Macroeconomics Problem Set 1 Essay

To derive the PS approximation, data on GDP, Consumption, and Government expenditures was obtained from the website as detailed in the homework. Then using excel I was able to recreate the formula given with the actual data to get the approximation numbers. B. The true measure of PS was obtained much the same way as the approximation, only this time I used data for Private Sector Savings and Private Disposable Income pulled from the database instead of Y, C, and G. C. Attached. Overall it’s not a terrible approximation. There appears to be a rough five billion dollar inflation in the approximation from the true value, but over the course of time the trends remain similar. Every now and then you will see a significant dip in the approximation at the same time the true value significantly spikes, but aside from that they behave much the same, with a seemingly uniform $5 bil over-approximation across the years. E. For these two measures to be the same, there can be no government, and no international trading. The reason for no government is that taxes must be zero to allow for Y to stand alone in both denominators; also there must be no government deficit so as to allow for no interest payments. With no taxes and no deficit, it follows that there can be no government spending whatsoever (this takes care of removing transfer and interest payments from the first equation as well). As for having a closed economy with no imports/exports, this is because the Net Factor Payments have to equal zero to allow for these equations to equal each other.

Challenges Associated with High Fixed Costs †Airlines Essay

What are the challenges associated with managing in a business with high fixed costs like airlines? To understand the challenges firms face with regard to high fixed costs we must first have a basic understanding. A fixed cost is a routine cost the company incurs despite production, and changes in volume. It is a cost that must be paid routinely, but the amount of the expense may vary. Firms with high fixed costs must have complete understanding of what fixed costs exist that will be incurred, and how much revenue they need to generate in order to cover those costs and remain profitable. Companies operating in the airline industry face several opportunities in managing and developing strategies that take into account the following challenges: rivalry, high-fixed costs, low capacity, and price competition. The high fixed costs faced by airline companies are the costs of planes, fuel, pilots, flight attendants, and additional staff for baggage and customer service. The airline industry is fiercely competitive and the ability to manage these costs and deliver revenue is what makes a firm successful. In a growing market the amount of entries and competitive offers can hinder the ability to remain viably profitable. â€Å"In short, companies that operate with a high fixed cost business model, particularly companies that operate in cyclical end markets, get hit the hardest when there is a cyclical downturn or a push out of an expected spending pattern.† (â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?† (2012). When the industry struggles, competition to meet revenue goals increase, and airline firms tend to either encounter significant unexpected expenses to keep up or get caught in a price war situation. As far as competition in the airline industry, labor is a fixed-cost that can significantly impact a firm. With the level of competition in the aviation industry, and the amount of firms competing, it can be challenging to retain the skilled pilots, staff, and customer service employees. Pricing strategy is a challenge as well, in that, in order to be the most productive firm and minimize the effect of these high fixed-costs, airlines must maintain just enough equipment and enough route offerings to meet demand, and therefore remain profitable. The difficulties experienced by high-fixed costs according to Paul McWilliams, â€Å"†¦companies with high fixed costs models have inherently low cost flexibility and are, therefore, very sensitive to fluctuations in  revenue.† (â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?†) High-fixed costs allow the ability to produce high profit if the company runs at a high productivity and is in a growing market. If a company cannot produce revenue, it will detrimentally impact the firm’s ability to remain profitable. To sum up the challenges in terms operating in the airline industry, James Joyner says, â€Å"We’ve had commercial aviation for nearly a century now and nobody has managed to make a sustained go of it yet. As the business starts to look profitable, we’ll inevitably see more entrants into the competition, driving down price, and demands from labor for their fair share, driving up costs.† Therefore, the ability to minimize the challenges faced in operating with high-fixed costs comes down to awareness of the fixed costs, the ability to remain competitive while operating in volatile industry, and a firms ability to generate revenue. Works Cited McWilliams, Paul. (2012). â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?† Retrieved from http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=4bab7644-01a6-4b4e-b636-443995abad2b Joyner, James. Publisher, â€Å"Airlines Make Profit!† Outside the Beltway Retrieved from http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/airlines-make-profit/

