Evaluation of an Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Evaluation of an Argument - Essay Example The essay "Evaluation of an Argument" evaluates the validity, degree of soundness, and truth of the premises of the following argument: some sound arguments are valid, some valid arguments are arguments with false premises, some arguments with false premises are arguments with mood and figure OAO-2. According to Hyde, a syllogism refers to a deductive argument comprising of a minor premise, major premise, and a conclusion. The first syllogism for the above argument, which we have established to be a sprite can be deduced as: some arguments with mood and figure OAO-2 are not sound, some valid arguments are not sound, some arguments with false premises are not sound, no arguments with false premises are valid. In the general sense, the conventional logic expression of this argument: some T is not Q, some F is not Q, T is not F. The second syllogism for the original argument can be deductively interpreted within the context of the sortie to imply that: no arguments with false premises a re valid, some arguments underpinned with false premises are not sound, all arguments with mood and figure OAO-2 are generally not sound. Therefore, in the second syllogism, the conclusion of the original argument being evaluated has been transformed into a portion of the second syllogism. Moreover, the changed premise of the original automatically became an intermediate conclusion for the second syllogism. The example shows the unique character in which sorites tend to change the premise.

To what extent does a mature and cyclical product market drive Essay

To what extent does a mature and cyclical product market drive corporate restructuring - Essay Example Does maturity necessarily lead to deterioration of market? This question can be answered using the concept of cyclicality. Economics in Business Context (Haslam et al. 2002, p.92) further defines cyclical markets as â€Å"generally mature markets in which volume fluctuates at or around steady pattern of demand†. Depending on the replacement period of the product, the product will be required by the customers every few years, months or weeks. During the period when maximum customers replace the product, the demand for the product will be at its positive peak. This period is followed by a period of low sales. Thus, fluctuation in the demand for a mature product makes it cyclical. Some products have longer replacement periods than the others, making them cyclical. For example, a refrigerator may be replaced after every ten years but cold drinks manufactured by Coco Cola or Pepsi are bought by billions of people every day. Therefore, refrigerators may be termed as mature and cyclical. Coco Cola and Pepsi have reached maturity but they are not cyclical. Let me illustrate with the help of a hypothetical example. Consider a product XYZ. Say, I had introduced XYZ in the market in 1990. The replacement period of this product was five years. Using excellent marketing strategy, XYZ had gained popularity amongst the customers by 1991. But, I had not yet sold XYZ to maximum number of targeted customers. I had to maximize my sales as well as confront a new problem; a competitor introduced a similar product called ABC in the market in the year 1992. After a research on XYZ, I realized that the product could be manufactured in a better way, leading to an increase its durability. The replacement period after increase in durability became 8 years. Increase in the durability of XYZ attracted more number of customers. Because it was a very popular product, XYZ reached maturity by 1995. It was sold to maximum number of customers. If I had not

The Fox And The Grapes

The Fox And The Grapes A fox on its countryside stroll rests for a picnic under a tree intertwined with grape fruits and crow tries stealing his food without success. The crow discovers that foxes love grapes and offers to give them to him on the condition that he surrenders his picnic lunch (White Rojo, p. 1911). The fox ponders and thinks that he can get the grapes himself. He tries to the best level, but fails and sustains pains in the process. Finally, he surrenders his picnic lunch and the crow calls his a sucker. The fox finally gets the grapes only to be disappointed that they were sour grapes. Analysis of the story The fox does not want to surrender his meal easily, and although he is interested in the grapes, he tries to reach them by himself. After failing, he dismisses them claiming that they were not what he really wanted. The story is ethical underling the daily life of man. The eager to earn or attain something important makes him to be creative and come up with different ways of reaching the goals. However, failing each time makes them to give up and dismiss the issue with an assumption that it was not important. The story provides a case of adaptive preferences, which falls under the social theory because of the important incident of utilitarianism. The decision theorists have given various arguments on the question of preference changes, majorly in terms of logic. The tenacity of the story bears the moral view that the desires of the people changes with the changes in their whims, which negates the fact that it should be a matter of social choice. The story provides two choices in the sphere of choice and preferences: the first one is being the act of trying (without success), and the second one being the act of walking away in frustration, but providing a defensive excuse. The story also provides an appropriate stage for the analysis of attitude, their development, their role on decision making and acting, and their changes in classical situations. Rationalization on the basis of possibility becomes the basis of reasoning when one faces a choice among several alternatives. The consequences of the options that are available under the influence of the facts about the options at hand determine the direction of rationalization towards coming to the conclusion about the action. This makes the story tenable among the other stories. For instance, the fox considers several options for reaching the grapes by himself, which he fails before dismissing them as sour (Vicki, 1). The frustrations about the world inculcate several views about the world in man. The choices of actions are determined by the available options and the consequences of each action, as expressed in the story of the sour grapes. The fox has options, but considers trying to reach the grapes before easily handing in his lunch to the crow for assistance. Nevertheless, the fox ends up losing; hence, making it obvious that not all options taken end up positively. In the real world, the changes in the utility expectations may occur majorly for two reasons in the choice of actions. The first reason for utility change is the change in the playerà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s belief about the world. This is the case of the fox and the sour grapes. Having tried his level best without success to get the grapes, the fox changes his view about the grapes, signifying a change in the view of the world; hence leading to a change in the belief about the preference. The second possible reason for a utility change may be because of the expected consequence of the change in the utility. The sour grapesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ story becomes the center of a debate in the utilitarianism theory of choice and preferences. The story illustrates that it is not just about the belief change but also a change in the utility choice. The utilities of the members of the society may not be stable, but the theory of utilitarianism relies upon the social utilities; hence, the theory is weakened if the utilities are unstable. This viewpoint challenges the tenacity of the story in a way that the utilities change and determine the actions, rather than the changes in the beliefs as the case of the fox and his beliefs about the grapes. Parable of the cave This story presents a metaphor of knowledge and ignorance. Plato was ardent about knowledge, and in the story, he gives the reader a vivid imagination of the prisoners who could only see shadows on the wall. The prisoners did not know anything since they had seen nothing; hence, they thought it was real. This presents ignorance prevailing at the expense of knowledge. Plato assumes that the ignorant perception of knowledge among the prisoners may cause the brain to move to a higher level of reasoning because the prisoners had no perception of right or wrong, and true and false. The writer, Plato, aims at depiction of not only ways of thinking, but also on the different ways of living. Derlin (46) writes that the understanding of a life concept, for instance, courage, may differ in each stage of living. Interpretation of different aspects of life in the imagination stage of life may only accrue to the personà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s notion of the images from a cultural point of view. Imagination leads to formation of perceptions, which guide individualà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s perceptions of situations. This does not depend on the available knowledge, rather on the formation of images from the cultural perspective. The story, therefore, bases on the stage of thought and definition of concepts in life, especially the concept of courage, for instance, Socrates defines it as the awareness of something that should be feared and what should not be feared (Biffle 76). However, an individual speaking or offering the definition from thought rather than reality is the fact that the person may not offer information to the viewers about the form of the concept under definition. Therefore, knowledge is undermined because a definition that does not offer the form of the good does not illuminate the understanding; hence revealing the satirical and metaphoric aspect of the story. In conclusion, the two stories outline human perceptions in terms of knowledge, attitudes and ignorance. The first story provides the ground for understanding human attitude changes and the underlying circumstances while the second story provides an illustration regarding knowledge and ignorance that are founded on perceptions of images. The story revolves around the ignorant prisoners in a cave having only been exposed to shadows and perceiving them as real. The images lead to perceptions of what they had not seen, but imagined; hence guided by ignorance. The other story, the sour grapes informs of the changes in attitudes basing on the consequences of the actions that the fox undertakes. According to the fox, the utility of the grapes became irrelevant after the unsuccessful attempts to reach them. This implies that the preferences and choices of actions in life depends on the perceptions of the consequences and the success of the attempts. It also applies to the story of the parable of the cave where the perceptions are only dependent on the extent to which the imaginations play trick in the minds of the prisoners. This implies that the perceptions of thoughts are influenced majorly by the images formed; which eventually influences ignorance and eludes it for knowledge. Knowledge is created dependent of the perceptions of the images presented to the mind. According to Plato, the mind creates its perceptions depending on what is presented to it is all situations. The two texts border on human perceptions in terms of utility, preferences, perceptions and attitudes. The sour grapes takes a look at perceptions and utility and their effects of preferences, while the parable of the cave centers on perceptions and their effects on knowledge and ignorance. Work cited Biffle, Christopher. The Allegory of the Cave. A guided tour of five works by Plato: with complete translations of Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo (The death scene), and Allegory of the Cave. 3rd ed. Mountain View, Calif.: Mayfield Pub. Co., 2001. 76. Print. Sauter, Vicki L. Systems Analysis Fables. University of Missouri-St. Louis. Version 1. UM-St. Louis, 12 Mar. 2004. Web. 6 May 2013. . Taylor, Derlin. The Parable of the Cave. Parable of the cave. S.l.: Iuniverse Inc., 2009. 46. Print. White, Mark, and Sara Rojo. The Fox and the Grapes. The fox and the grapes: a retelling of Aesops fable. Minneapolis, MN: Picture Window Books, 2004. 1909-1914. Print.

