If You Let People Into Your Life a Little Bit, They Can Be Pretty Damn Amazing

If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty damn amazing In this chapter, Arnold wears one of his dad’s old polyester suits and takes Penelope to the Winter Formal with only five dollars in his pocket. After the dance, a group of boys invite Arnold and Penelope for some foods. At the restaurant, Arnold orders lots of food for Penelope and himself, he thinks it’s his last meal before execution as he has no money at all to pay all the foods. Later Arnold asks to borrow some cash from Roger and pays for the foods. Penelope later asks Arnold if he is poor, and Arnold respond honestly. He says yes. Penelope kisses him on the cheek and cries. Have you ever met the situation when you tell someone about something, and they were totally excited because they have completely agreement with you in that case? Yes, I have. Once I was doing Summer School, I had no friend in my class, I didn’t know anybody. There was a girl sitting beside me, and we didn’t really talk to each other until the third week. None of us ever started a topic to talk about. So one day, I felt it’s really been a long time since Summer School starts, I need some friends indeed! So I started with some random topics to talk about, and when I ask her what she likes to do in her spare time, I was amazed. She has the totally same interest as me, she likes playing softball and golf, and also she’s a newbie at those sports, and so am I! So we ended up hang out with each and play sports together sometime in the weekend. I would not have her as my friend if I never started talking with a sentence like â€Å"Hello, how are you? † We become very close since then, and even now we are still in touch, we sometimes hang out, go to movies. We have a lot in common to talk about. Sometimes if you let yourself be a little bit active, and talk to some people about yourself, you may find you guys have a lot in common to talk about, and that person may have same interests as you do. You just need to be open-hearted to everyone, to accept everyone in your life, to be friendly with them, you may end up have lots of best friends. Imagine your world full of best friends who have a lot in common with you, have lots to talk about. Isn’t it pretty amazing?

Pharmaceutical Companies

Questions for Review 1. Pharmaceutical companies do have a responsibility to distribute drugs for a low cost in developing and poorer countries. Africa’s GDP, and per capita income is very low so they cannot afford to buy top quality medicines. One main argument for this approach is the AIDS epidemic in Africa. A main argument against this is that the treatment for AIDS is very expensive to provide to a whole country for free. 2. The principal arguments of pharmaceutical companies that oppose making exceptions to IPR law for developing countries are national treatment that is equal of foreign and domestic nationals.Most-favored-nation treatment and the equal treatment of all WTO members. Also, technological progress. One last argument is how to provide adequate protection for this, and enforcing it. The arguments by NGOs and others to relax IPR laws are to end trade pressure on poor countries in health care industry disputes. 3. I would expect South Africa’s decision to levy duties on drug imports from western nations to have a negative impact on the international distribution of drugs to South Africa. If it is already expensive and hard to get drugs to AIDS patients in Africa, making them more expensive will not help. .In my opinion, I feel like this was an appropriate change of policy because it did lower prices on drugs. Some negative ramifications of this resolutions is that the price wouldn’t drop low enough. 5. I do not think it was necessary to relax IPR rules in order to ensure that adequate supplies of AIDS medications would be available for distribution in the developing world because the US took initiative to fix high drug prices and low-quality health infrastructures. 6. MNC’s have an ethical responsibility in providing funding to international organizations like the global fund to help cure AIDS

Domestic & International Market

Types of resources and capabilities underlie BMW Approach to Innovations. Founded In 1916, Bayberries Motormen Worker GAG, well known as BMW, Is a German automobile company, mall headquarter In Munich, Germany. Well, BMW also known as one of the leading manufacturing of luxury cars. Nowadays when we are walling form Apple Inc. To launch their new generation innovative cell phone, the same image BMW has in today's world market regarding their new innovative features luxury cars. BMW has gained the status of innovative luxury cars by utilizing its best resources and provide best qualities to its customer.There are many automobile companies UT there but only few firms in this industry are earned a title of innovations, and BMW comes first in that list. The main reason behind BMW success is their own Research and development center around the world, BMW group spend billions of dollar behind this R to provide best quality and innovative product to its customers. BMW comes In top 25 compan ies of best brand value in the world, today Its brand value exceeded to 25 Billion dollar because of Its R and Innovative Ideas of luxury cars.There are more than 8500 employees are working at Research and Development center of BMW around the globe. When I look over to the BMW group site, I found many facts about BMW regarding their innovative strategies. When I review their website I found out that currently BMW R teams are working for 2020 product of BMW. The assembly line of BMW is also ranked 1st in the auto industry by their innovative process of manufacturing luxury cars. BMW are more focused on their efficient innovation process by its innovative culture.The structure of company's culture are more emphasis on differentiate and innovative ideas, and there is no doubt that BMW is holding one of the best talented pools of employees and cosmologies to approach the innovation. As per my opinion BMW will maintain Its title of Innovation because of their advance technologies such as using own optimizing engine, lower emission advance technologies, habitation, electrification and newly developed connected drive technologies. Bum's Sustainable Production.Bum's sustainable production has focused on many important factors as it mentioned below. Advanced technology by reducing emission of CO to 50%. BMW is leader in using renewable energy for production and value. Electro mobility. Always ready for future challenge by advanced technology. Continuous improvement in employee motivation for innovation. Less consumption on natural resources in production. Mobility patterns. Raising workforce awareness by providing essential training to the employees. Product Safety.Sustainable construction and process. More focusing on Opportunities Strong Brand Value. As per the current BMW strategic action regarding the future production as well as with advanced innovative technology, BMW is the only firm I found who can survived even after we will out of the fuel energy, BMW had alr eady started working on hydroelectric advanced vehicle production, environment friendly and safety icicles, advanced production process which helps BMW to maintain its title of innovative firm.How do the resources, capabilities, and activities of BMW contribute to its differentiation strategy and unique position in the industry it has achieved? By using advanced technology and innovative ideas for production and best quality product, BMW had earned the best brand value in auto industry. BMW is also recognize as leader of innovation in auto industry, I still remember that when I bought Phone AS which had feature of Sir, but I also found out that BMW had developed this feature long back in 2006 in their BMW 7 series Models.None of the firm in auto industry had achieved in advanced technology yet and BMW group is the only company who looks to the future and gears its actions towards the long term. Well, BMW is not only one who is spending large amount on R&D, there are many other autom obile industry does same, but the uniqueness of BMW is the process and strategy they are using, the different culture of innovation spread in BMW, the status of innovation and advanced technology, the status brand and many other factor are consider to be the uniqueness of BMW.BMW had keep this innovative title form last two decades cause of their uniqueness and differentiate strategy where other automobile companies find hard to adopt it, the main reason behind this uniqueness is the firm's organization culture of innovation where all employees are allowed to think different and something new that world had never seen.

HTML and e-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HTML and e-commerce - Essay Example HTML has become the language of all webs. All web pages are written in HTML. It is a markup language and surrounded by many other markup languages like SGML, XML and many more. Html by having more precise and efficient functions effectively distinguishes the other markup languages. Another reason of HTML distinction is that it not only included the features that was found in prior markup languages but accumulated by many more like it has more complicated style and content tags integrated into one language. It has a tag that separately defines the content with tag like H1, in order to define style it uses a FONT tag (Schaum's, 2003). It is of necessity that now web documents are defined by the HTML because of its excessively constructive features. However, HTML is an essential markup language used for web pages. It involves many features from which building blocks of all websites are formed. It is used to slot-in varied images and objects on the web and allow interactivity between user and computer. HTML is used to embed video without any authority, and is very handy for web developers who exhibits graphics easily and pleasantly. Many individuals facilitate the relocation of computer files to their mobile by the use of HTML5. Web pages have been expanding its utility by getting large storage of information. We browsers also attribute Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) which labels the emergence and outline of the text and the matter contained (Powell, 1998 ). Question 2 Examine the purpose of client servers and browsers and the function of the search engine for technology software house. To examine the function of clie nt server and browser we can use the mechanism that occurred between these two regions. Client server is basically a server used to form the communication for a wide range. Clients are browsers that always initiate in this mechanism to forward the details to the server which it is asked for. The server application waits inertly to have the instructions from clients and then accordingly provides the specific services into browser by which user can further proceed. The browser allows the users to look through the resources accessible on the server. Users can browse any resource that could be present in the server or for the documents with dynamism depending on the user’s requirements (Kiley Mitchell). We can say that the browser function is to advance the user’s detail to server for demonstration. The main purpose of search engines is associated with finding targeted keyword information, sorting it properly, storing in an organized manner and finally ranking the valuable information found on the web. On the other way, server responses to the instruction put into the browser by the user. All communications between browsers and servers use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The pattern in which clients and servers exchange messages is referring to the request-response messaging mold. The reason of the effective communication between clients and server is certainly highlighting the common language between them (Thurow, 2003 ). Web crawlers and indexing are few of the notable functionalities associated with search engines. Crawlers are designed in a manner that it can locate any new information available on the internet within seconds and then ranks it