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 15

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in a dream. That's what happened to me. I opened my eyes, head throbbing, vaguely aware of something warm and fuzzy in my arms. Bright sunlight made me squint at first, but when I could finally focus, I realized I was looking straight into the faces of Cady and O'Neill. I shot upright, a motion my head did not approve of at all. Surely I was mistaken. Surely, no†¦ there they were. Before me, next to the bed I sat in, was a large oak desk surrounded by bulletin boards and white boards. Pinned to the bulletin boards were magazine cutouts, faces and faces of people who reflected every nuance of the characters described in Seth's books. One section was even labeled NINAcady, displaying at least twenty different cutouts of slim blondes with cropped, curly hair, while another section – marked BRYANT O'NEILL – displayed brooding, thirty-something men with dark hair. Some of the cutouts were from major ads I recognized, though I'd never before connected the resemblance to Seth's characters. Other minor characters from the books also had places on the display, though less noticeably so than the leads. Scrawls of notes and words filled the white boards, most done in a bizarre shorthand type of flow chart that made no sense to me. Working Title: Azure Hopes – fix later; Add Jonah Chap. 7; Clean up 3-5; C&O in Tampa or Naples? Check stats; Don Markosin 8†¦On and on the scrawls went. I stared and stared at them, realizing I was seeing the skeleton foundation of Seth's next novel. Part of me whispered I should look away, that I was ruining something, but the rest of me was too fascinated at glimpsing the way a novel and its world came to life. Finally, the smell of frying bacon made me turn from Seth's desk, forcing me to piece together how I'd arrived here. I cringed, recalling what an idiot I'd been around Doug, Roman, and even Seth, but my hunger won out in temporarily allaying my remorse. It seemed odd that I should feel hungry after what I'd put my stomach through last night, but like Hugh's beating, I could bounce back quickly. Disentangling myself from the covers and the teddy bear I'd unknowingly been holding, I made my way to the bathroom to rinse my mouth and study my appearance: wild-haired and downright adolescent looking in the T-shirt. I didn't want to waste the energy to shape-shift, however, and trotted out of the bathroom, following the sounds of sizzling against a background of â€Å"Radar Love† by Golden Earring. Seth stood in a modern, well-lit kitchen, tending a skillet on a stove. The color scheme was bright and cheery, maple wood cupboards and beams accented with cornflower blue paint on the walls. Seeing me, he turned down the music and gave me a solicitous look. His shirt today displayed Tom and Jerry. â€Å"Good morning. How are you feeling?† â€Å"Surprisingly well.† I made my way to a small, two-person table and sat down, tugging the shirt to cover my thighs. â€Å"My head seems to be the only casualty thus far.† â€Å"You want something for it?† â€Å"No. It'll clear up.† I hesitated, detecting something through the smell of salty, greasy meat. â€Å"Is that†¦ coffee?† â€Å"Yup. Want some?† â€Å"Regular?† â€Å"Yup.† He walked over to a pot, poured a mug of steaming coffee, and brought it to me, along with a cute sugar and creamer set. â€Å"I thought you didn't drink this stuff.† â€Å"I don't. I just keep it on hand in case caffeine-crazed women wake up in my bed.† â€Å"That happen a lot?† Seth smiled mysteriously and returned to the stove. â€Å"Are you hungry?† â€Å"Famished.† â€Å"How do you like your eggs?† â€Å"Over hard.† â€Å"Nice choice. You want bacon too? You're not a vegetarian or anything?† â€Å"I'm an honest carnivore. I want the works†¦ if that's not asking too much.† I felt kind of sheepish about him waiting on me, considering everything else he'd already done. He didn't appear to mind. The works turned out to be more than I'd imagined: eggs, bacon, toast, two kinds of jam, coffee cake, and orange juice. I ate it all, thinking about how jealous Peter would be, still confined to his low- carbdiet. â€Å"I'm in a food coma,† I told Seth afterward, helping with the dishes. â€Å"I'll need to go back to bed and sleep it off. Do you eat like this every day?† â€Å"Nah. Just when aforementioned women are hanging out. It ensures they don't leave too quickly.† â€Å"Not a problem, considering this is all I have to wear.† â€Å"Not true,† he told me, pointing toward his living room. Looking up, I saw my dress – clean – hanging on a hanger. The sheer, bikini-cut panties I'd worn under it had been looped around the hanger's head. â€Å"It said dry-clean, but I took a chance on putting it on extra-gentle cycle in the wash. It came out okay. So did the, uh, other thing.† â€Å"Thanks,† I replied, unsure as to how I felt about him washing my underwear. â€Å"Thanks for everything. I really appreciate what you did for me last night – you must think I'm a total freak – â€Å" He shrugged. â€Å"It's no problem. But† – he glanced at a nearby clock – â€Å"I may need to run out on you soon. Remember that one party? It starts at noon. You can still hang out here.† I turned to the same clock. Eleven forty-seven. â€Å"Noon! Why didn't you wake me up sooner? You'll be late!† He shrugged again, infinitely unconcerned. â€Å"I figured you needed the sleep.† Setting down the towel I'd been holding, I darted to the living room and grabbed my dress. â€Å"I'll call a cab. You go. Don't worry about me.† â€Å"Seriously, it's no problem,† he argued. â€Å"I can give you a ride home even, or†¦ well, if you wanted, you could come with me.† We both froze awkwardly. I didn't really feel up to going to some strange party. What I needed to do was get home and do damage control with Roman and Doug. Yet†¦ Seth had been terribly nice to me, and he had wanted me to go to this thing before. Didn't I owe him? Surely I could do this for him. An afternoon party probably wouldn't even last that long. â€Å"Would we need to pick up anything?† I asked at last. â€Å"Wine? Brie?† He shook his head. â€Å"Probably not. It's for my eight-year-old niece.† â€Å"Oh. So no wine then?† â€Å"Yeah. And I think she's more into Gouda anyway.† I looked at the dress. â€Å"I'll be overdressed. You got anything I can put on over this?† Seven minutes later, I sat in Seth's car, driving toward Lake Forest Park. I had the georgette dress back on, along with a man's plaid flannel shirt in shades of white, gray, and navy. The shirt was open save for a couple buttons. I had French-braided my hair in lieu of shape-shifting it into place and now frantically applied cosmetics from my purse as I rode. I suspected I had a sort of Ginger-Rogers-Joins-Nirvana look going. We arrived at the suburban house I'd dropped Seth off at a few weeks ago. Pink balloons fluttered from the mailbox, and a mother in jeans and a sweatshirt waved goodbye as a small girl disappeared into the house. Said mother then returned to the massive, soccer team-carrying vehicle running in the driveway. â€Å"Whoa,† I said, taking it all in. â€Å"I've never been to anything like this before.† â€Å"You must have when you were little,† Seth amended, parking across the street. â€Å"Well, yeah,† I lied. â€Å"But it's a different experience at this age.† We approached the front door, and he entered without knocking. Immediately, four small, blond female forms slammed into him, grappling onto his limbs, nearly knocking him over. â€Å"Uncle Seth! Uncle Seth!† â€Å"Uncle Seth's here!† â€Å"Is that for me? Is that for me?† â€Å"Desist, before I have to break out the tear gas,† Seth told them mildly, unclasping one who threatened to rip his left arm off. One of them, all blond curls and giant blue eyes like the others, caught sight of me. â€Å"Hi,† she said boldly, â€Å"who are you?† Before I could answer, she tore out of the foyer, yelling, â€Å"Uncle Seth brought a girl!† Seth made a face. â€Å"That's Morgan. She's six.† He pointed to a clone of her. â€Å"This is McKenna, her twin. Over here's Kayla, four. This one† – he paused to lift up the tallest of the four, a motion that made her cackle gleefully – â€Å"is Kendall, the birthday girl. And I imagine Brandy's here somewhere, but she's too civilized to assault me like the rest.† A living room extended beyond the foyer, and another blond girl, a few years older than Kendall, watched us over the back of a couch. Other assorted children – the party guests, I presumed – ran and screamed beyond her. â€Å"I'm here, Uncle Seth.† Seth set Kendall down and tousled Brandy's hair, much to her chagrin. She wore the affronted dignity only one on the edge of adolescence could have. Morgan returned shortly thereafter with a tall, blond woman in tow. â€Å"See? See?† exclaimed the little girl. â€Å"I told you.† â€Å"Do you always create such a scene?† the woman asked, giving Seth a quick hug. She looked happy but exhausted. I could understand why. â€Å"I should be so lucky. My fans aren't half this ravenous. Andrea, this is Georgina. Georgina, Andrea.† I shook her hand as a slightly shorter, younger version of Seth entered the room. â€Å"And that's my brother, Terry.† â€Å"Welcome to our chaos, Georgina,† Terry told me after I'd been introduced. He glanced at all of the children, his own and others, running around the house. â€Å"I'm not sure I fully understand Seth's wisdom in bringing you here. You'll never come back.† â€Å"Hey,† exclaimed Kendall to me, â€Å"isn't that the shirt we got Uncle Seth for Christmas?† An awkward silence fell among us adults as we all tried to look somewhere else. Finally, Andrea cleared her throat and said, â€Å"All right, guys, let's fall into line and get some games going.† I had expected a child's birthday party to be wild, but what proceeded to pass that afternoon surpassed even my imaginings. Equally impressive was the way in which Seth's brother and sister-in-law managed to control the herd of screaming, jumping creatures that somehow seemed to be everywhere in the house at once. Terry and Andrea handled them all with efficient good nature while Seth and I did little more than watch, occasionally fielding random questions tossed our way. The entire experience stunned me as a bystander; I could hardly imagine coping with it on a regular basis. It was fascinating. At one point, catching his breath, Terry saw me alone and struck up a conversation. â€Å"I'm glad you could come,† he said. â€Å"I didn't know Seth was seeing anyone.† â€Å"We're just friends,† I clarified. â€Å"Still. It's nice to see him with someone flesh and blood. Someone he didn't make up.† â€Å"Is it true he nearly missed your wedding?† Terry grimaced by way of confirmation. â€Å"My best man, if you can believe that. Showing up two minutes before the ceremony began. We were on the verge of starting without him.† I could only laugh. He shook his head. â€Å"If you continue hanging out with him, make sure you keep him in line. My brother may be brilliant, but by God, he needs a keeper sometimes.† After party games came cake, and after cake came presents. Kendall lifted Seth's up expertly and shook it. â€Å"Books,† she declared. Brandy, older and therefore quietest of the group, glanced at me and explained, â€Å"Uncle Seth always gets us books.† This did not seem to faze Kendall any. She tore open the package and crowed delightedly over three books of pirate stories contained within. â€Å"Pirates, huh?† I asked Seth. â€Å"Is that politically correct?† His eyes danced. â€Å"She wants to be one.† As the party wound down and guests were retrieved by parents, Kendall beseeched Seth to read stories, and I followed him, the nieces, and other stragglers into the living room while the girls' parents attempted to clean up in the kitchen. Seth read in the same compelling way he had at his signing, and I curled up in an armchair, content to just listen and watch. I was therefore startled when Kayla's small form scrambled up and sat on my lap. Youngest of the girls, she could shriek with the best but tended to speak very little. She studied me with her globes of eyes, touched my French braid with interest, and then snuggled into me to listen to Seth. I wondered if she understood any of what he was saying. Regardless, she was soft and warm and smelled like little girl. Unconsciously, I ran my fingers through the fine, corn silk strands of hair and soon began weaving it into a braid similar to mine. When Seth finished a story, McKenna noticed what I was doing. â€Å"Me next.† â€Å"No, me,† ordered Kendall eagerly. â€Å"It's my birthday.† I ended up braiding for all four of the younger girls. Brandy shyly demurred. Not wanting four copies of me, I elected other styles for the girls, herringbones and plaits that delighted them. Seth continued to read, occasionally glancing up at me and my handiwork. By the time we were ready to leave, I felt drained physically and emotionally. Children always made me feel a little wistful; being in close contact like this made me downright sad in a way I couldn't explain. Seth said goodbye to his brother while I lingered near the door. As I did, I noticed a small bookcase beside me. Studying the titles, I picked out Burberry's New Annotated Bible: Old and New Testaments. Remembering what Roman had said about the King James Version being a bad translation, I opened this one up to Genesis 6. The wording was nearly identical, a little cleaner and more modern sounding here and there, but mostly unchanged. With one exception. In verse 4, the King James Version had read: â€Å"There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This version, however, said: â€Å"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also afterwards, when the sons of God went to the daughters of men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nephilim? A superscript number appeared by the word, and I followed it to the appropriate footnote. The word † nephilim† is sometimes translated as â€Å"giants † or â€Å"fallen ones.† Sources vary in accounts of these angelic offspring, citing them sometimes simply as neighbors to the Canaanites and other times as Titan-like creatures reminiscent of Greek heroes (Harrington, 2001). Frustrated, I looked up the Harrington reference in the book's bibliography, finding it linked to Biblical Arcanaand Myth by Robert Harrington. I memorized the title and author, slipping the Bible back into its place just as Seth turned to go. We drove in silence, the sky graying early as Seattle's winter loomed nearer. I might normally have interpreted the quiet in the car as awkward or weird, but I found it comfortable as my mind pondered the nephilim reference. I needed to get a hold of the Harrington book, I decided. â€Å"They didn't have ice cream,† Seth suddenly noted, interrupting my thoughts. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Terry and Andrea. They had cake with no ice cream. You want to get some ice cream?† â€Å"Not enough sugar for you already?† â€Å"They just go together, that's all.† â€Å"It's only about fifty out,† I warned as he pulled up next to an ice cream parlor. Ice cream in inclement weather seemed odd to me. â€Å"And it's windy.† â€Å"Are you kidding? In Chicago, a place like this wouldn't even be open this time of year. This is balmy.† We went inside. Seth ordered a double cone of mint chocolate chip. I ordered a more adventurous double of blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Sitting at a table by the windows, we ate our sugary confections in more silence. Finally, he said, â€Å"You're quiet today.† I turned on him in wonder, pausing in my mental dissection of nephilim. â€Å"That's a switch.† â€Å"What is?† â€Å"Usually I think you're too quiet. I have to talk and talk to keep things going.† â€Å"I've noticed. Er, I didn't mean that like it came out. That sounded bad. You talking is a good thing. You always know what to say. Exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.† â€Å"Not last night. I said horrible things last night. To Doug and Roman both. They'll never forgive me,† I lamented. â€Å"Sure they will. Doug's a good guy. I don't really know Roman, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what?† Seth suddenly looked embarrassed. â€Å"I imagine you're easy to forgive.† We looked at each other for a moment, and warmth flushed my cheeks. Not blood boiling, get naked and jump someone warm, but just cozily warm. Like being wrapped in a blanket. â€Å"That looks terrible, you know.† â€Å"What does?† He pointed at my cone. â€Å"That combination.† â€Å"Hey, don't knock it until you try it. They actually go pretty well together.† He looked doubtful. I slid my chair over by him and offered him a bite. â€Å"Make sure you get both flavors.† He leaned in for the bite and managed both the blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Unfortunately, a piece of the blueberry cheesecake scoop fell off onto his chin in the process. I instinctively reached out to stop it, sliding it back to his mouth. He just as automatically nabbed the wayward piece with his tongue, licking it off my fingers. A blast of eroticism coursed through me, and looking into his eyes, I knew he'd shared it too. â€Å"Here,† I said hastily, reaching for a napkin, ignoring the desire to return my fingers to his mouth. Seth wiped his chin with it, but for once, he didn't let his self-consciousness get the better of him. He stayed where he was, leaning close to me. â€Å"You smell amazing. Like†¦ gardenias.† â€Å"Tuberose,† I corrected automatically, dazed by how close he was to me. â€Å"Tuberose,† he repeated. â€Å"And incense, I think. I've never smelled anything like it.† He leaned a hair closer. â€Å"It's Michael by Michael Kors. You can get it at any high-end department store.† I nearly groaned as the words left my flustered lips. What an idiotic thing to say. My nervousness made me flippant. â€Å"Maybe Cady could start wearing it.† Seth was all seriousness. â€Å"No. This is you. Only you. It would never smell exactly the same on anyone else.† I shivered. I wore this perfume because it was reminiscent of what other immortals sensed in my unique signature, my aura. This is you. With just a few casual words, I felt as though Seth had uncovered some secret part of me, looked into my soul. We sat there then, chemistry burning between us like crazy, neither of us acting. I knew he would not try to kiss me as Roman had. Seth was content simply to look at me, to make love to me with his eyes. Suddenly the wind caught the door to the tiny restaurant, forcing it open as a huge gust swept in. Wisps of hair blew into my face, and I slammed my hands down on the napkins that flew up from our table. Other items in the parlor had less success as more napkins and scraps of paper drifted around, and a cup of plastic spoons fell off the counter, spilling its contents on the floor. The clerk behind the counter ran to the door, fighting against the wind to make the latch catch. When he'd finally done so, he glared at the door resentfully. With the moment – whatever it was – shattered, Seth and I picked up our things and left shortly thereafter. I asked him to drop me off at the bookstore. I hoped Doug would be there to apologize to, plus I wanted to get ahold of that Harrington book. â€Å"You want to come in and hang out? Say hi to anybody?† I somehow felt reluctant to leave Seth now, in spite of all the things I needed to do. He shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. I've got to go. I'm meeting someone.† â€Å"Oh.† I felt kind of foolish. He could have a date now for all I knew. And why shouldn't he? It wasn't like I was his only social connection, especially after my no-dating spiel. I was foolish to be reading so much into the ice cream encounter, especially since I was supposedly crazy about Roman. â€Å"Well. Thanks again for everything. I'll make it up to you.† He waved his hand dismissively. â€Å"It wasn't anything. Besides, you paid me back by going to the party.† Now I shook my head. â€Å"I didn't really do anything there.† Seth only smiled. â€Å"See you around.† I stepped out of the car and suddenly stuck my head back in. â€Å"Hey, I should have asked you this earlier. Do you have my book signed yet? The Glasgow Pact ? â€Å" â€Å"Oh†¦ man. No. I can't believe I forgot about that. It's still at my place. I'll sign it and bring it soon. I'm sorry.† He looked sincerely contrite. â€Å"Okay. It's no problem.† I should have ransacked his condo for it. We said goodbye again, and I turned into the bookstore. If I remembered my schedule right, Paige should have opened and Doug should be here now as the late manager. Sure enough, he stood at the information desk, looking on while Tammi helped a customer. â€Å"Hey,† I said, walking up to him, uneasiness filling me as I recalled my harsh words. â€Å"Can I talk to you for a minute?† â€Å"No.† Whoa. I'd expected him to be upset†¦ but this? â€Å"You need to call your friend first.† â€Å"I – what?† â€Å"That one guy,† Doug explained. â€Å"That plastic surgeon that hangs out with you and Cody.† â€Å"Hugh?† â€Å"Yeah, that's the one. He's called, like, a hundred times, leaving messages. He's been worried about you.† His expression turned both soft and wry as he took in my dress and flannel ensemble. â€Å"So have I.† I frowned, wondering at Hugh's urgency. â€Å"Okay. I'll call him now. Come talk to me later?† Doug nodded, and I started to pull out my cell phone until I remembered I'd broken it last night. Retreating to the back office instead, I sat on the desk's edge and called Hugh. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hugh?† â€Å"Jesus Christ, Georgina. Where the hell have you been?† â€Å"I, er, nowhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We've been trying to get ahold of you all last night and today.† â€Å"I wasn't at home,† I explained. â€Å"And my cell phone broke. Why? What's going on? Tell me there hasn't been another one.† â€Å"Afraid so. Another murder this time, no more friendly beatings. When we couldn't reach you, the vampires and I thought he'd got you too, even though Jerome said he could feel that you were fine.† I swallowed. â€Å"Who†¦ who was it?† â€Å"Are you sitting down?† â€Å"Sort of.† I braced myself, ready for anything. Demon. Imp. Vampire. Succubus. â€Å"Lucinda.† I blinked. â€Å"What?† All my theories of an avenger of evil shattered. â€Å"But that's impossible. She's – she's – â€Å" † – an angel,† Hugh finished for me.

Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Marijuana - Essay Example It also indicates that a large percentage of the individuals are regular users of the drug. I intend to use the source to demonstrate marijuana’s benefits in controlling anxiety. Ejelonu, Akudo. â€Å"How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain?† Serendip. 01 October 2008. Web. 31 July 2012. The article reviews ways in which marijuana affects people’s mental capacity. The author illustrates both positive and negative effects of the drug, including Marijuana’s medicinal value but focuses attention on marijuana’s effect on people’s ability to recall and how the drug influence emotions. Some of the drug’s components, according to the article, for example impair coordination among neurons in the brain to weaken a person’s cognitive ability upon consumption of the drug. The article also identifies factors that drive people into using marijuana, and secondary effects of marijuana among college students. While it identifies stress as the main cause of usage, the article explains that the drug sends the students into a state of uncontrollable emotions. It also explains that the stimulating impacts of the drug are temporary and users are able to regain their sober status once the drug wears out of the body. I will apply the article in exploring the existing debate on marijuana. Hogan, Julianna, Gonzalez, Adam, Howell, Ashley, Miller, Marcel, and Zvolensky, Michael. â€Å"Pain-related Anxiety and Marijuana Use Motives: A pilot Test Among Active Marijuana- using Young Adults.† Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 39. 4. 238- 292, 2010. The article seeks to investigate anxiety that is caused by pain as a factor that influences the use of marijuana. Based on an experimental research, the article identifies a significant relationship and concludes that pain motivates people to use marijuana. I will use the article to illustrate medicinal benefits of marijuana. National Institute of Drug Abuse. â€Å"How Does Marijuana Use Affect School, Work and Social Life?† Research Reports: Marijuana Abuse. 2010. Web. 31 July 2012. P. 1 The article reports on the impacts of marijuana on people’s lives. Based on existing literature, it explains that intoxication from marijuana lasts for a longer duration that the user experiences its stimulating effect. It further explains that the drug negatively affects academic performance of students who relies on its use. Similarly, it leads to drop out from academic institutions and lower rates of income in people who heavily rely on it as compared to those who do not. The article also associates the drug with other negative social conditions. I will use this source to highlight reasons for illegalization calls. Nida for Teens. â€Å"What are the Long-term Health Effects of Marijuana Use?† Nida For Teens. 2012. Web. 29 July 2012. P. 1 With the article’s aim of discussing ‘long-term’ impacts of marijuana usage, it identifies a reduced mental c apacity to comprehend complexities and coordinate body parts besides increasing a person’s vulnerability to some genetic diseases. The article also identifies addiction as a health risk factor of marijuana besides increasing a user’s risk of developing respiratory complications. Similarly, the article reports possibility of drug’s usage leading to use of other drug as well as its use as a medicine. I plan to use the article to

OBLIGATIONS A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

OBLIGATIONS A - Essay Example re contractual relationship.3 In the milieu of lengthy negotiations between the contracting parties, it becomes difficult to establish whether the contract has been formed and the time when it becomes effective or the conditions under which it was formed.4 This document examines a case study involving a negotiation between Andalasia and Arundel PLC to determine whether their negotiations could be construed as offer and acceptance leading to a legal agreement. A contract must have an offer by from one party to the contract that must be accepted by the other party to signify mutual consent to form a legal agreement.5 Offer expresses the willingness of one party to enter into an agreement with another party under the terms specified in the offer and which the other party must accept outright. The offer must communicate their intention to the other party whose acceptance forms the basis of the legal relationship.6 The acceptance of an offer should not alter the terms of an offer a condition referred as â€Å"mirror image rule.†7 However, in case the party to whom the offer is made introduces new terms as the prerequisite for acceptance that will amount to counteroffer that is tantamount to rejection of the offer.8 As described in the principle of UNIDROIT, a contract can be established by an acceptance of an offer or conduct of the parties as long as they are sufficient to demonstrate agreement.9 The parties intending to form a contra ct must demonstrate their intentions to be legally bound before a contract is recognized as binding. In addition, there should be the consideration between the parties forming a contract though it needs not be adequate.10 Consideration could be anything of value exchanged between the parties or a detriment one party is likely to suffer due to the breach of conditions set in the agreement. There are other requirements the parties must satisfy in order to establish a formal agreement. For example, the parties must have contractual capacity

