Critical Response to the film “Remember the Titans” Essay

â€Å"Remember The Titans† is a film text, centered by the issue of the injustice of a persons race and how it is triumphantly overcome. It is an uplifting story how an American town, Alexandria, conquered overwhelming resentment, friction and disharmony brought on by racial discrimination and mistrust. The town is further thrown into chaos, as protests rage over the killing of an African-American youth and then the integration of the major local High school; T.C. Williams. The integration lead to the demotion of a much loved and highly successful head coach of the school state football team by the name of Bill Yoast, the job’s new occupancy went to an African-American by the name of Coach Boone, who ultimately suffers injustice because of his race and the fact he was replacing a white coach which brought chaos to the white community. The injustice displayed in the film Remember the Titians can be seen numerous amounts of times. Coach Boone sets a wonderful example of the town learning to trust each other and work together and shows the boys a funeral where people had died fighting the same fight people are still fighting today and the injustice of this situation to everyone. The film shows justice can be achieved on earth if people learn to respect each other. This barrier is overcome when one of the black teammates refuses to protect his white teammates because they wont block for the black teammates, they are made to spend time with each other and learn about each others culture which ultimately they learn to respect each other no matter what race or where they came from. This lead to friction in the community and the boys parents wanting Coach Boone fired because of the communities outrage that the highs school had been joined together and the injustice being showed to each other through murdering people becau se of there skin colour and the disrespect shown because of the persons race. As the team learns to show each other good morals, trust and respect during a time where the community were showing signs of discrimination, hate and mistrust and this is when Coach Boone showed the injustice of how his father died having to fight this same fight and the team ultimately responded and overcame the difficulties of having a multicultural team with the assistance of democratic and authoritarian coaching styles by both Coach Boone and  Coach Yoast. The coaching styles improved the players motivational skills there self fulfillment to work together and set an example to be treated equally, which made the coaches and players of different races share the same goals and perception of the injustice of the peoples mistreatment because of race. As the team became an top contender and where playing every game with such passion and serving a sense of justice to each other when people would use racial comments on the field no matter what the race every member would stand up for each other. As the team worked together and both coaches shared there perceptions the team really achieved greatly and this rubbed of into the community. As examples of the white policeman acknowledging and congratulating a black titans efforts goes to prove that justice was being achieved on our earth. The town started accepting everyone for who they are and the titans where treated very well by the community for giving them belief and a sense of pride where justice could be achieved for everyone. In one circumstance Coach Boone had been called a monkey but as the team was well disciplined and respectful of everyone this only inspired everyone in the titans to work harder for each other which resulted in a win not only for the game but for the team to change another persons perspective on racism and achieve the justice they deserved. When the injustice of Coach Yoasts hall of fame removal and the tragic accident of captain Garys car crash It showed in the final game they would win a come from behind victory and Coach Yoast would ultimately not resort to cheating and instead achieve his justice by helping his black partner Coach Boone achieve their goal togeather rather than resort to backstabbing and cheating to improve his own reputation and achieve justice on earth for himself and Coach Boon. This showed that even though Gary had his tragic accident he achieved hiss goal with his teammates of winning the final and teaching the community to respect everyone no matter what there race. This film was a great example of justice being achieved and giving everyone hopes through the Coach Boones leadership skills and charisma to inspire a team, community and a nation. The film showed how these people working together and being respectful of each other can truly inspire and set an example for everyone to achieve justice on earth. Treating everyone equally and teaching them the injustice of what had happened because of the war over race ultimately inspired the boys and the nation to achieve justice for everyone on earth.

Keeping the Family Tradition Alive Essay

I started keeping my family tradition of canning alive last summer. My family has canned for years and there is nothing better than opening up something I have canned on my own and thinking of the people who shared this tradition with me. Traditions are very important to keep going in families around the world. Traditions are very broad anything from what people do on holidays to cooking. My family tradition is very important to me. I knew last year that if I didn’t learn some of my family’s secret recipes while my grandmother and mom are still with us than there would be a chance that my family would never be able to taste the wonderful flavors my family has put together over the years and my family has looked so forward to the taste that we have grown to love. Before I begin canning, I must gather all the materials that I need to get started. The first step is the selection of the tomatoes. I pick all of my tomatoes from my own garden they are so much better than anything from the grocery store. Last year I used better boy tomatoes and roma tomatoes. The roma tomatoes are great to use because they have fewer seeds, thicker, meatier walls and less water. And that means thicker sauce in less cooking time! Also, I don’t want mushy, bruised or rotten tomatoes. Next I remove the tomato skins this is very important. Nothing worse than eating spaghetti and having to chew on a piece of skin left behind. Here’s a trick my grandma taught me: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute. Then I plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water. This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes. If the skins are left on then they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant. Now I must remove the seeds and water. After peeling the skins off the tomatoes, I cut the tomatoes in half. I remove the seeds and excess water. I call it the squeeze of the seeds. It is just like it sounds: wash hands then squeeze each tomato and I use my thumb or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. I do leave some of the seeds because that is my preference. I toss the squeezed tomatoes into a colander or drainer while I work on the others. By draining the water off now, I end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time. The next step I must do is to get the lids and jars sanitized. The dishwasher is fine for the jars, especially if it has a â€Å"sanitize† cycle. I get that going while I’m preparing everything else, so it’s done by the time I’m ready to fill the jars. While the jars and lids are being sanitized I begin getting that spaghetti sauce going. I take my onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves, green peppers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and my burgundy and place them all in the pot first. After I get the onions and pepper a little tender I add all the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook down the tomatoes until the sauce is my desired thickness. I usually let my sauce cook for about two hours. The last step I call canning time. While my sauce is simmering I get my water bath canner ready. I go ahead and feel the water up and get it boiling. I start a small pot of water boiling to put the lids in so that the lids can sanitize and helps the lids seal. When the sauce is ready I place the jar funnel on the jar and I fill them to within ? inch of the top and set the lid and hand ’tighten the ring on. I place the jars in the water bath and cook for about 20mins. I then use the jar grabber and pull the jars out one at a time and let them cool draft-free place. Once the jars are cool, I check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. I press down in the center gently with my finger. If it pops up and down then it is not sealed. If it don’t seal than I just replace the lid and do the canning time again. Now that all the steps are complete, I listen to all the little pings going on telling me that my hard work has paid off. I am so glad that I have learned the family tradition of canning. My grandmother has gotten older and doesn’t can anymore. Out of all my family it is just my mom, Aunt Susan, and myself left doing the canning. It was a nice reward to my sole a few weeks ago when I had my grandmother over for dinner. I had canned some beets and decided that was the day to open them. When my grandmother tried them she said, â€Å"These taste just like mine. † To hear her say that meant so much to me. I couldn’t image not having the taste of what I grew up with because they don’t sell it in the grocery store. This is why I am keeping my family tradition going and teaching my girls. We never know when our love ones are not going to be here anymore. If I can’t have my family with me I at least want to be able to remember them by creating what they have thought me. If people have something in their family that is done by others and would not want to miss it after that person is gone than learn how that special someone does it. I did that’s why I will always have that special connection with canning and my family.

The Argument For Not Executing Saddam Hussein Essay

The Argument For Not Executing Saddam Hussein - Essay Example The reasons for this are numerous, but there are several primary reasons that are worth considering. The first, of course, is that if Saddam Hussein to remain imprisoned for life, his imprisonment would serve to remind the Iraqi people that they were once persecuted as citizens, without consideration of their religious sect or what value they contributed to their society and country as individuals. Saddam Hussein, along with his two sons, Uday and Qusay, who were killed in July, 2003,1perpetrated crimes against their own citizens and against their international neighbors, and used their positions of power to indiscriminately brutalize men, women and children says Dr. Sahib Al Hakim, ". . . who spent six years, until the invasion of 2003, calling for Saddam Hussein to be put on trial, organizing a weekly picket in London's Trafalgar Square. Over a million people signed a petition calling for Saddam's trial. But although the Iraqi dictator is now in custody, Dr. Al Hakim still has many more questions."2 Imprisoned for life, Saddam Hussein stands as the image of the abuse of power, th e man who, along with his sons, demonstrated a complete disregard for humanity and the Koran and committed acts of atrocity and unspeakable human rights violations against women. Like Dr. Al Hakim, should Saddam remain imprisoned for life, others will be reminded, even if only intermittently, of their lives when their country was held in the power of a vicious dictator. Saddam Hussein, who now stands before an Iraqi court, dressed as an Arab and holding a copy of the Koran, causes Dr. Al Hakim to question, "Why was he allowed to wear Arab headdress to indicate his association with the Arab world, and to hold the Koran' He never did this before."3 Like Al Hakim, those people whose lives were irrevocably altered by the acts of violence committed against them and their families by the former dictator or his sons, will always seek to have the questions on their mind answered - so long as the dictator remains alive. From the Western perspective, this means that the Iraqi people will perhaps be reminded of their former dictator, and regardless of the title or how the person or persons who seek to undermine their opportunity for independence looks, or whether or not they hold in their hands a copy of the Koran; the Iraqi people will not surrender their independence to people who would have the sole power over them as did Saddam Hussein. The Western hope would be that Iraq, when the people of Iraq have complete independence and freedom to elect their own leadership and government, will not go the way of Iran and surrender that opportunity to the religious fundamentalists who will take them back in time, instead of progressively forward as participants in the world market - which could bring the citizens of Iraq many opportunities and improved living conditions - as well as being participants in a world community where the talents and expertise and goals of the world are focused on resolving import ant issues like AIDS, famine, and environmental conditions that can only be solved by working together. Another reason, and a very

Essay questions For Human resource course Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Questions For Human resource course - Essay Example cruitment and selection of employees, the compensation and benefits system, the documentation work of the entire workforce, and lastly performance appraisals and evaluations comprise of the human resources audit. HR audits are conducted to ensure that the human resources are performing well and the audit identifies the strengths of the workforce and also the areas that require improvements. HR audits can be conducted twice or thrice in a year to ensure that things are working as per requirements and goals and objectives are being attained successfully. The structural changes in the organization may affect the labor market sector, the economy upturns and downturns may cause the labor to make decisions regarding changing jobs and demanding more pays from their respective organizations. The HRM needs to carefully consider the needs of their employees and accordingly address the needs of their employees; policies and benefits package of the employees may require a revision. The strategic human resource plan needs to be developed keeping in view the external environment as well as the internal environment of the organization. The policies, rules and regulation are formed keeping in view the legal environment of the country where the business is operating; the technology is used to ensure that the firm remains competitive. The decisions taken by the human resources department are impacted by the outside forces to a very large extent. The strategic choices that managers should make regarding Equal Employment Opportunities are that they need to ensure there is no biasness in their policies, the compensation and benefits packages should be on fair grounds amongst the workforce. The working conditions should be proper for the workforce and there should be no gender biasness as well. Managers should conduct a job analysis to ensure that they recruit and select the right employees for the respective job so that the roles and duties of the job are fulfilled according to

