Environmental Nuisance Lawsuit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Nuisance Lawsuit - Essay Example We are told that judge has already denied an earlier motion by Chris Lively to dismiss the charges, and will now decide by Bench Trial without jury whether the Common Law offences of nuisance and trespass have been violated in the light of the facts presented. One issue is whether the aroma of the manure being created and processed by the farm is a public nuisance. The second issue is that when there is rainfall, manure being transported across the stonewall leaks out of the pipe and is deposited into a public waterway, the Nishna River, and that the health of the citizens may be jeopardized by this as many people use it as a source of drinking water. Moreover the spillover also renders a nearby park unusable (Elliott & Quinn, 2007). The judge has very carefully noted all the facts and made a judgment which I totally agree with. He has held the owner of Northfield Farm, Chris Lively liable for the runoff caused during the rainstorms and for causing a public nuisance because it goes i nto the public waterway and can very well pose a health risk; besides this the uncontrolled spill of the waste has rendered a public park unusable due to the manure deposits as well as the horrific smell. Chris is guilty of trespassing Sam Anxious’ property because part of the manure was deposited there too due to the leakage of the pipe during the rainfall and the judge directs him to repay Sam the $500 spent by him to clean up the mess caused by the rainfall. Meanwhile since Sam moved into the adjoining property after Northfield Farm was already in operation, he could have reasonably expected that living near such a large farm would require him to put up with the difficulties caused by the aroma. The judge had also decreed that though in his opinion Northfield Farm has made reasonable precautions for holding and transporting the liquid manure across the farm, the inadvertent deposits on Sam Anxious’ property and the nearby park made both these places less usable. He has recognized the distress caused to Sam Anxious and others living near the farm. He also threatens to levy a fine of $1,000 per day on Chris Lively if they do not take additional precautions to respect the rights of others and also directs that the manure and watering be stopped during rainfall as it could pose a health hazard and cause danger to the health and lives of citizens and neighbors (McAdams, 2008). Issues: The legal questions that need to be answered here are: 1. Is there an issue of trespassing caused by the actions of the automatic sprayers on Northfield Farm due to the inadvertent deposits made on Sam Anxious’ adjoining property? Is Chris Lively liable for this and the payment of cleanup costs? 2. Is there an issue of trespassing and public nuisance caused by the leakages observed during the rainstorms, and deposits in the Nishna River? Does it pose a health hazard to users of the water? 3. If the aroma and inadvertent deposits by the sprayers are also causing the public not to use the nearby park, does it constitute a public nuisance caused by Northfield Farm? 4. Is it reasonable to assume that taking up residence near a large farm such as Northfield would automatically entail putting up with the nuisance of the aroma and the inadvertent deposits that Sam Anxious and other residents have to face every day? 5. If there is an inadvertent leakage caused by a leaking pipe or a break in the stonewall or transportation mechanism for the liquid manure, should Chris Lively have to bear the cost every time

Social Studies Sba Outline Essay Example for Free

Social Studies Sba Outline Essay Introduction to CSEC S.B.A. Geographic fieldwork is about the application of geographic concepts and ideas in the investigation of a problem or issue. Instead of gathering information from books, we gather information about the world around from the environment. Geographers first identify an area for research. They ask geographic questions about the issues that have been identified and form hypotheses.. They then conduct a systematic collection of data to test the hypothesis. This is done through the systematic collection of field data through observations, collecting samples, interviews or surveys. The collected information will be analysed and presented in a field report. The Purpose of the School Based Assessment The School Based Assessment (SBA) will help you to understand how geographers build the knowledge that they present to us in textbooks and other publications. In this part of the course you must rely on the information, concepts and understandings that you have collected during your study of Geography. You are expected to design a simple study, collect and present information that is relevant and arrive at a conclusion about your study, using no more than 1500 words in total. Contents of a Geography SBA The Aim (or Aims) of the study ? Methodology Analysis and discussion Location maps Conclusion Bibliography Appendix There is a particular order in which the report must be done for presentation. This is as follows: 1. Title page 2. Strategy sheet 3. Table of contents 4. Location map(s) 5. Aim of the study 6. Method of data collection 7. Presentation of data 8. Conclusion 9. Bibliography 10. Appendix Mark Scheme (1) Table of Contents Details properly sequenced with correct page number 1 MARK (2) Aim of the Study At least ONE aim clearly stated as a direct or implicit question. 2 MARKS Aim is geographical and based on the Syllabus Aim allows collection of primary data. (3) Location of the Study At least two sketch maps: 4 MARKS ONE of the site (showing immediate environs), and ONE (usually of territory) showing its location in relation to other features (for example, roads, rivers, settlements within the parish or region or district); BOTH maps accurately drawn and properly labelled. Between the two maps: (Indication of scale, directional arrow, key or labels, title (1 mark each to maximum 4 marks) (4) Methodology A clear statement on HOW data were collected and an example of the instrument used or a brief outline of how observations were made and tests done. 2 MARKS EITHER A clear statement on HOW the data were collected. 1 MARK OR Little or no mention of HOW the data were collected, but an example of the instrument used is included. 1 MARK (5) Presentation of Data Illustrations: variety, for example, graphs, tables, labelled photographs (at least three illustrations to be used). These should be generated from field observation and tested by candidates and not copied from secondary sources (that is, they should be the candidates’ original work). 4 MARKS Accurate, appropriate, neat, fully labelled, and titled (Excellent presentation) (6) Quality of Data and Illustrations Accurate, appropriate and relevant 4 MARKS (7) Analysis of Data and Discussion of Findings Very well organized, coherent, points well developed, well sequenced and supported by comprehensive data (Excellent) 7 8 MARKS Integration of Illustrations Well integrated discussed and distributed (placed) 2 MARKS (8) Conclusion Is related to the purpose of the study, and provides an appropriate summary and conclusion consistent with the data obtained; may include assessment of methodology. 5 6 MARKS (9) Communication of Information No grammatical errors or flaws (2) and extensive use of appropriate geographical terms (2) 4 MARKS (10) Bibliography Alphabetical order by author with title, publisher, place and date with relevant and up-to-date references 1 MARK (11) Penalty for Exceeding Word Limit (Where the word length exceeds 1650 words, 10% of the candidate’s earned score is deducted.) 4 MARKS Create a free website with

