The Most Liberal States The Worst Places for Conservatives

Our list of the most conservative states to live and work featured states favorable to people who enjoy greater liberties, educational choice, right-to-work status, and religious freedom. These states often had more regulations and higher taxes. While were not suggesting that conservatives should or should not stake their claims in these liberal bastions, its a good bet that a strong sense of humor—and a lot of patience—will be a requirement for setting up residence. California Where does one start with California? The state that once elected Ronald Reagan as Governor and voted for him as President has become one of the premier destinations for testing out liberal ideas. Often perceived as a safe-haven for undocumented aliens, California prohibits the use of e-verify unless mandated by federal law. From being forced to paint your roof white to city bans on plastic bags, California also has a regulation for pretty much every environmental concern you might imagine—and probably some you cant. The economic downside to what some might term liberal overreach is that the states out-of-control bureaucracy and outlandish taxpayer-paid pension packages have in the past steered multiple cities into bankruptcy and left the state as a whole teetering on the brink of financial ruin. Residents also enjoy the fourth highest individual tax burden in the country. Vermont Sixty-seven percent of Vermont voters chose Barack Obama in 2012, and cast 71% of their votes for self-described Democratic Socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in 2016. While conservative states typically have right-to-work laws, Vermont went the opposite direction and passed a fair share law that forces non-union workers to pay union dues. The state also has some of the highest corporate, individual, and property tax rates in the nation. Ironically, Vermont does get high marks on Second Amendment and gun rights issues. Without no major city center in the state, Vermont doesnt have to deal with the crime, violence, or gangs that most states do. As a result, it usually gets high marks from gun-rights advocates as being Second Amendment friendly. New York Every two years, researchers associated with George Mason University release a ranking of personal and economic freedoms. New York ranked dead last on the list after factoring in all the freedom categories including levels of taxation, gun rights, right-to-work status, government debt/spending, personal and business regulations, criminal laws, and sin freedoms/regulations on tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Not surprisingly, the rest of the states on this list shared bottom honors with New York, while the most conservative states landed near the top of the freedom chart. Rhode Island In 2013, Rhode Island was ranked the third worst state to make a living by MoneyRates, and had the fourth highest unemployment rate in the country at 8.9%. The state opposes expanded school choice options, choosing instead to protect public education. In 2013, gay marriage was legalized. Rhode Island is also big on sin taxes, ranking second in their willingness to tax anything they can find an excuse to tax. Maryland Maryland is one of the fastest growing liberal states. A 2013 article in The Washington Post noted that the governor and his allies have imposed tax increases, repealed the death penalty, and approved a system to provide more than $1 billion in subsidies to a potential offshore wind farm. In addition, the state has legalized gay marriage, pushed for major gun restrictions, and started allowing illegal aliens to collect some government benefits. Its always easier to make a state more liberal than it is to make one more conservative. Its easier to pass new laws and regulations than it is to stop them. Its especially difficult to end laws when they either pay out generously to certain voting constituencies or provide cash flow to grease the wheels of government spending. In 2014, however, Maryland actually elected a Republican Governor, so perhaps there is some hope for conservatives yet.

My Family Is Not The Typical Caucasian Family Dynamic

As with any family, ours is not the typical Caucasian family dynamic. We began with my husband as the traditional breadwinner while I was finishing my college education. It was planned that we both would be working in careers before we discovered I was pregnancy with our first son. Three months later my spouse would suffer a great tragedy and was no longer able to walk, much less work. I would have to take on the role of not only breadwinner, but also caregiver and mother within the next year. Our family does not have the duel career supporting parents as suggested in the text regarding our ethnic statistics. Some similarities that our family has had with our African American ethnic families is that of the maintaining and strong ties to our extended family, as stated in our text. Our families have often pooled resources in order to support each other. My spouse and I have welcomed members into our home when they were struggling to find work. Our house guests have ranged from: his brother, my brother, nephews, and even a great nephew. Some of them have lived with us a few months, others have stayed a few years. My spouse’s sister lives with her husband, his brother, and one of her daughters. While my mother lives with her cohabitant, my brother, and his daughter. My grandparents raised not only their four children, my brother and myself, as well as my two cousins in their home. Another similarity that our family has with our African Americans would be the highShow MoreRelatedThe Establishment Of The One Child Policy932 Words   |  4 Pagescountry’s family dynamics by preventing millions of births and creating single-child homes (DeLauche). As a result of the controversial policy, orphanages began filling with Chinese children, predominately girls, for adoption in order to uphold the new legislation of one child per family. 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Practice Midterm Free Essays

This is an example of how a thumb-sized device and ever-smaller digital technology is heightening security risks. Included among the records on the tiny storage vice were 11 years worth Of names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, doctor information, school and child-care information. Also on the stick were 142 PHI numbers. We will write a custom essay sample on Practice Midterm or any similar topic only for you Order Now The records were from the Ontario Infant Hearing Programs, administered by the Middlesex London Health unit at the H. A. Leper Speech and Hearing Clinic at the University of Western Notation’s Lovelorn College. The Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IPP) is a province-wide program of the Ministry of Child and Youth Services designed to identify all infants with permanent hearing impairment and provide the services accessory to maximize family communication and language development in the child. The missing records are from 1999 to 2010. Staff at the clinic realized the USB key was missing early in February’ 2011 after space was â€Å"rearranged,† said Janice Decking, LOW’S provost and vice-president academic. Required: A) Discuss two ethical issues raised in the article related to the missing data. (2 marks) 2. B) Describe three types of controls that could have been used to prevent this security breach. For each Pope of control, provide a specific example of how it could have been used in this case. 6 marks) Describe the type of IS control Specific example of how the control could have been used to prevent the security breach 1. 3. C) Identify four behavioral actions that one could take in case of identity theft. (4 marks) 4. D) Health clinics collect a wide variety of data. Define the following terms and provide one example related too health clinic. (6 marks) Description Of the term Example that pertains to a health clinic Entity Attribute Data model Question 2 (1 6 marks – 58 minutes) Canada Bread Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of atrocious fresh bakery products and artisan breads to large and small retail grocery stores and foddering customers. The company also manufactures frozen unbaked, partially baked and fully-baked breads, rolls, bagels and specialty baked products for the same market. Canada Bread employs more than 8,700 people in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The Company operates 22 bakeries across these countries and employs approximately 5,200 people across Canada. The Canada Bread promise is that they will take extra care in preparing and levering their products to ensure they are safe, nutritious, and of superior quality. A) Define each of the following business pressures and discuss each could be affecting the Canada Bread Company. 4 marks) Definition of the term Specific example of how they could be affecting the Canada Bread Company Technological innovation and obsolescence: Social responsibility: B) For the following competitive forces, define the competitive force, and provide an example of how that force could affect Canada Bread Company. (6 marks) Definition Of competitive force Example that affects Canada Bread Company Bargaining power of customers Threat of entry of new competitors Threat of substitute products C) A large organiza tion such as Canada Bread needs to be selective about the type of Information technology it implements. A business should turn to IT planning to address this situation. Define the following concepts that are part of the IT strategic planning process and describe their purpose. (2 marks) Definition of concept IT strategic plan IT steering committee D) With 22 bakeries located throughout Canada, the US and the United Kingdom, Canada Bread would need network technology. Define the allowing types of network technologies and provide examples of how they could be used at Canada Bread. How to cite Practice Midterm, Papers

The 3 Principal Financial Statements free essay sample

Retained Earnings – Cumulative earnings/profits of the firm that haven’t been paid out as dividends 1)Retained Earnings Net accumulation of earnings of the firm since its beginning †¢Increased by net income and reduced by losses, and by the payment of dividends to the shareholders or owners †¢For any accounting period: REEB = REBB + NI – D 2)Recording Transactions †¢General Rules: Debits increase the balance in Asset and Expense accounts and credits increase the balance in Liability, Contributed Capital, and Revenue accounts †¢Super T-account : II. The Income Statement How profitable is the firm? Measured over a period of time.Net Income (Earnings): benefices net III. The Statement of Cash Flows Is the firm generating sufficient cash flows from its customers to finance operations and to acquire buildings and equipment? Must it seek new funds from lenders or owners? measured over a period of time. 3 types of cash flows: †¢Operating Cash Flows : cash from customers less cash paid in carrying out the firm’s operating activities †¢Investing Cash Flows : cash paid to acquire noncurrent assets less amounts from any sale of noncurrent assets †¢Financing Cash Flows : cash from issues of long-term debt or new capital less dividends

