Summarizing Enter Right,Exit Left By Joshua Foer Essay

Summarizing Enter Right,Exit Left By Joshua Foer - Essay Example One of the recent surveys conducted by CNN/USA Today/Gallup, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds thought the war worthwhile. Moreover, the same survey also found that President Bush had a 9 percent higher approval rating among people under 30 than he did among older respondents. Even the majority of the younger supporters of Democrats supported the Iraq during its initial phase because of the trauma developed after 9/11 incident. Most of the political organizations on campus irrespective of their political ideologies have supported Iraq war earlier. The attack on Twin Towers and Pentagon was considered as an attack against the sovereignty of Americans and President Bush got immense support from the younger generation at the time when the Iraq war started. President Bush’s arguments in favour of the Iraq war, like the possession of weapons for mass destruction by Saddam and the accused links between Saddam and Al Qaeda, have inspired the younger generation a lot and around 50 percent of those surveyed under 30 said they trusted government to do the right thing whereas only 36 percent of the older Americans kept the same views like the younger generation. Many of the younger generation in America thought that America was a force for good in the world and Americans are more aware of international affairs. The opinions of the American public about the Iraq war has changed drastically as conditions in Iraq have grown more chaotic. The younger generation slowly realised that why the older generation was reluctant in extending lavish supports to the Iraq war. The revelation that American government exaggerated claims about the possession of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq has taught the younger generation that one cant always trust authority. The photos of Abu Ghraib and flag-draped coffins have taught the younger generation that the authorities were executing their hidden

Term Exam Sample Paper Essay Example for Free

Term Exam Sample Paper Essay This sample test should only be used as a guide to the styles of questions. The topics covered here are not exhaustive. Your revision should not be based on these set of questions only. The level of difficulty of this sample test is also NOT indicative of the level of difficulty of the actual test. The answers are provided at the end of the document. 1. A reasonable estimate of the annual standard deviation of return of the stock market would be? a. Less than 5 percent. b. Between 5 and 10 percent. c. Between 15 and 25 percent d. More than 30 percent e. Impossible to estimate 2. A project has an expected cash flow of $200, in year 1. The risk-free rate is 6%, the market rate of return is 16%, and the projects beta is 1. 5. Calculate the certainty equivalent cash flow for year 1. a. $175. 21 b. $164. 29 c. $228. 30 d. $212. 56 e. None of the above 3. Share X has a standard deviation of return of 10%, share Y has a standard deviation of return of 20%. The correlation coefficient between the shares is 0. 5. If you invest 60% of your funds in share X and 40% in share Y, what is the standard deviation of the portfolio? a. 10% b. 20% c. 12. 2% d. 14. 0% e. None of the above 4. Richard Rolls critique of tests of the capital asset pricing model is that: a. Given an efficient market portfolio the CAPM is tautology b. The market portfolio is not efficient c. You need to test the model using the market portfolio for all capital assets d. a and c e. a and b 5. The Template Corporation has an equity beta of 1. 2 and a debt beta of . 8. The firms market value debt to equity ratio is . 6. If it undertakes a new project with the same risk profile, what is the project beta (assuming zero tax rate)? a. 0. 70 b. 0. 72 c. 0. 96 d. 1. 04 e. 1. 05 6. Consider following data on three shares: Share Standard Deviation A 0. 6 B 0. 30 C 0. 20 Beta 1. 00 0. 80 1. 29 Assuming that you wished to minimise risk, you would select share if the share was held in on its own, and you would select share if the share was to be added to a portfolio. a b c d e 7. A, A A, B B, A B, C C, A In a portfolio of three different shares, which of the following is NOT possible? a. b. c. d. e. The ris k of the portfolio is less than the risk of each of the shares held in isolation. The risk of the portfolio is greater than the risk of one of the shares. The beta of the portfolio is less than the beta of each of the individual shares. The beta of the portfolio is greater than the beta of one of the individual shares betas. The standard deviation of the portfolio is greater than the standard deviation of the risk free asset. 8. You hold a diversified portfolio consisting of 20 different shares with $1,000 invested in each. The portfolio beta is equal to 1. 35. You have decided to sell all your holding of Edna Average Cosmetics Ltd which has a beta of 1. You will reinvest the proceeds in Aggressive Action Ltd which has a beta of 2. What is the new beta of the portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. 1. 35 2. 35 1. 45 1. 10 1. 40 9. A company is considering an investment in a new project. That project is best evaluated as though: a. b. c. d. e. It is a stand alone project independent of the company and so its risk is measured as variance. Its risk is adjusted to allow for diversification with the companies existing projects Its cost of capital is the weighted average cost of capital Its risk is evaluated as though it were traded in the capital markets None of the above 10 Is the portfolio with the minimum possible variance an efficient portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. Yes No Yes, but only for risk loving investors Yes, but only for investors who will not take any risk. Yes, but only for investors who are risk neutral. 11. For a two-stock portfolio, the maximum reduction in risk occurs when the correlation coefficient between the two stocks is: A) +1 B) 0 C) -0. 5 D) -1 E) None of the above 12. The variance or standard deviation is a measure of: A) Total risk B) Unique risk C) Market risk D) Bankruptcy risk E) None of the above 13. The risk of a well diversified portfolio depends upon the A) Market risk B) Unique risk of the securities included in the portfolio C) Number of securities in the portfolio D) Variance of the portfolio E) None of the above 4. A factor in APT is a variable that: A) Affects the return of risky assets in a systematic manner B) Correlates with risky asset returns in an unsystematic manner C) Is purely noise D) Affects the return of a risky asset in a random manner E) is generally not correlated with stock returns 15. A company has a cost of capital of 15%. However, it is introducing a new product that it considers to be a ver y risky endeavour to a well diversified investor. What can you say about the appropriate discount rate for the project? A) The rate used should be 15% B) The rate used should be lower than 15% C) The rate used should be greater than 15% D) Any rate between 12% and 18% is acceptable E) The rate should be the expected market return. 16 What has been the average annual rate of return in real terms for a portfolio of U. S. common stocks between 1900 and 2006? a. Less than 2% b. Between 2% and 5% c. Between 5% and 8% d. Greater than 8% e. Greater than 20% 17. Mega Corporation has the following returns for the past three years: 8%, 12% and 10%. Calculate the variance of the return and the standard deviation of the returns.

Natural Necessity, Objective Chances and Causal Powers :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Natural Necessity, Objective Chances and Causal Powers ABSTRACT: Are the relations between the property of a thing and its related disposition to react in certain ways, and between the triggering of that disposition and the consequent effect, necessary? Harrà © and Madden, in their analysis of causal powers, said they are, but their arguments are not persuasive. Humeans like Simon Blackburn deny it. I criticize the Humean position, and argue afresh for their necessity. I note that David Lewis' analysis of causation requires their necessity, though as a confessed Humean he has not admitted this. There is an interesting convergence among several recent theories of causation. They describe causes as events of a kind which increase the objective chance of events of other kinds, which are their effects. The theories I have in mind are those of David Lewis (1986, 1994), D.H. Mellor (1995), and Peter Menzies (1996). They attribute various other properties to causes, but all agree that this is an important and necessary fact about them. Thus, dropping a crystal wine glass onto a hard floor can be said to have caused it to shatter because it increased the probability of its shattering at that time, since whenever a piece of crystal glass is struck by a hard object, it will very probably shatter. Such generalizations relating cause and effect can be understood as being true of something because of one of its properties. For instance one can say: if something has the molecular structure of crystal glass, then if it is hit by a hard object it will very probably shatter. The generalization relating cause and effect can then be seen as a disposition of the thing whose property makes it true. In this case it amounts to saying that things which have the molecular structure of crystal glass are fragile. More generally, the generalizations involved in causation are of the following form: if something has a certain property, then if it comes into a certain relation with something else, it will result in another event, with a certain objective probability. Call this generalization [G]. This generalization looks very much like the analysis of causal powers offered by R.Harrà © and E.H. Madden (1975). They defined the causal power of a thing in terms of its disposition to behave in certain ways in certain circumstances because of its nature. They wrote: "'X has the power to A' means 'X will or can do A, in the appropriate conditions, in virtue of its intrinsic nature' (p.

