Speech analyses essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speech analyses essay - Research Paper Example Most of the people who participated in the Challenge and donations are from Boston. That is why it is more effective to deliver the speech at Boston in front of a ‘familiar’ audience which makes Nancy comfortable. Attention getter- The attention getter Nancy uses the question â€Å"How many of you took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?† This seems obvious and rhetorical, presumably a majority of the people in the audience had participated in the Challenge. As you can see from the reaction of the audience, they barely react to Nancy’s question. Nancy uses a non- verbal cue (by clamping) in order to ‘warm up’ the audience before she begins her speech. Revelation of topic- The revelation of topic is the flashback family story that Nancy gives her audience. A flashback to the summer of 2011, Nancy carefully narrates and reveals a powerful family story leading to Pete’s diagnosis and inspiration behind her family taking the initiative to create awareness about ALS. Statement of Credibility- The statement of credibility is ‘the mom who started the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge’. Since Nancy is Pete’s mom and she is heavily involved in the fund raising and ALS awareness initiative, she is credible enough to give the speech. Nancy Frates and her entire extended family are taking great lengths to create awareness about ALS and get philanthropist like Bill Gates on board. Since Nancy was at the forefront of this initiative, definitely makes her credible. Statement of central idea- The central idea in the introduction of Nancy Frates speech is that very little progress has been done to get a treatment for ALS. The idea behind ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is to help raise funds that can be used to conduct research and clinical trials of drugs that can cure or treat ALS. Nancy’s family and ALS managed to raise enough funds that will help ALSTDI in Cambridge Massachusetts to come with an ALS trial drug in 2 months.

The movie A Beautiful Mind Essay Example for Free

The movie A Beautiful Mind Essay The movie is titled â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† and the psychological disorder that is depicted in it is schizophrenia. In the movie, the main character is Josh Nash is depicted as being schizophrenic in the following ways. In one instance, he is revealed as being able to hear voices that other people could not hear. This voices are seen as controlling agents of the actions he does. The voices in the movie control his thoughts and to some extend seem like they want to harm him. His behavior is quiet terrifying to the people around Nash. The depiction of psychological disorder of schizophrenia is a true picture of the condition as it occurs in real life. Another symptom of the disorder that was evident in the movie is the fact the sitting for several hours without any movement or speech. Nash had bout where he could not move or speak for a lot of hours. This is the typical behavior of schizophrenic people. He seemed fine most of the time but as soon as he made a revelation of what was on his mind people were shocked on what was going on in his mind. The portrayal of an individual with schizophrenic disorder in the movie â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† was indeed a realistic portrayal of the disorder CITATION Bus03 l 1033 ( Buss Buss, 2003). My reaction after viewing the movie is that schizophrenia is a psychological disorder that affects families and societies in general. The people who are diagnosed with this condition find it quiet difficult to live a normal life as they rely so much on other people to help them in their daily activities. The only solution to it is by coping with the symptoms of the disease. References BIBLIOGRAPHY Buss, E. H., Buss, A. H. (2003). Schizophrenia: Seven Approaches. Transaction Publishers. Source document

Film Analysis about Women in the Movie Pretty Woman Essay example -- e

The Hollywood movie Pretty Woman (1990) is about a prostitute in Hollywood, marrying an extremely rich businessman, in spite of her mutual distrust and prejudice. The movie contains the basic narrative of the Cinderella tale: through the love and help of a man of a higher social position, a girl of a lower social status moves up to join the man at his level. Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) in Pretty Woman comes from a small town in Georgia, and works as a prostitute on the streets of Hollywood to support herself. Although Vivian's social position is very low, she has a strong sense of personal dignity and independence. Even though sometimes she have to stand by the street with empty stomach to wait for clients, Vivian and her friend Kit still keep themselves from the control of pimps, and "act as their own agents". Later, at the end of Vivian's one-week business arrangement with wealthy Edward Lewis (the Prince to her dream), which culminates in love and growing mutual respect, he offers her an apartment, a car and a credit card to get her off the streets, but she refuses. For Vivian, however, this arrangement is only different in terms of "geography" and terms of payment for the "business†; between them. Vivian knows that in society her own effort is the key to supporting herself and eventually securing a better future. She wants to set up a life in the city and tries very hard to look for a job. Due to lack of a skill, although she is willing to do heavy or dirty work, she is not able to find a job with enough pay to support herself. Her goal in life is simply to support herself by her own effort instead of letting somebody else arrange and control her life. This, in it self, represents a spirit of active effort for someone like Vivian. In addition to her efforts in trying to support herself and realize her own goals, Vivian also endeavors to help others. With a part of the $3000 windfall she earns from her week with Edward Lewis, she presses her friend Kit to pursue her long-dormant desire to become a beautician. And her most significant achievement is helping Edward Lewis, the corporate raider, rediscover his humanity, so he can build things instead of dismantling the work of othe rs for profit, and find a more meaningful life other than locking himself in work. The two aspects discussed above display the changes of emphasis on self-... ...ulminates in an attempt to rape her. In the attempted rape scene, it is very clear that Phil wants to rape Vivian not to quench an uncontrollable sexual impulse, but to give vent to all his anger for what he has lost -- the money from an unfriendly buyout that Edward has overturned with his newfound humanity, and the control of Edward. Phil wants to humiliate Vivian as he feels he has been humiliated, and, if possible, destroy her. The rape is not about sex but about abasement and power. Pretty Woman, 1990s Hollywood movie, embodies many new as well as old values and ideologies. I was surprised when I saw that, the old themes and sexual stereotypes are not completely abandoned, but the old portrayals of gender stereotypes are transmuted. Finally, the movie says that women, first of all, should rely on themselves and not submit to any kind of domination. They should simply support themselves by their own efforts instead of letting someone else arrange and control their lives. The movie also demonstrates how a girl possessing the virtues of honesty, patience, prudence, industry, and obedience can be rewarded with a husband and the attendant better life and higher social position.

The Nile River, Sahara Desert and Islam

The Nile River has always been the backbone of Egypt. The mighty river flows for some 4,000 miles from the mountains of Equatorial Africa and Lake Victoria before it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Without the Nile River and its annual inundation Ancient Egypt would never have come into being. Its fertile valley was renewed every year with rich silt deposits laid down during the flooding. As the agriculture of Egypt revolved around the Nile, so did the social life of the ancient Egyptians. During inundation when there was less to do, people had more time for recreational activities, they played games, held sporting tournaments and regularly feasted. When the River Nile receded the appearance of the land had radically changed and there was a great rush to restore boundaries. There were many disputes as markers had moved, banks had collapsed, and distinguishable features had disappeared. The river was also the chief means of transport. It was their highway, making unnecessary roads, except between close villages. Virtually everything moved by boat. The Nile, for the most part, is a gently flowing river and in the time of the ancients, was crammed with fish. It’s easy flow made fishing very popular. Everyone enjoyed fishing, from the young to old, peasant to noble. The Egyptians believed that the Nile was the centre of the world. And the place from which it originated was, ‘the beginning of the world’. In Lower Egypt, in the area of the Nile Delta, the river splits into two great arms. The area between the two was densely populated from the earliest times. Many of the major religious group centers developed in this region. Even the soul of a deceased had to cross the Nile before he could enter the kingdom of the dead. The Sahara desert covers around 9,000,000 square kilometers and the overall area is as large as the continental United States. The Sahara desert also has the reputation of being the world’s largest hot desert. The landforms in this desert often undergo constant change. These landforms are shaped as per the direction of the wind and the occasional rainfalls. Although being a desert area, one can notice annual rainfall in many regions of this vast land area. There are different climates witnessed in different regions such as the subtropical climate in the northern land where as a tropical climate in the southern area. Over the years, the climate of the Sahara desert has undergone humungous changes. This desert therefore, is known for its harsh climates so typical of all deserts. This hot desert has annual temperatures that can exceed 30 degrees C. Some of the hottest months have temperatures exceeding 50 degrees C. In the winters, the temperatures drop below freezing points. This it explains the diverse climates of this hot desert. Studies have revealed the changing size of the Sahara desert! Observations made with the help of satellite photographs have proven this desert can shrink or even grow in size. The Sahara desert is home to quite a few species of animals. Camels and goats are the only ones amongst the domesticated animals one may see out here. Apart from these, the Saharan cheetah, the sand vipers, scorpions and monitor lizards can be found out here. This desert has some of the tallest sand dunes and these can reach 189 meters in height. The land area also has stone plateaus, large gravel plains, dry valleys and even sand flats. The Sahara desert has around 500 species of flora. These consist of mainly ephemeral plants known locally as Acheb. At some oases, close to the Nile Valley, one can find olive trees growing out here. Vegetation is found in areas where the ground water reaches the surface of the land. This place has mainly nomadic groups of people that move from place to place. Nomads wear a particular headdress known as Howli. These people are mainly engaged in trading and hunting. The low population is due to the rather difficult conditions seen in the Sahara desert. The Sahara desert stretches over areas of Northern Africa, from the Red Sea to the areas close to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. This desert shares it boundaries with the Atlas Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Sudan and valley of the Niger River. Islam is a religion that has existed for millions of years. The followers believed that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger. Muhammad was deeply troubled by the idols worship of Arabs and the moral ills of society. When he was about 40, he was meditating and heard a voice. According to Muslim the belief the voice was that of the angel Gabriel it said, â€Å"Proclaim. † When Muhammad asked what should I proclaim the voice responded with proclaim in the name of God. Muhammad was a young man born in Mecca about the year 570. Orphaned at an early age, Muhammad was cared for by his uncle. In his youth he worked as a shepherd among the Bedouins. Later he led caravans across the desert for merchants. When he was 25, Muhammad married Khadija. It was at age 40 when he had his first vision. Islam has a book similar to that of the Holy Bible. It is called the Quran. To Muslims, the Quran contains the sacred text as spoken to Muhammad from god. The Quran not only teaches about God, but about how to lead a good, faithful, life. It sets harsh penalties for stealing or murdering.

