Monday, September 30, 2019

Hari Raya Festival

Hari Raya Festival Hari Raya Puasa will be celebrated by the muslims after one month of fasting. Me and family as a muslims, Hari Raya Puasa is a special fasting on the month from foods and drinks from Subuh until Maghrib . This festival will be celebrate for month either. In Malaysia, we can see the muslims early prepared for the becoming special day. They decorate their house, buying new clothes and making many types of food and cookies for the special day.The night before the special day arrived, my family and I as usual    a lot of activities happen same as the other festival. I can see my parents and my grandmother will busy making delicious food, while my little brother were enjoying themselves playing fire-crackers with other family members. The house    which is located far from the town especially, will be decorated with ‘Pelita’ arrowed the house. ’Pelita’ is made up from bamboo stick actually, but now people had invented a new kind of ‘ Pelita’ which is made from plastic that is safe to used.The main menu for muslims on Hari Raya are ketupats,lemang ,rendang and many types of biscuit. These food can be seen other peoples and relatives houses. Usually, there must be held by the muslims. Different kind of races will be visiting their muslims neighbours house to celebrate together the special day. Lastly, I hope that Malaysian people can maintain that style. Every festival have their own specially. I also hope that from the coming years, Hari Raya Puasa will be celebrated more happening as I’ve done my job as a student. Amin.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Love is stronger than hate Essay

Nobody who has either heard or seen the tale of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† can deny that two of the strongest themes found within it are love and hate – in many different forms. Even in the beginning of the play, this is made known to the audience, primarily by the lines, â€Å"From forth the fated loins of these two foes, A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life† (Prologue). This clearly shows both the hatred and love which can be found, but is not the only example. â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† not only has the love between the two main characters, but the brotherly love and sinister hatred between many others. It is harder to say whether love or hate is more prominent in â€Å"Romeo and Juliet†, but love plays an extremely important role – especially when the two lovers meet for the first time. Right away, Romeo is awestruck at Juliet’s beauty, proclaiming, â€Å"Did my heart love til now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night!† (I.v). Although he claims to be ‘in love’ with Rosaline, he becomes a victim of falling ‘in love at first sight’. This love is certainly not unrequited love though – although Juliet did not even know his name, she still asks, â€Å"Go ask his name. If he be married, my grave is to be like my wedding bed† (I.v). Clearly, she is already so much in love that she shall ‘die from grief’ if she finds out Romeo is already married. Although Romeo is in love with Juliet so much that he refuses to fight his one-time enemy, the murder of a close friend (whether accidental or not) forces a violent reaction out of him. When originally ‘taunted’ by Tybalt, he refuses to fight, saying, â€Å"I do protest I have never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise†¦And so, good Capulet†¦be satisfied† (III.i). He further continues in this way, by saying, â€Å"Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up† (III.i). However, Tybalt does not listen to reason, as was proven earlier on by his stating, â€Å"Peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee† (I.i). Onlookers to the fight cannot deny, although Romeo starts off with no intention to fight, he turns violent at the slaying of Mercutio. Challenging Tybalt, he shouts, â€Å"Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him† (III.i). It is at this point that both the hatred for Tybalt, and his love for Mercutio, overpower him, resulting in the murder of Tybalt. The constant feuding the Montagues and the Capulets is well known to the citizens of Verona – it is a common practice. In street fights, even the heads of the houses cannot stay out of it, with Capulet demanding, â€Å"My sword, I say! Old Montague is come† (I.i). These fights force the Prince to step in, telling them it has to stop and stating, â€Å"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word by thee, Old Capulet and Montague† (I.i). Even the citizens of Verona are aware of the fact that the feuding is on-going. This is one of the major examples of the hatred that is present throughout the play. It is a wonder that Romeo and Juliet were able to overcome this hate, but both were able to accomplish it. Juliet, in one of the most famous scenes from the play, says, â€Å"Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet† (II.ii). She then goes on to say, â€Å"‘Tis but thy name which is my enemy†¦What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called† (II.ii). Juliet is asking herself about the differences between the Capulets and the Montagues, and saying that it does not matter about their backgrounds. All that matters is their love for each other. It is their love for each other, certainly, which makes the two lovers kill themselves. It is a much harder thing to kill yourself than to kill others – killing yourself make sit final, whereas killing others, while still hard, is slightly easier, as they have motivations, and sometimes also hatred for the person. The death of Mercutio, and in turn the death of Tybalt is an example of that, where Romeo states in anger, â€Å"Alive and triumph, and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now† (III.i). However, both Romeo and Juliet killed themselves due to the strong love they both felt for each other. Overall, it is hard to say which is the stronger emotion – love or hate. Personally, I believe that love is stronger than hate, but it is really a matter of opinion – there is evidence to support both sides all throughout the play. One of the main things supporting that love is stronger than hate  is Juliet’s reaction at finding out who Romeo is. She says to herself, â€Å"My only love, sprung from my only hate! To early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy† (I.v).

Saturday, September 28, 2019

No Child Left Behind Is it Working Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

No Child Left Behind Is it Working - Essay Example Many children in the United States experience reading failure. According to the National Assessment f Educational Progress (NAEP) on reading in 2003, thirty-seven percent f fourth graders are reading below the Basic Proficiency level. This is the same level f failure that was reported in 1992 (Making NCLB work) Under this plan, all public schools students must be proficient in reading and math by the year 2014. Only students in second grade and beyond are required to test. In grades three through eight and once during high school, reading and math development will be calculated yearly. Testing in science will also be conducted by the end f the 2007-2008 school year. By the end f the 2005-2006 school year, teachers will also be required to be "highly qualified" (Wikipedia) According to this program, a highly qualified teacher is defined as an individual who has fulfilled the states' qualifications and licensure requirements. New teachers entering this field are required to acquire at least a bachelor's degree. If they will be teaching at an elementary school, they must pass a test known as the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) and the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST). These tests replicate the subject matter understanding required to teach in California and demonstrates proficiency in basic reading and writing, mathematics and English. Teachers that are not new must pass a test in which state they teach in that demonstrates their subject understanding and teaching abilities. Each state has a curriculum structure. Each one summarizes the course f study by local school districts. This is how they develop programs directing state and local textbook adoption processes. Most states' average curriculum consists f English Language Arts, Mathematics, History/Social Science, and Science. Many states have no adopted standards in the remaining vicinities f curriculum such as foreign language, Physical Education and health. Each year schools, school districts, and the state must make adequate yearly progress (AYP). For Unified school districts K-12, 23.0% f their students must score proficient or above in ELA and 23.7% must do so in math. By the 2007-2008 school year, 34.0% must score proficient or above in ELA and 34.6% in math. Scores must improve annually with the same goal f 100% proficient or above by the 2013-2014 school year. States need to develop standards-based tests in science by the 2007-2008 school year (California School Accountability System under the Federal NCLB act). Under the accountability provisions, states must explain how they will close the achievement gap by making certain that all students reach academic proficiency. States must also generate annual state and school district report cards that notify parents and the surrounding communities regarding the state and school progress. Many states are requesting authorization to change the amount f students whose scores do not have to be calculated in required racial categories. Test scores are required to be reported by group such as race, disability, or economic circumstances. By law if one group f students fails to meet the standards, the whole school

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Claim for Negligence - Law Cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

The Claim for Negligence - Law Cases - Essay Example Sue is shown the report by her building society. On the basis of this favorable report, she buys the house. She later discovers the dry rot and has to spend a good deal of money to have it rectified. c) Marianne has bought from Ann the house which is ten years old. When the house was built by Brick Ltd., the plans were approved by Greatshire local authority on the basis of a report of independent consulting engineers. The consultants had failed to report on a problem with the foundations. Cracks have now appeared on the kitchen wall which collapses and falls on Tom’s car which is standing beside it. Marianne is so worried by the state of the house that she sells it at  £20,000 less than its market price. She wishes to sue Brick Ltd. I am British Law student so can you please use British English and British resources. That is a coursework in Tort law it is very, very important to use relevant cases and statues. At the moment we are using a book "Streets on Torts" 12th edition by John Murphy it is also important to use this book in the coursework. As a law student, we have to argue everything all the time from both sides, it is not enough just to describe sth, there have to be arguments. The starting point in a claim for negligence is to show that there has been a breach of a duty of care. In this particular situation, there are several issues to be discussed in respect of liability. It is important to note in all of the above claims that no one has been physically injured in any of the occurrences and therefore all claims will be for pure economic loss1. In establishing who can be claimed against it is necessary to discuss the principles of negligence. Firstly it has to be shown that a duty of care was owed, that the duty of care was breached and that as a direct result of that breach harm was caused to the complainant.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Individual Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Individual Research Paper - Essay Example orm and deliver on their different roles can be improved through the adoption of a number of approaches (Ubeda-Garcia, Marco-Lajara, Sabater-Sempere & Garcia-Lillo, 2013). In this paper, employee performance will be discussed in relation to factors such as job design, employee training and development. Organizations today are in high demand of an effective employee with a great combination of skills and professional qualification. Such an employee can work under the challenging environment of the business and help it achieve its goals and objectives. However, recruiting the best employees and retaining them is not an assurance for a performance as other intrinsic factors significantly influences the ability of employees to perform based on the organization’s objectives and goals. A number of business and management related factors thus influences the ability of the employees in an organization to perform and achieve their job descriptions (Pereira & Gomes, 2012). Managerial standards and practices have a significant role in the process of improving employee performance. The development of proper standards of managing the employees can motivate or demotivate them, and this affects their ability to work towards achieving the goals set for them. As a manager, the expectations placed on an employee must be a line with their job description and professional qualification. This will eliminate undue pressure on the employees that affects the determination and willingness to focus on their roles. High expectations from employees do not guarantee the performance especially if it leads to assigning roles that do not reflect their abilities or job descriptions (Ubeda-Garcia, Marco-Lajara, Sabater-Sempere & Garcia-Lillo, 2013). A motivated employee understands the expectations placed on him and works towards the realization of the dreams and goals of the business. The performance of an employee is highly influenced by their levels of motivation, making it essential for

