Thursday, December 26, 2019
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Explain Why Comparing the G.D.P. of Various Nations Might...
Topic 2 Explain why comparing the G.D.P. of various nations might not tell you which nation is better off. Use information from the World Bank website to support your answers. In your explanation refer to the limitations of using G.D.P. as a measure of economic welfare and where possible, refer to the countries in your table above. Due to the very complex methods used in estimating gross domestic product and the sheer enormity of the task, gross domestic product is very necessarily a less than perfect measure of a nationââ¬â¢s economic pulse. Nonetheless, measured gross domestic product certainly plays a very critical role in influencing government economic and social policies. Therefore, there is, quite appropriately, some degree ofâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦If a rising per capita GDP does hand in hand with repressive political regime or a rapidly deteriorating environmental quality, people are nothing going to feel better off; by the same token, a country could have no economic growth, yet reduce the hours worked each week. More leisure time could make workers feel better off, even though per person GDP has not changed (Boyes and Melvin 2008). For example, we would like to show the graph of the money flow for three different countries, USA, China, and Japan. This is the GDP for the money flow of each country, as we can see that USA is the richest country in this graph, following by China, and then Japan. However, if we divide the money flow of the each country with the each countryââ¬â¢s population, we will get As we can see, USA and Japan people are having about the same wealth of living about 10 times more than Chinese people (The Tree of Mamre 2011). And with a calculation of the Australian GDP and the population according to the World Bank website, Australia has the lower rank of Japan, Australia, after calculation is $42,131(2009) which makes Australia is the 19th out of the world (World Bank record 1990-2010) (World Bank 2012). As shown, the GDP of each country does not mean that the country is rich, it has to be depended both, GDP itself and GDP per population. Monaco has only about 35,407 populations in 2010 however after divided into per capita is $172,676 (World
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Diary of A Teenage Girl. Becoming Me Essay Example For Students
Diary of A Teenage Girl. Becoming Me Essay Diary of A Teenage Girl. Becoming MeTitle Page: On the cover of Diary of a Teenage Girl, Becoming Me there is a girl with long silky brown hair. I get the impression that she is sad or lost because she is twirling her hair in between her fingers. Her head could possibly be tilted down in a depressed motion. I think her hands are the only thing visible because the author is trying to set of the mood of th young girl, and I think this is shown by the twirling of the hair between the fingers. Publication Data: Carlson, Melody. Diary of a Teenage Girl, Becoming Me. (United States of America, Multonomach Publishers, 2000)Setting: The setting is the time and place of a narratives actions. The setting in this novel is New Jersey. Three specific details of this setting are: a.) Caitlin and her family live in a small, narrow duplex with 3 bedrooms and one bathroom; b.) their house is central New Jersey and located next to a large park; c.) the house is a light brown with cream coloured shutters and has two large doors in the front. Caitlin and her family live in the duplex with one other family although the duplex has three floors. Living central allows Caitlin and her family easy access to school, church and work. She is able to attend track and field after school and hang out with her friends at the local diner. Caitlin learns more about herself by adventuring out into New Jersey and going to youth group as much as possible, learning more about God. Plot: Plot is a series of incidents which provide a solid framework for the development of a narratives conflict. Conflict is a struggle between two opposing forces. The main conflict in this novel is man vs himself. Caitlin struggles to find her true self and learn more about her religion. She makes many choices through out he novel that will impact her life forever. The conflict begins when Caitlin starts being more adventurous and starts going to parties and hanging out with the wrong crowd that she thinks are the cool kids. She meets new people that arent her true friends and arent good people. These people try and get her to do things that she really doesnt want to do and she makes the right choice in saying No. She immediately goes into a room where she cant be pressured and decides not to hang out with those people anymore. After she has had a dose of this bad environment she realises who her true friends are and she goes back to them. She makes many wise choices in the next upcoming events, and is ready to deal with those sorts os situations. Characters: The three physical characteristics of Caitlin are a.) long, straight, silky brown hair; b.) big brown eyes; c.) and she is roughly 54 metres tall. The three mental characteristics of Caitlin are a.)she is very smart and good grades in school; b.)she is a very strong headed person; c.) she is very loyal to God. Caitlin is a very good student and shows this buy getting good grades at school and attending regularly, trying not to miss a day. She is also very loyal to her track and field team and his very dedicated. She is very strong headed and stands for what she believes in. She likes to argue with people until she has made her point. She is also very loyal to God and maintains to be a good Christian. She demonstrates this through out the entire novel as she remains to be a virgin until she is married, not partying and attending church and youth group as often as possible. .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .postImageUrl , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:hover , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:visited , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:active { border:0!important; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:active , .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u225e412eb084cbf0553ac11604829dce:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Brandon Hill: My Personal Art Collection EssayThe three physical characteristics about Beanie are a.) she is very short; b.)she has long black hair that reaches past her butt; c.) she has small brown eyes. The three physical characteristics of Beanie are; a.)she is very athletic; b.) she, like Caitlin, is very headstrong; c.) and she is very smart. Beanie is a very athletic person and enjoys track and field after school. She is a very competitive runner and is one of the best athletes at running long jump. Beanie is also very headstrong and will speak her mind at any point in time. She is not afraid to speak her mind to her mother and doesnt allow anyone to belittle her in any way. Beanie is also very smart and gets excellent grades in school. She attends regularly and loves English and Social Sciences. Theme: The theme that the author is demonstrating in this novel is that we as people must stand up for what we believe in. We must be well educated in out beliefs and be able to back them up with a strong argument. The author makes us as readers realise that you should not be ashamed of who you are and what you believe in. The author also shows us that a person who is passionate in what they believe in can be very successful and achieve great accomplishments. This idea is clearly shown when Caitlin becomes very happy when she finds God. She believes that he is the answer to everything, and that she must follow all his rules in order to be a good Christian. She is very careful and wise in all the choices that she makes, she knows that every little choice will effect her future. I believe that the author demonstrates theme very clearly in this novel. Caitlin is a good Christian and abides by all the rules that God has given her. She doesnt go to parties and drink, and she is saving her virginity until she is married. This shows that she is very dedicated, loyal and is keeping strong with her commitment. Moreover this leads Caitlin to a great future in journalism, where she becomes very successful and focussed. Appreciation: One thing that I liked about this bok was that it was a journal of a teenage girl who is dealing with real teenage problems. It talks about going to parties, drinking, drugs, and even sex, that we as teens are dealing with. I also like how the author made Caitlin a very strong person in that she makes wise choices and is very mature. Those are very good qualities that more teens need these days. One thing that I didnt like about this book however was that it talked a lot about God. Going into this novel I thought it was going to be more exciting then it actually was. I thought Caitlin would enjoy herself more and have more fun. Well at least in my opinion, have more fun then she did. I didnt like the fact that Caitlin simply couldnt relax, she thought that God didnt want her to have any fun at all. I also think that the author should have put Caitlin in more dangerous situations, such as drinking and drugs, so Caitlin would have the choice. In the book she didnt even try any of these things to show her that she actually wanted to be with God. I think that she needed to have a bit more fun throughout the book. Recommendation: I would recommend this novel to anyone that is interested in God, and who wants to be a better Christian. This novel might attract a reader that is into journalism themselves and who is a very strong headed person. Nevertheless this novel is directed mor e towards younger readers who are experiencing the issues of todays teens.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Parasitic Flatworms Essays (1736 words) - Parasitology, Digenea
Parasitic Flatworms INTRODUCTION Imagine going to the doctor for a simple check up. Sure you've had some minor problems- indigestion, lack of energy, weight loss, and a bit of gas- but that's not out of the ordinary....or is it? In most cases you would be correct...but today is your unlucky day. The doctor has just informed you that you have a tapeworm parasite. PARASITIC CHARACTERISTICS By definition, a parasite is an organism that lives either in or on another organism. Infected organisms that are carrying a parasite are called host organisms- or hosts. This parasitic relationship can vary from benign to harmful- and sometimes even fatal. There are two main types of parasites: endoparasites and exoparasites, however endoparasites will be the focus of this paper, and flatworms in particular. Endoparasites are parasites that live inside the host organism. Endoparasites that inhabit vertebrates or invertebrates live off the nutrients in the food host organisms eat as well as the tissue of the host. These parasites not only live in the cavities of hollow organs but can also live within the tissue. Endoparasites can range from microscopic in size to 25 feet or more in length. Many worms are antiparasitic. Some live in the host's digestive tract feeding off the host's blood. Others, such as trichinosis, enter the host through the digestive tract and then migrate throughout the body tissue. Most microscopic worms secrete toxins into the hosts blood stream which then circulates and often causes damage to surrounding systems and tissue. The life cycle of endoparasites is as varied as the parasites themselves. Some parasites are permanent fixtures in a host's body, while others only live within the host for a limited amount of time. For example, parasitic worms can live within a host for up to 30 years! The host not even being aware of this fact because there are little or no symptoms of the invasion. Not only are life cycles varied for parasites but the number of hosts they live in are as well. Sometimes parasites live in only one host for their entire life- known as autecious - while others change hosts- known as heteroecious. In relation to the life cycle of parasitic worms, there are also different reproductive methods. Many parasites do not reproduce within their host, or reproduce to a limited degree. They are more likely to reproduce eggs that enter another host before they develop in the final host. These parasites just use their fist host as an intermediatory step in completing their life cycle. The species schistosoma ( Refer to Figure 1 ) from the class trematoda is an example of such a parasite. These parasites go through a life cycle in which they use an invertebrate, usually a snail as an intermediatory host. ( Refer to Figure 1a ) FLATWORM CHARACTERISTICS Flatworms from the phylum Platyhelminthes, are parasites that live within the intermediatory host but usually complete their sexual maturity within a vertebrate. They are broken into three major classes: Turbellaria, the most primitive, free-living class that resides either in or on a host, they generally live in a marine environment. Trematoda which is the small parasitic flatworm ( most of which are called flukes) has disk like suckers which attach to the outside or internal organs of their host, and the class Cestoda which consist of the parasitic flatworm known as the tapeworm. ( Refer to Figure 2 ) Tapeworms have no true digestive tract, therefore they live inside the digestive tract of vertebrates and some invertebrates, absorbing food through their body wall. They latch onto the walls of their host's digestive tract with suckers and hooks, located at their head, which is called a scolex. The phylum platyhelminthes are one of interest when discussing parasitic flatworms that in fect vertebrates and invertebrates. INFECTION Humans and animals are in continuous contact with microorganisms, because of this relationship there are numerous ways in which infection of flatworms can occur. Organisms that transmit parasites are known as vectors. Some vectors transmit parasites when they are eaten by the hosts. An example of this would be a flea eaten by a dog or cat. When the animal eats the flea, the immature form of the tapeworm emerges from the fleas body and later develops
