“Maid in Manhattan” Film Analysis Essay

Think its safe to say that everyone going to see J.Lo’s latest release, â€Å"Maid in Manhattan†, pretty much knows what to expect: Single, working-class mom from the Bronx gets mixed up in Cinderella circumstances with charming (even prince-like) politician. Dressed up in someone else’s wardrobe, at first he takes her for a princess, but loves her anyway when the time comes to rescue her from her drudgery. As fluffy and formulaic as it is, sometimes this is all we ladies want—a romantic little fairy-tale to share with our girlfriends or the husband who owes us for sitting through the latest Steven Segal debacle. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to enjoy this movie under said criteria, the story line was just too 1950s for me to take seriously. Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that a good Cinderella story, ala â€Å"Working Girl† and â€Å"Pretty Woman† (both of which this film is being compared to), can always be updated for a n ew audience. But the operative word here is update, something screenwriter Kevin Wade doesn’t bother with at all. Jennifer Lopez plays Marisa Ventura, a maid in a ritzy New York hotel who dreams of management, but fears her ethnic background will keep her from ever realizing her ambitions. Ralph Fiennes is the Republican Senatorial candidate who must overcome the prejudices of his campaign manager (Stanley Tucci) to win his blue-collar dream girl. Honestly, this reliance on ethnicity as both a professional and personal obstacle for Marisa comes off not only as lazy, but also inappropriate for today’s political and romantic world. It seems to me that if a woman as smart as Marisa were passed over simply because of her race or housekeeping status, she would certainly know who to contact in the HR department to file a complaint. Similarly, if Fiennes’s campaign manager really can’t see what a political boon it would be for a Republican to fall for a struggling, single mom , then he needs to be fired and immediately sent back to whatever publicity playpen he toddled out of. Anyone with even the least bit of political savvy would surely know how to spin such a situation into a PR goldmine. These may not be issues that would trouble everyone, but for me, this silly, outdated plot translated to an hour and a half of almost straight boredom (pretty clothes and Harry Winston jewels not withstanding). Also, while both Lopez and Fiennes turn in adequate performances, very few sparks build between them,  so, of course, the obligatory sex scene is thrown in to convince us they really are falling in love. It goes without saying this is not the kind of lie our teenagers once again need reinforced to them. So moms, if you do take a Christmas shopping break with your daughters to see this one, I would make sure to point out how drastically this worldly version of love differs from our Christian one. For a far more entertaining afternoon out, you might consider â€Å"Sweet Home Alabama†. It too has some moral problems with its endorsement of homosexuality, but the main characters’ relationship relies on a much deeper foundation, and Reese Witherspoon experiences some growing pains that could provide good lessons for young women. Overall, â€Å"Maid in Manhattan† is simply your average, run of the mill romantic comedy, with very little to make it more than a renter on a slow Saturday night.

Analysis of “The Overachievers” Essay

College application season can be the most stressful period of time for any high school student. The combination of regret for not doing better in school, doubt in your own chances of admission, and the fear of rejection is enough to break even the most stable students. Author Alexandra Robbins, however, realized that the stress of college admission starts well before, as well as lingers well after, the actual application period. Through her observations, she concludes that the current education system is transforming students into GPA-obsessed, narrow-minded beings, and that the stresses of applying to a so-called â€Å"prestigious† university have a multitude of negative side effects. Her first argument concerns how colleges and the entire application system as a whole is systematically turning flesh and blood students into merely sets of numbers. She explains how students nowadays are only concerned about three numbers: their SAT scores, their GPAs, and their class ranks. She goes on to explain that the obsession with these three numbers is causing students to lose sight of what high school is really meant for; getting a sufficient learning experience while preparing oneself for the trials of college life. Instead, high school has become a mad dash for the best chances of being accepted into colleges. This trait is exemplified in AP Frank who, forcefully urged by his mother, took all 17 AP classes Whitman high have to offer, an inconceivable workload that required he skip his lunch period everyday. Going off on a tangent, Robbins also makes a point about the â€Å"no child left behind† policy and severely criticizes it for forcing teachers to focus more on test scores rather than actually teaching. Early in the book, Robbins personifies her aversion to turning students into numbers in the form of college admissions counselors. She believes that this group of people is the epitome of why the application systems are so flawed, and first puts forth this idea by introducing the reader to Julie’s college counselor, Vera. Vera is so obsessed about her personal image and is so convinced that Julie will never be accepted into her dream college based solely on her grades and test scores that she drops Julie as a client. Robbins’ second argument that makes multiple appearances throughout the course of the book is the assertion that the high amounts of stress experiences by high school students today is actually deadly. In the quest to be accepted into a prestigious college, students today take workloads that at times is too much, causing them to mentally snap. In this case, an unimaginable workload is put onto AP Frank by his oppressive mother, which Robbins states is quite common in East Asian countries, but not all the overachievers have had their workload put onto them. Audrey, the perceived â€Å"Perfectionist† doesn’t necessarily have as many reasons to be stressed as some of her classmates, but her mental state of having to do everything perfectly causes her to be under unnecessary stress. For example, it wasn’t mandatory that she spend all of her weekends and free time constructing the perfect bridge for her physics class, but her tendency to always want to be the best made it so. She spent time in which she could have been relaxing or decompressing on working vigorously. The resulting stress has been known to cause student suicide rates to rise around the world. Back at home, Julie also feels the effects as she notices that her hair has begun to fall out. She dismisses it as merely the side effects of her academically demanding life, but what she fails to realize is that stress-induced symptoms are the first signs of serious permanent damage and an increased likelihood that she will one day mentally break. Overall, Robbins points out increasingly detrimental flaws in our current education system, such as turning students into data and burdening them with potentially fatal workloads. She also presents the information in a sense that allows the reader to connect with the students of Whitman High on an emotional level, which, in the long run, better help the reader understand the severity of the situation.

Piero Della Francesca and the Use of Geometry in His Art Essay

Piero della Francesca and the use of geometry in his art This paper takes a look at the art work of Piero della Francesca and, in particular, the clever use of geometry in his work; there will be a diagram illustrating this feature of his work at the end of this essay. To begin, the paper will explore one of the geometric proofs worked out in art by Piero and, in the process of doing so, will capture his exquisite command of geometry as geometry is expressed – or can be expressed – in art. By looking at some of Piero’s most noteworthy works, we also can see the skilful geometry behind them. For instance, the Flagellation of Christ is characterized by the fact that the frame is a root-two rectangle; significantly, Piero manages to ensure that Christ’s head is at the center of the original square, which requires a considerable amount of geometric know-how, as we shall see. In another great work, Piero uses the central vertical and horizontal zones to symboli cally reference the resurrection of Christ and also his masterful place in the hierarchy that distinguishes God from Man. Finally, Bussagli presents a sophisticated analysis of Piero’s, Baptism of Christ that reveals the extent to which the man employed different axes in order to create works that reinforced the Trinitarian message of the scriptures. Overall, his work is a compelling display of how the best painting inevitably requires more than a little mathematics. Piero is noteworthy for us today because he was keen to use perspective painting in his artwork. He offered the world his treatise on perspective painting entitled, De Prospectiva Pingendi (On the perspective for painting). The series of perspective problems posed and solved builds from the simple to the complex: in Book I, Piero introduces the idea that the apparent size of the object is its angle subtended at the eye; he refers to Euclid’s Elements Books I and VI (and to Euclid’s Optics) and, in Proposition 13, he explores the representation of a square lying flat on the ground before the viewer. To put a complex matter simply, a horizontal square with side BC is to be viewed from point A, which is above the ground plane and in front of the square, over point D. The square is supposed to be horizontal, but it is shown as if it had been raised up and standing vertically; the construction lines AC and AG cut the vertical side BF in points E and H, respectively. BE, subtending the same angle at A as the horizontal side BC, represents the height occupied by the square in the drawing. EH, subtending the same angle at A as the far side of the square (CG) constitutes the length of that side of the square drawn. According to Piero, the artist can then draw parallels to BC through A and E and locate a point A on the first of these to represent the viewer’s position with respect to the edge of the square designated BC. Finally, the aspiring artist reading Piero’s treatise can draw A’B and A’C, cutting the parallel through E at D’ and E’. Piero gives the following proof in illustrating his work: Theorem: E’D’ = EH. This simple theorem is described as the first new European theorem in geometry since Fibonacci (Petersen, para.8-12). It is not for nothing that some scholars have described Piero as being an early champion of, and innovator in, primary geometry (Evans, 385). The Flagellation of Christ is a classic instance of Piero’s wonderful command of geometry at work. Those who have looked at this scrupulously detailed and planned work note that the dimensions of the painting are as follows: 58.4 cm by 81.5 cm; this means that the ratio of the sides stands at 1.40 ~ 21/2. If one were to swing arc EB from A, one ends up with a square (this will all be illustrated at the very end of this paper in the appendices). Thus, to cut to the core of the matter, the width of the painting equals the diagonal of the square, thereby verifying that the frame is a root-two rectangle. Scholars further note that the diagonal, AE, of the square mentioned above passes through the V, which happens to be the vanishing point of perspective. Additionally, in square ATVK we find that the arc KT from A cuts the diagonal at Christ’s head, F, halfway up the painting; this essentially means that Christ’s head is at the center of the original square, (Calter, slide 14.2). A visual depiction of the geometry of the Flagellation of Christ is located in the appendices of this paper. Paul Calter has provided us with some of the best descriptions of how Piero cleverly uses geometry to create works of enduring beauty, symmetry and subtlety. He takes a great deal of time elaborating upon Piero’s Resurrection of Christ (created between 1460-1463) in which Piero employs the square format to great effect. Chiefly stated, the painting is constructed as a square and the square format gives a mood of overall stillness to the finished product. Christies located exactly on center and this, too, gives the final good a sense of overall stillness. The central vertical divides the scene with winter on left and summer on the right; clearly, the demarcation is intended to correlate the rebirth of nature with the rebirth of Christ. Finally, Calter notes that horizontal zones are manifest in the work: the painting is actually divided into three horizontal bands and Christ occupies the middle band, with his head and shoulders reaching into the upper band of sky. The guards are in the zone below the line marked by Christ’s foot (Calter, slide 14.3). In the appendix of this paper one can bear witness to the quiet geometry at play in the work by looking at the finished product. One other work of Piero’s that calls attention to his use of geometry is the Baptism of Christ. In a sophisticated analysis, Bussagli writes that there are two ideal axes that shape the entire composition: the first axis is central, paradigmatic and vertical; the second axis is horizontal and perspective oriented. The first one, according to Bussagli coordinates the characters related to the Gospel episode and thus to the Trinitarian epiphany; the second axis indicates the human dimension – where the story takes place – and intersects with the divine, as represented by the figure of Christ. To elaborate on the specifics of the complex first axis, Bussagli writes that Piero placed the angels that represent the trinity, the catechumen about to receive the sacrament, and the Pharisees on the perspective directed horizontal axis (Bussagli, 12). The end result is that the Trinitarian message is reinforced in a way that never distracts or detracts from the majesty of t he actual composition. To end, this paper has looked at some of Piero Della Francesca’s most impressive works and at the astounding way in which Piero uses geometry to impress his religious vision and sensibilities upon those fortunate enough to gaze upon his works. Piero had a subtle understanding of geometry and geometry, in his hands, becomes a means of telling a story that might otherwise escape the notice of the casual observer. In this gentleman’s work, the aesthetic beauty of great art, the penetrating logic of exact mathematics, and the devotion of the truly committed all come together as one. Source: Calter, Paul. â€Å"Polyhedra and plagiarism in the Renaissance.† 1998. 25 Oct. 2011 http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit13/unit13.html#Francesca Appendix B: visual illustration of the Resurrection of Christ [pic] Source: Source: Calter, Paul. â€Å"Polyhedra and plagiarism in the Renaissance.† 1998. 25 Oct. 2011 http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit13/unit13.html#Francesca Works Cited: Bussagli, Marco. Piero Della Francesca. Italy: Giunti Editore, 1998. Calter, Paul. â€Å"Polyhedra and plagiarism in the Renaissance.† 1998. 25 Oct. 2011 http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit13/unit13.html#Francesca Evans, Robin. The Projective Cast: Architecture and its three geometries. USA: MIT Press, 1995. Petersen, Mark. â€Å"The Geometry of Piero Della Francesca.† Math across the Curriculum. 1999. 25 Oct. 2011 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/mac/Italian/geometry.shtml

