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Discussion Question Set #1 – iPhone at Apple (25 points) Lenny Allegretti 1. Which accounting method best reflects the economic reality? Put another way, which accounting numbers – the GAAP or non-GAAP numbers best reflects economic reality? [10 points] Economic reality can be defined as the overall outlook of the economy at a certain point in time. This outlook includes factors such as interest rates, politics, and speculation. In its Q4 financial results Apple reported both GAAP and non-GAAP revenue and net profit for the iPhone.Their GAAP results showed 7. 9 billion in revenue and 1. 1 billion in net profit. The non-GAAP showed revenue of 11. 7 billion and net profit of 2. 4 billion. The GAAP results reflect the usage of subscription accounting for the iPhone. Subscription accounting recognizes product cost and revenue on a straight line basis over 24 months (the average user time period of a single mobile device). This causes the sale of an iPhone to be placed in de ferred revenue to be evenly distributed for the next two years. It also accounts for the costs of goods sold.The non-GAAP results followed the time of sale method. This accounts for the product revenue and cost in the period that revenue or product cost is incurred. Considering the facts I believe that the non-GAAP numbers best reflect economic reality. These are the true numbers of how the iPhone truly performed in that quarter. Apple is a company that spends a tremendous amount of money on R & D each year and they will continue to do that until they cease to exist. Therefore, purchasing an iPhone should not be recorded as a subscription, but it should be recorded time of sale.The fact is that Apple will continue to upgrade its platforms and its devices. The idea of straight line basis accounting for the iPhone does not follow an economic reality. The reality is people want to know how sales and revenue for the iPhone faired in that quarter. The fact that past quarters sales ha ve an effect on that does not economically show the reality of the influence the iPhone has on Apple. 2. Should Apple lobby for their non-GAAP numbers to be sanctioned by FASB? [7. 5 points] I believe that Apple should not lobby for their non-GAAP numbers to be sanctioned by FASB.Apple decided to use the subscription method due to consumer backlash at an upgrade fee for the iPhone. Today Apple holds a large portion of the smart phone industry. If a small upgrade fee for the iPhone was enacted I personally believe it would not affect sales. For example, people pay on average $75-$100 for their cell phone bill a month; a small $5 one or two time fee would not stray people from purchasing an iPhone. Therefore, there would be no need to lobby for the non-GAAP numbers because the new numbers with fees charged for upgrades would be accepted under GAAP.However, with the industry standard set at free upgrades for the consumer, it may be beneficial for Apple along with other smartphone compa nies to lobby for this. Realistically the smartphone market is a booming market. Time will tell if these companies will decide to lobby to the FASB. Even though I believe it is not necessary for Apple to do with their current stake in the market; I do believe that it may occur with the industry standard set. 3. Does it matter if the revenue recognition rule for smartphones changes? 7. 5 points] We have established that there are two methods to recognize smartphone revenue: time of sale and subscription methods. The company providing the phone has the option on which one to pick. If they choose to offer free upgrades by GAAP they are forced to pick the subscription method. If they choose to charge a fee for upgrades they are allowed to choose the time of sale method. Since consumers are drawn into the â€Å"free† upgrades I believe that revenue recognition for smartphones will remain to be subscription.Even though the time of sale method can be positive for companies with conc erns to their financials, the industry has almost set the standard of offering consumers free upgrades. Overall, I do believe it will matter if the revenue recognition is changed. It will allow financial analysts to gather a greater understanding of the financial position a smartphone company is in. This helps gauge future growth and company position on the public market.

