5 Easy Resolutions for the New Year

5 Easy Resolutions for the New Year New Year’s resolutions are hard. There’s a reason you haven’t been doing these things all along- because life often gets in the way of going to the gym regularly, or eating better, or spending more time on passion projects. The trick is to make sure your resolutions are specific things you can achieve in the short-term. Otherwise, they’ll just end up repeating on your list at the end of next year, still undone and haunting you. In addition to any larger personal resolutions you might have for the new year, here are some small resolutions you can definitely achieve that  will make your work life better.1. Go to bed (slightly) earlier.This one is hard, I know. There’s that show on TV. And Facebook isn’t going to check itself at midnight, amiright? Try moving your bedtime up in 15 minute increments, and see how it goes. You’ll get more sleep and be more ready to get moving in the morning.2. Come up with a lunch plan.If you don’t do this already, plan to bring your lunch more often. Spend a little time on weekends coming up with a brief plan of what you’ll bring, and pick up those items at the store. That time, plus the mere 15 minutes it will take each night to pull together a salad, pre-made soup, or sandwich, will be worth it when you’re not buying $10 salads. Ease into it by saying you’ll start with a few days per week. You don’t have to turn into someone who eats a Sad Desk Lunch everyday; bring things you’ll like eating, and eat with coworkers, or outside.3. Don’t scrimp on the stress relief.Maybe a half-hour kickboxing class gets out all of your frustrations. Maybe a 3-hour Netflix binge is what you need to untangle your mind from a crappy day at work. Maybe you can do yoga in your living room while your dog tries to push you out of the way and lay on your yoga mat (true story). Whatever helps you get through the week, make sure you rally to do it twice a week . The rest of the week, you can stay on the couch and think about how you should be doing that thing.4. Don’t say â€Å"yes† to everything.Remember that it’s okay to say no to requests or invitations if you just can’t handle them. Maybe don’t try this when your boss invites you to perform a task that’s well within your job description, but going above and beyond is not always mandatory. Sometimes it’s just not possible to be the one who juggles all the balls. Know what your limits are, and don’t be afraid to say, â€Å"No, I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now.†5. Don’t get angry at the little thingsWe all have petty workplace grievances: someone who takes forever at the copier, or that guy who is just†¦ so†¦ annoying. Listen to the advice from that ubiquitous Frozen song and let it go. In the new year, try to tune out things that would ordinarily bump up your blood pressure. Chances are, you can’t do anything about the annoying things that people around you do, so don’t worry about them. You do you, and concentrate on what makes you more happy and productive.You got this. None of these things require major lifestyle changes, just a few†¦ tweaks. And even if this isn’t the year you finally finish writing that novel or lose 25 pounds, you can check these off and feel great about what you’ve changed for the better.

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words The words dam and damn are homophones: they sound the same but have different meanings.The noun dam refers to a barrier that holds back water. As a verb, dam means to hold back or confine. As a verb, damn means to criticize or to condemn as bad or inferior. As an interjection, damn is used to express anger, frustration, or disappointment. As an adjective, damn serves as a shorted form of damned. Examples Are you that little Dutch  boy with the finger in the dam trying to prevent the wall from coming down and the water from flooding your valley?  (Jeanette C. Morgan, The Voice That Must Be Heard. Tate, 2010)The Boers were unsuccessful in their efforts to dam up the Klip River in order to flood the town.Damn them, he cursed inwardly, years of bitter resentment welling up inside him. Damn them for laughing, damn the driver for swearing at him! Damn the whole town.(James Herbert, The Fog. Pan Macmillan, 1999) Practice The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to _____ the person who used them.  (Piers Anthony, On a Pale Horse. Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the _____ in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a _____ to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.  (Craig Lesley, Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984) Answers to Practice Exercises The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to  damn  the person who used them. (Piers Anthony,  On a Pale Horse.  Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the  dam  in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a  dam  to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.   (Craig Lesley,  Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984)

Investigation of the causes of failure of Lehman Brothers with special Dissertation

