The Cold War And Technology Advancements Essay - 1379 Words

The Cold War and its advancements in technology During the middle 1940s there was a lot going on in the world. This includes World War two coming to an end after the United States use of the atomic bomb on Japan, most of Europe in shambles from battles and the Russia or now called Soviet Union (USSR) turning to communism. One may think how technology could advance at such a time. Well during war a lot of pressure is put on countries to supply resources. These resources are very expensive and force citizens not going off to fight in the war to work and help supply for the war. This can also have positive effects on the economic and technological development of these countries. Wars are expensive but they do accelerate technological advancements/developments to solve specific military needs. These devices are then later implied for everyday use. The cold war is a great example of this even know there was no physical war. The science and technology that was discovered during the cold war has primarily helped drive technology to wher e it is today. The Cold War started between the time span of 1945 to 1949 (1). There was no exact date of in starting because the war was fought with no battle causticities. The war was a conflict over how Germany and other parts of Europe should be run after World War two. The tension was between the western BLOC nations and the Eastern BOC nations (1). The United States was the leader of the Western BLOC nations along with the NATO nations andShow MoreRelated The Cold War Era Essay example1046 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War Era Works Cited Missing The late 1940s to the mid 1980s the American society saw what could quite possibly be titled the biggest technological effect on society. This era, The Cold War, was a period in which fear of attack or invasion and a need to be superior reigned in the American society. It led to the development of space technology, during the Space Race, communication systems, and military technology in what has been appropriately deemed the Arms Race. On OctoberRead MoreThe Cold War and Its Effect on The History of America Essay1706 Words   |  7 Pages The Cold War was the ideological conflict between the two superpowers of the world, the democratic United States of America and the communist Soviet Union. For over fifty years the two superpowers fought each other indirectly for power and control of the world. The Cold War started after the end of the Second World War in 1945 when the eyes of both superpowers were no longer looking at Nazi Germany, but instead at each other and the fate of the rest of the world. The Cold War began after the SecondRead MoreThe Shape of the American Military, Technology, Culture Essay1200 Words   |  5 PagesTechnology and the American Way of War Since 1945 covers in detail a wide range of weapons systems, technologies, and other equipment developed by the United States Military. Naturally, a significant amount of Mahnken’s book places a heavy emphasis on technologies and systems developed during the Cold War. The book could almost be examined as a complete history of the development of milit ary technology during that period, however, the author has a much more significant purpose for his work than toRead MoreThe Cold War On The Past And Present Military Technology1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cold War’s Effect and Impact on the Past and Present Military Technology The high level military protection Americans may take for granted today was a result of a war that never took place. The Cold War was an era that lasted over four decades from 1947-1991 in which America and Russia raced to outdo each other in upholding their beliefs of government, that is capitalism vs communism. Surprisingly, however, a far greater impact was seen on the technological bmm advancements in America. ThisRead MoreThe Cold War During World War II Essay1632 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War was a clash of culture, ideologies, and a standoff between the world s two greatest nuclear powers. The argument of the American side was based around Capitalism and a hunger for ever growing business while the Soviet Union’s was structured around Communism and it’s powerful theocracy that stated it must be spread to every country on the planet. As a result, there has been much debate about whether the U.S. initiated the Cold War through their usage of the atomic bomb in World War IIRead MoreCommunism s Effect On Technology907 Words   |  4 PagesCommunism’s Effect on Technology World War II began because of an invasion from Nazi Germany to Poland causing Britain to declare war on Germany. During the fall of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, space exploration was at the top of America’s to do list. America was not the only country interested in gaining answers about the solar system and its planets. There were many times during the Cold War where the Soviet Union would have dramatic increases in science and technology. The Union ofRead MoreWorld War II The Greatest Military Powers At The Time1739 Words   |  7 PagesFranciel Baez Mr. Kazlauskas AP US History/ Period: 5 Research Paper 17 June 2015 During World War II the greatest military powers at the time, the United States and the Soviet Union, had strong tensions between one another. The Cold War permanently shaped the United States military system. During World War II, as tensions raised between the United States and the Soviet Union, the advancement of technology increased dramatically, which eventually led to the Nuclear Arms Race. As a result of this, manyRead MoreThe Space Race 792 Words   |  3 Pagesfirst time homo sapiens were able to escape and extend their biosphere. This age is filled with technological advancement. The space race gave the ability for a new age of technological advancements to occur. Almost every technological device that is produced or owned by people in the 21st century world contains technology that was invented or derived from the space race. Technology is the product of modernization and industrialization. Society is forced to make adjustments in social, economicRead MoreUnited State s And The Soviet Union1750 Words   |  7 Pages Following World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union sprung into what is now called the Cold War, and subsequently the Space Race. This was a time period where our country’s debt more than quadrupled, there was a constant fear of Nuclear War, and relations with another world superpower and former ally were rendered nearly irreparable. National Security and pride faltered initially, but from what seemed like it could have been the end of the capitalist world as we knew it, something incredibleRead More2017. Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction Review.1644 Words   |  7 Pagesdevastating, demonstrating the true power of nuclear warfare. Since the incident, the world has been left fearing the possible calamity of another nuclear war. Joseph Siracusa’s Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction explains aspects of nuclear weaponry from simply what a nuclear weapon is, to the growing fear from nuclear warfa re advancements in an age of terrorism. The book furthered my education on nuclear weapons and the effect they place on society, physically and mentally. Siracusa begins

Mythology Essay - 887 Words

â€Å"To some extent, mythology is only the most ancient history and biography. So far from being false or fabulous in the common sense, it contains only enduring and essential truth, the I and you, the here and there, the now and then, being omitted. Either time or rare wisdom writes it.† -nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Henry David Thoreau (1849) Every culture has evolved its own mythology, defining its character and offering a way to understand the world. Myths of every culture reveal the power of love, with it, its accompanying jealousy and anxiety; the conflict between generations, the old and new, the mischief of the trouble makers and the underlying diversity and stability of human nature. Although their gods sprang forth from†¦show more content†¦Their civilization lasted almost without change for more than 3,000 years. Their greatness began around 4,500 B.C. From early in their history, both the Greek and the Egyptians believed in the concept of life after death. Both Egyptian mythology and Greek mythology have a ‘father-creator’ god, a ‘trickster’ god, and a ‘love’ goddess. While the duties of these roles are divided up differently among each set of gods, comparable gods are easily discernable. Within these myths, the ‘father-creator’ gods have the most in common. The Greek god Zeus and the Egyptian god Amen-Re display parallel qualities. These ‘father-creator’ gods were depicted as powerful, bearded, fertile men who reigned over the other gods in their mythologies. Zeus was thought to maintain social order, and Amen-Re was considered king of the gods. These gods also have a similar weapon or symbol of power associated with them. Zeus has a lightning bolt, and Amen-Re, a scepter; both of these instruments are viewed as destructive. The myths of these gods also referred to the sky. Zeus had palaces high above the mortal world, known as Mt. Olympus, the residence of the divine family, the twelve most important ruling gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, who therefore were called the Olympians. This palace served as meeting places for the gods, and as an observation deck. Zeus is often depicted as looking down from Mt. Olympus into the mortal world. Though he did not have aShow MoreRelatedMythology And Christianity : Mythology948 Words   |  4 PagesMythology and Christianity Mythology is known for its artistic values of cultures well before the world we live in today. The stories that derive from these great folk tales set a scene in lives of people who worshipped their God’s and the items that they praised them for. Depending on the geographic location and the time of the myth, or at least what it could be traced to, the people would praise and worship different God’s for different reasons. Just like in our modern system of religion in thisRead MoreGreek Mythology And The Mythology1154 Words   |  5 Pagesand lessons of Greek mythology have shaped art and literature for thousands of years. Later Greek writers and artists used and elaborated upon these sources in their own work. Did you know that in ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters were an important part of everyday life. They explained everything from rituals to the weather, and they gave meaning to the world people saw around them. Many consumer p roducts get their names from Greek mythology. For example sportsRead MoreMythology In Greek Mythology879 Words   |  4 Pages Greek mythology is commonly mistaken by those unfamiliar with it as a religious subject. Instead, they are a set of stories about Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines that serve to entertain and give an explanation of how the world came to be. It’s apparent that the world wasn’t like the way it is currently from the beginning, but the myths do give us an idea of how things were like. As Edith Hamilton once said, â€Å" But what the myths show is how high they had risen above the ancient filthRead MoreThe Mythology Of Greek Mythology978 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many different types of different creatures of Greek Mythology. There are Centaurs, Minotaur, Pegasus, Sirens, Medusa, and many more. These creatures can either be helpful to the Gods and Goddesses or they can work against them. Some of the creatures’ stories eve n intertwine with the stories of the Gods and Goddesses of Greek mythology. I will concentrate on the following creatures: Centaurs, Pegasus, Sirens, and Medusa. My favorite creatures out of all of these are the Sirens, becauseRead MoreMythology And The Word Of Mythology2333 Words   |  10 PagesThe word ‘mythology’ is a word derived from ancient Greek word, ‘mythos’ meaning story of the people and ‘logos’ - the word for speech. These two words together mean ‘spoken story of a people’, thus creating the word and meaning of ‘mythology’ (Mark 2009, para. 1). Mythology as defined by Mark (2009), is the interpretation and study of tales and fables of a culture and religion (Mark 2009, para. 1). According to Kelsey, by retelling myths, people can experience their deeper meaning so that theyRead MoreGreek Mythology And The Mythology850 Words   |  4 Pagesmedicine, and a multitude of others. The mythology of these two cultures is exceedingly similar, although for those looking for a more interesting view on the subject, Greek mythology is far superior to Roman mythology. The time period in which mythological tales were told began over one hundred years ago in 19 BC for the Romans through the epic Aeneid; however, Greek mythology has existed longer. There is no specific evidence proving when Greek mythology actually began; Greek myths are chronicledRead MoreThe Mythology Of Norse Mythology1659 Words   |  7 Pageslike it was untouched. Norse Mythology is a great example of this. The way that the gods were presented has changed. Their physical appearance and mentality has changed greatly. The way the gods think of themselves has been changed to where the things that they do in modern films and stories would make the character in Norse Mythology embarrassed. These few changes are very apparent in the characters Odin, Loki and Thor. Starting off, their background from Norse Mythology. First, Odin, the God of WarRead MoreWater in Mythology533 Words   |  2 Pagesstream and when her child falls in and she reaches to get him her hands grow back (Pashby). This shows water is very healing, she lived through years with no hands and dipping them into the stream brought them back instantly. Another story in mythology that fits this theme is â€Å"The Tree of Evil Spirits† which originates from Russia. This story portrays water very similar to â€Å"The Handless Maiden.† The character in this story named Ivan has his sight restored after his brother had gouged his eyesRead MoreMythology : Ancient Greek Mythology1527 Words   |  7 PagesMythology is a vast collection of made up/fake stories told during the Ancient Greek era. That is what we are told at young age growing up learning about Greek Gods and Goddesses like Zeus and Hercules. But actually the mythology comes from the word myth which is a Greek word for speech or discourse, but later adapted the meaning of fable or legend (Doyle, 2015).The traditional stories, poems, literature, and art have been passed down for years. The stories about Gods and Goddesses, heroes, and monstersRead MoreMythology And Its Impact On Society847 Words   |  4 PagesMythology has and always will play a huge role in a people’s life. It is human nature to ask questions and want answers. This is where mythology comes in and gives people that answers. Mythology also can take form in religion which has been practiced over 300,000 years ago (Wise Geek, 2014). Belief, and knowledge that a person has, has a huge impact the choices and beliefs of mythology and religion. Even in the contemporary culture of today mythology still plays a huge role in. Myths are a way

