Human Cloning: Genetic Advancement or Genetic Manipulation? :: essays research papers

Human Cloning: Genetic Advancement or Genetic Manipulation? A few people may contend that the genuine offense is obstruct the advancement of science and trial examination with respect to human cloning. That to do so would intend to deny the option to logically investigate and pick up from such. Investigation and revelation in cutting edge innovations and science frequently ends up being valuable to humankind; be that as it may, despite the fact that human cloning abilities may entice man's intrinsically devilish God-playing nature, examination, headway and the normal advantages of human cloning are probably going to dissipate anticipated human disasters. In the other option, can propels in human cloning lead us into hereditary control and world bedlam in light of misconceptions about cloning and the fast advancement in biotechnology? To start with, what precisely is cloning? In science, cloning is utilized in two settings: cloning a quality, or cloning a living being. Cloning is the proliferation of a human or creature whose hereditary substance is indistinguishable from a current being, for example, an undeveloped organism or embryo. This is regenerative. Cloning a quality way to separate a quality from one life form and addition it into a subsequent living being. Cloning a living being intends to make another living being with a similar hereditary data as a current one. This is remedial. Since 1885, there have been various analysts, researchers, geneticists, regenerative technologists and embryologists, for example, August Weismann, Hans Spemann, Walter Sutton, Paul Berg, Steen Willadsen, et al., who have contributed a lot to the innovative work of our ebb and flow ideas of cloning. Especially two of the later eminent supporters of cloning examination and experimentation are Ian Wilmut, a Ph. D. in creature hereditary designing, and Richard Seed, who established Fertility and Genetics during the 1980s. In 1973, for his postulation at Darwin College, Ian Wilmut made the principal calf at any point delivered from a solidified undeveloped organism. In 1974, Ian Wilmut joined an examination foundation known as the Roslin Institute of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Today, he is at present joint top of the Department of Gene Expression and Development, with research interests in early mammalian turn of events, undeveloped organism control, atomic exchange and quality focusing in mice, dairy cattle, sheep and pigs. The Roslin Institute, is known for being one of the world's essential exploration fixates on ranch and different animals. In 1996, Professor Wilmut, alongside his aide, Keith Campbell, left a mark on the world by making the principal creature to be copied (cloned) from grown-up cells. Their creation notoriously got known as Dolly, the principal cloned grown-up sheep.

Banking Regulations And The Current Financial Crisis Essay

Banking Regulations And The Current Financial Crisis - Essay Example Therefore we can say that even a steady financial framework with every single appropriate guideline set up neglected to stop such a money related emergency from happening. The paper means to follow out the explanations for such a disappointment with the assistance of discoveries and examination and the important advances embraced for this. Purposes for disappointment of banking guidelines Economists and strategy producers of different nations have attempted to discover the conditions which prompted the emergency. They attempted to discover those flawed approaches and the inaccurate estimates taken by the bank that prompted its disappointment of emergency anticipation. It was discovered that at the hour of the emergency the loan fee was truly low. Budgetary financial specialists in such a situation became idealistic in regards to the costs of benefits alongside the basic dangers. The financial guidelines coordinated towards changes in budgetary scene prompted augmentation of influence and this made exact hazard expectation progressively troublesome. Financial specialists changed into chance darlings and exorbitant hazard taking started in the business sectors (Caruana). Neither financial guidelines nor powerful oversight could stop such a marvel. The divided financial guideline again end up being incorrectly. No association could be followed out in the exercises of managed and non controlled markets. Everywhere throughout the business sectors and establishment there was commonness of topsy-turvy data. A few provisos existing in the lawful systems were additionally similarly capable (Caruana). The macroeconomic approaches actualized during this time were lacking. The simple liquidity banking arrangement made structures of obligations, particularly the heterogeneous ones progressively incomprehensive. Reactions have been against the administrative guidelines of bank. Simple credits were given to people without cautious assessment of the fundamental default dangers (Neuman). Money related strategies were confined so that income turns out to be simple over the economy. Such an occurrence is demonstrated by factual proof. Table1: Data indicating low loan cost arrangement received by the banks Source: Neuman The financing cost considered is for the Euro zone. The information is for momentary genuine financing cost which proceeded till 2005. Such information shows that banks have embraced a low loan cost arrangement during the given years. This made ready for simple liquidity. The financial guidelines of 2004 prompted critical credit extension and credits including high dangers turned into the principle explanations behind starting such emergency. It originally prompted subprime misfortunes in March 2008 with Bear Sterns acquiring enormous subprime related misfortunes. At last Federal Reserve needed to assume control over the firm. Detoriation of subprime credit possessions inevitably finished into the emergency. Banking areas have prior stayed a way from such high hazard cautions produced by the market analysts in 1999 (Nichols, Hendrickson and Griffith). Simple financing demonstration of 2005 turned into the system for banking activities. During this time some huge American and European banks even damaged financial guidelines by setting up organizations for such transient financing reason. Such organizations were not revealed in asset reports. Banking divisions anyway didn't focus on the way that such a low loan fee approach system received by banks in 2003 after European Central Bank took action accordingly was gradually expanding

Practice Stress and Intonation for English Students

Practice Stress and Intonation for English Students It is frequently astonishing at how concentrating on the pressure - planned nature of English assists understudies with improving their articulation aptitudes. Understudies regularly center around articulating each word accurately and in this way will in general articulate in an unnatural way. By concentrating on the pressure - coordinated factor in English - the way that solitary substance words, for example, formal people, places or things, guideline action words, descriptive words, and intensifiers get the pressure - understudies before long start sounding substantially more genuine as the rhythm of the language starts to sound accurate. The accompanying exercise centers around bringing issues to light of this issue and incorporates practice works out. Point: Improving elocution by concentrating on the pressure - time nature of communicated in English Action: Awareness raising followed by viable application works out Level: Pre - middle of the road to upper halfway relying upon understudy needs and mindfulness Exercise Outline Start mindfulness raising exercises by perusing a model sentence so anyone might hear to the understudies (for instance: The young men didnt have the opportunity to complete their schoolwork before the exercise started). Peruse the sentence the first run through articulating each word cautiously. Peruse the sentence a second time in common speech.Ask understudies which perusing appeared to be progressively normal and why it appeared to be more natural.Using the thoughts understudies think of, clarify the possibility of English being a pressure - coordinated language. On the off chance that the understudies communicate in a syllabic language, (for example, Italian or Spanish), call attention to the contrast between their own local language and English (theirs being syllabic, English pressure - planned). Simply this mindfulness raising can have an emotional effect in such understudies abilities.Talk about the contrasts between focused on words and non-focused on words (for example rule action words are focused on, assistant action words are not).Write the accompanying two sentences on the board:The wonderful Mountain seemed transfixed in the distance.He can come on Sundays as long as he doesnt need to do any schoolwork at night. Underline the focused on words in the two sentences. Request that understudies have a go at perusing out loud. Point out how each sentence is by all accounts roughly a similar length in stress - time.Ask understudies to glance through the model sentences and underline the words that ought to be worried in the worksheet.Circulate about the room requesting that understudies read the sentences out loud once they have chosen which words ought to get stresses.Review movement as a class - ask understudies to initially peruse any given sentence with each word articulated followed by the pressure - coordinated variant. Expect a shock at the brisk improvement understudies make in articulation (I am each time I do this activity)!! Another methodology can assist understudies with improving their pressure and pitch abilities is sound scripting. Sound scripting has understudies feature content words utilizing a word processor. You can make it one stride further with this lessonâ helping understudies figure out how to pick the center word to improve articulation. This quizâ on Content or Function Words can be utilized to assist understudies with testing their insight into which words are capacity or substance words. Articulation Help - Sentence Stress Investigate the accompanying rundown of focused and non-focused on word types. Fundamentally, stress words are viewed as CONTENT WORDS, for example, Things for example kitchen, Peter(most) rule action words for example visit, constructAdjectives for example excellent, interestingAdverbs for example frequently, cautiously Non-focused on words are viewed as FUNCTION WORDS, for example, Determiners for example the, an, about, a fewAuxiliary action words for example dont, am, can, werePrepositions for example previously, close to, oppositeConjunctions for example in any case, while, asPronouns for example they, she, us Imprint the focused on words in the accompanying sentences. After you have discovered the focused on words, work on perusing the sentences resoundingly. John is coming over today. We are going to deal with our schoolwork together.Ecstasy is an incredibly risky drug.We ought to have visited some more palaces while we were going through the byways of France.Jack purchased another vehicle last Friday.They are anticipating your meeting them next January.Exciting disclosures lie in Toms future.Would you like to come over and play a round of chess?They have been buckling down these most recent couple of months on their difficult experiment.Shakespeare composed energetic, moving poetry.As you may have expected, he has quite recently thought of another way to deal with the issue.