People and Organisation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

People and Organisation - Research Paper Example In a competitive market, a large number of producers strive to satisfy the needs of the same consumers. These rivalry means that no one party can dictate the price of goods or the direction that the market will adopt. Each player influences the marketing strategy that the other adopts (Economics Online (EO, 2012) When the prospects of gain are high, more firms are bound to enter the market and this is in line with the basic economic theory which dictates that for profits to be earned, the returns in revenue must outweigh the cost of production (Allen N.J. et al. 1990.pp.638-642). The profits could be termed as normal or abnormal depending on the revenue collected. According to Lan Li: If the returns equal the cost then the profit is normal but if they surpass the cost, it is abnormal. In the case of Coca-Cola Company, the stock of goods lessens with every purchase and this is in line with the Principle of Diminishability. As the stocks approach zero, the price escalates and this drives the company to boost production. Perfect Competition: for a market to be perfectly economical, the number of buyers and sellers must by very large and for the producers, there is the freedom to join and exit the market at ones will. Monopoly market: monopoly describes a market scene where only one producer dictates the type of product to be availed and it is brought about by the absence of substitutes. This form of dominance brings about limitations on market entry. Duopoly on the other hand brings into play the theory of Oligopoly whereby there are two entities in the market and they are completely independent of each other’s operations. The competition lies between the two firms and they can therefore adjust their prices so as to gain the upper hand in the sales. Oligopoly means that there is a number of entities in the market and they try to outdo each other. Therefore any strategy adopted be it advertising or

Chapter9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter9 - Essay Example This is by introducing new academic programs or fields of study in its calendar to allow prospecting applicants have a variety to choose from when making applications. This fastens student-lecturer communication and a fast processing of applications from overseas students. Also, offering full scholarships to talented students and grants to the brightest ones can be an alternative to the above modes. A college may build its reputation as a champion of excellence in this manner. This model is mainly used to target low income market segments. The college may introduce short term courses and part time classes to cater for the growing population of individuals who have to juggle between work and school. These courses may also include tuition fees payable in installments during the semester by students. Alternatively, partnering with middle level colleges and opening different campuses can be adopted. These decongest the main campus yet, allow more students access educational products in the satellite campuses. Lowering the tuition fees on some programs to attract more applicants can also be adopted. The two-way stretch is a way of catering for the poor and the rich simultaneously. The college may introduce specific courses offered by highly ranked colleges in its programs, but at lower fees and flexible entry requirements. This attracts students from poor families who have met the minimum requirements to join a highly ranked institution and those from rich families who have failed to meet the minimum requirements set by the other high ranked universities. Alternatively, lowering entry requirements and tuition fees for native students, and have foreign students pay higher rates may seem appropriate. Also, the college may decide to offer partial scholarships to poor students and not to the ones from rich families. This strategy can be used to get rid of unprofitable procedures in an organization. Technology that

Managing the value chain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing the value chain - Case Study Example American PC companies, by contrast, generate roughly 40-50 percent of their total production value in East Asia. Seagate, the current market leader for hard disk drives, is estimated to generate around 75 percent of its overall production value in East Asia, primarily in the triangle that comprises Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. European electronics multinationals have fairly high OPRs, but only in the last decade have major European electronics firms discovered East Asia (Lasserre and Schuette 1995). We estimate that during the early 1990s major European electronics firms generated roughly 15-20 percent of their total production value in Asia. The geographical location and other factors such as proximity to low cost labor markets dictate a different value chain for japanese companies. That is the reason why I have decised to focus on Sony and have a closer look on the supply value chain as well as customer value chain creation. The scope for centralized control at Sony diminishes with increasing distance; once Sony extends its value-chain across national boundaries, it is faced with complex coordination problems and the risk of abrupt disruptions.. While production-related disruptions decline with increasing product maturity, demand-related disruptions and abrupt changes in management decisions brought on by financial markets do not. Sony was faced with a very different challenge; they had hesitated too long in moving production of products to East Asia (Ernst and O'Connor 1992). Under the impact of the yen appreciation, Sony risked losing market share in the United States and Europe, especially to the aggressive new competitors from Korea. A quick response on a massive scale was required to roll back these new challengers. Production ramp-up had to occur quickly, and cost and quality had to be tightly controlled. Under such conditions, centralized management control was a perfectly rational choice. Developing local capabilities and linkages through "trial-and-error" would have been a time-consuming process, and thus had to be discarded. It is important to note that specific features of consumer electronics are important for the organization of Sony production networks. Lower end consumer devices have a variety of characteristics that are conducive for the establishment of global export platform mega-plants. They are homogeneous products with large economies of scale in which close interaction with customers is not required. They are characterized by a high divisibility. Different stages in the value-chain can be easily separated, and fundamental changes in design methodology and the shift from metallic to plastic parts have facilitated offshore production, even for relatively complex components such as drums, video heads, and small motors.2 With but few exceptions (such as picture tubes), most components and subassemblies are also characterized by low transportation costs, and can be easily moved between different locations.3 There is ample empirical evidence that Japanese firms in general are laggards in international production compared with their American and European counterparts. A survey conducted byJETRO (the Japanese External Trade Organization) in December 1995 found that the ratio of overseas

Dissent about nuclear safety Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dissent about nuclear safety - Case Study Example The performance of the heat exchangers is substandard, but the loss of one can lead to heat exchange problems in future. Alison is well aware of this fact and also of another reality that continued operation of both heat exchangers can cost her company millions of dollars. But, going along with the JCO means that Alison does something which does not maximize utility in an even manner and which is also worthy of punishment because problems are anticipated despite good intentions to save the company. When the time to vote arrives, Alison should not vote in favour of the JCO for the same reasons expressed already in this discussion. It would not be wrong for her to cast a dissenting vote even if future calculations show that using a single heat exchanger does not cause any heat exchange problems for two reasons. First, outcomes of an act matter the most and second, intellectual pleasure which would result from safe outcomes supersedes physical pleasure which members of PNSRC would exper ience from cost

Gender Based Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Gender Based Conflict Management - Essay Example In his research, Valentine identified and analyzed five conflict resolution strategies that were used by nurses at their workplace. The five strategies included avoiding, compromising, competing, collaborating and accommodating. From her analysis, she realized that gender may influence the extent by which nurses choose their conflict management strategies. From the perspective of gender, women are perceived to be more concerned about interpersonal aspects of the relationship than it is to men. In this effort, female nurses are seen to view conflict management as a way they use while seeking confirmation and support in their effort to maintaining harmony. The results found out that male nurses resorted to using competing method of conflict resolution. This conflict resolution strategy at workplace is associated with the application of power by the competing nurses. This is as a result of the perceived differences in power between male and female genders and lack of self-confidence in the male nurses. Male nurses, unlike female nurses, fail to realize that differences in opinions can be used as opportunities to learn and solve their differences. In another study carried out by Friedman, Shu-Cheng, and Liu on "An expectancy model of Chinese-American differences in conflict-avoiding," the authors put it clear that Chinese have higher tendencies to avoid conflicts than Americans (Friedman, et al., 2006). The results of this expectancy model found out that Chinese use avoiding strategy of conflict control due to various reasons alienated to them, which cannot be applied by the Americans. Chinese realize that direct conflicts are capable of hurting their relationships with the other party. They have greater concern for the other parties. Therefore, they tend to apply the avoiding strategy to uphold this fact. Chinese are also regarded as a people who show great respect and sensitivity to hierarchy. Because of this, any

Interviewing Techniques Essay Example for Free

Interviewing Techniques Essay Experiments can be set up for psychologists to obtain information to observe what people do under different circumstances; they also use observation techniques to record segments of behaviour in more or less natural circumstances. We have often asked ourselves, Why dont psychologists ask people directly about themselves? we have encountered this technique as part of the overall participant observation method. However there are many ways the psychological researcher asks questions. In this essay I will be concentrating on studies where the gathering of information through direct questioning is the primary research source, this is usually done face to face but often by telephone or email. Face to face interviews range in a style across the series of structured from fixed to open-ended questions. Answers to open-ended questions are put into categories such as left wing/right wing for political questions or they are rated on a scale from one to ten. In less structured interviews response analysis is a long, complicated and interpretive process. Interviews such as the informal interview has an overall data aim, here the indirect approach is used were the researcher involved displays no authority, listens patiently, gives no advice or argument and only asks questions when necessary. In the relaxed atmosphere of the informal interview respondents can talk on their own terms and are not constrained by fixed answer questions. However this produces rather narrow information. The semi-structured interview is similar to the informal interview whereas preset questions were not asked at the same order or time but the researcher is provided with an outline of topics to be covered and questions to be asked. The semi-structured approach is very common and tends to be the choice in much qualitative work. The advantages of this method are that there is a natural conversation flow and respondents are free to explore other avenues of thought. These are finely balanced against the disadvantages; from the positivists point of view there is a weak reliability or comparison across respondents. Interviews can also be a standardised procedure, this can be known as the structured but open-ended method. Here the researcher gives preset questions in a predetermined order to each of the respondents, this keeps the multiplicity of interpersonal variables to a minimum and ensures greater consistency in the data collected. However the respondents are still free to answer the questions in any way. The fully structured interview also has preset and ordered questions but here there is also a fixed answer to each question. This is usually a face-to-face technique but occasionally can be conducted by telephone or post, however this may reduce bias even further. The structured method is usually in use when you are stopped in the street as part of a survey. Responses are counted and analysed numerically. Many researchers who argue that structured approaches leave little time for normal conversation would reject these last two methods. Semi- structured and lesser approaches on the other hand allow the respondents the opportunity to express what they have to say. (Smith 1996). Another method of research is the Focus group interview; this usually consists of a group of 8 people on a specific topic. However, the focus group is not a discussion, a problem solving session or a decision making group, it is an interview. Merton et al (1956) wrote The Focus Interview a classic in this area. Using the focus group method is an efficient technique of qualitative data collection and it is also very timesaving, whereas a group is interviewed rather than an individual. However facilitating a group requires group skills and as with any group power struggles will be played out. To conduct a successful interview the researcher must set a Purpose Statement which should include the questions for the interview, who and what the information is for and how it will be used. According to Patton (1990) there are six main questions, experience, knowledge, feelings, opinions, behaviour and sensory, whereas Turner (1982) stated that the setting is pivotal to the whole work, and rests to some extent of the knowledge of the researcher. Questions should be worded correctly, you should begin with a purpose statement, never ask why questions, use probing questions and use the interviewees language. Things can also go wrong, so the researcher must be prepared. Interviewers have 3 common choices for the saving of data: note taking, audiotape or video recordings. Throughout this essay I have examined many methods of interview techniques and explained the advantages and disadvantages of each. Semi- structured and informal methods are very similar in style, were there is a relaxed atmosphere for the participating respondents and they are both efficient for data collection. The structured approach, whether it be face-to-face, postal or by telephone seem to be less time consuming but validity and reliability are weak.