Ideological differences of Cold War

Ideological differences of Cold War Question 1 What was the Cold War about? Present a thorough analysis that makes reference to the differences between countries in the East and West up to the demise of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was based upon the ideological differences of the countries of the East and those of the West. The East or Eastern Bloc referred to the countries of Eastern Europe; the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and its satellites in the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia; and the West referred to the United States of America (USA), Britain and France in particular who were rebuilding western Europe post world war II. Geographically speaking the references to east and west were more so based upon the notion that the English speaking part of the world had adopted democracy, in particular liberal democracy as the main or ideal political ideology and capitalism as the method of economic development. Almost like references to the north/ south divide where there is no strict geographical adherence. In this essay I propose to show how the Cold War of capitalism versus communism played out as well as to explain the fall of communism and the subsequent demise of the Soviet Union . Liberal democracy and capitalism seem to go hand in hand at least that is the ideal put forward by the US and Britain who seem to be basking in the consumerism that followed the Industrial Revolution. Liberalism as an ideology developed quickly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Post World War I (WWI) liberal democracy was identified by the President Woodrow Wilson as the ideology that would maintain peace and stability as long as nation states observed each others sovereignty. At the core of liberalism were the freedoms and rights of the individual, respect for private property, representative government, collective will and the minimal role of the state. The rights of the individual in particular were most important. In framing its constitution the United States had taken this into consideration with its Bill of Rights which entitles citizens to life, liberty, justice, toleration and the right to economic prosperity. This paved the way for liberal economics, which encourag ed free trade and the use of the market to determine supply and demand; Adam Smiths invisible hand. This economic policy or capitalism was based on five principles: private ownership, market economy, competition, profit and stable prices. These principles in keeping with the political regime were individualistic in nature. The idea was the private interests (entrepreneurship) would produce goods for mass consumption and the entry or exit of other players would fuel the economy. It is assumed that the consumer is rational, that is, he or she will make choices depending on taste and cost of the product. Production is consumer driven and based on profits. Communism as a political ideology and economic policy has its groundings in the theoretical precepts of Karl Marx (1818-1883). Marx had an economic interpretation of history and war in particular. He saw the basis of any conflict as class related rather than something such as race. The conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, or what he viewed as the exploitation of the masses by the elites was the basis for the production and exchange of goods and services. This was the human interaction which influenced the social processes and institutions. Marx believed that those who owned the factors of production: land, labour and capital controlled the social and cultural norms and as such dominated the society. Therefore the superstructure, laws and government were controlled by these people. Basically those who controlled the economic sphere controlled the political sphere as well. It is to this end that Marx posits that imperialism driven by capitalism has shaped modern histo ry. This knowledge shaped Marxs view that there was a need for social change, a revolution. He believed in the universal nature of class conflict and suggested that sheer universal identification of the working class everywhere would cause mass revolution and the overturn of elite government, bringing social and economic reforms. The basic tenant of communism was the communal ownership of the means of production; the polar opposite of a liberal democratic society. Andrew Heywood (Politics, 1997:33) defines communism simply as a â€Å"communal organisation of socail existence on the basis of collective ownership of propertya classless society in which wealth was owned in common, production was geared to human need and the state had withered away†. In its truest sense the Cold War was not an actual outright war which used military but more of a rivalry expressed through military coalitions, strategic conventional force deployments, a nuclear arms race, espionage, proxy wars, propaganda, and technological competition. This war was fought mostly in satellite areas. It was about military postering and the expansion of ideology on either side. There is much contestation on when the war started, some believe it was right before the end of WWI in 1918 when the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, pushed for socialist revolution and others believe it started after WWII in 1945. Lenin and his Bolshevik party took power in October 1917 and he was the first head of the Soviet Union. His interpretation of Marxs communism is rivalled by no other. His aim was the modernise Soviet Russia, bringing it from a backward agrarian state into an industrialised nation. He knew building a new state from the bottom up was going to be difficult so he or chestrated a means of keeping the working class disciplined and committed to the cause. His attempt at starting with the working class in the countryside was miscalculated. The working class wanted to be the middle class and the middle class wanted to be the upper class, there was no immediate consolidation of the working class and the middle class to overthrow the upper class. So Lenin would have to take measures into his own hands; the revolution had to come from the top then. The Bolshevik party had to seize power and maintain it in order to keep the proletariat in check and committed, it became less of soviet democracy and more like a dictatorship. The pressure that Marx said would force a revolution and development of the state was not coming from the masses but from the political elites. The vanguard party was in the process of fashioning a regime which eventually let to a civil war. The internal fighting did not help the fact that the Soviet Union had now found it self in a d iplomatic wilderness because it had isolated itself from its capitalist neighbours. The civil war started to create chinks in the soviet armour, the intense spending on the war meant less money being spent on the social welfare of the masses. According to Martin McCauleys The Soviet Union 1917-1991 (1993:31), â€Å"(M)ore than anything else it was the lack of Bolshevik success in the economic sphere, under the conditions of civil war, which shaped and fashioned the Soviet regime. Shortages, cold, hunger and disease racked the communist body politic† The Bolshevik party had forgotten about their people, the very people that they were supposed to be serving. The party had lost its way and the Russian economy was dwindling because of it. Money had become useless as the state was encouraging production with out pay, there was little incentive. Lenins dream of a mixed economy had died and had ushered in the new socialist economy but soon he became disillusioned again with what see med to be the non-existence of a proletariat essentially there was no one to lead, the country was far from where he has thought it would be, it was in ruin. With the succession of Leon Trotsky the economy did not fare any better. Trotsky did not under stand the political principles as his rival for leadership Stalin did. Slowly and surely Stalin was undermining Trotskys, at first with minor disagreements and then replacing Trotsky supporters with his own friends especially in the key areas around the country. Even through all of this, Lenin was observing and had found that Joseph Stalin was a brilliantly skilful man but he had become too ambitious and opportunistic. Lenin saw this as huge fault and that is why he continued to support Trotsky as his successor because Trotsky was willing to see Lenins dream through to the end. Stalin however, eventually stepped into the shoes of Lenin by sabotaging Trotskys attempts to let the words and ideas of Lenin live in his memory. Lenin was the only Soviet leader who was even remotely close to what was Marxism and Marxs ideal. Stalin stated that he viewed international politics as a bipolar world i n which the Soviet Union would attract countries gravitating to socialism and capitalist countries would attract states gravitating toward capitalism, while the world was in a period of temporary stabilization of capitalism preceding its eventual collapse. Socialism and capitalism came together to fight World War II against Nazi Germany, but the Soviet Union was growing suspicious of the wests ambitions regarding the resettlement of the war torn European continent. The western Allies desired a security system in which democratic governments were established as widely as possible, permitting countries to peacefully resolve differences through international organizations, such as the League of Nations (United Nations). In order to combat this situation the Soviet Union sought to insert itself into the domestic politics of nations on its borders and so Poland (incorporated into two different SSRs), Latvia (Latvian SSR), Estonia (Estonian SSR), Lithuania (Lithuanian SSR), part of easter n Finland (Karelo-Finnish SSR) and eastern Romania (Moldavian SSR). After annexing several occupied countries as Soviet Socialist Republics at the end of World War II, other occupied states were added to the Eastern Bloc by converting them into puppet Soviet Satellite states, such as East Germany, the Peoples Republic of Poland, the Peoples Republic of Hungary, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the Peoples Republic of Romania and the Peoples Republic of Albania. The Soviet-style regimes that arose in the Bloc not only reproduced Soviet command economies, but also adopted the brutal methods employed by Joseph Stalin and Soviet secret police to suppress real and potential opposition. Stalin began completely shut out the rest of the world. The only thing the people of the Soviet Union knew was the positive propaganda espoused by Stalin. Films, books, art of any kind were forbidden and creativity was stifled. In order to preserve what was left of the communist dream Stalin shut off the world all technology even household appliances were forbidden. Foreign products were contraband and the black market thrived. There was an ideological battle going on within the Soviet Union. Many were executed and exiled. Beginning in 1934, Stalin began murderous purges of the Party through a series of show trials. By January 1947 the Soviet Union had become more and more financially strained. Further more the division of Germany into east and west had created a political nightmare for those living on either side. In Asia, the Red Army had overrun Manchuria in the last month of the war, and went on to occupy the large part of Korean territory. In early 1947, Britain, France and the United States unsuccessfully attempted to reach an agreement with the Soviet Union for a plan envisioning an economically self-sufficient Germany, including a detailed accounting of the industrial plants, goods and infrastructure already removed by the Soviets. In June 1947, in accordance with the Truman Doctrine, the United States enacted the Marshall Plan, a pledge of economic assistance for all European countries willing to participate, including the Soviet Union. The Marshall Plan was to rebuild and democratise Europe and this was contingent on Germanys recovery. The United States and Britain merged their western German occupation zones into Bizonia (later trizonia with the addition of Frances zone). As part of the economic rebuilding of Germany, in early 19 48, representatives of a number of Western European governments and the United States announced an agreement for a merger of western German areas into a federal governmental system. In addition, in accordance with the Marshall Plan, they began to re-industrialize and rebuild the German economy, including the introduction of a new Deutsche Mark currency to replace the old Reichsmark currency that the Soviets had debased. After the death of Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev presented himself as a down-to-earth activist prepared to take up any challenge. Khrushchev arranged for the Kremlin grounds to be opened to the public, an act with great public resonance. Khrushchev sought reforms to agriculture; in fact he started to de-Stalinise the state. To the shock and dismay of his party members he was openly criticising Stalin whom he had seemed so faithful to. He openly discussed Stalins brutish behaviour and all his crimes. Essentially assassinating what little was left behind of Stalin. Nationalist movements in some countries and regions, notably Guatemala, Iran, the Philippines, and Indochina were often allied with communist groups—or at least were perceived in the West to be allied with communists. In this context, the US and the Soviet Union increasingly competed for influence by proxy in the Third World as decolonization gained momentum in the 1950s and early 1960s; additionally, the Soviets saw continuing losses by imperial powers as presaging the eventual victory of their ideology. The US government utilized the CIA in order to remove a string of unfriendly Third World governments and to support allied ones. The US used the CIA to overthrow governments suspected by Washington of turning pro-Soviet Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954. Between 1954 and 1961, the US sent economic aid and military advisers to stem the collapse of South Vietnams pro-Western regime. Many emerging nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America rejected the pressure to choose sides in the East-West competition. In 1955, at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia, dozens of Third World governments resolved to stay out of the Cold War. The consensus reached at Bandung culminated with the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. Meanwhile, Khrushchev broadened Moscows policy to establish ties with India and other key neutral states. Independence movements in the Third World transformed the post-war order into a more pluralistic world of decolonized African and Middle Eastern nations and of rising nationalism in Asia and Latin America. The Soviet Union formed an alliance with Fidel Castro-led Cuba after the Cuban Revolution in 1959. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy responded to the installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba with a naval blockade. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before. It further demonstrated the concept of mutually assured destruction, that neither nuclear power was prepared to use nuclear weapons fearing total destruction via nuclear retaliation. The aftermath of the crisis led to the first efforts in the nuclear arms race at nuclear disarmament and improving relations, although the Cold Wars first arms control agreement, the Antarctic Treaty, had come into force in 1961. In 1964, Khrushchevs Kremlin colleagues managed to oust him, but allowed him a peaceful retirement. Accused of rudeness and incompetence, he was also credited with ruining Soviet agriculture and bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. Khrushchev had become an international embarrassment when he authorised construction of the Berlin Wall, a public humiliation for Marxism-Leninism. From the beginning of the post-war period, Western Europe and Japan rapidly recovered from the destruction of World War II and sustained strong economic growth through the 1950s and 60s, with per capita Gross Domestic Products approaching those of the United States, while Eastern Bloc economies stagnated. A succession of leaders followed and failed to correct or reform the failing USSRs bid for a social revolution. By the time the comparatively youthful Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary in 1985; the Soviet economy was stagnant and faced a sharp fall in foreign currency earnings as a result of the downward slide in oil prices in the 1980s. These issues prompted Gorbachev to investigate measures to revive the ailing state. An ineffectual start led to the conclusion that deeper structural changes were necessary and in June 1987 Gorbachev announced an agenda of economic reform called perestroika, or restructuring. Perestroika relaxed the production quota system, allowed private ownership of businesses and paved the way for foreign investment. These measures were intended to redirect the countrys resources from costly Cold War military commitments to more profitable areas in the civilian sector. There were many contradictions within the party and the execution of the communist re ality. 1. The first contradiction is that collectivization and heavy-handed bureaucracy kept productivity and efficiency in agriculture and industry low. 2. The second contradiction is that the Soviet Union was trying to encourage communism by providing significant monies in aid to countries in its socialist sphere of influence, especially Cuba, and engaging in revolutionary activities e.g.: Angola, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, etc†¦, but was experiencing severe economic difficulties. Overstretch. 3. Marx and Lenin postulated that people would unite base on class but underestimated thee power of nationalism. 4. The Vanguard Party was to be temporary but its top level bureaucrats â€Å"the nomenklatura† became an entrenched class. It was to represent the people but the needs of ordinary people were ignored. 5. The command economy meant that while the USSR was occupied with the space race and arms race, it also had an additional burden not carried by the US, that is, a large welfare system to maintain, as well as satellites to look after. Despite initial scepticism in the West, the new Soviet leader proved to be committed to reversing the Soviet Unions deteriorating economic condition instead of continuing the arms race with the West. Partly as a way to fight off internal opposition from party cliques to his reforms, Gorbachev simultaneously introduced glasnost, or openness, which increased freedom of the press and the transparency of state institutions. Glasnost was intended to reduce the corruption at the top of the Communist Party and moderate the abuse of power in the Central Committee. Glasnost also enabled increased contact between Soviet citizens and the western world, particularly with the United States, contributing to the accelerating dà ©tente between the two nations. Gorbachev spent his first two years consolidating his power by purging the party of dissidents and continuing the policies of previous presidents. It is however, the reform era (1987-1989) in which perestroika took place. Gorbachev was not th e first USSR leader to make amendments; Yuri Andropov had called for increased discipline and decentralization. But these were initially minimalist and so was Gorbachev at first. However, by 1987 it became apparent to him that more widespread changes needed to be made. In his book Perestroika, he noted that his immediate priorities were: to put the economy in order tighten up discipline rise the level of organization and responsibility Catch up in areas where they were behind. And by 1987, Gorbachev had formulated a theory and plan known as perestroika, Russian for restructuring. Gorbachev saw quality control as a means to achieve this. He created a new bureaucracy and introduced evaluators and controllers in factories to reject faulty products (Kenez 249). He sought to implement greater incentives for workers to produce. Kenez notes that these made him unpopular with the working class, diminishing his support. He also cut back on aid and reduced USSR involvement in proxy wars (e.g: Afghanistan), Cuba. He also called for the need for acceleration of scientific and technological progress and modernisation of industry. He gave power to factory workers to determine their own product mix and wage scales (Kenez). These changes undermined the existing centrally planned and centrally controlled economy. Not only this, manager would bid up wages because they knew the state wouldnt allow the factories to go bankrupt and would bail them up and this further contributed to inflation. It should be noted that Gorbachev made it clear that he was conducting all the reforms in accordance with socialism. His initial domestic and foreign goal was to make the existing soviet system work better. He initially spoke of perfecting the economy, rather than reforming it and was sceptical about free market experiments. Perestroika can only come through democracy. Unless the interests of people and social groups were taken into account, it was impossible to accomplish any of these tasks. Glasnost, or â€Å"openness† it should be noted was one of the first reforms he implemented even before this whole reform package which later became known as â€Å"Perestroika†. Glasnost was initially a slight opening of expression to facilitate fuller discussion of economic issues (Ebenstein and Fogelman). Eventually it came to include a wide range of freedoms. But can democratic freedoms be implemented on a political structure held together by force ad expect the structure to maintain its integrity? So what exactly were these reforms and what were the consequences? Foreign radio broadcast beamed at the USSR were no longer jammed. This meant that citizens had access to alternative sources of information about this own country and weakened the position of the party whose power was based on its secrecy and control of info. Openness led to an outpouring of information to Soviet citizens and to the world concerning current Soviet political, economic and social problems, e.g: Chernobyl. The USSRs dirty laundry was being aired. It showed that the seemingly powerful USSR had problems. Formerly banned works of writers were allowed Glasnost was seen as a threat by party members because it threatened the bureaucratic structure and positions of privilege and affluence they once enjoyed. This weakened Gorbachevs support among party officials and hence his legitimacy. â€Å"By opening the door to public criticism of the regimes failures and inequities and perestroika, by decentralizing the economy, threaten the monopoly of party power.† Along with criticism of Stalin, etc.†¦Gorbachev also found himself being openly criticized. This weakened his aura of power and this was decisive because what does this mean for a system predicated on a leader who rules with an iron fist? If the leader is weakened, so is the system. Anti-alcohol campaign was to â€Å"improve the health of the family and enhance its role in society† and stopped serving alcohol at state functions, raised the price of vodka, limited distributions, among other things. The anti-alcohol campaign reduced alcohol consumption to an extent but was largely unpopular. People were hospitalized for drinking poison. Production of home brews increased. More importantly, vodka was one of the mainstays of the USSR economy and revenues dropped (Kenez). To sum it all up, perestroika by itself did not lead to the fall of the USSR, neither did Reagan. The collapse of the USSR was as a result of a combination of factors. Including growing contradictions within the USSR which Perestroika unwittingly helped to exacerbate. Gorbachev sought to bring about democratic practices on a system which had been founded upon and maintained through force. The revelation about the increasing political and socio-economic problems of a military overstretched and overburdened USSR helped to show up the chinks in the USSR armor. A relentless West and a more conciliatory USSR and Gorbachevs weakening position within his own country were the final nails in the coffin, which allowed a coup to occur and Yeltsin to declare independence for Russia and ultimately the fall of the USSR. Bibliography Ebenstein, A. et al (2000) Todays ISMs : Socialism, Capitalism, Fascism, Communism and Libertarianism. New Jersey: Prentice Hall McCauley, M. (1993) The Soviet Union 1917-1991. New York: Longman Pipes, R. (1994) Russia Under The Bolshevik Regime. New York: Vintage Books Kenez, P. (1999) A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End. New York: Cambridge University Press

