Saturday, August 31, 2019

Urdu †The Origin and History of the Language Essay

The term Urdu derives from a Turkish word ordu meaning camp or army. The Urdu languagedeveloped between the Muslim soldiers of the Mughals armies who belonged to various ethnicities like Turks, Arabs, Persians, Pathans, Balochis, Rajputs, Jats and Afghans. These soldiers lived in close contact with each other and communicated in different dialects, which slowly and gradually evolved into present day Urdu. It is for this reason that Urdu is also referred to as Lashkari Zaban or language of the army. During its development Urdu language also assumed various names like the term Urdu-e-Maullah meaning the exalted army which was given by Emperor Shah Jahan and the term Rekhta meaning scattered (with Persian words) which was coined by the scholars for Urdu poetry. History and Evolution of Urdu Language Evolution and development of any language is dependent on the evolution and development of a society where that language is spoken. Various invasions and conquests on a place affect the development of its language. Urdu is no exception as it also underwent various stages of development. Urdu belongs to the Indo-Aryan family of languages. Urdu by origin is considered to be a descendent of Saur Senic Prakrit. The term Prakrriti means root or basis. It is a later version of Sanskrit. As Prakrit language began to develop, it was influenced by Western Hindi dialects of Khari Boli, Brij Bhasa and Haryanvi. With the coming of Insha’s Darya-e-Latafat*, a need was felt to differentiate Urdu with other languages especially Hindi. It became a Hindi-Urdu controversy and as a result Khari Boli and Devanagari became the identity of Indians while Urdu and Persian of Muslims. In this context, Persian and Arabic words replaced with Sanskrit served the purpose of differentiating Hindi from Urdu . Urdu emerged as a distinct language after 1193 AD – the time of the Muslims conquest. When the Muslims conquered this part of the continent, they made Persian the official and cultural language of India. As a result of the amalgamation of local dialects and the language of the invaders – which was either Persian, Arabic and Turkish, a new language evolved which later became Urdu. During the Mughals reign, Urdu was  spoken in palaces and court and till the end of the Mughal rule; Urdu was the official language of most of Mughal states. This was the time when Urdu had become Persianized and enriched with Persian words, phrases and even script and grammar. With the coming of the British, new English words also became part of the Urdu language. Many English words were accepted in their real form while others were accepted after some modifications. Currently, Urdu vocabulary contains approximately 70% of Persian words and the rest are a mixture of Arabic and Turkish words. However, there are also traces of the French, Portuguese and Dutch language in Urdu. But these influences are little. Urdu was taken to other parts of the country by soldiers, saints and sufis and by the common people. As a result of the political, social and cultural contacts amongst the people of different speech and dialects, a mixed form of language formed called ‘Rekhta’ (Urdu and Persian in mixed form). Soon people started to use the new language in their speech and in literature which resulted in the enrichment of Urdu language and literature. Urdu Literature The origin of Urdu literature dates back to the 13th century in India during the Mughal rule. One of the most eminent earliest poets who made usage of Urdu in his poetry is Amir Khusro who can be called the father of Urdu language. In literature, Urdu was usually used along side Persian. Mughal kings were the great patrons of art and literature and it was under their rule that Urdu language reached its zenith. There used to be a tradition of ‘Sheri Mehfils’ (poetic gatherings) in the kings’ courts. Abul Fazal Faizi and Abdul Rahim Khankhana were the famous Urdu poets of Mughal court. Likewise, Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, Hakim Momin, Ibrahim Zauq, Mir Taqi Mir, Sauda, Ibn-e-Insha and Faiz Ahmed Faiz have contributed to the evolution of Urdu language through their literary works. It is indeed true that Hindi and Urdu are descendents of the same language i.e. Prakrit, but where the Hindi took influence from Sanskrit and adopted Devanagri script of writing, Urdu absorbed words from Persian, Turkish and Arabic languages and adopted Persian-Arabic script and Nastaliq calligraphic style of writing and emerged as a separate language. But beside common ancestry, the two languages are as different as can be. There are marked grammatical, phonological and lexical differences in both languages. Urdu was also used  as a tool by the Muslims for freedom struggle and for creating awareness among Muslim communities in South Asia to unite under the banner of Independence from British Raj. For this, services of Maulana Hali, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Allama Iqbal are notable, who through their poetry and prose provoked the necessary spark in the lives of the Muslims. Urdu was chosen to become the national language of Pakistan at the time of Independence from British. Urdu is now the national language of Pakistan, spoken and understood thoroughly by majority of the population Urdu Poetry and Its Impact Anything written in any language has its own effects on its readers. And it influences their emotions and feelings. Urdu is the most progressive language and it has dramatic effects on the social, culture and literature of the generations. The most important role ofUrdu language is that it integrated the communities in the oriental societies. The defeaters and conquerors of the countries India ,Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries has accepted the social ,cultural effects of their language. These conquerors were spoken Arabic and Persian. And these regions were speaking many different languages. To interact with each other they needed one common language. .this interaction developed a common communicative language called Urdu Basic source to spread Urdu language is poetry. Poetry played a very important role for establishment of the language As T.S. Eliot says, â€Å"Poetry should help, not only to refine the language of the time, but to prevent it from changing too rapidly.† Sixteenth to till nineteenth century has the masters of Urdu poetry .it is the golden time period for theUrdu poets. The poets of these days are following the grand masters. The noticeable effects of poetry are in the â€Å"Gazal† it also has romantic effects. People of different languages like to listen and read â€Å"Gazal†. Our history has the masters of the â€Å"Gazal†. The most popular names of the Gazal master are Mirza Galib, Mir Taqui Mir, Etc. nazam (poem) is also a form of poetry. Nazam (poem) depicts a continuous single theme ad mostly associated with philosophy. Nazam has marvelous social and political effects Nazam has changed the social and political structure of nations. The most  popular nazam writers are Allama Muhammad Iqbal and josh. Both nazam and Gazal played a tremendous role to transform the thoughts of individuals and groups alike. In the history of Urdu literature Josh Mallihabadi was the grand poet who’s contribution is remarkable in the Urdu literature. Other forms of Urdu poetry are also contributed but for the short time period. The mixture of Arabic and Persian gave the richness to Urdu but with the concept of modernization and popularity of west culture in the East Urdu language in distorting

Friday, August 30, 2019

Compare and contrast the characters Curley’s Wife from ‘Of Mice and Men’ and Mally from ‘Malachi’s Cove’ Essay

There are lots of contrasts and comparisons between Curley’s Wife from ‘Of Mice and Men’ and Mally from ‘Malachi’s Cove’. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in California about 1930s, when the great depression hit the world whereas ‘Malachi’s Cove’ is set in Victorian England. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ Curley’s Wife is described as a â€Å"tramp†, â€Å"bitch†, â€Å"Jail-bait† and a â€Å"rat-trap†. This suggests to the reader that she may have had a bad past or because of her playful personality, whilst Mally is described as a well respected person, the â€Å"people spoke well of Mally because she was so good to her grandfather†. This possibly suggests to the reader that Mally is well known for her very noble personality. Steinbeck and Trollope both use language that shows the characters true personality in this case Curley’s Wife and Mally. Curley’s wife is described as a â€Å"tramp† which could relate to her attitude to prove a point. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck doesn’t give Curley’s Wife a name, this may suggest to the reader that she is not important to the storyline, but you could also argue that Steinbeck left Curley’s Wife without a name because, he wanted to emphise on Curley’s Wife, and to warn the other men, on the ranch to stay away because, she is married to Curley, the bosses son. Alternatively Mally does not have a name in the novel this may suggest that Mally is one of the more important characters in the novel ‘Malachi’s Cove’ In the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck describes Curley’s Wife as â€Å"heavily made up†¦she had full rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes and her hair rolled up in little clusters† whilst Trollope describes Mally as â€Å"Wild-looking, almost unearthly creature with wild-flowing black uncombed hair†. This suggests to the reader that Mally never â€Å"exercises any of those feminine attractions† whereas Curley’s Wife made the effort to dress up even though the clothes she wears might not be suitable for working on the ranch. Curley’s Wife is described ad â€Å"heavily made up† this may be because she is insecure with herself, whereas Mally is described as having a lot of confidence because she doesn’t care what people think about her appearance.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Imagery in Prose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imagery in Prose - Essay Example He wasn’t a rock star in a traditional meaning either (well, everybody knows those adored handsome guys following the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll motto); he didn’t earn a fortune of money and never grew vain. His fans found something disarming about his kind and easy-going manners, and everyone would sense something so familiar in his songs. He didn’t want to be famous worldwide and wasn’t obsessed with fame, he knew that it was a delusive thing. Now, hurrying to meet his fans (who were certainly the best fans in the world, he thought) at a charity concert, he thought about the legacy he wanted to leave: not because he was going to die, not at all. It was in his nature, this desire to be useful to the society, and he had so many plans and so many purposes. Miles wanted to communicate his message to people. â€Å"The legacy and the message,† he thought. â€Å"That’s what makes artists live forever in the minds of people. But is it enough? Is it enough to write a couple of mediocre songs? Guys like me are not starry enough to get themselves listened to.† If he shared these thoughts with his wife, she would surely say that he was too modest and underestimated his significance. Well, he did. The cellphone rang – it was Steve, the concert manager (he always communicated with all the staff himself). Miles picked up the call with his right hand, holding the driving wheel with the left one. The car lost traction on the icy turn and ran against the truck. The collision set the Range Rover afire. Everything was blurred in his eyes, and the last thing he saw before he fell into darkness was the strange fiery bird of red and gold hovering above him. Miles found himself standing near the cathedral of his hometown amidst the overwhelming crowd of grieving people dressed in black. The weather was lousy, cold rain falling from the leaden clouds; however,

