Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Fitness Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fitness Plan - Assignment Example Walking, dancing and swimming are examples. Walking is perhaps the most convenient and has the same benefits as the other more vigorous forms of exercise. The cardiovascular system is dependent upon the exercise one does in a day. In order to improve it one has to walk 3 to 4 times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. The walk should make one breath hard but not gasp for breath. In order to lose weight, a minimum 5 days of exercise for 30 minutes, at a brisk pace is required. For reaping general health benefits, 30 minutes a day of exercise (at least 4 days a week), at a comfortable pace is recommended. Warm up exercises are necessary as they cause vasodilation of the blood vessels, ensuring that muscles are well-supplied with oxygen, pliable and flexible. The heart rate also increases, and this prepares the body for a more rigorous exercise. The burning of calories is also more efficient. In order to warm up before walking, walk slowly or march for 5 to 10 minutes until breathing becomes quicker and one starts to feel warm. Cooling down is just as important, as it prevents the heart rate and blood pressure from falling too rapidly, thus preventing light-headedness. Additionally, it removes waste products, lactic acid for instance, and improves flexibility. It is thus beneficial to gradually decrease one’s speed (for 5 to 10 minutes towards the end), rather than halting abruptly. Following this, one should carry out a brief stretching routine (10 minutes). Adults need 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night for optimal mental function and prevent daytime napping. A lack of sleep can undermine one’s ability to deal with stress and lead to health problems. In order to follow a perfect fitness plan the diet of a person is also very important. The diet should be composed of fruits, vegetables, grains and milk that are free of fat. Products that have less cholesterol

Monday, October 28, 2019

MEMO Example Essay Example for Free

MEMO Example Essay Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher  degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Measure for Measure Essay: The Bed Trick -- Measure for Measure

The Bed Trick in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Critics have referred to the concept of Mariana taking Isabella's place in Angelo's bed "the bed trick."   This plan of the Duke's, which is supposed to save Isabella, Claudio, and Mariana, appears to be almost corrupt and shameful, and is one of the reasons scholars consider Measure for Measure a problem play.   What exactly is going on here with all of these characters?   It seems almost uncharacteristic of the sweet, naà ¯ve, virginal Isabella to condone another performing such an act in her place.   Isabella is, in a sense, asking Mariana to perform the very act which she has not only been avoiding, but that she is disgusted by.   The fact that Isabella would accept the Duke's plan without question, which she does, has caused critics to question how saintly she actually is.   The Duke has also been criticized for conducting and carrying out his plan.   After all, he is the Duke, and he could have stopped Angelo and saved Mariana from having to sacr ifice herself if he would have simply removed his disguise.   It seems to be odd that a character the audience is expected to revere would not try to solve this problem by a more respectable, and much more simple, solution.   Mariana has also been criticized for accepting her part in the action, because she is the character who commits the sin.   Hence, the deception presented by these three "good" characters in the play is almost as corrupt as Angelo's deception.   Why would Shakespeare do this?   It appears that perhaps Shakespeare wanted to make all of his characters appear human.   Angelo depicts a "holier-than-thou" persona and eventually falls because of it, Isabella is portrayed as a saintly virgin but here the audience sees she is also falli... ...elow: This forenamed maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection.   His unjust unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly.   Go you to Angelo; answer his requiring with a plausible obedience; agree with his demands to the point; only refer yourself to this advantage, first, that your stay with him may not be long; that the time may have all shadow and sicken in it and the place answer to convenience.   This being granted in course-and now follows all-we shall advise this wronged maid to stead up your appointment, go in your place.   If the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to her recompense; and here, ,by this, is your brother saved, your honor untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt deputy scaled.   [III.iii.265-293].

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Essays on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock: Another Analysis :: Love Song J. Alfred Prufrock

An Analysis of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock "Prufrock" is a dramatic monologue, in which it is possible that the speaker is talking to another male, or just talking to himself; his alter ego. Throughout the poem Prufrock is too scared to make a move and seize the day because he keeps saying, "there will be time." His destiny is that he will be old and loveless, hence the irony of the title, because he cannot bring himself to articulate his emotions to another woman. This is actually a pathetic parody of a Lovesong because there is no one to listen to it. Prufrock fears that he will not be heard and this is manifested in the line that refers to the Sirens that sing to Odysseus to lure him to his death in the sea, but Prufrock fears that they will not listen to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The various allusions in the poem need to be understood to gain a better comprehension of what is going on. When he says that he "should have been a pair of ragged claws" this could be seen as a reference to Polonious' character in Hamlet, one who is getting old (a fear of Prufrock's) or it may be that he wants the brainless life of a little creature that scuttles along the sea and has no troubling finding a mate because it requires no effort He talks about the endless places to meet women, but it is no good because he and causes no anxiety in Prufrock because it is easy and primal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The entire poem expresses his fear of women and the fact that he cannot successfully relate to them. He asks, "Do I dare? and, Do I dare? / Time to turn back and descend the stair" He still has time to go back to the party and take a chance, but he hesitates, and associates himself with Hamlet, who is also hesitant, but who finally decides to act in the end of the play.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Schlafly’s Opinion on School to Work Programs

On September 4, 1997, Phyllis Schlafly wrote an article titled â€Å"School-to-Work Will Train, Not Educate. † The article discusses the cons of the school-to-work program and that states that it is portrayed as a â€Å"cradle to the grave. † The article says that the school-to-work program will train and not educate. Schlafly is the president of the Eagle Forum, a organization that stands for the fundamental right of parents to guide the education of their own children, thinks that â€Å"school-to-work is a direct threat to the individual student, his or her privacy, his or her goals and his or her acquisition of an education that can help him reach them. Schlafly†s opinion wrong and will not pass in today†s society. In Schlafly†s criticism, she states that the school-to-work program â€Å"deemphasizes or eliminates academic work and substitutes mandated vocational training to better serve the workforce. † She also says that â€Å"instead of the focus being on developing the child, the focus is on developing a labor force. † Schlafly thinks that school-to-work is training rather then education. In contrast to Schlafly, Olson says that school-to-work give students â€Å"motivation† which will help students because students in today†s society are not motivated enough. Surveys prove that students describe education as â€Å"boring. † Schlafly believes that the STW law stating that vocational training starts â€Å"at the earliest possible age†¦ † is wrong. The reason is that she believes that elementary or middle school children do not know what career they want to fulfill. The last point in Schlafly†s article is she states that â€Å"big businesses support school-to-work because they think that vocational courses in high school for illiterate or semi-illiterate students will train young Americans to compete in the global economy with people in the third world willing to work for 25 and 50 cents an hour. She is basically saying that big businesses are supporting school-to-work because they want some cheap labor. In conclusion to her article, Schlafly says that â€Å"all those who value freedom must defeat and defund school-to-work. † She thinks that school-to-work is oppressing the students from their freedom to learn and receive a good education. Schlafly†s article says that Marc Tucker†s plan for school-to-work is to â€Å"train children in specific jobs to serve the workforce and the global economy instead of educate them so they can make their own life choices. She also says that it is designed on the â€Å"German system. † Where did she get the idea that school-to-work is based on the â€Å"German system? † She does not know what she is talking about and the information she is spreading is invalid. She also states that the program is to â€Å"train† children but she also does not give the option of training and educating together. Olson shows how training and education goes together by showing kids why they have to learn and by creating a desire to learn. Schlafly is absolutely wrong about â€Å"training children. † Beginning school-to-work at the earliest age possible does not mean that elementary and middle school students are going to choose their lifetime career. Giving the children vocational training will give them an option in what they want to do in the future. Children will see if they like the field of training and study and decide whether or not they want to pursue that vocation in the future. In comparison to what Olson says, â€Å"school-to-work activities can provide choices and opportunities for young people, many of whom are not now well served y our education system. Schlafly says that â€Å"big businesses support school-to-work† because it will provide them with cheap labor. Where did Schlafly get this information? Throughout the whole article there is no proof of justifying this idea. She also mentions that governors support the program because â€Å"it gives them control of a pot of money for which they don†t have to account to the state legislature. † This statement also lacks evidence and cannot be used to prove that the program is a failure. School-to-work is not for businesses or governors, but rather for the children themselves and their goals for their future. Like Olson says, â€Å"school-to-work can encourage young people to pursue education and training beyond high school. † Is Schlafly criticism valid at all? Absolutely not, she bases her information on nothing, such as the â€Å"German system. † Schlafly proved that school-to-work is training for a lifetime career but this argument is wrong because training can also be compatible with education. Big businesses and governors may support school-to-work for cheap labor and for the money but there is no proof and even if there was any proof not all businesses and governors would think that way. Until Schlafly gives some proof to her information and can prove that training and education are not compatible, she is not to be taken seriously. School-to-work is a very good idea and to agreement with Olson, â€Å"done right school-to-work can be a powerful tool in the effort to achieve higher academic standards and a more educated citizenry.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