The different Financial Management Practices in business - Free Essay Example

The previous section provides a review of SME and financial management. This section reviews SME financial management practices in the developed economies such as the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. The context of financial management practices Financial management practices in the SME sector have long attracted the attention of researchers. Depending on different objectives, researchers emphasize different aspects of financial management practices. McMahon, Holmes, Hutchinson and Forsaith (1993) and McMahon (1998) summarize their review of financial management practices in Australia, the UK and the USA. In their review the context of financial management practices includes the following areas: Financial reporting and analysis the nature, frequency and purpose of financial reporting, auditing, analysis and interpretation of financial performance Working capital management non-financial and financial considerations in asset acquisition, quantitative techniques for capital project evaluation, investment hurdle rate determination and handling risk an uncertainty in this context Financial structure management financial leverage or gearing, accounting to lenders, knowledge of sources and uses of finance, non-financial and financial considerations in financial structure decisions and non-financial and financial considerations in profit distribution decisions Financial planning and control financial objectives and targets, cost-volume-profit analysis, pricing, financial budgeting and control, and management responsibility centers However, the purpose of this study is not to cover all the contexts of financial management practices as indicated above but to review selected financial management practices that affect on or are related to SME profitability. These include accounting information systems, financial reporting and analysis, working capital management, fixed asset management, and capital structure management. 2.3.1 Financial reporting and analysis Recording and organizing the accounting information systems will not meet objectives unless reports from systems are analyzed and used for making managerial decisions. This section provides a review of financial reporting and analysis of SMEs. Louma (1967) conducted a survey of 62 manufacturing SMEs on the use of accounting information in managerial decision-making. 86% of respondents reported that they used some form of financial statement analysis and interpretation. Of these, 40% indicated that the founder of the businesses was actively involved. In their survey, DeThomas and Fredenberger (1985) found that 81 percent of the small enterprises regularly obtained summary financial information. Ninety-one percent of the summary information was in the form of traditional financial statements (balance sheets, profit and loss statements, fund statements), the remainder being bank reconciliation and operating summaries whereas no business was regularly receiving cash-flow information. DeThomas and Fredenberger also found that 61 percent of respondents felt the financial statements provided the information they required for planning and decision-making. Nevertheless, only 11 percent of respondents reported that they had used financial statement information formally as part of managerial evaluation, planning and decision-making, 2 percent of businesses utilized financial ratio analysis, and few made even simple historical comparisons. Thomas and Evanson (1987) studied 398 small pharmacies (in Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, Rhode Island and Washington) to examine the extent to which financial ratios were used in a specific line of small retail business and tested for a relationship between use of financial ratios and business success. They used regression analysis to examine the relationship between financial ratio usage and SME profitability. However, they could not demonstrate any significant relationship between earnings-to-sales and the number of financial ratios used by the owner in operational decision-making. When efforts were made to include the effects of other managerial practices and variations in business environments, no association between use of individual ratios and total earnings or totalto-sales was found. They explained the lack of association between financial ratio usage and either survival or profitability, may also indicate that the level of sophistication in use of ratios has not reache d a high enough level among pharmacies to make a discernible difference between those which use and those which do not use financial ratios. However, Thomas and Evanson (1987)s study only examined the association between SME profitability and the number of financial ratios, while the relationship between SME profitability and the efficiency as the result of using the financial ratios was not studied. McMahon (1998) examined which enterprises and financial management characteristics seem to most influence financial reporting practices adopted in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in Australia and what impact these financial reporting practices appear to have on achieved business growth and performance. The research results showed that development orientation, extent of owner-management, technological complexity, degree of reliance upon external financial advice, and financial reporting climate significantly influence on the comprehensiveness of financial reporting practices in Australian small manufacturing enterprises. According to McMahon (1998) the relationship between financial reporting practices and business growth and performance is difficult to identify, describe and explain. The reason explained for this is that management is a complex activity affected by a myriad of interacting internal and external factors. Recently, McMahon (1999) reported new empirical evidence on financial reporting to financiers by small and medium-sized enterprises and found a significant relationship exists in the study sample between enterprise size in employment terms and provision to financiers of a business plan or future-oriented financial statements or annual historical financial statements or periodic historical financial statement. However, no statistically significant relationship exists in the study sample between enterprise size in employment terms and the likelihood of being asked to provide financial information by potential financiers. 2.3.2 Working capital management This subsection reviews the literature on working capital management practices of SMEs.The context of working capital management includes cash management, receivables and payables management, and inventory management. Regarding cash management practices, Grablowsky (1978) and Grablowsky and Rowell (1980) conducted a questionnaire survey concerned with the cash management practices of 66 small enterprises from a number of industries located in and around Norfolk, Virginia. The results showed that 67% of respondents replied they did not do forecasting of cash flows. When asked how they determined the level of cash to be held by the business, less than 10% of enterprises reported using any type of quantitative technique. The method most often employed was to hold cash as a fixed ratio of projected expenses, forecasted sales or anticipated purchases. Non-quantitative methods used consisted of meeting compensating balance requirements, maintaining the level considered safe by management or achieving a level recommended by outside advisers. Additionally, 71% of business in the Virginia survey reported that they had no short-term surpluses of cash in their recent history. Only 23% had a long-term surplus. Nearly 30% of respondents had invested excess cash in earnings securities or accounts. The most common investments were savings accounts, certificates of deposit, treasury bills, repurchase agreements, commercial papers, shares, bonds and other investments. Regarding accounts receivable management practices, Grablowsky (1976) and Grablowsky and Rowell (1980) found generally low standards. Approximately 95% of businesses that sold on credit tended to sell to anyone who wished to buy. Only 30% of respondents subscribed to a regular credit reporting service. Most had no credit checking procedures and guidelines, and only 52% enforced a late-payment charge. 34% of businesses had no formal procedure for aging accounts receivable. Bad debts averaged 1.75% of sales, with a high of 10% in some concerns. Murphy (1978) revealed a very high level of awareness and utilization of credit control systems in the UK, even in the smallest businesses. On inventory management practices, Grablowsky and Rowell (1980) found that most of the respondents had in excess of 30% of their capital invested in inventory, the general standard of inventory management was poor. Only 6% of businesses in their survey used a quantitative technique such as economic order quantity for optimizing inventory and 54% had systems which were unable to provide information on inventory turnover, reorder points, ordering costs or carrying costs. In general, depending upon their objectives, in examining working capital management practices, the previous researchers emphasized specific aspects of working capital management. Burns and Walker (1991) examined working capital management as a whole. In their survey of working capital policy among small manufacturing firms in the USA, the following aspects of working capital were considered: working capital policy, managing working capital components, including cash, receivable, payable and inventory management, and relationships between working capital management practices and profitability Probably this survey was one of the most comprehensive surveys of working capital management practices where almost all aspects of working capital management were examined. Burns and Walkers (1991) findings can be summarized into some main points as follows: Overall, companies had an informal procedure or no written policy for working capital management. However, those that did have a written policy were probably more profitable than others. For cash management, the typical company used cash budgeting on a weekly basis mainly to plan for shortages and surpluses of cash. Company would determine target cash balances based on needs for transaction balances, and put its idle cash in cash management accounts or certificates of deposit. For accounts receivable, the typical company used both the collection period and aging schedule to monitor the payment behavior of credit customers. With regard to inventory policy, the typical firm used computerized inventory control systems to decide on the appropriate amount to replenish its storage points by using ad hoc decisions. Company mainly considered the availability of parts and materials in deciding on reorder quantities for inventory purchased. As for accounts payable, the typical firm became a net supplier of credit believing that the cost of foregoing trade discounts was only about 13%, yet it always or sometimes took the discounts. In summary, working capital management practices have long attracted the attention of previous researchers. The main research areas related to these practices included cash, receivable and inventory management. However, relationships between working capital management practices and SMEs survival and growth have not been investigated. 