Benefits Realization Management Influence -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Benefits Realization Management Influence? Answer: Introducation Desired Area of Impact: The impact area of the project referred here is developed here on the basis of the following five different areas - financial, operational, social, strategy and the consumer. The project deals with the development of online booking system for tickets for a show organized by RALS agriculture. Hence, the order of priority for the impact area is - Operational, Customer, Social, Strategy and Financial. Project Values: As per Globex requirements as well as RALS estimation, it is assumed that the project will bring faster and better value to the organization. The existing process of ticket sales can be improved by the implementation of online ticketing process. Apart from this, the online ticket sale process increases the speed of the process and ensures a better efficiency. It also relaxes the crowd management process without any delay in the ticketing services. Appropriate Metric: The following metric is chosen: 1) the activities must be accomplished before the scheduled date for all the stakeholders of the organization; 2) 110% of the workload must be accomplished before the end of the month; 3) 70% or above Return on Investment (ROD) must be provided by the outcomes of the project. Appropriate Timeframe: The metric described above needs to be achieved under the time limit of six months after the accomplishment of project. The stakeholder's metric needs to be accomplished before finishing of the project and as a result, the performance of the stakeholders may be assessed at the correct time. "The above project will be stated as successful if each stakeholder of the organization achieves 110% of the workload of the project each month, finishes the assigned target before the due date and the ROI provided by the outcome is more than 70%; apart from it, the project achieves the desired interest areas - Operational, Customer, Social, Strategy, and Financial and brings the faster and better value needed for organization. Part Two The Project's scope includes the development of an online ticket booking system and its sale process in order to resolve the issues like crowd management, delay in queues. The sale system of online ticketing must be relevant enough to perform the function of automated ticketing. Resources required are listed in the table below: Resource type Resource roles Resource responsibilities People Business analyst, Technical lead, Project manager, Developer1, Developer2, Lead analyst, Frontend developer and Tester Management of project, Building the team, Responsibility to make any decision Acting as a bridge between the client and teams involved in development and testing,, Documentation of every requirement and change, Ability to work on difficult issues, suggesting the required architectural changes, awareness related to agile methods, Coordination with lead analyst, Ensuring that SLAs as well as the deadlines are fulfilled, database designing, UI, interfacing Estimation of the process of testing, planning the testing objectives Escalation of issues and risks, providing the required testing updates Technology CXA and UX; Java 8 OCp; HTML5, CSS3, and Act JS The mentioned technologies are required for development of the online ticket booking and its sale system Facilities Department of Development and deployment Provides major tools of development, infrastructure assistance as well as the designing of online application Others Team members Training Proper communication and Coordination, It Provides the training to the employees in the RALS organization Table 1: List of Resources Part Three The scheduling of the activity is performed using Gantt chart in MS Project Software. The scheduling table is provided for achievement of proper allocation of the activities and the time using all the provided resources. Later, work breakdown structure is also prepared using the above Gantt chart. Part Four Risk analysis and risk management need to be performed for the maintenance of the process of risk mitigation. The following assumptions provide the bases for the identification of the risks- The approval of MOV from the managing authorities and the administration The completion of project before the planned deadline The completion of the project within allocated budget No requirement of training for the employees and the stakeholders Risk Management Plan: As per MOV, project charter and the assumptions, the risk areas of the project are recognized, evaluated and mitigation plan is adopted accordingly. The risks are as follows: Budget risk: There are certain chances of the project running out of the allocated budget by the company. Therefore, the contingency planning process must be considered by the management authorities for the adjustment of the budget during the project timeline. Despite of having a high likelihood, the risk is considered to have the catastrophic severity. Thus, formulation of the mitigation plan must be a process of high authority. Timeline risk: Sometimes the project is not completed before the deadline and there is a requirement of some extra time of a week or a month. In this case, the project manager should consider cutting an extra slack of time so that the project completes within the decided time period. Despite of having medium likelihood, the risk has a medium severity. Thus, the priority for adoption of the mitigation plan is medium. Non-Approval of MOV: The approval of MOV lies on the management. In case the management finds it difficult to meet the requirements of MOV based on the terms of money, time and resources, they can reject the MOV. In this case, project needs to be restarted and a fresh MOV needs to be prepared. This risk has a low likelihood but ids considered to have certain severity. Thus, low priority must be given to the planning of mitigation plan in this case. Training Requirements: There is a need for the training for a few days for the new and existing stakeholders and the employees in RALS to work in the new system. Therefore, there is need to spend a portion of assigned budget in the training process. This risk is considered to have low likelihood but medium severity. Thus, the planning of mitigation plan needs low priority. Project Failure Risk: There are chances that even after project completion, the full benefits of projects are not realized. This may happen if implementation process is not proper. To ensure that project reaps intended benefits there is need to monitor progress of project from time to time. Also, it must be ensured that project delivered is as per standards set. Part Five The statement regarding quality management needs to be prepared in the following way - We hereby declare that we aimed to develop online ticket booking system for RALS committee and we will provide shear quality in all functionalities as collected and analyzed prior to project initiation phase. The verification activities are listed below: Ensuing that product development is in accordance with the policies of the organization. Checking the proper automation Ensuring the proper estimation tools Ensuring that the process of testing is in accordance with the scheduled timeline The following are the validation activities- Identification of the insider flaws such as testing bugs Identification of the defects in application functioning. Part Six: Annotated Bibliography: Closure and Evaluation Annotated bibliography can be found attached. Closure checklist: It includes major activities like contract sign-out, stakeholder sign-out, preparing documentation, preparation of evaluation plan and reviewing of the performance. Evaluation Plan: It involves criteria like meeting requirements, performance, achievement of deliverables of higher level and quality and completion of the tasks within time. References Besner, C., Hobbs, B. (2013). Contextualized project management practice: A cluster analysis of practices and best practices.Project Management Journal,44(1), 17-34. Hill, G. (2013).The complete project management office handbook(3rd ed.). New York: CRC Press. Kerzner, H. (2013).Using the project management maturity model. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Knutson, J. (2001).Project management for business professionals. New York: John Wiley. Marcelino-Sdaba, S., Prez-Ezcurdia, A., Lazcano, A. M. E., Villanueva, P. (2014). Project risk management methodology for small firms.International Journal of Project Management,32(2), 327-340. McLeod, L., Doolin, B., MacDonell, S. G. (2012). A perspective?based understanding of project success.Project Management Journal,43(5), 68-86. Martinelli, R. J., Milosevic, D. Z. (2016).Project management toolbox: tools and techniques for the practicing project manager. John Wiley Sons. Quade, S., Birkenkrahe, M., Habermann, F. (2013). KMUT Project Management Toolbox.International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (Ijet),8(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v8i2.2485 Raydugin, Y. (2013).Project risk management. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Serra, C. E. M., Kunc, M. (2015). Benefits realization management and its influence on project success and on the execution of business strategies.International Journal of Project Management,33(1), 53-66.

Waking Up by OneRepublic free essay sample

A long, long time ago, for some reason or other, I bought the OneRepublic album Waking Up on Mom’s iTunes account without thinking twice about it, which shortly faded into the back of my memory. Fast forward three years or so and you’ll come to me deciding to temporarily put the entire album on my iPod Nano 7 to listen to. I had read all the negative reviews. I had read all the complaints. Heck, I had even listened to some of the songs myself on my screen-less iPod Shuffle in years long gone. However, nothing could’ve compared me for the sheer ugliness of what is truly the worst pop album of all time. OK, while there admittedly WERE some fairly decent songs in the mix (the radio smash â€Å"All The Right Moves† being a good example), the vast majority of them wind up being overly pretentious, self-indulgent, theatrical, and definitely not subtle at all about all three. We will write a custom essay sample on Waking Up by OneRepublic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Oh yeah, there’s even a â€Å"concept† at the album’s core that (seemingly) tells the â€Å"story† of the life of a world-renowned pop idol and how that lifestyle has ups†¦and absolutely nothing else. Yep, the entire album spends its entire 45-minute length thrusting in your face about how wonderful and exciting being a big star is. You’ve got fans! You’ve got lovers! You’ve got big mansions! You’ve always got good songs! You always have that wonderful sense of happiness and wide-eyed wonder! Heck, even your dreams are always good! Of course, I’m not saying success is a bad thing. If anything, I’m even happy to hear that these people finally are able to earn their place in the world. It’s just that when an entire album is wholeheartedly (pun intended) devoted to only showing that side of life WITHOUT revealing an even slightly deeper or darker side to things, well, you’re basically just wading y our way through an emotional kiddie pool. Even the music is cringe-worthy, with songs ranging from enjoyable enough (â€Å"Good Life†) to completely unlistenable (â€Å"Everybody Loves Me†). Unfortunately, too many tracks fall rather ungraciously into the latter category. Add in horribly overlong runtimes, ridiculous song structures, and even some ludicrous influences (classical, country, and even opera inexplicably manage to make their stand), and you, my friends, have the (seemingly) impossible: a pop album that will leave the most casual listener saying â€Å"huh?† Look, if you liked some of the better songs on here, fine, get those. Otherwise, there’s absolutely no doubt that you should skip this album and start Waking Up to better, more-deserving music.

