International Currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

International Currency - Essay Example However, it is not secret that dozens of countries all over the world including Great Britain define the value of their currencies through a fixed exchange rate with the dollar. Many others, especially in Asia, keep their currencies tightly linked to the U.S. currency (Altman, 2004) Much of the world has come to realize that the dollar's value is steadily being undermined. But few Americans understand that the government along with the Federal Reserve is accomplishing the undermining. And few also realize that the main cause of the continuing failure of the American dollar is federal indebtedness brought on by virtually uncontrolled federal spending. Responding to the vast hole they have dug for all Americans, the US leaders have paid the nation's bills by borrowing from almost every corner of the globe and by creating more currency out of nothing (inflation). According to the statistics from 2006, the YS current-account deficit equals $857 billion that is absorbing the major part of the world's capital outflows. To finance this constant deficit, the United States has accumulated trillions of dollars of foreign debt, depreciating their currency, the dollar, and appreciating other world currencies. Current paper looks at the trends and implications of the "cheap " US dollar and its effects on the world major currencies, emphasis the British pound. Causes of the dollar decline Since the introduction of the euro in 1999, the US experiences severe balance of payments deficits on current account. The biggest deficits were with China and Japan. However, in order to protect their export competitiveness, both China and Japan followed macroeconomic policies that would maintain fixed exchange rates between their currencies and the US dollar. In order to accomplish this result, both China and Japan had to intervene in the foreign exchange market by buying up massive amounts of US dollars while selling corresponding amounts of their own currencies, the Chinese Yuan and the Japanese yen. These purchase showed up as capital inflows into the US. However, as the US continued to maintain historically low interest rates to stimulate its domestic economy, some critics wondered if China and Japan would continue to hold so many US dollars (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett 2007). As a result of extensive US exports, the country has become the world's largest debtor, rather than th e world's largest creditor, the position it held in earlier years. Net foreign purchases of US securities have retreated from their peak in 2001, while the US balance of current accounts has worsened, as show in Figure 1. Figure 1: Balance of US current account 1960-2001 According to APF Business news1, the US balance of payments deficit narrowed in the second quarter to 190.8 billion dollars from 197.1 billion in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The US current account figure, roughly in line with analysts' forecasts, represented 5.5 percent of US economic output or gross domestic product. For the first quarter, the current account deficit was revised up to 197.1 billion dollars or 5.8 percent of GDP. The improvement in the current account deficit, the broadest measure of trade and income flows, suggested some easing of balance of paymen

ENGLISH 12 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ENGLISH 12 - Article Example These two essays strongly base their works on particular systems of belief in the respective societies that determine particular behaviors. Thus, by analyzing the setting, characterization and the shared theme in the two essays, this comparison shows how systems of beliefs have constrained the truth so as to shape the behavior of societies, giving them distinct identities. The setting in â€Å"A Secret Society of the Starving† is an online society whereas â€Å"Can You Tell the Truth in a Small Town?† uses a physical society setting. In the online society, the truth about the identities of the members has been hidden under the disguised names that they use when interacting. Even with these hidden identities, Udovitch (110) gives an account of how members of this society have organized practices governed by their beliefs and that they share their experiences, without which they would probably not be pro-ana. Perhaps, their anonymity gives them the freedom to share their experiences online, a distinct trait of this society. In Dakota, writers face a physical community of people who are their prospective audience. Albeit these writers do not know with certainty who would be the audience with regard to their writing, they still find a moral obligation not to tell the truth considered to be discouraging. This follows the belief in the society that the truth should not be told if it would discourage the public (Norris 127). Through this contrast, it is evident that despite the nature of a society, the system of beliefs in which its members believe in serves as a more critical aspect in aligning their behaviors towards a specific way of life more than their anonymity to one another possibly could influence otherwise. Both of the selected essays use the power of characterization to depict a society where members would sacrifice their welfare to uphold the dictates of their system of beliefs, thus the importance of beliefs over people’s free-will in determining behavior in the societies. In the pro-ana society, in order to achieve and maintain the thin body considered as attractive, women have to suffer pain and sacrifice eating according to the anorexia practice. Thus, the belief that a thin body is attractive has sacrificing free-will eating as the price to pay (Udovitch 111). Beliefs supersede one’s free-will to eat. In the same way, the Dakotan writers sacrifice the truth so as to be acceptable in the Dakotan society. According to Norris, â€Å"someone who wants to write either has to break away or settle for writing only what is acceptable† (128). But since the writers fear being set aside from the society, they choose the latter, thus sacrificing to tell the truth that they know. The author, thus, shows that the value of beliefs supersedes that of the truth in the society. These characters show that beliefs in any society are regarded with high esteem and members of the given society would trade anything, i ncluding the truth about their welfare, to observe these beliefs. Moreover, the writers in both essays employ the theme of unity brought about by the existence of a system of beliefs, hence the importance of beliefs in giving people a common identity. Udovitch and Norris depict beliefs as the glue that unites people sharing similar traits both physically and psychologically. The online