Politics and Politicians :: essays research papers

In politics it would be novel to have a gracious rival. Modern political campaigners might take a lesson in graciousness and kindness from the great British statesman, Edward Campbell . Once when Campbell was opposing Thackereay for a seat in Parliament, the two contenders, in course of their campaigning, met and engaged in friendly conversation. On taking leave of his rival Thackereay remarked, 'May the best man win!' 'Oh, no,' replied Campbell, 'I hope not, I want to win!' E.J. Dionne Jr., author of They Only Look Dead, ascertains that politics in America today are nothing more than 'politics of moral annihilation'. As an example of this he refers to the presidential election of 1992. Normally , press conferences are called when political matters arise. The conference mentioned was called by the conservatives. Paula Jones came forward and accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment; apparently Mr. Clinton made 'unwelcomed sexual advances" . He continues to point out that these are the same conservatives that only a few years earlier had denounced the idea of sexual harassment as 'feminist invention'. It is acts like this that are aiding in the 'moral annihilation' of politics. The overall impact of such politics is undermining the intelligence of the American populous by turning political campaigning into a childlike power struggle. Both the Democrats and Republicans have reverted to a state of guerrilla media warfare.Every time election year rolls around we begin to hear the usual complaints of how politics is morally corrupt. It typically means we get to see the superficial image-oriented campaigning, negative attacks against one's opponent, and the thirty-second spot commercials that intrr upt our favorite sitcom. Experts note that the rates of political participation in the United States, as measured by the percentage of eligable voters who register and actually cast their ballot, has been dropping for years, in part due to the fact that citizens are disgusted with the conduct of political campaigns. From this we can clearly see overall impact of this type of politics does infact undermind how the populus acts in 3 ways: 1)don't watch televison2)don't care and 3)don't vote.This then brings us to the second point of how this is harmful to democracy. As I stated before it turns political campaigning into a chi ldlike game for power. Author Daniel O'Connell once said: 'A politican doesn't stand on his own record; he jumps on the other fellows. Politics and Politicians :: essays research papers In politics it would be novel to have a gracious rival. Modern political campaigners might take a lesson in graciousness and kindness from the great British statesman, Edward Campbell . Once when Campbell was opposing Thackereay for a seat in Parliament, the two contenders, in course of their campaigning, met and engaged in friendly conversation. On taking leave of his rival Thackereay remarked, 'May the best man win!' 'Oh, no,' replied Campbell, 'I hope not, I want to win!' E.J. Dionne Jr., author of They Only Look Dead, ascertains that politics in America today are nothing more than 'politics of moral annihilation'. As an example of this he refers to the presidential election of 1992. Normally , press conferences are called when political matters arise. The conference mentioned was called by the conservatives. Paula Jones came forward and accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment; apparently Mr. Clinton made 'unwelcomed sexual advances" . He continues to point out that these are the same conservatives that only a few years earlier had denounced the idea of sexual harassment as 'feminist invention'. It is acts like this that are aiding in the 'moral annihilation' of politics. The overall impact of such politics is undermining the intelligence of the American populous by turning political campaigning into a childlike power struggle. Both the Democrats and Republicans have reverted to a state of guerrilla media warfare.Every time election year rolls around we begin to hear the usual complaints of how politics is morally corrupt. It typically means we get to see the superficial image-oriented campaigning, negative attacks against one's opponent, and the thirty-second spot commercials that intrr upt our favorite sitcom. Experts note that the rates of political participation in the United States, as measured by the percentage of eligable voters who register and actually cast their ballot, has been dropping for years, in part due to the fact that citizens are disgusted with the conduct of political campaigns. From this we can clearly see overall impact of this type of politics does infact undermind how the populus acts in 3 ways: 1)don't watch televison2)don't care and 3)don't vote.This then brings us to the second point of how this is harmful to democracy. As I stated before it turns political campaigning into a chi ldlike game for power. Author Daniel O'Connell once said: 'A politican doesn't stand on his own record; he jumps on the other fellows.

Environmental Economics & climatic change Essay

Many approaches to green house emissions are currently being examined in the United States. In fact members of the 110th Congress (2007-2008) are actually making legislations pertaining to global changes faster than has even been experienced before having made over 235 bills, resolutions and changes by July, 2008. One such proposal is the cap-and-trade system (Paltsev et al. 4). The cap-and-trade is a piece of legislation meant to identify the greenhouse-gas-emitting bodies it incorporates. It refers to those organizations which introduces caps on the emissions they are responsible for and allows trading in the emission allowances which arise therein (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). They basically stipulate a set of accounting periods allocating allowed emissions for all the periods (Paltsev et al. 4). Cap-and-Trade Legislation; SO2 Program The permit trading programs offer pollution permits to organizations which reduce their pollution discharge lower than the target benchmarks. They are then allowed to either trade them or keep them for use in future (Ludwig 1). Following the Clean Air Amendments of 1990 the U. S put in place the Acid Rain Program to gain a reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), the main contributors of acid rain (Ludwig 1). The second program was the Hot-spots and acid rain program which basically involves regulatory tiering; embracing more than one regulatory regime at one specific time with the intention of exercising some control on the way permits are made use of (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). The goal of the acid rain program is to reduce SO2 emissions by 50%; a task meant to be accomplished through two stages mandating all organizations to reduce their SO2 emissions (Ludwig 3). The Opt-in program established by the Congress according to section 410 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of the year 1990 was designed with the intention of drawing the SO2 sources with reduced marginal costs of compliance (Ludwig 3). It is important to note however that the permit trading programs are not effectively contributing towards reducing increased emissions. Indeed the acid rain program of the United States has had less and unlikely effects on pollution hot-spots (Ludwig 10). This is quite unfortunate given the main energy challenges facing the U. S, which are foreign oil dependence and global changes in the climate (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). The safeguard the acid rain program makes use of is one of the reasons permit net flows have such a low effect on reducing emission. Alternative Method of Pollution Control It is worth appreciating that carbon trading at the markets was a positive step be it at the global, European or national fronts (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). It was in deed a challenge not only to the government but also to the private sector (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). If the war against carbon emissions is to be worn, a global regulatory framework would be needed (Watson et al 1). This would call for British Government and the World Bank to embrace the same views. This means that the cap-and-trade legislations can no longer offer the best solution to the problem. What is needed is a different approach, an alternative way of reducing carbon emissions. In light of the climatic changes being experienced, carbon emissions should be reduced by all chances (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). This calls for a new trading strategy; an approach which is more inclusive likely to involve all ventures emitting carbon such as aircrafts and ships (Watson et al 1). In the private sector this would call for a wider long-term market approach, voluntary in nature working to achieve public and private interests. The Kyoto Protocol should be strengthened coupled with better implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (Watson et al 1). Indications of progress are beginning to be seen with incentives for reducing emissions, development of alternative technologies as well as investments attraction (Watson et al 2). There is also the need for better liaison with the UN system more so in helping poor countries with their emission problems (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). This therefore means that carbon taxation is definitely not an alternative solution the emission problems. There is need to invest in fuel-efficient machinery, support domestic energy supply, as well as diversifying the nations’ sources of energy (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). Organizations also need to commit themselves to the course of lowering their energy consumption (Watson et al 2). The Legislation I would Support As an undergraduate in ApEc 3611, I would support the second alternative because it more inclusive, realistic and possibly a better solution since it involves many stakeholders (Watson et al 2). What I imply here is that a new alternative to America’s and indeed the world’s energy problem is an idea whose time has come (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). Energy is a real challenge facing the world and for America, there is even greater need to address the issue because of foreign oil dependence (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). Therefore I support the new alternatives to reducing carbon emissions. The private sector needs to embrace a wider long-term market perspective but within the confines of both the public and the private interests (Watson et al 2). This new perspective calls for more research into the areas of innovative technology as well as new investments. Indeed one of the mid-to-long term proposals to the energy crisis in America is to make investments towards the secure energy future of the nation alongside creating more than 5 million jobs all with the intention of lowering foreign oil dependence (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). Such efforts will greatly reduce carbon emissions besides contributing towards the reduction of the country’s dependence on foreign oil (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). There is need to strengthen the Kyoto Protocol and the implementation of more stringent governance and accountability systems (Watson et al 2). The Emissions Trading System (ETS) needs to be reviewed (Hertel, Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and Applications). This is because for it to be successful, it needs to put caps on emissions. This will create both markets and prices for carbon emission permits (Watson et al 2). I therefore fully support these new alternatives since they offer a more proactive approach to the nation’s energy problems. Cost Benefit Analysis The lake in question is private property if the home owner has the property rights to it. This would mean that as a private good it can only be used by another party if it is paid for. It is the lake owner who would decide whether or not another party uses the lake. For this to happen, the total benefits accrued from the use of the lake will have to supersede the costs of using the same lake thus a Pareto improvement (Oka 18). The lake owner will have to carry out a cost-benefit analysis before he can allow fishing in the lake. This is an evaluation tool to determine if the use of scarce resources will generate efficiency (Fuguitt & Wilcox 2). Efficiency is in relation to the lake will be the benefit of peace and quiet at $2,000 per season. It means the benefit of allowing Walleye Wally to use the lake will be $ 2,000. With $ 2,500 he can meet the $2,000 and secure the fishing deal meaning that there will be fishing in the lake. However, with only $1,200 per season, he cannot meet the cost of foregoing the peace and quiet thus there will be no fishing. Assume Walleye Wally had the property rights and the benefits of peace and quiet to the home owner remain unchanged at $2,000. With $2,500 there would be fishing in the lake. The lake owner cannot however pay Walleye Wally not to fish since the cost of paying Walleye would supersede the benefit of peace and quiet, hence there will be no Pareto improvement. If Walleye got $1,200 per season there cannot be fishing in the lake since the benefit of the fishing will be less than the cost and hence no Pareto improvement. This transaction cannot be termed as efficient since one party will suffer loss in the transaction. The principle that by which the concept of efficiency is applied is here is the cost benefit analysis (Oka 19). Conclusion There are factors that would hinder the cost-benefit analysis. For public goods, it is difficult to measure the efficiency concept and the Pareto improvement concept is lost. The consideration of potential value that would be attached to sustainability would make it difficult to make an accurate cost-benefit analysis (Oka 26). In conclusion, cost-benefit is an economic tool used for gauging the efficiency of a transaction in the market economy (Oka 17). With regards to CO2 emissions, there is need for a new direction which will require a more centralized regime; a continual and joint effort between the government, businesses and the people (Obama & Biden, New Energy for America). Works Cited Fuguitt, Diana and Wilcox, Shanton. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Public Sector Decision Makers. Accessed 17 February 2009 from http://www. csus. edu/indiv/w/wassmerr/CBAOverview. pdf Hertel, Thomas W. Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and Applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA: 1997. Ludwig, Lindsay C. The U. S Acid Rain Program and Its Effect on SO2 Emission Levels. Issues in Political Economy 13 (2004):1-11. Accessed on 17 February 2009 from http://org. elon. edu/ipe/Ludwig_Edited. pdf. NCEP [National Commission on Energy]. Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges, Washington DC: 2004 Obama, Barack and Biden, Joe. New Energy for America, 2008. Accessed 17 February 2009 from http://www. barackobama. com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308. pdf Oka, Tosihiro. Effectiveness and Limitations of Cost-benefit Analysis in Policy Appraisal Government Auditing Review 10 (2003): 18- 26 Paltsev, Sergy, et al. Assessment of U. S Cap-and-Trade Proposals. Report number 146, 2007. Accessed 17 February 2009: 1-71 from http://web. mit. edu/globalchange/www/MITJPSPGC_Rpt146. pdf. Watson, Bob. , Grubb, Michael. , and Stuart, Marc. Dinne