Evaluation of the chairman report for AL MAZAYA HOLDING CO Essay

Evaluation of the chairman report for AL MAZAYA HOLDING CO - Essay Example It implies that gap between the auditor’s signature and that of the chairperson was one month. One month is a short time and it enhances the timeliness of the company’s chairperson report thus improving the relevance of such information to users such as investors. The precision of the chairperson’s report enables the users of such information to base their decisions on current information rather than outdated information. Thus, it is easy for users of financial information to assess how much the company’s financial situation has changed since the publication of the financial statements. In this case, the information presented in the chairperson’s report reflects the information contained in the financial statements because of its precision. The balance between past information and future information is 92.3 percent. The chairperson’s report focuses more on past information than future information. For instance, he reflects on the promise the company made at the beginning of 2013 and reminds the reader that the company has fulfilled its promise. Additionally, the report primarily focuses on the company’s achievement in the year 2013. Approximately twelve sentences talk about the past while on the contrary only two sentences discuss the future. The chairperson is obsessed with the past because the company recorded stellar performances in its operations. For example, the company achieved a 2000 percent increase in profits. It is amazing to see a company record such performances and investors must be glad that their investments yielded high returns. Past information is important for the company because it attracts new investors who will be willing to buy shares in the company because of its stellar record. Ho wever, there should be a balance between the past and the future so that investors can acquaint themselves with where the company is coming from and where it is heading. Thus, the chairperson fails to give a

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

What new problems arose for the Roman Empire during the first two Essay

What new problems arose for the Roman Empire during the first two centuries A.D - Essay Example lous reign of Augustus Caesar (63 B.C- 14 A.D), the empire underwent political and economic downturn under the Julio Claudio emperors; especially at the time of Nero (A.D 54-68). A major blaze devastated Rome in A.D 64 and subsequently Christians were brutally persecuted throughout the empire. It was followed by a number of rebellions until the emergence of Flavian dynasty. Although Vespasian (A.D 69-79) the first Flavian was a good ruler, Domitian (A.D 81-96) was brutal and notably inefficient. The period between A.D. 96 and A.D161 was comparatively peaceful under the emperors Nerva (A.D 96-98), Trajan (98-117), Hadrian (117-138), and Antonius Pius (138-161) respectively. Again the Empire fell in wars against Germanic tribes during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (A.D 161-180). His son and successor Commodus (180-192) being an unfaithful ruler left the great empire to terrible civil wars. The empire was literarily fragmented under various military groups and finally occupied by 7 different dynasties since 193 A.D. In short, during the first two centuries the Roman Empire experienced numerous

Monday, September 23, 2019

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies - Essay Example What is also important to understand that Porter also suggested three important strategies which can be used in order to successfully deal with five forces. Though Porter’s Generic strategies as well as the Five Forces model is considered effective however, there are also other alternative models outlining as to how a firm can successfully deal with the competition and make strategic decisions. One such model is the Ansoff’s Matrix which is also called the Product Market Expansion Grid. Developed in 1975, this matrix largely depends upon the product as well as the industry in which a firm operates and resultantly offers different choices to a firm in order to deal with different strategic challenges. Ansoff’s Matrix suggests four important strategic alternatives available to a firm to successfully operate under a given competitive scenario. These strategies include market penetration, product development, Market Development as well as diversification. This paper will attempt to first explain and explore Five Forces Model along with three generic strategies as suggested by Porter to successfully outperform other firms in the industry. Finally a comparison will be made between three strategies and the Ansoff’s Matrix to strategic development.... These are some of the key factors which need to be looked at in order to critically assess as to how the suppliers may have an impact on the firm. This is also critical owing to the fact that reliance on one supplier or few suppliers may geoperadize the overall position of a firm within an industry and therefore it is critical for a firm to assess this power in more critical manner. Buyers’ Power Buyers’ Power is also critical in the sense that it directly defines as to how the demand dynamics of the firm will behave if buyers have relatively superior bargaining power. This factor becomes more critical if the firm is involved in the B2B type of business with large buyers forming stronger clout. Factors such as brand identity, sensitivity towards price changes, threat of backward integration as well as the availability of substitutes can really define as to how buyers may have an impact on the firm. Threat of New Entrants When an industry is profitable and the prospects of earning profitability are sizeable, new firms tend to enter into the market in order to share the gains. Thus the overall threat of new entrants is considered as significant for any firm working in any industry. Factors such as barriers to entry, cost advantages as well as economies of scale and stronger brands are some of the factors which can allow a firm to successfully meet the threat of new entrants in the market. It is also important for a firm to critically assess this possibility and develop its competitive advantage and core competencies so that it can successfully withstand the challenges posed by the new firms. Threat of Substitutes Threat of substitutes can also be an important force which can result into significant strategic challenges for a firm. Threat of substitutes

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Human Resource Management - Essay Example City's stand on not bargaining for temporary employees is justified. This is so because the temporary employees are not full time employees and hence not unionized. Therefore the employer has full authority over them. However, this does not mean that they should be exploited. The temporary employees have their rights and the employer should strictly respect their rights. The union's refusal to bargain on the employee management committee is not in good spirit. The union should be involved in the bargain .The functions as of the committee as stated do not conflict with the functions of the union. The committee's duties are purely managerial. Owing to the set up of the committee it can be argued that the committee will not weaken the union in any way. In the actual sense the committee will only embark on issues pertaining to the efficiency of the company. It does not usurp any function or power of the union. However, if City implements the policies, the union is free to seek a court redress. Further the union can seek the assistance of the employees in stopping the implementation of the policies. The employees can be asked to go on strike. However, this should be according to the law which states that a notice of at least 21 days should be given before the strike. Secondly god turnover would also include invo... Q2 Good and bad turnover. Introduction From a performance standpoint, good turnover include people who have been fully trained but still do not meet expectations after a reasonable period of time. Secondly god turnover would also include involuntarily terms. This is based on the decision of an organization to terminate an individual. The individual might not be willing to leave but due to the decision of the organization he/she has to leave. On the other hand, bad turnover includes people who have been promoted but yet decide to leave the company. The company invests on an individual by training him/her and yet he/she leaves the company. This translates as a bad turnover on the side of the organization. Further bad turnover includes those leaving the company whether voluntarily or involuntarily. This can lead to organizations filling a Third Party Action (TPA) against an employee. For instance if an individual did not manage performance and provide feedback as was required of him/her and incur TPA as a result his/her cost of turnover goes up and that is not a good thing. Turnover is calculated as: Turnover = Number of employees leaving during the year. X 100.Average numbers employed during the year For example: If an organization has a total of 250 employed during the year and at the end of the year only 25 employees are leaving the turnover for the company is satisfactory as only 10 percent of the employees will leave. However, if 75 employees out of the total 250 employed during that year are leaving then the turnover is bad for the company as it amounts to 30 percent of employees leaving during the year. NOTE: The rate of 25% and less leaving the organization within one year is satisfactory (good

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Porter’s five forces Essay Example for Free