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth Essay - 1

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth mentor in a formal setting Evaluate with reference to two examples - Essay Example Take for example, a reformed gangster, who managed to leave such kind of life, and pursue a normal and honest lifestyle (Mullen and Lang, 2005, p. 33). One of the characteristics of a mentor is an individual whom people admire, and want to identify themselves with (Epstein, Maw, Elwood and Hey, 2009). Mullen and Lang (2005) explain that a mentor should be a person who has good virtues and morals. Through this requirement, Mullen and Lang (2005) believe that not everybody can become a mentor. They have to pass the morality test. This process of mentorship has existed since time immemorial i.e. during the time of the Ancient Greeks (Ball, 2006). For example, a well-known Greek philosopher, Plato, was a mentor to Aristotle, who also emerged as an important Greek philosopher (Gosnell, 2007, p. 27). By looking at the relationship between Aristotle and Plato, it is possible to understand that a mentee would always seek to learn from the mentor and their relationship is informal (Cheng, Payne and Witherspoon, 1995). This is because Aristotle never taught Plato within a formal classroom. From a historical perspective therefore, mentorship is a process that was used to train scholars and leaders (Gosnell, 2007, p. 33). For example, Aristotle played a role in mentoring Alexander the Great, a famous Persian emperor who conquered almost half of the entire world. The focus of the mentoring process is to impart wisdom and knowledge to an individual and based on this, there is a need for techniques and measures that can be used in the mentorship process (Cox, 2011, p. 14). This paper provides a critical evaluation on the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth mentor in a formal setting. In meeting the objectives of this paper, the concept of youth mentorship and the associated theories will be discussed. The researcher will use case studies to meet the objectives of this research. The case studies used are, the catalyst mentorship program, and the IBM

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Compare and contrast the OSHA noise standard and the ACGIH noise Essay

Compare and contrast the OSHA noise standard and the ACGIH noise exposure recommendations - Essay Example That is why every year they developed new research and study to protect the workers towards its environment. Recently, one of the standards that they have developed was the noise standard. OSHA releases the reasons why they believe that workers should be protected from noise. According to them, noise creates a fatal effect to people. Those who are exposed to too much noise results to common hearing impairedness, which is more often ignored because the symptoms occurred in the later stage of the illness. What is distinct about the OSHA noise standard was that it aims to protect the workers from the noise pollution. They provided guidelines on the required â€Å"safe† maximum exposure of a person in a noisy environment. Also, they mentioned that workers should wear ear protective devices that fits the ear perfectly as to no sound shall go in (plain cotton is not advisable). Also, they proposed that industries should provide safety measures on controlling the noise they create especially to industries that are heavy on construction and production. On the other hand, ACGIH proposed the same principle. They also aim to secure and protect the citizens (not only the workers and employees) on controlling the noise pollution that is created everyday. Like OSHA, they also require to regulate noise and encourage the industries to take charge in protecting the ears of their employees. For instance, they require (as noise exposure limit): So technically, both organization aids the sole purpose of noise standard. The difference now lies on how each organization provides a more in-depth assistance in noise safety and health hazard towards the employers. ACGIH have the entire Part 7 for these purpose, entitled, â€Å"Noise, Vibration, Radiation and Temperature†. In this part, it enumerated a concrete provision on noise standards. It included exemption of noise control for workers, also with engineering noise control. They provided a hearing protection and warning signs

Monday, August 26, 2019

Methodology chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Methodology chapter - Essay Example Theoretical issues are fundamental to any research process because they constitute what researchers ‘silently think’ about research (Scott and Usher, 2011). Therefore, philosophical assumptions about ontology, epistemology and axiology are critical in undertaking a research process (Klenke, 2008). In the following sections, clarity on the philosophical approaches and research paradigm for this study will be provided. Ontological approach addresses the philosophical question about the nature of reality and how it affects the methods of doing research. This approach focuses on ways of life and the relations behind social realities. According to Ritchie and Lewis (2003), ontology emphasizes on multiple and dynamic realities with no consideration of external realities. Qualitative researchers agree that ontology describes people views on the nature of reality both objectively and subjectively. Ontological assumptions affect our opinions and views on what is real and what is not. Such assumptions must be identified and considered so that the findings of particular phenomena can be objective and credible. Epistemology consists of appropriate methods of finding out the nature of the world through knowledge acquisition. This approach emphasizes on knowledge acquisition and use to form basis and background for explanation of social realities. In epistemology, researchers opt to work with visibly evident social realities to come up with law- like conclusions akin to the ones created by natural and physical scientists (Cohen, et al., 2011). However, this approach has been termed more subjective especially when gathering information directly from participants through data collection methods such as interviews and observation (Beck 1979). Creswell (1998) defines paradigms as world diverse views, while Denzin and Lincoln (1994) describe a paradigm as a set of basic beliefs that deal with

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Darwin's The Origin of Species (Essay Question) Essay

Darwin's The Origin of Species ( Question) - Essay Example In an individual’s life, the genomes interact with their immediate environments to bring changes in the traits. The environment of the genome consists of molecular components in the cell, cells, organisms, communities, and the abiotic environment. Individuals having a particular variant of the characteristic can survive and give rise to individuals than the other variants. The population will, therefore, evolve (Darwin 78-122). Factors affecting the reproductive success are crucial, an issue that Darwin came up with while thinking about sexual selection. Darwin, for example, noted natural selection tends to act on the external physical characteristics of an organism (also called phenotype). The genetic material responsible for the phenotype that gives the reproductive advantage surpasses other phenotypes in a given population. After several years, the process may result in communities that are specific for some ecological niches whose outcome is that a new species is formed. In conclusion, natural selection is a vital process by which evolution occurs within a given community. Natural selection is regulated by the environment that acts as a sieve only some variations can pass through (Darwin 11-122). Both forms of selection bring about changes or evolution in a population. Natural selection controls development where the environment selects the losers and winners. In artificial selection, human beings share what they want in other living things. Natural selection involves cases where only those organisms well suited to the environment can survive and  reproduce. The organisms transmit their genetic characteristics to the subsequent generations. Artificial selection occurs when man acts as an environmental pressure. When man chooses cats with certain characteristics and breeds them to get the desired traits is an example of domestic selection. In simple words, domestic selection gives rise to organisms very different

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Hospitality and tourism marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Hospitality and tourism marketing - Essay Example Tourism product portfolio has following dynamics. There are quality issues, relative uniqueness, themes and potential target audience. The product gets support from these elements. In order to comprehend this relatively new field of Hospitality and Tourism Marketing, one needs to refer to rudimentary aspects of Marketing (Dolnicar, 2008).Rationale for the above mentioned product portfolio has buying decision behind it. It deals with assessment on target customers in context of their aspirations (stimuli). It includes income, safety, visa, psychological goals and offer that are floated in core and supplementary offers. Availability of information about the offer is second step where by customer tends to check alternatives. Here information must be apt and attractive. This is because of the fact that stimuli might have been catered by the core and supplementary products but necessary conveyance of information is also important. Decision once taken will lead to post purchase analysis wh ich will be very important so far as suggestion/ feedback is concerned. Satisfaction leads to regular customer-ship. A study on rating by Chinese tourists stated that Shopping, Entertainment and Participatory activities bagged highest rating whereas tourism experts marked Dining/Eating out, Participatory activities and entertainments as the most favorite activities. In Amsterdam Market, the customers will be gauged on certain determinants.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Research Paper

Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Research Paper Example Legislative issues are part of the study or practice of the dissemination of force and assets of a given group and additionally the interrelationship(s) between groups. A political framework is Thomas Jefferson was the third president of United States from 1801 to 1809. One of his great accomplishments was laying the foundation of the University of Virginia (Takagi & Gordon-Reed, 1999). He was the principle author of Declaration of Independence. He was a statesman, planter, and lawyer professionally. The father of this well-known president was a planter, and his mother belongs to a Virginia’s most distinguish ancestors. As public official, historian, theorist, and farm owner, he served his state for more than fifteen years. His death was reported on July 4, 1826 (Takagi & Gordon-Reed, 1999). Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd United States president (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) (Freedman, 1990). He was a well-known democratic political leader and famous statesman. He belonged to one of the oldest and distinguished families of New York. His parents were cousins, and both belong to a wealthy family. As a president, he served his state for twelve years and was the only president to be elected four times. His death was reported at the age of 63 (Freedman, 1990). Jefferson started his academic career as an instructor at Tuckahoe along with the Randolph children (Cogliano, 2008). In his early life, he began to study Latin, Greek, and French; he became skilled to ride horses, and he was also attracted towards nature

Health Organization Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Health Organization Case Study - Essay Example Its persistence and corporation with major players in the healthcare industry has driven it to greater heights of delivering and ordering quality systems and services that serves patients of all types (UHC.com, 2015). The network growth, strategic plans, resource management, patient’s satisfaction and nurse staffing has always continued to be part of their objectives in order to offer quality, accessible, affordable and rich health care to all the patients at national and international level. This paper focuses on the preparation of the UHC and the capabilities to handle medical care activities for the coming generation. The UHC has put in place programs that favor all kind of social needs, in that their programs will support the low class level which is of a low cost, middle level with affordable cost and lastly the high class individual of families (Colling & York, 2009). The consolidations of their services to tight schedule with 24 hours system that monitor patients with professional nursing staffs and doctor makes them relevant and have a competitive advantage in the health care industry. The great team that include nurses, physician, dentists and professional doctors work hand in hand to make sure the life of patients are contained upon all means. The co-ordination of staffs that run from indoors, one hospital to another and one center to another is in order to oversee their duties according to the required standards. Although has a highly qualified personnel in the management sector which are keen on patient satisfactory services it looks forward to more improvement in future. UHC is certain about their employees hence they provide them with high salaries and reward that motivates them towards working to the best of their knowledge. The organizations have put in place strategies that interact with service providers depending on their

