Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essays

Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essays Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essay Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essay In this case its highly important to make the right decisions from the start. As I see it there are two possible ways to deal with this situation. Firstly (1), the project manager claims to have all the relevant information to handle the planning. If that is the case then he could simply put the plan together himself and then implement it. For this to be the most effective way the manager truly has to have all the relative information but also he has to have the respect and confidence of his subordinates to make a proper plan since they seem just as eager to finish on time as he does. Secondly (2), the manager could see the workers enthusiasm as a possibility for the making of good solutions and ideas. With that in mind the manager could decide to make the planning into a group effort, drawing from the ingenuity and knowledge of his staff. For this to be the most effective way, the manager has to have faith in the ability of his subordinateIn this case the manager is asking his subordinates to undertake a project under unusual and possibly difficult circumstances. As this consultancy firm is most likely based in the western world, the manager is asking his people to leave their comfort zones to conduct their business in a far-away land. It would be in his, the projects and the firms best interest to go with a group effort in order to find suitable candidates for this trip. In this way those who do not want to go are not forced and those with a special interest in the project are not shunned. The manager gets his since his team will consist only of people of interest and dedication whom wanted to be there in the first place; the project benefits since its getting the best possible manpower (given that enthusiastic people work harder) and finally the firm is better off since this way of manning the team left no damage to morale. With different cases it is normal to reach different conclusions as to how its best to solve a particular problem. With the first case the problem was a simple one; theres no fuss, just take an executive decision and run with it. Any time spent on consulting the staff would have been a waste since their opinions were spread and a solid conclusion would have been hard to come by. In the other two cases things got a bit more difficult. There you had big decision that demanded accuracy and good thinking. As described in case 2, any decision taken was depended on something else, whether it was the workers faith in their manager or the managers faith in his workers. These variables give room for at least two different ways of plan-making. With the third case, a hint of logic told you that working as a group would create a venue for those interested to volunteer and for others to back off. Rather than making the decision for them (and given that they all have similar attributes) this was the diplomatic way which left no toes trampled. These cases differ in scale; one being tiny and insignificant while two of them are big and important. What the outcome maybe tells us is that when dealing with bigger, tougher to handle tasks it is less likely that you have all the info and, subsequently, all the answers. When that is the case it is usually a wiser strategy to consult co-workers, subordinates, bosses, specialists etc. In those lighter cases where consulting has no value adding purpose and mostly just wastes time, it may be better to simply grab the torch and run with it.

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch Before any bill is even debated by the full membership of the House or Senate, it must first successfully make its way the  congressional committee system. Depending on its subject and content, each proposed bill is sent to one or more related committees. For example, a bill introduced in the House allocating federal funds for agricultural research might be sent to the Agriculture, Appropriations, Ways and Means and Budget Committees, plus others as deemed appropriate by the Speaker of the House. In addition, both the House and Senate may also appoint special select committees to consider bills relating to specific issues.Representatives and Senators often try to be assigned to committees they feel best to serve the interests of their constituents. For example, a representative from a farming state like Iowa might seek assignment to the House Agriculture Committee. All representatives and senators are assigned to one or more committees and may serve on a variety of committees durin g their terms in office. The  congressional committee system  is the burial ground for many bills. The US House of Representatives Known as the lower house of the legislative branch, the House of Representatives currently has 435 members. Each member gets one vote on all bills, amendments and other measures brought before the House. The number of representatives elected from each state is determined by the states population through the process of apportionment. Each state must have at least one representative. Apportionment is recalculated every ten years according to the results of the decennial U.S. census. Members of the House represent the citizens of their local congressional districts. Representatives serve two-year terms, with elections held every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, representatives: Must be least 25 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 yearsMust be a legal resident of the state he or she is elected to represent Powers Reserved to the House To vote on charges of impeachmentTo initiate bills involving the raising of revenue, such as tax bills and the annual appropriations (spending) bills of the annual federal budget House Leadership Speaker of the HouseMajority LeaderLeads the majority party (the party with the majority of votes in the House)Assists the Speaker of the House in making committee appointmentsSchedules floor debate on billsCreates and maintains the House agendaMinority LeaderLeads the opposition party (the party with the minority of votes in the House)Confers with the Majority LeaderFormulates minority party response to the majority party policy and agenda The US Senate Known as the upper house of the legislative branch, the Senate is currently comprised of 100 senators. Each state is allowed to elect two senators. Senators represent all citizens of their states. Senators serve 6-year terms, with one-third of the senators elected every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, senators: Must be at least 30 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of their election to the SenateMust be a legal resident of the state they are elected to represent Powers Reserved to the Senate To try officials impeached by the HouseTo confirm presidential nominations, including Supreme Court justices, federal judges, ambassadors and cabinet secretariesTo ratify treaties Senate Leadership The Vice President of the United States: Serves as president (presiding chairman) of the SenatePresident Pro tempore: Presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president; Is selected by the majority partyMajority and Minority Leaders: Lead their respective party delegations; maintain the Senate agendaMajority and Minority Whips: Attempt to make sure party members vote for bills supported by their party.