British Standards of Sustainability

British Standards of Sustainability Abstract The following report is based on the use of British Standards to look at the impact it has on a product development process from the beginning of its lifecycle to the end when it decomposes. With the world today at the state it is, the pollution and the resources are being used up at an un-regenerate able rate. It is more important than ever to recycle and perform our manufacturing processes in an environmentally sustainable manner. Hence, the modern environmental legislations have been designed and applied in manners as such to focus on not only manufacturing process but also the end of life cycle and the recycling and upcycle options. BS8887- 1:2006 (MADE) looks at design from Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End of life, the key aspects this legislation will cover and target are at remanufacture, recycling and efficient and sustainable ways to proceed to the end of life of the product. The main aim of legislations as such is to become more environmentally friendly and to cre ate a more sustainable environment for the generation of tomorrow. However, there are many such legislations that every manufacturer in the region has to follow which covers areas not covered by the particular legislation mentioned above. There are many various other legislations and regulations which ensure that the rules and regulations are followed strictly and the quality of the production is maintained at an optimum with respect to production and environment. Contents Abstract ..1 Glossary: 3 Introduction: 4 Research Methodology: .4 Principle of MADE: 4 Product Design Assessment: 5 Manufacture of Design: (MADE): .. 5 Assembly (MADE): 6 Disassembly (MADE): .. 6 End of Life Processing (MADE): .. 7 Benefits of MADE: . 7 Design for the Environment (DFE): ..9 BS887 1:.. 9 BS8900: .. 9 ISO 14001: . 9 ISO 14025: .. 10 Designing a product for the environment and how it is contributing to the sustainability: .10 4 Methods to assess a product for their impacts on the environment: .12 Reference and Bibliography ..13 Glossary: PDS- Product Design specification MADE- Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End of life BS- British Standard PDA- Product Design Assessment DFE: Design for Environment FEA: Finite element analysis EIA: Environmental impact assessment LCA: Life cycle assessment MET: Material energy toxicity matrix EEA: Environmental performance indicator WEEE: Waste electronic and electrical equipment Introduction: The report shows how the idea of sustainability is implemented through various steps of production and manufacture with the help of the guidelines put into place by the British Standards. The main purpose behind these legislation and guidelines is to make the companies and the manufacturers aware of the harmful impacts of the manufacturing process as well as the effect of bad material selection during production and end of life cycle. The use of strict guidelines and fines to put these legislations and rules in place helps by maintaining the sustainability process of our environment as well as by funding the awareness programs and the research on new concepts and technology regarding sustainable environment. This report shows the impact of different legislations on the manufacturing process of the industrial fans and the different steps taken to make sure the process is environmentally friendly and supports the sustainability of the environment even during disassembly and end of life cycle. Another form of legislation which provides guidance for the company to perform their operation in a sustainable manner with respect to environment is ISO 14001, ISO 14001 however focuses more on efficient utilisation of water and energy usage with minimum wastage. Together these legislations and laws promotes the idea of sustainable environment and aids for its further research on sustainability and new technology to make the manufacturing process more efficient and environmentally conservative. Research Methodology: To gather the information and data required for the report two major types of sources were used: Research on the internet and through the British standard articles and awareness packets. The manufacturing process of the product is analysed and reviewed under the legislations and rules BS887 and MADE to find out the changes the law has made on the manufacturing process to adapt the process and make it more eco-friendly and sustainable. The legislations and sources for the research are mentioned in the bibliography and on appropriate sections. The company has also done various eco-friendly tests and published articles on its results which can and have been sourced and used as a part of research for the report. Principle of MADE: MADE: Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End of life. The principle objective of the MADE standard is to make sure the product is able to be either decomposed in an eco-friendly manner or recycled after the end of its life cycle to make sure the environment is not affected by the product. The use of MADE ensures the correct materials are selected for manufacture and the idea of eco-friendly and sustainable environment is kept in mind when choosing the material for the product with respect to the impact the use of the material will have on the environment during the its life cycle and after the end of the life cycle. As of today the materials chosen in the product we see are still not very focused on making the environment clean and conservative for the future, more than half of the product we use today are still dumped in landfills after the end of its life cycle which is harming and degrading the environment. Hence the main purpose of the MADE standard is to make the companys an d the manufacturers aware of the needs of our environment and to make sure appropriate materials are chosen for the products which can be either recycled or de-composed in a conservative manner after end of its life cycle. Product Design Assessment: The product being chosen to perform the analysis on is a normal house hold blender. The theory of MADE principles is going to be used for the analysis and to find out the effects a normal house blender has on our environment. The analysis helps us find solutions and improvements for the product to be better suited for the environment and to help maintain the sustainability of environment. The image above shows example of a common house hold blender. Manufacture of Design: (MADE): The manufacturing process of the blender consist of multiple pieces being moulded and shaped and then joined together to make the blender functional and operational. The materials in use for the manufacturing of the blender are also of various combination. However, the blender is shaped in a very simple shape which makes it fairly easier to manufacture the common house hold blender. The plastic jar of the blender is composed of a material called PP (Polypropylene Plastic) shaped and moulded through a process called injection moulding process. The moulding process is performed by heating up the material to its melting point and injecting it to a cooled die where it is cooled down and moulded to its shape. The process is a very cheap method of manufacturing which also requires very low level of energy usage. The blade of the blender on the other hand is stainless steel shaped into small sharp blade like structure which cut and blend the fruits/vegetables/ spices inserted into the jar of the blender. It is essential that the blade is made of stainless steel which has no chances of forming rust in the environment where it operates since food that we eat is being blended in the machine and hence could cause potentially illness for the user. To make sure the steel being used is stainless there should be at least 10.5% chromium in the steel, the presence of the protective iron chromium oxide allows the steel to avoid corrosions and rust. In order for the blender to be considered safe for daily house hold purposes and for it to pass the British safety standard it is vital that the blade for the blenders are of stainless steel. The manufacturing method used to produce the blades for the blenders is the Spinning method. The method is performed by using machinery which is mounted on a forming block against the stainless steel which is pressed on a forming block to rotate. The process in itself is not really expensive or energy consuming but it will be more economical and financially benefitting to produce at bulk with big batches. The graph above shows how the price is affected with the batch size and shows how ordering at bulk with big numbers is more economical. Assembly (MADE): The design of the blender is pretty simple for assembly which requires very little time and knowledge to assemble and use. After the assembly of the blade in the jar all the parts are easily accessible and well fitted to make sure the blender is accessible and easy to use able to be cleaned fitted and opened making it easier to use and clean for household use. The design and the mechanism of the parts are very simple making the parts easy to access worldwide in case it needs repair or fixing. The source of the materials are all minimalistic and easy to access making it easier to be sourced locally making it easier and cheaper to manufacture. The cardboard of the packaging is also recyclable and eco-friendly making it more sustainable friendly for the environment. Disassembly (MADE): The blender consists of various different parts, which are easily constructed and assembled. The use of simple parts makes it easy to operate and assemble the blender along its life cycle. Not only that the use of simple and easy parts makes it easy to disassemble as well helps in the end of life cycle for recycle or upcycle. The use of basic and fairly simple materials for manufacturing and assembly makes it easy to disassemble and end the life cycle in a conservative manner. End of Life Processing (MADE): Due to the presence of heavy carbon emissions and the state that our environment is in it is essential that all the manufacturers have a plan for the end of life cycle to deal with the product in an eco-friendly and conservative manner. The company and the manufacturers need to have a plan for the management of the product even after the items have been sold and passed on to the customers. It is essential for the product to be able to keep up with the customer demand and meet the standards that have been placed for the products hence the End of the life processing is one of the most important steps as well. Preserving our environment and keeping it alive for the future is one of the main issues and things we deal with today in our daily life and it is essential that we respect it in order to maintain the balance in our food chain and the environment. The use of stainless steel hence makes perfect sense as it is theoretically 100 % recyclable. Another key features which promotes the use of stainless steel is that it is very durable and has a long life of several decades. However, if the product has reached its end of lifecycle or has damages in it then it can easily be replaced and separated from its housing and framework. As stainless steel has no damaging effect when in contact with soil or water it can be easily re-moulded in different kinds of moulds to reuse and recycle. Polypropylene (PP) is another material not only being used in the manufacturing of the blender but also one of the most recycled and reused material around us today. With nearly everything around us being made of some kind of plastic it is essential we recycle these materials in order to help keep our environment clean and pollution free. All the different kinds of plastic being used in production today are numbered 1-7 depending on the type of plastic and their properties. However, the body of the blender is made up of quite tough PP, which will require a special technique to recycle called the quaternary recycling process. To perform the process on such plastics which are being recycled it is incinerated at temperature of up to 900 to 1000 Degree Celsius. The use of the method can cut the waste plastic by around 80% and completely prevent pollutant escaping to the atmosphere as well. Common examples of recycled PP can be Battery Cables, Brushes, Bins, signal lights, etc. Hence the recycling and re use of every kind of plastic including the PP helps to keep our environment clean and make a more of a sustainable approach. Benefits of MADE: The use of the MADE theory of analysis help us to find out of the flaws present in the blender. Comparing the usage process to the manufacturing and the designing process there is lots of usage during the manufacturing phase comparatively to the very little usage of energy during the operational life of the blender. The graph above shows how it requires an excessive amount of energy during its production phase but very little during its operational and usage life cycle. By finding a more energy efficient method for production and design of the blender the company could be improving in its earning and the profit margin achieved through each sale. As mentioned above in the report the use of the recycling and upcycling process on the materials can be very helpful and cost effective when either purchasing or producing the blender. The use of recycling and eco-friendly components also help to create a good image with the customers and gain their trust. Also using less dense materials, recycle and remade parts for production may help to make a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Design for the Environment (DFE): Design for Environment (DFE) can be defined as process of designing to minimize the environmental impacts and ensuring products are sustainable and eco-friendly throughout the products life cycle. The main concepts and sections that are covered and assessed by the concept of DFE are: Sustainability in relation to its influence on industry Designing a product with respect to the environment and how it is contributing to the sustainability of the environment 4 Methods to assess a product for their impacts on the environment Sustainability in relation to its influence on industry: According to The Bruntland Commission, sustainability is a development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The BSIs overarching sustainability standard BS 8900 Guidance for managing sustainable development defines sustainability as an enduring, balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress. The product life cycle of the company is assessed to find out the sustainability of a company and its products. With the help of these types of assessment performed by recognised bodies like the British Standard and other companys it adds a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to its company and its products. The achievement of approval and recognition from organisations like BS8900 can lead to approval from other organisation as such which could give them further recognition and qualification in order to achieve greater vision and solidity as well as building trust and confidence for the company and its products. Having achieved the recognition from the organisations they can also benefit from less taxation, social and green branding and a higher level of understanding on recycling and the possible different ways possible to recycle. There are also many other types of UK/EU legislation and standards that can have influence on the industries improvement towards more sustainable earth: BS887 1: The specific standard BS887 1 is different from other standards because it does not teach or give instruction to the designers on how to design or seek the manufacturing process. The standard rather provides methodology for ordering the output of the process and maximises the possibility of the most efficient ways to manufacture, assemble and solve the problem of end of life for the product. The standard also focuses on the most efficient and cost effective ways to produce the design and the products. BS8900: This standard and legislation is based on the guidance provided to manage sustainable development and to make sure sustainable practise are taking place in the industry. The standard helps the company to grow and cut out un-necessary actions taking place in the company like bribery, abuse, oppression and corruptions, enabling the company to stand on integrity. ISO 14001: ISO 14001 is an environmental management system standard which fully focuses on the environment. ISO 14001 helps to promote the effective and efficient environmental management from the company. It also controls the management of energy, consumables and waste; enabling strict energy management system. This will help the company benefit from appropriate amount of energy being used for the corresponding purposes and limiting the level of carbon emissions into the atmosphere making it a more eco-friendly and sustainable company. ISO 14025: This standard addresses the procedures for creating environmental declarations and labels. This helps to make sure there are standardised logos which represent how green and eco-friendly the company or the manufacturer is. The standardised logos indicate the level of carbon footprint in a product and can help either gain the company a good image or a bad one depending on their performance and the stickers in the packaging. Designing a product for the environment and how it is contributing to the sustainability: Designing a product for the environment (DFE) process provides huge contributions towards making a business or a product highly sustainable and environmentally friendly. The objective of DFE in simple words is to reduce or prevent various different kinds of pollutions and also highlight the risks to humans and environment. DFE aims to improve products, processes and life cycle by approaching the design of the product it is also aimed to reduce the potential impacts the environment and humans may have to face or come up against. DFE applies its principles throughout the stage of its product life cycle focusing on making the steps more environmentally friendly and loss polluting hence resulting in cleaner and sustainable products. The direct result from implementation of DFE in the products life cycle can lead to prevention of various different kinds of pollution as well as reduction on the amount of toxic/ hazardous waste and chemical in the landfills. The picture above shows an example of a product life cycle which when under DFE legislation is focused in making the steps and their results more environmentally friendly and conservative. The extraction process of the raw materials is going to be the most energy consuming and time consuming process of all. This is where various sources are either dug or mined to retrieve the natural resources for the manufacturing process hence there is going to be large amount pollution and energy usage. However, this can be countered by making use of the recycling process heavily and by designing the product to be as recyclable as possible, hence less natural resources have to be destroyed for raw materials to make the products. During the process of manufacturing the various different kinds of production methods and techniques use different levels of energy and produce different levels of waste output. With the varying level of waste and usage it is hard to maintain and control the level of wastage for the manufacturing process however if the techniques and methods of manufacturing are used at its highest efficiency level the wastage is controlled to a limit and everything is controllable and manageable to a limit. Also using less dense material and energy efficient machinery can be vital during manufacturing to control the level of pollutants produced and to conserve the environment. Also by using local sourced raw material and making use of simple designs on the product it can help by a huge margin to control the level of carbon footprints produced and pollution being caused throughout the product life cycle. Making your sources locally based allows you to control the amount of pollutants emitted during the transportation phase the shorter the journey for the transportation the less the amount of carbon footprint emitted hence it helps a great deal to be able to source locally and produce your material from raw materials around you. Also choices can be made depending on the type of transportation chosen to export / transfer your product to the market, for e.g.: Transport through sea would probably cause less pollution than if chosen to transport through air or road. The usage period of the life cycle is when the product is operational and in use by the customer or the user. This is when the actual product that has been designed and manufactured is at it life cycle in the hand of the customer. However, there are also various ways which can help to make the product more sustainable and environmentally friendly one of them being the product is designed in a manner where it can be used more than once after it life span runs out for e.g. rechargeable batteries. Recycling is the step where the finished material at the end of their life cycle has an option to either become a useless waste / a pollutant to the environment or to be reused in either the same product or any other product being manufactured by the manufacturers. However, the step of recycling as well is affected with the mixture and materials being used in the product. A product with complex mixed materials would make it harder and the process of recycling longer to making it more harmful and un-sanitary for the environment. Also a simpler plain material would make it easier as well as less energy consuming to recycle the materials compared to a complex material which would have to be separated and grouped before the recycling process is applied to it. However, there are some products which cannot be recycled and need to be buried in landfills. Unless and until the buried product fully di composes and breaks down which it take a long time to it is not a sustainable method of end of life. Therefore, especially with products which cannot be recycled and need to be buried in the ground it is essential that there is no toxic material in the product which can harm the environment and the ecosystem where they are buried. 4 Methods to assess a product for their impacts on the environment: Method Description Advantage Disadvantage 1 Environmental impact assessment (EIA) Assess the possible impacts of a product towards the environmental, social and economic effects. Clearly shows you the negative impact on environment and sustainable issues. Only partial assessment is performed. 2 Environmental Impact of Products (EIPRO) Very research based analytical approach. Extremely detailed in its finding. Data received is accurate. Solutions for present and future problems can be accessed and planned. The impact the product has on the environment can be visualised before production. Very time consuming and financially not efficient enough. 3 Life cycle assessment (LCA) Assesses all the industrial system from acquiring raw materials right through to waste disposals. The environmental impact of the process can be measured at each stage of the cycle. Excellent results of environmental impact. Good comparison of results so that decision can be made to decide which method is best for the environment. Supports business strategy and research development Extremely costly. Extremely time consuming. 4 Publicly Available Specification PAS2050 Gives methodology to measure greenhouse gas emission throughout the products life cycle Benchmark to compare it with suppliers. Good image with the customer due to eco friendliness Could have a negative affect with the customers if the product isnt really eco-friendly. Reference and Bibliography http://www.bssa.org.uk/sectors.php?id=99. Last accessed 20 March 2015. Wrap org. (May 2010). Environment assessment of consumer electronic products. Available: http://www2.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Environmental_assessment_of_consumer_electronic_products.3d08bcb8.10214.pdf. Last accessed 13 March 2015. Standard Publications à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  BS8887-1 Design for Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End of Life Processing à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment Standard à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   ISO 14025 -Procedure of creating environmental declarations LFA. http://www.british-gypsum.com/about-us/sustainability/life-cycle-assessments Christina Goodrick. (March 2006). Design for waste minimisation within a food blender. Available: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Science-Progress/159026488.html. Last accessed 13 March 2015. JEM. (May 2009). Adaptable design: concepts, methods, and application. Available: http://www.sustainelectronics.illinois.edu/NSFworkshop/Reading/Adaptable%20Design%20Concepts,%20Methods,%20and%20Applications.pdf. Last accessed 20 March 2015. Azom. (28 November 2012). Polypropylene (PP) (C3H6) Plastic Recycling. Available: http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=7899. Last accessed 20 March 2015. Unknown. (June 2011). Environmental aspects of stainless steel.Available:

