Thursday, October 31, 2019

Agency Protest to a General Accounting Office (GAO) Research Paper

Agency Protest to a General Accounting Office (GAO) - Research Paper Example One of the major initiatives that have been put in place by developed countries is procurement reform. This included the establishment of mechanisms through which offerors can question the officials in charge of the procurement procedures in the government departments. In case the procuring agencies are not compliant with the law and regulations governing the procurement process, the aggrieved parties undertake the bid protest. The major forms of federal bid protest include an agency-level protest, protest through the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the jurisdiction through United States Court of Federal Claims (COFC) (GAO-03-673G Government Auditing Standards, 2012).   Important aspects of Agency Protests Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 33.103 gives the guidelines that must be followed by the agencies in addressing of the protests generated by the offerors. Having being established by the Executive Order 12979, agency protest stipulates that all the concerned part ies must take all the necessary steps to ensure that the conflict is solved in an amicable way. Even though the government has clearly outlined the regulations that control the agency protests, most of the agencies complement the FAR provisions by initiating their own regulations that are not favorable to the offerors. A protest is initiated by an interested party. An interested party is an individual whose economic interest would be adversely affected by the failure to win a contractor through the award of the contact (Robert, 2012). This is one of the major aspects that are common both to agency and GAO protests. There is no jurisdiction on the protests that an agency can handle since it has the authority to deal with all the protests that are related to its contracts. However, according to Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, a protest that is related to delivery order contracts or issuance of the task that can be given to various contractors when an agency is in need of particu lar services or goods cannot be considered by an agency. In such cases, the aggrieved individuals institute a complaint to the delivery order ombudsman as provided by the FAR 16.505 (Federal Acquisition Regulations).  Ã‚  

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Business Management - Essay Example When compared to large numbers of changes occurred over the last few decades in technology, lifestyle etc. the management system and concepts across the world seem to have evolved a little change (Hamel and Breen, 2007, p. 4). Bateman and Snell (p. 14) stated that business management is the process in which managers are to work with people and other resources with a view to accomplish organizational goals both effectively and efficiently. Efficiency is related to achieving organizational goals with minimal waste of resources by making best possible use of people, time, money and materials. Effectiveness refers to achieving organizational goals in a way that desired and expected results are gained. Managing a business takes a number of different segments and sections such as human resource management, financial management, marketing management, knowledge management, total quality management and so on. Since the contemporary business contexts are influenced by major economic and market forces such as globalization, technology advances, competition etc. organizations are increasingly giving importance to certain management segments so as to maintain competitive advantage and to compete with other market players. As management is basically the process of managing resources in a firm and getting things done through people, process or technology, different organizations follow different management styles. The management process in a business organization is comprised of the very basic four elements such as planning and strategizing, organizing, leading and controlling and decision making (Gomez, Mejia and Balkin, p. 5). These basic four elements are typically very prominent at almost all different organizations and these are widely used worldwide for effectively managing the resources. These four basic components of management are also the key elements in all other

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Pros And Cons Of Globalization For Singapore

Pros And Cons Of Globalization For Singapore Globalization is defined as a network of connections between different organizations and people across nations, geographic and cultural borders and boundaries. These global networks are creating a shrinking world where local differences and national boundaries are being consumed into global identities. Over the past few decades, inter-connection between countries has been increasing. Nations in addition to opening their doors towards trade and economic growth are also becoming acquainted to other beliefs and cultures around the world. On the flip side, from a negative view, our recent global recession, what started as an in house problem within the United States housing market, became a world problem affecting nations and regions all over, proving that the world has become a smaller place with problems in one region affecting others as well, due to the close interconnected world that we live in. The number of natural calamities and terrorist attacks are increasing in todays world, ca using different nations coming together in times of need to help the affected, which is also a good example of how the world is coming together to form a unison. Globalization has changed us into a company that searches the world, not just to sell or to source, but to find intellectual capital the worlds best talents and greatest ideas. (Jack Welch, 1935) The Origin of Globalization stems from the Industrial Revolution, which was the biggest turning point in the history of mankind. Inventions in terms of manufacturing, technology, transport and other fields took place. The sudden changes led to the Revolution, affecting the lifestyle of people and changing it in many ways. It helped to bring about the modern world we live in today along with improvements in technology as we move on. During the industrial revolution there were large drops in prices of commodities, making products more affordable to the middle and lower classes as well. With newer inventions, the quality of life improved. This in turn led to more opportunities and the search for newer sources of raw materials and commodities for manufacturing. Hence people moved to different nations in this search and it led to the world partition between World War 1 and World War 2. A massive number of independent states and countries emerged and in-order to grow economically a lot of these independent nations kept contacts with the ex-colonizers. New markets and raw materials were established by these colonizers for manufacturing which led to the concept of Westernization/ Internationalization. Globalization helped people migrate to developing countries where labour was cheap and raw materials were in abundance. This explained the rapid growth of certain economies which made them super powers and which continue to grow exponentially. With this growth came the birth of big cities and as they grew, more people were lured to these cities thus increasing their growth. This movement to big cities created Urbanization. With Globalization and Urbanization the question to be asked is, Is the effect of Globalization in Singapore aiding in the growth of an International Hub or diminishing the cultural heritage of the Island? Singapore is a good example when spoken about globalization. After separating from Malaysia and going through the Cold War, Singapore today comes under the 3rd world group of countries and First world in South East Asia with very good economic growth. Singapore reconstructed itself and rose politically and economically. Also being a very small nation with no natural resources of its own they have looked to grow in different ways than most other nations. Due to its small size, Globalization has had a greater impact in Singapore than other nations. Being an export and import market and with its burgeoning sea port and airport, it has created a hub in the South-East region. In order to differentiate itself from its neighboring countries and taking full advantage of Globalization, it welcomes a lot of foreign investors and Multi National Companies (MNCs) to invest in their country in order to compete and survive in the world. As a result, Singapore has had to inherit a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan society. The immigrants from the period of Urbanization has given the place a mix of cultures with predominantly the Chinese, Malay, and Indians, with some European influences, all inter-mingling with one another. Different races predominantly lived in different areas and are living proof with the likes of the streets of Chinatown, the Muslim Characteristics in Arab Street and the different ambience in Little India along Serangoon Road. We are part of a long civilization and we should be proud of it. We should not be assimilated by the West and become a pseudo-western society. We should be a nation that is uniquely multiracial and Asian, with each community proud of its traditional culture and heritage. (Mr Goh Tong ,1988) The few British colonized Neo-Classical buildings, along with the inter-mingling cultures make Singapore a strong heritage location with a multi-racial and diverse cultural society. And in this day and age, Singapore gets a huge economical help from the Tourism sector every year. It attracts millions of tourist a year, especially from all over Asia offering not only a modernized city with its abundance of shopping, but also lush greenery with beautiful nature all over the city. Its nature walks, botanical gardens, bird parks, zoo and man-made beach brings one closer to nature. Singapore has always focused in increasing their tourism sector by having Food Festivals, Singapore Shopping festivals, and Art Festivals which are required as a great number of tourists visit Malaysia, followed by Thailand and their last stop being Singapore. A few Art festivals that are held are the famous Chingay Parade which is a Traditional Chinese New Year procession which evolved to become a street parad e, showing off an array of dancers and street floats, inviting performers from different countries. Another big scale festival is the Singapore Biennale which displays art works of various artists from various parts of the world. However with the tremendous benefits of Globalization there are issues which arise as well. As Singapore continues to grow annually at great lengths, with it come certain cultural issues. To sustain this growth the nation must open its doors to the world and invite and encourage foreigners from various regions to the land. This creates greater competition amongst locals and foreigners all competing for the limited slots in this relatively small nation. Through this competition everyone needs to work harder and increases stress levels among the people which in turn create the falling fertility ratios seen today even though the government is doing its best to encourage its citizens to have more babies and increase the population of the locals. This problem will slowly but surely lead to the eradication of the local indigenous people of Singapore and will only increase its cosmopolitan and multi-racial society. Locals will no longer feel a sense of belonging to the land in which they we re born and brought up and this will lead to resentment and frustrations. The complexity and range of the challenges facing Singapore has increased, with greater global economic and socio- political tension as a result of conflict and competition. There are numerous issues globally including climate change, bioethics, ideological trends that will have a major impact on the future of Singapore. As our nation progresses, our unique Singaporean identity, shared values and heritage will be our greatest resource to ensure that Singapore remains Home, regardless of where we are. ( Lui Tuck Yew, 2008) The main issues that need to be addressed are the awareness of peoples very own culture and heritage, not only to the locals but also to the tourist and immigrants as well. Looking at the rapid transformation in Singapore, heritage and culture serve as a stable connection for the citizens to their heart and soul. The only evident culture that is seen in Singapore on a daily basis is the food culture that they have maintained from the very beginning. For example, Hawker Centres provide food that is extremely affordable and also provides the ambience of eating in a large communal sense. But that is as far as a cultural experience one will get. Hence steps should be taken to infuse the true cultural heritage of Singapore not only within the tourism sector but also among the present and future generations. Even the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is taking steps to rejuvenate and restore Haw Par Villa. Before Haw Par Villa was turned into a theme park in 1990, it was an iconic place, like the Merlion in Marina South, which many Singaporeans and visitors felt they should visit. Countless statues and dioramas on Chinese legends and folklore were displayed there. Unfortunately when it was turned into a theme park with commercial interests in mind, many of its attractions were removed or relocated, much to the disappointment of many people who revisited the place after it was renovated. It was to be a place where one could learn and appreciate Chinese culture and Confucian values. But now the place is a Ghost town with few if not any visitors. (Dr Lee Woon Kwang, 2011) In the whole development of the social and economic growth the need for museums was forgotten. Museums are a good place to promote your culture and heritage awareness, to grow a culture of galleries, displaying information to people to visit and learn the history. They are the windows to the world and play a special role in introducing audiences to the diverse culture and societies around the world. The government is taking measures towards the development of more museums as it draws more and more people and tourists. Singapore in terms of art design is a growing nation. A few competitions are held in trying to get all the design schools to participate and getting the younger generations to take interest in art and culture. A Museum is a globalised platform of spreading design around the globe. Over the decades people have opened their minds to the idea of visiting galleries and museums. With the era of globalization, came the opportunity of collaborating and connecting the rest of the world to different ideas on design from various artists. Not every Singaporean will have a chance to visit the Louvre Museum in Paris to view these exhibits in their lifetime. Bringing the exhibits here will enable Singaporeans, both young and old, as well as the underprivileged to enjoy and come face to face with Greek culture and history (Ms Yap Su-Yin) Conclusion Also with this rapid increase of Globalization, we see a very new and different skyline. Competition among the best cities of the world instigates the rapid building of newer structures. Although certain heritage sites are being preserved, most of the older buildings are torn down to make way for new and trendy buildings. All this creates a loss of the history and heritage of the country. No doubt one must change to improve and grow but at what cost? A very careful balance must be attained between merging the past and present, or else with Globalization on the rise the sense of belonging will be lost forever. It is very important to save and protect your cultural heritage at the right time before it is too late and is lost. Singapore being a hub and a growing nation, the need for museums and galleries is very important to connect and see the rest of the world through their perspective, not only in the form of historic buildings and architecture but traditions and identity unified in authentic yet inspiring ways to capture the essence of the communitys values and mixed cultures. With the measures taken by the government Singapore will target its aim of being the biggest Exhibition and Conventional Centre in Asia by 2015.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Ancient Kemet :: Free Essays Online

Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Ancient Kemet Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop is considered to be the most respected scholar of Kemet. An Egyptologist and linguist, he had the revolutionary idea to use the scientific method to disprove the many myths surrounding ancient Kemet. He developed a way to test the levels of melanin in Egyptian mummies, which revealed that the ancient Egyptians were, indeed, Africans. He also argued that the Egyptian language was related to African dialects and can be connected to the Wolof language of today. By far, the most important theory that he sought to prove was that human life began in Africa. Diop argued that the first civilizations emerged in the Nile Basin on the eastern coast of Africa. It is from this basin that African people fanned out across the continent and onto other lands around the 6th century BC. There exist two theories of human origin: monogenetic and polygenetic. The monogenetic view states that there is one source for mankind; man was born in one place and became different due to the climatic conditions to which he was exposed. The polygenetic opinion claims that man has several locations of origin, which would explain the physiological differences between the races. Followers of this theory believe that man was born in Africa, Europe, and Asia and there was no evolutionary or climatic development. Diop states that there are two reasons why this theory is faulty. He says that nature never strikes twice in its evolution; she doesn't create the same being twice. In addition, complete fossils have been found on the African continents, which proves that life began there. No such fossils have been found anywhere else in the world. In 1912, a British geologist attempted to prove that life had begun in England by piecing together a fake fossil supposedly found on British soil. The fabricated skull was later found to have been a fake by an English anthropologist in the 1950's. It was determined to have been constructed using the mandible and canine teeth of a monkey. Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Ancient Kemet :: Free Essays Online Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Ancient Kemet Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop is considered to be the most respected scholar of Kemet. An Egyptologist and linguist, he had the revolutionary idea to use the scientific method to disprove the many myths surrounding ancient Kemet. He developed a way to test the levels of melanin in Egyptian mummies, which revealed that the ancient Egyptians were, indeed, Africans. He also argued that the Egyptian language was related to African dialects and can be connected to the Wolof language of today. By far, the most important theory that he sought to prove was that human life began in Africa. Diop argued that the first civilizations emerged in the Nile Basin on the eastern coast of Africa. It is from this basin that African people fanned out across the continent and onto other lands around the 6th century BC. There exist two theories of human origin: monogenetic and polygenetic. The monogenetic view states that there is one source for mankind; man was born in one place and became different due to the climatic conditions to which he was exposed. The polygenetic opinion claims that man has several locations of origin, which would explain the physiological differences between the races. Followers of this theory believe that man was born in Africa, Europe, and Asia and there was no evolutionary or climatic development. Diop states that there are two reasons why this theory is faulty. He says that nature never strikes twice in its evolution; she doesn't create the same being twice. In addition, complete fossils have been found on the African continents, which proves that life began there. No such fossils have been found anywhere else in the world. In 1912, a British geologist attempted to prove that life had begun in England by piecing together a fake fossil supposedly found on British soil. The fabricated skull was later found to have been a fake by an English anthropologist in the 1950's. It was determined to have been constructed using the mandible and canine teeth of a monkey.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Message to Garcia Essay

A Message to Garcia is serves as an inspiration for many reasons. Not only is it a prime example of the â€Å"no questions asked† attitude, it also makes you question yourself as a leader. Many will say that this essay is about the subordinate, but to me it envelopes the relationship of the team as a whole to accomplish the mission. Though there are many different leadership styles and principles but in my opinion the most prominent in this essay are communication, trust, and obedience. The main task in the essay is to get a message delivered to Garcia from President Mckinley. This takes place during the war where quick communication is imperative. However, traditional means, such as mail or telegraph, have gone out the window due to Garcia’s whereabouts being somewhere in the jungles of Cuba. Upon hearing the mission at hand, Rowan was the man for the job. President Mckinley sent for him, gave him the letter, and gave him clear instructions of what needed to be done. With that, Rowan was gone. This is a great example of clear and concise communication. Rowan understood the importance of the mission and set out to do it. Another key element in the essay is trust. As a leader you have to have trust and confidence in your training, resources, and most importantly your subordinates. How did the president know Rowan was even competent enough to complete the task? The fact is, he didn’t, he trusted the unnamed individual who gave up Rowan for the mission. This person’s trust in Rowan’s abilities was enough for the president. It’s obvious that Rowan has proven himself to be trustworthy and efficient. It also goes to show Rowan’s trust in his leader’s authority. Lastly, it comes down to obedience. Rowan’s instant willing obedience is what sets him apart from all others. Not once did he question the contents of the letter or even simply inquire as to where Garcia was even located. That in itself, is a remarkable trait to have in one’s character. Not many would act without hesitation and would lose focus on such a task. That is one of the reasons obedience plays a vital role mission accomplishment. In the end the message is never revealed, nor exactly how Rowan delivered the message. Simply put, those facts are irrelevant. My takeaway from the essay is the leadership and action put through a unit to complete the task at hand. As a leader, you need to be able to communicate with your subordinates and trust them to carry out the order. Just as Rowan was trusted to carry the message to Garcia.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay

