Prison Overcrowding in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prison Overcrowding in the United States - Essay Example This has led into inmates being forced into open dormitories and double-bunking in a single cell. Many critics have termed such overcrowding as dehumanizing and degrading for inmates. It is also contradictory to the present correctional reforms that emphasize on maximizing the opportunities that are available to inmates (Farrington 222). The United States reports the highest number of incarceration rate in the world. At the end of the year 2009, the incarceration rate was 743 adults per 100,000 people. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics quotes that 2,266,800 people were incarcerated in the US state, federal and county jails by the end of 2010. This is approximately 0.7% of the US adult resident population. In addition, there were 4,933,667 adults by the end of 2009, who were on parole or probation. Therefore, the total number of adults under correctional supervision totals to 7,225,800. This is approximately 3% of the total population of US adults (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics). The number of juvenile detentions was 86, 927 in 2007. Despite this increased numbers, the crime rates have been shown to be on the decrease. 70% of prisoners in the US are non-white. The states with the highest ratio of incarceration include Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi. Approximately 90% of the inmates comprise males. The total number of foreign prisoners is estimated at 6% (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics). There are several causes of this pertinent issue. There has been an increase on the number of offenders that are sent to prison. This can be attributed to high rates of recidivism, which have been on the rise. There has been an increased rate of offenders that return to prison for unsuccessfully completing or violating community supervision. The increased number of offenders can also be attributed to new criminal offences that have been added to the penal code. Certain types of offenses have harsher penalties resulting in

Health Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Literacy - Essay Example The websites have authority because they include the people responsible for their content such as verifying the legitimacy of the website and authors’ qualification for writing health journals and articles (Eysenbach, 2002). In terms of coverage, the websites successfully address the topics clearly and provide supporting evidence for any assertions made. Websites that address pharmacy concerns include http://www.diahome.org/en-US.aspx, https://www.medicare.gov/ and http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/. The websites are very objectives because their content is supported by evidence and is not biased. They are updated regularly and the content displayed is current, with dates posted and updated indicated within the web pages. They are well maintained, with user friendly features that allow easy navigation. Websites that address health care topics include https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/cshcn/, https://www.healthcare.gov/ and http://www.hrsa.gov/. They cover the topics comprehensively, and present supportive evidence for arguments. They address information needs of their target audience in a simple manner. The websites appear organize with links that open quickly to display content (Eysenbach, 2002). The sites appear well maintained and often updated to maintain currency of their content. Websites addressing health concerns include: https://www.healthconcerns.com/, http://www.mentalhealthconcern.org/ and http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/issues/policy. These sites are accurate because they list the sources of factual information and avoid grammatical errors. They are objective in that the information provided is free from. The sites cover the topics comprehensively, addressing key areas in a brief but precise way. They avoid medical jargon to make their content easy to understand for all

