Hotel Online Reservation

In today’s world of business in which technology has a part to play on where small or large business are slowly blooming and this particular business is in where leisure and relaxation is being presented the business of Hotel Management. On this kind of business they are always other competitor, so this is where technology will come they want a system and android base of application where they can make their business efficient so they want a reservation system on where it can book or reserve a room in where if they are vacancy or not, and notify on in coming events or news of their stay.They are a lot of android base on hotel reservation system but all of them has no locator and notification system on them in where a business consultant or a business man traveling to a particular destination to give a presentation or project details and wanted to stay on a hotel on where they can locate, book or reserve a room and notify them on what are the best recommendation of rooms to thi s particular hotel.In the world today traveling is the best option for the users who travel to do business proposal or business presentation to their destination soon in every establishment of hotel management want a system that can reserve a room base on an android application on where customers can do it on their android phones and in every hotel management can accommodated them to their every request and they can notify them on what are the best recommendation of the room and the possibility of their best service they offered.In the Philippines today as one of the tourist destination travelers and business men and women needed to have an application that they can reserve and book a room on a particular hotel and also given them a notification that notifies them on what are the best recommendation they have and give them on what are the particular event is the hotel is offering to its guest and it enables to be aware on what the hotel is offering. According to HRS, a hotel portal, mobile reservations grew from 3% in 2011 to 6% in 2012. It is safe to say that about 1/3 of business travelers use their smartphones and tablets to make a reservation.In the University of the Immaculate Conception, faculty and students may have already travel other country or right here in Philippines and they may want a android application that can book or reserve a room in a particular hotel on a particular country. This study may have its advantages and disadvantages on where it can be applied, due to the already present study it can be enhanced or be studied further in where it can be useful for the users and the management. The present study shows that it only has a reservation system and no notification system so it can be further be studied.In order to make this study to be more valid is to gather more data and able to distinguish on what are the materials needed for the Android Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System in order to give more reliable and accu rate information regarding to the said study. This study can be accomplished through analyzing and determine the advantages and disadvantages on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System. Conceptual Framework Figure 1. 0 Conceptual Frame work of Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification system. Flow of the Conceptual frame work:Figure 1.0 shows that the first is that the client will access the application from their android phone and choose the following rooms and book the particular room then it goes directly to the internet and then it passes through to a cell tower and it is directed to the management and goes to the following process first the booking agent here is where the agent will get the client’s requested room to be book and it is passed to the facility director here is where the director will check if the said room has any problem on the requested room of the client after the director has checked the room it w ill directly go to the hotel agent here the hotel agent will verify that the room can be book or reserved, and then the data client that requested for the room and final after all the process of booking is done it will be back to the booking agent will send a notification that the room of the client is book and it passes through cell tower then through the internet and back to the client on where the client received the book room and its complementary. Statement of the Problem 1. What might are the advantages or disadvantages of the Android app. to the hotel industry?2. How effective do you think this Android App. toward the hotel industry? 3. Why do you think that this Android App. can benefit to the hotel industry? Hypothesis The android application with this kind of a purpose of making a reservation or booking of a hotel room will be easy to be used and only needs an internet connection on where the user will be guided easily and efficiently. Importance of the Study The importanc e of the study is to determine on how the system will work and can it help the user to book or reserve a room always notify if there is something wrong on his reserve room or simply notify them that the hotel is hosting an event.Researchers – This study can be beneficial for the researchers on where they can be aware to the research on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System and have the knowledgeable background on what might the research might do. The Management: This research might help the management in improving their establishment and be knowledgeable on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System can do for their establishment. Students: The study can be beneficial to students and have knowledgeable background on what might the research purpose and its establishment of Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System.Administration: The said research would provide knowledge on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System and under this study the administration is able to have the knowledgeable background on the hotel reservation and notification system. Scope and Limitation This study is focused in determine on how this system would prove it’s effective to the industry. By this we are determine on how the system would take effect in the industry. This study is limited on how the Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System can be its effectiveness to the client and the management in terms Definition of TermsAndroid – is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, and designed primarily for touch screen mobile devices such as Smartphone’s and tablet computers Hotel Reservation System – A central reservation system is a tool to reach the global distribution system as well as internet distribution systems from one single system. A CRS assists hotel managers in managing their onlin e marketing and sales, allowing them to upload their rates and availabilities to be seen by sales channels that are using the CRS. Sales channels may include conventional travel agencies as well as online travel agencies. . Notification System – is a combination of software and hardware that provides a means of delivering a message to a set of recipients. Chapter 2Review of Related Literature and Studies Before giving details regarding the research methodology used in the study, it is appropriate to present a brief overview of the research articles, case studies, and books written on this particular topic. The area of study may be within the country or outside the country. â€Å"A Cloud App Hotel Reservation System from CiRBA† Adrian Bridgewater, September 02, 2013 In this article, he focused about the Cloud App from CiRBA Capacity Control software company CiRBA has announced a new Reservation Console for cloud developers (and teams) to control the automation of new wo rkload routing and capacity reservations processes.According to Adrian Bridgewater, using the â€Å"Cloud App† people will easy to reserve a room a soon as possible using the internet or through PC,The console automates (what is a manual process today) the job of selecting the optimal hosting environment for new workloads, reserving compute and storage capacity in advance of use, and ultimately providing the detailed host-level placement recommendations for the workload. The Reservation Console features a new, tunable scoring system that identifies the optimal destination environment for new application workloads. Teams can modify the attributes considered and also tune their weighting so that recommendations are aligned with organizational goals and application owner preferences. â€Å"Application of Biometric Security in Agent based Hotel Booking System – Android Environment† Wayne Lawrence,Suresh Sankaranarayanan, July 2012According to the authors The process of finding the finest hotel in central location is time consuming, information overload and overwhelming and in some cases poses a security risk to the client. Some of the more advanced web sites allow for a search of the destination via a map for example hotelguidge. com and jamaica. hotels. hu. Booking of hotels is secured by the standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to confirm the identity of a website or server, encrypt data during transmission, and ensure the integrity of transmitted data. Even with this in place, hackers have broken the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) by targeting weaknesses in the MD5 algorithm. Recently good amount of work been carried in the use of Intelligent agents towards hotel search on J2ME based mobile handset which still has some weakness.So taking the weakness in the current agent based system, smart software agents been developed that overcomes the weakness in the previous system In addition to smart agent based system been developed and published elsewh ere, we here propose to extend the system with the booking capability that allows the user to book a hotel of choice where the authenticity of the client may be determined securely using biometric security and information transmitted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) (Server-Gated Cryptography (SGC)) on the internet which is novel and unique. This will be facilitated on Android 2. 2-enabled mobile phone using JADE-LEAP Agent development kit. â€Å"Android Hotel Reservation System† Jukisoft CorporationThey introduce about the importance of Hotel Reservation using Android App like the features of the Application they introduce the UI or User Interface of the App. So that the people will know on how to use the Hotel Reservation using Android App. This App is friendly user so that the people will easy to use the existing app. The Hotel Reservation Apps is an application made for creating products that are useful applications for hotels owners and hotel users by making application to allows users to perform activities of online hotel room reservation, see profile. And facilities of a hotel without visiting in person, see the location of the hotel by using the URL map or see the hotel website that will be visited access it without going through a computer using Android. SynthesisIn the first article the authors introduce what is â€Å"Cloud App†, Cloud App or Cloud Application using the Cloud App the people will easy to communicate to the Hotel Administration, when there is a people who request to reserve a room. Using the internet or WiFi the people will easy to get a room where you are, the system provides the following occupancy levels, technical considerations, software licensing constraints, operational policies, and regulatory compliance. In the second article the authors focus about the Application Biometric Security which is the SSL(Secure Sockets Layer) to confirm the identity of a website or server, encrypt data during transmission, and ensure the integrity of transmitted data.Even with this in place, hackers have broken the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) by targeting weaknesses in the MD5 algorithm. Recently good amount of work been carried in the use of Intelligent agents towards hotel search on J2ME based mobile handset which still has some weakness. And also to protect the data from the hackers or malicious people. The third article which is Android Hotel Reservation System, the company focus about the Android Application using Android Mobile in this article the company introduce the UI/User Interface of they're Android Application. So that the people will easy to understand the interface of the Android Application and also it helps the people to use they're Application.In they're Android Application there are many Notification's that the people will directly understand the User Interface of the Application. Chapter III Methodology This section of the paper further discussed the research design used in the study, the res pondents of the study, and the type of sampling used in determining the respondents, research locale, the research instrument employed, procedures and the statistical techniques for the interpretation of data. Research Method The research design used in the study is the descriptive research. This was used to achieve the objectives of the study that aims whether the said system will be effective to the user and the management.To be able to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers had began researching on the study read either printed or electronic regard the study Hotel Reservation and Notification system using Android base. Since the objective of the study is to know whether the study is effective or not. The researchers used observation on the study and researching about related articles on the said study. Research Instruments In conducting the research the instrument used by the researchers is based on the data they have gather in order to analyze and have observationa l result in which the researcher can deduct and exploit the necessary objectives of the Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification system by the researchers. And also, give their own hypothesis on the research. Data Gathering ProcedureThe researchers gathered materials for their research study, after the researchers gathered some materials to be used in their research, they extracted important information that maybe used in their research study. After the extracted data they made the first part of the chapter one same as chapter two with the citations of events. The researchers began making hypothesis on whether the particular study can be effective or not. From the data gather so far the advantages and disadvantages of the study can be concluded and the effectivness also can be concluded. The researchers made up their conclusions and recommendations of their study based on the information and the results they have gathered. Hotel