Identify the key reasons for privatisation of public utilities or Essay - 1

Identify the key reasons for privatisation of public utilities or institutions and discuss the likely effects in Australia - Essay Example o gradually privatise a large number of its public utilities particularly within the three sectors known as the: (1) financial services; (2) electricity and gas; and (3) transport and communication (Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin, 1997, p. 7). Basically, there is absolutely nothing wrong with privatising public enterprises especially when there is a strong need for the government to come up with large amount of money to finance the development of public infrastructure or given that the government is no longer capable of properly managing a business enterprise. However, it is also possible for the entire society to experience economic and social problems given that the selling of public utility to the hands of the private sector heavily involves infrastructure (Strachan, 1998). To enable the readers to have a better understanding why the Australian Government heavily relied on privatisation back in the 1990s, the key reasons behind the privatisation of public utilities in Australia will be thoroughly discussed. In the process of going through the main discussion, the possible consequences or effects of implementing the privatisation of public utilities in Australia will be tackled followed by demonstrating real-life examples to support the student’s point-of-view. As part of the conclusion, whether or not the key reasons behind the privatisation of public utilities in Australia can be considered as a good political strategy in terms of being able to provide the general public with affordable and good quality services will be justified. For many years, Australians had become very dependent on the Australian government when it comes to the delivery of good quality public services. As part of considering the social welfare of the general public, the government had to spend a large sum of money to improve the public utility services without overcharging the people with the quality services they receive. Partly because of globalization and the limited amount of

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Maraming Pilipino ay nananatiling †walang pakialam, walang interes, at walang komitment. † May pagkamanhid na nagaganap kaugnay ng mga usapin sa moralidad kaya madalas inuunawa na lamang yaong mga bagay na di dapat palagpasin;ang kasamaan ay hindi nasusugpo dahil lubhang abala ang mga tao sa pagkayod ng ikabubuhay. Kung gusto nating tayo’y umunlad, hindi ito dapat magpatuloy. Express your agreement or disagreement to the statement above. Give concrete examples. In what ways have colonial education developed this apathy or lack of interest? In what ways can the present system of education help solve this problem. To a certain extent, I agree and disagree with the statement, I do not wish to appear not  to have a stand on this so allow me to explain: If I were to be realistic, I would have to admit that the statement is true. An example is an ordinary teacher working in a public school who handles three subjects and an advisory class with 30-50 students per class. She has a family of her own with 2-3 children and a husband who is a government employee. She rents a house with a fee of 5 thousand a month, exclusive of utilities. All children are in school. Monthly expenses on food, transportation, school fees etc. exceed her and her husband’s salaries combined. To augment their monthly earnings both husband and wife take on additional jobs, the teacher has private tutorials after school and the husband drives for a family on the weekends and holidays. No one can question her integrity as a teacher; she does her work well and with sincerity. But with the bulk of her responsibilities not only with her own family but with her students, do you think she has the time to debate on issues such as corruption in government? An issue that she was born in and with already. An issue that she has no immediate solution for. An issue that continues even after the post has â€Å"changed hands†. That no matter who sits in government, same problem on corruption occurs but on different levels, depth and facets. For this ordinary teacher, she would rather focus her time on the daily problems she encounters and can provide immediate solutions for – like her students failing grades or, frequent absences. Or misunderstandings with a colleagues, or school projects of her kids. Can we fault her for simply focusing on solutions she has control over? Does that make her insensitive, numb, does not care or uninterested with the issues around her? Will her joining street rallies, taking a day off her from her responsibilities and a day’s pay from her salary, to denounce the government that seemingly disregards her problems address the corruption issue and solve it within the day she can afford to spare? I do not believe so. She does what she can, at times that she can. This attitude is  not  even colonial. It’s an innate Filipino and human value that we all take on when necessary. And the teacher’s attitude of providing solutions at her level no matter how mundane helps the community. Small things like inculcating honest values, and upgrading human respect for others to students under her care would make a difference, so when they grow up and they take on the leadership of the country, she hopes they would be a different brand of leaders. She is but one teacher, but even a small pebble when thrown creates a ripple in any body of water.

Impact Of Internet In International Marketing Information Technology Essay

Impact Of Internet In International Marketing Information Technology Essay Electronic commerce has increasingly become a necessary component of business in the emerging global economy. Electronic commerce is any form of business transaction interacts electronically to exchange the products and services rather than physical exchange. E-commerce is the use of electronic communications and digital information processing technology in business transactions to create, transform, and redefine relationships for value creation between or among organizations, and between organizations and individuals (Andam, 2003). The presentation of group highlights the Electronic commerce in International Marketing and how internet impacted in International Business. In this report our studies indicated further findings on models of E-Commerce and the impact of internet on target market. Generally most of the studies found out that the use of Internet in International Marketing has a positive impact on the organizations marketing performance. Impact of Internet in International Marketing The internet and its associated technology has provided an economical and efficient way for organizations to create an additional e-commerce activities to market their products and services over the past several years (Smith, 2005). Internet affects the activities of marketing channels in three different ways, such as 1. Communication channels, its principal functions are to inform customers or buyers about availability and characteristics of suppliers products/services and facilitate buyers to communicate with sellers; 2. Transaction channels, whose primary function is to facilitate financial exchanges between buyers and sellers and 3.Distribution channels, its main function is to facilitate physical exchanges (Thomas, 2008). Brock (2001) found in his study of German small technology-based firms that the Internet had a positive impact on attitudinal, resource-related, information-related and network-related aspects of internationalisation, thereby facilitating the process. The effect of the internet on the international businesses is making it easier for companies to participate in foreign markets, globally rollout new products, making easier for companies to offer globally standardized products or services, is more often used by companies for customer-related activities than for production-related activities, is not being used much by companies to develop a globally uniform marketing mix and is being used somewhat by companies in selling and customer-related activities to help with the strategy of making globally coordinated competitive moves (). The Internet has given rise to a new economics of information, with the blowing up of the trade-off between the richness of information involved in a transaction and the number of people that it could reach (Wurster, 2000). There are lot of advantages when an organization uses internet for their business. Internet can increase the sales and it can decrease the costs. Because the web advertisements reaches an amount of customers all over the world. A business can reduce its costs by using electronic commerce in its sales support and order-taking processes, twenty four hours online shopping, lower transaction cost, larger purchases for transaction, People can shop in different ways (Prashantham, 2003). Also organization has some disadvantages when they use internet for their business. Such as hidden costs, vulnerability to technical crash, cost of staying in business, lack of security, invasion of privacy, low service levels and legal issues. Models of E-commerce There are different types of e-commerce (). Such as B2B model B2C model C2C model C2B model B2G model M-commerce B2B model is the buyers, sellers, and transactions involve only organizations. It covers a broad spectrum of applications that enable an enterprise to form electronic relationships with its distributors, resellers, suppliers, customers, and other partners. This is the type of e-commerce that deals with relationships between and among businesses. B2C model, here transactions take place between consumers and business houses. Here individuals are also involved in the online business transactions. C 2 B model, here individuals who use the Internet to sell products or services to organizations and /or seek sellers to bid on products or services they need. These transactions involve reverse auctions, which empower the consumer to drive transactions. C 2 C model which is used by consumers to sell their product/services directly to other consumers. This type of e-commerce is characterized by the growth of electronic marketplaces and online auctions. M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology. The advantage of this model than others is delivery over wireless devices becomes faster, more secure, and scalable. Conclusion According to Yip and Dempster the impact of the Internet on performance was positive, but moderate, and the greatest positive effect was on brand awareness and brand image. The use of the Internet technologies to link customers, suppliers, business partners, and employees using at least one of the following: (a) e-commerce Web sites that offer sales transactions, (b) customer-service Web sites, (c) Intranets (Wu et al,2001). Overall, the authors concluded that the Internet does help companies to globalize and to implement successful global strategies that allow them to be both global and local at the same time. The Internet helps companies to globalize and to implement successful global strategies that allow them to be both global and local at the same time. Internet marketing has a positive impact on the firms marketing performance (Yip and Dempster 2005).

Women in Afghanistan :: Expository Essays

Women in Afghanistan Women in Afghanistan have been oppressed for many years under the Taliban government. In light of recent events, with the U.S. and Northern Alliances joint efforts to force the Taliban out, key cities have become free from the Taliban’s stifling control. Here is a picture of a women revealing her face for the first time in five years, since the Taliban came into power. The future of the Afghan women is uncertain. Clearly changes are in order, but to what extent we do not know. Conditions certainly could not be worse than those imposed on them in the last five years by the extreme Islamic order of the Taliban. For the past five years women in Afghan have had virtually no rights or freedoms. The impact of the Taliban imposed restrictions was most acutely felt in cities where women had enjoyed relatively greater freedoms. In 1996 the University of Kabul reportedly had several thousand women students while thousands of professional women worked in different capacities in the city. When the Taliban toke over, women were not allowed to attend school and others have been forced to leave their jobs. The Taliban had issued edicts forbidding women from working outside the home, except in limited circumstances in the medical field. Hardest hit were the 30,000 widows in Kabul and others elsewhere in the country, who are the sole providers of their family. Women and girls were not allowed to appear outside the home unless wearing a head to toe garment called the burqa. A three-inch square opening covered with mesh provides the only means for vision. Although the burqa was worn in before the Taliban control, it was not an enforced dress code and many women wore only scarves that cover the head. Women were also forbidden from appearing in public with a male who is not a relative. Taliban militia doles out punishment for violations of these rules on the spot. For example, women have been beaten on the street if an inch of ankle shows under their burqa. They have been beaten if they are found to move about without an explanation acceptable to the Taliban. They have been beaten if they make noise when they walk. According to one report, a women struggling with two small children and groceries in her arms was reportedly beaten by the Taliban with a car antenna because she had let her face covering slip of f her face for a moment. Women in Afghanistan :: Expository Essays Women in Afghanistan Women in Afghanistan have been oppressed for many years under the Taliban government. In light of recent events, with the U.S. and Northern Alliances joint efforts to force the Taliban out, key cities have become free from the Taliban’s stifling control. Here is a picture of a women revealing her face for the first time in five years, since the Taliban came into power. The future of the Afghan women is uncertain. Clearly changes are in order, but to what extent we do not know. Conditions certainly could not be worse than those imposed on them in the last five years by the extreme Islamic order of the Taliban. For the past five years women in Afghan have had virtually no rights or freedoms. The impact of the Taliban imposed restrictions was most acutely felt in cities where women had enjoyed relatively greater freedoms. In 1996 the University of Kabul reportedly had several thousand women students while thousands of professional women worked in different capacities in the city. When the Taliban toke over, women were not allowed to attend school and others have been forced to leave their jobs. The Taliban had issued edicts forbidding women from working outside the home, except in limited circumstances in the medical field. Hardest hit were the 30,000 widows in Kabul and others elsewhere in the country, who are the sole providers of their family. Women and girls were not allowed to appear outside the home unless wearing a head to toe garment called the burqa. A three-inch square opening covered with mesh provides the only means for vision. Although the burqa was worn in before the Taliban control, it was not an enforced dress code and many women wore only scarves that cover the head. Women were also forbidden from appearing in public with a male who is not a relative. Taliban militia doles out punishment for violations of these rules on the spot. For example, women have been beaten on the street if an inch of ankle shows under their burqa. They have been beaten if they are found to move about without an explanation acceptable to the Taliban. They have been beaten if they make noise when they walk. According to one report, a women struggling with two small children and groceries in her arms was reportedly beaten by the Taliban with a car antenna because she had let her face covering slip of f her face for a moment.

Planning Is the Best Way to Improve the Quality of the Environment Essay

There is no agreed definition of ‘environmental planning’; most studies have had an arduous job in trying to meet a description for it as the environment covers a wide range of issues. In one sense, all Town and Country Planning is concerned with the environment. (Cullingworth & Nadin, 1997, p163) But as the issue of environmental concerns have risen up the political agenda a number of non-planning organisations have had an increasing role to play. It must be noted that the role planning in the environment is not a new instrument in its protection; The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 prohibited the emission of dark smoke, in an effort to improve environmental quality. This essay intends to discuss the main instruments use in the contemporary planning system in the UK, which are handed the task of protecting and improving the environment. It begins by briefly outlining the reasons why planning is used for environmental protection and its new role in promoting sustainability. These objectives are highlighted in recent government papers and are explored in the objectives outlined in LA21. The next section reveals how the planning system might be seen as failing these objectives and its shortcomings by a brief comparison with other nations, thus providing conclusions for the suitability of planning as the best way of improving environmental quality. The United Kingdom’s Town and Country Planning system is the framework within which the development and use of land is determined. It provides a structure within which economic, social and environmental considerations can be weighed to help secure sustainable development. (DETR, 1996) Planning has been illustrated as the main advocate in achieving sustainable development; it is placed with the task to guide suitable development within a sustainable context via its development control methods. This seems an obvious choice as the framework within the UK planning system is already in place to successfully implement policy on sustainable development, throughout all levels of government. Traditionally the Town and Country Planning system in the UK has had a pro-development bias, it is argued that in order to improve and maintain the environment, planners have to alter this ethos to accept greener issues. What has always been apparent within the realms of environmental planning is the major role that politics plays. Indeed Britain’s reluctance in environmental concerns was partly due to the conservative regimes of promoting a market-led economy, free of state intervention, it was not until the 1980s that the ‘environment’ rose up the political agenda with the potential of being a major vote winner. Before which, it was argued by Thatcher that environmental planning had be taking place for some years via the planner’s use of material considerations. The Conservative government took a dramatic u-turn and its views on state free from intervention were quashed as it accepted the terms outlined in 1992 Earth Summit. The conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted talks for one hundred and fifty nations, it was at this conference where sustainability found a structure, in Agenda 21. The following section discusses the issue of sustainable development and its implementation through Agenda 21, outlining the responsibility of the UK planning regime to enhance and protect the environment. Sustainable Development & Agenda 21 It is argued that the UK Sustainable Development Strategy should be viewed as providing the guiding principles for environmental planning in the UK. Sustainability is seen as one of the main advocates for providing planning policies that protect and provide quality environments throughout the UK. It is certainly true that the issue of sustainability is a concept that surrounds environmental policy. However its large adoption since the resurrection of green issues in the 1960s has lead to is its overuse and ambiguity. The term has become a symbol of environmentalism in contemporary politics. Governments, academics and environmental groups have tried to attain an answer as they continue to commit to sustainable policy. It is hardly surprising that the idea of sustainability has encompassed a number of differing views, one of the most famous ideas is included in the 1987 Brundtland Report: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ’ (as cited in Cullingworth & Nadin, 1997, p164) However the issue of sustainable development became a reality in the creation of Agenda 21, in Rio, 1992. This marked a comprehensive world programme for sustainable development in the twenty-first century, and the adoption of a wide degree of public participation. In the UK this is organised at central and local government levels. The former resulted in the Sustainable Development Strategy of 1994. At the local level, Local Agenda 21 (LA21) calls for each local authority to prepare and adopt a local sustainable development strategy. LA21 provides an opportunity to promote and maintain environmental quality at a level where the public can immediately feel the effects. It is essential that LA21 is a process by which the public can get involved in environmental issues affecting their immediate area, thus educating the population in the concepts of sustainability. LA21 is the process of drawing up and implementing local sustainable development plans, with the local authority working in partnership with citizens, local organisations and businesses to achieve this. (RCEP, 1999, p7) LA21 intentions are not purely environmental; sustainability includes social and economic issues that cover the community as a whole in an effort to build a consensus between people, rather than the traditional, confrontational ways of working. Once goals are sought, progress can be made and evaluated, by measuring progress. However the UK government could be criticised for being a little slow to respond to the issues outlined in Rio, the guidance for local authorities was issued in 1998. It came in the form of the good practice guide on Planning for Sustainable Development, from the DETR. In 1999 Labour introduced a new strategy for sustainable development, entitled A Better Quality of Life, it highlighted four key principles: 1. Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone 2. Protection of the environment 3. Prudent use of natural resources 4. Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment (DETR, 1999) However the guidance has been criticised for its lack of strategic vision, as it sets no quantitative targets or timetables. This is highlighted in the notion that it is a very broad document, as there is a need to secure the approval from other Ministries in order to initiate new policy commitments. (UWE, 2000) Problems of the planning system in protecting the Environment Advisory bodies have promoted the need for target-led planning for a number of years. The term objective-led planning is aimed at broader strategic goals, e. g. Improving air quality, whereas target-led planning relates to more specific goals, e. g. Ozone levels not exceeding a certain concentration over a specified time period, as in the case for the inner London Boroughs. However there is still reluctance by government to set concrete targets in some sectors or areas at national level. They prefer to leave it up to the lower tiers of government, which can often cause considerable strain, e. . Meeting housing targets. However target-led planning is slowly becoming the norm for many local authorities as they implement their plans. They usually involve targets for the protection of sites, air quality, waste recycling etc. Central advice is starting to emerge, referring to the advice outlined in the DETR’s Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice, 1998; here it noted that guidance on sustainability should contain specific targets, which could be incorporated into RPGs. It is these relationships between national and local objectives which will need to be observed closely in the near future in order to determine how different interests are integrated in the final production of plans. In many areas, there needs to be a greater range of targets, with clear strategies for their implementation. The problem is that plans remain plans unless they are implemented and with only 30% of all local authorities having theirs in place in 1998, sustainable policy will remain unactioned theory. DETR, 1999a, p2) It is vital that the plans are implemented in order to set realistic targets. Environmental planning in the UK is currently in a period of significant change. This is at all levels and across many issues. The number of plans, strategies, begin produced today is far greater than at any previous period. This is partly the result of extensive criticism over many years from the lack of planning in areas; most of it derives from EU or international developments (80% of all UK environmental policy originated in the EU). Plans have been advocated as being the primary source of reference in determining sustainable objectives that improve the quality of the environment. Environmental plans have subsequently grown considerably from local authorities, government agencies and ad hoc groups, which has brought together different issues. The number of plans should not be seen as a problem, the important issue is whether their development is co-ordinated and to what effect decision-makers implement them. As we near 2002, the next Earth Summit will ask questions of LA21, as the UK councils are getting ready to launch their plans. However work has already begun on Community Plans, which outline strategies for the well being of the local area and its people, again all councils are required to produce these. In aim they’re very like LA21, it is not clear how the two will connect together. In some places the LA21 is acting as the first draft of the Community Plan, which has advantages and disadvantages. In other places completely different teams of officers are developing the Community Plan, and there’s no guarantee of any connection between the two. It seems obvious that the people who took the trouble to have an input into the LA21 process will want to see some action come about as a result. Another concern is that Community Planning doesn’t have the connection to the global picture that LA21 has built in. As environmental issues have become more complex, ways have been sought to measure the impacts of development. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure introduced into the British planning system as a result of an EC Directive. EIA provides a powerful tool for aiding planning decisions; it has highlighted questions on the technical understanding of the environment and the availability of relevant information and skills. EIA needs to be able to subjectively demonstrate its understanding of development with their effects on the environment. The education of planners and access to environmental information is essential in making sense of the answers. Recent studies have shown that the UK does not have the extensive requirements for environmental assessment as some of its European counterparts. Sweden and the Netherlands have quite stringent regulations on the environmental assessment of its planning applications, New Zealand in particular requires all planning applications to have an environmental impact assessment statement. (UWE, 2000) This illustrates the differing views on sustainable objectives; countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have interpreted it in terms of very specific principles, whereas the UK has applied a plethora of general statements, which incorporate the environment, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. However there is an overall general recognition from European countries towards the need for a more comprehensive view of planning. The importance of planning is perhaps best highlighted by looking at those nations which have a relatively weak framework; the USA system adopts a vary degree of influences, to the extent where it is difficult to identify any particular ethos. Major influences arise from the roles of non-governmental organisations and the US courts. It is worth noting that the USA has been one of the nations who have struggled to attain sustainable objectives. Is the UK planning system the best way to improve the environment? The UK needs to gain a greater understanding of sustainability and environmental protection and the implications for the operation of environmental planning. It seems that there are clear holes in national strategic planning, which have left the decisions to the lower tiers of government. Part of the reason could be the UK’s fairly complicated legislative framework, which perhaps needs to be simplified to allow for greater integration of environmental planning. IEEP, 1999, p60) This rigidness is reflected at all levels, but is particularly noticeable in local government where professional officers now have to understand the large scope of environmental policy, whilst adapting from an ethos of development led planning. Another factor is that senior planning officials may lack the environmental expertise needed to review planning applications. A issue accentuated by the fact most environmental data is presented with in-depth scientific knowledge, planners often have to sub-contract these aspects of an application to environmental experts. This is accentuated by the fact that pressure from central government to reduce the time taken to process planning applications may well conflict with environmental assessment, which invariably is a lengthy process. Criticisms of planners originate from the political nature of their profession. The key principle to maintain is the fact that the final decision rest with Politicians, planners have to remain the professional advisor, therefore the power to govern the land environmental will always remain in the hands of a political advocate. In reflection, planning in the UK has had a range of powerful tools that can effectively govern the environmental implemented in recent years. The main stimulus cannot be attributed to the national government, who have largely been apprehensive if not hostile in their approach to environmental policy. The spread of environmental concern is a direct result of public and international pressure; consequently governments have had to respond. The environment’s direct conflict with development has ensured that action has filter down to planning systems, which can effectively govern and control evelopment. The huge task of ensuring sustainable objectives is thus left to the local authority via the guidance from regional and central government, however the vagueness of which, means that LA21 objectives will vary greatly. This uncertainty has ensured that local sustainable development plans have been slow to be implemented. This is accentuated by the government’s reluctance to establish target-led planning, which could provide a valuable insight on how to tackle sustainable objectives head on. Therefore the issue of planning as the best means to improve environmental quality does represent an insincere statement. Planning is certainly a powerful tool in environmental protection, which is perhaps not being utilised to its fullest extent, but it will always have a heavy political influence. The growth of agencies outside the planning regime such as the Environment Agency can help ensure that environmental quality is maintained.

