Business Law questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Law questions - Essay Example Thirdly, it must examine whether the agency went outside its authority. Fourthly, it must examine whether the agency followed the required procedures in making the decision. Fifthly, it must determine whether the decision is so clearly wrong that it disserves to be abandoned. It is uncertain arguing that the agency always wins or loses because the final decision of the U.S District Court is determined by the validity of the dispute and the degree of correctness or wrongness that the agency’s decision was. In 2 (a) there are three procedures that are available for FDA in making new rules. First, it has to provide a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which is a proposal published in the Federal Register for members of public to review and comment on it. Secondly, it is should consider the comments received on the rule during the comment period. Thirdly, it should comply with the â€Å"Effective Date† Rule that determines when the proposed rule will become effective. In 2 (b), a business engaged in importing food could participate in these procedures through reviewing the proposed rule and criticizing it, taking note of the final rule and complying with the â€Å"Effective Date† rule. In 3 (a), there are three laws that affect the records of an administrative agency. First, the Freedom of Information Act renders agency records subject to disclosure and outlines the various procedures that ought to be followed. Secondly, the Administrative Procedure Act dictates the ways through which each agency should avail public information. Thirdly, the Public Records Act specifies that personal information maintained about an individual shall not be disclosed without the person’s consent except for various explicit exceptions (Browne, 6). In 3 (b), the Freedom of Information Act would help my business to obtain information about the activities of my competitors. On the other hand, the Administrative

Significant Nutrition Problems Essay Example for Free

Significant Nutrition Problems Essay 1. List 3 significant nutrition problems associated with obesity in young children and adolescents. Cite references.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Three significant nutrition problems associated with childhood and adolescent obesity are hypothyroidism, type II diabetes, and dyslipidemia (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Hypothyroidism is the failure of the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones which is caused by certain nutrition problems such as increased cholesterol levels and low serum sodium. Type II diabetes is a condition wherein the body fails to properly utilize insulin due to the increase in glucose. Finally, dyslipidemia is a condition characterized by high blood cholesterol and increased triglycerides mainly due to consumption of foods high in fat (United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, 2008). Factors that increase iron deficiency in older adults.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among older adults, there are several factors that increase the occurrence of iron deficiency. These include the diet, age, and physical condition. Basically as people age, their physical abilities wear down, such as losing their teeth, and they tend to consume less food. As a result, the amount of iron in their body goes down. Another major factor is internal bleeding which is usually caused by tumors and ulcers among old people (KomoTV, 2008). When old people bleed, they lose iron and this eventually leads to iron deficiency. Food and Nutrition Information Center   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Basically, the difference between the food pyramid of old people and the food pyramid of children is that in the former there is more emphasis on the intake of foods that have more fiber and vitamins and less calories such as fruits and vegetables while the latter focuses more on whole grain foods and also fruits and vegetables. I believe that any older adult or child can adhere to the guidelines set by the pyramid because it is basically easy to follow. The only thing that hinders children from following the pyramid is the lack of guidance from parents while in older adults, there is lack of discipline. Otherwise, I believe that any person, no matter how young or old he or she is can follow these guidelines and be able to live a healthy life.   References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/faq.htm. KotoTV.com. (2008). Iron Deficiency. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://ww3.komotv.com/global/story.asp?s=1230142. United States Department of Agriculture. (2008). Dietary Guidance: Food Guide Pyramid. Food and Nutrition Information Center. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4tax_level=2tax_subject=256topic_id=1348. United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. (2008). High blood cholesterol and triglycerides. MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000403.htm. United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. (2007). Hypothyroidism. MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000353.htm. United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. (2007). Type 2 diabetes. MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000313.htm.

The Irish Easter Rebellion 1916 Essay -- essays research papers fc

The 1916 Irish Easter Uprising Ever since the occupation of Ireland by the English began in 1169, Irish patriots have fought back against British rule, and the many Irish rebellions and civil wars had always been defeated. To quash further rebellion, the Act of Union was imposed in 1800, tying Ireland to the United Kingdom of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Laws discriminating against Catholics and the handling of the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-50 led to increased tension and the proposal of introducing Home Rule gained support. In 1913 there was a general strike of workers in Dublin led by James Connolly of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (I.T.G.W.U.). This action was followed by the 1913 Lock-Out during which employers literally locked workers out of their factories. Also in 1913 John Redmond, leader of the Irish Nationalist Party, created the Irish Volunteers to counter the Ulster Volunteers, an organisation created to fight against Home Rule. His chief-of-staff was Eoin MacNeill and his commandant was Patrick Pearse. When World War I began, Irish nationalists flocked to sign up for Britain’s war effort in the hundreds of thousands. They believed they were at last making Ireland one of the small nations of Europe, and that in showing their good faith in Britain they were ensuring Home Rule be passed. However, another more extreme tradition of patriotism considered Home Rule a sell-out. Thomas J. Clarke, who had been previously gaoled after being sent to England on a dynamiting mission in 1883, immigrated to America and then returned to Ireland in 1907. In his tobacconist’s shop in Dublin the Irish Republican Brotherhood (I.R.B.), a group of patriots who wanted national independence, was being revived. He held a meeting with, among others, Patrick Pearse, Eoin MacNeill and Sean MacDermott, who had broken away with a minority of extremist Volunteers when Redmond co-operated with the war effort, and Connolly who was now the creator and commander of the Irish Citizen Army, a workerâ€⠄¢s fighting force designed to defend against police brutality. There they made the decision to rise in arms against British rule. Together they created front organisations for propaganda purposes, such as the Neutrality League and the Wolfe Tone Memorial Committee. The latter organised the funeral of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, a supporter of the republican ... ...n the Web, Dublin, Ireland. Available from: [24/4/05] Anon. (1994). Irish History: 1916 Easter Rebellion [Internet]. Document created by Irish Northern Aid Inc., New York, USA. Available from: [15/2/05] Berry, Ben. (2002). Easter 1916, [Internet]. Document reproduced by University of Maryland Honours Program, Maryland, USA. Available from: [18/4/05] Fitzgibbon, Constantine. 1916: The Rising, Britain. Article reproduced by Irish Jokes: An Alternative Website (2004) [Internet]. Available from: [12/2/04] Grant, Ted. (1966). Connolly and the 1916 Easter Uprising [Internet]. Document created by In Defence of Marxism Website, Australia. Available from: [19/4/05] Journal Articles Anon. (2004). ‘Working-Class Hero: James Connolly’, Forward! Magazine of the Connolly Youth Movement, Spring 2004. Article reproduced by The Communist Party of Ireland (2004) [Internet]. Available from: [18/4/05] Mackin, James A. (1997). ‘Sacrifice and Moral Hierarchy: The Rhetoric of Irish Republicans, 1916-23’, The American Communications Journal, Volume 1, Issue 3, September 1997. Article reproduced by The American Communications Journal, North Carolina, USA [Internet]. Available from: [18/3/05]

Marine Phytoplankton Essay

Phytoplankton From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Diatoms are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words cpur?v (phyton), meaning â€Å"plant†, and TIXay? «?q (planktos), meaning â€Å"wanderer† or â€Å"drifter†. [l] Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye. However, when present in high enough numbers, they may appear as a green discoloration of the water due to the presence f chlorophyll within their cells (although the actual color may vary with the species of phytoplankton present due to varying levels of chlorophyll or the presence of accessory pigments such as phycobiliproteins, xanthophylls, etc. ). Contents [hide] * 1 Ecology * 2 Aquaculture * 3 Blooms * 4 See also * 5 References * 6 External links [edit] Ecology Phytoplankton are the foundation of the oceanic food chain. Of these, the best known are dinoflagellate genera such as Noctiluca and Dinophysis, that obtain organic carbon by ingesting other organisms or detrital material. The term phytoplankton encompasses all photoautotrophic microorganisms in quatic food webs. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the aquatic food web, providing an essential ecological function for all aquatic life. However, unlike terrestrial communities, where most autotrophs are plants, phytoplankton are a diverse group, incorporating protistan eukaryotes and both eubacterial and archaebacterial prokaryotes. There are about 5,000 species of marine phytoplankton. [8] There is uncertainty in how such diversity has evolved in an environment where competition for only a few resources would suggest limited potential for niche differentiation. [9] In terms of numbers, the most important groups of phytoplankton include the diatoms, cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, although many other groups of algae are represented. One group, the coccolithophorids, is responsible (in part) for the release of significant amounts of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) into the atmosphere. DMS is converted to sulfate and these sulfate molecules act as cloud condensation nuclei, increasing general cloud cover. In oligotrophic oceanic regions such as the Sargasso Sea or the South Pacific Gyre, phytoplankton is dominated by the small sized cells, alled picoplankton, mostly composed of cyanobacteria (Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus) and picoeucaryotes such as Micromonas. [edit] Aquaculture Diagrams of some typical phytoplankton. Main article: Algaculture Phytoplankton are a key food item in both aquaculture and mariculture. Both utilize phytoplankton for the feeding of the animals being farmed. In mariculture, the phytoplankton is naturally occurring and is introduced into enclosures with the normal circulation of seawater. In aquaculture, phytoplankton must be obtained and introduced directly. The plankton can either be collected from a body of water or foodstock for the production of rotifers[10], which are in turn used to feed other organisms. Phytoplankton is also used to feed many varieties of aquacultured molluscs, including pearl oysters and giant clams. The production of phytoplankton under artificial conditions is itself a form of aquaculture. Phytoplankton is cultured for a variety of purposes, including foodstock for other aquacultured organisms[10], a nutritional supplement for captive invertebrates in aquaria. Culture sizes range from small-scale laboratory cultures of ess than 1 L to several tens of thousands of liters for commercial aquaculture[10]. Regardless of the size of the culture, certain conditions must be provided for efficient growth of plankton. The majority of cultured plankton is marine, and seawater of a specific gravity of 1. 010 to 1. 026 may be used as a culture medium. This water must be sterilized, usually by either high temperatures in an autoclave or by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, to prevent biological contamination of the culture. Various fertilizers are added to the culture medium to facilitate the growth of plankton. A culture must be aerated or agitated in some way to keep plankton suspended, as well as to provide dissolved carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. In addition to constant aeration, most cultures are manually mixed or stirred on a regular basis. Light must be provided for the growth of phytoplankton. The colour temperature of illumination should be approximately 6,500 K, but values from 4,000 K to upwards of 20,000 K have been used successfully. The duration of light exposure should be approximately 16 hours daily; this is the most efficient artificial day length[10]

