A Taste of American Pie :: Ethnicity Mexican American Essays

A Taste of American Pie Sunday morning. The smell of flour tortillas warming on the kitchen oven would float right to my room. I could hear the radio play scratchy ranchera tunes to which my mom consistently appeared to know the words. In the event that I lay long enough in bed, my mom would stroll in the room and attempt to wake me up, falling back on singing my name or an old Spanish nursery rhyme if all else fizzled. Ask me where home is, and I'll disclose to you simply this. This is home. This is me. All I've at any point known is Mexican culture. Both of my folks were conceived in Mexico, and I myself have never lived in excess of a couple of hours from the fringe. I've never known a Christmas without tamales or a September 16 th without festivity. In any case, I am not simply Mexican. I am Mexican-American. Mã ©xico might be home, yet America is the place I live. I find here in school that I am simply starting to realize being American. I used to feel that I would locate that importance through a kin d of duality; anything that wasn't Mexican or some portion of the minority would need to be American. Incidentally, the possibility of Americanness was nearer to home. I've come to understand that to be American is to know and offer myself. America is an aggregate of numerous societies. All things considered, it has no single, unmistakable culture. There is nobody overall American culture that is autonomous of every one of those that make it up. The alleged mixture of people groups isn't actually a precise depiction of America. This country is dabbed with social enclaves that support their own traditions and conventions as opposed to combine them with others. I, for one, would not surrender my Mexican character to turn out to be basically American. I am certain that many would concur that we are for the most part more than American. Each culture, in this manner, remains on a very basic level remarkable, never truly dissolving into another. To call yourself American is to perceive that you are a little, but necessary, some portion of a more prominent wonder.

Principles of Modern Finance Sample Midterm

Standards of Modern Finance Spring 2013 Sample Midterm February 22, 2012 Instructions †¢ You have 1 hour and 40 minutes. †¢ The test is out of 25 focuses. †¢ There are 22 different decision questions. 19 inquiries are worth one point, 3 inquiries are worth two focuses and are set apart in that capacity. †¢ If you stall out, proceed onward and return later. 1. A stock is relied upon to deliver a profit of $10 one year from now, and this profit is required to develop by 5% every year from there on. What should the cost of the stock be if instruments of comparative hazard are paying 12%? (a) $83. 33 (b) $142. 86 (c) $150 (d) $200 2. A venture has the accompanying money? ows: Year 0 1 2 Cash? w +12000 ? 7080 ? 6654 The IRR of these money? ows is 9%. Resources of comparable hazard pay 5%. Would it be a good idea for you to acknowledge this task? (a) Yes (b) No 3. I am thinking about purchasing a Greek government bond that vows to pay $1210 in two years’ time. Be that as it may, there is a likelihood that the Greek government will default among now and the guaranteed installment. On the off chance that the administration defaults, the bond will just compensation $500. The likelihood of default is 0. 5. What should the cost of the bond be if instruments of comparable hazard are paying 10%? (a) $1000 (b) $706. 62 (c) $413. 22 (d) $303. 68 4. I am selected a 2-year MBA program, and have quite recently begun classes.To pay the educational cost and everyday costs, I acquire $50,000 every year (paid toward the beginning of the year). The financing cost on the advance is 5%. I am sure to find a new line of work toward the finish of the two years of study. That activity will be ensured for a long time (from the date I start work), at a steady pay which will be paid toward the finish of every time of work. There are no expenses. I gauge that I will have the option to spare 1/4 of my salary, whatever my pay is. What is the base pay the activity must need to permit me to pay o? my credits inside ten years? (2pts) 2 (a) $43,050 (b) $50,000 (c) $55,752 (d) $61,339 5. A Mastercard organization o? rs me a card with 20% APR, exacerbated every day. I make acquisition of $3,000 on the card, and permit enthusiasm to gather on those buys for a year. Accepting every year has 365 days, the sum I should repay is: (a) $3,315 (b) $3,600 (c) $3,664 (d) $3,901. 30 Answer the following two inquiries regarding this data: Analysts contend that two things can occur throughout the following year: the economy can proceed for what it's worth or it can go into downturn. The profits of two stocks: General Electric (GE) and Cisco (CSCO) in every conceivable state are given beneath: State Return on GE Continue as-is 15 Recession ? 5 Return on CSCO 5 - 1 The examiners gauge the likelihood of proceeding as-is to be 0. 8 , and the likelihood of a downturn to be 0. 2. 6. What is the normal profit for a portfolio which is 120% in GE and ? 20% in CSCO? (a) 10. 04% (b) 8% (c) 2. 55% (d) 0% 7. What is the fluctuation of CSCO? (a) 1. 96%2 (b) 5. 76%2 (c) 13%2 (d) 23. 04%2 3 8. Alice can get a one-year advance at 5% at her bank, while no bank is eager to give Brad a one-year advance for under 10%. Brad has quite recently had medical procedure, and must compensation the emergency clinic $10,000 quickly, yet he has no cash today, however he will have cash in one year. So Alice o? rs Brad a proposition: she will obtain $10,000 from her bank for one year for her own, and Brad will reimburse this advance. What's more, he will pay Alice an entirety of cash today. What is the greatest sum that Brad ought to be happy to pay Alice in advance under this course of action? Alice isn't happy to consider getting more than $10,000. (2pts) (a) $454. 54 (b) $377. 18 (c) $476. 19 (d) $500 9. The hazard free loan cost today is 7%. One year prior, you purchased a benefit which is sans hazard and would pay $100 two years from the date of procurement. The hazard f ree loan fee on the date of procurement was 10%. You sell the benefit today.What is the pace of return (HPR) that you made? (a) 13% (b) 10% (c) 7% (d) 15% 10. The relationship between's Alcoa (AA) and American Express (AXP) is 0. 3. You need to frame a portfolio, putting half in each stock. What is the difference of your portfolio’s return? You have the accompanying data: AA AXP 10 12 8 16 Expected return Standard deviation of return (a) 85. 76%2 (b) 99. 2%2 (c) 121%2 (d) 144%2 11. On the off chance that you can get a 8% return (yearly e? ective) on a multi year CD from your neighborhood bank, would it be savvy to put resources into a multi year security which vows to make a solitary installment of $1000 toward an incredible finish? Expect both are similarly unsafe). This bond costs $475 now and will pay $1000 in ten years. 4 (a) Yes, the bond is better. (b) No, the bond is more regrettable. (c) Can’t tell from data given 12. You are given the accompanying data about a rrangement of two dangerous resources, An and B: Weight in A Weight in B Std. dev. of portfolio 0 1 12 0. 5 0. 5 14 1 0 16 What is the covariance among An and B? (a) 192%2 (b) 168%2 (c) 224%2 (d) Cannot be resolved 13. A ? rm in a well-working capital market has the accompanying tasks accessible. The hazard free rate is 10%. Which would it be a good idea for it to put resources into? NPV IRR X 10 15% Y 0. 3% Z - 5 22% OCC 22% 5% 6% (a) X in particular (b) Z just (c) X and Y (d) X and Z (e) All three 5 14. You are thinking about putting resources into a bond. This bond costs $300 now and pays $550 in ten years. What is the IRR of this venture? (a) 1. 06% (b) 6. 25% (c) 8. 33% (d) 9. 01% Answer the following two inquiries utilizing the accompanying data: A task has the accompanying expected money ? ows. Year 0 1 2 Expected money? ow ? 370 814 ? 447. 7 The IRR of these money ? ows is 10%. 15. Which of the NPV capacities on the accompanying page best portrays this task? (2pts) (a) Graph A (b) Graph B (c) Graph C (d) Graph D 16.Given your response to the past inquiry, what is the scope of rebate rates for which you ought to acknowledge this venture? (a) 10% in particular (b) Greater than 10% (c) Less than 10% (d) Always acknowledge, with the exception of at 10% (e) Always dismiss 6 NPV 10% Discount rate 10% Discount rate Graph A Graph B NPV 10% Discount rate 10% Discount rate Graph C Graph D 7 Answer the following six inquiries utilizing the accompanying data: Boeing is an expert? table plane maker. It is thinking about structure an office to fabricate 747s on 10,000 sections of land in the Nevada desert. It isn't thinking about some other sites.To urge Boeing to set up the office, the nearby office of trade has purchased the land and has o? ered to lease it to Boeing at a lease of zero dollars for each year. Accept that this â€Å"gift† has no expense suggestions for Boeing. If Boeing somehow managed to attempt to lease the land in the open market, the leas e would be $1,500 per section of land every year, payable toward the finish of every year. Building the industrial facility will cost Boeing $800M (800 million dollars), of which $200M is payable today and $600M will be should be paid when the processing plant starts creation. It will take one year to manufacture the industrial facility and start production.The IRS says that the $800M cost can be deteriorated (straight-line to zero) over the ? rst twenty years in which the processing plant produces planes. Be that as it may, Boeing expects that the interest for the 747 will in the long run evaporate, thus they intend to scrap the plant after the ? rst ten years of creation. They expect the piece will be sold for $100M. Boeing anticipates that the office should create and sell three Boeing 747 planes per year, with the ? rst clump prepared before the finish of year 2. Crude materials cost $100M per plane, and work costs will be $120M per year. Work costs will be paid toward the year' s end in which they are incurred.Raw material will be paid for one year late (I. e. , crude material expenses brought about in year 2 will be paid toward the finish of year 3). Deals will be paid for a long time late. Stock is constantly 0. The value Boeing will get for each plane is dubious. It may be as high as $500M, or as low as $200M. No doubt, the cost will be $400M. By and large, the value they hope to get is $350M. Boeing’s corporate o? ce is situated in Chicago. At present the CEO and his sta? make 120 ? ights a year in the corporate stream. Each ? ight costs $200,000. On the off chance that the Nevada office is fabricated, the CEO should make ten more ? ghts a year, beginning in the ? rst year of creation, with the expense per ? ight being the equivalent. The expense of the ? ights is caused toward the finish of year wherein the ? ights are made. The compensation of the CEO will remain ? xed at $12m every year. In any case, the corporate o? ce has chosen to assign $ 1m every time of this expense to the Nevada venture, should it be assembled, beginning toward the finish of year 2. This allotment has no expense suggestions. Boeing has another venture which they needed to begin today. This task has a solitary after-charge money in? ow of $20 million one year after it is begun (and no other in? ws or out? ows). Building the processing plant in Nevada will possess official time, and imply that Boeing should defer beginning this task until the Nevada plant starts creation. Charges are relied upon to be 30%. The rebate rate is 8%. 8 17. When computing money ? ows for NPV, the income in the salary explanation toward the finish of every time of creation will be (a) $600M (b) $1050M (c) $1200M (d) $1500M 18. The normal money ? ow the ? rm acquires from rejecting the plant following ten years of creation is (a) $70M (b) $90M (c) $100M (d) $190M (e) $280M 19.The cost that you will appear in the salary articulation for every time of creation will be: (a) $4 20M (b) $422M (c) $423M (d) $438M 20. What is the working capital toward the finish of the second year of creation? (a) ? $300M (b) $750M (c) $1050M (d) $1800M 21. What is your net money ? ow two years after the plant has quit creating, that is, toward the finish of year 13? (a) $0 (b) $735M (c) $750M (d) $1050M (e) $1800M 9 22. The PV today of the open door cost from deferring the other venture is: (a) $20M (b) $18. 52M (c) $17. 15M (d) $1. 37M 10