Give Advice to a Business Visitor to Your Country free essay sample

SaharaI would like to say if anybody comes in our country, it’s our duty to ensure that when they go back they say it was a good country to visit and the people were also good, helping and polite. So I will start by giving you some Moroccan specialties and show the way of life in Morocco. First, let’s begin with the gift-giving. Moroccans like to get to know you before giving or receiving gifts. You should wait until after the first meeting to present a gift. When you are invited to a Moroccans home, you should bring a gift for the hostess. Gift of pastries, nuts or flowers are appropriate, then you mustn’t open a gift when received. Second, for women, being professionally dressed for business could be a business suit, dress or pant suit while still ensuring that you covered down to the below the knee and most of the arm. We will write a custom essay sample on Give Advice to a Business Visitor to Your Country or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For men, a dark colored business suit is appropriate. Third, the conversation in Morocco is a bit different as we discuss more about daily life, movies, series and football, Moroccans love football and support for the two biggest Spanish clubs is high here with a lot of rivalry. Also a greeting from a Moroccan will be a handshake at the first meeting and until they get to know you. Once a relationship has been established the greeting will be a kiss on both cheeks. What more can I tell you about my country. Oh I forgot to tell an important thing, if you are invited to a Moroccans home you should always remove your shoes before entering and you must eat from the section of the bowl that is immediately in front of you. Finally, traditionally, the left hand is considered unclean and the right hand should be used for pretty much everything. Do not gesture or eat with your left hand, even if you are left handed. That’s all what you have to know about Morocco, you are welcome and make yourself at home.

Journal Analysis essays

Journal Analysis essays In the journal entry that I read, stereotyping and how it impacts us, there are many different type of studies that they use to find the information that they have come to. Stereotyping can influence people in many different ways because they think that they can be like the ones they stereotype. In the first study Gray looked at the subtle and blatant acts of self-relevant stereotypes. The goal of her study was to find out if the thought that Asians are as good in mathematics as they are thought to be. She wanted to find out if the myth was true and to be able to see if many of the ideas are told to be subtle or blatant. The method of choice made by Gray was to design a test that would show that seventy-three Asian Americans attending Harvard would do experiments and to help her reach her goal. The subtle condition in her study was to show Asians were associated with prime stereotypes. The students were asked a series of questions to put them into a stereotype. The blatant condition was completed by; reading and analyzing another question there. The procedure Gray used was individually evaluating the Asians after the test a final questionnaire was given and showed if they were talented in math. The results found from this experiment were the same in both the blatan t and subtle stereotypes. I feel that the conditions the Asians were put under were greatly different in each of the two tests. I would ask only one question; if one were all around smarter than another would the outcome be significantly different? A strength in the study would be that they were looking for only math and no other subjects. A weakness that was brought to my attention would be that the study shows answers given under two different conditions. The second study shows the impact of positive stereotypes on targets and non- targets. The purpose of this study is to find the effects on presentation by different stereotypes. ...

Russian Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russian Politics - Essay Example The implication of this is that previously, the citizens would not be allowed to take sides in any political contest and those who involved themselves in political contests were meted with harsh penalties; however, there has been a transition that was brought about by the collapse of the formers Soviet Union. Though the democracy in Russia cannot be said to be perfect, it is worth analyzing as the regime has tried to bring some democratic ideals in the Russian society as opposed to the prevailing conditions in Russian politics in the 1980s at the peak of Soviet rule (Hancock et al, 2012). Since 1991 under Boris Yeltsin, Russia, Russia has undergone numerous changes in its politics that had an effect of improving the economic and social aspects of the citizens in Russia. The reforms that were carried by President Boris Yeltsin are a continuation of those that were initiated during the Soviet Union leader under Mikhail Gorbachev. Russia under President Putin The current regime in Russi a under the strong leadership under President Putin’s United Russian Party cannot be described as a democracy despite the citizens of Russia being allowed to participate in democratic elections. ... The democratic process in Russian elections is also subverted through the offering of financial aid and support to largely unpopular candidates fronted by the regime. The Russian elections of political leaders has been proved to be unfair as there have been rampant falsification and improprieties of the elections whereby officials close to the regime disqualify competitors on unwarranted technicalities as well as using state resources to campaign for political posts. The regime has also broken the law by breaking the laws that control election campaign spending. At the election campaigns of 2007-2008, Putin and his supporters played politics of incrimination of the liberal opposition as plotters of the fall of Russia through the help of external forces. Putin claimed that the opposition had learnt from external western players on organizing revolutions and that they had been trained in those countries to do the same in Russia. He also claimed that the opposition forces were funded by foreign missions. President Putin also employs propaganda through the control of the Russian information space where the conspiracy theory is put into great use to win elections and support. Hancock et al, state that after 2011, Russia adopted a new sense of politics in the wake of the protests occasioned by the society’s tedium with tolerance for oppressions and uncompetitive elections of the previous decade. The climax of the society’s frustrations reached its climax when thousands took to the streets to find expression for their anger following the State Duma election that was marred with election fraud. This protest movement continued persistently throughout 2012, as the regime experienced an extraordinary wave of mass protests in cities

Education Policy and No Child Left Behind Act Research Paper

Education Policy and No Child Left Behind Act - Research Paper Example From the discusssion it i clear that the education in the US schools has been passing through crisis and that is what has been opined by the experts time to time. When Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is already active since 1965, what is the need to enact a new legislation under the name and style of the NCLB Act of 2001? In order to get an appropriate reply to this basic question, it will be most pertinent to scrutinize the prevailing state of educational affairs in the US schools. Some of them are worth pondering as being listed in the ensuing paragraph.This essay stresses that  that only 30 percent of students entering high school are able to read at grade level. This simply means that only one-third of the students are ready for college education. Only 50 percent of students of color go for higher studies after finishing their high school. The dropout rates are fairly high at nearly 7,000 high school students on every school day. In the highly competitive job mark et, the high school dropouts are at odds to get a good-paying job. They are more at risk of turning less healthy and die earlier. They are likely to become parents relatively at young age and need social welfare assistance in their life impacting society at large. Students' performance highly depends upon the teachers and their skills. Schools who cater to poor students find it most difficult to recruit certified and experienced teachers.; moreover, almost 50 percent of the teachers leave the profession in five years and 33 percent within 3 years of their joining. Surprisingly, the US schools spend over $ 2.6 billion every year just to replace the teachers who have left the profession. It is astonishing to note that about 70 percent of all eighth-grade students are unable to read at their grade level; this is what has been reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress in their report card (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2012). The shortcoming comes in the way of the students especially, the students of color and English language learners to pass high school diploma. Research indicates that students drop out due to their weak performances in Math and English. It is quite obvious that students cannot master higher courses at graduate level when they find difficulty in reading and comprehending the content offered in their textbooks. They remain weak in Math because they are unable to understand the theories explaining Math. Arguments against NCLB Some of the major arguments that have been proposed against NCLB can be described as per the following (Carleton, 2012). 1. The program has not been funded adequately by the federal government ever since its inception. 2. How students perform on math and multiple-choice reading tests could be the sole basis of their achievements. 3. All efforts of the teachers are directed and focused toward 'test' because of the fear that in the event of students failing the test their own jobs may be in jeopardy. Expe rts argue that due to this narrow approach creativity has been lost in the education. 4. A special emphasis has been given to math and reading

Raynauds Phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Raynauds Phenomenon - Essay Example The primary type may proceed into secondary which may in severe cases culminate in gangrene and necrosis. Raynaud’s phenomenon is thought to result from over activation of the sympathetic system, which is characterized by vasoconstriction leading to a state of lack of oxygen in the tissues. In a patient with Raynaud’s phenomenon, there may be three skin color changes; at first the skin may undergo pallor which is primarily due to constriction of arteries (Spencer, 1998). This may be followed by cyanosis which is blueness of the tissues due to hypoxia, with the final change settling in as rubor that is redness due to return of blood into the arteries of the affected parts. However, it is not obligatory that all patients have a triphasic change of colors. In fact, it is now believed that most patients present only with bluish discoloration of digits, which is known as acrocyanosis (Sharathkumar, 2011). However, some groups of thoughts negate the idea, they believe that ac rocyanosis is distinct from Raynaud’s phenomenon since it is characterized by continuous cyanosis (Wigley, 2002). Raynaud’s phenomenon in infants is a rare finding. One such finding was relegated by a research paper consisting of a case report regarding an infant presenting with unilateral cyanosis at 1 month of age, who was later diagnosed to have primary Raynaud’s phenomenon at 9 months of age (Sharathkumar, 2011).