Develop a Basic Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Develop a Basic Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Information communication technology (ICT) industry is one of the highly prioritized sectors of the economy. ICT is a highly dynamic sector of the economy in Hungary accounting for about 6% of the country’s economy (Johansson, Karlsson, and Stough 102). ICT industry in the country targets three main pillars namely creating a highly skilled labor force, increasing the number of IT experts, and attracting more companies and Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). The ICT industry in Hungary presents a great opportunity for Apple Inc to expand its customer base in Eastern Europe. This marketing plan will try to assess the potential benefits of the company entering in this market. Apple also has a strong workforce of talented individuals in many parts of the world. This seems to fit in well with the human capital available in Hungary because Hungarian employees are highly skilled and motivated. Apple computers do not function well with other Operating systems. This may be a disadvantage for the company because most of the customers in Hungary have other operating systems and it may prove difficult to switch immediately to Apple. Recent changes in management for the company may not be well received in new markets such as Hungary. Steve Jobs was highly regarded around the world as an effective manager and an innovator for the company. His sudden death created some level of uncertainty among customers. This may also may prove a problem for newer markets. One threat for Apple is the legal problems that may result in operating in Hungary. Hungary is an emerging economic powerhouse that is still trying to stabi8lize itself with various legal structures. Some of the laws such as tax policies may affect Apples operations in the country. Another challenge for Apple Inc is the popularity of a new mobile Operating System, Android that is gaining popularity in Hungary and other markets in Europe. This may pose a challenge for

Global Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Global Managerial Economics - Essay Example The increase in the economic activity becomes an opportunity for workers because of the increase in the demand of a new integrated global market as well as the dynamism of the flow of capital. When a company goes global in its business strategy, for instance, it could invest in an overseas country to take advantage of the cheap labor, hence, generating jobs for the work force in that particular locale. This is especially helpful for workers in the Third World countries which lack financial capital to support enterprise that would lead to employment opportunities. Ideally, it is hoped that the growth generated by these trade breakthroughs would close the income gap of workers in developing and industrial countries. On the other hand, the current trend in international trade becomes disadvantageous to workers when the increase in competition among enterprises causes local firms to fold-up, leaving a trail of unemployed or underpaid workers behind. The entry of multinational companies in a particular market - with the advantage of its resources - swallow small and medium sized companies in mergers or drive them out of business because it could afford to lower its products prices. We see the most adverse impact of globalization in the agriculture industry of smaller countries and those whose governments are barred to subsidize their industries. 1 Another disadvantage, which is technically not a consequence of globalization per se but the lack of state policies and regulation on this new economic phenomenon, is the bad labor standards of the multinational companies. The current international trading system follows the trade liberalization and deregulation terms dictated by the World Trade Organization. There are already several milestones achieved by the world body mainly in the lowering of tariffs as well as in the cooperation of its member-states in legislating policies in line with deregulation. However, one of the most serious challenges in achieving the

A short paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A short paper - Essay Example The French were the first Europeans to settle in what later became the Canadian province of Quebec and to appease the population after their humiliating defeat by the British in the 1700s, they were granted certain rights including the retention of their religion, judicial and educational systems. These rights were maintained when Canada moved from colonial status to an independent democracy in 1867. While there are pockets of French heritage settlements in the rest of Canada, most are in Quebec province where they constitute the majority of the population. Unfortunately the classical French educational system with its’ close ties to the Roman Catholic church and lack of business orientation, was ill equipped to prepare students for business management positions so that in the industrial revolution most were relegated to low skill work serving Anglophone managers imported from the rest of Canada and had few prospects for advancement. Naturally this situation created resentment which was expressed in the formation of a political party dedicated to separation from the rest of Canada and a more militant group (the FLQ) . When this group escalated their activities from blowing up mail boxes and other symbols of alleged Anglophone authority to the kidnap of a British diplomat and the murder of a Quebec cabinet minister, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau stepped in with the army to prevent an armed insurrection. However, people of Quebec were allowed to vote twice in referendums to express their desire whether to separate or remain within Canada, with the pledge that the majority wish would be respected and if separation was chosen there would be no military action and negotiations would commence for an equitable division of the country’s assets and liabilities. While in both cases the majority voted to remain in Canada, one was very close. Trudeau, although a

Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discussion Board - Essay Example It causes not merely political corruption but leads to social disintegration as well. It turns the youth into rebels, causes bloodshed, enmity, and violence. It is in fact, an organized crime and operates through the underworld. Hence, people feel that legalizing drugs could perhaps improve the situation to some extent. In my opinion, no drugs should be given the legal status. The trafficking of illegal drug takes place as mentioned, through the underworld. It is exchanged through the land and sea transport between countries. An international law is necessary where all countries concerned get together to catch the players of this game. If drugs are legalized then the trade and its activities, the mode of operations cannot be classified a crime and no remedial action can be taken. At this point it must be noted that the trade can exist only if there you users. The drug users are the backbone of the business. This means to combat the business of drugs one has to start at the grass root level. Education has to be imparted at the school level. This education does not merely mean educating on the dangers of drugs. It should include, rather stress on the nexus between drugs business and the underworld crime. This is a mammoth task, which cannot be tackled by the government or law alone. It is a chronic problem in the society and the society as a whole has to handle it. Teachers, parents, school authorities, church, all have a role to play. It can be supported by legal recourse or punitive action if warnings are not adhered to. Feeding information, right and timely information to the children is very important. Keeping alarming news on drugs away from them or suppressing information can cause more harm than good. Today children want to be a part of all that happens. For instance, if any trafficking has been brought to light and the victims arrested, the children should be made aware of all the details and asked to reflect on the

Case 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case 3 - Essay Example The fact that they are stressed means that they cannot perform as required. Stress comes from various factors, and may affect employees directly or indirectly. In this case, the organization has put its employees under a lot of unnecessary pressure to perform by ignoring their plight (Robbins and Judge 558). This is evident in the number of employees complaining about the conditions in the company and airing their opinions about the best way to deal with the situation. Considering the industry the organization is involved – healthcare – the organization needs to pay more attention to employees’ needs because the industry is very sensitive. Deaths or serious complications could result from poor performances from employees if they are under stress. However, the company has done well to stem these concerns by developing a new approach to dealing with the situation at hand. In terms of fear, signs of change may spark feelings of uncertainty with regards to the ability to contribute to the change process and the security of their jobs. Pessimism, anxiety and different personal and professional ambitions are also a major factor in the spread of change-resistant fear. For example, an employee may feel afraid to take part in the change process because it will affect his professional development or inhibit personal growth. Employees may feel that they are capable of working with the organization to make proposed changes. Once employees start feeling that they their jobs are insecure and are threatened by proposed changes, they will withdraw their support to try and make the proposed changes fail (Robbins and Judge 561). However much employees feel afraid of changes, Parkway can mitigate these fears by managing them. Managing fear involves assuring employees of the security of their jobs and approaching them directly. Parkway can also provide employees with clear plans for proposed changes so that they can understand proposed changes and cooperate with

AmeriCares Association, Strengths and Weakness Assignment

AmeriCares Association, Strengths and Weakness - Assignment Example The organization has strength associated with the ability to assemble product donations from the private sector, thereby determining the urgent needs and requesting financial support for sending aid through airlift or ocean cargo. The organization has health and welfare professionals who are deployed in impecunious areas faced by a need for medical support. Moreover, Americares applies a model, which is tested, cost-effective and driven by experience (AmeriCares, 2013). On the other hand, they have high accessibility to donated medicines and medical supplies offered by corporate partners, through an established and trusted network. In this case, they use locally based hospitals and healthcare providers in different places of the world. Contributions made by supporters of the organization around the world have a led to a positive influence on their operations in different parts of the world. The only weakness identified in the organization relates to the inability to access people suffering in some counties due to lack of information, high level of insecurity or lack of necessary capacity (AmeriCares, 2013). Most of the time, the organization is not able to access some these location due to lack of the necessary information that can assist in accessing these areas. Opportunities of Americare can be associated with long-standing commitment of fiscal responsibility that is always attributed to high rankings from the Charity Navigator for their success (AmeriCares, 2013). This provides a platform that facilitates recognition by different parties from different places of the world with the same interest in assisting people in needs. Therefore, the organization is able to acquire trust in terms of management of funds donated by corporate partners. In fact, the organization has used the donations as an opportunity to reflect their commitment towards support programs, whereby ninety-eight of their expenses are directly channeled to relief for people in need, while two percent is consumed through administrative costs.        Ã‚  

Deregulation and Shipping Industries Essay Example for Free

Deregulation and Shipping Industries Essay Regulation in economy is a process characterized by control, monitoring and managing of rules, processes, operations and methods in order to obtain and yield more positive results and attain an environment that is more convenient to consumers and businessmen (Boyson). Deregulation, which is the opposite of regulation, when used in different aspects and sectors of business have affected directly and indirectly the various business industries and companies. For instance, transportation deregulation has greatly impacted the shipping industry here and around the world. Changes are brought depending on how shippers used the systems of transportation. Globalization is a phenomenon the no one can deny is happening now. Industries and businesses are experiencing wide range of growth as they reach out different regions around the globe, and just like other businesses shipping and carrying industries have their eyes keen towards globalization. Thus a company, for instance, does not solely need to attend to its New York-Chicago transportation affairs, they now must also consider the inbound flow and tracking of ships from Asia and the outbound flow from other continents such as South America and Africa (Boyson). For this reason, there now exists a growing complexity in the networks and channels of transportation systems. Furthermore a challenge to effectively manage and control the local goods combined with the imported products are also observed. The challenged that arises from the complexities of network transportation has then prompted authorities to regulate systems of transportations. The increasing number for international needs of inbound and outbound flow of logistics and shipments had yield to large number of trucks and carriers. Authorities then deemed that a regulation that would minimize the increasing number of truckers and carriers that would enter and leave the US harbor is necessary and significant. Shipment and freight industries have seen enormous change and face lifts through the years. From the late 1970’s advocates of deregulation have called for the removing of federal economic regulation (Brenner). According to them by exposing freight and shipping industries to exit and entry regulation, industries failed to perform to their utmost potential. They are not able to maximize their resources as rate on inbound and outbound flow of shipments are controlled. They call for a deregulation as they believed that industries can perform better with out these laws that hold and breathe down their neck. By lifting various regulations, competition industries can exists that eventually would leave to better service as they searched for different strategies and mediums that would satisfy their customers and followers. Attesting this claim was the significant growth experienced business growth in terms of volume by the shipment and trucking companies under the deregulated market, from 1982 up to 1997 (Brenner). With deregulation, rates in which the companies provide their services are also lowered. This event happens as more ships are made available to travel and with ease of entry restrictions. Companies do not have to require large fees as the risks of inability to dock or set sail is stricken off. Circuitous routes made the shipping vessels are also eliminated which provides ease and convenience to the industries. Furthermore, deregulation encourages freedom in pricing. As a result, lower rates are observed. Deregulation laws in transportation have impacted the shipping industries greatly. From the structure and functions in how companies delivered their services up to the vision they gladly want to fulfill. However, of all those encouraging results obtained from deregulation none could be more important to its affect to the flow of goods here and abroad. With the deregulation, sufficient supply of goods is stimulated locally and internationally which has major effect in international commerce. Work’s Cited Boyson, S. Managing Effective Third Party Logistics Relationships: What Does It Take? Journal of Business Logistics . 1999. Brenner, M. A. World Seatrade Service. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies. 1999.