How to Read Faster and Retain More from Everything You Read

How to Read Faster and Retain More from Everything You Read There is a chance reading is not your favorite thing in the world. And if that is the case, you’re most probably not very good at it. That needs to change.Reading is not only a great pass time, it is a great way of processing information â€" as opposed to watching TV, for example. Statistics tell us people who read more are richer, they are in relatively better health, they have more success in their careers.If you happened to be able to read faster and get more information from it, will you will be willing to read more often?This article will give you helpful advice how to teach your brain great techniques in order to go through written text faster and comprehend more from it.WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO READ FASTER?We read for multiple reasons. Some of us read mainly for pleasure, while others read mostly at work.While you want to take your time when reading your favorite new novel, you certainly want to be more efficient when reading work documents, or anything that is taking your prec ious time at the office.When you say the word ‘reading’ you probably imagine yourself standing in front of a book or a sheet of paper, fully concentrated, with all the time in the world. But that is not always the case.Especially at the workplace.For example, imagine you at one of those boring presentations, and the presenter of the information is in a hurry. You will only have a little bit of time to read those information heavy slides they are screening in front of you, and at the end you will be expected to be an efficient member of your brainstorming session or discussion. The more you manage to get out of the presentation, the more creative and full potential your ideas will be.Learning to read more efficiently will give you a competitive edge over your team members â€" you will become better at analysis, you’ll will be faster in comprehending new information.Reading fast improves your memoryReading is a great brain exercise. Not only do you have two digest the informatio n, you have to retain it and analyze it, and, preferably, remember it.It is not just a speed exercise.Research proves exercising your brain regularly is very beneficial â€" you are not wearing it out â€" on the contrary. Research tells us that heavy mental exercises can actually preserve your brain from damage caused by disease â€" for example Alzheimer’s. Activities such as solving crossword puzzles have been proven to be a healthy way to train your brain muscle. Learning to read fast and constantly challenging yourself is a way to progress in your training. Improves your focusWhen we’re not putting enough strain on our mind we get distracted very often and easily.We tend to allow ourselves to do that â€" we watch TV while we read the news, or we listen to music while we work.We seem to constantly prefer a false sense of comfort over focus. And focus is what guarantees us our efficiency.Trying to read faster and faster requires that focus. What is more, research shows that focu s is the subject of progress. The more often you put yourself in the situation of no distractions, the easier you will achieve a focused mind.Saves you timeThis is one of the more obvious reasons why you want to read faster. And while it is obvious it is a factor, it is underestimated how big of a factor this is. As reported by Globalnews.ca ‘people now spend one-third of their time at the office â€" and half of the time they work at home â€" reading and answering emails. And 30 per cent of that time, the emails are neither urgent nor important. That’s 11.7 hours spent at work and 5.3 hours at home â€" every week.’ Imagine how much of your time you could save if you could double or even triple your reading speed.HOW FAST SHOULD YOU BE ABLE TO READ?Can you really double or triple your reading speed? Well, to answer that question, you first need to know how fast you are reading already. According to Forbes, this is how fast you are supposed to be reading, counted in words per mi nute (wpm)Third-grade students = 150 words per minute (wpm)Eight grade students = 250Average college student = 450Average “high level exec” = 575Average college professor = 675Speed readers = 1,500World speed reading champion = 4,700Average adult: 300 wpmThere are free reading speed tests available online. Before you take any steps towards improving the speed of your reading, you need to know the current speed you’re working with.HOW TO START READING FASTERThe Tim Ferris experimentTim Ferris reports to have always been fascinated by the idea of the amount of time he could save himself if he could read at one third or even one fifth of the time. He believes that increasing the reading speed mainly involves controlling the fine motor movement in particular. The projectHe claims to have discovered a way to improve the reading speed of all participants, in what he calls the PX Project, by more than 30% in less than five minutes. And the further you are involved in the project the more you can increase your reading speed. The PX project is something Tim Ferris has taught to undergraduates at the Princeton University.The claimsAccording to him, the project is nothing more than a three-hour cognitive experiment with some great results. He claims to have never seen the experiment fail â€" it has been tested on foreign language speakers and even dyslexics. The experiment is supposed to teach anyone to read even technical material at more than 3000 words per minute which means 10 pages of text in one minute. To compare, the average reader has the speed of 300 words per minute, or half a page in one minute.You will need:A reading material of more than 200 pages. The material should be able to stay open at all times â€" do not go for a small-page book that keeps closing all of the time.Three hours for the experiment, in increments of 20 minutes of exercise in one session.A pen.A timer.You need to know:When you’re reading your eyes do not follow the lettering smoot hly. Rather, they move in what is called saccadic movements. You are fixating your eyes on a particular part of the sentence you are reading and you are taking a temporary snapshot of the page you’re seeing. If you find that hard to believe you can conduct your own experiment. Close one of your eyes and put your index finger on it. With your other eye open, read several sentences. You will fill the little jerky movements with the finger on your closed eye. The average reader constantly rereads text on their material because of a wrong fixation on text that has already been read. In order to improve your reading speed you must eliminate those regressions. Your current focus of reading fixation is most probably circular instead of elliptical. You are fixating on words that are above and below the text you’re reading. If you, instead, try and concentrate your sight horizontally and not vertically you will have a better understanding of the particular line your reading instead of f ocusing on unnecessary information above and below it. That alone is going to increase your reading speed by 50%.How the experiment worksThe experiment has several stages. You will learn to apply one principle, you exercise for it, you will time the increase of your reading speed, and you will challenge yourself with the new principle.Start the experimentEven though you might already know your reading speed, it is a good idea to doublecheck their reading speed with the particular materials you will be using for your experiment. Count the words from the first five line of your text. Now count the number of lines on the first five pages. If you divided by five now you will have the average number of lines per page. Multiply the amount by the number of words per line and you have yourself a number of words on the first five pages. This will give you a good idea of the number of words. Now read from the text for one minute exactly. Multiplying the lines you have covered by your average words-per-line number and you are ready with your current reading speed. You have to use a tracker and a pacer. You probably already used a pen to count the words per line and lines per page. Using a tracker means you have an object that points to you what is your current position in the text you’re reading. That will minimize the amount of times you are going back to text you have already read involuntarily. If you use your pen as a tracker you will probably move it in a smooth pace with your hand under the lines that you’re reading â€" which means that that can also be your pacer. You will use it to force yourself to be reading at a particular speed.Start reading at the minimum speed for one line per second, using your pen as a tracker and a pacer, and at this point do not concern yourself with actually comprehending the text. Just make sure you read it at the minimum speed. Repeat until you have reached your goal for one line per second. Continue on the same exercise until yo u reach the goal of two lines in one second. Read it so for 3 minutes. Focus on the exercise â€" remember, at this point you are just teaching your brain to adapt to the higher speed. You will work for comprehension later. Take a little break from reading to work on your focus. Stare for a minute at the center of the page trying two expand your peripheral vision. Focus on one word in the middle of the line and try to figure out what the rest of the sentence says. When you’re ready check if you’re a correct and switch your focus to another line or another page.Now do another session of reading following this technique. Remember to never read slower than one line per second, once again do not concern yourself with comprehension. You’re just teaching your brain to adapt. You are going to comprehend the fast read text later. Using your pen for a tracker, track your text while you are reading it like you did before, but this time while pointing with your pen skip one word at the be ginning of the line and then skip one word at the end of the line. Do so for one minute. Then for another minute skip two words at the beginning and two words at the end. Next, for three minutes straight try reading at the same pace skipping three words in the beginning of the line and three words at the end. Don’t worry if you do not understand the text completely. You’re just creating a reflex.Now calculate your words per minute reading speed. Try to read for a month fast with comprehension of the text. What were your findings? Did the experiment work for you? If you found there is a significant change in your reading speed, feel free to conduct the experiment again and track your changes. Mindful readingWhile the PX project gives you an exercise to train your brain and to teach it to read differently â€" creating a reflex how you should approach comprehending written information, mindful reading relies on you understanding how reading happens in your brain, so that you’ll c an manipulate that process and do it faster.Stop subvocalizingWhen you are reading written text you are probably hearing your own voice in your head going through the words on the page. You’re pronouncing them at the same speed if you read out loud. Well, you are not reading out loud. That is actually a very bad habit for people that want to learn to read faster. It is called subvocalizing. If you keep subvocalizing you will never reach the full potential of your reading mindfully. It is unnecessarily slowing you down. It is distracting you. If you focus on the meaning of the text you will not need to focus on little things like the pronunciation of the words for example. Work towards awareness of your subvocalizing. There is a trick that can help you achieve this. Try focusing on a word on the page without reading it aloud in your mind. Instead, focus on its meaning. Try a sentence then. Whenever you feel more confidence continue reading that text without hearing it in your head at all. Preview what you are about to readProbably it is way more difficult to comprehend a text if you have no idea what it’s about, who is it from and where is it going. Preview the first lines of the entire chapter of that text you’re about to start reading. Focus on the longer words from them. The longer words are usually the more specific words (as opposed to the more generic ones) â€" they will give you a better information about the jargon in the text â€" they will have a specific topic. When you know where the text is going it will be more difficult for you to get caught up in misunderstandings in the text caused by the higher speed of reading. Has it ever happened to you that you missed a little word and then in the entire paragraph stopped making sense for awhile? For example, the difference between ‘we most certainly do not participate in such events’ and ‘we most certainly do participate in such events’. The preview of the text will eliminate it most of those cases because you know what is coming next. Be mindful of the purpose of the textWhen you are previewing be more conscious of specific words into text, depending on its purpose. If you are reading a technical text, watch out for the jargon. If you are reading a novel, be more mindful of the words signifying feelings. If you are reading an email, watch out for action words and modal verbs â€" ‘we must go’, ‘please find’, ‘you should not delay’, ‘we would love it but…’Once again, this is the rule that you should be more conscious of the words that bring you the greatest meaning in that particular text you are reading. Track your speed and difficulty levelDo not get discouraged if your reading speed goes lower when you increase the difficulty level of the text. Remember there is a huge difference between reading your favorite novel and the reading a physics book.Do not expect for your progress to go smoothly. You will always experience bumps on the road. You will not always be able to tell the text you’re reading right now is more difficult than the one you did before. Obviously you will have other factors â€" you could be tired, sick or your attention could be preoccupied by something else. Track your reading progress Be constantly mindful of your reading speed. To begin with, make sure you have determined your baseline reading speed when you begin working on improving your pace.Whenever you read, take a second to think about the speed with which you want to read â€" if you are reading a large amount of information for your work you might prefer to read for a quality of comprehension and speed. If you’re reading for pleasure you might want to slow down and to cherish the authors work. In both of those cases being aware of the reading speed will help you improve your technique in the future. Make sure you take a test as your reading pace at least once every two weeks.Skip the small words when you readBe careful. When we talk about skipping the small words we do not mean skimming your text. By popular definition, skimming your text means to go over that text so quickly you are really not expected to have any comprehension of what is written, but could just get the general idea. If you skim you might know what the text is about, what is the writing style, what happens at the end. But you will miss a large amount of the information.While it could be useful in certain circumstances, it is not a form of reading we associate with understanding. What we mean by saying you should skip the small words is, that you should focus on the words that bring specific meaning and not the words that are too generic and are used to often. Words such as ‘and’, ‘if’, ‘is’, ‘to’, and ‘the’ can be found in any context. They will not be essential for your understanding of the particular text that you need to read.Read a lotThe moment you have an agenda with your reading, you will start feeling it’s a chore rather than a pleasurable activity. Do not put your reading materials aside, however.As with anything your training to do, it takes practice. Make sure you give it at least 15 to 20 minutes a day. Change your attitude towards readingReading, you used to think, was just another human ability. Now that you know a lot more about it, act accordingly. Your are now somewhat of an expert. You know how everything works in the brain. Experience the pleasure of your accomplishment. Cherish the power you’ll have now gained. You are a superhero with a very cool ability. Teach others.Watch this fascinating video about learning faster to gain a new superhero skill:CONCLUSIONThere you have it. Now you know that reading is nothing more than a process that you can teach yourself and your brain. You are not done learning to read in the first grade. You can continue developing helpful techniques to read with more skill and more mindfulness.You will read more quickly, more efficiently, and the entire process will be more pleasurable and will give your more information. You will have a competitive edge against all your co-workers and even your friends. Make it a goal till the end of the year to double your reading speed.You can do it!