Different Phases of Talent Management in National Oilwell Varco Essay

Different Phases of Talent Management in National Oilwell Varco - Essay Example Two senior executives were given the assignment to prepare for the changes, resulting in a plan labeled â€Å"Next Generation.† To generate a supply of potential leaders, technical professionals, and others, NOV had to broaden its recruiting process beyond the normal oil-based states, such as Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Miller also demanded that foreign candidates be considered, because of the expanding global oil market.   A specific focus of NOV recruiting efforts included foreign students at U.S. universities who had high English communication skills and other relevant capabilities. Up to 40 individuals at 10 universities were interviewed, and then the primary candidates went through two more interviews by NOV middle managers. Those candidates who â€Å"passed† this phase spent two days in Houston going through additional interviews and selection means. Finally, the individuals selected were offered jobs at NOV. This process has continued during the past several years.   Once the selected individuals go to work at NOV, they spend one year in job rotation, with four assignments of three months for each in different business areas. This rotation provides the individuals with a broader view of NOV and its operations. During the rotation, candidates participate in various efforts, including development programs and mentoring by various division managers.   A unique part of NOV’s talent management process is that after the individuals complete their one-year job rotation, they become â€Å"draft candidates.† Modeled after the NFL draft, each business unit identifies which individuals they want on their â€Å"team.† After completing the draft, individuals get jobs in the different business units.   NOV’s â€Å"Next Generation† program has been successful. The retention rate for the drafted candidates is over 90%, higher than normal in the industry.

Global Warming and how it Relates to Tsunami Essay

Global Warming and how it Relates to Tsunami - Essay Example Michael Crichton's "State of Fear," for example, claims of eco-terrorists creating ecological disasters like tsunami in an effort to reinforce paranoia about abrupt climate change (Apologetics 2005). Hundreds of scientists, however, including those from the National Academy of Sciences, the American Geophysical Union and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change consider the challenges raised by Crichton that global warming is here on account of human-caused emissions, not just natural factors (NRDC 2004). In its annual report, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said higher temperatures may cause drought, disease, floods, and lost ecosystems and that global warming effects have already begun from sweltering heat to rising seas (GW, NRDC n.d.). Solutions are however in sight, with them knowing that most heat-trapping gases come from: power plants and vehicles. Hence, part of the action will have to come from curbing emissions, employing modern technologies and stronger laws, promoting online activism, pressing businesses to use less energy and build more efficient products, and fighting for laws that will speed these advances (Ibid). Global warming refers solely to the fact that the Earth's atmosphere is warming near its surface. It simply means the earth is getting hotter but does not imply a cause or speak to cause something. The scientific community believes climate changes like global warming have occurred throughout Earth's history and will continue to occur in the future (What is GW, WiseGeek 2005). Terms and meanings. Climate scientists who prefer references to climate, claim that the term, global warming, is imprecise and should be avoided in public communication as it is confusing. However one noted that the terms 'global warming' and "climate change" both emphasize the natural variability of climate, while downplaying the role of anthropogenic forcing. Accordingly, scientists should rather insist on scientific terms such as 'enhanced greenhouse effect', 'changes to atmospheric composition', 'climate disruption', and 'human climate forcing' as these terms are more precise, less controversial, and less politicized than either "global warming" or "climate change". (Tobis 2004). Moreover, "global warming" is too loaded a term and is threatening to people, and when the Bush administration introduced the term, "climate variability," people are really scared. The problem with the term, "global warming," is that it merely connotes increase in temperatures which is not. There is the hydrology part of it which can cause much destruction as in tsunami (Ibid). Scientific consensus. At an unprecedented rate heat-trapping pollution from fossil fuels and other sources is warming the planet according to more and more evidences supporting this conclusion. Moreover, climate models designed by NASA and others are also conclusive in their findings of human activities causing climate change (NRDC 2004). No evidences.. There is no evidence, however, that humans are responsible for increasing global temperatures. Furthermore, carbon dioxide emissions have actually been beneficial to the environment. (Robinson and Robinson 1997). The cause of global warming in the first place, is primarily natural, not manmade (Gerhard 2005). The earth evolves and has changes in orbit and in solar radiation (Ibid). Volcanic GW. Global warming caused by volcanic activity may have caused the

