Sexuality And Criminality By Leslie Bell Essay - 1717 Words

Attitudes towards different issues in society are adopted depending on the prevailing beliefs of such a society. Every trending issue in society helps shape the attitudes that people develop and significantly influences their behavior. There is no question that every society has a prejudged perception and possible reaction to any event that may occur within the realm of the community. Several experiences that the society goes through in earlier instances influences how the society reacts to newer experiences. In this regard, there is a rationale that will always affect the attitude that society on how to take up on the occurrence of a particular event. The current paper is an in-depth analysis of two articles that cover two of the most emotive issues in any modern society: sexuality and criminality. In the first article, Leslie Bell mostly focuses on female sexuality largely detailing the often confusing situations that twenty-something ladies have to contend with as regards to their sexual freedom. Female sexuality remains a persistently emotive issue in many societies. Religious and social beliefs that prevail in the society fuel the emotions that enhance the hard stances taken concerning the female sexuality debate. The author Malcolm Gladwell, in the second article mostly focuses on the possible causations factors of crime in modern societies, and it details some of the factors that affect the way people are likely to react to particular cases in crime commission. In theShow MoreRelatedSexuality And Criminality By Leslie Bell Essay1599 Words   |  7 Pagesemotive issues witnessed in the modern society. These issues include sexuality and criminality. In the first article, Leslie Bell mostly focuses on female sexuality largely detailing the often-confusing situations that twenty-something women have to contend with based on their sexual freedom. Religious and social beliefs that prevail in the society fuel the emotions that enhance the hard decisions made c oncerning the female sexuality debate. In the second article, the author Malcolm Gladwell mostlyRead MoreThe Power Of Context By Malcolm Gladwell Essay1633 Words   |  7 Pagesof occurrence of specific events. Leslie Bell, the author of â€Å"Selections from Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom,† largely focuses on female sexuality detailing the often confusing situations  that twenty-something ladies have to contend with, with regards to their sexual freedom. She argues that female sexuality remains a persistently emotional issue and that the emotions have enhanced the hard stances taken in the female sexuality debate are largely fueled by theRead MoreThe Power Of Context By Malcolm Gladwell Essay1802 Words   |  8 Pagessurroundings would affect the vulnerable groups and that specific cases can lead to various reactions from the members of the involved society. Similarly, Leslie Bell tackles culture changes and environment can affect c hoices and raise internal conflicts regard to twenty-something women. In â€Å"Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom,† Bell argues that today’s young women need to face the widely contradictory cultural changes may cause them extremely difficult to freely and fully realizeRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPontificà ­a Universidad Catà ³lica del Perà º, Fondo Editorial, 1984); Monica Boyd, â€Å"Family and Personal Networks in International Migration: Recent Developments and New Agendas,† International Migration Review 23 (1989): 638–670; James H. Jackson and Leslie Page Moch, â€Å"Migration and the Social History of Modern Europe,† Historical Methods 22 (1989): 27–36; Ivan Light and Parminder Bachu, eds., Immigration and Entrepreneurship (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1993), 25–49; Alejandro Portes

The Trade Offs Faced By Each Of The Following - 1333 Words

Chapter 1 1) Describe some of the trade-offs faced by each of the following: a) A family deciding whether or not to buy a new car needs to take into account their finances. They also need to think about the fact that is there something more important in the near future that they will need the money for and also is their old car a safety hazard. Also the money spent could often be put into savings for emergencies or used for clothing, going on vacation, college education for one’s kids etc. All of these factors need to come into play before making a large-scale decision. b) When a member of Congress decides how much money to spend towards national parks they have to take into account other important expenses which could include the country’s defense, if money is needed for the betterment of our countries roads, social programs, education etc. c) Before opening a new factory a president has to decide whether funds are needed in other or existing projects which may produce profits for the company and also should decide whether the money is needed for operating/administrative expenses, or just to have extra cash on hand etc. d) A professor should consider when deciding on how much to prepare for a class the time spent with family, time for personal activities, research done for subject, also the lesson prepared would be easy for the students to understand etc. e) A recent college graduate deciding whether to go to graduate school would take into account the income theyShow MoreRelatedQuestions On Problems And Applications1473 Words   |  6 Pages Chapter 1 Give three examples of important trade-offs that you face in your life. Some examples of trade-offs that I face in my life are rather I should go to sleep early or adding another hour of studying for a test. Another trade-off was that if I should watch some shows online or study more for the final. The last trade-off is when I could spend my money to go out to eat or I could save my money and eat at home. 5. Why isn t trade among counties like a game with some winners andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Founding Brothers 1577 Words   |  7 PagesFounding Brothers Essay 17 Oct 2015 Shaan Sekhon The United States faced many challenges in the years following the revolutionary war. The themes discusses in the â€Å"Founding Brothers† show how difficult it really was to create a perfect union. Ellis shows that many factors went into decisions as theoretically simple as the location of the nations new capitol, to the morality of slave trade. Collaboration played a large role in the nations early years, as did the faith people put in its firstRead MoreThe European Union878 Words   |  4 PagesEuropean Coal and Steel Company (ECSC), which was established by the Treaty of Paris following World War II. This organization consisted of the six founding countries, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The organization would then rename itself to the European Economic Community (EEC) as a result of the Treaty of Paris as well as in hopes of becoming economically interdependent through trade with one another also known as the ‘Common Market†™ (â€Å"The History†). Denmark, IrelandRead MoreScience And Its Effect On Society During The 19th Century916 Words   |  4 PagesThe â€Å"long† 19th century lasted around 125 years, and throughout this time period many things changed for the good and for the bad. However, each state and country faced different things that would affect their government and lifestyles for quite a while. Some of these could be considered a gain for the common citizens but they could also result in a loss for others. People had a tendency to overlook all the good and focus on the bad, which caused them to be oblivious to all the good progressionsRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Homeland Security1116 Words   |  5 Pagesbe weighed and prioritized in a manner that is conducive to the longevity of the nation but also eliminates political or other personal agenda. To ensure a standardized approach the Department of Homeland Security adopted a risk management. The following will look at defi ning what risk management is as well as an example of how it is being incorporated within the homeland security enterprise and how doing so is of benefit. WHAT IS RISK MANAGEMENT? Risk management is the process of prioritizingRead MoreA Comparison of the September 11 Attack and the Attack on Pearl Harbor742 Words   |  3 PagesSeptember 11th 2001 On Sept. 11, 2001, A date that will live in infamy for Americans, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City. At 8:48 a.m. flight 11 crashed into the north tower. As it continued to burn a second plane flight 175 carrying 65 people crashed into the south tower around 9:05 a.m.. as smoke and debris fill the air in New York City after one of the World Trade Center towers collapsed. Police officers and rescue workers on the disaster scene in New York are covered in AshRead MoreCredit Derivatives in the Recent Global Financial Crisis1671 Words   |  7 Pagesderivatives increased in the past decade. The maximum volume of derivatives was traded during the years 2005 to 2007 of which 2006 was the highest at $2000bn. Then when the financial crisis occurred at the end of 2007 the trading decreased rapidly the following two years to as low as $100bn in 2009. There has been claims from financial critics that these credit derivative are the main factor that has lead to the a lmost collapse of the world financial markets and if corrective measures are not taken, itRead MoreBusiness Law Seminar981 Words   |  4 PagesBusiness Law Seminar Report Analysis of Gladiators FC Case In order to explore all the possible solutions to the crisis of Gladiators FC club, first of all, we need to have a thorough and clear vision of the actual situation faced by the club and point out the advantages and disadvantages they have. Then based on the analysis of the situation, we may suggest several potential ways to get the Gladiators FC club out of crisis. The Situation Analysis Advantageous condition for the financialRead MoreAnalysis Of Howard Zinn s The Mind Behind Dozens Of Books 1381 Words   |  6 Pagesand poor white immigrants with European background. Thousands of years before white settlers arrived, millions of Native Americans had flourished and lived off of the land of North America. The Native Americans were overall a peaceful people, using only violence when seldom necessary. They developed farming and learned how to live off of the land, all while sustaining a bright and lively culture. After living among the Natives, John Collier, reflected on their spirit: â€Å"Could we make it our ownRead MoreThe Destructiveness Of The Slave Trade985 Words   |  4 PagesATIENZA, Rizsa Mae 03 October 2015 Fall 2015 HIST 177 Primary Document Analysis The Destructiveness of the Slave Trade Olaudah Equiano begins the narrative by describing his home. He paints for his audience a charming, very fruitful picture of his province Essaka. It was a place where all the neighborhood children would come together and play whilst their parents were away laboring in the fields. He recalls being taught by his mother how to defend himself. They would practice shooting and throwing

