Internet in India Essay

We live in an age of information. Today information is power. Those who have it are powerful and those who don’t have it are powerless. The rise of internet as a tool for information and information, in the last decades of the twentieth century has changed the power balances on this globe. The twenty first century has begun with the most populous countries on this world, India and China adopting the internet technology very fast. These two countries share almost 40% of the population on this globe, and the pattern in which they have adopted internet is surely leading them to become super powers in future. This essay discusses how internet has developed in India, what are the reasons behind this development and what could be the future implications of the current status of internet in India. The Beginning In the middle of 1980s, India had a young Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who understood the importance of government policies favoring information technology. He managed to hire services of USA based Indian technocrat, Sam Pitroda, for improvement of the communication scene in India. The foundation stone for a revolution was laid then. While working on the telecommunication aspects, the government realized the fact that internet can be powerful democratizing force, offering greater economic, political, and social participation to communities that have traditionally been underserved- and helping developing nations meet their pressing needs. ( internet growth ). Subsequently, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), the government agency responsible for telecommunications in India, launched the internet in the year 1995. It was perceived by the government of India that internet would be helpful in the following ways : 1. Open dialogue – The low cost networking would facilitate knowledge sharing, awareness of alternate perspectives and allow more open exchanges. 2. Improve governance – To raise the efficiency of the government by making it more transparent and enabling more public participation. 3. Improve social and human rights condition – Expand access to better quality education, health car, disaster relief capacity and other services. 4. Reduce poverty : Open new avenues and opportunities for income generation for the bypassed groups like women, rural people etc. 5. Introduce more economic opportunities – Through Ecommerce, and other applications of the internet, many new earning opportunities can be created. 6. Improve environmental management – through GIS, early warning systems and various other applications, the environment can be better managed. ( Internet growth) The government also rightfully perceived the emerging globalization phenomenon since 1980s. It was right in believing that if the nation had to survive in this scenario, giving information access to the public is a must, and behind internet, the facilities attached with it, like E-governance, E-Commerce and E-learning are also bound to come. For the first four years, VSNL had the monopoly to provide internet services and was the sole service provider. This monopoly was withdrawn in November 1998, and the field opened up for the private service providers. The terms were very liberal. There was no license fee and unlimited players were allowed to take part. Private ISPs were allowed to fix their own tariffs and set their own gateways also. The department of Telecom (DOT) has issued licenses to almost 100 ISPs in category ‘A’, which is for All India operations, and 220 each for category ‘B’ and ‘C’, which is for metros and state level circles, and medium and small cities, respectively. Out of these, about 184 ISPs have started their operations. ( Internet growth ). Government Initiatives The government of India has laid primary focus on development of internet in India. Some of the measures taken by it, to freely promote the use of internet are ; 1. Formulation of National telecom policy in 1999. Its target is to provide internet services to all district headquarters by 2002. 2. Provide license to private ISPs without any license fee up to October 2002. A token fee of Re. 1 ( 2 cents) per annum, to be levied from November 2003. 3. There is no restriction on the number of ISPs in all categories. 4. ISPs are given permission to set up international gateways by having business arrangement with Foreign Satellites Providers, and collaborators. 5. ISPs permitted to provide last mile access using radio and fiber optics. 6. ISPs also permitted to provide service through cable TV infrastructure /operators 7. Initiated an ambitious plan to develop National Internet Backbone (NIB). 8. Adopted the Information Technology act, a law recognizing electronic transactions and thus providing legal frame work for E-commerce in India 9. Internet telephony services opened up to private service providers from 1 April 2002 ( Internet growth ) Fats and figures The internet industry in India, can be described in the following table in a nut-shell: ISP licences issued Appx. 540 ISPs operational Appx. 185 Cities/towns covered Appx. 340 Internet subscribers Appx. 3. 3 million Cyber cafes/ public access kiosks Appx. 12000 In principle approval for setting up international gateways Appx. 45 ISPs Operational gateways by 8-9 ISPs 40 + Total estimated investment by ISPs Rs, 6000 crores Estimated investment in equipments By ISPs Rs. 2500 crores Estimated employment provided ( direct/ indirect ) 1. 1 lac ( Internet growth ) primary source : Internet services providers association of India. The Internet Growth in India During the initial years, when VSNL had a monopoly on this business, the growth rate was very slow, but no sooner private players were allowed, the growth in internet subscribers was substantial, as proved from the following table : Month/year subscriber base ( million ) August 1995 0. 01 March 1996 0. 05 March 1997 0.09 March 1998 0. 14 March 1999 0. 28 March 2000 0. 90 March 2001 3. 00 March 2002 3. 30 ( Internet Growth ) primary source : Internet services providers association of India Research results Some interesting results are also available from a research study conducted by Larry. Press, William Foster, Peter Wolcott and William McHenry, on the subject of comparison between the internet status in China and India. This paper was published in ‘ First Monday ‘, a Peer reviewed journal on the internet. The authors used a six dimensional framework which characterizes the state of internet in a nation. These are : 1. Pervasiveness : This parameter indicates the number of internet users per capita. 2. Geographic dispersion : This measure the concentration of internet within a nation from none or a single city to nationwide availability. 3. Organizational structure : This is a measure based on the state of the ISP industry and market conditions 4. Connectivity Infrastructure : This is based on domestic and international backbone bandwidth, exchange points and last mile access methods 5. Sectoral absorption – This is a measure of degree of internet utilization in education, business, health care and public sectors. These sectors are seen as key to development and were suggested by the United Nations Development Program. ( UNDP) Human development Index. 6. Sophistication of use – This measure ranks the usage from conventional to highly sophisticated and driving innovation. A conventional nation would be using Internet as substitute for other media like telephone and fax. Pervasiveness India needs to improve upon the following aspects to score more on the Interrnet pervasiveness factor. – With GDP per capita of $ 2358 and a dial-up tariff of $15. 75 per month for 30 hours usage, internet is still unaffordable to most of the Indian population. – With a tele density of 3. 6 in the year 2000, India ranks 145th on a global scale. This has to go up. – Electricity, personal computers and networking equipments are also expensive in India. There are estimated 6 million PCs in India. The equipment cost needs to come down. – Literary rate of India is rather poor at 52%. The secondary school enrollment rate is 39% and mean years of schooling for those who are 15 years and above is only 5. 1 % . Internet cannot spread unless the user is literate. – India has a large population which is very well conversed with English, which is the language mostly used in internet also. This works to India’s advantage. Geographic dispersion Reaching remote villages in the countryside is one of the major hindrance. Most of India’s population lives in villages. The huge investment required for Internet to become accessible from remote villages, is not justified. Low earth orbiting IP satellite technology may solve this problem in future, not only for India but many other developing nations also. Here Indian efforts are commendable. The ministry for Information technology has a working group on Information Technology for Masses that issued a report recommending about 56 actions in infrastructure and service, electronic governance, education and raising mass IT awareness in October 2000. Organizational infrastructure Largely due to a very complex political structure it is difficult to formulate and implement policies in India. The complexities are further enhanced by the law and judiciary system, government inefficiencies, and corruption. The organizational infra structure can be further improved upon, if these bottlenecks are removed. Connectivity infrastructure The key determinants to connectivity infrastructure are trade policy and other factors which encourage investment and the availability of skilled work force. India will see increase in trade as it implements its IT plans. India is also an early mover in software exports, which totaled to 8. 26 billion in 2001. The expatriate trained work force in Europe and United States is also playing a role in growth of internet in India. Most of them have formed joint ventures or set up subsidiaries, back home. This surely enhances the use of internet. Sectoral Absorption The schools and colleges of India have started using the internet on a wide scale, but there is considerable scope for improvement. E-governance and increase in trade will see increased use of internet in future, in India. The relative freedom of states in India is the determining factor here. In the health sector internet is hardly used. Sophistication of use Almost 70% of Indian population lives in villages. If Internet can improve rural education, health care, entertainment, news, economy etc. , the flow of people to the crowded cities can be diminished. India has several projects pursuing village connectivity, but there has not been widespread deployment. ( Press Larry, Foster William, Wolcott Peter & McHenry William ) The ISPs in India There are 183 ISPs in India in total. Out of these, those who have the All India license are as follows : ISPs having all-India licence include: BSNL CMC RPG Infotech Essel Shyam Communications Sify Siti Cable Network Gateway Systems (India) World Phone Internet Services VSNL Guj Info Petro Hughes Escorts Communications Astro India Networks Reliance Primus Telecommunications India ERNET India RailTel Corporation Data Infosys GTL Jumpp India L&T Finance HCL Infinet Primenet Global Tata Internet Services Tata Power Broadband Bharti Infotel Pacific Internet India In2Cable (India) Reliance Engineering Associates BG Broad India Swiftmail Communications Estel Communication Bharti Aquanet Trak Online Net India Spectra Net Reach Network India i2i Enterprise. Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Comsat Max Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Corporation HCL Comnet Systems and Services Harthway Cable ( Indiaonestop ) The role of BSNL in development of Internet in India Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, ( BSNL) the apex body which looks after the telecomm sector in India, was formed in 2000 as a public enterprise. It is India’s largest communication service provider and offers services throughout India, except New Delhi and Bombay. On March 31 2007, it had a customer base of 33. 7 million wirelines, 3. 6 million CDMA-WLL and 27. 5 GSM mobile subscribers. The credit of making Internet popular and affordable to the people of India goes to BSNL. It pioneered in offering the broadband services to its customers, at a unbelievably low rates, under its ‘home’ and ‘business plans’. The cheapest home plan is slated at Rs. 250/- for a usage of 1 GB. This is in sharp contrast to the expensive dial-up networking where the charge was time based, and used to be very high. These plans have become so popular in a short span of 2 years or so, that today, BSNL is the biggest ISP with a market share of about 50%. The Indian communications minister, Dayanidhi Maran, has declared the year 2007 as a ‘ year of broadband ’, and BSNL is targeting 5 million broadband connections by the end of the year 2007. BSNL has two major plans to be executed in the near future. One, to provide a speed of 2 Mb/sec on to all its broadband customers without any extra cost, and two, it is planning to upgrade its broadband services to triple play in 2007. Today, BSNL is India’s one of the largest PSU with a share capital of $ 3. 95 billion, and net worth of US $ 14. 32 billion. ( BSNL ) Most favored outsourcing hub – India The development of internet in India, has opened up many new venues. One of them is outsourcing of work to India. This trend started with outsourcing of medical transcription jobs, which later spread to database management, insurance and the financial sector. Today it has become an authentic hub which is most favored by all. India has got a new identity as a most favored nation for outsourcing. This would have never been possible, without the fast, affordable spread of the internet in India. Of course, India also benefits from its proficiency in English and the perfect time synchronization with the USA and UK. The work hours of USA are night hours in India and vice-versa. The work hours of UK synchronizes with 3 p. m. to 11 p. m. in India. Hence, a file can be sent at the end of the day from UK or USA, work on it is carried out when UK and USA sleep, and the processed file is back to them , when they start their work on the next day. Conclusion Internet is a modern day technological tool, which has considerable advantages. Development of Internet is related to increasing the number of people who can gain an access to it. It is a general assumption made by all, that if more and more people get an access to the Internet, the nation will automatically develop. All debates and research on this subject, is based on the number game. The basic question is : even if Internet is available to every one, will the development be automatic? It has to be borne in mind that Internet is a potentially dangerous tool also, capable of ruining lives, especially of youngsters, if not handled judiciously. Exactly this is happening in India. The government has only concentrated on the number game, taking it for granted that it will be used judiciously for betterment. So far, the only good internet has done is to fill the pockets of the players in this game and provide earning opportunities to a negligible percentage of the population. Any visible advantage to the nation, to the society or to the Indian culture is not witnessed at all. Another colossal mistake the government of India has made is, it has given importance to the IT sector, by bye passing other crucial areas like electric power, education, and health services. Including New Delhi, the capital India, compulsory daily power cuts are very regular !!! What to talk of other cities and the interiors? Hardly anything could be achieved, only by increasing the number of Internet users ! References 1. Internet growth, key learnings from India, Retrieved on 12 May 07 from: < http://www. internetpolicy. net/principles/021122india-lessons. pdf > 2. Press Larry, Foster William, Wolcott Peter & McHenry William, The Internet in India and China, First Monday, a Peer -reviewed journal on the internet, retrieved on 12 May 07 from : < http://www. firstmonday. org/issues/issue7_10/press/ > 3. Indiaonestop, retrieved on 12 May 07 from : < http://indiaonestop. com/ISPS. htm> 4. BSNL, wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 8 May 2007, retrieved on 12 May 07 from: < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/BSNL>.