US

Table of Contents Realist Theory Constructivism Marxist Theory Conclusion References United States (US) and Iran initially has good relations in mid to end 19th century. However, sour relations emerged after the end of the Second World War when the Persian Gulf started exporting huge amounts of oil and the intrigues of the cold war started taking centre stage in international politics.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on US – Iran Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The good relationship between Iran and America was observed under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s rule but it took a turn for the worse after the Iranian revolution of 1979 (Lesch, 2003, p. 52). Some observers attribute the poor relations to American arrogance but others note that such conflict was unavoidable because of the wave of Islamic revolution (directed against Western domination) sweeping across many Muslim states (D ow Jones Company, 2010, p. 3). One of the greatest hallmarks to Iran and US relations lies in the overthrow of Musdaqq in 1953 (Lesch, 2003, p. 52). Many observers are of the opinion that since the US gave a lot of support to the then leader, Muhammad Shah, and helped plan the 1953 coup (that brought Shah to power), many people supported anti-US/Western ideals which led to the 1979 Islamic revolution (Lesch, 2003, p. 52). The strong anti-US sentiments were largely harbored by many Iranians because it was widely believed that the US orchestrated the 1953 coup to overthrow Musdaqq in order to gain control of Iran’s oil wealth and establish a dictatorship government at the same time (Gasiorowski, 2004, p. 261). After the success of the coup and an establishment of Shah as the Iranian leader, the American government gave a lot of support to Shah’s government. In fact, during Shah’s first week in government, the US gave Iran more than $68million in emergency fund af ter which it followed by giving the oil rich nation more than $1.2 billion, the following decade (Gasiorowski, 2004, p. 273). US-Iran relations thereafter became very rosy until Iran started getting a lot of money from its oil revenues (within the 1960-1970 periods). This development slowly diluted US’s influence in Iran and consequently made Shah develop a bad reputation in the West. Nonetheless, the support US government had been giving Shah over the past years mounted a lot of criticisms on Shah as an independent leader. Unrest therefore grew in Iran over an upheaval of Western ideals in the nation. These sentiments later lead to the ousting of Shah in the 1979 Islamic revolution which also took the US by surprise. It is however interesting that six months prior to the revolution, the US had passed a verdict on Iran, saying that it was nowhere close to a revolution or prerevolutionary state (Gasiorowski, 2004). After the revolution, Ayatollah was established as Iranâ€℠¢s interim leader.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ayatollah was predominantly against Western ideals; further soiling relations between America and Iran. Subsequent events saw Iranians take Americans hostage for 444 days; a development that greatly angered the US and resulted in trade restrictions and embargoes on Iran (Beisner, 2003, p. 1222). This was to be later followed by warfare; like the failed coup to rescue the American hostages and the 1983 Hezbollah bombings carried out by the US on terrorism grounds (Beisner, 2003, p. 1222). In 1988, the US carried out more attacks on Iran because of the conflict on Iranian mines and also in the same year, the US shot down an Iranian commercial plane which killed more than 255 people including 66 children (Beeman, 2008, p. 132). Nonetheless, these attacks seized after Iranian reformers advocated for more negotiation s with the US in solving the persistent wrangles between the two countries. In 2005, Iran got a new president, Mahmud, Ahmadinejad who to a great extent bases his policies on religious principles and anti liberal policies. US concerns on Iran’s nuclear programme has been top in the list, defining US -Iran relations because the US under the Bush government consistently accused Iran of enriching its Uranium deposits and insisted that Iran had to pay the consequences for such actions. This has been the biggest issue between Iran and America today. However, after the exit of George W. Bush and an entry of Obama into White house, the issues plaguing Iran and US relations have taken a milder form, considering Obama’s change in approach to Iran issues. However, this is not to be assumed that the pertinent issues affecting the two countries have disappeared. In fact, after Obama took office, Iran raised a number of concerns which it wanted the US to look into; starting from th e 1953 coup, US’s support for Saddam Hussein to attack Iran and US’s shooting down of commercial air flight 655 (Beeman, 2008, p. 132). Collectively, many observers point out that the US has greatly shifted its policies towards Middle Eastern countries and the threat of a nuclear armed Iran has never created peace between the US and Iran. This study proposes that the threat of an oncoming war between the US and Iran is very real because there are a number of issues that still underlie the relationship between the two nations and they are still to be solved decades later. These issues include Iran’s exportation of terrorism and funding of terrorist activities, US’s accusations that Iran holds weapons of mass destruction, Iran’s threats to its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s constant assertion that it wishes â€Å"death on America†, Iran’s persistent opposition towards a peaceful Arab-Israeli world, and Iran’s histor ical violation of human rights.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on US – Iran Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These concerns characterize the Iran-US conflict and its magnitude is slowly weighing down on the two countries by the year. However, this nature of conflict can be explained through a number of theories which will be employed in this study to explain the threat of war between the two countries. The bottom line however remains that there is a high likelihood of war between Iran and the US in the near future. Realist Theory The realist theory has been used for a long time to define how nations relate. It majorly revolves around the concepts of state-centrism, survival and self help (Spegele, 1996, p. 1). State-centrism is based on the theory that states are often autonomous entities and their actions are centrally dictated without the influence of external parties. In this manner, th e realist theory downplays the influence of non-state actors but upholds the influence of the state in defining international relations. The concept of survival notes that states are often motivated by selfish interests and would advance their own agendas without much consideration to other relevant factors. This concept also advances the fact that there is no central authority in international relations and states would often do whatever they wish without much control from external agents. The self help concept notes that a nation state should rely much on itself without expecting much assistance from another state. This means that many nations rely upon their resources and capabilities to advance their own interests without expecting much assistance from other states (Spegele, 1996, pp. 1-5). From the above analysis, we can deduce the fact that the realist theory to a significant degree outlines the sour relationship between the US and Iran. Also from the same framework of the rea list theory, we can quantify the potential threat of war between the two nations. Most of the actions exhibited by the US expose how much state-centrism characterizes Iran -US politics. Much of US’s actions, starting with the Iran coup of 1953 to the support given to Saddam by the US in attacking Iran are all signs of an all-powerful state. The Influence of non-state actors and international institutions in this conflict is conspicuously absent because of the aggressive nature of the US in determining Iran politics for its own interests.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The 1953 coup was a clear example of the state-centric approach exhibited by the US because the US acted as a billiard ball in influencing Iranian politics. In fact, the actions by the US to orchestrate the coup can be largely seen as a distinct action by the US because no other state or international institution had much to do with the coup. Also, the principle of survival can be observed from US’s interests in Iranian politics. Iran’s actions can also be viewed in the same manner because there is a deep-seated sense of anarchy governing the politics of Iran. The 1953 coup and the Islamic revolution of 1979 is evidence enough of a lack of central authority in Iranian politics. Coups for example often occur because of a lack of central authority where people can express their grievances and at the same time, it also shows a lack of maturity for democratic processes in any country. In advanced countries, the law and the constitution form the government, which later beco mes the central authority. In this case, the existing laws that should set up the government should be the central authority to be respected by all prospective leaders but apparently, this seemed to be what Iran was lacking. This observation prompted the coup and later, subsequent ousting of leaders from power followed. All these actions show a lack of central authority not only on the part of Iran but also on the part of the US. Actions by the US, for example, bombing the Iranian air flight and not apologizing for it, shows the extent to which states go to extreme levels to uphold their selfish interests. The selfish interest being protected in this case is the domination by the US on Iranian politics in order to control Iranian oil reserves. Additionally, Iran’s enrichment of Uranium and allegations of uranium enrichment with consequential effects on US security also reflect on the selfish interests of the states. From the analysis of the realist theory, we can therefore de duce the fact that states are usually very autonomous and operate within an anarchic international system of politics which is largely unregulated. The level of deregulation in international politics and indeed international relations advances the fact that Iran and US can certainly go into war because there are not many international bodies or third parties to stop them. The realist theory also suggests that the two states are likely to go to unprecedented levels (including war) to safeguard their own interests and address their security concerns (Spegele, 1996, p. 3). This therefore means that both Iran and the US can be potentially be very aggressive and war wouldn’t come as a surprise to many. Constructivism Constructivism, developed as a result of the failure of the realist and neo realist approaches to predict the end of the cold war. Nonetheless, the theory emphasizes a lot on social elements as a determinant of international politics (Kegley, 2008, p. 39). This idea c an be evaluated progressively because the theory bases its foundations on the development of ideas. These ideas later develop into international structures which states abide by, but the said structures are likely to lead to the development of state interests which later determine how states and non state actors relate to safeguard their own interests (Kegley, 2008, p. 39). Constructivism therefore derives its authority from the inclusion of social, cultural, persuasive and collective ideas in determining how states relate. This concept can be largely witnessed in the Iran- US relations. Obviously, Iran being an Islamic state, most of its actions and policies are largely dominated by Islamic principles. The anti-western sentiments (leading to the Islamic revolution of 1979) are also social elements which characterize Iran’s relations with the US. In fact, the Islamic revolution was largely dictated by social factors (religion) which the constructive theory relies on to predic t international relations. In this manner, we can deduce the fact that international relations between the US and Iran has to a significant degree been socially constructed. Social construction in Iran-US relations can be largely evidenced in a religious context, especially focusing on the actions of Iran’s leaders. Leaders who were perceived to be Western puppets such as Shah never got a huge following in Iran because of the different social beliefs that characterizes US and Iran. However those leaders who to a great extent resisted Western influence got a huge following in Iran because the people felt like the leaders advanced their own social beliefs. This scenario can be evidenced through Musddaqq and more recently, Ahmadinejad. These leaders have significantly represented strong Muslim beliefs which have determined their actions with regard to Iran’s policies with the US. To a significant degree, some of the most pressing issues between the US and Iran have not be en economic but social because of the apparent differences in religious principles. In fact, Iran’s leader Mahmud Ahmadinejad has been quoted in some sections of the press purporting that US’s arrogance is brought about by the country’s dominance over minority groups (Muslims) (Kegley, 2008, p. 39). These sentiments were also expressed with regards to US’s relations with other Arab nations. The approach taken by US in defining its relationship with Iran has also been largely dictated by Iran’s funding of terrorism activities. This is largely a serious security issue, brought about by the social construct of the US and Iran. Indeed, through the funding of terror groups such as Hezbollah, Iran is doing so with a common purpose of fighting for Muslim interests, especially with regards to the conflict in Lebanon. The US has therefore imposed restrictions and embargos on Iran due to such activities. More vivid is Iran’s stand on the Israel-Lebano n conflict. Iran is in support of Lebanon while the US has been largely assumed to support Israel. What is predominantly seen is the big religious divide that exists in these states. The US and Israel are Christian states while Iran and Lebanon are Muslim states. Therefore, the underlying premise behind the US and Iran relations have been partly attributed to the religious differences between the two nations. The difference between the constructive theory and the realist theory is that the constructive theory does not emphasize a lot on security issues like the realist theory does. Instead, a lot of weight is given to the social construct of the society and its influence on foreign policy. Proponents of the Constructive theory note that international conflicts based on constructive elements may have far reaching implications and may go on for long periods of time. In the same manner, such type of conflicts may trample over materialistic interests because state actions may go beyond rational thought (Kegley, 2008, p. 39). These factors withstanding, war is not an out of the ordinary occurrence between the two nations. Marxist Theory The Marxist theory purports that international relations are majorly driven by materialistic and economic factors. In this manner, states operate within a wider capitalistic system of operation where they are driven by economic interests above all other factors of concern (Chatterjee, 2010, p. 27). This ideology also necessitates the development of class structures, not only in the society but within international relations as well. Coming back to the Iran-US relations, it is evidently clear that the bad relations started because of a pursuance of US economic interests in Iran. More notable is the 1953 coup that installed Shah as the Iranian leader. Shah rose to power with the help of the US because the US found it easy to relate with Iran if it had a pro-western leader. Also, the US’s stand on Iran has been largely motivated by its overall Middle East agenda. In other words, the US has a lot of interest on oil exports from the Persian Gulf and the increased dominance of Iran in the region (which adopts an anti Western stand) has the potential of destabilizing the economic balance in Middle East which the US is benefiting from (Chatterjee, 2010, p. 28). It is therefore important that in the interest of the US, Iran has a Western friendly leader. Such are the intrigues that characterize US’s relations with the Iran. However, subsequent leaders (after the Islamic revolution) saw Iran adopt an anti Western policy on many of its foreign relations. These leaders (like Mahmud) have further soiled relations between the US and Iran because they didn’t/don’t agree with the US’s policies in the Middle East. Nonetheless, these intrigues characterize the Marxist theory because US is largely seen as having adopted an economic agenda which is characteristic of capital accumulation. Of impo rtance is the subcategory of the Marxist theory advancing the fact that globalized capitalistic systems have facilitated the dominance of wealthy nations over poor, third world countries. In this case, the dominant wealthy nation is the US while Iran is the third world state under exploitation. The level of economic interests in play between US and Iran is therefore alarmingly high and when analyzed according to the Marxist theory, the economic interests at stake may lead to a fully blown out war (Chatterjee, 2010, p. 27). This conclusion is drawn from the firm belief by Marxists that economic interests have the potential of transcending all other elements of concern. It is therefore important to note that as much as the relation between the US and Iran is characterized by other issues such as security, if the US continues to lose on its economic agenda in Iran, it may resort to protect it through military means. Conclusion The probability of an emergence of war between Iran and the US is high because of the nature of the conflict between the two nations. Underlying premises to the war can be best analyzed through the realist, constructive and Marxist theories. The realist theory analyzes the concepts of self-help, state-centrism, and survival which are evidently seen in the Iran-US analysis, especially due to the lack of influence from non state actors in the conflict. As a result, the US can take extreme measures in advancing its agenda in Iran and this may include the probability of war. Also, because the conflict between America and Iran is characterized by religious and social differentials, the constructive theory outlines that these factors will characterize future relationships between the two countries to a great extent. Under the constructive theory, such kind of conflict can take a very long time to end and social influences may override economic interests. The probability of a war breaking out, especially from the Iranian part (which is more religi ously socialized) is very high. Lastly, the Marxist theory advances the fact that since the US has considerable economic interests in the Persian Gulf; it may go to unprecedented levels to protect it. This obviously includes war. Considering there is no let up between the two parties, the US and Iran can surely go to war if provocation is felt from the Iranian side. This is in accordance to the Marxist theory, purporting that economic interests may transcend all other interests. The nature of international relations between Iran and the US therefore still remains very volatile. References Beeman, W. O. (2008). The â€Å"Great Satan† Vs. The â€Å"Mad Mullahs†: How the United States And Iran Demonize Each Other. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press. Beisner, R. (2003). American Foreign Relations since 1600: A Guide to the Literature, Volume 1. New York: Abc-Clio. Chatterjee, A. (2010). International Relations Today. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. Dow Jones Company . (2010). QA with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Americas Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123861706862379499 Gasiorowski, M. J. (2004). Writing in Mohammad Mosaddeq and the 1953 Coup in Iran. London: Syracuse University Press. Kegley, C, W. (2008). World Politics: Trend and Transformation. London: Cengage Learning. Lesch, D. W. (2003). The Middle East and the United States: A Historical and Political Reassessment. New York: Routledge. Spegele, R. (1996). Political Realism in International Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. This research paper on US – Iran Conflict was written and submitted by user Gregory B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