Anthea and the Conert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anthea and the Conert - Essay Example This is because, they were sighed up to perform at the Hamden Hall and just a few days before the concert each artist had a problem that apparently caused them not perform. In addition to that, Anthea had already paid these artists a 25% fee of the total amount of money that they were to receive and the rest was to be paid after they did actually perform at the concert, which they did not. Therefore, it is evidenced that Anthea was the only party that did duly perform her part in the contract while other performance artists did not. Therefore, by law, Anthea has the right to take legal action against the performance artists as they did not abide by their part of the contract. As a result, one of the claims that the Student Union is prone to get is a refund of their money from the performance artists as they took the money without attending to their call of performance. This case can be compared to the one of Cutter v Powell (1795). Powell promised Cutter that if he took the role as h is running mate, he would top him up with â€Å"a total of thirty guineas, provided he proceeds, continues and does his duty as second mate in the said ship from hence to the port of Liverpool. Unfortunately Cutter died at sea. His widow sued Powell to recover a proportionate part of her husband's wages on a quantum meruit for work and labour done by her husband during that part of the voyage that he lived and served Powell† (Legal Max, n.d.). Unfortunately, â€Å"payment was on condition that he worked the ship to Liverpool, since he did not fulfil this condition the widow was entitled to nothing† (E-Law Resources, n.d.). When compared to the case of Anthea and The Concert, it can be concluded that Anthea did fulfil her end of the contract by paying them the 25% initial fee. Since the performance artists did not perform then they are entitled to nothing. Bolton v Mahadeva  [1972] is another case that can be termed as similar to the Anthea and The concert case. In th is instance, â€Å"The claimant installed central heating in the defendant's home. The agreed contract price was ?560. The defendant was not happy with the work and refused to pay. Defects in the work amounted to ?174. The action by the claimant to enforce the payment failed since the court held there was no substantial performance† (E-Law Resources, n.d.). The comparison that can be deduced in this case is that, the plaintiff did install the heating system which had defects that amounted to an extra ?174. In addition to that the client had already incurred a total cost of up to ?560. Therefore, the plaintiff claimed that the balance should have been less the extra cost of ?174. When compared to the Anthea and The Concert claim, the performance artists would have come to the concert to perform but they would not have done it well due to the challenges that they were facing. With this case, one of the liabilities that the student council ought to be aware of is that despite th e fact that they did perform their duty by paying the 25% fee initially, they ought to have had an exception in the contract that would cater for such kinds of calamities. For example, they would have drafted a clause that would ensure that a party in the contract is only paid when they have performed their duties or obligations as part and parcel of the stated terms in the contract so as to avoid instances where they pay the artist and they do

The Tempest for Shakespeare Act I Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

The Tempest for Shakespeare Act I - Assignment Example The ship in the tempest set assails to the highland from effects of the storm and safely lands with members on board. Miranda, an occupant of the island, portrays a sympathetic human heart and provides consolation to the crews who have had their share of trouble. However, the good faith portrayal by Miranda in the eyes of Prospero is a safe arrival of former enemies. Miranda was morally right about taking care of the crewmembers especially after the ordeal. Prospero brought her up to speed about their past and how they ended up in the island upon being send away by his brother Antonio whose accomplice was the King. Prospero regarded this to be a chance granted by nature to take up revenge, and he possibly begun serving it cold for the King, Antonio and the prince. It events surrounding Miranda’s moral action, are the devil in detail, and the person ensure with providing a home savors in it

American global supremacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American global supremacy - Essay Example Walters, whom I interviewed for this project. I chose to interview him, my uncle who is going to be 75 in December, because he is a very knowledgeable and shrewd man. He was with the army as a doctor for his entire career until retirement. During his many appointments, he was posted in various countries all over the world and thus was an ideal candidate to elucidate on this topic. I took notes as we had a casual conversation. When I asked him whether he thought America was a ‘superpower’ right now, he explained to me what a superpower is. He said: The superpower is the nation that has a say in the world events and decisions the most. There cannot be a superpower without there being nations who give it that status, just like there cannot be a leader without having followers who want him to lead†¦ Before the 20th century, Great Britain provided tutelage to the world, as it had colonies and followers all over†¦ Look up history, you know, books and biographies and you will see the superpowers the world has seen, rule and then disintegrate. Soviet Union happened just a couple decades ago. However, the world has never been as global as it is now. America was building up to take this position when there was want of hope and optimism in the 17th, 18th centuries. It gained that position, and the acceptance from other nations in the 20th century. When I asked him how America came to be a superpower, he said it was through invention, progress and trade. Americans have always been very open, adventurous and have opted to set up work sites (Steingart) and joint ventures in countries all over the world. American language, food and culture have precipitated world over. From McDonalds to Apple, email to ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’, American items have penetrated all the cultures of the world in some form. Another very important factor that established the position of the US in the global arena is the US dollar. It has become the global currency for trade in the

The Rwandan Genocide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Rwandan Genocide - Essay Example Grave judgement errors on the part of the Bill Clinton and Mary Albright administration have resulted in catastrophic scarring on the Rwandan people. For example, the US could have used their technology to jam the radio signals that were broadcasting the hate messages. The US could not have asked the UN for total withdrawal of the UN peacekeepers in Rwanda, demanding the UN and its members to adopt the policy "learn to say no" to risky or costly ventures. The UN itself could have deployed national troops or UNAMIR or a combination of both forces to confront the Hutu militia, that could have saved lives. One of the most alarming fact comes from Lt-General Dallaire who had to spend nearly 70% of his time battling UN logistics while he was in charge of the UN peacekeeping office in Rwanda. Dallaire wanted 5000 troops to be deployed, but had to compromise with 25000 UNAMIR soldiers that weren't even equipped to perform basic tasks. If only the UN and its member states had looked at the evidence rather than their costs. It is incomprehensible that the UN cited short supply of cash when requests for medical supplies came. Dallaire found it very hard to procure replacement spare parts, batteries, medical supplies and even ammunition locally. Justice is the right of every human being. ... The important feature of these local courts is that perpetrators who confess will have their sentences halved along with maintaining the traditional aspect of apology and reparations to victims through compensation fund or community service. In my opinion, confessions should be mandatory since it will bring some sort of closure to the survivors and their families and allow the accuser to comprehend what he has done. Evidence of this was reported by the Washington Post that wrote that "the accused have committed suicide following the resurfacing of their suspected actions". The punishment should fit the crime. But many genocide survivors feel that the punishment of community services handed out by Rwanda courts is insignificant to the violence inflicted on them. The international tribunal does not impose the death penalty however, and the Rwandan government in January 19, 2007, approved a law to abolish the capital punishment. The maximum sentence the tribunal can impose is life in imprisonment while the Gacaca can try suspects accused of murder or assault (but not rape) and can hand out life sentences as maximum punishments. Coincidentally, although legislators included crimes of sexual torture among those to be most severely sanctioned, judicial personnel have shown little interest in prosecuting such crimes. As of the end of March 1998, the United Nations Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda had registered only eleven cases of persons charged with sexual crimes although such crimes were widely reported to have occurred during the genocide.1 The Gacaca requires additional review since it is supported by even the prisiones themselves as fair and appropriate. As Alana Erin Tiemessen, writing in African Studies Quarterly at the University of Florida,

Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis Term Paper

Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis - Term Paper Example wa + wb + wc = 1. E(rp) = waE(ra) + wbE(rb) + wcE(rc ) 0.6(-0.2) + 0.3(0.1) + 0.1(0.04) = -0.086 Hence the strategy before the 2007 economic crisis would have realised an expected return of -8.6% on investment. The strategy adopted from 2007 onwards in the light of the crisis would realise: E(rp) = waE(ra) + wbE(rb) + wcE(rc ) 0.4(-0.2) + 0.4(0.1) + 0.2 (0.04) = -0.032 The strategy adopted after 2007 would realise an expected return of -3.2% on investment. As a result, the benefit of the strategy adopted from 2007 would be a reduced lose of 5.4% II. Advisability of investing more funds in UK equities. With the managers of the funds thinking of investing more funds into equity in the market, it is important for the managers to analyse the UK equities in a risk-return relationship. Hence when analysing the risk premium of the equity with the rest of the asset class, the return differential will be attributed to the difference in the risk associated with equity as opposed to bonds. The equity line will be normally "shakier" than the bond line. As evident from the data provided, Wealth invested in equity for the past 20 years has been more volatile than wealth invested in bonds (the UK equity having a risk of 16% as compared to 5% for bonds and cash for 0.3% in derivatives). Despite the higher return, the risks were higher as well. The fund’s managers should care about the riskiness of any investment especially in a volatile market. As a result, they should also be willing to trade a lower rate of investment return for "insurance" that their principal will be secure. This is called risk-aversion -- and all things being equal, most investors would prefer less risk to more. At the same time, when analysing the Standard Deviation as a measure of risk, the UK equity returns are riskier and more volatile. Even with the future projections of 8% returns per annum, the projected risk is projected to be at 18% for UK equity and 19% for overseas equity respectively an d at the same time, their correlation is very high at 0.8% between the UK and overseas equity making diversification not an option since it will not create any positive benefits of diversification. Due to the fact that the fund’s managers will be holding different portfolios, it would be important for them to use other statistical and non statistical data to be able to make informed decisions like the beta in respect to the market, fundamental ratios such as Book to Market Ratio and Earnings Price Ratio. III. Advantage of investing in the funds in international equities rather than UK equities. Due to the fact that stock market investing is risky, in the wake of the financial crisis, it is recommended for the fund’s managers to hold a well-diversified portfolio (including international diversification) to reduce risk as supported by the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and the Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The fund’s manager, after analysing international mar ket correlations in relation to the returns of various national markets due to difference in levels of economic growth and timings of business cycles, would allocate investments among these markets as a means of rebalancing their portfolios and reducing risks in favor of foreign equities (Rezayat and Yavas 440-458). In analysing the data provided, international equity portfolio diversification would be recommended based on the existence of low correlations among national stock markets and

Fast-food Restaurant and Reasons for Obesity Research Paper

Fast-food Restaurant and Reasons for Obesity - Research Paper Example First Problem (Genes) Genes have an impact upon each facet of human physiology and adaptation and hence obesity is no exception. Obesity essentially runs in families which further suggest the fact that it might have genetic reasons. It can be stated that an explanation of the obesity epidemic needs to include the role of the genetic and that of the environment. According to the ‘thrifty genotype’ hypothesis, the genes that assisted ancestors to sustain for longer time are now being challenged by the surroundings where the food is found in abundant. Although there is decline in the rate of physical activity and increase in the rate of calorie intake that is responsible for obesity, it needs to be considered that these trends are being practiced on the background of genetic variation in the population. The individual’s genetic background can be considered as a significant determinant related to vulnerability to obesity. It needs to be remembered that people with obesity related genes are not intended to be obese. However, they are likely to have a greater risk related to obesity (BBC News, 2009). Second Problem (Eating Habits and Physical Activity) Eating habits and physical activity can be considered as one of the main reasons behind obesity. It can be observed that Americans are found to be consuming higher calories in the present times. Only 10% of the Americans are found to be consuming a healthy diet in keeping with the federal nutrition recommendations (World Health Organization, 2012). The diet of the Americans is found to be too high in terms of saturated as well as trans fat, refined sugars and is low in terms of fruits, vegetables, calcium and fiber which increases the likelihood of obesity. Moreover, it has further been found that nearly 50% of the American adults do not obtain the suggested amount of the physical activity. It is the regular exercise that assists in preventing obesity by a significant extent (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Solution to Genetic Problem With the assistance of the new molecular tools as well as resources, studies can be undertaken in order to seek common obesity gen es in the near future. These genes can assist in the determination of the root causes of the problems related to obesity. It will also potentially advocate new therapies or interventions and thus offer tools in order to comprehend how people respond to their environment in order to become obese or remain lean. In the modern day context, it is significant for the obese people to work hard in comparison to others in order to maintain a healthy body weight by means of long-term and sustained lifestyle alterations. Although it is difficult to change people’s genetic make-up and to control the environment however the obese people can learn regarding controlling the lifestyle choices that they make (Lyon & Hirschhorn, 2005). Solution to the Problem of Eating Habits and Physical Activity Consumption of less

Prophecies in The Odyssey and Oedipus the King Research Paper

Prophecies in The Odyssey and Oedipus the King - Research Paper Example One of the key purposes of using the prophecies is to reveal to the readers at the outset itself, the course, the work or the main protagonist will take. Although, it may reveal the crux of the plot, on the other level, it will heighten the curiosity of the readers regarding whether the prophecies will come true or how the prophecies will come true. Another key perspective of using prophecies is to state the fact that human lives will always be controlled by superior powers or external forces, without any chance of them controlling it. This perspective of prophecy was aptly used in the Greek works, Oedipus the King and The Odyssey. This paper will discuss how the lives of the main protagonists Oedipus and Odysseus were dictated by these prophecies, with Oedipus’ prophecies leading to his downfall and tragedy, while prophecies for Odysseus leading to success. Oedipus fate, it seems, has been sealed even before he is born, with the prophecy coming from Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. As King Laius and Jocasta did not have any children after many years of marriage, they consulted the Oracle at Delphi regarding their childlessness. The Oracle gave out the prophecy that if Jocasta bears a son, that son would kill her husband King Laius and will also marry her. This prophecy was recollected by Jocasta later, â€Å"An oracle once came to Laius declaring he was doomed/To perish by the hand of his own son, A Child that should be born to him by me† (Sophocles 51). To prevent his prophecy from actualizing only Oedipus was ordered to be killed. However, he survives and was cared by King Polybus of Corinth and his wife Merope, who raise him as their own. After hearing rumors that Polybus and Merope are not his real biological parents, he coincidently meets the same Oracle at Delphi to clarify his doubts. Without directly answering Oedipus’ question on parentage, the Oracle again repeats the earlier prophecy but in different words, from the perspective of Oedipus. Oedipus

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

Reflecetion paper - Essay Example This memo will address strengths and weaknesses, as well as the risks and opportunities of the expansion. Opportunities 1) Market expansion through economies of scope and scale. Understandably, by expanding to Italy, we are already growing our market share without the high costs of starting a new company in Italy. Its existing revenues and market share will be added to ours. At the same time, from Italy, we can expand further in Europe too. 2) Trend of merger and acquisitions (M&A) in the tourism industry. M&A is the trend in the global tourism industry, including hotels. The articles from Warwick Clifton, â€Å"The Global Hotel Industry: Big, Beautiful and Branded? Part One and Part Two,† highlight that M&A is becoming more prevalent across regional and national markets. International hotel chains are gobbling up local independent hotel chains, in order to rapidly expand across the world. We have to take advantage of M&A and purchase potentially lucrative chains to purchase. Threats 1) Weak Euro. An article from Wharton shows that a weak Euro is bad for hotel business because of dampened consumer confidence. When they cut back in spending, they do so for luxury goods and services, and that includes hotel services. Furthermore, a weaker euro means lower spending power. We can see potential increases in the prices of goods and services that we need in operating these Italian hotels. 2) Damp economic climate in Europe, in general, and Italy, in specific. The economic crisis is hitting several countries in Europe hard, including Italy. This can affect business in Italy for the next couple of years or more. 3) Mixed success in hotel business. The article â€Å"Market Conditions Tighten for Italian Hotel Industry† indicates uneven success in the Italian hotel industry. It says â€Å"Declines for the Padua, Genoa and Bologna markets highlight the difficult market conditions,† while â€Å"the seasonal market of Taormina & Messina in Sicily report ed double-digit RevPAR growth (+18.4 percent) YTD† (â€Å"Market Conditions†). We cannot expect immediate high return for our acquisition because of mixed business revenues due to the slack in the business climate. Strengths 1) Full control of how the chain should be managed. The top management can exert transformational changes that are required to raise the standards of the Italian chain. The home country management will have the power and authority to enact necessary changes to improve the quality of services in the chain. 2) Lower costs in terms of acquiring local knowledge and familiarity. Local managers and employees already know the cultural, operational, and budgetary idiosyncrasies of the host country. It is assumed that the existing human resources are familiar with the market characteristics enough to no longer need a costly comprehensive market research. 3) Empowered organizational culture can be used to enhance quality standards. We can enhance the standard s of the hotel enough to warrant higher hotel rates. We can use the empowered approach of the Italians to let them manage and own organizational changes that will benefit them as employees. 4) Acquisition expands HRM knowledge and skills for multinational operations. If we want to be a multinational hotel business, we must not be afraid of learning from different cultural environments. This acquisition will help our home HRM gain

