to re-colonize Vietnam but failed because of the tight measures that were present at that time. (Nguy? n, 1999) Chinese dominated Vietnam during the period between 111BC and 938 AD. In 111BC, the Chinese invaded a region in Vietnam called Nanyue and literary established territories therein. During this period, the Chinese had some posts in the Vietnamese government. These posts included top officials and governors posts. The Vietnamese also managed some hightlands. These Vietnamese that had these management posts at that time were nobles. With time the Chinese dynasties decided to eliminate the Vietnamese nobles and their powers. Many elites in Vietnamese were coerced to assimilate the politics and the culture of the Chinese. The French colonized Vietnam till the 19th century. In the year 1784, there was a French priest who sailed to Vietnam to seek for some assistance. This assistance was in line with military backing. There was the brokering of the Little Treaty of Versailles that saw the promise of the aid that the priest requested for. Later on there was the breaking of the French revolution and therefore the Pigneaux plan did not succeed. In the year 1799, there was the capturing of Saigon. There was Dynasty of Nguyen in the year 1802. This dynasty tolerated Catholicism. It is worth noting that he employed some of the Europeans as advisors in the courts. The successors of this man (Nguyen), did not embrace westernization as expected during this time. They were very conservative instead. In the year 1858, the French gunships attacked the Da Nang port. During this time much damage was done on the property in this dam. In the year 1867, the French troops expanded their overall control. This was up to six provinces. Then there was the formation of the French Colony. Later on many French troops invaded Vietnam. Between the year 1884 to the year 1885, France assumed total control of Vietnam. This was after the Chinese- Franco War. There was the formation of French Indochina. (Fitzgerald, 1972) French colonialism was bitterly opposed by many Vietnamese. This was because the French literary took over the leadership powers in this nation. First of all there was the formation of policies that greatly affected the Vietnamese people negatively. There was so much oppression on the Vietnamese people. The policies included that the Vietnamese citizens could not hold most of the top positions or jobs in the government. Very few Vietnamese citizens that were employed were lowly paid and this issue made the Vietnamese to bitterly oppose the French colonialism. (Fitzgerald, 1972) Another reason is that there was direct discrimination of the Vietnamese citizens in many areas. This was in terms of education health and also housing sector. There was very minimal education for the Vietnamese people. There were schools that the Vietnamese were not allowed to attend but were just reserved for the French children or citizens. This actually denied the Vietnamese access to good education. In the health sector, the Vietnamese were not allowed to attend the good hospitals in Vietnam. It is only the French that easily accessed these essential facilities. In fact research reveals that health provision for the Vietnamese was non existent. This discrimination was extended even up to the residential sector. There were estates that were just reserved for the French people. The Vietnamese could not access this essential facility. This actually greatly annoyed the Vietnamese citizens. (Nguyen, 1885) Another thing that greatly annoyed the Vietnamese till they decided to oppose the French colonialism was the execution of Vietnam citizens. There was the massacre of leaders of various nationalist groups in Vietnam. These were especially those that tried to oppose the French colonialism. During the period when French colonized Vietnam, there was so much exploitation and oppression of the Vietnamese citizens. In fact all the rights of the Vietnamese were totally removed when French took over the control of this nation. The French government in Vietnam made no attempts to better the lives of Vietnamese. There was so much degradation of the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese women were forced to be prostitutes so that they could provide the French male administrators with entertainment. Colonialists just lived a gracious and carefree lifestyle as the Vietnamese suffered. This factor made Vietnamese to bitterly oppose French colonialism. In relation to this there were so many movements that were formed against French colonialism. The only group of people that did not oppose the French colonialism was the nobles in Vietnam. This is because they were given some of the prestigious posts in the administration sector. The Vietnamese nobles were actually respected by the French colonialists. They were given some rights like in the education and the health sector. This made them not to feel the oppression that was carried out on the rest of the Vietnamese citizens. They actually shared so much with the French colonialists. The other reason as to why they never opposed the French colonialists was because they feared to lose their prestigious jobs. They were so used to the good lifestyle and therefore never wanted to lead the life that the rest of the Vietnamese led. This is because all the other citizens in Vietnam were greatly oppressed by the colonialist government. There was also the fear of execution in case the colonialists found out about there opposition. For these reasons the nobles in Vietnam never opposed the French colonialists. (Nguyen, 1885) There were also the communist Viet Minh that collaborated with the French. One of the communist called Ho signed an agreement to allow the French to continue to rule in Vietnam. The communists said that they just love French and that the French people were heroes. Research shows that there were so many arguments for and against Vietnamese independence in 1945. One of the arguments by scholars against the independence of Vietnam is very clear. The scholars argued that Vietnam was not ready for independence due to various reasons. One of the reasons was that because of the colonization, the Vietnamese citizens were not so much learned. They had been marginalized by the French colonialists. This meant that they did not have the necessary leadership skills to rule the Vietnam government. This is considering that the colonialists took quite a long time in this nation. That for over eighty years these Vietnamese citizens had gotten used to being led and every policy done for the. So the argument was that these citizens were not very educated to take up this noble responsibility. The few noble citizens that were given a chance to work in the government did not have enough experience. This made people to argue that Vietnamese could not have independence at that time. It wad argued that the lack of skilled personnel that could lead this nation could lead to the down fall of the overall economy of these nation. (Fitzgerald, 1972) . Still other arguments that were against were that the noble officials in this nation were the only ones that stood a high chance of leading this nation. Considering that they had been working hand in hand with the colonialists, there were high chances that the new government would carry forward previous policies and leadership skills that would be no different from the French colonialists. There was the strong fear of dictatorship in this nation. This is just what happened when Vietnam gained independence in the year 1945. (Nguy? n, 1999) The arguments for Vietnamese independence were that these people had suffered a great deal in the hands of French colonialists and therefore it was a high time that they led a good life. This was a high chance of a life devoid of oppression and where every person was equal with equal rights to the services and amenities in the nation. Conclusion Vietnam was colonized by both the China and French colonies. Chinese dominated Vietnam during the period between 111BC and 938 AD. Between the year 1884 to the year 1885, France assumed total control of Vietnam. This was after the Chinese- Franco War. Many Vietnamese bitterly opposed French colonialism because of the oppression that they witnessed. They were denied access to essential amenities and services. These included education and health. In the year 1945, the nobles and communists never opposed French because of fear and also because they were enjoying some favors from the French colonial government. This included access to some jobs in the government among other. Various arguments for and against Vietnamese independence existed in the year 1945.

How I Learned to Drive Analysis Essay

In Paula Vogel’s â€Å"How I Learned to Drive†, we follow our protagonist nicknamed â€Å"Lil Bit† on a gut wrenching, and downright disturbing journey through her adolescence, told as a series of narrations, monologues, and flashbacks with the occasional interjection of a PSA like voice over. The play recounts the physical and emotional abuse Lil Bit encountered from the ages of eleven to eighteen at the hands of her uncle Peck, while he teaches her to drive. The main flaw I saw in Lil Bit was that she is too smart for her own good. You see this characteristic throughout the play as she manipulates Peck. For example, it was most obvious for me when their roles of adult and child are reversed, and Peck is explaining to Lil Bit what a good boy he has been for not drinking. Knowing how much Peck lusts after her she offers him a reward for his good behavior in the form of undoing her bra. Another great example is when prior to her and peck going on a road trip and Lil Bit’s mother indicates that she has a sense of what Peck has on his mind, she responds by saying â€Å"I can take care of myself. And I can certainly handle uncle Peck.† At this point in the story she is only eleven. It’s hard to imagine a child of that age so grown up emotionally. Overall, most of the characters had likeable qualities, with the exception of the grandmother. I didn’t really like the way she meddled in the Parenting of Lil Bit. I liked â€Å"Big Papa† the best. He’s a crabby old timer who speaks anything that comes into his head with reckless abandon. It brought me some levity in an otherwise melancholy play. The climax of the play occurs on Lil Bit’s eighteenth birthday. She and Peck are in a hotel room, and she’s been ignoring peck for some time leading up to this meeting as he’s been sending her cards counting down to her birthday. Lil Bit is obviously conflicted about their relationship now that she has gotten older, but Peck is looking forward to a time when it’s not illegal for them to be together. This is creepy enough on its own, but when Peck drops the marriage bomb, the creep factor skyrockets. I was honestly disgusted at the idea of a man leaving his wife to be with his niece whom he  has known since birth, blood related or not. Prior to the climax, one major event occurs and that is in the monologue that Aunt Mary delivers indicating that she knows what’s going on between Peck and Lil bit. The words used during this monologue, indicate to me a couple of key points about this character. First of all she is very intelligent. Her thoughts are well put together and the words she uses indicates to me that she has some sort of education. She is also very intuitive, she picks up on the subtle, non-verbal signals that peck gives off when he’s got something on his mind and presumably when he’s around Lil Bit. Also, the words used by Lil Bit in her different flashbacks have a direct correlation to her age. It’s obvious as you read them, that during the later ones she is forming more complex thoughts and emotions, which is indicative of growth. For the music in this play, Paula Vogel suggested period correct music spanning two generations. She mentions Motown several times, as well as Roy Orbison and the Beach Boys. Most of this music is romantic and happy with little hints of sexuality and sometimes-pedophilic references. For some weird reason the voice of the announcer in my head was played by the Moviephone guy. The car in the play was described as a Buick Riviera, but in my mind it was more like a Camaro or GTO. The main reason for this is the obvious relationship between Peck and his car. The way he describes the way the aggressive way men are taught to drive and the feeling of a cars’ response to your touch, just makes me think of those fast nimble sports cars. Taking place in the 1960’s, the costumes in my mind were bell-bottoms and flowered shirts, polyester leisure suits, and fringes all over the place. This was your typical 1960’s attire. I believe the overall theme of this play is about the effect of time on relationships. The relationship between Peck and Lil Bit starts out strong, for her and fragile for him. She has a strong male figure giving her attention while he is nurturing a relationship that he knows is illegal and  immoral. As time progresses, the roles ultimately reverse leaving Peck with much confidence in the relationship while Lil Bit comes to realize the truth about it which leads to its demise. It just goes to show that time will always change relationships, jus not always in the way you imagined.