Integration of Gujarati Immigrants in Britain

Integration of Gujarati Immigrants in Britain Gujarati Immigrants Transnational RESEARCH QUESTION: How does the integration of Gujarati immigrants in Britain affect their participation in transnational activities? Introduction This proposed research aims to understand links between social and economic integration and participation in transnational activities. I will focus on Gujarati immigrants as they are widely regarded as being amongst the most affluent, successful and religious of Britain’s South Asian settlers (Dwyer, 1994). The proposed research is a case study (Marshall Rossman, 1999) exploring patterns of integration and participation in transnational activities within this particular group. The research question is important because I want to challenge both the idea that all Gujarati immigrants are rich and successful and simplistic understandings of segmented assimilation theory (Kivisto, 2001; Portes, 1995; Yu Greenman, 2005). Empirical evidence for this purpose will be gathered by a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The results will give a detailed picture of a particular group of immigrants but will be relevant to understanding other groups as well. Literature Review As a theoretical starting point, I will refer to the work of Portes, who defines transnationalism as referring to: â€Å"†¦a growing number of persons who live dual lives; speaking two languages, having homes in two countries, and making a living through continuous regular contact across national borders. Activities within the transnational field comprise a whole gamut of economic, political and social initiatives†. (Portes et al, 1999, pp. 217-218) For Portes (1995), to understand the relationship between transnational behaviour and immigrant integration we have to understand the theory of segmented assimilation. This theory makes an effort to understand the individual and contextual factors that determine into which parts of the host society second generation immigrants become incorporated: in the case of Gujarati immigrants, these areas will be social, economic, cultural and religious. Many writers have emphasised that transnationalism is in part an adaptive strategy a reaction to the hostile reception and downward mobility that immigrants face in post-industrial nations (Basch et al 1994). However, transnational behaviour and immigrant integration is discussed differently by Kivisto (2001). Kivisto argues that contrary to the transnational view of immigrants living in two countries at the same time immigrants are located in one and the immediate concerns of the receiving country take lead in to the more distant concerns of the sending community. For Kivisto, for example, Portes’ theory of transnational immigration does not look at the variation of transnational behaviours among immigrants with comparable family and social link with the country they are from. He provides an assessment of transnationalism that is a subset of assimilation theory, rather than an alternative to it and suggests that the following factors should be considered in research on this topic: The costs associated with travel Access to communication technologies The salience of homeland political issues or economic conditions versus similar issues in the host society How institutions in the host society may limit immigrants’ access and the nature of their involvement The impact of popular culture The role of nation states (p.573). Yu and Greenman (2005) criticize segmented assimilation theory on the basis of an empirical study on immigration adolescents yielding two main findings: First, for immigrant adolescents living in non-poverty neighborhoods, they find assimilation to be positively associated with educational achievement and psychological well-being but also positively associated with at-risk behavior. Second, there is little empirical evidence supporting the theory of segmented assimilation. For these writers, future research would be more fruitful focusing on differential processes of assimilation rather than differential consequences of assimilation (http://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/pubs/abs.html?ID=3443). Bearing this in mind, the focus of my study is on Gujarati immigrants’ participation in terms of its relation to integration process. I am also drawing on Ballard’s (1994) Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain. The book contains a collection of essays about the diverse, multicultural South Asian communities in Britain, including Gujarati immigrants. The of the book ‘Desh Pardesh’ means home from home and at home abroad. The book attempts to look at some of the issues relating to processes of the reconstruction of social, economic, religious and cultural life in order to integrate in the new country. The case of Gujarati immigrants There are over half a million Gujaratis in Britain (Dwyer, 1994). Britain remains a popular destination for immigrants because of its strong economy. However, the jobs that immigrants generally take on are in the secondary sector and typically unskilled manual labour (Massey, 1987); I suggest that this is also the case with many Gujarati immigrants. Social networks both in Gujarat and Britain also account for a large number of migrants coming in from abroad (Boyd 1989). In the research I aim to focus on Gujarati immigrants who are in search for better employment opportunities in Britain and are wishing to settle. As for Portes (1999): â€Å"For purposes of establishing a novel area of investigation, it is preferable to delimit the concept of transnationalism to occupations and activities that require regular and sustained social contacts over time across national borders for their implementation. Thus defined, the concept encompasses, for example, the travels of a Salvadoran viajero delivering mail and supplies to immigrant kin on a monthly basis or those of a Dominican garment shop owner going to New York several times a year to sell her wares and acquire new fabrics and designs for her business. By the same token, it excludes the occasional gifts of money and kind sent by immigrants to their kin and friends (not an occupation) or the one-time purchase of a house or lot by an immigrant in his home country (not a regular activity) (p.219). I will apply this idea to immigrants from Gujarat, India who represents the latest ‘wave’ of migration. The group will consist of middle-class people with only Indian school qualification aged 18-28 years and who enter into unskilled manual labour, e.g. working in restaurants, cleaners, groceries, retail and so on. My aim is to try and understand the people who face difficulties in Gujarat, India due to unemployment. Many writers have written about different Gujarati communities abroad, for example about the success of East African Gujaratis in terms of education achievement and business (Ballard 1994; Bughart 1987; Bhachu 1985). I want to also look at the poor Gujaratis who lack educational qualifications and are struggling to find work in Gujarat. Research methods Key questions regarding the orientation to the conduct of the research are: 1) Is my strategy ‘deductive’ or ‘inductive’? 2) Is my research qualitative or quantitative? and 3) Is my epistemology positivist or interpretivist? First, deductive research strategy is concerned with the testing of theory, or a pre-given hypothesis. As a result, hypothesis is confirmed or rejected. Inductive approach is more relevant in my research because it allows categories emerge from the data (Marshall Rossman, 1999). If for example I was trying to research first generation immigrants rather then second then I would have to modify theory of segmented assimilation to apply it to the right group. If I use the inductive approach I will begin with findings and observations from which I will generate theory. Second, my research will be both quantitative and qualitative in that it will look at numeric population patterns as well as individual lived experiences (ibid). Third, my research will be interpretivist in that it is ‘guided by a set of beliefs and feelings about the world and how it should be understood and studied’ (Denzin Lincoln, 1994, p.13). Exploratory Data Collection The method I will be using to collect data will be participant observation during my field work in Britain. I will study groups of Gujarati immigrants who are either unemployed or have low-paid jobs. This approach attempts to understand ‘what is going on’ and that is why participant observation is a suitable method for this research (ibid). This method will help me in developing useful interview questions. It will also allow me evaluate data collected through other methods (Pelto and Pelto 1978). ‘Participant observation’ as a method involves observing as well as participating with those who are being studied, and it also involves social interaction as well as engaging in their way of life (Spradley 1980). The extent to which a researcher participates in a social setting ranges from non-participation to complete participation, in the latter case becoming a member of the group. I will participate moderately with the Gujaratis’ daily activities (ibid; Dewalt et al 1998). (a) I need to gain entry into the community and begin building my relations with immigrants. I will be working in two main areas which have the highest number of Gujaratis, Wembley (NW London) and Leicestershire (Midlands). I will have to find accommodation in these two regions of Britain. To gain access into the community I will also volunteer to work as a sales assistant for retail shops in these areas. By doing this I will be able to build comfortable relations with my respondents. This will also encourage informants to talk normally as they would with a friend or community member (Denzin Lincoln, 1994).