What evidence is there of the pursuit of justice essays

What evidence is there of the pursuit of justice essays Justice is something that we all want from a Law and believe should be an integral part in any legal system. However, the meaning of Justice is very difficult to define. There are many aspects of justice that we may question about; i.e. is a particular law just? Is the legal system just? Much of the issue of justice is very controversial and raises questions such as whether the combination of Law and system produce a just result? Justice has a definition as follows: The quality of being just or fair, the act of determining rights and assigning rewards or punishments Websters dictionary. This definition of Justice is vague and will be discussed further. One must take into account that the issue of justice also has other elements drawn into it: i.e. morality and justice. This illustrates that the law has been attributed with many objectives. These objectives are culminated from theoretical perspectives such as Positivism v Natural Law, Utilitarianism, Marx and Rawls. Other objectives associated with the Law and Weber, Durkheim, Llewellyn and Devlin debate justice. These theorists bring greater depth of explaining the significance of the objectives of Law in the English legal system, and also emphasises on how justice is expressed. For example, justice can be inherently linked to moral obligations in which the theorist Devlin lays down this view. We can further discuss the significance of the objectives; the theory of Natural Law. It is based on the idea that there is a divine source of Law, which is superior and based on moral rules, and that therefore Law and morality should absolutely reflect each other. The logical extension of this view is that the Legal rules of a country can be broken if they do not conform to moral Laws, a view that was favoured by St. Thomas Aquinas. This theory of Natural Law can be contrasted with Positivism. Natural lawyers conflict with positivist thinkers who believe that if the Law is ...