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
The Smurfette Principle in the Modern Media Feminism Is over
The Smurfette Principle in the Modern Media Feminism Is over Coined by Katha Pollitt in the distant 1991, the term ââ¬Å"Smurfette Principleâ⬠described the phenomenon of female characters existing in media for the sole purpose of being the male counterparts and having no identity other than that: ââ¬Å"The message is clear. Boys are the norm, girls the variation; boys are central, girls peripheral; boys are individuals, girls types.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Smurfette Principle in the Modern Media: Feminism Is over? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Boys define the group, its story and its code of values. Girls exist only in relation to boysâ⬠(Pollitt, 1991, April 7, para. 4).Also known as a ââ¬Å"token woman,â⬠the given character originated from the attempts of the entertainment industry to market their product to a particular audience (Thompson Heinberg, 1999). However, despite the fact that the Smurfette principle is still applied towards mode rn media and especially film industry, considerable changes in the definition of the role of a female character have occurred, with the latter acquiring their own unique features outside of supplying color commentaries for the male characters, which can be traced in a number of present-day media specimens. One of the most obvious changes that have occurred to female characters in media and that seems to have the greatest impact on the destruction of the Smurfette Principle is that most of the female characters created in 2000sââ¬â2010s clearly have distinct personalities ââ¬â in contrast to the ones of the 90s era, when a female character had a personality of a powder compact (Smith, 2008). Another obvious foot forward in promoting a less clichà ©d female character to younger audience is the fact that modern female leads do not need a male companion and often do not have one. The given feature of a ââ¬Å"strong, independentâ⬠female character was launched by the creat ors of long-forgotten She-Ra franchise (Scheimer 1985ââ¬â1986), where, though originally created as a counterpart to He-Man, the princess had a distinct personality, and her gender could be considered accidental. Although the number of female protagonists with their unique story arc and personality still seems quite little, the prevalence of female antagonists whose gender could be defined as accidental is stunning. Even the notorious The little mermaid, which Pollitt despised so much for providing an unbearably bland character with the most trivial motivations that a female protagonist can get, provides the audience with a unique and compelling evil female character. Ursula, though admittedly despicable, is much more compelling than Ariel, and her motivations are much more complex; the animators could have easily substituted her with a male character without changing a single line: ââ¬Å"Come in. Come in, my child. We mustnt lurk in doorways. Its rude. One might question your upbringingâ⬠(Ashman, 1989, 0:39:17ââ¬â0:39:25). Therefore, it can be assumed that the experience of writing negative female characters can be translated into creating unique female protagonists as well.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It must be admitted that the idea of splitting the characters into male protagonists and their female archetypes is extremely alluring for most of the present-day media companies. In fact, even the most gender neutral TV shows and cartoon series seem to recycle the same concept of a male lead and his shallow female counterpart. In fact, female characters are provided with a leading part quite rarely even nowadays, especially in TV shows and animated series, with several major exceptions which only seem to make the Smurfette Principle even stronger. Indeed, in a retrospective, the media targeted at children rarely features the shows in which a female protagonist plays just as important part as a male one. For instance, in 1990s and 2000s, most TV shows, such as Avatar (DiMartino, 2005ââ¬â2008), had male leads, whereas all that girls were left with was My little pony (Faust, 2010). The 2010s, however, changed a lot. Such shows as Kim Possible (for teens) and Dora the Explorer (for younger audience) showed that female protagonists could exist and, more importantly, were not supposed to follow the formula of shallow female archetypes. What is even more surprising, these shows were targeted not primarily at boys, but largely at teens and kids, therefore, offering big gender neutral shows with a strong female lead, not to mention the famous and extremely well grossing ââ¬Å"Avatar: The Legend of Korraâ⬠(with 4.5 rating, according to the Staff Writer (2013, November 14)). The process of redefining female characters in media, especially in the media designed for children, is taking place at a very slow pace at present, mostly because of the creatorsââ¬â¢ unwillingness to try something new in terms of female character development. The intentions of the people involved into the media industry are hardly malicious; instead, they seem to be careless towards the way in which media shapes childrenââ¬â¢s perception of reality. There are a few exceptions in the grand scheme, but for the most part, the Smurfette Principle seems to be affecting the evolution of a female character even nowadays, especially in children TV series and cartoons and mostly for the same reasons that it appears in the adult media. There seems to be a pattern of attitudes towards the media created by women and by men in that the latter are said to create the content for girls and women, while the latter are considered to be able to create content for both.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Smurfette Principle in the Modern Media: Feminism Is over? specifically for you for on ly $16.05 $11/page Learn More The 2010s, however, have changed the cultural landscape of female characters, in children media specifically. It is remarkable that a number of movies that were released in 2010s have a female protagonist that often does not require a male counterpart and seems to be able to exist on her own. Taking Merida from Brave (2012) as an example one will see that she is the compelling female character that does not fit the Smurfette Principle at all; she even stands the Bechdel test, for that matter (Freedman, 2009). She interacts with male characters, yet marrying a prince is not her focus; true, she has suitors, but she prefers not to marry any of them at the end of the movie: ââ¬Å"There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.â⬠(Docter, Lasseter Stanton, 2012). The given movie is not the only example of female protagonists evolving into self-sufficient characters with their own unique story arcs. Although the process of changing the viewersââ¬â¢ idea of women in media, especially if these viewers are children, is not easy, it still has the potential, which more recent examples of portraying women in media show. Another obvious change to female characters in media, especially in media for children, is that the female protagonists are no longer needed to be portrayed as the lead characterââ¬â¢s love interest or a ââ¬Å"sidekickâ⬠ââ¬â quite on the contrary, they get their own unique stories and develop authentic character traits that inform, but not define them (Michael et al., 2012). Synthesis The present-day media, especially media designed for children, still seems to suffer from the abuse of token female characters. However, the basic tendencies in the media industry are clearly geared towards redefining female characters. The recent media products in general and media products for children in particular are the exact manifestation of such tendencies, as the analysis of shows and movies above displays (Taylor, 2003). The creators of female characters in media have a number of complex and often contradictory tasks. On the one hand, they must create a female character, who is going to be authentic and will not be considered a bland attempt at recycling the character traits of the male protagonist. On the other hand, it is necessary to create the female character whose key features are not going to inform her gender and be attributed to both men and women; in other words, it is necessary to step away from stereotypical portrayal of women in media (Aina Cameron, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion Assuming that female characters cannot evolve in the present-day media would be quite a stretch ââ¬â as the recent movies and TV series for younger audience show, it is possible to write an interesting and compelling female protagonist. However, the introduction of such characters into popular media presupposes fighting a number of stereotypes. As it turns out, it is possible not to fall for the trope of a female archetype in movies and come up with a unique personality for a female protagonist. Therefore, it is only a matter of time and effort before a range of new and inspiring female characters appear in mass media in general and children media in particular. Reference List Aina, O. E. Cameron, P. A. (2011). Why does gender matter? Counteracting stereotypes with young children. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 39(3), 11ââ¬â20. Ashman, H. (Executive Producer). (1989). The little mermaid [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Pictures. DiMartino, M. D. (2005ââ¬â2008) . Avatar: The last airbender. Studio City, LA: Nicelodeon Animation Studio. Docter, P., Lasseter, J. Stanton, A. (2012). Brave [DVD]. Emeryville, CA: Pixar. Faust, L. (Executive Producer). (2010). My little pony. Vancouver: Studio B Productions. Freedman, A. (2009). Drawing on Modernism in Alison Bechdelââ¬â¢s Fun Home. Journal of Modern Literature, 32(4), 125-140. Michael, E., Bakar, A. R. A.,Ibrahim, I. M., Veerappan, G., Noor, N. M., Heng, L. E. Yann, N. K. (2012). A comparative study of gender roles in animated films. Global Journal of Human Social Science, 12(5), 73ââ¬â78. Pollitt, K. (1991, April 7). Hers; the Smurfette principle. The New York Times. Web. Scheimer, L. (Executive Producer). (1985ââ¬â1986). She-Ra: Princess of power. East Pittsburg, PA: Group W Productions. Smith, S. L. (2008). Gender stereotypes: An analysis of popular films and TV. Web. Staff Writer (2013, November 14). Legend of Korra director creates contest for book 2 episode 11: Ratings rising after timeslot change. KPopStarz. Web. Taylor, F. (2003). Content analysis and gender stereotypes in childrens books. Teaching Sociology, 31(3), 300ââ¬â311. Thompson, K. J. Heinberg, L. J. (1999). The medias influence on body image disturbance and eating disorders: Weve reviled them, now can we rehabilitate them? Journal of Social Issues, 55(2), 339ââ¬â353.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Learning English in Non-English Countries Essay Example