Financial Performance of BRALIRWA

Financial Performance of BRALIRWA This chapter presents the theoretical framework used to evaluate the financial performance of BRALIRWA and the influence of corporate governance on the firm performance; and the research methodology followed throughout the research basing on the different aspects discussed in literature review. 3.1 INTRODUCTION As discussed in chapter one, the main focus for many companies is to create the best possible value for their owners and to secure excellent financial performance. The sound financial health of a company is one of its major goals and to maintain it, companies at one point of time have to look at the past and current performance to plan for future prospect. The most objective way to evaluate the financial performance of a company is through financial statement analysis. Financial analysis involves the assessment of a firms liquidity, its operating performance, its risk profile and its growth potential using financial ratios. Ratio analysis is an important and powerful analytical tool used for measuring the performance of a business entity (Van et Al., 2003). It helps stakeholders (shareholders, investors, creditors, managers, government etc) to make an evaluation about the profitability and financial soundness of the business entity (Bardia, 2008). Different types of investors expect different types of returns, if you are a stockholder, you expect an increase in the value of the stock you hold; if you have invested in a company with a history of paying dividends, you also expect a dividend; if you have loaned the firm money, you expect to receive interest and the return of loan principal. Although the types of returns they expect are different, equity investors and creditors both risk not receiving those returns. Therefore, both stockholders and creditors use financial statement analysis to predict their expected returns and assess the risks associated with those returns (Hongren, Sundem, Elliot and Phil brick, 2003). Analysis of financial performance allows comparison of practice performance from one year to the next, benchmarking of a practice against industry standards, and preparation of financial information for lending institutions or directors (Stallwood, 1996). The financial performance of a company can be influenced by many different aspects or factors and for the purpose of this study, corporate governance was taken into consideration and specifically the aspect of board characteristics. The board of directors is an important entity in a company creating a link between shareholders and managers and therefore playing an important role in the governance of the firm (Dehaene et al., 2007). Therefore, boards of directors are charged with the task of monitoring the performance and activities of top management to ensure that the latter acts in the best interests of the owners (Jensen and Meckling, 1976; quoted by OConnell and Cramer, 2010) 3.2 PROBLEM DEFINITION After the 1994 genocide many companies in Rwanda were destroyed and some of them have not recovered up to today. Among the companies affected by the genocide include manufacturing companies out of which some tried to recover and restart their activities progressively and the country is providing a good environment for business but this does not guarantee good performance on behalf of companies. Standard financial reports provide basic information on the current profit level of investment in assets but do not give information on whether profit is adequate, how efficiently the assets are being used to generate sales, how efficient the overall operation is, and whether there are short-term financial problems facing the business. Ratio analysis provides some answers to these questions by calculating the relationships between various figures on the balance sheet and the income statement and comparing the movements in these ratios over time and against industry averages can provide additional information about whether the organization is performing well or whether remedial action is needed (Stallwood, 1996). Ratio analysis is an important and powerful analytical tool for measuring the performance of a business entity. It helps stakeholders to make an evaluation about the profitability and financial soundness of the business entity (Van et al., 2003). Some key companies in the manufacturing sector do not have thorough financial analysis which makes it difficult for stakeholders to know how these companies are performing; BRALIRWA will be used as representative case study to exemplify the financial performance of companies in the sector and the way this performance is influenced by corporate governance. The way companies are directed and controlled can influence their performance (Berle Means, 1932), in some companies there is lack of consistency in reporting operating and financial activities as well as governance activities to shareholders in a fair, accurate, timely, reliable, relevant, complete and verifiable manner. Manufacturing companies in Rwanda contribute to the economic development of the country and hence a need to evaluate their performance in other to detect their likely future and take appropriate measures accordingly, as well as the influence of corporate governance on their performance. 3.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES This study has one general objective and five specific objectives. 3.3.1 General objective The general objective of this study is to assess the financial performance of BRALIRWA s.a (2005-2008) and the influence of its corporate governance on the performance 3.3.2 Specific objectives To analyze the operating efficiency and profitability of BRALIRWA to know its level of operating performance. To analyze the sales and earnings variability in order to measure the risk that BRALIRWA may be exposed to. To analyze the internal liquidity of BRALIRWA in order to measure its ability to meet financial obligations in the short-term. To assess the impact if any of BRALIRWA governance on its performance. To analyze the sustainable growth potential of BRALIRWA. 3.4 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The theoretical framework adopted in this study was developed based on different literature on the analysis and evaluation of financial performance and literature on corporate governance and firm performance. 3.4.1 Dependent variable According to Jones, Wahba and Heijden (2007), the dependent variable is the one main research issue you are studying, on which other variables in theoretical framework are assumed to have an impact. Creswell (2002), defines dependent variables as the outcomes or results of the influence of the independent variables. For this study, financial performance stands for the dependent variable. Financial performance is usually measured by ROE and ROA, for this study financial analysis is used to analyze the financial performance of BRALIRWA and the analysis is conducted in three categories; the analysis of internal liquidity, operating performance and risk. When analyzing internal liquidity, the intention is to indicate the firms ability to meet its future short-term financial obligations, this may be an indication over a certain period of the likely performance of a company because if a firm is not able to meet its short-term financial obligations for a long period, definitely this will affect its performance but the analysis of this may help the organization take necessary actions. The analysis here is based on current ratio, quick ratio, cash ratio, receivables turnover and inventory turnover. The analysis of operating performance, examines how management uses its assets and capital by measuring the sales generated by various categories of assets or capital and analyzes the profits as a percentage of sales and as a percentage of the assets and capital employed (Brown and Reilly, 2009). The ratios used are the asset turnover, equity turnover, profit margins, return on equity and return on assets. Concerning the risk analysis, both business and financial risks are measured and analyzed, here the emphasis is on the sales variability, operating leverage which consists of the variability of a firms operating earnings and then the debt-equity ratio to measure the financial risk. 3.4.2 Independent variables Independent variables are the variables impacting on your main research problem. They are called independent in a sense that those variables are affecting the amount of dependent variables and do not affect each other, so they are independent of each other (Jones, Wahba and Heijden, 2007). Corporate governance stands for the independent variable for this study. Corporate governance is the mechanism by which a corporation is managed and monitored. It determines a power-sharing relationship between corporation executives and investors by providing structure through which the objectives are defined; policies and procedures are established to ensure achievement of these objectives; and activities, affairs, and performance are monitored (Rezaee, 2004). Based on this definition and other definitions of corporate governance, it can positively or negatively influence the performance of a company and for the purpose of this study, the influence will be analyzed based on board characteristics which are treated as the moderating variables in this study and considered as one of the aspects of corporate governance. 3.4.3 Moderating variables Moderating variables are included in the theoretical model to modify the way that the independent variables will affect the dependent variable. They might act as a catalyst of these relationships and strengthen them or perhaps they just inhibit the relationship and weaken it (Jones, Wahba and Heijden, 2007). For this study the moderating variables are the board characteristics, and the following characteristics were taken into consideration the board size, board composition, CEO duality, board diversity and frequency of board meetings. The board size is the number of members on the board and as boards are considered to be large decision-making groups, size can affect the decision-making process and effectiveness of the board (Dwivedi and Jain, 2005). Talking about the board composition, the board may be composed of directors who may be executive meaning that they are employees of the firm, or non-executive meaning they are not employees of the company; and this may have an effect on firm performance. CEO duality consists of having the same person holding both the board chairman and CEO positions or having the CEO and board chair positions separate, this also may have an impact on firm performance. When it comes to board diversity, the consideration is that there may be some diversification in the board members which may or may not have an influence on firm performance; diversity for this study is seen as gender diversity, racial diversity and experience/background diversity. Board meeting frequency consists of how frequently the board meetings are scheduled and the board activity is measured by the frequency of board meeting, this frequency may impact on the performance of the firm. Figure 3.1: Theoretical Framework Source: Research, 2010 3.4.4 Research assumptions Based on the various corporate scandals due to the manipulation of financial statements, the researcher made an assumption that the information provided in the audited financial statements of BRALIRWA for the period 2005-2008 are true and accurate. It was assumed that the respondents would be willing to fill the questionnaires and that the staff in the finance department of BRALIRWA would cooperate in providing any necessary information regarding the financial statements. 3.4.5 Research limitations The study uses BRALIRWA as a case study, which may provide little basis for generalization on the performance of other manufacturing companies The study only use a time-series analysis because there are no competitors in the industry to compare with The financial statements analyzed were the balance sheet and income statement because the company does not prepare cash flow statement The study only used board characteristics as the aspects of corporate governance due to time and logistics constraints the researcher could not use other aspects. The study was limited to a period of four years from 2005 to 2008 3.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONs To achieve the research objectives of this study; the study has to answer the following major and minor research questions. 3.5.1 Major research questions How is BRALIRWA financially performing for the period under study and what is the implication for future performance? How is BRALIRWA governance influencing its performance? 3.5.2 Minor research questions How well is the management of BRALIRWA doing to generate operating profits on companys assets? How well is BRALIRWA management using the capital invested? How is BRALIRWA financing its assets and how variable its earnings are? How well is BRALIRWA doing to meet its maturing financial obligations? The above mentioned research questions will help in analyzing the financial performance of BRALIRWA and the influence of its corporate governance on performance. 3.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.6.1 Research type This study is basically quantitative with a small portion of qualitative and descriptive in nature and is using a case study method. The study is using the computation of different ratios to analyze the financial performance of BRALIRWA and statistical measure like mean, standard deviation and correlation are also used; and it is also qualitative in the sense that it is looking at the perceptions of staff on the influence of corporate governance on the performance. The purpose of quantitative research is to determine the quantity or extent of some phenomenon in the form of numbers (Zikmund, 1994). 3.6.1.1 Case study methodology This study is using BRALIRWA as a case study representing other manufacturing companies in Rwanda. BRALIRWA was chosen as a case study because of its long stay in the business and as being one of the manufacturing companies that were operating before the 1994 Rwandan genocide and which has continued operating and the major motivation for the researcher to take it as a representative case study is that the manufacturing sector in Rwanda is mostly made of food and beverages companies where BRALIRWA is dominating. According to Robson (2002:178) cited by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2007), a case study is a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence. Yin (2009) defines a case study as an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. According to Yin (2009), the case study inquiry copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points, and one result; relies on multiple source of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result; and benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis. 3.6.1.2 Descriptive research This study is descriptive as it is describing and evaluating systematically how BRALIRWA has been performing for the period under study. According to Kumar (2005), a descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or program, or provides information about something or describes attitudes towards an issue. 3.6.1.3 Quantitative and qualitative research As discussed early, this study is a mix of quantitative and qualitative, it is evaluating the performance of BRALIRWA by quantifying it through different ratios to analyze the internal liquidity, operating performance and risk and most of the information is gathered using quantitative variables (through financial statements). On the other hand, the study is qualitative in the way that it has some variables which were analyzed without being quantified. The study is qualified as quantitative if one wants to quantify the variation in a phenomenon, situation, problem, or issue; if information gathered using predominantly quantitative variables; and if the analysis is geared to ascertain the magnitude of the variation. On the other hand, a study is qualified as qualitative if the purpose of the study is primary to describe a situation, phenomenon, problem or event; the information is gathered through the use of variables measured on nominal or ordinal scales; and if analysis is done to establish the variation in the situation, phenomenon or problem without quantifying it (Kumar, 2005). 3.6.2 Data collection instrument and source For the purpose of this study, both primary and secondary data were collected. To collect primary data questionnaires were distributed to the staff of BRALIRWA to know and analyze their perceptions on the influence of board characteristics on firm performance, the questionnaires were given to different staff but the most targeted were the managers and directors (management team) and heads of department and then some of the officers in different departments; interviews were also used with the staff in the finance department to get some clarifications on the content of the financial statements. And to collect secondary data, different literature on the evaluation of financial performance and those on the relationship between corporate governance (board characteristics) were reviewed through books, journals, articles and websites; and the financial statements of BRALIRWA for a period of 2005-2008 were consulted and analyzed through financial ratios. 3.6.3 Sampling methods Sampling is the process of selecting a few (a sample) from a bigger group (the sampling population) to become the basis for estimating or predicting the prevalence of an unknown piece of information, situation or outcome regarding the bigger group; a sample is a subgroup of the population one is interested in (Kumar, 2005). For the purpose of this study, judgmental sampling technique has been used to select the sample in order to collect primary data. Purposive or judgmental sampling enables you to use your judgment to select cases that will best enable you to answer your research question(s) and to meet your objectives. This form of sample is often used when working with very small samples such as in case study research and when you wish to select cases that are particularly informative (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007 quoting Neuman, 2000). According to Kumar (2005), the primary consideration in purposive sampling is the judgment of the researcher as to who can provide the best information to achieve the objectives of the study; the researcher only goes to those people who in his/her opinion are likely to have the required information and be willing to share it. For the respondents to fill the questionnaire it required a certain degree of information about the board of directors and the judgmental sampling is the appropriate technique to this study. 3.6.4 Sample size A sample of 25 respondents was selected from the staff of BRALIRWA which is the population of the study; as stated early the sample was selected using judgmental sampling. The respondents were selected from different departments of the company and from top management to senior officers and the sample is the representative of the population. 3.6.4 Data analysis methods The study is based more on the secondary data as the evaluation of financial performance is based on the financial statements of the case company (BRALIRWA) and on primary data which were collected using a questionnaire to analyze the influence of the board characteristics on the financial performance of the company as perceived by the company employees. In the process of data analysis, the information from the financial statement were first presented according to the research objectives and research questions and based on the theoretical framework and literature review; then they were analyzed using appropriate ratios and the analysis was based on time series analysis, some statistics were used such as mean and standard deviation for the researcher to analyze the data and come up with conclusions and recommendations. To analyze the data collected from questionnaires, the following process was followed; first the data were edited, then coded and frequency distribution were used. To analyze, the open-ended questions, content analysis was used whereby different themes were identified from the answers given by the respondents and then verbatim responses were examined and discussed with reference to literature to come up with research findings, conclusion and recommendations. 3.7 CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter discussed the research problem by highlighting that in Rwanda some key companies do not have thorough financial analysis and that the performance of companies may be influenced by the way they are managed and monitored where this may depend on the characteristics of the board. The chapter also discussed the theoretical framework that was used for this study and the dependent, independent and moderating variables were identified; financial performance is the dependent variable which is determined through the analysis of internal liquidity, operating performance and risk and the summarizing indicators of financial performance for the purpose of this study were identified as ROE and ROA. The chapter goes on discussing the research objectives, research questions, the assumptions and limitations of study. Then the chapter concludes with the discussion of the research methodology that was used to conduct the research and to achieve the research objectives and to answer the research questions that were put forward; the study is a mix of quantitative and qualitative, both secondary and primary were used and financial statements and other sources were used to collect secondary data and the questionnaire was used to collect primary and the questionnaires were sent to a sample of 25 respondents, the sample was selected using judgmental sampling.