Making Connections Between Three Authors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Making Connections Between Three Authors - Essay Example of new players, on a new playing field, developing new processes for horizontal collaboration—that I believe is the most important force shaping global politics and economics in the early 21st century (Friedman, 7).† Friedman also warns that Americans need to keep up, or get out of the game. â€Å"There is no sugar coating on this: in a flat world, every individual is going to have to run a little faster if he or she wants to advance his or her standard of living (Friedman, 10).† Still, some low-income groups of Americans are at a disadvantage and succumb to the â€Å"roundness† of the bygone American world. Though countries like China and India are exploding ahead politically and technologically, African Americans and people of color in the United States have little opportunity to do the same. According to Barbara Ehrenreich’s article â€Å"Maid to Order† and William Julius Wilson’s book When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor, the world is definitively not flat, but limited to the socio-economic imprisonment of the lower urban class. Both Barbara Ehrenreich’s article â€Å"Maid to Order† and William Julius Wilson’s book When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor show a rethinking of the mostly-optimistic approach Friedman has towards the â€Å"flat,† expansionist and technologically forward view of the world. â€Å"Maid to Order† discusses the trials and tribulations of being a maid, and the sorry, anti-feminist history behind the booming industry of domestic work. â€Å"In a society in which 40 percent of the wealth is owned by 1 percent of the households while the bottom 20 percent reports negative assets, the degradation of others is readily purchased (Ehrenreich, 1).† This degradation comes in the form of racism, sexism and classism that has been an American mainstay since the turn of the century. â€Å"So the insight that distinguished the more radical, post-Friedan cohort of feminist was that when we talk about

The death of the moth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The death of the moth - Essay Example The essay is also an excellent picture of the struggle endured by living creatures for their mortality. Each creature has its own views and goals in life even in the case of the day moth which the author describes as not being somber like other moths or gay that the butterfly. The setting of the story is in September and from the being the author attempts to install sympathy for the moth from the readers’ perspective for the misplaced moth. The author personifies the creature and further shows potential joys that the moth could endure in the morning and the joys enjoyed by other species, with only the life of the moth lacking any fruitfulness. At the end, despite all the struggles experienced by the moth, the final one is one that is uniform among all creatures and the author boils all the moth’s experiences to a bead of life. Even at the end, when there seemed to be no hope, the moth fought to remain alive in its presumably insignificant

Perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly Essay - 1

Perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly - Essay Example Thirdly, an oligopoly comprises of few firms. When these firms merge, they reduce output to allow them raise their profits as in the case of a monopoly. In doing so, they produce output that creates incentives for cheating in the case of collusive agreements, ending up competing with each other. Fourthly, a monopolistic competition entails many firms competing against each other, each producing a slightly different product. This paper will depict the traits of different types of market, their differences, similarities, and economic efficiency of outcomes under perfect competition and monopoly. The major traits of perfect competition include prevalence of many small firms, all organizations selling identical products, free entry and exit to the market, and perfect knowledge regarding the prices and technology in the market. These traits mean that it is not possible for a firm to exercise any form of control in the market. Since the large number of firms sell identical products, a broad range of perfect substitutes prevail based on the output of a given organization. As such, the demand curve for the firms in a perfectly competitive market is perfectly elastic (Dransfield, 2013). Since firms are free to enter the market, this means that resources such as capital are perfectly mobile. As such, it is not possible to impose barriers of entry into the market. With regard to the issue of perfect knowledge, it is true that organizations operate in a similar environment. As such, consumers are aware of the perfect substitutes prevalent in the market for a certain good, especially since firms produce matching products (Stackelberg, 2010). In a perfect competition market, the industry and market forces determine the prices and output. The price is set by the market forcing firms to adjust their prices based on equilibrium position of firms as shown by the figures below. In the first figure, the demand and supply curves interest at point E.

Advantages and Disadvantages of System Testing

Advantages and Disadvantages of System Testing Assessment and reporting are the means by which learning can be monitored and stakeholders can be informed of achievement. Its educational aspect sees results used to identify strengths and weaknesses and improve future learning, and its instrumental aspect involves grouping of students according to achievement . Parents, teachers and students are interested in its educational function, whereas external stakeholders such as governments are concerned with the instrumental aspect. Movement towards a global and digital economy has necessitated skilled and knowledgeable school leavers, crucial for Australias social and economic prosperity. Governments therefore require schools to demonstrate student achievement at acceptable levels to justify their economic support . This accountability also ensures the community understands provision of funding and services to schools . To provide this information, assessment must be undertaken on a national scale. As the information required differs to that required in the classroom, strategies for assessment differ in design, implementation and reporting. National assessment must be inexpensive, rapid and externally mandated, and results must be transparent and accessible . Herein lie the issues with national testing. Authentic assessment is becoming popular in the classroom, testing real-life experiences and practical knowledge over numerous assessment tasks. In contrast, national tests assess students on one occasion and rely on a pen-and-paper mode of deliver, leading to debate over validity. Benefits of system-wide testing Over the past 40 years, international and national testing has increased substantially. While early implementation assisted selection of students for higher education, more recent national assessment is used to evaluate curriculum implementation . As different curricula operate throughout Australia and internationally, benchmarking has been developed to facilitate comparisons between countries or students and identify strengths and weaknesses . In Australia, the National Assessment Program (NAP) incorporates annual NAP literacy and numeracy (NAPLAN), and three yearly sample assessments in science literacy, civics and citizenship, and information and communication technology literacy. Most debate surrounds NAPLAN, hence it will be discussed further. NAPLAN proceeds under direction of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA, previously MCEETYA) and is federally funded. It was developed to test skills essential for every child to progress through school and life . Each year, all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed in reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy. NAPLAN endeavours to provide data enabling Government to: analyse how well schools are performing identify schools with particular needs determine where resources are most needed to lift attainment identify best practice and innovation conduct national and international comparisons of approaches and performance develop a substantive evidence base on what works . NAPLAN claims to achieve this by collecting a breadth of information that cannot be obtained from classroom assessment. Government benefits from analysis on such large data samples: outcomes for groups including males/females, Indigenous and low socio-economic status students provide an evidence-base to inform policy development and resource allocation . Comparing individual students to others in their state, and national benchmarks provides detailed information for teachers to inform future learning. Individual students can also be mapped over time, to identify areas of improvement or those requiring intervention. In addition, national testing assists students moving schools in that it allows immediate identification of their learning level by their new school . Strict guidelines surround reporting of results to ensure benefits are gained. The Government have committed to ensuring that public reporting: focuses on improving performance and student outcomes is both locally and nationally relevant is timely, consistent and comparable . If NAPLANs implementation follows these guidelines, it will provide great benefit to Australia. However in these early stages of implementation, it is important to consider the troubled experiences of other countries regarding national testing. Lessons to be learnt National assessment was introduced in England in 1992 to establish national targets for education. Students are assessed at ages 7 and 11 in English and mathematics, and at 14 also in science . The no child left behind legislation was implemented in the USA in 2001 to reduce the disparity between high and low ends of student achievement, focussing on literacy and numeracy. Students are assessed yearly between Year 3 and 8, and once between Year 9 and 12. Results are analysed on the basis of socioeconomic and ethnic background, and published as school league tables by the media. Federal funding is linked to school performance . The common issues with both cases will be discussed below. Being a topical issue, the majority of literature on national testing is highly biased towards the authors opinion. However if or when these effects occur, they have the capacity to negatively impact on students. As such, they also need to be considered within the Australian context. Narrowing of the curriculum With funding linked to success, teachers are obliged to ensure students achieve the best result possible in assessed subjects, and can end up teaching to the test. Those teachers who produce successful students using this strategy are rewarded, deepening the problem . Within assessed subjects, increased class time is spent teaching students to take tests and increasing focus on tested areas, leading to reduced emphasis on skills such as creativity and higher order thinking . Furthermore, time spent on subjects not tested is reduced in preference for those that are. This type of teaching has been labelled defensive pedagogy and leads to narrowing of the curriculum . Excluding low-achieving students Reports suggest that some low-performing students are excluded from enrolment or suspended during testing to improve school performance . In one example, students with low scores were prevented from re-enrolling, but were officially labelled as having withdrawn . Compounding this effect, successful schools then have further power to choose students, leading to a widening gap between low and high performing schools; in direct opposition to the reasons for implementing national assessment . disregarding high-achieving students High-achieving students can also be adversely affected, as many results are reported only as percentage achieving benchmarks. Priority is therefore given to students just below benchmarks to ensure they reach them . This has been described as developing cookie-cutter students, all with similar skills . In doing this, students achieving above benchmarks are not challenged, reducing motivation and causing disengagement. Lowered self-esteem In one study, for the three years after national testing was implemented student self-esteem was significantly reduced compared to students the previous two years. Furthermore, attainment in national tests correlated with self-esteem, suggesting that both pressure of testing and the students achievement can influence self-esteem . Increased drop-out rates When compared to schools of similar socio-economic background but without national testing, a significant increase in Year 8-10 students dropping out of school was observed . This may be linked to pressure to suspend students or reduced self-esteem and motivation associated with high-stakes testing. Reporting of league tables National testing results are often reported as league tables, presenting average scores allowing direct comparison between schools. However, results tend to reflect socio-economic status rather than true achievement, and the depiction of schools as successes or failures leads to even further inequity between socio-economic groups . Importantly, the tables give no information as to the cause of low achievement or means for improvement , and therefore do not fulfil their intended purpose. Recent trends have seen publication of value-added data, adjusted for socio-economic status , however the methods of calculation are not explicit, hence their benefit is debatable. disparity from classroom assessment Classroom assessment has become increasingly authentic, with students being assessed on real-world tasks , giving them the best possible chance of demonstrating knowledge and skills. The use of national testing opposes this model, assessing students on one single occasion and leaving teachers uncertain as to appropriate pedagogy. Results obtained during classroom inspections of authentic styles of assessment have been shown to differ to those from national testing , leading to questioning over validity. Ensuring reliability and validity in Australia The issues described above need to be considered to ensure reliability and validity of national testing in the Australian context. Reliability Reliability refers to consistency of assessment, where results should be the same irrespective of when, where and how the assessment was taken and marked . The primary issue is marking consistency throughout Australia. Information technology facilitates accurate marking of simple answers, and Newton suggests computer-based scoring algorithms for constructed responses also improve reliability. Moderation ensures all assessors use the same strategies, and marking by more than one person may also improve reliability. Moderation also assists in maintaining threshold levels over time . Validity Validity refers to the assessment testing what it was designed to test. Construct validity: assessment is relevant, meaningful and fair and provides accurate information about student knowledge Content validity: assessment is linked to a specific curriculum outcome Consequential validity: assessment does not result in a specific group of students consistently performing poorly Concurrent validity: students receive similar results for similar tasks . Debate arises over the capacity of national assessment to demonstrate real-world tasks in meaningful contexts, or deep thinking and problem solving . With diverse cultural and language backgrounds, Australian students bring to school a variety of experiences and beliefs and demonstrate learning differently. The single occasion, pen and paper style delivery of national testing does not capture this diversity and can lead to anxiety . This is evident particularly for students from Indigenous and low socioeconomic backgrounds. One teacher suggested that the assessment is daunting, and skills valued in their culture are not seen as relevant . The concept of silent and individual examination is foreign due to their cultural value of collaboration, and the numeracy assessments are unfair because of their low English literacy (G. Guymer, personal communication, April 2011). Much time is spent teaching students how to complete forms, reducing teaching time already limited by low attendance . The aspiration for equality in Australian education is evident. However, this evidence suggests that rather than closing the gap national testing may actually be increasing it. Reporting of results In the past, rather than publishing league tables Australia has value-added to data by grouping schools with similar characteristics, to track individual students, and identify schools in need . However, this grouping has been challenged, as each school is essentially unique . To address this, the My School website was published in 2010 (http://www.myschool.edu.au), publishing a school profile including information on staffing, facilities and financial resources. The NAPLAN results are reported for each school against national averages as well as against 60 schools with similar socio-economic characteristics throughout Australia . Using results to improve learning Despite the overwhelming negative response to national testing, it is unlikely to disappear. As such, using results to improve student learning is the best response. Some methods used successfully are described below. Diagnostic application Although not designed for the purpose, results can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses for individuals or groups of students. By analysing specific questions, common errors can be identified and inadequacies in thinking inferred . In doing so, national assessment results can be used as a formative assessment to guide future teaching. As NAPLAN is undertaken every three years, results for individual students can also be analysed over time to identify improvement or decline. Consistency of schooling Together with the National Curriculum, results from NAPLAN will ensure students receive the same schooling across Australia. This will reduce difficulty associated with students changing schools, as their achievement level will be immediately accessible. Incorporation of content in the classroom NAP assessment tasks will be based on National Curriculum content once implemented. As students will be exposed to content during class, national testing should not pose an added burden for teachers. Teachers at Ramingining School ensure all worksheets incorporate question formats similar to those on NAPLAN tests, and in primary school tests are undertaken weekly in English or mathematics under test conditions (G. Guymer B. Thomson, personal communication, April 2011). The school therefore does explicitly teach students to take the test. Allocation of funding and resources Arguably the most important outcome of national testing is to identify schools with particular needs and determine where resources are most needed to lift attainment . Appropriate distribution of funding and resources will mean NAPLAN has delivered on these promises. In turn, there should be a closing of the gap between low and high achieving schools, and a reduction in many of the issues discussed. Hopefully, implementation of the National Curriculum will support the purposes of NAPLAN, together leading to equality for young Australians.

