The Case of BBC and TV Licensing Fee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Case of BBC and TV Licensing Fee - Essay Example People when faced with various alternatives have to decide based on various choices or options. The same thing happened in the case of BBC. In modern times, the existence of other independent televisions and live cable and satellites for free made it to a point that TV licensing became a controversial issue in the UK. There was fragmentation of political communications and even the rise of globalisation aggravates the said situation (Curran and Gurevitch, 2000, p.1; Curran, 2002, p.6). Before, in the absence of these alternatives a license fee should not come to be a controversial issue, but in the case of modern time and highly globalised world when people have various options to enjoy the media even for free, TV licensing seems to be an issue that needs amendment and critical assessment. There are two opposing sides regarding TV licensing as the prevailing system for funding the BBC. Those who stand against licensing fee point out that it is an iniquitous tax. This means it does no t quite have a logical approach that would make somebody realise that it is a fair thing to do. While other nations are enjoying media broadcast without fee, the UK according to TV licensing fee critics does not need to experience paying something or contents that at some point are not consumed. TV licensing fee according to its critics is just a way of forcing somebody to pay a hundred pounds to contents shown by a broadcaster that at some point could not be substantially consumed. At this point, the opponents of TV licensing fee advocates have a remarkable point. However, on the part of the advocates, they believe that BBC is the only broadcaster in Great Britain that is way beyond the control of vested interest. This particularly... In this essay, the proponent tries to elaborately discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current system of funding the BBC and the reason why it is such a controversy today. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is one of the potential areas of concern in the United Kingdom because it includes the issue about significant funding that has to be shouldered by every household prior to sustaining its operation. A television license fee has to be charged to every British household, companies, or organizations prior to using equipment to record or receive live television broadcasts. This license allows somebody to have potential access to the BBC and its programs and to the current affairs that at some point may vary from those offered by commercial television and independent cable or satellites. The license fee is set by the British government and agreed by the parliament, which make everything about it controlled by the government, which could be determined as a form of cen sorship or capitalistic move. Today, the issue whether TV license that is associated with BBC’s funding is tenable or not is one of the potential concerns that require critical understanding. It is also concluded that the main reason why BBC remains a controversy nowadays is because of the presence of these highly commercialised pressures brought by independent and commercial broadcasting companies. This is actually the general essence of the whole point of the various advantages offered by TV licensing fee in funding BBC.

Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay One thing that most people don’t seem to understand about fast food restaurants is the harmful and unethical practice that comes with an order of a double cheeseburger with a side order of medium fries and a drink. Eric Schlosser, the author of â€Å"Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal,† had made several negative interpretation about the functionality of fast food corporation. Such interpretation can be in relations of what a typical Marxist would complain about, such as the fact that fast food corporation tends to do whatever means possible to reach the end of making a substantial amount of profit. In â€Å"Fast Food Nations: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal,† Schlosser targeted on the unethical practices of producing profit which includes the fabrication of sediment phrases, the systematic of mass production, and the management of poor quality with emphasis of large quantity. Some of the claims that Schlosser made can be viewed similarly to the aspects of Karl Marx and his believers, the Marxists. Many Marxists can strongly support Schlosser’s claim with a Marxist interpretation of an accusation of Capitalism. Marxist is known as a group of socialist and they believes that the government’s economy should be equally shared amongst all working classes. Without a doubt, Schlosser had exposed the fact that corporations like McDonalds, Carl’s Jr, Burger King, and so forth had made great profits from exploiting the nation’s vulnerable workers who are willing to work at any cost. These vulnerable workers can be just about anyone from teenagers to first generation immigrants. All in all, Schlosser had made a strong argument to persuade the nation from supporting profit-hungry Corporation by revealing of its unethical practices that may be a convincing factor for the nation to think twice before entering another fast food restaurant. One of the many reasons why fast food restaurants are successful is because they know how to market themselves properly with small sentimental message that appeals to the community. Sentimental message might not mean much, but when families of the community are convinced that the restaurant cares about them, they will be inclined to support their business. It’s a shame that the community does not see the irony in their sentimental messages. Example of the irony would be Mcdonalds creating the Ronald McDonald House of Charity to ask customers for additional donations, in which all proceeds of that donation will help other counties hospital. The irony of this all is that fast food is also the reason why kids are unhealthy. It is also common knowledge that fast food is the leading cause of obesity and obesity can lead to various amount of health-related problem. Another reason why fast food restaurants are successful is because fast food industries target a younger audience such as children. Their techniques on children are simple, because children love collecting toys and items that relates to cartoon figures that they are familiar with. Therefore, these corporations would purchase patents and the rights to use their cartoon figure or icon on their product, which typically sells efficiently with kids. These items are not just popular amongst the children’s age group, but â€Å"many adult collectors have also bought Teenie Beanie Baby Happy Meals, kept the dolls, and threw away the food† (Schlosser 48). These cross promotions between brands has done two things; strengthens ties between fast food industries and companies and also create an irresistible addiction between collectors and the industries. Another marketing strategy that these fast food industries utilize is to slightly modify the collectible’s colors or parts to attract customers to spend a fortunate collecting a whole set of the same kind of toys. The surface of the fast food industries may be deceiving to the general public, but it certainly is not easily deceitful to the workers who dealt with jobs within a fast food industry. While the economy continues to look like steep slide, workers are becoming more willing to work at any jobs in order to financially support their family and themselves. These very same workers that work for fast food industries, are typically teenagers or first generation immigrants because fast food industries knows that these two candidates are perfect for exploitation. Also, because they are less likely to form unions, complain about conditions, and complain about long hours. Fast food industries, like most Marxist-invaded counties, know how to exploit their workers at their fullest potential. They hire the uneducated youth with the least potential to start a union. They view workers as cheap objects that they can be hired and fired at the will of their employers. Unlike a business firm, these fast food industries rarely give raises to their employees, but instead they ould motivate their workers with encouragements or compliments. Since these workers are uneducated and don’t know their rights enough to argue, they would simply respond to their employer’s encouragement or compliment with better performances. Aside from the wages, these jobs are more than often dangerous. It is not certain whether these companies have spent enough money to properly train workers to diligently use the restaurants equipment which would prevent health inc idents and work injuries. Reasons being that these companies are profit-focused. They will try to minimize their spending as much as possible to make sure that they maximize the profit. Some of these jobs are even done by illegal immigrants or anyone desperate enough for a job at a later night shift, because it’s extremely dangerous and companies do not want to risk going into law suits or paying for higher life insurances for their workers with all means to maximize their profit. Schlosser had mentioned a story about Kenny Dobbin, as an example of a worker who was a victim of such unethical offense. Kenny was an uneducated man with no literacy skills, but was tall and strong. He was hired by Monfort, a meat-packing plant company, whom took advantage of Kenny’s kindness and abused him by placing him in dangerous working condition. After sixteen years of pure dedication, Kenny was fired because of his severe injuries from work, because the company does not want to pay for a higher insurance coverage for him. Kenny was â€Å"once strong and powerfully built, he now walks with difficulty, tires easily, and feels useless as though his life were over. He is forty-six years old† (Schlosser 190). Kenny, however, is still considered to be one of the fortunate one because he is able to get his story out unlike many other victims who weren’t able to get their stories out because they are still working with the injuries that they have attained from work. Some of the reasons that explain why they don’t complain about their injuries are because they don’t want to be fired and stress the difficulties of finding another job. These are just some of the examples of the inhumanely acts that fast food industries had commit to their workers. Workers might understand the cruelty that lies within their job, but they might not know what kind of quality the management has selected for the product that they are working with. Aside from managing workers and their wages, fast food industries also manages their food supplies to ensure the greatest amount of profit. By doing so, managements of fast food industries would choose the cheapest quality of meat that’s barely edible, refrozen fries that have been made with preservatives, and also wheat from a wheat field that have been sprayed with pesticides on a regular basis. Many fast food critics, including Schlosser, argued that fast food industries are more concern about the superficial image and the smell of the product rather than the natural healthy content of the product. Schlosser had mentioned that the â€Å"Food and Drug Administration does not require flavor companies to disclose the ingredients of their addictive, so long as all the chemicals are considered by the agency to be generally regarded as safe,† which means that the government had betrayed the consumers and had gave fast food industries the additional power to make substantial amount of profit. Most fast food restaurant took advantage of the governments’ lack of responsibility and would spend as little as possible on meat. This course of action might be good for business, but it is absolutely terrible for the consumers who invest their health in these fast food products. In the early years of fast food industries, many fast food restaurants have been criticized for their contaminated burgers because of the hospitalized and illness trend that consumers are recognizing prior to eating their burgers. The fast food industries did not know how to react to such immense pressure, so they attempt to shift the blame to the farmers. Eventually the government realized the decline of fast food industries and initiated the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to run a federal inspection test for all the meat packaging industries of the fast food industries. This might have been a good sign of improvement for the government, until the government decided to be secretive about their findings and had agreed with fast food industries to not reveal the details about the company’s distributed meat. Today, Fast food industries is still one of the largest marketing industries across nation, but let’s not forget about the labor policies, marketing strategies, and agricultural techniques that comes within their products. Schlosser had made enough strong argument about the business tactics that are responsible for the success of fast food industries. Such tactics that targets children and families with collectibles and sentimental values, hiring workers that are more willing to work with minimum wages, and also managing a horrible quality of food supplies. These factors might be great for the industries because they prospering a substantial amount of profit, but it are unhealthy for the consumers across the nation. Hopefully in the near future, United State’s Department of Agriculture would interfere with regulations that would prevent fast food industries from exploiting the community of its self-motivated individuals. Schlosser also believed that the government should create a federal agency that promotes â€Å"more safety laws that could also reduce the number of slaughterhouse workers who get hurt† (Schlosser 264). With the worker’s safety conditions controlled, it would also be the nation’s best interest to end obesity, by controlling the establishment of fast food restaurants allowed per community and to open up healthier restaurants. Now on a more practical basis, students and the community should raise awareness of the unethical practices of fast food industries, and promote healthier eating habits within their community. With this practical practice, fast food industries will be prone to being eliminated, and the community will live a longer and healthier life.

