Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Accounting Standards In Essay

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Accounting Standards In The USA. Ethics And Accounting Profession - Essay Example I like the field of international accounting, but unfortunately I do not possess the knowledge necessary to become a valuable asset for the IASB. During the past course I took, accounting theory, I learned a lot about the importance of the FASB and how much the principles created by the FASB affect the operations of companies in the domestic U.S. marketplace. I believe that the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 was a game changer in terms of regulations. SOX raised the integrity, credibility, and accountability of all accounting information in the United States of America. The FASB indirectly benefited from the implementation of the Sarbanes Oxley Act because its bylaws were strengthen as a result of this new regulation. When people believe in the accounting numbers published by US corporations they are strengthening its trust in the GAAP and the FASB. In terms of the GASB I am not really interested in governmental accounting. DQ2 The current accounting standards in the United States of Ame rica are ethically based. Ethics and integrity are two of the values that all accountants uphold at all times when working the profession. The generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) represent the bible for accountants. Ethics is taken into consideration in accounting in many circumstances. For instance the principle of conservatism states that when in doubt an accountant should always underestimate revenues. Sales forecasting techniques such as the Delphi method should be implemented taking into consideration the principle of conservatism. During the past nine years the accounting profession has increased its credibility with the inception of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. The CEOs and top executives of the company including the CFO and controller are personally liable if the financial statements of their company are full of material error or fraudulent activity. SOX also created better internal controls and the integration of auditor independence. Accounting students sinc e the undergraduate level are taught that ethics is an extremely important aspect of accounting work. The curriculums of universities should include more courses in pure ethics as part of the curriculum of business administration. At the corporate level most companies have code of conducts that integrate ethics into its bylaws. DQ3 Ethics are extremely important to the accounting profession. Accountants form close business relationship with their clients. Trust, loyalty, and high ethical conduct are expected from all accountants. Accountants work as facilitators of financial information for internal and external stakeholders. Some of the stakeholders that depend on information provided by accountants include investors, suppliers, lenders, employees, customers, government and the community. The ethics bar was raised nine years ago when the U.S Congress and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) worked together to create the Sarbanes Oxley Act. Section 802 of the Sarbanes Oxley Ac t imposes criminal penalties for altering, destroying, mutilating, concealing, falsifying records, documents or tangible objects with the intent to obstruct impede or influence a legal investigation (Soxlaw, 2003). I think that justice was served in the Enron case because some of the executives received jail time. When ethics are not in play in the accounting profession a lot of criminal activity can occur. Deceptive accountants can defraud the government out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by falsifying information in the personal tax returns of their clients. Unethical accountants also do not comply with the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). It is the duty of all accountants to comply with GAAP. Soxlaw.com (2003). Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 802. Retrieved

Life Is a Race Essay Example for Free

Life Is a Race Essay Family as a Primary Group Social Problems Garelick August 2010 Family plays an important role in the life of every person and society as a whole. It is no surprise that at every new stage of development in our society, with every revaluation of values, the interest in the issues of family, morality and spirituality spikes. At the present time, in the complicated environments through which we weave our lives, the family remains a unique mediator between the interests of the individual and society and is in the epicenter of a major social upheaval. The transition to current market relations and with them the related apathy, and with the mpoverishment of the general population drastically came the turnaround in the view affecting the well-being of our families and their stability and potential for proper upbringing of the young. These, along with many other social instabilities, have led to a crisis of family values. The consequences of this crisis are bifurcations between the generations, the prevalence of reduced lifetime fertility and the growing number of single parents in the United States. If marriage, parenthood and kinship are what constitute family relations, at the present time we are witnessing a decay of this little tiny trinity. The problem is complicated by the fact that at present time, the institution of marriage is going through a transitional period. There is a certain destruction of the old traditional values of marriage, and the new have yet to be formed. Marriage and family are increasingly becoming more about individuals and their need for intimate satisfaction and informal communication, and less about structure and support of one another. Let us pinpoint and define Just where the family lays its essence within the complicated world of social institutions and in which groups, as defined by our text. In a broad sense, the concept of a social group is any social association of people, anything from peer groups to a population of a particular country. In sociology, this concept is used in a narrower sense as any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact with one another on a regular basis (Schaefer, 2009, p. 107). In general, members of a society feel like they belong to a group, and are also perceived by others as members of said group. To analyze the social structure of a society there must be items explored that ppear in all elementary parts of the given society, which incorporate all of the social perspectives. For this, I have chosen what is generally accepted to be the primary group (Schaefer, 2009, p. 110). The most successful definition, and essentially creation of the term, was created by Charles Horton Cooley who coined the term o refer to a small group characterized by intimate, tace-to-tace association and cooperation (Scnaeter, 2 p. 110). In other words, primary groups are those in which individuals have personal interaction with one another. For example, classmates can be members of a primary roup, and the rest of the student body would then be members of a secondary group. From a social perspective of a functionalist for the normal operation of the human society we must consolid ate certain types of social relations so that they become mandatory for members of a particular social group (Schaefer, 2009, p. 4). This primarily refers to those social relations in which, in order to obtain entry, members of a certain group must satisfy the most vital requirements needed for the successful functioning of the given group as an integrated social unit. For example, or the production of material comforts, people tend to perpetuate and secure a level of financial cushioning; this is also done for the upbringing of children, for unstrained family relationships, as well as for education and training for everyone involved. A symbolic interactionist would view the family process as a consolidation of social relations and a way to establish a system of roles and statuses, prescribing certain rules of conduct in a social network, and in defining a system of sanctions in case of a default by any of the individuals in the process of living out and following he given rules of conduct (Schaefer, 2009, p. 16/111). Social roles, statuses and sanctions are implemented in the form of social institutions that define sustainable patterns of behavior, ideas and incentives. Social institutions are organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs, such as replacing personnel in the family setting (Schaefer, 2009, p. 113). Social institutions dictate how ideas and goals are perceived and defined by the system of standard social values, such as patterns of public behavior and the complicated systems of various social ties, i. e. he sets of roles and statuses through which a range of behavior is carried out and kept within certain limits. So, within the concepts of social institution and social group there is a significant internal difference. While the social group, whether primary or secondary, is a collection of interacting individuals, the social institution is a system of social relationships and social norms that exist in a particular area of human activity. However, it should be noted that these concepts are inseparable from each other, because a social institution is a set of relationships and systems of behavior, and is etermined ultimately by the needs of people. In other words, although the social institution creates social relationships and norms, there are people for whom these relationships are linked and carried out; the family is the perfect example of a social group that puts the rules in to practice. People organize themselves into different groups using institutional rules. Each institution includes many social groups that provide the overall institutional behavior. Consequently, institutions and social groups are interrelated, and it would be completely meaningless to separate these otions and study them separately. So, based on the foregoing, I conclude that the family is a social phenomenon that combines the features of a social institution and a primary group. The idea of the modern family arises from the desire to satisfy purely personal needs and interests ot individuals. According to structure-tunctionalists, tn patterns of reciprocal obligations among people and between structures of people and the greater society define family. The greater society has needs that must be met; in order to meet those needs, society creates subsets of people structured to elp meet the needs of society. The family is one of those structures. The definition of family changes as the needs of the greater society change. When the greater society needs rapid population growth † after a time of war, for example † societys definition of family emphasizes heterosexual bonding, procreation and child rearing; but when the greater society is faced with over-population and the need to limit population growth, societys definition of family may be modified to include homosexual bonding and may be more supportive of childless couples (Diem, 1997, As a primary group, the family connects the personal needs of the public interest, adapting to social relations, norms, and values that are accepted in our society. In other words, the familys personal needs are sorted and organized on the basis of accepted societal values, norms and behavior patterns and, eventually, acquire the character of the social functions such as the regulation of sex, procreation, socialization, emotional satisfaction, status, safety, and economic security. From what I have gathered, the definition of family from a conflict perspective has een a highly discouraged and slightly controversial subject since family is considered a sacred institution. As a result, support for research on conflict in the family has been discouraged (Werner-Wilson, 1993, p. 6). And it would seem that a social institution of such prominence would not have a dark side from which can leap and bound toward freedom suppressed minorities. But for the sake of this essay, let us assume that if Karl Marx were to look at the institution of marriage, he would wave his well bearded nugget side to side disapprovingly. The idea of a traditional family as roots in male supremacy, and suppression of womens rights. If only Karl Marx was not a man of the nineteenth century, but lived in present time. The ideal family includes: 1) a set of social values (love, for children), 2) public procedure (for the care of children, family rights and obligations), and 3) interlacing of roles and statuses (status and role of husband, wife, child, teenager, mother-in- law, brothers, etc. ), with the aid of which the family exists. Thus, the institution of family is a collection of certain bonds, rules and roles, which in practice are manifested into the activities of this individual primary group. We all know how great the importance of family is in everyday life, society and even in the political arena. After all, it is the family of each person that provides them with an inexhaustible source of love, devotion and support. The family lays foundation for morality, spirituality and tolerance. And it is the family that is recognized as the major reason for why cultural beliefs survive, are inherited and passed from generation to generation. It is a prerequisite for socialization and the lifelong study of social roles, basic education, skills, and behavior. A healthy, strong family is the basis of stability and prosperity of any society. The family is the foundation of all social institutions vis- ¤-vis the development of the family is ultimately the progress of society as a whole. But the world does not stand still, in its ever-changing atmosphere social institutions take on new meanings and the ideas ot marriage and tamily change witn the times. Marriage has ceased to be life-long and is losing its legitimacy: divorce, single parent families, broken hearts and bank accounts used to be exceptions, and are now becoming the norm. The vast majority of professionals such as philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, economists, and students of the modern school of thought, all agree that the family is going through a real crisis. The strength of family is being tested under the weight of total catastrophic failure that our society is facing; the deep nature of which is characterized by our flailing civilization. As a primary element of society, it gives a miniature image of the same contradictions that are inherent in our cultures. One of the most remarkable properties of the family is its flexible and dynamic orm of structural organization. Thanks to the universal ability to adapt to the peculiarities of the ever-changing world, the family has developed an enormous variety of types of family structures, sometimes adapting itself beyond recognition, but while keeping unchanged its essence as a social institution and a primary group. In addition, the family is created to meet any number and range of essential human needs. The family, therefore, in contrast to other social groups defines the very meaning of integrity and adaptability. Because of its multifunctional ability to ameliorate the physiological and sychological human needs, and its inclination toward self-organization and self- development the idea of family is able to combine all personal, collective and public interests into one little amiable ball with a gigantic potential for explosive cataclysm. The world is not static, it changes, and with it change its social institutions, and thus the family. Clearly, the family today, like society in general, is in deep cow dung. The strength of the family, its charm and vitality lie in the integrity that is inherent in the family idea and in the definition of the primary social group and social nstitution. The present era in which we have had this great pleasure of existing is different from any other in recorded history. Todays complex economic and social situations require a modern approach, which can often cause stress and depression, which have already become integral parts of our existence. Today is the time when the need is particularly great in having a safe retreat, a place of spiritual comfort. This safe retreat can be our family, its stability and strength can be built to withstand the widespread variability of the painful world. The family is something worth elebrating, and in celebrating ourselves we can go on further to build everything else that will try to destroy it.

