Monday, September 30, 2019

Christian Worldview

America is now suffering from a Great Recession which was initiated by atheistic US bankers. As the Telegraph reports, â€Å"Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, attacked exploitative money lenders who pursued ‘ruthless gain’ and urged banks not to ‘enrich themselves at their poor neighbours' expense’. † Their worldview is dominated by money. They believe in the survival of the fittest, and they think that they can get away with anything. Their philosophy is to conquer or be conquered, to exploit anyone and everyone; and morals are only for the weak.But I look at the world through the lens of a Christian, and I believe that my faith in God, my belief in absolute truth and my definition of morality based on God’s word—the Holy Bible—will make my life successful and happy. For greedy American bankers, God does not exist, but for me, He lives in my heart. They say that God is a figment of my imagination, and there is no proof tha t God exists. As Psalms 53:1 points out, â€Å"The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God. ’ They are corrupt, and their ways are vile† (New International Version).But for me, the suffering that they have now brought to themselves is proof that there is someone out there more powerful than anyone. As Psalm 19:1 asserts, â€Å"the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. † The consequences that they will face under President Obama will be evidence that justice under God will prevail. As Isaiah 51:5 says, â€Å"My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm† (New Living Translation).And the happiness and contentment that I will enjoy throughout my life by trusting God is a confirmation of His reality and love for those who trust Him. Indeed, â€Å"All you who fear the LORD, tru st the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. † While greedy bankers may also believe in the relativity of truth, I consider it to be absolute. These people think that truth depends on perspective, just as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. They claim that what is â€Å"evil† for me is â€Å"good† for them.They think that the whole idea of â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† is subjective, and that it is for the â€Å"greater good† that they do all these â€Å"evils. † But I believe that good and evil are absolute. They have done evil, and that is the absolute truth, whether they like it or not. People all over the world, the majority of mankind, agree with me. The world is one in condemning them as evil. While these bankers define right and wrong based on their own â€Å"rational† thinking, I believe that only God, through his word, the Bible, can define morality.People who claim to think logically ask questions such as: â€Å" If you and your family were thrown overboard a sinking ship, and you could save only one person, either your mother or your husband who both can’t swim, who would you choose? † But in a real-life situation involving one’s family, real people don’t depend on logic like robots. Indeed, I would pray to God and attempt to save them both. I have faith that God will save us all, and faith is more powerful than logic.In the end, my Christian worldview, defined by my trust in God’s existence, my refusal to believe in the relativity of truth, and my faith in God’s Word as the ultimate resource for defining right and wrong, is my path to salvation. How I wish that everyone else can also see through my lenses. References Holy Bible: New International Version. (1978). Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (2007). Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers. Moore, M. (25 Dec 2008). Religious leaders blame bankers' greed for financial cr isis. The Telegraph.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

WebDesPix Ltd case study questions

1. What does the name WebDesPix Ltd tell you about the ownership of the company? It tells us that it is a private limited company; this means that it is in the private sector and it must have the letters ‘Ltd' after its name. The main features of a private limited company include: * It is owned by the shareholders. * It is controlled by the board of directors. * It is managed by appointed managers. * Finance can be gained by borrowing from banks or selling shares. * The profits go to the shareholders of the company, in the form of dividends. Socratic Seminar Questions 2. Give (2 or more) reasons why they may have decided on this type of company? This type of business is more expensive to set up than a sole trader or a partnership, however: * It carries less financial risk for the owners as they have limited liability, which means that if the company goes bust, they only lose the amount of money that they invested in the company and not their personal possessions. * Limited companies are also incorporated which means that the company has a separate legal identity from its owners. Which means that it is the company that can be sued or sue, not the owners. * It also gives the company greater continuity because its existence is not ended by the death or retirement of its owners. 3. Tom and Dee are shareholders. What does this mean? * It means that Tom and Dee are the people who invest money in the company by buying shares, and are therefore called shareholders. It also means that they are the owners of the company. * By buying shares in the company Tom and Dee are entitled to a share of the profits known as dividend. How much dividend a shareholder receives depends on how well the company is performing, the type of share they own, and the number of shares they own. * This also means that as they are shareholders they can elect people to the board of directors to represent their interest and be responsible for the long term strategy of the company. The directors will then appoint managers to be responsible for the day-to-day running of the company. Also, some managers may also be directors and are known as executive directors. In a private limited company the major shareholders, board of directors and managers may all be the same people. 4. They have an overdraft facility. Explain how an overdraft works and say what they might use if for. An overdraft is when a business draws more money from its bank account than it currently has in the account. It has permission from the bank, which sets an agreed limit called an overdraft limit. Interest is payable on the overdraft and this is calculated on a daily basis. An advantage of an overdraft is that money is only borrowed when needed; this means that interest is only paid when the bank account is overdrawn. The big disadvantage about an overdraft is that the bank can insist that it is repaid immediately. However, because of its flexibility an overdraft is probably the most frequently used way to solve a cash flow problem. The table shows the advantages and disadvantages of overdrafts: Advantages of overdrafts Disadvantages of overdrafts Flexibility-can change the amount borrowed within limits. Cannot be used for large borrowing. Interest is only paid on amounts borrowed. Rates of interest higher than loans. Bank can change limit at any time or ask for money to be paid sooner than expected. Used for anything wages, computer repairs etc 5. List 4 products the company offers. * Web design is still the core business of the company, but new services are also offered. * Electronic newsletters. * Domain registrations. * Hosting and search engine optimisation. * The company offers three standard web design packages, this is -budget at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½800 -professional at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000 -and executive at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1500 Each package provides a number of web pages, e-mail facilities and the cost of hosting the site. * WDP (WebDesPix Ltd) give a quotation to clients who require non-standard packages (a quotation is just an estimated price for job or service). 6. All their products are marketed online. Explain 3 advantages of this when compared to selling from a shop on the high street. Firstly, buying and selling products online is called e-commerce. The advantages of this include: * Websites can be used to reach wider markets; this means that the internet provides extra marketing possibilities. * The internet can be accessed all over the world-this makes it possible to target potential customers in foreign countries. * A company can put marketing material on its own website, or it could pay to advertise on other websites. * A good website can really help a firm's competitiveness and increase its market share. * Firms can market and sell goods through their website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ('24/7†²). * By using the strategy of marketing and selling '24/7†², it can give e-commerce firms an advantage over the traditional 9-5 businesses, as customers can shop at home, at a time which is convenient to them. 7. The company wants to build up their brand name. List 3 advantages of having a strong brand name. * Businesses will hope that this leads to brand loyalty, where customers will repeat-buy because they prefer the look, taste, quality or image of their products. * If the company's name becomes established with one product, it may encourage customers to buy different products bearing that name. * Customers can be reasonably sure about the quality they will get with branded goods. 8. What are overheads? Overheads (also called fixed costs or indirect costs) are costs which do not change whether the business produces lots of goods, or produces no goods at all. These are costs which still have to be paid, regardless of output. For example, the rent on a shop will still have to be paid, whether or not the shop has any customers. Examples of overheads are: -interest payment on loans. -managers' salaries. – Rates payable to the local council. -rent of premises. -gas -electricity -telephone costs -administration costs – and advertising 9. Explain why the company has relatively small overheads. The company has relatively small overheads because it is labour intensive. * It builds and upgrades its own computers. * Vacancies are just advertised on the company's website and at regular networking meetings with other businesses in the Bristol area. 10. List 2 factors which influenced the company to locate in Bristol. * They could have run the company from anywhere in England, but as they were all from different parts of the country it was easier to locate in Bristol where they had all studied (it was more convenient). * Bristol is a large city with good infrastructure, so transport is not a problem. * There is a university in Bristol, so the business is close to an educated working force. 11. List 3 non-financial fringe benefits available to the employees. * Free lunch each Friday. * The use of a Wii during their breaks. * Free health insurance after six months employment. 12. Give 2 reasons why the company gives fringe benefits. * To motivate their employees so that they feel valued by the company and are therefore more productive as well. * Helps attract and retain better qualified employees. * Improves efficiency and productivity as employees are assured of security for themselves (as well as their families). 13. Some employees receive a monthly bonus based on turnover. Explain bonus. Full-time employees receive a monthly bonus based on turnover. A bonus is a monetary reward. It can be paid within both the time rate and piece rate systems. Under the time rate system, a bonus is paid if the workers reach their production targets, which could be hourly, daily or weekly targets. 14. Explain one advantage of giving these employees a bonus. -this encourages workers to work at their maximum output, and so overcome the problem of the lack of incentive. It also increases the productivity, efficiency and motivation of employees, which may also increase their happiness. 15. Give one disadvantage of giving them a bonus. The disadvantage is that the employees expect a bonus and moral drops sharply when the bonus is not paid. 16. The 2 sales assistants receive commission in addition to their salary. Explain commission. Commission is a monetary incentive that the company can offer in addition to their basic pay. It is a payment to people who are employed in selling the products or services of a business. 17. Explain one advantage of giving these employees commission. This system ensures that employees have to work hard to earn their pay, but if they are successful, their earnings can be unlimited. 18. Give one disadvantage of giving them commission. If they fail to meet the required turnover or sales figures, they receive no commission. 19. List 2 advantages of using email. * It is quick and easy to send emails, as it allows communication easily over a number of sites. * People can keep in touch very easily-as many messages can be sent. * Messages can also be keyed-in and stored until they are needed. * One email can be sent to a number of different people at the same time. * They are very convenient, as multiple attachments can be sent. * It is easier to refer back to emails rather than looking through different pieces of paper. 20. Explain why the company might use video conferencing. Video conferencing is fast becoming more and more popular with companies. It involves using computer links and closed-circuit television, allowing people to hear and see each other. The advantages include: * Saves people travelling to meetings. * Large savings can then be made in terms of time and cost. * Face-to-face communication is possible rather than using telephone or letter.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Semi-conductor Devices and Circuits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Semi-conductor Devices and Circuits - Essay Example The other terminal of the secondary transformer provides the negative. The load is cut across by the resistor. Figure 2 Voltage and current waveform of a half-wave rectifier Voltage relationship The half-wave rectifier states that the load voltage vL is Vdc and expressed in the following diagram. The load voltage is equal to 0 and the angular frequency of the source is w = 2? = T. This is expressed in the following diagram. From the diagram above, we can get the half-wave: Half-wave Vdc = Vm = 0.318Vm ? I.2 Full-wave rectification The full-wave rectification can be produced in two types: the center-tapped and the bridge rectification. I.2.1 The full-wave center-tapped The full-wave with center-tapped transformer has two diodes acting as half-wave rectifiers and whose negative ends are connected to the two terminals of the transformer secondary. The two diodes provide a full-wave output. The DC currents of the two half-wave rectifier diodes are equal and opposite. (Lee & Chow 2011, p. 150) Figure 3 Schematic diagram of full-wave rectification with center-tapped transformer secondary I.2.2 The bridge rectifier The bridge rectification uses four diodes to provide full-wave rectification, and this does not use a center-tapped transformer. The bridge rectification uses four diodes to provide full-wave rectification, and this does not use a center-tapped transformer. The rectification is done in such a way that the current flows D3 and D4, conduct when the negative half-cycle.... The positive and negative half-cycles of a full-wave rectifier are expressed in the following formula. The full-wave is: Vdc = 2Vm = 0.636Vm ? I.3 Zener regulator Most application of zener diode is as shunt voltage regulator; its specific role is to regulate the load voltage. There are various uses or applications for a zener diode, such as: 1. Voltage regulating element in voltage regulators 2. Protector in a circuit 3. Zener or voltage limiter Figure 5 The application of zener diode in a regulator circuit is shown in the figure below. In this circuit, zener diode is used as shunt regulator. The zener diode compensates for the variation in load current; the zener drifts with the temperature. The drift characteristics are given in many zener diode datasheets. Its load regulation is adequate for most supply specifications for integrated circuits. It has a higher loss than the series-pass type of linear regulator because its loss is set for the maximum load current. The zener shunt reg ulator uses a simple formula where input voltage is greater than output voltage; the output is controlled by the zener diode. The zener shunt regulator is typically used for very local voltage regulation for less than 200mW of a load. A series resistance is placed between a higher voltage and is used to limit the current to the load and zener diode. I.4 Switching and amplifier circuits for transistors An ordinary transistor has three terminals for the base, emitter and collector. When it is in the OFF position, the output comes from the collector of a common-emitter stage. A digital circuit usually operates in two modes. (The transistor amplifier n.d.) Transistors are used for switching and amplifiers in circuits. In digital logic, transistors have the ability to switch