Porter’s five forces Essay Michael E Porter developed the Porter’s five forces analysis in 1979 which serves as a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development. Its five forces determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Attractiveness in this context refers to the overall industry profitability. Three of Porters five forces refer to competition from external sources. The remainder are internal threats. It is useful to use Porters five forces in conjunction with SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Porter referred to these forces as the micro environment. They consist of those forces close to a company that affect its ability to serve its customers and make a profit. The stronger the forces, the less profit they will make and vice-versa. A change in any of the forces normally, requires a business unit to re-assess the marketplace given the overall change in industry information. The overall industry attractiveness does not imply that every firm in the industry will return the same profitability. Porters five forces include three forces from horizontal competition: threat of substitute products, the threat of established rivals, and the threat of new entrants; and two forces from vertical competition: the bargaining power of suppliers and the bargaining power of customers. The threat of the entry of new competitors The treat of new entrants depend on the ease with which they can enter the market. Markets with high profits will attracts new firms. The major barriers are: * Need for economies of scale * High entry costs * Lack of distribution channels * Government policies such as selective subsidies * Cost advantages of existing firms such as access to raw materials, know how * Strong product- loyal customers The intensity of competitive rivalry Strong rivalry will reduce profits. This occurs when: * Many firms, none dominant * Slow market growth * Fixed costs are high * High exit costs * Similar products In high competitive markets, threat of new entrants is high.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Urban Walkability and Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Urban Walkability and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Introduction The transit oriented development approach is being adopted by many cities around the world, particularly those contested with transforming their car dependent neighbourhoods into more habitable and sustainable developments. The simplest way to describe the principles of TOD according to Calthorpe (1993) is â€Å"moderate and high density housing, along with complementary public uses, jobs, retail and services, concentrated in mixed – used development at strategic points along the regional transit system†. Yet, much as connectivity to regional significance through transit is important, it is the communities’ close interaction, supported by a walkable environment that Calthorpe claims is the â€Å"key aspect† of any flourishing TOD. Over the years, pedestrian friendly design thus generated considerable interests and a significant amount of literature and influential policy on urban walkability in TOD’s were developed in the Western world’s temperate urban zones. Presently, however, many of the world’s fastest developing urban areas are found in subtropical latitudes (O’Hare,2006). Western Australia, and particularly Perth, the urban centre of the region is one such case and serves as the focus of this research. The paper explores the key aspects and physical qualities of built environment related to urban walkability with an intent to encourage further discussion and studies on how subtropical TOD’s can be designed to enhance pedestrian movement as well as question whether the orthodoxy of existing urban design principles require some alterations to better adapt to subtropical regions. The paper establishes the accepted arguments and urban design principles essential to urban walkability and develops from a review of urban design sustainability, a framework that would encourage pedestrians’ movement and transport waiting in a subtropical TOD. A literature review is produced to confirm the growing importance of walkability and ultimately the paper explores, through field observations, how the established urban walkability principles apply in the subtropical regions. It concludes by giving some recommendations that could be applied to Claremont town Centre for an improved pedestrian friendly TOD. Accepted arguments for urban walkability + Literature review Recognised as the oldest form of urban transport, walking is a way of encountering and engaging with the local surroundings and wider society in a manner not quite possible when adopting other means of transport, especially motor transport. Gehl Gemzoe (2003), strongly highlight walking as a solution to bettering the public ground as part of the enhancement of the local neighbourhood and urban rejuvenation. With emerging concerns that car dependent cities will not be sustainable in the future, due to energy costs, fuel availability, congestion, pollution and other environmental impacts, much awareness is being raised about the importance of walking. According to US researches, studies show that there is a 30% more likelihood that compact-mixed use development residents would walk (to a restaurant/park) than those inhabiting vast motor-oriented environments (Cervero Radisch,1996). Hodgson, Page, Tight (2004) also conclude from their research that that TOD’s with appropriate design lead to more pedestrian and transit trips resulting in a decline in non-motorised transportation modes to reduce pollution emissions In conjunction to sustainability issues, the intra-generational equity theory and policy also acknowledge that a major part of the population constitutes of people who are extremely young, old, unhealthy, disabled or needy to have access or control over a private car (O’Hare,2006). Recently, considerable interest in improved walking environments has been generated as a result of the desire to encourage nonmotorized transportation modes to reduce pollution emissions and to improve public health by increased levels of walking (Evans-Cowley, 2006). A large body of research has confirmed that a favorable walking environment is a necessary condition for promoting walking and neighborhood interaction (Clifton, Smith, Rodriguez, 2007). Public health The World Health Organisation (WHO) Charter on Transport, Environment and Health as well as the WHO Healthy Cities Program have recognised the prominence of urban walkability long before the urban design and planning fields. The public health sector recognises that ‘active transport’ (such as walking, including walking to the bus or train) involves incidental physical activity. This incidental physical activity is an important component of active living (O’Hare 2000). Active living, together with a healthy diet, has the potential to reverse current international trends towards sedentary lifestyles and the accompanying health risks associated with obesity. Australia has been rated by different agencies as one of the world’s top four countries for obesity. Given that much of the world’s urban population growth is occurring in the tropical and subtropical zones, it is important to examine urban walkability principles with particular attention to conditions in those non-temperate climatic zones. A Perth study found commuters using public transport accumulated seven times more exercise than private motorists The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the last 20 years: 52% of women, 67% of men, and 25% of children are overweight or obese. Urban walkability principles in TODs: Jacobs (1960) spelled out almost half a century ago that urban design qualities relating to the quality of pedestrian experience are essential to support walkability. â€Å"Active frontages† and â€Å"eyes on the street† were recognised as few of the many crucial aspects. Based on the best practices from around the world, 8 principles vital to creating walkable TOD’s are identified in this paper. WALK Developing attractive pedestrian environment ensures accessibility and mobility for all. PLACE-MAKING Creating a sense of place makes encourages pedestrian activity and liveability. CONNECT Creating dense networks of transit routes results in a high degree of connectivity. TRANSIT Locate land uses so that they are transit supportive and close to high quality transport. MIX Planning for mixed use will promote pedestrian interest, safety, 24 hour activity. DENSIFY Sufficient density and compact form make transit viable and improve walkability. COMPACT Planning for compact areas with short commutes improves efficiency. SHIFT Controlling the amount/location of parking increases mobility. It is however important to understand that although listed individually, for a development to become truly transit oriented, we must be able to blur the boundary between these principles so that they are all interrelated Urban design theory and practice guidelines for walkable places were mostly developed in cities located in the temperate climatic zone. In the subtropics, summer is the season of discomfort for walkers, whereas in temperate cities it is the winter that brings discomfort to urban pedestrians. The coastal subtropical city lacks the icy winds, snow, sleet, frost, and other winter discomforts of the temperate city. The pleasant winter pedestrian conditions of the subtropical city are offset, however, by the summer challenges of heat, humidity and glare. The next section of this paper explores the need for an ‘intemperate’ approach to achieving urban walkability in the subtropical city Urban walkability in subtropical TODs Framework It is important to understand that in the fast growing subtropical urban regions of the world, climate and local topography are influential elements associated with walkability. Moving at a slower pace, pedestrians are prone to observe many more perceptible details and are exposed to the surrounding elements and climatic factors. Protection from sun, rain, humidity or heat must therefore be taken into account when planning a pedestrian environment. Drawing on research and keeping in mind the factors associated with subtropical urban regions, a framework of urban design principles is developed as strategies that would best enhance pedestrian movement or waiting in subtropical TOD’s. The key factors to making walking appealing are grouped in three major categories: SAFETY, ACTVITY AND COMFORT. Figure 1 – Framework Venn diagram, 2014. Figure 2 – A balanced street has ample sidewalks, comfortable bike facilities that connect to a network, and safe ways to cross streets, making active transportation possible even on larger roads. Image by EMBARQ. Stimulating walking necessitates that these travellers can move around efficiency, comfortably, and most importantly, safely. Physical design strategies that could be implemented in the ‘Safety, Activity, Comfort’ framework are discussed below : Safety: Ensuring wider sidewalk can provide for easy pedestrian movement and at the same time promote commercial activity/interaction Removing physical or perceived barriers to ensure that the pedestrian has flat and obstruction free band of sidewalk – â€Å"pedestrian zone† Providing pedestrian oriented quality lighting that illuminated their paths will add to the walker’s sense of safety Responsive walk signs at crossing lights designed with better timing and automatic changing to prioritise the needs of pedestrians, raised intersections, mini roundabouts or speed humps will encourage safe movement. Activity: Well-connected streets ensure that residents can conveniently access all parts of the TOD, thus activating the street use. Developing mixed-use street active frontages promote safety, security and foster vibrant social life in the streets. Attractive spaces with building orientation to the public street, visual interests, building articulation and landscaping encourage pedestrians to gather and linger Way finding aids/proper signage must be implemented to help people orient themselves and encourage movement through open public areas. Transit stations should be activated by cafà ©/newspapers stands or other facilities to make transport waiting wothwhile Comfort: The use of shelters in pedestrian and transit areas/stops allows for discomfort reduction and provides rest for pedestrians. Provision of footpath awnings, arcades, and other weather protection at least at certain intervals will serve as shelter from sun or showers. Providing a high degree of street amenities (benches, garbage cans, drinking fountains) and resting places will heighten the image of the street and attract all demographics to comfortably linger. As well as providing a solution to the heat humidity, street trees shade and protect pedestrians from the rain. Walkers can also be protected from cars when greenery is carefully designed along curbs. Sidewalk with a width proportional to the scale of the TOD area and planned walkability level ensures comfortable walking experiences for everyone. Case studies Subiaco City and Claremont Town centre, selected as case studies for this paper are recent both transit oriented areas developed in Perth region with a railway line passing through. The study area boundaries for each include the area within an 800-metre radius surrounding the train station. Subiaco city -Subiaco, known as Subi is a historic inner western suburb located around 3kms from Perth CBD and is focussed around a lively retail strip of Rockeby road. The Subi Centro project encompassing the North and West of the Subiaco railway station began in 1994 and incorporated many new dwellings, business centres and commercial space. An important aspect was the undergrounding of the railway line which in the past divided Subiaco. As an exemplar of urban regeneration supporting its heritage context, the project achieves a high quality public realm. Claremont Town Claremont Town centre, another western suburb finds itself midway of Perth CBD and Fremantle port on the north bank of Swan River. Claremont Town centre is a significant shopping area concentrated around St Quentin’s Avenue/Bay View Terrace and located south of the Claremont train station. The Claremont North East Precinct project is an on-going project started in 2005 as an initiative to revitalise the Northern part of the town which is currently disconnected from the southern part. It aspires a vibrant mixed used development around the Claremont football oval as a step towards social, economic and environmental sustainability. The purpose of this report, being to assess and enhance the quality of pedestrian environment, 3 methods is used to gather information: Ped-shed analysis is conducted at a 400m radius (5 min walk) and an 800m radius (10 min- walk) SAFETY-ACTIVITY- COMFORT assessment sheet is used to rate physical micro – attributes of the built environment on the streets. Observational analysis of the site – pictures/personal experience DATA ANALYSIS The information collected from these were used to assess to what degree the factors discussed in the framework and considered influential to walkability are either present or lacking in these two study areas. Pedshed ratio Analysis of the connectivity of both TODs was assessed through the ped-shed ratios calculated. A comparison of the two diagrams that Subiaco’s street grid network provides many paths and connected streets, encouraging them to walk and be within short walking distance of the train station. Claremont on the other hand, lacks this degree of pedestrian connectivity and offers limited route choice to the person walking. After analysing the connectivity of each site, visuals were gathered from field observations to compare one to another. The Safety-Activity-Comfort assessment sheet was then used to examine and rate each category. Key findings As seen from the rating, Subiaco city stands out terms of providing certain positive physical street elements that affect walkability. Observation from field analysis showed that street frontages on streets adjacent to the train station were quite lively and highly articulated. Seating areas, lighting, greeneries and shaded spots contributed to attracting pedestrian activity in the area. It was gathered from observations and research that Subiaco’s success as a pedestrian friendly locality was also due to the fact that the City of Subiaco Councillors had established a vision statement of â€Å"The Best Main Street Village in Australia† for the area. Rockeby street, in this regard, was developed as a place to come back to instead of just being a transit street and development trends, opportunities and changes were carefully thought of so as the area’s unique ‘sense of place’ was preserved. Famously advocated by Toderian(2014) as â€Å"streets that are for people to enjoy and linger, not just move through..places that are both initially attractive and ‘sticky’, inviting people to love it and not want to leave it†, positive ideas of sticky street concept seems to have been successfully adopted in designing Subiaco’s main street. With the objective of planning not just for the infrastructure and public transpor t, but also the shops, cafes and the people, Rockeby Street has flourished as iconic community hub of social, civic and commercial activity with public spaces as focal points. On the downside however, field observations also indicated a number of vacant shops or those in the process of closing down in Rockeby road retail strip. High rental rates, competition from nearby precinct and over restrictive licensing policies has caused a decline in cafà ©/retail strips and a 5% retail vacancy rate in the area (Tsagalis2012). It was also found that an alfresco dining licence in Subiaco was more expensive than Western Australia’s average and compared to a survey of local governments in Perth and the eastern states (Law, 2014).Mayor Henderson (2014) has approached this issue stating that â€Å"We are aware that council needs to step up to the plate and make some changes in order to create the vibrancy in the main street in Subiaco†. In an effort to encourage more local businesses to operate street trading/ alfresco dining areas to revitalise a spirited street and safe environment for the community, the council of the City of Subiaco has recently resol ved to amend existing associated fees. As of 31st October 2014, a notable reduction in application/licensing fees, a m2 basis fee and the initiation of low-cost short term options will be available for Subiaco retailers and it an increase in street activity is expected. While Claremont Town centre forms part of a prominent retail area, it comes primarily in the form of indoor malls which attract the pedestrians inside rather than being on the road. The main transit adjacent road, Grugeri Street, has a blank wall faà §ade with limited or no pedestrian activity. The street is also very limited in term of comfort since the awnings size is too small to provide shade or shelter. Bus tops and street amenities also lack variety and enhancement to attract people to linger. Recommendations Apparent from the observational audit and findings is that Claremont Town centre has many physical weaknesses in terms of walkability in a subtropical TOD. Because similar weaknesses may exist other western Australian TOD’s, some recommendations may apply for multiple sites and can be used as a guide for enhanced walking experiences. It was revealed from the site observations and findings of these 2 TOD’s in Perth that there is some way to go before Western Australia can claim to have a truly sustainable approach. Having established that urban walkability is vital to achieve a sustainable subtropical TOD, it is important for TOD planners to be able to adopt a revised framework of principles regarding the physical environment attributes that would work best for subtropical Perth regions and merge them with new innovative design strategies which would further enhance walking in Perth. It is also important for town/city planners to review rules and regulations in order to increase vibrancy in TOD’s rather than being over restrictive. Conclusion Having established that a successful TOD walkability is directly associated with a safe, comfortable and attractive pedestrian environment, this paper demonstrates that careful physical planning and good urban design solutions can very much enhance the pedestrian’s experience. It questions the needs of a subtropical city in term of its climate, topography and identity and then explores a framework of revised walkability principles that can be applied to the subtropical city. The case studies reveal responses and challenges to urban design for walkability in Perth and certain successful elements are recommended as strategies to improve Claremont’s TOD in terms of walking experience. It also questions whether over restrictive planning policies may need to be reconsidered to keep a TOD street alive and vibrant. It also recommends innovative strategies of urban design that other projects may copy or adapt in part for design and place-making approaches to give a unique sense of place to the subtropical TOD. Although each future TOD will deal with the numerous complex design challenges depending on particular circumstances around each project, it is the intention of this paper to stimulate discussion and hopefully more substantial research into the planning of walkable subtropical cities since so many of the world’s most rapidly growing urban areas are now situated in the tropical and subtropical zones.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Media Equation Essay -- essays research papers fc