Online Reservation IntroductionIn today’s world of business in which technology has a part to play on where small or large business are slowly blooming and this particular business is in where leisure and relaxation is being presented the business of Hotel Management. On this kind of business they are always other competitor, so this is where technology will come they want a system and android base of application where they can make their business efficient so they want a reservation system on where it can book or reserve a room in where if they are vacancy or not, and notify on in coming events or news of their stay.They are a lot of android base on hotel reservation system but all of them has no locator and notification system on them in where a business consultant or a business man traveling to a particular destination to give a presentation or project details and wanted to stay on a hotel on where they can locate, book or reserve a room and notify them on what are the best recommendation of rooms to this particular hotel.In the world today traveling is the best option for the users who travel to do business proposal or business presentation to their destination soon in every establishment of hotel management want a system that can reserve a room base on an android application on where customers can do it on their android phones and in every hotel management can accommodated them to their every request and they can notify them on what are the best recommendation of the room and the possibility of their best service they offered.In the Philippines today as one of the tourist destination travelers and business men and women needed to have an application that they can reserve and book a room on a particular hotel and also given them a notification that notifies them on what are the best recommendation they have and give them on what are the particular event is the hotel is offering to its guest and it enables to be aware on what the hotel is offering. According to HRS,   a hotel portal, mobile reservations grew from 3% in 2011 to 6% in 2012. It is safe to say that about 1/3 of business travelers use their smartphones and tablets to make a reservation.In the University of the Immaculate Conception, faculty and students may have already travel other country or right here in Philippines and they may want a android application that can book or reserve a room in a particular hotel on a particular country.This study may have its advantages and disadvantages on where it can be applied, due to the already present study it can be enhanced or be studied further in where it can be useful for the users and the management. The present study shows that it only has a reservation system and no notification system so it can be further be studied.In order to make this study to be more valid is to gather more data and able to distinguish on what are the materials needed for the Android Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System in order to give more rel iable and accurate information regarding to the said study. This study can be accomplished through analyzing and determine the advantages and disadvantages on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System.Conceptual FrameworkFigure 1.0 Conceptual Frame work of Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification system. Flow of the Conceptual frame work: Figure 1.0 shows that the first is that the client will access the application from their android phone and choose the following rooms and book the particular room then it goes directly to the internet and then it passes through to a cell tower and it is directed to the management and goes to the following process first the booking agent here is where the agent will get the client’s requested room to be book and it is passed to the facility director here is where the director will check if the said room has any problem on the requested room of the client after the director has checked t he room it will directly go to the hotel agent here the hotel agent will verify that the room can be book or reserved.And then the data client that  requested for the room and final after all the process of booking is done it will be back to the booking agent will send a notification that the room of the client is book and it passes through cell tower then through the internet and back to the client on where the client received the book room and its complementary.Statement of the Problem1. What might are the advantages or disadvantages of the Android app. to the hotel industry? 2. How effective do you think this Android App. toward the hotel industry? 3. Why do you think that this Android App. can benefit to the hotel industry?HypothesisThe android application with this kind of a purpose of making a reservation or booking of a hotel room will be easy to be used and only needs an internet connection on where the user will be guided easily and efficiently.Importance of the StudyThe importance of the study is to determine on how the system will work and can it help the user to book or reserve a room always notify if there is something wrong on his reserve room or simply notify them that the hotel is hosting an event.Researchers – This study can be beneficial for the researchers on where they can be aware to the research on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System and have the knowledgeable background on what might the research might do.The Management:This research might help the management in improving their establishment and be knowledgeable on Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System can do for their establishment.Students:The study can be beneficial to students and have knowledgeable background on what might the research purpose and its establishment of Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System.Administration:The said research would provide knowledge on Andr oid Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System and under this study the administration is able to have the knowledgeable background on the hotel reservation and notification system.Scope and LimitationThis study is focused in determine on how this system would prove it’s effective to the industry. By this we are determine on how the system would take effect in the industry.This study is limited on how the Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification System can be its effectiveness to the client and the management in termsDefinition of TermsAndroid – is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, and designed primarily for touch screen mobile devices such as Smartphone’s and tablet computers Hotel Reservation System – A central reservation system is a tool to reach the global distribution system as well as internet distribution systems from one single system. A CRS assists hotel managers in managing their onlin e marketing and sales, allowing them to upload their rates and availabilities to be seen by sales channels that are using the CRS. Sales channels may include conventional travel agencies as well as online travel agencies.Notification System – is a combination of software and hardware that provides a means of delivering a message to a set of recipients. Chapter 2Review of Related Literature and StudiesBefore giving details regarding the research methodology used in the study, it is appropriate to present a brief overview of the research articles, case studies, and books written on this particular topic. The area of study may be within the country or outside the country.â€Å"A Cloud App Hotel Reservation System from CiRBA† Adrian Bridgewater, September 02, 2013 In this article, he focused about the Cloud App from CiRBA Capacity Control software company CiRBA has announced a new Reservation Console for cloud developers (and teams) to control the automation of new workloa d routing and capacity reservations processes. According to Adrian Bridgewater, using the â€Å"Cloud App† people will easy to reserve a room a soon as possible using the internet or through PC,The console automates (what is a manual process today) the job of selecting the optimal hosting environment for new workloads, reserving compute and storage capacity in advance of use, and ultimately providing the detailed host-level placement recommendations for the workload.The Reservation Console features a new, tunable scoring system that identifies the optimal destination environment for new application workloads. Teams can modify the attributes considered and also tune their weighting so that recommendations are aligned with organizational goals and application owner preferences.â€Å"Application of Biometric Security in Agent based Hotel Booking System – Android Environment† Wayne Lawrence,Suresh Sankaranarayanan, July 2012According to the authors The process of fi nding the finest hotel in central location is time consuming, information overload and overwhelming and in some cases poses a security risk to the client. Some of the more advanced web sites allow for a search of the destination via a map for example hotelguidge.com and jamaica.hotels.hu. Booking of hotels is secured by the standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to confirm the identity of a website or server, encrypt data during transmission, and ensure the integrity of transmitted data. Even with this in place, hackers have broken the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) by targeting weaknesses in the MD5 algorithm.Recently good amount of work been carried in the use of Intelligent agents towards hotel search on J2ME based mobile handset which still has some weakness. So taking the weakness in the current agent based system, smart software agents been developed that overcomes the weakness in the previous system In addition to smart agent based system been developed and published elsewhere, we h ere propose to extend the system with the booking capability that allows the user to book a hotel of choice where the authenticity of the client may be determined securely using biometric security and information transmitted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) (Server-Gated Cryptography (SGC)) on the internet which is novel and unique. This will be facilitated on Android 2.2-enabled mobile phone using JADE-LEAP Agent development kit.â€Å"Android Hotel Reservation System† Jukisoft CorporationThey introduce about the importance of Hotel Reservation using Android App like the features of the Application they introduce the UI or User Interface of the App. So that the people will know on how to use the Hotel Reservation using Android App. This App is friendly user so that the people will easy to use the existing app. The Hotel Reservation Apps is an application made for creating products that are useful applications for hotels owners and hotel users by making application to allows u sers to perform activities of online hotel room reservation, see profile. And facilities of a hotel without visiting in person, see the location of the hotel by using the URL map or see the hotel website that will be visited access it without going through a computer using Android.SynthesisIn the first article the authors introduce what is â€Å"Cloud App†, Cloud App or Cloud Application using the Cloud App the people will easy to communicate to the Hotel Administration, when there is a people who request to reserve a room. Using the internet or WiFi the people will easy to get a room where you are, the system provides the following occupancy levels, technical considerations, software licensing constraints, operational policies, and regulatory compliance. In the second article the authors focus about the Application Biometric Security which is the SSL(Secure Sockets Layer) to confirm the identity of a website or server, encrypt data during  transmission, and ensure the inte grity of transmitted data.Even with this in place, hackers have broken the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) by targeting weaknesses in the MD5 algorithm. Recently good amount of work been carried in the use of Intelligent agents towards hotel search on J2ME based mobile handset which still has some weakness. And also to protect the data from the hackers or malicious people. The third article which is Android Hotel Reservation System, the company focus about the Android Application using Android Mobile in this article the company introduce the UI/User Interface of they're Android Application. So that the people will easy to understand the interface of the Android Application and also it helps the people to use they're Application. In they're Android Application there are many Notification's that the people will directly understand the User Interface of the Application.Chapter III MethodologyThis section of the paper further discussed the research design used in the study, the respondents o f the study, and the type of sampling used in determining the respondents, research locale, the research instrument employed, procedures and the statistical techniques for the interpretation of data.Research MethodThe research design used in the study is the descriptive research. This was used to achieve the objectives of the study that aims whether the said system will be effective to the user and the management. To be able to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers had began researching on the study read either printed or electronic regard the study Hotel Reservation and Notification system using Android base. Since the objective of the study is to know whether the study is effective or not. The researchers used observation on the study and researching about related articles on the said study.Research InstrumentsIn conducting the research the instrument used by the researchers is based on  the data they have gather in order to analyze and have observational result i n which the researcher can deduct and exploit the necessary objectives of the Android Mobile Application for Hotel Reservation and Notification system by the researchers. And also, give their own hypothesis on the research.Data Gathering ProcedureThe researchers gathered materials for their research study, after the researchers gathered some materials to be used in their research, they extracted important information that maybe used in their research study. After the extracted data they made the first part of the chapter one same as chapter two with the citations of events. The researchers began making hypothesis on whether the particular study can be effective or not. From the data gather so far the advantages and disadvantages of the study can be concluded and the effectivness also can be concluded. The researchers made up their conclusions and recommendations of their study based on the information and the results they have gathered.