Friday, September 27, 2019

International Business Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business Assignment - Essay Example Company also became an online store in February 2005 with rebelsport.com.au. Now it has become all the more convenient to purchase performance runners, lifestyle footwear and apparel, gym equipment, yoga clothes, junior wear, licensed jerseys, specialized team and individual sport equipment, camping and outdoor gear and such items just at the click of a mouse. The latest financial figures of company (sales revenue for the nine months ended 1 April 2006) indicate an increase in sales revenue by 14.5% to $272.9 million compared to nine months ended 2 April 2005. Company hopes to cash-in on the Soccer mania and is looking forward to the period of April - June 2006 when the Soccer World Cup begins in Germany. Rebel Sport is associated with some major sporting bodies like National Rugby League (NRL), Cricket Australia, and Soccer NS around Australia. Company has also developed two sponsorship programs MVP and Rebel Sport Rookies to assist both sporting clubs/schools and individuals. In order to fulfill its commitment towards the society, company supports some charities as well. Starlight Foundation, The Day of Difference Foundation, Jeans for Genes (an initiative of The Children's Medical Research Institute of Australia-CMRI) are some of the charity organizations being benefited by this Philanthropy. New avenueNew avenues for business are explored when environment demands increase in pace of activity. Strategists feel more satisfied and comfortable with the prospects of growth from expansion and once the company feels secure and experienced enough on the home-ground it can very well start thinking about crossing the borders and entering the fiercely competitive international arena. It can very well be said that online retail counter can cater to anybody around the globe but for the brand to be recognized and developing 'brand loyalty' physical presence in different markets is a must. Rebel Sports has an experience of more than 20 years in this field so it can very well plan a strategy for opening stores in other countries as well. Today, rules of business success have changed. Innovation and the art of mastering the technological edge have emerged as the new competitive advantages. Information technology and improvements in global telecommunications are giving international firm s more flexibility to shape their global strategies. Rebel sports made good use of the information age by starting online training of its staff and thus channeling the inherent creative talents of all individuals in the right direction, a recipe for success. Now the moot question is 'which strategy to opt for, while entering the International arena. In general the strategies could be categorized as; 1. A multi domestic strategy 2. A global or international strategy 3. A transnational strategy A multi domestic strategy enables individual subsidiaries of a multinational firm to compete independently in different domestic markets. The multinational headquarters coordinates financial controls and major marketing policies, and may centralize some R&D and component production. Otherwise subsidiary behaves like a strategic business unit that is expected to contribute earnings and growth

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Psycholigical Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Psycholigical Disorders - Essay Example Discussion will also produce possible hospitalization therapies as well as when individuals should be admitted to a hospital based on symptoms. Finally, a brief summary of a case study will round out the discussion. One of the main disputes surrounding hallucination therapeutic evaluation is if the disorder is standalone or a side-effect of a much more psychological disorder such as Schizophrenia. The terminology surrounding hallucinations defines it as "a perception in the absence of sensory stimulation that is confused with reality (Psychology: Concepts and Connections, pg 518). As many psychiatrists evaluate their patients in a clinical surrounding, it would be circumspect to immediately label a person who is suffering from hallucinations as being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. One of the more important aspects of the diagnoses as to if the individual is suffering from hallucinations is to follow the same procedural steps in diagnosing any person with an ailment and that is to start with the symptoms Symptoms of hallucinations can either result from a traumatic event, results of other medical disorders such as epilepsy, olfactory seizures or from a variety of means of neurological aetiology. To understand the symptoms of these various forms of hallucinations, there is a need to understand the different types of neurological hallucinations that lead to correct diagnosis of symptoms. These include: GustatorGustatory hallucinations: are seldom found as an early sign of cognitive derangement. Clinical evolution could point toward early manifestations of Alzheimer's Dementia. Patients suffering from psychotic depression may also, report the illusion of bad taste in their mouth. Peduncular hallucinations: They originate from lesions of the mid-brain tegmentum. They may be elaborated and complex, rich in color, and depict landscapes, familiar faces, buildings, or lilliputian visions. Feeling tone may be absent, and the patient witnesses them with calm amusement. Auditory and Vertiginous Hallucinations: 1 Auditory: Stimuli of the transverse gyrus of Heschl of the temporal lobe, may elicit auditory events. 2. Vertiginous: Meniere's disease is the cause of severe kinesthetic hallucinations , accompanied by nausea, dizziness, and malaise. It may be also have tinnitus, often described as "chirping", or as the sound of crickets. This must be clinically differentiated from acoustic neuroma, vertebro-basilar artery syndromes, and other posterior fossa entities. Autoscopic hallucinations: These are a blend of visual and proprioceptive hallucinations. In these cases, the vision is of one's double, like in a mirror, sometimes repeating one's gestures, and on occasions busy with other activities, a veritable doppelganger. They may be secondary to hypnopompic hallucinations, migraine, seizure disorders, delirium, encephalitis, post-concussion syndrome, or even non-neurological events such as: transcendental meditation, mystic events, use of hallucinogens, and near death experiences (Boza, 1981) The symptoms, as mentioned above vary from patient to patient depending on their neurological dysfunction. The Merck Manual of Geriatrics entertains hallucinations as an ongoing concern for the elderly patients under doctor's care and suggests that the symptoms of hallucinations in the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Evaluation and Dissemination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evaluation and Dissemination - Research Paper Example Moreover, examining of costs and pre-allocated resource constraints that had been included in the activities can also enable to identify the level of success of a strategy. In addition, a process of identifying different strategic measures and practices that were executed to deal with different risks or challenges and evaluating their outcomes can also facilitate to measure the level of success of a particular business strategy (Dobbins et al., 2002). Dissemination of findings has major significance as it helps to understand about changes and provides effective directions to achieve postulated goals. The communication plan will be conducted for sharing findings by involving individuals and transmitting changes that can enable them to increase their operational efficiency. In this context, safeguarding an open and clear communication of the success of a strategy can enable each individual to increase their efficiency. Moreover, dissemination of key strategic measures and practices that were executed can further enable each individual to ratify their operational skills and help to identify effective set of practices. The communication process includes reporting system wherein all the strategic measures and practices are discussed with both internal and external groups of stakeholders. The process will enable to increase validity, reliability and value of the organization towards its stakeholders and ensure to build long-term sustai nability (Durlak & DuPre, 2008). Dobbins, M., Ciliska, D., Cockerill, R., Barnsley, J., & DiCenso, A. (2002). A framework for the dissemination and utilization of research for health-care policy and practice. Sigma Theta Tau International, 9(7), 1-12. Durlak, J. A., & DuPre, E. P. (2008). Implementation matters: A review of research on the influence of implementation on program outcomes and the factors affecting implementation. Am J Community Psychol, 42,