A Study On Office Ergonomics Management Essay

A Study On Office Ergonomics Management Essay Office ergonomics serve important functions in preparing for, and responding to, workplace critical incidents. Workplace critical incidents are sudden, unexpected events that often are significant enough to overwhelm normal coping responses. They vary in type and severity and can affect employees as well as management. Such incidents can seriously affect the psychological, emotional, and physical well-being of employees, employers, and the entire organization. Negative effects from the unresolved trauma of a critical incident in the workplace can contribute to overall lowered levels of productivity, poor performance, more frequent interpersonal conflict, increased absenteeism, increased use of physical and mental health benefits, increased workers compensation claims, higher turnover, higher rates of alcohol and other substance misuse and abuse, and lower overall employee satisfaction and morale. According to Jones (1985:11-12) it is recognized that no one is immune to problems. It is quite common that a problem in ones sphere of life will affect the other spheres, that is, it is possible that work related problems to have adverse effects on an employees relationship with his or her colleagues, friends, supervisors and family members while on the other side of the coin a person experiencing personal problem originating from home can have a negative impact on the individual performance at work. Already, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and media and entertainment industries find over 25 percent of their workforce engaged in knowledge generation, idea generation, and innovation. Professional knowledge workers share in the responsibility of generating the competitive edge of big enterprise. Bryan and Joyce (2005) report several statistics reinforcing how professionals experience interconnection. They cite that many large national and global organizations may employ as many as 10,000 professional knowledge generators within their corporations. These people may have as many as 50 million bilateral relationships. From these numbers, one can make out that 21st century workers do not perform in a traditional vertical or linear organizational design. Thus employee should be at the centre of every business activity and they should be integrated in a way that they deliver to the core strategy of the business. Employee should be regarded as a direct means of achieving the objectives of the company and they should be considered as an integral element of business practices in view to increase performance and brand name of the company. That why the social need and belonging is very important to present in companies so that employees can get a sense that they know they feel recognised in working in the company. Individuals facing both personal and work related problems do exist at Air Mauritius Ltd. These problems may have their origin with their work design, interpersonal relationships at work or at home, health problem, psycho-social problems, inability to meet family and social life expectations, poor personal financial management, lack of trust and communication with the organization or suffering from stress as a result of perceiving organizational practices as being unfair towards our person. In view that the social dimension of the enterprises in Mauritius is becoming more and more important, Air Mauritius Ltd should at all cost put its people at the heart of its economic and social progress by focusing on their needs for support when they face problem that can shatter both their personal and professional life. To respond to these needs Mauritian airline company should adopt a holistic approach by putting in place broad and explicit structures for dealing with employee problems through early identification and referral, that is, professional attention so that the employee can be assisted to unleash his/her potential to cope with work and life events that may causing harm to his/her personal and professional life. Organisational Profile Air Mauritius Ltd which is one of the main drivers of the Mauritian economy was incorporated in June 1967 and started operations with a Piper Navajo to transport passengers to Rà ©union Island. Forty three (44) years later, the unique Mauritian airline company has grown with an actual fleet of 12 aircraft comprising of 8 wide bodied aircraft, 2 narrow bodied aircraft and 2 prop turbo aircraft and 3 helicopters. The different types of aircraft are illustrated below: Types of Aircraft Number Airbus A340-300 5 Airbus A340-300E 2 Airbus A319-100 2 ATR 72-500 2 Airbus A330-200 1 Total 12 Helicopter 3 Table 3.1-Types of Aircraft From a domestic airline carrier, Air Mauritius Ltd has become the leading scheduled international passenger airline in the Indian Ocean and also serves 28 destinations touching four (4) continents namely Africa, Asia, Australia Europe. It has also expanded its scope of service which includes operation of international and domestic scheduled air services for the carriage of passengers, freight and mail and ancillary services such as cargo. The greatest part of the revenue generation comes from the business and leisure travel with the latter being the main passenger segment which generated 86% of the revenue, 10.4% from cargo services and 4% from other activities conducted by its subsidiaries. During the past four financial years, the number of passengers carried by Air Mauritius Ltd has been fluctuating due to decrease in travel demand as a result of the world unprecedented financial crisis that hit countries where the mass of our passengers are located. Apart from operating aircraft, involved in air cargo services and other aviation ancillary activities, Air Mauritius Ltd has also diversified in other business activities through its subsidiaries namely: Mauritius Estate Development Corporation Ltd (MEDCOR) which is engaged in leasing of office and commercial space Pointe Cotton resort Hotel Co Ltd which owns Cotton bay Hotel in Rodrigues Island and provides hotel accommodation together with all hotel services Airmate Ltd which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Mauritius Ltd incorporated in 2006 to provide call centre and IT enabling services Air Mauritius (SA) (Pty) Ltd which acts as a travel agent for Air Mauritius in South Africa Organisational Structure Apart from its Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Office, Air Mauritius is made up of the following clusters: Flight Operations Cabin Operations Grounds Operations Technical Services Human Resources Organisational Development Internal Audit Finance Information Systems Strategic Planning Communication Corporate Affairs Commercial Procurement Cargo Manpower composition Air Mauritius has a total workforce of 2199 employees who work in Mauritius and it comprises of: Male 1406 Female 793 Total 2199 Table 3.3No of employees Human Resources Issues One of the mandates of the company is to manage and develop its human resources so as it can attained its corporate objectives. Air Mauritius Ltd through its mission statement and values, it demonstrates that they value their employees as one of its missions is to be a rewarding performance driven organistaion and a great place to work and promise to display professional and caring attitude and speak and act positively with our valued customers which include also the employees. Air Mauritius like other business enterprises is not immune of human resource issues that impact on corporate and financial performance. The most common features are labour turnover, termination of employment, sickness absenteeism, injuries at work, medical costs etc and a review of the data of associated with these problems reveal the following: For most people, work is a safe haven. But high-profile incidents/accidents at workplace and safety and health laws are compelling employers to develop preventive programs to mitigate these problems, resulting in the creation of a promising new niche for health and safety professionals. Improved personal control and comfort needs of employees triggered the concern among organisations to provide them with an environment and office design, which fulfill the employees needs and helps to improve their productivity. Most people spend fifty percent of their lives within indoor environments, which significantly influence their mental status, actions, abilities and performance. (Amina Hameed 2009 adopted from (Sundstrom 1994)). Better physical environment of office will boost the employees and ultimately improve their productivity. Various literature pertain to the study of multiple offices and office buildings indicated that the factors such as dissatisfaction, cluttered workplaces and the physical environment are playing a major role in the loss of employees productivity (Amina Hameed 2009 adopted from Carnevale 1992, Clements-Croome 1997). According to Betty G. Dillard (February 1997) the discipline of ergonomics emerged in United Kingdom in the late 1940s and was first officially recognised in the USA in 1957 through the Human Factors Society. In the 1960s and 1970s ergonomics became a familiar study to the field of industrial engineering, and by the late 1970s ergonomics was recognized as a multidisciplinary field at the University of Michigan School of Engineering. Ergonomics is an important factor in achieving and maintaining high levels of worker productivity. Jeffrey E. Fernandez (April 1995) defined ergonomics as the design of the workplace, equipment, machine, tool, product, environment, and system, while considering the humans physical, physiological, biomechanical, and psychological capabilities, and optimising the effectiveness and productivity of work systems while assuring the safety, health, and wellbeing of the workers. Ergonomics is a discipline concerned with all aspects of designing for people. The aim in ergonomics is to fit the task to the individual, not the individual to the task. Ann Brook (1998) further defined ergonomics as the practice of learning about human characteristics and then using that understanding to improve peoples interaction with the things they use and with the environments in which they do so Hundreds of millions of people around the world work in offices. Improving the quality of these environments through user-centered design would provide enormous health, social, and economic benefits to society. Office ergonomics provides an arbitrary framework for integrating a large body of research that is relevant to the design of office work environments to optimize the health, safety, comfort, and effectiveness of their human occupants. (Jay L. Brand 2009) Office ergonomics is an applied branch of human factors and ergonomics. At least 50% of the worlds population presently works in some form of office (Jay L. Brand, P.h.D.( 2009) adapted from Brounen, and Eichholtz 2004; Charles et al, 2004; Veitch et al 2007). To demonstrate this potential, at least 2% of the American workforce suffers from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) annually (Jay L. Brand 2009 adapted from Faucett et al 2002). Within the European Union (EU), work-related musculoskeletal disorders (cumulative trauma disorders) constitute 40-50% of this (Jay L. Brand, P.h.D.( 2009) adapted from Drury et al., 2006). Several basic research areas inform office ergonomics body of knowledge and guide its practice, including anthropometry, biomechanics, work physiology, environmental science (e.g., indoor air quality, personal space/territoriality; Sommer, 1969), individual differences, visual and auditory perception, mental workload, information processing, and human motivation. A number of applied areas of interest also enrich office ergonomics research and practice, including macroergonomics, participative ergonomics, usability, job and task analysis, human-computer interaction, displays and controls, organizational design and behavior, and organizational development. Office ergonomics must not only provide design guidance to minimize or eliminate health and safety issues; increasingly, the discipline needs to deliver positive organizational outcomes such as enhancing employee recruitment, retention, and productivity (Jay L. Brand2009 adapted from Lahiri et al, 2005) Hughes (2007) surveyed 2000 employees pertain to various organizations and industries in multiple levels. The reported results of these survey showed that nine out of ten believed that a workspace quality affects the attitude of employees and increases their productivity. Employees in different organizations have different office designs. Every office has unique furniture and spatial arrangements, lighting and heating arrangements and different levels of noise. Office design Office design is defined by BNet Business Dictionary (2008) as, the arrangement of workspace so that work can be performed in the most efficient way. Office design incorporates both ergonomics and work flow, which examine the way in which work is performed in order to optimise layout. Office design is an important factor in job satisfaction. It affects the way in which employees work, and many organisations have implemented open-plan offices to encourage teamwork. Office design is very vital in employee satisfaction, and the broad concept of office design also includes the workflow. The work is analysed initially and it is identified that how it is accomplished and then the overall setting of the office is made according to that flow. This ensures the smooth running of work in the office without hindrances. Over the years, many organisations have devised new designs and techniques to construct office buildings, which can boost productivity, and magnetise more and more employees. Many researches have noted that, the physical layout of the workspace, along with well-organised management processes, is playing a significant role in increasing employees productivity and enhancing organisational performance (Amina Hameed 2009 adapted from Uzee, 1999; Leaman and Bordass, 1993; Williams et al. 1985). A study was conducted on US workplace environment by taking a sample size of 2013. The research was related to; workplace designs, work satisfaction, and productivity. 89 percent of the respondents rated design, from important to very important. Almost 90 percent of senior officials revealed that effective workplace design is important for the increase in employees productivity. The final outcome of the survey suggested that businesses can enhance their productivity by improving their workplace designs. A rough estimation was made by executives, which showed that almost 22 percent increase can be achieved in the companys performance if their offices are well designed. (Gensler, 2006). It is an undoubtedly fact that almost many organisations still do not give much importance to workplace design. As many as 40 percent of the employees believe that their companies want to keep their costs low that is why their workplaces have bad designs; and 46 percent of employees think that the priority list of their company does not have workplace design on top. When data was summarised, almost one out of every five employees rated their workplace environment from, fair to poor. 90 percent admitted that their attitude about work is adversely affected by the quality of their workplace environment. Yet again 89 percent blamed their working environment for their job dissatisfaction (Gensler, 2006). The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID, 1999) carried out an independent study and revealed that the physical workplace design is one of the top three factors, which affect performance and job satisfaction. The study results showed that 31 percent of people were satisfied with their jobs and had pleasing workplace environments. 