The Role of International Law Concerning Deforestation and Desertificat

The Role of International Law Concerning Deforestation and Desertification The surface of the earth is, in a sense, its skin-a thin but crucial layer protecting the rest of the planet contained within it. Far more than a simple boundary, it interacts in complex ways with the volatile atmosphere above and the raw earth below. It may seem hard to imagine it as a critical component of the ecological balance, but in fact, the health of the earth’s surface is vital to the health of the global environment as a whole. ~Al Gore Deforestation and Desertification. These lucrative concepts echo throughout the environmental movement both past and present. The realization and analyzation of the human species’ manipulation of the environment has stimulated a profound movement towards the protection and maintenance of every aspect to the environment. The pursuit of wealth and power are now being questioned in accordance to the justification of environmental degradation. Today the solutions to all environmental degradation cannot solely be left to national governments. These global issues require international attention and action and the ultimate submission of certain national sovereignty. This protective â€Å"skin† of our earth is in utter turmoil and can solely rely on an international environmental movement. Can the pursuit of wealth and power justify the loss of the environment- the very body that supports all living organisms? The actions of all humans today are manipulating indefinite aspects to the environment and sadly enough, the continuance of the human species in generations to come. In order to assess the significance of international environmental law in accordance with deforestation and desertificatio... ...Nigel. â€Å"Opportunities to save and Sustainably Use the World’s Forests Through International Cooperation.† (1999):33. Online. Internet. 14 March 1999. Available: http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/forestry/sizer.html Slomanson, William R. Fundamental Perspectives on International Law. 2nd ed. Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1995. Steger, Will and Jon Bowermaster. Saving the Earth: A Citizen’s Guide to Environmental Action. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990. Switzer, Jacqeline. Environmental Politics. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998 "U8830 International Land Resources Managment: Combating Desertification, Deforestation, and Biodiversity Loss." 1996: 9 pp. Online. Netscape. 11 Apr. 1999. Available: http:/www.iisd.ca/linkages/pam/lecture3.html. http://www.cnie.org/nce/clim-4.html http://moby.ucdavis.edu/gaws/10711quebec/gpoup4.html

All In The Name Of Honor Essay

Yale lecturer Joanne Freeman (2001), in her book, â€Å"The Affairs of Honour†, dissects the New Republic through cultural microscopic lenses by focusing on the Founders’ personal honor and reputation as the underlying factor for all political action in America’s inchoate democracy. The auhor strengthens her thesis as she explores with compelling narratives how the nation’s Founders behaved and acted, all in the name of personal honor, to an extent of reckless violence in order to claim their rightful positions in the annals of history. The most stunning account in the book is the renowned duel between then vice-president Col. Aaron Burr and Gen. Alexander Hamilton, former aide-de-camp to George Washington, stemming from a criticism allegedly made by Hamilton against Burr, saying the latter is, â€Å"one who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government† (Freeman, 2001, p. 6). By publishing articles on the American Citizen that were deemed insulting to his honor and reputation, Burr eventually made the bold duel dare to Hamilton, who accepted, and lost his life in the end. In saying , as a forewarning to the reader, that â€Å"†¦we must concede that there was a larger logic underlying the duel, a belief so strong that it compelled men to hazard their lives† (Freeman, 2001, p. 65), and proving later on that both men were compelled to risk their lives because of their own vanities, Freeman is actually telling the reader that both men, although great in their own respects, were too obsessed with personal honor to do anything of political significance. Freeman presents the Founders as alpha males out to satiate their personal egos and risking even their lives to prove so. Freeman plays too much emphasis on looking at decisions at face value and ignoring to appreciate the political significance or rationale behind them. For instance, when she says â€Å"at various points in their political careers, even men of seemingly ironclad principles like Jefferson and Hamilton were rumored to have abandoned their supporters to join with former foes† (Freeman, 2001, p. 269), she is misleading and unfairly painting a picture of treachery and backstabbing in the Founders as if to do so would be unforgivable betrayal to the American people. To Freeman, affairs of honor were a way out for great personalities of the New Republic to cope with the seemingly unstable political life, along with gossip networks, media, and duel as the last resort. As there were no established political parties yet, politics was personal, alliances were unpredictable and in short, you could trust no one during this period. Therefore, the â€Å"code of honour did more than channel and monitor political conflict; it formed the very infrastructure of national politics, providing a governing logic and weapons of war† (Freeman, 2001, p. 146). Dueling, like she says, was a trend. A careful reading of literature mentioned by David Waldstreicher (2002) in his article Founders Chic as Culture War appears to indicate a growing trend and acceptance in a cultural (re)writing of American history, from the traditional bottom-up approach to the top-bottom perspective, characterized by what I think, is an unfortunate emphasis on personalizing the progress and gains of the American revolution. While themselves admittedly more appealing than the traditional textbook-styled accounts of history, the accounts by Joseph Ellis, David McCullough and Joanne Freeman being reviewed by Waldstreicher have the effect of de-emphasizing the complex political process during those times to mere political squabbles and â€Å"affairs of honour† instead of an interplay of the yet fluid political divisions (governors) and the people (governed) and how these two groups came to terms in order to produce the democracy that America champions. Judging by the way Waldstreicher presents his views on the three, it is apparent that he agrees with some of the authors, not particularly on Freeman, on how individually, the Founders struggled with their own personal demons, but the former carefully points out Ellis, in still adulating them, saying , â€Å"Things fell apart, but character—greatness—held† (Waldstreicher, 2002, p. 187). A culturalist also, he is careful to create a demarcation line between the views espoused by Freeman and his own, suggesting that Freeman is in a way reviving the Washington beltway vision of how politics operates, telling it from the perspective of the leader or the general, and throwing aside ideologies, partisanship, policy and instutional development. Freeman’s return to the â€Å"dead white men† perspective and exaggerated emphasis to humanize Founders in her book undoubtedly makes for a compelling story; one that would make for a good history read. However, the extreme focus on the personal traits of the Founders in her book undermines historiography in general. I do not believe that men like Adams or Jefferson, could be that dense, especially while basking at the still-idealistic mood out of the gains of the revolution, would have thought that only their personal honor was at stake. There is without a doubt several failings in character among the Founders, like all other human beings, but, like Waldstreicher, an appreciation of them should be based on the political significance of their actions, not on anything else. I possess no sacred reverence for the Founders in excess of how I appreciate their individual contributions in concert with the actions of a vigilant people who, collectively, shaped America to what she is today, faults and all. By singling out the Founders and presenting evidence on how they backstabbed, deceived or shifted allegiances is to ignore that the same culture pervades in modern America and elsewhere as a political maneuver allowed in a democracy. By representing history solely on individual action and characters of the Founders is to brandish a reportage of events that generally undermines American heritage. References Freeman, J. B. (2001). Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Waldstreicher, D. (2002). Founders Chic as Culture War. Radical History Review, 84, pp. 184-94.

Probation: Prison and Federal Prisoners Returning

Probation is a type of sentence for criminal defendants. Probation allows a convicted defendant to go free with a suspended sentence for a specified duration during good behavior. Probationers are placed under the supervision of a probation officer and must fulfill certain conditions. If the probationer violates a condition of probation, the court may place additional restrictions on the probationer or order the probationer to serve a term of imprisonment. Probation is normally for offenders sentenced to short terms in jail: it is not combined with a long prison sentence. egal dictionary) Unsupervised, supervised, and intensive are the three types of probation. Intensive probationers are required to report daily to a probation officer and most times has an electronic monitoring system or they are on house arrest. Supervised probationers report to a probation officer once a month. Unsupervised probationers must follow the guidelines but do not have to report to a probation officer. Certain violent criminals and repeat offenders are not eligible for probation according to the statutory restrictions most states use to determine eligibility. Offenders placed on probation are subject to required conditions. There are standard conditions which all probationers have. Standard conditions include reporting to the probation office, reporting change of address, being employed, and not leaving the jurisdiction without permission. Punitive conditions are set to reflect the seriousness of the offense and make probation a little more painful. Examples of punitive conditions are fines, community service, victim restitution, house arrest, and drug testing. Treatment conditions make probationers deal with problems or needs, like substance abuse, family counseling, or vocational training ( Corrections: The Fundamentals) In the probation process a crime is committed and the offender is sentenced to probation. The second is the offender will have to follow several conditions or guidelines. The third would be to follow through with the probation and any other criteria the judge made and get off of probation After researching adults on probation on the BJS website it seems that there is always more state probation than federal. Also the number in state probation has significantly increased through the years. The federal probation has been like a rollercoaster starting low going high, going low and back to high. In the article by Allen J Beck State and Federal Prisoners Returning to the Community, it states that 42% of discharges from parole/conditional release supervision returned to prison/jail. Also 62% of released State prisoners are rearrested within 3 years; 41% returned to prison/jail. Doing some research on the highlights of three years I found; At yearend 2009, there were an estimated 5,018,900 adults under supervision in the community either on probation or parole the equivalent of about 1 out of every 47 adults in the U. S. Probationers (4,203,967) represented the majority (84%) of the community supervision population at yearend 2009, while parolees (819,308) accounted for a smaller share (16%). At yearend 2008, nearly 5. 1 million adults were under community supervision the equivalent of about 1 in every 45 adults in the United States. At yearend 2002, 1,440,655 prisoners were under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional authorities. Looking at the Re entry trend it st ates at least 95% of all State prisoners will be released from prison at some point; nearly 80% will be released to parole supervision. In 2001, about 592,000 State prison inmates were released to the community after serving time in prison. All of this information is significant because it keeps a close eye on how many prisoners are released on probation and what percent of these prisoners did not follow through with it. According to the information from BJS it shows that probation effectiveness has its good times and its bad times. I think that probation is an effective form of community corrections as it can be. There is never a 100% effective way of stopping people from committing crime. If someone commits a crime even knowing the consequences, chances are they will do it again with or without probation. I think the government needs to focus on why people are committing crime and try to prevent crime before it happens. I also think that maybe there needs to be longer probation periods and harsher ones for repeat offenders. I also think that probation should be for less serious crimes and maybe for misdemeanors and not felonies.

