Outline the argument supermarket power is a zero -sum game

Outline the argument supermarket power is a zero -sum game BY bluebell Outline the argument that supermarket power Is a â€Å"zero-sum†game Before we discuss the argument let us understand first what the terms â€Å"power† and â€Å"zero-sum† mean. Power is a complex term used denote influence, control and domination, (Taylor, et al. 2009,p. 59). The power used by supermarkets includes buying and market power. The big four supermarkets in the U. K. Account for approximately 75% of the food and groceries market therefore giving them significant market power.Their buying power Is the ability they have to negotiate prices with suppliers and the rage chains thus being able to demand discounts when buying In such large quantities. This gives them the ability to influence things such as pricing, for example offering goods at below cost prices. The term zero-sum game is used when one party's gain will be another's loss therefore equaling a zero sum. A good example of th is is slicing a pie, if one person takes a large slice there is less for everyone else.The pro supermarket campaigners argue that the supermarkets use their power for good and all parties Involved benefit to some extent creating a positive sum gain but he the following argues to the contrary__ As shoppers they offer us a wide variety of products at affordable prices, in accessible locations. Additionally they offer employment, boosting local skills and helping to draw in other businesses such as restaurants and retailers to sometimes failing local economies but at what cost to others?Do the low prices mean that somewhere down the supply chain someone else's profits are being squeezed? Has the out of town retail park been a catalyst In the decline of Britain's high streets? In 2006 retail commentator Judi Bean reported hat the big four operated around 3900 stores with Tests alone taking one pound at the tills for every three we spend. Since then they have continued to grow branching out into the corner shop concept and opening an additional 1500 stores in a bid to capture even more trade.In years gone by our towns would have a variety of independent shops made up of butchers, bakers and fishmongers, but these are in decline and we are now dominated by by big chain stores offering us practically Identical goods at very similar prices. If this Is the case are they really offering us any hospice at all? Across the country they monopolies towns and areas where small local businesses are unable to compete on pricing being forced to shut down.Food writer Joann Blackman, (2005) uses Dundee as an example and recalls that in the sass the town had ten bakers; now there are two left, five fishmongers with one remaining and eight or nine butchers only one of which has survived and six grocers where again only one has survived.. In their place are four Testes, two Sad, a Morrison and a Kingsbury. In her pollen there Is a distinct correlation between the arrival of the gig c hains and the demise of the small independents, thus implying a zero-sum game.The supermarkets have an immense buying power and their supply chain stretches across the globe. When dealing with the large conglomerates like Proctor and Gamble, Milliner and Nestle the balance of power is pretty much even, as their global muscle puts them in a strong position to negotiate. However the farmers, such a fortunate position. Small suppliers claim that the supermarkets are continually putting pressure on them, coercing them into prices cuts that push them to the point that there economic livelihood is in doubt.This relationship between the suppliers and supermarkets can be depicted as a David and Goliath affair, with the small independents up against the big multiples Just as the small independent stores on the high street are up against the big chain stores as previously mentioned. With this pressure being applied to suppliers to keep costs down they in turn pass this on to their employees. Here in the I-J we have low paid often migrant workers cutting, sorting and packing vegetables and salads for the big stores.Felicity Lawrence has written about the exploitation of these workers in her book Not on the Label (2004) and in newspaper investigations. She highlights how agency workers, often from eastern European countries such as Romania, Poland and Bulgaria, are employed by â€Å"gang masters† to work on farms and in processing and packing plants and are frequently paid hourly rates below the minimum wage, are subjected to illegal deductions and are bussed from Job to Job at their employers will.These people are not directly employed by the supermarkets but, she claims, that they are aware of the practices and turn a blind eye to it so they can continue to benefit from he situation. Additionally she points out that you will not see any such evidence of this on labels of the packets of salad or bags of chicken pieces which line their shelves. Lawrence implies tha t we as consumers can indulge in cheap products at the expense of those exploited and often vulnerable workers.You could therefore infer that the supermarkets are using their power or dominance to control the labor market. For us to gain from the low prices at the checkout someone else must lose out in the case it is the suppliers and their workforce. With this in mind let us look rather field at the workers in such places as Bangladesh. In 2006 and 2007 The War on Want, a U. K. Based non-governmental organization, made accusations against Sad and Tests that they were boosting profits and the expense of the workers in the sweatshops of Bangladesh.They carried out a survey in six large facilities in Dacha, each employing between 500-1200 workers. The results of the survey showed that the worker, of which the majority are female, had been subjected to overcrowding and unhygienic work conditions along with forced overtime and verbal intimidation, tit access to trade unions being refuse d. All the factories surveyed were known to be supplying cheap clothing to the I-J market, specifically Tests and Sad and all were paying wages below that needed to provide for themselves and their family.The pressure applied by the stores on the factory owners to keep costs down means that they have no room to maneuver. The war on want claim that it the absence of a living wage in such places that keep our Jeans, shoes and other clothing at such low prices. Taking all of the above into account we can conclude that although we as nonusers benefit from low pricing and abundance of choice and the supermarkets continue to increase their profits, there are many within the chain that don't benefit so greatly.We can therefore say that supermarket power is definitely a zero sum game. Word count – 1134 Bean, J. (2006) Trolley Wars: The Battle of the Supermarkets, London, Profile Books Blackman, J (2005): Shopped: The shocking Power of British Supermarkets, London, Profile Books Lawre nce, F (2004) Not on the Label, London, Penguin War on Want (2006), fashion Victims: The true cost of cheap clothes at Primary. Sad and Tests, London,

Corregidor Island Essay

The Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines is a country in the Southeast Asia. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila. The country is known for its very rich culture, history, scenic spots and most especially by being hospitable due to warmth acceptance given to the guest. One of the places that are mostly visit by the tourists is the Corregidor Island and probably the most historical place in the country. Corregidor is a small rocky island in the Philippines about 48 kilometers west of Manila which is strategically located at the entrance of Manila Bay and is a part of the municipality of Cavite City. This island fortress stands as a memorial for the courage, valor, and heroism of its Filipino and American defenders who bravely held their ground against the overwhelming number of invading Japanese forces during World War II. It is also the headquarte Also known as â€Å"the Rock,† it was a key bastion of the Allies during the war. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941, the military force under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur carried out a delaying action at Bataan. Corregidor became the headquarters of the Allied forces and also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. It was from Corregidor that Philippine President Manuel Quezon and General MacArthur left for Australia in February 1942, leaving behind Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright in command. Although Bataan fell on April 9, 1942, the Philippine and American forces held out at Corregidor for 27 days against great odds. On May 6, 1942, their rations depleted, the Allied forces were forced to surrender Corregidor to Lt. Gen. Homma Masaharu of the Japanese Imperial Army after having successfully halted the Japanese advance on Australia. It was only two years and ten months later in March 1945 when the Allied forces under the command of General MacArthur recaptured Corregidor. The big guns of Corregidor are now silent and the ruins of buildings, structures, and tunnels in the island tell a very moving story of a war that has claimed so many lives. A visit to this former battleground is a memorable experience especially for those who cherish and value peace and freedom. In his speech delivered at the signing of the surrender of Japan aboard the U.  S. S. Missouri at Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur said, â€Å"It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past – a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice. † This study is carefully done by giving enough time, focus, dedication and hard work by the researchers in order to give justice to the desired topic that will help improved the level of service in the tourism industry of our dear country.

A Analyzing Of Cash Budgets And Hoe Its Used To Make Decisions Finance Essay

A Analyzing Of Cash Budgets And Hoe Its Used To Make Decisions Finance Essay Regardless of the type of business, the ability to gauge performance using budgeting is a matter of life and death in the business world. Hence, to make decisions on the organization most managers use the cash budget, which forecast cash inflows and outflows. Moving from organizations budgeting systems, then comes another important element for products, the unit cost. Adding up, unit cost relates resources consumed to outputs produced to help managers to make better management and resource allocation decisions. Moreover, looking at pricing, it is the most important decision that is made in an organization upon its products and services. Never the less, there are many approaches to pricing, some scientific, some not. Yet, all the methods are been used by organizations managements to become the market leader by taking the righteous pricing decisions. Besides pricing decisions, one of the most important long-term decisions for any business relates to investment. Investment is the purch ase or creation of assets with the objective of making gains in the future. This is discussed further in the body of the report. Last but not the least, records that provide an indication of a company’s assets and debts, are well known as financial statements. There are main financial statements, which helps managers to forecast and make better decisions on the organizations issues. Furthermore, these financial statements differ from one business type to another. In addition, these can be justified annually using a number of ratios. Introduction Just as there are several organizational models for delivering extension services to the public, there are a number of ways to finance those services and to keep track of the money. Financial management may be fundamental to success. Poor financial management, on the other hand, often accompanies and contributes to failure. Managing financial resources and making decisions look upon principles related to money matters. Managers apply these concepts as appropriate to situations they face in their own organizations and in accordance with the rules and customs of their own countries. Because people are more readily inclined to apply ideas that deal with practical concerns, this discussion will be organized around practical problems. Task 1 (P3.1) Case Study – Budgets Analyzing of Cash Budget and how it’s used to Make Decisions Every organization knows the significant of a cash budget and how it can be determine the future directions of its business. In fact, cash budget is one of the key components of a master budget. Never the less, it is the most difficult budget to prepare as compared to the rest. Cash budget in reality is a foretell of cash inflow and cash outflow actions, which are likely to take place in the future. It can be a net cash surplus or net cash shortfall position. Cash Inflows Operating Activities From sales of goods and services From returns on invesment ÄÂ °nvesting Activities From sales of plant, property and equipment From sales of invesment From collection of principal on loans to other companies Financing Activities From sales of equity securities (issuing company’s own stock)