Learning English in Non Learning English in Non-English Countries Essay Learning English in Non-English Countries Essay As long as English is spreading widely, its value, importance and usage are also in progress. From English as lingua franca to EFL (English as a foreign language), and from EFL to EMI (English as medium of instruction) English is growing and spreading rapidly. EMI is one of the global phenomena that has been debated across the world and carries many controversial ideas. While many countries accept EMI as a path to development, opponents believe that EMI is a form of language imperialism and undermines the multilingualism and the learning efforts of students. However, in past few decades EMI has succeeded to gain its position as a key factor of development. In this paper, the beneficial points of EMI (globally, economically and internationally), by providing evidence from many countries, will be argued. EMI is accepted as the best way of globalizing countries because English has become a global language among other languages of the world. As the global usage of English estimated, ââ¬Å"Some 380m people speak it as their first language and perhaps two-thirds as many again as their second. A billion are learning it, about a third of the worlds population is in some sense exposed to it and by 2050, it is predicted, half the world will be more or less proficient in itâ⬠(The Economist). Globalization has also made English extremely important in many fields like, diplomacy, internet, entertainment, medicine, and mostly education and information. As experts say, ââ¬Å"About 85% of the worldââ¬â¢s important film productions and markets use English as well, and 90% of the published academic articles in several academic fields, such as linguistics, are written in English. In many cases, the increased growth in the use of the English language can be attributed to educational, econo mic, or cultural globalizationâ⬠(Li and Ben-Canaan 1). Therefore, many countries with the aim of training their students in English and make them able to cope with global
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Ways of Seeing by John Berger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2
Ways of Seeing by John Berger - Essay Example In the attempt to convey the disparity in perception of ââ¬Å"beautyâ⬠between men and women, Berger illustrates that women tend to adore themselves much more than men, while the latter focus on womenââ¬â¢s appearance rather than their own. This gives the implication that women perceive themselves as being beautiful and they expect men to recognize the same of them. This is a theme that Berger builds with the pictures described hereunder (Berger [b] 35). On the 36th page of ââ¬Å"Ways of seeingâ⬠, there are two photographs of two different women. The first photograph depicts a lady working at a store, wrapping a box on the table with her head bowed low (Berger [b] 36). Despite her admirable stature, the lady has numerous portraits of ââ¬Å"beautifulâ⬠ladies hanging on the wall behind her. In the second photograph, there is a lady sitting in the back left side of a car. The lady appears to be receiving a lot of attention from onlookers, who seem to be astounded by her looks. However, the woman in the photo looks so carefree, an aspect evident from her sitting posture and closed eyes. This is a clear indicator that she perceives herself as being beautiful and expects complete attention from others, yet she does not even acknowledge her admirers. Her perception is, however, as a result of peopleââ¬â¢s general definition of beauty. Both photographs, display women yet they maintain extremely diverse levels of ââ¬Å"beauty â⬠. Most importantly, the depicted ââ¬Å"beautyâ⬠is defined by other people. For instance, the lady working at the store is striving to achieve prosperity and become like the woman on the second photograph since she also upholds a definition of ââ¬Å"beautyâ⬠, similar to that, which is admired by other people (Berger [b] 36).
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Lessons Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Lessons Plan - Essay Example Introduction to Computers is a beginning college course for intermediate level English students. The course takes place in the classroom and the computer laboratory with the instructor acting as a meeting facilitator, content presenter, and tutor. Although the course is documented online and uses the Internet, it is traditional face-to-face pedagogy (Wuensch, Aziz, Ozan, Kishore, & Tabrizi, 2008). Because students come from different national educational systems and they have different computer skills already, the course has to make room for these differences. Giving choices of which learning objectives to work on helps students develop their computer literacy as well as demonstrate practical skills. The topics for the class meetings show the general scope of the course. The student chooses one or more of the objectives for each meeting. If the objectives and their learning activities for a meeting do not give the student something new to learn , he or she can work with the instructor and decide what is best. 1. Course Overview, Computers and the Internet: The learner should be able to design a directory structure for a student taking three courses, or for an office worker involved in three projects. The design should include folder and file naming, the types of files included, and sample content for each. 3. Word Processing: The learner should be able to create and print or upload a one-page, double-spaced text document showing as many features of the program as possible--fonts, point size, tables, columns, pagination, and so forth. 5. Spreadsheets: The learner should be able to create two original spreadsheets, one showing a personal or project budget with monthly and annual sample numbers and one showing the formulae for the calculations. To show how this course uses the Internet to meet learning goals or aims for different students, the first thing
Sunday, November 17, 2019
In the Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free
In the Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway Essay In the Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, alcoholism is an important theme in the novel. Alcoholism is a large part of Ernest Hemingwayââ¬â¢s novel ââ¬Å"The Sun Also Risesâ⬠. Drinking is the greatest escape that the characters use and the author employs it very often in the novel. All throughout the novel, the characters are drinking excessively. They use drinking to also help prove themselves. Because of Jakeââ¬â¢s war wound made him physically unable, he feels that he must prove himself to people so he uses drinking to prove himself. Jake also uses wine to forget the things that he doesnââ¬â¢t like about his friends such as the fight between Mick and Cohn, when Mike was mad that Cohn is always looking at Brett and holding in to her everywhere she goes. ââ¬Å"There was much wine and ignored tension, and a feeling of things coming that you could not prevent happening. Under the wine I lost the disgusted feeling and was happy. It seemed that they were all such nice peopleâ⬠(Hemingway 150). In reality, all that drinking does is to give them something in common so that they can relate to one another in some parts of their lives. They are always drinking together and talking about their life difficulties. Often, drinking provides a way of escaping reality and allows them to avoid their problems by avoid thinking about them. In conclusion, in Hemingwayââ¬â¢s the Sun Also Rises, it is clear that alcohol dependency is a main theme.
Friday, November 15, 2019
The Poetry of Emily Dickinson Essay example -- Personal Response Essay
Emily Dickinson has always been one of my favorite poets. I love her poems because of the pain and sorrow they contain to which I can easily relate. She often writes of funerals and death. I myself have watched too many friends die and have wondered why God would let this happen. At every funeral, some well meaning mourner would say--,"The Lord called him" or "She's with Jesus now." My gut reaction was always, "Bullshit." Then Emily Dickinson's poem "My Life Closed Twice Before its Close" would come to mind, especially the last two lines--,"Parting is all we know of Heaven and all we need of hell." More than anything I've ever heard those lines summarize the doubts I've had about an afterlife and the pain of those left behind. My friend Molly Moynahan, recently wrote a novel and titled it Parting is all We Know of Heaven. The book opens with Dickinson's poem in its entirety. It is the story of a young woman whose life is destroyed by grief following her sister's death. I too have been at the point where grief combined with my own stupidity (drugs and alcohol) almost destroyed my life. My best friend since childhood killed herself by eating 56 valium pills. Her suicide note said that she was too ashamed of herself to face her family anymore. Her parents didn't even bother to come to her funeral. We had to take up a collection in the bar to bury her. Two weeks later another good friend choked to death on his own vomit. His three year old daughter found him the next morning. I was overwhelmed with guilt when I realized I had been drinking with him the night before. To this day when I see his wife and children at the supermarket, I can't look them in the face. Within the next two months I lost three other friends t... ... we discussed in class the tradition among New England Puritans of looking in the face of the dead and reading their emotions to determine whether or not they were going to heaven. I've thought about this a lot since I've found God and I hope that it isn't true. Everyone I've known has died a horrible death. They were all cut down in the prime of their lives--face down in their own vomit, on the cold, dirty floor of a bathroom, decapitated in a car wreck, in a crowded AIDS ward in a city hospital. None of them had a chance to make their peace with God or with themselves for that matter. I'm sure none of them died looking content or peaceful but terrified and at best surprised. Therefore I would like to believe that hell is all that has gone on here in this life and that after the parting there is a heaven where those who suffered on earth are given a second chance. The Poetry of Emily Dickinson Essay example -- Personal Response Essay Emily Dickinson has always been one of my favorite poets. I love her poems because of the pain and sorrow they contain to which I can easily relate. She often writes of funerals and death. I myself have watched too many friends die and have wondered why God would let this happen. At every funeral, some well meaning mourner would say--,"The Lord called him" or "She's with Jesus now." My gut reaction was always, "Bullshit." Then Emily Dickinson's poem "My Life Closed Twice Before its Close" would come to mind, especially the last two lines--,"Parting is all we know of Heaven and all we need of hell." More than anything I've ever heard those lines summarize the doubts I've had about an afterlife and the pain of those left behind. My friend Molly Moynahan, recently wrote a novel and titled it Parting is all We Know of Heaven. The book opens with Dickinson's poem in its entirety. It is the story of a young woman whose life is destroyed by grief following her sister's death. I too have been at the point where grief combined with my own stupidity (drugs and alcohol) almost destroyed my life. My best friend since childhood killed herself by eating 56 valium pills. Her suicide note said that she was too ashamed of herself to face her family anymore. Her parents didn't even bother to come to her funeral. We had to take up a collection in the bar to bury her. Two weeks later another good friend choked to death on his own vomit. His three year old daughter found him the next morning. I was overwhelmed with guilt when I realized I had been drinking with him the night before. To this day when I see his wife and children at the supermarket, I can't look them in the face. Within the next two months I lost three other friends t... ... we discussed in class the tradition among New England Puritans of looking in the face of the dead and reading their emotions to determine whether or not they were going to heaven. I've thought about this a lot since I've found God and I hope that it isn't true. Everyone I've known has died a horrible death. They were all cut down in the prime of their lives--face down in their own vomit, on the cold, dirty floor of a bathroom, decapitated in a car wreck, in a crowded AIDS ward in a city hospital. None of them had a chance to make their peace with God or with themselves for that matter. I'm sure none of them died looking content or peaceful but terrified and at best surprised. Therefore I would like to believe that hell is all that has gone on here in this life and that after the parting there is a heaven where those who suffered on earth are given a second chance.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