Learning and Memory Essay

If one were to explain what it is to learn something new, they would certainly mention memory somewhere in their explanation. As well as if someone was to explain memory, they certainly would have learning mentioned in their explanation. This is because learning and memory go hand in hand. When one learns, they store what they learned in their memory whether it is short term or long term. It would go without saying that memory and learning has to do with the brain, hence the importance of keeping one’s brain functioning properly by insuring proper stimulation and continuously learning new things. Now, the ability to learn and to memorize what is learned stems from different areas of the brain. The brain is a part of an individual’s neuroanatomy. Neuroanatomy refers to the structure of the nervous system. The nervous system is made up of different parts. Those parts are broken up by having the main one being the nervous system, and then it is divided by the central nervous system brain and spinal cord on one end. The other ends are much more complex and, consist of the peripheral nervous system which then branches off to other ones. These each control different parts of the nervous system and give the ability for people to sleep, eat or learn. The part of our nervous system that pertains to learning is the brain. The part in the brain that helps with learning is called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is in the limbic system. It is the part of the brain where the learning that people do in day to day life takes place. Learning is a neurobiological that is important to humans and being able to be conscious. The communication that happens between singular neuroanatomical structures and their abilities to repeat neurophysiologic activities is combined as a network of neural activity. These things occur in the cortex and create different types of learning for people. The movement that is ongoing changes in the synaptic area of the nerves. These active activities make the synaptic connectors stronger with the result of the continuous activity and then this creates memories that help an individual learn and remember what they have learned. It has been taught that learning is not singled out to one certain area of the brain itself. The cerebral cortex is where all the learning is. When a person is learning to read, walk, or talk it occurs here. One of the many different neural processes involved in learning is the synaptic inputs that occur in the brain. When a synaptic input in a certain neuron is combined with two different synapse then; it creates a long term depression or a long term printed memory, this is something that occurs and has been known to create learning involved with motor skills. Learning is mainly either a process that one learns through the brain with the use of classical conditioning and also instrumental conditioning. Our brains respond to the many different things that are in a human’s surroundings. In the process of a human’s learning new things is by the development of a neuron and its effectiveness to make new synaptic connections or reinforcing the strengths of the neurons that are already in place. The relationship between learning and memory has been a subject of much debate among psychologists, teachers, and society in general for many years now. It is what we learn and how we learn it that is responsible for how we live in the world and how we deal with the world around us. Learning has been a fundamental part of our survival ever since Cro-Magnon man. He/she had to learn how to make spears, sharp points, even mastering the bow and arrow was important to the survival and the spread of the human species. Why, though, if humanity has so much â€Å"experience† in learning, then why do we forget things? The brain is the organ that is responsible for what we call the mind. It is the basis for thinking, feeling, wanting, perceiving, learning and memory, curiosity, and behavior. Memory is a fundamental mental process, and without memory we are capable of nothing but simple reflexes and stereotyped behaviors (Okano, 2000). Both the brain and memory are responsible for our learning. The brain assists us in figuring out a solution to the problem and to solve it. Our memory is responsible for storing that information within our brains in case we ever need it for a later date, or if we ever need to apply it to another problem which is similar. During this learning process, our brain is communicating with that section of our mind that is responsible for memorizing methods, actions, and procedures for finding a solution to a given problem. Since our memory is only a mental process and not a â€Å"supercomputer† like the brain, it stands to reason that our memories need to recall different types of information using dissimilar methods. We define memory as a behavioral change caused by an experience, and define learning as a process for acquiring memory. According to these definitions, there are different kinds of memory. Some memories, such as those concerning events and facts, are available to our consciousness; this type of memory is called â€Å"declarative memory. † However, another type of memory, called â€Å"procedural memory,† is not available to consciousness. This is the memory that is needed, for example, to use a previously learned skill (Okano, 2000). When someone is learning something, they assume that they are acquiring the knowledge to write a paper or to build a chair. Actually, all a person is really doing is creating memories for them to recall the information. While we are in the process of creating these memories, our brains are at work in determining the best ways to store them in our memories. This might be learning a piece of music by only playing the 3rd or 4th notes, or by building a chair by starting with top first instead of the bottom. Each person’s brain is different from another person so each method of memorization would be different. This theory has been proven using animals that work together. For instance, one taxonomic group of birds, the oscines or true songbirds, all learn to sing by imitation. To produce biologically functional songs, they need to hear examples of species songs during development, which they commit to memory. They subsequently perfect their song performance by ear and are capable of using both memorized material as well as songs of birds they can hear to produce an acceptable species song (Okano, 2000). Birds, and other animals, have shown that they use memory in order to learn a skill or to work together to achieve a common goal or result. The ability to apply the right knowledge effectively is an important skill and the cornerstone of our success, because we live in the Knowledge Age. People who have not used a computer in 10 years to find an article on the Internet definitely understand strength of knowledge and learning. Learning develops interesting people. Knowledge enables us to have different perspectives, fascinating conversation and a deeper understanding. It makes us well rounded better people; it allows us to make better, informed decisions; and assists us in becoming more successful in our lives and careers. Technology has made our lives become fast paced; the advancement of technology has boosted the pace of our lives, and requires us to learn something new each day just to stay current in the workplace. The day’s on-the-job training is something we can no longer rely on; companies can no longer be the basis to provide the necessary education. We must seek out more education just to keep up. It’s advantageous for everyone to make time for learning, seek out their own opportunities, use available resources wisely, and find new resources. Our children are a good example of how fast technology has increased the need for learning. They our learning how to use technology much earlier than we ever did, it seems like they are born with the ability to operate a computer. Brain stimulation can help with Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, Major depression, and Tourette syndrome. Stimulating the brain helps to relieve symptoms of these conditions when medications are not working or have major side effects. The stimulation can help people with Parkinson’s disease to manage their symptoms of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability. Brain stimulation has produced impressive results with some patients with chronic pain, some patients are virtually pain free after treatment and even released from the hospital. Brain stimulation has been found to significantly decrease depression and increase in function. Although highly experimental, brain stimulation has had success. Patients experience reduction in tics and the disappearance of obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Lifelong learning and brain stimulation helps to manage and relive a symptom which increases life longevity and quality of life for the patients. Patients who continue to learn and stimulate their minds increase life longevity and quality of life because they are able to eliminate medications which can have very harmful side effects. These medications can actually shorten life and decrease quality of life because of the side effects. Taking medication out of the treatment of any kind will always increase life longevity and quality life. Most of all any time a patient is able to manage and relive symptoms, their life longevity and quality of life will have a great increase. As must as society tells us our physical up keep is so important for our health and life longevity, it would seem keep care of our brain is just as important as well. The brain is a muscle, and it is a part of our nervous system. It controls our breathing, eating, learning, memory, and so much more. Keeping care of our brains allows an individual to learn, remember things, and increase their life longevity as well. It would not seem that is keeping up on learning and remembering what we have learned will make us live longer, however this is how this muscle is exercised! It can also help control and care for one’s mental defects as well. It would seem, no matter what someone is wanting to believe, learning is never finished! REFERENCES Fernandez, A. (2011). Brain Health Business Grows With Research and Demand. Retrieved from http://www. sharpbrains. com/blog/2008/05/20/brain-health-business-grows-with-research-and-demand/ Lopez-Hernandez E. and Solis, H. (2012). Proceedings of the National Academy of Applied Sciences. Retrieved from http://www. pnas. org/content/97/23/12403. full Okano, H. (2000). Learning and memory. Retrieved from http://www. pnas. org/content/97/23/12403. full Pinel, J. P. J. (2009). Biopsychology (7th ed. ). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Tivo Case Analysis Essays

Tivo Case Analysis Essays Tivo Case Analysis Paper Tivo Case Analysis Paper TiVo a disruptive or a sustaining technology on the fact coming from the article, TiVo iS a disruptive technology * TiVo did not seek to become a media portal or a content aggregator. Instead, it would act primarily as a facilitator to third party content distributors. At the core of these offerings was Tivocast, a feature that let users access video contents feeds through main TiVo menu Two push Into broadband content distribution. TiVo could deliver such content only users who linked their TiVo devices to a broadband onnection. In mid-2007, about 650,000 users fell Into that category, although an Increasing percentage ot new subscribers were connecting to TIVO Vla broadband (usually through a wireless connection). In addition. TiVo could offer broadband content only to its retail customers Mass distribution partners. according to TiVo leaders, did not yet have the ability to transmit TiVo-controlled content through their delivery networks. TiVo understood the challenge of pursing opportunities in so many fields. each with its own business model.Nonetheless. the vision required TiVo to sustain operation on all of these fronts at least until the company could clarify which of its bets were right ones. Â  What was TiVoS strategy in the initial years of it operation? TiVcfs goal is to change the way consumers watch television, broadband video. and advertising and to generate revenues through the deployment of its entertainment services and technology to television viewing households worldwide. The key elements of TiVo strategy initial years of its operation are: Sales and distribution: Stand-Alone sales and Mass distribution * Diversify Sources of Revenue: AS TiVoS subscription base is large, it can offer interactive advertising capabilities to programmers and advertisers, Which take advantage Of the unique tagging, recording, storage, and viewing capabilities Of the TiVo service. * Audience Research and Measurement: TiVoS ability to track users Viewing habits opened up another promising business line for the company. In June 2006, TiVo launched its Audience Research and Measurement (ARM) unit, which expanded the companys existing product line in this area. Its core ARM products was the commercial Viewership Report, which charted hot. ers watched or did not watch commercial content. Software and Intellectual Property: Protecting and, where possible, monetizing Intellectual property (IP) had become an increasingly vital element of TiVos strategy. International Operation and branding: the strength of the TiVo brand Is an advantage in attracting consumers. cable and satellite television providers, and other customers. Comcast and Cox would promote and deploy TiVo-branded DVR software to their subscribers.There is a large opportunity to leverage the TiVo service and technology outside the united States. Â  What have been the key successes and first mover Due to the first mover in this market, it took time and money to copy this advantage. The first version of its product/service was fully loaded with all the innovative additional features that maximized the viewers experience. TiVo wanted to grow speedily within this new segment by looking for partnerships with TV distribution. TiVo could also increase its speed to market by focusing on developing its service and licensing its hardware technology to large Consumer Electronic ompanies. What have been the key failures and weakness of this strategy? Although TiVo has their advantage of first mover, they has to face with many other disadvantage of one. There are a lot of other competitors which will try to copy model and invest more and more capital. The competitors also take advantage from the failures from TiVo to improve their products. Stand-Alone DVR sales: To become stand-alone TiVo customers, consumers first had to buy a TiVo DVR either directly from the company or from a CE retailer. They then had to subscribe to the TiVo service on either a monthly or a multi-year basis. A TiVo DVR was virtually worthless without that service. This model were not in favor of customers because it was not flexible. What should TiVo do going forward? What strategy do you recommend and why? Enrich media content of product: cooperates with film maker to have the right to distribute through TiVo network. On-cloud storage: no more needed to be stored in the HDD. The cloud technology helps TiVo and customers inherited low cost for the products. Optimization tools for their products: customization or internet connection optimization are the best examples which customers often looking for an online solution.