Nursing: Lifting, Transferring And Positioning Of Patients Essay

Nursing: Lifting, Transferring and Positioning of Patients ABSTRACT Lifting, transferring and positioning of patients is frequently undertaken by nurses on each working day. This is necessary for patient comfort, medical reasons and completion of self care needs. Lifting can be done in numerous ways. As well as the nurse physically lifting or moving patients, a number of devices are also available to assist in the transfer of patients. These range from straps that are attached to or placed under the patients, to mechanical hoists and lifters. Any assistance the nurse has is beneficial for both the patient and the health care worker, as patient's weights are generally heavier than the nurses physical capabilities. This, combined with incorrect lifting techniques, can result in muscle strain, or more seriously, spinal injury for the nurse, and discomfort, muscle strain or further injury for the patient. INTRODUCTION When lifting, transferring or positioning patients, the most important consideration is safety. Any of these procedures need to be undertaken with it in mind. This safety is inclusive of both the patient and the health care worker. Communication is an important part of the lifting process as the nurse should elicit information from the client to find out how and when they prefer to be moved. This allows the patient to be involved in the decision making process and be fully aware of what is occurring. By communicating with the client, the nurse is also aware of whether or not the patient is experiencing any discomfort during or after the lift. The actions of lifting, transferring or positioning need to be completed for numerous reasons, including relief of pressure points. Due to the patient being in one position continuously, they are prone to the development of pressure areas. In terms of patient needs, being in the same position constantly is physically uncomfortable. However, mentally, a change in the immediate surroundings is also beneficial for the patient. It is also necessary for the patient to be moved for completion of their self care needs. This includes their hygiene needs, which include, bathing or showering, elimination, hair, oral and nail care. METHOD When lifting, transferring or positioning patients manually, safety is the most important factor. This safety is for the nurse thems... ... of using the lifters there may not be as much manual lifting necessary. Education about manual handling is also vital to ensure correct lifting techniques are used. Constant re-evaluation of the staff's abilities and methods would ensure safety for both parties involved. This would make staff aware that the least amount of strain placed on the muscles and joints as possible is beneficial to them. The re-evaluation is also important in the fact that it allows the health care worker to be constantly up to date on any new procedures which may be developed. REFERENCES Kozier, B., Erb, G., Blais, K., Wilkinson, J.M. 1995, {italics on} Fundamentals of Nursing {italics off}, 5th Edition, Addison Wesley Publishing Company Inc., United States of America. Love, C. 1995, 'Managing manual handling in clinical situations', {italics on} Nursing Times {italics off}, vol. 91, no. 26, pp. 38-39. Scott, A. 1995, 'Improving patient moving and handling skills', {italics on} Professional Nurse {italics off}, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 105-110. Seymour, J. 1995, 'Handling Aids - Lifting and moving patients', {italics on} Nursing Times {italics off}, vol. 91, no. 27, pp. 48-50.

Swot Analysis of Network Rail

SWOT Analysis Strengths: Network Rail took over ownership by buying Railtrack plc, which was in railway administration, from the Railtrack Group plc for ? 500 million in 2002. Railtrack had become subject to broad-based and persistent criticism, notably over cost escalations and delays with the West Coast Main Line modernisation and the circumstances surrounding accidents at Southall (1997), Ladbroke Grove (1999) and Hatfield (2000). After these incidents Railtrack’s cost spiralled out of control, to remedy this situation which would ultimately lend to the company collapsing and being purchased by the government. By purchasing Railtrack when the company was being heavily criticised and by renaming it Network Rail it was seen as a favourable action because Railrack was in such a bad state it could only improve by being taken over. Network Rail are currently investing ? 800 million into the railway tracks every to improve and maintain the tracks, in 2006 alone the company spent ? billion on engineering projects improving stations, track and the efficiency of the railway industry. The company has also used this money to acquire state-of-the-art technology and invest large amounts of money in machinery such as ballast cleaners, the high-output train and track-relaying train. Spending this amount of money on the railway shows current and potential passengers that the company is very dedicated to maintaining and improving the railway and the services they provide. Weaknesses: During the Christmas period of 2007 Network Rail planned maintenance to take place whilst passenger levels would be low with the expectation of the work being complete by New Years Eve. However this maintenance work got delayed and passengers were advised to check travelling schedules before attempting the go to their destination. The delays lasted for a total of 3 days and the service resumed to normal on 2nd January 2008. These delays heavily affected passengers as well as operating companies such as Virgin trains as 50,000 people had booked tickets to travel on 31st January. By not informing the operating companies of the maintenance work they had planned for the holiday period they have damaged their relationship with the operating companies. They have also damaged their relationship with passengers as the delays hindered them from getting to spend the holiday period with their families. The derailments which occurred at Grayrigg, Potters Bar and Epsom have affected the reputation of Network Rail as they have accepted responsibility for the incidents. As a result of this the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) are currently conducting an investigation in to the incident and criminal charges may be brought. In the eyes of the public these incidents may bring back memories of the accidents at Southall, Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield and the public may begin to question the maintenance work which is being carried out on the railways. Network Rail announced at the beginning of 2008 that they would be raising train ticket fares. The regulated fares which included season tickets increased by an average of 4. % and many unregulated fares were set to rise by much more. The increase in ticket prices did not go down well with consumer groups who said the rises were unjustified, but train operators claimed the rises were needed to improve the railway and its services. Opportunities: Network Rail has the opportunity to transform Britain’s railway. They are trying to do this with their current projects such as: †¢Providing faste r journeys between London, Manchester and Glasgow – Investing into the UK’s busiest railway line, the West Coast. In the last two years the London-Manchester journey time has come down by over 30 minutes. Vital work continues in 2008 to reduce the bottleneck at Trent Valley and to improve capacity through Rugby and Nuneaton. †¢Improving communications between train drivers and signallers – Investing ? 1. 2 billion in building a nationwide system which enables train drivers and signallers to communicate securely at all times. This is an important safety improvement for the railway. Upgrading London’s transport network – Plans to upgrade the Thameslink route – A vital north-south artery through London – are progressing and the company plans to build world class stations in the UK’s capital. †¢Changing the face of Scotland's railway – Plans to re-introduce the railway line between Airdrie and Bathgate. This is in addition to the redevelopment of Edinburgh Waverley station which is already underway Network Rail is also planning to have a lar ge programme of investment for the London 2012 Olympic Games. By raising the fares on train tickets Network rail have the potential to have an increased net profit at the end of 2008. If the company figures show more profit than the previous this means the company has more money to invest into the railways. Threats: The threats that Network Rail face are fines from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) for the delays to train services over the Christmas period. Network Rail have already incurred 2 fines from the ORR ? 2. 4m during Christmas in 2006 following signalling problems at Portsmouth and a record ? 4m for engineering overrunning during the New Year of 2008. By not meeting the standards of the ORR Network Rail will continue to incur fines, by having to pay fines costing millions of pounds they are losing money which they could use to invest back into the railways. Another threat which Network Rail faces is the threat of passengers deciding to travel by car and also companies wanting to use Lorries to transport goods (road haulage). Road ha ulage is the use of heavy goods vehicle’s to transport products and materials from place to place. This could happen if railway lines get congested or routes are closed due to maintenance work or lack of use. PESTLE Analysis Political: Network Rail has to follow the rules of the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). If they do not adhere to the rules and regulations of the ORR, they could face a fine which could result in the company paying millions of pounds. With England being part of the European Union (EU) Network Rail can buy and sell materials from any country in the EU because the has lowered the trade barriers. Economic The railways can be used to transport goods all over the country. Some of the benefits of using a train to transport goods are: †¢Faster than lorries/trucks †¢Trains have multiple carriages so a number of goods can be delivered at once †¢It’s cheaper than using lorries/trucks As well as being part of the EU, Britain can trade materials with countries outside of the EU. Being able trade goods with a number of countries allows Network Rail to negotiate better deals on goods. The inflated price of fuel and the introduction of the low emission zone may increase the demand for railway industry. As the inflation arise the costs of living increases therefore the price of using the railway must be at the price that the country can afford. Often delays to the passengers and delivering goods may costs the individuals and businesses, which may impact on the UK economy. Social With Network Rail increasing the prices of train tickets at the beginning of the year consumers were not happy with the unjustified price increase, however operators said that the price increase would mean that more money would be spent on the trains, railways and other services. The railway system is a system that will always be needed in England because the trains reduce journey times and some trains produce lower emission fumes than cars. Having fast trains means passengers can get from place to place within 3 hours. Since network Rail has been investing money over the last 2 year the journey time from London to Manchester as decreased by over 30 minutes Technological Network Rail have used large sums of money to purchase state of the art echnology to help improve the communication between train drivers and signallers to communicate securely at all times, which is very an important part of railway safety. They have also invested money in machinery such as ballast cleaner, the high-output train and track-relaying train. Spending large sums of money to improve communication and improve the railway shows that Network Rail are trying to the railways and other components up to date. Legal Network Rail need to follow the rules and regulations of transport or rai lway acts which have been set by the government. The modern railway statutes are: †¢Railways Act 1993 †¢Competition Act 1998 (insofar as it confers competition powers on the Office of Rail Regulation) †¢Transport Act 2000 †¢Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 †¢Railways Act 2005 The company is accountable to a body of Members through its corporate constitution, to its commercial train operator customers through its contracts with them (the contracts are subject to regulatory oversight), and to the public interest through the statutory powers of the Office of Rail Regulation. The Office of Rail Regulation in turn operates within the overall transport policy set by the UK Department for Transport Environmental Being a company which is governed Network Rail need to be seen as acting environmentally friendly. In an article written by The Times Newspaper (2007) the title for the article reads â€Å"Rail industry admits that it’s often greener for families to travel by car†. This statement means that travelling by car is less harm to the environment then travelling by train. Network Rail has a social responsibility to keep pollution emissions low as the government is currently working towards reducing the carbon emissions in the UK to slow down global warming. â€Å"Modern diesel-powered trains are so polluting that a family of three or more would be responsible for at least double the carbon dioxide emissions on many routes when travelling by rail compared with driving in a typical medium-sized car. † Source: http://travel. timesonline. co. uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/article2067255. ece