It530
Assignment Grading Rubric Course: IT530 Unit: 5 Points: 120 Copyright Kaplan University Unit 5 Assignment Outcomes addressed in this activity: Unit Outcomes: Explain flow control and congestion management and their significance to overall network performance Evaluate standard routing techniques and their application to a businessââ¬â¢ internet connectivity Recommend a comprehensive security plan Plan and describe methods to secure data including encryption techniques and security protocols Assess LAN communications and management protocols and examine their significance in business environmentsCourse Outcomes: IT530-5: Analyze issues surrounding the connectivity and administration of networks. Assignment Instructions: 1. In recent years, the concept of ââ¬Å"ethicalâ⬠hacking has grown in importance as more companies consider hiring ââ¬Å"black hatâ⬠hackers as security consultants. Research the elements that comprise ââ¬Å"ethicalâ⬠hacking. In what ways does et hical hacking differ from ââ¬Å"black hatâ⬠hacking? Put yourself into the position of a system administrator considering hiring a hacker.How would you ensure that this individual was actually strengthening your companyââ¬â¢s network security rather than hacking into your companyââ¬â¢s sensitive data? Would you even consider hiring a hacker in the first place? Why or why not? Try to find at least one example of a real world ââ¬Å"ethicalâ⬠hacker being hired; was it a good or bad decision on the part of the company? 2. Based on your research, write an 8 to 10 page paper that researches the concept of ââ¬Å"ethicalâ⬠hacking, as well as the ethical dilemmas inherent in hiring a hacker as a security consultant. Preparing your AssignmentThe written essay/paragraph formatted paper should be 8 ââ¬â 10 pages long NOT including cover page and references. As you research ethical hacking, ALL of the pages must have citations and references. No more than one direct quotation (of 40 words or more) is allowed per page and bullet lists without substantial narrative included are strongly discouraged. There should be no spelling or grammar errors. All written assignments should be in APA format. APA formatted in-text citations and references are required for all sources, and all figures and tables must be captioned in APA format.If you are unfamiliar with APA formatting, please see the Kaplan Writing Center for more information on how to work with APA. Directions for Submitting Your Assignment: Compose your assignment in a Microsoft Word à ® document and save it as Username-IT530 Assignment ââ¬â Unit#. doc (Example: TAllen- IT530 Assignment-Unit5. doc). Submit your file by selecting the Unit 5: Assignment Dropbox by the end of Unit 5. Assignment Grading Rubric Course: IT530 Unit: 5 Points: 120 Copyright Kaplan University Assignment requirements:All papers must meet these standard requirements: Paper follows APA formatting Length is 8-10 pages long not including references and cover page No more than three bulleted or listed points per paper. No more than one direct quote per page from a reference source and those quotes must be properly cited within the body and in the references at the end of the paper Title page Reference page No spelling errors No grammar errors *2 points will be deducted from grade for each occurrence of not meeting these requirements.Review the grading rubric below before beginning this activity. Unit 5 Assignment Grading Rubric = 120 points Assignment Requirements Points possible Points earned by student Document includes introductory paragraph discussing the general concepts of ethical hacking as opposed to black hat hacking. 0-30 Document includes well supported argument pro or con for hiring a hacker as security consultant. 0-30 Document includes example of ââ¬Å"real worldâ⬠hiring of hacker and discusses the outcome. 0-30 Discussion of ethical hacking considerations should be substantia l nd flow logically. 0-30 Total (Sum of all points) Less: Standard Requirements points deductedAssignment Grading Rubric Course: IT530 Unit: 5 Points: 120 Copyright Kaplan University Assignment Total For more information and example of APA formatting, see the resources in Doc sharing or visit the KU Writing Center from the KU Homepage. Also review the KU Policy on Plagiarism. This policy will be strictly enforced on all applicable assignments and discussion posts. If you have any questions, please contact your professor.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden: Early Northern Renaissance
Rogier van der Weyden was one of the foremost artists from the Netherlands. During the Renaissance, religious themes were prevalent. Europe, was predominantly Catholic and the Church was a huge patron of the art that was produced. Northern Europe was different from Italy, the center of Renaissance art, in that it was more ornate the art produced in this area eventually was known as Baroque. The painting The Seven Sacraments by van der Weyden is typical of the art produced in the area. The subjects of the painting The Seven Sacraments, painted in fourteen forty-five, are baptism, confirmation, and penance on the left; the Eucharist in the center; and ordination, marriage, and extreme unction are on the right. The Catholic Church believes in the seven sacraments while the Protestants believe in only baptism and marriage. The religious subject is what makes this painting characteristic of the artistic period of the Renaissance. However, it is typically Northern in that the colors are bright and vivid and they painting is extremely realistic. An example would be that the dying man in the right of the painting is realistic in his body. During this time artist studied the human body at great lengths so that they could produce it realistically. They even studied cadavers so that they would be familiar with the inner and outer elements of the body. The setting for The Seven Sacraments is a large open cathedral. The Crucifixion is displayed in the center while there are angels on each side. Christ is hung above the other figures to symbolize his dominance in the lives of mankind. The angels represent the ever present being sent from heaven. The wedding on the left is not only a literal sacrament, but it also symbolizes the union of Christ and the Church on the day that Christ returns. The dying man on the right symbolizes the guarantee that life will end and man will have to face the unknown. The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden is a good example of the early Renaissance painting from Northern Europe. Weydenââ¬â¢s focus on emotion and grief made him the most famed painter of the time when he died. After his death, many artist went on to make the Renaissance the most popular period of art.
Friday, November 8, 2019
ââ¬ÅLetââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexââ¬Â Documentary Essay Essays
ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexâ⬠Documentary Essay Essays ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexâ⬠Documentary Essay Essay ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexâ⬠Documentary Essay Essay Essay Topic: Talk James Houston put together the docudrama ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexâ⬠that highlights the differences between Americanââ¬â¢s attack to arouse instruction and that of other states like the Netherlands. The stereotypes. contention. and irony all related to sex is put out in the unfastened and discussed. Throughout the movie. it is obvious that Americaââ¬â¢s ways of sex instruction and attitude towards sex has created a negative intension. The Europeans have a much more unfastened attack when it comes to the treatment of sex and started sex instruction at an early age. Americanââ¬â¢s. on the other manus. have a really closed attack to arouse treatment and salvage sex instruction for later ages. This negative intension and attack to instruction has resulted in the States holding much higher rates of adolescent gestation. adolescent birth. and sexually familial infections when compared to European states. One could state that itââ¬â¢s clip the United States changes its attack and sentiments sing sex. gender. and the instruction behind it. Throughout the film. there was a commonalty between those who held a colored sentiment on the subject of sex. Those who believed abstention should be enforced and were against an unfastened treatment of sexual dealingss were frequently times from the older coevals. Itââ¬â¢s the parents of teens. most instructors of sex instruction. and even people within the churches that held a prejudice. They believed that teens should non be involved in sexual activities and that it should be saved for matrimony. Along with that. they stood behind the thought that the teens should non be educated about sex until later in high school and the unfastened treatment of sex and gender was non proper. Kelseyââ¬â¢s female parent was one of these biased people. She was strongly against the thought of Kelsey taking portion in sexual activities until she got married and did do it easy for Kelsey to openly pass on with her about her sexual dealingss. For those teens that do take portion in sexual activities. they are looked down upon in the greater part of American civilization because of the negative intensions that have been established here in the United States. With these prejudices. it has put sex into a negative class non merely for the minority. being the teens. but most Americans in general. In America. sex is non something people openly talk about nor is it something that teens are ââ¬Å"supposeâ⬠to take portion in. The thought of teens taking portion in sexual dealingss prior to matrimony is greatly frowned upon and the stigma of transporting a rubber has scared them off from it. An illustration of this. which was shared in the film. is that in the Netherlands. transporting a rubber get downing in their teens is really common and bucked up. Where as in the provinces. if a adolescent were to be caught with a rubber. others would see that as a mark of person who is really promiscuous. In the film. females thought males who carried rubbers wanted nil but sex from a miss while males thought that adult females who carried rubbers were easy and considered slatterns. This negative impact in the States has generated these stereotypes environing sex. The effects of these stereotypes have negative results. For illustration. if a cat is afraid to transport a rubber because of the stereotype and when it comes clip for him to take portion in sexual activities. he wonââ¬â¢t be decently prepared. Without the protection. he is at hazard for STIs and possibility of gestation in misss. This is besides true frailty versa with misss ; they excessively should transport rubbers. but are afraid due to the negative association. There is besides a negative thought behind the treatment of sex in an unfastened scene. Most parents in the US are afraid to speak about sex with their teens sharing both their sexual lives and discoursing their teens. Because the parents are non unfastened to it. the teens are afraid to near their parents with sex related inquiries or state them they have taken portion in sexual activities. Because of this. many teens go with out proper direction and right information in respects to sexual activities. Where as if the parents were more unfastened and accepting of the thought of their teens taking portion in sexual activities. it would open an avenue for better cognition and possibly even assist prevent STIs. gestations. and other sex related issues. The minority group in ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s Talk About Sexâ⬠stood as US teens. These teens faced the favoritism of senior groups and negative stereotypes. but throughout the class of the film. it showed how things are easy altering. Several people who are frequently viewed as community leaders are working to decently educate teens. An illustration was sublime Williams. who created an unfastened country to discourse sex related things and offer proper instruction. Some instructors besides voiced their sentiment on how they believe sex erectile dysfunction. should be more about sexual dealingss and non about human anatomy. They besides believe the instruction should get down at younger ages when childs are traveling through pubescence and developing sexually developing. This is one manner these teens are acquiring the upper manus on favoritism. Another is that opening the thought of household treatments about sex and the thought of teens being involved in sexual dealingss. Interrupting the premise that abstention is the lone reply and opening the door to treatment. utilizing the Netherlands as an illustration. By the terminal of the film. Kelsey. whose female parent originally frowned upon sex before matrimony. was able to alter her female parents mind and even speak about her sexual dealingss. These are merely a twosome of the ways the teens easy made alteration. there is still a batch more to be talked about and changed. When reflecting back. I excessively can associate to the US teens in the docudrama. I have noticed the closed door in footings of the treatment of sex and human gender every bit good as the stigmas associated with teensââ¬â¢ engagement in sexual activities. I do believe there is something to be said about the Netherlands attack to human gender and sex. particularly when looking at the figure of adolescent gestations and transmittal of STIs compared to the much larger figure in the US. We. as the United States. could profit from a alteration in the ambiance environing adolescent sex. and sex in general. Sexual activity is a natural thing.