The Lively Art Of Writing Questions English Language Essay

The Lively Art Of Writing Questions English Language Essay 1) The difference between an opinion and a fact is that an opinion can be used as the main topic of an essay. It is based on partial knowledge of a subject where the writer thinks what seems true. In a fact, however, the statements are based on absolute certainty and can be proven if needed to. Facts can not be used as an essay topic since no sides exist, meaning no people to persuade. 2) Although facts do not make admirable essay topics, they do provide the needed support for an opinion. If an essay is purely based on personal feelings, nothing is available to prove those emotions. What is needed are strong facts which can show the reader the impartial aspects of the main idea. 3) Opinions may prove a writers viewpoint, but not all of them are created equal. In terms of writing an essay, a more detailed opinion (more than just a yes or no answer) is preferred. This makes the topic more interesting to read and forces the writer think in a less general perspective. The legitimacy of the opinion is also considered when it comes down to quality. A writer needs a statement that creates controversy to stir up interest. An opinion that is generally accepted to be true would not be a topic to choose since hardly any factual evidence would exist to support the opposition. 4) Assuming a writer has all the background information needed, an essay topic on an American foreign policy would be a great choice. In this opinion, one nation is enforcing a rule based in another country. This would pull people from both America and the foreign country to either oppose or support this policy. With the numerous amount of people involved, controversy will be unavoidable. This controversy plays a key role in the topic since people will be interested and want to see how this policy will support/oppose their own views. 5) Of the five groups of topics, only one from each group would make a strong topic. In the first group (A-D), Sewing as a Hobby would be the better choice since people have different viewpoints on how sewing is a hobby. The variety of topics in sewing would also give the writer the work of narrowing the topic down to a single or few aspects. In group E-H, the choice would be Driver Training Programs Cost Too Much. This is an excellent topic for both support and opposition and for looking though the viewpoints of multiple people, such as students, parents, or other people in a community. The winner of best topic in the third group (I-J) would go to Moby Dick, Americas Greatest novel. This statement would relate to anyone who has read the novel and has created an opinion on the quality of it. Using these opinions, interest would be created and people would gladly voice their love/hate for the classic. In choices M-P, the best topic would be High Points in American Literature. Great am ounts of literature have been composed in American history and that would bring out numerous high points. People will have their views on which should be crowned best. In the final group (Q-T), The Student Council is Outmoded would be the choice since this would stir up views from teachers, students, and parents. Depending on their likings of the student council, they would strongly support or oppose it since this audience would have a strong view on what is best for the students. 6) The chief difference between a typical term paper and an essay is that an essay is mainly a persuasive piece of writing. In it, the writer writes on a certain topic which reflects his/her opinions. In a term paper, however, the writer is mainly focused on providing the facts in order to tell about a subject. 7) A. Edison Invented the Electric-Light Bulb would be a poor essay topic since that is a fact and it can be proven without much effort. B. The weakness of Teachers Should Explain Things More Clearly is that this topic is too emotional. Hardly any facts that would prove this true. C. No weakness lies in the topic Science Has Influenced Modern Life. D. Safe Driving Should be Encouraged is another weak topic as this statement is supported by a vast majority of people. It would be ridiculous go against safe driving. E. Although The Responsibilities of Students may seem like a feasible topic, it is actually quite poor since varieties of responsibilities exist and they can mostly be agreed on by everyone. Chapter Two 1) The difference between a thesis and an opinion is that an opinion is a broad idea. This cannot be used as a strong basis for an essay, but when it is condensed down to a specific point, it becomes a thesis. A thesis, now with all excess information cut away, is now ready to become a main point of an essay. 2) To narrow down an opinion to a thesis, five steps are required. The first step is to take inventory, and that means to take into consideration all that is known about the topic. After seeing all the information available, ask questions that derive from the opinion. Make sure that the questions asked are still related to the topic. When a question that seems appeasing is found, look for relationships between this question and the original opinion. Try to find what commonalities they share and search for statements that can be used as a thesis. Then ask the yes-or-no question; if both a supportive and negative statement can be given, then it is on its way to becoming a thesis. The final step in the process is to qualify the statement by narrowing it down. Choose which point to write on and specify a degree of support/opposition. 3) The value of a yes-or-no question is small when it is viewed as a an essay topic, but is very useful in finding a proper thesis. The question will help define a particular viewpoint, which is the basis of growth to a more specific statement. It will also help determine whether or not the statement is appropriate for use as a thesis. 4) Qualification of a thesis is important since that is where the the feelings toward an opinion come in. Qualifying outlines the degree of support or opposition, thus it helps guide the writer on the right path when writing an essay. This process is also useful for looking at both sides of an opinion and it can help the writer take them into consideration. Chapter Three 1) The three elements that create a full thesis are the statement itself, the supporting points, and the opposing points. 2) In writing, the full thesis is related to the psychology of an argument since the goal of a thesis is to persuade, just like how one tries win in an argument. Arguments arent won just by pure factual information nor is it won by emotions alone. The thesis statement highlights the main view of an argument, thus taking a stand. Then the use of both the supporting and opposing statements are used to persuade the reader/opposition. With these two sides, the persuader can use factual information along with some opposing statements, in an attempt to win by including facts with a hint of emotion. 3) The full thesis statement should be kept in view when writing since this prevents the writer from steering off into another topic. It also reminds the writer of the degree of the thesis and in turn, this ensures the appropriate details are being added into the essay. 4) When writing an essay, a full thesis should be followed as much as possible, but it is possible to have some leeway. The thesis should only be used as a guide since there should always be creativity in a paper. Following this guideline is great for beginning writers, but as experience racks in, it will be normal for writers to sway away from following a strict guideline. Chapter Four 1) An essay needs a concluding paragraph since it ties all of the middle section together. It brings the essay to a formal close, thus leaving the reader with satisfaction. 2) The introduction helps write the conclusion since the format of the two paragraphs are very similar. The introduction starts out broad and narrows down to a point (the thesis). In a conclusion, however, the thesis expands out into the broad subject used in the introduction. Therefore, the writer can look at the introduction and then use the information to help plan out the conclusion. 3) It is likely that the introduction will have to be rewritten since the middle is not necessarily completely based off of the thesis. Ideas will frequently change throughout the writing process, thus the intro could then become inaccurate. It must be revised to fit the new middle section before the conclusion is made since it is significantly based off of the introduction. 4) The structure of a conclusion is the exact reverse as that of the introduction. It starts out at a specific point (thesis) and gradually works its way to become a vague idea. Instead of trying to prove a point in the middle, it is tying in (restating) the middle section. 5) Every time an idea from the middle is used in the conclusion, it rings a bell in the readers mind. The reader recognizes this statement from the essay and is thus once reminded. This will be an effect that prolongs the memory of the ideas listed in the essay. 6) A person can summarize without listing by using references to the middle text or introduction. Instead of listing the points, talk about the significant points, thus the reader is reminded and the deadly three point conclusion is not used. 7) To broaden a conclusion means to get more vague in a subject until the broad point is reached (which would be the idea used in the beginning of the introduction). The writer reviews what was stated in the preceding starting form the first sentence in the conclusion, therefore the writer begins to talk more vaguely. Chapter Five 1) Style in writing is similar to style in any other kind of activity since it takes time to create. Just like how athletes train to get skill and gracefulness, a writer must train to get his own expertise. Style also is what stands out to the audience. Similar to how people admire different athletes for different traits, readers will learn to respect a writers method. 2) It is important to learn what not to do in writing since that is how the writer gains experience. If a writer was told only what to do, he can make numerous mistakes and not even notice it, as they are abiding by the to do rules. He must be told what not to do in case of the multiple times that this event might take place. Just like in bowling, the person is told to roll the ball to try to knock all of the pins down. If he is not informed to not cross the line, then he could walk over it and not know the consequence until its too late. 3) Two rules that shall be applied to my writing is to only use third person and to never use the word there. 4) The use of a personal pronoun weakens a statement since it gives the reader a sense of the writers uncertainty such as in the sentence I believe that animal cruelty is wrong. If no pronoun is used, then the writer is giving a sense of command and confidence just like in Animal cruelty is wrong. 5) To substitute first and third person means to revise a statement so that only a third persons point of view is used. The process usually involves cutting out the personal parts if it is substituting for a first person view and rewording if for a second person view. 6) The elimination of the word there forces writers to use better verbs since it requires thought to fill in the blank space. Leaving the space blank would usually mean a boring sentence. It is best filled with an action verb to give the sentence life.

Political Maneuvering and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Essay -- Hollow

Skepticism about government is, in many respects, part of the DNA of Americans. This skepticism is not without reason – the actions of American politicians in the 1960s and 70s caused much of America to wonder about the motives of elected officials. However, such skepticism is rarely brought up when discussing the government’s participation in denouncing oppression against the African-American community. Most assume the government enforced equal opportunity for minorities out of compassion and humanity. However, much like the other major actions of the government during that era, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a groundbreaking law condemning segregation, was not devoid of personal motives. The Black community was not oblivious to this fact, and voiced its outrage through different mediums. Within the literary community, James Baldwin stands out as an author who especially attacked the government, claiming all the benefits his community was now receiving was not the result of compassion, but rather was the result of politics as usual. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered groundbreaking legislation for a number of reasons. Prior to this bill, there was no legislation that made segregation, or discrimination against African-Americans illegal. Taking a closer look at the law will reveal the various facets through which the Civil Rights Act denounces segregation. While this legislation is composed of eleven titles, it is really the first seven which caused the most noticeable change in the American landscape. Title I of the act â€Å"[was] designed to close loopholes that the Southern States [had] discovered† (Summary of Provisions) in previous Civil Rights bills, primarily in the topi... ...27 Nov 1963. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. 26 April 2004. http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/speeches.hom/631127.asp ---. Radio and Television Remarks Upon Signing the Civil Rights Bill. 2 July 1964. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. 26 April 2004. http://128.83.78.10/johnson/archives.hom/speeches.hom/640702.asp Kennedy, John F. The White House Special Message on Civil Rights. 28 Feb 1963. CongressLink. 7 April 2004. http://www.congresslink.org/civil/cr1.html King Jr., Martin Luther. â€Å"Our God is Marching On!† The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader. Eds. Clayborne Carson, David J Garrow, Gerald Gill, Vincent Harding, Darlene Clark Hing. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1991. 224-227. "Summary of Provisions of Rights Bill." New York Times 10 Feb. 1964. â€Å"The Skipper and the Ship.† Time 14 Feb 1964: 13.

The Increased Racial Tension in the USA in the Years 1964-1970 :: Papers

The Increased Racial Tension in the USA in the Years 1964-1970 Slavery had been abolished in the USA in the 1860; blacks had continued to be treated as second-class citizens and to be denied their civil rights. Kennedy set up the civil rights act in 1964 that banned discrimination in public accommodations, in federally assisted programs and in employment. Also it gave federal government new power to enforce desegregation and prosecute voting right violations. In 1965 the voting rights act came along, this ended literacy tests for voting. It also allowed federal agents to monitor registration. These acts improved civil rights but many black Americans were still dissatisfied, they were still a class B citizen. Tension continued between the two races. After the Second World War, it was still clear that black Americans were still second class citizens. Truman tried to introduce some changes but he faced opposition from his own party and many of his ideas were dropped. In the early 50’s schools, only 16 states required their schools to be integrated. There were still problems with black Americans. The average income for a black family was half the amount of a white family’s. This was because blacks couldn’t get very good jobs e.g. fruit picking and car washing. Third of the black Americans were living below the poverty line. Black Americans still had unemployment, poor housing and poor schools. In 1963, Martin Luther King organised a campaign of marches and demonstrations that would ensure maximum media coverage. These demonstrations were broadcast across the USA and the world and many Americans were horrified at the brutality. During the campaign Martin Luther King was jailed, but the most important thing was that television viewers were able to see the outrageous treatment meted out to young demonstrations. Martin Luther King had a dream speech. For many blacks Americans the new laws were not being introduced fast enough. All the blacks wanted are to take what they thought was theirs by right and by force if worst comes to worst.