Effectiveness of International Law Free Essays

Introduction This essay will focus on international law being an effective tool for the resolution of international disputes. Timely resolutions and unbiased resolutions are factors that determine effective dispute resolution. The definition and concept of international law, effective aspects of international law, and certain limitations of international law will be discussed in this essay. We will write a custom essay sample on Effectiveness of International Law or any similar topic only for you Order Now Furthermore, case studies will be provided to support the argument and to demonstrate the procedures of resolving international disputes. Definition and Concept of International Law International law can be defined as, the universal system of principles and policies concerning the relations between states and international organisations. The overall identity of international law is the United Nations, and they govern international law through legal documents known as treaties. International law is enforced by the United Nations Security Council and the International Court of Criminal Justice. Effectiveness of International Law in Resolving Disputes International law is expanding over the years as many countries are now relying on it to solve their disputes. Most countries are part of regional organisations, such as the African Union and European Union, which follow the practice of international law . As more countries are getting involved in international organisations, the fairness and reliability of international law can be observed. International law is not forced upon countries. Countries participate in international organisations to ensure stability and predictability in their relationship with other countries. This voluntary participation ensures that laws and agreements made will be fair and unbiased to all participating countries. Countries are not coerced into agreeing to international law. The laws made within an international organisation are derived after much debate and consensus from participating countries. After the agreements are made, these laws are put into place as treaties. This shows that international law allows for fair and unbiased resolutions as the laws will be clearly stated. Another positive element of international law in resolving disputes is, international law does not conflict with domestic laws most of the time. Domestic laws focus on the prosperity of the country while international laws focuses on the prosperity of all countries. Therefore, when it comes to resolving international disputes, most countries will accept the decisions made by the international tribunals and the International Court of Justice. International laws also adapt to the changes in society. These changes are reflected on the amendments of treaties. The United Nations ensures that all laws made are fair and unbiased. It also ensures that disputes between countries are dealt in the same manner. This is the reason as to why the International Court of Justice is a separate entity. When countries that are having conflicts approach the United Nations for dispute resolution, they are referred to the International Court of Justice. The International Court of Justice examines all given evidence and they may also start their own investigations when it is required. The diversity amongst the panel of judges within the International Court of Justice reflects fairness and unbiasedness when resolving disputes. The International Court of Justice also allows for countries involved in the dispute to nominate a judge of their choosing, an Ad hoc judge, to seat on the panel of judges. Case Study of the Effectiveness of International Law The conflict between Singapore and Malaysia over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca and Middle Rocks is a good example of international law being effective. This case gives a clear example of how the International Court of Justice deals and resolves disputes effectively. The dispute started in 1980’s when Malaysia published a map stating that Pedra Branca belonged to her. Singapore disputed this, and both countries agreed to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice. The International Court of Justice started their own investigation and the official hearing took place in 2007 under the name ‘Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia v. Singapore)’. After a thorough study of all geographical evidence, ancient title documents and colonisation letters from the United Kingdom, in 2008, the International Court of Justice ruled that Pedra Branca belonged to Singapore and the Middle Rocks belonged to Malaysia. Limitations in International Law There are certain limitations which affects the effectiveness of international law. Firstly, not every country is a member of international law making organisations. International law making bodies will not be able to make laws and resolve disputes fairly if not all countries are part of this process. Secondly, the International Court of Justice takes too long to make a decision. A key factor in dispute resolutions, is timely resolutions. If disputes are not resolved fast, the effectiveness of international law will be questioned. Lastly, the decision of the International Court of Justice cannot be appealed. Not all decisions are fair to affected countries. There may be instances whereby unjust decisions cannot be appealed.. Case Study of Limitations The territorial dispute between India and Pakistan is a good example of limitations of international law. This case is a good example of countries that do not actively participate in International dispute resolution. Both countries have claimed ownership of Kashmir since they became independent. However, they did not seek dispute resolution and over the years that tension increased into an armed conflict whereby many innocent lives were lost. The ongoing problem has worsened as Kashmir is now filled with terrorist organisations. In 2008, the United States of America stepped in and insisted that both countries resolve the dispute. The United Nations did not step in as they were not called upon by either country. Conclusion International law is an effective tool for international dispute resolution as it ensures that laws are made, and disputes are resolved in a fair and unbiased manner. As there are many regional organisations, there are numerous avenues to resolve international disputes. However, the limitations to international law affects its effectiveness. International organisations should take a more active role and emphasise that all countries actively take part in international law to increase its effectiveness. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Jane Stratton, ‘International Law’, Legal Information Access Centre, 2009 [ 2 ]. Ibid. [ 3 ]. Ibid. [ 4 ]. William E Holder, ‘Towards Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes’ (1969) Australian Year Book of International Law 102 [ 5 ]. Ibid. [ 6 ]. Pitman B. Potter, ‘Bases and Effectiveness of International Law’ (1968), The American Journal of International Law 63(2), 270-272. [ 7 ]. Stratton, above n 1. [ 8 ]. Ibid. [ 9 ]. Ibid. [ 10 ]. Holder, above n 4. [ 11 ]. Ibid. [ 12 ]. Ibid. [ 13 ]. Ibid. [ 14 ]. James Crawford, ‘International Law And The Rule Of Law’, (2003), Adelaide Law Review 3 24(1) [ 15 ]. Ibid. [ 16 ]. Stratton, above n 1. [ 17 ]. Ibid. [ 18 ]. Crawford, above n 14. [ 19 ]. Stratton, above n 1. [ 20 ]. Yuval Shany, ‘Assessing the Effectiveness of International Courts: a Goal-Based Approach’ (2012), The American Journal of International Law 106(2), 225-270. [ 21 ]. Ibid. [ 22 ]. Ibid. [ 23 ]. International Court of Justice, ‘Case Concerning The Sovereignty Over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge’, 23 May 2008 [ 24 ]. Ibid. [ 25 ]. Ibid. [ 26 ]. Ibid. [ 27 ]. Richard Steinberg et al, ‘Power and International Law’ (2006),   The American Journal of International Law  100(1), 64-87. 28 ]. Ibid. [ 29 ]. Anna Spain, ‘Using International Dispute Resolution to Address the Compliance Question in International Law’ (2008-2009), Georgetown Journal of International Law 40(1), 807-864. [ 30 ]. Ibid. [ 31 ]. Shany, above n 20. [ 32 ]. Ibid. [ 33 ]. Hans Koechler, ‘The Kashmir Problem between Law and Realpolitik: Reflections on a Negotiated Settlementâ⠂¬â„¢, International Council on Human Rights,1 April 2008 http://i-p-o. org/Koechler-Kashmir_Discourse-European_Parliament-April2008. htm [ 34 ]. Ibid. [ 35 ]. Ibid. [ 36 ]. Ibid. How to cite Effectiveness of International Law, Papers

American History Effective Time Management

Questions: 1. What are some examples of Mr. Gilbreths use of behavioral psychology on his children? 2. In what ways is Mrs. Gilbreth more traditional about parenting? 3. In what ways is Mr. Gilbreth progressive and innovative as a parent? 4. What limits to the possibilities of efficiency engineering are implied in the book? Answers: 1. Behavioral psychology is a method to condition the behavior of the subject with the use of certain stimuli. The behavioral psychologists make use of certain actions or sound or any form of stimuli that will help the subject understand what is coming next. One of the biggest examples of behavioral psychologists is the use of the lever that the rat pressed and after pressing the lever the rat would get the food. Hence, the rat knew that after pressing the lever, it will get food (Hoy, 2010). The same theory is applied by Gilbreth when used a whistle. The meaning of the whistle was that, whenever the whistle was blown every person has to drop the work that he/she was doing and gather at a common place. Gilbreth might give a good news or bad news but the children was so conditioned that the whistle meant that there is something important that Gilbreth has to share with the family (Suls, Davidson Kaplan, 2010). 2. Mr. Gilbreth prepared a chart for the children where the children would require writing down the work they have done apart from the normal studies they have to do for the school. In addition to this, the children have to fill the charts regarding the daily work they are doing that are, brushing the teeth taking the bath and so on. The children would also have to fill the charts with the weight so that the health of the children can be regularly monitored. Though Mr. Gilbreth was the one who prepared the chart for the children, it was Mrs. Gilbreth who was more traditional about parenting. It was Mrs. Gilbreth who wanted to incorporate praying in the daily charts of the children. According to Mrs. Gilbreth, prayer is an important practice of daily life and it should also be mentioned in the chart to monitor that the children are attached to the roots of their being (Bird, 2011). 3. Every parent wants the children to be successful in life and become independent. However, Gilbreth has his way of parenting. Gilbreth wanted the children that twelve of them to learn how to survive in the society. Gilbreths way of parenting was innovative and different from normal parenting (Williams Reid, 2011). In addition to normal schooling, Gilbreth taught the children other works that will be useful for the children in future. The tasks include painting the back porch or removing a stamp from the front lawn. All these irregular jobs would add to the extra pocket money for the children, in addition to this, the children would have to bid for the work. The child who was able to propose the lowest bid for any work, he/she would get the work. In this way, every child understood the meaning of competition in life as well as the value of money (Bride, 2011). 4. Mr. Gilbreth was very particular about time. Mr. Gilbreth used to set for himself as well for the children. As far as the children are concerned, he took the picture of the children at work and measures the time taken by the children to complete one work with the help of a stopwatch. However, there were limitations to the efficiency engineering method that he applied for the work. Gilbreth used to use to shaving brushed to save time taken for to shave in the morning. By using to shaving brushes, he saved 44 seconds of the shaving time. However, there are times when things would go wrong. Shaving is not only about applying the foam by using the razor. Once he wasted two minutes while putting a bandage in the throat that got cut while using then razor. Gilbreth was more concerned about the time wasted for putting the bandage rather than the cut throat (Varga, 2011). References Bird, P. (2011). Effective Time Management. London: Hodder Education. Bride, M. (2011). Time management. London: Hodder Education. Hoy, A. (2010). Educational psychology. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill. Suls, J., Davidson, K., Kaplan, R. (2010). Handbook of health psychology and behavioral medicine. New York: Guilford Press. Varga, A. (2011). Time management. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Williams, K., Reid, M. (2011). Time management. New York,

