Writing for Different Cultures and Audiences Annotated Bibliography

Writing for Different Cultures and Audiences - Annotated Bibliography Example For this kind of research, it plays the role of acquainting the research with the basic information on Australian culture and how culture has changed from time to time. Clancy talks about the evolution of Australia from the time when it was only inhabited by the Aboriginals to the moment when immigrants began arriving and settling in the Island. The book traces the arrival of Europeans in the 18th century and also examines the people of Anglo=Irish origin who migrated to Australia. It sort of talks about the Australian identity and highlights the popularity of Christianity and how globalization has led to urbanization of the bush that Australia was. Apart from giving a chronological account of the metamorphosis of Australia, the book also covers tourism, sports and its significance, national barbeque and the influence that Indians and Europeans have on the country. The book is important for the research because it covers the fundamental issues of Australian culture and it evolution. It, however, fails to properly cover the Aboriginals who form the basis of Australian culture. It, however, still forms the basis of the research and will be used toget her with other books to get a conclusive research on Australian culture. In this book, Colson covers the culture of the Aboriginals. The Aboriginals are the indigenous people of Australia, who have complained about the atrocity committed against them by the immigrants who moved to Australia. Their culture was affected by the influx of people into Australia. However, they form a significant basis of Australian cultural history. Colson chronicles the culture of the Aboriginals their ceremonies, art and how their culture has influenced Australia. It also covers the family structure and society of other indigenous Australian cultures. It is a short book but has important information on the culture of Aboriginals. Since it is

Memoirs of a Geshia and Andrea Del Sarto Essay Example for Free

Memoirs of a Geshia and Andrea Del Sarto Essay The film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geshia faithfully depict the context in which it was taken. Woman are portaryed strong feminists in todays society. Sayuris blue eyes symbolise the Japanese culture, as the element of water is often associated with adoption and change, as it can be both a relaxing and a desructive force. Sayuris growth from a young servant to one of the most sought after geshia in her district water is a good guard against fire. Sayuri is portrayed as being a worthy protective for the equally formidable element of fire which can be associated with the beautiful but highly dangerous Hutsumomo. Both woman of fire and the girl of water illustrate the dominance and power of women in todays society. as both characters were associated with the element of earth, emphasising the power of women in todays society as they have gained power over time. On the other hand, in Andrea del Sarto, Browning rejects the tendency rejects the tendancy of romantics to project all their desires onto a female object . His dramatic monolouge in the poem is a variation on the theme of men processing women as objects, You beatiful Lucrezia that are mine! reveals the artists desire to assert his male dominance over her female passivity. Browning showcases the role of women during the Victorian era and the time as men only refer to them as objects as they were only desired by men for their perfect eyes perfect mouth over time women have become more powerful as portrayed in Memoirs of a Geshia as the society has recognised and potential of women.

Woodstock 1969 Essay -- essays research papers

The Woodstock of 1969 was a revolution in itself and responsible for redefining the point of view, respect, and attitude of the so-called "counter-cultured" youth of the late sixties. The attendants of the festival were youths from around the United States in ages ranging from 17 to 26. The overall mood of the festival was very relaxed and happy. Although there was a minimal amount of violence at Woodstock, there were financial problems, drugs, nudity, and traffic jams that seemed to go for miles down the old country roads surrounding Max Yasgur's dairy farm. Woodstock was a symbol of the rebellious society of the time. The youths that went were looking to vent out frustrations that their parents had forced upon them. For most youths, the "3 Days of Peace, Love, and Music" seemed to be just the place to balance their thoughts, relax with friends, and meet new people that hated their parents as much as they did. Two-hundred thousand people were expected to show for the Woodstock festival, and instead an overwhelming "400,000 youngsters turned up to hear big- name bands play in a field near the village of Bethel, New York state in what has become the largest rock concert of the decade". The attendents and the mood of the Woodstock festival in Bethel, New York was that of the counter-cultered young society of the late sixties. Max Yasgur's farm was transformed from a beautiful lush, green dairy farm field into a 400,000- person mudpit. Throughout the days of the festival, the attendants were "undaunted by rain, mud, wet clothes and chilly mountain breezes, thousands of youths sat on a rural hillside here for a marathon 19-hour session of folk-rock music". Drugs had also become increasingly more popular in the sixties, and Woodstock was no exception to the latest trend. Drugs were readily available and generously passed around through the crowds of youths all over the hillside. But the drugs weren't the reason that people generally attended the Woodstock festival. Most would agree with a man interviewed five miles away from his vehicle walking towards the festival in saying that " But it's more than that. I'm here for the same reason that Indians used to have tribal gatherings. Just being here with people like me makes it all worthwhile... ...ting with a lot of room, grass, trees, lakes. It was going to be a youth cultural exposition and that is where the culture of this generation expresses itself more naturally". Woodstock '69 has remained the icon of the sixties. After a "mind-blowing rendition of the national anthem, the hillside was cleared for the first time in nearly four days of the hordes of youths who came here for three days of music, companionship, and, in many cases, drugs". "Mr. Yasgur is gone, as is the farm. The meadow is green again, and very peaceful. Someone has built a small monument...commemorating the event, listing performers and dates". Today there are still people who believe in the philosophy of peace, love, and hapiness. They still have the hope that one day the government will "take the backseat" to an overcrowded music festival. A policeman after the music festival said what only can be imagined now-a-days, that those kids "have proven something to the world... that half a million kids can get together for fun and music and have nothing but fun and music."