Assess the dramatic and thematic effectiveness Essay

The opening act of ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ is important in terms of the themes that John Webster is presenting. He uses the characters to explore such themes, and subsequently the audience are given detailed descriptions of most of the main characters. Moreover, Webster uses the characters to describe each other not only giving the audience an insight into their personal attributes, but also how each character perceives the other. Although not entirely apparent in the initial acts of the play, the fact that the audience only know about the characters from the other characters’ descriptions, implies the ideas of secrecy, deception, and spying, and the general theme that there are things that the characters think they know, when in fact they don’t. Antonio is the first character to be introduced, and he is initially presented as an outsider returning home from the French court, which he â€Å"admires†. He has a brief conversation with Delio about the French court, and how although it was orderly, it could easily be distorted.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pure silver drops in general; but if ‘t chance  Some cursed example poisoned ‘t near the head,  Death and diseases through the whole land spread.† The rhyming couplet makes it almost seem like a curse, and exerts a sense of doom. This already gives the impression that the court of Malfi is it self distorted, as Antonio describes the goodness of the French court, and then quickly goes onto describe how easily any court could be corrupted, as if ‘pointing a finger’ at the court of Malfi. Webster uses this contrast quite effectively to convince the audience from the beginning that there is more to the Court of Malfi than it may primarily seem.  Interrupting the conversation, Bosola arrives, and before he even speaks, Antonio speaks of him to Delio, and creating a distinct impression of Bosola. â€Å"Would be as lecherous, covetous, or proud,  Bloody, or envious, as any man,  If he had the means to be so.†Ã‚  This unpleasant impression of Bosola given to the audience is further supported, as Delio reveals that he was â€Å"a fellow seven years in the galleys for a notorious murder†, making him appear as an evil character who is capable of murder.  Aside from the information the audience receive from Antonio and Delio, the way in which Bosola speaks makes him appear to be very negative. â€Å"He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools; they are rich and o’erladen with fruit, but none but crows, pies, and caterpillars feed on them.†Ã‚  The constant use of dark and distasteful imagery attributes him to be quite bitter, and so completes the overall impression that he is indeed an unpleasant character. However, as Bosola leaves, Antonio says he has heard good things about Bosola, but his â€Å"railing at those things which he wants† overcomes these positive aspects. â€Å"‘Tis great pity  He should be thus neglected; I have heard  He’s very valiant. This foul melancholy  Will poison all his goodness.†Ã‚  This indicates to the audience that Bosola may have a good side which he may or may not reveal later. Either way, this is another way in which Webster explores the theme of first impressions not being all that they seem.

Course notes Operations management

A lot of things we do, activities such as analyzing, does not add value. Inventory Is a big non-value added activity, If you have two Items (toasters) where one has been there for long and the other Is fairly new. As a customer you want the new one. As a manager for the store, the old one costs more because you have to store it. Exercise: What is the input, what is the transformation and finally the output? Accountants: the transformation Is they are doing audits, financial statements etc.The Input Is raw data and the output is audited financial statements. Telecommunication companies: the transformation Is transmission of data, the Input is data and the output is data as well. System example: Restaurant Objectives: make money essentially, fast food or exclusive? Elements: tables, servers, waiters, wine experts, chefs etc. Input: customers Transformation: you feed the customers In an environment they find agreeable. Output: satisfied customers Feedback: Are we making money? They also use Customer satisfaction services.Restaurant Political, Legal: permits, alcohol permits, hourly wages, is tips Included? Economical: Price of food, price of dollar. Social: what type of food people eat. Technological: systems to communicate with the kitchen, ordering or reservations through internet. Ecological: recycling. Example: Strategic, tactical and operational decisions. Strategic: what type of cuisine? The limit, how many tables for which demand? Tactical decision: what type of employees should I recruit? Operational decisions:

Tiny Tim Essays

Tiny Tim Essays Tiny Tim Paper Tiny Tim Paper In this paragraph I will focus on the character of Scrooge how he starts to realise his social responsibility. Dickens made Scrooge the main character to represent all the rich people in London, so if he could change Scrooge, he thought he could change all the rich people in London, and to help the poor. At the beginning of the novel Scrooge can be described as:- A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching old sinner. This range of adjectives show what a man Scrooge was. Also this simile shows what Scrooge was like: Hard sharp as a flint. His views on Christmas and on giving money to the poor are very negative. When the members of a charity come to collect money, Scrooge uses humour to express his views:- Everyone who likes Christmas should be buried with a stake of holly through their heart, and should be boiled with their Christmas pudding. This shows what Scrooge thinks of Christmas. Visits from the ghosts help Scrooge realise his social responsibility by showing him what will happen in the future, if he does not change his ways. The ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge back into episodes from his past life to show him his mistakes. When Scrooge was a boy he was very lonely and he was always by himself, then later Scrooge says:- Nothing, there was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should have given him something. This shows that Scrooge is thinking of that boy as himself and knows what it is like to be lonely, and regrets not giving him something. Also Scrooges sister, Fran was very kind to him, and rescued him at Christmas, then when the spirit asks him if he has any relatives he replies:- Scrooge seemed uneasy in his mind, and answered briefly Yes. This shows that Scrooge is remembering how much he loved his sister, and how badly he has been treating his nephew, Fred. Also then they go to Scrooges old bosss Christmas party, his old boss Mr. Fezziwig invites everyone round, stops all work, treats Scrooge very well, he brought in a fiddler to play music, there is lots of food drink, and everyone is happy jolly. Then suddenly Scrooge says:- I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now. This shows Scrooge starting to think of other people, and how badly he treated Bob Crachet. After that suddenly Scrooge breaks up with Belle(Scrooges girl friend), Belle says:- But if you were free today, tomorrow, yesterday can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl. This shows that Belle is letting Scrooge go, because he will not get a dowery, a dowery is when the father of the bride gives the husband money to take her away. Also a few years later, Belle had a child with someone:- He thought that such another creature, quite as graceful and as full of promise, might have called him father. This shows that Scrooge regrets breaking up with Belle, and wants he to be her husband, and the childs father, so Scrooge is very jealous. In this paragraph I am going to analyse the character of Tiny Tim and why he is significant. When Tiny Tim enters he is described as:- Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little wooden crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame. This shows that Tiny Tim is disabled and cant look after himself. Dickens made Tiny Tim a child because people feel more sympathy towards children. Plus Tiny Tim represents all the poor people and children who need help around the world. Tiny Tim is Bob Crachets son, later Bob talks about his son to his wife, he says:- He hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple. This shows that Tiny Tim wants people to remember Jesus at Christmas through him. Tiny Tim makes Scrooge change by making him realise how poor him and his family are. But the Crachet family are not greedy though; Nobody said or thought it was a small pudding for a large family. This shows that the Crachet family were very grateful for what they had. Tiny Tim also likes to says:- God bless us everyone. This shows Tiny Tim is thinking of others a lot of the time. Near the end of the chapter, Scrooge and the spirit are talking about Tiny Tim:- What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. This shows the spirit is using Scrooges own words back at him when he was talking to the charity workers. Tiny Tim helps Scrooge to change by making him realise how badly he has been treating Bob Crachet, and that if Scrooge does not pay his clerk more salary then Tiny Tim will die, because the Crachet family need the money for more food and medicine. Scrooges nephews views about social responsibility are very different from Scrooges, because Fred does not only care about himself and his money, he cares of others and helping others:- And therefore uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good.

Of This I Am Certain Essay Example

Of This I Am Certain Essay Example Of This I Am Certain Essay Of This I Am Certain Essay A wise man once said â€Å" There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.† That wise man has had a huge impact on my life. That quote has motivated me to get a job and study hard so I can be successful.I am certain that I will get into my dream school. Although my grades have not always been amazing, I take time each night to study and progress my knowledge so I will be able to be successful in the future. School is not always as marvelous as some people make it out to be. Some students struggle to maintain average grades while others zoom past them in their quest for success. Unfortunately, I am a student who struggles to keep my average grades. On some occasions, it is effortless to get agood grade, however there is always a class that I struggle with. I find that if I put 100% into my hardest subjects, I usually do very well. I am a very dedicated student. I have never missed a homework nor have I ever gotten in trouble. I strive to be the best! This alone w ill greatly improve my chances of getting into my dream college. When I am at work, I am not always excited about it. However, I do know that having a job and gaining experience of what the real world is like is very helpful when colleges consider an application. I work at the YMCA as a lifeguard and instructor. Having life saving skills at this young age is ideal for living in the real world. If there was ever a time that someone needed my help, I would immediately be prepared for the situation.A few moths ago, I was working as a guard and an elderly woman had just gotten out of the pool. She began to sway and lose balance and proceeded to fall to the ground. I immediately got up and ran to her aid. It turns out that she had a heart attack and myself and a few other guards, saved her life. I believe that is a very unique skill and experience that not many college students have. I am certain that colleges will consider this particular skill and how important i

Richard Nixons Role in the Watergate Cover-Up

Richard Nixons Role in the Watergate Cover-Up While it is not known if  President Nixon  knew about or was involved in ordering the break-in at the Watergate Hotel, it is known that he and White House Chief of Staff H. R. Bob Haldeman were recorded on June 23, 1972, discussing using the CIA to obstruct the FBIs investigation of the Watergate break-ins. He even asked the CIA to slow the FBIs investigation, claiming national-security risks. These revelations led to Nixons resignation when it became apparent that he would probably be impeached. Denial When burglars were caught on June 17, 1972, breaking in to the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel- attempting to place wiretaps and steal secret DNC papers- it didn’t help their case that one of them had the phone number of the White House office of the Committee to Re-Elect the President. Nevertheless, the White House denied any involvement or knowledge of the break-in. Nixon did so, personally, as well. Addressing the nation two months later, he said not only that he was not involved, but that his staff wasn’t either. Three months after that, Nixon was re-elected in a landslide. Impeding the Investigation What Nixon did not tell the nation during his speech was that as early as two months before, less than a week after the burglars were caught, he was secretly discussing how to get the FBI to back off of their investigation. Haldeman, can be heard on White House tapes specifically telling Nixon that the FBI investigation was going â€Å"in some directions we don’t want it to go.† As a result, Nixon decided to have the CIA approach the FBI to take the investigation off their hands. The sentiment Haldeman shared with Nixon was that the CIA’s investigation could be controlled in ways that the FBI’s could not. Hush Money As the investigations went on, Nixon’s fear mounted that the burglars would start cooperating- and would tell everything they knew. On March 21, 1973, it was later revealed, the secret White House recording system taped Nixon discussing with White House Counsel John Dean how to raise $120,000 to pay off one of the burglars, who was demanding cash for his continued silence. Nixon went on to explore how they could secretly raise as much as a million dollars to distribute to the burglars- without the money being traced back to the White House. Some cash was, in fact, distributed to the conspirators as early as just 12 hours after that meeting. The Nixon Tapes After investigators learned of the existence of the tapes, Nixon refused to release them. When the independent counsel investigating Watergate refused to relent in his demands for the tapes, Nixon had the Department of Justice replace him. Only after the Supreme Court intervened to order the tapes released did Nixon comply. And even then, there was what has now become famous as the 18-1/2 minute gap. The tapes proved conclusively Nixon’s knowledge of and involvement in the cover-up and, with the Senate preparing to impeach him, he resigned just three days after the tapes were released. The new president- Gerald Ford- quickly turned around and pardoned Nixon. Listen Thanks to  Watergate.info, you can actually hear whats referred to the smoking-gun.

