Lives of the Saints Essay

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Nino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints both demonstrate different visions of women. Comparing weak and indecisive women in Hamlet as to strong and independent women in Lives of the Saints. Ophelia in Hamlet is characterized many times as a weak women especially in the quote, â€Å"frailty thy name is woman.† She is completely dependent on her father and proves her dependence when she acts cruel to Hamlet. Which goes against her true feelings toward Hamlet. Afterwords Ophelia agrees to not see Hamlet anymore, â€Å" I shall obey my lord.† Which shows Polonious’s control over his daughter. Ophelia’s actions show that she will do anything to please her father, even making a personal sacrifice which she doesn’t agree with. Ophelia’s desire to please her father leads her to be used as a puppet in order for the King and Polonious to spy on Hamlet, Ophelia’s willingness to spy on a person she truly loves, shows her true nature toward her father. Even when Hamlet harasses Ophelia and tells her to go to a nunnery, Ophelia had the inability to defend herself. When her father passes on, Ophelia is left by herself, with no one to give her guidance. Instead of trying to move on with her life, she calls for her brother hoping he will have a plan for her, â€Å"My brother shall know of it and so I thank you for your good counsel.† Polonious’s was irreplaceable and finally Ophelia realizes this â€Å" I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died.†The significance of the violets are that they symbolize faithfulness and they all died because she felt useless without her father. Ophelia’s death is in result of her dependence and weakness of character.Overall, Ophelia goes mad because she has no position in society. Men have continuously ordered her around, used her, pulling her mind in every direction. She put her faith in one person and never made her own decisions. Similar to Ophelia is Gertrude. She is also characterized by the quote, â€Å"frailty thy name is woman.† Gertrude depends on her husband. Gertrude longing for the attention that she loses when her husband dies, quickly marries Claudius, her husbands brother. Shakespeare displays that women have no back bone and our weak. As if they could not live with out others, men especially. Nino Ricci demonstrates a whole different side of women, he shows that women are strong and independent. The character that illustrates these qualities is Cristina, she raised her child Vittorio alone. Unlike the women in Hamlet, Cristina didn’t need a man to help her raise her child or to get through life. When her son gets beat up at school, she doesn’t just ignore it. She takes physical action about the situation † I’ll make her pay for this, Vittorio, you’ll see, by the blood of Christ I’ll make her pay. The wiping at some tears in her own eyes, she took me suddenly by the hand and marched me out the door into the street. (107).† Cristina is defiantly not a pushover and stands up for what she believes in. She lives in a village where the women stay at home and the men work out in the field and everyone believed in strange superstitions. Cristina was against her village’s expectations and went against what everyone thought. Cristina is outspoken and self-assured. She has a feminist point of view and is vey confident in it, she says â€Å" He’s probably slept with every whore in America by now, but for me its a disgrace. (154)†. Cristina is explaining about her husband Mario but it is also a statement in general about men. Guys can go around going from girl to girl to girl and its not a problem. But if a women were to do the same thing, even if it was just with one guy its an absolute disgrace. This book was based in 1960 and the same sentence could apply to 2012. Also has significance to the text because she had an affair and the whole town found out, which then they treated her with disgu st. Cristina also states â€Å"Women have had their faces up their asses for too long, they let their men run around like goats and then they’re happy if they don’t come home and beat them! (154)† It is demeaning that women are seen as whores when they have affairs, especially when its said by other women. They’re oppressing their own gender when saying it. She finally decides to move away and says her final words to the village â€Å" You are the ones who are dead,not me, because not one of you knows what it means to be free and to make a choice, and I pray to God that he wipes this town and all its stupidities off the face of the earth! (184)† Most women wouldn’t have spoke there mind, especially a woman like Ophelia or Gertrude. Cristina constantly fought with her father and always disagreed â€Å"Long arguments were carried on daily between kitchen and bedroom, tension hovering around.(154).† She finally got fed up with living with her father and hearing his opinion she said â€Å" Then to hell with all of you! I’ll go to Rome, Naples, anywhere.† She had the courage and strength to leave her father and start a life somewhere else, mean while Ophelia couldn’t last a couple days with out her father and killed her self. Nino Ricci illustrates women to be outspoken, independent and powerful. In the end of each story both women characters die. The difference is the way they lived their life. Cristina at least lived her life, standing up for what she believe in and having her own opinion. As for Ophelia lived a lie, as she was a spineless imbecile always doing what others told her to do and had a pathetic death. Shakespeare and Nino Ricci may have very different vision on women but at the same time they are both very accurate views.

What Is Idiom?

What is idiom? According to Oxford Dictionary idiom can be defined as â€Å"group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words†. In another word, the meaning of idioms cannot be figured out from its shown words. Each language has its own idioms that used in every day speeches and conversations. Al-Shawi & Mahadi describe idioms as â€Å"idiomatic expressions are colorful, dramatic, lively, closer to the way people really feel and near to the local culture†. Although idioms give color to conversations, they consider a serious problem to students in translation. Translation defined as â€Å"the process of translating words or text from one language into another† (en.oxforddictionaries.com, n.d). Many Saudi students encounter difficulty while translating idioms from Arabic into English language. These difficulties occur because of different reasons. The aim of this study is to identify the difficulties that faced by students and to know the reasons for these problems. Also, this study provides strategies that may help students in translating idioms from Arabic into English.Statement of the ProblemMany Saudi junior level students at Yanbu University College face problem in translating idioms from Arabic into English language. These problems occur because of various reasons. The differences between source language and target language, the lack of knowledge of the TL, the absence of equivalents of the idiom in the TL, and the lack of knowledge of translation strategies. This problem affects students' efficiency in translation. Purpose of the StudyThe purpose of this study is to identify the difficulties that faced by Saudi students in translating idiom from Arabic into English language, to find the reasons behind these difficulties and to suggest some strategies that may help students to avoid these problems in translating. Research QuestionThis research answers the following questions: What are the difficulties faced by Saudi junior level students in translating idioms from Arabic into English? Why are students making these kinds of problems? MethodologyThe participants of this study will be Applied Linguistics junior year students from Yanbu University College. Participants will be given a translation test that includes ten Arabic idioms and they will be asked to translate them into English language. Then researcher will take the responses and analyze them individually. Then the research will present the responses in a table. Literature ReviewThis chapter presents a definition of the key concepts. Also, the chapter presents the previous studies.Definition of Key ConceptsIdiom. An expression with a meaning that you cannot guess from the meaning of the separate words. Translation. The process of translating words or text from one language into anotherPrevious Studies The first study was conducted by Alrishan and Samdi (2015), about the difficulties that face EFL Jordanian University students in translating English idioms into Arabic language. The research was a qualitative research. The researchers used a translation test to collect the data. The participants of the study were 90 M.A translation students at Yarmouk University and the University of Jordan. The participants had given a translation test that included 16 idioms from different semantic categories. They were asked to translate them into Arabic language. The results showed that the students have a problem in translating idioms from English into the Arabic language where students could not find the correct equivalent in Arabic, also students were unfamiliar with translating idioms. Second study was written by Al Mubarak (2017). It was about the barriers that faced by students while translating idiom from Arabic into English language. The participants of the study were 40 B.A students in Al Imam Al Mahdi University in Sudan. The participants' first language is Arabic and they are an advanced level in English language. The study was qualitative and quantitative research. The tools that used in the study were a translation test that included 12 Arabic proverbs and an interview. The findings showed that most students faced trouble in translating idioms and that based on some reasons, such as the differences between Arabic and English system and students do not know how to use literal translation approach. Third study was done by Mezmar (2010), about the problems of idioms in translation. This study was conducted at Mentouri University, Constantine. The participants of the study were 21 first year Master degree students at Mentouri University. The participants' mother tongue language is Arabic and they are an advanced level in English. This study was quantitative study and the tool that used in the study was a test included twelve idioms in English and ten in Arabic language. The researcher chose the idioms depending on the four categories of idioms, transparent, semi-transparent, opaque and semi-opaque. The participants of the study were asked to translate the idioms into Arabic and English language. The results showed that the students did well in translating transparent and semi-transparent idioms. However, they faced trouble in translating opaque and semi-opaque idioms.The differences between this study and the studies above. Fist, all the studies above have been done outside Saudi Arabia, in Jourdan, Sudan, and Constantine. However, this study conducted in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Secondly, two of the previous studies involved participants from Master degree where this study involved participants from Bachelor degree. The participants of the studies above were an advanced level in English, but in this study, they were in an intermediate level. The similarities between this study and the previous studies that all of them investigated the problem faced by students in translating idiom, either in Arabic, English or both. Also, the tool used to collect data was a translation test and the participants were asked to translate them. ReferencesAl Mubarak, A. A. (2017). The Challenges of Translating Idioms from Arabic into English a Closer look at Al Imam AL Mahdi University–Sudan.  International Journal of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies,  5(1), 53-64.Retrieved from http://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJCLTS/article/view/3167/2625Alrishan, A., ; Smadi, O. (2015).Difficulties EFL Jordanian University Students Encounter in Translating English Idioms into Arabic.  Journal of Education and Practice,  6(10), 124-133. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1081685.pdf Al-Shawi, M. A. ; Mahdi, T.S. (2012).Strategies for translating idioms from Arabic into English and vice versa.Journal of American Arabic Academy for Sciences and Technology, 3(6), 139-147. Retrieved from HYPERLINK â€Å"LING324_Assignment_3-172.docx† http://www.amarabacmagazin.com/fileadmin/images/pdfs/AMARABAC_3-6_139-147.pdf Idiom. (n.d).In Oxford Dictionary. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictio naries.com/ definition/idiom Translating. (n.d). In Oxford Dictionary.Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries .com/definition/translation Meryem, M. (2010). Problem of Idioms in Translation. Case Study: First Year Master. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/PyRcDp

Air Transport Management and Operations Dissertation

Air Transport Management and Operations - Dissertation Example Airline industry profitability leans towards the elusive, and a need exists for rapid restructuring to retain the competitive advantage. Operational management of air transport operations now confronts new challenges because competition, increased fuel prices, security threats, recessionary and inflationary pressures, requirements for integrating well in the global transport system and employee union expectations present substantial pressures to deliver service excellence economically without compromising on safety or security. This dissertation presents a discussion about air transport management and operations in the new age. Declaration I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. _____________________________________________ Name and Signature of Author January 2011 This write - up is for a dissertation on Air Transport Management and Operations. ... table accidents by phase of flight 21 Figure 6: Worldwide reportable accidents by occurrence category 21 Figure 7: Worldwide fatal accidents by occurrence category 22 Figure 8: Worldwide fatal accidents by operator region 22 Figure 9: Worldwide jet and turboprop fatal accident rate by type of service 23 Figure 10: Primary causal factor categories for accidents 24 Figure 11: Impact of relational coordination on airline performance 25 Figure 12: Percentage of employees represented by unions at major US airlines 26 Figure 13: Labour conflict at the major US airlines: number of strikes and arbitrations, mediations and releases since 1985 27 Figure 14: Average months required to reach contract agreement at major airlines 28 (This page intentionally left blank) Chapter 1 – Introduction In the present day and age, the most complex transportation systems and the most complex manufactured systems in the world support commercial aviation (Barnhart, 2007, Pp. 1 – 2). The worldâ₠¬â„¢s airlines and air cargo movers are the largest players in national and global air transportation systems, with the aerospace industry providing the planes and aerospace systems that make things happen (Wensveen, 2007, Chapters 1 and 4). Although the military aviation sector presents substantial statistics, general aviation is by far the largest segment of aviation based on the number of aircraft, the number of pilots and the number of airports and communities served (Wensveen, 2007, Pp. 111 – 112). According to Wensveen (2007, Pp. 112), in the year 2007 general aviation presented an industry worth US$ 40 billion, which generated more than US$100 billion in annually. This discussion focuses on the management aspects of air transport operations, with an emphasis on general management, human resource