Physical Mettalurgy of engineering materials Essay

Physical Mettalurgy of engineering materials - Essay Example 6. The three modes of heat transfer that occur during the heat treatment of steel are: Conduction Heat transfer is the heating process where heat energy is transferred from a body with a higher temperature to a body with lower temperature by direct contact of both bodies. Convection heat transfer is the heating process where heat is transferred by the motion of a heated medium, it could either be gas or liquid, to the body which is to be heated. Radiation heat transfer is the heating process by which heat is emitted from a higher temperature surface into space, then absorbed by a lower temperature surface thru the radiation of heat waves. 8. Stopped flow technique is limited to the one that does not have optical signal for the reaction of interest and the signals cannot be interpreted rigorously if the extinction coefficients of its intermediates are not known. Chemical quench flow allows the mixing of two reactants after which it is followed by quencing of chemical agents usually acid or base. Rapid optical photolisis chamber is based on the worldwide leading quench-flow and mounts to the same system. atomic size factor. The size factor is said to be favorable if the size of the atom does not differ by more than 14-15% from the solvent atom. The electrochemical effect, will have a difference in electronegativity between small solvent and solute atoms.The relative valency effect is when a metal of higher valency will dissolve a metal of a lower valency. Therefore, to complete solid solubility, both elements should have the same valency. In the crystal structure, the formation of the series of continuous solid solutions is posible if the components have the same crystal

Management high performance DB 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management high performance DB 3 - Essay Example They detest lateness and hence prefer business meetings to run on time. People especially during meetings should be dressed in decent formal attire as they do not like exposure of too much skin. When they have offered business cards, they prefer them to be read first as a courtesy and not just kept in the pocket (Nishiyama, 2000). The different approaches to management add to the company performance as business is able to be conducted well whether it requires individual or group assessment. This is because the company will be conversant with both group and individual performances as it is an amalgam of the two cultures. Performance will also increase as the managers will be able to deal well with either working in groups or working with individual employees and both levels maximum achievement will be obtained. The only thing that will subtract the performance and this will happen in the initial stages of working together (short term) is the fact that it will take time for American managers to work well and achieve performance with groups as it will be for Japanese to work well with individuals (Karmakar,

Development of Dubai International Airport (DXBOMDB) (Dubai) Essay

Development of Dubai International Airport (DXBOMDB) (Dubai) - Essay Example d.). In order to ensure continuous growth, continuous development and improvement need to be taken place. Different development projects are carried out on the Airport Development which boosts the growth of the Airport. The Dubai International Airport was constructed under the supervision and order of the then ruler Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum in the year 1959. This is considered as the first Airport in the country. In the beginning there were no much facilities in the Airport and the runway was limited. The Airport is situated four kilometers way from the city (Dubai International Airport, n. d.). The growth rate of the Dubai International Airport is high compared to other Airports in the Middle East. The Dubai International Airport holds highest position in the ratings by authorities like International Air Transport Association (IATA) (Home, n. d.). The Dubai International Airport is owned by the government of United Arab Emirates (Profile, n. d.). The Transportation facility ki nd of the infrastructure of a country has to be developed continuously. The development of Dubai International Airport is essential for the development of the country and for making one among the top countries of the world. If the International Airport at Dubai is developed at a higher phase it can attract many foreigners including tourists and investors. The investors would be investing in country only after a detailed study of the infrastructure of that particular country including the international transportation. This fact forced the government of the United Arab Emirates, to think about the development of existing international airport by way of expansion programs. The phase II expansion plan was an initiative to such a development. By this Phase II expansion what the government is aimed is overall development of the different facilities of the Airport. The main aim was this expansion program was to increase the traffic facility as number of airlines and passengers is goes on increasing. In order to accommodate these increased airlines, the existing traffic facilities need to be improved. The globalization and other development in the world has increased the number of passengers and coming to and going from the country. The new development plan includes the construction of buildings, new landing facilities an other modifications. As new buildings and facilities are going to be created in the airport, the infrastructure facility inside the airport will also have to be subjected for modification and improvement (Dubai Airport Terminal, n. d.). The cargo mega terminal creation is another major part of the Airport development. This terminal is cons tructed in such a way that it can deal millions of freight. Both the projects that is the phase II expansion and construction of cargo terminal creation has been started in the year 2002 and the expected completion time of the Phase II expansion is 2007 and that of cargo mega terminal is 2018 (Dubai International Airport, n. d.). The development plan is a systematically designed one. This is designed in such a way that it can create much customer value by way of providing the customers the required service at ease. The organizational chart for this development plan is designed keeping in mind the change in technology. The main person who is the sole authority of this expansion project

Law of Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Law of Contract - Essay Example Joanne, Vanessa’s business advisor and representative, Arnold hid the fact that the wood panelling in FF’s sauna facilities are rough, unpleasant to the touch, and require repairs, such that without examining the facilities further, Joanne reported to Vanessa that the facilities were â€Å"first rate†. Furthermore, Arnold also informed Vanessa of further improvement he plans to have done on FF prior to the sale, particularly the installation of massage facilities, which he eventually forgone when he discovered the costs required for these improvements. Thus, Vanessa, in believing she was entering into a good bargain bought the leisure centre. It was only after buying FF however, that Vanessa discovered several work needed to be done on the leisure centre, particularly the need to repair the rowing machines, which costs  £10,000 and the need to re-panel the sauna costing  £5,000, leading Vanessa to believe she was misled by Arnold into entering their contract of sale. The main issue is therefore whether or not Arnold, in failing to disclose the facts that (a) 20 of the 100 rowing machines were not working, (b) that he no longer intends to install additional massage facilities, and that (c) the wooden panels in the sauna are not in good condition, has committed either a breach of contract or misrepresentation against Vanessa. Furthermore, other issues are also present, particularly whether or not Joanne, in failing to properly examine the leisure centre and reporting it as â€Å"first rate† to Vanessa renders her liable t owards the latter. And whether or not, Vanessa has suffered losses resulting from the bargain; and if so, if she can claim damages for her loss. Given the contractual relationship between the parties, a breach of contract would have been committed by Arnold if it can be shown that he violated an expressed or implied term in their transaction, or a collateral contract resulting from their transaction. Hence, if a contract was drawn and terms

E-commerce A-level Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 16250 words

E-commerce A-level - Coursework Example E-commerce comprises purchasing and selling goods and services in the WWW, and for many companies this is their regular business but extended into the online space, and therefore apart from buying and selling, important are the issuer of money transfers, security, and other aspects of online interaction between companies, customers, suppliers, retailers, middlemen, etc. All in all, in a broad sense, e-commerce denotes all kinds of commercial relations that are connected with setting home-based and international deals in the web: trade mission, factoring, designing, consulting, investment contracts, leasing, engineering, insurance, sale and purchase contracts, bank services, and many other forms of industrial and business cooperation. E-commerce allows to ensure that the businesses be ready to face the new challenges, one of the most important being business globalization. The emergence and development of the IT make it possible for the international businesses to reach out for their customers even in the remotest areas of the world. Conducting business in cyberspace is a way to save money, but surely that is not the only advantage. The rise of e-business has unquestionably changed shopping patterns, forcing retailers to redefine their roles to ensure their place in the market. The variety of goods available to customers at a click of a button and the added benefit of allowing them to shop whenever it's convenient for them, and not during set 'operating hours' has in effect placed the customers in charge. For the companies, the spread of e-commerce marked the necessity to implement into their business model constant interaction with the customers, which is a must for the firms that want to keep up with the consumers' demands, and attract and retail more loyal customers. The Internet is a genuinely new communicational environment, and therefore traditional marketing techniques cannot generally be applied to e-commerce. In the process of studying the marketing model that uses 'traditional' information media for PR, brand promotion and advertising, it was revealed that the use of e-commerce makes it possible for the customers to make decisions independently, and therefore there is a dramatic shift for the consumers from being a rather passive auditorium (as with the traditional marketing) to a powerful force able to influence the companies' activity significantly. Therefore, it is not sufficient for the companies to apply the already existing marketing principles to their e-commerce, as the new Internet environment presupposes the development of principally new approaches to sales, accounting, advertising, dealing with customers, and many other aspects of business activity. In e-commerce, customers play a much more active role in the process of marketing, as they are the bearers of information valuable for the companies. The overall aim of this research is to explore what 'forces' are at work when consumers shop online in the clothing retail. The research will be carried out in the women online clothing retail market, primarily because of the huge investment in the clothing market by both online and traditional retailers, (www.brandrepublic.com) It will comprise two principal elements, a literature search, and an analysis of four retailer websites, two of them are purely online