Financial Market In Sri Lanka Accounting Essay

The purpose of this chapter is to put the phase and reexamine the fiscal market in Sri Lanka and to discourse the audit market with particular accent on the Big 4 audit houses. The demand and supply of companies and the general audit patterns used by companies are discussed subsequently. The background to the research further explains the ordinances on external audits while foregrounding both professional and legislative guidelines. Some characteristics of the external audit fees are discussed later.Fiscal market in Sri LankaSri Lanka ‘s fiscal system continues to stay stable and resilient underpinned by strong domestic economic growing in the face of increased hazards from the planetary macro-financial environment. This stableness is instrumental in making a favorable environment for depositors and investors, while promoting fiscal establishments and markets to work efficaciously and expeditiously, advancing investing and economic growing. Financial system stableness requires a stable fiscal and economic environment within an effectual regulative model and a safe and robust payment and colony system. The local fiscal landscape can be divided into the Money Market and the Capital Market severally. The Money Market where short-run interest- bearing assets with adulthoods of less than one twelvemonth, such as exchequer measures, commercial paper, and certifications of sedimentations are traded and ease the liquidness direction in the economic system. The Capital Market on the other manus is the market for trading in assets for adulthoods longer than one twelvemonth, such as exchequer bonds, private debt securities ( bonds and unsecured bonds ) and equities ( portions ) . Its intent is to ease the elevation of long-run financess. The Financial Market can be besides be classified harmonizing to instruments, such as the debt market and the equity market. The debt market is besides known as the Fixed Income Securities Market and its sections are the Government Securities Market ( exchequer measures and bonds ) and the Private Debt Securities Market ( commercial paper, private bonds and unsecured bonds ) . The fiscal system consists of the Central Bank, as the apex fiscal establishment, regulative authorization, fiscal establishment, a payment and colony system and a legal model. The fiscal system carries out the critical fiscal intermediation map of borrowing from excess units and loaning to shortage units. The Central Bank through its behavior of pecuniary policy influences the different sections of the Financial Market in changing grades. The Central Bank ‘s policy involvement rates have the greatest impact on a section of the Money Market called the inter-bank call money market and a section of the Fixed Income Securities Market, i.e. the Government Securities Market. The Central Bank may besides step in in the inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market, which is closely connected to the Money Market. One of the most of import maps of the fiscal system is to guarantee safety and efficiency in payments and security minutess. Fiscal substructure refers to the different systems that provide for the executing of both large-value and small-value payments. Payment and colony systems enable the transportation of money in the histories of fiscal establishments to settle fiscal duties between persons and establishments. ( Fiscal System Stability Review – Central Bank 2011 )Audited account market in Sri LankaThe Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka ( CA ) plays a critical function as the state ‘s exclusive authorization in explicating Accounting and Auditing Standards while adhering to the International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) . The Sri Lankan audit landscape is chiefly dominated by the Big 3 audit houses which are Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Ernst & A ; Young and KMPG. These audit giants account for the bulk of audit services across the listed companies. In add-on to these major participants BDO Partners, B. R. De Silva & A ; Company, Amerasekera & A ; Company, SMJS Associates, De Zoysa Associates, R N Associates, Nandimuttu & A ; Co, Ranwatta & A ; Co are some of the other auditing houses that compete in the general audit industry of Sri Lanka. These participants largely are involved in scrutinizing companies that are non listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.The game of Big 4 & A ; Non Big 4 audit housesThe largest web for accounting professional services identifies the Big 4 audit houses as the ‘Final four ‘ which is responsible for a bulk of audits for publically traded companies. This is largely due to the market portion of those four houses where other little houses could non vie with the top terminal work and besides that they are non dependable as hearers to big administrations. However in Sri Lanka it is noted that Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is non a outstanding participant and merely the other three audit houses are important within the industry. The stableness, credibleness and planetary presence that these companies offer are in fact significant. In a Sri Lankan context these companies have an border and go a formidable rival for about all the listed companies. Firm Gross Employees Fiscal Year Headquarterss Pricewaterhouse Peter coopers $ 29.2bn 169,000 2011 United Kingdom Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 28.8bn 182,000 2011 United States Ernst & A ; Young 22.9bn 152,000 2011 United Kingdom KMPG 22.7bn 145,000 2011 Nederlands Table: Financials of the Big 4 Audited account Firms Mention: Company Financials ( PWC 2011, E & A ; Y2011, KMPG 2011, Deloitte 2011 )Demand and SupplyIn footings of geographics, the American part histories for a 40 % and worsening portion of planetary combined grosss. From 2010 to 2011 nevertheless, the American part had a strong public presentation growing of 9.9 % . Europe has 44 % of combined house grosss and increased 5.4 % from 2010 to 2011, turning the slowest due to regional uncertainness. Asiatic grosss have more than doubled from $ 7 billion in 2004 to $ 17 billion in 2011, and grew a dramatic 17.4 % from 2010 to 2011. ( The 2011 Big Four Firm Performance Analysis ) Harmonizing to employee statistics, indicated in the Big 4 Performance analysis study for twelvemonth 2011 the four houses jointly employ staff of more than 65,000 across the Earth with 35,000 spouses. It besides indicates that the net employment increased by 36,000 from 2010 to 2011. This gives an indicant of how important these companies are and to what extent they dominate the full audit landscape.Regulations on external auditingAll listed companies should set up formal and crystalline agreements with regard to the concern monitoring patterns, typically overseen by the audit commission, and involves the application of accounting policies, fiscal coverage patterns, supervising guidelines, build relationships with the company hearers. Once this is finalised a listed company should obtain the services of a professional audit house. To this consequence the company must make out to the model on Sri Lankan Auditing criterions. The Companies Act of 2007 besides has a series of ordinances that need to be adhered to when choosing and commissioning the services or an external hearer. This is besides applicable in the event of altering the bing audit house. It is obligatory for listed companies to follow with the Sri Lankan Accounting Standards every bit good as the Listing Rules of the Colombo Stock Exchange when fixing audited fiscal statements which are included in their Annual Report. Consequently, one-year studies normally include audited fiscal statements of the Company, Director ‘s study and the revelations required by regulation 7.6 of the Listing Rules and must be circulated to stockholders before the termination of five ( 5 ) months from the terminal of the fiscal twelvemonth. This is one of the chief considerations that the listed companies must run into in order to follow with the demands mandated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Colombo Stock Exchange.Professional guidelinesThe Sri Lankan Auditing Standards are created on the International Standards on Auditing ( ISA ) published by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board ( IAASB ) of the International Federation of Accountants ( IFAC ) , with little alterations to run into local conditions and demands. It sets out the basic rules and related patterns and processs that apply to audits of fiscal statements. Hence this confirms conformity in all stuffs respect to the International Standards on Auditing. Under the Sri Lanka Accounting & A ; Auditing Standards Act No. 15 of 1995, conformity with these Standards is ineluctable when transporting out the audits of entities specified in the said Act. This Act non merely places the duty of following with these Standards on the Auditors entirely, but besides places a corresponding duty on the entity ‘s direction to take all sensible stairss to guarantee that these Standards are complied with in the behavior of the audits of their histories.Legislative guidelinesWhen analyzing the legislative model for the listed companies, it is the duty of the audit commissions of listed companies to find the audit procedure both internal and external. Audit commission duties in companies are to be enriched harmonizing to the Sri Lanka subdivision of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants which will make an extra bed of administration and answerability. This will guarantee that naming audit houses to carry on external audits will now rest in the custodies of these audit commissions which will supervise and supply transparence to the audit procedure. Stairss are taken to guarantee that all listed companies provide information publically on hearer independency. This corporate revelation has enabled more transparence into the audit procedure. Therefore hearers are bound to present comprehensive information on their independent study and hazard and internal control reappraisals. In the aftermath of important disagreements in corporate revelations in listed companies it is of import to observe that hearers merely give an sentiment of the true and just position of the fiscal statements taken as a whole, in footings of materiality, which is termed as a sensible confidence and non an absolute confidence, in conformity with the international accounting criterions.Features of external audit servicesAn external audit is a reappraisal of the fiscal statements or studies of an entity, normally a authorities or concern, by person non affiliated with the company or an bureau. External audits play a cardinal function in placing fiscal mistakes of concerns and authoritiess because they are conducted by outside persons and hence supply an impartial judgement. External audits are normally performed at regular intervals by concerns, and are typically required annually by jurisprudence for authoritiess. External audits are performed to confirm that the fiscal statements of an entity are right presented with a true and just position. They do non affect an existent accounting of a concern ‘ fiscal histories, but instead external audits are an independent rating of fiscal paperss provided to the party, that carries out the audit. For a private-sector concern, an external audit will typically include a reappraisal of the company ‘s quarterly or monthly fiscal studies every bit good as statements on grosss and expenditures to guarantee they are right presented. For authoritiess, an external audit will include a reappraisal of the budget, the distribution of financess and the disbursals to guarantee the budgeted grosss and disbursals were right compiled and used. An external audit will have a study sketching the hearer ‘s findings. This will by and large be a sum-up of the overall cogency of the fiscal statements and paperss as presented by the company or authorities which is normally presented as the Statement of Auditors in the Annual Reports. Should the external hearer uncover disagreements between the statements presented by the company and his findings, these will be noted in the study as good. The audit will frequently include fiscal suggestions for the entity as ways to better its overall fiscal standing and accounting patterns. The more of import characteristic of an external audit is the decision of the hearer. A favorable decision is indifferent grounds that the entity is describing fiscal informations right while a negative decision is a ruddy flag for hapless accounting patterns.DrumheadThe stableness of the fiscal market in Sri Lanka is a cardinal driver of economic growing and nutriment. Similarly the capital markets provide a gateway for foreign investing and excite growing flights. The Sri Lankan Auditing Standards board and the Institute of Charted Accountants are the top government organic structures that guarantee good patterns and transparence in the industry. In drumhead it was revealed that in Sri Lanka a bulk of the listed companies prefer to seek the services of three of the Big4 audit houses, viz. , Ernst & A ; Young, KMPG and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. There are some smaller audit houses that are non so important in supplying services to the listed companies. This chapter discusses the ordinances on external audits while emphasizing the importance of both professional and legislative guidelines. Appraisal of the external audit fees, its composing and services offered have been discussed from a Sri Lankan position.