Compare and contrast the persecution of Jews with the persecution of Essay

Compare and contrast the persecution of Jews with the persecution of others in Nazi Germany on the grounds of racial hygiene - Essay Example The German scientists2 did legitimize this propaganda and in that regard, the Nazis went on to do away with all Jews that were residing in Europe in the infamous holocaust through brutal killings and mass murders.3 What began as an initial target of the Jews, soon spread to other people who were not of German descend and thus they also became serious victims of unprecedented persecution and mass murder around German strongholds in Europe and in concentration camps that were set up for that sole purpose of racial hygiene. It was actually a notion of cleansing Germany of the individuals that were seen as threats to the health of German society.4 This paper looks at this incidence of racial cleansing as the idea behind the massive persecutions that took place in that period of 1933 to 1939 and seeks to establish the persecution of Jews in comparison to that of the other non-German people by the Nazi government. For us to critically evaluate and answer this question, we need to analyse t he idea of racial hygiene, before embarking on looking at the impact that these actions had on both the two groups, Jews and others5; look at how the persecution was carried out; and the after effects of the persecution. The above issues will be well analysed and discussed before a conclusion is made. Nazi’s Idea of Racial Hygiene The racial hygiene was crafted by Hitler while he was in prison at Landsberg. In his imagination, he thought that for Germany to become stronger again there was need to cleanse it and get rid of inferior races through racial hygiene and eugenics. To him the nation was weaker and very corrupted by the infusion of some degenerate elements into the bloodstream of this nation. Neutralization of the weaker race became his decision. In 1920s growth of population was equated to having racial fitness and the idea of national strength. Racial hygiene was proposed as the only way to avert the problems. The doctors did play an important role in propagating Naz i policy because of the realignment of the medical profession with the Nazi after it took over power. Genetic health courts were also created and major Acts on racial legislation were passed in Germany starting from 1933 onwards geared towards elimination of the weak, while at the same time increase the birth rate by secluding women to homes and family where they were to bear many children, and strengthen the Aryan race. The persecution The persecution of Jews and other communities was based on the assumptions that Nazis could attain a pure race by having a cohesive national community, which did not have less valuable races or those from foreign regions. Persecution initially took the general discrimination of the races that were found not to be German through the scientific labelling process that considered family genealogies, observations, physical measurements, and the application of intelligence tests. As a result, all people were ranked as either inferior (non-Germans) or super ior (German or Aryan race). Another form of persecution that was used was the subsequent sterilization of the inferior race so that they do not give birth to more inferior people so that costs such as those of education could be saved. At this point, we cannot

World religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World religion - Essay Example Since there are many versions of the holy text, there are various underpinning of the concept of Karma in Hinduism. The common grounds on which the concept of Karma is accepted and practiced in Hinduism are the life hereafter. It is stated that the life after death depend upon the deeds of a person. The role or the body that the person will enliven would depend on the actions that include animal, bird or human etc. In order to successfully obtain a peaceful second life, one needs to go through the process of Moksha. The process of karma is also known as process of samsara in Hindu religion (Plate). Karma is considerably a physical substance in the religion of Jainism. It is stated that the deeds and words that are uttered by humans make them live the life they are living. It is important to utter good words so that the substance of karma remains alive and is not affected. The present life of an individual is basically dependent upon the life they spent before. The presence of karma, being a physical substance, is present in the universe around us. The substance is carried from one life to another is by the soul that is also known as Jiva. There is an avid possibility of expiry of the particles if the individuals intend to cause any damage to others. It is considered that the followers of Jainism try to get away with the cycle of re-birth for which they try to take care of their karma or particles of karma that would tag along their soles in the next life as well. The definition of physical particles has been remarked over and over in the religion of Jainism. The concept of kar ma remains strict and firm unlike Hinduism. The concept of karma remains similar in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. It is state by the followers of Buddhism that the impact of the deeds in the present life directly impacts the next life. The present time is also a product of the previous lives. For

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 35

Paraphrasing - Essay Example suffering from any kind of condition that would deter her from making her personal decisions, hence it is inappropriate for the healthcare experts to push Ida to be treated if she is not interested, neither is it appropriate to let the family persuade her, nonetheless, it might be very useful for this matter to be talked about with family members so as to ascertain if Ida is ok with it. As healthcare experts, they are tied by several ethical as well as legal laws surrounding privacy and human rights and in this case it is essential for them to be adhered to. 3. If I were a mature person, ‘What is the issue with you?’ would appear very rude, disrespectful, as well as very negative, and the answer if there was one would be much closed. Nevertheless, if someone were to ask me, ‘What matters to you?’, this according to me is an incredibly positive question since it is extremely open and permits an individual to experience like what they value is esteemed and that there is consideration and respect for their

Discussion Topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Topics - Essay Example The act was meant to raise taxes as a strategy to cut down on people’s spending and hence increase the recovery process. However, the measure had insignificant effects on the economy since it targeted businesses, which were already closing down. The worst impacts of the depression were felt on October 29, 1929 when the stock market closed its doors for the first time in what came to be known as the black Tuesday. Most economists attribute the great depression with the fall of stock prices that occurred in the US before it spread to the rest of the world. Having witnessed the impacts of the great depressions, Americans were fearful about similar occurrences. Fear from the great depression hindered people from achieving their financial targets and investing. People were scared about banking and saving in general. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This thrust America into World War II, and for the next four years. The war occurred during the era of the great depression when America was experiencing massive unemployment. Following the outbreak of the war, the position of women in the society is likely to have been reviewed. As men were recruited into the military, millions of women were left to take care of their families. Some of them took male dominated jobs in the manufacturing and construction industries. In addition, most women took leadership positions in their families as their husbands died in the war. The war changed the role of women in the society and compelled them to take male dominated positions such as politics. Entry of women into politics is also likely to have started during this

Critically examine the distinctions between explanatory and Essay

Critically examine the distinctions between explanatory and constitutive theories of International Relations, illustrating your argument with insights from a variety of theoretical perspectives - Essay Example Papp (2002) expresses that the profound insight into this discipline, different theories have been advanced by the scholars of this discipline. These theories not only help understand relations among the nations but also provide a complete framework of body for effective governance of the states and deal world politics at large. These theories include Realism, Neo-realism, Liberalism, Neo-liberalism, Constructivism, Idealism, Liberal Internationalism, Marxism, Functionalism and Post-structuralism etc which mark their existence as dominating thought of international system ever since emphasis on this discipline’s has been laid upon. According to Donnelly (2000), these theories endeavour to provide a conceptual framework to comprehend the basis of relations among the nations. In connection with asserting their actuality and validity, these theories take into account various assumptions for establishment of conceptualisation which have become mandatory under all circumstances for a profound insight into international relations. Before going further, a look at these concepts which seek their origin from these theories is all the most necessary. They are Nation-state, Balance of Power, National Interests, Elements of Power etc. they draw their birth from this theoretical system of body. Importance of these theories can be understood from the fact that without a conceptual framework of these theories, understanding world politics through international relations’ concepts was not possible. Keeping aside all other theories, for instance Waltz (1979), current debate on distinction between explanatory approach and constitutive approach in international relations will be deal by this paper. These approaches were taken into consideration for the classification of the international relations’ theories. In a practical perspective the realism is major participant in

Animal Farm-Power Corrpts Essay Example for Free

Animal Farm-Power Corrpts Essay Animal Farm is an allegorical novel about the Russian Revolution and the resulting political system of the Soviet Union. Through this story which appears to be a simple fable on the surface, we see George Orwell’s beliefs about the nature of power and its seemingly inevitable corruption of noble ideas. Educated authority figures in the book bend the principles of communism to suit their own selfish needs and desires, all the while taking advantage of the uneducated masses, and easily manipulated them through propaganda and persuasion. Through this allegory of communism turned to totalitarianism, Orwell explores the dangers of a political system where leaders have no sense of social responsibility toward their subjects. The first instance of corruption among the ruling class appears shortly after the revolution. The pigs, the new rulers of Animal Farm after the ousting of the tyrant farmer Jones, milk the cows to relieve them from of their discomfort. The animals, remembering how Jones would mix some of the milk into their mash, look forward to at least similar treatment from the pigs. However, the milk soon disappears and it is discovered later that the pigs have mixed it into their own mash without sharing it with the other animals, just as the windfall apples have been consumed exclusively by the pigs. Squealer, the political propagandist for the pigs, justifies this to the other animals by saying that the pigs need the extra brain energy, and then bolsters his argument with some fear mongering: â€Å" Do you know what would happen if w pigs failed in our duty? Jones would be back!† (32). The fact that this incident occurs so quickly after the revolution and at a time when all of the pigs are still present on the farm shows Orwell’s belief that the corruption is not only inevitable in a society where the ruling sector of the population is so much better educated than the rest, but that all of these members of the ruling class were potentially corruptible. As the story moves on Orwell shows us how power is corrupting more. Another of the major instance that occurs after the milk and apples is the ruling class moving in the farmhouse. As the commandment says no animal shall sleep in a bed. Some of the other animals were confused but as usual squealer came with his propaganda.