Gender specific health issues in Medium Human Development Countries

7 Secrets to Success in English 101

7 Secrets to Success in English 101 Welcome to English 101- sometimes called freshman English or college composition. Its the one course that almost every first-year student in every American college and university is required to take. And it should be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding courses in your college life. But to succeed in anything, it helps to be prepared. Heres how to best prepare for English 101.   1. Know Your Writing Handbookand Use It Many instructors of freshman English assign two textbooks: a reader (that is, a collection of essays or literary works) and a writing handbook. Early in the term, make friends with the handbook: it can answer most of your questions about planning, drafting, revising, and editing an essay. Open your handbook to the section titled How to Use This Book. Find out how to locate information by using menus and checklists (usually printed on the inside covers) along with the books index and table of contents. Also find the glossary of usage and the guides to documentation (both are usually near the back). After you have spent 10 to 15 minutes learning how to find information in the handbook, youre ready to put the book to use- not only when youre editing your work but also when youre trying to focus a topic, organize a paragraph, or revise an essay. Your handbook should soon become a dependable reference work, one that youll want to hold on to after youve passed this composition course. 2. Read Twice: Once for Pleasure, Once for Facts As for that other textbook, the collection of essays or literary works, above all else get ready to enjoy the readings. Whether the topic is a current controversy or an ancient myth, keep in mind that your instructors want to share with you their love of reading- not punish you (and themselves) with texts that nobody cares about. Whenever youre assigned an essay or a story, get in the habit of reading it at least twice: the first time through simply for enjoyment; the second time with a pen in hand to take notes that will help you remember what you have read. Then, when it comes time to discuss the work in class, speak up and share your thoughts. After all, sharing ideas is what college is all about. 3. Use Your College Writing Center For many college students, the most welcoming spot on campus is the writing center (sometimes called a writing lab). Its a place where trained tutors offer individual assistance on all aspects of the composing process. Never feel embarrassed about visiting the writing center. Believe me, its not the place where dummies go. Just the opposite: its where highly motivated students go for help in organizing essays, formatting bibliographies, mending run-on sentences, and much more. If your college doesnt have a writing center or if youre enrolled in an online composition class, you can still take advantage of at least some of the services of a writing center. 4. Review the Basic Grammatical Structures and Terms Instructors of freshman composition expect you to arrive in their classes with some understanding of basic English grammar and usage. However, if your high school English classes focused more on reading literature than on composing essays, your memory of sentence parts may be a bit hazy. It would be smart then to spend an hour or so at the start of term reviewing the basics of grammar.   5. Prepare to Move Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay Odds are good that you already know how to compose a five-paragraph essay: introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion. In fact, you probably composed one or two of these short essays as part of the admissions process at your college or university.   Now, be prepared in your college English class to go beyond the simple formula of the five-paragraph essay. Building on familiar principles (regarding thesis statements and topic sentences, for example), you will have opportunities to compose longer essays using a variety of organizational methods. Dont be intimidated by these longer assignments- and dont feel that you have to toss out all that you already know about composing essays. Build on your experience, and get ready for fresh challenges. Come to think of it, thats also what college is all about! 6. Use Online Resources Wisely Though your textbooks should keep you pretty busy, at times you may find it helpful to supplement them with online resources. Your first stop should be the website that your instructor or the publisher of your handbook has prepared. There youre likely to find exercises to help you develop particular writing skills along with examples of different writing projects. 7. Dont Plagiarize! Finally, a word of warning. On the web, youll find plenty of sites offering to sell you essays. If youre ever tempted to rely on one of these sites, please resist the urge. Submitting work thats not your own is called plagiarism, a nasty form of cheating. And in most colleges and universities, students face major penalties for cheating- penalties far more serious than receiving a low grade on a hastily written paper.

Achievements of Heron Alexandria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 146

Achievements of Heron Alexandria - Essay Example Heron Alexandria was a man whose some of his ideas were derived from the work of Greek physicist and inventor Ctesibius. Heron Alexandria was a lecture of mechanics, physics, pneumatics and even mathematics at the Museum, where he presented some of his first official research work into the trans-disciplinary approach for exploring regulatory systems, their structures, constants, and possibilities. He was the first engineering to come up with a wind wheel operating machine using wind to extract energy. A force pump also invented by him which is a kind of pump that has a solid piston and valves that are employed to raise a liquid or force it out by mechanical means. The hydraulic machine called Heron’s Fountain which is operated by its energy which is hydrostatic in nature was also invented by the man. He also came up with the formula that the path taken between two points by a ray of light is the path that can be traversed in the least time, which is sometimes taken as a definition of a ray of light. A portion of a solid which is cone or pyramid by chopping the top off a pyramid was also described by Heron Alexandria a method of iteratively or involving repetition, recurrence or repetitiousness for computing the square root which is nowadays known us Heron’s formula for f calculating the area of triangles which sides, relates. Heron Alexandria as an engineer and also a mathematician come up with several formulated method in his book 1, of his treatise Metrica which basically major on areas of triangles, regular polygons of a range of 3 to 12 sides, quadrilaterals, prisms, pyramid, spheres, and other useful shapes in mathematic calculations There is a memorable line in William Shakespeare’s ‘’twelfth night’ ’Methinks this line perfectly describe Heron Alexandria, which fully describes the fact that there is always an inborn ability in some men as contrasts the acquired attributes by others.

The Relationship Between Political Stability and Economic Growth Essay

The Relationship Between Political Stability and Economic Growth - Essay Example This paper questions the widely accepted role of political stability in promoting the growth of the economy. Political stability in any country may offer a peaceful environment for investment to take place. In addition to this, the stability may also provide a good ground where impunity is tolerated. Stable governance and politics are by no doubt a means through which economic growth takes place. With a peaceful political environment, the government can formulate its agendas. Good investing policies attract investors in the country and makes citizens willing to work hard and improve the country’s economic growth. It is seen that democracy in developed and developing countries foster the growth in the economy compared to the countries that are non-democratic. It can be argued that stability in politics of any nation can affect the rate at which the country’s economic growth takes place. In addition to this, the level of investment can be altered through increasing the confidence level of investors in that country. The democratic effect on investment is only tentative. In countries where political stability is practiced, a direct economic growth is realized through positive effect on the rates of investments. Investors will only invest their resources in a country where peace exists, and they are assured of their properties. In contrast to this, economists and investors refer to political instability as a malaise that has a serious harm to the economic growth of the nation. Irrespective of the political regimes, if a country is stable and does not worry about the radical changes of regimes and conflicts, the citizens do concentrate on working hard in running their businesses, saving and investing in other economic activities.

Impact of International Relations on Agricultural Education Dissertation

Impact of International Relations on Agricultural Education - Dissertation Example Successful completion of this research work will come with a lot of significance to a lot of people, especially the politicians as well as the educators. First, data, results and conclusions from this research shall serve as updated literature on the impacts of international relation within the population size targeted for this research work. To a large extent, this research shall help in coming out with new models on the type or kind of challenges of agricultural education as a result of international relations. The new trend of knowledge to be acquired shall indeed lead to a new paradigm shift whereby the knowledge shall be adapted for use and implementation by agricultural educationalists. This is to say that the findings and conclusions from this research work will go a long way to shape the lifestyle, working habit and social structures of teachers, the cultures of a county alongside the learners. This means that the learners and all other people across the agricultural educatio n divide who come across this document will have a renewed commitment towards international relations. In particular, agricultural students will reap a lot of benefits from this research given that it seeks to inform them about how their carriers are shaped by international relation. The agricultural teachers, on the other hand, would not fail to reap these benefits. This study is inclusive in its objective and would explore ways on how developing and encouraging international relations would influence the economy of a country.

Biflavone and a Plant Sterol Isolated from Antidesma bunius

Biflavone and a Plant Sterol Isolated from Antidesma bunius A Biflavone and a Plant Sterol Isolated from Antidesma bunius (Linn.) Spreng. Ivan L. Lawagai,* Suad Naheedb, Mohammed Mosihuzzamanc, Allan, Patrick G. Macabeoadeg, Erickson Paragasefk, Peter Prokschh, Alicia M. Aguinaldoaeg Keywords: Antidesma, Antidesma bunius, Amentoflavone, Betasitosterol, biflavone, sterols 1. Subject and source Antidesma bunius (Linn.) Spreng. (Euphrbiaceae) ‘‘bignay† is a common plant found throughout the Philippines. The bark is poisonous as it contains an alkaloid thus, is used medicinally. The leaves are acidic and diaphoretic, and, when young, these are boiled with pot-herbs, and employed by the natives in syphilitic infections (Quisumbing, 1978). The leaves are sudorific and are employed in treating snakebite in Asia (Morton, 1987). The leaves of Antidesma bunius, commonly known as â€Å"bignay†, are traditionally used by native Filipinos to control diabetes (Lawag et al., 2012). Fresh leaves were collected from the hills of Brgy. Agustin Navarra, Ivisan, Capiz Province in January 2009. The plant was identified by Asst. Prof. Rosie A. Madulid and a voucher specimen (USTH 5357) is deposited at the UST Herbarium, Botany Laboratory, Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas (UST), Manila, Philippines. 2. Previous work Dammara-20, 24-dien-3ÃŽ ²-ol and friedelin were isolated from the stem and leaves of A. bunius (Hui and Sung, 1968). In 2008, Samappito and Butkhup identified the flavonoids catechin, Procyanidin B1 and Procyanidin B2 from the fruits and Gallic acid, quercetin, catechin and epicatechin were also detected from the fruits of A. bunius (Santiago et al., 2005). 3. Present study 3.1. Extraction and isolation Dried and ground leaves Antidesma bunius (1610 g) were extracted with 80% ethanol to give a green syrupy extract (240.0 g) which was subjected to vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) using solvents of increasing polarity starting with hexane, hexane-dichloromethane (1:1), dichloromethane, dichloromethane -ethyl acetate (1:1), ethyl acetate, ethyl acetate-methanol (1:1), and methanol to give seven fractions. The fifth fraction (4.04 g) was further fractionated twice on silica gel packed on VLC using solvents of increasing polarity starting from hexane and ending with methanol giving five fractions each, respectively. Fraction three which was purified twice on silica gel using hexane-dichloromethane (1:1) and hexane-dichloromethane (95:5) furnished 1 (16.13 mg). Isolation of 2: the fourth fraction (12.34 g) after VLC was chromatographed on silica gel using 5-10% gradients of methanol in dichloromethane to give ten fractions. Fraction three (42.3 mg) was further purified using Sephadex LH20 using 20% gradients of methanol in DCM to give 2 (5.9 mg). (1)(2) 3.2. Identification of purified compounds The compounds were identified as Stigmast-5-en-3ÃŽ ²-ol or ÃŽ ²-sitosterol, a plant sterol, (1) (Balamurugan et al., 2012) and (Sosinska, et al., 2013) and 3,8-biapigenin (Amentoflavone), a biflavone (2) (Chari et al., 1977) and (Ryu et al., 2010) on the basis of their IR, LR-EIMS, LR-ESIMS and NMR (1H NMR, 13C NMR, 1H-1H COSY, HMBC and HSQC) spectral data and by comparison of spectra reports with the literature. 4. Chemotaxonomic significance Other Antidesma species like A. menasu (Risvi et al., 1980a), (Risvi et al., 1980b) and A. pentandrum (Chen et al., 2004), (Kikuchi, 1983) are known to contain plant sterols. A. puncticulatum is known to contain flavonoids (Nuengchamnong and Ingkaninan, 2009), while A. laciniatum was reported to contain both plant sterols and flavonoids (Tchinda et al., 2006). The isolation process that was presently preformed on the ethanolic leaf extract of A. bunius afforded compounds 1 and 2 which were coherent to the compounds that were previously isolated or reported from the other Antidesma species. Although the said compounds were reported for the very first time in A. bunius, compound 1 was also reported to be present in A. pentandrum (Chen et al., 2004) and in A. laciniatum (Tchinda et al., 2006), while compound 2 was reported to be present in A. laciniatum (Tchinda et al., 2006). This further establishes the chemotaxonomic relationship of A. bunius towards the other species of the genus Antidesma. Although plant sterols (Hui and Sung, 1968) and biflavones (Samappito and Butkhup, 2008), (Santiago et al., 2005) were previously reported in the leaf and bark extracts A. bunius, this is the first report that indicated the presence of ÃŽ ²-sitosterol (1) and Amentoflavone (2). Compounds 1 and 2 therefore add up to the list of isolated and identified compounds from the leaves of A. bunius. References Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal Plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Inc., Quezon City, Philippines. Balamurugan, R., Stalin, A. and Ignacimuthu, S., 2012. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 47, 38 – 43. Chari, V. M., Ilyas, M., Wagner, H., Neszmelyi, A., Chen, F., Chen, L., Lin, Y., Lin, Y., 1977. Phytochemistry 16, 1273 – 1278. Chen, Y.C.; Cheng, M.J.; Lee, S.J.; Dixit, A.K., Ishikawa, T., Tsai, I.L.; Chen, I.S., 2004. Helvetica Chimica Acta 87 (11), 2805 – 2811. Hui, W. H.; Sung, M. L., 1968. Australian Journal of Chemistry 21(8), 2137-40. Kikuchi, H., Tensho, A., Shimizu, I., Shiokawa, H., Kuno, A., Yamada, S., Fujiwara, T., Tomita, K., 1983. Chemistry Letters (4), 603 –606. Lawag, I., Aguinaldo, A., Naheed, S., Mossihuzzaman, M., 2012. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 144(1), 217 – 219. Morton, J., 1987. Bignay. p. 210–212. Fruits of Warm Climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL. Nuengchamnong, N., and Ingkaninan, K., 2010. Food Chemistry 118, 147 – 152. Samappito, S.; Butkhup, L., 2008. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 11 (13), 1654 – 1661. Santiago, D.M.O., 2005. MS Thesis University of the Philippines, Los Banos. Sosinska, E., Przybylski, R., Hazendonk, P., Zhao, Y. Y., Curtis, J., 2013. Food Chemistry 139, 464 – 474. Rizvi, S. H. Shoeb, A. Kapil, R. S. Popli, S. P., 1980. Experientia 36. Birkhauser Verlag, Basel (Schweiz). Rizvi, S., Shoeb, A., Kapil, R., Popli, S., 1980. Phytochemistry 19 (11), 2409 – 10. Ryu, Y. B., Jeong, H. J., Kima, J. H., Kima, Y. M., Park, J., Kim, D., Naguyen, T.T.H., Park, S., Chang, J. S., Park, K. H., Rho, M., Lee, W. S., 2010. Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry 18, 7940 – 7947. Tchinda, A..; Teshome, A.; Dagne, E.; Arnold, N.; Wessjohann, L., 2006. Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia 20 (2), 325 – 328. Current Affiliations: iChemistry Department, Adamson University, Ermita, Manila, Philippines. jJinnah University for Women, Nazimabad, Karachi, Pakistan kDepartment of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA * Corresponding author. E-mail address:*[emailprotected] (I.L. Lawag)

