Monday, September 30, 2019

Mpare and Contrast the Way in Which Heaney

Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney and Stealing Peas by Gillian Clarke both approach passion and disappointment in life by describing childhood experience. They explore love and regret through the description of childhood and nature; Blackberry Picking through the explicit meaning of picking blackberries but them decomposing, and Stealing Peas through the explicit meaning of children stealing peas from pea rows in a field in the day, but later on with a girl asking a boy a question and her being given a disappointing and seemingly unexpected answer. Both Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney and Stealing Peas by Gillian Clarke are similar in subject; they both are poems about sad or unfortunate childhood events that have perhaps lingered in both of the poets’ memories. â€Å"Blackberry Picking† uses nature as a basis for the narrative. Heaney writes about his childhood experiences; picking berries in â€Å"late august†. Heaney and Clarke both create strong feelings in their poems. In â€Å"Blackberry Picking†, Heaney conveys a sense of lust and greed for the berries: â€Å"We hoarded the fresh berries†, but that afterwards the berries fermented and grew sour: â€Å"The fruit fermented†. Alternatively, Heaney could also be describing the excitement and joy people feel at the beginning of relationships and how it can deteriorate into something that is bitter and rotten. Heaney does this by describing how a fungus grows upon the berries that they had picked, making the â€Å"sweet flesh† of the berries turn sour. Similarly, in â€Å"Stealing Peas†, Gillian Clarke also uses nature as a basis for the narrative when she writes about two teenage lovers crawling in pea rows, stealing the peas and eating them. They crawl in the pea rows, slid the peas down their tongues. The girl asks, â€Å"Who d’you like best? and he replies with â€Å"You’re prettier. She’s funnier. † She writes, â€Å"I wish I hadn’t asked† indicating she regrets having asked. The implicit meaning of â€Å"Stealing Peas† is that a boy and a girl go to a field and have sex in the pea rows: â€Å"We crawled†, â€Å"slit the skins†, â€Å"with bitten nails†, â€Å"chutes of our tongues†-these each help to heighten the air of sexual tension in the second stanza, with the crawling as a way of remaining undetected; showing that what they are doing is perhaps forbidden and could get them in trouble, and this observation is reaffirmed by the mentioning of â€Å"stolen green light†. The use of the word â€Å"stolen† symbolises the loss of virginity or innocence, whilst the â€Å"green† showing the go ahead. The poet also describes how a â€Å"parky† shouted at a â€Å"child we could not see† which could either simply be another child in the field, or a child growing inside the girl- she has become pregnant, or lost her innocence. Heaney and Clarke both create strong feelings in their poems. In â€Å"Blackberry Picking†, Heaney conveys a sense of lust and greed for the berries using images of the children hurriedly filling cans with the berries, and by using words such as â€Å"ripen†, â€Å"flesh†, and â€Å"sticky†. These words have very sensual connotations and give the reader the impression that the poet was experiencing feelings of lust and greed at the time, and that the acts are forbidden. Heaney is also personifying the berries by referring to the â€Å"flesh† of the berries; perhaps showing that he felt feelings towards them that you would feel towards a person. Heaney and Clarkes’ poems are, to an extent, different in their form and layout. And though they both appear different, the poems are both similar in that they both focus more on the positive experiences, rather than the negative. â€Å"Blackberry Picking† is structured into two distinct stanzas with a sharp contrast between them. Heaney writes of the picking of the berries in the first stanza, introduces sexual themes, uses aural devices, and utilises similes and metaphors to create strong imagery. In the second stanza, he then moves on to talk about the how the berries are ruined- a â€Å"rat-grey† fungus, â€Å"glutting† on their â€Å"cache†. There is a notable difference between the two stanzas of â€Å"Blackberry Picking†. The first stanza is very long, describing the joy of the children as they go out collecting berries, but the second stanza, where Heaney talks about the fungus, is considerably shorter- it seems that Heaney is recalling the good part of the memory fondly, whilst quickly brushing over the bad. Unlike â€Å"Blackberry Picking†, Clarke has structured â€Å"Stealing Peas† into four stanzas. In the first stanza, Clarke sets the scene for the poem by describing the tide â€Å"far out†, the â€Å"warm evening† voices and the park â€Å"clipped privet†. In the second stanza the poet describes a boy, mentioning that he wore a â€Å"blue† shirt with an â€Å"Aertex† logo, and more sexual language is introduced: â€Å"filthy with syrups†, â€Å"grime of the town park†, â€Å"tendrils of my hair†. Filthy and grime suggesting the sensual, dirty, and perhaps forbidden acts that they are doing. There also is a notable difference between the four different stanzas of â€Å"Stealing Peas† in terms of length. The first stanza is very short, showing that Clarke is choosing not to remember her surroundings at the time so strongly, while the second stanza is much longer, indicating that the time spent with this boy, crawling in the pea rows together, meant more to her than any other part of the day, and that she herself has selected this part of the memory to stand out more vividly than any other. The third stanza is noticeably shorter, with her asking him â€Å"Who d’you like best? † The use of sound is important in both poems, and both poets use it to great effect. Techniques such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, and rhyme- the words â€Å"purple clot† and â€Å"hard as a knot†, â€Å"smelt of rot† and â€Å"knew they would not† in â€Å"Blackberry Picking†, are all strategically used to evoke images and create sounds by Heaney and Clarke. In â€Å"Blackberry Picking†, the use the letter p in â€Å"pricks, our palms† is short and sharp to emphasise the sharpness of the pricks from the blackberry thorns, b in â€Å"bleached our boots† and â€Å"berries in the byre† is very bubbly and bouncy, reflecting the children’s emotions as they set out on a journey of exploration, whilst the use of f in â€Å"filled we found fur† is also soft sounding- creeping in, similar to how the Heaney talks about how the â€Å"rat-grey fungus† seeps in and ruins the blackberries. Clarke also uses aural devices; alliteration with the use of the letter s in â€Å"slit the skins†, helping the reader to visualise the sounds created when the children, crawling through the rows, and stealing the pea pods, slit the skins open. The â€Å"s†, when said aloud, is a soft sound, but in the context of the stanza, creates a more sinister, hissing sound, as though the skins are being hastily ripped open in lust. Again, the use of the letter s in â€Å"slid the peas† helps the reader visualize– almost hear, the youths sliding the peas down the â€Å"chutes† of their tongues. Lastly, the use of onomatopoeia in â€Å"a lawn-mower murmured†, creates a very sexual feeling- perhaps from the boy, towards the girl. In conclusion, it can be seen that the two poems are alike in many ways such as they both recount childhood experiences that the poets regretted. What I found interesting was how Heaney and Clarke wrote the poems, spending more time describing the good experiences, rather than the unfortunate– in a way suggesting that the poets have selectively recorded these events in their minds.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Importance of Religious Beliefs to Ethical Attitudes in Business

For effective functioning market system, moral and ethical aspects are always necessary; regulations by its own cannot control people behavior given the complexity of our current financial system. The destructiveness of unethical behavior was shown in many examples around the globe, one of the most recent examples is the unethical behavior contributed to the Global Financial crisis of 2008. Below I will be discussing the role of religiosity as a determinant of ethical attitudes towards business; in fact most religions indicate disapproval of unethical actions and underpin ethical behavior. There are some researchers who failed to find a strongly positive relationship between religious beliefs and ethical attitudes,claiming that ethical attitudes can be related to commitment to moral self-improvement and not to religiosity. In contrast, there are studies that initiated the existence of that positive relationship among religion and ethical manner; for instance it has been found that business students for whom religion is â€Å"very important† have stronger ethical values when reacting to hypothetical business scenarios. To better study the ethical attitude of business professionals, surveys were done and resulted that as a whole, business professionals who considered their religious faith to be highly important to them are significantly less accepting of ethically questionable behavior, there are some other predictors of respondents’ perception of acceptability, such as age, gender and size of the firm. In our previous point, research into the relationship between religion and business ethics involved a very large sample of business professionals which makes it superior to other researches – discussed in the same article-conducted by taking a small size sample and are focused on students whose experience in facing ethical issues and challenges in workplace is very limited. But once again , even those â€Å"small size sample† surveys have similar outcomes , which states that persons for whom their religion identity is extremely important – people with intrinsic religion orientation – will tend to suffer distress if they depart from the ethical traditions of their religion and likely to hold on more strictly to ethical standards. So both theoretical and empirical work indicates that religion is an important determinant of ethical attitude. When I first read the article, I was a bit confused regarding the role of religion as a determinant of ethical manner, as I witnessed many cases where people who have no religious beliefs act ethically and according to a highly acceptable manner. My judgment is: This relationship (between religion and UNETHICAL behavior) is not always negative. However, the relationship between religion and ethical mind-set will always bepositive , and here is the trick! Bear in mind,that am talking with reference to true religious people and not who identifythemselves religious but have no actual faith of what religious morals and values states. Living in a Muslim society, I canrecall many practices whichhave demonstrated that positive relationship,including people commitment to â€Å"zaka† for instance. Moreover, One of the most obvious cases which I have seen in my professional experience- As I am working as a stock trader in one of the biggest brokerage houses in Bahrain- when a religious investor, trading for his own personal brokerage account refuses to be engaged in a transaction which deals in stocks of any company involved in â€Å"liquor† business, as it is considered â€Å"Haram† forbidden in Islam. In my ownpoint of view, there will always be a relationship between religion and ethical standards. Thatis, individuals expressing religious affiliation will eventually have stronger ethical beliefs and therefore actions. After all, I believed that being religious is like being always highly motivated and committed to act in an ethically acceptable manner, also religious individuals find it harder and embarrassing to justify unethical business behavior and will always be searching for more fair alternative. It is also useful to know that all major religions discourages unethical behavior in â€Å"business transaction† in particular, not only Islam, as most of the religions stress the same core values. But as I previously mentioned,that doesn’t mean individual who has no religious beliefs will necessarily act unethically? No, absolutely that is not always the case. Despite the fact that some individuals who are not religious enough can be motivated by their commitment and morality,that doesn’t lead me to agree to the point addressed in the article that discusses the weakness and inconsistencyof the positive relationship between religious qualities and favorable attitude toward corporate social responsibility. Finally, I started thinking a bit wider about the difficulties faced by a religious individual to conduct business activities in a moral and ethical manner, but at the same time operating in such a complex environment having many different influencing factors. Every day, individuals face ethical matters at work and seldom know how to deal with it ,dueto several factors influencing humans behavior. In some societies, legal interpretations are based on contemporary and transient values and standards, unlike Islamic society where values and standards are directed by shari’ah and a set of â€Å"fiqh† judgment. Additionally,an individual works for any organization will be influenced by the extent of commitment of the organization’s leader to ethical conduct. And as people come to work with different values and from different backgrounds, different factors can shape ones ethical behavior such as personal values and moral,relativesinfluence, peer influence and persons’ life experience. Besides that, some people are behaving unethically in certain situation only because they possibly see no way out! In conclusion, I have to say that it is essential for someone to have those religious beliefs in order to behave according to the satisfactoryethical standards. But the main concern is , How is it achievable for a religious individual to conduct business activities in a moral and ethical manner, but at the same time operating in such a complex environment having all those different influencing factors affecting individuals attitude? Scholars have to consider and study closely all several factors influencingpeoples’ manner, making it harder to follow their believed values.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Important Career Development on organization Research Paper