Stephen Bantu Biko :: essays research papers

Stephen Bantu Biko Stephen Biko is known internationally as the founder of the South African Students' Organization (SASO), and a leading force in the South Africa Black Consciousness movement. He fought against the separation between black and whites, called apartheid (the Afrikaans term for separateness). His childhood experiences and character, lead him to became a powerful leader. Steve Biko was born on December 18, 1946, in King William's Town, South Africa. He father was a clerk and his mother was a housemaid. Following the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, Biko was just 17 years old when he became a political activist. He started to become active when he got expelled from Lovedale High School and his brother was arrested in a nationwide police crackdown on political activists. He ended up graduating in 1966 at a boarding school in Natal named St. Francis College. By then, his mind and character were those of a leader. He had a quick brain with huge mental force and ideas. He had the gift to cut through to the core of a problem and find the best solution. "His mind was a tool to chisel out sense and truth and order" (Woods 78). Biko was thoughtful, sensitive and had a good sense of humor. He was motivated by the search for good and truth. At the University of Natal Medicine in 1968, he became involved in the multiracial National Union of South African Students. He was known by peers and adults as a student leader This organization fought for black rights, except he claimed that, "the white [were] doing all the talking and the blacks listening" (Biko 210). Biko wanted the blacks to have as much say and participation as the whites, so in 1968 he became the co-founder and first president of he South African Students' Organization (SASO). This was an all-black organization, which aim was to raise self respect and reliance to all blacks. He said, "Black liberation starts with psychological self reliance. This can only be initiated in isolation from allies whose good intentions are an obstacle to such self- realization" (Woods 63). This organization helped the foundation of another movement and convention, known as the South African Students' Movement, and the Black Peoples' Convention (BPC). This movement also became known as the Black Consciousness Movement. The movements he founded were headed towards students, because they were the ones that might change their minds, unlike the older people, who have already made up their minds. He published Black Review, which was a political journal for the black community. These movements and publications raised so much controversy that the black man is as worthy as any

The divisions within Northern Ireland society have as much to do with class as religion or nationality