50 percent of people were seeking jobs and said that they would prefer a job in a company where the physical environment is good. Brill et al. (1984) ranked factors, which affect productivity according to their importance. The factors are sequenced based on the significance: Furniture, Noise, Flexibility, Comfort, Communication, Lighting, Temperature and the Air Quality. Amina Hameed 2009 adapted from Springer Inc (1986) stated that an insurance company in a study revealed that the best ergonomic furniture improved performance by 10 to 15 percent. Leaman (1995) attempted to find the relationship between indoor environment, dissatisfied employees and their productivity. The results revealed that the productivity of the work is affected because the people were unhappy with temperature, air quality, light and noise levels in the office. The productivity level was measured by the method of self reported measurement, which is a 9 point scale from greater than -40 and less than +40 percent (loss/gain). The data collected was correlated and results said that the coefficient of correlation (r)=0.92 and the correlation exists between people who showed dissatisfaction with their indoor environment and those reporting that their productivity is affected by the office environment. Transition of closed offices to open offices. Open offices are distinguished from closed offices as having minimal floor-to-ceiling divisions inside the building shell other than structural or supporting elements. Problems with inadequate privacy and personal control have largely been replicated and extended by subsequent research to include impaired organizational performance, greater stress and cognitive workload, lower intrinsic motivation, more difficulty in concentrating, and less likelihood of adjusting so-called ergonomic furniture among workers in open-plan offices compared with those in enclosed offices (Jay L. Brand 2009 adapted from Banbury Berry, 2005) Maher and von Hippel (2005), measured 60 male and 49 female office workers in a field study of two open-plan office environments. Their results pointed to the importance of individual differences and salient job characteristics, as well as to a discrepancy between the visual-symbolic nature of partial enclosures and their actual effectiveness as acoustic barriers. These findings suggest that employees engaged in complex tasks or with low stimulus-screening ability prefer enclosed offices. Young office employees prefer to spend a greater proportion of their time working in groups or teams than individually. Based on the available literature, it must be concluded that any individual, group, or organizational advantages of moving from closed to open offices depend on a conceptual framework that links a number of merely interesting assumptions still lacking adequate empirical investigation. What appear on the surface to be compelling claims of improved communication, collaboration, community, creativity, and innovation among employees in open offices have received only mixed support at best. Factors affecting Office ergonomics The futureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦depends on how we develop human interfaces that create a match between the internal rhythms of the operator and the computer. ( Harry C. Sweere (2002) Harry C. Sweere (2002) conducted a study to investigate on the ergonomics factors involved in optimum computer workstation design. He pointed out the factors that are involved in the design of a computer workstation. The goal of conducting his research was to offer a practical guide to interpret published ergonomic guidelines and the anthropometric data that can be used to create a user friendly, ergonomically correct computer work environment. According to Harry C. Sweere (2002) the factors involved in the design of a computer workstation are namely:- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visual display unit (VDU) adjustability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Keyboard placement/adjustability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work surface adjustability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Chair design/adjustability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foot rests à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Wrist rests à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Glare screens à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lighting, task lighting à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ease of adjustability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Accessibility to components à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Human Computer Interfaces (HCIs) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Space savings All of the above issues concern themselves with the reduction or elimination of a class of physical disorders associated with poor ergonomic design known as Musculoskeletal Stress Disorders (MSDs), which result in: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Eye, neck and back strain à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fatigue, headache à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Wrist, hand, elbow and shoulder diseases such as à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¾ Carpal Tunnel Syndrome à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¾ Tenosynovitis à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¾ Tendonitis à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¾ Synovitis Some of the main causes of eye, neck and back strain, which cause visual problems and wrist, hand, elbow and shoulder diseases are: Improper Visual Display Unit screen height and the inability to adjust the screen height to individual preferences Improper Visual Display Unit viewing distance and the inability to adjust the same Improper Visual Display Unit viewing angle and the difficulty of adjusting the viewing angle especially of larger monitors Improper keyboard vertical, fore and aft and tilt positioning. A good ergonomic design principle must be applied to give the operator or a range of operators the optimum man-machine interface and the adjustability required to prevent discomfort and prevent workplace injuries. In many cases the specialised video display mounting technology developed for these work environments can be applied to the desktop to provide ergonomic adjustability and space saving benefits for this environment as well. Screen Height The recommended screen height for VDT monitors is that the top of the monitor screen should be set at or slightly below (approximately 1-2) the eye height of the user when the user is sitting or standing in a comfortable, relaxed position. Whenever possible the screen height should be variable to accommodate personal preferences throughout the day. Harry C. Sweere (2002) Screen Tilt Ideally an upward tilt with the bottom of the screen tilted toward the operator provides optimum viewing because it provides a consistent focal length when scanning from the top of the screen to the bottom. A tilt range of 12 ° to 20 ° is ideal depending upon the size of the monitor. (Harry C. Sweere (2002) Screen Distance from Operator Normally the monitor screen should be placed as far away as possible from the operator, consistent with the ability to read the information presented on the screen. A good rule of thumb for most installations is that the monitor screen should be placed at arms length, with the provision to move the monitor back and forth to suit individual needs being the ideal. Keyboard Height/Positioning Keyboards should be placed at a height that allows the operator to operate the keyboard with the forearms level and hands sloping slightly downward. A negatively tilting keyboard, allowing the operator to keep the wrinkles out of the top of the wrists is ideal. Fore and aft positioning of the keyboard should be consistent with allowing the hands to move easily over the keyboard with forearms level and elbows at the sides, maintaining a 90 ° 110 ° angle between upper and lower arms. Screen/Keyboard Height Variance Anthropometric data for the average range of male to female operators indicates that the top of the monitor screen to centerline of the keyboard placement should range from 20 to 22 with 21 being a good set-up for most applications. Seating Although Lueder and Noro (1994) remains an excellent reference for most of the important considerations related to user-centered seating design, more recent work has enlarged on the importance of an integrative systems framework for predicting seated comfort and discomfort. User-centered seating evaluations tend to emphasize user outcomes associated with long-term sitting such as low back disorders (Jay L.Brand 2009 adapted from Corlett, 2006; George, 2002). Marras (2005) reviewed research that demonstrated interactions between basic tissue and musculoskeletal biomechanics with individual differences (e.g., personality and gender. In light of Marrass review, practitioners should at least realize that occupant-centered design principles that include user characteristics as well as organizational and task contexts are critical, in addition to seating design itself, for preventing or ameliorating low back disorders among office workers. Av. Female 59.4 44 Improving the Human Interface with Computers Ergonomic studies done years ago indicate that screen positioning and keyboard adjustability are some of the most important factors in providing a comfortable work environment and preventing a broad range of MSDs associated with computer use. Disorders such as eye, neck and back strain, fatigue, headaches, and wrist, hand, elbow and shoulder diseases such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can all be dramatically improved through use of good ergonomic design. The foregoing paper is based upon sound ergonomic ground rules and scientific anthropometric data, which can be used by computer workstation designers to help provide an optimum human interface for their computers. Workstation designers are urged to consult with a certified Ergonomist who is familiar with the applicable anthropometric data and computer workstation ergonomic standards for corroboration of the recommendations made for each application. In order to meet such ambitious demands, a broader, systems view for office ergonomics must be adopted (Jay L. Brand 2009) adapted from Bettendorf, 1998). Such a framework fully acknowledges the influence of additional psychosocial, socio-technical, and organisational layers beyond individual human-workstation interactions. Whether or not a foot rest should be recommended depends somewhat on seat height, seat back angle, and seat pan angle as well as on knee clearance considerations related to desk surface height, placement of input devices, and the relative position of these components to one another. (Jay L. Brand 2009) After all, maintaining neutral body postures in any particular limb or body segment should not require that other limbs or body segments assume awkward postures. Maintaining neutral postures and neutral loadings for users requires simultaneous design of the physical components of the environment, their spatial relationships to one another, the users behavioral interaction with each component, and task requirements. (Jay L. Brand 2009) Marshall et al (1999) investigated the influence of complex wrist and forearm postures on wrist range of motion (ROM). Although their results relate more to human functionality constraints than to awkward postures per se, they still illustrate the necessity of an interactive systems framework for applying basic ergonomics research to practical office design problems. Wrist postures cannot be evaluated independently of elbow position, and therefore the design of keyboards or mice cannot be optimized without also considering the design and placement of forearm or wrist suppor. (Jay L. Brand ( 2009)) Helander, Little, and Drury (2000) found that seat height and seat pan angle in particular were interdependent, even when participants adjusted a single chair in isolation-that is, adjustments of one influenced adjustments of the other. An applied example of interdependence among ergonomics principles given in Smith and Cohen (1997) involves the need for a headrest if people use a reclined posture, either to decrease spinal loading. Allie et al (2005) suggested that human-machine system outputs (performance/productivity), user symptoms ( pain, comfort, and discomfort ratings; workload) user preferences and expectations ( spontaneously adjusted settings/positions of office furniture and equipment), biomechanical/ musculoskeletal factors (awkward postures; muscle tension, sensory/perceptual conditions (visual acuity; visual accommodation responses; color responses individual differences ), and task requirements must be taken into consideration when managing office ergonomics. Training A related development since Smith and Cohens (1997) masterful review of the office ergonomics literature involves the importance of placing ergonomics findings within their larger psychosocial and organizational contexts. One relevant aspect of this higher-order context relates to the quality of education and training about the elements and importance of ergonomics design guidelines and other interventions (Smith Bayehi, 2003). The value of basic ergonomics information within applied settings often depends on the effectiveness of such training/orientation programs, as well as on individual differences (Levitt Hedge, 2006). Recent reviews have affirmed the well-known risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal difficulties among office workers: frequency/repetition, awkward or static postures, excessive muscle loads, inadequate recovery/ rest periods and cool temperatures. Ambient and Task Lighting The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (Jay L. Brand, 2009) adapted from IESNA, 2004) recommends maximum luminance ratios of 1:3 between central task materials and the immediate visual surround (approximately 25 ° visual angle, centered at fixation) and 1:10 between task materials and more remote surroundings. Unfortunately, in actual practice, the conditions relevant to these recommendations are rarely measured and anecdotal evidence suggests that luminance ratios often exceed this advice. In addition to their helpful review of previous lighting research that is salient for the design of office lighting, Sheedy, Smith, and Hayes (2005) employed a laboratory experiment featuring fixed head position to clarify and extend current design recommendations. Distinguishing between disability and discomfort glare they described transient adaptation effects from fixating back and forth between two disparate luminance levels-a frequent situation confronting employees in office work environments. Sheedy et al. compared younger (N = 20, mean age 27.9 years, range 23-39) and older (N = 17, mean age 55.5 years, range 47-63) participants performing a central task (presented at 91 cd/m2) at surround luminances of 1.4, 2.4, 8.9, 25.5, 50, 91, 175, 317, and 600 cd/m2. Disability glare was assessed with low-contrast (20%) visual acuity charts; discomfort glare was measured with a questionnaire and preferred (surround) luminance by the method of adjustment. Younger participants performed b est at a surround luminance of 50 cd/m2 and older ones at 91 cd/m2 (equivalent to task luminance). Surround luminance influenced transient adaptation at low but not high levels for both age groups. The design of lighting and day lighting has also experienced a shift from direct guidelines such as adjustable task lighting to provide adequate luminance and legibility/ contrast for work materials or the elimination of glare to the importance of the larger, perceptual context for understanding user-centered design. (Jay L. Brand 2009) However, some evidence paints a more optimistic picture of providing useful, objective guidelines for office lighting. Jay L. Brand (2009) (adapted from Newsham and Veitch (2001)) derived several practical guidelines, including the follow