The Important Career Development on organization - Research Paper Example Individuals should take career development process seriously in order to progress professionally. Moreover, organizations should also consider it important to practice this process to bring out the best from their employees. (Iretire, 2011) illustrate that career development as a ladder towards success which helps every individual achieve his or her objective by following various steps. This process provides guidance to an individual since the start of his/her career beginning right from choosing the right educational institution, subject to organization. The Career Planning covers areas like choosing of an occupation, getting a job, growing in your job, achieving the desiired growth and eventually retiring. (Gutteridge 1986) argue that Career development is one of an integral component of human resource (HR) management in a workplace. Other components consist of company’s design, control, HR planning and evaluation. ... Moreover, employees today are very much concerned about their career than before. As the economy is growing, workers demands are also increasing both in terms of progress and personal growth. Organizations and companies that are not able to meet these needs and demands of their workers face increased employee turnover. Therefore, this research paper will discuss the importance of career development in an organization as it not only helps retain employees but also benefits employees by allowing them to fulfill their career related wants and needs. Various companies today are facing one common problem, i.e. employee retention. They are aware of the fact that replacing employees is a lot more expensive than retaining existing ones. Hiring new employees includes high cost of recruiting and training. High employee turnover not only effects the organization in terms of high cost but also have a negative effect on its effectiveness and efficiency. The most effected organizations are service oriented ones including firefighters and law-enforcement agencies that require highly trained, skilled and competent workforce. Many studies have been conducted to best address this problem and results have shown that career development programs can resolve this issue to a certain extent. Earlier, it was assumed that employee need a straight path to move up the ladder, (Werther & Davis, 1992) cite Career development is not just about moving ahead but is about achieving what is best for his/her career and suits his/her expertise. This will also enable employee to contribute positively in achieving company’s goal and objective. Implementing career development

Friday, September 27, 2019

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 4 Case Assignment Essay

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 4 Case Assignment - Essay Example This was a quasi-experimental design. This type of research is meant to find a cause and effect relationship when there are independent and dependent variables. The goal is to find out if a specific intervention affected the outcome (Burns & Grove, 2007). In this particular case, the goal would be to find out if the $25 incentive improved the number of people at risk for HIV that went for testing and follow up. The study is an experiment as there is a control group used to measure against. There were 372 patients referred during the three periods that were tracked. During the control periods in which the incentive was not offered, 20 of 252(8%) patients completed HIV counseling and testing while during the incentive period 27 of the 120 (23%) patients completed testing and counseling. There was a statistically significant difference in the groups that showed in race and ethnicity. This had to be accounted for by using a multivariable logistic regression model. The result was that there was still a statistical difference in the two groups. The conclusion from this was that there is a increased proportion of patients who complete testing and counseling when a small financial incentive is used. However, there was not a significant answer as to whether there were more positive patients found in this manner and whether this program would be worth its cost. There will need to be further clinical studies to determine these answers. The study was performed over three consecutive 6 month periods resulting in two control groups and an experimental group. This might have been a better experiment if it had been conducted over the full year and 1/2 randomly assigning patients to the different groups. In setting up the groups the way they did for this particular clinical experiment, they did not realize their bias in one group toward one ethnic group until it was too late. Had they randomly assigned

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Conducting a library search Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conducting a library search - Essay Example The article however reduced drastically once I started becoming specific with the information I was researching. The articles were narrowed down to only slightly above one million articles from the CINAHL database which contains authentic nursing journal articles with specific information on different types of primary care settings and which narrows down the search. The narrowing down process involved become more specific in the search. I started off with the broad primary care settings but it was too broad. This was followed by specifying which field of primary care setting I wanted information from which is health education. Lastly, i narrowed down to which specific database I wanted the information from and this completely reduced the search and provided me with specific and reliable information. The information initially sought was way too vague and hence led to large packets of information which was mostly irrelevant being displayed. However, with much specific details being added, the search was finally narrowed down to the most important and most relevant of the information which is way more helpful in

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

International Commercial Arbitration and Privity of Contract Essay

International Commercial Arbitration and Privity of Contract - Essay Example What is international commercial arbitration? International commercial arbitration is a way in which parties can use an alternative method of dispute resolution on an international level. International law however does not clearly and concisely define what it is in reality. Alternatively, the UNCITRAL contains a Model Law which governs and defines more clearly international commercial arbitration as â€Å"any arbitration whether or not administered by a permanent arbitral institution†.1 David also provides a definition which states that ICA is a tool by which parties can settle a question by decisions of third parties â€Å"who derive their powers from a private agreement, not from the authorities of a State, and who are to decide the case on the basis of such an agreement†.2 Indeed, arbitration clauses are often specifically contained in contracts, which are specified as binding on the parties outside of court: ICA is binding privately according to the agreement of the parties.3 The purpose of the UNCITRAL Model Law is to aid states in reforming and brining up to date their national laws and regulations on the process of arbitration and it was adopted and implemented globally some 26 years ago.4 The Model Law is comprehensive and applies to all signatory states in many areas of ICA, including the recognition and enforcement of orders and awards, though states are not obliged to directly apply the law in their domain. Such countries prefer to use the Model Law as a framework which they adapt to coincide with their own national laws, economic systems, and public policy norms. Privity of Contract in International Commercial Arbitration Privity of contract requires that all parties to an agreement must voluntarily commit to the agreement for it to be enforceable; this is otherwise termed as mutual consent. In an ICA context, it can thus be applied to state that the parties to a contractual arbitration clause must voluntarily agree to the content of t he clause before it can be deemed binding upon the parties. Essentially, it is stated that arbitration without privity is not enforceable; particularly if â€Å"coercion, fraud,...[and]... lack of identity of the parties† is evident.5 Privity of contract thus aims to provide an equal playing field for both parties who come from different counties, as it allows them to rely on arbitration clauses in order â€Å"to be free of national procedural and substantive law†.6 ICA thus allows disputes which may arise between parties to become subject to regulations which are on a different level to the national laws of the parties so that claims concerning international privity of contract may be avoided. By agreeing on an alternative method of arbitration, both parties are able to be defined as autonomously agreeing to settle their disputes in a value-free manner. However, this again is differently viewed in practice, as many express concern in relation to privity of contract be cause parties to a contract may not be said to be parties to the international regulations on ICA. This claim is further aggravated by the fact that the UNCITRAL in particular is often altered or adjusted to fit in with national law, and its content is thus

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Quantitative methodology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Quantitative methodology - Assignment Example Quantitative research methods try to measure variables by assigning scores to them in order to ensure that they can be scaled easily. The root of quantitative research lies in the positivist research paradigm that believes everything happens due to causal relationship between variables by virtue of some fixed law. It is useful to use quantitative research particularly when researchers are trying to test hypothesis. It is quite useful to use quantitative research under certain circumstances. For instance, according to Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias (1992 cited in Johnson, 2001) quantitative research is particularly important when the research problem is very specific and the researcher wants to measure the outcome numerically. The quantitative research is important because it helps the researcher to set the dependent and the independent variables of the research and is able to show the exact nature and direction of relationship between the variables. In short it allows the researcher to explain the causal relationship between the variables. Balsley (1970) had pointed out that quantitative research is particularly useful as the researcher is able to establish internal and external validity of the data due to controlled observations, experiments and proper data cleaning techniques. Additionally, quantitative research is also able to eliminate subjectivity and bias from the research by eliminating human bias factor. There are two main methods of quantitative research designs namely experiential and non-experiential research. Experiential quantitative research focuses on natural science based approach and non-experiential quantitative research focus primarily on social sciences (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie & Turner, 2007). There are basically four main types of quantitative research namely descriptive, correlational, casual-comparative and true experimental. Descriptive quantitative research

Monday, September 23, 2019

Summary for -Understanding The Role of Networking in Organizations Coursework

Summary for -Understanding The Role of Networking in Organizations Article- - Coursework Example In relation to this, political skill is related to networking in that it is also a goal-directed behavior and it concentrates on interpersonal relationships. (Agronoff R) It is situations whereby individuals control the impressions others form of them. Nevertheless networking has been more driven by purpose on the other hand impression management is a less focused action. It’s the sort of relationship that exists between individuals, group and systems that relates to interdependencies Including visions, values, social contacts, ideas and joint memberships. Among other issues covered by networking include; Mentoring, Measurement of networking, Job level and Organizational level The article is rated to be of high quality, because of the strategies that the author employed while writing the article. Moreover, the author ensured that all sectors of networking are properly covered that is the merits and demerits of networking to the life of an individual, as well as to the organization at