Measurement of Free

Measurement of Free-Fall Acceleration Essay Introduction Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), the man first accredited with the correct notion of free-fall with uniform acceleration, stated that if one were to remove entirely the resistance of the medium, all materials would descend with equal speed. Today, this statement holds true for all objects in free-fall near the Earths surface. The purpose of this experiment is to verify Galileos assertion that acceleration is constant. In addition, the magnitude of acceleration will be calculated. Theory By definition, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. Instantaneous acceleration is the derivative of velocity with respect to time. a(t) = dv / dt. Average acceleration is the change in velocity during a time interval, Dt, divided by the length of that interval, aave = Dv / Dt. In this experiment, average acceleration of gravity will be determined by measuring the change in position of a falling object at regularly timed intervals. With this, average velocities for these intervals will be calculated. A graph of the average velocities versus time should give a straight line whose slope is the acceleration of gravity (g). Apparatus To determine the acceleration of gravity the Behr apparatus will be used. The device consists of two vertical conducting wires, a thin strip of paper held  between them, and a metal-girdled weight designed to fall between the wires along the length of the paper strip. A spark timer transmits a high voltage electric pulse to the wires approximately 60 times a second. Every time a pulse is transmitted, two main sparks flow through the system. One spark passes from one wire to the metal girdle around the weight. The second spark causes a small burn in the paper, marking the location of the weight at that instant. Procedure Turn on the electromagnetic power supply and suspend the weight from the end of it. Confirm that the weight falls smoothly into the cup at the base of the apparatus when the electromagnet switch is turned off. Run this test run about three or four times before you continue. Next, draw a fresh strip of paper from the base of the device and clamp it in place. Turn on the electromagnet, and suspend the weight at the end of the magnet. Hold down the spark switch, and then immediately turn off the eleectromagnet power supply. The weight should fall down to the base of the apparatus, causing sparks to pass between the two wires and itself. Turn off the power to the spark timer and inspect the paper strip. A series of burns should be visible along the length of the paper. Remove the paper strip from the apparatus and immediately mark the spots with a pen or pencil to see them more clearly. Data and Results The following table shows the data calculated for the experiment. The spots found on the paper strip are shown as (n). The distance of the metal girdle along the strip is denoted by (x). Velocity is (v) and acceleration is (a). The estimated time (Dt) for this test was 60.2  ± 0.7s-1. Calculations of distance, velocity, and acceleration of metal girdle. n x n (cm) xn+1 x n (cm) xn+1 x n / Dt = v n (cm/s) vn+1 v n (cm/s) vn+1 v n / Dt = a (cm/s2) 1 0.00 2 0.70 0.70  ± .02 42.1  ± 2 3 1.43 0.73  ± .04 43.9  ± 3 1.8  ± 5 108  ± 302 4 2.43 1.00  ± .04 60.2  ± 3 16.3  ± 6 981  ± 373 5 3.72 1.29  ± .04 77.7  ± 3 17.5  ± 6 1054  ± 373 6 5.27 1.55  ± .04 93.3  ± 3 15.6  ± 6 939  ± 372 7 7.07 1.80  ± .04 108.4  ± 4 15.1  ± 7 909  ± 432 8 9.16 2.09  ± .04 125.8  ± 4 17.4  ± 8 1047  ± 494 9 11.5 2.32  ± .04 139.7  ± 4 13.9  ± 8 837  ± 491 10 14.1 2.61  ± .04 157.1  ± 4 17.4  ± 8 1047  ± 494 11 17.0 2.90  ± .04 174.6  ± 4 17.5  ± 8 1054  ± 494 12 20.1 3.15  ± .04 189.6  ± 5 15.0  ± 9 903  ± 552 13 23.6 3.45  ± .04 207.7  ± 5 18.1  ± 10 1090  ± 615 14 27.2 3.65  ± .04 219.7  ± 5 12.0  ± 10 722  ± 610 15 31.2 3.98  ± .04 239.6  ± 5 19.9  ± 10 1198  ± 616 16 35.4 4.20  ± .04 252.8  ± 5 13.2  ± 10 795  ± 611 17 39.9 4.52  ± .04 272.1  ± 6 19.3  ± 11 1162  ± 676 18 44.7 4.72  ± .04 284.1  ± 6 12.0  ± 12 722  ± 731 19 49.7 5.00  ± .04 301.0  ± 6 16.9  ± 12 1017  ± 734 20 55.0 5.33  ± .04 320.9  ± 6 19.9  ± 12 1198  ± 736 21 60.6 5.60  ± .04 337.1  ± 6 16.2  ± 12 975  ± 734 22 66.5 5.87  ± .04 353.4  ± 7 16.3  ± 13 981  ± 794 23 72.5 6.07  ± .04 365.4  ± 7 12.0  ± 14 722  ± 851 24 78.9 6.35  ± .04 382.3  ± 7 16.9  ± 14 1017  ± 855 25 85.8 6.68  ± .04 402.1  ± 7 19.8  ± 14 1192  ± 857 26 92.7 6.93  ± .04 417.2  ± 7 15.1  ± 14 909  ± 853 27 99.9 7.15  ± .04 430.4  ± 7 13.2  ± 14 795  ± 852 28 107.4 7.46  ± .04 449.1  ± 8 18.7  ± 15 1126  ± 916 29 115.0 7.74  ± .04 465.9  ± 8 16.8  ± 16 1011  ± 975 30 123.1 8.01  ± .04 482.2  ± 8 16.3  ± 16 981  ± 975 31 131.1 8.20  ± .04 493.6  ± 8 11.4  ± 16 686  ± 971 32 139.9 8.55  ± .04 515.0  ± 8 21.4  ± 16 1288  ± 978 33 148.7 8.80  ± .04 530.0  ± 9 15.0  ± 18 903  ± 1034 aAVE = 9.47  ± .69 m/s2 s = 9.47  ± .78 m/s2 slope (m) of graph = 8.9 Conclusions The average value of acceleration for each time interval is closer to the desired value of 9.8 m/s2 than the calculated slope of the velocity-time graph. The average of uncertainties for the calculated accelerations is a better as choice of uncertainty because it provides a narrower field of uncertainty than does standard deviation. In conclusion, the calculated value of 9.47  ± .69 m/s2 for acceleration is acceptable.

Advanced technology in speech-based interfaces

Advanced technology in speech-based interfaces Abstract Speech-based interfaces are not new to computing, they have been relatively underused as an efficient and effective method of human and computer interaction. The technology has been of great interest over the past few years, although there are still significant improvements and possibilities for the future. This paper investigates current usages and standards of the technology and what contributions are being made. The paper also identifies some possible future uses of Speech-based interfaces, and possible future benefits of this technology, when compared to current methods and certain types of users. Speech-based interfaces are not new to computing, they have been relatively underused as an efficient and effective method of human and computer interaction. A background to the technology is included and it is described how the need for natural language and speech interfaces increased, and there became a need for standardisation, and the standard VoiceXML was released. From this standard other technologies were born, including a combination of XHTML and VoiceXML to develop Internet applications with a speech-based interface. These technologies combined with web and car technologies have provided an opportunity for voice controller motor vehicle control in the near future. While this technology has been designed to help the average person be more efficient, with some small changes there can be benefits to be gained from elderly users and disabled users as well. With every new technology there exist problems which will be discussed as well, and this will lead to a conclusion summarisi ng points and justifying the benefits. Natural language interfaces are an important part of Human Computer Interaction, as the number of telephones in the world still outnumbers of computers and therefore natural language is more widely used than a mouse or keyboard. To smooth the progress of exchanges between humans and machines the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published a recommendation for vocal interaction language based on XML, which allows interactions on many interfaces including Internet applications by using XHTML combined with VoiceXML. Because VoiceXML uses the HTTP protocol to communicate it is possible for a VoiceXML telephone gateway to communicate with a web server, in this type of environment the web server is providing a response to a user on a telephone and bridging the gap between phone and Internet. This is supported by the World Wide Web Consortium (2010): The telephone was invented more than 150 years ago, and continues to be a very important means for us to communicate with each other. The Web by comparison is very recent, but has rapidly become a competing communications channel. The convergence of telecommunications and the Web is now bringing the benefits of Web technology to the telephone, enabling Web developers to create applications that can be accessed via any telephone, and allowing people to interact with these applications via speech and telephone keypads (p. 1). VoiceXML is becoming a standard for Human-Computer audio, with speech synthesis and recognition of spoken input. This technology brings the ability to have a natural conversation as an Internet and content manipulation interface. An automated phone system with VoiceXML also has the ability to understand or translate multiple languages. The popularity is increasing as major companies such as IBM, HP and Motorola are now supporting and using VoiceXML. A major goal is to bring the advantages of web-based development and content delivery to interactive voice response applications (Rouillard, 2007, p. 27). XHTML + Voice (X+V) are a technology for describing visual and audio web pages, visual interaction is described by XHTML and auditory interaction is described by VoiceXML. Enabling users to have a HTML display of a website, with the ability to navigate and use the site by voice or by traditional methods of input. Until recently XHTML and VoiceXML (X+V) functionality had not been implemented by major Internet browser companies, instead it had been used by small companies with government grants and been talked about as a possible future technology. Currently the Opera web browser offers native support for XHTML and VoiceXML, it will also attempt voice interaction with standard XHTML pages. While Internet Explorer and Firefox still do not have native support for XHTML and VoiceXML, although third party extensions and add-ons have been created. Opera Software ASA say, any ordinary browser command can be done by voice, such as navigating to, and following the next link in a document, goin g to the next slide in an Opera Show presentation, or logging on to a password protected Website (p. 1). XHTML and VoiceXML offer an increased opportunity with Opera web browser now being installed in Ford vehicles, for a speech-based interface to enable eye-free and hands-free computer interaction while driving. This technology could potentially control dash-panel and computer systems via speech-based interfaces, enable users functionality from changing the temperature of the heater to sending emails by voice while driving a car. Opera Software ASA say, This solution will allow Ford truck and van owners to maintain a virtual work environment with access to all of the important files, information and applications they need on a daily basis (p. 1). Because XML is a dynamic and universal language overseen by the W3C, it means that XML based technologies such as VoiceXML are not limited to Internet applications. The same piece of XML can be used for various applications and imported into other applications if they support it, and there is no reason why VoiceXML cannot be the same in the future as well. Mobile phones for some time have had the ability to read text messages and email messages aloud to the user, which could be beneficial for visually impaired persons and persons operating a vehicle. Text-to-speech software reads the text on the screen aloud in a natural sounding voice, giving you convenient access to phone menus and functions, short messages, e-mail messages (Nokia, n.d., p. 1). Using VoiceXML based technology it is entirely possible for a user to read a text message aloud to the mobile phone, the phone translate this to textual content and sends it via the SMS service. This may sound silly at first, due to the tech nology to be able to call someone and say it verbally without a computer translating the words into text for you. Although this would give businesses a greater ability to stay in contact while on the move, as text messaging is used extensively in business and preferred in some cases depending on the message being sent. This could also provide a solution to a major problem with cellular phones, which is texting while driving. In principle a technology that allows a user to drive and sent text messages safely while talking to their cell phone will save lives and make lives easier. Talking to a passenger or singing to the radio has not been noted as a significant cause of crashes, which are very similar functions to verbalising a text message. Government officials arent the only ones getting on the texting ban-wagon. TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey has launched a national television and Internet campaign to encourage people to commit to putting their cell phones away while driving (Hat tiesburg American, 2010, p. 1). As technology has progressed, people have continuously sought after smaller and smaller devices with greater detail and speed. Technology has reached the point where the input devices themselves are holding back the device from becoming any smaller. Voice interaction can escape the physical limitations on keypads and displays as mobile devices become ever smaller (World Wide Web Consortium, 2010, p. 5). With a global aging population it is important that we enable and help elderly people to function and live as independently as technology will allow. Elderly people may be able to benefit by the advancement of speech-based technologies, but to first understand how they could benefit, it is important to understand their characteristics. The human interfaces to most computer systems for general use have been designed, either deliberately or by default, for a typical, younger user (Gregor, P., Newell, A. F., 2001, p. 1). Elderly people can be crudely generalised into three groups: fit older people, frail older people and older people with long term disabilities. Fit older people can be described as those who appear or do not consider themselves disabled. Frail older people who would be considered as disabled and have one or more difficulties, including at least one that impairs their functionality in some way. The elderly who have had a long-term disability throughout their life that ha s affected the aging process and their ability to function is dependent on declining functions. Other aspects to keep into consideration are the variability in physical, sensory and cognitive abilities with the elderly, as one size does not fit all in this situation. Another aspect is the variations in ability to operate a computer system due to disabilities, impairments and learning capabilities. Gregor and Newell (2001) conclude: In general, as people grow older their abilities change. This process of change includes a decline over time in the cognitive, physical and sensory functions, and each of these will decline at different rates relative to one another for each individual. This pattern of capabilities varies widely between individuals, and as people grow older, this variability increases. In addition, any given individuals capabilities vary in the short term due, for example, to temporary decrease in, or loss of, function due to a variety of causes including illness, blood sugar levels and state of arousal (p. 2). Interfaces for older people need to have a greater diversity of functionality when compared to a younger group, to meet the greater needs. By providing a speech based interface as an option for operating a computer, it is dependent on a function that most people have used their entire lives and is reliant on a function that is not considered to dramatically decrease with age. This can also enable them to use a computer system with a telephone as described previously with VoiceXML capabilities, for those who are intimidated by technology and the thought of using a computer. Finally the interface designed needs to use general terms over technical terms, for example moving to the main section rather than clicking on the home link. Most systems and interfaces are designed for typical healthy or high functioning users, when compared with users with disabilities that can have difficulties using a standard keyboard or mouse. It is important with the growth of the Internet and technology that disabled users are not left out, and that they are able to access these resources if they choose, or if it could benefit their lives. There may be situations where a computer application could benefit the life of somebody with a handicap, but they cannot use a computer due to motor-function restrictions. This demonstrates the need for hands-free or eye-free computer access and includes two main groups, visually impaired users and motor-handicapped. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) works with organizations around the world to develop strategies, guidelines, and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities (Web Accessibility Initiative, 2009, p. 1). Many applications and web browsers are developed to assist people with disabilities, although many of them have been quietly withdrawn leaving broken links or on the occasion that the system is still available for download it may have been abandoned and not maintained anymore. An important aspect of developing voice applications for handicapped users is that they may want to use voice control in combination with other interfaces such as a joystick or other aid devices. The aim of speech systems is generally naturalness and to copy conversations that we have had our entire lives, but in the case of users with disabilities it may be more beneficial to aim for learn-ability over naturalness. For example instead of saying activate microphone or something technical to activate the microphone, saying Wake Up: un-mutes the microphone and turns on the light in left side (Brondsted Aaskoven, 2005, p.4). Technology is currently heading toward eye-free and hands-free access of systems, for purposes such as accessing a computer while driving a car or making us more productive. The same base technology is required to support speech based services for disabled users, but the difference of needs when interacting are very different. We generally would prefer to speak to a computer in a turn based communication like we have when we are talking to other human beings, although as an aid for using systems or interface for disabled users it would be more beneficial to use command driven voice systems using non-technical terms. While still using human to human terms, such as wake-up and sleep which even severely mentally disabled users would understand. There are people with mental disabilities so severe that they are unable to understand wake-up or sleep, but they are highly unlikely to have any need for a computer, as they are more concerned with surviving day to day. The VoiceXML standard has ensured a guideline for developing voice applications, but there are currently no standards for the development environments or interfaces. This means that the layout and functionality from development environments will be completely different, and the code generated by the development environments will not necessarily be compatible, as the two different development environments will generate completely different tags and formats. Building spoken applications from scratch can take a long period of time, and several different frameworks and technologies. As VoiceXML works with predetermined grammar, which can be troublesome in the development of some applications. But by combining the VoiceXML platform with independent systems for voice recognition, it is possible to increase its capacities of understanding. VoiceXML is great step toward speech and voice based interfaces, but it has a lot of work to become a complete framework for developing speech applicatio ns. Accordingly, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on the development of toolkits and environments that hide some of this complexity and allow developers to rapidly prototype and deploy speech-based applications. (Bennett Llitjod Shriver Rudnicky Black, 2002, p. 1). Natural speech-based interfaces can provide a known and familiar interface for interacting with computer systems, because we spend our lives conversing with other people and communicating over the telephone. Current technology makes it possible to interact with a website or computer application via a telephone and it is possible to translate the language spoken for the system, and translate a response back to the user. The ability to use a generic markup language like VoiceXML with applications such as XHTML is a leap forward in creating an Internet that can be accessible via speech-based interfaces. This enables future technology such as voice controlled functions of a motor vehicle and improved cell phone speech interface. One of the most significant impacts of this technology is the ability for elderly people to use a function is not known for degeneration as a computing interface. This will also enable users who are new to computers but familiar with telephones to use a computer more easily. Many disabled people struggle to maintain their independence, with motor function restrictions that prevents them from using a computer effectively. With the ability for disabled people to manipulate programs and browse the Internet with a speech interface, it could help them maintain their freedom and independence. As with all new technologies, there are severe problems that a solution must be found for before this technology can take off; this includes a standard for a complete framework rather than just a markup language providing grammar and large vocabulary support. It is concluded that speech-based interfaces currently, and will continue to, provide benefits in the advancement of the technology, providing that the right people get access to this technology and not just the average user who is happy to type. References Bennett, C., Llitjod, A. F., Shriver, S., Rudnicky, A., Black, A.W. (2002). Building voicexml-based applications. Paper presented at the7th International Conference on Spoken Language Processing September 2002, Denver, Colorado, United States of America. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~awb/papers/ICSLP2002/voicexml.pdf Brondsted, T., Aaskoven, E. (2005). Voice-controlled internet browsing for motor-handicapped users. Design and Implementation Issues, Interspeech 2005. doi:10.1.1.65.3974 Gregor, P., Newell, A. F. (2001). Designing for Dynamic Diversity Making accessible interfaces for older people. In J. Jorge., R. Heller., R. Guedj (Eds.). Proceedings of 2001 EC/NSF Workshop on Universal Accessibility of Ubiquitous Computing: Providing for the Elderly: 22-25 May 2001, Alcacer do Sal, Portugal. Dunhee: University of Dunhee. Hattiesburg American. (2010). Texting while driving deadly at any age. Retrieved March 1, from 2010 from http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20100221/OPINION01/2210304/Texting-while-driving-deadly-at-any-age Opera Software ASA. (2010). Opera Tutorials. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from http://www.opera.com/browser/tutorials/voice/using/ Opera Software ASA. (2009). Opera brings full web browsing to new ford trucks and vans. Retrieved March 3, 2010 from http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2009/04/02_2/ Nokia. (n.d.). Nokia accessibility: Text to speech. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from http://www.nokiaaccessibility.com/tts.html Rouillard, J. (2007) Web services and speech-based applications around voicexml. Journal of Networks, 2(1), 27-35. Web Accessibility Initiative. (2009). About WAI. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from http://www.w3.org/WAI/about-links.html World Wide Web Consortium. (2010). W3C voice browser working group. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from http://www.w3.org/Voice/