Importance of Process Recording in Nursing Case Study

Importance of Process Recording in Nursing - Case Study Example The parts of the conversation that went well were in the therapeutic practices of silence, clarification, and reflection. She was allowed to be in control so she could direct the conversation, the silence allowing for her to expand upon her thoughts about her feelings of anger and regret. As a listener, it was important to reflect back to her what she was saying, helping her to clarify her thoughts and paraphrasing when necessary in order to fully explore the topic and allow her room to discuss her feelings. In repeating what she said back to her, it allowed her to hear her own words and to help find interpretations about what she was trying to convey during the interview. Paraphrasing is feedback that will allow the patient to know that the listener is hearing what is being said, as well as acknowledging the beliefs and feelings of the patient (Basavanthappa, 2004).  The parts of the conversation that went well were in the therapeutic practices of silence, clarification, and refle ction. She was allowed to be in control so she could direct the conversation, the silence allowing for her to expand upon her thoughts about her feelings of anger and regret. As a listener, it was important to reflect back to her what she was saying, helping her to clarify her thoughts and paraphrasing when necessary in order to fully explore the topic and allow her room to discuss her feelings. In repeating what she said back to her, it allowed her to hear her own words and to help find interpretations about what she was trying to convey during the interview. Paraphrasing is feedback that will allow the patient to know that the listener is hearing what is being said, as well as acknowledging the beliefs and feelings of the patient (Basavanthappa, 2004).   A big mistake at the end of the interview was in giving my opinion on what she could consider when thinking about the past. Giving an opinion, according to Basavanthappa (2004), is one way in which to interrupt the work that a p atient is doing about a topic. Opinions are not a good way to work with people when in a therapeutic session. As well, I found that my own feelings about the topic were impeding my listening capabilities. I do not know why portions of her conversation made me feel annoyed and almost angry, but what she said was affecting my own feelings. I did not find her annoying, or her topic to be annoying, but for some reason, I felt annoyed about something she was saying. It may be that I was reflecting her feelings through my own, adopting what she was feeling into my own emotions. I was frustrated for her and felt her grief at not accomplishing what she desires to accomplish.   At one point I felt superior during the conversation as if I understood her completely and could keep her on point. This was a mistake as I worked towards getting to the root of the issue. I led her, to an extent, and this is not always the way to provide therapeutic support. It is possible that when I inserted the idea of teaching about life into the conversation, I took too much control. As I reflect on the conversation, it seems as soon as I said what she may have been angry about; her ability to communicate about it was stalled. I may have put up a communication barrier, stopping her from being able to express her own feelings and in the process of trying to focus the conversation, it may have been stunted from my making assumptions.   This conversation was an interesting experience in trying to keep a focused conversation while maintaining objectivity about the experience. In reflecting on my own behaviors, it is clear that I inserted too much of my own beliefs into the topic. At the time it seemed that the conversation was client directed, but it might be that I directed too much of the direction of the talk. In looking back on how the interview was conducted, it might be said that I was not focused on the patient, but on my own capacity to understand the ideas she was presenting. I fi nd that the process of working on this type of communications is necessary as I see that it is not as easy to accomplish as it might appear.  

Narrative Information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Narrative Information - Essay Example The Sage organizational set up concentrates on encouraging entrepreneurship, innovation, spirit of working as a team and using local software United Kingdom experts to make state of the art business programs. Present Marketing Strategy. Small and medium scale enterprises have shown strong needs to purchase business (specifically accounting ) software in order hasten and make more accurate current manual accounting business transactions. Such companies have back offices where accounting and bookkeeping (Larson, 1995) services are being processed. The medium and larger companies do need software that can make their tasks easier. When the accounting system is accurate and is updated constantly by the computer, then the customers and suppliers will know, as soon as possible (ASAP), what the daily business problems are so that remedies that will lessen the damage done will be put in place earlier. This is where Sage comes to the rescue. Sage will help, in a big way, the small and medium rate industries with their bookkeeping needs and accounting functions. The software, however, are being purchased by some the small companies. Based on the above, the company has been very successful with the present marketing strategy (Thompson, 1999). The income statement clearly shows that there is its present income has been on the rise. Because the present strategy is on the right track, then we will now be implementing a new strategy will be discussed below. This strategy is called Resource based marketing (Kinnear, 1996) strategy. OUTLOOK. According to Sage Chairman Michael Jackson, Individuals in Sage are being treated very highly and respected as a person. Sage company is constantly invented new products and new processes for its large customers' activities. Revenue has grown for Sage company because Sage manages to offer new products to its biggest resource(Samuelson, 1973) which is the CUSTOMER(Irwin,2000). Sage produces for its four million clients software solutions that takes good care its network. Sage has a network of over 22,000 reselling business partners. Based on the above Chairman Michael Jackson statement, invention is the name of the game. Many companies have put up a research( Dilworth, 1993) and development department in order to find new products to sell. These new discoveries will spell the difference between success and failure. By continually inventing new products where the competitors have no similar goods or services, the Sage company will have the edge in terms of market share.Another type of research and development strategy is to improve the quality or quantity output of something that has no competition because it is new discovery. For example, if the accounting software created by Sage can work harmoniously with adobe pdf files, and word files and excel files, as well as other

Should drivers of automobiles be prohibited from using cellular phones Essay - 4

Should drivers of automobiles be prohibited from using cellular phones - Essay Example Most of the countries have banned the use of cellular phones during drive in order to curtail accidents. Purpose now is to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of using cellular while driving, with a view to reach at a common understanding of phone usage by automobile drivers during drive. Cell phone is the best available mean of communication especially in case of emergency or when some urgent decisions related to business, social gathering and community are desired. At the same time use of cell phone is major reason of distraction while driving. While driving, driver is supposed to be vigilant about traffic, signals, pedestrians and road conditions (Strayer & William 462). Concentration is the most difficult thing to achieve while driving if driver is using cell phone. This tendency has caused numerous accidents in the past. Therefore, use of cell phone while driving should be prohibited in order to safeguard the lives of innocent people. It is obvious that one cannot be vigilant about surroundings while talking on the cell phone. Cell phone conversation attracts more attention than driving. Diversion of attention during drive is simply unaffordable even for a second (Strayer & William 465). If, driver is little inattentive than he may face the dire circumstances in the shape of an accident. This is what has happened to people in the recent past and same is happening at present also. University of Utah psychology department carried out study in 2003 for determination of risks posed by cell phone usage during driving. Different teams of people were made for analyzing their performances in different situations. One team drove simulator while taking on the cell phone. Another team got drunk for the reasons of comparison between drunk drivers and drivers taking on cell phones. Another team comprised of people who were fully focused on the driving. It was found that people who were talking on the cell phone were more dangerous than drunk drivers at few

Archetypes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Archetypes - Essay Example I love how the numbers spell logic, and the fact that I could spread this passion as well as knowledge to more people. Now for this introductory part about me, I am going to attach these archetypes: People of the Prince archetype has a life of what could be full of expectations since like real princes or princesses, their kings and queens expect them to follow in their footsteps. They are surrounded by all this power so to speak, yet they are not yet mature enough to be in those kinds of position. My parents are in the medical field, that brought to them prestige and power. They are known to help save lives or make them better. I am their only son whom they have expectations to follow in their footsteps. But I am not mature enough to actually want it, or even fully capable of it yet. I have years to convince myself that that is what I want to do for the rest of my life and years of training to become fully capable of it. My passion for Math as it bred logic and patterns, yet in not so simple way, through figures and numbers, make me think I could be associated as the Philosopher. As one, I seek to pursue the meaning of life for the sake of attaining a level of reason afar from human boundary. Not that Math is beyond human boundary, but the fact that these figures and numbers can be manipulated to give one a result that is more that apt in analyzing things around him or her is quite astounding and just a bid tad miraculous. Philosophers peruse questions that have no definitive solutions and answers. After all, having the right answers are not his goal, only the fact that having these questions around you can heighten the awareness about the nature of life. Maybe this sort of clash with mathematicians, who sought logical and definitive answers, but my personality of wanting to seek out knowledge in order to be fully immersed in the nature of life is certainly a characteristic of a philosopher, althoug h I find it comfortable to use numbers as a tool. I look at myself as the Scribe as well, someone who has a reputation for accuracy and impartiality in inscribing details of a particular situation. I remember one time, I was called off to the office to explain a fight between two of my friends. My best friend hit my other friend not as close to me as him but I was still trusted to speak about the circumstances even though my best friend would be put into dire consequences. I did and caused a rift with my best friend for a while. But, in this I can say the aspect of being accurate and impartial lies within me. These two characteristics are important ones once you pursue a career in Mathematics as well. This is also the Judge in me, capable to mix compassion with wisdom. Though I could hurt my best friend, not coming out as I did would not let him see the mistake of his actions nor be a wise thing to do. After all being wise means knowing what is right from wrong. Condoning his actions would make us both criminals so to speak. It is a well-known fact that teachers impart knowledge and skills to those fortunate enough to be able to study and be under his or her influence. The Teacher does this impartially and only with the intention of adding to the progress of their hearts and minds. A true teacher though does this passionately and willingly. As I am considering myself to become a professor, this is more than a fitting description of that aspect of my personality. For now even I