If I became President essays

If I became President essays The changes that I am going to do for this country if I was elected President is that Im not going to have any more military go into Iraq. I would try to clear up the war so there would not be any more soldiers dying and being stranded out there for months or even years. I do not like the way they are just being thrown into another country that they dont even know anything about. So if I was elected President I would be saving lives and would be helping many families from not suffering about there loved ones so far away. I would use the constitutional power to help me clear up the war in Iraq. So we would also have peace within the two countries. The way I would do this is that I would need senate consent that I would have to name the most top-ranking officers of the federal government. With all of the others they would vote for it and then be sent back to the senate for the finale confirmation. This is how I would have to use the constitutional power to help me clear up the war. The proper role of the president in the American political system is that the constitution makes the president the commander in chief of the nations armed forces. Even though the congress shares the war powers, the presidents position in military affairs is as dominant as it is in the field of foreign affairs. The Presidents powers as commander in chief are almost without limit. The presidents cabinets that I would need to use for clearing up the war idea is that I would need to talk to the Secretary of State and the Defense of State to get permission to even start to do anything about changing something about the war. So these are the presidents cabinets that I would go through to change the war status and to get the military out of Iraq. I am going to impact the National Security Council by asking them how are we going to come up to this kind of situation and change the war effort. T ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Religion In Vietnam

Vietnam can be recognized for its tolerance for different beliefs. Article 70 in the Vietnamese constitution states: â€Å"The citizen shall enjoy freedom of belief and of religion; he can follow any religion or follow none. All religions are equal before the law. The places of worship of all faiths and religions are protected by the law. No one can violate freedom of belief and of religion; no one can misuse belief and religions to contravene the law and the State policies.† The religions most practiced in Vietnam include: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, and Muslim. Around 1920 there was an organized movement for the restoration of Buddhism. For the Buddist, life is seen as a â€Å"vast sea of suffering.† Wisdom lies in the suppression of desires: desires for life, happiness, riches, power, etc. which are considered the root of human suffering. Buddhism is also a religion that involves believing in the Laws of Karma, which is basically the belief that what goes around comes around. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. The Buddist believes that you are rewarded for the good things and punished for the bad things you do in this life, in the next. The present existence is conditioned by earlier existence and will condition those to fo llow. Most of the Christians that are in Vietnam are Catholics. Protestants Missions have operated in the country since World War II. Some Vietnamese people who practiced other religions looked down upon Protestants because of the association with American missionaries of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Protestents were considered to have suffered more than Catholics after 1975. In 1965 there were about 1.5 million Catholics in the South and a good majority of the priests and nuns were Vietnamese. Confucianism was and is also a major spirituality in Vietnam to the point where it has had an affect on government.... Free Essays on Religion In Vietnam Free Essays on Religion In Vietnam Vietnam can be recognized for its tolerance for different beliefs. Article 70 in the Vietnamese constitution states: â€Å"The citizen shall enjoy freedom of belief and of religion; he can follow any religion or follow none. All religions are equal before the law. The places of worship of all faiths and religions are protected by the law. No one can violate freedom of belief and of religion; no one can misuse belief and religions to contravene the law and the State policies.† The religions most practiced in Vietnam include: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, and Muslim. Around 1920 there was an organized movement for the restoration of Buddhism. For the Buddist, life is seen as a â€Å"vast sea of suffering.† Wisdom lies in the suppression of desires: desires for life, happiness, riches, power, etc. which are considered the root of human suffering. Buddhism is also a religion that involves believing in the Laws of Karma, which is basically the belief that what goes around comes around. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. The Buddist believes that you are rewarded for the good things and punished for the bad things you do in this life, in the next. The present existence is conditioned by earlier existence and will condition those to fo llow. Most of the Christians that are in Vietnam are Catholics. Protestants Missions have operated in the country since World War II. Some Vietnamese people who practiced other religions looked down upon Protestants because of the association with American missionaries of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Protestents were considered to have suffered more than Catholics after 1975. In 1965 there were about 1.5 million Catholics in the South and a good majority of the priests and nuns were Vietnamese. Confucianism was and is also a major spirituality in Vietnam to the point where it has had an affect on government....

Sunday, October 20, 2019

7 Department of Labor rules every intern should know

7 Department of Labor rules every intern should know Attention current and future interns! We know that this is an exciting time for you. You’re about to embark on the early stages of your professional careers- a journey that for most of us makes up a significant portion of our adult lives and contributes greatly to our sense of self, happiness, and fulfillment. Internships are great opportunities for you to begin figuring out your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, interests and passions, and can really help guide you toward what you want to do with your work life. Yes, it’s an exciting time of personal exploration and discovery- but that doesn’t mean you should blindly race forward without knowing a few things first. Understanding some of the basic rules regarding internships- including your rights as an unpaid intern or paid employee- will help ensure that your work experience is as productive and impactful as possible, and that your hard work and efforts are rightfully respected and rewarded.The U.S. Department of Labor, in an effort to protect the rights of interns and employees across industries and job positions, have established regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to determine if the nature of the work an individual is performing qualifies them as an unpaid intern or an actual employee- which means that they qualify for FLSA employee protections and benefits, such as a minimum wage and overtime pay. In order to determine whether an intern or student is actually an employee, the FLSA lists the following seven factors to consider:1. The extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation. Any promise of compensation, express or implied, suggests that the intern is an employee- and vice versa.2. The extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by educational in stitutions.3. The extent to which the internship is tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.4. The extent to which the internship accommodates the intern’s academic commitments by corresponding to the academic calendar.5. The extent to which the internship’s duration is limited to the period in which the internship provides the intern with beneficial learning.6. The extent to which the intern’s work complements, rather than displaces, the work of paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern.7. The extent to which the intern and the employer understand that the internship is conducted without entitlement to a paid job at the conclusion of the internship.Once you determine if your position falls under the category of an unpaid internship or actual employment, you can then determine what rights you’re entitled to- either as an intern or as an employee. Ke ep in mind that your basic rights are also protected in the workplace, which includes your right to a safe environment that’s free from discrimination and harassment of all types. If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding your rights, either contact the HR department of the company you’re working for or speak to a parent, trusted friend, or mentor.If you’re about to start an internship, you should first know your rights in the workplace, to help ensure that you have a great experience. Use the information provided here, along with the United States Department of Labor’s website, to get informed and prepared for your first day on the job. Good luck!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

We See and Understand Things not as They Are but as We Are Essay

We See and Understand Things not as They Are but as We Are - Essay Example   Descartes believes that knowledge is a conviction based on reason so strong that it cannot be shaken by any stronger reason (Newman, 2005). We all claim to know many things. For instance, we know when we are happy or sad, when we are not well or when we are lonely. We know when we love someone or hate someone. Rarely do we pause to analyze how this knowledge has come about. We take these for granted and we also believe that we know these things. We see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Only when we ask ourselves whether we really know these things do we get down to examining the knowing. This knowing takes place through different means. We see and understand through emotions, perception, and reason. Reasoning has been used by most philosophers to arrive at the truth and is an important way of learning according to the TOK. The reasoning is not through logic; it is not automatic but comes through experience. However, reason does allow analyzing the situation deeply and taking decisions. The reasoning is a collective endeavor by which people construct meaning together by exchanging, modifying and improving their ideas and opinions (IBO, 2006). The reason is present in everyday decision making and problem-solving. When disputes arise, the appropriateness of the reasons for acceptance of the facts is important. The reasoning is the ‘common sense’ way of knowing things and it does not depend upon the limits of sensory observation (Ehman, n.d.). This faculty of ‘common sense’ has been granted only to human beings which means the power of reasoning rests with human beings. The Foolish Friend is the story of a king who groomed his monkey to be his closest aide, the most trustworthy and natural companion (Ashliman, 2002). One day while taking a stroll in the garden, the king asked the money to ensure that nothing disturbed while he took rest. The money kept strict vigilance and very sincerely too.  Ã‚  