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Can good leadership be taught Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Can good leadership be taught - Essay Example Knowledge can be gained, skills can be learnt but intelligence cannot be generated. A person needs to be intelligent and sharp in order to gain knowledge and utilize it. Leadership requires certain traits in a person.Leadership and managerial work are common observable facts that there are no general rules that creates leadership events or leadership methods, or for that issue great leaders. Managerial work and leadership are made cooperatively. Therefore, the only way to understand leadership correctly is the basic knowledge in group sciences. In simple words, managerial work is the process of describing and calculating the victory. A leader is the person who puts forward the plan, explains success, and confirms the capability of success. It is clear that a leader who assures these things will be more competent than other leader who desires to put the idea but refuses to accept any work in the managerial part (Clark, Clark & Albright, 1990). Hence, effective leader is the one who ha ve power over people and whose decisions are binding on others. Everyone possesses leadership potential. Effective Leadership can, & normally does, emerge from the inside. Effective leadership requires the leader to take the whole group along. It is not necessary to involve the whole group in decisions regarding the group’s success however; the members of group are ‘helpers’. These ‘helpers’, if motivated and encouraged to work together, may quicken the process of success. Motivation emerges with the feeling to improve the surroundings. An effective leader must know that motivation is the key to improve the group's performance and the chances of success. Motivation, however, is not easy. It requires continuous performance appraisal and strong communication skills. This is the point from where effective leadership enters. Effective leadership requires the leader to choose the tasks for the group. A leader may also take suggestions from other group members but it may end up in losing the actual aim of the group. Hence, an effective leader should keep a strict watch over the performance and path of the group if it is moving towards achieving its goals or not. All these techniques to keep the group together and to motivate them and decision making techniques can be taught (FBI, 2007). The difference among success and failure of a team or group can be determined by leadership. Leadership divides the achievers from the spectators. And

Monday, September 23, 2019

Purchasing behaviour of young people at the university as far as Essay

Purchasing behaviour of young people at the university as far as purchase of smart phones is concerned - Essay Example Appendices 16 Research question: 16 Background 16 Methodology and sample 16 Sample questionnaire 17 Executive summary The study is aimed at researching the purchasing behaviour of young people at the university as far as purchase of smart phones is concerned. Over the past few decades, there has been widespread innovation and innovation in the ICT field. This has seen the introduction of smart phones that are almost similar and in some cases even arguable better than computers. To establish on how this environment has influenced the students in universities, the research was done by using of structured questionnaires as well as random interviews on campus. The questionnaires were prepared and circulated to a group of fifty students that were randomly selected in order to make the findings as objective as possible. The collected data was then manipulated using SPSS software. The research was mainly based on the characteristics of brand name, the price, the smart phone features, cost a nd last but not least, the gender of the buyers. As the research established, most students bought the smart phones due to the functionalities like Wi-Fi for purposes of convenience. However, peer pressure was also seen as one of the main contributing factors in the purchase decisions of the students. 1. Introduction 1.1 Terms of reference The participants of the research were university students. What inspires students to acquire smart phones may not be the same as what inspires other people in the society to acquire smart phones. For instance, students like following trends and most will buy a smart phone if all their friends buy them. In addition to this, students will often consult with their colleagues when trying to do some research before they buy a phone. The research carried out sought to establish a number of questions:- What informs the purchase decisions for smart phones by students? What do students seek out in the phones they purchase? Where do students get the relevan t information that informs their purchase decisions for smart phones? 1.2. Background Needless to say, the smart phone does more than just help the owner to keep in touch with friends and families. This device also helps one in carrying out various computing processes. In fact, there has been a widespread debate on the possibility of the Smartphone totally replacing the computer. The spread of the Smartphone use has especially been fuelled by the entrance of more affordable models by the different manufacturers. The smart phone revolution came hand in hand with the revolution in gaming consoles, PDAs, Cameras, GPS as well as other important revolutionary concepts in ICT. The introduction of open source applications on the android platform has made the maintenance of the Smartphone more affordable on the lean budget of a student. For instance, instead of having to pay monthly subscriptions for applications, there are many developers on the open source platform that use the General Pu blic User licence on their apps. In addition to this, companies like Huawei among many others have also developed inexpensive Smart phones that have almost the same functionalities like their more expensive counterparts. Some experts believe this is one for the main contributing factors towards the increase in the use of smart phones by university students. 2. Literature survey In order to understand the ownership of smart phones among university students, there is need to review the industry with respect to the different brands

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Mind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mind - Essay Example I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. The main content of the study which has been presented contains work that has not previously been reported anywhere. This written report is for an assignment about software for collaborative work and phenomenological analysis. The assignment is divided into two activities. Activity 1 deals with the evaluation of the software Timbuktu, which is a remote control and secure encrypted connection software that is used for network management on large and distributed networks. Activity 2 of the assignment presents a brief discussion about phenomenological analysis under the Activity 2 for this part. The software Timbuktu is desktop-to-desktop remote control software for use with computers that have the Windows or the Macintosh operating systems. This software is useful for large distributed networks in which hundreds of computers are linked together over a network that has a substantial spatial spread. Because of the spatial spread, it is likely to be difficult for network maintenance or administrative staff to traverse substantial distances to troubleshoot computers or to load files onto the machines. Timbuktu makes it possible for remote computers to be manipulated through network interconnection with a local computer. This is a great help when very many computers have to be looked after, but it must be noted that at the time of writing, Timbuktu is not available specifically for the Vista operating system, although it is likely that the capability of Vista to run legacy software systems will permit Timbuktu to be used on machines with this operating system. Complimentary media can be considered as being a communications media which is capable of replacing the established or the traditional or which is capable of providing support for

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The theories and philosophical understanding Essay Example for Free

The theories and philosophical understanding Essay With the advent of the 21st century and the fact that myriad challenges confront the world, it is only through firm disposition and the ability to cope with the persistent challenges of today that one can assuredly survive anything that may press on. And since the birth of the new age, we should take quantum leap towards the furtherance of ourselves to be of benefit to others and most of all to the world in which we live, and be one who can share in the problems of time with dignity, self-reliance, and respect for the diversity of others. These, I firmly believe, is what AUK aims for to provide students not just with knowledge but wisdom, and let them discover their innate best upbringings which will set them to the kind of pedestal they yearn to be. And since, we live in the land of miscellany, where many may have been living with their own ideology and philosophical conception, it is deemed that the young be inculcated with fine understanding of the differences around them and respect for themselves and for diversity. These are what motivated me to aspire to be part of AUK’s community. Because one may beeducated with multitude of theories and philosophical understanding in life for several years, but may not enliven everything he had been told and learned. One may just aspire only for the advantage of himself instead of the progress of many. The underlying principle behind a university which caters to the demand of its studentry is to mold future leaders with high moral standards. With this drive, I can admit to myself that if I will be given a chance to be part of such prestigious community of intellectuals and future benefactors of humanity, I can enhance the its community for I think that the best armament towards the fulfillment of one’s goals and aims is to share the same thing by having it manifested through his actions and performance of duties. I can say that commitment is one which can make a difference and this one of my attributes to commit to anything that will not just be of benefit for but one which I think will also benefit from me. And since commitment works hand in hand with action, I should say that I am also active in performing my duties and responsibilities which have been realized in most of my school activities and other responsibilities at home. If I have not been educated of the importance of taking responsibility, then I would not have been part of our school’s basketball team for four years. Academically, I have always been focused and straightforward for I treasure what my parents would always tell me that education is something which will give you the best weapon to combat innocence and one which will set you apart from the others. It is something which can’t easily be attained but sure enough to be something which will follow its master. I do believe that the concepts and skills I have acquired from my secondary education have equipped me to better understand the intricacies of life and to aspire for more altruistic aims. This I should say I have already started doing, when I volunteered in childen’s hospitals. And I believe that this has been helpful in understanding more the deeper meaning of service to others. All these root from my attachment to my family which I am most proud of. If not because of them, I would not have been looking at things seriously as possible. These attribute which set forth from our home to the school have ameliorated me to become someone who aspire to be sculpted to a better individual with greater hopes soaring high.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Purchase Behaviour Analysis: Perfumes