Free Awakening Essays: Kate Chopin :: Chopin Awakening Essays

The Awakening: Kate Chopin Kate Chopin was an American author who lived during the nineteenth century, but because of The Awakening, a novel which was considered scandalous at the time, she has just recently been "†¦accepted into the canon of major American writers"(Trosky 105). Through Kate Chopin’s main character of The Awakening, Edna Pontellier, she is able to portray her feelings and desires that were otherwise suppressed by the ideals of American society at that time. Kate Chopin was born on February 8, 1851 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was brought up in a family that was a member of the prominent French- Creole community. During her childhood she possessed a love for reading. Her favorite types of literature were fairy tales, poetry and novels. She secluded herself for almost two years, away from her family and school in her attic, spending the majority of her time reading (Trosky 102). After her schooling, Chopin spent her days as a belle in St. Louis’ high society. She was greatly ad mired for both her beauty and wit. She continued her readings, becoming more interested in contemporary works. In 1869, she traveled to New Orleans where she met Oscar Chopin, whom she married. Though married, Chopin remained fairly independent, practicing habits such as smoking and walking alone in the city, two things unheard of from women at that time.(Trosky 102) In 1883, Oscar Chopin died of swamp fever. By 1884, Kate moved with her six children back to St. Louis. Around this time, Chopin began her writing career, writing in periodicals and publishing collections of short stories. She received good reviews and continued to write at an impressive rate. Her acclaim was short lived though, following the publication of The Awakening. "This work, which would eventually be recognized as her masterpiece and a seminal work in American feminist fiction, first proved her most notorious publication and her literary undoing."(Trosky 103) At the time, Chopin’s novel was considered sc andalous and immoral, for it dealt largely with a women’s sexuality. At the time The Awakening was written, a novel would be judged on it’s moral message as much as its artistic merits. After the negative response of critics, Chopin published a few more works, but nothing was well received. She received little recognition, which when given, described her as an author of southern local color stories (Trosky 103). Local color writing was a movement which tried to capture the feeling of a particular region through descriptions of local speech and manners("The Age of Realism").

Minimizing weather disruption in aviation: regard of Heathrow, British Airways and UK aviation system