Disaster Movie

This movie will take place a few years from now. Global warming has increased rapidly throughout the years as more and more people contribute to the pollutions. It will focus on the occurrences within the United States, but also little pieces throughout the world as we see the different changes. We will watch one family before, during, and after the disaster transpires. This disaster takes place throughout the entire world but we focus on the family of four living on the coast in California. The movie starts out with a prologue; a scene later in the movie.However, it actually begins with a normal morning with the family. The father is up and ready to go to work just as the children are eating their breakfast. It is a Friday and the kids are looking forward to the weekend. As the father leaves we follow him to his work. He works at a facility that dedicates themselves to researching the climates of the earth, the changes, watching rising and falling water levels, and things of the sor t. We then switch to look at the ice caps up north, drastically melting. The animals let out cries of anxiety and fear.At the same time the father has just spotted something peculiar. The water levels have risen much more than they should have in the last few hours. Somewhat anxious, he runs off to grab other scientists to help him study and evaluate this situation. The kids are just getting out of school and are heading off to the beach with their friends to hang out. Once arriving they notice something strange, there aren’t any creatures around. No squawking seagulls, no cautious crabs, nothing. They go ahead and head toward the water, thinking nothing of it.Some of them decide to lie in the sand right where the waters crash into it. One falls asleep without realizing it and ends up waking in fits of coughing. The others had been worried; he had gone completely underneath the water. The waters had risen quite a bit. The sons run off toward home to tell their parents of this scary discovery. Their father is still at work, and he and his team have discerned something big. The waters were rising at a constant rate. They could only assume the ice caps were melting due to an overload of pollutions and gases creating more heat than there should be.Frantic, they realize they don’t have long before a Tsunami approaches the shores of the United States; the ice is melting too fast. They take their research to the director in an attempt to do something about this. Everyone on the shores must be evacuated. The father will play a crucial part in this movie. His role as the scientist that notices the rising waters is very important. His children, will play as victims to this catastrophe but survive. The mother will be the one that supports them all and in the end saves her children by sacrificing herself.The major scenes in the movie will be as follows. -There are loud sirens throughout the city as people below, on the streets, panic. Everyone has just been told to evacuate the cities/state they reside in due to increasing water levels and an approaching tsunami. There are various helicopters attempting to save what people they can with the time they have left. There are two kids running toward the shore; we see someone standing there gazing at the ocean.They approach with desperation in their voices. â€Å"Mother! There you are! Please come with us, they can save us! Dad sent a chopper for us, let’s go! The mother follows after them and once at the chopper, she climbs the ladder behind them. Stray, desperate people however cling to the helicopter, weighing it down. The mother, realizing what the situation has come to, decides to save her children. She cuts the rope ladder she is on to lessen the weight of all the people so that they can escape. As this happens, there is a flashback to a week ago before everything happened. This will be how everything began. -We watch the encounters in everyone’s lives throughout the wee k along with the research and eventual discovery of the severance of the ice caps melting.As they learn of this, they first try to tell the people they must leave the state but to no avail. Thus, they try to go to someone with authority. -The governor, however, does not believe them and sends them away; threatening them that they will otherwise be arrested. – Desperate, they take to the streets and once again try and shout that everyone must leave the shores and evacuate closer to the middle of the United States. That everything will go underwater and everyone will die if they don’t leave. -The people do not listen to them though. Instead, they shout retorts at them and make fun of them.They give up and go home to think of what they can do that will work. -While they are at home they notice a storm is beginning to brew, a dangerous one at that. The sky is dark and engulfed by foreboding clouds. Concerned, the father goes to check the weather on what might be approachin g them. -A worried subordinate of the governor asks about the building storm, inquiring if maybe those people before were right about the whole global warming thing. The governor gets angry and refuses to believe that what they said was true. Talks of how just a few years ago he was told it wouldn’t happen for at least another few decades.They argue a bit more, the subordinate eventually giving up due to an urgent call for the authority. -Down in Chile, in a town called Puenta Arenas there is a group of children playing futbol along the shores. They laugh and shout happily, until they hear screams. Confused, they turn and gaze at it; mouths agape, at the sight before them. A tsunami is heading their way. The children run, screaming for their mothers and fathers. People scatter, heading toward an underground shelter (that is actually higher in elevation from the shores) for safety.They take their children, belongings; whatever they can carry. The wave hits, and those above are engulfed in the sea. The audience would not know there actually is a shelter though. -Back in the states at California, things have gotten worse. The brewing storm before is now quite violent. The rain beats down, battling with the winds. People are gawking, whether standing outside or in their homes; they all look scared or worried. Never before have they seen something like this before. -There is a group of people outside of the governor’s home, demanding to know what is going on.They continue to shout and ignore the guards in determination to get their answer. As this continues the storm worsens, sounding angrier and angrier. Inside the building, the governor stands at his window looking through his curtains; he sighs. He walks over to his desk and picks up the phone, â€Å"Yes, get me the president please. † -The two sons of the researcher are standing on their front porch, gazing at the storm through the tumultuous rain and wind. Their father comes up behind them with a strange look on his face. â€Å"What’s wrong?Did you find out what’s happening? He looks at them with uncertainty in his face, â€Å"I think†¦ too much of the ice caps have melted, everyone is going to get hit by a tsunami; worse in some places than others. We won’t get it as bad as say South America or Canada†¦ but still pretty bad. We have to do something. † As they start to go outside they realize that their mother is gone. They run out in search of her while their father goes back to the governor. -Someone in a black suit rushes up to the president â€Å"Mr. President Sir, we have an urgent phone call from the governor of California. † Surprised, the president picks up the phone, â€Å"Hello? The governor speaks with urgency â€Å"We have a problem. We need everyone on the coasts to evacuate onto higher ground.The ice caps have melted much faster than anticipated and tsunamis will be hitting the coasts everywhere because of it. † The president is silent for a few moments as he thinks this over. â€Å"But†¦ how? How can this be? It wasn’t supposed to—† The governor interrupts, â€Å"I know, it wasn’t supposed to happen for another few decades at the least. Things change; WE have made the change Sir. We have caused too much pollution to the air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sighing, he responds â€Å"Alright. Go ahead and warn your state.I will warn everyone else, and have them pass the word on as well. We must do this quickly. † -The father is running through the streets, darting between people and cars. He is headed toward the governor’s home to try, once again, to convince him to evacuate the cities. On his way there the sirens start to go off, along with an announcement â€Å"Everyone must leave their homes and evacuate immediately. There is an approaching tsunami that will flood the coasts. Move to higher ground. I repeat, everyone must leave their homes and e vacuate immediately. There is an approaching tsunami that will flood the coasts.Move to higher ground. † Astounded, he rushes off to his office with hope in his heart. -Panicked people run through the streets, since the roads are blocked by massive amounts of cars, toward what they believe is safety. The sons of the researcher run between the people, calling out for their mother; trying to find her before it is too late. One of the boys’ cell phone rings, it is their father. Picking it up and answering it, he finds out that his father has sent a chopper to the shore. Apparently there is a woman standing there, which he believes is their mother.They run to the shores, hoping their mother is alright. -On a group of islands called Svalbard, off the coast of Norway, trouble brews. They were nearly caught off guard, by the tsunami, which just went rampant their islands about an hour ago or so. Luckily, most of the villagers were able to run to safety; others were not so fort unate. Those which survived help one another to gather their bearings and head to somewhere safe to take care of everyone. -The scene which appeared at the beginning takes place here. Where the two boys find their mother and get on the helicopter.She sacrifices herself due to lots of people gathering on the ropes of the helicopter, desperate to be saved from the approaching tsunami, for her children. One child is shocked, but remains somewhat calm; at least on the outside. The other child screams, trying to jump out of the helicopter to save her in desperation; he is held back by his brother however. They arrive at their father’s research facility, having recovered over the shock somewhat. They go inside and head downstairs into the underground rooms which will provide safety for them and anyone else.Thankfully they were able to beat the tsunami, not only because of their mother’s sacrifice but the buildings certainly slowed it down a bit. The building starts to shake and rumble as the lights begin to flicker. People in the room scream, covering their heads. After what seems like forever, the shaking stops and everything is quiet again. â€Å"Everyone stay here. I will go upstairs and check to see if the coast is clear, alright? † the father declares. The boys stand up and say, â€Å"We’ll go too dad. We have something important to tell you too†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Nodding at them, he goes up the stairs; his sons following him. The president sets down his phone, after making the last call. Sitting back he relaxes for a moment, thinking. He thinks of what he could possibly do to help the earth out to get rid of the global warming issue. Not all of the ice even melted, when more of it does more of the world will be engulfed in water. A man in a black suit appears â€Å"Mr. President Sir, we must take you to safety. The tsunami will arrive shortly. Sighing, he looks out the window before following the man out. â€Å"Have all the other citiz ens nearby been taken care of? † Continuing to walk, the man responds, â€Å"Yes sir.We did as you asked, and brought those closest to the building to a safe vicinity. † Nodding, he walks up the stairs to where a helicopter awaits. -The boys and their father reach the top of the stairs, carefully opening the door. The view is pristine, as if the world was washed clean and born anew. Cities have gone underneath the waters, but it looks beautiful. The father walks a little further, standing in front of the boys. â€Å"So, I take it you weren’t able to save your mother? † They both clench their fists, unsure of what to say at first. â€Å"Yeah†¦ she kinda saved us†¦ there was nothing we could do about it, Dad. He turns around and looks at his boys, his face flooding with tears. â€Å"Its okay, I understand. I think she would have wanted it to be this way. †-The movie ends with overviews on the places that got hit, damages and deaths left beh ind from the tsunami. It will show help that arrives to assist the survivors with food and shelter, along with treatment for their wounds. And lastly, with a news report of how many prominent cities are now underwater. Justification for the choice of disaster. The nature of such a disaster would be Global Warming reaching its peak, and causing a disaster such as this.While it would not naturally happen this fast, unless we really do pollute it highly within the next few years. The act of something like this happening would be Mother Nature’s way of cleansing the world of the pollutants we so carelessly provided. Global warming is something we all know and are concerned about, unless you’re one of the skeptics. Global warming is the cause of excessive pollutants in the air, the causes of which are car exhausts, aerosols, air planes, and more. Our earth’s atmosphere naturally keeps heat inside to protect and heat the earth from, what would be, subzero temperatures .However, with excessive amounts being added into the atmosphere the earth is warming at a constant rate. There have been multiple impacts due to Global Warming in the past. Severe atmospheric changes causing severe storms, droughts, higher spread of diseases, and more. One example would be Hurricane Katrina. â€Å"Hurricane Katrina, which wrecked New Orleans in 2005, focused the world’s attention on the way extreme weather events can overwhelm man’s defenses† (Brown, 2007, pg. 186). The hurricane had become more dangerous due to the excessive warmth in the oceans.Another example would be countries becoming drier than it should be. It may not sound all that bad, but when its countries that are already experiencing hard times that are getting hit by this; that’s not good whatsoever. Wulf Killmann, chair of the U. N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s climate-change group said, â€Å"Africa is our greatest worry. Many countries are already in diffi culties, and we see a pattern emerging. Southern Africa is definitely becoming drier† (Brown, 2007, pg. 195). These are just a few of the issues concerning Global Warming. Others will arise as the situation worsens.Global warming will be incorporated into the film as an idea to what could happen should we let things escalate out of control; a warning, per say. So that we know that we need to do something, about this issue, before we can do nothing about it anymore. Since people do not seem to really take in the severity of an issue until it’s too late. The best way this disaster can be represented would be with CGI. Existing footage tends to work well, however, if the quality is not on par with the movie quality it will stand out and lessen the value of the film. With CGI, you can make it give you want you are expecting and make it snazzy.It’s cool if the movie looks high tech and gives a threatening image in our minds about the future, that’s what we want . Especially when it’s a film about something that can possibly happen to us; it makes people pay more attention to their surroundings and want to do something about it. But the CGI has to be done right. I have seen movies with it, and you could tell they weren’t real. This problem would be overcome to make sure it looks much like reality. There are movies out there that don’t always describe what’s going on. We need reasons for why this is happening and why now. It makes it more realistic.The concept is still good, but the presentation could have used some improvement. The disaster that will occur in the movie should be the most important part of the movie, thus, it deserves a splendid introduction, no? Poor presentation is the same thing as a rushed story, it is not as great as one that has taken time to progress and reach the climax. People enjoy suspense, and that is a good thing to use until the main attraction appears. Another thing that would be av oided would be cutting corners. A movie should be the best it can be. As such, with the right ideas and right people, it can happen.