Family and the Polis Essays -- essays papers

Family and the Polis Family and the Polis: Two Very Different Ideals Sophocles wrote a play entitled Antigone. One of the main characters, Creon, is a king who is trying to rule in the best interests of his community. Aristophanes also wrote a play, Lysistrata, where his main character is trying to stop a war within her country, a war between Sparta and Athens. Lysistrata is the only one who succeeds. It is because she focuses on the family issues first. That is what is at the heart of what is best for all of the people of Greece. Antigone is about rights of family and the control of the polis, or the government. Antigone is a strong female character whose two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, were killed by each other in a battle for the throne and power of the city. Polyneices’ body was left unburied and no one was allowed to bury it. Antigone wanted to respect her brother so she tried to go and bury him. Creon, the new king, was her uncle and she was engaged to marry his son. Creon told her that her brother’s body must remain above ground because of the dishonor that he brought upon himself when he murdered his own brother in a battle for power and for the blood that he spilled of his own countrymen. He was a traitor. He turned on the city he once ruled and fought and killed the very brother that he shared blood with. By law his body was to remain above ground for the birds and the beasts to pluck apart. Creon commanded: â€Å"I here proclaim to the city that this man/ shall no one honor w ith a grave and none shall mourn†. Polyneices wasn’t going to be given honor when his life didn’t merit any. Creon saw Polyneices as an exile and a destroyer of the city. He came and attacked the very land that was his own and the... ...oney had been spent, too many people had died. To many things had been forgotten about for the mere reason of war The woman wanted their men home and rightly so. The killing needed to stop and the men needed to come home and run the cities and the land once more. She wanted things back the way that they used to be. Her plans were successful. The war was able to stopped and the needless killing ended. The men returned home to their wives and families were reunited. Lysistrata and Creon wanted to help their communities in different ways. Only Lysistrata was triumphant in her plan. She started with her own family and then moved beyond that for all the women and the whole of Greece. Creon was thinking big and acting small. He was focusing on community and the government or the polis first of all and in doing that, he lost what is the most important issue, family.

Human Trafficking in Houston Essay

Texans and Americans alike need to be aware of ongoing human slavery that tarnished the I-10 freeway and they need to know how they can stop the plague of Human Trafficking on Houston Texas. This past January, President Barack Obama recognized Human Trafficking Awareness month. In a published statement the President said he wanted to, â€Å"recognize the people, organizations and government entities that are working to combat human trafficking,† and â€Å"recommit to bringing an end to this inexcusable human rights abuse.† According to the U.S. Department of Justice human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries, with 14,500-17,500 individuals trafficked in the United States each year and 800,000 globally. With a number of contributing factors, including a diverse immigrant population and major roads for domestic and international travel, Houston is a hotspot for human trafficking in the U.S. According to Religion Link, â€Å"Nongovernmental organi zations and nonprofits are now enlisting the aid of religious groups in the fight against human trafficking.† In Houston, organizations like the YMCA, the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, Free the Captives and Redeemed Ministries are all part of an entrenched alliance of non-profits, both secular and religious, fighting human trafficking in Houston. Constance Rossiter of the YMCA said, â€Å"These partnerships with religious organizations and other non-profits are essential to combatting human trafficking.† â€Å"There are many levels, it’s like a puzzle,† she said, â€Å"fighting human trafficking takes a community of partners including non-profits, churches, synagogues and law enforcement.† Each entity has its role to play, whether it be prevention, lobbying for legislation, advocation, awareness or enforcement, said Rossiter. Free the Captives, a Houston based Christian non-profit, does it all. Having long been involved in education and counseling for at-risk teenagers and potential pimps, Free the Captives is also active in trying to go after suppliers an d buyers in the human trafficking market. Working with attorneys, Free the Captives seeks to shut down trafficking locations by using nuisance abatement laws and other tactics. Taking the fight one step further, the organization recently began lobbying the Houston mayor’s office and local and federal law enforcement to focus on the demand side of the trafficking trade. Calling it the â€Å"Reduce the Demand Campaign,† the non-profit believes it is the primary solution in ending human trafficking. â€Å"To make an impact on domestic sex trafficking you have to go after the buyers,† said a representative from Free the Captives, whose identity is protected due to recent threats made by traffickers. â€Å"It does not matter how many pimps and landlords there are if the buyers are still willing to pay and there is money to be made,† said the anonymous source, â€Å"other pimps and landlords will pop up. You can’t stem the tide without going after the source.† For their part, the Mayor’s Office and the Houston Police Department believe that human trafficking is a major problem and are sincere in enforcing existing laws. In a letter from 2010, Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged the growing problem and said, â€Å"Houston is a hub for Human Trafficking where approximately twenty percent of all human trafficking victims will pass through our city at some point of their enslavement.† The Mayor’s Office recently reiterated the importance of fighting human trafficking and in a response to Free the Captives said, â€Å"Controlling sex trafficking remains of great concern. The governmental focus on landlords and illegal business has brought results. In the last year and a half the Houston Police Department has recovered 73 juveniles, arrested 21 pimps and two â€Å"Johns,† or buyers,† said Lieutenant Andy Lahaye. To do more the police are training their patrol offices to identify trafficking situations and be able to respond or pass on a tip for the vice department to investigate. However, Lahaye commented that it is difficult to go after the buyers and said, â€Å"It’s an underground world, we can’t just put an undercover officer out there as a decoy to catch a ‘John.’† â€Å"It’s all very subsurface, so we are going after what is out there for us to see, even though we want to cut it off at the source. That’s the struggle we are battling.† Free the Captives continues to demand the focus be shifted to the buyers. Although, many of the domestic victims in the world are not being pimped out in spaces that need landlords. While the mayor and law enforcement focuses on landlords they are almost entirely missing vulnerable American teens in private locales. They remain in bondage. Prevention is a key component to the fight against human trafficking and more organizations, not just faith based organizations like Free the Captives, need to focus their energies on prevention and curbing the supply of victims being exploited. In addition to existing enforcement the lobbying efforts of everyday citizens are paying dividends. While there are some great efforts to end human trafficking in Houston, organizations cannot function without active members. There is always something to help with.

Back Belts

Back belt, also known as â€Å"back support belt† is a lightweight, elastic belt worn around the waist. It becomes popular due to the medical assumption that it protects the back and many workplaces acquire the use of back belts to avoid injuries among the workers. Sakol Trading and Engineering Co. , Ltd. , a Thailand-based manufacturer of medical equipment like back belts and safety slings, guarantees that the back support belt has the comfort and durability to prevent lower back and abdominal pain and injuries during lifting of heavy loads.The belt also reminds the wearer to lift properly, offers extra support to a person’s back during prolonged sitting position and repetitive bending. However, these claims are not supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal institute responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses. According to NIOSH, None of the s tudies they conducted provides sufficient evidence or data to support the claims that back belt reduces the load force, prevents back and abdominal injuries or stiffens the spine.Therefore, NIOSH does not recommend the use of back belts to the workers. There are several concerns that the controversial belt creates: it restricts the mobility of a person thus reducing the elasticity of the muscles and tendons; it cause strain on the cardiovascular system and; it creates a false sense of security that may make the wearer to lift excessively heavy load. It also causes muscles to be dependent on external support. Companies should not rely solely on the back belts as a safety program.They should let their workers undergo trainings about proper lifting and back support. The workers can be allowed to use back belts if they want to since wearing of it is voluntary. However, they should remember that there is no scientific evidence to support that back belts really work. Reference: †¢ At kinson, Williams. Back Belts: Useful or Not? LP/Gas, Vol. 65, Issue 3, p. 46-47 (March, 2005). Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdf? vid=5&hid=4&sid=d76b81c5-3c37-451b-9278-484eeeb125cb%40sessionmgr2#db=bth&AN=16409961