Pa. Landlord Tenant Act of 1951 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Pa. Landlord Tenant Act of 1951 - Essay Example Nor is a lease simply a right to occupy premises in many situations, the tenant is entitled, by contract or statute, to receive a package of services from the landlord, such as the right to have the property well maintained and heated. For landlords, although the lease generally serves to be a source of wealth, there may be other considerations that influence the landlord's behavior such as good management practices, whether for welfares or commercial motives, some landlords may be more ruthless in their treatment of tenants, seeking to maximize profit and minimize management costs. In some situations the law has, therefore, had to intervene to promote minimum standards of behavior and to protect tenants from exploitation and eviction. Long leases have been used for selling both houses and flats. Historically, long leasehold sales were used for housing developments, originally under the building lease system and more recently by landlords with a long-term perspective on investment. Since the 1950s it has been increasingly common for flats to be purpose-built for sale on long leases and for existing buildings to be converted into flats. (Bright, 1995) Blocks built for rental in earlier times have been broken up for long leasehold sales and many of these buildings now contain flats of mixed tenure, some rental and some long leasehold. Typically, leases are granted for terms of 99 years, sometimes 999 years and sold at a substantial premium, with a low ground rent being reserved. The major reason why these flats are sold on a leasehold, rather than freehold, basis is due to the problems of enforcing freehold covenants. Sometimes leases have clauses and terms in them that cannot be enforced. For example, you cannot legally sign away your right to a decent place to live. The tenant cannot be made responsible for all repairs or repairs that cost under a certain amount of money. According to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Pugh v. Holmes, the landlord must maintain everything for which the tenant is paying rent. Similarly, the tenant cannot be made to take a house or an apartment as is.Regardless of any agreement you make with the landlord, it is the landlord's responsibility to keep the property up to Housing Code Standards. (lease, 2006a) Fixed Term lease This is a lease for a fixed period of time 'for five months', or 'for 99 years'. It does not matter that the lease might be brought to an end before the expiry of the fixed term; for example, where the landlord has the right to forfeit the lease if the tenant fails to pay rent, or if the tenant has the benefit of a 'break clause' by which he is given the right in a 25year lease to break it at the end of five years. Nor does the fixed term have to be a single continuous period. As there is no need for the lease to be 'in possession', it is possible to have 'reversionary leases' that take effect at a future date. By the Law of Property Act 1925, s 149 (3) however, it must take effect within 21 years otherwise it is void. The fixed term will automatically end when the term finishes and there is no need to serve any notice to end the lease. Periodic Tenancies A periodic tenancy is one, which is for a period, and

Policy Problem Statement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Policy Problem Statement - Assignment Example Hansen (2013) asserts that the state allocates funding to older adults acre givers that any other population group. An increase in their population would increase the budgetary allocation of funds to this population group. Walshe & Ham (2011) are also of the assumption that the consumption of health services by older adults may be significantly altered by a major population growth. The author supports the argument by pointing out that, the shortage being experienced in the health workforce may have native effects to the growing population of older adults (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray, 2012). The number of increased older adults can be a matched to the decrease in the number of caregivers. The development of these two trends may decrease supply and increase the demand of health services (Perlino, 2006). Considering the forecasted growth by 2050, the government and health stake holders should put in place measures to limit negative effects that may be caused by the growth of the older adult