Gender Roles in Shakespeare Essay -- essays research papers

It is a peculiar feature of Shakespeare's plays that they both participate in and reflect the ideas of gender roles in Western society. To the extent that they reflect existing notions about the 'proper' roles of men and women, they can be said to be a product of their society. However, since they have been studied, performed, and taught for five hundred years, they may be seen as formative of contemporary notions about the relationships between males, females, and power. Derrida was right in asserting that "there is no 'outside' to the text." His claim is that every text is affected by every other text and every other speech act. As an instance, most of Shakespeare's plays have traceable sources for their central plots. Representations of gender in Renaissance drama are tied to their original presentation: "bearing the traces of their history in a theatrical enterprise which completely excluded women, (these texts) construct gender from a relentlessly androcentric perspective" (Helms 196). It is the ways in which these texts reflect or distort the gender expectations of society, either Elizabethan or contemporary, that is so important. Comedy that centers on the relationship between conventional couples rather than on resolution of the situation that keeps them apart is really quite difficult to find in Shakespeare. Ferdinand and Miranda are so uninteresting as a couple that their chief function seems to be as an excuse for Prospero to exhibit his art. The lovers in Midsummer Night’s Dream are certainly at their most entertaining when they're in love with the wrong person. It is the exaggerated character--Falstaff, Petruchio, Paulina, or Cleopatra--or those who step outside th... ...sp; Works Consulted Bamber, Linda. Comic Women, Tragic Men: A Study of Gender and Genre in Shakespeare. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1982 Belsey, Catherine. â€Å"Desire's Excess: Edward II, Troilus and Cressida, Othello." In Erotic Politics: Desire on the Renaissance Stage. Susan Zimmerman, ed. New York: Routledge,1992 Cook, Carol. "Unbodied Figures of Desire (on Troilus and Cressida)." In Performing Feminisms: Feminist Critical Theory and Theatre., Sue-Ellen Case, ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990 Dollimore, Jonathan. Subjectivity, Sexuality, and Transgression: The Jacobean Connection. Renaissance Drama n.s. 17 (1986), 53-81 Evans, G. Blakemore ed. The Riverside Shakespeare. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974 Kahn, CoppÃ… ¾lia. Man’s Estate: Masculine Identity in Shakespeare. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981 Traub, Valerie. Desire and Anxiety: Circulations of Sexuality in Shakespearean Drama. New York: Routledge 1992