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 28

Education - Essay Example Therefore, the American economy might find itself irreparably outdated if the current behavior is not changed and the students urged to concentrate more on their studies and less on partying and watching television. The film provides statistical data that indicate how the American students are behaving as compared to students in other regions. This is when considering commitment to education. Here, the average American student spends more time when watching television shows as compared to the time spent when learning. Specifically, this adds to 1,500 hours each year and 900 hours when learning or in the classrooms (â€Å"Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination (13 Minute Cut) Part 2†). American students depicted in the film also confirm that they view school as a rite of passage. Moreover, the American students have lower hours allocated for learning per day. At least 66% of these students allocate at most one hour for doing homework every day (â€Å"Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination (13 Minute Cut) Part 2†). The statistical data provided by the film with respect to the time that the American students allocate to education during weekends is more worrying. This is becaus e not even one hour is allocated to education during weekends. These students like having other activities, which are not related to education such as partying. The choice of subjects done by American students is also worrying. This is because they do not choose the subjects of interest, which their counterparts in India and China take advantage of. Such subjects include science and mathematics. This is as compared to other students in different countries who take higher education with higher levels of seriousness especially through pursuing these competitive subjects. According to the documentary, the students in India and China show different behavior in all aspects such as the hours they allocate to education, the subjects of

Admin Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Admin Law - Essay Example tion that has taken over the function of the Spelsbury District Council has moved from the status of â€Å"state† to â€Å"person†, which are the only two groups in society that are assumed under the European Convention of Human Rights, which aims to protect the rights of â€Å"people† from the â€Å"state†. Thus, when a judicial review process is considered, the Spelsbury Council would clearly fall under the category of â€Å"state† and Tracy would be â€Å"person† whose rights have to be protected. However, since the limited liability1b aspects impart the status of personhood upon such corporations that enjoy its benefits, therefore the Directors of the new company would be absolved of responsibility for civil actions against them because the corporation itself would be considered a person, just like Tracy, thereby blurring the distinction that allows a judicial review process to proceed against a clearly defined public body. However, since the limited liability company has been set up to carry out a public function that was originally carried out by the Spelsbury District Council and for the benefit of the public, it is likely that the courts may be amenable on this aspect of the case and Tracy may be allowed to seek permission from the High Court to ask for a judicial review of the decision.2 Section 31 of the Supreme Court Act of 1981 governs the judicial review process in England, whereby the question of permission being granted by the High Court may be subject to whether the Court â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.considers that the applicant has a sufficient interest in the matter to which the application relates.†3 In the case of R v Inland Revenue Commission ex parte national Federation of Self Employed4 Lord Wilberforce set out three separate criteria on deciding whether sufficient interest exists and one of these was the relative positions of the defendant and the plaintiff and the nature of the breach that is alleged to have been committed. In this case, the decision has been

Identity Thesis Essay Example for Free

Identity Thesis Essay Over the course of history, different theories have been formulated to help explain the complex relationship between the mind and the body. One of the theories elucidating the mind-body relation is dualism—the view that mental states are independent from physical states. Mental states are ones of thinking, feeling, and believing whereas physical states are those outlined by physical and biological sciences. In contrast to dualism, physicalism insists that mental states are somehow physical states. The most straightforward version of physicalism is the identity thesis—the theory that every type of mental state is identical to some type of physical state (Reasons and Responsibility, 285-286). Dualists and physicalists have disputed over the validity of the identity thesis; dualists denying its claim and physicalists defending it. The biggest problem facing physicalists and the identity thesis is the concept of qualia, the phenomenal quality of a mental state (Reasons and Responsibility, 281). Philosopher Frank Jackson offers what he calls the â€Å"Knowledge Argument† for qualia. Jackson’s knowledge argument presents that nonphysical facts can be devised from facts about phenomenal quality. Through the concept of qualia, Jackson’s knowledge argument shows that the identity thesis is false. The identity thesis holds that mental events are simply identical with brain processes—identical in the same manner that sounds are identical with density waves in the air. The thesis bases on the idea that mental states of thought, sensation, and awareness are alike those of physical states (such as those of the brain and central nervous system). An example of identity thesis is that lightning and an electric charge are two of the same thing. In other words, lightning is an electric charge. An advocate of the identity thesis is materialist Peter Carruthers. Carruthers argues that everything (including mental states) exists through physical causes. Carruthers’ argument for the identity thesis can be summarized from the beliefs that some conscious states and events are casually necessary for the occurrence of some physical ones, and that there will be no need to advert to anything other than physical-physical causality in a completed neuro-physiological science. Thus, some conscious states and events are identical with physical brain states and events (Reason and Responsibility, 301-302). However, the concept of qualia refutes the idea of physicalism, and is the foundation of Jackson’s knowledge argument against identity thesis. As a believer of dualism, Jackson uses the concept of qualia to support that the mind and matter are distinct and independent substances capable of existing without the other. Qualia are the subjective, felt qualities of experiences. For example, one may know all the physical properties of the color red and the physics behind why some things are red; however it is qualia that allows one to experience what it is like to actually see red. Jackson constructs his knowledge argument around the ideas of dualism and qualia. To further illustrate Jackson’s argument for qualia (and dualism), the case of Fred and his unique color vision will be presented (Reasons and Responsibility, 298-299). For some reason, Fred has the ability to see two colors where others only see one. His retina is capable of distinguishing between two wavelengths of red in which others familiarizes with only one. He tries to explain the difference between the two reds. However he fails in doing so because others do not comprehend the difference. Therefore it is concluded that Fred can visually see one more color than everyone else. Despite having all the physical information about Fred and his special trait, one cannot know what it actually feels like to see two different types of red. Thus, Jackson believes that the physicalist left something out in the theory of physicalism—the qualia or what it feels like to actually experience something. Consequently, quale explains how dualism is valid and physicalism is incomplete. The existence of knowledge through qualia (mental state) and that of physical facts (physical state) demonstrates the idea of dualism—the view that two fundamental concepts exist. Jackson’s knowledge argument derives mainly from his thought experiment of Mary; the brilliant scientist who has spent her life confined within a black-and-white room and has never seen colors. Mary learns all the physical facts relevant to the mind. She becomes an expert on the neurophysiology of vision and knows all there is to know about color. When Mary is released from her room, she experiences color for the first time. One would think intuitively that her color experiences provide her with knowledge she previously lacked, and that what she learns includes certain facts about what color experiences are like. The facts she learns upon her release cannot be physical facts because she already knew all physical facts before leaving the room. Therefore, the new knowledge comes from the concept of qualia, which indicates that not all facts are physical facts (Reason and Responsibility, 298-299). Thus physicalism is false. Jackson reaches his conclusion that the identity thesis is false by proving that mental states are not physical states. According to the identity thesis, states and processes of the mind are identical to states and processes of the brain. The concept of qualia refutes the validity of the identity thesis by presenting subjective forms of experiences. The knowledge acquired from subjective forms of experiences differs from those of physical knowledge about experiences. Since physicalism requires that all aspects of knowledge are the same, physicalism cannot be sound. Thus the identity thesis must be false. The cases of Fred and Mary show that physicalism doesn’t amount to all knowledge. The summation of Jackson’s knowledge argument can be illustrated by the following: before Mary leaves the room, she knows all the physical facts about color experiences. When Mary leaves the room, she learns new facts about color experiences—facts about what it’s like to see in color. Therefore, there are nonphysical facts about color experiences. Furthermore, the identity thesis is false because Jackson’s knowledge argument reveals that there is something about the experience of color (in Mary’s case) that cannot be captured by the physicalist view. So, physicalism is incomplete. Physicalism lacks the phenomenal quality of the mental state—the ability to experience something regardless of physical knowledge. Qualia and the mental experience can never be achieved from the premises of physicalism and the identity thesis. Thus, the phenomenal quality of experiences cannot be accounted for through physical properties of the brain. In conclusion, the identity thesis is false because nonphysical properties, like phenomenal properties, exist.

United States Economic Situation Essay Example for Free

United States Economic Situation Essay The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $49,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a two-tier labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. In addition to dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and  industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2011, direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care public plus private rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are too big to fail, and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. Long-term problems include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits including significant budget shortages for state governments.