The Predicament of Amnesia - 1080 Words

The Predicament with Amnesia Amnesia is a type of memory loss that one develops in certain situations. It does not mean, however, that one forgets their self-identity. It states that those who have amnesia only have the trouble of acquiring new memories or forming new memories. Some causes of amnesia are damage to the brain structures that form the limbic system, which is where your emotions and memories are controlled, those who have Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, strokes, tumors in the area of the brain that controls memory, and also alcohol abuse. There are two main different types of amnesia. The two types are retrograde and anterograde, and there are some significant case studies in which these individuals had one or both types of†¦show more content†¦When she came back to her house from work, she noticed he wasn’t present in their home. He had left his house and was found wandering around the streets. When he was attended in the hospital, doctors discover ed he had a virus that caused holes in his brain. This condition was called Encephalitis. This unfortunately left him with having anterograde and retrograde amnesia at the same time. His affected areas were thalamus, hypothalamus, temporal lobes, occipito-parietal and frontal lobes, and amygdala. His memory had last between 7-30 seconds. Clive had a spatial implicit memory. Within his emotional memory, he would gradually accept his condition. He was still surprisingly able to recall some of his procedural memory. Another patient who dealt with a similar situation of having both anterograde and retrograde amnesia was patient R.B. This patient had a reduction of blood to the brain, which was caused by a heart bypass surgery. His lacerations were restricted to the hippocampus. Thus, the result caused him to remain with an absence of memory Amnesia is a type of memory loss that some people develop depending on the circumstances. It could be very common if one damages their brain in the area where memory is stored. Strokes, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, alcohol abuse, or certain medications one takes can lead to this unfortunate syndrome. There are two types of amnesia. The first type is called Retrograde Amnesia in which one cannot remember their old memories beforeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Amnesia in Memento Directed by Christopher Nash1081 Words   |  5 PagesThe film, Memento, tells a multidimensional story about a man, Leonard Shelby, who suffers from short-term memory loss illness, anterograde amnesia. He is impaired by this medical issue due to being hit on the head when defending his wife, who was attacked and raped in their house during the middle of the night. He kills one of the invaders during the attack. With inability to form new memories, one of the last things Leonard remembers is seeing his wife, die. He then devotes his life to findingRead MoreA Post War Society Through Landscapes Of Memory And Oblivion1646 Words   |  7 Pagesconcernin g ‘yearnings of teenagers to the heartache of soldiers’ (Gunasekara 235) are articulated by the fifty six year old Sinhalese(from Colombo), who had retired from the Coconut Corporation. The story of the dystopian society unravels through the predicament of the natives/ settlers and anxieties of the tourist and immigrants who frequent war zones, tourist spots and relics (signifying the past). RomeshGunasekara’sNoontide Toll(2014) chronicles fourteen narratives, twelve from the north and twelve fromRead More The Immortal Heroes of Homer’s Iliad Essay1419 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause heroes overcome death only when they embrace it (57). The importance of death stems from the fact that the individual is defined by his reputation and esteem among others, as Vernant points out when he argues that . . . real death lies in amnesia, silence, demeaning obscurity, the absence of fame. By contrast, real existence—for the living or the dead—comes from being recognized, valued, and honored. Above all, it comes from being glorified as the central figure in a song of praise, a storyRead MoreInterpreting Maladies: The Necessity of Being Rooted and Being the Root2013 Words   |  9 Pagesexiles, immigrants and ethnic communities† (Pandey 20). The experiences of these people of Indian diaspora are an amalgam of both constructive and astringent experiences. Their experiences range from trauma to felicitations, from nostalgia to amnesia. They have assimilated with the host society as well as insulated themselves. The impact they have made as well as the influence they have received in a multicultural society has either made a good reputation and brought pride to their nation or leftRead MoreThe Rebel Society Essay2334 Words   |  10 Pagesrebel society that we have created. In less than two minutes the word â€Å"community† will cease to exist. My wife, my two daughters, and I will be cut loose into the Big E and all we can do is pray for a soft landing. As I reflect upon our shared predicament, I can only hope the painful reminders of this experiment will be spirited away during the journey. On the contrary, my first memories were pleasant. They came to me when I was just six years old. I remember the delicate hands washing off theRead MoreBrain Functions and Psychology1847 Words   |  8 Pagesbut these same structures are not the final resting place for permanent memory. According to Bayley, Hopkins, and Squire (2006) damage occurring to the â€Å"hippocampal region and surrounding structures impairs new learning and leads to anterograde amnesia† (p. 13317). In addition, recently acquired memories are impaired more than remote memories (Frankland amp; Bontempi, 2005). Squire, Stark, and Clark (2004) state that â€Å"medial temporal lobe lesions [result in] profound forgetfulness†Read MoreThe Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat1960 Words   |  8 Pagesimpairments that categorize with loss of functions are loss of vision, speech, language, memory, dexterity, and identity. Some of the diseases or dysfunctions that classify these impairments are Aphonia, Aphemia, Aphasia, Alexia, Apraxia, Agnosia, amnesia, and Ataxia (Sacks 3). It was Paul Broca in 1861 who began the study of the relationship between the brain and mind when a patient case had damaged to the left hemisphere of the brain resulting in aphasia, loss of speech. It was due to this to whichRead MoreFinding The Lost Colony Of Roanoke Essay2058 Words   |  9 Pagesprovisions. John White as a position of a governor, he could not reject the tremendous potential of exploitation that this plantation had. His plan was to get more provisions and returned to Roanoke with his f amilies as soon as possible. Nevertheless, predicament happened to him. After collecting enough amount of supplies, he wasn t able to sail back to Roanoke because of the war of Spain. As a result, he spent at England for three years until he found a cargo that would let him go back. At last, JohnRead MoreThe Perpetrators : Killers, Victims, Or Both?2367 Words   |  10 Pagescrimes and either imprisoned for life or killed after the Holocaust has ended. One of hundreds of perpetrators who spoke during the Nuremberg trials was a man named Hans Fritzsche. Years after the Holocaust concluded, Hans had now come to the predicament that I have been tricked and trapped[...] even when I tried to put a check on it...Let us explain our position to the world, so that at least we won t die under this awful burden of shame. I have the feeling I am drowning in filth....I am chokingRead MoreRural Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria10400 Words   |  42 Pagesbeing   identified   and   recovered   from   all   over   the   world.   It   is   also   true,   or   so   it   | |seems,   that   Obasanjo   is   carefully   picking   his   battles.   Those   battles   that   he   thinks   he   might   lose,   he   develops   | |selective   amnesia   and   refuses   to   know.   All   the   corruption   probes   today   seem   to   be   centred   on   Abacha   and   his   | |government   alone,   no   probes   on   Babangida   and   Abubakars   governments.   These   people   are   untouchables,   in   the   sense