How the iPhona Changed Modern Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How the iPhona Changed Modern Economics - Essay Example According to the company, an estimated 200,000 iPhones were pre ordered the very day that the phone went on sale in the country and another 400,000 were sold on that day. The company was able to attract so many buyers because of the popularity that the phone had gained over the Chinese market because of the sale of its previous model, which had further excited a wider consumer base. Even though the phones are more expensive, they offer better features as well as data services which have attracted.In economic terms, it is clear and evident that this particular phone has appealed a great deal to at least half of the Chinese market because more and more people have bought it at the price at which it was launched. The iPad was also released in China and went on sale at a fast pace as well. However, the crux of the matter remained that the iPhone’s demand exceeded the supply that the company was able to give to the people. This goes to show that there was an extension of demand in the particular commodity at the same or even higher price. Since the iPhone 4 was costlier than the previous version, an extension (and not just an increase) in demand can be noticed here in economic terms which means that there is movement along the demand curve.As per the article, â€Å"As of the second quarter, Apple was the fifth-largest smart phone vendor in China with 7.1% of shipments, according to Beijing research firm Analysys International. Nokia Corp. had the largest share with 26.7%.†Ã‚  

What is the difference in the international court of justice ICJs Essay

What is the difference in the international court of justice ICJs approach with respect to the law of maritime delimitations between the North Sea Continental - Essay Example Disputes are provided for through a separate optional protocol, parties to the Convention are obliged to exhaust the settlement procedure, preferably through direct talks between the parties. If direct negotiation fails, then the parties can submit the dispute to either the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the International Court of Justice, binding international arbitration procedures or an expert arbitration tribunal. The decisions of the ICJ have spelt out the principle to be found in the Ad Hoc Committee Report, which states that there is â€Å"an area of the sea bed and the ocean floor underlying the high seas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.†1 This falls under the Common Heritage of Mankind principle, adopted without dissent in the United Nations General Assembly and applied to the sea bed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (Brown, 1994:262). Therefore, this has spelt out an important principle of maritime delimitation, whereby in some in stances it may not be possible for a coastal state to claim maritime territory, which may more appropriately fall within the scope of international jurisdiction and therefore unavailable to any State in particular. The emergence of the EEZ concept and further seaward extension of the outer limit of the continental shelf has focused attention on maritime boundary delimitation in contemporary international law. Equity now plays a greater role in interstate relations and the pragmatic issues of managing the delimitation of natural resources and boundaries. In so far as delimitation of the territorial sea is concerned, the UN Convention of the Sea states that when two countries are adjacent to or opposite to each other, neither one is entitled to â€Å"extend its territorial sea beyond the median line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the baselines from

Week5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week5 - Essay Example The slowdown is further aggravated by their internal challenges associated with structural problems as well as the massive uncertainty surrounding the fiscal policy cliff in the United States to boost the global economy after an almost fatal trap in the 2008 crisis (Bluford and Samantha 1). The BRIC countries combined have been a dynamic growth powerhouse with a sizeable contributory effect to the world economic expansion over the past decade. The combined share of the BRIC’s input to the global GDP was at 8 percent in the year 2000. By 2010, their influence hit a new level high of 25 percent; a clear pointer that their slowdown now will obviously be more detrimental to the global turnaround than it would have been years back, more so after the 2008 financial meltdown followed by another credit crunch in Europe. With an average weighted real GDP growth of 8.1 percent in 2010 slipping to a respectable 6.5 percent in 2011 and a further expectation of a downward trend of 4.87 and 4.70 in 2012 and 2013 respectively, it is admittedly clear that the severity of the economic slowdown in the BRICs to the global economy is greater than the previous projections (Bluford and Samantha 1-4). However, coming to the point of a complete halt would be an exaggerated scenario. Th e BRIC nations are simply on the verge of coping with the global slowdown, which seem to have caught up with them late than expected. Notably, 2009/2010 growth elements in the BRICs were driven by economic woes elsewhere. The latest statistics are but confirmations of a reshaping economic growth towards sustainable

Effect of Social Network Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effect of Social Network - Research Paper Example ..† (Ebesco host, n.d). This has undoubtedly had many effects on the user individually, and it has affected their general ways of thinking because of individuals having access to others opinions. The impacts of social media cannot be simply classified as good or bad, as it is a subject that elicits several different opinions from different groups and each school of thought s based on different circumstances. One of the effects of social network that has had a very widely felt and influential impact is the empowering of its users with information. In addition, a forum to air their views in circumstances where, the same would not have been previously possible. The revolutions that took place in Egypt and Liberia in the last year can trace a lot of their motivation on social network sites like face book. The people in these countries had been oppressed but could not do anything about it since the governments controlled most of the media and kept it censored. However, the citizens could share all the information they wanted and messages encouraging revolution and resistance as well as records of governments injustices were put on facebook and significantly facilitated the revolutions. From this, we can see social media being used to bring political revolutions and hence have a picture of what a powerful tool it is. Social networking is also said to be addictive, and teens often get addicted to and cannot spend a few hours without getting online to chat with friends. Bearing in mind that the physiological and psychological effects on these networks can be severe, and addiction to social networks can pose a serious problem. This is because it has been proved that,â€Å"†¦ overuse of media and technology has a negative effect on the health of all children, preteens and teenagers by making them more prone to anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ( American Psychological Association, 2011). Sexual offenders have also used facebo ok as a platform on which to lure and entice their victims through fake but attractive identities. Many youths who go social networking to make friends or date have been taken advantage of when they form relationships with some of these offenders who should they meet in person, assault or even kill them. Social networks are susceptible to malicious people considering that,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦there are more than 600,000 Registered Sex Offenders in United States and about 150,000 of them have been lost in the system† (Williams & Lebrun, 2009 p.105). These statistics posted on facebook by loud security systems help users to appreciate the immense danger posed by social networks in the hands of the wrong people. The amount of time spent on social networks can also negatively affect ones school grades. This is because many students are online when they should be studying and often they use their smart phones in class to social network. This often translates into poor concentration in cla ss and the same can be transferred to the workplace when they will be employed. They may end up wasting many hours online when they should be working. On the other hand, social networks play a prominent role in helping people to socialize, especially teenagers, as the assumption that, social networks make people anti social, does not always holds true. This is because shy children can be able to meet and make new friends online which is extremely beneficial for their

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

Plan - Essay Example Wedding photography is an important commercial undertaking that provides jobs for many people. Many wedding ceremonies are all about spending money; therefore, many couples are willing to spend an extra amount just to have a great event. Conducting a wedding in a beautiful unique place might cost a bit more but would sit in well with the idea of a great wedding. The photographs taken on beautiful sceneries will serve as great memories for couples throughout their entire lives (Etienne 2011). Photos taken in a different location, for example a foreign country can bring unforgettable memories to the couple. For this case, having some wedding photographs taken in Miami for Chinese couples, would bring out a different view to their wedding photos due to the change in location. An individual has to analyze and evaluate the market before entering into a new venture. In order to sell this new idea to different couples, several steps can be taken. A wide range of promotions and advertising s trategies can be used. These include use of yellow pages to advertise the business where interested clients can call a designated business number for the wedding photography services. Placing advertisements for the business in the Public press such as, newspapers and magazines can also be utilized. Internet marketing can be used, where the advertisements can be placed in various websites to be viewed by those browsing the global network. Social media can be used, where a page on Facebook or Twitter is created to involve friends and their acquaintances to view the business. Preparing business cards and setting an office could also help attract customer who may require wedding photography services. To ensure that customers are drawn by the services provided, there is need to showcase the different photography work that has previously been completed (Das). For a couple to go along with the idea of having some of their wedding photography in a foreign country, one has to provide adequat e merits that will capture their attention, making them buy into the idea. Firstly, one can sell the idea on grounds of being unique. In this case, Miami has beautiful beaches and the tropical feel would be unforgettable. This would be deemed as a unique experience. The photography services are supposed to be of the highest quality. Secondly, one has to prove that the idea is viable and explain all the procedures to be followed. Travelling to a different country comes with procedures and rules that have to be followed. Thirdly, the price should be favourable since exorbitant prices would render them disinterested. The prices should be customer friendly depending on the photography services provided. However, all this depends on the couple’s preference and the customers should always get what they paid for (Etienne 2011). Obtaining the first customer is usually a big challenge to overcome. An individual should come up with a strategy that will enable the business to attract mo re customers by itself, after providing quality services for the first one. Potential clients consider obtaining a service from individuals who have a great reputation. This can only come from giving the first client a memorable service. After extensive promotion of the idea, it becomes easier to obtain the first client (Etienne 2011). Networking with the first clients can prove to be a great idea since

