The movie Gladiator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The movie Gladiator - Essay Example This also includes the role of Rome in terms of power and world domination which would create a clearer picture as to what it was like then. These aspects created a clear image of the setting; what Rome was like during those times, and how power struggles affected society, their behavior, and their decisions. Basic information or details about the movie were also included, as well as the camera’s angles and shooting styles were described in detail so as to define how the emotions evoked by the movie came to be. In other words, how well-made the movie is depends upon the watchers’ reactions – and it has a lot to do with how the camera shifts from scene to scene, as well as the angles used in each scene. Learning about Rome paved a clearer understanding of the way of life that it was easy to define how power, violence, and blood played a role that could easily be the epitome of Roman culture during that era. Yet, as disturbing as it may be, it was their reality. Al though in history the Roman culture was described as refined and had high regards to the arts and sciences, it seems that they had nearly no regard for human life – except for their own. What is portrayed in the movie is not a culture of refinement and scholarly behavior; rather it was of violence and barbaric behaviors. During that time, it seems that men and beast were the same when it came to power, and the struggle for power made them more like beasts fighting over a slab of meat – it was worth killing for.

Effects Of Making Assumptions Based On Stereotypes Social Work Essay

Effects Of Making Assumptions Based On Stereotypes Social Work Essay Stereotype reflects the perception one has of other individuals based on their different physical abilities, emotional appearance, religious, cultural disposition, sexual orientation or ethnicity without knowing anything personal about that person and these views are often connected to experiences, observations or other influences such as the media. I will first outline below some of the reasons why it is important to avoid making assumptions based on stereotypes when providing care for someone and then later on show how individual care workers can guard against doing this. Making assumptions, based on stereotypes, when providing care for someone can have a negative effect on the quality of care, as illustrated in the case of Mhà  iri who suffered from a stroke and needed a wheelchair but opted instead for personal care at home. The care manager, Stuart, who did the assessment could have found out about her sexual preference had he not assumed because she was married that her relationship with partner Gillian was heterosexual. This would have allowed more sensitivity to be shown by the carers when attending to her personal needs. The stereotypical assumption that disabled people cannot communicate would have the consequence of them not being listened to properly and this would deny them the right to appropriate services and having a voice. This would impact on their individuality and personal needs, thereby affecting the quality of care being provided. As one participant wheelchair user pointed out in Its like when you go to the hospital or the doctors, if you go with anybody because youre in a wheelchair they dont address you, they look over you and that really infuriates me. This underscores the need to speak directly with the service users rather than making assumptions that they are helpless or not capable of discussing their caring needs. Showing narrow-mindedness because an assumption is made based on stereotype, is being prejudice and this was highlighted in Gypsy Travellers report about prejudice within the health care service. It can prevent Gypsies from gaining access to appropriate medical services such as the barrier presented by a receptionist the receptionist are harder to get past à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I think theyre doing the doctor a favour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I did something good today, I kept the Gypsies away. Another stereotypical assumption illustrated in is that people with mental health problems are prone to violence such was the case of Simon Jackson. However, he was just reaching out for help and often misunderstood, as he was suspicious of any authority figure. Making stereotypical assumptions can prevent people receiving appropriate care and if a carer has a prejudicial view it could further complicate the matter and deter users from accessing the services. For example, as given in, a disabled lesbian fel t that she was seen as somehow unnatural or abnormal. However, when these beliefs are carried through, it becomes discrimination. An example of this provided in K101 Block 3 Unit 10 where council estate residents were seen as failures and not interested in academic success. In providing care for someone in a local community, care workers should recognise and value diversity, that is, people are different and should be treated differently but fairly to avoid inequality and discrimination. Therefore, it should not be assumed that providing personal care for an Asian female would be the same or similar to that for a white European female. Care workers need to be culturally sensitive and take into account the differences in peoples lifestyles and family relationships. As in people with speech impediments are sometimes stereotyped as being deaf and are often shouted at when communicating and this should not be indicative of all people with such a disability. When providing care for someone with this disability, a carer needs to be more informed about that persons capabilities before engaging to avoid any communication barriers or leaving that person feeling demoralised. It may sometimes be necessary to use stereotypes and make assumptions as it can act as a guide to help in decision-making, such as when organizing a social event for older people in a care home as this could be the target audience and provide the opportunity to cater to their specific needs. Individual care workers can guard against making assumptions based on stereotypes by being more tolerant and make every effort to understand that person better. The care worker should find out what help a disabled person needs instead of assuming what they think they need based on previous experiences or observations. It is important for care workers to avoid being condescending when disabled people are accompanied by their cares but should communicate directly with the disabled persons. If the care worker is not able to understand someone with a hearing impairment, they could ask the person to tell them how they prefer to communicate and not pretend to have understood them when they have not or they could become familiar with that persons method of communication and find ways of keeping that communication going with aids such as Mankaton or other similar sign language. It is essential to identify that there are different religious, cultural and other particular needs of people, ther efore care workers should also see service users as individuals and tailor care according to their individual preferences so that appropriate services can be provided. Care workers need to develop a knowledge and understanding of how the law affecting disability and discrimination as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 protects disabled people and does not only apply to people who have a physical disability, visual or hearing impairment but can also cover people with learning disabilities. In addition, they should also be familiar with the Race Relations Act 1976, as it is unlawful to discriminate against a person on ground of race, colour, ethnic origin or nationality. An example of this was demonstrated in with an account given by Roz, a white nurse when a patients wife made loud racist remarks that she thought it was disgusting that her husband should be in a bay with three black men on their own which offended the men. Roz did not collude with this racist view by changing the ir bays but instead left the men to sort it out amongst themselves, after gaining their views. In conclusion, an assumption based on stereotypes when providing care for someone should be avoided as it could be construed as being prejudicial or discriminatory and is likely to have a negative Impact on the service user. Individual care workers can guard against doing this by recognising the diverse global village we live in and be respectful of other peoples cultural, religious beliefs and ethnicity as well as any government legislation relating to disability and discrimination.

A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov Essay -- Hero of Our Time, Vla

In his novel A Hero of Our Time translated by Vladimir Nabokov, Mikhail Lermontov creates a character named, Pechorin based on his opinions to 19th century Russian society. Pechorin is cruel, selfish, and careless to the people but ironically, Pechorin’s refusal to marry either Princess Marry or Vera, reveals him to be as an honorable man. Although, Pechorin describes his life as full of boredom and his opinion to love is different, Lermontov again explains he should be represented as a respectful man. By Pechorin’s behavior and thoughts, Lermontov demonstrates an honorable man is not consistently sympathetic and understandable because truly, Pechorin’s behavior and thoughts are to depict how life may describe as meaningless and purposeless. Lermontov expresses Pechorin’s selfishness by the rejection to Princess Marry and Vera in which ironically, those also represent him as an honorable man and that he explains the meaningless life. Pechorin has an unusual mind and character that no other men will have during 19th century. The first impression of Pechorin drives people to think him as a disrespectful man because for the most of the time, his actions are blamable. For example, when Pechorin kills Grushnitsky in the duel and after, then he meets Princess Marry right away, he says â€Å"I cannot marry you. Even if you wished it now, you would soon regret it† (162). Lermontov fully proves the disrespectful behavior of him because he killed a man over a girl’s love and he right away rejects the girl’s love. However, Lermontov’s real view is Pechorin killed Grushnitsky because they both did not truly love Princess Marry; instead, Pechorin already knew it was a jealousy that was coming from each other in which it supports how honorable ma... ...ctfully to the people around him but still, he may represent as an honorable man because of his thoughts and behaviors to 19th century Russian society. First, the event of Princess Marry and Vera explains Pechorin is a respectful man because he rejects those two girls’ love for their own lives and by explaining the meaningless life to them. Second, Lermontov’s beliefs that a life is apathy by Pechorin’s behavior and thoughts lead Pechorin as an honorable man. Most of the people believe an honorable man is one who says a life is not boredom and acts carefully and responsibly to his or her people. However, Lermontov explains an honorable man’s character alters by a society situation such as Pechorin. An honorable man’s action and belief may alter and that people still have to respect them because an honorable man is made by the people and the society.