How To Write A Concert Review

How To Write A Concert Review Amazing Concert Review: How to Start? Reviews are probably the most casual types of written assignments because they combine both: reporting on an issue and providing your own opinion. Its main goal is to evaluate and provide information on the regular events: shopping at the mall and judging the quality of items, watching a movie or reading a new book. Every time we do something we judge people, atmosphere or plot even without noticing it. Luckily, reviews are so different in shapes and topics that they don’t have a common structure. There are many genres that students may choose: evaluating musicals, movies, books, TV shows, places and much more! However, the main goal remains the same: to give an evaluation of the chosen topic. It may seem quite a simple task to provide your own ideas and judgments on the topic. Although there are still many rules that you should follow, all of the claims must be supported with evidence. It is not simply an interpretation of the topic but also arguments-based research on the chosen issue.   You need to make the reader believe your point of view. Concert review is not the most common assignment students may get. You should describe not only musicians but also evaluate location, time, atmosphere and even response of the audience. In addition, you need to compare the chosen concert with other concerts to give readers a broader picture of the topic. If you have troubles writing a concert review or it is actually your first review of such kind, go on reading, and we will give you all the tips you should know for a great result! Understanding Background Knowledge of Your Audience To write a catchy and interesting review, you should not only provide a chronology of events but also analyze the musical genre, have a solid understanding of the theory and various musical styles. Another important element before getting started is to know your audience. For example, if you are writing for teenagers, you need to concentrate on describing the performers: their outlook, behavior, dialogues and so on. However, if you write the review for your teachers, it is better to write about the composition, plot, engaged interests, and expression to show how well you have mastered the genre. What Does Your Audience Want to Know? In most cases, readers are interested in getting the general picture of the concert and its impact on the writer. However, if you are writing for people, who have a deep understanding and interest of musical genres, pedagogy, and instruments, don’t forget to include those details to your review. If you are writing for an audience that is interested in technical aspects, write about the scene, location, light, sound, and other important details. However, there are things which all of the readers not depending on their interests are willing to know: whether the instruments were appropriate for the piece, how the audience reacted and so on. Your Writing Style Information you provide is not the only thing that matters. You should be equally attentive to the way you express your ideas in order to engage the reader. When writing a concert review, you should be both formal and informal. Try to avoid personal pronouns, like ‘I,’ ‘you’ and ‘your’: they always show that you are subjective on the topic and the readers may doubt whether your opinion should be trusted. In addition, if you want to make your review professional and catchy, you need to avoid clichà ©s and general terms, like ‘interesting.’ Try to find synonyms instead, for example, ‘appealing’ or ‘outstanding.’ How to Write a Remarkable Concert Review? If you want to get a high grade and to engage the reader, understanding music and listening to various concerts is a must. Your ability to put impression into words is one of the key features you need to master if you expect a great result. Writing a concert review consists of two stages: on the first one you need to attend the event or listen to the audio, and on the second you need to write everything down.   Below we have collected all of the stages and elements you need to include to your concert review. Stages of Pre-writing Carefully Read Guidelines Concert review is quite a vivid assignment, so greatly depends on circumstances and requirements. For example, if you are writing for a teacher, you need to follow a particular formatting style and to make sure to include all of the required elements. However, if you are writing a paper article, it is important to know the audience. Get the Tickets Beforehand To make sure that you get the best seats, from where the scene and performers will be clearly seen, it is better to buy the tickets well in advance. Make Notes During the Concert This is one of the most challenging but yet important stages because the quality of your review greatly depends on how well you will write down all of the important details. Remember, you need to pay attention not only to the concert itself but also to the time and location, clothes of musicians, lighting, general atmosphere and much more. You can also make notes on the dialogues on stage and among visitors. Write Down Performed Compositions It is important to provide readers with information on what compositions made up the concert. If you miss any of the pieces, it is better to contact concert managers and to get a list of the compositions that were played. Later in your text, you can tell which of them you liked more and why. Tell About the Musicians You need to write down your impressions from performers. Where they good or bad? However, back your opinion with reasons why you consider performers good, average or bad. Make notes whether performers shared powerful energy with the audience. Don’t forget to notice gestures, mimics and other important details on stage. Additionally, concentrate on the leading singers: were they confident? How well did they interact with the audience? Did they use all space on stage? Examine the Audience It is a well-known fact that part of the performance depends on how well the audience responds. Of course, you need to focus on musicians, but there is also a need to notice the mood of the audience. Not depending on the goal of your concert review, your readers will be interested in the concert atmosphere, so make notes on the audience, its quantity, age and response to the concert. Writing Stage The second stage starts right after you leave the concert and must contain the following elements: Introduction In the first part of your review, you need to provide all of the important details considering the concert - for example, its title and date, venue, names of musicians and ensembles. You can also give details on the location to provide readers with a broader picture. This is especially important for readers, who are not familiar with the area. You also need to mention whether the concert took place in the evening or at night. Description Main paragraphs of your review must contain a description of various compositions that were played during the concert. Here is when your notes come in hand. Devote a separate paragraph to every composition or aspect you want to highlight. The format of your description greatly depends on the musical genre, but you should still mention composition’s title, name of the composer and information on the audience’s reaction on the discussed piece. Evaluation Evaluation section is the heart of your review because it contains your personal opinion based on the information you have provided in the previous body paragraphs. Here you should tell readers about the general experience of the concert. Tell the audience whether it was worth seeing or not. What made it different from other similar events? Here you can also include information about musicians, interesting facts, history and so on. In this part, you must provide both positive and negative thoughts on the performance. Was there anything that the concert lacked? What things could improve the show? In the evaluation section, you should also tell about the audience’s response. What songs or musicians got more applauds? Don’t forget to evaluate the organization of the event. It is also important to tell about the quality of music and sound, as well as of musical instruments. You can also compare the live and the studio versions: were they very different? Which one was better? Conclusion The closing paragraph of your review must be a summary of your experience and impression of the concert. In this section, you can mention whether the concert met your expectations. Remember that conclusion is for summarizing and not for providing any new information and details. Closing Thoughts Writing a concert review is quite different from other writing assignments, and it may take lots of time and preparation. Your main goal is to experience different emotions and then to render them to your target audience. If you want to create a great review, it is important to have a deep understanding of music and to understand format peculiarities. Hopefully, the tips above will be of great help!

Definition and Examples of a Glossary in a Book

Definition and Examples of a Glossary in a Book A glossary is an alphabetized list of specialized terms with their definitions.  In a report, proposal, or book, the glossary is generally located after the conclusion. Also known as a clavis (from the Latin word for key). A good glossary, says William Horton, can define terms, spell out abbreviations, and save us the embarrassment of mispronouncing the shibboleths of our chosen professions (e-Learning by Design, 2012). EtymologyFrom the Latin, foreign words Observations Because you will have numerous readers with multiple levels of expertise, you must be concerned about your use of high-tech language (abbreviations, acronyms, and terms). Although some of your readers will understand your terminology, others wont. However, if you define your terms each time you use them, two problems will occur: you will insult high-tech readers, and you will delay your audience as they read your text. To avoid these pitfalls, use a glossary.(Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson, Technical Writing: Process and Product. Pearson, 2006)Locating a Glossary in a Class Paper, Thesis, or DissertationYou may need a glossary if your thesis or dissertation (or, in some cases, your class paper) includes many foreign words or technical terms and phrases that may be unfamiliar to your readers. Some departments and universities allow or require the glossary to be placed in the back matter, after any appendixes and before the endnotes and bibliography or reference list. If you are free to choose, put it in the front matter if readers must know the definitions before they begin reading. Otherwise, put it in the back matter.(Kate L. Turabian,  A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th ed. The University of Chicago Press, 2007) Suggestions for Preparing a GlossaryUse a glossary if your report contains more than five or six technical terms that may not be understood by all audience members. If fewer than five terms need defining, place them in the report introduction as working definitions, or use footnote definitions. If you use a separate glossary, announce its location: (See the glossary at the end of this report).Follow these suggestions for preparing a glossary:Define all terms unfamiliar to an intelligent layperson. When in doubt, overdefining is safer than underdefining.Define all terms that have a special meaning in your report (In this report, a small business is defined as . . .).Define all terms by giving their class and distinguishing features, unless some terms need expanded definitions.List all terms in alphabetical order. Highlight each term and use a colon to separate it from its definition.On first use, place an asterisk in the text by each item defined in the glossary.List your glossary and its first page number in the table of contents.(John M. Lannon, Technical Communication. Pearson, 2006) Collaborative Glossaries in the ClassroomInstead of creating a glossary on your own, why not have the students create it as they encounter unfamiliar terms? A collaborative glossary can serve as a focal point for collaboration in a course. Each member of the class could be assigned to contribute a term, a definition, or comments on submitted definitions. Multiple definitions can be rated by you and by the students, with the highest-rated definitions accepted for the final class glossary.When students are responsible for creating the definitions, they are much more likely to remember the word and the correct definition.(Jason Cole and Helen Foster, Using Moodle: Teaching With the Popular Open Source Course Management System, 2nd ed. OReilly Media, 2008) Pronunciation: GLOS-se-ree