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Departed Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Departed Analysis Essay The Departed is a film directed by Martin Scorsese which won numerous awards at the 79th annual Academy Awards. Scorsese has directed many films that have won academy awards but he had never achieved the award for the best director. This changed with the 2006 release of The Departed and Scorsese got what he had ached for so many years. This film was indeed a film that I enjoyed watching. However it also got me thinking what role ethics played in this blockbuster. During the beginning of the movie Jack Nicholson adopts Matt Damon and treats him like his own child. Damon wants to be a priest when he grows up. If you’re a priest you most likely won’t kill anyone even if it is for self defense because killing is a sin. However being the clever genius that Nicholson is asks Matt Damon â€Å"when you’re facing end of a loaded barrel, what difference does it make? † Nicholson’s character, Frank Costello adopts Damon’s character, Sullivan mainly for personal intelligence purposes. He wants to have a mole in the SIU department like the government has moles in the Mafia families. The best person suitable for this job would be someone that you have raised as your own because the trust will always be there. Nicholson shows good ethics when he takes Damon under his wing. However as the movie progresses we find the true motive for the adoption. Nicholson wants someone who he can trust, that can keep him one step ahead of the law which is morally wrong. When Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Costigan is training for the job of a police officer he is denied the job due to his family ties to the Boston underworld. Costigan is really a good guy affiliated with a bad name. Vice versa Damon is a bad guy affiliated with a good name. Jobs shouldn’t be lost because of someone’s family affiliation with certain groups especially if the person applying wants to change all that and has the knowledge and the will power to do so. I understand the phrase â€Å"like father, like son† but that isn’t always necessarily true. The world is not just black and white; it has shades of grey in it as well. Later in the movie we find that Frank Costello himself is a possible informant for the FBI and that he has recorded conversations of himself talking about illegal activities with Matt Damon. He has done this as a precaution incase the FBI indicts him in an even more serious case. If the FBI does indict him he will use the tapes as a leverage to get a reduced sentence or immunity. This is not very ethical because he adopted a son for his own freedom from government agencies. Towards the end of the movie it is really ironic that Jack Nicholson dies by what he told Damon so that he wouldn’t become a priest. â€Å"When you’re facing the end of a loaded barrel, what difference does it make? † Matt Damon was facing the loaded barrel of Nicholson’s gun but Damon got to pull the trigger first. Because of Nicholson’s bad ethics he got what he deserved by getting shot by his own adopted son whom he used for pure personal protection from government agencies. In the final scene of the movie when Matt Damon is shot dead by Mark Wahlberg it was unethical of Wahlberg to shoot Damon. He should have gathered evidence for a trial by a jury. However I think the murder was justified and fair for a better society. He could have played by the rules. But since Matt Damon didn’t play by the rules why should Mark Wahlberg.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Ferguson & Son Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Ferguson Son Manufacturing Essay Ferguson Son Manufacturing company is attempting to increase efficiency and reduce cost by introducing monthly performance reports for each department. Robert Ferguson Jr is trying to introduce this new type of accounting system and when you try something like this you will always run into some problems, but Robert is creating a culture of resentment. Robert Ferguson is using a static planning budget to analyze the performance of each department. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a planning budget as a budget â€Å"prepared before the period begins and is valid for only the planned level of activity (p. 385)† Robert is using a budgeted level of activity and comparing it to the actual level of activity as the basis for the evaluations. The information that is received from an evaluation done in this manner is going to be misleading. The budgeted level of activity is not always going to be the same as the actual level of activity, so a true comparison is impossible. For example my company manufactures safety belts for motor vehicles and the budget is based on an activity level of 5000 units for the period. The actual level of activity for the period is 4000 units and in result costs and revenue are lower than the budget amount. If our company compared the costs are going to be different simply because the activity level is different then the unchanged planned amount and the results will not provide conclusive data for performance and efficiency because there is no true controlled factor. Garrison, Noreen Brewer describe this as comparing apples to oranges. This type of system is going to provide incorrect data for performance, in result the company will not be able to understand their costs and true revenue potential. The planning budget system is going create discrepancies in the spending variance. According to Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) the spending variance is â€Å"the difference between how much a cost should have been, given the actual level of activity, and the actual amount of the cost (p. 91)† The spending variance can be evaluated as favorable or unfavorable, and this could effect how the product is priced or even purchasing new high tech equipment. You can not effectively utilize a spending variance in a planned budget system because you do not use the same activity level to compare cost. These are big decisions that can make a big impact on a companies revenue and if the system is not using the actual activity level and costs and comparing to the actual levels, the spending variance will be evaluated incorrectly. The planning budget system is going to effect the morale of the supervisors and employees dramatically. Robert Ferguson Jr is evaluating the performance of the supervisors and departments monthly based on amounts and activities that they have budgeted. This budget could be completely unrealistic and this will cause the entire staff to feel hopeless and bitter. Once people begin to feel hopeless, their work performance will fall, production and efficiency will naturally follow. Their work performance will take into consideration the quantity of their work, but more importantly the quality of their work. If your employees feel they have to cut corners to meet budget to keep their jobs, they will do so and the company could begin to alienate their customers. To continue the seat belt example, if my company had to produce 5000 units and this was impossible unless the workers cut a few corners; now the company has faulty seat belts going to car companies. This could cause a large recall on the cars that our clients produce and those clients are going to find a new company to work with for these products. In this example, my company just lost a tremendous amount of money due to an accounting system that demands so much of their workers that the quality of their work has to be sacrificed. This is all due to notion of increasing efficiency without comparing the activity levels and costs in the same manner. Ferguson Son Manufacturing should adapt a flexible budget system to improve efficiency. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a flexible budget as â€Å"an estimate of what revenues and costs should have been, given the actual level of activity for the period(p. 385). Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) go on to say that â€Å"when a flexible budget is used in performance evaluation, actual costs are compared to what the costs should have been for the actual level of activity during the period rather than to the static planning budget (p. 385). † The activity level will change each period, through out the period as the business activity increases and decreases. Emory says, â€Å"those reports dont tell the whole story. We always seem to be interrupting the big jobs for all those small rush orders. All that set up and machine adjustment time is killing us. This is an example of the type of activity that is going to happen and needs to be taken into consideration when one is evaluating efficiency. The flexible budget will take into consideration this activity and compare the costs to the same level of activity. The current planned budget does not take this into consideration and these are issues that the supervisor has no power over. With the knowledge from the flexible budget, Robert Ferguson Jr may decide that if they purchase a new machine they could complete these rush orders, not have any idle time and in result increase efficiency. In the flexible budget system, Robert will be able to effectively evaluate the spending variance and assess the performance of his workers. The flexible budget is going to make the supervisors and other workers feel they are being measured fairly and can have a positive sense of accountability. During each accounting meeting supervisors like Tom and Jim will be able to walk in confidently, look at the activity of their departments, what their costs should have been based on the activity, what it was actually and see where they can improve. Tom and Jim have been working at Ferguson Son for a very long time and understand what they and their teams can accomplish. They have been praised for the quality of their work by Robert Ferguson Sr and their expertise can be the most efficient tool Robert Ferguson Jr has in the factory. Flexible budget system will create realistic goals for the workers and in turn relieve the negative stress being placed on them. The quality of work will not be sacrificed to cut costs, Tom and Jim will incorporate new work practices to increase efficiency. Activity-based costing could be a great tool for Ferguson Son Manufacturing f used properly. Activity-based costing is defined by Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) as â€Å"a costing method that is designed to provide managers with cost information for strategic and other decisions that potentially affect capacity and therefore â€Å"fixed† as well as variable costs. Activity-based costing is ordinarily used as a supplement to, rather than as a replacement for, a companys usual costing system (p. 273). † Activity-based costing takes into consideration all different types of costs as they relate to the activities, so managers can make more effective decisions. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) state the implementation process for activity-based costing breaks down into five steps and these steps are define activities, activity cost pools, and activity measures; assign overhead costs to activity cost pools; calculate activity rates; assign overhead costs to cost objects using the activity rates and activity measures, and finally prepare management reports. The first step is going to require the company to interview supervisors of each department to understand the activities, activity cost pools and activity measures. This will involve the supervisors and give the company a better grasp of the activity, but make the supervisors feel they are a part of the process and team. This will in turn improve their confidence and overall morale. Once they have interviewed the supervisors and understand the activities, they will be able to assign overhead costs to activity pools such as the rent for the factory to production or the salaries of the marketing managers to the marketing department. The next steps will have them assign rates and costs to certain objects. Activity-based costing will allow Ferguson Son Manufacturing to become more efficient by giving them the ability to see what areas need the most improvement. Activity-based costing breaks down the costs for each department and activity in a way that Robert Ferguson Jr can assess the report and use the theory of constraint to locate the department that needs to improve and effectively take the steps to improve that department. As the system is continued to be used the company will see their efficiency rise and in results so will the company profits. Individuals are always working towards a purpose or some type of goal and that is what a budget can provide. I would utilize a budget to create a sense of urgency, competition and direction in the work place. I would utilize a responsibility accounting system. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define responsibility accounting as â€Å"a system of accountability in which managers are held responsible for those items of revenue and cost—and only those items—over which they can exert significant control. The managers are held responsible for differences between budgeted and actual results (p. 337). † This type system will allow the managers to be held responsible for the items they can directly control, by involving them in the process and not automatically penalizing them for not meeting their goals immediately. Everyone wants to feel there are part of a team and involved in the process of creating their own goals. I would implement a self-imposed budget system to help create a sense of control for all workers and managers of the organization. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a self-imposed budget as â€Å"a method of preparing budgets in which managers prepare their own budgets. These budgets are then reviewed by higher-level managers, and any issues are resolved by mutual agreement (p. 338)†. I would create a budget committee that includes the managers to provide everyone in the organization this sense of unity. Once a budget is created and the workers have a sense of control and unity I would create an incentive program to encourage workers to accomplish and exceed their goals. I would implement a bonus incentive plan for my workers. This system would utilize the budget created by the organization and further inspire the workers to excel. People are motivated by many different things and most of them involve factors that are not directly related to the work place. People work to provide financial security for their family, prestige outside of work and pride for the work they do. A bonus program will give each individual the opportunity to accomplish any or all of these personal goals and contribute to the success of the organization. If each person in the organization is striving to surpass their goals, the organization will do the same and the results will be evident to the shareholders. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define return on investment as the â€Å"net operating income divided by average operating assets. It also equals margin multiplied by turnover (p. 475). † The return on investment is the profit of the organization. Activity-based costing allows larger companies to understand what their costs are, where they are coming from and how to effectively reduce them to create the largest return possible. Activity-based costing systems do have start up costs associated with them. The organization must train personal to understand the process and systems in order to properly accomplish these activities. The organization must interview staff to research their departments properly to get the accurate information vital to the success of activity-based costing. These costs are the reason many smaller organizations can not apply this system. Activity-based costing provides the organization with the ability to dissect their departments activities and costs. This will allow the organization to see what areas need improvement, what costs can be avoided, in result increase profits and free cash flow for possible expansion or upgrades. If Robert Ferguson Jr can see what departments are costing the company excessive amounts of money, he can lower or eliminate those costs. Once Robert reduces the cost of production, the revenue will rise and the return on investment will grow.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effects of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Effects of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine Cocaine versus Crack Cocaine Lindsay Janzen Introduction Drugs play a major role on the streets and in the medical field. Some drugs are seen as less serious as others. Stimulants are a wide category of drugs that is an upper. Stimulants generally make you feel happy and energetic. Cocaine and crack cocaine do exactly that. These are two drugs that are very similar, yet very different. Crack cocaine comes from cocaine, but is mixed with baking soda and water to create a lower purity form of free-base cocaine. This creates a hard, brittle unstructured material known as a piece of rock, which is crack cocaine. When it is smoked, it creates a cracking sound, which gives crack cocaine its’ name. Cocaine in its purest form is a white powder, whereas the colour of crack cocaine varies based upon the origin of the cocaine and how the baking soda is added. Crack cocaine can range from white to yellowish to a light brown. Crack cocaine in its purest form is an off-white solid with jagged edges. This paper is going to compare the history, adm inistration, effects, and legal aspects of cocaine and crack cocaine. History Cocaine originated from South America, from coca leaves. Originally, the coca leaves were chewed by workers to decrease fatigue, improve endurance and have a greater resistance to the cold. This was to benefit the workers so they could work longer hours and be more productive. In 1855 the active ingredient in cocaine was isolated from the leaves, and in 1880 it was used as a local anesthetic (Nunes,2006). It was also used in coca cola. In 1855, coca cola was a soda beverage that contained sixty milligrams of cocaine for every eight ounces of the beverage. The idea behind this was to give people energy and a sense of well being (Nunes, 2006). By the late 1880s Sigmund Freud was using cocaine regularly and was even recommending it to others. This only lasted for less than twenty years, until he started discouraging it to others. Then by 1914 cocaine was banned for medical use and in beverages. This caused the use of cocaine and by the 1930s, the use had drastically decreased. It then b ecame popular for recreational use in the 1980s (Nunes, 2006). It was often used and shown in movies such as Scarface, and is famous for the amount of cocaine that Al Pacino uses in one of the final scenes of the movie. Now it is still used recreationally and used by a ‘party crowd’. Although this is the primary category of people who use cocaine, people of all demographics use cocaine recreationally. Cocaine started to be first cut with baking soda in the early 1880s. This was done because of the price drop that drug dealers were facing. They decided to mix it with baking soda and make a hard piece of rock, and sell it in smaller quantities. This made crack cocaine, easily manufactured, cheap which made it highly profitable for drug dealers to develop (Kornbluh, 1997). Crack first started to become largely used in 1984. The worst impact that crack cocaine had was on the Northeastern states of the United States. This was believed to be because the CIA knew about the large amounts of cocaine that was being brought into the United States, to fund some of their operations (Kornbluh, 1997). This was alleged in the Dark Alliances article by a journalist. Today crack cocaine is still used recreationally but by heave drug users and abusers. It is seen as a more serious and more addictive drug than cocaine. Administration Cocaine can be administered in multiple ways, whereas crack cocaine only has one administration method. Cocaine has four main routes of administration. They are orally, injection, intranasal and inhalation. When cocaine is taken orally the person is swallowing the powder or liquid; it then dissolves in the stomach and large intestine and then through passive diffusion it is distributed to get the desired effect. This process takes approximately thirty minutes to enter the blood stream (Volkow, 2013). The next method of administration is injection. There are four different ways that cocaine can be injected into the body. The first method is subcutaneous, which is under the skin. Another method to inject cocaine is intramuscular, which is in the muscle. The third method is intraperitoneal which is in the stomach. Lastly, there is intravenous which is into the veins. Intravenous injection results in intense affects within 30 seconds of the injection (Volkow, 2013). This method is though t to be most common when thinking of heavy drug users because of the fast results. The next route of administration for cocaine is intranasal. This is where cocaine is snorted or sniffed up the nose. This is the most common way that cocaine is administered. Intranasal routes require ten to fifteen minutes for the desired effect of cocaine to begin. The last method is inhalation. This is where cocaine is smoked. The effect of inhaling cocaine is felt almost immediately; however, the effects do not last more than five to fifteen minutes (Volkow, 2013). This method is less likely with cocaine since it is the only way for crack to be administered. Cocaine is readily absorbed after oral and intranasal administration, but the onset of drug action is slower and the peak effect is takes longer period of time to be reached than with other routes of administration. Cocaine is processed rapidly with most of its effects vanishing twenty to eighty minutes after administration (Volkow, 2013). Coc aine and crack cocaine is eliminated through the urine and is detectible up to two to three days after administration. The route of administration is chosen by the user, and is addictive from whichever route is chosen. They become addictive because of the effect cocaine and crack cocaine has on the body. Effects Cocaine is a stimulant drug that has physiological effects that are seen outside of the brain, through how a person acts. Common effects of cocaine that can be detected by others are increased talkativeness, sociability, alertness and insomnia. Cocaine is a stimulant that stimulates the central nervous system. When an individual administers cocaine into body, three neurotransmitters are released into the brain; they are norepinepherine, dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are normally reabsorbed; however, cocaine works by blocking the reuptake for these neurotransmitters, which allows for these chemicals to build up in the brain (Holman, 1994). Cocaine binds to the transporters that normally remove the excess of these neurotransmitters from the synaptic gap which prevents them from being reabsorbed by the neurons that released them (Depression: Cocaine, 2014). This results in a natural effect of dopamine on the post-synaptic neurons, which is amplified and gives the pleas urable effects or feelings of the drug (Holman, 1994). These feelings are happiness, confidence, and energy. Each of these feelings are stimulated from a different neurotransmitter. Happiness comes from excess dopamine, confidence comes from serotonin and energy comes from excess norepinepherine. Along with the pleasurable effects of cocaine, it also has negative effects. Cocaine can cause nasal damage, loss of appetite, hallucinations, strokes, increased blood pressure, and increased pulse and heart rate. Recent studies have found that five to sex percent of people who use cocaine become dependent on it (O’Brien Anthony, 2005). There is no safe way to use cocaine to avoid becoming dependent; but once dependence is established, withdrawal occurs when not on the drug. This is the same for crack cocaine. Crack cocaine has a high that is extremely pleasurable and produces feelings of euphoria. The initial high is what crack cocaine users constantly keep trying to achieve. This creates the addictive behaviours associated with the abuse of crack cocaine. This desirable euphoric effect only lasts for a few minutes. Once this effect is done, the negative side effects begin and last longer than the pleasurable effects. The negative side effects include, paranoia, depressed and extreme itchiness. Long term effects of crack cocaine use are crack lips from the hot glass smoking pipe that is used to smoke crack cocaine. Other long term effects are respiratory and heart problems, teeth damage, loss of appetite, malnutrition, insomnia and liver and kidney damage. Crack cocaine abuse has been found to be associated with homelessness, unemployment and the sex trade (Edwards, Halpern Wechsberg, 2006). This is due to the paranoia and the need to support their drug use. Legal Legally, cocaine and crack cocaine are both classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Drug and Substance Act. The classification means that there are no legal rights to use cocaine and crack cocaine for medical use. Punishment is different for cocaine and crack cocaine, but it is based upon the amount of the drug that is found, and the purpose for having the drug. They are each treated as an indictable or summary conviction. If you are convicted of possession of cocaine or crack cocaine, with an amount over one kilogram it is an indictable offence and has a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. If it is less than one kilogram, it is a summary conviction. The punishment depends on the person’s criminal history. There is a mmaximum fine of 1000 dollars for first offence and/or six months imprisonment or a maximum fine of 2000 dollars for subsequent offences and/or maximum one year imprisonment. If you are convicted of trafficking or possession with the intent of trafficking, the punishment has a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory one year of imprisonment if amount is less than one kilogram and two years if amount exceeds two kilograms (Controlled drug and, 2013). The starting point for trafficking in cocaine in small quantities is three years for most provinces, whereas the range of sentence for trafficking of cocaine in the amounts of one kilogram or more will typically see sentences in the range of five years. Larger amounts upward of three kilograms will have a range of six to eight years. In comparison, in Ontario, the range of sentencing for trafficking in small amounts of crack cocaine is six months to two years (Controlled drug and, 2013). This shows that although cocaine and crack cocaine are different drugs, they are classified under the same legal category. The only difference is the sentencing, which is based upon the amount you are convicted of having. Crack cocaine has a longer jail sentence with smaller amou nts than cocaine has of the same amount. Conclusion Cocaine and crack cocaine have similar long term effects. They both create insomnia and kidney and liver problems. They differ in the short term effects. Cocaine gives you increased feelings, of energy and happiness, whereas crack cocaine has a short high of euphoria and then negative effects of depression and paranoia. Crack cocaine is seen as a more serious drug than cocaine. This is shown by the legal sentencing of trafficking. A lesser amount of crack cocaine, gives a longer jail sentence than cocaine does. â€Å"Crack has been widely believed to be cheaper than powder cocaine, and this fact has been used to help explain why drug problems worsened in the 1980s† (Caulkins, 1997).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Audrey Hepburn :: Biography