Workers in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workers in America - Essay Example It is noteworthy that this was the first national industrial labor movement in the United States. Originally, the movement was Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, which replaced the failed Garment Cutters Association of Philadelphia (Weir 20). Knights of Labor maintained a highest level of secrecy, as well as, fraternalism, and it was not until 1879 when the movement utilized symbols to call for meetings. Initially, the movement excluded bankers, lawyers, liquor dealers, and professional gamblers. In addition, women did not join the movement until 1882 when the membership had grown hugely. However, the movement declined in 1886 due to competition from other unions and internal disagreements. The Knights of Labor advocated political reforms. Notably, the movement championed for the levying of the graduated income tax. On top of this, the movement demanded the establishment of the national monetary system that did not have the banks as intermediaries. Similarly, the movement agitated the government to maintain the ownership of the telegraph lines and the railroads. Moreover, Knights of Labor wanted a new land policy that sought to benefit the settlers as opposed to the speculators (Brexel 22). In addition to the political matters, the movement raised grievances on the social issues. Knights of Labor advocated the abolition of the child labor and the contract systems on municipal, state, and national works. In addition, the national union championed for pay equality for equal work, and the establishment of the cooperatives in order to replace the repressive and archaic wage system that promotes oppression of the workers by the capitalist employers (Weir 21). Moreover, Knights of Labor agitated for health and safety of the workers in the building, manufacturing, and mining industries. The Wabash Railway strike was a significant strike,

Policy Brief Project Descriptioin ( prison and privatization) Research Paper

Policy Brief Project Descriptioin ( prison and privatization) - Research Paper Example er prison privatization are analyzed by covering sub topics on economic perspectives, which include arguments in favor and against the policy through cost factor discussion, theoretical considerations on the policy, and how prison prisons are managed. The changed policy trend includes a case brief of Florida. The process of policy making is elaborately evaluated. Analysis includes the procurement process. Role of politics is analyzed. Role of social stakeholder groups on changing values and participation of various stakeholders on the policy highlights the mood of the public and haste of the government in allowing privatization. Conclusion is derived on taking a restraint approach. The trend of prison privatization started in mid-1980s in the United States. Taking the lead from thereon, the prison privatization not only grew quite fast in the federal, state and county correctional facilities, but also captured market for other fields of the prison industry like providing financial services for the building of new prisons and the maintenance of the existing prisons. Additionally, a number of such private companies have become public limited concerns by indulging in stock trading as well. The business of prison privatization has seen relatively more growth than other services businesses. Generally, privatization of prisons is rooted in â€Å"public choice† reasoning of the socio-political environment, created from the antigovernment mood during the Reagan era. It led to policy change in the initial stages of policy formulation, and in the operations of prisons. The issue of prison privatization has aired the notion that incarceration has become a tool in the hands of politicians for formulating policies on essential minimum imprisoning for the growth of prison privatization industry (Price a& Riccucci, 2005). Analysis of the data of the 50 states indicates the role of political elements like the political environment of a state and the political party governing

Measure of Consumer Well-Being Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Measure of Consumer Well-Being - Research Paper Example I have recently started working on a marketing job. The new job requires me to be constantly in touch with by superiors and also with my customers. I now realize that my basic model of mobile would not serve its purpose. I need a phone that not only serves as a phone but also functions like a hand held computer with wi-fi facility. Reading and writing emails was very important and hence, the new mobile must be hi-tech with huge functions. Using laptop all the time to remain online for conference talk with superiors was not feasible. This was a major problem which needed to be sorted out. Hence, new mobile with these features was the only option for me to safeguard my job. Information search My need for sophisticated mobile phone was driven by my professional requirement. I started researching for the best brand that would help me meet my need. The online search was natural option. I found that Nokia N8 was a good option. It was not only backed by the brand credibility but also throug h experience I knew that it was sturdy and reliable. It was equipped with various features like easy navigation, huge storage, high resolution camera, wi-fi to connect easily across the globe, email, video conferencing, facebook etc. These were critical features that supported my work. One of my colleagues also happened to have this phone who gave a rave review. I also went to major mobile outlets to personally see various models. This helped me to evaluate them and helped compare various feature including look, weight, easy to use keyboard etc. Alternative evaluation Awareness of the product is almost always followed by in depth search from different internal and external sources. The alternative assessment of the product helps to evaluate the value for the product. Looking at alternative brands, I found that Samsung Galaxy was also quite popular amongst many of my friends and acquaintances. It had same features with qwerty keyboard. It suited my requirements but the cost was littl e over my budget. Some of friends also cautioned me that it needed good care and could not be used as roughly as Nokia! Purchase decision Purchase decision takes into consideration various factors like need for the product, which in my case was triggered by work requirement. The alternative evaluation and information gathering process are vital criteria for making right purchase decision. Indeed, it reduces the risk in buying in buying expensive products. The final buying decision is backed by the credibility of the manufacturer, reliability of the product, social consciousness, quality, performance, lifestyle, experience, post-sale performance etc. Lee et al. (2002) strong assert that consumer experiences satisfaction vis-a-vis consumption, maintenance, lifecycle and post purchase service. Most importantly I found that Nokia products were environment friendly and the firm was highly ethical with strong sense of social responsibility. My research, thus greatly facilitated me to make purchase decision. I was already satisfied with the brand as my basic phone was also Nokia and the cost, quality and brand name finally helped in my decision to purchase Nokia N8. Post purchase behavior After sales performance lends credibility to the product and promotes unique customer relationship based on trust.

Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Inflation - Essay Example The concept if inflation is indeed an important component considering how it influences many aspects of life. The paper seeks to delve into the causes of inflation in order to illuminate the factors which lead to the persistent increase in the prices. In the same way, it will provide an analysis into some of the effects of inflation while focusing on the different types of inflation arising from different economic situations. Introduction Inflation is described to be a rate in which the overall price of goods and services is increasing while the purchasing power decreases in an economy (Nicholson 57). Inflation usually causes money to lose its value. This comes about in that as inflation increases, currency only buys a small percentage of goods compared to what it used to when there was no inflation. This happens due to the increase in the money supply which is measured by the producer price index and the consumer price index over time. When inflation rises in an economy in higher ra tes, it leads to adverse effects in the economy. However, mild inflation in the economy can lead to positive effects such as creation of employment. To keep the rates of inflation low, monetary authorities usually central banks are given the responsibility of controlling prices. This paper will discuss various causes of inflation, types and the effects that it has in the economy. Causes of inflation One of the causes of inflation is cost-pushing. This is a case where companies incur a lot of costs in running their operations. Hall states that these higher costs are usually brought about by workers or trade unions pushing for their wage increase (163). When they receive the increase, the impact is felt by the consumer in that it transfers the cost to the consumer by increasing the costs of goods and services. This tendency is characterized by an increase in wages irrespective of the productivity. Productivity normally remains the same which leads to the increase in the prices of good s and services in order to counter the effect. When a lot of firms increase wages in the same manner and pass the effect to the consumer in terms of high prices, this the leads to inflation. Another cause of inflation is demand-pull. This is a case where the overall demand exceeds supply and is normally brought about when an economy experiences full employment. The demand can be in terms of goods and services or it can as well be the demand for labor. When the demand exceeds supply in the market, the suppliers have a tendency of increasing the prices of commodities. This is because of the surety that their goods will sell at whichever cost due to scarcity. If the supply of the goods remains low over a period of time, this leads to inflation because the prices will keep on getting higher and higher. This can also portray itself where employers demand more workers than what they can get. In turn, they increase their salary in order to attract more labor which leads to inflation in the long run. Exchange rate is another cause of inflation. This comes about when a nation has increased exposure to the foreign market. It is one of the critical factors that determine the rate of inflation. If the rate of exchange suffers, the local currency loses value to the foreign currency. This leads to the foreign goods becoming expensive to the local consumers which simultaneously lead to the local goods becoming cheap to the consumers in the overseas markets. In simple terms, the import price gets higher than the export price which leads to inflation. National debt is another cause of inflation. If a country has a higher debt, then this can accelerate the levels of inflation to higher rates. This leads to inflation because, if the debt increases, the government of the country is left with two options; to either print more money to pay off the debts or to increase the taxes which will lead to higher revenue hence provide means of settling the debt. Increase in tax is passed dow n to businesses that in turn increase