French Possessives Adjectives Come in Many, Many Forms

French Possessives Adjectives Come in Many, Many Forms Possessive adjectives are the words used in place of articles to indicate to whom or to what something belongs. French possessive adjectives are used in similar ways to English possessive adjectives, but there are some differences in form. Using French Possessive Adjectives French grammar touts many more possessives than English  because there are different forms not only for the person and number but sometimes also the gender and the first letter of that which is possessed. All of the different forms are summarized in the table below and are explained in detail later in this lesson. 1.  When describing two or more nouns in French, a possessive adjective must be used in front of each one:      son frà ¨re et sa sÅ“ur  Ã‚  Ã‚  his brother and sister   Ã‚  Ã‚  ma tante et mon oncle  Ã‚  Ã‚  my aunt and uncle 2.  The possessive adjective is almost never used with body parts in French. You cant say my hand or my hair. Instead, the French use pronominal verbs to show possession with body parts:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Je me suis cassà © la jambe.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I broke my leg (literally, I broke the leg of myself).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Il se lave les cheveux.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hes washing his hair (literally, Hes washing the hair of himself). Singular Plural English Masculine Feminine Before Vowel my mon ma mon mes your (tu form) ton ta ton tes his, her, its son sa son ses our notre notre notre nos your (vous form) votre votre votre vos their leur leur leur leurs Singular Possessive French Adjectives In French grammar, there are three forms of the possessive for each singular person (I, you, he/she/it). The gender, number, and first letter of the noun possessed determine which form to use. MY      mon  (masculine singular)  mon stylo   my pen  Ã‚  Ã‚  ma  (feminine singular)  ma montre  Ã‚  my watch  Ã‚  Ã‚  mes  (plural)  mes  livres   my books When a  feminine noun  begins with a vowel, the masculine possessive adjective is used, to avoid saying  ma  amie,  which would break the  flow of speech. In this case, the possessives final consonant is pronounced (the n in the example below) to achieve fluid pronunciation.      mon  amie  - my (female) friend YOUR (tu  form)   Ã‚  Ã‚  ton  (masculine singular)  Ã‚  ton stylo  Ã‚  your pen  Ã‚  Ã‚  ta  (feminine singular)  Ã‚  ta montre   your watch  Ã‚  Ã‚  tes  (plural)  Ã‚  tes livres   your books When a feminine noun begins with a vowel, the masculine  possessive adjective  is used:      ton  amie  - your (female) friend HIS / HER / ITS   Ã‚  Ã‚  son  (masculine singular)  Ã‚  son stylo  Ã‚  his, her, its pen  Ã‚  Ã‚  sa  (feminine singular)  Ã‚  sa  montre   his, her, its watch  Ã‚  Ã‚  ses  (plural)  Ã‚  ses  livres   his, her, its books When a feminine noun begins with a vowel, the masculine possessive adjective is used:   Ã‚  Ã‚  son  amie  - his, her,  its  (female) friend Note:  An important difference between French and English is that  French utilizes the gender of the noun to determine which form to use, not the gender of the subject. A man would say  mon livre  when talking about a book, and a woman would also say  mon livre.  The book is masculine, and therefore so is the possessive adjective, no matter who the book belongs to. Likewise, both men and women would say  ma  maison, because house is feminine in French. It doesnt matter whether the owner of the house is male or female. This difference between English and French possessive adjectives can be particularly confusing when using him/her/it.  Son,  sa, and  ses  can each mean his, her, or  its  depending on the context. For example,  son lit  can mean his bed, her bed, or its bed (for example, the dogs). If you need to stress the gender of the person the item belongs to, you can use  Ã‚  lui  (belonging to him) or  Ã‚  elle  (belonging to her):   Ã‚  Ã‚  Cest son livre,   elle.  Its her book.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Voici sa monnaie, lui.  Ã‚  Heres his change. Plural Possessive French Adjectives For plural subjects (we, you, and they), French possessive adjectives are far simpler. There are only two forms  for  each grammatical person: singular and plural. OUR   Ã‚  Ã‚  notre  (singular)  Ã‚  notre stylo  Ã‚  our pen  Ã‚  Ã‚  nos  (plural)  Ã‚  nos montres   our watches YOUR (vous  form)   Ã‚  votre  (singular)  Ã‚  votre stylo  Ã‚  your pen  Ã‚  vos  (plural)  Ã‚  vos montres   your watches THEIR   Ã‚  Ã‚  leur  (singular)  Ã‚  leur stylo  Ã‚  their pen  Ã‚  Ã‚  leurs  (plural)  Ã‚  leurs montres   their watches

Interaction Devices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interaction Devices - Essay Example Generally, touch screens offer more comfort to users than other input devices. In relation to this, people who are impaired and find keyboards and mice difficult to use will find touch screen devices easier to use. They are also easier to clean and maintain. In spite of their numerous advantages, touch screen devices are not without disadvantages. They may cause fatigue to users especially when installed for use in such places as demand straining or near extreme stretching of arms (Xiangshi, 2000). They may also be subject to obscurity after several episodes of touch. With the development of technology, more input devices are bound to be used in the future. While the keyboard, mouse and touch screen are used today, their use may be short lived. In ten years to come, computer input devices under use will probably use head tracking devices, hand tracking devices, laser keyboards, projected mice, and full body motion tracking devices as noted by Moeller

Professional Development and Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Professional Development and Research - Essay Example There is the need to incorporate organizations into research because individually; it is harder to pursue more complex research (Zuber-Skerritt, 1992). It is crucial to have such organizations incorporated into learning institutions because; there is a chance of increasing effectiveness from all quarters. This paper will examine articles that look into the growing career path taken by many, and how it is impacting school cultures. Article by Zuber-Skerritt, Ortrun on Professional development in higher education: A theoretical framework for action research. In this article, the biographer believes that by incorporating educational research and teaching in higher learning institutions, action research has a chance at giving professional development a theoretical framework. This means that different assumptions and theories about learning may be provided from the well-known paradigms of learning, considered by many, traditional. Action research involves the enquiry into different subjec ts, providing the results to the public, and actively participating in problem solving in many fields. The basics for the theoretical framework are provided in this article. It provides the foundation from which action research can build an institution, and help it address most of the issues it faces. Professional development is crucial in the growth and development of an institution. Professionals are likely to find out the best possible areas that need addressing. They can, therefore, provide theories, strategies and methods that build on this framework. Advocating for an action research model may assist education personnel develop an attitude toward problem-solving. Article by Darling-Hammond, Linda on Professional development schools: Schools for developing a profession. A description of recent trends affecting schools is found in this article. The acquisition of knowledge among schools is paid attention to by the author in the article. Schools are keen on getting this knowledge , and sharing it among institutions in their circle. They have one common characteristic; they depend on the collaboration between research practitioners to feed them this knowledge. The structure, function and philosophy that guide the professional development school are covered in the article. Such trends affect the learning environment positively. Research conducted in the same area or locality may provide an avenue for all the education facilitators. This is through sharing ideas about the development and growth of the learning environment. Eventually, this works in pushing for education reforms. The evaluation of professional development is expanding so as to allow for student achievement. This goes a long in promoting the education sector, and not just some its divisions. Training, implementation, and transfer to teacher’s repertoire (adapted from Joyce & Showers, 1995). In this article, cartain theories are presented to the audience. One, if a concept in an area of lea rning is introduced; there is the probability that a high number of people may understand its introduction. This goes for its modelling in the same capacity. However, in both cases, it is next to impossible for the learner to apply most of the skills they gain from such concepts. They tend to grasp little skills from the concepts from theoretical work. In other cases, it is possible for practice and coaching to achieve different results. Those

Contemporary Management Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Contemporary Management Issues - Essay Example The company’ s business is a large-scale business accounting almost all of the country’s natural gas supply and for more than 70% of its crude oil productions (Petroleum Development Oman, 2014). In order to perform its operational activity at more than 5,000 producing wells the company employs about 6  000 people and works with more than 35, 000 contractors (Petroleum Development Oman, 2014). Taking into consideration this type of business and the number of people involved, the company has extremely huge social and environmental responsibility for its activity. There are two key objectives of the assignment. The first one is to provide an overview of the theories of business ethics to stakeholders and critical analysis of how Petroleum Development Oman Llc develops and sustains business ethics and how the company conducts business ethics to its stakeholders (including shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, and government). The second objective is to review different elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to provide critical evaluation of the rewards/benefits of CSR obtains the Petroleum Development Oman Llc while implementing CSR. There are many various definitions and interpretations of the term â€Å"business ethics†. One of the most common interpretations is that business ethics or values set the definitions of good and bad, right or wrong in business environment (Payne, & Landry 2006). Further, these definitions become generally accepted standards in the business context (Gavai 2010). Thomas Garrett explains that business ethics is â€Å"concerned primarily with the relationship of business goals and techniques to specific human needs† (cited by Gavai 2010, 4). There are recognized two traditional theories of business ethics: Raiborn and Payne principles and the Kantian analysis (Payne, & Landry 2006). The idea of the