Marine Mammals Essay

SeaWorld gives you the opportunity to feed and swim with dolphins, watch jaw-dropping whale and seal shows, pet stingrays, see all types of sharks, exotic fish, and so much more! But my views have recently changed after I saw the tragic death of a Sea World trainer on the news; the cause of death being one of the parks very own orca whales. This horrific news brought me to research why the whale turned on its trainer and the information I found made me change my outlook on animal captivity completely. In the ethical debate over marine mammals in captivity there are many conflicting views. The public theme park industries advocate that marine mammal exhibits provide an important role in educating, entertaining, and conservation; they see nothing wrong with captivity. An increasing number of scientists counter this view and believe that animals should flourish naturally and are too intelligent to be held captive. Animal protection groups also have taken notice that these mammals in cap tivity develop severe health issues and should be in the wild. There are other organizations that believe in absolute welfare of these animals, whether it is best  suited in confinement or in the wild. Lastly there are associations that agree with captivity for some cases, just not when animals are exploited. Above all I agree that the more knowledge we have about marine mammals, the more mankind can do to help find the most beneficial option for specific marine animals. When thinking about aquatic parks one in particular comes to mind for most people, Sea World. According to its website, â€Å"SeaWorld has a world-wide reputation for providing unique, up-close animal encounters designed to bring more than 20 million guests each year closer to wildlife and the world we share† (â€Å"Sea World†). Parks like this also affirm that one of their main goals is to educate people through seeing live animals in person such as dolphins, whales, seals, and penguins. Marine parks around the world, including Sea World, also claim that they serve as a rescue and a preservation center for stranded, sick, orphaned or injured animals. This is in fact true; many animal lives have been saved due to the help of aquatic parks (SeaworldParks.com). But some still question if it’s justifiable to keep animals in captivity if they are capable to live naturally in the wild after being rehabilitated. It’s evident that SeaWorld and other captivity par ks have not only contributed tremendously with saving countless marine  mammals lives, but have also entertained and educated thousands of people on marine life. Yet with all of this in mind it’s hard for me to fully agree that captivity is always the best option for these animals’ welfare. It’s tough to deny that the entertainment and profit aspect from the â€Å"yearly 20 million guests† may be intervening with the wellbeing of the animals, which should always be the main focus. On the other side of the spectrum when dealing with the issue of marine mammals in captivity, are animal rights activists. â€Å"There are better and more humane ways of providing entertainment and education to the public without sacrificing the welfare of animals† states Grace Ge Gabriel, the head force behind the Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The IFAW is a well-known organization that advocates saving animal populations from cruelty and depletion. An example of their support is their campaign to end commercial whaling and seal hunts. She and many others speak out against marine mammals held in captivity (Gabriel). These activists express that the lives of captive marine mammals are impoverished, people do not receive an accurate picture of a species from imprisoned environments, and the traffic in live marine mammals causes harmful impacts on populations and the animals’ health. A prime example is the abuse whales endure when their family and pod members are separat ed from each other to be put into captivity. Once removed from their natural environment, the whales are then transported to small enclosures that lack not only their families and social groups but which also are only a fraction of the size of their natural home range (â€Å"PETA†). If life for captive orcas and dolphins were as peaceful as marine parks would have us believe, the animals would live longer than their wild counterparts. While captive marine mammals are not subject to predators or ocean pollution, their captivity is nevertheless a death sentence. These caged mammals develop severe health issues from being confined to small tanks where they are forced to perform unnecessary tricks for â€Å"entertainment.† According to PETA’s website, â€Å"Wild orcas can also live for decades—some have been documented to be more than 90 years old—but those at Sea World and other marine parks rarely survive for more than 10 years† (peta.org). An imals imprisoned die prematurely from stress and other captivity-related causes; which is seen as the  main cause for the deaths of animal trainers at aquatic parks, like the attack mentioned before from Sea World. The question of whether marine mammals should be held captive is even weighed in by scientists. There have been countless experiments and portrayals of cetaceans, or aquatic mammals such as whales and dolphins, displaying intelligent behavior. Experts in philosophy, conservation, and animal behavior recognize that dolphins and whales are adequately intelligent to justify the same ethical considerations as humans. According to the BBC News World website, â€Å"The move was made at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver, Canada, the world’s biggest science conference. It is based on years of research that has shown dolphins and whales have large, complex brains and a human-like level of self-awareness† (http://www.bbc.co.uk). This has led the experts to conclude that by recognizing these animals’ rights would serve as a catalyst to ending whaling and captivity of these self-aware creatures. Unlike the views of animal display industries who endorse captivity, or animal rights activists and scientists whom advocate against it, there are some associations that seem more neutral towards animal confinement. These organizations act as a middle ground, where their pure intent is to promote animal wellbeing; whether that may be in captivity or in their natural environment. These groups look at specific cases of different marine mammal species individually and decide where that animal is more likely to thrive. The Seal Conservation Society (SCS) is a terrific illustration of a society who is neutral to the thought of captivity; their main focus being on conservation and welfare. They view both sides of captivity on their website. At first questioning captivity they inquire, â€Å"Do the benefits to humans from the animalndisplay industry justify the animals’ confinement and stress associated with the unnatural environment? The question remains for all marine mammals whet her captivity is justified for entertainment, educational or conservation purposes.† Then countering those thoughts according to the website, â€Å"A further justification for captive pinnipeds to be considered is the research value of captive studies where the research clearly increases  our understanding and appreciation of pinniped species, this benefit must be considered in the context of the welfare and well-being of the animals involved. Our society would tend to support those facilities where the animals’ long-term and welfare is a priority† (pinnipeds.org). These impartial organizations appear exceptionally more helpful than the other radical view points; instead of supporting what they believe in they can focus more on the specific animal and not their cause. In correspondence to the previous organizations mentioned, there are similar associations that promote animal well-being but also support captivity if it’s necessary. These groups are marin e mammal rescue centers that endorse captivity along with non-performance opportunities. The Marine Mammal Center is an organization that believes animals shouldn’t be abused in captivity by being forced to perform unnatural tricks, but believe captivity should be allowed if the animal cannot survive on its own in the wild (â€Å"Marine Mammal Center†). These institutions don’t see captivity as the enemy, but rather view aquatic theme parks and entertainment business that confine animals for the wrong reasons to be immoral. Their website won me over when it stated, â€Å"What we do is more than kind-hearted consideration for the well-being of other living creatures. We recognize the fundamental relationship that binds humans, animals, and the ocean† (â€Å"Marine Mammal Center†). The question if marine mammals should be kept in captivity is tough to answer. Personally, I believe that in our present society there are more urgent matters than amusing audiences by exploiting such intelligent and defenseless animals. We have an ethical and imperative responsibility to think about species that may be negatively impacted by our actions. This includes a lot of species, and cetaceans are no exception. These marine mammals should remain where they evolved and thrived and we should make sure that their rights are protected so that they can go on living there.

Puritan Poetry and Edward Taylor

Puritan Poetry and Edward Taylor The Puritans produced many poets over the colonial period. Puritan lifestyle was based on three major principles. These principles were humbleness, simple life, and faith in G-d. The puritans strictly adhered to these principles. Another principle, although not as important, was the principle of regeneration. This is accepting people back into the Church or "re-bearing" them The poetry of the Puritans was greatly affected by these three and much can be seen about Puritan life from these texts. Edward Taylor's texts were also greatly influenced. Some of his poems are Upon a Wasp Chilled with Cold, Upon a Spider Catching a Fly, Huswifery, and Our Insufficiency to Praise G-d Suitably for His Mercy.In Upon a Wasp Chilled with Cold Taylor is greatly affected by the Puritan way. He speaks of "the northern blast." This "northern blast" is the troubles and sorrows of the average person. Soon after Taylor speaks of "Sol's warm breath."Rev. John Cotton (1585–1652)This is the grace of G- d. Taylor is speaking of the troubled human being saved by the grace of G-d. This relates to one of the principles of faith.In Huswifery Taylor shows the third principle of faith. He shows the principle of simple living. Taylor asks G-d to take all his immaterial positions and create for him a beautiful garment of G-d's glory. Taylor writes this while showing us that all he needs is to be clothed in G-d's glory and nothing else..In Upon a Spider Catching a Fly Taylor refers to another principle of faith, humbleness. He speaks of himself as the "petty fly" and how he is caught by the web of the devil. Then he says "Thy grace to break the cord" which shows his humbleness. He is asking God to help him because he cannot do it himself. He asks...