Various Government Roles in Health Care

The government performs several important roles, including financing, delivering, and regulating the delivery of healthcare. The federal government or the state government programs provides healthcare for uninsured individuals or low income families with needs. The federal government regulates programs such as Medicaid and Medicare providers. They regulate such things as health codes, the insurance industry, licensed personnel, and facilities. Important Roles The government which consists of federal, state and local combined has many important roles in the U. S healthcare system.One of the roles in which the government provides is finance. It is estimated that 48% of healthcare was paid for by public dollars in 2008, which included Medicare, Medicaid, state and local health programs, CHIP, and Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Yesalis, Holt, & Politzer, 2012). Federal and State governments jointly fund Medicaid, long term mental health services, community health centers an d public health programs. Regulation shapes all aspects of America's fragmented health care industry, from the flow of dollars to the communication between physicians and patients.It is the engine that translates public policy into action. While the health and lives of patients, as well as almost one-sixth of the national economy depend on its effectiveness, health care regulation in America is bewilderingly complex. Government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels direct portions of the industry, but hundreds of private organizations do so as well. Some of these overseers compete with one another, some conflict, and others collaborate. Their interaction is as important to the provision of health  care as are the laws and rules they implement. (Robert I. Field)RegulationsThe state government also regulates licensing for health care personnel, facilities, and establishes health codes. The government basically controls the health industry with rules and regulations. Rangi ng from: Regulation/licensing, mental health services, vital statistics, public health issues, public health laboratories, communicable disease control programs, environmental health, maternal/child health, health planning, and health education. (Yesalis, Holt, & Politzer, 2012).

New Technology: Police Body Worn Cameras Essay

Our department is currently going to purchase new technology in the form of officer worn cameras. Over the next five years this technology will be put in place. The police department will see many benefits from this technology in the areas of evidence preservation, reduced liability and improved efficiency for the police department. The officer worn camera is a device that has become cost effective and efficient in size and capabilities. The camera is attached to the Officers uniform and allows the officer to capture video and audio of his activities throughout his tour of duty. This will be used to document traffic stops, consent searches and â€Å"res gestae† statements made to officers. The officer worn camera will reduce false allegations made against officers, and the investigative overhead that comes along with these allegations. The future benefits from the officer worn cameras in the reduction of liability to the city, the police department and the officer. According to Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s policing review published last week, not only do cameras provide improved evidence, they can also reduce the time taken to file incident reports by 22 per cent, which would give officers an extra 50 minutes of patrol time per officer per day, according to the report (Kelly, 2008) In this new era of budget shortfalls and diminished manpower this new technology can provide a more efficient police department by freeing up time that is normally spent on unnecessary investigations. Implementing reporting procedures using cameras and video can also reduce time spent on report writing duties. In Conclusion, the purchase of the officer worn cameras will reduce liability in cases where false accusations are made. Video statements can be used preserve evidence and the capability of reporting will create a more efficient police department. References: Foster, R. E. (2005). Police technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Kelly, N. (2008). Police pilot body-worn cameras. Computing, 6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/212414151?accountid=32521

Aisha Rapant Essays (1176 words) - Music, Milk, Milkman, Free Essays

Aisha Rapant Essays (1176 words) - Music, Milk, Milkman, Free Essays Aisha Rapant Essay Song of Solomon Flipped Meanings Darkness represents evil and dishonesty and whiteness represents good, purity and honesty, right? In the novel Song of Solomon , Toni Morris uses her unique style of writing to portray the two colors differently . Within the setting of the story, taking place during the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights movemen t of African Americans, Morris makes clear the racial division of the people throughout the use of symbolism . The name of the protagonists in this novel have interesting names, and when thought about, have an irony to them . Milkman and Guitar are very good friends, but are almost complete opposites . When you think of milk, it's a very simple, white, pure, healthy substance . It pours smooth, and is made to be an important source of vitamins to most people . However, in the story, Milkman is not that . Milkman was a colored boy born into his wealth as a child, and was raised surrounded by money . His father wanted him to join the real-estat e business, and his mother wanted him to go to business school . Within his own personality, he is also very materialistic, self-centered, and close-minded to women, anyone inferior to him, and the division of race . Even though it looks like he must have it going good for himself, he is not content with himself . You could almost call him spiritually dead . Milk will go "wherever the party is", and eventually sets out on a quest for gold because he isn't happy . On the other hand, Guitar is Milkman's mentor . When you think of Guitars, you might see the dark imperfections of the wood, or how loud it is . It takes a while to master such an intricate instrument . In contrast, Guitar grew up in poverty in the South . Because of this setting, Guitar has a keen sense of awareness, and tends to be someone to look up to . "Wise and kind and fearless", he is said to be to Milkman . In fact, you can say that Guitar was the instrument in helping Milkman achieve freedom later in the novel . The characters, themselves, even represent this idea . It is very much prevalent in The Seven Days . This is a formed hate group of black men, including Guitar . The idea of whites killing blacks infuriates them so much that they reciprocate, and punish the white person the same way . To them, the same hateful acts and violence are deemed worse than if a black person initially committed it . It's not the act of violence that is seen as infuriating, it's the fact that it's coming from a white person . This thought of g eneral hatefulness is also seen briefly through Guitar's interactions after the saw mill accident with his father . The mill's white foreman offers the family almost no sympathy or financial support for his loss . Instead of life insurance, the man gave his mother fourth dollars, and what was bought from it was a peppermint stick "'to tide you and them kids over . '" The action of that alone was enough to make Guitar feel sick . There is a general hatred seen towards the man after . Tension often arises between white and colored individuals, but the most evil seems to stem from white individuals . Coming off from the peppermint sick given to Guitar in compensation with his father's death, many items in the story associating white, and dark colors create the sense of diversity and represent the time period . Within the peppermint sick, the colors were described as "bone-white and blood-red" , and in a spiral . This story can go back to the times of Malco m X and Martin Luther King Jr during the racial fight for inequality between colors and blacks . While Martin spread the idea of non-violence, Malcom X condemned the use of violence to gain back the rights of the colored . The red in the candy represents the blood and hardships within this revolution, and the white represents those who tried

Ford Fiesta Essays

Ford Fiesta Essays Ford Fiesta Essay Ford Fiesta Essay The storyline for the Ford Fiesta is a woman who looks young, about twenty to twenty five year old and a around the same aged boyfriend, driving through a town. The couple look like they are on holiday because it is sunny and they are driving alongside a beach. They get stuck in traffic. The woman then quickly drives out of the traffic line and drives down through some narrow streets. At this point the camera gets good close ups of the car. During the time that she is narrating what seems to be a diary entry. The camera then shows the woman lying down on her bed writing in the diary. The last clip of the advert shows her boyfriend looking puffed out over the drive. During this hot of her boyfriend, she is says Oh yeah and Jack purposed, Jack who is her boyfriend. She says it in a tone which makes it seem not very important. She is only talking about the car. Jazzy music is being played in the background while the couple are driving to get the viewer in the holiday mood as well as making the car sound fun and cheerful. The main aspect of the car which is being focused on is that the car is small so it can go down narrowest of roads and can easily handle a busy city street.  The message about the car is that the car is more important then marriage which links in with the cars slogan which is It makes your day. I think this links in with this storyline because the car is small and versatile it got out of the traffic and made a few shortcuts through some narrow lanes. Therefore at the result of that they are engaged. : The type of people I feel will buy this car is someone who drives around the town a lot, such as a business man or someone in the delivery trade. I think single or married people who are between twenty and thirty years old and who earn average wage will buy this car.  I feel that all three adverts are all effective in there own way. The Ford Fusion is a good example of very effective photography and use of colour. The Ford Mondeo shows that the car is very safe and reliable. It also has a frightening theme to it. The Ford Fiesta is a good example of very effective music, comedy and narration. I find all three adverts very clever and original. The best method to sell a car I fell is by TV because you can use different mediums such as music, comedy, sound effects, and a disturbing atmosphere. That is why I feel the best advert is the Ford Fiesta because I like comedy in an advert. That is how I would remember it.  I think the Ford Fiesta did in a way persuade me to buy the car because how the way the advertisers have filmed the car. Advertising has an important effect on our lives. If we see something on TV, radio or the newspaper and we like either the person selling it or the way it is set up, we will probably that product.

How to Make a Solar System Model

How to Make a Solar System Model A solar system model is an effective tool that teachers use to teach about our planet and its environment. The solar system is made of the sun (a star), as well as the  planets  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, and the celestial bodies that orbit those planets (like moons).   You can make a solar system model out of many types of materials. The one thing you should keep in mind is scale; you will need to represent the different planets according to differences in size. You should also realize that a true scale will probably not be possible when it comes to distance. Especially if you have to carry this model on the school bus. One of the easiest materials to use for planets is Styrofoam © balls. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and they come in a variety of sizes; however, if you intend to color the planets, be aware that regular spray paint in a can often contain chemicals that will dissolve Styrofoam - so it is best to use water-based paints. Types of Solar System Models There are two main types of models: box models and hanging models. You will need a very large (basketball sized) circle or semi-circle to represent the sun. For a box model, you could use a large foam ball, and for a hanging model, you could use an inexpensive toy ball. You will often find inexpensive balls at a one-dollar type store. You can use affordable finger paint or markers to color the planets. A sample range when considering sizes for planets, from large to small, might measure: Jupiter (brownish with a red spot): 4 - 7 inchesSaturn (yellow with red ring): 3 - 6 inchesUranus (green): 4 - 5 inchesNeptune (blue): 3 - 4 inchesVenus (yellow): 2 inchesEarth (blue): 2 inchesMars (red): 1.5 inchesMercury (orange): 1 inch Please note that this is not the right order of arrangement (see the sequence below.) How to Assemble the Model To make a hanging model, you can use straws or wooden  dowel  rods (like for grilling kebabs) to connect the planets to the sun  in the center. You could also use a hula-hoop toy to form the main structure, suspend the sun in the middle (connect it to two sides), and hang the planets around the circle. You can also arrange the planets in a straight line from the sun showing their relative distance (to scale). However, although you may have heard the term planetary alignment used by astronomers, they do not mean the planets are all in a straight line, they are simply referring to some of the planets being in the same general region. To make a box model, cut off the top flaps of the box and set it on its side. Color the inside of the box black, to represent space. You might also sprinkle silver glitter inside for stars. Attach the semicircular sun to one side, and hang the planets in order, from the sun, in the following sequence: MercuryVenusEarthMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptune Remember the mnemonic device for this is: My very educated mother just served us nachos.