George Reid Andrews Afro Latin America

GEORGE REID ANDREWS: AFRO-LATIN AMERICA In this paper, I would arguer that the history of USA is intertwined with the issue of Blacks – their enslavement and freedom but it has not as yet been focused that this subject has far greater impact in Central and Latin America, thus the greater impact of blacks in Central and Latin America would be the main theme or argument of this paper. This book, Afro-Latin America by George Reid, is the first attempt to focus on this side of the African Diaspora. With remarkable skill George Reid Andrews has woven the history of people who came from Africa to South America – broadly speaking. He traces their path from slavery to freedom and how this in turn left its stamp on the politics, economics and culture of this region. As individuals and as groups they pursued the path towards freedom, equality and acquirement of citizenship by being part of the military, political movements, civic bodies, unions, religious activities and in various cultural streams. The book travels through two centuries and should be of interest in all interested in the past, present and future of Latin America. It is one of the best anthropological accounts of this region. The style is gripping with detailed statement of experiences, of the people of African origin in the former colonies of Spain and Portugal and the stamp of their influence on these parts on all walks of life – society, economics and culture. While the history of the Blacks is well researched and ably presented in USA, it is not so with Latin America where there is still an air of mystery and vacuum. It is ironical that it should be so considering the fact that it has the highest number of Africans residing here outside the African continent (Fagundes 68-78). The book starts with the stunning statement – â€Å"New Census Shows Hispanics now Even with Blacks, the headline proclaimed. Documenting a profound shift in the racial and ethnic composition of American Society, the 2000 census of the United States showed that, as a result of the continuing immigration from Latin America during the 1990s the national Hispanic population had grown by more than 60%. For the first time ever the country’s 35. 3 million Hispanic residents slightly exceeded the black population of 34. million† (Andrews 3). The Blacks and Hispanics are not always distinct groups as is generally thought of. In Latin America blacks comprise a quarter of the population. The â€Å"heart of the New World African Diaspora† (Andrews 3) lies not in the north of the border in USA but in South America. During the slave period ten times more Africans came to Spanish and Portuguese America than to USA. By the close of 1900 the former outnumbered the latter by 3:1 – 22% of the population in Latin America while it was 12% in USA. With immigration, commerce and tourism ties are getting stronger and hence it is necessary to sketch a history of the Latin American African Diaspora as distinct from USA African Diaspora. In this book such an attempt has been made. The term Afro-Latin-American made its debut sometime during the 70s. Hitherto it was Afro-Venezuelans, Afro-Cubans etc. Latin America is the cluster of American countries under the rule of Spain or Portugal from 1500 to 1800 (Madrigal 99-108). There are many other people living in this region – not only those who have come from Africa; there are Indians, Whites, Asians etc. But whether as a minority or majority the Black presence is strong in the field of agriculture and slavery. Blackness has become synonymous with a lower social status leading to a popular mass culture. The proportion of Blacks fell because of neglect disease and death. Also there was more mobility and mixing in the south unlike the rigidity of the north. Black tended to become whiter with material success; the Black became the Pardo or Mulatto. The idea was to bar them from European ancestry privileges (Aguiar 299-308). The book is not about the race as defined scientifically but as used socially. It looks at the issue from two angles – it delves on the multi racial society of Afro-Latin-America and also as the single largest group of Africans who had been uprooted from their original homeland. Whatever the shade of black the author uses the term to refer to that group whose African ancestry is known and recognized. The previous plantation regions of Latin America were shaped irrevocably â€Å"by the presence of Africans and their descendants† (Andrews 284). Hence to understand what it is like today one has to know about the people who carved it to be what it is now. In reacting to the constraints of slavery on the one hand there were the obvious violent actions like running away, revolt, theft and attack while on the other there was a slower but more lasting response like negotiating with the masters, taking into hand speed of work, appealing to courts, forming families and keeping alive African practices (Aguiar 299). Runaway slaves formed communities, black militias and mutual aid societies were formed and the people expressed their feeling through formation of athletic, social and cultural clubs. Soon civic organizations, political parties and newspapers made their debut. It all rolled into the formation of civil rights movement. By the end of 1800 slavery had been abolished in Latin America (Halperin 489-495). Chapter one covers the first years of slavery while in chapters four and five the author tries to explain how the colored communities tried to whiten and blacken themselves in trying to find their identity that would be acceptable to their own community as well as to the Whites against the background of a growing mixed population. Here, there arose a problem. In USA there was a clear cut line dividing the Blacks and Whites. But in Latin America the Afro-Latin people penetrated different layers of society and economy with politics having an influence. Many of the Blacks were free and could not be bracketed with the salves. Europeans, Native Americans and people from the Asia added to the cocktail to make a mixing of blood rarely seen elsewhere. Thus the concept of race no longer remained a scientific issue but related to socio-economic factors (Bizumic 871-899). The biggest influence was felt in the sphere of culture – in dancing, music and religion. Andrew goes into detail saying how initially they were termed as barbaric by the Europeans and then in the 20th century there began a change of attitude when the idea of nationhood took roots. Capoeira, Cndomble and Carnaval are three of the significant cultural expressions that have their roots in the tradition of Africa. There is an underlying belief that Africa is very much throbbing and alive in these modern cultural renditions. Ironically the Europeans have also taken these on and absorbed them in their psyche. The book focuses on these aspects and at the end the reader is left with a feeling that more could have been said. Instead of devoting separate chapters on these themes he has scattered these all through the book. He has focused more on economics and politics. After reading the book there is the feeling that the problems of race are going to be more complex in Latin America than what is going on in USA (Shrestha 113-139). In this sense this book is a good introduction to understand the present to gauge the future. The book however would be rather heavy for the casual reader but it is great for serious thinkers and scholars. The author details the relationship and effect of the coming of the people of Africa to Latin America. There are detailed notes and bibliography to guide the students. It is ideal for all interested in the race factor and the trans-Atlantic slave trade that happened in this part of the world as distinct from USA. Slavery is stressed in USA but the fact is that it existed much earlier in places like Brazil. The book reveals new facts that have so far remained unknown. It will enlighten the reader about the birth of the countries of the western world and the large part the people of African descent had played for it to become what we see today. This book introduces the reader to the history of the Blacks connected with Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rica etc. and supports the thesis that the influence of blacks in the South America is far more greater than that of mainland United States. Works cited Aguiar, Gilberto. Effects of demographic and ethnohistorical factors on average heterozygosities of South Amerindians. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 88. 3, (2000): 299-308. Andrews, George Reid. Afro-Latin America, 1800-2000. NY: Oxford University PressUS, 2004. Bizumic, Boris. A cross-cultural investigation into a reconceptualization of ethnocentrism. European Journal of Social Psychology 39. 6, (2009): 871-899. Fagundes, Nelson. Genetic, geographic, and linguistic variation among South American Indians. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 117. 1, (2002): 68-78. Halperin, Edward. The poor, the Black, and the marginalized as the source of cadavers. Clinical Anatomy, 20. 5, (2007): 489-495. Madrigal, Leo. Ethnicity, gene flow, and population subdivision in Limon, Costa Rica. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 114. 2, (2001): 99-108. Shrestha, Nanda. Black migration at the margin of freedom. International Journal of Population Geography, 9. 2, (2003): 113-139.

Why company should start saving on electricity

Why company should start saving on electricity Nowadays, electricity is a common utilities used everywhere especially on every company. There is numerous ways to save electricity especially on the company premise. Saving on electricity will give many good factors also beside that some negative factors. Paying bills will be more less compare to the previous as of result of the electricity saving. However, the electricity company will get impact for their annual profit because the revenue will be decreasing as a result of the less amount electricity bills by some company.Every company also will be able to minimize the maintenance cost from the electricity saving. This shows by fewer Jobs done by electrical devices such as air conditioner, office lamp and others. As an example, the company will do servicing or replacing filters Inside air conditioner at the longer gap time compare to the previous. On the other hand, the maintenance servicing company will get less work also less revenue because of the action. The company also will be gain higher profit as a result of the electricity saving.Generally, the electricity cost is among major cost of every company operations yearly. In addition, company will be able to pay more bonus and Increment to their respective staff. Unfortunately, the motivation for some staff will be decrease because of the easily company to pay high bonus and increment to their staff. Moreover, at the end of every year they Just wait for company to pay them bonus without them to produce higher productivity. Name: – Mood January Bin Bad Jaws sol 1630 Date: – 04/09/2014

EMBA 530 initial post week 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

EMBA 530 initial post week 9 - Essay Example One important factor is the use of participative decision making involving all the family members led by the senior members – i.e., the parents in a nuclear unit. This means that family meetings are held on most vital matters, and there is a generally liberal attitude in these collaborations. This factor was linked specifically to the longevity and success of the business (Fahed-Sreih & Djoundourian, 2006). A second important factor in successful family businesses is a resistance to institutionalization (Ayranci, 2010). This does not mean opposition to professionalism, because many of these firms are succeeded by younger family members who have obtained MBAs and formal training. What the family business resists is the formalization of procedures which many call bureaucracy. Family members prefer to maintain a level of informality where they could talk to each other simply and directly despite the difference in their position in the hierarchy. A third factor is ownership preferences, pertaining specifically to higher degrees of ownership concentration in successful family businesses (Hoopes & Miller, 2006). As mentioned earlier, the family business is not necessarily one which is wholly owned by one family; in some cases, those organizations referred to as family business may simply be majority-owned, and some not. Successful family businesses, however, have a higher concentration of ownership held within the family, and the more the ownership is held by family members, the more focused the firm’s strategy is and the more successful it becomes. The fourth important factor is the family’s commitment to change (Davis, 1983). In this rather dated article, a timeless observation was made that family businesses tended to be of two types – those which placed an emphasis on the way things had been done in the family business for decades and would not want to change them, and those which are keen on the changes

20th-Century Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

20th-Century Art - Essay Example One not needs to look at the picture for long to recognize the form, even though the viewer might not be able to put finger on pointillism but surely the form appears distinct from single stroke of brush. Color contrast has been used very effectively in this painting. Although the dots are supposed to appear distinctly but in this piece they appear so smooth, in a single tone. It gives the impression of pixels on TV screen. Most probably the whole painting was made with using CMYK color pattern;Â  Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow, and Key (black). The overall mood of the painting is quite relaxed, people are at the park and they are enjoying the sunshine. The distance technique is effectively used where the couple standing right in the forefront is quite big compared to boats in the distance. Despite the fact that only two or three faces are clearly visible, the overall emotional stir is quite evident. The mood is serene and the use of green color captivates the viewer with its beauty. The painting reflects peace and calm in human life. The mood seems as if people are gathered at the park at a lovely evening, men look a little lazy as if sitting there after their work shift and women are just enjoying the bright sunny day. In it absolute sense there is calmness in the whole painting. It seems as if no one is talking to anyone, all of them are having a conversation in their heads with natural beauty. Most of the people are staring at the lake, probably admiring the serene beauty and the sense of peace and tranquility it bestows on humans minds. Visual aspects of the paintings aside, emotional appeals in this art piece are simply brilliant. The viewer can get drenched by the beauty of the painting and could feel themselves as a part of it, as if right there in the park with the people. It would be really helpful if this painting is observed in its real size which is quite large. The canvas of this painting almost covers a whole wall. Although

Affect Of Global Recession on Hospitality and Quality Management in 4 Dissertation

Affect Of Global Recession on Hospitality and Quality Management in 4 Star Hotels in Eastbourne, London - Dissertation Example The hotel industry is one of the highest income generators in London due to the booming tourism that is experienced in London and its environs. This has been going on for decades, and not just in London, but also in various cities around the world. Travelling has become a common occurrence in people’s lives for purposes of business, leisure, academic commitments and visiting friends and close associates. With tourism comes hospitality, hence, the high proportion of tourists who every year flock into London has necessitated the establishment of hotels and other forms of accommodation for the tourism. The hospitality sector has for decades grown, and currently it is one of the highest earners in the United Kingdom. As a result of this, global trends also affect tourism in the UK, which would further have an impact on the hospitality and hospitality management in London. The global recession affected the circulation of money around the globe, and since tourists visiting London are derived from UK and various parts of the world, it is evident that tourism was affected. With global recession came an increased standard of living among people. These changes ensured that numbers visiting London were not the same as those that initially visited the city. As a result of all these factors, hospitality and quality management in hotels was markedly affected since hotels were operating under new financial factors and new visitors.