Enron: Smartest Guy in the Room Essay

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a documentary that was produced in 2005 as a reflection of the 2003, bestselling book with the same name. The documentary was written by Bethany Mclean and Peter Elkind. The film, produced by Alex Gibney is an explicit demonstration of how reputable corporations can tumble down because of illicit financial management. The film is about the Enron Company, which experienced enormous financial drains because of the scandals elicited by its top managerial team. Two years after the inception of the company, two traders engage in betting activities on the lucrative oil markets. This eventually leads to suspicious profits for the company, a phenomenon that raises eyebrows on the financial stand of the company. It is also discovered that Enron’s Chief Executive Officer is redirecting the company’s finances to different accounts. In demonstrating the poor financial management of Kenneth Lay, he encourages the traders to keep on making money for the company, yet he understood clearly that betting is a risky activity that could cause the company a lot of its assets. Lay finally realizes his mistakes when he sacks the traders because of wasting the company’s reserves through gambling. Their actions virtually damaged the image of Enron. When the facts about what happened to the company are exposed, Lay argues that he had no knowledge of the illicit financial endeavors. Jeffrey Skilling is brought in as the new CEO and immediately imposes his own principles about handling profits and projects. Skilling adopts a management practice that engages the company in projects without examining whether the projects have the capacity to be successful or not. This is indeed, a trait that has the capacity to taunt the image of the company in respect to the management of its assets and resources. In essence, this portrays Enron as a profit making company, even if it is not making any profit. The film also highlights on Skilling’s theory of grading employees and firing those who do not perform well, on an annual basis. In order to fulfill his endeavors for the company, Skilling appoints Clifford Baxter and Lou Pai, who heads the Enron Energy Services. Pai is an irresponsible executive who squanders money belonging to shareholders by visiting entertainment joints. Eventually, Pai resigns having cost Enron a loss of $1 billion. After selling his stock, he purchases a ranch in Colorado and becomes one of the largest landowners in the state. Despite the declining performance of Enron in the global scale, the company initiates a public relations campaign that displays itself as profitable and solid. With the short term successes that the company gets, it tries to captivate stock market analysts. Executives raise their stock prices and introduce the broadband technologies in order to distribute movies on demand, but the projects do not meet their expectations. After a series of financial irregularities, Jim Chanos and Bethany McLean expose the financial misappropriation and irregularities in stoke value. In response to the allegations, Skilling argues that McLean is unethical in his assertions. It is also found out that Andrew Fastow, one of Enron’s executives has been defrauding Enron of millions of dollars. Indeed, this is a documentary about the fall of a big corporation because of financial misappropriation (Gibney, A. and McLean, 2005). II. Analysis In reference to the documentary, it is worth pointing out that the management of the company did not articulate its financial obligations in the most feasible way. Financial management is an integral aspect in the success of a company. A company’s management should ensure that proper procedures are followed in capitalizing on its assets in order to avoid loses in the future (Bhat, 2008 p. 65). The management team’s lapse in controlling its finances led to the downfall of the company. The image of the company was put at risk because of the selfish actions of the leadership. The company’s corporate image was not able to maintain its stability, bearing in mind that the media exposed the inappropriate handling of the company’s assets. Embezzlement of the finances led to the loss of confidence in the public eye. This is a clear indication that financial obligations are pertinent in influencing the performance of a company; since, financial endowment is a primary component of expanding the image of a business enterprise (Shoffner, Shelly & Cooke, 2011 p. 36). It is also worth noting that the management’s actions affected the performance of the employees. In a company, it is extremely pertinent to invest in feasible measures that will enhance human capital. A well established human capital is instrumental in providing a viable platform for proper financial management (Jones & Spender, 2011 p. 94). When the management started a program of rating and firing employees, this created a non-cohesive environment that did not give employees a chance to thrive. In this respect, employees could not fulfill their obligations in enhancing the capacity of the company. In addition, the stakeholders to the company lost confidence in the management team of the company because it did not deliver as it was expected of them. This affected the input of the stakeholders as well as the internal and external cohesion of the company. It is also critical to assert that the company faced financial implications resulting from management’s failure to conduct itself in a competent and professional way. The company’s markets share did not achieve its expectations; since, it could not maintain stability in the stock market. The values of its shares could not compete vehemently with other companies because the company had lost its market value. Moreover, the company incurred losses in regard to its assets record through engaging in illicit financial planning. This led to the company failing to meet its financial objectives; since, it was not in a position to control its costs. The failure of a company to control its costs leads to unaccountability and the risk of loses due to poor accounting systems (Lee, 2006 p. 201). Additionally, the company experienced a lapse in its financial accounting systems in an effort to hide the misappropriation of finances. Compromising the financial accounting systems resulted to slow growth in the development of feasible accounting procedures (Hampton, 2009 p. 6). Another financial consequence to the company was the inability to control debts. The company could not keep track of its debts because its financial records had been compromised by the incompetence of the management team. The lack of proper financial returns led to inconsistency in the company’s performance; hence, leading to an internal financial crisis. In this respect, it is viable to underscore that the financial inconsistency in a company is a contributing factor in its financial meltdown (Brigham, Gapenski & Ehrhardt, 2011p. 12). III. Commentary The actions of the management team were indeed detrimental in the financial breakthrough of the company. The company’s resources were put in jeopardy because of mishandling the assets in an unethical manner in respect to business standards. The employees of the company did not have a cohesive environment to capitalize on their potential. They could not handle the products and services of the company in a professional way because the management team did not provide the platform for enhancing the cost of goods. I believe the biblical worldview as Christ would view it for the church is that whatever you do in the dark will be exposed. The Bible states that God hates the very presence of evil and it will have no place in his kingdom. So the catastrophic effect that this company had on society was abomination to what God would want for his people. God wants us to suffer with him and the end result is that we will reign with him, however lying, cheating and stealing will not have a place in heaven. As part of the management team, I would have handled things differently. Firstly, it is significant to point out that I would not allow incompetent people to control the company’s finances. Only competent people would be allowed to handle the company’s financial obligations and management of the company’s assets. Secondly, it is essential to assert that I would invest immensely in the employees of the company. I would ensure that human capital is enhanced in order to improve the image of the company. It is widely acknowledged that an empowered human resource is vital in the success of a company; hence, I would seek to empower the activities of the employees. Moreover, as part of the management team, I would ensure that transparency is enhanced in corporate governance. The duties and responsibilities of every stakeholder would be defined in an amicable way, in order to avoid the confusion that emerges. This would play a dominant role in enhancing the profitability of the company, as well as improving the image of the company in a large scale. Indeed, it is critical for any business enterprise to adopt a viable mechanism of enhancing its corporate governance (Baker, 2008 p. 78). In my opinion, I believe what happened was as a result of managerial incompetency by the management team. Lack of inconsistencies in financial breakthrough by the company led to the meltdown in the company’s assets and costs control. In this respect, I believe that accounting laws and regulators can help in avoiding this scenario again. The accounting laws will play a dominant role in keeping track of a company’s financial assets and prevent it from incurring unnecessary loses. In addition, it is critical to highlight that such law and regulators will help immensely, in holding the management accountable. The management team of a company will be able to maintain high profile accountability in maintaining the value of the company. The market share of a company is able to attain reputable standards because of using the accounting laws. Additionally, accounting laws and regulators act as instrumental platforms in identifying challenges in a company, and making the necessary decisions in overcoming the challenges. The management team of a company is able to use business intelligence in developing a way forward in solving the challenges that a company faces in respect to financial management. In order to avoid the detrimental effects of financial mismanagement, companies can adopt viable ways of managing their operations. Transparency is a critical way of enhancing the gains of a company because its operations are open to scrutiny. In addition, it is important for companies to employ competent personnel to handle its operations, ranging from cost control to managing its experiences. It is pertinent for companies to develop policy frameworks that implement feasible financial obligations.

Early Settlers essays

Early Settlers essays English settlers started arriving in the colonies in 1607. Two different companies would finance the expeditions for the colonist. The Virginia Company and Massachusetts Bay Company would both set up colonies in the new world. They shared their similarities and differences while setting up the colonies. They would struggle the first year, have problems with the Indians, create a system of laws to rule by and were established to help the mother country, England. Both companies would start out differently. They had different reasons to go there, took different people, had different economic organizations, religions and education. When the settlers arrived to America they were seeing new land and things they had never seen before. So when the colonist funded by the Virginia Company and Massachusetts Bay came they both struggles the first year. Typhoid fever and Malaria were some of the diseases killing the colonist. In Jamestown only 38 of the original 104 would survive the first year. The Massachusetts Bay Co. in Plymouth had 200 of their settlers die the first year. Both colonies would have their problems and get help from the Indians. Powhatan and his English speaking daughter, Pocahontas would teach the settlers how to survive by farming and growing crops. Squanto helped the New England Colony settlers how to farm and grow corn. In 1621 the first Thanksgiving was celebrated between Squanto and the other settlers. But they would also have problems with them. In Massachusetts, the British and Indians fought in a was called, Metacoms War in which a lot of settlers and Indians died in. When they first a rrived they created a system of laws. In 1619 the House of Burgesses would be established by Jamestown. The Puritans would establish the Mayflower Compact in 1620 and went by majority rule. Both of the Colonies would eventually be used to help benefit the mother country. England created a set of laws called the Navigation Laws to ...