The Lawn Tennis Association of England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Lawn Tennis Association of England - Essay Example A lot of attention has been given to the association and its plans in the recent past however, mainly due to the structural changes which took place in the LTA, allowing for young, highly skilled professionals to become associated with the organization, individuals who, in the long run aimed for British tennis to become more accessible to the masses. The LTA introduced its Blueprint for British Tennis in the year 2006 under the directorship of Roger Draper, a plan which documented the direction in which the board wanted to take the British Tennis in the future, and the means that the LTA would take in order to achieve the goals that it had set for itself in the long run. This essay discusses the Blueprint for British Tennis, its major components, highlights and discrepancies, and in general, presents a critical analysis of the plan that has been presented by the LTA as its modus operandi in the years to come. With a current following of about 26.9 million supporters, tennis is the second most popular sport after football (as per the number of people following its progress). Tennis, a game which originated in the United Kingdom in the eighteenth century, is a sport in which the British, ironically, have been lagging far behind than their contemporaries. The LTA is the main governing body of the sport of tennis and makes all management related decisions related to it. Apart from this, the LTA is also responsible for the long-term policy making for the betterment of the game and is actively involved in the selection, training, and development of the future generation of the British tennis players. Following is a summary of the organization’s work, its structure, and its major allies. Since the February of the year 2005, the LTA has been operating according to the new structure that was decided upon in the LTA council in 2004.

Stationary Cameras and Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stationary Cameras and Crime - Essay Example Different types of data were collected from this study. Firstly the people were asked to identify various crimes that took place in their locality. A nominal measurement scale which categorizes variables was used to collect data pertaining to different types of crime perpetrated in the locality. The majority of the people stated different types of crime like killing, attempted rape, physical assaults, robbery that took place. Secondly the people were asked to rate the crimes that were perpetrated in the order of the most frequently occurring crime. The ordinal data which indicates the order of attributes studied was measured on the scale of most frequently occurring crime on one extreme and the least occurring crime on the other end. The result showed that most of the people interviewed considered robbery and attempted rape as the most frequently occurring crime. Similarly killing was rated as the least occurring crime. Next there were questions pertaining to the usefulness of statio nary cameras for reducing crime. For this purpose, interval scales were used where all the levels of the scale are equal and which provide quantitative information. On a scale of one to five the respondents were asked to measure the use of cameras in reducing crime. It was found that the majority of the people considered it a very useful tool for combating crime. Finally open ended questions were presented to describe whether the crime rate has reduced after installing the cameras. Ratio scales which enable ratio comparisons were used to measure the amount of reduction in the crime rate. For this purpose the local authorities were questioned regarding the amount of cases registered after the installation of stationary cameras. It was found that there was reduction in the registered cases by 85 percent. Validity and reliability This test possesses three types of validity. First internal validity; the ratio scales and the interval scales showed that the use of cameras was effective in reducing crime. Thus it is seen that there is a causal relationship between the two variables which states its internal validity. Secondly the two variables also show a positive relationship which states their conclusion validity. Finally the construct validity is established as the study was successful in measuring the outcome of installation of cameras. The study however lacks external validity. These results cannot be generalized as they deal only with that particular location which is crime prone. A similar study would yield different results where the types and degrees of crime perpetrated as well as the locality is different. The test also possesses three types of reliability. First is the inter-rater reliability. The results showed that the majority of the people were in agreement of the types of crime perpetrated as wel l as the effectiveness of the stationary cameras in combating crime. This result established the inter-rater reliability. The second is the internal consistency reliability. The study showed that the majority of the people answered positively on the use of cameras as well as the reduction in crime rate after the installation. The study however lacks the test-retest reliability. The results of the study were obtained during a single occasion. As

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Questions - Essay Example 5) In light of this, one of the most appropriate assessments for these learners is the curriculum-based measurement (CBM). There are numerous studies that already proved the reliability of this tool not just in assessment but in monitoring growth in learning. According to Rachel Brown-Chidsey (2007), this method’s technical adequacy addresses the problem in ELL students such as the differences in the ELL students’ English speaking, reading and proficiencies. (p. 33) Another assessment tool advocated as an alternative for ELL students is the use of â€Å"portfolios†. These portfolios are collections of student work compiled over time and that, as Penny McKay (2006) put it, they provide a basis by which teachers accumulate and analyze a record of an ELL’s student’s achievement over time. An alternative assessment such as the â€Å"portfolio assessment† features the involvement of the learner. For instance, children should participate in the selection of the portfolio content (following established criteria for selection) as evidence of self-reflection is required. Also, most alternative assessment approaches have accurate individualized assessments where learning â€Å"discrimination† is implemented beginning at a level that increases the opportunity for success. Advocates of each of these alternative approaches stress that this individualized assessments systematically move the direction of the learning towards a more normative development. For ELL students, there are numerous advantages in using alternative assessments. Foremost of these is the individualized assessment that ensures accuracy in the evaluation of an ELL student’s learning development. These assessments also emphasize the discriminatory learning wherein an ELL student learns according to his or her learning capability. For example, Cedar Park Elementary introduced a bilingual education model wherein students are divided according to English proficiency. Kip and Hersholt (2006) documented