Personaland Organizational Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personaland Organizational Ethics - Essay Example Accomplishment, ambition, confidence, determination and patience are among the values that stand out most in me. I say that accomplishment is a value I possess simply because I have an insatiable urge to complete whatever I start in regards to all aspects. I am not a quitter but on the contrary prefer to think of myself as a winner. I am ambitious because this is what drives me to achieving my goals and objectives. Ambition sees me through all situations especially when under a lot of pressure; it is among my greatest assets. When the aura around you spells confidence it pulls you up a notch higher to getting thing done since you believe in yourself and your abilities. Nobody likes having a low self esteem, so this is where confidence bails you out. Everyone with the intention of getting things done should have determination this is because it helps you to push on even when things are difficult, thus you don’t despair. They say patience is a virtue and I can be patient for a l ong duration of time and while being patient I take my time to reflect on different matters that concern my attention. Values last a lifetime. Albeit with time they might undergo some transition, they tend to be fairly stable Personal ethics points towards making a person better in regards to his character and every other aspect (Lozano, 2002). I personally have a code of ethics that I relate to and which govern me. First of all, I advocate for being honest as an ethic and it tops my list because once you don’t have anything to hide and no skeletons in the closet you have a clear conscience that lets you run your daily activities to your level best, and also because of the unspoken rule that the more honest you are, the more trustworthy you become. Secondly, I don’t change who I am to please others, this is because I can’t take away my happiness at the cost of pleasing others, people should be able to appreciate me and my personality since basically that is who I am. Same way, that, I won’t try to change others to please myself. Thirdly, I tell the truth. The value of truth is immeasurable, because a world without truth would be unbearable. It would be filled with lies that would cause nothing but harm. Fourthly, be harmonious, nothing beats the filling of getting along with everyone without any qualms whatsoever. It is pure goodness. Any relationship is gauged on the grounds of trust since trust is the building block of relationships; hence trust is a very important when dealing with people, and it’s your actions that make them trust you or don’t trust you. Respect is another personal ethic that I uplift since we would all like people to respect ourselves as individuals and our space. Treat others as you would like to be treated. I have integrity. The impression you make on people matters a lot, so the better of a person you are, the better an image you present. Responsibility is another ethic that I possess since ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s something that has been instilled in me since childhood. People can only rely on you if you are responsible. Every act of kindness of kindness has a significant impact in someone’s life, so it doesn’t cost much to be courteous. Lastly, it is important to give credit where it is due, if we don’t people for their ideas or works, it is as well as stealing and it is basically and without a doubt cheating

Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwoods Surfacing Essay

Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwoods Surfacing - Essay Example Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing Popular culture is meant to represent the common ground or the popular perception of culture but has the organization of society become too intellectualized? If work is as much a part of our lives as eating and breathing is, then is work life itself a good reflection of our cultural make-up? Gender and sexuality have both taken on new identities over the last century, thanks to war and depression, and this has also changed how the working world is comprised. Men and women are socialised in different ways, aiding the way they see themselves in later life. Little girls are dressed in pink, little boys in blue; little girls bake and sew while little boys fix cars and make furniture. The way we are told we should behave, is largely responsible for the types of vocations chosen by people and also why new world upbringing has led to current trends of women in previously exclusively male vocations such as engineering. Margaret Atwood writes a compelling, if rather disturbing account of gend er and sexuality in the modern world where her chief character battles with her own stress in the new expectations of women in the modern world. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood is essentially a feminist manifesto that looks at the complexity of how society organizes its gender differences and sexuality. It is not an easy novel to digest neither does it attempt to dissipate the uncomfortable truths about life in the modern world.... This is because women in the workplace have had an affect both on men and women: men now have to share their workplaces with women and women have to contend with previously masculine issues. The problem with academic representations as opposed to popular writing is that the academia is unable to see the interpretive mode of translation. It is not possible for academic representations to see inside the person's actual being, making it difficult to determine what it is exactly that makes employees or ordinary people tick. Any number of aspects can affect the way the person reacts to the environment around them. The past, present and future are all parts of the human life cycle that affect the way organizations are perceived by individuals. The popular culture representation for this reason is more personal, more realistic. If we look for instance at the film Portrait of a Lady we see the difference between how women were perceived in the past and now how they are perceived today. There are two female characters in the book Surfacing, the narrator and Anna. Anna is the epitome of the old-world passive female mentality. Concerned most of all about her weight and her appearance, "I told her she should wear jeans or something but she said she looks fat in them."(Atwood, 1997: 5). On the other hand, the narrator writes about her lover, Joe whom she refrains from marrying, explaining his appearance, "with small clenched eyes and the defiant look of a species once dominant, now threatened with extinction. That's how he thinks of himself too: deposed, unjustly."(Atwood, 1997: 2). If we compare this piece of writing to the above example of Portrait of a Lady, we see the way in which gender roles

Personaland Organizational Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personaland Organizational Ethics - Essay Example Accomplishment, ambition, confidence, determination and patience are among the values that stand out most in me. I say that accomplishment is a value I possess simply because I have an insatiable urge to complete whatever I start in regards to all aspects. I am not a quitter but on the contrary prefer to think of myself as a winner. I am ambitious because this is what drives me to achieving my goals and objectives. Ambition sees me through all situations especially when under a lot of pressure; it is among my greatest assets. When the aura around you spells confidence it pulls you up a notch higher to getting thing done since you believe in yourself and your abilities. Nobody likes having a low self esteem, so this is where confidence bails you out. Everyone with the intention of getting things done should have determination this is because it helps you to push on even when things are difficult, thus you don’t despair. They say patience is a virtue and I can be patient for a l ong duration of time and while being patient I take my time to reflect on different matters that concern my attention. Values last a lifetime. Albeit with time they might undergo some transition, they tend to be fairly stable Personal ethics points towards making a person better in regards to his character and every other aspect (Lozano, 2002). I personally have a code of ethics that I relate to and which govern me. First of all, I advocate for being honest as an ethic and it tops my list because once you don’t have anything to hide and no skeletons in the closet you have a clear conscience that lets you run your daily activities to your level best, and also because of the unspoken rule that the more honest you are, the more trustworthy you become. Secondly, I don’t change who I am to please others, this is because I can’t take away my happiness at the cost of pleasing others, people should be able to appreciate me and my personality since basically that is who I am. Same way, that, I won’t try to change others to please myself. Thirdly, I tell the truth. The value of truth is immeasurable, because a world without truth would be unbearable. It would be filled with lies that would cause nothing but harm. Fourthly, be harmonious, nothing beats the filling of getting along with everyone without any qualms whatsoever. It is pure goodness. Any relationship is gauged on the grounds of trust since trust is the building block of relationships; hence trust is a very important when dealing with people, and it’s your actions that make them trust you or don’t trust you. Respect is another personal ethic that I uplift since we would all like people to respect ourselves as individuals and our space. Treat others as you would like to be treated. I have integrity. The impression you make on people matters a lot, so the better of a person you are, the better an image you present. Responsibility is another ethic that I possess since ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s something that has been instilled in me since childhood. People can only rely on you if you are responsible. Every act of kindness of kindness has a significant impact in someone’s life, so it doesn’t cost much to be courteous. Lastly, it is important to give credit where it is due, if we don’t people for their ideas or works, it is as well as stealing and it is basically and without a doubt cheating

Management Report and Proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Management Report and Proposal - Dissertation Example While discussing on the lines of fast diffusion of the internet connectivity in various corners of the world, it can be said that the emergence of the internet has been tremendously accelerated on the basis of fast acceptance and penetration of various kinds of technological gadgets like the I-pads, I phones by the masses around the world. With the rapid acceptance of the internet connectivity in both the developing as well as the developed countries, the entire world has become globally connected through the virtual and digital platform. It is of considerable importance to mention that because of this global interconnectivity there has been a tremendous shift in the power balance in the market. The internet connectivity has brought forward the power of knowledge to the consumers around the world. The easy access of knowledge by the consumers of both the developed as well as the developing regions is increasingly paving the way for trends related to digitization. Because of the trend s of digitization, there has been a tremendous amount of cross border demand for various products and services that are increasingly emerging from multiple small and big points around the world. It needs to be mentioned that these new kinds of demands are increasingly creating a shift of power balance in the market dynamics all around the world. Previously what used to be a market that is dominated by the power the sellers has paved the roads for the market that is being dominated by the buyers and consumers. Because of this new modification and shift on the lines of consumer demand, many new as well as existing companies are sensing tremendous amount of business opportunity for various kinds of new as well as innovative business products and solutions. In order to tap the business opportunities that are brewing in the markets of the developing as well as the developed region, the companies that are located in various geographies around the world are seriously considering on the opt ions related to entering into newer markets. It is utterly relevant to mention that the internet is playing a tremendously catalytic role in regards to providing the information that is highly necessary for the purpose of entering these new markets. Since, more and more companies of multinational as well as international and transnational nature are slowly starting to enter into the market of a particular region of a new country or location, the level of competition in the market of that particular region is starting to rise. This is in return creating a pressure on the already existing companies to stay tremendously competitive in the marketplace. In an attempt to stay competitive in the market place, the companies in many markets around the world are increasingly trying to sport a lean structure, while cutting organizational costs. Because of the trimming down of organization related operating expenses, there has been a direct impact in regards to the amount of manpower that will be maintained by the company as an asset. Thus, it is creating the trends of