Using a Ghost During the Elizabethan Period. Hamlet

During the Elizabethan period, a ghost was seen as a common feature in most tragedy plays. Shakespeare's Hamlet is a prime example of the use of a ‘ghost' to entice fear and apprehension amongst the Elizabethan audience. The ghost can be seen as projecting several functions throughout the play, all of which are vital to the play's ultimate impact. An Elizabethan audience were highly superstitious, held Roman Catholic beliefs of purgatory and were extremely fearful of afterlife and the uncertainty that surrounded it. Such views were powerful connotations that aided Shakespeare to influence his audience with considerable impact. However, the implications of a ghost were seen as very different for a Elizabethan audience as compared with the perception of a ghost by a modern audience. Therefore it could be said that the disparity in how the ghost is received may diminish the play's impact for a modern day audience. The audience of Shakespeare's time were surrounded with highly religious concepts. During the period, whilst many were deemed protestants, there were many who challenged the idea of souls and their sins in relation to heaven and hell and continued to practise the old faith. Therefore an Elizabethan audience would have been familiar with the concepts of heaven and hell and the uncertainty surrounding ghosts. Whether the ghost of Old Hamlet is living in hell or purgatory is an issue which Shakespeare leaves open and unresolved. This leaves the Shakespearean audience with the question of whether there was hope of redemption for old hamlet and in relation, themselves. This can be seen as one of the various functions of the ghost in hamlet, by engaging into the religious mindset of Elizabethans, they would question its presence and would be intent on discovering its existence and nature throughout the play.

Macro Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro - Term Paper Example The paper concentrates on the issue of price stability and its impact to the economy Introduction Price stability refers to a situation in which the prices of goods and services in a country over a given period of time remains. It can also be best described as time when the retail index price is constant. The opposite of price stability is referred to as inflation. Inflation is an adverse macroeconomic element that is not acceptable in the economy. It is characterized by the unprecedented increase in prices of goods and services that results to making the cost of living to sour up beyond the purchasing power of various household (Pierson 20). It is the central role of the government of the day to ensure that only some small inflation, popularly referred to as mild inflation, is experienced in the society. When the level of inflation increases, it is a bad indication, which shows that the cost of living of the household has increased. When the cost of living goes up, the lower-class h ouseholds are the worst hit. However, it is good to take note that some level of inflation in the economy is acceptable as it shows that there is some form of economic growth in the country Discussion It is every government’s responsibility to attain positive macroeconomic elements in the economy, and USA government is no exception. The United States has always strived to ensure that there is low inflation, low unemployment levels, high rate of economic of economic growth, and equilibrium in balance of payment. The subsequent paragraphs concentrates on the efforts and measures put in place by the United States’ government to tackle inflation. Notably, inflation takes various forms, which include wage inflation, cost-push inflation, sectorial inflation, demand-pull, and pricing power inflation. Demand-pull is a type of inflation that is caused by excess demand of good and services in the economy, which causes the prices of goods and services to increase. On the other ha nd, cost-push is a form of inflation that is caused by increased cost of production. Such increased cost of production compels producers to pass the cost to consumers in terms of high prices (Pierson 20). On the other hand, wage inflation occurs when people are paid more salary, hence causing their disposable income to increase. With increase in disposal income, the increase in purchasing power is inevitable. The consumers tend to spend more in such circumstance leading to increase in the prices of goods and services. Essentially, there exists several level of inflation, which includes mild inflation, moderate inflation, hyperinflation, and stagflation. Mild inflation is good for an economy; in fact, this is the primary objective of the USA’s government, since it is mandated to maintain a low inflation rate of not more than 3 percent (Mills 112). Maintaining low inflation is a tasking procedure, which requires balancing of many and complex macroeconomic policies. Inflation is measured as a yearly rate of change in the retail price index. In order to achieve price stability, the rate of inflation should be maintained at zero. This is only theoretical and cannot be practical in the real economy. Some level of inflation is good for the economy as it signifies growth in the economic performance besides showing that owners of factors of production are being rewarded for their investment efforts. Mills

The Ethics Of Online Retailing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Ethics Of Online Retailing - Research Paper Example The first category of interactions involves disclosure statements and requests for information issued by marketers to prospective customers. These are legitimate statements and requests that aim to help businesses better tailor their products and services to their customers’ needs. Secondly, there are exchanges of information voluntarily undertaken by consumers, with the expectation that they will be subsequently contacted by the respective marketer. Third, there is the capture of information not volunteered by the consumer. Not all information gathered this way is unethical, because there is much that marketers may observe concerning consumers during the course of their transaction, but such capture must not be intrusive against the privacy of the consumer. The fourth aspect concerns information practices or the manner by which the gathered information (from both marketers and consumers) may be used by both parties. The past two decades of computer technology application has triggered a flurry of academic research concerning the proper use and abuse of the new medium. Internet capability has presented so many enticing prospects for business and especially it's marketing function that, as is often the case, the potential for use is accompanied with potential for abuse. Roman and Cuestas (2008) polled web consumers for their views about which unethical acts they have the greatest concern over. There are four such types of abusive practices, namely: security, privacy, deception and fulfillment or reliability. In the study, Roman and Cuestas (2008, p. 648) described each of the issues in the following manner: The researchers developed a rating scale by which they sought to measure the relative degree of consumers’ concern.

Critique of Selected Epidemiological Research Article Paper - 1

Critique of Selected Epidemiological Article - Research Paper Example The study reports a hypothesis that the visits that are undertaken for the older age in the cardiovascular study is related to main demographic, lifestyle, health and function participant traits and that the oldest age would have the poorest retention for in-person visits, particularly clinic visits. The hypothesis of the study is directional as it has taken a stand on the subject matter which is yet to be determined. However, it is a complex one since the measurement methods would not be easy in terms of tool applications. It also requires the application of more than one tool for its determination. It was tested using the face to face interviews, phone interviews, as well as personal visits. This was also done through sampling from Medicare eligibility lists, non-institutionalized, ambulatory men and women aged 65 and above. During the study, men and women of age 65 and older got enrolled including the 5201 at 4 US field centers. These formed a mean enrollment age of 73 years with a range of 65-100 forming 58%, 16 % being black. The first phase took place in 1989 to 1990 with the addition of 687 African-American participants in the year 1992 to 93. The participants were taken through an extensive baseline evaluation. This included the laboratory assessments, physical and cognitive functioning and medical history. All these components were repeated at the annual clinic visits through 1998 to 1999. The total population of the study of surviving participants throughout the time was, N=43,772. By the year 2005-06, the entire population was re-recruited in order to reevaluate physical and cognitive functioning and reassess functional status. In this case, the median age was 85 while the range was 77-102 of which 67% were women, and 17% were black (Strotmeyer, et al., 2010). The study in this case was quasi-experimental since it involved the determination of the