Business Studies - Marketing Mix Essay Example for Free

Business Studies Marketing Mix Essay All businesses offer some form of service as part of the product that they supply to customers. This is true of businesses supplying manufactured goods, as well as those that only supply services. By meeting (or exceeding) customers expectations, businesses can improve their image and establish a reputation for supplying products with high -quality characteristics. The features of quality service include: * Making sure the customer is safe This is crucial for a high profile business like IKEA otherwise the media will be straight on to them issuing bad press against them, potentially giving IKEA a bad name, furthermore the customer may wish to take legal action if he/she feels mistreated by IKEA. Again causing problems for IKEA. * Delivering good customer service Decisive for IKEA to maintain the good name they have, customers in this day and age will not accept poor service, otherwise its likely they will look elsewhere. * Improving the quality of the product Its important IKEA continue improving the quality of there products otherwise customers will begin to lose interest in the company due to its lack of creation and continued progress; customers want to see new/improved products on each visit they make to IKEA. * Making sure the customer is not kept waiting If IKEA let customers wait for there service, its likely they will simply leave the store and go else where, so its important there staff are motivated and wanting to give IKEA a good name. * Demonstrating good after sales care Once the sale is done its easy to take the money and thats it, but with IKEA if a problem arises they will want to help the customer in any way possible. Its vital for them to retain customers and not lose them to a competitor, and clearly IKEA are doing a good job at this as there profits continue to increase meaning the customers are happy with how they are treated both before and after sales. To see how business offer service in practice, lets look at some real examples. IKEA sells their products ready to be fitted, meaning the products they sell have to match customers precise requirements and also come with good instructions to help them build it at home. Otherwise people will see it as a hassle, meaning they re less likely to purchase from IKEA again. IKEA has bought it self a good name due to fact they offer good after sale services so if needed to contact a member of staff its possible, they give you a good instructional manual, if thats not enough you can phone them, email them or even talk 1 to 1 with a member of staff on their website via their web chat facility. It is this combination of products together with a range of services that is important in shaping and determining Ikeas reputation, the distinct characteristics of its products and the companys competitiveness. IKEAs website is also a key part in generating sales for there products, its important they describe the product clearly, and give the customer as much information about the product as possible, its less likely that someone will make a visit to IKEA for a product they arent given much information about on their website. The above picture is the basic layout for all IKEA products on there website, it has a clear picture of the product, price, special features, measurements, whether it requires assembly, care instructions, material made out of. It also gives the customer the option to see whether they have that product in stock at your local IKEA store, which from personal experience is very useful and practical. IKEA do give a lot of information which reassures the customer that this is the product they want, giving them a buzz and actually wanting to get down to IKEA as soon as possible to purchase the product. B) Price is the amount charged by a business for its products. The factors determining the price of a product can be summarised as the three Cs: Cost, Competition and Customer value. * The cost of producing the product: If a business is to make a profit, then it clearly needs to charge a price that covers the cost of making and selling the product. * The price charged by competitors: A business might want to charge a price at or below that of its competitors. However, if the product is sufficiently unique and superior, then the business might feel it is acceptable to charge a price above that of its competitors. IKEA excels here, in the sense that it offers prices cheaper then its competitors, putting them ahead of the game. * The price customers are willing to pay: This is determined by the value of the product to the target market. If consumers in the target market believe that they can gain significant benefits from the product, then they will be willing to pay a high price. However, if the product provides few benefits, consumers will only be prepared to pay a low price, for example, the price someone is willing to pay for a house will depend on its location, the number of rooms and other factors such as the size of the garden. A business will consider all these factors before deciding on a price for each of its products. In certain situations, it may be appropriate to set a relatively high price. For example, Ikea may set a premium price on a high quality piece of furniture that is widely recognised as being superior to other similar products made by competitors. In other situations a business may opt to set relatively low prices. For example, a new company operating in a very competitive market may set low prices relative to its competitors in an attempt to win business and build a customer base. IKEA are renowned for their cheap prices and high quality products. This has helped them build a huge reputation, and ultimately there cheap prices are a unique selling point, when people think, where can I get good, yet cheap furniture from? Instantly in most cases they think IKEA. IKEA is renowned for being value for money. c) Promotion is a series of marketing activated designed to make consumers aware of products. The ultimate aim, of course, is to persuade them to buy those products. Promotion is an important part of the marketing mix, and business can use a variety of different types of promotion. One of the methods is advertising, advertising is a means by which businesses pay for communication with actual and potential customers through newspapers, television, radio, the internet and other media. It can be expensive, but advertising is often highly successful in influencing consumers purchasing decisions. Advertising can be informative, by setting out to increase consumer awareness of a product. This type of advertising is based on facts rather then images. On the other hand, persuasive advertising attempts to convince consumers to purchase a certain product. Persuasive advertising aims to persuade that the advertised product is better than the competition. Sales promotion is any activity that provides a financial incentive to purchase a product. For instance Ikea may hand out free samples of food in their newly built restaurant or perhaps have demonstrations of how to put together some of their products to show customers thats its easy, and can be done by anyone. IKEA advertising in the UK is intended to raise awareness of the IKEA brand and drive traffic to the stores. Some people love IKEAs unique style of retail advertising, some hate it, but everyone who sees there advertising has a strong opinion and subsequently it provokes conversation and debate. Despite having some of the most controversial television advertising campaigns in the UK this includes criticising the taste of the British public, invisible furniture, an exaggerated homosexual man advertising for IKEA. IKEA have raised awareness of there brand, let people know they are different to other home furnishing companies and most importantly increased sales. The advertising department includes all aspects of advertising and brand communication from television advertising and sponsorship to magazine and radio promotions. Advertising is used to support many different areas of the business including brand awareness, store themes, catalogue drops and store openings. The term merchandising covers a range of tactics used by businesses at the point of sale (the location at which the products are actually purchased) to achieve higher sales figures. For example, a business might offer retailers special display stands or point-of-sale adverts to encourage them to place the businesss products in a more favourable and prominent position withen stores. Merchandising can be important when: * Consumers make decisions at the point of sale. This includes a lot of information about the product, making it bright, clear and attractive. * Competitors make extensive use of merchandising. * A variety of rival products are on display in stores. * Rival products have only minor differences. Businesses seek good publicity, and public relations (PR) is designed to improve businesses standings in the eyes of consumers and other interested groups,. Larger organisations have their own PR staff. Ikea engage in a variety of PR activity including: * Making donations to charities IKEA support unicef to help young children in less fortunate countries around the world. * Sponsoring sporting and cultural activates, and IKEA support the local community by donating products to schools which dont sell in stores, this is very popular in the community, and keeps the public happy, which creates good press for IKEA. * Allowing the public to visit the business Makes the customer feel more welcome, and at home with IKEA if they feel involved by learning more about the company. Public relations can be a very expensive form of promotion, and it can be difficult for businesses to assess the effect of public relations on sales. Catalogues are a huge part of advertisement for IKEA, its relatively cheap when compared to TV adverts, and its fairly easy to get to the customer, IKEA print 131 million copies of there catalogue making it the most widely