Mary Jones Case study Essay Example for Free

Mary Jones Case study Essay Coping styles can simply be defined as a person’s characteristics or strategies that are used in responding to various life problems and trauma. This can involve some thought, emotional or behaviors used by the affected individual to cope with such problems or circumstances. There are two broad types of copings styles, these are internalizing and externalizing coping style. Patients who â€Å"tend to locate the cause of their problems, even more than the resolution of the problems, within themselves† (Beutler Marnat, 2005 ) are consider to exercise internalizing coping styles. Patient that exhibit externalizing coping style tend to get angry more easily and blame all other people for their predicaments. They tend to enjoy social gatherings, active parties, and other activities that allow them to externalize their behaviors. Patient that exhibit Internalizing coping styles with disease condition tend to experience a very high level of distress and tend to make some self depressing comments about themselves. Such people may also show great capacity for insight. Internalizers also tend to withdraw from most social gatherings, prefer solitary environment and activities such as staying indoors, reading and listening to music. They want to do everything to reduce stimulation, reduce participating with other people in various social events and they also want to enjoy some relaxing event such as watching television. The aim of this paper is to objectively identify the causes of Mary Jones coping styles and help design adjustment plan which will integrate a strategy that will improve on herself image and worth , improve upon her present interpersonal relationship with people around her and her partner and also help her cope with the prognosis of the disease condition. It will also evaluate level of responses to her anxiety. Mary Jones In the case of Mary Jones, a 36 years old woman in a De Facto relationship and lawyer by profession with a medical history of ovarian cancer, unilateral ovariectomy, chemotherapy and ongoing task of coping with several situation and conditions such as adapting to loss of personal image and function, increase dependency, hospitalization, her partner’s need of children, fear, anxiety and anger. She tried to coping with those situations by externalizing her behavior and coping styles in the sense that she tend to blame others for her condition, punish and manipulate others, demand them to solve her problems, sole dependency with no sense of personal responsibility and resentment towards her partner. The major reasons for all these coping styles can be attributed to the psychological and emotional trauma that are associated with ovarian cancer, the changes in symptoms commonly seen in the condition and the increased anxiety level in regards to the prognosis of the disease state. Since we all experience and react to psychological and emotional trauma differently, Mary’s past experiences, relationship status, beliefs and the knowledge of signs and symptoms related to her condition all contribute to her present coping styles. She might have been so much concerned about the prognosis or the recurrence of the disease and the associated side effects of the medications. Since an ovary is needed to produce egg which will be fertilized by her partner’s sperm, now the ovary has been removed and there is higher tendency for the other ovary to have been affected and other parts of the body such as the lungs, the gastrointestinal tracts and kidney (Koushik Siemiatycki, 2009). Since the disease condition is associated with a very poor prognosis and actual removal of the ovary, which might result into infertility and inability to actually give birth to a child. This will affect her De Facto relationship because her partner wants children. Since there are several physical changes that are associated with chemotherapy and hospitalization, she might find it difficult to actually cope with all those changes both physically and her perception self. These changes will also affect her self esteem making her to act to actually prevent her from relating normally with her partner and her health care givers. Chemotherapy normally affects her sex life and also results in early menopause. Hence all these possibilities can lead to an increase in anxiety level which will subsequently affect her relationship with her partner. She might feel very tired hence depending on those people around her for help. Mary also needs to adjust to Pain, Fear and Anxiety associated with her condition, hence a need to change her present personality and behavior to the people around her and her partner. Her maladaptive coping styles actually cause more harm than good simply because she try externalizing her behavior by blaming and solely depending on her partner and health care provider whenever she needs help instead of helping herself out in those areas she still have the capacity to do so. Since there are no psychological or emotional intervention for helping her cope with her present condition, her negative behavioral modifications had hinder the development of good interpersonal relationship between her partner, care givers and her. Behavioral manifestations and their effects on Mary’s interpersonal relationship †¢ Blaming and punishing others for her problems- this coping strategy by Mary can be attributed to the psychological and emotional trauma associated with management of ovarian cancer. She’s actually trying to trying to transfer her feelings to the people around her by blaming them, making them feel they are somehow responsible for her predicament and also make them feel that they need to do something to help her. She might also try blaming others so as not to take the responsibility of her predicament or by trying to avoid the reality. This coping style will hinder the development of effective interpersonal relationship between Mary and the people around simply because the affected individual will get to a stage whereby they will not be able to cope with her actions hence they try withdrawing from helping her. †¢ Covertly punishing and manipulating others- this coping style or strategy is still within the context of her trying shifting her blame to others in the sense that she want to manipulate people around her to get what she want. This attitude will hinder the trust between her and people around. Trust is vital to development of an effective relationship, hence when she manipulate people she directly or indirectly affects her interpersonal relationship and also the treatment meant to be given to her. †¢ Demanding others solve her problems for her- demanding others to help solve her problem can something be good coping styles because patients in her situation will need the help of people around her so as be able to reduce the level of stress and anxiety associated with the condition. Excessive demand of people to solve her problems will have a negative effect on herself responsibility †¢ Resentment towards her partner believing he â€Å"does not understand†- Mary’s feeling of resentment can be attributed to her belief that her partner does not really understand what she’s going through presently simply because he still articulate his need for children. This feeling will affect her thoughts and perception of her De Facto relationship and subsequently increase her anxiety level. There is high possibility that the fear of her losing her partner will be the major factor leading her to such feeling towards her partner. Helping Mary cope with her present medical condition Helping Mary out of her present maladaptive coping style, require a multidisciplinary approach that will have to focus on the psychological, emotional, social, health and the interpersonal relationship aspect of her behavior. She will be referred to behavioral therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, social workers and physician. the behavioral therapist will help identify the causes of the maladaptive behavior, measure the coping styles by the use of scales like Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory which is a software that can help measure and analyzed the coping styles (Frankel, 2009) or the use of direct questions in regards to her actions, thoughts, feelings, how she view her problems being caused by other people or external situations. The therapist intervention can then be focused on the result of the analysis which can either be towards the control of symptoms or insight (symptoms in the case of Mary). Psychologist will try and identify previous psychosocial and environmental factors leading to her present behavior and find ways of eliminating such predisposing factors. The psychologist will also try and adopt new viewpoint or set of behavior which will influences are interpersonal relationship and help her adjust to good coping styles. Some of the adaptive coping styles can be in form of knowing what to expect, maintaining a strong support system, let people help her, be proactive, taking time for herself, and setting reasonable goals. Social workers will try and invite the partner and educate both of them on the present condition so as to help her solve the issue of resentment towards the partner and also build trust between both of them. The physician will educate her on the prognosis of her condition, the fact that she might still bear children with other ovary and reassurance of good life after therapy. The physician will also educate her on the associated side effect of the chemotherapy and the facts that the side effect are only for some time and when properly manage, she can still live a good life with her partner. Strategies helping her partner and health care givers †¢ Patience- the partner and the health care givers should try and be patient with her so as not to take her present coping style against her. They should also try and understand her feelings in regards to her situation †¢ Encouragement- people in Mary’s situation need words of encouragement and support from the family members and health care giver. Her partner must ensure to always encourage her so as to create a sense of support which will ultimately affect the interpersonal relationship between both of them Responses to anxiety level Everybody has various degrees of responses to anxiety. These degree or level of response are mild, moderate, severe and the panic level. Mild and moderate level of responses to anxiety is still normal but in the case of severe and panic level, the individual is said to have anxiety disorders. In the case of Mary Jones her responses to anxiety level are as follows; cognitive or perpetual response at mild level by showing disorganized thought which tend to be uncontrollable. At the moderate response level, she tend to show uncomfortable experience by her interpersonal relationship while at the severe level of response she tend to show a response that can be attributed to a narrowed perpetual field and difficulty in problem solving, hence she tend to depend on her partner and health givers to solve all her problems. The last level of response was the panic level where she tends to show emotional or behavioral changes or responses by showing loss of control and feel angry and terrified and tend to be angry with her partner and care givers. Conclusion Considering Mary’s present health status and maladaptive coping strategies or styles, there is strong tendency for her status and coping style to change for better simply because of the various outlined interventions which would help her cope with life after ovariectomy and chemotherapy. Also some strategies that can help her partner and health givers cope with her present and the proposed coping styles have also been outlined. Besides, removing one ovary is not the end of her life, even women who have undergone bilateral ovariectomy can still have children with the help of advancement in technology. References Beutler, L. , Marnat. , (2005). â€Å"Integrative Assessment of Adult Personality†. Second Edition. Retrieved August 5, 2009 from http://books. google. com. gh/books? id=4puU3KqlEjcCpg=PA115lpg=PA115dq=externalizing+coping+stylessource=blots=K1V89eXR6asig=xRaYZ6xi4e_SB1zhpjSGF9j96Ishl=enei=lVV5SpXzKoSIMY7alaMOsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1#v=onepageq=externalizing%20coping%20stylesf=false