Comparative Political Systems France Germany Politics Essay

Comparative Political Systems France Germany Politics Essay France is a democratic republic with a parliamentary founded on the principle of the division of powers: executive, legislative and judiciary. The Federal Republic of Germany has a democratic constitution and its constitution was elaborated in 1949 with the great West powers help such as the United States, Great Britain and France. Their parliamentary and democratic constitution is based on the Constitution of the United States and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789. But Germany is a federal country and differs with France by its original organization. Firstly, what is a federal state? In fact, it is like an association of different states where the central power coordinates several departments. However, each state itself has significant autonomy. Each federated state has its own government, its own deputy chambers. After the First World War, the Weimar Republic also had a federal system. The only period without federalism was under the third Reich with Hitler in 1949. The notion of native country is very strong in every German speaking country. Indeed, the native country is more important than the nation. In addition of being a federal country, German political system is very structured. The executive power is in the hands of the President, the chancellor and the Là ¤nder. The president is not elected by the universal suffrage and in fact, has just a representative role. The president is elected for a term of five years, not more than two terms by a federal assembly which is constituted by deputies of the Bundestag, the federal dieting and by the Landtage delegates. Moreover, during the French-German summits, we can see two public figures on stage; on the one hand is the German chancellor and on the other hand is the French president. Thus in France, unlike in Germany, the President is the most important figure. The French presidential election proceeds like the legislative elections. There is then a second round if none of the candidates obtains the majority in the first round. The candidature to the presidential election obliged the candidates to obtain 500 signatures of elected people, whether they are Deputies or local Counselor. The French President appoints the Prime minister who appoints the government. The President leads the ministers council. The President approves or refuses to promulgate new laws or to appoint the public officials. He is the head of the national protection and has the highest power to decide to use the French nuclear or not. He is also the head of the foreign affairs, one of his most important representative roles. He can dissolve the National Assembly after consulting the Prime Minister who is the head of the National Assembly and the Senate. The German chancellor, or prime minister, is in charge of the Federal Government, is appointed by the Parliament and finally forms the Government. The Là ¤nders are elected by the universal suffrage, have their own parliament and their local government. The French Prime Minister, appointed by the President, can recruit the ministers he wants and suggests them to the president. The prime minister exerts a strong power on the Assembly and leads the French government. The German legislative power is the federal parliament which is constituted by two chambers: the Bundestag or the deputy chamber which is elected by the universal suffrage for four years and the Bundesrat which represents each Là ¤nder. The members of the Bundesrat are appointed by their local government. The Bundestag votes the laws, elects the federal chancellor and controls the government. Half of their deputies are directly elected by a simple majority, the other half are locally elected and have to have at least 5 five per cent in the party they are in to be represented. The Bundestag has 656 seats. The Bundesrat represents the sixteen federal Là ¤nder and is composed of sixty nine delegates appointed by the local government. Each Là ¤nder is represented by three to six delegates who can only express their opinion in a whole. When the Bundestag and the Bundesrat disagree, an arbitration committee is formed with members of these two chambers. The French fifth Republic is a democratic and parliamentary regime. It is bicameral with the presence of the National Assembly and the Senate. Both of them form the Congress. The Senate represents regions and villages and is composed of 422 members called senators. Their term of office is very long because it lasts nine years. One third of the senators are reelected every three years. They are indirectly elected by the senator delegates. The senate discusses the laws which have been voted by the National Assembly and approves or refuses them. The senate tends to be conservative and this can explain the left parties toughness with their members than with the right parties. Unlike Germany, France is a totally centralized country where the central power is in Paris. Doubtlessly, the different regions exist but hardly have autonomy because decisions are taken in Paris. This can be explained by the wishes of all the kings of France since Hugues Capet in 987, later followed by Louis XIV who all wanted to attract aristocratic people in order to watch them closely. The French revolution and then the emperor Napoleon had just strengthened the French centralization. Despite many clashes in France, French people are more patriotic than German people. French people feel that they are the heirs of a long cultural and state tradition. They feel that they belong to an entity, the nation which is for them something stable, immutable, or even endless. The French communist PCF (parti communiste franà §ais) party was the second most powerful party in the West after the Italian communist party. During these last three decades, the French communist party has always had the dissenting role. Despite their high affinity with the working class, they are left out of the national government. Their role is almost only local where there is a high amount of working people. The extremist FN (Front National) party like the National Front has always been led by one man named Jean-Marie Le Pen who is the heir of a tradition which is the extreme right. Their supporters and the extreme left have in common the basic dissatisfaction of their present governing political party. Like the leftist, the extreme right hates the ruling and political class which are for them part of the general conspiracy against people. This party dream of a fundamental change of the society. Unlike the extreme right party which is anti-individualistic and anti-Semitic, the extreme left is individualistic and anarchistic. Their ideal is a hierarchical society, strictly ordered and disciplined. This party is hardly happy because they think that their country is gnawed by virus which is composed of Jewish people, crooked politicians, selfish intellectuals, homosexuals, immigrant workers, and sick people from the HIVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Jean-Marie Le Pen supports the idea of xenophobia which is widespread in France because some French people are overwhelmed by a swarthy immigrants and colored peoples wave. The feeling of their powerlessness caused by this immigration is growing more and more because all these hated people have the French nationality. Jean-Marie Le Pen and his supporters want to modify the French nationality regulation, making it restrictive. The oldest and one of the greatest parties in Germany is the SPD which is a social democrat party. This party was founded before the Second World War. The CDU party was founded in 1945 after the Second World War for the socialist reorganization of the society. This party thinks that the Marxist socialism is the best way to come to the Christian ideals. This party is like the PSU party, they are both communist. The FDP is a liberal politic German party founded in 1948. This party defends the basic freedom and free trades. This party is nowadays the third party of the Bundestag by their seats number which has 96 deputy seats. It is also present in five out of sixteen Là ¤nder. It is the party of the executive people, the high and middle class. The FDP has governed for 42 years in total and is now still governing after ten years of opposition. To conclude, these two countries have slightly different political systems but they are both one of the worlds power. The Federal Republic of Germany is the most populated country in the European Union with about 80 million inhabitants since the reunification of Germany in 1990. Moreover it is the third economic power after the United States and Japan. Thus, it is an important part of the European Union like France with their economic power. France is historically one of the firmest supporters of European Integration and this has benefited French industrialization significantly.

Skin Care Essay -- essays research papers

The eyes are described as the windows of the soul, the mouth as the courier of thought, and the nose as the servant of olfaction. The skin is just the frame to the picture. Unfortunately, many judge themselves according to this frame. They could either have feelings of content or censure of their own physical features. Good health and self-esteem go hand-in-hand during the process of exercising and establishing good health habits. The skin's clarity of acne, wrinkles, and sunburns is merely an assistance to their stature of confidence. Having healthy skin is a step to confidence. Becoming worry-free of appearances is Practicing good sleeping, eating, and drinking habits lead to the success of a healthy looking person. Adolescents need about 8-10 hours of sleep a night, and adults need less than that. However, the body needs to rest and save energy for ongoing activities. Eating properly from the four basic food groups maintains the balance of proteins and nutrients. Fluid consumption of water is more recommended by doctors than the choice of soft drinks that are out on the market. Water provides plenty of water is a the key to have that fresh natural look. When actress, Rebecca Gayheart, (the commercial model of Noxema) was interviewed by Shape magazine in the 1998 November issue, she said, "My beauty routine is basically plenty of sleep and lots of water." Exercising regularly will circulate blood and keep skin firm and toned. Getting involved in an activity t...

Causes and Consequences of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Causes and consequences of the battle of Dien Bien Phu Examine the causes and consequences and consequences of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, 1954, which affected the lives of the Vietnamese until the 1960's. Dien Bien Phu, 1954, was the final battle of the first Indo-China war. Lasting 55 days, the battle had French troops attempt to hold an armed camp against the Viet Minh, who greatly out-numbered them. Dien Bien Phu was situated in a valley in Northern Vietnam, surrounded by mountains.The French believed this strategic setting would give them an advantage, but the Viet Minh were clever. They tunnelled their way into the the French camp and after seven weeks of brutal, intense fighting the French commander; Henri Navarre, ordered a ceasefire. The causes of this event are; the division of Vietnam, 1946 and the first Indo-China war, 1946-54. The battle of Dien Bien Phu also had important consequences that affected the lives of the Vietnamese. These are; the Geneva conference, 1954 and the appointing of Ngo Dinh Diem as Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam.The first cause of the battle of Dien Bien Phu was the division of Vietnam in 1946. After thousands of years of occupation, Vietnam and it's people had developed a strong sense of nationalism. During World War II, it was once again occupied, this time by the Japanese. When Japan surrendered in 1945, Vietnam was free for the first time. Ho Chi Minh and his fighting force; The Viet Minh, took control of the country. On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. However, their happy independence did not last long.The Allies of WWII agreed that Indo-China should be occupied by the Chinese nationalists, who were fighting the communists at the time, with the South being controlled by the British. When the British arrived, their general, Gracey, began to organise the return of the French. With the Chinese nationalists busy fighting a civil war at home in China, Ho Chi Minh's democr atic republic was allowed to continue, however, in February 1946, the Chinese nationalists handed northern Vietnam back to the French. Things were once again how they had been before the Japanese occupation in WWII.This lead to the battle of Dien Bien Phu, as the Viet Minh were angered that their newly gained independence had been stripped away. The French were back in control of the entire country of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh's forces were prepared to fight to regain the independence they had yearned for for centuries. The second cause of the battle of Dien Bien Phu was the first Indo-China war, 1946-54. With the French back in control of Vietnam, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was crushed. Neither the French nor the Viet Minh like the others' presence in Vietnam.Tensions were high and war was coming. Finally on 23 November, 1946, the French planes and ships bombed the Vietnamese section of the Haiphong Port. This attack killed approximately 6,000 people. For a few weeks there we re acts of revenge from the Vietnamese, and counter-revenge by the French, until war began on 19 December. The Viet Minh's tactic was guerrilla warfare, while the French tried to proceed with a more traditional style of fighting. The French decided to put the former emperor; Bao Dai, back on the throne, to placate to Vietnamese people.This lead to two opposing groups of Vietnamese fighters. By 1949, Mao Zedong won the civil war in China, meaning Ho Chi Minh now had an ally on the northern border. With Mao's influence, the Viet Minh's tactic changed from guerilla warfare to mobile warfare, meaning they now launched larger, deadlier offensive attacks. Chinese materials supported their assault, while the US sent materials to the French. When China became involved in the Korean War in 1950, materials ceased to flow into Vietnam, although the Viet Minh were persistant and despite their lack of resources, they continued to fight back.By this point, war had been on for a duration of six ye ars. The French began to recruit Vietnamese soldiers, although they distrusted them greatly. Even so, it became apparent that the Viet Minh vastly outnumbered them. By 1953, the French knew the war had to end, fast. General Navarre devised a plan to trap the Viet Minh into attacking the village of Dien Bien Phu. The first Indo-China war was a cause of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, as it was set up by the French as a way to end the war, although this didn't exactly go to plan.The first consequence of the battle of Dien Bien Phu was the Geneva conference. In February 1954, Britain, France, the USSR and the United States planned a conference to decide the fate of Korea and Indo-China. On April 26, 1954 the conference opened. Korea was the main focus of the conference until the day after the battle of Dien Bien Phu, at which point the focus changed to Vietnam. Besides the four main powers, others attending the conference included; China, Cambodia, Laos, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the State of Vietnam.The US was strongly opposed to the idea of a united, communist Vietnam, due to plans such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. It was decide that Vietnam would be split at the seventeenth parallel, with Ho Chi Minh controlling the communist North and Bao Dai in charge of the capitalist South. The people of Vietnam had 200 days to choose which side of the border to move to and the Viet Minh had 300 days to move back to the North. The idea was that a general election would be held in July 1956, at which point the people of Vietnam would vote to decide its fate.This declaration was never signed, but was simply a verbal agreement, which was opposed by both the US and the State of Vietnam. This conference was a consequence of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, as it signalled the end of French control in Indo-China. A second consequence of the battle of Dien Bien Phu was the appointing of Nga Dinh Diem as Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam. Due to the com munist control in the North, Vietnam had gained the express attention of the United States.Due to their strong anti-communist stance, the US decided to back to back Ngo Dinh Diem as Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam. This was due to the fact that Diem was a devout Catholic and ardent anti-Communist. Diem took office on 1 July 1954, he had heavy financial support from the US to help fix Vietnam, much of which has been destroyed in the war. His immediate task was to crush his rivals; this included two religious sects; the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, which he destroyed with military offensives and bribes. Also his firing line was emperor Bao Dai, who he got rid of by rigging a referendum.Diem promoted members of his family into high government positions, which lead to more of a mess than an organised government. In 1956, Diem felt strong enough to refuse the planned elections to untie Vietnam. He had gained many enemies, and decided to isolate himself, relying on his family for informati on. In response to the hatred of Diem, a South-Vietnamese communist movement was organised, they were named the Viet Cong. They gathered support from the people of South-Vietnam by using brain-washing techniques; they also launched a guerrilla attack against the enemy.As the Viet Cong's powers grew, so did the American support. But Diem became even less popular, and his number of enemies grew. In October 1963, the American government cut off some of its aid to Diem’s government. On 1 November Diem and his brother fled the presidential palace, but were captured and shot by their own generals. This was the end of Diem. His appointment was a consequence of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, as it is was a solution to the strong communist presence in the country that resulted from the success of the Viet Minh in the battle.The battle of Dien Bien Phu was a monumental event in Vietnam which decided the fate of Vietnam for the next 50 years. The causes of which were the division of Vietn am in 1946, and the first Indo-China war, 1946-54. There were also consequences that affected the people of Vietnam, such as; the Geneva conference, 1954 and the appointment of Ngo Dinh Diem as Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam. These consequences are not directly linked to the battle, but they are consequences of it nonetheless. Without the battle of Dien Bien Phu, who knows how Vietnam would have turned out.