Why Do Countries Trade with Each Other

Why do countries trade with each other? Show, using examples, why this may be to do with principle of comparative advantage. Introduction In 1776 Adam Smith stated, â€Å"If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of our own industry, employed in a way in which we have some advantage. † This sentence shows basic principle on which the world trade is based. Countries buy and sell goods abroad to achieve the best possible cost-effectiveness.Long-distance trade dates back to the ancient times and today it is the heart of the world economy. It is a crucial factor in economic growth of every state. Source of prosperity and development in industrialized world. Statistically speaking, countries with high per capita values of export and import tend to have relatively rich and prosperous societies. International trade is a necessity deriving from the diversity of international community. Countries have different weather, natural resources, population, educational level of workforce, infrastructure.All these thing make cost of producing particular commodities different in each country. And that difference causes international trade to be reasonable. In my essay I’ll try to justify why countries trade with each other by pointing out and explaining particular aspects of foreign trade. Natural Resources and Factor of Endowment The most obvious and visible cause for international trade is a difference in location of natural resources and factor of endowment. Factor of endowment is amount  of  labor,  land,  money  and  entrepreneurship  that could be exploited for  manufacturing  within a country.Every country is unique, therefore they have different economic potentials. Some countries naturally have more natural resources, higher population, bigger territory than the others. Uneven location of resources causes limited possibilities of productio n within countries. For example France has basically no oil resources on its own yet it is the world 13th biggest consumer (CIA, 2010). That means that it has to import almost all it requires. They are importing it from countries that have oil surplus that they can exchange. Population is also a crucial factor.More populated nations are more likely to produce huge surplus of commodities that they can subsequently sell. Like China which huge industry sector produce number of goods big enough to sell all over the world. In order to cultivate the land, grow particular plants, practice animal husbandry very specific climate and soil fertility is needed. For instance citrus fruits can develop only in climates with a cool winter. Relatively few countries can claim to have weather like this, yet we can buy oranges and limes all over the world.These examples show that some countries do not have physical possibility to produce certain goods and have to import them. This is especially noticea ble in industrialized western societies which historically have very big demand on tropical goods such as spices, fabrics, fruits etc. Specialization Heckscher-Ohlin theory indicates that countries specializes in the production of goods that it is adopted to produce. It directly derives from differences in factor of endowment I described before.Countries have different production capacity some are rich in capital and poor in labour power, others have a lot of people but not much capital, some have a lot of raw materials, another have skilled man power. Principle of specialization is closely related to the division of labour. Whole country adopts a role of producer of certain good when the others do the same with different goods. Of course it is just a simplification because some commodities like for instance cars are produced in many different countries. One country can be specialized in production of many different goods.But in general every country produce a certain range of produ cts in high volume. That give them the opportunity to invest as much capital and labour as it is possible to develop the production and conduct research. That helps achieving higher efficiency of production and exploit economy of scale. Economy of scale is basically decreasing average cost of production per unit by expanding scale of output. By specialization economy is capable to produce high surplus and sell it abroad afterwards. Since when costs of production decreases, supply increases.To visualize the point I’ll present and theoretical example. Country â€Å"A† is very capital-abundant but is poor in labour and country â€Å"B† is poor in capital, but has a lot of labour force. Country â€Å"A† country can form capital-intensive industries that will have great efficiency thanks to scale of the production. It will produce surplus and then exchange it with country â€Å"B† which specialized itself in labour-intensive industries. By that means, p roduction of both capital and labour intensive goods will be higher and of better quality. Great real world example is Dutch agriculture.Holland is a medium populated country with only 61st place in the world in terms of population (CIA, 2012). Yet its agriculture which employs only 2% of the population provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and exports. After United states and France it is world third largest exporter of foodstuffs. That is thanks to huge investments in new technologies and mechanized agriculture. Comparative Advantage Both reasons for trading that I described in previous paragraphs boil down to one absolute cause for world trade to occur, comparative advantage.Country has a comparative advantage when it has an ability to produce particular good at lower marginal and opportunity cost. Because of limited production capacity no country is able to produce every needed product. To produce particular good or service, economy sometimes has to give up o n producing others. That means that a country has to specialize on producing goods that is has comparative advantage on. For instance let’s assume that Poland can produce both cars and grow carrots at relatively low cost but at the same time Ukraine can grow carrots with a bit higher cost than Poland, but can’t produce cars.That means that Poland has absolute advantage on both goods but opportunity cost of producing a car in Poland is significantly higher than in Ukraine. By investing work force and capital in cultivation of carrots Poland misses an opportunity to produce more cars which can bring higher revenue to the polish economy. In that way Ukraine has a comparative advantage on production of carrots because Ukrainian economy do not lose opportunity to produce anything, by investing in carrot agricultural production. This example explains why it is sometime worthwhile for countries to export goods that they are capable of producing.This can lead everyone to produ cing only those goods that one can produce most efficiently. Good example of comparative advantage in contemporary world is the fact that on span of last few India became a major supplier of phone answering services for USA. Even though obviously Americans have better skill in English language and are able to provide this service independently , relatively high skilled American labour force is needed in another efforts. Opportunity cost of having that service provided by Americans is to apparently to high. That’s why it is transferred to India. ConclusionConclusion that derives from previous points is that world trade is inevitable and necessary mean in contemporary world. Factor of Endowments paragraph clearly states that countries are endowed with resources extremely unevenly. 81% of Petroleum reserves which is currently one of the most desired and needed commodities is localized in only 12 countries(OPEC,2011). Concerning that most of the world countries do not have oil re sources big enough to satisfy domestic demand, they have to import it. This is not only oil supply problem, many goods are able to be produced, mined etc. only in certain areas.This is in my opinion the most visible and crucial reason why countries trade. Secondly over the years people understood that specialization and intensification of production can bring huge profit. Economy of scale make per unit production cheaper but involve bigger effort. That’s why it is easier to focus on big production of only some range of goods why importing others. And of course comparative advantage principle which in mathematical way, shows how by division of production between countries and a proper assessment of opportunity cost every country can trade with one another with profit.These three examples of reasons why do countries trade should explain concept of international trade clearly enough and show its benefits and inevitability in contemporary world. Bibliography Smith, A, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, (1776) Sokoloff, Engerman, History Lessons: Institutions, Factors Endowments, and Paths of Development in the New World, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Available from: http://www. jstor. org/stable/2646928? seq=8 [Accessed 29th October 2012]McKenzie, Lionel, Specialization and Efficiency in World Production. , The Review of Economic Studies21 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Smith, A. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. (1776), p. 364. [ 2 ]. Business Dictionary, Factor of Endowment Definition. Available from: http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/factor-endowment. html [Accessed 28 October 2012] [ 3 ]. The Economist, Economies of scale and scope. Available from: http://www. economist. com/node/12446567 [Accessed 29th October 2012]

Compare the role of the fathers in Captain Corellis Mandolin and The Shell Seekers Essay Example