The nternational economic forces Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The nternational economic forces - Assignment Example This essay discusses that in European countries global economic factors and international economic conditions have been creating significant impacts on their various economic conditions. After the World War II economic conditions of these countries have been changing to great extent and these economic conditions are increasingly becoming dependent on international economic as well as financial factors. Governments and economic policymakers of these countries have been trying to implement various economic policies, including both fiscal and monetary policies aimed at reducing the level of intensity of international economic factors in the process of creating negative impacts on economies of these countries. These economic problems are associated with various economic factors, such as inflation, unemployment, lower level of income, detrimental effects on growth aspects of these countries, demand side as well as supply side obstacles etc. In these various fiscal as well as monetary poli cies have been introduced by the governments and policymakers of these countries. These policies have been introduced in order to mitigate if the negative effects of global economic and financial crises and also to reduce the level of dependence of these countries on international economic forces. International economic forces are those economic forces which are created mainly in the global or international market by various global or international economic agents, but affect various economic and financial conditions of the national economies. ... he World War II economic conditions of these countries have been changing to great extent and these economic conditions are increasingly becoming dependent on international economic as well as financial factors. Governments and economic policymakers of these countries have been trying to implement various economic policies, including both fiscal and monetary policies aimed at reducing the level of intensity of international economic factors in the process of creating negative impacts on economies of these countries (Acs and Szerb, 2012, p.15). These economic problems are associated with various economic factors, such as inflation, unemployment, lower level of income, detrimental effects on growth aspects of these countries, demand side as well as supply side obstacles etc. In these various fiscal as well as monetary policies have been introduced by the governments and policymakers of these countries (Dornbusch et al., 2012, pp.149-151). These policies have been introduced in order to mitigate if the negative effects of global economic and financial crises and also to reduce the level of dependence of these countries on international economic forces. International economic forces: International economic forces are those economic forces which are created mainly in the global or international market by various global or international economic agents, but affect various economic and financial conditions of the national economies. These international economic forces sometimes create positive effects on the national economies; however they also create negative or detrimental effects on economic aspects of national economies as well. One of the most important international economic forces has been the global financial and economic crises of recent times which have not only

Virtual Learning Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Virtual Learning Environments - Essay Example VLE's or Virtual Learning Environments are better known as E learning environments aimed at providing appropriate learning elements for students to meet online and exchange academic perspectives regardless of time and spatial considerations. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE has eliminated geographical and cultural barriers in learning and has innovated the conventional means of physical learning in class room based academic strategies characterised by the presence of a teacher with time constraints. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), Academic opinion has thus regarded this as a form of constructive learning overcoming the conventional mode of "transfer of knowledge" by a teacher based upon the focal role of computer networking across geographical boundaries. In this vein this essay explores whether the academia has actually benefited from the infusion of new technology and some legal issues presented by the activities with in the "Walled Garden". (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002).The paper also argues that the transition within the conventional modes of physical teaching will take time to absorb to this new concept of the Walled garden. The literature has shown a redefined role for the teachers and the learners due to the introduction of the VLE's.This is particularly so as we are looking at the modern teacher as a facilitator rather than an instructor who is able to interact with the students outside the traditional class room. (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE is a product of the higher data transfer speed and broader bandwidths which has allowed the production of high quality multi-media communication (MMC) tools which are aimed at facilitating the student base to offer a richer media for students to interact and communicate their academic concerns. (Gaver, W. 1996). However the use of the VLE has come with its own social and technical nuances for the academia as the professors and students alike show reluctance in accepting the technological "threat" to their traditional educational environments. (Gaver, W. 1996), For example the traditional learning systems were still unfamiliar with peer collaboration, freedom of expression and academic criticism and tolerance of different political views. Thus the success of the VLE as an educational aid is not solely based upon the sound technological infrastructures and improved interface design but upon the design of social environments which the Walled Garden aims to create. (Gaver, W. 1996), This would require careful planning ,defining of roles and regulating any chances of unpleasantness amongst the members as new attitudes and learning styles are encountered. Even though the VLEs are learner-centred environments the danger is that

Supply and Demand of ETFs in the market Research Paper

Supply and Demand of ETFs in the market - Research Paper Example The market value of an individual ETF through out a single trading day depends on demand and supply for each and every ETF. They follow Index all through, but they act like Equity. ETFs can also be used to refer to those investment companies which are classified as Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) or open ended companies. Exchange-Traded Fund usually experience changes all through the day as they get to be bought and to be purchased. Exchange-Traded Fund does not have net asset value like mutual funds since it trades like a stock. The leading country in the development of ETF is Canada. It creation has roots in Toronto Stock Exchange with Toronto 35 Index Participation Units. The creation of ETFs starts when a professional investor like an investment bank places a whole stock portfolio with a fund manager where they exchange the basket of securities underlying the Index with the provider of ETF for new ETF shares. That is, the professional investor then receives a given quantity of ETF shares in return for the deposit. These shares can then be traded in the exchange market where they can be sold or bought by professional investors or retail from all parts of Europe. Creation units refer to large blocks of ETF shares which usually range from 100,000 to 200,000 shares per unit. The designated or professional investor or brokers usually break these creation units into individual ETF shares which then trade in the stock exchange. The creation and the issuance of ETFs consist of two markets which include the prima ry market which creates the ETFs and the secondary market which buys or sells the ETF units. The creation of ETFs therefore takes place in the primary market between the authorized participants and the fund. â€Å"In kind† creation on the other hand takes place in authorized participants and more so large financial institution. The ETF shares are created by the deposit of portfolio of stocks into the applicable fund, and this is done in

Virtual Learning Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Virtual Learning Environments - Essay Example VLE's or Virtual Learning Environments are better known as E learning environments aimed at providing appropriate learning elements for students to meet online and exchange academic perspectives regardless of time and spatial considerations. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE has eliminated geographical and cultural barriers in learning and has innovated the conventional means of physical learning in class room based academic strategies characterised by the presence of a teacher with time constraints. (Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), Academic opinion has thus regarded this as a form of constructive learning overcoming the conventional mode of "transfer of knowledge" by a teacher based upon the focal role of computer networking across geographical boundaries. In this vein this essay explores whether the academia has actually benefited from the infusion of new technology and some legal issues presented by the activities with in the "Walled Garden". (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002).The paper also argues that the transition within the conventional modes of physical teaching will take time to absorb to this new concept of the Walled garden. The literature has shown a redefined role for the teachers and the learners due to the introduction of the VLE's.This is particularly so as we are looking at the modern teacher as a facilitator rather than an instructor who is able to interact with the students outside the traditional class room. (Costa, A.C., Verburg, R., Andriessen, J.H.E. 2002), The VLE is a product of the higher data transfer speed and broader bandwidths which has allowed the production of high quality multi-media communication (MMC) tools which are aimed at facilitating the student base to offer a richer media for students to interact and communicate their academic concerns. (Gaver, W. 1996). However the use of the VLE has come with its own social and technical nuances for the academia as the professors and students alike show reluctance in accepting the technological "threat" to their traditional educational environments. (Gaver, W. 1996), For example the traditional learning systems were still unfamiliar with peer collaboration, freedom of expression and academic criticism and tolerance of different political views. Thus the success of the VLE as an educational aid is not solely based upon the sound technological infrastructures and improved interface design but upon the design of social environments which the Walled Garden aims to create. (Gaver, W. 1996), This would require careful planning ,defining of roles and regulating any chances of unpleasantness amongst the members as new attitudes and learning styles are encountered. Even though the VLEs are learner-centred environments the danger is that

Creative Technology entry in the US market. Political factors that can affect its operations Essay Example for Free

Creative Technology entry in the US market. Political factors that can affect its operations Essay Introduction There are various political factors that can affect the operation of the Creative Technology in the US market.   First the company will be required to comply with the various government regulations that affect the pricing and the entire production process. The company also needs to comply with the various tax systems that are present in the American economy ( Donici, Maha, Ignat Maha,2012).   In addition the company is also required to comply with the various trading agreement of the companies that operate in the industry. The US government is also known to have to have minimum intervention on the business which will in turn help to ensure that the business is able to achieve its objective (Shaw, 2007).   The political stability currently enjoyed by the US government will also play a critical role in helping to ensure the company achieves its strategic growth objective in the US market. Domestic approach that might change Building a strong brand The company need first ensure that it concentrate on building a strong brand in the US market. Though building a strong brand the company can therefore be able to achieve to capture the interest of the consumer and therefore ensure the company achieves its strategic growth objectives. According to Ryan Jones (2012) building a strong brand can help to create the necessary emotional connections with the target consumers. Most importantly building a strong brand will help the company to compete with some of the companies that are leading in the sale of the earphone in the US market. Adopting online sales and marketing Online sales and marketing is current becoming one of the most important factors that helps to ensure that various business survive in US domestic market ( Donici et al.,2012). There is therefore need for the company to adopt the online sales and marking strategies in order to ensure it reaches its target consumers. In this case the company needs to set up a website that has an accurate reflection of the company goals and objectives. Reference Ryan, D., Jones, C. (2012). Understanding digital marketing: Marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. DONICI, A., MAHA, A., IGNAT, I., MAHA, L. (2012). E-Commerce across United States of America: Amazon.com. Economy Transdisciplinarity Cognition, 15(1), 252-258. Shaw, S. (2007). Airline marketing and management. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Reflection on Assessment Feedback