Final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Final paper - Essay Example A market is said to be in perfect competition when there are a large number of buyers and sellers perfectly aware of the market prices, and no firm is large enough to have any economic power over the industry (Amacher & Pate, 2013). The two main characteristics of a perfect market are low barriers to entry and exit, i.e. any new firm can enter the market because of no restrictions such as high setup cost, legal barriers or any other. All the firms are earning normal profit as there is strong competition within the industry. Secondly, homogenous products are produced, i.e. all products are identical or standardized and are substitutes of each other, thus sharing the same price as well (Amacher & Pate, 2013). An imperfect competition is where there are not many producers in the market and there is less competition as buyers and sellers are not fully aware of the prices so different prices exist for same product in the market (Amacher & Pate, 2013). There are three forms of an imperfect market: Under this structure, there are few sellers as compared with perfect competition and the products produced are differentiated due to branding, which gives the producer a way to have his own pricing policy and thus can earn more than normal profits (Amacher & Pate, 2013). There are a few suppliers in the market in this structure, and every supplier has a substantial control over the prices, and output produced because few suppliers control the entire supply in the market. There is strong rival consciousness because of the interdependence of suppliers. There is a possibility of product differentiation as well as substitute products, and the price-output policy of each supplier depends upon the degree of homogeneity or heterogeneity (Amacher& Pate, 2013). There is a single seller or producer who controls the entire market. As he

The Los Angeles riots of 1992 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Los Angeles riots of 1992 - Term Paper Example The riots that expressed the anger of the civilian population after a jury acquitted four Los Angeles Police Department officers of assault and use of excessive force, began on April 29th 1992 in South Los Angeles then spread out into other areas of the Los Angeles metropolitan area of California. In the hours and days that followed the verdict, thousands of people joined and participated in the riots (King & Spagnola, 2012). Rodney King and two other passengers, on March 3rd 1991, were driving through the Lake View Terrace neighborhood of Los Angeles westwards on the Foothill Freeway (I-120) when the Californian Highway Patrol (CHP) attempted to initiate a traffic stop. King, who was the driver, refused to oblige and what ensued was a dangerous high-speed pursuit (with speeds as high as 115 mph) initially over freeways then into crowded residential neighborhoods. After a lengthy chase, King finally came to a stop. An arrest of King and the two other occupants was ordered by CHP officer Timothy Singer and his wife, CHP officer Melanie Singer. The other two passengers who rode with King complied and were placed in a patrol vehicle. However, King was not so co-operative. Five white Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers, namely Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Rolando Solano, attempted to subdue the stubborn King (Cannon, 1997). However, in their attempts, the officers deviated from the usual protocol which involve tackling and cuffing of a suspect but rather tasered King, kicked him in the head and assaulted him with PR-24 batons for more than a minute then finally tackled and cuffed him. In their defense, the officers claimed that King, at the time of the incident was under drug (PCP) influence which resulted in him exhibiting aggressive and violent tendencies towards the law enforcers.

Penn Foster Principles of Management Final Exam Essay Example for Free

Penn Foster Principles of Management Final Exam Essay 1. In order to implement an organizations commitment to social responsibility it is necessary to identify what social problem the organization intends to address, develop policies on what the organization plans to do to successfully fulfill its obligation and ensure stakeholder buy-in. The main obstacles an organization faces when implementing socially responsible policies is pressure from stockholders and business analysis who want steady increase in earnings. Without steady increase in profits, it becomes difficult to reinvest money in these areas. The following actions can be taken toward increased social responsibility: 1. Examine expectations and past responses 2. Set objectives and prioritize 3. Plan and implement strategies 4. Set budgets for resources needed for social action 5. Monitor progress 2. Departmentalization is the practice in which grouping or combining jobs that are related to form a specialized area that is distinct from other areas in an organization. Work or functional departmentalization is a method of separating the activities performed within an organization into groups by the nature or function of the work they perform. For example, functional departmentalization would tend to group together staff members that perform a specialized function in an organization, like accounting. Product departmentalization is the grouping of business activities that are necessary to produce a particular product and/or market a product or service line under the direction of one manager. An example of product departmentalization would be a large multiproduct organization like an automotive distributor. Geographic departmentalization is when organizations are physically isolated to geographical regions. An example of geographical departmentalization is a manufacturing company that has locations in Northern and Southern locations that deal with consumers within their region. Customer departmentalization is when an organization is divided into units that handle specific customer needs. Examples of customer departmentalization in a manufacturing plant are: Assembly, shipping, billing, etc. 3. The acronym SWOT stands for an organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis is strategic planning method that evaluates the internal and external performance of an organization to see if it’s favorable or unfavorable to achieve whatever objective you are set out to accomplish. Strengths and weaknesses usually arise from the internal aspect of an organization, whereas opportunities and threats evolve from external components. By performing a SWOT analysis it provides information to managers to help formulate a successful strategy to achieve goals. PART B 1. Six Sigma is a management philosophy that sets objectives, collects data and analyzes results as a way to remove wasted expenses from its processes and help reduce the number of defective products produced. Six Sigma uses quality measures to strive for near perfection by eliminating errors and variables. 2. The balance of trade is the point where the difference between exports and imports is favorable for the country. When the country imports more than it exports, it results in a trade deficit and when the country exports more than it imports, the country runs into a trade surplus. The balance of trade for a countries economy is a very fine balance. The economic condition can change and a deficit or surplus may be an ideal situation. 3. In the context of communication, perception is based on the individual that is on the receiving end of the information. Perception is a process in which stimulation of the senses, whether written, verbal or non-verbal, is translated into a meaningf ul experience. Each person perceives the same information differently and they tend to only listens to part of the message before perception distorts the intended message. 4. The term organizational decentralization refers to the increased amount of authority given to lower level management by upper level management. By allowing lower level management to be involved in decision making, it enables actions to happen in a timelier manner and promotes higher employee morale, as well as relieves upper management from time consuming projects. 5. Simon’s theory, principle of bounded rationality as it applies to satisficing can be summarized as a decision making strategy that selects the best alternative rather than continuing to search for the optimal solution to any given situation. 6. In relations to leadership, consideration and initiating structure both contribute positively to staff motivation and satisfaction, as well as, effectiveness. 7. Positive reinforcement is to add a positive outcome as a result of a desired behavior. Negative reinforcement is to give the person the opportunity to avoid a negative consequence by increasing the likelihood that the desired behavior will reoccur. Both are used to increase the frequency of the desired behavior. 8. Planning – The manager sets objectives and decided what needs to be done to meet those goals. Organizing – The manager divides work into manageable activities and selects people to accomplish the task that need to be done. Staffing – The manager determines how many and what kind of staff is needed to meet the organizations goals and then recruits and trains the appropriate people. Leading – The manager motivates and communicates with staff and also directs them towards meeting the organizational goals. Controlling – The manager measures and analyzes the organizations performance, and makes changes if financial standards are not being m et. 9. A manager would use the critical-incident appraisal method for assessing employees’ written record of both satisfactory and unsatisfactory work performances. Performance is documented as it occurs and can aid in preparing performance evaluations to identify strengths and areas that need improvement. 10. Group norm is an informal set of rules a group takes on to regulate group behavior, whereas group cohesiveness is the overall attraction each member has for the group. Group norm example: Employees that work on assembly line #1 at the local factory always sit at the same lunch table and don’t interact with others. Group cohesiveness example: Employees on assembly line #2 have beaten the monthly production record for the 10th month in a row.