Hamlet :: essays research papers

Shakespeare’s characterization of Hamlet changes through the course of the play. It is most evident in an examination of his soliloquies. The progression of Hamlet is from an innocent person to a murderous madman. In Act II, Hamlet is blaming himself for many problems. He is angry with himself because he has done nothing with his plan to kill Claudius. It also bothers Hamlet he is not as emotional as the actor on the stage, who is portraying him. â€Å"O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!/Is it not monstrous that this player here,/But in fiction, in a dream of passion,/Could force his soul so to his own conceit/That from her working all his visage wann’d,/Tears in his eyes, distraction in’s aspect,/A broken voice, and his whole function suiting. With forms to his conceit?† In this soliloquy, he is questioning how other people become emotional. He asks what Hecuba means to the mere actor on stage, who cried because of her. He wonders what he would do, had the actor had the same reasons to cry as Hamlet had. He says:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, /that he should weep for her?/What would he do,/Had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have? â€Å" He answers his own questions. He says that the actor would â€Å"drown the stage with tears† and â€Å"cleave the general ear with horrid speech.† He does not talk about his mother at all in this soliloquy. He is, however, still disgusted by what has just happened. He hates Claudius and talks about him more in this soliloquy. He says:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I should have fatted all the region kites/With this slave’s offal: bloody, bawdy villain!/Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!† Towards the end of the play, he comes up with yet another plan to find out for sure if Claudius indeed murdered his father. He stops assaulting himself and starts to talk more declaratively about his new plan. Even at the very start of Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act III, it is evident that he is in a more thoughtful mood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question:/Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/And by opposing end them? â€Å" These are Hamlet’s well-known lines. He is not attacking himself in this soliloquy; rather he is contemplating an issue. He is talking about mankind as a whole, as opposed to himself personally. Hamlet :: essays research papers Shakespeare’s characterization of Hamlet changes through the course of the play. It is most evident in an examination of his soliloquies. The progression of Hamlet is from an innocent person to a murderous madman. In Act II, Hamlet is blaming himself for many problems. He is angry with himself because he has done nothing with his plan to kill Claudius. It also bothers Hamlet he is not as emotional as the actor on the stage, who is portraying him. â€Å"O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!/Is it not monstrous that this player here,/But in fiction, in a dream of passion,/Could force his soul so to his own conceit/That from her working all his visage wann’d,/Tears in his eyes, distraction in’s aspect,/A broken voice, and his whole function suiting. With forms to his conceit?† In this soliloquy, he is questioning how other people become emotional. He asks what Hecuba means to the mere actor on stage, who cried because of her. He wonders what he would do, had the actor had the same reasons to cry as Hamlet had. He says:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, /that he should weep for her?/What would he do,/Had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have? â€Å" He answers his own questions. He says that the actor would â€Å"drown the stage with tears† and â€Å"cleave the general ear with horrid speech.† He does not talk about his mother at all in this soliloquy. He is, however, still disgusted by what has just happened. He hates Claudius and talks about him more in this soliloquy. He says:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I should have fatted all the region kites/With this slave’s offal: bloody, bawdy villain!/Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!† Towards the end of the play, he comes up with yet another plan to find out for sure if Claudius indeed murdered his father. He stops assaulting himself and starts to talk more declaratively about his new plan. Even at the very start of Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act III, it is evident that he is in a more thoughtful mood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question:/Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/And by opposing end them? â€Å" These are Hamlet’s well-known lines. He is not attacking himself in this soliloquy; rather he is contemplating an issue. He is talking about mankind as a whole, as opposed to himself personally.