The sociological explanations of relationship Essay Example for Free

The sociological explanations of relationship Essay Assess the sociological explanations of the relationship between occupation and social class. The term Social Class is widely used in sociology to differentiate the population on grounds of economic considerations, such as inequality in terms of wealth or income. An occupation is an individuals established choice of employment which provides most of the time a steady source of income. According to Karl Marx, the transition from feudalism to industrialization has produced a highly unequal capitalist society consisting of only two classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the property, capital owning class. They own the means of production and monopolize the profits and values of industrial production. The proletariat are the landless wage workers, the mass of working people who labour for the bourgeoisie as the mode of production. Their rewards are mainly to be exploited by the bourgeoisie and be made poorer, not richer, by the social and technical advances of industrial development. This process is called pauperization. The bourgeoisie derive their class position from what Bilton et al. (1997) calls productive wealth. Productive wealth is wealth which generates additional income, such as capital invested in property or stocks and shares. However, Marx argues that it is not the bourgeoisies high income which allows them to become capitalists, rather it is the fact that they own the means of production. This therefore also makes them the sole owners of the products and their surplus, that is, the difference between the value of the labour and the value of the product of that labour. For example, Westergaard (1997), using statistics from government resources claimed that the power of the top class, which is only 1% of the population, has grown steadily from 1979 to the late 1990s. Denationalization of public enterprises (like British Airways and British Steel) has concentrated power in the hands of private businesses. The power of finance capitalists comes from mass corporate assets whose strategic deployment they lead. The globalist, Leslie Sklair (1995) takes this argument a step further. According to Sklair, the capitalist or ruling class is increasingly exercising power in transnational relationships, that is, relationships that cut across state boundaries. The capitalist economy has become the basis of the global system. Thus, wealthy corporatives like Sony or Ford can exercise as much power as many nation-states. Their products and ideology are increasingly penetrating places like the Third World market with advertising campaigns, brainwashing the masses there to accept these ideologies and products, even as they (the masses) complainingly join the ranks of the exploited. These are the main reasons why Marxists view social class as divisive rather than integrative. They do not believe it is functional for society like the Functionalist, but they do agree it is inevitable within capitalist societies. However, they also argue that there is conflict of interest between the two classes. Hence one day the proletariat will gain true class consciousness, become a class for itself instead of a class by itself, and overthrow the bourgeoisie. Only when this happens, and the means of production are communally owned will classes disappear. Marx for his part, refused to acknowledge class in terms of such categories as occupation, but rather in terms of a deeper understanding of property relations, control and ownership vis-à  -vis the proletariat. There have been many criticisms made of Marxs theory of social class. Peter Saunders (1990) rejects the Marxist view that such a small group of people in society constitutes a capitalist ruling class. While he does not deny that the hundred largest companies produce more than half of Britains manufacturing output, and therefore are responsible for taking the bulk of the key financial and administrative decisions which influences Britains industry, he merely views such individuals as an influential economic elite. Elite theorists also accept that power is concentrated in the hands of a few but denies that this power comes from the wealthy. They see instead power  deriving from the occupation of top jobs in society. For example, the position of Prime Minister automatically places one in the highest class and gives one power. In addition, Marxs theory fails to take into account the Middle Class. Although Marx identified the trend towards more non-manual workers, he made no analysis or explanation of the influence of this group in the class structure. These workers neither own the means of production nor can they be put into the proletariat. They enjoy tremendous benefits in employments, more than their manual labouring counterparts. They have greater job security, shorter hours, longer holidays, more fringe benefits, greater promotion prospects, higher life chances, higher standards of living, less chances of being convicted of criminal offences and higher incomes. For example, Westergaard and Resler (1976) found that men in full time non-manual employment in 1913-14 earned 142% of the average male wage, whereas those in manual employment earned 88%. The British sociologist, Anthony Giddeons believes that this class receives greater job benefits than the lower class or manual workers because they possess widely recognized skills, mainly mental and normally rather functional for society, which they can sell to the highest bidder. The sociologists, Roberts et al. (1977), interestingly discovered while conducting a study of a sample of 243 male white-collar workers that four images within the middle class exist. These four images were very different views of the white-collar workers and their position in the middle class and were affected by their occupational choices. The first image known as middle-mass was held by 22 percent of the sample. This 22 percent believed themselves between a small, rich upper class and an improvised lower class. They held the view that the middle class made up the bulk of the working force, and made no distinction between manual and non-manual workers, different lifestyles and images, and ideological cleavages. Most holding this view were in the middle-range of incomes for white-collar workers. The next image was called the compressed middle-class image and held by 19 percent of the sample. This 19 percent saw themselves squeezed between two groups: the small upper class and an increasingly working class. They felt  threatened by both groups. Persons falling into this category were usually small business people. The third image only had 15 percent of the sample subscribing to it. This image was named the finely graded ladder and contained four or more strata. This image is assumed as typical middle class image and persons holding this view tended to be well educated with professional qualifications and received impressively high wages. They had no sense of class loyalty and rejected the whole principle of social class. The fourth image called the proletarian image received 14 percent of the sample. They considered themselves working class and having more in common with manual workers than top management and higher professionals. Those holding this view were usually in routine white-collar jobs with little possibility of promotion and received rather low wages. Roberts et al. concluded that whilst it is true that there are factors present for the development of middle class attitudes among the white collar workers, such wide variations in white-collar class imagery meant that the middle class was fragmented. In this case, if one is to believe Robert et al. then one can argue that an individuals occupation and his/her opinion of the social status of his/her job, normally encouraged by his/ her level of income, results in what he/she deems as his/her social class, regardless of whether his/her personal view is correctly assumed or not. However, Roberts et al. have received numerous criticisms for their work. Many sociologists believe that one should never rely on subjective class images. Neo-Marxists believe that the middle class is in reality split in two with the upper part closer to the bourgeoisie and the lower part closer to the working class. In fact, the American Neo-Marxist, Erik Olin Wright (1978) acknowledges the presence of a petty bourgeoisie and identifies the Small Employers, that is, those persons who employ other workers, but more than half the profit their business comes from their own labour or that of other family members. This group exists between the Petty bourgeoisie and the Bourgeoisie and make up in the USA in 1969, 6-7%. Wright also notes the Managers and Supervisors group which is between the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. This group creates 30-35% of the population and is actually in a contradictory position  within class relations. They possess characteristics of both groups but have neither as much control over the means of production as the Bourgeoisie nor as little control as the Proletariat. Persons within this class are normally managers, supervisors, technocrats and foremen. Foremen do not have the control over the means of production or investment but they do have minimal control over the means of production or over the labour of others. Finally, there are the Semi-autonomous wage-earners which consist of 5-11% of the population and are situated between the Proletariat and the Petty bourgeoisie. They have some control over how they work, how they produce and what they produce and hence have minimal control over the means of production. Wright uses as an example, professors in elite universities. According to him, the Bourgeoisie only took up 1-2% of the population. Marxists such as Harry Braverman, struggling to explain what Marxs doctrine does not, goes as far as to say that increasingly more members of the lower middle class are becoming part of the working class because many of them earn less than many manual workers. This process is called proletarianization. Marx ists like Westergaard and Resler believe in the existence of a coherent middle class. They refer to the upper middle class as the Petty bourgeoisie. Marxists claim that while the Petty bourgeoisie does not own the means of production, they are firm believers in the ruling classs values and usually have power over working class members. Marshall et al. (1988) criticises both Robert et al.s study and the Marxists theory. Instead, they point to Webers work on social class which they claim is a valuable explanation for the very broad differences in occupational rewards and position of manual and non-manual workers, as well as allowing gradations of social position within each class grouping. Like Marx, Weber specifically believed that ownership and non-ownership of property are important in the formation of classes. However, he disagrees with Marx on just how important owning property is. Weber preferred to determine a persons class based on their market situation, that is, their buying power in the marketplace. Neo-Weberians like John H. Goldthorpe also prefers to use market and work situation to explain the relationship between occupation and social class. For example he views the middle class as the intermediate stratum [Goldthorpe, 1980]. The intermediate stratum possesses a very weak class identity because the range of occupations within it differs  considerably and because its members are socially mobile. Hence, members remain only a short period before moving to a different class. Goldthorpe concluded that the middle class could not be united because they were divided into various strata. These can be placed into two groups: the service class, which hold higher and lower professionals, and the intermediate class, that is, routine non-manual workers, the self-employed and supervisors. Goldthorpe though changed his theory later. He decided that there did exist a primary division between different sections of the middle class based on employment status. Secondary divisions were based on employee relationships and this distinguishes class. Salary, increments, pension rights and career development opportunities on the other hand distinguished the service class. Savage et al. (1992) criticized both of Goldthorpes theories claiming that there existed a major division between professionals and managers in his service class. Goldthorpe admitted the next problem with his theory: large employers should be place in a separate category. He explains however that the group was so small that he did not see the need to place them by themselves and accepts that this might produce a small amount error. As mentioned before, Giddeons (1973) tends to see the Middle Class as those who possess educational or technical qualifications. They therefore have an advantage over the Working class and Underclass who have only their manual labour power to sell. The Underclass in particular are severely disadvantaged in that they tend to secure employment in the least desirable and most insecure jobs. Ralf Dehrendorf (1959) argues that the working class is divided into three levels: the unskilled manual worker, the semi-skilled manual worker and the skilled manual worker. He claims that this is due to differences in economic and prestige rewards linked to hierarchy of skill. Therefore, persons of the skilled manual workers group, such as skilled craftsmen, enjoy higher wages, more valuable fringe benefits, greater job security and higher prestige than semi-skilled and unskilled groups. In addition to this, Bilton et al. (1997) with regard to occupational labour markets, claim that there has been an erosion, over the past twenty to thirty years, of the traditional distinction between manual and non-manual jobs due to the expansion of the service sector. Today, white-collar jobs in  offices, retailing, repairs and servicing are so poorly paid and routinised that they are little different in terms of status and reward from traditional manual, or blue-collar work. This is especially true of those white-collar jobs which have become feminised in the sense of employing a disproportionate number of female staff. Giddeons furthers this argument, noting that women and ethnic minorities are particularly likely to be found in the lowly paid Working class and Underclass jobs. Employers recruit women to these type of jobs partly because of social prejudice, but also because they are likely to interrupt their careers as a result of marriage and child birth. Ethnic minorities are also the victims of discrimination and prejudice. In these cases, ones ethnic origin, gender and social background determines ones occupation and hence ones social class. To quote Giddeons: Where ethnic differences serve as a disqualifying market capacity, such that those in the category are heavily concentrated in the lowest paid occupations, or are chronically unemployed, we may speak of an underclass. In conclusion, occupation and social class are normally linked to one another. In most instances ones job tends to influence his place in the social strata and vice versa. Many sociologists examine how occupation and social class influence each other differently. In numerous cases they arrive at even more divisions within society than previously considered. Another interesting detail to note is that various other aspects like ones ethnicity and gender actually determine ones occupation and hence ones class. While the intricacies of occupation within the Working class and the Underclass is not discussed to the degree of which they deserve, let it be noted that divisions found within the Working class is discussed in length by W.G. Runciman(1990) and Marshall et al(1988). The basic idea being that the Working Class is even more influenced by an individuals occupation than  the Middle class. The Underclass is considered both by Charles Murray and Ralf Dehrendorf as a sort of disease b ut whether they are to be blamed for their economic state or not or whether certain occupations are just considered as underclass jobs is where these two sociologists depart in their theories. In many instances sociologists like Jan Pakulski and Malcolm Waters (1996) abandon the belief of the existence of social class and claim vigilantly that occupation cannot be influenced by some thing that does not exist. Others, such as Peter Saunders(1996) argue that the strict dictatorial ability of class is disappearing due to societies such as Britain becoming Meritocracies. Therefore, workers are not placed within strict strata because social mobility has now become easier. Instead, as the Functionalists, Talcott Parsons(1964) and Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore(1945) indicated, workers are now placed in socioeconomic order through a competitive process in which skills and abilities of different value and scarcity are carefully identified, evaluated and matched with societal needs.