Investigation of the causes of failure of Lehman Brothers with special reference to agency problems - Dissertation Example This research study mainly focuses on answering the question related to possible agency problems that were instrumental in the failure of Lehman Brothers. It also evaluates other possible reasons of its failure. The research study was conducted through a literature review and the case study research method. The report relies primarily on secondary research, making use of the existing literature from various articles, journals, and newspapers. The findings of this study suggested that agency problems played a significant the fallout of Lehman Brothers with the company managers involved in taking several risky investment decisions, less on behalf of the owners of the company and more in the interests of top management. The high amount of incentive compensations offered to the top executives encouraged them to resort to such business strategies. Apart from the failure of risk management control within the company, its complex organisational structure and the adverse impact of global financial crisis also played a role in the collapse of Lehman Brothers. This research study can thus be helpful in conducting further research on agency problems that can arise in other business organisations worldwide. It can be helpful for companies to develop various means to overcome such problems, leading to more sustainable and less risky growth and development. Table of Contents Tables and Figures 2 Chapter I: Introduction 3 1.1Rationale of the Study 5 1.2Aims and Objectives of the Study 6 1.3Research Questions 6 Chapter II: Literature Review 7 2.1 Subprime Crisis 7 2.2 Agency Theory 8 2.3 Agency Problems 9 2.3.1 Contracts 11 2.3.2 Incentive Contracts 12 2.3.3 Management Discretion 13 2.3.4 Evidences Related to Agency Costs 13 2.4 Causes of Failure of Lehman Brothers 14 2.4.1 Complex Organisational Structure 16 2.4.2 Valuation Issues 17 2.4.3 Risk Management Issues 17 2.4.4 Sarbanes-Oxley Act 18 Chapter III: Research Methodology 19 3.1 Type of Research Method 19 3.2 Data Sources 19 3.3 Case Study Research 19 3.5 Research Design 20 3.5.1 Construct Validity 20 3.5.2 Internal Validity 21 3.5.3 External Validity 21 3.5.4 Reliability 22 Chapter IV: Findings and Analysis 22 4.1 Secondary Research Findings 22 4.1.1 Lehman Brothers and its Organisational Structure 22 4.1.2 Lehman Brothers’ Financials 23 4.1.3 Executive Compensations 24 4.2 Findings 25 4.3 Analysis and Discussions 25 Chapter V: Conclusion 26 Works Cited 28 Tables and Figures Figure 1.1 24 Figure 1.2 25 Chapter I: Introduction The financial industry worldwide experienced a great shock with the event of the bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers on 15 September, 2008. It is considered to be one of the largest filing of bankruptcy by any organization in United States. This significant incident occurred in the midst of

What does the tree represent and what does Melinda learn from her Essay

What does the tree represent and what does Melinda learn from her creation of a tree - Essay Example The significance of the tree in the book Speak, is the growth that it symbolizes for Melinda in the story. At first Melinda is unhappy with her choice to paint a tree, but Mr. Freeman tells her that she cannot choose another option as it is her destiny. Mr. Freeman also implies that one has to be at peace with one’s self before you will be at peace with the art that you create and this is significantly shown throughout the story as Melinda struggles to be happy with the tree’s that she paints and struggles to bring her tree’s to life. It is clear to see that the author of the book deliberately chose for Melinda’s artwork to be about a tree as a tree is the symbol of life. In this book the tree first symbolizes death as Melinda seems to be struggling and wilting on the inside after the rape that she had endured. Melinda’s art also follows a pattern of death to life One example of Melissa’s painted trees reflecting her tortured mind is after th e pep rally where Melinda’s art consists of painted watercolors of trees that have been hit by lightning and is so dark that you can almost not see the trees. This is a symbol of the torment, teasing and daily struggles that Melinda faces in school from her previous friends as well as from certain teachers. The darkness also represents Melinda’s struggle to keep the secret that she is hiding in the dark as she is not willing to speak up about it. The painting of trees by Melinda and the story that unfolds in the book go hand in hand as Melinda’s painting projects her frame of mind and the turmoil inside of her. The greatest contributing factor to Melinda’s struggle is the Antagonist Andy Evans who had viciously raped Melinda at Kyle Rogers end of summer party, which forced Melinda to call the police. This incident led to Melinda being an outcast as her friends

Distance Measurements and Scientific Notation Essay

Distance Measurements and Scientific Notation - Essay Example Help students grasp our place in the enormous universe by reviewing your school’s â€Å"galactic address†Ã¢â‚¬â€beginning with its street address and ending with its place in the universe. Review the units of measurement that are used to represent distances in each part of the galactic address. Give students examples for each step, or have them use reference materials to provide their own examples. Help them appreciate unfamiliar units of measurement, such as light-years and astronomical units. By thinking about their location on a small scale first and then moving out to a much larger scale, students begin to learn a sense of how distance is measured at each scale. This understanding will motivate them to learn through the lesson further. 1. Tell students that one means of putting these unimaginable sizes and distances into perspective is to compare them to smaller scales that are easier to understand. In this activity, students will convert and sizes in space to smal ler units. Distribute the Class Activity Sheet: Understanding Sizes and Distances in the Universe. Instruct students to work in pairs to answer the questions. Solution: Three pieces of information are needed in order to determine this scale distance to the moon: the diameter of the quarter, Earth’s diameter, and the actual distance from Earth to the moon. Measuring the quarter reveals that it has a diameter of 1 inch. Earth’s diameter is about 8,000 miles. The actual distance from Earth to the moon is an average of 240,000 miles, although this distance can vary with the moon’s orbit around Earth.