2.3.3 Fixed Assets Management This subsection reviews the previous researches on fixed asset management practices of SMEs. Brigham (1992) suggested that capital budgeting might be more important to asmaller firm than its larger counterparts because of the lack of access to the publicmarkets for funding. Capital budgeting has attracted researchers over the past severaldecades. McMahon et al. (1993) claimed the earliest study of capital budgeting of SMEswas reported by Soldofsky (1964). During 1961, Soldofsky interviewed 126 owners ofsmall manufacturing businesses in Iowa and the results were published in 1964. Soldofsky (1964) found there was considerable variation in the methods of calculating payback period and in determining payback standards. In many businesses, required payback periods were flexible according to circumstances such as the variability of cash, planned product changes and business outlook. In the smaller enterprises, approvals for capital outlays tended to be given as required, whereas larger concerns were more likely to have annual capital budgets. Only four firms attempted to calculat e some variation of the average cost of capital for use as a hurdle rate for capital projects. Most businesses seemed unaware of the link between their financing and investment decisions. On the positive side, it was quite clear that the evaluation of capital projects was heavily cash flow oriented. Regarding capital project selection techniques, there were several surveysconducted by previous researchers such as Soldofsky (1964), Luoma (1967), Grablowsky and Burns (1980), Proctor and Canada (1992), and Block (1997). Soldofsky (1964) found that around 58 percent of respondents used payback period methods whereas only 4.1 percent employed accounting rate of return technique. Blocks (1997) survey of 232 small businesses in the USA indicated payback method remains the dominant method of investment selection for small businesses, whereas large corporations widely incorporate discounted cash flow models in financial analysis of capital investment proposals (Proctor and Canada, 1992). This is not evidence of a lack of sophistication as much as it is a reflection of financial pressures put on the small business owner by financial institutions. The question to be answered is not always how profitable the project is, but how quickly a loan can be paid back. Nevertheless, more sophisticated methods using discounted cash flow (IRR and NPV) have increased in use over time. Scott et al. (1972) examined the capital investment evaluation procedures of 135 small manufacturing enterprises in the USA and the following are some principal findings: 84% of respondents indicated that some investments were necessary in the short-run, regardless of their profitability. Payback period was used to evaluate capital projects by 51% of respondents, while 30% reported use of some variation of accounting rate of return. Only 10% reported use of discount cash flow methods such as net present value (5%) and internal rate of return (2 percent). This finding is consistent with the Louma (1967), Grablowsky and Burns (1980) findings of a tendency in using simple and complicated methods of capital investment project evaluation. 61% of respondents indicated that they screened capital expenditures by comparing the expected rate of return on investment with the cost of capital or some cost of financing. In summary, the previous findings related to fixed asset management practices reveal that Payback period method continues keeping its dominant position in evaluating capital investment projects of SMEs. 2.3.4 Capital structure management This current subsection reviews capital structure management or financial management practices related to the decisions of sources of financing. It includes examining what factors affect capital structure decisions and how capital structure impact on SME growth and survival. Small companies frequently suffer from a particular financial problem lack of a capital base. Small businesses are usually managed by their owners and available capital is limited to access to equity markets, and in the early stages of their existence owners find it difficult in building up revenue reserves if the owner-managers are to survive. A question concerns how small businesses determine sources of finance in such difficult circumstance. According to Brigham (1995, p. 447), modern capital structure theory began in 1958, Since that point of time, researchers have attempted to explain how firms choose their capital structure. Literature of the 1980s has attempted to explain small firm financing decisions by using modern financial theories. McConnell and Pettit (1984) suggested that small businesses generally have proportionally less debt than large firms because: (1) small firms generally have lower marginal tax rates than larger firms, thereby, less tax deduction benefit of debt, (2) small firms may have higher bankruptcy costs than large firms, and (3) small firms may find it more difficult to express their business health to creditors. Another attempt to explain small firm financing behaviour relied on agency theory. Agency theory holds that investors who have equity or debt in a firm require costs to monitor the investment of their funds by management or the small business owner (agency costs). This view suggests that financing is based on the owner-manager being able to assess these agency costs for each type of financing, and then select the lowest cost method of financing the firms activities. One weakness of this explanation is that no one has yet been able to measure agency costs, even in large firms (Myers, 1984). In contrast, more recent theoretical and empirical work suggests that a strategic perspective may have promise in explaining the financing decisions. Barton and Gordon (1988) suggest that the following characteristics must be accounted for in any explanation of firm financing decisions: behavior at the firm level fact that the capital structure decision is made in an open systems context by top management, and decisions reflects multiple objectives and environmental factors, not all of which are financial in nature The arguments of Barton and Gordon (1988) for the management choice perspective on large-firm financing decisions may have even more relevance and validity for small firms. First of all, because most small firms are not actively traded on a financial market as large, public firms are, they are unconcerned with the financial markets assessment of their capital structure. As a result, modern financial leverage theory, which is based on the markets assessment of total stock valuation, does not always apply. Second, as Levin and Travis (1987) pointed out the owners attitudes toward personal risk not the capital structuring policies public companies use determine what amounts of debt and equity are acceptable. In effect, the authors argue that small firms choose debt based on personal, managerial preference. Conversely, Norton (1991) provided empirical evidence on capital structure selection by conducting a survey of 400 small, high-growth corporations. In his survey, respondents were asked to describe the underlying firm philosophy in making debt and equity decisions. There were 261 respondents answering this question and the results are shown in Table 2.3. Other empirical evidence on capital structure was provided by Peterson and Shulman (1987). Peterson and Shulman (1987) analyzed the empirical data collected for 1984 International Small Business Congress. Approximately 130 questions were asked in 4,000 interviews conducted in 12 countries including Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Kenya, Cameroon, Indonesia, USA, Canada, West Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Japan. The survey questionnaire contains information regarding the source of funds, including traditional debt, internal equity, friends/relatives, and trade suppliers. The actual percentage of each source that a firm employs varies depending on such factors as (1) age of firm, (2) location of the firm, (3) cost of the source, (4) availability of the source, (5) profitability of the firm, (6) growth level of the firm, and (7) information flows. The results of the study show that a life cycle of capital structure among small growing firms depend on age, size, and economic development. Most firms appear to be initially dependent on relatives/friends and personal equity for expansion/working capital needs and over time are able to rely on more heavily on traditional source of bank debt for financial support. Since firm managers/owners will attempt to minimize the overall cost of capital, the firm is seen as having a rising level of debt as it becomes available. This section reviewed the literature of financial management practices of SMEs in the developed countries. Most previous researchers in the literature concentrated on examining, investigating and describing the behavior of SMEs in implementing financial management. Specific areas of financial management practices including accounting information system, financial reporting and analysis, working capital management, fixed asset management and capital structure management, have attracted the attention of many researchers. However, their findings are mainly related to exploring and describing behavior of SMEs in financial management practices. As a result, they provided many descriptive findings but seem to lack the associative findings of the relationship between financial management practices and financial performance of SMEs. 2.4 Research Model Based on the literature, this research chapter was seeking to provide an overview of the findings of financial management practices, financial characteristics and SME growth and survival. Related to financial management practices, most previous researchers from the literature concentrated on examining, investigating and describing the behaviour of SMEs in implementing financial management. The specific areas of financial management practices including financial reporting and analysis, working capital management, fixed asset management and capital structure management have attracted the attention of many researchers. Their findings are mainly related to exploring and describing behaviour of SMEs in financial management practices. Although they provided much descriptive statistical data and empirical evidence on SME financial management practices, it appears that there are some limitations in past research, which need to be addressed. Firstly, most empirical evidence comes from developed economies such as the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. Evidence seems to lack evidence from emerging economies, especially from the transiting economies such as Vietnam and China. Secondly, most researchers in the literature only focus on investigating and describing financial management practices, whereas few examine the impact of financial management practices on SME profitability. It will be difficult to convince financial management practitioners of the importance of financial management until evidence on the impact of financial management practices on SME profitability is provided and the relationship between the two variables are discovered. In addition to financial management practices, the literature also provided the valuable findings related to financial characteristics of SMEs. Four variables including liquidity, financial leverage, activity and profitability are popularly used by previous researchers to identify and measure financial characteristics of SMEs. Based on these findings provided by previous researchers and these gaps, a model of the impact of financial management on SME is developed. Such a model is presented in Figures 2.7. Figure 2.7 describes the detailed model of the impact of financial management practices on SMEs growth and survival in which the components measuring financial management practices such as financial reporting and analysis, working capital management, fixed asset management, capital structure management and financial planning, and components measuring financial characteristics such as liquidity, financial leverage, and business activity are identified.