Civil Order For Sports Organizations :: essays research papers

Pro Case Public Forum Everyone knows that there is violence in sports. The question is what is being down about it? An even more important question is who should be responsible for maintain civil order? Today’s public forum topic addresses this problem. Resolve: PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING CIVIL ORDER. Due to the numerous sports organizations that might be called professional for various reasons, we are defining â€Å"professional sports organizations† as the team for the corporations for athletes who are paid to participate in sports organizations such as: Colorado Avalanche Organizations, Denver Nuggets Organizations, and Colorado Rookies Organizations. We agree with today’s resolution. In the words of Kevin Quinn from his book, â€Å"Violence is craved by the America’s entertainment industry and the same goes for Americas sports industry.† This is a one problem in society. Another problem stated by Don Allen sports directory for ABC News Channel, â€Å"The entire arena erupts with cheering when there are fights, Even if the team is losing, the fans still get excited when they see two players pummeling each other.† He further explained that, â€Å"In hockey, there are players whose specific purpose is to be the reams â€Å"enforcer† or as some call them, â€Å"goons.† Referees will even allow players to fight for a few minuets without the intervening. After the fight, the players simply receive a five-minuet penalty, after which they can return to the ice. Rarely are players ejected and often they go to the penalty box with blood gushing form their face.† Now that we have established the problems, here are possible ways to find solutions. First, the corporate owners of these sports franchises need to exercise more control. As an owners job to keep the employees under his rule in line, in this case the employees are the arenas staff, and the players. The various professional teams owners should not wait for consequence fir violent actions by the athletes to come from their sports commissioner or from law enforcement. These organizations must reward positive good behavior and must penalize inappropriate behavior with zero tolerance. In addition, these organizations should look to their sports commissioner to punish violent athletes with penalties that need to be stricter. Thousands dollar fines, and 3 games suspension are no doing enough. Professional Athletes who are fined, say â€Å"I don’t care if I get fined. I make $3 million. What’s a couple of thousand?† Some athletes don’t even care if they’re suspended for a few games.

Radical Issues in the Colonies :: essays research papers

During the colonial period of America, many colonists struggled with the laws imposed upon them by England. The struggle grew over the years until many Americans had developed a revolutionary attitude toward their mother country. This attitude not only led the colonists into the American Revolution which freed them from the rule of England, but also influenced the ways in which the various colonies chose to govern themselves. The experience of colonial rule caused the new Americans to denounce certain aspects of government which had been a part of their colonial society and, in fact, seemed somewhat radical at the time. However, the most revolutionary act they seem to have accomplished was the war for independence itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Virginia Declaration of Rights, which served as a basis for many Bills of Rights in state constitutions, laid out basic rights of men as the foundation of their new government. The idea that â€Å"all men are by nature equally free and independent† is then qualified in the document itself by the phrase â€Å"when they enter into a state of society.† The phrase regarding society is intended to exclude slaves from the â€Å"free and independent† status given to all other men. John Ross expanded on this theme at a New York state convention where he stated that blacks are â€Å"seldom, if ever, required to share in the common burthens or defence of the state† and are â€Å"incapable†¦of exercising that privilege with any sort of discretion, prudence, or independence.† Colonel Samuel Young, speaking at the same convention where Ross stated his views, felt that blacks would â€Å"sell their votes to the highest bidder.† The views seem oddly the same, though blacks were no longer slaves in New York at that time. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1980 started the abolition slavery by laying out the conditions under which slaves and people born into slavery would eventually be free. Basically, it limited the time a person could be held as a slave and granted other rights to â€Å"Negroes and Mulattoes.† In particular, the Act stated that the crimes of Negroes and Mulattoes would be judged and punished the same as crimes of the â€Å"other inhabitants of this state,† but did denote that a slave could not testify against a freeman. This limitation perpetuated the idea that slaves and black people were not on equal footing with white men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s world, the remnants of a time when blacks were viewed as inferior to whites can still be seen, yet it is difficult to imagine that the statements made in documents which were designed to declare the rights of people in America are so boldly prejudiced.

Education and Economic Aspect English

As we know in this modern era English has been an international language, English has been used by many country in the world, English also used in international events, such as seminar, public discussion, conference, and treaty, the importance of English language can be seen and felt in everywhere such as: economy aspect, social aspect and educational aspect.First is economic aspect English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a necessity for all people to speak English if they are want to enter a global workforce, research from all over the world shows that the business communication is the most often conducted in English.It is very importance in the global market place to learning English because to join our dream’s jobs in any country, especially in an English-speaking country, we must be fluent in this language. Whether we are an aspiring doctor, engineer, academician, sportsperson, like students, businessmen, player’s, service holders Etc, we must learn English to progress in our field, So English language is really important for every occupation.And the second is social aspect; communication is the most important aspect to know our social, because with communication we will know the condition in our society, some countries use English as their mother tongue, English is language of communication between the people with different cultures, it is also the language of computers that help to communicate with the people around the world through Internet technology and e-mail. But we have to know that almost all computing operating systems, programs, software, etc are dominated by English language.So knowing English will help us to get information from other world. And the last is education aspect; education is one of the important aspects in our life because Education is the key to a person's future. If we have a good education it will help us to achieve all types of goals and to reach our goals we have to study until high le vel and in this modern era if we want to continue our higher education we must learn English because most of the higher education books are in English.Language is the medium of expressing thought and feelings to others. English is the International language. People of the countries of the world speak English as a common language. As a result English has become the language of communication, higher studies science and technology. It is also the language of business and diplomacy. Without English no one can go to a foreign country. It is also necessary to get a good job.So all kinds of people like students, businessmen, player’s, service holders, doctor, engineer, academician, sportsperson and etc, must learn communicative English to make progress in their life. Without communicative English no one can shine in life, so, in my opinion we should give much stress in learning English from the very beginning, even thought there are many people said that English is difficult but I t hink it is not? We just need dedicate some time on regular basis to learning English.