distributed commercial publication in the world. Having picked up a couple of the latest IKEA catalogues and handbooks, its clear that IKEA thrive on simplicity. The IKEA text is the same font on all brochures, with the traditional blue and yellow logo on the bottom hand side of the page this creates continuity which means people recognise it straight away when they see it again, the traditional yellow and blue logo is based on the colours of there home country Sweden. The background images are warm, cosy, family pictures, one containing a large sofa with numerous pillows, the other an aqua blue kitchen. This gets the message across to the reader that there is a large range of products available, furthermore on the front cover they get the message about there prices, Pay less, enjoy more and your 100 page guide to making an affordable, inspired choice. This encourages the public to go through the IKEA catalogue. Furthermore the catalogue brings the IKEA store into your home, its the best way to prepare for a visit to IKEA. d)Place is another term for distribution. It covers the range of activities necessary to ensure that goods and services are available to customers. Deciding on the right place involves a range of decisions. A business needs to consider the most cost-effective way of getting its products and service to the customers. It needs to look at the implications for its profit margins of each means of distribution. The growth in use of the internet has encouraged even small businesses to use websites to sell their products to what can be a global market. This can be highly cost effective means of reaching a wide target audience, but is not suitable for all business and all products. Businesses seek to design marketing mixes that are complementary and work together to benefit the business and to maximise sales. For example, Ikea promotes itself to its target audience on the basis that it offers the lowest possible prices. Place is important to Ikea, and the company locates stores in areas where it costs less to set up, eg on the outskirts of major cities. Which targets both high income earners and low. IKEAs transport methods are highly effective, large volumes in combination with flat packages are important in helping IKEA to transport products economically from the supplier via the stores to the customers. Flat packs mean that IKEA do not have to pay for transporting or storing unnecessary air and that not only means lower warehousing and distribution costs, but also less impact on the environment. At present 20 % of all IKEA goods are transported by rail. 6) It makes sense for Ikea to target a wide range of customers. This is referred to as mass marketing. But theres the other side of it where in some situations they will target small sections of the market. Taken to the limit, this might involve catering for a small select group of customers a target market that has very specific needs. I.E childrens section. In mass marketing, Ikea would aim their products at most of the available market and normally try to sell a range of similar products to all customers. Mass marketing is possible if the products are popular and purchased by many different types of people. For example Ikeas furniture products are well suited to being sold in mass markets. Businesses must be able to produce on a large scale if they are to sell successfully in a mass market. A company may have to invest heavily in resources such as buildings, machinery and vehicles. Usually, firms also have to be very price competitive to flourish in mass markets. By contrast, niche marketing involves companies identifying and meeting the needs of relatively small areas of the market. The aim is to cater for the needs of customers that have not been met sufficiently by other business, and niche marketing is one way in which small businesses can operate profitably in markets that are dominated by large firms. An example would be Ikea and their play pen for younger children. Market research helps businesses to identify whether they should adopt a mass or niche marketing strategy. In general, this would depend on: * Whether the needs of customers within all parts of the market are being met. * The extent to which a business can provide specialist products capable of meeting the needs of select groups of customers. This gives IKEA good idea whether there is a need for a unique product on the market, or a product aimed at a special selection of customers, doing this research could potentially uncover new opportunities for them. * The degree to which competitors are currently meeting the needs of all customers within the market. 7) Market research is the systematic collection and analysis of data to enable a business to take better quality marketing decisions. In simple terms, market research allows businesses to find out what customers want. There are a number of reasons why businesses invest in market research. To determine whether IKEA should focus on mass marketing or niche marketing, they can use market research. Most products are only likely to be mainly purchased by particular groups of customers: the market of young working-class males, for example, is very different to that of middle aged wealthy couples. Market research can assist a firm in identifying which parts of the market are most likely to buy its products. It is vital for a business to know who its customers are. This allows the business to: * Design products to best meet the needs of these customers This makes it more efficient at what it does as it specifically meets the needs of IKEAs customers, meaning its something which grabs there attention, or they can relate to and want to purchase. * Target advertising, promotions and special offers at these groups People like a bargain, once they see a discount on a product they are looking for they are likely to purchase it from IKEA. * Conduct further in-depth research with specific groups of customers to uncover their needs as fully as possible. 5) Businesses need to know whats happening in the market. To be able to plan its product and marketing effectively, a business like Ikea needs to address three important questions. What is the size of the market? A way of measuring the size of the market is to consider the volume of sales made by all businesses selling furniture. What is the structure of the market? This means discovering the number and size of businesses that make up a market. Are there, for example a few large firms, or many small firms? Or a mixture of large and small firms? If a business is in competition with large firms, it may decide to avoid competing on price terms as larger firms may be able to produce their products more cheaply. Is the market growing or shrinking? Market research can reveal what is happening to sales in market over a period of time. A business may feel more confident about entering a market which is growing, as it should be easier to win sales when some customers are not yet loyal to particular brands or manufactures. The market for DIY furniture has kept growing recently mainly due to Ikeas success. If IKEA are planning on releasing a new product, its likely they will do research into other products in a similar field to see whether the market for them specific products are increasing or decreasing. This will give them a good idea whether it is worth a full-scale launch of the product they have in mind. 9) Total Quality Control is the most necessary inspection control of all in cases where, despite statistical quality control techniques or quality improvements implemented, sales decrease.The major problem which leads to a decrease in sales was that the specifications did not include the most important factor, What the customer required. To maintain their quality and standards is vital to IKEA, the quality and reliability and workmanship of their products is crucial to there brand. Both to keep their customers and to be legally correct. * Marketing had to carry out their work properly and define the customers specifications. * Management had to confirm all operators are equal to the work imposed on them and holidays, celebrations and disputes did not affect any of the quality levels. * Inspections and tests were carried out, and all components and materials, bought in or otherwise, conformed to the specifications, and the measuring equipment was accurate, this is the responsibility of the QA/QC department. * Any complaints received from the customers were timorously and satisfactorily dealt with. This will help keep IKEA a favourites with the customers. To conclude, the above forms the basis from which the philosophy of Quality Assurance has evolved, and the achievement of quality or the fitness-for-purpose is Quality Awareness throughout the company. IKEA hire highly trained quality control workmen, to check that the products in the warehouse are looked after sensiblely and that they are delivered to the customer effeciantly. Quality control is to check that there product meets customer demands and possibly look for ways to improve it. Its important for a business like IKEA to have regulary quality control checks to make sure that the products they sell are always up to standards, making sure the high IKEA standards dont drop without them being aware. To make sure of this IKEA have a test lab in Almhult which tests both textiles and furniture, around 50,000 tests are carried out in accordance with current standards each year. For several years in succession the IKEA Test Lab has been accredited for it quality system and test methods in accordance with the international standards. All these tests have been developed to correspond to many years of regular use in a domestic enviroment in the areas for which the product is intended. IKEA not only test products during development, but also selects random samples from among the products on sale in the stores. As IKEA say It is our customers that we want to come back not our products This makes sure that IKEAs customers get there full value for money and a long lasting product.

