Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Evidence of Marketing Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 16

Evidence of Marketing Failure - Essay Example The researcher states that it is essential for each and every brand to undergo a sophisticated marketing strategy and execute the same so that the customers become brand loyal. However, it is to be noted that if brands fail to do marketing in an adequate manner and if there is any loophole in the marketing process, then this may lead to drastic fall of the brand. In this regard, there are certain brands in the world that have undergone certain marketing strategies and has drastically failed. Simultaneously, this has significantly affected the brand image of the organization and hence, incurred a tremendous amount of loss. Throughout the world, there have been several pieces of evidence of marketing failures that have taken place in the recent times. This is prominent because of the lack of understanding of the consequences of the marketing strategy. There also have been cases regarding lack of adequate implementations of the strategy that has led to marketing failures and hence, resu lted in the drastic fall and loss to the organization. Marketing failure can be significantly observed in case of New York Times in December 2011. In this regard, the New York Times on that period was about to sent an email to all the customers, who were about to cancel their subscription from New York Times. The email contained about some of the added facilities and discounts from them so that the organization retains those customers in the long run. The email was required to be sent to 300 of such customers. The task was given to one of the employees of the organization. Unfortunately, the employee unintentionally delivered the email to 8 million customers. Due to this 8 million of the customers demanded a discount. It has resulted into a chaos within the organization and all its stakeholders. However, the employee and the organization had taken apologies for sending such kind of emails to its customers.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Challenges For Mental Health Social Workers

Challenges For Mental Health Social Workers Service users with mental health problems can present social workers with their own unique challenges; by exploring these challenges it is possible to gain a greater understanding of the role of the social worker. It is intended to look at the desired outcomes from Social Work intervention and the processes that a Social Worker can use to facilitate these outcomes.   Prevention-Work with groups at risk of mental health problems to promote positive mental health -work with individuals and families reduce the negative effects of institutionalisation and to promote social integration. (DAVIES, 2008)pp260 Multidisciplinary Teams-medicine- Psychiatrist-nurses-psychologist-occupational therapists-social worker All Social Workers, not just Mental Health Social Workers, need to be aware of the multitude of mental health conditions that exist. Whilst it is not the role of a Social worker to diagnose a mental illness; it is important for Social Workers to recognize that a client may have a mental health problem and be able to refer the client to a medical professional. Mental Health issues are present across all areas of social work including, child protection, older people, criminal justice and physical illness. (Manktelow, 2008) It is also important that Social Workers understand the various causes and contributing factors that can lead to the onset of mental health problems. It is widely agreed among health professionals that the causes of mental illness can be physical, psychological, social and environmental or more usually a combination of these factors. Physical- Genetic, brain injury, illness, pre birth factors such as maternal substance abuse or maternal illness during pregnancy Psychological- Abuse or trauma, bereavement or divorce Social and environmental factors- Lack of support network, stressful job, unemployment, living in a deprived or high crime area, poor accommodation, and lack of privacy. (www.rethink.org) http://www.rethink.org/about_mental_illness/what_causes_mental_illness/index.html [accessed 23/11/2010] Whilst physical causes can generally be put purely in the realm of the medical professionals; some issues such as substance abuse during pregnancy are a social work issue and whilst it is intended to concentrate on the work of the social worker within the bounds of mental health it is important to remember that many of the agreed causes of mental health problems are also social work issues and that early intervention in these areas can prevent future problems. The Social Workers role is especially important for service users with a dual diagnosis i.e. schizophrenia and substance dependence as the two conditions tend to be managed by different agencies; add to that issues with housing and benefits and it can be seen that effective communication as facilitated by the Social Worker is paramount (Parrish, 2010) The ultimate role of intervention is to improve the quality of life for the service user, their families, carers and all concerned. Cite Perhaps now would be a good time to look at what a person requires to feel that they have a good quality of life and the negative effect that a mental health problem could have on these requirements. Maslow with his Hierarchy of Needs tells us that to achieve a good quality of life we need firstly, the basic requirements of life without which a person will die then next in the hierarchy is the need for safety followed by Love and belonging, esteem and finally self actualization. Whilst the theory has its critics; most of the criticisms are aimed at the hierarchal nature of the theory. When the theory is applied to a specific population as in Majercsiks study of the needs of geriatric patients it can be seen that the hierarchy can be skewed.(Majercsik, 2005) It is generally agreed that if these needs are not met then this will have a negative effect on quality of life. E. Majercsik. (2005). Hierarchy of Needs of Geriatric Patients. Gerontology, 51(3), 170-3. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from ProQuest Nursing Allied Health Source. (Document ID: 823764721). The initial concerns during assessment and intervention are to ensure that the basic needs of the individual are being met and that they can continue to be met either by the individual or if necessary by a care plan. As well protecting the client from harm Service users with mental health problems my present a safety risk to themselves or others and it is important that these risks be assessed and if necessary steps taken to reduce these risks. If a client is deemed to be a risk to themselves or others they may be detained for treatment under the Mental Health Act (1983). This process requires an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) to make an application for admission to hospital for assessment or treatment. Deprivation of liberty is a serious matter and as such it is covered by strict laws and guidelines. It is important for a Social worker working in the field of mental health to know the laws and procedures involved with compulsory detention. (Golightley, 2008) Mental illness can be caused by abuse but also having a mental illness can leave a person vulnerable to abuse. Individuals with mental health problems are vulnerable to abuse in many forms, physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discrimanatary and neglectful. This abuse can come from many sources, friends, family, neighbours, strangers and even care proffessionals. This abuse can be intentional or unintentional. Working with vulnerable people puts a Social Worker in a position of power both real and percieved and it is important that this position of power is not abused. The GSCC Codes of Practice state that as a Social Worker you should recognise and use resposibly the power that comes from your work with service users and carers (GSCC 2002). The use of anti oppressive, anti discriminatory and reflective practices is therefore essential to good practice. Working in partnership with clients, setting the client realistic goals and the use of a person centered approach all serve t o redress this balance of power. Recognizing how ones own emotions, circumstances and values effect the way in which a person or situation is percieved is an important factor in being non-judgemental. A Holistic approach, taking into account, race, culture, social standing can help prevent discrimination. It is important to appreciate that any care plan should meet the needs of the individual and to ensure that the family/carers are also supported. Caring for a family member with a mental health problem can have many negative effects on the carer. The family may suffer financial hardship, social stigma and isolation. Children may feel or even be neglected due to the demands of caring placed on a family; this can lead to attention seeking behaviour, missing school, poor hygene, poor health or criminal activity. They may feel fear or intimidated by the unusual behaviour exhibited in some forms of mental illness. Carers may feel helpless, overwhelmed, tired, socialy deprived and may neglect their own care in favour of that of the ill family member; this can lead to physical or mental illness for the carer. If the carer can no longer cope with the caring role then the individual can be neglected. It is essential then that the family/carers receive support in their role. The Social Worker must develop a care plan that helps the family cope with their role as carers; this may include carer support groups, coping strategies for dealing with aggressive behaviour or hallucinations, advice on benefits, bringing in outside carers and explainations of treatments and illnesses. An effective care plan can improve the quality of life for the service user and their family and this in turn reduces the need for hospitalization and can prevent a host of future problems. Service users who require hospitalization for long periods of time can present different problems. They can become institutionalized and require a lot of work when the time comes that they are ready to re enter society.