Friday, October 18, 2019

PEST analysis, (Political) in the UK Speech or Presentation

PEST analysis, (Political) in the UK - Speech or Presentation Example Individual making investment will be able to claim income tax reduction as an income tax relief. In the western world, the corporate tax rate in Britain is believed to become one of the lowest tax rates. Corporate tax rate has been dropping from 34% in 1990 to 24% in 2013 (Neville 2013). The introduction of new tax relief will lead to further reduction from 24% in 2013 to 21% in 2014. The second political factor is labour law. Currently the UK government have introduced regulations that will implement key changes to the obligations of redundancy collective consultation. This was approved in 6th April, 2014 and there would be publication of new Acas guidance for handling redundancy consultation (lorber & Novitz 2012). The third one is the environmental law. There have been implementations on environment regulations known as extended producer responsibility. These regulations are derived from European legislation and ensure that producers of particular products take full responsibility of reprocessing, recycling, and finance treatment of these items. The other political factor is trade restrictions which are inform of sanctions in the UK. The Sanction measures that have been applied include arms embargoes and several other trade control restrictions. Arms embargoes prohibit exportation of dual-use-items-goods and weaponry which have both military and civil use (Kenner 2011). The last political factor is technology. According to internet economy of UK, internet has allowed access to any information transforming life in UK. Technology use in UK has increase dramatically as evident in the use of smart phones. The rapid growth in tables, data â€Å"dongles†, and smart phone has enabled users to perform a lot of task both at home and in the office (Kenner 2011). The use of smart phone has doubled between 2008 and 2010 as shown

Analysis of Film Criticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of Film Criticism - Essay Example 15-30). They fall in love with each other at their young age. Fermina’s father tries to tear them apart because of status differences, Fermina is persistent to love Florentino; however, when she turns into an adult, she realizes Florentino is of no good, love is not everything, and therefore, she marries a rich man Urbino. Florentino marries no women but to find solace he flirts with many women and loving none. He still has a hope in his heart that after the death of Urbino (Marquez, pp. 20-25), Fermina is destined to come back to him. The question is, if Florentino is being delusional or they will really re-unite (Marquez, pp. 29-34) Critic’s Reviews on the Movie Analysis of the review has indicated that Gabrielle kept the story alive and interesting by providing a sigh of hope time to time. He mentioned a deep insight of each character so that the readers may not lose the interest, and on the other hand, Mike Newell, the director of the movie has very well directed th e scenes in the movie. In addition, costumes, make-up, characters, etc in the review were according to the ones mentioned in the movie (IMDb, 2007).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Wal-Mart Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wal-Mart - Article Example It also has an incredible team of executives who form its leadership. This has equipped Wal-Mart with management of high caliber. Finally, the Company spends its resources carefully with the aim of maximizing their margins while reducing costs. The company focuses on strategies such as everyday low prices that helped it stay ahead of its competitors. More so, the company’s retailer opened new small stores, which helped it overcome its competitors such as Amazon.com and dollar stores. It faced tough competition from these companies but it managed to make profits. The company has been replacing its discount stores with supercentres. In this supercentres, Wal-Mart added grocery products and other new services to its existing traditional merchandise offerings. The company tried to expand internationally by offering the everyday low prices strategy. More so, it opened more formats and ventured into e-commerce opportunities. The company should reshuffle its top management in United States to head the U.S stores. In addition, the company needs to replace urban stores with Wal-Mart express stores, which will resemble convenience stores. The company had to rely on e-commerce by expanding its online business such as moving into digital books, appliances, music, and groceries. This made it compete with Amazon.com since it took advantage of its physical presence by providing daily pickup for digital or online

Describe and analyse the influence of the independant sector on health Essay

Describe and analyse the influence of the independant sector on health care provision in england - Essay Example They are formed and registered by the associated authority. In England, private medication is provided by private medical clubs, occupational medical services, work clubs, fee for service insurances, friendly societies, public medical clubs which was funded by subscription and medical fees paid on an adhoc basis, charities and voluntary hospitals. Doyle & Bull (2000: 122) state that private health care in England serves an important duty as it provides medication to very many people. For example, very many people were insured against health by insuring companies, friendly societies and cash plan companies in the year 1947.These group represents 77% of severe medical and psychiatric impatient and outpatient hospital treatment in the private sector. This is mostly when there is a problem concerning psychiatry, care of the elder, abortion (termination of pregnancy) and through waiting list initiatives. Most of the people in the United States of America do insure themselves with the private medical insurance. The elder and the social classes do insure against the same. Richer people chose to insure with private medical insurance to the extent of about 24% while the poor insures themselves relatively about 3% (Doyle & Bull, 2000:153). According to Shirom (2001: 17), employers are currently doing efforts to insure their employees so as to ensure a stable workforce. In this case there are some experts who practice to insure themselves privately. Some of insurers have established ways to converse and agree about the nature and quality of care offered to insured patients. Also the fact of using the medicine with proven evidence is now affecting the private sectors. The insurance companies notice that some of the procedures are not followed. A good example includes inserting grommets for glue ear and dilation, and curettage in younger woman. Private sectors usually are operated by the individuals and they may not be the government projects, they are in

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Wal-Mart Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wal-Mart - Article Example It also has an incredible team of executives who form its leadership. This has equipped Wal-Mart with management of high caliber. Finally, the Company spends its resources carefully with the aim of maximizing their margins while reducing costs. The company focuses on strategies such as everyday low prices that helped it stay ahead of its competitors. More so, the company’s retailer opened new small stores, which helped it overcome its competitors such as Amazon.com and dollar stores. It faced tough competition from these companies but it managed to make profits. The company has been replacing its discount stores with supercentres. In this supercentres, Wal-Mart added grocery products and other new services to its existing traditional merchandise offerings. The company tried to expand internationally by offering the everyday low prices strategy. More so, it opened more formats and ventured into e-commerce opportunities. The company should reshuffle its top management in United States to head the U.S stores. In addition, the company needs to replace urban stores with Wal-Mart express stores, which will resemble convenience stores. The company had to rely on e-commerce by expanding its online business such as moving into digital books, appliances, music, and groceries. This made it compete with Amazon.com since it took advantage of its physical presence by providing daily pickup for digital or online

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Relationaship between Work and Non-Work Life Essay

Relationaship between Work and Non-Work Life - Essay Example This section will clarify the work and non-work issues in order to create clear understanding. Individual have to handle challenging issues in work and non-work life. Such activities include job, stress, family, children, different roles, social activities, and workload among others. Consequently absenteeism, mental illness, conflicts become prevalent as the challenges increases. Achieving â€Å"balance† in work and non-work life means, ability of individuals to make good interaction between work and non-work life without undermining the satisfactory performance of one domain by another (Noon & Blyton, 2007). In recent years, there is an increasing trend of involvement of spouses and family members in the work force, which brings a role conflict among people. Everyone tends to be very busy with workload and focus less on individual roles such as in the family decisions. This situation is increasing stresses and misunderstandings among the family members, which is becoming a ma jor contributor to absenteeism, low employee morale, high accident and turnover rates, decreased productivity, and increased company medical expenses. Stress is viewed not just as a function of being under pressure in an occupational sense, but also as a function of an individual’s whole life situation (Cooper et al., 1988). Moreover, work and non-work balancing will help workers to balance between work and family demands, which will in turn increase the productivity and business profitability (Glass & finley, 2002). finley, 2002). However, there is huge effect of non-work life on work life and vice versa. A happy non-work such as family and social life can help individuals to handle challenges in work life too. Therefore, it can be argued that, the relationship between work and non-work is two-way. Marks et al. (2001) and Gutek et al. (1991) posit that work life influences the non-work life in many different ways and vice-versa, because of the financial dependency on jobs an d less flexibility in job schedules. Therefore, it has been a challenge for the employees to make balance between these two. Job satisfaction is highly