Spanish Expressions Using Ir

Like its English counterpart to go, the Spanish verb ir can be used with an incredible variety of meanings. The meanings of phrases using ir cant always be determined logically merely by knowing the meanings of the individual words, so they are best learned through actual use or memorization. Using ‘Ir A’ as a Type of Future Tense By far the most common expression using ir is ir a followed by an infinitive. For most purposes, it is the equivalent of the English to go to followed by a verb. Thus voy a estudiar means I am going to study. This use of ir a is extremely common in Spanish, so much so that in some parts of Latin America it is the de facto future tense. It even has a name—the periphrastic future. (Something periphrastic uses more than one word.) Where it is in common use, it all but replaces the standard or conjugated future tense in standard speech. In other words, a sentence such as Vamos a comprar la casa can be translated as either We are going to buy the house or We will buy the house. Other Phrases Using ‘Ir’ Many of the other expressions using ir are formed by following ir with a prepositional phrase. Following are some of the most common. Keep in mind that some of the expressions here can also be translated literally. For example, while ir de has two idiomatic definitions given here, it can also be translated literally. For example: Mi tà ­a va de trabajo a trabajo. (My aunt goes from job to job.) ir a (or, less commonly, ir para) destination: to go to (a place). Fuimos a la playa. (We went to the beach.)Quienes fueron a Espaà ±a? (Who went to Spain?) ir en vehicle: to travel by (type of vehicle). Less commonly, the preposition por can be used instead. Voy en autobà ºs. (I am traveling by bus.)Nos iremos en taxi, porque no quisiera depender de nadie. (Well go away by taxi, because we dont want to depend on anybody.) ir para infinitive: to go to verb, to go in order to verb, to go for the purpose of verb. Vamos para conocer a mis padres. (We are going in order to meet my parents.)Quiero ir para aprender espaà ±ol. (I want to go in order to learn Spanish.) ir para type of job or career: to go to become someone with the stated type of job. Pablo va para mà ©dico. (Pablo is going to become a doctor.)Debe ir para el candidato presidencial. (She should go become a presidential candidate.) ir gerund: to be doing something, usually with the connotation of doing so gradually or laboriously. Voy aprendiendo la leccià ³n. (I am slowly learning the lesson.)Él va construyendo la casa. (He is gradually building the house.) ir tirando: to manage or get by. Vamos tirando por mucha ayuda. (Were getting by with a lot of help.)Ahora con la crisis las cosas està ¡n malas, pero vamos tirando. (Things are bad with the crisis now, but well manage.) ir andando, ir corriendo: to walk, to run. Va andando a la escuela. (He is walking to the school.)Fue corriendo a la escuela. (He ran to the school.) ir de: to be about or be the subject of (when said of a book, movie, speech, etc.) El seà ±or de los anillos va de un hobbit. (The Lord of the Rings is about a hobbit.)Romeo y Julieta va de amor. (Romeo and Juliet is about love.) ir de: to think of oneself as. Roberto va de inteligente. (Roberto thinks hes smart.)Los jovenes de esa escuela siempre van de invencibles. (The teens at that school always think theyre invincible.) ir de, ir con: to be dressed in. Él va con camisa blanca. (He is wearing a white shirt.)Ella va de azul. (She is dressed in blue.) ir de compras: to go shopping. Fuimos de compras. (We went shopping.)Es imprescendible que vaya de compras antes. (It is vital that he has gone shopping earlier.) ir por: to search for, to go in search of, to go for. Vamos por una casa nueva. (Were off in search of a new house.)Mis hijos iban por un regalo para mà ­ y ya no regresaron. (My children went to get a gift for me and still havent come back.)  ¿Cà ³mo indirect object pronoun ir?: How goes it (for you, him, her, etc.)? This concept can be expressed colloquially in many ways.  ¿Cà ³mo te va? (Hows it going?) ¿Cà ³mo le va a à ©l? (Hows it going for him?) irse por las ramas: to beat around the bush, to get sidetracked. El testigo se fue por las ramas. (The witness beat around the bush.)Ella solà ­a siempre irse por las ramas y nunca llegar al grano. (She would always ramble on and never get to the point.)

Minimum Wage in the United States - 1244 Words

Introduction WASHINGTON D.C. President Barack Obama has shouted on Congress to raise the combined minimum wage, the centerpiece proposition at the State of the Coalition address that concentrated on commercial inequality in America. Pointing out that the present minimum of $7.25 is nearly 20% lower in real paying manipulation than it was 25 years ago, he impelled legislators to prop a bill that should hold the nationwide rate to $10.10. We additionally have to do extra to safeguard our economy distinctions the dignity of work and that hard work pays off for all of our citizens. Americans overwhelmingly concur that no one who works maximum period ought to ever have to raise a relation in poverty. Many Americans desire to raise the minimum†¦show more content†¦Iran’s figures are higher than those of Bulgaria and Romania, both EU member states ($2.1 per hour compared to $1.34 and $1.46 respectively), but the lowest, according to the official minimum wage rates of the UN members, is Uganda where workers can legally earn $0.01 hourly. Who came up with minimum wage to the world? First ratified in New Zealand in 1894, there is now legislation or attaching collective bargaining considering minimum wage in extra than 90% of all countries. Minimum wage rates vary considerably across countless disparate jurisdictions, not merely in setting a particular number of money (e.g. US$7.25 each hour below precise states regulation (or $2.13 for operatives who accord tips, recognized as the tipped minimum wage), $9.19 in the U.S. state of Washington (and projected to development to $9.32 in 2014), and  £6.31 (for those aged 21+) in the United Kingdom), but additionally in words of that wage era (e.g. Russia and China set monthly minimums) or the scope of coverage. Some jurisdictions permit employers to count tips given to their operatives as trust towards the minimum wage level. India is one of the early growing states to familiarize minimum wage policy. It is additionally one of the most complex arrangements in conjunction with extra than 1200 minimum wage rates. The Theory and Analyses INCREASED EMPHASIS on job conception in growing statesShow MoreRelatedThe Minimum Wage Of The United States928 Words   |  4 Pagesdissertation is that the federal minimum wage in the United States (US) has been at a stalemate for several years. (Addison et al, 2013) While policy makers are undecided whether to sign a bill into law that will increase the federal minimum wage, the workforce is held in a quandary. The inequality of wages across the country is unbalanced, because some states and various industries are exempt from the minimum wage laws. (Clain, 2012) Due to lack of awareness of the minimum wage laws, the workforce employedRead MoreMinimum Wage At The United States1129 Words   |  5 Pagesintended to raise the current minimum wage floor of $7.25 in the United States stalled in Congress. As the November election approaches, many Democratic senate members are placing the issue of minimum wage at the forefront of their election campaigns, hoping t o sway working-class voters in their favor. The issue of minimum wage has become a matter of politics, politics which far overshadow the far more pertinent concern of minimum wage’s economic effects. Minimum wage is a complex issue, and understandingRead MoreMinimum Wage And The United States1790 Words   |  8 Pagesestablish as the official minimum wage in the United States has been debated and argued over for many years. Due to inflation, the gradual increase of pricings due to a saturation of printed currency, the minimum wage for workers has to be increased in order to compensate for the ever-fluctuating value of the U.S. Dollar. Many today are rising to the conclusion that a minimum wage of fifteen dollars an hour is necessary. This motion is designed to keep those who have minimum wage income out of povertyRead MoreRaising The Minimum Wage Of The United States1309 Words   |  6 PagesRaise the minimum wage: In the United States, studies show that women tend to make up a disproportionate share of low-wage workers. In the field of education, men tends to go more to STEM than women and that also leads to high paying jobs for men. If we raise the minimum wage, this will help hardworking women to support their families. Approximately, women made up two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers in 2012. With the current federal minimum wage i.e. $7.25 per hour, someone working full timeRead MoreMinimum Wage And Its Effect On The United States871 Words   |  4 PagesHouse Bill 230, or the most recent bill introduced in North Carolina to increase minimum wage, was introduced by the House of Representatives on March 12, 2015. After the first version of the Bill was introduced, it was revised once. The bill was introduced because the goal of the state is to provide a minimum wage that allows for a decent and healthy life for its citizens. As the value of the American dollar continues to change, so does the average cost of living. The primary sponsors of the BillRead MoreUnited States Support Minimum Wage1079 Words   |  5 Pagessurvey results on a wide range of topics including minimum wage. Statistics and Demographic In order to begin to understand the argument at hand, one must first be understand who the people are on either side of the wage increase argument and who are the people affected by low wages and possible wage increases. In a research study done by Drew Desliver, in 2015 it was reported that 73 percent of people in the United States support minimum wage increases. This figure represents 90 percent of democratsRead MoreMinimum Wage : The United States Alone Essay1161 Words   |  5 PagesZachary Papadatos Mrs. Stockton English IV 6 November 2015 Minimum Wage In the United States alone, the amount of people in poverty is 14.5%. That equates to 45.3 million people in 2013. In a country like America, one of the world’s superpowers, it’s embarrassing to admit. But the main issue is to fix issues like these with the minimum wage and welfare. The minimum wage applies to workers who got a job whether because they were in school or because they had not gone to college and had noRead MoreMinimum Wage During The United States2290 Words   |  10 PagesMinimum wage in the United States has become an extremely controversial topic in today’s society. The cost of living continues to grow each year but why does the minimum wage stay the same? This is a question that many people are forced to ask themselves each day. Many people who hold low income jobs and can barley afford to survive must rely on government assistants. By raising the minimum wage to an amount that would allow citizens to afford living standards our natio ns economy would benefit greatlyRead MoreThe Effects Of Minimum Wage On The United States1168 Words   |  5 PagesResearch shows if minimum wage was to climb that it would hurt the least skilled and the least experienced people trying to seek a job the most. There are different of opinions people believe in about the positive and negative aspect of minimum wage. Supporters argue that such a boost will shrink poverty without plummeting jobs and that it will boost confidence, increase the normal living, and cut inequality and have businesses to be well-organized. Opponents that are not for minimum wage say it will increaseRead MoreMinimum Wage Of The United States Of America And Australia1031 Words   |  5 Pagesvarious countries see growth in their economy, there has also been significant differences in the wages set to employees in different countries. The lowest wages set by the law that are fixed to a particular amount which is also defined to be the price floor below which wo rkers shall not sell their labor, has its own effects. The minimum wage law came into force as a matter of social justice amongst the low-wage workers, also to reduce exploitation and see that workers can afford the standard basic living