COM 8 Anti Drinking Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

COM 8 Anti Drinking Campaign - Essay Example .... 5 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...... 7 1 Com 8 Anti-Drinking Campaign Executive Summary Underage drinking is one of the major problems of our youth today. This paper aims to enlighten the readers on the increasing incidence of underage drinking among the young students. It will discuss the adverse consequences that underage drinking has on the youth. Furthermore, it will suggest ways on how schools can help in preventing underage drinking. The warning signs to look for in students who engage in underage drinking will be pinpointed to assist educators in identifying. 2 Facts and Statistics on Underage Drinking â€Å"Underage drinking is the use of alcohol by a person under the age of 21, the minimum legal age† (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (USDHHS, 2007). Underage drinking has now become a major health problem in the US and the statistics are quite alarming. According to the report of the Surgeon General, nearly 10.8 million youth, ages 12 to 20, are underage drinkers (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2007). ... The graph below illustrates this survey. 3 Consequences of Underage Drinking The consequences of underage drinking are very serious. In a study by the John Hopkins School of Public Health, it was approximated that about 5,000 people under age 21 die from alcohol-related injuries (The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY), 2010). Specifically, 1,900 or 38 percent of the 5,000 deaths are due to motor vehicle crashes; 1,600 or 32 percent result from homicides; and 300 or six percent result from suicides (CAMY, 2010). Aside from these disturbing figures, there are other serious consequences of underage drinking. Based on the data presented by the CDCP, underage drinking results in â€Å"1) school problems, such as higher absence and poor or failing grades; 2) social problems, such as fighting and lack of participation in youth activities; 3) legal problems, such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone while drunk; 4) physical problems, such as hangovers or illnesses; 5) unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity; 6) disruption of normal growth and sexual development; 7) physical and sexual assault; 8) higher risk for suicide and homicide; 9) alcohol-related car crashes and other unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, and drowning; 10) memory problems; 11) abuse of other drugs; 12) changes in brain development that may have life-long effects; and 13) death from alcohol poisoning (2010). Looking through these consequences makes one quiver over the scenarios that one can expect from an adolescent who experience underage drinking. What is even more frightening is that these dangers are far greater for those who indulge in binge drinking (CDCP, 2010). Steps to Combat Underage Drinking The school can adapt several strategies to

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 22

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example Conversely, I concur that a process map shows how each of the processes affect each other. In other words, it shows different outcomes that could result from a specific process. For instance, after initial examination, a patient can either proceed to the discharge room or can proceed to the laboratory for tests. Your elucidation that process mapping is the use of diagramming to understand the process currently used and display what is expected of each individual involved (Cookson et-al, 2011) is spot on. I concur that through process mapping, workable standards can be identified and adopted and also courses of action implemented to help improve on non-workable standards in order to arrive at better outcomes. However, I feel that you could have used an example of a problem necessitating improvement in healthcare in your process map. In my process map for instance, I have used an example showing how patients move across the clinic from the time of checking in to the time of discharge. In such an example, areas that need improvement can clearly be noted. Cookson, D., Read, C., Mukherjee, P., & Cooke, M. (2011). Improving the quality of emergency department care by removing waste using Lean Value Stream mapping. International Journal of Clinical Leadership, 17(1),

Access Health Care in the UK Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Access Health Care in the UK - Research Paper Example In this paper, the current health care policy of UK will be analyzed critically along with mentioning of key suggestions and recommendations in encouraging further improvement. In UK healthcare is mainly facilitated by a publicly financed service called National Health Service (NHS), which is funded by general taxation and national insurances. Most of the mainstream primary and secondary health services (such as Hospital services, preventive services, prescribed Hospital drugs and physician services) are provided free of cost to all permanent UK residents. (Siciliani & Borowitz et al., 2013) However, treatments for infectious diseases like AIDS/HIV and emergency visits are free for visitors or illegal residents. Restricted co-payments are taken for dental care, mental healthcare, palliative care and vision care. Senior citizens, children, pregnant women and lower-income families are kept devoid of these payments. General practitioners are used for provision of primary healthcare and necessary future referrals in NHS. Specialist outpatient care including primary dental care, mental care and eye services are based on private sector contracts. Long-term care such as residential care and continued services are quite restricted in NHS. (Harrison, 2014) In UK, NHS is provided under National Health Service Act 1946.It covered England and Wales while Scotland and Northern Ireland were provided with separate legislations. According to this Act, NHS was to be availed freely by all citizens irrespective of race, gender, marital status, age or disability. However, reforms in the initial policies led to the invention of Health and Social Care Act, 2012. It focuses more on health care improvement and quality of services provided. Maternity and Childcare policy: Pregnant women are provided with best available health services and maternity care at NHS hospitals. Provision of a midwife for labor, birth, pre-and-post-delivery care is ensured. In case of miscarriages and

Creating, Financing, and Marketing a Business Essay - 2

Creating, Financing, and Marketing a Business - Essay Example A second downfall of partnerships is that total profits are shared among the different partners of the business. Finding the right partner is imperative towards the success of a partnership. 2. Discuss funding options for small businesses. Entrepreneurs have various options to fund their business. The business structure of the company affects the alternatives of the business to raise capital. Sole proprietorship can raise capital by investing the personal wealth of the owner. The business can also obtain money by borrowing funds from the bank or other lending institution. A single owner that wants to raise more money for the business can do so by finding an equity partner. A partner can invest money in exchange for participation in the business. When a business grows the company has higher needs for capital. A business structure that is extremely effective at raising capital is public corporations. A company becomes public after undergoing an IPO process. All public companies must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Public companies can raise money by selling common stocks in the open market. Firms have to option to sell common and preferred stocks. Common stocks have voting rights, while preferred stocks do not have voting rights but they have guaranteed dividend payments. A second way for public companies to raise money is through the sale of commercial paper. Corporations can sell bonds in the open market to raise money. 3. Determine and discuss how managerial accounting can help managers with product costing, incremental analysis, and budgeting. Unlike financial accounting which focuses on providing precise, relevant and historical accounting information to stockholders, creditors and others who are outside the organization; managerial accounting focuses on providing information to managers who directly control its day to day operations. Managerial accounting helps managers perform their three essential activities: planning, dir ecting and motivating, and controlling. To plan correctly a manager will use cost accounting information to determine all the necessary materials and resources in order to manufacture and assemble a specific product. Without the specific accounting data regarding manufacturing processes, labor costs, materials, and overhead expenditures for a product line it would be very difficult for a manager to determine the real costs of production and a fair allocation of overhead costs for a specific product or service. Managers utilize cost-volume profit analysis as one of the most important tools managerial accountants have in their arsenal. It helps managers understand the interrelationship between price or costs, volume, variable unit costs, fixed costs and how the mix of products affects the overall business. CVP information can help a manager determine which products to manufacture, product costs, pricing decisions, and which specific products and what amounts to produce to include in t he product mix. Incremental analysis can also be performed by managers which will consider only those items of revenue, costs and volume directly related to the new product or service and how the overall profitability of the firm will be affected specifically by those product changes. Without the managerial accoun

How far povtery as inpact on child life chaces Essay

How far povtery as inpact on child life chaces - Essay Example However, the important thing is to understand that these problems are created because the poor people are deprived of the social, emotional and psychological opportunities that well to do people get. The lack of financial resources to afford education, home and healthy food affects the future prospects of poor children. To solve the problem of poverty, it is important to know the magnitude of the effect of poverty on the life of poor children. The intention of this research is to understand to what extent poverty affects the life chances of a child. The study also aims to understand what other factors, related to poverty, are responsible for affecting the life chances of poor people. The word ‘chance’ means opportunity. ‘Life chances’ can be defined as the opportunities a child should get to become whatever he wants to, when he is born. However, the systematic study of the social situations in the eighteenth and nineteenth century revealed that society has regularly displayed a certain trend in the lives of people regarding crime rates, trade, birth rate and mortality rates (Daston, 2008, para 9). The social trend has revealed that people born in the family with certain social background lead a certain life. The regularity of the trend is so astonishing (Daston,2008, para 12) that now, it is possible to tell if a child will enjoy the luxury of life chances or not, simply by knowing the financial status of the family he is born in. The higher the social position is, the more luxurious the financial standing of the family, the higher the possibilities the child will live to get ample supply of food for his nutrition, financing for his edu cation and a shot at a wider career perspective because of the social positioning of