Purchase Behaviour Analysis: Perfumes Ajmal Perfumes is a family owned business, based Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was founded by the Haji Ajmal Ali in the early 1950s, in India and has grown from a modest trading house into a multimillion dollar corporate entity. Through 60 years of experience it acquired rich heritage and know how in the intricate art of perfumery and carved a niche for itself in the perfume industry as an innovator in perfume making and a pioneer in the marketing of perfume products to a global clientele (Ajmalperfume.com, 2011). It is a corporate entity with a vast portfolio of over 300 of the finest and most captivating fragrances and has over 140 exclusive retail outlets across the GCC. Ajmal also has a presence on the international front, currently exporting their exquisite range of products to 30 countries across the world and exclusive presence through select Duty Free locations and Airlines (Ajmalperfume.com, 2011). (Source: http://www.ajmalperfume.com/our_philosophy-pcident-1) Statement of the problem Due to current market conditions, which is highly competitive and dynamically changing, especially in the location of this particular store, Ajmal Perfumes is concerned about the situation around it. Hence this study aims to outline the attributes influencing purchase behaviour Ajmal Perfumes customers. Objective of the Study The main objective of this study is concerned in outlining the factors which influence the buying behavior of Ajmal Perfumes customers in their retail store located in Murshid Bazaar, Deira, Dubai, UAE. Scope and Limitation of the Study Main limitation of this study was the privacy issue, as the store where data collection was held provided limited access to its customer base and information. Hence the study did not covered the demographics of the respondents, which if used could bring a change in the final results in our opinion. Also due to limited resources and lack of time the research was limited only to the branch of Murshid Bazaar located in Deira and its results cannot show the situation in other branches of Ajmal Perfumes in UAE. Significance of the Study The study of consumers buying behaviour as such is an important aspect, as consumers are the main factor of any successful business. It was observed that the importance of predicting the attributes influencing the consumer purchasing behaviour in retail outlets is important. This particular study explores the different aspects that have impact on consumers buying behaviour in the retail outlet of Ajmal Perfumes. The results of which can help to take according actions against weak sides of the business, understand and implement the necessary attributes to increase the satisfaction of customers of Ajmal Perfumes. Definition of Terms Confidence level. A percentage or decimal value that tells how confident a researcher can be about being correct (Zikmund, 2003). Descriptive research. A research designed to describe characteristics of a population or a phenomenon (Zikmund, 2003). Likert scale. A measure of attitudes designed to allow respondents to indicate how strongly they agree or disagree with carefully constructed statements that range from very positive to very negative toward an attitudinal object (Zikmund, 2003). Population. A group of entities sharing some common set of characteristics (Zikmund, 2003). Research instrument. A data collection form such as questionnaire or other measuring device (Zikmund, 2003). Theory. A coherent set of general propositions used to explain the apparent relationships among certain observed phenomena (Zikmund, 2003). Variable. Anything that may assume different numerical or categorical values (Zikmund, 2003). Review of Related Literature Literature review gives a clear display of the related research and or the work which is already done by someone in the similar area of research. This chapter outlines the theories which would help in understanding buying behavior of customers by focusing on the factors influencing it. Theoretical Literature The knowledge of consumer shopping behaviour is an important aspect in developing an effective and successful business. Past researches and theories in consumer behaviour compared to the theoretical and empirical work on brand choice behaviour, suggested that consumers are using shopping strategies rather than brand strategies (Darden and Howell, 1987). Defining shopping behaviour is difficult, because it is a complex and multidimensional concept with several variables. Although the concept shopping orientation is described by researchers from various perspectives, certain major variables are repeated in the different descriptions (Prasad and Aryasri, 2011; Nielsen, 2011). The definitions of shopping orientation reflect a view of shopping as a complex personal, economic, social and recreational phenomenon (Darden and Howell, 1987; Shim and Kotsiopulos, 1993). The behaviour of shoppers differs according to the place where they are shopping and their involvement level with the act of shopping (Berman and Evans, 2005). Cardoso and Pinto (2010) examined hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations among Portuguese young adult consumers and identifies seven shopping dimensions: pleasure and gratification shopping, idea shopping, social shopping, role shopping, value shopping, achievement shopping and efficiency related shopping. Related Studies Review of the related literature has shown that different researches have stated that customer behavior is influenced by many factors including store image, brand preferences, their budget and etc. Rhee and Bell (2002) stated that shoppers typically have a primary affiliation to a main store that captures the majority of their purchases. Taher et al. (1996) and Sirohi et al. (1998) emphasise that it is important for retailers to systematically seek information of the retail patronage experience and then plan to build store loyalty based on augmented services, including their financial implications. Research conducted processing of store attributes by means of which consumers decide which will be their primary store. It is empirically examined that retail store attributes affect store choice and purchases (Leszczyc and Timmermans, 1997). Store choice and patronage studies have focused on shoppers tendency to concentrate on the same store. The existing models share a set of common variables to predict consumer buying behaviour and patronage behaviour. In this section, those previously established patronage models are briefly reviewed, and then the important constructs are compared and discussed to build a conceptual foundation of the study. The first comprehensive model to illustrate the structural relationships among influencing variables of store choice behaviour was introduced by Monroe and Guiltinan (1975). In their preliminary model of store choice, Monroe and Guiltinan (1975) proposed that consumers store patronage behaviour in changing context is explained by sequential effects of different constructs: shoppers characteristics, strategies for planning and budgeting, importance of store attributes and perception of stores. Finally, the researcher recommended separation of store perceptions and attributes importa nce, because of the relative endurance and generality of the store perception compared to the importance of store attributes. They additionally suggested the importance of experience with a store in the formation of store choice strategies (Laaksonen, 1993; Monroe and Guiltinan, 1975). Monroe and Guiltinans (1975) retail patronage model was refined by Darden and Howell (1987) who emphasized the importance of enduring and stable shopping orientation determining a shoppers store choice. Darden et al. (1980) developed the patronage model of consumer behavior, which gave a comprehensive picture of patronage behaviour. Terminal values, lifestyles, social class, and family were antecedents to shopping orientations. These antecedents with media habits and instrumental values also affected store attributes importance and the evoked store set. The second part of the model was triggered by stimuli that set needs queue in motion and started the information search that led to the evoked store sort. The evoked store set then influenced store attribute importance leading to patronage intentions and patronage behaviour. Schematic Diagram The following diagram shows that product attribute is independent variable, where the purchase behaviour is dependent variable. Attribute Purchase behavior Synthesis When the employees of an organization are facing stressors situations than this will be affecting their job involvement and pushing the organization to the lower level of the productivity. The job involvement is linked to the importance of the work in individuals routine life, which means that if one is giving importance to his/her work certainly he/she is being loyal to his/her work as well as to the organization itself. Effects of employee stress on the job involvement according to the researcher and theorist in the review of related literature has given the picture that stress is affecting the job involvement that causes low efficiency, low productivity, low interest in working, lack of concern for the colleagues and loss of the responsibility, which is slowly pushing organization to the track of loss. Research Methodology Research methodology is a discussion within the body of a research report of the research design, data collection methods, sampling techniques, fieldwork procedures, and data analysis efforts (Zikmund, 2003). Research Design Research design is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information. It is a framework or blueprint that plans the action for the research project. The objectives of the study determined during the early stages of the research are included in the design to ensure that the information collected is appropriate for solving the problem. The researcher must also specify the sources of information, the research method or technique (survey or experiment), the sampling methodology, and the schedule and cost of the research (Zikmund, 2003). This particular study was based on descriptive research design, focused on describing the characteristics of customer attributes on purchasing behaviour. It used both primary data and secondary data. After the data was gathered, it was coded (Table 2 and 3, Appendix, Page 8) summarized and conclusions were made according to the final results of the study. Respondent of the Study The population for this study was the customers from one of the retail outlets of Ajmal Perfumes mentioned above. For data collection purposes, the intercept technique was used on population elements which had purchased items from the shop and leaving it at a day of data collection. Data was collected using a questionnaire and 64 customers were surveyed, where 14 customers refused to take a part in the survey. Out of those 64 questionnaires 53 were valid, 11 respondents did not completed the questionnaire. Research Instrument In order to determine the factors affecting buying behavior of customers, the researcher used a questionnaire with questions in prearranged order and Likert scale. The questionnaires were given to the customers of Ajmal Perfumes Murshid Bazaar branch located in Deira, Dubai. Validity of the Research Instrument Validity is the accuracy of a measure or the extent to which a score truthfully represents a concept (Zikmund, 2010). Since the researcher has used a questionnaire which has already been used by proper scientific research study (References, Page 6) the survey did not required a validation. But the questionnaire content has been examined for reliability before the actual survey process and was found usable. Data Collection Procedure The data for this study was collected through primary and secondary sources. The primary data for this research design was gathered by distributing questionnaires among the customers of Ajmal Perfumes Murshid Bazaar branch located in Deira, Dubai. The secondary sources of data were theoretical books, research articles, and related research studies. Statistical Tool Analysis The study used statistics in order to analyze the gathered data by using the percentage in order to determine the magnitude of the responses to the questionnaire. The data was coded (Table 2 and 3, Appendix, Page 10) and the appropriate data analytic techniques were used to find out the attributes of the purchasing behavior of stores customers. Descriptive study is undertaken for the purpose to determine and be able to describe the characteristics of the variables of the interest in a situation (Uma Sekaran, 2006). Analysis and Interpretation of data From Table 1 (Appendix, Page 8) and Figure 1 (Appendix, Page 8) which illustrates the outcomes of the study, we can see that the overall results of the study were neutral in general. There was no specific peak in any of the attributes given in the questionnaire. The means for the question 2, question 1, and question 3 with attributes of low price of the products, advertisement of production, and convenient location of the store had the highest means in between 3.32 to 3.21 from overall results. The means for the question 7, question 9, question 4, and question 5 with attributes of credit facility for purchasing our production, recognition of our brand, wide assortments availability and promotional offers by our store were the follow up with the means in between 3.04 to 3.00 from the overall results. The means for the question 10, question 8, and question 6 with attributes of trust on our brand and our production, attractive image of the store, and easy return policy were the lowest with the means in between 2.92 to 2.53 from the overall results. Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations The results of this study shows that the customers rate the attributes almost equally, as the results show the neutral position in almost all the questions, with a small lead in the question 2, question 1 and question 3 accordingly. Conclusions According to the results of the study, we can state that the stores consumers buying behaviour is mostly influenced by the attributes like low price, advertisement and convenient location of the retail outlet of Ajmal Perfumes. Recommendations The recommendations out of this particular study for the managers which concerned at discovering the buying behaviour of consumers would be the following. It is suggested that organise retailers should exercise caution in serving the needs, wants and preferences of potential and existing consumers in order to acquire and retain. The result of the present study will help managers streamline their thoughts to the factors affecting apparel buying behaviour of the consumers before marketing their offerings through organized retail outlets, because the attributes affecting the buying behaviour still remains unknown in most of the cases. References Ajmal Perfumes, Company Profile. Web, 2011 . Berman B, Evans J (2005). Retail Management: A Strategic Approach, Pearson Education, Asia, Singapore. Cardoso PR, Pinto SC. Hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations among Portuguese young adult consumers, Intl journal of retail, 2010. Darden WR, Howell RD. Socialization effects of retail work experience on shopping orientations, J. Acad., 1987. Mark. Leszczyc Peter TLP, Timmermans HJ. Store Switching Behaviour, Marketing Letters, 1997. Monroe KB, Guiltinan JP. A path analytic exploration of retail store patronage influences. Journal of Cons, 1975. Nielsen AC. Indias affluent consumers prefer larger pack sizes to combat inflation, 2011. http://in.nielsen.com/news/20111010.shtml. Prasad Ch. JS, Aryasri AR. Effect of shopper attributes on retail format choice behaviour for food and grocery retailing in India, Intl journal of retail, 2011. Prasad Y. Ramakrishna. A study on attributes influencing the purchasing behaviour of apparel consumers in organized outlets. African Journal of Business Management Vol.6 (45), 2012. Rhee H, Bell DR. The inter store mobility of supermarket shoppers, Intl journal of retail, 2002. Taher A, Leigh TW, French WA. Augmented retail services: the lifetime value of affection, Intl Journal of Bus. Res, 1996. Uma Sekaran.  Research Methods for Business, 4th Edition. John Wiley Sons Inc, New York, 2003. William G. Zikmund, Barry J. Babin, Jon C. Carr, Mitch Griffin. Business Research Methods, 8th Edition. South Western Centage Learning, 2010. ISBN-13: 978-1-4390-8070-2. William G. Zikmund. Business Research Methods, 7th Edition. South Western Educational Publishing, Canada, 2003. ISBN-13:  978-8131500293 Is Media the Fourth Pillar of Democracy? Is Media the Fourth Pillar of Democracy? Media as critics say plays a vital role in democracy. In India, media has always been considered as the fourth pillar of democracy. In the eighties public service broadcaster â€Å"Doordarshan† was the only television channel. The number of national newspapers in circulation was exiguous. The 21st century scenario is different. While the print media has seen a tremendous upsurge with the number of national newspapers increasing in circulation, television news channels have multiplied in numbers. There are more than 25 national news channels and more than 70 national newspapers and magazines now delivering news and happenings across India and the entire globe every minute. Be it Arnab Goswami interviewing Rahul Gandhi in â€Å"Times Now† or spin doctors from various political parties taking part in a debate in the â€Å"Prime Time†, news channels television has always been a front runner in providing information related to almost every happening. Is media really the fourth pillar of democracy in India is matter of concern today. While the role of media is to convey news, views and opinions of citizens in democracy, one must ask how much of the news is accurate. Are the journalists biased? Do they manipulate information? In our democracy media has the responsibilities to be honest, unbiased and more importantly exercise restraint to avoid unnecessary hype for the sake of gaining attention of the gullible public and thereby increase what we call T.R.P. (Television Rating Point). Sadly media has weaponised political parties in India. During 2013’s Anna Haraze’s movement demanding â€Å"Lok Pal Bill† to curb corruption,India witnessed social networking sites like Facebook, Tweeter playing crucial roles. Consequently it led to the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described as â€Å"Mango People†. Hence, it is undeniable, social networking sites act similar to mainstream television media. BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi nicknamed â€Å"NaMo† in social media has used this platform quite effectively in the recent past than nobody could imagine. A Bunch of ministers in New Delhi used this platform but nobody was able to touch the height that â€Å"NaMo† achieved. So, you cannot deny the fact that social media which is treated as alternative media now comes under the umbrella of mainstream media. Many of politicians own news channel. Now the question arises do these news channels play a role in their political careers? Here, I would like to highlight some of the facts of media that will raise your eyebrows; that will make you ponder whether there is a nexus between media and political parties in India. Many politicians use PR agency to highlight their so called achievement in social media like Facebook or Tweeter as well as in mainstream media. Many political parties have dummy columnists and unofficial spokesman to put forward their agendas in those media. â€Å"The Hindustan Times† is one of the oldest national newspapers in India. Shobhna Bhartia is the Chairperson and Editorial Director of Hindustan Times group. Currently she is an MP in the Rajya Sabha and working for the Congress. Shobhna is the daughter of K.K. Birla who was elected a Rajya Sabha member in 1984 by the Congress party. Political affairs editor of â€Å"The Hindustan Times†, Vinod Sharma is well known debater. Mr. Vinod is a congress spokesman to all TV panels. Insight stories revealed he is behind the Rajya sabha seat presently occupied by his boss, Shobhana Bhartia. Both Vinod Sharma and Shobhna Bhartia’s stand on many issues are pro congress. Veteran journalist Vinod Mehta, ex editor of â€Å"Outlook† magazine, is well known for his pro Congress and anti BJP stands. Presently his affinity towards the AAP is a cause of concern for the Congress. Vir Sanghvi, ex editor of â€Å"Sunday† the now defunct magazine was recently in news for all the wrong reasons of Radiagate scandal. He was another mouthpiece of the Congress party. Narasimhan Ram (N. Ram) is a prominent member of the Kasturi family that controls The Hindu group of publication. The Hindu’s N. Ram, ex editor in chief, was once a vice president of the Student Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPM. Frontline is treated as one of the best national magazines of India. It is owned by N. Ram. He is referred to as the left wing editor and is famous for his stand favouring Maoist-Naxalite. Kumar Ketkar, editor of â€Å"Divya Marathi† and a well known debater in Times Now’s â€Å"News Hours† is an unofficial spokesman of the Congress party. There are reports claiming that he is the one to prepare speeches for Members of the Congress during elections. He is one of the five privileged journalist who got invitation from the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) for a private press meet in June, 2011. Dileep Padgaokar, a veteran journalist and an interlocutor of JK, has never expressed critical views against the Con gress. Shekhar Gupta, editor in chief of â€Å"The Indian Express† owned by Goenka Group, is yet another mouthpiece of the Congress. Mr Gupta hit the headlines recently for his views against ex General V.K. Singh in the â€Å"The Indian Express†. A regular columnist in â€Å"The Times of India†, Swapan Das Gupta, under the banner of â€Å"Right Wrong†, has been well known for his pro BJP stand in his articles. Rajya Sabha PM and BJP spokesman, Chandan Mitra is the editor in chief of â€Å"The Pioneer†. He is a regular debater in many TV panels in India where he speaks favouring the BJP. Tarun Tejpal owner and ex editor of â€Å"Tehelka† magazine was recently in news for sexual insensibility. He is well known for his pro Congress stand. He has never exposed any scam of the Congress Party during the last ten years tenure of the UPA though he was one of the pioneers in string operation basically done by mainstream media to expose scams. He exposed ex BJP president Bangaru Laxman in 2001. His silence on scams during the UPA regime raises big questions. CPM’s senior member of Politburo and Parliamentary Group Leader, Sitaram Yechury’s wife, Seema Chisthi is the Resident Editor of â€Å"The Indian Express†. Mrs. Seema is known for writing blogs in the internet about left ideology and about her husband. One of highly circulated Hindi national newspaper is â€Å"Dainik Jagaran†, promoted by Mahendra Mohan Gupta. Mr. Gupta has affinity towards the BJP is clearly reflected in his newspaper. Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy are the promoters of the NDTV. Radhika is Brinda Karat’s sister, a Politburo member of the CPM. She is well known for her views against Ramdev, the yoga guru. Brinda’s husband Prakash Karat is the CPM Politburo General Secretary. He is currently busy making third front in Indian politics by having talks with Jayalalita and other regional parties of India. May be this is the reason why NDTV has never expressed any critical views on CPM and CPI. NDTV is pro Maoist and Naxalite thanks to Prakash Karat. Prannoy Roy’s first cousin Arundhati Roy author of â€Å"The God of Small Things† also needs mention in this regard. Another high profile anchor on NDTV is Sonia Singh, wife of Ratanjit Narain Singh, MP from â€Å"Kushinagar† constituency and Minister of State in Ministry of Home Affairs. She is famous for her pro Congress and anti BJP stands. Nidhi Razdan, the beautiful lady who hosts the programme called â€Å"Left Right Centre† on NDTV is the present girlfriend of JK Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who recently divorced his wife Payal. Nidhi has never expressed any negative views on Omar Abdullah or his party â€Å"National Conference†. The infamous Barkha Dutta who received the Padma Shri from the UPA Government has always spoken the pros of the congress. She was exposed in the Radiagate scandal in 2013. Rajdeep Sardesai is the editor in chief of CNN IBN promoted by TV 18. He is the son of Indian Cricketer Dilip Sardesai, is famous for his pro Congress agendas. His father in law Bhaskar Ghose was the chief of Prasar Bharati (i.e. Doordarshan) during Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s regimes. Bhaskar Ghose was well known for his personal loyalty to the Nehru- Gandhi dynasty. Now his daughter Sagarika Ghose (wife of Rajdeep Sardesai) and son in law use CNN IBN as a platform to promote the Congress. Now let us have an insight into the famous CNN IBN’s media personality Karan Thapar’s story. Before joining CNN IBN he was the host of â€Å"Hard Talk India† on BBC India. He is the son of General Pran Nath Thapar, brother-in-law of Nayantara Sehgal (daughter of Vijaylakshmi Pandit, niece of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru). Karan Thapar is believed to be a famous Congress stooge. Shuhasani Heider is another well known journalist on CNN IBN. She is the da ughter of BJP’s Subramaniam Swamy. Mr. Swamy is famous for his pro Hindu agenda. His daughter has never pointed a finger at him. Though Times Now, promoted by Times of India Group has displayed some positive prospects with the aid of services provided by journalists like Arnab Goswami. It is leading in TRP among news channels in India not because of Arnab Goswami’s pro BJP statement but for the scams he exposed in the last three years that includes 2G auction scam, Commonwelth games scam, Caolgate scam, Augusta Wetland scam, FIRs against Jagdish Tytler, Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s job scam etc. But such positive prospects are a rare occurrence. News 24, the Hindi news channel owned by Rajiv Shukla, the famous Congress MP in Rajya Sabha and Cricket administrator in BCCI is another platform used by the Congress to promote its propaganda. Presently this channel has been busy promoting image makeover for Rahul Gandhi (â€Å"The Congress Prince† as some people say). Similarly Star News, ABP News are reported to broadcast biased reports for the Congress. Whereas Aaj Tak promoted by the India Today Group, was initially known for its pro Congress activity, recently it has become an anti congress lobby. Aaj Tak was famous for Congress spokesman and Supreme Court Lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s Sex CD scandal. South India displays a much vivid misuse of media in politics. Most of the television news channels are controlled by leading regional political parties. Sun TV Network is owned by Kalanidhi Maran, brother of Dayanidhi Maran, ex Cabinet Minister of Communication and IT of the UPA government who has been exposed in the 2G scam. Sun TV Network owns â€Å"Sun TV†, â€Å"Gemini TV†, â€Å"Teja TV†, â€Å"Surya TV†, ‘Kiran TV†, â€Å"Udaya TV†, â€Å"Surjo TV† among other channels. Murosoli Maran, father of Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi, ex Union Minister from DMK party published the following Tamil magazines- Kungumam, Muththaram, Vannathirai and Sumangali. Murosoli Maran’s uncle M. Karunanidhi, ex Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, from DMK party launched â€Å"Kalaignar TV† in 2007 which is now controlled by his eldest son M.K. Azhagiri. One of the daughters of M. Karunanidhi is Kanimozhi, MP of Rajya Sabha from DMK party who had been imprisoned for 2G scam last year. Kanimozhi conducted programs in â€Å"Sun TV† and â€Å"Vijay TV†. Those mainstream media controlled by DMK party are used for DMK propaganda in Tamil Nadu as well as in other parts of India. The present CM of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha, from AIADMK party, is not far behind. She owns the Jaya Network that runs â€Å"Jaya TV† in Tamil Nadu. â€Å"Jaya TV† was effectively used by Jayalalitha to promote herself and her party in last Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu. Cherukuri Ramoji Rao is a well known business tycoon from South India. He hails from from Andhra Pradesh and owns â€Å"E TV†, which produces contents in Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Oriya, Bangla, Gujarati Urdu and Hindi. Mr. Ramoji is reported to be close to Chandra Babu Naidu, head of Telugu Desam Party. Mr. Chandra babu has used these electronics media for his party’s propaganda. Assam has also fallen prey to such media misuse activity. Mention may be made here of News Live. Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Dr. Hemanta Biswa Sharma, the renowned politician of Assam is the managing director of News Live. â€Å"News Live† has always extended its helping hands to the Congress. Jayanta Baruah a business man of Guwahati is the owner of â€Å"News Times Assam†, a regional news channel. Jayanta Baruah had won a ticket for to Rajya Sabha from the AGP (Axom Gana Prarishad). He was not elected to Rajya Sabha thanks to horse trading managed by the Congress. Currently News Times Assam is busy exposing the anomalies of the Congress in Assam. The â€Å"Dainik Protidin†, highly circulated Assamese news paper promoted by Jayanta Baruah is yet another paper that speaks against the congress. A monthly magazine that always speaks in favour of the congress is the â€Å"Eclectic North East†, one of the fast growing monthly magazines of Assam. Gaurav Gogoi (son of Tarun Gogoi, the Chief Minister of Assam) is one of the Directors of the magazine. Gaurav Gogoi will contest the upcoming 2014 General election from â€Å"Kaliabor† constituency. In a nutshell, â€Å"The Hindu† is favoured by the supporters of the left as it reflects their concerns. â€Å"The Pioneer† is rightwings, the editor being a spokesman of BJP. â€Å"The Hindustan Times† is centrist, which favours the Congress. And so on. Be it official or unofficial, political parties have always produced their own spokesperson, groomed for specific television news channels. No doubt Journalists as responsible citizens have the right to freedom of speech and thereby hold political opinions. But what makes a Journalist complete is by being fair, honest and unbiased. A journalist interested in mere politics has always an option to join the political party of his or her own choice and allow journalism stay pure. Ashutosh Gupta, ex Managing Editor of IBN 7, who joined AAP recently, has set an example in this regard. Otherwise, it’s quite advisable that a statutory warning just as we find in cigarette packets be issued.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Misunderstandings :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thus far this semester, we have learned of how language functions as a whole on society, but Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll be doing something a little different. Let me start off with a question. Who here has gotten into a fight with their significant other or just a friend of the opposite sex over a misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or feel that they are just speaking another language and you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t understand them?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This so-called phenomenon is best described by the metaphor of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"men are from mars and women are from venusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s why we speak different languages. We donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t really come from different planets, but we are very different in our communication styles. Our expression of language is affected by our sex and gender. This is epitomized by the ever so popular clichÃÆ' © of, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t understand women/men.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? And this clichÃÆ' © was verified by your answers to the question I just posed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the most obvious function of language is to communicate information, language also contributes to at least two other equally important, but less often recognized, functions: (1) to establish and maintain social relationships, and (2) to express and create the social identity of the speaker. In my paper I will attempt to verify how language is affected by sex and gender. My primary focus will be on Deborah Tannenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work on understanding women and men in conversation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tannen discusses many disparities in language caused by gender such as men often seeking straightforward solutions to problems and useful advice whereas women tend to try and establish intimacy by discussing problems and showing concern and empathy in order to reinforce relationships. Female subculture uses language to build equal relationships, while male subculture uses language to build hierarchical relationships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If conforming to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that language shapes the way we see the world, language allows people to pass on ideas influencing the younger generation. The gender identity that accompanies our sex is predetermined by our parentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perception of sex and gender. Typically, little girls are raised to be sensitive and soft and to express their feelings, but boys are asked to be tough and detached from their emotions. Take for example a boy and a girl who play together and both fall down. Typically, the girl would be allowed to cry and will be picked up and taken care of while the little boy would be asked to stop crying and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"suck it up.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Critical Analysis on a Tina Modotti Photograph Essay -- Papers

