Lease versus Buy Essay

When an individual is trying to decide whether or not to lease or buy, he or she needs to know the purchase cost, the lease cost, as well as the interest rate of a loan that will be used to purchase the item. The residual value of the item also must be known up front to help determine if leasing is the better option. When determining whether to lease or buy, the cash flow for both should be compared so the best decision can be made. Below is a chart on lease vs buy. (www.smartcomputing.com; Retrieved November 6, 2006) Lease/Buy Cash Flow – Usually better from a short-term cash flow perspective. Frees up cash for other purposes while you generate income to pay the leases. You pay less overall but need to have available cash. Financing as an alternative costs more than a lease. Tax Treatment – If properly structured, a lease may give your company a larger expense write-off than a purchase. Consult your tax advisor. Depreciation write-off is based on IRS rules for the type of equipment that you are buying. Consult your tax advisor. Upgrades- Many lease companies let you upgrade to newer equipment during the term of the lease without renegotiating. If you need newer equipment, you are on your own. However, simple upgrades (RAM, hard drive, etc.) cost you only whatever the upgrade is. Equity- At the end of a lease, you don’t own the property, and you will need to replace it or buy it from the lease company.You own the equipment and can do with it whatever the needs of your business dictate. Disposal – The lessor is responsible for whatever it costs to dispose of the equipment. You are on to your next set of computers. You can use the equipment for a different purpose within your company, sell it, or pay someone to recycle it for you, but disposal is up to the owner of the equipment. The first scenario is an organization called Bonnesante Research based out of Irvine, California. Bonnesante is set up with Venture Capitalist (VC) Funding. Bonnesante major focus is asset acquisition, which is why the Chief Financial Officer has to weigh the pros and cons of leasing vs buying. Bonnesante’s is trying to determine if purchasing or leasing is the better option for a mainframe computer. I chose to lease the mainframe computer because the loan options have a higher outflow whereas the lease option of 18 months with no down payment has the lowest present value of cash outflows. Because the Mainframe would not be used through its entire economic life, it was better for the organization to lease the mainframe. If a loan was acquired to purchase the mainframe, the organization would have to record the purchase on the balance sheet and the depreciation and the interest payments would be recorded as expenses. If the organization was taxed then purchasing the mainframe would be beneficial because the depreciation and the interest payment would lower the outflows. In the second scenario Bonnesante Research is tasked with finding the best option to acquire a spectrometer. The options Bonnesante Research is faced with are: – Operating Lease – Capital Lease – Loan After evaluating all the information, buying the spectrometer would be the best option for Bonnesante. Buying the spectrometer is beneficial because it is considered to be a long term asset with no threat of becoming obsolete. The spectrometer can be used for its entire economic life. An operating lease would not be beneficial because an operating lease is considered when equipment is to be acquired on a short term basis. The capital lease was another option but was not chosen because the 60 month capital lease would have cost more in present value terms than what the loan amount would have  been to purchase the spectrometer. If the organization had cash flow issues, then the capital lease might have been a better option. Whether the company pursued a capital lease or received a loan to purchase the spectrometer, both options can be recorded on the balance sheet so the organization can reap the benefits of depreciation. The final scenario is Bonnesante Research has been in operation for 6 years and wants to acquire a manufacturing facility. Bonnesante Research already has a facility in mind but that facility will require an upgrade. Bonnesante Research has the options of a capital lease or Bonnesante can purchase the facility by obtaining a loan. Also, Bonnesante Research has to keep in mind the organization is having a cash flow crisis that needs to be resolved. The challenge Bonnesante was faced with was to acquire the facility at the lowest cost possible and to resolve the cash flow shortage. Although the buy option was more expensive than the lease option, it gave Bonnesante more flexibility to upgrade the facility and to carry out a sale and leaseback transaction. Due to the leaseback transaction, Bonnesante was able to resolve the cash flow crisis. The leaseback option was more beneficial to Bonnesante rather than the bridge loan. The bridge loan is a short-term loan with a higher interest rate compared to long term borrowing. A bridge loan would have been more costly to Bonnesante Research and the organization could not afford to go with this type of loan. A sale and leaseback is beneficial to any organization that has a cash flow shortage. Selling the asset can bring forth a large amount of cash and the organization can retain use of the asset by leasing it back hence the name sale and leaseback. The risks involved with lease vs buying depends on an organizations financial status. Whether or not an organization decides to lease or buy is determined by what option is more beneficial to the organization. An organizations attitude toward acquiring assets and financial strength all affect the decision on leasing vs buying. Whether an organization leases or buys, the organization needs to make sure the asset that is being acquired will add value to the organizations capital budget. â€Å"The advantage of computing present value considers all factors such as  inflation and forgone interest on money. That is, account must be taken of the fact that utilizing capital in ‘investing’ in equipment could result in the loss of income that would have been earned if it were invested elsewhere. To properly evaluate the alternative cash flows, it is necessary to discount them and express them in terms of their present values, to determine their net present values. In summary the Net Present Value calculation determines today’s value of future cash flows.† (www.pngbd.com Retrieved November 6, 2006). When determining when to lease vs buy, an organization should take into account the financial and non-financial issues. When considering the financial aspect, it should include the cost to acquire an asset; if there will be a tax advantage, cash flow, and the benefits to the organizations balance sheet. The non-financial issues that should be considered are asset-management and the cost to dispose of obsolete equipment. In conclusion, under certain circumstance leasing is the better way to go rather than purchasing a capital item outright and vice versa. By leasing, it gives an organization a way to acquire up-to-date equipment while maintaining cash flow. By maintaining cash flow through leasing, an organization can use the cash flow for more pertinent renovations such as office expansion or research and development. Leasing has less of an impact on an organizations budget whereas purchasing an item outright has more of an impact on an organizations budget. Overall, leasing is a way for an organization to recognize operational savings and production improvements in a timely manner. Reference: Smart Computing; Lease vs Buy; Executive Decisions; March 2004, Vol. 8 Issue 2 Page(s) 55-57. (www.smartcomputing.com) Papua New Guinea Business & Tourism; Making Capital Expenditure Decisions-Leasing vs Buying vs Borrowing; (www.pngbd.com Retrieved November 6, 2006).

The Rain Horse

Explore how Hughes gradually builds up a sense of menace in The Rain Horse. In ‘The Rain Horse', Hughes reflects his emotions of disappointment, frustration and anger through imagery phrases of threat. He uses the horse as a symbolic source of his feelings and describes them in figures of speech. The return of the young man to the farm after twelve years made him a complete a stranger to the land which he didn't accept.The narrator manages to describe how this man is disillusioned, using the metaphor â€Å"so he waited, trying to nudge the right feelings alive† – depicting his disappointment towards the land that he had not visited for so long , and this is conveyed in the following quote â€Å"This land no longer recognized him , and he looked back at it coldly† The persona seems to have a strong sense of disconnection with the land surrounding him, and he appears with unease and frustration,†felt nothing but the dullness of feeling nothing, boredom and suddenly impatience† .The narrator described well the young man's mixed feelings of discomfort and frustration by using alliteration â€Å"so old and stiff and stupid† which lead him to an ultimate anger towards himself â€Å"anger against himself for blundering into this mud-trap †. The phrase â€Å"remembered or shouted at as a trespasser – deterred him† gives the idea of how the man did not have a good history with the farmer since he is mentioned as a trespasser. The writer used the horse to strengthen the idea of the land to the young man rejection .

Financial Detective

professional users and sells them through its own technical representatives and mobile franchise dealers. The global manufacturer would be company L because they would have higher selling, general and administrative costs, in this case 38. 9 compared to 24. 8. The company with the specialized tools from mobile franchise would have higher cost of goods sold, in this case 61. 0 compared to 51. 6. Retail Both companies are large discount retailers. One company carries a wide variety of nationally advertised general merchandise.The other company is a rapidly growing chain of upscale discount stores and has partnerships with several leading designers. The company with partnerships with the designers is company M because it has intangibles of 9. 0 compared to the general merchandise discount company which has intangibles of 0. 6 making it company N. Newspapers One company is a diversified media company that generates most of its revenues through newspaper sales around the country and aroun d the world.The other company owns a number of newspapers in small communities and this company has significant goodwill on its balance sheet. Company O is the company that owns a number of newspapers as they have intangibles of 76,8 compared to company P, which is the world newspaper company and has intangibles of 37. 1. Health ProductsBeer ABCD Accounts Payable9. 82. 2Stockholders' Equity16. 572. 9 Inventory turnover3. 080. 93Current Assets11. 281. 7 Intangibles22. 246. 1Cost of Good Sold53. 938. 5 SG expense44. 546. 7Cash & ST investments1. 455. 6 SG expense17. 350. ComputersBooks & Music EFGH SG expense9. 723. 1SG expense16. 921. 8 Intangible Assets01. 2Depreciation1. 13. 7 Inventory21. 3Inventory14. 838. 6 Accounts Payable38. 318Cash & ST Investments54. 816. 2 Current Liabilities60. 933. 3Quick Ratio00. 46 Inventory Turnover13. 562. 42 PaperTools IJKL Intangibles14. 61. 9SG Expense3948. 4 Cost of Goods Sold6151. 6 Receivables Turnover18. 923. 7 RetailNewspaper MNOP Intangibles9 0. 6Intangibles76. 837. 1 Receivables Turnover24. 516. 7SG Expense2339. 7 Net Fixed Assets14. 134. 6 Stockholders' Equity62. 535. 5 Financial Detective professional users and sells them through its own technical representatives and mobile franchise dealers. The global manufacturer would be company L because they would have higher selling, general and administrative costs, in this case 38. 9 compared to 24. 8. The company with the specialized tools from mobile franchise would have higher cost of goods sold, in this case 61. 0 compared to 51. 6. Retail Both companies are large discount retailers. One company carries a wide variety of nationally advertised general merchandise.The other company is a rapidly growing chain of upscale discount stores and has partnerships with several leading designers. The company with partnerships with the designers is company M because it has intangibles of 9. 0 compared to the general merchandise discount company which has intangibles of 0. 6 making it company N. Newspapers One company is a diversified media company that generates most of its revenues through newspaper sales around the country and aroun d the world.The other company owns a number of newspapers in small communities and this company has significant goodwill on its balance sheet. Company O is the company that owns a number of newspapers as they have intangibles of 76,8 compared to company P, which is the world newspaper company and has intangibles of 37. 1. Health ProductsBeer ABCD Accounts Payable9. 82. 2Stockholders' Equity16. 572. 9 Inventory turnover3. 080. 93Current Assets11. 281. 7 Intangibles22. 246. 1Cost of Good Sold53. 938. 5 SG expense44. 546. 7Cash & ST investments1. 455. 6 SG expense17. 350. ComputersBooks & Music EFGH SG expense9. 723. 1SG expense16. 921. 8 Intangible Assets01. 2Depreciation1. 13. 7 Inventory21. 3Inventory14. 838. 6 Accounts Payable38. 318Cash & ST Investments54. 816. 2 Current Liabilities60. 933. 3Quick Ratio00. 46 Inventory Turnover13. 562. 42 PaperTools IJKL Intangibles14. 61. 9SG Expense3948. 4 Cost of Goods Sold6151. 6 Receivables Turnover18. 923. 7 RetailNewspaper MNOP Intangibles9 0. 6Intangibles76. 837. 1 Receivables Turnover24. 516. 7SG Expense2339. 7 Net Fixed Assets14. 134. 6 Stockholders' Equity62. 535. 5