Causes of Economic Growth and Crashes

Causes of Economic Growth and Crashes Amy Zhi â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† â€Å"Too Big to Fail† and the 2008 Recession The film â€Å"Too Big to Fail† takes viewers down the 2008 financial meltdown, also known as the â€Å"Great Recession of 2008,† and emphasizes its impact on the economy. The crisis was avoidable and caused by â€Å"widespread failures in financial regulation (Fed’s failure to stem the tide of toxic mortgages); dramatic breakdowns in corporate governance including too many financial firms acting recklessly by taking on too much risk; an explosive mix of excessive borrowing and risk by household and Wall Street that put the financial system on a collision course with crisis; and simply lacking a full understanding of the financial system they oversaw.† ( University of North Carolina). The book â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† by Peter Schiff, comically interprets the effects of inflation, deficit spending, central banking, foreign trade, and the housing bubble and credit crunch of 2008. The U.S. economy boomed during the 2000-2007 period, as the global pool of fixed-income securities increased greatly from $36 trillion in 2000 to $80 trillion by 2007. In â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† the Usonian economy starts with production and trade soon follows. Usonia now had savings and credit, an increase in savings decreases real interest rates and an increase in credits increases demand, hence, there was expansion in the Usonian economy. As the economy prospered, it created a paper currency backed by fish, similar to currency backed by full gold reserves in the U.S. However, fractional reserve banking develops and only a fraction of bank deposits were backed by actual fish for withdrawal. The government decided to delink the paper currency from the fish. Usonia degraded the value of the fish by creating more fish out of the value of one. This process of â€Å"shrinking fish† eventually leads to â€Å"fishflation.† As people start spend ing more and producing less, the economy stops blooming and crashes. A king from Sinopia, an island that still had no savings, bank credit, or business, observed Usonia and saw their luxurious lifestyle of credit and commerce. The king thought that the possession of Fish Reserve Notes was the key to advancement. Notes were then used as money across the entire ocean, and the economy was saved as Sinopia traded their fish for Usonia’s fish reserves. Thus, Usonia was again piled with savings and credit, causing a spending binge atmosphere in Usonia. This is similar to when China supplies the essential items for U.S. fiat currency. Usonia largely consumed and Sinopia produced, hence, the trade relationship was skewed. However, as Goodbank said, â€Å"The people will get wise. They will worry about their savings and withdraw their deposits,† which is exactly what happened next. Foreign islanders realized that the fish reserve was worthless with no backing at all. Therefore, islanders started to withdraw fishes with their fish reserves all at once. In truth, there really were not enough fish in the economy, so Usonia had no choice but to close the fish reserves window. It is fiat currency and worthless, backed by nothing but the faith in the government. Producers were harmed by the expansion of the money supply because resources were more expensive and workers would soon demand higher real wages. Production decreased further and the Usonian bank loan officials targeted the islands â€Å"hut loan market.† As lenders and borrowers in the U.S. put their immense amount of savings to use, the â€Å"Giant Pool of Money† â€Å"overwhelmed the policy and regulatory control mechanisms in the country.† (Abir) Citizens jumped to buy houses all at the same time, either for greed, fear, or stupidity. There were risky investors and individuals who thought there was no ceiling price on real estates. There were individuals jumping into the housing market because they were concerned if they didn’t, they would lose out on easy profit. Mortgage regulators were not paying close enough attention to the market and business practices, commodity mortgage buyers were not researching the loans they were taking out, and speculators /builders were pricing homes entirely too high in the first place. All of which lead to the housing bubble of 2008. Senator Cliff Cod of Usonia created Finnie Mae and Fishy Mac to buy hut loans from the market. â€Å"The hut lending program was a massive hit amongst banks as they were earning risk-free profits. These agencies created a big industry where hut building, hut selling and hut decorating industries took off.† (Krishna) All of production and advancement occurred while no actual fish were being generated, so, nothing productive was actually happening. Although loans were not the best use of savings, political officials â€Å"encouraged hut ownership and education.† (Krishna) There were tax breaks on hut loans, which caused even more people to invest on these huts. Sinpoian fish were being imported to Usonia like rapid waves, credit levels were high and risk was ignored. Huts started becoming more luxurious and unreasonably expensive. Eventually, â€Å"the â€Å"hut market† took a down turn and every associated industry felt the pain.† (Krishna) As U.S. home pri ces declined steeply after peaking in mid-2006, it became more difficult for borrowers to refinance their loans. In addition, â€Å"assets dramatically plummeted, while the liabilities owed to global investors remained at full price.† (Abir) One of the primary causes of the recession was government intervention in the housing market. This intervention, primarily through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, helped inflate the housing bubble that triggered the crisis. Due to the lack of regulation, banks and credit card companies were freely lending out money to people. Even those who could not afford expensive houses took out loans that they seemingly couldn’t pay back to buy the expensive houses. During the 2008 recession, struggling banks and lenders cut back lending and created a sudden sharp reduction in availability, causing a credit crunch. Consumers were no longer able to borrow and spend, while businesses also cut back their investments as demand decreased. In â€Å"Too Big to Fail,† Dick Fuld, CEO of Lehman Brothers, a large investment bank, is seeking investment, but investors are hesitant because Lehman is exposed to toxic housing assets from the housing bubble. The Lehman’s counterparty risk, risk that a counterparty will not pay as obligated on a transaction, is impacting the entire financial market, while the stock market is in a free fall. The government could only do one thing, urge consumers to spend more. They wanted to keep spending though the crisis and borrow more, however, this would eventually lead to a depression. In the film, Henry Paulson, U.S. Treasury Secretary, plans to buy the toxic assets from the banks, so they wouldn’t go bankrupt and could lend out money again. Paulson later then decides to inject capital into the banks, for it was easier and could boost lending more quickly. By injecting the capital, he expected that the banks will have the money now to lend out to citizens and credit will flow again. The banks agreed, markets stabilized, and the banks repaid their Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. However, Paulson’s expectations were wrong, banks didn’t lend out the money from the injections. As the epilogue of â€Å"Too Big to Fail† stated, â€Å"credit standards continued to tighten resulting in rising unemployment and foreclosures. As bank mergers continued in the wake of the crisis, these banks became even larger and ten financial institutions held 77% of all U.S. banking assets and have been declared â€Å"too big to fail.†Ã¢â‚¬  (Gould) Congress created â€Å"TARP in October 2008, part of which was used by the Treasury to inject much needed capital into the nation’s banks. The Fed aggressively lowered interest rates during 2008, adopting a zero interest rate policy by the end of the year. It engaged in massive quantitative easing in 2009 and early 2010, purchasing Treasury bonds and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities to bring down long term interest rates.† (Blinder and Zandi) â€Å"The Troubled Asset Relief Program of 2008 rescued our financial system from almost certain meltdown, saving the U.S. financial system at the brink of disaster.† (Weller) Shortly after TARP enacted, loan tightening and interest rates eased. The Recovery Act spending helped decrease unemployment and personal disposable incomes increased. â€Å"Industrial production turned around with infrastructure spending spurred by the Recovery Act. After-tax income grew more quickly following the payroll tax cut , followed by job growth accelerating and decrease in household debt. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 â€Å"strengthened the fledgling economic recovery by cutting the payroll tax and continuing extended unemployment insurance benefits.† (Weller) In the end, Usonia was completely out of fish. They borrowed more and more to the point where most of their debt was funded by more debt. Citizens don’t save more since borrowing is a simple and easy process. Most people just walk in wanting more money, and walk out with more money and debt. Although higher taxes create more jobs and government revenue, it discourages work and investment. Plus, individuals and private businesses use money more efficiently than the government. In today’s society, spending is almost the route to happiness. That is, people spend to make themselves and others happy. We can’t spend less, but perhaps we can spend smarter. The book’s message itself is very clear. If the U.S. keeps spending and borrowing freely, it will soon meet with hyperinflation and an even more severe economic devastation. Bibliography University of North Carolina. Subprime mortgage crisis. 13 January 2008. 25 April 2014 http://www.stat.unc.edu/faculty/cji/fys/2012/Subprime mortgage crisis.pdf>. Abir, Zaber. THE Global Financial Crisis: Above Beyond. 6 December 2012. academia.edu. 25 April 2014 http://www.academia.edu/2344211/THE_Global_Financial_Crisis_Above_and_Beyond>. Blinder, Alan and Mark Zandi. How the Great Recession Was Bought to an End. 27 July 2010. economy.com. 25 April 2014 https://www.economy.com/mark-zandi/documents/End-of-Great-Recession.pdf>. Romer, Christina. Treatment and Prevention: Ending the Great Recession and Ensuring that It Doesn’t Happen Again. City Club of Cleveland. Cleveland: whitehouse.gov, 2010. 16. Krishna, Radha. How an Economy Grows Why it Crashes : Summary. 14 August 2011. 25 April 2014 http://radhakrishna.typepad.com/rks_musings/2011/08/how-an-economy-grows-why-it-crashes-summary.html>. Schiff, Irwin and Peter Schiff. How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes. Hoboken: Wiley, 2010. Too Big to Fail. Dir. Curtis Hanson. Perf. Peter Gould. 2011. Weller, Christian. 10 Reasons Why Public Policies Rescued the U.S. Economy. 29 May 2012. 25 April 2014 http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2012/05/29/11593/10-reasons-why-public-policies-rescued-the-u-s-economy/>. Williams, Roy. Birmingham investment experts have mixed reactions to report on Great Recession. 20 February 2011. 25 April 2014 http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2011/02/birmingham_investment_experts.html>.