Critical Analysis on a Tina Modotti Photograph Tina Modotti was from a very poor working class society. She was brought up in the northeast part of Italy, in Udine, Friuli. She was born at the tail end of the industrial revolution, in 1896. However, you could say, by all means, that her village hadn't changed the slightest since the seventh century. She lived vigorously throughout her childhood, working endless hours in a silk-textile factory to earn a cash flow and to support the family through starvation. After their father had abandoned them when Tina was twelve and fled to America, the land of dreams, to repeat, Tina was the family's sole breadwinner, and played an essential role in the escape from starvation and the gradual escape to San Francisco. Finally, in America she immediately found work, however it was a similar kind of sweatshop labour she was used to in Italy, but the modern land and the general experience itself filled her with self believe and self esteem. The photograph represents a metaphoric symbol of a pair of working class puppeteer hands and one of them is controlling the other. It is symbolizing the way the government controls the working class, as if the working class were puppets themselves. It is an extremely clever metaphor. They are compared to the government and the government seems to be deciding the fate or even controlling the working class's life. The immense, rough hand above represents the government and therefore, controlling the feeble, knotted one below. In my opinion, the photograph by Tina Modotti symbolises power above all else. There is also a great contrast in the lighting. Firstly, b... ...e) rapped in thick wire. It is being controlled by all the other feet, who are the puppeteers. They are the rich class so therefore, they marginalise the poor because of there lack of money and even freedom. The central foot's fate is in the hands of all the other personalities (feet). Like Tina Modotti's photograph, my piece of art would represent a metaphor, showing how the rich dictate and marginalise the poor. Similarly, how we spend money ad fuss over unnecessary items, for instance a pair on expensive Nike trainers or a pair of golden ear rings. On the other hand, the poor, inn most cases, can't even afford education, or even health services, which is vital for our survival in life. In conclusion, this is what I would like my message to be, I would hopefully try a produce one similar through my piece of art work.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Thomas Jefferson Essay example -- essays research papers fc