Hospitality Industry. Marriott International, Inc Assignment

Hospitality Industry. Marriott International, Inc - Assignment Example Liverpool is a city on the growth path. It has seen fastest growth amongst all the key cities in Great Britain between 2002 and 2003, far in excess of regional and national rates. In cultural diversity it is home to many ethnic communities, varying from Irish, Welsh, Scots, English and different religions and countries Jewish, Muslim, Hindu; Chinese, Greek, Italian, Spanish. Even people from the Caribbean, Somalia, Yemen, the Balkans and Middle East have made Liverpool their home. (http://www.liverpool.gov.uk). This diverse conglomerate of communities creates unique opportunities for attracting a wide diaspora to converge in the city during the year 2008. Liverpool has a vibrant culture, it is the original home of pop and music is supplemented by humor, writing and performing arts. It is a port city with principal traffic to the United States. Liverpool is a major regional shopping hub. (http://www.liverpool.gov.uk). A number of international retail giants as Zara and Armani have large outlets. These will be further expanded to cater for the massive influx in 2008 from European and global tourists. Thus it has a unique advantage of being a business and culture hub of Britain. This trend is being encapsulated in the concept of Capital of Culture. The central focus is on, The World in One City. The supporting themes are Create, Participate and Regenerate to be progressed by the vision of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. All this is within the overall culture strategy of the Liverpool City Council. (http://www.liverpool08.com). ... (http://www.liverpool08.com). The underlying themes of recreating history, reflecting the present and projecting the future can also be encapsulated in Marriot's philosophy of exploiting the past to sustain profits for the present and beyond. Liverpool Culture Company has been set up with a Chief Executive and a Board to manage promotion and oversee implementation of the Liverpool Capital of Culture. This will provide government and agency support for the project. The assured support of all agencies will enable its successful implementation. (http://www.liverpool08.com). Liverpool's bid for the project had been endorsed by the entire North Western Region, to include North West Development Agency, North West Arts Board, North West Sports Board, Sport England North West, the North West Tourist Board and the North West Cultural Consortium. (http://www.liverpool08.com). Marriott's culture of associate support and customer excellence will enable it to place itself in the forefront of Liverpool's successful management of the primary event, Capital of Culture in 2008. Since there is total commitment of city authorities including the Liverpool Culture Company and regional organizations, this offers synergy in implementation, which can also be exploited by Marriot affiliating with local authorities to sustain growth. Marriot has properties in Liverpool and Manchester. These can be networked to generate additional revenue during the Year 2008, as availability of hotel accommodation in Liverpool per se is likely to be at a premium. Proposed Strategic Response Marriot is essentially seen as a company focused in the United States with a network of properties in other countries. Europe receives maximum tourists every year.

What Impact Does Technology Laws Have On Business In America Essay

What Impact Does Technology Laws Have On Business In America - Essay Example (Techtheory, 2012). The frontier of technology has been clouded by businesses since forever. Anything that can speed up production, make it more efficient and bring home more profits will fish in increased business. Technology brought with it a change in the system, for example online air-ticket bookings, ATMs and so forth (Winston 2011). The opulent past eras together with the nowadays growing anxiety of technical transformation would suggest that there is a detailed scholarly reflection on the relationship between decree and technical know-how. Though, such is not inevitably the situation. Most academic researches on law and technical expertise can be responsive to anxieties engulfing a certain machine or technically arbitrated goings-on. This conventional grant resides in a rationally constricted border of location related with safeguarding a required upcoming finished law as a tool of communal procedure the scholar-lawyer’s task is primitively expressive and graphic in thi s case; it comprises the documentation of the ‘concerns’, ‘ambiguities’ as well as the ‘holes’ which need to be taken care of by decree-makers and lawmakers. This conference targets to contest this conventional strategy. (Techtheory, 2012). ... ysver 2010) Technology plays a major role in changing the interaction of lawyers with the clients along with changing the ways through which advertisement is done. It is a primordial form of regulations that guards innovative designs, imaginative practices of communication, findings, creations and secrets of trade. Law of this framework is upheld on the notion which is there to encourage creativity, and thus people accountable for unearthing and advances in sciences deserve to be compensated for their efforts put in for start-ups and break-through. Trifling ventures, too, have now come to be much easily started up with the help via the Internet. Even stay-at-home housewives who believe that they are able to make exceptional bakery items can now find it easier to market them over the World Wide Web and transport them to their customer base. Of course it is not as easily done as said. Any transaction steered online has to consider the issue of copyright, privacy and security. The compe nsations are some degree of dominations rendered by patent and copyright laws. A person is shamefaced of infringement of copyright if any one out of the five exclusively selected privileges provided to copyright proprietors is violated, under the Copyright Act. Copyright concerns; domain name concerns; trademark concerns; defamation; and linking and framing. In those privileges are included the right to prevention of reproduction of product (or work) by others, public display of a product, or distribution of a product (Tsyver, Patent law in the United States 2010). Nowadays, courts all over the globe are pressing hard to bring about the creation of Internet Laws- a process that is anticipated as well as dreaded at the same time. These laws are considered necessary because there are no past

Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Commerce - Essay Example In contrast, sole proprietorships and general partnerships offer no shield or protection against personal liability and creditors can satisfy liabilities from personal assets of the owner(s). For instance, in the case of Walmart, they offer shares to be purchased as a benefit to their associates. If an associate chooses to invest their money in stock purchases and Walmart becomes severely devalued or goes out of business all together, the associates that invested to purchase stocks will not be held responsible for any outstanding debts of the company. However, in order to avoid risks due to small invested capital, creditors may require personal guarantees from owners of the incorporations. As shareholder entities have separate legal existence, personal liability protection is a major benefit for owners of small and medium incorporated businesses. New shareholders and investors can be easily attracted if their personal assets are protection is guaranteed, increasing the investment pool. The investors willing to remain passive are not responsible for managerial activities of the active shareholders. The corporate legal person has infinite life span, and management changes such as resignation, retirement or death of corporate personnel has no affect over the entire existence or continuity of incorporations. Separate legal personality of firms provides shareholders with liberty to choose the tax treatment according to their investment projects. Transaction costs and operational risks to owners are reduced through existence of a legal framework. The investor does not have to pay taxes on the profits of the company; only on the share that they receive in dividends which are taxed at a lower rate. The taxes that are paid on profits are the responsibility of the company. Other taxation benefits of incorporation are that once incorporated, many additional items of expenditure become tax deductible. For example medical expenses,

Civil Right Act of 1964 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Civil Right Act of 1964 - Research Paper Example 1. The first reason is the employer changing the terms of employment contract like the cases of deliberate cuts in payment, status or working hours 2. The second ground of a constructive discharge claim requires the breaching of contract by the employer in the form of bullying or ignoring complaints. 3. The third ground is the breaching of such rules which results to inequitable industrial practice. According to the constructive discharge act an individual is a prospective claimant of constructive discharge if the individual gives notice to the employer due to the reason of insufferable stressful and unpleasant work situation or due to the inequitable treatment met to the individual by the superiors or a co worker. When an employee resigns under such circumstances it is not considered by the law as a free will resignation but it is considered that the employer forcibly coerced the employee into resigning from the job. Here the employee files a case for constructive discharge because there is disagreement and clash of opinions. The conclusion that is reached by the erstwhile employee and complainant is that he/she has been forced to work on religious holy days, ans the working days have changed from former 5 day week to seven day week that working under this kind of environment is a type of harassment meted out by the company’s owners. According to the UK Equal Pay act of 1970 the law states that it is unlawful if discrimination in an organization occurs on the basis of remuneration or benefits that are provided to men and women employees. The act of Equal Pay of 1970 comes under the Act of Equal Opportunities Mr CEO Sir, in this case scenario it is seen that during third week as the elementary division manager, the company attorney notifies that a former employee has filed a case against the company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, constructive discharge, after changes have been instituted in the work schedule. The employee, who quit afte r the policy change took effect, is alleging that the enforcement of the company’s new policy on shift work is discriminatory because the policy requires employees to work on a religious holy day. In the past, production employees worked Monday through Friday. As a result of company growth, the production schedule was changed at the beginning of the New Year, requiring employees to work 12-hour shifts with four days at work and then after working four days is given our days off. Now, the four work days can occur any day of the week, Mondays through Sundays. The entire production staff is required to work this rotating shift. However, office staff members, work between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. This changed work schedule does not meet the approval of the said complainant as now he/she would even have to work on Sundays if part of 4 day working schedule. She claims this new policy as discriminatory and intending to place curbs or restrictions on employee holiday on a Sunday. . â€Å"