Male Characters as Less Heroic than the Female Characters of “Generals Die in Bed” Essay

Good stories oftentimes have well-written heroic characters. That is because the hero functions as the character with whom the readers relate to. The significant role of the hero is that he is the one who communicates the experience within the narrative. But what if the central characters of a good story are lacking essential heroic traits? Instead the central characters exemplify unheroic attributes such as cowardice. It would be understandable if the readers would scour the pages of a good story for characters to look up to. This is the subtle effect in Charles Yale Harrison’s â€Å"Generals Die in Bed. † Arguably, the women characters in the novel had acted more heroic than the male characters. But before we traverse further in this discussion, it would be essential to first have a definition of the word â€Å"heroism. † The word carries along a mythological connotation. The first ideas would be of brave men overcoming great obstacles and challenges. The word is often attributed to soldiers, knights, kings, etc. But if treated with a contemporary approach, the word pertains to acts of selflessness geared towards others. In today’s world, we do not have to slay a dragon to be heroes, we just have to be of any help to the people around us. What had lead to the argument that the women were more heroic was the cowardice of the men. The juxtaposition of the level of heroism of men and women had set latter as the more admirable and the former as cowards. If the tone and language of the male characters would be reviewed, especially the narrator’s, it is evident that their mindset are comprised of a mixture of fear and naiveness. The narrator is seemingly a little enthusiastic about going to war. Of course he was afraid, but the fear they experienced in the trenches would be amplified exponentially. The narrator describes what they experienced as hypnotic terror (Harrison 163). The characters of the novel had entered the war as civilians who held up to morals and values. But as they were becoming accustomed to the life at the trenches, they had developed cowardliness. There was even an account wherein they had become afraid to light the candles because they might be spotted by snipers (69). The characters appeared to be less heroic as the war progressed. The narrator even seemed to be relieved when he delivered the last line of the novel â€Å"I am carried up the gangplank. † (170) War songs are usually cheery to raise the morale of soldiers and alleviate â€Å"shell shock. † But in the novel, the songs that the soldier sung expresses fear of what the war has to offer â€Å"I’m too young to die, I want to go home† (15). In addition, most of the soldiers would go to battle in a drunken state. Perhaps it is to some kind of coping mechanism for the stress and distress due to the war. Should we ever consider bloodlust as a heroic trait? There are many recounts of killings interspersed all over the novel. There was an instance wherein the narrator was telling Gladys in a lively fashion that he had committed murder (95). Then when he observed that Gladys was becoming offended and afraid of his story, he laughed and said that the killing took place in the trench. In the narrator’s standpoint, it was as if the murder that he had committed was something easily acceptable and forgivable. It was as if an enemy’s life does not count as life of another human being, but a life of some animal whose destiny is to be brutally slaughtered. The narrator described how he and his comrades had become â€Å"snarling, savage beast† during their brutal encounter with the enemy troop. The male characters in the novel had shown degrading kindness towards humanity. Since it was the males that were sent in the battlefield and develop this dehumanizing kind of mindset, it is the females who are left at home devoid of these ill thoughts. In the light of the novel’s context, a shining example of heroism by the females would be of the nurses. The nurses during times of war had shown outstanding bravery that could be compared to the bravery of men in the frontline. They are the ones who risk their lives in war stricken areas, but instead of killing people, they risk their lives saving the injured. The novel had painted a vivid picture of war with horrific realism, â€Å"severely injured, one of Broadbent’s legs is hanging by one strand of flesh† (147). These are the horrors that the nurses had to battle during the times of war. Furthermore, setting aside the risk of being hit by a stray bullet or being bombarded, the nurses faces the risk of infection and catching deadly diseases. This is an excellent example of heroism because of the risks involve and the nurses motivation of helping those who are in need. An injured soldiers who were healed and taken cared off by nurses should consider the nurses as their heroes. As opposed to the seemingly passive character of the protagonist, one of the most colorful of all the characters is Gladys. For those who had the chance to read the novel, she is easily remembered as to one of the few women who have a proper name in the ensemble of characters. Moreover, she was a â€Å"courtesan† or a prostitute with whom the protagonist had spent a great deal of his time. In effect, Gladys had a significant effect on the protagonist’s worldview. It should be pointed out that being a â€Å"courtesan† or a prostitute is one of the world’s oldest known profession. It would be troublesome to argue that being a prostitute is heroic. However, if we were to discuss selfless acts, nothing could be selfless than selling oneself to provide for one’s family. Just like other companions of soldiers, be them wives, girlfriends, mothers, etc. , they all serve as inspiration for the soldier. It is no secret that women have an inexplicable capability of raising the morale of soldiers. And of course, of all the women exemplifying admirable heroism during the war, it would be the mothers on top of the list. Mothers are directly affected of the war because everyday they battle horrific thoughts of their husbands and sons getting killed in the battlefield, of never seeing them alive ever again. If we would be talking about obstacles and challenges, those thoughts could be hardest ordeals one has to face. Admirably, mothers of war participants overcome those thoughts and still be able to tend to the needs of their children. There is an instance in the novel wherein the narrator and his comrades were wounded and in need of a place to stay. They managed to find a war-torn village where an old woman, a mother, was residing. The hospitable old women provided them with food and a place to stay. She even treated the wounds of the soldiers. The nurturing that only mothers are capable is undeniably heroic. Conclusion The author has described the horrifying experience in the trenches, thanks to his first hand experience of the war. Fear is very evident in the male characters and that fear is communicated to the reader. The absence of characters with whom the reader could view as heroic lead to the conclusion that women were more heroic. Women in the novel were generally described as agreeable. The most negative of all could just be Gladys’ job as a prostitute. Other than that, women were the ones whom the soldiers run to when they need help. The women were willing to help the soldiers even though they are not required to do so. Soldiers will always be of course the heroes in the eyes of the public, of the spectators of the war. But for those who truly take part in the war, not the generals who die in their beds, the heroic acts of women during the war are indispensable. Soldiers are not out there in battlefield to save lives, their duty is to kill the opposition. Fortunately, humans are blessed to be categorized under two very different yet complementing sex, man and woman. The former being able to destroy and the latter endowed with the gift to nurture. Women should be commended in performing their different roles in the war. Arguably, they are more admirable in this context because they fight the war without having to carry the instruments of war like guns, etc. The real heroes of war should not just be judged by the number of people they kill, it should also be by the number of the lives they save. In this novel, we see that many acts of heroism are overlooked. Work Cited Harrison, Charles Yale. Generals Die in Bed. Ontario: Firefly Books Ltd, 2007