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Beauty Is a Combination of Qualities Essay Example for Free

Beauty Is a Combination of Qualities Essay Beauty is a combination of qualities that give pleasure to the senses. It is an inborn instinct in human to appreciate beauty. Beauty both of nature and of human form have been a powerful attraction for men and women of all times and climes. A beautiful object fills the heart with joy and delight. The soul gets stirred by the external view of beauty. Man has developed an eye for beauty right from the Stone Age. The earliest cave-paintings depicting animals and trees prove the cavemans love for beauty. Artistic creations are mans attempts to depict the joy created by beauty. A person may see a beautiful thing for a short duration but its memory lasts for a long time. Man cherishes the beautiful moments in life. The imagination helps to revive and relive the happy moments spent in the company of beautiful things. A colorful butterfly seen for five minutes gives instant delight for the same time, but if that scene is recaptured twenty, the joy becomes twenty fold. Beauty abounds in nature. The sunrise, the sunset, the moon, the starts, the rainbow and the seasons delight the senses. Beautiful sight and sounds of nature provide pleasure to man. The rivers, the forests, the green mountains, the snow-capped peaks and the flowers are beautiful objects of nature. They leave an impression on the mind of man. Recollection of this impression becomes a constant source of joy. Beautiful objects are a source of inspiration for poets to compose poetry. Poets are more moved by beautiful sights than people of ordinary imagination. Keats was a great lover of beauty in all its varied forms. In most of his poems, Keats appreciate different forms of beauty. The dancing daffodils seen by Wordsworth during his travel left a mark in his memory. He composed a poem on daffodils after four years of that visit but he felt the same delight, which reflected in the poem. This proves that any aspect of beauty leaves and ever-lasting impact on human heart and soul. The great Sanskrit poet Kalidas has also graphically described in his poem Kumar Sambhav, the beauty of the forest blooming all round with the touch of spring. Beautiful sights influence the painter to draw the same. His paintings are a poetry of colors which depicts nature as it is on the canvas. A painter always remains in search of a place where he could find ay form of beauty whether of nature or human to adorn his canvas with everlasting charm of beauty. A human face painted by a master painter will not only show the physical structure in its exact form but also reveal the emotion of the subject. The paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Hogarth, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Nand Lal Bose, M.F Hussain an others are a feast for the eyes and the mind. What is true of poets and painters is equally true of sculptors, architects and musicians. They derive pleasure by creation of beauty. Their beautiful works are appreciated by all. A musician creates beauty by the harmonious blending of various notes and tunes. This harmony is a source of pleasure for the listeners. The music of Tansen, Baiju Dawra, Ustad Faiz Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, R.D Drman and others have been widely appreciated and applauded. Beauty is present every where like nature, literature, sculpture, architecture etc. Cement, stone, wood, brick all these things have no shape and beauty but when they are used artistically by the architect, they take the form a beautiful building. A number of historical building all over the world is a great world. Taj Mahal in India, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Opera House in Australia, The Great wall of China, are some of the buildings which are famous for their beauty. Spiritual beauty is something nobler and higher than physical beauty. It is related to the beauty of the spirit and the soul. Spiritual beauty touches or soul. The pleasure and joy, we derive from it is sublime. Spiritual beauty is accompanied by truth and goodness- Satyam Shivam Sundaram as expressed by sage. We find a similar view in Keats poem, when he says, Beauty is truth, truth beauty. Keats regards spiritual beauty as the source of true joy. Beauty according to Shelly is eternal. An object of nature may decay and man may die, yet both survive in thought, for beauty never dies. Beautiful objects of nature also uplift the sprit if a pessimist. One takes a break from the environment of big cities and flocks to hill stations. The beautiful sights of nature in the hill stations refresher the mind. They influence a person to perform his task more efficiently then before. Beauty of nature has a soothing effect in it. In one of his poems, Shelly said that even death will be peaceful for him while watching the beautiful aspects of nature. Beauty, whether physical or spiritual always gives us joy. There is harmony in the beautiful objects. This harmony is the attribute of the soul. Beauty links man with eternity. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Advantages Of Using Subnetting

Advantages Of Using Subnetting Subnetting is allowed you to divide one physical network which is whether a class A, B, or C into several smaller logical subnetworks. The main idea of subnetting is borrowing bits from the host IP address and using them to create one or more networks within the network. Furthermore, It permits using two or more local area networks (LANs) technology in the same network such as Ethernet and Toking ring (Cisco 2005; PSI 2000). Advantages of using subnetting: It is useful to control and to reduce the network traffic by limiting number of broadcasts. It is allowed any organization to subnet its network without needed to have a new network IP through an internet service provider (ISP). Subnetting was so helpful to solve the problem of lacking IP addresses on the Internet. Allowing to use two or more LAN technologies together in the same network. Subnets also helpful to minimize the size of the routing tables on the internet since additional network numbers will not being added to the table. When you want to isolate segments for security reasons such as accounting and sales segment. When you want to isolate bad segments such as domination hosts which use most of the LAN bandwidth (PSI 2000). Disadvantage Advantages of using subnetting: Subnetting decreases the total number of IP addresses in the network but may need buying additional hardware such as a router. So, it may cost lots of money(PSI 2000). It cannot correct the lack of efficiency because companies still assign address block regarding to classes (Kozierok 2005). Supernetting It is the opposite of subnetting that is allowed you to divide one physical network into several smaller logical networks. On the other hand, Supernetting is allowed you to combine one or more smaller logical network to making one large network. It is a part of classless inter domain routing (CIDR) (Wright 1998). In addition, it is used in routing tables to merge nearby class C (Blank 2002). It is necessary when you need more hosts on the network. So, the main concept of supernetting is borrowed one or more bits from the current network address and using it to produce a large amount of hosts (Inetdaemon). Private and Public IP addresses Public IP Address It is an IP address which is able to be seen by the public. Public IP Address allows people access your computer form everywhere and know about you such as a web server. Private IP Addresses It is used on a private network and it is not able to route through the public Internet. It is useful for security reasons. All privet IP addresses are fallen within the following IP address ranges (Syndication 2007): Class A 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255 Class B 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255 Class C 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255 2- Subnetting calculate : 192.168.1.40/24 IP class / class C Total usable subnets/networks / 256 Total usable IP addresses in each subnets/networks / 254 The first 5 subnets/networks / 192.168.1.0, 192.168.1.1, 192.168.1.2, 192.168.1.3, 192.168.1.4 10.4.78.21/8 IP class / class A Total usable subnets/ networks / 1677216 Total usable IP addresses in each subnet/network / 1677214 The first 5 subnets/networks / 10.0.0.0, 10.0.0.1, 10.0.0.2, 10.0.0.3, 10.0.0.4 10.0.0.9/24 IP class / class A Total usable subnets/networks / 256 Total usable IP addresses in each subnets/networks / 254 The first 5 subnets/networks- 10.0.0.0, 10.0.0.1, 10.0.0.2, 10.0.0.3, 10.0.0.4 203.51.131.23/27 IP class / class C Total usable subnets/ networks / 32 Total usable IP addresses in each subnets/networks /30 The first 5 subnets/networks-203.51.131.0, 203.51.131.1, 203.51.131.2, 203.51.131.3, 203.51.131.4 198.110.43.112/26 IP class / class C Total usable subnets/ networks / 64 Total usable IP addresses in each subnets/networks / 62 The first 5 subnets/networks / 198.110.43.64, 198.110.43.65, 198.110.43.66, 198.110.43.67,198.110.43.68 3- Static and dynamic routing : Static routing manually is configured into the routing table by configuration file or a network administrator who can access and configure the routers (Inetdaemon2). So, it is called static because it needs someone who can create that routing table physically. In addition, it provides control over routing (Balchunas 2007). Advantages of Static Routing: It reduces the physical hardware overhead. It also minimize the bandwidth overhead (Balchunas 2007). Disadvantages of Static Routing: Static routing is a manual process so it will not work good with a massive number of routing. It also does not fix any connection problem so the router must configured manually to solve any connection down (Inetdaemon2). Difficult to configure large network (Balchunas 2007). Dynamic routing Dynamic routing automatically is configured by a routing protocol that runs on the routers (Balchunas 2007). Dynamic routing protocols are applications that can find a network destination and then record it into the routing table (Inetdaemon2). Advantages of Dynamic Routing: Easy to configure a big networks. Dynamically change to a different route if there is any connection down (Balchunas 2007). Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing: Consuming more bandwidth. It consumes more hardware as well. It chooses the best connection way regarding to the routing protocol not to the routers administrator (Balchunas 2007). Commonly used dynamic routing table RIP (Routing Information Protocol). EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol). OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) (Balchunas 2007). 4- The difference between a layer 2 and a layer 3 network device The difference between them is a layer 2 device works only with MAC addresses to forward network data packets; however a layer 3 device works on IP address. Moreover, layer 2 devices are transfer network packets from physical address to physical address but layer 3 devices looking for the best route to transmit data packets. So, layer 2 networks are faster than a layer 3 network because it just needs to forward data to the right destination without make any decision (Simon 2006). Example of layer 2 device and describing it: Switch. It is used to connect two local area networks (LAN) or more. It works under OSI (Open System Interconnection Reference) model Layer 2. Furthermore, It usually has multiple ports to connect devices together or to connect two or more local area networks (LAN). it receives data and forwards it depending on the destination MAC (Media Access Control) address to only destination that should receive it . Moreover, It only sends data within the same subnet as well (Maufer). Example of layer 3 device and describing it: Router. Router is used to connect two wide area networks (WAN). It works at OSI (Open System Interconnection Reference) model Layer 3. Furthermore, It forwards data depending on the destination network address to only destination that should receive it as well (Maufer).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Whole Exome Sequencing in Inherited Endocrine Disorders