   Tragedy followed them: of their four children, only one lived very long. Then in 1822, aged just thirty, Mary’s husband drowned when on a cruise with her husband, his ship having capsized due to a summer storm. Mary’s life was effectively over: even though she lived for another thirty years, her flame never again burned as brightly as it had done in the company of her husband. She pursued to live as a professional writer until her death in 1851. Mary was constantly tormented in life by death and depression, which may have led her to write ‘Frankenstein’. Frankenstein is a book about man’s thirst for knowledge, about the way he is not satisfied unless he knows all the wonders of the world. In many cases, this can lead to the destruction of a man’s soul, as it did to Victor Frankenstein. His quest to learn the secrets of heaven and earth ended in disaster. The monster was the embodiment of evil, bringing death and destruction wherever it laid foot. It brought death to Frankenstein’s family, in a pure quest for revenge. Symbolic of most evil, the monster was manmade. In many ways Mary Shelley’s life can be compared to that of Victor Frankenstein’s. Mary must have felt that wherever she went, evil followed, as those closest to her were snatched away. She portrayed this in Frankenstein as Victor’s family was destroyed by the monster, symbolic of the evil she felt followed her. Mary’s marriage is also represented in Frankenstein. Mary’s marriage to Percy Shelley was the happiest time of her life before he was killed. In the same way, Victor’s marriage to Elizabeth was the only joy he had felt in a long time, when just as suddenly she was murdered by the monster, again symbolising the evil that Mary felt killed her husband. Mary also describes very vividly the pain that Victor felt, leading us to believe that she must have felt the same pain and agony. She reveals this in many situations such as the quotes, ‘the overflowing misery I now felt, and the excess of agitation that I endured rendered me incapable of any exertion’ and, ‘a fiend had snatched from me every chance of future happiness; no creature had ever been so miserable as I was’. The ending of the story was that the death of Victor Frankenstein led the monster to believe that his work was done, and so the monster burned himself to death. The creation had ironically led to the death of the creator. Mary believed that in the event of a man’s demise, the evil inside him dies as well. Frankenstein contains a sad ending, with the destruction of a whole family due to a man’s insatiable quest for knowledge. Mary’s life also consisted of a sad ending, in which she was never as happy as she was when with her husband. She died a lonely death, without her loved ones surrounding her, the same fate shared by Victor Frankenstein. The monster in Frankenstein can be compared to the beast in Lord of the Flies. There are both similarities and differences. In both novels, the idea of a monster/beast represents the pure manifestation of evil. Mutually they lead to the destruction and death of those around them. They are equally spawned from the mind and hands of humans. They both originally spring from the minds of humans. To explain, in Lord of the Flies is the imagination of the boys representing evil, and in Frankenstein it is Victor’s wild imagination and thirst for intellect that leads to the creation of the monster. However, this can also be viewed as a particular dissimilarity. In Frankenstein, the monster is bodily real and physically inflicts harm on Victor’s family. However in Lord of the Flies the beast is just as deadly and evil, but is inside the children’s minds. William Golding was born in Cornwall in 1911. His family was progressive and it was the first source of influence for Golding’s talent. He studied physics and English literature at Marlboro and Oxford University of England. From the first years of his life, he faced the atrocities of war. Fuelled with stories his parents related to him about the first war, he took part in the second great war by joining the British Navy at 1940. After the war, William became a teacher at a boys school in Salisbury. Here, he started to act as a writer. He observed many children in their natural environment, and must have witnessed the negative side of a child’s nature countless number of times. This led him to write Lord Of The Flies which was his first published book. William Golding lived through the two biggest wars in history. During his time in the Navy, he had a constant reminder of the evil and brutality in the hearts of men. He saw countless lives lost around him, some belonging to his friends. It had been revealed to him that the pure evil inside a man can start world wars. This, along with his teaching experiences, was his incentive to write Lord Of The Flies. After surviving the war, he saw during his teaching that children were not bereft of evil either. Combining these two topics he wrote Lord Of The Flies, the conflict between humanity’s innate barbarism and the civilizing influence of reason. In the book, he portrays Jack as the embodiment of evil. It is Jack’s thirst for power that causes the breakdown of civilisation. In this way, Jack can be compared to Hitler. Jack did not want to stop murdering until the whole of Ralph’s group were killed. In the same way, Hitler did not want to stop until the world was rid of Jews. Jack’s tribe wore face paint whereas Hitler and the Nazis wore the sign of the Swastika on their arms. Jack is aided in his quest of destruction by Roger, who can be compared to the Nazis. Roger also represents pure evil and wrongness, moreso even than Jack. He derived sadistic pleasure from torturing pigs and the other boys on the island. Similarly, the Nazis tortured the Jews from which they obtained a sick sense of fulfilment. Roger is one of Jack’s most loyal helpers, and gladly carries out his orders, in the same manner the Nazis obeyed Hitler. The ending of the novel can be interpreted in two different ways. The first would be to interpret that William Golding does actually have a positive outlook on life and believes that the end of life will be a happy one. This can be portrayed as the naval officer who has come to end the evil and escape the boys from the clutches of death, and thus the arrival of authority seems like a happy and ironic ending. However if one digs deeper it is just a continuation from one war to another. Once all the boys get on the Navy cruiser, they’ll most likely just be subjected to more battle and fighting, this time on a worldwide level, due to the war taking place in the outside world. To conclude, the common theme in both novels was the evil in man. Both authors had their own experiences that led them to believe that evil resides amongst all of us. They both took their experiences and portrayed them in novels filled with symbolism. Mary Shelley believed that evil is constantly around us, and that no-one can escape. She believed that man has an evil inside of him so powerful that it can lead to the destruction of his own soul. William Golding’s understanding was that every man is born with evil inside him. He didn’t believe in man’s innocence after the second world war. He found that even children are not innocent, saying, ‘No one is innocent until the society and the way of his life make him to pretend that he’s innocent. But sometimes, when a man is facing a difficult situation then he will probably show his other nature, the dark and guilty nature. ‘ Shyam Kanabar Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

An Assortment of 30 Synonyms for Assortment, Mixture, or Variety

An Assortment of 30 Synonyms for Assortment, Mixture, or Variety An Assortment of 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Assortment,† â€Å"Mixture,† or â€Å"Variety† An Assortment of 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Assortment,† â€Å"Mixture,† or â€Å"Variety† By Mark Nichol This post lists thirty words to employ as alternatives for assortment, mixture, and variety, accompanied by brief definitions. 1–2. An agglomerate or agglomeration is a jumbled collection or mass, and the first variant also serves as a noun and an adjective (and can also refer to a volcanic rock consisting of various combined fragments). Agglomeration can also refer to the action or process of massing. 3. To botch is to bungle, or make a mess of, but the word can also describe the mess itself as a noun. 4. Clutter implies a concentrated assortment that impedes effectiveness or progress. 5. A collage is an artistic composition consisting of assorted elements or materials, but by extension the word can also refer to an assortment of any kind. 6. â€Å"Crazy quilt† implies a random assemblage of parts, from the original notion of a quilt consisting of odds and ends of fabric, though quilts are generally now assembled to create a pattern. 7. A farrago is a confused assortment. 8. A grab bag was originally a prize handed out at a fair or another event and consisting of a small sack with assorted toys and/or treats. Now, the phrase refers to any random collection. 9. Jumble suggests a disordered assortment. 10. Jungle, besides its primary meaning of â€Å"a region of tropical vegetation,† by extension can refer to a confused mass as well as a complex process. 11. Litter, from the Latin word for bed, came by extension from the sense of animal bedding material or organic matter on a forest floor to refer to accumulated objects strewn about. 12. Though medley is primarily understood to mean â€Å"a series of portions of two or more songs compiled as a single composition,† its original meaning is â€Å"mix.† 13. Mà ©lange refers to a usually incompatible assortment. 14. Cognate with manage, menagerie first applied to management of a farm and its livestock, then to a collection of or place for keeping animals for exhibition, and then, by extension, to any assortment. 15. A miscellany or miscellanea is a collection of various compositions or things. 16. A mishmash is an assortment of things literally or figuratively mashed together. 17. â€Å"Mixed bag† in similar to â€Å"grab bag† in current meaning, although the phrase more often refers to something with both positive and negative impacts. 18. Montage usually refers to a visual medley, but it can also be directly synonymous with medley in both artistic and general senses. 19. Motley originally had a sense of â€Å"multicolored† and described the variegated-pattern attire of the stock theatrical character Harlequin or a court jester, but it later came to describe a varied assortment. 20. To muddle is to make confused or unclear, and the noun refers to being mentally confused or to objects being in a state of confusion. 21. An olio is a collection or mixture. 22. A hybrid Latin/English term that literally means â€Å"gather all,† omnium-gatherum suggests a collection. 23–24. Patchwork, and â€Å"patchwork quilt,† denote a disordered collection, from the notion of a quilt made of assorted patches of fabric or something analogous to it in appearance. 25. A ragbag was originally a sack containing scraps of fabric, and by extensive the word came to refer to an assortment. 26. Rummage is primarily employed as a verb meaning â€Å"search,† but as a noun it refers both to a search through an assortment of objects or such a collection itself. 27. Similarly, to scramble is to rush or to make a difficult, energetic effort, but as a noun, the word pertains to a disordered collection that would require such activity when searching for something in it. 28. Shuffle describes the action of rearranging or moving back and forth, and a shuffle is an assortment of things messily rearranged. 29. A tumble is a careless, disordered, or sudden fall, and based on the middle sense, the word may also refer to a collection of things in disarray. 30. A welter is a chaotic assortment. Synonyms for assortment, mixture, and variety derived from names of food dishes are discussed in this post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsDifference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback

Monday, October 21, 2019

Songwriting 101 Essays

Songwriting 101 Essays Songwriting 101 Paper Songwriting 101 Paper The world of literature consists of many different genres, and of those genres the most commonly overlooked is songwriting (Frey). To this day uncountable numbers of records have been sold. There have been countless awards given to the people who focus their entire lives upon this one section of literature.And to this day, there have been more people touched by a song than by any other genre or literature.It is skill that only few people take the time to learn and to understand, but the fans of great songwriting understand why they invested so much time into this art. Thefirst thing to understand about songwriting is simply this, what makes up a well-written song? There are three basic things you must include in a song to make it a masterpiece.First you must start out with a title. The title of the song is the backbone and reason for it being written in thefirst place.The title gives a song focus and gives it power.It also should intrigue the listener.Witho ut this the song is sure to fall apart. Next a song should include a focused chorus.A course is a repeated or closely repeated set of lyrics. Therefore is should give focus to the title.It should support and define the title so that the title has a reason.And the final thing a well-written song should include is a verse.A verse gives examples and new ideas to the title.It gives you the opportunity to speak your mind, or even tell a story around the title and the chorus (Fleece). After you have planned a song that includes a title, a chorus, and a diverse verse, what else should you include?This is called the arrangement or makeup of the song.The song needs to have rhythm, a tempo, a style and other clique things.These things have to fit with the music.You dont need a heavy metal tempo with a love ballad. A mixture of tempo and style will only lead to confusion in the song, or a lessening of the lyrical focus