The Ethiopian Revenue And Customs Authority Erca Accounting Essay

The Ethiopian Revenue And Customs Authority Erca Accounting Essay Introduction The Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA) conduct customs operations under the mandates given to it by proclamation Number 622/2009. A number of regulations and directives issued by the Council of Ministers and Ministry of Revenue also govern its operations. An examination of the Customs Proclamation and its supporting regulations and directives shows that except in the valuation of used goods and vehicles, it is consistent with the WTO Valuation Agreement. This is commendable if we take into consideration that it was issued before Ethiopia even became a member of the WTO. Country Experiences on Used Car Valuation Ethiopia Directive No.6/1996 (E.C.), on Used Vehicles and Goods Valuation and calculation of duties and taxes was issued by the former Ministry of Revenues (MoR), a predecessor of the current Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA), with the stated objective of making the valuation system of used vehicles and goods a transparent, equitable and accountable one. It provides that the customs value of used vehicles and goods is to be based on the C.I.F. price of the good or identical or similar goods when it was bought as new. A depreciation allowance of 10 percent per year, with a maximum allowance of 30 percent is then deducted to arrive at the customs value. This means that for all vehicles and goods which are more than 3 years old at the time of importation 70 percent of the original selling price is used as the customs value of such goods. ( Directive No.6/1996 E.C.) It is quite clear that the above discussed valuation method does not conform to the methods of the Agreement on Impleme ntation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994). Furthermore, it cannot be considered even under Article 7 of the Agreement which provides for a fall-back method of valuation because (i) the directive does not apply the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994) valuation methods sequentially but automatically uses an alternative method of depreciation allowance it devised, and (ii) it does not follow valuation methods laid down in Articles 1 through 6 of the Agreement , albeit with a reasonable flexibility, as stipulated under Annex I , Note to Article 7 , Paragraph 1 to 3 of the Interpretive Note of the Agreement. In addition, the 10 percent annual depreciation rate and the maximum allowed depreciation of 30 percent of the original price clearly do not reflect to prevailing market prices of used vehicles in the markets from which they are imported. Canada Memorandum D13-10-2 Used Automobiles, Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Other Vessels of Canada (2001, pp 2) outlines and explains the manner in which the value for duty of used automobiles and motor vehicles and boats and other vessels is to be determined. Where a vehicle or boat, new or used, is imported within 30 days of the date of delivery to the purchaser, it will be valued for customs purposes using the purchase price as the basis for establishing a transaction value. A valid sale for export to Canada is considered to have occurred, and any use of the vehicle or boat prior to importation will be regarded as being incidental to delivery of the vehicle or boat to Canada. If the requirements of section 48 of the Customs Act of Canada (1985), (which is the transaction value method, are not met the value for duty must be determined under one of the subsequent methods of valuation applied in the sequential order provided for in the sections 49 to 53 of the Act. (Canada Customs Act, 1985) For imported used vehicles which are not sold for export to Canada, (ibid) importers may declare a value for duty by referencing used vehicle valuation guides published in the country of export, which list retail sales values for vehicles in average condition. These values indicate the amount any purchaser can expect to pay for the vehicle, whether purchased for use in the country of export or for export to Canada. (Memorandum D13-10-2, 2001; pp. 3) In cases where the importer is unable to provide a value from a neutral source in the country of exportation, customs will use, as its primary reference, the retail sales value listed in the Canadian Automobile Red Book Official Used Car Valuations (Memorandum D13-10-2, 2001; pp. 4). An amount for Canadian duties and taxes, using the duty and tax rates applicable at the time of importation of the goods being appraised, will be deducted from the published listed value, in a flexible application under section 53, of the deductive value method of section 51. (Memorandum D13-10-2, 2001; pp.4) The above discussed used car valuation experience of Canada fully conforms to the methods of valuation of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994). If the requirements of the transaction value method are not met, the value for duty must be determined under one of the subsequent methods of valuation applied in the sequential order which makes it fully consistent with Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994). Article 7 of the Agreement which provides for a fall-back method of valuation is considered when the other methods of valuation cannot be used. Under this method, used vehicle valuation guides are used which consistent with Article 7 of the Agreement. 2.3 Australia The Transaction Value Method: According to the Australian Customs Notice (1998), the Customs value of new or second hand privately imported motor vehicles or motor cycles will ordinarily be calculated using the transaction value method. Under this method the Customs value is based on the price actually paid or payable for the vehicle or cycle in a bona fide sale where the price is not influenced by any other factors such as related party transaction. This method will be used where the importer can show that the vehicle or cycle was purchased to be exported to Australia. (Australian Customs Notice, 1998) Similarly, as stipulated in the Notice (ibid), the transaction value method is not used when: The road vehicle has been purchased overseas at only a token or nominal price Between the date of purchase of the road vehicle and its subsequent exportation to Australia its value has altered due to the following occurring: the addition of accessories, fittings or options, major restoration, modifications or any improvements to the road vehicle made after its purchase; or the road vehicle has depreciated due to wear and tear caused by usage before exportation, an example of this that during the 12 month period of ownership