The Fight Against Essay Topics on Health and Fitness

The Fight Against Essay Topics on Health and Fitness Using Essay Topics on Health and Fitness To help you recognize which issues to discuss, we've listed the very best health care essay topics below. Some students utilize the very first idea that arrives in their head and work on it, but the outcome isn't successful. Should you look around, you are going to observe social troubles that affect society each day. Several facets, the salary being probably the most essential one, motivate plenty of young folks to select a career in healthcare. Otherwise one you could do more damage than good and set your self in danger. All you will need is an excellent example which is going to be a good starting point for your writing. Somebody gets essential wisdom and experience there. Teen pregnancy prevention should be raised. Patients with anorexia nervosa ought to be asked to find palliative care. People with autism aren't mad! Teen suicide awareness should be raised. The title of your paper will demonstrate the audience what they should anticipate from the remainder of the assignment. Okay, now you have the fundamentals about how to go for an informative essay topic, let's dig into some wonderful ideas! Hiring someone to write a college essay is such a very good way to acquire a superb result when you speak about a customized essay. Be conscious of the size it must be and get started writing the narrative essay outline. Don't neglect to get a Kibin editor review your final paper to be certain it's on the right path. You've got to compose an informative essay. Our example essay may also help you to understand how to use various style of writing. Once you have decided on a topic that appeals to you, you should concentrate on essay writing. You may have to pick a suitable topic for your essay paper and you're running short of ideas. Here's What I Know About Essay Topics on Health and Fitness Several have tried to find out the factors for mental illnesses. You may also think about focusing on several different methods to take care of either disorder. Nonetheless, there are lots of diseases which are far too complicated and continue being irremediable. There are a number of factors that may give rise to an individual to come up with a mental disorder. To me the book was somewhat dull. There is an abundance of information that can be found on the internet that you're able to research and gather for such a topic. The list of ideas is given below. Thousands of students visit our websites to create use of our example essays on account of the standing of our site. By tackling stigma, improving public mental well-being, and providing high excellent recovery focussed mental health solutions, you can begin to find out what is and ought to be possible. Most importantly is how customer satisfactory should always be our very first priority. Morality has a collection of unsolved problems, the solution on which usually presents a decision. There are lots of problems, even on your own campus, which need to be resolved. Essay Topics on Health and Fitness for Dummies Today best college admission essays give a significant competitive edge for high school graduates seeking to become freshmen in the majority of prestigious and reliable universities in the usa and UK. One of several advantages of public schooling is it is a distinctly distinct setting from house in which studying topics in your home helps make it hard to continue being disciplined sometimes. Anyway, it's particularly interesting to study in forensic mental wellness counseling because th e study gives you abundant opportunities to address very intriguing or extreme cases can hardly be encountered in traditional mental wellness counseling. You're going to be surprised about how simple it is to be fit, even in college. A Secret Weapon for Essay Topics on Health and Fitness Advanced interpersonal and communication skills impact the attribute of medicare too. There are hundreds and hundreds of topics to select from and come up with when you sit and consider it. Moreover, you will by default begin to get notifications of further maturation of the website. You can also locate short answers to every question. Key Pieces of Essay Topics on Health and Fitness In several scenarios, mental sickness is ignored or not given the appropriate remedy punctually, therefore, causing critical consequences. For review by many others that are in on the care of the individual. Mentally ill patients wind up in prison and stay longer because the majority of them cannot comply with the strict rules because of the nature of their condition in contrast to other prisoners. The disorder may persist several months or longerand may recurbut it's generally reversible in the brief run.