The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria

The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria Free Online Research Papers The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria By Ikechukwu A. Ogu. Generally, every free market economy is divided into two sectors, the public sector and the private sector. The former is â€Å"the portion of a nation’s affairs, especially economic affairs, that is controlled by government agencies†, while the latter is â€Å"the part †¦ that is made up of companies and organizations that are not owned or controlled by the government.† Despite this distinction, instances exist where the state invests in private sector concerns and becomes part-owner thereof, in addition to floating new companies or commercializing existing ones to compete with private sector organizations in economic activities. The above distinction between the two sectors is upheld in Nigeria on paper. But a scrutiny of the composition and modus operandi of most ‘private sector’ organisations and the intricate connection between them and ‘public sector’ institutions and officials in Nigeria reveals something quite contrary to the commonplace understanding of the two expressions. This distortion is rooted in the pervasive corruption and mal-administration which give every principle a different colouration and meaning in the country. As a result, we have the Nigerian version of almost every concept, such as the amusing Nigerian â€Å"home-grown democracy† which is nothing but a pervert of the generally accepted principles of democracy. As we shall soon see, many ‘private sector’ outfits in Nigeria are actually owned by public officers, their relations or fronts. This creates the impression that such organisations are extensions of the public sector and makes it difficult to know, in real terms, what constitutes the ‘public sector’ and ‘private sector’, respectively, in Nigeria. However, I will present my perception of the true nature of the Nigerian private sector, by looking at the actual structure and operations of the organisations which are passed off as such in Nigeria. This analysis does not pretend to be exhaustive. In the first group, we have corporations and institutions built and operated with public funds which are privatized and sold, under suspicious circumstances, to persons or companies fronting for high-ranking government officials, and thereafter presented as ‘private sector organisations’. Often, these government institutions are first run down by the officials who are bent on privatizing them, in order to justify their privatization. Then they are undervalued and sold at a discount, with no store set by the value of their assets and government’s investments therein. The funds used to purchase them, which were initially looted from public treasury, are further looted after their ‘remittance’ by the ‘buyers’ to government coffers. Till date, no one can point to any specific, genuine project to which the proceeds of the privatization of public institutions in Nigeria were channelled. The new owners may liquidate the company, merge or combine it with existing companies to form a monopoly or cartel for the exploitation of poor Nigerians. For instance, it was alleged that the ‘core investor’ who ‘bought’ the Ajaokuta Steel Company was busy cannibalizing and taking outside Nigeria the raw materials and products found within the complex. The next group is made up of companies incorporated by serving government officials, either using their names or (often) those of family members and friends as members/directors. What do these government officials do? They channel almost all juicy contracts in their organizations to such companies, while exploiting their links in other government institutions to secure more lucrative jobs for them. Such contracts are hardly ever executed according to specifications; most times, from the outset, the intention to do a shoddy job is shared by the parties, yet the company gets paid handsomely and continues to earn patronage from public institutions. Closely related to the above is another group consisting of companies owned by retired high-ranking government officials who corruptly enriched themselves while in service. These persons become contractors immediately upon leaving public office, use their ill-gotten wealth to establish blue chip corporate outfits and continue the looting of government funds in a private capacity. Where they have a good rapport with their successors-in-office, they easily secure very lucrative contract awards based on quid pro quo basis, and also exploit their connections in other government agencies to the same effect. The fourth group comprises private companies or organizations that depend solely on government patronage in order to remain afloat; they have no other customer(s) outside the government and its officials. These corporate outfits do everything – including bribing and blackmailing influential government officials – to secure contract awards from governments, its ministries and agencies. Thereafter, they supply substandard goods, render low-quality services, fail to execute jobs or execute same poorly, and then share the windfall with their benefactors. The companies here could be owned by politicians-cum-contractors, retired or serving public servants and their private fronts. From the proceeds of such corrupt contracts, some of these people make a public show of acts of philanthropy and arrogate to themselves the appellation ‘philanthropist’. The fifth class consists of companies owned by expatriates and their Nigerian collaborators. Here, we have the multi-national companies which have acquired the status of sovereign nations, being treated as extensions of their countries of origin. These outfits, whether owned solely by expatriates (which Nigerian law permits) or in association with their Nigerian fronts, create the impression of being in the country to do genuine business. The reality is that their mission is profit maximization, even at the loss and pain of their host nation. Aided by their local fronts and collaborators, they do everything to milk the country dry and contravene its laws. The recently unearthed bribery scandal involving the USA company Halliburton and some Nigerian officials is a case in point. In the sixth type are banks which depend heavily on deposits by the government and its agencies. Although they complement this with unwholesome, sharp banking practices against innocent depositors, most of these banks will soon collapse should state funds be withdrawn from them. Under the dubious ‘public private partnership’ (PPP) arrangements, these banks collude with public officials in a sham sponsorship of public projects by applying government funds in their custody thereto, which moneys are then presented as coming from the banks and to be repaid by the government with high interest charges. Also within this group are some private estate developers. Rumour has it that, based on underhand deals between them and some government officials, they easily get land allocations from the government and funds from public institutions like the National Housing Fund (NHF) with which they execute mass housing projects. These low-quality houses are then offered for sale to Nigerians at cut-throat prices, under the guise that the funds came from the private estate developers. This may explain why the NHF hardly ever gives housing loans to civil servants who are entitled to same, being legally bound to make monthly contributions to the Fund. At this juncture, I commend President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to give housing/land loans directly to public servants. In the seventh group are some prominent Nigerians who are granted oil blocs by the government or granted licences to lift crude oil or import refined petroleum products. These select few undeservedly feed fat on our common wealth and short-change Nigeria and Nigerians. In a country with more than 80% of its citizens in the throes of abject poverty, where successive governments ascribe their abysmal failure to ‘paucity of funds’, one is dumbfounded that few persons are given official licence to amass immense wealth from what belongs to all. Where is the sense in an oil-producing country, with four refineries, importing refined petroleum products? Some past rulers, after defrauding Nigeria, use their loot to build refineries in other countries to which our crude oil is now sent for refining! Again, allegations are rife that the licensed importers lift refined petroleum from Nigeria, move some nautical miles away, return to the country and make claims on government for impo rting same! This unchecked fraud accounts for the huge money successive regimes in Nigeria since the middle 1980s claim to be spending as ‘subsidy’ in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry! The eighth category is made up of companies which, apparently, may not depend much on government patronage in the real sense of it for their operations, but rely on the complicit indifference of regulatory agencies to their unwholesome business activities whereof they rip off poor Nigerians. The telecommunications and transport outfits are some very handy examples. These companies subject Nigerians to subhuman treatment and untold exploitation, while the authorities exhibit inertia. For instance, it is certain to the average Nigerian that the Nigerian Communications Commission, National Assembly and Ministry of Information and Communications are apathetic to the exploitation of Nigerians by the providers of mobile telephony. These companies impose whatever tariffs that suit their fancy, and arbitrarily review same upwards. The use of the expression ‘private sector organisations’ here includes the supposed non-profit oriented NGOs and companies limited by guarantee. A common characteristic of almost all these ‘private sector’ concerns is their penchant to do everything to frustrate any form of regulation in their relevant industries. The government agencies charged with their regulation easily become victims of regulatory capture, willingly or owing to blackmail, enabling the companies to feed fat on corrupt contract awards and profiteer at the expense of Nigeria and poor Nigerians. Without prejudice to the pervasiveness of this version of ‘private sector’ in Nigeria, one does not deny the existence of some private sector concerns in the real sense of the expression. Granted that some of the proprietors here may be fraudulent and predatory, others eke out an honest living in the midst of epileptic power supply, high expense on alternative power supply, bad roads, insecurity of lives and properties, high cost of transportation and other militating factors. Most of these people sold their family lands, buildings or other choice assets or even borrowed money from shylock-like money lenders to establish their businesses, and have no connection with public funds in terms of inflated, poorly executed or unexecuted contracts and corrupt deals through which public funds are embezzled in Nigeria. In my humble view, the foregoing is the true nature of the Nigerian private sector. It is this ‘private sector’ that successive Nigerian governments since the middle 1980s claim is duty-bound and best positioned to provide and manage basic amenities such as motorable roads, potable water, hospitals, schools, housing and electricity for the citizenry! But how organizations and proprietors that depend solely on government patronage, corrupt deals with public officers, shady contract awards from government agencies, the inertia of regulatory agencies, and who hardly deliver on such jobs are considered better placed to carry out this alien ‘duty’ remains a mind-boggling puzzle to me. Against this background, it is no wonder that despite huge annual budgetary allocations to capital projects and overheads, no appreciable progress has been made in Nigeria over the years. Almost the entire funds meant for capital projects and overheads end up in the pockets of serving or retired government officials, their fronts and private persons who are parasites on government funds. The much talked-about Public Procurement Act has not changed anything, for it is still business as usual in the award of government contracts. Government contracts are still awarded to the categories of ‘private sector’ organisations whose modus operandi we have seen above. Contrary to the accusing fingers the government points at the impoverished civil servant who earns less than N18,000 monthly, it is the incidence of corrupt contract awards, other corrupt deals, outrageous salaries and allowances of Federal legislators and political office holders, wastage of huge resources on white elephant projects, Nigeria’s sponsorship of several ventures which benefit foreign countries, etc, that deplete government funds. Within a space of four years, the salaries of political office holders have been reviewed upwards twice because same is no longer realistic under the prevailing economic conditions, while poorly paid civil servants are not considered equally entitled! It is not large workforce but misappropriated capital and overhead budgetary votes that greatly account for Nigeria’s stagnation. Is it the poor civil servant that awards contracts or disburses overhead votes? By induction from the foregoing, one can confidently say that Nigeria serves both the privileged public servant and the ‘private entrepreneur’ and nobody serves the country. If this ugly, unfortunate and dangerous trend is not checked, Nigeria will never move forward. In the midst of these corrupt practices, whatever lofty plans the government may have will certainly come to naught. May the merciful God salvage Nigeria and poor Nigerians from evil Nigerians in Jesus’ name, amen. Ikechukwu A. Ogu, a legal practitioner, writes from Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria (ikechukwuogu@yahoo.com). Research Papers on The True Nature of the Private Sector in NigeriaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWDefinition of Export QuotasThe Project Managment Office SystemUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductStandardized TestingIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBringing Democracy to AfricaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