Mcsa Networking Basics Essay Example for Free

Mcsa Networking Basics Essay Introduction What is a network? A network can be defined as two or more computers which are linked together to share resources. These resources can include internet access, printers, software and files. The ‘heart’ of a network is called the server, and its function is to contain all the software and services which the network and its users depend on. Figure 1: Example of a basic network The server is operated by personnel called Network or System Administrators, and it’s their responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the network so it is working as efficiently as possible. This is achieved through the use of a dedicated operating system called Windows Server 2003 – this gives the network administrator complete control over the network functions. Advantages for a network Cost Because networked computers can share the same resources, costs can be dramatically reduced. For example, if there are ten computers in a room each needing access to a printer – it is far cheaper to route all ten computers to a single, shared printer than it is to purchase ten printers; one for each computer. In this example, the saving would also include the cost of ink cartridges (you would only need to purchase one set of cartridges instead of ten). Software can be purchased and installed in a similar cost effective way. Most popular software is able to be bought and installed on a server, and anyone who requires to use it will only need to purchase a license (the legal rights to use it, usually in the form of a certificate). These licenses are far cheaper than buying the software for each user. This method also means that it isn’t necessary for an I.T Technician to install the software on every computer; only one install on the server is needed. Another benefit to this approach is when the software requires an update. If it is server based, only the software on the server would need to be updated. All the users would benefit from the update as soon as it has been installed. If each user had a copy on their computer, I.T Technicians would need to update each one. This could become time consuming, expensive and complicated. The software that this could apply to, includes most Microsoft software and Anti-virus software. Security Security is a vital element in any business. In a network, security is enhanced both internally (security within the network) and externally. Users are given a username and password to access their files and all the programs, hardware etc that they have been given access to. When a user saves a file, it is saved to the server and not the computer that he/she is working on. If that user wants to retrieve that file, it can be done on any computer on the network, and not just on the computer that was originally used. This data can be accessed, monitored and backed up by the Network Administrator at any time. Each department can have their own ‘identity’ on the server, which allows them to have access to files, applications and resources which would be relevant to their requirements. For example, the Accounts department may need to have access to invoicing software (e.g. Sage and Excel), whereas Sales may only require software to monitor and forecast sales over a period of time (e.g. Excel). Accounts may not want other departments accessing their software due to security or confidentiality reasons. Internet security is tighter for both users accessing the internet, and external threats when a network is set up. All the computers can share a single access point to the internet, which makes it easier to monitor internet usage, help reduce hacking and other external threats trying to access data on the network. Another feature which can be applied by the system administrator is Encryption. Data within a folder/subfolder can be encrypted to prevent unauthorized access to data if other security measures have been breached. Typically, only system administrators will be given the ‘recovery key’ to be able to decrypt data incase of system failure or other unforeseen situations. Disadvantages for a network Expensive to install The initial cost of setting up a network can be expensive, with hardware like the server, router, cabling, backup equipment, network printers and server software. Also, dedicated personnel must be hired to keep the server running efficiently and to resolve any server/network issues. Centralised Data Having all of the data in one place means that data could be lost in the event of a system failure. Regular backups of the server are highly recommended (daily, weekly and monthly) to help to keep data safe. But if the server goes down in between backups then all the recent data will be lost. Reduced Performance The server’s performance can become reduced as the network expands or as its workload increases through the working day. A server must have as much memory and processing power as possible to help minimise the reduction in performance. Task 2a Network Topology is the description of how a network is laid out, the devices (server, routers, printers etc) attached to it and the direction which data flows. A network can be described as either Logical Topology (the way data flows in a network) or as a Physical Topology (how a network is physically laid out) There are six main topologies, Bus, Ring, Star, Extended Star, Hierarchical, and Mesh. Bus Topology This can be both a Physical and Logical, in a local area network (LAN), each device is connected by a single cable. This single cable is also referred to as the ‘backbone’ of the network. A terminator must be on either side of the cable to prevent the data signal from bouncing back down it. The Bus Topology was widely used in early networks using standard Co-ax cables. It was an economical solution for networking as only one main cable was needed. The disadvantage to this was if this cable failed, the whole network would go down. Ring Topology In a Ring Topology (also known as IBM Ring Token), each computer (node) is connected to each other in a closed loop. Each computer has its own unique identity on the network. When data is transmitted from one node to the other, the data will include the destination’s identity and will pass through each node until it reaches the destination. This type of topology has two main disadvantages; only one computer can transmit data on the network at a time and if a computer fails the whole network will go down. There is a slight variation to this; the Duel Ring Topology The second ring within the network provides a backup connection, so if there is a failure within the network, the secondary connection will keep the network connected. This is expensive as more cabling is required. Star Topology The most common type is called a Star Topology. Each device is connected to a dedicated central hub. All the data on the network flows through the network via the central hub. These types of networks tend to be small, as data could be degraded or lost on a large network. The main advantages to this is that it is easy to setup and easy to add new devices to the network. But if the central hub fails, the whole network goes down. Extended Star Similar to the Star Topology, but instead computers are grouped together and connected to a local hub, which in turn is connected to a central hub. This is widely used in large networks where the network may be in a large building, and each group of computers may represent each department. There are more points of failure on this network, but if a local hub fails, then the rest of the network will not be affected. Hierarchical or Tree Topology This is very similar to a Ring Topology, but computers are attached to the central hub in layers. While the structure looks different, this still has the main disadvantage of network failure if the top device goes down. Mesh Topology All the above topologies suffer from the same problem. If one device fails on the network, the whole network goes down. The only solution is to connect each device with each other and remove the need for a server. This is the Mesh Topology and has two main advantages; If a device fails, the network will still work and the network doesn’t need to rely on the processing power, bandwidth etc from a server as it is supplied from each computer. The disadvantage to this is the high cost of connecting each device to each other, so this would not be suitable on a large network. This type of topology is also referred to as Peer-to-Peer whereas the other topologies are considered to be Client/Server based. A comprise between cost and connectivity would be the Partial Connected Topology. Devices are connected to more than one node on the network, so if one fails the network can still work. This is more cost effective than Mesh Topology as less cabling is required. Task 2b Recommendations As it stands, the structure of the current network is a Hierarchical or Tree Topology. The network uses two different switches to connect the Domain Controller to the 24 computers. These are from two manufacturers; CISCO and 3Com and this offers 100Mb and 10Mb speeds respectively. This is a disadvantage because one ‘group’ of computers has a quicker data transfer rate than the other. The network does not have a disaster recovery plan should the Domain Controller fail. This has the potential for putting the whole network at risk from permanent data loss. The network also shares a single printer which is attached to the Domain Controller, 10 of the computers are connected to it through the slower 3Com 10Mb switch. This means all 24 computers print via the Domain Controller (which is currently overloaded) and 10 computers send data at a slower rate than the rest of the network. My first recommendation would be to replace both switches with a single CISCO 100Mb 48 port switch ( £631.99 from MISCO website). This would provide a standard, quicker data transfer speed throughout the network and allow for the network to expand. There are a total of 24 computers, and this switch would enable a further 24 devices to be added to the network e.g. additional computers, printers etc. This would allow the network to expand whilst maintaining a fast data transfer speed. With the new switch in place, my next recommendation would be to replace the HP Laserjet III (USB connection only) with a newer, network-ready printer like the HP Laserjet 2055DN or P2030 which costs  £319 and  £160 from HP website. By replacing it with a newer model, printing could be completed quicker, quieter and more cost effectively e.g. more reliable printing, more energy efficient, lower consumable costs etc. Also, sharing the workload throughout a faster network is more efficient than channelling all the printing requirements of the network to an older single printer on a slow 10Mb switch via the Domain Controller. This will also help reduce the workload to the Domain Controller. While the Domain Controller’s workload can be reduced by the addition of a network-ready printer, other options could be to increase the specifications (e.g greater hard drive space, more memory etc). Ensuring the controller has the latest software updates will ensure both the running efficiency and increase the network security. This will help prevent unauthorised access (hacking) to the network. My final recommendation is add disaster recovery and remote working within the network, By regularly backing up data on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, this will ensure the network can be restored in case of total data loss. To assist learning or to prevent students from accidentally causing errors/problems within the network, remote working should be enabled. User accounts can be easy created in Active Directory though the use of a standard template. Templates could be set up for both students and tutors, so all of the common properties of the accounts are already established. When a new user account is required, the administrator will only need to complete the fields that require unique values (eg, name, address, telephone number, course details etc). Once the users have been created within the Active Directory, they can be placed into Organisational Units (OU’s). This will group together users, so in this situation students could be placed in OU’s which represent their course. When the OU’s are established, the users’ configuration settings can be applied through the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). It holds hundreds of user configuration settings, security options and user event logs, all which can be applied as required by the college administrators. Figure 2: Example of the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) By using Group Policies effectively, the administrator can control and manage exactly what users can and cannot do whilst logged onto the domain. Administrators are able to control how the desktop appears, the icons that are available and the ability to configure the task bar etc by applying the Desktop setting found within the ‘User Configuration’ in the GPMC. This could be useful if the college policy states that all users must have the Llandrillo College logo as their wallpaper, and various required icons are in place and users to have access to various programs via the ‘start’ menu. To improve password security, administrators are able to increase the effectiveness of the passwords that users apply to protect their identity on the network. The password options can be found within the ‘Password Policy’ within the ‘Computer Configuration section of the GPMC. These options include the ability to reuse old passwords, to apply complexed passwords (eg. more than 6 characters, using upper, lower case letters and digits 0-9). In the example, a programmer has created a random word generator to create passwords. Group policy could be configured so when they log on for the first time, users input the randomly generated password and then they must input their own password using a complexed password. If the user ever forgets the password at any time, administrators are able to reset it through the ‘Active Directory Users Computers’ tool. Figure 3: Example of Password Policy within GPMC To prevent users from using too much disk space on the network, administrators are able to allocate limited disk space to users and by applying prompts when this space is nearly used up. By putting this in place, administrators can calculate how many users will be on the system multiplied by how much hard disk space each user will be allocated. This total will be the minimum amount of disk space required for all users in each new academic year. Administrators will be able to ensure the server can physically hold all the users data without completely running out or running low of disk space. To achieve this, administrators will need to locate the allocated hard drive and apply a quota, limiting users on how much space they can use. Individual users can have separate entries in the quota, allowing them to have a lesser or a greater share of disk space. This would be useful for tutors who may need greater disk space to store course material etc. When the network is running, administrators may be required to monitor the networks resources to ensure it exceeds the users demands. The tool required is called the ‘Performance Console’ which is found under Administrative Tools. This tool appears in the form of a graph although it has three counters as a default (Memory:Pages/Second, PhysicalDisk: Average Disk Queue Length and Processor: % Processor Time), additional counters can be easily added or removed accordingly. A college administrator may add counters to monitor network bandwidth, server utilisation (memory, cpu performance, disk performance etc). To help administrators monitor the server, counter logs and alerts can be applied. This can enable administrators to proactively identify when system resources run too low or to identify possible hardware failures/malfunctions. Any one of these problems could result in a degraded performance or total server failure. Figure 5: Example of the Performance Console The college network may be required to support remote users, allowing them to access the college network whilst being in a different location eg working from home, from another campus etc. This can be achieved through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The user will be able to access the college’s network through the use of the internet whilst achieving the required security and data encryption. The network’s firewall must have exceptions to allow authenticated users to access the network whilst preventing unauthorised access. Once the network is running effectively, the next challenge administrators will face is maintaining the security and the efficiency of the network. This can be achieved by deploying server updates and hotfixes as provided by Microsoft. The server can be updated with the use of ‘Automatic Updates’, which can be found within the ‘All Programs’ menu under the start button. Updates can be downloaded either straight away or scheduled to download at a certain day/time. This could be configured to download when the network is at its quietest time (eg 10pm). This would ensure that the update would not effect the overall performance during busy periods. Also, updates for the users computers may be required. Instead of administrators physically installing them on every computer on the network, this could be downloaded on the server as an *msi file and automatically installed via a group policy. So the next time users within the network log onto the network, they will automatically be downloaded installing the updates from the server with no intervention required.