Spanish Verbs That Mean To Take

Spanish Verbs That Mean To Take Take is one of those English words that is all but impossible to translate to Spanish without some context. As can be seen in the list below, take has dozens of meanings - so it cant be translated with a single Spanish verb or even a handful of them. Although you always should translate to Spanish based on meaning rather than word-for-word, thats especially true with take. Meanings and Spanish Translations for To Take Here are some common uses (though certainly not all) of the verb to take in English along with possible translations to Spanish. Of course, the Spanish verbs listed arent the only ones available, and the choice you make will often depend on the context in which it is used. to take to get possession of - tomar - Tomà ³ el libro y fue a la biblioteca. (He took the book and went to the library.)to take to transport (something) and give possession to someone else - llevar - Le llevo las manzanas a Susana. (Im taking the apples to Susana.)to take to transport (a person) - llevar - Llevà ³ a Susana al aeropuerto. (She took Susana to the airport.)to take to remove, to pick - coger - Cogieron las manzanas del rbol. (They took the apples off the tree.)to take to snatch (from someone) - arrebatar -  ¿Te arrebatà ³ el sombrero? (Did he take your hat?)to take to steal - robar, quitar - A Susana le robaron mucho dinero. (They took a lot of money from Susana.)to take to accept - aceptar -  ¿Aceptan los cheques? (Do they take checks?)to take to subscribe to (a newspaper or magazine) - suscribirse, abonarse - Me suscribo al Wall Street Journal. (I take the Wall Street Journal.)to take to hold - coger - Dà ©jeme que le coja el sombrer o. Let me take your hat.)to take to travel by - coger, tomar, ir en - Tomarà © el autobà ºs. (I will take the bus.) to take to require - necesitar, requerir, llevar - Necesita mucho coraje. (It takes a lot of courage.)to take to require or wear (a certain size or type of clothing) - calzar (said of shoes), usar (said of clothing) - Calzo los de tamaà ±o 12. (I take size 12 shoes.)to take to last, to use time - durar - No durar mucho.  (It wont take long.)to take to study - estudiar - Estudio la sicologà ­a. (Im taking psychology.)to take a bath (shower) - baà ±arse (ducharse) - No me baà ±o los lunes. (I dont take baths on Mondays.)to take a break, to take a rest - tomarse un descanso - Vamos a tomarnos un descanso a las dos. (Were going to take a break at 2.)to take after to chase, to go after - perseguir - El policà ­a persiguià ³ el ladrà ³n. (The policeman took after the thief.)to take after to resemble - parecerse - Marà ­a se parece a su madre.  (Marà ­a takes after her mother.)to take apart - desmontar - Desmontà ³ el carro. (She took the car apart.)to take away, to take from, to take off to remove - quitar - Les quitaron el sombrero. (They took their hats off.) to take away, to take off to subtract - sustraer, restar - Va a sustraer dos euros de la cuenta. (He is going to take two euros off the bill.)to take back to return - devolver - No le he devuelto el coche.  (I havent taken back the car to him.)to take cover - esconderse, ocultarse - Se escondià ³ de la policà ­a. (He took cover from the police.)to take down to dismantle - desmontar - Desmontaron la valla publicitaria.  (They took the billboard down.)to take an exam or test - presentar un examen, presentarse a un examen - El otro dà ­a me presentà © a un examen.  (The other day I took a test.)to take down, to take notes - anotar, escribir, tomar apuntes - Quiero que escriba la informacià ³n.  (I want you to take down the information.)to take (someone) for - tomar por - Ud. no me tomarà ­a por un chef. (You wouldnt take me for a chef.)to take in to deceive - engaà ±ar - Me engaà ±Ãƒ © por el farsante.  (I was taken in by a liar.)to take in to und erstand - comprender - No pudo comprenderlo. (He couldnt take it in.) to take in to include - incluir, abarcar - El parque incluye dos lagos.  (The park takes in two lakes.)to take in to provide lodging for - acoger - Mi madre acoge a muchos gatos. (My mother takes in many cats.)to take off to go away - irse - Se fue como un murcià ©lago. (He took off like a bat.)to take off weight - adelgazar - Adelgaza por la actividad fà ­sica. (He is taking off weight through physical activity.)to take on to accept or assume (responsibilities) - aceptar, asumir - No puedo aceptar la responsabilidad. (I cant accept the responsibility.)to take on to employ - emplear, coger - Empleamos dos trabajadores. (We took on two workers.)to take out to remove  - sacar  - El dentista me sacà ³ una muela. (The dentist took out a molar of mine.)to take ones word for it - creer - No voy a creerte.  (Im not going to take your word for it.)to take over to assume operations - absorber, adquirir, apoderarse - El gobierno se apoderà ³ el ferrocarril.   (The government took over the railroad.) to take a picture - tomar una foto, hacer una foto - Tomà © tres fotos. (I took three pictures.)to take pity on - compadecerse de - Me compadecà © los pobres. (I took pity on the poor people.)to take prisoner - capturar, tomar priso - El policà ­a le capturà ³ el ladrà ³n. (The policeman took the thief prisoner.)to take up to begin - dedicarse a - Se dedicà ³ a nadar. (She took up swimming.)to take a walk - dar un paseo - Voy a dar un paseo. (Im going to go for a walk.) Use Caution With Coger Although coger is an entirely innocent and ordinary word in some regions, in other regions it can have an obscene meaning - take care when using this term.

Why Men Are Typically Taller Than Women

Why Men Are Typically Taller Than Women While studying genetic factors behind different traits in men and women, University of Helsinki researchers have identified a genetic variant on the X sex chromosome that accounts for height differences between the sexes. Sex cells, produced by male and female gonads, contain either an X or a Y chromosome. The fact that females have two X chromosomes and males only have one X chromosome must be taken into account when attributing the difference in traits to variants on the X chromosome. According to the studys head researcher, Professor Samuli Ripatti, The double dose of X-chromosomal genes in women could cause problems during the development. To prevent this, there is a process by which one of the two copies of the X chromosome present in the cell is silenced. When we realized that the height associated variant we identified was nearby a gene that is able to escape the silencing we were particularly excited. The height variant identified influences a gene that is involved in cartilage development. Individuals that possess the height variant tend to be shorter than average. Since women have two copies of the X chromosome variant, they tend to be shorter than men.

The Ultimate Helmet ( H Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Ultimate Helmet ( H - Assignment Example The effectiveness of this would matter mostly by the willingness of distributors to store and sell this new helmet. The channel would also take care of eliminating extra costs in getting new distributors. The channel would also ensure direct competition between the old helmet and the ultimate helmet. The old mode of distribution involved stocking the product at some online stores and merchant stores countrywide. This would ensure a global availability of our product. Another channel of distribution was identified to improve on the availability of the product. This channel was to identify new overseas sales people from different countries. This mode was established to make sure the ultimate helmet reached those countries that the old helmet was not able to get to due to poor channel of distribution. This would eliminate the need of the company having to first study the tax low in those countries to establish branches. Pricing of the product The pricing of the product is supposed to pl ay a major role in sales made of the ultimate helmet. Taking into consideration the cost incurred in designing and making improvements the ultimate helmet is supposed to be high. A strategy to gain approval of the product had to be identified so that clients would believe they were paying the right price for the product. Different pricing strategies were identified by first dividing the market into two. These two markets are the new market identified and needed to be tapped while the second market was the market where people were using the old helmet. The new market, a penetration price had to be established which had to be lower than the old market price. This price required to be lower because most of these clients were seen as people who owned motorbikes but did not see the need of the helmet. It was established if the helmet was priced so high they would not bother even buying it. The market was seen to exist mostly in developing countries where motor bike ownership is taking to ll in the 21st century. The old market was seen to exist in developed countries like the USA. People who owned motorbikes in these regions were more concerned with their comfort ability due to their high purchasing power. A factor that had to be put in consideration while also setting up the price is that these region stiff competition would be faced due to the existence of the old helmet. The old helmet producer had already established control over the market. It was established the main driver of the marketing would be first draw the attention of the client to the extra capabilities of the ultimate helmet and show them the benefit. This would then make the client buy the new helmet even if the price is higher than the old helmet. Promotion The helmet is supposed to be used mostly by people riding motorbikes and those people who like motorbike sporting. An appropriate channel of advertisement had to be identified with some weighted reason to make sure the product reached the intend ed client. The Medias of advertisement that were identified are as follow: Social media The helmet due to its capability in GPRS location and picking phone is so attractive to the generation. This group of people can be found on social media which includes face book, MySpace and Twitter. Most of these companies allow companies to advertise their product with them for a certain fee. We analyzed the different social media to identify which had many

Describe the structures and regulatory mechanisms essential for both Essay

Describe the structures and regulatory mechanisms essential for both quiet and heavy breathing - Essay Example As diaphragm contracts and moves down, the chest cavity is enlarged reducing lung pressure. Air moves in to equalize the pressure. When the diaphragm relaxes, it moves back to its original position pushing air out due to the increased pressure in the chest cavity. In heavy breathing, many other muscles are involved. During the inspiration process, the lower ribs are raised up and out by the external intercostal muscles. The process increases lateral as well as anterposterior proportions of the thorax. Sternomastoids and the scalene muscles also aid the process by helping raise and push the sternum and the upper ribs2. This creates a pressure gradient which draws air into the alveoli. Unlike quiet expiration which is predominantly passive, heavy expiration requires the functioning of several muscles. The most important muscles here are the ones making up the abdominal wall. They include the internal and external obliques and the rectus abdominus. The transverse abdominus also plays a role in the process. These abdominal wall muscles raise the intra- abdominal pressure by contracting3. It results in the pushing up of the diagram. The upward movement raises the pleural and alveolar pressure thus driving air out. The ribs are also pushed down and in during heavy expiration by the internal intercostals. The breathing rate is controlled by the respiratory center in the brainstem. It is responsible for sending signals to the various respiratory muscles thus dictating when to breathe. The spinal cord is directed to maintain breathing by the medulla4. A part of the brain called the pons, located near the medulla, is key in smoothening the breathing and respiration pattern. Synchronization occurs between the involved neural centers and the muscle movement in order to ensure smooth breathing. The control occurs automatically and continuously. One

LEUKEMIA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LEUKEMIA - Research Paper Example Leukemia, being a blood disorder, affects all systems of the body especially the respiratory, renal and digestive system. As a result of the less white blood cell count, the immune system deteriorates leaving the lungs, the kidney and the digestive tract less resistant to infectious diseases. On the other hand, the decrease of functional red blood cell results to decrease oxygen transport which leads to breathing problems, less effective body waste delivery and filtering in the kidneys and a protracted decrease in appetite due to bleeding in gums. Inflammation, damage and cancerous tumors in the lungs and kidneys have also been attributed to accumulation of leukemic cells. Leukemia is a disorder not yet well understood but the prevailing thought is that the production of abnormal cells in the bone marrow is due to mutations in DNA. Researchers believes that the risk for Leukemia is higher when the patient have one or a combination of the following: Leukemia detection can be definitive only through a routine blood test as there have been cases where chronic leukemia has been found with no prior physical indications. Nonetheless, individuals with leukemia usually suffer from the following: Patient presentation - Always feeling weak or tired, easy bruising and bleeding (dark skin patches or tiny red spots on skin), swollen lymph nodes especially in the neck, fever and night sweats and bone or joint pains. Cytogenetics- involves checking abnormalities in cell chromosomes to determine abnormality. For example, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is due to the Philadelphia chromosome, an abnormality in the cell’s chromosomes. Chemotherapy – is a drugs-based approach normally administered by vein or by mouth. Those with leukemia in their cerebrospinal fluid receive intrathecal chemotherapy which involves administering drugs in their spinal canal.