Reflection on Assessment Feedback Examine and critically reflect upon the feedback given on your first assignment and draft a response to the feedback that demonstrates improvement on your work. In this feedback, Ill be analysing and examining ways I could improve my first assignment. This is the overall feedback I received for my work. You have discussed the principle of separate legal personality and provided examples from cases and academic opinions, but you have not provided your own analysis and opinion about the reform. Various spelling errors also detracts the flow of the essay. In order to improve, you need to summarise the position and form your analysis based on the research that you have made, so that you can critically evaluate the question that you are asked. Having corresponded this feedback this that of my assignment, I have noticed and indicated that areas that these errors occurred and have carefully examined and analysed ways that I can improve that assignment. After the introduction, I went on to the body of the assignment, to discuss the main principles by which unfortunately, I made a repetition of what I previously stated in my introduction. With my next assignment, I will be sure to keep the introduction short and a subtle description of what I will be discussing, without going into a lot of detail as that will only lead to a repetition. Another key factor of my feedback was that, although I did very well to talk about the work with all the relevant articles and legal cases to back it up but unfortunately, I didnt provide enough of my own analysis to demonstrate that I understand the work and my knowledge about the topic. I could have gone into my depth about the Principles of Salomon and the importance of separate legal personality. [1]Lightman J in Acalos and Hutcheson plc v Watson [1995] 1 BCLC 218 well-thought-out that, the principle of separate legal personality must be upheld, except there was to be a precise statutory provision to say otherwise. He said,[2] outside these exceptions (the company) is entitled to organise and conduct its affairs in the expectation that the court will apply the principle of Salomon v A Salomon Co Ltd in the ordinary way. The essential perception of corporative nature, is something that is very much regarded. That is why if the Salomon decision was to be disregarded now, its presence plays a key influence and without it, there could be damaging effects on those individuals such as the shareholders, the creditors and the economy. Little modifications to the corporate model will be essential in entailing a vigilant deliberation for the inadvertent penalties, that it may cause in what is a considered a vastly multifaceted zone. Salomon v Salomon Co Ltd, is without a doubt a landmark case in company law, with the most important decision that was made by the courts, influencing the legal system. It is important that, the principle of Salomon to be sustained and to be engaged in the law, at least until some alternative yet effective methods of reform has been established. Until then, this will be the most effective way to go in helping with decision making, in case laws. [3]It cannot be precisely said when or in what case/situation the courts may decide that they will lift the corporate veil, and to seek whether to look aside from the separate legal personality of the company. In this case, it will be better if this situation of not incorporating the separate legal personality only applied to situations where the courts are sure that this doctrine will be used for unfitting resolutions. It is important that company directors become very vigilante and careful with how they control and manage their businesses, to avoid in future legal battles over their assets. Do not forget that the courts can be very resourceful to find ways and means of a defence to prevent the use of the separate legal personality of the cooperation, so that it can deal with any unlawful effort to use this as any means of an excuse. The corporate veil shouldnt be pierced if it is thought that the company may be using this as an opportunity to cover up their true purpose by using a veil as a means of avoiding any liability that may be to come. Demonstrated in the case of [4]Adams v Adams Industries Plc [1990] Ch 433 which is about separate legal personality and limited liability of shareholders. The case additionally tended to long-standing issues under the English clash of laws in the matter of when a business would be inhabitant in a remote purview with the end goal that the English courts would perceive the international courts over the business. The decision made in [5]Lubbe v Cape Plc [2000] UKHL 41 by the House of Lords and the historic choice in [6]Chandler v Cape plc [2012] EWCA Civ 525 holds that, an immediate obligation might be owed in tort by a primary business to that of the person injured. The significant findings were that the secondary verdict was, Cape plc had presumed obligation for the health a nd safety of its employees and, those affiliates about asbestos. There are many factors from reflecting on my previous assignment along with my feedback, that will benefit me in my future assignments. I know that for my next assignment it is very essential that I apply more of my own opinion with backing articles and legal evidence to support my statements, rather than to state facts only. I also noticed that I made two spelling errors in my first assignment, that I was blindsided by. I have taken a vigilante note of this for my upcoming assignments, to make sure that I give myself enough time to read over my work, before handing in my assignments. Bibliography Books Bourne N, Bourne on company law (4th edn, Routledge-Cavendish 2010) 11 McLaughlin S, Unlocking company law (Routledge 2015) Wild C and Weinstein S, Smith Keenans company law (Pearson Education 2016) Websites Adams v cape industries plc: CA 2 Jan 1990, (Company, 13 July 2016) accessed 20 December 2016 Lubbe and others v cape Plc: CA 24 Aug 1999, (International, 6 July 2015) accessed 20 December 2016 BAILII, Chandler v cape Plc [2012] EWCA civ 525 (25 april 2012) (2012) accessed 20 December 2016 Cases Hutcheson plc v Watson [1995] 1 BCLC 218 Adams v Adams Industries Plc [1990] Ch 433 Lubbe v Cape Plc [2000] UKHL 41 Chandler v Cape plc [2012] EWCA Civ 525 [1] Nicholas Bourne, Bourne on company law (4th edn, Routledge-Cavendish 2010) 11 [2]  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Nicholas Bourne, Bourne on company law (4th edn, Routledge-Cavendish 2010) 11 [3] Susan McLaughlin, Unlocking company law (Routledge 2015) [4] Adams v cape industries plc: CA 2 Jan 1990, (Company, 13 July 2016) accessed 20 December 2016 [5] Lubbe and others v cape Plc: CA 24 Aug 1999, (International, 6 July 2015) accessed 20 December 2016 [6] BAILII, Chandler v cape Plc [2012] EWCA civ 525 (25 april 2012) (2012) accessed 20 December 2016

The Political Structure of the Maya in the Late Classic Period Essay

Many advances in archeological and epigraphic research has shed new light on Maya civilization, however, there is still much discussion on the political structure and how it was formed. The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization noted for its advanced form of civilization. It reached its highest state of development during the Classic period which ranges from approximately 200-900 AD. Early in the Classic period (292-434 AD), there were several city-states found throughout the Maya lowland region with no defined hierarchy of settlement or regional capitals. However, this seemed to shift around 514 AD with four major capitals forming in dispersed regions throughout the Maya lowlands (Scarre & Fagan, 2008). It is in these regions that emblem glyphs have given us a tremendous amount of insight into the political organization at this time. It appears that the Maya political structure during the late Classic period consisted of a hierarchical structure in which four major ruling capitals ea ch controlled several smaller multi-center polities. Maya kings were at the heart of political power during the Classic period, with each major capital being ruled by a dynasty of kings. Maya lords used the power of their office to stress their close identity with mythical ancestral gods and thus assert their authority over others (Scarre & Fagan, 2008). Of course, they had their obligation to their people, which was to gather and redistribute commodities, so that all levels of society had access to goods and merchandise. Thus, the size of a polity was limited in size by its ability to gather and redistribute goods from the people of the capital as well as the neighboring cities that were controlled by the ruling capital. Each regional capital posse... ...l Change. Eds. C. Renfrew and J. F. Cherry, pp. 93-108. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. HASSIG, R. (1992a). War and Society in Ancient Mesoamerica. University of California Press. Berkeley. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman. MARCUS, J. (1976). Emblem and State in the Classic Maya Lowlands: An Epigraphic Approach to Territorial Organization. Dumbarton Oaks. Washington, D.C. Science 180: 911- 916. MARTIN, S. and N. GRUBE (1995). Maya Superstates. Archaeology 48 (6): 41-46. SCHELE, L. and D. FREIDEL (1990). A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. William Morrow. New York. SCHELE, L. and P. MATHEWS (1991). Royal Visits and Other Intersite Relationships Among the Classic Maya. In Classic Maya Political History: Hieroglyphic and Archaeological Evidence. Ed. T. P. Culbert, pp. 226-252. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. The Political Structure of the Maya in the Late Classic Period Essay Many advances in archeological and epigraphic research has shed new light on Maya civilization, however, there is still much discussion on the political structure and how it was formed. The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization noted for its advanced form of civilization. It reached its highest state of development during the Classic period which ranges from approximately 200-900 AD. Early in the Classic period (292-434 AD), there were several city-states found throughout the Maya lowland region with no defined hierarchy of settlement or regional capitals. However, this seemed to shift around 514 AD with four major capitals forming in dispersed regions throughout the Maya lowlands (Scarre & Fagan, 2008). It is in these regions that emblem glyphs have given us a tremendous amount of insight into the political organization at this time. It appears that the Maya political structure during the late Classic period consisted of a hierarchical structure in which four major ruling capitals ea ch controlled several smaller multi-center polities. Maya kings were at the heart of political power during the Classic period, with each major capital being ruled by a dynasty of kings. Maya lords used the power of their office to stress their close identity with mythical ancestral gods and thus assert their authority over others (Scarre & Fagan, 2008). Of course, they had their obligation to their people, which was to gather and redistribute commodities, so that all levels of society had access to goods and merchandise. Thus, the size of a polity was limited in size by its ability to gather and redistribute goods from the people of the capital as well as the neighboring cities that were controlled by the ruling capital. Each regional capital posse... ...l Change. Eds. C. Renfrew and J. F. Cherry, pp. 93-108. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. HASSIG, R. (1992a). War and Society in Ancient Mesoamerica. University of California Press. Berkeley. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman. MARCUS, J. (1976). Emblem and State in the Classic Maya Lowlands: An Epigraphic Approach to Territorial Organization. Dumbarton Oaks. Washington, D.C. Science 180: 911- 916. MARTIN, S. and N. GRUBE (1995). Maya Superstates. Archaeology 48 (6): 41-46. SCHELE, L. and D. FREIDEL (1990). A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. William Morrow. New York. SCHELE, L. and P. MATHEWS (1991). Royal Visits and Other Intersite Relationships Among the Classic Maya. In Classic Maya Political History: Hieroglyphic and Archaeological Evidence. Ed. T. P. Culbert, pp. 226-252. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