Homeless Women in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Homeless Women in Canada - Essay Example Studies show the demographic statistics of women’s homelessness in Canada has changed a lot. As a result, women’s homelessness has been to attract various social, political and feminist movements’ attention. Indeed about one hundred years after the first â€Å"International Women’s Day†, women’s socio-economic condition in the country has gone down. Whereas ‘safe home’ or shelter is considered as one of the basic needs of human life, women are increasingly being deprived of this right to have a safe home. Indeed, homelessness further causes severe social problems such sex-trafficking, sexual harassment and abuse, violence, unwanted murder, drug trafficking, etc. Homeless women often live in abandoned buildings and places, and often sleep on streets in the urban areas of Canada. But in rural areas, they normally live in slum. Overview of the Problem of Women’s Homelessness When women’s homelessness is mentioned, the traditional picture of a bundled woman sleeping on the city-streets’ sidewalks may come to mind. But the reality about women’s homelessness is very much complex. Various statistics and studies in this field show that approximately â€Å"300,000 people are homeless in Canada.† (YWCA Canada, 2012) In 1980s, about 25-30% of these visibly homeless people, who lived on the sidewalks or in shelters in rural areas are women. But in 1990s, the presence of homeless women seeking for shelter in government and non-government asylums increased at a rate of 78% more than the rate in previous years. This increase in the 1990s was mainly contributed by the children of the homeless women whose only earning sources were begging and prostitution. As a result, the number of homeless young women increased at an alarming rate. But the number of families who owned houses previously also increased during the past decades. â€Å"Families experience homelessness, and single parent fami lies, mostly led by women, make up the majority of homeless families† (YWCA Canada, 2012). Having no shelter, no roof over their heads and no door to lock behind them for safety, these homeless women remain at a high risk of physical, emotional and psychological dangers. Indeed, because of their physical weakness, women are more vulnerable to outdoor dangers than their male counterparts. In a Fact Sheet prepared by the YWCA Canada (2012), it is said: â€Å"Many street-involved women are abuse and trauma survivors struggling with resulting mental health and addiction issues. Yet, there remains a severe shortage of detox beds dedicated to women. Street-focused programs specifically for women are few and far between.† (YWCA Canada, 2012) Causes of Women’s Homelessness in Canada Women are more vulnerable to homelessness than men are. Indeed, women are more vulnerable because of their low income and extended periods of poverty (Townson, 2005). In a study, Monica Towns on (2005) claims that â€Å"women are the poorest people in Canada† (p. 34). In 2003, about 1500000 women were living in severe poverty. This number is about 19% of the total female population in Canada. Obviously, this poverty-stricken population comprises of women of all ages. But it mostly includes adult women and adolescent girls. The average income rate of the women was 62% of men’s annual income (Statistic Canada, 2006). The number of homeless women varies according to race, age, disabilities, and marital status, etc. The rate of homeless women

Reading Assessment for Adult ELS Learners Essay

Reading Assessment for Adult ELS Learners - Essay Example The reasons to look for reliable evidence in support of instructional practices are to minimize some of the negative consequences of informal practitioner lore and be more effective in helping students develop as readers. This paper presents a synthesis of research on the nature of reading. In so doing, it suggests a number of ways in which our understanding of reading can be progressed and tries to highlight some important ways to test instructional practices and search for more effective outcomes. It has also examined unique aspects of processing for second language reading. From this foundation of research, the paper then explores issues that concern second language reading assessment. There is lack of agreement among the specialist for definitions of reading. Some of available definitions for reading are development of set of habits and mastery of mechanics, ability to get fact from printed page and ability to carry on the varied and complex processes which we commonly associate with thinking (Traxler, 1944). Many specialist prefer last view of reading because it covers not only testing of reading habits and skill in obtaining facts from printed matter but also includes the appraisal of ability to comprehend all types of reading material to form judgments, to appreciate literary quality, to apply generalization and to perform various kind of mental activity characteristic of all fields (Traxler, 1944). Difficulties of learning Becoming informed about difficulties for different for L2 students can assist all of us in interpreting reading research and the many assertions made about effective reading instruction, recognizing the particular demands of L2 reading and investigating pertinent concerns in our own classrooms (Grabe & stoller, 2002). An investigation was carried out of the level of agreement on the identification of selected reading sub skills, relationship between these sub skills in terms of perceived difficulty. A summary of uniqueness estimates from within-day and across-day matrixes that result from cross validation by items in the entire sample of 988 examinees is done. It seems reasonable to prefer cross validation by items only. Sampling variation in sets of items drawn from the eight populations of comprehension skills was of chief concern in this study (Davis, 1968). Different Skills considered were recalling word meanings (35), drawing inferences about the meaning of a word from context (-1), finding answers to questions answered explicitly or in paraphrase (13), weaving together ideas in the content (5), drawing inferences from the content (23), recognizing a writer's purpose, attitude, tone and mood (14), identifying a writer's techniques (8) and following structure of passage (15). It was noted that drawing inferences about the meaning of a word from context percentages is slightly negative (-1); presumably this is a chance deviation from a true percentage close to zero. The largest percentages of unique variance occur in the case of memory for word meanings (35). The data indicate that about 32 per cent of the non-error variance of this

Health and Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Health and Science - Essay Example of defense mechanism the person tries to repress any such undesirable feeling or thought or memory which causes any kind of mental turmoil to the person or which he wished not to have occurred ever. In this situation the person just wants to cut that portion of life away or just forget the situation. Hysterical amnesia is an example of this mechanism where a person performs or observes certain disturbing incident and then just forgets the incident and its surroundings. Repression is used in negative way when the person indulges in any harmful act and then forgets it. For example the person hurts or kills others at a certain state of mind or when finds others at a certain situation and then as soon as s/he is taken away from the situation or that particular state of mind s/he completely forgets the incident. Reaction formation is the kind of defense mechanism related to the fixation in consciousness of an idea or desire which is opposite to any unconscious fear. In this situation the person experiencing any conflict becomes obsessive with the situation either in positive or in negative manner. The person unconsciously tries to prove that s/he has completely accepted the situation which is opposite to her/his desire and in doing so s/he becomes over protective or solicitous to the situation. This may be expression of her/his internal guilt of not accepting the condition, e.g. an overprotective mother for her unwanted child. The negative reaction can be seen when this obsession affects the life of the child or others in a dangerous manner. Here the mother interferes too much in the life of the child and even hurts the child or anybody else who is trying to behave opposite to her obsession or notion. When a mother hurts the boyfriend of a girl child in order to keep him away from her daugh ter, it can serve as a negative reaction. Denial is the situation when a person consciously refuses to accept any painful incident. In this case the person tries to escape any

Portfolio letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Portfolio letter - Essay Example It was hard for me to give feedback at the beginning because I did not know what to say. After reading their essays, it always gave me some ideas on how to improve my writing. I learned a lot about writing and really enjoyed this class. I chose Assignment 1 to put in my portfolio because I spent much time on it, such as revising. This assignment can reflect how my writing skill has improved from the past. Coming from a non English speaking background can be a milestone in the quest to learn how to speak and write English properly. As seen in the assignment different words in English and mandarin looked and sounded different as well as their direct translation which to a young person proved very confusing (Adamson, 30). In order to become a diffident writer I had to chose English as my second language and mandarin as my first language since it was used at home, therefore, it was easy to pick as it came automatically. Choosing English as a second language meant that I had to think in English as opposed to mandarin in order to prevent direct translations. To learn to think in English I read English books about fairy tales so as to have the mindset of an English speaking child (Adamson, 25). The books included fairy story books like Cinderella, Walt Disney and many others. I travelled to the USA to better equip myself with the English language and area Mr. Rebello. This teacher made me write summer vacation journal, records of daily entries of the extra-curricular activities, poems and video translations over and over again to rid myself of the previous mistakes. Of most importance is the use of peer review method to grade and review other student’s work. This is important as it highlights our mistakes as well as other people’s mistakes. At the same time it shows the extent of improvement. I revised my work, edited them until other people could positively review my work. The second

Cuba and China Essay Example for Free

Cuba and China Essay Democracy, or the power of people, is rather old form of rule. While the word â€Å"democracy† originated in the Ancient Greece in 5th century BC, this form of rule had existed even before this, found in ancient India republics before 6th century BC. However, it was the city-state of Athens in the Ancient Greece that presented this word in the sense which resembles, in some features, the modern vision of democracy. In Athens, people had the right to vote, to take the most important decisions, influencing the political situation of their state. Of course, not all the population could vote – women and children could not vote as well as disabled people. In fact, only one forth or one sixth of the citizens of Athens could vote and participate in a political life of their state. However, it was the first form of democracy and it had many aspects in common with today’s notion of democracy. For example, all the citizens of Athens, poor or rich, powerful or powerless, had the right to vote, they were equal in this right. The democracy, in the form in which it existed in Athens and in the Ancient Greece, was not preserved until our time. Moreover, great changes took place in Europe in 18-19th centuries, in the form of revolutions. The right to vote and to participate in the political life of a state directly is not the main factor characterizing democracy in the modern world. Democracy in the modern sense includes such basic postulates as the basic freedoms: of speech, of expression, of the press, of association et cetera. The democracy in the western world is much more associated with the notion of free market and free trade. However, these preconditions are not exactly true for some countries, for example for China, where free market and free trade can coexist with the lack of democracy, where there are no basic freedoms (for example, the freedom of association – the assembly of Falun Gong in China was violently dispersed by police and banished for practicing in China). Cuba which has made some steps toward the free market economy, opening some part of its economy for the US dollars, does allow the internationally recognized organization of the Red Cross to its prisons, where political prisoners are kept in big numbers. The rule of Communist Party as the only party in the country is observed both in Cuba and in China. And this excludes another characteristic feature of democracy – pluralism, the possibility of many political parties to take part in the political life of the state. Before we proceed to explain the lack of democracy in Cuba and China, it is necessary to understand what democracy means and why China and Cuba should become democratic. In the twentieth century, democracy has gained such popularity that most world rulers describe their rule as democratic. However, most countries were not democratic, and some even became totalitarian. Generally speaking, the term â€Å"democracy† is misused in two ways. First, democracy is expanded into a laundry list that contains almost all kinds of good things. Second, democracy is modified by adding an adjective to the term. Since Western bourgeois democracy is the prototype of modern democracy, modifications are made along two lines. Either rulers characterize their systems not as bourgeois democracies, but as â€Å"people’s democracies,† â€Å"proletarian democracies,† or â€Å"socialist democracies,† or they emphasize local characteristics of their system, such as â€Å"Burmese type of democracy† or â€Å"African type of democracy. † What is democracy? Etymologically, the term means rule by the people. Democracy originated in Athens more than 2,500 years ago, when Cleisthenes allowed all citizens of Attica to preside over the affairs of the city. Athenian democracy took the form of direct democracy. Citizens, which excluded women, slaves, and resident aliens, participated directly in making laws. Moreover, regardless of their properties and talents, rulers were selected not by ballot but by lot. Not surprisingly, virtually all famous Greek scholars were no fans of democracy, regarding tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy as corrupt forms of government. Democracy includes two forms: popular sovereignty and individual liberty. This paper defines democracy in terms of political freedom, which involves both positive and negative aspects. Positive freedom refers to a situation in which people have the ability to participate in government; negative freedom means a situation in which people are free from arbitrary interference from government. Modern democracy adheres to the dual principles of popular sovereignty and individual liberty, but has its own distinctive features. Ideal as the principle of popular sovereignty may be, it is technically impossible to let the people in a nation-state decide everything. As a result, modern democracies are representative, not participatory (or direct). The principle of popular sovereignty in modern times hinges on two major mechanisms: the separation of powers and the competitive election. While the ruled choose their rulers during an election, rulers are mutually checked and balanced before and after the election. In determining the nature of a particular political system, the competitive election is more important than the separation of powers. A division of labor is employed in any government, particularly a modern one. Despite the importance of liberalism for modern democracy, popular sovereignty precedes individual liberty. Popular sovereignty talks about the purpose of government; individual liberty comprises the notion of government. The term that means â€Å"people† has undergone great changes in terms of class, education, gender, race, and age. Besides, individual liberty is historically and culturally specific. In the twentieth century, democracy and totalitarianism are regarded as two ends of the political spectrum. To put it in terms of ideal types, a government respecting both popular sovereignty and individual liberty is democratic; a government violating them is totalitarian. Falling somewhere in between, most systems are neither democratic nor totalitarian in the strictest sense of the terms. Some may respect popular sovereignty but violate individual liberty; others may violate popular sovereignty but respect individual liberty. Today’s Islamic Republic of Iran and eighteenth-century Britain are cited as respective examples of these two types. Throughout human history, not many regimes have ever been totalitarian and most have been authoritarian. Compared with totalitarian regimes, authoritarian regimes are less willing and less able to damage people’s rights and interests. The United States of America when compared to China or Cuba, presents the example of â€Å"democratic† democracy towards which China or Cuba should strive. Because now, when we took a closer look at the notion of democracy in the modern world, we are going to analyze the kind of democratic situation and democratic changes that took place in two of the most controversial countries in the world: China and Cuba. To reach conclusions as to the qualitative aspects of Cuban politics in the post-transition era, we will examine aspects of political culture as they relate to the formation and practices of civil society in democracy. From this angle one can interpret some key dimensions of politics in particular settings. Transition to democracy (and its consolidation) depends on a multiplicity of factors, including elite decisions, institutional arrangements, pacts between competing social actors, a constitution and organizations typical of liberal democracies, a favorable moment in world history, supportive international structures, and a measure of good luck. Political and economic factors also impinge on the likelihood of democratic transitions and survival. But political and economic factors determine neither transition to democracy nor democratic stability. The impact of the economy on democracy is not automatic, unidirectional, or necessarily predictable. According to Mattiace and Camp (1996), democracy is the product of multiple causes working together. In contexts where the system confronts unresolved foundational issues and consensus is elusive – on such matters as how the political community is defined, who has authority, what the rules of the game are – political questions become an affair of the heart, lending themselves less to compromise and pragmatism. As a result, democracy tends to be endangered, particularly in places where institutional democratic norms are weak and personalism is high. This is likely to occur in Cuba after Fidel Castro (as it has before and during the socialist years). Though democracy will be established in Cuba sometime in the future, Cuban democracy will not conform to normative models of liberal democracy. Democracy in the way it is in Cuba will be characterized by features of incivility in civil society. The democracy that is most likely to emerge on the island will be far from perfect, will share striking continuities with the past, and will dash the hopes of many who dream of democracy. The cynicism about democracy also has a long genealogy in Cuban intellectual history. As far back as the nineteenth century cultural pessimists on the island have remarked on the frustration that has followed modern projects of independence, nationalism, republicanism, and democracy. Democratic aspirations have a long history on the island, as long as the trajectory of their frustration. The notion is not as alien to Cuban soil as many believe (Dealy, 1996)