Responsibility To Protect Essay -- Political Science

Since its adoption by world leaders at the World Summit in 2005, the Responsibility to Protect (herein R2P) has been hailed as a major achievement in protecting populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, or ethnic cleansing that would be committed by rulers. However, some see the R2P not as an effective human right instrument for civilians’ protection as it appears to be another tool for imperialism. My position in this essay is that I believe the R2P doctrine is a considerable achievement in world politics as it signals to potential perpetrators of mass atrocities that the world would no longer stand by, but will use force when necessary to protect innocent civilians. My position is articulated as follows. First, I will present the content/principles of the R2P doctrine . Second, I will point out the legal and moral argument underpinning the R2P, particularly its military aspect. Finally I will evoke some cases where the R2P has been critical in protectin g populations from mass killing and show the shortcoming of those who argue against the R2P. First of all, the R2P clearly states that: i) the State has the primary responsibility to protect its population from heinous human rights abuses such as genocide, war crimes, crime against humanity and ethnic cleansing; ii) the international community has the responsibility to assist States in fulfilling their primary responsibility as indicated in point i) and as such, it should use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means to protect populations from those crimes; iii) however, when a State fails to protect its own populations or is the actual perpetrator of such crimes against its populations, the international community must be prepared to ta... ...international humanitarian and human rights laws as well as international customary laws. There are convincing legal and moral arguments in favor of the use of military intervention as the last resort to protect populations from actual or imminent acts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing. The NATO intervention in Libya in 2011 is a good illustration of the importance of the R2P for the protection of populations from atrocities. The argument of opponents to the R2P is not convincing at all as it only covers one part of the three responsibilities of the R2P. Works Cited 1. World Summit Outcome Document 2. Roland Paris, â€Å"R2P Is Not a License for Military Recklessness†, in the Centre for International Policy Study’s blog (March 12, 2012), retrieved online at http://cips.uottawa.ca/r2p-is-not-a-license-for-military-recklessness/

Health Development in Africa Essay

Throughout the world there is a growing concern about health as it is regarded as an essential part of the sustainable human development efforts. The growing importance of the health of the population is being highlighted in the economic circles, the foreign policy and the socio cultural settings. During the last 25 years, there has been drastic realization about health issues in the developing nations, which has given them hope of a better future for their children. Africa is one such region where poverty and hunger is widespread. This is the region where health care facilities are underdeveloped due to which many people face death. This paper, therefore, aims to devise and develop an essential health development policy, program and strategy for African region in order to eradicate the poverty. This forms the main thesis of the research paper (Mills, 1995). The role of health development has been gaining importance in the Africa and different countries are assisting the efforts by providing increased resources, which has put huge pressures on the weak health structure, organizational capabilities and workforce in one of the poorest regions of the country. There is a severe lack of planning and management of the health resources in this part of the world which has led to non- implementation of the health plans. The problem in the African region has been largely related to poverty, wars and conflicts, bad governance and non performance of health programs. This region also faces a huge virus of HIV and AIDS which increase the burden of disease (Loewenson, 1993). The domestic and international health polices for Africa have been drafted by international agreements of multiple countries which include Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, World Health Organization’s Bamako Initiative in 1987 and Paris Declaration of 2005, and including many more. The famous Alma Ata, known as the birth of primary health care or PHC, aims to provide a comprehensive and affordable health plan by providing health facilities at the most basic level. However the PHC failed to achieve its targets due to lack of infrastructure and facilities, staff, civil wars, natural disasters and issues of bad governance and corruption. Later various new international policies were tried which included the structural adjustment plan of the World Bank which was based on loans, privatization and cost recovery, however it failed to deliver due to various reasons (Sikosana, 2009). The Bamako Initiative was launched in 1987 which was aimed at access to quality health care and tackle the scarcity of medicine by a number of balanced policies which were implement able and are the perfect health development plan for the impoverished region of Africa. Together with the World Bank 1993 report, both the policies aim at providing the healthcare at the grass root level in order to eradicate poverty (Mills, 1995). The recommendations include improving primary healthcare at all the levels in an equitable manner which should be available to all the people at any income level. Another recommendation includes the decentralization of the management of the PHC to the district level as oppose to the earlier practice which limited the control to few big hospitals which was the reason for corruption and bad governance. The government should ensure equity of fees charged at all levels which would ensure homogeneity of services to rich and poor alike. The government should be highly committed to maintain and expand the PHC program and all the national health policies should be inline to one standard policy. The government should also closely monitor the whole policy implementation process and ensure services to the poor. Sustainable effort should also be made to for poverty alleviation through education, gender equity, improved mother and child health programs and AIDS control programs. For the African health problems, the policymakers should make integrated national plans and strengthen the health systems by empowerment, equity and sustainability of the efforts. The public private partnership is also essential for the sustainability of the strategy (Sikosana, 2009).

Fin Week Checkpoint

Checkpoint Trade credit is the most popular form of short term financing, figures show that over 40 ppercent of businesses use this form. Trade is also known as accounts payable. This form of short term financing happens when manufacturers or suppliers provide goods or services upfront to companies with the expectation of getting payment within 30 to 60 days from time of delivery.Usually suppliers may offer discounts if the receiving company makes payment within a specified period of time. This kind of short term financing would be chosen by businesses for many reasons such as the company may not readily have the cash on hand to purchase inventory. Bank Credit is another form of short term financing.This type of financing usually comes in the form of loans which normally have an agreement of repayment within 90 to 180 days, but companies can choose to have the loans renewed which can make them seem to be long term in nature. When banks issue bank credit they may have stipulations for their borrowers such as paying service fees or maintaining minimum balances in their accounts.A company may choose this type of short term funding when it may need emergency cash on hand for extra inventory or repairs. Commercial paper is another form of short term financing, this kind of funding is acquired by companies issuing promissory notes in increments of $25,000 or more. Only very large companies use this type of short term financing. Large companies would use commercial paper to get funding plant expansions new equipment.

Night of the tempest

It was approaching midnight on a warm winter night, rare in medieval England, with the moon halfway on its journey towards fullness.   Rarer still was the tempest, an approaching storm that brought howling winds, crackling light bolts and ear piercing thunder to the winter night sky.   Isadore had never seen a thunder storm in the winter.   She had only heard tell of it once, the year before her birth 23 years ago.   Each bolt of lightning combined with the moonlight that peeked through the winter clouds to reveal strange shadows lurking everywhere in the darkness around every corner, behind each tree, jumping suddenly from under each large rock. Isadore was approaching her uncle’s home, a large, frightening and imposing structure in appearance with high arches, several towers and a ghastly allure.   She wanted nothing more than to be snug, warm and comfortable under the covers of a nice, soft bed.   Despite its outward appearance, Isadore had heard that inside, the house was actually quite warm, inviting and comfortable.   It was not the dà ©cor, but the atmosphere inside and surrounding the outside of the house that brought bewilderment and fear. Once a house of horrors, the air of past events within its walls had never gone away but hung ominously in the air like an omen of future misgivings.   They lingered inside like the fearsome shadows she now perceived outside.   During its 120 years of existence, the house had been the scene of grotesque tortures, hideous punishments and cruel, mysterious deaths.   Now, as Isadore approached the house, a chill in her soul, she had to wonder, â€Å"Was this rare, strange winter thunderstorm the foreboding of impending disaster and doom?† As Isadore approached the gated house in her coach, she could not help but wonder what the storm might signal, if anything.   Each bolt of lightning highlighted the cathedral arches and high towers of the house, and as her coach drew nearer to the gloomy exterior of the house, the tempest grew stronger, the winds howled more intensely and the air grew thicker with an atmosphere of horror and fear.   Could the inside atmosphere be any more frightening than the cold, exterior atmosphere of the winter night. Despite the strange warmth of the winter night, the sense surrounding the abode was still cold, as if the cold exited the doors of the house and poured out into the surrounding countryside.   Even in the distance, Isadore could see that the â€Å"approaching† storm was no where in the distance.   It hung over the house like a cloud of evil.   Indeed, the storm seemed to be forming there, and continued to grow in intensity over the house as Isadore's coach drew closer to the gates. Upon its arrival at the front gate, the coachman announced, â€Å"We have arrived My Lady.†Ã‚   He got down, opened the door and assisted her out of her coach.   She had no sooner stepped onto the ground when a bolt of lightning came from out of nowhere, struck a barren winter tree some few paces away and brought it tumbling towards the ground.   Now startled and quite concerned, the incident sent a chill throughout Isadore's soul, but not as much of a chill as what she saw next.   A few moments after the tree struck the ground, the door of the abode opened and there, standing in the opening was†¦a man; a frightening, hideous being. As this man stood in the archway, Isadore stared in horror.   He spoke and fortunately, his voice was as pleasant as his appearance was hideous.   It was almost mesmerizing.   Then, as the wind howled with increasing vociferousness, he approached the gate to open it.   Once he was near her, he asked for and received Isadore's bags and assisted her through the gates and into the manor. Much to her relief, the inside decor was a appealing as she had heard, but the atmosphere was anything but.   It was as if the atmosphere had stories to tell, strange and wonderful, yet frightening and macabre. When the door closed behind her, it slammed hard enough that its knocker actually sounded as if someone was at the door.   The man, merely a servant, asked Isadore to wait in the parlor while he fetched the master.   â€Å"I will take your bags to your room, My Lady, if that meets with your approval, and fetch the master.† â€Å"Thank you, that suits me fine.†Ã‚   Then he left.   Only an instant after he left, Isadore thought she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.   When she looked up, she saw the hem of a dress disappearing through the crack of a closing door.   Perhaps that is what it was, for as she stood there watching, the crack remained and the door never closed. Less than five minutes later, her uncle, the master, arrived, a young, handsome man perhaps in his early 30s, and greeted Isadore warmly.   After a few moments of introductions and pleasantries, Isadore asked about the woman in the dress. Looking puzzled, the Master remarked, â€Å"The woman in the dress?   I don't understand.   We are quite alone, just you, me and the servant you saw.   Otherwise, the house is empty†¦except perhaps†¦.†Ã‚   He stopped there and said nothing more, so Isadore asked, â€Å"Except perhaps what?† â€Å"Oh, nothing.   I†¦I guess I was about to say except perhaps the howling wind outside.   It's no concern.   My servant will take you to your chamber.† â€Å"Dear sir, I wonder†¦I don't mean anything by this, but would you mind accompanying me yourself?   Your servant sends chills up my spine.   I'm sure he is a nice enough person.   His voice is absolutely mesmerizing, but otherwise, he is quite frightening.† The master laughed and said, â€Å"Oh yes, I guess I understand.   I've heard that comment before.   Just give me a moment or two and I will accommodate you.   Tomorrow others like you will arrive and there will be more servants as well.   If you see anything in the meantime it’s†¦it’s just your imagination playing tricks on you.† Isadore thought to herself, â€Å"What a strange comment.   Why would he make such a comment?   I was already frightened enough while outside.   Was there something to fear within as well?†   

“The Veldt” (Analysis) by Ray Bradbury

Timeless lessons or themes are featured in the stories that end up being classics. The authors who illustrate these ideas are the ones who remain in schools and therefore in the minds of many generations. In Ray Bradbury’s short story â€Å"The Veldt† he portrays how disastrous it is to rely completely on technology. Intertwined with this are lessons of greed and inattention. Almost immediately the technology of the time is introduced by the stove that is cooking a meal without the help of human hands.The mother and father named George and Lydia discuss the house they bought purposely so that they wouldn’t have to do anything for themselves. â€Å"They walked down the hall of their soundproofed Happylife Home, which had cost them thirty thousand dollars installed, this house which clothed and fed and rocked them to sleep and played and sang and was good to them† (Bradbury). Like many parents they wanted the best for their children but lost sight of what wa s truly important along the way. While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with technology itself, it is society’s reliance on it that can and will cause problems.As George and Lydia are talking about their home and the effect it’s had on their son and daughter named Peter and Wendy, the author reveals a frightening idea. He starts to insinuate that the children prefer the house to their parents because it has assumed their roles. Neither parent is involved in any aspect of their lives because the house can do it all. â€Å"†That's just it. I feel like I don't belong here. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt?Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can? I cannot. And it isn't just me. It's you. You've been awfully nervous lately†Ã¢â‚¬  (Bradbury). They have allowed the ultimate in convenience technology to rob their family of any feeling of clos eness that comes about from obligations, love, conversation and simple interactions. By the time anything is decided upon to make a change to the direction of their lives it is too late. The parents have realized their mistake and are taking measures against their past infractions.However, their path has been set and they are unable to avoid their fate at the hands of their own children. By voluntarily giving up their parental roles out of a greed for the latest and best technology, George and Lydia have given Peter and Wendy a frightening freedom: that of no family obligations or ties except to each other. Their inattentiveness towards their children alienated them even further helping to create a chasm that has become impassable. Ray Bradbury felt that a warning against technology was in order and wrote an exceptional example.This story is timeless because technology continues to grow and evolve as society asks for more and more. With such growth continuous and inevitable, it is i mportant to keep in mind the significance of human interaction in everyday life. While the end result is drastic, it is this clear and direct manner that brings home the importance of participation within a family and the warning against greed. Most importantly, it impresses upon the reader the mistake of entrusting everything, up to and including personal existence, to technology.