Determination of Alcohol Content Using Gas Chromatography

Determination of Alcohol Content Using Gas Chromatography 1.0  TITLE Determination of alcohol content in Tapai by using gas chromatography technique 2.0  INTRODUCTION Alcohol is an organic compound which contain hydroxyl functional group (-OH) that bonded to saturated carbon (C) atom. For centuries, alcohol has been used for many purposes for examples as fuels, to make drinks, as a solvent and as an industrial feedstock. Alcohol can give us many benefits if we use it in the right way but it also can give bad effects to us if we misuse it. Alcohol can be produced normally by using fermentation process. Fermentation process is a process which uses yeast as the catalyst to break down sugar or glucose into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Ethanol is the most common type of alcohol present from the process of fermentation. Yeast + glucose alcohol + carbon dioxide Tapai is one of the most general dessert or fermented food that can be found easily in East- and Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. Tapai can be made from different main ingredient such as glutinous rice, white rice and cassava. During preparation of Tapai, the ingredients are cleaned and washed before cooked. Cooked glutinous rice is then left to cool down at temperature 30oC. To produce a matured and good quality Tapai, it has to undergo fermentation for 3-4 days. Gas chromatography technique has been selected in this study to determine the amount of ethanol content in Tapai. A few aspects have been considered in choosing the right technique to be used. Since Tapai contains alcohol, the Halal issue has been rise in Muslim community whether it is allowed to be consumed or prohibited because of some of the similarities between Tapai and alcoholic beverages. 3.0  LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1  Fermentation Fermentation is a process of conversion of carbohydrates into alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acid by using yeast or bacteria as the catalysts. The yeast works to break down the carbohydrates or sugar. Fermentation refers to the chemical conversion of sugars to ethanol. It is a process which is commonly used in order to produce alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. Besides that, fermentation process is very useful for preservation of food. It produces lactic acids which can make the food can be used in a long period of time. For an example, it is found in such sour foods and pickled cucumber, yogurt and kimchi. Yeast + glucose alcohol + carbon dioxide In Malaysia, fermented glutinous rice also known as Tapai is one of the most popular dessert among the Malaysian consumers. Tapai is a sweet or sour alcoholic taste and can be used as a dessert or traditional recipes. Tapai can be made from various types of carbohydrate sources, but commonly from cassava, glutinous rice and white rice. Yeast and sugar are used in the procedure to make Tapai. Fermented foods generally produce pleasant aroma, texture and have a good keeping quality under ambient environment. Fermented foods are prepared from raw materials. Yeast fermentation generally is an alcoholic fermentation which involves the production of ethanol. Southeast Asia produces 150 million tones of paddy annually. Rice wine is one of the most popular sources to make alcoholic beverages in Asian country. In Malaysia and Indonesia, cassava tubers commonly used as fermented foods because of the high carbohydrates content in it. To make Tapai, the first step is soaked the rice in a gallon of water and left overnight. Then, the soaked rice is steamed for 45 minutes. Cool the steamed rice to body temperature. After that, the Tape Starter is sprinkled on the rice and mixed for a minute to distribute uniformly. The starter and rice have to be mixed well to prevent the spoilage. Half cup of sugar is mixed with water. The rice is packed in layers into a jar and every layer is sprinkle with some sugar water. This step is taken to help the fermentation process to start. The rice is left for fermentation process to take place for 2-4 days. When the rice already produces a bit of liquid at the bottom of the container or jar and distinctive smell is produced, the fermentation process is complete. There are 3 stages of fermentation which are Initial Stage (Lag Phase), Middle Stage (Log to Stationary Phases) and Latter Stage (Death Phase). Initial stage is important to make natto bacilli grow sufficiently. The temperature is set at body temperature 37-40oC. This temperature is an optimum temperature for the bacteria to grow. During the log phase, natto bacilli release a great deal of heat produced by the fermentation process. Sufficient oxygen must be supplied during this phase to make the process runs smoothly. After the stationary phase, the natto bacilli reach the death phase. It undergoes autolysis gradually. 11% of glutamic acid is deliberated 16 hours after the fermentation process started. Organic acids are synthesized in this phase. Theoretically, fermented food is not considered fully safe since they are prepared under uncontrolled conditions. Nevertheless, natural processes have been related with a few documented cases of food induced disease. Natural processed food has been known to cause serious food poisoning compared to prepared packed food because the production of prepared packed food is been done in a factory with a regular monitoring from the quality control unit. Figure 1:Process of making Tapai 3.2  Comparison between Tapai and alcoholic beverages The process of Tapai production is more likely to alcoholic beverages production where both of these productions have to go through the fermentation process. Both processes use yeast in order to produce alcohol. There might be some differences for alcohol content in wine and Tapai since the other processes except fermentation which are used for alcoholic beverages but not in Tapai production. For Tapai production, the process takes place naturally while for alcoholic beverages production requires temperature control where there are hot fermentation and cool fermentation. Cronk et al. Went and Geerligs were the first person reported to segregate and identify the essential microorganisms for the fermentation of Tapai in 1895. In order to produce a good Tapai, a mixture of Candida oryzae and Endomycopsis burtonii with 17% of reducing sugar and 2.7% of ethanol are needed. For wine and grapes, the healthy properties can be achieved due to the presence of antioxidants like polyphenols. From a chapter entitled â€Å"Tapai processing in Malaysia: A technology in Transition† by Zahara Marican and Yeoh Quee Lan in a book edited by KH Steinkraus entitle â€Å"Industrialization of indigenous fermented foods†, the authors write about the making of Tapai in Malaysia. There are some points that can be considered as useful information from the quote on page 252 â€Å"Tapai fermentation is not an anaerobic process and this partly accounts for the low alcohol content. Furthermore the fermentation is normally arrested before all of the sugars are fermented, as the desired end product should not be alcoholic if it is to be consumed by those opposed to alcohol consumption for religious or other reasons†. There is some information gained where Tapai fermentation is not an anaerobic. In the beginning, the enzymes are release to breakdown the sugars by the process of enzyme hydrolysis. This explained why Tapai tasted sweet. Besides that, Tapai production might be a little different compared to the wine or beer fermentation even though alcohol is produced and sugar is used. For Tapai fermentation, the theory of solid substrate fermentation is involved. Each of the white rice or glutinous rice is coated with a thin layer of sticky liquid to make it difficult for oxygen to diffuse or penetrate. The reaction of the sugar molecules and the liquid caused the Tapai sticky or viscous by the interaction of hydrogen bond between the water molecules and sugar molecules. Furthermore, the low alcohol content in Tapai is caused by the slightly open or not an air tight packing and high room temperature which resulting in the vaporization of alcohol and the alcohols are escaped to the environment. The alcohols as the fermentation product have a short chain and gave a lower evaporation point and boiling point. Alcoholic beverages contain high amount of ethanol compared to Tapai. Beer contains approximately 6% of ethanol, wine contains 7 to 24% v/v of ethanol, whisky contains 35% of ethanol and Tapai contains only about 5% of ethanol. Besides ethanol, alcoholic beverages contain another chemical composition such as water, glycerine, pestins, acids, polyphenols and some flavours. The least amount of ethanol contained in Tapai is caused by the volatilities of ethanol from the fermented rice due to non-air tight container. Figure 2:Production of alcoholic beverages 3.3  Analysis of ethanol in fragmented rice using many techniques Recently, many researches have been made in order to determine ethanol content in fragmented food such as wine and Tapai. Various types of techniques can be used for ethanol determination such as enzymatic method, biosensor, high liquid performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and flow injection analysis. 3.3.1  High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to quantify the presence of individual phenolic compounds using an HPLC system consisting of a Shimadzu Prominence LC – 20A, with an LC-20AT quaternary pump, a SIL 20 auto sampler– A, a DGU-20A5 on-line degasser, a CBM-20A integrator and a SPD-20AV DAD detector. HPLC technique has been designed to determine the amount of ethanol produced and amount of unwanted byproducts produced during the fermentation process. HPLC can produce the shortest analysis time and maintaining enough resolution between components for proper quantification and identification. By using this technique, all components can be analyzed less than 10 minutes. 3.3.2  Short wave-near infrared (SW-NIR) Short wave-near infrared (SW-NIR) is one of the type of NIR. SW-NIR is one of the techniques that can be used to detect alcohol content in beverages and food products. The region of SW-NIR is between 700 to 1100 nm (Fu et al., 2012). The SW-NIR is suitable for non-destructive or non-invasive analysis of biological and biomedical materials (Ozaki et al., 1992; Ã…  aÃ… ¡iĆ¡ Ozaki, 2001; Sato et al., 2000). The SW-NIR can penetrate more intensely into a sample with less heating effect compared than long-wave NIR and the obstruction arising from the intense water bands can be diminished (Reeves III, 1994). Tungsten lamps, LEDs or the sunlight can be utilized as the SW-NIR light source and the light can be transmitted through glass optical fibers (Fu et al., 2012). In order to determine the content of alcohol in aqueous samples, temperature factor needs to be emphasized (Wà ¼lfert et al., 1998; Barboza Poppi, 2003). It is because temperature can cause a change in the vibratio n spectra (Fu et al., 2012). Figure 2 below shows the schematic diagram of the multichannel SW-NIR spectrometer module. Figure 2:Schematic diagram of the multichannel SW-NIR spectrometer module 3.3.3  Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) In determination of alcohol, FTIR had been used for the quality control of alcoholic drinks such as spirit drinks and beer. FTIR with combination of multivariate data analysis can determine the essential compound quantitatively (Lachenmeier, 2007). Apart from that, Vonach et al. (1998) also stated that the combination of HPLC-FTIR can be used to determine the components of wine such as acetic, fructose, succinic, glycerol, ethanol, glucose, citric, lactic, malic and tartaric acid directly when used a real wine as a sample. By using FTIR, to obtain the information about the product, for example the chemical composition, possibly we can make it within in a short time. Liquid Fourier transform-middle infrared spectrometry can be used to analyze wine in a 90 s (Patz et al., 2004). Nowadays FTIR can give us advantages in order to determine and analyze the beverages because it can help us to reduce the time cost, and at the same time, it is also contribute for a good precision and accuracy when dealing with the parameters (Moreira et al., 2004). Furthermore, according to Lachenmeier (2007), a simple sample preparation is needed when dealing with FTIR spectroscopy compared to the other analytical methods. 3.3.4  Other spectroscopy Raman spectroscopy is not a preferable technique in determining ethanol content in Tapai due to the expensive instrument required. As HPLC method is low sensitivity but accurate weighing process and the sample distillation are required, HPLC is not a good technique in this study. NIR spectroscopy is time consuming in establishing calibration curves and has low accuracy. It can be disturbed by other alcohol in the sample (Wang et al., 2003). 3.4  Determination of ethanol in Tapai by using Gas Chromatography Gas-liquid chromatography is one of the most sophisticated analytical techniques in spectroscopy. Gas chromatography becomes more preferable because of its utilization of electronic digital data-processing equipment for accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis. Traditional ethanol analysis methods are distillation and mass determination. These methods include small accuracies because it can be interfere by other component in the sample. In order to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the gas-liquid chromatography, the ethanol standards and typical Tapai samples are necessary to be analyzed (B.Stackler and E.N.Christensen., 1974) To analyze ethanol contents in alcoholic beverages, Bouthilet et al. had made a packed GC method. Yet, the method needs at least 100mL of sample and distillation as the pretreatment process. These official gas liquid chromatography methods can be adjusted with different sample preparation procedures when dealing with different samples. These samples require distillation or dilution as the pretreatment process. By using packed column, lower resolution and interference by other alcohols in alcoholic beverages still exist. When capillary gas chromatography is used for determining the ethanol contents in alcoholic samples, time-consuming pretreatment procedures are still required. The capillary GC method is one of the most important techniques because of its advantage of high resolution and sensitivity (Wang et al., 2003). Wang et al. (2004) has studied the gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) to detect the ethanol content in alcoholic beverages. A selected column used is mega-pore capillary column (CP-Wax 58 CB). Acetonitrile was chosen as the internal standard for ethanol and, 2-pentanol is used for methanol. This selection is due to the water solubility of acetonitrile is more rather than 2-pentanol. Direct injection GC coupling with dual internal standards was used to determine ethanol and methanol content can be obtained less than 12 min. Due to the success in the previous study, Brill and Wagner (2012) have performed the new method using GC-MS in order to detect the alcohol content that has been adapted by Wang et al.’s (2004) experiment that used capillary gas chromatography together with FDI detector. This further study is quite costly, but it is worth since the accuracy is high. The column in this study was replaced by polar capillary column instead of mega-pore column in the previous study. 0.2  µL splitless injections were chosen to directly inject the samples to the GC-MS. Helium set at pressure set at 7.35 psi and 1mL/min of flow rate acted as the carrier gas in GC-MS. The polar VF-WAXms selected was the reliable because the samples could be run in 15 minute intervals. Capillary gas chromatography is a simple and rapid method that developed to determine ethanol content in alcoholic beverages using megapore polar column (CPWax58 CB, 30 m  ¥ 0.53 mm) with direct injection gas chromatography. Contrary to packed GLC method, distillation or stepwise dilution of samples were not necessary by the method developed in this study. In conclusion, gas chromatography method is the most suitable and quick method for determination of ethanol contents in alcoholic beverages with complex alcohol contents and small sample amount. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a non-harmful environmentally pre-concentration technique which is clean, selective, rapid, efficient, simple and solvent-free. The derivation of polyphenols allowed non-volatile compounds to be converted into volatile derivatives, thus improving the separation, selectivity or sensitivity of SPME–GC determination. This step can be performed in the sample solution prior to sampling, on the SPME fibre coating or during desorption in the GC injection port. For on-fibre derivation, the chemical agent has to be loaded on the fibre prior to or after analyte extraction. Commonly, the analytes are first extracted and then the fiber is exposed to the vapour of the derivatizing agent. The coupling of GC and SPME has been used to determine resveratrol isomers and the total free resveratro was also determined by direct-exposure-probe positive-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. However, no references have been found to the use of the hyphenated technique SPME–GC–MS for the determination of polyphenol mixtures (Pilar Vinas et al., 2009). 4.0  PROBLEM STATEMENTS The purpose of this study is to determine the most suitable and appropriate method for alcohol determination in the sample used which is fermented rice or commonly called as Tapai. Tapai is a traditional dessert or fermented food frequently found in East and Southeast Asia. Nowadays, Tapai has been established and being promoted to many countries. Determination of ethanol perhaps is the most important analysis in the fermentation industry for the quality control. It is necessary for the industry to use the most accurate and easiest method in order to check the alcohol composition in the products manufactured before sending them to the markets. Besides that, this study is fundamental in order to determine the Halal limits for alcohol content in the sample. The consumption of Tapai had raised the Halal issue to Muslim community since it has similar alcohol content with beer which is 5%. So, the study should offer the method that can give the short period for the detection and the easiest way to handle the experiment or the test include the easy sample preparation with the accurate results. 5.0  OBJECTIVES These are few objectives that have been identified in order to deal up with the problem statement and carried out the research on determination of alcohol content in Tapai by using gas chromatography spectroscopy. To develop gas chromatography method with the best accuracy compared to other methods for alcohol detection in the sample. To determine the lower limit of detection (LOD) of alcohol. To identify the amount of ethanol content in the sample.