Lean Six Sigma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Lean Six Sigma - Essay Example Although Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma have been practiced for several decades now, Lean Six Sigma itself is a relatively new initiative being followed by companies worldwide. Whereas Six Sigma is focused on reducing variation and improving process yield using statistical tools, Lean is primarily concerned with eliminating waste by following a defined approach to implement various Lean principles. Lean brings action and intuition to the table; Six Sigma uses statistical tools to uncover root causes and provide metrics; Lean Six Sigma is a combination of both and provides the tools to create ongoing business improvement (Smith, 2003). The synergy of Lean and Six Sigma bring in the advantages of both, achieving results consistently superior than what either system could achieve alone. Lean Six Sigma is different from Six Sigma in the sense that it marries the principles of both Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma concepts to produce a much enhanced system. Six Sigma is a process for eliminating defects and variation through the development of a disciplined data driven approach. However Six Sigma alone cannot dramatically improve process speed or reduce invested capital. Although it can bring a process under statistical control, variations will still exist in terms of delivery times, assembly times, routings, etc. Incorporating Lean principles within the Six Sigma framework enhances speed and quality by improving and streamlining the processes and creating excellent customer service. According to Badurdeen (2008), "to get to Lean Six Sigma an organization should first incorporate Six Sigma into their process improvement and then engage in Lean Six Sigma to speed up the processes after the systems have been broken down into smaller components". Selecting the Right Team As such, rightsizing Lean Six Sigma teams should be the first priority for businesses that want to ensure the success of 'Lean' projects and realize the full potential of such projects. Some of the factors that characterize an efficient Lean Six Sigma Team are: High level of efficient communications amongst implementers, management officials and other entities associated with the 'Lean' project. The team members are accountable since decisions and actions taken by the team can be traced back to individual members. Team works with a reduced cost of operations because the lesser the numbers, the less will be the amount of resources used for performing the same tasks and duties The team constantly strives in increasing efficiency in solving complex problems and issues and employees know the exact person to contact if they encounter problems during the implementation phase The team shows less chance of conflicts and ego issues. One way we evaluate the success of a Lean Six Sigma initiative or strategy is to measure the involvement in LeanSix Sigma by way of numbers of people involved, i.e., numbers trained, practicing, certified, etc. DMAIC DMAIC is a standard improvement model; it is a structured, disciplined and rigorous approach to process improvement consisting of 5 logically interlinked phases. The 5 phases are discussed in the following section (George, 2002). Define: This is the first step which aims at clarifying the goals and value of a project. A set of tools such

Biography Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Biography Research - Essay Example Nelson Mandela, indeed brought trouble to himself but in the human kind advantage. He indeed had problems in his life but only because he was not an ordinary man, but one with ambitions and ideals and above all, he had the strength to accomplish them. The discourse was addressed before his career to develop , but this was the evidence that Nelson Mandela didn’t have any hidden purposes. Nelson Mandela was born in a special family, belonging to the Thembu group, which existed before the British conquest. It can even be said that he was born in a royal family, because his father was a member of the royal council of Thembu, and Mandela himself should have inherited this position. After his father’s death, he was adopted by the Regent, Dalyndiela, in gratitude to his father loyalty. Belonging to such an important family he was initiated in the Thembu culture, and according to its traditions at age sixteen, he attended Clarkebury Boarding Institute, and proved that he was a brilliant student, graduating Junior High in two years, instead of three years. As a young man he couldn’t stay apart from different organizations or manifestations. From this early age he demonstrated an initiative and leadership sense. Thus he was chucked from the university, after involving in a boycott against university administration. In this period he meets Oliver Tambo, a prolific lawyer, who will become a very good friend and colleague. So far Nelson Mandela followed the Regent indications and thus of his culture, but his enterprising and innovative personality didn’t allow him to bound under some rules. So, after the Regent arranged some marriages to his real son and to Mandela , they both left in Johannesburg, working in a mine, and then at a law firm. Mandela was aware of the fact that education was very important ( thing strongly sustained by him much later in his campaigns ) so he graduated from University of South Africa and then attended to the Law University

Systems Analysis and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Systems Analysis and Design - Essay Example At this stage, the systems engineer is required to â€Å"design the user interface and identify all necessary outputs, inputs and processes† (Shelly, Cashman and Rosenblatt, 2008, p. 22). In this report, the major information systems techniques and tools will be discussed with special reference to the managerial implications of different CBIS components, techniques and tools. There is special focus on addressing business needs as per the perspective of information systems. Discussion Business Information System Components The main components of an information system are people, data, processes, hardware, software and communications. This holds true for a business information system (BIS) too. People are the element of a CBIS who design, install, communicate, execute processes, and manage the databases. Data can be defined as the information part of CBIS. It is essential for running the software and understanding various organisational issues and scenarios. The element of proce sses is the set of definitions, descriptions, rules and instructions, which guides the people in implementing and operating the CBIS. Further, hardware consists of the computers and their peripherals which are a part of the CBIS. It also includes the networking devices such as switches and routers. Software applications play a functional role in the CBIS. Software is necessary developing and running the system design and running the CBIS. Finally, communication is the component that helps in staffs’ and departments’ coordination inside a business house (Stair and Reynolds, 2011) So dividing the BIS (that is, a corporate level CBIS) among the components of people, data, processes, hardware, software and communications is advantageous for a systems engineer to standardise the system design and compare with available paradigms and benchmark. For example, dividing a given information system into standard components helps a systems engineer to organise the different program ming techniques using advanced programming languages like Java and UML (Dennis, Wixom and Tegarden, 2012). Dynamic Diagrams and Rich Pictures Dynamic diagrams are based on isometric projections  that help in mapping web sites, developing software programs like MAPA, and publishing certain advanced blogging systems (Kahn, Lenk and Kaczmarek, 2001). Rich Pictures, on the other hand, are a category of diagrams that can help to relate one’s own experiences and observations to a certain problem situation presented before him/her. This further involves organisation of the development of different business related concepts visibly (Avison, Golder and Shah, 1992). The most important advantage of dynamic diagram is that it helps the user to navigate through the systems. Moreover, it helps the systems designer to detect would-be navigation issues. For example, pictorial representation of the sitemap of a corporate website is helpful for both the customers and systems engineers of the company. Advantage of using rich pictures is that it helps to establish relationships between situations and technologies. For example, user experience with a technology can be described through visible illustrations with the help of rich pictures. Krishnamurti (2011) has used rich pictures to successfully illustrate that how 3D graphics can be applied to enhance construction site management and technology (see Figure

Finance Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Planning - Assignment Example Their monthly expenditure on insurance for their properties is high and does not comprehensively cover their assets since some assets such their stereo is not insured. The critical issues raised above should be addressed in their order of priority. Recommendation for the emergency fund would be to sum up Mark’s 401(k) contribution and bank savings as previously intended, since they are available. Then the Lanes should top up the remaining amount from reductions in their expenditure and by that their emergency fund objective will have been met. Recommendation for the second and middle term objective would be to make a fixed income investment and channel the proceeds to a child education fund. The long term goal of purchasing a house should be met by freeing up money that was used to pay debts and once these are cleared they can channel the income towards payment of a mortgage. They have a short fall of $18,877.5- $3,070= $15,807.5 Recommendation for funding the shortfall includes implementing the proposed debt management plan so as to reduce debt expenses such as payment of credit card interests. The proceeds realized can then be channeled to the emergency fund. The Lanes have been having a poor debt management plan as they have a negative balance sheet and a negative cash flow balance. They should consider implementing the proposed debt management plan as it will assist them clear their debts systematically from the smallest to the largest debt. In order to save a monthly amount for retirement at the age of 55, both Mark and Ava should cut down on their expenditure and reduce their insurance expenditure. In order to do this, they can consider the emergency fund as a form of self-insurance then save the amounts used to pay insurance premiums to save for retirement. The Lanes should not sell any of their investments to

Media Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

Media Stereotypes Essay In class we discussed stereotypes that are present in all forms of media, and even in our everyday lives. In the entertainment world, stereotyping helps people quickly understand a character or storyline. We can all quickly recognize the archetypes of the dumb jock, the underprivileged student or athlete trying to rise above their circumstances, and even the religious zealot that lives down the street. These stereotypes aid in the viewer s’ understanding and are also helpful for the show’s writers, who often must fit a build-up, plot, and resolution into a 20-minute time slot. More and more, religious stereotypes are being intertwined into television programming. In fact, stereotypes of religions are not only included in a television show’s storyline, sometimes they play a major role in providing the entertainment value. The stereotypes of religious people in broadcast television focus on any religious people that are current targets of pop culture, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists and others. In a recent episode of the Simpsons, the classic pop culture phenomenon, a new family who happens to be Muslim moves into town, and Bart makes friends with the family’s son. Homer becomes aware of this, and, in his classic tactful manner, asks the family over for dinner to question them to see if they are terrorists or not. Although Bart finds evidence throughout the episode that proves the family must be terrorists out to destroy Springfield, in the end he is forced with the reality that they are just normal Joes trying to have a happy life. Although the stereotype is resolved as the potential terrorists are discovered to be just another family in the neighbourhood, the whole entertainment value of the episode comes from Homer’s assumption that the stereotype is true. People can find this episode humorous because they can relate to the stereotype after recent events in the news. While the story is playing off what has happened (and is still happening) in our own culture, we must question the effect this has on the mind-set of society towards various religious groups. Are episodes such as this reinforcing negative religious stereotypes in our mind (such as all Muslims are terrorists) and, as a result, turning us into intolerant people? My husbands argument concerning the previous question is this: Shows like the Simpsons are just entertainment. The information presented is not necessarily accurate, and it doesn’t have to be. It is purposely offensive and must be very extreme to provide humour, which it does very well and people like it. Just because stereotypes are presented in television content, it doesnt necessarily mean that people are going to treat people the way Homer does if a religious family moves into their neighbourhood. I tend to be on the other side of the issue. As stereotypes about religious people are reinforced by a medium such as television, they are further implanted in our brains and make us more likely to act upon the stereotype when put in a related situation. This can lead to some uncomfortable situations and opportunities to misjudge people. What do you think? Do stereotypes in television reinforce the negative ideas we may have against various religious people, or are they simply providing entertainment and not influencing us, at least not in a significant way?