Friday, October 25, 2019

My Hope for Tomorrow’s Schools :: Education Teaching Classroom Learning Essays

My Hope for Tomorrow’s Schools I believe schools should help students develop their value systems, if indeed these values are of God. I am a born again Christian believer of the gospel of Jesus Christ; therefore, my values are based upon the good, the true, and the beautiful which comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our society is based on a number of fundamental values; values derived from biblical truths. These truths are our highest pattern of virtue. I believe we, as teachers, have a certain degree of power to stop the moral disintegration of our society, by helping students develop biblical and Godly values. Teachers have the opportunity to instill a desire for these values within our students, yet still bear in mind that these students have a choice as to whether they want to accept these values as their own. Perhaps if Christian values remained within our school systems, the Columbine shootings as well as other school shootings, would never have happened. Today’s children are faced with an extremely challenging social environment. Therefore, I believe that adults must demonstrate to young people that it is possible to live one’s values and to advocate for a more just and responsible society. It is of the utmost importance that teachers be positive moral models and to administer character education to our children, so that we may help them understand, through experience, that what they value matters and that living their virtue lends meaning and richness to their own lives. I also believe that students need knowledge of their social, political, and economic world, and that character education will motivate them to participate in social change in order to create a more just society. Social change needs to take place in certain areas. Issues such as discrimination and bigotry can strangle an otherwise workable society. If every one of us would strive to live our lives as God has commanded, not suggested, then there would be no place in our society for discrimination and bigotry. The world literally stands or falls on mankind’s actions- each of us possessing a potential for a strategic significance to maximize the impact of good. Mankind has a high position, but no one should think themselves to be more worthy or more important than anyone else. One of the tragedies of prejudice is that it may separate one from a potential source of help.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ageism, like racism or any other form of bias, characterizes individuals on the basis of their membership in a group. Many do not see ageism as being particularly harmful because unlike gender bias or prejudice it does not affect only one group of people; it affects the entire population (if they are fortunate enough to reach an age to be jested about. ) Reaching middle tends to be a period a very emotional period, especially for women moving closer to or going thorough menopause. In the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, we meet Evelyn in quite a state: her children are moving out, her marriage is dull and lifeless and she is the butt end of two very cruel ageist jokes in what seems to be a span of less than a month. To better understand ageism and how it was affecting Evelyn, we can simply compare the two incidents at the grocery store and how she dealt with them. In the first scene, Evelyn is almost knocked down by a young man rushing out of the story. She chases after him, shocked but genuinely curious as to why he is being so mean to her. â€Å"Move it fat cow! Beat it you old bitch! † Evelyn is left in tears wondering, â€Å"Why are you being so mean to me?! † Later on, at the same grocery store she is confronted with more ageists, this time two girls. As the girls steal her parking spot without an ounce of guilt, they let Evelyn know that they are faster and smarter. â€Å"Most people, especially younger people, barely notice that age is being made a stigma. But the message is that being old is repulsive, embarrassing or unthinkable is visible everywhere in our society. † (Crawford, 367) To these teenagers, Evelyn is nothing but an insignificant bump in their day. Like many adolescents, these characters are too wrapped up in their own lives to acknowledge, or even respect, her presence. To Evelyn these comments are detrimental; they solidify the demise of her youth. The clip also shows examples of older women being stereotyped. â€Å"Older women repeatedly say that their aging bodies are the first cues that others use to classify them. When (older women) interact with strangers in public settings â€Å"all anyone seems to see is an old woman. † (Crawford, 401) The teenagers in both scenes see Evelyn as fat, old and slow. A slightly less obvious stereotype can be seen in the production of Ninny’s character. Ninny might as well have been a page out of Crawford’s book; she describes grannies as follows: â€Å"her gray hair, worn in a tight bun, and her outdated, unfashionable clothes signify that she has not kept up with the times. † (401) Ninny is a sweet old woman dressed in floral prints, hair in a tight bun and refers to menopause as â€Å"the change. † While Ninny is a very positive character in the movie, her image is the typical media stereotype of a â€Å"little old lady. † Evelyn’s experience with menopause has both physical and psychological effects on her. Her worries that â€Å"she is too young to be old and too old to be young† are taking a toll on her relationship with herself. She is having a very difficult time accepting this – she eats compulsively and worries because â€Å"she can’t even see her vagina anymore! † Unfortunately for women, the changes that they go through (getting fat, old, etc) are not only â€Å"in their heads. † These changes tend to make society look at them differently because women tend to be evaluated through their bodies. Crawford, 403) Crawford explains menopause in further detail, pointing out that at times a woman may be irritable or disturbed by hot flashes but there are no studies that actually point to menopause causing depression. Many cultures, like Japanese and Mexican report that they do not get hot flashes as much as women in the US. African-American women do not see menopause as a significant period in their life. Western culture, however, has taught us that quite simply a woman that is aging is unattractive and crazy. Sarcasm aside, Crawford reports that women in the US and cultures with similar attitudes as the US are the women that feel the effects of menopause the most. This is highlighted in the movie with both Evelyn’s current distress and Ninny’s past going through the change. â€Å"I used to burst into tears for no reason at all! † Many people also like to think that women are crazy during menopause. The joke sums up part of Evelyn’s menopausal attitude: crazy and bored of her husband. Americans, therefore, have taken matters into their own hands. In the beginning of the clip, we meet Evelyn as a sad, frumpy woman who eats her emotions and lets others walk all over her. In the following scene, however, we meet an entirely new Evelyn. She is well dressed, bold and vivacious. This As Evelyn moves pushes through her midlife depression, she becomes increasingly concerned with her appearance. She loses a considerable amount of weight, wears bright make up and more fashionable clothes. Sales of anti-aging cream and numbers of cosmetic surgery define the way Western culture looks at getting old: its bad. Evelyn’s attitude towards the end is a little bit difficult to analyze. She seems happier and more confident yet it also seems that her new attitude comes with a vengance, she is very open with her distaste for skinny women, horny men and young people. According to Dr. Nosek in her journal article The Effects of Percieved Stress and Attitudes Towards Menopause and Aging Symptoms of Menopause, a woman’s reaction to menopause simply reflects her views on aging. Women that are indifferent to middle life do not display any particularly obvious menopause traits. Women who do not want to age and have self-esteem and body awareness issues have very different attitudes and symptoms during menopause. Evelyn has had her children and husband to take care of all her life so she was able to better hide her distaste for her looks and simple life. Now, however, she feels useless and it is very apparent that she is not comfortable with her appearance. â€Å"A woman's perception of symptoms alerts her to changes in her body and may propel her to explore ways to alleviate or manage the associated distress. (Nosek) In this case, Evelyn’s experiences with menopause were an expression of both her fear of aging, thinly disguised by her contempt for all things skinny, young and fashionable and by a new found independence she had from her kids and husband. As women get older, they begin to value their relationships with other females more, especially because men tend to live a relatively shorter time than women. This is apparent with Ninny, who finds solace in Evelyn’s weekly visits. â€Å"Older women tend to be involved with rich networks of friends and family. Compared to men in the same age group, they have more friends and eel closer to their friends. † (Crawford, 414) Evelyn benefits from her visits to the retirement home as well. As an older woman, Ninny is able to point out to Evelyn that what she is going through is normal and give her some advice. Evelyn also finds inspiration in a character named â€Å"Tawanda† – she mentions her quite often after her outburst at the grocery store. The friendship is mutually beneficial to the women who are in very different stages of their life. To Ninny, caring for Evelyn is a natural task that ends up being quite rewarding, she sees the improvement in Evelyn’s life and it is obvious that she is partly responsible for it. It is obvious that Evelyn is seeking support in her time of â€Å"change† – seen both in her weekly visits to Ninny and the women’s group that is briefly mentioned at the beginning of the clip. Crawford depicts the costs of care giving to be very trying for a woman because on top of caring for children she must care for the elderly. The author points this out, perhaps in a feminist point of view, assuming that the woman has had to balance a career and care giving most of her life. For Evelyn, this is quite the opposite. Evelyn’s life has been solely dedicated to caring for her children and husband. Now that her children are gone she seems to realize that her and her husband have drifted apart and her life is not as busy as it once seemed. With no particular meaning or direction in her life, she begins to eat out of boredom and look for other activities to fill her void. Rather than having an elderly person to care for, Evelyn goes out and volunteers to visit one. Crawford discusses care giving as having both psychological and econonomical costs but this is not true for Evelyn. The psychological benefits she receives from visiting and caring for Ninny outweigh any negative costs that it may have had.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Drug Abuse Essay

â€Å"Drug abuse and addiction are major burdens to society; economic costs alone are estimated to exceed a half a trillion dollars annually in the United States, including health, crime-related costs, and losses in productivity. However staggering as these numbers are, they provide a limited perspective of the devastating consequences of this disease,† (Volkow, 2007 P. 2). The cost of drug addiction and drug abuse can be staggering in today’s society. 14 percent of people brought to emergency rooms at hospitals suffer from alcohol or drug abuse/addiction disorders. About 20 percent of hospital costs through Medicaid are linked to substance abuse. $1 out of $4 is spent on Medicare inpatient care. About 70 percent of state prison and jail inmates used drugs on a regular basis. One-third of state prison growth can be accounted to drug offenses. Since 1985 there has been an 80 percent increase in prison population. Addictions cause an economic burden on the United States that is two times that of diseases affecting the brain. Untreated substance addiction and abuse can have significant disruptions and costs for families (Dewey, 2008). Substance addiction and abuse can have a grave impact on society. Substance abuse and addiction can have grave effects that contribute to costly mental, social, and physical health problems. Some examples include: STD’s, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, child abuse, fights, murder, and suicide (Dewey, 2008). While the manufacture, sale, transportation, and use of controlled substances are themselves criminal, drugs and crimes are also linked in other ways. The addict who is so habituated to the use of illegal drugs that he or she steals to support the habit, the drug importer who kills a rival dealer and the offender who commits criminal act due to the stimulation provided by drugs all provide examples of how drug abuse may be linked to other forms of criminal activity. The United States Department of Justice has stated, â€Å"There is extensive evidence of the strong relationship between drug use and crime† supported by â€Å"a review of the evidence† that can be summarized in the following three points (Schmalleger, 2012 P.351). 1. Drug users report great or involvement in crime and are more likely then nonusers to have criminal records. 2. People with criminal records are much more likely than others to report being drug users. 3. Crimes rise in number as drug use increases (Schmalleger, 2012 P.351). Offender self-reports of jail inmates collected by BJS researchers showed the following. †¢ About 44 percent used illegal drugs in the month before the offense for which they were arrested. †¢ Roughly 30 percent used illegal drugs daily in the month before the offense. †¢ Around 27 percent used illegal drugs at the time of the offense. †¢ Cocaine and crack cocaine were the drugs most commonly abused by jail inmates (Schmalleger, 2012 P.352). References Dewey, William L†¦ (2008). Friends of NIDA Healthy People.gov. (2012). Substance Abuse. Retrieved from www. Healthy people.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspxx?topicid=40. Schmalleger, Frank. (2012). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction, Sixth Edition.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dangerous jargon - Emphasis

Dangerous jargon Dangerous jargon Jargon can bring clarity for experts and irritation for laypeople, but could it sometimes be life threatening? Yes, according to the coroner heading up the inquest into the London terrorist attacks of 7 July 2005, Lady Justice Hallett. Simple impatience with unclear terms is a more serious problem when it comes to understanding the situation at the scene of an emergency, she asserted on the last day of evidence-giving at the 7/7 hearing. Is it really worth the time it takes to refer to a conference demountable unit from a management centre, rather than a portable incident room, for example? And obscure job titles could confuse and disguise peoples roles, she pointed out. I dont know whether a crew manager is somebody who is responsible for supplies or is used to fighting fires. I have no idea, she said. Jargon has a long history of naysayers, but Lady Justice Halletts criticism touched on the most fundamental practicality of appropriate language. This isnt just somebody being pedantic about the use of English when it comes to managing incidents, people dont understand what the other person is.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Crouching Tiger essays

Crouching Tiger essays Winner of four Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" paved a new path for foreign language films in America. It was the dream of the director, Ang Lee, to one day produce a Chinese tradition film that depicted the fantasy world of martial arts with its own specific laws; where people can fly and almost anything can happen. Unlike most martial arts film in the industry base solely on fight scenes, Lee was able to have "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" a film that included the sense of fantasy, action, power, and romance. Yet, without the help of the whole cast, Lee's incredible dream would probably remain a fantasy only in his own mind. The setting of the film took place during the 19th century where China was left untouched by the western civilization while the Chinese tradition and its breathtaking landscape sworn the entire plains of main lands. Two excellent swordsman masters (Chow Yun fat and Michelle Yeoh) are challenged with the disappearance of the most treasured Green Destiny sword. The sword was stolen by a young aristocrat (Zhang Ziyi) who reveled her hidden talent of superb fighting skills by demonstrating it upon anyone who stepped in her way. Each warrior and fighter though tough and fierce in their appearance, at the end all have to face their weakness: the inescapable, enduring love. The most intriguing part of the film was the excellent choreographed fight scene. Both Lee and his fight choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping worked carefully together to bring out the best in Wusho martial arts. By simply adding traditional Chinese music into the fighting scenes such as the perpetual pounding of the drums, Lee was able to transform a simple scene into a beautiful artistic dance. Every move corresponded with each beat making it seems as the fighters were dancing to an musical score. The power and aggressiveness were still present in the scene, yet instead of harsh violent blow, each punch...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Exercise in Identifying Sentences by Function

Exercise in Identifying Sentences by Function In terms of their function, sentences can be classified in four ways: declarative (making a statement)interrogative (asking a question)imperative (expressing a request or command)exclamatory (expressing strong feelings) This exercise will give you practice in identifying these four functional types of sentences. Practice Identifying Sentences by Function Identify each of the following sentences as declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory. When youre done, compare your answers with those on page two. How beautiful a street is in winter! (Virginia Woolf)Have the skillet hot and keep it well greased. (Ernest Hemingway)We boarded our train with feelings of unbounded relief. (James Weldon Johnson)Each cell measured about ten feet by ten and was quite bare within except for a plank bed and a pot of drinking water. (George Orwell)Where were the blackbirds? (Richard Jefferies)Always obey your parents, when they are present. (Mark Twain)The house was so big that there was always a room to hide in, and I had a red pony and a garden where I could wander. (W.B. Yeats)Even now, the sight of an old, six-inch, worm-eaten cork brings fragrant memories! (Samuel H. Scudder)Why does a funeral always sharpen ones sense of humor and rouse ones spirits? (George Bernard Shaw)And whom should we see in the evening, but our two little boys, walking on each side of a fierce, yellow-faced, bearded man! (William Makepeace Thackeray)How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? (Zora Neale Hurston) He was exceedingly poor, wearing only a ragged shirt and trousers. (James Huneker)Quietly go in, sit down, look at your man until you have seen him enough, and then go. (H.G. Wells)I looked tired, but my complexion was good. (Emma Goldman)Not a man in London made a better boot! (John Galsworthy) Answers to the Exercise exclamatory sentenceimperative sentencedeclarative sentencedeclarative sentenceinterrogative sentenceimperative sentencedeclarative sentenceexclamatory sentenceinterrogative sentenceexclamatory sentenceinterrogative sentencedeclarative sentenceimperative sentencedeclarative sentenceexclamatory sentence