Free Essays on Renaissance To Neo-Cassicism

Question #2 The Renaissance saw a rebirth of classical ideals. As examined in the first question, the emergence of the artist as someone with status and an intellectual approach to their craft was an important part of post-gothic art history. The role of the art historian was also critical to art development. Giorgio Vasari, who wrote The Lives of the Artists, was one of the first art historians and his tendencies towards a connoisseurship approach to â€Å"good art† had a resounding effect on art history following the death of Michelangelo Buonarrati, as it stifled artistic progress that inevitably led art back to Neo-Classicism. Vasari’s first edition of The Lives of the Artists, was published in 1550 and was largely a celebration of fellow painter and friend Michelangelo. For Vasari, quality was based primarily on the artist’s skill in the illusion of naturalism and the technical ability required to achieve a classical degree of idealized beauty. This kind of approach to art history creates problems because; it encourages the attribution of works of art to an artist and the influence of one artist on another, on the basis of stylistic similarities. However, this is not the only problem with Vasari’s history of art as it relates to the progression from the Renaissance into Neo-Classicalism. Another problem with Vasari’s trajectory of art history is the question of what happened to art after Michelangelo. Did it stop or go into decline? Once the ‘pinnacle’ of perfection had been reached with Michelangelo’s, Sistine Chapel (1508-1512), where could art go? Was Caravaiggio’s, Baroque painting, Calling of Saint Matthew(1599-1600), a lesser expression of art or message about society because he rejected the dominant Mannerist style, and Renaissance idealism, in favor of greater Realism and dramatic painterly techniques, such as tenebrism and chiaroscuro (Adams 675-77)? Certainly it was not. If anything, Cara... Free Essays on Renaissance To Neo-Cassicism Free Essays on Renaissance To Neo-Cassicism Question #2 The Renaissance saw a rebirth of classical ideals. As examined in the first question, the emergence of the artist as someone with status and an intellectual approach to their craft was an important part of post-gothic art history. The role of the art historian was also critical to art development. Giorgio Vasari, who wrote The Lives of the Artists, was one of the first art historians and his tendencies towards a connoisseurship approach to â€Å"good art† had a resounding effect on art history following the death of Michelangelo Buonarrati, as it stifled artistic progress that inevitably led art back to Neo-Classicism. Vasari’s first edition of The Lives of the Artists, was published in 1550 and was largely a celebration of fellow painter and friend Michelangelo. For Vasari, quality was based primarily on the artist’s skill in the illusion of naturalism and the technical ability required to achieve a classical degree of idealized beauty. This kind of approach to art history creates problems because; it encourages the attribution of works of art to an artist and the influence of one artist on another, on the basis of stylistic similarities. However, this is not the only problem with Vasari’s history of art as it relates to the progression from the Renaissance into Neo-Classicalism. Another problem with Vasari’s trajectory of art history is the question of what happened to art after Michelangelo. Did it stop or go into decline? Once the ‘pinnacle’ of perfection had been reached with Michelangelo’s, Sistine Chapel (1508-1512), where could art go? Was Caravaiggio’s, Baroque painting, Calling of Saint Matthew(1599-1600), a lesser expression of art or message about society because he rejected the dominant Mannerist style, and Renaissance idealism, in favor of greater Realism and dramatic painterly techniques, such as tenebrism and chiaroscuro (Adams 675-77)? Certainly it was not. If anything, Cara...

Understanding Deforestationâ€a Growing Global Problem

Understanding Deforestation- a Growing Global Problem Deforestation is a growing global problem with far-reaching environmental and economic consequences, including some that may not be fully understood until it is too late to prevent them. But what is deforestation, and why is it such a serious problem? Deforestation refers to the loss or destruction of naturally occurring forests, primarily due to human activities such as logging, cutting trees for fuel, slash-and-burn agriculture, clearing land for livestock grazing, mining operations, oil extraction, dam building, and urban sprawl or other types of development and population expansion. Logging alone- much of it illegal- accounts for the loss of more than 32 million acres of our planets natural forests every year, according to The Nature Conservancy. Not all deforestation is intentional. Some deforestation may be driven by a combination of natural processes and human interests. Wildfires burn large sections of forest every year, for example, and although fire is a natural part of the forest life cycle, subsequent overgrazing by livestock or wildlife after a fire can prevent the growth of young trees. How Fast Is Deforestation Happening? Forests still cover about 30 percent of the Earths surface, but each year about 13 million hectares of forest (approximately 78,000 square miles)- an area roughly equivalent to the state of Nebraska, or four times the size of Costa Rica- are converted to agricultural land or cleared for other purposes. Of that figure, approximately 6 million hectares (about 23,000 square miles) is primary forest, which is defined in the 2005 Global Forest Resources Assessment as forests of native species where there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and where the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed. Reforestation programs, as well as landscape restoration and the natural expansion of forests, have slowed the net deforestation rate somewhat, but the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that approximately 7.3 million hectares of forests (an area roughly the size of Panama or the state of South Carolina) are permanently lost every year. Tropical rainforests in places like Indonesia, the Congo, and the Amazon Basin are particularly vulnerable and at risk. At the current rate of deforestation, tropical rainforests could be wiped out as functioning ecosystems in less than 100 years. West Africa has lost about 90 percent of its coastal rainforests, and deforestation in South Asia has been nearly as bad. Two-thirds of the lowland tropical forests in Central America have been converted to pasture since 1950, and 40 percent of all rainforests have been lost. Madagascar has lost 90 percent of its eastern rainforests, and Brazil has seen more than 90 percent of the Mata Atlà ¢ntica (Atlantic Forest) disappear. Several countries have declared deforestation a national emergency. Why Is Deforestation a Problem? Scientists estimate that 80 percent of all species on Earth- including those not yet discovered- live in tropical rainforests. Deforestation in those regions wipes out critical habitat, disrupts ecosystems and leads to the potential extinction of many species, including irreplaceable species that could be used to make medicines, which might be essential for cures or effective treatments of the worlds most devastating diseases. Deforestation also contributes to global warming- tropical deforestation accounts for about 20 percent of all greenhouse gases- and has a significant impact on the global economy. While some people may receive immediate economic benefits from activities that result in deforestation, those short-term gains cannot offset the negative long-term economic losses. At the 2008 Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany, scientists, economists, and other experts concluded that deforestation and damage to other environmental systems could cut living standards for the worlds poor by half and reduce the global gross domestic product (GDP) by about 7 percent. Forest products and related activities account for approximately  $600 billion worth of global GDP every year.

The jakrta post November 17 2012 - Citizens Boiling Over LPG Case Study

The jakrta post November 17 2012 - Citizens Boiling Over LPG - Case Study Example The introduction of the liquefied petroleum gas was a good idea intended to face out the use of paraffin which had been determined a lot costlier and related to the spread of chronic diseases besides the extensive environmental pollution. The populace had adapted to the use of kerosene, they therefore never felt the alleged negative consequence. The use of a new technology is influenced by the availability of information, the absence of information results in a gap, a knowledge gap which further compel people to in ignorance (Crain 87). People reaction is not only difficult to control but is also difficult to predict. Public opinions are formed and spread through the word of mouth which has proven through time to be very efficient. As the information moves further from the source, it becomes more biased thereby turning from the individual opinion into propaganda. In resistance to the introduction of the liquefied petroleum gas, the populace turned chaotic and took to the streets in protest. A crowd is more difficult to control, the crowd moves as a unified whole and makes decisions spontaneously. In the riots, security becomes a major concern as most of the rioters hurt themselves in the numerous accidents caused by the riots. The rioters are never perturbed with their concerns for security, these results in most rioters getting hurt with some losing their lives. It is possible to change people’s behavior, however this requires time since is a slow progressive process that begins by persuading the brains to let go the previous faiths and introduce the new one. This requires practical experiments to back up the claims of the initiator of the change, practical experiments make the claims more realistic thereby convincing. Change threatens the status quo and may result in disruptions of the normal lives; the fear for

Hypercapitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hypercapitalism - Essay Example Moreover, the total production is normally given guidance and the interests distributed through market operation. It dominated the western world after mercantilism was called to a stop. In addition to that, this system enlarges production capacity by putting in use the excess production over consumption (Colker 111). The initial goals were to allow private ownership of property, provision of capital to the firms, freedom of competition for economic gain and profit motive. Hypercapitalism is a society in which the values of capitalism are given more consideration than the other existing values (Maaasik & Solomon 522).The given essay by pulling information from various reliable resources is going to dwell mostly on hypercapitalism. In the contemporary society, market forces have penetrated almost all aspects of life (Graham 58). Not forgetting, all the companies have emerged into one. We are forced to pay for most intangible things (Perelman 87). This issue drives me to another thing a ltogether; the elements of hypercapitalism. Basically, we have gotten two. That is, excess capitalism and payments of unreal things (Perelman 50). They say that the only way to make your dream come true is by waking up. I totally agree with that. It is high time we all come to our senses and deal with the emerging issue. We should be like the cactus as opposed to the ostriches. Why do I say so? It is only the cactus that raises its head in the desert. With the ostrich, it tries to hide the head in the ground and imagine that the danger is gone. Hypercapitalism is taking stand. This is why we even find companies e.g. the Diesel advising its audience consisting of children that the best way to show their creativity is by having sex (Maasik & Solomon 522). In the recent future, most firms are bigger than what they initially used to be. Also, they are found in many countries at once. They only major on advancing their profit. Barbie’s breast for instance, is out of proportion tha t if she were to be a human woman, she would probably fall on her face (Maasik & Solomon 375). They have indeed prioritized on that rather than anything else. Single world currency has become a cliche to most of them. Moreover, money is considered to be what matters most (Maasik & Solomon 522). Formerly, in the classical duration of the political economy, production of commodities majorly depended on labor (Graham 90). In that case, the level of unemployment was quite low as compared to today. Most firms lay emphasis on the commodities which have been turned into ‘exchange values’. They are then transformed into money and try their level best to ensure that they have maximized on the profit without having a look at the quality of their products (Perelman 69). Taking for instance, United States, the issue of poor parental care is normally attributed to the negative effects of capitalism. It has also made no steps to improve or to help parents to provide parental care. Ho w is this possible? The free market together with the self-government principles that gyrate around Americans capitalism does not allow us to have consideration for social problems. In most cases, the society tries offering assistance by paying leave, insurance and maybe by offering accommodation away from the workplace. All these do not help in that they only take care of the parents and not the infants. The role of capitalism is founded on the basis that goods are meant to be exchanged in the markets. With time, the role of property is changing gradually. When a child is growing up for instance, he or she believes that the status quo of an individual is determined by what they own. We tend to be bound up that the only way human affairs are structured is through selling and buying.