History of Bacteria, Penicillin and Germ Theories

History of Bacteria, Penicillin and Germ Theories Mursal Malekzadeh THE GERM THEORY How this all began was before the germ theory was developed. Edward Jenner who was a doctor came up with vaccination. Smallpox was popular in the 18th century and so many people died due to the smallpox. Girls who would milk cows didn’t catch smallpox but instead caught cowpox. There was no research into disease and infections in the 18th century. Edward Jenner thought of an idea. He thought that people could be protected from smallpox if he would inject them with cowpox so therefore in 1794 he tried this idea which proved his prediction right. Also to provide clear evidence he injected a smallpox victim into the same person he injected cowpox with 2 months after. This caused the person to show no signs of smallpox because he had been injected with cowpox previously. Jenner’s idea became widely accepted as it cured a lot of smallpox victims. Jenner’s technique of injected cowpox into smallpox victims is now called vaccination. In the 1980s the world health organi sation suggested that the disease didn’t exist anymore due to an international vaccination programme. This got rid of smallpox. Although Edward Jenner’s theory was correct and there’s evidence to prove it but his technique would not be permitted today because its considered unethical to use healthy participants and inject them. In the 18th and 19th century many women who just gave birth were dying within 5 days of their delivery. There were clear symptoms such as vomiting and inflammation of the womb however no one knew why this was happening. Ignaz Semmelweiss was a doctor who worked in the maternity wards. Semmelweiss found out that his medical students would straight away dissect a dead body to delivering a baby without washing their hands. This made him think if they had the cause of the disease on their hands from the dead patients previously to their pregnant patients. Semmelweiss knew that the deaths were caused by an infectious agent so therefore he told all his medical students to wash their hands in soap before they went to the maternity ward. This was effect because the death rates dropped to 1% after 2 years. On the other hand other doctors wouldn’t agree with Semmelweiss idea because they thought the pain women received after childbirth was due to god punishing them. Washing hands in the 19th century was hard because there wasn’t always running warm water and the soap made of chlorinated lime would damage the hands but today everyone washes before and after they do anything. Later in the 1920s Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin. He noticed a lot of mould on his plates after he came back from holiday. One day he used mould juice which he called penicillin but the problem was that he couldn’t get a lot of mould juice because it would go bad so this made him stop doing experiments to prove if penicillin would kill bacteria. In 1938 Howard Florey and Ernst Chain did further research into penicillin. One of their experiments were based on 8 mice which they injected 4 of them with bacteria that would kill them and 4 with penicillin. The results showed that the 4 injected with penicillin survived whereas the other remaining 4 died. They could prove that penicillin destroyed bacteria. The next problem was making enough of it for everyone so they went to USA with their mould and the big chemical companies helped them make penicillin. Penicillin is very popular today as it has been used by many to destroy bacterial infections. All these past events influenced Pasteur to come up with the germ theory. The germ theory of disease is thought that infectious diseases are caused by a germ. Louis Pasteur who was a chemist and biologist did a lot of research into the germ theory. In order to help him with his experiments people such as Robert Koch developed the microscope so that microorganisms were visible. Pasteur had an idea that growths that developed like mould on food, were from microscopic organisms which were in the air. Pasteur did some experiments to see if his prediction was correct so he boiled broth and closed the container and it would be clear however when he added other things that were exposed to the air, he saw that microorganisms developed in the broth which caused it to be cloudy. He repeated many more experiments until he came up with a series of experiments which used swan necked flasks because this proved that microorganisms that appear in boiled broth come from the air. In 1845 a disease destroyed silkworms. Pasteur again knew this was due to microorganisms because it was found in the tissues of diseased silkworms, moths and eggs which were possible to see by using a microscope. Pasteur tried to get rid of the disease by identifying the eggs which were infected. This helped to save the silk industry and there was clear evidence of microorganisms causing disease. Many people died of infectious diseases but Pasteur did a lot of investigation on these diseases so therefore he developed vaccines against these diseases. Many of Pasteur’s investigations and experiments influenced Joseph Lister who was a scientist. Pasteur came up with the idea of pasteurisation which is that boiling liquid can effectively remove bacteria or germs. People thought that small organisms as germs couldn’t destroy larger ones such as humans. Pasteur did further investigation in order to explain the causes of many diseases such as smallpox, anthrax, TB and cholera. He found out that these diseases could be eliminated by vaccination and eventually will leave the body. Pasteur became very successful when he developed vaccinations for Rabies. Joseph Lister was influenced by Pasteur’s work. He was a surgeon and used Pasteur’s ideology’s to make the process of surgery more hygienic which eventually prevented many people from dying When Lister found out about Pasteurs experiments on wine going bad due to microorganisms in the air, he knew that microorganisms present in the air were causing his patients to die after they had survived surgery. This was due to the infection as the open wounds made it easier for the germs to transfer into the body. People would use carbolic acid to get rid of cattle parasite in fields so Lister thought it could stop wounds from getting infected by cleaning the patients wounds with carbolic acid as well as soaking the dressings in antiseptic liquid. Listers antiseptic surgery caused the death rate to fall to 15% but before Lister came up with his antiseptic surgery the death rate was high due to the bacteria in the air and the lack of using any antiseptic when doing surgery. Recent events that happened include the discovery of Methiciliin in 1960 in order to treat infections caused by bacteria resistant to penicillin. In 2008 the cervical cancer vaccination programme was developed and introduced in UK. It was suggested to vaccinate girls aged 12 against HPV. 3 vaccinations are given every six months. This vaccination helps to protect against types of HPV. In conclusion all these events tell us that vaccination is very effective so therefore ever since vaccination was first discovered it has been successful. References http://www.abpischools.org.uk/page/modules/infectiousdiseases_timeline/index.cfm?coSiteNavigation_allTopic=1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pasteur_louis.shtml

Multicultural Counseling Conceptualization

Multicultural Counseling Conceptualization Ilka I. Bryant Inter-group characteristics The term â€Å"African American† is used to refer to Americans descendants of the African tribes mainly from the sub-Sahara who came to America as slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries. As it is common with all unique cultural groups there are bound to be different core values, attitudes and beliefs even within the same group. Despite this, there are attitudes, beliefs and values that are very common and which bind the group or in this case the African Americans together. Some of these include; they have very strong kinship bonds, they strongly believe on the importance of strong religious ties or orientation, recognition of the importance of women and family in general is widespread. Children and how they are reared is viewed as the responsibility of every member of the community (Norment, 2005). The respect for the elderly is highly encouraged and practiced. Because of the historical injustices committed on the African American they have developed a sense of distrust of the government. They feel that the government neglected them and that it does not care. This has led many of them to become deeply religious, fatalistic and others have developed deviant behaviors. Most African Americans who have chosen the path of religion identify with the protestant movement and especially the Baptist denomination. On the aspect of group self-perceptions and issues related to stereotyping the African Americans have always felt discriminated upon because of their skin color (Norment, 2005). This feeling has not been helped by the various cases of injustices committed upon them from the first time they came to America as slaves, down the revolution times, during the times of the Black Power movements up to now. To the majority of African Americans the government neglected them a long time ago and this has had negative impacts on their socio-economic life. They argue that the government’s neglect has been the main cause of poverty among them (Norment, 2005). That they had very little opportunity for success because many of them did not go to school and therefore their chances of success both in the U.S and internationally was and is diminished. Some of them cite the slow government intervention during the hurricane Katrina as an example of how the government has neglected them. Intra-group characteristics As noted in the opening statement, the African Americans share may common beliefs, practices and attitudes. But like any other cultural group they also have several differences. These differences might be due to the geographical location, the level of education and even the economic class. Most of the elite African Americans for example do not have that strong attachment to religion that is common with other African Americans. Those African Americans who are doing very well economically are not likely to be bound by the beliefs, attitudes and practices that bind those below them economically. For instance, the kinship ties among the wealthy African Americans are not as pronounced as compared to the poor African Americans in the ghettos. Another major difference is between those African Americans from the South states such as Alabama which had a history of treating African American badly because of their skin color. The behavior and beliefs of the African Americans descended from thes e regions is very different from those who or their parents were raised in much liberal states such as New York which from the times of Abraham Lincoln was more lenient and tolerant. Different members of the African American group have different group self-perceptions mainly because of the different upbringing, education level, religious beliefs, and the economic status. To those who are endowed materially, they have very little time for groups but those African American who are economically disadvantaged identify very much with groups. There are three theoretical approaches to counseling that are very important especially when dealing with this kind of cultural group namely; the psychodynamic approach, the humanistic-existential approach and the cognitive-behavioral approach. In the psychodynamic approach, the focus is on how the person internal world is organized (Anderson, 1985). It looks at the person childhood experiences, relationships and how the person deals with self esteem issues. This is very important to understand when it comes to the African American group because some of them react differently especially in situations where they are the n minority or when abused because of their skin color. The counselor needs to work on the self esteem issues of this group more deeply than other groups. The humanistic-existential approach deals mostly with the person view of the world coupled with his experiences. It majors on the current life and state of affairs. The cognitive-behavior approach on the other hand looks at the person’s behavior and beliefs. The kind of belief one has a direct impact on his or her behavior, for instance, negative belief is known to lead or result to maladaptive behaviors. Psychodynamic approach tries to get the person to bring to the surface their true feelings in order to experience them and understand them. This approach assumes that everybody has a subconscious mind and that feelings held in the unconscious mind, and that feelings held in the unconscious mind are often too painful to be faced (Anderson, 1985). People come up with defenses to protect this painful feeling. The therapist them seeks to make the person to keep in touch with their own reality, makes them aware of the feelings they are not aware of and makes them tolerate the painful feeling they are experiencing. Since the African-Americans distrust the government, the counselor will try to make them aware that the problems they are facing are not caused by the government in power. The African-Americans will be resistant to law and thus they will engage in illegal activities such as abusing drugs. The counselor should therefore try to convince them that they need to change their attitudes towards the government and abide by law. The counselors will need to pay attention to the rights of the African Americans and should not in any way get involved in any form discrimination. The counselors will need to treat them fairly regardless of their personal feelings that they may have against them. They should not stereotype on them and hence this will ensure that there is no biasness during the counseling period (Avashi Grover, 2008). The counselors should also know the culture of the African Americans well before commencing with the counseling. This will enable him know the particular attitudes and values of the group and therefore avoid prejudice while counseling them. Another ethical and legal aspect that the counselors should have is competency. The counselors should have knowledge about the particular group they are dealing with (Avashi Grover, 2008). The competency should enable him come up with the best decisions in treating the clients and also estimate costs and consequences of choosing the best method of treating the African American client. The counselors should keep the information acquired from the client as confidential so as to avoid conflicts with the clients Developing multicultural sensitivity awareness is an ongoing process. As counselors, it is important to view all clients as one individual, and comprehend that their beliefs, experiences, language and values affect the way they interact with others in a community. Also, we need to be aware that there are always differences within cultures. It is inappropriate to assume that a common culture is accepted by all members of a linguistic, racial or religious group. References Anderson, W. (1985). Journal of Counseling and development. Psychotherapy Counseling , 588–589. Avashi, A., Grover, S. (2008). Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling and Development , 148-163. Norment, N. (2005). Readings in African American Language: Aspects, Features, and Perspectives. Bern: Peter Lang.