Applying Learning Curve Theory Essay

1. Change table distribution to decrease wait time and increase clientele which entails profitability. Originally, wait time including queue was 11 to 12 minutes. By applying these changes, wait and queue reduce to 9 minutes approximately. Also, a $454 increase of profit is attained. 2. Purchase the Plax Oven instead of keeping the old unreliable manual ovens. By doing so, product availability is increase and the queue time is reduced. Using the old manual ovens, pizza took 15 minutes to cook. Utilizing the Plax Oven takes 4 minutes. 11 minutes are saved and faster service is provided to customers. Profits continue to increase. After the addition of the oven, Mario’s Pizzeria is at $1,653 in profit. Lost sales reduced to $345. 3. Purchase the Menu Point System. This system aids in reducing the queue. Wait staff does not have to walk the order over to Kitchen Staff. Thus, queue time is diminished and profits continue to increase since the utilization wait staff is reduced from a 95% to 80%. 4. Rent Cream Puffs versus opening a new counter for pick up. Renting is a better decision since no additional operating costs would be required. 5. Renting Cream Puffs allows for the capacity of tables to increase; adding 7 tables of 4 and 4 tables of 2. This aids in reducing both wait and queue time. Wait time is at 3.21 minutes and Queue is at 2.71 minutes versus the original 11 to 12 minutes of the entire process. Profits increased to $2,040 while the lost sales came to $690. Analysis of Alternative Process in Effect Mario’s Pizzeria simulation is a tool that aids in understanding how to apply the learning curve theory. The simulation begins by illustrating the current process used at Mario’s Pizzeria and describing the current issues this pizza parlor must address in order avoid a greater loss of profits and loss of customers. The simulation allows for an alternative process to be created and implemented. By creating an alternative process, one can then analyze why one process is more effective and efficient than the other. At the initial start of the simulation, the table utilization is at a 97% and the waiting time is between 11 to 12 minutes. The goal is to reduce the wait time in order to increase customer satisfaction and increase profits. To do so, the first step was to change the table distribution. By simply rearranging the table set up, customers wait time reduced significantly; wait time reduced to 5.36 and the queue to 2.57 minutes for a total of 7.93 minutes. This means that the current process of the table set up simply created an unnecessary bottleneck approach. In order to prevent this, a performance process was changed and created a more effective way of making customers stay. This is sort of change can be used to illustrate how the learning curve theory is applied. According to Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano (2006), the Learning Curve Theory is based on three assumptions: 1) the amount of time required to complete a given task or unit of a product will be less each time the task is undertaken, 2) the unit time will decrease at a decreasing rate, 3) the reduction in time will follow a predictable pattern. By applying this theory to Mario’s Pizzeria, it is evident that a small change goes a long way. For instance, the utilization for tables decreased from 97% to 95% on tables for four, but in tables for two the utilization was 88.9%. Although customers still walked away, the number of those who left was not as high as the initial number during the first week. Mario’s Pizzeria continued to face issued when the manual oven broke. The wait time for customers was affected because the process slowed down. As a manager, one has to take immediate action to solve the problem at hand through thought process in order to avoid high additional cost to this small business. If the learning curve theory is applied correctly, Mario’s Pizzeria will not be affected dramatically especially since they have dealt with previous wait time issues. The learning curve theory states that the more a task is done several times, the less likely it will be that a similar mistake will occur. In this situation, the metric that continues to be affected is time and the dissatisfaction of a customer having to stand in line for a long time. By not using this type of performance process and to avoid reaching the upper control and upper tolerance limits, the solution was to replace the manual ovens and purchase the Plax Ovens. The Plax Ovens cook more pizzas in fewer minutes than the manual ovens. If the current manual ovens were not replaced, the cooking time will be higher and fewer pizzas would be available, which in turn the queue would not decrease for the customers. Customers will continue to wait for fifteen minutes versus four minutes. Another option that was used in the alternative process was the purchasing of Menu Point Systems. This system will allow for the process time to drop significantly. Although, the cost of the menu system seems high in price, the return of investment is of 125%. This percentage indicates that in the long run the system is worth its price for the pizza parlor. By implementing this Menu Point System, Mario’s Pizza parlor decreased it wait time to 3.76 minutes and the queue to 2.62 minutes. Additionally, the utilization of their wait staff was at 60 to 80 percent. The utilization dropped since the wait staff no longer had to walk the order over to the kitchen staff. A change was made to the queue system. A step was eliminated in the queue section, thus, saving time. By implementing, both the Plax Oven and the Menu Point System a profit of $1, 622 was earned. If this two performances process were not in place, Mario’s pizzeria would be back to step one, waiting time at its upper tolerance and upper control limit. These are two factors that should be avoided at all cost when trying to aim for total quality management in a business. Implementing the Plax Ovens and the Menu Point System, the learning theory curve is in effect. Now, when the order is placed, it goes directly to the kitchen staff, the kitchen staff then process the order through the Plax ovens which are quicker in cooking time. Finally, after all the great implementations and changes made to the pizza parlor, business continues to increase and more decisions were necessary in order to keep the timeliness and customer satisfaction. Mario’s pizzeria rented the business next to the parlor instead of opening a pick up counter. If a pick up counter was chosen as an option, operating cost increase. However, renting Cream Puffs was the best option. Renting the business next door allowed for capacity of tables to increase which in turn increased profit and lessen the overall processing time of a customer. In the end, Mario’s Pizza Parlor profited $2,040 and the grandchild earned the trust of the grandfather.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. Nikkei Put Warrants †1989

Course: OFD Instructor: B. Hariprasad Assignment #1: Goldman, Sachs & Co. Nikkei Put Warrants – 1989 Section A Ankit Pandey Himanshu Agarwal Suchit Singh Problem Statement What should be the right pricing strategy for Nikkei Put Warrants (NPWs)? Structure of Nikkei-Linked Euro-Yen Transactions 1. The European bank sold a bond that promised to make annual interest payments in yen at a fixed interest rate. However, through a set of swaps, the issuer transformed its annual fixed-rate yen payments into dollar-denominated LIBOR-bases payments.This is represented by the left side transaction of the above figure. 2. At maturity, the issuer would redeem the bonds from the investor at a price tied to the Nikkei. If the Nikkei fell since the bonds were issued, the issuer would pay less than par to redeem the bonds. Thus, it would be as if the issuer sold bonds with the final principal payments at par but also bought a put option on the Nikkei maturing in the same year as the bond. If th e Nikkei fell, the put would rise in value benefiting the issuer.This reflects the embedded nature of the put option. 3. The issuer had no interest in holding this put. It often resold the embedded put options to financial intermediaries like Goldman Sachs by promising to deliver, at maturity, the difference between the bond’s par value and its Nikkei-linked redemption price. In exchange for promising to make this payment, which equaled the intrinsic value of the embedded put, the bond issuer would be paid an up-front put premium. This is represented by the right side transaction in the above figure. 4.Goldman Sachs then could sell these puts to institutional customers. Not all of these puts were sold to institutional customers. As of December 1989, Goldman Sachs had a significant inventory of European-style puts on Nikkei and it was offsetting the risk on these puts through the futures offered by Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges. 5. The sales force of Goldman Sachs gave an extremely positive feedback on the embedded put options and it was decided that exchange traded put warrants would be a good product offering from company’s point of view.Role of Kingdom of Denmark 1. Goldman Sachs was a private partnership and non-SEC registrant and hence could not issue the warrants publicly without making material public disclosures. Therefore it was necessary for it to work with an issuer registered with the SEC. The issuer would sell the warrants to the public but simultaneously enter into private contract with Goldman Sachs that exactly offset the obligation under the warrant contract. In return, it would receive a fee from Goldman Sachs without effectively having any exposure on Nikkei. . In addition to above argument, the issuer should be highly credit worthy and non US sovereign entity due to adverse reporting implications for a US corporate issuer. 3. Based on the above criteria, Goldman Sachs entered into an agreement with Kingdom of Denma rk, which would get a fee of $1. 3 million from these transactions. Risks exposure for Goldman Sachs 1. Risk of bearing the unsold inventory of NPWs If the investors find prices too high then much of the inventory would remain unsold and GS will have to bear the costs of unsold warrants.Risk Mitigation GS would offset its risk through futures position in the Nikkei offered by the Singapore, Osaka & Tokyo stock exchanges 2. Exchange Rate Risks Considering preference of U. S investors, GS would bear the exchange rate risks for its investors. This implies that GS has to sell NPWs in terms of dollars whereas the same has been purchased by it in terms of yen. Also, in the 1980s, the Nikkei and the yen/dollar exchange rate were moving in opposite direction which further increased its exposure to exchange rate risk. Risk MitigationThis can be mitigated through Quantos, a product offered by its currency and commodity division. A complete hedge would cost GS about $1 per warrant whereas hedg ing 80% of its risk would cost it $0. 50 per warrant only 3. Repute at risk GS would not like to keep the prices very low. At the same time it cannot price them very high as there is a risk that competitors might copy the product and start selling it at lower prices. Also, if NPWs started trading at lower prices in the secondary market this would bring disrepute for the organization and its partners involved.Price Calculation Assumptions †¢ Constant Volatility †¢ Securities are traded continuously †¢ Zero transactions costs †¢   The risk free rate is constant and it is possible to borrow and lend infinitely at this rate Variables for put intrinsic value calculation †¢ S0= Nikkei index = 38586. 16 †¢ Exchange rate ? /$ = 144. 28 †¢ Exercise price = 38587. 68 †¢ Implied Volatility = ? = 13. 6% †¢ q = dividend yield = 0. 49% †¢ Risk-free rate = 5. 85% †¢ T = time to maturity = 3 years Based on the above inputs, the price of Ameri can option is 1852. 9 yens which is $2. 57. When cost of hedging is added, this becomes $3. 57. Fixed Costs Fee for Kingdom of Denmark: $ 1300000 Legal and listing fee: $ 350000 Commissions: $ 3000000 Costs of R&D: $ 1250000 Total: $5900000 Cost per NPW: $0. 621 Total fixed plus variable: $4. 191 Hence, this is the minimum price Goldman Sachs can charge for NPWs. ———————– Swap Counterparty European Bank (Issuer) Put Warrant Purchaser gr? Y  Ã‚ ± y. /0123