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James Essays -- The Turn of the Screw H

The Turn of the Screw This novel was, surprisingly, interesting. The intensely complex and intricate (if not confusing!) sentences, upon first thought, made me expect an experience of complete, utter, and total confusion; however, they served not only to keep my interest in the novel – for I had to concentrate to grasp the full, rich meaning of his thoughts – but also to create in me a sense of enjoyment, that of being enriched with the experiences of the main character so that my life and that character's became inseparable, only it occurred not only with the main character, but with the entire plot at once – all characters, all scenes (to which I shall come late), all conversations... everything. I have never seen a man so able to express so much in one sentence, and still be able to have the reader follow his thoughts throughout the entire process. Henry James was a master of expression and grammar. His ability to form a complex, yet coherent sentence did nothing but add to the quality of the novel. The characters alone added to the quality of the novel. It is not so much as they were entirely believable, but they were believable to the extent of their being in a ghost story. The things that happened to these poor characters were not natural in any sense, but they were completely acceptable from within a ghost story. Miles, for example, was too beautiful in action, too simple in thought, and too tempting in appearance (for both the governess and Mr. Quint) to be co... The Turn of the Screw by Henry James Essays -- The Turn of the Screw H The Turn of the Screw This novel was, surprisingly, interesting. The intensely complex and intricate (if not confusing!) sentences, upon first thought, made me expect an experience of complete, utter, and total confusion; however, they served not only to keep my interest in the novel – for I had to concentrate to grasp the full, rich meaning of his thoughts – but also to create in me a sense of enjoyment, that of being enriched with the experiences of the main character so that my life and that character's became inseparable, only it occurred not only with the main character, but with the entire plot at once – all characters, all scenes (to which I shall come late), all conversations... everything. I have never seen a man so able to express so much in one sentence, and still be able to have the reader follow his thoughts throughout the entire process. Henry James was a master of expression and grammar. His ability to form a complex, yet coherent sentence did nothing but add to the quality of the novel. The characters alone added to the quality of the novel. It is not so much as they were entirely believable, but they were believable to the extent of their being in a ghost story. The things that happened to these poor characters were not natural in any sense, but they were completely acceptable from within a ghost story. Miles, for example, was too beautiful in action, too simple in thought, and too tempting in appearance (for both the governess and Mr. Quint) to be co...

Women Participation During the Mexican Revolution

Paul Noguera February – 25 Women Participation during the Mexican Revolution Women played a big role during the Mexican revolution. Before the Mexican revolution, women always were discriminated and isolated by men; they had always lived under male control and their dominance on many aspects of the society. Women in Mexico have always been characterized by certain stereotypes such as family life, marriage, and the influence that they had from the Catholic. Women were never seen as people who could contribute to the society taking position such as in the government. This essay explains the transition and some of the contributions of many Mexican Women who were really important during the Mexican revolution. During the revolution women become to be part of Mexican politics for first time, they also had important participation on social movements and on the battlefields and finally they had and important influence on reforming the national Education in Mexico. Many women from high and lower class of the Mexican society managed to be part in high positions of Mexican politics despite of the inequalities they had to face during this period, gaining the respect of many men and of the society in many parts of Mexico. Many of the women who got to be in high positions of Mexicans politics become to be important political figures and inspiration for other women to believe in themselves. A woman who became an important figure in during the Mexican revolution was Hermilia Galindo. She was born in 1896 in Laredo, Durango Mexico (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 7), when the Mexican revolution began she was only fifteen year old. During Galindo’s political carrier she wrote many political disquisitions, was a public advocate for Carranza in many states and was the editor of the journal â€Å"Mujer Moderna† She rose quickly due to her intelligence, excellence speaking skills, and because she had skills and abilities that Carranza was shrewd enough to recognize and exploit. Hermilia was without doubt one of the most important public figures during the Mexican revolution, Carranza discover her when she was selected to give an speech upon his arrival after the fall of general Victoriano Huerta. Hermilia wrote many articles, and spoke to many women’s groups, supporting Carranza’s rule and to encourage women to join revolutionary groups in order to stand up to the Catholic counter revolution (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 26) . Hermilia was also important because of her roles as a Mexican feminist, Galindo supported feminist ideas and Carranza’s government; when Hermilia was part of Carranza’s government she found her own journal before mentioned called â€Å"Mujer Moderna† (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 5) from which she would attack the Catholic Church directly and call women for social participation against it as well. One the things that Hermilia fought for, was for equal rights between men and women, declaring the women should have the right to vote, unfortunately she was unsuccessful. Political women during the Mexican revolution were not always accepted by the people, they had important popular opposition from the more conservative population of Mexico who wouldn’t accept their participation and intervention on politics. Women as Hermila Galindo were essential to the revolution because they addressed feminist problems and had the courage and the energy to make them public and make the government be more aware about it. Women during the Mexican revolution didn’t only play an important role on politics, also on the streets and battlefield as well. There were some important social movements made by women during the Mexican revolution such as the Veracruz strike, where many women workers would fight to put an end to social and economic wrongs in the state (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 51). The Veracruz movement was one of the first social movements that happened during the Mexican revolution and was based on pressuring the government to enact a housing reform legislation that would make rent more fear for them not letting landlords to manipulate them. Also during the Mexican revolution we can see las Soldaderas as well, who were considered battlefield heroes of the Mexican revolution. Most of women workers as well as las Soldaderas were mestizas or Indian women who were affected or didn’t agree with government policies. These women proved themselves as men’s equals, and showed that women are as successful as men in getting the job done. Not only did they put their lives in danger to fight for their cause, but their bravery was as admirable as that of the men who fought for their rights, if not more because often they did not have just themselves to take care of, but children as well. During the Veracruz strike hundreds of women workers got together to fight for lower rent and to make them-selves respected. This social movement made by women become to be so important that called the attention of the government to make a change in the legislation about housing (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 25). Without these women fighting on the streets demanding a change in the constitution and with las Soldaderas fighting on the battlefield, the revolution would have been a different battle and women would have never had the chance to prove their abilities or gotten the recognition they deserved. Two Women who were really important during the Mexican revolution were Dolores Jimenez y Muro and Peta Rosa Ojeda. Jimenez and Ojeda were schoolteachers, Jimenez was born in Aguascalientes, she was a political radical (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 23), Ojeda was from the state of Yucatan and she always supported the Mexican revolution in her role as a teacher (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 37). Their roots as a schoolteacher were evident in their reform to decentralize the Mexican educational system. Ojeda was always more focused at the local level in the state of Yucatan Mexico and Jimenez was more involved on reforming the educational national system. By Jimenez trying to reform the educational national system would allow schools to be locally funded and controlled all over Mexico including in the state of Yucatan, where Ojeda was volunteering educating hacienda workers and trying to reform the education system of the state, this reformation would allow that each school would receive individual attention. Ojeda instead of Jimenez was more focused on educating workers in haciendas especially women who were repressed by the hacienda owner in Yucatan (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 38). Also since Ojeda herself was in touch with all classes of people, she could more easily see their problems and needs. This moved her to fight for reforms about the expensive and insufficient housing the lower classes had to endure in the state (Mitchell, â€Å"Women’s Revolution,† p. 44). Even though Mexican women permeated every niche in the society of the revolution, they have gotten only a fraction of the recognition they deserve. Many of their stories have been forgotten or re-written by the society to which they gave their ideas, work, and lives. Despite what male historians have led us to believe, Mexican women's contributions were just as great as men's were. They were of primary importance in the revolution and were essential to the causes for which they fought. Mexican women broke the molds of countless generations, and showed the strength of the female spirit. They took on core positions that were not traditional and excelled in many predominantly male-dominated roles. Mexican women were revolutionary in the way they stretched the boundaries of gender roles and reversed many stereotypes.