What do you feel is the most effective way to administer probation Essay - 1

What do you feel is the most effective way to administer probation - Essay Example Some of the activities include catering services in homes for the elderly and environmental cleaning activities in a bid to foster responsible behavior among the junior offenders so that they can be received back into the community. Another approach to probation is restitution in which the judge may order the law-breaker to pay some fine or compensation to the victim in order to avoid a jail term. The fine is meant to offer compensation for the loss caused to the victim. The level of compensation is set by the judge based on the nature of the damage caused and failure to meet such regulations by the offender may lead to harsh penalties such as a jail sentence. Day treatment is another form of administering probation that is applied to mentally incapacitated and alcohol abuse offenders. This involves counseling services to the offenders and group therapies. The most effective form of administering probation is the community service method. This is because it exposes the offender to the realities of life as well as facilitating the process of being accepted by the community. Community service initiatives promote responsibility among the juvenile offenders thus making them responsible members of the society. It fu rther creates awareness among the offenders as they come to terms with their victims who may be part of the same community in which they are involved (Bartollas, Clemens, and Stuart J. Miller,

Sensory analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sensory analysis - Essay Example Sensory Analysis involves gathering information from the consumers about the objective facts, preferences, and the perceptions regarding a product. Large firms have traditionally had the advantage of employing a larger amount of money and manpower to implement costly, wide reaching advertising campaigns and experimenting with new product, which may be withdrawn, if not successful. The formulation and marketing of new products is a complex process and there can be many influencing factors such as consumer preferences, the target consumer’s perception of the product and the purchase behavior of the consumers. It is important for firms to have complete knowledge of the market segments that they are targeting their products at. The knowledge of these facts can come from marketing analysis and Sensory analysis. Sensory Analysis is conducted to get information about consumer’s acceptance of a product and in what way the product appeals to his/her senses (asiamarketresearch.com) For conducting sensory analysis, usually third party firms are engaged, a set of ‘naive’ people are requested to test the product. The analysis of their experience is done by collating the results of homogenous groups. These groups represent different socio-economic categories. It is therefore possible to gauge the responses of the groups and determine the product that would most appeal to a particular socio-economic stratum. Sensory Analysis can actually help businesses to come up with different flavors of a particular product by using the collected information. This can be a cost-effective way of pitching the same product to different sets of consumers. Sensory Analysis plays a very prominent role in quality control. Quality has always been described as fit-for-purpose and that which satisfies the requirements. Knowing what the consumer preferences are can be great help in determining the quality

Racism and classism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism and classism - Essay Example According to Memmi, the world of the colonizers enjoys the enormous privilege, from economic to social issues, while the colonized suffer all the colonialism injustices, from racism to sexism. The book quotes Cecil Rhodes on his comment concerning land and niggers (the blacks) to highlight the colonial issue of racism. Arguably, all stereotypical colonialism undermines the colonized race with dark and brutal methods of governance. The philosophical definition of racism, with emphasis on the suffix –ism, is the belief that the primary determinant of capabilities of humans is based on their race. With this perception, therefore, the colonists viewed the colonized as a weaker race who would work under them. The author thus expresses the opinion that the colonized do not exist individually, but rather as a mass in the eyes of the colonialists. This creates the concept of classism, where the colonizers set a different social class for themselves, and a much lower one for the coloni zed. In essence, classism entails the systematic oppression of minority, or weaker groups to strengthen dominant groups. ... of power for the enforced the colonizers’ language, thus, the native tongues were neither written nor read, rusting in the course of the colonialism (Sartre 20). The result was an uprising against the colonial rule that contributed to the re-instatement of the culture, religion, and tradition of the native society. According to him, revolt is the only solution to end the brutality of dictatorship and resolve the contradiction of the oppressed and the oppressor. The chapters in the book that contain arguments on the colonized are free of debate to a certain degree, but the earlier sections concern the literature on the colonizer is scathing. Despite writing the book from personal experience in North Africa, Memmi believes that there is no middle ground fro Europeans. According to him, all the Europeans in all the colonies are de fact colonizers and either all of them will return to Europe (at the time) or will ultimately become colonizers themselves (Sartre 22). It is true that the Europeans were enjoying privileges not similar to the colonized; it does not conclusively mean that all of them were upholding or supporting the colonial system. In contrast, there were certain minority colonial outposts that supported the colonized liberation efforts, thus, opposing the rule of the mother country. In one of his quotes, Memmi says, â€Å"the entire weight of the Europeans perpetuates the colonial oppression, whether intentional or otherwise†. This argument is ancient, similar to stating that all the people in the Western nations support and benefit from oppression of poorer, which is simply incorrect. Later in the book, the author contradicts his earlier stand by stating that Europeans who originate elsewhere other than the colonizing country are neither colonizers or

Living as a Jain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Living as a Jain - Essay Example I was touched and gave him my only sweater to make him warm. In addition, I gave him 20 dollars to cater for his food. I had turned compassionate to the situation, something which Americans ignore. That day, I vowed to return to a nearby homeless station and donate some of my old clothes. The idea of doing well to the less fortunate warmed me up as I went to school. During lunch break, I met with a boy whom I have hated since my first day in school for being a bully, by remembering Jainism teachings; I opted to forgive him for his wrong doings and went forth with my other activities. It really felt nice after 10 years of hating him. In the afternoon, in having an impromptu exam which I had not prepared well for it, while most of my classmates were copying through their iPhones, I opted to stay ethical and do the right thing by not lying to myself. As the day ended, I decided not to accompany my girlfriend to her place and refrain from any romantic feelings just like any Jain would do. All in all, as the day ended, I was pleased to be part of the Jain

Racism and classism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism and classism - Essay Example According to Memmi, the world of the colonizers enjoys the enormous privilege, from economic to social issues, while the colonized suffer all the colonialism injustices, from racism to sexism. The book quotes Cecil Rhodes on his comment concerning land and niggers (the blacks) to highlight the colonial issue of racism. Arguably, all stereotypical colonialism undermines the colonized race with dark and brutal methods of governance. The philosophical definition of racism, with emphasis on the suffix –ism, is the belief that the primary determinant of capabilities of humans is based on their race. With this perception, therefore, the colonists viewed the colonized as a weaker race who would work under them. The author thus expresses the opinion that the colonized do not exist individually, but rather as a mass in the eyes of the colonialists. This creates the concept of classism, where the colonizers set a different social class for themselves, and a much lower one for the coloni zed. In essence, classism entails the systematic oppression of minority, or weaker groups to strengthen dominant groups. ... of power for the enforced the colonizers’ language, thus, the native tongues were neither written nor read, rusting in the course of the colonialism (Sartre 20). The result was an uprising against the colonial rule that contributed to the re-instatement of the culture, religion, and tradition of the native society. According to him, revolt is the only solution to end the brutality of dictatorship and resolve the contradiction of the oppressed and the oppressor. The chapters in the book that contain arguments on the colonized are free of debate to a certain degree, but the earlier sections concern the literature on the colonizer is scathing. Despite writing the book from personal experience in North Africa, Memmi believes that there is no middle ground fro Europeans. According to him, all the Europeans in all the colonies are de fact colonizers and either all of them will return to Europe (at the time) or will ultimately become colonizers themselves (Sartre 22). It is true that the Europeans were enjoying privileges not similar to the colonized; it does not conclusively mean that all of them were upholding or supporting the colonial system. In contrast, there were certain minority colonial outposts that supported the colonized liberation efforts, thus, opposing the rule of the mother country. In one of his quotes, Memmi says, â€Å"the entire weight of the Europeans perpetuates the colonial oppression, whether intentional or otherwise†. This argument is ancient, similar to stating that all the people in the Western nations support and benefit from oppression of poorer, which is simply incorrect. Later in the book, the author contradicts his earlier stand by stating that Europeans who originate elsewhere other than the colonizing country are neither colonizers or