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Timeline and History of Chocolate and the Cocoa Bean
Timeline and History of Chocolate and the Cocoa Bean Chocolate has a long and fascinating past, as delicious as its taste. Heres a timeline of notable dates in its history! 1500 BC-400 BC: The Olmec Indians are believed to be the first to grow cocoa beans as a domestic crop.250 to 900 CE: The consumption of cocoa beans was restricted to the Mayan societys elite, in the form of an unsweetened cocoa drink made from the ground beans.AD 600: Mayans migrate into northern regions of South America establishing earliest known cocoa plantations in the Yucatan.14th Century: The drink became popular among the Aztec upper classes who usurped the cocoa beverage from the Mayans and were the first to tax the beans. The Aztecs called it xocalatl meaning warm or bitter liquid.1502: Columbus encountered a great Mayan trading canoe in Guanaja carrying cocoa beans as cargo.1519: Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez recorded the cocoa usage in the court of Emperor Montezuma.1544: Dominican friars took a delegation of Kekchi Mayan nobles to visit Prince Philip of Spain. The Mayans brought gift jars of beaten cocoa, mixed and ready to drink. Spain and Portugal did not export the beloved drink to the rest of Europe for nearly a century. 16th Century Europe: The Spanish began to add cane sugar and flavorings such as vanilla to their sweet cocoa beverages.1570: Cocoa gained popularity as a medicine and aphrodisiac.1585: First official shipments of cocoa beans began arriving in Seville from Vera Cruz, Mexico.1657: The first chocolate house was opened in London by a Frenchman. The shop was called The Coffee Mill and Tobacco Roll. Costing 10 to 15 shillings per pound, chocolate was considered a beverage for the elite class.1674: Eating solid chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate rolls and cakes served in chocolate emporiums.1730: Cocoa beans had dropped in price from $3 per pound to a price within the financial reach of those other than the very wealthy.1732: French inventor, Monsieur Dubuisson invented a table mill for grinding cocoa beans.1753: Swedish naturalist, Carolus Linnaeus was dissatisfied with the word cocoa, so renamed it theobroma, Greek for food of the gods.1765: Chocolate was introduced to the United States when Irish chocolate-maker John Hanan imported cocoa beans from the West Indies into Dorchester, Massachusetts, to refine them with the help of American Dr. James Baker. The pair soon after built Americas first chocolate mill and by 1780, the mill was making the famous BAKERS à ® chocolate. 1795: Dr. Joseph Fry of Bristol, England, employed a steam engine for grinding cocoa beans, an invention that led to the manufacture of chocolate on a large factory scale.1800: Antoine Brutus Menier built the first industrial manufacturing facility for chocolate.1819: The pioneer of Swiss chocolate-making, Franà §ois Louis Callier, opened the first Swiss chocolate factory.1828: The invention of the cocoa press, by Conrad Van Houten, helped cut prices and improve the quality of chocolate by squeezing out some of the cocoa butter and giving the beverage a smoother consistency. Conrad Van Houten patented his invention in Amsterdam and his alkalizing process became known as Dutching. Several years earlier, Van Houten was the first to add alkaline salts to powdered cocoa to make it mix better with water.1830: A form of solid eating chocolate was developed by Joseph Fry Sons, a British chocolate maker.1847: Joseph Fry Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa butter back into the Du tched chocolate, and added sugar, creating a paste that could be molded. The result was the first modern chocolate bar. 1849: Joseph Fry Son and Cadbury Brothers displayed chocolates for eating at an exhibition in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England.1851: Prince Alberts Exposition in London was the first time that Americans were introduced to bonbons, chocolate creams, hand candies (called boiled sweets), and caramels.1861: Richard Cadbury created the first known heart-shaped candy box for Valentines Day.1868: John Cadbury mass-marketed the first boxes of chocolate candies.1876: Daniel Peter of Vevey, Switzerland, experimented for eight years before finally inventing a means of making milk chocolate for eating.1879: Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlà © joined together to form the Nestlà © Company.1879: Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, produced smoother and creamier chocolate that melted on the tongue. He invented the conching machine. To conch meant to heat and roll chocolate in order to refine it. After chocolate had been conched for seventy-two hours and had more cocoa butter added to it, it was po ssible to create chocolate fondant and other creamy forms of chocolate. 1897: The first known published recipe for chocolate brownies appeared in the Sears and Roebuck Catalogue.1910: Canadian, Arthur Ganong marketed the first nickel chocolate bar. William Cadbury urged several English and American companies to join him in refusing to buy cacao beans from plantations with poor labor conditions.1913: Swiss confectionerà Jules Sechaud of Montreux introduced a machine process for manufacturing filled chocolates.1926: Belgian chocolatier, Joseph Draps starts the Godiva Company to compete with Hersheys and Nestles American market. Special thanks go to John Bozaan for the additional research.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Critical Review based on project from litrature review, methodology Essay - 1
Critical Review based on project from litrature review, methodology and analysis - Essay Example The literature review project is instrumental in showing us how the DICOM technology has long been practised in the medical field. DICOM has been in existence in imaging area of the clinic. It has not been able to avoid DICOM in the medical field since its essential. In chapter 4 of this paper methodology there is the project application by the use of the imaging in the medical field. All the processes involved from taking the images to storing them in the online database are all expounded. With time the imaging applied by the use of DICOM has migrated from the research based to the clinical based. For example the stroke perfusion CT and MR, hippocampal volume, amyloidal and FDG PET, tumour size, Due to need for better treatment, improved technology will serve a better chance in ensuring doctors can access quality information in good timing. This system will provide practitioners with the best, hence enabling better performance. It will also important for others who need information for academic use outside the hospital since they can access it too. It is given that implementing structured data management solution or program has potential problems upon incorporation of such system (Lowe, 1995). The biggest challenge of this project emerges from inflexibility in relations to the system users. This project has the inflexibility problem where the clients or users would feel inhibited from their practises of processing and the usual coding. This way, problem like UML diagram and function not working would arise in the course of the user being constrained from the use of this system. In the methodology part of this paper, there was the use of codes, which were not easy to apply due to the occurrence of syntax and run time errors. These codes were required in entities like tumours, tissues and lesions. These features were necessary to enhance meaning and it was not that easy to come up with the right final code. The
Friday, November 1, 2019
Toyota Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words
Toyota - Research Paper Example Furthermore the company should start a new advertising and public relation campaign in order to recover its affected image. The entire project will be very much feasible if the company works according to the provided plan. The Japan based Toyota Motor Corporation has been dominating the automobile industry over the past few years. The company started its journey back in 1937 as Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. In the next year, production started in the Honsha plant of the company. In 1950 the company faced severe financial crisis. In the same year Toyota Motor Sales Co. Ltd. was established. In 1959 production started in another plant named Motomachi. In 1966 the company launched Corolla and in 1982 Toyota motor Sales Co. Ltd. merged with Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation was formed. Today Toyotaââ¬â¢s main business is producing and selling automobiles. Its head office is situated in Tokyo, Japan. There are four brands through which the company sells its cars. These are Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. In addition to automobile production the company is also involved in other industries like housing, ITS, financial service, biotechnology & afforestation and marine. There are some clearly defined guiding principles that help the company and its managers to handle the entire operation. Toyota believes that it is very important to become good corporate citizen and in order to do so it is important to honor the spirit of law and language of each and every nation it operates in. The company believes in fair and open corporate activities. Furthermore Toyotaââ¬â¢s guiding principles also say that customs and culture of every nation need to be respected. It is also found that the company always tries to make some positive contribution to the social as well as to economic development of the communities. The company is found to be operating on the principle of providing safe and
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
How does a fi rms tax rate affect its cost of capital What is the Essay