American Intervention in Cuba and Puerto Rico Essay -- American Histor

End notes are missing from the paper. To Secretary of State John Hay, the Spanish-American War was a "splendid little war", one that would bring tremendous benefit to those fortunate colonies liberated from Spain. For those places where the Spanish were forcibly expelled, there was nothing splendid about either about the war or its aftermath. To state simply that war is hell and that change is disruptive is merely to state the obvious. Beyond this, many U.S. historians have characterized the results of U.S. intervention and subsequent occupation of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines as a bequest, an opportunity to enjoy previously unknown individual liberties, political self-determination and potential economic prosperity. Other historians have characterized the actions of the United States as nothing short of exploitative imperialism, designed to subjugate those who it considered inferior to a state of political and economic servitude. What is clear is that, in Cuba and Puerto Rico, many viewed the American involvement initially as a positive development. What is equally apparent is that after the war and over time, these pro-American attitudes soured considerably. There were many reasons for this development. Leaving the economic, sociological, and psychological examinations of this large issue to other more ambitious endeavors, this paper aims to explore the way in which the intervention and occupation disrupted and complicated the normal political construction of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Also, in an effort to avoid the larger historiographical debate, political developments will be presented simply in response to conditions. The premise of this paper is that, intentionally or otherwise, the U.S. intervention and subseque... ...s E., Cuba 1933†¦Prologue to Revolution. 1972 Cornell University Press, N.Y. Carrion, Arturo Morales, Puerto Rico, A Political and Cultural History., 1983 WW Norton, N.Y., N.Y. Foner, Philip S., The Spanish-Cuban-American War and the Birth of American Imperialism, Volume 2, (1898-1902), 1972 Monthly Review Press, N.Y., N.Y. Knight, Franklin W., The Caribbean, The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. 1990 Oxford University Press, N.Y., N.Y. Maldonado-Denis, Manuel, Puerto Rico: A Socio-Historic Interpretation. 1972 Random House, N.Y., N.Y. Perez, Louis A., Cuba Under The Platt Amendment, 1902-1934. 1986 University of Pittsburgh Press, Pa. Suchlicki, Jamie, "The Political Ideology of Jose Marti" from: Beckles, Hilary and Verene Shepherd, Caribbean Freedom: Economy and Society from Emancipation to the Present. 1996 Marcus Wiener, Princeton, N.J.

The Short And Happy Life Of Francis Macomber :: essays research papers

In the short story The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber, there are three main characters, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Francis Macomber, and Mrs. Margaret Macomber, who are on an African Safari together. There are also three animals repeatedly mentioned throughout the story, which each represents a main character. The animals are a lion, a buffalo, and an impala.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Macomber, who is â€Å"very tall, very well built† and â€Å"considered handsome,† is on a safari with his wife. While on the safari he goes and hunts a lion. After wounding it with his gun, he becomes too afraid to go and finish the lion off, so he runs like a little baby. Mr. Macomber is later known as a coward so he best relates to the impala in the story. The impala is a beautiful animal and very skinny and sleek. When the impala were shot at, they ran super fast and when Mr. Wilson feels the fear of the lion he runs just as fast. Also when his wife shoots him in the head towards the end of the story, the bullet goes right to his head. When Mr. Macomber shoots the impala the bullet goes right to its head and the impala dies immediately just as he did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mrs. Macomber, who is Mr. Macomber’s wife, started out in the story seeming like a normal lady. Later on it was obvious she did not care for her husband and was extremely rude to him. She should be related to the buffalo in this story, because she is very strong. She is running away from Macomber but at the same time she is chasing him and wants him dead. She is hard to get rid of and won’t give up until she has the last word.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Wilson, who is the Safari guide, best relates to the lion in this story because he is very brave. He is very respected and not afraid of any of the other animals. The way the story describes the â€Å"majestic† animal is how Wilson is described to be by Margaret.

Consider how the poets of Lamentations and Bohemians tell us about the :: English Literature

Consider how the poets of Lamentations and Bohemians tell us about the way in which the army can be a brutal and demoralising institution. We all know that the army is surely very tough psychologically, but surely no one from our generation can understand the pains and sufferings that men would have had to go through fighting in the First World War. The army during this time must have been devastatingly hard to cope with and indeed a demoralising institution. Ivor Gurney, author of Bohemians, and Siegfried Sassoon, author of Lamentations, convey the ideas of demoralisation in these two poems concentrating on two different viewpoints. A ‘bohemian’ is someone who chooses to not follow the rules and regulations set by superior powers and lives his life according to his own rules. In the poem Bohemians, Ivor Gurney explains how these were the types of soldiers who would have made life uneasy for their superior officers. Gurney tells the reader how these â€Å"people would not clean their buttons/Nor polish buckles after latest fashions†. This conveys the idea that bohemians were the kind of people who were unfazed by the war and although it troubled them to be at war fighting, they lived life as they would if they were not there; â€Å"smoking without army cautions/Spending hours that sped like evil for wickedness†. These soldiers would have chosen to not become ‘model’ or what they would have considered to be ‘mindless’ soldiers. Gurney has written this poem almost in free verse, though certain words at the end such as ‘cautions’ and ‘promotions’ give the poem a sort of rhyme scheme. This portrays the notion that the bohemians would not have followed the rules whilst fighting at war, and not abided by the regulations set. Coupled with this is the comparative lack of punctuation that continues throughout the poem, except from commas. This enjambment proceeds until the penultimate line, in which the first full stop occurs. This accentuates the last line, which is the most poignant line of the poem, â€Å"In Artois or Picardy they lie – free of useless fashions.† This line shows that now they have died, they are finally free from having to tolerate the decrees set by the governing officers of the First World War. This is an ironic final line as through death, they are freed from the bonds of army expectations and regulations about behaviour and uniform. This poem is, to a certain extent, about the dehumanising effects of war â€Å"and wrenched/What little soul they had still further from shape,† and how the bohemians did not allow the war change their view on life

Pervapertion Overview

Membrane selectivity : what goes through and what gets rejected 2. Flux: Denote the amount of output (measured in relation to membrane area , thickness and time). What will influence the performance? Feed temperature: Refers to temperature of the feed stock or any other representative between feed and retentate streams. Membrane thickness: Refers to dry thickness. 3. Kinetic diameter: diameter of pore needed to let a specific molecule passPerformance Parameters – Selectivity 0 Membrane selectivity allows us to choose certain molecules to pass through the membrane 0 Improved membrane selectivity will increase absorption rates 0 more efficient and possible cost reduction 0 This can be achieved by better understanding of the material selected for the membrane Impact of Feed Temperature on Flux 0 Feed Temperature 0 Molecules movement increases exponentially with temperature 0 improve flux rate Impact of Membrane Thickness on Flux The thinner the membrane, the faster Influencing Pa rameters – Kinetic Diameter (1)Kinetic diameter can be understood as the diameter of a pore needed to let that specific molecule pass Source: Fundamentals and applications of pervaporation through Zeolite membranes, 2004 Influencing Parameters – Kinetic Diameter (2) Key Cost Components For Pervaporation The operating cost of pervaporation is heavily reliant on the cost of generating heat and the cost of the membrane used Current trend: decreasing heating cost and decreasing membrane cost Source: http://www. scielo. org. ar/scielo. php? Decreasing Trend in Membrane Cost from 1989 to 2000 Reasons of decreasing membrane cost: .Membrane surface area per module increase 0 lesser membrane modules to produce the same amount of output 2. Membrane mass production 0 production cost decrease 3. More compact module 0 cost savings in civil works overview of UF technology today, Desalination 131 (2000) 17-25 Similar Decreasing Trend in Membrane Cost from 1970 to 2010 Source: America n Membrane Technology Association (AMTA), wrww. amtaorg. com Improvement in cost of heat generation -Cost of Conserved Energy (CCE) summarizes annual costs associated with saving a GJ (approximately 0. 95 MBtu) of energy with a particular measure.Table shows that energy efficient measures lead to energy savings that have short payback periods from immediate to 2. 7 years. -Industry is looking towards reducing cost of heat generation Improvements in membrane 1) Membrane preparation methods 0 more methods are developed to prepare membranes with different structures for different application 0 Phase separation method developed in 1960 0 Scanning Electron Microscope became available in 1960 0 helped in the detailed study of the membrane structure 2) Membrane selective layer is getting thinner over 30 years 0. 2 – 0. 4 pm

Letter From Friends Essay

We arrived at our destination a few days back, you might have heard of it. It’s that ranch near Soledad, I think u worked about 5 mile south of here a few months back. Lennie and me are doing alright, we’re working hard and saving money. Lennie still big stupid and low most probable the way you remember him, you know him. Hr still wants to stroke and pet those stupid rabbits. Cos of that he got us kicked out of weed. All the dumb bastard wanted to do was feel that little girls dress. We had to hide in a ditch for a few hours, but luckily we slicked out at night. We travelled for days looking for work until I found out this one This ranch we’re working at is okay, but I have my worries about some people. My main worry is that tart of a wife Curley has, whenever she around us men she loves flirt. So when Curley see this he goes mad and try to pick a fight like he did with Lennie but Lennie busted his hand, but any way likes to fight over nothing. So we told him if tell the boss what happen we would tell everyone what Lennie had done to his hand. We met lots of people. I have already told you about Curley and his tart of a wife. There’s the boss who is no too pleased with us cos we came late and there’s Slim who everyone respects. There’s also Candy with his dog who is not like everyone cos it’s old and smelly, but especial by a man called Carlson who today killed the dog by shooting it. And there’s that good Negro Crooks who is called Crooks cos he got kicked by horse and it made him cripple. Our bunkhouse is bull crap cos the bed bad. I suppose it better then sleeping on the floor. But the worst thing is that the bottles of insecticides are put in the room. So the room stinks, but it does keep flies away. That fool Curley worries me cos all he want is it fight. He always wants to pick on some for no reason. If it’s not Lennie, it’s me or its some one else he want to pick on. I think if no one stops him or he don’t stop even though Lennie busted his hand. I’ll tell Lennie to kill him, I swear to ya will! Pete do ya remember that dream that we had, it could it could come true cos of that man called. Candy. Me and lennie were talking about the dream and he was listening, then we stared talk about the dream with him. So candy wants to be apart of it. His even got $450 dollars and he said he will put it towards the ranch. So I said ok. It will be so great not having a boss to tell ya to work or out of his ranch. Do ya remember about that promise we made to each other. That one where, if one of us got a ranch the other would work on it. So I’m going to keep my promise and ask you to come work on this ranch if we get it. Lennie wants to say hello. He just reminded. O yea did I tell ya Lennie going to get a puppy of that man, Slim. Write back please. Hope to hear from u soon!