California Water Essays - Plumbing, Home Appliances, Water

California Water Essays - Plumbing, Home Appliances, Water California Water What do we use all this water for? Of all the water that falls to California, 60% is immediately returned to the atmosphere by evaporation or native plant use. The rest runs off into rivers, lakes, streams and the water table, where it is available for human use. We will explain what happens to all this water, show exactly how much water we do use, and give ways to reduce water use in and around your home. The single largest user of water is industry. Industries use 46% of our annual water supply. One industrial use is manufacturing, in various ways such as cooling of materials, washing of materials, products, tools, and equipment. For example, by the time a Sunday paper gets to your door, 1000 liters (280 gallons) of (poop)water have been used to produce it. A pound of steel uses 110 liters (32 gallons), but production of a pound of aluminum uses 3800 liters (1000 gallons) of water. A pound of synthetic rubber requires 1100 liters (300 gallons). The production of a car uses, on average, an incredible 380,000 liters (100,000 gallons). To refine 1 liter of gas, it takes 10 liters of water. Another big industrial use of water is disposal of waste products. They use water to wash away all the garbage on the floor, and to flush away dirty or contaminated water. They also throw out the hot water that is left after they cool metal. The second biggest user of water is agriculture and food processing, at 42% of total annual water use. More than 380 billion liters (100 billion gallons) of water are used for irrigation of crops each day in the United States. A fully grown cotton plant uses about a gallon a day. It takes about 3,040,000 liters (800,000 gallons) of water to grow an acre of cotton. Irrigation is the main agricultural use, but much of the water is used to feed and clean animals. Food processing uses lots of water, in preparation, washing, and packaging. Just think of all the water in a can of fruit cocktail or peaches. To get an egg from non-existence to your refrigerator takes 150 liters (40 gallons) of water. An ear of corn requires 300 liters (80 gallons). A loaf of bread takes double that at 600 liters (160 gallons). To produce a pound of beef takes 9,500 liters (2,500 gallons) of water! The most obvious use of water is in the home. We use water for cooking, bathing or showering, cleaning dishes, clothes, and cars, watering plants and lawns, drinking, and the all-important toilet. One person uses an average of 50 gallons of water a day just in the house. First, cooking. Most foods need to be prepared, and most of that uses water. Think of boiling things, all the recipes that call for water, making rice, potatoes, muffins, cake, almost every food uses water in some way. Washing a load of dishes uses between 8-12 gallons of water. Kitchen uses account for 7 of the daily 50 gallons. A normal shower head uses between 3-10 gallons a minute, and a low-flow shower head uses between 2-2.5 gallons a minute. A bath normally uses around 30-40 gallons. The 50-gallon total uses an average of 15 gallons a day for bathing or showering. A top-loading clothes washer uses between 40-55 gallons a load. A front loading washer uses 22-25 per load. This is 8 gallons per day! on average. A person only drinks about ? gallon of water a day, the rest of consumed water comes from foods and beverages. An old toilet (manufactured before 1976) uses about 4-6 gallons per flush. A normal toilet uses around 3.5 gallons per flush, while a low-consumption toilet (manufactured after Jan. 1st, 1994) uses only 1.6 gallons per flush. The bathroom (I'm popping wood right now) faucet uses 3-6 gallons a minute if it was made before 1976, and .5-2.5 per minute otherwise. Each person (on average) uses about 19 gallons in the bathroom (excluding shower/bath) each day. 7 People use about 50 gallons a day outside the home in a day, bringing the total to 100 gallons a day! The outside uses include washing cars, watering lawns, watering

International Maritime Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Maritime Policy - Essay Example However, the regime formation process has been extremely slow paced since the very beginning. Issues associated with national sovereignty and political interests of national players were arguably among the key reasons for that. The threats are not distributed evenly between different coastal countries. As a result, domestic policies of each country seek to address those problems which are present in its coastal area while problems perceived as less serious draw much less attention. However, these problems may be primary for the neighbouring countries: this difference in assessment of threats results in numerous difficulties accompanying the attempts to find a solution acceptable for the involved parties. Long-entrenched political interests prevent many states from giving the problem of creating effective international marine environment protection system. For example, during the negotiations over NOWPAP disputes over political issues (such as use of the name 'Sea of Japan' and legal terminology) not environmental issues dominated. Although regime building efforts have accelerated due to such events as the Nakhodka oil spill in January 1997 the overall progress in the field leaves much to be desired. Recent research into the factors that clarify the content, timing, and membership in various environmental agreements clearly demonstrates that the power and political or other interests of influential states create pressures for, or constraints on, progress in formation of effective environmental governance (Mitchell 2003). Apart from national and political interests that can be reasonably addressed as the most serious obstacles on the way of formation of effective marine regime, the issue of fitting the new regime into the existing framework of domestic and international legislation seems to be almost equally important. Many traditional norms of international and domestic marine law must be modified and removed in order to make the new marine regime a genuinely effective tool of dealing with contemporary threats. Therefore, research and political and legislative dialogue should continue in order to find the most adequate guidance that would help create effective marine regime without going into the traditional stumbling blocks of national sovereignty, long-entrenched national interests of different kind, etc. Question 2 The tragedy of the commons is a very interesting environmental theory which involves a conflict between short-term individual interests and the common good. The basic idea of the tragedy of the commons as presented by ecologist Garrett Hardin in his famous paper is the following: free access to limited communal resources, coupled with absence of restrictions for their use will inevitably lead to negative consequences for the whole community. Hardin demonstrates this rule using a simple example of sheep and herders, whom over-exploit a communal pasture paying attention only to selfish economic benefits, but it is also true for any other kind of resources such as water, fertile soil, forests, etc. The tragedy occurs because the benefits of exploiting such resources accrue to individuals, and each of these individuals wants to maximize use of the resource to further increase the benefits while the costs of such intensive exploitation of finite resources falls upon the whole

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Hinduism - Essay Example To overcome the fear they turn to religion. This is evident from the statistics that show that those who are religiously active have lower mortality rates and lower levels of anxiety and depression. There seems an inherent human drive to believe in something transcendent, unfathomable and otherworldly, something beyond the reach or understanding of science (Henig, 2007). This paper will discuss the origin and belies of Hinduism and compare it with the beliefs of Christianity. Matter will be drawn from academic literature available. Hinduism is not a religion but a concept, a way of life that encompasses many religious thoughts and views. Its origin is in such remote past that it cannot be traced back to any particular individual. Some scholars are of the opinion that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B. C. and the ancient scripture Rig Veda was composed well before 6500 B. C. (Das, 2008). In fact even the term ‘Hindus’ is not found in any text. It was in traduced by foreigners to refer to people living across the river Indus around which the Vedic religion has believed to be originated. Unknowingly, many Hindu concepts were absorbed by everyone like the worship of the formless God. In fact the British coined the word Hinduism and to them Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism were all part of Hinduism (Ninan, n.d.). Hinduism has remained the most enduring concept and culture in the world. India is a land of diversity and is generally believed that the main religion is Hinduism. Hinduism is not really a religion; it is a way of life. It upholds the principals of virtuous and true living. The Hindu faith has no hierarchy, no organization, no founder, no structure and no central administration (HAWA, 2005). Anyone who believes in the omni-present, omnipotent and the omniscient non-dual Absolute, is a Hindu. Various names have been given to this Absolute –