and use required to obtain a permit to import the road vehicle was subject to normal usage which added additional mileage and depreciation to the vehicle; Where any of the above situations have occurred, the Transaction value method cannot be used and an Alternate Methods of determining the customs value will be considered. Customs and Border Protection experience has shown that the majority of road vehicles imported cannot be valued using the Transaction value method because they were not purchased solely for export to Australia or the vehicle has depreciated since purchase due to use. (Australian Customs Notice, ibid ). Alternate Methods of Valuation: When the transaction value method cannot be used to determine Customs Value, the alternate methods of valuation, as set out in Section 159 of the Australian Customs Act will be applied in sequential order. There are several alternate methods to determine the customs value of privately owned road vehicle. The Fall-Back Deductive method is the most appropriate method for establishing the customs value of privately imported road vehicles when it is unable to be determined using the previously mentioned methods. This method is based on the value of the road vehicle at the Australian wharf. The value is established by referring to an expert appraisal. ( Australian Customs Notice, ibid ). In this context, the expert appraisal should provide a cost for the road vehicle as it has been appraised at the point of importation. The appraisal will include any modifications or accessories that have been made or added to the road vehicle prior to its importation to Australia but not any changes to the vehicle that will be required after importation. Once the Australian landed cost has been satisfactorily established, certain deductions will be made by Customs and Border Protection. The value so determined will be the customs value which will be used to determine the customs duty and GST payable. (Australian Customs, ibid ). Another issue to consider is the circumstances where the application of the depreciation method is not appropriate. Certain models and makes of cars enjoy a particular status in the collector market. As an example, certain cars appreciate in value as they become valued as collector or classic and vintage cars. It is not unusual for such cars to be worth much more than the price when sold new. In these cases, it will be necessary to establish a value, where the declared transaction value is doubted, through the use of specialized publications or auctions results, in the country of export. (Australian Customs Notice, ibid ). The used car valuation experience of Australia fully conforms to the methods of valuation of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994). The Customs value of new or second hand privately imported motor vehicles or motor cycles will be calculated using the transaction value method. This method will be used where the importer can show that the vehicle or cycle was purchased to be exported to Australia. When the transaction value method cannot be used to determine Customs Value, the alternate methods of valuation, will be applied in sequential order. Expert appraisal of used vehicles is used to assess the customs value. This method is consistent with Article 7 of the Agreement which provides for the Fall-Back method. Analysis of the Case Study An owner/ importer, a resident of Country I and a car collector, imported a vehicle from Country E. The owner / importer bought the car from a secondhand car dealership owned by the employer of his brother, which indicate the possibility of a related party transaction. According to Article 15 Paragraph 4 (h) of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994), persons are deemed to be related if they are members of the same family. Since the importer is a brother of the employee working at car dealership there is a relation. The question is whether this relation can affect the transaction value. Since the brother of the importer is only an employee and not an owner of the car dealership, there is no possibility for him to influence the price actually paid or payable. The case study indicated that the make and model of the car bought by the importer was not previously imported into Country I. Therefore, no previous transaction values of identical or similar goods could be found. Where no transaction value could be determined under the transaction value method of Article 1 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994), for the goods being valued, it is necessary to consider a transaction value previously accepted by Customs for identical goods, as the goods being valued. If a customs value cannot be determined using the identical goods valuation method of Article 2 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994), then the next step is to seek a transaction value previously accepted by Customs for similar goods as the goods being valued. Since there is no previously accepted identical or similar goods value, the identical and similar goods valuation methods, which presuppose the prior importation of the same make and model of the vehicle being imported, cannot be used. The transaction for Customs valuation purposes must be the sale for export to the country of importation. There must therefore have actually been a transfer of ownership resulting in the exportation of the goods to the country of importation. The case study shows that the importer had used the car in the Country of export prior to importation. Therefore the car is not purchased by the importer in the context of a sale for export to Country I. As shown in the experiences of other countries above, regarding the valuation of used goods and vehicles, if a vehicle after being purchased in the country of export is used in the country of export prior to importation, the transaction value method of valuation cannot be used because the value of the vehicle is altered. Therefore, this fact precludes the possibility of using the transaction value method of valuation. Another fact which is indicated in the case study is that, prior to export; the car had been stored and transported in the country of export. According to Article 8 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1994) there are costs which are added to the price actually paid or payable. The incorporation of Article 8 of Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 additions on the transaction value, presupposes that the method of valuation used is the transaction value method. If the transaction value method of valuation is not used, the cost associated with the storage and transportation of the car in the