Plot Analysis of a Rose for Emily

â€Å"In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. † This quote by Benjamin Franklin is a mirror to Emily’s story as it begins with her death and then the reader is abruptly brought into the tax remission she received after the death of her father. This interesting yet confusing vignette is about a girl named Emily Grierson and her inconsiderate relation with the town, a man she loved, Homer Baron, and her Father. For Readers of Faulkner, it is truly apparent that his stories do not follow the pattern of the conventional beginning to the end of the story. This method of disorderly sequence of events along with the descriptive style tends to lead this story as if we are realistically present in the town. It also keeps the reader attentive for the upcoming rising action present throughout the story. This leaves the reader questioning or predicting the actual outcome, he/she interprets it well after all is being read. It is a southern gothic styled story, a tragic story told by an anonymous narrator that speaks on behalf of the town’s people, but he/she is not related to the protagonist of the story, Emily. Emily throughout the story is perceived as an object to the reader rather than a character because her side of the story is not personally expressed by her. This type of narration grasps the readers’ level of curiosity as they are not given access into her perception about her life. In the story, two essential elements of life have been readily repeated throughout; taxes and death . Death being the main theme was not accepted or comprehended by Emily’s mindset. This story explains the taxes submission issues faced my Emily. The rest of the story revolves around hatred and death in Emily’s chaotic life from which she was once guarded from the rest of the cruel world. The story begins with the death of Miss Emily; readers are presented to Miss Emily’s fight and struggle, with her antagonist time, through the situation she is living in. As it seems the protagonist, Emily tries to pause the time around her to save her loved ones, trying to avoid certainty, death, and thus fails to do so. Miss Emily appearance represents a past era, an era in which she masks her privacy in, declining the changing time being passed by. She was raised by her father that is why she was encapsulated by silence, inability to believe in reality and inability to happy life; she was the result of her environment. The most minute yet meaningful sentence described in the whole story is in Section II, â€Å"So she vanquished them, horse and foot, just as she had vanquished their fathers thirty years before about the smell. † (Faulkner 22) . The use of the definite article mentioned in the sentence abruptly brings about a sense of suspense. It merely shows that it was not just â€Å"a smell† but â€Å"the smell†. As brought by the narrator it is justified that the town’s people were familiar of such odor occurring in Emily’s house before. The narrator grants a significance to the smell because ‘the smell’ would had never put such an impact as an â€Å"a† smell would have. When Miss Emily refused to give her father’s dead body away, it started to decompose, spreading a pungent odor; same odor was present once again. As for a reader it foreshadows events to come. The way Faulkner presented the story and designed the structure, interpersonal conflicts increased between Emily and the society. The town is just not a setting but is a character in the story. It is the setting of an old era that held tight to old beliefs and moral values of the South. Social class in the story holds great significance. Faulkner when describes the character â€Å"Tobe†, points out the status setting of that era. Tobe was disrespected and was considered a person with no values throughout. For example, Judge Stevens called him as, â€Å"†¦that nigger of hers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Faulkner, p. 22); showing racism present during that time frame. They disgraced the minorities and disrespected their physical existence and social status. People had pride over unnecessary ephemeral high standards that displayed discrimination and inequality. In the story as cited previously, social class was significant in demonstrating dehumanization of blacks but also demonstrating differences in the rich and the poor. Miss Emily is judged for a having romance with a low class, poor citizen of that society, Homer baron. The following sentence affiliates towns’ people response towards Emily’s one and only intimate relationship with Homer. Poor Emily†, the whispering began. â€Å"Do you suppose it’s really so? †, they said to one another, (Faulkner, p. 23). The townspeople felt pity upon her relationship with Homer, as in the eyes of the townspeople a barrier of status was set up, only the deserving or the affluent ones were allowed. Homer was a labor whereas; Miss Emily belonged to a respected rich family. Dist inguishing their class differences, Homer was way beyond Miss Emily’s league, an image set in the eyes of the townspeople. Moreover secrets are kept throughout the story, plotted as such so they are left to the reader to discover them. For example, Faulkner uses the above-mentioned technique in the following line, â€Å"†¦so they were not surprised when the smell developed† (Faulkner, p. 22). The prediction here is that the pungent yet familiar smell developed in Emily’s house due to decaying of a dead body; which for sure is kept as a secret until the end. Emily’s further more surreptitious actions can be observed through the following lines said by the narrator, â€Å"We did not say she was crazy then. We believed she had to do that. We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will† (Faulkner, p. 22). The disguise truth here is that Miss Emily was indeed crazy, and the upcoming horror is that she could be psychotic enough to repeat the same action, holding on to Homer’s dead body. Barron's fate is linked in this passage as Faulkner provides the reader with a hint of death. The themes of class, race and status are widespread throughout the story, Faulkner repeatedly addresses those themes. † The town of Jefferson is isolated by race, extremely class and social status conscious people because people disliked and abhorred a women of a high class walking with a low social standing man. In closure â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a captivating short story of a lady who refuses to adopt the changing world and order of society around her. Her denial of certainty and death gives us an understanding of depth of emotions that a girl encounters throughout her life. It is felt that these disturbed actions would not have taken place if she was placed in a different time and setting. She gave us the impression of a silently killed character that was only physically living. Even though we could not pass through her door we still encountered much information about how and why she was. Faulkner flawlessly points out the broader ideas, including the complexities of northern and southern places at that time frame, complexities of an altering world order, disappearing lands of courtesy and nobility, and rigid social responsibilities of a women.

Funding my used book store Essay

This will be an outlet that deals in second-hand or used books. Literacy of a people is the foundation of a nation. We wish to encourage the culture of reading in order to eliminate illiteracy. We have chosen to go this route due to affordability. The shop’s name â€Å"Daily Books† is bound to be a crowd puller. The service will be targeting the thousands of shoppers and those whiling away window shopping or taking casual walks. Considering the hard economic times we are going through as a nation, this idea could not be timelier. Concept Funding my used book store Business Statement SBA loans are available and we are going for the lowdoc that addresses needs below $150k. This is part of the 7(a) loan program. The loans not only come with low interest rates and minimum hassles but also with entrepreneur education. This is a very helpful resource. Since some banks allow one to access funds for the business from relatives, then your proposal is well within all legal requirements. Competitive edge Products and services: – Ease of getting classical novels and writings which may not be available from the conventional book shops. These may as well be collectors’ items. Inexpensive: – All our books will be way below the market prices. Organization: – The arrangement and placement of books will make it easy for shoppers to locate what they want and hence save valuable time. The lighting will be artistic and professional. Location: -. The shop’s strategic location is a sure winner. The university and schools’ readership will come in handy. Public relations: – This is one of our greatest strengths as my partner is deep and wide reader, not to mention that I am an excellent people person and marketer. We have been careful to hire committed staff whose vision is similar to ours. Market / Industry information While the knowledge search continues to expand, there is stiff competition in the horizon. New players are joining the market not to mention new technology. The government is putting in place structures that will aid in the growth. Product/Service Information The crucial service on offer is the provision of an accessible, unique product, convenient, and a cheap service facility which promises easy access to the avid reader. The county council has been of great support since we shared our idea with them. On the launch, they have offered the parade grounds at no charge at all. They will also be sending word out to the local dwellers. Goals and strategies In the short term, we will be focusing on getting people to see the big picture. What has all along been thought of a rich man’s hobby that owning a rich home library is their preserve will now be common place. Due to our strategic location, we are assured of traffic. Our goal then, will be to focus on those walking in and around the complex. We aim to serve at least 50 walking customers per day. The tills in the stores around the town will be offering discount vouchers to all their customers in the first month after launching. The next level and secondary goal will entail advertising by use of flyers and banners. We shall also do rounds in the offices. Our marketers will visit every school in the area and the university as well. For these students, we intend to offer a discounted price especially for the course books. We shall introduce membership to all our customers with an aim of giving away bonus gifts and discounts. This will see our customer base grow from 50 to 100 after 6 months of business. In the long term, we are looking at electronic sales. This will entail a website that will advertise as well as offer on-line sales. A delivery van will come in handy for those members who may be a little out of town. The bookshop should have a readability of 500 plus faithful customers after a period of 2 years. As a backup plan for the above strategy, we will be liaising with the local bookshops as well as those in the nearby towns. We shall introduce a partnership programme that should see their sales soar as well. The idea is to bring about symbiosis and cut unfair competition. We plan to have stock lists of al the other outlets and when customers make enquiries, referential sales will be seamless. We shall encourage book owners to exchange or deposit old books that they no longer use. This idea will go along way in reducing our capital requirement for re-stocking. Payback As per the bank’s requirements, we have negotiated a very low payback interest rate. We have a 60 days initial grace period after which we shall be required to pay only 1. 5% PA on a reducing balance. This arrangement will go along way in helping us repay you within a comfortable period. It will not stretch the business neither will you be strained financially while it gives you peace of mind that your investment is secured. References Advani, A. (2005). SBA loans for your startup. Entrepreneur. com. Retrieved November 18, 2008 http://www. entrepreneur. com/money/financing/startupfinancingcolumnistasheeshadvani/article79254. html