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Modern Day Sir Thomas More Essay Sample

Your assignment is to feign you are a modern Sir Thomas More in the United States of America. Just as Sir Thomas More highlighted jobs with European societies in Book I of Utopia. you are to discourse current jobs with American society today. Remember that More discussed unjust penalty for offense. a corrupt socio-economic system. the hoggishness of male monarchs. and misgiving in engineering. He besides closely analyzed the corruptness of advisers to the male monarch. These were all important jobs in 16th century England. What are the important jobs in 21st century America? Merely as More used fiction to convey his thoughts. you will be composing a short fiction book to picture the signicant issues of society in the twenty-first century. Make non simply list several jobs with American society. Pick two or three jobs as a focal point and so add inside informations through scene. stage way and duologue that to the full explain why these things are jobs. Talk about who has created the jobs and who is affected by them. Discourse how people are affected by these important jobs. Besides be cognizant that your instructor will be looking for you to pass on your thoughts efficaciously. so this will affect you utilizing prepositional phrases to vary sentence gaps. Once you have completed a unsmooth bill of exchange. if possible. subject your composing along with a rubric to a equal. a parent or a guardian to reexamine your bill of exchange and supply feedback. Use this feedback to do alterations to your bill of exchange. When you submit your book for a class. you should include the undermentioned: †¢ Evidence of prewriting ( bring forthing and forming thoughts ) †¢ Evidence of a bill of exchange ( should incorporate grounds of alteration and redacting ) †¢ A completed rubric ( Student Statement ) with grounds of reappraisal

Friday, October 18, 2019

Present the argument from evil against the existence of god,and Essay

Present the argument from evil against the existence of god,and explain the major objections to the argument, and the major resp - Essay Example One of the primary assumptions of a supreme being is that they would embody morally just or ‘good’ qualities. With a morally just God the question then becomes why there is evil in the world. Another important consideration is that if there is a God or creator figure then he must be an extremely powerful entity. With this power then why does the God not eliminate evil in the world? In these regards, the actual structure of the argument is that: 1. If God exists, then God is supreme and moral. 2. If God is supreme, then God has the ability to do away with evil. 3. If God is supreme, then God knows where to locate evil. 4. If God is moral, then God has the desire to do away with all evil. 5. There is evil in the world. 6. If evil exists and God exists then God would have done away with evil. Therefore, God doesn't exist. Objections When considering these points, there are a number of objections that have been raised. When considering these points a number of objections hav e been raised. One of the major objections surfaces from believers in God who argue from a religious perspective. This perspective is that the existence of evil and God are not contradictory because God intends for individuals to have free will.

Violent crime and Insurgency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Violent crime and Insurgency - Essay Example In contrast to that, a common criminal is one who looks for opportunistic target, lacks discipline and is selfish and can be discouraged comparatively easily. Generally, terrorists are well trained as compared to ordinary criminals. Due to the fact that terrorists are well trained, skilled and possess a specific goal in mind, the propensity of destruction and level of violence can be much higher than that which is created by criminals. Terrorists are so much determined to their cause that they don’t get afraid of putting even their own life in danger (Goldstein, 2007). Another important differentiation between criminals and terrorists is that when they are caught doing some illegal act, criminals usually escape from the criminal zone and take shelters in order to hide from police whereas terrorist usually call upon huge media propaganda and take credits of their acts. Another criteria which provides differentiation between terrorism and criminals violence is the frequency and span of attacks. Criminals usually operate within the span of their hide outs whereas terrorists operate within the boundary of an entire country. Many terrorists also operate internationally in geographic regions (White, 2006). Insurgency is often called as political effort or movement established for a specific aim. This sets it apart from terrorism where individuals establish goals and do every possible effort to achieve them. Another major difference between insurgency and terrorism is the intent of activities and operations. The ultimate objective of insurgency is to challenge the prevailing government through political concessions in order to share political power. Insurgency requires various kinds of supports including from external support, approval and recognition from other political parties etc. whereas a group of terrorist doesn’t require support from any side

Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative Research Paper

Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative evaluation in the instructional design process - Research Paper Example Here, the clarity, impact and feasibility of the message and the instruction are determined. In the small group evaluation, the entire group is handed similar feedback based on grouped outcome of the successes or difficulties. This effectively addresses the instruction rather than the learners. In the field trial evaluation, the instructor uses the design and course materials already modified twice to present a full-scale instructional session. Challenges with formative evaluation are often found in feasibility matters. Students’ capabilities, instructional environment and medium greatly impact the outcome of the stage. The motivation, independence and maturity of individual students will determine the required time to complete the stage (Smaldino, Rusell & Heinrich, 2005). Summative evaluation is beneficial because it is possible to develop consistent, standardized sets of information on each learner. It also creates a justification for wide-scale decision making in education programs. Summative evaluation uses two phases to assess the worth or merit of a program. The inclusion of external evaluators is beneficial because it adds value to the evaluation and design of the learning process and materials. In the expert judgment phase, feasibility, content, design and congruence analysis are examined. In the field trial phase, outcome and management analysis are examined. It further looks at the impact on the students, job and organization. Essentially, the performance of the group in relation to the set objective is analyzed by the instructional designer in various ways (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). Organizational resources and needs are aligned with the program through congruence analysis; goals are identified through content analysis; sufficiency of modules of instructional strategies is evaluated through design analysis; and feasibility analysis is in relation to the materials’ utility. Summative evaluation is challenged when it comes to balanci ng process and product measures and preventing backwards implication; anticipating the scope of positive and negative consequences of using results of summative assessment; attending to both non-cognitive and affective features of flourishing academic programs; and the information’s timeliness (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). In confirmative evaluation, there is a follow up of the students after they are out of the program. It is beneficial because instructors get to know their competitive levels and how well they are making use of the knowledge and information they gain from their programs. This is a marriage of the other evaluations and programs in continuous improvement. Unlike the other kinds used at the designing and learning levels, confirmative evaluation comes months after implementation of the program (Morrison, Ross & Kemp, 2004). Endurance of outcomes, efficiency and return on investments are tested. However, the challenge is that the evaluators and students are forc ed to commit themselves to the full scope of evaluation. Identifying and including all the stakeholders, especially decision makers and activity planners, is also a problem. Question Two Formative assessment is an ongoing measurement in educational preparation aiming at the improvement of student learning. It provides information crucial in the monitoring of an individual’

Thursday, October 17, 2019

MRI Gradient Coils Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MRI Gradient Coils - Essay Example researcher defined the gradients in line 10 of the last page. It could have been better if it was placed in the Introduction rather than in the last page since definitions were intended to introduce the reader to the significant terms used in the writing. The researcher wrote in the second paragraph of the abstract, â€Å"Human research magnets of 7T and 8T are operation in several site worldwide.† However, it is quite disturbing why these types of magnets were mentioned in the abstract but nothing in the research paper discussed these things. Said sentence therefore appears to be irrelevant. Thus, the researcher must either discuss these types of magnets in the body of the paper or better yet, totally delete the above-quoted sentence. In addition, the author mentioned in the introduction that he/she will elaborate on the different gradient types and designs thereof. However, perusal of the body of the research paper would show that only the three (3) main ingredients, to wit, z, y and x, were discussed as part of the MR system. In the last paragraph of the summary, the author stated, â€Å"the distinct advantages over normal radiographs and CT examinations, is that it does without the delivery of ionizing radiation to the patient†. I respect the author’s view; however, I cannot agree on this as MRI gives precise contrast differences between soft tissues that significantly help in diagnosing abnormalities than other normal radiographs and CT examinations.

Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Microsoft - Essay Example The product’s analysis will also be conducted considering its attributes as well as diffusion. The paper will then describe its pricing strategies, the channels of distribution and the strategies of promotion that is proposed to enable it have a larger market especially for students and the teachers. Promotion analysis will involve conducting an analysis to determine the promotion strategies that Microsoft office 365 should use. The target market focused in this analysis is tertiary students and the teachers. Promotion will ensure that the potential as well as current customers are made aware of the availability of Microsoft office 365. The customers through promotion will also be persuaded to see that Microsoft office 365 is the best product compared to google apps and think free office. In determining the best promotion method, there is need to consider several factors including nature of the product, competition, target market, nature of the product and the stage of the product in the lifecycle. The different promotion methods that Microsoft office 365 might consider using are advertising, personal selling, public relations, sales promotion and direct marketing (Pride et al, 445). The first step will include the determination of the most appropriate promotion mix. This will include the various methods of promotion that the will be appropriate. The promotion mix for Microsoft office 365 will include advertising and public relations. Advertising will include creating awareness of the Microsoft office 365 product through the media. This will help to create the product’s awareness to both the existing and potential customers and in this case the targeted group being students in the tertiary level and the teachers. It will involve some budget allocation to ensure that the advertising process is well financed. Considering that the target market for this product is students in

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative Research Paper

Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative evaluation in the instructional design process - Research Paper Example Here, the clarity, impact and feasibility of the message and the instruction are determined. In the small group evaluation, the entire group is handed similar feedback based on grouped outcome of the successes or difficulties. This effectively addresses the instruction rather than the learners. In the field trial evaluation, the instructor uses the design and course materials already modified twice to present a full-scale instructional session. Challenges with formative evaluation are often found in feasibility matters. Students’ capabilities, instructional environment and medium greatly impact the outcome of the stage. The motivation, independence and maturity of individual students will determine the required time to complete the stage (Smaldino, Rusell & Heinrich, 2005). Summative evaluation is beneficial because it is possible to develop consistent, standardized sets of information on each learner. It also creates a justification for wide-scale decision making in education programs. Summative evaluation uses two phases to assess the worth or merit of a program. The inclusion of external evaluators is beneficial because it adds value to the evaluation and design of the learning process and materials. In the expert judgment phase, feasibility, content, design and congruence analysis are examined. In the field trial phase, outcome and management analysis are examined. It further looks at the impact on the students, job and organization. Essentially, the performance of the group in relation to the set objective is analyzed by the instructional designer in various ways (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). Organizational resources and needs are aligned with the program through congruence analysis; goals are identified through content analysis; sufficiency of modules of instructional strategies is evaluated through design analysis; and feasibility analysis is in relation to the materials’ utility. Summative evaluation is challenged when it comes to balanci ng process and product measures and preventing backwards implication; anticipating the scope of positive and negative consequences of using results of summative assessment; attending to both non-cognitive and affective features of flourishing academic programs; and the information’s timeliness (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). In confirmative evaluation, there is a follow up of the students after they are out of the program. It is beneficial because instructors get to know their competitive levels and how well they are making use of the knowledge and information they gain from their programs. This is a marriage of the other evaluations and programs in continuous improvement. Unlike the other kinds used at the designing and learning levels, confirmative evaluation comes months after implementation of the program (Morrison, Ross & Kemp, 2004). Endurance of outcomes, efficiency and return on investments are tested. However, the challenge is that the evaluators and students are forc ed to commit themselves to the full scope of evaluation. Identifying and including all the stakeholders, especially decision makers and activity planners, is also a problem. Question Two Formative assessment is an ongoing measurement in educational preparation aiming at the improvement of student learning. It provides information crucial in the monitoring of an individual’

Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Microsoft - Essay Example The product’s analysis will also be conducted considering its attributes as well as diffusion. The paper will then describe its pricing strategies, the channels of distribution and the strategies of promotion that is proposed to enable it have a larger market especially for students and the teachers. Promotion analysis will involve conducting an analysis to determine the promotion strategies that Microsoft office 365 should use. The target market focused in this analysis is tertiary students and the teachers. Promotion will ensure that the potential as well as current customers are made aware of the availability of Microsoft office 365. The customers through promotion will also be persuaded to see that Microsoft office 365 is the best product compared to google apps and think free office. In determining the best promotion method, there is need to consider several factors including nature of the product, competition, target market, nature of the product and the stage of the product in the lifecycle. The different promotion methods that Microsoft office 365 might consider using are advertising, personal selling, public relations, sales promotion and direct marketing (Pride et al, 445). The first step will include the determination of the most appropriate promotion mix. This will include the various methods of promotion that the will be appropriate. The promotion mix for Microsoft office 365 will include advertising and public relations. Advertising will include creating awareness of the Microsoft office 365 product through the media. This will help to create the product’s awareness to both the existing and potential customers and in this case the targeted group being students in the tertiary level and the teachers. It will involve some budget allocation to ensure that the advertising process is well financed. Considering that the target market for this product is students in

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

What Is American Federalism Essay Example for Free

What Is American Federalism Essay According to Dye (2011), nations are not truly federal unless both national and subnational governments exercise separate and autonomous authority, both elect their own officials, and both tax their own citizens for the provision of public services (p. 263). American Federalism is just that. In the United States each state has their own government with elected officials, to go even further each town within these states also have their own elected officials. These officials govern these areas the way they see fit, however they each fall under the national government. Dye (2011) goes on to say that federalism requires the powers of the national and subnational governments to be guaranteed by a constitution that cannot be changed without the consent of both national and subnational populations (p. 263), this also is apparent in the United States as well. The founding fathers brought forth this federalist way in order to prevent one entity from having too much power, which in turn would allow the elites to rule over those less privileged and in turn them never having a voice. W/C: 176 When should we use Military Force? A President has a hard decision when it comes to deciding whether or not to use military force. When sending the military into any combat area lives are placed immediately at risk, those soldiers are ready and willing to defend their country however the President must be able to explain why the military is needed and justify why we have suffered wounded and lost lives. (Dye, 2011, p. 289) When deciding whether or not to use military force the president must consider several things. Is the use of military force going to protect vital interests? Does the President have the support of the American people and those in Congress? Is this force in support of important political objectives and lastly is this force in support of the war on terrorism? The commitment of US military force should be a last resort, after political, economic, and diplomatic efforts have been proven ineffective (Dye, 2011, p. 289). W/C: 153 What went wrong in Iraq? According to Dye (2011), The war in Iraq was a preemptive strike against terrorism, consistent with the declarations of the Bush administration about the necessity of fighting terrorists on their own ground rather than on American soil (p. 297). One of the biggest things that went wrong in Iraq was the limited number of troops originally sent in. The reason behind this was due in part to the vision of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to have a lean military force. (Dye, 2011, p. 97) Although the initial wave was able to take over and capture Baghdad, it was not enough to keep the are safe and free from insurgents. With the insurgents on the move the American military force was spread thin and they were not able to hold the cities they had once taken over. supply lines could not be defended and the insurgents quickly learned to plant IEDs-improvised explosive devices-along routes commonly used by the US troops. More casualties were inflicted by these devices than by any other means; the US did not have enough troops to guard supply routes (Dye, 2011, p. 99). Overall it seemed as though poor planning and lack of a vision from Donald Rumsfeld is what led to what went wrong in Iraq. W/C: 207 How do you fight Terrorism with Intelligence? In order to effectively and efficiently fight Terrorism with Intelligence is to have a strong Intelligence Community (IC) in place. According to Dye (2011), a proactive war on terrorism requires the collection, analysis, and dissemination of relevant foreign and domestic information to federal, state, and local government agencies, and to the American people (p. 13). It is up to the several components that make up the Intelligence Community to do just that, they must work together in order to form a cohesive unit and ensure that any information obtained is utilized in a way that will benefit the American people and US soil. In the world today the President relies on the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate and oversee all the functions within the IC, it is the DNI who reports directly to the president and is a member of the National Security Council, the presidents inner cabinet (Dye, 2011, p. 17). W/C: 151 What does it mean when we say the we are using American Troops for Nation Building? This statement comes along with the planning for postwar Iraq. One of the goals of the war was to uncover weapons of mass destruction, unfortunately these items were never found. During the planning phase for postwar Iraq the US had promised to help restore many things such as water, electricity and roads. Due to the US administrator for Iraq Paul Bremmer these things seemed to be out of reach as he began dismissing the entire Iraqi Army and pursued a policy of dismissing virtually all Iraqi managers and technicians (Dye, 2011, p. 299). Due to all of this the US had no choice to both recruit and train a new Army and police force that would serve Iraq, as well they were obliged to bring in contract workers, managers and technicians from the US to help restore all those things that were promised to the Iraqi people. Although the troops came in to fight a war in the end they were there it seemed to help rebuild the Nation.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Low Birth Rate in Hong Kong