Audrey Hepburn was loved all over the world and was a very influential, successful actress. She was known for acting, modeling, and dancing. Many women in the world looked to Audrey as their idol. She was influenced by many things that happened during her early life. In Brussels, Belgium Audrey Kathleen Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929. As an infant she almost nearly died from a case of whooping cough because her mother did not believe in doctors she believed in prayers only (Gitlin 1). Audrey was different from a lot of kids when growing up she was a shy, but had a wild imagination. She imaged a fairly castle with nature’s wonders of trees or bushes (Gitlin 3). Hepburn attended an academy for girls in Kent from 1935-1938 (Audrey Hepburn). Audrey and her mother, Ella, were abandoned by Audrey’s father because he was so involved with the Fascist movement. He was very motivated by his increased political passions (Gitlin 6). Audrey’s Grandparents took her and her mother fifty miles southeast of Amsterdam and helped then through the hard time of Audrey’s dad leaving them. After some time had passed on Audrey’s father, Joseph moved to London and asked for visitation rights (Gitlin 6). In 1939- 1945 Hepburn traine d in ballet in Arnhem Conservatory. Audrey became so well at doing ballet in 1944 she danced for groups of people to collect money for underground movement. Later she said, â€Å"The best audience I ever had made not a single sound at the end of my performance’’ (Audrey Hepburn). While attending boarding school, World War II broke out but Audrey focused on ballet. Ella did not feel safe in their location because of the war. The two of them relocated to Holland but soon no country will be safe in Europe because of the German attack (Gitlin 8). Ella and her daughter had to be separated during the war for a while because of all the danger zones. One of the last planes was traveling from England to Holland and they managed to make it. This was the last time Audrey would ever be able to see her father again because of his conversions to Nazism was complete (Gitlin 8 ). Audrey was able to enroll in Arnhem Conservatory of music and dance during this hard ship. The school wasn’t the best in Europe, but they did help her out with her posture and flexibility.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Transitions Of Reptiles To Mammals Essays -- essays research papers