Free Essays on Slavery in the United States

Slavery in the United States In the history of the United States nothing has brought more shame to the face of America than the cold, premeditated method of keeping black people in captivity. People from England who migrated to America used many different methods to enslave black people and passed them down through the children. These methods were quite effective, so effective that these â€Å"slaves† were kept in captivity for over two hundred years in this country. It was the rain of terror that kept black people in fear of their lives for so long. The invention of the gun back in the fifth-teenth century was the main reason that these people were able to go to another continent and enslave so many people. These people from Africa were mistreated very badly right from the start both mentally and physically. They were packed very tightly on ships for months at a time chained to each other with no place to go to the bathroom, little water to drink, and hardly anything to eat. As the population constantly increased in the colonies during the 1600’s, so did the demand for slavery especially in the southern colonies where the big plantations were. These plantations were very lucrative since the owners had free manual labor and they could keep all the profit from the crops for themselves. They also had to justify what they were doing to themselves so what they did was tell themselves that these slaves were barbaric and not smart enough to be civilized. These slave owners also owned huge houses in the middle of their plantations and thought of themselves as noblemen. In acuality, it was the slaves who were living nobly while the Europeans were living barbaricly. The Europeans who owned slaves also thought that the slaves were not smart enough because they could not speak English and they did not have a written language. This was proven not to be true either because the second generation of slaves learned the English language with no tr... Free Essays on Slavery in the United States Free Essays on Slavery in the United States Slavery in the United States In the history of the United States nothing has brought more shame to the face of America than the cold, premeditated method of keeping black people in captivity. People from England who migrated to America used many different methods to enslave black people and passed them down through the children. These methods were quite effective, so effective that these â€Å"slaves† were kept in captivity for over two hundred years in this country. It was the rain of terror that kept black people in fear of their lives for so long. The invention of the gun back in the fifth-teenth century was the main reason that these people were able to go to another continent and enslave so many people. These people from Africa were mistreated very badly right from the start both mentally and physically. They were packed very tightly on ships for months at a time chained to each other with no place to go to the bathroom, little water to drink, and hardly anything to eat. As the population constantly increased in the colonies during the 1600’s, so did the demand for slavery especially in the southern colonies where the big plantations were. These plantations were very lucrative since the owners had free manual labor and they could keep all the profit from the crops for themselves. They also had to justify what they were doing to themselves so what they did was tell themselves that these slaves were barbaric and not smart enough to be civilized. These slave owners also owned huge houses in the middle of their plantations and thought of themselves as noblemen. In acuality, it was the slaves who were living nobly while the Europeans were living barbaricly. The Europeans who owned slaves also thought that the slaves were not smart enough because they could not speak English and they did not have a written language. This was proven not to be true either because the second generation of slaves learned the English language with no tr...

Commentary on One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Essays

Commentary on One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Essays Commentary on One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Paper Commentary on One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Paper Aleksandr Solzhenitsyns novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich highlights the harsh conditions for life in the Soviet prisoner camps. An inseparable part of the camp life, described by Solzhenitsyn, is work. Work plays a major role in the life of every prisoner, as it helps him to keep warm, earn his daily ration and survive. For those who have lost all hope of gaining freedom, work is more than just a daily routine, for it is a path to liberty, both personal and spiritual. For prisoners like Ivan Denisovich Shukhov work no longer represents enslavement or punishment but instead a gift of life and fortune. When Shukhov is given three days penalty with work, he is not put down, as the narrator uses his voice to note: With work-that wasnt half so bad. Real lock up was when you were kept back from work. Shukhov understands that if he is kept back from work, he will have to spend the day in a cold camp, with very little food. Therefore, he considers that the work he does is worth the reward that might save his life and help him go on for another day. This is important, as in the small and limited society that the prisoners live in, there are goals and rewards, that keep the life power in the heart of every one of them. The protagonist of the novel sees work as freedom and a dimension where one can fulfill his purpose and prove his worth. Shukhov considers work as a place where one can show his capabilities, and is therefore particularly fond of people such as Alyosha the Baptist, as he notes: You could count on Alyosha. Did whatever was asked of him. (p.88) Shukhovs respects Alyosha, because the latter is devoted to work and never hesitates to help a friend. This tells of his personal qualities and worth within a team and as an individual in whole, as he is a person who can be counted on and trusted. This plays a major role in the camp, as Shukhov notes: Who is the enemy of the zek? Another zek. People like Alyosha earn the respect and trust of those around them by being a valuable part of the team that struggles all day for a better treatment. Therefore, work not provides the prisoners with food and warmth, but also allows them to differ from hundreds of other prisoners, assessed by their abilities and qualities. Shukhov shows that one is responsible for taking control over his life, and doing his best at it. When the work time arrives, a prisoner can work not only for the authorities, but also for himself by achieving the goals set for the day, and showing his worth in life. Shukhov himself has a tendency to perfect his work, as he notes: Hasty work is scamped work (p. 89). This shows how devoted Shukhov is to the one of the few goals that he sets for himself, taking the responsibility for a part of his everyday routine. His refusal to give in to an oppressive system, and his ability to set achievable everyday goals helps him preserve his identity and take control, although partly, of his destiny. The authors portrayal of Shukhovs character highlights his individuality in a place where this quality is strongly suppressed. This way, the author wants to convey to the reader an idea of the conditions for life in a camp, where a person is stripped off his nature, abused and prevented from expressing his feelings and uniqueness. Nevertheless, people like Shukhov and Alyosha are able to survive, because they constantly work on themselves, trying to fulfill their purpose in life. Work helps the prisoner to cope with the harsh Russian climate, as it takes his mind off secondary factors, when the only important thing is the job and its completion. In this way the author shows that the prisoners, deprived of their freedom and individuality find something to fight for in life. Completion of all the objectives set out at the beginning of the day means that the team gets extra rations and better treatment, which is what every prisoner looks forward to, and is ready to work hard to deserve. Therefore, with no access to all the futile aims in life outside the prison, the zeks only goal in life is to survive, live a day longer, and get to see the next one, not much different from the previous, start. The author portrays work as having the capacity of saving the prisoners life, and also freeing him from the constant pressure of the authorities present in the camp. Work also allows a prisoner to display his abilities and prove his worth and qualities as an individual. This contributes to his survival, and also affects his relationship with other convicts. It keeps the prisoner warm in the long hours of hard work and rewards him with a daily ration of food, enough for survival. Work is able to turn into prisoners best friend and his only savior in a place where ones thoughts are not free, just like his individuality.