Thrift Savings Plan Free Essays

Thrift Savings Plan HRA-360 Total Compensation Dr. James Waters Jacqueline Kelly 2 March 2010 Every successful organization depends on the abilities of a good workforce. The United States Government is no different. We will write a custom essay sample on Thrift Savings Plan or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the major concerns of most employees is receiving fair compensation for the work performed, even after retirement. In 1920 the U S Federal government provided retirement, disability and survivor benefits for most civilian employees. The plan continues to provide benefits to those still covered under the plan. Employees covered under CSRC were not covered by Social Security. However, realizing a need for change, the United States Congress designed a new program, the Thrift Savings Plan, which was enacted 6 June 1986 and became effective 1 January 1987 in the Federal Employees Retirement Act of 1986. The Thrift Savings Plan is meant to operate like a 401(k) retirement savings plan. The plan permits employees to defer paying taxes on the money saved until they retire, at which time they may be in a lower tax bracket because they are no longer earning a full time income. The Thrift Savings Plan is one of the three parts of the Federal Employees Retirement System, and is the largest defined contribution plan in the world with assets worth over $210 billion dollars. The Thrift Savings Plan has the over 3. 7 million participants who contribute to the plan on a voluntary basis. Some these civilian participants included: Individuals on approved leave without pay to serve as full-time officers or employees of certain unions or other employee organizations Individuals assigned from a Federal agency to a state or local government under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignment who choose to retain FERS or CSRS coverage Individuals appointed or otherwise assigned to one of the Cooperative Extension Services, as defined by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 Federal justice and judges, certain Federal bankruptcy judges and magistrate judges, Claims Court judges, and Court of Veteran Appeals judges Nonappropriated Fund employees of the Defense Department or the U. S. Coast Guard who have chosen to be covered by FERS or CSRS. According to an rticle in the Business Source Complete, participants in the TSP are disproportionately male, higher earners, older, full-time workers, and either white or nonblack minorities compa red with the population at large. I expect this number to continue to grow as people’s concerns increase about Social Security’s existence further down the road. Employees in the Federal Retirement System are limited to contributing 10 percent of their earned income to the program and the federal government will match up to 10 percent. Employees who fall under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) who are not covered by Social Security may invest up to 5 percent of their earnings to the TSP. The federal government contributes 1 percent to TSP accounts for all employees covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System. Many government employees obviously consider this program an important compensation and they continue to increase their contributions as their earnings increase. Data collected by the Department of Labor, the Employee Benefit Research Institute, and the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board for 1992, 1993, and 1997 noted that the TSP had a participation rate of 79 percent, which is more than the 68 percent eligible workers utilizing 401(k) plans, and 8 percent participating in IRAs. A contributing factor to the differences in the number of employees participating in the different programs may be the fact that government employees have a wealth of knowledge available to them on the TSP. They are able to monitor their accounts daily on the internet. In addition, changes may be made on how much is contributed and they may borrow from the account when necessary with minimal penalties. Although, they are advised that the account are established for long-term investing in their future are retirement. Federal employees under FERS have noted a pivotal reason they participate in the program is because of the matching contributions and those employees under CSRS tout the tax benefit as their main reason for participating in the program. Many people consider landing a government a great feat because of the benefits of getting all federal holidays off with pay, vacation and sick leave, and most time tuition reimbursement. But the TSP may now be very a sought after component of a compensation package. An added benefit to the TSP is workers are fully vested in the 1 percent agency automatic contributions after three years( two years for congressional employees and executive-branch political appointees). In addition, workers who leave the federal government for jobs in other sectors of the economy can leave their money in the TSP and it will continue to accrue interest, dividends, and capital gains according to the performance of the funds in which they have chosen to invest. If they opt not to leave their money in the TSP, they may roll it over into another investment vehicle such as an IRA or a 401(k) plan. Furthermore, there are no huge fees for management of the account. A draw back to the TSP is new hires have a waiting period of 6 to 1 year before they can reap the benefit of employer matching contributions. However, they may rollover distributions into the TSP form other tax-qualified retirement savings plans from private-sector firms. Provided certain criteria are met. The TSP is now available to military personnel. On October 30, 2000, the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-398) was signed. One provision of the law extended participation in the TSP, which was originally only for Federal civilian employees, to members of the uniformed services. The uniformed services include: †¢Department of the Army †¢Department of the Navy †¢Department of the Air Force †¢United States Marine Corps †¢United States Coast Guard †¢Public Health Service †¢National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration All contributions made by civilians and military personnel are made by way of automatic payroll deductions. They also had a limit of which they could contribute, mandated by the IRS of $15,500. Fortunately, employees over the age of 50 have a provision that allows for a little catch up, in that they may contribute an additional $5,000 annually. Employees may also make early withdrawals without penalty from the IRS if they need the money to pay for medical expenses of the plan participant, a spouse, or dependent, but only to the extent that they exceed 7. 5 percent of adjusted gross income. Ironically, funds may be withdrawn through an IRS levy to collect back taxes owed by the plan participant. Another allowable withdrawal may be for an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). Also, early distribution is permissible if it is part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments (SEPPs) over the life of the participant or the joint lives of the participant and the beneficiary. Both CSRS and the FERS retirement pension plans are determined by multiplying three factors: the salary base, the accrual rate, and the number of years of service. Salary base is the final average pay, usually their highest, before retirement. Nevertheless, while the TSP is an outstanding compensation for federal employees it does have some disadvantages. The Thrift Savings Plan is a defined contribution plan similar to a savings account maintained by the employer on behalf of each participating employee. The combined amounts contributed by the employee and employer are invested in stocks and bonds but the employer has no financial obligation other than making contributions to the employees retirement account. All the investment risks fall on the employee. If they do not invest enough for a comfortable retirement, or if the investments lose value or increase too slowly, the employee bears the burden of not having adequate income for retirement. If an employee withdraws from the fund before age 59 they will pay an additional 10 percent tax penalty. This additional tax does not apply to the beneficiary after the death of the participant of if the participant becomes disabled. I feel the government TSP is an excellent compensation afforded to civilian employees because they receive a specific dollar amount matched by Uncle Sam. They are able to make payroll deductions directly into the account and are able to manage their account directly through the internet. Employees covered by FERS have an amount equal to 1 percent of pay contributed to the Thrift Savings Plan by their employing agencies, even if the employee makes no voluntary contributions to the TSP. This amount is not deducted from employee pay. It is paid by the employing agency from sums appropriated to it by Congress for salaries and related expenses. Assuming a nominal annual investment return of 6. 0 percent, an employee who retires after 30 years of federal employment will be able to replace only about 3 percent of final salary from his or her TSP account if he or she never makes a voluntary contribution to the plan. Although it is minimal, employees can still benefit from the plan without contributing a penny. Without using a financial advisor, they have the ability to make intranet transfers on their accounts. Thrift Plan participants can receive account-balance information and conduct transactions using an automated phone system or on the Thrift Plan’s Website at www. tsp. gov. The plans seem relatively simple to understand. Employees no longer have to wait for an open enrollment period to make changes to their account. Government and military personnel have two choices on the bond side to invest in. If they want to invest in a low risk bond, the choice is the â€Å"G Fund† which invests in government securities, or the â€Å"F Fund,† which is tracks the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index. There’s a target maturity plan which they call â€Å"Life Cycle,† or â€Å"L Funds†. Basically, they way the plan works is participants select the fund whose target date corresponds most with the year they hope to retire. It is a diversified portfolio, investing in the C, F, G, S, and I funds that become more conservative as the participant nears their retirement age. The â€Å"C† fund invests in stocks of all of the corporations that represented in the Standard and Poor’s 500 index. The â€Å"F† fund, or â€Å"Fixed Income Index Investment Fund† invests in securities represented in the Shearson Lehman Brothers Aggregate (SLBA) bond index. They are comprised of government bonds, corporate bonds, and mortgage-backed securities. The â€Å"G† fund consist of U. S. government securities and pays interest equal to the average rate of return on long-term U. S. government bonds. This is a very low risk fund and considered the safest of the TSP funds because the principal is guaranteed not to drop in value. The â€Å"S† fund (Small Capitalization Stock Index Fund) invest in the common stocks that are represented in the Wilshire 4500 index. The â€Å"I† fund (International Stock Index Fund) invests in the stocks of foreign corporations represented in the Morgan Stanley Capital Investment EAFE(Europe, Australia-Asia, Far East) index. The â€Å"Life Cycle† Fund uses a combination of these five funds to optimize returns for employees depending on the time frame they have chosen for their expected retirement. The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) plays a fundamental role in helping federal workers achieve adequate financial resources for retirement. Employees covered by FERS who do not make voluntary contributions to the TSP, and thus receive only the 1 percent agency automatic contribution, will be able to replace only 2 percent to 4 percent of final annual salary from the TSP at retirement. Most workers in the lower and middle ranges of the federal salary scale will be able to achieve the 60 percent salary replacement. The TSP makes for an admirable compensation feature for many of the active duty military retirees who seek employment with the federal government after retirement. This would be icing on the cake since the military uses the benefits plan based on salary earned in the years immediately preceding retirement which they start receiving the month after they are completely retired from active duty. I could see how the â€Å"double dippers,† as they are called, may be able to maximize on the TSP using their retirement income. It would allow for employees need for security to be satisfied in knowing that after retirement they may have an adequate income after they leave government service if their funds are invested wisely. They would still be able to meet their physiological, safety and security needs, which is especially important in retirement years. That in turn should help to keep their spirit and self esteem up because they are still able to provide for themselves and others that depend on them which should bring a sense of belonging and love. Ultimately, being able to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, in the public or private sector, sends a message tol employees that their employer or the U S government thought enough of the people who work for them to implement a compensation plan to reward them for their years of service to the organization. I think if more employees had a compensation package that included a benefit similar to the Thrift Savings Plans less people would be concerned about the solvency of Social Security. Federal employees at all income levels can significantly boost their retirement income by contributing to the TSP, and such contributions are essential in order for those in the upper third of the federal pay scale to achieve a level of income that will allow them to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. References Purcell, P. (2007). Federal employees’ retirement system: The role of the thrift savings plan. Journal of deferred compensation, 13(1), 74-99. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Springstead, G. , Wilson, T. (2000) Participation in voluntary individual savings accounts: An analysis of IRAs, 401 (K)s, and the TSP. Social Security Bulletin, 63(1), 34. Retrieved from Business Premier database. (2007). Thrift Savings Plan participant survey results 2006. Pension Benefits, 16(5), 11. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database (2008). Federal Thrift Plan mirrors 401(k) Plans. 401K Advisor, 15(11), 8-9. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Barkume, A. (2004). Using incentive pay and providing pay supplements in US job markets. Industrial Relations, 43 (3), 618-633. Dolmat-Connell, J. , Dolmat-Connell, S. , Miller, G. (2009). Potential implications of the economic downturn for executive compensation. Compensation Benefits Review,41, 33-38. Gerhart, B. , Rynes, S. (2003). Compensation: Theory, evidence, and strategic implications. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. Hansen, F. (2010). Currents in compensation and benefits. Compensation Benefits Review, 42: 3-15. Henderson, R. (2006). Compensation management in a knowledge-based world (10th edition). Upper Saddle Creek, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson. Milkovich, G. , M. Newman, J. (2008). Compensation (9th edition). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Publishers. How to cite Thrift Savings Plan, Papers

Steroids Essays (1874 words) - Exercise Physiology,

Steroids A Struggle for Size Athletic competition has been part of society since the early beginnings of man. Gladiators, wrestlers, and sprinters are some the early types of athletes that competed. Mankind seems to have been born with a desire to compete; every man feels the need to have dominance over another man. These facts are even apparent in today's society. Now there are all kinds of sports to choose from, and many of these sports are played at a professional level. These sporting events give individuals that chance to be the better of another person, just as the earlier ones did. That inbred desire to dominate will lead men to do almost anything for victory. This is good in many cases because it shows courage and perseverance; on the other hand, many have taken it to the extreme of using outside agents to better their chances for dominance. By this I mean, a large number of athletes use performance enhancing drugs. Athletes have taken natural or synthetic performance aids since the earliest days of organized sports competition(Clark, Cooper, and Griffen, 525). The usage of performance enhancing drugs like steroids has become too widespread and it needs to be stopped. The illegal production and distribution of steroids should be disrupted or even halted. The athletic community as a whole looks down upon the usage of such drugs. Many rules and regulations have been created to cut down on the number of athletes that use drugs to heighten their performances. The Olympics exemplify this strategy very well. If an Olympic competitor admits or is tested positive for steroid use the can be stripped of any medals won, or they can be disqualified from all competition. A well remembered instance in which this occurred was when the sprinter Ben Johnson won the gold medal in the 100-meter dash, but not to long after he was denounced from his position as the worlds fastest man. Professional and college football in the United States also takes this approach to athletes caught using steroids. Football players may be fined or suspended from playing in games for testing positive. Just last month three National Football League players were suspended from the last four games of their season because of testing positive for substances that were similar to steroids. These are not the only events in which testing and penalties take place. Many other sports test their athlete for steroid use. These methods of testing and penalizing the athlete are valiant attempts at reducing the problem. Yet, these attempts are not enough because they focus too much on those that use the drugs instead of the sources of the substances. In no way though are the athletes free from blame. They are the individuals that must make the final decision, but there needs to be more of an effort to penalize the persons distributing these drugs. In order to solve any type of problem, one should consider the source of the dilemma, and then head straight for that source with the intent to dispel the struggle. I have a simple solution to propose that will correct the escalating use of steroids among the athletes of today, but it may be hard to accomplish. Although it seems like a good plan to penalize the athletes for using steroids it really is not, because all this does is temporarily lessen the use, nothing more. These athletes are taking the full blame for this problem, but there are others that should share this burden with them. I believe that instead of attacking athletes as though they are the criminals, we need to assault the distributors of these substances. By cutting off the problem at the root, which is the distributors and producers, we prevent the athlete from ever having the chance of getting their hands on these steroids. If we do not address the problem in this manner then it is possible that it could never get resolved. It will continue to grow like weeds in a garden if we do not rectify the issue. Leaving it up to the athletes to refrain from usage allows the substances to continue being circulated, and this does not bring us towards a solution it merely pacifies us. There needs to be some strict fines placed on those that produce or distribute steroids. It is necessary to understand the nature of these substances and what they are. Steroids are natural or synthetically occurring compounds with a wide range of physiological activity, as defined by Encarta Encyclopedia. Steroids are substances that increase strength