Gothic Revival and Neoclassicism Architecture in Churches

Gothic Revival and Neoclassicism Architecture in Churches Gothic Revival and Neoclassicism were strong architectural movements which occurred during the mid 18th to the end of the 19th century. In Wellington, these two architectural movements can be seen through the churches of Old Saint Pauls (OSP) which is a Gothic Revival church and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (MCSH) which is a neoclassical building. Reverend Frederick Thatcher (1814 1890) designed Old Saint Pauls church in 1866. He was born in Hastings, England and came to New Zealand in 1843. His influences for designing the church were by the ecclesiastical movement and he strongly supported their theories of letting every material used being real and that Gothic architecture is the only true architecture (Alington, 26) Francis (Frank) William Petre (1847-1918) designed Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Petre was born in Lower Hutt in the North Island. He had strong family connections to the Saint Marys Cathedral (Gothic Revival Church) which had been burnt down in a fire in 1898. This made Petre to design a new Cathedral in MCSH to mark the site of the burnt down church. Although, MCSH is a neoclassical church and construction started in 1899 and was completed in 1901. Petre was influenced by Pugin as gothic was his first love but later moved into classical basilica design because it was a lower cost and for structural sustainability. Approaching OSP externally, I felt that the church seemed to be slightly hidden behind the large trees which obstructed parts of the church at eye level. I could have walked past the building without noticing that it was a church as it was so homely. Mulgrave Street is the road running in front of the church and it is placed on ground level with no major slopes or elevation. (See Figure 1 for exterior illustration) The original clients of the church were British Anglican worshippers and Ecclesiology in church architecture was important during this period in time and the worshippers would have responded to the building with pride as it symbolised British dominance. Todays users are majorly still Anglican worshippers and the growing number of worshippers mean that the church would be used more than at the time that it was initially built. On the other hand, approaching MCSH was a contrast to approaching OSP. A dominant grand building standing tall on a raised platform rose as I walked towards it. The six exterior ionic pillars with immense pedestals which are larger than an average human really made me feel discrete and powerless. This adds an authoritive label to the church. (See Figure 2 for exterior illustration) Catholic worshippers were the original clients and the same remains today. The two distinctly different churches were designed by their architects deliberately to show the different faiths being practised at each church and how specific elements reveal this. This paper addresses how the ordering principles of the columns in both Metropolitan Cathedral and Old St Pauls reveal that the architects planned the structural element not just for functional demands, but to compliment aesthetic values as well. Columns are essential building elements which are used both in OSP and MCSH. In OSP the basic function of the square base column is to support the ribs of the vaults. In MCSH the internal ionic columns are placed to support the altar canopy in the sanctuary area. The columns in each church add to the overall experience with ones individual personal relationship with god. Approaching through the sideway entry at OSP creates an extra anxious wait for seeing the internal of the church at a full scale. There is a true definite emotional aspect walking through the entrance as it somehow silently makes one go on a journey, a journey to God. The columns are noticeable because they are placed near the seating area by the nave so therefore when sitting down looking towards the chancel, the view is filled with the columns alongside the nave with the presence of artificial light inside the church. Although, with purely natural light coming into the church the columns are certainly no distraction when looking at the chancel area because of the dimness created by the stained glass windows. To an extent hides the tall columns and the focus of the eye is upon the chancel due to the maximum natural light in the church being maintained in this area. Margaret Alington reinforces: quality of light within the building is dim, however, as a Neo- Gothicists believed that this was suitable for their style of architecture†¦Natural light leaves Old St Pauls feeling gloomy additional lighting is directed throughout the nave and chancel areas (47). Today, approaching into MCSH is similar to the entering into OSP because the new entrance is perpendicular to the sanctuary area and the internal columns appear when looking towards the chancel. Two main ionic columns which support the altar canopy but there are other decorative purpose ionic columns like structures attached to the arched walls. This can be misleading because they are not classified as architectural columns because they do not support anything. The white columns in the altar from far have a very powerful and elegant look because it holds the canopy in which a painting of Jesus placed underneath. From a closer view, the size of the columns really did place my perspective in scale and the details of the Ionic order appeared more clearly. Historian Margaret Alington explains that one of the most striking features of the Gothic style is the relationship between structure and appearance. They are as one (32). This is portrayed through the columns in OSP. Alington also states that: it is from these columns that the ribs appear to grow. At their beginning, the ribs encase the columns, and at a greater height do they become elements on their own right (38). Thatcher designed the column set up this way to follow the Gothic tradition of emphasising height. Alington further mentions that the continuation of the columns, the ribs add to the organic feeling of the vertical growth which the building possess (38). The Christian soul experiences uplift as the height of the building is symbolic during worship (38). This is an example of the column contributing to the building in physical terms as well as showing historical ideas that they can be seen as being representative of. (See figure 3 for ribs growing from column). Internally, the Ionic order columns are employed by Petre in MCSH to support up the altar canopy. The Ionic column is historically defined by Italian architects, as one of three orders built by the Greeks. Many structures are seen portraying Ionic columns, and examples are seen throughout the world. The Coliseum in Rome, Italy shows a simple Ionic column that has lasted since the original construction in 1st Century AD. The Erechtheion in Athens, Greece is also exhibiting the Ionic column. Dating back to the building of these structures, the Ionic column was an obvious favourite, when trying to communicate strength and dignity. Dr Fil Hearn describes the ionic capital as being faintly evocative of feminine curls but abstractly decorative all the same (110). This explains that Petre wanted to exhibit strength and dignity to the church but at the same time have a decorative quality to it. This relates to a respectful relationship with God where as in OSP it is a more personal one. (See figure 4 columns supporting altar canopy). Gothic architecture is unique in its use of materials. Alington mentions that: In medieval Europe, the building material was stone- usually limestone, frequently sandstone and occasionally granite. This heavy material was made to soar to great heights and to feel light in gothic spires (66). Although, stone is rare in New Zealand but timber is an available resource and the gothic style of England was adapted into this material (66). Thatcher cleverly manipulated the new wooden elements used inside the church as a substitute to stone. New Zealand rimu timber is used for the square base columns inside OSP which lead into the ribbed vaults which are also made from rimu. Rimu can be used in interior situations for a variety of elements, without the need for treatment from decay. Alington writes the English settlers bought with them the style and technologies of their mother country (66). The natural browns of rimu are present in the columns. This also gives a homely effect which ultimately plays with ones senses and leads to a worship of personal qualities. (See figure 5 for colour palette). As an effect of running my hands down a column, the smooth texture of wood is an indication that it has been varnished and handled very carefully. On the other hand MCSH has been made out a much harder structural material. It has a red brick and masonry exterior and white Oamaru stone in the interior, also plastered pilasters and concrete was used for greater strength and is weather resistant. My conclusions of why stone is used for the ionic columns in MCSH and in neoclassical buildings are because of the solidity of the stone. It adds to the overall effect of the building of representing strength and dignity as this was a key prospect in classical architecture. Also, the painting of Jesus under the altar canopy needs to have a strong support by the columns. This is symbolic in a way because the ionic columns act as the strength of the church as this may be the importance for the shelter of Jesus Christ. The architects of both churches purposely used ordering principles to position the columns to create, axis, symmetry, hierarchy, rhythm and repetition. Both churches include ordering principles which overall create an emotional experience on the worshipper of each respective church. Some aesthetic values are also created in this process. Geometry formed the basis of gothic art (Alington, 54). Thatcher designed OSP with series of squares. Also the repetition of equilateral triangles were employed by Thatcher to symbolise the Trinity, and the quatrefoil being symbolic of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the four evangelists (Alington, 60). (See figure 6 for plan) The forms and spaces of any building should acknowledge the hierarchy inherent in the functions they accommodate, the users they serve, the purpose or meaning they convey, and the scope or context they address (Ching, 320). Ching is addressing to the fact that forms and spaces should have a purpose in a building and they must portray a meaning and this is what is done in OSP by Thatcher. The placement of the columns creates an axis running through the centre of the nave and this also establishes a symmetrical arrangement of the columns and space. Ching states that a symmetrical condition cannot exist without implying the existence of an axis (330). A hierarchy of the chancel area is also formed by the columns creating a visual direction to look towards when sitting down. This hierarchy is formed by size and placement. dominate an architectural composition by being significantly different in size (339), the focus of a centralised or radial organisation (339). Rhythm refers to any movement characterised by a patterned recurrence of elements at regular intervals (356). This is true because of the pattern made by the columns in OSP as they are placed at regular intervals on either side of the nave. This cre ates a sense of order and is pleasing to the eye as one walks into the church. (See figure 7 for plan). The Classical language of architecture adheres to notions of natural order and beauty through harmony and discipline and Petre addresses this in MCSH. Symmetry and harmony is achieved by using balanced axis through the building. Everything is perfectly balanced (or was until the restoration and additions in the 1980s).Each part of the building stands a mirror image of the other part from macro to the micro. This creates symmetry which is very aesthetically pleasing. Ching mentions that radiating elements such as the composition can be divided into similar halves along a central axis (330). The windows also match up to their opposites. Entrances into the building stand opposite the entrance to the sanctuary. Nothing is random or asymmetrical. The two columns supporting the altar canopy creates the hierarchy point because the main painting of Jesus is placed underneath the altar. Also because there are only two proper columns inside MCSH, the rest which are decorative illusions are pl aced against the arched walls. (See figure 8 for plan) In comparison, OSP and MCSH have numerous ordering principles although, MCSH has a very controlled and dignified march to the focus of the Sanctuary which is first manipulated by the narrow columnisation at the exterior portico, with a pace that makes you hurry. MCSH holds a more disciplined order through the arrangement of elements than OSP. For aesthetic considerations Petre used the golden section in MCSH. The Greeks recognised the dominating role the Golden sections and the proportions of the human bodythey utilised this proportions in their temple structures (Ching, 286) The golden section/ratio is also used in the ionic column. The base end of the ionic column is 0.618 time larger than the top end. This creates a perfect balance for the element which creates visually pleasing qualities and supposedly to be the perfect building ratio. The golden section is not only present in the columns but also in the whole church itself. The external face of MCSH is all presented through this ratio and also the floor and ceiling all use this rule. This symbolises authority through perfection and order and impacts worship activities in many ways. The sense of perfection and order in MCSH discards any sense of private discovery of god because everything has been discovered through the perfection of the building. Similarly, the original floor plan of OSP is based on this golden section. Although that is the only aspect of the golden section used in this church and aesthetic values thrive through the arrangement of elements as discussed before. Thatcher and Petre planned the columns to fit ordering principles which suited functional demands and complimented aesthetic values too. Overall, OSP demonstrates the Neo-Gothic style, following the ecclesiological society and MCSH demonstrates the Neo classical style following the Ionic order effectively. The functional demand of the columns in MCSH is to support the altar canopy of which the main painting of Jesus is placed under and therefore serves an important role in the church. Meanwhile is OSP the columns are present to support the rubbed vaults which ultimately holds the church up. Thatcher and Petre use ordering principles such as axis, symmetry, hierarchy, rhythm and repetition to show reason for each respectable church and to create aesthetic properties as well. Aesthetics values were also evident through the use of the golden mean and this was employed in both churches. The columns presented in both churches contribute to each of the buildings in physical terms as well as the historical ideas that they can be seen as being representative of. The two architectural movements (Gothic revival and Neo-classica l) in the 18th and 19th century were evident in both churches and Thatcher and Petre can be proud with their creation of both churches as it is a place for many worshippers today.