Product represent the New Design Paradigm Assignment

Product represent the New Design Paradigm - Assignment Example The first one in this case is that it has helped in alleviating the problems, which are associated with the use of desktop computers. In this case, the major problem is to do with immobility and convenience. At the same time, the laptop has become a rather important element concerning the way people conduct their business majorly due to its portability. The facilities, which are also associated with the use of laptops, also make it a rather dependable machine in the life of a person. An example of such a facility is the use of Wi-Fi for accessing the internet. In this regard, it is not necessary for a person to have wired connection to access the internet but this is made possible through wireless internet through Wi-Fi networks. Responsibility is something, which is expected of every member of the society. In this particular case, however, the responsibility, which is in focus, is in relation to being ecologically responsible and being socially responsible. In social responsibility, an individual ought to act and carry him or herself in a manner, which is beneficial to the individuals in the society. The main intention associated with this type of responsibility is such that the individual is able to maintain a balance between the ecosystem and the economy. It entails having a balance between the organizations and individuals together with the welfare of the society. On the other hand, ecological responsibility is mainly concerned with the environment and its preservation. This is bearing in mind the importance, which is attached to the environment in relation to the sustenance of human beings. In this case, the individuals in the society ought to see to it that they do not take actions, which may jeopardiz e the environment, for example using of detergents and letting water flow onto the soil or streams of water. There is significant impact on global production when looking at the elements,

Solid Waste and Recycling Essay Example for Free

Solid Waste and Recycling Essay Over the years, the demand for effective solid waste management and recycling has drastically risen. This has mainly been due to the fast changing methods of consumerism and drastically increasing populations of towns with time. Lack of long term focus has greatly contributed to the menace as the urban systems are highly dynamic and require visionary establishment that project into the future. The problem has also been exacerbated by poor technology adoption that is necessary for ensuring solid waste is effectively treated. Besides, modern planning systems require greater attention for recycling necessary for ensuring least pollution of environment while maximizing the utility of available materials. Failing to plan has been considered as major step in planning to fail in offering the necessary management of wastes in the major cities (Wilson et al, 2004). Most often, the term solid waste is used to denote municipal solid wastes which include all the wastes that are in non-liquid form generated within an urban setting. They mostly include domestic wastes from the residential areas, business and commercial centers, industrial centers and construction regions within the town jurisdictions. Recycling on the other hand involves focus on the already produced wastes to increase their utility (Eugenie, 2008). It is aimed at bringing different materials back in a useful format though mostly different from the previous one. Urban planning and management interlinks the two concepts as they are directly dependent on each other for effective treatment and management. This paper evaluates solid wastes and recycling as major considerations in urban planning. As a result, it extrapolates solid wastes management aspects necessary for consideration during urban planning. Acting as a structural system, the paper examines the waste stream from production up to disposal with appropriate planning aspects at each stage. Using examples of major cities and towns, effectiveness of solid waste planning and management systems are compared for efficiency. Besides, the paper also explores the possible planning and recycling techniques for solid wastes in the urban areas. In the conclusion, the paper gives recommendations that can be assumed by various urban planners and managers to effectively manage and recycle their wastes. Overview and statistics In US, over 500, 000, 000 tons of solid wastes are generated annually by urban centers. However, only 35% of this waste is recycled while the rest is disposed off. These indicate a strong increase in the recycling capacity of 8% since the year 1990. However, the quantity indicated is much lower as Environmental Protection Agency does not take into consideration of the incinerated solid wastes and that in the illegal landfills. Besides, this waste usually excludes health wastes which are categorized as hazardous wastes. Waste production has been increasing steadily since the onset of industrial revolution. About 0. 979 tons of wastes are disposed annually per person by the US population (Eugenie, 2008). However, the mode of handling the wastes differs greatly as states and towns have varying leadership and management as well as budgetary allocations. To add to that, the attitudes of the people in the major towns determine the suitability of the recycling processes thereby effectively contributing to the sorting out of the solid wastes for recycling process. Majority of the US cities and states have been exporting their wastes to other regions for treatment and disposal. On average, Pennsylvania exports 9,764,000 tons, Virginia 3, 891, 000 tons, Illinois 1, 548, 000, and New York 5, 600, 000 tons. Though this trend has been greatly criticized, it is considered as a better option since majority of the states and towns lack the correct facilities to treat and dispose off their wastes safely (Eugenie, 2008). Solid waste collection and transportation Arguably, town planning has diversified from the previous architectural focus to include new aspects of waste management that have become part of the same entity. Production capacity of an urban center is highly dependent on different factors that must be considered when drawing the management plan. Cognizant of the expansion capacity, the town must be fully equipped to collect various wastes produced in its jurisdictions. As the first step ample means of classifying the production regions and categorization of the same waste must be set in place. This role is usually taken by the Solid waste management departments of the urban managements. Collection of solid wastes acts as one of the most important initial stages as it prevents spread of the same wastes in the areas of production. To effectively manage collection of wastes, Loss Angeles, San Francisco and London have established cooperative mechanisms where they link with the private sector for the collection purposes. However, the private sector operates in a business model that may at times harm the residents of the different cities through increased taxes. Of greater importance, is the transport system for the collected wastes in different regions which has been accused of spreading the wastes collected along the transportation routes. Urban planning for solid wastes should always apply the principle of proximity choice which requires that wastes are treated and/ or disposed at the nearest possible point to reduce transferring related problems to other regions. Transportation for solid wastes should always be carried out in fully enclosed systems as different materials are light and can easily be dispersed away. Since this forms a major point of interaction between the residents and the waste collecting institutions, it is of great importance to ensure that inclusive coordination and cooperation is enhanced for effectiveness. Major towns fail due to lack of effective collection and transportation mechanisms. Of greater concerns have been the plastic bags which have turned the whole solid waste management into a riddle for many towns. Their collection and transportation should therefore be immediate and highly effective. Solid waste treatment