Free Zones and Their Contribution to the Economic Development of the UAE

Free Zones and Their Contribution to the Economic Development of the UAE Introduction Background and rationale for the study The United Arabs Emirates (UAE) is one of the most prosperous countries in the Gulf Region. The country is characterised by a high level of political and social stability due to its monarchical system of governance. Furthermore, its leadership system has contributed greatly towards the country’s economic growth. The UAE is cognisant of the role of economic integration in promoting economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Free Zones and Their Contribution to the Economic Development of the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Subsequently, Abed (2001, p.30) notes that the country is a member of a number of economic zones such as ‘the Arab League, the United Nations, the Gulf Co-operation Council, and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference’. In addition, the UAE has also adopted the concept of ‘free zone’ as one of its strategies towards achieving its macroeconomic goals. The Oxford Business Group (2008) defines the concept of ‘free zone’ as a perimeter within which businesses are accorded a unique trading environment such as an exemption from taxation and custom fields. However, businesses operating in the free zones are required to boost the country’s economic growth by creating jobs, increasing their volume of exports, and promoting diversification by investing in various economic activities. Over 32 free zones have been established across the UAE, twenty-six of them are located within Dubai, and they mainly cover trade and service activities. The UAE government has nurtured an enabling environment for businesses to operate. For example, businesses operating in the free zones are not subjected to customs, foreign trade controls, and quotas. Furthermore, the government has implemented an unrestricted profit and capital repatriation policy. Foreign firms operating in the free zones have full ownership of their business (Balazadeh 2012). Free zones have had remarkable contribution in the economic development of the UAE. For example, the zones have attracted quality Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) especially within the private sector, created employment opportunities for the Emiratis, enhanced technology transfer, and promoted the growth of exports. The UAE’s free zones have provided the country with a perfect opportunity to display its development. Furthermore, the country has experienced quantum growth with regard to industrial development (Dubai Information Site 2010). Therefore, the contribution of free zones in the UAE’s economic development cannot be underestimated. Statement of the research problem The proliferation of free zones in the UAE emanates from the government’s effective planning and policy formulation. For example, the UAE government has nurtured an environment conducive for conducting business. Subsequently, numero us foreign companies have established their operations in the region.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The attractiveness of the UAE, especially amongst firms in the private sector, has also improved courtesy of the government’s commitment to create a knowledge-based economy. Approximately, 60% of the world’s biggest business organisations are located in the Dubai’s free zones (HSBC Global 2013). However, emerging economies around the world are increasingly adopting the concept of free zones in an effort to stimulate economic growth. Some of the strategies that emerging economies are adopting include improving their infrastructure within the free zones in order to improve their competitiveness. For example, governments are progressively implementing data centres, increasing the size of industrial land and improving logistics together with w arehousing facilities in order to meet the needs of different investors (Farole 2006). Subsequently, the attractiveness of the UAE’s free zones faces major future challenges. For these zones to maintain their competitive advantage, it is imperative for the government to recognise the importance of improving the zones’ structures and competitiveness. Furthermore, the UAE government should understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the prevailing macroeconomic and microeconomic factors. Gaining such understanding will remarkably improve the contribution of the free zones to the UAE’s economic development(HSBC Global 2013). Research objectives The aim of this study is to investigate the economic challenges and opportunities faced by the private sector and the UAE government in it pursuit to promote economic growth through the development of free zones. Research questions A number of research questions will be considered in an effort to attain the afor ementioned objective. Some of these questions are illustrated herein. What structures should the UAE government institute in order to improve the competitiveness of the free zones? What opportunities can be derived from the UAE’s free zones? What are the challenges faced by firms in the private sector operating in the UAE’s free zones? Limitations of the study A number of limitations were experienced in the process of conducting this research. First, the researcher was limited by resource availability with regard to time and finances. Subsequently, the researcher was not able to conduct a study on all the 32 free zones established in the UAE. Consequently, the findings from the free zones considered are only representative of the prevailing conditions in the UAE.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Free Zones and Their Contribution to the Economic Development of the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organisation of the paper This report is organised into a number of sections, which include literature review, methodology, analysis, conclusion, and recommendations. Literature review Free economic zones have become a critical global phenomenon over the past few decades. The zones play an essential role in promoting structural reform and economic development in both developed and developing economies. A study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2002) shows that it is easy to establish a free zone if the necessary government approval is obtained. Goods and services provided by businesses in the free zones are exempted from customs duties. Economies can adopt different types of free zones. Some of these zones include Free trade zones (FTZs) these are the most prevalent types of the FEZs. Different trade activities including re-exportation, transhipment, and distribution of goods are undertaken in the FEZs. Subsequently, the FTZs can be define d as centres of international trade. Most free trade zones are located in major distribution centres and routes such as seaports, airports, railways, roads, and maritime routes. There strategic location provides import-export companies with a perfect opportunity to improve their operational efficiency (Mankiw 2009). Export processing zones (EPZs) these zones are also referred to as service and industrial free zones. The zones are specifically designed in order to promote specialised manufacturing activities such as production of different consumer goods like clothing, consumer electronics, textile, and industrial components (Jenkins 2000). FEZs are an important vehicle in countries’ pursuit for various micro-economic objectives such as stabilising the foreign exchange rate and promoting employment. FEZs are also essential in promoting attainment of political and macro-economic objectives. Furthermore, FEZs are characterised by preferential application of economic policies d efined by a particular geographical zone (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 2002). The geographical coverage of the FEZs varies from a few hectares to thousands of square kilometres. The zone can also be located within the borders of a country. Malhotra and Papadopoulos (2009) argue that FEZs do not only serve the purpose of promoting free trade. However, FEZs are also designed in order to protect domestic economy from the adverse effects of the global economy (Guangwen 2003). Corporations, which are established in the FTZs, are motivated by the need to position their businesses in a beneficial location. The FTZs are usually low cost structures. IBPUSA (2007) asserts that free zones have undergone remarkable growth due to the high rate of trade liberalisation. Most economies, which had previously adopted a closed economic system, are relinquishing their closed trade policies and inclining towards open economic policies.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More China is among the emerging economies that have adopted open economic systems by integrating free zones. By 2008, China had established over 213 free zones in over 9 regimes. By the end of 2008, the free zones established accounted for over 47% of China’s total exports (Carter Harding 2011). Free zones explain the spiral economic growth in most Eastern European countries. A number of Sub-Saharan African countries have also derived their economic growth from free zones. In 2009, the region had 101 free zones in which Kenya led with 33 FEZs (International Energy Agency 2005). Free zones are considered to a strong pillar in promoting the UAE’s economic performance. Free zones in the UAE Free zones have played a fundamental role in enhancing the level of foreign direct investment in the UAE. Most free zones in the UAE provide investors with similar incentives, which include Extended leases Inexpensive and abundant energy 100 percent foreign ownership 100 percent tax exem ption Quick approval procedures The zones function under the Free Zone Authority [FZA]. The body is charged with the responsibility of issuing licenses to firms, which intend to establish their operations within the FTZ. Furthermore, the body has to provide businesses with the necessary support. Investors intending to establish businesses in the zone can adopt different business structures. Some of these formats include Free Zone Companies (FZCO), Free Zone Establishment [FZE], or subsidiaries of foreign companies. The FZCO are limited liability companies, which must be owned by more than one shareholder. The FZCOs and FZEs are required to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the free zones. Furthermore, the FZEs and FZCOs must have an average financial capital