Low Birth Rate in Hong Kong Nowadays, the world population just over 6 billion and consistently estimate to increase to 9 billion in the next 50 years. The growth rate is mostly come from those developing countries, especially from Africa. Nevertheless, the birth rate which we would call it as population growth rate is decreasing in Hong Kong. The local birth rate reached the lowest level in the world. According to the report from the Census and Statistics Department, around 30,000 babies will be generated by mainland couples while 69,000 will be born in Hong Kong each year. In 2006, 984 babies were produced each 1000 expectant mothers. The estimation of the following 30 years, the birth rate will be lower than 900 babies would be born with each 1000 expectant mothers. We can use the graph from Census and Statistics Department to indicate the change by birth rate. In the fig. 1.1, the lines are representing the population in 1996 while bars are representing the 2006s. We would see that the population in Hong Kong is going to form a reverse triangle as fewer are born in the base. Moreover, we would see that the birth rate was continuing decrease from 1981 to 2006. Basically, the government has been put aware on the issue. In one of a meeting of legislative council, the councilors have put out this as one the items of agenda. The decrease in birth rate may help to save the sustainable resources in the world, but it would cause out many society problems as well. Actually, aging problem is a serious issue happening in the society. And, this would cause out many consequences to make the society become poor. Aging problem will lead the tax payer having a heavy tax. As the decreasing birth rate cause out, fewer tax payers will need to fall into the tax system. While the number of elderly would increase to form an unhealthy population, the Government would have a financial problem on subsiding them. The government need to bear heavy costs on medical services, elderly health care and retirement such as social security allowance. On the other hand, the education system may need a reform. The demand would decrease as fewer children entering the education system. Those schools will be terminated by a low birth rate, and employers like teachers will be being unemployed. This is already happened in the society in 2006. Many schools are warned to shut down by insufficient students. As a result, encouraging the birth rate is a must. Recently, the government noticed that the importance of having a good birth rate and formed a committee to put concern and finding out solutions in low birth rate issue. The effective way is the government encourage the citizens to improve the birth rate. 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE In this study, we would like to help to find out the reason of causing low birth rate. Besides, we would not only want to know the causes but also want to find out solutions and the ways of government would able to give a hand. Therefore, our research objectives will be set as the followings: Understand the reason of low birth rate occur Evaluate the effectiveness of various methods to increase birth rate Understand the value of having baby (promotion purpose) Evaluate the impact of various media on the decision to have a child Obtain the demographic of response 1.3 CONTRIBUTION Through this marketing research, we would define clear why the low birth rate was caused out. Afterwards, we can find out the most effective solution to improve the birth rate, in order to prevent the next generation to pay the heavy tax to the government which is our generation and beyond. On the other hand, we would the report will be indicated out that the effective way of promotion by the government which he citizens would thinks it does work. It is beneficial to the government whether the aging problem is solved, the financial burden will reform. The government is able to put the subsidies on the other ways that make Hong Kong becoming a most successful city that people would like to live. 2.1 EXPLORARATY RESEARCH To begin our research, we may need to use exploratory research to provide the insights of the low birth rate problems. From the various types of exploratory research technique, we have used secondary data analysis and focus group when doing this project. Secondary data Low birth rate which is a big issue for the Hong Kong government, so there are plenty of data about this issue on the website of the Census and Statistics Department and also the newspaper. The reasons why we are using the secondary data are because they are low cost and useful as background information. Also, some of the data are realistic as those data are collected from the official department of Hong Kong Government. As the government highly concern about the low birth rate, there are policies and promotions about how to improve low birth rate, which helps us on creating the questions for our questionnaire. Focus Group Focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their attitude towards a product, service, concept, advertisement or idea. And there will be a moderator to introduce the topic of discussion and to encourage the group to discuss. Using focus group can allow the participants to discuss their true feeling and convictions, fast to collect data, easy to execute and flexible with low cost. Forming this focus group, our purpose is to understand the reason of low birth rate, evaluate the effectiveness of various methods to increase the birth rate, understand more the value of having a baby, evaluate the impact of various media on the decision to have a child, obtaining the demographic of response. After doing the focus group, we can combine the observations to understand the culture, the social group, sampling the sites to study, and creating news issues or topics we didnt think of. We would form 2 focus groups which consist of 6 respondents each. Besides, we need to hire a professional analyst to lead the focus group on the discussing track. Then, we need to book a one-way mirror room to observe the progress of the focus group. The most important is we should jot down the discussion by notes as an alternative way if the video recording devices does not work. The topic of discussion was focus on five main issues we focused on reasons affecting the birth rate, methods to improve birth rate, value on birth rate, ways to promote generation, demographic. To acquire the information we need, an analyst is needed to lead the focus group to discuss on the aspects. We did set the suggest questions: How do you think to generate a child? What are the costs to generate a child? What do you think the consequence to generate a child? Which ways do you suggest to encourage generation? How do you think the policies of government promotion? Summary of Findings Section We have been held focus groups in the March. After the focus group, we were given out some ideas of the low birth rate issue. In the focus groups people are all agree the late marriage is the trend in Hong Kong, many ladies are become focusing on their work. But they conclude that the cost of having a baby is the main cause of low birth rate. They need to quit their job, after the baby growth, their job opportunities will be probably lower as they disconnected with the society. They discussed that the birth rate from the middle class is important to improved. Later, they discuss that the method to improve the birth rate. Most of them thought that the government subsidies are the ways to help. Education allowance is the most effective as most of them agreed. It is because they think it is a long-term subsidy that their children need to study nearly 10 years. It is benefit if it would save their cost. However, no one concern on public housing because they thought that it is relate to the marry cost, not related to having a baby. They would think that the value of having a baby is to generate their breed. Most of them think that the TV commercial is the effective way to encouraged by government. It is because animation and sound would give them memorized. 2.2 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH To choose a suitable method to fit with our case, we would like to use the mall intercept personal interviews for collecting primary data. The process involves stopping the targets, screening them for appropriateness, and either administering the survey on the spot or inviting them to a research facility located in the mall to complete the interview. And, we decided to set up in Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong etc, therefore we are able to get the result that related to our expectation and purpose. The characteristic of the method is confined place to conduct the survey but speed of data collecting is fast, and conductors are easier to reach the assigned quantity with a specific time. It will have the highest degree of interviewer influence of answers. Although geographical flexibility is confined in a selection place, we can poll a large number of target respondents with a successful planning. There will have low anonymity of respondents however, the respondents may not actively to cooperate. It is difficult to follow up or call back but it is not an actual problem. Essentially, interviewers can provide clear explanations for the questions asked, respondents will be clearer to answer the questions through face-to-face interview. So, the possibility of respondent misunderstanding will be the lowest. On the other hand, if the respondent cooperation is not enough to meet the planned quantity, we may also use phone survey to back up mall intercept personal interview. The advantages of using phone survey is competitive reduce cost and the respondent cooperation are good. So, it is a good back-up proposal for anything goes wrong in the mall intercept personal interview. There are some measurements guiding us in design our questionnaire. We should concern that each questions should have a reason behind asking and the type of answers you would like to receive y open-ended or close-ended. Later, we should concern on the questionnaire wording. In designing our questionnaire, we have avoided long questions that will give people confusing by using short and clear wording. Secondly, we avoid emotional and socially desirability response by loaded and assumption questions. So, the validity will be increased. Be sure all answer choices are mutually exclusive, check for ambiguity in wording the question, and ensure if the respondents can interpret the meaning of words differently. We also put aware on the personal pronouns (gender references) never use only him (his) or her (her) unless you are referring to a specific gender. Be specific, rather than general questions and word them so that they communicate uniform meaning. Avoid using double negatives, especi ally possible when using Agree/Disagree. 2.3 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT Scale There are several scale in setting questionnaire, interval scale, nominal scale, ordinal scale and ratio scale. We used Interval Scale in Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 in our questionnaire. An interval scale is a measurement scale in which a certain distance along the scale means the same thing no matter where on the scale you are, but where 0 on the scale does not represent the absence of the thing being measured. The Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales are examples. It is uniquely classifies, in preserves order and equal intervals. We used Nominal Scale in Q.5B, Q.5C, Q.5D, Q.5E in our questionnaire. A nominal scale is really a list of categories to which objects can be classified. For example, asking the gender and give Male and Female, for asking status, given Single Married and Divorce. The data so classified are termed categorical data, which are reflecting the classification of objects into different categories. We used Ordinal Scale in Q.5A, Q.5F and Q.5G in our questionnaire. An ordinal scale is a measurement scale that assigns values to objects based on their ranking with respect to one another. For example, Q.5G, we are asking about the monthly income of each target ordinance, from [1] Less than $5000 to [5] above $30,000. While you know that [5] is having more income than [1], but there is no implication that [5] is twice times more than [1]. All we know is that there are 5 categories, with obviously that [2] are having more income than [1], [3] are having more income than [2], etc. The higher the value assigned, the higher the category. 2.3.2 Pretest Procedure It is very important for us to do the pretest before the questionnaire being publicized; the aim of pretesting questionnaire is to ensure that it can be clearly understood. Since the questionnaire may have a lot of mistakes, therefore, we need to conduct and find out the information on that issue. Correct all the mistakes in the questionnaire are necessary, if the survey did not properly set, the purpose will not be achieved to conduct the accurate information what we looking for. For our questionnaire, in order to achieve the effectiveness of pretest, we are going to read the questionnaire for at least 15 times after setting. Besides, we are also going to ask for 15 respondents to test our questionnaire. Finding correct and relevant respondents can help to increase the efficacy of pretest. The varieties respondents would be desire for our Low Birth Rate questionnaires are the professionals, such as English teachers; lecturers, schoolmates from universities, and also our parents. We chose them for the questionnaire pretest procedure, since some of them have sufficient knowledge to state out our problems, for example, English teachers can correct our grammar and spelling mistakes, rectify the question wording into more format type. Lecturers can check the flow of questions and give suggestions on the question, ensure that we are using the multiple-grid format and have been separated them into variety of groups before conducting. And, some of them are easy to re ach, like our schoolmates, their feedbacks help us to predict our target ordinance reaction to the questionnaire, they also may help to estimate the time-taking. After all, we can rearrange the follow up and one by one. Use our questionnaire as an example, after the pretest procedure; we rectify the question wording to make the questionnaire become more clarify. Such as, using Very Unimportant and Very Important to replace Most Important and Least Important. Use full sentence, Are you working now? (If yes, please continue to answer the following questions. Otherwise, jump to à ¯Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Hà ¯Ã‚ ¹Ã… ¾) instead of a single word Occupation etc. (Appendix fig. 2.2, fig. 2.3) 2.4 SAMPLING Sampling is the simple way to reach out targets with a subset of the population instead of reaching the entire population. Compare with reaching the entire population, sampling will help to save time, cutting cost for budgeting and manpower. Firstly, we should figure the target group out. Our target group is men and women who have visited Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association. It is because they will have a brief concern and knowledge on the birth rate issue. To reach our target group, we would use the convenience sampling indeed. There is no sampling frame while it is actually a non-probability sampling method. Those respondents are unknown member form our target group because of using the non-probability sampling. Our interviews will select the most available targets arbitrary. However, we would set the 200 respondents as our sample size. As the mall intercept personal interview is suitable to associate with our research, it has many advantages indeed. First, the mall intercept personal interview can be conducted faster and inexpensive. Also, the mall intercept can poll a large number of respondents and control the speed of the survey. As we want to poll a large number of respondents in target group, we decided to interview in Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong within 3 days. As the mall intercept is a face-to-face contact with the interviewees, it will lead us easier follow-up and make corrections of the unclear or misunderstanding answers. These advantages will encourage us to conduct a better survey. Unfortunately, there is no perfect method existing in the world. We would just choose the method which consist the least disadvantages. In the mall intercept, we would require a lot of labour force to conduct. This will lead the research cost climb higher by hiring cost for interviewers. Furthermore, low accuracy of the survey is also a disadvantage of this method. It is difficult to follow up if we find out any problem while analyzing the answers. Further, the result sampling may not represent the entire population in a place. Therefore, we would find out some solutions to fix them. We would not employ volunteers as our group members can be the volunteers in the research. Perhaps, cost of the employment will be relatively lower. In order to improve the accuracy, setting up more intercept places for interview can enhance the representative level of the results. Also, after conducting the survey, interviewees would politely to ask the respondents to leave their contact information if they are willing to do that. Hopefully, it may improve the disadvantages of the survey method. We would do the survey over 3 selected places within 3 day. On 28th April, we would conduct in the Family Planning Association at Wan Chai while conducting in the Women Association in Tuen Mun in the following day (29th April). Finally, we would reach the Family Planning Association at Wong Tai Sin in 30th April. These 3 locations will be assigned a team to play the role as interviewers. Each team will consist of 3 member do stay within the place in the operation hours. The selection of those 3 places is due to improving the accuracy of the sampling over territories. In addition, easy to reach who concern birth rate, prepare to have a child or even avoid having child as well.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Benefits of Transmigration :: Immigrants Immigration Economics Essays