King Lear :: Literary Analysis, Shakespeare

â€Å"...the error of age is to believe that experience is a substitute for intelligence.† (Lyman Bryson) In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, such an idea is explored. Lear is a King who is physically aged but as the play progresses, it becomes clear that he lacks the intelligence which usually accompanies it. The play is set in a time where the King was equal to God himself, he was set apart from the common man as somewhat of a transcended being. Shakespeare breaks this unspoken relationship through the events of his play. Lear’s rash decision to banish his loving daughter Cordelia and hand total power of his kingdom over to two his uncaring daughters, Goneril and Regan sets of a chain of events which send him on a downward spiral to become the basest of human beings. Shakespeare uses the characters of the Fool, Cordelia, Kent and Goneril as well as irony, foreshadowing, and diction to portray Lear as nothing more than an unseeing old human being. The Fool is a character in the play who is the embodiment of Lear’s conscience and through him, the audience is able to witness the folly of the King. His name bears quite a significant irony as throughout the play it is made apparent that it is the Fool who is the wiser. He states that, â€Å"this fellow banished two on’s daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will† (1,4,101-103) The Fool lays bare the folly Lear in not recognising the worth of a true daughter yet through his foolish act, he has done Cordelia good. In a way this irony of the Fool foreshows the future judgement of this judgemental monarch. In the play it is Cordelia who is banished and the other two who have blessings poured on them, but the Fool provides the audience with a different perspective on this matter; one, which is increasingly unapparent to the ailing King who is quick to continue his living in denial, stating that, â€Å"[All] This is nothing, Fool† (1,4 127) Shak espeare’s placement of the Fools as Lear’s conscience allows the audience to feel the emotions which the king should be experiencing. In the event of Cordelia’s banishing â€Å"the Fool hath much pinned away† (1,4,71-72) Shakespeare shows the Fool’s sadness to contrast with the apparent lack of some in the King. This also evokes audience empathy. Through the Fool Shakespeare is able to convey to the reader the apparent folly of a vain King and the enormity of his folly.

The Trail Of Tears :: essays research papers

The Trail of Tears, was it unjust and inhumane? What happened to the Cherokee during that long and treacherous journey? They were brave and listened to the government, but they recieved unproductive land and lost their tribal land. The white settlers were already emigrating to the Union, or America. The East coast was burdened with new settlers and becoming vastly populated. President Andrew Jackson and the government had to find a way to move people to the West to make room. President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Policy in the year 1830. The Indian Removal Policy which called for the removal of Native Americans from the Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia area, also moved their capital Echota in Tennessee to the new capital call New Echota, Georgia and then eventually to the Indian Territory. The Indian Territory was declared in the Act of Congress in 1830 with the Indian Removal Policy. Elias Boudinot, Major Ridge, and John Ridge and there corps accepted the responsibility for the removal of one of the largest tribes in the Southeast that were the earliest to adapt to European ways. There was a war involving the Cherokee and the Chickasaw before the Indian Removal Policy was passed. The Cherokee were defeated by them which caused Chief Dragging Canoe to sign a treaty in 1777 to split up their tribe and have the portion of the tribe in Chattanooga, Tennessee called the Chickamauga. Chief Doublehead of the Chickamauga, a branch of the Cherokee, signed a treaty to give away their lands. Tribal law says "Death to any Cherokee who proposed to sell or exchange tribal land." Chief Doublehead was later executed by Major Ridge. Again there was another treaty signed in December 29, 1835 which is called The Treaty of New Echota. It was signed by a party of 500 Cherokee out of about 17,000. Between 1785 and 1902 twenty-five treaties were signed with white men to give up their tribal lands. The Cherokee would find themselves in a nightmare for the next year. In 1838 General Winfield Scott got tired of delaying this longer than the 2 years he waited already so he took charge in collecting the Cherokee. The Cherokee were taken from their homes and their belongings. The were placed in holding camps so none would escape. The Cherokee were to be moved in the fall of 1838. The journey did not occur in October, 1838 because of bad weather. They were now supposed to move 13,000 Cherokee in the spring of 1839 a distance of eight-hundred miles. The Cherokee were fed on meager rations and suffered malnutrition. They were badly clothed for the spring

Analyze Curriculum Foundations Essay

Choose one of the four foundations of curriculum (philosophical, historical, psychological, or social), and contrast its importance with the other three foundations. How does your selected foundation apply to your place of work/study? Charles Darwin; the father of speciation, stated in his book â€Å"On the Origin of Species† that the intelligence of mankind is merely the result of higher evolution. This theory is now being challenged by Marc Hauser, who is currently the director of cognitive evolution at Harvard University. In a recent article published in Scientific American, Hauser stated that humans possess four abilities that are not found in other species which are the essence of humaningueness. Those abilities are Generative Computation (the ability to generate limitless words and concepts), Promiscuous Combinations of ideas (the ability to merge different domains of knowledge), Mental Symbols (ways to encode sensory experiences), and Abstract Thought (the comprehension of things beyond what we can see). Each of these abilities are directly influenced by philosophical attributes, historical experiences, psychological behaviors, and social impacts (Wolchover). The purpose of this research is to examine and compare the importance of these influences in our educational system. Society has always been the driving force behind persuading Individuals behavior. When talking about curriculum it is the social factors of family, peers, idols, and teachers that possess the greatest ability of manipulating our young people today. The family will infuse its beliefs or morals onto its members. For example; if the parents of a family are uneducated and working low income jobs, education may not be their primary concern. Instead their interest may shift to basic needs, such as bringing more income into the house as soon as possible. That usually reflects a negative outlook on education. In turn the student will be unable to receive adequate help form their parents on school work. In hindsight; if both parents are highly educated, they will place greater infuses on academics. Their expectation in their children’s education becomes much higher. Peers and Idols have a hypnotic like hold on our young people and harness the power to undermine even the most stable of families. The desire to be accepted can be overwhelming to most. Some teenagers turn to idolizing rappers, TV stars, or sport figures in hopes of being recognized. The artist that are choosing; usually defies the law and express little to no morals towards women, society, and puts no value on education. We can see this today in our young people, with the sagging paints, rebelling attitudes, belittling female, fathering multiple children from as many women as possible and leaving the mothers to take care of the children. This type of behavior has become very desirable. There is no doubt that society has a hold on forming the behavior of our young people, but it is the psychological need to bradding or concepts of life. This concept may go by many names such as self-actualization or individuation. No matter what you call it, it is a natural drive within the human psychic to behave in a manner that is coherent to one self. Educational Psychology focuses on how children learn. A lot of research has gone into this field of study. It tries to answer questions like how effective is intervention, how should a room be set up for opium learning, how should lessons be taught, and how students learn and develop overall. As you can see this this discipline is concerned with the mindset of the students; what they are feeling, how they see or perceive situations. This is an attempt to put the students at ease by feeling safe and understood. To succeed this field of study must incorporate the social factors of the students in that area. Without understanding their social needs or wants any efforts are predetermined to fail. Philosophy on the other hand applies the directions for teachers to follow. It tells parents and students how teacher or school intends to treat them. The schools philosophy might instruct teachers on how to give a lesson or what order to teach their subjects. An example of this might insist that each student must make a passing grade before the teacher is allowed to advance the class to another topic or tell a biology teacher that he or she will have to teach cell functions before teaching Mendel’s genetics. The Schools philosophy statement might read something like this; our school believes that all students are unique individuals that deserve a safe secure place that will nurture them emotionally as well as intellectually. Provide a place that would escalate their potential to new highs and promote respect towards family, school and society, but a teachers philosophy would be more geared for his or her room. Over all the philosophy in curriculum provides guidance, a way of doing things, and opinions on how students should be treated. This type of discipline requires the knowledge of the communities believes, economic status, and the desires of the parents for their children. Like psychological behaviors; it has to take in account the social attributes of its population. Around the nineteenth century public schools were set up to promote reading, writing, and arithmetic. These were the skills needed to hold a job. Subjects like biology, civics, world history or health were unimportant to the public schools and was reserved for private schools whose students were being groomed for universities. The welfare of the student’s character or moral values where of no concern to the schools at this time. Only recently have the schools shifted to developing the entire student’s well-being. Focusing more on what it takes to produce a well-round individual which has the ability to rationalize complex situations and develop into a productive member of society. This is achieved by teaching all core subjects not ju st a select few. To succeed the schools have to put real-world applications to old-world disciplines. Today all public schools would like to see every student attend some kind of institute for higher learning. Today’s institutes of learning will incorporate psychology (a natural drive within the human psychic to behave in a manner that is coherent to one self, set up parameters for teachers curriculum), Philosophy (tells parents and students how teacher or school intends to treat them and what they are willing to provide), historical ( brought about the intergrading of core classes, set a pace on when a student is ready to advance to more complex subjects), and they have to take into consideration the social influences of the families, peers, as well as the community if they are to form a working curriculum. The curriculum should be an organized process that promotes a more student centered approach to learning, by directing the course of study in such a manner that it challenges the student at a constant upgrade in levels of difficulty which allows the student to comprehend a nd utilize pass lessons or experiences and promote individualization within the society. I have been teaching middle school biology for eight years now and we have to follow certain guidelines that make up our curriculum. It all starts with the entrance of the room. It must be inviting and shouts out come see. Once in the room they have to feel safe and comfortable. This room has to become their safe haven, where all the pressures of home and peers become nonexistence. I have to develop all aspects of the student’s life. Not only does this involve the core classes, but it could involve maturity levels, self-confidence, behavior problems, and social interactions. The class subject has to be taught according to the State of Alabama’s Board of Education. I am given a set of standards each year and must cover each one to mastery. My lessons have to meet every students learning style, and treat every student as an individual with different needs and goals. Every lesson has to have three parts a beginning (this must capture the students interest and be a prelude to that days topic), during (this is the meat and potatoes of the lesson, this could range from reading text to given lectures and everything in between. In this section of the lesson the objectives for that day must be met), and finally the after part of the lesson ( this is where the students have to show me that they were able to comprehend that days objectives and it gives me a chance to analyze my delivery of the subject matter). Before the curriculum can have any effect on the students I have to get to know them. I need to understand how they live and what they want out of life. This will allow me to teach in a manner that relates to them. It will give my lessons value and a means to an end. As you can tell all the disciplines are incorporated into every lesson. For this system to work all teachers have to look beyond the course of study and take more interest into the stu dents. References Natalie Wolchover, Life’s Little Mysteries Staff Writer (What Distinguishes Humans from Other Animals?) 03 July 2011 Time: 09:21 AM ET