Descriptive Writing The Other Side Essays

Descriptive Writing The Other Side Essays Descriptive Writing The Other Side Essay Descriptive Writing The Other Side Essay This world,to her, was full of personalities. Running her fingers along the window, she listened to the comforting sound of the rain pattering against the glass. She focused on the movement of rain drops and watched them race to reach the bottom of the window. The lights from the tall city buildings blinked in random orders.Even on a gloomy day. the streets were still busy. Even on a dull day,the crowd still kept on with their lives. In the dark sky, the churning clouds and the heavy rain collided with the skyscrapers. Even with the pouring rain, the world out there was still much more brighter than in here. â€Å"This place†. Her mouth moved to say the words but there was no sound coming out. She didn’t realise that she was in her house. It was strange, bare and terrifying. She set her vision on everything that existed in her house. She couldnt remember when she had bought these furnitures. Some were still in plastic wraps. They were new but som ehow they were covered with dust. The overwhelming silence irritated her.Just 5 minutes ago, she was surrounded by millions of people. Everyone was drawn towards her like flies circling a garbage field. Looking outside the window, her eyes were fixed upon the flashing billboard on the opposite building. The poster of her newest movie was on display showing her signature, charming smile. She racked her brains, fishing out an answer as to why she tried so hard to make it as a movie star. She loved acting, yes. But the pressure that came with being a renowned actress was unbearable. She still remembered her old bedroom as a teenage girl with colorful movie posters that motivated her to step on the stage for the first time. She involuntarily smiled at the memory. She wished to rediscover that twinkle in her eyes when she started on this road, to feel those butterflies in her stomach once again. As she heard the growl of her stomach, she reluctantly got up and headed towards the refrigerator. She

Interesting Quotes From Novel Alas, Babylon

Interesting Quotes From Novel 'Alas, Babylon' Pat Franks classic novel Alas, Babylon  is filled with provocative quotes. Published in  1959, the book  takes place in Florida and is  centered around the Braggs. One of the first novels of the nuclear age, Alas, Babylon has a distinctly  post-apocalyptic bent. With this roundup of quotes, categorized by chapter, familiarize yourself with the prose that made this novel so unique.   Chapters 1-2 Urgent you meet me at Base Ops McCoy noon today. Helen and children flying to Orlando tonight. Alas Babylon. (Ch. 1)Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come. (Ch. 2)Sure. Time-on-target. You dont fire everything at the same instant. You shoot it so it all arrives on target at the same instant.  (Ch. 2) Chapters 4-5 Peewee may be a mouse aboard ship, but hes a tiger in a Tiger. If I sent him up with orders to shoot down the moon, hed try. (Ch. 4)So here comes our local Paul Revere, he greeted Randy. What are you trying to do, frighten my wife and daughter to death?  (Ch. 4)Ben Franklin, staring to the south, said, I dont see any mushroom cloud. Dont they always have a mushroom cloud?  (Ch. 5)Edgar hesitated. To refuse to cash government savings bonds was fiduciary sacrilege so awful that the possibility never before had entered his head. Yet here he was, faced with it. No, he decided, we dont cash any bonds. Tell those individuals that we wont cash any bonds until we find out where the government stands, or if.  (Ch. 5) Chapters 6-9 As Chief Executive of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I hereby declare a state of unlimited national emergency until such time as new elections are held, and Congress reconvenes. (Ch. 6)Whos winning? Nobodys winning. Cities are dying and ships are sinking and aircraft is going in, but nobodys winning.  (Ch. 6)In four months, Randy said, weve regressed four thousand years. More, maybe. Four thousand years ago the Egyptians and Chinese were more civilized than Pistolville is right now. Not only Pistolville. Think what must be going on in those parts of the country where they dont even have fruit and pecans and catfish.  (Ch. 8)I think most of us sensed this truth, but we could not accept it. You see, no matter how well we understood the truth it was necessary that the Kremlin understand it too. It takes two to make a peace but only one to make a war. So all we could do, while vowing not to strike first, was line up our lead soldiers. (Ch. 9)It was a w olf, Randy said. It wasnt a dog any longer. In times like these dogs can turn into wolves. You did just right, Ben. Here, take back your gun. (Ch. 9) Chapters 10-13 No. A company under martial law. So far as I know Im the only active Army Reserve officer in town so I guess its up to me.  (Ch. 10)The end of the corn and exhaustion of the citrus crop had been inevitable. Armadillos in the yams was bad luck, but bearable. But without fish and salt their survival was in doubt. (Ch. 12)Ben Franklin was credited with discovering a new source of food, and was a hero. Peyton was only a girl, fit for sewing, pot washing, and making beds.  (Ch. 12)It was proof that the government of the United States still functioned. It was also useful as toilet paper. Next day, ten leaflets would buy an egg, and fifty a chicken. It was paper, and it was money. (Ch. 13)We won it. We really clobbered em! Harts eyes lowered and his arms drooped. He said, Not that it matters. (Ch. 13)

Final case Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Final case Assignment - Essay Example THINK should not tie-up with an established player, and maintain its own identity. It should enter into partnership with some Chinese firm as a short-term strategy. However, focus should be to enhance relations with Ener1 to overcome their internal weaknesses. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Core proposition and long-term customers 3 3. Success strategy for the US and Europe 4 4. Strategic partners 5 5. Industry analysis 5.1 Auto industry within US 6 5.2 Risks 7 5.3 Future trends 8 6. Company analysis 6.1 Strengths 9 6.2 Weakness 10 6.3 Opportunity 10 6.4 Threats 11 7. Competitor analysis 12 8. Recommendations or the way forward for THINK 13 References 15 Table & Charts Chart I: Global Oil prices & US gasoline prices in 2030 8 Chart II: Per-Mile Fueling cost 10 Table I: US supply of electric vehicles from 2011 through 2015 11 1. Introduction THINK, the electric car company, has faced three bankruptcies but has now been able to draw investments from companies from different cou ntries such as the US, Finland, and Norwegian government-backed investment fund. The company is now faced with the challenge of introducing and achieving success in the US market. The potential in the US is very high due to government support for electric vehicles (EVs) and hence THINK wants to be in the US from the beginning to take advantage of early-mover benefits. THINK has been positioned as a modern, efficient and responsive brand. Initially the core customers comprised of the fleet buyers including the government buyers and companies that valued association with green transport. Moreover, electrical vehicles (EVs) have low operating costs apart from the fact they are exempt from congestion charges. They are allowed to operate in otherwise vehicle-restricted parts of the city. The government-bodies are also able to comply with the urban emission regulations. Using and leasing environment-friendly vehicles enhances the corporate image of the government and private organizations which also plays upon the image of the potential employees who value eco-conscious employers. 2. Core proposition and long-term customers The core proposition of the vehicle is to provide cars with zero-emission while making it affordable and user-friendly. These cars may not be able to drive long distances per day but then the customer segment that THINK proposes to tap, would not require daily long distance driving. The car-sharing and rental agencies can be long-term customers of EVs as these can be rented out in congested urban areas as EVs have strong political and economic support. The clients of the car rental agencies become the potential owners of the EVs as they try out the cars first. Another long-term customer segment for the EVs includes the baby boomers who are environmentally conscious and for whom two-wheeler cars are sufficient. Then there are the women shoppers who use the car for day-time shopping and just need a child-fit arrangement in the car. The urban profes sionals also need a â€Å"cool car† that provides them a distinct identity and demonstrates their desire to change the world by being the trend setters. Apart from the green concept, since THINK uses the latest technology, it allows the driver to remain connected with the world outside. In fact the car can be used as a high-powered mobile computing, and communications platform,

Micro-Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Micro-Economics - Essay Example He also traces the  confusion  to the non-availability of  attractive  homes at  many  parts of the country, a  case  that is making the  available  buyers  lack  the houses they could want for  purchase. This view  was  however challenged,  by chief Economist Paul Dales, arguing that, since 30 years  back, there has been an excess supply of one million homes, available to be traded. He  further  cites the poor economic situation, as the cause for the decreased level of home purchases in the past. The author cites another problem, which could be hampering the supply-demand stability of the home market, as the acutely decreasing  home  prices. From the different accounts, the debate ends with no clear definition of the problem facing the homes’ market in the U.S (Timiraos  1). However, the author integrates the different versions of the explanations, into the  causes for the confusion facing the US homes’  market. These include  the availability of many homes at the  wrong  places, where customers are not willing to buy, which is  the result of the housing boom; the overpricing of the many homes available for sale – an effect of the d eclining inventory; and the short sale cases, which make up the bigger part of the market. The economic concepts illustrated through the information include the concept of demand, where the shifts in  the demand  curve  are depicted  through the changing preferences of buyers, where the  case  is that, despite the availability of about a million homes for sale, the buyers cannot find the homes they want to  purchase. In the area of  buyer  expectations, the buyers are not willing to  buy  the homes, which  are located  at the far-flung locales. The concept of demand  is clearly depicted  through the case of the  inflated  home prices, of the homes that are available for sale, as a result of the declining inventory. This case is  thus, leading to decreasing demand, in response to the increased prices. The

Internet Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Internet Marketing - Essay Example The internet is very effective in carrying out this exercise. One other advantage of this strategy is that it is captivating and it appeals to the interests of the targeted consumers. The marketer is also in a position to tailor the message in the desired way so that it can have a positive impact on the targeted consumers. Basically, the strategy of storytelling helps to increase a market share for the company. 2. In order to strike an emotional cord, there are different brand storytelling techniques that are effective. The technique of presenting the product as unique is very effective since it appeals to the emotions of the targeted people. People are compelled to think deep in a bid to establish the main reasons why the product is presented as unique compared to other similar market offerings. This marketing strategy is particularly designed to appeal to the emotions of the customers so that they can try the product. They tend to ask themselves this simple question: Why is the product better compared to other similar products found in the market? This is likely to compel customers to develop a positive perspective about the product. For instance, they will buy it on the basis of the emotional benefit they will gain from using it. In some cases, people are satisfied by the benefits they will derive from using a certain product. Therefore, the brand story should explain it all. 3. The other elements in the brand story that are effective in content strategies include things such as product feature and quality. In most cases, the consumers buy a product as a result of the information about that offering they have. Information about a product includes elements such as product features as well as quality. Customers are primarily interested in buying products that have value for their money. These products would satisfy the customers if they are comprised of quality features. This is the essence of marketing where the marketers seek to satisfy the