Reflective Journaling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective Journaling - Essay Example me a sense and meaning of the information being presented, yet, engaging in activities based on that information does further strengthen my grasp and insight into what is being taught. It is the practical application of the grasped information and facts that brings in an element of conviction in the overall learning outcome. Hence, I do happen to adhere to an adaptive learning style. I have realized through experience that the greater the extent of senses and learning faculties involved in a learning situation, the better rends to be the learning outcome (Wills, 2005, p. 14). Thereby, I did make an effort to gain a measure of proficiency in all types of learning styles. To be able to adapt to varied teaching and management styles, it is important for an individual to develop a measure of competency in different types of learning styles and approaches. Sticking to a single learning or management styles does hamper learning. This is because in the practical life one is bound to come across superiors, colleagues and subordinates who are comfortable with one or other different types of communication and management styles. It is a fact that every person happens to be more at home with certain specific teaching and management styles. However, a proactive approach towards gaining proficiency in various types of learning styles enhances the learning experiences one comes across. This allows a learner to coordinate with a teacher or a superior disseminating information and instructions using a specific style and approach and to adapt the insights so gained into a compatible form and format For instance if a teacher lectures a visual learner, such a learner can grasp and preserve the information being conveyed in a verbal format by translating it into visual formats like mind maps (Bulkeley, 2004, p. 80). The same can be done by a visual learner in a professional environment where the boss is used to verbal communication. Going by the fact that I am an individual with a

Impact of Technology on Individuals and Society Essay

Impact of Technology on Individuals and Society - Essay Example Since human beings apply technology in everyday life, it has led to the emergence of impacts to individuals as well as society. Such impacts have been either positive or negative and have had a significant influence in human life. Therefore, the paper discusses such impacts in detail and thus enlightening society and individuals. With the inventions and innovations of social sites, individuals learn more about different people with relation to culture, practices, and religion of individuals in the environment. For instance, individuals can learn about Chinese culture, Indian culture, or even Japanese cultural practices without having to visit such geographical regions or have face-to-face communication with people from those cultures (Benchmann, Decker, Fiedeler & Krings 2). This knowledge enhances understanding and peaceful coexistence among individuals. The introduction of new and advanced technologies such as telephones, internet, TVs, Radios have ease communication and made it effective irrespective of distance or time barriers. Individuals now efficiently communicate with one another through emails, Facebook, Google+, phone calls, as well as short message services (Hollon 1). Moreover, technology has enabled individuals to share ideas, information, and news very quickly with little effort as compared to the older times. This has made life simple, easier, and enjoyable due to lack of communication stresses. The invention and adoption of technological tools, software and machines such as computers, the internet and search engines like Yahoo and Google have created opportunities for learning (Hollon 1). As compared to the olden days, an individual in the contemporary world finds learning easier and simpler due to the presence of internet search engines. For example, students can now conduct research on any topic by searching for information pertaining to the

Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens Essay Belle says: Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so Dickens shows that they were content when they were poor. You are changed. When it was made you were another man. Dickens shows that since Scrooge has got wealthy he has changed. Dickens uses Italics on are to show that Belle is very certain that Scrooge has changed. Belle continues saying that Scrooge has changed and also that he was different when he was poor. Dickens uses this to show Scrooge how he has changed and that he was different before. Belle also says: But if you were free today Can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl-you who in your very confidence with her, weigh everything by Gain Dickens uses this sentence to show that Scrooge would not be with Belle if she wasnt rich. Belle then says, A very, very brief time, and you will dismiss the recollection of it gladly, as an unprofitable dream This implies that because this event isnt profitable, Scrooge will forget about it quickly and From which it happened well that you awoke. Implies that he thinks it is good that he can forget about it leave it without any loss. The second incident involves 3 people trading Scrooges belongings after he is dead in the 4 stave. Firstly Dickens describes the narrow, haunted streets that the ghost takes Scrooge by using adjectives such as, Naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly. Dickens uses many adjectives at a time throughout this book to help better describe the scene. He is persuading the reader that where the ghost and Scrooge are visiting isnt pleasant. Dickens describes the shop as, Den of, infamous resort, there was a lowbrowed, beetling shop below a penthouse roof, where iron, old rags, bottles, bones, and greasy offal were bought. Objects in which we would not really want to purchase and these objects imply hideousness into the scene. Dickens keeps the reader guessing because the conversation the three people are having starts off by not telling too much information and shows that this affair is frequent in occurrence. The woman gives a clue to the reader by saying, Thats enough. Whos the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Not a dead man, I suppose? Immediately the reader figures out that these people are talking about a dead man. The woman describes the dead man as a Wicked old screw. The reader gets a little bit more information on who the dead man is and dickens uses these techniques to keep the reader guessing. The people are sarcastic and cold; these features make the reader despise these people. The woman says something that provokes scrooge into thinking that they could be talking about him, This is the end of it, you see! He frightened everyone away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead! There is irony here because it shows all the money Scrooge greedily gathered was of no purpose or use because he is dead. Scrooge starts to realize that they could be talking about him. My third incident is where the ghost takes Scrooge to the graveyard and shown his own tombstone, this incident is also in the fourth stave. Dickens starts describing the graveyard by calling it A worthy place which is ironic because this graveyard is not looked after and is a place where people are buried and then forgotten. Dickens carries on describing it: Walled in by houses; choked up with too much burying; fat with repleted appetite. A worthy place. Again Dickens describes it as A worthy place and describing the graveyard as an unvisited place. Dickens shows that Scrooge wasnt looked after well and just forgotten after he died. Dickens starts to create tension: Scrooge crept towards it, trembling The reader is caught up in the tension reading on to find out whos name is on the tombstone. Dickens still describes everything: Neglected grave Suddenly Scrooge realizes everything and is showing despair: Am I that man who lay upon the bed? he cried upon his knees. He is desperate and shocks the ghost: Tight clutching at its robe Scrooge begins to show signs of change and declares: I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. Dickens uses language brilliantly by Scrooge saying that he Will honour and also that he Will live He is making a strong statement that he will change. In a desperate plea he asks the Ghost, Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone! Dickens still is creating tension and is further showing Scrooges anxiety: In his agony Dickens creates a tension cliffhanger and leaves the reader guessing and wondering, has Scrooge been saved? In my conclusion this novel is a masterpiece in which Charles Dickens creates a simple story that is easy to understand and follow. Dickens uses many adjectives in one go to best describe an object. He creates a great amount of tension in this book and manages to keep the story warm and exciting. His clever use of language ensures the reader is always kept guessing but interested.