Current Macroeconomic Environment And Policy Of Australia Economics Essay

Current Macroeconomic Environment And Policy Of Australia Economics Essay A strong economy displays characteristics of maximizing growth as well as internal and external balance whilst minimising inflation, foreign debts and liabilities. There are various policies in Australia governing the macroeconomics including Fiscal and Monetary policies. Both these policies influence the economy through altering aggregate demand. In the last three years, since the onset of Global Financial Crisis, Australia has applied both expansionary monetary and fiscal policies to increase aggregate demand. There seems to be a general agreement amongst the economists with regards to the success of the monetary policy implemented. However the only general consensus with regards to the effectiveness of the fiscal policy is that there is no consensus. Key macroeconomic indicators Australias macroeconomic health same as the rest of the world is governed by factors of Gross Domestic Product(GDP),unemployment, price fluctuations, total nations income per year, interest rates, inflation, government spending, tax system, exchange rates, Consumer Price Index(CPI), consumer credit, foreign trades and value of currency. As oppose to Microeconomics, Macroeconomics deals with totals or aggregates. Gross Domestic Product Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is the single best measure of a nations economic wellbeing. It measures the total value of goods and services produced in a country in one single year (Liu,EC 5103 lecture notes,2009). GDP = Consumption + Investment + Government Spending + Net export. There are three approaches to calculating GDP Expenditure approach calculates the final spending on goods and services. Product approach calculates the market value of goods and services. Income approach sums the income received by all producers in the country. Problems with using GDP alone as a measure of economic wellbeing is that by itself, GDP does not give any information on income distribution in the country nor takes into account the effect of negative externalities on economic growth such as pollution or the effect of positive externalities such as health and education( Trading Economist, n.d). Taxes and interest rates influence GDP over time. Non economical factors influencing GDP include war, drought, natural and man made disasters. Figure 1. Australia GDP growth rate- Period 2006-2010 Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/GDPGrowth.aspx?Symbol=AUD#ixzz0i0dpV4ucConf_2009.htm Consumer Price Index The best price index measure is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI is used to calculate the inflation rate and is also a measure of the change in cost of living over time. Business Cycle Fluctuations in economic activity over a period of time are reflected in the business cycle. Figure 2: Business Cycle Different stages of economy over a period of time Source: http://www.thebluecollarinvestor.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2008/11/business-cycle-graph-better.jpg The growth rate of Real Gross Domestic Product is used for measuring the fluctuations in the business cycle. Economists argue that higher interest rates can motivate the households for savings, and supply more loanable funds in the market, in form of bank deposits. Increased savings results in reducing foreign dependence which in turn accelerates economic growth due to higher investments. McKinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973) cited in Shrestha, M. B., Chowdhury, K. 2005, further assert that higher real interest rate also helps channel the capital to the most efficient industries and help development and technological advancement leading to economic growth. The aforementioned reiterates the fact that both fiscal and monetary policies are used to smooth out the business cycle. Commodity Prices and Trade One of the key contributors to Australias economic condition is the international economic activities in particular the commodity prices which is reflected in the Terms of Trade i.e. ratio of exports to imports prices (White, 1994). Since Australias export of commodities is large and the import is relatively stable, the world economy trades more with Australia hence strong Term of Trade is one of the key reasons for an increase in standard of living in Australia. The recent rise in global commodity prices due to increase demand in China and a drop in the price of imports mainly from China has allowed Australia to achieve a higher Term of Trade above its average. In 2005 Australia entered into an agreement with the US on Free Trade (Australian US free Trade Agreement- AUSFTA). Other countries that have FTA with Australia include New Zealand, Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea (Travel Document System, n.d). Farm output Farm output also appears to be a key determinant of the economic activity of Australia. This is influenced by factors such as drought. For instance, the major drought of 1980s was one of the key contributors to the disparities between the growth in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and Australia (White, 1994). Government spending Government spending in infrastructure such as water, transport, telecommunication, education and health are aimed to expand Australias supply capacity such as plans to improve irrigation infrastructure and buy back unused water allocation along the Murray-Darling river. Environment: climate change Climate change must also be mentioned in this context. A report commissioned by the former Howard government recommended a domestic carbon emission scheme emphasizing that Australia should have an active role in developing a global carbon emissions trading scheme. The Rudd government aims to introduce a carbon trading system by 2011 and reduce emissions by 5% by 2020 (from 2000 levels). Interest Rates Interest rate is defined as the percentage rate per annum that a borrower pays to the lender or the cash rate which is the rate charged on overnight loans between the financial intermediaries. Interest rate has a negative effect on the money demand as shown below. Australia is a price-taker in global capital markets, so the Australian interest rates move with the global financial market trends. Interest rates are generally higher in Australia and New Zealand compared to the international standards largely due to strong fiscal policies relative to other developed countries (Kirchner, 2007, p. 11-15). In Australia, the Reserve Bank (RBA) determines the interest rate. It does so by changing the amount of money supplied, in other words by altering the equilibrium quantity of money supplied and money demanded. Australias interest rate is currently at 4.0 percent according to the data published by the Trading Economics in March 2010. Table 1. As at 31.03.2010, Australia has the highest interest rate amongst developed countries. The Reserve Bank of Australia 4% Bank of Canada 0.25% Bank of England 0.5% Bank of Japan 0.1% European Central Bank 1% Federal Reserve 0.25% Swiss National Bank 0.25% Source: http://www.fxstreet.com/fundamental/interest-rates-table/ Figure 3. A graphical demonstration of the effect of change in money supply on the interest rate. Source: Source: (Liu, EC 5103 supplementary notes, 2009) Figure 4. Australias Interest Rate- Period 2000-2010 Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Unemploymentrate.aspx?Symbol=AUD#ixzz0i0ejiErm Unemployment rate Unemployment rate refers to the % labour force that are unemployed and actively pursuing a job. The unemployment rate is negatively related to the real GDP i.e. falling GDP results in an increase in unemployment and vice versa. As at January 2010 based on data published by Trading Economics the unemployment rate is 5.30 percent. Figure 5. Australia unemployment rate Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Unemploymentrate.aspx?Symbol=AUD#ixzz0i0ejiErm Inflation rate Inflation rate refers to the % rate of increase in the average level of prices measured against a standard level of purchasing in the economy. According to the latest figures published by the Trading Economics the Inflation rate was 2.10 percent in December 2009. Inflation rate is best reflected in the CPI or the GDP deflator. Figure 6. Australia Inflation rate based on CPI- Period 2008-2010 Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/InflationCPI.aspx?Symbol=AUD#ixzz0i0eRh6VH Consumer Credit One of the major contributing factors that led to the recent Global Financial Crisis was the lack of regulation with relation to consumer credit originating in the United States. Money for institutions to borrow and lend was easily accessible which eventuated in sub-prime mortgages and what has come to be known as NINJA loans (No Income No Job or Assets). This toxic debt was then sold globally through various hedge funds. Although affected by the rest of the world through the freezing of credit markets, Australia has managed to remain in relatively stable position in comparison to the rest of the major economies. This, in part, can be attributed to the regulations enforced through the Consumer Credit Code (Appendix 1). Constant reviews and amendments of macroeconomic policy in relation to consumer credit regulation have contributed to Australias robust financial system in comparison to the majority of other developed nations  [1]  . Gold and Foreign Currency reserves The Reserve bank of Australia (RBA) has the responsibility of owning and managing the foreign currency and reserves for Australia  [2]  . On average, countries hold 10 per cent of their reserves in gold, although the proportion varies widely from one country to another. The Reserve Bank of Australia holds just 80 tones of gold, or 6 per cent of its total foreign reserves. The bank sold down its gold holdings in 1997 and its reserves are now largely held in US Treasuries and other government bonds. The reserves are used, when required, to keep the Australian dollar steady in times of volatility. (Bourlioufas,N. 2008). Several reasons exist for the reduction in gold holdings for Australia such as: Lack of income that it produces The cost of storage/security Inability to put value behind the Australian Dollar. Appendix 2 displays the RBAs current reserve holdings for 2009/2010. The amounts are displayed in Australian dollars and are subject to movement based on current exchange rates. Taxation (GST) One of the many aspects in taxation is the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is a value added tax on the supply of goods and services in Australia. Until the introduction of the GST, Australia operated a Wholesale Sales Tax (WST), which imposed a tax on wholesale of goods. The GST was introduced to bridge the unfair tax gaps between service based businesses and suppliers of goods (GST Australia, 2009). In Australia the GST is levied at a flat 10%, which is collected from the buyer, which shifts the demand curve downward by the size of the tax, which effectively means both buyers and sellers share the burden of the tax (Mankiw, 2008). National income and output Measures of national income and output are used as an estimate of total economic activity by including Gross domestic profit, gross national product, and net national income. Each of these aspects is in relation with the total amount of goods and services within a country. The National income and output values are of importance for a variety of users such as the Reserve bank, academics, and private as well as the Australian government to allow the government to make interventions into the economy based off current and accurate information, as well. (Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2008) Macroeconomic Policies in Australia The goals of economic policy makers are: Maintaining real GDP growth constant and positive Maintaining unemployment rate low Minimising inflation The most important contributor to the economic growth is aggregate demand (effecting GDP). Both monetary and fiscal policies effect aggregate demand. How is this game being played? Should RBA consider a looser fiscal policy when determining interest rates? Or should the government consider the possibility of a rate cut when deciding on fiscal stimulus? Aggregate Demand (AD= C+I+G+NX) is effected by factors such as: Capital investment boom Rise/fall of exchange rate Consumer boom in a country that Australia has trade agreement with A boom in housing market A share price slump Unexpected cut/rise in interest rate Monetary policy Monetary Policy through the effect of the exchange rate influences the economy. Exchange rates also influence the inflation which in turn affects the trade (export and import). Exchange rates are influenced by factors such as commodity prices and interest rates. This reiterates how the determinants of macroeconomics are intertwined. Monetary policy is set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to influence the supply (availability) of money and credit within the economy in an effort to stimulate growth and stabilise the financial system. Monetary policy influences the interest rates through purchasing and selling of government bonds. When RBA purchases government bonds to increase liquidity, it results a lower interest rate and lower unemployment. During the periods of high inflation, RBA sells government bonds resulting in an increase in interest rates. Effects of monetary policies are: In short term, a tight monetary policy results in a decrease in the prices of Goods and Services as well as higher disposable incomes hence an increase in the households demands. In long term, household demands decrease due to reduced income and increased unemployment. Reserve Bank Act 1959 establishes the objectives of the monetary policies  [3]  . Fiscal Policy: Fiscal policy targets both consumption and capital spending. It influences economic activities through government budget. The budget is announced yearly in May stating the government Revenue (T) and Expenditure (G). By varying the amount of spending, a fiscal policy may achieve one of the following: Fiscal surplus- when G Fiscal deficit- when T Balanced budget- when T=G When government wishes to stimulate economic growth, it applies an expansionary fiscal policy through increase in government spending and tax cuts which in turn increase consumption and investment. On the contrary, if government decides to slow down the economy, it applies a contractionary fiscal policy. Global Financial Crisis and Australias Response Deteriorating housing market in the US was the trigger to the onset of GFC in the world. Banks tightened lending policies; credit became more expensive and this led to a restrained aggregate demand resulting in weakness in world economic activity. The policies of governments around the world in response to GFC were aimed to address these weaknesses. Since the onset of GFC in 2007 Australia has responded by conducting monetary and fiscal policies. Both Short term and long term implications of these policies have to be considered to determine their effectiveness Analysis of Australias Monetary Policy in response to GFC During the GFC, expansionary monetary policies were implemented in Australia in response to the contraction in aggregate demand. RBA increased liquidity through multiple purchases of government bonds resulting in a decrease in interest rate through shifting the LM curve down and IS curve left. Figure 7. Shifts in LM and IS curve reflecting on the interest rate Source: http://www.rba.gov.au/econ-compet/2009/pdf/second-prize.pdf The lower interest rate led to a decrease in cost of borrowing which resulted in lower incentive for saving and ultimately led to an increase in consumption which resulted in the aggregate demand curve to shift to the right (figure 8). Figure 8. Expansionary Monetary Policy and its effect on Aggregate Demand Source: http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/facstaff/briggsp/Macroeconomics/Chap_34_MonetaryFiscal.pdf Analysis of Australias Fiscal Policy in response to GFC The $42 billion economic stimulus plan of Rudd government between December 2008 and February 2009was intended to stimulate aggregate demand (Treasury, 2009). The focus of this package was mostly on investment in infrastructure which was predicted to have a larger effect on the economy in long run than in short run (Australian Government, 2010). It also provided incentives to housing as well as cash bonuses to stimulate consumption in short run. The inherent weakness of such cash bonuses is where people save their bonuses instead of spending it. Figures published by ABS demonstrate that immediately after the stimulus payments were made, there was a massive hit on spending by Australians households but this slowed down after 3 months (Insider retailing, 2010). According to the latest figures published by Trading Economics on 03.03.2010 and ABS, Australias economy grew at the fastest pace in the last quarter in almost 2 years. Table 2 demonstrates some of these figures published in this report. Table2: Australias economic figures March 2010. Percent Increase/Decrease % Comparison Period GDP à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 0.9 Last Quarter Growth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 2.7 Last Year Current Account à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 19 to $17,459 b at December 2009 September 2009 Machinery Equipment spending à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 10.9 Last Quarter Households spending à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1.8 Last Quarter Unemployment rate à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å" to 5.3 Last 11 months Australian Dollar à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ against $US and  £ British 25 year high against  £ British Interest rate à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ by 0.25 Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/GDPGrowth.aspx?Symbol=AUD#ixzz0i0diuCw6 Also http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[emailprotected]/mf/5302.0/ Economists believe that the underlying reason for Australias Economic performance is Rudds Government stimulus package as well as increase in export however the widened account deficit of 19% in December 2009 figures is mainly due to an increase in imports. One of the consequences of this is expected to be a 1.3% decrease in Australias GDP therefore the recovery period is going to be weak (Market watch, 2010). Figure 9.Effect of fiscal stimulus on real GDP (forecasts from May 2009 Budget) Source: http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1686/HTML/docshell.asp?URL=Australian_Business_Economists_Annual_Forecasting_Conf_2009.htm The unemployment rate has dropped by 5.3% and the number of people employed has increased by 52700. This will put more pressure on RBA to increase interest (The Australian, n.d). Figure10. Effect of fiscal stimulus on the unemployment rate (forecasts from May 2009 Budget) Source: http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1686/HTML/docshell.asp?URL=Australian_Business_Economists_Annual_Forecasting Treasury secretary Ken Henry warns of the adverse shocks to financial markets despite the fact that GFC seems to have passed. Further more he explains that fiscal circumstances improve as the economy strengthens. As the economy strengthens, other things being equal, there is increasing upward pressure on prices and monetary responses to that (The Australian, n.d). In his book The Great Crash of 2008, the economic advisor Ross Garnaut, warns Kevin Rudd of hard times ahead in terms of lower living standards and economic wellbeing as a result of stimulus response to GFC (The Australian, October2009). Garnauts point of view is also shared by many other economists who consider the stimulus package a dangerous revival of a discredited Keynesianism which focuses on the short term aggregate spending as the source of growth in the economy. Some point out that fiscal policies result in an interest rate rise which has a crowding out effect on the expansion due to export and import. Hence they argue the ineffectiveness of Australias fiscal policy. The supporters of Stimulus package on the other hand argue that the spending avoided further economic contraction at the right time boosting consumers and businesss confidence and hence avoiding a recession. They also argue back with regards to trade issue pointed above, in the sense that Australias trade share is 47% of GDP which is less than the 60% quoted in previous studies as a benchmark of ineffectiveness of fiscal stimulus. They therefore argue that because of the lower trade share the fiscal stimulus has been effective in Australia (The Australian, n.d). Irving Fischer, the renowned American economist contributed to the economics in many ways one of which is his theory of Inter-Temporal Choice, which describes that through time savings, interest rates and investments are related(The Australian, n.d.). His theory highlights that present economic decisions have to have the future in mind  [4]  . Discussion There has been increasing concern amongst the economists in Australia about the sustainability of the fiscal policy in particular with regards to a solution for the current government deficit of $17.459 billion (Table 1). Australia has had challenging times in maintaining a stable economic condition. The recent Global Financial Crisis (GFC) that started in 2007 imposed great pressure on the economy. Nevertheless implementation of the fiscal and monetary policies achieved a better than expected performance by the economy (Budget, 2009-10), with forecasts of stronger growth and lower unemployment. Rudds Stimulus package through its fiscal expansionary characteristics seems to have been an appropriate response to the GFC in stabilizing the output levels however there is great concerns regarding the future of the economy. Did our politicians throw in a Keynesian based fiscal stimulus package without consideration of future consequences of it? Was there any vote buying elements incorporated in the design of it? There is a general consensus amongst the economists on the effectiveness of lowering interest rates as a monetary response to GFC by RBA which was also assisted by a depreciated exchange rate. On the other hand the fiscal policy has generated a lot of debate amongst the economists with no consensus on its effectiveness in sight. This is mainly due to the long lasting effect of the fiscal stimulus as oppose to short term, temporary and more reversible effect of the monetary stimulus. Kevin Rudds Fiscal stimulation concentrated on aggregate spending in short term to boost economic growth as per the Keynesian model. This has been proven to be the case in Australia however the unproductiveness of this large scale spending and the deficit resulting from it is far from a perfect economic condition. Does Kevin Rudd share the thought with John Maynard Keynes of in the long run we are all dead? If so are we, the Australian people supposed to suffer the consequences of his 17 billion dollars debt through our taxes, higher interest rates and higher inflation? If Irving Fisher was alive and if he was with Kevin Rudd when he was signing on the stimulus package, perhaps he would have reminded the prime minister that although his short term fiscal stimulus policy would increase public spending, it would show no regards to achieving long term high standard of living for Australian people. The side effects of the fiscal cash out include: Increasing future taxes to pay for the debts Higher interest Likelihood of inflation (as history shows us that the easiest way out of public debt has traditionally involved money creation). So was Kevin Rudds big night out worth the next days hangover of a budget deficit that adds to public debts which would further drain the economy? Or has the government designed an appropriate fiscal rebalancing strategy that it hasnt shared with Australian public yet?