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Blooms Taxonomy Higher Order Thinking Skills Essay

Blooms Taxonomy Higher Order Thinking Skills - Essay Example The article is quite relevant to my classroom work. After acquisition of knowledge, I need to teach my students to take it to other levels of understanding, applying, analysing, and evaluating. This way, education will be relevant to them and to the entire society. In addition, this type of learning provokes students to innovate new ways of doing things and stop depending on others for intellectual knowledge. Having taught for many years, sometimes I do not need to carry teaching guidebooks to my lessons. This is because during my college years, my lecturers used Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) related educational objectives teaching methods, which have influenced my teaching skills greatly. I particularly recall an incidence when our general subject lectures tested our HOTS. Each of us received a copy of 150 words with information on a certain national anthem of a country in Africa. The first step was a test on how well we can vividly remember the words. The lecturer divided us into groups of three and we were supposed to do a presentation to the class. After thirty minutes, many students could memorise the Anthem. Next, it was required of us to give meaning to different words in the anthem. The lecturer helped us on the complex words that we could not comprehend and later gave us instructions to write an article of something we believed in to determine if we could apply the knowledge learned in real life. We satisfied the lecturer that we could really apply what we had learned and he proceeded to ask meaning of different phrases in our articles. The whole setting was exciting and the entire group of student’s mood was set up. We even wrote new articles in different contexts of things we believed in, after which we evaluated the new articles describing their purpose and their relevance in real life. When in class with my students, I have learned the importance of applying Blooms higher order of thinking skills. My students are alert at any given tim e and their level of understanding is quite high. For instance, when I was teaching a topic on angles and elevations, I encouraged the students to think beyond basic formulas. The purpose of any kind of learning is to enable the student to gain knowledge. After a week of thorough learning on this topic, I wanted to know how much my students had absorbed. Therefore, I called for an impromptu maths class to review this topic. Students were required to recall a wide range of materials in relation to different angles that exist and the formulas for their calculation. According to Saint Paul Public schools, â€Å"Knowledge represents the lowest level of learning outcomes in cognitive domain† (Saint Paul Public Schools). At this point, I took advantage of giving the students examples other than those given in classes to test if they could transform the materials from one form to another. Students could solve given problems with the knowledge, theories, and concepts of angles learne d in class. Satisfied that students could remember and apply what I had taught them, it was time to analyse if the students got the deep meaning of the topic. One of the question I recall asking is â€Å"what is an obtuse angle.† The questions continued until I was quite sure that most of the students, if not all, were well versed with the topic. Later on, students formulated their own questions on the topic, some that included real life problems. For instance, one bright student’

Friday, October 18, 2019

Importance of Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Importance of Administration - Essay Example According to Richard Daft, planning is the making and setting of attainable goals. These goals can be attained by performing excellent series of activities. And before they can set any activity in its actual performance, they must first breakdown the activity into different manageable tasks. They may use an appropriate project planning tool in order to study and manage the activity critically. In addition, in organizing, the managers will develop the structure of organization, acquire and train human resources and establish communication patterns and networks to provide a better working atmosphere. If they see that the present structure is not efficient enough, they must conduct a skillful study to make it more suitable for all employees. It is impossible to do the activity without highly skilled workers; that is why they need to acquire people and train them. In giving also the assigned tasks to the workers, managers see to it that the given tasks are appropriate to their capability . Further, the managers lead their workers; influence them to use their full potentials. Finally, as the activity is going on, they must see to it that the status of both the activity and workers' performance are targeting their goals and they make corrections as needed.

Lafarge Financial Statements Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Lafarge Financial Statements - Case Study Example The trend analysis of Lafarge's P&L statement shows that the increase in company's sales has been stable over the years with a hike in sales by about 17% in 2005. The cost of sales has also been rising with the increase in sales and they have finally mounted by about 17% during the last financial year. It reflects that the percentage change in sales is almost same as the percentage change in cost of sales, however a reduction in depreciation account by 4.1% has magnified the company's gross profit by 22% in 2005. The SG&A have expanded drastically during the year 2005 i.e., by 13% (1.2% in 2004). However, due to a substantial increase in gross profit, the company managed to display a rise in the operating income by about 32%. The company has had a substantial decline in the interest payable for two years, however it seems to have rebuilt during 2005. The company's pre-tax income had declined by almost 3% in 2004, which recovered surprisingly with an increase of 36% in 2005 as compare d to the year 2003. With a 50% increase in net income, the company's retained earnings has flourished by 54% while the dividend distributed have increased by 41%. Thus, an analysis of profit and loss suggests that the company has risen up from the decline that took place in its financial performance in 2004. Three-Year Earning Per Share Analysis EPS 2005 2004 2003 Earning Per Share 6.39 5.16 4.92 "Common shareholders and potential investors in common stock first look at a company's earning record" (Meigs & Meigs, p934, 1993). The EPS analysis of Lafarge's financial statements reflects that the company has had an increasing trend in the earnings per share for the last three years. The company's EPS increased by 4.8% in the year 2004, which further rose by almost 24% in 2005. This sudden enhancement of the company's earnings has also been evident in its P&L statement, which highlights a pleasant reform in the company's financial performance in the year 2005 owing to a drastic increase in sales revenue. EBITDA Analysis EBITDA 2005 2004 2003 Lafarge Group 14.8% 14.7% 14.2% Cement 23.3% 23.0% 23.0% Aggregates & Concrete 7.4% 7.1% 6.3% Gypsum Products 10.3% 9.6% 7.0% Roofing 6.5% 10.0% 9.4% Speciality products -285.7% -128.3% -38.7% EBITDA refers to the Earnings Before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortization. Therefore this analysis takes into account all the major costs and expenses other than the items mentioned above. The EBITDA margins presented in the above graph reflect a segregated view of the company's earnings in terms of the group as a whole and its subsidiaries (on the basis of products). The group's EBITDA margin represents a stable and subtle rise in the company's earnings, which is a sum up of its subsidiaries. Cement and A&C are also having a stable uplift in earnings, while Gypsum products section is showing a remarkable growth in terms of EBITDA. Roofing's earnings have declined in the year 2005 whereas the specialty products section has had a substantial increase in the declining state of earnings, which

Do you think high school students should be required to serve one year Essay

Do you think high school students should be required to serve one year of community service - Essay Example I feel students who volunteer may perform better in school. Looking at statistics I found that students who were required to do volunteer work in high school were twenty-two percent more likely to finish college. Twenty-two may seem a small number, but when it comes to being able to complete college I think it matters greatly. The same study also found these same students were able to improve their grades in several academic areas, such as reading, science and math. Being able to perform well in school is very important as it can affect a person’s future career (CIRCLE). The second reason I feel community service in high school is important is because it will bring about a good work ethic for students. Some students have part time jobs during school, while others do not. I would think it could give a student a sense of accomplishment. The student would be able to see firsthand what it is like to work and help others. Students would not be paid for their work, but it would help them appreciate payment all the more when they do someday have a job. I think it would be good if the schools would give students a wide range of choices regarding where they would volunteer. Students who are considering what careers they are interested in may have the opportunity to volunteer at a place that may be in relation to their career aspirations.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Compose an essay addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this

Compose an addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this policy determined to be the best option for China to reduce population growth What is the - Essay Example The policy was effective in reducing the overall population growth, however, this action was not without negative ramifications. In 2006, China had a population of over 1.3 billion people, and is predicted to grow to just over 1.4 billion by the year 2050 (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). This makes China the most populous country in the world today. However, because of implemented measures to reduce its rate of population growth, in 2050, it is projected to be the second most populated country just behind India (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). In the 1960s and 1970s, when the population seemed to be increasing out of control, the use of contraceptives began to be promoted vigorously, which gradually resulted in a drop in fertility rates in China (Kent & Haub, 2005). The most popular contraceptive method used continued to be female sterilization and intrauterine devices (IUDs), followed by oral contraceptives (Kend & Haub, 2005). This was successful in lowering fertility rates, however, the Chinese government still believed a more rigid policy must be implemented to successfully contain the population rate. The history of China’s population control has fluctuated between encouraging births at certain times in its history, while actively prohibiting births at another (Love, 2005). In 1949, the same year the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was created, the regime encouraged births to â€Å"increase the rate of socioeconomic development and to strengthen the county† (Love, 2005, p. 143). In fact, the leader of the Chinese Revolution, Mao Zedong, publicly announced that a large population would be a very good thing for China because out of all the things in existence in the world, â€Å"people are the most precious (Zedong, as cited by Love, 2005, p. 143). The population grew so fast during that time, that only a few years later, policy changes were implemented. In 1954, birth control was discussed openly by the PRC, however, only four years later in 1958, Mao

The Management of Patients With Dual Diagnosis Research Paper

The Management of Patients With Dual Diagnosis - Research Paper Example Ms M is a 26-year-old patient who is referred for nursing care by her advisor at work. This followed significant changes in her normal behaviour. The patient history demonstrates that Ms M stays late without any sleep and wakes up earlier than anybody within her neighbourhood. Her employee is also concerned by the fact that she started submitting her work late regardless of her usual behaviour in the past when she used to meet all work deadlines. In addition, the workmates have noticed that Ms M is more enthusiastic and energetic in the morning than before. Ms M’s sister whom they stay with reports that she suddenly becomes irritable and has been talking about becoming a model despite the fact that she never had an interest in modelling before. Ms M also admits that she has trouble concentrating at work and that sometimes she feels lonely. From the case study, it is evident that Ms M is exhibiting multiple symptoms which reflect the complexity of her problems and needs. Ms Mâ €™s symptoms are becoming a problem that is likely to cause her to be terminated from work. This is revealed by the loss of concentration at the workplace and failure to meet deadlines as she is required. In addition, Ms M is faced with a social problem at her workplace. This is disclosed by the fact that she reveals her loneliness when at work. In addition, she needs understanding from her colleagues at the workplace who are unable to comprehend the sudden changes in her behaviour. Moreover, Ms M has a problem with sleep which illustrates that she is not having adequate rest at night. The sudden episodes of energy and enthusiasm that Ms M demonstrates in the mornings reveal an underlying problem.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Compose an essay addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this

Compose an addressing Chinas one-child policy. Why was this policy determined to be the best option for China to reduce population growth What is the - Essay Example The policy was effective in reducing the overall population growth, however, this action was not without negative ramifications. In 2006, China had a population of over 1.3 billion people, and is predicted to grow to just over 1.4 billion by the year 2050 (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). This makes China the most populous country in the world today. However, because of implemented measures to reduce its rate of population growth, in 2050, it is projected to be the second most populated country just behind India (â€Å"2006 World†, 2006). In the 1960s and 1970s, when the population seemed to be increasing out of control, the use of contraceptives began to be promoted vigorously, which gradually resulted in a drop in fertility rates in China (Kent & Haub, 2005). The most popular contraceptive method used continued to be female sterilization and intrauterine devices (IUDs), followed by oral contraceptives (Kend & Haub, 2005). This was successful in lowering fertility rates, however, the Chinese government still believed a more rigid policy must be implemented to successfully contain the population rate. The history of China’s population control has fluctuated between encouraging births at certain times in its history, while actively prohibiting births at another (Love, 2005). In 1949, the same year the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was created, the regime encouraged births to â€Å"increase the rate of socioeconomic development and to strengthen the county† (Love, 2005, p. 143). In fact, the leader of the Chinese Revolution, Mao Zedong, publicly announced that a large population would be a very good thing for China because out of all the things in existence in the world, â€Å"people are the most precious (Zedong, as cited by Love, 2005, p. 143). The population grew so fast during that time, that only a few years later, policy changes were implemented. In 1954, birth control was discussed openly by the PRC, however, only four years later in 1958, Mao