TTX and Genotoxicity of Diodon Hystrix Organs

TTX and Genotoxicity of Diodon Hystrix Organs Identification of TTX and Genotoxicity of Diodon hystrix Organs Adwaid Manu K, Vignesh M., Riven Chocalingum Abstract Tetrodotoxin is alkaloid based aquatic toxins. These toxins are one of the most potent non-proteinaceous toxins as well as the best-known marine natural toxins. Diodon hystrix (porcupine fish) were collected from Chennai costal region and dissected under sterile conditions to obtain: liver, skin, gonads, intestine, eyes and kidney. 20g of each organ was macerated in 200ml of Methanol:Acetic Acid [99:1]. The filtrate is then condensed in Rota-Vaccum evaporator to obtain crude extract. The focus of this study is to confirm the presence of TTX (Tetrodotoxin) in six different organs of Diodon hystrix. Analytical techniques used were GC-MS and UV spectroscopy. Also, genotoxicity of the crude extract were analysed using human leukocyte culture and SCE assay using onion root tips. The results suggest the presence of TTX in major skin, liver and intestine and that, the organ extract does not have any genotoxic effect but is capable of increasing the sister chromatid exchange. Key Words: TTX, Diodon hystrix, genotoxicity, root tip assay. Introduction Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a very powerful alkaloid neurotoxin that is non-proteinacious in nature. TTX can withstand very high temperature and is water soluble but is affected by extreme pH conditions, i.e., above 8.5 and below 3.0 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. These properties make it a dangerous toxin capable to interact best with its environment [1, 2, 5]. It is found in both aquatic as well as terrestrial organisms and studies have proven that it is synthesized by symbiotic microorganisms, bacteria precisely, present in the gut, initially acquired through the food chain or found on the skin of the animals but its biosynthesis pathway is still unknown [ 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8]. TTX acts as an ion pore blocker, binding to site 1 sodium channel receptor of the axon membrane thus inhibiting the influx of sodium ions and therefore leading to the blockage of action potentials [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. TTX is ten thousand times poisonous than cyanide and one of the most fatal poisons on Earth. The LD50 is approximately 0.2ÃŽ ¼g when injected in mice [2, 5]. On the other hand, along with the lethal characteristics, clinical trials and research studies have demonstrated that TTX has remarkable therapeutic properties as an analgesic in cancer treatment process [2]. Puffer fish belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, had been identified to be the cause of many mortalities due to food poisoning as a result of TTX intoxication. In many countries such as Japan and China, puffer fish is regarded as a food delicacy provided that it is prepared by a licensed and well experienced chef but some cases of poisoning still prevail [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. It has been reported that only a very low dose of TTX in blood is adequate for an immediate impact on the host [5]. Studies have concluded that the most toxic organs of the puffer fish are the liver followed by the intestine and then the skin and ovary. In addition to that, TTX is also found in low concentration in other organs such as the eyes and muscles [3, 5, 8, 10]. The study is focused on Diodon hystrix which is a type of puffer fish belonging to the class Diodontidae and it is also known as Porcupinefish because of the sharp needle-like structures covering its entire body as a defense mechanism against predators. Presence of TTX has been reported in Diodon hystrix around the world [2, 4, 5] but studies on this animal from the sea of the eastern coast of India that is the Bay of Bengal is yet to be reported. The aim of this research is to identify TTX in the crude extract from Diodon hystrix collected from Chennai Coastal line and to investigate the Genotoxicity of the crude extract from respective organs using human leukocyte culture and onion root tips. Materials and methods Sample collection The puffer fish was collected from the coastal lines of marina beach, Chennai in early July 2014. The identification of the puffer fish was done by visual comparison with an online fish database www.fishbase.org. The database parameters were set accordingly to sample collection site and the possible species available in Bay-of-Bengal region with the matching morphology were only two types of Diodon sp.. Out of which Diodon hystrix had the closest match, based on the skin coloration pattern. Organ separation and extraction process The collected puffer fish were dissected and visceral organs like liver, intestine, kidney, eye, and skin were removed and organs were weighed. The isolation for the tetrodotoxin[3] include from the samples 10 grams of organs were taken and Then suspended in 100ml of three volume of 1% acetic acid in methanol without damaging the tissues then the whole materials were in the Refrigerator for 24 hours at a sterile condition, as an incubation period In the next step the tissue were macerated in a mortar and pestle gently, if the tissues get dried up add required volume of the chilled ethanol if needed. Then the slurry were filtered by using whatman no. 1 filter paper. Then the filtrate solutions were centrifuged at 12000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4 degree Celsius. Then the supernatant were separated and lastly the samples were concentrated by using lyophilisation to obtain crude extracts for our purpose of study Dragendorff’s test To identify the presence of alkaloids [10] to 2mg of crude extracts 5ml of distilled water were added and then 2M hydrochloric acid was added until an acid reaction occurs. To this 1 ml of Dragendorff’s reagent was added. Formation of orange or orange red precipitate indicates the presence of alkaloids GasChromatography-Mass Spectrometry Gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS)[8][11][12]forms an effective combination for Chemical analysis. GC-MS analysis were an indirect method to detect TTX in a crude extract, which was difficult to purify in other advanced analysis methods. In this method, we dissolved TTX and its derivatives in 2 ml of 3 M NaOH and heated in a boiling water bath for 30 min. After cooling to room temperature, the alkaline solution of decomposed compounds was adjusted to pH 4.0 with 1N HCl and the resulting mixture was chromatographed on a Sep- Pak C18 cartridge (Waters). After washing with H2O first and then 10% MeOH, 100% MeOH fraction were collected and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. To the resulting residue, a mixture of N, O-bis acetamide, trimethylchlorosilane and pyridine (2: 1: 1) was added to generate trimethylsilyl (TMS) ‘‘C9-base’’ compounds. The derivatives were then placed in a Hewlett Packard gas chromatograph (HP-5890-II) equipped with a mass spectrometer (AutoSpec, Micromass Inc., UK). A column (φ 0.25 mm Ãâ€" 250 cm) of UB-5 was used, and the column temperature is increased from 180 to 250 °C at the rate of 5 or 8 °C/min . The flow rate of inlet helium carrier gas were maintained at 20 ml/min. The ionizing voltage is generally maintained at 70 eV with the ion source temperature at 200 °C. Scanning was performed in the mass range of m/z 40–600 at 3s intervals. The total ion chromatogram (TIC) and the fragment ion chromatogram (FIC) were selectively monitored. Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy In UV spectroscopy, TTX was generally determined by irradiating a crude toxin with UV light [11][12]. A small amount of samples were dissolved in 2 ml of 2 M NaOH and heated in a boiling water bath for 45 min. After cooling to room temperature, samples were examined in UV spectrum and results were observed in the range 270nm to 280nm. Genotoxicity Human Leukocyte Culture Chromosome preparations were obtained from PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes[14][15]. To the fresh tubes 5ml of Hikaryo XL RPMI ready-mix media and 0.5ml of heparinized Blood (50drops) were added and the contents were mixed gently by shaking. Then Incubated for 72 hours in standing position in an incubator. At the end of 48th hour of incubation, the culture was treated with TTX (0.5ug/ml) (10ul/ 5ml of culture) and again kept it in incubator for another 24 hours. At the end of 24th hour incubation, the culture was thoroughly washed by centrifuging the content at 1500rpm for 5 minutes, discard the supernatant and add 5ml of RPMI 1640 medium. To the content 60 microliter of colchicine was added and tubes were kept for 20 minutes incubation in incubator at 37oC and the content was centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 10 minutes after incubation. The supernatant was removed and 6ml of pre-warmed 0.075M hypotonic solution was added. The content was mixed using a Pasteur pipette and incub ated at 37 oC in incubator for 6 minutes. After incubation the content tube was centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 5 minutes. The supernatant was discarded and 6ml of Carnoy’s fixative was added and mixed vigorously. After fixation the content was kept in room temperature for 1-2 hours. The content was again centrifuged at 1500 rpm and supernatant was removed and this step was continued until pellet becomes white. For the preparation of slides the new slides were first refrigerated and then cell button mix was dropped over the slides and dried immediately on a hot plate, and then was kept in an incubator for proper drying. The slides were then placed in a coplin jar containing Giemsa staining for 4 minutes and destained in a coplin jar containing distilled water for 1 minute. The slides were dried and then viewed under microscope for stained chromosome. . The slides were then viewed under 100X power under oil immersion objective of the microscope to analyze the chromosome aberration s. Onion Root Tip SCE Assay The onion root tips[1], 2-3 cm long, were soaked in 100  µM 5-bromodeoxy uridine (BrdUrd) for almost 20 h followed by 1 hour treatment with the crude extract After a brief wash, the roots were allowed to grow for another round in growing media. The treatments were terminated by washing the roots with distilled water and then 0.05% Colchicine was added then incubated for 2.5 h. Roots were washed, excised and fixed in Carnoy’s fixative, for 1-3hrs and preserved at 4 °C. The roots were processed using cytology methods for SCE analysis.. The roots were then hydrolysed in 5 N HCI at 25 °C for 92 min and stained with haematoxylin for at least 2hrs. The stained root[16] were washed in distilled water, squashed in a drop of 45% acetic acid and tapped for metaphase chromosome separation under coverslips. Tap water controls were included in the assay. The slides were observed at 100X magnification in oil immersion using light microscope RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Dragendorff’s test Fig 1: Showing result of sample after Dragendorff’s test The alkaloids present in the puffer fish was precipitated as a complex formation by dragendorff’s reagent. Dragendorff’s test results showed very high precipitation in skin and intestine, high precipitation in liver and very low precipitation or almost no precipitation was observed in kidney, gonads and eye. Gas-Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Characteristic peak was observed at retention time 8.33 and 8.66 in liver, intestine and skin after performing alkaline treatment and there was no characteristic peak observed in kidney, eyes and gonads. After boiling of samples which contain TTX in alkaline solution (NaOH) the compound TTX present gets reduced to C9 base TMS (trimethysilyl). It is noteworthy that each peak of selected ion monitored at m/z = 376, 392 and 407 appears at the same retention time in the Selected ion-monitored mass chromatogram of the TMS derivatives of alkali-hydrolyzed. From samples of liver, kidney and intestine, mass fragments of ion peaks was observed at ion M/z 376, 392 and 407, which are characteristic of the quinazoline skeleton (C9 base), which was almost similar as those from the TMS-C9 Base derived authentic TTX Fig 2: Showing GC-MS spectrum of the TMS derivatives of alkali-hydrolysed toxin from Diodon hystrix UV-spectroscopy In UV analysis method characteristic peaks were observed in all samples. Shoulder peak was observed in liver, intestine and skin, Declining and Inclining Peaks were observed in kidney, eyes and gonads. The UV spectrum is analyzed for the characteristic of absorptions, associated with C9-base .The shoulder peaks were observed at 276 nm indicates the formation of C-9 base which were specific to TTX or related substances. Fig 3: Showing chart of UV-spectroscopy of the crude extract from various organs of Diodon hystrix, peak at 276nm indicating the presence of TTX. Genotoxicity Human Leukocyte Assay Metaphase plates were obtained while observing under 100X magnification in oil immersion using light microscope. It has been observed in all the samples that there were no chromosomal aberration that is structural or numerical chromosomal modification were not observed. From this result, it can be reported that the crude extract from Diodon hystrix has no clastogenic (breakage of chromosome) or aneugenic (change in chromosomal number) effects. Fig4(left): Showing metaphase plate from control leukocytes. Fig5(right):  Showing metaphase plate from crude extract leukocytes. Onion Root Tip SCE Assay The Sister Chromatid Exchange (SCE) assay has been reported to be one of the most sensitive short-term genotoxicity assays because of its capability to identify genotoxins at very low doses (Tucker et al.1993). It has been observed that the crude extract from Skin and intestine enhanced SCE significantly over the control while the Liver, Eye, Gonads and Kidney have very low effects. Therefore it can be put forth that the crude extract from skin and intestine interfere to a great deal with the SCE and further studies need to be carried out. Fig6(left) : Showing result of SCE in control onion root tip. Fig7(right): Showing result of SCE in crude extract root tip. Conclusion: From the study, it can be reported that Diodon hystrix from the eastern coastal region of India, observed to have accumulated TTX in its organs. Thus it can be toxic when ingested and even lethal to the predators. Nevertheless further studies should be carried out on this fish to confirm the presence of a homologue of TTX and obtain a purified sample of the TTX. References: Samanta S.Khora, Kamal K.Panda and Brahma B.Panda (1997): Genotoxicity of tetrodotoxin from puffer fish tested in root meristem cells of Allium cepa L. Mutagenesis vol.12 no.4 pp.265-269 Keyvan Mirbakhsh, Ulf Gà ¶ransson: Tetrodotoxin – evolutionary selection and pain relief Course in Biological Active Natural Products in Drug discovery A8/C, 5p. Distanse course – Fall 2004 Department of Medicinal Chemistry Division of Pharmacognosy Uppsala University. Firoz Ahmed, Aamir Javed, Anup Baranwal, Annu Kumari, Farnaz Mozafari Parvathi Chandrappa (2013):EXTRACTION OF TETRODOTOXIN FROM PUFFER FISH, DIODON LITUROSUS FROM SOUTH ANDAMAN SEA. G.J B.A.H.S., Vol.2 (2) 2013:58-6, ISSN: 2319 – 5584. Teetske F. Van Gorcum, Max Janse, Marianne E.C. Leenders, Irma de Vries, Jan Meulenbelt (2006): Intoxication following minor stabs from the spines of a porcupine fish clinical. Toxicology , 2006, 44(4) p. 391- 393. Vaishali Bane, Mary Lehane, Madhurima Dikshit, Alan O’Riordan and Ambrose Furey (2014): Tetrodotoxin: Chemistry, Toxicity, Source, Distribution and Detection. Toxins 2014, 6, 693-755, ISSN 2072-6651. Bragadeeswaran S, Therasa D, Prabhu K, Kathiresan K (2010): Biomedical and pharmacological potential of tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria isolated from marine pufferfish Arothron hispidus (Muller, 1841). The Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases ISSN 1678-9199 | 2010 | volume 16 | issue 3 | pages 421-431. J. S. OliveiraI; O. R. Pires JuniorII; R. A. V. MoralesII, III; C. Bloch JuniorIII; C. A. SchwartzII; J. C. FreitasI (2003): Toxicity of puffer fish two species (Lagocephalus laevigatus, linaeus 1766 and Sphoeroides spengleri, Bloch 1785) from the Southeastern Brazilian coast. J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis vol.9 no.1 Botucatu 2003, ISSN 1678-9199. Tamao Noguchi, Kazue Onuki and Osamu Arakawa (2011): Tetrodotoxin Poisoning Due to Pufferfish and Gastropods, and Their Intoxication Mechanism. International Scholarly Research Network ISRN Toxicology Volume 2011, Article ID 276939, 10 pages. Niharika Mandal, Soumya Jal, K. Mohanapriya and S. S. Khora (2013): Assessment of toxicity in puffer fish (Lagocephalus lunaris) from South Indian coast. African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology Vol. 7(30), pp. 2146-2156, ISSN 1996-0816 Md. Moyen Uddin Pk, Rumana Pervin, Dr.Yearul Kabir, Dr. Nurul Absar (2013): PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF SECONDARY METABOLITES AND BRINE SHRIMP LETHALITY BIOASSAY OF WARM-WATER EXTRACT OF PUFFER FISH ORGANS TISSUES, TETRAODON CUTCUTIA, AVAILABLE IN BANGLADESH. Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research 2 (5) 2013, 14-18, ISSN: 2279 – 0594 Nagashima, Y., J. Maruyama, T. Noguchi andK. Hashimoto (1987) Analysis of paralyticshellfish poison and tetrodotoxin by ionpairing high performance liquid chromatography.Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 53:1 819-8 Nakamura, M. and T, Yasumoto (1985)Tetrodotoxin derivatives in puffer fish.Toxicon 23: 271-273 Myoung Ja Lee,Dong-Youn Jeong, Woo-Seong Kim,Hyun-Dae Kim,Cheorl-Ho Kim,Won-Whan Park,Yong-Ha Park,Kyung –Sam Kim,Hyung-Min Kim and Dong –Soo Kim(2000) A tetratoxin –producing Vibrio Strain ,LM-1 from the puffer fish Fugu vermicularisradiates.Appl.Environ.Micribial.Vol.66 no 4 1698-1701 Moorhead, P.S., P.C. Nowell, W.J. Mellman, D.N. Batipps and D.A.Hungerford: Chromosome preparations of leucocytes cultures fromhuman peripheral blood. Exp. Cell. Res., 20, 613-616 (1960). Hungerford, D.A., 1965. Leukocytes cultured fromsmall inocula of whole blood and the preparationof metaphase chromosomes by treatment with Hypotonic KCl. Stain Technol., 40: 333-338. Perry, P. and S. Wolff: New giemsa method for differential staining of sisterchromatids. Nature, 251, 156-158 (1974).