Final Manifesto of Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final Manifesto of Architecture - Essay Example In this manifesto on architecture, I am going to present my personal views on architecture with historical evidences. First of all, I would like to describe my vision of architecture by considering it as something with modern approach. As Buckminster Fuller (1969) in his essay ‘From Utopia or Oblivion’ quoted on the future architectural approach that started in an era with the stepping of foot on human on moon. It was this era that made man to think of creating ‘floating city’ or a utopian state. He also talked about the change in our way of living that is more oriented toward making changes in our surroundings by adjusting them according to our needs. I would like to relate architecture with his vision that is the name of creating buildings and places that better serve our needs to adjust to temperature changes and other things that were beyond our control in the past. Also architecture should be focused on simple but modern way of constructing buildings th at is not much oriented toward immense decorations. Adolf Loos (1929) in ‘Ornaments and Crime’ identified the modern man’s focus toward simplicity with lack of interests in ornaments and decorations. I believe that architecture should focus on the modern approach of man in order to create buildings according to his taste. Architecture is a way of symbolizing different things depending upon the way a building is structured. Roland Barthes in ‘Image Music Text’ talked about the power the image has in terms of communicating a message to receivers. There are many ways in which a message gets to a person through studying numerous parts of an image. It can be linguistic, if an image has a text or caption on it or simply iconic that may be coded or non-coded. It may also possible that the image is conveying a message in the context of a certain culture or society. In other words, we get to know various meanings by simply looking at an image. Likewise, archi tecture is an art that give rise to erect structures and buildings with a touch of sculptures and art work that convey to us a specific message that can be deciphered in a language or coded in a certain way. Therefore, architecture should give rise to a carefully designed structure in order to signify many things in a specific setting. In addition to the description of architecture as a skill that needs careful handling by people involved in doing architectural work; architects, it is also a profession that has seen changing trends from the last decade. It is important to state that it has now become more of a heterogeneous nature than before with bringing strangely conflicting structures to places on earth. It has been quoted by Greg Lynn in ‘Architectural Curvilinearity’ that architecture had been deviating from pervious forms and now practicing principles of pliancy and curvilinearity. I suggest that architecture should inculcate modern methods in attempting to give people the places they want to live in. The heterogeneous approach is a particularly a new one with great potential and it could be continued to give a new form to architecture. Moreover, the buildings that are constructed now are not accurately of geometrical figures or anything close to that. Rather they are given different shapes that is not to be find similar with other buildings. Based on the architectural manifesto

How far povtery as inpact on child life chaces Essay

How far povtery as inpact on child life chaces - Essay Example However, the important thing is to understand that these problems are created because the poor people are deprived of the social, emotional and psychological opportunities that well to do people get. The lack of financial resources to afford education, home and healthy food affects the future prospects of poor children. To solve the problem of poverty, it is important to know the magnitude of the effect of poverty on the life of poor children. The intention of this research is to understand to what extent poverty affects the life chances of a child. The study also aims to understand what other factors, related to poverty, are responsible for affecting the life chances of poor people. The word ‘chance’ means opportunity. ‘Life chances’ can be defined as the opportunities a child should get to become whatever he wants to, when he is born. However, the systematic study of the social situations in the eighteenth and nineteenth century revealed that society has regularly displayed a certain trend in the lives of people regarding crime rates, trade, birth rate and mortality rates (Daston, 2008, para 9). The social trend has revealed that people born in the family with certain social background lead a certain life. The regularity of the trend is so astonishing (Daston,2008, para 12) that now, it is possible to tell if a child will enjoy the luxury of life chances or not, simply by knowing the financial status of the family he is born in. The higher the social position is, the more luxurious the financial standing of the family, the higher the possibilities the child will live to get ample supply of food for his nutrition, financing for his edu cation and a shot at a wider career perspective because of the social positioning of

Is There Such a Thing as Ethical Hacking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Is There Such a Thing as Ethical Hacking - Essay Example This sudden increase in popularity made authorities restrict its usage; this made programmers use different ways to get into different systems by stealing passkeys, by looking for vulnerabilities in the protected systems and exploiting them to access programs that they want to use and to alter the restrictions levied by the authority (COFFIN, 2003). Initially these intrusions were con ducted for small purposes such as for fun and to steal computer time, but as restrictions increased, the degree of harm done by these break-ins became adverse. For example: due to these break-ins, computer system owners had to get their computers repaired in certain instances and they even experienced major losses. The destructions conducted by intruders, were soon caught by the eyes of media and media reported these destructions while referring computer criminals as hackers and presenting them as people who intrude computer systems to gain enjoyment, benefits and revenge. During the early days of hacki ng, the term hacker was referred to as a person who has great skills, so different terminologies were invented to differentiate between hackers who use this skill to conduct destructive activities and those who don’t commit too much damage. Discussion As internet became a portion of the human world, concerns for security for computer systems have increased for organizations and government. Increase in concern for security has been of top most issue because these business and governments want to conduct business activities such as managing, marketing and financing through the use of computer technology and they have a fear of being hacked. While on the other end customers have a fear that their personal information and information that can cause huge damage can be caused due to vulnerabilities in security system. One way to solve this issue figured out by authorities was to make independent hackers break into these systems and analyze the degree of vulnerability and security r isk faced by these systems. In such cases, hacking is considered as auditing firm’s records to find out what the problem is and people who conduct this kind of hacking are recognized as ethical hackers and the task they perform is referred to as ethical hackers. They are referred to as â€Å"ethical† hackers because they are conducting this task with the consent of the organizations, they are conducting these tasks for the right reasons which are to find vulnerabilities in the system and provide solutions and protective measures to make the systems safe. This system of Ethical hacking is being used for years, for example: this method was once utilized by the air force of United States of America to identify any possible weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the system regarded as Multics (Ethical 2001). The end result of this exercise determined that Multics was one of the best systems and was better than other systems; still it had certain degree of weaknesses and vulnera bilities. These vulnerabilities were identified in the hardware, software and processes of the system, and these vulnerabilities could be exploited very easily. The efforts made by the ethical hackers helped identify the sources and the secrets that could have been easily obtained by unethical