Thomas Jefferson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Table of Contents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Page I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early Life and Childhood  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 II  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through Collage and Into the world  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 III  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Revolutionary Politics  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 IV  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pre-Presidential Posts and Accomplishments  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 V  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Presidency and post presidency  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 VI  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Picture  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 VII  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works Cited  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thomas Jefferson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I. Early life and childhood A simple log cabin located in now what is commonly known as Albemarle County, Virginia, was the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States of America. He was born on April 13, 1743 to Peter and Jane Randolph Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was borne into what we might define today as an upper middle class. His mother, Jane Randolph, came from one of the leading families of Virginia and his father Peter Jefferson, although not considered poor, was considerably less well off than his wife. (Malone 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Thomas was only two years old he and his family, which now consisted of three Sisters, himself and his mother moved to a new house called Tuckahoe. His father provided for his family by working as a planter owning more than 200 slaves but as his children grew he expanded and moved further from raising tobacco and made a name for himself by eventually becoming a well known surveyor and getting the popular reputation as a conqueror of the Virginian wilderness. (Malone 22)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Tom was nine he and his family moved back to the home of his birth where his father died five years later. Tom spent the rest of his childhood as a typical Virginian boy would. He developed a not overwhelming yet real affection for the out doors as any boy would. He attended the Latin School of the Reverend William Douglas who was the min... ...term he won the election by a complete landslide winning every state with the exception of Connecticut and Delaware. He commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition, arrested Aaron Burr for engaging in a conspiracy to try and establish Louisiana as an independent Republic, and ended the Tripolitan war, which was the first fighting ever done by the American Navy. As he continued to lead the country in these new times of suffering and change he continued to fight to reform many of the country’s faults e.g. tax supported elementary system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jefferson lived 17 years after his second term. In which time he founded the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of his very own Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1826 at his home in Monticello. http://www.monticello.org/jefferson/biography.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  VI. Picture VII. Works cited Malone, Dumas. Jefferson the Virginian. New York: McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1948 Thomas Jefferson. [online] Nov 28, 2004 A brief Biography of Thomas Jefferson. [online] Nov 30, 2004