Educating the Re-Educated Essay Example for Free

Educating the Re-Educated Essay During China’s Cultural Revolution young intellectuals, who were described as men and women that graduated from high school, were sent to the countryside to be re-educated and learn about hard labor. During their re-education men and women were pushed to their limits to endure hard labor. These men and women were also prohibited to have anything reactionary because it was against their Chairman Mao. In Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Luo and Ma, the main characters, are sent to Mountain of the Phoenix of the Sky to be â€Å"re-educated by the poor peasants,† but to their surprise they end up educating the peasants and the daughter of the local tailor, the Little Seamstress. Luo and Ma were two of the young men that were sent to the countryside and learn about labor. Although, these two young men only had a middle school education, it can be argued that their presence at Mountain Phoenix was contrary to their re-education. Instead of Ma and Luo being the students they became the educators and made a big difference in one of the characters life. Luo and Ma served not only as workers, but as educators. Although Luo and Ma only had a middle school education they were sent to re-education because their doctor parents were seen as enemies of the state. During their stay at Phoenix Mountain they befriended Four Eyes who was a young intellectual getting re-educated. Four eyes plays an important role in Luo’s and Ma’s education of the people. Four eyes possess a treasure trove of forbidden reactionary Western novels, which Luo and Ma desired and eventually stole. Ma and Luo stole the novels when Four Eyes was about to leave the mountain, they take the novels with them and fall in love. Another, person that plays an important role in Luo and Ma’s education of the people is the Headman. He sends Ma and Luo on trips to the city to watch movies. Luo and Ma are sent to watch the movies, but have to return and tell the movie to the people of the mountain. One of the most important characters is the Little Chinese Seamstress. Luo and Ma fall in love with her, but Luo stereotypes her and says she is â€Å"not civilized† enough for him. With this being said when Luo and Ma come across Four Eyes books they have the idea of educating the Little Seamstress and teaching her how to read. The books that the boys take from four eyes help them take their mind of where they are and what they are going through, but also help them improve the mentality of the Little Seamstress. The Little Seamstress has lived her whole life in the mountain and doesn’t clearly know what is outside of that area. When the boys read her the stories she imagines a completely different world than the one she is used to. The reader is able to see the impact the novels have on the Seamstress when she starts to make her clothes differently and starts d ressing differently. The Little Seamstress begins to wonder more what is outside of the mountains. She wants to know about other places and different people. When the Headman sends Luo and Ma to the city to watch a movie he does it with an intention of having them fail when they return to explain the movie to the people. To his surprise the boys come back and explain the movie better than anyone and the Headman sends them back every time so they can tell the movie. The boys go so many times that every time they come back they tell the movie better each time. They make the people feel as if they are right their watching the movie. The people become emotional and start crying at times, but that is just a sign that they are entertained by what they are hearing. The way they tell the story helps the people imagine what’s happening and feel the emotion of what’s happening to the characters. The movie telling becomes a way of entertainment for the people it’s a way of getting their minds out of their everyday tasks. The boys help the people think of new and different things every time they tell a movie. The Luo and Ma made a difference in the other people’s lives without realizing that they did anything. They changed the lives of the people listening to their movies and they changed the life of the little Seamstress. They educated the people listening ot their movies in the sense that they opened their mind to new things, to things that are outside of their surroundings. Luo and Ma may not have taught them how to read or how write but they opened their mind to new things. As the Etymology dictionary explains, to educate means to â€Å"bring forth and have a formative effect on the mind.† Luo and Ma made an effect in the people’s minds by telling them stories that they were able to visualize and feel. The biggest person they had an impact on was the Little Seamstress, they left a big effect on her that it made her want to change and become a new person. Without knowing what they did to her, they opened her mind to new things. The stories left her wanting more, in the sense that she wanted to see what’s out in the world without having to read about it. She not only wanted to read about it but wanted to experience it on her own. The knowledge they gave to her is most noticeable in the end of the novel, when she leaves. Without having the intention of making an impact on her mind they realized that they gave her more than just short stories and novels. Readers may argue that Ma and Luo did nothing other than what they were told which was to tell the movie, but Ma and Luo did more than just explain what happened in a movie. Ma and Luo acted out a lot of the scenes and tried to be as explanatory as possible. They even went a step farther and made â€Å"snow† appear in one of their scenes. Even though they acted out the scenes, people may still argue that one cannot educate others from just acting out a movie. It is true Luo and Ma didn’t teach the people any of the basic skills like reading, writing, and math, but they taught them how to visualize and how to explore a new world outside of theirs. Also, people may argue that they did not educate the Little Seamstress, that they only read her novels. Luo and Ma opened up a door to the Little Seamstress that she has never witnessed before. Reading her the novels let her imagine images from the novels that she would have never seen before or thought about. They let her imagine and wonder about new things. The Little Seamstress learned about other people, their lives, and what they think about. To her it was something new and out of the ordinary. Luo and Ma taught the people and the Little Seamstress to imagine and feel new things. They were like parents reading a story to their children before bed. In the end when the Little Seamstress leaves she takes notice that she learned something, but she doesn’t acknowledge she learned because of Ma and Luo. She says, â€Å"She had learnt one thing from Balzac,† in this moment she is acknowledging she learned something and that’s the reason she is leaving. If she had not learned anything she wouldn’t be leaving. The Little Seamstress acknowledgement of learning something goes to show that the Ma and Luo did not only go to Phoenix Mountain to get re-educated, but to educate the re-educated. Without acknowledging that their movie and storytelling would make a difference, the Little Seamstress leaving shows that they did more than just telling stories. They helped the Seamstress gain confidence in her and knowledge, enough to want to leave and explore what is outside of the mountain. As for the people they would tell the movies to they learned that there is more outside their mountain and they learned how to grow their imagination. Luo and Ma were sent to the mountain to gain new knowledge on hard labor, once they were their they did not just learn they taught. Bibliography * Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., Jan. 2001. Web. 4 Nov. 2010. * Sijie, Dai. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. Print. Outline Thesis: * Luo and Ma were sent to Mountain of the Phoenix of the Sky to be â€Å"re-educated by the poor peasants,† but ended up education the some of the peasents especially the little seamstress. Argument: * Describe what happens in the countryside like why the boys were sent their, how they got a hold of the books, how they met little seamstress and how they decided to educate her. * How the books help the boys with educating the seamstress * How the movie telling helps the boys educate the people * They made a difference without realizing they did anything Refutation: * People may argue that they didn’t do anything that all they did was follow orders of watching the movie and how does reading to a young lady educate her? Conclusion: * They educated the people without realizing they opened their eyes and imagination to a new place. It is most convincing that they did anything when the little seamstress leaves and says that what she learned is that a woman’s beauty is a treasure beyond price.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Analysis of Cement Industry in India