The history of Northern Ireland, a state created in 1921, has not been a peaceful one, and the study of the country has been as turbulent – it could be said that there is a ‘meta-conflict'; a conflict about the conflict. The causes of these troubles are varied, and it is far too simplistic to reduce it to just a religious one – although the Protestant faith is now synonymous with unionism, and Catholicism with nationalism, there are in fact many reasons for the divisions within the society. The conflict has become one of national identity, class and political and economic equality, as well as, some have argued, culture. These are all endogenous, i. e. internal, explanations for the fractious nature of Northern Irish life in recent decades, but others have placed the blame on external – exogenous – sources, claiming the behaviour of Great Britain or Ireland (or both) are responsible for the current situation. The roots of these divisions are buried under centuries of conflict, betrayal and mistrust, and, whilst religion played an important part, it was part of a wider economic and political battle. It is important to take these into account, but one of the problems facing Northern Ireland is the sheer amount of unresolved history that underlies every movement and decision. This essay will therefore take the recent ‘Troubles' as its main focus; that is, the causes and effects of the collapse of the Stormont assembly on 24th March 1972 and the imposition of Direct Rule by Westminster, ending in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. Whilst this tentative agreement has by no means brought a complete halt to the violence and divisions in Northern Ireland, there was considerable hope, that has not yet proved to have been completely unfounded, that it would signify the beginning of the end. Northern Ireland had the second highest church attendance in Western Europe after the Republic of Ireland, with 95% of Catholics and 45% of Protestants attending church on a weekly basis in 1969 and there can be no denying the fact that the divisions within Northern Irish society have been given religious labels – on a superficial level at least it is a battle between Catholics and Protestants. If this is so, then it is not unreasonable question to ask just which of the two is principally at fault. Patrick Buckland is just one who feels that it is the Protestant community who see the conflict in religious terms, claiming â€Å"For Catholics the problem was largely political; for Protestants largely religious†. They feared the resources and the power of the Roman Catholic church, with 69% of Belfast Protestants in 1994 believing the Church had a ‘significant, ‘powerful' or ‘too powerful' influence in the government of the Republic of Ireland. This fear of the Catholic hegemony, that would swamp and overrun their own way of life and form of worship, helps explain their hostility towards the minority in the North. As an ethnic group, they are defined by their religion, which inevitably shapes their communities, their politics and their outlook. It could even be claimed that they fall back on their faith because they have no national identity of their own. Four features of unionist politics during the period 1972-1998 were clearly influenced by religion. The refusal to reach any significant accommodation with the Catholic minority, the steadfast rejection of any contemplation of an united Ireland, the desire to maintain the Union to preserve the Protestant way of life and the support for the evangelical Democratic Unionist Party were all bound up with Protestantism – the last point echoed in Steve Bruce's claim that â€Å"the Northern Ireland conflict is a religious conflict [because]†¦ that is the only conclusion that makes sense of Ian Paisley's career†. Finally, the anthropologist Don Akenson claims that the conflict stemmed from the Ulster Protestants' belief that they are God's ‘chosen people', and this explains their sense of superiority, their ability to discriminate against their Catholic population without qualms and their determination to retain the autonomy of the Six Counties, their ‘promised land'. However, it is also possible, as many Unionists have done, to blame the divisions on the Catholic religion. Many extreme loyalists claimed that nationalism is nothing by the tool of the Vatican in an attempt to ‘turn back the tide' of Protestantism. Whilst this view is perhaps a little extreme, they pointed to the ‘religious genocide' that took place in the South between 1941 and 1971, when the Protestant proportion of the population fell from 10% to 4. 1%, the legal enforcement of Catholic morality that caused the Protestant emigration to the North and the Papal law ensuring that the offspring of ‘mixed' relationships were raised as Catholics. Unionists also argued that it was the Catholic hierarchy that consolidated the divide by teaching a Catholic, southern Irish national identity within their schools, that it was their refusal to accept the legitimacy of the Union and its security forces that led to the downfall of the first Stormont Assembly. They were also incensed by the Church's refusal to excommunicate members of the IRA, as they did during the Civil War between 1922-3, and their willingness to bury IRA dead and hunger strikers in consecrated ground. This, coupled with the discovery of IRA weapons on church land, led to the belief, in Unionist circles at least, that the Church played an active role in the conflict. It was this strident and violent Catholic nationalism that linked Protestantism to unionism – after all, there were a small number of Catholic unionists, which is not to be expected if Protestantism and unionism had been one and the same from the very beginning. Despite all this, it must be remembered that the conflict was not a theological one, and that religion alone cannot explain the divisions within society. Although Northern Ireland still does have one of the highest church attendance figures outside the Republic, in line with the increasingly secularisation of the rest of the UK and Europe, numbers fell (just 29% of Protestants and 67% of Catholics went to church weekly in 1998) as the conflict developed, intensified and continued. The period 1972 and 1998, saw Northern Ireland become an increasingly secularised state – between 1981 and 1987 the divorce rate increased at the same rate as Great Britain's and the number of births outside marriage doubled – yet the divisions continue. If the conflict was the result of purely religious reasons, it would be expected that there would have been a correlation between areas most afflicted by the Troubles and the degree of religious intensity of the inhabitants, but this simply was not the case – the most devout communities were to be found in the countryside, but the vast majority of the violence was carried out in the cities, which recorded much lower church attendance figures – in 1992 it was estimated in one Belfast Catholic parish just 38% of the population attended mass on a weekly basis. The same should have been true for the paramilitaries, that those most committed to the cause would also have been the most devout, but there is considerable evidence that many only turned to religion after incarceration; most famously, many of the hunger strikers led by Bobby Sands in 1981 had converted to Catholicism once in jail. There has also been a careful avoidance by the main political parties in the province to avoid religious labels – the DUP was formerly the Protestant Unionist Party, but swiftly changed its name to the Democratic Unionist Party in 1971 – preferring terms such as ‘social democratic', ‘unionist', ‘nationalist' and so on, and they pursue political and economic – not religious – policies. It should also be pointed out that even if they did have religious labels, it would not have necessarily meant that the conflict was a religious one – numerous European political parties, the German CDU being just one example, proudly possess a religious name. Between 1969 and 1994, only one Protestant cleric was killed, and he, the Reverend Robert Bradford, was a hardline, outspoken UUP MP, and both sides, to a greater extent, respected the sanctity of churches and churchmen. An important point in this issues is that there is, in fact, nothing intrinsically religious about Catholics taking up arms in the late 1960s/early 1970s against a perceived aggressor or oppressor. This was not a ‘holy war', not a crusade, but a fight against the inequalities and discrimination they faced. Nor was the Protestant discrimination of Catholics inherently religious – Catholics were treated unjustly because they were seen as disloyal to the state, not because of their rosaries and belief in transubstantiation. The question of whether the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles' were prompted by the religious tensions is best summed up by John McGarry and Brendan O'Leary when they said â€Å"There is no need to invent ingenious religious agendas to account for militant republican paramilitarism† and the same is true for the loyalists. There are a number of other, more fundamental and realistic issues that explain the divisions within the province. There were clear class divisions within Northern Irish society throughout the twentieth century that could be said to have had an effect on the development of the Troubles. Stated crudely, there a disproportionate of the middle classes were Protestant, whilst Catholics were much more likely to make up the working classes. In 1971, 69% of Catholics were manual workers, in comparison to 59% of Protestant, and throughout the period the number of unskilled Catholic workers rose, whilst Protestant figures fell. Thus the Northern Irish conflict could be seen in terms of a Marxist struggle – one where the mainly Protestant elites were attempting to maintain the status quo against the demands of the Catholic working class. However, this would be to oversimplify the problem, and overlooks the not insubstantial Catholic middle class and ignores the significant influence the Protestant working class were able to exert on the Unionist leadership. If it had been an issue of class, then it would not be unreasonable to expect that political parties would have organised along class lines, but this was not necessarily the case. Whilst the UUP was heavily dependent on the support of the Protestant working class, this was not at the expense of middle class votes. The differences between the DUP and the UUP were not class-based, but simply political, although it could be said the SDLP attracted more middle-class nationalist support than Sinn Fiin before 1998. It might also have been expected that the small Catholic middle class would have been more unionist in character, if it had merely been a class struggle. Therefore to perceive the divisions in society as being along class lines is misleading, but there is a case for looking at the economic inequalities between the two communities, and the effect that they had on the formation and character of the conflict. In 1989, the Northern Ireland Office Minister Richard Needham said â€Å"If work can be found for 10,000 unemployed boys in West Belfast †¦ that in itself will do more to impact on the political and security areas than anything else. In all societies, political stability is linked to economic prosperity, and the fact that, for most of the period 1972 to 1998 the Northern Irish economy consistently underperformed economically in comparison to the mainland. At times in the 1970s, unemployment reached levels as high as 12%, whilst Great Britain had enjoyed full employment. Key staple industries, such as textiles, ship- and airplane building suffered from fierce overseas competition and by the 1970s were in near-terminal decline. Political extremism, and, by extension, paramilitarism was always more prevalent amongst the disadvantaged on both sides of the religious divide rather than the more affluent; a considerable proportion of the violence emanates from deprived Catholic and Protestant ghettos. Therefore there is some truth in Needham's statement – if Northern Ireland's economy had been stronger, then perhaps the more violent nature of the conflict could have been contained. A very important economic issue was that of discrimination. In 1971, 17. 3% of Catholic men were unemployed, in contrast to just 6. 6% of Protestants. Twenty years later, the figures were 21. 3% and 9. 6% respectively. For those Catholics in work, they could expect to be paid considerably less than their Protestant counterparts. Direct and indirect discrimination against Catholics were inherent in the economic inequalities they faced. Thus the roots of the conflict can be seen in Catholic demands for an improvement in their economic situation, but attempts, especially under the leadership of Terence O'Neill, to address these discrepancies had an important consequence: the Protestants became increasingly more determined to protect their economic privileges. They began to complain of what Birrell called ‘reverse relative deprivation', that is, during the 1970s Protestants began to feel relatively deprived as the gap between them and Catholics began to close, which led to an increased resistance to anti-discrimination policies, which in turn fuelled Catholic discontent. By the 1990s, the violence of loyalist paramilitaries were being attributed to the perception that Catholics were now doing better than Protestants, thanks to ‘reverse discrimination' in their favour – this point of view was especially prevalent in the Shankhill area of Belfast, as uncovered by the 1993 Opsahl Commission. Another economic motive that could help explain the divisions within Northern Ireland was the clear financial disadvantages of abandoning the Union. In the words of McGarry and O'Leary, â€Å"Protestants are said to be more loyal to the half-crown than to the Crown†. One of the reasons Unionists were so opposed the idea of a united Ireland was because it would lead not only to the end of their economic advantages, but to a general decline in the average standard of living, seeing as the Republic simply could not guarantee degree of expenditure on the province as Britain – by the early 1990s, the subsidy given to Northern Ireland from London actually exceeded the Republic's income tax revenue. This does not explain the continued nationalist support for and end to the union, even when aware of the inevitable economic disadvantages, but it is an important factor in understanding Protestant intransigence. However, economic factors alone simply cannot explain the divisions that led to the outbreak of the ‘Troubles', or their continuation for so long. As Trotsky pointed out, if mere deprivation was the cause of revolutions, the masses would always be in a state of rebellion. If economic reasons were the cause of violence between the two communities, it would be expected that periods of depression would be accompanied by an intensification of conflict, which simply was not the case: after the 1958 slump there was no outbreak of violence, and the ‘Troubles' actually started during a period of relative growth, falling unemployment and increasing prosperity, which would point to a political, rather than economic, trigger. Whilst political extremism is more likely to be found in underprivileged areas, repression (especially in the case of nationalist groups) was still as major reason for joining paramilitary forces, rather than objective deprivation. As already mentioned, there was no economic incentive for the Six Counties to unite with the South, especially before the Republic's emergence as a ‘Celtic Tiger', but the British subvention of the province also does not fully explain Protestant unionism, for it increased considerably during the years of Direct Rule, and in 1972 it was nowhere near the i3. billion it was in 1998. Unionism was driven by the belief in the right to self-determination and the resolve to preserve the Protestant way of life, not an economic self-interest, and equally, â€Å"Nationalism has a social psychological basis rather than a purely or largely materialist foundation† (McGarry and O'Leary). For shared material experiences to shape a community in any significant way, they must firstly, according to McGarry and O'Leary, have a deep sense of national identity formed through shared historical or geographical experiences and facilitated by common culture, language or religion. Whilst economics clearly played a crucial role in consolidating existing divides, it does not explain the existence of the divisions in the first place. The violent divisions in Northern Ireland society can all be traced to the problem of national identity. Culturally, there was no real divide between the two communities, except over fairly superficial matters such as sport and newspapers. Religious, economic, class and cultural issues, whilst important in understanding the complexity of the Ulster question, are not, in themselves, enough to explain the underlying causes. In terms of religion, whereas the Catholics were a single denomination, the various Protestant denominations were united only by the fact that their non-Catholicism, which was not strong enough to produce a strong enough degree of cohesiveness. Religious labels, however, were used as a demarcation between the two communities. Unionists were not united by their religion, their class or their economic self-interest, but by their identification with the rest of the United Kingdom, by the fact that they considered themselves to be British – even when the government did not necessarily agree. Equally, nationalists were united in the belief that they are Irish, and spiritually and ethnically a part of the southern Republic. People were members of a ‘religious community', considered to be a ‘cradle' Catholic or Protestant regardless of their actual religious or non-religious conviction; their religious label was an ethnic label. Whilst churches maintained and reinforced the social boundaries, through religiously driven activities, and the high rates of endogamy (in 1968, 96% of the population had parents of the same religion, whilst between 1943 and 1982 just 6% of all marriages were mixed), the persistence of segregated schooling (just 2% of primary and secondary school pupils in 1994 attended an integrated school) and residential separation, the divisions were originally caused by something else: â€Å"religion reinforced nationalism, not the other way round†. Thus political and economic discrimination of the Catholics by the Protestant majority can be explained in terms of Protestant fears that their national identity would be lost in a united Ireland. Their determination to remain a part of the United Kingdom, and their extreme reluctance to grant significant civil rights to the Catholic minority was as a result of their fear of losing their way of life, as well as just an unwillingness to relinquish their privileged status. As McGarry and O'Leary succinctly put it: â€Å"National and ethnic attachments tend to be much more binding and explosive in historically established and stable communities than alternative solidarities, like gender or class† and this is especially true of Northern Ireland. There are many aspects of the divisions in Northern Ireland society that this essay has not addressed. More could be said about cultural differences, and the long-term political discrimination, such as gerry-mandering, faced by Catholics that led to the Troubles between 1972 and 1998. External factors, such as British and Irish policy, and other long-term historical factors, such as the nature of British colonialism of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, such as the impact of plantation on the political dynamic of the province. It is impossible to blame the Troubles on class conflicts, for Protestants and Catholics simply do not divide neatly into a unionist middle class and nationalist working class. Economic factors did have a significant impact on the development of grievances and intransigence, but also only provide an incomplete picture. Superficially, the conflict can be seen in religious terms – after all it is often described as Catholics against Protestant, as well as nationalist versus unionist. However, in recent decades, as Northern Ireland follows the general European trend for secularisation, and church attendance figures continue to fall, the religious labels are a sign of ethnicity, rather than belief. The entrenched nature of the divisions between the two communities, in the face of improving economic and political conditions and increasing secularisation during the period 1972 and 1998 means that there must have been a further, deeper cause for the conflict, and the question of nationality – British or Irish – is more convincing than the other, admittedly important, possibilities.

