Undertake project work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Undertake project work - Assignment Example This will exhibit whether the product is a success or a failure within the market. The period for the project will be three months. a period in which the project will research on the market viability, strengths as well as weakness of the product, inclusive of the consumer reception of the new brand within the Indian market. The project follows the right standards of ethics in research. This means that it will consider all the required steps in conducting a research project, such as freedom of choice by participants, respecting the privacy and choice of participants, as well as giving accurate data for use in the analysis phase of the project. The project requires both financial and intellectual assets in order to undertake appropriately. this includes an experienced team of researchers, project managers, marketing professionals, market analysts, as well as adequate financial resources to undertake the entire project work appropriately. This includes money for the research, money for transport, and money to carry out the various analyses necessary to complete the research. Please identify the clients, employees or team responsible for the projects. Here students should outline each person or team’s responsibilities in order to complete the project. The team’s responsibilities should be aligned with the desired outcomes in the project. You may use the table below: The young ones are equally an important market segment of the company. As such, this market segment needs particular attention in order identify its tastes and preferences, trends, as well as other likes that contribute largely to market viability and growth. The teenagers are the most users of soft drinks, especially owing to their fast transformation from children to adulthood. This is the point when many young ones transform in all ways, especially

Black Elk Speaks Essay Example for Free

Black Elk Speaks Essay Black Elk Speaks is about a Native American boy that has visions and these visions help him with the religious aspects of live. He has these visions that tell him what to do and shows him the path to righteousness. These visions can also be seen as myths, which are stories that try to explain something. Every culture has their own collection of myths. Black Elk Speaks is also a very symbolic book, because it has the use of many objects or people that represent other things. In the American culture, as well as other cultures around the world, are also very symbolic. The American culture is very diverse in that there are many different cultures that have mixed and created the American culture. The American culture is not something that is easily explained, because it is so mixed with many other cultures from around the world. At first there were American Indians and they brought along their tribes and myths and rituals. Then came the British and over time the Chinese because of the California gold rush. In time America was in habited with many different nationalities and ideas. These ideas were slowly but surely blended together. As for example, when the British shared their meal with the Indians they were also sharing their culture and food. The exchange of food and other ideas brought the two distant worlds closer. The more important ideas are what does all this exchanging of food and ideas symbolize? â€Å"A symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention†(Wikipedia, 1). The object used in Black Elk Speaks is a pipe, given to them by a â€Å"young and very beautiful† woman, which symbolizes trust and companionship. Now, my friend, let us smoke together so that there may be only good between us† (Black Elk Speaks, 5). Black Elk and Neihardt have a smoke together to share their friendship and trust between the two. The pipe can also symbolize peace amongst people and/or tribes. Another act, such as the killing of a bison, might be seen as bravery, integrity, courage, pride. The American culture changed drastically when more cultures were included, such as the Chinese and African Americans. Slaves brought in from Africa, which meant that they brought along their culture and tendencies to America. Even though slavery was not the right thing to do, it brought a new culture into America and made it more diverse and â€Å"developed. † For example, superstitions are something that has shaped the culture as well. Spilled salt, walking under a ladder, a broken mirror, etc. are all superstitions that are said to lead to bad luck. When someone does one of these things they believe that bad luck is upon them. This causes them to act in a different way. Something bad in the future happens they may turn and blame it on the bad luck. Maybe some of the things that happen are just coincidences but culture has taught us to believe that it was the bad luck caused by the spilled salt, broken mirror, or walking under a ladder. Another big symbol in Black Elk Speaks is the four ribbons tied to the pipe that Black Elk and Neihardt smoke. It represents the powers of the four quarters of the universe. There are four ribbons tired to the pipe and each ribbon is a different color, which symbolizes a different power. Black is for the west, the source of the rain; red is for the east, the place of the morning star that gives wisdom; white is for the north, source of cleansing wind; and yellow is for the south, the places of summer and growth. Myths are another big thing that shapes a culture. Black Elk’s visions are like the myths in this story. In his vision, a bay horse greets Black Elk. He then tells Black Elk that he will tell him a story of the life history of himself. The horse walks in a circular motion â€Å"‘Behold me! ’ he said, ‘My life-history you shall see. ’†¦ ‘Behold them! Their history you shall know’† (Black Elk Speaks, 19). Each side that the horse goes to there are twelve horses that are each in a group of different colors. The horses to the north are white, those to the east are sorrel, those to the south are buckskin, and the ones to the west are black. The horses will take Black Elk to his Grandfathers. The sky fills with dancing horses that change into diverse creators and lead a formation of the horses from the four directions. They arrive at a cloud those changes into a tepee with a rainbow door, which inside the six Grandfathers are waiting. A myth is like a traditional story which usually contains some sort of hero or event. In this myth, the vision that Black Elk is having, is an event that is occurring. A bay horse appears in front of him and shows him the way to meet the six Grandfathers. Sometimes myths may sound like a fairy tale. For example, in ancient China, there was once this monkey that was very troublesome and cause destruction to the heavens. He was punished and put under a mountain. After about several hundred to a thousand years a monk comes along to save the monkey and there starts a journey of adventures and evil to obtain immortality. This is a myth because it is a legend of a hero that is punished for his crimes and therefore pays his debt by serving under his master. There are many aspects of a culture. The American culture is very diverse and tough to explain in one short answer. There is no true American culture because it is just a mixture of different cultures from around the world. Black Elk Speaks shows the forms of myths and symbols and how they contribute to American culture. Black Elk’s myths and symbols are very similar to those of the American culture.

Autism Essay examples -- essays research papers

   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several reasons why I chose the topic of Autism. First, autism is intriguing because it is very hard to understand. Medical science is at a loss to explain why and how it occurs. Second, I have had occasion to develop a personal relationship with children who are afflicted with autism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At The Children’s Institute, where I volunteer, I sit and play with many kids, two of whom are very hard to play with. Even though they are five and six years old, they avoid making eye contact with others, and often refuse to play with the other kids. Also, once they start watching something, like television, it is very hard to get them to look somewhere else. They are focused, almost mesmerized by the television, especially if there are flashing lights or colors. One child rocks back and forth, sometimes slowly and sometimes faster. An older child makes noises a lot, hums and randomly laughs for no reason. My observations prompted me to do some research into autism and I found that these were traits which others had also observed in patients afflicted with autism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Autism has mystified scientists and doctors for more than a century. So, what do we know about it now? It is a complex developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life, and it arises from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. The brainstem of a person with autism is shorter than a normal brainstem, lacks a structure known as the superior olive and has a smaller than normal structure known as the facial nucleus. Scientists who have observed the brainstems of autistic patients have reported that it is though a band of tissue is missing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The symptoms of autism vary from one person to another. Some people can be affected greatly by one symptom, while other may be affected more strongly by a different symptom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This developmental disability impacts normal development of the brain in areas such as social interaction and communication skills. Children with autism cannot interpret the emotional states of others, they don’t recognize anger, sorrow or manipulative intent. Their language skills are limited and they will often fail to initiate and sustain conversations.   Ã‚   ... ...ng.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child with autism is normal in appearance to the untrained eye. But scientists have identified a few physical anomalies. The corners of the mouth are low compared with the center of the upper lip, and the tops of the ears flop over. Also, the ears are a bit lower than normal and have almost a square shape.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the information I have gathered, we see both how similarly affected the victims of autism are and how much the effects of autism vary from one person to another. New scientific discoveries have served to dispel some of the mystery of this complex developmental disability. Of course, it is frustrating for anyone who has a family member or is a family friend of an autistic person because there is still no explanation for why autism strikes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a volunteer who works with autistic children, I believe it is important to increase awareness and understanding of this affliction. We can and should reach out to autistic children and help them live lives that are as meaningful and productive as possible. In doing so, I have found that we can enrich not just their lives but our own as well.

Joseph Heller

In his 1961 piece, Joseph Heller in a subtle way brings an exclusive attention of the readers to the experiences of the world wars to the soldiers. Heller uses the Second World War and John Yossarian, the protagonist as case studies in this milieu. The story transmitted in a third person narrative illuminates the experiences that make Yossarian afraid to continue serving as a soldier. It remains an enlightening piece that divulges the inner spirit of a soldier when masked with fear, more so having seen his or her colleagues die dreadfully. As the narration commences, the story is told within the hospital buildings where Yossarian is hospitalized. The doctors examining him are puzzled with his condition, which means that he would be pretending. They make a determination that if he would be jaundiced, they would treat him, but if not, they discharge him. Explicitly, Yossarian is faking sickness, but in an intelligent manner. It seems that in his mind, the hospital is safe to take solace since liver problems take time to treat. Nurse Duckett signs a note to give him some pills, but interestingly, the liver pain had healed, yet no doctor realized it. Yossarian is the center of the story and everything is deflected from his perspective. Innately, he is determined to remain safe at all times. However, the story is not told in a chronological order, and therefore, the readers must collect all the jaunts together to comprehend what it all implies. It uses flashbacks and presages to depict what happens. For instance, Yossarian is troubled with the memories of Snowden case where a soldier was killed awfully, and as a result, he has lost the aspiration to continue participating in the war. He is more perturbed and feels weak, something that happens with many soldiers on the battlefield. The same applies to other characters such as Dunbar who similarly stay with him in the ward. He wants to stay longer in the hospital by engaging in various boring activities to pass time. Indeed, the hospital setting has become a better place for them. Yossarian has made up his mind to remain in the hospital for the remaining time of the war, and writes a letter to different people known to him, but never tells them the reasons. Having realized that being insane can work for him, he pretends to be insane in order to be discharged from the military service. He is surprised that by claiming that he is insane is a proof that he is actually sane. The readers can see the way a soldier suffers emotionally in the military camp, even if expected to be strong.In conclusion, the story portrays the diverse points of views that the readers can relate to. It gives a pointer to the minds of the characters that depict the inner world of a soldier. It carries the audience with mixed reactions while interacting with the events. Certain events are funny, while others elicit pity. Yossarian is shaken by the storms of the experiences of the war and uses numerous tactics to get himself out of the military service. For instance, he fakes his prolonged stay in the hospital. When he also tries to pretend to be insane, he is openly caught. Rightly, the story compels the readers to see much inside a soldier's heart than just what is seen from outside.