Modern Furniture Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern Furniture Evaluation - Essay Example Preferred stock is a class of ownership in a corporation that has a higher claim on the assets and earnings than the common stock. Preferred stock generally has a dividend that must be paid out before the dividends to common stockholders and the shares usually do not have voting rights. Each company can work out the details pertaining to the issue of preferred stocks. However preferred stock can be considered as a financial instrument that possesses the characteristics of both debt (with fixed dividend) and equity (potential appreciation). (Investopedia) A convertible debt or security is a bond or a share of preferred stock that can be converted at the option of the holder into common stock of the same corporation. The investor is provided with a fixed return from a bond or with a specified dividend from the preferred stock. In addition the investor has an option to covert it to common stock. As a result the company is able to sell a convertible security at a lower yield than it would have to pay on a straight bond or preferred stock issue. This is an advantage for issuing convertible securities. (James C.Van Horne) A Warrant is an option to purchase a specified number of shares of common stock at a stated price. When the holder of a warrant exercises his option he surrenders the warrants. Warrants are often employed as 'sweeteners' to a public issue of bonds or debt that is privately placed. As a result the company should be able to obtain a lower rate of interest than it would otherwise. For companies that are marginal credit risks the use of warrants may make the difference between being able and not being able to raise funds through a debt issue. Occasionally warrants are directly sold to investors directly against cash. On other occasions they are used in founding of the company issued as compensation to underwriters and venture capitalists. Mostly warrants are issued in connection with a debt issue often a private placement. (James C.Van Horne) A primary financial instrument evidences a direct claim against some other party. These instruments often are traded in the spot market with prices set by the usual forces of demand and supply. In contrast a derivative security derives its value from an underlying primary security. One of the examples for the underlying security for derivatives is the stock option. Movements in the price of the underlying asset, the stock in this case drive the value of the derivative instrument, the option. Derivatives may take the form of simple put and call options on stocks. These options were traded in relatively illiquid over the counter markets. However with the tremendous financial innovations occurred in the last two decades the role of derivative securities in the financial markets have increased manifold touching new heights. (James C. Van Horne) Modern Furniture Company Total Number of shares outstanding: 3,000,000 Cash Dividend Proposed: $ 1.60 per share Total Earnings of the firm $ 12,000,000 Earnings per share $ 4.00 Market Value of the Share $ 88.00 P/E Ratio P/E Ratio is given Market Value per Share Earnings per Share 88.00 4.00 = 22 Dividend Yield and Dividend Payout Ratio Dividend Yield is given by Annual Dividends per

The Quality Time Essay Example for Free

The Quality Time Essay I was sitting in my grandfather’s dark house, sitting in front of my father’s big stereo with his huge gray Sony headphones listening to his Boys II Men cd. I feel a tap on my shoulder; I turn around and it’s my father. He said, â€Å"Come outside, dad’s going to teach you how to change the oil in the truck. † The first thing that came to my mind was why in the world would I want to learn how to change oil in a car. I am only 11 and I don’t have a car. My mom would always say â€Å" Felicia before you were born your father wanted you to be a boy so he didn’t want to know the sex of the baby. He wanted to be surprised because he just knew you were going to be a boy. † I figured hey I guess this was the closest he would get so I always went a long with it. On top of that I was a tomboy so I guess it made it easier for him to ask me to come learn about something so minuscule in my life at the time. I went out to the car with my father and he had a smirk on his face and said,† Felicia, dad’s going to teach you how to change your oil because when you get older and you finally get yourself a car this will save you a lot of money. As always I said â€Å"ok,† When he gave me the smirk I think he knew deep inside how much I didn’t care or if I would even remember, but he did it anyway. He slid under the car and just talked and talked and talked the whole time. I didn’t remember anything he said because I couldn’t see it for myself so my mind would just start wondering. The most I did was hand him tools, but that was as good as it got. My father lived with his father, and that’s where I would stay. I was riding my bike in a circle around the house because I wasn’t aloud to leave the 2 acres of land that we had. Off in the distance I noticed my father and my oldest brother mowing the lawn and it looked fun. I was a very bored so I decided to ask my father if I could help mow the lawn. I jump off my bike leaving it in the drive way and run over to my father in the shed. I see my father in the shed putting oil in the lawn mower. I noticed that the lawn mower that my father was putting oil in didn’t look anything like the lawn mower my brother was pushing in the extremely hot sun. This lawn mower I could sit on and ride. So I walk over to ask him. I said I said â€Å" Hey dad what are you doing? he said, â€Å" putting in the oil to mow the lawn. † So I asked â€Å" Can I mow the lawn? † He was very hesitant for a min and looked at me and smirked and said â€Å" Now Felicia your to young to mow the lawn, this isn’t a toy. † I was determined to ride on that lawn mower even more because he didn’t think I could. I just said â€Å" I know its not a toy, but I’m not doing anything else. † He didn’t respond back to me let alone give me eye contact so I went back into the house. After that I didn’t feel like doing anything, not even ride my bike so I just sat down and watched the 5 channels of television that we did have. About 20 minutes later he came in the house and said â€Å" Felicia, come on Imma teach you how to ride the lawn mower. † I was kind of surprised that he changed his mind, but then again I really wasn’t. Once I went out there and learned it, I had the most fun! Now I will admit I didn’t cut the grass as neatly as he did because most of the time I acted as if I was driving a car. My father would stand in the yard and watch me. He never corrected me or told me to slow down. It was as if he was proud and I took interest in something that he liked to do. Every weekend when a thing calmed down and there wasn’t much left to do around the house my father and I would go for a car ride. He lived in Hereford, MD, which is very country with a ton of land, and he would drive all around the windy roads and talk to me about life and how I need to work hard to get to where I want to be in life. After everything he would always end his rants with, â€Å" Felicia you don’t understand now, but you will when you get older. † I hated hearing that. I always knew that I understood him now, but I really didn’t. Just the other day my father and I went for a ride. It wasn’t an intentional ride, but I was helping him move furniture. My father and I haven’t had a ride like this since I was about 14 years old. I am now 27. A lot has changed since our talks. Once again I caught myself trying to convince my father how I understand everything he is saying, but this time I truly did understand and he didn’t question my understanding either. My father and I didn’t do the typical things that I young girl would do with her father. I can actually tell you how many times that we actually went anywhere that was really fun. We would play catch, tennis, and badminton and have big cookouts. We had our times at the movies and the pizza buffet, but the times that meant most to me were the car rides and the little life lessons. As I am older now I reflect upon the struggles that my father would speak of. I wish that I could remember how to change my oil, but the only thing I can remember now is how to check my oil. I now understand that my father never really knew how to be sensitive or tell me about boys, but he showed me that he loved me in the only way that he could. I think that I always knew that, that’s why I have always aimed to please him and have him be proud of me. My father is a very stern man and he shows tough love. I have learned that love comes in all forms, and just because someone may not show it like the next person doesn’t mean that its not there. I know now that the way he loves has passed down to me because I tend to treat my children the same way. I am not as sensitive with my children because I was never really given hugs all the time and shown affection. I never once doubted that I wasn’t loved, but I try to embrace my children more and not only show them but tell them.

Pros and Cons of the European Union Essay -- European Union Economics

Do you think it is useful for a country to join into a union, especially the European Union, to strengthen their economic position? The question could be simple to answer but an individual must look much deeper into the situation. For instance, what are the pros and cons of joining a union? The European Union has many pros but also many cons. The European Union was formed in February 1992 with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. It consist of originally twelve members – Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, and Germany. Those twelve members originally formed the European Union until 1995 when three other countries joined the Union – Austria, Finland, and Sweden. The European Union currently is formed of twenty-five members with the ten new members – Cyprus, Malta, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia being added in 2004. In 2007 two other countries (Romania and Bulgaria) could join the European Union. European Union covers a mass majority of the Europe and the current Union membership covers a population base of nearly half a billion people. In 1992 the European Union decided to go for economic and monetary union, involving the introduction of a single European currency managed by a E uropean Central Bank. The single currency, the euro, became a reality in January of 2002, when euro notes and coins replaced national currencies in twelve of the 15 countries of the European Union (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland). (Europa) The information below will consist of the pros of the European Union. With the development of the European Union the countries are able to have the benefit of the principles of European integration, such as free competition or free movement of goods and capital, which will encourage the movement from a post-socialist economy to a free market economy in East-central Europe. The principle of free movement is saying that you can work and study anywhere in the Union if you are a citizen of the Union. By spending part of their education or training in another European Union country, the citizens can acquire an insight into other work environments and gain skills that are very useful in later life. By having a closer joint effort and sharin... ... the European Union. It has several characteristics about it that I do not like. For example, I do not like how the Union only has a single interest rate. I think that each economic cycle needs different interest rates for certain situations that occur in the Union. For instance, if you are in the European Union and let’s say you are going through a depression you are going to need to lower the interest rate but in the European Union you have no choice. The information above in the paper about the European Union has many pros and cons. The only reason the countries are entering the European Union or any other union is they feel it makes their country stronger and better economically. Yes, when you enter into a Union you are gaining some things but what some countries do not see are is that you are giving up just as many or more things. Works Cited Niebor, Jeremy. The pros and cons of Economic and Monetary Union. 1998 http://www.bullen.demon.co.uk/niebor.htm Venckute, Jurgita. European Union: New Members. 2003, http://www.debatabase.org/details.asp?topicID=233 Europa. The History of the European Union. 2004 http://europa.eu.int/abc/history/index_en.htm

Should Scholarship Athletes Work? :: essays research papers

Should Scholarship Athletes Work? Should college athletes on full ride scholarships be able to hold a job during the school year? Well up until Monday, January 12, 1997, full scholarship athletes were forbidden to hold jobs during the school year. For the last five years this has been a very controversial issue in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, known as the NCAA. Imagine being from a poor family and going to college on a full-ride scholarship for basketball. Under the old legislation, that player is not allowed to work or receive money from the school. In turn the player cannot afford to even travel home over the holidays to be with his family. Athletes should be able to hold a job during the school year in order to get the valuable experience of working and make enough money to cover living expenses and traveling costs. Under the new legislation, which was passed at the NCAA Convention, Division I athletes on full scholarship will be allowed to earn enough money to match the full cost of attending school. Athletic scholarships typically cover room, board, books and tuition, but do not cover costs for trips home, gas, laundry and other items. The determination of how much money covers those things is made by each school's financial aid office; most administrators have estimated the costs to be between $2,000 and $3,000 a year. Athletes who choose to work, and their employers, will be required to sign an affidavit that says the athletes have not been hired on the basis of their athletic ability or status and that they will be compensated only for the work they perform at a rate commensurate with the local rate of pay for such work. Critics of the legislation that passed said it opens the door for the very problems that originally sparked the regulation, athletes being paid for menial labor, and that keeping track of how much money athletes are earning will be difficult. But according to Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, "Sure there will be bogus jobs,'' he said. "It'll open up a can of worms, but I think we have to start living with cans of worms and let the presidents, athletic directors, and board of trustees handle it.'' It makes more sense to have the schools required to enforce the new regulations involved than it does to ask the NCAA to handle it. The schools have first hand account o f all the players at their school, therefore they are in the best position to enforce the new legislation's requirements. On the job experience is essential when looking for a job after college.