Presidential Scholars Essay Essay

The creative work the best illustrates the way I see the world and the way I see myself in the world is the Charles Dicken’s novel, Great Expectations. Basically, the novel revolves around a boy named Philip Pirip or â€Å"Pip,† and his many struggles to achieve his goals. Pip’s main goal is to become a wealthy gentleman someday in order to marry the woman of his dreams, Estella, which he accomplished in the novel. However, in order to achieve his goal, Pip had to go overcome a lot of obstacles and face a lot of adversities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the story, it was shown that Pip was a very generous and kind-hearted young man. However, the best and possibly the worst aspect about him is his overly-ambitious attitude. Although Pip’s good-natured personality and pure innocence enabled him to accomplish his dream of becoming a wealthy gentleman, he realized that his position in society is the not the most important aspect about any person. In the end, although he lost his wealth, he was able to marry Estella, and live a happy life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this regard, the novel shows my belief that while anything can be achieved if one works hard for it, it also important to know one’s place in the world and remain humble. In other words, like in the novel, I believe that in this world, it is more important for me to possess moral values and be happy and content with my life than simply be rich. Moreover, the story also shared my belief that it is equally important to not expect too much from anything, which is what Pip failed to do, as you may end up disappointed. More importantly, however, the novel also corresponds with my perception which is to never be too ambitious on anything in this world as it may mislead one’s life. Furthermore, the story also showed how I see myself in the world. Like Pip, I believe that I am also a good natured and kind-hearted person who can achieve anything if I work hard for it. However, I must always remember not to commit the same mistake the Pip did, which is to become overly-ambitious, in order for me to reach my dreams. Presidential Scholars essay: The teacher who has influenced me the most   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In school, the person who made the most impact on my life was my Italian teacher, Mrs. Elliott. Basically, Mrs. Elliott has not only sparked my interest in the Italian language and other languages, but she has taught me and my fellow students the value of investing in knowledge, which she believes would greatly help us in our future careers. She is also a highly competent teacher who always makes sure that we learn new things after each of our classes with her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   She has also shared with us a lot of information about the Italian culture and lifestyle, among others. Although she is a bit demanding in her classes, I know that she only wants us to learn and grow. However, what I like best about Mrs. Elliott is her unwavering passion for teaching. She always teaches enthusiastically and eagerly, which is why all the students listen attentively and never get bored in her class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, she is also a very approachable person outside the classroom. Students would never hesitate to go to her when they have concerns about anything. Whether it’s about school or family, Mrs. Elliott would always be there to guide us and give us advice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, she has also taught us valuable lessons and values in life such as patience, understanding, integrity, honesty, commitment, and dedication, which we would all be able to apply throughout the rest of our lives. She also told us to always remember the lessons we learned so we could pass them on to our future children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In short, Mrs. Elliot has not only imparted to us the necessary knowledge that we would need as we seek higher education, but she has also taught us valuable lessons that cannot simply be learned in a classroom. No doubt, she is one of the people whom I would never forget and whom I would always honor for the rest of my life