Critically examine the theories that underpin the process of personal development planning and the role of self-reflection

The review will focus on the theories that inform and contribute to the process of personal development planning (PDP) and how these theories encompass and relate to the personal aspect of self-reflection and progress. What is the meaning of personal development planning. The Quality Assurance Agency has defined personal development planning as [A] structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. What does the PDP process involve. Personal development planning involves an individual going through a certain process of continually developing and refining skills and constantly reflecting upon their own learning experiences. PDP can be developed to support coincided with academic, personal and career progression. The process of PDP includes looking at you own progression, enables an individual to assess their skills and recording these achievements. Record of Achievements (RoA) has an important role within PDP, as this profile/recording progress provides the means for students to improve their skills through RoA, it allows individuals to relate to the learning experiences, to review and reflect upon their learning experiences. This process gradually develops students to be aware of their skills, which initially gives them more confidence. This is achieved through reflecting and reviewing learning experiences that help students make targets and actions plans within profiling. By profiling it turns reflecting into a learning process, learning from experiences. The profiling process can be beneficial to the student as it allows them to think in what career path they would like to pursue in. â€Å"Profiling can be used by a student to focus in on particular career options, or it can be employed as a device, within the workplace, for thinking about professional development.† So not only does profiling help the individual whilst in Higher education but also gives an advantage in their career aspects of PDP. Is PDP important? PDP is of importance as it encourages an individual to reflect, review and set goals for themselves, this process helps an individual to develop their confidence and self awareness which is vital within the educational and work place settings. Any theories underpinning the process of PDP? These ideas and strategies, which contribute to PDP have been influenced and put into practice by theories from a wide rang of theoretical perspectives and approaches. Theories and idea's which will be looked at in this review are: * Peter Honey and Alan Mumford's Learning Styles. * David Kolb * Dewey * Moon * Illich * Bently. Theories that have contributed to PDP Theories Honey and Mumford What have they said Within their theory, Honey and Mumford had said that we, as individuals learn through different ways, for example we are not all passive learners, so we may not learn through that particular method of learning. They had categorised the learning styles into four main categories, so an individual was either one or the other. These categories where: * Activist Activists are individuals, are active learners and enjoy challenges and being involved when learning something. They tend to learn effectively and with enthusiasm when they are involved and taking apart in something. However activists turn off and lose interests in learning when they are not actively involved and are being taught passively. * Theorist Theorists are those who always want to know how things go together within a logical structure. They like to use theories in order to get their views across to others and to relate situations and ideas to the theoretical side of things. They use theorise to understand things and put theory into practice in situations. Theorists tend to mistrust claims or views, which have doubts or a weak foundation to it. Also they find it hard to learn when they cannot look into depth in something or relate it to theory. * Pragmatist These individuals learn through putting theory into practice, enjoy the practical side of learning. They like proving the theory, for instance testing out something based on the theoretical perspective and seeing how that incorporates within the practical framework. Also they may switch off from learning if they cannot see why they are doing something or for what purpose it is that they are doing something. * Reflector The reflectors seem to learn from their experiences, always thinking off how this could be done or what ifs and then putting these into their learning. Taking time when thinking things through and always making use of time. Also reflectors find it hard to cope with when running out of time, for example when trying to meet a deadline. Honey and Mumford suggested that to find out which category of learning styles a person falls into they would have to complete a number of statements, where in the end of the questioner you will be able to indicates which type of learner you are. How is this related to PDP Honey and Mumford's theory of learning styles is linked to PDP, as it focuses on individuals and how a individual can develop their skills through knowing what type of learner they are and most importantly how knowing how they can learn best and what are the best ways to learn. The learning styles can indicate an individuals strengths and weaknesses. By knowing how you learn best can have a huge impact on PDP. As you can plan and reflect upon yourself and see if you really are a theorist or a reflector and what makes you like this, so this is a type of reflection and also how from knowing how you learn can help you progress and develop your skills. How effective is it to PDP and own development Looking at these learning styles from a personal perspective, I myself had completed the learning styles questioner and discovered that I was a Theorist. This has been beneficial towards myself and PDP as at first when I read what it takes to be a theorist, that I could relate to that and I felt that that was my learning style, learning through wanting to know about the theories behind anything for solid proof. Has it been useful? However when I read up the other three learning styles I thought I was a bit of all of them put together. I know that I learn through reflection and I like to take time out and analyse what has happened and also that I fine it extremely hard to work when I have a limited amount of time. So I feel that I am limited to a certain extent if I say that I am a theorist because that is not completely true as I have the characteristics for the reflector style of learning as well. Any other links to other theories? The learning style theory was partially based on Kolb's learning cycle and adapted from the four main stages within Kolb's learning cycle. David Kolb's * Kolb * Dewy * Moon * Illich * bently * Conclusion Which theory overall has been most effcetive when considering my own learning why should we include PDP in our degree is it useful?

Whats the Average College GPA By Major

What's the Average College GPA By Major SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re still in high school, you might be curious about how college GPAs work and what you can expect for grades given your major of choice. Just like high schools, colleges vary in how they calculate GPA. Grade inflation also significantly affects college GPA at most schools, causing many students to end up with higher GPAs in college than they had in high school. In this article, I’ll give you the facts about average GPAs at different types of colleges and within a variety of college majors. What's the Average College GPA? The average GPA for students at four-year colleges in the US is around 3.15, or a B average. This is much higher than it’s been in the past, a trend that demonstrates that grade inflation is a very real phenomenon for colleges. For example, a C used to be the standard average grade, but now a B is considered average. Why is this? One factor might be that professors are more vulnerable to student critiques in online forums and are sometimes forced to answer to angry parents if they give poor grades. The job of a professor can partially depend on how pleased his or her students are with the class, which is inevitably tied to what grades students get. As college becomes more and more expensive, both students and parents expect high grades so they can feel as though they're getting their money's worth. This is also a likely reason for grade inflation, especially considering the disparity in average GPA between public and private colleges: according to GradeInflation.com, public schools have around a 3.1 average GPA, whereas private schools have around a 3.3 average GPA. Grade inflation might also be happening because professors don’t want to jeopardize students' future chances at grad school or job opportunities by doling out low grades in an academic environment that has now come to expect Bs as the norm. However, telling you the overall average GPA across colleges and majors is somewhat meaningless as a statistic since GPAs vary so drastically by school and by major. Many schools give students two different GPAs: a cumulative GPA that takes into account all their classes, and a major GPA that only includes classes that count toward their major. In the next few sections I’ll get more specific about the average GPAs you can expect for different major fields and types of schools. GPAs by Major Science majors tend to have lower GPAs on average, with chemistry being the major with the lowest average GPA. Meanwhile, education majors earn the highest GPAs on average. Why this disparity? Grade inflation is more rampant in non-STEM fields because assignments are usually more open to interpretation, and there aren’t always clearly defined right or wrong answers. Professors tend to give students the benefit of the doubt due to the factors I mentioned previously (i.e., the impact of student evaluations, the expectations of high grades by students and parents, and professors being "too nice"). If a student gets a problem wrong or follows incorrect procedure in gathering data, it’s clear that he or she will earn a lower grade. If the student doesn’t write a clear enough thesis for an English paper, on the other hand, it’s a more subjective situation. The majors I’ve listed here come from a 2010 report by Dr. Kevin Rask of Wake Forest University. It’s difficult to say what the average GPA for one major is when you’re looking across a bunch of different schools. Each program is different, so the average GPA for these same majors at your college might be much higher or lower than indicated in the table. Major Average GPA Education 3.36 Foreign Language 3.34 English 3.33 Music 3.30 Religion 3.22 Arts 3.19 History 3.19 Computer Science 3.13 Political Science 3.11 Physics 3.10 Geography 3.09 Philosophy 3.08 Geology 3.03 Biology 3.02 Psychology 2.98 Economics 2.95 Math 2.90 Chemistry 2.78 Bonus: Curious about what the easiest college majors are? Read more here! Chemistry is a tough subject (except when it's between u and me, baby). GPAs by School Below, I've listed 10 schools for each category of selectivity (highly selective, selective, and less selective) and their average GPAs so you can get a sense of the distribution of college GPA. Here's what I mean by these levels of selectivity: Highly selective schools are schools that have a less than 15% acceptance rate Selective schools are schools that have a 20-50% acceptance rate Less selective schools are schools that have an acceptance rate higher than 50% You’ll notice that the most selective colleges have higher average undergraduate GPAs. This could be because they are more vulnerable to the factors I listed earlier that contribute to grade inflation. Moreover, because these colleges are admitting increasingly higher-achieving students, it’s more difficult to set standards in classes that are high enough to prevent most people from earning As. I consulted GradeInflation.com to find these GPAs. The years next to the GPAs indicate the most recent GPA data available from the school. All schools are arranged alphabetically. Highly Selective Colleges College Acceptance Rate Average GPA Brown University 9.3% 3.63 (2012) Columbia University 6.1% 3.45 (2010) Cornell University 12.7% 3.36 (2006) Dartmouth College 10.4% 3.46 (2014) Duke University 10.8% 3.51 (2014) Harvard University 5.2% 3.65 (2015) MIT 7.2% 3.39 (2015) Princeton University 6.4% 3.39 (2014) Stanford University 4.8% 3.57 (2011) University of Pennsylvania 9.3% 3.44 (2015) Selective Colleges College Acceptance Rate Average GPA Bates College 21.9% 3.36 (2006) Boston University 25.1% 3.16 (2014) Carleton College 21.2% 3.42 (2004) Emory University 22.0% 3.38 (2012) Grinnell College 28.9% 3.34 (2007) Kenyon College 33.8% 3.42 (2015) Lehigh University 25.2% 3.17 (2012) Spelman College 40.1% 3.16 (2013) UC San Diego 34.2% 3.14 (2015) Vassar College 23.8% 3.58 (2015) Less Selective Colleges College Acceptance Rate Average GPA Butler University 65.1% 3.25 (2007) Drury University 72.4% 3.30 (2013) Furman University 61.2% 3.20 (2014) Hope College 84.0% 3.39 (2009) James Madison University 75.2% 3.15 (2013) Portland State University 92.0% 3.14 (2011) Rutgers University 57.8% 3.09 (2013) University of Alabama 53.3% 3.13 (2015) University of Northern Iowa 80.8% 3.02 (2014) University of Utah 66.2% 3.10 (2013) Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What Do Average College GPAs Mean for You? Average college GPAs won't mean much for you if you're still in high school, but it's good to know how GPA works in college because it can impact your future career. If you end up going through a job recruiting process toward the end of college, your GPA will likely be one of the factors that is strongly considered by recruiters. As I've said, however, GPA varies quite a bit across different schools and majors. Recruiters will be looking at how your GPA compares with that of other students at your school who are in the same field. Overall, your experiences with projects and other jobs will carry more weight than will your GPA in most hiring decisions. It's safe to say that if your college GPA ends up being at least a 3.0, most employers won't be concerned with it. Another matter to take into consideration is grad school. You'll have to be a little more serious about keeping your GPA up in college if you plan to go to grad school (especially if you have your sights set on law school or medical school). Grad programs want dedicated students who are passionate about the field of study they've chosen. A high college GPA in relation to your peers in the same field will demonstrate that you were able to consistently exceed expectations. If grad school might be on the horizon for you, don't slack off during your freshman year of college! You should make sure your GPA is solid from the beginning so you don't mess up your plans later on (but also try and have fun sometimes because college is awesome). Let's face it, we all kind of want to be lawyers just so that we can be as cool as Saul Goodman (aka James McGill ... you should really watch Better Call Saul) Conclusion: What's the Average College GPA? Figuring out the average college GPA is not as straightforward as you might assume it is. Because students take such different classes at a wide variety of institutions, it’s difficult to compare one GPA directly with another if both students aren’t attending the same college and taking similar classes. Overall, college GPAs have risen in recent years due to grade inflation caused by a variety of factors, including the easier accessibility of professor reviews, parents' expectations of students' grades, and grad school competition. Don’t choose a major or a college because you think you’re going to be able to get a higher GPA in that program. If you work hard in a field you truly enjoy, the good grades will most likely follow! What's Next? Trying to figure out where you should apply to college? Check out our complete guides on how to choose a school that's right for you and how to figure out what you should go to college for. If you just want to start exploring what's out there in terms of college offerings, read our guide to the best college search websites and our breakdown of how long a bachlor's degree takes. Aiming for the top schools? Learn how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

How to envision your future and find success

How to envision your future and find success Any successful person will emphasize the importance of planning, but sometimes we do things in the wrong order. Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig dismisses the idea of endlessly scrutinizing the world and then trying to find a niche where your business fits. Watch him advocate for the opposite process: figuring out the life you want for yourself, then bending the world to make it fit. [Source: Daily Fuel]