Why Dont Girls Choose Science :: essays papers

Why Dont Girls Choose Science Issues Essay: Why Don’t Girls Choose Science? In South Australia in 1983 less than one-third of students studying physics at matriculation level were girls (Robottom, 1986). Sixteen years later, in 1999, girls still only made up 35% of students studying physics at the matriculation level (SSABSA, 1999). Despite all the advances for women in modern society it seems that there is still an issue of concern in that of girls participation and achievement in science. Adamson, Foster, Roark & Reed (1998) suggests that the gender gap in science appears to widen with development so much so that there is concern that women are being underrepresented in some science fields. It is suggested that due to the role science and technology plays in all of our lives today it is not only a concern that women are limiting their career options, but also that they are not getting the opportunity to take part in the planning and decision-making processes that occur in areas which affect all citizens (Johnston, 1984). Indeed, Andre, Whigham, Hen drickson & Chambers (1999), have found that secondary school girls have lower persistence and enrolment in the physical science pipeline, which of course leads to women having lower participation in physical science careers. Recently O’Brien, Martinez-Pons & Kopala (1999) reported that gender could directly predict students’ career interests in the science and engineering fields, leaving no question as to whether gender was an issue when choosing science subject. It is thought that the critical moment for girls arises when they have a choice as to whether to do science or not (Robottom, 1986) and it is at this point the gender differences really become noticeable. Studies have revealed that girls were choosing to do language, arts or biology, whereas boys were choosing to do physical science courses (Farenga & Joyce, 1999) and it seems that there is no biological basis that can account for this low achievement and representation of girls in physical science (Johnston, 1984). This viewed in the light of the fact that it has been shown that the school plays a major role in the performance and attitudes of girls to science (Johnston, 1984) must prompt all teachers to examine what they may be doing to contribute to this problem and what they may be able to do to encourage girls to become involved in science, particularly the physical sciences.

Global Warming Endangers the Lives of Grizzly Bears :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Global Warming Endangers the Lives of Grizzly Bears There are less then 1000 grizzly bears left in the lower 48 United States, around 400 of them live in Yellowstone National Park. These endangered, and beautiful bears, are threatened by many factors, most significantly the fragmentation of their habitat by roads. The latest threat to this species is the Global Warming trend that is threatening the White Bark Pine Tree, which is very important to the grizzly bear diet. Grizzly bears need to eat a great deal of fat in the fall in order to prepare for hibernation. Female grizzlies who don't get enough fat may develop fertility problems. White Bark Pine trees produce pine nuts that are considered to be the grizzly bears favorite food and provide up to 40% of the fat they need. Global Warming threatens the White Bark Pine in two ways. First it reduces the area in which the trees can grow. They depend on a cool, alpine habitat, so as the climate warms they are forced to grow higher on the mountains. Since mountains are conical the higher they go, the less space there is for them to grow. Second, the warming climate creates fog banks in which European Blister Rust thrives. European Blister Rust is a plant disease that was accidentally introduced into the Pacific Northwest in 1906. Blister Rust girdles the infected tree, eventually killing it. Since the introduction of this disease more than 98% of White Bark Pine stands in the northwest have been destroyed. In recent years Blister Rust has been noted getting closer and closer to Yellowstone Park. White Bark Pine stands in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta and Blackfoot Reservation, Montana have suffered serious declines. Nearly 30% of the White Bark Pines in these areas have been killed and more than 70% of the remaining, living trees are infected. In the past five years Blister Rust has been seen in Gallatin National Forest, just south of Yellowstone, where Yellowstone grizzlies often forage for food. How does this threat to the White Bark Pine Tree also threaten Grizzly Bears? In two ways. First since the White Bark Pine Tree provides as much as 40% of the fat requirement of grizzlies, the loss of the White Bark Pine directly threatens the fertility of female grizzlies. With only 400 grizzlies living in an isolated pocket around Yellowstone Park, a threat to their fertility is a grave threat to their very existence.

What Accounts For The Stability of the Tokugawa Regime? :: essays research papers fc

What Accounts for the Stability of the Tokugawa Regime?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first half of the Seventeenth century, the regime perfected by Ieyasu Tokugawa and his successors was based on the accepted system of daimyà ´ domains which Nobunaga and Hideyoshi had been developing prior to Ieyasu’s rule. It was thus basically feudal in structure, but it represented a highly organised and stable stage of feudalism, unlike Europe ever experienced. The reasons for the stability of such a regime are quite numerous, and demonstrate the bakufu government’s capability of maintaining a time of peace for the better part of two centuries. They maintained this peaceful era by the strict regulation of the other powers of Japan, and thus there own influence was an omnipresent force throughout the nation. After the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, by which Ieyasu’s total control of Japan was attained, in order to achieve quick stability, as stated, he made use of the thoroughly familiar Daimyà ´ System. Upon achieving this rapid yet superficial form of stability, he endeavoured to make various improvements so as to solidify the permanence of his own power, and subsequently Tokugawa rule in general. This first method which he adopted to secure his position was by the division of land post-Sekigahara. The shà ´gun reserved for themselves a huge realm consisting of a quarter of the agricultural land of the country, located largely around their Kanto headquarters in Edo and the old capital region around Kyoto, but also including all the major Japanese cities, ports and mines. The other three quarters of the land was divided between three types of daimyà ´. Firstly, there were the ‘related’ daimyà ´ which consisted of various branches of the Tokugawa family, most notably the three large domains of Wakayama, Mito and Nagoya. Then there were the many fudai (‘hereditary’) daimyà ´, who had been Ieyasu’s vassals pre 1600, with their rather small fiefs in central Japan. Finally there were the tozama, who, during the battle of Sekigahara, had either been Ieyasu’s enemies or powerful allies and still posed a threat to his rule. These tozama held relatively large fiefs at the western and northern ends of the islands, far form the strategically important central part of the country. Thus the Tokugawa coalition of shà ´gun, ‘related’ daimyà ´, and ‘hereditary’ daimyà ´ (both of which were loyal to the shà ´gun), held well over half the agricultural land and virtually all the central and most strategic regions, and so any potential threat to Tokugawa rule was minimised.