Wedding Toasts to the Bride and Groom :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Toasts to the Bride and Groom The Upper Hand The following tidbit began a wonderful and personal toast to the bride and groom: "John, take Emily's hand and place your hand over her's. Now, remember this moment and cherish it... because this will be the last time you'll ever have the upper hand!" Toilet Roll Let us all hope and pray that your married life is like this toilet roll - soft, strong and ever so long. Never Lie, Cheat, and Drink May you never lie, cheat or drink. But if you must lie, lie with each other. And if you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink with us for we all love you and wish you both the love and happiness of which you deserve. Let Us Toast Let us toast the health of the bride, let us toast the health of the groom, let us toast the priest who tied. And I'd personally like to toast every guest in the room." Swear, Steal, Lie May you swear, steal, and lie. Swear by all that's good and true. Steal away your cares and sorrows. And lie in the arms of the one you love. Live as long as you want May you both live as long as you want and never want as long as you live. Today's Love May the love you express to each other today, always be the first thoughts during any trying times in the future. Love that Grows I see the love you both have in each other's eyes and as your love grows for one another, may you look back on this day and know this is when you loved each other the least. Leave It To The Expert I'll be toasting the bride and groom with Shakespeare's sonnets. Shakespeare's sonnet 18 for the bride Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee. Shakespeare's sonnet 53 for the groom