The general causes of migration are poverty, unemployment, economic stagnation and overpopulation. Accepting immigrants has become a humane cause along with foreign investment in these poor countries with the hope that less people will have to migrate. U.S. investment in the global economy has had the reverse affect though, encouraging people to move along with the flow of capital, goods, and services. Saskia Sassen’s article, Why Migration, points out that the â€Å"open nature of the U.S. labor market, epitomized by the notion that government should stay out of the marketplace, provides a necessary condition for immigration to occur.†(Why Migration, p.15). The new immigrants from Asian and Caribbean countries have different reasons for migrating. Many of these new migrants do not come from poor countries as previously thought. Many migrant-sending countries had been experiencing increasing economic growth. South Korea had one of the highest gross national pro ducts in the 1970's and also was sending a record amount of migrants to the U.S. at the time. These people were migrating towards the promise of freedom and prosperity. In the 1980's the U.N. reported that the U.S. was receiving 19% of all global emigration.(Why Migration, p.15). The U.S.’ foreign investment in export production has disturbed the traditional systems of many countries, displacing subsistence farmers so that commercial agriculture can thrive and produce more exports. Sassen says that the results are that â€Å"people first uprooted from traditional ways of life, then left unemployed and unemployable as export firms hire younger workers or move production to other countries, may see few options but emigration.†(Why Migration, p.17). Another cause for migration to the U.S. was the attractive prospect of an abundance of low wage jobs which U.S. citizens were not very interested in. Even educated and skilled immigrants have filled these low wage jobs when they first get to the U.S. These immigrants provide crucial and necessary services for the U.S. citizens and therefore should be welcomed by everyone. America now has 23 million foreign-born residents which is 8.4 percent of the population. Los Angeles, California alone has a foreign born population that makes up 40 percent of its total population. Charles S. Clark in his article, The New Immigrants, reports that â€Å"Over the past three decades, Asians, Latinos and Caribbean immigrants have outpaced the numbers of Irish, Italian, and Eastern European immigrants.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Why Do Governments Find It So Hard To Control Public Expenditure? :: essays research papers fc

Why Do Governments Find It So Hard To Control Public Expenditure? Since the 1970's rising public expenditure has become a politically salient issue, with the focus being on the difficulties experienced in trying to control it. In order to answer a question concerning why governments find it hard to control public expenditure it is first necessary to look at the reasons for the growth in public spending. There are three approaches which attempt to give reasons for growing public expenditure which I intend to scrutinise, these are, the societal system approach, the political system approach and the governmental system approach. An evaluation of these approaches should in turn shed light as to why governments find rising public expenditure hard to control. Following this approach which gives a wide outlook on the problems facing governments in controlling public expenditure, I will look at the post 1979 conservative government as it in particular targeted controlling expenditure upon taking office. Under the societal system approach one reason why a growth in public spending can be seen to have occurred is due to Wagner's ‘law of increasing state activity.' Wagner's claim is that as per capita real income increases in particular nations, they will spend a higher proportion of national product through government. As Wagner's reasons for increased public expenditure tend to be centralised around industrialisation and its associated effects it is not surprising to find that he thought the density of urban living would increase social frictions to such an extent that the government would be called in to handle it. That is to say, urban living would result in the need for enhanced police protection and other forms of government regulation. Wagner also believed that with growing industry certain investments would require so much capital that the state would have to provide it. He thought there would also be public goods that may not be in the interests of an entrepreneur to provide. There are counter arguments to Wagner's suggestions, the first of these is that it could be argued that increased density would provide opportunities for economies of scale. Thus, the proximity of people to one another could result in networks of personal support, lessening the need for public services. Secondly, contrary to Wagner's arguments for public good provision by the state, it is possible to show other countries that either do without it, or provide for user charges. This shifts the burden from general revenues to those who benefit most directly. Another reason for rising government expenditure under the societal system approach is expressed via Tarschy's ‘demonstration effect.' He suggests that the coming of television "has led to increased awareness of the standard of

Friday, October 11, 2019

Coketown described by Charles Dickens †Criticism Essay

This passage has come across a monotonous and dull town surrounded by industrialization. There is no colour, no aesthetic beauty but just buildings and factories that are an eyesore to the whole town. This town was once a nice place and it was a town of ‘red brick’ but because of all the smoke, dust and dirt it has now all changed to black brick. There is no life left in the inhabitants of the town. They are just servers to the town and they aren’t even considered the characters of the passage. They are dehumanized and instead the buildings are the characters that take over. The buildings seem to literally take over the human qualities and are given priority and superiority to the people. There is no change or difference between one building and another. ‘The Jail might have been the infirmary; the infirmary might have been the jail’. There is a sense of sameness and uniformity. Other people get life out of what Coketown sacrifices. The people of this town are stuck with this lifestyle forever as there doesn’t seem to be any way out if it. The town is literally doomed. There is the image of ‘serpents’ which give off the evil part to this town. It is almost as if the people are under the influence of this evil task master from which the inhabitants can never hope to escape. There is also the image of ‘water’ which is usually the symbol of life and purity but in this case the water has become a victim of this so called progress. This lifeless town is basically sustained by what it makes and produces. These people are sacrificing their lives and their town in order to survive. The only thing that seems to be done in this town is work and more work; there are no natural sights or pleasure in its perspective. Everything is made just for purpose and function. Even the chapel built which is supposed to be an inspiring building and h ave meaning to people is described as a ‘warehouse’. There is a feeling of entrapment in this town such as the ‘bird cage’ image used. These people have no knowledge of life out of this town. They are mechanical soldiers who feel enslaved to working for this town and feel like it is their only purpose to life. The people are alienated from each other as they don’t even seem to try and change this strict and totalitarian system. There is nothing more than facts and nothing seems important besides facts. It is a perverted world where people have lost their humanity and inanimate objects get a life of their own. This town seems to be what controls the people and unfortunately the people all seem to be too intimated by the system that they won’t even consider speaking up about the corrupt lifestyle they all live each day. There is a major devoid of natural life and the people are helpless to the situation.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Heineken Company Essay