Jane Erye vs. Charlotte Bronte Essay -- essays research papers fc

Charlotte Bronte, born in 1816 at Thornton, Yorkshire, England, is an English writer who is one of three sisters, who are also famous for their writings. Bronte wrote Jane Eyre based on her own life experiences, which is why the novel is subtitled â€Å"An Autobiography†. Much of the romantic appeal in Jane Eyre comes from Bronte’s own personal history. Many critics argue that the novel is simply a reflection of Bronte’s life. Furthermore, there are several ways in which, Bronte’s life is similar to the life of Jane and the events that take place in the novel. Charlotte is described as simple, plain, and petite and the daughter of a clergyman just like Jane. Whenever, Charlotte wanted to get away from her daily life, she would absorb herself into the landscape and nature around her to relive her of stress and Jane is also deeply influenced by nature. After the death of her mother, Charlotte was sent to live with her strict and religious aunt, Elisabeth Branwell, who is like Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed. In addition, in the house that Charlotte stayed in, there was a small room upstairs that was about the size of a closet, which is similar to the room where Bertha is kept in. On the contrary, this room served as a playroom for Charlotte and her sisters. As a child, Charlotte attended a school specifically for the daughters of clergymen in 1824, which is comparable to Lowood School, where Jane went. Immediately after being a student at the school, Charlotte also became a teacher. In Jane...

Romeo And Juliet - What Is Love? :: essays research papers

Has Shakespeare convinced you that Romeo and Juliet are in love at the end of act one? What is love? Love means a warm liking or affection for a person, affectionate devotion. Does the way Romeo describe Juliet sound like love to you? In my opinion love does not occur at first sight, it is something that you need to work towards. Romeo just describes Juliet’s beauty and not her inner-beauty. â€Å"Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!† Romeo is just saying how beauty like that is too good for the earth. When Romeo says â€Å" O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt,† he is saying that his life and love is in the hands of an enemy! This is a very harsh statement to say considering he has never talked or meet Juliet Capulet. Think of Shakespeare’s choice of words and the way he incorporates them into the play. Do his choice and arrangement of words; make you think, about Romeo and Juliet’s love? If you thought Romeo was going to extremes wait until you hear about Juliet. Immediately after meeting Romeo, she tells the nurse â€Å"If he be married, my grave is likely to be my wedding-bed.† Juliet is saying that if she could not marry him she would rather be dead. Remember Juliet is saying this with out even knowing Romeo’s name. Juliet asks her nurse who that fine gentleman is, the nurse quickly replies â€Å"His name is Romeo, and a Montague; the only son of your great enemy.† Shakespeare makes you wonder if Romeo and Juliet are actually in love. Since this play was written 400 years ago, the world has changed significantly, but the emotions and way of thinking in this play have withstood the test of time. This is why movies, such as Romeo and Juliet in (1996) were so successful. Shakespeare's play and the movie showed they have many similarities and many differences, but one thing remains, they all use universal truths to relate to their audiences. As it stands, I do not believe that Romeo is in love with Juliet, but Juliet is in love with Romeo.

Comparing Retribution in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Roy’s The God O

Comparing Retribution in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Roy’s The God Of Small Things A close look at two novels, Things Fall Apart, and The God Of Small Things, reveals examples of how their authors illustrate that fate supplies retribution for wrongs done. In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, there are three linked instances of this type of retribution. First, Ikemefuna details an innocent young man who is unknowingly punished for the crime of another person. Second, Okonkwo is exiled from his village for an accidental crime. Achebe suggests that this is more than coincidence, that this is repayment for his intentional murder of the boy who called him â€Å"father.† Finally, it is suggested that this punishment is also a consequence of his excessive pride. Without Okonkwo’s fear of weakness, he could have avoided killing the innocent Ikemefuna. In a completely different continent and time period, Arundhati Roy’s novel The God Of Small Things expresses very similar occurrences of retribution. In Roy’s novel, three pe ople’s lives are altered for the worse because of their involvement in two deaths. Ammu makes selfish and hasty decisions that end up coming back to haunt both her and her children. This in turn influences her children to make similar decisions, which prolong the cycle of punishment in their lives. The first instance of fated punishment we find in Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, is in the death of a teenage boy, Ikemefuna. In this particular example, the burden of the crime is not borne by the guilty party. Ikemefuna, innocent of any crime himself, is forced from his village as payment for the crime of a member of his Mbaino community. More specifically, Ikemefuna’s father was involved i... ...ish. After all, they are set on different continents, and in different time periods. However it is clear that Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy in truth, share a great deal of common ground. On multiple occasions in each novel, characters experience a grave twist of fate that can be attributed to the selfish actions of themselves or someone close to them. This explains why the most interesting similarity these two novels share is the underlying tension, and tone of fated retribution that is detailed above.   Ã‚   Works Cited 1. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Twentieth Century. Ed. M. H. Abrams. W. W. Norton &Co. Inc.: New York, 2000. 2617-2706.    2. Roy, Arundhati. The God Of Small Things. HarperCollins Publishers Inc.: New York, 1997.