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Organizing a trip to Edingburgh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Organizing a trip to Edingburgh - Essay Example Art and other portraits are among the major contributions of Edinburgh. Scottish art council, National gallery of Scotland, Scottish National Portrait Gallery and other art centers are the major attractions. Edinburgh has witnessed lots of International twin programs from various universities and colleges across the world. The trip involves a large number of students and members of the faculty who will guide the students in different aspects during the trip. Some other university staff will also be part of the trip and their assistance is expected to make the trip more fruitful. The date selected for the trip is the month of May when the University classes are suspended due to summer holiday (5TH May, 2009 to 9th May, 2009). Flight tickets are being obtained for all the persons going for the trip. As per the rate given by the travel agents, the air fare is 200' per person (100' for Wales to Edinburgh and 100' for Edinburgh to Wales). The trip will be in business class. Hotels will be booked in Edinburgh for the trip. The rooms will be of double or triple occupancy. Rooms will be allotted to students and staff as per their preference. As per the rates provided by the hotel manager in Edinburgh, each person has to pay 200 ' daily for lodging. This price includes all the hotel facilities except food. ll the people goi Cab Fare ll the people going for trip are to assemble at the University campus. Cabs will carry them from the University campus to Wales airport on day 0. Cabs will also be hired to transport people from Hotel in Edinburgh to the airport of Edinburgh. As per the rates provided by the Cab association, they are going to charge 10 ' per person. All the cabs will be fully air conditioned. Food All the participants will be provided with breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner. Breakfast will be provided by the hotel in Edinburgh. For lunch, restaurants have been selected in Edinburgh with flexible food items. Three different restaurants have been selected for three days of trip in Edinburgh. The restaurants have

Monday, October 14, 2019

The meaning of childhood and the ideal childhood meaning

The meaning of childhood and the ideal childhood meaning What does childhood means and what would be considered an ideal childhood? The period of time between the childs birth till the child reached adulthood, its experiences and quality of those years sums up childhood. For children to develop to their optimal, they would need loving, warm and responsible caregivers, within an environment that stimulates their growth. They should be living in lives free from fear, violence and exploitation. Unfortunately, this is not always so. It was reported that 90% of the world children were born into poverty. They live in poorly sanitized areas and suffered from malnutrition. They are exposed to diseases such as malaria, polio, tuberculosis and Aids. They lived in fear of war and famine. Their life expectancy is only of 40 years (Gammage P. 2008) Millions of children suffered in poverty depriving of their many rights including health and education, protection from exploitation and harm. Childrens rights are being denied and are robbed of their childhood. On the 20 November 1989, the United Nations adopted The Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratified all countries except the United States of America and Somalia. The Convention set standards concerning children and their rights. In this essay, I will discuss about the need to protect childrens rights, the aims of the Convection on the Rights of the Child and the difference it makes to childrens lives. The need to protect children Poverty threatens all aspects of childhood, it deprives children of their chance to grow and develop to their full potential. Lives of poor children in Honduras are examples of children whose childhood are being compromised and needed help and protection. Hurricane Mitch in 1978 has caused serious damages to Honduras. Families live in poverty while the city is on the road to recovery. In order to provide basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, both parents would need to work. Young children are being left at home without adequate care. Their health and development were seriously affected. Some even resort to taking the older sibling out of school to help look after the younger ones. Similarly in Botswana, parents had to bring their children to work when faced without support from extended family or money to pay for childcare services. These children are at risks of being exposed to sudden life threatening injuries. For some parents, they engage cheaper inexperienced babysitters to mind their children. Young children were being neglected. There were also many cases of children being left alone at home w ithout any supervision or care by adults. It was not a surprise for surgeons in the hospitals to attend to children who were involved in accidents at home. In Mexico, due to the lack of affordable childcare, mothers bring their young children along to their work. Once again, these childrens lives are constantly at risks. Their health and development will be affected. Research showed that 19 percent of the working parents in Vietnam and 27 percent in Mexico, left their children alone or in the care of another child at home. A high of 48 percent of the working parents in Botswana without support left their children home alone or in the care of another child. These parents were poor and had little education had no choice as they could not afford any childcare services ( Heymann, J. 2006) Children living in poverty are exposed to diseases and malnutrition. In Africa, children live in overcrowded shacks with no running water or electricity. They live and play in alleyways that are covered with sewage and trash. Their parents cannot afford to feed them or parents themselves are ill. Due to poor diet and weaken immune systems, many African children died. Poverty increases childrens vulnerability to other dangers including violence and exploitation. Child labour and child trafficking prevails. In Asia, it was reported that there were more than a million child prostitutes. Parents who are heavily burdened with debts sold their children into the sex trade. There were also many who were kidnapped and forced into prostitution. The aims of the UNCRC In 1989, United Nation adopted the Convention on the rights of the child. It is an international treaty that defines persons aged below 18 years as children. It aims to safeguard childrens rights, welfare, interests and development. All governments have acceded to the Convention except the United States of America and Somalia. There are a total of 54 articles stating the basic human rights of all the children in the world. The right to survival; the right to physical and mental development; the right to protection from harm and the right to be involved in family, social and cultural activities are some of childrens entitlements. Since 1989, there is a significant change in the attention given to early childrens rights. Various laws and policies in countries have been reframed to accommodate the convention. In UK, laws that govern health, housing and welfare benefits have a profound impact on the childrens lives. Children are affected by laws governing the Education and employment rights. The Children Act 1989 put in place the relationship between children, parents and the state. Local authorities were given the power to look after the welfare of childrens lives and provide safeguards against poor care. The Children Act 1989 calls for the reform in child care law pertaining to child services and child protection. Children are protected from harm, with local authorities investigating their situations of risk. Other Agencies like the housing, health and education authorities were involved in assisting the local authorities with their enquiries. Inter-agency work is a distinctive UK response to protecting childr en from harm (Thomas, N. 2009). In 1999, the Sure Start Local Programme (SSLP) had most of the deprived areas in England covered. This programme was designed to provide support for families and parents. It supports good-quality play and learning experiences for children under 4 years of age. Childs health and development, including family health were looked into (Thomas, N. 2009). In recent years, the Childcare Act 2006 requires English local authorities to look after the well-being of young children and provide specific services (Thomas, N. 2009). In acceding to the UN convention, UK has made provisions for areas such as the right to a good education, to participate in cultural and recreational activities, the disable childs right to care and education. Article 12 of the UN convention states that the child has the right to express an opinion, and his voice should be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings which affects them (Thomas, N. 2009) On 2 October, 1995, Singapore acceded to the UNCRC and came into effect on 4 November 1995. Singapore is a nation without any natural resources. Our people are our only asset, children are our future, and thus their well being is our main concern. As reported in MCYS press release, there are several different government agencies with its policies which formed the Inter-ministry committee (IMC) on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. IMC serves as an inter-agency platform for deliberation and coordination of various issues concerning children. Childrens rights and interests are respected and protected. The government also take a serious view on any child abuse or ill-treatment of a child. However, in special circumstances, slight canning is permissible. Children who misbehave may also be given slight canning on the palm of the hand. Corporal punishment is prohibited especially towards females. Canning can be administered by the headmaster. Singapores education system aims to acquire not just academic knowledge, but also impart values and increase the sense of rootedness in our children. These aims are articulated in our Desired Outcomes of Education. Children with special needs are not left out. The government has implemented the Integrated Childcare Programme, helping childcare centre to equip their staff and the centres to accommodate children with special needs. The discussion above are examples to shows Singapore commitment to uphold the rights and best interests of children. Singapores vision for our children and youth is to be a confident nation full of compassion and committed to social responsibilities, yet developed strong ties with their family and community. UNRC weaknesses The United Convention on the Rights of the Child is not without its weaknesses. According to Vanessa Pupava, children viewed as priceless may not be good all the time. There may be negative consequences for both child and parents. As defined by World Health Organisation, harm to child includes physical and emotional ill-treatment, abuse, neglect and exploitation. All these would affect the mental health and development of a child. In such broad terms, raising a child would become a very problematic task for parents. Parental authority may become abusive in itself. Parents would become paranoid; parents may also become overparented (Furedi F 2002). These children would lose their freedom to play and learn about risk. In other cases, parents and educators may lose sight of their commitment towards children. They are afraid of infringing the rights of the children and may they feel that they cannot attain the ideal way of upbringing the children, in the end, they may transfer their duti es to other institutions or even specialist services (R.Roose and M.Bouverne-De Bie, 2007 p.431-443). In UK, childrens rights can sometimes be seen as problematic. Adolescents may become aggressive and demanding. Parents and teachers fear of losing control with their teens. When children are given the right to participate in decision making, it may seem to discard the traditional notions of parents control over their children (R.Roose and M.Bouverne-De Bie, 2007 p.431-443). Conclusion Best interest of the child is one of the focal point in the convention on the rights of the Child. The childs rights include protection, prevention and participation in decision-making. It would be still a long way for successful implementation of the convention as adults still hold their own perceptions of children. This concept would also have different meanings for different countries in their own context. It would require the joint efforts of all for successful implementation of the convention and tackling with the constraints and shortcomings that comes alongside with it.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Salem witch trials Essay -- essays research papers