Young Modulus of Copper Essays

Young Modulus of Copper Essays Young Modulus of Copper Paper Young Modulus of Copper Paper From the above results , we can see that there is a 12. 1 % random error in finding the Young modulus of copper . One of the reasons for such errors is the non-uniformity in cross sectional area . When a wire is stretched by a force , the length of course will increase , but at the same time the cross sectional area of the wire will also vary . This little variation will affect the calculation of Young modulus by a pretty substantial degree . Besides , there could have been parallax error which occurs when the eye is not placed directly opposite a scale which a reading is being taken . Moreover , reading errors is another error when guess work is involved in taking a reading from a scale when the reading lies between the lines. Concerning the large systematic error , the main reason for it is the impreciseness of equipments . Since the extension is so small (about 0. 01mm), using a meter rule(minimum scale is only 1mm) to measure it is absolutely unacceptable as many minor data will be omitted . In addition , the length of wire in part 1 and part 2 is different , this will end up in not being a fair test . As the elastic limit depends little on the length of the wire , the wire in part 2 may undergo plastic deformation earlier that we may have ignored . Conclusions : Comparing the shape of the graphs , it is obviously that the result is close to the theory . Although the random error is almost 12% , it is still acceptable as human errors must exist inevitably. However , the systematic error in this experiment is quite large due to the inaccuracy of equipments , therefore better design or improvements are required . Possible Improvements : 1. Repeat the experiment for several times to get a more precise average reading . 2. Use a longer copper wire to lower the percentage error in measurement . 3. A thinner copper wire is also recommended as it can make the extension larger for better resolution . 4. Use a large Vernier Caliper instead of meter rule so that the extension of the wire can be measured more accurately . If it is possible , it is also suggested to use a electronic Vernier Caliper as well . 5. Add weights at smaller intervals instead of 50g jumps . This would help in making the graphs more accurate, therefore allowing us to read off the graph more accurately and getting better readings.

Free Essays on Magona

To My Children’s Children by Sindiwe Magona is an autobiography that creatively illustrates her development into womanhood while integrating her limitations due to apartheid. Amazingly Magona tells of her loving childhood with an optimistic tone even though she and her family had to overcome struggles dealing with poverty, death, schooling, pregnancy, politics and racism. Apartheid may have cynically affected many aspects of Sindiwe’s life, but she never allowed her determination or spirit to be defeated. There were many facets of Magona’s life that were affected by Apartheid, one of them being the educational system. Under the rules of a Bantu education, the government believed that Black Africans should only be educated for their opportunities in life and that there was no place for them above the level of certain forms of labor. (Magona) Luckily, Sindiwe just missed the year that this form of thought was put into effect, so she was able to graduate high school and go on to earn a degree as a teacher. This did however, affect her teaching career. There were too many students, not enough books, and the grade levels were all mixed. Although she tried to teach some the basics, most of the time it seemed futile in trying to organize the abilities of the students, or even teach lessons. Then there was her salary, or lack there of. Magona had a degree and earned very little. â€Å"Yes, teacher’s salaries, a decade and a half after I had started teaching, were still so low a s to elicit scorn from everybody, from lowly domestic workers to common criminals. When I had entered the field of education, to say I had been astounded at the pittance African teachers earned would be an understatement.† (Magona, 96) Another part of Magona’s life affected by Apartheid was her environment; where she grew up. Black African’s were forced to move to homelands, which were designated areas. These places were usually pits of poverty. â€Å" Blaau... Free Essays on Magona Free Essays on Magona To My Children’s Children by Sindiwe Magona is an autobiography that creatively illustrates her development into womanhood while integrating her limitations due to apartheid. Amazingly Magona tells of her loving childhood with an optimistic tone even though she and her family had to overcome struggles dealing with poverty, death, schooling, pregnancy, politics and racism. Apartheid may have cynically affected many aspects of Sindiwe’s life, but she never allowed her determination or spirit to be defeated. There were many facets of Magona’s life that were affected by Apartheid, one of them being the educational system. Under the rules of a Bantu education, the government believed that Black Africans should only be educated for their opportunities in life and that there was no place for them above the level of certain forms of labor. (Magona) Luckily, Sindiwe just missed the year that this form of thought was put into effect, so she was able to graduate high school and go on to earn a degree as a teacher. This did however, affect her teaching career. There were too many students, not enough books, and the grade levels were all mixed. Although she tried to teach some the basics, most of the time it seemed futile in trying to organize the abilities of the students, or even teach lessons. Then there was her salary, or lack there of. Magona had a degree and earned very little. â€Å"Yes, teacher’s salaries, a decade and a half after I had started teaching, were still so low a s to elicit scorn from everybody, from lowly domestic workers to common criminals. When I had entered the field of education, to say I had been astounded at the pittance African teachers earned would be an understatement.† (Magona, 96) Another part of Magona’s life affected by Apartheid was her environment; where she grew up. Black African’s were forced to move to homelands, which were designated areas. These places were usually pits of poverty. â€Å" Blaau...

Bell Curve and Normal Distribution Definition

Bell Curve and Normal Distribution Definition The term bell curve is used to describe the mathematical concept called normal distribution, sometimes referred to as Gaussian distribution. Bell curve refers to the shape that is created when a line is plotted using the data points for an item that meets the criteria of normal distribution. The center contains the greatest number of a value and, therefore, would be the highest point on the arc of the line. This point is referred to the mean, but in simple terms, it is the highest number of occurrences of an element (in statistical terms, the mode). Normal Distribution The important thing to note about a normal distribution is the curve is concentrated in the center and decreases on either side. This is significant in that the data has less of a tendency to produce unusually extreme values, called outliers, as compared to other distributions. Also, the bell curve signifies that the data is symmetrical. This means that you can create reasonable expectations as to the possibility that an outcome will lie within a range to the left or right of the center, once you have measured the amount of deviation contained in the data.This is measured in terms of standard deviations. A bell curve graph depends on two factors: the mean and the standard deviation. The mean identifies the position of the center and the standard deviation determines the height and width of the bell. For example, a large standard deviation creates a bell that is short and wide while a small standard deviation creates a tall and narrow curve. Bell Curve Probability and Standard Deviation To understand the probability factors of a normal distribution, you need to understand the following rules: The total area under the curve is equal to 1 (100 percent)About 68 percent of the area under the curve falls within one standard deviation.About 95 percent of the area under the curve falls within two standard deviations.About 99.7 percent of the area under the curve falls within three standard deviations. Item Nos. 2,3 and 4 are sometimes referred to as the empirical rule or the 68-95-99.7 rule. Once you determine that the data is normally distributed (bell curved) and calculate the mean and standard deviation, you can determine the probability that a single data point will fall within a given range of possibilities. Bell Curve Example A good example of a bell curve or normal distribution is the roll of two dice. The distribution is centered around the number seven and the probability decreases as you move away from the center. Here is the percent chance of the various outcomes when you roll two dice. Two: 2.78 percentThree: percentFour: 8.33 percentFive: 11.11 percentSix: 13.89 percentSeven: 16.67 percentEight: 13.89 percentNine: 11.11 percentTen: 8.33 percentEleven: 5.56 percentTwelve: 2.78 percent Normal distributions have many convenient properties, so in many cases, especially in physics and astronomy, random variations with unknown distributions are often assumed to be normal to allow for probability calculations. Although this can be a dangerous assumption, it is often a good approximation due to a surprising result known as the central limit theorem. This theorem states that the mean of any set of variants with any distribution having a finite mean and variance tends to the normal distribution. Many common attributes such as test scores or height follow roughly normal distributions, with few members at the high and low ends and many in the middle. When You Shouldn't Use the Bell Curve There are some types of data that dont follow a normal distribution pattern. These data sets shouldnt be forced to try to fit a bell curve. A classic example would be student grades, which often have two modes. Other types of data that dont follow the curve include income, population growth, and mechanical failures.

Human Biology - Regulation and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Biology - Regulation and Control - Essay Example Noble et al (1964) denotes that males respond faster to responses than females (p. 945). In addition, Luchies et al. (2002) asserts that response is always high among the young individuals till the late twenties and reduces as the individual approaches fifty years to sixty years (p. 142). Through the experiment, we will identify the differences in the responses among different genders and age. Methodology and Procedure We will consider the responses of different individuals in order to come up with a typology that addresses the distinctions on how people respond to reactions. The experiment will involve the use of a sharp object that will be used to trigger a reaction on each individual. In reference to Kosinski (2010), an external body that comes into contact with the human skin causes an impulse in the nervous system and triggers a reaction. This experiment is aimed at showing how fast the individuals will react. Each of these individuals will be exposed to one prick at a time whil e holding a ruler on the other side. This is to allow the body nervous system to send only one impulse at a time. Kosinski (2010) asserts that this allows the body to react effectively. Exposure to several pricks will lead to a triggering of many responses and may take longer for the body to determine which response to carry out. The individual exposed to the prick is expected to drop the ruler once he senses the pain. The time differences on how each of the individual responds to the stimuli will be measured and recorded in a table. The time difference and the speed at which each individual releases the ruler will be calculated using the s  =  so  +  vot  +  ?at2 formulae. The time difference at which each individual releases the ruler will be recorded in the table below. The experiment will employ univariate analysis of descriptive statistics to test the hypothesis about the relationships or the differences in the population grounded on the measurements of the samples. Time by Student Time by Teacher Male Female Male Female The Sample The sample, as indicated in the objective of the experiment, will involve two factors that affect reaction times in individuals. According to Welford (1980), various factors affect an individual’s response to stimuli (p. 13). Sanders (1998, p. 23) assert that individuals respond differently to stimuli according to their age and gender. The experiment will use four students, both male and female, and four teachers, male and female. The Results After the experiment, the students showed a higher response than the teachers while male students and teachers had a higher response than the female teachers and students. Response Time by Student (seconds) Response Time by Teacher (Seconds) Male Female Male Female 0.12s 0.18s 0.18s 0.22s 0.16s 0.19s 0.185s 0.21s The Means are 0.14, 0.185, 0.1825, 0.215 seconds for male students, female students, male teachers and female teachers respectively. From the experiment, we can deduce that males have a lower reaction time than female, and as according to Rose et al (2002, p. 27), reaction time increases with an increase in ages. Though the experiment did not use a large sample, it gave us an idea on the factors that affect response to stimuli of individuals. However, the empirical assessment of individual response to stimuli obtained from this typology may require future additions. There is room for future research just like Whelan (2008,