The media equation is a theory developed by two professors of communication, Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass, at Stanford University. The theory is simple. They state that people treat the media as if they were real, hence the equation: media = real life. Basically Reeves and Nass are saying that people on an unconscious level perceive the media as real. People view objects of the media are talking to them personally. Reeves and Nass view things such as computers, televisions, radios, and other media’s as inanimate objects. They don’t believe that these objects are about to get up and move as if they were alive, but that the objects that relay the media are reacted to as though they were alive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Reeves and Nass credit the slow pace of evolution as the reason that the human race responds socially and naturally to the media: â€Å"The Human brain evolved in a world in which only humans exhibited rich social behaviors, and a world in which all perceived objects were real physical objects. Anything that seemed to be a real person or place was real.† So we haven’t yet adapted to the twentieth century media that only depict images, but which themselves personify the characteristics of human actors.† (Griffin, pages 375-376)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To prove their theory Reeves and Nass held experiments. One is an experiment that they did with television. They gathered a group of students to participate. â€Å"The goal of the study was to show that responses to television content could be changed when the television sets were assigned particular roles.† (Reeves and Nass, page 122). They took two groups of students and gave them specific tasks. The first group was to watch two separate televisions, called specialist TVs. One TV was identified as â€Å"News† and the other one was identified as â€Å"Entertainment†. For each TV the participants wee in different chairs. The other group was to watch one TV with both news and entertainment, called generalist TVs. The TV was labeled â€Å"News and Entertainment†. The students who watched the specialist TV said the news was more important and the entertainment was more interesting than the ones who watched the generalists TVs. â€Å"Consistent with the hypothesis that specialist TVs provide more representative content than do generalist TVs.† (Reeves and Nass, page 135)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other exper... ...fore, with all the qualifications met for a good theory I would say it is safe to say that this is a very good theory. Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Geiger, Seth; Reeves, Byron. â€Å"The Effects of Scene Changes and Semantic Relatedness.† Communication Research Vol. 20 April 1993: pages 155-171. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Griffin, Em. Communication, A First Look At Communication Theory. San Diego: McGraw-Hill, 2000. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leshner, Glenn; Reeves, Byron; et al. â€Å"Switching Channels: The Effects of Television Channels on the Mental Representation of Television.† Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media Vol. 42 Winter 1998: pages 21-33. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moon, Youngme; Nass, Clifford. â€Å"How ‘Real† Are Computer Personalities?† Communication Research Vol. 23 December 1996: pages 651-670. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nass, Clifford; Reeves, Byron; Leshner, Glen. â€Å"Technology and Roles: A Tale of Two TVs.† Journal of Communication Vol. 24: pages 122-136. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nass, Clifford; Sundar, Shyam S. â€Å"Is Human-Computer Interaction Social or Parasocial?† Human Communication Research August 17, 1994: 114-126.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Growing Your Business Joseph Leoni Bus. Communication Research Paper For a company to reach international status the firm’s foundation must be rock solid. Once you have successfully started your business and continue to maintain the business the next step is to grow the business. Growing the business is essential to going global with the business for a couple reasons. One reason is that the costs alone for going international are substantial. Your business needs to go from being profitable to very lucrative in order to fit the bill for overseas costs. The second reason growing your business is important before going global has to do with the companies success formula. What happens if your business starts booming overseas at an unexpected? With an understanding of how to grow your business here in the U.S. you will be able to reproduce the successful formula overseas as well. Before steps are taken to start growing the company it’s important that the company be as efficient as possible. This means that a very analytical view of the companies operations need to be addressed. Where can the company cut back on costs without hurting the company? Are there any redundancies? Cut back any unnecessary costs that seem fit, but keep in mind your employees morale can be affected by these changes which will in effect hurt the company. Also ask what, if any, technologies you can implement to improve your profit margin. New technology is constantly coming out and it’s usually the companies that best implement it that get ahead and maintain efficiency. Once all the excess spending and redundancies are fixed it’s time to look at the different possibilities as there is always more than one way of doing something. With a successfully maintaine... ... rising another assessment similar to the first one is suggested. With growth of the business comes new variables and changes to the company thus effectively changing the company. Go back again to cut unnecessary spending, keeping in mind employee morale. Franchising your business can be a very rewarding venture especially if your business success formula has been tried and tried again. Franchising can also be your way into the international market although it depends on each businesses needs. Food and consumer businesses usually do very well as the formula can be duplicated easily. Service companies are still possible to franchise but more difficult as they usually require people with special skills or training to get the job done. In general, franchising your business will lead to increased revenues because the customers for the product or service already exist.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Shakespeares Tempest Essay -- Drama Analysis