Choosing the Humane Road Essay -- Philosophy Afghanistan Essays

Choosing the Humane Road Sophocles, writing in the 5th century BC, created his works as he experienced both the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars. These wars were focused around pride and greed, two vices that continue to drive violence in the 21st century. In Sophocles’ work Oedipus the King, Oedipus must come to new understanding of the self in relation to others to truly see himself and to understand the world. The lesson that Oedipus must learn is a lesson that yearns to be acknowledged and embraced still today. Like the Persians, Spartans, and Athens, the United States must, if it wants to be successful as a nation and world power, consider the other as the self. Americans must believe in the oneness of humanity, and they must appreciate the connection that makes everyone in the human race part of a common family. Until the United States views the world in this fashion, it will continue to engage in self-destruction similar to that of Oedipus and of those engaged in war in Sophocles’ time. To fully understand the comparisons that will follow, it is first necessary to understand the history of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, as well as the history of the United States’ engagement in war. The Persian Wars took place from about 499-479 BC; these battles were fought between the Greeks and the Persians, who lived in the area of the modern day Iran. After numerous battles and minor victories, the Athenians were ultimately successful in defeating the Persians with the help of the Spartans. Following this war, the Athenians and the Spartans became friends because together they had successfully defeated the Persians. In 431 BC, however, the Athenians violated their peace treaty with the Spartans, and, as a result, a civil wa... ... placed the U.S. at another critical crossroads in its history, but many Americans seem to be blind, like Oedipus, to the choices and consequences that lie before them. Until Americans view the Afghan people and all people around the world as equal to themselves, the inevitable consequences, discord, violence, and war, will continue. Works Cited CNN. "Jere Van Dyk: A Historical Perspective of the Fight Over Afghanistan." CNN Online 25 Sept. 2001. 14 Nov. 2001. <http://www.cnn.com/2001/COMMUNITY/ 09/25/van_dyk/index.html>. Rosenblum, Mort, "U.S. Once Backed ‘Freedom Fighter’ bin Laden." The Times Agrus Online 20 Sept. 2001. 23 Nov. 2001 <http://timesargus.nybor.com/Archieve/ Articles/ Article/34086>. Dawoud, Khaled, "American Connection." Al-Ahram Weekly Online 27 Aug. 1998. 23 Nov. 2001 <http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/1998/392/foc11.htm>.

Knights And Chivalry Essay -- essays research papers fc

KNIGHTS AND CHIVALRY Knights were a large part of the Middle Ages. A lot people think that knights are soldiers who were covered in metal, and fought dragons and evil people. Although they were warriors, or soldiers, knights never fought dragons. Knights fought for their king or lord because land was promised to them. To become a knight you had to be born a noble boy and start training at age seven. The boys didn't go to school because he was sent to live with another noble family as a page. A page learned to work with horses and weapons. He also learned manners and to be polite. He ran errands for the noble family. At age 14 a page became a squire to a knight. As a squire you had to serve the knight. By watching the knight the squire learned how to fight and use the weapons to strengthen his body. The squire had to do many things with the knight. If the knight had to go into battle the squire had to go too. When the knight got wounded the squire fixed his wounds. If the knight was in danger the squire rescued him, and if the knight died the squire would setup a proper burial. A squire learned to make and serve meals and was the knight's personal servant. On the squire's 21st birthday his skills would make him a knight. His skills were tested during tournaments. There was a ceremony for the squire when he was ready to become a knight. On the night before the ceremony the squire bathed and put on special clothes. He prayed alone in a church with his weapons. The next day t...

Foreign Aid :: essays research papers

Foreign Aid The United States of America is a wealthy nation. We are also a nation that reaches out to the poverty-stricken world, lending financial aid in ridiculous amounts to these shambled countries. The burning question of the moment is: how effect is our foreign aid, and what can we do to improve its efficiency? The answer is quite a difficult one, if it even exists at all. Foreign aid has been lent to these broken countries for over half of a century. Billions of dollars has been poured into this defunct outlet, with nothing really to show for it. The thing one must understand about foreign aid and where and how it is spent is that all of these subsidies are given directly to the government. The thing is, this government might not have the purest intentions. More than once, the recipients of this aid have been accused of wasting foreign aid on palaces and their decadent lifestyle, in general. We know foreign aid doesn’t work the way it should, yet we make no strides towards improving it at the expense of our own taxpayers. Another reason why foreign aid is ineffective is that it leads the inhabitants of the poor, ran-down country to believe that they simply cannot do it on their own. They have to rely on our money to get anything going, which is a dangerous game. We’re not letting these countries stand on their own feet, and that isn’t good for them, and it damn sure isn’t good for us. What if one of these countries that we’re pouring money into becomes powerful and acquires nuclear weaponry? If we cut funding, they might become belligerent towards the United States, and then what? We give them more money, like some kind of hostage with a knife to our throat? As Bauer wrote in his book, The Development Frontier in 1991: â€Å"Economic achievement depends on personal, cultural, social, and political factors†¦ and the policies of rulers. It diminishes the people of the Third World to suggest that unlike the people of the West, they cannot achieve it without subsidies.â⠂¬  Imagine pouring millions upon millions of dollars into an interventionist state with counterproductive economic policies such as high taxes, spending and borrowing, excessive regulation, protectionism, inflation, price controls, land collectivization, and outright corruption. They’re going to be able to avoid a civil rebellion through quelling the hunger of the masses with our