SAMSUNG 3D T.V Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SAMSUNG 3D T.V - Research Paper Example The edge-lit LED backlighting combines the benefits of local dimming with the thinness of edge-lighting. The 240 Hz processing exhibits motion resolution performance like its UNB8000 series. The interactive features like other Samsung models of 2010 include Internet @ TV (i.e. Yahoo widgets) and Samsung Apps, from Samsung’s new proprietary content portal, connecting to one’s favorite digital content like videos, sports, games, social networking and much more. With web-connected apps on the Samsung Smart TV, you can stream movies from Netflix or Blockbuster, TV shows from Hulu, videos from YouTube, Next Level sports information from ESPN, music from Pandora and view updates on Facebook or Twitter accounts. The UNC7000 series of 3D TV is the most economical. It is available in 40-inch ($1999), 46-inch ($$2599) and 55-inch ($3299) sizes. The 3D compatibility has been added to three LCD lines and one plasma line (CNET editors take). Samsung 3D TV was launched in April 2010 in Ireland. It has been a huge hit like Avatar, putting Samsung in leading position in the emerging market. The launch of Samsung 3D in the Irish market besides many other countries was the first in the retail 3D TV segment. â€Å"We are the first manufacturer to mass-produce 3D TV and you will physically see that in the Irish market in April so we will be first to market on this," said Kevin Maguire, country manager for Samsung Ireland. â€Å"Getting to market first is critical to us from a brand point of view and for brand positioning.† The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas, a show-window of technology trends, found 3D everywhere (B & F). The technology used in the Samsung 3D TV is differentiating with the selection of â€Å"Active† and â€Å"passive† panels and lenses depending and deciding its total cost and picture quality. The active 3D screen syncs electronically with battery-powered and

2. Critically examine the benefits that effective HR practices can Coursework

2. Critically examine the benefits that effective HR practices can bring to an organisation - Coursework Example all of them is human resource, that provides the organisation with continued competitive advantage (Inyang,2011).Thus there is a rising consensus that efficient management of an organisation’s human resources is important to its success (Inyang, 2011).Effective management of individuals as organisational assets as well as the adoption of suitable HR practices, strategies and policies greatly enhance the profitability and performance of an organisation. A rising number of researchers have studied the effect of particular HR practices on organizational performance .Even though there exists several HR best practices capable of affecting both collectively or independently on the performance of an organization; results are usually difficult to interpret. For the purposes of this paper we shall discuss 7 HR practices that were originally put forth by Pfeffer in 1998 and which can be anticipated to greatly benefit the performance of any organisation. In his influential research, Pfeffer compiled the following 7 HR best practices; firstly, employment security, secondly selective hiring, thirdly teams that are self-managed and decentralization in making of decisions, fourthly moderately high compensation subject to organizational performance, fifthly extensive training, sixthly minimised status barriers and distinctions including language, dress, office arrangements, differences in wages across ranks and finally widespread sharing of both performance and financial information through the entire organisation(Pfeffer,1998). The above HR best practices will be discussed below in detail together with the benefits that they can bring to the organisation. Through compensation policy as HR practice, the employees efforts will be evaluated and rewarded which will in turn impact positively both employee as well as organizational performance(Cardon & Stevens,2004).Employee incentives usually differentiates the rapid-growth firms from the slow growth ones. Organisations that are

Literature Review ------The difference of Modern organization Assignment

Literature Review ------The difference of Modern organization communication between China and America - Assignment Example The American model of interpersonal communication is individual-based and tends to address the self within an organization (Lowry, Cao, & Everard, 2011). It is basically a symbolic process that brings people together, in which case, the participants use verbal and others forms of communication to persuade others for individual and professional benefit (Chia, 1995). This form of communication is premised upon and influenced by interactive traditions that can be traced from fundamental and common facial norms. All Americans tend to be at peace with a positive face, which generally convinces neighbors or associates to show respect and or recognition for an individual. Negative facial communication, for example, communicates the need for liberty for an individual (Lowry, Cao, & Everard, 2011). According to Samowar, Porter, and McDaniel (2011), the American norm of interpersonal communication as replicated in the face concept is that when an individual joins a gathering, and they modify their face to be in line with the main agenda being discussed. At this point, Americans often tend to relay information about themselves to others, through verbal and nonverbal means of communication. The recipients receive the communication and assess it by comparing the various forms of communication for consistency. As a result, the individual’s assessment of the parties in a conversation or communication controls and dictates the exchange of messages. The American society, therefore perceives interpersonal communication as a game involving two individuals whereby information from each other’s independence pays out, and which can only be sustained by how rational is an individual. Other factors include individual beliefs, and tactful maneuvers of each other’s facial expression through verbal and nonverbal means of social interaction. Such

2. Critically examine the benefits that effective HR practices can Coursework

2. Critically examine the benefits that effective HR practices can bring to an organisation - Coursework Example all of them is human resource, that provides the organisation with continued competitive advantage (Inyang,2011).Thus there is a rising consensus that efficient management of an organisation’s human resources is important to its success (Inyang, 2011).Effective management of individuals as organisational assets as well as the adoption of suitable HR practices, strategies and policies greatly enhance the profitability and performance of an organisation. A rising number of researchers have studied the effect of particular HR practices on organizational performance .Even though there exists several HR best practices capable of affecting both collectively or independently on the performance of an organization; results are usually difficult to interpret. For the purposes of this paper we shall discuss 7 HR practices that were originally put forth by Pfeffer in 1998 and which can be anticipated to greatly benefit the performance of any organisation. In his influential research, Pfeffer compiled the following 7 HR best practices; firstly, employment security, secondly selective hiring, thirdly teams that are self-managed and decentralization in making of decisions, fourthly moderately high compensation subject to organizational performance, fifthly extensive training, sixthly minimised status barriers and distinctions including language, dress, office arrangements, differences in wages across ranks and finally widespread sharing of both performance and financial information through the entire organisation(Pfeffer,1998). The above HR best practices will be discussed below in detail together with the benefits that they can bring to the organisation. Through compensation policy as HR practice, the employees efforts will be evaluated and rewarded which will in turn impact positively both employee as well as organizational performance(Cardon & Stevens,2004).Employee incentives usually differentiates the rapid-growth firms from the slow growth ones. Organisations that are

Sofa Superstore Fire in Charleston SC Case Study - 14

Sofa Superstore Fire in Charleston SC - Case Study Example Within approximately three minutes of the alarm, the Charleston firefighters had already arrived at the scene, followed closely by the St. Andrews Public Service District firefighters. The primary attack mainly focused on putting out the fire at the loading dock region, with a second effort to evacuate and search for people trapped inside and prevent the fire from spreading to the warehouse and showroom. It was reported by the teams entering the showroom that they initially encountered clear visibility with only very light Smokey puffs observable near the back of the showroom ceiling. Shortly after that, an outside door was opened in proximity to the raging fire. Attempts to close the door failed, permitting the fire to breach into the showroom. There was an order for the firefighters to extend two hose lines into the showroom to mitigate the spreading fire; unfortunately, the initially connected line was not enough. It needed some firefighters to leave the building again in order to increase the sections of the hose and to hold off the growing fire they had to leave only one small hand line. Fire dispatchers about this time notified the crews on the ground that they had got a distress call from an employee still trapped in the warehouse, which forced some of the firefighters to re-direct their attention towards the rescue. To eventually save the trapped employee, the firefighters had to breach an exterior wall to reach the victim (Routely, et al., 2007). Despite efforts to extinguish and confine the fire, it persisted and spread into the building structure and kindled the showroom furniture, developing much faster than the original operational hose lines could handle. Meanwhile attempts to begin operating additional hose lines and stretch their range extended. The showroom area of the store at 7:41 p.m. with at least sixteen firefighters still working  inside experienced a flashover.  