Outcast Essay Example for Free

Outcast Essay Outcast The novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is about a 9th grade girl called Melinda Sordino whose life is being terrorized by her memories from a bad incident at an end-of-the-summer party. It is the first day of 9th grade for Melinda at Merry Weather High School, nobody likes her because she called the cops at the party, making her an outcast and speechless. By the end of the novel Melinda finally speaks to her mom and her ex-friends about the party, and the narrator learns that having the confidence to speak and speaking up can make somebody feel better. Anderson uses the Title Speak to help show the theme of the novel. Early in the story, Melinda is going to her first day of 9th grade. Melinda is not having a great 1st day of High School, and than she soon refuses to speak Its easier to not say anything (9). Melinda first shows her behavior when she is no longer speaking. On this part of the novel the problem is firstly presented but the theme is still not represented in this part of the novel. As the story continues, Melinda is going thru her life in High School but in a way nobody likes. Melindas ex-friends hate her due to the incident. But, she meets a girl named Heather who is new to the state, and become friends. Heather speaks a lot to Melinda but Melinda becomes anti-social with her. In Melindas art class she is picked to paint a tree but she starts poorly. Later in the story Melinda becomes more closed and her life becomes worse. Melinda: you mean we are not friends anymore? Heather: We were not really, really friends. (105). Speaking now symbolizes how difficult or how struggling it is to keep a friend and to achieve something.