Monday, September 16, 2019

Of mice and men Essay

Crooks is an educated black cripple who tends horses on the ranch. He has been prey of oppressive violence and prejudice and has retired behind an exterior of detachment and reserve, his natural personality deadened and suppressed by years of hostility. He has known better times and, unlike most southern blacks at that time, was brought up on a small holding run by his father. This is the type of home longed for by Lennie, George and Candy and, despite his initial cynicism, Crooks also becomes caught up in their dream of escape. Crook’s automatic rejection of friendship or companionship has more to do with the torture of his loneliness than with anything else. Once encouraged to do so, he reveals that he has an intelligent awareness of life. He has thought hard during his long hours of solitude. His new found confidence and self-respect encourage him to try to counter the intrusion of Curley’s wife, but he is humiliated by her vicious threats. His new optimism is finally defeated by George’s dismissive attitude to the suggestion that he might participate in the running of the â€Å"Dream Farm†. Crooks loses out on a lot of things because he is not part of the white community. He loses out mainly on friendship, which causes Crooks to feel isolate and lonely throughout the novel. Crooks is a very lonely man and so he reads a lot, if he was to mix with the white community he would be out enjoying himself. He has no one to talk to and is segregated from the rest of the ranch community having his own room in the barn. I think if Crooks were to have a choice he would enjoy mixing with the white men but at the first sign of trouble he would return to the protectiveness of how own room in the barn. Crooks loses out mainly on respect from the ranch community because he is willing to do anything in which he is told to do. He still receives no praise or respect form the ranch community. I think Crooks has drawn himself into a false sense of security, he has hidden himself form the rest of the world, afraid to show his true personality. Crooks I’m sure is a kind and generous person but because of the years of torment and segregation he is forced to remain hospitable to the white community. Crooks is a smart and educated person who is not able to show his thoughts and emotions to anyone. He does not complain about the insults and racial remarks which Curley’s wife makes because he knows if he does his new found confidence will be shattered with an extreme racial remark. Crooks although he loses out greatly also gains a lot from being segregated from the rest. He keeps himself to himself giving him plenty of time to think things through. I think Crooks imagines that if he were to mix with the white community he would only receive abuse. An example of this was when Crooks got into a fight when he was allowed into the ranch at Christmas. This is also why Crooks gains a lot form not being apart of the white community ie not being there for them to abuse or to make racial remarks towards. Nicholas Toland 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Effective Teaching

In the first place, teachers should get students involved in discussion and encourage them to exchange ideas in class because discussing can let the students be more knowledgeable. When discussing with people of different experiences, students can always know a large number of knowledge which they have not touched before because discussion is a reflection of one's knowledge. When discussing, different people hold different types of knowledge which is ready to exchange. Take myself for example, when I discuss with many adults and teachers, I know there are a lot of abilities I have to get, such as study abilities, communication abilities, the abilities to read people and etc. Secondly, teachers should get students involved in discussion and encourage them to exchange ideas in class because exchanging ideas with fellow classmates helps students develop critical thinking, presentation skills and other kind of soft skillsets. When discussing issues with peers, students tend to take a position on a certain issue. In this learning process, students will collect their thoughts, synthesize the concepts learned in textbook or in the lecture to support his or her points. Also, to respond to other's comments, students have to reflect on the rationale of their own arguments and come up with persuasive reasoning. It is obvious that such activities help students to learn more meaningful and extensively. Furthermore, students unconsciously learn how to express themselves affirmatively and make their points clear in front of a large audience. It takes the right amount of eye contacts, body languages and facial expression to convey one's idea in a convincing way. Additionally, teachers should get students involved in discussion and encourage them to exchange ideas in class because actively issues with peers can help students cope with different opinions. When discussing issues with peers, not only do students contribute to the class, but also they get a chance to be exposed to different ideas and perspectives. This is a very conducive experience since we are not living in a vacuum and learning how to appreciate, value and even embrace opinions that are unfamiliar to us can be very important. Further more, such experience can be useful in one's future career when one also has to confront with different business solutions provided by coworkers?