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the most influential writer's of the 16th century. His command on modern English is uncanny and texts that he authored are considered some of the most exceptional pieces of literature. Throughout all of his plays are intricate plot and character development that end with philosophical life lessons that can apply to anyone. In William Shakespeare's the Tempest, Prospero projects the oppressive demeanour that initially made him a prisoner onto Caliban and Ariel which ultimately leads to his shift from ignorance to knowledge. Initially Prospero was duped, betrayed and inevitably usurped by his brother Antonio. It is in this pivotal section of the plot that provides an explanation as to why and how Prospero displays such acrimonious behaviour. As Prospero relays the story of how they arrived on the island he explains that he trusted his brother to run his kingdom while he was â€Å"...all dedicated/To Closeness and the bettering of my mind (1.2.89-90). He became so wrapped up in his studies of the liberal arts that eventually Antonio won over his people and â€Å"...he needs will be/Absolute Milan (1.2.108-109). Prospero was ultimately usurped and â€Å"...one midnight/Fated to th' purpose did Antonio open/The gates of Milan, and i' th' dead of darkness/The ministers for th' purpose hurried thence/Me and thy crying self (1.2.128-132). They disposed of Prospero and his daughter, â€Å"...There they hoist us/To cry to th' sea that roared to us...(1.2.148-149). Eventually â€Å"By providence divine. (1. 2.159)† they made it to the island that Prospero would inevitably establish his vicious sovereignty over. He lost his Dukedom due his perfidious brother. However it is evident that Prospero grew ignorant to the ne... ... art to enchant;/And my ending is despair...†(5.2.1-14). This is a decisive end to Prospero's controlling demeanour and a very clear shift from ignorance to knowledge is distinguishable. There is a unimpeded progression of maturity that Prospero is subjected to. Instead of taking vengeance on those who wronged him he ultimately decides to function with his â€Å"...nobler reason...† (5.1.26). He understands that the way he has composed himself and treated others is no better than the lack of benevolence he has been subjected to. In William Shakespeare's the Tempest, Prospero projects the oppressive demeanour that initially made him a prisoner onto Caliban and Ariel which ultimately leads to his shift from ignorance to knowledge. The relationship between servant and master is beautifully articulated and exemplifies enticing altruistic values that one should strive for.

Puppy vs Older Dog

So you are in the market for a family dog, adopting a puppy can get very frustrating and over-whelming. There are many things to consider when looking for a dog. One choice to start with would be adopting a puppy or adopting an older dog, which would best suite your families lifestyle. Many people with careers, families, and hobbies do not have time to train a puppy and they forget to take that into consideration upon purchasing. I suggest adopting an older dog is the wisest choice considering they are more predictable, require a lesser amount of attention, and tend to be less costly.There are many differences between the behavior and predictability of an older dog and a puppy. How can you resist a cuddly, cute, and pudgy, little puppy. By adopting a puppy you are never too certain on what you are getting yourself into. A puppy is an adorable pet, but that stage will only last for the first year or so. They will soon grow out of that adorable little animal and turn into a dog. Adopti ng an older dog is pretty much predictable, what you see is what you get.Although, you will not be able to enjoy that cute ball of energy, you will have a better idea of the over all personality of your dog and how it will act more on a day to day basis. The dog will be at its full size from the earliest of a year old to three years old, and the crazy chewing and nipping stage is most likely out of the way because they will have all their teeth in. When teaching older dogs a new habit, they are more mind-set and alert on what is going on, making them easier and faster to train. With this being mentioned, you can teach a dog new tricks!Older dogs are less time consuming is another measure when taking into account on adopting a new family dog. They can be left alone for a longer period of time, anywhere between 8-12 hours, which a puppy would not be able to do. As read in the Housetraining article, â€Å"Generally speaking, a puppy can control his bladder one hour for every month of age. So if you're puppy is two months old, he can hold it for about two hours. Don't go any longer than this between bathroom breaks or he's guaranteed to have an accident. † (â€Å"Housetraining†, 2012, Para. ). There are other factors to take into consideration when speaking about time consuming. No matter what kind of dog you choose you will still need to have daily routine care, exercise, and affection available. This being said, all dogs will need to be picked up after, feed 1-3 times a day, taken for walks, brushed, petted and even just cuddled with. A dog is basically a member of your family, they are very comparable to having your own child. Treat them with love and affection. Even the matter of discipline takes time and effort.Many people get sick and tired of yelling at there dog and showing it the right thing to do. Dogs are very intelligent canines and will eventually catch on to what you are showing them, it is just a matter of time and patients that you ac company yourself with. Finally, how much is that doggie in the window? Dr. Williams proclaims, â€Å"The expense of owning a pet is probably the most overlooked consequence of any pet-owner relationship. Advances in pet care, especially in the development of pet foods and medical research, have caused ownership costs to increase over the last 10 years.Since it's not likely that this trend will reverse itself any time soon, potential â€Å"pet parents† should consider their finances before taking home a new pet. † (Williams, 2013, para. 4). Aside from adoption costs, there are other expenses such as, dog bowls, dog toys, dog food, first visit vet costs, leash, collar, tags, and dog license. Adopting an older dog will mean the dog will tend to be bigger than that of a puppy, therefore it will eat more inquiring more money monthly being spent on food.Although if you are adopting a puppy there are more factors that influence the cost a long with the ones listed above you w ill also need to get the dog spayed/neutered, cage, crate, carrying bag, and possibly training classes. Factoring in all these necessities, a puppy’s first year may cost up to $1500. 00 and an older dog can be nearly $800. 00, having pets are not as cheap as they once were, when people just kept them outside in doghouses all day long. Nowadays we treat them like family and loyal companions.Between the time availability, money factors, and predictability of what you are getting yourself into I would consider adopting an older dog is a clear and satisfying choice. Not only will you be happy with the dog you choose but you are also adopting your new best friend. References Housetraining Puppies. (2012). The humane society of the United States. Retrieved from http://www. humanesociety. org/animals/dogs/tips/housetraining_puppies. html Williams, J. (2013). What is costs to own a dog. Pet place. Retrieved from http://www. petplace. com/dogs/what-it-costs-to-own-a-dog/page1. aspx