In the Land of the Free Essay

In the Land of the Free Since the first wave of Chinese immigration to the United States in 1850s, the Chinese experienced discrimination and often overt racism. According to Holland, during 1870s, a large number of Chinese laborers flooded into American job market after the completion of transcontinental railroads. Since the Chinese laborers were willing to work for lower wages, they took jobs away from white workers which caused negative feeling toward Chinese. At the same time, the economic downturn and the increasing unemployment rate led to more heightened outcries against Chinese immigrants. Eventually, the United States government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, a law that restricted the number of Chinese entering into America. (Holland 2007) Sui Sin Far, the first fiction writer of Asian descent, wrote an impressive story called â€Å"In the Land of the Free†, which portraits the harsh treatment a Chinese immigrant couple faced and the tremendous pain they suffered due to racism and discrimination upon entering the United States in the late 1800s. The story unfolded with a loving, caring and self-sacrificed Chinese young woman named Lae Choo, who was so excited about the reunion with her husband, Hom Hing, a legal Chinese merchant in the United States. Traced back to three years before, when Hom Hing learned his wife was pregnant, he decided to send Lae Choo back to their native country, China, so they would have their first baby, the little one, born there. They had been separated for three years since then, and this was the first time the little one would see his father. But misfortune fell upon this couple–upon entering the land of America, the little one was denied the entry to the U. S. The reason was that the little one was born in China and there was no paperwork to verify he was born to Lae Choo and Hom Hing. The little one was taken away by the US custom officers. The winter had passed, but the couple still couldn’t get their baby back. Lae Choo got into a depression, going to the point of starving herself. At the end, she had to pay a lawyer with her entire life saving except one ring, a gift from Hom Hing for her pregnancy, to get her baby back from the mission. But the ending was heartbreaking that the little one couldn’t recognize his mother after nine month separation. â€Å"In the Land of the Free†, with it darkly ironic title, gives readers deep insights into the Chinese immigrants’ experience in America in late 1800s. The United States is a country with reputation for liberty, and Government is supposed to help promote and protect human rights. But throughout the story, readers only see the fact that rigid Government policy infringed upon the couple and the baby’s human rights. Hong Hing couple had never expected that their basic human rights– the rights of parents to be with their children was deprived as soon as the wife and the baby arrived this country. In the story, the nine month of forcible separation between Hong Hing couple and their son shows the complete absence of compassion in the American government. During the nine month, the government didn’t make any progress except for keeping sending 16 same letters to Hong Hing couple. And without the lawyer’s interference, it might take years for Hong Hing couple to get their baby back. The government’s total indifference to the spilt of an immigrant family was inhuman and cruel. In the story the author also demonstrates the human costs of U. S. Government’s discriminatory policy. Lae Choo, a caring, loving and self-sacrificed Chinese young woman, couldn’t bear the pain of the separation from her son, almost starving herself to death. The words she said â€Å"how could I close my eyes with my arms empty† (P 151) express the pain which Chinese immigrants underwent in the United States. For many Chinese immigrants like Hong Hing couple, there might have been economic opportunity in America, but the discrimination they faced made life phenomenally challenging. Besides Chinese Exclusion Act, during the late 1800s, federal, state and local government enacted a series of other discriminatory law, such as Sidewalk Ordinance, Cubic Air Ordinance, and Queue Ordinance, etc, which specifically targeted Chinese immigrants. (cr. nps. gov, 2004) Hong Hing family just represents the thousands of victims of discriminatory laws. In addition, Lae Choo spend all of her money on legal action pleading with the â€Å"Great Government at Washington† to return her son. When the little one was finally returned, the family became impoverished. The experience taught the couple that the reality of life in America was brutal. Government policy could bring an immigrant family to a ruin. In the story, the author also describes the other form of discrimination the couple faced while living in the United States. As new immigrants, Hong Hing couple lacked the ability to speak fluent English and write appropriate letters to solve the problem they faced. Since they were new to the country, they didn’t know how to advocate for themselves through the right channel. Relying on a white lawyer was their only hope to get the little one back as soon as possible. The lawyer was supposed to be there to help them; unfortunately he was trying to take advantage of them. The sentences â€Å"The young man eyed the Chinese merchant furtively,† (P152) and â€Å"He had a proposition to make and was pondering whether or not the time was opportune,†(P 152) tells readers the lawyer was thinking about cheating and exploiting them. He could have helped the family reunion early, but he didn’t do that until the couple were willing pay him at a very high price. The lawyer didn’t care about their problem and was only thinking about his idea to get money as much as possible. Instead of making money and becoming successful in the land of opportunity, the couple lost all of their money to him. In the Land of the Free is a strong and powerful work that takes readers into the painful life of a Chinese immigrant family of the time. The story helps readers truly understand the hardships Ch

Gambling: a cash cow for provincial government Essay

1. What do you think? Is it okay for government to be in the gambling business? As far as I am concerned, it is very vital for government to be in the gambling business. Government is the most powerful department of the country, so it is okay for government to be in the gambling business and there are many reasons for it: 1. . Only the government can make good use of the taxation in the gambling business. The government can use the fiscal policy. The first half of the policy involves taxation. The government can important the taxation of the casino and lotteries and other forms of the gambling. This is a useful way to strengthen the power of the government. It is also a good way to limited people to go to casino because of the high taxation. Besides that , the government can use the taxation to help move the economy when it is weak, such as lower the people’ s taxation with their income and daily expenses. The second half of fiscal policy involves government spending. The government can use the taxation in the social programs, highways, environmental protection and so on. 2. The government can publish some rules and regulations to standard the gambling industry, such as the ages of the people, the behavior of the people and the so many things. For the government is the most powerful construction, every people will follow the rules and regulations in the gambling places. 3. The government can use the criminal laws to punish the people who break the laws in the society because of the gambling. Some people lose all his money in the casino, so he will choose to rob in the society. The government can use the laws to limit their behavior and can lead them to the right way 4. The government can make the gambling business to be a better entertaining business for people than the gambling business that owed by providing business. 2. How do you feel that? Do you buy that argument? Explain! In my opinion, I do not agree with that and I do not buy that argument. Gambling business is a good way to raise money, which is under the control of the governments. However, the reason why governments participate to the gambling business is to keep the business and society environments peaceful. In addition, â€Å"the Canadians do not seem to mind creating revenue by having some fun, instead of just paying higher taxes†, I do not agree with this statement. Under the great pressure of the work and the competition of the society, many people think that gambling can make them feel relaxed and can help them to release their stress. They are also worried about the tax will become higher and higher. â€Å" nobody is forced to gamble, so it is a kind of voluntary tax† I also do not agree with this statement. Some people find it difficult to support their life and they will choose to put all of their money and property into gamble. As result, they lose all of their money even lose their families. These kinds of people find no way to get money and the life force them to take a risk. 3. Do you agree with either of these concerns? Why? What can be done to improve the situation? I agree with these concerns. In the society, many people indulge gambling because of the high stress and curiosity. They stay in the casino or other gambling places day and night and forget everything. When they lose money, they will not be reconciled and they want to win all the money back. When they win some money, they want to win more money. As a result, these kinds of people lose all the money, which make all their friends are disappointed. Some family members can stand anymore and they want to separate with these gamblers, so the families are broken down. In addition, these gamblers will become more and more depressed with their life and they find no hope with their life. Finally, their lives will be in trouble. Also, easy access to VLTs is very bad for young persons. It will bring great harm to the young people. There are 3 ways can improve the situation. Firstly, the government must be attach great importance at this situation and arouse people to hard working, instead of gambling. The governments can provides people with some skill training courses for free that people can obtain more skills to work better. Besides that, government can give more support to the low- income people, and give hope to their life. Secondly, the society should form a good atmosphere of hard-working. In addition, the societal construction can bring some mind tutorial courses to the people who have the trouble with their life. Thirdly, some businesses can sponsor some activities to their employees that can release their stress and give them some bonus in the proper way. This is a good way to encourage the employees to work harder and improve their life. Finally, people should have a good attitude to life. Working hard can bring them happiness and do not hope to get anything from the gambling. 4. Wouldn’t taxes have to be raised to replace these revenues? Would you mind paying more taxes? Do you think your parents or family members would mind? Do you have other suggestion? Taxes should not be raised to replace the gambling revenues. I do mind paying more taxes to replace the gambling revenues, so do my family members. Nowadays, the taxation is enough for people to carry, such as the income taxes, business taxes, consume taxes and so on. There is no need to improve the tax rate. The government should perform its duties well. Firstly, running the gambling business in a proper way is vital. The government should have the strict laws and regulations that make all the people to follow. Secondly, the government should receive the proper taxes from the gambling business. Thirdly, the government should show more concern to the people and try best to offer help to the people, instead of increasing the tax rate. Finally, the government can have different level tax rate of the gambling. For example, the person who put a lot of money to the gambling, he will have higher tax rate. The more money that people have, the higher tax rate he will receive.