Transitions of Reptiles to Mammals A long long time ago, in a galaxy not too far away, was a little blue planet called Earth, and on this world not a single mammal lived. However a lot of time has past since then and we now have lots of furry creatures that are collectively called mammals. How did they get their? Where did they come from? These are the kinds of questions that led me to my subject of choice. I will endeavor to provide examples, using specific transitional fossils, to show that mammals have evolved from a group of reptiles and were simply not placed here by unknown forces. Before I begin, I would like to define some terms so that nobody gets left in the dust. The term transitional fossil can be used in conjunction with the term general lineage, together they help explain the how one species became another. "General lineage": This is a sequence of similar genera or families, linking an older to a very different younger group. Each step in the sequence consists of some fossils that represent certain genus or family, and the whole sequence often covers a span of tens of millions of years. A lineage like this shows obvious intermediates for every major structural change, and the fossils occur roughly (but often not exactly) in the expected order. However, usually there are still gaps between each of the groups. Sometimes the individual specimens are not thought to be directly ancestral to the next-youngest fossils (e.g. they may be "cousins"" or "uncles" rather than "parents"). However they are assumed to be closely related to the actual ancestor, since the have similar intermediate characteristics. Where Does It All Begin ? Mammals were derived during the Triassic Period ((from 245 to 208 million years ago) It began with relatively warm and wet conditions, but as it progressed conditions became increasingly hot and dry.) from members of the reptilian order Therapsida. The therapsids, members of the subclass Synapsida (sometimes called the mammal-like reptiles),generally were unimpressive in relation to other reptiles of their time. Synapsids were present in the Carboniferous Period (about 280 to 345 million years ago) and are one of the earliest known reptilian groups. Although therapsids were primarily p... ...ng the origin of major new adaptive types. To simplify definitions and to allow the strict delimitation of the Mammalia, some authors have suggested basing the boundary on a single character, the articulation of the jaw between the dentary and squamosal bones and the attendent movement of accessory jaw bones to the middle ear as auditory ossicles. The use of a single character allows the placement in a logical classification of numerous fossil species, other mammalian. characters of which, such as the degree of endothermy and nursing of young and the condition of the internal organs, probably never will be evaluated. It must be recognized, however, that if the advanced therapsids were alive today, taxonomists would be hard-put to decide which to place in the Reptilia and which in the Mammalia. References Carroll, R. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W.H. Freeman and Co., New York Gingerich, P.D. 1977. Patterns of Evolution in the Mammalian Fossil Record. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co. Gingerich, P.D. 1985. Species in the Fossil Record: Concepts, Trends, and Transitions. Paleobiology. Rowe, T. 1988. Definition, Diagnosis, and Origin of Mammalia. J. Vert. Paleontology.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

1984 Critical Analysis

10/23/11 1984 critical analysis In the novel 1984 by George Orwell a man named Winston lives within a dis-utopian society. People within this society keep their emotions non-noticeable because if they go against what the inner circle is teaching than that person would work manually labor for the rest of their life. In the story a party known as the inner circle uses a few slogans and sayings to control everything. The inner circle uses all that they say to brainwash people into believing what they are saying is true. The inner party's slogans are â€Å"War is peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength† By using these phrases one can see that the inner circle can manipulate everyone into believing in what the inner circle tells them to believe in. The first slogan â€Å"War is peace† The inner circle has this slogan to convince people that there is no such thing as peace. The inner party seems to get people to believe they are in a constant state of war. When they are not fighting one country they are fighting the other. The inner party uses this constant state to their advantage; the inner party uses this state to keep the people always occupy with a war and to keep them from thinking about rising up against the government. Examples of the constant state of war, one is the proles are constantly being bombed. With this slogan it gives people a sense of anxiety keeping them scared and to make them think that Big Brother is taking care of them and will look out for them, and protect them. The second slogan â€Å"Freedom is Slavery†, the inner party is trying to control everyone and getting them to hate every other country. This slogan means that to have freedom is to be a slave, which in American eyes is a big lie. The inner party puts out the slogan for people to understand it is much better to be under Big Brother than it is to be your own individual and have freedom to decide what they would like to do; But to the people in this dis-utopia society believe that Big Brother is for them and not only that but they have been spoon fed their whole lives and they would not know what to do even if they had freedom. The people in this society that would have some sense of what freedom is, is the proles because the inner circle doesn't really care about them. The third slogan is â€Å"Ignorance is strength†. The Meaning of Ignorance is the lack of Knowledge, Not knowing and for not knowing to be strength it does not make very much sense. The phrase â€Å"Knowing is half the battle â€Å" would never come into play. In many cases to win a battle is to know what the army is up against. Not knowing is how the inner circle keeps any rebels from rebelling because they don't know what they are up against. Throughout the book the inner circle is kept a secret but it is known that it is there. In the book Winston believes that Big Brother is not real and does not exist. The inner circle also retells history the way they want it told and they teach it this way to keep the people from knowing what truly is happening in the world around them. After all the slogans one of the sayings the inner circle uses is â€Å"Big Brother is Watching You† This society uses this poster to add to the anxiety and fear of the people. The sign has this saying and above it is a face that looks similar to Hitler. This poster is posted everywhere within the society. This saying echoes throughout ones mind to give them a sense of being constantly watched and they have to pay attention to everything they do. This saying is not entirely false either in this society people are always looking out at people waiting and watching for them to slip up. The inner circle also uses telescreeens within each room to watch over what the person is doing and also the telescreen has no off switch. Winston has his telescreen in a location so he has a corner where he can write what ever he wants in his illegal journal. The inner circle uses it's own people to for it's eyes in the society because it uses the true followers to catch all the people who would go against. The inner circle also use kids as spies. They use the kids to spy on the parents within the home to make sure they do not go against the inner party. The inner circle turns their own people on each other so not only they look to catch each other but they also have no big groups to conspire with. In Comparison of the three slogans the number one thing they all have in common is they are all false and are all contradictions of each other; â€Å"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength. † Each slogan has it's own purpose and reason to help the inner circle to control everybody to make sure they do not rise up against the inner party. If someone does go against the inner party the inner party sends their â€Å"task force† in to take that person and to have them do manually labor for the rest of their life. Which having the Thought Police a. k. â€Å"task force† in the mix of everything adds even more anxiety and fear into the people of this society. In truth the inner circle uses fear and repeats the slogans to get people brainwashed into believing everything the inner circle is telling them. The inner circle uses all of the sayings to manipulate and control everyone to be on their side. The inner party has these slogans to make sure every one can't go against them. The inner party rules with fear and is kept a secret, and repeats everything to make sure it is brainwashed into believing everything they are told. In many cases if someone repeats something over and over they would believe it to be true. If someone repeated that 2 + 2 = 5 eventually they would start to question if it is true and then soon the person would believe it is true and trick themselves that they are right in which 2 + 2 = 5. Which is the same way with Winston in which eventually he gave into the ways of the inner circle and he started to love Big Brother who he despised at the beginning of the book. This same process manipulated Winston into going into the ways and is brainwashed into believing everything he is told.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Contribution of the Business Sector in Philippine’s Development