Salem Witch Trials: Casting a spell on the people Today, the idea of seeing a witch is almost inconsequential. Our Halloween holiday marks a celebration in which many will adorn themselves with pointy black hats and long stringy hair, and most will embrace them as comical and festive. Even the contemporary witchcraft religious groups forming are being accepted with less criticism. More recently, the Blair Witch movie craze has brought more fascination than fear to these dark and magical figures. So, it becomes no wonder that when our generations watch movies like the Crucible, a somewhat accurate depiction of the Salem Witch Trials, we are enraged and confused by the injustice and the mayhem that occurred in 1692. For most, our egocentric view of the past almost stops us from seeing what a dilemma was brewing in that Puritan lifestyle. At that time, witches were far more than a generic costume for a casual holiday celebration, or a tolerated religion, or a new form of Hollywood fasc ination, they were the work of an awful, vengeful, unseen power. In the seventeenth century, almost everyone, even those with the best of educations, where under the belief that witchcraft was evil and the control of the devil. Witchcraft had once, before the Middle Ages had been accepted as the powers of medicine and good deeds; however, the church of that time had proclaimed the craft as the work of the devil and the actions of heretics. From then on witches were greatly dreaded. They believed that they had special powers that allowed them to cause harm to those that they had quarrels with; they could read minds, tell the future, bring up ghosts of the dead and force the holy to perform unholy acts. There was only one way to save someone who sold their soul to the devil for the gifts of witchcraft, to kill them (Dickinson 4). People were branded witches for unrelated mishaps. If the farmer’s sheep all died from a virus in the water, then the neighbor who fought with him las t week must have cast a spell. In a world where people are certain of witchcraft, nothing is accidental. Consequentially, many people were unjustly condemned to death. In the beginning of the century the targets for witchcraft were â€Å"the poor, the elderly, the mentally ill, the rude and quarrelsome†, but as the century drew to an end those accused were chosen â€Å"more [democratically],† even those as young as fou... ...ent theories of what the girls were afflicted with. Several researchers postulated that they were suffering from ergot poisoning from spoiled rye grain. Others thought that girls were enjoying the attention that they would have never received otherwise being young females. Similarly, others thought that the cause of their symptoms are from a popular psychological disorder from the 1970’s called clinical hysteria or mass hysteria, referring to a condition experienced by a group of people who, through suggestion, observation, or other psychological processes, develop similar fears, delusions, abnormal behaviors, or physical symptoms. (Trask 1 and Plotnik 520) The Salem witchcraft delusion became the road to what is now known as the road to Enlightenment. Although the trials in New England did not end there, Salem marked the beginning of and end to the horrible injustice. Witch-hunting is still an epidemic that plagues today in other forms. People are made to suffer for their beliefs. Religious and political persecution has stained every century since then. Perhaps, the greatest thing gained from the trials was the understanding that the majority is not always the voice of justice.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Hacking Essay -- Technology, White Hat, Back and Grey Hat

Determine if hacking into a Web site is ever justifiable, applying your theory to a real-world case in which someone hacked into a system, including the name of the company and details. In general, hacking or more specifically cracking is not justifiable due to the negative connotations associated with the term. Hackers are generally categorized into three categories, white hat, black or grey hat (Arnone, 2005). White hats are personnel that are often employed to find holes, penetrate or exploit a security system so the company can take corrective actions. Black hats are typically associated will malicious activity (cracking) such as developing and deploying viruses, worms, theft or damaging a system. The gray hats are somewhere in between the white and the gray hats. Arnone discusses how the federal government is utilizing hackers to test their own security measures and learn how to secure their systems by understanding how hackers operate and gain entry into network systems (Arnone, 2005). The white hat hacker has proven value by showing a company where their security vulnerabilities lie. White hackers are also in demand. They are hired by consultants for many Fortune 500 companies to find external and internal weaknesses and report them in order for those holes to be closed (Wiles, 2008). There are some instances in which hacking can be justified. Hacking for National Security can be justified although controversial. The military has been using hacking techniques for decades. While not specifically tied to a computer, they have deceived the enemy using fake radio broadcasts, such as the preparations for the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The military has monitored radio conversations by eavesdro... ... constantly evolving threats and increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals, AT&T works to stay one step ahead. The company's sophisticated network monitors, probes, and algorithms to identify known or suspected viruses, worms, and other Internet attacks – often destroying them before they reach an enterprise† (AT&T, 2011). AT&T stresses individual vigilance regarding their personal account information. AT&T will never ask for any account information via e-mail or over the phone. Should you receive such inquiries, treat it as fraudulent. AT&T has alerted the cyber task force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide assistance and examine our security systems to prevent a future breach. We treat this breach very serious and maintaining your trust is our highest priority and we apologize for the incontinence this security breach caused. Sincerely,

Friday, October 11, 2019

Demonstrative communications

Demonstrative communications occurs when someone uses ways to communicate other than their voice. This is done by facial expressions, body language, eye contact, or gestures. When someone discusses communication the first thought is generally speaking or verbal communication. What people say without words can be more informative than the words they speak. When a person speaks him or her says more with nonverbal communication than they are even aware of, such as with arm and hand gestures, head positions, and facial expressions as well s with body language (Non-verbal communication says a-lot, 2010).Effective communication is a reciprocal process that includes listening. Successful listening requires eye contact, objective processing and feedback to the speaker. Active listening may involve asking clarifying questions or restating what was heard to assure that the intent of the message sent was correctly received. Active listening becomes particularly important when the communication includes emotional content. An individual's body language is the most important factor in how a message is received.It would not matter what an individual may intend to say with words, because it involves communicating not with words, but with facial expressions, gestures, eye-contact, and posture. Body language that is consistent with the verbal message improves understanding. Body language that is inconsistent with the verbal message creates a question in the mind of the listener about the real message. For example, someone may be saying, â€Å"l really want to hear your opinion on this. However if the person is looking away, has his arms folded or is typing a text essage at the same time, his body language communicates an entirely different message. Effective communication requires that content and body language give the same message. The benefit of using nonverbal communication is that by watching and listening for signals, it can be easy to interpret the mood, actions, and rea ctions of other people.Nonverbal communication can help determine if someone is lying, telling the truth, under stress, or being sincere. A person can also use nonverbal communication to communicate with others if using words is too difficult or if he or he needs to communicate in a crowded or noisy room. If one individual is doing more talking than listening or more listening than talking, they are communicating ineffectively. To become more effective, it needs to be a two-way street for the sender and the receiver.The sender needs to double check with the receiver that the message is clear and understandable, while the receiver should confirm clarity by asking questions about the information that is not clear to them or who has not fully comprehended the information. The disadvantages of trying to interpret nonverbal ommunication are that there may be cultural differences or physical conditions that can contribute to misinterpreting someone's body language or tone or pitch of voic e.Another disadvantage to nonverbal communication is that it is as easy to read reactions as it is to be read by others. Anyone who pays attention to the nonverbal communication signals can have an advantage. In most cases a person may want others to find his or her actions and reactions to show they are being honest in a situation, in other cases he or she may not want others to be able to determine their houghts or emotions (Powell, 2011).In conclusion, verbal and written communication skills are important to learn, although much can also be learned from the demonstrative communication used by others. Sometimes the body language, facial expressions and the tone of voice a person uses can tell you more about a person's thoughts and emotions than then the words they use, and in some cases these signals can be a more accurate indicator. The benefits of effective communication will help businesses and people succeed.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Online Therapy Essay

Little by little the internet and technology are expanding to incorporate more aspects of our daily lives. The expansion is so vast, one can now do Just about anything online. On line advances has no doubt positively contributed to businesses, education, communication, and quality of life in general, but when does one draw the line? Healthcare is a very serious subject because it deals with people’s lives and well being. Potential problems that may arise from it are not monetary, like those involved with losing a Job or failing a school course, but deal with lives and people’s weakest and perhaps most uncontrollable side of life. Psychological disorders usually arise from events and sources not under the control of patients. Unlike purchasing the wrong stock at the wrong time or having an unsuccessful online business presentation, depression, addiction, phobias, and other psychological disorders are delicate matters that are not a result of bad decision making, however, much like every service the internet offers us, cyber psychology does have its advantages and disadvantages. Disadvantages and Solutions: The first glaring disadvantage is the loss of essential elements with the lack of face to face interactions. The fact that psychology is the study of behavior, it is imperative for a therapist to get a grasp on the patients’ complete behavior, which includes, but is not limited to, facial movements and body movements, tone of voice, posture, and appearance. To fully understand a client, a therapist must be able to be privvy to this side of the individuals’ personality to accurately diagnose and ultimately heal a problem or disorder. One way to solve this disadvantage could be for the therapist to request an initial face-to-face assessment that can then be followed by online treatments of various sorts. This enhances the screening process and leaves no room for misinterpretation or misdiagnosis that can arise from lack of personal interaction. Also, for cases or procedures involving video conferencing and webcam interactions, it is crutial for websites to continue to improve the video quality to avoid missing any words or movements that may be crucial to analyzing behaviors. Maybe once video conferencing is perfected, it will increase the validity of such therapeutic media and allow it to replace the need for an initial in person interaction. A second concern involved with web therapy is security. We are surrounded by warning signs oncerning various web securities, including scams, hacks, and phishing sites. In the past, we have seen many cases serious enough to make it to the news to increase awareness and warn people of the seriousness of certain situations. It is almost possible for hackers to invade most sites and this compromises the privacy of patients’ personal and diagnostic information. Also, confirming the validity of particular sites may be hard on some people since scam sites go into extreme measures to mimic credible sites. The fact that most on-line therapies require payment in advance, may seem tempting for people who make a living from online camming. Another potential leak in privacy may unintentionally arise from the clients themselves; the use of public computers or implying improper security features and practices to ones personal computer. To counteract security problems, websites are constantly working on maintain security and privacy. It is important for releasing financial or personal and emotional information. Psychologists are required to practice therapy in state(s) of which they are licensed for practice. Cyber therapy offers ways to go around that law. A patient, for example, may claim different residence to receive treatment from a particular therapist of agency. Also, since the world wide web spreads, well, worldwide, there’s a chance that some of the sites are run internationally and this may give rise to cultural disconnect problems from misunderstanding situations, actions, and settings. Proper monitoring should be implemented on cyber therapy websites to avoid such breaches and complications. Advantages of Online Therapy: There are several advantages associates with online therapy. Time is something that seems to be becoming more scarce and harder to manage. Finding a service that can be molded around one’s schedule, convenience, or from the privacy of ones ome is important to many people in todays fast paced way of life. Online therapy also offers a geographic advantage for people living in rural areas or people with transportation limitations. In addition, people with physical disabilities may now have an easier method of behavior therapy that does not interfere with their health issues. Finally, a very crucial advantage is financial. Online therapy makes it cheaper and thus easier to receive mental health therapy. Because of the lack of an office or facilities, transportation expenses, and the availability of different program levels to hoose from, therapy became an attainable thing and a cry for help that was heard by cyber space. The options of sending an email or having a telephone therapy session gives many benefits with the elimination of extended time charges and various office visit associated expenses. Websites Offering Online Therapy: The Online Therapy Institute is a website designated primarily for therapist seeking to introduce online therapy as an option to their practice. It offers intensive information about how to set up an online therapy site and what the rules and regulations are and general guidelines to follow to provide proper therapeutic echniques. It also assists therapists in the initial stages and provides a reference for any upcoming issues. E-Therapists Online provides services for patients seeking online therapy via e- mail, private chats, and phone counseling. It provides clear instructions on how to begin therapy and also price guideline. Payment is due prior to therapy. For example, an e-mail session costs $39. 95 and 4 e-mail sessions cost $149. 00. Telephone or chats cost $95. 00 for 60 minutes and $623. 00 for 7 – 60 minute chats or calls. Headworks is another website similar to e-therapists online. In addition to the ervices that e-therapists online provides, they offer free self-help information and customized services. Conclusion: Online therapy definitely has its advantages, but it should also be handled carefully. Not all cases of mental health should be able to be treated via cyber psychotherapy because some are much more complicated and need in person therapy. Once this service is solidified, this service will be more ideal for people who are in need of minor therapy, interaction with people, behavioral help, and guidelines in life but are unable to do face-to-face therapy for geographical or financial constrains.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