How do you respond to Shakespeares presentation Essay Example for Free

How do you respond to Shakespeares presentation Essay The theme of fathers and sons, and responsibilities and obligations placed on sons, by fathers, is arguably one of the more important themes in the play. Shakespeare puts forward three main interpretations of father and son relationships, and each brings out interesting viewpoints about responsibilities and obligations for the reader. The first father and son relationship that Shakespeare presents is that of Hamlet and his father, old Hamlet. In the encounter between Hamlet and the ghost of his father, Hamlet has the responsibility of revenge thrust upon him, and he cannot reject it, List, list, O, list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not. Shakespeare presents old Hamlet as being pathetic and incapable of avenging himself. The ghost, therefore, does not incite Hamlets initiative by instilling fear in him, but rather through putting him in a guilt-trap, making Hamlet feel that he is somehow obliged to carry out the vengeful murder in place of his father, as the ghost cannot attend to it himself. In my opinion, this action, on the part of the ghost, was the final push that caused Hamlet to fall into his apparent madness. Hamlet was obviously moved by the ghosts words. And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. This was very largely unfair of the ghost of his father, on Hamlet, enthusiastic though he seemed at first. It placed an unnaturally large amount of pressure on Hamlet, having to commit such a daunting act, however justified it may have seemed. Shakespeare emphasizes the effect of this action in Hamlets life, in the many incidences and soliloquys where Hamlet just muses, thinks the situation out and talks about it, but can never bring himself to actually do anything about the revenge. In the relationship of Laertes and Polonius, there is not so much responsibility placed on Laertes by Polonius, as there is nagging and nitpicking about the way that Laertes should present himself and the way he should live his life when he is overseas. In this sense, the responsibilities being placed on Laertes are those of keeping in his fathers will and rule, and maintaining a good name for himself. At the point in the play, in act I. 3, Polonius is displayed by Shakespeare as just another normal father, or maybe more appropriately, a mother, who is proud of his son, but needs to remind him to keep a good image all the same. This bestowing of responsibility can be considered to be only natural for any father to do. However, in act II. 1, we see that Polonius is actually quite obsessed with the idea that his son might bring shame to Polonius, and goes to the extents of sending a spy keep a watch on Laertes, and even muddy his name, so that he does not get too comfortable. But breath his faults so quaintly that they may seem The taints of liberty, the flash and outbreak of a fiery Mind I saw him enter a house of sale, Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth. Polonius even goes to extents of dishonouring so that he may retain his own honour, which is a rather strange sense of logic. In this sense, it can be said that Polonius places responsibility on his son just to save himself any possible shame. This is rather selfish on the part of Polonius, but it is in accordance with Shakespeares illustration of Poloniuss character as being that of a conniving, scheming, slightly evil old man that you might feel sorry for. In the relationship of young Fortinbras and his foster-father, or father-figure, old Norway, we see, again, a normal attitude of a parent toward their child. When Fortinbrass plans for an attack on Claudiuss realm are found out by Norway, he immediately admonishes the impetuous firebrand of a youth and prevents him from doing so. When Fortinbras indicates that he doesnt actually want to go along with the attack, Norway forgives him and even allows him to come to Denmark on peaceful terms. In this sense, old Norway is teaching Fortinbras the responsibility of thinking clearly and not acting rashly or whimsically. On the whole, Shakespeare presents the responsibilities and obligations placed on the sons, by their fathers, in Hamlet, as ways for the fathers to get what they want. In the case of Hamlet and the ghost, it is for the ghosts want of revenge and justice for a murder most foul, without much thought as to the effects of the deed, and even the contemplation of the deed, in the case of Hamlet, on him. In the case of Laertes and Polonius, it is a selfish and unwarranted want to save his own face from any shame that Laertes need not necessarily have caused in the first place. In the case of Norway and Fortinbras, it is the want to maintain good diplomatic relations and the prevention of unnecessary quarrels. In all cases except the diplomatic one, the fathers in question were rather selfish and self-centered in thinking of ways to get their sons to do their bidding. In the case of Norway and Fortinbras, it was done for diplomatic reasons, but it was still to save the bed-ridden Norways old skin. This gives a rather negative impression of father figures and what they tell their children to do. Possibly, Shakespeare chose to illustrate these aspects of fatherhood the way that he did because it was his own interpretation of responsibilities and obligations set down by fathers, maybe drawn from his own bad experiences with his own father during his younger days. Hamlet, as a play, could be then seen to be a Shakespearean self-help guide on How to know what is right to do as a father by knowing what is wrong to do as a father, and it could have been a lesson to all the bad fathers out there who use manipulate their sons as they would a mindless henchman.

Fast Food Companies Are NOT Responsible For Obesity Essay -- Argumentat

Today, many people eat fast food instead of home made food. The reason is that fast food is fast, cheap and convenient. However, at the same time, fast food is contributing to a big social problem in the U.S., which is obesity, and recently some people are beginning to sue the fast food companies for causing their obesity. Should the fast food companies have responsibility for American's obesity? My answer for this argument is "No". I think that whether people eat fast food or not is an individual choice. There are many people who eat fast food, but aren't obese. They may do some exercises for burning calories, or try not to eat fast food as much as they can, caring for their health. Moreover, some fast food companies serve relatively healthy foods, such as Baja Fresh, Subway and so on. Even though people don't have enough money or time to eat except for fast food, they can choose those fast food shops. Therefore, the responsibility of obesity should be taken by obese people, though fast food companies should also take actions to decrease the number of these people by showing their food's calories, serving healthy food, and giving more choices. As I said before, in the U.S. some people are filing suits against fast food companies for causing their obesity and related sickness. It is clear that fast food is not so good for our health. Fast food contains lots of sodium, fat and cholesterol, and these ingredients make us overweight. Therefore, some people think that the ...

Gene Therapy and Cancer :: Genetics Science Technology Medical Essays

Gene Therapy and Cancer In 1997, an estimated 1.38 million Americans will be newly diagnosed with cancer (Blaese, 1997). The treatments available only cure half of them. Many new strategies, including gene therapy are in developmental stages for treating cancer. Nearly half of all gene therapy trials currently under way deal with cancer and experts believe a number of these applications will be in use within the next three to five years (Lyon, 1997). Cancer is considered a genetic disorder. Studies have identified a small number of genes that must be mutated to bring about development of cancer or maintain the growth of malignant cells (Klug, 1996). Two main properties of cancer are uncontrollable cell division and the ability to spread or metastasize. Both are results of genetic alterations. Mutations in the cells that lead to certain forms of cancer, can be identified as inherited in some families. In most cases, however, it is difficult to identify a simple pattern of inheritance. There are two ways to regulate cell division. One way is with tumor suppressor genes, which usually function to inactivate or repress cell division. These genes or their products or both, must be inactivated sporadically for cell division of take place. If they are permanently inactivated or lost through mutation, uncontrolled cell division occurs. Another way cell division is regulated is by proto-oncogenes, which usually promotes cell division also. These genes can be in an "on" or "off" mode and when in the "on" mode, cell division is promoted. When the genes or their products or both are inactivated, cell division is stopped. If they are permanently switched "on", cell regulation is stopped and tumor formation begins. Oncogenes are the mutant form of proto-oncogenes. An example of a transformation of a proto-oncogene to an oncogene is the p53 gene, which encodes a nuclear protein that acts as a transcription factor. The p53 gene is usually a tumor suppressor gene that controls passage of the cell from one phase of mitosis to another. The mutations in p53 gene are estimated to be associated with over half of all cancers. The most prevalent cause of death in cancer patients is metastasis, where cancer cells detach from the original tumor site and settle elsewhere in the body, to grow and divide producing another tumor. There are two kinds of tumors, benign and malignant. Benign tumors can be removed and usually do not return.

Journal Entry Essay

The ability of change to become manifested in both man and environment gives each one the opportunity to create meaning in each action and scenario. Such idea can be taken either in a positive or negative manner and is dependent on the mindset and the relevant impact in can contribute to man and the environment. Seeing this, it change is inevitable however it has brought about different dimensions in understanding how it influences man’s actions or the formation of a scenario. Reflecting on the works of Faulkner, Capote and Weschler, one theme may circumvent in their reading – change. However their main difference is the way it was addressed and embodied by the characters in the story. I argue that these manifestations are necessarily generated by the choices we constantly make in our life. These in turn affect our environment as a whole as we try our best to adhere to the trends and standards of societal life. This in turn results in the transformation of customary beliefs, values and ideals of an individual to suit such need. Furthermore, it is with these decisions that we gain contentment and satisfaction in our ways. With the different challenges and distractions happening in our lives today, one may find it difficult to look for the appropriate ways that can make them happy. However, like the character of the old woman in Faulkner’s story, the path towards this may seem simple her eyes. For my part, I feel that by removing and distancing myself to these norms, I can get a glimpse of what I want and generate ideas that can provide satisfaction or contentment on my part. Such can contribute to the creation of meaning as I find ways to answer the questions and issues of my life.

Development of In Vitro Fertilization Essay

Robert G. Edwards was born on September 27, 1925 in Batley, Yorkshire, UK. Before he got into the medical field, he served in World War II before studying biology at the University of Wales in Bangor and Edinburgh University in Scotland. There, he received a PhD in 1955 with a thesis on embryonal development in mice. In 1958, he became a staff scientist at the National Institute for Medical Research in London and initiated his research on the human fertilization process. Five years later, he began his academic career in the reproductive physiology department was spent in Cambridge, UK, where he and gynecologist, Patrick Steptoe started the world’s first In Vitro Fertilization centre, the Bourn Hall Clinic. Edwards was the research director for the clinic for several years and had also edited many leading scientific journals on fertilization. He currently teaches at the University of Cambridge. As early as the 1950s, Edwards envisioned that In Vitro Fertilization could be a very useful treatment for infertility. He worked in steps – from systematically determining his goal, discovering principles for human fertilization, and succeeding in accomplishing fertilization of human egg cells in test tubes, or cell culture dishes. First of all, infertility, a medical and psychological problem, affects 10% of all couples in the world. This causes lifelong psychological trauma for these couples and the fact that medicines have limited opportunities to help them, there is little hope for them to conceive. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is an established therapy when sperm and egg cannot meet inside the body. After previous research had shown that egg cells from rabbits could be fertilized in test tubes when sperm was added, giving rise to offspring, Edwards decided to investigate further if similar methods could be used for humans. In experimental studies conducted together with several different co-workers, he made a great deal of encouraging discoveries. Findings proved how human eggs mature, how different hormones regulate their maturation, and the time in which eggs are susceptible to the sperm. In 1969, his efforts met with success when a human egg was fertilized in a test tube. In spite of his success, the fertilized egg did not develop more than a single cell division. He suspected that eggs had matures in the ovaries before they were removed for IVF would work better, and looked for different ways to obtain eggs in a safer way. While Steptoe used the laparoscope to remove eggs from the ovaries, Edwards put the eggs in cell culture and added sperm. Embryos started to from after the egg cells divided several times. Though the studies were promising, the Medical Research Council did not fund a continuation of the project. However, a private donation allowed the work to continue. By analyzing the patients’ hormone levels, they could determine the best time point for success. In 1977, Lesley and John Brown arrived at the clinic after nine years of trying to have a baby. IVF treatment was carried out and once the fertilized egg had developed into an embryo with eight cells, it was returned to Lesley Brown and on July 25, 1978, a healthy baby girl named Louise was born through C-section after a full-term pregnancy. It was then that IVF moved from a vision to reality and a new era in medicine begun. Gynecologists and cell biologists from different countries trained at the Bourn Hall Clinic and the original methods of IVF were refined. By 1986, a thousand children had been born after IVF in the world. To this day, IVF is an established therapy throughout the world and has undergone several improvements, including single sperm being microinjected directly into the egg cell in the culture dish. IVF is safe – 20-30% of fertilized eggs lead to the birth of a child. With most procedures and attempts, there are risks of complications, such as premature birth, but they are very rare. As of 2010, approximately four million individuals have been born thanks to IVF. Louise Brown and many other IVF children have even given birth themselves, adding to the success and safety of this therapy. A new field of medicine had emerged, with Edwards heading the process. â€Å"His contributions represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine. †