country of export cannot be added because alternative valuation methods are used. The case study also shows that the importer presented to customs an appraised value of $ 40,000 assessed by an insurance company in the country of import. The Australian experience shows, the expert appraisal should provide a value for the road vehicle as it has been appraised at the point of importation. Therefore, appraised values in the country of importation can be acceptable. What is doubtful in this case is, whether the appraised value by an expert from an insurance company can be considered an independent appraisal and therefore can be used by Customs. The appraisal by insurance company cannot be independent from the importer and cannot be acceptable by Customs. The other point is that, the appraised value for insurance purposes may differ from an appraised value for customs purposes, in which case the appraised value by an expert from an insurance company cannot be acceptable. Therefore, the rejection of the appraised value by customs is correct. As indicated in the case study, during inspection by customs, a Country E car dealership receipt amounting to $ 80,000 made out to the importer was found in the glove-compartment of the car. Assuming the receipt is for the same make and model of the car purchased by the importer, the question to be asked is, whether the customs value of the vehicle can be based on the invoice. As indicated earlier, the vehicle had been used after purchase in the country of export. Therefore, the value of the vehicle had been altered which leads us to explore other valuation methods other than the transaction value method. Chapter 5 under the General Annex of the revised Kyoto Convention states that, the amount of security to be deposited to be kept at reasonable levels and therefore, ensure that they are not used for punitive purposes. The Customs administrations determine how much security is needed. The amount of security has to be as low as possible, and, in respect of payment of duties and taxes, is not to exceed the amount potentially chargeable. Therefore, according to the Revised Kyoto convention, the amount of security to be deposited to clear goods under protest is determined by Customs not by the importer. The information provided in the case study indicates the potential to be collected is $ 12,000 based on the receipt price of $80,000. Security amount of $ 12,000 does not exceed the amount potentially chargeable. Therefore, the action taken by Customs is consistent with the Revised Kyoto Convention. Summary and Conclusion 4.1 Summary The importer had used the car in the Country of export prior to importation. If a vehicle after being purchased in the country of export is used in the country of export, the transaction value method of valuation cannot be used because the value of the vehicle is altered. Therefore, this fact precludes the possibility of using the transaction value method of valuation. The make and model of the car bought by the importer was not previously imported into Country I. Therefore, the value of the vehicle cannot be determined using the identical goods and the similar goods valuation methods as well as the deductive value method, which presuppose the prior importation of the same make and model of the vehicle being imported or the reselling of the imported car. The case study indicated that the car is imported by a collector which shows that it is not for reselling. The information required to substantiate production costs will normally be held by the seller/manufacturer and therefore is unlikely to be immediately available to the buyer in the country of importation. Also, it is unlikely that the importer will be able to obtain this information unless he/she is related to the seller or has a long term trusting relationship/association. In addition it will not be possible to establish the cost of production of the imported vehicle in the condition in which it is imported. Therefore, it is not possible to establish the value of the used vehicle using the computed value method. The importer presented to customs an appraised value of $ 40,000 assessed by an insurance company in the country of import which was rejected by customs. Appraised values in the country of importation can be acceptable. Since the appraised value was assessed for the purpose of insurance which may differ from an appraised value for customs purposes, the appraised value by an expert from an insurance company cannot be acceptable. The invoice value of $80, 000 which was found by Customs inspectors in the glove compartment of the car could not be accepted as transaction value, because according to the Australian Custom experience, if the vehicle is used prior to exportation to Australia the initial transaction value of the vehicle will be altered due to wear and tear as a result of usage. 4.2 Conclusion For the valuation of imported goods using the fallback method, three principles must be adhered to the customs value must be determined using reasonable means; these means it must be consistent with the principles and general provisions of the    Agreement; as much as possible the customs value must be determined on the basis of data available in the country of importation. However, this need not be taken as ruling out the use of information from other countries. Consequently, the origin of such information does not prevent its use for the purposes of Article 7 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, provided that the information is available in the country of importation and Customs is in a position to check that it is true and accurate. Therefore, one of the following two alternative ways can be used to determine the value of the vehicle with consultation between the Customs administration and the importer for exchange of information. The Fall-Back method is the most appropriate method for establishing the customs value of privately imported road vehicles when it is unable to be determined using the other methods of valuation. In the case of Australia, the value is established by referring to an expert appraisal. Therefore, using an appraised value conducted by an expert appraiser independent from the importer is appropriate. The other Fall-Back method, to be used is the used vehicle valuation guides published in the country of export, which lists retail sales values for vehicles in average condition. These values indicate the amount any purchaser can expect to pay for the vehicle, whether purchased for use in the country of export or for export to other countries. This neutral source of information is another way of assessing the value consistent with CVA.

Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay -- Color Purple Es

Essay on Race and Class in The Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walker's The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. Indeed, the passage in which Celie struggles to puzzle out the markings on her first envelope from Nettie provides a concrete illustration of both Celie's particular horizon of interpretation and Walker's chosen approach to the epistolary form: Saturday morning Shug put Nettie letter in my lap. Little fat queen of England stamps on it, plus stamps that got peanuts, coconuts, rubber trees and say Africa. I don't know where England at. Don't know where Africa at either. So I stir don't know where Nettie at. (102) Revealing Celie's ignorance of even the most rudimentary outlines of the larger world, this passage clearly defines the "domestic" site she occupies as the novel's main narrator.(1) In particular, the difficulty Celie has interpreting this envelope underscores her tendency to understand events in terms of personal consequences rather than political categories. What matters ab... .... 99-111. Shelton, Frank W. "Alienation and Integration in Alice Walker's The Color Purple." CLA Journal 28 (1985): 382-92. Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. "Explanation and Culture: Marginalia." Humanities and Society 2 (1974): 201-21. Stade, George. "Womanist Fiction and Male Characters." Partisan Review 52 (1985): 264-70. Tate, Claudia. Domestic Allegories of Political Desire: The Black Heroine's Text at the Turn of the Century. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction. New York: Oxford UP, 1985. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcourt, 1982.

A Description of the Issue or Area of Public Concern Raised Essay

Unit 201 Principles of communication in adult social care settings Outcome 1 Understand why communication is important in adult social care settings 1.1 -Create and maintain relationships -To teach and to learn – To share opinions – Feelings and emotions -getting to know each other’s 1.2 Effective communication is essential in building a meaningful relationship between the resident and the carer as it can help build trust and respect. Effective communication is fundamental in regards to the resident’s needs and preferences and to ensure they are met. Effective communication can get positive results. 1.3 In face-to-face communication, the person listening may not always indicate verbally if they have understood or if they agree. Observing body language helps the speaker understand if the other person understand, agrees Outcome 2 Understand how to meet the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences of an individual 2.1 It is important to find out an individual’s communication and language, needs, wishes and preferences to: Enable effective communication, understand what an individual is trying to express, understand an individual’s beliefs, culture, and values. To stop an individual becoming stressed out, frightened or frustrated. To be able to support an individual in their daily life. 2.2 Non-verbal communication: -written words -facial expressions – eye contact – touch – physical gestures – body language – behaviour – gestures – visual aids e.g. flash cards, pictures, symbols Verbal communication: – vocabulary – linguistic tone – pitch Outcome 3 Understand how to reduce barriers to communication 3.1 Barriers may include: – not understanding or being aware of an individual’s needs, wishes, beliefs, values and culture – not making communication aids available or checking they are working – not allowing sufficient time to listen -being dismissive and nonresponsive -a noisy environment -an uncomfortable environment e.g. lighting, temperature – a lack of privacy 3.2 To reduce barriers to communication you have to ensuring the support for individual’s, be available for others. Establishing the individual’s needs, wishes, beliefs, values and culture . Also seeking advice from others. If necessary change the environment. 3.3 At the end of the conversation you can ask the individuals if understand everything you was saying to him. To make yourself sure. 3.4 -Translation services This service can help with changing the written text from one language to another. -Interpreting services This service can help with converting spoken language to another language. -Speech and language services This service can support people who have had a stroke and have problems with their speech. -Advocacy services This service can support people who are unable to speak up for themselves. This service tries to understand the needs, wishes and preferences of people, and will argue on their behalf. Outcome 4 Understand confidentiality in adult social care settings 4.1 Confidentiality means keeping information private and keeping information safe. Passing on private information only with the individual’s permission . Only passing on information without the individual’s permission to others who have a right to it or need to know it. 4.2 If you wants maintain confidentiality you have to be aware of bringing up personal information re: patients/residents. Think before you share information as it may be confidential. Do not share more than is necessary. You have to check the identity of the person before passing on information. Do not discussing personal information about individuals outside of work, you never know who may be listening. 4.3 Sometimes confidential information disclosed by a client may need to be passed on to others: If there is a risk of danger or harm to the client, or other people, if abuse is suspected, or if there is suspected misconduct of a colleague, in respect of care of a client, (Whistle-blowing). You must inform the client why the information needs to be passed on to others, and that it is your responsibility to do so. 4.4 The only time you seek advice when adult has spoken to you in confidentiality is when that person is in danger. For example. If being sexually abused, physically abused, threatening to kill themselves etc.