Building A Computer Essays - Classes Of Computers, Free Essays

Building A Computer Essays - Classes Of Computers, Free Essays Building A Computer BUILDING A COMPUTER With increasing popularity of computer games, and multimedia home PC users often need an unexpensive computer system upgrade. By building a custom computer one is able to combine componenets, and operating system to provide maximal gaming performance. Computers are often called number manipulators, because of their ability to run millions of mathematical operations per second (White 43). Computers use binary system of numbers, which allows them to operate system of microscopic switches called transistors found inside of computer chips. Binary system is defined as counting system that uses two digits one and zero (Gookin 49). A transistor is a basic building block of microchips; transistors are combined in formations called logic gates (White 39). Transistor can only create binary information: one if current passes through or zero if current does not, to work with transistors(White 39). Computer software uses Boolean logic, which is based on selecting true or false values used in computer programming (White 39). All personal computers have BIOS, which is an acronym for Basic Input Output System. The BIOS runs every time the computer is started, and it basically tells the computer how to act (White 19). The BIOS is a part of the boot up process, or a complex set of operations checking hardware that components are working properly. Besides BIOS and several other operations there is poweron self-test - POST being ran. POST test runs at the start up, and if it finds an error, it sends a warning message (White 5). Central processing unit CPU is the most important part of the personal computer, all other components work as a bridge to CPU (White 59). The speed of the processor is usually defined by using units called megahertz (MHz, also million frequency waves per second). CPUs are generally divided into two categories- CISC and RISC. CISC complex instruction set computing, uses many small instructions to carry out a single operations. CISC is a standard in todays processors. RISC reduced instruction set computing, uses less complicated instructions with simpler design. RISC microprocessors are cheaper, they produce less heat, and they are generally smaller in size compared to CISC. With less heat and smaller size RISC processors have great advantage in reaching higher frequencies with less danger of overheating. The major disadvantage and also reason why RISC microprocessors are not widely used, is less compatibility with available software. The earlier programs were written for CISC chips. I n order to reach maximal speed, and compatibility the major manufacturers of microprocessors such as Intel, use some advantages of RISC technology, to improve the performance of their CISC compatible microprocessors (White 55). Computer microprocessor is the most important part of the PC, but it can not work by it self. One of the few primary components is BUS, also called a highway of the computer. BUS transports data among the processor, random access memory, and hard disk. Speed of the BUS depends on the type of motherboard where it is installed (White 119). Random access memory- RAM is also attached to the motherboard- base of all the components, but unlike BUS, RAM can be easily removed and changed. Random access memory works as a staging area for the central processing unit (White 43). Capacity of random access memory is very important for the performance of a computer. In case there is not enough RAM the software can create space on the hard drive to be used as temporary operating memory (White 31). Random means that any part of the memory can be accessed at any time, it is not necessary to read all of the memory to find one location. RAM is usually fast, temporary memory where data is saved until removed or power is turned off on the computer (White 43). A hard drive is the workaholic of a PC system.(White 87)) It is based on using magnetic plates; spinning at extreme speeds up to 7,200 rotations a minute, which are 120 spins every second. Even with extreme speed and microscopic accuracy modern hard drives are unlikely to fail. The hard disk is a combination of electronic and mechanical portions, which makes it the one of the slowest parts of the computer (White 87). A graphic

Comparison between our improvisation project Essay Example

Comparison between our improvisation project Essay Example Comparison between our improvisation project Essay Comparison between our improvisation project Essay Essay Topic: The Shawshank Redemption During this term we have been working on presenting a play based on the theme of liberty. Our particular play is entitled Checkpoint Charlie. This is for option three, improvisation. I will be devising as well as developing this play with three other students from my GCSE drama class in a group of four. I will play the role of Hannah; the daughter of Franz and Bridgett and a sibling to Peter. Hannah is the oldest of the two children. Hannah cares a lot her about her brother, Peter and sacrifices herself instead of him to move away with her alcoholic father, Franz. We began working on this play in January and we expect to present this to the rest of our class in March. The storyline of our play is based on a German family struggling with the effects of a physical barrier; the Berlin wall. We have tried to include our research, for example the dates of which important events happened. We also did some research about a man named Peter who actually died trying to cross the Berlin wall, so our play relates to a true story.  To research our project we watched the film The Shawshanks redemption.  The Shawshanks Redemption is a 1994 movie, written and directed by Frank Darabont. The films main character, Andy Dufresne, was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and was sentenced to two life sentences in a jail with very harsh conditions. However, even though these prisoners were treated particularly badly he is able to maintain his pride, humanity and hope, in order to survive. He not only does this for himself, but he manages to inspire other prisoners to do things which they wouldnt necessarily do before as well. The one person Andy inspires the most is a character called Ellis Red who becomes his greatest friend inside. Red said that Andy seemed as though he had a coat on that could protect him from this place. Which is true, because throughout the film you can see Andys mind is still free of imprisonment, even though most prisoners accept the fact that they are there for good. Andy concentrates on thinking up an escape plan which eventually he succeeds in doing. Towards the end of the film Red makes his friend Andy a promise that if he was to ever leave Shawshank he will find a certain tree in a certain field and discover what lies beneath it. Red finally after serving forty years gets paroled, but when he is free he finds the outside world lonely and strange which makes him feel afraid. Reds only motivation was to set off and find the place Andy had spoken of. Buried beneath the tree was a letter from Andy with some money, the letter read: Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. It never dies. Im hoping this letter finds you and finds you well. Your friend Andy. Reds final words were how he thought hope was the best thing in the world and what he hoped for. He hoped to go and join Andy in Mexico. I hope I make it across the border. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope  The film shows how prison life affects prisoners when they are released from jail. When people are in jail for a long period of time, they get used to the simplest things in life. Prisoners get food, have a place to sleep, have clothes to wear, and have books to read. They adapt to the guards always telling them when to wake up or when to eat breakfast. Prisoners get so used to these things that when they get out of jail, they dont know what to do with themselves. In the words of an important character, Andy Dufresne, they have to Get busy living or get busy dying. In the case of Brooks, a long term prisoner, he was unable to cope with fitting back into society after his release and committed suicide not long after. Life in the mid twentieth century in America was a violent time, it was a gun owning society and at this time America was racing for world dominance. This era was full of conflict between societys after the end of World War ll. There was a rise in rebellious behaviour and the civil rights movements taking place in the segregated south. All the events that took place in the 1950s led the way into the 1960s. Communism was still heard about during the Vietnam War, the beats ideas were carried on by hippies, and the Civil Rights Movement carried on well into the 1960s. At this time also, there were distinct gender roles between men and women and the different duties they had. Women were particularly subservient to men and therefore gave the impression that women are not as capable as men. After the war the movement to get rid of the death penalty in America was interrupted by the support of capital punishment. By 1920, 5 states that previously abolished capital punishment had reinforced the penalty. From 1918 to 1959 4,700 people were executed in the United States.