The Nature Of Corruption In India

The Nature Of Corruption In India Corruption cannot be defined easily but in a deeper sense it is mostly concerned with bribery and has various forms. Being a global phenomenon, it has progressed and is now strong in the Indian society. In India, it is a result of the mash between bureaucrats, politicians and criminals. India has now become a consideration state where everything can be had for a consideration. The number of officials with an honest profile is easily countable on fingers. There was a time, bribe was paid for getting wrong things done but now bribe is paid for getting right things done at right time. In an interview with Jitendra Singh and Ravi Ramamurti, professor of international business at Northeastern University, Singh said that In the bad old days, particularly pre-1991, when the License Raj held sway, and by design, all kinds of free market mechanisms were hobbled or stymied, and corruption emerged almost as an illegitimate price mechanism, a shadowy quasi-market, such that scarce resources could still be allocated within the economy, and decisions could get made. Of course, this does not in any way condone the occurrence of such corruption. The shameful part of all this was that while value was captured by some people at the expense of others, it did not go to those who created the value, as it should in a fair and equitable system. He mentions that there was a distortion of incentives within the economy, as people found unproductive behaviors to be of short-term gains. Thus, utilizing positions of power that could bestow favors became more important than bringing out new ideas and innovations. Even if tried, the process of eradicating corruption will be too low paced and it cannot change overnight. The costs of corruption are rooted in various parts of the economy. Improper infrastructure, of course, is widely recognized as a serious impediment to Indias advancement. Producing valuable goods is of limited utility if they cannot be transported in a timely fashion, for example. Transparency International estimates that Indian truckers pay something in the neighborhood of $5 billion annually in bribes to keep freight flowing. Corruption is a large tax on Indian growth, Ramamurti said in an interview after the conference. It delays execution, raises costs and destroys the moral fiber. Corruption also cripples the effort to ameliorate poverty in India and to improve the countrys stock of human capital. The rate at which this happens varies tremendously from region to region. Edward Luce, for example, author of In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India, notes that Rates of theft vary widely from state to state in India, with the better states, such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, getting more than 80% of subsidized government food to their poor. Meanwhile, in the northern state of Bihar, Indias second poorest with a population of 75 million, more than 80% of the food is stolen. A few Indian companies, Ramamurti said, such as the Tata group or Wipro, have taken the high road, but most firms find it impossible to get anything done without greasing palms. Wipro, headed by Azim Premji, is Indias third-biggest global tech services provider (behind Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys). In Bangalore Tiger: How Indian Tech Upstart Wipro Is Rewriting the Rules of Global Competition, business journalist Steve Hamm writes that Wipro is not just a company, its a quest. That quest, according to some observers, is as much about moral rectitude as it is about business success. For example, according to Hamm, the company pays no bribes and has a zero tolerance policy for corruption. The paradox, Ramamurti said, is that even though Indias faster growth in recent years is the result of fewer government controls, most Indian managers would tell you that corruption has increased, not decreased, in tandem. How could this be? The explanation is that faster growth has created new choke points at which politicians and bureaucrats can extract payments, such as land regulation, spectrum allocation or college admissions all of which have become much more valuable in [this century]. Faster growth has also raised the economic cost to firms of delays in public approvals, giving officials that much more hold-up leverage over private investors. Corruption in India leads to promotion not prison. It is very difficult to catch Ëœbig sharks. Corruption in India has wings not wheels. As nation grows, the corrupt also grow to invent new methods of cheating the government and public. A survey conducted by Transparency International cites India as far worse than China and refers to her as a country where bribery and corruption are among the worst in the world. In a developing country, resources are always scarce and demand greater than supply. The recipients of public services are mostly the poor, illiterate, ignorant and weak. Thus it is the ordinary man who suffers most from misgovernment and corruption. Yet in India, even the highly educated lack the power to protest. There is no accountability or transparency among public servants and outdated systems like the license-permit-quota-inspector system continue to prosper even in the face of liberalization and globalization. The overabundance of laws and statutes and discretionary powers only provides further breeding ground for bribery and corruption. Recent Incidents A spate of high-profile corruption scandals has rocked the Indian government in the last few months and is threatening foreign investor confidence. The scams include allegations of graft against officials responsible for last years Commonwealth games hosted by New Delhi, a telecom case involving the government underselling mobile-phone licenses for kickbacks that may have cost the exchequer nearly $40 billion, and a housing scam in which politicians, bureaucrats, and military officials are accused of taking over a plush Mumbai apartment block intended for war widows. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose government has come under fire from opposition parties and the media, has vowed to crack down on corruption. But as the BBCs Soutik Biswas notes, India has a poor record of prosecuting corruption and an even grimmer record on actual convictions. India ranks 87 out of 178 countries on Transparency Internationals 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index. A 2010 report from Washington-based think tank Global Financial Integrity blames Indias poor governance for the tax evasion and corruption, which result in illicit financial flows from the country of at least $462 billion. It is an issue which needs to be tackled, because corruption not only reduces the social acceptability of whatever growth we achieve, but actually reduces growth, Indias Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told the World Economic Forum. Some investment analysts say corruption is already a factor in declining foreign investment which has been a key to Indias growth over the last two decades and is worrying domestic investors, too. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) became net sellers for the first time in January since May 2010, shedding some $1.4 billion in holdings, according to industry data. Were not claiming FII flows are driven simply by corruption concerns, said analysts from Espirito Santo Securities in Mumbai, but corruption and ensuing political risk has without question become a major concern. Indias surging growth rate of nearly 8.5 percent is also under threat from high inflation, which may further scare off foreign investors. A report from international organizations, including the UN Global Compact, estimates that corruption adds as much as 10 percent (PDF) to the total cost of doing business globally, and as much as 25 percent to the cost of procuring contracts in developing countries. When it comes to ease of doing business, the World Bank ranks India 134 out of 183 countries in 2011. Corruption also harms poverty-alleviation efforts in India. The World Bank has found corruption the single greatest obstacle to economic and social development. India has a right-to-information law that promises to make government accountable, but whistleblowers have often had a fight on their hands, in several instances paying with their lives. The government has a draft anti-corruption bill scorned by many activists who have coalesced under the banner India Against Corruption. Indian businessmen, too, are calling for effective legislation to counter corruption. The most promising drive for change, say some commentators, comes from Indias civil society, with initiatives such as I Paid a Bribe, an online tool where citizens report instances where they have paid or resisted the demand for a bribe. A survey conducted by World Development Report some year ago, business man in surveyed countries said that the main problem with corruption was that it increases risk and uncertainty .The risk declined dramatically if corruption produced reliable outcome .If all player have to play 10% and could treat of getting their license entrepreneurs could treat this as just one more tax, factor it into their calculations of profit and so could invest with confidence of sure gain. The quality of institution seems to be the most important factor for the growth of a countries .If the institution work moderately well, progress is possible even if money is skimmed off at the top .But if the institution are incapable of enforcing any right, corruption will hasten economic collapse. So far Indian economic is concerned the slow progress is the result of lack of decision making at higher level .Many politician who take money but could not enforce their will because of powerful lobby of bureaucrats at many place and a democracy like India ,voice of media ,voice of opposition could suppress the wish of the leader . Causes of corruption The causes of corruption are many and complex. Following are some of the causes of corruption. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emergence of political elite who believe in interest-oriented rather than nation-oriented programs and policies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Artificial scarcity created by the people with malevolent intentions wrecks the fabric of the economy. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Corruption is caused as well as increased because of the change in the value system and ethical qualities of men who administer. The old ideals of morality, service and honesty are regarded as anachronistic. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tolerance of people towards corruption, complete lack of intense public outcry against corruption and the absence of strong public forum to oppose corruption allows corruption to reign over people. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Vast size of population coupled with widespread illiteracy and the poor economic infrastructure lead to endemic corruption in public life. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In a highly inflationary economy, low salaries of government officials compel them to resort to the road of corruption. Graduates from IIMs with no experience draw a far handsome salary than what government secretaries draw. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Complex laws and procedures alienate common people to ask for any help from government. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Election time is a time when corruption is at its peak level. Big industrialists fund politicians to meet high cost of election and ultimately seek personal favor. Bribery to politicians buys influence, and bribery by politicians buys votes. In order to get elected, politicians bribe poor illiterate people, who are slogging for two times meal. Corruption is one of the most serious consequences of poor governance. A country with widespread corruption invariably has low investment rates, poor economic growth and limited human development. The public will find their access to the most basic social services severely restricted and the government will find the cost of delivering these services inordinately high. Corruption has no positive effects. It hits the poor hardest, it makes a mockery of financial systems and it actively works against the legitimacy of the state. Poverty, development, growth and investment all suffer at the hands of corruption. Source of corruption In a country with some 19.5 million public servants, a plethora of outdated and outmoded laws and a conspicuous lack of accountability, it is not difficult for these public servants to use their powers to control the remaining 1,000 million citizens. Within the public service system, a rigid, old fashioned hierarchy means that in actual fact, 90% of these employees are only Class 3 and 4. Thus less than 2 million officers control the fate of 1,000 million. As officers, they earn high salaries enriched by numerous perks and privileges but nevertheless, their greatest desire is for further riches. It makes no difference how educated they are; they have no respect for democratic values and no grasp of public morality. They will do anything for money. The 17.5 million minor public servants who work under them are exploited as middlemen or left to indulge in petty corruption them. Lack of Punishment: A contributory factor to the growth of corruption in India is that the cases relating to corruption are often handled in a casual and a clumsy manner. Those in hierarchy vested with disciplinary powers shirk duty and slow unwillingness to use their powers against corrupt practices. This may be due to different reasons like political or trade union pressure, vested interests, or sheer ineptitude in handling criminal investigation. The result is that corrupt are rarely caught and even if caught are let off with minor or no penalties. The government officials entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with corruption do it in a most inefficient and lethargic manner and this suits the political leadership which patronizes corruption. The judiciary system is so expensive, dilatory, and inefficient that it takes years and years of corruption cases to be decided. The infamous Harshad Mehta case of organized corruption in the stock exchanges of India, in which small investors lost hundreds of billions of Rupees, has been in courts for almost a decade now and yet there is no indication of its nearing any decision. The result of such inordinate delay is those accuseds often escape punishment because long time span has an adverse effect on the evidence in a case. The conviction rate in Indian courts is only 6%. There are 300 million cases pending in the Indian courts and average time taken for disposal of cases is from 10-20 years. Justice delayed is justice denied in most cases of corruption. The Benefits of an Open Society One of the inevitable comparisons in any story on rapidly developing economies is that between India and China. China has endured a spate of bad news in recent months regarding the impact of corruption and shoddy oversight on the quality of exported products from cold medication that killed dozens of people in Latin America to toxic toothpaste to childrens toys coated in lead-based paint. If Chinas initial response was to attempt to characterize much of this as a Western conspiracy against Chinese products and businesses, officials were rather quickly goaded into taking serious action. In July, the government executed Zheng Xiaoyu, who headed Chinas State Food and Drug Administration from 1997 to 2006. The good news in India, compared to China, said Ramamurti, may be that at least the most egregious forms of corruption are exposed by social activists or the media. A more open society, by definition, provides more avenues for oversight, more empowered constituencies to ferret out and disseminate the truth when things go wrong. One big difference, Singh added, comes in the form of the legal system. In India, a firm can sue the government and win, which may not be as easy in China. Also, the public at large is much more vocal and active in India. Any group can file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against a firm, which will frequently get heard in court. Also, it is the case that corporate governance is stronger in India, on average, due to better disclosure and Securities and Exchange Board of India regulatory guidelines. This [is true] even though there are some fine Chinese firms, and some quite poorly governed Indian firms. Singh ticked off a quick list of additional cultural factors that are to Indias advantage: A fierce arguably sometimes to the point of being irresponsible media, both the press and TV; a legal system descended from British Common Law like the U.S. which, while hardly perfect, does work reasonably well; [the existence of] certain rights such as freedom of speech; strong links with the global economy through, though not solely due to, the non-resident Indian (NRI) community which provides global exposure; and a facility with English which makes for easier integration into the global economy. As in other countries, however, there is the nagging problem of money corrupting the electoral process and thereby short circuiting, or at least slowing, reform. The business community and the public at large would welcome a reduction in corruption, Ramamurti said, but neither believes this will come to pass. Corruption is endemic in daily life, from things minor to major, and it has become the primary means of funding election campaigns. The really serious problem here, Singh stated, is that the prevalence of corruption in the Indian economy may well have distorted cultural norms within the society. Yet I am also aware of countervailing forces, so I do not want to overstate the case. But to the extent that change in cultural norms will be needed to root out corruption, it will take a persistent, long, drawn-out effort. While economic change is easier to achieve, cultural change is much slower and more difficult. This is compounded by the rearguard actions of those who are beneficiaries of the status quo. Measures to combat corruption Is it possible to contain corruption in our society? Corruption is a cancer, which every Indian must strive to cure. Many new leaders when come into power declare their determination to eradicate corruption but soon they themselves become corrupt and start amassing huge wealth. There are many myths about corruption, which have to be exploded if we really want to combat it. Some of these myths are: Corruption is a way of life and nothing can be done about it. Only people from underdeveloped or developing countries are prone to corruption. We will have to guard against all these crude fallacies while planning measures to fight corruption. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foolproof laws should be made so that there is no room for discretion for politicians and bureaucrats. The role of the politician should be minimized. Application of the evolved policies should be left in the hands of independent commission or authority in each area of public interest. Decision of the commission or authority should be challengeable only in the courts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cooperation of the people has to be obtained for successfully containing corruption. People should have a right to recall the elected representatives if they see them becoming indifferent to the electorate. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Funding of elections is at the core of political corruption. Electoral reforms are crucial in this regard. Several reforms like: State funding of election expenses for candidates; strict enforcement of statutory requirements like holding in-party elections, making political parties get their accounts audited regularly and filing income-tax returns; denying persons with criminal records a chance to contest elections, should be brought in. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Responsiveness, accountability and transparency are a must for a clean system. Bureaucracy, the backbone of good governance, should be made more citizen friendly, accountable, ethical and transparent. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ More and more courts should be opened for speedy inexpensive justice so that cases dont linger in courts for years and justice is delivered on time. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Local bodies, Independent of the government, like Lokpals, Lokadalats, CVCs and Vigilance Commissions should be formed to provide speedy justice with low expenses. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A new Fundamental Right viz. Right to Information should be introduced, which will empower the citizens to ask for the information they want. Barring some confidential information, which concerns national and international security, other information should be made available to general public as and when required. Stringent actions against corrupt officials will certainly have a deterrent impact. Corruption cannot be ignored or swept under the carpet. Its effects are extremely damaging, far-reaching and all pervasive. For third world countries, struggling to emerge from crippling debt and bitter poverty, the struggle is doomed unless and until the ugly issue of corruption is confronted and effectively addressed. Corruption is not something that a government on its own can eradicate. In any case, political leaders simply use it as a quick, easy way to win votes, making catchy slogans and shallow promises when it suits their political interests. Prime ministers from the late Gulzari Lal Nanda to Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared a war on corruption but achieved absolutely nothing. Is there anyone, then, who can take on this huge task? If the population at large and civil society institutions in particular continue to be indifferent, helpless and resigned in the face of corruption, then the answer is no. The first prerequisite is for the public and its institutions to be motivated to fight. The second is to scrap or rationalize all obsolete and outdated laws, something the government alone cannot do since such laws currently serve to keep the status quo. A genuinely committed judiciary working with civil society institutions can take on this task. India is a land of tremendous contrasts, not least in the way she cherishes such values as sacrifice and spirituality, points proudly to their prominent place in her past and boasts of her rich cultural heritage and the honesty and purity that were an essential part of it. But in the 21st century, such values remain very much in the past and India has become an embarrassing by word for dishonesty, hypocrisy and money grabbing. What has happened to those old values? Is there some covert destruction of these values going on undetected? We need a true diagnosis of the root causes of the erosion of these values and this is something our academics must do. Only then is there any hope of an eventual lasting solution. At present the public perception is that corruption is a way of life, unavoidable, something you have to endure; that you cannot survive in India without indulging in corruption in one form or the other. People are so used to this life of corruption that they have lost all interest in doing anything about it. We cannot look to businesses, industrial houses or management education for help for their entire raison detre is profit. Nor can money solve the problem. Only exceptional individuals can make a difference. In Sweden and Norway, it was sociologists who cleaned up corruption in their countries. In the USA, individual police officers and bureaucrats made sacrifices to streamline and rationalize the system. In China, a cultural revolution changed the people and transformed the entire country. But India is a law unto herself. Perhaps a little parable can illustrate this. Some Improvement; Some Distance Yet to Go Transparency International monitors corruption globally and puts out an annual report which it refers to as the Global Corruption Barometer. The most recent figures from 2006 provide an interesting perspective on how Indians see progress in the area of corruption. Indians report a substantial reduction in the perceived level of corruption in a number of sectors, according to the most recent report. Improvements encompass education, the legal system/judiciary, media, parliament/legislature and utilities. It should be noted, however, that Indian respondents still indicate that the majority of sectors highlighted are significantly affected by corruption. These improvements should therefore be understood as a positive sign of progress, but not an indication that the problem of corruption has been solved. How much is left to be done? Some three out of four Indian respondents, on the question of the degree to which their government is fighting corruption, answered that the government was either not effective, does not fight at all or actually encourages corruption. Where does business fit into this? Asked to rate the impact of corruption on various spheres of their lives on a scale of one to four, from not at all to to a large extent Indians identified political life as the sphere most significantly impacted (2.9), and personal and family life as the least impacted (2.3).They put the business environment squarely in the middle (2.6). What institutions are respected? Rating the impact of corruption on different sectors and institutions (on a scale of one to five, from not at all corrupt to extremely corrupt), Indians identified political parties (4.2) and police (4.3) as the most corrupt institutions, with business again near the middle (3.2). The least corrupt institution? The military, at 1.9. Corruption is an intractable problem. It is like diabetes, can only be controlled, but not totally eliminated. It may not be possible to root out corruption completely at all levels but it is possible to contain it within tolerable limits. Honest and dedicated persons in public life, control over electoral expenses could be the most important prescriptions to combat corruption. Corruption has a corrosive impact on our economy. It worsens our image in international market and leads to loss of overseas opportunities. Corruption is a global problem that all countries of the world have to confront, solutions, however, can only be home grown. We have tolerated corruption for so long. The time has now come to root it out from its roots.