How does a fi rms tax rate affect its cost of capital What is the effect of the flotation - Essay Example The cost of capital can be calculated using valuation models such as CAPM or Arbitrage Pricing Model. Like all affairs of a business, the cost of capital is also affected by numerous factors, some within and some beyond the organizationââ¬â¢s control. One of the factors which greatly affects the cost of capital and is beyond the control of the organization is the tax rate. Tax rate refers to the percentage of earning/spending which is contributed to the government. There are several types of taxes, applicable on different economic units, such as the income tax applicable on individuals, corporate tax applicable on corporations, sales tax applicable to sellers etc. Of primary concern in an organization are the corporate tax rate and the capital gains tax. The corporate tax rate is used to calculate the cost of debt in the weighted average cost of capital. The higher the tax rate; the lower will be the cost of capital since the interest payments are tax deductible. The capital gains tax, on the other hand, is applicable to owners of capital in the organizations, i.e. the shareholde rs. An appreciation in the ownership of share prices requires the shareholders to pay a specific percentage (varies from country to country) to the government. In such a case, the higher the capital gains tax, the lower will be the motivation of shareholders to hold their stocks. The tax rate structure applicable in a country determines the capital structure of a firm. If the corporate tax rate is higher than the capital gains tax rate then the structure will comprise of more debt and less shares and vice versa. In case an organization does not directly take a loan from a bank or financial institution, it may issue securities. Securities refer to any instruments (negotiable or non-negotiable) which allows an organization to raise funds, while floatation costs refer to the expenses incurred by the organization to issue new securities. These include underwritersââ¬â¢
Monday, October 28, 2019
Justifiable Torture Essay Example for Free
Justifiable Torture Essay Torture is the act of inflicting physical and psychological pain. The three main purposes that Democratic governments use torture are to intimidate, to coerce false confessions, and to gather accurate security information. Torture is not only a method that has been used in countries notorious for corrupt government dictatorships such as Russia, Japan, and Germany but has also been prevalent in democracies. The use of torture in democracy is a shame, not only do secret CIA kidnappings, and the indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay go against the basic elements of a democracy, it has also been proven to be ineffective or less effective than traditional intelligence gathering, and it creates a slippery slope effect. The four basic principles of a democracy are having a political system where people can choose and replace officials through free and fair elections, the active participation of the people as citizens, in politics and civil life, the protection of the human rights of all citizens, and a rule of law where all laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens. Physical torture techniques (strikes to the body and using everyday instruments to inflict physical torture) were first recorded in ââ¬Å"military punishments, especially among British lists of punishments; in the context of American slavery; in penal institutions; or during policing and military operations in French and British coloniesâ⬠(Rejali 4). France, England, and the United States are the main democracies of modern history prior to World War II. The use of torture is highly used in Democratic governments; torture will be examined in a democratic system. Torture is a very right and left handed issue; those on the right side argue that it goes against the very values that Democratic Governments try to instill in their citizens such as equality, human rights, and liberties. Those on the left side like to refer to the ticking bomb scenario and point out terrorist acts such as 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. Critics on the left side argue that Pearl Harbor was due to the fact that the United States did not have a strong intelligence agency Congressional probers basically blamed the disaster on a lack of imagination and watchfulness on the part of the American commanders on the scene, combined with poor coordination and exchange of intelligence in Washingtonâ⬠¦ In the view of President Harry S. Truman, the Japanese attack might have been prevented if there had been something like coordination of information in the government. President Truman observed in his memoirs: In those days the military did not know everything the State Department knew, and the diplomats did not have access to all the Army and Navy knew. (Intelligence throughout history). Torture is a method that is commonly used by the CIA, ââ¬Å"After the attacks of 9/11, former President Bush authorized the creation of extralegal detention camps where Central Intelligence Agency operatives were told to extract information from prisoners who were captured and held in secretâ⬠(On torture and American Values). Torture is highly used and many believe that torture is an effective method of gathering intelligence; however this does not address whether it is justified in a democratic system. Torture is actually not as effective as many people think and it is never justifiable due to the fact that, ââ¬Å"the United States has historically incorporated these international definitions into its military manuals. The 1992 U.S. Army Field Manual, for example, instructs soldiers that both the Geneva Conventions and U.S. policy prohibit acts of violence or intimidation, including physical or mental torture, threats, or insults as a means of interrogationâ⬠(Torture). Torture was first used in Roman times, judges used this technique to unearth crimes ââ¬Å"In 1612, the Italian jurist Sebastian Guazzini likewise defined torture ââ¬Å"as the distress of body devised for extracting truth. It was invented by the Civil Law, as a mode of discovering truth, for the sake of the public welfare, to the end that crimes might not remain unpunishedâ⬠(Rejali 36). Examining past torture accounts one comes to the chilling conclusion that not all torture victims were actually terrorists and even though some may be criminals or terrorists they are only suspects. It is hard to look at torture methods, accounts of victims, the pictures that arose from Abu Ghraib, or Guantanamo Bay detainees and be able to say that the methods used on these people were justifiable and morally ok. The injustice is not only being applied to democratic principles but to moral principles also. Abu Ghraib is a U.S. detention facility located in Iraq, it is famous for the pictures taken by U.S. military guards which showed graphic proof of abuse to its prisoners Major General Antonito M. Taguba wrote a 53 page report on the incident; the report listed ââ¬Å"Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees; pouring cold water on naked detainees; beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair; threatening male detainees with rape; allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell; sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick, and using military working dogs to frighten and intimidate detainees with threats of attack, and in one instance actually biting a detaineeâ⬠Such abuses of power are completely impermissible; the graphic pictures taken by U. S. military police guards included pictures of naked men being humiliated. In Islamic law homosexual acts are condemned and it is embarrassing for men to be naked in front of each other. One picture shows a female soldier with a cigarette in her mouth giving the thumbs up as a naked detainee masturbates. Another picture shows two soldiers standing behind seven naked Iraqis that have been piled on top of each other to make a pyramid. The founding fathers of the United States created a constitution that demanded equality for all men, as the Supreme Court famously said in 1866 ââ¬Å"The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, and covers with the shield of its protection all classes of men, at all times, and under all circumstances.â⬠It is important that the United States and all democracies oblige to the laws set by their founders. One of the most common beliefs about torture is that it is effective. In reality torture is not as effective as people perceive it to be ââ¬Å"accuracy in torture is exceedingly poor, in some cases less accurate than flipping a coin, the key successes in gathering information in known cases come from other methods, most notably cultivating public cooperation and informantsâ⬠(Rejali 24). Senator John McCain said in a speech on the senate floor The trail to bin Laden did not begin with a disclosure from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was water boarded 183 timesâ⬠¦. We did not learn Abu Ahmedââ¬â¢s real name or alias as a result of waterboarding or any ââ¬Ëenhanced interrogation techniqueââ¬â¢ used on a detainee in U.S. custody. None of the three detainees who were water boarded provided Abu Ahmedââ¬â¢s real name, his whereabouts, or an accurate description of his role in Al-Qaeda. In fact, not only did the use of ââ¬Ëenhanced interrogation techniquesââ¬â¢ on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed not provide us with key leads on bin Ladenââ¬â¢s courier, Abu Ahmed; it actually produced false and misleading informationâ⬠¦Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaitiââ¬â¢s real role in Al-Qaeda and his true relationship to Osama bin Laden ââ¬â was obtained through standard, non-coercive means, not through any ââ¬Ëenhanced interrogation technique.ââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"In short, it was not torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees that got us the major leads that ultimately enabled our intelligence community to find Osama bin Laden (Knapp) Khalid Sheikh Mohammad is the self-described mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and was captured in 2003 he was water boarded 183 times and confessed to masterminding the September 11 attacks, the Richard Reid shoe bombing attempt to blow up an airliner over the Atlantic Ocean, the Bali nightclub bombing in Indonesia, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and various other attacks. Mohammad told the International Committee of the Red Cross that ââ¬Å"I gave a lot of false information in order to satisfy what I believed the interrogators wished to hear.â⬠(Outside the beltway) Not only has torture been proven to go against basic moral and democratic principles it is also proving to be ineffective. Ali Soufan an FBI supervisory special agent from 1997-2005 stated ââ¬Å"Almost all the agency officials I worked with on these issues were good people who felt as I did about the use of enhanced techniques: it is un-American, ineffective and harmful to our national securityâ⬠(Ali Soufan). The United States is known for urging nations to obey the international treaties and protect human rights and liberties. It is important that our government oblige to these treaties that they so consistently advocate. A former republican presidential nominee and an ex FBI agent both agree that torture is not necessary to gather intelligence. Traditional methods such as informants and regular interrogations have been proven to be more effective then torture. Using torture in a democratic system creates three slippery slopes ââ¬Å"Torture increasingly takes in more suspects than those approved, leads to harsher methods than are authorized, and leads to greater bureaucratic fragmentationâ⬠(Darius Rejali 24). What Rejali is talking about, is that every person that has been tortured has not been proven to be a confirmed terrorist and is only a suspected one. Such is the case of Khalid El-Masri, a car salesman from Germany whose name resembles Khalid Al-Masri who is a confirmed terrorist. El-Masri was kidnapped by the CIA, taken to a ââ¬Ëblack siteââ¬â¢ in Afghanistan, and was allegedly tortured. He was then released after four months, when it had become apparent he was not a terrorist. He had been confused with Khalid Al- Masri; the confusion was due to the fact that the names are spelt the same way in Arabic script. Torture also leads to greater torture because if a person is being tortured and will not confess to a crime that he is suspected of, whatââ¬â¢s to say that the person administering the torture will not continue to apply harsher methods. He has already crossed the set boundaries presented by peace treaties and laws. Once a person has crossed the line and has committed to the act of torture what will stop him from going down the slope until the confession is given? The last slope torture leads to is bureaucratic fragmentation, torture is kept secretive and when it is not law makers push the boundaries to make it acceptable during the Bush administration laws were bent and given new definitions, lawyers and attorneys worked together to redefine torture, the ââ¬Å"Justice Department even declared that those acts did not violate the lower standard of ââ¬Å"cruel, inhuman or degrading treatmentâ⬠(On Torture and American Values). Americans never authorized secret kidnappings, or the dehumanization of men, or the indefinite imprisonment at jails such as Guantanamo Bay or Abu Ghraib. Such secretive acts only create a wall between American citizens and its Government. Along with all the negatives of torture many also believe it to have positive effects also. The ticking bomb scenario is when a terrorist is believed to know the location of a time sensitive bomb that will be set off in a matter of time. The question that arises from this scenario is, is torture morally acceptable under special circumstances? Many believe yes because obviously they care about national security. Patrick J. Buchannan states ââ¬Å"The morality of any act depends not only on its character, but on the circumstances and motive. Stealing is wrong and illegal, but stealing food for ones starving family is a moral act. Even killing is not always wrong. If a U.S. soldier had shot Mohammed to save 50 hostages, he would be an American hero.