Corning Incorporated Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corning Incorporated - Research Paper Example The optical-fiber system enabled the easy transmission of data and voice over extremely wide distances, or billions of kilometers around the globe (Hecht, 1999). The optical-fiber technology was used by telecommunication companies and systems in different parts of the world. It was evolved to support mobile technology and the transmission of satellite information, data and voice messages throughout the world. With time, Corning became a global leader in the production of optical-fiber materials around the world. They became the pioneering entity from 1984 to 2000 where their revenue rose from $100 million to $900 million in the year 2000 (Miller, 2011 p1). However, the telecom bubble burst caused other forms of communication to take over from the fiber-optic technology that Corning had a monopoly over (Matthews, 2002 p445). This led to the quick decline of profits in Corning because they had invested a lot of their capital into controlling the fiber-optic market that they had a full grip on. This led to the decline of the company. There was the need for a quick turnaround in the company and its operations. This paper analyzes Corning as a business entity. The paper will undertake a critical analysis of the organizational systems, strategic patterns and important elements of the organizational structure. This will be discussed in conjunction with the company's history, the 21st Century turnaround and current trends of the company. Organizational Summary (WWR) From its stable growth of about $70 million in turnover each year from the mid-1980s to year 2000, the company now makes higher profits above the $900 million level they reached in 2000 before dipping into a decline. According to Corning, (2012), there has been a tremendously increased volume of trade and revenue. Annual sales for 2011 was $7.9 billion. This shows that a lot has changed in the company to merit such high levels of revenues. The sales figure of $7.9 billion represent 19% increase from the $6. 6 billion earned in 2010. Sales volume increased by 7%. This shows that there is a strategy that is supporting the growth and evolution of the company. Earnings per share was $1.77 in 2011. Although this was lower than the increase that was made in 2010, the company again shows that it is increasing investor wealth and this presents a strong case that justifies the fact that it is a growing company. Aside this, the company had free cash flow of $544 million. This implies that they have enough cash in their possessions to finance working capital and other needs that can support it to expand and meet its future objectives and obligations. These indicators announces to the world that Corning is making a lot of improvement in its operations and financial position. The company has had an incredible turnaround that makes it a major player in the global electronic industry. On further analysis of the 2011 financial statements, the information given by Flaws, a Board Member and Chief Financ ial Officer of the company indicates that there are some important themes that define Corning's current strategy and long-term vision. Growth The company is now focusing on growth. This is based on its vision to capture a larger market share. In order to attain this end, it aims at expanding its asset base. This is being done through mergers, acquisitions and other international

Social Media Use and Application of the Company Assignment

Social Media Use and Application of the Company - Assignment Example As the report declares Huawei Company has a Face book page under its name. The advancement of technology has made more people to like Facebook.This site contains most of the target audience group for the company products. Most of the youths are vibrant with new products often want to be updated with the latest phones in the market so that they can purchase. The site has enabled the awareness of the products to be high. This is measured by the likes of the products in the face book page. Recently Huawei Face book page recorded about one and half million likes on the facebook.It has more followers who may want to know the presence of new products. According to the report findings the company also uses YouTube to advertise its products. The platform is used to advertise the three dimension of the product. It is also used to show the customers how to use the product and how their latest features function. This has raised the customers loyalty at a greater extends. This content marketing ensures that the customers are able to get to see the actual products and features like colors and functionality. This influences their desire to buy the products significantly when they see the product. The company has recorded a significant rise of the download of the short clips of the latest phones. This is because the platform enables the customer to share the videos of the products to other customers and therefore more products awareness and thus increased sales.

Inventory Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Inventory Management System - Essay Example The term computer means an electronic device that is capable of accepting information which is the form of data and thereby converting it to the desired outcome based on the set of instructions handed over (DeMarco, 2005). Also, a program may be used to influence the desired out. However, the main purpose of a computer comes down to storing of useful information which may include records on inventory. Printer: this is an output hardware that is capable of printing documents in an alphanumeric or graphic way. In this case, the printer will be used in printing out daily and sales reports. This is very important since it is a source of backing up documents for future use. Barcode scanner: this is a special device that scans the barcodes and interprets the information therein (DeMarco, 2005). There is the need of using it when making a sale so as to prevent any mistakes from happening. Therefore, the moment it captures the data, the system automatically subtracts the bought item from the available stock. Material: these are funds which will be used for purchasing the necessary materials. The materials are necessary for the general running of the system and the include printers, computers and furniture. The purpose of these reports is to help the manager in understanding which orders that are open and the ones that are overdue. This is very important because the manager is aware the orders they are yet to receive and the ones that are overdue.

Direct Manipulation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Direct Manipulation - Research Paper Example This gives an all the more intriguing feel to the human-computer interaction. The usage of this interface is more common in the video game development field. Most Direct Manipulation interfaces are of graphical concepts and could be now and again is alluded to as Graphical User Interface (GUI). This is on account of its use of on-screen graphical representation of actions (Heeter, 1991). Direct Manipulation interface is commenced upon a significant arrangement of standards. Quintessentially, these are the ideological demonstrations of existence of a Direct Manipulation interface. These rules or principles are as follows. The concept of realism: Firstly, the instruments in the computer are visually inseparable and indistinguishable from the real life objects they are being used to depict. For example, this is applied by having a knife in video games represente a real knife in all aspects. a helicopter in video is similar to a real world helicopter in all aspects. Moreover, actions performed on the objects in game are similar to those that would be or could be performed on similar objects in actual life. To further explain, illustrations form video games shall be drawn to exemplify this; a mobile phone in the game serves the same purpose that which it serves in real world which is to enable communication, an armored carrying vehicle serves the same purpose as its purpose in real world which is it sole purpose being of military use. Furthermore, the association between the in-game objects and actions performed on them and the objects in real world and actions performed on them is maintained even on con ceptual level. This, for example is illustrated by the fact that in video games, a motorbike will be driven as it is driven normally in the real world. There are examples of programmers going to painstaking measures in order to depict the real world phenomena such as aurora, water reflection and fire

Corporate Valuation and Strategy ASSIGNMENT 3 VALUATION OF H. J. HEINZ

Corporate Valuation and Strategy 3 VALUATION OF H. J. HEINZ COMPANY AS OF APRIL 29, 2012 - Assignment Example The company’s products are manufactured and packaged in line with the required customer standards to provide safe and wholesome foods to the consumers. Numerous products are prepared from the company’s developed recipes (ANNUAL REPORT, 7) The process of food preparation includes a clear-cut selection of ingredients and prompts inspection it is imperative to note that the products are prepared through numerous ways, which include sterilization, fermentation, blending, homogenization, pasteurization, freezing, chilling drying and labeling. More over, the quality assurance processes are premeditated for each product and applied for quality and compliance with applicable laws. A wide range of raw materials is considered for production of the food products of this company. During the fiscal year 2012, the company is reported to have invested in productivity initiatives intended to increase manufacturing efficiency and effectiveness. This is intended for immense acceleration of the general productivity on the international scale (ANNUAL REPORT, 6). Some of the initiatives included the closure of numerous factories across the globe and decrease in the global labor force. The products of the company are sold through own sales organizations and independent agents or distributors which include retailers, manufacturers, bakeries, mass merchants and food service distributors, restraints and hotels. The intensive compliance of the company with the national, state and may be local government provisions has not caused significant effects on the budget, particularly on the capital expenditures, earnings or cutthroat position of the company. It is fundamental to note that, the company’s estimates on capital expenditures for the milieu control facilities for the remaining part of 2013 and the succeeding fiscal year are not material and no expectations has been hinted to affect the earnings in a material way (ANNUAL REPORT, 9). The Company maintains a regular trend of