Athens Sparta essays

Athens Sparta essays The two most dominating city-states in Greece of their time, Athens and Sparta, were great rivals with two very different ways of life. Spartas overbearing military and Athens impartial justice system and government are models for many modern day countries. Even though these two city-states differ greatly from one another, they share many characteristics of their country and their time period. Athens and Sparta were the two most powerful Greek territories of their time. Like most cities of the same country, they have the same Greek culture, worshipping the same Greek gods and speaking Greek. Like all Greeks, their people loved to talk and tell stories. Although they fought against each other, their citizens equally had great amounts of pride for their entire country as well as their city-states. The two rivals were both devoted mainly to agriculture and based their wealth, but not their success, on agriculture. Both also participated in the annual Olympics, an ancient Greek national athletic competition which is now a worldwide tradition. These to Greek city-states were the most feared city-states in all of Greece. Though Athens and Sparta were similar, they were also very different. Athens was the first democracy, and it was also the first to govern with trial by jury. Athens main accomplishment was that it had a very strong Navy. It was the command of the sea and the head of the Naval Alliance, or the Delian League. Athens was the most feared city-state to fight at sea. Its other achievements were that is had excellent forms of art, architecture, drama and literature, philosophy, science, and medicine. It was very wealthy and had beautiful, extravagant temples. The boys of Athens went to school between the ages of five and eighteen, where they learned reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, sports and gymnastics. The girls stayed at home and learned spinning, weaving and domestic arts....

Auditing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Auditing - Assignment Example The procedures involved in the investigation include, going through the reports by preceding editors, obtaining information from the management whether any of the officers has been convicted with crime. Carrying out the fact-finding mission of the preceding auditors on management’s integrity, disagreements or any other additional information on why the firm should decline the audit. Finally, there is discussion the potential client with the attorneys and bankers of the entity. The client continuance and acceptance forms facilitate the continuing and prospective client’s investigations. The forms undergo updating and renewal yearly to keep evaluating engagement and association with the client. The investigation of both the new and renewal clients is important for it enables the firm to establish the quality of the client they serve as well as if and they meet the standards. At the same time, the forms are essential in the bid to avoid omissions in the whole process of investigation. On accepting the client or renewing the engagement, the client personnel’s quality should be estimated as high incompetence and integrity. The attributes shape the foundation for evaluating risks at the level of financial statement and gathering facts on audit engagements. Jos A. Bank being a cloth line company, and there are various risks of development of scandals in the business. These are aggravated by the nature of the business. The major factors are those that can lead into fraud and they include the nature of the items in the company, ease with which one can resale the products of the company outside is major risk factor for fraud. The value of the clothes is not so high per piece that makes it easier for the incident of fraud because of the ease with which the products can be gotten out of the premise due to their size. The nature of the environment in the business also is among the risk factors of fraud. There are

Alternative fuel sources for automobiles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alternative fuel sources for automobiles - Essay Example The increased use of CNG vehicles would make the United States less dependent on foreign sources of oil. The current supply of natural gas will last for generations and new drilling techniques are reaching natural gas locked in shale deposits. The process of fracturing the shale using high-pressure liquids is referred to as fracking. This new technique promises to provide cheap natural gas for well over a hundred years (Efstathiou and Chipman, 2011). Aside from the political benefits, CNG cars have very low emissions (Alternative, 2011). The greenhouse gas spewing combustion of current gasoline powered vehicles would be a thing of the past. While it is true that natural gas is a fossil fuel, and it is not a renewable fuel, burning it in vehicles will go a long way towards reducing our nation’s carbon footprint. Some vehicles that use CNG are Dedicated CNG vehicles, meaning they can only burn compressed natural gas. Other vehicles are Bi-Fuel vehicles, meaning they have small t anks that use gasoline as well as CNG tanks. The Bi-Fuel cars are popular because they have a greater range than Dedicated vehicles (Natural, 2011). There are drawbacks to CNG cars.

My Experience of Buddhist Mindful Meditation Essay - 1

My Experience of Buddhist Mindful Meditation - Essay Example The frustration doesn’t always happen sometimes falling asleep will occur through the exhaustion of thinking about the issue. Meditation is not an art to me it is a task. Meditation is not a way of life for me it’s an emergency. Meditation is a cry for help. Meditation is a deep stare into a blissful world of taking me away. Meditation is so many things that take up a lot of time but accomplish nothing. Meditation is a way of making me feel as though I’m still trying in a lost cause. Meditation is recommended by so many using the words ‘just take some time to think about it’. Meditation has been around for years yet only a few groups use it as a way of life. ‘A way of life’ is a strong statement. To speak of one’s way of life is to speak of the rules or guidelines one has set to live by. In the instance of the Buddhist, meditation is a strong guide in life. Buddhist meditation is a way of directing one’s thoughts to be at peace with oneself and others. Buddhist meditation can be described as the art, the very essence of a Buddhist’s life. Thinking as a Buddhist, adopting their concept of life, using meditation put me in a totally different frame of mind. I had to change my view of meditation from last resort to first resort. Meditation changed for this exercise from an insignificant part of life to life’s guiding light. In order for something to guide my life and for me to follow, there must be consistency, reliability and a proven success rate. Engaging in the materials provided to me as well as extra research, Buddhist mindful meditation has been consistent, reliable and successful in the life o f a devout Buddhist. My approach to this exercise then became more of an interest than a task.

Special education needs in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Special education needs in the UK - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that it is an incontestable reality that students possess different capabilities to learn, diverse emotional behaviors, various social skills, and dissimilar physical endowments. This prompts the necessity to adopt a curriculum and an educational system with programs that care for students who may not cope well in the mainstream education system and programs. The inclusion of students with special needs in a mainstream education system, in the UK, continues to gain dominance with legislation in place to provide special education needs (SEN). Poon-McBrayer and Lian define SEN students as a group that needs special services to achieve and attain their full learning capabilities. The Warnock report initiated the debate of inclusion of mainstream and special education, a move that saw the development of special education assume an all-encompassing approach. It is doubtless that the extent of reforms in sociological viewpoints, about the provisi on of education to students with SENs in the UK, has evolved tremendously since the 1978 Warnock Report and remains highly appreciable. Social transformations have continued to transform special education in the UK. Before the turning point, marked by the Warnock Report, segregation and exclusion of SEN students had been a dominant practice. In the past, the perception of disabled students was undesirable and non-inclusive. Segregation of nondisabled students featured serious cases of abandonment, neglect, and rejection.... Social exclusion among students, as Anabel (2010) identifies, was a complex challenge to tackle as a means of promoting equal opportunities for all learners, disabled and non-disabled. Exclusion did not exist in one form or kind, a challenge that rendered it a great challenge to achieve inclusion. It is noteworthy that there are varied degrees of segregation as McDonald (2008, p.28) identifies. The social processes that define exclusion of the disabled, in most learning environments, are contentious and should attract ardent considerations from educators and policy makers. Exclusion of the disabled, in the education system, involved the denial and limiting of very fundamental rights. The multidimensional character of factors that promote social exclusionism rendered it a demanding endeavor to promote inclusion. Noteworthy is the fact factors that escalate exclusion of SEN students were structural as opposed to circumstantial. That is, exclusion emanated from the set up, and sociologi cal viewpoints held by the very society whose students with SEN experience the exclusion. Social exclusion promotes educational exclusion and the later cannot end when the former still prevails. Such is the complexity entailed in finding an insight into social exclusion in the education system over the past. The UK had experiences of exclusion of SEN students for a long time before the concern led to the formation of the committee that came up with the Warnock Report. Inclusion is necessary to avoid possible exclusion of society members with special needs. Inclusion involves cooperative learning that engages all students from the mainstream schools and