â⬠(Buchannan) Buchannan is referring to Khalid Sheikh Mohammad and discussing how he is an example of a ââ¬Å"special circumstanceâ⬠Another point is that under President Bushââ¬â¢s administration enhanced interrogation techniqu es did not arise to the level of torture ââ¬Å"The former president firmly believes that enhanced interrogation techniques were necessary to obtain much-needed intelligence information in the war on terrorâ⬠(Torture). Many believe torture is crucial in gathering information that could lead to the prevention of terrorist acts. An Associate Press ipsos group interviewed 1000 adults; ââ¬Å"theâ⬠poll results indicate that support for justifiable torture is highest in southern Korea and the United States. There is also strong support in the United Kingdom and France with borderline results in Germany, Canada, and Mexico. Italians and Spaniards are opposedâ⬠(Peterson). Since the terrorist attacks took place in September 11, 2001 torture has been a method more commonly used. Many Americans accepted this notion by simply ignoring it, growing a stronger sense of nationalism, or believing that the criminals needed to be punished as shown in the poll that was taken many people from different countries supported torture. The ticking bomb scenario is a fantasized situation that those who support torture like to bring up. Information that comes from enhanced interrogation techniques as opposed to traditional methods has proved to be less accurate. Buchannan Makes a valid point on torture being acceptable because of the morality of it that torture is being inflicted to gather information that could save the lives of people, however as stated earlier torture techniques are not needed to gather the information, traditional methods can be used and are more effective. Although after 9/11 many Americans supported torture it still conflicted with our values. Torture has proven to go against basic moral and democratic principles. It has also proven to be less effective than traditional methods of interrogation or intelligence gathering. And it has not only proved to create one slippery slope, but it has created three. The case of Abu Ghraib and Khalid El-Masri proved the slippery slope theory because humans were sodomized with a broomstick; men were humiliated, forced to touch themselves in front of other naked men and were dehumanized. El Masri was an innocent German citizen and was held in a prison somewhere in Afghanistan and was allegedly tortured for nearly five months. The example of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad proved that torture is less effective than traditional methods of interrogation because as said by John McCain it led to false information and the accurate information that led to the capture of Bin Laden was obtained through standard non coercive means. Lastly, torture completely goes against the constitution and even though law makers have bent the law and redefined torture so it does meet the legal standards of torture it is still unethical because as stated earlier ââ¬Å"The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, and covers with shield of its protection all classes of men, at all times, and under all circumstances.â⬠Even in times of national crises we must still follow the constitution which was meant to guide us through hard times with our principles secure and values intact. Works Cited Buchanan, Patrick J. Torture Is Moral When Inflicted for a Greater Good. Torture. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Rpt. from The Case for Torture. World Net Daily. 2003. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web 22 Nov 2012. Hersh, Seymour. ââ¬Å"Torture at Abu Ghraib.â⬠The New Yorker.com. The New Yorker, 10 May. 2004. Web. 22 Nov 2012 Knapp, Alex ââ¬Å"An FBI Interrogator on the Effectiveness of Tortureâ⬠Outside the Beltway.com. Outside the Beltway, 10 Sept. 2009. Web 23 Nov 2012 ââ¬Å"On Torture and American Valuesâ⬠The New York Times.com. New York times, 7 Oct. 2007. Web 23 Nov 2012 Petersen, Kim. Torture Is Morally Reprehensible. Torture. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Rpt. from Elementary Morality and Torture. Dissident Voice. 2005. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web 23 Nov 2012. Rejali, Darius. Torture and Democracy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007. Print. Soufan, Ali. ââ¬Å"My Tortured Decision.â⬠The New York Times.com. New York times, 22 April 2009. Web 22 Nov 2012 Torture. Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web 24 Nov 2012. United States. CIA ââ¬Å"Intelligence Throughout History: The Impact of Pearl Harbor.â⬠US CIA , Dec. 2010. Web 26 Nov 2012
Friday, October 25, 2019
Chaucer: Satire And Humor Essay -- English Literature:
Chaucer: Satire And Humor Until Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales, he was primarily know for being the writer of love poems, such as The Parliament of Fowls, narratives of doomed passion, and stories of women wronged by their lovers. These works are nothing short of being breath taking, but they do not posses the raw power that the Canterbury Tales do. This unfinished poem, which is about 17,000 lines, is one of the most brilliant works in all of literature. The poem introduces a group of pilgrims journeying from London to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury. Together, the pilgrims represent a large section of 14th-century English life. To help pass the time of the journey, the pilgrims decide to tell stories. These tales include a wide variety of medieval genres, from humorous fables to religious lectures. They vividly describe medieval attitudes and customs in such areas as love, marriage, and religion. Chaucer was a master storyteller, and his wit his shown throughout his work by the use of humor and satire, and it is most present in The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, The Pardonerââ¬â¢s Tale, and The Wife of Bathââ¬â¢s Tale. Many people that the most popular par to of the Canterbury Tales it The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, which has long been admired for the lively, individualized portraits it offers. More recent criticism has reacted against this approach, claiming that the portraits are indicative of social humor and satire, ââ¬Å"estates satire,â⬠and insisting that they should not be read as individualized character portraits like those in a novel (Gittes 15). It is the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales that serves to establish firmly the framework for the entire story- collecti... ...o her husband, and this defeats the whole purpose of the Wife of Bathââ¬â¢s entire argument. For almost a seven hundred year old book, the Canterbury Tales still is a very irresistible collection of analyses of human life. Not much has changed in seven hundred years. Medieval traits that Chaucer described in his tales such as corruption and greed still play a major part in our society today. Also, issues such as womanââ¬â¢s rights that were debated back then are still heavily debated today. No other writer has been able to duplicate the way Chaucer has analyzed and described human life, and no one has even come close to doing it in such a humorous and satirical way. The Canterbury Tales brought Geoffrey Chaucer too his full artistic power, and it will forever remain as one of the most brilliant and vivid piece of literature ever written in the English language.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Affects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Muscular Distrophy Essay
Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis are both diseases of the bone. Osteoporosis actually means ââ¬Å"porous bonesâ⬠and is a problem with bones where there isnââ¬â¢t enough calcium in them to give them strength. This is because the bone cells arenââ¬â¢t being reproduced as fast as the bone is aging or deteriorating which causes the bones to become fragile. This can happen because of loss of calcium in the bone, or a problem with the calcium being absorbed correctly, which it needs in order to build new bone tissue and complete the remodeling cycle. Even if the bone has enough, other parts of your body may not and will start taking calcium away from your bones. Osteoarthritis occurs when smooth cartilage around a bone gets worn down and no longer allows smooth gliding between the bones which cause bone to bone contact. The cartilage is meant to be there to reduce friction so when it is worn away it can also cause pain. It is caused by an inflammation of the joints and is the most common type of arthritis. It is most likely due to aging or rather, a lot of continuous use. Muscular atrophy happens when the blood supply and amount of muscle fibers decreases which can cause the muscle to deteriorate. It can be cause by either disorders, lack of use, or injury. If there is an injury to the nerves that make the muscles move, then they will eventually deteriorate just as they would if a person stopped using their muscles as much. Lack of exercise, poor nutrition, nervous system problems, and disabilities can all cause muscular atrophy. For an 84-year-old small boned, white female, this can cause challenges of everyday life. With osteoporosis, she will have weak and fragile bones. For example, if she bumped into something or fell down, her bones could easily break so she would need to be extra careful when getting around. With osteoarthritis, she may be experiencing a lot of pain since most of or all of her cartilage has worn away causing her to feel the friction of the bone on bone contact. This would make it harder for her to walk and exercise. Lastly, the muscular atrophy would make her very weak since her muscles canââ¬â¢t function the way they are supposed to because of lack of strength. Lifting, pulling, walking, and any normal chore for her would be a very big challenge.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
The Theory of the Contestable Market