Prevalence of PPR in Goats

Prevalence of PPR in Goats Introduction Goats play an important role in sustainable agriculture, employment generation and enhance the traditional economy of Bangladesh. Goats husbandry is one of the most important sources of incomes for rural families, marginal farmers, children, landless laborers and distress women who cannot afford to rear cattle, hence, goat is called The cow of poor people in Bangladesh. They provide mainly milk, meat, hides and skins as important export item. There are about 20.75 million goats in Bangladesh (DLS, 2007). The goats had second position in terms of meat, milk and skin production representing about 38.0%, 23.0% and 28.0% respectively to the total contribution of livestock in Bangladesh (Devendra, 2007). PPR is one of the major problems for the development of goats industry in Bangladesh. PPR is a serious disease threatening the livelihood of poor farmers (Diallo et al., 2007). A Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and infectious disease of goats caused by a morbilli virus and transmitted by direct contact (Awa et al., 2000). The disease had a course of per acute, acute or chronic with very high morbidity and mortality (Jones et al. 1997). Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute febrile viral disease of small ruminants, characterized by mucopurulent nasal and ocular discharges, necrotising and erosive stomatitis, enteritis and pneumonia (Singh et al., 2004; Ismail et al., 1995). PPR has been recognized to a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants, particularly in goats in Bangladesh (Islam et al., 2001). The outbreaks of PPR caused 74.13% morbidity and 54.83% mortality in Black Bengal goats in Bangladesh (Islam et al., 2001; Das et al., 2007). PPR was first discovered in Ivory Cost in1942. PPR was once thought to be only an African problem, but the recent outbreaks in Middle East and Indian sub-continent causing alarming losses of animals especially goats. Outbreaks of PPR are now known to be common in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and Afghanistan (Banik et al., 2008). The disease is now widespread in tropical and sub-tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and western and southern Asia (Dhar et al., 2002). In Bangladesh, PPR is considered to be prevalent in goats since 1993 (Islam et al., 2001). The seroprevalence of PPR has been reported to be 36.0% in sheep, 49.17% in goats and 19.05% in cattle from Bangladesh ( Razzaque et al., 2004 ). However, the pattern of PPR disease in goats, prevalence and underlying risk factors in Chittagong district of Bangladesh has not been systematically studied before. Such information could be useful towards understanding the economic importance and epidemiology of PPR in Chittagong as well as Bangladesh. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of PPR in goats and to identify risk factors and quantify their degree of association with PPR in goats population kept under different management practices. Such knowledge is essential in planning control strategies against PPR disease. Materials and Methods The study was carried out during the period of 2 years (January 2012 to December 2013) at Teaching Veterinary Hospital (TVH) in Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Chittagong district of Bangladesh. A total of 5485 goats were admitted during the period of 2 years with individual case registration number having address of owners, patient identification data, owners complain, anamnesis, clinical examination, system affected, and different diagnostic test, diagnosis treatments, follow up, advice and prognosis recorded in this clinical investigation records. Diagnosis of each clinical case was based on clinical history taking from the owner, physical examination, clinical signs and symptoms. The clinical examination of affected goats revealed high fever (106-107Â °F), oculo-nasal discharge, stomatitis, profuse diarrhea along with dehydration and feces adhere to hind quarter. Inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation methods were used to examine the aff ected goats (Lefevre and Diallo, 1990). Age was categorized as kids (12 month). The year was divided into three seasons as summer (March to June), rainy (July to October) and winter (November to February) according to the climatic of Bangladesh. Breeds of goats were based on their phenotypic characters as Black Bangle goats, Jamunapari goats and others crossbreed goats. Results The total 5485 goat populations registered at Teaching Veterinary Hospital (TVH) in CVASU during the period of 2 years (2012-2013), among of them 493 goats were found to be clinically affected with PPR. Thus the overall prevalence of PPR in goats was found to be (493/5485) 8.99%. The prevalence of PPR was higher in the year of 2013 (271/2707) 10.01% than the year of 2012 (222/2778) 7.99%. In case of monthly observations, highest prevalence was recorded in the month of August (77/560) 13.75% followed by October (70/608) 11.51%, February (39/355) 10.98%, September (66/624) 10.58%, November (52/492) 10.57%, July (44/482)9.12%, April (37/450) 8.22%, June (29/630)8.05%, lower prevalence recoded in the month of December (23/370) 6.21%, January (22/432)5.09%, March (18/361)4.99% and lowest prevalence recorded in the month of May (16/391) 4.09% (Table-1). The age of goats were categorized as kids (13 month. Among of these age groups, the highest prevalence of PPR in goats was recorded in the young goats 11.72% in compare to kids 6.19% and adult goats 7.52%. The study revealed that the prevalence of PPR was higher in male goats 9.07% than female goats 8.93%. Breed was categorized as Black Bangle goats, Jamunapai goats and others cross breed goats bases on their phenotypic characters. Among of these breed groups highest prevalence was recorded in Black Bangle goats 10.11% in compare to Jamunapari 7.44% and others cross breed goats 7.79%. Season was divided as summer (March to June), rainy (July to October) and winter (November to February) based on climatic condition of Bangladesh. The highest PPR in goats were recorded in rainy season 11.30% followed by winter season 8.25% and summer season 6.40% (Table-2). Discussion The reported prevalence of PPR in goats at present study was 8.99%. In contrary with the results higher prevalence reported by Islam et al. (2012), Sarker and Islam (2011), Rahman et al. (2011), Al-Dubaib (2009), Swai et al. (2009), Mehmood et al. (2009), Ozkul et al. (2002) and Singh et al. (2004) who reported 50.27% in Patuakhali (Bangladesh), 20.57% in Rajshahi (Bangladesh), 55% in Black Bangle goat(BAU), 55.1% seroprevalence in Saudi Arabia, 49.5% seroprevalence in Tanzania, 15.36 % seroprevalence in Pakistan, 20% in Turkey and 32.4% in India. This variation might be due to different geographical location, research period, and different management practices. The prevalence of PPR in goats with age categorized as kid, young and adults were found to be 6.19% 11.72% and 7.52% respectively with the significant p value (P=0.000). Thus the reported prevalence of PPR was higher in young goats over the adults and kids agreed with the findings of Islam et al. (2012), Sarker and Islam (2011), Rahman et al. (2011), Radostits et al. (2000) and Singh et al. (2004) also reported that the disease is widely prevalent in the young goats less than one year of age. In contrast with the results of present study Singh et al. (2004), Abubakar et al. (2009) who reported that prevalence of PPR was higher at the age of old goats (>12 month). The kids are less susceptible to the disease of PPR might be due to they have maternal derived antibody persist their body before the age of weaning period. The results of the present study showed that the higher prevalence of PPR was recorded in male goats 9.07% than in female goats 8.93% but p value was not significant (P=0.862). Thus the male goats are more susceptible to PPR than female goats similarities with the results of Sarker and Islam (2011) and Rahman et al. (2004) who also reported male more prone to PPR than female. The breeds of the goats divided as Black Bangle, Jamunapari and others cross breed goats. In the present study, the highest prevalence of PPR was recorded in Black Bangle goats 10.11% in compare to Jamunapai goats 7.44% and other cross breed goats with significant p value (P=0.005). So that the Black Bangle goats were more susceptible to PPR than Jamunapari and other cross breed goats similar with the findings of Islam et al. (2012), Sarker and Islam (2011) and Mondal et al. (1995) who observed that Black Bangle goats were more susceptible to the PPR in compare to other breed. Prevalence of PPR in goats due to seasonal variation revealed that highest prevalence was found in rainy season 11.30% in compared to summer season 6.40% and winter season 8.25% with significant p value (p=0.000). Thus the present study showed that the prevalence of PPR was higher in rainy season than summer and winter season disagree with the results of Sarker and Islam (2011) who observed higher prevalence in winter season. This variation might be due to different geographical region and study period. The highest prevalence of PPR at present study was observed in the month of August 13.75% and October 11.51% in contrast with the findings of Sarker and Islam (2011); Abubakar et al. (2009) who recoded highest prevalence in the month of December (31.68%) and January (30.34%); 32.57% in March and 19.43% in April respectively. Results revealed that the lowest prevalence of PPR was observed in the month of May 4.09% in contrary with this result Abubakar et al. (2009); Sarker and Islam (2011) who reported lowest prevalence in the month of June 1.71% and 9.52% respectively.

Native American History Essay -- American Indian Culture

Popular culture has shaped our understanding and perception of Native American culture. From Disney to literature has given the picture of the â€Å"blood thirsty savage† of the beginning colonialism in the new world to the â€Å"Noble Savage,† a trait painted by non-native the West (Landsman and Lewis 184) and this has influenced many non native perceptions. What many outsiders do not see is the struggle Native American have on day to day bases. Each generation of Native American is on a struggle to keep their traditions alive, but to function in school and ultimately graduate. The long history between Native American and Europeans are a strained and bloody one. For the time of Columbus’s subsequent visits to the new world, native culture has been under a microscope. They were viewed in a scope of inferiority that caused Europeans to think that they needed them to teach them the correct way of life (Landsman and Lewis 184). The want for goods soon characterized interaction with settlers and the want for a stable trading relationship, becoming more apparent with the French Trappers (â€Å"How the Land†). The French were able to integrate into the Native society and understand with great respect, while the British only saw economic relationships with marriage (â€Å"How the Land†). The history of Native American were from a biased prospective and preventing the true nature Native American to be evident among white settlers. Many of whom welcomed white settlements for the prospect of new trade post and trading goods (â€Å"How the Landâ € ). Through the hardship and perseverance the education systems us still a struggle that many native people still have today. It is the history of the education through boarding schools that causes distrust for the current... ...cahy interview of Mary L. Wingerd. Minnesota Public Radio. 07 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2011 McCallum, Laura. â€Å"States Told to Improve American Indian Student Achievement.† Minnesota. Publicradio.org. Minnesota Public Radio, 16 May 2007. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. Landsman, Julie G., and Chance W. Lewis. White Teachers/ Diverse Classrooms. Sterling: Stylus, 2011. Print â€Å"Professor wants to Foster New Generation of Ojibwe Speakers.† Hosted by Kate Smith Interview of Anton Treuer. Minnesota Public Radio. 09 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. Robertson, Tom. â€Å"Red Lake Student Score Lower than Other Indian Kids on Standardized Test.† Minnesota.Publicradio.org. Minnesota Public Radio, 06 June 2004. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. Weber, Tom. â€Å"Study: Few Academic Gains for American Indian Students.† Minnesota. Publicradio.org. Minnesota Public Radio, 30 June 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2011.

Sybase :: essays research papers

Table of contents Types of indexes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Clustered Index†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Non-clustered Index†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Selection of indexes by Optimizer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Search Arguments†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Index Selection†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Index Distribution Stats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Index Density†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Index Covering†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Optimization of Cursors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Optimization of temp tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Some general rules for optimization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Some useful commands†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Types of indexes Clustered Index (CI) The data in this case is physically stored in the order of the index. The leaf level of the index is the same as the data pages. There can be only one CI on a table as the data can physically be sorted in only one order. The select is extremely efficient with CI. The CI is extremely efficient in the following cases: a) where fname like "Ram%" b) where author_id between 1 and 7 c) where Price > 345.34 d) group by author_id e) order by author_name Non-clustered index (NI) The data in this case is not stored in the order an index is stored. The leaf-level of the index contains the various index keys and a pointer to the row as rowID (page no. + row offset). There can be 249 NI on a table. The NI should be used when a) The number of rows returned is small. b) When where clause limits the number of rows (usually '=' operator) c) When the query can be covered. Selection of indexes by Optimizer SEARCH ARGUMENTS (SARG) These are the expressions on the RHS of the where clause. They act as a kind of (dis)incentive to the optimizer to use the index on the column. Some search arguments are: where author_id = '13' where fname like "Ram%" where Price > 2347.32 Some expressions that are not valid SARGs are: Invalid Valid Price*1.5 = 1000 Price = 1000/1.5 Qty + 10 = 200 Qty = 200 - 10 fname + '' + lname fname = 'John' = "John Gray" and lname = 'Gray' Substring(1,3,fname) = 'KIR' Name like "KIR%" isnull(lname,"N") = "N" lname is null The index might not be used in the case of following SARGs: 1) No start point for the index. where lname like "%abc" 2) Non-matching data-types In SQL server, null and not null are held differently. Char null is same as varchar. So when char null and char not null is compared, the optimizer has to implicitly convert the data type, which it does not at the planning time. In both the above cases, distribution statistics are not used. INDEX SELECTION The optimizer first looks at the query if the columns contained in the where clause match with the columns specified in any of the index. If yes, then it proceeds further. The optimizer then looks if the where clause contains any SARG. If there is a valid SARG, the optimizer then looks for the distribution statistics of the index as:

Another Kind of Prejudice :: Education Tracking Schooling Essays

Another Kind of Prejudice A high school education is not only the mastery of the three R's but also a foundation for life. High school is the finishing point of many individuals for the educational system, and for the rest, it should be a strong foundation for a higher education. High school curriculum should be broad in the sense that this will be the last formal education for some, and it should expose all students to various elements they may never encounter again. All students should leave high school with a base knowledge of what Mike rose in his book "Lives on the Boundary" calls the "cannonical orientation." Cannonical orientation is the belief that all children should have the foundation of reading the great classics. This foundation of the classics is what we will be judged by in the future. In reading the classics we become more knowledgeable about viewpoints on different situations, and these various views influence how we perceive obstacles in our life. Rose focuses on literature, however this exp ansion of different views transfers even further, not just for literature, but for mathematics, science and history. Mike Rose raised the issue of cannonical orientation and prejudice against those who cannot speak English well. I have come across another kind of prejudice in the educational system. It starts out early in our education process and may prevent your children from reaching their full potential. When children start junior high school they are entering a new world. Many schools have a system in their junior high school called "tracks." Tracking is a system where students are grouped together with other students throughout their academic courses. The foundation for this system is grouping the students together based on their academic performance. According to administrators and teachers who favor this method, tracking makes an easier environment for the teachers. The teachers will be able to stay focused on the entire group, instead of having some students bored with concepts they have already mastered. The reverse is also true, where students are being taught at a level above their capability. We see this philosophy of teaching in elementary school where the students are put into small reading groups based on their reading level. Tracking leads to the possibility that many students may be misjudged because the school administrators and teachers are basing the childrens' academic future solely on their academic achievement in grammar school.

What are top ten environmental problem Essay

Listing the top 10 of a group is always appealing. Ten most-wanted fugitives by the FBI. Top ten songs, books, and best-dressed celebrities. And David Letterman, with his list of items such as Top Ten Reasons You Are Not Looking Forward to the NBA Playoffs. So why not list the top ten environmental problems facing America and the world? I asked two dozen ecology graduate students what their list would be. If anyone knows what the real threats are, these people will: their opinions are science-based, not emotional. Using the Letterman approach of reading the list from 10 to 1, I present the top ten environmental problems in order of increasing importance. The total number of major problems identified by the people I asked ended up to be more than 10. Not surprisingly, some of the perceived problems are similar and interconnect, so I consolidated the students’ lists to end up with the magic number 10. 10. Invasive plants and animals. The problems resulting from fire ants, Burmese pythons in the Everglades, and many more regional environmental problems have a human origin related to the introduction of exotic species. 9. Global climate change. Although â€Å"global warming† receives a lot of press, University of Georgia graduate student Brian Todd pointed out that â€Å"the global climate for the past 4 billion years has been one marked by change and relative instability. The problem we face today is the crippled ability of many ecosystems to appropriately respond to climate change as they have for the past 65 million years because we have already compromised the environment in other ways.† 8. Pollution of marine habitats. See more:  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay The oceans are huge, but overharvesting and the degradation of marine environments are proceeding at a steady rate around the world, including a commercially extinct codfish industry and disappearing coral reefs along our own coasts. 7. Air pollution. Uncontrolled releases by industry and the excessive use of fossil fuels have led to acid rain, dissolution of the ozone layer, smog, and the general elimination of â€Å"clean air.† 6. Unsustainable agriculture. The human world is dependent on food production, yet agricultural siltation, pesticide runoffs, and loss of natural habitats are constant threats to a healthy environment. 5. Threat of disease. Bird flu, West Nile virus, and mad cow disease are examples of how we could be affected overnight by unseen enemies, all a consequence of human overcrowding, overconsumption, and invasive species. 4. Water quality and quantity. Sewage from cities, unregulated releases from industrial and agricultural sites, and dumping of wastes in the oceans collectively exacerbate the worldwide problem of water pollution. Overuse of groundwater in many coastal regions leading to saltwater intrusion is a looming specter. Water wars are now a reality in the western states and even in the wetter Southeast, as evidenced in the court cases involving Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. 3. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. The loss of natural habitats because of human development and deforestation is viewed by most as the major cause of the decline in biodiversity nationally and globally. Many species are on an inexorable path toward extinction because their native habitats are gone or despoiled. 2. Human overpopulation. Most of the students ranked unchecked human population growth, which leads to overconsumption and associated world poverty, as their top culprit of environmental problems. Virtually every problem from 3 through 10 can be traced back to our simply having too many people for the resources available. Until political and religious leaders have the courage to realistically address the issue of birth control on a global scale, most of our environmental problems will worsen before they get better. 1. Apathy. Dean Croshaw, a graduate student from the University of New Orleans, offered what I rank as the number one environmental problem. A clear indicator of our foremost problem is that world leaders seldom acknowledge, let alone propose solutions to, environmental problems. For those leaders around the world chosen by a democratic election process, that apathy is condoned and mimicked by the people who elect them. A major difference between David Letterman’s lists and mine is that none of mine are funny. 1. Water It’s hardly surprising that on the world’s driest inhabited continent, experts are concerned about how Australia looks after its water. â€Å"We need to get smarter about how we manage water — that means everything from replacing our ageing infrastructure to ensuring we capture rain water when it does fall,† urges Kim McKay, author of True Green Life. â€Å"Most rivers in southern Australia are suffering from decades of over-extraction for irrigation,† says Dr Linda Selvey, Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO. â€Å"This is being exacerbated by drought, and the pressure will continue as climate change takes hold.† Selvey and former Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery, are some of the many voices calling for urgent action in the Murray-Darling Basin, while the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) continues to remind the public of the far-reaching effects of unhealthy river systems in general. â€Å"Blue-green algal outbreaks kill fish and make water unsafe for drinking or swimming, while salty water isn’t useful for anything,† ACF spokesperson Josh Meadows said. 2. Climate change It may be a global issue, but when scientists across the world are asked what the effects of climate change will look like, they quickly point to Australia. â€Å"Of all the wealthy countries, we’re probably the most vulnerable,† says Professor Will Steffen, executive director of ANU’s Climate Change Institute. â€Å"We’re locked in to another 0.5 °C temperature rise due to past emissions, but what we do between now and 2050 is crucial for the magnitude and rate of climate change later this century and beyond,† he says. While government assessments predict over 250,000 Australian homes may be at risk from rising sea levels, Greenpeace’s Selvey notes climate change will affect us well beyond our front doors. â€Å"Climate change also concerns security, the economy and justice. As a doctor, I’ve also seen the way it affects people’s health,† she says. The response, urges Professor Kurt Lambeck, president of the Australian Academy of Science, must be urgent and adaptable: â€Å"Reducing greenhouse gas emissions must be high priority, even if the full consequences of this are not yet understood,† he says. 3. Energy â€Å"We should be replacing fossil fuels with renewable power,† says Selvey. â€Å"It’s critical that the Rudd government act to help us with the transition. It can be done; all that is required is political will,† she says. Fiona Wain, CEO of Environment Business Australia, sees an opportunity in the coming energy crisis. â€Å"We have capacity to be world leaders in solar, wind, marine and geothermal energies. We have these resources on tap, but we’ve become lazy thinkers. Why don’t we do minerals processing and manufacturing in Australia using these energy-efficient resources?† Like Flannery, who believes a lack of triple-bottom-line accounting in government and industry is costing the environment, Wain says those in manufacturing need to shift their thinking, and fast. â€Å"It’s time to be thinking very big picture, so we need boards of directors that can think further than their three-year term of office,† she says. 4. Coal Tim Flannery is not the only expert surveyed who expressed serious concern over Australia’s 20-odd conventional coal-fired power plants. â€Å"We’re the biggest coal exporter in the world,† says McKay. â€Å"We may think our global carbon contribution is small (almost two per cent of global emissions), but it’s much, much greater than that due to our bulk coal exports to countries like Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands and China.† â€Å"It’s unbelievable we haven’t developed alternative, renewable energy sources on a large scale. We’re dragging the chain presumably due to short-term, next election-cycle thinking,† she says. While brown coal is responsible for much of our carbon dioxide (CO2), Wain believes we should be further investigating sequestration of the climate-changing gas. â€Å"Regardless of what else we do we’re still going to need to draw down CO2 from the atmosphere to get it to 350 parts per million.† Wain points to a commercial trial aiming to turn CO2 captured from coal-fired plants into algal oil (to produce plastics or biodiesel); and another trialling brown coal deposits as the base for soil fertilisers as two potential solutions. â€Å"There are consortiums of developers just getting on with it,† she says. 5. Biodiversity With 1500 land-based species threatened, what Flannery terms â€Å"the extinction crisis† is agreed upon as a serious environmental challenge. â€Å"We have already seen a fairly disturbing loss of our biodiversity, but the problem tends to get overshadowed by climate change, land degradation and water issues,† says the ANU’s Will Steffen. â€Å"There’s a whole suite of services we enjoy thanks to a biodiverse-rich ecosystem, from provisioning services like food or water, through to nutrient flow and pollination,† reminds Steffan. He believes our highly urbanised society only compounds the problem. â€Å"We are quite disconnected from the services our ecosystem provides. Aside from products like food or timber, we don’t see a value or price for these services in an economically focussed system. But Australia has an extinction debt building up, and the trend is not improving,† he says. 6. Oceans Despite knowing the problems faced by one of our best-loved tourist attractions, we’re still not doing enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef. â€Å"Rising sea levels and the impact of fertiliser run-off are damaging the reef. It needs more attention, because once it’s gone, it’s gone for good,† reminds McKay. As the ACF calls for a national network of large marine sanctuaries, and an Australian Oceans Act to regulate sustainable harvesting and production of seafood, Greenpeace’s Selvey highlights the current situation. â€Å"Seventy-six per cent of the world’s fisheries are in dire straits, and overfishing by commercial and illegal fleets is threatening to fish some of our favourite seafoods to extinction. If we continue on this trajectory all fish stocks will collapse within 50 years. Scientists say eventually we will be left with only jellyfish and plankton,† she says. 7. Population With Australia’s population projected to reach 35 million by 2049, commentators continue to express concern about the pressure this growth will place on resources. â€Å"It means more consumption, and greater challenges for providing infrastructure to manage our country in a sustainable way,† says McKay. While the ACF is calling for long-term strategies to meet and increase humanitarian obligations while reducing overall migration to more sustainable levels, the debate over ideal population continues. Experts may not see eye to eye on a figure, but most agree decisions need to be made. â€Å"We need to determine what our carrying capacity is† says Lambeck, â€Å"and how can we achieve a sustainable population.† 8. Sustainable cities With Australians using more water and energy per person than almost any other country in the world, rethinking how we live in and develop our cities is vital, says the ACF’s Josh Meadows. â€Å"We should invest in energy-efficient houses and buildings, and then export our ideas and the smart technologies behind them.† Lambeck says smarter infrastructure would go along way to addressing the issue: â€Å"We need sustainable infrastructures for transport, power generation and distribution that minimise the impact on energy, water and biodiversity.† According to Wain, there is huge scope for greater efficiency in our built environment. â€Å"I’m an eternal optimist, but we need to think at scale — not house to house, but street to street and suburb to suburb. We need solutions that are scalable, so they become more investable and bankable.† 9. Transport The perennial debate about lack of investment in public transport continues to frustrate many experts. â€Å"People complain about the per capita cost of investment in public transport, but it’s far cheaper than the cost of putting cars on the road. We’re not very logical in the way we think about these things,† says Wain. While the ACF points out that removing the â€Å"nonsensical fringe benefit tax concession† for company car use would shift many away from relying on their cars, Wain is excited by the planned roll-out of a national electric car network, beginning in Canberra within the next two years. â€Å"Programs like this could conceivably take all tailpipes off the road in our cities,† she says. 10. Ourselves While the majority of surveyed experts highlighted the need for government action, and fast, it seems the buck doesn’t stop there. â€Å"We elect our leaders and we have the right to hold them to account,† reminds Selvey. â€Å"We can pick up the phone to call our MP, write a letter, or visit them in their constituency office. Companies are doing it to protect their interests, we need to do it to protect ours.† Lambeck says educating ourselves is key. â€Å"We need a population that understands the issues, and can make constructive contributions to the debate to force politicians to develop longer than three-year ‘solutions’,† he says. What stands in the way, McKay believes, is apathy. â€Å"It manifests in the politician who would prefer to do the minimum rather than risk not being re-elected; or in business leaders who adopt a ‘business as usual’ approach to ensure their annual bonus. â€Å"It’s also in you and I ignoring the issues and hoping they’ll go away. I’ve seen people come together and change things, and I really believe we can learn to live in a more harmonious and sustainable way.†