It’s true that Heineken, the brand that bear with it the name of its mother company, is the most popular beer today-upholding supremacy for a period spinning over a century now. In 1964, Gerard Adrian Heineken bought a brewing company called De Hooiberg thereby changing its name to Heineken, after his own name. In addition to Heineken, which account for 20% of the total sales, Heineken has 170 beer brands including Star, Ochota, Murphy, Moretti, Zywiec, Cruzcampo, Tiger, and Amstel. In the advent of civilization and industrial revolution in the world, Heineken Company experienced expansive growth in terms of products, beer brands as well as venturing into other community development activities such as sponsoring sporting events. Meanwhile, the company expanded to become global brewer with tentacles extending to every corner of the world with such branches in Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Their key market areas today include, but not limited to, Germany, Spain, France and Italy. Whilst the size and modus operandi of Heineken Company apparently demonstrate some kind of a monopolistic structure in the market, it is very clear that its market structure is perfect competition. Situational analysis of how Heineken has come to grow immensely over time clearly shows that Heineken Company has strictly prevailed through the waves of perfect competition only to emerge as a winner in the long run. In the present world of extreme competitive environment, Heineken Company has been denied a chance of enjoying monopolistic competition. It is a common understanding that in monopolistic competition, there is only one supplier of a particular product in the available market thereby establishing its own stringent market rules with the consumers on the receiving end. The gains and pains of such a market structure culminate into a scenario where the seller grows to a greater extent at the expense of the suffering consumers. The major weakness of Heineken was the stiff competition that they faced among other national brands in the same market. Whereas Heineken established licensing agreements with the local brewing companies which allowed them to maintain some influence in the market, such an influence remained to be very insignificant. Other breweries controlled their marketing efforts and prices thereby resulting in a real problem for Heineken in marketing its brands. Heineken’s marketing ambitions to global levels has specifically been restricted by increased globalization because other breweries have taken advantage of time and established their market bases leaving little or rather no room for any other competitor no matter how big they are. Even in some markets Heineken’s brands are only seen as drinks appropriate for classified occasions and not common drinks for daily consumption by every Tom, Harry and Dick. Consequently, their marketing objectives to become a universal beer supplier have met significant barriers thereby causing them to rely on perpetual review of marketing policies and strategies. A number of marketing strategies are clearly manifested in the way Heineken Company achieved their enormous expansion since its foundation in the nineteenth century. To start with, the extent to which innovation is applied in all the aspects of their product including packaging leaves successful marketing as the only option for the already gigantic seller. Also, they understand their consumers’ needs at various occasions, their taste, and their dislike. The marketing strategies which are carved on basis of innovation ideas generated from the understanding they have of their consumers, allows them to spread highly fine-tuned policies across the entire supply chain of their brands- right from the raw materials to the end product. Whereas economic extremists may term this as brand narcissism, its cause and effects are justified without a query to the marketing team, vividly manifested by the fact that they have sustained themselves in the market for a long duration of time. The best example is shown by the fact that Heineken has used unique yeast for a long time in their fermentation thus giving every other of their brand a special taste to the consumer. Their quality is excellent and there is no debate about that. There was a gain on the mutual fund portfolio of Heineken Company over the period of approximately one year from April, 2009 to April, 2010. In addition, whilst there was a decrease in consumption of their local beer between 2008 and 2009, there was significant increase in imported brands in the same time period. Their average decrease in beer consumption was 7 percent in that time period. It is rational to assert that Heineken has enjoyed success in beer market over a tremendously long time period. In the meantime, they have had to strengthen their marketing efforts through applying such strategies as ensuring unique taste and quality of the product, price control as well as increasing their coverage (Heineken International, 2005). However the current stiff competition in the market has kept them at an extreme edge leading to a situation where they have to look for better strategies to maintain themselves in the market.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

A Worn Path By Eudora Welty Essay Eudora Welty, A Worn Path, Symbol,

Phoenix Jackson’s name which symbolizes the legend of the mythological phoenix bird is the first type of symbol seen in the story. A phoenix is mythological bird that turns to ashes upon dying and is born again from the ashes. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it. Phoenix Jackson uses her sensory information to get across the log in the pinewoods. The author notes, â€Å"Putting her right foot out, she mounted the log and shut her eyes. Lifting her skirt, lev... ... finds herself back to reality. The third type of symbol seen in the story is an object. Phoenix completes her journey and obtains medicine for her grandson. Earlier in the story, she risks stealing the hunter’s nickel that falls on the ground to buy her grandson something. With the money, Phoenix stops on the way home to buy her grandson a windmill. The windmill symbolizes the love she has for her grandson. Welty writes: This is what comes to me to do, she said, I’ll go to the store and buy my child a little windmill they sells, made out of paper. He going to find it hard to believe there such thing in the world. I’ll march myself back where he waiting, holding it straight up in this hand (240).Even though, Phoenix has had a long and hard journey she still stops and buys her grandson a windmill on the way home showing the unconditional love she has for him.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Consumerism and the Community College Student Essay

Consumerism and the Community College Student - Essay Example Chris determined this information through the use of a highly-honed ability to observe and mentally evaluate the sum total of the articles and clothing possessed by the people around her. Through this assessment (which includes not only the material price of each item, but it’s acceptability within the â€Å"now† trends) Chris was able to determine whether each classmate was of the â€Å"right† crowd or, if not, to what degree they were lacking. Like many people within a consumer society such as America, Chris was basing her identity, and therefore the identities of those around her, on a purely material basis. Based on the stuff they own in 2005, community college students’ cultural backgrounds cause them to live â€Å"constructed lives.† Students such as Chris use materialistic cues such as the style of dress, individual possessions and the ability to keep up with the ever-changing market trends to help them identify others sharing a similar desire to obtain something called the â€Å"right† life. â€Å"We want our lives to match our vision of the good life, itself largely a product of the media. We want to have the right clothes, the right car, the right house, the right job, the right spouse, the right children, even the right toothpaste† (Gabler). Because certain items have come to symbolize individual levels attained in the search for the â€Å"perfect† life, college students strive to attain the material goods rather than focus on developing an identity independent of worldly possessions.

Monday, October 7, 2019

The Jet Engine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Jet Engine - Essay Example Fuel and air is mixed and ignited inside the cavity of the engine. However, jet engines are different for other type of internal combustion engines, as they have no pistons. Jet engines have lesser moving parts as compared to the piston based internal combustion engine. The main parts of the jet engines or gas turbine engine are turbine, compressor, fuel ignition system and a connection rod that connects turbine and compressor. The compressor, ignition system (burner) and the turbines are the core of the jet engine. The word gas generator refers the core of the jet engines as hot gases are produced within the core of the jet engines. The compressor compresses the air inside the engine. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited. Due to the ignition, the fuel burns rapidly in the presence of air and hot gases rush out of the engine through the turbine. The turbine rotates as the hot gases rush out of the engine due to the aerodynamic energy (Birch 2001, p.74). Turbine and compressor are connected with a same shaft. The rotation of the turbine rotates the compressor that compresses more air into the engine. Jet engine output is evaluated with respect to the thrust it produces. Each jet engine in the aircraft produces thrust that makes the aircraft to move forward (Soares, 2008, p.67). The motion in the aircraft verifies Newton’s third law that states, â€Å"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction† (Holzner 2011, p.45). The thrust of the engine is in the backward direction that produces an opposite and equal amount of force in the airplane and airplane moves in the forward direction. Forward momentum allows the locomotive having jet engine to move in forward direction. Forward momentum depends on the net thrust. Net thrust of a jet engine makes the airplane or any other locomotive to move in the forward direction. However, in case when there is no forward momentum, the

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Apple and Phinnaeus or Julie and David Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Apple and Phinnaeus or Julie and David - Essay Example Her basic belief was that names have the characteristics of changing personalities and life styles. This change in name had a great impact upon individual’s living pattern, the great example that she witnessed was that people with the name of David were more studious as compared to other students. Although, this nameology concept of her was not demanded by customers, it brought great business for her as a nameologist. Maryana Korwitts’s main target market was parents who wanted to name their new born babies on the basis of Nameology Individuals wanting their babies to lead a successful life in future were enticed to buy a $399 package of Naming Manual which included many different things such as a copy of Book Name Power, five online BABYtalk profiles of top name choices, a 30 minute advice on telephone and a Personalised owner’s Manual for the baby. Besides the Babies, the other target markets for Maryana Korwitts were companies and individuals that had faced a downfall. All those individuals and companies were the targeted who believed in Nameology and lead a difficult and a less successful time period. Maryana Korwitts has been really competitive in providing names and logos for businesses and organisation The main competitors for Korwitts’s business were its competitors in the same business field such as Kannan M. Mr. Kannan M runs a business in the same area of Nameology but he has pointed out that Nameology can not successful until and unless it is well coordinated with other issues such as Astrology and Bioenergetics. The competitor for namestructure.com (Maryana Korwitts’s website for Nameology business) is lucky-name-numerology.com which is being run by Mr. Kannan M. Besides these competitors in the same field of Nameology, other competitive threats for Maryana Korwitts have been the Astrologers other Numerologist who suggest that Nameology is not in itself a complete area to suggest names that can