Guidelines Alternative Medicine Essay

Guidelines Alternative Medicine Essay Guidelines: Alternative Medicine Essay alzheimers.org.uk Complementary and alternative therapies and dementia There are high levels of public interest in the various complementary and alternative therapies available today. Many people with dementia, and those who care for them, are interested in using these therapies as alternatives or additions to their conventional treatments, often due to the perceived benefits that they may bring and the image of being ‘safe’ and ‘natural’. This factsheet explains what complementary and alternative therapies are, outlines several therapies for which there is some evidence of their effectiveness and describes how to access these treatments. This factsheet only addresses therapies that have an evidence base and does not cover treatments for which there is no clinical evidence of effectiveness in dementia, even if they are widely used (such as homeopathy). What are complementary and alternative therapies? The term ‘complementary and alternative therapy’ covers many diverse forms of treatment. Complementary and alternative therapies are a broad range of treatments that are outside of conventional medicine and are used to treat or prevent illness and promote health and well-being. Practitioners of complementary therapies are not trained to diagnose disease. 1 The area of complementary and alternative medicine is controversial and changes regularly. Therapies that are considered ‘complementary’ or ‘alternative’ in one country may be considered conventional in another. Therapies that are currently considered alternative may become more mainstream over time, as researchers discover their effectiveness and they become integrated into mainstream health care practice. Some complementary and alternative therapies are now available on the NHS, although this varies from region to region. Using complementary and alternative therapy versus conventional medicine Complementary and alternative therapy should only be used in addition to, not instead of, conventional medicine. If you decide to use complementary and alternative therapy it is important that you continue to see your doctor and keep them informed of the treatments you are having. Although most complementary and alternative treatments have a good safety profile they are not 100 per cent safe and there are serious safety concerns about some therapies. For example, some herbal preparations may interact harmfully with conventional drugs. It is therefore very important that your doctor knows exactly what you are taking. Don’t be nervous about telling your doctor what you are using – awareness of complementary and alternative therapy is increasing among the medical profession, and most doctors are sympathetic to its use. How widespread is complementary and alternative therapy? At least one in four people in England are thought to have used complementary or alternative therapy in the past year. In recent surveys, 85 per cent of medical students, 76 per cent of GPs and 69 2 per cent of hospital doctors have said they feel that complementary therapies should be made available on the NHS. This widespread interest helps to encourage research in the area. One common concern is the difficulty in regulating such a varied range of treatments. Most forms of complementary and alternative therapy have one or more governing bodies, which set standards for the training and services provided and codes of conduct for practitioners. However, these are often self-regulated and membership tends to be voluntary. A report by the House of Lords in 2000 called for more regulation, and research to investigate effectiveness and safety. However, current regulation is still patchy. In 2008 the Department of Health funded the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health to set up the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council to regulate 12 alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, reflexology and homeopathy (see ‘Useful

Grammar Myths Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

Grammar Myths Ending a Sentence with a Preposition Grammar Myths: Ending a Sentence with a Preposition Why do people always misquote me? Winston Churchill Ending a sentence with a preposition has long been forbidden by grammar pedants. And when accused of doing this, Winston Churchill is supposed to have responded: This is the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put! Do you see what he did there? And even if he probably never said it, it provides a great jumping off point for discussing a famous grammatical â€Å"rule.† So is ending a sentence with a preposition really so bad? And if not, where did the rule come from? Let us explain. The Origins of the Myth Some people insist that it’s wrong to end a sentence with a preposition. This is otherwise known as using a â€Å"terminal preposition.† The rule about this comes from the notion that English should follow the same rules as Latin, in which it is impossible to end a sentence with a preposition. For someone who holds this view, sentence A below would be wrong: A) You are reading the book which my article was published in. B) You are reading the book in which my article was published. The problem is that sentence A ends with the preposition â€Å"in,† while sentence B places the preposition in the middle of the sentence. Arguably, this makes B sound more formal than A. But, at the same time, it is easy to understand what sentence A means. And English is not Latin, so there is no reason to follow Latin-specific rules. Modern English is much more flexible about preposition placement. And there’s no reason not to end a sentence with a preposition. Is Ending a Sentence with a Preposition Wrong? In English, we regularly use prepositions at the end of sentences. As long as the sentence in question reads clearly, this is fine. In fact, as shown by the quote attributed to Churchill above, avoiding terminal prepositions can sometimes make a sentence more confusing! For instance, rather than â€Å"up with which I will not put,† we would usually say: This is the sort of nonsense which I will not put up with! And while this sentence ends with the preposition â€Å"with,† it is easier to understand than the original version, which was designed to show what happens when we follow grammar â€Å"rules† blindly. The â€Å"rule† forbidding terminal prepositions is thus a myth. But, more importantly, it’s also bad advice! Most of the time, it’s fine to end a sentence with a preposition, especially if it’s part of a verb phrase such as â€Å"put up with.† The key is ensuring your work is clear and easy to read. And if you’re ever unsure whether you’re using prepositions correctly, we’re here to help!

Careful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

Careful with Words Used as Noun and Verb Careful with Words Used as Noun and Verb Careful with Words Used as Noun and Verb By Maeve Maddox English has numerous word pairs that are spelled alike, but pronounced differently according to whether the word is being used as a noun or as a verb. Some examples are conduct, digest, escort, insult, produce, and record. With each of these words, and others like them, the accent shifts according to the part of speech. Here are some examples: I do not approve of his cà ³nduct. John Williams will condà ºct the symphony . He subscribes to the Congressional Dà ­gest. Some food is difficult to digà ©st. Charlie will be her à ©scort. He will escà ³rt her to the Prom. That last remark was an à ­nsult. How dare you insà ºlt your father? Celery and tomatoes are fresh prà ³duce. These factories prodà ºce the finest widgets. That’s his fifth platinum rà ©cord. Let’s recà ³rd the baby’s first word. You will notice that for the noun the accent falls on the first syllable; for the verb, on the second. Some noun/verb pairs shift in pronunciation and in spelling. These are the ones writers need to be aware of. Here are a few that I’ve seen misused : Take his advice with a grain of salt. Who will advise the king? He likes a warm bath. They bathe in the river. It’s cold enough to see our breath. Don’t breathe the chemical fumes. The shoes are made of cloth. Feed the hungry and clothe the naked. He felt grief at the death of the child. He must be allowed time to grieve. Here, Ill give you half. The new invention will halve production costs. What is the proof of your contention? He worked night and day to prove his innocence. A prophecy of Merlin foretold the Maid. Prophesy unto the wind, for the wind will listen. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Latin Plural Endings15 Idioms for Periods of Time

Kant's Metaphysics of Morals, the Importance of Duty Essay

Kant's Metaphysics of Morals, the Importance of Duty - Essay Example All of which were important aspects in the moral determination of the will that would contrue an act as moral or ethical. Kant’s normative ethics posits that the best way to act morally is to act from duty with the consideration of the highest good. That is, acting through the moral determination of the will. Kant’s acting through the moral determination of will meant that the motivation of one’s action must be pursued with the good without condition which is intrinsically good by itself. He formulated his deontological ethics in a categorical imperative of doing good for the sake of good regardless of its consequence. The three propositions of moral determination of the will are as follows; Universal Law formulation which is to act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. This means that if one is to act good, that will should not be subjected to any condition or any physical constraints. Humanity or E nd in Itself formulation which posits to act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end. This meant the free will is a source of rational action. And that humanity, is not just a result of an action but also the motivation of such action and how the action is carried out. A logical free will should therefore be an end itself because an end is subjective that they needed to be pursued whereas, the rationale action is objective and therefore must be categorically pursued. Kingdom of Ends formulation is the integration of the first two laws that says all maxims as proceeding from our own [hypothetical] making of law ought to harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends. This meant an autonomous will is not subject to anything but it must bind itself to the first two laws to make it applicable to everybody that people by themselves are both a means and an end. In sum, Kingdom of Ends formulation meant that the end and the means must be harmonized to be good and this is applicable to all circumstances without exemption. Kant explained the etymology of the expression of his deontological ethics. According to Kant, imperatives imply what they just meant which are commands such as â€Å"wake up early†. Often they are hypothetical imperative because they only serve a specific objective or purpose such as â€Å"wake up early so you will not be later for work†. This imperative or command becomes categorical when it is applied universally and that the actions and decisions of individuals are to be judged solely by their motivations and that the consequences do not matter morally (as in the case of hypothetical imperative) neither the intended consequences nor the actual consequences matter morally; only the principle or rule we follow if we do the action matters morally. In simpler terms, this meant doing what is good regardless of consequ ence and that by doing is an end by itself. Thus, actions themselves become an end and this action should be a rational result in the exercise of freewill. In the example stated, categorical imperative dictates to â€Å"wake up† early because it is good to wake up early even without considering one’s need not to be late for work. Consistent to this, Kant’s categorical imperative states that every person has the duty to use and exercise his goodness/humanity as a means to an end. The application of Kant’s second law of categorical imper