My American Journey essays

My American Journey essays Book Report on Colin Powells My American Journey Retired General Colin Powell is the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He spent a career in the United States Army lasting 35 years. He retired at the rank of four star general. He started his military education and career at the City College of New York in 1954. He was the son of Luther and Arie Powell of New York, born on the 5th of April 1937. His parents were meager people and he lived in a rented apartment until the age of 4 when he moved to the South Bronx where he finished his lower education and received his high school diploma. Upon graduating high school he applied to two universities, New York University (NYU) and the City College of New York (CCNY). He was accepted to both of the colleges but due to a price difference, NYU was $750 and CCNY was $10 a Year, he enrolled in CCNY. He was commissioned out of the CCNY ROTC program 4 years later and entered the army in June of 1958. After the officers basic course and various other military courses he received his first duty station as a platoon leader in the 3rd Armor Division in West Germany. From here began what came to be a most illustrious military career, consisting of a command track from platoon level to the commander of FORSCOM with numerous White House positions. He retired from his last command, the Armys highest-ranking Military Officer, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was also asked by many of his supporters to run for the office of President, which he declined. The book contained information on Colin Powell that proved more interesting as the page number increased. Some of the events of his life were more interesting than other parts. How his Army career started as a ROTC cadet and not an academy student was surprising to find out. General Powell was also able to serve two tours of Duty in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Racism also played a sig...

Essay on Social stratification and social inequality

Essay on Social stratification and social inequality Essay on Social stratification and social inequality Essay on Social stratification and social inequalitySocial stratification and social inequality have a notable impact on the economic security of people in old age. The differences in initial family welfare and life opportunities contribute to the process of transferring social inequality from generation to generation. The theory of cumulative disadvantage states that social inequality in general and economic insecurity in particular evolve as part of a cumulative process that takes place during the whole course of life (George, 2010). One of important issues emerging due to social inequality is economic insecurity of most ethnic minority groups in old age.According to Schulz (2006), the economic status of non-Hispanic white elderly Americans is significantly better than the economic position of elderly people who belong to Native American, Hispanic and African American ethnic groups. There exist significant differences in incomes and even greater differences in net worth, which affe ct the quality of life for ethnic minorities in the old age. It is notable that elderly representatives of Asian ethnic minority groups are more economically secure than the general population. At the same time, these data are in line with income statistics: Asian Americans tend to have incomes comparable with non-Hispanic White Americans or even higher (Schulz, 2006).The majority of elderly people (64%) rely on Social Security as their main source of economic security. The representatives of ethnic minorities demonstrate a greater reliance on Social Security income compared to white non-Hispanic Americans: for example, 71% of African Americans, 74% of Hispanics and 68% of Asian Americans rely on Social Security for 50% or more of their income, while only 63% of non-Hispanic White elderly people receive half or more of their income from Social Security (George, 2010). Therefore, ethnic minorities have greater reliance on Social Security in old age, and it is reasonable to assume tha t these ethnic groups also have greater economic insecurity in old age.Indeed, Social Security rules provide higher benefits for people with higher-paid jobs, continuous employment histories and active workforce participation (Schulz, 2006). This means that the representatives of minority groups are likely to have lower Social Security benefits during retirement due to more sporadic employment, higher unemployment rates, lower-paid jobs, etc. (Schulz, 2006) In addition, minorities are less likely to have access to employer pensions, which makes their economic position even more vulnerable.It is notable that single old people are more likely to experience economic insecurity regardless of ethnic group; however, especially vulnerable categories of elderly people are single Hispanic and African-American people. Indeed, the rates of economic insecurity constitute 48% and 65% for African American and Hispanic couples correspondingly, while for single African American and Hispanic retiree s the rates of economic insecurity constitute 77% and 83% accordingly (George, 2010).Economic security of elderly minority populations is additionally affected by the presence of recent and foreign-born immigrants in their families (which reduces access to Medicare) and lower chance of owning a house (due to housing discrimination) (Schulz, 2006). In general, the most economically insecure ethnic groups in the old age are African Americans due to lower wages and episodic employment, and Indian Americans – due to previous state policies acting against indigenous population. Economic security of elderly people of Hispanic origin differs by their country of origin (Schulz, 2006): for example, average well-being of Cuban retirees can be compared with non-Hispanic Whites, while aged people of Mexican or Puerto-Rican origin are likely to have low levels of economic security. Hence, there are notable differences in economic security in old age between different ethnic groups.

Atrial Fibrillation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Atrial Fibrillation - Research Paper Example The purpose of the study â€Å"Refining Clinical Risk Stratification for Predicting Stroke and Thromboembolism in Atrial Fibrillation Using a Novel Risk Factor-Based Approach† is to refine the 2006 Birmingham/NICE stroke risk stratification schema into a risk factor-based approach, by reclassifying and/or incorporating additional new risk factors as relevantto thromboembolism (Lip, Nieuwlaat, Pisters& Lane, 2010, 264). Statistical Procedures The study involves analysis of the 2006 Birmingham classification thus, comparisons with other schema such as the Euro Heart Survey on Atrial Fibrillation population were done as part of the analysis and statistical procedures. The study selected 1,084 patients without mitral stenosis, history of heart valve surgery, or use of vitamin K antagonists or heparin at discharge of qualifying visit. Other stroke risk stratification schemas used are the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SPAF), American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ESC) guidelines, and the eighth American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines. ... refinement of the 2006 Birmingham schema has took consideration of a risk factor-based approach taking account different potential factors for atrial fibrillation such as history of stroke, cardiac dysfunction, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease, female gender, and age. Descriptive analyses are used in the study with proportions, means, and standard deviations. Binomial approximation is used in the event rates, logistic regression in each schema, C-statistics for predicting probability of correct classification, and multivariable logistic regressions for the assessment of individual risk factors. Results of the statistical procedures are presented in tabular form. Analyses are derived from the tabular form presentation differentiating the univariate and multivariate analyses versus the designated level of significance (?). Then, patients or samples are categorized according to statistical results and are compared with other schemas. Strengths and Weaknesses The c ontent of the study offered an array of strengths which can be beneficial not only to the healthcare industry but to the public as well. One of its strength is the identification of other potential risk factors for the development of stroke and thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. In this way, the public will gain awareness on how to reduce their risks of the said diseases. In addition, the comparisons made in the existing schema in the real world of atrial fibrillation have made the study valid and applicable for present conditions and have made the study stronger in avoiding biases. The exploration of the effects of single and multiple factors using univariate and multivariate analyses also contributes to the avoidance of biases. Done statistically, results are

Gay marrige Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Gay marrige - Essay Example government and the US voters have a â€Å"reasonable justification for denying same-sex marriage, such as promoting healthier families, or if the bans reflect discrimination and hatred† (Sage). Sage runs down the various arguments and criticisms on the gay marriage issue by citing events which have unfolded since the passage of Proposition 8 and the events that has unfolded since. She also used quoted statements from government officials and other experts on the subject matter in order to comprehensively present the current issue. Sage begins her article by making a clear statement about the fact that gays and lesbians in California do have sufficient political support for their cause – from their Governor to the entire Democratic Party. From this initial statement alone, Sage establishes a serious and formal tone in her essay. This is a good way to capture the reader’s interest because it catches the attention of those who oppose and those who advocate gay marriage in California. From the onset, the opening statement shows the status of the hearing on Proposition 8 and it reveals undeniable truths for both interest groups in this paper. Both sides cannot deny that the Governor and the Democrat Party is indeed politically supportive of gay marriage and gay rights in California. Hence, the statement draws in opponents and advocates alike who have a clear stake on the resolution of the gay marriage issue. Moreover, this opening statement by Sage is used as information for the first point that the author wants to make in the current issue – that there is no discrimination of gay and lesbian rights with the approval of Proposition 8. The formal tone used by the author is very much appropriate for this paper because the topic calls for a serious discussion on the subject matter. Considering the fact that gay marriage is a very controversial issue, the author has given the topic a very respectful and formal tone in order for the reader to take the topic

Pyschology-TV Character Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pyschology-TV Character Evaluation - Essay Example (IEP Freud, 2010) It was his insistence on understanding the human mind that allowed modern psychology to gain the abilities it has now. And while his approach may have been flawed in some areas, he made it possible to move forward in the field of psychology. Carl Jung is best known for being the founder of analytical psychology. Among his many accomplishments in the field of psychology are his developments of the concepts of extroverted and introverted personality and the collective unconscious. (Cowgil, 1997) A lingering result of his approach in popular culture is the use of the Jung and Briggs Myers typology test whish tested your personality type based on a series of questions. This approach is used today in many corporate entrance examinations to verify the person’s personality and abilities. Another interesting innovation was his theory regarding symbols and their use in defining and understanding individual human nature. The popular Rorschach Inkblot tests are a result of the influences of Carl Jung’s approach to symbolism in understanding the psychology of the individual. Carl Rogers is best known for his contributions to client-centered therapy using humanistic approaches.