Paul Krugmans Why Inequality Matters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paul Krugmans Why Inequality Matters - Essay Example As a function of this, Krugman specifically focuses upon the gap between the rich and the poor, and the fact that this gap has been widening in the past several decades. In such a manner, the following analysis will seek to encapsulate the main arguments that are presented within the piece, discuss the relevance to the current form of governance that is being represented throughout the United States, and reference the impacts that this may likely have on international relations in the future. Through such a discussion and analysis, it is the hope of this particular author that the reader will be able to come to a more informed level of understanding and appreciation for the way in which such a seemingly unrelated piece can have a profound impact upon the way in which the United States could potentially interact with the world in the near future. The primary argument that Krugman represents is that the increased focus upon inequality is not the result of a top-down engagement of polit ics from a more socially minded government; rather, the focus upon inequality in the differential between â€Å"the rich and the rest† is the result of the fact that individual stakeholders within society have become more aware that runaway greed, inequality, and a reckless level of oligarchy have defined the way and the manner in which capitalism is represented within the United States (Krugman 1). As a means of delineating this new approach, Krugman draws upon the recent mayoral race in New York itself. Such gabber and unapologetic socialist being able to defeat all other candidates in an election can only be described as somewhat surprising in the face of what is currently known about American politics. Moreover, Krugman calls to the reader’s mind the understanding that a definitive shift to the left is taking place in the way in which President Obama is administering the nation, referencing the Affordable Health Care Act, the proposed expansion of Social Security, and a litany of other instances as proof of this. Whereas it may not immediately be seen, the salience that all of this has to international relations has to do with the fact that the United States will likely not continue to lag behind the rest of the world with regard to the overall importance that social spending has within any given budget. For years, the United States has spent a far smaller portion of its annual budget on social programs as compared to many other highly developed and wealthy nations throughout the globe. Yet, as Krugman notes, a shift is currently taking place that will likely see this trend reversed. Although this may not clearly point to a change in international relations, it must be noted that a further level of focus upon social programs and social spending domestically will inherently decrease the amount of money that is available for intervention and military engagement with the remainder of the world, thereby making the United States potentially more d ocile and less aggressive as regards direct levels of hard power that it would be willing and able to project throughout the world. From the information that has been presented, the only level of criticism that can be levied against Krugman’s interpretation is the lack of bipartisanship that he retains. Whereas discussing this issue from purely an economic or societal standpoint would have been effective, Krugman instead seeks to utilize his particular point of view as a talking point in support of President Obama. Although this is certainly allowable in terms of an opinion editorial piece, a far more effective level of engagement would have been to approach the issue of inequality from an

Michael Collins leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Michael Collins leadership - Assignment Example Michael Collin’s approach to leading the region is task oriented.   This means he prioritize and values the task or job more than his relationship with his people.   In his visit to the region, the orientation of his leadership is revealed where he cared less about the people and is more concern about tasks related concern such as the length of service, what they like about the company, areas of improvement and corporate culture.   In addition, Michael Collins also described himself as a Renaissance man who could do a lot of things but gets impatient with people.   I thought of Michael Collin’s leadership orientation as task oriented because he perceive the importance of job in terms of tasks and not of people.     If Michael Collin is a people oriented leader, he would have enjoyed his visit and interaction with his workers.  Ã‚   He would have differed in his assessment of his people where he would find the engagement more fruitful when his people truste d him enough to share frank information about the company and their job.   He would have asked how his people are feeling not only about their job but also with their coworkers and their boss.   I did not think Michael Collins as people oriented leader because he did not value much their opinion and suspected their motive.3.  How might an understanding of individualized leadership be useful to Collins with respect to his relationship with marketing versus store personnel?   Individualized leadership is a leadership whereby the leader has a strong interpersonal relationship.

Research paper proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposal - Research Paper Example (Hunt, 1) Therefore, this research paper is an endeavor to realize the various aspects of children's literature, including its history, characteristics, elements that make good children's literature, and how it formulates good readers etc. The annotated bibliography of this paper suggests the seminal elements in this research paper. The book Children's Literature: Developing Good Readers by Nuba, Sheiman, and Searson is a valuable resource in the study of children's literature as it deals with the history, the essential factors, etc of children's literature and introduces the area in great detail. This also helps in an analysis of the role of children's literature as the articles by eminent writers suggest how it creates good readers and includes a list of valuable resources of children's literature. The illustrated version of the text by Silvey is most valuable in a profound analysis of children's literature. The various entries in the text also help the researcher in dealing with the most essential and minute aspects of children's literature. ... Griswold, Jerry and Jerome Griswold. Feeling Like a Kid: Childhood and Children's Literature. JHU Press. 2006. P 1-148. The book by Jerry and Griswold has essential value in the research as develop on the five basic themes in classic and popular works of children's literature such as snugness, scariness, smallness, lightness, and aliveness. The discussions in the text also help one in determining the essential characteristics of children's literature and, therefore, it is a valuable resource for the research. Cecil, Nancy Lee and Patricia Roberts. Families in Children's Literature: A Resource Guide, Grades 4-8. Libraries Unlimited. 1998. This resource has a key role in the analysis of children's literature in relation to family and "teachers and librarians...find helpful activities for using children's literature as a resource to acquaint middle-school children with the myriad ways families of all races and cultures live." (Cecil and Roberts, xii) The book deals with diverse family groups, heritage and traditions, relationships and conflicts within families, etc in relation to children's literature. Hunt, Peter. Children's Literature. London: Blackwell Publishing. 2001. P 1. Hunt's book is most useful in understanding children's literature and its importance based on valuable theoretical perspectives. Along with a valuable account of the history of children's literature, the book also provides an essential guide to the writings by the most celebrated writers of children's literature. Therefore, this resource is an important contributor to the analysis of children's literature and its various essential elements. Works Cited Ballew, Vince and

The War on Democracy Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The War on Democracy - Movie Review Example The media announced Chavez’s resignation although no such move had been made. On the morning of 12th April 2002, Pedro Comino, a businessman, was sworn in as the new President without any elections. The American media and White House spokespersons supported the anti-Chavez picture. However, the Venezuelan masses took offensively to the new plutocratic government. Massive people protests ensued and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans surrounded the presidential palace. With the people’s support, the Presidential Guard retook the presidential palace again. Chavez sees the 2002 coup d’Ã ©tat as the acid test of democracy where the poor masses took to the streets in order to defend Chavez and democracy.The US government not only knew about the coup but it also backed the coup through covert funding under the umbrella of U. S. Aid and the National Endowment for Democracy. Some 2 million dollars were distributed in order to make the coup a success. The Venezuelan sit uation makes it clear that the government of the United States protects its interest at the cost of everything else. Latin American politics was and has been the United States centric. Moves in Washington to protect American interests on the South American continent, the Central American region and the Caribbean are undeniable. The United States has benefited from the cheap oil, gas and other mineral wealth from these regions but the people of these regions have suffered without a doubt. The rising poverty levels, the hoards of people living below the poverty line. and the dictatorial governments supported by the United States have all made the situation worse. The intrusion of the United States government in Latin American political affairs is not new by any means. The CIA removed the Albeniz government in Guatemala in the fifties. The CIA and anti-government factions ran an all out political and military campaign to oust and exile the President. After the ouster, U. S. Vice Presid ent Richard Nixon flew into Guatemala to congratulate the new dictator. This is comparable to the Espionage activities diverted against Cuba soon after Castro’s revolution. The four and a half decades long economic war against Cuba by the United States is unquestionable. The ordinary people in Cuba have suffered more than the Castro

Arsenic and Old Lace Essay Example for Free

Arsenic and Old Lace Essay The play opens in the living room of the Brewster home, where Abby and Martha Brewster, and their nephew, Teddy live. Teddy, who is rather crazy, believes himself to be Theodore Roosevelt. Mortimer enters and announces to his aunts that he intends to marry Elaine, the minister’s daughter, whom he is taking to a play that evening. Things begin to unravel as Mortimer lifts the lid to the window seat. He discovers the dead body of Mr. Hoskins and assumes that Teddy has killed him. However, Abby and Martha tell Mortimer that it was they who poisoned the man with their homemade elderberry wine and that he is the eleventh (or twelfth) gentleman they have poisoned. Meanwhile Teddy is down in the cellar digging what he believes is the Panama Canal but is in reality a grave. Mortimer and Teddys brother Jonathan arrives. Jonathan is accompanied by Dr. Einstein, a plastic surgeon. Dr. Einstein has operated on Jonathan so that he looks like Boris Karloff, the horror film star. Teddy invites Einstein to join him in the cellar, where he believes he is digging the Panama Canal. Einstein quickly returns and confides to Jonathan that there is a hole large enough to bury Mr. Spenalzo (a man Jonathan recently killed) after everyone goes to bed. Once the lights are out and everyone is supposedly asleep, Teddy goes to the window seat to get Mr. Hoskins. At the same time Jonathan and Einstein go to their car to get Mr. Spenalzo. Both plan on burying the bodies in the cellar. Lights blink on and off, bodies are moved from the window seat to the cellar to the car outside, accusations and threats fly back and forth. Due to the commotion at the house, Officer OHara stops by to make sure all is well. When he is sure that everything is alright, he shifts topics and asks Mortimer of a play he is writing. Just then, the lieutenant bursts in and recognizes Jonathan as an escapee from a prison for the criminally insane. Jonathan tells the officers about the bodies in the cellar, but they dont believe him and take him off to prison. Einstein gets away, and Teddy is certified insane and taken to the Happy Dale Sanitarium. Mortimer happily agrees when his aunts insist on going to Happy Dale with their nephew. The aunts then kindly inform Mortimer that he is actually not a member of the Brewster family. He was an illegitimate child and thus can marry Elaine without fear of passing the Brewster insanity on to his children. Mortimer happily departs, but before the women leave their house, they offer a drink to the head of Happy Dale, Mr. Witherspoon. Witherspoon is a lonely older gentleman, and he gladly accepts a glass of the spiked elderberry wine.