Linking American Indian Communities With Veteran Services

Linking American Indian Communities With Veteran Services Richard Downs I’m choosing to focus on helping to inform Minnesota American Indian Veterans on their opportunities for higher education and to help increase educational attainment rates, completion rates, and self-efficacy. I think it is important to raise awareness on the unique barriers faced by American Indian Veterans, especially those who live outside the metropolitan area or on reservations. Veterans are a very important part of American Indian communities. They are highly regarded, and honored in many different ways. Serving in the military is common and highly regarded in the American Indian community. â€Å"Native Americans have the highest record of service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups† (defense.gov). During powwows, veterans carrying eagle feather staffs, tribal flags, the American flag, as wells as flags representing all branches of the military are the first dancers in the arena. After the first Grand Entry song, a flag song is sung, which is comparable to the Star Spangled Banner, followed by a victory song honoring the veterans. At community events, veterans do not get their own meals; rather other community members serve them. There are benefits and services available to American Indian veterans. Currently, tribal veteran service officers visit reservations in Minnesota on a monthly basis. For example, in the Upper Sioux community, veterans learn about the visits via monthly newsletters. The veterans who attend enjoy a lunch, and the representative meets with them during this time about any concerns or needs they have. This also occurs in the Twin Cities urban area. These representatives are beneficial in that they connect American Indian veterans to services and resources that they might need. However, not everyone who is eligible takes advantages of these services. Veterans may be disconnected either by communication or location and therefore not be aware of these opportunities. They may live in rural areas, but not near their home reservation. Another barrier may be lack of information. They may hear about these services, but not know everything that is available and do not attend, because they think it may not be beneficial to them. Some veterans may be aware of these opportunities and want to utilize them, but not be able to attend, possibly due to lack of transportation or funds. Some reservations such as the Upper Sioux Community have transportation services available for its members, but not all reservations may be able to offer this. A combinatorial organization may be beneficial in linking American Indian communities with veteran services. This model has successfully worked in other areas. For example, the American Indian Cancer Foundation implements programming work to lower the burdens of cancer in American Indian communities. Many times, funding for these programs comes from grants from the government, such as the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC would be unable to implement programs directly to American Indian communities for many reasons, including knowledge of the communities and cultural competency, and lack of the trust in the government by Americans Indians. A linking organization, like AICAF, is necessary, because they have expertise working with and in American Indian communities, as well as extensive education and experience with public health. American Indians are more likely to participate in programs when they are familiar with the people implementing them and can relate to them. Using such a non-profit organization might be the answer to preventing American Indians from falling through the cracks and helping them to overcome life’s obstacles or barriers that cause them to either abstain from participating in educational degree programs or to complete them. In this approach to prevention, the purpose will be to devise a way to build collaborations between multi-cultural student departments, in conjunction with student-veteran offices at college/universities and link them directly to state and federal veteran liaisons or departments, while at the same time keeping in sync with the veteran’s community or tribal affiliation. Moreover, with suicide and substance abuse being major problems in the American Indian community, not to mention similar issues in the diverse aggregate veteran community, feelings of well-being will also likely increase as a result of such a program being successful. A combination of websites, both private and government, such as the United States Census Bureau, will be used to obtain statistics and some background information. A multitude of books will be used to better understand the mindset and culture of American Indians such as Fixico’s (2003), â€Å"The American Indian mind in a linear world: American Indian studies traditional knowledge†, whereas books like Bandura’s (1997) â€Å"Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control† will be used to understand veterans self-efficacy. The class’s text books will be used along with Kettner, Moroney, Martin’s (2008) Designing and Managing Programs: An Effectiveness-based approach.† Additionally, relevant material from peer reviewed journals will be introduced and used to support the research. References Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman and Company. Barsh, R. L. (2001). American Mosaic: Social Conflict and Cultural Contract in the Twentieth Century. Journal of American Studies, 35(3), 371-411. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.metrostate.edu/stable/pdfplus/27557003.pdf Bureau of Labor Statistics US Department of Labor. (2014). The employment situation — December 2014. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf Cohen, L., Chavez, V., Chehimi, S. (2010). Prevention is primary: Strategies for community well-being (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Conyne, R. K. (2008). Prevention program development and evaluation: An incidence reduction, culturally relevant approach. Las Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC: Sage. Data.gov. (n.d.). Education. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.data.gov/education/ Data.gov. (n.d.). Inventory. (2014). Retrieved from https://inventory.data.gov/dataset/032e19b4-5a90-41dc-83ff-6e4cd234f565/resource/38625c3d-5388-4c16-a30f-d105432553a4 Fixico, D. L. (2003). The American Indian mind in a linear world: American Indian studies traditional knowledge. New York, NY: Routledge. Kettner, P. M., Moroney, R. M., Martin, L. L. (2008). Designing and managing programs: An effectiveness-based approach (3rd ed.). Las Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage. Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.minnesotaveteran.org http://www.mn.gov/mdva Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: Tribal Veterans Service Officers. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mnveteranservice.org/maps/tvso/index.html National Congress of American Indians. (2014). Education. Retrieved from http://www.ncai.org/policy-issues/education-health-human-services/education National Native Veterans Association. (2011). The voice of the Native American Veteran. Retrieved from http://www.nnava.org/ Reyhner, J. Eder, J. (2004). American Indian education: A history. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. United States Census Bureau. (2014). Education. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/geo/education/ United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Education and training. Retrieved from http://benefits.va.gov/gibill/school_resources.asp United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014). National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Report.asp U.S. Department of Defense. (n.d.). American Heritage Month: 20th Century Warriors: Native American Participation in the United States Military. Retrieved from http://www.defense.gov/specials/nativeamerican01/warrior.html Westermeyer J, Canive J, Thuras P, Thompson J, Crosby R, Garrard J. (2009). A Comparison of Substance Use Disorder Severity and Course in American Indian Male and Female Veterans.American Journal on Addictions, 18(1), 87-92. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.metrostate.edu/stable/pdfplus/27557003.pdf

Right Stuff :: essays research papers

The Right Stuff   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As one advances in their educational process it becomes apparent that some of their instructors were a significant cut above the rest. These few individuals are inevitably viewed as master craftsmen. But why is it that some instructor’s posses the â€Å"right stuff† for being effective with their students while others do not? When one analyzes their educational experience, those instructors that were extremely effective appear to them as makers of fine wine, turning grapes into a drink which is pleasurable to the pallet. All instructors’ careers starts out in much the same manner as a trade’s apprentice. First, they must go to school themselves. Then, they must observe experts in action. And finally, they have to exercise their newly acquired skills. The instructors that eventually become effective quickly realize there is much more to the fermentation process than this. They realize that to be effective with a student there are additional requirements that must be adhered to. To make a fine wine they must learn to delicately blend the right ingredients of personality, motivation, and above all patients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The initial ingredient required to becoming an effective instructor is of personality. The personality of the instructor affects each and every student they are in contact with. An effective instructor will develop a personality that conveys humor into the learning process. It is only natural that what one finds humorous, one tends to remember longer. Additionally, if an instructor to be a cut above the rest, their personality must be of fairness and equality for each student. Students feel that, if their instructor really doesn’t like them much anyway, there isn’t much use in trying as hard as they would otherwise. As the apprentices of the instructor trade begin to integrate a warm, humorous, and friendly personality into their instructional style, the first process in fine wine making is achieved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Secondly, the instructor then adds motivation to their students’ behavior. When an instructor motivates a student to do well, the student usually tries to succeed beyond that point. This can most easily be done by the positive reinforcement of the students’ abilities and through constructive criticism. When an instructor portrays to their students that they believe in their abilities, the student unknowingly starts believing that they do posses the same abilities. Through applying the second ingredient to becoming an effective instructor, motivation, the grapes start to ferment and the apprentice now becomes a journeymen of the wine making trade.

Korea Two Pieces of a Puzzle :: essays papers

Korea Two Pieces of a Puzzle Korea is a nation that is rich with culture and corruption. Korea has been a unified nation for over 1500 years and in that time they have been persecuted and then divided. Before all this happened the Koreans were becoming a very culturally enriched society. Around the same time as the fall of the Roman Empire the Koreans were coming up with new ideas on architecture, art, science and even a central government. The Korean people lived in peace for 500 years under the rule of Choson (Yi) dynasty. After Japan defeated China in 1895 and then the Russians in 1905, Korea was then under complete control by the Japanese. This is when the Japanese entered the scene. When the Japanese took over they first annexed Choson in 1910 and then began their attempt to destroy the Korean culture for the next 35 years. The Korean government was taken over; every upper level government position was taken from the Koreans. The Japanese went as far as to outlaw the Korean language and even tried to b an Korean family names. Not until the end of World War II, was when the Koreans finally overcame Japans rule. At the end of World War II is when Korea became a divided country. The United States, Great Britain and the former U.S.S.R defeated nazi Germany and then went on to take out Japan. After Japan was out of the picture the U.S., U.S.S.R. and Great Britain decided that Korea should become their own nation once again. The U.S. was to accept the Japanese defeat south of the 38th parallel and the Russians were to accept the Japanese defeat north of the 38th parallel. This was the first step into dividing the Koreans as a people. All forces and all foreign military were to be evacuated from Korea; this is what was supposed to happen. What actually happened was a result of the Cold War tensions. Because of the Cold war the Russians imposed a Communist government on all Koreans north of the 38th parallel and the United States imposed a nationalist/capitalist democracy south of 38th parallel. After the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. imposed their own style of government on Korea came the formation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korean in the north and in the south was the Republic of Korea, in 1948.