The Feast of the Gods by Giovanni and Titian Essay

The Feast of the Gods by Giovanni and Titian - Essay Example The main premise of a feast is the coherent element of the painting. The gods, each doing their individual thing, add to the atmosphere that it conjures. The blasà © expression of these gods gives off the homogenous quality of the theme. Priapus trying to carry out his ill-conceived plan against Lotis and the ass is also prominent in the painting. Famously, the x-ray photographs of the painting prove that contrary to the assumption that Bellini was not able to finish the painting because of his death, there was no such requirement for Titian to complete it. Rather, historians agree that the alterations were executed to make Bellini’s painting flow seamlessly with the other paintings in the Alabaster Room. â€Å"Eliminated by Titian’s intervention was the contrast between the figural group, so markedly animated by means of colour, and the regular repetition of tree trunks and the uniform dark green of the leaf canopy† (Bà ¤tschmann 210). This would have given it more balance as an undeviating background would have made the scene of the gods the main focus of the eye. For lack of a better word, the painting evoked a sense of noise. In totality it looks great in the sense that there are the human elements that make it interesting and playful to the imagination. It reminds me of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ in many ways. Both have religious themes, both portray a particularly interesting and much-written about scene and both are classic works of art by two great artists of their time.

IFRS and GAAP Convergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IFRS and GAAP Convergence - Essay Example ich have been adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board and comprise of IFRS, IAS (International Accounting Standards) and Interpretations. The term GAAP refers to the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles used by the CPA firms and companies in order to present their financial statements. These are also referred as the rule-based accounting standards. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are jointly functioning in numerous cooperative assignments intended to enhance the compatibility of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and eventually converge both the standards with each other. (PWC) The convergence of IFRS and the GAAP will largely impact the public companies, accounting firms, and small and medium companies together. The affects which the convergence will have are discussed in detail below. The public companies will be largely affected as the convergence will alter the reporting requirements of the companies and greater disclosures will be required as per the disclosure requirements if IFRS. The convergence will also have impact on the revenue recognition as the IFRS provides a different and assorted way of treating revenues from different transactions. This convergence will also impact the banking industry with regards to computation and accounting of gain, impairment of financial assets and hedging etc. This convergence will give new dimensions to the work of the accounting firms as they will have to reassess the reporting requirements and the financial disclosures for which they have to give their opinion. CPAs as well as the accounting firms will be required to obtain considerable knowledge and training to cope up with the converged standards in line to make the move while educating their clients as well. (Convergence Is Coming: How Your CPA Firm Should Prepare ) The convergence will require

Horseradish peroxidase assay Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Horseradish peroxidase assay - Lab Report Example For each enzyme there is a small of range of pH within which it works optimally. Enzymes have  active sites in their structures. The active site is the part of the enzyme that has the correct shape and the functional groups required to bind to the substrate (Dunford, 1999). Enzyme activity can be measured in any one of these two ways: observing the rate at which the substrate disappears during a reaction or measuring the rate at which the product is formed. Enzyme assays are used in such measurements. There are two methods that have been developed for use in measuring the amount of substrates or products in a chemical reaction: continuous and fixed-timed assays. Continuous assay make use of a spectrophotometer to measure the rates at which the substrate disappears and products form in real-time (Leskovac, 2003). To measure the peroxidase activity a change in the amount of product formed will be evaluated over time. For the breakdown of peroxide by peroxidase, the simplest molecule that can be measured is O2 gas, the product of the decomposition of peroxide. To accomplish this the real volume of O2 gas produced is measured by use of an indicator. For this experiment an indicator (pyrogallol) that shows the presence of O2 gas will be used (Dunford, 2010). 2.50 cm3, 0.35 cm3, 0.10 cm3, and 0.35 cm3 of deionized water, buffer solution (at a pH of 6.0), hydrogen peroxide, and pyrogallol respectively were pipetted into two separate cuvettes labelled Cuvette 1 and Cuvette 2. The contents of the cuvettes were then mixed well using a small glass rod. The spectrophotometer was set to 420 nm after which Cuvette 1 was placed into it. 0.1 ml of the buffer solution was added to the cuvette and then stirred using a small glass rod. The readings of the spectrophotometer were recorded every 10 seconds for 5 minutes. Cuvette 2 (blank) was placed into the spectrophotometer. 0.1 ml of

The federal reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The federal reserve - Essay Example Close co-ordination between the Federal Reserve and the Government of the USA is essential, because monetary policies should be in sync with fiscal policies for an effective and sustainable economic growth in the long run. The steps taken by the Federal Reserve, for example by increasing the interest rates to reduce inflation will have an impact on industrial production, consequently on employment. Therefore regulating interest rates in an economy by the Federal Reserve is a balancing act which takes into account several factors after analyzing the economic indicators. The Federal Reserve has an option of regulating money supply in the economy to regulate growth. Providing liquidity into the economic system by regulating money supply has its impacts on financial markets. Handa (2009, p. 429) observed â€Å"Many central banks, especially in financially developed economies, nowadays choose to use the interest rate, rather than the money supply, as the primary monetary policy instrument, while leaving the money supply endogenous to the economy.† Any change in the federal fund rate has cascading effect on short-term and long-term interest rates, foreign exchange of USD and stock prices. The cumulat ive effect of these impacts reflects in demand patterns and eventually spending by the businesses. In an economic slowdown, if the situation remains unchecked the multiplier effect caused in this process might lead to recession in the economy. Therefore, the role played by Federal Reserve in stabilizing economy through its monetary policies is very significant. Since policies of the Federal Reserve are concerned with employment, inflation and output, the economic indicators which are relevant in this regard are required to be carefully analyzed by the Federal Bank. Several economic indicators relating to employment, inflation and output or growth are used for this purpose. Analysis of the National Employment Report will be useful in assessing the

International marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International marketing plan - Essay Example In this report, the marketing plan of IKEA to enter into the Pakistani market has been presented. The external environment analysis shows that IKEA can find huge opportunities in the Pakistan furniture industry as currently no international furniture brand is operating in the country. Although economy of Pakistan is threatened by unstable political conditions, terrorism and weak economic conditions still, the changing patterns of people and their preference for western furniture products over weigh these threats. Porter’s five forces analyses show that furniture industry of Pakistan is a highly attractive industry. The market audit shows the strengths of IKEA which can help the company to ensure a successful presence in the Pakistani market. After identifying the corporate and marketing objectives of IKEA, this report also describes a preliminary marketing plan to enter into the market. Direct investment strategy has been considered as the most suitable strategy for IKEA to en ter into the industry. The report also describes the marketing mix of IKEA. The company will keep its IKEA concept to promote its products and services in Pakistan. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCT Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd (IKEA) is a Swedish company. From 1954 to 2010, the number of stores of IKEA has grown from 1 to 316 stores (http://franchisor.ikea.com/showContent.asp?swfId=facts1). The company has been developed to offer low price and modern home furnishings to the consumers. Unlike other home furnishing retailers, IKEA focuses on providing a combination of low price and good design and functionality to the consumers which never goes out of fashion. Today, the company is printing its catalogue in 25 languages and circulate in 35 countries around the world (http://franchisor.ikea.com/showContent.asp?swfId=catalogue9). Moreover, the stores of IKEA attract around 600 million visitors (http://franchisor.ikea.com/showContent.asp?swfId=store9). IKEA is currently targeting countries f rom Europe, North America, Australia, Asia Pacific and Caribbean. In Asia Pacific, company has been able to enter into China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore. In this report, the marketing plan of IKEA to enter into the Pakistani market has been presented. Pakistan appears to be an attractive market for IKEA because the westernisation in Pakistan is increasing very rapidly and people are seeking to import western clothes, home furnishings and other products. Therefore, in this report, the plan of establishing IKEA store in Pakistan has been presented. The store will initially offer home furniture products in Pakistan. ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS PESTLE Analysis Political Pakistan is facing high political instability which influences both the consumers and businesses. The decline of exports of furniture since 2007 is because of the political and economic problems especially load shedding (Arifeen, 2010). However, direct political influence is very less on furniture retailer s. Government has very weak regulatory control in the furniture industry