How can we protect our natural environment? Essay

The environment is our planet. It provides us with natural resources that are used for everything. It needs to be protected and so future generations can leave with no environmental problems as we are facing nowadays. Some countries develop with sustainability, this means that hey use the resources tht the planet provides in an efficient way so future generations can use them. To begin with, we can protect our natural environment by doing simple things that everyone can do. For example we can protect the environment by using the less we can the electricity, or by not throwing the garbage to the floor, instead yo toss it in the trash can , we can also recycle. Using public transports is another way to protect the planet, this is because there are less cars used and this causes less polution. Industries are trying to use there resources in an efficient way and ussing alternative sources of energy to cause less polution. Moreover there are three R’s that will make us protect our planet. This three words are very important: recycle, reuse and renewable. Recycle means to use already used products to make new ones so they do not produce more and use more natural resources. For example the empty bottel of a coke, they refill the empty glass bottel so they do not produce more bottles. Reuse is bonded to recycle is means to use again like the coke i just mentioned. Last is renewable it is about using a product that has not one use, it can be used as many times as you want. For example instead of using plastic glasses you use a normal glass, beacuase you use it, then you wash it and then you can use it again. Last but not least another way to protect our environment are the alternative sources of energy. Most of the planet’s energy produced is nuclear or with coal. Studies are being made and some are used nowadays of these alternative sources of energy that are renewable. For example the energy is produced by using the ocean, the wind, the heat of the inner core of the planet or the sun. Nations are being encouraged to develop this alternative sources of energy to cause less polution and protect our planet. They are not used very much nowadays because as there is not enough research this alternative sources of energy are not cheap and they do not produce the same amount of energy as the non-renewable sources. To sum up we can protect our environment in lots of ways. From a simple thing that anybody can do to something that an entire nation can do. What we can say is that it does not matter how little the help is , it helps although you think is does not. Using these advices we can protect are planet so future generations can use it and it’s resources. It is vital that we protect our environment and it is probed that we can do something a bout it.

Financial Report on HUAYI BROTHERS MEDIA CORPORATION Essay

Financial Report on HUAYI BROTHERS MEDIA CORPORATION - Essay Example In 2011, the company’s current assets amount, 1403.42 was 3.99 times the amount of current liabilities, 351.91. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 current assets amount, 2,562.33 was only 1.66 times the amount of current liabilities, 1,544.15. The financial statement analysis indicates the company’s current ratio had declined between the 2011 and 2012, comparing their 3rd quarter business performances. The current ratio shows that the company has more than enough current assets available to pay the company’s current liabilities (Drury 496). The company’s gross ratio shows the relationship between the company’s net income amount and net sales figures (http://www.google.com/finance?q=SHE:300027&fstype=ii ). In terms of third quarter financial performance, the Huayi Brothers Media Corporation’s net profit margin ratio shows an unfavorable business performance picture. In 2011, the company’s net profit amount, 102.49 was 21 percent of the amount of net sales, 481.30. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 Net Income amount, 130.91 was only 18 percent of the amount of net sales, 707.80. The financial statement analysis indicates the company’s net profit ratio had dropped between the 2011 and 2012, when analyzing their 3rd quarter financial operations (Drury 185). The above return on investment graph shows how long the company will be able to recover its investments (http://www.google.com/finance?q=SHE:300027&fstype=ii). Recovering the investments in a shorter recovery time is better than a longer recovery time period. In terms of third quarter financial performance, the Huayi Brothers Media Corporation’s return on investment ratio shows an unfavorable business performance picture. In 2011, the company’s net profit amount, 102.49 was 7percent of the amount of Total Assets, 1,403.42. On the other hand, the company’s 2012 Net Income amount, 130.91 was only 18 percent of the amount of net sales, 707.80. The financial statement

Monday, October 7, 2019

Bauhaus and Modernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Bauhaus and Modernism - Essay Example In the humming windowless hallway leading to his office, he stops in front of a metal box full of chilled metal cylinders. He inserts several polished silver disks into a slot and pushes one of the glowing square buttons to receive a modern marvel of preserved mass-produced liquid. Entering his office, he settles back into a tubular metal chair and grabs one of the antiquated but comforting newspapers waiting on a nearby projection of the wall that serves him as a desk. As he sips his drink and scans the headlines, an article draws his eye because it is contained within a slightly shaded box and uses bold, sans-serif letters. The words inform him that inflation is causing the economy to collapse. Anxious to protect the small space he calls his own, the man then turns to the electronic box sitting on his desk as a faster and more focused means of gaining essential information. As he waits for the flickering lights to settle on his rectangular screen, he suddenly thinks about how much of his world is shaped by boxes. He realizes that they make him feel mundane and standardized and inwardly blames the Modernist movement that was born out of the Bauhaus. If he took the time to follow that line of thinking, though, the man would learn that the Bauhaus and the Modernist movement were focused instead on ideas of comfort and creative familiarity. The earliest elements of what today’s experts refer to as characteristics of the modern period arose through the combined energies of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Rephrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rephrase - Essay Example This paper aims at establishing a valid relationship between the levels of productivity in UAE’s organisations vis-Ã  -vis the levels of Knowledge Management, Organizational Trust, Creativity and Innovation in those organisations. With the advent of globalisation, the worldwide market has witnessed an increased degree of diversity in terms of products and services. The 21st century has come across a myriad range of the expectations and preferences of the consumers. This diversity has also found a parallel reflection in the workforce of today’s organisations. The modern organisations showcase a widely diverse workforce with respect to age, gender, nationality, education and experience. The knowledge or intellectual capital of the workforce is a powerful and precious asset to the organisation. It is a magical tool not only for maintaining sustainability but also for gaining a competitive advantage. In today’s competitive age, merely the information regarding products or services is not enough to surpass competitors. Such knowledge and information has to be upgraded and enhanced time and again depending upon the market situation. The workforce needs to show flexibility and creativity in the applica tion of their share of knowledge. The organisations need to adapt to the changing market scenario. This is where the role of knowledge management comes in. It assists organisations by helping them in polishing their strengths and overcoming their weaknesses through idea generation and subsequent effective implementation of those ideas. But to lead the competition, knowledge alone is not sufficient. It needs to be complemented by other elements such as interpersonal trust, creativity and innovation in using that knowledge. This paper looks forward to studying the interplay of Knowledge Management, Organizational Trust, Creativity and Innovation and their contribution in the productivity of organizations in UAE. By playing a vital role in the working of all

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Journal 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 10 - Essay Example However, Berniece had her reasons for opposing this sale, as the piano is the only piece of heirloom, which they both inherited. Piano was close to her heart because her great grandparents engraved their history on it, they were traded for it and also their father died over it (74-75, Bogumil). She declines Willie’s idea to sell it because piano was a reminder of their ancestors and especially of their father. And selling it would mean they would be selling their identity and heritage; this time by them self. Wilson weaved death and suffering with the piano and the siblings inherited both. Piano reminded them of their loss and deficient identity, but also was the only heirloom (though painful) left of the family. Boy Willie and Berniece’s great grandparents (slaves) engraved their history on it, but since it was not their property (Sutter’s) they were traded over it. Their father died after taking it from Sutter’s residence and piano was the last thing Berniece could relate to. However, she never played on it since it used to make her sad and Willie wanted to sell this heritage because it existed on the life (sacrifice) of his family and has been a reminder of slavery. Wilson has depicted music worth dying for and this is evident in the play. I would like to hire Will Smith as Boy Willie and Halle Berry as Berniece because both actors can convincingly transform them self into the assigned characters and can do justice with their characters. If it’s a theatrical play I would like to transform the stage into 1930 era, when the transition (from slavery to a free nation) was taking place for African Americans. My characters will dress up according to the 1930’s dressing criteria and the Piano will be staged in the front corner so its existence can be noticed. From time to time, I would like the piano to be played by the good

Friday, October 4, 2019

Anti-venom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anti-venom - Essay Example Snake venom consists of more than 50 enzymes and peptides with digestive and neurotoxic properties. Therefore, the toxicity of venom is dependent on the type of snake and amount of venom injected. For this reason, an antivenom will be prescribed to an individual depending on the nature of snakebite and amount of venom injected in a person. According to PBS (2013), anti-venom is produced by injecting a small amount of venom in an animal such as horse, sheep, rabbit, or goat. These animals are immune to venom, therefore, will produce specialized antibodies to counteract the effects of poisonous proteins in venom. When scientists collect these specialized antibodies from the animals, they help in the development of anti-venoms. Thus, anti-venoms act by fighting the venomous proteins in venom, using the antibodies, which is their main ingredient. The anti-venom also prevents the venom from circulating to different parts of the body and through the bloodstream. This way, the anti-venom neutralizes the activity of venoms and prevents any further health complications or death of the affected

Thursday, October 3, 2019

“Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Sophie’s World† by Jostein Gaarder Essay After I read â€Å"Sophie’s World† by Jostein Gaarder, I was opened up to the different ways of thinking by many well-known philosophers. Each philosopher had their own point of view and ways of thinking. Ranging from religious perspectives to over the top ideas that were unaccepted by the people of their time, these men tried to answer philosophical questions such as â€Å"What is our purpose in life?† and â€Å"Where did the world come from?†. During their times, such thinking was looked down upon and some even got executed for threatening their cultures way of thinking. Socrates, who encouraged his pupils to increase their range of beliefs, got poisoned for breaking ancient Greek religious views and was said to be ‘corrupting the youth’. A few of these philosophers had points that agreed with my own beliefs, such as Soren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard said that the truth does not only lie in objective things such as facts, but also in subjective things. He believed that life was more about your own values and beliefs rather than reason and strict rules. I relate to his laid back since of mind, because I am a laid back type of person. Many of today’s creative ways of thinking would not have been achieved without someone just relying completely on their own imagination. Even though this book was intriguing, it really didn’t change my way of thinking. Yes, it was entertaining to learn about how ancient philosophers tried to explain the world, I’m not sure it impacted my life in any way. Like all of these philosophers changed by brain teasing ideas that were forced upon me. I did agree with some points that these philosophers made, but only ones that supported my Christian faith. The book itself said â€Å"Where both reason and experience fall short, there occurs a vacuum that can be filled by faith.† Science and philosophy can only go so far. Science can explain why things have to hit the ground after it had been thrown and philosophy can attempt to explain if it didn’t hit the ground one time why a grown person would be more shocked than a kid. But the fact is no one can explain why something happens at a  certain time, at a certain place. Only faith can do that. Even though those philosophers attempted to explain things like where the Earth came from, none of them ever came to an agreeable conclusion. This book did make me think deeper about some of the concepts that were easier to grasp, but I believe philosophy is something I am not interested in. However, I did take interest in the section of the book about psychology,and I think many of the philosophers could have also been classified as psychologists also. This section included interesting facts about dreaming and the subconscious mind. Philosophers sometimes supported their reasoning with observations from the subconscious mind. For example, unexplainable things easily classified as ‘supernatural’ actually came from the imaginative part of the brain. These chapters taught me that the brain can do impressive things, even while sleeping! Studies show that the brain usually sends messages from the conscious brain to the unconscious brain in the form of dreams. Even if you don’t realize it, your brain is secretly  telling itself what it wants during your sleep and it is receiving them and analyzing them as images that we would see when we are awake. That’s how some dreams feel so real when they are clearly just your unconscious mind â€Å"speaking† to you. All together, â€Å"Sophie’s World†, like every other book, has its pros and cons. To completely enjoy the book, let the book take you to places you never thought possible. Open your eyes and prepare for the ride of your life, one you will never forget.