Analysis of Cement Industry in India INTRODUCTION People invest in stocks to make their money grow. And to help investors identify the suitable and the appropriate way to invest, there are various modes of analysis. A number of approaches have been developed over time. One most important analytical approach among them is EIC analysis (E for economy, I for industry and C for company). EIC analysis is also sometimes referred to as Fundamental Analysis or the Top Down approach to Fundamental analysis. . In this approach, the investment decisions are taken on the basis of the strength of the economy, industry and company. The major objective of undergoing a project on EIC analysis or top down approach to fundamental analysis is to answer the question as What to buy. At economy level, fundamental analysis will focus on the economic indicators of the country to assess the present and future growth of the economy. Major economic indicators include the GDP growth rate, inflation, imports, exports, monetary and fiscal policies, foreign exchange reserves, IIP, etc. The basic assumption is that if the economy grows, companies would do well. At the industry level, apart from economy other factors like government attitude, entry barriers, competition level, threat of potential entrants, substitute products, cost structure, foreign entrants, also affect the way an industry evolves in time and hence affects the stock prices of companies in that particular industry. This industry analysis will also include Porters five force model (wherever applicable) which will give a better approach to it. The next task to be done in the project is to identify and analyze two companies i.e. ACC and Ultratech cement Ltd. For that a number of factors will be taken into consideration, say, the companys SWOT analysis and the financials of the company. Thus, on the foundation of some major factors, this EIC analysis will analyze the overall economy, industry and company which will give a clear picture and practical approach of stock identification. The second part of the project is Technical analysis which is a method of evaluating securities by analyzing the statistics generated by market activity, such as past prices and volume. Technical analysis looks at the price movement of a security and uses this data to predict its future price movements. Thus a technical analyst approaches a security from the charts. 2. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS EIC analysis is not just about balance-sheets or analysis of a companys financial performance. It is also crucial to look at the broader picture- the macro-economic factors that may directly or indirectly affect the economy, industry and stocks of the company. Economic Analysis is the First Step in a three step security analysis process. An economic slowdown has implications for the earnings and margins of companies. At economy level, fundamental analysis will focus on the economic indicators of the country to assess the present and future growth of the economy. It aims at analyzing the overall Economy and identifying the general direction, in which the economy is heading. Although there are many macroeconomic indicators that are relevant to markets, given below are some must-track-indicators GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate is the most important macroeconomic indicator of a nations economic health. If the GDP is growing, so will economy, businesses, jobs and personal income. If GDP is slowing down, then businesses will hold off investing in new investments and hiring new employees, waiting to see if the economy will improve. If the GDP growth rate actually turns negative, then it means the economy is in a recession. Thus, on the basis of the GDP data, we can analyze the economy and interpret the future of Indias economy up to some extent. Given below is the data of real GDP growth rate from the year 2006 till the year 2010. In the year 2008, Indias GDP growing at 7.9%, was the lowest in three years and was indicative of slowdown in Indian economy. Recorded for the months of April-June 2008, Indias economic growth rate was 7.9% which was less than what it was at the same time last year. The economy had expanded by 7.6 per cent in the July to September quarter of 2008. Indias economic growth slowed to just 5.3 per cent in the last three months of 2008, its slowest pace of expansion in the last six years, as the global financial crisis took its toll on local manufacturers and farm output fell. The International Monetary Fund has forecast Indias economy to grow at 6.75 percent in 2009-10 and 8 percent in 2011-12 on the back of an expected pick-up in private consumption and investment. Indian economy grew 8.6 percent from January to March of 2010, keeping in line with governmental projections. During the quarter, mining and quarrying, manufacturing and trade, hotel, transport and communication saw year-on-year growth of 14 percent, 16.3 percent and 12.4 percent. The country strives to attain 8.5 percent growth of GDP in fiscal year 2010-2011 with the aim of realizing 9 percent growth in the following year. INFLATION Inflation is no stranger to the Indian economy. It is an increase in the price of a basket of goods and services that is representative of the economy as a whole. Inflation is an upward movement in the average level of prices. Because inflation is a rise in the general level of prices, it is intrinsically linked to money. It denotes too much money chasing too few goods. High rates of inflation can have critical effects on economy. It is characterized by depreciation in the value of money. Economists attribute a number of factors to inflation that can be broadly categorized under supply side factors like increased production costs and demand side factors like excessive demand created by tax cuts, cheaper borrowings etc. High rates of inflation can have serious consequences for the economy in general. Therefore, for governments all over the world, reducing movements of prices to a minimum is seen as a primary economic objective. The above effects can be exemplified by taking the current scenario of the Indian economy. Annual Inflation in India in May 2008 was 7.4% which was the highest since November 2004. As a result Industrial production growth declined to 8.6 % in February 2008 as compared to 11 % in February 2007. Thus, high inflationary rate is harmful because the value of the money falls, cost of living rises, reduces the value of savings, discourages future investment and savings and slows down the overall growth of the economy. The Indias economic story can be traced by seeing the general trend of inflation rate in the year 2008. In the Year 2008, RBI had revised its key rates several times to maintain the liquidity in the banking system. The lower interest rates will allow the banks to cut their benchmark lending rates, though the deposits will also see the reduction in interest rates. Lower commodity prices and crude oil prices is driving the Inflation on a downside. This will be wonderful as the lower inflation means, lower cost of credit, which drives the economy on the upside. For 2009, Indian inflation stood at 11.49% Y-o-Y. On March 19, 2010, the Reserve Bank of India raised its benchmark reverse repurchase rate to 3.5% percent, after this rate touched record lows of 3.25%. The repurchase rate was raised to 5% from 4.75% as well, in an attempt to curb Indian inflation. The inflation rate in India was 13.73 percent in June of 2010. This is because of the prices of pulses were up by 34.40 per cent from a year ago, milk by 21.12 per cent, fruits by 13.67 per cent, cereals by 5.41 per cent, rice by 6.76 per cent and wheat by 3.97 per cent. On 19th august, cheaper vegetables pull down inflation to 10.35%. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE India has been facing huge problem of unemployment and underemployment from years. Unemployment is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas and too women face the unemployment more. Various problems like enormous increase in the population, age, vocational unfitness and physical disabilities, technological and economic factors have caused this problem. Other problems also contribute towards unemployment. Several socio-economic problems like poverty, malnutrition, antisocial and criminal activities, drug and substance abuse, etc. are the result of ill effects of unemployment. Underemployment, Disguised unemployment, regional imbalances in the unemployment scenario in India are another important factor. The decline in job creation in agriculture has been identified as one of the important reasons behind the increasing unemployment in India. But players like TCS, BSNL WIPRO have announced their plan to hire more and more people in 2010. IMPORTS Indias merchandise imports witnessed a growth of 44.9 per cent during April-September 2008, and thereafter it showed a deceleration, reflecting the slowdown in industrial activities due to global economic crisis. The overall imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 241.5 billion, recorded a lower growth of 24.4 per cent than 30.9 per cent recorded a year ago. POL imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 82.1 billion, however, maintained broadly a similar growth of 30.6 per cent (31.9 per cent a year ago) reflecting the high pace of crude oil prices. Imports during January 2009 at US$ 18.5 billion also declined by 18.2 per cent for the first time during the current year 2008-09 so far, as against an increase of 64.0 per cent in January 2008, mainly due to sharp decline in oil imports. The overall imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 241.5 billion, showed a growth of 24.4 per cent lower than that registered during the comparable period of previous year (31.0 per cent ) on account of deceleration in both oil and non-oil imports. Indias imports during March, 2010 were valued at US $ 27733 million (Rs.126175  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  crore) representing a growth of   67.1 per cent in dollar terms (48.4   per cent in Rupee terms)   over the level of imports valued at US $ 16597 million ( Rs. 85022 crore) in March, 2009. Oil imports during March, 2010 were valued at US $ 7730 million which was 85.2   per cent higher than oil imports valued at US $   4175 million in the corresponding period last year.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Non-oil imports during March, 2010 were estimated at US $ 20003 million which was 61.0 per cent higher than non-oil imports of US $ 12422 million in March, 2009. EXPORTS Indias merchandise exports, after recording a steady growth of 35.3 per cent during April-August 2008, declined in all the subsequent months so far, during the current year, viz., (-12.1 per cent in October), (-9.9 per cent in November), (-1.1 per cent in December) and (-15.9 per cent in January 2009) on account of global financial turmoil and economic slowdown. With the result, the overall exports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$143 billion increased by 12.4 per cent as compared with 24.1 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year. Exports of labor intensive sectors such as, textiles, gems and jewelers, agricultural and allied products, ores and minerals, leather products have registered decelerated growth as these sectors have been adversely affected under the impact of demand recession, mainly in the developed regions, viz., the US and the EU. Exports in2009- 2010 is 90573 crore as compared to 66169 crore in 2008-09, hence showing a growth of 36.9%. EXCHANGE RATE Since the international business environment has no universal medium of exchange, exchange rates is a necessity for international trade. Presently, both translation and conversion of foreign currency involve the use of exchange rates. Therefore, in order to gain a more through understanding of foreign currency translation, it is important to examine the nature of exchange rates and the critical role they play in the international economy. The recent Asian currency crisis demonstrates how critically exchange rates impact economic developments. Economic factors affecting exchange rates include hedging activities, interest rates, inflationary pressures, trade imbalances, and market activities. The political factors influencing exchange rates include the established monetary policy along with government action or inaction on items such as the money supply, inflation, taxes, and deficit financing. Psychological factors also influence exchange rates. These factors include market anticipation, speculative pressures, and future expectations. MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICY Fiscal Policy Riding on the path of fiscal consolidation, in February 2008, the world economy was hit by three unprecedented crises first, the petroleum price rise; second, rise in prices of other commodities; and third, the breakdown of the financial system. The combined effect of these crises of these orders is bound to affect emerging market economies and India was no exception. The first two crises resulted in serious inflationary pressure in the first half of 2008-09. Series of fiscal measures both on tax revenue and expenditure side were undertaken with the objective of easing supply side constraints. These measures were supplemented by monetary initiatives through policy rate changes by the Reserve Bank of India and contributed to the softening of domestic prices. Additional budgetary resources of Rs.1, 50,320 crore was provided as part of stimulus package and various committed liabilities of Government including rising subsidy requirement, implementation of Central Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme for Farmers contributed to the higher fiscal deficit of 6 per cent of GDP in RE 2008-09 as compared to 2.5 per cent of GDP in B.E.2008-09. The measures taken by Government to counter the effects of the global meltdown on the Indian economy, have resulted in a short fall in revenues and substantial increases in government expenditures, leading to a temporary deviation from the fiscal consolidation path mandated under the FRBM Act during 2008-09 and 2009-2010. The fiscal policy for the year 2009-2010 is continued to be guided by the objectives of keeping the economy on the higher growth trajectory amidst global slowdown by creating demand through increased public expenditure in identified sectors. Monetary policy India has rapidly integrated into the global system and has linkages with the rest of the world not just through trade channels, but also through two-way movements of capital and finance. As an integral part of a globalizing world, India cannot be expected to remain immune to a global crisis and in responding to the crisis, India has to share the uncertainty on the way forward just like the rest of the world. Both the Government and the Reserve Bank have acted to protect the economy from the adverse impact of the crisis since mid-September 2008. While the Government has announced three major fiscal stimulus packages, the endeavor of the Reserve Bank has been to provide ample rupee liquidity, ensure comfortable dollar liquidity and maintain a monetary policy environment conducive for the continued flow of credit to productive sectors. Towards this endeavor, the Reserve Bank has adopted both conventional measures such as, for example, reduction of the cash reserve ratio (CRR), as well as unconventional measures such as, for example, the dollar swap facility for banks. To improve the flow of credit to productive sectors at viable costs so as to sustain the growth momentum, the Reserve Bank signaled a lowering of the interest rate structure by significantly reducing both its key policy rates the repo rate and the reverse repo rate.   The statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) has also been reduced by one percentage point releasing funds to banks for credit deployment. In the space of just one quarter, the repo rate has been reduced from 9.0 per cent to 5.5 per cent and the reverse repo rate from 6.0 per cent to 4.0 per cent, thereby bringing down both of them to historically lowest levels. The Reserve Bank of India lowered its benchmark repurchase rate to 7.5 percent from 8 percent. At the same time the central bank also reduced the cash reserve ratio to 5.5 percent from 6.5 percent, and cut the amount of money lenders are required to keep in government bonds to 24 percent from 25 percent. But the measures taken by government and the Reserve Bank will continue to maintain vigil, monitor domestic and global developments, and restore the economy to its potential growth path. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT The Indian Cement Industry with a capacity of around 125 Million Ton Per Annum (MTPA) is the fourth largest in the world after China, Japan and USA. However, the per capita consumption in the country is only around 90 kgs as compared to the world average of approx. 250 kgs. The Cement Industry is highly fragmented comprising of more than 50 players operating from more than 125 plants. The Cement Industry is cyclical and capital intensive. Cement is a key infrastructure industry. It has been decontrolled from price and distribution on 1st March, 1989 and delicensed on 25th July, 1991. However, the performance of the industry and prices of cement are monitored regularly. The constraints faced by the industry are reviewed in the Infrastructure Coordination Committee meetings held in the Cabinet Secretariat under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Coordination). Its performance is also reviewed by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure. The Cement Industry witnessed a slow start in the FY 2005 due to change in the Government at the centre; slow down in infrastructure spending during the transition and adversities of drought like conditions in the South and West. The subsequent regaining of momentum enabled the industry clock a dispatch growth of 7% for the full year. The Cement sector appears to be on a sustainable growth path, given the strong outlook for the housing sector and the renewed momentum in infrastructure spending. The Cement sector appears to be on a sustainable growth path, given the robust outlook in Government infrastructure spending. It is expected that the industry would grow at an average 8% annual growth in the long run. The industry has witnessed consolidation in the recent years which is likely to increase with the entry of global players. Cement being an energy intensive industry; power and coal are the major cost contributors. Logistics also form a significant portion of the cost. The looming coal shortage will not only affect the cost, but also the quality of coal. Cement prices are expected to firm up across regions in the medium term on account of a better demand- supply balance and greater consolidation. The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and fuel and to save materials substantially. India is also producing different varieties of cement like Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFS), Oil Well Cement, Rapid Hardening Portland Cement, Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement, White Cement etc. GROWTH PROSPECT The one Indian industry which is set for growth over the coming years is the Cement Industry. The industry is heavily dependent on 3 sectors; coal, power and transport. Energy and freight are the two major cost components. Over the last few years, while the proportion of energy cost has increased marginally, freight costs have declined. Increasing government expenditure on infrastructure sector and rising demand for commercial and residential real estate development has resulted in higher demand for cement in the country. According to a report by the ICRA Industry Monitor, the installed cement capacity is expected to increase to 241 million tones per annum by the end of 2010. It also expects that driven by higher domestic demand and increasing utilization, Indias cement industry may record an annual growth of 10% over the coming years. Taking cue of the global economic slowdown which was affecting cement companies in India last year, Governments initiative to re-impose counter-veiling duty and special counter-veiling duty this year will help provide a level playing field for domestic players. Moreover, it also appointed a coal regulator to facilitate timely and proper allocation of coal blocks to the important sectors like cement. As coal is one of the prime raw material used in cement production, this seems to be a positive move. Growth potential of cement industry can be judged by the fact that the per capita cement consumption (156 kg) in India is still well below the global average consumption (396 kg). This gap can be expected to be covered in the coming years. Besides, housing sector accounts for almost 50% of the total cement consumption in the country and the large young population will ensure that the demand for infrastructure stays put. The rising cost of energy, transportation raw material continues to pressure the industry as a whole. To sustain profitability, companies will have to explore alternate source of energy while at the same time enhance their operational efficiency. Industry experts opine that the cement industries should now increase their focus on investing adequately in developing human resources that will be capable enough to address the professional needs of construction industry including advanced technologies and construction practices, project management construction and litigation. We expect that the cement production and consumption both will grow substantially over the years. PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL Rivalry among Competing Firms Inter firm rivalry is very high in this sector. Reasons for this are manly large number of players in the market, intermittent overcapacity, marginal product differentiation, high storage cost and high exit barriers in the form of huge capital investment. Potential Entry of New Competitors In cement Industry technology and manpower are easily available but still entry of new firms is not that viable. This is because of huge capital investment, broad distribution network and oversupplied market. Potential Development of Substitute Products Only bitumen in road and engineering plastics in building offer some element of competition otherwise no close substitutes are popular in India. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers of raw materials and intermediate goods is very high. Because of monopolistic control of external cost elements i.e. coal, power, transportation and taxes suppliers are enjoying high bargaining power with the government. Bargaining Power of Consumers Rising share of retail purchase, declining share of bulk purchase by government has taken away the bargaining power of customers. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Second largest in terms of capacity- In India there is approximately 124 large and 300 mini plants with installed capacity of 200 million tonnes. Low cost of production- Because of easy availability of raw material and cheap labor. Weakness Demand supply gap, overcapacity- the capacity additions distort the demand supply equilibrium in the industry thus affecting the profitability. Increasing cost of production due to increase in coal prices. High interest rate on housing- increase in interest rate from 7% to 12% has resulted in slowdown in residential property market. Opportunities Increase in infrastructure projects- Infrastructure accounts for 35% of cement consumption in India. And with increase in government focus on infrastructure spending such as roads, highways and airports, the cement demand is likely to grow in future. Growing middle class- There has been a increase in purchasing power of emerging middle class with rise in salary and wages, which results in rising demand for better quality of life that further necessitates infrastructure development and hence increase yhe demand for cement. Technological changes- At present 93% of the total capacity in industry is based on modern and environmental friendly dry process and only 7% is based on old wet and semi dry process technology. The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and to save materials substantially and hence reduce the cost of production. Threats Excess overcapacity can hurt margins as well as prices. COMPANY ANALYSIS ACC LIMITED Established in 1936, has been a pioneer and trend setter in cement and concrete technology. A prominent overseas presence and figuring on the elite list of consumer super brands of India but most importantly acc has been amongst the first Indian companies to make environment protection as cornerstone of its corporate objectives. The historic merger of ten existing companies has led to the established of acc- melding into a cohesive organization in 1936. It offers the services of ready made concrete and consultancy services. This company is listed by Bombay stock exchange, National stock exchange and in London. During year 2007 company acquired 100% equity stake in Lucky Minmat Private limited for Rs 35 crores and also acquired 43% stake in Shiva Cement Limited. Meanwhile the company divested its entire equity shares in Almatis ACC limited to the Almatis group. The overseas contact with YANBU Cement Company in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is successfully ongoing relationship from last 28 years and has been renewed up to Feb 28, 2011. The companys various manufacturing units are backed by a central technology support services centre the only one of its kind in the Indian cement industry. ACC has rich experience in mining, being the largest user of limestone. As the largest cement producer in India, it is one of the biggest customers of the domestic coal industry, of Indian Railways, and a considerable user of the countrys road transport network services for inward and outward movement of materials and products. The company has developed comprehensive expansion plans to meet the requirement of its agenda for growth with a view to attain leadership position in the cement industry, for that company made a project for augmentation of clinkering and cement grinding. Also it implements projects for augmenting grinding capacity at Madukkaria by 0.225 MTPA and New Wadi at 0.60 MTPA. Ready mix concrete business has been identified as area of strategic priority. ACC commissioned a Wind Energy Farm in Tamil Nadu to promote clean and green technology. The company foresees substantial scope for growth of this business in India. The company actively promotes the use of alternative fuels and raw materials and offers total solutions for waste management including testing, suggestions for reuse, recycling and co-processing. When we look at the values that are obtained using the DCF and the stock prices we can say that the prices of the companies stock are mispriced to a large extent. The intrinsic values for four consecutive years turned out to be negative which means that the shares are highly over priced. The investments in these stocks are very risky. ULTRATECH CEMENT Ultratech Cement Limited (UltraTech) is India-based one of the largest cement manufacturing company. UltraTech Cement was incorporated as a public limited company on 24th August 2000, as LT Cement Limited a 100% Subsidiary of Larsen Toubro Limited. The name of the Company was changed to UltraTech CemCo Limited with effect from 19th November 2003. The name of the company was again changed to UltraTech Cement Limited with effect from 11th October 2004. UltraTech Cement has an annual capacity of 18.2 million tones. It manufactures and markets Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement and Portland Pozzalana Cement. It also manufactures ready mix concrete (RMC). The company has five integrated plants, six grinding units and three terminals- two in India and one in Sri Lanka. It is the countrys largest exporter of cement clinker. The export marketspan countries around the Indian Ocean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The company has an annual cement production capacity of 18.2 million tones. It is a subsidiary of Grasim Industries Ltd. The company operates two subsidiary companies namely, Dakshin Cement Limited and UltraTech Ceylinco (P) Limited. The company is headquartering at Mumbai in India. The company reported revenues of (Rupee) INR 66,643.30 million during the fiscal year ended March 2009, an increase of 16.43% over 2008. The operating profit of the company was INR 13,678.20 million during the fiscal year 2009, a decrease of 9.73% from 2008. The net profit of the company was INR 9,780.60 million during the fiscal year 2009, a decrease of 3.17% from 2008. According to the analysis done by DCF model the value of the share are 1403.89. five year daily data has been taken for the analysis. RISK ANALYSIS A risk analysis involves identifying the most probable threats to an organization and analyzing the related vulnerabilities of the organization to these threats. In quantitative risk analysis, an attempt is made to numerically determine the probabilities of various adverse events and the likely extent of the losses if a particular event takes place. Qualitative risk analysis, which is used more often, does not involve numerical probabilities or predictions of loss. Instead, the qualitative method involves defining the various threats, determining the extent of vulnerabilities and devising countermeasures should an attack occur. NOTE: The values given in the above tables are calculated for the daily data taken for a period of 5 years for both the companies and the BSE Index (1st January 2006 31st January 2010) ANALYSIS: From the values in the average return, variance and standard deviation we can understand that the return in cement industry was negative for an investor who invested his money in those stocks for that particular period. The risk associated with Ultratech company stock is very high as it has very high standard deviation and variance when compared to the other company ACC Cement. The standard deviation and variance of Ultratech stock are greater than that of Index. Risk Analysis: To analyze the risk associated with a stock we have calculated 3 parameters. Beta, Sharpe and Treynor à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ (Beta) Co-efficient (A Measure of Systematic Risk): The beta is a measure of systematic risk or Non-diversifiable risk. The beta of a stock measures the sensitivity or volatility of the stock with reference to a broad based market index, e.g. SENSEX in India. Sharpes Measure of Performance: Sharpe Measure measures the risk Premiums of the portfolio (average portfolio return less risk free return) relative to the total amount of risk in the portfolio (standard deviation of the portfolio). It is also called reward-to-variability ratio. The Sharpe ratio tells us whether a portfolios returns  are due to smart investment decisions or a result of excess risk. The higher the Sharpe ratio for a portfolio, the better the portfolio has performed. Treynors Measure of Performance: The Treynor measure is a relative measure of performance for investment managers and measures the return premium per unit of systematic risk (risk that cannot be diversified) as measured by the beta or relative volatility of the portfolio. While a high and positive Treynors Index shows a superior risk-adjusted performance of a fund, a low and negative Treynors Index is an indication of unfavorable performance. It is also called reward-to-volatility ratio. Analysis: Rf: The risk free return taken is a government treasury bill which has a return of 8% per annum. When we compare the movemen