base ranging between AED 50,000 and AED 1million (Terterov 2006). Upon gaining legal presence in the UAE’s free zone, a particular business entity is required to obtain a license from the FZA and lease land or p remises in which it will conduct its operations. Firms operating in the zones are restricted from selling their merchandise within the country. However, they can only engage in domestic trade through a local and registered official agent (Zaman 2011). Methodology Research design The study has adopted both qualitative and quantitative research design. The decision to adopt qualitative research design was informed by the need to gather substantial data from the field. Qualitative research design was considered due to the explanatory nature of the study. Adopting qualitative research design also gave the researcher a chance to carryout an in-depth study of the various issues associated with free zones. Quantitative research design was also incorporated in order to condense the diverse data collected from the field. Integrating qualitative research design was also informed by the need to ensure that the target stakeholders such as the UAE government and other non-governmental entities u nderstand the study’s findings. Population and sample In order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the structure, challenges, competitiveness, and opportunities associated with free zones in the UAE, researcher decided to collect data from government representatives and private firms operating in the free zones. Random sampling technique was used in selecting the sample study. The sampling technique was selected for it is easier and manageable to evaluate a sample when compared to the total population. Simple random sampling technique enabled the researcher to eliminate the element of bias in selecting the respondents. A sample of 200 respondents was selected from the free zones in the UAE. The researcher ensured that the selected respondents were conversant with the operations of the free zones in the UAE. Data collection The researcher relied on both secondary and primary sources of data. This decision was informed by the need to improve the reliability of the study . Interviews and questionnaires were used as the main primary data collection tools. Considering the resource limitation in conducting the study, the researcher conducted interviews over the phone. One the other hand, the questionnaires were mailed to the respondents. The questionnaires were semi-structured in nature by integrating both closed and open-ended questions. Data analysis and presentation The research questions considered in the study were evaluated and analyzed individually. The analysis was conducted by taking into account the responses from the various respondents considered in the study. Tables and graphs were used in presenting the data collected from the field. Therefore, the researcher was in a position to condense the voluminous data collected. Analysis The study considered respondents of different gender and age as illustrated below. Gender Number of respondents Male 100 Female 100 Total 200 The chart below illustrates the respondents’ age grou p. Age Group (years) Number of respondents 20-30 60 31-40 70 41-50 40 51 and above 30 Total 200 The core objective of this study is to highlight the economic challenges and opportunities facing the UAE government and firms operating in the region’s free zones. The researcher considered a number of aspects, which include Main structures that the UAE government has implemented in its quest to guide business operations within the free zones. Opportunities presented by the UAE free zones Challenges experienced in the UAE free zones In a bid to understand the competitiveness of the UAE free zones, the researcher sought to the opinion of the respondents on whether the structures implemented by the government promote the free zones’ competitiveness. The respondents had varied opinions. Ninety five percent (95%) of the respondents said that structures implemented by the UAE government promote FDI within the free zones. Only 5% of the respondents faulted the attractiveness of the free zone structures implemented by the UAE government. When asked why, the respondents cited a number of issues. First, the respondents cited the absence of taxes, custom privileges, and 100% foreign ownership as some of the core factors that make the UAE free zones most competitive foreign investment destination within the Middle East. The respondents cited the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority, the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, Ajman Free Zone Authority, and Hamariyah Free Zone Authority as some of the most attractive. On the other hand, the respondents who faulted the UAE free zones cited a number of reasons. First, they asserted that companies operating in the free zones are forced to confine their business activities within the zone. Subsequently, their market reach in the UAE is limited. Failure to comply with the set regulations may lead to a fine of more than US$35,000. When asked the main legal considerations that firm’s must have in or der to establish businesses in the UAE free zones, three main forms were identified. They include FZ Establishment, Branch, and FZ Company. The table below illustrates the core elements that must be adhered to in order to establish a business in the FTZs as suggested by the respondents. Free Zone Establishment Branch Free Zone Company Maximum number of shareholders 1 Parent company 2 Minimum number of shareholders 1 5 Minimum share capital $272,500 0 $ 136,000 Incorporation period 2 weeks 3 weeks 2 weeks Company structure Limited liability Unlimited liability Limited liability From the above results, it is evident that the UAE limits the type of business structures that can be established within its free zones. Furthermore, the restriction for businesses established in the free zones to sell their merchandise within the stipulated areas hinders businesses’ ability to achieve diversification. Free zone businesses are only allowed to rent premises outside the d esignated areas. The UAE government recently announced its intentions to allow businesses in the Dubai free zone to undertake activities outside the Dubai Free Zone. However, the government is yet to define the parameters within which the business activities will be undertaken. When asked about the opportunities that can be derived from the free zones, the respondents cited various benefits. 97% of the respondents identified increased foreign earnings, 93% cited Free zones to be a major employment creator and income generator, while 86% asserted that free zones is a major factor in attracting FDI. On the other hand, 78% of the respondents interviewed were of the opinion that free zones are vital in enhancing knowledge spillover and technological transfer, which in turn promote economic development. The chart below illustrates a summary of the respondents’ opinion on the opportunities associated with nurturing free zones in the UAE. Opportunity Percentage response Attract ion of FDI 86% Fostering knowledge spill over 78% Foreign exchange earnings 97% Income generation and employment creation 93% Conclusion and recommendations The study shows that free zones have played a remarkable role in promoting the UAE’s economic development. The establishment of free zones has enhanced the attractiveness of the UAE amongst foreign investors. Subsequently, the country has experienced significant growth in the size of FDI. Furthermore, free zones have created employment opportunities amongst the Emiratis, hence increasing their purchasing power. Fostering knowledge spill over and technology transfer is another major benefit that the UAE can gain from the free zones. However, the study shows that the UAE government has implemented a number of structures, which may hinder the contribution of the zones to the country’s economic growth. In order to achieve economic sustainability, it is imperative for the UAE government to consider improving t he country’s competitiveness. This move will play a fundamental role in attracting foreign and local investment. The government should consider the following. The UAE government should ensure that optimal laws and policies are formulated in order to promote the operations of business within and without the free zones. The government should establish different free zones in order to attract investors from different economic sectors, such as production, manufacturing, and services sectors. The government should also nurture an enabling legal and economic environment in the free zones. Some of the aspects that the business should focus relates to the nature of business structures that can be established in the zones to promote the establishment of different types of businesses. Reference List Abed, I 2001, United Arab Emirates; a new perspective, Trident Press, London. Balazadeh, M 2012, ‘The role of free trade zones in economic development’, Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research, vol. 2 no.11, pp. 11196-11201. Carter, C Harding, A 2011, Special economic zones in Asian market Economies, Routledge, Abingdon. Dubai Information Site: Start a business in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Northern Emirates 2010, Green Initiative, Abu Dhabi. Farole, T 2006, Special economic zones; progress, emerging challenges, and  future directions, World Bank, Washington. Guangwen, M 2003, The theory and practice of free economic zones; a case study of China, University of Heidelberg, Bonn. HSBC Global: Making free zones work 2013. Web. IBPUSA: Doing business and investing in United Arabs Emirates guide 2007, International Business Publication, New York. International Energy Agency: Middle East and North Africa insights 2005, OECD, Paris. Jenkins, M 2000, Export processing zones in developing economies; theoretical and  empirical consideration, Brandeis University, Brandeis. Malhotra, S Papadopoulos, N 2009, A comparative analysis of investments  climate at free trade zones and host country mainland, Carleton University, Halifax. Mankiw, G 2009, Principles of macroeconomics, Cengage Learning, Mason. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: OECD investment policy  Reviews 2002, OECD, Paris. Oxford Business Group: Report 2008, Oxford Business School, Dubai. Terterov, M 2006, Doing business within the UAE, GMB, London. Zaman, N 2011, UAE and globalisation: attracting foreign investment, GRIN Verlag, New York.