Fdi in Aviation

New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS)  Civil Aviation Minister  Ajit Singh Friday said the government's open-sky policy for foreign investment in domestic airlines  has positively affected sentiments in the  aviation industry, but it is too early to say how much investment the sector would attract. â€Å"The sector is going through difficult times and is facing financial stress due to the overall economic slowdown. But the mood is upbeat now after we (government) allowed 49 percent FDI in airlines,† Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an Assocham event here. Time will tell how many  foreign airlines  are interested,† Singh added a day after the government notified that the foreign airlines can now pick up 49 per cent stake in domestic passenger carriers. Foreign carriers have so far not been allowed to directly invest in Indian carriers for security reasons, although 49 percent FDI by non-airline players was allowed. The  Indian airlines  sector has been going th rough a tough operating environment as high fuel and interest cost have hurt it. The government expects that the decision will help bring in more funds to the airlines who have been cold shouldered by banks.The decision is particularly expected to help airlines like Kingfisher to gain capital and resume full services. Other Indian carrier's require funds for expansion and to gain market share. International airlines  have welcomed the  government move. Ccarriers like Singapore Airlines, Emirates and the  International Airlines Group  (IAG), which owns British Airways and Iberia, have said they do not have any immediate plans to invest in India. Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa also said they were not keen on investing in India at the moment.Middle East airline Etihad Airways has said it will wait for all the modalities of the new reforms are clear. Several such overseas carriers contacted by IANS and aviation watchers said high jet fuel cost, an extremely price-sensitive market , huge debt of the carriers and contracting domestic passenger traffic are the reasons deterring them to invest. Fdi in aviation [pic] After allowing foreign airlines to buy stake in domestic carriers, the civil aviation ministry is considering issuing around 30-40 licences for non-scheduled operations. A top ministry official said that many aviation ompanies have shown interest in starting non-scheduled operations, which do not have a fixed schedule. According to sources, some of these companies have come up with renewed proposals to the ministry. This has renewed the interest of the ministry, which is now working on issuing some licences. Officials said that regional connectivity will get a boost following the decision on allowing 49 per cent foreign direct investment in the sector. â€Å"Till recently, we were not convinced with the feedback we got from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).Now, we can think of issuing licences to non-scheduled Indian aviation companies w ho have come to us with foreign tie-ups as well. We are sure the new tie-ups in non-scheduled operations will definitely bring in good technology and  result  in better maintenance of aircraft,† said a senior official. Non-scheduled operators are carried on mostly by VIPs or flying schools, and corporate as well as government organizations. They largely have major safety issues, which has deterred the ministry from issuing such licences.Their operations remain largely free from surprise safety audits. According to Planning Commission estimates, non-scheduled operations could involve 300 business jets, 300 small planes and 250 helicopters during the 12th Plan (2012-17) owing to increasing demand. Many regional airlines that have either started or will begin their operations soon include G. R. Gopinath's Deccan Shuttle, which would offer connectivity within Gujarat. The state has good regional airport network and has non-scheduled operations being carried by like Air Mantra, owned by corporate groups.Until now, foreign airlines were allowed to participate in the equity of companies operating cargo airlines, helicopter and seaplane services but not in the equity of an air transport undertaking operating scheduled and non-scheduled transport services. Banks which were unwilling to provide funds to the airline industry due to the prevailing financial distress are slowly opening up to non-scheduled operations paving way for more investment. The government is seriously looking at expanding nonscheduled operations as scheduled airlines are unwilling to fly to tier-II and tier III towns and cities as it is not economically viable. At least, we can kick-start operations with NSOPs (nonscheduled operations) initially. There is a great potential for airlines to exploit the non-metros cities and smaller towns. We are hopeful that expanding NSOPs to these places would work and scheduled operations will also gradually pick up,† said an official. Recently, civ il aviation minister Ajit Singh had said that the government would come up with a new aircraft-acquisition policy to deal with airlines acquiring a single type of aircraft, which is causing problem in providing connectivity to smaller towns and cities.Read more at:http://indiatoday. intoday. in/story/aviation-ministry-eyes-non-scheduled-operations/1/222442. html Issues It is good news that half a dozen regional airlines want to start operations even in these difficult times. The government would do well to help with an appropriate policy and better infrastructure to go with the many concessions already made available to smaller aircraft. Regional airlines have had reasonable success in peninsular India, but not so much in the hinterland or in the poorly connected east.The biggest policy constraint affecting regional airlines is the route dispersal norms. Scheduled carriers have to deploy a certain percentage of their capacity on category II and III routes such as the northeast and J ammu ; Kashmir. The obvious intent is to ensure availability of certain minimum level of air connectivity to these destinations. But being mostly short-haul routes with less traffic, these are generally loss-making for big airlines that would typically operate large aircraft such as A-320. These regions are better suited for regional carriers with small jets and turbo-props.The forced presence of the big airlines, however, makes it difficult for such carriers to operate in these regions. A phased withdrawal of the route dispersal policy would create a more conducive regime for regional airlines. In the US, too, regional airlines — which have a far more robust business than regular big carriers — took off only when the big carrier shrank operations, post 9/11. The other issue is the lack of or costly aviation infrastructure in the metros. It increases costs and reduces operating efficiency, as turnaround time at these airports is long.Regional airlines typically have fe w aircraft, but keep them in air longer, allowing them to have high frequency or serve more destinations. The poor infrastructure makes such operating efficiency difficult to obtain. The government must think of providing smaller secondary airports in big cities from where such airlines can operate. Besides, India has nearly 450 unused/under-utilised airstrips, which could be pressed into service to open more destinations to air travel, thereby helping improve the case for regional carriers.The government must increase the FDI limit in the sector from the current 49%, and also open it to foreign airlines. G. R. Gopinath The Indian aviation sector may be in turbulence mode, but that hasn’t shaken the spirits of G. R. Gopinath, the father of low-cost air travel in India. Gopinath, who sold India’s first low-cost airline Air Deccan to Vijay Mallya, the owner of Kingfisher Airlines, is gearing up for action once again. â€Å"I have been preparing for a national launch for the past year, and I hope to be ready next year,† an upbeat Gopinath told India [email  protected]The provocation for Gopinath to take to the skies again is simple:  Kingfisher is in a financial mess. The airline is running a sharply reduced service, and if it does not manage to raise funds, it could shut down anytime. Gopinath, who sold Air Deccan to Mallya in 2006, sees this as an opportunity for his re-entry into the sector. He points out that when Kingfisher bought out Air Deccan, the two brands together had 36% market share. â€Å"I believe that the market is still largely untapped. This is an unfinished story, and I see a huge opportunity still there. In the meantime, he has reentered the skies with a different  avataar. Gopinath recently launched Deccan Shuttle, a regional airline in the state of Gujarat in Western India. Gopinath points out that apart from the big cities and towns that are connected by the Airbuses and the ATRs, India has around 500 small airst rips which are not well connected. â€Å"Gujarat, for instance, has nine airports. While all of them are linked to Mumbai (India’s financial capital in the neighboring state of Maharastra), they are not linked to state capital Ahmedabad, or to each other.My idea is to open up a new market. I am passionate about providing easy access and connectivity. † Gopinath has launched Deccan Shuttle under the banner of Deccan Charters, an aviation services firm that he set up in 1995. This was his first venture in the aviation sector. It currently has 20 aircraft (helicopters, turboprops and business jets) and operates out of 16 locations. Under Deccan Shuttle, Gopinath will begin by deploying around six 10-to-18-seater aircraft in Gujarat. Over the next three years, he plans to have 25 such small aircraft across five states.Gopinath’s  plan  is primarily to offer intra-state connectivity. But in routes where there is significant demand due to cultural or trade reasons , he will also look at inter-state connectivity. Other recent entrants in this space include Air Mantra, a unit of the Religare Group. Air Mantra launched in July, connecting Amritsar and Chandigarh in North India. Spirit Air, which operates in Eastern states like Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa, is planning to start operations in the Southern states soon. Air Pegasus, from Decor Aviation, an airport ground handling agency, is expected to start operations later this year.Analysts are watching the space keenly. â€Å"There is a lot of potential in the regional airlines business provided the states offer the required infrastructure and policies, and the companies have the appropriate business model by way of routes, pricing strategy, etc. ,† says Vishwas Udgrikar, senior director and partner, infrastructure and transport at consulting firm Deloitte. He warns, however, that â€Å"given the current environment in the country’s overall aviation sector, players need to be cauti ous and enter the regional airlines sector with the right preparation. Jasdeep Walia, an analyst at Kotak Institutional Equities, suggests that running a regional airline could be tough. â€Å"For distances of around 250-300 kilometers, the demand will be limited, especially if the roads are good and people can cover it by car. And for distances of 500 kilometers to 600 kilometers, there is always the risk that as the demand picks up, bigger airlines will [step in]. † Gopinath’s comeback is also evoking interest. Udgirkar points out that any new entrant at the national level, despite prior experience, will find it very challenging. There are inherent challenges in this sector and formidable competition, too. † Walia adds: â€Å"This space is very competitive, and the government policies are not at all conducive. And Gopinath could not sustain his earlier venture. † Gopinath’s Air Deccan changed the face of aviation in India, but as a business per se it got grounded. His foray into logistics with Deccan 360 also ran into trouble. Whether or not he can take off this time round remains to be seen. [pic] [pic]

Character Analysis Mr.Marks

Character Analysis Form Actor’s Name: Philip John Play: Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage Character: Mr. Marks Physical Traits Sex ?Mr. Marks is a Romanian Orthodox Jewish male immigrant. Age ?Mr. Marks is in his thirties Health ?Mr. Marks has somewhat of a fear of being left alone, he panics when he sees a loyal customer go to another person for fabric and turns to alcohol (tonic) for comfort. Clothing ?Mr. Marks always wears a black suit with a missing button. He wears it because of religious beliefs, it reminds him that every day he lives for God and his ancestors. General Appearance Mr. Marks is a mix of everything he is somewhat sloppy and unorganized because he rolled right out of bed when Esther walked in and left his bedroll right there (he most likely didn’t get a chance to brush his teeth), he is also looks kind of formal since he always has a black suit on due to religious reasons but it also is missing a button that he refuses to fix for the longest time Mann erisms ?Mr. Marks quickly removes his hands away from Esther because it is against his religion to have physical contact with a woman who is unrelated or not married to him Social TraitsClass ?Mr. Marks is a part of the working middle class because he is a fabric dealer and so he has enough money to run that but he also gets really worried when he hasn’t seen Miss Mills fearing she had went to his competitor. Occupation ?Mr. Marks is a fabric dealer and seems very passionate about it. He is always very excited to show Esther his collection and offers only the finest fabrics. Finances ?Along with class, I think that Mr. Marks lives a comfortable life nothing over the top but enough to be financially stable without having to worry about sleeping in a shoebox. Read also: â€Å"Stand and Deliver Character Analysis†Home Life ?Mr. Marks lives by himself but is engaged to a woman who resides in Romania and has never met her Intelligence ?Mr. Marks is very religious and knowledgeable within his profession of the finest fabrics and best quality products. He also knows how to make his flirtations subtle and enough to get the message across without interfering with his religion views Nationality ?Mr. Marks is Romanian and he seems slightly self-conscious about it, for instance when Esther asked him about his wife and he said his fiancee is in Romania Place in Community Mr. Marks is a local fabric dealer Amusements ?Mr. Marks enjoys representing his ancestry and his religious background by wearing his signature black coat. He also enjoys drinking tea amongst selling fabrics of all kinds. Psychological Traits Moral Standards ?Mr. Marks believes that a woman should not touch a man’s hand if they are not married or related to each other. He also does not remove his black suit for sake of tradition and religion. Religion ?Mr. Marks is Romanian Orthodox Jewish Ambitions ?Mr.Marks is attracted to Esther and wants to be able to express that physically however the barrier of his religion intervenes and prevents that relationship to evolve. He overcomes his tradition of wearing only black and puts on a jacket Esther made especially for him. Disappointments ?When Mr. Marks found out that Esther was getting married he was shocked and tried to hide it by offering her his best quality fabric and told her that no one deserves it more then her. He was most certainly upset about this though Concerns ?Mr.Marks gets worried that he will lose Esther to his competitor that is giving away complimentary thread. Abilities ?While Mr. Marks yearns to be with Esther he sets his feelings aside because it is against his morals and he wishes her the best and offers her the finest clothes. He tries his best to hint his emotions towards her b y putting on the new jacket and similar things. Qualities ?Mr. Marks always trying to do his best to make Esther the happiest she can be he compliments her smile all the time and gets content when he sees her happy.

How useful are urban models to the modern geographer and urban planners?