Compare the ways Brian Friel presents ideas about divided identity in Making History with Michael Frayn in Spies

Divided identity is shown in both Spies and Making Historyfrom the beginning. Stephen Wheatley has two voices, his older self (Stefan Weitzler) and his younger self, which forms a prominent split in his identity. Hugh O’Neill’s split self is displayed a little subtler in the stage directions. O’Neill is described to speak ‘in an upper-class English accent except on those occasions specifically scripted’. The word ‘scripted’ makes me think of acting and implies O’Neill’s front is a feigned identity he puts on. This could also show that he is perhaps embarrassed by his Irish roots which contradict his betrayal of England later on in the play. This relates to Spies as Stephen Wheatley speaks the English language with an English accent, when he is actually (unknowingly) German. Stephen Wheatley’s father reminds me of O’Neill too as he is betraying his German background by working as an English spy, much like O’Neill working as an Earl for England when he originates from the opposing country Ireland. O’Neill seems to be uninterested in the important events he needs to attend, butmore focused onsuch as the flowers he’s decorating the room with and how he looks in his jacket. This gives the audience a first impression of O’Neill; he is more enthusiastic about his new English wife rather than his (important) role. This lack of interest could show O’Neill has a short attention span explaining, for example, his various affairs and marriages. This mercurial nature reminds me of Keith in Spies – he starts out the enthusiastic leader of the investigation into whether his mother is a spy or not, but loses interest as time goes on and matters become more serious. However, you could also say that Keith is much unlike the temperamental O’Neill as he is much like his father; structured, organised and somewhat obsessive. Frayn shows this not only through how he was obsessing other his mother being a German spy, but through the fact he constantly wanted control of the mission and got angry when Stephen showed ‘initiative’. Frayn draws a parallel between Keith’s bedroom and his father’s garage; Keith’s toys, like Mr Hayward’s car, are in perfect condition and are very rarely played with. We see that Hugh’s habit of switching comes from his background; fostered by Irish parents when young, he then lived with an upper-class English family who taught him to act ‘properly’ so he could serve Queen Elizabeth as an Earl in Ireland. Thisblurring of culture, nationality and religion makes it difficult for O’Neill to recognize who he really is – is he English or Irish, Roman Catholic or Protestant? The fact he’s just married Mary Bagenal is significant as he is risking his friends (O’Donnell calls her an ‘upstart bitch’) and powerful rolefor his new love. O’Donnell’s ignorance towards Mabel’s origin reminds me of Mr and Mrs Hayward’s prejudice towards Stephen and the rest of the street – they are shown to very rarely directly speak to Stephen and never socialise with their neighbours (besides Auntie Dee). The way they speak to Stephen could be xenophobia as they could somehow know Stephen’s real nationality, however I think it is more likely that they just have a fear of the unknown. This could have been influenced by Mr Hayward who seems to be the most paranoid of the family carrying his protective bayonet around everywhere. Flowers and plants are used frequently as metaphors in both the two texts to represent different identities. When Mary is talking about seeds she states not to ‘plant the fennel near the dill or the two with cross-fertilize†¦ ou’ll end up with a seed that’s neither one thing nor the other’. This represents the mixing of English Protestants and Irish Catholics, in other words; the relationship between Mabel and O’Neill. Additionally, this could relate to when we are told Mabel is pregnant; the baby is the cross-fertilized, Irish/English, Protestant/Catholic seed. Even the props on stage O’Neill is using are symb olic as they area Spanish broom, ‘Genista’. Spain was a Roman Catholic country at the time and they (ineffectively) fought with Ireland years on in the Battle of Kinsale, which is what the entire play is based around. The Genistas reminds me of Mr. Hayward’s obsessing over his roses, although a different, frightening, tension is portrayed with him doing this. Frayn uses repetition and lists when describing Keith’s work on his garden (‘Keith’s father worked and worked – and as he worked he whistled’ or ‘around the house, forever digging and dunging, and trimming and pruning, forever undercoating and painting, and wiring and rewiring, forever making perfection yet more perfect’)to present the character’s compulsive attitude. The attention of his gardening tends to be on the roses which could be symbolic in a patriotic way – roses are a typical English flower – and the way he is described to be planting them sounds like he’s building a fort to keep out ‘enemies’ (the German, Wheatley family). The privet flower (a misspelling of ‘private’ by Keith) signified privacy, but had a suffocating smell; whenever Stephen was in the ‘privet’ with someone else there was often a stifled atmosphere. I think this smell indicated the uncomfortable stage at the start of puberty, where people start to discover their identities in more detail. The elder trees were outside the safe cul-de-sac, near to Uncle Peter’s hideaway which similarly represented Stephens’s admission into the adult world and puberty. In the first scene, O’Neill presents Mabel with a ring which is symbolic as it was made in London – the capital of the country Ireland are enemy with – and the only person to have one is the Queen of England, Elizabeth. This moment is like the initiation of Mabel’s new identity when Mabel changes ‘we’re a tough breed the upstarts’ to the ‘O’Neill’s’ being the ‘tough breed’. This is similar to Mrs Hayward wearing her cravat to cover her abuse symbolising the initiation of her oppression. The second scene occurs about a year later in the same room and Mabel has undoubtedly added her touch as it is described as more ‘comfortable and colourful’; this perhaps indicates that she could have changed O’Neill. In the first scene we saw that Mabel was quite naive and had little knowledge of the Irish (she believed O’Neill’s taunts of shaking hands with an archbishop turns them black), and now we see not much has changed but in fact gotten worse. She is sat alone (showing she has not settled in or made any friends) and her reaction to horseplay (‘her eyes are shut tight. She sits frozen in terror for a few seconds – even when it is obvious that the screaming is horseplay’) shows that she is still frightened of the Irish. She is almost desperate for her sister, Mary, to stay which again shows her lack of company. It is apparent that Mabel is unhappy living in Ireland, however when Mary tries to hint for her to come home, her answers are uninterested as if she were satisfied in Ireland– she uses single words such as ‘Yes. , ‘Really? ’ and ‘Good. ’. There is a pathos felt for Mabel’s isolation in this scene which is similar to what is felt for Mrs Hayward when she is kept prisoner by her abusive husband in her own house. Mrs Hayward is especially shown in a sympathetic light when the only person she can turn to is Stephen; this involved downgrading herself to sitt ing down in a dirty privet bush wearing makeup and best clothes at an attempt to persuade him to help her. O’Neill is not the only character with a divided identity in the play; Mabel has one too. When talking with Mary she puts on a facade that she is loyal to Hugh and the Irish, however when alone with him she disapproves of his ‘politics’ or betrayal to England and tells him not to go to war, and condemns his ‘culture’ wanting the ‘tramps out of here’, showing her misery. What's more, we unexpectedly see that she has other abilities than being O’Neill’s wife and ‘doing delicate and complicated lacework’; Mabel seems very knowledgeable, wise and trustworthy in the areas of politics. Her divided identity reminds me a lot of Mrs. Hayward’s. Primarily, she is seen as the faultless, serene Mrs. Hayward who relaxes with her feet up and a book, but when we find out she is in love with Uncle Peter this is disapproved of not just by Mr. Hayward, butthe rest of the street, like Mabel’s love is disapproved of by her siblings, England and Ireland. O’Neill’s feelings change for Mabel; the mistresses show that he is bored of her and he has apathy towards the fact she is pregnant. O’Neill has a mercurial nature, which is perhaps the cause of all these different wives, loyalties (and disloyalties) to opposing countries, and the arguments with Mabel and later with Harry. Act two begins with O’Neill in a rougher location than the wealthy house we’re used to, with such lack of furniture that he has to use a wooden box as a desk. O’Neill even tells O’Donnell ‘What you see is what I have’ showing the loss of all the materialistic things that he had before. For the audience, it is immediately made obvious that Ireland have lost the war and O’Neill is symbolically on his knees as he is writing a letter to Queen Elizabeth begging for forgiveness and his old job. When Harry arrives in the scene, he comes with news of Mabel’s death through blood poisoning, which is representative that she’s been poisoned by O’Neill’s Irish blood. In Spies, there is a recurring theme, just like the blood in Making History, of the train getting closer and closer which builds tension until finally Uncle Peter significantly killed by it. Frayn again uses repetition to create this suspense all throughout the book, from just mentioning the train line to the intimidating ‘huge thunder of the train’ when he is in the tunnel. My final point is of course about the making of the history itself. It is apparent from the start that Lombard was going to exaggerate in the book, but by the end we know he used O’Neill so Roman Catholics could have an idol. This shows when the grieving (even after many years) and drunken O’Neill is staggering about his room, reading sentences like ‘noblest son of noble lineage’ and that he grew in ‘comeliness and urbanity, tact and eloquence, wisdom and knowledge’ that supposedly describe him. Divided identity is the main theme of the play, whereas in Spies it is just one of the many readings of the novel. Why?