Milton’s Paradise Lost Essay Example For Students

Milton’s Paradise Lost Essay In John Milton’s Paradise Lost the forces of good vs. evil are major factors throughout the epic. From the beginning of the poem, good vs. evil, or more specifically Heaven vs. Hell and God vs. Satan, become Milton’s focal point and the basis of the story. Milton sets up an opposition between his characters. Satan has accomplices such as Moloch and Belial and God has archangels such as Michael and Raphael. Milton, when talking about the differences between Heaven and Hell, makes the theme of Good vs. Evil evident. The views of God and his angels contrast with the views of Satan and his devils. It appears that Heaven is a monarchy whereas Hell is a democracy. The story begins with Satan and 1/3 of all the legions of angels being banished from Heaven and into Chaos, or Hell, which is vividly described as â€Å"a dungeon horrible, on all sides round as one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames no light but rather darkness visible? and a fiery deluge, fed with ever-burning sulphur consumed. (I, 61-69)† Hell is just that, Hell. God exiled Satan and his new followers to suffer eternal torment in the worst possible place imaginable as punishment for attempting to overthrow God and corrupt Heaven. God is not going to allow the fallen angels to make a home for themselves in Hell because he designed it to be a punishment, a dwelling of never-ending pain. Heaven is the complete opposite of Hell. The major difference between Heaven and Hell is that of light and darkness. Hell is always dark and gloomy, whereas Heaven is perpetually light and radiant. Book III is full of light, so Milton invokes its aid as God’s first creation. Milton himself went blind later in his forties which way be why he envisioned Heaven as such magnificently bright place. There are many ways to compare and contrast Heaven and Hell besides what was already mentioned. For one, God and the angels of Heaven look down upon the newly created earth in pride and awe. Satan and his fallen angels of Hell look up in resentment and jealousy. Satan opened the gates of Hell after he passed through to symbolize that anybody could enter to suffer with the other inhabitants. The Gates of Heaven are closed and will stay closed until God’s son is born of man and suffers like man, for us, in order for the gates to be opened so that human souls may join their creator in perpetual light and happiness. Milton stress how both Satan and God have â€Å"right-hand men† to do their wills. Satan has the siblings Sin and Death, who guard the gates of Hell, as well as the fallen angels Moloch, Belial, and Mammon to carry out his acts of hatred and sin. God has his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit at his sides to perform God’s loving will. Besides Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the angels Michael, Raphael, and Uriel carry out his good deeds, which include watching the gates of Heaven as well as watching over God’s new creation, man. The views of Satan and the fallen angels differ completely from the views of God and his angels. In the beginning of Book II, Satan and his followers are bickering amongst themselves over whether or not to mount a comeback against the forces of good. Fallen angels such Moloch advises it proclaiming to open another war, this time â€Å"armed with Hell flames†(II, 61). Others such as Belial dissuade the idea of an attempt to gain control of Heaven. Finally, Satan who here is the voice of reason decides on a third option, to seek out and corrupt this new creation of God’s. Now the natives of Hell have a decision to make, who will take on the task of searching and discovering this new world? Satan himself has to take on the mission due to the fact that cowardice silence fills the air, signifying that not one of his disciples would do it for him. God and the celestial beings in Heaven have different views than the ones of those in Hell. .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .postImageUrl , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:hover , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:visited , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:active { border:0!important; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:active , .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u17c045f3202ed62a0a8c1cae4263235e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Understanding dramatic tragedy EssayFirst off, all is light here as all was darkness in Hell. In Heaven there is a council just as there was in Hell but this council is characterized by harmony and expressions of love. In Hell there was confusion and a difference of opinions among the fallen angels. In Heaven the angels are in perfect balance and understanding with each other. When Satan asked his followers to spy on man for him, not one stepped forward to take responsibility; therefore, Satan had to do it himself. In Heaven when Almighty God asks for someone to die for him on earth so that the gates of Heaven could be opened again, his own son is the first to step up and take responsibility. Book III is based in pure contrast to Books I and II. Beside the issue of light and dark (Books I and II were totally dark in comparison to Book III which was gleaming with light), these books also differ in the aspect of stench and mood. Heaven is described as full of â€Å"ambrosial fragrance (III, 198)† and unlike Satan in Hell, God gives his creation a means of redemption and forgiveness through prayer. At this point in the book we realize that Heaven is a monarchy where Hell is more of a democracy. God now poses the question to his followers of who is willing to suffer and die a human in order to reopen the gates of Heaven, allowing humans who have atoned for their sins to pass through and join their creator in eternal rest and peace. Immediately God’s only son, Jesus steps forward and volunteers because he would be happy to do anything for his father. There is great rejoicing at this point, with light so radiant that even the angels have to shade their eyes with their wings when they see it (III, 382). In Heaven there is no debate or over-rulings. Milton clearly presents Heaven as a monarchy due to the fact that God’s word is law and final. God asked a question and immediately his own Son volunteered to do it. In the scene in Hell when Satan asks who will perform a task for him, the fallen angels fall silent, hoping someone else besides himself would answer. In Heaven, every soul would say yes because they love and have faith in God. The angels are aware that as long as they are in God’s hands, no harm can be done to them and they have no worries. In Hell, Satan brought up the question whether or not the fallen angels should mount a comeback. After many quarrels and different opinions, Satan came to his conclusion. Here Milton displays Satan’s indecisiveness as well as the disorder and mayhem of Hell. This is how Milton presents Hell as a democracy. In conclusion, Milton accomplished exactly what he was trying to when he wrote this epic. This work is an excellent example of not only the contrasts but also the comparisons between Heaven and Hell, their rulers God and Satan, and the ideas each possess.