Voltaire In Writing Candide History Essay

Voltaire In Writing Candide History Essay Elaborate upon what advantages there might be for Voltaire in writing Candide as a satire (albeit a philosophical one), as opposed to an out-and-out philosophical essay. Satire: An artistic work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. Irony or caustic wit used to expose or attack human folly. American Heritage Dictionary. Voltaire was a French writer, philosopher and one of the leaders of the Enlightenment movement. Voltaire wrote with a critical attitude, yet presented the story of Candide in a humorous manner. The story is fictional, but based on real situations happening in the world at the time Voltaire wrote the story. Voltaire wrote Candide using a lot of satire and irony to get his philosophical points across regarding the main theme of book, optimism. The plot of the story is fast paced, and comes across pretty incredulous as the main characters narrowly escape death over and over again, allowing the chance for the tragedies to compound over and over again using the same characters. It is through all of these horrible experiences the characters in Candide endure that he mocks the idea of a perfect world (optimism), and ends up pointing out how indifferent the world is to humanity in general. One of the advantages to Voltaire writing Candide as a satire instead of a philosophical essay was that it kept him from getting thrown into jail, and potentially helped him to avoid persecution and death. At the time he wrote the book there were some significant events happening in history, and writing Candide was a way for Voltaire to convey information and opinion about the events without necessarily getting himself into trouble. Writing in this manner gave Voltaire the opportunity to make fun of the rich and famous, religion, and events prominent at that point in history. Additionally, writing his accounts in a satirical manner allowed him to criticize what was happening in Europe, by putting his fictional characters in realistic settings allowed him to explore current events. I can almost picture him using the excuse: Why, I wasnt talking about you, its just part of the story! A great example of optimism and irony is expressed in chapter five, where he draws attention to the Lis bon earthquake and the devastation it caused. Candide, injured in the earthquake and trapped underneath a pile of rubble, cries out for help from Pangloss, who comes back simply saying -But these earthquakes are nothing new. The city of Lima in America experienced the same tremors last year: same causes, same effects: there must certainly be a seam of sulphur running underground from Lima to Lisbon. Pangloss continues to assure all that This is all for the best. In chapter four, Pangloss is telling the story of how he contracted syphilis passed down through multiple encounters when he indicates that one of the encounters à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was a Jesuit who passed it to a page boyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ insinuating the Jesuits being homosexual, a sin in the Roman Catholic Church. He later then goes on to state that if it wasnt for Columbus bringing syphilis to the Americas in the spirit of all is for the bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ we wouldnt have the enjoyment of chocolate (the association of syphilis to chocolate in this story has sort of ruined it for me). Another example, leaning more towards a political genre regarding the Seven Year War, is in chapter 23 when Voltaire satirizes the actual death of British Naval Commander John Byng by execution on the deck of his own ship in Portsmouth harbor. In the story, Candide and Martin sail into the Portsmouth Harbor on a Dutch ship, discussing the conflict in North America between the French and the British over Canadian territory, Candide expressing his disdain for the fight over land that had more consequences than what was worth fighting for. In the story they come into Portsmouth Harbor spying on a British admiral who is being executed for failing to engage the enemy properly to win the battle. Candide speaks out What is all thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and what the devil is at work in this world? Why kill this admiral? the answer being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦He did not get enough people killed when he had the chanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but in this count ry it is considered useful now and again to shoot an admiral, to encourage the others. Candide being stunned and shocked by what he heard, refused to set foot on English soil and fled to Venice. This could have made a strong statement to readers, affecting their opinions of England during wartime, especially since the execution of John Byng was such significant event. Candide reminds me of a 1700 version of Saturday Night Live, with all the political and historical satire, done in a clever way as to not get the author in trouble with the masses, yet gets his points across to those who get it and understand the meaning behind the satire. Reflection: Part Two Identify some aspect of contemporary culture (in art, politics, media, science, religion, etc) that has been profoundly shaped by one (or more) of the philosophers weve studied during this course explain the reasons why you make this claim. The Age of Enlightenment, also referred to as the Age of Reason, is centered around a time in history when philosophy centered on reason being the primary source of authority and legitimacy. Enlightenment philosophers believed that science and reason led to progress, that knowledge was attainable by man, (not just a revelation from God), and that man wanted to free himself from existing religious worldview through scientific understanding. The Enlightenment movement developed simultaneously in Europe and the American colonies, and culminated with the liberation of America from England during the American Revolution. Enlightenment principles, developed by philosophers such as Voltaire, Hume and Locke, greatly influenced how the United States government was formed. Since Voltaire is the philosopher I understood the most, I will focus on his philosophies and beliefs. These Enlightenment philosophers had broadened their scope of criticism during this time in history to include religion and politics. Their opinions and ideals influenced the authors of the Declaration if Independence, and the United States Bill of Rights. Voltaire, famous for his satire and advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and free trade, are ideals that are alive and well today. He was outspoken on social reform despite the strict censorship and penalties in place that prosecuted the violators of that day and age. It is apparent that his philosophies on religion and politics have influenced our government and that those philosophies are still in play today. At the time Voltaire was writing his philosophical ideals, the idea of the Unites States was just being born, and as changes began taking place, like the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it indicated that individuals in Americas history were going beyond discussion o f enlightened ideas, like Voltaires philosophies, but were taking action on them. As far as religious influence, Voltaires ideals about the separation of church and state have probably been one his biggest influence in the American government. The concept of separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state. This all came about from Voltaires critical views on religion, reflecting his belief in the separation of church and state, formed after he had been exiled to England for a time. To explain, during the eighteenth century there was a big push to use rationalism to demonstrate the existence of God. Devotion, reverence and belief were integral parts in the exploration of natural philosophy and ethics in addition to political theories of the age. Voltaire considered himself a deist, expressing the idea what is faith? Is it to believe that which is evident? No. It is perfectly evident to my mind that there exists a necessary, eternal, supreme, and intelligent being. This is no matter of faith, but of reason. Deism is the philosophical belief in a deity based on reason, rather than religious revelation or dogma. Deism greatly influenced the thought of intellectuals and Founding Fathers, including James Madison, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. It is noted that The First Amendment to the Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, of course lending itself to individual interpretation, the establishment of separation of church and state. Philosophers like Voltaire really got the ball rolling and changed how people were thinking about government. People began to look more intuitively at how the government was run, and started questioning the authority of the rulers. The philosophers believed that written law needed to reflect the general will of the people. The Enlightenment is named so for good reasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the new ideas that sprang from this movement stated that individuals had rights and that government was a contract between the people and their ruler, and that under this contract both the ruler and citizens had rights and responsibilities. One sided rule was not acceptable anymore. The people wanted change from absolutism and the divine right of kings, and they wanted to have a say in how things were being done. An excellent example of enlightenment thinking is the Declaration of Independence, which marked the beginning of self government in America. In conclusion, Voltaire, along with other Enlightnement philosophers, had great influence in laying the foundation of law and shaping of our country.