Managing Children’s Behaviour

When children go to preschool, they have to sit still, listen to the teacher and their classmates, understand and obey rules, and get along with others. Many of these children were unprepared to meet these new expectation when they first arrive at a preschool. These are some of the reasons for behavioural issues in preschool. Teachers who encounter these children may not have received much training in classroom management and may not know how to help them change their behaviour. Therefore, the teacher may respond with frustration and anger, inadvertently creating more problems. The teachers may in turn feel stressed and unsupported. Disruptive behaviours like hitting, complaining and disobeying will be discussed in details. Hitting Children may hit others or themselves for a variety of reasons in order to gain attention. Children get angry easily as they have a lack of self-control. Younger children in particular may sometimes have trouble communicating. This is because they may not know the words to describe how they feel or what they want, therefore they act out their feeling s or needs. Analysis of child management approach and benefits and challenges of such approach will also be discussed further. An eclectic approach is a combination of strategies and not a one size fits all approach. It has active involvement and can select the most appropriate strategy for a specific child at a specific time. Different discipline encounters will need different strategies. An eclectic approach also uses the decision-making model of child guidance. It identifies the problem and problem ownership.

Faith Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Faith - Term Paper Example For years, the healthcare profession in the United States was ultimately predicated upon an understanding that almost each and every patient that they would come in contact with would necessarily be of a Christian background war faith. However, in recent years, a deluge of immigration and demographic changes around the globe have elicited a situation in which such an expectation can no longer be relied upon. Instead, the healthcare provider must be thoroughly aware of the fact that a variety of different worldviews, religious beliefs, and approaches necessarily exist within the environment and could be reflected during the course of any normal day. Because of this, the following analysis will seek to engage the reader in a further understanding of how three distinct and rather unknown faiths engage with the issue of healthcare. Such an analysis will hopefully be beneficial in providing an overview of how the healthcare provider can seek to address key needs and issues to individuals that do not ascribe to major worldviews and religious beliefs. In terms of Buddhism and the provision of care, it should be understood that this particular religion is the one that perhaps most closely mirrors Christianity; at least with respect to the application and focus on the Golden Rule and the need to not harm another individual. By means of contrast and comparison to the Christian faith, Buddhism necessarily places a high level of focus on the importance of respect towards Buddha and his teaching; as compared to the Christian belief that Christ served as the exemplification of how they should be understood and represented (Wei-Chen, 2010). Likewise, in comparison to the other religions that have been analyzed within this particular analysis, Buddhism necessarily places an additional level of focus on the importance of personal mindset and the need to justify one’s own life and existence with the outside

Short answer 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short answer 3 - Essay Example One of the key elements of the union’s struggle was related to social movement unionism. Staley workers played an integral role in motivating the union members and other public to raise their voice against unlawfulness and the exploitation of rights of the workers. Members of the union worked on the strategy of reaching the community to create a grassroots support network in order to get the workers involved in the struggle. Staley workers not only organized their efforts to gather the required support for the movement but also made use of non-violent civil disobedience for the cause. The most effective part of the struggle was that the union members tried to motivate and gather people even without much involvement of an effective leadership. The Staley workers’ activism proved to be the greatest effort of the union activists in this regard as they successfully brought a lot of workers on a single platform. The union members effectively organized the movement by involving the Staley workers in the struggle which not only revealed social movement activism in their fight but also left a message for future generations that struggle is always the first step towards achievement of a common goal regardless of the result. In order to be effective, there should have been a proper support and communication with international UPIU in order to avoid the major pitfall. Secondly, they should not only have developed a result-oriented strategy but should also have listened to the advice of other larger unions in order to succeed in the struggle. If I would have been one of the union’s members, I would have made every effort to create awareness among the workers as well as local public regarding the basic aim of the movement. I would have educated them that the goal of the union is not to create disturbance or anarchy in the country; rather we want to fight for the protection of our basic labor rights. If AFL-CIO

Legal Issue That May Arise When Caring For Highly Dependent Child Essay

Legal Issue That May Arise When Caring For Highly Dependent Child - Essay Example When such a legal issue arises it also impacts not only the family members of the affected child but the treatment and caring process of the nurses in the highly dependent environment also gets influenced. The present study focuses on the legal issue that might arise in the nursing of a highly dependent child in a highly dependent environment. For the particular study, the legal issue selected deals with the maltreatment of the nurses towards the highly dependent children and their roles to report in cases of child neglect of child abuse. The study also focuses on the impacts of the nursing and care of the nurses for such children when such a legal issue arises within a health organization when the nurses ignore the cases of child abuse and do not report them accordingly. Nursing of Highly Dependent Children: Small children require additional care from the nurses and a constant monitoring process (Moyse, 2009, p.241). Physical examinations might be required to detect any disease in t he child and this include observing the child, providing the child with physical touch and assessing the child’s health with an affectionate feeling, listening to the various sounds produced by the body of the child, as well as using the techniques of percussion (Fergusson, 2008, pp.8-9). Hence it is very essential that nurses take their responsibilities sincerely and provide the child with care and service of enhanced quality (Rosenbloom, 2005, p.483). The professional codes of conduct are also essential for a nurse to be followed in order to maintain their roles of care and treatment within a health organization. It would be relevant to mention the name of the International Council of Nurses with whom... The paper tells that small children require additional care from the nurses and a constant monitoring process. Physical examinations might be required to detect any disease in the child and this include observing the child, providing the child with physical touch and assessing the child’s health with an affectionate feeling, listening to the various sounds produced by the body of the child, as well as using the techniques of percussion. The professional codes of conduct are also essential for a nurse to be followed in order to maintain their roles of care and treatment within a health organization. It would be relevant to mention the name of the International Council of Nurses with whom several nurses and organizations of nurses are connected through membership. The primary role of nursing involves the treatment and caring of the patients which in the case of highly dependent children implies at a greater level of involvement and understanding on the part of the nurses. Howeve r when it comes to professional performance of the nurses, they have greater responsibilities since they have to make use of the scientific and technological advances as well in the understanding of the disease of the child and accordingly provide the required treatment. These responsibilities have other positive attributes for the child care since they allow the nursing facility to detect the drugs and treatment therapies appropriate for the treatment of similar diseases in other highly dependent children.

Private Finance Initiative and UKs Construction Industry Essay

Private Finance Initiative and UKs Construction Industry - Essay Example Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is a device employed by United Kingdom’s government to arguably to make the construction industry more competitive and more profitable. This does not come as a surprise since the UK construction industry provides a tenth of the UK's gross domestic product, employs 1.4 million people and is worth around  £65 billion per annum. With an output of  £81.9bn in 2006, the UK construction industry is ranked in the global top ten. Thus, it is only then logical to support the industry. PFI is a way of funding major new public building projects such as hospitals, schools, prisons and roads. Private consortiums, usually involving large construction firms, are contracted to both design and build a new project, and also to manage it. The contracts typically last for 30 years. The building is not publicly owned but leased by a public authority, such as a council or health trust, from the private consortium. The private consortium raises the cash to build the project. It is then paid back with interest by the government through regular payments over the period of the contract. PFI projects could be viewed as a means of enabling government services to be "outsourced" to private sector suppliers. PFI is not the same as privatization as the Government retains ultimate responsibility to the public for the service concerned. Outside the UK, PFI is more commonly known as Public Private Partnerships (PPP). The policy has not been without its critics. As with any form of hire purchase, buying something on tick is more expensive than paying for it up front. The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is often cited as an example of how expensive the PFI can be. It cost  £180m to build and will cost  £900m to pay for. ... Use of PFI in the Construction Industry Since the advent of PFI, the construction industry has found itself on much more stable ground. Between 2001 and 2002, its output is estimated to have increased by 9.7%. According to the Major Contractors Group (MCG), a major construction trade association which represents UK firms such as Carillion (formerly part of Tarmac), Costain and Amec, construction companies engaged in the private finance initiative expect to make between three and ten times as much money as they do on traditional contracts. (Research and Markets Online, 2003) Bill Tallis, the director of MCG, said construction firms traditionally received rates of return of 1.5% to 2% on contracts but were now expecting margins of 7.5% to 15% on PFI building schemes. The high profit available to investors in PFI schemes explains why John Laing PLC has sold off its basic construction company and bought up stakes held in such projects by hard-pressed Amey PLC. (Macalister, 2003) This strategy is reinforced by figures from the European Construction Industry Federation (ECIF), which show that the UK construction sector grew by over 8% last year while its counterpart in Germany and France slumped by 2.5% and 0.7% respectively. (UK DTI Online, 2007) The UK government defends PFI by its use of something called the 'public sector comparator'. This shows whether or not privately financed schemes offer better value for money than conventional funding. The main problem with this is that the government has provided an accounting device called 'risk costing' which has meant that private firms generally emerge as winners. When a consortium of private companies agrees to build something for a public