Healthcare Policy Analysis Essay

Its finally happening!We get to manage our own health care .Our issues with Healthcare and insurance is finally looking up in a positive way .Finding a doctor won’t be such a hassle nor will it be someone else telling you who you have to pick . Insurance won’t be so high and even has made it possible to carry insurance without it breaking our pockets each month .This new way of insurance marketing is a great idea . I feel this will save our pockets and cost of health care can finally go down .The facts are exceptional and putting a great attitude in a lot of people to feel good about going to a physician again . For the first time in most states, small businesses and consumers who do not have affordable health insurance through an employer will be able to select coverage with the confidence that they will be offered a plan, and that their premiums will predominantly reflect its value, rather than their health, gender, or occupation. Also for the first time, individuals with incomes under $92,000 for a family of four will be eligible for subsidies to help pay their premiums for plans sold through the exchanges. It is essential that federal and state governments continue to work hard to ensure that all Americans who lack health insurance can begin shopping and signing up for coverage nine months from now.What a marketplace indeed . A health insurance marketplace otherwise known as health insurance exchange .This is a government regulated and standardized health care plans in the United States. Individuals may purchase health insurance eligible for a tax reduction . All exchanges must be fully certified and operational by January 1, 2014, under federal law. The federal government has spent $2.2 billion to help states establish their health insurance exchanges, which require creating websites to let millions of small businesses and individuals in every state buy health insurance from qualified health plans.Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have received conditional approval from HHS to operate a state-run marketplace in 2014. These states are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho,  Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. HHS’ approval of these marketplaces is conditioned on the states addressi ng a short list of issues highlighted in the review process. This Issue Brief examines issues related to managed competition and the use of a health insurance exchange for the purpose of addressing cost, quality, and access to health care services. It discusses issue that must be addressed when designing an exchange in order to reform the health insurance market and also examines state efforts at health reform that use an exchange. The basic component of managed competition is the creation an organized marketplace that brings together health insurers and consumers (either as individuals or through their employers).The sponsor of the exchange would set â€Å"rules of engagement† for participating insurers and offer consumers a menu of choices among different plans. Ultimately, the goal of a health insurance exchange is to shift the market from competition based on risk to competition based on price and quality. Among the issues that need to be addressed if an exchange that uses managed competition has a realistic chance of reducing costs, improving quality, and expanding coverage: Everyone needs to be in the risk pool, with individuals required to purchase insurance or face significant financial consequences; effective risk adjustment is essential to eliminate risk selection as an insurance business model forcing competition on costs and quality; the insurance benefit must be specific and clear without standards governing cost sharing, covered services, and network coverage there is no way to assess whether a requirement to purchase or issue.has been met; and subsidies would be necessary for low income individuals to purchase insurance. The public plan option is shaping up to be one of the most contentious issues in the health reform debate. Proponents also believe a public plan is necessary to drive private insurers toward true competition. Opponents view it as a step toward government run health care and are wary of cost shifting from the public plan to private insurers. There were three key events significantly impacted the legislative session. Obamacare Became the Law of the Land,With the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate and President Obama’s reelection, supporters and opponents of the health reform law now  accept that like it or hate it the Affordable Care Act is here to stay. This reality shifted the political tone at the Capitol, resulting in less of the fierce rhetoric from years past. Most of Colorado’s Republican lawmakers remain opposed to federal health reform, but several bipartisan bills were passed to help facilitate a smooth implementation of the law. Colorado democrats took control of both chambers and the balance of power remained the same in the colorado Senate, with Democrats holding a 20-15 seat majority. Control of the Colorado House of Representatives, however, shifted from Republicans to Democrats, who picked up five seats for a 37-28 seat majority.With control of both chambers and a Democratic governor the Democrats wielded significant power in getting their agenda passed. The economy saw slow But steady progress and difficult budget discussions and painful cost cutting dominated previous legislative sessions, but this year’s Joint Budget Committee had an easier task. Colorado’s economic recovery outpaced the nation , and General Fund dollars were up 5.5 percent in fiscal year (FY) 2013-14. With more money in state coffers, legislators restored cuts and made new investments in health care and other programs. The budget passed on a party-line vote, with Democrats praising it as a smart and strategic approach to state spending and Republicans saying it isn’t prudent enough and doesn’t spend money in the right places. Open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act’s new state insurance exchanges begins in October 2013, with coverage beginning in January 2014. For the first time in most states, small businesses and consumers who do not have affordable health insurance through an employer will be able to select coverage with the confidence that they will be offered a plan, and that their premiums will predominantly reflect its value, rather than their health, gender, or occupation. Also for the first time, individuals with incomes under $92,000 for a family of four will be eligible for subsidies to help pay their premiums for plans sold through the exchanges. It is essential that federal and state governments continue to work hard to ensure that all Americans who lack health insurance can begin shopping and signing up for coverage nine months from now.With some help from our key players health care just might work this time . Thank Obama and his team for another shot in a another chance at good h ealth . Fronstin, Paul and Ross, Murray N., Addressing Health Care Market Reform Through an Insurance Exchange: Essential Policy Components, the Public Plan Option, and Other Issues to Consider (June 2009). EBRI Issue Brief, No. 330, June 2009. Available at SSRN: http://www.ebri.org/http://ssrn.com/abstract=1426184 https://www.statereforum.org/exchange-governance http://www.apihealthcare.com/hwie?_kk=hie&_kt=afa5ea9c-2ead-4efc-84dc-d7e709e1a31b&gclid=CLKB_7aQpLkCFY9AMgodsVcA6Q Molly Voris of the Washington Health Care Authority shared the state’s enacted Exchange enabling legislation. Access the legislation here: http://www.statereforum.org/sites/default/files/final_5445.pdf T. S. Jost, Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act: Eight Difficult Issues, The Commonwealth Fund, September 2010. References Oapi healthcare (2013). Welcome | State Refor(u)m. Retrieved from https://www.statereforum.org/ T. S. Jost, Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act: Key Policy Issues, The Commonwealth Fund, July 2010.

Communication Essay

Communication is an important part of human interactions; in fact, its peculiarity in humans contributes largely to our differences from animals and other primates. It is the soul of human existence, the pillar of progress and brain field of every civilization. Successful relationships are initiated and sustained at the altar of effective communication skills. The crux of every culture is communication It has various forms; this is what has further equipped us with the ability of explore nature to discover treasures and develop our ever-changing world. These forms include verbal communication, communication by signals, symbols, and styles. Of these forms, oral communication is commonest and crucial; it informs the use of languages and symbols. There are three purposes of oral communication message: to inform, to persuade and to entertain. Information is power; it is the impetus that has drawn progresses in the world and it has contributed also to the evils of wars and leadership mishaps. Oral communication message is useful to bring a data or information to bear for others to become aware of it. It increases awareness and knowledge base. The second purpose is to persuade: this is also important in every human interaction. Motivation is a key weapon in business which great entrepreneurs posses and transfer to their workers/employees. It is a driving force that can best be put into use by spoken words. A vivid understanding of the human nature and life proves that persuasion is crucial to our survival, and more importantly for every business enterprise. The last purpose is simply to entertain. The three are synchronous, as an oral communication message can inform, positive, negative or neutral. It can also be persuasive. While the latter may be serious, oral messages can be used for relaxation. Scenario: an entrepreneur discovers the possibility the enlarging the coast of the business by solving an identified business problem. He informs his research managers and market analysts to undertake a survey of the market status to confirm the possibility. Report is produced and other employees are informed of the new development. The Chief executive officer calls a meeting and informs management and staff. He motivates them to the new challenge and how every one is important to achieve the expansion. Even while he presents the report and motivates the workers, he also cracks jokes, a form of entertainment.

Zimmer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zimmer - Essay Example This allowed orthopedic companies to lower costs due to greater technology. Zimmer pioneered minimally invasive surgeries (MIS), which lowered surgical times, lessened pain, and improved recovery. The industry was forecasted to grow at 23 percent annually, but much of this growth was to occur in the spinal product segment. Zimmer did not cater to this market at all and instead focused on the knee and hip segments. Zimmer Holdings was founded in 1926 after Justin Zimmer, the original founder, could not convince his employer to sell aluminum splints. Zimmer left his job and created his own company. Over the next few years, Zimmer expanded and became a major domestic player in the orthopedic industry. In 1972 Zimmer was bought out by Bristol-Myers, which had designs on Zimmer reaching a global market. In 1989 Bristol-Myers merged with Squibb to form Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS). In 2001, with the company already a major global pharmaceutical company, a decision was made to turn Zimmer into an independent publicly traded company. BMS appointed several individuals in management positions so as to smooth the transition to the NYSE. By the following year, Zimmer was second in the knee market worldwide, third in the hip market, and fourth in the trauma market. The president of Zimmer Incorporated, J. Raymond Elliott, quickly assessed where the company was at and decided to expand the company into Europ e. Also, Elliott wanted to do something about the spine market, where Zimmer had no presence at all. Sulzer Corporation was founded in 1834 as a Swiss manufacturing cast-iron company. Throughout the years Sulzer expanded and acquired many medical technologies. By the new millennium, Sulzer Medica (SM), as it was known by then, was a global player in the biomedical implant business. After going through some legal troubles, the company was rebranded as Centerpulse Orthopedics. Zimmer was