Compare the role of the fathers in Captain Corellis Mandolin and The Shell Seekers Essay Example Compare the role of the fathers in Captain Corellis Mandolin and The Shell Seekers Paper Compare the role of the fathers in Captain Corellis Mandolin and The Shell Seekers Paper Essay Topic: Literature In Captain Corellis Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres and the The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher there is a strong reference to the importance of a father in a womans life especially in difficult situations such as war. In these books the womens lives are powerfully influenced by their fathers. Captain Corellis Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres is set during the Second World War in Cephallonia a small Greek island. It is the love story between Pelagia, the local doctors daughter and Captain Antonio Corelli, an Italian officer. The The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher is about Penelope Keeling, an artists daughters life experiences. She looks back on her life. A bohemian childhood in Cornwall, an unhappy wartime experience, a true love and a present family dilemma are the main features of the book. The views on the fathers are affected by the structure of the books. The Shell Seekers is in retrospective, the story is focused on Penelope. Lawrence Stern is described in the way that she remembers him to be, she is old and nostalgic therefore she only centres on the good things about her father (as it is the overall view she has got of him). On the other hand Bernieres tells the story as it happens. The story is told from a wider point of view and it is more objective. This is why find out more of Dr. Iannis faults than Lawrences faults. This idea of faults makes it more realistic. We see that Iannis is really proud and does not like showing his feelings, he is very patriotic and sometimes this makes him unwelcoming towards foreigners. We see this when Corelli arrives at the house. Iannis makes his life very difficult just because he is an Italian. This is seen when Pelagia tells him: Papakis, you made him feel like a flea. (Page 204) It is Pelagia that notices his fault and tells him off for it. It shows us that Pelagia has to do the job of a wife in some aspects. She is the closest person to him and therefore has to make him realise his mistakes. This contrasts with Lawrence Stern because he has a wife and has therefore learnt what his errors are. Unlike Rosamunde Pilcher, Louis de Bernieres uses a mixture of comic and serious scenes. The comic scenes are mainly introduced by Antonio Corelli. Neither of the fathers is comic but occasionally we find humour in their speech or their description. The characters of the athers are used to set the scene. They are serious men because it is wartime which is sad and cheerless so they give a feel of what the mood was around them at the time. They give realism to the books. In Captain Corellis Mandolin we first hear about Pelagias father Iannis in the first chapter while he is fulfilling his job as a doctor. The first impression we get of him is that he is a much respected man with a very busy life devoted to healing and helping other people. We hear about Lawrence Stern, Penelopes father in chapter 6. Like doctor Iannis hes first introduced to the reader when e is at his working environment. However, he has stopped working due to serious arthritis, but he is still really keen on his job and likes going to his studio to enjoy the peacefulness and meditate about his life. He seems to have hope that one day hell be able to paint again. Pilcher says: Lawrence Stern had not worked for more than ten years, but the tools of his trade were all about, as though, at any moment he might take them up and start to paint again. (Page 170) We become aware of the importance of art for him even though he cant paint any longer. Both fathers are introduced to the reader in their working nvironment. Although their jobs are very different they are equally enthusiastic about their vocation. We perceive Dr. Iannis interest towards medicine when we read: and an ancient pea wrapped up in his handkerchief to be added to his private medical museum. (Page 4) The fact that he has got his own medical collect ion gives us an idea of his interest in medicine. Their jobs are very important features in the books. In The Shell Seekers most of the story is based on one of the Lawrence Sterns master pieces. It is a great influence in Penelopes life. In chapter 7 Penelope says: never sell my darling Shell Seekers, and I shall continue to get the utmost satisfaction and comfort from looking at it. Its all Ive got left of the old days, and being a child, and Cornwall and Porthkerris. (Page 225) It has a great effect in her life. It offers her a lot of comfort and support. It is mentioned throughout the book and whenever it comes up we also learn about the effect of Lawrence Stern in her life. She does not have the same talent as her father in art but she is taught to appreciate everything around her in the same way as an artist does. In Captain Corellis Mandolin the fathers job also has an influence on Pelagias life. She also wants to be a doctor and her father encourages her to accomplish her dream. When he is healing Captain Corelli he gives her confidence to help him. They both have a very important role in the overall of the books. Dr. Iannis is very important in Captain Corellis Mandolin because he makes the love story between Antonio Corelli and Pelagia more challenging. When the reader tends to go to a dreamlike world where everything is perfect he makes the lovers notice the problems that hey have. The fact that there is a war going on around them and that they are supposed to be enemies and that she is engaged makes their love story more interesting to the reader. In this case the father is the character that introduces the challenges and at the same time shows support to his daughter and provides her and the reader with some useful help and information. Dr Iannis says: But you must remember that you are betrothed to Mandras. Technically the captain is an enemy. Can you conceive the torment that would be inflicted upon you by others when they judge hat you have renounced the love of a patriotic Greek, in favour of an invader, an oppressor? You will be called a collaborator, a Fascists whore, and a thousand things besides. (Page 344) Penelopes father does the opposite. When we come to the conclusion that there is no hope and everything seems tragic, he makes everything not be as bad as it seems. This is possible because of the good relationship he has with his daughter. A good example of this is when she falls in love with Richard Lomax, the American soldier, but finds herself in a love crisis due to her misguided marriage. Her father ases the situation by making her realise that her happiness is more important than what people think and she shouldnt ignore her feelings towards Richard Lomax. When Penelope is hesitating between going out with Richard or not because she is sacred of getting involved her father tells her not to worry because it does not matter what happens as soon as she is happy with her decision. She says: I really like you. mostly because weve always been able to talk. (Page 432) Their age and experience gives their daughters a lot of confidence to believe that they are doing the right thing when they follow their athers advice. Both fathers have a link with their daughters lover that gets involved in their relationship at some point. Penelope meets Richard Lomax through his and her fathers interest in art. From the first time we are introduced to him we know that he has a lot in common with her father and this attracts her to him. In Captain Corellis Mandolin the relationship between Antonio and Pelagia is also affected by Dr. Iannis. He is unwelcoming and cold to him when he arrives at the island because he is an Italian, therefore an enemy. Pelagia follows her fathers example and that leads them to their ove-hate relationship. This is a good example of an instant when Pelagia tries to imitate her father: Pelagia could not resist essaying her fathers mode of resistance (Page 207) Penelopes and Pelagias characters have been mostly established by their fathers. Although Penelope grew with a mother, her mother was more like a sister to her due to her young age. This means that her father has the greatest influence on her life. Pelagia and Penelope are only children and they have been brought up to accomplish the role of a son as well as the one of a daughter. For that reason they are oth quite wild and ahead of their time. As well as Lawrence Stern, Dr. Iannis dies during the book. We realise after their death the importance for their daughters. The Shell Seekers is left as the clearest memory of Lawrence Stern to her daughter that is why it has so much personal value for her. This is how Penelope describes it: The Shell Seekers, as well as being my most treasured possession, was also my comfort and solace. I couldnt live without it(Page 363) When Pelagias daughter had a child, she started calling him Iannis. It says: began to refer to it as Iannis. She referred to it so often with that name that it soon seemed obvious to the parents that it could not be Kyriakos or Vassos or Stratis or Dionisios. If you called it Iannis, it smiled and blew slimy bubbles that burst and trickled down its chin, and so Iannis it was. (Page 496) From this passage we see that even though he died long ago she keeps him in her mind all the time. That is why she refers to her grandson as Iannis even before that name was decided it seems natural to her that he is called Iannis. Even if his parents decided to call him something else to her it would have always been Iannis. It is a way of thanking her father for everything he had done for her; it is a way of bringing him back to life. I think both fathers have a very important role. They are important in the lives of the main characters, Pelagia and Penelope and affect their characters and their way of life even after their death. Although Lawrence Stern and Dr Iannis are very different characters, they both bring up their daughters in the same way and expect the same from them. They want their daughters to think for themselves, make their own decisions and chose what they want to do with their lives.

Dos and donts for the First Day of Classes

Dos and donts for the First Day of Classes You Should and Should not Do during the First Class Almost every student finds the beginning of a new semester exciting. You are going to have new classes, new teachers, maybe new mates, a fresh start Here are some tips that might help you when it comes to having a good first day of classes. Arrive Early The first impression is very important and nothing can be worse than being late to the first class. It shows disrespect to the professor and your fellow classmates. Since it is the first class, you might have never been to this classroom before. For this reason, it is necessary to get to know where the class will take place ahead of time. You can have a walk there the day before you actually have that class. Do not Sit in the Back of the Class During the first week of classes, students mentally claim their spot so pick your one wisely once you first walk in the classroom. It is not necessary to sit in the very front, but make sure you do not pick the seat in the very back, as well. By sitting in the back row, you will find that there are so many distractions there and chances are that you will not be able to hear what your professor says or see what he writes on the board. The middle will do just fine. Read the Course Syllabus Beforehand A good way to have a head start in your classes is to thoroughly read the syllabus. This will help you be prepared to ask important questions at the first class and to know what to expect from every teacher. Do not Wait until Last Moment to Purchase Textbooks You should purchase or borrow all the necessary textbooks as soon as it is possible. Many professors prefer getting started right away and if it takes more than a week for your textbook to be delivered, that already puts you behind. The day your professor tells you what book you will need, you should start searching for it. Exchange Information with a Friend Making a friend in each of your classes is often easier said than done, especially when you are studying at a big college. During your first day, ensure you have somebody you can contact from every class you attend in the case you have any questions related to the class. This is very helpful in case you miss a class or do not understand a certain assignment. Do not Procrastinate If your teacher gives you an assignment right at the first class, make sure to get started on it as soon as it is possible. If you start procrastinating from the very beginning, it will be very difficult to stay on track later.