White Pollution in China Essays

White Pollution in China Essays White Pollution in China Paper White Pollution in China Paper Essay Topic: Water pollution Have you ever heard of the term white pollution? It is an image title of one of the most serious and common environmental problems in China. The white color is supposed to refer to something pure and clean. In China, however, white pollution, increasing rapidly, stands for some plastic waste due to its major color, caused by single-use plastic tableware and thin plastic bags, which are parts of municipal solid waste. They meet Chinese peoples favor and have become a part of their daily lives. When people ask for take- out food, it normally comes with single-use plastic containers. When people went grocery shopping, they gain a couple of plastic bags other than food. Indeed, plastic disposable products bring us lots of convenience. On the other hand, they also bring serious problems to the environment. Control of white pollution has become a big issue for China. White pollution affects the environment negatively through Visual pollution and potential hazards, resulted from inadequate dealing with plastic garbage (what is white pollution, 2008) Visual pollution means that disposable plastic waste strewed in the natural environment, giving people adverse visual stimulation, effects the overall beauty of the cities. For example, people can see foam tableware littered along the railways or in the rivers and lakes. They also can see the ultra-thin plastic bags fluttering in the wind or hanging up on the trees (what is white pollution, 2008). Potential hazards mean that some problems have been deep-rooted in the environment, but may appear after a long time or without being noticed. According to what is white pollution (2008), there are three main aspects as follow. First, plastic waste which can stay in a vast area for centuries, resulting in soil compaction, prevents growth f crops. In addition, animals might die after eating plastic trash by mistake, which was tossed on the land and in water. Furthermore, landfill is the major treatment of municipal solid waste in China. Plastic waste takes over the ownership of considerable land resources. And its hard to resolve the problem in a very long term. Based on a brief article, harmful chemicals can leach into water from plastic waste (Pollution Engineering, 2009). I think thats the worst hazards. Harmful chemicals may leach into soil, too. The toxic chemicals go back to humans in the end, causing many serious diseases. Since the early sass, Styrofoam, one of the most common foam plastics, came into use in the making of containers for food preservation. Due to its low price and hygienic quality, foam food container enjoyed popularity in China. Then, it was brought into wide use throughout trains and fast-food industry. Nevertheless, production of Styrofoam packaging increased so fast that people couldnt be aware of the eventual environmental problems. Usually, people just discarded the white disposable containers where they wanted, even just threw out obtain windows, causing a huge awful mess wrought China. Ironically, some people said that the enormous white waste looked like the White Great Wall or a white blanket (You, 2006). Finally, peoples environmental awareness woke up. In 1 991, the experts in the packaging industrial field convened and started to talk about how to reduce this hazardous white pollution (You, 2006). Afterward, recycling to manage plastic waste was encouraged by the State Environmental Protection Administration. However, it was hard to gather Styrofoam, which occupied too much space. Thus, green disposable tableware was put in to production. Moreover, the government determined to order a crackdown on Styrofoam. In 1 999, the former State Economic and Trade Commission as the supreme economic power in China announced that it wouldnt be permissible to produce and use single-use Styrofoam tableware any more.

The Marriage Notions

The Marriage Notions Introduction Relationships are extremely important in the life of different individuals and in the pursuit of ideal relationships many couples end up getting married. However, most couples end not getting married and choose to cohabit. Cohabitation has been regarded problematic by many in the society, but I do not agree with their assessment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Marriage Notions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Overview Cohabitation is a common practice among different societies in the world that has transcended time and age. A philosopher by name of Warren defines marriage from different viewpoints while opposing polygamy, incest and gay marriages. Warren talks of modern marriages as being a notion and that they cannot be counted as marriages. According to Warren, he believes in marriage as being between one woman and one man. This is a fallacy based on believe of marriage as being a relationship bet ween one and woman. The fallacy is based on his appeal to tradition; this assertion is not true because different communities had dissimilar forms of marriage[1]. Although Warren admits that a marriage is between one and one woman, he does not agree to the definition of a commitment between an old person and a young girl as marriage. Warren compares and groups incestuous, polygamy and gay marriages into one category; this is a fallacy since all these marriage are not similar in qualities[2]. Warren does not give evidence on the similarities of same-sex marriages and incest. He only argues that same sex marriages are appalling since it could only resemble incest. Polygamy has been practiced for centuries by the Islam religion that recognizes these practices. It would not be true to conclude that polygamy is the same as incest or pedophilia since all of them are different in the number of people involved in the marriage[3]. The biggest fallacy in Warren’s definition of marriage is the fact that in traditional marriages men has more power and influence compared to women. In modern marriages, men and women have equal roles and women are not subservient to men as in the traditional marriage setup. In my own assessment cohabitation is not dangerous since the practice resembles marriage. In the past before marriages were fully accepted and integrated in the society cohabitation was widely accepted form of lasting relationships. The acceptance of cohabitation has been due to various factors including lack of trust in marriages[4].Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many married couples face problems such as mistrust, disagreements and lack of love. These problems are also experienced among cohabiting couples and thus it would be prudent to conclude that they are the same. A cohabitation relationship is loosely held since it is not recognized by law o r religion. According to modern law, couples in a cohabitation relationship of over three years are deemed as being legally married. Cohabitation is not dangerous based on the fact that separation is simple, unlike marriages whereby couples undergo painful divorces; cohabitation is not mired with same problems[5]. Conclusion Many people have different notions and believe on marriages, and with the current trend of marriages, some researchers have disputed some forms of marriages. A philosopher by the name of Warren argued that polygamy, same sex marriages and pedophilia did not qualify as a marriage. However, he does not differentiate the differences in the three marriages that make them not to qualify as accepted forms of marriage. We make use of Warren’s fallacies to explore cohabitation and its importance in the society today. Bibliography Vaughn, Lewis. The Power of Critical Thinking: Effective Reasoning about Ordinary and Extraordinary Claims. Boston, MA: Oxford Universi ty Press, 2009. Footnotes Vaughn, Lewis. The Power of Critical Thinking: Effective Reasoning about Ordinary and Extraordinary Claims. (Boston, MA: Oxford University Press, 2009), 31. Ibid., 183. Ibid., 180. Ibid., 179. Ibid., 192.