Whole Exome Sequencing in Inherited Endocrine Disorders Background Molecular diagnosis is important in the management of various paediatric endocrine disorders including disorders of growth, metabolism, bone, hypoglycaemia and sexual development. Traditional PCR-based Sanger sequencing is the mainstay format for molecular testing in paediatric cases. However, the large number of gene defects associated with the various endocrine disorders renders gene-by-gene testing increasingly expensive and unattractive. The large number of potentially relevant genes makes it challenging for hospital molecular diagnostic laboratories to offer gene-based testing of all candidates. Given the high costs associated with single-gene tests, the selection of candidates for single-gene sequencing tends to be sequential rather than inclusive and parallel. In practice, different genes may be outsourced to different clinical or in some cases academic research laboratories which adds to the complexity. Using new high-throughput sequencing technologies, whole genomes, whole e xomes or candidate-gene panels (targeted gene sequencing) can now be cost-effectively sequenced for endocrine patients. In the near future, protocols involving next-generation sequencing would probably be considered as an appropriate component of routine clinical diagnosis for relevant patients. Defects of pituitary hormones lead to abnormalities in growth (e.g., short stature), sexual development, fertility, stress response and other metabolic processes. A number of genes coding for transcription factors have been identified, mutations in which cause medical disorders in humans associated with pituitary deficiencies [1-2]. Some of these factors, such as PROP1, TPIT, POU1F1, LHX3 and LHX4, play roles in the normal embryological development of the anterior pituitary. Mutations in these genes can lead to multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies and/or syndromic hypopituitarism [3]. The transcription factors such as HESX1, OTX2, SHH, SOX2 and SOX3 are involved in midline development. Mutations in these can cause septo-optic dysplasia or holoprosencephaly, both of which may include pituitary hormone deficiencies [4]. Other genes encode the precursors to pituitary hormones (growth hormone, ACTH [through processing of POMC], gonadotropic-luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone). Mutations in these genes lead to phenotypes characteristic of individual hormone deficiency. The pituitary secretory cells themselves respond to signals originating in the hypothalamus, some of which are also peptide hormones with specific receptors expressed on the responding cells; mutations in these genes or their cognate receptors can also cause combined or specific pituitary deficiencies [1]. However, many cases of congenital hypopituitarism still remain unexplained and most are presumably due to other causes, either mutations in other deve lopmental genes or epigenetic influences during embryogenesis. Short stature is a common presentation to the paediatric endocrinology clinics. However, no cause is identified in a large proportion of patients who are classified as having idiopathic short stature [5, 6, 7]. It is estimated that the underlying cause for short stature remains unknown in approximately 80% of patients [8]. In a large-scale pooled Next-Generation Sequencing study to identify genetic causes of short stature, 4928 genetic variants in 1077 genes were present in patients but not in control subjects [9]. Large-scale sequencing efforts have the potential to rapidly identify genetic aetiologies of short stature. In another study, seeking to identify known and genetic causes of short stature by conducting whole exome sequencing of the patients with severe short stature and their family members, genetic cause of short stature was found in 5 out of the 14 recruited patients [10]. Rare genetic defects in the GH/IGF-1 axis have been found to cause short stature. A higher frequenc y of rare CNVs (common number variants) has been reported in patients with short stature [8, 11]. A recent study to define genetic characterisation of a cohort of children clinically labelled as Growth Hormone or IGF1 insensitive found that whole exome sequencing contributed to the diagnosis of children with suspected growth hormone and IGF1 insensitivity, particularly in the Growth hormone insensitive subjects with low serum IGF1 SDS and height SDS [12]. It may be now possible to identify likely genetic causes of short stature by implementing genomic investigative techniques like whole exome sequencing in many of these children who have unknown reasons for their poor linear growth. Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent and recurrent hypoglycaemia in infancy [13]. It is the result of unregulated insulin secretion from the pancreatic ÃŽ ²-cells leading to severe hypoglycaemia [13, 14]. This condition has been reported in nearly all major ethnic groups and affects at least 1/50,000 children of European descent [14]. CHI is caused by genetic defects in key genes regulating insulin secretion. The genetic basis of CHI involves mutations in nine different genes (ABCC8, KCNJ11, GLUD1, GCK, HADH, SLC16A1, HNF4A, HNF1A and UCP2), which regulate insulin secretion from the pancreatic ÃŽ ²-cells [14,15]. The most common molecular cause of CHI is the dysfunction of the pancreatic KATP channel encoded by the sulfonylurea receptor gene (ABCC8) and the inward rectifying potassium channel gene (KCNJ11) [14,15]. CHI can also be secondary to risk factors like birth asphyxia, intra-uterine growth retardation, Rh isoimmunisation and maternal diabetes mellitus or associated with various developmental syndromes [16]. Histologically, CHI can be associated either with diffuse insulin secretion or with focal adenomatous hyperplasia. Positron emission tomography scan using Fluorine-18 L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (18-fluoro DOPA-TC-PET-scan) has been used to distinguish focal from diffuse forms. Medical treatments of CHI include diazoxide (KATP channel activator), somatostatin analogue (octreotide) injections, and appropriate diet. The surgical treatment with subtotal pancreatectomy is required in diffuse CHI when medical treatment and dietary therapies are ineffective, whereas focal CHI can be cured with resection of the focal area of adenomatous hyperplasia [14, 15, 16]. Recently, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor sirolimus has been used in treatment of persistent severe CHI not amena ble to medical therapies [18]. CHI has been described as an associated finding in various syndromes like Beckwith-Wiedemann, Kabuki, Trisomy 13, Mosaic Turner, Sotos, Usher, Timothy, Costello, Central Hypoventilation syndrome and Leprechaunism (Insulin Resistance Syndrome) [17]. However, in many patients, with clinically defined syndromic features and with hypoglycaemia, no identifiable genetic cause contributing to hyperinsulinism is found. In a large series of 300 patients, genetic diagnosis was made only in 45.3% of the patients and mutations in ABCC8 were the commonest identifiable cause [19]. The vast majority of patients with Diazoxide-responsive CHI (77.6%) had no identifiable mutations, suggesting other genetic mechanisms [19]. Molecular diagnosis can be very important for clinicians to manage the patients more effectively and to counsel parents on the prognosis and disease recurrence. Whole Exome sequencing can be advantageous in these groups of patients to identify the mol ecular defects and to assess the coding variants that may be pathogenic in these patients [20]. Aims To identify novel genetic causes of rare inherited endocrine disorders in children with a focus on congenital hyperinsulinism, short stature of unknown etiology and IGF1 abnormalities by using whole exome sequencing. Experimental Design and Methods Patient Recruitment Patients with a diagnosis of CHI referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, which is a national referral centre for CHI, will be recruited into the study. A written informed parental consent will be obtained. These patients will be biochemically confirmed as CHI using the following criteria: Blood glucose concentration of less than 3.0 mmol/l with detectable insulin and/or C-peptide Glucose requirement > 8mg/kg/min Low levels of ketones and fatty acids during the episode of hypoglycaemia Clinical and biochemical data will be collated from referral letter or by case note review. Patients with a secondary cause of CHI such as perinatal asphyxia, intra-uterine growth restriction, Rhesus isoimmunisation, infants of diabetic mothers and infants with Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome will be excluded from the study. Patients are considered to be unresponsive to medical treatment if recurrent hypoglycaemia episodes ( Patients attending the Paediatric Endocrinology clinic at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital with severe short stature (>3 SDS below mean) for age and sex in whom the standard clinical work up has not revealed a diagnosis for their short stature will be recruited into the study. Patients referred or evaluated for growth hormone insensitivity (growth failure, low serum IGF1 and normal/elevated serum GH) or IGF1 insensitivity (pre- and postnatal growth failure associated with relatively high IGF1 levels) will also be recruited into the study. A written parental informed consent will be obtained prior to the recruitment. Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) WES will be performed at the Centre for Genomic Research (CGR) based at the University of Liverpool. The test will be ordered after explaining the risks and benefits of testing to the patient and obtaining written informed consent. Each patient (and their parents or guardians) will be advised of the potential disclosure of conditions unrelated to the indication for testing that might warrant treatment or additional medical surveillance for the patient and possibly other family members. Peripheral-blood samples will be obtained to isolate DNA from the patient and both parents where possible. High-throughput sequencing will be performed using Illumina HiSeq2500. The genomic DNA samples from probands will be fragmented, ligated to Illumina multiplexing and amplified by means of a polymerase-chain-reaction assay with the use of primers with sequencing barcodes. Variants that were deemed clinically significant will be confirmed by means of Sanger sequencing. Parental samples, if available, will also be analysed by means of Sanger sequencing. Further functional analysis will be undertaken to establish the pathogenicity of the identified variant by utilising the in-house lab facilities at Institute of Child Health. Relevance of the proposed project Despite the advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis, specific genetic determinants are not known in nearly 50% of patients with CHI and 80% of children with short stature. Whole exome sequencing in this group of patients will help to understand and identify the potential causative mutations in genes implicated in insulin regulation and growth. This will help the clinicians to provide optimal treatment and to counsel patients on disease progression and recurrence risk. Identification of novel genetic aetiology has the potential to identify novel therapeutic strategies for these patients. The applicant will spend time initially at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to recruit patients and then at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to learn the techniques of WES, bioinformatics and functional analysis. The applicant will then return to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Institute of Child Health, University of Liverpool to complete the study and strengthen the local research expertise relevant to next generation sequencing.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Dubliners :: Irish History Literature Dublin Essays