Keeping it (un)real - Emphasis

Keeping it (un)real Keeping it (un)real Hes a shrewd one, that Sir Alan Sugar. As he announced in the opening episode of The Apprentice, he realises that knowing every word to Candle in the wind does not mean he is Elton John. Using our Suralan to Plain English dictionary, we see that his sensible if somewhat obvious point is that being able to say the right things will not automatically make you a success in business. But without even looking at how his hapless protgs walk the walk, its worth noting just how poorly they talk the talk. From business writing to business speaking, the distinction that must be made is between effective self-expression (which is vital from job interviews onwards) and meaningless buzzwords. That these two be kept separate is as fundamental as Sir Alan and Sir Elton not mixing up their night-on-the-town outfits. The question raised just before this series began airing was: is it appropriate, in this economic climate, to encourage the aggressive, money-grabbing ways that helped get us into this mess? Alternatively, will people tune into the programme for tips on how to get, or hold onto, a job? Whatever their motivation, tune in they have: over eight million viewers watched episode one. Sir Alan was quoted on www.telegraph.co.uk describing this years contestants as very bright and high calibre compared to what weve seen in the past. As a newcomer at series five then, I can only assume previous series have been populated entirely by briefcase-carrying chickens (with or without heads). There is a growing consensus that what is needed now is more of a back-to-basics approach. As Tim Worstall points out in Februarys Real Business magazine: [t]oo much of the economy lies in banking and financial services, and that what this situation calls for is the textbook entrepreneur, eg one who takes available economic resourcesand turns them to more productive uses. Similarly, Cassandra Jardine of the Telegraph wrote of the need for more literal apprentices, with just the small a. Aha. So, were looking at a difference between reality and reality television. (No, really.) In the real world, trust and teamwork are encouraged. And what has TA 2009 given us? On the team-building side: criticisms of a project manager who wasnt autocratic enough; and reference to colleagues as puppets. For cultivating business relationships, we have: business manager Mona belligerently telling a prospective client youve got it all wrong; sales consultant Debra snapping wed already bought it! at Sir Alan himself, when he dared question her teams buying of overpriced cleaning supplies; and Majid who didnt want to lose to girlsnot that Im sexist. And from trainee stockbroker Bens inappropriate and hyperbolic making money is better than sex, to moist-eyed Senior Commercial Manager James he of the success-flavoured spit, who trusted with my heart when I should have been looking with my eyes the whole batch is clearly aiming for the record of most words used to say nothing at all. For all that, long may we continue to watch The Apprentice (albeit often in mortification and through our fingers). Just not as a means of polishing ones communication skills: these people cant even polish cars. Perhaps we could add a disclaimer for anyone in any doubt: this is Big Brother in suits, not a seminar on business.

Mart -to- Market Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mart -to- Market Accounting - Essay Example Thus all the assets and liabilities recorded on the balance sheet of the firm are recorded at their cost value and are further adjusted by the value of the depreciation or any impairment. However, as the overall complexity of the assets and liabilities increased, it became evident that that the values of these assets and liabilities can also vary due to the changes in their market values. A substantial decline in the value of the asset can actually erode the profitability of the firm and as such if their values are not recorded properly, they may give a different picture to the investor than the actual. It is in this perspective that the role of mark to market accounting emerges wherein the values of the assets are periodically recorded at their market value and all gains or losses are subsequently adjusted in the profit and loss account of the firm. (Schuetze and Wolnizer). During current financial crisis, mark to market accounting played critical role because due to reduction in the values of the assets, firms were forced to record them at lower level thus they booked substantial losses. 3) It may be prudent to relax this idea during the time of crisis because if the overall risk return characteristics of the assets remain same during the crisis, they should not be written down to their market

How did the Revolution in Tunisia lead to all other Revolutions in the Personal Statement

How did the Revolution in Tunisia lead to all other Revolutions in the Middle East - Personal Statement Example What was the history of the region? Tunisia is the northernmost Maghreb country in Africa and borders Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. It measures 165,000 km ² in area with an estimated population of about 10.3 million. It has a coastline measuring 1,300 km in length, harbors the Sahara desert in the south with the rest consisting of particularly fertile soil. The authoritative Ben Ali was the president of the Republic of Tunisia from 7 November 1987 up to the rise of the jasmine revolution in Tunisia (Carvin Web). He was authoritative, undemocratic and did not observe international standards of human and political rights. There were poor living conditions, rampant unemployment, and corruption in Tunisia prior to the revolution. In fact, thousands of young people from North Africa would enter Europe illegally to look for a better life. How did the Middle East divide into separate countries after world war one? After World War 1, many countries gained boundaries, others lost, yet others were unchanged. In the Middle East, Lebanon separated from Syria in a treaty signed in 1936. This was because of rising trade and education connections between Lebanon and Europe, and the large Christian population of Lebanon (Skahill 40-41). The population of Lebanon was either wealthy or very poor. The Middle East countries include Bahrain, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen. What is revolution? The self-burning of Al Bouazizi who was a poor, young, and educated Tunisian who lacked employment was the beginning of expressing the injustices in the Ali regime (CNN Web). Revolutions are facts because they relate production and political power. When the oppressed majority refuses to be intimidated and recognize the fundamental weakness of their oppressors, they embrace redemption and act. They organize and

Nelson and Mr. Head in 20 years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nelson and Mr. Head in 20 years - Essay Example Nelson knows that Mr. Head is really old now and he doesn’t want him to leave this world without seeing other continents. Nelson knew that Mr. Head is old and old people create very strong associations with objects and surroundings. However, he was determined to show him Africa, the way he showed him the city and the Artificial Nigger. Nelson owns a clothing store near his house and is in good business, owns a fat bank account and has contacts that can safely ship them to Africa. The only problem is Mr. Head’s stubbornness. But Nelson is also the grandson of the same stubborn man. He is determined to drag him to another continent and show him around. One fine Tuesday morning, Mr. Head is up earlier than usual and decides to go for a little walk around his house. He grabs his stick, puts on his slippers glances over to Nelson’s room where he’s sound asleep and walks out the door. It’s winters and the morning breeze is chilling. Mr. Head buttons up his shirt to the neck and wraps his free arm around him in an unsuccessful attempt to cover him from the wind. He turns around and takes a look back at his house which is 20 odd yards away from him now and in a moment of perplexity decides to continue his morning walk. All the time he suppresses the voice in his head that it is a bad idea to leave the house in such a cold weather, but there is strange spirit within him that is pulling him forward. Maybe he wants to prove to himself that he is still a man and can take care of himself. He doesn’t want Nelson to escort him to the bathroom, to the breakfast table or to tie his shoelaces. He is feeling tired now, and very cold. His determination is giving up. He is trembling now as he frequently wipes of the mist from his glass with the sleeve of his sweater. Mr. Head is panting and the walking stick is wildly shaking now and he realizes his mistake of leaving home. He shouldn’t have left the house in

Photography as Medium of Fact or Fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Photography as Medium of Fact or Fiction - Essay Example Although photography has been seen with a veritable attachment to reality, the relationship of photography to art, notably painting and graphic media, has a long history. Changing concepts of art and practices of photography have drawn the urgency from earlier debates about their relative status, but the cultural issues concerning ways of viewing and constructing images remain of interest. The nature of the projected photographic image was known from early times, but the principles of the camera obscura, a term equally applicable to a darkened room or a small box, rendering the three-dimensional world in two, were explored in parallel with those of perspective during the 16th century. The developments of the next century in lens technology for telescopes and microscopes extended the experience of vision and produced improved and various versions of the camera. The demand for reproducible imagery of all kinds increased among the emerging professional and middle classes throughout the 18th century. The copper plate used for etching and engraving was not adequate for the long runs of impressions demanded and other means of picture production were sought. Modern photography shares its history with contemporary developments in graphic art, such as lithography, and the term 'plate' remains in use (Lewis, 2001). However, it may seem a further irony that, because of the c... For example, in 1933 this view had been expressed in a series of radio broadcasts by photographer August Sander, 'Even the most isolated Bushman could understand a photograph of the heavens-whether it showed the sun and moon or the constellations' (Sander 1978, p. 674). However, in the face of the rapid increase in global communications which has characterised the latter part of the twentieth century, we do need at least to ask to what extent the photographic image can penetrate through cultural differences in understanding. Or is photography as bound by cultural conventions as any other form of communication, such as language Yet despite such uncertainties we find that, 'Photography is nearly omnipresent, informing virtually every arena of human existence' (Ritchen 1990, p. 1). It is for this reason that we question: is it possible that our familiarity with the photographic image has bred our current contempt for the intricacies and subtle methods that characterise the medium's ability to transmit its vivid impressions of 'reality' Photography is regarded quite naturally as offering such convincing forms of pictorial evidence that this process of communication often seems to render the medium totally transparent, blurring the distinction between our perception of the environment and its photographic representations. However, we could not deny the fact that photography can also depict art. When photography is linked to art, does it mean it could also convey fictional aspect, which is quite far from reality. Thus, this article will seek to unravel the thin line of art and reality with regards to photography. Photography and Reality It is undeniable that the influence of photography through the years has been immense in influencing public opinion,