The New York Crystal Palace :: Architecture History

An Ode for the Inauguration of the American Crystal Palace: The nations meet, not in war, but in peace, beneath this dome. They meet to bring glory to God on high and goodwill to men. The Crystal Palace is a symbol of the might of Man. Look on, ye Nations, and vow eternal peace and justice. -William R. Wallace (New York Times, July 14, 1853) When the first major international exhibition of arts and industries was held in London in 1851, the London Crystal Palace epitomized the achievements of the entire world at a time when progress was racing forward at a speed never before known to mankind. The Great Exhibition marked the beginning of a tradition of world's fairs, which would be held in major cities all across the globe. Following the success of the London fair, it was inevitable that other nations would soon try their hand at organizing their own exhibitions. In fact, the next international fair was held only two years later, in 1853, in New York City. This fair would have its own Crystal Palace to symbolize not only the achievements of the world, but also the nationalistic pride of a relatively young nation and all that she stood for. Walt Whitman, the great American poet, wrote in "The Song of the Exposition": ... a Palace, Lofter, fairer, ampler than any yet, Earth's modern wonder, History's Seven out stripping, High rising tier on tier, with glass and iron facades, Gladdening the sun and sky - enhued in the cheerfulest hues, Bronze, lilac, robin's-egg, marine and crimson Over whose golden roof shall flaunt, beneath thy banner, Freedom. The plan for an American Crystal Palace originated with Edward Riddle, a Boston auctioneer and carriage-maker. He assembled a group of New York bankers who had either visited or heard marvelous stories about the London exhibition and were more than willing to invest in a similar project in the United States. Riddle tried but failed to interest the famed entrepreneur, P.T. Barnum, in the project. The group of investors soon petitioned the Board of Aldermen in New York City for use of Madison Square, located in lower Manhattan where Broadway and Fifth Avenue meet at 23rd Street, to build a "house of iron and steel for an Industrial Exhibition.

Content and Process Theories of Motivation Essay

Motivation is simply the methods by which an organisation can encourage it employees to increase their performance, both in quantity of output and in quality. Performance could also be in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and economy in the organisation’s operations. simply put, motivation is about the ways a business can encourage staff to give their best. The term motivation has been defined by different scholars using different formats and views, according to Dr Stephen P. Robbins, this is the process that account for an individuals intensity, direction and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal (S. P. Robbins, Organizational Behaviour 9ed, p.155). Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary says that motivation is the act or process of motivating, the condition of being motivated, a motivating for a stimulus or influence, incentive, drive. Jones, George & Hill (2000) Motivation as physical forces that determine the direction of a person’s behaviour, a person’s level of effort and a person’s level of persistence in the face of obstacles. S.Hall believes motivation to be a process where members of a group pull together to effect an organisation through loyalty and commitment. some of these authors have gone as far as developing theories and models to help explain the motivation process. These include The Abraham Maslow hierarchy of Needs, Frederick Herzberg’s motivation and hygiene factors etc. Content and process theories of motivation The sum total of motivation theories can be broadly classified into two main categories; the content theories and the process theories. Content Theories deal with â€Å"what† motivates people and it is concerned with individual needs and goals. Authors like Maslow, Alderfer, Herzberg and McClelland studied motivation from a â€Å"content† perspective. Content theorists believe that everyone has the same set of needs and expectations from a job. these needs are in physical, social and psychological forms. Process Theories deal with the â€Å"process† of motivation and is concerned with â€Å"how† motivation occurs. Authors such as Vroom, Porter & Lawler, Adams and Locke studied motivation from a â€Å"process† perspective. Process theories are more individualistic. ie they assume each individual has his/her unique set of needs and hence unique motivational factors. Content Theories deal with â€Å"what† motivates people and it is concerned with individual needs and goals. Maslow, Alderfer, Herzberg and McClelland studied motivation from a â€Å"content† perspective. Process Theories deal with the â€Å"process† of motivation and is concerned with â€Å"how† motivation occurs. Vroom, Porter & Lawler, Adams and Locke studied motivation from a â€Å"process† perspective.