Canadas Decision To Withdraw From The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay

Canadas Decision To Withdraw From The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay Canadas decision to leave the Kyoto Protocol in 2011 resulted in countless debates and controversy in Climate Change discussions. This paper therefore aimed to provide answers to the ethical question whether Canada decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol was a move in the right direction. To do that, the issues of moral responsibility, justice as well as Canadas interest in a global economy were analysed as it relates to the Kyoto Protocol. The research concluded that Canada should not have withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol according to the moral obligations in reducing global greenhouse emissions as well as the financial burden to meet such a reduction in emission is relatively constant over time. Keywords: Kyoto Protocol, justice, moral responsibility INTRODUCTION The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets over a five-year period (2008-2012) for 37 industrialized countries and the European community. This was done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming which sum up to an average of 5% compared to 1990 levels. While the Convention encouraged industrialised countries to stabilize GHG emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so, this being the major distinction between the Protocol and the Convention. Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity, the Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. (UNFCCC). The Government of Canada officially notified the UNFCCC on December 15, 2011 that Canada would exercise its legal right to withdraw formally from the Kyoto Protocol. Canada was committed to cutting its greenhouse emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by 2012, but in 2009 emissions were 17% higher than in 1990. Environment minister Peter Kent cited Canadas liability to enormous financial penalties under the treaty unless it withdrew. In order to fulfil its obligations, the country would have to purchase a significant and costly amount of international credits using funds that could be invested on domestic priorities. (Government of Canada). Canadas decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol resulted in a lot of debate and controversy whether or not the Protocol is effective and provides the long-term solution the world seeks to the problem of Climate Change. Our goal in this essay is to analyse whether Canada decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol was a move in the right direction. The responsibility of the government of Canada to take (in) actions on the treaty represents an ethical issue. To what extent is Canada obligated to other countries of the world as well as to current and future generations of mankind on global warming? Was Canada ethically right to withdraw from the treaty? Should Canada put aside its own interest in order to be more committed to the Kyoto Protocol and help solve the global issue of climate change? In order to provide answers to these questions, a detailed analysis of the issues at hand has been carried out. Section two describes the role of Canadas responsibility as well as its moral claims in Climate Change negotiation. Section three discusses the issue of International justice as it relates to the Kyoto Protocol while section four assesses Canadas interest in global discussions on Climate Change. A number of concluding remarks based on the preceding precepts were provided in section five of this paper. RESPONSIBILITY: ASSESSING MORAL CLAIMS IN INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS This chapter addresses the role of responsibility to climate change negotiations. The issue of how to measure and compare Canadas responsibilities to other countries in terms of climate change mitigation has been controversial, not least with respect to comparisons between the large emitters, such as the US and China. But, what really defines the term responsibility? According to Ellermann et al., to be responsible for something harmful is to be worthy of blame for it (Ellermann, Hà ¶hne and Mà ¼ller). Blame/responsibility in the context of climate change should be seen based on certain acts (i.e. emission of greenhouse gases) that cause global warming. For example, if someone smokes a cigarette in a closed room filled with people, and if the smoke emissions resulting from this act are deemed to be harmful to other people, then they may be judged to deserve unreserved blame just because the emissions are harmful or because they smoked voluntarily, in the full knowledge of the harmfulness of the emission. Such a person is considered to be morally responsible as opposed to be casually contributing. The key difference between being morally responsible and causally contributing is that the former causes the greatest harm to everyone and is to be blamed while the latter (Co2 exhalation while breathin g in the room) causes insignificant problems and should not be blamed. We can therefore infer that since climate impacts are anthropogenic, it would inevitably have a large number of causes and actors, each either morally responsible or causally contributing to global warming. So, the question arises, Is Canada morally responsible or casually contributing to the problems of climate change? To put in other words, Should Canada be among countries to be blamed from changes in the climate? Canadas GHG emission in a global context To assess the moral responsibilities of Canada to climate change, it is important to compare Canadas situation with other countries in term of greenhouse gases (GHG) emission. According to the International Energy Agency, Canadas CO2 emission from fuel combustion in 2009 accounted for approximately 2% of global emissions (International Energy Agency). In other words, Canada is the 7th largest emitter of global emission in the world. Macintosh HD:Users:eds:Desktop:Screen Shot 2012-12-28 at 6.50.47 PM.png Figure : Distribution of world carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion in 2009 (International Energy Agency) Likewise, if comparison is made from the total CO2 emission equivalent per capita, Canada is one of the worlds largest per capita GHG emitters. Canada ranks 15th out of 17 countries for GHG emissions per capita and earns a D grade  [1]  (The Conference Board of Canada). In 2008, Canadas GHG emission was 22 tonnes per capita, significantly higher than the 17-country average of 15 tonnes per capital. Between 1990 and 2009, Global emissions of CO2 have increased by 38%, while Canadian CO2 emissions have increased by less than 19% (Minister of Environment Canada). Figure : GHG Emissions in 2008 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per capita (The Conference Board of Canada) It can therefore be concluded from both figures that Canada is a major emitter of greenhouse gases causing global warming and is therefore morally responsible to the changes in the climate. One of the main reasons for its increase in GHG emissions has been the growth in exports of petroleum, natural gas, and forest products. However, there is great chance to substantially reduce Canadas GHG emissions by utilizing lower emitter technologies and increasing energy efficiency. Assessing Canadas commitment to International Climate Change negotiations Since it has been established that Canada is morally responsible to changes in the climate, to go ahead with a decision to be involved in global negotiations on climate change appears to be the next logical thing to do. When Canada ratified the Kyoto protocol on December 12, 2002, it firmly demonstrated its support for the UNFCCC process, as well as its commitment to meet specified targets under the treaty. Canada had committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emission by 6% over the 1990 baseline levels during the first commitment period from 2008-2012 (Minister of Environment Canada). This was considered to be an optimistic target for Canada as its GHG emissions steadily increased after Conference of the Party 3 (COP-3) to the extent that the 6% reduction from 1990 levels now translates into an actual reduction of approximately 21% from 1990 based on current GHG emissions levels (UNFCCC). However, in December 2011, Canada announced its withdrawal from the first implementation period (2008-2012) of the Kyoto Protocol. This was supported by a speech from Canadas Environmental Minister, Peter Kent: . . . Kyoto Protocol- for Canada is in the past. As such, we are invoking our legal right to formally withdraw from the treaty. This decision formalizes what we have said since 2006 that we will not implement the Kyoto Protocol This withdrawal aimed to avoid an estimated $14 billion penalty as a result from Canadas failure to meet its emissions reduction targets when the Kyoto Protocol expires on December 31, 2012. Canada, however still remains a part of the UNFCCC process for negotiating the next implementation period. After its withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol, Canada proposed a new strategy by committing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 17% below 2005 levels, or 607 Mt, by 2020, under the Copenhagen Accord (Minister of Environment Canada). In order to achieve this goal and its renewed commitment to climate change mitigation, Canada has introduced four major initiatives including: passenger automobile and light truck GHG emissions regulations, heavy-duty vehicle emissions regulations, regulations on coal-fired electricity generation, and regulations in other key sectors including oil and gas (Minister of Environment Canada). Canada also indicated its willingness to continue to engage in UNFCCC negotiations to support the establishment of a fair and comprehensive global climate change regime as well as to contribute $1.2 billion in new and additional climate change financing by the end of fiscal year 2012/2013. This is to assist developing countries efforts to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change (Minister of Environment Canada). However, Canada would not invest any money to the new Green Climate Fund until all major emitters accept legally binding reduction targets and transparent accounting of greenhouse gas inventory. In other words, this funding was taken from previously existing aid package (Kent). Now, going back to the research question, Should Canada have withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol? Based on the principles of moral responsibilities (as defined earlier), we believe Canada withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol was a wrong decision. According to a state responsibility principle of international law, every internationally wrongful act of a state constitutes the international responsibility of that state (International Law Commission). Furthermore, in the international environment law context, it stated that there is a state right to exercise exclusive sovereignty over the use of land, natural resources and the environment within its territorial boundaries. This right is not unlimited and must not violate on the rights of other states to the use and enjoyment of their environment. In the context of its moral responsibility to other countries, Canadas excessive GHG emissions (as discussed earlier) and its subsequent withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol leads to an internationall y wrongful act. With an earlier commitment to the Kyoto obligation and a continuing non-compliance with its emissions targets, it is still linked to specific moral consequences as a breach to a morally binding treaty. Furthermore, Canadas climate change strategy under the Copenhagen Accord has no global emissions targets for 2020 or 2050. The accord solely proposes listing the voluntary targets of developed and developing countries. Therefore, based on the current assessment of country pledges, it will put the world on a track toward 3.5 to 4 degrees of warming in 2020, which still causes higher warming and bigger threat to the global ecosystem compared to the studies of 2 degrees warming limit set by IPCC (Heinberg). On the other hand, Canada did dropped out of Kyoto just over a year before the end of the first commitment phase as they think that they would not meet Kyoto targets by the end of the first commitment phase. It was reinforced with the fact that the major emitters of GHG were not included in the Kyoto Protocol, such as China and India. Moreover, this could lead other countries facing their own economic problems to follow suit, and consequently weaken the only internationally ratified agreement in emissions reduction, making it more difficult for the next implementation period or even other future agreements to succeed, which, again, depends on the moral will of the nations that will sign the agreement. However, these views remain arguable. In the next section of the essay, the discussion of Canadas withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol will be based on international justice; whether it was legally fair to the global community to withdraw from the Protocol. JUSTICE IN CLIMATE CHANGE The precise definition of the word justice in climate change is still a topic of debate. In general, justice is a term that is used interchangeably with fairness. In principle it represents a concept of moral rightness. In this section, the concept of justice within the Kyoto Protocol will be discussed and how it influenced Canadas decision to drop-out of the agreement. The Kyoto Protocol created a framework, built on the principles agreed to under the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. One of this principles state that: The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Accordingly, the developed country Parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof (UNFCCC,Article 3, Principle 2). The goal of the Protocol is the reduction of greenhouse gases by developed countries (Annex I), while allowing developing countries (non-Annex I) space to increase their emissions. The Protocol also charts a path way for global cooperation via market-based regulatory instruments. Countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures according to the treaty. However, the Kyoto Protocol offers them an additiona l means of meeting their targets by way of three market-based systems: emissions trading (known as the carbon market), clean development mechanism and joint implementation. These mechanisms help parties meet their emission targets in a cost-effective way and help stimulate investment in renewable sources of energy (UNFCCC). Figure 3: Kyoto Protocol Participation Map (UNFCCC) Justice of the Kyoto Protocol and Canada The Kyoto Protocol framework has two implications to international justice particularly relevant for any discussion involving a broad participation of countries in climate mitigation. They include grandfathering principle and the per capital approach. These two concepts would be extensively discussed in this section of the paper in relations to Canada. Grand Fathering Principle Firstly, the Kyoto Protocol uses the grandfathering principle by recognizing the 1990 emission levels of developed countries as a basis for determining emission limitation targets. This limits the ability of the Protocol to include the participation of developing countries in the future (Aslam,175). Compared to the current emissions of developed countries, developing countries have very low emission