Monday, September 16, 2019

Academic and employability skills report Essay

1. 0Abstract Academic skills are important to acquire in- order to obtain relevant skills required in a working environment. The purpose of this report is to detect and distinguish the relevance and importance of academic standards and skills that are mandatory to succeed within a University and how this links with employment skills. 2. 0Introduction This report will be based on academic skills and how this is associated to employability skills and reflect upon my own skills. The report will be sectioned by numbers and a sub heading these titles will consist of; effective literature research, academic sources, reflect upon personal academic research skills, effective presentation skills, reflect upon personal presentation skills, identification of core academic skills, critique of personal skills audit, academic skills associated to employability skills, association to a specific career path and an conclusion. 3. 0Effective literature research. There are many vast ways of finding relevant literature; however, it is important when collecting information that you understand the physiognomies of the content and how this can be implemented (Walliman, p. 63, 2011). Blaxter, L. , Hughes, C and Tight, M (2001, cited in Bell, 2005), states that the internet and the library are effective ways of literature researching, for instance; the internet has many PDF and E-journals as-well as relevant web sites however, facts that need to be considered are how reliable your source is and weather the authors are credited. The library has many books that can be effective when researching literature. 3. 1Academic sources Academic sources vary for instance; there are many different types of academic sources such as journals, books, PDF and the scholarly website online. To distinguish if a source is academic can be done by ensuring that the source is reliable and the author is creditable and the information implemented is accurate, likewise the date must be considered the more up to date a sources is the more reliable this is likely to be for instance if an another publish a book in 2005 there might be another book or edition published with more up to date information on a later date. On the other hand, journals are more collective and modern with a creditable author however; their work has not been endorsed or reviewed by other authors. Books are a good academic source as the have been reviewed and credited nevertheless, it is important to check year of publication as there may be more up to date information. The internet is not usually advisable nevertheless this can be used if the source is creditable such as government sites (direct.gov). 3. 2Reflect on personal academic research skills To begin with I found finding academic sources hard as I want not familiar with journals and the Solent Library website on the portal. However, I have now gained the sills of using the library the portal and have found that keywords are important in finding more relevant information and how to employ my time more effectively. I have also established what is reliable and what is not and I am only to use books and journals however, if I do need to use the internet I will only use a government website as I know it is creditable, I also understand that on the portal there are other ways to find academic information such as succeed at Solent that can help me get academic information that I require. 4. 0Effective presentation skills. To have an effective presentation it is important to know your observers, for instance if you are presenting for a particular organisation is it important to know the companies background and what the hope to aim to achieve this will enable the presenter to understand what the organisation is looking for which will help deliver an effective presentation, (Hatcher, McCarthy, 2002). Correspondingly the structure is important for a successful presentation for instance; most structures contain a clear introduction, main body and conclusion. A clear introduction should signpost the contents of their presentation on the first slide stating the topic on which the presentation is based on and highlighting the main arguments. The main body consists of the main arguments or key point of the topic; this should be clear and easy to understand. The conclusion is a clear evaluation of the contents of the presentation, (Reimold, 2003). Similarly the delivery is the main key for success if the delivery is precise for instance; when presenting it is important to use visual aid or hand-outs and have practised their speech beforehand so that the presenter feels confident and the presentation timing can be accurate, it is not advised to have your full speech on the day but have reminders of key points, also speech needs to be considered for an effective delivery for example, it is important to speak loud and clear so that the listeners are not confused on what is being said. Body language is another thing that should be considered effective body language sets off a good atmosphere, which can be done a simple smile and regular eye contact with the audience (Mandel, 1999). 4. 1Reflect on personal presentation skills When I am presenting I feel nervous and need to work on my confidence as this affects my delivery, however, I feel if I practise more I would feel more confident as I would know my speech as well as my topic that I am presenting. I do feel that I’m good at my introductory slides and that i use relevant information from academic sources to argue my points in the main body, nevertheless, I could also improve my skill by getting to know my audience better as this could help me when presenting as this could also improve my contents of my presentation and my delivery. Likewise I feel more practise is needed especially if I am working with a group as it helps with confidence, delivery, organisation and timings. 5. 0Identification of core academic skills. Core academic skills are important for students to understand dissimilar methods in producing academic work to enable an individual to become an independent learner to succeed at university for instance; researching is an important core academic skill as this finds relevant academic sources that contain important information (Shapiro, 2010). Academic writing which is writing in the third person with the usage of academic sources and Harvard references is important for students to improve their writing abilities. Presentations which aid oral communications this supports many students to develop and improve their communication skills. Problem solving is another core academic skill for instance; students deliver oral presentations, essays, and reports all of the elements of work require evaluation and analysis which suggests that students have problem solved, core academic skills also teach organisation and time management skills, (Baldwin Wallace University, 2012). 5. 1Critique of personal skills audit I have acquired a vast amount of skills during my education for example; I have learned organisational skills and have realised how important organisation is for my assignments and in a profession. I also have developed crucial analytical and evaluation skills I feel I need to improve my skills on oral communication and academic writing however; I do feel I have gained good time management and efficient researching and reflection skills that will hopefully enable to succeed on my university course and future employment. The are many diverse ways that I could improve and develop my skills such as action planning, essay plans and starting assignments early with a clear plan of action. 6. 0Academic skills associated to employability skills Most academic skills such as academic writing, organisation, time management, meeting deadlines, researching, oral communication, critical analysis/ evaluation and problem solving skills are all relevant to employability skills. Depending on the job title many of the above skills will be required for instance; academic writing is used in most jobs such as writing references or reports, most jobs also require people to attend work on time be organised and able to meet specific deadlines. Oral communication is important for staff to be able to communicate effectively and problem solving is important to being successful in an organisation (Thomas, C, J, 2003). 6. 1Association to a specific career path Academic skills are implemented in the events industry for example; Meeting deadlines is essential for an event companies success this takes a lot of time management and the usage of load in and load out plans, organisation, effective oral communication, writing reports and schedules. It is also important to problem solve in the events industry so implementing contingency plans are an effective way of problem solving. 7. 0Conclusions In conclusion effective literature research is important to be able to find relevant information that is reliable for instance; using the library and the internet is an effective way of finding the relevant sources required however, it is important to consider dates and authors that are credited, this skill is important for higher education. Similarly there are many different types of academic sources such as; books, PDF and journals conversely, how creditable a source is depends on the date of publication because different arguments and findings could have been released on a later date. Journals are more frequently published however, they have not be credited if a person implements a journal in their work they should check that the information is correct and reliable. On the other hand website are not valued as a reliable source nevertheless, using the right website can be used as an academic source such as government websites. I personally found it hard to find academic sources, however, being able to use technology and the internet I have found it easier to access academic sources to find the relevant information I require, I also understand the importance of using sources with recent dates as this makes my sources more creditable, furthermore I have also learned that the only time I must use a website is if it was a government website. Presentation skills are important for higher education however, they can also be important in particular jobs, for an effective presentation it is important to consider the listeners background; the structure needs a clear introduction main body and conclusion, the use of visual aid help with an effective delivery. However, it is also is important to practise the presentation previously as this helps strengthen the confidence and the delivery, this also helps with the timings when speaking this should be down calm slow, loud and clear and always with a smile it is also equally important to have regular eye contact. However, I feel I have acquired some of these skills such as a clear structure including a clear introduction, main body and conclusion and that my information is relevant and comes from academic sources, my delivery I feel that I do have a smile and I do look at my audience nevertheless, I do need to improve my skills on confidence I think this can be done by more practise beforehand. I think presentation skills are important if I want to succeed at university and be successful in the events industry. Similarly Core academic skills helps students gain a knowledge of different skills to succeed in university and employment for instance; important skills such as organisation, communication, time management, academic writing, references and problem solving are key skills for university but also to be successful in a particular career. I feel I have developed and improved certain aspects of my skills that I have acquired for instance I feel I have good time management researching and organisation skills. However, I need to improve certain areas such as; confidence when presenting which can be done by practising my delivery, I also need to improve my oral communication this can also be done through the usage of presentations, my academic writing could also be improved this can be done by action planning and writing reports and essays. Academic skills relate to employability skills for instance many skills that are developed in higher education are implanted at work such as; organisation, researching, oral communication, problem solving and time management skills. These skills are important to develop in-order for a person to become successful at work these skills help people to work at a higher standard. Academic skills are also used in the events industry certain skills acquired form higher education will be used when at work such as organisation, meeting deadlines, time management, oral communication, problem solving and writing skills. These skills are important to develop and improve as this will help people succeed in the future. References Baldwin Wallace University,. 2012. Core Academic Skills Definitions. [online]. Available: < http://www. bw. edu/resources/registration/info/core-day/skills/> [Access date 19/01/13]. Bell, J. , 2005. Doing your Research Project. 4th ed. Berkshire: Open University Press. Hatcher, C. , McCarthy, P. 2002. Presentation Skills: The Essential Guide For Students. Australia :Allen & Unwin. Mandel, S,. 1999. Effective presentation skills: A practical guide for better speaking. Los Altos, CA : Crisp Publications. Reimold,C,Reimold, P. 2003. The short road to great presentations. Wiley: New York. Shapiro, S, E. 2010. Academic skills problems. 4th ed. Gilford press: New York. Thomas, C, J,. 2003. Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment. 4th ed. New Jersey :John wiley and sons inc. Walliman, N. , 201. Effective literature searching for research. 2nd ed. New York: Taylor & Francis e-library. Appendix It is also important to remember that gaining experience in presentations helps develop powerful communication skills that can be used throughout a persons life. Reimold,C,Reimold, P. 2003. The short road to great presentations. Wiley: New York.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Influential Leaders: Julius Caesar Vs. Mahatma Gandhi Essay

Influential Leaders: Julius Caesar vs. Mahatma Gandhi Julius Caesar and Mahatma Gandhi were both leaders from different countries and time periods. Based on the play, â€Å"Julius Caesar† by William Shakespeare, and the movie, â€Å"Mahatma Gandhi† directed by Richard Attenborough it is apparent that these two men were in some way very several similar and in other ways very different characteristics. Both were prominent people and lived lives of great importance and leadership. They both died in similar ways as well. But during their lives each man worked for completely different purposes. Julius Caesar and Mahatma Gandhi were both very influential people during their lives. Caesar was one of the top three men who had power in Rome. Many people respected and trusted Caesar as a leader. Caesar was even offered the crown many times but he refused it. Gandhi’s influence extended beyond the borders of India and reached out to the whole world. Gandhi’s philosophies inspired millions of people. Both men’s lives have ended in similar ways; they were assassinated. Julius Caesar was lured to the Roman Senate and murdered by several conspirators including his good friend Brutus. Gandhi was murdered by a Hindu fanatic who disagreed with his tolerance of Muslims. Caesar and Gandhi were both very courageous men. They stuck their necks out when they knew there were dangers out there. And the fact that they both were murdered shows how real those dangers actually were. Even though both Caesar and Gandhi were influential leaders, they each had very different views, ideas, and ways of going about doing things. Caesar was an important figure in his society and even had his own army to back him up. Caesar’s solutions to problems were solved by fighting, such as the time he fought Pompey and became victorious. Gandhi was different. He had no official political title, he did not command any army, and he did not amass any great wealth. Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence incorporated civil resistance. He believed that non-violent civil resistance, not war, was the way to handle things. He also felt the only solution to hatred, ignorance and fear was love, truth and forgiveness. Caesar’s and Gandhi’s beliefs were quite different. Both men were assassinated in the middle of their lives, but for very different reasons. Caesar was killed because he was too powerful, and Gandhi was killed because he was too good. Caesar was too  powerful because he was a very ambitious man who was power mad. He even set himself up as dictator for life. Caesar wanted the power for himself, while Gandhi wanted the power for the people. Caesar was constantly living in fear of his life. He was superstitious and seemed on edge in several instances. Gandhi was thrown in jail and beaten numerous times and yet stayed persistent and determined despite all the unfair treatment he had suffered. Gandhi believed in Civil Rights and Democracy, which was the complete opposite of what Caesar wanted. Caesar always thought of himself as perfect and decisive. He loved to be in control and have all the power to himself. He enjoyed feeling higher and better than everyone else. He proved this by ignoring the warnings of the Soothsayer before arriving at the Senate. Gandhi was never an arrogant man as Caesar was. He always thought of himself as an equal, no better that anyone else. He dedicated his whole life to helping others. Gandhi exhibited his leadership by wearing homespun cloth that provided employment for poor people and revived the village economy. Gandhi was a very honorable man. Julius Caesar and Mahatma Gandhi were both very influential and important leaders. They both worked hard at the goals they hoped to achieve. Caesar and Gandhi shared a few character traits but also possessing several different traits, viewpoints, and ideas. Both men made impacts on history during their lifetimes and will be remembered for years to come as brave leaders who risked their lives to achieve their goals.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Power point use in work envirnoment Essay