Womens Position in Society in Virginia Woolfs A Room of Ones Own Ess

Women's Position in Society in Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own The passage at the end of the Third Chapter in A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf deals with two major themes of this essay. The first being the ways in which women were kept down and made inferior to men, and the second being how this affected women’s writing. Woolf asserts that women were made inferior as a direct result of men’s perceived superiority. This assertment provides a new way of thinking about women’s lower position in society and the subsequent low opinion men held of women and their capabilties as writers. Woolf firmly believes that it is the prerogative of all writers to pay great heed to what is thought of them and to suffer when that opinion is negative. Because the opinion of women’s writing was negative, women could not write freely. Their minds, Woolf believes, were clouded with agendas. They had something to prove or a grudge to vindicate. This is not the ideal situation for writing, or the proper environment for gen ius. Therefore, through her revolutionary way of examining women’s position in society, Woolf proves that the â€Å"masculine complex† and low expectations of women impeded upon their writing process. One major theme this essay illuminates is that of what subordinated women and how that inferiority was maintained. Woolf states, â€Å"Even in the nineteenth century a woman was not encouraged to be an artist† (55). In fact she was discouraged and made to believe such a vocation was beyond her capabilities. Here Woolf turns the issue around showing that women did not consciously choose not to become writers, but were prodded not to write by men. Woolf speculates about the affects of this discouragement saying... ...ganized the traditional way of examining women’s position in society and it’s affect on their art. Her concept of the â€Å"masculine complex† approaches gender relations from a totally different angle. It is male superiority not female inferiority, which perpetuates this system. Men’s dominance is strong and their resistance to the women’s movement was so effective that even strong willed women were humbled. Women were further hindered by the prevailing male sentiment that they were incompetent writers. This naturally fired women’s incentive to prove their capabilities, because all artists are concerned about what others think of them. Yet, this very situation inhibits creativity and continued to prevent women from reaching their full potential. This new line of thinking explains and reexamines the forces that held women down and separated them from their genius.

Production History of Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Essay

Production History of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Beckett was forty-two years old and living in post-war Paris when he wrote Waiting for Godot as an exercise to help rid himself of the writer's block which was hindering his work in fiction. Once he started, he became increasingly absorbed in the play, and scribbled it almost without hesitation into a soft-cover notebook in a creative burst that lasted from October 9, 1948, until he completed the typed manuscript on January 29, 1949. After some revision, he offered the script to several producers, but it was refused. Although Beckett himself gave up hope with the script, his wife was more persistent, and, acting as his agent, she continued to approach producers. Finally, she met with actor/producer/director Roger Blin, who had produced a string of four under-funded and under-attended productions of Synge and Strindberg. Blin was immediately delighted with the piece. Unfortunately, money to produce the play was difficult to come by. Years passed betwee n the writing and the actual production of the work. In the meanwhile, while Blin continued to search for backers, he worked with Beckett to flesh out the play in choosing costuming (Beckett had only envisioned the bowler hats), style, and movement. Blin never asked Beckett to analyze the play, noting that "The play struck me as so rich and unique in its nudity that it seemed to me improper to question the author about its meaning." Instead, Blin worked almost instinctively through the three years of sporadic rehearsals. Casting was difficult; even though he was quite certain of his choices, contracts were only drawn up a few weeks before opening. Of necessity he ended up playing the part ... ...ted in Esslin 2-3)    Although it took much of the world a little longer than these inmates to recognize the value of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, there is no doubt that it is now considered a classic. It has been translated into numerous languages, and according to Bair, into more editions than Beckett could recall, far more than all his other plays combined. Waiting for Godot is the play that will continue building his reputation for many years to come. Sources Cited Bair, Deirdre. "Samuel Beckett," in British Dramatists Since World War II . Ed. Stanley Weintraub. Detroit: Bruccoli Clark, 1982, pp. 52-70. Cohn, Ruby. "Growing (Up?) with Godot," in Beckett at 80/Beckett in Context . Ed. Enoch Brater. New York: Oxford, 1986, pp. 13-24. Esslin, Martin.   The Theatre of the Absurd . Rev. ed. Garden City: Anchor, 1969.