Direct Manipulation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Direct Manipulation - Research Paper Example This gives an all the more intriguing feel to the human-computer interaction. The usage of this interface is more common in the video game development field. Most Direct Manipulation interfaces are of graphical concepts and could be now and again is alluded to as Graphical User Interface (GUI). This is on account of its use of on-screen graphical representation of actions (Heeter, 1991). Direct Manipulation interface is commenced upon a significant arrangement of standards. Quintessentially, these are the ideological demonstrations of existence of a Direct Manipulation interface. These rules or principles are as follows. The concept of realism: Firstly, the instruments in the computer are visually inseparable and indistinguishable from the real life objects they are being used to depict. For example, this is applied by having a knife in video games represente a real knife in all aspects. a helicopter in video is similar to a real world helicopter in all aspects. Moreover, actions performed on the objects in game are similar to those that would be or could be performed on similar objects in actual life. To further explain, illustrations form video games shall be drawn to exemplify this; a mobile phone in the game serves the same purpose that which it serves in real world which is to enable communication, an armored carrying vehicle serves the same purpose as its purpose in real world which is it sole purpose being of military use. Furthermore, the association between the in-game objects and actions performed on them and the objects in real world and actions performed on them is maintained even on con ceptual level. This, for example is illustrated by the fact that in video games, a motorbike will be driven as it is driven normally in the real world. There are examples of programmers going to painstaking measures in order to depict the real world phenomena such as aurora, water reflection and fire

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Essay Example for Free

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Essay The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is an agency of the Government of the Philippines responsible for opening the benefits of the overseas employment program of the Philippines. It is the main government agency assigned to monitor and supervise recruitment agencies in the Philippines. The POEAs office is located at EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. The POEA has an organizational structure with the POEA Governing Board at the top. The Secretary of Labor and Employment heads the Governing Board, and the POEA Administrator as vice-chairman and representatives from the private, women, sea-based and land-based sectors as members. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration was established in 1982 through Executive Order No. 797. The goal of the agencys establishment was to promote and monitor the overseas employment of Filipino workers. The POEA was reorganized in 1987 through Executive Order No. 47 in order to respond to changing markets and economic conditions, and to strengthen components that would protect Filipino workers and the regulatory components of the overseas employment program The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 instituted State policies of overseas employment and established standards for protection and promotion of welfare for migrant workers and their families, and for overseas Filipinos in distress. The act specifies, Migrant worker refers to a person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a legal resident; to be used interchangeably with overseas Filipino worker. Regarding deployment of migrant workers, the act mandates, The State shall deploy overseas Filipino workers only in countries where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected In 2010, Republic Act No. 10022 amended some of these provisions, including those quoted above. Among other changes, the paragraph defining the term Migrant worker was amended to read, Overseas Filipino worker refers to a person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a citizen or on board a vessel navigating the foreign seas other than a government ship used for military or non-commercial purposes or on an installation located offshore or on the high seas; to be used interchangeably with migrant worker. , and the introductory text regarding deployment was amended to read, The State shall allow the deployment of overseas Filipino workers only in countries where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected. The POEA is an attached agency of the Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) tasked to manage the country’s labor migration program. Their vision: Excellence in governance for world-class Filipino migrant workers. While regarding their mission: POEA connects to the world, and, in partnership with all stakeholders, facilitates the generation and preservation of decent jobs for Filipino migrant workers, promotes their protection and advocates their smooth reintegration into Philippine society. Structure The POEA Administrator oversees the daily operations of the agency and is supported by three deputy administrators. The Deputy Administrator for Employment and Welfare oversees the Pre-Employment Services Office and the Welfare and Employment Office. Under the Deputy Administrator for Adjudication and Employment Regulation are the Licensing and Regulation Office and the Adjudication Office. The Deputy Administrator for Management handles the general administrative and support services of the administration. The POEA has three (3) Regional Centers which are located in La Union for Luzon, Cebu for the Visayas region and Davao for the Mindanao area. Regional Extension Units are in Baguio-Cordillera Administrative Region, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga while satellite offices are located in Pampanga, Calamba, Laguna, Legaspi, Bacolod and Tacloban. Core Functions In terms of Industry Regulation, it issues license to engage in overseas recruitment and manning to private recruitment agencies and ship manning companies. Hears and arbitrates complaints and cases filed against recruitment and manning agencies, foreign principals and employers, and overseas workers for reported violation of POEA rules and regulations, except for money claims. They also implement a system of incentives and penalty for private sector participants and sets minimum labor standards. Monitors overseas job advertisements on print, broadcast and television and lastly supervises the government’s program on anti-illegal recruitment. And lastly imposes disciplinary actions on erring employers and workers and seafarers. Regarding their employment facilitation, they accredits/ registers foreign principals and employers hiring Filipino workers, approves manpower requests of foreign principals and employers, evaluates and processes employment contract, assists departing workers at the ports of exit, develops and monitors markets and conducts market research, conducts marketing missions, enters into memorandum of understanding on the hiring of Filipino workers with labor–receiving countries facilitates the deployment of workers hired through government-to-government arrangement and lastly they provides a system of worker’s registry. On provision of on-site remedies to OFWs to file complaints against employer or agency, OFWs may file complaints for violations of POEA rules against principal, employer, and/or Philippine recruitment agency at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office s (POLOs). Worker’s Protection The company (POEA), intensifies public education and information campaign, conducts pre-employment orientation and anti-illegal recruitment seminars nationwide, conducts Pre-Deployment Orientation Seminars (PDOS) to workers hired through the government-to-government arrangement and name hires, provides technical assistance in the drafting of bilateral and multilateral greement, provides legal assistance to victims of illegal recruitment, prepares OFW global mapping and profiling, implements gender-sensitive programs, networks with non-government organizations, workers’ organizations, etc. And they provides repatriation assistance Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, composed also the Ge neral Administration and Support Services which includes Human Resources Development, Property and Supplies Management, Financial Management, Information and Communication Technology, Plans and Policy Development and Quality Management System Summary of Activities The trainee completed a total of Two Hundred Forty Hours (240) of internship in Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). The first day of on-the-job training (OJT) of the trainee started on the 15th day of April. On the first day, she’s quite excited and nervous of what she’ll do on the company and on what department or division we’ll she assigned. On the next day, the trainee deployed on her respective department together with her two co-trainees, she was assigned at the â€Å"Cash Division†. This department’s job is divided into two: first, the department collects payment of OFW’s, agencies other contractor connected to POEA, secondly the department also assigned in releasing of checks. It’s superior because the trainee was assigned based on her path. During her training days, the trainee practice herself to wake up early in the morning just to be on time and until now her so proud to herself because she maintains it. The first task assigned was to segregate of used official receipts and filing vouchers by its nature. Before the trainee does the entire job, her person in charge, well-informed first before they allowed performing what operation she’ll have to do. On the first week, she was also assigned to balance and record to the journal the collection report per collecting officer. They do this job weekly. After balancing and recording, the trainee encode the collection report in the course of which it includes; HDMF, BMAD, OWWA, PHILHEALTH. But regularly, the trainee performed releasing of checks, answering phone calls, receiving vouchers and recording those checks by its nature from the office n charge (OIC) unto General fund (salaries of employees), MDS Trust (claimants), LBP trust (payments for the service rendered by POEA). She was also assigning to photocopy some documents, filing the vouchers of the clients and designate to sign the clients on the voucher for the proof that the checks have been received. Regarding the participation, the trainee participate as a cashier 1 on the dep artment when the time comes that some employees are not present. She acts as a cashier because there are a lot of OFW’s who made their payments on their department. During the training at POEA, the trainee learned to interact with other people especially to her co-trainees came from different States, Universities Colleges. We know that people have different characteristics and attitudes; however making friends with the trainee’s co-workers doesn’t make difficult. From the interaction the trainee made with them, the later learned to work with patience. She also learned from her co-worker’s experiences and mistakes and applies them whenever she needed it. The setting also on the department get pleasure from her employer’s because the entire person above her was so accommodating, supportive and concerned to her. They also encourage the trainee to go on with her studies until she become a professional. It was a good experienced for her to train her ability on the POEA. The trainee also well-read how to be converted into a hardworking person and be on time, pursue the policy and information that are specified to them. All of what she learned in the company will brought her sooner or later, especially when she’s on a veracity of employment. And she’s so grateful that at least in some way, for a short period of time, she became a part of the company (POEA). Recommendation to the Company The company created a good service to their clients and gave the best training for the students. The trainee highly recommends to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to increase their employees/ manpower in every division. We all know that almost thousands of people, especially OFW’s reports and go to the company. The trainee easily observed that the company must focus in terms of their manpower so that they must attain their general objectives which assigned as quickly as they can monitor and supervise recruitment agencies in the Philippines. Recommendation to the School Based on what she have experienced, it’s hard to have an on the job training in far places because it’s too exhausting and costly, for the reason that most of the companies doesn’t offer salary or allowance for their student trainees. That’s why they have to shoulder all the expenses from foods, house up to the other essential that they need. What can she recommend is that, they should allow students to have their on the job training within Cavite because she believe that it is more progressive than before. There are lots of big companies and banks now that can also help students to develop their ability and comprehension and be more competitive someday.

Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay

Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay The Green Mile movie was fundamentally made to show the harm that human beings inflicted on other members of their species, some degree of corruption and high levels of crime in the society that called for large number of executions in Green Mile. Seemingly, there was little or no regard for morality and obedience to social norms governing the society. Greem Mile was a term reffering to death row in Louisiana State Penintiary, where prisoners were held as they waited for their execution. The movie illustrates the true nature of death penalty, showing how cruel and barbaric it was (Darabont). The symbolic nature of the film portrays a care-free type of society, whereby Eduards adopted mouse represents freedom. The mouse could come and go away without any restrictions. He was never trapped and he seemed to fully enjoy life as clearly seen through his daily circus activities. This clearly shows the level of freedom enjoyed by members of this society, without cultural or social barriers. This is evidently so due to high levels of crime comitted. Too many executions were carried out in Green Mile (Darabont). This is a clear presentation of Durkheims theory of functionalism perspective which embraces crime as a normal and functional practice in any society. According to this theory, crime is normal because in every society, there exists some level of crime. It is equally functional as it serves to reinforce social norms, provide the raw material for social change and provide a kind of safety valve for social discontent, where people could simply disobey the law, rather than se eking to change it (Anderson and Kaspersen 158). In Green Mile, everyone was seeking to harm the other. The society lacked compassion and had no respect for humanity. There was no social order and stability but only a collective will to maintain order through executions. This is a society where killing was the order of the day The parents of a girls believed to have been killed by Coffey had a venom in their minds against him. Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell sought nothing more than perverse destruction. Even the prison guards had one sole purpose, to kill (Darabont). This is in line with Durkheims theory, who insists that crime is both functional and inevitable in any society (Anderson and Kaspersen 28). Corruption was evident in this society. It was revealed that Percy was a nephew to the governors wife, and his powerful political connections got him hired as a prison guard. He had no regard for work ethics. He derived pleasure from frightening, humiliating and hurting other people, contrary to what was expected of him as a prison guard (Darabont). His deviance began with the society as explained by Durkheims theory of functionalist perspective. The societys collective sentiments seem to be too weak to prevent any deviance from the law as clearly seen through corrupt acquisition of his job using political connections. This shows that there was neither constant reaffirming of shared values nor was there passing of the same values from one generation to another, a critical situation responsible for the collapse of this society. People such as Percy and the Governors wife do not seem to follow any collective society conscience. They are naturally selfish by all means and only preffer t o satisfy their own interests regardless of who is hurt in the process. Even law and primary socialization of the family does not seem to stop them (Anderson and Kaspersen 258). Coffeys magic healing power could be said to represent perfect power of God which was at work. Even though the society was going through a period of social strain and dramatic change, religion could playe a key role in bringing back the shared norms and values of the society thus restoring social order as well as helping the society to distigush the good in those around us and resist evil (Anderson and Kaspersen 541). Conclusion This paper has discussed Emile Durkheims theory of Functionalist Perspective with special emphasis on events witnessed in the movie Green Mile. From issues discussed, the movie seems to have targeted the corrupt leaders and unjust systems of justice that contributed to selfishness as people undermined social expectations that call for respect of rights and needs of others and preffered to look after their own interests regardless of who was hurt in the process. This is evidently seen in unjust execution of Coffey who is believed to have been innocent. People in this society only seem to obey their natural state of greed and selfishness, a condition that has accelerated erossion of society values and led to total disregard for order and harmony. This is anomie which is very dangerous and harmful to all as seen through charcters like Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell whose main desire was to destroy and kill. The power of collective conscience, social norms and values in th is society have been weakened through external shocks. However, through education and religion, society values and collective conscienceness could be restored to bring back the shared norms, values and social order. social systems could be highly valuable in working to maintain equilibrium and to return to it after such external shocks that have disturbed balance among members of this society. Strong emphasis put on socialization of members of the society into basic values and norms of the society could help the society to reach a consensus. A society should be viewed as totally united with all parts of institutions working in oneness and quasiamatic fashion toward achieving overall social equilibrium.

High School Athletes Should Consider College Over the NBA Essay

In the last ten years many young and talented high school basketball players have chosen to enter the NBA draft. These 17 and 18 year olds decide to skip college, and instead they choose to take a big risk and enter the NBA, hoping to become stars and earn millions of dollars. In many cases, these youngsters’ careers are a failure because they don’t turn out as talented as they thought to be. They end up spending only a few seasons in the NBA because they are not good enough to compete at that level. Many of them have to move on to doing other things, such as playing basketball overseas, doing everyday jobs, or going back to college to earn a degree. This essay will help you understand why making the jump from high school to the NBA is not good in most cases, and it will show you the benefits, for these kids, of going to college. The Success Rate Reggie Harding was the first high school player to make the jump from high school to the NBA, and he did this in 1963. He spent five mediocre seasons in the NBA and was never the special player that people thought he would have been. Since then, there have been around 40 high school players who have decided to skip college and declare for the NBA draft. The bulk of these players have come within the last seven to ten years. Out of these forty or so players, no more than ten have had a successful career. Last year seven high school players entered the NBA draft, and only one of those seven had a successful first season, and that was Lebron James (Smith). Although many youngsters fail in the NBA, there are a few high school players who have had, or do have a successful career in the NBA. Some of these are, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady, and this year’s most valu... ...arnett won’t give up as teammates change. 23 March 2001. ESPN NBA Online. 1 May 2004. . Carter, Fred. Pros and cons of high schoolers going pro. 11April 2003. ESPN NBA Online. 1 May 2004. . Hodge, Bill. Swift is 10th prep star to enter 2004 NBA Draft. 6 May 2004. ESPN College Sports. 7 May 2004. . Lebron James Player Profile. NBA Media Ventures. 2004. 1 May 2004. . Smith, Sam. Hype over LeBron doesn’t match Alcindor’s. 22 July 2003. ESPN NBA. 7 May 2004. . Tim Duncan Player Profile. NBA Media Ventures. 2004. 1 May 2004. .

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Taking a Stand Not since the start of the 1994/95 football season have we seen standing areas in the top two divisions of the English football league. But yet much like the movie ‘Jurassic Park’ these stands are coming back, without the death and dinosaurs this time however. The cost of ticket prices are now ridiculously high especially considering the economic problems we are in. Average ticket prices in the Premier League are the highest within the four major European leagues, the others being La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A. The average ticket price of a Premier League game is  £28.30, this is a huge price to pay to see a game of football. This compared to the average price of a ticket to a Bundesliga football match which is only  £10, clearly shows the just how shocking the gulf in prices are. However many clubs can claim that this influx of cash each week is needed to support the ever growing maintenance costs of all seated stadiums and to support the club financially at the s ame time. So if only there was a way to lower the prices yet allow the club to make more money from match attendances. Well my friends I think I have found the cure to this disease. The solution lies in the return of standing areas to football grounds. Now these standing areas would not be the same dangerous, hooliganism plagued standing areas of old; no they would be cheap, safe standing areas. Introducing safe standing areas would lower ticket prices and season tickets dramatically; this can be proven by looking at one of the largest football clubs in the world, Bayern Munich. You would expect a club of such magnitude to have season ticket prices as high as the moon, but you’d be wrong. The lowest costing season ticket for the standing area is only  £150... ...s a credit not only German football but standing areas as well. The premier league should be looking over its shoulder, for everyday they waste squabbling over what to do the Bundesliga gets stronger and will soon be challenging to take over the title of ‘Best League in the World’. Even the lousy, misery filled stadiums of the horrific Scottish Premier League (SPL) have followed Germanys lead, by dropping its ban against standing areas. This shows just how far behind the apparently almighty Premier League is, that essentially an amateur league is further ahead than it is. Fortunately the situation is looking brighter as supporters groups from 12 Premier League clubs have confirmed they are backing a trial for standing areas and despite the fact that progress is slow, the wheels are in motion and it is only a matter of time before the momentum begins to build.

Manpower Issues Essay

The fast food industry is a labor driven sector. It has an extensive requirement of manpower to serve the increasing flow of consumer traffic at the outlets. Skilled labor with fast pace of work is the basic requirement for this job. It is mostly youngsters who are eligible for this job but it can be stressful and at times hazardous. This industry requirement for long hours of duty, on the toe at all times and attentive to the needs of the customer is quite an uphill task. There is no doubt that the emergence and growth of this industry sector has solved the unemployment problem to a great extent. Many youngsters have found a living in this industry but the pay packages earlier were not very attractive. The pay scales have no doubt improved now but the work conditions remain almost the same. The Back Yard Burgers currently employ over 10,000 people throughout their chain of restaurants. Each restaurant employs around 25 employees, of which some are part timers. A company-operated restaurant has a unit supervisor and two co-unit supervisors. Each unit supervisor reports to the district manager. A district manager has about five to eight restaurants in their supervision. Their role constitutes of keeping tabs on all aspects of operations and management of the restaurants in their jurisdiction. Each of these district managers’ report to the Director of Operations. The company endorses strict training and personnel development strategy. All personnel have to go through a personnel-training program on fast friendly and efficient customer service, restaurant cleanliness, and proper management of day-to-day operations. The employees have to go through classroom sessions that brief them about aspects of food safety, sanitation, laws, and regulations related to the food industry and operational aspects of restaurant. The company envisages labor to be a critical factor in the coming years since the opportunities have increased manifolds. The demand for skilled labor is rising and this will lead to higher wages and compensation packages. Managing and retaining quality workforce in this industry will be a little difficult task and the key to effective manpower management is to keep the employees happy and satisfied with their jobs.