Friendship in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay examples -- Kit

Friendship in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Theme: Real Friendships are more than a stubborn act; they are actions that surround your soul in order to uncover the truth that you're seeking in a friend. Friendship, as understood here, is a distinctively personal relationship that is grounded in a concern on the part of each friend for the welfare of the other, for the other's sake, and that involves some degree of intimacy. As such, friendship is undoubtedly central to our lives, in part because the special concern we have for our friends must have a place within a broader set of concerns, including moral concerns, and in part because our friends can help shape who we are as persons. Given this centrality, important questions arise concerning the justification of friendship and, in this context, whether it is permissible to ?trade up? when someone new comes along, as well as concerning the possibility of reconciling the demands of friendship with the demands of morality in cases in which the two seem to conflict. In the novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini explores the struggles that Amir faces that confront him on the path to manhood testing friendship. One of the highlights of their friendship is their competition in the kite fighting competitions that mark the start of winter in Kabul. Amir is a master kite fighter, and Hassan is a mysterious "kite runner? able to retrieve the fallen kites and bring them home as trophies. Amir and Hassan do wonderful things together like they are brothers, but still Amir tries to test Hassan?s loyalty all the time and still is afraid of accepting being Hassan?s true friend. ?Never Mind that we taught each other to ride a bicycle with no hands, or to bui... ...want to stay for a longer period of time with someone. But does this mean that we want to be friends with each other? Testing your friend?s loyalty in order to see how faithful they are is a fine idea, but when you get carried away it can cause negative feelings and possibly a loss of friendship. A real friend is not only a speaking mouth, but also a helping hand, and sometimes even a shoulder that you can depend on. A real friendship must be tested by a long period, sometimes for ten or more years. And of course, friendship can be promoted onto a higher level, such as love. If you both have love for each other, you will make good friendship. Amir?s ideal true friend was staring at him in the face all the time but it took a while for him to realize that Hassan was the one. Works Cited: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Canada: Random House, 2004.

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit and the two letters in The Color Purple

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit and the two letters in The Color Purple The Chapter 'Joshua' in Oranges are Not the Only Fruit and the two letters in The Color Purple, where Sofia returns and later gets brutally punished for her confrontation, both explore fundamental issues that characterize a lot of the essence of both novels as a whole. At the heart of both of these two sections is the idea of fighting for the truth and facing the consequences. Although Oranges are not the Only Fruit is written in a retrospective light and The Color Purple in epistolary and consecutively in chronological order, there are similarities within the two styles, they use similar techniques in getting across certain issues. The novels use the people around Jeanette and Celie to convey oppression and hope. Janet's church people and mother have found out about her "unnatural passions" for Melanie. To them their opinion at its wrongs and sinfulness is not opinion but fact. Thus for Janet's "own benefit" they lock her up with no food or light, inflicting an exorcism on her. They believe she is demon possessed and want to rid her of the evil. In this period of confinement, Jeanette questions her sexuality and its wrongs. She states: "Can love really belong to the demon." She realizes that her feelings are not from external influences, but rather from herself. - "If they want to get at my demon they'll have to get me." She is controlled with the idea of the church, and at the same time the naturalness she feels with the feelings: "Demons are evil, aren't they?" She then goes on to say: "But in the Bible you keep getting driven out." - "Don't believe all you read." This in itself is addressing the idea of oppression from the chu... ...d this gives way to the proceedings in the novel as a whole. In The Color Purple, we are left with Celie caring for Sofia who has been so brutally to the ground. Sofia was imprisoned and left to face the circumstances for standing up for what is right. She is thus a heroine in her own right and is an example for Celie. Jeanette was imprisoned (exorcism) and came out of it knowing that she was going to put up a fight for her own truth and to face the circumstances. In Oranges are Not the Only Fruit as a whole, the "Joshua" section stands for truth and Jeanette decides to fight and this indicates the future progression of the novel. In The Color Purple, Celie sees truth being fought for and the result of this fight. These gives her determination and if can fight like that, she can at least fight against male patriarchal Oppression and her love for Slug.

An Evaluation of the Article: Why Looks Are the Last Bastion of Discrim

In today’s job market, there are many reasons an individual could be turned down for employment. According to Deborah Rhodes, author of â€Å"Why looks are the last bastion of discrimination†, appearance should not be one of them. Rhodes is a law professor at Stanford and holder of numerous titles for her outstanding work in legal matters. She is also the author and co-author of over 250 articles (Directory). In this article, she addresses an issue with profound impact on today’s society. She proposes that appearance discrimination should be included in anti-discrimination laws in addition to what is already accepted and legalized in today’s workplace. While it is a seemingly â€Å"silly† concern, it is actually quite valid. There has been many a concern over discrimination. That is, discrimination based on race, color, gender, and others of a similar nature in the work environment. Mainly, the article focuses on the injustices people have encountered in a work environment. Rhodes appeals to her audience as everyday â€Å"average† people who identify with the plight of another. Although she makes a compelling argument referencing studies and personal stories of people this has happened to, there are flaws in her argument that could discredit the validity of her reasoning. The logic in her article highly finds favor with the general working public. It is both consistent and appropriate. However, it is not complete, nor fully believable. I will discuss the following in the next paragraphs. Her use of research and anecdotes are mostly one-sided and while it brings valid points for the workers, fail to portray opposing views on the issue, that of the employer. She also neglects to further explore and compare the validity of this claim against wel... ...al." Fox News. 05 Apr. 2012. FOX News Network. 31 Mar. 2014 . "Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices." Prohibited Practices. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 30 Mar. 2014 . Rhodes, Deborah L. "Why looks are the last bastion of discrimination." Washington Post. 23 May 2010. The Washington Post. 26 Mar. 2014 . Thompson, Krissah. "Michelle Obama invokes U.S. civil rights movement in China visit." Washington Post. 24 Mar. 2014. The Washington Post. 25 Mar. 2014 .

How War Is Necessary Essay

War has been with mankind for many millenniums. The reasons for wars in mankind’s history have all been various, however one big reason for war is that countries want to grow bigger, by taking over one another. Throughout history, rulers would not be satisfied with the amount of land that they had or wanted to spread their beliefs around the world. So, they did it by trying to take over others. However, some didn’t want to give up their land or change, so they fought. Fighting these wars are, however, necessary no matter what people believe. This is because fighting them and winning will stop them from controlling others. Some wars that stopped countries from controlling others are the second world war, the war in Vietnam, and the Revolutionary war. However, there are claims that the Vietnam war could’ve been avoided, but there would’ve been consequences for going to war. War is necessary because it’s a way to try to stop countries from dominating o ver others and controlling them. There are many ways that war has stopped countries from controlling one another. Firstly, the Vietnamese war was necessary because, the war would’ve stopped the spreading of communism to neighboring asian countries, also known as the â€Å"domino theory†. The idea of communism started with the election of Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam. Kennedy wasn’t concerned with Vietnam until Lyndon B Johnson called Ngo Dinh Diem the â€Å"Winston Churchill of Asia† because, Diem was the only one trying to resist the communists and Johnson promised to help him. Noam Chomsky, a US philosopher, stated that if a country better its economy due to communism, neighboring countries would try to improve their economy using communism, as seen when China influenced North Vietnam. Had communism been successfully spread to South Vietnam, then Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. Also, other countries would’ve lost faith in the US for not protecting S.Vietnam in their time of need. This shows that the US needed to fight this war to stop the communistic ideals from spreading to countries and to keep the confidence of other countries around the world, so that they could help the US when the US needs them. The second world war as necessary becau se, it showed how the world responds to a fascist ruler controlling a major country, trying to claim the world. It also showed how the US would react when attacked by another major country. Hitler want to create a â€Å"master race†, which was blonde-haired, blue-eyed people. So when he came into power, he had convinced the german people that jewish people were less than humans and should be treated as such. Thus he started taking over various countries in Europe and started killing jewish people to start his plan. While that was happening, the US was maintaining neutrality and supplying Britain, Russia, and China with weapons until the japanese attacked pearl harbor on December 1941. The US then declared war on Japan and fought in the Pacific theater until August 15th, 1945. Had the axis powers won World War II, North America and South America would be surrounded by dictators ready to destroy democracy and take over the world. Also, Hitler’s plan would’ve proba bly been completed and the world would’ve been comprised of blonde, blue-eyed people. However, the war told us that when we are concerned with individualism, we become selfish and corrupted or under the influence of corrupted selfish nations. This war was needed because, when one tries to dominate and take over another country, we become blinded and end falling. We need teamwork to stay strong in the world. Finally, the Revolutionary War was necessary because, it allowed rights normally granted by the king, to be for every single individual. It also sparked other revolutions, along with stopping Britian from controlling the colonies. When the French Indian War concluded, King George III made the Proclamation of 1763, which stated that no colonists may settle west of the Appalachian and anyone other than Indians there had to move from the area. The Boston Massacre also brought them closer to the revolution, because British soldiers killed 5 civilians for calling them names. The Stamp Act of 1765, Townshend Act of 1767, and the Tea Act of 1773, were all attempt of Britian to try and control the colonies in North America. However after the war, the Declaration of Independence was signed and Britian let the colonies rule themselves. With this newfound freedom, the colonists were allowed to trade with anyone they wanted, colonize past the Appalachian Mountains, set up a new government and th e British moved out of the colonies. Had the colonists lost the war, the US would probably still be under British rule to this day. Even with all this evidence that war is necessary, people still see war as a terrible thing. Going back to the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese War could’ve been avoided because the US could’ve stayed neutral and let the problem in Vietnam blow over, instead of sacrificing 50,000 men. The war would’ve been avoided and Vietnam would’ve became a communist country along with possibly, part of Asia. Robert McNamara, defense chief under John F Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson, says that he doubted Vietnam would let China or Russia use them as a base, but that’s the US had feared at the time. The US had feared that China or Russia would use them as a base they could use to control more parts of Asia. The Vietnamese could’ve probably fought the war themselves and probably resisted the communistic ways of China and/or Russia. The belief about if war is needed in the world or not cuts both ways. Either that it helps bring everlasting peace in the world closer or it’s useless and all it does is kill off innocent people. War is a big thing that stops countries from trying to gain total global domination or keeping them at bay until they give up. Until that happens, there will be allies who will attack at a moments notice when a country is trying to bite off more than it can chew.There are so many more examples of how war is necessary in the world that this would be a lot longer than it is already. The concept of war may seem bad, but in the end, it’s all worth it.