A Detailed Description of the Kipande House

Hope, a word used all too commonly but not defined very clearly. When someone hopes for something, they wish for it, but they have some idea that their wish might happen. Many things have been accomplished because of hope, people resort to hope when they have nothing else to go to. People hope their mothers gets better, people hope they get the Job, they hope for many things and do not even realize that they make these things happen. People are hope, they determine the outcome of their wishes most of the time, they Just have to go out and do something. There are any things that go along with the word hope, most people think of hope as a wish, but this is far away from the actual truth. People might say l hope everything is fine or l hope I get this car, but for these things to happen, a person needs to do something serious about it. In most cases the person who is hoping for something actually goes and does something to his situation. For example, I hope my brother gets an excellent GPA, so to help the situation I try and tell him at least once a day to work hard, also if he crosses any difficulties he can depend on me. In many ways such as that where I gave my prime example, it would be one of the ways in which I can influence what I hope would happen. Sometimes things may take a while or they may not even get a chance to have time pass by them, but I am actively trying to always influence the outcome, whether or not everything goes the way I want. A lot of people knew how to use hope in their favor. They had only one choice, and this choice was to take the path of hard work where hope was its fuel that makes it run. There is no one better to give an example for rather than Oprah Winfrey. In the long days when her mother was absent from the inner city apartment, young Oprah was molested by her male relatives. Her abuse lasted till she was 13 years old. She began her professional life at the age of 17. After hard work in the field of media and entertainment, Oprah Winfrey began a new show called The Oprah Winfrey Show; which has captured the hearts of millions in the North American continent and the entire world. The Oprah Winfrey Show had its special theme. This show helped in employing people and bringing out sensational stories to the viewers so that the eople could learn and gain pure morals from these stories which are real and happen in our daily life. Oprahs persistent character made the regular citizens voices reach the governments brain so that the government could find a way to solve the citizens problems. Oprah also is a native in the field of public and worldwide services. She has contributed with all she had so that she could revive the concept of hope in the souls of those who really need it, and that was the secret of Oprahs success. Oprah is a true example of hope in the era we are living in. The word hope paints a different picture in every persons mind. A lot of people think of angels and messengers but I think of people working hard and giving effort on something and then depending on the angels and gods will to fall on it. There are also many meanings people think of when the word hope is said like promise, trust, faith etc. People look for hope in times of despair, but in times of despair they also work hard to finish what they were hoping for. That is why the only meaning that best suits the word hope is effort or hard work. In the end we can finally reach to a point that hope treasure of hope. Hope is viewed as the battery for the spirit, but hope is not the hing that gives people this feeling, it is also the people around you and the community that you live in. The people are they who create the sense of hope by encouraging you to work hard and give effort in the task you have, or the project you are obliged to do, and even with doing your home work. Hope is also seen as a child because this child will grow up to do things to help others and help spread the right- of-hope, even if it was in a simple or a massive way. In my opinion, I see that hope is a Holy right that should be available at any time to who deserves it. We live in a world hat was created with laws and orders so that people could have their rights equally. Hope is the golden key that truly opens the gate for a better life. A Detailed Description of the Kipande House By Charity-Nyange Kipande house. It is a colonial architecture building that was built in the early 1900. It was designed by gurdit Singh and was the tallest building in Kenya before city hall was built in 1935. The building has a clock tower that is 65ft high and is a one storey affair. It is located on Kenyatta avenue opposite GPO, general post office building and currently ouses the Kenya commercial bank KCB as do other colonial style buildings on Kenyatta avenue. It is made of grey building rock with a beautiful hand dressed finish which allows it to have sharp defined edges. It has an arc above the main door and the two windows next to it while other windows are rectangular. The labour for this was provided by slaves in Kenya. Historically, this building as the name suggests was where Kenyans went to get their Identity cards. Culturally, the kipande played a very important role in the Kenyan mans life and history. This building that still stands eminds us of our not so pleasant past and sheds light on the progress we have made as a people since independence. Theres no more slavery. For some, however, it reminds them ofa horrible past. In my opinion, the building is beautiful. In its form, I see a use of line that is magnificent. There are curves, archs around the door and windows and also as the clock tower begins. From its structure we can see shadows and highlights depending on where the light falls. The colour of the building, grey gives it a sense of age and antiquity. It is unique. Its edges are interesting. The in and ut placement of the bricks gives it a beautiful finish. My conclusion is that this building was built to last. It has stood for a century and does not wield a single crack. I recommend that architects today design buildings that can stand the test of time. Jommo Kenyatta statue. It is an intricate double life-size, 12ft seated statue of president Jommo Kenyatte in 1969 with every detailed aspect to a birthmark on the presidents face and his trademark peep toe sandals. It was sculpted by James Butler and unveiled in 1973 when the Kenya international conference centre was opened to mark 10 years of independence.

Management of information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Management of information technology - Essay Example in this hostile environment and to cope with such dynamic environment brought by information technology, it is extremely important to keep pace with management, technological and organizational issues concerned with the development and use of information systems. There are massive issues in this field and they need to be thoroughly evaluated in order to reap maximum benefits. This report explores the management and other issues related with information technology in the leading bank of Middle East, Eskan bank. Eskan bank has a huge customer base and it has been consistently expanding for the past few years. With increased competition from the rival banks entering the market and with consumers demanding a wider range of financial services, the bank was looking for ways to exploit the available technology to sustain its lead. It took a major shift in its direction and invested in information technology and acquired a core banking solution for its banking operations from a well-renowned software service provider Misys. Information Systems Strategic Planning (ISSP) refers to the â€Å"activities directed toward (1) recognizing organizational opportunities for using information technology, (2) determining the resource requirements to exploit these opportunities, (3) and developing strategies and action plans for realizing these opportunities and for meeting the resource needs† (Boynton and Smud, 1987, p.59). Strategic planning is a top level management activity and it requires absolute commitment from those positioned at the higher level of organizational hierarchy. The strategic plan charters the mission, short term and long term plans of the organization. The need for improved information systems project planning has been obvious because the cost of information system has risen rapidly and it’s approximately forty percent of the total expenses in some organizations (Hoffer, George and Valacich 2002, p. 141) As the Eskan bank was embroiled in a competitive

Government attempts to infringe on freedom of the press that allows Research Paper

Government attempts to infringe on freedom of the press that allows citizens to access information - Research Paper Example The paper will address various ways in which the government is trying to control the freedom of the press. There has been recent evidence of the administration trying to control stories aired in the newsroom. The attempt has been through the federal communication commission (FCC) (Devon 1). The attempt has been through an investigation done by â€Å"Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs† (Devon 1). In this initiative, there is an attempt to gather information from television and radio broadcasters. The aim is to establish the process by which stories are selected (Devon 1). Moreover, the information collected through the initiative is used to designate â€Å"station priorities† (Devon 1). This is believed that it will help to filter content production quality, and the population served. The initiative is also meant to ensure there is no station bias and regulate exposure to critical information. It is assumed that if successful, the FCC agents will have the authority to visit newsrooms (Devon 1). The agent has also made an opinion on the key topics the government think could be covered with news outlets. The idea is a reflection of the federal government attempt to suggest a topic for media news coverage. The FCC has also focused on reporting. The agent has made an attempt to show what is appropriate to report. The same agent is the one responsible for issuance of licenses to the broadcasters. The conflict of interest may act in compelling the media to follow the FCC instructions (Devon 1). Hence, failure to comply with the set standards may lead to media being threatened by penalties and license revocation. On the other hand, the department of justice is also seen trying to control the press. There has been a report of the department tracking the movement of reporters (Fox News Insider 1). An example has been recent tracking of Fox News correspondent James Rosen (Fox News Insider 1). The tracking has bee on

MOTIVATION AND COMMUNICATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MOTIVATION AND COMMUNICATION - Essay Example Below is an assessment of three employees. Shanika has the potential to increase the productivity of the organization. The fact that she is satisfied with her job highlights her ability to require minimal control. Obviously, minimal control for the company translates to savings on the part of the company in as far as supervisor costs are concerned. More importantly her disconnect with emotional judgments or rushed decisions ensures she makes sound decisions. Decision -making is extremely critical in any organization. At all times, the policy-makers are supposed to exhibit sobriety while making decisions and avoid emotions clouding their sense of objectivity. On the other hand, she pauses a danger to the organization in as far as dealing with challenges is concerned. The life cycle of organizations involves alternating periods of success and recessions. However, her ability to cope with challenges is distorted. The implication here is that in the case of any serious setback, the company would be grounded indefinitely. Shanika is an asset to the company, but more investment is required to eliminate her downsides. Terrence has the potential for causing disharmony at the workplace. It is quite evident that she is not as motivated to work as the previous employee. This only means that the organization has to spend immensely to provide her with incentives to work. This resources could very well be directed to other productive activities. Moreover, her inability to take charge of her emotions or thought process predisposes her to making so many errors. Additionally, it highlights her failure to work under minimal control. Terrence Randall gives an impression of an arrogant employee who will create disharmony at the workplace. Ronda is a competent employee capable of enabling the organization meet its set objectives. Of great significance is her job satisfaction. She remains enthusiastic about what she

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Parental involvement in children's early reading Literature review

Parental involvement in children's early reading - Literature review Example Reading adds numerous dimensions to an individual’s personality; hence parents want their children to get used to reading from a yong age itself. Invariably parents are found discussing the means and modalities to be adopted to make reading feel and look interesting, enjoyable and fun to their children. Parents look for reasons to convince their children about the fact that reading is a skill that is like a key to master their life. Quite often elders purposely pick up a magazine, newspaper or a book and start reading in front of their children sending positive signals to the children about the importance of reading. In fact it is noted that children who lag behind in their reading skills receive less reading practice (Allington, 1984), miss opportunities to develop reading comprehension techniques (Brown, 1986) and may acquire a negative notion about reading if they are presented with reading material that is advanced to their skills. However, the psychologists have researche d extensively on the development of reading habits of children, and found it evident that early reading habits developed in the child’s formative years (initial five years) have a lasting impact on his or her behavior (Beth M. Phillips, 2009). Research indicates that the concept of literacy as a skill set and knowledge base begins to develop during infancy and is continuously enriched during the early childhood phase by exposure to language, printed materials, and opportunities for experimental and instructional counters with literacy materials such as books, magazines, alphabet toys etc (Lonigan C. J., 2006), (naeyc, 2009), (Wagner, 1994). Particularly, literature shows that oral language, phonological responsiveness, and print knowledge are key components of a strong emergent literacy foundation (Whitehurst, 1998). A longitudinal study spanning 10 years conducted by Cunnigham and Stanovich reveals that reading habits developed in 1st grade by a child have considerable impac t in reading engagement when the he or she is in 11th grade (Anne E. Cunningham, 1997) hence noticing that early success at reading acquisition is the key to unlock a lifetime of reading habits. The role played by parental involvement and other experimental factors such as book surrounds, audio-visual aids of learning, socio-economical circumstances and culture in early development years of a child has been at the heart of much theorizing and research in development psychology and form an important part in cultivating reading habits in children from early years. (Cunningham, 1994); (Burgess S, 2002); (Daniel J. Weigel, 2006). This literature review studies the varied research available on a number of aspects related to infants/young children’s early reading fondness. The queries around which the literature review was conducted are: (i) The importance of parental involvement in children’s early reading and its affect on children’s reading attainment at school (ii ) Encouraging parents to read to their children at home (iii) The importance of bedtime stories and (iv) The importance of discussing vocabulary and illustrations with young children. The Importance of parental involvement in children’s early reading and its affect on children’s reading attainment at school The experiences, mindsets and resources related to literacy that a child encounters and interrelates with at home compose a child’