Mary Rowlandson captiviity narrative vs. Douglas slave narrative Research Paper

Mary Rowlandson captiviity narrative vs. Douglas slave narrative - Research Paper Example the most famous and moving of a number of narratives written by former slaves, in factual detail describes the events of his life as a slave and thereafter. Both works are considered influential in early American literature. Analyzing the two, one sees that what at first appears to be a connection bound by the notion of captivity, that connection is well superseded by the very different personal and overall goals of the writers. .. a single individual, usually a woman, [who] stands passively under the strokes of evil, awaiting rescue by the grace of God. The sufferer represents the whole, chastened body of Puritan society; and the temporary bondage of the captive to the Indian is dual paradigm-- of the bondage of the soul to the flesh and the temptations arising from original sin, and of the self-exile of the English Israel from England. In the Indians devilish clutches, the captive had to meet and reject the temptation of Indian marriage and/or the Indians "cannibal" Eucharist. To partake of the Indians love or of his equivalent of bread and wine was to debase, to un-English the very soul. The captives ultimate redemption by the grace of Christ and the efforts of the Puritan magistrates is likened to the regeneration of the soul in conversion. The ordeal is at once threatful of pain and evil and promising of ultimate salvation. Through the captives proxy, the promise of a similar salvation could be offere d to the faithful among the reading public, while the captives torments remained to harrow the hearts of those not yet awakened to their fallen nature. (Stokes 94) Narratives of slavery, such as that written by Frederick Douglass, recounted the personal experiences of ante-bellum African Americans who had escaped from slavery and found their way to safety in the North. Employing the tradition of the captivity narrative, narratives of slavery were similarly reliant on Biblical references and imagery. Differing in context, however, they were replete with

Ethics and whistleblowing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and whistleblowing - Essay Example Introduction ‘Whistleblowing’ basically refers to make any kind of disclosure in the general interest of public. The term is more commonly referred as ‘blowing the whistle’. If the employee working in any organisation feels that there is wrongdoing in their workplace, then they can report this to the management by following the correct processes. By doing so, their employment rights can be protected. It is worth mentioning that the whistleblowers are shielded for the public interest in order to encourage the people to speak out if they feel that any kind of malpractice is going on in the organisation (DirectGov 2011). The statistics published in public interest reveals that the people’s attitude towards the whistle blowing has improved to a great extent. The survey conducted by ‘Public Concern at Work’ in the year 2007 indicated that 85% of the people informed that they would raise a concern with regards to the malpractices that is taking place with the employers. It was further made evident that 31% of the people would go to the regulatory bodies or to the police if the ‘internal route’ was not considered as the option (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Growing awareness of employee rights, Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998), Health and Safety Executive, PR practices, CSR and Internal Codes of Practices have resulted in improving the condition for whistleblowing. UNISON, a public service union collaborated with Public Concern at Work in order to conduct survey to ask 2000 NHS staffs if whistleblowing was working or not. It was found that around 90% of them had blown the whistle at times when they were concerned about patient safety. 50% were not aware of the fact that their ‘Trust’ had a whistleblowing policy. 33% revealed that their ‘Trust’ wanted to blow the whistle despite being aware of the fact that it would result to bad publicity. 30% revealed that their ‘Trustâ₠¬â„¢ didn’t want them to be told that there was a severe problem while 25% said that the culture was improving (Public Concern at Work n.d.). This statistics can be shown graphically with the help of the chart below: Source: (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Source: (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Other Statistics on Whistleblowing Source: (NWC 2008). The figure that is demonstrated above depicts the companies that report operating a whistleblowing system and the percentage of those companies that consider it to be effective (NWC 2008). It has been found from the report that approximately 5678 cases of whistleblowing were received in the fiscal year 2009, which was up by nearly 2000 over the prior fiscal year (Worldwide ERC 2011). The major aim of this study is to evaluate how the organisations can develop an effective approach to the workplace whistleblowing taking into account the needs of its stakeholders. Research Question The main objective of the research is to evaluate how the organisation can develop an effective approach to workplace whistleblowing that takes into account of the needs of their stakeholders. Therefore, the whole assignment

Special education needs in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Special education needs in the UK - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that it is an incontestable reality that students possess different capabilities to learn, diverse emotional behaviors, various social skills, and dissimilar physical endowments. This prompts the necessity to adopt a curriculum and an educational system with programs that care for students who may not cope well in the mainstream education system and programs. The inclusion of students with special needs in a mainstream education system, in the UK, continues to gain dominance with legislation in place to provide special education needs (SEN). Poon-McBrayer and Lian define SEN students as a group that needs special services to achieve and attain their full learning capabilities. The Warnock report initiated the debate of inclusion of mainstream and special education, a move that saw the development of special education assume an all-encompassing approach. It is doubtless that the extent of reforms in sociological viewpoints, about the provisi on of education to students with SENs in the UK, has evolved tremendously since the 1978 Warnock Report and remains highly appreciable. Social transformations have continued to transform special education in the UK. Before the turning point, marked by the Warnock Report, segregation and exclusion of SEN students had been a dominant practice. In the past, the perception of disabled students was undesirable and non-inclusive. Segregation of nondisabled students featured serious cases of abandonment, neglect, and rejection.... Social exclusion among students, as Anabel (2010) identifies, was a complex challenge to tackle as a means of promoting equal opportunities for all learners, disabled and non-disabled. Exclusion did not exist in one form or kind, a challenge that rendered it a great challenge to achieve inclusion. It is noteworthy that there are varied degrees of segregation as McDonald (2008, p.28) identifies. The social processes that define exclusion of the disabled, in most learning environments, are contentious and should attract ardent considerations from educators and policy makers. Exclusion of the disabled, in the education system, involved the denial and limiting of very fundamental rights. The multidimensional character of factors that promote social exclusionism rendered it a demanding endeavor to promote inclusion. Noteworthy is the fact factors that escalate exclusion of SEN students were structural as opposed to circumstantial. That is, exclusion emanated from the set up, and sociologi cal viewpoints held by the very society whose students with SEN experience the exclusion. Social exclusion promotes educational exclusion and the later cannot end when the former still prevails. Such is the complexity entailed in finding an insight into social exclusion in the education system over the past. The UK had experiences of exclusion of SEN students for a long time before the concern led to the formation of the committee that came up with the Warnock Report. Inclusion is necessary to avoid possible exclusion of society members with special needs. Inclusion involves cooperative learning that engages all students from the mainstream schools and

Ethics and whistleblowing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and whistleblowing - Essay Example Introduction ‘Whistleblowing’ basically refers to make any kind of disclosure in the general interest of public. The term is more commonly referred as ‘blowing the whistle’. If the employee working in any organisation feels that there is wrongdoing in their workplace, then they can report this to the management by following the correct processes. By doing so, their employment rights can be protected. It is worth mentioning that the whistleblowers are shielded for the public interest in order to encourage the people to speak out if they feel that any kind of malpractice is going on in the organisation (DirectGov 2011). The statistics published in public interest reveals that the people’s attitude towards the whistle blowing has improved to a great extent. The survey conducted by ‘Public Concern at Work’ in the year 2007 indicated that 85% of the people informed that they would raise a concern with regards to the malpractices that is taking place with the employers. It was further made evident that 31% of the people would go to the regulatory bodies or to the police if the ‘internal route’ was not considered as the option (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Growing awareness of employee rights, Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998), Health and Safety Executive, PR practices, CSR and Internal Codes of Practices have resulted in improving the condition for whistleblowing. UNISON, a public service union collaborated with Public Concern at Work in order to conduct survey to ask 2000 NHS staffs if whistleblowing was working or not. It was found that around 90% of them had blown the whistle at times when they were concerned about patient safety. 50% were not aware of the fact that their ‘Trust’ had a whistleblowing policy. 33% revealed that their ‘Trust’ wanted to blow the whistle despite being aware of the fact that it would result to bad publicity. 30% revealed that their ‘Trustâ₠¬â„¢ didn’t want them to be told that there was a severe problem while 25% said that the culture was improving (Public Concern at Work n.d.). This statistics can be shown graphically with the help of the chart below: Source: (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Source: (Public Concern at Work n.d.). Other Statistics on Whistleblowing Source: (NWC 2008). The figure that is demonstrated above depicts the companies that report operating a whistleblowing system and the percentage of those companies that consider it to be effective (NWC 2008). It has been found from the report that approximately 5678 cases of whistleblowing were received in the fiscal year 2009, which was up by nearly 2000 over the prior fiscal year (Worldwide ERC 2011). The major aim of this study is to evaluate how the organisations can develop an effective approach to the workplace whistleblowing taking into account the needs of its stakeholders. Research Question The main objective of the research is to evaluate how the organisation can develop an effective approach to workplace whistleblowing that takes into account of the needs of their stakeholders. Therefore, the whole assignment

Internal Factor Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Internal Factor Evaluation Essay Internal factors of a college or university include faculty, students, staff, alumni, athletic program, physical plant, grounds and maintenance, student housing, administration, academic programs, fraternities, sororities, and public relations. The sum total of all weighted score is equal to the total weighted score, final value of total weighted score should be between range 1.0 (low) to 4.0 (high). The average weighted score for IFE matrix is 2.5 any company total weighted score fall below 2.5 consider as weak. The company total weighted score higher than 2. 5 is consider as strong position. And from the table above Philippine Women’s University Sta. Cruz, Laguna Campus has a slight strong internal position and there are many areas need to improve further. Strategies After we evaluate our university, we think that there are some things that the university should do like daily checking of air-cons, lights, flushes of toilets, etc. They should build clinic in case of emergency, they should also build canteen, hire an HR, and have a head of each colleges. They should also include all the other or extra fees in tuition fee. And there’s one thing that is important for us senior, we guess that they should take some actions in helping them on finding OJT. And maintain their strength or much better to improve it more.