200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs

200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Homonyms are two or more words that have the same sound or  spelling  but differ in  meaning. Homophones- which means same sounds in Latin- are two or more words, such as  knew  and  new  or  meat  and  meet, that are  pronounced  the same but differ in  meaning, origin, and often  spelling. Homographs, meanwhile, are words that have the same  spelling  but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes  pronunciation, such as the verb  bear  (to carry or endure) and the noun  bear  (the animal with a shaggy coat). Words that fall under any of these three categories often confuse readers and writers alike. But they need not perplex you: Understanding the meaning of these three grammatical terms and, especially, being able to recognize them can help clear up any confusion. A list of some of the most common  homonyms, homophones,  and  homographs can help any writer use these words correctly and any reader or listener recognize them when they occur. Homonyms, Homophones, and  Homographs   Here is a listing of some the most common homonyms, homophones, and  homographs. The first column contains homonyms in alphabetical order, while the second and third columns list the corresponding homonym, homophone, or homograph as applicable. accept - take in except - other than ad - advertisement add - join, combine advice - guidance advise - recommend aid - assist, assistance aide - one who gives assistance ail - to suffer poor health ale - a beverage air - atmosphere ere - before heir - one who inherits property aisle - a passage I'll - contraction of I will isle - island allusion - an indirect reference illusion - false appearance altar - table in a church alter - to change ate - past tense of eat eight - the number 8 bail - to clear water bail - release of a prisoner bale - a large bundle band - a ring, something that binds band - a group banned - prohibited bare - uncovered bear - large animal bear - support, yield bases - starting points bases - four stations on a baseball field basis - a basic principle beat - to strike, overcome beat - exhausted beet - a plant with red roots blew - past tense of blow blue - the color bread - baked food item bred - produced buy - purchase by - near, through bye - goodbye capital - punishable by death capital - chief city capitol - building where legislature meets ceiling - top of a room sealing - setting, fastening cell - compartment sell - vend cent - penny coin scent - an odor sent - past tense of send cereal - breakfast food serial - sequential chews - gnaws with teeth choose - to select Chile- country in South America chili - bean stew chilly - frosty chord - musical tone cord - rope cite - quote site - location sight - view close - opposite of open clothes - clothing coarse - rough course - path, procedure complement – enhance; go together compliment - praise conduct - behavior conduct - to lead council - committee counsel - guidance creak - squeak creek - stream of water crews - gangs cruise - ride on a boat days - plural of day daze - stun dear - darling deer- woodland animal desert - to abandon desert - dry land dessert - after-dinner treat dew - morning mist do - operate due - payable die - cease to exist dye - color discreet - tactful discrete - distinct doe - female dear dough - uncooked bread dual - double duel - battle elicit - draw out illicit - illegal eminent - distinguished imminent - soon ewe - female sheep you - second-person personal pronoun eye - sight organ I - first-person personal pronoun facts - true things fax - a document transmitted via telephone fair - equal fare - price fairy - elflike creature with wings ferry - boat faze - impact phase - stage feat - achievement feet - plural of foot find - to discover fined - charged a penalty fir - type of tree fur - animal hair flea - small biting insect flee - run flew - did fly flu - illness flour - powdery, ground up grain flower - blooming plant for - on behalf of fore - front four - three plus one forth - onward fourth - number four foreword - introduction to a book forward - advancing gene - a chromosome jean - fabric; pants gorilla - big ape guerrilla - warrior grease - fat Greece - country in Europe groan - moan grown - form of grow hair - head covering hare - rabbit-like animal hall - passageway haul - tow halve - cut in two parts have - possess hay - animal food hey - interjection to get attention heal - mend heel - back of foot hear - to listen here - at this place hi - hello high - up far hoarse - croaky horse - riding animal hole - opening whole - entire holey - full of holes holy - divine wholly - entirely hoarse - rough voice horse - animal hour - sixty minutes our - belonging to us knead - massage need - desire knew - did know new - not old knight - feudal horseman night - evening knot - tied rope not - negative know - have knowledge no - opposite of yes lead - metal led - was the leader leased - past tense of lease least - the minimum lessen - make smaller lesson - class loan - lend lone - solitary made - did make maid - servant mail - postage male - opposite of female marry - to wed merry - very happy meat - animal protein meet - encounter mince - to chop finely mints - type of sweet morning - a.m. mourning - remember the dead none - not any nun - woman who takes special vows oar - boat paddle or - otherwise ore - mineral oh - expression of surprise or awe owe - be obligated one - single won - did win overdo - do too much overdue - past due date pail - bucket pale - not bright pain - hurt pane - window glass peace - calm piece - segment peak – highest point peek - glance patience - being willing to wait patients - person treated in a hospital or by a doctor pear - a type of fruit pair - two (usually matching) plain - ordinary plane - flight machine plane; flat surface pole - post poll - survey poor - not rich pour - make flow pray - implore God prey - quarry principal - most important principle - belief rain – water from sky rein - bridle rap - tap wrap - drape around read - past tense of the verb to read red - color real - factual reel - roll right - correct; not left write - scribble ring - encircle wring - squeeze road - street rode - past tense of ride role - function roll - rotate rose - flower rows - lines sail - move by wind power sale - bargain price scene - landscape seen - viewed sea - ocean segment see - observe with eyes seam - joining edge seem - appear sew - connect with thread so - as a result sow - plant soar - ascend sore - hurt place sole - single soul - essence son - male child sun - the star that lights the solar system some - a few sum - amount stair - step stare - to look at steadily steal - swipe steel - alloy suite - large room in a hotel sweet - the opposite of sour tail - animal’s appendage tale - story their - belonging to them there - at that place they’re - they are threw - past tense of throw through - passing from one place to another to - toward too - also two - the number 2 toe - foot appendage tow - pull along vary - differ very - wail - howl wail - howl whale - huge sea mammal waist - area below ribs waste - squander wait – kill time weight - measurable load war - battle wore - did wear warn - caution worn - used way - path weigh - measure mass we - us wee - tiny weak - not strong week - seven days wear - to don attire where - question word weather - climate whether - if which - that witch - sorcerer wood - material coming from trees would - conditional auxiliary your - belonging to you you’re - you are Practice Using Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Complete each of the following sentences by filling in the blank with the correct word. Youll find the answers at the end of the exercise. To heighten interest, all of the sentences are quotes from various authors writings in books and magazine articles published over the years. Feel free to use the previous table to help you if you get stumped. â€Å"He simply sat down on the ledge and forgot everything _____ [accept or  except]  the marvelous mystery.†- Lawrence Sargent HallI live in the Oakland Hills in a tiny house on a street so windy you can’t drive more than ten miles per hour. I rented it because the _____ [ad or add]  said this: Small house in the trees with a garden and a fireplace. Dogs welcome, of course.- Pam HoustonFrancis wondered what _____  [advice or  advise]  a psychiatrist would have for him.- John CheeverThe _____ [aid or aide] gets out of the way, picking her skirt out of the rubble of children at her feet.- Rosellen BrownHe seemed to want to  recapture the cosseted feeling  hed had when hed been sick as a child and she would serve him flat ginger _____  [ail or  ale], and toast soaked in cream, and play endless card games with him, using his blanket-covered legs as a table.- Alice Elliott DarkHe sat down and leaned forward, pulling  the chairs rear legs into the _____ [air,  ere, or heir]  so that the waitress could get by.- Stanley Elkins [T]he stewardess was moving down the _____ [aisle, Ill, or isle],  like a trained nurse taking  temperatures in a hospital ward, to see that they were all properly strapped in for the take-off.- Martha GellhornMrs. Parmenter laughed at his _____ [allusion or illusion]  to their summer at Mrs. Sterretts, in Rome, and gave him her coat to hold.- Willa CatherIn the long years between, she had  fashioned many fine dresses- gowned gay girls for their conquests and robed fair brides for the _____ [altar or alter].- Mary LernerOn a Saturday morning soon after he came to live with her, he  turned over her garbage while she  was at the grocery store and _____ [ate or eight]  rancid bacon drippings out of a small Crisco can.- Pam DurbanThe barn was bigger than a church,  and  the falls fresh hay _____ [bails or  bales]  were stacked to the roof in the side mows.- John UpdikeHer  two spare dresses were gone, her comb was gone, her checkered coat was gone, and so was the mauve hair-_____ [band or banned] with a mauve bow that had been her hat.- Vladimir Nabokov Without the shelter of those  trees, there is a great exposure- back yards, clotheslines, woodpiles, patchy sheds and barns and privies- all _____ [bare or bear], exposed, provisional looking.- Alice MunroThis was the time when outfields were larger than they are today and well-hit balls would roll for a long time,  giving  runners ample time  to round the _____ [bases or basis]  for a home  run.- Deidre Silva and Jackie KoneyThe conductor had his  knotted signal cord to pull, and the motorman _____ [beat or beet] the foot gong with his mad heel.- Saul BellowNancy held the cup to her mouth and _____ [blew or blue] into the cup.- William FaulknerA pigeon landed nearby.  It  hopped on its little red feet  and pecked into something that might have been a dirty piece of stale _____ [bread or bred] or dried mud.- Isaac Bashevis SingerHe was wearing a new  hat of a pretty biscuit shade, for it never occurred to him to _____ [buy, by, or bye] anything of a practic al color; he had put it on for the first time and the rain was spoiling it.- Katherine Anne Porter Answers to the Exercise 1. except  2. ad  3. advice  4.  aide  5. ale  6. air  7. aisle  8. allusion  9. altar  10. ate  11. bales  12. band  13. bare  14. bases  15. beat  16. blew  Ã‚  17. bread  18. buy Sources Hall, Lawrence Sargent. The Ledge. The Hudson Review, 1960.Houston, Pam. Waltzing the Cat. Washington Square Press, 1999, New York.Cheever, John. The Country Husband. The New Yorker, 1955.Brown, Rosellen. How to Win. The Massachusetts Review, 1975.Dark, Alice Elliott. In the Gloaming. The New Yorker. 1994.Elkins, Stanley. Criers and Kibitzers, Kibitzers and Criers. Perspective, 1962.Gellhorn, Martha. Miami-New York. The Atlantic Monthly, 1948.Cather, Willa. Double Birthday.  Uncle Valentine and Other Stories. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Neb., 1986.Lerner, Mary. Little Selves. The Atlantic Monthly, 1915.Durban, Pam. Soon. The Southern Review, 1997.Updike,  John. My Fathers Tears and Other Stories. Knopf, 2009, New York.Nabokov, Vladimir That in Aleppo Once... The Atlantic Monthly, 1944.Munro, Alice. Meneseteung. The New Yorker, 1989.Silva, Deidre, and Koney, Jackie. It Takes More Than Balls: The Savvy Girls Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Baseball. Skyhorse, 2008, N ew York. Bellow, Saul. A Silver Dish. The New Yorker, 1979.Faulkner, William. That Evening Sun Go Down. The American Mercury, 1931.Singer, Isaac Bashevis. The Key.  A Friend of Kafka. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979, New York.Katherine Anne Porter, Theft. The Gyroscope, 1930.