Malincho Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Malincho - Essay Example Kalin has no capital to start a business but still has the willingness to make it in the commercial world. In Kalin’s case he creates the business from scratch. Opportunity recognition is the next step in the entrepreneur process. Kalin is seen as a person who recognized opportunities that can be used to generate profits. His research shows him that importing fate cheese from his home to sell to his country men would be a great idea. Resources are key factors in entrepreneurship Kalin seeks resources in the most convenient way so as to avoid interests. As seen he tries out a wine guy to see if e could get the resources he need. However, the deal with the wine guy did not succeed. Thereafter he gets the resources from his friends; this is convenient as no extra charges were to be incurred in the repayments. Eventually Kalin is successful in his business idea as he uses Timmons entrepreneur framework model process (Collins, 1998). The business model available for food import business involves; sourcing, primary processing, logistics, risk management and trading and marketing. Sourcing involves building a relationship with stakeholders and farmers and using a network of local Agent agronomists, buyers and other specialist. Primary processing which involves packaging of the product is the next step after sourcing. In this model primary sourcing is followed by logistics. Logistics depends on the products and its urgency therefore, air, inland or marine logistics are used. Risk management department are formed to deal with capturing, assessing and managing risk in all levels of business chain. Last in the business model is trading and marketing this deals with the market. In order for Kalin to position his business for the next phase of early stage growth he should assess his company efficiency, review his financial position, form a business model for the company, conduct a competitor, customer and

Impact of Malaysia Budget 2013 on Small and Medium Enterprises Assignment

Impact of Malaysia Budget 2013 on Small and Medium Enterprises - Assignment Example Small and medium-sized enterprises have had bigger challenges in their business performance, incursion, and marketing, compared to the large enterprises. The Malaysian 2013 budget has given indicated considerable efforts to emphasize on the need of SMEs in economic development, and vision 2020 of attaining an industrialized nation-state (â€Å"Budget 2013,† 2012). The government policies through the 2013 budget initiatives provided financial support for the enterprises straddling across large and small enterprises, focusing on the youth and women through loans and financial support in investments across the local regions. The loans and funds have subsidized charges on interest rates, which the government is collaborating with financial institutions for easy access to the SMEs. The tax and non-tax incentives will reduce the expense of operation in enterprises consequently saving money channeled by enterprises from incentives (â€Å"Budget 2013,† 2012). The budget could a lso influence the SMEs through ICT infrastructure, entrepreneurship training to improve national GDP, revenue, investment, and enhance economic growth. The small and medium scale enterprises form the backbone of the majority of the developing nations’ economy. These enterprises play a significant role in facilitating the considerable growth of the economy; however, financial constraints and inhibiting the competitiveness nature, which pushes every entrepreneur and businessperson, to improve the worth and quantity of market goods and services remains a significant obstacle (â€Å"Budget 2013,† 2012). In the past, Malaysian SMEs have been struggling to expand beyond their national boundaries, so that they can compete internationally, especially in the current wave of globalization.  

Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Biology - Essay Example t is taking place however, is that the overabundance of harmful gases which are a byproduct of fossil fuels, are causing a latticing effect to take place in the ozone layer. The earth’s ozone layer is necessary in order to filter out the sun’s excessive and destructive ultra violet rays. As the ozone layer becomes more and more compromised, the areas of the globe governed by cold temperatures (such as the arctic) are literally rising in temperature causing the melting of polar ice caps. As these ice caps melt and merge into the ocean, warm water oceanic areas are being cooled down to unnaturally low temperatures. This results in a drastic rise in natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. On a short term level, the animals that inhabit the arctic are finding their environment less and less suitable. Fish are dying due to the drastic oceanic temperature changes while animals like penguins and polar bears are finding less and less available fish. When discussing global warming, the topic of precautionary principle becomes extremely relevant as well. The precautionary principle is essentially a moral principle with political ramifications, which allows for necessary action in the face of possible danger to public health or the environment even without scientific confirmation or agreed substantiation of the threat from the scientific community. In other words, global warming is certainly a global issue and an obvious threat, regardless of the fact that many with conservative view points, argue its validity. Because of this, it is in the world’s best interest to act in a manner which is airing on the side of precaution, in the best interest of pandemic survival. Normal proof policies would indicate that proof rooted in scientific fact is necessary but without exiting the confines of science. The precautionary principle allows for a lack of scientific proof and more of a suspicion with some confirmation based on observati on or

Explain the concepts of diversity management and equal opportunities, Essay

Explain the concepts of diversity management and equal opportunities, and discuss possible dilemmas that might occur when firms seek to pursue both a diversity - Essay Example Moreover, the workplace is subject to a staggering array of governmental regulations governing many aspects of the composition, organization, and treatment of the workforce. Before these changes, the workforce is historically divided homogeneously in organisational sub-groups (blue-collar, white-collar, unskilled workers, ethnic sub-groups). However, as the globalisation of the business arena has spawned, labour market discrimination (segmentation) had become a wall that could hamper employees to work effectively. Globalisation has brought about the transformation of demographic patterns. As organisations are becoming the microcosm of society, the government and other sectors have pushed organisations to follow some guidelines in hiring people. Ultimately, globalisation means the internationalisation of the business environment. Multi National Corporations (MNC), therefore, are increasingly taking note of their sinister practices of discrimination and considering the possible advantages of a diversified workforce. According to Beamish, et al. (2003), diversity can refer to many things. However, when it comes to workforce management, it commonly has two meanings, one having to do with numerical composition and one having to do with inclusive behaviour. Most frequently, workforce diversity is thought of in terms of numerical composition. A â€Å"diverse workforce† is one that reflects the many different kinds of people in the community or society, usually meaning men and women of different ethnic origins, educational experiences, professional backgrounds, and so forth. When a firm says it must increase its workforce diversity, it usually means hiring more women and ethnic minorities, or citizens of different countries, and promoting them more fully into all levels of the company. In the UK, Clements (2006) revealed that a recent survey of private sector employment equality practices in

MBA-Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

MBA-Marketing Management - Essay Example Hong Kong Dollar is the main currency within the land and it is one of the leading financial centers globally. Current Marketing Communications Strategy within Hong Kong The current marketing communications strategy employed by Hong Kong to entice tourists include the fact that there are memorable tourist attractions, which include the likes of the Giant Buddha, the Victoria Harbor and The Peak to name a few. Hong Kong is especially renowned for its cultural and heritage activities, the museums, the grandeur architecture, the prominent outdoors and the dining and shopping luxuries which are a symbol of its tourist excellence (Stabler 1997). The marketing communication strategy within the land is such that people throng to visit Hong Kong from different parts of the world in all the 12 months of the year. This is one of the reasons why Hong Kong is remarked as a haven for the tourists when they want to enjoy the luxuries that might not be available elsewhere. The current marketing com munications strategy coined by the Hong Kong Tourism Board centers on the premise of cultural exchange, creating the tourism market, bringing in rich foreign exchange and thus building long-lasting exchanges and relationships all this while. Hong Kong is a place that shall be the cornerstone of success in terms of tourism in the days to come undoubtedly (Meyer 2000). The diversity is there for the taking as is understood by the domains of the Hong Kong Tourism Board which is a government-subvented body that has the responsibility to market and promote Hong Kong as a place for tourism and to improve the visitors’ experience when they visit this place (Miller 2007). The Hong Kong Tourism Board makes sure that the latest promotional activities within Hong Kong are discussed at length, and plays its due role at organizing different recreational programmes so as to facilitate and sustain close links with the local publics and community groups. Role of the Hong Kong Tourism Board T he Hong Kong Tourism Board guarantees that the community has a very significant role within the linkage of the tourists who come from different parts of the world. This has been manifested in the form of different sessions with Rotarians, the overseas and local media teams that race down the harbor, the Dragon Boat Carnival for a summer vacation package, a volunteer recruiting program by the name of the ‘Hong Kong Pals’, and so on. The different marketing strategies for the sake of promoting Hong Kong within the tourists are also discussed from time to time in a number of seminars and events. Similarly, the Hong Kong Courtesy Ambassadors are also appointed from time to time. There are also sessions and community programs for ethnic minorities and youngsters on the event of the Chinese New Year and the parade that happens every year on this occasion. Mr. Anthony Lau who is the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board believes that Hong Kong is a world class dest ination for travelers all over the world and opines that the experience of traveling gained by the tourists when they frequent Hong Kong is unmatched and has no parallels. He believes that there have been giant strides into making Hong Kong one of the most sought after places on earth and a haven for the tourists who believe they should visit a place that best satisfies their soothing needs of nature

Heraldic shield Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Heraldic shield - Research Paper Example The very shield in question has several constituents. The eagle can be used as a symbol of representing power authority and the sun. The eagle is the king of the birds; this shows authority it has over other creatures. Rarely do eagles lose in combat; this shows they have strength and power to rule. Therefore, they symbolize strong and powerful leadership. Indian herbalists and wizards use the feathers of eagles in their treatment of the sick. This shows that the eagle has a medicinal value and this can be used to symbolize the gift to give life to the hopeless. Eagles have been known to have a clear vision and soaring spirit. These are best qualities a leader can have; a clear vision means that the leader can make wise and just decisions. A soaring spirit means the leader is always aiming for more. This symbolizes the initiative and ambitions that an exemplary leader should have in order to lead his or people to greater prosperity (Bentley et al, 54). This is the main reason why eag les are connected with wealth and prosperity. The most outstanding character that distinguishes the eagle from other living creatures is the ability to take responsibility. The eagle is monogamous in nature; interestingly, the male and female eagles both share the responsibility of taking care of their young ones. This is not only symbolic but also enlightening. This shows responsibility as the leader should be responsible enough in order to lead people. This as well helps to advice people who tend to run away from responsibilities like taking care of their young ones. The eagles can be used to represent freedom. This observation is ttained by the size of their territories; an eagle can have a home ranging in thousands of acres this shows that the eagles are not afraid of conquering new territories in the bid of enjoying their freedom (Bohl & Rynn 85). In most mythical beliefs, it is said that the spirits of the eagles are free and independent creatures that roam alone. Through this aid in educating people on the significance of being free, we are able to make choices alone without relying on others every time because, in life, some decisions are made alone as they are personal. This symbolizes the rights and freedom of an individual to choose their own paths in life that seem suitable to them. The picture of the eagle in heraldic shield demonstrates exceptional leadership, power, authority and vision in a group organization or country (Connell et al, 156). An acorn is small seed from an oak tree. Normally, it is green and most fall of the tree when matured. When they fall off from the mother tree, another oak tree can emerge from the fallen seeds. The procedure is normally performed thoroughly over and over until a whole forest emerges from a single acorn. This helps to symbolize the process of achieving greatness by starting out from scratch. This concept is applied to encourage people whose lives or worlds have fallen that they can still achieve greatness l ife. It encourages people to realize their full potential (Cornwell et al, 78). If an acorn with no brains can become a forest, what can a person with brains and senses achieve if he puts his minds to it? This is a symbol of hope to those who feel their destined fail due to a single fall or slip at one point in their lives or careers. Imagine an acorn that has fallen down - it has no survival techniques and yet a forest can emerge from it. This has been