International Mangement of Ethics and Values Assignment

International Mangement of Ethics and Values - Assignment Example Across the Tasman Sea, in New Zealand, he owns nearly half. Further, he is the owner of two fifths of the Australian Associated Press. (Knowlton & Parsons, 1995, p. 200) These holdings are notwithstanding his considerable market share in Britain and the United States. These statistics bear testimony to the Murdoch’s media monopoly. Between the lines one can read the dangers posed by monopoly in an industry that is crucial to socio-cultural discourse. This report will evaluate how News Corporation holds up to the scrutiny of their stated Code of Ethics as well as against the triple bottom line criteria for ethical evaluation. Official Standards of Business Conduct proclaimed by News Corp News Corp’s official Standards of Business Conduct (SBC) document makes some bold claims. In the area of building trust with business partners and customers, it claims that trust and integrity are of utmost importance. The SBC goes on to outline generic principles that â€Å"underlie th e culture of trust that is at the heart of News....While it is impossible to formulate rules to govern every possible situation, these Standards seek to assist us in continuing to avoid misconduct and the appearance of misconduct.† (Standards, 2013) Further, under the heading ‘Ensuring integrity and transparency of conduct’, the SBC defines what constitutes a conflicting situation and how the News Corp Management will resolve it: â€Å"A conflict of interest arises when personal interests or divided loyalties interfere with our ability to make sound, objective business decisions on behalf of the Company. We are committed to a work force that is clearly and obviously motivated by the best business interests of our Company.† (Standards, 2013) Under the heading ‘Maintaining Credibility’, the SBC lays out three commandments for ethical management of news gathering and reportage. These rules were also meant to apply to its relationship with other bu siness partners, government contacts and the readership. These are: â€Å"We do not make deliberately false or misleading statements about our businesses, or about other companies....We obtain competitive information legally. We do not obtain information about competitors through theft, blackmail, wiretapping, trespassing or other methods prohibited by law.† (Standards, 2013) The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Standard At the core of the TBL standard is the principle of sustainability. Equally applicable to nonprofits, governments as well as businesses, the TBL measures the â€Å"degree to which an organization is being sustainable or pursuing sustainable growth can be difficult.† (Slaper & Hall, 2013) Scholars like John Elkington were instrumental in devising quantitative measurement scales for TBL. Under the system, conventional focus on profits is excluded. It its place, new parameters such as environmental and social effects of business actions were added to the usual me asures of return on investment and shareholder value. By focusing on comprehensive investment results— â€Å"that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of profits, people and the planet—triple bottom line reporting can be an important tool to support sustainability goals. Many businesses and non-profit organizations have adopted the TBL sustainability framework to evaluate their performance, and a similar approach has gained currency with governments at the federal, state and local

Plebeian Sexual Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plebeian Sexual Morality - Essay Example lopment of sexual values during the identified epoch is characterized by the presence of highly conflicting standards and perspectives regarding critical notions encompassing sociological concepts and cultural understandings. As noted by Clark, the most critical consideration which must be highlighted and outlined with reference to this aspect is linked with acknowledging the fact sexual morality and standards in itself are a matter of conflicting outlooks across communities (42). The author proposes that while exploring this aspect it is significant to understand how and why sexual morality of towards the departure of the eighteenth century and the arrival of the nineteenth century emerged as a notion of complexity. The consequences of the aforementioned factors are viewed through the lens of the sociological issues and problems which surfaced in the period and led to the questioning of the moral norms of communities. These issues can be identified in terms of the rise in individuals engaging in sexual intercourse before marriage and the subsequent increase in unwanted pregnancies and illegitimate children because of the scenario (Clark 42). Consequently, these outcomes can be highlighted as the direct impact of what Clark terms as crisis of sexuality and sexual moral standards (42). The underlying causes of these choices can be explored in depth to identify the key reasons behind the plebeian’s motivation for choosing a distinct way of life. This examination essentially raises two significant questions – was the plebeians’ decision based on principal social issues which can be associated with the period or was the progression of such sexual moral standards based on the personal perspectives and outlooks shared by a community of individuals who shared a similar mindset? Clark answers this question by suggesting that while, it is more likely to believe in the assertion that the establishment of sexuality morality is motivated and essentially shaped by the

Mid Term Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mid Term Exam - Assignment Example This depends upon where and how the company markets its products or services. In addition, when it comes to marketing or promoting a service or product, one sixe does not fit it all. There are various elements of the marketing strategy that may need to change depending on whether the company is marketing globally or domestically. In order for the Apollo Company to gain enter and gain control of new markets, the marketing managers needs to conduct a situation analysis. A situation means the state of things that occur at the same time. Situation analysis interprets the environment that an organization operates. The situation analysis gives the knowledge and context for planning. It shows the competitive position, financial and operating condition and the state of external and internal affairs. In situation analysis, SWOT analysis is the commonly used analysis. SWOT refers to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to a company. In our study of the Asian pacific and North America markets, the positioning statement should be believable, important and unique. After the positioning statement has been developed, supporting claims have to be implemented. The statements are used in satisfying a similar criterion to the positioning statement. Then support points usually reinforce the uniqueness, believability and the importance of the positioning statement. The support points usually give a structure for demonstrations of the products. The positioning statement articulates the abstract benefit while the supporting points usually are readily available for demonstration. International marketing means to provide one’s services or goods worldwide. It is a tradition for most companies to start marketing their products or services domestically and expand to international market to capture wider market share and increase avenues for sales of their services or

Why Oil Prices are dropping Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why Oil Prices are dropping - Case Study Example The case is even difficult for the countries, considering that for a country like Iran would need the price of oil to remain at $136, if it is to be able to support its growing economy (Al Mulla, n.p.). The major issue in this case is the reason why oil prices are dropping (Al Mulla, n.p.). This is a major issue, due to the fact that the dropping of the oil prices is sudden and also unexpected. The other major issue in this case is why the oil producing countries are not doing anything to correct the issue of dropping oil prices. Considering that the low process for oil is in fact harmful to the economies of these countries, it is expected that the oil producing countries should be doing something by now, to see the prices of oil increase to levels that can benefit their economies. The economic theory of demand and supply is applicable in this case. The theory states that when the supply is high, the prices of a commodity are low. However, when the supply is reduced, the demand for the commodity in the market increases, and with high demand in the market, the price increases. According to the economic theory of demand and supply, the oil producing countries are able o to see an increase in the prices of oil. This is because, the prices f oil are currently low, which then means that those countries can cut their supply of oil into the global markets to increase its demand, and consequently its price. However, as the case has turned out to be, the oil producing countries are not cutting down their oil supply into the market in order to increase demand and prices of oil. In this respect, it can therefore be observed that the conventional economic law of demand and supply is not operating in this case. The conclusion in this case is that the reason for the dropping oil prices is not the normal operation of demand and supply forces in the oil market. There are other unrelated factors that are accounting for this occurrence. The theory of

Digital graphics for interactive media Assignment

Digital graphics for interactive media - Assignment Example They are in game poster production, packaging, in game graphics, overall it may be said that the entire game development process relies on interactive media graphics for game production. Rollover buttons, navigation bars and navigation menus enable easy navigation around digital media. The simpler and comprehensive the navigation is, the more it compels visitors to come back again. Instead of having to search through heaps of information the interactive graphics enable users to reach to get to the point search results thus saving their time and effort. â€Å"overall, a main navigation supports a variety of user tasks and modes of information seeking, including known-item seeking, exploration, and even re-finding. From a user’s standpoint, the main navigation plays a critical role in using the site: Animated images can be used in almost every form of digital media. May it be web portals or Chat Interfaces, Social Networking interfaces or Stock software, the embedding of animated images into each of these digital media enhances their usefulness by often replacing a large amount of words. This is often said in relation with: â€Å"A picture is worth a thousand words.† An entire process can be described with the help of embedding step by step animation levels into a diagram instead of the readers reading a large amount of text to decipher it. Applications of web banners are mainly in every website. They are the online means of advertising. A large number of viewers get attracted to the often animated banners that promote a certain product and click on the banner. Clicking on it opens the website of the advertiser. The image on the Web Banner can be made in PNG, JPEG or GIF. Logos are images that are specifically associated with an entity. That entity may be an individual or a company. It is with respect to that graphics image, known as a log, that the defined entity is often recognized.

Why Oil Prices are dropping Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why Oil Prices are dropping - Case Study Example The case is even difficult for the countries, considering that for a country like Iran would need the price of oil to remain at $136, if it is to be able to support its growing economy (Al Mulla, n.p.). The major issue in this case is the reason why oil prices are dropping (Al Mulla, n.p.). This is a major issue, due to the fact that the dropping of the oil prices is sudden and also unexpected. The other major issue in this case is why the oil producing countries are not doing anything to correct the issue of dropping oil prices. Considering that the low process for oil is in fact harmful to the economies of these countries, it is expected that the oil producing countries should be doing something by now, to see the prices of oil increase to levels that can benefit their economies. The economic theory of demand and supply is applicable in this case. The theory states that when the supply is high, the prices of a commodity are low. However, when the supply is reduced, the demand for the commodity in the market increases, and with high demand in the market, the price increases. According to the economic theory of demand and supply, the oil producing countries are able o to see an increase in the prices of oil. This is because, the prices f oil are currently low, which then means that those countries can cut their supply of oil into the global markets to increase its demand, and consequently its price. However, as the case has turned out to be, the oil producing countries are not cutting down their oil supply into the market in order to increase demand and prices of oil. In this respect, it can therefore be observed that the conventional economic law of demand and supply is not operating in this case. The conclusion in this case is that the reason for the dropping oil prices is not the normal operation of demand and supply forces in the oil market. There are other unrelated factors that are accounting for this occurrence. The theory of