Mexican Politics, Culture and Drug Wars

Table of Contents Introduction Politics Culture Drug wars Conclusion References Introduction Mexico is a democratic country, whose democracy arose from the elections conducted in 2000, which brought about sharing of power in the government and a more transparent nation. Proliferation and forwarding of agendas by strong grassroots organizations to the forefront of political interests has rubbed the authorities the wrong way.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Mexican Politics, Culture and Drug Wars specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The democracy change increased the labor unions in the country. However, majority of these labor unions are co-opted by the government although the independent ones have become vigorous in protests. Despite the welcoming news of a democratic state and transparent elections, more still needs to be done to straighten up the moral, political and social decay that have engulf the c ountry. Corruption in institutions, weak judicial system, drug wars and the disparity between the rich and the poor are just but a few of the complex problems that are facing Mexico, and whose solutions are yet to be found. Moreover, social movements have arisen from strident voices that test the government’s commitment to change (Foster, 2010, p 241,242) Foster suggested that political assassinations, uprisings, and high levels of corruptions are some of the factors that siphoned the country’s energy despite the country pushing for democracy (Foster, 2010, p 223). Politics The 10-year civil war of Mexico that lasted from 1910 to 1920 is believed to be the key that opened up the doors to the new constitution of 1917. It is approximated that more than 2 million people died because of the war. New political structures were created and the birth of mestizo nation was delivered. The revolution that started at that time destroyed feudalism as labor unions were created, and in addition to this, the revolution gave the people a sense of belonging and pride for their own culture which was referred to as mexicandad (Foster, 2010, p 161) In the 1980s, the Mexican economy was contracting by 6% annually due to international debts. Upon negotiations, the Mexican government committed 53% o its federal budget to the repayment of the debt. This meant no economic growth was to be expected in Mexico in the following decades. The fallouts both politically and socially were enormous; indeed, this period is stated to be the most demoralizing period in Mexican history as majority of Mexicans suffered due to increase to food prices (Foster, 2010, p 215)Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The PRI party had been the ruling party and in 1988, it faced its first challenge politically from Carlos Salinas de Gortari. The country during that time was facing recession and the IMF due to repayments of debts undertook its fortunes. Support for the PRI party decreased from populist groups as clamor for democracy went a notch higher and criticisms mounted by the public on PRI took toll when one key member o//74f the party abandons the party. PRI party later won the presidency amid calls of rigging (Foster, 2010, p 223-224). The first president who was not a member of PRI was elected in July 2, 2000 in an election that was termed as a transparent and democratic. The PRI members cried foul as they fought amongst themselves. The results were declared as Mexico’s victory as they ushered in democracy in Mexico. Although the PRI party had been defeated, it was thanks to the combined efforts of the opposition parties (Foster, 2010, p 242) The politics of Mexico however have been clouded by corruption brought about by the drug cartels. Raul Salinas, the brother to the former president of Mexico is said to have been arrested because of his participation i n the covering up of Ruiz Massieu’s murder. His access to his brother made many to believe that the president was involved in one way or the other. This just indicated how far the levels of corruption could spread within the Mexican politics (Kirkwood, 2010, p 202) Culture The aesthetic realm and the culture in politics are the two cultural complexes that attract foreigners to Mexico. The philosophers and the intellectuals of the nineteenth century were obsessed with the fascinating combination of barbarism and civilization (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p1). According to Joseph and Henderson, the murals painted on walls of public ministries and the evocative woodcuts of Posada, were all a powerful appeal to tourists (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p2). Mexico being an extraordinary and unique country has the potential of shedding light on major problems facing it as a developing country once its culture, history, and politics have been examined (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p4). The Spania rd are said to have introduced new races in Mexico in the course of their colonization. An example of these races was the usage of the Blacks and the Indians to create a race. This mixture of races contradicted the ultimate goals of history of attaining cultures and fusion of people. Joseph and Henderson continue to state that by constructing an English world and doing away with the Indians to have a Northern Europe filled with Whites is one way of combating race (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p17). Religious cultures and cults are also part of the Mexican way of living. It stated that any Mexican Catholic is focused on the cult of the virgin of Guadalupe. The symbolic meaning this conquest of the two gods meant indicated to the faithful that they should return to their ancient feminine deities (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p24, 25).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Mexican Politics, Culture and Drug Wars specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Westernization of the Indians was termed as contradictory. This is because a clear line had to be drawn between the colonized and the colonizers. The colonial domination would have ceased to be if the Indians were to be fully incorporated into westernization; indeed, difference and segregation are termed as the basics of colonization. In the nineteenth century, the birth of an independent Mexico state was directed along the path of civilization. Moreover, the independent nation was culturally homogenous when it was conceived (Henderson, Joseph, 2002, p30). At the end of the Revolution, the new political leaders sought ways of unifying the various ethnic groups of Mexico into a national project. In Mexico, ethnicity is basically defined by the culture and not biological; by use of linguistic it has been found that there is approximately 60 different Indian ethnic groups in Mexico thus making their incorporation difficult (Buffington, Pasztor, Coerver, 2004, p17). Drug wars Drug trafficking has been a hot topic in Mexico both domestically and internationally. Although the drug trafficking was a problem in the twentieth century, it escalated even more in the twenty-first century. It is stated that as early as the 1920s, some Mexican workers located southwest in U.S. were associated with the use of marijuana. In addition to this, Mexico produced heroin and was shipment point for other drugs. U.S. drug agents were said to be operating in Mexico informally from as early as 1940s, while growing demand of drugs in the U.S. escalated the drug trafficking in1960s thus causing a concern to Mexico both internationally and domestically. In the long run, the drug trafficking complicated issues like trade and immigration. The â€Å"operation intercept† that was a detail inspection conducted by the U.S. officials on vehicles crossing the international boundary resulted into chaos thus forcing the Mexican government to resolve to a permanent wa r on drugs. Despite efforts put in place by both the U.S and Mexican governments, the drug trade thrived in the 1980s (Buffington, Pasztor, Coerver, 2004, p145). Increase in consumption of drugs in Mexico and drug related corruption in the law enforcement and political scenes led the country in the verge of being branded a â€Å"narco state.† The drug trade took a completely new level with the death of cardinal Ocampo in1993, who had condemned the drug trade and the assassination of Colosio, the presidency candidate of the official party, in1994.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Involvement of key political persons in drug trafficking was evident in the investigation of Raul Salinas: the older brother of the former president of Mexico Carlos Salina. The investigation upon conclusion in 1998 indicated that part of the money owed by Raul was associated with drug pay-offs (Buffington, Pasztor, Coerver, 2004, p146, 147) Military involvement in curbing the drug trafficking has not yield much success as incidents of bribe taking are evident. Optimistic officials both in the U.S. and in Mexico concur that the war on drugs is far from being won. This is due to the shifting of bases and routes by the drug cartels resulting from pressure from the authorities. One thing that is clear is that drug trafficking will continue to be a menace even in the twenty-first century (Buffington, Pasztor, Coerver, 2004, p 147) Kirkwood indicates that violence in the state of Durango has escalated and murder has increased, with 235 murders reported between January and May the year 20 09. The fighting between the various drug cartels caused these murders and violence. However, the alarming issue is that the federals that are entitled with the responsibility of curbing this menace are having a life span of six months before they are corrupted by the drug cartels. The level of corruption is evident from the arrests conducted in May 2009 of 27 government officials, a police chief, 10 mayors, a judge, and a former police chief. Power, influence, and resources are some of the factors that drug cartels have over authorities, which is evident from the escapes that have been propagated by the drug cartels. The astonishing issue is that the drug trade has penetrated the Catholic Church with allegations of donations offered to the church by the drug lords. Indeed, legalizing of some drugs e.g. marijuana is been considered in order to curb drug trafficking (Kirkwood, 2010, p 217, 218) During the presidency of Fox, efforts of addressing the escalating drug production were st epped up and the number of arrests associated with drugs escalated. It is approximated that about 50,000 arrests were conducted as the authorities also destroyed marijuana fields in a bid to curb the drug trade. However, the government also faced embarrassing moments with the news of the drug cartels leaders escaping from jail. In response to the government’s measures of curbing the drug, trade the drug cartels mounted escalating violence throughout the country. In the year 2008, 6,300 people were said to have been murdered by drug related violence. In Ciudad, the situation has been termed as bloody as a record of 1,600 people was murdered in this city alone in the year 2008. In the year 2009, the violence had escalated as 2,300 Mexicans had been murdered as of May (Kirkwood, 2010, p 216) On assuming office in 2006, president Calderon aggressively responded towards the drug struggle, with about 45,000 troops being employed to deal with this menace. In the bloody Ciudad, 8,000 troops were deployed to tackle the city’s drug trade. The policies of the Calderon government in fighting the drug trade earned him assistance from the then Bush government that offered $1.4 billion to aid in efforts of combating drug trade (Kirkwood, 2010, p 216) Conclusion At the commencement of the second decade of the 21 century, the Mexican government faces numerous issues from all fronts. The main attention has been on combating the drug trafficking issue. Critics suggest that government attempts have failed in eradicating the drug war. In political scene, Mexico is striving to create a transparent democratic process since the obstacles surrounding the 1988 elections. Forward strides for a democratic process were marked in the 2000 presidential elections as it was marked as a political transition. The 2006 elections appeals by Lopez Obrador were indications of the long journey a head before Mexico can become fully democratic. The 2000 presidential elections saw a candi date not from the PRI party win, mainly because of collective support from the opposition to oust the PRI from power. The elections were termed as transparent and democratic thus bringing a new dimension to the Mexican politics. The indigenous cultural values of the communities in Mexico have been transformed by westernization culture to modern values. However, some of the cultural values like art have been maintained despite the change to modern cultural values. In addition to this, religious cultures e.g. the cult of the virgin of Guadalupe are still significant to the modern Mexico. It is suggested that some of the tourist attractions to Mexico are the murals painted on the walls of public ministries. Politics and social decays like drug trafficking are two different entities that should be separated for the common good of Mexico. In addition to this, the penetration of the drug money to the Catholic Church is a situation that is not helping but instead justifying the existence o f drug trafficking. However, tackling the drug menace will mean better future in the politics and economy of Mexico that has been engulfed by the drug trafficking situation. The culture of moral decay that had been brought about by the drug menace will also cease to exist, thus liberating Mexico. References Coerver, M. D., Pasztor, B.S, and Buffington, R. (2004). Mexico: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Culture and History. Web. Foster, V. L. (2010). A Brief History of Mexico. Web. Joseph. M. G, and Henderson, J. T. (2002). The Mexico reader: History, Culture, Politics. Web. Kirkwood, B. (2010). The History of Mexico. Web. This research paper on Mexican Politics, Culture and Drug Wars was written and submitted by user Nextwave to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Turning Point †English Personal Essay