Understanding the Ninth Amendments Effect and History

Understanding the Ninth Amendments Effect and History The Ninth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution attempts to ensure that certain rights - while not specifically listed as being granted to the American people in the other sections of the Bill of Rights - should not be violated. The complete text of the Ninth Amendment states: â€Å"The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.† Over the years, the federal courts have interpreted the Ninth Amendment as confirming the existence of such implied or â€Å"unenumerated† rights outside those expressly protected by the Bill of Rights. Today, the Amendment is often cited in legal attempts to prevent the federal government from expanding the powers of Congress specifically granted to it under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. The Ninth Amendment, included as part of the original 12 provisions of the Bill of Rights, was submitted to the states on September 5, 1789, and was ratified on December 15, 1791. Why This Amendment Exists When the then proposed U.S. Constitution was submitted to the states in 1787, it was still strongly opposed by the Anti-Federalist Party, Led by Patrick Henry. One of their main objection to the Constitution as submitted was its omission of a list of rights specifically granted to the people - a â€Å"bill of rights.† However, the Federalist Party, led by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, contended that it would be impossible for such a bill of rights to list all conceivable rights, and that a partial list would be dangerous because some might claim that because a given right was not specifically listed as protected, the government had the power to limit or even deny it. In an attempt to resolve the debate, the Virginia Ratifying Convention proposed a compromise in the form of a constitutional amendment stating that any future amendments limiting the powers of Congress should not be taken as justification for expanding those powers. This proposal led to the creation of the Ninth Amendment. Practical Effect Of all the amendments in the Bill of Rights, none is stranger or harder to interpret than the Ninth. At the time it was proposed, there was no mechanism by which the Bill of Rights could be enforced. The Supreme Court had not yet established the power to strike down unconstitutional legislation, and it was not widely expected to. The Bill of Rights was, in other words, unenforceable. So what would an enforceable Ninth Amendment look like? Strict Constructionism and the Ninth Amendment There are multiple schools of thought on this issue. Supreme Court justices who belong to the strict constructionist school of interpretation essentially say that the Ninth Amendment is too vague to have any binding authority. They push it aside as a historical curiosity, in much the same way that more modernist justices sometimes push the Second Amendment aside. Implicit Rights At the  Supreme Court level,  most justices do believe that the Ninth Amendment has binding authority, and they use it to protect implicit rights hinted at but not explicated elsewhere in the Constitution. Implicit rights include both the right to privacy outlined in  the landmark 1965 Supreme Court case of  Griswold v. Connecticut, but also basic unspecified rights such as the right to travel and the right to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.   Writing in the Court’s majority opinion Justice William O. Douglas stated that â€Å"specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights have penumbras, formed by emanations from those guarantees that help give them life and substance.† In a lengthy concurrence, Justice Arthur Goldberg added, â€Å"The language and history of the Ninth Amendment reveal that the Framers of the Constitution believed that there are additional fundamental rights, protected from governmental infringement, which exist alongside those fundamental rights specifically mentioned in the first eight constitutional amendments.† Updated by Robert Longley

Math in Biotechnology field Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Math in Biotechnology field - Assignment Example 3- You are setting up a PCR reaction and the protocol asks you to add 0.9ng of DNA to the reaction. You have a sample of DNA which is 3mg/ml. Describe your approach to adding the same volume in parts per million to the reaction? Be specific, describe your dilutions, how much you will pipette, etc? 4- You are setting up a PCR reaction and the protocol asks you to add 3.0ng of DNA to the reaction. You have a sample of DNA which is 8mg/ml. Describe your approach to adding the same volume in parts per million to the reaction? Be specific, describe your dilutions, how much you will pipette, etc? 5- You are setting up a PCR reaction and the protocol asks you to add 0.6ng of DNA to the reaction. You have a sample of DNA which is 6mg/ml. Describe your approach to adding the same volume in parts per million to the reaction? Be specific, describe your dilutions, how much you will pipette,

When should we trust our senses to give us truth Essay

When should we trust our senses to give us truth - Essay Example The hurdles are aplenty but the need is to remain steadfast so that truth could be discerned in the least possible time. The resources available at our disposal for finding out this truth are significant since these are the primary actors which play a quintessential role at making us understand what the truth is, if at all, we can come to know what it is, in the first place. Trusting our senses for gaining the ultimate truth that we seek is like trying to understand the very notion related with the ascertainment of truth. It is a difficult process to find out what actually goes behind the scenes as far as the truth building mechanisms is concerned. However one thing is for sure – truth only comes about when the time is right. This has to be backed up by the right series of events and changing time periods, all of which play a significant role in telling us the real truth – a subject upon which we base our paradigms of happiness, sorrow and hope. Trusting our different senses to provide us the truth is difficult to achieve because at times the picture in front of us looks gloomy and thus we are not able to properly comprehend the real meaning which is hidden behind the image. We interpret different things and that too of a complex nature. However the picture is straightforward and it is our lack of attention to detail which makes us go hayw ire during such discussions. Truth is merely the right ingredient of our understanding plus the manner in which we interpret the different series of events. Now if we understand what essentially truth is, we will also delve deep into how it has come about and what it will offer to us with the changing times – the most sought after details related with its attached impediments. Truth usually never comes alone. It has different issues underlying the presence of truth in essence and hence this truth becomes all the more difficult to comprehend once it is in sight of the people for which it is of paramount

A Legal, Ethical, Global, and Corporate Environment in Business Research Paper

A Legal, Ethical, Global, and Corporate Environment in Business - Research Paper Example Therefore, she had a prima facie case against her employer because the employer was unable to prove that Tiano’s leave affected the business adversely (Clarkson et.al, 2012). In this case, Meads owned Citibank a credit-card debt amounting to $5,000 of which he could not be able to settle at that moment because of his health issues. He officially informed the creditor about his predicament and together with his attorney they informed the creditor that in future the creditor should contact Meads’ attorney. However, Citicorp who was working as Citibank agent made numerous calls at Meads home and place of work. Meads sued â€Å"CCSI for causing emotional distress.† According to Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the CCSI did not anything to warrant the charge against unfair debt collection. However, the manner in which they collected the debt would attract a charge against â€Å"cause for distress† because they should have contacted Meads’ attorney considering the health condition of the debtor and directives by the attorney to contact him on behalf of his client (Clarkson et.al, 2012). In this case, Hoffman had entered into an agreement with Red Owl without any consideration. The contract was based on the verbal promise. Hoffman can successfully sue Red owl Stores under the promissory estoppels because the defendant made a promise to the plaintiff and never fulfilled it. In order for Hoffman to succeed in the legal claim, Hoffman should be able to convince the jury that they relied on Red Owl Store’s pledges and that upon the reliance on those promises, they suffered certain adversities. However, Hoffman should be prepared to get compensation for the actual loss suffered. The court may stop the agreement between the plaintiff and the defendant if by continuing with the agreement will result in unfairness between the parties (Clarkson et.al, 2012).   

Why is an education important in today's work force Essay

Why is an education important in today's work force - Essay Example to spend money on training and development, competition between employees have increased, 21st century arrangements require college education and this level of education is essential for a better living standard. The economy is still in recession and organizations are trying to survive the recession by cutting its expensive. Employers are trying to save the cost of training and development and at the same time they desire a workforce that is already trained. College education equips an individual with both hard and soft skills which are required in today’s organization. Due to this college level education allows individuals to gain employment under current economic conditions. Now a day’s even those who have huge amount of experience are competing for entry level positions in order to gain employment. Due to this young individuals who do not have a college education on their resumes are finding it difficult to gain employment. College education provides individuals with the knowledge, skills and abilities that are required for fresh members of the workforce to compete with those who have years and years of experience. Organizations in the 21st century are competing globally; they are no longer producing and selling their goods and services within limited boundaries (Stephens 1). Due to this, organizations need to be able to develop goods and services according to the cultures and customs of people belonging to different regions. They need employees who have the ability to communicate people from different regions to identify their needs and wants. College education equips an individual with interpersonal and communication skills which help these employees in communicating with people from different parts of the world. This then helps organization in developing goods and services in compliance with the needs and desires of customers throughout the world. Individuals who have a college level education are already equipped with soft and hard skills which an

International business strategy case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International business strategy case - Essay Example Hence, the theory of comparative advantage, which focuses on the fact that a country should produce the goods and services that are of an advantage to business compared to other countries, applies. This is the case with China, since their low cost and highly demanded machinery are of absolute advantage to the country and it is able to attract major nations like Brazil. A country should hence focus on those goods that are demanded for trade by other countries so as to improve on its economy and gain a comparative advantage (Lasserre, 2007). The diversity of a country I terms of competition can also influence whether a firm’s selection decision. The size of a country’s market is also important since it represents the quality of products being produced in that country. A favorable market, should be able to grow fast due to demand of its products and services, implying that it is the best market for business since it has a competitive advantage. The taxes and interest rates are a major concern to multinational firms who want to venture in business in other countries. These firms will always opt for the low interest rates and low taxes on their goods. ... These incentives are offered by foreign countries so as to attract investors (Lasserre, 2007). Absolute advantage theory applies in the case of Brazil, which seems to have been keen on the selection of multinational firms; this occurs when it comes to the advantage of one country compared to another in the production of goods and services (Lasserre, 2007). Countries like china have an advantage of cheap and skilled labor and low interest rates over other countries; in this case, Brazil buys raw materials and components from china like windows, which are reassembled in other firms around the world to produce complete busses. The main aim why Brazil relies on China for its raw materials is because of their friendly price, thus enabling Brazil to make profit on the end product. However, Brazil and China are not the only car manufactures. General Motors was experiencing losses before the year 2007 but suddenly made profits as a result to major sales made in the china market in 2006, wher eby, it was able to invest more than $2million, which resulted to major profits through the sale of 7.2 trucks and automobiles in China. In addition, General motors acquired the second highest market share in China in 2006. Moreover, car manufactures like the Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen produce economy cars that can compete with the china’s current vehicles. It is evident that car manufactures like the GM are a threat to the Brazilian bus maker Marco Polo. Generally, the reason why Marco Polo does not produce complete busses in China is that, there is a requirement of $100 as an investment, which is very difficult for this company to afford. Whereas, the GM car manufactures were able

Across denominations in the UK, numerous methods for evangelism are Essay

Across denominations in the UK, numerous methods for evangelism are advanced. Critically evaluate the evangelistic methodologies used by a local church forum you have recently visited - Essay Example Paul performed various actions such helping the needy and preaching the gospel in the street to spread the gospel of Christ. The modern church is experiencing a transformation in terms of evangelism. This results from advancements in technology and civilisation. Members of the present generation are obsessed with change, which implies that the church needs to change its approach to evangelism. In the United Kingdom for example, various evangelistic methods are effective in delivering the gospel of Christ to the people. The United Kingdom is among the countries where evangelistic initiates face resistance from the young section of the populace. Evangelists in the United Kingdom are developing evangelistic methods that attract the attention of the young generation in the quest to preach the gospel of Christ. Evangelistic methodologies differ across various denominations. For example, the catholic evangelists use different approaches compared to their Pentecostal counterparts (Medearis, 2011). There are, however, some similarities in the evangelistic methodologies in Christianity. The purpose of evangelism is to inform the society about the word of Christ through action or preaching. The most common evangelistic method in the United Kingdom is the church and street preaching. Other methodologies include home group evangelism, missionary, community service and friendship, prayer as well as Internet evangelisms (Medearis, 2011). This is an evangelistic method where a church member becomes friends with a non-believer and relays the message of salvation to them. The friendship evangelistic methodology is presently the most challenging evangelistic approach in the United Kingdom. Most members ascribed to the friendship evangelistic groups experience problems making friends with non-believers. Majority of people in the United Kingdom are capitalistic in nature, making it difficult for believers to meet non-believers. In addition, most people