Minimum Wage in the United States Essay Example for Free

Minimum Wage in the United States Essay A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly wage that employers may legally pay to employees or workers. The debate over minimum wage in the United States has been ongoing for over 100 years. It is a hot topic in labor, human interest, and especially in economics. Is the minimum wage too low? Is it too high? Should we have one at all? Does having a minimum legal wage help those who it is intended to help, or does it actually make them worse off? Theses questions are asked on a daily basis by interested parties. While there may not be one definitive correct answer, there are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue, and those who represent their â€Å"side† are passionate about their opinions. This is one of a few social topics about which people are generally not indifferent. Much of the adult workforce in the United States has worked a minimum wage job at some point in their career, so we can easily relate to the challenges that face today’s minimum wage workers. This paper is not intended to solve the debate over minimum wage, nor will it attempt to persuade the reader in one direction or the other regarding what should be done concerning minimum wage. The pages that follow will present a brief history of the minimum wage debate in the United States, and then present some of the arguments offered by both sides of the debate. A Brief History of Minimum Wage Although New Zealand was the first country to formally enact minimum wage legislation in 1896,[i] the United States was one of the first major industrialized nations to set a national wage floor for their workers. For decades during the industrial revolution, workers in the United States endured work environments that consisted of long hours, dangerous working conditions, and low wages. Small movements to develop a national minimum wage by labor unions and activist groups were met with predictable resistance from business people, and ultimately struck down by the U. S. Supreme Court. [ii] Finally, in 1938 President Roosevelt and Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. This act was intended to alleviate some of the poor working conditions that mostly women and young children were subject to. Additionally, this act imposed a federally mandated minimum wage of $0. 25 per hour, with some exceptions. [iii] There have been subsequent pieces of legislation that continue to address and improve workers’ rights since that time, focusing more on quality of life issues rather than eliminating abuses by employers. Additionally, individual states now have the right to enact their own minimum wage, so long as it is no lower than the federally mandated minimum wage. Since 1938, the national minimum wage has been raised 21 times, most recently in 2009, and is currently $7. 25 per hour. Today, more than 90% of countries in the world have some sort of wage floor for their work force. [iv] The Case for Minimum Wage Those in favor of a minimum wage argue that it increases the standard of living of workers and reduces poverty. [v] Those workers that are paid minimum wage are unskilled laborers, perhaps first entering the job market. Without any marketable skills, the worker needs some protection that they will be paid a fair rate that will enable them to be self-sufficient until such time that they have learned a skill or trade that will allow them to work their way up from the low wage jobs. Without a minimum wage, employers would have significantly more market power than the workers – a monopsony – and that could result in the intentional collusion between employers regarding the wage they will offer. [vi] Absent this protection, workers would be forced to accept the artificially low wages, resulting in a very low quality of life. Additionally, the argument can be made that paying a â€Å"livable† minimum wage incentivizes workers to not only get a job, but to work hard to keep that job. When minimum wages are significantly greater than payments received through a social welfare system, people are rewarded for their hard work. If a person could receive an amount close to what they would earn at minimum wage through the welfare system, what motivation would they have to work the minimum wage job? In contrast, if workers are paid an amount that is considerably more, they will find and keep work. This serves another purpose, to decrease the cost of government administered social welfare programs by getting people off of welfare and onto payrolls. Another common argument made by those in favor of the minimum wage is that it actually helps to stimulate spending, improving overall economic conditions. [vii] The theory behind this argument is that low wage earners typically spend everything they make. Whether on necessities or luxury items, minimum wage earners are likely to spend their entire paycheck. If there were an increase in the minimum wage, the people who would receive the pay increase would turn around and spend their new money. This would help to cover the costs of the increased wages as many businesses would see an almost immediate return through increased sales. While this argument seems to make sense, it must be clarified that no empirical evidence to support this claim could be found. Another argument made is that an increase in minimum wage helps to improve the work ethic of those who receive the increase. The implication is that if their employer is forced to give them a raise, they will be compelled to work harder to improve their efficiency and increase their productivity in return. Again, there is no evidence to either support or refute this claim, and opinions run strong regarding this argument. Perhaps the most basic and most often made argument in support of a national minimum wage law is that it is simply the correct thing to do, morally speaking. The idea that we should want to take care of each other and make sure that everyone made a comfortable wage is one of the most basic tenets of the philosophy of those who support it. Arguments against Minimum Wage Laws: On the other side of the argument are those who are opposed to increasing the minimum wage, as well as some who think it should be abolished altogether. Many businesspeople and economists are on this side of the debate, and they present some pretty compelling arguments. They argue that imposing an increase on the federally mandated minimum wage actually will do more economic harm than good. [viii] The main argument deals with the elasticity of demand regarding employment. A minimum wage increase actually reduces the quantity demanded of workers, either through a reduction in the number of hours worked by individuals, or through a reduction in the number of jobs. ix] Simply put, employers are likely not going to increase their salary budget, so if the hourly wages increase, then they must reduce the number of hours of work that they are paying for. This could result in the exact opposite impact of that which is intended. Those earning the minimum wage and are facing reduced hours or even being let go will find themselves much worse off as a result of an increase than leaving it at its current rate. Additionally, often the way out of e arning minimum wage is through skills learned through those minimum wage jobs. If there are fewer of these jobs as a result of the wage being higher, fewer people will be able to learn the skills needed to move up on a career path and break the cycle of poverty. Secondly, if employers are unwilling or unable to reduce the number of hours they pay their employees, they will simply attempt to make up the increased salary expense through increased prices. On a small scale, this may not have a large impact on the overall economy. When this is done on a large scale because many employers need to cover their increased costs, this is likely to lead to inflation. x] Higher salaries necessitate higher prices which will erode most if not all of the benefits of the increase in pay. The minimum wage workers will have the same buying power as before, but because of unnecessary inflation, the lower middle class will actually face the biggest impact because their wages will not have increased but their purchasing power will also have eroded. Another area that may be impacted by a mandated wage increase is training. As most workers who earn the minimum wage typically have little education and training, their biggest chance to work their way into a higher paying job is through on the job training. One part of an employer’s budget that could face cuts would be for providing training to employees. Often employers provide training to their employees that would help them advance in their career, but may not be completely necessary in their current position. Unnecessary expenses such as this will most likely be trimmed, resulting in fewer opportunities for the working poor. [xi] Perhaps the simplest argument is if a minimum wage worker is producing $4. 00 per hour worth of product, and then the federal minimum wage is raised to $5. 0, the employer must find a way to increase the workers marginal productivity or face operating loses due to underproductive employees. One final thought from opponents is that once all of the aforementioned arguments are considered, there are more effective ways of helping address the issue of poverty. The Earned Income Tax Credit is pointed to as a strong example of one of the more effective ideas, rather than putting the burden of poverty on em ployers, it is shifted to the government. [xii] Empirical Data: When considering both sides of this debate, it is important to realize who are the workers earning minimum wage, and what role they have in providing for their families. Of the 1. 9 million workers in the United States who were paid the minimum wage in 2005 (most recent information available), more than one half (53%) are between the ages of 16-24. These workers are most likely high school and college students, and most of them do not work a full time schedule. Two thirds are members of families who have a combined income of at least 2 or more times the official poverty level based on their family size. Less than 17 percent are the only wage earners in their families, and less than 6 percent are poor single mothers. [xiii] What does this information tell us? The most important thing is that an increase in the minimum wage would target a majority of people who may not be living in poverty and are otherwise not in need of direct assistance. The far-reaching effects of raising minimum wages across the board in order to get help to the approximately 22 percent of earners who are truly living in poverty seems to be at the least ineffective, and at worst it could epresent a terrible misstep in economic policy. It is difficult if not impossible to identify the jobs lost because of minimum wage, but it is very easy to identify the additional income for a minimum wage worker. This is often the first retort from minimum wage advocates in response to arguments made by the other side. Alison Wellington’s research found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage resulted in a 0. 6% decrease in teenage employment, with no effect on unemployment rates. [xiv] A study along the same lines by David Neumark and William Washer in 2008 found contrasting results. They concluded that minimum wage resulted in a reduction in employment opportunities for low skilled workers, it was most harmful to poverty-stricken families, and that it lowers the adult wages of young workers by reducing their ultimate level of education. [xv] There are countless studies on both sides of the issue, and each one only solidifies each side in their existing opinion. No matter what position one takes regarding the minimum wage debate, there are a multitude of studies available to support it. The seemingly obvious fact is that these small increases that are enacted every few years are never enough to truly make a difference in bringing a person or a family out of poverty. A fifty cent increase in the minimum wage results in about $20 more per week for a full time worker. In my estimation, it is quite unlikely that small amount is making the difference in a person or a family living in poverty and living comfortably. A study of PhD members of the American Economic Association found that 46. % of respondents wanted minimum wage completely eliminated while 37. 7% want the minimum wage increased. [xvi] Such division among even the most expert economists shows exactly how contentious this issue is, and that there is no black and white, right or wrong answer to solve the debate. Perhaps as time goes on and there is more historical data to review, there may be a more definitive answer regarding this debate. Until such time, both sides will most likely remain entrenched in their current position.