Since the end of World War II, the Philippine economy has been on an unfortunate trajectory, going from one of the richest countries in Asia (following Japan) to one of the poorest. Growth immediately after the war was rapid, but slowed over time. Years of economic mismanagement and political volatility during the Marcos regime contributed to economic stagnation and resulted in macroeconomic instability. A severe recession from 1984 through 1985 saw the economy shrink by more than 10%, and perceptions of political instability during the Aquino administration further dampened economic activity. But in recent years, the Philippine economy is slowly doing its best to increase its economic development. Due to the strong post-crisis, the Philippines continues to face challenges and must sustain to achieve economic growth. Thus, the role of business enterprises is essential in pulling up the country’s economic development. One of the biggest contributions of the business sector in Philippine’s development is through investments. They invest in society so that nobody falls out of the market. They also invest in building and maintaining capital resources to reduce cost of doing improve efficiency and invest in new and innovative technologies that create new services that promote public good. The business sector dominates the Philippine economy contributing a big part to the country’s GDP. These private enterprises hire workforce and so uplift employment rate. The Philippine business sector has demonstrated a wide range of innovative initiatives aimed at maximizing their positive social, economic and environmental impacts on the communities where they operate and on the society in general. The business sector does not only provide employment but also has a corporate social responsibility through providing opportunities for education, communications, engineering and financial supports. That is why the business sector plays an important role in the Philippine economic development.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Certificate and Diploma in Child Care and Education

?What do the qualifications cover? These qualifications prepare you to work unsupervised or in a supervisory capacity with children and their families in a variety of settings. These could include nurseries, children’s centres, home-based child care pre-schools or schools. Who are they suitable for? Anyone wanting to work with Children and Young People. What are the entry requirements? You will need to be least 16 years old. CACHE does not set any other entry requirements but colleges or training providers may have their own guidelines.How are they assessed? They will be assessed by your tutor and CACHE. You will need to complete written assignments for the Award and a short answer test and written assignments for the Certificate. For the Diploma, assessment is the same as for the Award and Certificate plus additional written assignments, assessment of your performance in the workplace and a research task. ?Do you need to be working to take the qualifications? No, but you will be required to spend some time in different practical placements to complete the Diploma.How long do they take to complete? You can usually complete the Diploma in 2 years. The Award and Certificate can be completed in less time. What related qualifications can you progress to? The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (England) (QCF) or a degree. UCAS Information The following points are available for this qualification Award – 10 to 30 points Certificate – 35 to 110 points Diploma – 120 to 360 points To work out your UCAS grades, we have a handy calculator to help you.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Journal on “Beneath the Shadows of the Freeway”

The main point of the author in the poem, Beneath the Shadows of the Freeway, is that a woman, even if she’s married to a man, should still be able to support herself and not be solely dependent on her husband. In addition, the author pointed out in the poem that as a woman grows old she should learn basic skills in life that would allow her to survive. To illustrate her points in the poem, the author used two characters, grandma, who is an independent woman, and her granddaughter, who is a woman still learning how to become independent.In other words, the grandmother represents the past as she is experienced and does not rely on anyone else to survive while her granddaughter represents the future as she is still learning to be self-supporting. In the poem, the author portrayed how grandma lived her life after she left her husband who almost tried to kill her. The grandmother was depicted as a woman with various skills such as planting geranium and, as stated in the poem, bein g able to â€Å"trust what she builds with her own hands.† In addition, the author also showed the granddaughter’s admiration for her grandmother and her survival skills. This was shown in the last lines of the poem wherein the granddaughter said that someday she too will be able to learn how to plant geraniums and build things with her own hands. In short, the granddaughter believed that she must acquire the skills of her grandmother so that she won’t be solely dependent on her man and would learn to stand up on her own two feet.The author was very convincing in emphasizing her points throughout the poem as she used situations that are happening in the real world. She used the grandmother as a symbol of an independent woman who young girls should emulate, which is shown in the granddaughter’s desire to become like her grandma when she grows old. I basically agree with the author that a woman should learn how to be independent even if she is married as th is will greatly help her in situations wherein her husband is not present.

Anaylsis of a Sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards told congregation of Enfield, Connecticut in 1741, who wanted to turn people who thought they were too much to Christianity. Edwards creates scores using different metaphorical language strategies to capture the emotional aspects of the audience. By using various styles to scare his audience, Edwards' sermon, powerful words bring good results. Obviously, people rely on God to keep them away from hell. Your evil makes you heavy like a collar, and makes you go to hell with great weight and pressure. In his sermon Sinner in the wrath of God, Jonathan Edwards wrote to his audience and those who read the sermon in the form of a booklet - later they are sinners, sentenced to hell It was convinced that it would be done. As long as they rely on Christ and believe that his grace will be saved. Amazingly, most of the sermons of Edwards are not eternal condemnation, but about the love of God. Nevertheless, this sermon has become an integral part of his religious heritage in the United States. In American early history and literary research, college students often encounter sinners in angry god 's hands. This is usually a quick work between Salem Magic Trial and American Revolution. The sermon of Calvinist theology is drawn with an angry god hanging people in the holes of hell, so you can feel the strangeness of modern American emotions. This article reexamined the sermon of Jonathan Edwards' sinners in the hands of angry gods. There are two main goals. First, studying this sermon should give a clearer understanding of the nature of the god of Edward. That preaching states that God is angry, and that his anger is specifically directed to sinners, but you can not ignore the sacred attributes of another wonderful class that Edwards emphasizes. His grace, compassion, compassion, patience, and love. Edwards believes that this is because of the grace of God that calls pure happiness, and the sinner has not been destroyed yet, but appeals to respond to the audie nce, not the god who prefers to destroy sinners. God's grace for faith and repentance. The God of Edwards is an angry god who exactly hates sin and sinners

Friday, September 13, 2019

Fitness Exercise Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fitness Exercise Training - Essay Example This is the case considering that videos and animations may contain rich forms and extraneous details which present information in a way that is more complex compared to an animation. In this respect, a video is more likely to overburden the working memory of learners to the extent that they may not be able to store whatever they have learnt in their long-term memory (Mayer & Clark, p. 316). Furthermore, videos may provide information that may distract the learners from focusing on the main message being passed to the. On the other hand, still diagrams may be less motivating to the learners. Using still diagrams as the preferred option is consistent with the results of different studies that show that they are more effective than videos and animations (Mayer & Clark, p. 316). As the instructor uses still diagrams to teach about exercising, it is best for them to accompany the diagrams with audio narration. This is consistent with several findings from research (such as those done by Moreno (2006); Sweller 2005; and Ginns (2005)) that show audio narration to be more effective than printed text when it comes to learning (Mayer & Clark, p. 317).

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 - Essay Example Crash in the housing market also came under the occurrence in many regions of the world, as an outcome, a huge number of vacancies lingered. In addition, the crisis also played a vital role and made a deep impact in the breakdown of many businesses with falling off in consumer prosperity. The 2007 financial crisis is also termed as the Great Recession, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and Credit Crunch (Kolb, pp.77-139). The destruction of international financial institutions was outcome of the crash down of US housing bubbles, which lead to decline in the real estate pricing. Housing bubble is an economic bubble that arises in the local or international real estate market from time to time when the worth of the real estate properties faces a swift increase, which becomes unmatchable with the earnings and other economic factors. The financial crisis came to an end until mid of 2009, although it had left an indelible imprint across the globe that is still coming under experience. Ac cording to some research conducted by economists, it came under limelight that the crisis was completely manmade and was the result of wrong financial decisions. The stakeholders specifically the owners focused on the profit aspect of their business and neglected the risk factor involved in this profit making activity (United Nations, pp.1-10). In the years 2005-2006, the US housing bubble was packed, overcrowded and was at its highest point, which lead to the abrupt ground or the main cause due to which the crisis happened (Kolb, pp.77-139). The default rates that were high previously on subprime and adjustable rate mortgages further skyrocketed. The housing prices started to increase at a high percentage as banks started to provide the prospective mortgagee with more loans. Prospects were motivated by banks to take high loans ignoring the segment of interest rates, with a perspective and confidence that they would be able to repay the loans in less time. The housing prices dropped at a drastic speed as soon as the interest rates started climbing. Housing and credit upsurge lead to augmentation of various financial accords, namely mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and collateralized debt obligations (CDO) at an unprecedented rate. This caught the attention of the local and international investors and corporations to plunge in the US housing market as they observed an opportunity to make potential profits from this market. With the turn down in the housing value, innumerable people including the global investors/institutions, borrowers and investors in subprime MBS faced heavy and noteworthy losses. The decline in housing value was so severe that had they auctioned the house, the recovery of the mortgage price would not have been possible. In 2006, the lenders of the housing loans received an incentive of foreclosure. They approached the legal officials for the recovery of their money (Kolb, pp.77-139). The banking organizations got a financial power and they s tarted absorbing customers’ wealth to make for their losses. This crisis was not only come under observance in housing sector but other factions of the economy also experienced the same drastic effects. The main reason for the crisis includes a number of factors. The mortgages come under sanction to a huge number of people, without

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Order and Good vs Chaos and Evil in a Moral Perceptive Assignment