Germany experienced a period of political calm Essay

The Stresemann years of 1924-29 have often been portrayed as the â€Å"golden years† of Weimar Germany; however this idea has been challenged my many historians. During this period there was an element of political calm but it was mainly typified by political inaction and a failure of coalition governments to agree on any important issues. Economic development did occur but was minimal, and the period was one of slow economic growth and â€Å"relative stagnation†. Similarly, there were several signs of social progress and cultural development, but the years were significantly characterised by cultural polarisation. Therefore the blanket statement: â€Å"Germany experienced a period of political calm, economic development and social progress in the mid 1920s† ignores the problems in Weimar Germany at this time and is therefore not entirely correct, each clause contains some validity. In politics, there was a clear reduction in extra-parliamentary attempts opposing the government and political system. This was particularly significant as the preceding 1919-23 period was characterised by such threats from the Left and Right of the political spectrum, for example the Spartacist uprising, the Kapp Putsch and the Beer Hall Putsch. However, the mid 1920s cannot be said to have been years of political stability. Despite the reduction in threats to the Weimar state, the parliamentary system failed to mature and develop – a political stagnation developed, not a political calm. Seven governments were formed and dissolved during the 1924-29 years, and only two of these claimed a working majority. This clearly illustrates the failures of the coalition system to produce a strong working government with sufficient support (something which was greatly needed in order to tackle the problems that faced the new democracy.) Instead, a â€Å"stalemate† ensued. Blame fo r this can be partly placed upon the political parties of this time, as up until 1914 they had no experience of forming governments or compromising in order form governments. Instead, parties acted more as interest groups rather than as national parties of  government. This was significant as the electoral system of proportional representation relies on the cooperation of political parties. However the German People’s Party (DVP)’s increasing association with the interests of business caused it to refuse to form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Between 1924 and 1928 the SPD resisted becoming involved in the formation of any viable coalition government because they believed that a coalition with the â€Å"bourgeois† parties would lead to a compromise of party ideals. As a result the influence of the SPD in the Reichstag was significantly reduced and the parties rejection of political responsibility undermined the democratic system; contradicting the key concepts of representation and accountability. Other, smaller issues undermined the political system, as Chancellors fell out over very petty things such as the use of the imperial flag. Thus it can be concluded that throughout the years 1924 to 1929 politics was inefficient and suffered from stagnation. The simple claim that the years were a period of political calm is misleading as, despite illustrating a brief reduction in attempts at extra-parliamentary action, it ignores the many problems which underpinned politics at this time. Historians commonly argue that during the mid 1920s the German economy experienced currency stability, slow growth and â€Å"relative stagnation.† There was significant economic growth but it was underpinned by significant industrial unrest and unstable foreign investment. Therefore simple claims of economic development during this period do not show the whole picture. Having said this, there was a definite increase in monetary stability which can be attributed to the introduction of new currency in 1923, the Rentenmark, and also the consequences of the Dawes Plan which brought about a significant influx of foreign capital. The monetary stability brought about by the establishment of the Rentenmark was a great improvement after the hyperinflation of 1923 and helped the classes who had suffered most during this time. However, the foreign investment which enabled the reconstruction of German industry to take place was potentially dangerous as it could be quickly and easily withd rawn if there was a downturn in the world economy. Thus although it enabled a degree of economic progress, the measure could be seen as temporary and had the potential to bring disaster  upon the German economy if it fell through. Some of the growth in available capital was also due to the Dawes Plan though which decreased the rate of repayments, though. National Income in 1928 increased by 12% from 1913 levels and industry experienced massive growth. These positives are balanced by the sobering reminder that monetary stability was based on foreign capital, and the fact that other areas suffered change and unrest. Unemployment figures also question the image of the 1920s as the â€Å"golden years† of Weimar Germany. By 1928, 3 million Germans, accounting for 15% of the workforce, were unemployed. These figures suggest that many of the economic problems which would later surface were actually rooted in these supposed years of stability, and any economic progress related to the mid 1920s is only relative, in comparison to the dire state of the German economy in the periods directly before and after it. There was considerable social progress in the mid 1920s as advancements in welfare, housing and public health improved the standard of living for many German people. After the war there was an increased need for welfare and in 1924 the system for claiming relief and assessing the needs of the claimant was codified (although many claimants continued to receive benefits at a subsidence level.) Other changes in the law signalled social progress, such as the 1927 Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Law which introduced unemployment insurance. Thus the welfare state was significantly increased, though it remained imperfect. In general terms of public health, standards improved. Better health insurance and medical provision led to a reduction in deaths from certain diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. The position of women mainly remained the same as the proportion of women working outside the home increased only minimally. Although there was a growing number of women in ne w areas of employment in the civil service, teaching and social work, attitudes towards women working were generally conservative. However, arguably more significant than these minimal signs of social progress was the cultural polarisation which existed in this period. During 1919-24 a new style unique to the Weimar Republic developed and manifested itself in the media. The new movement stressed objectivity and matter-of-factness. Alienation from the Weimar Republic was a common theme of writing, theatre and cinema highlighted social issues with a new  seriousness and architecture was dominated by the Bauhaus movement. This â€Å"Weimar culture† was used to show the injustices that existed in Weimar society. However the objectivity of this new movement was in direct contrast to the nostalgic romanticism and escapism of popular literature. Similarly, the modern Bauhaus movement stood against the majority of Germans traditional taste. Some historians have claimed these supposed cultural advancements were just the movement of a â€Å"counterculture† which many opposed. It is also important that the cultural developments which did take place did nothing to help stabilise the Weimar Republic; instead they only served to further divide Germany society, this time on cultural lines. Neither culture showed particular support for Weimar Germany and its values, thus this limited form of social progress did nothing to improve the stability of the Weimar Republic. In conclusion, the statement: â€Å"Germany experienced a period of political calm, economic development and social progress in the mid 1920s† is only partly true. Germany did experience limited political calm, a somewhat greater degree of economic development, and a small degree of social progress. However the claims made in this statement are broad and ignore the complexities of German politics, society and economics in the mid 1920s. Although there were suggestions of political calm, many problems were evident within German politics at this time such as political paralysis – the above statement ignores this. There was monetary stability and cases of economic development during these years, far greater than social or political stability and improvements. However the causes of this economic progress and stability can be considered superficial, as fundamental weaknesses in the German economy ensured it remained far from stable. Lastly, there were improvements in public health and welfare services but they were limited and imperfect. Social developments were evident but what may be considered social progress by some engendered hostility in others, resulting in cultural polarisation. In contrast to the rosy image painted in the original statement, this period saw the beginning of economic pressures and social discord which were to worsen after 1929. Many historians have traced the weaknesses which contributed to the breakdown of democracy in the early 1930s back to this period.