I Think, Therefore I Kant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I Think, Therefore I Kant - Essay Example The essay "I Think, Therefore I Kant" overviews the philosophy works and the revolutionary thinking of Immanuel Kant at the turn of the 19th century and his philosophy of reason still resonates in the Western world. In his attempt to reconcile religion and science, he drew criticism from all sides. His works, often heavy and lengthy, have at times made Kant difficult to understand. Yet beneath the surface lies an eloquent approach to philosophy and morality. Whether being praised or criticized, he has been called the "finisher and conqueror of Illumination". A close examination of Kant's ethical theory reveals why it drew such controversy and why it continues to persist. Kant's individual uniqueness stems from his belief in what is called deontological ethics or the study of duty. According to Kant, an action's moral value does not stem from the consequences of the action, but rather from the motivation behind the will to act. When the action is universal and is motivated by only good will, it is a categorical imperative. In Kant's words, "Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law". Thus an action that is motivated by good will is universally good. Kant criticized the Utilitarian theories that evaluate the action based on the happiness it produced. According to Utilitarianism, whatever produces the most happiness in the most people is the moral course of action. This could lead to the happiness of many at the expense of a few people's misery.

Mexican War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mexican War - Essay Example ico was becoming quite nervous about the number of Americans migrating into California, since they had no desire to go through another annexation such as Texas had been (Heidler and Heidler 48) It was also the belief of most politicians at the time, including President James K. Polk to achieve Manifest Destiny which stated that it was the wish of God to have all of the land under one government, from the Eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the Western Coast of California (Heidler and Heidler 143). Between the wish to have the land of Texas under the flag of the United States, as well as the philosophy of Manifest Destiny, the United States declared and entered a war with Mexico in order to gain new land to add to the United States and achieve the dream of a coast-to-coast United States. Though Mexico and the United States had never been friends, the annexation of Texas in 1845 was a major blow to Mexico. Upon learning that Texas had, in fact, been annexed, Mexico banished the American ambassador and cut all diplomatic ties to the United States (Mintz, Moores, and Moores). Though the attempts made by Mexico to retake Texas in 1842 had been unsuccessful, they still refused to recognize the authority of Texas as a separate nation, holding out the hope that they could indeed retake the country (as it was then thought of) that had originally been part of Mexico (Mintz, Moores, and Moores). The United States offered Mexico $5 million to recognize the border of Texas as the Rio Grande River, rather than the Nueces River 130 miles northeast(Mintz, Moores, and Moores). The United States also offered up to an additional $5 million for the territory of New Mexico, and an additional proposal offering up to $25 million for the land of California (Mintz, Moores, and Moores). The Mexicans refused any and all offers due to their anger over the loss of Texas (Mintz, Moores, and Moores). Despite attempts to preserve peace, it was soon felt that war was the only

I Think, Therefore I Kant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I Think, Therefore I Kant - Essay Example The essay "I Think, Therefore I Kant" overviews the philosophy works and the revolutionary thinking of Immanuel Kant at the turn of the 19th century and his philosophy of reason still resonates in the Western world. In his attempt to reconcile religion and science, he drew criticism from all sides. His works, often heavy and lengthy, have at times made Kant difficult to understand. Yet beneath the surface lies an eloquent approach to philosophy and morality. Whether being praised or criticized, he has been called the "finisher and conqueror of Illumination". A close examination of Kant's ethical theory reveals why it drew such controversy and why it continues to persist. Kant's individual uniqueness stems from his belief in what is called deontological ethics or the study of duty. According to Kant, an action's moral value does not stem from the consequences of the action, but rather from the motivation behind the will to act. When the action is universal and is motivated by only good will, it is a categorical imperative. In Kant's words, "Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law". Thus an action that is motivated by good will is universally good. Kant criticized the Utilitarian theories that evaluate the action based on the happiness it produced. According to Utilitarianism, whatever produces the most happiness in the most people is the moral course of action. This could lead to the happiness of many at the expense of a few people's misery.

International relation class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

International relation class - Essay Example declare war on America minutes after they pulled out of the talks but several circumstances hindered the passing of the maessage in time leading to what became the worst attacks on Japanese soil. The concept of the film is based on the conflict that led to a great loss of life due to lack of amicable ways to resolve the conflict that existed. The theme of international relationships is prevalent as poor relations between the two nations had disastrous consequences. International relations can be defined as the relationship between countries and the roles government and non-governmental agencies play in fostering these relationships (Carlsnaes, 2013). The film highlights the importance of positive international relations to the growth of a country and the importance of proper conflict management techniques within international circles. Countries and nations need to co-exist together and respect the sovereignty of each other. There is also a need to have conflict resolution forums to ensure conflict between nations are resolve in a way that will have minimum negative effect to the countries relations (Baylis,

Factors for Going Public Through an Ipo Essay Example for Free

Factors for Going Public Through an Ipo Essay When an organization is private they have decisions to make. Going public through an initial public offering, or IPO is one decision they can choose. When going through an IPO there is going to be increased capital. A public offering will allow a company to raise capital to use for various corporate purposes such as working capital, acquisitions, research and development, marketing, and expanding plant and equipment (FindLaw, 2013). Other advantages of choosing an IPO would be liquidity, increased prestige, valuation, and increased wealth. Weaknesses Even though going public has some advantages, it can also have some disadvantages too. The time and expense is probably one of the biggest disadvantages with this choice. It can take over a year and much money for fees to even start the process of an IPO. Other disadvantages to going public through an IPO would be disclosure, decisions based on stock price, regulatory review, falling stock price, and vulnerability. Disclosure is another part that can be costly when starting an IPO. That means that the organization has to make all financial records available to the public. Opportunities Going public is a way to increase public awareness of the company. The company will have more exposure of its product line. This awareness will increase sales because the product will be introduced to a new group of potential clients. An opportunity to increase clients will have an increase in market share. Investors will have a positive reaction to the company as it increases its market share. Threats As a public company, there will be accounting practices that will need to be met. The SEC requires public companies to comply with the regulations. The cost to comply with SEC regulations can be expensive in addition to the regulations the SOX Act will require an external accounting firm to audit the company adding additional cost. Since Lafleur will now be operating as a public company, they will have the pressure to perform for the market. â€Å"The actions of the companys management also become increasingly scrutinized as investors constantly look for rising profits. This may lead management to perform somewhat questionable practices in order to boost earnings† (K. Balasubramaniam, 2009). Factors for acquiring another organization in the same industry Strengths An organization can also acquire another organization in the same industry. A major strength with acquiring another organization is that Lafleur Trading Company would be the owner of both organizations and would hold the power of both at the same time. The new organization loses its power and sometimes even loses the name. Acquiring another organization might be done to save the original smaller company while boosting sales for the larger company. If Lafleur would choose to keep the client list of the new organization it would be strength for them and those clients. The clients would still be able to receive the same products, but under new owners. With the new organization being in the same industry Lafleur would not have to buy any additional equipment for the new product. They could just bring the product over to their buildings. Weaknesses Acquiring another organization has its weaknesses too. Customers can become upset over this because they want to be loyal to the previous owners over the newer ones. Lafleur would have to pay a premium to the affiliate of the organization to keep the customers happy (if they can) and without upsetting cash flow. Opportunities There is opportunity in a company’s strengths. Lafleur can take advantage of the successes the acquired company has accomplished in the areas of product, marketing, research and development, and staffing. They can also avoid mistakes that have been made in the past. Using a synergy strategy in this process of acquisition will require Lafleur to be knowledgeable in the operations of the new company. Threats The threat of acquiring another company in the same industry is in its customer base and product line. Lafleur may not be gaining new clients or offering new or improved products. The sales team may be making the same sales calls to the same customers the other company. In this scenario, Lafleur will be gaining the company’s debt without the benefit of expanding resources for future growth. Merging with another organization Strengths Mergers are different than acquiring a new organization because when two companies merge they work together instead of taking full control of the weaker company. Mergers can help both organizations while also benefiting the public. The new firm will have increased market share, which reduces competition (Economics Help, n.d.). The merger will help financially because the company will get a better interest rate for the size. Efficiency is strength for mergers because the companies can bring the more experienced employees from both organizations together. An important strength of a merger is having diversity between the two original organizations. Other strengths would be research and development, avoiding duplication, and regulation of monopoly. Weaknesses Mergers have weaknesses just like any other choice to expand the organization. Mergers mean higher prices for products because competition is cut when two organizations become one. A merger also means fewer choices of products for customers. One of the biggest weaknesses for a merger would be fewer jobs in each organization. This means that Lafleur would have to let go of some of their employees while the organization it mergers with would have to also let go of some. The employees that are left might experience diseconomies of scale. This means that the employees will feel like they are part of a big corporation and their motivation will start to go away. Opportunities Opportunity lies in a merger with a larger well known company. Lafleur will gain the experience of growth from a larger company. There is also the opportunity of better benefits, salaries, increased revenue, and the expansion of offices in other markets. There must be research to be done to choose a company that will aid in future growth. This company will need to be a worthy partner and not a company that needs a lifeline to survive. Threats If a company does not have a growth opportunity on its own, it will not have growth opportunity when it merges with another company. The threat of Lafleur not benefitting from shared resources can result in failure for both companies. Another threat to a merger is mis-management. If the other company is poorly managed, Lafleur will suffer with unrealistic strategic goals, poor communication, and uncertain future success. It is because of these reasons that most companies do not experience more than one merger in their lifetime, they usually fail. Balasubramaniam, K. (2009). Advantages and Disadvantages for a Company Going Public. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/ipoadvantagedisadvantage.asp