Training Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training Plan - Essay Example The training will involve a variety of instructional materials. To be specific, training manuals in form of booklets will be used, alongside visual aids which will be used during the presentations. In the booklet will be contained organized list of all the required items. This will range from technical terminologies involved during the construction, safety equipment that will be used during construction, and necessary procedures and processes that count much in the venture. The arrangement of these items is done alphabetically to ensure for easy access by each worker. It also ensures that there is a quick reference guide that would readily assist in addressing the unavoidable cultural diversity amongst the taskforce (CTRE, 2005). The taskforce and issues accruing- This is a component that must be incorporated in order to assist the supervisor to understand the play ground that will be involved during the construction process. This gives a systemized structure that will ensure every member within the company structure fits in their place and work effectively. The basic issues that amount to the task force revolve around three main items, thus; creation of awareness, building of individual skills and planning in order to take action (CTRE, 2005). Creation of Awareness- This is the phase that aims at enlightening all the participants that would be involved in the task force of building and construction all the processes. It cuts across the hierarchy divides, starting from the supervisor all the way down to other workers. The workers must also know such risks that will be involved like falling objects, chemical mixtures, man holes, poisonous gases and fumes, and in exchange observe individual safety measure. Alongside the aforementioned, the supervisor must be aware of the cultural diversification at the work place and come up with amicable measures in addressing it; alongside the help that

Classroom Practice for Children with Asperger Syndrome in a Mainstream Essay

Classroom Practice for Children with Asperger Syndrome in a Mainstream School - Essay Example As the paper outlines the strategies would include; â€Å"carefully structuring the seating arrangement, providing a safe haven, preparing for changes in routine, using available resources and making needed accommodations† among other things. Seating Arrangement and Group Work: the reporter will avoid seating Terry close to bullies and aggressive students, but seat her next to her peer buddies. However, this would be based on the analysis of where the Terry works most effectively. He will ensure that he avoid self selection when assigning student groups and teach students the importance of working as a team. This study stresses that Terry being an Asperger Syndrome patient gets overwhelmed by crowds and social interaction thereby resulting in stress and anxiety. Instead of removing Terry from difficult academic tasks and the playground activities, the reporter might consider offering an â€Å"alternative to attending these events†. This can be achieved by ensuring that Terry has a trusted contact person with whom she feels comfortable. He will give Tarry access to quiet and private places where she can have her free time, rest and refresh away from the hustles of trying to fit into social groups. As a classroom teacher, he would also consider giving Terry additional time to complete difficult class assignments and offer her extra tuition time to attain her academic potential. Peer Interactions: As a class room teacher would create ways to connect Terry with empathic peers so as to promote social acceptance and friendships in her life.  

The most prominent battles of the Civil War of America Essay

The most prominent battles of the Civil War of America - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that June 10, 1864, marks the day of the Battle of Brice’s Crossroad. It was a civil war that was fought between the union and the confederate near Mississippi. The Confederates were led by Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the victorious commander and the unions were led by Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis, the losing commander. It is one of the most famous civil war because the outnumbered unions were badly defeated by the Confederates, who in number were almost half their army. The main reason behind the splendid victory of Forrest is the outstanding war planning. The tactic that he devised to weaken the union army, the place that he chose to meet the unions in the battle, use of secret intelligence were all in favor of the victory of Forrest. He planned to attack the main cavalry first and then move on further to the remaining army. The main cavalry tried to defend themselves and when they reached Brice Crossroad to inform their army and alert them, they were exhausted and confronted with the fresh army of Forrest. This proved very helpful for the Confederates. The place that had been decided by Forrest to be the battleground was much near to the supply depot of the confederates and very far from the depot of the unions. This made the unions deprived of the supply and although being outnumbered gave no benefit to them because of the shortage of the supply.

Mixed Methods - Mixed Methods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mixed Methods - Mixed Methods - Research Paper Example However, the problem comes in during analysis of the findings using mixed research approach (Tashakkori, & Teddlie, 2003). In a research field, the results are valued differently according to the use or importance of the outcome. According to Tashakkori, & Teddlie (2003), in a mixed research, an investigator applies both qualitative and quantitative study technique to obtain detailed and reliable information about a particular matter. This may occur at two levels. First, it may occur as a â€Å"single approach design† whereby the results obtained in a particular approach are improved by employing the other technique to acquire additional information. The other one is â€Å"mixed approach designs† where the researcher separates research approach and research design (Trochim, & Donnelly, 2008). Both â€Å"mixed-model designs and mixed-methods designs† apply mixed research approach to yield high quality output. Mixed method is useful when researcher want to develop his or her study from one level to another. For instance, the researcher may use qualitative research method to gather data which will guide him or her to make some assumptions (Tashakkori, & Teddlie, 2003). These assumptions are tested through quantitative study approach. Also, it is applicable in the reverse direction whereby, the researcher starts with quantitative study and then apply qualitative research approach to clarity some assumptions. Therefore, mixed method is useful where neither qualitative nor quantitative research techniques cannot generate meaningful output individually. Also, it is important because it adds value to the outcome of the study (Trochim, & Donnelly, 2008). However, this method poses limitations when it comes to making analysis of investigation

We are writing a news story or a profile of someone interesting Essay

We are writing a news story or a profile of someone interesting. Perhaps you can interview someone in Saudi Arabia and write a story about them - Essay Example Being an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at a reputed Jeddah hospital, Mr. Karim described how his life had changed since he stepped into the field of psychiatry. I started by asking him what the general responsibilities of his profession were. He replied that his main duty was to provide high quality psychiatric services, which included medication and therapeutic advice and sessions, to patients who came to him with a myriad of psychiatric problems. He worked both as a therapist and a medication advisor for most of the patients; while for some, he was only the medical advisor. He described that a typical shift of a psychiatrist included sessions with psychiatric patients. Each session was 30 minutes long, and he saw around 10 patients in a day. Continuing the interview, Mr. Karim explained that the biggest challenge he faced while working with a hospital was that, in contrast to private practice, he was not able to manage his working hours, which were set by the hospital authority. So, he did not have control over his time and schedule, which he missed when he was working as a solo practitioner in the past. He had to give explanations and put leave applications if he wanted to go on a leave. Also, the hospital demanded that he should be available to patients on phone all the time, 24/7, which was something that he was well managing as a solo practitioner. The hospital would also call him on weekends, on and off. He said that while working with the patients with difficult psychiatric conditions, it was sometimes very stressful for him to deal with stressors. Forgetting one’s own worries and dealing with others’ was what was required of him, which he was doing very well, but at times, he would become stressed out. He described how some patients gave him tough time. Some patients would attack him verbally to let go of their frustrations and anxiety, and it would become very hard for him to keep himself calm. However, he

Mixed Methods - Mixed Methods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mixed Methods - Mixed Methods - Research Paper Example However, the problem comes in during analysis of the findings using mixed research approach (Tashakkori, & Teddlie, 2003). In a research field, the results are valued differently according to the use or importance of the outcome. According to Tashakkori, & Teddlie (2003), in a mixed research, an investigator applies both qualitative and quantitative study technique to obtain detailed and reliable information about a particular matter. This may occur at two levels. First, it may occur as a â€Å"single approach design† whereby the results obtained in a particular approach are improved by employing the other technique to acquire additional information. The other one is â€Å"mixed approach designs† where the researcher separates research approach and research design (Trochim, & Donnelly, 2008). Both â€Å"mixed-model designs and mixed-methods designs† apply mixed research approach to yield high quality output. Mixed method is useful when researcher want to develop his or her study from one level to another. For instance, the researcher may use qualitative research method to gather data which will guide him or her to make some assumptions (Tashakkori, & Teddlie, 2003). These assumptions are tested through quantitative study approach. Also, it is applicable in the reverse direction whereby, the researcher starts with quantitative study and then apply qualitative research approach to clarity some assumptions. Therefore, mixed method is useful where neither qualitative nor quantitative research techniques cannot generate meaningful output individually. Also, it is important because it adds value to the outcome of the study (Trochim, & Donnelly, 2008). However, this method poses limitations when it comes to making analysis of investigation

Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example The second step is the architecture, engineering and deployment, which basically entails setting architectural framework, engineering the process of cloud computing and putting it into action. Another important step in cloud computing is governance and management, and this involves the dynamics of workflow coding, service assurance, security, operation, provision and consumption. It also involves issues of automation management and its incorporation into every function and layer of the organization. Question 1(b) Deployment of cloud systems in organizations depend on a number of variables, including the structure of the organization and its provisioning location. To elaborate on these variables, we will examine the conditions that suit the deployment of different models of cloud systems in organizations and examples of such models of cloud systems. Deployment of a cloud system depends on the type of cloud service offering available. This will determine the model of cloud system deplo yed. For instance, if the cloud system available is public, then the model of cloud system deployed will be public cloud. The type of infrastructure available also will influence the type of cloud system deployed. ... Cloud deployment also depends on the economic situation of the organization. For instance, shared infrastructure reduces costs as compared to using infrastructure that can be accessed only by a specific organization. An organization must consider the security conditions of the cloud system they want to adopt. In terms of security, however, private cloud takes the crown. Question 2 Data centric is the concept of using the database as the dominant aspect of applications in the organization. In this case, the fundamental unit of communication in a distributed system is a data object value, in which all the application nodes have an understanding of a single value. Cloud computing creates a situation where there is large amounts of both unstructured and structured information that needs processing, analysis and linking (Erl, Puttini, & Mahmood, 2013). This calls for a single unit with Big Data capabilities to access, process and store a vast amount of data. In addition, the large volumes of data in cloud computing requires an application that can mine, analyze and visualize the presented data into understandable information. This is where data centric comes in concerning cloud computing and data management. Adoption of cloud services presents challenges of data privacy and issues of risk to an organization. Therefore, security has been a major obstacle in adoption of cloud services, which calls for a way of solving the issue. Thanks to data centric approach, one of its effects on cloud computing and data management is that it provides a safe way of sharing data without compromising an organization’s privacy. As a result, data centric helps in preserving the sensitive information of a company, which would otherwise be unsafe due to