MOTIVATION AND COMMUNICATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MOTIVATION AND COMMUNICATION - Essay Example Below is an assessment of three employees. Shanika has the potential to increase the productivity of the organization. The fact that she is satisfied with her job highlights her ability to require minimal control. Obviously, minimal control for the company translates to savings on the part of the company in as far as supervisor costs are concerned. More importantly her disconnect with emotional judgments or rushed decisions ensures she makes sound decisions. Decision -making is extremely critical in any organization. At all times, the policy-makers are supposed to exhibit sobriety while making decisions and avoid emotions clouding their sense of objectivity. On the other hand, she pauses a danger to the organization in as far as dealing with challenges is concerned. The life cycle of organizations involves alternating periods of success and recessions. However, her ability to cope with challenges is distorted. The implication here is that in the case of any serious setback, the company would be grounded indefinitely. Shanika is an asset to the company, but more investment is required to eliminate her downsides. Terrence has the potential for causing disharmony at the workplace. It is quite evident that she is not as motivated to work as the previous employee. This only means that the organization has to spend immensely to provide her with incentives to work. This resources could very well be directed to other productive activities. Moreover, her inability to take charge of her emotions or thought process predisposes her to making so many errors. Additionally, it highlights her failure to work under minimal control. Terrence Randall gives an impression of an arrogant employee who will create disharmony at the workplace. Ronda is a competent employee capable of enabling the organization meet its set objectives. Of great significance is her job satisfaction. She remains enthusiastic about what she

Parental involvement in children's early reading Literature review

Parental involvement in children's early reading - Literature review Example Reading adds numerous dimensions to an individual’s personality; hence parents want their children to get used to reading from a yong age itself. Invariably parents are found discussing the means and modalities to be adopted to make reading feel and look interesting, enjoyable and fun to their children. Parents look for reasons to convince their children about the fact that reading is a skill that is like a key to master their life. Quite often elders purposely pick up a magazine, newspaper or a book and start reading in front of their children sending positive signals to the children about the importance of reading. In fact it is noted that children who lag behind in their reading skills receive less reading practice (Allington, 1984), miss opportunities to develop reading comprehension techniques (Brown, 1986) and may acquire a negative notion about reading if they are presented with reading material that is advanced to their skills. However, the psychologists have researche d extensively on the development of reading habits of children, and found it evident that early reading habits developed in the child’s formative years (initial five years) have a lasting impact on his or her behavior (Beth M. Phillips, 2009). Research indicates that the concept of literacy as a skill set and knowledge base begins to develop during infancy and is continuously enriched during the early childhood phase by exposure to language, printed materials, and opportunities for experimental and instructional counters with literacy materials such as books, magazines, alphabet toys etc (Lonigan C. J., 2006), (naeyc, 2009), (Wagner, 1994). Particularly, literature shows that oral language, phonological responsiveness, and print knowledge are key components of a strong emergent literacy foundation (Whitehurst, 1998). A longitudinal study spanning 10 years conducted by Cunnigham and Stanovich reveals that reading habits developed in 1st grade by a child have considerable impac t in reading engagement when the he or she is in 11th grade (Anne E. Cunningham, 1997) hence noticing that early success at reading acquisition is the key to unlock a lifetime of reading habits. The role played by parental involvement and other experimental factors such as book surrounds, audio-visual aids of learning, socio-economical circumstances and culture in early development years of a child has been at the heart of much theorizing and research in development psychology and form an important part in cultivating reading habits in children from early years. (Cunningham, 1994); (Burgess S, 2002); (Daniel J. Weigel, 2006). This literature review studies the varied research available on a number of aspects related to infants/young children’s early reading fondness. The queries around which the literature review was conducted are: (i) The importance of parental involvement in children’s early reading and its affect on children’s reading attainment at school (ii ) Encouraging parents to read to their children at home (iii) The importance of bedtime stories and (iv) The importance of discussing vocabulary and illustrations with young children. The Importance of parental involvement in children’s early reading and its affect on children’s reading attainment at school The experiences, mindsets and resources related to literacy that a child encounters and interrelates with at home compose a child’

Educational In Cambodia Essay Example for Free

Educational In Cambodia Essay Education is very important means to train and build up human resources for development of each country and it is also important for development of child as person. However, educational system in Cambodia has suffered too much during Khmer Rouge Regime from 1975 to 1979. After that period, the government has tried to improve it by cooperated and collaborated with external aid and non-governmental organization (NGOs). According to the Cambodian constitution, it states that â€Å"the state shall provide free primary and secondary education to all citizens in public school. Citizens shall receive education for at least seven years†. Nowadays, though the pupils have no pay the fee, they still have to spend money on other things such as stationery, textbooks, contribution fee etc. Moreover, some provinces students are asked to spent money to teacher for fee; this is the problem that prevent pupil from poor families from attending school. About a half a million Cambodian children from 6 to 11 years old have no access to school, then 50percent of those who entered grade one dropped out of school and had to repeat the class. Those problems are caused by video games, karaoke and the presence of brothel for the students in city, and for female pupils, they could not attend school because of many problems. First, parents are poor, so they cannot provide children to learn and sometime they need their children, especially the girls, to earn money to support the family. Second, the schools are located too far away from their house. Only boy can go to school at some distance from home because they have given accommodation in pagodas near the school. The last one is some parents do not understand about the important of education, so they do not allow their children to attend school. Moreover, the ministry of education has not provided adequate education for minority children. Many children cannot access to school, and there is no provision for schooling in minority languages except for classes provided by private ethic associations. Even though some organizations co-operated with government to provide school for those, this effort is not yet enough. Then, the quality of education in Cambodia is very poor, especially in remote area such as Kompongthom, Kompongcham, Ratanakiri province and so on.