New Jersey Pine Barrens :: essays research papers

Plants make up most of the Pine Barrens. For instance, pine trees such as the short needles, pitch pines, jack pines, long needles, yellow pines, and many others make up most of the pine forest in the Pinelands. Other trees include the pine oaks and the cedar trees. Due to the roots of these cedar trees, water in the Pine Barrens appears a brownish red color. This happens because the roots emit pigments of red color into the soil which then runs into the water. Even though the amount of red pigment released is very little, due to the large amount of cedar trees in the Pine forests, the water is affected. The main crops of the Pine Barrens include blueberries and cranberries. There are also many rare plants that can be found in the Pinelands. One of these is the pitcher plant which is related to the Venus Fly Trap. Plants such as these have an influence on how nitrogen is depleted in the Pine Barrens and also on how the Pine â€Å"Barrens† got there name, nothing like vegetables grow there. The pitcher plant helps prevent pollution from entering the lakes as well as help in preventing flooding. The lakes in the Pine forest are home to the tree frog. These forests are also home to many other animals like cranes, water snakes, turtles, salamanders, and other frogs. There are many dangers facing the Pine Barrens today. The most dangerous is the effect industrialization has on it. Many industries contribute to the mass pollution of water, land, and air. This greatly impacts the ecosystem of the Pinelands and the animals that live in it. Industrialization also leads to the building of more houses that are detrimental to the Pinelands because the Pinelands are being destroyed little by little every day. This ecosystem is too precious to waste, it needs to be preserved. Pollution has caused over forty species of birds to become endangered. Acid rain also causes the extinction of many species. Acid rain is the term used to describe the chemicals that are deposited through the rain. These chemicals travel through the soil and affect many plants and animals. Acid rain is a world-wide problem that concerns all ecosystems; acid rain needs to controlled by limiting the amount of pollution let out into the air. Another major issue affecting the Pine Barren s is forest fires. There are as many as four hundred forest fires per year. New Jersey Pine Barrens :: essays research papers Plants make up most of the Pine Barrens. For instance, pine trees such as the short needles, pitch pines, jack pines, long needles, yellow pines, and many others make up most of the pine forest in the Pinelands. Other trees include the pine oaks and the cedar trees. Due to the roots of these cedar trees, water in the Pine Barrens appears a brownish red color. This happens because the roots emit pigments of red color into the soil which then runs into the water. Even though the amount of red pigment released is very little, due to the large amount of cedar trees in the Pine forests, the water is affected. The main crops of the Pine Barrens include blueberries and cranberries. There are also many rare plants that can be found in the Pinelands. One of these is the pitcher plant which is related to the Venus Fly Trap. Plants such as these have an influence on how nitrogen is depleted in the Pine Barrens and also on how the Pine â€Å"Barrens† got there name, nothing like vegetables grow there. The pitcher plant helps prevent pollution from entering the lakes as well as help in preventing flooding. The lakes in the Pine forest are home to the tree frog. These forests are also home to many other animals like cranes, water snakes, turtles, salamanders, and other frogs. There are many dangers facing the Pine Barrens today. The most dangerous is the effect industrialization has on it. Many industries contribute to the mass pollution of water, land, and air. This greatly impacts the ecosystem of the Pinelands and the animals that live in it. Industrialization also leads to the building of more houses that are detrimental to the Pinelands because the Pinelands are being destroyed little by little every day. This ecosystem is too precious to waste, it needs to be preserved. Pollution has caused over forty species of birds to become endangered. Acid rain also causes the extinction of many species. Acid rain is the term used to describe the chemicals that are deposited through the rain. These chemicals travel through the soil and affect many plants and animals. Acid rain is a world-wide problem that concerns all ecosystems; acid rain needs to controlled by limiting the amount of pollution let out into the air. Another major issue affecting the Pine Barren s is forest fires. There are as many as four hundred forest fires per year.

A Review on the Rich and the Rest of Us

THE RICH AND THE REST OF US: A POVERTY MANIFESTO By Cornel West and Tavis Smiley â€Å"Our intent with The rich and the rest of us is to make [people] think about the pervasiveness of poverty, its real causation, and the threat it poses to our democracy. We want to raise awareness about poverty and discuss how best to end it- in out lifetime. â€Å"(Excerpted from the introduction, page 10-11) When I started with this book, I had expected it to be a book on how depressing poverty is and maybe how to become rich. What I came across was none of that but a realistic approach with some new ideas of how to deal with poverty.The authors have explained everything in simple language that is discernable by everyone and no necessarily economists. It is based on the US economy and not poverty all over the world. It deals with the situation of poverty in the US. Recently with the Presidential election campaign, a lot was said about the difference between the middle class and the rich. Especial ly with the tax cuts issue where tax cuts are being wanted for the middle class and the wealthy shall not be given any cuts. Any household that is earning anything more than $1 million per year should not be paying lesser income tax than what a middle class family does.This book has historical backgrounds, personal stories and statistics to say to us that poverty is not just a big issue but also a national threat along with bringing shame upon USA. It seems that the citizens of America as a whole does not choose to solve this problem. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley are crying out for help to speedily address the growing poverty before it forever distorts the US democracy, values and economic future. The great recession has affected a large number of people who have been forced into poverty and also deepening the poverty that already exists.United States census declares that 50% of all Americans are now in the low income or close to low-income bracket. When the biggest economic institu tions fell due to the recession, they went to the Government for help, which was given to them. But, in turn, the majority of Americans suffered. There were no more jobs and place to live. One-third of the American middle class has fallen into poverty. This book is a fast read that encapsulates current issues with the historic past and obvious advocacy. This book shows how every president has handled the problem of poverty and the change of political and popular attitude towards the poor.They also talk about a â€Å"new poor† that has been added to the homeless, food insecurity and unemployment. They use Martin Luther King as a major example who immersed himself in the subject of poverty before his demise. Though, he saw it as an issue that only affected the African-American population. The new poverty is not like the poverty we associate with wrongdoing. This new poverty is the â€Å"working poor† who have jobs and sometimes more than one person in d family is earning . Just they are not being paid enough to sustain themselves and their families.They have no unions to protect their interests, no benefits like medical or retirement and long working hours. There is no surety of jobs and no guarantee so every worker is one salary away from poverty and also one lay off away. Basically Smiley and West has started a War for the poor. They are trying to give a voice to those less fortunate. For them, their ultimate goal is to try and give back the American dream, which has now been down sized and outsourced. They say that during the presidential elections on 2012 both the parties never said the word poor or poverty.Another important aspect of the book is the Occupy movement. It was what marked the state of their inequality in economics and an ongoing change in America’s policies and priorities. Tavis Smiley says in the book â€Å"We wanted people who are struggling in this current economy to know that they are not alone and not forgotten. † It tells us about a imperfect system where there is no economic equality. Even though America is changing into a nation of major minority, it does not have the market unity to ensure success. The poverty manifesto talks about twelve points about what steps to be taken to help the situation.First and foremost fair wages should be given to the people so that they are enough to live on. Then the Government needs to introduce more jobs; the prison and mass incarceration rates need to be looked at, tax codes, fair inflation rates. The most imperative of all is to release a call for a conference at the White House on the abolition of poverty and for that a sample letter must be sent to the President. This book says that USA is in a state of emergency, and that they should stand up and take some action. They need to work towards sustaining solutions and jobs with living wages.Unless they do that, they will not get the status of a great nation back. The efforts have to come from bottom up and will need brave leadership at the top most level to get back America in old form. Politics is run by money, and people with substantial amounts can actually affect the public policy. It is how the democracy of USA was designed and not much has changed since it was founded. The only major difference is that now corporations influence more than individuals now. The power of money is the same no matter whether you are a republican or a democrat.I find that the first part of the book is very good. It gives us a good look into poverty and backing it up by statistics and graphs. West and Smiley delve in deeper and examine the emotions comprised in poverty. I enjoyed the way it is written and how the authors provide us with two different voices. Personally I think that the book lacks where the solutions are concerned. No doubt hay have given some ideas on how to take on the problem but most seems repetitive and doesn’t seem like they are thorough. After reading the book I have a much better understanding of the poverty situation in America.I had heard the presidential debates and the speeches but never really understood the seriousness till I read this book. This book is highly recommended for all those to want to face problems by smart public policy, which would end up getting work for people and also providing the structure and services needed. A new economy can be created that will be supportable and progressive. One that will put the citizens on America back to work, just, the right leadership is needed. A Review by Ritika Malhotra 1153 words [Turnitin similarity: 5%]

Reflection: Education and Reflective Practice Essay

The aim of this assignment is to give a reflective account on group presentation and the peer assessment process as well as the development of a personal action plan. It would involve using ‘The What? Model of Structured Reflection’ (Driscoll 2007) to analyse the experience of using a group designed assessment tool to assess my peers and the experience of being peer assessed. Additionally, experience of completing a group presentation would be reflected upon. A personal action plan which identifies areas for personal development and the designed assessment tool is attached as appendix 1 and 2 respectively. Reflection entails reviewing experience from practice so that it may be described, analysed, evaluated and consequently used to inform and change future practice in a positive way (Bulman and Schutz 2013, p6). Reflection could be (Oelofsen 2012, p4) in real time (reflection in action) or retrospectively (reflection on action). Several authors (Jay and Johnson 2002; Taylor 2006) have suggested the use of frameworks to guide students undertaking reflective writing. However, John (cited in Bulman and Schutz, 2013, p118) cautions that reflective frameworks are guides rather than a rigid prescriptive format. Jasper (2006) also warns that frameworks come with the author’s perspective and values base and leads reflectors in a specific direction. It is therefore imperative to be critical of the model of choice and adjust the framework to suit ones purposes so that it can be used effectively. Numerous frameworks for facilitating reflection are utilised in nursing (Doel and Shardlow 2009, p42) such as Gibb’s Reflective Cycle (1988) and John’s Model of Structured Reflection (1995). Following critical analysis, ‘The What? Model of Structured Reflection (Driscoll 2007) consisting of three simple questions; What?, So what? and Now what?, each with sub questions was chosen. The rationale for this choice is that this framework is comparatively simple (Howatson-Jones 2010), effective and very apt for novice practitioners but can equally be used at different levels (Jasper 2003, p99). Moreover, it can be used logically with any type of situation by using the cue questions which gives a deeper and meaningful reflective process hereby leading to the formulation of an action plan for the future. Furthermore, as opposed to Gibbs and John’s framework, it enables reflective activity to lead to action being taken rather than being proposed or tentative. The purpose of returning to this situation is to learn from the experience of using a devised assessment tool to assess my peers. Haven being divided into a group of four students based on our learning styles, each group was expected to design an assessment tool and carry out a presentation which is to be peer assessed. The group presentation involved presenting on one of the 3 future roles of a nurse: educator, manager or professional. Devising our assessment tool was very challenging as each member of the group brainstormed, shared views, and prioritised. Communication was done via emails, phone calls and meetings as agreed by all members. Effective team working was evident among all members. The assessment tool was amended based on feedback received from the lecturer. On the presentation day, majority of the students including myself were anxious as there was a misunderstanding of the date of presentation so were not prepared. Although, this affected the quality of our presentation as it was prepared under 20 minutes. However, students’ still proved that they could be innovative even under duress. The peer assessment process involved an individual assessment of each group’s presentation using our assessment tool and calculating the average to give the final grade. During this process, I realized how difficult it was assessing others and being assessed without being biased. It was particularly difficult to measure the criteria as our assessment tool was not explicit making it impossible to justify the marks awarded. It had too many separate components with inappropriate weighting which made it arduous and complicated in the averaging task. Although, the assessment tool appeared simple as it involved ticking boxes. However, it was diff icult to decide which boxes to tick because students demonstrated majority of the criteria but at different levels and this led to being over marked. It would have been more realistic to award marks to each criterion rather than ticking boxes. Hargreaves (2007) as well as Quinn and Hughes (2007, p270) propose that assessment tool should be both valid (assess what it claims to assess) and reliable (perform in a consistent and stable manner). It is of the opinion now following the assessment that our assessment tool cannot be considered valid and reliable for the following reasons. Learning outcome was not part of the criteria so it was impossible to make a judgement about the quality of the students’ presentation and thus could not be penalized. Hinchliff (1999) suggests that learning outcomes should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed (SMART). It should include an indication of the evidence required to demonstrate that learning has been achieved (Dix and Hughes, 2004), but Welsh and Swann (2002) caution that too many may create unreasonable expectations. Moreover, the ambiguity of the tool and individuals’ subjectivity in terms of attitudes, beliefs and values (the ‘halo’ eff ect) resulted in perceived bias which affected the reliability. Bias however, remains an issue to overcome and as such I felt the feedback received from my peers would not be accurate. Although the peer assessment process made us engage fully in the presentation and learn from the strengths and weaknesses of our peers, there is a need to develop the necessary skills and judgements to effectively manage peer assessments and this involves knowledge and experience (Oelofsen 2012, Somerville and Keeling, 2004). Furthermore, there is a need to be fully prepared and equipped, develop criteria that match the identified learning outcome, consider the issue of fairness particularly with disabled students and clearly communicate assessment criteria . The above reasons can be considered as areas for future development, an in depth analysis of this can be seen in the attached action plan (appendix 1). This process of reflection on action has proved successful as it brought about learning. Even though critics like Rolfe (2003) and Markham (2002) criticised reflective practice for lack of definition and unproven benefit. Taylor (2010) however argues that it is nevertheless worth the effort to bring about deeper insights and changes in practice and education. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated an understanding of the peer assessment process by assessing the worth of our assessment tool on other students and the experience of being assessed by peers. Using a framework of choice, my experience was analysed and areas for further development identified and attached as appendix 1. Overall, this reflection has brought about deeper insights which identified strengths and weaknesses that would consequently enhance my professional development and result in changes in the future should the situation arise again.

Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” Appearance vs. Reality Essay

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the theme of appearance versus reality is recurrent. Austen seeks to prove that often one’s appearance hides one’s true character. This thematic concept is clearly evident in the case of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham and how they appear to Elizabeth Bennett. From her first impressions of both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth comes to misguided conclusions about their true character. Elizabeth spends most of the novel reevaluating her stance regarding both of these characters. She later comes to realize that her respective judgements of Mr.Darcy and Mr. Wickham are profoundly inaccurate and incorrect. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Austen demonstrates that reality of an individual’s true character can often be hidden by appearances. Elizabeth’s first impressions of Mr. Darcy are based on an appearance of his character rather that a realistic assessment of his decorum, background, and history. The very first time Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy she becomes prejudiced toward him. Elizabeth is introduced to Darcy at the Meryton Assembly and although the general impression is that he is quite handsome, her opinion suddenly changes to an unfavorable disposition towards him. She perceives his behavior as cold and uninterested in her friends and family. Along with the rest of the people in Hertfordshire, she decides that he is † the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world† (41). His air of superiority does not impress Elizabeth and she observes that he does not converse with anyone who is outside his party. She grows particularity hostile towards Darcy when she overhears him say,† She [Elizabeth] is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me† (42). Elizabeth comes into contact yet agai n with Mr. Darcy when Jane Bennett becomes ill while visiting Mr. Bingley and Elizabeth goes to stay with her at Netherfield. Elizabeth’s dislike of Darcy’s stoic and unfriendly manner increases; while spending time with the Bingley party. Elizabeth believes every single move of Darcy to have ill intentions. She notices Darcy frequently gazing at her and concludes â€Å"she drew his notice because there was something about her more wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right† (86). Elizabeth is blinded of Darcy’s true character, which is hidden by his appearance. She is unable to sense Darcy’s real feelings because his introverted demeanor does not allow him to express them. Elizabeth’s  blindness is blatantly obvious when Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance and she denies by saying: â€Å"You wanted me, I know, to say ‘yes,’ that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing the kind of scheme, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all- now despise me if you dare (86). At this point in the novel, any contact Darcy attempts to make with Elizabeth is brutally rebuffed because of her strong prejudice towards him. Contrary of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s first impressions of Mr.Wickham are favorable. Mr.Wickham differs from Mr.Darcy in many ways. When Elizabeth first takes notice of Wickham at her Aunt Phillips’ house, she believes him to be â€Å"far beyond† the other officers in the militia † in person, countenance, air, and walk† (115). Wickham is outgoing, lively, and eager to fall into conversation. Wickham’s outgoing and polite mannerisms are quite the opposite of Darcy’s, and Elizabeth takes an immediate interest to him. Compared to Darcy, Wickham appears to Elizabeth as one of England’s finest gentlemen. A further example of how Elizabeth is blind to reality is her firm belief in Mr. Wickham’s claims against Mr. Darcy. Wickham’s appearance as a stately gentleman and Elizabeth’s prejudice towards Darcy cause her to believe Mr. Wickham’s slander against Darcy even though she knows nothing of Darcy’s past. She regards Mr. Darcy as a proud, pompous brute, so she is willing and eager to find fault in him. Wickham provides this fault and justifies her already hostile feeling towards Darcy. This aggressively hostile behavior of Elizabeth toward Darcy is intensified at the Netherfield Ball. Elizabeth feels anger towards Darcy because she believes him to be the cause of Wickham’s absence. Elizabeth’s predisposition to favor Wickham is noted by Mrs. Gardiner who warns Elizabeth that she has heard rumors of Wickham’s greedy character and to be careful of placing too much trust in him. At this point in the novel Elizabeth regards Wickham as a friendly and resourceful man who confirms her bitter feelings towards Darcy. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth is perhaps the grandest example of how  Elizabeth is blinded by appearances. When Darcy proclaims his love for Elizabeth, he opens up his heart the only way he knows how, only to see Elizabeth take offense to his offers and turns him down. Elizabeth is unaware of Darcy’s history and doesn’t understand his particular social status. She thinks his reasons for debating over marrying her are inconsequential. She also does not understand what sort of shame he is risking in seeking her as his wife and takes offense to Darcy’s words about her family. Elizabeth is unaware of the outside forces, such as Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Bingley, acting upon Darcy. His statement â€Å"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed† (236) appears rude to Elizabeth, when in actuality it is admirable and valiant. Elizabeth sees the proposal as an insult when in actuality it is Darcy sacrificing his pri de and proclaiming his utmost devotion to her. The turning point in the novel in which reality begins to override appearance occurs when Elizabeth reads Darcy’s letter. In this letter Darcy tells his side of the story regarding his relationship with Wickham and provides verifiable information to substantiate his character. Not only does he prove that he did not act maliciously towards Mr. Wickham, but he also explains that he never had any intent to hurt Elizabeth’s sister Jane. He explained that he was not confident that Jane truly loved Mr. Bingley and was only looking out for a good friend. After reading and rereading this letter, Elizabeth reevaluates her previous feelings of both Darcy and Wickham and her opinion of both men gradually changes. With the crucial knowledge she gained from the letter, she pieces the puzzle together. Elizabeth now begins to admire Darcy when she visits his exquisite home and takes notice of Darcy’s affection when she meets him at Pemberly. Wickham is proven to be fraudulent and Elizabeth sees now that his intentions were dishonorable and his actions not proper when telling her lies about Mr. Darcy. She sees now that Wickham is a greedy and ungrateful man who has repeatedly taken advantage of Darcy financially. His deceitful character is only confirmed by his scandalous affair with Lydia Bennett. By the end of the novel, the true character of these gentlemen is evident to all. Elizabeth Bennett regrets ever having admired Wickham, and embraces Darcy as her true love. It is clear to Elizabeth that Wickham’s smooth manners and outward style conceals a shallow, superficial, and greedy soul, while Darcy’s awkward behavior hides a generous, caring heart. Elizabeth learns many lessons from her interaction with these two men. She learns the possible dangers of jumping to a conclusion based on an individual’s character and looks that may be deceiving. Through Elizabeth’s realizations, Jane Austen offers a universal theme that can be related to any society in that premature judgements are more often than not a misconception of someone’s true personality. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen effectively exhibits that reality can often be hidden by appearance.