EPA †Policy-making in the Federal System Essay Example for Free

EPA – Policy-making in the Federal System Essay The federal government enacted the Clean Air Act, so as to protect the citizens of the United States. At the same time Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency with its primary role of regulating and the enforcement of environmental policies at the state and tribal levels. A brief history on air pollution, in October 1928 in the industrial town of Donora Pennsylvania a thick cloud formed. This thick cloud lingered for five days, causing sickness in 6,000 and killing 20 of the town’s people. And in 1952, over 3,000 people died in London to what is known as the â€Å"Killer Fog†. These events alerted the federal government to the dangers that can come from air pollution and the public health issues that can arise from pollutants in the air. The original Clean Air Act of 1963 was passed, establishing funding for the study and cleaning of air pollution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established and began operating on December 2, 1970. The EPA’s primary responsibility is enforcing and regulating the laws, these regulations and laws are for protecting the environment and public health. The EPA is a regulatory agency that Congress has authorizes to write regulation that explains the critical details that are necessary to implement environmental laws. (epa.gov/laws-regulation) The Clean Air Act 42 U.S.C.  §7401 et seq. (1970), regulated air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. With the approval of this Act the EPA was able to establish the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) which regulates emissions of hazardous air pollutants that can harm public health. The Energy Policy Act 42 USC  §13201 et seq. (2005) addressing energy  production in the United States, such as Energy efficiency; Renewable energy; Oil and gas; Coal; Nuclear matters; Vehicles and motor fuels. This Act provides loan guarantees for entities that develop or use inventive was that avoid producing greenhouse gases. Another provision of the Act increases the amount of biofuel that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States. (epa.gov/laws-regulation) America’s federal environmental laws set national standards, and on the condition that a state can shoulder the crucial task by enforcing these standards, they do by adopting laws that are as severe as the federal laws. Many states have assumed these responsibilities of enforcing the national standards by giving responsibility of specific programs throughout agencies within the state. The federal government is the overseer that enforces all cases and supervises the states’ activities while also monitoring state and the tribal operations of the Environmental Protection Agency programs. The Environmental Protection Agency supports the states and tribes to achieve effective enforcement and environmental compliance, and maintains support approved state programs through grant funds, and involvement. The Environmental Protection Agencies and state agencies make active efforts to educate the regulated community. A numerous compliance assistance tools have been put in place to help business, industry and state governments to conform to the environmental requirements. Web sites have been developed; hotlines, workshops, compliance training, fact sheets, and additional compliance guidelines are given to the regulated community. The Clean School Bus Program unites businesses, education, transportation, and public health organizations to encourage actions to stop the unnecessary idling of public schools busses. Modifying old schools busses with better emissions control technologies and proving cleaner fuels. The EPA is publishing a proposed rule designed to reduce air pollution, in 2017 the Tier 3 design would set new standards for vehicle emissions criteria and lessen the sulfur found in gasoline. This new rule would reduce tailpipe and evaporative emissions. The lower sulfur gasoline will improve  fuel economy by reducing gas consumption as well as reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency seeks to provide a healthy environment. By partnership-building with states and communities the reduction of environmental pollutants becomes a joint venture. References: Retrieved from: http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-energy-policy-act Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/documents/tier3/420f13016a.pdf Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/understand.html

Extraction of GAPDH Gene from Grass Species

Extraction of GAPDH Gene from Grass Species The extraction of the GAPDH gene from grass species, for sequencing, to determine which grasses will be most suitable for the stimulation of hydrocarbon-degradation Introduction: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate gehydrogenase gene (GAPDH) is a house keeping gene for a crucial enzyme which catalyses an important step in glycolysis, found in all phylogeny. This gene can be extracted and isolated from plant gDNA through the use of PCR. Once cloned, the GAPDH gene will be sequenced and ultimately analysed through bioinformatics for further research. The grasses that will be investigated throughout this experiment are as follows. Cymbopogon Ambiguous, also commonly known as lemon scented grass, mainly grows in NSW, QLD, NT and WA. This grass is a tufted perennial, which has thin dark green coloured leaves, growing 60-100cm tall approximately. As the common name for this grass states, when this grass is crushed it gives off a distinct lemon smell, allowing it to be easily identified. This grass is also quite a hardy grass, it is very tolerant to wind, drought and frost conditions, allowing it to be grown in a variety of different areas. Themeda Triandra, known as Kangaroo Grass is native to Australia, found to be growing in every state and territory (Unkown, n.d. Native Seeds). This grass is a tufted perennial, growing up to 1.5 m tall and 0.5 m wide. This particular grass is quite coarse, with a grey/green leaves, which produce a very distinct red/brown spikelets (Jennifer Liles, 2004) with the head containing the seeds. Themeda Triandra is considered a good grass for occasional grazing; however it does not tolerate heavy or continuous grazing. Meaning it can be a good indicator for the level of animal activity in a certain grassland area, as if grazed too frequently, the grass has been known to disappear, and not re-grow. Dicantheum Carrisium, known as Queensland Blue Grass is a native Australian Grass, grown not only in Queensland, but all parts of Australia. This Grass was originally very popular in Southern Queensland, due to its optimum performance in the weather conditions of the area. Dicantheum Carrisium is a perennial, with an upright tufted appearance. Growing from 30-80cm tall, and 10-15cm wide with flat broad leaves, It is quite a soft texture with typically blue/dark green colour, making it quite distinguishable from many other grasses. Microlaena Stipoides, known as Weeping Grass, is native to Australia and is found in many of the damper regions from Cape York Town to Tasmania (Unknown, n.d. Native Seeds). Microlaena Stopoides is a slowly spreading perennial, growing to approximately 70cm tall, with weeping seed heads. This is a very tough and tolerant grass, suited to many different pH soil levels

Egyptian Bedouins :: essays research papers fc

The Life of the Egyptian Bedouins   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bedouin people of Egypt can easily be described as a people with no place to call a home. Studying the Bedouins show that they have a deep and unique culture. They do not get involved in politics, and they live a humble and modest life. The Bedouin Nomads of Egypt are predominantly Muslim. Therefore, their beliefs, practices and rituals will be the same as that of a common Muslim. I will discuss the doings of Muslims but more importantly, I will concentrate on the beliefs and other aspects that make the Bedouin people unique and different from other Muslims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Islam, there is something known as the five pillars. These five pillars detail how to carry on your religious duty. The five pillars of Islam start off with the belief in the oneness of God and Muhammad as his prophet, as well as belief in all other prophets before Muhammad. The next pillar is prayer. Prayer must be carried out five times a day. The first prayer called Fagr (streak of light) must take place between when the first light of the day is seen until 10:00 am. The second prayer called al-duhr (noon prayer) should be done between noon and the next prayer which is the asr (afternoon) prayer. The fourth prayer of the day is the Maghrib (sundown) prayer. The last prayer is called the Isha (night) prayer. If any prayer is missed at any time of the day for any reason, it can be made up at a later time. The next pillar of Islam is al-sowm (the fast). Muslims must fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Muslims engage in this practice in order to gain endur ance and compassion for the poor. The fourth pillar of Islam is zakah (charity), every Muslim is asked to give a fraction of their money to the poor. This fraction is usually a percentage of their wealth. The final pillar is the Hajj (journey to Mecca), a mature Muslim must visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in their life. A Muslim that visits Mecca seven times in their lifetime can visit the Dome of the Rock is Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is the second most holy place in the world for Muslims. Most reputable literature written on the Bedouins were written by anthropologists that have spent time and traveled with them.