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Our National Duties

Once Martin Luther King said, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly†. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says that, â€Å"In this new era, people’s actions constantly-if often unwittingly-affect the lives of others living far away. Globalization offers great opportunities, but at present its benefits are very unevenly distributed while its costs are born by all. He emphasizes six shared values, which are of particular relevance to the new century: freedom, equity and solidarity, tolerance, non-violence, respect for nature and shared responsibility. The modern world is becoming smaller, highly integrated and technologically more advanced. It is also becoming highly fragmented, less peaceful and unsafe for both present and future generations. Spectacular advances in science and technology over the last five decades have revolutionized the entire world. Investments in research and development have resulted in innovations and inventions in both product and factor markets. The benefits of these advancements however, have yet to reach the poor living in many countries across the world. Poverty is on the increase and we are sitting on millions of human landmines. The world today is passing through an environment full of tensions, violence, declining values, injustice, reduced tolerance and respect for human rights. The gun culture has already taken a dominant position in most of the developing countries, threatening the future of the youth who deserve a peaceful and better quality of life. There is a greater need to create a culture of Youth Leadership in society through an active participation of youth in civic activities. Adult leaders, parliamentarians and policymakers at community, municipality, state, national and international levels should agree that they are responsible for ensuring that the 21st century is characterized as a century of Youth Leadership. The world today is indeed in search of a new culture and a common system of values and new behavioral patterns for individuals, groups and nations, because, without them, the major problems of international and internal peace cannot be solved. The replacement of the existing culture of violence by a culture of peace can only be achieved in a longer perspective. In a period of transition and accelerated change marked by the expression of intolerance, manifestation of racial and ethnic hatred, violence towards those regarded as â€Å"others† and the growing disparities between the rich and the poor. Action strategies must aim at ensuring fundamental freedom, peace, human rights, and democracy and at promoting sustainable and equitable economic and social development all of which have an essential part to play in building a culture of peace. What do we expect from the youth with the creation of the culture of peace? The youth with their new ideas, new energy and neutral background, can contribute to peace development. They are ready to participate in community work. Youth should be treated as partners-partnership by youth in all social activities, of governance, community activities-should start in an active manner with the entry of the child into the golden age phase of 15 to 25 years. Youth should realize that they should not wait for the inheritance of the world; they must realize they have already inherited the world while entering into the golden age. Development of youth as productive citizens and peace workers could be a starting point for developing the peace culture. In the world today, one person in five is between the ages of 15 to 25, which is an accepted UN definition of the age that defines youth. There are altogether more than one billion youth, constituting a formidable force. About 85 percent live in developing countries with 60 percent in Asia, or about 800 million youth in the Asian region. Moreover, two thirds of these youth are growing in countries, which have extremely low per capita incomes (PCIs), below the PCI of $700 per annum. The needs and aspirations of young people are still mostly unmet. The youth employment and livelihood problem is particularly acute and growing in the developing countries while the bulk of corporate resources are controlled by developed countries. Moreover, action on youth employment and livelihood remain poorly defined. Poverty breeds an environment, which encourages social deviations like drug-addiction, excessive smoking, alcoholism, and tendencies towards suicide. Most problems among youth in developing countries are nurtured by their perception of an uncertain and unstable future. However, one thing is clear among all youth: that they want to make something of them, and to sustain the value of family solidarity. Today’s youth are often skeptical about adult leaders and they may express the desire to participate in society through volunteer work but not in politics. Alienated youth, particularly when they form a large proportion of the population, will turn their energy to drugs, crime, violence and even revolution. Unengaged youth represent a wasted economic resource. Youth of today is in search of its identity. They are less inclined towards conflicts and wars unless external forces compel them to do so. International studies clearly indicate that today’s youth are concerned about issues relating to family, education and employment. The youth express their need for a sense of independence, competence and participation in the mainstreams of society. They should be perceived as key agents for social change, including peace development, economic development and technological innovation. The paradox is that even as they represent societies’ greatest hope, they are a group who risk an uncertain and unstable future. How to involve these young men and women in building and designing their future, and the future of coming generations, is the key issue confronting the progress of our societies. The world today stands at a crossroad. However, the path of peace ahead remains clear for the world if we pursue three goals: firstly, a common vision of our future society anchored on peace; secondly, the core of shared values that animate our desires and preferences, grounds for peace which is acceptable to all religions, peoples, nations, families and communities, and hirdly, the power for united venture that brings people-empowered action for the attainment of a peace vision guided by the values we cherish. The peace factor must be used to resolve prime issues such as: (i) the persistent poverty of people, especially those in rural areas, (ii) the social injustice that continues to prevail in our societies and then often divisive and counter-productive ways of governance. The index to development, theref ore, must be human in dimension, content and lifestyle anchored on peace. In the case of the National Peace Development Policy for Youth, we must deviate from tradition and formulate policy with active participation of the youth. In this case, policy definition and strategy have to be applied flexibly by involving and energizing the youth right from the very start. It should not begin with elders and senior policy-makers and leaders, but take grassroots hold with the youth from day one. The youth must be empowered to find their own niche and roles in the totality of national development, and be the major force for peace development. All steps in the exercise should be taken in consultation with the different levels of participating youth from the national down to the state, district, municipal and village levels. Youth constitutes the richest wealth of a country. They develop quality of personal integrity, personal discipline and open mindedness. It is enriched further when they develop an open attitude and universal outlook. As youth is a period of passions, emotions, activity and vigor, they should be trained to combine enthusiasm with patience. Youth should develop an open attitude and universal outlook. This is the real empowerment of youth. Empowering or enabling is like a process similar to teaching and fishing. For preserving peace, youth must play a decisive role. Youth should be exposed to merit of tolerance and nonviolence. Youth should realize the importance of living together and should be responsible to defend the frontiers of peace and non-violence. This warrants the promotion of a new culture and thus a different mindset. Hence, a comprehensive rethinking is required in all walks of life with a total commitment to the issues of youth development. Educational experiences should be provided to youth with an objective to enhance their tolerance level and help them understand the merits of tolerance and respect for â€Å"otherness†. â€Å"Respecting the others† goes much farther than tolerance. Education must promote an aptitude of free inquiry, frank and vigorous discussion and willingness to work in teams. Education should teach the youth not only to tolerate differences but also to respect differences. In spiritual development, the youth can form a new phalanx of peace missionaries building up volunteers and NGO networks at the grassroots, concentrating on values education and spiritual renewal among children, women and the youth to reverse the process of family values in which traditionally, it is the elders who impose on the youth; this time it will be the young helping shape family values through dedicated youth peace missionaries. In the area of ethnic development, the youth of different ethnic groups can forge links between cultural minorities and popularize shared values, shared religious values, and shared cultures and traditions handed down from generation to generation. In political development, youth can be trained to form the cadre of youth animators to expose the rural poor to democratic processes and institutions, to consensus building and voting mechanics, to party and government platforms. In socio-economic development, the youth can join internship/training programs with agricultural, manufacturing, and service industries, sharpen their skills to become the forward-looking manpower needed by their countries to help their economies compete favorably against international competition. In political/government development, the youth can engage in internships in the parliamentary institutions, join in political awareness-building, reform political parties and remove the ugliness of partisan politics, and at the same time force reforms in the bureaucracy to ensure good governance, accountability, transparency, and citizenry participation. E-government strategy can effectively support such programs. In military affairs, the youth can become the country’s elite guards dedicated to patriotism, protection of children, women, oppressed and poor, and through collective vigilance and closeness with the people, provide the moral counterpart to the abuses of ambitious generals and military demagogues. Finally, in regional and international development, the youth can become peace ambassadors of their respective countries, promoting exchange programs in education, culture, science and echnology, sports and games, and in tourism promotions, to link all the youth of the region and the world in the pursuit and maintenance of peace and democracy. Youth Leadership activities cannot be confined to schools. They should be exposed to the real socio-political environment. That is missing today. In addition to peace development, these youth forums should, from time to time, include planning and implementation of environmental programs, family planning, information technology, health and sani tation, etc. Forum participants should focus on the benefits of peace, non-violence to strengthen tolerance through participation in community affairs, anniversaries in which all can participate thereby fostering a culture of peace and tolerance through a system of community education in order to promote respect and mutual understanding. The new millennium offers the world’s people a unique opportunity to reflect on their common destiny, at a moment when they find themselves interconnected as never before. In this New World, groups and individuals interact directly across frontiers more often, without involving the state. This also has its dangers in terms of crime, narcotics, terrorism, weapons, refugees and migrants; all move back and forth faster and in greater numbers than in the past. But new technologies also create opportunities for mutual understanding and common action. If we are to get the best out of globalization and modern technologies as well as avoid the worst, we must learn to govern better with emphasis on good governance and strengthening of civil society, and how to govern better together. People are looking to their leaders to identify and act on the challenges ahead. There is no denying the fact that youth are important asset of any nation, making up 800 million of Asia’s population. They should be the primary concern of political leaders, religious leaders, policy makers, planners, administrators and others interested in development including peace development. The youth are creative and innovative. They are in a better position to introduce new dimensions contributing to the current socio-political and economic dialogue, particularly in the area of peace development. Hence, the national governments should give priority to the UN declarations of National Peace Policies and Action Programs. Nations are underdeveloped for many reasons, but certainly the major reasons are inadequate leadership, and absence of youth participation. We must now look to the youth. The modern electronic media have an essential role to play in the preparation of youth in a spirit of peace, justice, freedom, mutual respect and understanding, in order to promote human rights, equality of rights between all human beings and all nations, and economic and social progress. Equally, they have an important role to play in making known the views and aspirations of the youth with special focus on good governance, transparency, tolerance and democracy. In the ultimate analysis, my dear fellow participants and youth leaders, I am sure that together we can lay the foundations of our shared future, together we can build bridges of love and tryst; and together we can help translate the dreams and visions espoused at hundreds of such conferences before this one. With hope, faith and courage, soon we shall be able to tell our elders that yes when given the chance to deliver, we have done and done it in style. At least, we would leave this world as a much better place to live than we had inherited. Times cry for action and action here and now. Mark Twain said this for you, me and all of us: â€Å"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the thing you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover†¦! †

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Arab sheikdoms in the United Arab Emirates Essay

Dubai is one of the seven Arab sheikdoms in the United Arab Emirates (U. A. E. ). Before oil and gas were discovered in 1958, it was among the very poor sheikdoms under British protection and was once called a Trucial State. Today, their sheiks are independent and among the world’s richest men, with a gross annual income of $25. 7 billion. It has vast reserves of oil and natural gas (Ibrahim, 1982). The land is mainly salt mashes, barren desert, and sandy plain. Oases stud the desert areas. To the east, the mountains lie close to the sea. It is also famous as having the highest cost of living in the world – the cheapest apartment rents for $1,000 per month (Peck, 1986). The Emiratians (Dubai people) used to be pirates, fishermen or pearl divers, nomads or oasis farmers. Most are now wage earners or businessmen who feel more conscious of a national identity as a rich and important country. They are famous for two unique sports: (1) camel races, and (2) falconry. Colorful music, dancing and singing also give life to this otherwise dry place. This area of Gulf was notorious for piracy. They preyed on the trade between Europe and China. The British came in 1806 and started to impose oder against the Arab pirates. In 1853, piracy was finally wiped out when the sheiks signed the Perpetual Maritime Truce Agreement with Britain. Thus, the Pirate Coast became the respectable Trucial States (Seale, 1988). Today, Dubai is the largest commercial center and the nerve center for smuggling Western currency, gold, and other goods into the Indian subcontinent, especially Pakistan. Dubai is also the outlet for capital fleeing Afghanistan and Iran. One phenomenon of the oil boom was to fill Dubai’s population (like that of Kuwait and Qatar) mostly with foreigners. The majority of the population or around 50% is Indo-Pakistani outnumber the native Arabs, who populate the land by only 42%. The large foreign population (mostly migrant workers) are lured to Dubai by the high salaries, welfare benefits, and rapid development. To keep discipline, the governing Arab sheiks have emphasized Muslim (Shariah) law, religious education, and the observance of Muslim practices. The Muslim rulers and people are Sunnis, strongly influenced by the strict Wahabi sect of neighboring Saudi Arabia (Peck, 1986). Diplomacy, national security, information, communications, health, education, and the budgets of the three smaller emirates are decided by the federal government. The local sheiks retain control over policy within their emirates. The laws of Dubai (under the United Arab of Emirates) are divided into two main categories: union laws and decrees. A bill drafted by the Council of Ministers for non-binding deliberation by the Federal National Council and then submitted to the president for his assent and the Supreme Council of the Union for ratification becomes a union law when promulgated by the president. Decrees are issued jointly by the president and the Council of Ministers between sessions of the Supreme Council of the Union. As the final say is always on the Supreme Council of the Union, a decree must only be confirmed by them to remain valid (Ibrahim, 1982). Dubai’s political system, which is a unique combination of the traditional and the modern, has underpinned this political success, enabling the country to develop a modern administrative structure while, at the same time, ensuring that the best of the traditions of the past are maintained, adapted and preserved (Ibrahim, 1982). Relations with the other members of the U. A. E. have not always been smooth. The discovery of a big natural gas field in Sharjah reopened a border dispute with Dubai. In November 1982, Dubai sent tanks to the border to prevent Sharjah’s foreign contractors from drilling the field (Seale, 1988). However, not all is coming up roses for Dubai. Bad planning and extravagance have now caused new miseries. In fact, the most outstanding examples of ill-conceived investment in the Arab world are found in the Dubai ports and so-called international airports stand cheek to cheek. Within fifty kilometers of its coast are three major ports, including the Mina Jabel Ali, the biggest manmade port ever built. Its sixty-seven berths are now suffering terrible losses. Being a member of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has an international airport of its own, making cynics joke that the state boundaries end where the next runway begins. The headquarters of the Arab Monetary Fund in Dubai have polished one-way windows done with gold compound (Peck, 1986). References Ibrahim, Saad Eddin. (1982). The New Arab Social Order: A Study of the Social Impact of Oil Wealth. Westview Press. Peck, Malcolm C. (1986). The United Arab Emirates: A Venture in Unity. Westview Press. Seale, Patrick. (1988). Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. University of California Press.