Winning isnt evrything Essay Example for Free

Winning isnt evrything Essay Vince Lombardis famous saying Winning isnt the most important thing. Its the only thing is unfortunately the motto of too many athletes today. Although winning is important and sports are, and should be taken seriously, by far, winning isnt the only thing. Putting everything you have and giving one hundred percent to the effort is also very important to competition. A team that puts everything they have into a game and comes out the losers, has a lot more to be proud of than a team who comes in first but only gave some effort. Over the years many teams have lost important games due to a few inches, one pitch or a strike of bad luck although these teams lost, they take it into the next game and gave one hundred and ten percent. Last month at the Erie Mayors Cup 10K and 5K race, competitors from around the tri-state area were in competition. Trophies and plaques were to be awarded to the first, second and third place runners. A 10K is a 6.2 mile long race across the streets of downtown Erie in 85 degree heat and humidity. Runners who are running in the 10K have to show tremendous determination, stamina, speed and physical agility not to mention surviving in grueling temperatures and humidity. Great Olympic and Boston Marathon runners have dropped out of a 10K due to its intense strain. I was on hand to witness the race and saw many great athletes finish the race with great times. These are runners who put every day into running and run every race. Soon after these runners had crossed the finish line and been handed their trophies, the last runner in the race came through the finish line with his hands in the air and to thunderous applause. He was 87 years old, and had taken up the sport after his doctors told him he had a cholesterol problem when he was 67. The runner in this story was not out to win the Mayors Cup 10K, he wasnt out to set a record time or come in first. He came in dead last, but finished the race. If he would have listened to Vince Lombardi and say Oh, I cant win, their are professional runners from colleges and high schools competing against me! he wouldnt have completed his life long goal of running in a 10K. Better late than never. The most important thing is for all who participate is to have fun and do it with pride and determination, to set a goal and reach it. Two good sayings that contradict Vince Lomabardi stateIt doesnt matter if you win or lose, its how you play the game and If at first you dont succeed, try, try again Words to live by.

Issues in the Textile Industry

Issues in the Textile Industry The Textile Industry An overview of the textile industry The textile industry is regarded a major and largest industry around the world in terms of its output, production and employment. It brings a large contribution to various national economies including both global small and large-scale operations (Parvathi, et al., 2009). The textile manufacturing is based on the conversion of three types of fibre, the most one being yarn then fabric and finally textile. The fibres are then manufactured into clothes and others. However, the textile manufacturing originated from hand craft practices by spinners, weavers and some skilled craftsmen. The first textile companies surfaced in the United Kingdom and the Western European countries. This came with the new technological developments that were being introduced (Warshaw Leon, 2011). According to Warshaw and Leon (2011), the term textile industry was initially concerned only with the weaving of fibres, but today it involves a variety of processes. Therefore, as illustrated by Greenberg (2003), the production of textiles involve processes like; spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing of different natural and synthetic fibres. Today, wet processing is used in the finishing treatment of textiles. It is further categorised into 3 more processes, which is the; preparation process, coloration process and finishing process. Hazards present in the textile industry There are various hazards to which the textile workers are exposed. These hazards are categorised as; (i) exposure to chemical substances, (ii) exposure to physical agents, (iii) exposure to biological agents, (iv) exposure to dusts and fibres, and also (v) psychosocial hazards (European Agency for Safety and Health at work, 2008). Exposure to chemicals The spinning, weaving and knitting process do not involve high use of chemicals. The most substantial chemicals used in these operations are sizing agents like starch and other polymers such as lubricants to prevent yarns from being entangled. There is a wide variety of chemical substances used processes such as dyeing, printing, finishing, bleaching, washing, dry cleaning, sizing and spinning. The most commonly found chemicals are dyes, solvents, optical brighteners, crease resistance agents, flame retardants, heavy metals and anti-microbic agents. Textile fibres, reactive dyes, synthetic fibres and formaldehyde are the respiratory and skin sensitisers that can be identified in textile industries (European Agency for Safety and Health at work, 2008). The dyes that are used for cotton are usually classified into three groups; firstly is the water soluble dyes, secondly are dyes soluble by alkaline reduction and lastly are the dyes formed on fibre. In addition, workers may be also exp osed to aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as mineral spirits and kerosene, which are used for cleaning of equipments and parts of the plants (Greenberg, 2003) Exposure to physical agents From the European Agency for Safety and Health at work (2008), it has been concluded that textile workers are exposed to various physical agents such as noise and vibrations during the weaving, spinning, sewing, twisting and cutting process. As such, being exposed to very high noise level can result in permanent hearing damage while exposure to vibration along with other risk factors for Musculoskeletal Diseases can cause long term harm. It has been noticed that workers are also exposed to electromagnetic fields. Exposure to biological agents Biological agents are also present in the textile industry, in processes like carding and willowing. The workers are exposed to anthrax, clostridium tetani and coxiella burnetti. These can cause allergies and respiratory disorders. Normally, work areas having air conditioning systems and high humidity, the workers tend to have allergies and respiratory problems caused by moulds or yeasts. Exposure to dusts and fibres People working in the textile industry are usually exposed to airborne particles formed from both the natural and synthetic fibres in their work environment (Oldenburg et al., 2007). Studies have shown that workers in the textile industry are more prone to respiratory symptoms caused by cotton dust (Wang et al., 2003). In UK, the Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) for inhalable cotton dust has been fixed at 2.5 mg/m3 for an 8 hour time weighted average (HSE, 2005). Psychosocial hazards in the textile industry Employees experience work-related stress when they are unable to cope with the work demands. The WHO (2003) define work-related stress as â€Å"the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope†. As such, psychosocial risks have been considered as being an integral factor of the process of stress. On the one hand, these can be in relation to the job content, the organisation and management of work, environmental and planning conditions while on the other hand it can be in terms of the competence and needs of employees. The interaction between all these factors can be dangerous to the health of employees through their perceptions and experience (Cox et al., 2002). According to the WHO (2010), psychosocial risks and work-related stress are closely associated. However, textile workers are faced to psychosocial risks since they have to perform repetitive and fa st paced tasks and they cannot take any decision by themselves. The textile industry and green technology The textile industry has experienced a lot of changes and there has been the introduction of many new technologies. Today, it has been seen that there is a shift to more eco-friendly processes and chemicals used in the textile industry. These include the use of novel biopolymers along with some enzymes. The use of greener dyes forms part of the essential constituents of green technology. The other constituents of green technology in the textile industry encompass systems which include waste water reduction by recycling, automatic process control and other filtration techniques (Sekar, 1999). In the dyeing process, the usage of water accounts to approximately 30-60 litres of water for 1 kilogram of cloth, thus new technologies to minimise the use of water is being adopted (Deo Wassif , 1999). The new technologies that have been introduced in the textile dyeing and finishing process are as follows: Plasma Treatment Technology Plasma is the state of a gas when its kinetic energy increases to such an extent that the energy is equal to the ionisation energy of the gas. At this stage, the rapid cascading of ionisation caused by the collisions of the gas particles result in plasma. Plasma is the 4th state of matter. In addition, the plasma technology is applicable to the textile industries. It alters the chemical structure and surface properties of fabrics, chemical matters are deposited for better functionality and substances are removed from the fabrics to improve the applicability. The plasma technology is used mainly in the processes like pre-treatment, dyeing and finishing (Shah Shah, 2013). It is a green and simple process. Super Critical Dyeing Fluid A substance which is under a pressure above its critical temperature is known as a super critical fluid. There is no distinction between gases and liquids under these specific conditions and the substance is then characterised as a fluid. As such, super critical fluids possesses the same solvent power as light hydrocarbons used for most solutes. Super critical fluids is advantageous to the textile processing because of their ability to combine the properties of gases and liquids. Also, their solvating power is equivalent to their density while when referring to their viscosity, the normal gas possesses a similar one. However, it is this particular combination which gives it such impressive penetration properties. The dyeing process favour this increase in density along with the increased power of solvation because of the positive effect that it has on the dissolution of disperse dye in the super critical carbon dioxide medium (Kannan Nithyanandan, n.d.). Ultrasound The use of ultrasound in the textile industry started only after synthetic materials and their blends were introduced. It is applied mainly in mechanical processes (weaving, knitting and finishing) and wet processes (sizing, scouring, bleaching and dyeing). Ultrasound has a lot of benefits such as; the processing time and energy consumption is decreased, it enhances the quality of products and the use of auxiliary chemicals are reduced. For instance, using ultrasound in the dyeing process will replace expensive thermal energy and chemicals by electricity. Various experiments were carried out to show the effectiveness of ultrasound on textile and it has been shown that the adsorption power of disperse dyes on cellulose acetate is influenced greatly by ultrasound compared to the dyeing rate when using direct dyes ( (Prince, 2009). Electrochemical Process Technology Traditionally, electrochemical techniques were used only for compounds synthesis and treatment for metal recovery but today its use has been expanded to the textile industry. In order to obtain functionalised fabrics, electrochemistry is applied for the production of smart textiles. However this technique is used mainly in the bleaching of cotton fibres and finished denim fabrics. Electrochemical process is also applied in sulfur and vat dyeing processes to reduce the amount of dyes used making the process eco-friendly since it will not involve the addition of chemical reagents like sodium dithionite (Mireia Carmen, 2012). Electrochemical dyeing process has advantages like; product saving, less chemicals used, incomparable environmental compatibility and better quicker properties is achieved. Good reproducibility also is set by using electrochemical dyeing. (Das, et al., 2012) Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is concerned with materials which are 1 to 100 nm long. The use of nanotechnology in the textile industry increase the durability of fabrics. This is because nano-particles possesses large surface area-to-volume ratio and high surface energy which means that they have better affinity for fabrics, thus increasing the durability of the function. The sporting industry, skincare, space technology and clothing are some examples where the nanotech enhanced textiles are being applied. It ensures that the wearer is better protected when exposed to extreme environments. Therefore, to treat textiles with nanotechnology materials is a way to enhance the properties of the fabric by making it more durable and have nicer colours (Kiron, 2013). Impacts of textile industry on environment The textile industry is a diversified industry being from the raw materials used to the various techniques adopted. At each steps involved in manufacturing fabrics, there are a number of environmental impacts associated with them which are also varied. For instance, the spinning, weaving and industrial manufacture of garments affects the air quality while the dyeing and printing processes use up large amount of water and chemicals. Also, there is the emission of several volatile agents into the atmosphere which have harmful effects on the human health (Challa, n.d.). In addition, each stages of the textile processing generates innumerable wastes streams which are of liquid, gaseous, solid or hazardous nature. The type of textile processes, technologies used, chemicals used and types of fibres will determine the nature of wastes generated. However, the most prevailing environmental impact is the water body pollution which arises due to the disposal of untreated effluents. The second greatest environmental problems caused by the industry are air pollution caused by Volatile Organic compounds (VOC) and other air pollutants. The VOC does not only affects the environment but also the workers and public health. The noise level emitted by textile machineries can also harm the environment by disturbing the natural habitats of various species in the area (C Parvathi, T Maruthavanan, C Prakash, 2009). The role of textile industry in the Mauritian economy The textile industry was set up and appeared in the government agenda of Mauritius in the 1960s. The industry then experienced a drastic expansion during the year 1980 to 2000. Mauritius was faced with a series of positive conditions for the past 30 years. These conditions helped the country in achieving a solid textile industry along with foreign and local investment. The industry was regarded as the main employer of Mauritius and contributed to 12 % of the GDP. However, the textile industry has not only brought a lot of improvements and developments to the economy of the country, but it can be said that its success also coincides with the social changes that came along. The first change is that it has encouraged the emancipation of women. Many women were employed when the textile industry developed. In fact the number of women being employed today also is increasing. The women, who were once viewed as housewives and who did not have the opportunity to study, were regarded as an important pool of labour. Working women started to bring income in the family and this eventually changed their role; they were no longer considered as docile housewife but an independent income earner. The second change is that the status of families has increased from the past years since a working woman helped in increasing the family income (Joomun, 2006). Today, the textile industry of Mauritius has achieved a very high status among other countries and there is currently about 174 textile entreprises employing approximately 55000 people. The industry has invested continuously on innovation and greener production to satisfy the demand of the global market which is emphasising more on eco-friendly practices and products.1http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/nsp/industry/greenertex.htm In 2009, Mauritius was ranked as the second largest buyer of machineries, accounting to 2300 machines and 9 % of the global sales. Mauritian manufacturers have also invested in latest cleaner technologies and reorganised their activities so as to combat against the low-cost competition of Asian countries. As such the Mauritian and Indian Governments have collaborated together and signed a contract for the transfer of new technologies along with deciding on ways of improving the performance of the textile sector in Mauritius2http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/text ile-news/mauritius/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=119742