Jasper Jones Essay

Jasper jones is intriguing novel by Craig Silvey it revolves around the mysterious death the mayors daughter Laura Whishhart (jaspers girlfriend). Whose brutally abused body is found hanging from a tree in a clearing that has been adopted by jasper jones? And who has bad reputation due to his race and the fact that he has to to steal in order to survive due to the lack of parents. So jasper enlist the help of Charlie Bucktin an intelligent teenager to help hide Lauras body and get to the bottom of this alleged murder. Jasper is forced to to hide her body instead of giving her a proper funeral as the residents who reside in Corrigan are ignorant, hypocritical, narrow-minded, racist people who fail to give jasper a fair judgement of character. They blame all their troubles on jasper and any immigrants that come to live in there town, more specifically the Lu family although the town seem to accept both Jeffrey and jasper when it comes to sports as there the towns best athletes at cricket and football the only thing that keeps jasper going is his resilience to find a way through life. Craig uses a large variety of conventions to engage the reader and ensure a clear understanding of the message he wants get across. Throughout the novel jasper is repeatedly used as a scape goat by the residents of Corrigan. The kids frequently use him to get out of trouble as his parents will not pass punishment as long as there children say that they were with jasper jones or even tie the issue back to him. The adult blame him for everything as well if something goes missing it’s immediately jaspers fault or when the post office burnt down, there’s an unfortunate accident or something is found broken people will still blame jasper weather there is or isn’t any evidence to show it was him. The quotes â€Å"Jasper Jones has a terrible reputation in Corrigan his a thief, a liar, a thug, and truant. He’s lazy and unreliable. He’s a feral and an orphan or as good as, his mother is dead and his father is no good he’s the rotten model that parents hold aloft as a warning: this is how you will end up if you’re disobedient. Jasper jones is an example of where poor aptitude will lead. In families throughout Corrigan, he’s the first name to be blamed for everything. † And â€Å"outside of my man’s pocket I never stole a thing I dint need. For certains. Im talkin about food, matched, clothes sometimes, whatever nuthin big ever nuthin people could go without. The first of these two quotes shows how jasper has a bad reputation and that people look down on him in disgust, like his a feral runt. That he gets blamed for every misdemeanour even though his clearly not responsible the enumeration and use of insulting words gets the message across that his hated and everyone thinks his always up to no good even, that his reputation destroys any chance he has to defend himself and show that he hasn’t done anything wrong. While the second quote justifies jaspers actions in the sense that he only took what he needed that he was only trying to survive as he had no support from his father. He never stole out of greed and never had any luxuries he only had what he needed to survive and that it was society who looks down on him even with all of their comforts and fulfilled desires. The way in which its written shows how jasper interactions with society are limited and how his hasn’t had the option to get an education as he’s developed his own way of speaking which consist of mostly slang, this isn’t beneficial l to his reputation ever as it for some residents it reinforces the idea that he’s an uneducated feral. As a whole we can see that jasper is mistreated and misjudged which leads to everyone believing him to be genuine bad boy who is a source of unruly behaviour and a bad influence to those who are around him and as such is used as a template for where bad behaviour and disobedience will lead you. Although Corrigans residents is highly judgemental towards jasper and acts through prejudice there highly accepting to his athletic capabilities and while his making the town look good and winning there football games for him everyone will jeer him on just like they would to a Caucasian teenager but as soon as jasper walks of the field that acceptance disappears and people start treating him like an outcast again this shows a hypocorism the people of Corrigan as they can cheer someone on as long as there accomplishing something for them but as soon as that person has done it they shack their heads at that person in disgust as through there worthless and don’t contribute to society in any way. â€Å"the folks who watch jasper play, who barrack for him like he was one of their own, are the same ones who might cut their eyes at him should he walk there way a few hours after the game. But they’ll smile and cheer and shake their heads in wonderment if he takes a run through centre or if he nails one in the pocket† this quote shows how the towns racial prejudice and hypocrisy and can in make them change their thoughts about jasper in a matter of second. That they refuse to accept him as a civil human being in general life but as soon as his winning a game for them his suddenly the best person they’ve ever come across as he’s beneficial to them. The conventions here are juxtaposition to help show how ignorant and arrogant Corrigan’s residence really as they change their mind from he’s amazing, great, and spectacular to his filth, a runt and worthless to everybody Jasper manages to accept and lives through the prejudice based treatment because of the incredible amount of resilience he has, although his shunned, hatted, despised, judged and mistreated. Yet jasper doesn’t show any bitterness to the town of Corrigan, he doesn’t resent them he just accepts the way things are in the hopes that he might be able to change them. He has still developed a sense of loyalty at sense of right and wrong a maturity that is far advanced for his age and a street smart attitude to what the world is actually like. he has come to forgive those who mistreat him and treat them like equals even tho they neglect his right to be treated like one. † I bin looking after myself since I can remember. And that’s food, cloth, where I sleep the whole lot I tole, it doesn’t matter how old you are. Everyone ages. Everyone can learn a trade and pay taxes and have a family. But that’s not growing up. It’s about how you act when your shit gets shaken up, it’s about how much you see around you, that’s what makes a man. And if I can do it here, in this town, I can do it anywhere I reckon. This quote shows how resilient jasper has always been his been looking after himself for basically his whole life and has never lost hope or the slightest amount of morale. He believes that is He can handle the stress and tolerate the intolerance of others he can make a living he can make a good name for himself and come out of it as a better person then he is a man and that if he can do it in Corrigan he can get himself accepted by anyone, anywhere. The use of slang here in jaspers speech really help visualize the situation as it makes readers feel like what jaspers saying is the truth and that ever word is meant. Which makes it an emotive text as readers feel sorry about jaspers current situation yet are inspired by the resilience he shows to not give up. So in conclusion jasper has stayed strong despite his mistreatment by the town of Corrigan, he hasn’t grown bitter towards the residence or think of them as bad people just that there ignorant. As they only accept the athletic part of him and not the indigenous. And as such infuses the stereotype that aboriginals are bad news and jaspers already bad reputation to create the perfect scape goat for their troubles and problems and through craig silveys excellent use of conventions and unique writing style readers understand this text and its meaning relatively easy.