Dubliners James Joyce wrote the book Dubliners at a critical period in Irish history. The book focuses on many tracks that the people of Dublin were stuck on at the time. Joyce provided insight into exactly why Dublin was so downtrodden and depressed. For my analysis I chose to write about â€Å"The Dead,† â€Å"After the Race,† and â€Å"Counterparts.† In these stories, Joyce portrays individuals whose freedom of choice leads them to continue their miserable lives through their irresponsible behaviors. In each of the stories I chose to write about in Dubliners, money played an important role in the overall feel of the particular story. In â€Å"After the Race,† young Jimmy Doyle, fresh out of college, from an affluent Irish background decides to gamble away money his father had given him to invest. Joyce states, â€Å"Rapid motion through space elates one; so does notoriety; so does the possession of money. These were three good reasons for Jimmy’s excitement.† (37) However, Jimmy seems to be a fun loving kind of guy, therefore going to the yacht and partying with his friends until the sun comes out is nothing new for him. Jimmy is showing a lack of responsibility with his money and exercising free will, meanwhile it seems as if all Jimmy ever cares about is partying and having a good time. It states in the text that young Mr. Doyle was not the most academically motivated students while at Cambridge (36), and in fact lived the good life while his f ather funded his had to have his father buy his way into the school. It is money that allows these young men to party carelessly. Without a care in the world, these particular young lads in Dublin lead a life of luxury while so many are struggling to put food on the table. The money issue in â€Å"Counterparts† is a little more desperate. Farrington is a poor, lowly worker at a law firm who hand copies papers. To escape his responsibilities, Farrington decides to drink away the afternoon with his friends in a tavern, instead of making up the work that he is responsible for. Moreover, to get the necessary funding to drink, Farrington pawns his watch off to get drunk.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Analysis of Richard Adams Watership Down Essay -- Watership Down Rich

Analysis of Richard Adams' Watership Down Richard Adams novel, Watership Down, is the account of a group of rabbits trip to search out a new location to inhabit. After escaping the Sandleford Warren because of one rabbit’s instincts, nearly a dozen rabbits cross virgin country. Along the way, they run across a few other warrens. These places exhibit a completely different way of living to the fleeing group. What they learn is vital when they develop their own warren. From these places they manage to collect some rabbits to increase their size once they reach a resting point at their final destination. Each of the places they encounter is set up differently. These warrens contain a distinct and unique social system, belief and leadership role. Sandleford warren is the first location presented in the story. An Owsla, or group of strong and clever rabbits exercising the Chief Rabbit’s authority, governs the warren. The Owsla is rather military in character. When one of the rabbits, Fiver, comes across some prized Cowslip, the Owsla hurry over to confiscate it for themselves, saying, â€Å"Cowslips are for Owsla- don’t you know that? If you don’t, we can easily teach you† (Adams 14). The Chief Rabbit of Sandleford, Threarah, gained his position by strength, level-headedness, and a certain self-contained detachment. He resisted all ideas of mass emigration and enforced the complete isolation of the warren. The rabbits leave their warren in search of a new home not only because they believe Fiver when he tells them that something bad will happen to the warren, but also because the think they can make a better home somewhere else (Adams 24). The very moment that Hazel and the other rabbits encounter Cowslip’s warren, they realize there is something unnatural about the rabbits. They have no fear of other things, appeared detached and bored, unusually groomed, and gave off a particular scent. Also, not one particular rabbit is considered a leader. They cannot really have a leader because no one can offer them protection from the dangers they face. The mystery behind this warren is that a human controls it. He shoots all the enemy animals in the area, puts out good food for the rabbits, and then snares them for their meat and skin (Adams 122-3). The rabbits are aware of the snares, but choose to pretend life is okay, because they cannot escape their inevitable death... ...is chosen by the people and acts according to the will of the people. Watership Down thrived in the end, with Hazel basking on the bank and counting the blessings of their warren (Adams 395). Throughout the novel Watership Down, Hazel and his group experience a diverse assortment of warrens. Each warren contrasted the others with their leadership, social system, and beliefs. In the view of the author and many readers, Watership Down was the â€Å"best† of the locations. But if the story were to be written in a different point of view, such as that of Cowslip or Woundwort, how would the reaction be different? They could be portrayed as the poor, misfortunate rabbit. It could change the entire theme of the book. This is the case in the novel All Quiet On the Western Front, where the reader sympathizes towards the German troops during the first world war. If the story were to be written in the vision of Cowslip or Woundwort, would the reader view them as the protagonist because of their acceptance or leadership, and Hazel as the antagonist because of his attempt to be different and change the method? Work Cited Adams, Richard. Watership Down. Rex Collings, Ltd.: New York, 1972.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Jasper Daniel Aka Jack Daniel :: essays research papers

Jasper Newton Daniel was born in 1848 as the tenth child of thirteen. At the age of 12 Jack Daniel started a career that would last him a lifetime. He was hired out to work for a man by the name of Dan Call, a preacher at a Lutheran church. At Mr. Call’s distillery he learned the trait of making whiskey. Three years later he and Mr. Call were full partners in the whiskey making business. Mr. Call was a dedicated Lutheran. Just after the civil war his family and church told him to make a decision between the church and his business of making whiskey. Mr. Call decided to go with the church. So Jack bought out his share of the business. Jack had found a perfect cave spring and bought 500 acres around it. Jack then moved his distillery to this location and over 130 years later the distillery stands here today. In the rolling hills of southern middle Tennessee lies the city of Lynchburg where Jack was born and lived all of his life. This is the county seat of Moore County, which is Tennessee’s smallest county. This town, like most other small towns in middle Tennessee has a square for the hub of the town. One of the major structures here is the Courthouse. Back in 1885 people of Lynchburg built this structure with bricks made in the town. Now, my favorite item of historic relevance in Moore County is the Jack Daniel Distillery. This is at the same site Jack decided on in 1866. This is a National Historic site that has had its license since 1866. The quality Tennessee Whiskey goes through the same processes that it did when founded by Mr. Jack Daniel. To this day they are sticking by Mr. Jack’s motto: "Each day we make it, we will make it the best we can." To help Mr. Daniel hold down the fort in Lynchburg he introduced the business to his nephew Lem Motlow. Mr. Motlow and Mr. Daniel kept the whiskey business going in high gear until the death of Mr. Daniel in 1911.He died from blood poisoning after he had kicked his safe when it didn’t open correctly six years ago. Lem Motlow then became the second head distiller. He kept the process the old fashioned way as his mentor had showed him in previous years. He was also a very respected businessman in Lynchburg.

Assessment for Learning †the Case for Formative Assessment

ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING – THE CASE FOR FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT This paper provides findings on assessment for learning, It begins with analysis of the formative approach in exemplary practice carried out in secondary schools in eight education systems. The second half of the paper comprises key analyses on formative assessment in adult language, literacy, and numeracy provision, and a framework for strengthening policy and practice across the sector as well as for building the evidence base. Assessment is vital to the education process.In schools, the most visible assessments are summative. Summative assessments are used to measure what students have learnt at the end of a unit, to promote students, to ensure they have met required standards on the way to earning certification for school completion or to enter certain occupations, or as a method for selecting students for entry into further education. Ministries or departments of education may use summative assessments and evalua tions as a way to hold publicly funded schools accountable for providing quality education.Increasingly, international summative assessments – such as OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) – have been important for comparing national education systems to developments in other countries. But assessment may also serve a formative function. In classrooms, formative assessment refers to frequent, interactive assessments of student progress and understanding to identify learning needs and adjust teaching appropriately.Teachers using formative assessment approaches and techniques are better prepared to meet diverse students’ needs – through differentiation and adaptation of teaching to raise levels of student achievement and to achieve a greater equity of student outcomes. But there are major barriers to wider practice, including perceived tensions between classroom-based formative assessments, and high visibility summative tests t o hold schools accountable for student achievement, and a lack of connection between systemic, school and classroom approaches to assessment and evaluation.The principles of formative assessment may be applied at the school and policy levels, to identify areas for improvement and to promote effective and constructive cultures of evaluation throughout education systems. More consistent use of formative assessment throughout education systems may help stakeholders address the very barriers to its wider practice in classrooms.This overview shows how formative assessment promotes the goals of lifelong learning, including higher levels of student achievement, greater equity of student outcomes, and improved learning to learn skills. The chapter then discusses barriers to wider practice of formative assessment and ways in which those barriers can be addressed, and outlines the study scope and methodology. Meeting goals for lifelong learning Each of the national and regional governments pa rticipating in this study promotes formative

Friday, August 16, 2019

Can Money Buy Happiness? Essay

â€Å"When you have money in hand, only you forget who you are, When you don’t have any money in your hand, the whole world forgets who you are† -Bill Gates Good Morning respected teachers and dear friends. Can Money Guarantee Happiness? It is one of the most heavily disputed questions of all time. However if we look at it practically, we will find an immediate answer, that, YES, Money in all its splendour, is the key to happiness. Imagine being able to buy whatever you wish for- cars, palatial houses, helicopters, jet planes, a journey to space, a walk on the moon-wouldn’t it give you joy & happiness, not to mention an envious social status? Definitely it would and what do you think would allow you to buy these things? The answer is, of course, MONEY! Money, thus, definitely guarantees happiness! To argue on this point, we must observe that the very invention of money was to bring happiness and balance to human life. What with the barter system and its many setbacks, the idea of money instituted a sense of equilibrium, so that everyone could follow a definite routine and a similar pattern of things. Without money, man would be a barbarian with no sense of stability! Money is something that distinguishes man from an animal. How, then, can my worthy opponents say that money does not guarantee happiness and that people would be happier without it? I do think anybody who says that money is everything but happiness would agree that donating brings joy. What will you give to others when you yourself don’t have anything? And how would have anything without buying it using money? Poverty is the greatest curse. It is the lack of money that compels people to cheat or even murder. If one has money, one can buy all things that he or she wants. A torn jeans worn by the rich becomes a fashion statement, whatever the rich do becomes customs & what they say becomes law! Money can buy you authority, power, obedience and whatnot! By appointing domestic servants, you aren’t only saving your time so that you can enjoy with your family, but are also taking an uneducated person out of unemployment. Coins & Notes bring you closer to people. Social interactions lead to happiness and self satisfaction. And how can you host a party for your long-lost friends or go out for a movie with your family if you don’t have money? Money helps you to travel to exotic places, meet new people at luxurious events & thus give a treasure trove of happy memories & a bountiful of acquaintances!