Contrasting Differences in Family Life in USA and Mexico Essay

The family is the basic unit of any particular society or community. It is therefore imperative that for the society to exist the family has to be there to produce members into the community. The community or national character any particular country is basically determined by the nature of the family values. An individual is shaped in the early ages by the family. In the contemporary society there are increased diversity changes in the family a characteristic of the many changes in culture, political, economic, social, and psychological and even the environment. The content definition of has not been agreed upon because of the great changes that are so accommodating. In the previous many years the family was considered as the people who are related by blood. This definition based on the kinship ties has been revoked due to the influence of many forms of families which has stripped off the family its actual definition. For instance there can husband and wife who do not have any kinship ties and they go ahead to adopt children. Another case that has changed such a definition of the family based on kinship ties is the increasing number of intermarriage within the context of race or ethnicity. This brings out a mixture of offspring and therefore it is difficult to trace the family bonds based on kinship ties. The issue of who is next to kin is no longer important in the current families. The most common aspect in the current families is the bonding based on mutual understanding. The many changes of husband and wife have been changed by the introduction of lesbianism and gay. These try to go against the grain of opposite gender type of marriage. The concept of marriage has changed from opposite gender type of marriage to a mixture of gay, lesbianism and opposite gender marriages. These are some of the dynamisms that are facing the contemporary families. This paper shall give an indebt analysis of the family, the changes in roles and functions of the families and the general effects of such changes to the contemporary families. A close reference and examples shall be drawn from the US and Mexico, the countries that border each other geographically. The contrasting differences I n family issues shall be pointed out clearly. Family life in the United States The family relationship in the United States has undergone several transformations due to the effect of globalization. Race and ethnicity are the most significant factors in shaping the variety of values, attitudes and behaviour amongst the families in the United States. There are a number of changes in families in the United States. These changes range from political, social, economic, and psychological to spiritual. The social dislocations have given rise to new ideas and values especially there is increased individualism among the members of the community. In the US there increased diversity in the organizational structures. There are many cases of divorce and separation in the United Stated which has grabbed the family the unity and love that is supposed to be enjoyed. Most the single families that are common in the US are as a result of divorce and remarriage due to greater democratization. (Hines & Morrison, 2005) Cultural diversity in the US is accounting for the many different types of families that have emerged in the recent past. The United States constitutes almost all races and ethnic groups in the world. For this reason there are diverse cultural values as a resulting of this contact. The factor that there are free intermarriages between these diverse races and ethnic groups has made the US to have diverse cultural values which transcend the native culture. The immigrants who move to the United State try to maintain their native language despite the fact that they are forced to learn the official language of the United States, which is English. The immigrants from Spanish speaking countries (Hispanic) when they move to the United States they try to maintain their languages. The culture of the people is usually transmitted through language and due to the numerous languages in the United States there exists different cultures. This means that there are very many family clusters formed through the sharing of the languages. For instance most of the Hispanic immigrants have formed family clusters in the sides of Florida. The black American speaks a variety of English as they identify themselves as belonging or originating from one family. These disparities have affected the notion of the family because these people are allowed to mix freely with people from different cultures. The concept of the family in the United States is changing even the more during the advent of the green card where people from different pasts acquire citizenship. Many people from different races and ethnic groups have found their way to the US and as such most of them are allowed to move with their families. The nuclear family still remains an ideal source of the society in the United States. The United States families are characterized by the great social stratification. In the United the families are organized according to different classes. Among these classes there are great disparities in terms of economic value. The choice of families has not taken shift from mutual understanding to materials and resources. This has affected relationships from a sociological point of view. This issue of the class is a dominant phenomenon among the families in the United States as those who are rich wants to maintain the status quo. This is done through the inheritance that is passed within the nuclear families. The nuclear families in the United States are created and broken up and then reconstituted. This has led to the decline of family values which consequently affects the family patterns. This diversity in family pattern has been identified as the cause of problems such as violence, crime and drug use in the united state. The parents are usually very busy with their duties (United States, Congress, 1992). The increasing cases of divorce and separation in the United States have a negative effect on maintaining the ideal norms of the nuclear family value. The families that are exposed to values outside the parental domain are likely to deviate from norms. The human