The theory of contestable markets, along with the static and dynamic views of competition, are used as theories to analyse how markets perform. The static view focuses on the structure of the market as the determining factor of competition, with the dynamic view focusing on dynamic aspects such as technology and entrepreneurship. The contestable markets theory has a different focus, focusing on the importance of barriers to entry and exit. Nonetheless it does incorporate features from both views.More importantly it shifts the focus and provides new insight into the workings of competition. The two differing views of competition will be examined, followed by an examination of the contestable market theory, concluding with an analysis of the degree to which there is synthesis. Static view of competition The static view of competition focuses on the market structure as the key determining factor in the performance and behaviour of firms. It is the neoclassical approach of competition, o rigination from the work of economistââ¬â¢s Cournot and Edgeworth.This traditional view sees market structure as rigidly determining firm's conduct (its output decisions and pricing behaviour), which yields an industry's overall performance, such as its efficiency and profitability. Firms limit their behaviour to a certain industry model or strategic logic that is built on frequent price cuts, in order to out-compete rivals and deter entry. An industry is considered competitive depending on its market structure. At one extreme is perfect competition, which is considered perfectly competitive. At the other extreme is a monopoly structure, with a sole producer, characterised by low competition.In between the spectrum is an oligopolistic structure, and a monopolistic structure. These structures embody less competition than in perfect competition, but more than in a monopoly situation. The characteristics of competitive markets are thus large number of firms, or in other words a low concentration ratio. The number of firms is determined by the market demand and the output level set at that which minimises average cost. As the number of firms that enter the industry increases, firms become price takers rather than price makers, and they are forced to apply the price that is set in order to survive in the market.They thus receive normal profits, as opposed to abnormal profits when the market structure was more concentrated (please refer to figure 1 below). Fig 1 Thus the organisation of industries is considered to be generated exogenously. Therefore the market concentration decides the nature of competition within each market. The static view of competition thus concentrates on the structural characteristics of competition, with a ââ¬Ëstructure-conduct-performanceââ¬â¢ based paradigm, in which market structure decided conduct of firms, deciding their performance.The static competition approach excludes non-price competition, such as quality and product diff erentiation, and strategic behaviour which does occur. This view of competition has been criticised for ignoring the more dynamic methodology of competition, which will now be analysed. Due to the importance of market share in the static view of competition, the resultant policy implication calls for regulation of markets, in order to ensure low marker concentration, in order to move towards perfect competition, and its associated benefits. (Schwartz 1986). Dynamic view of competitionThe dynamic view of competition revolves around the role of the entrepreneur and firms using innovation to compete with their rivals. The neo-Austrian school of thought, in particular, Schumpeter, and those economists influenced by it have been redefining the concept along classical lines, although with a much greater emphasis on the entrepreneurial role, the role of discovery, and rivalrous competition. Performance in industries is argued to be characterized by dynamic competition, expressed through in novation and variation rather than through efficiency and price reductions, which is the case in the static approach.This view portrays competition as a process of change and evolution rather than a static state in which equilibrium will be reached. Hayek, a main architect of this approach, defines competition as a dynamic behavioural activity. Central to this activity is knowledge, how it is acquired and communicated through the economy. He criticises the neoclassical assumption of perfect knowledge, with the view that costs are not a given, and so not exogenous. Competition is a process of interaction with the environment, in which innovation, such as new methods of production and new products, are a response to the unique situation of the economy.It results in the optimal use of resources. (Auerbach 1988) Alchian believes that there is a natural selection process which results in a competitive outcome. Such competition depends not only on the physical possibilities but also the a bilities and attitudes of participants, the entrepreneurs and consumers. It therefore argues for property rights, as to increase the level of competition, forcing companies to undergo research and development and to innovate, in order to survive.For competition to be improved and sustained there needs to be a genuine desire on behalf of entrepreneurs to engage in competitive behaviour, to innovate and to invent to drive markets forward and create what Schumpeter famously called the ââ¬Å"gales of creative destructionâ⬠. (Vickers, 1995, pp15). In the classic dynamic view, it argues that there is a tendency for rates of return to equalise, due to profit seeking behaviour, and the movement of capital from low profit areas to that of higher profit areas. However equilibrium may never be reached.Before the tendency for equalisation, the economy may have changed, such as the structure of demand, or the available technology, and products may have evolved. The general criticism of the dynamic view of competition is that is lacks the simplicity and decisiveness than the static view of competition. The policy implications of the dynamic view of competition is less concerned with regulation of markets, instead encouraging property rights in order to allow firms to benefit from their own research and development, allowing for technological advancement, and the ensuing competition.Theory of the contestable market The theory of contestable markets describes how competition will exist in any market if there are no barriers to entry and exit, as firms will be forced to act competitively in fear of new firms entering the market. The contestable markets approach to competition represents an alternative to the neo-classical theory of the firm. It came to prominence in the early 1980s, largely through the work of the American economist Baumol. The threat posed by the possibility of new firms entering the market is taken to be a key determinant of the behaviour of existing f irms.Accordingly, barriers to entry and exit play a crucial role. Its fundamental feature is low barriers to entry and exit; a perfectly contestable market would have no barriers to entry or exit. This means no sunk costs. Sunk costs will be low where the firm can sell or in other ways dispose of its capital equipment without cost. For example, a new airline might lease aircraft rather than purchase them and can then leave the industry at the end of the lease period without the costs of having to sell its aircraft.Contestable markets are characterized by ââ¬Ëhit and run' entry, whereby if a firm in a market with no entry or exit barriers raises its prices above average cost and begins to earn abnormal profits, potential rivals will enter the market to take advantage of these profits. When the incumbent firms respond by returning prices to levels consistent with normal profits the new firms will exit. In this manner even a monopoly market can show highly competitive behaviour (suc h as in perfect competition), as it fears potential competition.Such optimal behaviour applies to the full range of industry structures. Natural monopolies are of course not included in such a theory, as by its nature barriers to entry and exit exist. In this view of competition, the direction of causation between the market structure and competition is reversed from that of the static view. The theory of contestable markets sees contestability as influencing the performance and conduct of firms, and thus deciding on the resultant market structure.Perfect contestability would lead to firms earning normal profit, embodying cost-minimisation behaviour, resulting in a cost-minimisation structure (P=MC= AC), whatever the actual form of the market structure. Thus, the market structure is determined by the price and output decisions, or the behaviour, of firms. In a perfectly contestable market, there would exist profit equalisation across firms and industries, such as in perfect competit ion, even under market imperfections, such as a concentrated structure. Under a contestable market there would be maximisation of consumer welfare due to cost and price minimising.Contestable markets would also result in optimal firm sizes (economies of scale), product-mix (economies of scope) and industrial organisation (dynamic efficiency). Compared to the static view of competition, the contestable market views is not so much competition within the market, but competition for the market. Attention has been shifted away from actual competition to potential competition. Critics of this theory includes the argument that perfectly contestable markets are rare, and thus should only be applied to specific cases.It is true that perfect contestability is an extreme, and should be viewed as a benchmark rather than the norm, but the same applies to perfect competition in the static view of competition. (Schwartz 1986). More empirical research is needed on the extent of free entry and exit. Criticism has also been placed upon the reaction time of incumbents as new firms enter the market, which is also a hotly debated subject. Contradicting assumptions of ultra-free entry and the response of firms is another criticised aspect of the theory. (Shepherd, 1984, pp585)In terms of policy implications, the theory suggests that competition policy should be as much concerned with the levels of barriers to entry and exit in a market as with existing levels of competition. Synthesis? There is much debate as to whether contestable market theory is a synthesis of the static and dynamic views of competition. Some observers comment that the theory may even be an uprising from the traditional theories (Baumol, 1982), and to the other extreme where it is a mere extension of the traditional theories of competition.The theory of contestable markets incorporates important concepts from the static view of competition. The relationship between market structure and competition is a major fac tor in contestable market theory as it is in the static view, however in the former, as stated earlier, the causation is reversed. So the relationship is still key, albeit with market structure being dependent upon its firmââ¬â¢s behaviour. Furthermore, barriers to entry and exit, which are important in the static view in terms of its negative effects in allowing incumbents to earn economic rent, are of prime importance in the new theory.Although the new theory turns it on its head and focuses on the positive effects of removing barriers, and the resultant competition that comes with it. Barriers are thus significant market determinants. Thus for some contestable market theory provides a static equilibrium theory of industry structure which is generally more applicable than before. The theory also points towards some dynamic interpretation of markets. Firms are able to enter on an ongoing basis, constraining market behaviour of incumbents.The degree of contestability of a market can change over time with technology, regulatory breakdown, or changes in other barriers altering the entry and exit conditions. An incumbent pricing optimally can protect them self against new entrants using the same technology, but canââ¬â¢t protect against innovation or technological advancements. Furthermore, the threat of competition should lead to a faster rate of technological diffusion, as firms have to be particularly responsive to the changing needs of consumers. Thus dynamic aspects of competition are also important in the new theory.Baumol et al have argued the contestable theory as a new general system to replace the original static and dynamic views of competition. However their analysis should only be treated as a specialised, extreme set of conditions, which are unlikely to be found in reality, due to rigid assumptions of contestability theory. Some have even argued that little has been added to the pre-existing entry and exit analysis. (Shepherd, 1984). Conclusio n Contestable market theory is an attempt to impose a dynamic mechanism upon a static equilibrium analysis, thus providing new and valuable insights into competition theory.It offers a host of new analytical methods, new tasks for empirical research, and new results. It allows the reconsideration of the domain of the invisible hand, yields contributions to the theory of oligopoly, provides a standard for policy that is far broader and more widely applicable than that of perfect competition, and leads to a theory that analyses the determination of industry structure endogenously and simultaneously with the analysis of the other variables more traditionally treated in the theory of the firm and the industry.It aspires to provide a unifying theory as a foundation for the analysis of competition. The theory manages to blends in some aspects from both the static and dynamic analyses of competition, however shouldnââ¬â¢t be seen as an overarching theory. It embodies a different focus t o the two traditional views of competition, as already mentioned. It should be applied to unique situations, on which the assumptions of the theory are built. The new theory provides for a new dilemma rather than the final solution.
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