The Importance of Choices in The Most Dangerous Game Essay example --

The Importance of Choices in The Most Dangerous Game Can a man be driven from humble humanity to gross inhumanity by circumstance or situation? What effect do one's choices and training have on his morals? At some point in our lives we will all be forced to answer questions similar to these, and two characters in Connell's story "The Most Dangerous Game" are not exempt from these life decisions. Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff are both wealthy, both are hunters, and eventually both men are put into situations where critical choices must be made. The choices the men make are derived from different situations, but both have similar results. Initially the setting of the story is on a yacht in the Carribbean. Rainsford is involved in small talk with his friend, Whitney, and the conversation is about their favorite hobby, hunting big game. The fact that these men could afford a hunting trip to the Amazon speaks of their wealth, and these men have apparently taken several trips together. General Zaroff is not unlike Rainsford in this respect. From his childhood, Z...

Business Analysis and Valuation Report

BUSINESS ANALYSIS AND VALUATION REPORT Scheduled Class: Monday 2:00pm to 5:00pm 1. Introduction Harvey Norman is now a public company that is listed on the stock exchange, whose principal activities primarily consist of an integrated franchising, retail and property entity. It is one of Australia’s most successful retail groups, operating more than 150 franchised department stores, which focus on selling computers, home entertainment equipment and home appliances. It offers Australian consumers an extensive product range, cutting edge technology and market leadership in most product categories. In this report, an in depth industry and company analysis will be provided in order to gain an understanding of the qualitative aspects of Harvey Norman’s operation. 2. Industry Analysis 2. 1 Main Products Harvey Norman belongs to the retailing industry. The main products offered by Harvey Norman consist of: electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. However, being distinctive from its competitors, Harvey Norman is a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited. 2. 2 Future Prospects In the next year, the competition in Australian retailing industry is likely to remain strong. Benefited from the Government’s stimulus package during the GFC, Australians’ ability to consume has recovered. Therefore, this boost in consumption has caused a pressure of inflation. In order to mitigate the negative effect of inflation, there has been frequent increase of interest rate by the Reserve Bank. Therefore, with interest rate rising, consumption in retailing goods is likely to reduce in the short term. In the next five years, the Australian Dollar is going to remain strong. As a result, imported retailing goods are likely to be cheaper for Australian consumers. Retailers in Australia are likely to continue their expansion to the overseas market. It is because retailers demand further improvements to the operational performance. In the long run, retailers are likely to increase their share in key growth markets combined with the brand strength of their own company, in order to ensure future growth. These speculations are based on principles of economics, as well as assessments of the changes in Australian’s consumption ability. 2. 3 Market Competition Review Harvey Norman competes in the five main retailing industries including: electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. Each industry has its own main player. The main players in the electrical and computer goods industry include: Clive Peeters, Dick Smiths and Bing Lee. 1) Clive Peeters’s retail coverage is the most similar to Harvey Norman in Australia. Their main products include: Audio Visual, Kitchen appliances and white goods. Clive Peeters’ stores carry more than 140 brands and over 20,000 individual models. This company can be seen as a major competitor to Harvey Norman because of their similarity in size. 2) Bing Lee specializes in consumer electronics, computer and telecommunication goods. Unlike Harvey Norman, Bing Lee is a privately-held electrical retail business in New South Wales with 41 stores and a turnover of about $490 million. Although it is the largest privately-held business in this industry, Bing Lee remains as a relatively small size retailer comparing to Harvey Norman. 3) Dick Smith (formerly Dick Smith Electronics) is an international electronics retailer. It is a major competitor to Harvey Norman. Among all retailing industries where Harvey Norman competes in, the company remains dominant in the key product areas of audio, computers and visual products such as notebooks and flat panel televisions. The company holds the number one position in the markets of white goods and technology products. 3Company Analysis 3. 1 Company Choice As one of Australia’s largest and most successful retailers, Harvey Norman has business interests in various areas including electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. With more than 160 stores located in Australia, New Zealand, Slovenia, Ireland, Malaysia and Singapore, Harvey Norman is a conglomerate/franchise, which provides millions of consumers with products ranging from notebook computers to sofas to beddings. To run a successful business operation of Harvey Norman’s magnitude requires not only operational excellence, but also strategic insight and vision on macro economic conditions, market trends forecasts and also a distinctive understanding and implementation of the company’s business strength. The company’s strong business operations across multiple product areas/industries make Harvey Norman an interest case study to analyze – both from an operations point of view as well as strategic. Furthermore, given the challenging market conditions in 2008 and 2009, it would be interesting to analyze how Harvey Norman responded to the economic downturn. The company observed â€Å"a significant improvement in net profit from underlying business operations during the last 6 months of FY2009†, according to Harvey Norman’s 2009 Annual Report. It would be insightful to see what strategies and tactics were used by Harvey Norman to achieve this result, especially in the integrated, franchise and property system sectors since these were reported by the company to be â€Å"resilient in achieving strong results and growing market share in all key product categories. † 3. 2 Company History DateSignificant Event(s) 961Gerry Harvey & Ian Norman established the Norman Ross chain of stores 1979Norman Ross became one of the largest appliance retail chains; controlled 42 stores with sales exceeding AUD240 million 1982Norman Ross was sold and a single Harvey Norman store was started in Auburn, Sydney. 1987Harvey Norman Holdings Limited was listed on the Australian stock market Early 1990sHarvey Norman adopted the superstore forma t and entered the computer and furniture markets 1998Joyce Mayne acquisition 2000The chain grew to 100 stores 3. 3 Competitive Advantage Harvey Norman’s competitive advantage can be classified into â€Å"hardware† and â€Å"software† perspectives with the â€Å"hardware† component incorporating corporate strategy and business structure while the â€Å"software† component incorporating leadership skills and management style: †¢Corporate Strategy: Harvey Norman embraces and successfully maximizes benefits bought forth by the economies of scale (both on the purchasing as well as market side); achieves seamless integration of its retail, franchise and property systems; has excellent brand awareness, which translates into brand loyalty from customers. Business structure: Harvey Norman has successfully setup, adopted and utilized the franchising operation which enables it to generate revenue from multiple sources; it has a diversified product base which can help mitigate risks and capture a wider customer base. †¢Leadership skills: Harvey Norman has the ability to identify and ac quire property associated with HN’s development of retail stores in growth areas, which is a crucial element of the integrated retail and property strategy. Management style: Leadership is able to respond to market change and demand effectively – both in terms of products and operations. For example, Harvey Norman has expanded its product offerings and operations into various countries in response to increased demand (from both local and foreign markets). 3. 4 SWOT Analysis Strengths †¢Franchising Operation †¢Improved technology and supply chain management systems. (Global Merchandise Management System) †¢Economies of scale both in purchasing and marketing. Effective integrated retail, franchise and property system and low gearing supports to capitalize competitors’ failure. Weaknesses †¢Issue of low profit margin putting continuous pressure †¢Closure of its export and distribution businesses in Singapore and Malaysia has negatively impa cted on the profitability in Asia market. †¢Own only little market shares in the gaming industry. Opportunities †¢The strong performance of the franchising operating segment †¢Expand franchising operations in potential geographical areas and extending product offerings using stable financial capability. Growing market shares in many overseas market such as Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovenia and Ireland †¢OFIS brand is expanding in Australian market as a discount retailer of stationery Threats †¢High inflation, capital market liquidity crisis and decreased demand because of Global financial crisis are affecting the business both locally and internationally. †¢Fall in price on electrical items due to rise of Australian dollar are directly lowering profit margin and increasing expenses. 3. 5 Future Prospects for Harvey Norman Next Year There has been 10 new franchised complexes opened in Australia and a total of 8 leased stores were closed in 2009. A number of stores were also opened in offshore markets including the new OFIS brand, which implies that Harvey Norman is continuously growing its operations and expanding geographically. Net profit from underlying business operations was down by 15. 2% as a result of many write down of assets, revaluation of assets and expenses taken place in the first half year of 2009. However, franchise sales revenue increased by 4%. With the continuous expansion and write down done in the financial year ended in June 20009, it is obvious that sales revenue and net profit will improve in the next year. Next Five Years The company’s strong financial position and low gearing allow it to invest to expand its operations and adds value to its brands and businesses across its value chain in the next five years. As shown in the financial highlight 2009, the net profit after tax had declined from 358. 45 million to 214. 35 million as a result of the increased amount of expenses and trading loss of some segments. However, the gross profit has increased, concluding that business is improving and growing. Moreover, the consolidated equity has increased by $1. 12 billion, which dropped the debt/equity from 26. 61% to 26. 