Introduction More than any other mode of transportation, aviation is significantly affected by weather conditions including fog, thunderstorms, snowstorms, and wind as well as temperature and pressure extremes (Iyengar, 2002). Kulesa (2010) notes two major adverse effects of weather on aviation which are its impact on safety and efficiency of operation. The aviation industry must regularly deal with adverse types of weather to enhance safety while attempting to maintain integrity of flight schedules and to rein in on costs attendant to disruption, a significant budget item in aviation (Qualley, 2009). Weather disruptions at London’s Heathrow Airport in recent years have highlighted vulnerability in the industry. Of note was the adverse snow condition on December 18, 2010an exceptional event with unprecedented volume and speed of snow fall (AOA, 2013; DoT, 2013). This condition was compounded by capacity constraints and consequent lack of operational contingency since Heathrow operates at 9 9% capacity daily and the pre-Christmas period usually has high customer volumes (DoT, 2013; Seabury, 2012). The challenges of the day highlight prevalent problems and potential damage of weather-related disruption. A serious problem exists in the parallel forecast models run in the US and EU which give variations in weather forecasts. Conflicts are particularly often on parameters such as temperature of the day – which defines whether precipitation will fall as rain or snow (DoT, 2013; Qualley, 2009). On this day, weather forecasts and predictions were accurate and congruent and were received on time. Based on extensive experience on the part of British Airways (BA) and National Air Traffic Service (NATS), and in anticipation of greater challenges of disruption, a decision to cancel all BA flights between 1000 and 1700 was arrived at (BA, 2014; UK Parliament, 2011). There was however misjudgement among stakeholders on the severity of prediction and actual weather conditions. In the confusion, Heathrow claimed ‘business as usual’ while BA (its largest carrier) cancelled its schedule. Media reports of continued operations even after eventual closure of airport also undermined the decisive action taken by BA and thousands of passengers continued to turn up for cancelled flights creating chaos (UK Parliament, 2011). The command and control structure was not employed proactively or efficiently (Seabury, 2012). Overall, the airport failed to recover as quickly as it could have done and the impact of the day was extended unnecessarily. BA’s extensive and refined contingency plans for recovery following disruption were not replicated by Heathrow airport and were thus not useful (UK Parliament, 2011; Kulesa, 2010). A lack of forward planning and lack of shared operational experience about the most effective approach for return to efficient regular operations was evident when the airport re-opened (DoT, 2013). Major emphasis was put on the op ening of the runway without regard to the taxiway, apron and stand infrastructure which are also essential for efficient airport operation (Deloitte, 2013; UK Parliament, 2011). The ineffective approach caused many of the problems faced on re-opening and impeded return to normal operations. Eventually, a decision by Heathrow airport to invoke the Scarce Capacity Protocol (SCP) designed to ensure fair and proportionate allocation of access to take-off and landing slots for airlines was reached. This protocol was however overly conservative and difficult to enforce, hindered by policing issues (AOA, 2013; UK Parliament, 2011). Various UK airports have similarly been affected by weather conditions to varying degrees though recovery has usually been swift. A number of these airports remain open to receive long-haul diversions in times of disruption (DoT, 2013; Seabury, 2012). Although weather forecasting would add value to minimization of disruption, AOA, 2013 and Deloitte, 2013 disclos e that none among UK’s civilian airfields has a dedicated forecasting service based on site. Closure, delay, and/or cancellation have far reaching consequences beyond the inconvenience caused to customers which portends erosion of passenger goodwill and loss of future revenue (BA, 2014; Deloitte, 2013). Costs associated with weather disruption vary depending on contingency and elusive to pin down exactly. Direct costs derive from airline operations such as diversion, cancellation, delay or insurance and include listed costs such as: fuel, crew, time, and aircraft operating costs, lost passenger and cargo revenue, hotel accommodation and meals, ground-based employee overtime pay, insurance, etc. (Deloitte, 2013; Seabury, 2012). Disruption, particularly for hub airport operations given their extensive connectivity may have widespread effects affecting myriad flight schedules and airport operations in far flung areas. Seabury, 2012 and Deloitte, 2013 estimate that one diverted f light can cause 2 to 50 flight delays, while a cancelled flight can result in 15 to 20 delays. British Airways has more recently in 2013 and early 2014 been impacted by adverse weather in its operations at home and internationally (particularly the US) and affecting its global network (BA, 2014). In 2012, the airline also suffered mishaps on its Airbus fleet due to the freezing of pilot tubes which feed vital air speed data to on-board computers facilitating the autopilot mode. This led to two emergency landings evidence of the risk weather portends to safe flight linked to the potential damage in loss of life, property as well as repute (BA, 2014; FoE, 2013). This scenario lays out a representation of problems and damages consequent to weather disruption at Heathrow affecting BA and the entire UK aviation system. Steps to minimise the effect of bad weather and the ramifications of decisions to stakeholders Accurate weather forecasts are a priority for safety and efficiency in aviation. This is a primary focus area in order to minimize effects of weather disruption (FoE, 2013; Seabury, 2012)†¦ Accurate information derived from congruent forecasts from numerous agencies enables an effective prediction of the extent of disruption and therefore appropriate response. The use of varied and possibly conflicting forecasts was the probable cause of conflict in the case above creating problems and compounding the issue (Qualley, 2009; Iyengar, 2002). Adverse effects of weather on the industry can be avoided if only airlines and the entire industry work together to interpret such natural phenomena better. Various agencies – both state and private – should participate in accumulating reports and materials on weather patterns useful in the creation of referential databases. These can th en be updated and shared widely across the industry to minimize the impact of adverse events. Uniformity and congruence of information should be aspired to and costs associated with provision of weather information should be addressed (Kulesa, 2010; Qualley, 2009). Despite additional costs, the development of meteorological capacity on site in airports manned by employees or forecast vendors should be made mandatory. This strategy will negatively impact weather forecast contractors and vendors. Timely transmission of forecasts is also essential allowing sufficient lead time for appropriate preparation, and early response (FoE, 2013). Such include the efficient conduct of the intricacies of flight planning such as re-routing, rescheduling, load and fuel balancing, among others, as well as institution of mitigation measures. Open and extensive communication and consultation among various players is paramount for coordinated and effective response towards overall reduction of impact. T his can be achieved through efficient and proactive use of command and control structures and involvement of external entities such as the broadcast media transmitting vital information to customers. During response, focus should be on the entire airfield and mix of essential operations in an interdependent system (Kulesa, 2010). Development of comprehensive and extensive protocols and contingency planning should be undertaken to facilitate response to disruption (Deloitte, 2013; DoT, 2013). These should entail forward planning, strategies and methods to govern operations, as well as effective business continuity plans to mitigate risks to the extent possible. Despite prohibitive costs, use of intricate computer programs in planning and response should be encouraged. Existing policies, protocols and measures should be realigned and restructured for better effectiveness and enforcement mechanisms should be instituted to ensure compliance (Seabury, 2012; UK Parliament, 2011). On-groun d mitigation measures such as de-icing and ploughing of snow should be made mandatory and part of essential procedure. Such measures may not sit well with independent industry players but should be enforced. At the operational level, measures to protect reputation and consequently the potential loss of business from inconvenienced customers should be instituted (Deloitte, 2013). Customer support programs and response centres undertaking such tasks as rebooking, refunds processing, and provision of information are thus essential. Airlines should also create alliances and agreements activated in times of disruption to enable support for affected players and entities (Seabury, 2012). Though it comes at a cost, this will serve to benefit customers and to reduce overall adverse impact of event. Safety measures such as enhanced flight briefings, appropriate pilot training, and continuous streaming of updated current information should be emphasized as weather is unpredictable and subject to change. Overall, comprehensive reviews of incidents and failures and generation of continuous applicable learning for particular locations and scenarios is beneficial. Regarding policy, the expansion of airport capacity at Heathrow and major airports, as well as creation of new airports is essential for better resilience (Deloitte, 2013; Seabury, 2012; DoT, 2013). With no spare capacity, Heathrow is vulnerable to short term operational disruption (BA, 2014; AOA, 2013). Capacity expansion may also enable diversion in times of need easing intense pressure and thus enabling better management of adverse events. Alongside such developments, it is also important to focus on surface connections such as rail and roads to ease pressures of domestic air travel and hence to free some airport capacity (DoT, 2013; Seabury, 2012). They could also serve in times of disruption facilitating diversions and airport transfers. These measures may not be popular however with political players and cust omers seeking convenience. References Airports Operators Association, 2013. The Airport Operator, Amsterdam: AOA. British Airways, 2014. Our Business. Matching capacity to demand. London: BA: Deloitte, 2013. Aviation and Sustainability. Niigita, Japan: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Department of Transport, 2013. Aviation Policy Framework. Report of Secretary of State for Transport. March 2013. London: HMSO Friends of Earth, 2013. Aviation and Global Climate Change. London: Friends of Earth. Iyengar, J., 2002. â€Å"The Role of Risk in Aviation under Adverse Weather Conditions.† In: Vickery, S., (Ed.) Research Issues. Eli Broad Graduate School of Management. Michigan State University. Decision line: May 2002, Pp. 7-10 Kulesa, G., 2010. Weather and Aviation: How Does Weather Affect the Safety and Operations of Airports and AviationViewed from: http://adds.aviationweather.gov/ on 18th Apr, 2014. Qualley, W., 2009. Impact of Weather and use of Weather Information by Commercial Airline Operations. Texas, US: Amrcorp. Seabury, 2012. Sustainable European Aviation: A position paper. Association of European Airlines and Seabury. Viewed from: www.seaburygroup.com on 22nd Apr, 2014 UK Parliament, 2011. Impact on transport of recent adverse weather conditions: Written evidence from British Airways. Session 2010-11. Viewed from: www.parliament.uk/publicaions&records/commons_select_committee/transport/transport/ on 18th Apr, 2014.

The best ways on how to influence people over the phone

The best ways on how to influence people over the phone Being an employee in sales takes a lot of convincing to the person you are trying to sell to. The person on the other line will most likely listen to you more if you are confident and prepared. Usually, within 30 seconds of the  call, the client will decide if he or she is  interested and whether or not they want to hear more or end the conversation. As a sales  person, how do you influence your potential  client over the phone? With these simple tips, you can make the most out of any sales call and land the sale!  Source [The Gap Partnership]

A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Essays

A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Essays A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Paper A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Paper Comparison Essay As the reader or audience members read the book, â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker† and the play Macbeth , you tend to visualize the comparison between the two authors. The most common theme used by both Shakespeare and Irving is greed. In which Greed is the intense and selfish desire for something, such as wealth, food, power or excessively or inordinate desire for wealth, and profit. Throughout the book â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker† and in the play Macbeth you can see the theme of greed in which was the themes that both Irving and Shakespeare betrayed in their text. An example or display of greed was shown in the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare introduced the reader to this in act four, â€Å"And my more having would be as a sauce to make me hunger more: that I should forge Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal, destroying them for wealth†(Shakespeare 158). This piece of textual evidence from the play Macbeth was used to emphasize the theme of greed in the play, by basically stating that greed feeds on itself while in the process of achieving a certain desire. Malcolm is stating that he would become evil, and destroy the good and loyal to achieve success or wealth in life. Irving just like Shakespeare also used greed as a theme in his book entitled â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker. † Washington Irving presented the audience with the greedy character named Tom Walker, who showed signs of greed. The novel author states, â€Å"he had also a great folio bible on his counting house desk, and would frequently be found reading it when people came on business;occasions he would lay his green spectacles on the book, to mark the place, while he turned round to drive some usurious bargain† (Washington 5). Tom was a very greedy individual because he would read a bible and then in the process he would lay his green glasses down on the bible, so he could make a deal with a client. Tom Walker would close deals with the bible in his coat pocket. Also the green glasses used by Irving Washington symbolize the proper definition of the word greed, because green resembles money. He is trying to read the bible to find a loop hole in it so he can make a good bargain and that would allow him to make money, Tom would do just about anything to have the wealth of money. Even if that meant that he would have to be more evil or greedier than the Old Scratch. The theme greedy was very important to both authors Irving and Shakespeare, because it was used as a type of moral or theme throughout both the play and novel to portray the essential signs of greediness. As both authors demonstrate this, they also show how greed is an ongoing process that can’t be stopped, because it’s an uncontrollable desire for a particular want or need in life. In fact both authors defined the word greed very well in their pieces of work, by describing greed as a desire or want that an individual would forfeit all the good things in his or her life to commit to evil doings which in a sense is the process of being greedy.