Do Video Games Promote Violence Essay

There is much hype surrounding the launch of every new game system including Game Cube, XBox, Playstation 3 and all of their handheld portable equivalents. Affecting all sorts of people from children as young as age 4 all the way to 45 year-old adults, these video games have called for concern in our society regarding issues such as addiction, depression, and even aggression related to the playing of video games. A recent study of children in their early teens found that almost a third played video games daily, and that 7% played for at least 30 hours a week. What is more, some of these games being played like Mortal Combat, Marvel Vs. Capcom, and Doom are very interactive in the violence of slaughtering the opponent. The video game industries even put signs like â€Å"Real-life violence† and â€Å"Violence level – not recommended for children under age of 12† on their box covers, arcade fronts, and even on the game CDs themselves. According to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, the Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S. 3935) was introduced by Senator Sam Brownback on September 27, 2006. The act required that the Entertainment Software Rating Board, known as the ESRB for short, have access to the full content of and hands-on time with the games it was to rate, rather than simply relying on the video demonstrations submitted by developers and publishers. [1] The bill makes no considerations for modifications or mods for short, total conversions, user generated content, procedurally generated content, unused disc space, blocked/disabled out portions of code, player behavior in online games, and various other factors out of the control of the developers (such as how the player decides to play the unsaid game). This bill was unacted upon during its original session and was reintroduced by Senator Brownback on February 14 2007 under the same title â€Å"the Truth in Video Game Rating Act† with a new session number (S. 568). As of March 2007, S. 568 remains in the Senate Committee. [2] In the game Goldeneye 007 bad guys who used to disappear in a cloud of smoke when killed no longer do so. Instead they perform an elaborate maneuver when killed. For example, those shot in the neck fall to their knees and then face while clutching at their throats. Other games such as Unreal Tournament and Half-Life are gorier. In these games when characters get shot a large spray of blood covers the walls and floor near the character, and on the occasions when explosives are used, the characters burst into small but recognizable body parts. In spite of the violence, the violent video games are also the more popular games on the market. (2) When video games first came out, indeed they were addictive†¦ owever, there seems to be a strong correlation now between the violent nature of games these days and the aggressive tendencies in game players. On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold launched an assault on Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, murdering 13 and wounding 23 before turning the guns on themselves. Although nothing is for certain as to why these boys did what they did, we do know that Harris and Klebold both enjoyed playing the bloody, shoot-’em-up video game Doom, a game licensed by the U.  S. military to train soldiers to effectively kill. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which tracks Internet hate groups, found in its archives a copy of Harris’ web site with a version of Doom. He had customized it so that there were two shooters, each with extra weapons and unlimited ammunition, and the other people in the game could not fight back. For a class project, Harris and Klebold made a videotape that was similar to their customized version of Doom. In the video, Harris and Klebold were dressed in trench coats, carried guns, and killed school athletes. They acted out their videotaped performance in real life less than a year later†¦ (3) Everyone deals with stress and frustrations differently. However when action is taken upon the frustration and stress, and the action is taken out in anger and aggression, the results may be very harmful to both the aggressor and the person being aggressed against, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Aggression is action, i. e. attacking someone or a group with an intent to harm someone. It can be a verbal attack–insults, threats, sarcasm, or attributing nasty motives to them–or a physical punishment or restriction. Direct behavioral signs include being overly critical, fault finding, name-calling, accusing someone of having immoral or despicable traits or motives, nagging, whining, sarcasm, prejudice, and/or flashes of temper. The crime and abuse rate in the United States has soared in the past decade. More and more children suffer from and are being treated for anger management than ever before. Now, one can’t help but to wonder if these violent video games are even playing a slight part in the current statistics. Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a person’s aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life, according to two studies appearing in the April issue of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Furthermore, violent video games may be more harmful than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor, say the researchers. â€Å"One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be especially vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effects of repeated exposure to violent games,† said psychologists Craig A. Anderson, Ph. D. , and Karen E. Dill, Ph. D. â€Å"The other study reveals that even a brief exposure to violent video games can temporarily increase aggressive behavior in all types of participants. â€Å"

Principles of Economics Essays

Principles of Economics Essays Principles of Economics Essay Principles of Economics Essay In the readings of this week we looked at some market structures and how they affect the certain areas of economic structures within the economy. In this paper we will also be exploring information given on equilibrium in relationship to the labor market, as well as an observation of the package deliver leader â€Å"UPS† We will first start with comparing and contrasting services and goods used n the different market structures. In Economics, market goods in four different categories grouped by characteristics of being excludable or rival in consumption. Excludable basically means one person can prevent the use by another person. A rival in consumption means the use of a good by one person eliminates the opportunity for another person to use that same good. The four different groups of goods are private goods, public goods, common resources, and natural monopolies. Private goods are goods that private firms produce for profit available to people but not available to all people. Examples of private good are food, clothing, toys, furniture, and cars. According to Mankiw (2007), private goods are excludable and rival in consumption because someone can prevent some from obtaining a good and the use of a good prevents others from obtaining the same exact good. Natural monopolies are goods which are excludable but can be used without limitations. For example, a cable company can exclude people from accessing cable by charging for cable, but there is no limit on the consumption. Public goods are the exact opposite of private goods. Public goods are free, available to everyone, and there is no decrease in the availability by use of others; therefore public goods are neither excludable or rivals in consumption (Mankiw,  2007). Air is an example of a public good. In general, the intake of air by one individual does not decrease the supply of air to other individuals. Another category of goods are common resources. Common resources are the goods that are available to everyone, but the use of the good itself reduces the availability of the good to others. Commonly used examples of common resources are fish in the ocean and congested non-toll roads. The final category of goods is natural monopolies. Because of the free availability of public goods and common resources, there are both positive and negative externalities. The positive and negative externalities require government intervention and regulations to protect resources and future allocation of resources. When the quantity of demanded equals the quantity supplied at the current market price, it is refers to the labor market equilibrium. Equilibrium is to keep thing balanced. There has to be a balance in the labor marketplace to keep thing equal. A change in labor market equilibrium can occur when there is limited amount of job opening and qualified people to fill those positions. When there is a decrease in labor supply occurs there are not enough qualified people to fill the position that are open. Hiring more labor causes the marginal product of the worker to fall. In the new equilibrium both the wage and the value of the marginal product of labor are lower than they were before the increase in labor supply. This causes the labor market equilibrium to become unbalanced. Labor demands shift decrease because of a lack of jobs opening in area causing qualified employees to relocate to find a job. When demand for labor increases an increase wages and employment will increase. With a higher output price the added productivity from more employees is more valuable, which makes hiring more workers becomes profitable (Mankiw,  2004). Mankiw (2004) stated, â€Å"Any event that changes the supply or demand for labor must change the equilibrium wage and value or the marginal product by same amount, because these must always be equal. † Equilibrium happens when supply equals demand, generating the employment, and competitive wage. In closing what has been included in this paper are the main points of what we believe these chapters have summarized. The four major market structures have been broken down to understand who and what are represented by each in an example as well as characters of each. The effectiveness of these organizations as well as factors that affect supply and demand have highlighted along with compare and contrast resources within market structure. References: ankiw, N. G. (2004). Principles of Economics (4th ed. ). Mason, Ohio: South-Wesrern. UPS Investors Relations , 1999-2010 United Parcel Service of America, Inc Retrieved from www. investors. ups. com