Econ assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Econ - Assignment Example a. Increase in capital in country A will lead to increase in production of the goods x and y hence, the country thereby affecting its importation of the same goods thus, affecting the exportation on the same goods by country B since A shall have increased its production on the same goods. c. Increase in capital in country B will lead to increase in production of the goods x and y hence, the country thereby affecting its importation of the same goods thus, affecting the exportation on the same goods by country A since B shall have increased its production on the same goods. 10. The reasons that led to the decline in the import due to industrialization included the production through processing and manufacturing by different nations; hence, creating self-reliance of nations. Additionally, it is worth noting that this factor promoted free trade since nations produces different items at different times; thus, it was only through trade especially free that products from different nations could be acquired by other

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

Research - Essay Example This has resulted in losing focus on the real reason teachers should focus upon diversity issues, i.e., to better understand their students and help them learn in a heterogeneous classroom. Personal Reaction. My personal reaction to this article is agreement. I think that diversity should extend beyond race and language to include other significant differences in the classroom. I agree that teachers should focus on providing the best possible learning environment. Summary. The article by Linda Pickett (2008) asserts that every child is, at its core, an intact human being. As such, they have a hunger for learning, an inborn sense of what is fair, and a desire for validation that, if given, is returned. She notes that in spite of these characteristics, society is war-torn and full of ethnic conflicts that require the cultivation of nurturing children in their innate good qualities. In spite of the increase of social diversity, however, most debates in education focus on maintaining a competitive edge in global competition. Thus, she concludes, educators must find a way to bring families and children together as partners in fostering tolerance. Personal Reaction. I agree that teachers can occupy a unique position to encourage diversity. I am not convinced that the primary focus of current education debate is literacy, math, and science, however. I think that diversity is a concentration point, if not a debate, in the profession. Important Questions (3). How can teachers foster the innate goodness of young children? Is diversity taking second place to global competitiveness? If given the opportunity during early pre-school education, will children demonstrate tolerance as they develop? Summary. In a very interesting article on poverty as a component of classroom diversity, Cuthrell, Ledford, & Stapleton (2007) provide a compelling story of a young

Reflection on my Cofacilitation Group Skills Demonstration Essay

Reflection on my Cofacilitation Group Skills Demonstration - Essay Example etings were scheduled and attended by the members and that each member completed their parts on time so that we could merge all the sections before acclimatizing to them to foster further understanding on us. With regard to my facilitation partners, I have to commend them, despite residing in different areas I fond working with them quite cordial as no one missed even a single meeting. They all played their parts thoroughly without being pushed and took the initiative to update the rest of the group about their finding so that we could share a common grounding. I must say I enjoyed doing business with them, it was a flexible group, eager to learn, time conscious, and with unique contributions. Even though every event was successful in the group work, my most well done duty was the actual presentation-how I engaged and controlled the audience within the provided time. My presentation was more of interactive and I think this significantly contributed to the understanding of my facilitation. Though the presentation was good, I had the feeling that I have to improve on time management, it is important that after the facilitation, the audience get time to ask questions and this was not the question with my presentation. Time was well managed but I did not allocate time for questioning and clarifications from the audience. The feedback from peers and the instructor was positive, they all commended my contribution and confessed they did not expect such a well-organized and articulated presentation form me. The instructor went ahead and said that I must have had adequate preparation for the presentation, which was true. I also came to realize that with commitment, hard work, and dedication to duty, everybody could improve on their ability to deliver n anything. My contribution to the group was enormous, having been proposed the leader; I had to ensure that all the prerequisite preparations are done on time. I scheduled meetings, delegated duties to the group members,

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

Research - Essay Example This has resulted in losing focus on the real reason teachers should focus upon diversity issues, i.e., to better understand their students and help them learn in a heterogeneous classroom. Personal Reaction. My personal reaction to this article is agreement. I think that diversity should extend beyond race and language to include other significant differences in the classroom. I agree that teachers should focus on providing the best possible learning environment. Summary. The article by Linda Pickett (2008) asserts that every child is, at its core, an intact human being. As such, they have a hunger for learning, an inborn sense of what is fair, and a desire for validation that, if given, is returned. She notes that in spite of these characteristics, society is war-torn and full of ethnic conflicts that require the cultivation of nurturing children in their innate good qualities. In spite of the increase of social diversity, however, most debates in education focus on maintaining a competitive edge in global competition. Thus, she concludes, educators must find a way to bring families and children together as partners in fostering tolerance. Personal Reaction. I agree that teachers can occupy a unique position to encourage diversity. I am not convinced that the primary focus of current education debate is literacy, math, and science, however. I think that diversity is a concentration point, if not a debate, in the profession. Important Questions (3). How can teachers foster the innate goodness of young children? Is diversity taking second place to global competitiveness? If given the opportunity during early pre-school education, will children demonstrate tolerance as they develop? Summary. In a very interesting article on poverty as a component of classroom diversity, Cuthrell, Ledford, & Stapleton (2007) provide a compelling story of a young

Marketing Cultural Icons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Cultural Icons - Essay Example Two examples of cultural icons from the United States are the cowboy hat and basketball. The cowboy hat originated from the rough riding cowboy horsemen of the arid and desert regions of the United States. If one were to wear a cowboy hat in countries that do not have such desert environments, such as France, Denmark or Germany, among others, then the individual would be thought of as having a cocky, go-getter and brusque personality. Basketball is perhaps the most popular team sport that originated from the United States. People who play basketball are those who come out as athletic, confident and persistent by impression. Other countries also have their own cultural icons that influence people in the United States. An example is the Japanese influence of Zen garden on the architectural homes in the United States. People in the United States who have a Zen garden are seen as spiritual, simplistic and calm. A similar example would be the Indian exercise of Yoga. People who do or practice Yoga in the United States are seen as individuals who are healthy, mystical and at

Term welfare Essay Example for Free

Term welfare Essay Government benefits provided to people with little or no income are referred as welfare benefits. The term welfare can refer to a number of different programs in the United States, but often refer to cash assistance. In some cases, this money may be used however the recipient wishes. In others, the money can only be used for specific uses, such as food stamps that can only be used to buy groceries. The welfare state expands on this concept to include services such as universal healthcare and unemployment insurance. To what extent are welfare measures necessary in democratic countries ? What can be the abuses and how could we solutionate those 1/ the importance of welfare Health Care A primary advantages of welfare benefits is promoting the health of the people receiving the benefits Since there is a general correlation between income and health. People who have no income and no health care will, statistically, live shorter and less healthy lives than people who have enough income to buy proper food and to pay for medical care. Support for Children While many adults are able to make choices about how much income they choose to earn, children cant . Children must generally rely on the money that their parents are able to make. Welfare payments, particularly those that are directed for the care of children, allow children to grow up with better nutrition, medical care and possessions that make for a more comfortable standard of living. Lower Crime The provision of welfare has been shown to lower crime. Although some may argue that welfare constitutes a bribe, providing people with some income takes away an incentive to commit property crimes designed to provide the person with money or property. Welfare alleviates some of an individuals economic need, thereby lowering crime and increasing the general stability of society as a whole. Income Distribution Another advantage of welfare benefits is that it more evenly distributes a societys wealth. Some many consider this a benefit in itself. However, others may consider providing money to people who did not earn it to be unfair. There is, according to Arnold, a demonstrated correlation between income distribution in a society and that societys stability. Societies with greater inequities in wealth generally suffer more social and political turmoil. Social welfare programs today provide assistance to the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled and the destitute. While these may at first glance appear to be noble undertakings, there are some who suggest there are disadvantages of the programs, both to the individual and to society as a whole. Among some of the majors disadvantages suggested is the high cost of these programs. Opponents of social welfare programs often argue that governments simply cannot sustain the cost of providing financial support to so many elements of society. Between 1984 and 2002, social welfare programs, including Social Security and Medicare, accounted for between 49 and 60 percent of federal government spending. Disincentive Pointing to Harvard University Professor of Economics Gregory Manikws 10 Principles of Economics, opponents suggest social welfare programs, particularly for the underemployed or unemployed, create disincentives for people to find gainful employment. Manikw asserts that people respond to incentives. For example, they work because there is an incentive to earn an income and support themselves. Social welfare programs risk removing this incentive by providing income for someone who is not working or who is unwilling to work, meaning they no longer have a need to produce. Sponsored Links Modà ¨les de Lettre Tous modà ¨les de lettres et documents sur lettres.net lettres.net Economic Impact According to Mankiw, a societys standard of living is dependent on its ability to produce goods efficiently. More workers producing more goods increases the economic output of a society, thereby increasing the amount of income. When people lose the incentive to produce, the nations productivity goes down and income decreases. This can in turn increase the burden on governments to support the welfare system and result in ever higher costs. When governments print too much money, the rate of inflation increases, raising the price of goods for everyone. Government Control Many opponents of social welfare programs suggest these programs create circumstances in which governments gain too much control over individual citizens. Citizens who rely on government programs for income and sustenance are in a position to allow government to have more say in their individual choices. Opponents argue that social programs allow governments to impose rules on day-to-day choices of welfare recipients because the government is paying for the services. Proponents further argue that even if government does not currently impose such rules, they may assert their ability to do so in the future.

Terra-Cotta Girl :: essays research papers

Terra Cotta Girl   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem has clear, wide-open drama while managing ambiguity and open-endedness. A sort of modern local color piece tinted with Southern elements, it nevertheless makes its characters real and sympathetic, treats important themes that are both topical and general, and offers an apt objective relationship with universal implications. Technically a lyric, the poem filled with narrative and drama: an off-the-farm college girl, a Southerner, and perhaps a Georgian like Sellers herself, has fallen in love with a â€Å"quiet girl down the hall† (9). The girl’s conservative mother â€Å"has seen to† (10) having her daughter seek for an expert help. Ungraceful, conflicted inwardly, and beset outwardly by parental pressure, the girl now waits to see a counselor. No character speaks, but the role of each is well defined. At least five characters, perhaps six, come into play: two girls, their two mothers, and one or maybe two counselors. Onstage is the â€Å"terra cotta girl† (1)--and maybe her mother as well. The other, â€Å"quiet† (9) daughter and her mother, along with a counselor (perhaps the same one), running a parallel to the scene we are witnessing. Although the poem shows us the girls as living â€Å"down the hall† (9) from each other in their college dormitory, it also suggests another indirect possibility that, at the very moment of the present action, this other girl, the quiet one, is just â€Å"down the hall† waiting to see another counselor during two parallel sessions that the mothers have â€Å"seen to† (10). Perhaps, the other girl’s mother is with her, too. The other girl may be â€Å"quiet† precisely because the narrator chooses not to give her a separate story. If this is the case, her â€Å"terra cotta† lover stands in as her delegate. The phrase â€Å"quiet girl† draws the image of a shy character, who may be less able to handle her current torture, and not as strong as â€Å"terra cotta girl†. Formally, the poem has thirteen short lines with different numbers of syllables and accents. The poem is unrhymed but engages such alliterations as â€Å"flat farm feet† (2) / â€Å"furrows† (3), â€Å"soil has seen† (10), and â€Å"weep for the waste† (12). All of the alliterated sounds are voiceless, which projects the current situation of the girls. The thirteen breath units of the poem divide into two clear sentences. With no stanza break in the poem, these sentences establish the language of the drama.