International business strategy case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International business strategy case - Essay Example Hence, the theory of comparative advantage, which focuses on the fact that a country should produce the goods and services that are of an advantage to business compared to other countries, applies. This is the case with China, since their low cost and highly demanded machinery are of absolute advantage to the country and it is able to attract major nations like Brazil. A country should hence focus on those goods that are demanded for trade by other countries so as to improve on its economy and gain a comparative advantage (Lasserre, 2007). The diversity of a country I terms of competition can also influence whether a firm’s selection decision. The size of a country’s market is also important since it represents the quality of products being produced in that country. A favorable market, should be able to grow fast due to demand of its products and services, implying that it is the best market for business since it has a competitive advantage. The taxes and interest rates are a major concern to multinational firms who want to venture in business in other countries. These firms will always opt for the low interest rates and low taxes on their goods. ... These incentives are offered by foreign countries so as to attract investors (Lasserre, 2007). Absolute advantage theory applies in the case of Brazil, which seems to have been keen on the selection of multinational firms; this occurs when it comes to the advantage of one country compared to another in the production of goods and services (Lasserre, 2007). Countries like china have an advantage of cheap and skilled labor and low interest rates over other countries; in this case, Brazil buys raw materials and components from china like windows, which are reassembled in other firms around the world to produce complete busses. The main aim why Brazil relies on China for its raw materials is because of their friendly price, thus enabling Brazil to make profit on the end product. However, Brazil and China are not the only car manufactures. General Motors was experiencing losses before the year 2007 but suddenly made profits as a result to major sales made in the china market in 2006, wher eby, it was able to invest more than $2million, which resulted to major profits through the sale of 7.2 trucks and automobiles in China. In addition, General motors acquired the second highest market share in China in 2006. Moreover, car manufactures like the Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen produce economy cars that can compete with the china’s current vehicles. It is evident that car manufactures like the GM are a threat to the Brazilian bus maker Marco Polo. Generally, the reason why Marco Polo does not produce complete busses in China is that, there is a requirement of $100 as an investment, which is very difficult for this company to afford. Whereas, the GM car manufactures were able

You Need to Be Born an Entrepreneur Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

You Need to Be Born an Entrepreneur - Article Example It has always kept the mankind thinking, ‘what is the key to success?’, ‘is there a devised formula for it or you should have in your gene to excel’. Success is the most tempting and sought after the object of all time, it has been an obsession for every human being and our driving force. This makes it a valid and crucial subject to analyze. In some circles, it is strongly believed that you have to be born an entrepreneur to become an entrepreneur. They have a very strong theory and of course some decent examples to follow their belief. It is thought that you have to have it in your gene to be successful. A good example of that is Luke Johnson, who is the proud owner of not one but three enterprises; Pizza Express, Strada and Patisserie Valerie. He confesses that his entrepreneurial skills are a gift from his parents, mainly father since he has always been self-employed and a great source of inspiration (Treanor, 2013). It is learned through studies that it is very likely for a person to become an entrepreneur if he has a close affiliation with a person who is self-employed, most commonly a family member or a friend. Economics Professors, David Blanchflower, of Dartmouth College US, and Andrew Oswald, from the UK's University of Warwick, agrees to this hypothesis that if a parent is self-employed it is more likely for their children to become self-employed, i.e. entrepreneurs (Treanor, 2013). It is also a common belief that if you acquire certain characteristics, then you are more likely to end up as an entrepreneur. It is stated by some members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) that you need to pose some qualities by default (or birth).  

Sector Matrix Essay Example for Free

Sector Matrix Essay In buyer-driven commodity chains retailers, branded manufacturers and branded marketers which usually operate in labor-intensive consumer goods industries (e.g. footwear, toys, and consumer electronics) play key parts in setting up decentralised production networks in a variety of exporting countries. In producer-driven commodity chains, however, large manufacturers usually operating in capital and technology-intensive industries (e.g. automobiles, aircraft, and computers) play pivotal roles in managing production networks, usually in developed countries. Global Commodity Chains overlooks important concepts known as demand substitution and supply interaction, which occur in the motoring sector when lower income consumers rather purchase more affordable second hand automobiles from car dealerships than new automobiles from manufacturers e. g. when second-hand cars dilute the automobile market. Competition is thereby oversimplified by Gereffi’s framework as a process that takes place within an industry of firms using similar technologies to produce competing products. Furthermore, complementary goods e.g. spares and parts, repairs and servicing, fuel, tax and insurance, and finance generates a high percentage of revenue in the motoring sectors. Thus to maintain competitiveness within a sector, managers need to be familiar with the concept of demand complementarity. Gereffi, similarly to Porter, overlook the strategic importance of complementary goods, envisaging the processes that bring a commodity to the final product market. The sector matrix analysis mentioned by Froud (2006) fills these limitations; it constructs the demand side in terms of complementary and competing demands made by end users, and the supply side in terms of corporate consolidation of surplus from different activities inside and outside a specific demand matrix. Taking into account the weaknesses of Porter and Gereffi’sframework, Froud argues a need to abandon product-specific analysis for an alternative way of thinking, arguing that the firm should be seen as a unit t hat consolidates financial surplus from diverse sources of profit inside and outside an activity matrix. Rather than constructing the demand side in terms of substitutable end-products (e.g. new cars versus new cars), the Sector Matrix approach captures demand complementarity (e.g. new cars + services) and demand substitution (e.g. new cars versus used cars). Therefore, thesector matrix approach gives a better understanding of the automobile product market than the concepts of Value  Chains and Global Commodity Chains in that it captures the strategic importance of complementary services, simultaneously redefining competition. Solely manufacturing cars is financially unrewarding due to the problems associated with saturation in the automobile markets e.g. fierce competition due to competitor ability to manage product development and technology processing. For example, Ford understood that in order to continue to achieve superior shareholder returns they must sharpen consumer focus, that why their vision is to be the world leading consumer company that provides automotive products and services not just the world leading automotive company.Under this downstream vertical integration strategy, Ford purchased UK-based car-servicing company Kwik-Fit, broadening their subsidiary portfolio; already consisting of car rental company Hertz, and fi nancial services company Ford Credit. Furthermore, the Sector Matrix approach does not confine competition to the group of firms producing similar products; it extends the business relation to all the other firms that aspire to positions in the matrix. So, redefining competition may be a necessary exercise in order to effectively analyse the product market. Albeit useful, the applicability of Sector Matrix can be debated amongst academics, however. Froudrecognise that many industries (e.g. trainers and shirts) cannot be reworked as sectorsdue to their simple infrastructure. Other more complex industries e.g. health care are difficult to visualise in a sector matrix diagram due to vague demand function. Hence, while the Sector Matrix approach works well in the case of automobile industry, the universalism the framework is debatable.