Thursday, August 15, 2019

An Effective Strategy Negotiation

Crouching behind a tight cordon of panda cars, the weather-beaten SWAT team leader, complete with cap, bulletproof vest and loud-hailer, looks up to the third-floor window, clears his throat, and announces: ‘You might as well give yourself up, Kowalski, we've got the place surrounded. ‘ His craggy face is bathed in the soft amber glow of the street light and a small bead of sweat moves slowly down his temple. Kowalski, a wily old stager with deep pockmarks and a broken nose, is having none of it. After all, he has the (rather attractive blonde) hostage securely tied up and there happens to be a fridge full of beer in the office he's holed up in. So it's a complete stalemate. Kowalski and his nemesis are simply going to have to start negotiating. In this case, negotiation is more likely to be resolved in a bloody shoot-out. In the workplace, of course, negotiations generally don't tend to be conducted under such tense or dangerous circumstances. They do, however, take place on a daily, even hourly, basis. In fact, they have become such a regular and ingrained part of working life that participants can readily enter into them without even realising that's what they're doing. Before we proceed, it is probably worth defining our terms, or at least borrowing a definition from personnel consultant Alan Fowler's book, Negotiating, Persuading and Influencing. Fowler explains that ‘negotiation occurs whenever there is an issue that cannot be resolved by one person acting alone; it occurs when the two (or more) people who have to be involved begin with different views on how to proceed, or have different aims for the outcome. There are two situations in which negotiation does not or cannot occur: when one of the persons immediately agrees to what the Other is asking or suggesting; and when one of the two adamantly refuses to even discuss the matter. ‘ You can see that the term covers a multitude of scenarios, from the widely reported collective pay-bargaining conducted by union officials and management representatives, to the more mundane business of negotiating a lease on a property or a supplier's contract. Negotiation is also a key component in inter-office relationships, in instances where managers have no linear authority over a particular colleague but need to persuade them to perform a specific task. Here, the negotiation is a tacit IOU- you've done me a favour, so I'll return it at a later date when you might need it. ‘Managers are doing it all the time,' confirms Roger Moores, an associate of the Industrial Society, who runs courses in negotiation and associated skills. ‘I usually start my courses by asking how many of the people there are negotiators. Not many hands go up but, by the end of the session, they realise they do it all the time. We use the language of negotiation all the time too. It's a language that even children understand, based on the words â€Å"if† and â€Å"then†. â€Å"If you do this for me, then I'll do that. † In theory, it's all wonderfully simple. ‘ Scores of self-help and how-to books have been written on the subject but the theorists by and large fall into two camps. There are experts, such as authors Fowler and Gavin Kennedy, who look at negotiation as a stage-by-stage process, comprising preparation, discussion, proposal, bargaining and finally closing. And then there's the American model, epitomised by the seminal text, Getting to Yes by William Ury, which is more focused on personal relations within the workplace. As Moores rightly points out, the two approaches are by no means mutually exclusive. Though representative bodies such as the Institute of Personnel and Development and the Industrial Society offer dedicated courses on negotiation skills, the majority of managers in small to medium-sized businesses don't have the time or inclination to attend them. A few common-sense pointers, however, go a long way. The first is to recognise when it is actually appropriate to negotiate. ‘If managers negotiated everything, there wouldn't be time to do anything,' reasons Moores. â€Å"There are occasions when orders and dictatorship are required too. ‘ If a matter or issue is definitely worth negotiating, the next step is toassess its merits and how much time you can afford to devote to it. According to all the various pundits, the key to successful negotiation is all in the preparation. They insist that skills and techniques are generally acquired through practice and experience, and that preparatory work and patience will generally stand you in better stead than the gift of the gab or an aggressive stance. There is no point walking into an important negotiation session hoping to wing it. ‘Some people are naturally better [at negotiating] than others,' says Fowler. ‘It requires a certain amount of quick thinking and ability to respond quickly. You also need the confidence to be able to say â€Å"Look, you've raised something new. Can we adjourn this meeting and continue tomorrow, by which time I'll have been able to gather my thoughts? † It's important to know your own style and be comfortable with it. If you're stepping too far outside of yourself, you can end up seeming artificial. ‘ Yet Chris Grice, an assistant director of ACAS, the conciliation and arbitration service which has dragged countless industrial relations negotiations back from the brink, believes negotiation skills are more about nurture than nature. ‘There's a question as to whether negotiating is an art or a science,' he says. You can be taught good negotiation, so I'd say it's a science†¦ Being taught how to mix colours doesn't make you an artist. You can learn about negotiation strategy, how to read a situation, when the tune is right to confront an issue and when to apply a variety of different processes. Preparation is an often neglected area. If you're negotiating about pay, for example, you should be aware of the going rate, affordability and any other interested parties before you go in. You need to be able to anticipate the other party's moves. ‘ While Grice admits that some of the negotiations he is called in to rbitrate are conducted in what he – with admirable understatement – describes as an ‘adversarial atmosphere' (potentially explosive in other words), he reckons that overall he has witnessed as much civility as hostility. This, he believes, is because most of the participants at this level of negotiation tend to be astute practitioners, who realise that prickliness and emotional involvement will only hamper their efforts. ‘Some of the best negotiators are mild-mannered but persuasive people,' says Grice. ‘They know exactly where they want to be and realise they can get there in a civilised manner. After all, you've got more in your toolbox than a hammer. ‘ One problem often leads to another. A manager may feel it necessary to cut overtime. The employees are unhappy and threaten industrial action but the manager should avoid the immediate reaction to sack the ringleader. By doing so, the manager would have two problems to cope with instead of one. It is important to keep one topic in focus at a time. An ‘easy does it' ethos is especially important in small to medium-sized businesses, which rely on establishing and maintaining an ongoing network of reliable suppliers and subcontractors. If parties leave a negotiation feeling hard done by, the relationship is unlikely to be sustainable for any length of time. ‘The main point is to make the person you're negotiating with think that they have achieved the best deal possible,' says Frank Kings, managing director of Sovereign Contracts, a Midlands-based shop-fitting concern, whose clients include IBM, SmithKline Beecham and Warwick University. ‘I'm always looking for repeat business, so negotiation is as much about building a long-term relationship as striking the best deal at that particular moment. One should always try to take a longer-term view. ‘ Susan Croft, a trainer at the Aziz Corporation, which specialises in spoken-communication skills training for business, shares Kings' views. Negotiations, she maintains, are not necessarily confrontational, just a necessary means of ensuring that two or more parties are satisfied with their lot. ‘In a â€Å"win-lose† situation, you may have won the battle but not the long-term war,' Croft says. ‘You don't want the person you're negotiating with to be checking for their arms and legs on the way out. ‘ A degree of emotional detachment is a must. Losing your cool may mean losing the thread and the advantage. Concentration is also essential. The best negotiators are good listeners and observers too. By keeping your eyes and ears open, you can pick up valuable clues as to where the other side is prepared to compromise or where there are flaws in their argument, which you can exploit later. If you are so utterly determined to put across your own points, you may not hear what the other side is saying. Their position may have changed and your initial standpoint may no longer be relevant or valid. Similarly, the other party should not be given too many hints. It is worth keeping your cards close to your chest in a negotiation. Don't give away more information than you have to. Release nuggets sporadically and tactically when you feel they will make the most impact. Be aware of your body language because you might be revealing more than you think through your movements and mannerisms. If you look hard enough and think laterally, there are usually ways and means of clinching a mutually beneficial deal through negotiation. Phil Jones, managing director of Real Time, the London-based interactive design studio, recalls two recent instances where new clients wanted to launch internet web sites but didn't have the requisite budgets. They were the type of high-profile clients and creatively challenging projects that Real Time was keen to get involved in, however. ‘If it's a job you really want to do, you can always find a way of doing it,' maintains Jones. The first was for the Formula 1 motor-racing team, Williams Motorsport: ‘They made the balance up in contra deals, mainly in tickets to some of the major Formula 1 meetings. ‘ The tickets are like gold dust, of course, and can be used as a pat on the back for staff, or as an opportunity to pamper existing clients or woo new ones. Diesel, the Italian clothing manufacturer, which is quietly stealing a march on its rivals in the UK jeans market, approached Real Time towards the end of the financial year, when its promotional budget was running perilously low. Real Time managed to negotiate further projects the following year for completing the initial job an e-commerce site that allows ordering of clothes over the internet – at a cut-price rate. Every job is like that. You have to be flexible to get the business,' says Jones. Indeed, he is currently negotiating a deal with the Football Association for an e-commerce web site dedicated to the UK bid for the 2006 World Cup. Real Time was responsible for the bid's logo and original web site. ‘The FA have a limited budget to spend across a range of media, so I'm talking to them about perhaps receiving a percentage of what's sold from the new site,' he explains. ‘That's really putting your money where your mouth is. ‘ Negotiation, then, is primarily about effective communication. Communicating what you want and what you have to offer, and then marrying that up with another party's requirements. A bit of imagination, flexibility and a well-considered strategy can go along way to meeting these ends. It is also worth remembering that how you put it is often as important as what you're actually saying. ‘You should always try to express things in ways the other parties find palatable, so that no one loses face,' says Grice of ACAS. ‘Packaging is half the battle. ‘