Professional Communication at the Workplace Essay

Interpersonal communication is essentially the exchange of communication between one person(s) and another. Like any other form of communication, interpersonal communication involves the sender of the message and the recipient of the message. The message can only be passed correctly if both the sender and the recipient pass it correctly and understand each other. I work for a voluntary group at the University. This group aims at reaching out to the less fortunate both in the institution and the society generally. We do not offer financial help as such but instead focus on the abilities of the people we interact with and give them the necessary counsel and advice they need. In this way, we give them ideas on how they can actually help themselves out financially. This organization involves a lot of interaction, both within ourselves as the members of the organization and also between us and the people we interact with. As such there is a lot of interpersonal communication that goes on. The group consists of a total of ten members, and as they say, we are like our fingers; we come in different sizes and lengths, not literally but in terms of age, personalities, gender, culture, spiritual orientation and physical abilities and disabilities. This whole structure of diversity makes communication, particularly interpersonal communication, an issue worth debate. This is because the way we choose to communicate within ourselves and others is bound to affect our service delivery either positively or negatively. The following part of the paper will critically analyze each of these factors mentioned above that makes us diverse in our communication, interpersonal communication.CITATION Joh12 p 56 l 1033 (Johnson, 2012, p. 56)Age The voluntary group I work for is extremely diversified when it comes to age, with members from the extreme sides of the age spectrum. The oldest member in the group is aged forty seven, while the youngest is seventeen. Most of the members, about seventy percent, are aged between seventeen and twenty five. The main reason behind this is the fact that the organization requires the participation of both the old and young. For instance, the young and vibrant group, which forms the majority of the group, is required to move up and down and interact with the people we look forward to offering our help to. The older group is mostly involved ion critically analyzing our case studies and give direction on the best way forward. It is therefore not easy to hold a conversation between these two groups that are different in terms of age. For instance, young people will always base their ideas on what social media says. They will go with current trends since that are what they are familiar with a nd immediately make a decision. The older group will look at trends on a more historical point of view and analyze historical events in relation to the topic of discussion before coming up with a remedy. The young members, moreover, communicate with a lot of slang because as much as this organization is based on official business, it is also a social and interactive group as well. This way, the message at times is not passed effectively from one person(s) to another. The consequence of this communication gap is that the goals of the organizations are not at all times met and therefore efficiency is not achieved as well.CITATION Ric01 p 76 l 1033 (Pircadi, 2001, p. 76)Perceived Emotions, Relationships and Personality Our personalities define us. We have different personalities just as we are different in other aspects of our lives. The personality of a person is one thing that psychologists have proved beyond reasonable doubt that is very difficult to change. The personalities of a person will most of the time dictate the way in which they communicate. Some people are introverts and as such they tend to keep to themselves. They listen more than they speak. They think more and learn more from their surrounding and the people around them. Others are outspoken and will speak more. They express themselves through speech. The relationship between or among people also influences communication. CITATION Joh12 l 1033 (Johnson, 2012)This I have witnessed in my voluntary work group. People tend to open up to those they are close with and give less details to the people they are not that close to. One’s family tends to know them better because of the blood relationship that exists as compared to outs iders. Finally, people perceive and express their emotions very differently. Jerry, a member of my voluntary group tends to hide his low moments in smiles. It is therefore not easy to tell what he is going through. I, on the other hand will always show it. I have no way to hide and it is communicated through my emotions. The way we react to how we feel will determine the way we communicate. There are those of us like Jerry who will drown our sorrows in smiles and those like me who will communicate it just as it is. It is therefore very clear that we communicate our emotions very differently and this goes way back to our personalities.CITATION Joh02 p 94 l 1033 (Gray, 2002, p. 94)Spiritual Orientation The world is composed of people with very diverse spiritual backgrounds. Spiritual background forms the foundation of the life of a person. More often than not, the behavior of a person is well explained by their religious beliefs. This is also the case with communication most of the time. Spiritual diversity will create diversity in speech and in communication generally. For instance, Moslems do not shake hands as a sign of greeting. Their greetings are always in form of speech. This is unlike other religions where people are allowed to shake hands casually and even hug. People from strong religious backgrounds and those with high faith are also very cautious with their speech. They tend to taste their words before they spit them out, that is, they are sensitive in their speech so as not to hurt others. The voluntary group that I work with, or rather that I work for has all Christians but one Moslem, Rahima Nassir. She, in one way or another, communicates in a different way from the rest. Most of the time, she refers to the Allah, who is the Supreme Being according to her religion. This happens especially in cases where she tries to sound optimistic and give a hopeless situation hope. The voluntary group involves a lot of interaction and therefore we have to be warm as we interact with others. This is at times not very easy to achieve owing to the fact that some religious beliefs have certain strains. Rahima is not the only one that faces such challenges. Even along the Christian front, there are various denominations which uphold different values. These values make the approach to various situations very differently. CITATION Gai10 p 104 l 1033 (Forey, 2010, p. 104)Gender The gender of a person also affects communication, particularly interpersonal communication. The female species has a different way of passing a message from the male species. One thing I love the most about my voluntary group is that we are balanced when it comes to gender. Out of a group of ten, we have five ladies and five gentlemen. This gives a ratio of one to one. However, this gender difference can at timers be a major setback in terms of communication. The Ladies, for instance would like to be addressed in a more soft way even when it comes to simple aspects such as greetings. Important to note is that communication does not involve only speech, there is verbal and non-verbal communication, all of which should be considered. Throughout the time that I spend with members of my organization, I have observed that men and women have very different modes and methods of communication. Most of the time, male members are very radical in their speech as well as their illustrations. La dies have a different approach. They, more often than not, are very soft both in their speech and illustrations. It is for this reason that they (ladies) are extremely cautious in their speech. I also noted that the men speak fewer words as compared to the ladies. Ladies speak more, except in a few instances.CITATION Mar09 p 85 l 1033 (Gufey, 2009, p. 85)Person with Disability They say disability is not inability. However, this part of the paper will view disability as a hindrance to communication to an extent. People with disabilities, physical disabilities for that matter, face a lot of challenges when it comes to passing a message effectively. This bottleneck is faced by not only the sender of the message but the recipient as well. The voluntary group that I work for or rather the members of the group that I work with experiences such challenges. In the group, there are two people with physical disabilities. Jerry is a deaf while Geoffrey is visually impaired. Of the two, I think Geoffrey has the most difficult time when it comes to communication. For one reason or the other, Geoffrey happened to be the secretary of the organization at some point in time. He therefore took minutes during meetings and did all the secretarial work. This position, I can say he deserved. Geoffrey is very brilliant besides being very diligent in his work. The main challenge that group faced was the translation of the brail recorded minutes. No one in the group understood brail language apart from Geoffrey himself. He was the only one that could read and understand the minutes. Consequently, he had to step down as secretary after a fortnight of good leadership. Jerry on the other hand, cannot communicate easily and effectively. As a matter of facts, he is most of the time misunderstood and the group experiences a lot of instances with miscommunication. Sign language is not that easy to understand. This impacts negatively on the communication in the organization. Both Jerry and the rest of the members have a hard time in communicating. The importance of both Geoffrey and Jerry in the group can never be underestimated but then at times the challenges effective communication a tall order.CITATION Per08 p 119 l 1033 (Mcintosh, 2008, p. 119)Culture Culture is a very important aspect that should be put into consideration when it comes to effective communication. The culture of a member or members of a group determines how the message is conveyed and it also determines how the message is perceived. Culture affects communication to a very great extent simply because the culture of a person will dictate their style of communication. This means that the more diverse the cultures are, the more diverse their styles of communication. Though to a small extent, there is cultural diversity in our voluntary group. In essence we have people from diverse cultural group. For matters of convenience, I will describe the cultural diversity as high culture and low culture, not that any culture is more superior to another, but for explanatory purposes. For instance, Evelyn, the group’s organizing secretary, is from the high culture. This category mainly focuses their communication on arts and by arts I mean it is more of music, drama et cet era. This category will therefore involve people with a very high esteem since for one to be able to express themselves through arts; they have to be extremely bold, just typical of Evelyn. On the contrary, the low culture category involves large audiences. A good illustration of how culture can affect communication is that in some cultures for instance, it is very vital to maintain eye contact during communication while in others; eye contact can be seen as offensive and unacceptable. Barry, the chairman of our voluntary group and Miley, our secretary are most of the time caught up in such a situation due to their religious differences.CITATION Jos14 p 92 l 1033 (Chesobro, 2014, p. 92)Conclusion and Recommendations With over seven billion people in the world, it is expected that people will differ in relation to various aspects of life. Even people from the same family, people with the same cultures, same religious beliefs and people from the same age group will at one point or the other differ. Communication, on the other is also very important. Each and everything we do revolves around communication. No man is an island. This simply means we have to live harmoniously with each other. For this reason, communication is very important. This paper has not focused on intrapersonal communication but interpersonal communication since this is the way we interact with each other in our work places. Without effective interpersonal communication at our work places, it almost difficult to make any social and economic progress. However, I have learnt from my work experiences at my voluntary group that diversities will always be there, they are there to stay. These are some aspects of life that we should a ccept them just in the way they come. We can never be the same. It is therefore very important to understand and embrace each of our diversities, placing our differences aside. From my own case study it is clear that communication is very important. It is equally clear that challenges must arise due to the diversities in various life aspects. Therefore, from my own experience, I would recommend that we respect the fact that we are not and can never be the same but try as well to burn any bridges that might exist as a result of the differences amongst us. We are one and shall always be one, despite our differences. Let us let communication to make us and not break us. References 1033 Avery, C. (2001). The Flexible Workplace. New York: New York University Press. Chesobro, J. (2014). Professional Communication at the Workplace. New York: New York University Press. Eunson, B. (2009). Communication in the Workplace. New York: Edgeworth Publishers. Forey, G. (2010). Globalization, Communication in the Workplace. Oxford University Press. Gray, J. (2002). Mars and Venus in the Workplace. Oxford University Press. Gufey, M. E. (2009). Essentials of Business Communication. New York: New York University Press. Johnson, J. (2012). Solving Problems in Technical Communication. Oxford University Press. Mcintosh, P. (2008). Interpersonal Communication In The Workplace. New York : New York University Press. Muema, T. (2007). Effects of Poor Communication in the Workplace. Miley and Sons Publishers. Pircadi, R. (2001). Skills of Workplace Communication. New York: New York University Press. Source document