James Joyces Dubliners - Anger and Misery in Counterparts Essay exampl

Dubliners - Anger and Misery in Counterparts If one story in Dubliners can be singled out for its overly disturbing qualities, then "Counterparts" would be it. In this story the reader witnesses the misery that people in Dublin pass on to each other and through generations. Joyce introduces us to a character that at first is mildly amusing. Farrington is a working-class man that, like so many others, has to put up with verbal abuse from his boss. At first it is comical to watch him outline his speech he will give to his friends about how he wittily insulted his boss. However, we soon learn that he is a very angry man with rage dangerously building up with no acceptable outlet. Where the anger stems from is very important. As we learn he has no power, no sense of true self. He is mentally paralyzed, one symbolic man, representing Dublin for Joyce. And the inherent danger for this paralysis is demonstrated at the shocking and terribly disturbing ending. First though we see the rage that he built up during his day. Though not shown, undoubtedly this rage has been building in him over years. "A spasm of rage gripped his throat for a few moments and then passed, leaving after it a sharp sensation of thirst" (Joyce 87). It is rather obvious what it leaves him thirsty for. Despite (or rather because) of the urgency to finish his work he sneaks out of the office for a drink. This business of leaving to drink is not in response to stress, we learn it is a compulsive habit. When returning to the office Farrington is asked where he was. He does not answer, but the questioning clerk does for him "'I know that game, he said. Five times in one day is a little bit...'" ( Joyce 89). Exacerbating the idea of a powerless man is the iron... ...o each other. Farrington and Mr. Alleyne are physical opposites, yet they complete the picture of a paralyzed, dysfunctional Dublin. Mr. Alleyne can not treat Farrington as another human being, Farrington is a machine, a means to production. Farrington can not get any power over Mr. Alleyne despite his physical advantage. His counterpart, his complement is to drink and beat his frustrations out of himself using his son. His unfortunate son is the counterpart to his father's anger. A perverse release necessary if Farrington is to have a semblance of sanity. Works Cited and Consulted Joyce, James. Dubliners. Penguin Books: New York, 1975. Tindall, William York. A Reader's Guide to James Joyce. Noonday Press: New York, 1959. Walzl, Florence L. "Dubliners." A Companion Study to James Joyce. Ed. Zack Bowen and James F. Carens. Greenwood Press: London, 1984

How Far Should a State Have a Right to Monitor the Actions of People Within Its Borders?

The state should monitor the actions of people within its borders if such actions pose a threat to the national security. A nation's security is of an utmost importance to a country as it ensures the survivability of a country. It is with this reason that the government should have a right to monitor the actions of the people within its borders. This refers to individuals who engage in terrorist activities with the aim of conducting terrorist attacks in the country to instill fear in others. E. g. In Singapore, the government monitored the actions of Mas Selamat when the police received tip off of his plan to bomb the Singapore Changi Airport in 2002, where he was eventually arrested. The state should have a right to monitor the actions of the people within its borders, especially during stressful times such as war; as long as its monitoring does not result in the violation of human rights. Possessing the highest power, the state has jurisdiction in virtually all areas that society h as to deal with. Hence, it does have the right to monitor the actions of people. In times of war, famine, disease and violent acts will arise. In such times, the general public is unable to control and detain the situation, thus requiring the intervention of a higher power. For example, the state should have the right to implement a curfew during a war. This helps keep the people safe and reduces the chance of a violent protest or riot that may result in more deaths. Eg: During the 2010 clash between the red shirts and the yellow shirts in Thailand, the state intervened and imposed a curfew to monitor the actions of the Thais. This action has prevented more deaths and kept the people safe. Thus, the state should intervene in times of war to help control the situation. Government should not have the right to monitor actions of people when it comes to choosing one's life partner. Individuals should be given the freedom to decide with whom they would want to spend the rest of their lives with. If the government were to interfere in this issue, it would go against the basic human rights of freedom of choice. However, the state should not intervene when it violates human rights. The purpose of the state monitoring is to benefit the people; however when the state crosses the line and invades the privacy of people, this right should be revoked. Eg: the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in America has the authority to monitor anyone without the person legally consenting to it. This has resulted in the unhappiness of Americans and resulting in Americans losing faith in their legal system. Thus, the state should have a right to monitor the actions of people when in dire situations such as war but not at the expense of the privacy of people.

Outline And Evaluate The Working Memory Model

The working memory model is the part of the short term memory which is governed by the ‘central executive which monitors and coordinates the operation of the store systems; Phonological loop and visuo – spatial sketchpad. The phonological loop allows sounds to be stored for brief periods. The visuo spatial sketchpad allows visual and spatial information to be stored for brief periods. The two slave systems within the WMM are completely separate and can work individually.A piece of evidence which shows support for the slave systems being two separate systems within the WMM is the case of KF. He had a motorcycle accident and damaged his brain and memory, which therefore left him with no new memory, h couldn’t remember anything since the accident. When KF memory was assessed psychologists found out that he could remember things from sight using his visuo spatial sketch pad however he couldn’t remember things from ear using his phonological loop, this suggests that the slave systems must be separate.This research has weak reliability that the slave systems are separate this is because these findings were only found on one person and not a collective of people, therefore you can’t generalise findings from one person on everybody else, so this evidence on supply’s weak support for the WMM. A piece of research which shows support for the slave systems working independently to each other is psychologists carried out an experiment on two groups asking them to do specific tasks. Group one was asked to perform two visual tasks using only there visuo spatial sketch pad.The other group was asked to do a visual and verbal task using both slave systems. The psychologists found out that group 2 performed better this is because they don’t overload ne slave systems like the other group this suggests that both slave systems work independently and can become over capacitated. A criticism of this research method is that it was a lab e xperiment, and is low in ecological validity, which could have affected the results, as participants may feel under pressure with the lab setting.

Dss Leadership Paper

I believe this is one area Davit is very effective in conveying to its teammates. Davit's mission is â€Å"To be the Provider. Partner and Employer of Choice. † Everywhere I have visited within the Village I have seen this mission be the corner stone of what Davit is all about. The teammates really take pride in what they do. They understand that patient outcomes are very important yet management does not forget the importance of professional development, teammate Incentive programs and work environment, all related to being the Employer of Choice.This information has been backed up by organizations like Training Magazine's â€Å"Top 125† which Davit ranked #1 for national health care service provider for its employee training programs. One thing that fits for me in is the statement in the book that states, â€Å"If an action we're are considering doesn't support our mission, either directly or indirectly, we don't do It. † This Is something I plan to live by and really make sure the decisions I make are the Davit way and they fit within our mission and core values.The book states that Santa runs a productive ND he Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus, is written by Eric Harvey, David Cottrell, AY Lucia and Mike Harridan. There are eight main points or Santa Secrets Running head: The Leadership Secrets 3 happy place in spite of the intense pressures and challenges they face. This is exactly the work environment we face within Davit. The environment on the floor Is Intense and the pressure to meet our goals in enormous yet I have fun doing it.I enjoy trying to figure out new ways to improve what we do which leads me to the next secret. Another secret the book discusses is â€Å"Listen to the Elves. † In this chapter the author discusses the importance of inviting participation from the team. The author also encourages the reader to notice how others perceive them and to spend some time walking In their teammates shoes. This Is one area w here I think I can really be an effective leader within Davit. 1 OFF started working as a technical on ten moor Ana 010 so Tort auto one Ana anal years before advancing to an FAA.Even though I have only been with Davit a short amount f time it has allowed me to understand what a technician or nurse goes through working on the floor. I by no means have all the answers and still consider myself a new tech but it has given me a foundation to grow on. I have seen managers outside of Davit and within Davit implement change without first discussing the change with the entire team and I believe that is what this section is all about. Getting you team involved in the decision making process.I think a great example how this process works is when other staff members get involved in all aspects of patient care. For example when our Anemia Manager, asks the clinicians what might have caused a patients Homoerotic to drop; or when our FAA asks us how we want to adjust our patient schedule and the n Running head: The Leadership Secrets 4 chips in during turnover to make the day a little easier; and when our nurses ask the Techs how their day is going and willingly lend a hand with patient care. These are Just some of the examples of how we listen to each other as a team.Conclusion This is a very good book and in the interest of peeping this paper short I will conclude here. I believe these concepts discussed in the book are a great start not Just for the management aspect of business but for our personal lives as well. This book is like no other leadership book I have read and really puts an interesting twist to leadership which makes the book fun to read. It will make for a great reference to look back on. Thank you! Running head: The Leadership Secrets 5 References Cottrell David. (2003). The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus. Performance Systems Corporation.

The Role of Political Parties in the American Democratic Article

The Role of Political Parties in the American Democratic - Article Example The two main political parties in the U.S (Republican and Democrat) support their candidates to contest the elections with only one objective; winning the election. The choice of the candidate that the party supports is determined by the issues and agendas presented by the candidate. Given the competitiveness of the electoral process, the party goes for those candidates whose manifestos are consistent with the party’s (Maisel 45). Therefore, candidates supporting real issues such as economic stabilization, job creation, affordable healthcare, infrastructural development, increases education access, and insecurity/terrorism are supported by the party. The party design strategies for supporting its preferred candidates during the campaign. During the campaign, the party organizes for a campaign team charged with the responsibility of mobilizing voters and financial support to the party’s preferred candidate (Maisel 67). It is this campaign committee that works on the camp aign strategies and identifying the strong holds of their competitors. Voter mobilization is prioritized in the campaign strategies. The party uses all possible avenues of reaching out to potential voters (Maisel 77-8). Social networks and social sites such as face-book, twitter, and other online platforms are used in mobilizing voters. Realization of social network campaign calls for adequate financial resource allocation and mobilization. The resources for the campaign are internally and externally sources.