A Light Emitting Diode Engineering Essay

A Light Emitting Diode Engineering Essay A Light-Emitting Diode in essence is a P-N junction solid-state semiconductor diode that emits light when a current is applied though the device.[1] By scientific definition, it is a solid-state device that controls current without the deficiency of having heated filaments. How does a LED work? White LEDs ordinarily need 3.6 Volts of Direct Current (DC) and use approximately 30 milliamps (mA) of current and has a power dissipation of approximately 100 milliwatts (mW). The positive power is connected to one side of the LED semiconductor through the anode and a whisker and the other side of the semiconductor is attached to the top of the anvil or the negative power lead (cathode). It is the chemical composition or makeup of the LED semiconductor that determines the color of the light that the LED produces as well as the intensity level. The epoxy resin enclosure allows most of the light to escape from the elements and protects the LED making it virtually indestructible. Furthermore, a light-emitting diode does not have any moving parts, which makes the device extremely resistant to damage due to vibration and shocks. These characteristics make it ideal for purposes that demand reliability and strength. LEDs therefore can be deemed invulnerable to catastrophic failure when operated within design parameters. Figure 1 shows a typical traditional indicator LED. Traditional indicator LEDs utilize a small LED semiconductor chip that is mounted on a reflector cup also known as the anvil, on a lead-frame (whisker).This whole configuration is encased in epoxy which also serves the purpose of a lens. LEDs have very high thermal resistance with upwards of 200K per Watt. LEDs are highly monochromatic, only emitting a single pure color in a narrow frequency range. The color emitted from an LED is identified by peak wavelength (lpk) which is measured in nanometers (nm). The peak wavelength is a function of the material that is used in the manufacturing of the semiconductor.[3] Most LEDs are produced using gallium-based crystals that differ in one or more additional materials such as phosphorous to produce distinct colors. Different LED chip technologies enable manufacturers to produce LEDs that emit light in a specific region of the visible light spectrum and replicate different intensity levels. Thus, one would vary the material used in the production of LEDs in order to obtain the desired results. The graph below depicts the variation in response time for the specific wavelength of light. Principle Mechanism The essential portion of the Light Emitting Diode is the semiconductor chip. Semiconductors can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic semiconductors are those in which the electrical behavior is based on the electronic structure inherent to the pure material.[5] When the electrical characteristics are dictated by impurity atoms, the semiconductor is said to be extrinsic.[6] See Appendix A for further information regarding the different materials and their characteristics. This chip is further divided into two parts or regions which are separated by a boundary called a junction. The p-region is dominated by positive electric charges (holes) and the n-region is dominated by negative electric charges (electrons). The junction serves as a barrier to the flow of the electrons between the p and the n-regions. This is somewhat similar to the role of the band-gap because it determines how much voltage is needed to be applied to the semiconductor chip before the current can flow and the electrons pass the junction into the p-region. In general, to achieve higher momentum states (with higher velocities), there must be an empty energy state into which the electron may be excited. (In other words, to achieve a net flow of electrons in one direction, some electrons must change their wave vectors thereby increasing their energy.) [8] Band-gaps determine how much energy is needed for the electron to jump from the valence band to the conduction band. As an electron in the conduction band recombines with a hole in the valence band, the electron makes a transition to a lower-lying energy state and releases energy in an amount equal to the band-gap energy. This energy is released in photons. Normally the energy heats the material. In an LED this energy goes into emitted infrared or visible light. If a large enough electric potential difference (voltage) is absent, across the anode and cathode, the junction serves as an electric potential barrier to the flow of electrons. When sufficient voltage is applied across the chip of the LED, the electron has enough driving force to move in one direction over the junction that separates the p-region and the n-region. The p-region (holes) is where the positive charge forms the majority of charges. (Implicitly, there are also negative charges but they are the minority).Vice versa for the n-region. The electrons from the n-region basically flow across the junction into the p-region. In the p-region, the electrons are attracted to the positive charges due the mutual Columbic forces of attraction between opposite charges of same magnitude. Thus recombination occurs. After every successful recombination, electric potential energy is transformed into electromagnetic energy. This releases a quantum electromagnetic energy that is emitted in the form of a photon of light with frequencies characteristic of the semiconductor that was used in the process. These photons have specific wavelengths thus specific colors according to the different materials used. Therefore, different compositions of the chemical elements used in the manufacturing of the semiconductor results in different colors emitted as well as different energies needed to light them. The electrical energy is in proportion to the voltage required to enable the electrons to flow across the p-n junction. Predominantly, LEDs emit light of a single color. Application There are various materials that are used in the manufacturing of Light Emitting Diodes. Most of the materials are gallium-based crystals and are used in high-brightness applications. Gallium is a minor metal noted by its low melting point of 29.8  °C, the name being derived from Gallia, the Latin for France, which was where it was discovered. [14] Among these include AlGaAs (Aluminum-Gallium-Arsenide), a semiconductor that typically generates the red spectrum, often used in signs, displays and electronic equipment. InGaAlP(Indium-Gallium-Aluminum-Phosphide) produces the yellow-green wavelength to red are often used in signs, auto interior as well as exterior, traffic signals and cellphones.[ 15] InGaN (Indium-Gallium-Nitride) typically generates Blue, Green and white spectrums and are used most often in full color signs, cell-phones, auto interior, traffic signals.[16]. Furthermore, there is room for further improvement on the design of traffic lights. The visible light from the LEDs in a traffic light can further be modulated and encoded with information. Hence, it can be used for the broadcasting of audio messages or any traffic or road information. Essentially, all LED traffic lights can be used as communications devices. [17] InGaN LEDs too has been made the light source of choice for many diagnostic and photo-therapy applications from the Ultra-violet to the near Infrared. [18] Light-emitting diodes (LED) emit light in proportion to the forward current through the diode. Light Emitting Diodes are the cutting edge technology of lighting today. Generally, Light Emitting Diodes are categorized according to their performance. The performance of a LED is linked to a few primary characteristics of the LED itself which includes color, peak wavelength and intensity. As LEDs are highly monochromatic, LEDs are differentiated according to their peak wavelength. Peak wavelength is a function of the LED chip material. Although manufacturing process variations produce a standard deviation of  ±10nm, nevertheless, these variations are perceptible to the human eye because the 565nm to 600nm wavelength spectral region (yellow to amber) is where the sensitivity level of the human eye is at its peak. [19] See Appendix B for details on the different semiconductor types as well as characteristics of those semiconductors. The light output of a specific LED varies with the type of chip, encapsulation and efficiency of individual wafer lots. There may be other random variables that may affect the performance of the LED too. This typically is categorized into the nuisance variable factor and is taken into account as the error margin. Many LED manufacturers use different terms such as super-bright, and ultra-bright to describe LED intensity. However, such terminology is entirely subjective, as there really is no industry standard for LED brightness. Luminous intensity is roughly proportional to the amount of current (I) supplied to the LED. The greater the current, the higher the intensity.[20] Nevertheless, luminous intensity (Iv) does not represent the total light output from an LED. Both the luminous intensity and the spatial radiation pattern (viewing angle) must be taken into account. If two LEDs have the same luminous intensity value, the lamp with the larger viewing angle will have the higher total light output. Overall visibility can be enhanced by increasing the number of LED chips in the encapsulation, increasing the number of individual LEDs, as well as utilizing secondary optics to distribute light. To illustrate, consider similar red GaAlAs LED chip technology in four different configurations: In each individual case, the amount of visible light depends on the application of the LED as well as how the LED is being viewed. The single chip setup may be suitable for direct viewing in contrast with high ambient lighting. The 6-chip may be more suitable as a backlight to a switch or small legend, while the cluster or lensed LED design may best be used to illuminate a pilot light or larger lens. In this millennium, Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs are making major inroads into a lot of industries. In the past, filament bulbs like incandescent and halogen lamps dominated and were the main source of lighting. Today, in the automotive industry, we see cars with LEDs for taillights and instrument panels. Why the switch to the new technology? Among the reasons why include the longevity of the LED itself. It lasts on average 20,000 hours for a 15-Watt traffic light in comparison to 1000 hours for typical filament bulbs.[23] Generally, LEDs are designed to operate upwards of 100,000 hours. This greatly supercedes the standard incandescent bulb with an average lifespan of about 5000 hours.LEDs too are low voltage devices that respond almost instantaneously to changes in current (~10Mhz).[24] This would entail better safety for motorists on the road. Costs of maintenance of the vehicle would too decrease as replacements of the lighting fixtures need not be done as often. With such fast reponse times, LEDs used as an unbiased photodiode, exhibits a non-linear power dependent response that also can be used for sensitive detection and characterization of mode-locked femtosecond and picosecond laser pulses. [25] In the electronic industry, we have LEDs for lighting of almost everything. The ergonomic flat-panel computer screens otherwise known as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are also in essence miniature LED clusters. The introduction of LCDs marks another milestone in development in the hi-tech industry. Displays now can be made that use less power as well as emit much less radiation in comparison with the traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) display. According to Keith Robinson for Frost Sullivan, The light emitting diode (LED) market, especially the visible LED (VLED) market, is poised to experience explosive growth once economic conditions improve in North America. The most significant technology improvement that has taken place in the last 10 years for LEDs is the introduction of blue and blue-green LEDs. The nitride-based LEDs have opened new opportunities for manufacturers of lighting products, such as traffic signal manufacturers and outdoor signboard manufacturers. The increased use of the new colors in consumer products and automotive applications is expected to have a positive impact on the market. [26] Manufacturers have always been striving to replicate colors as accurately as possible. This is has always been the holy grail for the display industry. LEDs have made this a reality. Typical incandescent bulbs cannot replicate the vivid colors that can be reproduced using LEDs. LEDs give pure saturated colors with up to 130% more gamut compared to standard NTSC specifications.[27] Take the reproduction of white light. When light from all parts of the visible spectrum overlap one another, the additive mixture of colors appears white. However, the eye does not require a mixture of all the colors of the spectrum to perceive white light. Primary colors from the upper, middle, and lower parts of the spectrum (red, green, and blue), when combined, appear white. To achieve this combination with LEDs requires a sophisticated electro-optical design to control the blend and diffusion of colors. Variations in LED color and intensity further complicate this process. Presently, it is possible to produce white light with a single LED using a phosphor layer (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) on the surface of a blue (Gallium Nitride) chip.[28] Although this technology produces various hues, white LEDs may be appropriate to illuminate opaque lenses or backlight legends. However, using colored LEDs to illuminate similarly colored lenses produces better visibility and overall appearance in comparison with CRTs. Moreover, LEDs are not deficient in the reliability department. LEDs are solid state devices with no moving parts as well as no fragile glass or filaments. LEDs too use up to 90% less energy in comparison with conventional bulbs and lamps today.[29] Today a LED flashlight may last up to 200% longer with the same batteries used to operate conventional filament flashlights. [30] Furthermore, LEDs are environmental friendly because they contain no mercury and since they last longer (about 100,000 continuous hours of life); there will be less disposal waste in the environment. This in turn would result is less pollution and less wastage of our precious and limited resources. LEDs also form the foundation for applications in optical-fiber communication and diode lasers. They produce a narrow spectrum of coherent red or infrared light that can be well collimated. This characteristic of the light produced by LEDs has enabled engineers to manipulate the setup to enable data transfer. This has made it possible for continents to be linked via the internet. Information can be sent across the globe in a matter of fractions of a second and vast chunks of data can be transmitted without a hitch. With the improvement of infrastructure, the benefits extend also to the general populace. Before we had modems that used coaxial copper cables, today we have T1 to T3 connections which utilize fiber optics. Most institutions, organizations and companies that require the use of large bandwidths of data have such connections. Take for example, San Jose State University, it utilizes several T3 connections to the internet and has T1 connections locally across campus to alleviate data congestion. In this way, data is made readily available to those hungry for knowledge. Conclusion Light Emitting Diodes has such a profound impact on society. It affects our daily lives as well as activities. It is used in so many applications and so many places. With Light Emitting Diodes, so many significant improvements to already existing technology could be made. Historically the LED market has experienced signal digit growth of about 8.5 percent. The laser diode market has experienced double-digit growth in the past of approximately 30.0 percent and once economic conditions improve it is anticipated that the market will experience strong growth rates once again. [31] As this technology expands, so does our horizon and our conquest for the betterment of todays technology. Light Emitting Diodes truly is a great invention of the age.