The Turning Point – English Personal Essay Free Online Research Papers The Turning Point English Personal Essay Once upon a time, my life changed forever. A person, who suddenly came into my life, changed it. This meeting was like a revolution that happened in Russia in last century. At that point in time, that revolution completely destroyed the old lifestyle and created a new one. Old valuable lost their meaning, and values appeared. So, the person, who changed my life, is a beautiful girl, who became my wife, and an event, that changed my life, is my marriage. Irina, it’s my wife’s name, and I met each other a few years ago. From the every beginning our relationship wasn’t an easy one. In spite of the fact that we spoke the same language, we couldn’t communicate with each other. It was because we lived in different countries. I lived in Russia, and Irina lived in the U.S. This fact influenced the frequency of our meetings. We could have meetings only once or twice per year. Even those meetings were being organized with many difficulties because we needed entry visas. It was hard to get those visas, but it was much hard to not see each other. I had a girl friend that lived in another country. There were a few tousand miles between us. For every quarter of a mile we had an ocean between us. We lived in different time zones. When I was going to work in Russia, my girl friend was sleeping in the U.S. When my girl friend woke up, I had to go to bed because in Russia the night had already begun. It seemed to me that nature was saying, â€Å"You two must break up!† But Irina never gave up even in her thoughts. She was always full of optimism and energy. I got a part of her energy inside me. In Russia people often say that problems only give rise to solutions and make you stronger. It happened in our case, too. We found a good way to communicate. It was the Internet. I checked my e-mail every free minute. We spend in the Internet all day and night long. It gave a power to us. Finally, we won. We got married. We got married, but we still lived in different countries. Irina lived and worked in the U.S, and I lived and work in Russia. In that time, I was also trying to get my Ph. D. in science. Neither of us wanted to leave his/her country. After a lot of speculations, I made up my mind. I decided that I could leave my work, my school, my friends and my country. Why did I decide to do it? I did it because I love my wife. She is a part of my life. She is a part of me. She is a part of my brain. She is a part of my heart. She is a part of my soul. I am able to live without my work, without my friends, without my country. Of course, I miss it, but I still can live without it. On the other hand, I can’t live without my wife. So, it was my decision, and I have never regretted it. The story of my life has thought me of many things. Now I know that our planet is not so big as it seems. Now I know that borders between countries are just conventionality. Now, I know how to choose among real and imaginary values. I know how strong feelings can be. I know for what I’m living. I learnt all that from my wife. Thank you, Irina, and I love you! Research Papers on The Turning Point - English Personal Essay19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenQuebec and CanadaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Honest Iagos Truth through Deception

Comparison of Three Books about Vietnam War Essay

Comparison of Three Books about Vietnam War - Essay Example While different authors appreciate the occurrences during the war, they portray the war and the US interference in different ways. This paper will examine three such books, comparing the description of the Vietnam War in all the books. The Vietnam War was a memorable event in the history of the US. A People's History of the United States In the book, A People’s History of the United States, Zinn presents the history of the Vietnam War in a simplistic manner that common people can appreciate. Zinn provides this history through the eyes of the common folk instead of the economic and political elite. For instance, he focuses on the US citizens’ resistance to the Vietnam War, as well as the people of North Vietnam who though deemed insignificant, were able to defeat the US-backed South. Zinn terms the US involvement in the Vietnam War as a mission in futility. He exemplifies that regardless of its military and technology superiority, the US was unable to defeat Northern Vie tnamese whose main weapon was human strength and tactical thinking capacity. According to Zinn, US victory in Vietnam was impossible because North Vietnamese dejected colonial imperialism after Japan’s failed attempt to capture Indochina. He argues that the US was fighting a war it could not win. This is because the people of Vietnam favored the government led by Ho Chi Minh and were against Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime. This allowed the people of Vietnam to maintain high morale throughout the war. On the other hand, morale among US military fighters in Vietnam was quite low because most of the American soldiers revolted against the atrocities they inflicted, like the My Lai massacre. Zinn describes the Vietnam War as a war between â€Å"the wealthiest and most powerful nation in global history† and â€Å"a nationalist, revolutionary movement in a peasant nation†. This description paints the picture of a fight akin to a cat and mouse fight where the insignifica nt revolutionary people fought against a mighty nation such as the US. Normally, one would expect that the stronger party in the fight wins, but in the Vietnam War, Zinn asserts that it is the small, insignificant humans who won against the technology of the US. In addition, Zinn speaks of the impact the US citizens had on the culmination of the Vietnam War. Zinn talks of the impact of the US movement against the Vietnam War as having, â€Å"played a critical part in bringing the war to an end†. Nonetheless, Zinn attempts to dispel the common belief that US opposition to the Vietnam War was amongst college students and intellectuals from the middle class. He uses statistics from the war period to show evidence that considerable opposition also came from the US working class. For instance, poet Robert Lowell refused to attend a luncheon at the White House, while singer Eartha Kitt spoke out against the war in the presence of the first lady. Zinn maintains the stance that it is the common people that brought change in Vietnam. The assertion â€Å"the revolutionists fought against the Japanese† and defeated the superior nation speaks of the impact of Vietnamese on the going on within their country. Zinn’s description of the war also holds that the troops also opposed the war, citing refusals and desertions to progress to war, as well as movements like Vietnam Veterans Against the War, which subsequently covered US invasions