Moral of Washington Irvings The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essay

Moral of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow In Washington Irving’s short story â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,† the conflict between Enlightenment and Romantic ideals is narrativized. Irving’s story is an exploration of the conflict between these two schools of thought. Irving uses his setting, his characters, and his â€Å"moral† (or lack thereof) to critique the Enlightenment. At first reading, â€Å"Sleepy Hollow† may seem no more than a dreamy folk tale. But when read in the context of the emerging resistance to Enlightenment thinking, it reveals itself to be a striking denunciation of the ideals of the Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment was characterized by the reign of reason. Enlightenment thinkers believed in the supremacy of reason above all other human faculties, and in the perfectibility of man and therefore society. Scientific understanding and the pursuit of knowledge were key pursuits in this time. Materialism was emphasized as an overt rejection of the superstition of the Middle Ages. The ideals of the Enlightenment were rationality, objectivism, and the â€Å"enlightened† society based on pragmatism. In â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,† Irving uses all of the tools at his disposal as a storyteller to illustrate his criticism of Enlightenment ideals. First of all, he creates an atmosphere and a setting where reason is at a loss. Also, he uses the character of Ichabod Crane to embody Enlightenment principles, and then has this character become a figure of ridicule. Additionally, Irving uses his conclusion to poke fun at the Enlightenment idea of literature as being necessarily didactic. All of these elements come together to provide a thorough indictment of the Enlightenment. ... ...e. He then has the storyteller himself question the veracity of the story with his final line, â€Å"’I don’t believe one-half of it myself,’† which scorns not just the importance of a moral, but again questions the importance of truth and verifiability. While Irving may poke fun at the idea of a simplistic moral, a clear maxim that one can easily digest, he nevertheless infuses his work with a message. If any â€Å"moral† could be taken from â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,† it is that there are some places where reason cannot guide us. The possibility of a place where reason and rationality are no longer useful is a direct and sharp critique of the ideals of the Enlightenment. Through his â€Å"tools of the trade† as a storyteller, Irving effectively denounces the limits of Enlightenment thinking, and opens the door for the possibilities of Romanticism and the Gothic.

Essay --

Objective: We aimed to study the demographic Characteristics of the primary vasculitides in Northeast of Iran. Methods: We retrospectively studied the medical records of patients diagnosed with any kind of vasculitis at the Clinic and Department of Rheumatology of the Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2012. Patients were classified according to the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of vasculitis and the 2012 Revised International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference Nomenclature of Vasculitides. Results: A total of 721 patients (51.5% male, 48.5% female) with a diagnosis of primary vasculitis were identified. The frequency distributions of vasculitic disorders were as follows: Behcet’s disease, 63.6%; cutaneous leukocytoclastic angiitis, 8.2%; granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s), 6.8%; Takayasu’s arteritis. 6%; giant cell arteritis, 4%; polyarteritis nodosa, 2.1%; microscopic polyangiitis, 0.6%; eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss), 1.8%; cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, 0.3%; and...

Hidden Fraud in Trollope’s The Way We Live Now :: Literature Fortune Papers

Hidden Fraud in Trollope’s The Way We Live Now Hamilton K. Fisker supplies â€Å"the impetus for rolling Augustus Melmotte onwards into almost unprecedented commercial greatness† (Trollope 1.324). While his character occupies very little narrative space, Fisker functions as the catalyst which sets the novel’s financial ventures in motion; Melmotte rolls because Fisker has pushed. Not only does Fisker bring the Great South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway (or at least the prospectus) to England, but he also delimits the board members’ role in the venture. He places Melmotte, the novel’s â€Å"great financier,† in charge and repels Paul Montague’s desire to involve himself as an active director in the railroad’s daily operations (1.217). Fisker rejects Paul’s attempt to oversee the Mexican Railroad’s actualization by arguing that building railway lines does not concern an investor such as Paul: But Fisker got the better of him and put him down. â€Å"Fortune! what fortune had either of us? A few beggarly thousands of dollars not worth talking of, and barely sufficient to enable a man to look at an enterprise. And now where are you? look here, sir; — there’s more to be got out of the smashing up of such an affair as this, if it should smash up, than could be made by years of hard work out of such fortunes as yours and mine in the regular way of trade.† Paul Montague certainly did not love Mr Fisker personally, nor did he relish his commercial doctrines; but he allowed himself to be carried away by them. (1.85) If Fisker’s momentum rolls Melmotte, it carries away Paul, and the force of Fisker’s rhetoric subjugates Paul to his â€Å"commercial doctrines†: Fisker â€Å"put him down.† Fisker gets the â€Å"better† of Paul by making speech subservient to lucrative economic principles. He does not want Paul to enforce honest practices in the railroad’s financial transactions. Fisker’s first commercial doctrine, then, declares that we should consider small investors â€Å"not worth talking of.† Since small, individual investments financed the majority of English railway ventures in Victorian England (Robb 36), Fisker essentially declares that the Mexican Railway’s investors should not receive any narrative attention. Even though Paul does not love Fisker or respect him personally, Fisker’s dominant narrative carries him away. Similarly, even though The Way We Live Now cynically satirizes fraudulent business practices, T rollope takes Fisker’s declaration that a few thousand dollars are â€Å"not worth talking of† to heart.

Cyclical Political Theory Essay

Personally, I subscribe to the opinion that what we have in this world is a necessary connection between things. Technically, something can not come out of nothing. Actions are interrelated and whether we accept it or not, they overlap. Thus, I accept George Modelski’s position in his cyclical political theory. However for me, this principle is not only limited to only political events but all areas of life. In the case of World War I and World War II, I hold the position that both of them are not two separate political events. Why do I hold this claim? The truth is that if we look at both events critically, one would see that both wars are one and the same, only that it was fought in different locations and at different years. I provide the reasons for my position below. To begin with, the issues that surrounded the war are one and the same. The Germans wanted to dominate Europe and knew that to achieve this, they had to root out some other powerful nations like France, Britain, Russia and America. The German leaders also felt threatened by the expansion of Russia and wanted to root them out before they could overshadow the Germans. Furthermore, both of them were between colonial Lords. Apart from this, both wars was a scenario where the good guys are trying to stop the bad guys – the Allies being the good guys while Germany and their alliance being the bad guys. In both wars, we see elements of ideological propagation where one party wanted to feed their ideas to the other party. Summarily, I believe that the world war two was just a way of bringing what could have been brought to an end in World War I to an end. It involved the same set of people who were fight for the same cause and wanted to achieve the same results. Reference: †¢ Microsoft Encarta Dictionary 2008, â€Å"World War I†. †¢ Colby University Website, â€Å"German Responsibility for the Outbreak of the War† Retrieved August 5, 2008 from http://www. colby. edu/personal/r/rmscheck/GermanyC1. html †¢ Daniel Pipes, â€Å"Similarities in treason during World War II, the Cold War, and now† Retrieved from http://www. danielpipes. org/comments/11660 August 5