Importance of Chemical Bonding | Essay

Importance of Chemical Bonding | Essay George Brown Chemical bonds are either ionic or covalent. When a metal is present the bond is ionic as an electron is given from the metal to the non-metal, so the two ions are attracted to each other. When a bond is between two non-metal’s then it is covalent meaning that in the outer electron shells of the two atoms bonded electrons share electron to complete their outer electron shell. When two atoms bonded together are not the same, the electrons will not be shared equally as each atom will be positively or negatively charged in relation to each other. This value is measured as the difference of the electronegativity of each atom present. The electronegativity of an atom is the potential for the atom to attract shared electrons towards itself. The difference in electronegativity between ionic bonds is greater than that of polar covalent bonds and greater still of non-polar covalent bond. An example of a non-polar covalent bond is H-I as the difference in electronegativity isn’t very high. An example of a polar covalent bond is H-Cl as the difference in electronegativity is higher than 0.5 and lower than 1.7 and an example of an ionic bond would be Na-Cl as the difference in electronegativity is above 1.7. In figure 1 it can be observed how the electrons are shared in ionic and covalent bonds. This explains the high difference in the resultant electronegativity between ionic and covalent bonds. Metal, as an ion, donates an electron making it positively charged and a non-metal, as an ion, gains an electron making it more negatively charged meaning the attraction between ionic bonds is greater than that of covalent bonds. Ionic bonded substances are more polar than covalent bonded substances thus a better solvent. NaCl has a much high boiling point (around 1413 °c) than for example HCl (around -85c) Sodium Chloride, better known as table salt, is an example of an Ionic bonded substance due to the high difference in electronegativity. Sodium and chlorine as elements are very reactive and thus poisonous to the human body in large quantities if uncontrolled. So the fact that sodium and chloride are ionically bonded helps to control the concentration of sodium and chlorine in the body as it can only be broken down when it needs to be in the liver. Sodium and chlorine is needed In low concentrations for key cell functions in nerve cells for maintaining the â€Å"resting potential of nerve axon cells which is -70 mV† (Hall et al., 2009) maintained by the â€Å"sodium potassium pump†. It is required for the nerve cells in the human body to function. It’s the reason for why you can feel or can react to stimuli. A molecule is always non polar, where the bonds between atoms in the molecule are non-polar an example of this would be H-I. Water is an example of a polar covalent bond as it consists of polar covalent bonds H-O and the molecule is asymmetrical. This means that water is a good solvent allowing it to transport sugars and salts around the body, in blood, as they can be easily dissolved in an aqueous solvent such as water. In figure 2 you can see the relative charge of the molecule in water. CCl4 is example of a molecule of which its atoms are polar bonded together but due to the symmetry of the molecule observed in figure 2 the polarity of the molecules cancels itself out, and it acts as if it’s non-polar in intermolecular interactions The strength between intermolecular bonds is a lot weaker than the strength of intramolecular bonds and the weakest form of intermolecular bond is a bond that uses Van der Waals forces or an instantaneous induced-dipole bond. These are observed when a nearby non-polar molecules experiencing an instantaneous dipole, due to the random nature of electron clouds oscillating on molecules, which induces a dipole of another molecule, it may cause a ripple effect inducing dipoles on nearby non-polar molecules. Larger molecules have a larger electron cloud which means the induced and potential electronegativity of instantaneous dipoles would be stronger. Van der Waals forces is the attraction that occurs between all molecules polar or non-polar, but is the only source of intermolecular attraction between non-polar molecules. Lower boiling points will be observed of substances of similar elements that are polar, dipole-dipole bonds or even stronger hydrogen(dipole-dipole) bonds, than that of n on-polar Van der Waals force bonds, as they are much stronger so it requires more energy(heat) to break them. Figure 3 is an example of an induced dipole bond from an instantaneous dipole. Hydrogen bonding (an example of a strong dipole-dipole bond) is another example of an intermolecular. Standard hydrogen bonding is an intermolecular bond where a hydrogen from one molecule is attached to one of the most electronegative elements; oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine of another molecule. Figure 4 shows a diagram of a hydrogen bond between two water molecules. These bonds help to keep the water molecules together so it requires more energy for the substance to change state from liquid into a gas. It also means when water is a solid (ice) it is less dense than when it is a liquid, which is unusual as usually substances tend to expand when they heat up. Heat is a measure of kinetic energy of a substance, so when substances, molecules or atoms, has more kinetic energy it is more fluid, less packed together (less dense). You can see in figure 4 that each oxygen atom is bonded from a combination of hydrogen (intermolecular) and covalent (intramolecular) bonds to 4 oxygen atoms. Ther e is a lot of free space around these atoms when they are structurally bonded this way, so this is why ice is less dense than water. The structural function of ice is important for all seasonal marine life and some land organisms as it allows ice to float. An example of a more complex intermolecular bond is ionic hydrogen bonding. Potential uses is discussed in the article BIOPHYISCAL (Kaledhonkar et al., 2013). The article states â€Å"Standard hydrogen bonds are of great importance for protein structure and function† but â€Å"Ionic hydrogen bonds often are significantly stronger than standard hydrogen bonds and exhibit unique properties† which allows them to be used in protein folding (polypeptides), modification in the golgi apparatus, enzyme active transport centres and the formation of membranes, processes that are all critical for life. Ionic hydrogen bonding is explained further in an article in chem. rev. (Meot-Ner (Mautner), 2005). The article states that â€Å"ionic hydrogen bonds (IHBs) that form between ions and molecules with bonds strengths of 5-35 kcal/mol, up to a third of the strength of covalent bonds†. Ionic hydrogen bonds are believed to be the strongest intermolecular bond but still only up to a third the strength of a covalent bond. So even the strongest intermolecular bonds are weaker than intramolecular bonds. [Word Count: 1058] References bbc.co.uk, (2014).BBC Higher Bitesize Chemistry Bonding, structures and properties : Revision, Page2. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/chemistry/energy/bsp/revision/2/ [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Chemprofessor.com, (2014).Intermolecular Attractions or van der Waals Forces. [online] Available at: http://www.chemprofessor.com/imf.htm [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Hall, A., Hickman, G., Howarth, S., Middlewick, S., Owens, N., Reiss, M., Scott, A. and Wilberforce, N. (2009).Salter-Nuffield Advanced Biology A2 Student Book. London: Edexcel Pearson, p.201. Kaledhonkar, S., Hara, M., Stalcup, T., Xie, A. and Hoff, W. (2013). Strong Ionic Hydrogen Bonding Causes a Spectral Isotope Effect in Photoactive Yellow Protein.Biophysical Journal, 105(11), pp.2577-2585. Meot-Ner (Mautner), M. (2005). The Ionic Hydrogen Bond.Chem. Rev., 105(1), pp.213-284. Physicsofmatter.com, (1998).Hydrogen Bond Disorder in Ice Structures. [online] Available at: http://www.physicsofmatter.com/NotTheBook/Talks/Ice/Ice.html [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Page 1 of 7 Soil Water Contamination: Wheal Jane Incident Soil Water Contamination: Wheal Jane Incident The Wheal Jane incident was a significant mine water discharge event. The incident occurred in 1992, shortly after the mine closure. This report provides a brief description of the mine, the incident itself and the resulting aftermath. Wheal Jane Mine is located near the village of Chacewater, in Cornwall. The mine itself was formed in 1861, after the merging of five smaller mines. The oldest mine workings from the area were thought to date back as far as the 1740s (Cornwall Calling, 2017). The mine had worked many mineral lodes over its lifetime, producing tin, copper, and silver-lead (Cornwall in Focus, 2017). In the years leading up to its closure, the mine was primarily extracting cassiterite, the main source ore of tin, but older workings also produced pyrite and arsenopyrite, with the modern development drives taking the mine to 450 meters below surface level (University of Exeter, 2002). The mines of the Gwennap parish were all interconnected, with Wheal Jane connected to the neighbouring, working mine Mount Wellington, and to the abandoned workings of United Mines. Wheal Jane was an extremely wet mine, requiring dewatering measures in the region of 60,000 m ³ day-1 in the winter months. The pumped water was highly acidic, owing to the dissolved metals from the sulphide mineral deposits. Approximately half of pumped water was treated before being discharged into the Carnon river (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). Wheal Jane Mine had been working, on and off, from this time until its eventual closure in 1991 due to financial difficulties, primarily relating to the low price of tin, following the International Tin Agreement in 1985. Much of the mines infrastructure and equipment was sold off at the time of its closure, with the mines operational dewatering systems being turned off after a government grant subsidising the pumping costs was withdrawn (University of Exeter, 2002). After the mine closure, and the cessation of the government grant, the operational dewatering pumps were switched off, leaving only the tailings dam pumps remaining. With the dewatering measures stopped, the water level rose and filled the expansive voids underground, with the sulphide mineral bearing rock now being leached by the rising ground water. The NRA (National Rivers Authority, now part of the Environment Agency) was concerned of the potential of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) into the Carnon river and commissioned a survey to determine the potential impact of a mine water discharge, and its likely discharge points and timing. The investigation proved difficult to predict due to the unknown volume of connected, un-surveyed mine workings which would also need to fill before release (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The NRA continued to monitor the water levels and water quality throughout the year. On November 17th 1991 the mine water levels reached 14.5 m AOD, and a mine water discharge event occurred through Janes adit. The water treatment lagoon onsite was quickly overwhelmed by a flow of approximately 5,000 m ³ per day of AMD at a pH of 2.8 (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The NRA had contingency plans in place and immediately reacted by adding lime at the head of the adit to raise the pH and precipitate the metals from the mine water. A plug was constructed near the portal of Janes adit and the water pumped out into the tailings dam (University of Exeter, 2002). On January 4th 1992 a technical issue meant that the pumps to the tailings dam were stopped. The mine water levels quickly rose by an estimated 4 meters. The mine water built up and, on January 13th 1992, discharged through the Nangiles adit, which was the second lowest known discharge location after Janes adit. This released an estimated 50,000 m ³ of AMD (pH of 3.1) into the Carnon river over a period of 24 hours, flowing through the Restonguet Creek, Carrick Roads and into the Fal estuary (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The contaminated water created a highly visual pollution event, as oxidation caused the iron rich water to turn a yellow-brown ochre colour, drawing worldwide media attention and causing much alarm to the community ( CL:AIRE, 2004). The mine water also contained considerable concentrations of heavy metals, most significantly being the presence of over 600 parts per billion Cadmium (University of Exeter, 2002). Following the discharge, new pumps were installed by the owners to pump water from the adit directly into the tailings dam as a short-term solution. Monitoring after the incident proved that the effects of the mine water discharge proved to be short-term only, with the NRA stating that There appears to have been no major adverse effects from the incident on the biota of the estuary. (National Rivers Authority, 1995). However, it was clear after the event that the mine water could not be left unchecked, and thus a water treatment solution was proposed. The NRA proposed both an active and passive treatment system. In 1994 a pilot passive treatment plant (PPTP) was constructed, as a research method for potential long-term treatment options. An active treatment plant was constructed in 2000. The PPTP contains three different treatment streams, all containing aerobic reed beds for removal of Iron and Arsenic, an anaerobic cell for removal of zinc, copper, cadmium and iron by bacterial reduction, and an aerobic rock filter which removes manganese through growth of algae (University of Exeter, 2002). The three streams differ however in the pre-treatment. One stream is first treated with lime to raise the pH, the second is first passed through an anoxic limestone drain, and the third stream involves no pre-treatment at all ( CL:AIRE, 2004). A report into the performance of the PPTP found that it offered inconsistent performance, and water discharge commonly exceeded the permitted water quality guidelines. The PPTP was also only processing 0.6 l/s of contaminated water, The active treatment plant took over from the PPTP in 2000. The process involves the addition of lime to increase the pH, and flocculant to precipitate out the metals in solution. The metal precipitates form a sludge, which is sent to a hold tank, and onto the tailings dam. The treated mine water is discharged out into the Carnon river. This system treats an average of 200 l/s, at a metal removal efficiency of 99.2% ( CL:AIRE, 2004). Whilst there have not been any significant long-term environmental impacts from the incident, it serves as a stark reminder of the potential environmental disaster that can come from mining activities, particularly from historical mines which were not subject to the same environmental regulations that are in place today. References CL:AIRE. (2004). Mine Water Treatment at Wheal Jane Tin Mine, Cornwall. CL:AIRE (Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments), 1-4. BBC. (2014, June 3). Pumping the polluted water from mines. Retrieved from BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26573994 Bowen, G. G., Dussek, C., Hamilton, R. (1998). Pollution resulting from the abandonment and subsequent flooding of Wheal Jane Mine in Cornwall, UK. London: Geological Society. Cornwall Calling. (2017). Retrieved from Cornwall Calling: http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/mines/carnon-valley/wheal-jane.htm Cornwall in Focus. (2017). Cornwall in Focus. Retrieved from http://www.cornwallinfocus.co.uk/mining/whealjane.php National Rivers Authority. (1995). Wheal Jane Mine Water Study. Ashford: Knight Pià ©sold. Retrieved from Environment Data: http://www.environmentdata.org/fedora/repository/ealit:2627/OBJ/20000033.pdf University of Exeter. (2002). The Wheal Jane Incident and water quality. Retrieved from Projects University of Exeter: https://projects.exeter.ac.uk/geomincentre/estuary/Main/jane.htm

Egalitarianism and the Cash Economy among the Central Kalahari San Essa

Egalitarianism and the Cash Economy among the Central Kalahari San Jiro Tanaka’s research on the Central Kalahari San explored the changes in the San society and determined the overall effects on the culture. Tanaka looked at a group of people who had recently switched from a hunting and gathering existence to a more sedentary way of life. She found that though there were differences in the everyday lives of the San, they were able to preserve their language, cultural identity, and egalitarian ideals. Tanaka attributes the changes in the San society to influences by the government and Christian missionaries in the 1970s. Tanaka’s research, which occurred in the 1980s, found that the San’s views on labor, the way goods were given and received, and their value system had altered as a result of their contact with outside groups. The groups promoting these changes were attempting to modernize the San. The various groups in the Central Kalahari began to lead sedentary lifestyles built around villages which included schools, medical facilities, a permanent water supply, and agricultural systems. The changes in the San society were far reaching. Sedentary living meant that higher concentrations of people were living in smaller areas, and the gatherers soon found the plant resources almost depleted in the area around the settlement. In addition, collective equestrian hunting gained prominence over solo bow-and-arrow hunting. Though some families have been successful at livestock raising and cultivation of crops, Tanaka found that these are not significant contributors to the economy of the San. The idea of a dominant cash economy was completely new to the San. Before the 1980s, they had only traded on a sm... ...bility to reproduce themselves as a society while limiting the accumulation of wealth and power" (1993:174). Thus, like Tanaka, Lee believes that though they have altered their lifestyle, the Dobe have not abandoned their fundamental ideal of egalitarianism. They have managed to assert some control over the degree to which their society is modernizing. The analyses formed by Lee and Tanaka leads one to question to role of the hunter-gatherer society in the present mindset of those who study these cultures. Do we feel as if modernization de-romanticizes our conception of hunter-gather societies? Is it possible that groups are happier in with their new lifestyles? Is it possible for us to decide what is best for these groups? Was change inevitable? These are just some of the questions which come to mind when exploring the changes in different cultural groups.