An urban model is a simplification of a real city. They are used to help us understand more about real cities by showing patterns or processes which in real life may be complex and difficult to identify. They are applicable to a large number of cities rather than one particular city. They are based on the idea that there are similarities between cities. Geographers use these models to try and identify and explain urban spatial patterns and variations in their structure. Where as urban planners use the models to deal with real life situations such as deciding where to place a new motorway or deciding where to build a new business park. The first urban model to be produced was by Burgess in 1924 he attempted to explain the outward expansion of the city (Chicago) and the socioeconomic groupings of it inhabitants. He did this by splitting the city into five concentric zones: the central business district, transition zone, low class housing, medium class housing and high class housing. He devised these zones by the theory that individual compete with each other for the most favourable locations within the city. This competition was founded on the market for buildings and land: those who can afford the highest prices will get the best and most favourable land. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it could be used as a good starting point to look at the spatial variations of sections/zones within a town. It could also help to explain why people live where they do and why they live in certain groups. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it could be used to describe the existing patterns of land use or city morphology and be compared to that of the modern morphology of a city in deciding where to place a certain building etc. due to the density of inhabitants in a certain area. It could also be used to measure land values and density within a city. Hoyt was the second producer of an urban model in 1939. He adapted on the same implicit assumptions that burgess had made but with adaptations. Hoyt's model was based on the mapping of eight housing variables for 142 cities in the USA. He tried to account for changes in, and the distribution of residential patterns. He had the addition of three new factors on the burgess model. He suggested that areas of the highest rent tended to be alongside main lines of communication and that the city grew in a series of wedges. He also said that once an area had developed a land use that it would remain that use as the city extended outwards. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it is a better adaptation of the burgess model. Meaning that extra factors have been taken into consideration such as the wealth and similar land uses. This could be more helpful as it makes more judgements on where and why variations will happen. Such as wealthy people can afford the highest rates so will have the best position and afford to buy cars so will live further from he Central business district. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it is a better adaptation of the burgees model with extra factors taken into consideration. This could be helpful to a planner as it talks about land value and how similar land uses attract other similar land uses. This is helpful as a planner can locate where certain industries are and where to situate them. Also to know where the wealthy people are will help to know what services and transport routes are best targeted towards them Mann was the third producer of an urban model in 1965. He tried to adapt the Burgess and Hoyt models to three industrial towns in northern England. He made a compromise model that combined ideas of burgess concentric zone model with that of Hoyt's sectors model. He assumed that because of prevailing winds in northern Britain blow from the west, that the high class housing would be in the west and industry with its smoke, would be locate to the east of the central business district. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it combines the two theories of Hoyt and burgees resulting in a more complex and relevant model. It could be useful to see if industry does affect the position and distance of certain types of economic wealth. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it combines the theories of Hoyt and burgees producing a more complex and applicable model. It could be useful in the location of industry and the construction of houses for different socio economic inhabitants. Ullman and Harris were the fourth producers of an urban model in 1945. They set out to produce a realistic model compared to those of Burgess and Hoyt but consequently they ended up with one that was more complex and this meant that the model was more descriptive then predictive. They said that a multiple nuclei needed to be developed as a response to the need for maximum accessibility to a centre, to keep certain types of land use apart and to show differences of land values, This model could be useful to modern geographers as it is more realistic to the modern world with its complexity. It could be useful to see if a town/city does actually follow the model with several nuclei. It also help to explain the inhabitants that commute to the central business district and see if they add to its density and population. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it could help to locate bus routes and roads that were needed for the commuters and people who travel to work from the multiple nuclei. It could also help in the planning and placing of new houses for the people leaving the city to commute to work. In conclusion I think that urban models are very useful to modern geographers and planner's .I think that models are a good starting point for analysing the morphology of modern cities. These models were produced in the past so it is obvious that changes will have taken place such as technology, fashions and transport. This does not mean that the models cannot be of use. The principles can still remain with a little adaptation to the real modern world.

Response to Peter Singer’s Speech

Peter Singer’s speech on a solution to world poverty made a lot of good points concerning how to help those in need. He states that most people can afford to help starving children and that people are turning their backs on the needy. Where he fails though, is in actually providing a solution that will hold up over time. His focus on guilting those more fortunate into action and then guiding them to give $200 is no solution, but a call to give to those less fortunate instead of fixing the problem for good. In his speech he gives examples to try to guilt those listening into giving charitably. He sites a book by NYU philosopher Peter Unger, titled, â€Å"Living High and Letting Die†. He goes on to paraphrase an example from the book that he thinks gives a great example towards American’s lack of charitable giving. His example is about a man named Bob who is nearly retired and has invested most of his savings into a rare and valuable old car. He has a lot of pride in the car and he enjoys taking care of it. He also enjoys that its rising value means he will always be able to sell it and live comfortably. He is out one day for a drive one day and park the car along some railroad tracks and goes for a walk along the tracks. As he is walking he sees that a runaway train with no one aboard is headed for a small child farther down the track. The child is too far to warn of the danger and will be killed unless Bob throws a switch to put the train on the siding where his beloved car is parked. Throwing the switch will destroy his car and therefore his long time investment. Thinking of his joy in owning the car and the financial security it represents, Bob decides not to throw the switch and the child is killed. He uses this example comparatively to how the average American reacts to charitable giving. He labels them as cruel people who choose their own livelihood over the lives of dying children, which is unfair. Commonly, those not giving are not looking into the eyes of a dying child but rather into a scary world where finances are always unsettling. In my personal experience guilting someone into doing something is the worst way to evoke passion for action. Forcing someone to do something is not nearly as effective as creating a want to do something. Over time guilt tripping makes the action lose steam while making someone want to do something can create a passion that lasts for a long time. Let me follow Singers lead here and provide an example. Suppose that you would like to have your friend go to a new sushi restaurant with you. Would it be smarter to guilt him into going by using something against him to make him go, or would it be smarter to talk about how good the atmosphere and food is? Obviously it is much smarter to talk up the restaurant instead of sending your friend on a guilt trip. The guilt trip may only make your friend go once but making the friend want to go will result in many visits to the restaurant. Creating a passion is the best way to call people to action and singer failed to do this. Instead, he should have used a more indirect method like talking about the benefits and contentedness that one can receive from charitable donation and selling them on the concept Another spot where his speech falls short is in providing a plausible solution to world poverty. Having everyone with disposable income give $200 to help feed hungry children solves none of the problems having to do with poor villages not being able to support their people. In the article, â€Å"We can end global poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the author describes a plan laid out by David Cameron that includes over 10 steps to end global poverty by 2030. Including such ideas as going green, going for growth, good government, and global partnership. The final report comes after 8 months of consultation with more than 5,000 public groups across 120 different countries. Citizens, governments, businesses, local charities, community groups and development experts all had a chance to contribute their ideas. This type of initiative is what it takes to create a true end to world poverty, not just simply pleading that people give $200 to charity. I feel as if Singer never really thought to develop his idea thoroughly and just wanted something quick that he could easily get people to support. This is where his ethos breaks down. He no longer seems to be a person worth speaking to about the subject, but rather someone who wants a problem solved but doesn’t want to put in effort to come up with a real solution. After analyzing his speech thoroughly I feel that Singer has a lot of passion for what he speaks about but fails to come up with real plausible solutions to the problems he is addressing. Singer may believe he has World Poverty all figured out but there are a few points he’s not thinking about. He used emotional stories about dying children to guilt his listeners into giving money. Though, Peter Singer makes a valid point that we should be helping children in need, what happens when everyone stops blowing their money on luxury items? In his speech he says, â€Å"The formula is simple: whatever money you're spending on luxuries, not necessities, should be given away. † If we were to spend only money on necessities and donate the rest it would, in turn, cause economic distress. Jobs will begin to slowly deplete from our own economy here in America. Manufacturing jobs such as, furniture, computers, televisions, housing, retail, and many more would disappear. The sad fact of the matter is that poverty is a necessity and just like with all things you have to take the good with the bad.

Animals in our life

Animals play an extremely important part in the lives of humans. We may not realize how much impact animals have on our lives. They have played various roles; that of a friend, companion, protector, comforter, and more. Addressing people who are not animal lovers, I would say it is very difficult to explain what joy an animal can bring to ones life. Pets impact human lives on a face-to-face basis by being our companions, whether its a cat or a dog. Nothing is more comforting than having a dog greet you at the door, or a cat curl up in your lap. Pets help us in our daily life in terms of giving us the emotional support and ,personally, I find it most important. Also having a pet is a great way to teach a child caretaking skills. A pet must be fed and watered daily, on some days given a bath, and trained. In order to help children get used to the responsibilities involved in looking after a real pet, some parents buy them virtual pets. But if you ask me, this kind of toys is useless. If we talk about pets, we should clear up what is it to be a pet owner. Nowadays we are used to meet eccentric owners on the streets or in public places. Its their choice and right to celebrate their pets birthday with a party, or to talk to their pets on the phone, or even to permit their pets to enjoy the leftovers from the owner meal in a restaurant. But lets face the fact that some people are really animal crackers. I may be wrong, but keeping unusual pets or large amount of pets in little flat is absolutely insane action. Tigers, panthers and lions are ferocious, wild animals. They are not suited for domestic life and should never be kept as pets. Also if a large dog is not obedient to its owner, then it is a potential danger too. If youre going to take on a pup, you should respect other people and their privacy, think about the size of your apartment and about your free time, would it be enough for your pet?! Pet animals are often used for rehabilitation. Certain dogs, with special certification, are allowed to visit the residents in nursing homes. A recent survey has shown that animals enhance the lives of others. The sick and the elderly look forward to spending time with animals. Just petting an animal can have a calming effect. Animals have helped throughout history by working for humans. Many farmers use animals for their livelihood. Farmers raise cattle, lamb, sheep, goats and other animals simply to make a living. Many of these animals are used for meat or for milk. Dogs too can work on a farm helping the farmer with the sheep or cattle. Animals raised on farms are often our food and fur sources. Animals save our lives in many ways. For example, they guard our properties and perform heroic feats. Dogs are very smart and can be taught to do almost anything. Whether that is to find drugs, find a missing person or even find a bomb, they are amazing animals. People trained animals for handicapped individuals. Guide dogs for the blind people cant replace their eyes, but they can be an enormous help in making day-to-day life much easier and happier. Guide dogs assist their owners in their daily activities, from carrying large objects to directing a blind person through traffic. Furthermore, animals give their lives for the advancement of science. Lab rats are poked, prodded, injected with chemical substances and operated upon, all so that we may find new cures for the many diseases that threaten our quality of life. Animals affect everyones life, whether youre an animal-lover, animal-hater, animal-eater or animal-saver. Whether animals are house pets, working animals or used for experimentation they are very important to us and we need them as much as they need us.