Points Against And In Favour F :: essays research papers

The trial scene in the Merchant of Venice is the climax of the play as Shylock has taken Antonio to court, as he has not paid back the money he borrowed. Shylock wants the pound of flesh that is the forfeit of the bond concerning the money Antonio borrowed from him. Shylock’s main motivation for wanting this forfeit is as his daughter has stolen his money and run away, he is taking out his spite on Antonio and this blinds him as he does not watch what he is getting into during this scene From the point where Shylock enters the courtroom everyone opposing him is appealing for mercy for Antonio and this is what the scene demonstrates, a need for mercy. Portia says shortly after she has entered the scene ‘Then the Jew must be merciful’ she is not saying that this is what the law says he must be, but that he should do this because it is the only thing he can do morally. The mercy theme runs all the way through the scene and many opportunities were offered by the Duke, Bassanio and Portia for Shylock to take the moral course of action, but he constantly refuses saying he should get what he deserves not by moral justice but by the law. Shylock does have the right to the forfeit of his bond and it is Antonio’s fault that he is in this situation because he signed the bond of his own free will. He knew the consequences if he couldn’t pay it back as Shylock made it clear from the start. This is shown by when at the start of the court scene when he says ‘Make no more offers use no farther means, but with all brief and plain conveniency let me have judgement, and the Jew his will’. When he didn’t pay Shylock the money he owed him, Shylock had a right to Antonio’s forfeit by law. The problem was he didn’t choose the moral path where he probably could have gotten a lot of money and become a very rich man, but chose the forfeit out of spite over his daughter. This theme is also repeated through the scene that Shylock deserves his justice by the letter of the law and the forfeit of his bond. This is shown when he says phrases like ‘My deeds upon my head I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond’.

The Health Benefits of Exercise Programming Essay -- Strength Training

Investigate the contemporary body of knowledge that underpins the current recommendations for exercise programming in the pursuit of improved health. Pate et al. (1995) stated that physical activity is needed for health promotion and disease prevention. They also stated that every adult should do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise everyday if possible. Moderate intensity exercising includes activities such as brisk walking and cycling as stated by the Department of Health (2011). They also state that regular physical activity will improve a person’s mental health as it will increase self esteem and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Physical wellbeing is also enhanced by an increase in physical activity. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2002) found that in developed countries 20% of heart disease and 10% of strokes are due to physical inactivity. Furthermore a lack of physical activity is found to cause 3% of all diseases. Kerr (2012) states that there are 3 main types of exercise which are aerobic, strength/resistance training and flexibility exercises. Aerobic exercises will help keep the heart, lungs and muscles healthy, and when paired with a healthy diet will aid in weight loss. Appropriate resistance training will help to improve strength, posture and balance as well as causing the participant’s body to look more toned. Also the build up of muscle will aid with weight loss as at rest muscle burns more calories than inactive tissue. These exercises should be done two or three times a week. Flexibility exercises are important because if a muscle isn’t stretched then overtime it will shorten and become less elastic. Therefore joint mobility will decrease and the likelihood of injuries to muscl... ...ll, B, Willett, W, Manson, J, Leitzmann, M, Stampfer, M, Hunter, D, & Colditz, G (2001), 'Physical activity and mortality: a prospective study among women', American Journal Of Public Health, 91, 4, pp. 578-583 The American College of Sports Medicine. (2014) ACSM Issues New Recommendations on Quantity and Quality of Exercise. [Online] Available from: http://acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsm-issues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise [accessed 19 May 2014] World Health Organisation. (2002) The world health report 2002 - Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life. [Online] Available from: http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr02_en.pdf?ua=1 [accessed 19 May 2014] Yung,, L.M., Laher, I., Chen, Z.Y., Huang, Y. and Leaung , F.P. (2009) Exercise, Vascular Wall and Cardiovascular Diseases. Sports Medicine. Vol. 39, No. 1: 45-63

Nietzsche: Virtues/Life/Morality Essay

Nietzsche was a unique philosopher that had some very interesting ideas about people’s human values and personality types. In the following passage from Nietzsche, â€Å"?. this is the image of all life, and from this learn the meaning of your life! And conversely: Read only your own life, and from this understand the hieroglyphs of universal life! † According to Nietzsche, I think he defines that all morality is a manifestation of the will to power. People stress independence, personal dignity, self-approval and the will to succeed. For such people â€Å"good† refers to whatever leads to self-fulfillment with values such as strength, courage, power and pride. This appeals to those who are uncertain of themselves. They define â€Å"good† as what makes life easier/safer, with such qualities as patience, humility, modesty and compassion. I agree and disagree with Nietzsche. He helps me understand my own life, in that I agree with the will to power. I am living proof. I want to be in charge of my future. I have goals in every aspect of my life that I want to fulfill, and without these goals there would be no motivation for life. Artists wouldn’t want to be artists, scientists wouldn’t care about science, and people wouldn’t care about themselves. I also think we need certain virtues in order to succeed in fulfilling the goals set forth by the will to power. Patience, modesty, charity and compassion are some of the virtues that Nietzsche believes to be â€Å"sour grapes†. The moral that I think is sour is people who are not independent, look at others to follow, and that lack self respect. I believe that virtues such as personal power, strength, courage, pride, independence, and compassion, makes a person complete. However, this is reality and in reality you can have these virtues and at the same time stray from what you believe in. I think the key to life is to find who you are and to be happy. In today’s society, it seems there are too many people who do not know who they are. People tend to follow the group, dress how everyone else dresses and listen to the same music everyone else listens too. This to me is â€Å"weak†. The real root to power is within yourself. Life isn’t as cut and dry as Nietzsche suggests. Life is too complex and the mind is a mysterious thing. Although the qualities and virtues talked about are ideal, I wish it was that simple to apply to a person. I think the persons surroundings, and any influences the person has had in their life plays a role. Unfortunately the environment plays a large part in the development in a person. However, I think it’s never too late for a person to change or find him or herself. In conclusion, Nietzsche’s philosophy really allows me to understand the meaning of life. Nietzsche did not believe in equality. It seems he rejected equality because he believed in the importance of individualism. Nietzsche gives me a good reason for life/existence.