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Personal Statement - Essay Example hieve the needed personal and professional in the absence of education, especially Higher Education that is known for setting the paradigm for organizations to be run. Personally, I have chosen marketing as a course and this is the area I want to penetrate with my academic studies at UCAS. My reason for choosing marketing is influenced by a number of factors, major among which is the need for me to take total advantage of booming oil and gas riches that is currently in place in Qatar. For me to take advantage of the oil and gas riches do not mean enriching myself through marketing but equipping my knowledge, skill and competence with the ever growing media and advertising popularity in Qatar. Because of the oil and gas riches, a lot of companies continue to spring up by the day. Because the companies are many, there is so much competition among them that they can hardly survive in the absence of media publicity and advertisement. This is where my professional knowledge in marketing will become useful. My ambitions as a marketer in Qatar are well laid out. In the first place, I am hoping to start from the relatively lower rank where I shall work for a number of up and coming multinational companies. As my experience grows, I would move on to higher grounds by taking state-oriented positions, especially towards the World Cup 2022. The World Cup is certainly a very big event that the government attaches so much importance to. The World Cup 2022 will bring Qatar closer to the whole world and thus the need to glorify the image of the country through a successful hosting. This is where the need for the tournament and country in general to be well marketed comes in. I therefore a person who can be described as very hungry for success since my ambition run very high into the long term. I currently have so many experiences, interests and background that make me very suitable for my ambition to go as far as marketing the World Cup 2022 in Qatar. For example I am a very

Elements of Design in Hectors Final Battle Research Paper - 3

Elements of Design in Hectors Final Battle - Research Paper Example The production designer is the one in charge of the overall look of the film. Production designers have to closely coordinate with the director and the producer (in terms of budget constraints) in order to select the most appropriate settings and style that would enable the film to tell the story (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). Especially during pre-production, the production designer works closely with the film director to establish the particular aesthetic needs and the intended visual feel of the film. The production designer likewise works closely with the costume designer, the hair and make-up stylists, the special effects director, and the location manager to ensure the unified visual appearance of the movie. The role of the art director tends to blur with the responsibilities of the production designer. However, the art director’s main goal is to unify the overall visual appearance of the scenes in the film, making sure that these scenes are able to stimulate moods, contrast features, and appeal to the target audience psychologically (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). In the particular movie clip chose, the scene took place on an arid desert, presumably under the burning heat of the sun and the lighting used in this scene made the audience feel the â€Å"heat of the battle† even more. Thus, the sharp light of the sun conveyed feelings of passion and sheer hatred, which were the very feelings that Achilles felt at that moment, owing to the untimely death of his cousin. This particular setting likewise conveys the burning emotions in the hearts of the characters, from the anger in Achilles, to Hector’s desire to defend his honor, and even the pain felt by Hector’s family as they watch Hector walk into his death. All these aspects convey the message of the movie in terms of passion and honor. As the scene takes place in Ancient Greece, the costume designers no doubt took extra care and effort to make the characters’ costume as authentic as possible. Hector’s armor clad body signifies that he is a methodical fighter who takes great efforts to ensure that he is well protected in battle.

Data Communication Using the Top-Down Approach Essay - 2

Data Communication Using the Top-Down Approach - Essay Example According to Hicks (2004), this the top down emphasizes on planning as well as a total understanding of the system and in this case coding does not begin until a sufficient level of detail has been attained. This design was promoted by Harlan Mils who was an IBM researcher and Niklaus Wirth in the 1970s. Â  Equity first a mortgage brokerage company located in New England has a centralized operations center. This center which is located in Exeter, New Hampshire, is the center of all operations and it, therefore, controls all the operations of the other ten branches in Maine and Massachusetts. It is also the administrative center as it hosts departments such as accounting, human resources, executive management, and support staff. The operations center maintains a central database used to store customer information, such as loan applications, credit check information, and approval status. This fulfills the first requirement that the top-down model needs to have a central office that manages all the operations. Â  Computer networking using the top-down approach focuses on new short interlude and eventual ‘putting it all together’ that follows the coverage of the network, data link layers, transport awe well as application (Hicks 2004). Each office at Equity first is now self-reliant as they do not rely on the main office to ensure maintenance as well as effective communication. It is also responsible for the decrease in errors when it comes to operations hence no delays or breaks downs in communication takes place because each operation takes place separately. It is also quite easy to maintain because the errors are few and are easy to identify and correct.

Analysis of Punting a football(Biomechanics) Research Paper

Analysis of Punting a football(Biomechanics) - Research Paper Example Proper punting technique is achieved when a punter is able to kick the ball for as long and as high as he can (Guy & Sang, 2009). There are a number of biomechanical techniques for achieving proper form, which make reference to the way the ball is dropped into the kick, how the punter follows through with his leg motion, and how the punter steps into his kick. These principles are best described and illustrated by means of example, which will follow shortly. The necessity of proper punting technique may be broken into two categories: (a) the safety and health of the punter and (b) the strategic advantage of well-placed punts during a game. With respect to safety and health, bad form in any sport will lead to injury of the muscles, bones, and joints involved with the physical activity. Quadriceps strains, in particular, are associated with injuries in punters who kick without proper technique (Beatty, McIntosh, Savage, Orchard, & Landeo, 2007). Because of this risk, safety and health are primary concerns for coaches who try to train their players on the methodology of kicking. Secondly, with respect to strategic advantage, punting technique is situational to the conditions of the game (Guy & Sang, 2009). That is, technique should be adjusted depending on circumstances such as field position, probability of a strong return, probability of a win, and so on. With these realities in mind, there is no perfect (or ideal) form; however, biomech anical principles apply to generally proper form. In addition to proper technique being situational in terms of circumstances within the game, proper technique for punters is also situational based on the comfort and ability levels of the punter himself. An athlete should not strain himself to achieve form and technique of those with considerably more strength and flexibility. This is particularly important, especially even before the ball is

Problems and Benefits of Privatization of Public Sector Organizations in China Essay Example for Free

Problems and Benefits of Privatization of Public Sector Organizations in China Essay Privatization as an important role of economy , has great contribution for all over the world. So what is privatization? Privatization means transfer of assets of economic activity from public sector to private sector, it has been seen by many governments as a means of revitalizing inefficient industries and as an opportunity to raise revenues to ease budgetary problems; however, privatization in China is very complicated. When reform started in 1978, almost of the productive assets were state-owned in China. But reforms since then have not included privatization. Today, there is more than 70 per cent of Chinese productive wealth which belongs to Chinese government. During the first 20 years of reform, the government concentrated the country’s assets with a great purpose of development which helped to achieve the creation of infrastructure and expansion of industrial capacity. We can image, if the state assets had been privatized, it would become a big trouble for China to mobilize resources during the tremendous industrialization between 1980s and 1990s.That’s why the initial marketization-without-privatization approach has been successful. Also because of that, China has emerged a robust infrastructure and become an industrialized economy. However, this industry-first, government-investment-driven and export-oriented growth model which has been highly resource intensive has run its course. China has expanded export almost of the world, not only the developed countries, also Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. But this growth model is limiting the speed of export. China has to turn towards growth driven by domestic demand, not exports, and one led by service not industry to shift its economy. So what can help to stimulate the transformation? The answer is privatization. Privatization remains a thorny issue in a country where private property became a constitutional right only in 2004 and where the right to own productive assets remains unclear. Many vibrant, purely private companies have sprung up despite this uncertainty, but take care to stay out of the limelight. For example, the most famous Chinese private company is Legend Holdings Ltd, is Chinese investment holding company in IT, investment, and real estate formed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences- the best-known of which is the Lenovo Group in which Legend is the controlling shareholder. In 2006, the volume of its business was 4,033,096 million RMB. Another famous private company is Huawei which makes and sales telecommunication equipment. It is biggest supplier who provides the solution of telecommunication network. Until 2011, the whole company had 146,000 employees, and the annual sales volume was 203.9 billion RMB. Obviously the kinds of private companies become a main power to improve C hinese economy and increase national income. Proverbially, privatization can help to reduce the government financial and administrative burden. The best example is Legend Holdings Ltd. Legend Holdings Ltd was based on the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chinese government only invested 200 thousands to organize the company. However, until now, the company has developed to an international holding company with the influence from all over the world. The Chinese government doesn’t manage the company directly but it controls a part of stock of the company. According to an analysis suggests that privatization of China’s state-owned enterprises is achieved with limited compromise on the social welfare responsibilities, and much of the improvement in the firm performance comes from the reduction in the agency cost at the management level. The state-owned enterprises generally have bloated management structure with excessive amount of managerial expenses. It is because the State Assets Agency has multiple objectives, and so long as the management meets those objectives it is neither motivated nor disciplined for profit maximization. On the contrary, private companies have their own management systems, they don’t have so much social welfare duties as state-owned enterprises. Rapid development of privatization also can help government to increase their financial income. According to the data suggests, in 2004, mainly to the private economy of small and medium-sized enterprises created 58.8 per cents of GDP, 68.3 per cents of exports and 48.2 per cents of revenue in China. Also we can see the data from Legend Holdings Ltd. Until 2003, this private company handed over to the national tax 5.45 billion RMB. As the state-owned enterprises, the government has to invest by themselves to get profit; however, as private company, government can get revenue without investing or management. Increasing efficiency and productivity in certain public sector is the third advantage of privatization in China. Some state-owned enterprises sale to specific purchasers through MBO(Management Buy-Outs). The managers cooperate with foreign companies which can help to import high technology equipment and improve the manufacturing technology. Obviously, this can increase the efficiency and productivity of company. The most famous example in China is Haier. Haier as a global electrical appliances brand, cooperate with 28 companies from difficult countries like America, Japan and Germany. As of 2008, Haier has surpassed rival Whirlpool as the worlds top refrigerator producer in terms of sales, according to Euromonitor, an independent business intelligence provider. Haier said it sold 12 million refrigerators worldwide last year, up 20% over the previous year. Its market share reached 6.3% globally. On the other hand, with the development of privatization in China, there are many problems which disturb the road of privatization. As I talked before, MBO is a kind of form of state-owned enterprises privatization. The government selling the state-owned enterprises to private organization or individual is another form. The biggest problem for this form is the individual will change the enterprise to family business. The Chinese Social Science Center had a research about Chinese private economy. The data showed 61.82 per cent companies admit that they are family business. Only 27.4 per cent of enterprises’ stock was controlled by family under 90 per cent. In China, family business enterprises’ average life is only 2.8 years. Why? Many bosses of private companies provide management job to their family. However, with the development of enterprise, importing the skills of manufacture and the experience of management become more and more important. Family members are not en ough for the development of business. The crisis of stock is another problem for privatization in China. A while back Huawei company was in trouble of old employees demanded the stock of enterprise. According to this event, we can notice there is more stock crisis in privatization of China. The owners of enterprises want to control the whole company; however, when the state-owned enterprises change to private enterprises, the distribution of stock is very confused. The lack of clear strategy of cooperation and the lack of coordination system make the partner scramble for stock, which can make the management layer into disarray. The developing of enterprise is seriously for entrepreneur. However, the growth of enterprise is not only expanding the company or increasing the number of employees, it appears in many aspects. Chinese entrepreneur always want to control their companies, this means they do not want to decrease their stock of the company. This phenomenon result to the lack of investment. For example, we can connect to family business. The lack of investment and management skills make the enterprises’ average life only 2.8 years. How to affect foreign investment and increase the capital is big challenge for Chinese entrepreneur because when the enterprises become private, the government cannot control or manage or invest to the companies directly. China’s privatization has developed more than 20 years, the private company increase the government financial income and develop Chinese economics. However the privatization in China is still not mature. A state-owned enterprise which changes to private enterprise has to face many problems. In general, the trend of Chinese privatization is optimistic. This also can help to develop the world economics.

Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay

Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay In recent years governments within Canada have been facing increased pressure from the public to be more financially accountable, transparent and responsible when it comes to managing tax dollars. In large part, this is due to several economic and social pressures, such as an aging population, budgetary deficits and various financial scandals, which make the need for effective and efficient financial management a pressing matter. Governments have been developing systems, approaches and processes to continually ensure value for money, including integrating private sector practices into the public sector (e.g. New Public Management and Public Sector Renewal). One such private sector practice is the extensive use of and reliance on performance measures, which are used to obtain information thought to be critical to ensuring effective and efficient financial management, such as tracking government debt, program success, and forecasting future programming needs. This paper will demonstrate and explore the theory of performance measurement, including its advantages and disadvantages. A case study will then be presented, which will outline, apply, and assess financial performance measures used by the Ontario government on its provincial budget covering the period from 2002 to 2007. The paper will then conclude with observations and recommendations for more effective use of performance measures and a better understanding of the benefits and, perhaps more importantly, the limitations of performance measurement. Performance measures, while a useful tool, are not sufficient to guarantee effective and efficient management of public resources. Context for the need for performance measure in the public sector Governments are increasingly grappling with complex social and economic pressures. For instance, the aging of the population is expected to have important impacts on governments revenues and expenditures. With soaring health care costs as the population ages, Roy Romanow (2002) in his report on the future of health care in Canada estimates that annual per capita expenditure on people aged 65 and over is three times as much as the average of all age group spending (p.57). Looking at Ontarios annual report and consolidated financial statements between 2002 and 2007, the province has seen a significant increase in its expenditure in health and long term care where the province increased its expenditure by approximately 9.9 billion dollars or a 36.8 percent spending increase over five years. Overall expenditures during the same time period have increased by 20.4 billion dollars or a 28.6% increase. This essentially means that approximately 49% of the increase in expenditure went to health care spending. Ontarios revenues on the other hand increased by 21.8 billion dollars or a 31.8% increase. However, net debt has increased by 8.5 billion dollars or a 6% increase (Please refer to appendix 1.1). As these statistics show, expenditures on health care represent a significant proportion of provincial spending, a situation that may be exacerbated by an aging population. Furthermore, Saks and Haccoun (2004) estimates that Canadian labour supply shortage will reach the one million plateau by year 2020, which can have significant adverse effects on the Canadian economy and its provincial and territorial counterparts in terms of ability to raise taxes and maintain current program expenditures and ensure a sustainable economy in the future. As a result of these pressures and complexities, governments have started to examine its role in society and the various ways through which programs are delivered and managed. For instance, governments are increasingly delivering programs and services through partnerships as a means of improving efficiency in the delivery of services to Canadians. With increasingly complex and varied configuration of delivery of public services, there exists a real need to identify separate roles and responsibilities of participating partners and to develop expectations, standards, and measures of performance to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability. What is Performance Measure: Definitions and Considerations One of the results of this movement for better public service delivery is the integration of private sector practices, including performance measurement to ensure transparency, accountability and sustainability even in the face of pressures and complexities facing the public sector. In recent years, several developed countries and some developing countries have made increasing use of performance concepts and results indicators, both in their managerial practices and in the formulation and execution of public programs (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p. 649-650). Performance measurement is also considered by some experts as the first step toward improving the performance of a public-sector organization, and, if backed by an appropriate incentive system, it can help shift organizational focus from inputs to outputs and outcomes and thus improve efficiency and effectiveness (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p.663). It is essentially the collection of a bout an organizations performance indexes that will equip a program manager to evaluate its changes in performance over time (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). Performance measures are believed to be first applied in the public sector in 1960, when calls for the improvements in processes in which the way the government manages its resources or inputs to maximize efficiency and effectiveness started becoming more pronounced. It is argued that by tracking performance, the government is better able to meet its budget goals and objectives. There are many factors to consider when developing or applying a performance measure in an organization. The main factor that must be considered is cost. Can the organization afford the costs associated with developing, maintaining and implementing a performance measure? Clear, concise and realistic performance goals are needed. The performance measure must be fully communicated to everyone in the organization, as the success of a performance measures implementation depends on everyone buying into the concept. Once a performance measure is approved, an appropriate rewards system should be included, as well as a system for modifying the performance measures if the organizations objectives are not being realized. The organization must also ensure that individuals who have to work with the performance measures within the organization are well informed about the process and the benefits of the system and how to implement it (Mayne, 2005). In other tools, realizing and achieving the full benefits of performance measurement may be compromised or limited if analysts/managers fail to appreciate and understand the nature, purpose, meaning, and limitations of the indicators. Benefits of Performance Measurement As the economy grow, the demand for government services increases as well. Ontarios gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 493.1 billion dollars in 2002 to 586.2 billion dollars in 2007 or an increase of approximately 18.9% (Please refer to appendix 1.6). This means that there could be an increased demand for government programs and services and, likely, for the Ontario governments workforce. As programs, service, and government workforce grow, there would be a need to track the various programs the government provides. Performance measures can be beneficial in a given organization in various ways if implemented properly. Some of these benefits include: workforce and program management, assessment of program effectiveness, and increased accountability. Performance measures assist in organizing information that will help track, assess and analyze how various programs are progressing over time. It is a control measure that will make sure that the public sector is delivering services to the public that will maximize the publics utility level and at the same time ensure that resources are utilized efficiently and effectively(Carroll and Dewar, 2002). The management of these processes will also ensure compliance within various departments where the process can be standardized across various departments to ensure compliance. The application of performance management hopes that managers would change from being inwardly focused to being outwardly focused on public conditions, needs and problems (Waldt, 2004, p.21). By helping managers think outside the box, performance measure will hopefully generate innovation that can be fed back into the policy process to incorporate these innovations. However, this will only work if senior management i s able to sell this idea to everyone in the organization that will help break down resistance. By overcoming these barriers, an organization can now look ahead and collect various information regarding its performance, how well it is doing in comparison to previous years?, and how it is performing against other organizations. Performance measures can also help in improving public accountability. Outcomes information will inform public debate and the political process, and thereby providing direction to Government(Waldt, 2004, p. 19). In recent years, various government sectors have faced heavy scrutiny from the tax payer, electorate, opposition parties and the media. This is due to mismanagement of government funds such as the sponsorship scandal. This is one of the reasons why various performance control measures are increasingly filtering through the public sector. Since performance measure requires information gathering, maintaining and analyzing, then its proper implementation improves government accountability, transparency and responsibility. Since the public sector is more open to scrutiny because of the advancement of the information technology and the availability of legislations such as the Freedom of Information Act, this will further assist in ensuring that public sector managers are more cons cientious. Although one must ask whether or not performance measures in the public sector exist because there is a real need to improve performance or a perceived need for one. If the cost of performance measure outweighs its benefits, then performance measures can be seen as a ploy by the government to provide peace of mind to the public. Then the cost of performance measure is essentially the cost of buying peace of mind which is a waste on its own. Finally, another benefit of proper application and implementation of performance measure is through benchmarking (Carroll and Dewar, 2000). Benchmarking allows government agencies to create and compile best practice information that can help other agencies achieve their goals. This information may be useful to other organizations to help make their operations effective. A word of caution with utilizing benchmarks is that each organization is different from one another. Therefore, these benchmarks must be modified to fit into the organizations culture, goals and objectives. Though this may be helpful, the flip side is a potential to promote laziness and block innovation (De Bruijn, 2007). Limitations to the Use/Application of Performance Measurement The main idea behind performance measures is to be able to reduce cost and at the same time provide services at the least possible cost without jeopardizing the quality of service. However, the application of performance measure alone does not mean that governments will start realizing the benefits associated with this practice. Some may question the underlying reason why performance measures are needed in the public sector. It can be argued that performance measures were implemented in another country or province and they have been successful at achieving goals through the use of performance measures as a tool (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). However, just because performance measurement works in one particular organization does not necessarily mean that it can be fully integrated in another organization and be expected to provide the same level of success (the idea of benchmarking). This brings into light various motives or the driving force for the use of performance measures. Do public sector analysts and managed really believe that performance measurement contributes to more effective financial management? Or are they simply forced to include performance measures to fulfill reporting and financial requirements from the Center of government (e.g. Treasury Board)? Or are they just following a trend or a passing fad? The implementation of performance measure in the public sector can have a few disadvantages. These limitations include the manipulation of the performance measure system, challenges and difficulties in quantifying qualitative objectives (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). One of the major problems of performance measure is the manipulation of the performance system to maximize rewards by a particular individual/organization. Performance measure objectives can be interpreted in a variety of ways that can potentially give way to manipulate the system to allow a given organization to meet its objectives on paper but not in reality. One example of how performance measure can be manipulated happened in Australia when an Aboriginal tribe was informed that its sanitation and other subsidies would depend on their performance in keeping sanitary facilities clean, they did so most effectively by thoroughly cleaning the toilets, and then closing them to the public. (p. 660, Performance Measurement in Pu blic Administration) Performance measure can be manipulated by defining the goal and manipulating other variables to meet its objectives. For instance, if a police forces objective is to decrease crime rate in a given community, it can essentially meet its goal without any real changes to the crime rate in the community in question by choosing not to report certain crimes. This practice is a waste of resources that could have been used to fund other programs that are more efficient in nature. As illustrated by the examples given, the application of performance measure can potentially generate good performance on paper but not in reality. Another disadvantage of performance measure is the challenges associated to applying it to the public sector (Graham, 2007). This is because private sector is mostly concerned with profit maximization which is a quantifiable objective. The public sector on the other hand is concerned with measuring qualitative objectives and quantifying its results. Qualitative measures can be quite challenging because it involves subjective interpretation of quality. For instance, if the governments goal is to measure the quality of secondary education provided in Ontario, and then it becomes hard to determine how well the ministry of education is performing. The reason for this is because there are a variety of ways to measure quality, where is the data coming from? What measures are used? Who measures performance? And whether or not there is a conflict of interest that will manipulate the system. Finally, quality of education may not be measured until a few years later when the students graduate h igh school. The application of performance measure also calls for rewarding good performance and punishing poor performance (Waldt, 2004). The implementation of this premise may be a challenge in the public sector because politicians can over ride budget allocation. If for instance, health care is the governments top priority, if for instance health care is the worst performing ministry within the public sector then this may be a challenge. However, this will not work in the public sector because politicians can opt to ignore the performance measure