Acid essays

Acid essays Acids and bases are compounds that, when added to an aqueous solution, change the amounts of H3O+ and OH- ions in solution. Acids increase the amount of H3O+ in solution by donating protons (H+) to water (H2O), forming H3O+. Bases increase the amount of OH- by removing protons from water, forming OH-. Acidic solutions have more H3O+ than OH- in them, while the opposite is the case for basic solutions. Acids in water solutions show the following common properties: they taste sour; turn litmus paper red, and react with certain metals, such as zinc, to yield hydrogen gas. Bases in water solutions show these common properties: they taste bitter, turn litmus paper blue, and feels slippery. When a water solution of acid is mixed with a water solution of base, water and salt are formed, this process, called neutralization, is complete only if the resulting solution has neither acidic nor basic properties. What is important to your understanding of acids and bases is this one fact: No matter how much acid you put into a solution, there are still some OH- ions floating around due to auto ionization of water that constantly takes place, and no matter how basic you make a solution, there is still some H3O+ present in that solution. A solution containing H3O+ can be basic, because there are more OH- ions, and a solution containing OH- ions can be acidic, there just needs to be more H3O+ present. Acid-base chemistry is an important part of everyday life. The excess hydronium ions in acids give them interesting properties. Acids can react with metals and other materials. The strong acid HCl is produced in your stomach to help digest food. In dilute concentrations, acids are responsible for the sour taste of lemons, limes, vinegar and other substances. Bases are also very reactive. The strong base NaOH is used in many household-cleaning agents such as oven cleaner and drain clog-re ...

What Is Ethnocentrism Essay Example

What Is Ethnocentrism Essay Example What Is Ethnocentrism Paper What Is Ethnocentrism Paper In America, the greatest supremacy of the world, we have the most advanced and sophisticated culture in history. The inferior British drive on the wrong side of the road, and Greeks reek of the scent of Garlic. Does garlic really smell bad? Maybe the right side is the wrong side of the road, and other countries may feel the same way about their culture as those Yankees feel about their USA. What do we call the sense of cultural superiority? Sociology has a term called ethnocentrism, which is defined as â€Å"the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of ones own culture† (about sociology). Many claim that ethnocentrism occurs in every society. The opposite of ethnocentrism is multiculturalism, which is the belief that all cultures are basically equal. Ethnocentricity is essentially a double-edged sword, and has been shown to be a powerful force that exhibits both positive and negative consequences inside a cultural group. There are three major causes of why ethnocentricity exists: individuals’ different life experiences, social and political power, and economic rationale. The truth is there is no one who can wholly abstain from being ethnocentric. Since it is impossible to experience the life situations of everyone in the world, we will always base some assumptions on life built from our existing finite life experience. It must also be noted that a worldview in which someone does not consider their view as the correct one, is inconsistent as it would be admitting falseness. In a social group or culture, ethnocentrism can produce a diligent, productive, and innovative society, while unchecked or distorted ethnocentrism can lead to racism, chaos, or war. Causal support for the existence of ethnocentrism can be found in the very definition of ethnocentricity itself, â€Å"characterized by or based on the attitude that ones own group is superior† (Merriam-Webster). The belief that one’s own group is better usually brings a sense of entitlement or power. Ethnocentrically based lust of power has created numerous instances of human rights violations, wars, racial conflicts, and colonization. The power struggle in the Darfur region of Sudan is a tragic example of ethnocentricity between two groups engaging in a civil war. The battle between the totalitarian Muslim government and African rebel groups has left approximately 400,000 people dead, and millions displaced (Associated Press). The Sudanese government has been accused of supporting the Arab terrorist group Janjaweed commit genocide throughout the country with an aim to annihilate the African insurgent groups that want a larger share of influence in the Sudanese government. The ethnocentric view of national imperialism has greatly affected most developing nations around the earth. An illustration of imperialism would be the European nations’ colonization of Asian nations. After monopolizing many Asian countries resources by gaining control of their trading ports and routes, the Europeans impressed much of their cultural ideals on these nations. As a result, people living under the British came to adapt their culture to match the British perspective. The colonies’ commercial interests, education and other concepts revolved around the British. The same occurrence happened to colonies under the Dutch, French and Spanish too. 831 was the year that Alexis de Tocqueville coined the term American Exceptionalism, which refers to the belief that qualitatively the United States differs from other developed nations, on account of its unique credentials, origins, and political system. This national pride has helped the United States in the past, including declaring their independence from being a British colony, and winning the Revolutionary War. Abraham Lincoln had a pro American Exceptionalism outlook and said, â€Å"My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth. Critics of American Exceptionalism argue that the United States is not the only country founded as a republic with those ideals, and they feel that foreign policy has been economic self-interest than an actual desire to spread their ideals. A case for American Exceptionalism rationale can be made because of statistics that show that that the United States has the largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation in the world at 14. 265 trillion dollars (worldsrichestcountries. com), and a Gallup poll states that Americans generally are happy,† More than 8 in 10 Americans say they are satisfied with their personal lives at this time. So while obviously there are many problems in the United States, American Exceptionalists have ethnocentric pride in their culture. Additionally, economic systems are reasons for ethnocentricity, whether it is socialism, capitalism, or communism. The majority of citizens that inhabit most socialist and capitalist countries believe that their system is better since they have not experienced living in a dissimilar economic environment. One needs to look no further than Korea for the occurrence of economic ethnocentrism. North Korea, one of the worlds most centrally directed and least open economies has a GDP of only 40 billion dollars according to the website CIA. gov. As a result of governmental control and lack of free enterprise, a large proportion of North Korean citizens suffer with poor living conditions and malnutrition which is a serious predicament. South of the border, South Korea has a more open economic policy and therefore has the 15th largest GDP in the world of 1. 364 trillion dollars. Ethnocentricity is inevitable; my very writing about the subject is from an ethnocentric point of view. Applied correctly, ethnocentrism produces a diligent, productive, and innovative society, while unchecked and perverted ethnocentrism is leading to many atrocities happening all around the world. Cultures must learn to embrace and accept other groups’ differences, and learn from the positive and useful aspects of other societies. An ethnocentric philosophy is necessary in order to recognize violations of basic human rights, and just like in science, grounded understandings are not developed from the complete absence of bias, but instead the recognition and control of biases.