Pop Quiz about God: Religion in the Public School System Essay

One of the fundamental influences on childhood development is the religion the child is raised into. Religion has been engrained into American culture since its inception. However, religion has decayed in modern day America, and this fear of a Godless America has encouraged some people to desire religion be taught in public education. â€Å"For better and for worse, religious convictions play a central role in shaping events in America and throughout the world.† (Haynes, 9) Even though religion teaches morals, the importance of community, and many people credit their religion for their success, the belief of separation of church and state is a valid argument. What is the role of religion in a child’s life when it comes to schooling? Religion cannot be taught in the American public school system. Spirituality has always had a special contribution in every society and in every culture. However, many societies today have an increasing number of atheists. The atheist belief is simply that there is no God of any kind. This conviction frightens people of many different religions because they believe a person without God is a person without religion. In their minds without religion a person does not have morals. This fallacy that a person needs God to be moral is the reason why people fear that America is on a declining spiral. Although, it can be said that many people today are less moral than in past generations, the easy target to attack is the rise in atheism. However, the real culprit is religious ignorance. â€Å"The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released the first nationwide survey of American religious knowledge, based on interviews with 3,412 adults who answered 32 questions on the Bible and the world's religions. Not surprising... ...ls: A Joint Statement of Current Law. Apr. 1995. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. . Sealey, John A. Religion in Schools: A Philosophical Examination. Vol. 9. [Lund]: CWK Gleerup, 1982. Print. Studia Philosophiae Religionis. Simpson, Kevin. "Federal Guidelines for Religious Expression in Public Schools." Religion in Public Schools. 24 Apr. 200. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . VanderMey, Randall, Verne Meyer, John V. Rys, Patrick Sebranek, William Coyle, and Joe Law. The Glendale College Writer and Research Guide. 3rd ed. Mason: Cengage, 2009. Print. Zhao, Emmeline. "Arizona Proposal To Teach 'Bible' In Public Schools Becomes Law." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. .

Huck Finn As A Social Protest Novel :: essays research papers

As Mark Twain takes you through the sometimes exciting and captivating journey of the young character Huck, he takes you even deeper into his protests toward society. Each character and each situation plays a precise and symbolic role as Twain satirizes society for its many faults and hatreds. As you will come to learn, he had many. Therefore, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the definition of a social protest novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Twain uses conflict between the adversary families the Shepherdsons and Grangerfolds to depict the many-religious-hypocrisies of so-called devout Christians of society. This hypocrisy is apparent when Huck related how at, â€Å"Church [during a sermon of brotherly love]†¦ the men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall.† (Twain 146) This depicts the hypocrisies of these so-called Christians as the worst sort of violent and ignorant hypocrites – they profess to adhere to the ideology of peaceful Christianity and practicing divine understanding, while preparing to kill off each and every member of the adversary family in which they hate for some long-forgotten reason. Because of their living hypocrisy these Christians brought along their guns [to church] knowing their enemies would be side-by-side listening to the sermon, and went against that peace and understanding they supposedl y agree so much with. Huck continued to narrate, â€Å"It was pretty ornery preaching - all about brotherly love and such-like tiresomeness†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Twain 146) This further explains the setting they are in as a place of peace, and shows that even in church in absence of all the outside world they are living out their hypocrisy by not adhering to that brotherly love. Furthermore, there is no brotherly love with a gun between your knee and a fight around the corner. Overall, Twain protests so-called Christian ideals as irrelevant if those Christians are unable to practice what they preach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you read along for another example of Twain’s bitter views towards society you will note his use of Huck’s drunken Father. After crossing paths with a successful, freed slave, Pap snarled with alcohol fueled venom, â€Å"There was a free nigger there†¦ ain’t a man in town that’s got as fine clothes as what he had†¦ awfullest old gray-headed nabob in the state.†(Twain 36) This, in friendlier words than what he uses following that remark, shows the type of character a person would have to be to depict a man of such prestige as someone who would be so disgusting to him when he’s the one who should be looking in his own backyard.

Htrl – Notes

7/5/12 Notes – How To Read Literature by Thomas C. Foster Introduction: How'd He Do That? 1. Interpreting Literature A. Same Story, Different Theory, Why? The Professor is a lot more experienced than his students â€Å"We don't get it. And we think you're making it up. † – His mind is open to different theories and situations, making him somewhat optimistic. While they're pretty much closed minded only viewing situations from one point of view. They're not using the same method of thinkingThey don’t have the same â€Å"language of reading,† the students aren’t applying the same rules and strategies that the professor has learned to apply over time Putting aside the age difference, simply, people don’t think alike B. Grammar of Literature Novels, poems, plays, movies, etc. all have patterns. After the pattern is complete the audience is either pleased or not. Memory, symbol, and pattern are interpreted differently, separating professori al reading from everyone else Memory – After watching a great movie, it sticks to you.So when reading a book that the same events somewhat relates to the characters actions in the movie, one will automatically apply what they saw in the movie to the characters action which opens up another view or interpretation of what’s going on. Symbol – Professors read symbolically, opening their minds to different ideas and comparisons between different things that a student, for example, wouldn’t be able to find alike any way, shape, or form. Pattern – Observing a pattern of literature has a lot to do with mechanism 2.Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not) A. When It's Not? The story with the young teenager didn’t seem like a quest but in fact was because it had the same characters and actions that a quest has, it's a quest in disguise. A quest consist of five things and the story had those five exact things, it just wasn’t so obvious The quester is usually young and inexperienced The quester usually fails the stated task In a quest, there’s always challenges and trials 3. How, Where Have I Seen This Before? A. Connecting the dotsAfter studying and practicing literature for so long, a person begins to recognize patterns and concepts Studying literature is mostly practice After studying one thing and read others, you begin to connect the two and think â€Å"where have i seen this before† 4. It's Greek to Me A. Myths Myths show sacrifice and lost or heroism and loyalty Authors use myths to have a nice plot We sometimes use myths in our daily language, for comparisons Most myths function in the same manor Every myth have a hero with a dangerous and difficult goal that they either achieve or don’t achieve B.Underworld The underworld is a setting for final battle Conflicts in the story is made clear in the underworld 5. Is That A Symbol? A. Symbolism Sometimes an author would use allegories instead of symbols Allegories shows a specific message just as an item can be symbolic, so can an action Imagination, instincts, and past experiences is used to find symbolism in literature 6. Does He Mean That? A. 7. †¦ So Does The Season A. â€Å"†¦ writers can work magic with the seasons† Famous authors have used seasons as an advantageAuthors use seasons as different symbols for different things For example: age, moods, life, and death Not only do they use seasons but they also use holidays 8. One Story 9. Don't Read With Your Eyes A. Perspective You shouldn’t read from your point of view When reading certain things to fully understand and get a clear vision it is important to sometimes feel sympathy or even empathy Reading from another perspective helps you to better understand the text When reading something from a different culture one doesn’t have to accept the idea, just sympathy