Benefits of a Performance Management System Essay

Activity Learning Outcome 1. Describe the purpose of performance management and its relationship to business objectives. Armstrong says that â€Å"One of the aims of performance management is to develop the capacity of people to meet and exceed expectations and to achieve their full potential to the benefit of themselves and the organization.† Organizations want people to reach their best because underperforming can cause loose for business. Performance management allows employees to look at their career development and potential promotions and career prospects. Also, performance management allows employees and management to discuss job changes (an example is given: new technologies coming to the company) and can adapt better to changes in the environment. 2. Explain the components of performance management systems. The main component of a good performance management system is a performance review or appraisal: This could be annually or two times a year and even monthly. This way Managers ensure and check their employees are performing as they would expect them to. Another component is training. For example, new computers or some sort of new technology might have arrived at the company and managers should ensure that all members of the staff are fully trained. Very important as well is to have a good reward policy in place for good performers. 3. Explain the relationship between motivation and performance management People that are motivated will work harder, therefore motivation helps higher performance. When staff is motivated, they will start looking at careers prospects including training to acquire new skills or develop new ones to then seek for promotions. If they’re motivated they become more ambitious and want to go up the company’s organizational chart. If employees are motivated, they’ll be willing to develop themselves not waiting for management to suggest or ask to go, for example, on a training course. Staff will be proactive an nd look for it themselves. Sometimes, self-learning is much more effective than a training course if they’re motivated. According to Taylor in his Instrumentality motivation theory that people are motivated mainly by rewards. This comes from the massification era and he sustained that the more you pay to your employees, the harder they will work for you. This was lately discussed as he was thought to treat people like objects. Vroom defended a Process/Cognitive motivational theory, where the person’s motivation depends on the perception of the effort they put on their work, as their efforts will result in better work. The processed the information they were given, questioned if the target given were achievable and if it was and if they achieved it if management were really going to give them the reward. And if they did, do they really value it? Learning Outcome 1. Identify 2 purposes of reward within a performance management system. There are plenty of purposes of the reward of performance management, being the main one to recognize performance and motivate individuals. Reward attracts people, motivates them and the most important thing, retains them within the organization. Recruiting is very hard, competitive and time-consuming; therefore, a low turnover of your employees always benefits the company. The job market is incredibly competitive and candidates A good reward strategy can definitely change behaviors and control expenditure, helping companies to advance their ideas of cost savings in their aims. 2. Describe at least 3 components of a total reward system, 1 of which should be non-financial. A total reward is the combination of monetary and non-monetary rewards. Some of the monetary rewards are mandatory, like the pay and the pension, but others are at the employer discretion. Non-mandatory and really valuable for the employee rewards are, at the moment, things like flexiwork or working from home, recognition by their managers and colleagues and made the employee feel valuable, career opportunities where they know that if they work hard, their hard work will be recognised and also quality of working life, having friends at work and being happy going to your workplace (is priceless). The example is given: When I worked at Oracle Corporation, we had a â€Å"Flexipoints† flexible benefits system that was our own choice. Depending on your job role and seniority level within the company, you were allocated several points (e.g. 2500 points) and you could choose your own benefits from a wide range in their intranet for a certain period. In my case, I usually went for the health insurance, which was about five hundred points, plus a few extra days of holiday, which was around one hundred points each, and maybe something else, and the rest was converted to extra annual cash. I loved it! Learning Outcome 1. Identify and explain the factors that need to be considered when managing performance There are plenty of factors to be considered when managing performance of the employees, starting with the goals of the organization. Managers should ask themselves things like what is the organization about? What are the goals of this specific individual? Does this employee have any training needs? Do they have any issue with the organization? Make sure they know the answers to these questions will help them to set an appropriate target for each of their staff. Managing performance should be a continuous process that is always measuring that the person that works for your organization contributes to the goals and objective of the company. When managing performance, we should consider different factors like: – Resource Issues: Do your team have the resources they need? Are some members of staff performing extra work because of hiring needs? All of this should be considered when reviewing their performance. – Time Issues: Is the employee coming to work on time? How important is punctuality for you and your team? And not only punctuality but does the employee uses the time as a resource effectively? How are his time management skills? Does the same task seem to take some employees much more time than to others? – Motivation: As explained above, the motivation of the employees and regular one-to-one would improve enormously their productivity – Skills and Knowledge Issues: Are your employees prepared and fully trained to perform their job? Have you started using a new piece of software recently and if so, are the staff fully confident about it? – Extenuating Circumstances: As we would see below in the performance review I had to conduct, sometimes employees have difficult times at home and go through the sad period that can affect their performance. Managers should not forget we are all humans and is not easy to leave all our problems at home. 2. Describe the data required by individuals involved in performance and reward management processes. There are plenty of documents and data required for performance and reward management processes. Learning Outcome 1. Explain the frequency, purpose, and process of performance review

Physiology of the Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is a cyclic process in females that, on average, occurs every 28 days. The purpose of the menstrual cycle is to help prepare the body for potential fertilization, implantation, and, consequently, pregnancy. The happenings of the menstrual cycle are consequences of the simultaneously occurring ovarian cycle and uterine cycle. The ovarian cycle occurs in the ovaries and carries out the follicular phase, which spans the first 14 days of a new menstrual cycle. The result is ovulation.The uterine cycle works concurrently with the ovarian cycle and carries out the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases. Hormonally, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is released in the hypothalamus and travels to the anterior pituitary of the brain, thus increasing levels of follicule-stimulating hormone (FSH) and leutinizing hormone (LH). The brain acts directly on the follicle cells (in the follicular phase) and the corpus luteum (in the luteal phase) to stimulate a response .The result of hormonal secretions of the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary along with the ovarian and uterine cycle is menstruation. The overall cycle is regulated by the hormones that result from a release of GnRH from the brain. Negative feedback occurs in the early follicular phase and luteal phase of th ovarian cycle as GnRH is released, which causes an increase in FSH and LH levels in the anterior pituitary. In the early follicular phase, these hormones send signals through neurotransmitters that reach receptors on follicle cells and follicular development is enhanced.Simultaneously, plasma levels of estrogen increase and return to the brain to hinder continued LH and FSH secretion. At the end of the follicular phase, positive feedback occurs as high estrogen levels are passed back to the brain and estrogen continues to amount to high levels. In the luteal phase, the brain sends hormonal signals to the corpus luteum. As a result, levels of estrogen and progesterone are heigh tened and progesterone is fed back to the brain to maintain stable levels of LH and FSH.This demonstrates how brain function and hormonal regulation carry out essential, complex processes in the body, such as those of the menstrual cycle. The ovaries originally contain primordial follicles, which are made up of an oocyte (an immature egg) and a layer of follicle cells that envelops it. In the beginning stages of the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, some of these follicles start to develop, becoming granulosa cells. A fluid-filled cavity called an antrum appears in the follicle and begins to increase in size only to eventually engulf the oocyte.The follicle is now called the Graafian follicle, which soon bursts, and the oocyte leaves the ovary and travels into the fallopian tube, spurring ovulation. The leftover Graafian follicle becomes what is called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum (â€Å"yellow body†) is a gland that secretes estrogen and progesterone when the menstrual cycle is not in full swing. If fertilization of the oocyte ensues, the corpus luteum remains intact for a fair amount of time in order to regulate the release of estrogen and progesterone.If the oocyte fails to become fertilized, the corpus luteum will disintegrate relatively quickly. At the point of the follicle rupturing, there is a major spike in LH and FSH plasma levels. The uterine cycle is carried out in three phases. The menstrual phase begins on the first day of the menstrual cycle and corresponds with the follicular phase. It lasts about three to five days and sheds the uterine lining. During this phase is when actual menstruation occurs due to a decline in estrogen and progesterone plasma levels that occurred because the corpus luteum had fully deteriorated.The inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium, has blood vessels that now narrow and the endometrial tissue begins to die and shed from the uterus. As it sheds, blood vessels burst and blood and tissue are d ispelled from the vagina. The proliferative phase is next and allows the uterus to refurbish as blood vessels become engulfed again, allowing the uterine lining to thicken. It occurs around day five and lasts until day fourteen, when ovulation has happened. During the proliferative phase, estrogen levels peak.The next phase is the secretory phase, which creates a setting that readily allows for embryo development as glands become engorged due to increased blood flow and secrete fluids that contain glycogen that may act as a food source of glucose for a potential embryo. The secretory phase lasts about the last fourteen days of the menstrual cycle-at the same time as the luteal phase. By the end of this cycle, the corpus luteum has completely diminished and, because it can no longer act as a source of stimulation for estrogen and progesterone release, these two hormone levels drop and menstruation commences as the menstrual phase begins again.Works Cited Bowen, R. â€Å"Luteinizing and Follicle Stimulating Hormones. † Arbl. cvmbs. colostate. edu. 13 May 2004. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. . Cohen, Hilary. â€Å"Menstrual Cycle Home. † Endocrinology of the Menstrual Cycle. 2000. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. . Stanfield, Cindy L. , William J. Germann, Mary Jane. Niles, and Joseph G. Cannon. Principles of Human Physiology. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2008. Print.