Order and Good vs Chaos and Evil in a Moral Perceptive - Assignment Example These two types of alignments give the extremities for every society. This is why each society must have a set of rules to govern the code of conduct. Law in a society is an indication that everything should follow a specific order and the opposite of this is chaos. G- The Station, February 20, 2003, West Warwick, Rhode Island is regarded as one of the deadliest nightclub fires that killed about 100 people. The fire was caused by pyrotechnics that ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the ceilings and walls. C- The first 72 hours following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is regarded as the deadliest and destructive Atlantic hurricane. At least 1,833 people died and property worth $ 81 million was destroyed. D -New Year’s Eve, Times Square, New York City, New York. This is a date where people all over the world to admire the dazzling lights from the Times Square. It is a symbolic center of this city and regarded as a global tradition. H- Kiss, January 27, 2013, Santa Maria, Brazil this was a fire that started between 2:00 and 2:30 that killed at least 239 and injured 169. It is regarded as the most devastating fire disaster in the history of Brazil. A- The execution of Timothy Mc Veigh – Timothy Mc Veigh was a domestic terrorist who detonated a truck bomb in Oklahoma city that killed 168 people and injured over 800. It is one of the deadliest act of terrorism within the United  States.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Week 4 reflection paper MAM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 4 reflection paper MAM - Assignment Example Furthermore individual chromosomes occupy preferred location within the nucleus. White blood cells in human bodies like chromosome 18, hugs nucleus on the outer wall, whereas chromosome 19 remains at the center while chromosome 7 hover in between center and outer of the nucleus. DNA in chromosomes uses complex way to fold, and individual chromosomes occupies distinct locations in the nucleus and some of them prefer the periphery of the nuclear, while others like coming closer to the center. Chromosome that lies closer to one another can influence the functionality of the cells. Chromatin is very complex and consists of DNA and Proteins. If laid in a straight line, nuclear DNA in bodies of human beings would be enough to stretch from sun to earth and vice versa 100 times. Research has also shown that chromosome arrangement is not stationary; it changes during disease and development. When a gene is needed, relevant DNA loops away from other chromosomes, and becomes fully activated. Sometimes transcription factors in gene on chromosome can help to activate nearby chromosome. Furthermore, these Chromosomes are arranged in different cells, differently and the arrangement changes at the time of development. Its locations plays central role in cancer and knowing the location of chromosomes in the nucleus gives an opportunity for the detection of the cancer (Misteli 66-73). Blood transfusion has been found to be very important procedure during medical conditions, and also, tissue transplant can be done successfully from animal to animal and from one part of the body to

Monday, September 9, 2019

500 words Travel proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

500 words Travel proposal - Essay Example I knew my trip was going to go well with him as the leader. He had this uncanny ability of relating to English speakers in such a way that one would understand the history of a place even before you actually stepped onto the grounds. It also helped that he wanted to know what my interests were so that he could take me to the places that he knew I would be excited to visit and know many places in relation to personal interests. Our first stop on this long car trip was Jerash. A breath-taking city known for its well-preserved Grecian-Roman designs. One can only marvel at the intricate carving methods that were used on these stone pillars which were all done by hand. Entering the city through Hadrian’s Gate, I could not help but remember all those National Geographic and History Channel TV documentaries I had viewed in the past about this particular area. Those documentaries did not do the place justice and showed only the tip of the exquisite beauty that Jerash had to offer. Next on our agenda was a city tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan. I was amazed to see the Roman Amphitheatre and Citadel Hill. I posed before the statue of Hercules at the Amman Citadel and Temple of Hercules. I could have stayed up on the hill a lot longer than the schedule Amir drew up permitted but he reminded me that the drive back to the hotel was going to be a long one. I begrudgingly agreed to go back to rest up for the night when Amir reminded me that we had a lot more sights to see the next day. We visited the city of Petra itself. Passing through the Siq gorge, the narrow passage had walls rising up to 200 meters allowing the tourists a chance to ride a horse or horse cart along with a guide. The highlight of this ride was the 40 meter high Treasury, ancient royal tombs, and yet another Roman amphitheatre. In my opinion, the city of

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures Research Paper

Implementing Network and Personnel Security Measures - Research Paper Example In relation to the present network security manufacturing industry, Cisco and IBM can be considered as the leading corporations which provide safe and steady internet environment within the networks of the different global institutions. Cisco Cisco is generally known as one of the inclusive manufacturers in terms of producing a range of effective network security devices. A few of the major Cisco devices include Cisco Threat Defense Solution, Network Admission Control Appliance and Cisco Secure Access Control System among others (Cisco, 2013). The associated costs of the Cisco network security devices vary in accordance with the functions and network structure of the institutions. In general, the network security devices offered by Cisco are cost effective and can be procured from Cisco distributors, dealers along with other retail stores (Cisco, 2013). IBM The network security devices offered by IBM are highly effective for averting, detecting and eliminating different network relat ed vulnerabilities that emerge while designing and deploying network management applications. The devices offered by the company ensure adequate security of the internal information and prevent the access of unauthorized guest users. A few of the major network security products of IBM include ‘IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager for z/OS’, ‘IBM Security Access Manager for Enterprise Single Sign-On’ and ‘IBM Security AppScan Enterprise’ among others (IBM, 2013). The IBM internet security devices can be procured from the company’s own distribution networks. The network security products offered by the company are relatively more cost effective than other products offered by the different vendors (IBM, 2013). Functionality of Cisco Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (Cisco, 2013) Functionalities of IBM Network Security Devices for Governmental Agency Source: (IBM, 2013) 3. Maintenance Plan for the Government Agency to Ensure Having the Latest Security Measures The maintenance plan concerning the installation of advanced network security devices is one of the essential steps for the government agency to uphold the security of its vital information. Therefore, the maintenance plan of the network security devices within the government agency would be primarily focused on five major practices. The following are the primary activities of the maintenance plan for the government agency to ensure having the latest security measures: Monitoring performance of the network security devices as per their expected outcomes Ensuring better alignment of network security devices with the primary objectives of the government agency Confirming appropriate development of the network security devices installed within the agency Continuous minimization of the network down-time and, Minimizing IT related costs of the government agency Source: (Torstensson, 2010) a. Risks Associated with not fulfilling the Activities Outlined within the Maintenance Plan The improper or unstructured maintenance plan of the network security devices can generate various types of risks for the government agency. A few of the major risks associated with not fulfilling of activities of maintenance plan include: Increase vulnerability from the access of unauthorized guest users Weaken data protection capabilities of the network security devices Misrepresentation of information Increase in agency’

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies Essay

Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies - Essay Example The essay "Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies" talks about the last 30 years of the 19th century which was a time in the United States history that was defined by economic growth spurred by new innovative technologies. The greater overall levels of prosperity lead to a massive population growth in this country.For example, the city of New York had a population of 468,492 in 1869, twenty years later the population had grown to 1,093,701 inhabitants. The cities became overpopulated and there was a need to expand away from the cities into the suburban areas. Society was in need of more housing for the new residents that were entering the country either through immigration or through natural birth. The most influential factor that spurred the economy during this era was the construction industry.There were big changes during this era in the capability humans had to travel longer distances in shorter periods of time. New technological breakthroughs in transportat ion systems shorten the distances between rural areas and cities. Some of the key transportation technologies that appeared during this era were the cable street car, the electric trolley, and elevated railroads. With the ability to travel further distances the population and families were able to move away to intermediate regions between the city and rural space, thus the suburban neighborhood was born. At this time construction of homes picked up and enter into the middle class was defined by ownership of a home.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Institute of Technology Essay Example for Free