High Stakes Test In Trinidad And Tobago

High Stakes Test In Trinidad And Tobago High stakes tests are defined as those tests that carry serious consequences for students or educators. The consequences from standardized achievement tests range from grade retention for school children to rewards or punitive measures for schools and school districts. The nature of standardized achievement tests used in these situations poses validity problems for the decisions. Numerous unintended negative consequences for students, teachers, curriculum, and schools have been identified. (Ohio Journal of Science) High-stakes are not a characteristic of the test itself, but rather of the consequences placed on the outcome. For instance, no matter what test is used whether it is a written multiple choice, oral examination, performance test a student wanting a medical license must pass the medical licensing test to practice medicine. The acuity of the stakes may vary. For instance, college students who wish to omit an introductory-level course are often given exams to see whether they have already mastered the material and move to the next level. By passing the exam they can attain credits that can reduce tuition expenses and time spent at  university. A student who is anxious to have these benefits may consider the test to be a high-stakes exam. Another student, who places no importance on the outcome, so long as he is placed in a class that is appropriate to his skill level, may consider the same exam to be a low-stakes test. To further concretize the idea what high stakes testing really is one can examine the phrase high stakes. High stakes is derived directly from a  gambling  term. In gambling, a  stake  is referred to the quantity of money or goods that is risked on the outcome of some specific event. A high-stakes game is one in which, in the players individual opinion, a large quantity of money is being risked. The term is meant to imply that executing such a system introduces indecision and potential losses for test takers, who must pass the exam to win, instead of being able to obtain the goal through other means. High Stakes Test in Trinidad and Tobago In Trinidad and Tobago, in the early 1960s the high stakes test of Common Entrance Examination was introduced and served to replace the College Exhibition. It was intended that it would be the only tool of qualification for secondary education in this country. It was not intended to be a pass or fail examination and the number of awards depended on the number of secondary school places available at the time. This examination, for all intent and purposes, was a multiple-choice examination. The multiple choice tests were in English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science with the exception of the Composition aspect of the examination. Students were then placed into secondary schools on the basis of their order of merit and their parents choice of school. The Common Entrance Examination system had its drawbacks. Many critics stated that anxiety, depression, pains, fever, delirious behaviour and severe panic attacks were some of the effects the Common Entrance Examination had on students. These and many other reasons led to the failure of this system and it was because of this failure that a Task Force chaired by Mr. Clive Pantin, and which included Dr. Anna Mahase, Dr. Janet Stanely-Marcano, Mr. Anthony Garcia among others, was set up to look at the removal of this Examination. The Task Force in its findings found that anxiety and stress remained an attribute of the Common Entrance Examination and those immediately concerned with it. It also highlighted the sense of unworthiness and disappointment which became a characteristic of not only those who failed to gain a place, but also of those who were successful but failed to gain admission to the school of their choice. It further stated that due to the importance of the examination and due to a lack of acceptable alternatives to public secondary education the examination began to exert an inordinate influence on the primary school, the curriculum and teaching practices. Teachers were often very restricted to that subject which would be tested at the examination. It was found that students, even those who performed well in the examination, entered secondary school without the necessary basic preparation for secondary school work. It found that nearly fifty percent (50%) of the students who wrote the Common Entrance Examination appeared to be semi literate and innumerate. The Task Force recommended, among other things, that there was need to develop a Secondary Entrance Examination which would test the students level of competence in the key areas of English, Mathematics and Written Composition. It stated that this needed be done in a manner which would indicate readiness of the secondary education programme. Additionally, it stated that Science and Social Studies should be omitted because of the unwarranted influence they had on the final result in the Common Entrance Examination placement of students and because they were unsatisfactorily tested. It also recommended that a Continuous Assessment Programme (CAP) should become an integral part of the School System. The Continuous Assessment Programme was to be used to determine the students readiness for promotion. The Secondary Entrance Assessment, a system of education which prepared the child for entry into a secondary school and included mechanisms to determine when the child was ready and where he or she would be placed, was the major aims of that new system of education. According the Universal Secondary Education Project Implementation Unit December 28th 1999, the implementation of the Secondary Entrance Assessment would provide a link between separate elements of the Universal Secondary Education in Trinidad and Tobago. Secondary Entrance Examination would assess students readiness for secondary schools by testing their skills in Language, Mathematics and Problem-solving and covers the national curriculum for Primary-level education with a focus on Standards three-five. Students who are in Standard five and have not yet attained the age of 15 are eligible to write the SEA. It alluded to the fact that there would be no multiple-choice questions, a feature of the Common Entrance Examinati on. Furthermore, it stated that placement in the secondary schools would be based on marks scored on the exam; the available of places in their school of choice, availability of secondary places in their education division and taking into account the 20 percent (20%) provision granted to denominational school under the Concordat. Interviews and results Interview Schedule for High Stakes Test Research Paper Two week schedule Tasks Activity Time Frame Duration 1. Sensitization of teacher, parent and students 1. Meeting to set the purpose for forthcoming interview March 2nd 2010 One hour 2. Development of questionnaires 1. Questionnaires will be formulated by interview personnel March 3rd and 4th 2010 Two days 3. Set up appointments for interviews 1. Interview personnel set up appointment with stakeholders for interviews. March 5th 2010 One day 4. Interview with teacher 1. Interview personnel interviews teacher on a one on one basis using questionnaire March 8th 2010 One hour 5. Interview with parent 1. Interview personnel has a one on one interview with parent March 9th 2010 One hour 6. Interview with three students 1. Interview personnel has a one on one interview with students at different times. March 10th 2010 Three hours 7. Analyze and synthesize data 1. Interview personnel analyzes and synthesizes data collected March 11th and 12th 2010 Two daysTeachers Perception of the High Stake Test. The teacher I interviewed has been teaching the Standard Five class for the past fifteen years. Upon receiving his new class he does a standard diagnostic test to measure the level of readiness of his students. He is faced with many challenges namely lack of resources, varying abilities of students, improper infrastructure, limited parental support, overcrowding and most importantly the high demand of workload to completed before the SEA examination. He uses his initiative to alleviate some of these challenges for instance creating his own resources, schedule parent conferences, plan and execute lessons using various teaching strategies to meet the needs of his students. To complete his program of work before the examination he sacrifices personal time during the vacation and on Saturdays and sometimes on afternoons after school to conduct classes for slower learners. In his opinion a multiple choice test which was the main form of testing in the Common Entrance examination does not truly reflect the abilities of students. He feels that children need to express themselves and think critically when dealing with problems. Hence the SEA examination is the better choice for the high stake testing in Trinidad and Tobago. Examination in its many forms poses some level of anxiety among students, teachers and parents and the fact remains that the coping mechanism for this is all the individuals responsibility. He is of the opinion that the SEA examination is an appropriate assessment tool to measure students performance in our rapidly changing society. There are many advantages and disadvantages to high stakes testing and more so the SEA examination. This teacher believes that this form of assessment will assist all students to learn more by demanding higher student proficiency and providing effective methods to help students achieve high standards; provide parents, schools, and communities with an unprecedented opportunity to debate and reach agreement on what students should know and be able to do; focus the education system on understandable, objective, measurable, and well-defined goals to enable schools to work smarter and more productively; reinforce the best teaching and educational practices already found in classrooms and make them the norm; and provide real accountability by focusing squarely on results and helping the public and local and state educators evaluate which programs work best. He also believes that there are many shortcomings with respect to high stakes testing. These include the careless implementation of programmes of work that may not meet the varying abilities of students which may result in negative consequences. Sacrifice, diligence, determination are the key for the successful completion of any examination was the closing comments by this standard teacher. Parents Perception There is a high level of anxiety for this parent by having a child in the Standard five class. She feels that this examination is heavily weighted and causes a lot of stress related incidents at home and school for parents and children as well. Being a housewife, she has sufficient time to assist her child with his preparation for the test. She feels that the child has to do this examination whether it is fair or not because this is the norm in this country. This parent is of the opinion that SEA is less demanding than the common entrance examination because the emphasis is on mathematics and language arts areas and there is no longer the science and social studies component. She believes that SEA is the best means of measuring her childs performance. Time management and lack of knowledge of content are some of the challenges that this parent encounters when trying to assist her child. She seeks assistance from other parents and the teacher when uncertainty arises in assisting her child. Motivation is a key factor in the success of her child. She believes that if the child is motivated he will do well. She tries to emulate her parents as she was also motivated to do her best. She is quite confident that her child will succeed in the SEA examination because of the teachers competences, her support and most importantly the childs effort. As a parent she feels that she did her best in preparing her child for this high stakes test. Childrens Perception The three students aspire to successfully acquire their first choice in the high stakes test and plan to work diligently towards achieving this goal. They believe that the SEA examination is one of the most important one that they will have to write. They feel they do not have enough time to prepare and it is a lot of sacrifice and hard work. They all believe that their teacher is the best and they will definitely succeed. They have been doing many past papers and attending extra classes. With the exception of one child, they feel that their parents provide ample support for them. All three students have the confidence that they are prepared for the SEA examination and they will secure their first choice. Common themes All stakeholders believe that the SEA examination is an appropriate assessment tool to measure students performance Sacrifice, hard work, dedication and commitment are crucial for successful attainment in the SEA examination. Stress and anxiety affects everyone in any examination. Support from all stakeholders are essential components in the preparation for high stakes test. Teacher competency is a key factor in the success of any student. Conclusion High stakes in its entirety is relevant in Trinidad and Tobago. It serves as the medium from the primary level to the secondary level. Much emphasis is placed on this test and it is the stepping stone for advance studies and is crucial to attainment of certificates and diplomas that will secure a good job. While there may be shortcomings in the implementation of programmes of work which may not meet the varying abilities of students can result in negative consequences. However, in preparing for high stakes test students will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. It allows students to achieve higher standards. With respect to schools, it promotes well define goals which will lead to more productivity and provide real accountability. The Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) in Trinidad and Tobago is the high stake test that assesses students readiness for secondary schools by testing their skills in Language, Mathematics and Problem-solving. Appendix 1 Teacher Questionnaire How long have been teaching a standard five class? On receiving a new class of students, how do you diagnose the level of your students readiness? What are some challenges you face in teaching a standard five class? What are some strategies you used to overcome these challenges? What is your opinion of the removal of the common entrance examination and the implementation of the SEA examination? Do you think the level of anxiety of students is the same with to the shift from the common entrance examination to the SEA examination? Is the SEA examination an appropriate assessment tool to measure students performance? What do you think is the advantages of this assessment tool? What are the disadvantages of this assessment instrument? What recommendation can you give to alleviate the pressures of this exam? Appendix 2 Parent Questionnaire How do you feel as a parent having a child in an SEA class? Do you spend sufficient time assisting your child in his school work? Do you think it is fair to your child for this examination to be the determining factor of his placement in a secondary school? What is your opinion the removal of the Common entrance examination and the implementation of the SEA examination? Do you think it is an appropriate assessment tool to measure your childs abilities? What are some challenges you face as a parent with a child in a SEA class? How do you cope with the challenges faced? Do you think motivation is necessary to alleviate some of the stress that your child faces? Why? Do you think your child is capable of successfully completing the SEA examination? Why? Do you feel that you have fulfilled your duty as a parent in preparing your child for the examination? Appendix 3 Student Questionnaire What are your aspirations upon entering in SEA class? What are your opinions with respect to the upcoming SEA examination? What are some of the challenges you are facing in preparing for the exam? Do you think your teacher is competent in preparing you for this examination? What have you been doing to prepare for the examination? How are your parents supporting you in the preparation for the examination? Do you feel you are ready for the examination? What do you think the outcome of the exam will be?