56%. It means the company is trying to strengthen their equity position for the next five years as well as the long run. In the Long Run In the long run, Harvey Norman has many opportunities to continuously grow in the future. It has an effective integrated retail, franchise and property system that allows the company to make substantial profit from its owned operations, franchised operations and leased property. Harvey Norman and many of its brands have become the market leaders in its industry and it will continuously extend its product offering across all the brands to maintain its market position. It is confident that Harvey Norman will continuously perform well in the long run. 3. 6 Recent performance Table 1-3 represents the recent 3 years’ performance of HVN: During last three years, there is a slightly incensement in its revenues, the revenue (exclude interest) raised from 2008 to 2009 by 2. 4% as well as from 2007 to 2008 grew by 6. 6%. Table1 HVN Revenues, Expenses and Cash Flows FY2009 ($m) Revenues (Exclude Int) Expenses (Exclude D&A)EBITDAExpenses (D&A)EBITNet Cash Flows $2436. 0$1963. 28$472. 7$91. 04$381. 7$82. 71 Table1 HVN Revenues, Expenses and Cash Flows FY2008 ($m) Revenues (Exclude Int)Expenses (Exclude D&A)EBITDAExpenses (D&A)EBITNet Cash Flows $2378. 4$1873. 24$505. 2$84. 39$420. 8$-127. 18 Table1 HVN Revenues, Expenses and Cash Flows FY2007 ($m) Revenues (Exclude Int)Expenses (Exclude D&A)EBITDAExpenses (D&A)EBITNet Cash Flows $2229. 8$1819. 82$410. 0$74. 88$335. 1$50. 58 Sales revenue for the Harvey Norman consolidated group consists of sales made by New Zealand, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Slovenia and the controlling interest held in Pertama Holdings Limited in Singapore. Consolidated sales revenue also includes Harvey Norman’s controlling interest in several retail partnerships and the company-run OFIS stores in Australia Consolidated sales revenue for the year ended 30 June 2009 was $1. 44billion compared to $1. 43billion for the year ended 30 June 2008, an increase of 0. 83%, despite the sales revenue decreased in some regions like public of Ireland and New Zealand. The reduction in sales in these regions was due to extremely challenging retail’s trading conditions and lack of consumer confidence. However, for the purpose of financial report, all the foreign currency is translated in to Australia dollar. Since the depreciation in Australia dollar in the last year, sales revenue decreased in some local markets might show an increase in the financial report in Australia dollar. EBIT reported a loss of $39. 1m in 2009 compared with 2008 due to an increase in depreciation and amortization and operating expenses, comparing with 2007, there is an increase of $95. m in 2008. 3. 7 Accounting Analysis Manager’s Incentive of Earning Manipulation There are empirical evidence linking the character of executive compensation with earnings manipulation and fraud. With regard to earnings manipulation, Keith J. (2006) finds that firms with relatively high amount of equity incentives to CEOs, in the forms of unrestricted stock and immediately exerci sable options, are more likely to engage in earnings management by reporting small earnings increase, and also by reporting long strings of increasing earnings. In this case, Harvey Norman’s executive remuneration packages involve a balance between fixed and performance cash incentives (PCI) which includes short term such as base salary and long-term payments such as superannuation. Equity based remuneration can also potentially induce manages to manage earnings, by understating earnings prior to option grants to lower the firm’s current share price and exercising option later on. Evidence of Earning Manipulation When managers have accounting flexibility, they can use it either to communicate their firm’s economic situation or to hide true performance. Possible distortion Detail & Explanation Accelerated recognition of revenuesManagers typically have best information on the revenue recognition to decide whether or when the cash collection is reasonably likely. And they may have incentives to accelerate the recognition of revenues. They can adopt new accounting or use managers’ discretion to alter revenue recognition of, for instance, franchise fees or rent. Underestimated reservesFrom Note 5, provision for doubtful debt has decreased from 4. 7 m to 4. 3 m; from Note 5(a) the aging analysis of trade debtors, number has increased from 952 k to 1,038 k. Due to the global financial global crisis and its influence to the debtors and consumers, it is not convincingly reasonable to reduce provision for doubtful debt, which intends to overstate receivables. Understated depreciation on long-term assetFirms are required to recognize impairment in values of the long assets when they arise. However, estimates of asset valuation and impairment are highly subjective. As a result, managers intend to delay or reduce write-down, or even not show impairments. This issue is especially crucial or asset-intensive firms in volatile markets. A review of Note 12, the economic situation in Ireland has continued to deteriorate and severe recession has impacted all Irish retailers resulting in large trading losses in Ireland during the year, while an impairment loss in plant and equipment assets is slightly lower than expected. Capitalized R&D outlays The economic benefits from research and development are highly uncertain. In this case, the company capita lize IT projects, which cannot clearly show us a certain future benefits. Adjustment Recommendation Although there are reasonably large chances for the managers to manage and manipulate earnings, these managements are not materially enough to make adjustment. PCI may become incentives for managers to manipulate earnings but also can be seen as incentives for managers to work on their best for the company as the higher earning achieved the higher incentives they can be awarded. Therefore, no adjustments have been made on all the accounting numbers, which will be used for analysis afterwards. References Harvey Norman (2010), ‘About Us’, Website, http://www. arveynorman. com. au/page/1255509869113/about-us Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (2010), ‘Company Profile’, Website, http://www. harveynormanholdings. com. au/companyprofile. htm Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (2010), ‘Harvey Norman Holdings Limited Annual Report 2009†, Website, http://www. harveynormanholdings. com. au/pdf_files/2009_annual_report_final_for_release_141009. pdf Harvey Norman Holdings L td (2010), ‘Harvey Norman Holdings Limited Annual Report 2008†, Website, http://www. harveynormanholdings. com. au/pdf_files/2008_Annual_Report_FINAL_30Sept. df Keith J. Crocker, Joel Slemrod, ‘the economics of earnings manipulation and managerial compensation’, October 2006, NBER Working Paper No. 12645, JEL No. A12 Richard, D. 2009, ‘Harvey Norman Conducts Major CE Review Up to 10 Stores to Go’, viewed 10 April 2010,http://www. smartoffice. com. au/Business/Retail/N9C6R5F6 Palepu, K. G. and P. M. Healy, Business Analysis and Valuation Using Financial Statements: Text and Cases, 4th ed. , South-Western College Publishing, 2007. Appendix Appendix A Standardized Financial Statement Appendix B SWOT Analysis Strengths: As mentioned above, its franchising operation is one of the company critical success factors and as well is their strength. In addition, Harvey Norman has a commitment to improve technology and supply chain management systems in response to the market growth, which becomes its business strength. In Australia the company benefits from enormous economies of scale in both purchasing and marketing. Also, the company is one of the biggest media spenders in the country, contributing to a high level of brand recongition throughout Australia. Another strength is their strong financial position, which is indicated in the financial highlight in the annual report 2008, as a result of their effective integrated retail, franchise and property system, it has built a strong financial position and low gearing that has placed Harvey Norman in an excellent position to capitalise on any competitor failure in the market place and to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Weakness: According to a review by David Richards (2009), David Ackery, the general manager of Electrical at Harvey Norman comments that they are facing the issue of its margin with its vendors and retailers. Although the gross profit margin in 2008 is stable and slightly increased in comparison to 2007 from 25. 9% up to 26. 7% (calculated from the income statement 2008), the vendors and retailers are continuously placing pressures on its margin. Furthermore, the closure of its export and distribution businesses in Singapore and Malaysia has negatively impacted on the profitability in Asia market. Another weakness is the gaming market that had not performed as well as JB Hi Fi with Ackery (2009) admitting that it was a booming area of the market, where Harvey Norman had not taken much market shares in this area. Opportunities: Harvey Norman is being the market leader in the industry and has improved and maintained its market share position in Australia, which makes it difficult for new entrants to enter into the market. Harvey Norman has the opportunities to continuously expand its operations into international markets as it has been proven in its successful operations in overseas such as New Zealand. As a result of its strong financial position, Harvey Norman has the capability and ability to invest in expanding its operations in other geographical areas that are potentially profitable as well as extending its product offerings. Threats: Global economic recession is a major threat to any industries and companies including Harvey Norman. Also, capital market liquidity crisis, contracting monetary policy, high inflation and petrol prices are negatively impacting on consumer sentiment, which decrease the demand and thus, profitability. Prices on electrical items had been falling due to a rising Australian dollar and the rapid obsolescence of many technology products, which lower its profit margin and increases expenses. Appendix C Project and Team Work Source/Information Origin and Significance Source and information used for this project would come from Harvey Norman’s corporate website (which includes corporate profile, investor relations sections, past annual reports). Also media coverage of the company, its competitors, and market landscape/environment will also be used as reference to allow for ample understanding and analysis of Harvey Norman and its business operations. The Difficulties of Analysis on the Industry and Company Harvey Norman has business operations in multiple segments including electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods, with more than 160 stores located in Australia and abroad. Because Harvey Norman is a conglomerate/franchise, which provides products ranging from notebook computers to sofas to beddings, so it is slightly hard to label its business, which consequently leads difficulty finding fair industry benchmark. It is hard but interesting to analyse this case. Some other problem may be that the major information are from internal statement, and external source are either somewhat trivial or lack of detail. The Contribution of Each Group Member The work of this group project is equally allocated to each group member based on his or her strength and weakness and each group member contributes a hundred percent to their work. They are able to meet the deadline even though; everyone has their own personal commitment. Issues with Team Work and Solution