Internal Control Research

To critically analyze the †¢To evaluate the importance of having Internal Control procedures within ‘The Bargain Centre’ Aims: †¢To investigate the number of different internal control procedures used within ‘The Bargain Centre’ †¢To gain knowledge of how the different internal control procedures help secure the business against theft and embezzlement etc. Data collection: In order to carry out my research on Internal Controls within ‘The Bargain Centre Supermarket’ I have observed over a period of time, while I was employed part time, the different type of Internal Control procedures set place.I have also interviewed the owner, and two (2) managers and also three (3) employees to get their views on the Internal Control that are effected within the business A secondary method that was also incorporated into this Internal Assessment (I. A) was the use of the internet to gain general information about internal control systems. I hav e chosen the use of interviews to gather my information because it allowed me to get more in depth information and allowed me to dig deeper and get more information that was really needed to complete the report. ? Data Analysis: According to ‘www. liffnotes. com’: â€Å"Internal Control is the process designed to ensure reliable financial reporting, effective and efficient operations, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Safeguarding assets against theft and unauthorized use, acquisition, or disposal is also part of internal control. † Internal Control principles can be sub divided into a number of categories, a few important ones are: ? Segregation of duties: this requires that different individuals should be assign different duties, rather than one person be in charge of everything, as to reduce theft.For example the cashiers of a supermarket are not responsible for checking the money in their cash register. ?Establishing responsibilities: helps to ensure that all company activities adhere to guidelines unless other course of action is specified by a manager. For example there is a specific price list that has the price of every item with a store, only the manager can give authorization to change the price of a specific item. ?Documentation: provides evidence that financial statements are accurate and makes it possible to double check work.All records of sale and purchases should be kept safe and documented accordingly. ?Physical control: this should provide proper protection of company’s assets. Examples of physical controls are; †¢having fire proof safes and vaults to store cash before taking it to the bank †¢renting a safety deposit box for important papers like title deeds and insurance policies †¢having locked warehouse for inventories or stock †¢fencing company property †¢controlling computer facilities with a pass key which is access only by authorized personnel ?Mechanical control: i mprove accuracy and reliability of accounting information.These can come in the form of cash registers in shops, gasoline pumps in gas/petrol station and time clocks which employees use to show when they arrive at work. ?Electronic control: may be in the form of electronic burglar alarm system, television cameras to monitor thefts, as well as tags which must be removed or deactivated when the item is purchased or else they will trigger an alarm when the customer leaves the premises without having paid for the item. ?Independent internal verification: this is when an employee helps check the work of another to ensure it was done correctly.Internal Control over Inventory/Stock: In many businesses inventory is the most accessible assets, because of this it is made one of the prime target for theft. The business must there for have ways to protect inventory/stock from shop lifting from customers or even embezzlement by employees. A few ways to achieve this would be: †¢Use of survei llance cameras †¢Limiting access to store rooms and using physical control such as locks or vault to secure inventory/stock †¢Using sensitized tags on goods, which if not detached by sales clerk would trigger alarm, as to detour customers from shop lifting.Internal Controls over Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable: One of the most important principals of internal control is that an employee that has custody over cash (or assets that can easily be converted into cash) should not be in charge of accounts receivable records, as to minimize fraud or theft. Records of names of creditors must be recorded and kept safe, while cash disbursements should be made quickly and whenever possible.

Kinship of two cultures

INTRODUCTIONâ€Å"Culture is a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior†(). Culture influences people and it shapes people in manifesting a particular identity. Every individual is greatly influence by his culture. When people see a man and the way he is living his life, he can easily be identified as part of a particular culture. People from a particular place are always intertwined with a particular culture as seen in their pattern of actions and beliefs and way of life in general.It is of an inevitable reality that cultures differ around the world. Every place and context has their own unique set of norms, beliefs and practices. These set of norms, beliefs and practices make up the identity of a culture. These make up the whole of their system. A particular culture produces a pattern of actions that a group of people will manifest as they live in this world. Because of the diversity of cultures of p eople from different places around the world, there exist conflicts due to differences if one culture is imposing its will to the other.In this paper, we will dwell on two rich cultures- the Dinkas and Amhara People. We will try to show their similarities and as well as differences. The two cultures that are the subject of this paper will be thoroughly examined. Therefore, without further delay, let us begin our discussion.THE DINKA CULTURE IN SOUTHERN SUDANThe Dinkas are found In Southern Sudan. It is the largest ethnic group region in the Nile Basin. The Dinkas have the population of 3-4 million people that comprises approximately 45% of the population of the whole country. The Dinkas are known to have beautiful women in their tribe and known to even grow up to seven feet tall. One of their famous tribe members is the former National basketball Association (NBA) player Manute Bol who stood for 7’7†. This tribe at the Nile River is also known to maintain a culture of m arrying people within their communities and even families.â€Å"Most of Dinkas beliefs that keeping cultures in our modern societies is beneficial enough to keep generations move successfully. The Dinkas believed that maintaining their culture amidst the changing world is the road to the next generation’s success†(http://www.madingbor.com/page/page/2064097.htm). This is the reason why even in the influences of many diverse cultures, the Dinkas still maintained and treasured the richness of their culture.Men in having their own families in the Dinka tribe, they must at least be eighteen years old and above. This age bracket is perceived by Dinkas as an age that can already be capable of providing for a family and considered as persons who can live with their own. The Dinkas live a pastoral life, relying mainly on livestock. In a Dinka family, the husband is the provider in the family. He brings something to eat for the family. The wife is the one who cooks for the famil y, the one in charge for preparing food for the whole house and in taking care of the children in the family. The wives in the Dinka communities are obedient and respectful women for their husbands. Despite the growing influences of other cultures in women empowerment, they remain in this family devotion of women.In cases of the death of the husband or absence for a long time, the wife is asked to remarry. Remarrying for the wife would mean marrying the brothers of his husband. If there is no brother available, the first cousins of her husband are the second option. This remarrying scheme is for the purpose of bearing a child that would be named after the deceased person. The culture believes that in doing such practice, they are maintaining the dignity of their generations from their fore-fathers to the grand children. The act is called â€Å"lahot† or entering the hut. The Dinkas give emphasis on the purity of their culture that is manifested in their practices of remarriag es.THE AMHARA CULTURE OF ETHIOPIAThe Amhara people of Ethiopia are one o the most dominant cultural and political group in Africa. Their population is at 15,000,000. These people live in the highlands of Ethiopia. The Amhara people are mostly farmers. The tribe can be traced back from Menelik I who is a child born of the King Solomon and Queen Sheba. â€Å"The Amhara appear to be descended from the same people group as the Tigray-Tigrinya people.   Their Sabaean ancestors came to the highlands of what is now Eritrea and Ethiopia from the Arabian Peninsula†(http://endor.hsutx.edu/~obiwan/profiles/amhara.html).The general situation in the Amhara farming society is very hard. They live in terrains and mountains because of wanting their place to be easily defended but at the same time making it hard for them to travel and move. They have the advantage in defense but also have the disadvantage in mobility. The location of their community is hard to reach by foreigners because of rugged mountain terrains.The people in Amhara believe that children must be breast feed in two years. No hard discipline is imposed to the children until the age of four. On the fortieth day after birth, the boys in the family will be baptized and the girls are on the eightieth day. As early as the age of five and six, the children are trained to watch their family animals such as sheep and goats. The boys are in charge in watching over the animals and the girls are in charge in accompanying their mother in gathering firewood to use in cooking. Girls of the tribe are allowed to get married in an average age of 14. The boys to be grooms are normally 3-5 years older of the bride.â€Å"Most marriages are negotiated by the two families, with a civil ceremony sealing the contract. A priest may be present. Divorce is allowed and must also be negotiated. There is also a â€Å"temporary marriage,† by oral contract before witnesses. The woman is paid housekeeper's wages, and is not eligible for inheritance, but children of the marriage are legally recognized and qualify for inheritance. Priests may marry but not eligible for divorce or remarriage† (http://www.africaguide.com/culture/tribes/amhara.htm). Women also banner the attitude of respect and to their husbands. Priests are only allowed to get married once. There is variety of religions present in the Amhara culture but the most dominant religion is the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.The Amhara people are not fond of trusting people coming from other places. They are people who are cautious in their relation to foreign people and things.COMPARISON AND CONTRASTThe two cultures highlighted in this paper (Dinka and Amhara) are two great cultures who have rich traditions. In looking at the two cultures, there are noticeable similarities and as well as differences.The Dinkas lived in the Basin of the Nile while the Amhara people are from high terrains and mountains. It is harder for the Amhara people to be acc essed by foreign people and even for them to travel. The two cultures rely more on farming and animal raising as the source of their subsistence but it was harder for the Amhara people to farm because of the location of their inhabited places while it is also harder for the Dinkas to defend themselves from foreign enemies because also of the location of their homes.The Dinkas however, are more conservative in their view of marriage. Though in both cultures, remarrying is allowed, the Dinkas only allow remarrying if the husband has already died or absent for a long time. In Amhara tribe, divorce is allowed and is done by negotiation. In the Dinka tribe, they are more giving emphasis to family dignity that is why they only allow women to get married again if she marries the brother or the cousin of the former husband. The Amhara tribe on the other hand, allows their priests to get married.The two tribes have the same view on the women in their families. Women are there to prepare food for the whole family and to take care of their children. Women have respect for their husbands in both of the tribes. The marrying age for men however differs for the two tribes. The Amhara tribe allows a lower marrying age at approximately at least 16 years old while the Dinka tribe allows men to get married at 18 years old.CONCLUSIONThere are a lot of different cultures around the world. No culture is exactly the same with another. It is of great reality that culture is different coming from different contexts. In the case of the two cultures examined and discussed I this paper, there are differences found and as well as similarities. This presupposes the richness of one’s culture. We cannot really limit the innovativeness of people’s minds. The only certain in this world is the constant development of cultures in their beliefs and practices and there is a constant change in it. The conception of people regarding families also evolves through time and differs in dif ferent cultures.May this paper remind us how rich people’s cultures and how they evolve and grow over time. Cultures are true manifestations of man’s richness in his mind and in his being because cultures are created from people’s discovery and thinking. The cultures of today may not be present tomorrow but it is of great significance in building tomorrow’s cultures.BIBLIOGRAPHYJenkins, Orville Boyd & Lundquist Robert. The Amhara People of Ethiopia. 2006. 10 Mar. 2007 Kuol, William. Dinka Religion and Culture. 10 Mar. 2007Dinka Background. 10 Mar. 2007African People & Culture. 10 Mar. 2007http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/anthropology/courses/122/module1/symbolic.html