Younger Generation Spending More Time Indoors

Children today seem to spend far too long inside with computer games, watching TV and videos. This is definitely bad in some ways because children should develop outdoor pursuits such as football, cricket and basketball that would make them healthy now and in their later lives. If they don? t learn to play sports when they? re young, it is unlikely that they will develop these healthy habits later in life and the results can be seen today in the higher levels of obesity and related illnesses such as diabetes.When I was young I had only sports to keep me occupied and I am grateful now that I still love and play the sports of my youth. On the other hand the world today is dominated by computers and electronics so it? s important that children learn to like and understand computers and technology early in life. The older generation didn? t have the opportunity to have this electronic entertainment and so don? t understand the attraction.In conclusion I would certainly agree that it is b ad and unhealthy for children to spend all their time indoors with electronic entertainment. I don? t think all children are too dependent on electronic entertainment but too many definitely are. We cannot expect though that children will totally ignore today? s technologies and it is important that they grow up with awareness and understanding of these things that will dominate their later lives. I believe it is up to parents to guide and encourage a reasonable mixture of both indoor and outdoor pursuits.

Analysis of Language Essay

â€Å"Keyed in† published by Internet blogger Voxi is a persuasive article regarding the technological boom being experienced by not only today’s youth but by society in general. Published on May 23, 2009 on website Ctrl Alt â€Å"Keyed in† Voxi, contends that society and its members should herald the implementation of new technology and welcome it with open arms, contrasting the internet with great historical discoveries such as Darwinism and the reorganisation of the cosmos. The title itself has a double meaning, the first and most obvious of which is the literal keyboard associated with technology and the second refers to those who are keyed in to an ever-changing society and willing to move with it as opposed to be left behind. The article begins with a non-confrontational tone however throughout Voxi begins to show a more compelling tone. Accompanying Voxi’s article is a picture of a human head withholding a microchip that projects multiple layers, th e main point of this is to make the reader think about how technology has been embedded into the core of society and implemented into every layer of the world today. Voxi’s contention is pro digital technology and is this is strategically withheld until the 5th paragraph so that readers will read on, curious of the writers contention Voxi continuously simplifies and exemplifies his arguments through metaphoric language, allowing for readers to fully comprehend his opinion whilst addressing the additional attention required. By contrasting people who embrace technology with â€Å"the grit [of] an oyster†, readers are initially made to regard individuals who accept change as stubborn, unwanted members of society. However Voxi diverts this analogy, positively presenting these â€Å"gritty people† by explaining how oysters â€Å"produce pearls†. Readers are allowed to distinguish the relationship between the beauty of pearls, with the accomplishments of those who wish to make â€Å"things better†, evoking gratitude towards these individuals who â€Å"ask questions†. Through the inclusion of television series â€Å"The Inventors†, Voxi aims his opinion piece towards those who enjoy witnessing the progression of technology into exciting ventures. By correlating the â€Å"gritt y people† with individuals who eventually enter the show, Voxi aspires to present readers with members of  society who wish to improve quality of life. As readers witness the potential benefits of change in their lives, they feel inclined to accept the alterations in all forms, including technology. Voxi introduces readers to the concept of beneficial change prior to his contention of digital technology being a great opportunity for humanity, as a way of creating susceptibility within readers towards accepting alterations in life. The writer promotes the â€Å"digital revolution† through a quick succession of psychological benefits, in that humans will â€Å"solve the riddles of the universe, find cures faster [and] find ways of preserving the planet†. By presenting a promising future, readers are encouraged to embrace such hope and reject the â€Å"boundaries of darkness†. Through using the comical term â€Å"homo supersapien†, Voxi introduces readers to a more relaxed aspect of his opinion piece, using a less eccentric tone to formulate the possibility of an advanced race of humans. The writer further explains how this superior human species will be capable of â€Å"ending war and violence†, exciting readers to the prospect of world peace. By expressing an aspect of world culture wished by all members of society, Voxi instruments his argument to appeal to reader’s humanity. However Voxi also notes to include the flaws in his argument, through the inclusion of a podcast which consist of the negative attributes associated with technology, such as â€Å"the digital world is a world†¦where nothing has meaning†. The podcast itself is efficient through repetitive language in â€Å"a world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  so as to emphasise the significance of technology on society. By demonstrating that he is unbiased towards the subject, the writer positions readers to be more accepting of his contention as they are exposed to both aspects of the debate, and so are allowed to establish an opinion on the issue themselves. By revealing both facets of the dilemma, Voxi gains readers trust as they are not mislead or withheld from information. The fear of privacy invasion is also addressed, in that Voxi offers relatively simple solutions to an initially complex problem. As a major concern in the development of technology is privacy issues, Voxi explains how â€Å"you can protest† and â€Å"get them removed† if worried. By confronting the  issue and proposing an answer reader’s trust in the writer is reinforced, as he has for the second time confronted a flaw in his argument. Voxi capitalises on this technique by proceeding to include the rhetorical question, â€Å"why wouldn’t you want it in your life?†, so as to impose a one-directional response from readers who proceed to feel pressured to comply with the writer’s contention. Voxi repeats this methodology when addressing the concerns of older readers, when he asks â€Å"What’s there to be afraid of?†. By yielding no obvious response, these individuals are inclined to consider Voxi’s answer and consequently accept it. The writer alters the form of writing to be more personal, by noting that â€Å"hot air balloons are always†¦looking into my windows too†. This is so as to subdue reader concerns for safety in light of technological advancements, by reminding them that he too is an ordinary member of society. By expressing his contempt attitude towards the risk involved with â€Å"digital revolution†, concerned readers are comforted and are less inclined to oppose the writer. Voxi later described individuals who reject technology as â€Å"losers†, implementing a direct attack on people who oppose his contention. Such action is done so as to direct readers to feel part of the majority, playing on the instinctual desire of humans to belong. The strategic placement of this assault at the conclusion of the opinion piece, infers that this last technique is aimed towards readers who are yet to comply with the writer’s argument. Through both inclusive and attacking language, the writer evokes compliance from readers, by allowing them to relate to him and feel pressured to accept the contention. By including flaws the writer gains reader support as they are not mislead and denied information, further reinforcing the argument that the â€Å"digital revolution† should be embraced, and without it you won’t be â€Å"in touch and connected†.