Writing College Papers Under Pressure How-Tos

Writing College Papers Under Pressure How-Tos Writing College Papers Under Pressure: How-To’s Any student knows how important it is to be able to properly manage time. With the ever-increasing amount of homework, academic assignments, projects, and other tasks routine for colleges and universities, 24 hours a day just isn’t enough for school and life. Besides, students aren’t robots, so huge workloads often lead to excessive stress. As a result, a typical student – a person most likely unable to manage stress (and even less likely to manage time) becomes a person with a chronic lack of time who’s constantly worried, disturbed, or stressed out. Therefore, to make students’ lives less stressful, we’ve prepared a short guide on the most popular time and stress management techniques. Using these techniques, you’ll be able to conquer your workload without straining your nervous system. So, first are the time management techniques: Use all kinds of lists and schedules. It might be a good idea to keep a record of things you need to do in separate lists, categorizing them by different criteria. For example, you could have lists titled â€Å"Things to do for biology class;† â€Å"To-do list for the next week;† â€Å"Most urgent stuff;† and so on. You can also estimate the approximate time needed to accomplish each of the tasks that you write down in these lists. Keep these lists where you can see them; this way you’ll never forget to do something important, and having them in front of your eyes all the time will help you allocate time more effectively. Don’t multitask. Focus your efforts! This may sound like unpopular advice, since the modern world values multitasking. However, it’s been proven that multitasking hinders performance. So, when starting to work on a task, you might want to focus all your efforts on it for a short period of time. Paraphrasing the famous saying: 80% of results are achieved during 20% of time spent working on a task. Eliminate distractions. It’s surprising how many things can actually distract us right at the moment when we need to focus on an important task. Students know that sometimes even cleaning up can be a huge distraction, especially when you need to prepare for an exam. So, make sure you block access to social networks for the time you’ll be studying (there are plenty of programs designed to do exactly that); turn your phone off; isolate yourself in a quiet room with no TV; and have only the needed textbooks and materials in your proximity. You’ll be astonished at how much time you have for actually studying when you eliminate all distractions! Maintaining a cheerful and healthy spirit is as important as being able to do everything on time. So, here are some relaxation and stress management techniques for you. Conscious breath. This is the basis of a huge number of meditation techniques, and for a good reason: breathing in such a way can significantly improve your overall psychological condition, help you relax and refresh. The technique is simple: you need to start breathing, paying full attention to the very process; feel how the air flows through your nose, how it fills your lungs. Notice a small pause between every inhale and exhale. It’s recommended that you breathe slowly, while being perfectly still. You must also do this exercise in silence. Physical exercises. It’s well-known that physical exercise after mental activity is a great way to relax. You don‘t necessarily need to go to a gym; instead, you can visit the nearest swimming pool. Swimming there for 45-50 minutes at least twice a week will positively affect not just your body, but your mind as well. Slowing down. Western society is fascinated with the idea that a person is worth something only when he/she is active, and has achieved something outstanding. This is the particular factor responsible for our crazy pace of life. Although it’s always good to accomplish something worthwhile, even more crucial is to maintain a balance between your mental health and your activities. At least once a week allow yourself to be slow. Don’t rush anywhere; don’t strain to do as much as you possibly can. You can afford being inactive. Take a slow walk in the park; ignore incoming messages, or at least do not reply them immediately; turn off your reminders and alarms; move slowly, think slowly. After a period of practicing this exercise, you’ll notice that you’ve become calmer. These are just some of the most popular techniques among hundreds of others. Feel free to find those that suit you the most, as there are no universal methods only those that work or don’t work personally for you. Good luck with writing! Additionally you may use professional custom writing service to buy college papers online.

The Perspectives of Cross Border Merger and Acquisition Deals Coursework

The Perspectives of Cross Border Merger and Acquisition Deals - Coursework Example Without any doubt, the emergence of mass media has greatly affected / influenced the attitudes, perceptions, behaviours, beliefs and lifestyles of people all across the globe,   thereby compelling the people (who are also potential customers of companies and business enterprises) to consider themselves as a part of this global world or global village. Businesses today, therefore, focus more on expansion and entrance in new markets to make the most of available lucrative opportunities in different regions worldwide. However, it must not be forgotten that this recent globalization, universalization, westernization, commercialization or internationalization has not only affected the customers (and created opportunities for businesses to expand) but it has also resulted in a fast, highly unpredictable, unstructured, unclear, unexpected and uncertain business environment. Different business expansion, growth, and international market entry strategies include Joint ventures, Contract Manufacturing, Exporting, Licensing, Franchising, Turnkey project, Management contract, and Cross Border Mergers and Acquisitions. This paper will throw light over Cross Border Mergers and Acquisitions across the world. The paper will analyze the circumstances which may this (M&A) activity the most appropriate entry mode for a firm considering entry into a new international market. The points developed in this paper will be supported by the real world examples. Also, it will include an Analysis over the reasons why many cross border M&As are deemed to have failed or underperformed. The journal articles obtained from the internet will be used as an appropriate research method to garner qualitative and quantitative information that will then analyzed by the author.  Ã‚  Ã‚