Research in the Mood

http://dnsc. academia. edu/ennelgArugal Final Paper in PA 231 Public Fiscal Administration Glenne B. Lagura Gaming || Gambling (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – PAGCor) Submitted to: DR. ANTONIO M. FAUNILLIAN JR. , MPA Instructor Submitted by: Glenne B. Lagura UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES BO. OBRERO, DAVAO CITY College of Governance and Business Master of Public Administration April 10, 2012 1 Glenne B. Lagura Outline: I. Introduction a) b) c) d) Background of PAGCor Board of Directors Management PAGCor’s Operational Highlights ? Sources of PAGCor’s income ? PAGCor’s earnings ?PAGCor’s contribution to nation building II. Discussion a) Where does PAGCor’s income go? b) Corporate Social Responsibilities of PAGCor III. Analyses a) Social Problems b) Reduce Revenue? c) PAGCor: Problems and Challenges ? Illegal becomes Legal ? Aware or Unaware? or Aware to be Unaware? ? Institutional Problems d) Anomalies ? Regulate†¦ A uthorize†¦ WATCHED! ? Is gambling a cursed? e) Corruptions f) Recent Issues IV. Possible Solutions and Recommendations a) b) c) d) e) Maintain the Status Quo; PAGCOR to concentrate on its regulatory function; Privatization; Abolish and close PAGCOR; and Formulated solutions from a study.V. VI. Conclusion References 2 I. Introduction A. Background of PAGCor The role and impact of Government-Owned and Control Corporation (GOCC) on the fiscal position of the government and the economy continue to be significant to this day. Despite reforms undertaken in the past, according to the Commission on Audit, there remain around one hundred thirty three GOCCs operating in the areas of agriculture, transportation, infrastructure, public utilities, provision of housing, industrial development and finance. The dismal performance of many of these corporations has contributed to the fiscal deficits of the public sector.As defined under PD 2029, GOCC is â€Å"a stock or a non-stock corporation, whether performing governmental or proprietary functions, which is directly chartered by special law or, if organized under the general corporation law, is owned or controlled by the government directly or indirectly through a parent corporation or subsidiary corporation, the extent of at least a majority of its outstanding capital stock or of its outstanding voting capital stock. † Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCor) is a 100 percent government-owned and controlled corporation.It was established to regulate all games of chance in the country. It was created in 1977 to oversee the operation of gaming casinos, to generate funds for the government’s developmental projects, to promote tourism in the country, and to help curb illegal gambling. PAGCor had an initial authorized capital stock of P5 million which was later increased to P200 million. PAGCor is authorized to borrow money from local or foreign sources. Half of PAGCor’s earnings are remitte d to the Bureau of the Treasury (BOT) to be used in programs and projects as directed and authorized by the Office of the President of the Philippines.This is aside from the mandated beneficiaries which receive funding from PAGCor. Its remaining funds form part of the Social Fund to finance infrastructure and/or socio-civic projects. The Corporation was created during the Martial Law years by virtue of a Presidential Decree (PD 1067-A) in response to calls for the Philippine Government to put a stop to the growing proliferation of illegal casino operations in various parts of the country then. The law creating PAGCor was later amended and consolidated by PD 1896 otherwise known as the PAGCor Charter.Under this Charter, PAGCOR is mandated to: ? Regulate, authorize and license games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers, particularly casino gaming in the Philippines; ? Generate revenues for the Philippine Government’s socio-civic and national development programs; and ? Help promote the Philippine tourism industry. In June 2007, Republic Act 9847 was passed by the Philippine Congress, extending the corporate life of the state-run gaming firm by 25 years, renewable for another 25 years. It also prescribed the following amendments to the PAGCor Charter: 3 ? ? ? ?PAGCor can enter into agreements including joint venture, with any person, firm, association or corporation; Requirements to obtain consent of the local government authority that has territorial jurisdiction over the area chosen as site for any PAGCor’s operations; Exclusion of jai alai from PAGCor operations; and Delimitation of regulatory authority and power over gaming activities covered by other existing franchises, regulatory bodies or special laws. Presently, PAGCor is the third largest revenue-generating arm of the government next to the BIR and the Bureau of Customs.From January to November 2011, PAGCor generated gross revenue of P33. 15 billion, P15. 51 billion of which was channeled to large-scale socio-civic programs. B. Board of Directors The Board of Directors is composed of five (5) members, three (3) of whom shall come from the government sector and shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines and the other two (2) shall come from the private sector who own at least 1 share of stock in the corporation and shall be elected by the stockholders of the corporation in the annual general meeting or in a special meeting called for such purpose.Each Director shall serve for a term of one (1) year and until his successor shall have been duly qualified and appointed. C. Management PAGCor is managed by its Chief Executive Officer who is the concurrent Chairman of the Board. He is assisted by PAGCor’s President and concurrent Chief Operating Officer, a Vice-President for Administration, and various department heads. 134 Personnel management policies set by the Board of Directors govern the hiring of personnel.All employees of the casinos and related services are classified as â€Å"confidential† appointees and their employment is exempt from the provisions of the Labor Code or any of its implementing rules and regulations. As such, employee unions or any form of employee associations are not allowed to be formed to ensure continuous and uninterrupted service to its customers. D. PAGCor’s Operational Highlights PAGCor is engaged in the business of gaming and is the only entity franchised by the government to operate casinos in the country. Its major product lines consist of table games, slot machines, and chip washing.It also offers internet gaming, internet sports betting, and bingo and slot machine demo units. Internationally recognized games like Baccarat, Black Jack, Roulette, Craps, Big & Small, Pai Gow Poker, Stud Poker, Pontoon, and Super 6 are available in its Casino Filipino branches. Aside from table games and slot machines, PAGCor has also expanded its operations to include the conduct and regul ation of bingo games as it expands the image of Casino Filipino from a gaming venue into a vehicle for wholesome entertainment for the whole family. 4 With all those line of business transactions, PAGCor is set to uphold its olicy by constantly upgrading and using a state-of-the-art technology to make it at par with the top gaming destinations of the world as it puts into action its vision of becoming â€Å"A Global Corporation with a Global Mindset and a Filipino Heart. † ? Sources of PAGCor’s Income PAGCor derives bulk of its income from the winnings of the gaming, slot machine and in-house bingo operations of its different casino branches. The corporation also gets substantial earnings from other sources like its other regulated gaming activities such as private licensed casinos, poker operations, commercial bingo operations, E-games and others. PAGCor’s earnings PAGCor is the Philippine government third largest revenue-generating arm, next to the Bureau of I nternal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). From the time the government went into the direct management’s and supervision of casino operations in 1986 up to December 31 2010, PAGCor generated a staggering gross revenues of P355. 575 billion. ? PAGCor’s contributions to nation building Of the P355. 775 billion total revenues over the last 25 years, PAGCor’s contributions to nation building amounted to P203. 646 billion, which comprised 57% of the agency’s gross earnings during the period.These contributions were in the form of remittances to the BIR and the National Treasury which went directly to government coffers for funding farreaching and wide-ranging national; the Philippines Sports Commission for the training of the country’s national athletes in international sporting events and in cultivating Philippine sports at the grassroots; the Board of Claims to give justice to those who were wrongly accused or prosecuted; hundreds of comm unity development programs of nationwide implemented through the efforts of PAGCor’s casino host-cities which get a share from the corporation’s revenues; and the Presidents Social Fund which has been tapped to finance high impact programs such as construction of school bui8ldings, provision of potable water systems in the countryside, and funding of livelihood programs for the marginalized sectors of society, among others. II. Discussions 5 A. Where does PAGCor’s income go? In accordance with its Charter, PAGCor’s income is distributed in the following manner: ? ? ? ? ? % of net winnings goes to the BIR as franchise tax; 50% of the 95% balance goes to the National Treasury as the National Government’s mandated income share; 1% of the net cash income goes to the Board of Claims, an agency under the Department of Justice, which compensates victims of wrongful detention and prosecution; 5% of the balance after the Franchise Tax and the National Gover nment’s mandated income share goes to the Philippine Sports Commission to finance the country’s sports development programs; and Fixed amount is given to cities hosting Casino Filipino branches for their respective community development projects. Aside from the abovementioned mandatory contributions, PAGCor has also tapped as funding source for the implementation of the following vital laws: ? P 400 million a year or P2 billion in five years to the Early Childhood Car and Development Program; ? P100 million initial funding to the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act; ? P300 million or P10 million a month to the Gasoline Training and Loan fund; ?P250 million to be taken from the remittance to the President’s Social Fund to implement the National Museum Act of 1998; ? P5 million a month to be taken from the National Treasury’s share to support the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002; ? P30 million to fund the Children’s TV Act of 1997; ? P300 million c ontribution to the Barangay Micro Business Development Fund; ? P50 million for the National Book Development Trust Fund; and ? P312 million for the Department of Science and Technology. The remaining balance of PAGCor’s income is then remitted to the President’s Social Fund to help finance the priority projects of the government. Below is the figure indicating the *distribution of the revenue generated by the Corporation. 6 Based on the 2010 Annual Report of PAGCOR Figure 1: Income Distribution of PAGCor B. Corporate Social Responsibilities of PAGCor The following are the activities conducted by PAGCor as appended in the Annual Report 2011 of the institution: 1. 2. 3. 4. Bringing basic social services closer to the Filipino masses Helps blast victims get back on their feet – literally Restoring he Pasig River back to life Sharing the Gift of Hope – Pamaskong Handog III. Analyses As the third largest revenue generator in the country, PAGCor plays a vital r ole in the economic development and took part of responsibility with regards to fiscal advancement of the country.Aside from the bulk income generated by this institution, it attracts also the foreign investors to invest in this kind of business thus promoting the country as a tourist spot in terms of legal gaming and gambling. Even by that, though it brought a cause for the alleviation of the economic situation as per scrutiny, as a counterpart, it conveys some consequences and also faces problems and issues. The following sited situations prevails the point of view of the owner of this paper as to the current situation of PAGCor and its effects to the community. Further, some contents of this part contain documentation of issues and problems base from the current news and information cited from different reliable sources. Moreover, the views and opinions of the presenter do 7 ot necessarily reflect the contents or discussion of the neither class nor stand point of the subject inst ructor, thus all the generated opinions are purely coming from the presenter. ? Social Problems With the initial concept of regulating and legalizing any games of chance and gambling in the country in order to raise revenue, presently it gives an idea to the common people to formulate their own versions of establishing in any ways and means which are now considered to be as illegal. Some of the few illegal or unauthorized games or activities that exist are the following: cockfighting, jueteng, horse racing bingo and other forms of lotteries, slot machines other mechanical contraptions and devices and online gambling. All the above mentioned activities are against the PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 602 wherein it prescribes stiffer penalties on illegal gambling. Aside from the fact that it contradicts the law of the land, reality check, these illegal actions became a part of the regular activities of those individuals in a community who are engaging their selves to be part of these. Worse c omes to worst, these brought an obvious social problems which we encountered nowadays. It entices everyone, old and young even children to be involved in these activities. At an early age, children at this time learn the knowhow of involving their selves in these activities which brought pessimist consequences with regards to their studies and to the habitual lifestyle of the people.This reality is pretended to be unknown to all of us, considered to be a usual activities and unfortunately, big officials are the one who is behind under this operations. If it is the rule of the PAGCor to regulate these illegal activities, then who is in charge of implementing necessary actions to those who make these obvious offenses? What actions were countered already with regards to discontinuing these rampant activities which resulted to crime, death and other anti-humanitarian acts? Is the subject institution took already a response to the matter? Below is a statement quoted about illegal gamblin g by Roy Q. Lagarde in his article â€Å"The Scourge of Legalized Gambling†. Gambling’s negative consequences are even more formidable than the flaunted revenues to subsidize purportedly government’s social services programs. One which is a visible problem is crime. Historically, crime increases where gambling is legal. Studies showed that problematic gamblers sometimes turn to criminal activities to support their habit. Gamblers often deal drugs, embezzle, or steal to get money to gamble or to pay gambling debts. Prostitution, and general sexual immorality, likewise rises because of immoral entertainment provided in and near gambling houses. In fact, alongside with most gambling dens in Metro Manila KTV bars have sprouted like mushrooms, many of which conspicuously display Japanese characters and signs recruiting GROs. † 8 ? Reduce Revenue?It is visible already to the eyes of everybody the existence of those activities which are considered as illegal as t o the fact that PAGCor is the only institution that is authorizes to establish and to lead those activities. What a misery to imagine that even by now those establishment which are considered to be illegal in their operation are still in service of doing their unlawful work. Fortunate to the forefront of this criminal movement, it becomes a huge and growing business. Is the institution PAGCor, doesn’t bother to imagine what would be the effect of those growing illegal establishment in every region as to the income that is supposed to be generated by the institution? Accessibility wise, those illegal establishments can be nearly reach compare to those firms which are authorized to do such legal acts.If the PAGCor is the one also mandated to regulate those unlawful actions what possibly be the actions to be undertaken for the purpose of first, taking good care at their primary economic reason of generating revenue for the Republic of the Philippines, second, assessing their rol e as to the regulation of these rampant rising activities, third preventive measure of responding to this situation and last lawful actions that are needed to be done. ? PAGCor: Problems and Challenges A. Illegal? becomes Legal? Gambling is a major social problem in the country. Not even the ouster of President Joseph Estrada from Malacanang Palace, on charges of receiving â€Å"jueteng† money from syndicates, could abate the problem. Jueteng is said to be a P40-billion business in the Philippines, annually. The need to answer and to come up a solution as to the problem of rampant increase of illegal gambling in the country is quite an undying issue. It can be considered as an infinite problem in algebra, the constant looking for the value of â€Å"x† and â€Å"y†.In that case, the