levels. However, there seem to be a gradual yet rising trend of emission levels among developing countries particularly Indian and China. From the perspective of the government of Canada, this is one of the setbacks of the Kyoto Protocol. Developing countries which are not bound to cut emissions will be the major pollutants in the future, while present industrialized nations are required to reduce emission levels. This translates into an economic cost for developed countries which would result in unequal economic positions. Also it raises the question of why Canada should bare more respon sibility compared to developing nations with rising emission levels, knowing that in the near-future it will no longer be one of the major players in climate change. Grandfathering enabled national targets to be negotiated without any discussion of a long-term, environmentally sound, collective target for all countries-both developed and developing nations. Secondly, no clear rule was created to help differentiate targets between Annex I countries (Aslam,175). This can be translated in the fact that while in 1990 (the reference year for Kyoto Protocol emission levels), Canada had already taken up some actions to reduce Green House Gases, other countries of Annex I (for example former Soviet Union countries) did not take any measures to reduce greenhouse gases. Thus, the Kyoto Protocol creates a certain injustice towards countries like Canada which has taken some action in the past, but which is not taken into account in the protocol. This lack of capacity within the Kyoto Protocols to involve developing countries in order to have any future success represents the greatest problem of the treaty. Also, the Protocol fails to differentiate between Canada and the rest of Annex I countries and fails to take into account future major climate change contributors. This increases the burden on the present day developed nations like Canada and creates a lack of fairness between the agreements of participating parties. This resulted in a number of proposals which have the purpose of expanding participation while also honouring the Climate Convention principle of differentiation among nations. One of the most controversial approach focuses on equal per capita entitlements (Aslam,176). Per Capita Approach The per capita approach implies dividing the total greenhouse gas emission (in mega tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) of any country equally among the number of people living in that country. It is a key indicator to represent, for example, the economic output or emissions of each individual in a particular country. This is used to determine how much each country should be allowed to emit in relation to its population size. The per capita indicator helps evaluate emission discrepancy among countries (Aslam,176). It can also help facilitate an acceptable emissions-related burden-sharing agreement among countries of different population size. Although some concerns exist regarding the application of the per capita approach, it remains very difficult to ethically justify any unequal or disparate claims to a global commons, such as the atmosphere (Aslam 184). In the context of climate change, the greatest efficiency gains in the design of a Green House Gas tradeable permit policy stem from utilizing the low-cost mitigation options of developing countries(even if no additional mitigation is forthcoming from this group itself) and then from requiring emission reductions from developing countries at some future date (Rose and Stevens, 359). Using such a per capita allocation system in climate change negotiation, when compared to other approaches, causes developing countries generally to gain more in terms of relative benefit. This should be fine to all parties involved-both developed and developing countries because as discussed in the section of moral responsibilities, most developing nations are casually causing as opposed to morally responsible for climate change. It follows that such a system would encourage more developing countries to join global agreements and thus attract an earlier possible entry to the negotiation table. Such a sch eme should result in emissions trading to maximizing the benefits. Furthermore, owing to the nature of climate change and its associated complexities and uncertainties, any effective approach needs to be flexible to incorporate future scientific developments as well as accommodate variations among countries. A suitable per capita approach is one that is able to tighten or relax yearly contraction on emission budgets, as well as realign its overall reduction trajectory to respond to any change in GHG concentration target. However, the per capita approachs flexibility to account for the differing national circumstances is limited. Quantified emission levels, such as the ones used for the per capita approach, do not account for the social quality of these emissions-that is, it cannot clearly distinguish between luxury and survival emissions (Agrawal,1). Also, there is a big impact on the disparity of emissions among nations by factors such as geographical or climatic conditions and the structure of the respective economy and energy supply, which such s implified indicators simply fails to take into consideration(Aslam,190). This represents a big problem for Canada due to its vastness, cold climate and the economy which is focused on energy production. In comparison to developing countries, adopting such a system forces Canada to the losing end of the rope. The per capita emissions rights as a defining concept of justice in Climate change discussions causes the worlds largest nations- such as China and India- to be significant net gainers, while principal losers would be the nations now having high per capita emissions-Canada would lose a great deal (see Figure 2). Also, as a follow up to the preceding argument, the notion that larger states tend to be poorer makes the per capita approach very attractive. But this can result in a crude and even arbitrary way of redistributing wealth as not all large states are poor and not all small states are rich. Also the distribution is made to both greenhouse gases winners and losers as some rich or poor states will face much more serious consequences due to climate change while others are far less vulnerable. This is a drawback to this scheme as the per capita system fails to take this into consideration (Posner and Sunstein,12). Another serious drawback for states like Canada is the fact that with the per capita system, governments that would adopt policies to promote economic growth would have to face penalties due to the fact that such policies would increase Green House Gas emissions leading to more warming of the climate(Posner and Sunstein,13). The proposed per capita system seems even less attractive from the perspective of Canada compared to the grandfathering principle. Thus, one of the reasons for Canadas withdrawal from the agreement is that it fails to agree with the concept of justice as defined and implemented by the Kyoto Protocol. Due to the different responsibilities of carbon emission between developed countries and developing countries (as is shown in Figure 3) and also the differences within the developed countries (United States, Japan, and Canada), a lot of effort has to be made to redefine the concept of justice within the Kyoto Protocol. From the year 2009 to 2012, United Nations Climate Change Conferences held annual conferences to strengthen the effect of justice among other issues within the protocol and at the same time, reach more agreements. However, little progress has been made during these processes. For developed states like Canada, the concept of justice within the Kyoto Protocol still remains elusive. However, respecting the emission targets of the Protocol would represent a heavy financial burden to the government of Canada, to meet the demands would result in a conflict with its own interests. CANADAS INTERESTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS Climate change has a price tag and it could be very expensive. Cutting the emissions by amounts agreed by the Kyoto Protocol in little more than a decade requires a massive financial cost to the government of Canada. In this section of the essay, we hope to look into Canadas interest in respecting the emission targets of the Kyoto protocol. To do this, we hope to answer two questions: What is the total financial cost to the government of Canada to respect the emission targets of the Kyoto protocol? More importantly, are these costs justified? Secondly, how important is Canadas relationship with the United States with respect to climate change negotiation? Canada: Financial cost of respecting emission targets of the Kyoto Protocol Respecting the emission targets of the Kyoto Protocol represents a huge cost to Canada. But, what exactly is the financial cost? It was estimated by the Canadian Chamber of commerce that the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol will cost about $30billion, or 2.5% of the Canadas GDP by 2010 (Montreal Economic Institute). It was also estimated by the Liberal cabinet in 2002 that a loss of 200 000 jobs and a decrease of 1.5% in the Canadian GDP was inevitable (Bà ¶hringer). The cost of climate change for Canada could rise from roughly $5 billion per year in 2020 to between $21 billion and $43 billion per year by the 2050s (National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy Canada). This cost depends upon a combination of factors: the growth of global emissions and the economic and population growth of Canada. However, global mitigation leading to a low climate change future reduces costs to Canada in the long term. This reinforces the argument that the world would benefit environmentally and economically from a post-2012 international climate arrangement that systematically reduces emissions from all GHG emitters including Canada over time. On the contrary, if firm measures are not taken when it is still possible to do so, no one can accurately predict the weight of the consequences that can happen. We believes that abiding to the Kyoto Protocol will cost much less than the possible consequences of climate change problems, such as the increase of extreme meteorological phenomena. We also believe that the progress in adopting the Kyoto Protocol will reduce greenhouse gases as it will become costly to pollute and easier to adopt best environmental practices. Canadas relationship with the United States United States represents Canadas strongest ally within the North America. But, what is the relationship on the issue of Climate Change? Interestingly, Canada follows the same path with both past Bush and current Obamas administration of the United States (Ljunggren). Canada was widely criticized for withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol. Some were of the opinion that Canada ends a decade-long saga that began in earnest when George W. Bush walked away from the global climate treaty in 2001. Others continue to argue that the close links between the two countries meant that Ottawa ultimately felt it had to follow Washingtons lead and ignore the diplomatic fallout. Furthermore, the plan Canada will follow instead of the Kyoto Protocol is almost identical to Barack Obamas plan for the United States. The Canadian governments current plan, which would cut emission by 17 per cent of 2005 levels by 2020, is almost identical to the strategy of the government of the United States. Both countries are committed to pursuing a practical and sustainable plan to address the Climate problem (Minister of Environment Canada). Canada fully acknowledges the problem of global warming and the well-being of the earth is also an important issue to North America. However, the cost to respecting the Kyoto Protocol can be justified. Although, the goals of the Protocol were established not by science, but by political negotiation but they do provide the long-term solution the world seeks to the problem of climate change. Furthermore, Canada argues that the Kyoto Protocol could have potentially significant repercussion for the global economy and is therefore arbitrary and ineffective. It goes on to say the Protocol is fundamentally flawed and is not the correct vehicle with which to produce real environmental solutions. However, finding another workable solution to the problem of global warming do not represents the way forward as the cost to Climate change mitigation is likely to be constant over time. CONCLUSION The Climate is changing due to anthropogenic causes; hence, the goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind. Canadas decision to leave the Kyoto Protocol in 2011 resulted in countless debates and controversy in Climate Change discussions. It argues that the Kyoto Protocol do not provide the long-term solution the world seeks to the problem of climate change. It however remains committed to pursuing a practical and sustainable plan to address the problem of global warming. The purpose of the essay was to analyse whether Canada decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol was a move in the right direction. This analysis involves the moral responsibility of Canada to climate change negotiations, justice as it relates to the Kyoto Protocol as well Canadas interests in a global economy. A number of arguments based on these concepts were considered and documented in this essay. Based on the principle or moral responsibility, we believe Canada withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol was a wrong decision. As discussed in the essay, the increase of Canadas GHG emission is strongly related to the problem of global warming and apparently has a strong negative effect on other countries in terms of the usage of the environment. Canadas decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol the only internationally ratified agreement in emissions reduction shows that it may violate the right of other states in the near future. The Kyoto Protocol framework (as it relates to international justice) has two implications particularly relevant to any discussion of broad participation in climate mitigation. They include the grandfather principle and the per capita system. The failure of the Protocol to address emission cuts by developing countries-the major pollutants in the future, clearly reflects its setback. Thus, one of the reasons for Canadas withdrawal from the agreement is that it fails to agree with the concept of justice as defined and implemented by the Kyoto Protocol. Due to the different responsibilities of carbon emission between developed countries and developing countries, a lot of effort has to be made to redefine justice within the Kyoto Protocol. Finally, Climate change has a price tag and cutting the emissions by amounts agreed by the Kyoto Protocol in little more than a decade requires a massive financial cost to the government of Canada. However, the cost to respecting the Kyoto Protocol can be justified. Although, the goals of the Protocol were established not by science, but by political negotiation but they do provide the long-term solution the world seeks to the problem of climate change. Furthermore, Canada argues that the Kyoto Protocol could have potentially significant repercussion for the global economy and is therefore arbitrary and ineffective. However, finding another workable solution to the problem of global warming do not represents the way forward as the cost to Climate change mitigation is likely to be constant over time.