Strategic Management of DL Limited Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Strategic Management of DL Limited - Assignment Example The researcher states that the term ‘strategy’ is defined as the plan or the action of the organisations designed to achieve the vission of an organisation. It is performed with the help of all available organisational resources at efficient and effective manner so as to attain the objectives of the organisation. Strategies are developed or planned in order to enhance the strength of an organisation thereby reducing the potencies of the competiting firms. Thus, strategies might be of varied types such as corporate, businessunit and operational approaches among others. Strategy facilitates in augmentation of the sustianability and corporate image of an organisation in the long run among other competitors. Therefore, proper examination, selection and execution of a strategy are basic constitents of strategic management. Strategic management is odten referred as a term that deals with projected and evolving initiatives taken to augment the performance of ï ¬ rms in the ma rkets. It involves identification of the organisation's mission, vision and goals, policies and plans, intended to accomplish the future objectives thereby utilising the avalilable resources in an efficient manner. Strategic management is a continuous procedure of developement of strategies and policies that facilitates to compete with the existing rivals in the market thereby ensuring the market share and the brand distinctiveness among others in the market. ... This is a report highlighting the preparation of a strategic plan for ‘DL Limited’, thereby utilising varied ideas and knoweledges of strategic management so as to make the plan more proficient and effective. Discussion Strategic management refers a collection of decisions and operations which is accepted so as to improve the performance of an organisation.. The strategies are formulated after taking a descriptive knowledge and understanding about the environmental conditions of the market. This can be attained after conducting a SWOT analysis so as to acquire a detailed idea about the strengths and weaknesses thereby maximising the opportunities and minimising the threaths. Thus, strategic management includes planning for both present and future prospects of an organisation. Strategic management includes strategic analysis, planning and implementation so as to enhance the profitability and the marketshare among others. This can be possible only through proper decision m aking process and proper analysis of the market along with the rival competitors’ approaches and product lines so as to ensure positive future prospects for the organisation (Wells, n.d.). In this era of globalisation and industrialisation, it is essential to implement strategic planning process in order to enhance the business and its market identity among other competiting brands. Strategic planning is referred to as an organisation's procedure of defining its policies, or trends necessary for decision making so as to utilise its resources to attain the future strategies. In order to determine the future courses of an organisation, it is essential to realise the existing position and financial condition which would facilitate the

The Fashion Industry of Lebanon, SWOT Assignment

The Fashion Industry of Lebanon, SWOT - Assignment Example This paper will examine the strategies incorporated into fashion and will analyze the strengths and weaknesses that are a part of the culture. The fashion industry is one that is continuing to grow in various regions, specifically because of the growth and changes in the economy. Currently, the movement into global capitalism and the focus that is incorporated into different industries is the central focus. The fashion industry began to change with the industrial revolution, specifically because it allowed for mass production and exploitation at an international level. Industry leaders in fashion are known to have two components. The first is based on global trends that are reaching different regions. The second is from ethnically diverse types of clothing, all of which help with a combination of trends and fashion forward thinking that is based on regional concepts. This is further combined with different regions that combine industrial materials that are available as resources with the fashion that is available (Chandler, 303, 2004). The several changes that are a part of the fashion industry at large have also affected t he fashion industry structure in Lebanon and the different concepts that apply to this. The Lebanon fashion industry has over 92 companies that produce different levels of fashion. The fashion is divided first by accessories, design, footwear and overall fashion. This is further divided by the expected industry that is based on global expectations, specifically which combines the economic scale of fashion with the production. Haute couture is the most expensive. This is followed by luxury items for those who still require high quality but want a lower price. Affordable luxury is the next target market followed by  mainstream brands and discount brands. The most fashion-forward area is in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.  There are over 5,000 artisans working in this area as well as a Beirut Art Center, which includes exhibition spaces for artists.   Schools specifically designed for the visual arts are also a part of the culture.  Ã‚  

Terry Kay’s To Dance With The White Dog Essay -- Dance With The White

Questionable Existence in Terry Kay’s To Dance With The White Dog In Terry Kay’s novel, To Dance With The White Dog, the main character Sam Peek befriends a snow white dog. The dog, affectionately called White Dog by Sam, helps to save Sam’s life many times. She is spoken of throughout the book by Sam’s children as well as by Sam in his journal entries. The main question throughout the book asks if White Dog is in fact real or is she just an illusion? There are strong facts all through the book that support White Dog’s realistic nature. Many facts throughout the duration of this book support the theory of White Dog’s existence. At the beginning of the book no one but Sam can see White Dog; however, as the book continues â€Å"his children and his grandchildren began to see White Dog, but always at a distance† (Kay 90). If White Dog had not been there when Sam passed out, he could have died in his own vomit. This is the point when the children first see White Dog. Another fact that supports this theory is the food that White Dog consumes throughout the book. B...

The launch of the BIC

The launch of the BIC women underwear is the best example that it was not. The brand products are known as disposables and have a similar way to distribute and use the same outlets. The new line on disposable underwear had no link with the other products BIC was operating with. There was no link connecting underwear and pens or lighters. So in order to introduce such a different product a huge campaign should had been introduce. This campaign showing more than one product the underwear to show the new line or products the company is going to introduce.The marketing for the underwear was very poor instead and the underwear buyers did not want them at all. BIC was not flexible enough in order to enter a new unrelated product category. The difficulty existing to connect two different categories of products with the same name was not argued by BIC. The powerful existing brand perception for one style of products it is almost impossible to change. The brands name can have a lot of power w here they have credentials.If you take the name of the brand out of these credentials it loses its power. BIC tried to find a new product to sell so desperate that they did not think how to introduce it in the market. The BIC underwear also requires a new distribution channel and ifferent technology in its production. The main BIC products use different materials such as plastic and metal. The BIC underwear needed a new production material. All these made the BIC underwear fail and disappear really fast.I would have done a different campaign to launch this product. First by using the many sources of communication that BIC has. Place in every sell cage of BIC pens and lighters a pre-launch awareness. Market the people that already know the brand and create a perception of a change in the brand. With this source of marketing you could ntroduce them to social media of BIC offering incentives. With this you will have feedback before launching. The underwear must have quality and BIC mai n products do not fulfill this perception.Let the customer tell you what they will like in the underwear's. Place yourself in the street and introduce the product, get feedback and advertise it at the same time. In order to launch the new product place the product and focus in a particular sector. Quality, price and easy to buy must be the main features of this product to get the customer satisfaction. Find the way to distribute the product and promote it. This product cannot be sold in the same distribution channel of the other products BIC has.The women underwear is a product that you want to place in the right stores, the stores where women buy their underwear. In the stores big promotions and easy perception must be place. For the underwear with the other brands. With this BIC underwear will focus in the ages between 14-26 year old women. This age group is more open to changes and convenience. Also a change in the brand logo for this product must be done. With this brand awarene ss exists but also a differentiation from the main products of BIC.

The Pyramid of the Magician - Maya Site of Uxmal Mexico

The Pyramid of the Magician, also known as the House of the Dwarf (Casa del Adivino, or Casa del Enano), is one of the most famous Maya monuments of Uxmal, an archaeological site in the Puuc region of Yucatan, in the northern Maya Lowland of Mexico. History Of the Pyramid Of the Magician Its name comes from a Maya tale of the 19th century, titled the Leyenda del Enano de Uxmal (The Legend of the Uxmal’s Dwarf). According to this legend, a dwarf constructed the pyramid in one night, helped by his mother, a witch. This building is one of the most impressive of Uxmal, measuring about 115 feet in height. It was constructed  over the Late and Terminal Classic periods, between AD 600 and 1000,  and five constructive phases have been detected. The one visible today is the latest one, built around AD 900-1000. The pyramid, over which the actual temple stands, has a peculiar elliptical form.  Two staircases lead to the top of the pyramid. The Eastern staircase, the wider, has a small temple along the way that cut the stairway in half. The second access stair, the Western, faces the Nunnery Quadrangle and is decorated with friezes of the rain god Chaac. The Pyramid of the Magician is the first building a visitor encounters entering the ceremonial area of Uxmal, just north of the Ball Game Court and the Palace of the Governor and east of the Nunnery Quadrangle. Several phases of the temple constructed on top of the pyramid are visible while ascending the pyramid from the base to the top. Five construction phases have been detected (Temple I, II, III, IV, V). The facades of the different phases  were decorated with stone masks of the rain god Chaac, typical of the Puuc architectural style of the region. Sources Mc Killop, Heather, 2004, The Ancient Maya. New Perspectives. ABC-CLIO. Santa Barbara, CaliforniaAA.VV. 2006, Los Mayas. Rutas Arqueologicas: Yucatan y Quintana Roo. Edicià ³n Especial de Arqueologia Mexicana, num. 21 (www.arqueomex.com)