Cover letter &Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cover letter &Resume - Essay Example Likewise, I have already established an education and design company in China, which gives me a competitive advantage through the experiences encountered in start-up and in operating a business endeavor. I came to the United States to earn a degree in Economics, which is a field of discipline I consider of crucial importance to contemporary global organizations. I plan to eventually venture in the international market and my gaining a degree in Economics in a prestigious university in the United States would give me significant advantage to succeed. the identified software programs; as well as navigate the Internet for research and other social activities with exemplary skills. I am also a good team player; I am highly motivated and flexible; as well as manifest the ability to efficiently handle multiple tasks, as required. I am hereby attaching my resume for your perusal. I could be reached at any of the contact numbers indicated therein. I would also be available for scheduled interviews at any of your most convenient time. Rest assured that when considered for the position, our professional relationship would definitely be mutually beneficial. I would be looking forward to hearing from you soon. Objective: My professional goal is to become part of a global organization and to apply the theoretical frameworks gained in the field of economics. As a highly motivated and immensely driven individual, I plan to be an instrumental contributor to future organizations through the application of developed skills in economic policy design, international business and global management, as well as in evaluating micro- and macro-perspectives affecting the organizations’ operations. "Spring 2014 Internship, Economic Security Washington D.C." 2014. The EastWest Institute.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Radiofrequency catheter ablation - Case Study Example His medication history suggested that he was initially placed on amiodarone for his problems; however, it led to significant side effects of hypothyroidism and gastrointestinal upset. These could have implications on his baseline cardiac disease, and hence it was decided that he be weaned off the medicine, and about 3 months back, he was placed on bisoprolol 2.5 mg in case of tachycardia. He continued to drive for another half an hour and at 1300 hours, when he came back home, he took a 2.5 mg tablet of bisoprolol. From his experience of similar attacks, he found that at this time, the heart beats were taking a longer time to normalise, and in fact, they did not normalise at all, although were slowing. He had previous episodes of atrial fibrillation and had been cardioverted for three occasions in the past. He could recognise that this time, he was not feeling like he had an atrial fibrillation. Thus he was brought in an ambulance to the emergency department. His past medical history is significant for having had rheumatic fever at his age of 12 which was complicated by questionable mild aortic valve incompetence. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation for which he was cardioverted in three occasions. In the year 1984, he was diagnosed with Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome. ... He is on thyroxine 120 mg once daily and warfarin 8 mg daily as a prophylactic. His family history is positive strongly for stroke. He is a company director for sales; he is a teetotaler and does not smoke cigarettes. On examination, he looks well with vitals as charted, The mechanical heart click is audible on cardiac auscultation. His chest is clear. Abdomen is soft and nontender. ECG appears to have p waves, demonstrated short PR interval and appearance of delta waves. The treatment plan as decided was to have a Cardiology review. He would be placed on a cardiac monitor. Routine blood needs to be done with a chest X-ray. IV access would be established. This approach has been supported by studies and reports. The impression at this point in time was Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) with now slowing tachycardia. The best course of events would be to repeat an electrophysiological study (EPS) followed by a cardio ablation of the accessory pathway. In this assignment, the underlying basic sciences linking his WPW syndrome, EPS, and ablation will be discussed based on the available evidence from literature. Discussion Cardiac Conduction In all striated muscle cells, muscle contraction is triggered by a phenomenon of rapid voltage change. This is called an action potential. Action potentials occur on the cell membrane. However, action potentials on cardiac muscle cells differ considerably from those arising from the skeletal muscle cells. These differences are important since cardiac contraction has autonomous rhythmic excitation demanded by the physiology, and in normal circumstances this is involuntary. There are three important pathways that promote such synchronous rhythmic

Project Team Selection Essay Example for Free

Project Team Selection Essay As a project manager you acquire a project team in most instances, therefore selecting the skills that each member on the team possess is not possible. You must make the most out of the team that you have been afforded and determine what skills you require to ensure project success. This paper will discuss the importance of team members and ways to utilize the skills on a project team successfully. Project Team Selection A project manager may have little to no influence on the selection of a project team, so it is important for a project manager to keep in mind team makeup can have a critical impact on everything from task execution to establishing team dynamics that will either energize or suck the life out of a project ( TheBigRocks. com, 2010). Excuting a project plan is only as effective as the project manager and its team. Wysocki (2012) suggests that when building and recruiting an effective team, you must consider the technical skills as well as the critical roles and chemistry that must exist between the project manager and the team. The knowledge and technical requirements needed to produce an effective project should be understood prior to seeking out individuals who possess the skills needed (Brown, Hyer 2010). Key stakeholders of the project should be represented to ensure there are no oversights or surprises in the project, so there should be a team member available to do so. The team should also have the ability to work together so Brown and Hyer (2010) suggests the diversity of views, expertise, perspectives and backgrounds can often develop better solutions faster than individuals working alone. Conflict resolution should be available to the team members so that if conflict arises, proper management can enhance team performance. As group size increases, communication, cohesiveness, and job satisfication may decline, while turnover, absenteeism and slacking may also increase (Brown and Hyer, 2010). It is important to consider the optimal team size for your project while ensuring the required skill sets are available. Brown and Hyer (2010) also suggests that it is important to ensure that each team member has enough time to devote to the project to ensure proper coordination of duties. Conclusion The right project team can make or break a project. The selection process must first identify all the roles needed for the project, then identify which roles, skills, bandwidth and authority must be addressed with a specific person, talent, effort level or skill to avoid putting the entire project at risk of failure (TheBigRocks.com, 2010).