Democracy and Technology Essay

While technologies such as the use of internet and e-democracy have made the dissemination of ideas quicker, they have also resulted in the increase in a group’s power to manipulate general opinion. The technologies aiding democracy today, such as computers, satellites, radio, telephones and television have undeniably changed the face of modern democracy. What constitute positive spill outs of these technologies for democracy also in some cases have a detrimental effect on it. While it increases the reach among people and nations, enriching both formal and business communication, it also provides these opportunities to fundamentalists to create rumours and channels individuals or a group of people against democracy. However a little caution such as verifying the news from multiple sources will easily reveal these elements and thus the negative influence of misleading a large group of rational individuals can be easily curtailed. The rise in literacy level and the positive trend of e-democracy deepens the process of democracy and empowers the individuals not only to have a say in the election of their government as earlier, but also empowers the citizens to have greater say in the decision making process of the government. With increasing literacy levels, as the citizens become more aware of the power of technology, they will find it easier to organise themselves for pressing on social, economic and political reforms from the government at helm thus ushering a truly democratic era where the citizens role is not only limited to electing their representatives but also to correct them if they are being found negligent in fulfilling their duties. However for this to happen in the future, it should be ensured that technology and their benefits are not limited to a select few in the upper echelons of society and that they are made available to those at the lowest level for complete integration of the masses to the democracy. References Allison, Juliann Emmons. (2002). Technology, development, and democracy. SUNY Press.

Marketing and Micro Environment Essay

Effective marketing incorporates macro and micro-marketing strategies, terms that may not be very familiar to many small businesspeople. They are important concepts, though, that when applied effectively can help to boost advertising results. Even small businesses can learn how–and why–to consider the impacts of macro and micro impacts in their planning and strategy. Micro Environment The micro environment, as the name suggests, is the immediate environment that impacts a business. The micro environment includes considerations related to suppliers, customers and local stakeholders, including local government agencies or regulatory bodies. The micro environment can generally be considered the local environment where the business operates and the business owner is likely to be somewhat aware of the impacts that they are faced with. Macro Environment The macro-environment includes those things that may impact small businesses but which are outside of their control. It is the larger, external environment within which businesses operate from an industry or economic standpoint. Using Strategy Effectively In considering the micro and macro impacts on a business, internal and external factors must be considered. Businesses use a variety of tools in planning to consider these impacts, including the SWOT, which is strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; analysis; the PEST, which is political, economic, social, technological, and Porter’s 5-Forces Analysis, which is the threat of new competitors, the level of competition, the threat of substitute products, and the bargaining power of customers and suppliers.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Letter from Birmingham Jail - Essay Example King wrote a letter in response to criticisms he had received while in prison. He was responding to the critics of nonviolence means and injustices before the law. He addressed his letter to his fellow clergymen who termed his actions as unwise. He said that he was trying to answer their criticisms in realistic terms. His response begins by expressing the reasons for his presence in Birmingham. He added that his presence in Birmingham is because he is invited for organizational ties. He refutes the accusations of his fellows who had argued that he is an outsider in Birmingham. King says that his desire to end injustice like the eighteenth century prophets drove him to Birmingham. King accuses the leaders of criticizing his acts of peaceful demonstrations, yet they could not address the conditions that fuelled the demonstrations.King says that, any nonviolent campaign involves four steps; assembling of facts on the existing injustices, meditation, self- purification and real action. F acts about the situation must be established, and brutality identified. Campaigns require facts, not guesswork and are meant to change the existing conditions of injustice and not personal gain. He argues that Birmingham is the most segregated city in the United States, leading in brutality and unjust treatment of Negroes. He added that the Negro fathers had tried to negotiate with the city leaders who refused to listen to them. The promises made to the clergy leaders by the city fathers were unfulfilled.

Reflecting the films you have watched (The Social Network and Wall Essay

Reflecting the films you have watched (The Social Network and Wall Street 2), and citing a minimum of 3 journal articles, discus - Essay Example Each factor played a pivotal role in the development of the story line in each movie. While some factors were more important than others, it is important to go through all of the factors associated with the PESTLE analysis. In terms of the Political environment, Wall St. 2 starts with the release of Gordon Gekko from prison as a result of insider trading. This set the environment for his alienation from the finance industry. He leverages his relationship with his future son-in-law Jake, for access to his daughters’ money. As a political outcast, Gordon was forced to make back door deals in order to start his offshore finance company. The situation was similar in the Social Network. Mark began the movie sitting at a table deliberating over his actions that led to the ensuing lawsuit. Intellectual property rights are a growing body of legal work that has yet to be developed into an exact science. Hence, the political environment for his actions was ripe, in so far as he may not be able to get away with the same actions years down the road. The Facebook is seemingly a compilation of the ideas of other individuals, while he did not draft the entire concept of others ideas, he took bits and pieces of their information. Fortunately, our nation was at a point where we wanted something new and were willing to stand behind it. The economic environment actually has a close link to the political environment. Both movies were based in the modern era which means that they both shared the same economic environment, yet there were two completely different outcomes. While Jake suffered massive losses as of the change in the economy, that very same transition offered opportunity to Mark. Specifically, in 2007 there was a massive financial failure within the stock market. The bottom fell out of the housing market and banking institutions were merely trading with fiat cash that wasn’t there to begin with. This forced financial executives to pass on the losses to the individuals within the market. As a natural consequence, there was a panic and everyone with money in stocks headed towards the quickest exits. Mark had a different experience with the creation of his internet giant. Just when people assumed that the internet had reached its maximum functionality, he was able to innovate and create a new method through which consumers could interact. In fact, he was able to generate an entirely new stream of revenue that relied on a non-traditional market. The social environment for both of the movies seemed to be equal. The main character in each movie seemed to either be accepted by those who are closest and misunderstood by those who watched from a distance. Specifically in Wall St.2, Jake was accepted by those who worked within his financial firm and even the alternative energy business. While at the same time, his competitor merely wanted to use him in order to protect their own business. Additionally, Mark was viewed as an investment by his à ¢â‚¬Å"best friend†. Mark felt as if he was under appreciated for doing all of the work within the company and since he was responsible for making the right business decisions, he felt as if he was entitled to greater representation in terms of shares. The changing technological environment played a pivotal role in the development of each story line. Specifically, the role of the alternative e

Read 2 Article and Anwser the Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Read 2 Article and Anwser the Questions - Essay Example hand, and to be totally transparent about the firm’s activities and efforts towards addressing identified problems In the article, Nike has been proactive in ferreting out related problems and taking it upon itself to make use of its huge leverage against its shoe suppliers, to essentially force suppliers and subcontractors to play nice with their workers in the factories, for instance. In the case of Gap, even as the garments industry operates on a different dynamic, adhering to the standards set by the SA 800, and working closely with the auditors and being in touch constantly with the general public ought to help make their products more acceptable to society in general (Smith, Ansett and Erez). 2. Working with the auditors and being transparent to the public about the problems and initiatives relating to the sweat shops and the general work conditions among the suppliers and subcontractors are steps in the right direction. As the case suggests, the negative coverage has adverse impacts on brands, and consequently on revenues. Further to this, global firms have to put more resources aimed at genuine reform, and towards engaging its customers and other major stakeholders earnestly. At present the companies can make use of social media to reach out in a personal way to consumers and the general public (Smith, Ansett and Erez). 3. Where companies totally avoid sweat shops, the impacts are tied to higher costs from giving workers higher pay and providing genuinely for their welfare. In industries where companies compete on cost, the impacts of shunning sweatshops and the attendant rise in costs due to that may be substantial, and may imperil the future prospects of many firms, but the alternatives are mainly in the areas of losing customers due to poor work conditions and the heightened scrutiny of media and other concerned parties about those, leading to probable loss of customers and dwindling revenues and profits in the long run (Smith, Ansett and

A Discussion of Macroeconomic Policies used by the USA Government over Essay

A Discussion of Macroeconomic Policies used by the USA Government over the past three years, their impact on the USA Economy and how successful these Policies have been - Essay Example f a real-estate slump and related financial problems, there were predictions that margin squeeze from high energy prices or a dollar shock could be crucial factors tipping US growing economy into a downturn. With the global political situation ever changing, foreign policies fluctuation in split second, the economy has suffered too over the recent years. This paper describes the United States of America’s macroeconomic polices in the recent years and their impact on the people. We shall consider the past three years and look at how the changing economic policies changed business interests and how they impact the overall economic situation of the state. In 2006 U.S economy was still suffering from the effects that the hurricanes such as Katrina had on the U.S. economy and because of their reverberations in 2006. The health of the national economy was facing threat, due to the severe beating that the infrastructure took—most notably the infrastructure for energy. For the preceding year and a half, energy prices had surged worldwide. When the storms hit at the end of August, economic activity had been quite robust for several years, supported by monetary accommodation and strong productivity growth. Real GDP had grown steadily at, or above, its potential or long-run sustainable pace, which is estimated at around three and a quarter percent. This pattern continued even during the third quarter—immediately following the hurricanes—when real GDP grew by just over four percent. In the fourth quarter, growth did drop sharply to about 1 Â ½ percent. However, a good deal of this slowdown appears to have been due to sev eral temporary factors, none of which were related to the hurricanes. In 2006 the US economy was facing a great deal of un-certainty; the economy appears to be approaching a highly desirable glide path. First, real GDP growth currently appears to be quite strong, but there was good reason for it to slow to around its potential rate as the year