Impact of Unemployment in Economics Essay

There are many people who are looking for jobs but cannot find them mostly because of the slow economic growth rate in the country. South Africa faces structural unemployment where people loose their jobs due to introduction of new technology or relocation of the company, these economic disruptions have resulted in high crime rates, low production and income as well as lost human capital. The NDP has been put in place to solve the problem of unemployment, and if supported well there can be job creation because they promise on expanding work programme, reduce costs of doing business and support entrepreneurship. Body South Africa faces the greatest challenge of a very high unemployment rate, which is highly influenced by the slow growth of the country hence resulting in slow employment growth as well (Parkin et al, 2010:449). Unemployment has been defined in two forms: a narrow definition and a broad definition. The narrow definition of unemployment is the official definition of unemployment and it states that an unemployed person is a person who is willing to work and is making an effort to find a job, Parkin et al, states that â€Å"To be counted as unemployed, a person must be available to work†¦must want to work and have made specific efforts to find a job or taken steps to start a business† (Parkin et al, 2010:495), but the broad definition of unemployment also includes the discouraged workers because they are people who are willing to work but have not been making an effort to find a job in the previous month mostly because they cannot find the jobs (Parkin et al, 2010:495). The business cycle of a country also influences the employment and unemployment rates, for example during a recession period there are high unemployment rate and during expansion there are lower unemployment rates (Lipsey et al, 1999:726). Unemployment is classified into three types; i) Frictional, ii) Structural, iii) Cyclical. Frictional unemployment has been explained as â€Å"The unemployment that arises from normal labour turnover – from people entering and leaving the labour force and from the ongoing creation and destruction of jobs† (Parkin et al, 2010:501). The structural unemployment refers to the more crucial and enduring restrictions on worker mobility, Parkin et al, explains it as â€Å"The unemployment that arises when changes in the technology or international competition change the skills needed to perform jobs or change in locations of jobs† (Parkin et al, 2010:502). Cyclical unemployment is influenced by the business cycle where a recession will increase unemployment and an expansion will decrease unemployment (Lipsey et al, 1999:726). South Africa suffers from Structural unemployment to a greater extent because it affects the economic structure of the whole economy especially due to introduction of new technologies and skills needed to cope with competition from the other countries, South Africa has gone global in the business sector therefore it needs to be upgrading its technology and skills to match its competitors. Unemployment is calculated as the number of unemployed people expressed as a percentage of the labour force, where labour force is the number of unemployed people plus number of employed people (Parkin et al, 2010:502). Number of people unemployed Unemployment = X 100 Labour Force Statistics in South Africa show that â€Å"In Q4:2008, there were approximately 3. 9 million people unemployed in South Africa and during the financial and economic crisis, the level of unemployment climbed rapidly, reaching a peak of 4. million in Q1:2010† (Labour Force Survey 2012), this can be best explained as f luctuation of job creation because, during a recession when the country is facing economic hardships the number of jobs shrinks and this influences a spike in the unemployment rate (Parkin et al, 2010:449). The unemployment rate in South Africa will never drop to zero because it is a developing country and does not have a very high Gross Domestic Product which is â€Å"†¦the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given time period† (Parkin et al, 2010:468), when GDP is low, there is an increase in unemployment because there are few goods produced there for a limited labour force is needed to produce the few goods. The number of unemployed people rose to 4. 5 million in Q2:2011, but declined during the second half of 2011, In Q1:2012, the number of unemployed people rose by 282 000, reaching 4. 5 million, which is the same level observed in Q2:2011† (Labour Force Survey 2012). Unemployment is a major issue in South Africa and the only way to manage it is by increasing our entrepreneurial strategy, supporting Small and Medium Enterprises as well as being united as a nation (Ramaphosa 2012). Job creation is not just a strategy to deal with unemployment but it is also going to eradicate poverty and this will increase the living conditions of every South African citizen. Mr Ramaphosa notes that unemployment is hindering our endeavor to eradicate poverty and also reduce the inequality gap (Ramaphosa 2012). The National Development Plan (NDP) which was produced in 2011 by the National Planning Commission has been put in place as strategy to deal with unemployment and Mr Ramaphosa explains that â€Å"It envisages the creation of 11 million jobs by 2030, and a reduction in levels of unemployment from about 25% to 6%† (Ramaphosa 2012). The NDP plans on involving the government as well as the labour sector to play a role, an expansion of the public works programme is going to help reduce unemployment because it will be offering work experiences and skills to those people who are unemployed. Minimizing the cost of doing business helps small companies to get into business and also employ people to work; the NDP also states that tax subsidy will be granted to businesses to minimize the cost of recruiting young people (NDP Summary 2011), this will result in job creation and hence unemployment is reduced. Unemployment affects the whole country because due to unemployment there will be low standard of living Mr Ramaphosa explains that employment is the core of humanity (Ramaphosa 2012), when unemployment is high crime rates tend to increase as well because need to earn a living, so since they cannot find jobs they resort to robbery, drug trafficking and prostitution, this helps explain the high crime rates and HIV Aids rate in South Africa. Economically unemployment leads to loss of production therefore low GDP because there are no people who can work to help make more products; there is also lack and underutilization of human capital when there are high rates of unemployment (Parkin et al, 2010:468). Conclusion The NDP has been put in place to help manage unemployment in South Africa and if it gets support from everyone 11 million jobs will be created by 2030. Unemployment increases crime rates and hence need to be managed properly. The government plans on reducing the costs of doing business and that way there can be creation of employment, the works programme is also going to be sed to provide skills to people who do not have jobs, and above all education for all has to be achieved so as to eradicate unemployment and hence poverty.