Sadh

After World War II there was a brief interlude when the United States led governments and peoples throughout the world in the belief that a new era of peace, disarmament, and the rule of law could emerge through working together in the United Nations. The cold war soon blighted that vision, and the world was frozen for forty years in the balance of nuclear terror. The end of the cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union caught most people by surprise, and they were followed by a brief period of euphoria in which optimistic notions circulated, many of them inspired by the apparent success of the first Gulf War.Among them were President George H. W. Bush's â€Å"new world order,† Madeleine Albright â€Å"assertive multilateral,† and a short-lived but widespread belief that the UN had at last come into its own. The century ended in general disillusionment over he prevailing disorder and violence. The events of September 1 1, 2001, and the reaction of the administration o f President George W. Bush have so far dominated the twenty-first century discussion of world order. Restart's statement reflects the concerns of this course.The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon over a decade ago, on September 1 1, 2001, brought into sharp relief a new configuration of world power and opposition. After the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, there had been much talk of a New World Order, emphasizing globalization, a ingle model of export-oriented economic development, liberalizing, human rights, democracy, and a global war on terrorism. Notions of a New World Order typically did not incorporate possible sources of opposition, or, when they did, it was with apocalyptic ideas like â€Å"the clash of civilizations. Some theories assumed that the dominance of the new order meant an â€Å"end to history,† that is, an end to the struggles between major powers and systems of thought that had marked international relations historically. September 1 1 demonstrated that we have not reached the end of history or a world without struggle, but it also demonstrated that imply dividing the world into clashing civilizations misses the new global configuration of power and opposition.The post-WI 1 world has been marked by a single superpower, the United States, which played an aggressive military role globally (especially after its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 and, now, through drone warfare in multiple countries). It also has taken on outsized political and economic roles in the world. The post 9/1 1 world has also seen the emergence of key non-state actors, including ethnic groups, al-Qaeda, and many more. Since 2011, a key region, the Middle East and North Africa, has seen unprecedented popular uprisings, with citizens expressing pent-up anger against authoritarian regimes.The sass have been a period described by the word â€Å"globalization† but rife with powerful forms of localism. The purpo se of this course is pulls. With that goal in mind, the course first will analyze the earlier configuration of power that marked the second half of the twentieth century, how and why it crumbled, and how its disintegration laid the foundation for today. The main emphasis is on the creation of global economic interdependence in the twentieth century in a world politically divided.The interdisciplinary approach of the course stresses the interplay between two global structures, the world market and the hierarchy of states, and how the interplay of these structures has generated rules governing international life, â€Å"winners,† who have gained from these rules, and â€Å"losers,† who have felt the rules slighted them. In the latter part of the course, we will look at the structure of the world political-economy in the first decade of the twenty-first century, the role of imperial America, and events in the Middle East, including the recent popular uprisings and civil st rife.Requirements of the Course and Assignments: This course is designed to greatly improve students' critical-analytic reading abilities and their academic writing capabilities. To help students reach higher levels, the course requires substantial reading and writing throughout the term. Every student is expected to fulfill the following requirements: 1 . Readings. Students must read the assignments listed in the course schedule below prior to the Tuesday Section of the listed week (in Week One only, one reading will be due Tuesday and others, before the Thursday Section).The readings are presented somewhat differently from the methods used in many other classes. The assigned readings present the authors' own interpretations of how the twentieth century (or a part of it) unfolded. Their interpretations are important. As the course is interdisciplinary, the book authors include an economist, Stilling, who is a Nobel Prize winner; a leading political scientist at Harvard, Friend; an award-wining international historian from Columbia, Manager; and a noted historian of the Middle East, Kelvin. Interpretations in the assigned books often clash with those given in lecture, and they may contradict each other.In other words, students will have to make their way through conflicting stories f the making of the 21st century. Because the authors' interpretations are given as the authors presented them from beginning to end, they frequently do not line up chronologically or topically with the week-by-week class lectures. But students are challenged to compare and contrast over the course of the quarter the various narratives they hear in lecture and read in the books. Besides the books, there are some other additional secondary readings required. Additionally, the assigned documents will help students learn to read primary sources.The readings will be discussed by students and Task in weekly Sections. Students are required to bring to section the books being discussed, as well as printouts of ALL additional required documents and readings assigned for the week. 2. Short Papers. Each student will write three short essays of approximately 1-1/2 double-spaced, typewritten pages (12 point New Times Roman type, one-inch margins). The first paper will be on a reading assigned in Week Two, Francis Fauvism, â€Å"The End of History. † Part of the class session on Friday, January 17, will be on writing this paper.It is imperative, therefore, to read the Fauvism article carefully before the January 17 class session. The paper is due in section on Tuesday, January 22. The second and third papers can be on any readings to help you make your point. A presentation of opposing points of view and making a comparison of two works can lead you to good paper topics. In short, students are encouraged to compare and contrast different authors' ideas, even as the main focus is on a single reading. ) Papers may comment on how the author uses words, the construction of the argument, types of evidence, methods, etc.What the paper should NOT do is write about the topic of the reading; rather it should write on owe the reading treats or approaches its topic. For example, you would not want to write on the Cold War but on how Manager approaches the topic of the Cold War. The essay is to be submitted in person at the Tuesday Section meeting on the week the student chooses during weeks 2-9 of the quarter, as long as the paper is on the reading assigned for that week; no late submissions will be accepted and no papers will be accepted in which the student is not in attendance in the section. 3. New York Times. Every student must read the New York Times daily. . Research Paper. Each student will complete a research paper?typed, double- spaced, 12 point New Times Roman type, one-inch margins?on a country of his or her choice and approved by the TA. Each paper will focus on a topic that falls in the period from World War II to the present. The aim is NO T to write on current events but on events or trends in the past that can help give essential background for understanding today's news. Library research using scholarly books and Journals (not newspaper articles) will be the backbone of the assignment (at least three journal articles and two books should be used heavily in the research).Each paper ill be organized around something puzzling in that country political, economic, or social experience at some time in the latter half of the twentieth century or the first few years of the present century. That puzzle will be expressed in a â€Å"why question,† which will be substantiated by qualitative or quantitative evidence. Students will develop an answer to that â€Å"why question,† which will be the argument of the paper, including further evidence to support that argument. A number of aids are available for researching and writing your papers.The most important is your TA. You also can receive help from SOUL reference librarians. The Jells/Political Science writing center http://depth. Washington. Du/surprise/index. HTML can be of great assistance. The Center is in Gown 111. Please note that the tutors in the Writing Center can help you with problems of organization, clarity, composition, and grammar only; they are not equipped to comment on the substantive content of your paper. You can also receive feedback on your paper ideas and substantive content at CLUE sessions.All papers must be written in MS Word, double-spaced, using Times Roman 12 point font. The due dates for the paper are as follows (late papers will be penalized): a. A 1-2 page research proposal with references. Librarians will be in class on January 10 and 17 helping you get started on your paper, explaining what is entailed in a research proposal, detailing the precise assignment, and offering practical lessons on undertaking the research. The research proposal is due in class on January 16. D. First draft (approve. 5-6 pages), due on February 6.Papers must be sent via email to your TA and members of your study group by 5:00 p. M. , February 6, for peer comments by other Study Group members. Members of the Study Group will provide Track function in MS Word. Members should provide general comments and inter- linear comments in the text itself. E. Second draft (approve. 6-8 pages), revised by incorporating the suggestions and criticisms of the Study Group members, due in TA mailbox in Thomson 411 on February 17 by 5:00 pm (the doors to the mailbox close at 5:00). F.Third and final draft (approximately 8-10 pages), revised and expanded by incorporating the suggestions and criticisms of the TA and Study Group members, due March 3, 5:00 pm, in Tat's mailbox, Thomson 411 (or you may give the paper to your TA in person after lecture on that day). 5. Quizzes. In place of a mid-term, there will be weekly quizzes in the course, mostly geared towards that weeks reading. The quizzes are motivational tools to help stud ents keep up with the reading. The quizzes will be available for you to take and submit on the course website each Monday, 5:00 pm to midnight. . Final Exam. The final exam, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 2:30-4:20 pm, in our regular classroom, will include short and long essay questions and identifications. A series of long essay questions will be available before the exam, from which two questions will be selected to actually appear on the exam. Questions will include materials from lecture, readings, and the New York Times. There will also be a geography question (see below). Students may bring a single page of personal notes to the exam.All students must bring blue books to the exam. 7. Maps. Everyone must learn the basic political map of the world, as well as natural sites, such as bodies of water, that have been critical to international relations. There will be a map section on the final exam. Consult atlases and maps online regularly! 8. Study Groups. All students will participa te in Study Groups to be formed the first week during Section. Study Groups should meet face-to-face at least once a week to discuss readings, papers, and ideas. They are important sounding boards.Each Study Group will also set up an e-mail list, including all its members, as a way to communicate frequently about assignments, readings, and ideas presented in lecture. Final grades will be determined on the following basis: 2nd paper draft 10% Paper proposal 2% Peer review of others' papers 4% 3rd paper draft 25% Three response papers 21% (total) Pop quizzes 18% (total) Final exam 20% Participation in section is highly valued: the computed grade from the factors above will be adjusted up to 0. Grade points up or down on the 4. 0 scale based on participation in sections.