Formative and Summative Assessment Essay

Assessment is a term that includes all of the various methods used to determine the extent of an individual’s achievement. In teaching and learning situation, assessment refers to the methods used to determine achievement of learning outcomes. Similarly in professional contexts, assessment is concerned with the achievement of professional standards or competence.(Aranda & Yates,2009). Assessment also provides a number of major benefits including: †¢ Grading: assessment may be used to define achievement and to measure the students’ preparedness for professional challenges. †¢ Motivation: assessment may focus on real learning by creating an opportunity that carries with it the rewards of completion or grades. †¢ learning process: assessment activities can guide individuals to learn and relearn subject content efficiently. †¢ Feedback: assessment provides opportunities for individuals to monitor the quality of their performance and identify areas for improvement. PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT It is easy to become so immersed in the job of teaching that we lose sight the exact purpose of a assessment. There is then the possibility that we are overlooking another form of assessment which might be more appropriate. We actually assess students for quite a range of different reasons – motivation, creating learning opportunities, to give feedback (to both students and staff), to grade, and as a quality assurance mechanism (both for internal and external systems). Because all too often we do not disentangle these functions of assessment, without having really thought it through assessments are frequently trying to do all these things, to varying degrees.(Oxford Brookes University,2011). In fact it is arguable that while it is desirable for assessments meeting the first three of these functions to be conducted as often as possible, the final two do not need to be done anywhere near so frequently; it is simply important that they are done somewhere. The implications of this are that while an essay question, where all the answers are double marked and the marks count towards the students’ final grades, may fulfil all these functions, for all assessments to be this rigorous would be prohibitively expensive in staff time, while a peer-assessed seminar presentation, which does not count towards the students’ final grades but is simply a course requirement, could fulfil the first three functions and may not even require a tutor to be present. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Formative assessment is typically contrasted with summative assessment. The former supports teachers and students in decision-making during educational and learning processes, while the latter occurs at the end of a learning unit and determines if the content being taught was retained.(Wikipedia,2013). Formative assessment is not distinguished by the format of assessment, but by how the information is used. The same test may act as either formative or summative. However, some methods of assessment are better suited to one or the other purpose. CHARACTERISTICS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT During formative assessment, learning is the shared goal of both teacher and student and alterations to the teaching and learning process take place as needed to further the goal. This allows both the teacher and the student the opportunity for assessment and improvement as an ongoing process instead of an end product. Formative assessments are assessments for learning, rather than assessments of learning, according to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Focused Formative assessments are focused on the learning process as well as the learning progress. While other assessments may only focus on the end result, formative assessments check the students progress consistently so that adjustments can be made to reach learning goals. Ongoing A formative assessment is consistent and ongoing throughout the learning process. It differs from assessments that focus on the end result. Ongoing assessments give both teachers and students the chance to make adjustments to teaching and learning strategies so learning ultimately takes place. Immediate While other forms of assessment focus on the end result, formative assessments provide immediate feedback to both teachers and students due to ongoing assessment practices. The immediate feedback teachers and students experience can be used to motivate and further learning. LIMITATIONS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS Although offering many benefits, effective formative assessment can be difficult to achieve at scale. It may be logistically impossible to provide detailed descriptive feedback for each student in a large class. Even with a smaller number of students to deal with, formative assessment is time-consuming as it requires significant, ongoing dedication and effort from the teacher to sustain. This is especially true when combined with the summative assessments teachers are required to complete. The layered accountability chain in education — student to teacher, teacher to school, school to district, etc. — creates systemic pressure for student performance to be objectively and comparatively measurable at each level. Formative assessment, by definition, doesn’t easily provide that kind of accountability. This explains why, although the advantages of formative assessment have been repeatedly articulated since the distinction between it and summative assessment was first made in 1967, empirical studies continue to show that very few teachers consistently make use of it in actual practice. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Summative assessment measures attainment and allows for the recording of the learning progress. It usually takes the form of tests and examinations, though it is becoming increasingly common for summative assessment to include other tasks such as a project completed during the school year. This move away from assessments based on a single examination gives learners the opportunity to perform to the best of their ability. Not all learners perform well under examination pressure. Furthermore,examinations do not always lend themselves to eliciting the range of language structures and uses that have been the objective of teaching CHARACTERISTICS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT The results of summative assessment allow us to determine the degree to which learners have attained specific learning objectives. Such a decision may have an important consequence on learners’ future prospects. It is therefore crucial that not only is the assessment valid, but that the results obtained are reliable. Validity relates to whether the assessment tasks assess what they intend to assess. Reliability, on the other hand, refers to the results obtained and whether these would be the same if the same learners took the assessment on another occasion provided that no further learning had taken place and regardless of who marked the assessment if more than one person was involved in the process. (Summative assessment,2005). Whether summative assessment is norm-or criterion-referenced will be determined by the purpose of the assessment. If we need to select the best candidates to, for example, continue with their education, then norm-referencing would be appropriate. However, if we are interested in whether candidates have mastered certain skills, then we would not get the required information through norm-referencing.(Meason) For example, when assessing airline pilots we are interested in whether they can fly a plane safely to a very high level of proficiency. Knowing which trainees were the best would not suffice since it is possible that no trainee of a given group would have reached the required standard to safely fly a plane LIMITATIONS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Students can face anxiety in preparation for a test, an anxiety that grows as the perception of the test’s significance grows. Summative tests advise schools to commit to prolonged pretesting procedures and preparation classes, which can increase student anxiety.(Spiral). In addition, some students simply do not test well, and the result is a testing procedure that fails to adequately assess the real talents of individual students, while a formative assessment would allow a teacher to evaluate these conditions and better assess a student’s ability Summative assessments fan have an overall negative impact on student self-esteem, resulting from the perception of inferiority that standardized tests can give test-takers. Students who perform poorly on standardized tests were found to suffer from lower self-esteem in situations where these same students had not previously exhibited signs of self-esteem problems.(Boggiano,1992). Even students who perform average or well on standardized tests can suffer from the failure to meet their own higher expectations. The result can be a reduction in educational motivation.(Hammond). EXAMPLES OF FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT FROM TEACHING AND LEARNING PERSPECTIVE CONCLUSION In my view,both types of assessments are better,that is a balanced assessment.A balanced assessment system in one in which a variety of assessments are used for a variety of purposes and communications about results facilitates student involvement and ownership of learning.Formative assessment can be vital importance in helping the teacher and students determine the quality of learning that is taking place and can allow them to forecast the results of summative tests some time in advance of the summative testing.Such results can be used as the basis for altering the teaching learning situation early enough to change the immediate as well as alter the forecast. Learning is a process which can be observed and evaluated as it is taking place.Formative evaluation can be used to make the process more effective long before the summative evaluation.Recognition of the interaction among formative evaluation teaching and learning and summative evaluation can do much to improve teaching and lea rning before it is too late. REFERENCES Aranda S,Yates P.An Overview of assessment.Canberra: (EdCaN),Australia;(2009).Retrieved from: www.edcan.org/pdf/edCanOverview.pdf Boggiano A,Pittman T. Achievement and Motivation: A Social-Developmental Perspective.(Eds).(1992).Cambridge Press.New York. Hammond,K.eHow.Education.Summative assessment weaknesses.Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/info_8568251_summative-assessment-weaknesses.html Meason C.eHow.Education.Characteristics of Formative assessment.Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6732311_characteristics-formative-assessment.html Oxford Brookes University.(2011).Purpose of Assessment.Retrieved from: www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/resources/assessment/purposes.htm Spira M.eHow.Education.Disadvantages of Formative Assessment.Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8502289_advantages-disadvantages-formative-assessment.html Stiggins,R.,Arter,J.,Chappuis,S.(2008).Classroom assessment for student learning.Educational Testing Service.Retrieved from: http://www.bcsd.org/district.cfm?subpage=55380 ‎Summative assessment.(2005).Retrieved from http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/eng/tba_eng_sec/web/3_1w.htm Spira M.eHow.Education.Disadvantages of Formative Assessment.Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8502289_advantages-disadvantages-formative-assessmen

Political Competence Essay

In almost any affair that involves multiple stakeholders the idea of partnership and collaboration have essential roles. This is also applicable in building a strong society or country especially since it is composed of numerous people with varying needs that must be addressed. In relation to this the concepts of good corporate citizenship and political competence are vital in giving the necessary services to the people. Corporate citizenship pertains to â€Å"a new contract between business and society, a vision of partnership between different sections of community, which allies profitable companies with healthy communities because what happens to societies happens to business† (Benchmarks, n. d. ). On the other hand, political competence involves skills and attributes that make it possible for the achievement of organizational goals (Wells, n. d. ). Good corporate citizenship and political competence are related because these are interdependent upon each other. In order for good corporate citizenship to make successful partnerships it needs political competence that will make sure that the plans they made will be properly applied so that their objectives can be realized. Since the past up to the contemporary time, the government plays an important role in the organization, information dissemination, budgeting, and funding of a country’s healthcare system. The government is the primary body that is responsible in passing laws for the planning as well as the implementation of various concerns regarding the healthcare system of the country. This is greatly observable in countries like the United States of America, states in the European Union as well as in other parts of the world. However, this kind of system is not always as effective as it seem to be. There are still many people who lack the proper healthcare attention, which is always the reason that there are various sicknesses that most citizens suffer from. The main problem why such incompetence takes place is due to the lack of political will coming from the government and also the improper and sometimes illegal contracts that are happening among the public agencies and corporations. This could be seen in the common practice that is observable in the distribution of the needed medicine for most healthcare centers. Government funded organizations are responsible in commissioning private corporations in buying the needed medicinal paraphernalia. Nevertheless, anomalies often happen in this kind of dealings. Corrupt government officials would allot a huge amount of budget in order to buy medicinal necessities but this money is not consumed for this sole purpose. Some of it tends to fall in the pocket of officials who are only thinking of their vested interests. They would engage in illegal contracts with private corporations who would also gain benefit in the process (Messerli, 2008). This kind of issue is clearly an ethical dilemma that needs to be address immediately. A good solution for this problem is to create an objective, independent body that would see to it that the budget allotted for the healthcare of the citizens are use for the right purposes. This is one good way in order to do something to prevent this kind of anomaly from happening. The healthcare of citizens is a very important aspect of an individuals’ right, which is why it should be given due attentions and importance.

Bipolar Disorder Essay

What is Bipolar Disorder? A Brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in moods Also known as manic-depressive disorder It consists of manic episodes, depressive episodes, and/or hypomanic episodes People with bipolar disorder are also usually diagnosed with anxiety, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, or physical health problems There are three types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I Disorder – diagnostic criteria At least one manic episode May or may not have had a depressive episode There are more specific subcategories because it varies from person to person Bipolar II Disorder – criteria At least one hypomanic episode (not fully manic) At least one major depressive episode There are also more specific subcategories Cyclothymic Disorder – criteria Numerous hypomanic episodes Periods of depression Never have a full manic or major depressive episode Symptoms must last 2 yrs. or more and they can’t go away for more than 2 months What is a manic episode? A manic episode is a period of abnormally and persistently elevated, irritable, or expansive moods that last at least one week. To be considered a manic episode the mood disturbance must be severe enough to cause noticeable difficulty at work, school, or social activities Symptoms are not due to the direct effects of other things like drug use, other medications, or having a medical condition What is a hypomanic episode? A hypomanic episode is a distinct period of elevated, expansive, or irritable mood that lasts at least 4 days. The mood disturbance must be severe enough to cause a noticeable change in functioning The episode is not severe enough to cause significant difficulty at work, school, or in social activities Symptoms are not due to the effects of something else such as drug use or other medications What is a depressive episode? A depressive episode is a period of major depression not caused by grieving Major depressive episode usually occurs directly after the manic episode ends Treatment Bipolar Disorder requires lifelong treatment – even during times when there are no symptoms Treatment is typically guided by a psychiatrist Primary treatment includes medications, individual counseling, and support groups Risk Factors Blood relative with Bipolar Disorder Periods of high stress Teens through mid-20s Drug and alcohol use Major life changes Statistics on Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder affects about 5.7 millions adults in America (about 2.6% of the U.S. population) Median age of onset is 25 years old It is seen almost equally in men and women More than 2/3 of people with Bipolar Disorder have at least one close relative with the disorder Bipolar is the 6th leading cause of disability in the world 1 in 5 patients with Bipolar Disorder commits suicide 9.2 year reduction in expected life span

Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia Essay

Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia (2008) - Essay Example Political explanations of the conflict usually revolve around communism while ethnicity is viewed as a cause which was naturally gratified by widespread disparities and as a natural culmination of communist repression. Moreover, it could also be argued that ethnicity as an underlying cause of the conflict is justifiable or understandable considering the existence of such groups in large numbers. Heterogeneity is viewed by some as a driving force behind widespread dissatisfaction among the public that fuelled the desire to demand a separate state. The premises that gave rise to the ethnic and cultural differences can further be attributed to the Soviet political system which rather than diffusing the causes of the conflict, in fact, ended up fuelling it further. Research suggests that historically, ethnic conflicts have lasted longer and was more frequent as compared to conflicts or wars caused due to other reasons. Furthermore, it is also established through research, which ethnically motivated conflicts are rarely solved through peaceful negotiations and usually needs to be resolved through use of military power ending in victory of either side (King 1997, p.13)1. However, the explanations to the Georgian South Ossetian conflict cannot be restricted to any one particular point of view such as ethnicity or suppression during the Soviet Union. It is in fact a result of amalgamation of various complex phenomena. The 1989 Census estimated the population of South Ossetia as 66.61% Ossetians, 29.44% Georgians and the remaining 4% as a combination of Russians, Jews and Armenians. The Ossetians accounted for 74% of the population in Tskhinvali – the administrative state of South Ossetia while the rest of the population comprised of Georgians and other groups of miscellaneous ethnicities. However, the composition of the population underwent drastic change since the onset of the conflict which led to mass migration towards the Northern Ossetian regions as

Stratigy mangement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stratigy mangement - Essay Example The quality of the human resource management in any company greatly influences its activity and competitiveness. Generally, human resource management changes the way the company operates and supervises its people. The main task of HR department is to supervise, employ and instruct workers in the way that helps the company meet its goals. Human resource officials are challenged with developing new incentive plans capable of attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals with fewer financial resources than in times past. Many human resource managers are meeting this challenge by developing internal reward systems that are based on intrinsic needs. The ability to monitor and measure performance has the greatest impact on organizational performance. Global and national competition has forced many healthcare organizations to look for new ways to enhance organizational performance without significantly increasing costs. Performance management enables human resource management by regulating employee motivation and ability. When used correctly, performance management aids human resource managers in the areas of formal performance evaluations, objective setting, and developing a linkage between performance and rewards. Well-developed performance management systems utilize input and feedback from a variety of sources, including employees, organizational management, and outside stakeholders. Performance management systems allow human resource managers to quickly identify those behaviors that help the organization achieve its goals and those behaviors that are detrimental to productivity. These systems regulate employee performance by focusing on employee behavior, skills and outputs. In order for these systems to be beneficial to the human resource department, they must be flexible and capable of rapid change in response to changes in the internal or external environment. Tawam Hospital,

Facilities Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Facilities Management - Essay Example The article reveals that the main problem with the initiative is the con that, it will take long for investors to see the benefit from their investments. The problem is evident in facilities such as schools and city halls, where the return on investment may take a long time and investors are not convinced as to whether it is a worthwhile investment. In the case of the commercial sector, the problem is more apparent due to the fact that, it is difficult to predict business growth, and whether the duration of the eco-friendly building will match the time-line of the business. An example of this factor is municipal buildings; since they are used through generations, it is difficult to establish whether the buildings will be able to last the duration of the generations. It has resulted in the investors being skeptical about the plan. (Taylor, ‘Building a Better Future’) As a result, short terms measures have been suggested such as creating small projects that facilitate the reduction of carbon emission, and ensure a short-term return on investment. Such factors have led to individual’s missing out on financial opportunities. The intervention of the government has led helped in aiding the investment hurdles and promoting the development of more concrete programs that will provide a better return on investment. ... Such is the importance of getting investors and businesses in general to alter their business models, to those that will emphasize the development of energy efficient firms and save money both in the short and the long-term. The article is an educative piece of literature on the importance of establishing energy efficient businesses. It is evident how firms are using much energy at the moment, hence spending more money than they should in their daily operations. Based on the article’s information, it is clear that businesses should seek ways of reducing energy use, and this eventually will lead to a reduced cost of production. In conclusion, we learn, the fact that firms use more energy in production has resulted in the high prices of commodities in the market (Taylor, ‘Building a Better Future’). With use of energy conserving measures in organizations, it will reduce the production costs and in turn, reduce the price of commodities in the market. Based on that, e nergy conserving factors will serve to influence the internal and external factors of a business. It implies that energy conserving will be the catalyst for the reduction in the cost factors on a country’s scale. Energy conserving can be considered as the solution to making life in the US much cheaper. An Online Solution The article highlights the challenges encountered by real estate and facility managers, in handling asset related data. Several core processes are usually involved in facility management hence it is important to establish situations where data exchange occurs. This will help facility managers come up with tools that will ensure efficient and

Checkout paper # 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Checkout paper # 3 - Essay Example I love my dog because she is a good companion but of late she has been giving me problems. She messes around especially the carpet and my neighbors often complain about her. At one time she was injured by my neighbor’s child. I can see that you are angry for your dog because she makes the carpet dirty. However, I have done some researches and discovered that pet lovers ought to be patient with their pets since they have a habit of messing around in most cases. I then posed this question: What do you think must be done then? However, I realised that I had blundered by asking this question since the client was seeking help in order to address the problem. Therefore, for self disclosure, I sympathized with the client and indicated that as human beings, we always feel the same way when we clean the mess by the dogs. I paraphrased my question so that the customer could shed more light about her feelings towards this dog. She responded by saying: From this response, I realised that my customer was mainly concerned with finding a lasting solution to this problem rather than disposing the dog. I responded to the client by indicating that a dog can be trained but this can be done over time. This response gave my client renewed hope about changing the behaviour of her dog. I used strategies such as reflection, summarization paraphrasing as well as clarification in carrying out this task. I have learnt a lot of new things in as far as interviewing is concerned. In terms of non verbal communication, I maintained a steady eye contact and I would also use some facial expressions when talking to my client. I also listened very carefully to her as she spoke. However, one weakness I have noted about my interviewing technique is that some of my questions were too direct. For instance, I said: â€Å"What do you think should be done?† I do not think that this question should be asked to the client who has come for help. Essentially, the interviewer should suggest

Article Resposne Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article Resposne - Essay Example At the beginning, such people are in denial of cultural difference hence believed that their own culture is the only real one. The second stage is defense, at people at this stage have some knowledge to understand cultural difference and hence see it to be real. Finally, the last stage is minimization in which an individual begins to realize certain elements in his/her culture are universal. People at this stage see similarities. The next level is ethnorelative where a person experiences his/her culture recognizing other cultures as well. Here, there are also three stages of development. The first is acceptance, and this refers to the ability of an individual to understand and appreciate differences in culture. Such people are able to make cultural contrasts. The second stage is adaptation, and people at this stage develop habits and behaviors that are appropriate to that other culture. They not only recognize alternative cultural experiences but develop behavior that is line with th e other culture. The final stage is integration, and this is a state in which a person’s understanding of self includes his/her movement in and out of other cultures. Therefore, their identities generally lie between multiple cultures or world views. Based on this article, I believe I am at the minimization stage under the ethnocentric development. For the time I have been in London, there are two major elements/practices in this culture common to my American culture. First, there is a similarity in religious beliefs and practices. In my culture, the dominant religion is Christianity, and many believe in God and Jesus Christ. This is also the case here in London, and this is illustrated by the many churches around. Secondly, in America, education is one of the pillars of our society. Similarly, this appears to be the case here. There are similarities when it comes

Protection of cultural industries in Europe Essay

Protection of cultural industries in Europe - Essay Example For instance, there is a difference in culture between Eastern and Western Europe; the languages spoken are a variety while there are over five religious groups that are predominant. The continent is actually said to have a fault line in culture in the countries that fall all across the continent of Europe. The industry is also commonly known by the name creative industry. This is a combination of the process of designing, producing, distributing of products either goods or services that have a cultural basis. The services and goods are normally covered by the rights on intellectual property. These industries among others include audio visual, cinema, the music industry and the craft industry. The creative industry is an essential industry in the creation of employment in Europe. It is estimated that an approximate number of 7 million people from Europe earn a living from this industry. The European people are themselves the source of cultural diversity as well as cultural identity. The industry has its basis on knowledge and heavily relies on human labor as well as creativity. The industry is particularly in Europe for fostering creativity and also nurturing innovation among the members of the society. Hennighan, Tom (1996). ... In the recent past, the cultural industry in Europe has incorporated the latest digital technology to enhance the quality of the products and services. In addition, there has been the drawing of policy on regulation of this industry at the international, regional and national levels. The deregulation in the industry has radically changed the context from which the flow of cultural services, goods and investments between countries takes place. The cultural industries have consequently gone through the process of progressive concentration and internalization which has resulted to the creation of just but very few conglomerates that are big .They are part of the global oligopoly. Dorland, Michael (2004). The recent trends in the cultural industry In the recent past, the creative industry has been growing at a very fast pace. Infact, in Europe, it is rated as one of the sectors of the economy with the fastest growth rate. The growth is attributed to the rapid dynamism in technology, growth the economy that is digital, the increased commercializing of all the intellectual property and the union of the media. Dorland, Michael (2004). All these factors and many others have enhanced the production, the distributing as well as the consumption and piracy of the goods and services produced by the cultural industry. The modern digital technology in communication and information sectors have completely lead to the revolutionalizing of this industry by improving the process of production so that it is of more quality, the channel of distributing the produced goods and services, the modes of consumption by the final consumer to he products. The availability of the technology at a low cost has made the diffusion of text, sound and image possible to