Comparative Analysis of Islamic and Conventional Bank Risk Essay

The decline of the religion has been attributed into modern times with a materialistic culture by the popular wisdom of today, the understanding of religion has embedded this view, as nature having only spiritual limits, and the worldly well being of an individual is very detached in this relation. However, this understanding of Islam religion has been misguided by many of among us in the past, as well as in the present. A critical role has been played by every religion regarding the guidance to survive in a society communally, and in the characterization of different markets of that time. In the religious regards, equal distribution of wealth and debt annulment was preached and emphasized by every religion in the past. The enforcement of the debt bond has been strongly rejected by all the beliefs and the concept of canceling the debt have been upheld by them. In the past, in order to satisfy and fulfill the financial needs of devout and pious Muslims, a concept of money depository was introduced in the Islamic civilization, which has now become a growing phenomenon of the world, that is, around 1. 6 billion Muslims in the world. The macro-economic properties of banking institution have been studies by many economists with relation to an ideal and isolated Islamic economy framework. In modern days, the working of this pioneering financial system is going on very effectively in various parts of the world. In many developed and under-developed countries, the other conventional banking systems are having this unique financing system besides them in every sector of the economy. In this regard, the comparative analysis has been done in this study, which will try to differentiate the Islamic banking system with the Conventional ones. In this study, we will try to understand and clarify the demarcation between the Islamic and Conventional Banking and the risks that are borne by these methods of banking. A financial intermediary having the aims and objectives related to the principles of Islamic law or ‘Shariah’ may be defined as an Islamic Banking System. Consequently, the zero-interest activities and operations are the key features of this distinctive banking system. However, eliminating the transactions based on interest is not the only objective of Islamic banking. The abolishment of all kinds of exploitation is also another aspect of Islamic banking system. In result, a balanced and unbiased social order is established by the system in this regard. Only the role of financier is not played by an Islamic bank. It also works as a partner in the business of an individual. Due to this, the risk between the capital owner and the entrepreneurs is involved by this system. However, the positive result of the collective efforts is also shared by the Islamic banking. Thus, the other conventional banking and interest-based system differs from the Islamic banking, as only the entrepreneur or the owner of the capital bears the risk in the conventional banking, and vice versa. However, the individual and bank shares the abovementioned with each other, which provides the entrepreneur to develop as a whole. In other way, participatory banking name can be given to the Islamic banking in this regard. In the Islamic economics, zero return on capital is not meant by the eliminating process of the interest in this unique banking system, as the pre-determination of a fixed return is forbidden for a certain amount of production in the Islamic laws. The equity based investment principle is followed by the Islamic banks. The contraction of the resources based on deals relating to the sharing of risks, and the ventures of capital is also proposed by the Islamic banking. It has been noted by the economists that economic growth and development of an individual becomes applicable and easy with the vital role that is played by the Islamic banks around the world. We can say that a relationship between finance, commerce, and industry is tried and developed by this exclusive banking system, which differs from the other conventional banking due to these characteristics of its system. The Islamic banking plays its role as an equity-based system, where the pre-determined interest rate is excluded, and the nominal value of deposits is not guaranteed. In result, changing values of the share deposits absorbs the shock to asset position immediately. Therefore, in such system, the assets and liabilities of bank will carry the same real value at all the points. However, in the more traditional and conventional banking system, a diversion can be caused between the real assets and liabilities by such shocks in the process of fixed nominal value of deposits. Therefore, the abovementioned features of this Islamic banking differs it from the traditional and conventional banking system, and so, various levels of risks are borne by these systems. Nowadays, many countries are trying to examine the possibilities of the introduction of an interest-free banking system based on the Islamic laws and principles. It has also been argued and discussed that if the Islamic financial system will be established in the various countries, it will be feasible, but also profitable for the individuals, as well as, the companies as a whole. These days, the truth of interest as an unbearable burden is being realized by the Western countries, as well as, the developing countries around the world. In this regard, all the interests have been waived by the Canada. A similar move has been made by the Australia. The suggestion of waiving off the 30 to 35% of the present interests of the debt has been officially given by the President of France. Therefore, it may be generalized that Islamic Banking and Financing System is a unique and distinctive system, which differs from the conventional banking systems around the world. In order to make a more detailed comparative view of the working and risks borne by the Islamic and Conventional Banking Systems, we will try to analyze with the help of data that represents the comparison between these two financial systems that are applied and practiced around the world. There are some different and diverse characteristics of the abovementioned two banking systems, which should be discussed in order to clarify the comparison between them. In the Islamic Financing system, the number of customers is less than the Marketing-based financing system. The ownership of the Islamic Banking is usually taken by the local or foreign individuals. However, only the local shareholders enjoy the ownership in the conventional banking system. In the Islamic banking, the integration of different activities is very high as compared to the traditional banking system. Lastly, the Islamic financing system has the high intensity of managing and bearing the risk internally, as well as externally. However, the risk is managed and borne by the Marketing-based financing system less internally and externally. Risk sharing is closely related to the risk management; no matter it may be external or internal in its nature. Development of close ties between the customers, and other interest groups may bring the risk externalization by an organization. It has also been indicated by various economists that one contributing factor that is related to the risk management is the long-term relations, which are made on the mutual dependence in an organization. From the different studies related to the Islamic Financing System, the responsibilities are shared by the junior and the senior staff jointly in organizations. In this case, the higher and lower level of management shares the risk. However, in the Marketing-based and Conventional Banking system, the internal risk is shared on a lower basis due to the centralization of power and authority, as compared to the Islamic Banking System. Conclusively, a high degree of the sharing of internal risk is characterized during managing the risk management in the Islamic Banking system as compared to the other conventional financing systems. Therefore, there are many differentiation between the Islamic and Traditional Banking systems around the world. Regarding the risk externalization, in the Islamic Banking system, the close lender-borrower relationships are characterized during the lending activities of organizations. The borrowers are also guided by the Islamic bankers apart from lending funds to them. In result, efficient network relationships create the increment of the externalization of risks relating to the partners who exchange in this regard. Therefore, in the Islamic Financing System, the degree of external risk is observed to be high. However, the formal lenders-borrowers relationships are characterized within the Conventional and Marketing-based financing system. In the result, it is a low degree of externalization of risks in this traditional banking system. In this regard, the extent of success of a banking organization is determined by the lender-borrower relationships, where the customers are given credit in this regard. Direct contacts with the various customers are maintained within the Islamic, as well as, the Conventional Financing Systems. The differentiation is observed in the Islamic Banking System while dealing with the financial activities, as the borrowed funds are monitored closely by these bankers, which results in the higher intensity of the lender-borrower relationships. In this regard, the risks are borne on a higher extent by the Islamic Banking system as compared to the conventional ones. However, the bank gets the higher profit as we have tried to discuss it in the abovementioned matter. Conclusively, the issues of fairness and justice are concerned in the Islamic principles that are related to the interest, rather than defining the efficiency narrowly. The focus is placed on the necessity of sharing the risk in a stable condition with the help of these principles, as well as, at the time of exploitation of the markets. We have also clarified that the Islamic Financing System works on the equity-based projects. However, the conventional ones prefer the debit-based schemes for the lenders and individuals. In an Islamic financing situation, the ownership is shared by the both bank and the client, and in the Conventional banking, all the equity is owned by the client, and the property value plays as a security to the bank loan. We hope that this study will help the scholars and the economists in understanding the role and differentiation of the Islamic & Conventional Banking around the world. Works Cited Ahmad, S. (1992). Towards Interest-Free Banking. New Delhi: International Islamic Publishers. Chapra, M. (2000). The Future of Economics: An Islamic Perspective. Leicester, UK: The Islamic Foundation. Dar, A. H. , and Presley, J. R. (1999). Islamic Finance: A Western Perspective. International Journal of Islamic Financial Services. Dar, A. (2002). Islamic House Financing in the United Kingdom: Problems, Challenges, and Prospects. Ahmad, K. (1994). Elimination of Riba: Concepts and Problems, Response to the Supreme Court Questionnaire. Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Most effective CIO strategy for effective strategic IT planning Research Paper

Most effective CIO strategy for effective strategic IT planning - Research Paper Example This is because different countries world wide have their various policies which may affect the organization’s strategic objectives. Security of international operations and the organization’s planned information is another problem of creating an organization’s information technology plan. This is because the process involves the organizations infrastructure and its quality of information. Moreover in the world where technology is almost interconnected there is a probability of the organization to interfere with or illegitimately fake other organizations objectives as suggested by Schwalbe (2009). However the organization’s strategic objectives can also be interfered with due to the insecurity of information technology resulting from the connectedness. The cost of using information technology as well as the balance sheet implication has been a problem in developing an organizations information technology plan for its strategic objectives. This can be attributed to the fact that creating such a plan may need the organization to employ IT professionals or offer more training to its experts. This is costly as might not be within the organizations budget plan. As a result the organization ends up suffering more expenses which affect its operation as they are planned. The organization may also face the problem of integrating new technology with existing technology in data collection in order to create the information technology plan. This is due to the increasing web based applications, imaging systems, cellular and mobile phones, and electronic filing among others. The organization’s Information technology experts may not be familiar with the new technology hence end up developing a substandard IT Plan. The environment of the organization may not be conducive for developing an information technology plan for some

Database Architecture for GEMLCA Resource Availability Research Paper

Database Architecture for GEMLCA Resource Availability - Research Paper Example GEMLCA or Grid Execution Management for Legacy Code Architecture is a language independent solution used to deploy existing legacy code applications as a Grid service. Any application written in any language can be deployed as a grid service without the need of even legacy code i.e. binary codes and source code. It is a computing system consisting of PC clusters. Legacy applications are deployed on these servers as grid services. Compute servers are then accessed by various grid clients for required resources. Grid host environment is used to implement service-oriented grid layer which is based on Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) specifications e.g. GT3, GT4, g-Lite or the OMII middleware. This layer is required to connect computer server to OSGA built grid. The selected grid should allow the grid clients to access legacy applications available in computer servers like a grid or web services. Administrators should be able to deploy new legacy applications on computer server using different job managers like Condor, Fork, PBS, etc. GEMLCA resources are consists of legacy codes which are deployed as grid services. These resources are installed on the computer server. GEMLCA Resource layer manages the interaction between Grid services and Grid Host Environment. Resource Layer is used for the following purposes: Deploying legacy applications as Grid services Querying the GEMLCA resources and get the list of available legacy applications getting the list of legacy parameters with default values and allow the user to modify these submitting legacy jobs to a job manager querying the status of previously submitted legacy jobs retrieving results from legacy applications GEMLCA Resource layer has the following three services: GLCAdmin It deploys a legacy application as a Grid service. GLCList It searches for legacy applications available over a grid. GLC Process It manages the workflow processes over Grid such as submitting a legacy application using GEMLCA and getting job status and results back.

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Reflection paper - Essay Example However, the concept internalization is dependent on the preceding class lessons and exposure to interaction with the lessons learnt (Bradshaw, 2001). Teachers too need a grasp of this learning cycle that students go through in order to structure their lessons in such a manner to boost interaction and merging the theoretical information and the practical or the real aspects. Understanding by a first grade is different from being a fifth grade based on the perception of simple key facts. Kindergarten and first grade students know content mostly by experiencing and making a comparison with their life. On the other hand, second grade students are better informed than their successors because they know the content by still fumble with a solid understanding. Fourth and fifth grade students can be thought of to have come off the confusion stage owing to their ability to just know and understand what they are dealing with. The article proposes a research on students to be able to understand how they know. It is true that teachers who put their students through assessment ought to understand them better are better prepared to structure their curricula into one that meets their needs effectively (Bradshaw, 2001). After the research teachers come to the realization that experience to students is a crucial affair. It guides in understanding the students level of articulating issues and the approach