The Port Phillip Prison

The Port Phillip Prison is under bad management. The prisoners trashed one of the sections of the prison in frustration to the treatment they are getting, the prisoners caused around $100,000 of damage and nearly killed a guard. This came about because of the lack of staff in the prison and bad management, which meant they had to shorten the visitation time. The visits are what keep most prisoners going. The Prison has had five deaths in custody in the last nine weeks. The Government also has is to blame for part of this problem. The Port Phillip Prison is under bad management at the moment. The prison started receiving men in mid September 1997 and in just five months the prison has proven to have very many serious problems. In the past nine weeks there have been five deaths in custody at the prison. In addition to these deaths in custody there have been reports of at least one incident of self harm and/or suicide since the prison opened. The Port Phillip Prison has been built with intergral hanging points in 580 of their cells. Five people have died because of it. Correctional Services Commissioner, John van Gronigan has stated, after the fifth death in custody at Port Phillip, that he is â€Å"satisfied with the prison's management†. The Government is claiming that because Muirhead Cells (strip cells) have no obvious hanging points, thus they have complied with recommendation 165. This is a distortion of the content, intent and nature of recommendation 165. (Recommendation 165 of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody explicitly states that â€Å"Corrective Services authorities should carefully scrutinize equipment or facilities provided at institutions with a view to eliminating and/or reducing the potential for harm. Similarly steps should be taken to screen hanging points in police and prison cells†.) Numerous coroner findings in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland have also recommended the removal of hanging points in both prison and police cells. Yet the Government is claiming that it has implemented recommendation 165. In Port Phillip prison the shower screens provide additional hanging points – it was from the shower screens that two men (George Drinken and Adam Irwin) were found hanging. It is plainly obvious that if the prison was built without the intergral hanging points there would not have been five deaths in the Prison. These people have died at Port Phillip Prison: – 30 October 1997 George Drinken aged 28 years, on remand, was found hanging from the shower fitting in his cell. This was an unnecessary death if they had of build the Prison without the hanging points. – 16 December 1997 Adam Irwin aged 20 years, on remand, was found hanged with an electrical cord from the shower fitting. This also was an unnecessary death. – 4 January 1998 Vienh Chi Tu aged 20 years, on remand died on Sunday afternoon. Believed to have died of an overdose. This death could have been avoided if the guards enforced the rules. – Another two men have died in the prison allegedly of `natural causes'. How can eight staff control Port Phillip prison during the night. Eight staff to monitor and respond to emergencies in a prison with almost six hundred male prisoners consisting of remand, high security, sentenced, intellectually disabled and vulnerable prisoners and protection prisoners. Is this serious? Unfortunately ‘Yes†, furthermore the vast majority of staff have no related experience in corrections. This is just ridiculous. You could say what the prisoners did was stupid but the prisoners had no other way of showing their anger and frustration of the bad conditions they had to face. Group 4 have even contracted a private detective, John Barclay, Cobra Executive Protection, to undertake an â€Å"independent† investigation into the deaths of the first four men to die in custody at Port Phillip. But this is all pointless if they don†t change the management and get rid of the intergral hanging points. The guards who work there are now taking action to get the Prison fixed up and make the place safer for the workers and the prisoners. Group 4 Correction Services will have to do something to fix the problem, or they will have a real bad name about their company. Which will then cause people to think of them as the bad ones when ever something comes up in the media about them. That will cause a lot of problems for the company if they don†t act. In conclusion I have to say that at the moment Port Phillip Prison is under very bad management. Something must be done to stop the amount of deaths in the prison. They must get rid of all the intergral hanging points in the prison to try and stop some of the deaths. They must change their management also. They must crack down on the prisoners using drugs and the people who bring them into the prisoners must be told that NO drugs are allowed. Port Phillip prison is a sham at the moment and it must be fixed.

Assignment 1

Use Assignment 1 (turn in here) to submit your assignment. Click on View/Complete to submit your assignment (Do not use the red submit buttons). This should be the only place you will need to submit your assignment. Students, please view the â€Å"Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment† in the Student Center. Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center. Assignment 1: Comparing Two Similar Businesses Due Week 4 and worth 280 points Access articles about the history, business approach, management, and marketing of Amazon. com and Borders Books. Amazon (primarily an online book and product sales site) started in the mid 1990s and was not profitable in the first few years but has grown and become very successful and highly profitable. By contrast, Borders bookstore, which started in 1971, was successful and profitable up until 2004. Borders filed for Chapter 11 in 2011. Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you: Describe the history and core business of each company. Compare and contrast the management approach each took to Internet marketing and sales. Analyze three (3) reasons for Amazon’s success despite not turning a profit for the first five to six (5-6) years. Discuss three (3) reasons Borders, although initially successful and profitable, ended up in Chapter 11. Discuss the extent to which the management of each company adapted to changing market conditions. Recommend three (3) ways a company should build in flexibility to back up its decision-making process so as to adapt to changing market conditions. Use at least three (3) quality sources to support the content of the paper. Your assignment must: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Explain the decision-making process management uses to develop viable courses of action to a variety of management situations. Use technology and information resources to research issues in management. Write clearly and concisely about management using proper writing mechanics.

Amazon.com and Porter’s Five Forces Essay

Introduction In the early 1990s, the Venture Capitalists and Banks reviewed business models of books, CDs, electrical appliance retailers which were majorly confined to brick and mortar stores and simple operations. But they would be surprised to view the business model of Amazon.com Inc, which has used the internet to gain competitive strategic advantage and personify most of innovation metaphors. This analysis of Amazon.com Inc has Porter’s five forces model, which consist of Supplier’s Power, Customer’s Power, Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes and Degree of Rivalry, respectively, being conscientiously used in respect to our chosen company, to determine whether Amazon has benefitted in terms of competitive advantage by its different-than-others business model, or has it not. The rest of this research answer is organized as follows: first we shall look at why we chose Amazon, and then we shall study the five forces given in the same progressive order as above. Th is is finalized by our conclusion, where the research answer is stated clearly. Why Amazon Being one of the largest online retail companies in the world (Forbes), Amazon.com has clearly stated its position in the dominant market analogies. Emerging in the early 1990s (the era of .com boom) the firm was one of its own kinds of innovation. The firm sells everything from books, DVDs to kitchen appliances and jewellery. The firm’s other operations are: providing content production and computing services to various firms. So, all this was basic data about the company which looks great on paper, but the quality in Amazon which led us to choose it as our company was persistence towards transforming. To survive and grow in today’s complex business world where words like stability don’t matter anymore, you need to change and transform constantly according to situation and time, which Amazon has done very nicely. First of all, it survived through the dot com bust due to it having an innovative business model with less cost formula. Then to expand, they went further than books to bring in most of easily shippable goods. Amazon came through once again to satisfy a new customer – IT community, which required new resources, and a new business model. This was in 2002. In 2007, it further innovated to launch the kindle eBook reader (which currently is a  tablet computer). This product required Amazon to be a hardware producer as well as digital media software. And the success of Kindle showed that Amazon had the ability to respond to market needs, and to transform, not just once, but time and time again, to deliver the demanded product for both customer satisfaction and growth of its business. These support our choice of choosing this company. Supplier’s power There are two major supplying fields for Amazon’s (according to the sales structure of the firm), namely; electronics and book sectors. With those suppliers related to supplying books in terms of their bargaining power have proved to be at a minimum (or limited) level ’cause of low concentration that directly adds to the firm’s value overtime. The out-coming factor to such relativity is large number of book sellers present in the market. In such manner, Amazon is readily open to select its own suppliers for books once there is a distortion of material nature of things. Other sector that the firm’s sale figures are heavily dependent upon is electronics. In such case the bargaining power for electronics suppliers is relatively high. The only reason present for this explanation is the low costing structure that Amazon presents for its electronic goods to sell. In such manner they are not collecting their deliveries straights from the parent companies rather they opt for its second dealers, which have more bargaining power (price mechanism that outcry’s the related market dependences). The nature for such power is the presence of fewer dealers for the supply or if the firm wants to switch to other suppliers then their pricing could be different (generally higher than market price). On an overall we can say the bargaining power of suppliers fluctuates from low to mid-high (taking overtime factor into account that directly proportions the book sector) Customer’s Power Such power is generally related in the manner how a customer selects, carry forward and considers his / hers buying options. In terms of online retailing, customers are having high bargaining power. If they see other  sites selling at different costing they’ll shift the choice of not selecting Amazon.com. Sometimes customers are over possessive in terms of product selection. So they want hand touch to their selections. In accordance to that online retailers are at a diminishing level as there are markets to look for (such could also be a case of buyer’s customisation). Another way to look for such scenario is the manner in which the industry provides product quality. Amazon.com being regarded as a superior firm in terms of product quality, so its costumers purchase more on it rather going to the markets. This also adds value to the firm by creating more customers over the years. Considering the fact that Amazon.com do not operate any of its retail outlets, there are saving, accordingly. It’s in the business nature of the firm to transfer that saving directly to buyers in terms of low pricing of its goods, and in that causative approach Amazon.com enhances its value. Being more customer centric firm, it satisfies more customers and due to that reason the firm has more offering than any other industry in such field. To conclude, the above reasoning for the customer’s power to bargain and industry’s ability to attract more, we say that it fluctuates mid to high. Threat of New Entrants Majorly this relates to barrier to entry into the current segment of the market (online retailing). In such field (at eh present financial scenario) threats of new entrants are low. Beating Amazon.com is at its performance scale is a tough job for any new .com enterprise. It may take years for a new firm to get into form working in present financial world (concerning stock market fluctuations, investment hedges etc.). For any E-commerce firm to develop requires a start-up strategy and stable working environment; that is only possible when there a suitable financial induction and better approach to day-to-day problems. Strong distribution and supply network is the basic necessity for an online retail company. The manner in which big firms such as Amazon.com, eBay, Alibaba; operates, they have evolved overtime to get their goods to the end consumers. Geographic factor is better for the firm’s competitive advantage. Amazon.com withstand a better than any other firm, by operating as product and service differentiation to attain maximum locality it can. (a view in accordance to the working nature  and size of Amazon.com) http://www.wikiwealth.com/five-forces-competitor:amazon:geographic-factors-limit-compe Pricing structure and capital requirements always pose a extradition to new retailing firms as these costs associated to them are usually high. An economy of scale is widely looked upon a changing mechanism for a firms operating level. Amazon.com has this factor in high nature as it is able to limit its cost governing operations which in case of new entrants is high. Governmental policies could sometimes hold a newly formed company not the start up or disrupts its operations in middle as it might not be in the proper nature of working (legal concerns) (Chapter 2 page 85 book – exploring corporate strategy) Threat of Substitutes Having market for goods diversified, there are number of options available to purchasers while selecting a particular choice of their own. Online stores, direct outlets, discount shops, stands; goods can now be purchased anywhere and any-time (no need for going online every-time; but yes the comparison can be made). Taking example for book purchase; such can be bought from number of book shops or news-stands at much more cheaper price (taking a margin of interest). Other could be music selection; iTunes, radio stations or recording on one’s own are close substitutes for online purchase. Only thing to argue here is the nature of physical presence or being virtual about a shopping item. By taking such notice, threat of substitutes in case of Amazon.com is high. Degree of Rivalry Market adjusts in accordance to the compelling nature of firms to attract consumers. More product diversification leads to empowering market to produce rivalry among providers of it. Amazon.com being of the key player in such market capture faces strong competition from its rivals (such as eBay, Alibaba, Barnes & Nobel, Wal-Mart etc.) Growth rate [in %] (Source: NASDAQ) INDUSTRY 2014 2015 Amazon.com 195.36 132.47 Wal-Mart 3.82 9.10 Barnes & Nobel -189.66 2.38 Ebay 8.65 14.11 Amazon.com hold a strong future forecasts in terms of growth rate. (could also be a measure to predict industry development towards market behaviour) But when we consider sales revenues into account for the year 2012-13 http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/07/24/alibaba-a-threat-to-amazon-ebay-walmart-and-everyone-else/ Source: Forbes In billion $ Alibaba 170 Amazon.com 95 EBay 75 There is a clear presentation of how market can integrate companies in terms of revenue capturing in the same field of online retailing. This could either be short-term or long-term depending upon attempts to gain dominance over one another (chapter 2 page 85 book – exploring corporate strategy) In terms of entry and exit barriers, there is a moderate rivalry between firms. The explanation to that is the profit making what the investors see in retail sector. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/AGDM/wholefarm/html/c5-200.html Consequently, Amazon.com stands on a better scale of performance as when it started operating there were low exit barriers that made the company to add to its value. But these current times, investments and barriers are getting more complex that puts pressure on firms which are stepping into recent marking to perform above. The firms that hold strong grounds (as mentioned EBay, Alibaba etc.) are giving intense rivalry to Amazon.com. Conclusion Porter’s Five Forces Model Conclusion Supplier’s power Mid-High Customer’s Power Mid-High Threat of New Entrants Low Threat of Substitutes High Degree of Rivalry Mid-high Viewing the tabular conclusion gets us to further conclude that Amazon.com Inc has increased its competitive advantage, in a good degree, one might say.