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Cronenberg’s Videodrome and the Post-Modern Condition :: Cronenberg Videodrome Essays

Cronenberg’s Videodrome and the Post-Modern Condition      Ã‚  Ã‚   In past years, when an artist or philosopher critiqued the reality of the world, it was always presumed that there was a reality to be criticized. However, post-modernity has presented those people with a horrifying new challenge -- a world that has literally been so overcome by its technology that the important issues of man's existence no longer consist of finding answers to questions like "Why are we born to suffer and die?" but merely trying to distinguish between the real and the unreal, which to post-modern man is not esoteric philosophical speculation, but a practical day to day issue. The post-modern trajectory is one that leaves humans fighting not to maintain political supremacy or to break the shackles of injustice, but simply to maintain their identities as real beings in the face of technology's blurring of the lines between man and mechanics, humanity and machinery, reality and image. This struggle seems to be a losing battle for mankind, as each day the in ventions that were meant to bring us pleasure and increase our leisure time, instead dehumanize us by taking a piece of our selfhood for their own with every passing moment. The post-modern social theorist Jean Baudrillard posits that the world of today is a never-ending "virtual apocalypse" of reality yielding to the hyperreal--reality defined not as what, in fact is. but rather that which can be simulated, reproduced, or Xeroxed. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and never has this been more true than in the world of the post-modern, where the only viable strategy left is to take technology's weapons and turn them to our advantage, in one final attempt to preserve our humanity by somehow finding meaning in the hallucinatory, cybernetic, hyperreal spectacle that is the post-modern condition. Of all the possible means of gaining the insight into our nature and the nature of the world that is necessary to survive technology's siege on reality, few media are as powerful as cinema (after all, film provides a uniquely accessible and intense vehicle for ideas), and few film-makers are as adept at dissecting the concept of post-modernity as the Canadian author David Cronenberg. In an age where every passing moment constitutes a further obscuring of the boundary between reality and image, this prophetic director clarifies, cuts through, and captures the very essence of post-modernity, through masterfully done pieces of cinematography that bring technology, obsession, and carnality together and pit them against each other in the horrific battlefield of the mind, each fighting for control of the human psyche.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Corporate Taxation Essay

1. The definition of property as it relates to a section 351 transaction includes money. (TRUE) 2. A taxpayer always will have a tax basis in boot received in a section 351 transaction equal to its fair market value. (TRUE) 3. Mandel transferred property to his new corporation in a section 351 transaction. One of the properties transferred was land with a fair market value of $200,000 and a tax basis of $250,000. The corporation will always take a tax basis in the land of $200,000 to prevent the â€Å"built-in loss† from being transferred from Mandel to the corporation. (FALSE) 4. Han transferred land to his corporation in a section 351 transaction. Han had held the land for two years prior to the transfer. The corporation will tack Han’s holding period for the land. (TRUE) 5. Roberta transfers property with a tax basis of $400 and a fair market value of $500 to a corporation in exchange for stock with a fair market value of $350 in a transaction that qualifies for defe rral under section 351. The corporation assumed a liability of $150 on the property transferred. What is the amount realized by Roberta in the exchange? ($500) 6. Antoine transfers property with a tax basis of $500 and a fair market value of $600 to a corporation in exchange for stock with a fair market value of $550 in a transaction that qualifies for deferral under section 351. The corporation assumed a liability of $50 on the property transferred. What is Antoine’s tax basis in the stock received in the exchange? ($450) 7. Carlos transfers property with a tax basis of $500 and a fair market value of $800 to a corporation in exchange for stock with a fair market value of $650 and $50 in a transaction that qualifies for deferral under section 351. The corporation assumed a liability of $100 on the property transferred. What is the corporation’s tax basis in the property received in the exchange? ($550) 8. Tristan transfers property with a tax basis of $900 and a fair market value of $1,200 to a corporation in exchange for stock with a fair market value of $900 and $200 in a transaction that qualifies for deferral under section 351. The corporation assumed a liability of $100 of the property transferred. What is the corporation’s tax basis in the property received in the exchange? ($1,100) 9. Ashley transfers property with a tax basis of $5,000 and a fair market value $3,000 to a corporation in exchange for stock with a fair market value of $2,000 and $500 in a transaction that qualifies for deferral under section 351. The corporation assumed a liability of $500 on the property transferred. What is Ashley’s tax basis in the stock received in the exchange? ($4,000) 10. Which of the following statements best describes the concept of control as it applies to a section 351 transaction? Control is defined as the ownership of 80 percent of more of a corporations voting stock and 80 percent or more of the total number of shares of each class of nonvoting stock.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Premchand’s Goodan and Dickens Hard Times Essay