The great depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The great depression - Essay Example strophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange (â€Å"Black Thursday") in October 1929 remains the most severe economic depression experienced in America (Modern American Poetry1). Various factors caused the great depression. Apparently, the boom psychology and speculative euphoria resulted in underlying weaknesses and imbalances within the U.S. economy that caused the great depression (Modern American Poetry1). The federal government and financial institutions lacked capacity to address the underlying weaknesses and economic imbalances. Indeed, the American government could not sustain the rising personal debt, increased production of goods, and imbalance between the rich and the poor leading to the stock market crash of 1929. Economists assumed this was simply a correction of the market and hence did nothing to contain the situation. President Herbert Hoover underestimated the severity of the crisis and assured U.S citizens that the economic slump would not last for more than 60 days (WGBH Educational Foundation 1). Herbert did not consider government’s intervention on the matter. Consequently, stock prices continued to fall in America. By the end of 1932, stock prices had dropped to 20 % of their 1929 value. Apparently, the great depression started in America and spread to other industrialized nations across the globe between late 1929 and early 1940s. The U.S had forged fundamental relationships with other European economies after the First World War that allowed the great depression to turn into a global economic crash (Modern American Poetry1). The First World War, war debts, and the need to pay reparations (Modern American Poetry1) weakened European economies forcing them to rely on America, which was the chief creditor after the war (Quah and Crowley 8). As such, the economic slump in America and the depreciation of the American investment credits to Europe fostered economic challenges in Europe. Ideally, countries that were deeply

One Touch Direct External Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

One Touch Direct External Analysis - Essay Example The call centre industry faces competition not only from the national companies but also from the overseas market. Maggie Klene, the founder of â€Å"The Call centre School Founding partner† in an interview stated that the main competitors of the domestic call center in US are the call centers based in nations like India which has emerged as an attractive outsourcing destination due to its low operating cost in the form of low wages (The Great Voice Company, â€Å" An interview with the call center School Founding Partner, Maggie Klene†). One Touch Direct provides business solutions like call center operations, marketing, cross sales, retention, technical support and data entry services to its customers (One Touch Direct. â€Å"Our Services†). Its customers include firms which outsource their business processes like customer care services to third party vendors. In order to attain sustainable competitive advantage in the context of both regional as well as local players, One Touch Direct must focus on providing quality service to its clients. Macro economic factors are considered to be one of the most important factors that affect the business prospects of a firm. One Touch Direct is based in the United States of America and is engaged in providing services to French, Spanish and English speaking people (One Touch Direct. â€Å"About Us†). The economy of the United States is considered to be the most powerful economy of the world. Its per capita GDP is about $ 46,400. The nation is known to have favourable labour policies as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia. The nation has a GDP of about $14.26 trillion in the year 2009. Services constitute the bulk of its GDP having 76.9 percent share, this is closely followed by industries with 21.9 percent and finally agriculture which contributes about 1.2 percent to the nation’s GDP (CIA, â€Å"The World Factbook- North America: United States†). United States of America has a large mobile

Minnisota V Riff Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minnisota V Riff - Case Study Example The defendant then left the store at about 12.20 a.m. He discarded the hammer in the side alley between Marquette's Market and Art Own's Hardware. There are witnesses to prove that he ran home and also when he discarded the money bag and dropped $2 of the money. He used the money to purchase a guitar. There was a Canadian $5 bill purported to have been stolen from Marquette's Market. The defendant was arrested the day after by Officer Schield at 3.30 p.m. on the ground that he broken into, entered, and burglarized Marquette's Market. The Defense's case is that the defendant, Ronald Riff, won over $900.00 in a poker game between 8.30 p.m. and 12.00 a.m. of the night of the alleged burglary. There are witnesses to prove that Riff won a great deal of money, including the Canadian five dollar bill found in Riff's person. Riff borrowed a tan cloth money bag from Red's Pleasure Palace to put his winnings into. He took the hammer from Rusty Fender's to protect himself and his money. He never stopped by Marquette's Market, but he did toss away the hammer at the point as he ran home. Riff had no motive to steal from Marquette's Market as he had won enough to pay off his debts to Vibes and buy a new guitar. The prosecution has proved that the defendant, Ronald Riff, is guilty of stealing $910 from Marquette's Market after breaking into the store. There is no doubt about Riff's involvement in the crime.

Costs and Contract Terms Essay Example for Free

Costs and Contract Terms Essay Executive Summary Over the span of 168 simulated days, team Honeybadgers managed the Littlefield Technologies job shop. The team’s objective was to maximize the firm’s cash position relative to the rest of the class. Using 50 days of historical data, the team reviewed re-order points, re-order quantity, capacity, lead times, and therefore contract terms. The team also weighed the cost of new machines against capital for inventory and interest rates, evaluating the return on investment and the impact a new machine had on lead times. Using this consideration set, team Honeybadgers purchased one tuning machine, one stuffing machine, and changed the contract terms on ten occasions. Ultimately, the team placed 5th. Actions Analysis Changing Contract Terms: A 7 day lead time generated higher revenue than the other contract terms during the first 50 days. However, we observed that there was a stretch of 5-8 days when the lead time was below a 1 day lead time during the first 50 days. Evaluating the first 50 days more closely revealed that approximately every 15-20 days, the lead time dropped substantially. Noticing a pattern, and aware that a different contract time could generate more revenue, we decided to micromanage the contracts to optimize revenue. For the duration of simulation, we adjusted contract according to the trending lead time. In times of high demand, when a lead time was more than 18 hours, we opted not to use contract #3 because of the cost of each order (avg. job cost+ordering cost = $608.33) Micromanaging the contracts according to lead times was a temporary solution. This strategy allowed us to optimize revenue when we did not have the capital to purchase a machine. Purchasing Tuning and Stuffing Machines: We originally wanted to purchase both a tuning and stuffing machine because both stations had long stretches when capacity was maxed out. However, without sufficient capital, we had to ration purchases. The tuning machine was at capacity more often. At one point the machine was at capacity for 18 days in a row. Purchasing the tuning machine eliminated a bottleneck at that station, which allowed us to produce more DSS products. Although the Tuning machine was prioritized, the bottleneck at the Stuffing machine was nearly as problematic as the Tuning station’s. The Stuffing machine was at capacity for 15 days in a row. After purchasing the Stuffing machine, bottleneck shifted again, and we were able to produce more DSS products. We did not purchase a third machine because it was unclear whether the revenue earned would offset the cost of the machine. The lead time was hovering around  ½ a day when we had the capital to make the purchase, and we did not believe the additional machine would improve our lead time enough to justify a purchase. In retrospect both machines should have been purchased earlier. We will evaluate the benefits of this approach in the â€Å"Risks and Evaluations† section. Choosing Not to Borrow: When we became eligible to take out a loan, we decided to forego the option because we did not need to borrow. Our cash standing was relatively high throughout the simulation because micromanaging contract terms proved fairly effective. Another deterrent was the grossly high interest rate. A 20% interest rate mitigated any added benefit gained from taking out a loan. Choosing Not to change re-order point: Re-ordering kits was a sizeable fixed cost, but we did not adjust the re-order point / order quantity because demand variability was fairly high. We were aware there was an opportunity cost associated with holding too much inventory because we could have earned interest revenue from the cash spent on inventory. However, we kept the order amounts Q high because (1)we want to save ordering cost and (2) we were not concerned with having too much inventory on hand when there was no direct cost (such as warehousing) associated with holding inventory. Inventory Strategy Final Hours: During the last 12 simulation days we considered developing a plan to minimize our inventory at the end of the simulation. However, we were not sure how to calculate this, and the costs associated with running of inventory was too high to risk making a mistake. Results The Honeybadgers team finished the Littlefield simulation in fifth place, posting $1,511,424 in cash. The team’s final cash position was $104,192 below the first place team, earning 93.5% of their total revenue. Risks and Evaluations At the beginning of the simulation, we wanted to maintain a high R and Q because we wanted to avoid high ordering costs. While we considered keeping inventory low to save money for a new machine, we were not sure the improved lead time could offset the cost of machines. However, in hindsight we realized that we could have managed R and Q better early in the simulation, so as to minimize the amount of excess raw inventory. We now know that we could have adjusted R according to the variability of demand, holding that the more demand fluctuates; the higher R is and vice versa. We believe that this tactic could have allowed us to accumulate enough cash to purchase machines earlier, possibly as early as day 80 or 90. Purchasing a machine earlier could have improved lead times, allowing us to switch to contract #3 earlier so as to generate more revenue. We should have balanced between ordering costs during the last 100 days and the cost of having excessive or unnecessary inventory after last day. In the last day we still had approximately $80k of inventory, which held no value after demand ceased. Managing inventory better would have given more cash on hand.