Institute of Technology Essay A minor news item featured in MSNBC last month, from which the above excerpt is taken, talks about a 38-year-old aging nuclear power plant in the state of Vermont that is still efficient but appears to pose increasing threat to the environment. The local and state authorities want it to be decommissioned, but the owner of the plant, Entergy corp. , intends to run it for another 20 years. The plant meets one-third of the state’s electricity needs, and the people of Vermont are very much dependent on it for the electricity, of course. But at the same time they have grown distrustful of the quality of management at the plant and the plant’s viability. The future of this plant may not be a national or international concern, but it is a crucial issue for the local people. The fundamental dilemma of the situation here reflects, in microcosm, the vastly larger problem of the future of nuclear-generated electricity as such: should we enthusiastically embrace it or wisely abjure it? Many of the rapidly developing countries of the world, especially, tend to be upbeat about the potential of nuclear power, while in some of the developed countries where nuclear power has been put to use for generating electricity for several decades now there has been an increasing degree of opposition to the continued reliance on nuclear power, from the point of view of threats it poses to the environment. As in the case of Vermont Yankee power plant, the basic conflict in the nuclear power sector is between the potential and the potential risk. The Vermont facility has still the potential to supply a large fraction of the state’s electricity needs for a couple of decades more which is by no means a mean feat, but there are signs, such as the recent tritium leak detected at the plant, of the decreased reliability and robustness of the plant. The Vermont news story provokes the question: Can nuclear power plants be robust and reliable in general? The rewards they proffer may outweigh the risks they pose, but even so, do the rewards far outweigh the risks so that the risks – to the extent they are present – can be considered acceptable? A number of countries of the world have benefitted from nuclear power for several decades now with only one major disaster to speak of so far. But how many closely averted disasters such as the Three-Mile Island incident of 1979 there might have been — it is difficult to estimate. Because, as can be seen in the case of Vermont facility, there is apparently a widespread culture of â€Å"leaks and lies† in the nuclear power sector, which tends to neatly cover up inefficiencies, mismanagement, breaches, increased risks and so on. The world’s experience with nuclear-generated electricity so far could be seen as a trial or an experiment, based on which we are compelled to take decisions regarding the future of nuclear power. Should the world’s reliance on nuclear power be dramatically expanded, as advocated by many nuclear power enthusiasts and as was initially expected when nuclear power technologies were developing in the 1950’s? Or, should we gradually phase out our dependence on nuclear power and switch to much safer alternatives, or should a middle way be adopted? There are many well-informed people who would like to see all nuclear power plants shut down — how far are their fears valid? Literature Review: 1) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2003, 2009) The Future of Nuclear Power: An Interdisciplinary Study. Retrieved from http://web. mit. edu/nuclearpower/ The experts at MIT â€Å"believe† in nuclear power and prominently emphasize the chief advantage of absence of carbon emissions in its production. This study takes a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to assessing the feasibility of nuclear power. While the basic stance of MIT favors the increased use of nuclear power, the risks are not downplayed. The issues that the nuclear industry faces are tackled in a clear and detailed way. The study does succeed in inspiring confidence in the potential of nuclear power. Though the fears and concerns are not really eliminated, they are not simply vague forebodings of doom now but are based on actual facts and conditions. The challenges can be dealt with, in principle, with more commitment and initiative. 2) Biello D. (2009). The Future of Nuclear Power: An In-depth Report. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www. scientificamerican. com/report. cfm? id=nuclear-future This is a 4-part in-depth report featured in the Scientific American magazine in early 2009. The first report, â€Å"Find Fissile Fuel,† explores the issue of availability of uranium and other raw materials for nuclear power. The second report, â€Å"Reactivating Nuclear Reactors for the Fight against Climate Change,† examines the ongoing escalation in nuclear power production in the U. S. â€Å"Spent Nuclear Fuel,† the third part, deals with the major issue of nuclear waste management. The final report, â€Å"Atomic Weight: Balancing the Risks and Rewards of a Power Source,† asks the question: â€Å"Is it worth the minor chance of a major catastrophe? † 3) Department of Trade and Industry, U. K. (2007). The Future of Nuclear Power: The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon UK Economy. Retrieved from www. berr. gov. uk/files/file39197. pdf This is a UK government white paper / consultation document on the relevance of nuclear power in addressing the issues related to global warming and climate change and ensuring continued energy supplies. Though it is a document of advice and information provided to the UK government to help it make decisions, a consideration of the particularities of the UK situation can be useful in more general contexts. In the UK, nuclear power is already making a significant contribution to the ‘electricity generating mix’ and this paper is inclined to the view that it could make an even more prominent contribution. 4) Mahaffey, J. (2009). Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power. New York : Pegasus Books Mahaffey, a senior research scientist at Georgia Tech Research Institute, has written a book meant to interest laymen about nuclear power and its possibilities. He wants to show us that nuclear energy is not the monster it is portrayed to be; while the risks cannot be completely mitigated it can still be used in a very safe manner. One of the barriers to greater acceptance of nuclear power is the general unfamiliarity of the subject, the degree of alienation between the common man and the tall-standing nuclear reactors. The author seeks to bridge this gap by familiarizing his audience with the subject in an entertaining and engaging manner, largely in a historical perspective. 5) Smith, J Beresford, N. A. (2005). Chernobyl: catastrophe and consequences. New York : Springer The public perception of nuclear power has radically changed after the Chernobyl tragedy. Ever since, people living in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant are naturally beset with fears that their installation does not turn out to be another Chernobyl. And if a nuclear facility is actually having some known problems, as in the case of Vermont, these fears are vastly exacerbated. In this context it is very pertinent to understand what caused Chernobyl and assess how likely is it for a similar disaster to happen again, for broadly similar reasons. Smith and Beresford’s detailed yet uncomplicated account of the Chernobyl incident is useful for developing a mental picture of the events that led to the 1986 mishap, what really occurred and how it was handled. Methodology: This short paper is built around a minor incident at Vermont’s nuclear power plant and the public reaction to it — with the aim of examining the broader implications of nuclear power to the future of the world. We propose to survey the works cited in the literature review in order to glean the opinions and standpoint of their authors in regard to the risks and rewards presented by the use of nuclear power. A special focus is laid on the Chernobyl incident. Results: — The MIT study of 2003, later updated in 2009, is the one of the most authoritative studies in this field. It begins with what would appear like a sad note that despite the great promise nuclear power holds in regard to significantly restricting earth’s green house emissions, nuclear power is virtually facing stagnation. It recommends a tripling of world’s nuclear generating capacity of the world by 2050 in order to turn around the situation of decline. Doing so would help in cutting 25% of the increment in greenhouse gas emissions which would occur if such a resurgence of nuclear power did not take place. The safety of modern reactor designs is considerably superior to those of the earlier models, and there is very low risk of serious accidents. However, the very low risk associated with modern nuclear reactors holds true only when their operation implements â€Å"best practices. † Proliferation is another major concern in regard to nuclear power generation. With increased use of nuclear power, there is increasing likelihood of misuse of raw materials and technology for manufacturing nuclear weapons. The existing international safeguards regime is far from being adequate, according to the report, to meet the greater security challenges of a global growth in nuclear usage. Especially, the kind of reprocessing system that is used in a majority of nuclear power using countries, including European Union, Japan and Russia, poses unwarranted risks of proliferation. Waste management is yet another major area of concern. Closed fuel cycles involving reprocessing are generally considered to offer waste management benefits, but the study is not convinced of their benefits; improved open fuel cycles can offer just as many benefits and they present diminished security threats along with decreased costs. The study therefore recommends open, once-through fuel cycles for facing both security and waste management challenges in a better way. However, the international safeguards regime needs to be improved, and greater efforts have to be put in by the government and the private enterprise to develop better solutions for the waste disposal problem. Apart from the safety, proliferation, and waste management concerns, the fundamental issue in regard to nuclear power is the cost, which is not yet competitive with the other conventional modes of power generation. However, even this problem is not insurmountable, and various strategies are suggested to increase the economic feasibility of nuclear power. Finally, forebodings and misguided perceptions among the public present a great barrier for creating a movement to expand the world’s nuclear power capacity. This, the report suggests, can be dealt with by implementing an intensive program of public education. — The 4th part of Scientific American’s in-depth feature on the future of nuclear power covers many risky scenarios faced by the American nuclear power sector in the past few decades. The report leads us to conclude that the future of nuclear power in the US largely depends on the quality of management of the nuclear installations. So far the US has a rather impressive track record in running the nuclear facilities, and this consistency is likely to continue. — A chapter in the UK white paper on the future of nuclear power addresses the specific safety and security risks posed by nuclear installations. It stresses on the additional safety features added to the latest models of nuclear reactors: Designers of nuclear power stations have taken this earlier operational experience and learned lessons from previous nuclear events. They have added features to reduce the likelihood of plant failures and to limit the consequences when failures occur. (p. 105) From design to operations and maintenance, rigorous procedures can be developed, and in fact have been developed, which make nuclear energy one of the best options for meeting the electricity needs of UK and Europe. — Mahaffey, in his book ‘Atomic Awakening’ raises many interesting points. He observes, for example, that Chernobyl caused only 55 to 60 deaths (most of them being fire fighters exposed to lethal doses of radiation), whereas the Bhopal incident which took place in 1984 in India killed over 15,000 of the city’s inhabitants. Despite the overblown public fears, the safety record of the nuclear industry world wide is relatively very solid. There is no reason why people should fear nuclear power generation more than they fear many other processes to do with advanced technology. Seen from a safety perspective, nuclear power plants are like airlines: a single disaster can create great fear among the public for air travel, but when we look at the statistical record of safety of airlines and compare them with road transport, airplanes turn out to be vastly safer than cars. — In the early hours of April 26, 1986, a massive nuclear reactor accident took place at the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine. A small test procedure that was being conducted went completely out of control, resulting in two non-nuclear explosions that demolished the heavy ceiling of the reactor and expelled the radioactive contents and waste products of the reactor’s core into the surroundings. Chernobyl is the worst nuclear disaster in the history. It has cast a heavy shadow on the entire nuclear industry which continues to darken the horizons. But we must note that the Chernobyl disaster is a result of bad design compounded by bad management practices and a work culture which flouted all safety considerations. One safety feature after another was deliberately suppressed in order to facilitate the test procedure; serious warnings were callously disregarded. The Chernobyl meltdown occurred as a result of operator incompetence on a huge scale, as was acknowledged by the Soviet official report of the disaster. A group of technicians are directly responsible for this disaster, and they committed six serious violations or errors besides many others. Many of the operators as well as managers in charge at Chernobyl actually knew very little about nuclear technology. Moreover, there were certain high-risk features associated with the RBMK design of the Chernobyl reactors. A Chernobyl can never happen in the Western world because the minimal industrial standards here are far superior to those that prevailed in the Soviet Union during the last years of its existence. Conclusion: Nuclear power plants have been safe and would continue to be safe — in the context of advanced nations. But the real problem comes when we consider nuclear energy in the setting of the developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America. All the studies we have dealt with so far focus on the U. S. , U. K. and the E. U. How would nuclear power fare in the volatile developing countries is in fact even difficult to outline even in broad terms. The major obstacle for the Third World Countries in embracing nuclear power is the cost. However, in a bid to develop environment-friendly energy sources, Western nations are engaged in bringing down the costs of production of nuclear power. If they succeed, nuclear power production can spread rapidly in the developing countries of the world, and this can have potentially highly adverse consequences. A Chernobyl can never happen in the U. S. or Europe, but it can very well happen in Angola or Pakistan or Columbia. References: Associated Press. Vermont Town Halls Want Nuclear Plant Shut. MSNBC. Retrieved from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/35687805 Biello D. (2009). The Future of Nuclear Power: An In-depth Report. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www. scientificamerican. com/report. cfm? id=nuclear-future Department of Trade and Industry, U. K. (2007). The Future of Nuclear Power: The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon UK Economy. Retrieved from www. berr. gov. uk/files/file39197. pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2003, 2009) The Future of Nuclear Power: An Interdisciplinary Study. Retrieved from http://web. mit. edu/nuclearpower/ Mahaffey, J. (2009). Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power. New York : Pegasus Books Smith, J Beresford, N. A. (2005). Chernobyl: catastrophe and consequences. New York : Springer