Iran’s Misty Wonders Essay

In Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, both the movie and the book were able to portray the main idea of Marjane Satrapi â€Å"Marji’s† life. The main idea being for us to look at how Marji evolved into a grown women with struggles along the way. Throughout both we were able to clearly understand what a difficult childhood she lived and we were able to get a sense of what her life was like back then. Like in many cases, the book informed us of every detail possible in order to get a clearer message across. When it came to the movie, it lacked many details that were included in the book and if you would not have read the book it would cause you to be confused and lost. There are a couple scenes in the movie that seem to just happen, there was no type of development or leading actions involved. There was a specific scene in the movie where Marji and her mother walk past a conversation that her father and neighbors are having, the female neighbor seems to have some type of sca r in her cheek but we are not sure what it is and if it even matters. If we take a look at the book we see that the scene is different. Marji and her family briefly talk with their neighbors, a husband and wife, and the husband tells her father â€Å"Look! A bullet almost hit my wife’s cheek,† (44). This was a piece of information that could and should have been briefly added because it gives us a bigger picture of how dangerous their lives were during the revolution. This would only help us, the viewers, have a bigger reaction to the plot. Another example that comes to mind was the absence of certain characters. The family’s maid, Mehri, as well as Marji’s good friend, is never mentioned in the movie. This was an important factor because throughout an incident that is described in the book we are able to learn the big issues with social class and in the movie it is something that we miss out on since it is not mentioned at all. The incident was that Mehri falls in love with the neighbor’s son and once Marji’s father knows of this he tells Hossein, the neighbors son, that she is a maid therefore Hossein decided to stop seeing her. Marji’s Father explains to Marji, â€Å"You must understand that their love was impossible.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Becau se in this country you must stay within your own social class,† (37). Many of the characters are also lacked full description, for instance, Mohsen, and Anoosh. From the movie all we hear about Mohsen is that he is found drowned in a bath tub and it leaves many unanswered questions such as why did it happen and who was he. In the book we know that he visited the Satrapi family the same day that Siamak visits but that is never portrayed in the movie. When it comes to Anoosh, in the movie towards the end of the story he is telling Marji, she asks if he has any family, and ends the conversation. On the other hand, in the book he tells Marji â€Å"†¦I married and had two children, two girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And we are also able to learn that his marriage did not turn out very well. Although, there were many details missing in the movie that were included in the book, I do not think that it takes away the intention of the book. A message is clearly stated throughout the movie as well as the book. In both resources we are able to see how the main character grows up and how her surroundings, and everything she has experienced, influence the person she became. In my personal opinion I feel as if the book was more appealing than the movie. The movie was short and brief and got to the main points of the story and was still able to get a message across. I feel as if the book was more detailed which made the plot clearer. Every character was described perfectly and every scene made sense and fell into place with the other scenes, so that they could all make sense. The details that are included in the book make the story bring more emotion to the reader for the fact that everything is explained, even the smallest details. The visual style for the movie was the same as the book, both were comics. The movie is all cartoons, which is something that I found interesting. I feel that making it into a cartoon was a smart decision because it makes it so simple and easy to follow. I enjoyed the fact that I was able to understand the movie very well, although it was in French, because many of the scenes were similar to the book. In the end, I think both the book and movie were enjoyable. What helped was that I had read the novel, before watching the movie. The lack of details and description of characters could have easily confused someone. On the bright side, a message was still able to get across through both sources.

Cost and Southwestern University Essay

Southwestern University (SWU), located 30 miles southwest of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, has witnessed tremendous growth in its football program (see Southwestern University: A, in Chapter 4). With that growth, fueled by the hiring of legendary coach Bo Pitterno, has come more fame, the need for a bigger stadium, and more complaints about seating, parking, long lines, and concession stand prices (see Southwestern University: C, in Chapter 6). Southwestern University’s president, Dr. Joel Wisner, was not only concerned about the cost of expanding the existing stadium versus building a new stadium, but also about the ancillary activities. He wants to be sure that these various support activities generate revenue adequate to pay for themselves. Consequently, he wants the parking lots, game programs, and food service to all be handled as profit centers. At a recent meeting discussing the new stadium, Wisner told the stadium manager, Hank Maddux, to develop a break-even chart and related data for each of the centers. He instructed Maddux to have the food service area break-even report ready for the next meeting. After discussion with other facility managers and his subordinates, Maddux developed the table below. This table shows the expected percent of revenue by item, the suggested selling prices, and his estimate of variable costs. Item | Selling Price/Unit | Variable Cost/Unit | SalesUnits | Soft drink | $1.50 | $ .75 | 10000| Coffee | 2.00 | .50 | 5000 | Hot dogs | 2.00 | .80 | 2000| Hamburgers | 2.50 | 1.00 | 5000| Misc. snacks | 1.00 | .40 | 3000| Maddux’s fixed costs are interesting. He estimated that the prorated portion of the stadium cost would be: salaries for food services at $100,000 ($20,000 for each of the five home games); 2,400 square feet of stadium space at $2 per square foot per game; and six people in each of the six booths for 5 hours at $7 an hour. Maddux wants to be sure that he has a number of things for President Wisner: (1) break-even point in dollars for all food sales; (2) realistic sales estimates (for instance, he wants to know how many dollars each attendee is spending on each food item at his projected break-even if attendance grows to 70,000); (3) what sales per attendee would be if attendance remained about 27,000; and (4) what his unit sales would be at break-even, that is, what are his sales of soft drinks, coffee, hot dogs, and hamburgers. He felt this latter information would be helpful to understand how realistic the assumptions of his model are.

MMR Vaccine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MMR Vaccine - Essay Example Prior to introduction of the vaccine, the most common cause of meningitis related to virus was mumps (NHS, 2004). Mumps is also in the stage of wiping-out because of the vaccine. Even the impact of rubella on fetuses has drastically decreased due to the vaccine. MMR has always been given as a combination vaccine and separate vaccination programme was never there in the United Kingdom (NHS, 2004). Thus, MMR is a very effective vaccine. However, several concerns have been raised by some experts about the safety of these vaccines because of reports of some studies pointing to the development of various complications like asthma, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Crohns disease, Autism and Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (Mediinfo, 2004). Of interest is a major study by Wakefiled et al (1998) published in the popular magazine Lancet which linked mumps vaccine to autism. According to this study, MMR vaccine can lead to autism spectrum disorders with associated enterocolitis. In the study, parents of eight out of 12 children who presented with "history of normal development followed by loss of acquired skills, including language, together with diarrhea and abdominal pain" (Wakefiled et al, 1998) reported that the onset of symptoms were after administration of MMR vaccine. This was a major breakthrough study that forced the UK government to discontinue the vaccine until further research . Based on the reports of the study, the rates of vaccination of MMR vaccine dropped dramatically (McIntyre and Leask, 2008), leading to an increase in the incidence of mumps and measles and their associated complications like morbidity and mortality (Pepys, 2007). The reports of the study were investigated by a journalist by name Brian Deer who discovered the fact that the main researcher of the study, Andrew Wakefield had some conflicts of interest that were

Media Realtions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Media Realtions - Assignment Example Contact info Email: info@shorphanage.org Telephone: Toll Free (800) 000-0000 Public Service Announcement Sweet Home Orphanage announces a virtual family adoption program that will begin with an interviewing session for volunteer couples, which will be conducted on May 21, 2013 between 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Hotel Stanford, 43 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 11597. The Agency program will offer a sufficient environment for a healthy upbringing of orphans. It will also improve an emotional between the kids and the adoptive parents. Volunteer couples are invited n this program to fulfill the emotional needs of the orphans. This message is brought to you by the Sweet Home Orphanage Virtual Family Program Campaign. For information send an Email to info@shorphanage.org or make a call to (800) 000-0000. Backgrounder Sweet Home Orphanage is a non-profit organization. Donations received are spent to care for and seek adoptive families for orphaned children in New York. Sweet Home took the i nitial steps in upbringing orphans all over the world New York. We have, until now, housed more than 3,000 of the poorest orphans in our establishment , Sweet Home Orphanage, where they are offered with the highest quality of food, shelter, education and creditable protective care. The U.S. Department of Education normally awards Special Education Scholarships to 200 orphans, for six academic years for private school tuition. From Sweet Home Orphanage’s needs list, well-wishers and philanthropists can choose want they would like to fund for the orphan children in the center. One can, for instance, donate money online and be told precisely where the money has been spent as well as offer frequent updates through the website. Biographies Julie Batten Julia Batten is the Chief Executive Officer, Kent & Melinda Foundation-in that role, she is responsible for fostering a productive relationship between the organization’s trustees and staff. she was the managing director of L ittle Children Adoption Agency in Texas, and the Lyndon Kennedy Foundation in Chicago. Education Batten received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Havard University. In addition, she received a master’s degree in business administration from Havard University. Awards/honors She received the Charities@Work Corporate Excellence Award and- honorary degree (Doctor of Humanity) from the University of Washington. she is a frequent speaker at majority industry conferences she lives in New York with his wife, Michael. She has one son and two daughters. Biographies John Lee John Lee is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City. He is a specialist in temporary care and orphanage assistance-in that role, he is responsible for fostering a productive relationship between the volunteers’ couples, orphans, and staff. He also lead the Virtual Family P rogram. He also works as medical volunteer with Love Without Boundaries (LWB) and as a medical volunteer with United States Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). He has also been a psychological advisors to many local and international organizations. Award/honors The Charities and Excellence in the care and service