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Cuba’s Environmental Problems

When socialism was introduced to Cuba, the idea was that it would be more eco-friendly than capitalism. Instead, the Revolution to quickly controlled two major factors that eventually led to environmental problems in developing countries: population growth and poverty. Contributing to the issue of poverty in Cuba are the financial, economic and commercial blockades imposed by the United States. In order to preserve the environment in Cuba and combat these issues, serious action was necessary. The amount of environmental damage falls into two categories: a) small-scale environmental destruction committed by individuals through illegal hunting, deforestation, dumping of waste into aquatic ecosystems, etc. ; or b) large-scale environmental destruction resulting from major projects and industries approved by governmental agencies and owned by international companies, like hotel chains and mining companies after the Special Period, and agriculture before the Special Period†. [1] The opportunity for Cuba to protect its environment came after the fall of the Soviet Union and the strengthening of the US blockade in 1990. This period, referred to as the Special Period (1990-2000), witnessed a decrease in many environmentally damaging activities both by choice and by necessity, but also resulted in many decisions to resuscitate the Cuban economy. After the Earth Summit in 1992, following Fidel Castro’s speech regarding the condition of the environment on a global scale, Cuba designed and implemented a variety of programs, administrative structures, and public awareness activities to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development. What is most important is the damage that ahs already been done and the efforts to reverse these conditions. Currently, there are many efforts to bring the Cuban environment to a sustainable level. When the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe ended trade and financial relationships with Cuba, the island was forced to make severe adjustments. The emergency measures implemented by the Cuban government aimed at preventing the total economic collapse of the regime, have been referred to by the leadership as the â€Å"special period in peacetime. † This Special Period brought about â€Å"the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) in 1994 [which] provided an important impetus for environmental policy and management on a national scale. †[2] In 1995 the National Environmental Strategy (EAN) was designed, but was not approved by the government until 1997. Since then the EAN â€Å"is the guiding document of Cuban environmental policy, establishing the principles upon which the national environmental efforts are based. †[3] The strategy identifies the main environmental issues in Cuba and proposes ideas and various methods to prevent, solve or minimize these problems. The strategy goals are to improve environmental protection and the use of natural resources in an attempt to meet sustainable social and economic development objectives. Evaluations of Cuba's environmental record in comparison with Eastern European records shows â€Å"that environmental deterioration in Cuba over more than three decades of socialist rule responded to specific conditions not usually found in developing countries†¦ but were present in the former Soviet Union and the former Eastern European socialist countries. [4] As a result of this, Kirwin Shaffer states that: Consequently, central planning ignored local environmental concerns. Also, the absence of private ownership and the lack of citizen input in decision making meant that all decisions affecting the local level were made with regard to how they fit with the overall national plan. Results and impacts at the local level were secondary. Which leads to these conclusions: Cuban agricultural and industrial development following the Soviet models have had similar consequences for water, soil and air pollution as found in Europe. 5] The current Cuban stance that attempts to blame the USSR for these effects in Cuba benefits Cuba’s political system because it takes the blame away from the state, but it is not served by the historical record. The glorified â€Å"greening† of Cuba during the 1990s has beneficial impacts over the short term, but, according to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, economic costs and turns toward a development model based on tourism may soon erode those short-term gains. Cuba's pollution and contamination problems are widespread, and not completely the result of Soviet-style development projects. Yet, there is no doubt that many of the current environmental problems in Cuba result mainly from sovietization of the Cuban economy. Soil erosion and soil degradation are the main problems in agriculture. These problems started primarily due to the intensification of mechanized agriculture and the use of petrochemical herbicides and pesticides. [6] Agriculture is just one of the many environmental issues the island faces. In terms of the land, â€Å"the harm caused by permanent crops to these lands is primarily due to a lack of crop rotation causing soil depletion, poor agro-technical management and insufficient fertility measures. †[7] In 1970 La zafra de los diez millones, took place, in which the Cuban government attempted to break all historic sugar production records by producing a ten million ton sugar harvest. [8] The government fell short of their goal by two tons, but by this point the damage was already done. Because crops take so much nutrients from the land, farmers alternate crops each year to allow the land to recover. During la zafra de los diez millones crops were not alternated which took a heavy toll on the land. In Cuba, poorly designed and implemented agricultural development policies have been a major contributor to the degradation of the country’s soils: Soil degradation continued apace with the agricultural practices that came to prevail in Cuba during the first half of the twentieth century as more and more virgin islands were brought under sugarcane and livestock production. There is mounting evidence that the pace of soil deterioration intensified during the second half of the century, principally because of the widespread adoption of modern agricultural practices, particularly from the 1960s to the late 1980s. As in the Soviet Union and other socialist economies, the collectivization of the rural sector was regarded as necessary for achieving the goals of a centrally planned command economy. Collectivization would make possible economies of scale and bring the advantages of mechanization and modern scientific agriculture. 9] After the collectivization of land agrarian reforms were implemented to return the land to the state and to its’ citizens. But this shift in land ownership could have major environmental implications, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. After the Soviets left Cuba, Cuban farming suffered a shortage of imported agricultural goods; leaving Cuban farmers to use traditional farming practices and some more modern techniques (such as rip irrigation) that are more environmentally friendly: The post-Soviet agricultural model is less dependent on imported agricultural practices that had been abandoned for their alleged backwardness: the large-scale use of beasts of burden, increased reliance on organic fertilizers and biological pest controls, the abandonment of marginal soils that had been brought under cultivation and made productive only by the intensive use of agricultural inputs, and a shift of urban labor to the countryside. [10] According to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, more important than this change in agricultural practices, is that transferring the control of lands to farmers who are closely tied it, â€Å"and whose economic well-being will depend on the stewardship of the natural resource base, there is the expectation that the trend of soil deterioration†¦. may at least be slowed down†¦. [but] it is too early tell how successful the new agricultural policies will be. †[11] At this point, many of Cuba’s natural resources are in danger of extinction. Because Cuba has exported sugarcane as its main commodity, sugarcane has replaced natural flora and fauna. There was a time before 1959 when over 30 different kinds of bananas grew on the island, but most of the banana trees have been replaced by sugarcane. Cuba’s crops and animals have been affected by pests and diseases introduced from abroad; coastal pollution and excessive hunting also present severe threats to wildlife populations. [12] Water aquifers have been contaminated by pollutants (and saltwater on the coasts) and their levels are declining due to nearly unrestricted use. Similarly, waterflows reaching the coasts are also highly contaminated, which constantly hurts coral reefs and breeding grounds. Dam and reservoir construction has hurt coastal lagoons and mangroves: Cuba’s fresh water system (rivers/lakes/aquifers) has very serious problems. Under Castro’s policy of voluntad hidraulica, which called for not a single drop of fresh water to â€Å"be lost† to the ocean, the government has built over 1,000 large and small dams throughout the entire island, covering 1. 4% of Cuba’s territory. Although the benefits to Cuban agriculture are clear in terms of increased irrigated land (close to 1 million hectares), the ecological effect has been quite negative in terms of lowering the water’s oxygen level and increasing salinity. Dams have also blocked the dispersal of sediment and fresh water runoff over mangrove areas, contributing to a 30% average reduction of mangrove coverage and biodiversity loss[13] In fact, â€Å"the bays of Cuba are some of the most polluted in the world. Industrial, agricultural and human discharges into the sea, as well as deforestation for strip mining, have contributed to the pollution. [14] Water diversion to reservoirs is linked to the â€Å"virtual destruction of the oyster bed and major decline in the fish catch in the Casilda coastal region of southern Santa Clara Province. †[15] These factors, along with the excessive use of aquifer waters and wells used for sugar and citrus irrigation are contributing to the salinization of the water in Cuba. â€Å"Extensive water logging of coastal aquifers has lead to salinization and soil erosion. It has been estimated in 1991 that 600,000 ha have light to modest salinization levels, while the remainder show high levels of salinization. [16] The main source of water pollution lies in the industrial facilities, warehouses, and workshops and service entities located around the bay. Fifty-three industrial facilities are located in the immediate proximity of the bay, and another 84 industries produce waste that indirectly discharges into the bay through tributary streams. [17] These industrial areas include the port and the nickel industries that add to the contamination of the water supply. The port activity itself is also one of the major sources of contamination for the bay. It is estimated that the ships served in the port generate 150,000 tons of refuse per year. 18] Deforestation is also a factor contributing to the poor state of Cuba’s environment. Forests have not suffered nearly as much as the land, with conservation efforts bringing Cuba's forests back to their 1945 levels, but conservation of forests has not meant saving all woodlands. One of the main problems environmentalists have with deforestation in Cuba is the fact that many of the available estimates regarding how much of the original forest cover remained before the revolution are based on rough figures made by observers with no credible statistical information. According to Eudel Eduardo Cepero: The irrational use of forests has become common practice under the Castro regime. As no current data are available on the actual total area of cover forest, the value of Cuba’s forest resources is unknown. Most of the remaining natural forests are in poor condition from being overexploited. An average of 200 forest fires occur each year, affecting some 5,000 hectares of forest. Reforestation has been precarious, due to poor quality seeds, a low survival rate of plantings, and a narrow range of forest species utilized. 19] The National Environmental Strategy offers statistics to support Cepero’s claims by offering statistical information, but not listing sources to verify its facts; it also states that the forests in Cuba have grown over the last few years, but that there is still much work to be done with regards to improving the forest cover in Cuba: Although the forest cover has increased constantly in the recent years – in th e last 43 years increasing to a total coverage of 2, 696, 587. 9 hectares, bringing us to a forested index of 24. 54% in 2005 – after-effects still persist from years of irrational exploitation of Cuban forests which practically eradicated our most valuable woodland resources†¦. Problems persist with the quality of most native forests as a consequence of prior mismanagement and exploitation – particularly in the most important watersheds. Problems also exist in the nation’s seedbed sources, which do not meet productivity or quality expectations. In addition, a lack of updated forest management plans, insufficient silviculture of forested areas, and insufficiencies and deficiencies in management plans continue to present challenges[20] The EAN suggests that more work be done to investigate invasive plant species that re threatening the native plants. It says that the survival rate of tree plantations and the success rate of trees growing to full maturity have improved over the last few years, but that the numbers are still substantially low when compared to the anticipated numbers. Also, the range of forest species used in â€Å"forestry activities† has been inadequate. Also suffering from the effects of sovietization and the special period is the biological diversity of the island. â€Å"A substantial, unquantified loss of biodiversity exists, due, among other reasons, to improper management of certain ecosystems, the application of intensive farming, the marketing of endangered species, as well as conditions making it easy for important genetic resources to leave the countryâ€Å". 21] Coral reefs, mangroves, the original forest (which used to cover most of the island) and rainforests are ecosystems that are suffering in Cuba. According to the EAN, the leading causes of this loss of biodiversity are: [1] Changes, fragmentation, or destruction of habitat/ecosystems/landscapes due primarily to changes in land use and inadequate practices employed in fishing, harvest, and agricultural soil preparation, among others. Overexploitation of resources, for example fishing and forestry resources. [3] Degradation and contamination of soils, water, and the atmosphere. 4] Introduction of exotic invasive species that displace or affect the functioning of ecosystems and native species. [5]Insufficient regulatory and control mechanisms to prevent and punish illegal activities, including unlawful hunting and fishing, trade in threatened species and other natural resources. [6]Climate change and the resulting intensification of dry periods, the incidence of torrential rains, temperature increase, sea level rise, in addition to the intensity and frequency of extreme natural disasters such as hurricanes. [7] Forest fires. [22] The EAN lists the goals it wishes to achieve and the necessary steps that should be taken in order to achieve these goals. Among these goals are increasing the amount of forest coverage to 26. 7% of national territory; have one million hectares of forest maintained by the National System of Criterion and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management; complete National Forestry Planning in 2007; reduce amount of lands affected by forest fires; 69% of forest cover used as a buffer to protect coastal areas, soils, water and conservation forests; management program for invasive plant species. 23] Before the Special Period much of the air pollution in Cuba was the result of its’ dependence on Soviet and Eastern European vehicles and factories that were contaminating the air: Urban pollution, could be partly traced to Cuba’s extreme reliance on inefficient and highly contaminating Soviet and Eastern European-built vehicles and factories. In the agricultural sector, a practice that resulted in much environmental damage was the promotion of Sovietstyle, large-scale state farm production model based on widespread mechanization, heavy chemical inputs (e. . , fertilizers and herbicides), and extensive irrigation[24] Air pollution in Cuba has increased significantly in the years since the Soviets left the island. â€Å" The absence of mitigation measures for emissions, inadequate control measures on the levels of noise generated by different activities, scarce information about the harmful effects on health and social behavior, the poor technical state of transport, and a lack of standards for emissions are also present. [25] There are few environmental reports available to the public that are based on analytical information that is collected systematically in the field and processed in laboratories. Cuban scientists state that: The two main sources of sulfuric gases within the city limits are the old thermal power plants of Tallapiedra in the Old Havana neighborhood and the Antonio Maceo plant in Regla, across the Bay of Havana. In both of these neighborhoods they recorded the highest level of environmental pollution, measuring up to 7. milligrams of sulfides per square decimeter per day at the Tallapiedra Power Plant†¦. Three secondary sources in the metallurgic, chemical and construction ind ustries were also associated with air pollution, all of them located in the environs of Havana Bay. [26] The Ministry of Public Health, better endowed for this purpose than other branches of government, has produced or published few precise documents dealing with health conditions and environmental degradation. Sulfur oxides, undesirable residues of combustion that are produced mostly in power plants when sulfur-rich fuels are burned, create respiratory problems and cause acid rain. Cuba replaced part of the vanished Soviet fuel imports of the late 1980s with domestic crude containing roughly six percent sulfur. It is used mostly in power plants and to run cement factories. [27] Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez point out that the means of transportation in Cuba are getting old and, due to poor maintenance and inadequate resources to obtain parts, they are polluting and becoming harmful to the environment. Their conclusion is that â€Å"As long as the economic crisis continues, Cuba will not be able to modernize its fleet of cars, trucks, and buses (other than for those few vehicles serving the tourist industry)†. [28] If the Cuban government would allow media to spread environmental education to the citizens of Cuba and to the rest of the world, not only would it help efforts within Cuba to protect and improve the environment but it would also help efforts to improve the environment on a global level. The strategy points out that Article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic says: The state protects the nation’s environment and natural resources and recognizes their close relationship with sustainable economic and social development to make human life more rational and to ensure the survival, well being and security of present and future generations. It is the responsibility of proper governmental agencies to apply this policy. It is the duty of the citizens to contribute to the protection of the water, atmosphere, and the conservation of soil, wild flora and fauna and all the rich potential of nature. [29] Since Cuba has declared a national sovereignty over its natural resources and is actively working to restore and protect them, the state must also exercise rights over the country’s environment and resources. Similarly, Cuba must develop a national tendency towards â€Å"integrated natural resource management, commercial environmental management, and urban environmental management as fundamental traits of Cuban environmental management. †[30] The current embargo the United States has placed on Cuba keeps the island from growing economically. Which means that , since the economy is not changing or being stimulated, the people of Cuba are suffering. Meaning, because man poor, urban people cannot afford daily necessities, they resort to alternate ways to get everyday goods; even if it means depleting the natural resources. With the current government in Cuba and the restrictions caused by the embargo, it is hard to think that the Cuban environment will improve much in the next decade or two; but the National Environmental Strategy offers hope to the idea that Cuba’s environment will improve. The â€Å"National Environment Strategy 2007-2010† is dedicated to improving the environmental conditions of Cuba and finding a way to meet sustainable social and economic development goals. The eradication of extreme poverty is an achievement rooted in the very foundations of the revolutionary process. Achieving this is essential to the pursuit of environmental sustainability, first and foremost because extreme poverty cannot coexist with a healthy environment. The solution to this challenge is one of the principal achievements that Cuba can effectively show to the world. 31] The future of environmental reforms in Cuba will be influenced by a variety of cultural, economic, social, and political factors. Ultimate success or failure, however, will likely depend more on thorough laws, money, human capital, public involvement in environmental decision making, use of incentive-based tools, and international support. Strong environmental laws are a necessary foundation for sustaina ble development, but success will only occur with the continuing political will to implement and enforce them.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