Cynthia Computer Application-205 Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Microsoft Word-Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 lead global in the development and production of software and software-related services and solutions. Initially known for home computers, Microsoft, headquartered in Washington, now offers various operating systems and software for desktop computers. This multinational company strives to help the worldwide business community improve efficiency and productivity. In recent years, this company has battled criticism concerning what some consider monopolistic, anti-competitive business practices. Despite legal setbacks including antitrust violations sanctioned by the US Department of Justice, Microsoft remains a major player in its field. In today’s business environment demands the sharing of data, mobile technology and speedy communication. Microsoft provides tools enabling business to be productive and communicate effectively regardless of location. Outlook serves as the portal for e-mail, tasks, calendar and contacts. Microsoft office line workspace, boasting online storage space, enables users to save access and share documents throughout the world. Mobile Technology like smartphones, which supply the user with advanced computing options allow you to stay connected to businesses. Microsoft office Accounting Express 2008 offers small start-up or at home businesses a resource for accounting processing and procedures. The software includes invoices, budget and finance template and profit and loss statements. Office Excel surpasses manual, paper-based spreadsheets in terms of ease of use and accuracy. Businesses confront an ever-growing number of security threats. Many businesses elect to use Microsoft Vista operating system as a measure to protect their data. Vista boasts account control, troubleshooting and diagnostic features and spyware blocker. Microsoft Security Essentials, introduce in 2009, offers antimalware solutions at no cost to consumers who use Genuine Windows-based PCs. Large business may choose Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate; Ultimate offers Bit Lockers Drive Encryption for maximum data protection. Microsoft lost its standing as the leading global software company in May 2010. Apple, once on the verge of extinction focused on innovative, new consumer products to generate growth; a popular line of hand-held devices contributed to the company’s surge in profitability. In contrast, Microsoft, despite sporadic new systems releases, primarily lies mainly on preserving the existing business. Although Microsoft remains a strong player in the market, the company continues to face stiff competition. PowerPoint is an excellent tool for employee training and online learning. Business owners and company managers can use the programs to create compelling and interactive slide shows to demonstrate new products, train new workers and help existing customers get the most out of the products they buy. In fact there are a great many advantages to using PowerPoint as an online learning tool. One of the most powerful things about PowerPoint is the fact that it can corporate animation features and clip art. Its ability to incorporate sound is another powerful benefit of PowerPoint as an online learning tool. The sound functions of this program can make the slide show more interactive and less boring, and too can encourage visitors to stay with the training. Companies can use this interactive feature of PowerPoint to overcome problems and make their training sessions compelling. PowerPoint contains a number of powerful interactivity tools that makes it easy for users to engage the attention of the entire online audience. The improvement done to Excel 2007 and Excel 2010 is the ability to group the dates in the dropdown list into years and months. That means you don’t have to create a new column to identify the years and months of each row using Excel formulas. In Excel 2010, you can customize your own Ribbon tab. It can be used as commands in one place. In this way you do not have to click from one tab to another to find your commonly used command. In the earlier years of Excel (2003 and below), sorting can only be done based on the color coding in the cell, Not only that, you can also sort the records by the font color. That’s new in Excel 2002 and 2010. Multiple conditional is not made easy Excel 2007 and 2010. In the older Excel version 2003 and below, we are to count based on one single condition. When using Excel 2003, multiple conditions sum has to be done using the formula SUMPRODUCT or combining all the conditions into one before applying the formula SUMIF to data. With the new Excel 2007, you can now easily sum up the values based on more than one condition by using the SUMIF’s fomula.

Friday, September 13, 2019

CAREER PLAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CAREER PLAN - Essay Example As Watkins notes, â€Å"First and foremost, career choice reflects an implementation of life-style; it involves putting the life-style into practice via one’s career†.4 The reflective nature of the process that follows is designed to get you thinking about the meaning of work and of careers within your life.5 If you have trouble articulating responses to individual questions then you may wish to have a person who you trust ask these questions of you, and record your responses. You could then edit, and further expand on, your responses as needed. You will be evaluated on: (1) Completing all sections (2) How well written it is; (3) How comprehensive it is; and (4) The extent to which you bring in other resources relating to career planning in your writing. You should save a version of this file at a location where you can work on it. When you are ready to submit this part of your Career Plan, go to the Assignments Link in Oncourse, and submit it as an attachment. The articles listed below or those posted in the â€Å"Resources† folder on Oncourse may help you in thinking about the below question. Students who make effective use of these and other relevant resources will receive higher grades for this assignment. Developing an understanding of your personality is important to developing interests will help to identify aspects that either impede or promote your ability to engage in a rewarding career path. Understanding your personality type will also better prepare you with the knowledge to engage in a path based on personal intrinsic/internal motivation. Complete the KeirseyTemperament Sorter-II (KTS-II)6 personality assessment using the following link: Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self -- always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Toyota Total Environment Final Bus310 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toyota Total Environment Final Bus310 - Essay Example The political environment comprises government regulations and policies that affect the business environment of an organization. Simon Property Group is the largest real-estate company with a global presence. Being based in the United States (U.S.), the firm’s domestic environment will be influenced by regulations and government policies prevalent therein. Since the organization deals in properties, the major developments in property related regulations will affect the business. The economic environment of the company mainly constitutes the country’s gross domestic product, economic growth, unemployment rate, taxation rate and purchasing power of the consumers. Presently, the United States is facing turbulence in its GDP, but personal income of the individuals is slowly growing. Different states in the U.S. have separate taxation rates and purchasing power of consumer, which can prove either favorable or unfavorable depending upon circumstances. The social aspect of a business environment is way in which projects of an organization affect the society. Currently, consumers show concern not only about product quality, but also its impact on the surrounding. Simon Property ensures that high quality is maintained in their products (projects). They undertake genuine efforts to retain consumers with better service. Keeping in view the growing demand for malls and other entertainment zones, the company continues to invest in a large number of properties to facilitate greater satisfaction of consumers. Technological intervention in present market has become unavoidable for every organization. Companies are increasingly ensuring that they undertake technological integration in their activities. The technological environment of the U.S. as well as that of Simon Property Group is highly developed and the company has incorporated technological development in its activities as a part of the growth

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Mount Sinai Hospital Pediatric Cardiolody issues Term Paper

Mount Sinai Hospital Pediatric Cardiolody issues - Term Paper Example One of the reasons behind Mount Sinai Hospitals huge success is the management practices it adheres to. Mount Sinais view of organizational effectiveness is more wholesome, as opposed to profit-making ventures. A critical look at Mount Sinai Hospital shows that as an institution, it sees effectiveness as a culmination of the integration and application of the three dimensions of management: focus, structure and time-horizons. As is postulated by Robert Quinn and John Rohrbaugh, when the three dimensions they form four dynamic and competing models of organizational effectiveness (Tompkins, 2004). The first model is the human relations model which internally focuses on people who make up the organization and is emphatic on the need to promote structural flexibility, intra-organizational cohesion, motivation and training, as the means of actualizing organizational effectiveness, as can be seen in the human relations theory. Mount Sinai Hospital can be seen to have perfected the use of the human relations models. This exemplified by the fact that the New York Magazine in 2009 listed 129 of Mount Sinai Hospitals physicians to its Best Physicians List. One of the ways this healthcare services institution has been able to do is by sustaining competitive recruitment processes for its medical and non-medical staff. To this effect, Mount Sinai Hospital sticks to: commitment to patients welfare; the candidates wellbeing; and roundedness; and overall grades that the candidates scored during his medical training. These measures are usually observed if the recruitment exercise is being done to applicants who wish to work as physicians. Mount Sinai Hospital uses previous commitment to community work in medical or healthcare institutions as the yardstick for measuring the love for the patient (commitment to the patients welfare). Experience and academic records are also considered