The Apollo Program By Nasa History Essay

The Apollo Program By Nasa History Essay The Apollo program is a space program by NASA which aims to send men to moon. It began in 1961. The goal was accomplished during the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong was the first human to step on the moon. The program has many dimensions other than space field and explorations, it has political dimensions too. Apollo program affected the world in many ways and started a space exploration revolution. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sense the beginning of the 17th century, when Galileo took the first close look to the moon using his first telescope, people started dreaming of flying to the outer space and to reach the moon. That dream became real after 3 centuries, when NASA launched Apollo Program. The Apollo program was a project by NASA in the United States. The goal of this project was to land humans on the Moon and bring them back to Earth safely. The idea of getting a human to the Moon started during the Eisenhower administration but it really began in 1961 after President John F. Kennedy declared a national goal of landing a man on the Moon before the end of this decade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the biggest reasons behind starting this program is the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union in space exploration field. In 1961 and during the cold war, the Soviet Union was the first country to send a man to the outer space in an orbital flight, that man was the Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin. After the great achieve of the Soviets, many Americans saw that the United States must win the competition against the Soviet Union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the 20th of July 1969, the goal was finally accomplished when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Albrin landed on the Moon and returned to Earth safely and that was during the Apollo 11 mission. Between 1969 and 1972, there were a total of six successful landings on the Moon. In these flights, 12 astronauts walked on the Moon and collected around 382 Kgs of  rocks, sand and many other samples to study the geological features of the Moon. The program ended in 1974 with Apollo 17. The Space Race   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Early in 1960 and during the Eisenhower administration, the Apollo program was conceived as a follow-up to the Mercury program which was the program that sent the first American astronaut to the space. The Apollo spacecraft was able to carry three astronauts whereas the Mercury capsule could support only one. NASA manager Abe Silverstein named the program after the Greek god of light and music; he said later   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In November 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president after he promised in his campaign to put America in superiority over the Soviet Union in space exploration and missile defense field. Despite Kennedys promises, he didnt approve immediately on Apollo program once he became president. Though he knew about some of the technical details, at the same time he was put off by the huge financial commitments. On the 12th of April, 1961, Soviet Union successfully sent Yuri Gagarin to the outer space to become the first human to fly in space. That movement reinforced American fears about losing the space race against the Soviet Union and being left behind in a technological competition. At the same time President Kennedy refused to make any commitments on Americas response to the Soviets. After 8 days on April 20, Vice President Lyndon Johnson received a memorandum from President Kennedy discussing the Americas space program status with him and asking him to find a solution to catch up with the Soviet program. Johnsons respond came out one week later, he concluded He mentioned also that landing humans on the Moon will be achieved by the United States . On the following month, on May 25, 1961, President Kennedy announced his approval and his full support for the Apollo program. He said that through a speech during a special session of Congress. At that time, many of NASA employees doubted whether Kennedys goal could be met. Many people doubted too, because only one American had flown in space. The goal of landing astronauts on Moon before the end of 1969 required an advanced technology, and a huge amount of money to run the program, it was around $24 billion which is the largest commitment of resources ever made by any nation at that time, and to get the work done in less than 10 years, NASA employed 400,000 people to work on Apollo program plus the support of more than 20,000 industrial companies and universities. Apollos mission mode Once Kennedy had announced the national goal, the planners of Apollo mission faced the challenge of designing a flying system with the minimum risks to human life. At the same time they dont want to exceed the limits and spend extra money on designing flights. They came up with four possible mission modes to choose from: Direct Ascent: Its to send the spacecraft directly to the Moon, make it land and return as one unit. To be able to make this kind of missions work efficiently, they have to design a strong launching system and a more powerful booster. Earth Orbit Rendezvous (EOR): In this mode many rockets would be launched, each one of the rockets will be carrying a different part of a Direct Ascent spacecraft and propulsion units to keep the spacecraft moving until it escapes earth orbit. Then the spacecraft will land on the Moon as a unit. Lunar Surface Rendezvous: They would launch two different spacecraft, one is a vehicle with propellants on it, and the other is the manned vehicle. First, the vehicle carrying propellants would land and then the manned vehicle will land later. They would transfer propellant from the first vehicle to the manned vehicle to make it able to go back to Earth. Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR): In this mission mode they would send a main spacecraft and a smaller lunar module to travel together into a lunar orbit. Then the lunar module will independently land on the Moon. When the mission is completed, it returns to the lunar orbit and come again with the main spacecraft. Then the main spacecraft returns to Earth. After studying each mission and testing some of them they came up with some expected results to choose the best mission mode for Apollo program, they decided to go with the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous mode. In the LOR method, astronauts can use the spacecraft as a life boat in case of a failure in the command ship, which is an advantage. On Apollo 13, astronauts faced a problem of oxygen tank failure that caused a cut in the electrical power in the command ship. The Lunar Module provided all the needs to get the crew back to earth safely. Apollo Missions There are two types of Apollo missions: Unmanned missions NASA began preparing for the Apollo program long before they decided to start the manned Apollo missions. In October 1961, they started testing flights of the Saturn I booster and it lasted for around three years until September 1964. In 1963, two tests of the launch escape system at the White Sands Missile Range. After all the tests, NASA sent three unmanned missions, they were Apollo 4, Apollo 5 and Apollo. Manned missions After testing the launching vehicles and making sure that nothing wrong is going to happen to the crew, NASA started the manned missions which carried three astronauts each or sometimes more. The first manned mission on the Apollo program was Apollo 7, launched on October 11, 1968 in an Earth orbital flight; it was to test the Command Module. Many manned missions continued the following years with some successful Moon landings. The last Apollo mission was Apollo 17, launched December 7, 1972. Canceled Missions Apollo 18, Apollo 19 and 20 were originally supposed to be a part of the Apollo program, but those missions had been canceled. In 1968, during the beginning with the election of Richard Nixon, the space program started to lose focus. After Nixon was elected president, he didnt want to continue what Kennedy started and he was not so interested in the space program, in hes opinion, its enough and its the time to stop the space missions because the original goal has accomplished. In 1969 Apollo 20 was canned, and 18 and 19 were dispensed with in 1971.

Saint Joan of Arc Essay -- European History France England War Essays

Saint Joan of Arc Joan of Arc lived an extraordinary life and accomplished incredible feats during, her brief lifetime. Joan is in a league of her own. As a girl at an absurdly young age and with no military knowledge, she convinces the Dauphin of France that she is a messenger from god and helps lead the almost diminished French army drive the English away from French soil. Her remarkable clairvoyance to foresee future events and for things to fall magically in place at least at the beginning of her career, compels one to believe in her saintly powers or in her connection with a higher being. Joan of Arc was born at Doremy in Champagne on January 6, 1412. Witnesses claim that the roosters of the village hailed her birth by crowing long before dawn. She was born to a wealthy farmer, Jacques Darc, and his wife, Isabelle. Joan never learned to read or write but was very skilled in spinning and sewing. Villagers regarded her as a pious child, and many often saw her kneeling in church, absorbed in prayer. At the age of 12 she first became conscious of her ‘voices.’ At first it seemed that it was simply a voice that would tell her to â€Å"Be good and go to church† (Pernoud 19). Soon the voices would be accompanied by a light, and she identified them individually as being St. Catherine, St. Margaret, and St. Michael. The voices became insistent, often telling her two to three times a week that she should go to France and present herself to Robert Baudricourt who commanded for Charles VII in the neighboring town of Vaucouleurs. A month later she traveled with her uncle to see Baudricourt, but with little success, as he told her uncle to â€Å"Take her home to her father and give her a good whipping† (Pernoud 50). Joan... ... more astonishing, her ability to bring France to victory during the battle of Orleans where the French were completely surrounded and defeat was almost certain. Her ability to produce wonders one after the other makes one hard pressed not to believe in her saintliness. Joan is a saint and her actions can only be categorized as miracles. Joan’s life is astounding by any measure, even when one separates the fact from fiction. Bibliography Brooks, Polly Schoyer Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999. Pernoud, Regine. Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses. New York: Scarborough House, 1994. Price, Patrick. JoanNet 2004. Feb 2004. http://maidjoan.tripod.com Shaw, Benard. Saint Joan. England: Penguin Books, 1924. Williamson, Allen. Joan of Arc Online Archive 2003. Feb 2004. http://archive.joan-of-arc.org