Latin America's Economic Progress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Latin America's Economic Progress - Essay Example There is a persistent problem of political instability in the region. Since the independence of Latin America, the political environment has not been stable enough to facilitate economic development. Dictatorship of military officials has long controlled the region and this was one of the constraints in the way of economic stability. The economic factors such as rate of inflation, rate of economic growth and income distribution, all pointed towards a deteriorating economic condition. Numerous economic reforms have been taken by the government but they have not been applied properly due to the prevailing political instability. According to a study conducted by Luisa Blanco and Robin Grier within the period between 1971 and 2000, in 18 Latin American countries there were 451 political assassinations, 217 riots, and 113 crises that threatened to destabilize the sitting government (Blanco & Grier, 1). Apart from Costa Rica, Colombia and Venezuella, all the other countries in the region w itnessed severe political instability. Regional Disparities The independence of the region widened the regional disparities and this is also one of the reasons behind lack of economic growth in the region. ... Resistance to Change One of the reasons behind the failure of economic reforms is the prevailing resistance to change in the region. Any kind of change is considered to be hostile by the population of the region therefore it is not accepted completely. In order to facilitate economic growth, there are a number of factors that need to be changed in the region but due to the prevailing resistance to change in the region any modification in the economic policies or any introduction of reforms is not implemented properly. The development of strategy is done but the implementation phase is the real problem in the region. The restraining forces overpower the driving forces therefore the economic reforms are not implemented and the economic growth remains at a disappointing pace. Lack of Industrial Development It has been said that the Latin American region is rich in natural resources but still the region has been unable to reach the heights of economic development it should have reached b y now. The natural resources held by the region are benefiting the developed countries more rather than the Latin American region itself. This is due to the lack of industrial development in the region (Llosa, 17). In the absence of industries to process the raw natural resources, the region has been unable to produce finished goods. Instead, the Latin American region exports the natural resources it possesses to other developed countries at low prices and the revenue generated by such exports is not commendable. If the region had its own production facilities that put the locally produced natural resources to use, the economic condition of the region would have been different. With domestically produced affordable raw material, the industries would not only

The Vietnam War and America's Involvement Research Paper

The Vietnam War and America's Involvement - Research Paper Example The Vietminh engaged in guerilla warfare against the Japanese, aided by the supply of arms from the Soviet Union and the United States. On the defeat of Japan in 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s unilateral independence and announced the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Minh sought American support. In spite of substantial Vietminh collaboration during World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt failed to respond to Minh’s appeal (Simkin). American involvement and defeat in the Vietnam War was the result of America’s Cold War ideology, support for Ngo Dinh Diem, and anti-war public sentiment. After World War II, fearing communist China’s influence over Vietnam, America rejected Minh’s appeal for support in his bid for independence. As France sought to re-establish dominion over Vietnam, Minh again appealed in vain for help. America desired French support in Western Europe. President  Eisenhower  explained the link between Vietnam's st atus and that of the rest of Southeast Asia through the â€Å"Domino Theory†: â€Å"If one country fell to communism, the rest of them would follow† (â€Å"Milestones (1953-1960)†). America gave France massive aid, while Minh was supported by the Soviet Union and communist China. Vietnam, thus, became a theatre of the Cold War. In July 1954, Vietnam overthrew France’s colonial rule with the decisive victory at Dien Bien Phu. At the subsequent Geneva Peace Accords of 1954, the United States was influenced by â€Å"the strains of the international Cold War† (Brigham), having suffered heavy losses in the fight against communism in Korea. Vietnam was pressurized by China and the Soviet Union to accept the temporary partition of the country at the seventeenth parallel, with the understanding that reunification would follow the general election scheduled for 1956. Fearing that the elections would result in the consolidation of power by the communist Ho C hi Minh, America, under President Eisenhower, mounted a covert anti-communist campaign in the South (Simkin). This anti-communist stand led to active American involvement in the quagmire of Vietnam. The United States established a puppet regime in South Vietnam led by Ngo Dinh Diem, who was unpopular, corrupt, and autocratic. Diem brazenly opposed reunification and unleashed state terror on all opposition. In spite of widespread Vietnamese opposition, the United States continued to prop up Diem’s regime with military, economic and political aid, as a bulwark against the Communist North. Diem’s American advisers set about training the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) and connived in the rigged election of 1955 to keep Diem in power. Diem then rejected North Vietnam’s call for general elections in 1956 and indulged in an orgy of arrests of political dissidents including communists, socialists, journalists, religious leaders, and even children. Growing opposition to Di em led to the formation of the the  National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam  (NLF), or the Viet Cong, in 1960. It was supported by Ho Chi Minh. John F. Kennedy continued to support Diem, quoting the importance of the â€Å"Domino Theory,† and supplied South Vietnam with money and military advisers. The American sponsored â€Å"Strategic Hamlet Program† of isolating the peasants from the NLF in villages with stockades increasing dissent. American military advisors and soldiers increasingly became involved in the fighting. Diem, a Catholic, went on to unleash force against the Buddhist