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Family Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Family Law - Case Study Example At the outset, Derek needs to realise that cohabiting does not have certain legal rights the way marriage or civil partnerships do. Thus, Saadya death implies that Derek will not just inherit anything automatically, but only those assets the two owned jointly (Herring, 2011, p. 80). S. 2(2) of Law Reform (Succession) Act 1995 allows claims by the surviving cohabiting partner, if the cohabitation has lasted for an uninterrupted period of no less than two years prior to the other cohabitant death. Additionally, cohabitants do not possess rights when it comes to intestacy based on Administration of Estates Act 1925, and as such, when one partner dies and leaving a will behind, then that partner property will pass on, in accord with the stipulations on the will. In this case, the will still remains valid since Sadya and Derek did not enter into a marriage or a civil partnership so as to revoke the will. However, Derek can still apply for consideration in the estate of his deceased cohabitant. Nonetheless, Derek rights are next to nil, as he will not automatically accede to everything. The law states that everything will be executed according to the valid will, and as such, most of Sadya assets will go to her estate and siblings, instead of Derek automatically. Moreover, Derek cannot be able to apply as an overseer of Sadya estate as he is not considered a relative (Probert & Blanpain, 2011, p. 109). Likewise, the surviving cohabiting partner is to a lesser degree well positioned than a marriage spouse, in claiming beneficial interest, when it comes to property which is registered in the sole name of his partner, as reiterated in James v Thomas [2007] EWCA Civ 1212. When it comes to the house, it is considered as typical rule of contract, pas sage, equity and trusts, and does not make a variation between married and unmarried couples, as stated in court cases Pettit v Pettit [1970] AC 777, and that of Gissing v Gissing [1971] AC 886. Accordingly, since the house is under a tenant in common ownership, Derek and Sadya do not have equal rights to that home. That is why the 75% house ownership will pass to Sadya estate as stated in the will (Burton, 2012, p. 198). The fact that Sadya transferred the house into their joint names holding as tenants in common, with Sadya owning 75% and Derek owning 25%, this fulfils the condition of conveyance towards joint names of cohabiting couple, with clear declaration of their individual beneficial interests (Stack v Dowden [2007] 1 FLR 1858). However, given that they have a son, Derek can ask the court based on s.30 of Family Law Act 1996, to transfer the property into his name under occupancy rights. But, the court will allow this only when it observes that, it will be in the best inter ests of Kane. Anything else registered under Sadya sole name, implies that Derek will not claim any beneficial interest in that property. The law is clear that when an unmarried cohabiting partner dies, the other partner will not just simply inherit their partner assets, acquire a portion of their partner finances, or even pension automatically without a will. Therefore, even though Derek has an unlimited access to money in their joint savings accounts, in which both of them contributed money under their joint names, he has no right to access money in Sadya separate bank accounts. Furthermore, the balance in such accounts will be the property of Sadya estate, and which cannot be accessed until the estate is fully settled. Nevertheless, a percentage of the savings will be considered when calculating the value of the estate. Any savings from housekeeping money will belong to the person who provided the money (Burton, 2012, p. 200). When it comes to provisions of occupational plus pers onal pensions for Derek and his son, this will depend on the regulations of Sadya scheme. This is because a cohabitant partner cannot depend upon his or her deceased partner contributions, for the intentions of

Monday, September 9, 2019

Torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Torture - Essay Example But after a while we start to wonder what security can possibly mean, when so much of what people have struggled to secure in this country—the Constitution, basic human rights, and the rule of law—seems to be going out the window. Convention Against Torture (http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html) Article 3 1. No State Party shall expel, return ("refouler") or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture. 2. For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights. Article 4 1. Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture. 2. Each State Party shall make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature. Christopher Hitchens (http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/08/hitchens200808?currentPage=2) Torture advocates hide behind the argument that an open discussion about specific American interrogation techniques will aid the enemy. Yet, convicted Al Qaeda members and innocent captives who were released to their host nations have already debriefed the world through hundreds of interviews, movies and documentaries on exactly what methods they were subjected to and how they endured. Our own missteps have created a cadre of highly experienced lecturers for Al Qaeda’s own virtual  sere  school for terrorists. Which returns us to my starting point, about the distinction between training  for something and training to resist it. One used to be told—and surely with truth—that the lethal fanatics of al-Qaeda were schooled to lie, and instructed to claim that they had been tortured and maltreated whether they had been tortured and maltreated or not. Did we notice what a frontier we had crossed when we admitted and even proclaimed that their stories might in fact be true? I had only a very slight encounter on that frontier, but I still wish that my experience were the only way in which the words â€Å"waterboard† and â€Å"American† could be mentioned in the same (gasping and sobbing) breath. Michael Levin (http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/torture.html) There are situations in which torture is not merely permissible but morally mandatory. Moreover, these situations are moving from the realm of imagination to fact. Suppose a terrorist has hidden an atomic bomb on Manhattan Island which will detonate at noon on July 4 unless ... here follow the usual demands for money and release of his friends from jail. Suppose, further, that he is caught at 10 a.m on the fateful day, but preferring death to failure, won't disclose where the bomb is. What do we do? If we follow due process, wait for his lawyer, arraign him, millions of people will die. If the only way to save those lives is to subject the terrorist to the most excruciating possible pain, what grounds can there be for not doing so? I suggest there are none. In any case, I ask

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research Project - Essay Example These sources of energy, particularly oil, have also been associated with water pollution as well as destruction of marine life and diversity through oil spills in oceans, seas, rivers and lakes among others. Even most of the existing renewable sources energies such as geothermal, wind and hydroelectric have been extremely expensive to install. In addition, these sources of energies are normally extremely affected by changes in weather conditions. Also, their abundance as compared to that of the solar energy is limited. Due to the problems associated with the available sources energies such as fossil fuels, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal, the use of solar energy is becoming popular in most parts of the world, particularly in China and Africa (House-Soremekun & Falola 2011). The solar energy seems to the source of energy that is more sustainable as compared to other sources of energy (Richards 2010). This paper, therefore, aims at discussing the use of solar energy in Afr ica and basics of this source of energy. Africa receives more solar radiation than any other continent in the world, thereby making it the continent with the greatest potential than any other continent in the world. Sun shine in Arica is virtually uninterrupted, and one of the most abundant energy resources in the continent. However, this precious source of power has not been fully exploited in the continent for number years. Despite the abundance of this energy resource, it is estimated that about 2 billion individuals (people) in world (most of them from Africa) either struggle or fail to meet their daily energy requirements due to scarcity of supply of energy (Richards 2010). Even though there has been reluctance in the harvesting of solar energy in Africa, the situation seemed to have change to day since a number of organizations in Africa as well as African governments have been turning their attention towards renewable and sustainable sources of energy. Amongst the renewable s ources of energy that have been greatly focused by the African countries is solar energy. Africa as continent has made number of milestone towards harvesting solar energy. For example, the headquarters of United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) based in Nairobi (Kenya) is fully powered by solar energy (House-Soremekun & Falola 2011). Further according to House-Soremekun & Falola (2011), South Africa and Ghana are also planning to build amongst the biggest solar power plants in the world. Solar energy is also known as the radiant light, and it is referred to as heat energy from the sun (Richards 2010). This energy can be converted by different transducers to produce different sources of energy. For example, solar energy can be converted directly to electric energy by use of solar cells (also known as Photovoltaic). This particularly important for small scale energy requirements such as for watches and calculators. The solar energy can also be directly used to heat water for both domestic and industrial use. In addition, solar energy can be used to produce large amounts of solar energy through the use of solar radiation concentrators such as parabolic troughs. We have discussed how solar energy is converted into electric energy or used as heat energy to heat water among others (Hantula 2010). The question that might probably be lingering in the mind of the reader is how this precious energy is formed

European Currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

European Currency - Essay Example To reflect on the future of the European currency, it is necessary to consider first steps to the European Monetary Union; the reasons of occurrence, problems of creation and functioning of new model of the European currency system. "In its 1990 White Paper, the European Commission argued that deeper economic links would be a major goal of EMU, and many observers accept the view that the elimination of exchange rate risk and the lowering of transaction costs will indeed deliver more integration" (Wyplosz, 2001: 9). It is necessary to understand what we should expect from euro in the future, whether it can make a competition to dollar in the world currency markets, and may be even to replace it as a reserve currency in many countries. Interest to the given questions is caused by the point that introduction of new currency has no analogues not only in the Europe, but also all over the world. The given event needs to be considered as movement aside bipolar world currency system that creates preconditions for redistribution of forces on a global scale. On January, 1st, 1999 within the limits of the European union (EU) are created the European Economic and Monetary Union and the uniform currency for the member-states of European Economic and Monetary Union named euro, which during the certain period of time has replaced national currencies of the corresponding countries. This event is natural, rather important and in the certain sense the closing stage in the development of the West-European integration process, the beginning to which was put with the Treaty of Rome signed on March, 25th, 1957 on creation of the European Economic Community ("the Common Market") in structure of six countries: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Since then the process of integration in the Europe, despite of considerable difficulties and contradictions in general successfully developed as in breadth (with 6 up to 15 countries), and in depth (in direction to an overall objective - to formation of uniform economic space, in wh ich it would be carried out, irrespective of national borders, free movement of the goods, capitals and people, and in which would operate equal for all subjects of economic activities conditions of competition). The principle of the Common Market, on which the European Economic Community was based, assumes for the free movement of the goods and the capital if not the general currency, but at least significant stability of rates of exchange. Instability of rates of exchange did conditions of competition uncertain and for this reason destabilized trade relations. Besides, stabilization of rates of exchange is necessary for coordination of economic policy of the Union member-states. EMU, the decision on which creation was accepted on December, 5th 1978 has started to operate on March, 13th, 1979. It included Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, and the Great Britain, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg have joined later. EMU establishes the base for measuring costs, intended to become money - European Currency Unit (ECU), and a system of stable, but ordered rates of exchange between the countries of European Economic Community. "The rapid development of the ECU in private markets had been a surprise. By March 1986, European banks held ECU assets worth 61 billion and ECU bonds of 7 billion. Private banks also had established a