There is always unremitting impression which brings Premchand’s Goodan and Dickens Hard Times in framework as an entirety. Goodan which was written 1936, in a nutshell travels on the apprehension of a life of a farmer, most importantly oppression in the hand of class structure. As a critic points out the life of Indian village and the farmer seems to be trapped in the net woven by the landlords, moneylenders and police i. e. suggesting double standard of the capitalists. Dickens correspondingly voices social injustice and problem in the capitalist framework most importantly oppression of the lower class by the upper class. A critic suggested that both the writers Premchand and Dickens primarily concerns to voicing the social reform, consciously trying to draw a balance between idealism and realism as a whole. In Hard Times which was written in 1854, depicted Victorian industrial society, and formulated a troop of radical critique of industrial England. Siengfried A.  Schulz in his book â€Å"Premchand : a western appraisal† provided mainly three proposition drawn between Hard times and Goodan. In Hard Times : 1) Injustice 2) Oppression of the poor by the upper class 3) Attack on the economic theorist, utilitarian. Again, in case of Goodan he proposes 1) deeply intrigued on the Question of Dharma. 2) Oppression of the poor by the rich. 3) Confinement of Premchand to depict the ugly aspect of Indian society. If we closely observe there seems to struggle between two world : world of fancy and world of factualism in Hard Times and world of village and city in Goodan. Goodan presents the life of Hori and his inclination towards religious ritual i. e. Goodan and his unable to forsake the concept of his dharma and his life is doomed due to his adherence to it. The use of the term Dharma by Premchand gives the impression of a hollow ring suggesting hypocritical too. Hori, hopes that all other would understand and naturally adhere to a traditional code of conduct, but his attitude is not reciprocated. This also gives a vibrant picture of problem of social hierarchy as a whole. In Hard Times too, the fact oriented ideology of the characters like Gradgrind and Bounderby can be seen as they opposed any kind of fancy or imagination. Dickens represents utilitarian concept of adherence to ‘fact’ which is dominant in the novel. Again, a critic points out that the marriage between Lusia- Bounderby can be connected with the character of Hori, as he too maries his elder daughter in marriage to an elderly man, but the difference according to him is that it is Hori’s helplessness and misery that drives him towards this decision. Some critic even points out that Premchand’s bringing out of this concept of marriage gives a parallel treatment of marriage as a whole for the western as well as Indian society. Through Hori, Premchand reveals the prospect of Indian farmers giving a warning that life of misery would continue until there is no change in the approach of Indian farmers towards his environment. Through Gradgrind and Bounderby, Dickens produced his product of representing the contemporary purely materialistic, scientifically bent utilitarian theory. A critic posts Goodan far ahead of Hard Times as it seems more realistic then Hard Times. There is many instances like the Gradgrind’s giving shelter to Sissy Jupe, and Hori’s giving shelter to Siliya which proposed Siegfried’s attempt of convincing that there can be possibility of borrowing ideas by Premchand Form Dickens. Again, there is also a possible analogy between lives of Stephen and Hori as both had extreme faith in life and simplicity and honesty are almost akin to Hori’s dharma. Even their death brings out similarity as both dies with desires that are not fulfilled. Stephen’s fall symbolizes the destruction of the working class by industrial upper class and Hori’s death indicates defeat of the Indian peasant in the face of unbearable odd. There can be similar parallel between characters like Stephen- Richel and Mehta and Malti in Goodan. Both limited roles, suggesting extra-marital affair. Through these characters Premchand represented the immergence of free thinking society. Mehta and Malti exposes Premchand’s idealism and Dickens depicted realistic form through Stephen and Richel. Premchand posesthe concept of westernization in the cities as well as Malti becomes the target of his sarcasm and satire too in Goodan. At last Tom and Gobar poises two portal of articulation as Tom suggests natural and nasty influence of the fact – oriented society. Gobar seems to be burdened by the approach of younger generation. Tom, like Gobar becomes the link betwwn the two worlds. Dickens seems to be hopeful but Premchand exposes his pessimism, his loss of faith in the ability of the Indian psyche to overcome change. This voices the two writers concern in reforming society. â€Å"No matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong road, turn back. † — Turkish Proverb

Corrections Purpose and History Essay

The history of punishment is a unique one, since the dawn of man human kind has punished one another. Man did not merely throw someone in a chamber and let them contemplate their crimes such as we do in today’s society; rather, during those early times, punishment was harsh and swift. Criminals were not drawn through the litigation processes; instead, they were found immediately guilty of a crime and brought forth to be punished in an open forum, serving to the masses as an example of the consequences of crime. The early forms of punishment in Europe varied greatly but all forms were meant to inflict unimaginable pain upon the recipient, and it is from the European methods of imprisonment from which the U.S. drew inspiration. Punishment such as crucifixion, burning on pyres, guillotines, and gauntlets are but a few examples of what methods were utilized as early methods of punishment in early Europe. This illustrates the underlying ideology that punishment should be administer ed with two principles in mind, deterrence and retribution. Purpose and History Methods of imprisonment introduced near the turn of the eighteenth century England inspired and revolutionized the way we punish and house inmates. In England during the fifteenth and sixteenth century’s corporal punishment reined supreme. Public beatings were carried out in the streets with whips; beheadings and torture were the norm for serious crimes; and enslavement was common for petty offenders. During the seventeenth century in England and other European countries, imprisonment for lesser offenses started to occur but conditions were less than desirable or humane. These facilities were overcrowded, unsanitary, and, worst of all, gender/age neutral, which meant that male felons frequently took liberties with incarcerated women and children (â€Å"Incarcerated: The History of the Penitentiary from 1776-Present†, 1997). The American Colonies quickly embraced the idea of imprisonment, because of the religious freedoms English settlers sought when they colonized this nation. The Quakers were a religious group that settled in the northeast United States and they developed new laws to govern punishment and incarcerations that focused on prolonged imprisonment to serve as retribution for crimes committed. The Quakers belief system focused on of morality, peace, non-violence, and humanity. As such they showed mercy on offenders by allowing them to shed their anti-social behaviors through long term incarceration and a penance of hard labor. It is from this that modern the concept of reformation was established. Since this form of incarceration gained popularity, it has held onto two core principles: that a criminal can make restitutions for his/her crimes and that a convict can be eventually reintegrated back into society. The new form of punishment provided an alternative to the implemented punishments of yesteryear. Auburn versus Cherry Hill Pennsylvania System This reformation of how society punished criminals served as the foundation for new and competing theories on incarceration and punishment. In America around the early 1800’s, two prison systems were the dominant models of confinement: the Pennsylvania and the Auburn State. The first model was the Pennsylvania model, which was first used at Cherry Hill prison. This model used solitary confinement as its primary tool: convicts were perpetually detained without interactions with other individuals or time outside of confinement. The idea was that solitary confinement would lead to inward reflection and religious motivation and result in a penitent convict. In fact the word penitentiary actually comes from the Pennsylvania model of perpetual confinement because it had religious implications. At first, particularly in Cherry Hill, a Bible would be left in the solitary confinement cells in the hopes it would help prisoners repent. The second model was the Auburn State prison system, which supported the labor penance model. It operated under the assumption that hard, physical labor could not only serve as restitution but as a means of helping a convicted criminal reintegrate into society fully reformed. Often, prisoners worked during the day in total silence and would be hosed down them at night. A main criticism of the Auburn system was that prisoners were being used essentially as slave labor. Inmates were being farmed out to private business owners, who had contracts with the state, which in turn lined the pockets of the private businesses and cut costs for the state. As such, the Auburn model became the popular model, because states faced significantly less prison and prisoner care costs. Businesses paid a fee in order to use the prisoners and the prisoners acted as unpaid labor for the businesses. The state prisons pocketed the fees thus creating a revenue stream that could be used to support the prisons, rather than tapping into state funds, i.e. tax payer dollars (Colvin, 1997). Around the 1920’s to 1930’s many changes occurred due to the state of the economy and activists pressing the government for prison reform. One of the main changes occurred when Congress enacted the Hawes Cooper Act, which effectively stymied the sale of prison-made goods or the us e of prison-labor by making such goods subject to state punitive laws. This act was passed in no small part due to the jobs that were needed by good upstanding citizens—jobs that were being taken away during extremely tough financial times by cheap prison labor. Congress had the authority to pass such a law thanks to its power to control and tax interstate commerce. The Ashurst-Sumners Act was the final nail in the coffin by prohibiting transport companies from accepting prison-made products (McShane & Williams,1996). The changes that stemmed from the Depression helped shape the correctional system into the rehabilitation-oriented program we have today. Prisoners are now classified into the likelihood of rehabilitation and the type of crimes that were committed, and this determines what type of facility an offender is incarcerated. Since 1935, the government made it clear that prisons must separate prisoners on the basis of gender and age. Now, facilities specifically for juvenile offenders have been established and the handling procedures for yo unger offenders have been defined. Furthermore, there are programs to rehabilitate all types of offenders whether their needs are as simple as talking to someone during counseling sessions or educational opportunities. In some ways this system has been detrimental to corrections as a whole because it arguably results in overcrowding and a more lenient attitude: if you commit a crime then you will only have to contend with years off your life rather than hard labor and making reparations for the crime (Seiter, 2011). Over-population has resulted in more money taken from the taxpayers because if there are more people in the correctional system, more facilities and care are needed. Crime levels have dissipated over the years but not dramatically enough to really prove that this system is the true solution to our problems. Conclusion Modern principles of rehabilitation and reform have brought about the institution of facilities to incarcerate convicted individuals; these structures are called penitentiaries, jails, and prisons. Current prisons are more aptly concerned with long-term detention rather than a temporary housing prior to punishment like it was used as in the past. Today’s Prisons are a shell of the former institutions. Inmates in facilities today would never allow themselves to be used for labor outside prison walls it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment. For now the correctional system work, but soon it could be on the verge of collapse and any moment the flood gates could burst and the concept of rehabilitation could come to an end. References: Mcshane, M. D., & Williams, F. P. (1996). Encyclopedia of American Prisons (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis. INCARCERATED: THE HISTORY OF THE PENITENTIARY FROM 1776- PRESENT. (1997). Retrieved from http://www.richeast.org/htwm/jails/Jails.html Colvin, M. (1997). Penitentiaries, Reformatories, and Chain Gangs: Social Theory and the History of Punishment in Nineteenth Century America. : St. Martin’s Press. Seiter, R. (2011). Corrections an Introduction (3rd ed.). Upper saddle Hall, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.