Paper on the Costs and Benefits of Building Society

At the beginning of this century there were more than 2000 building societies, fiercely independent mutual organisations, formed in the spirit of Victorian self help. There are now just 71. Some of these that have disappeared were terminating societies with a fixed wind up date. The last â€Å"terminating† society was the Fist Salisbury which wound up in 1980. Other societies have been swallowed up in take-overs or converted into banks in the great 1997 demutualisation. This assignment will discuss this trend with particular reference to the potential costs and benefits in the short and long term. This assignment will examine the costs and benefits to the building societies as well as those to the members and staff. The Costs and Benefits to the Building Society Conversion to plc status is seen as having the major advantage that there would be freedom from the limitations imposed by the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 the statutory framework for the Building Society industry. The restrictions the Act impose include the following: 1) 75% of all lending has to be secured against residential property This means that Building Societies are limited in their participation in the more risky, but more rewarding unsecured lending. At the moment, Societies can make unsecured personal loans up to a limit of  £15,000 per customer, whereas there is no ceiling for Banks. Building Societies with less than  £100m of assets are not permitted to make unsecured loans. 2) No more than 50% of funds may be raised on the wholesale markets This limit was previously 40% before the revised 1997 Building Societies Act. Building societies have eagerly taken the opportunity to raise money in the wholesale markets, which have frequently proved to be the cheapest source of wholesale funds (Wholesale funds are large deposits placed by companies and financial institutions, bearing an interest rate in line with the market rate rather than base rates). They have used these funds to even out any shortfall in the inflow of retail funds to meet the mortgage demand. Banks have no ceiling on raising wholesale funds, which are usually cheaper than retail funds. Building Societies may also find themselves at a disadvantage in access to wholesale funds at competitive rates. As only 50% of funds can be raised from the wholesale market only the very largest societies can maintain the necessary standing in the international capital markets which allows wholesale funds to be tapped on the finest terms. Equally, the capacity to cope with the volatility of the wholesale markets and the risks they pose, requires Treasury management teams on an increasing sophistication to which only the largest societies can aspire. 3) Before the 1997 Act, building societies could only offer temporary or occasional overdrafts to corporate customers. Now building societies can establish subsidiaries to lend to business customers, but have not yet become significant lenders to industry. This is in contrast to banks who are very much regarded as lenders to businesses. As a result of the Building Societies Act 1997, building societies are now also able to : a) make unsecured loans to incorporated businesses; b) to own a general insurance company which could write housing related policies (buildings, contents and mortgage payment protection insurance). Building Societies are limited in raising capital. Until 1991 building societies could only raise capital by means of retained profits. Now larger societies, to increase capital, can issue Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS). This is in contrast to plc†s who are free to raise capital in the market by issuing shares and bonds if they plan to expand. An example of this is Barclays 1987 rights issue to raise  £921m to finance â€Å"growth†. Building societies cannot in general engage in take-overs of, or mergers with other types of financial institutions in order to expand their breadth of operations, and retain their mutual status. Banks have this freedom and can finance mergers and acquisitions through the issue of new shares, whereas building societies can only finance acquisitions with cash. Efficiency is also an issue as a plc – profit making organisation is perceived as having greater efficiency than a mutual organisation. However ‘competition has proved a spur to efficiency at least as effective as the disciplinary effect of a public quotation† (PRIMA). As a result of the break up of the societies cartel arrangements for setting interest rates, the banks have made successful inroads into the mortgage and savings markets and hence competition is today very strong. There are many costs and disadvantages associated with building societies converting to banks including: The new plc will be regulated by the Bank of England, rather than the building societies commission. The plc will operate under the Banking Act 1987, compared to the Building Societies Act 1987, 1997. The plc may find it difficult and time consuming, at least initially, to deal with the new method of regulation. The Government†s planned new super regulatory body may also provided further legislation that has to be adhered to. 2) Need to pay out dividends and ability and pay competitive interest The plc will find itself under pressure to pay out growing dividends to shareholders. This reduces retained earnings, thereby reducing the plc†s ability to pay competitive interest rates. In the past building societies have been able to operate on a narrower margin than banks between their rates to the depositors and borrowers because: a) their low management cost (due to their less complicated specialist business); b) no requirements to pay dividends; c) low capital requirements due to the low risk nature of their assets; d) because the banks tended to subsidise their money transmission service by their deposit accounts, which lessens their ability to compete in the savings market. 3) The plc becomes open to possible take-over bids The change of status may have adverse effects on the institution†s image with customers. This may adversely affect its ability to compete with Building Societies. Building Societies are generally regarded as friendly institutions, concerned first and foremost with the customer. A comprehensive study of public perceptions of different financial institutions conducted in 1987 showed that building societies enjoy a positive rating of 85%, compared with only 51% for the high street banks (Personal Finance & The Future of the Financial High Street, Research Associates, March 1988). Building societies have traditionally been seen as a safe depository for the savings of working people. Building Societies are safe and a principal reason why is that mutuality has restricted them to safe, low risk activities. This safety and friendliness have strong customer appeals, which may be lost if conversion to plc status takes place. In general building societies have low levels of bad debt relative to banks. The lower levels of bad debt can be put down to the loaning restrictions set down by the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 (e.g. 75% of loans must be secured against residential property). In 1997 a number of building societies decided to give up their mutual status in favour of plc status. These conversions and take-overs resulted in a number of windfall payments to society members. These windfalls were in the form of cash or free shares. The size of windfall varies from society to society, but investors due to receive windfalls from all the building societies that surrendered their mutual status during 1997 (Halifax, Northern Rock, Alliance & Leicester, Woolwich, Bristol & West) can expect shares worth an average total of about  £6,000 (IC vol. 120/1524 page 34). This is clearly a short term benefit to members but it is argued that as plc†s these former mutuals will in the long term not be able to offer such attractive interest rates for borrowers and savers. Christopher Rodrigues, Chief Executive of the Bradford & Bingley argues â€Å"The one off benefit of plc conversion is here today, gone tomorrow. The higher savings rates and lower loan rates of mutuality are for life not just for flotation day†. Mr Rodrigues points out mutuals don†t have to consider the demands of shareholders – particularly for high dividends or share price growth so profits can go to members – via better interest rates on savings accounts for example. Which?, the respected ‘Consumers† Association magazine has also criticised these conversions and claims the new banks will be forced to squeeze customers for maximum profitability. Which? Argues that mutuals offer better interest rates for savers and borrowers. This case of mutuals offering better rates is hard to prove in practice as there are so many financial intermediaries, products, min balances and interest rates available. For example, the Which? Report only examined two products over a narrow period of time. Most of their mortgage research is based only on the 12 months to March 1997, a period when the converting societies knew they could get away with charging windfall seeking customers more than their rivals. Over the longer term Money Facts, a savings rate specialist, claims mutuals record in savings rate best buy tables is poor. Each year Money Facts publishes details of how much money you would have if you had invested with each of the 90 or so Tessa providers 5 years previously. Just one of the five largest mutual building societies made it into the top 25 Tessa providers. The same was true last year. A quick look at the mortgage market tells a similar story. Research conducted by myself paints a similar picture. Investors Chronicle, a weekly investment magazine published by the Financial Times, carries a weekly updated table of highest deposit rates (Appendix 1). As at 29 January 1998 out of 36 financial intermediaries listed on this table offering the best deals on various products (e.g. Tessa, Instant Access up to  £2500) only 13 of them are mutual. In recent months, there has been a rush of new entrants to the banking arena that offer better deals than the mutuals and established high street banks. Insurer, Legal & General (60 Day Notice Minimum  £2500 7.65%) and supermarket, Safeway (Instant Access Minimum  £1000 7.3%) (Appendix 1), for example, both offer excellent interest rates on savings accounts. Equally, Scottish Widows† mortgage products are very cheap. Even if believed that mutuals offer better savings and mortgage rates it is a long wait for building societies to deliver the same return as there converting counterparts. One case that illustrates this point is a saver that had  £5,000 in an instant access account run by Nationwide – whose members rejected conversion this summer – would earn more money than he would at the Woolwich (see Appendix 2). However even if you were a non taxpayer, it would take more than 50 years to make  £1500 (Woolwich windfall approx.  £2000) extra in interest payments. The lure of the mutual building societies is not so compelling as it is often presented. Some building societies have recognised that they need some sort of scheme with which they can compete with the attractions of windfall bonuses. The Nationwide, Bradford & Bingley and Yorkshire have all announced cash back schemes where members will get a larger slice of the profits in the form of better interest rates. The Britannia has actually paid cash bonuses worth  £35m to members. However the average payout to members was  £35. Another aspect of consideration is the treatment the customer receives. Mutuals almost always beat banks in surveys on customer friendliness. Building societies staff are perceived by customers, according to market research, as more friendly, more pleasant and more interested in their jobs than those of banks and other financial institutions. (PRIMA). Many building societies have branches in estate agents in small communities. These branches are not usually prolifically profitable, but provide a valid service to the community. As plc†s are profit making organisations there is a trend that community branches are closed after conversion. The Abbey National, for example, closed 1000 community branches after conversion and all 200 of National & Provincial†s when it took it over. This is a great cost to those who live in these communities. Many are old people who are now faced with travelling long distances to get their money. Plc pay is generally higher than mutual pay for the senior managers of a building society. Peter Birch, Abbey National†s, Chief Executive, pay has increased from  £173,000 pa in 1987 to  £450,000 pa in 1996 and he now owns shares worth  £1.8m. This is in contrast to the Chief Executive of Halifax who†s pay did not increase by anywhere as much and was unable to receive share options. There is a clear benefit to the senior mangers of a converted building society, but in the long run they are also more open to being removed by discontented shareholders or a take-over. Share options are believed to produce more motivated and committed staff. In conclusion there are potentially more benefits to the Building Society than costs. The major benefit being the escaping from the limitations imposed by the BSA. The Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 excluded building societies from potentially more profitable, if riskier business. The regulatory constraints on a plc are less onerous than those on a mutual basis therefore although banks are subject to continuous Bank of England supervision, the basic limitations are the scope of company articles of association whereas building societies must comply with highly specific requirements of the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 on such matters as the permitted proportions of wholesale funding, unsecured lending and advances by class of asset. In general, members also have potentially more benefits than costs. In the short-term members of converting societies have the benefit of windfall payments. In the long run it is claimed that members will lose out in less competitive interest rates, however this is very hard to prove. Even if it can be proved, the savings and mortgage rates offered by the mutuals will only be marginally better than those offered by the non-mutuals. It will take years to earn the equivalent of a windfall bonus from a mutual in the form of better interest. Some people urge others to think about the next generation and that one day there will be no mutuals left, but at present most of the best rates are offered by the new entrants to the banking arena (e.g. Safeway). Any member who retained their membership of a converted society through retaining their share allocation, at present would be benefiting even more. The reason for this is that the share prices are higher today than when the societies floated. Secondly as this is being written the Woolwich as part of it†s maiden full year results announced a â€Å"fresh  £100m windfall for Woolwich investors. A 6.5p special dividend added to the total year dividend of 9.5p will put  £105 in the pockets of hundreds of thousands of former Woolwich members who received the average windfall package of 657 shares. The Woolwich will also seek authority to return a further 100m to 200m of excess capital to share holders later this year in share buy backs. There is a clear cost to those members who relied on a community branch, however have these usually retired people examined the alternative technology available (e.g. telephone banking, cheques, debit cards etc.). Staff (particularly senior management) will benefit as a plc is able to offer share options which are believed to produce more motivated and committed staff. Senior management will also usually have greater increases in pay. These people are not ‘FAT CATS† they do a complex job and are paid the going market rate. In the long run senior managers of a plc are easier to remove from the company if their performance is poor. All in all the benefits of conversion outweigh the costs. This is true for all the interested parties, i.e. the building society, the members and the staff.