Marketing plan development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing plan development - Essay Example Also there is still perception among some of the customers that fast-food are rich in fat and are not healthy. As far as specific is concerned, sandwiches are treated as the most favorite as it holds over 30 % of the market share. Research has shown that, people mainly love sandwiches due to the trend of short lunch breaks triggering the demand for light snacks and lunches. At this point of time Hotdog doesn’t top the menu list of the people of UK when it comes to Fast Foods (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1996, p. 67). After analyzing the market scenario, business and product life cycle it is believed that out of the four probable strategies market development strategy could be best suited. Market development strategy is used when an existing product is launched in a new market. The risk factor in this case is medium. It is suggested that American Hot Dog Cart should focus on designing an efficient distribution network and repositioning strategy. One of the most famous ways to expand market reach is to setup franchisee network. Most of the major food chains follow this strategy. As mentioned in before, fast foods especially non vegetarian fast foods are still perceived as high-fat unhealthy products. This something the American Hot Dog has to change. Certain degree of augmentation can help the company in creating product differentiation. For example providing salads along with hot-dog can help the company successfully reposition the product. Also social media channels can be used to directly engag e with the customers. Social media can be used to show the target customers the way the food is being made. The main USP of the marketing campaign is the healthy ingredients and low fat content to change the perception (Palepu and Bernad, 2007, p. 65). Out of the four strategies Cost Leadership seems best suited for American Hot Dog Cart. The UK fast food market is a broad one. Hence the company may use the industry

Database management systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Database management systems - Research Paper Example Organizing and maintaining such enormous amount of data in only papers is almost impossible. If back up is not maintained properly, the business might lose critical information which could lead to losses. Thus, the migration of existing and current data to cloud based platform will require well defined architecture as well as strategies. The cloud database model should have specific objectives in line with policies of the organization. The model should also include sufficient security, encryption, and control over information which will be transferred. The biggest challenge lies in maintaining the balance between speed of data transfer, cost of data transfer, data accuracy and consistency. If all these aspects of cloud database management are not ensured then the consequences could be data loss, wrong location data placement or data alteration during transfer process. Even though cloud based computing platforms are becoming popular, especially for e-business and MNCs, due to cost eff iciency, there are issues related to data safety, speed and security. The objective of this paper is to critically analyze the cloud database by pointing out disadvantages of cloud data. Introduction and Background of the Research The cloud computing technology has been receiving significant attention in the market lately. For many sectors and companies in various industries, cloud is not just an umbrella for marketing but a consolidated technology that offers grid computing, SAAS (software as a service), distributed computing, and so on. There are many companies that offer cloud services including Amazon RDS and Microsoft SQL Azure. A cloud database is basically a database management system that runs on cloud computing platform (Curino, pp.1-2). Some of the cloud computing platforms are Go Grid, Amazon EC2, and Rack space. (Source: Curino and et.al, n.d, p.2) The main vision on the basis of which cloud computing was developed is based on certain key features that cloud database is expected to perform. Some of the important features that was kept in mind while creating cloud data platform were data storage, processing, software installation, software delivery from local servers and desktops across various networks. The key concept was that the target users must get access to remote data from anywhere at any time without requiring to carry a hard drive or other storage device. The concept was created to free big corporations from generating own power and capital investment. Thus, the most important candidate of cloud computing is the database management applications. The main reason behind this is that large corporations spend huge sum of money to safely manage enterprise data which involves upfront investment in both hardware and patented software services. The advantage that the different enterprises would get from cloud computing is that they could reduce their annual data management cost significant with the help cloud database. By using cloud data the comp anies will not have to install, own and maintain dedicated expensive software packages. The reason is that cloud computing service providers or vendors provide their customers with virtual machines or platforms from where the customer will be able to install and manage software services without having to own and store a version in their

Critique of Articles on Opiates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critique of Articles on Opiates - Essay Example NIDA/NIH also states that â€Å"opiates used without a doctor’s prescription or in ways other than how they are prescribed, can be dangerous and addictive.† Additional information has also been provided on how opiates act on the brain and nervous system in giving feelings of pleasure, relaxation and contentment; acting as an automatic response mechanisms and how it acts on the spinal cord to reduce pain. The article also provides information on how persons can become addicted to opiates which acts on brain stems that controls the automatic response mechanism of the body.. Goodnough’s article entitled â€Å"Abuse of Xanax Leads a Clinic to Halt Supply† points to widespread abuse of the opiate Xanax. It looks at preventative measures that have been taken at the Seven Counties and other Health Centers in the United States to prevent the abuse of opiates like Xanax. Goodnough indicates that: â€Å"The experiment will be closely watched in a State that has wre stled with widespread prescription drug abuse for more than a decade†. The article points to serious repercussions since its withdrawal such as the killing of a doctor by a patient demanding a prescription for the drug. Patients who have been taken off the drugs have complained of increased anxiety since the change as the alternative drugs are not as effective. However, doctors have indicated that there are other ways to treat panic and anxiety disorders. In fact Dr. Hedges (qtd in Goodnough 2011) indicates that â€Å"the risk to the community, if we continue to use this medication is very high†. The article also points out that contrary to popular thinking, the misuse and abuse of Xanax knows no class boundary as people from all walks of life use the drug for various reasons. 3. Comparison and Critique Both articles take a different approach in controlling the use of opiates. NIDA/NIH focuses on opiates in general and mentions a gives a few examples while Goodnough dea ls specifically with Xanax. Both use pictures to give the articles prominence but NIDA/NIH article was more prominent than that of Goodnough. The one picture used by Goodnough was over-bearing and does not really serve any useful purpose in terms of assisting readers in understanding the article. A reader has to really take a second or a third look to really connect the picture to the article. NIH/NIDA on the other hand used several pictures to explain how opiates work, the effects they have on certain parts of the body and how people become addicted to these kinds of drugs. The pictures compel the reader to read the article by drawing attention to it and are useful for a better understanding and appreciation of the article. The use of a variety of colors in the text also added meaning to the NIH/NIDA article. While both articles state some disadvantages of taking the drugs pointing to the effects that it can have on persons who abuse it, NIDA/NIH focuses on how it affects certain p arts of the body. Goodnough focuses on what is being done to control the use of a specific Opiate Xanax in order to prevent its abuse. Goodnough also suggests ways in which misuse and abuse can be prevented. The article looks at the transition process in getting patients off the opiate to another the drug. NIH

Consumer Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer Protection - Essay Example When various competitors reach an agreement to limit the competition between them, the outcome is often an increase in prices. For that reason, price fixing is a huge concern of the Federal Trade Commission. An outright agreement between competitors to settle at particular prices is in most cases illegal regardless of whether the prices are fixed at a minimum, maximum or in a particular range. Illegal fixing of prices takes place when two or more competitors create an agreement that raises, lowers or stabilizes the price of any product or service without any form of reasonable explanation. Schemes to fix prices are in most cases developed confidentially and may be difficult to expose, but the agreements can be unearthed from circumstantial evidence. For instance, if directly connected competitors have an array mysterious identical contract terms or behaviors in regard to prices along with other factors, illegal pricing may definitely be the reason (Ftc.gov, 2014). When the competitors are also invited to coordinate the prices of goods and services, concerns are raised. This also happens when a particular competitor makes a public announcement that it is willing to put an end to a price war when there was prior announcement from a different competitor to do the same with the terms being so particular to the point that the competitors may consider it as an invite to set prices jointly (Ftc.gov, 2014). However, not all the likenesses in prices or adjustments in prices that take place simultaneously are associated with price fixing as in contrast, they are often the outcome of normal market conditions. For instance, the price of commodities like wheat is the same since the products are virtually the same and the prices charged by the farmers increase or decrease at the same time without the farmers necessarily agreeing among themselves. It the supply of the wheat declines as a result of a drought, the prices associated with all the

The Government Should Not Cut Education Budgets To solve Its Financial Research Paper

The Government Should Not Cut Education Budgets To solve Its Financial Problems - Research Paper Example The proposed way to give the United States a continued competitive edge in today’s complex world is to give students in the U.S. an excellent education. Educational funding should not be used to solve the national budget crisis because: 1) money needs to be cut from the national defense budget, which is overcompensated; 2) education is too important to be relegated to lesser funding; and 3) cutting the budget for education will promote an elitist society because many people will see an education as a privilege and not a right. A Bloated National Defense Budget Defense spending being cut could be the solution to solving not only the nation’s budget crisis, but could also be used to funnel more money into education as a result. More money for the budget would then allow one to logically then conclude there would be more money for education in the national budget. "Consistent with US military needs and declining threats, defense spending will be cut [emphasis added], which will help reduce the deficit and provide funds to invest for economic growth."1 Unfortunately, military spending in the United States has gotten out of control. â€Å"Government control over the military's budget is also deficient, because the government lacks the ability to estimate the army's needs and to evaluate the manner in which its budget is utilized.†2 First when Pres. George W. Bush invaded Iraq without consulting Congress or the international community, he pledged American troops to eight years of combat in Iraq—from which the country still has not recovered. It has been ten years that the United States has been engaged in combat in Afghanistan as well. Both wars have drained the U.S. of its budget surplus which was in effect when Pres. Bill Clinton left office. That surplus quickly dwindled with the advent of the two wars. If less money was spent on wars and more money was pumped into education, perhaps schools all across the country would not require rest ructuring due to failing Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks since the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act. America, frankly speaking, must prioritize in order to realize what is really important—having an educated public to make good decisions, or keeping the American people safe from all the possible dangers of the world by getting involved in every major conflict in the globe that could potentially endanger vested U.S. interests. These are difficult choices but they must be made, because the country’s energies are being divided in a haphazard fashion. Education: Too Important to Ignore The problems began when President Bush got elected to office in 2000 and started whittling down the surplus Bill Clinton had left behind when he left the office of the President—severely making cuts to education. â€Å"[President Bush’s] budget cut†¦funding for elementary and secondary education, denying 3.2 million children the extra reading and math help they were promised by the so-called No Child Left Behind Act.†3 Although President Barack Obama came to office in January of 2009 promising â€Å"change,† unfortunately he is also making cuts to education, including grants for history. â€Å"The President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request for the Department of Education once again eliminates Teaching American History Grants (TAH) as a separately funded program†¦