Sexually transmitted diseases in teens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexually transmitted diseases in teens - Essay Example More than 30 new cases of STDs are diagnosis each day in Florida. Accordingly, 66 percent of the diagnosed cases involve peopled aged between 15 to 24 years. The County has a high sexual activity among teens and more than 50 percent of the high schools teens are sexually active. 16 percent of the teenagers have multiple sex partners while 30 percent do not use condom during condoms during sexual intercourse (National Coalition of STD Directors, 2013). Surprisingly, 93 percent of the teenagers surveyed did not use any birth control methods while about 20 percent did not receive any formal education related to prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Sexual activity among teens has increased the vulnerability to STDs, emotional distress and unwanted pregnancies. Miami-Dade STDs prevention efforts entail clinical services, surveillance, diagnosis and treatment of the reportable cases and community relations. The health department has gone further to implement awareness, events and research initiatives in curtailing new infections. There is also testing outside the public clinics, referrals and partners services for the infected persons (National Coalition of STD Directors, 2013). ... rch and other partner organizations in promoting regular HIV testing among the population, improving the public awareness on HIV and reducing the new of new infections (Heath, 2013). This initiative has enabled unique populations access HIV testing and reduce the stigma and discrimination against the HIV-positive individuals. Antiretroviral access training and peer education programs have enhanced the positive response towards testing and prevention of STDs (Heath, 2013). Target approach and nursing interventions Miami-Dade Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) control and prevention aims at reducing the incidence of STDs through screening, testing and diagnosis. The program also ensures prophylactic treatment and offers counseling to sexual partners. Surveillance efforts are conducted in order to ensure reportable STDs to either private or public health care providers. The private and public laboratories, health care providers and physicians are expected by the law to report positive STDs such as HIV and Syphilis to the MDCHD on daily basis (Heath, 2013). These cases are supposed to be reported to the State Health Office and Centers of Diseases Control and Prevention. In 2008, Miami-Dade County improved youth access to prevention and treatment services through providing school-based STD screening in public high schools (Heath, 2013). The nursing interventions have ensured that HIV-positive men especially White, Black and Hispanic men who have sex with other men are informed and screened for rectal gonorrhea and Chlamydia by the health care providers. This nursing intervention is common in areas such as Little Haiti, South Beach and Liberty City (Heath, 2013). Accordingly, HIV-positive pregnant women living in areas such as South Beach and Overtown are provided with

Restoring Capital Punishment in the United Kingdom Essay

Restoring Capital Punishment in the United Kingdom - Essay Example In certain countries that retain capital punishment, the delay between the actual verdict given and the execution carried out could go for many years as the convicted person would be allowed to go through many tribunals although excessive delay can also lead to basic human rights violation3. Most prisoners appeal against the death sentence due to the survival instinct although such a struggle may itself be a basic human rights violation that would prohibit cruelty in any form4. The death row phenomenon as this is called could pressurize states to modify their procedures or even abandon capital punishment. Supporters of capital punishment argue that such form of punishment would deter crime and would be an appropriate punishment for murder. As Murray notes, a major justification for capital punishment is the perceived public support although the complexity of the death penalty may not be generally understood by most people5. Murray aimed to examine the stability of the attitudes on the fair application of the death penalty and what are the public opinions regarding the fairness and administration of capital punishment. The complexity of these attitudes was analyzed with a telephone survey and the results indicated instability in attitudes regarding the application of capital punishment although many seem to think that the application of the death penalty is not fair in many cases. Murray concluded his study by suggesting that, 'the justification for capital punishment may rest on oversimplified conceptions of attitudes toward the death penalty and its application'6.

Public Policy in the UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Policy in the UK - Assignment Example Poverty was described as the economic state of â€Å"all the people without income from property or profession and therefore dependent on their manual labor for a living† (Cowherd. 1977; pp.1-2). These poor were distributed across the land and were not clustered together and therefore could not be organized.   The problems arose from rapid urbanization and clustering of demographic units around major industrial centers after the industrial revolution. This increased the visibility of the poor and their destitution, so poignantly documented in Dickensonian literary genre,   on one hand, and led to coalescing of poor into the extra-state organization like trade unions etc. on the other hand. Repression of organized poor during ‘the period between the French Revolution and the later 1820s should be of severe repression as reflected in Combination Acts and the use of Military Force to quell Luddites in 1812’ (Daunton. 1995). However this repressive regime was seen to be counterproductive and it can be seen that ‘from the mid-1830s   to 1850s the repression eased out and major advances for working-class organizations such as trade unions, cooperative societies and friendly societies’ emerged (Crafts.1997). This trend shows that Public Policy response had tacitly admitted the political legitimacy of the organized poor. This admission also meant that an appropriate response was to be given at the state level to demands of organized poor. This point on the historical space-time continuum can be termed as the beginning of welfare policy in the UK. Another dimension of change in the perception of policy makers relates to the impact of Laissez-fare economic policy. ‘By 1830s income and real wages increased and civil rights improved markedly but there was a perceptible decline in mortality conditions and heights, indicating a decline in living conditions of the poor’ (ibid). This presented a new policy paradox to the deci sion makers. The existing belief about the correlation between income increase and the general state of living was not materializing. The state needed to review its bystander status according to Laissez-fare non-intervention principles. The side-effects of Capitalism were becoming starkly observable.

Issues in Free Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Issues in Free Enterprise - Essay Example Ultimately, the benefit of a megamerger will intrinsically be related to context, socio-economic factors and the impact on all relevant stakeholders affected by a merger proposal such as stockholder profits, economic base of communities, and the new capital investment plans of area impacted, technological innovation, consumer choice (Davidson 1). Matthews and Berman (1999) comment that the US social security system â€Å"was initially intended to provide financial security† (p2). However, the current system is suffering from funding challenges due to the pressures of the dedicated payroll tax system and it is estimated that by 2016 the expenses of the social security will exceed revenues (Matthews & Berman 2). This is further compounded by the reality of an aging population and lower ratio of paying workers (Matthews & Berman). Additionally, whilst the current system is not in crisis, in the long term the social security system is unsustainable (Boyberg, 2005). Moreover, the US government has borrowed and spent the accumulated surplus funds and therefore reform needs to be considered now to address the future lack of sustainability of the system going forward. Economic activity and expansion rates particularly in third world countries are changing the face of natural environmental systems and Michael posits that â€Å"human pressures on the environment are damaging the world’s biophysical and ecological systems† (Michael 2008). This argument would point in favour of the assertion that current activity is placing the earth at risk. However, on other hand some commentators argue that the earth is going through various cycles and denounce the climate change aegis as an excuse to implement politically motivated agendas (Wodak & Meyer 114). Nevertheless, it is submitted that the balance of evidence would appear to tip in favour of

Critically examine how a firms HR strategy could be its source of Essay - 1

Critically examine how a firms HR strategy could be its source of competitive advantage - Essay Example Competitive advantage, from a traditional business perspective, generally involves the tangible activities of the company such as the financial rewards from a streamlined production system or the positive service delivery performed by a shipping and receiving department. When the organisation performs a specific work-related activity better than other companies in similar marketplaces, the organisation has developed a unique competitive advantage. However, in terms of managing human resources, competitive advantage occurs simply by creating policies and workplace environments which are congruent to business and employee needs. It would seem that a satisfied staff is a staff which is motivated to provide excellence to job role function. This paper identifies the various methods by which HR policies can create competitive advantage for today’s organisations; both internally and externally. Having a streamlined system of HR management appears to provide competitive advantage from a human capital development perspective. Karami, Jones and Kakabadse (2008) suggest that attitude, stemming from management professionals at the firm, greatly impact whether a firm will develop an appropriate pool of talent. There appears to be many organisations, today, which under-utilise staff members, considering them as only vessels through which to achieve company goals. The aforementioned authors stress the importance of providing workers with new opportunities and increased job role flexibility as a means to secure psychological perceptions of staff importance toward meeting company goals. It might appear that job role flexibility and opportunities (such as advancement or job rotation) are rather common sense HR policies and procedures, however in terms of supplying a company with competitive advantage it is important to understand why