Find a newpaper article on wine industry and draw a link to a Assignment

Find a newpaper article on wine industry and draw a link to a macroecnomic concept - Assignment Example The key concept the article deals with is the demand and supply side of the wine industry. In order to gain an in depth understanding of these two mechanisms, aggregate demand and supply analysis needs to be made. This is necessary because the article highlights that other industries such as tourism and manufacturing have also suffered losses in the recent past. The aggregate demand (AD) is the total amount of goods and services that are demanded by the domestic householders, government, private businesses and the foreign consumers at a certain price level. The aggregate supply (AS) is the real output of an economy at a certain price level. AD and AS will change as price level changes and the mechanism that AD, AS varies at different price level in turn indicated the equilibrium real output and the equilibrium price level of an economy taking into account the equilibrium of product, monetary and labor (employment) markets. The article focuses on the macro-economic and micro-economic factors that are troubling the Australian wine industry. The article explores the reason for Australian company Foster’s parting away with its wine business. First, it highlights the many macro-economic factors such as global economic slowdown and strengthening of Australian currency to be responsible for weak sales figures. But the major argument of the article is that the domestic consumption of Australian wines has decreased. The reason is said to be ‘conservative consumerism’ emerging among the Australians. To highlight this new phenomenon the article mentions the rise in sales of cheaper French wine. The figure below depicts change in Pricing and Aggregate supply with shift in Aggregate demand. In the news article the writer supports the decision of Foster’s to dissociate itself with its wine business. As mentioned earlier, there are many reasons given for this step. The reasons

HRD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRD - Essay Example The leading causes of these medial errors are lack of expertise or ignorance, communication or lack of it, between the medical professionals working together. Poor communication and breakdown in the same is a great threat to the competent medical practice and it needs must be improved for the sake of enhancing the effectiveness of medical practitioners, ergo, the safety of the patients. This paper will discuss the problems that from poor communication and what can be done to improve the process of medical care and the staff’s efficiency in this respect. It will be based on three journals addressing communication and safety in surgery, emergency medicine and the need for technology to enhance medical communication. According to Robert Neil (2006) in the journal, â€Å"Costly issues of an uncommunicative OR (Operation room)†, there is no place where the issue of communication is more important or its neglect more potentially dangerous than the operation room. Miscommunication in the OR often leads in complications and such ultimately lead in the patients lengthened stay in the hospital, increases the risk of infection and may negatively affect the hospitals bottom line considerably. Neil (2006) justifies his claim by quoting Peter Plantes, a vice president of clinical performance for VHA, Texas, who states that the although the patients safety gets first priority in the safety consideration, overall, with fewer mistakes, the costs will be positively impacted in the long run. To foster communication in the OR Plantes admits is not always easy especially for the surgeons many of whom are set in their ways, However, it can be achieved in the need for creating a collaborative environment in the OR are made clear and demonstrated. This is because surgeons are professionals who take pride in their work thus want the best for their patients, if they communicate and are open to