never-ending issue of the involvement of those influential persons is considered as the main angle to relate in this situation. Some if not many of the government officials in the cou ntry are involved in these illegal gambling and heard to be as the organizer and supporter of the prohibited gambling and gaming activities. â€Å"Philippine gambling laws permit a wide variety of licensed and taxed gaming options, yet Jueteng, the nation’s most popular game, is illegal and remains firmly in the hands of organized crime†, this statement was stressed in the article of Alex Nevsky, â€Å"Government Official Involved in Illegal Sports Betting in the Philippines† at the internet site www. gamingzone. om last April 26, 2011, where it was sited also the allegedly involvement of an administration employee in illegal gambling including operating illegal jai alai games and promoting online casino in the country. B. Aware or Unaware? Or Aware to be Unaware? In the published article â€Å"Is PAGCor a betting illegal gambling? † of Alejandro del Rosario at Manila Standard Today Newspaper last December 10, 2011, Senator Aquilino â€Å"Koko† Pim entel questioned the proliferation of gambling houses in the country. He queried also if the certain institution (PAGCor) is properly regulating the operation of these casinos which seem to 9 sprout like wild mushrooms. Senator Pimentel stated that PAGCor seems remiss in regulating the operation of these private casinos and electronic betting houses and lax in the granting of licenses to them.During that time, Pimentel heads the Senate committee on games and amusement, thus he seek to address the adverse effects of these gambling houses on the youth and the rising incidence of crime. C. Institutional Problems The following problems were cited based on the thesis of Cecilio Villanueva entitled â€Å"The Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as Government Regulator and Operator of Legalized Gambling: It's Implications for National Security† which was published at www. ndcp. edu. ph last 2008: ? Unclear regulatory functions and procedures in registration/affiliation and granting of licenses; ? Lack of coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission, DTI and other regulatory bodies; ?Relationship with the newly created Economic Zones Coordinate with PEZA and other entities empowered by law for economic zones; ? Relationship with the Local Government Units (LGUs); ? Problems with text scams; ? Casinos located close to each other; ? Operator Functions Gambling scams and syndicates / foreign terror groups; ? Arrogance/rudeness of the players; ? Overbearing presence of hookers and financiers to the disgust of players; ? Old and out-modeled machines and other gaming equipments; ? Church’s continued opposition to PAGCOR ; ? Perception of graft and corruption; ? Discipline/Attitudes of employees; ? So many employees of PAGCOR; ? More PAGCOR officials and employees being pirated for work abroad; ?Tourism Development Political intrigues; ? Financial Capacities ; ? How to continue with high income; ? Threat of privatization; ? Too much ex penses for non-organic personnel; and ? PAGCOR lagging behind in Asian Gaming Industry. Even by now, as we can see and heard at the news, with the recent issues PAGCor is facing, we can somewhat say that the institution is still trying to fix what is not being fixed out of those above cited problems. ? Anomalies A. Regulate†¦ Authorize†¦ WATCHED! In line with the article of Alejandro del Rosario, as accorded by Senator Pimentel, the issue is not the big revenue that can be generated by those casinos but they too need to be watched.The Senator recall incidences in past administrations when casino handlers were suspected of skimming from the revenue, where it should be that a portion of the revenue earned from these 10 casinos is supposed to go the President’s social amelioration fund. He added that the problem is the existence of small private gambling houses that propagate in many areas including residential ones. Signages of private poker clubs are everywhere and w hen it comes to the gambling houses, all are well shuttered with a guard-doorman usually stationed at the entrance and by that, we can only imagine what else goes on in there. B. Is gambling a cursed? In the paper of Roy Q.Lagarde it was stated by far also, there have been more accusations of anomalous transactions in PAGCOR including the P489 million in rents PAGCOR paid to the Hyatt Manila Hotel and Casino, and the hiring of 116 consultants, 103 retainers and many directors in exclusive clubs. It was further cited also in the said paper the standpoint of Francisco Tatad, erstwhile senator, whom charged Arroyo and some legislators for covering-up allegedly allowing PAGCOR to continue its operation. The senator explained the fact that PAGCOR was created under PD 1067-A, with a 25-year franchise to operate under PDs 1067-A, 1067-B and 1067-C, all issued on January 1, 1977. These decrees were, however, consolidated into one PD-No. 869 on July 11, 1983 without changing the 25-year cont ract, thus, the franchise was to expire January 1, 2002. But the Arroyo administration allegedly railroaded last December a bill which misrepresents the 25-year franchise as having taken effect on July 11, 1983 instead of Jan. 1, 1977, and expiring only on July 11, 2008 instead of having already expired on Jan. 1, 2002. ? Corruptions â€Å"The biggest problem, in a word, is corruption or at least the potential for it. In many years, not only few government officials have been implicated in gambling-related scandals. Members of House of Representatives constantly sat down in a session to address alleged scandals in the country’s gambling industry.Legislators have been demanding that the PAGCOR open its books to an audit so that the people will be able know how the ‘gaming’, if gambling, government corporation spends billions of pesos it earns from its operations. â€Å"Where do these revenues go and how does the general public benefit from them? † Rep. Cri spin Beltran asked during a House session. â€Å"It’s apparent that for all of PAGCOR’s projections that it donates millions to socio-civic projects of the government and contributes to charities, billions more are pocketed by its officials and their business partners in the private sector. PAGCOR is a government institution where corruption is inherent and undeniable. † quoted from the article â€Å"The Scourge of Legalized Gambling† by Roy Q. Lagarde at www. impactmagazine. net. To continue, Rep.Robert Jaworski said â€Å"From what I heard, PAGCOR is the Santa Claus for a lot of government officials and there is no way we could verify this report because of questionable disbursement procedures. I was also surprised that most of its finances are not covered by any auditing mechanism by Commission on Audit†. In factual basis, for several years, PAGCOR’s contributions to the President’s Social Fund did not pass through the National Tre asury until the 11 implementation of E-VAT recently, imposing a 10 percent tax on services not previously covered by the old VAT law including PAGCOR. ? Recent issues IV. Possible Solutions and Recommendations A. PAGCOR to concentrate on its regulatory function The idea of separating the roles of PAGCor is a situation that they should delve into.It is favorable to imagine separating the role of regulator and operator in order for the institution to focus in its focal function though it requires thorough revision. In an article from Philippine Star, â€Å"Palace: Separating PAGCor roles needs further study† by Delon Porcalla last March 05, 2012, Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson pointed out that Malacanang hinted already the amendment of separating the dual role of PAGCor but it requires further study. Further, PAGCor chairman and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr. , admitted that the idea requires congressional action which means going through the legi slative mill all over again .Naguiat said, PAGCor is open to spinning off its casino operations and retaining its regulatory role, to enable it to focus more on monitoring and policing the growing gambling business in the country. He stressed however that doing so would not be easy and that a closer study should be done. The scheme, if implemented, will have an impact on PAGCor’s financial commitments to national government and sports agencies. B. Privatization In an article of Francis Earl Cueto â€Å"Gambling is Life†, Edward King, spokesman for PAGCor chairman Efraim Genuino, told The Manila Times that first and foremost, one thing that people should remember is that PAGCor is a creation of law. The issue of privatizing PAGCor is also very controversial, with several lawmakers pushing for it and even more congressmen against it.King said that while the act can be considered purely from the noble and idealistic viewpoint that government should not be in the business of gambling, one has to think from the point of view of generating funds for the government. In addition, King said that if the government would privatize PAGCor, then all income goes to the private sector leaving only a small amount in taxes being paid to the government coffers. â€Å"If you give PAGCor to the private, they will just be paying taxes. There is a huge difference between a fraction of income from taxes to 100 percent, â€Å"King said. To comment with the situation, the issue of privatizing PAGCor in order to divest itself of assets to be more productive in the hands of the private sector would somewhat be an issue that talks a lot.The idea of transferring the management of the said institution into the private one for better management and proper delineation of function is a good thing to be heard, it could be beneficial in many ways. But, in my own perception, this dream might be turned into a great nightmare. We don’t know if those lawmakers/government offi cials have their own personal and hidden agenda of buying and operating 12 PAGCor as we could not deny the fact that the institution is producing bulky of pennies. This is the simple analogy, privatize PAGCor then, they get the income; the lawmakers may perhaps be getting their own kickbacks from certain lobby groups who want PAGCor for their personal purpose.If PAGCor will fall to the hand of those private individuals, then who will now regulate the activities of PAGCor? The point of arriving to this situation – selling another GOCC – emanates from the idea of poor management, corruption and undying anomalies. If that is the case, then the target is to seize the rats that slowly rotten the house and scrutinize the system and procedures brought by those pests. C. Abolish and Close PAGCOR. The call for the abolition of the government’s legitimate gambling institutions came as their funds were allegedly being used for political rather than charitable purpose. The recommendation to shut down Pagcor could be a â€Å"major reaction† because of reports of fund misuse, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said.To note with the issue, let us not forget that the ultimate goal of the mandate of PAGCOR, is to provide assistance to those in need. It is better to put in place systemic reforms first and see whether these systemic reforms will work before we talk about what really should be done to the agencies. In another way, it is indeed a fact that the institution is generating bulky income which serves as a great help in giving financial support for the economic development of our country. D. Formulated Solutions from thorough study As per cited abovementioned problems in the thesis of Cecilio Villanueva, below are the suggested solutions as respective counterpart: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Issue clear guidelines on licensing, grants of authority; Establish linkages with the SEC, DTI and other regulatory agencies; Establi sh clear operational guidelines with the L GUs in view of RA 9487 Seek clear guidance from NTC, DTI and other government agencies; Review zonal locations of the casinos or centers being applied for; Deputize PAGCOR to curb illegal gambling; Launch PR campaign / Security Measures ; Beef up security / Investments in CCTV cameras; Find partners under the 60/40 arrangements Corporate Social Responsibilities; Foster good relations with the Church; Establish Resident Ombudsman and COA to issue or make public records for transparency; Seminars on values, productivity; Strengthen the Disciplinary Board; Screening, testing of pplicants; Merit system; Human Resource Development; Loyalty awards; Focus more on hotel industry/ tourism; Vigorous marketing efforts to attract players; 13 Glenne B. Lagura http://dnsc. academia. edu/ennelgArugal ? ? ? In-depth study on privatization; Contract-out the services of the non-organic personnel; and Vigorous marketing efforts. V. Conclusion Despite the surg e of PAGCor income that has succeeded immensely in supporting the cash-strapped government, several lawmakers, nongovernment organizations and especially the religious sector are still firmly against government engaging in the business of operating casinos. Many Filipinos have long suspected that gambling money finances political campaigns in this country. But this has never been established as fact.The politicians who benefit from gambling funds will certainly lack the political will to spearhead an investigation. Reflecting the sentiments of the political leadership, law enforcers will also have no interest in verifying those perceptions. There are cops who even openly admit that gambling money finances police operations in certain areas of the country. Complicating the problem is the unsure state policy on gambling, which deprives the government of the moral high ground to crack down on illegal numbers games popular among the poor such as jueteng. Despite new laws imposing stiffe r punishment for illegal gambling, jueteng continues to thrive and enrich gambling lords.The government could go after these gambling barons and plug one of the largest sources of corruption by applying new laws against money laundering or even old laws on tax evasion. Lawmakers could pass legislation that will compel transparency in campaign contributions. It may be impossible to stop Filipinos from gambling, but it is not impossible to discourage the corruption that is endangered by illegal gambling Unfortunately for the nation, political will has always been lacking in both the executive and legislative branches when it comes to stopping the flow of money, especially big money, regardless of the source. The status quo has worked for the typical Filipino politician, whose attitude is, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?On the other hand, the idea of Senator Ralph Recto that the PAGCOR pork should go to national budget is agreeable it applies the mere saying â€Å"Prevention is better than Cure†. This is to prevent also the abuse of misusing the money which can be avoided if the discretionary funds were written into the General Appropriations Act (GAA) or the national budget. 14 References: Newspaper/ Published Journals: Burning House Infested with Rats is not Right Solution to Problem. Philippine Daily Inquirer ( January 16, 2012). Retrieved March 1, 2012 from http://opinion. inquirer. net/21183/burning-house-infested-withrats-is-not-right-solution-to-problem Cabacungan, G. (2012, February 28).Lawmakers rally round PAGcor, move to ban Wynn. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 03, 2012 from http://globalnation. inquirer. net/26911/lawmakers-rally-round-pagcormove-to-ban-wynn Calica, A. (2011, July 09). Palace No need to abolish PCSO, PAGCOR, The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://www. philstar. com Cueto, F (2007, February 25). Gambling is Life. Retrieved March 13, 2012 from http://www. skyscrapercity. com/showthread. php? t =647381 Del Rosario, A. (2011, December 10). Is PAGCor a betting illegal Gambling?. Manila Standard Today Newspaper. Retrieved February 16, 2012 from http://www. manilastandardtoday. com/insideOpinion. htm? =2011/dece mber/10/andydelrosario. isx=2011/december/10 Diaz, J (2011, July 27. Lawmakers seek probe of PAGCor Anomalies. The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 20, 2012 from http://www. philstar. com Lagarde, R. The Scourge of Legalized Gambling. Retrieved March 12, 2012 from http://www. impactmagazine. net/v39v09/coverstory. htm PCSO, PAGCOR Pork should go to National Budget: Recto. abscbnNEWS. com(2011). Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://www. abscbnnews. com/nation/07/13/11/pcso-pagcor-pork-should-go-natlbudget-recto Privatized PAGcor to bring in more revenues for gov’t. abscbnNEWS. com(2011). Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://www. abscbnnews. om/ nation/08/16/10/privatized-pagcor-bring-morerevenues-govt Porcalla, D. (2012, March 05). Palace Separating Roles needs f urther Study. The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 5, 2012 from http://www. philstar. com PDF Files: 15 A Profile of Selected GOCCs. pdf PAGCOR Annual Report 2010. pdf Presidential Decree No. 1602. pdf Thesis: Villanueva, C (2008). The Philippine Amusement and Gaming corporation (PAGCOR) as Government Regulatorand Operator of Legalized Gambling: It’s Implications for national Security. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://www. ndcp. edu. ph/library/thesislist. php? start=1661 http://dnsc. academia. edu/ennelgArugal Glenne B. Lagura 16