Liberated and society Essay

Some products portrayed women as the traditional housewife like ‘Shake ‘n’ vac’ does with their commercial. However the house used was fairly modern for the time as it had huge windows, which for the time were very modern and the furniture was better than the average shown in television programmes of the time, signifying a middle class house. However the woman in the advert is not middle class but she is portrayed as working class. The woman is portrayed as enjoying doing the housework and when the person purchases the product they too can enjoy doing the housework. During the period of the advert women were portrayed as being able to have a job but the majority were still in the house unemployed and cooking and cleaning. However throughout the large part of the twentieth century women were campaigning to be liberated and society did not agree with this at all. The liberation began in the early part of the twentieth century after the First World War between Christmas 1914 and 1918. The big push came in the nineteen sixties and women started to appear more in advertisements like in the Fairy Liquid advert in the mid-sixties. Women being liberated started a huge difference in the amount of advertising containing women. The graph below shows what happened to women in advertising and as you can see the amount of adverts which contain women steadily goes up.  From about the nineteen eighties onwards women were used as sex objects more unlike previously. For example Lucky Strike used a woman as an upperclass role model, something the men wanted to have and something the women wanted to be. However companies like Milk Tray use women in a more sensual and seductive way. For example when the lady walks out of the shower in a dressing gown whilst drying her hair and finds the box of Milk Tray on her dressing table. As opposed to the Oxo advert in the early nineteen eighties which showed the traditional Mother serving her husband and then later on feeding a whole family. Oxo’s adverts on television have always been long term campaigns, which started off with ‘Katie’ which lasted for eighteen years and then moved onto a family after surveys had been carried out. In the nineties women were used as sex objects to appeal to the male population for the majority of the time unless the product was obviously aimed at women. For example Wonder Bra used a woman to advertise their product however the advertisement may have also captured a small male audience because of the visual aspect of the advert. This is the same for the Round the clock panty hoses, which was unveiled in the late eighties. Many adverts made in the nineteen nineties recognised a niche in marketing when creating their adverts for their campaign, which was aimed at the male population. For example if an advertising campaign were to be aiming at men then they may appeal to their sexual weakness. This is what H(agen-Dazs has done, they have used a good-looking male to appeal to the women and they have used a good-looking female who happens not to be wearing much. The advert also has the hidden meaning of the product being a seductive ice cream. At present day there are many adverts on television usually aged between twenty to on average about thirty-five and also some adverts. Like the direct line car insurance advert for example, which used an over 40, middle class woman because it was the same age range as the advert was targeting. The majority of the adverts which use women without much on are normally found in magazines, which helps the producers to target their audience more effectively, also they have a fair idea of which age range may see them if in magazines instead of on the television. However this is not always the case because some companies may use channels on Sky or Digital which people have to pay for to watch, which again allows the advertisers much more accuracy in who they are targeting. Throughout the last century women in advertising has changed dramatically as well as the way in which advertising occurs through our daily routines. This is a change, which most probably will not stop. Women started off in the beginning of the century as being icons in which men aspired to have and who women aspired to be. Women then changed along with societies opinions and as wars were fought not just abroad but equality for women as well. This liberation led to women appearing more frequently in advertising and appearing more in the work place than they may have done twenty years before. I feel that women in advertising is a good thing because society is equal and therefore women are just as likely to purchase goods as much as men.

Belonging Speech Essay

Belonging? What does it mean to you? And what are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve it? As the human need to belong often overtakes us and disregards morals and values in order to do what we crave so badly and connect with those around us. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the desire to belong has over-ridden every other thought the human mind could possibly have. As Miller examines the results when individuals neglect their beliefs and are pushed to the edges of absolute exclusion and disconnection. Whereas in Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette’s novel Puberty Blues it is clear that two best friends are willing to turn a blind eye to their own personal morals and beliefs in order to create a popular social status for themselves and conform to the â€Å"Greenhill Gang†. And again Will Hunting unearthed a new person beneath the mean, unlovable and lonely boy in Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Good Will Hunting, by simply making an unbreakable connection with Sean Macquire. The town of Salem is experiencing upheaval by the possible thought of witchcraft, characters are becoming so desperate that they are willing to give the â€Å"dogs the lie they want†. It is an instinct for self-survival that people will change their views on the world around them in order to connect and strengthen the power or position they hold in their society. Danforth is a character who does exactly this, and changes his mind to suit his own priorities of becoming a â€Å"Boston Judge†. He is a man capable of deciding ones fate by so called â€Å"ridding Salem of Satan†, and individually hanging those who refuse to give him the confession he wants such as Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey and the Crucible himself John Proctor. These three particular people are greatly respected in the Salem community until the beautiful, attention seeking 17 year old known as Abigail Williams causes the uproar that the devil is in Salem. Young Abigail is an independent, free thinking woman who has had a troubled upbringing, as she was orphaned and belonged to no family in particular after she watched her parents get slaughtered. Both Abigail and Will Hunting have a connection, as they are both orphans, have had troubled upbringing and never felt like they have truly belonged anywhere. For a long while, Proctor strode around Salem as if his marriage was fine and he had never once committed a sin, a crime, though this was not true, as he had turned his head from his ill wife Elizabeth to the alpha female, Abigail. And he was frowned upon by Hale when he could recite only 9 of the 10 commandments, needing Elizabeth to correct him with just two words â€Å"Adultery, John†. Though he soon discovered that he did not belong to Abigail because â€Å"the promise a stallion gives a mare† is the promise he gave that girl. Between John and Abigail the only connection was lust, and it never lasted. John and Elizabeth were more than just a stallion and a mare; they were a true connection and promise. He became a better husband once committing adultery as he put it behind him and swore â€Å"I will cut off my hand before I will ever reach for you again. We never touched Abby†, which expresses that he would do anything to keep his marriage with Elizabeth alive. Abigail’s promiscuity is also apparent in Puberty Blues, as the two main characters Sue and Debbie are beginning to discover their own sexuality through their conformity with the â€Å"Greenhill Gang†. Belonging to the â€Å"Greenhill Gang’ means everything to the girls, because if they are not a part of it they are downgraded with comments such as â€Å"Rack off ya moll† but once they are accepted, they soon realise that their power has been taken from them and they no longer have opinions and must do exactly what the boys say. The girls must decide where the line is and how far they can step over it when it comes to their sexual relations with the boys, as this gives them the power they were looking for but also neglects their values and morals. Will Hunting however isn’t worried about his sexual relationships; he is worried about letting people into his life, after dealing with abusive foster parents his entire life. He is torn between his unintelligent work mates, the industrial wasteland and the university. Sean Macquire the physiatrist is a man that turns Will Hunting’s life upside down, the moment he first meets him. They make an unbreakable connection by sharing stories and opening up with each other. These sessions that Will spend with Sean, make him soon realise that he does belong and he is loveable though he still â€Å"has to go see about a girl†. Sean was a big part of Will’s life because if they hadn’t met, Will may have completely wasted his life and alienated himself from others. Both Will Hunting and John Proctor cross paths with their belonging issues, as they are unsure of themselves and who they truly belong to. But once their eyes have been opened they realise where it is they should belong. And that is to themselves, not their friends or wives, themselves. As Procter discovers his true meaning of his life, he yells with all his might â€Å"It is my name and I cannot have another in my life†¦.. Leave me my name! This is where he â€Å"has his goodness† and no one, not even Elizabeth could possibly take it from him. So yes, belonging is an instinct for self-survival and is triggered by a sense of alienation. In all my three texts, it is clear that John Proctor, Will Hunting, Sue and Debbie all experience a need to belong. And at first they all disregard their morals and values and are unable to order their priorities, but in the long run they discover that neglecting their personal morals and values is too much of a price to pay to just belong. So again I will ask you, what are you willing to sacrifice?

Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anemia - Essay Example clude fatigue, numbness and jaundice while the more severe symptoms include dizziness extremely high blood pressure, and heart attacks (Garrison 241). For successful diagnosis, it is crucial that the medical officer introspects into your medical history and family health records since anemia for instance sickle cell can be genetically acquired. They will then check for the aforementioned signs and carry out tests, which may include; complete blood count (CBC), measuring the levels of vitamin B12 and Folate on rare occasions, the doctor may take a sample of bone marrow. The doctor will then administer treatment depending on the cause including fluids and blood transfusions in most cases, anemia caused by loss of blood can be treated by treating the cause of blood loss. Today, advanced methods of treating anemia are being developed such as gene therapy and bone marrow transfer and while still in the early stages they portend consummate improvements in the field(Garrison 2009). Ultimately, the treatment and prognosis of Anemia are relative to the severity, when it caused by bleeding such as an ulcer, one is likely to recover. When treated in the early stages, it is more likely to be cured, however, in elderly people it is more difficult to remedy than with the younger

'Give an account of the main mosques of Samarra' and al-Fustat in the Essay

'Give an account of the main mosques of Samarra' and al-Fustat in the early 'Abbasid period.' - Essay Example Through a discussion that begins with first developing a basic understanding of the function and form of Mosques from the medieval period, then moving through a discussion of specific structures, an exploration of the Mosques from the Abbasid period can be made in order to better understand the importance of these great structures. Function In attempting to study the architecture of the Islamic world, Hillenbrand suggests that one of the primary difficulties lies in the terminology that is used. This is due to the multiplicity of purposes that each building would serve as a function within the culture. He states â€Å"Small wonder that one and the same building could be designated by a string of descriptive terms if each did in truth refer to some aspect of its regular function†.1 In examining the ways in which the buildings of the Islamic middle ages were used it is clear that that mosques were not only used for worship, madrasas were not only used for education, and neither were mausolea used just for burial. The many needs of the culture were fit into the buildings through multiple functionalities, thus the first understanding of such buildings must be made through the idea of function. In discussing function, the first problem that can be seen in studying Islamic buildings is that there is little in the way of written information on the building of these structures. Technical renderings and information about the circumstances of how these buildings came into being are few and far between, allowing for only the buildings themselves to serve as objects of study on their construction.2 Although there is suspicion that the Islamic religious aesthetics influenced the building of Mosques during the medieval period, there is no explicit reference known or accessible to Western cultures that suggest that this is the case. Therefore, in studying the function of such buildings, one must look at the building itself to try and access this aspect and the culture in order to understand the development of needs for which the building served as a solution for cultural needs. According to Meri and Bacharach, however, most Mosques of the medieval period were designed after the creation of house that was build for Mohamed in Medina, which is located in Saudi Arabia. Literary evidence of the form of this house is more relevant than the archaeological as it is described as having a â€Å"large walled courtyard with entrances on three sides and two covered porticos, the larger of which functions as a sanctuary for the faithful where they may find shelter from the sun during prayer†.3 The original orientation of the qibla wall, the wall of the larger portico, was originally facing towards Jerusalem, and then later towards Mecca, thus providing for the importance of orientation when building a Mosque. The small portico was used as a place of shelter for those who were poor, thus setting up the division of classes within the Mosque cultural usag e. The three basic elements developed from this original structure were the courtyard for the gathering of the followers of Islam, the sanctuary for prayer, and the qibla wall.4 Form Hillenbrand lists three distinct areas in which form can be discussed. The first is in hierarchy, the second is in

The Godfather by Mario Puzo, A Comparison of novel and film Essay

The Godfather by Mario Puzo, A Comparison of novel and film - Essay Example There are numerous schools of thought on what made this novel and film appeal to the American public. Some critics are of the view that it was all about the timing. Firstly, Barra (4 & 5) argues that the novel lacked the literary merit to warrant its popularity and goes on to base the novels success on the fact that it was produced at a period when easy-reading books, that he refers to as novelizations, were a hit. However, when it comes to the films, The Godfather  and  The Godfather Part II were realised in 1972 and 1974, which was a time that the US was experiencing much turmoil and change. Critics attribute the films’ leanings towards the New Left and its exposure of the hypocrisy of institutions of power, such as corruption in the police force and politicians, gave the public what they desired to see and hear. However, the theme that pundits agree on that may have contributed to the success of both the novel and the film was that the story was really about the exper iences of American immigrant families, specifically Sicilian-Americans, adapting to their new environment. Barra (6) states that if we take away the gambling and the murder, the story becomes a straightforward depiction of how Italian-American families were assimilated into American culture. This we believe superseded the notion that it was the film that made the novel famous because historical data shows that the book had already sold millions of copies before the first film was  ­released in 1972. This common theme therefore is what we believe to be bearing the underlying relevance of the both the novel and the films: assimilation of immigrant families into the American society and its resultant consequences. The original plot and the film adaptations The Godfather novel is set in the 1940s and revolves around the family of a Sicily-American immigrant. Don Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone family is referred to as the Godfather because he embodies what every man aspires to be. He is strong, powerful, cunning and a loving family man. This is depicted where we see Amerigo Bonasera coming to him to seek justice for his daughter’s rape (Puzo 10) and also by Virgil Sollozo who seeks Vito’s partnership to engage in the lucrative drug peddling business. The Don refuses to take up Sollozo’s offer, which leads the â€Å"Turk† to send assassins to kill the Don. Vito Corleone survives, but needs to stay away from the direct running of the family business. Sonny, his hot-headed son, takes up leadership of the Corleone family, convinces Michael, his younger brother to kill Sollozo and Captain McCluskey in vengeance for his father’s failed assassination attempt. This act results in a full scale war between the five mafia families in New York. The all out mafia war leads to the death of Sonny and Michael’s ascension to the head of the family. Michael initially tries to legitimize the Corleone business empire, but fails. Michael who erstwhile wanted nothing to do with the family business changes into a ruthless Don, who eliminates all the heads of the other mafia families in New York. He later sells all the Corleone property in New York and moves the family to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. In contrast to the novel, the movie is made of three sequels. The Godfather, Part I is the film whose plot most closely resembles the novel’s bar the elimination of several character backstories

Micro Economics Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Micro Economics Master - Essay Example Short term shut down of a business concentrates on cutting the opportunity costs or variable costs. As long as the firm produces something, it will maximize its profits by producing "on the marginal cost curve. "The firm will have to shut down if it cannot cover its variable costs. As fixed costs are anyway going to be incurred, they are not opportunity costs in the short run -- so they are not relevant to the decision to shut down. Even if the company shuts down, it must pay the fixed costs. But the variable costs are avoidable -- they are opportunity costs! So the firm will shut down if it cannot meet the variable (short run opportunity) costs. But as long as it can pay the variable costs and still have something to apply toward the fixed costs, it is better off continuing to produce. When the firm's average total cost curve lies above its marginal revenue curve at the profit maximizing level of output, the firm is experiencing losses and will have to consider whether to shut down its operations. The decisions taken by a firm in such situations is termed as Short-run shut down decisions. Short run equilibrium of a firm can be derived based on the total revenue and total cost and marginal revenue and marginal cost. As firms are price-takers, each firm in an industry tries to maximize its profit by adjusting the output to a level where Marginal Cost (MC) =Marginal Revenue (MR). Profit is the difference between the total revenue obtained from sales and the total cost incurred by the firm. The long run is defined as "a period long enough to make the cost of all inputs variable." This includes, in particular, capital, plant, equipment, and other investments that represent long-term commitments. In the long-run the decisions taken would be only exit decisions. Exit decisions are decisions taken by a firm to leave the market. They are not called as Shut-down decisions. Shut-down is only in the short-run. Long run equilibrium plays a crucial role in deciding the existence of the firm. In the long run there are enough time periods for the firm to cover its losses and earn normal profits. This is because in the long run, all inputs are variable and the firm can have the most profitable level of output i.e. the profit maximization level of output. If firms are perfectly competitive, industry is making short term surplus (profits), more firms will enter the industry. In the long run this will increase the market supply of the product and reduces the market price as well as the profits until all firms in the industry make a normal profit (break even )In the long run equilibrium, the business will be operating at the minimum point on both long - run and short - run average cost curv es obtaining full economy of scale. A Walrasian or competitive equilibrium consists of a vector of prices and an allocation such that given the prices, each trader by