Antonio Luna, Hero of the Philippine-American War

Antonio Luna, Hero of the Philippine-American War Antonio Luna (October 29, 1866–June 5, 1899) was a soldier, chemist, musician, war strategist, journalist, pharmacist, and hot-headed general, a complex man who was, unfortunately, perceived as a threat by  the Philippines  ruthless first president  Emilio Aguinaldo. As a result, Luna died not on the battlefields of the Philippine-American War, but he was assassinated on the streets of Cabanatuan. Fast Facts: Antonio Luna Known For: Filipino Journalist, musician, pharmacist, chemist, and general in the fight for Philippine independence from the U.S.Born: October 29, 1866 in the Binondo district of Manila, PhilippinesParents: Laureana Novicio-Ancheta and Joaquin Luna de San PedroDied: June 5, 1899 in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, PhilippinesEducation: Bachelor of Arts from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1881; studied chemistry, music, and literature at the University of Santo Tomas;  licentiate in pharmacy at the Universidad de Barcelona; a doctorate from the Universidad Central de Madrid, studied bacteriology and histology at the Pasteur Institute in ParisPublished Works: Impresiones (as Taga-Ilog), On Malarial Pathology (El Hematozorio del Paludismo)Spouse(s): NoneChildren: None Early Life Antonio Luna de San Pedro y Novicio-Ancheta was born on October 29, 1866, in the Binondo district of Manila, the youngest child of seven of Laureana Novicio-Ancheta, a Spanish mestiza, and Joaquin Luna de San Pedro, a traveling salesman. Antonio was a gifted student who studied with a teacher called Maestro Intong from the age of 6 and received a Bachelor of Arts from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1881 before continuing his studies in chemistry, music, and literature at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1890, Antonio traveled to Spain to join his brother Juan, who was studying painting in Madrid. There, Antonio earned a licentiate in pharmacy at the Universidad de Barcelona, followed by a doctorate from the Universidad Central de Madrid. In Madrid, he fell obsessively in love with local beauty Nelly Boustead, who was also admired by his friend Jose Rizal. But it came to nothing, and Luna never married. He went on to study bacteriology and histology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and continued on to Belgium to further those pursuits. While in Spain, Luna had published a well-received paper on malaria, so in 1894 the Spanish government appointed him to a post as a specialist in communicable and tropical diseases. Swept Into the Revolution Later that same year, Antonio Luna returned to the Philippines where he became the chief chemist of the Municipal Laboratory in Manila. He and his brother Juan established a fencing society called the Sala de Armas in the capital. While there, the brothers were approached about joining the Katipunan, a revolutionary organization founded by Andres Bonifacio in response to the 1892 banishment of Jose Rizal, but both Luna brothers refused to participate- at that stage, they believed in a gradual reform of the system rather than a violent revolution against Spanish colonial rule. Although they were not members of the Katipunan, Antonio, Juan, and their brother Jose were all arrested and imprisoned in August 1896 when the Spanish learned that the organization existed. His brothers were interrogated and released, but Antonio was sentenced to exile in Spain  and imprisoned in the Carcel Modelo de Madrid. Juan, by this time a famed painter, used his connections with the Spanish royal family to secure Antonios release in 1897. After his exile and imprisonment, understandably, Antonio Lunas attitude toward Spanish colonial rule had shifted. Due to the arbitrary treatment of himself and his brothers and the execution of his friend Jose Rizal the previous December, Luna was ready to take up arms against Spain. In his typically academic fashion, Luna decided to study guerrilla warfare tactics, military organization, and field fortification under the famous Belgian military educator Gerard Leman before he sailed to Hong Kong. There, he met with the revolutionary leader-in-exile, Emilio Aguinaldo, and in July 1898 he returned to the Philippines to take up the fight once more. General Antonio Luna As the Spanish/American War came to a close and the defeated Spanish prepared to withdraw from the Philippines, Filipino revolutionary troops surrounded the capital city of Manila. The newly-arrived officer Antonio Luna urged the other commanders to send troops into the city to ensure a joint occupation when the Americans arrived, but Emilio Aguinaldo refused, believing U.S. naval officers stationed in Manila Bay would hand over power to the Filipinos in due course. Luna complained bitterly about this strategic blunder, as well as the disorderly conduct of American troops once they landed in Manila in mid-August 1898. To placate Luna, Aguinaldo promoted him to the rank of Brigadier General on September 26, 1898, and named him chief of war operations. General Luna continued to campaign for better military discipline, organization, and approach to Americans, who were now setting themselves up as the new colonial rulers. Along with Apolinario Mabini, Antonio Luna warned Aguinaldo that the Americans did not seem inclined to free the Philippines. General Luna felt the need for a military academy to properly train the Filipino troops, who were eager and in many cases experienced in guerrilla warfare but had little formal military training. In October 1898, Luna founded what is now the Philippine Military Academy, which operated for less than half a year before the Philippine-American War broke out in February of 1899 and classes were suspended so that staff and students could join the war effort. The Philippine-American War General Luna led three companies of soldiers to attack the Americans at La Loma, where he was met with a ground force and naval artillery fire from the fleet in Manila Bay. The Filipinos suffered heavy casualties. A Filipino counterattack on February 23 gained some ground but collapsed when troops from Cavite refused to take orders from General Luna, stating that they would obey only Aguinaldo himself. Furious, Luna disarmed the recalcitrant soldiers but was forced to fall back. After several additional bad experiences with the undisciplined and clannish Filipino forces, and after Aguinaldo had rearmed the disobedient Cavite troops as his personal Presidential Guard, a thoroughly frustrated General Luna submitted his resignation to Aguinaldo, which Aguinaldo reluctantly accepted.  With the war going very badly for the Philippines over the next three weeks, however, Aguinaldo persuaded Luna to return and made him commander-in-chief. Luna developed and implemented a plan to contain the Americans long enough to construct a guerrilla base in the mountains. The plan consisted of a network of bamboo trenches, complete with spiked man-traps and pits full of poisonous snakes, which spanned the jungle from village to village. Filipino troops could fire on the Americans from this Luna Defense Line, and then melt away into the jungle without exposing themselves to American fire. Conspiracy Among the Ranks However, late in May Antonio Lunas brother Joaquin- a colonel in the revolutionary army- warned him that a number of the other officers were conspiring to kill him. General Luna ordered that many of these officers be disciplined, arrested, or disarmed and they bitterly resented his rigid, authoritarian style, but Antonio made light of his brothers warning and reassured him that President Aguinaldo would not allow anyone to assassinate the armys commander-in-chief. To the contrary, General Luna received two telegrams on June 2, 1899. The first asked him to join a counterattack against the Americans at San Fernando, Pampanga and the second was from Aguinaldo, ordering Luna to the new capital, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, about 120 kilometers due north of Manila, where the Philippines revolutionary government was forming a new cabinet. Ever ambitious, and hopeful of being named Prime Minister, Luna decided to go to Nueva Ecija with a cavalry escort of 25 men. However, due to transportation difficulties, Luna arrived in Nueva Ecija accompanied only by two other officers, Colonel Roman and Captain Rusca, with the troops having been left behind. Death On June 5, 1899, Luna went alone to the government headquarters to speak with President Aguinaldo but was met by one of his old enemies there instead- a man he had once disarmed for cowardice, who informed him that the meeting was canceled and Aguinaldo was out of town. Furious, Luna had started to walk back down the stairs when a rifle shot went off outside. Luna ran down the stairs, where he met one of the Cavite officers he had dismissed for insubordination.  The officer struck Luna on the head with his bolo and soon Cavite troops swarmed the injured general, stabbing him. Luna drew his revolver and fired, but he missed his attackers. Still, he fought his way out to the plaza, where Roman and Rusca ran to help him, but Roman was shot to death and Rusca was severely injured. Abandoned and alone, Luna sank bleeding to the cobblestones of the plaza where he uttered his last words: Cowards!  Assassins!  He died at 32 years old. Legacy As Aguinaldos guards assassinated his most able general, the president himself was laying siege to the headquarters of General Venacio Concepcion, an ally of the murdered general. Aguinaldo then dismissed Lunas officers and men from the Filipino Army. For the Americans, this internecine fighting was a gift. General James F. Bell noted that Luna was the only general the Filipino army had and Aguinaldos forces suffered disastrous defeat after disastrous defeat in the wake of Antonio Lunas murder. Aguinaldo spent most of the next 18 months in retreat, before being captured by the Americans on March 23, 1901. Sources Jose, Vivencio R. The Rise and Fall of Antonio Luna. Solar Publishing Corporation, 1991.Reyes, Raquel A. G. Antonio Lunas Impressions. Love, Passion and Patriotism: Sexuality and the Philippine Propaganda Movement, 1882–1892. Singapore and Seattle : NUS Press and University of Washington Press, 2008. 84–114.Santiago, Luciano P.R. â€Å"The First Filipino Doctors of Pharmacy (1890–93).† Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society 22.2, 1994. 90–102.

Heritage Education and Interpretation Dissertation

Heritage Education and Interpretation - Dissertation Example Assessment Details Remember all parts of the Assessment are compulsory. Suggested Timescale Before Placement. †¢ Complete Task 1 – Skills Audit. During First Week. (w/c 1st May 2006) †¢ Contact Niesha Nicholson to confirm your placement details. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Second Week. (w/c 8th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Third Week. (w/c 15th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fourth Week. (w/c 22rd May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fifth Week. (w/c 29th May 2006) †¢ Placement Co-ordinator to make contact. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Sixth Week. (w/c 5th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Seventh Week (w/c 12th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Eighth Week. (w/c 19th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. Assignment 1 Task 1 – Personal Skills Audit ... You can then look for development opportunities during your work experience. Please answer all the questions by ticking one of the boxes. Do not spend too long thinking about the answers, if you do not know if the question applies to you then tick 'don't know'. The audit should take no more than 15 minutes. You are examining your skills as they are now, not trying to tick every Yes box. There are no right or wrong answers. Remember - you are postgraduates, some of these skills will already be familiar to you! Personal Skills Audit Yes No Don't Know 1. As part of your course are you required to write a number of different written documents, essays, reports, etc. X 2. Do you make a point of listening attentively and seeking to understand what other people say X 3. Have you recently given a presentation to more than five people X 4. Have you recently worked with others, as part of a team, towards a goal or to complete a task X 5. Do you consistently meet and/or exceed targets (i.e. deadlines) X 6. Do you enjoy the challenge of solving problems X 7. Do you regularly analyse your performance and try to learn from it X 8. Do you identify ways of improving you own performance X 9. Are you familiar with the functions of a calculator and confident in applying them X 10. Are you able to use the different software packages available on the University PC clusters (Word, Excel, etc.) X 11. When writing an essay do you always prepare and work to an outline plan or structure X 12. Can you quickly establish a rapport with someone you've never met before X 13. Do you use a range of visual aids when giving a presentation, e.g. OHP's, flip chart, PowerPoint X 14. Have you made a substantial contribution to the planning and

Global pattern of earthquakes and seismic energy distributions Term Paper

Global pattern of earthquakes and seismic energy distributions - Term Paper Example Most of these papers have offered the evidence that chances are particularly limited for the seismicity to exist beyond 65 degrees towards the North. Additionally, the studies have pointed out that evidence is limited that the distribution of the released energy is limited to the zones, where maximum is considered to be the equator and other areas lying beyond 45 degrees north. The crucial question is whether these points hold relevance for events with magnitudes supposing magnitude 7. Importance of this study Since time immemorial, earthquakes have been ranked among the world’s most recurrent and devastating tragedies. Regions that have been most susceptible include the Asian countries, (especially China and Japan), the Caribbean, South America and Middle East. The recent events have seen other nations such as Turkey and Chile also ranked as countries prone to earthquakes. Even so, there are various insights that have been attached to catastrophes such as earthquakes. For ins tance, the severity of 2011 Japan quake can best be approached basing on the Steinberg’s insights on disasters. Steinberg (2000) focuses on how human economic and social forces turn natural events into calamities. Steinberg comes up with a compilation of a series of events that support his insights. According to him, events that culminate disasters are as a result of human decisions, such encouraging development on flood plains or in earth-quake ravaged zones, as well as attempts to divert river channels by using dams and dykes. Steinberg argues that responses to natural calamities do not work out effectively. They instead increase destruction and death, as well as social injustices. Stein erg elucidates how response teams eventual turn out to attribute the disaster events as the acts of God, when some people are to take the blame. Steinberg attributes the significant number of casualties in disasters to human decisions to desire economic growth, as well as decisions to provi de cheap housing in the disaster zones. Governments are concerned about the plight of property developers than those who would rent the property. Steinberg draws example from Earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906. Government did not want to give impression of possible recurrence of the earthquake for fear that it would discourage the investments within the city. Moreover, the State did not want to fund scientific research and examination of the situations. Steinberg cited various recurrent catastrophes in United States, elucidating that the causes for the natural disasters, as well as their severity, were instigated by the human social, political and economic forces. Even pertinent give that globalization is deeply rooted, an impact of the earthquake in one areas has also an impact on other areas and this comes directly or indirectly. It requires contingency measures. Of course, contingency measures may only be effective once the dynamics of the Global pattern of earthquakes and seismic energy distributions are well know; hence, the importance of the subject. It also functions to demystify some of the notions attached to the seismicity. Focus of the Paper A typical approach to analysis of earthquake events is that which incorporates seismic energy, abbreviated as E, the number of earthquake events (N) on the earth surface along the radius, as derived