Finding and Evaluating Business Opportunities Case Study

Finding and Evaluating Business Opportunities - Case Study Example Thus, in 1993, both Tim and Brad Larson had the advantages of experience in managing businesses, making investments and securing bank loans using the seller’s assets as collateral. However, as the case study suggests, all their potential target companies are small in size (valued at less than $5-$6 million each). Besides, each candidate business was involved in a specific business segment and was affected by either limited or unseasonal sales. Thus, the Larsons are expected to flourish the most through the focus niche strategy. This strategy is the most applicable as all target firms currently do not enjoy a wide scope in terms of cost leadership or differentiation. By adopting a focus strategy, the Larsons can focus their experience and limited resources on a defined business or market segment. Besides, the focus strategy works best for smaller companies and can be implemented with a focus on either differentiation or cost. Most suitable company for purchase The profile of ea ch of the four companies shall be evaluated to identify the most suitable company for purchase (all discussions are with respect to the year 1993). Landscape Products manufactures a number of products and is operating at full capacity. While the labour costs are cheap, the demand is rather seasonal in nature. The company had been in operation for over 12 years and was managed by experienced owners. However, the company depended on supplies from certain lumber mills and there is no reason given for the unusual closure of some of these mills, which had a direct impact on the production output at Landscape. Hence, there is some uncertainty over when production levels would pick up and whether Landscape would be in a position to reduce its dependence on these mills and seek alternatives. Fairway Outfitters has a huge client list and shows a strong potential for growth in the future. Information from customers also indicated that they are satisfied with the services provided by Fairway. However, the small size of its workforce when compared to its long client list indicates that a strong reason for the company’s growth could be the experience and skill of its founder, who is now interested in managing some private golf courses. The fact that the founder does not have confidence in handing over the management to one of his staff members adds to this doubt. Richmond’s Snacks has performed considerably well within the snacks industry over a long period. These figures were achieved even though the company’s market was limited to the mid west. The company is however affected by a high level of seasonal sales. While there is a huge potential for growth (expansion into new regions, improving production capacity etc) at low investments, the company was being sold due to a struggle between the owner and his sons. It may therefore be advisable to evaluate any litigation that may exist before considering this company for purchase. Although Teletechâ€℠¢s product and operational procedure sound simple and interesting, it is a concept currently in development. The product is yet to be introduced into the market and there is no information or certainty if the product will succeed in evoking any interest among consumers. In fact, the company is in the process of testing the product and the actual product is to be introduced only after 8 months. Besides, the owner of Teletech was asking a steep price although the components involved in producing the product and related components are not very expensive. Based on the above considerations, Richmond’s Snacks is recommended for purchase among the four candidate firms as it produces a

The Conspiracies Surrounding the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Research Paper

The Conspiracies Surrounding the Assassination of John F. Kennedy - Research Paper Example It is evident from the opinion poll conducted by ABC News in 2003 wherein 70 percent of the people did not approve of the fact that Oswald planned the assassination by himself, and no outside forces were involved in the plotting. Their argument was that bullets aimed at from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository could not have succeeded in aiming at the President. They felt the presence of another gunman, possibly aiming at from the Grassy knoll of Dealey Plaza. There were still others who felt that President Kennedy was assassinated under a greater conspiracy. Doubt has been expressed over the role of CIA agents who might have shown their anguish over the Bay of Pigs or at the provocation of Vice President Lyndon Johnson. KGB functionaries were also under the scanner besides mobsters who were annoyed at Kennedy's brother for prosecuting organized crime rings. Thus, the assassination of President Kennedy was one of history's most famous political assassinations whose ca use and culprits are still not confirmed. Amid rumors, 32 percent of those polled by ABC think that Oswald acted on his own (Time Specials par. 1-2) Facts There are numerous conspiracy theories doing the rounds around the assassination of President Kennedy. After being arrested, Oswald was shot at and murdered by Jack Ruby not long after being arrested. General opinion was that it was Oswald who assassinated the President but he was not alone. People had doubts over the KGB, the FBI, and the American underworld. Most of the witnesses were not sure as to from which direction the bullets came, strengthening the theory that there were more than one shooter.

Analyze formation of Canada's trade policy or environmental policies Essay

Analyze formation of Canada's trade policy or environmental policies with respect to domestic political and economic forces. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages - Essay Example The main advantage of environment regulation through command-and-control intervention is political support despite its inefficient features. It has high symbolic value for public that identifies prohibition with higher efficiency than taxing pollution discharge. It favors existing industries with political leverage and acts a barrier for new firms. Most importantly it identifies it as cost effective measures that would not pose charges directly to the public. It gives discretionary powers to the bureaucracy which is politically motivated. The exemptions from strict laws are used as tools for negotiation for political gains. The major disadvantage of the command-and-control measure is that it promotes inequality and inefficiency in the garb of perceived costs. It is also a short term policy that deters new firms to be innovative in effluent discharge. From the economists’ perspectives, effluent charges would remove disparity and would act as discouragement for high discharge of pollutants by industries at large. Its results could only be seen on long term basis, hence, it is not favored by political forces. (words:

Political Science (U.S. foreign policy Afghanistan) Term Paper

Political Science (U.S. foreign policy Afghanistan) - Term Paper Example With these principles in place, the U.S would have long succeeded in its intervention in Afghanistan with regards to the establishment of a functioning government that provides essential services to its citizens. Several reasons have been cited to explain the difficulties and the challenges the U.S faces as it tries to establish a stable and functioning government in Afghanistan. First, many journalists and scholars cite rampant corruption in Afghanistan as a hindrance to the establishment of a functioning government in the country. Additionally, the U.S and its allies have consistently failed to deal with the Afghans that drive out and kill fellow Afghans that are committed to rebuilding their country. These criminals and corrupt Afghans and terror groups profit from the many opportunities and huge influx of money getting into the country. The U.S. had a chance and the resources to assist in rebuilding Afghanistan immediately after the invasion but let the chance slip away. However, there is still time and opportunities for the U.S to rebuild the country and empower its hardworking and patriotic citizens. The U.S, as well as the local Afghans, must, therefore, be more than ready and willing to expose and eliminate the non-patriotic groups and individuals that seek to profit at the local, regional, and national level at the expense of hardworking Afghans (Brown & Scales, 2012). This paper explores the best possible policy direction that the United States should adopt to realize most, if not all of its objectives in Afghanistan. The United States has had numerous opportunities to help rebuild and empower Afghanistan and its citizens after the invasion of the country by the NATO forces but has let the opportunities pass by. Through the adoption and the implementation of the most appropriate policy on Afghanistan, the U.S will play its leadership role of

Resources in Housing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Resources in Housing - Essay Example The role of savings in the acquisition of housing by low-income households has been recognized in a variety of studies. Macoloo (1994:290) reports that two-thirds of households in Kenya used savings to purchase construction materials, making this the most important source of finance during the initial stages of house-building. Yet, the significance of savings to the housing process is not without its problems. As other studies show, many households are able to become 'owners' early on, before they would be able to develop a savings profile. While it is increasingly accepted that low-income households are not too poor to save, in an environment of low and insecure incomes, and rising prices for building materials, land and services and rising taxes, it seems unlikely that households would amass sufficient savings on a consistent basis to acquire or build housing. This would seem to be supported by macro studies that show low propensities to save in the poorest countries and in the poorest households in all countries. Most low-income households lack safe and convenient methods to save and many institutions insist upon minimum balances or do not offer positive returns on savings. Indeed, in some circumstances low-income households are charged to deposit savings, either directly or through negative interest rates. In order to save in the formal system, therefore, low-income households have to possess a minimum level of funds and an income sufficient to pay charges: in the short term saving may be a net drain on household resources. The lack of institutional capacity is not the only reason for the low rate of saving. Countries such as Chile, Singapore and Malaysia have implemented sophisticated financial products to increase the ratio of money to GDP and raise the rate of saving. Such reforms, however, have not improved conditions for those on the lowest incomes as measures have not been taken to improve the unequal distribution of income: with no surplus income, savings will be inelastic in relation to interest rate changes. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that, in some countries, many low-income households are heavily in debt, and are therefore unable to be net savers, and have learned through experience to be highly distrustful of financial institutions. The difficulty experienced by households trying to save in the context of limited institutional capacity suggests that many must be holding savings outside of the formal financial system. There is very little research, however, on the form in which these savings are held although consumer items and jewellery as well as cash are mentioned frequently. One further possibility is that households invest in housing as a surrogate form of saving believing this to be a reliable store of value. As consolidation takes place the belief is that most properties will appreciate in value over time, although the small size of the second-hand property market makes reliable assessments of value difficult and some suspect that the real trend may be quite flat over the short term. Thus, while there is evidence for a link between financial depth and housing investment, at the micro level, it is the lack of financial capacity that may