Heraclitus - Permanent Flux :: essays research papers

Permanent Flux It is said that every great journey begins with one step. This is not true. A more accurate saying would be, â€Å"every great journey begins with the idea of the journey†, thus leading to the idea of the step, and so on. The steps will surly follow an idea, but nevertheless the ideas will always precede any action. Once one gets an idea in one’s head, one must either forget it, or act on it. Such as the case with the first Philosophers, known now as the Pre-Socratics. The Pre-Socratics, which started around 600 B.C.E., formed ideas of a journey to enlightenment of their society. Instead of dismissing this idea, they thrived off it and took the first steps toward teaching an entirely new way of thinking. These first thinkers of philosophy, which has an appropriate meaning of the love of wisdom, wanted to know more about life, earth, the stars and most importantly, the â€Å"being† of it all. Though not the first of the original thinkers, Heraclitus of Ephesus, wa s among this group of lovers of wisdom and revolutionized the world with his idea of â€Å"being† and allowed mankind to follow in his steps. The Pre-Socratics are known for creating philosophy by searching for a rational order to their world and their being. Prior to the philosophers, man simply accepted the mythological stories and supernatural concepts. The philosophers, however, approached questions to by observing their surroundings. This was the world they could touch and feel, therefore making it an ideal foundation to their quires. The first of the Pre-Socratics examined the natural world and assumed the â€Å"stuff† that made all things â€Å"be† came from the natural surroundings around them. For example, by an early scientific and rational approach, the Pre-Socratics took the four elements of the world, as they knew them to be (water, air, earth, and fire), and studied them. Some deduced water to be the â€Å"stuff†, while others looked to air, or the earth to answers their zealous questions of being. Heraclitus, on the other hand, found a unity in all the elements, and related â€Å"beingà ¢â‚¬  to â€Å"fire†. His reference to fire, however, is purely metaphorical. While his predecessors focused on the actual elements they felt were the â€Å"stuff† that made the existence of being, Heraclitus’ only focused on fire to demonstrate his metaphysical concept of constant flux. Heraclitus is noted for saying, â€Å"there is nothing permanent except change.

Illegal Immigration

When it comes to the country as a whole, everyone has an opinion on how to change it. Most of the time we don’t see eye to eye, but I’m pretty sure we can agree on one thing†¦. Illegal Immigration is a huge problem. It’s something that should’ve been controlled a long time ago and it wasn’t. Now that the issue is out of control, everyone has their hands up in the air and coming up with the most drastic â€Å"solutions†. The issue of illegal immigration really became a big issue when the economy started going down the tubes. It was then that with a tighter control on the country’s budget, we truly realized how much of our aid was going to illegal immigrants. This issue has been on the media for some time. It really came to center stage during this last election. Everything seemed to simmer down just a bit that was until this most recent election. During one of the debates, Mitt Romney made his stance on illegal immigration. As most people know he is against it. It was his later comments that added fuel to the already burning fire. He said that under his administration, he would make so hard on immigrants that they would ask to be deported. I think we can agree that this is extremely harsh method. In order to fix this problem drastic measure must be taken. I personally believe that the key is stopping them before they get here. It’s hard to get illegal immigrants out of the country once their already in. One way to do this is to have tighter security in the Mexican side of the border. If they get through the border in their country and get caught in the US, they should get arrested or fined. Currently if they catch you, they just send you back. If they were to get arrested this would show them, that we are not playing games. I am a strong supporter of securing our borders. Another way to stop illegal immigrations is to enforce visa rules. If a person is awarded a 6 month visa, that doesn’t mean they can stay forever. It is the job of Immigration officials to keep track of visas. Once their visa is about to expire, the person should get notified. They need to know that overstaying your visa is a civil offense. Although I would love to see that changed and made a federal crime. Since I started studying the issue of illegal immigration a lot of my views have changed. I used to be very pro illegal immigration. One of the issues that I feel very strongly about is birthright citizenship, I’m against it. Instead of coming to this country to make a better themselves, some people come here just to have American babies. They need to know that this is not ok; it’s not fair to the innocent children and us who work hard. There are a lot of countries that have abolished this practice. I think America needs to step up and do the same thing. Although it really doesn’t come as a surprise, there are some crimes associated with illegal immigrants. People come here escaping the law they have broken in their countries, but they also break the law here. Other big thing is there is a lot of gang activity among immigrants. Once they come here, they are faced with the realization, that there’s not much they can do as illegal aliens. It is because of this that they turn to a life of crime. There needs to be a global system for crime data. By having this system, Immigration officers can check if the people who are trying to come in are tied to any illegal activity in their countries. Illegal Immigration is an issue that is not going away time some. This something that I am very passionate about. After all I am Hispanic and came from a family of immigrants. There are some people that think I am betraying my culture, because of my views. The truth is that I have seen how people can come to this country and succeed, the right way. By right way I mean, following the laws of this country. We all reap what we sow; if you do things right then you will enjoy the great benefits. Illegal Immigration When it comes to the country as a whole, everyone has an opinion on how to change it. Most of the time we don’t see eye to eye, but I’m pretty sure we can agree on one thing†¦. Illegal Immigration is a huge problem. It’s something that should’ve been controlled a long time ago and it wasn’t. Now that the issue is out of control, everyone has their hands up in the air and coming up with the most drastic â€Å"solutions†. The issue of illegal immigration really became a big issue when the economy started going down the tubes. It was then that with a tighter control on the country’s budget, we truly realized how much of our aid was going to illegal immigrants. This issue has been on the media for some time. It really came to center stage during this last election. Everything seemed to simmer down just a bit that was until this most recent election. During one of the debates, Mitt Romney made his stance on illegal immigration. As most people know he is against it. It was his later comments that added fuel to the already burning fire. He said that under his administration, he would make so hard on immigrants that they would ask to be deported. I think we can agree that this is extremely harsh method. In order to fix this problem drastic measure must be taken. I personally believe that the key is stopping them before they get here. It’s hard to get illegal immigrants out of the country once their already in. One way to do this is to have tighter security in the Mexican side of the border. If they get through the border in their country and get caught in the US, they should get arrested or fined. Currently if they catch you, they just send you back. If they were to get arrested this would show them, that we are not playing games. I am a strong supporter of securing our borders. Another way to stop illegal immigrations is to enforce visa rules. If a person is awarded a 6 month visa, that doesn’t mean they can stay forever. It is the job of Immigration officials to keep track of visas. Once their visa is about to expire, the person should get notified. They need to know that overstaying your visa is a civil offense. Although I would love to see that changed and made a federal crime. Since I started studying the issue of illegal immigration a lot of my views have changed. I used to be very pro illegal immigration. One of the issues that I feel very strongly about is birthright citizenship, I’m against it. Instead of coming to this country to make a better themselves, some people come here just to have American babies. They need to know that this is not ok; it’s not fair to the innocent children and us who work hard. There are a lot of countries that have abolished this practice. I think America needs to step up and do the same thing. Although it really doesn’t come as a surprise, there are some crimes associated with illegal immigrants. People come here escaping the law they have broken in their countries, but they also break the law here. Other big thing is there is a lot of gang activity among immigrants. Once they come here, they are faced with the realization, that there’s not much they can do as illegal aliens. It is because of this that they turn to a life of crime. There needs to be a global system for crime data. By having this system, Immigration officers can check if the people who are trying to come in are tied to any illegal activity in their countries. Illegal Immigration is an issue that is not going away time some. This something that I am very passionate about. After all I am Hispanic and came from a family of immigrants. There are some people that think I am betraying my culture, because of my views. The truth is that I have seen how people can come to this country and succeed, the right way. By right way I mean, following the laws of this country. We all reap what we sow; if you do things right then you will enjoy the great benefits.