How students use social media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How students use social media - Assignment Example According to the research carried out by Lenhart et al. (2010), people between 18 and 29 years of age account for 57 per cent of the total population of users of the social networks and maintain personal profiles on a range of social media websites. Pempek, Yermolayeva, and Calvert (2009) noted that although the amount of time spent by the users on social networking websites varied considerably, yet a vast majority of the users spend up to half an hour a day socializing on the social networking sites mostly from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m whereas students spend 47 minutes a day on the Facebook on average. More than half of the total population of students in colleges visits social networking sites numerously in a day (Sheldon, 2008). Types of social media commonly used by the students include but are not limited to blogs, chats on Twitter and Facebook, social networks, wikis, podcasts, videos, photo sharing on sites like Flickr, and gamification. A blog is a webpage or website that can easily be updated. Authors of blogs write regular entries in the format of a diary. The most interesting and effective blogs provide the students with an opportunity to engage in conversations with the bloggers as well as other readers who have commented on the blogs. Microblogging, as the name implies, is the process of writing very brief blog posts, that are sort of text messages. Presently, the most popular service of microblogging is provided by Twitter that provides the students with the opportunity to post the entries as long as 140 characters. Using Twitter, students can not only read their messages online but also can send their posts as text messages to one another’s mobiles. Social networking websites like Faceboo k serve as platforms using which the students can connect with one another and engage in different kinds of activities both academic and otherwise. Facebook and MySpace

Monday, August 12, 2019

The Advantages and Disadvantages during the Simulation Essay

The Advantages and Disadvantages during the Simulation - Essay Example Financial Statement represents information exhibiting firms’ performance. The balance sheet shows financial position of the firm at one point in time while income statement shows the profit and loose for the previous year (Curkovic, 2000). The 21st-century car challenge is a simulation that illustrates the various impacts of engineering decisions in an automobile industrial and global environment. Engineering decisions impact the financial performances of each competing company and are assessed by customers. Using a good business strategy is the key to win in this simulation. As I did this simulation as a member of the Red Team, we need to define product by making decisions about engineering and sell it by taking marketing decisions, also manufacture, invest, and decide on quality, human resource and loans in order to optimize profitability and return on capital employed (Mega learning, 2012). This report will be divided to be 4parts: advantages and disadvantages of the strategy we did, alternative options, the optimum strategy, and conclusion. At the first period, the Red Team faced to the problems of the high cost of non-quality, a low competitive advantage in the next period, low EBIT, the low value of share price compared with competitors, high rate of stocks, and low percentages of employee morale. Because we focused on IMAGE cars and Family cars only, so we used the strategy of beyond current expectations by improving their quality through invested much in engineering and marketing and we did not invest in manufacturer facilities and Human Resource and Quality due to the limited budget. We decided to solve problems in the next period by using product development and market development strategies with the focus of IMAGE cars as the main product. The share price and EBIT grew up as a result but other products still had a lot of inventories.Â