Effectiveness Of Bottom Up And Top Down Environmental Sciences Essay

Effectiveness Of Bottom Up And Top Down Environmental Sciences Essay Urban poor communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate. This is due to many reasons, such as densely populated cities and poor housing structure. There are many ways to reduce the vulnerabilities of the urban poor to climate change. One of the key ways to deal with the impacts of climate change and thus increase resilience to climate change, is to adapt to these changes. This essay will focus on adaptation rather than mitigation, to enable a more detailed analysis of top-down verses bottom-up approaches. This is not to say that mitigation is not important or that adaptation should replace mitigation strategies. Rather that adaption is solely explored to better analyse which approach is best. This can be achieved either through bottom-up approaches or top-down strategies. Top-down usually refers to management at the city and national level such as municipal authorities. Bottom-up approaches are self-protection efforts made by households and communities t hemselves, based on local knowledge (OBrien et al 2006). However, there is no clear definition and often it can be uncertain where top-down starts and bottom-up begins. The aim of the essay is to evaluate whether a top-down or bottom-up approach is more effective to deal with the impacts of climate change on urban poor communities. In order to achieve this aim, the essay will be split into three main parts: part one will outline arguments that a top-down approach is most effective for dealing with the impacts of climate change, looking at approaches from within disaster risk reduction. However the second part will challenge this and explore debates that a bottom-up approach is more successful, through asset-based adaptation. On the other hand, the third part will argue that there is a need for a more participatory approach that incorporates local communities within top-down strategies, referred to as collaborative planning (Healy . The analysis will be supported by examples from current and past practices in the Global South. The conclusions reached areà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Part one: top-down The adverse effects of climate change are already evidentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and developing countries are [the] most vulnerable. (World Bank 2003) Urban settlements in the developing world are beginning to face increasingly severe weather events as a result of climate change. Urban poor communities will be increasingly forced to cope with higher incidents of flooding, air and water pollution, and heat stress. Cities in developing countries are particularly at risk due to their high density populations, expansive informal settlements, poor land management and lack of infrastructure, such as adequate drainage channels (Tanner et al 2008). Thus, urban poor communities are one of the most vulnerable to the changes in climate. Bohle et al (1995) argues that to reduce vulnerability there needs be a reduction in the exposure of potentially harmful effects of climate change, an increased ability to cope with disasters and the process of recovery needs to be strengthened (Wilbanks and Kates 1999). One of the key ways of achieving all three of these aspects to reduce vulnerability is to adapt to the changes in climate and reduce the risk of disaster. This can be done through top-down approaches at the city or national level. In general, efforts to improve the ability of whole populations to recover from disasters are usually tackled through public policy intervention at the national scale. Thus, top-down approaches are needed to direct and implement adaptation strategies to increase resilience (Adger et al 2005b). The concept of resilience refers to the ability to persist and adapt in the face of climate shocks and stresses (Tanner et al 2008). This can be achieved through disaster risk reduction (DRR) which increases the resilience of local communities through reducing the vulnerability of people and property, better land management practices and improvement in preparedness. DRR includes hazard reduction, such as improving drainage, and preparedness for response and recovery s uch as insurance schemes. DRR involves building response capacity and managing climate risk (Sutanta et al 2008). National governments take the lead in identifying the dangers to communities and in developing strategies to cope with, and adapt to, changing circumstances. One of the ways to deal with the impacts of climate change is through disaster risk management (DRM). DRM refers to both disaster risk reduction (prevention, preparedness and mitigation) and humanitarian and development action (emergency response, relief and reconstruction). For example Tanner et al (2008) states that in Bikol region in the Philippines, there was access to safe land which reduces the disaster risk and increases the resilience of poor communities to climate change. This can only be achieved through top-down processes as city and municipal governments in developing countries are usually primarily responsible for infrastructure and service provision that is essential for the reduction of vulnerability to many environmental hazards (Tanner et al 2008). For example, Dodman and Satterthwaite (2008) point out that acti ons in Durban, one of South Africas largest cities, illustrate how top-down initiatives can increase the resilience of the urban poor in cities. The municipality has incorporated climate change into long-term city planning, addressing the vulnerability of key sectors in coastal infrastructure and disaster management (DRR). Furthermore, early warning systems are essential to reduce the impact of disasters and these are developed from the top-down, increasing the resilience of the urban poor to climate change related disasters. For example the Ningbo government in China, have established early warning systems using high-tech instruments. Tanner et al (2008) states that in 2005, when typhoon Kanu hit Ningbo, the government was able to reduce damage to the city by taking action earlier and evacuating thousands of people avoiding thousands of casualties (Tanner et al 2008). The vulnerability of the urban poor also depends on many factors that influence the amount of damage that a particular hazard can cause. There are different types of vulnerability, such as socio-economic fragility, which affect how resilient urban communities are to climate change (Cardona et al 2004). Assets held by individuals and households are influenced by external factors, such as government policies. Therefore, the efficiency of land administration and management can help build the adaptation capacity of poor people in urban areas. If land policies and management are simple and compatible with the urban poor, so the urban poor can access affordable land, then this will be one of the most effective ways to deal with the impacts of climate change (Moser et al 2010). Stern (2007) argues that to develop resilient cities there needs to be an improvement in urban planning and provision of public services and infrastructure, which can only be achieved from the top-down (OBrien et al 2006). For example, in Indonesia, DRR has been integrated into spatial planning which has resulted in a reduction of vulnerability to natural hazards (Mitchell 2003). Moser et al (2010) also identifies politico-legal vulnerability, such as a lack of tenure rights. A lack of tenure rights means that communities face a lack of services and infrastructure, increasing their vulnerability to disasters. This relates to climate change-related issues as it means inhabitants have weak incentives to increase the resilience of the housing structures and as mentioned above, often live in the most hazardous sites. This can only be solved from a top-down perspective as programmes to secure tenure are not possible without government support. Thus, sustained political support is needed, as well as adequate urban planning methods and a substantial commitment of financial and human resources, which all come from the top-down. Moser et al (2010:56) argues that from a policy perspective clarifying tenure rights and developing coherent urban land policy frameworks is of the utmost importance for building resilience of the urban poor to negative climate change impacts. This also provides long term solutions to the impacts of climate change (Dodmam et al 2010). Linked to this, urban poor communities are vulnerable in that many live in extreme poverty. There are important linkages between urban poverty and vulnerability to disasters and climate change (Dodman and Satterthwaite 2008). Carraro et al (2007) argues for the importance of considering climate concerns in the development context. Thus, one of the most effective ways to deal with the impacts of climate change is to include adaptation and DRR within development goals, which can only be done from the top-down. Poverty eradication will increase the resilience of local communities to extreme climatic changes, while also addressing the underlying factors which may lead and/or have led to a disaster (Sutanta et al 2008). In Latin America, it has been common for some time to define disasters as failed development (OBrien et al 2006:70). As Schipper and Pelling (2006:29) argue, measures to mitigate the risk of disaster need to focus on reducing vulnerability within the context of development , thus the most effective way of addressing the risks posed by climate change and disasters is to lessen the underlying factors causing vulnerability to these phenomena. DRR is often given a low priority by national and international organisations and so for top-down strategies to be effective then measures to address climate change should be integrated with national development programmes (Wamsler 2009). Consequently, poverty reduction as well as adaptation from the top-down would be the one of the most effective ways to deal with the impacts of climate change (Stern et al 2007, Tearfund 2008). However, the second part of the essay will go on to explore arguments that bottom-up approaches are needed. Part two: Bottom-up On the other hand, top-down responses are often only seen through the lens of disaster. DRR only responds to disasters and does not take other climate change related issues into account. This presents a very partial picture of predominant patterns of weather changes and the sources of resilience of local communities. This is a key flaw Moser et al (2010) identified that urban populations in Kenya and Nicaragua were increasingly experiencing smaller, micro-level severe weather problems. These problems are not considered disasters by the major national institutions. Therefore, the adaptation needs of such communities are often ignored by national and international policy communities as the impacts are slow and incremental, but still have serious negative impacts for the majority of the worlds urban poor (Moser et al 2010). Dodman et al (2010) argue that DRR, driven from the top-down, alone is not effective to respond to climate change as it does not take into account the longer climati c changes. Thus community-based adaptation is an effective way to reduce the vulnerability of low-income groups. Bottom-up approaches are often seen as the most effective way to deal with the impacts of climate change because adaptation also responds to the slower changes in weather patterns. Bottom-up approaches to increase the resilience of poor communities by reducing the risk of disaster and adapting to changes in climate at the community, household and individual level. Dodman et al (2010) describes how Federations in the Philippines have been successful in working towards community-led saving schemes to improve housing, and thus reduce the vulnerability to disasters. Improving communities capacity to deal with climate change through DRR will also improve their ability to cope with future hazards (Tearfund 2008). Furthermore, creating policies to help reduce the risk of disasters will also improve opportunities more generally (Wisner et al 2004). Another way to increase resilience is to adapt assets such as housing to be more resilient to future weather events. One theoretical approach to respond to climate change is the asset adaptation framework. The framework focuses on asset vulnerability to climate change and identifies climate change adaptation from the bottom-up. These adaptations also work towards the slower changes in climate that affect the urban poor. Moser et al (2010) uses this framework to show how communities in Mombasa, Kenya and Estelà ­, Nicaragua are vulnerable to climate change in terms of individual assets such as human and social capital, and also in terms of household, small business and community assets such as financial and productive assets. Many poor communities in the Global South live in poorly constructed housing that is often self-built and unplanned, and thus provides little resilience to extreme weather events. Moreover, Yahya et al (2001) argue that in many developing countries, meeting gove rnment standards is impossible for many urban poor communities, forcing them to remain in self-built structures. This means urban poor communities often live in areas most at risk to natural hazards, such as flooding, because this is where either the land is cheapest or they live illegally. Thus, adapting assets to climate change at the community level is effective for dealing with the impacts of climate change. As part of the asset-adaptation framework identified by Moser et al (2010), adapting assets is one of the keys ways to reduce the vulnerability of the poor from the bottom-up, as individual assets, such as housing, were considered the most important aspects to building resilience. The key to the development of an asset-based adaptation framework therefore is the identification and analysis of the connection between vulnerability and the erosion of assets (Moser et al 2010:8) Assets therefore have a role in increasing the adaptive capacity of the urban poor. The asset adaptation framework identifies strategies to adapt assets to climate change. These strategies aim to build resilience, protect assets during extreme weather and rebuild them after such events. Moser et al (2010) found a variety of responses to the increasing severity of local weather patterns. For example in the city of Mombasa, inhabitants dug water passages in case of flooding, while small business owners constructed concrete walls to protect against flooding. As extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity then solidly constructed housing becoming increasingly important. In Mombasa, most of the bottom-up responses to weather events revolved around adapting housing to reduce damage that would be caused by future weather events. They also protect assets during extreme weather events, such as in Mombasa they place sandbags in the doorways of houses during floods to limit the amount of damage. Communities also rebuild after such events, to ensure assets are resilient to future disasters. For example inhabitants in Esteli, replanted trees and plants, to reduce flood damage, while those living in Mombasa accessed weather forecasters which informed people of the occurrence of severe weather. These strategies have proved successful in dealing with the impacts of clim ate change, as they reduce damage to assets and thus reduce the vulnerability of the urban poor to future extreme weather events. Dodman et al (2010) also stated that asset adaptation at the community level were effective. They used examples from the Philippines, where community-based action is used in post disaster reconstruction of temporary and permanent housing and relocation. These strategies are effective when dealing with many aspects of climate change. Adger et al (2005a) argue that the most effect level of governance is bottom-up approaches. Rayner (2010) also argues that bottom-up strategies are best through improved adaptation to climate change. He argues that climate change policies should be designed and implemented at the lowest level. He also argues that approaches should focus on adaptation, which has the potential to bring real benefits to local communities. Adaptation is local in character and therefore a bottom-up approach. Part three: both On the contrary, Rayner (2010) also recognises that climate change is a multilevel governance problem. Therefore some aspects may need to be governed from the top down. However, it can be difficult to define which a top-down is and bottom-up approach and sometimes they overlap. Therefore, for policies to be most effective a combination of both should avoid confusion. As Tanner et al (2008) point out municipal governments in developing countries often do not have adequate provisions in order to deal with increased climate hazards such as flood management. The financial capacity of these governments is weak and often the division of tasks between different levels of government remains unclear, leading to inefficiencies. Therefore, adaptation at the community level is effective, but it still needs the support from local governments. The success of a strategy depends not on the scale but on how that action meets the objectives of adaptation, and how it affects the ability of others to meet their adaptation goals. Thus, the most effective way to adapt to the changes in climate would be a collaboration of both approaches. Developing countries should draw upon what Healey (1997) refers to as collaborative planning, which is the theory that local communities should be more involved and enlightened in decision making. The urban poor are often excluded fro m deliberations because of the informal nature of their communities and tenure arrangements, which generally lead to a level of invisibility and lack of voice in relation to all formal planning processes (Moser et al 2008). Nawrotzki and Oluwagbuyi (2008) recommend that combining top-down and bottom-up approaches will increase the effectiveness of policies. Therefore, the best method to reduce the impacts of climate change should be led from the top-down, to address issues such as poverty and politico-legal vulnerability, but should also include the interests of local communities. Involvement of poor and marginalised groups in decision-making will ensure a city can improve the conditions for those living in informal settlements or living in exposed locations (Dessai et al 2001). This has been achieved in Kerala, India, where political consciousness and awareness of rights and responsibilities is high at every level, resulting in a high turnout at elections. Kerala also has neighbour hood groups to represent the poor, which consist of 20-40 people who meet once a week to discuss problems in their communities and seek solutions (Tanner et al 2008). Schemes that work in isolation can often have negative impacts in the long term, and do not take into account wider effects and process. Dodmam et al (2010) points out that isolated activities in separate communities will be unable to meet broader goals without the support of local officials, and be unable to meet the adaptation needs of a large number of people (Hounsome and Iyer 2006). Combining governmental programs, NGO intervention and adaptation measures by local people to the problem of climate change will decrease the vulnerability of the urban poor (Nawrotzki and Oluwagbuyi 2008). A supportive legal system and local government is also important for supporting locally developed responses to achieve effective climate change adaptation (Dodman and Satterthwaite 2008, Satterthwaite et al. 2007). This will also help to strengthen antagonistic relationships between the urban poor and governments, as often adaptation activities may become perceived as a threat by informal settlers, and an excuse to evict them (Wilbanks and Kates 1999). In Mombasa, there is a lack of trust of governments outside agencies must gain the trust of local communities (Moser 2010, Bicknell et al 2009). Moser et al (2010) argues that if local communities are not involved then government policies will not be full informed as to what is best for the urban poor and may make their situation worse. Moreover, because changes in climate and an increase in extreme weather events will mostly negatively affect the urban poor, their participation in decision making is crucial for building resilience (Tanner et al 2008). Nour (2011) states that in Egypt, there has been a shift to incorporate local communities in urban upgrading and development interventions, for instance, there has been a community-based maintenance of local drains. There has been a joint responsibility of government agencies, the community and the private sector for garbage collection and the improvement of the environment. Nour (2011) argues that without community participation, attempts to achieve sustainable results are bound to fail. This therefore improves from top-down perspectives which are externally imposed and expert oriented. Roy and Ganguly (2009) state that participatory planning has been a success in West Bengal since the 1970s and this form of planning result in local people feeling ownership of these plans. Furthermore, the Stern Report (Stern 2007) argues that effective adaptation at the community-level, would include deliberation about actions being decided by communities rather than being imposed from above. There fore climate change adaptation should be in the form of multi-level governance (Bulkeley 2010). Community based strategies are often in isolation from one another and there is no overarching authority controlling them. Conclusion the conclusions reached are that top-down strategies are ultimately necessary, but that these must incorporate local communities priorities The conclusions reached are that a top-down approach that engages with local authorities and communities is the most effective. Top-down approaches need to also include support for local responses such as community-based adaptation. Local communities should be involved in higher decision making. Thus the most appropriate adaptation responses will often be multi-level responses. In effect, the diversity of climate change means that the most appropriate adaptation responses will often be multi-level responses. (Adger 2005: 924) in the future there needs to be connected between responses at all levels. DRR should involve a large array of stakeholders, including local communities, NGOs, local and national governments, scientists, school communities, faith groups, private sector institutions, etc. Schipper and Pelling (2006). Disaster risk reduction is largely a task for local actors, albeit with support from national and international organisations, particularly in humanitarian action. efforts in Sri Lanka in response to the 2004 tsunami indicate that policymakers are not viewing the reconstruction phase as an opportunity to take into account the potential adverse effects of future climate change-induced sea-level rise in their plans, Reducing vulnerability is a key aspect of reducing climate change risk. . In reality, national governments will take the lead