Critically Analyze the Following Claim: ‘Class Is No Longer Relevant in Australia in the Twenty-First Century’

Critically analyze the following claim: ‘Class is no longer relevant in Australia in the twenty-first century. ’ The relevance of social class in Australia has been disputed as to whether it still exists. There are a lot of arguments and opinions on this issue but class inequality is evidently still in force in twenty first Australia. Contemporary Australian society discriminates the difference of social classes through economic status, education and geographic location.The power struggle in social class is analyzed in theorist Karl Marx’s â€Å"Communist Manifesto† where the Bourgeois (ruling class) and the Proletarians (working class) are discussed as to how classes are shaped in societies which can then be applied in twenty first century Australia. Bill Martin’s â€Å"Class† discusses the distinction between working and middle class in Australia today compared to a generation ago in accordance to materials, geographic location and employmen t.In Australia, economic status, employment and property ownership refers to what the person earns and owns which are very important factors in determining social classes. A person’s economic status is determined by their employment and employment in Australia is classified in white and blue collar workers. The white collar workers fall into the ruling class category where they obtain degrees, maintain high wage and use their skills/knowledge from the degree to obtain an office job wearing white dress shirts (which is where the word white collar is derived from).Whereas the blue collar workers fall into the low-middle class category, where the workers are employed as tradesmen or laborers as they have physical work with standard wage which don’t require high qualifications. These two main tiers of collars are implemented in twenty first Australia which is a fundamental aspect of determining social class as the white collar workers have wealth putting them in power of t he working class which verifies that there is underlying capitalism.In relation to economic status, property ownership is another fundamental aspect of determining a person’s class in Australia as it defines the person’s wealth. Property can consist of houses, investments, cars, savings accounts, land and any materials with value. Property ownership was Marx’s main argument in determining social class as, â€Å"The bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production, and hereby the relations of production, and with them the whole relations of society,† (Marx 771) which argues that if the person doesn’t have some form of ownership then they didn’t have resources for production which would classify them as a laborer putting them in the working class. Property ownership distinguishes the two classes from each other in Australia as it is seen through the works of the Labor party as it has a large group of pe ople in the working class leaving them to manage capitalism.Marx’s infamous quote, â€Å"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles,†Ã‚  (Marx 79) makes it clear that class struggle is needed to create the division of classes. Jim Kemeny writes â€Å"Australian capitalism highlights the way in which the Australian ruling class is likely to differ from those of other middle-sized capitalist societies,† (Kemeny 103) where the ruling class in Australia is weakly developed in retrospect to the economy.Capitalists have the capital and the workers own their power to labor which only receives one third of their produce as the other two thirds are taken by the capitalists which keeps the classes separated; this is evident in Australia due to technological advancements where the laborers are being replaced by technology putting people out of jobs which explains how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.This division of labour in Australia can also be analysed by sociologist Max Weber as he thought Marx’s theory was too simplistic, indeed there were different classes but they were classed according to property, power and prestige (class, power and status). Weber’s theory also applies in Australia as Australians value mateship and children have the opportunity to enter a different class through their manner of speech, respect in the society, education achievements and social leisure habits which can increase their â€Å"life chances†.Power is doing anything you desire while being able to control other people whether they object or not. In Australia, power is exercised by the government, controlling the nation’s rights and keeping the classes separated. Prestige/status is how the person is perceived in the community/society. Property will usually lead to prestige and power but property is mostly held by the people working in white collar jobs. Social welfare is provided by the Austr alian Government to the working where Centrelink provides economic assistance for the people out of work.The income support system can help with Austudy Allowance,  Carer Allowance,  Disability Support, Pension Payment, Orphans Allowance, Newstart Allowance,  Maternity Payment,  Parenting Payment, Special Benefit Payment and  Youth Allowance  which are conducted by a means test (which is usually taken advantage of). The article â€Å"Welcome to bludgetown† by Caroline Marcus discusses the different nationalities and demographics of certain suburbs that rely on Centrelink classing them in the lower tier.The geographic location of where people reside has an effect on whether they are categorized into working or ruling class as the suburbs of Greenacre, Punchbowl and Villawood (South-west Sydney) would rather accept Centrelink than find a job. The article reads â€Å"Mr Trad said Muslims suffered from discrimination when it came to applying for jobs. ‘I wonder if this gentleman has ever experienced discrimination in the workplace himself,’ he said. ‘Certainly, people with a Muslim-sounding name are not given the same opportunities †¦ s people with an Anglo-sounding name. ’† (Marcus pars. 16-18) Discrimination can be a possible explanation as to why some of these cultural groups are not employed in this multicultural country which ultimately disadvantages their children as they are automatically categorized in the working class but their geographic location has also disadvantaged them because they are influenced by other people from their culture making them reluctant to even apply for employment which leaves them to stay in the working class.Geographic location can affect a person’s class which is evident in â€Å"Class† by Bill Martin which tours around in three shopping centres in Adelaide. Martin identifies the different stores, cars, clothing, education and occupation in regards to three d ifferent suburbs. The ruling class is evidently Eastside where most of the stores are upmarket, half the cars in the car park are mostly European, clothes are chosen carefully, their children go to private schools and have a dominant occupation of doctors, lawyers, accountants etc.Putting them in the ruling class as opposed to Rosedale where there are discount shops through connected malls, most of the cars in the car park are Holdens, Fords and Toyotas, their clothes are old, their children attend public schools that are trying to defeat drug problems with very few that attend university and have a dominant occupation of public servants, delivery drivers and secretaries.Martin clearly distinguishes between the two suburbs in their two tiers of class. It is evident that the children growing up in Eastside are a lot more likely to become members of the ruling class and the children being raised in Rosedale are more likely to stay in the working class as they are almost destined to ca rry out the same outcome as their parents and very few follow through to higher education to obtain high wage and status.In Australia, the media plays an important role in distinguishing between the classes in Australia as stereotypes are portrayed in the media to make it obvious that class is still an existing factor in society. The Australian nation may want to believe that there isn’t class discrimination and that everyone is middle class but this claim is evidently false which can be understood in the article â€Å"Whatever happened to the classless society? by Thornton McCamish. The article identifies Australians as an unequal country in reference to class discrimination as McCamish writes about how Australians are portrayed in TV shows such as Summer Heights High where Jamie, a high class ‘snob’ attends a public high school for a semester as opposed to her private girls college and assumes that everyone attending public schools are living in poverty (†˜povvo’) classing them in the working class.This assumption isn’t widely made or accepted among Australians as the TV show exaggerates reality but people watching the series may take that into account and might reassess their social status in terms of school placement but the fact of the matter is working class parents can only afford public schools which have higher risks to drug abuse and teen pregnancy. It shows that Australia went from a very egalitarian country to a country with underlying class discrimination issues, that may not necessarily be evident as to where the dividing line is but it is present in twenty-first century Australia.The article reads â€Å"Ignoring class didn't make socio-economic divides go away, just harder to get your head around. Especially once the Howard government took to our class structure with a rhetorical Dymo, replacing labels such as †ruling class† or †working class† with new ones such as †elitesâ⠂¬  and †battlers† – a category that seemed to embrace anyone with a swinging vote. Meanwhile, our very rich (not part of the †elites†, puzzlingly) got very much richer. † (McCamish pars. 6)Masking the names of the ruling or working class doesn’t make class discrimination irrelevant and evidently ignoring the divides doesn’t make class irrelevant either. To conclude, it is obvious that class is still an existing factor in twenty-first century Australia making it relevant especially due to the socio-economic status regarding employment, property ownership and geographic location. Conducted studies by the ABC show that 86% of Australians believe that class is still relevant in Australia.Theories from centuries ago about social classes are still relevant when comparing social discrimination to Australia’s social classes making it therefore evident that it still exists. WORKS CITED Henslin, James M. Global Stratification,  "Essentials of Sociology: A-Down-To-Earth Approach Eighth ed. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2009. 170-95. Print. Kemeny, J. Capitalism- the Australian way, Arena  (Melbourne) 1978. No. 51, 94-103. Print. Marcus, Caroline. â€Å"Welcome to Bludgetown, Western Sydney. The Daily Telegraph 10 Jun. 2012. Print. Martin, B. Class, in P. Beilharz and T. Hogan (eds. ) â€Å"Sociology: Place, Time and Division†, South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2006. pp. 402-405. Print. Marx, Karl – Engels, Friedrich. The Communist Manifesto. United Kingdom: Penguin Books, 2002. Print. McCamish, Thornton. â€Å"Whatever happened to the classless society. † The Age 16 Aug. 2009. Print. Weber, M. The Protestant Ethic and the spirit of Capitalism, Unwin Hyman Limited London- 1985. Print.