in place and increase funding for the ministry of health. It is also useful to note that the implementation of performance measurement in the public sector could potentially be more challenging than in the private sector, in part because of differing operations/service goals. While the private sectors bottom line is profit maximization, the public sector involves multiple competing stakeholders with multiple goals (Graham, 2002). For instance, there are certain stakeholders who believe in maintaining balanced books and reducing debt, while there are others who believe that the government should consistently provide for social programs, even if this implies financing services through deficit. Furthermore, a performance measures effectiveness may not be fully utilized because politicians can choose to ignore these measures or can over ride budget allocation based on performance measures. Case Study: Ontario Financial Performance Measure A budget is one of the most important pieces of legislation in any given government because it outlines how the government plans to manage its limited resources effectively. A well-conceived, -applied, or -implemented budget allows the organization to realize its goals and objectives with maximum efficiency and effectiveness (McKinney, 2004, p.264). For many years, the public sector has been experiencing increased pressure from the public to provide the best quality of service at the least possible cost. Furthermore, governments have been facing increased pressure from the public to reduce its debt, otherwise debt servicing costs will be transferred to future generations at a higher cost (principal plus interest charges). As the government becomes larger, the role of financial management plays an indispensable role in the achievement of an organizations objective. It is the fuel that gives life and substance to the engine of public administration (McKinney, 2004, p.1). Along with its growth, the number of competing stakeholders also increases and therefore, the process of allocation becomes more complicated. This is the very reason why governments are increasingly finding ways to improve its financial reporting such as the adoption of accrual based accounting and the implementation of the Public Sector Accounting standards. These are some measures used in the private sector that are now being applied in the public sector. In theory, the purpose of the application of these measures is to be able to make governments responsible, responsive and fully accountable. This section will explore and analyze the financial performance measures used by the government of Ontario to assess its effectiveness. The government of Ontarios financial analysis measures three areas which includes sustainability, flexibility and vulnerability. Sustainability measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations. Sustainability measures Assets to Liabilities, Financial Assets to Liabilities, and Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue, Net Debt to GDP and Deficit to GDP. Flexibility measures the governments ability to move around its financial obligations across programs or across various years to be able to provide the best possible programming level. Flexibility measures Public Debt Charges to Revenue and Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets. Finally, vulnerability measures the extent to which the government is dependent on or can be influenced by external organizations such as the federal government, foreign institutions and foreign governments. Vulne rability measures Government Transfers to Total Revenue and net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt. Sustainability Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations through the liquidation of its assets. In the private sector depending on the company, an acceptable ratio is 2:1. However, looking at the Ontario governments assets to liability ratio, this figure hovers around 0.27:1 0.31:1 between 2002 and 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3). This figure may be way below the private sector expectations but the chances of a government experiencing bankruptcy (especially in developed countries) is quite low, since governments tend to have the ability to raise money by issuing debt to cover liabilities. Therefore, the use of this measure is limited to just merely observing upward or downward trends. Furthermore, with the implementation of full accrual based accounting in the public sector it becomes hard to determine the exact total value of the governments assets. These assets include heritage assets where a market value is non- existent or there are competin g estimates. It becomes a challenging task to assign a value on such an asset, or the asset may be of value to the government who owns the asset but not to anyone else. Given the challenges associated with determining an actual value for an asset, care should be taken when using this ratio as a financial performance indicator since its accuracy can be challenged. Financial Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to raise cash quickly or its liquidity to cover its liabilities. The Ontario governments ratio ranges from 0.18:1 to 0.23:1, where it reached its peak in year 2004/2005 and in 2006/2007 (measured at 0.21:1). (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue measures the governments net debt in relation to its ability to generate revenues. This ratio reached its peak over a five year span at 2.03:1 in 2003/2004 and 1.56:1 in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since 2003/2004, the Ontario government has been able to reduce its net debt in relation to its annual revenue. Net Debt to GDP measures the governments fiscal capacity. They relate bond indebtedness to the sources of government revenue (McKinney, 2004, p.245). Ontarios net debt is hovering around a quarter of its GDP and between 2002 and 2007 where it has been slowly declining from 0.27 in 2002 to 0.24 in 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since a consistent downward trend exists in this measure, this means that the government is improving in this ratio. Since both Net debt and GDP has increased from 2002 to 2007, this means that the GDP has increased at a faster rate than the increase in net debt. This means that governments ability to pay its debt obligations has improved over five years. Deficit to GDP measures the governments deficit in relation to its GDP. In this measure, the government has seen improvements from 2003/2004 to 2006/2007. This means that the Ontario government is continuously managing its expenditure and making sure it spending is within its capacity. Even though the Ontario government has seen deficits in the years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, this ratio is looking favourable since deficits are declining in relation to GDP, which has seen a constant increase over five years. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Flexibility Public Debt Charges to Revenue measures the governments ability to raise funds to pay its debt servicing charges. In this measure, the Ontario government has seen a constant improvement or a downward trend during the five year term from 14.9% in 2002/2003 to 9.7% in 2006/2007. The reason for this is because Ontarios revenues over the same five years have seen consistent growth and have increased by approximately 31.8% while interest on debt has seen a 13.7% decline over the same period. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets measures the true value of the governments capital assets. This value is hovering around two thirds of the cost of capital assets and it has seen a slight downward trend from 69.5% in 2002/2003 down to 67.2% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure is a good indication of the governments capital assets such as land, buildings, and transportation infrastructure such as highways, railroads and bridges. However, looking at the Ontario governments public accounts, it does not state whether or not the value of land is recorded at historical cost or fair market value. If the land is recorded as historical cost, then it does not really show the true value of the governments assets; instead it is under estimated if the value of the land increases in market value and vice versa if it decreases in market value. Furthermore, depreciation is measured based on estimates; it could be that the life span of an asset could be higher than expec ted and therefore, while the asset is recorded on financial statements as having no value, the asset could still be utilized. Furthermore, an asset can be estimated to have a lifespan of 10 years; at year 10, even though the asset can still be used, an organization can continue using the asset or request for new funding for the replacement of the asset. Since the asset can still be utilized, the organization can sell the asset and make money out of it (scrap value) and record it under its miscellaneous revenues. This becomes an issue of operational efficiency versus manipulation of assets to maximize revenues. Vulnerability Government Transfers to Total Revenue measures the proportion of the federal governments share of the province of Ontarios total revenue. Federal funding that flowed into the provincial government ranges between 13% (2002/2003), which is its lowest level between 2002 and 2007, and has increased steadily to approximately 15.8% (2005/2006) and dropped slightly to 15.5% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure can be interpreted in various ways where the upward trend shows that the federal government is continually increasing its transfer payments to the province of Ontario in relation to its total revenue. Looking at nominal figures, the federal government has increased its transfer every year between 2002 and 2007 (from 8 billion dollars in 2002/2003 to 14 billion dollars in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.2) Part of this increase is due to huge surpluses the federal government has been reporting in recent years. However, the increased in federal transfer can b e seen both negatively and positively. This can be viewed positively because the province is able to provide more services to the public. However, funding commitments can be revoked especially with a change in government and government priorities. Furthermore, budgetary models are built upon expectations, if the province expects to receive a certain amount of dollars from the federal government, and this is not realized, then it can potentially adversely affect the financial standing of the province. The provincial government should also use this figure as a sign of caution in terms of its forecasts not to rely heavily on federal transfers. The province should try to provide the same level of programs and services to its citizens without relying heavily on federal transfer payments because of fluctuations and uncertainty. However, others may argue that increasing federal transfers is a positive step towards addressing the so-called fiscal imbalance and providing Ontario a fair share of federal funding that is more proportional to the contributions that Ontarians make to the federal tax base. This demonstrates another useful limitation/caveat: performance ratios/indicators are not purely objective, in that their interpretation and ultimately the manner in which they are used/applied depend on the subjective point of view of the public sector analyst/manager. Net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt measures the provinces debt level to foreign countries and or organizations. This figure has seen an increase from 21.4% in 2002/2003 and 23% in 2004/2005 and from that point it declined to approximately 20% by 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This measure is a good indicator on Ontarios reliance on foreign governments in terms of trade and its indebtedness. A declining net foreign currency debt to total debt means that the province can have a positive effect on the provinces credit rating that assesses the governments vulnerability and stability which can have an impact on interest rates on its debt. An improving credit rating will increase the chances of the Ontario government to refinance its maturing debt because of lower risk of default from its debt. An increase in this ratio might cause international panic where other countries can call the province on its debt that can have adverse effects on the economy in terms of attracting investors and other countries willing to do business with the province. As a useful summary of the provinces dependence on foreign debt, it is important to keep track of this budget measure of vulnerability. Discussion of the Ontario governments Financial Analysis as a Measure of Performance Based on the above discussion the ratios used by the government of Ontario is a useful tool as part of a comprehensive strategy or approach to analyzing, measuring the provinces economic and financial performance. However, these tools alone are clearly not sufficient to obtain a full and clear picture and forecast of the economy. Variables such as domestic and international political conditions, international and domestic commodity prices, supply and demand, price of oil, interest parity, price parity, and other non-financial indicators, such as demographic trends, should be considered when formulating, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of policies and programs. Furthermore, these budgetary performance measures tend to be applied at a relatively high level (i.e. on rolled-up or summed-up figures or estimates) with a view to gauging whole of government performance. Since the Ontario government comprises of individual ministries and departments, improving whole of government performance must start with the individual ministries and their specific programs and projects. This reinforces the idea that full and effective performance measurement entails consideration of other and more specific factors/elements. The government of Ontarios financial measures provide very useful snapshots of the government position at a particular point in time. However, there are other measures, information and factors that one has to consider in gauging the performance of the government and formulating recommendations and strategies moving forward. Conclusion Increased pressures and complexities confronting the public sector has encouraged the proliferation of private sector practices, including the use of performance measurement to gauge program outcomes and ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability of government operations. As this paper has demonstrated, there are benefits to performance measurement, such as providing opportunities to track, compile, and maintain data and requiring regular reporting, thereby helping in promoting transparency and benchmarking. However, these financial/material indicators are not sufficient to ensure effective and efficient management of public resources. As this paper has pointed out, there are several limitations and caveats to performance measurement that public sector managers/analysts must bear in mind, including the need to incorporate other information (e.g. non-financial and qualitative data) in developing, implementing, and assessing policies and programs. These points were reinfor ced in this paper through an examination and evaluation of financial ratios intended to measure the performance of Ontarios budget between the period of 2002 and 2007. While this paper presented a case study of performance measurement from a financial perspective, perhaps a more interesting and richer case study would be to explore quantifying qualitative program performance measures in which represents another area of future research. Indeed, performance measurement when used in a public organization by itself is a fools gold (Carroll and Dewar, 2002).