rights in the United States are considered fundamental. There is protection of the universal human right which is a recipe to the process of democratization. This the reason why the US government invest huge amount of money in education health and other basic sectors so as to enhance the promotion of the human rights among the citizens. The Family Life in Mexico Most people have preferred to live in Mexico for a variety of reasons such as social, political, economic and even good climatic reasons. Living in Mexico requires one to learn the Spanish language so as to increase effective communication. This is because the families are socialized in the Spanish language. The Mexican people are extremely warm and friendly as they are organized in smaller communities that come from the mutually intelligible families. This means that the socialization process is high since there tow much contact between the families. The family bonds are tightly held together and for this reason there is cultural uniformity. The society per se is integrated under common cultural values through the common language shared. Piped water is relatively inexpensive, but not always potable (drinkable). Decades of under-investment, combined with an attitude of impertinence towards paying water bills, has left Mexico’s mains water system in poor condition. As a result, most people purchase bottled water, often in 20L containers. Bottled water is very expensive. Rents in Mexico can be higher than in equivalent-sized US towns or cities if the place is popular or fashionable, particularly places within easy reach of the US border. Mexico has a centralized economy: that is, most of the country’s economic activity revolves around. The Mexican pace of life is relatively slower than in the US Especially when the life in major cities is given consideration. The families in Mexico are closely tied as most of the families have time to attend to their families. There is a high degree of parental responsibility among the families. This transcends to greater heights of good values that the society enjoys. Mexico’s culture has a rich history in a consolidated family religion, people and tradition. The Mexican people are proud of their culture that they keep on passing from one generation to another. This is because there is little infusion of the foreign cultures. The family is the basic unit in Mexico and a cornerstone to the maintenance of the culture. The rate of socialization and interaction among these people is too high. It is a usual phenomenon to meet two or more families meeting for a common interest or for a special event. This part of the family function in Mexico, people in Mexico have free time to visit resort centers for the purpose of relaxation which is not a common phenomenon in the United States, where people are too busy. (Heymann, 2006) The Mexican People are too religious which is a big contrast with the United States where people feel that they are in control; of their own life. A large number of people are Christian and they are usually committed to going to church. When you walk in the Mexican homes it is easy for you to see the religious images. In America people stay a non-religious life thus an effect of religious intermingling that has made it difficult for the people to which religious practice to adopt. Thus they resign from subscribing to any of the religious practice. The social stratification is not prevalent in the Mexican family as it is in the United States; people are seeking for money the Mexican people strive for titles. The professionals in Mexico prefer to be addressed with the titles that they deserve. This is as a result of the traditional emphasis given to the tittles within the family domain. The economic living standards in Mexico are slightly lower than in the United State. There are many poor people in Mexico than in the United States. The impact of these high levels of poverty in Mexico has necessitated the immigration of most Mexican families to the United States in search of better jobs and pay of most illegal immigrants from Mexico have gotten their way into the United States through the Mexican borders. These immigrants have settled in cities such as Florida. Working in the United States gives them better pay. This aspect of brain drain is lowering the general development of the families in Mexico as most of the people move leaving behind other family members Basically the cost of living in Mexico is lower than that of the US particularly for agricultural produce. Other sectors such as transport and communication are also lower in Mexico than I n the United States. Other utilities as electricity are more expensive compared to the United State. Working families in the United States, observing how parents struggled to find a balance between caring for children and earning a decent income. When parents split and one of the parents went from Mexico to the United States and was no longer available to give the necessary care, families suffer. What significantly exacerbates the problem is when the borders are so tight that they prevent families from reuniting. This has been a common phenomenon when the immigrants are not given the opportunity by the America to even visit their families in back home in Mexico. (Poole M. et al, 1993) Globalization of the economy created increased pressure for workers to accept lower labor standards, accept lower wages, longer hours, fewer benefits, and less paid leave. Both Nations likewise feel pressure from economic globalization not to implement family-friendly policies, such as paid leave for illness or when a child is sick, or paid parental leave. And that leaves working families struggling to balance work and their care-giving duties. The globalization process has affected families in both Mexico and United States economy was transforming the relationship between work and care-giving in similar ways everywhere. Globalization has forcing both countries to at a very high pace as far as labor standards and social policies are concerned hence leaving working parents with less and less time to raise their children. Parents’ work has shifted markedly around the world and that goes for every region. The child rearing process has been left in the hands of maids who offer supportive care while the parents are away working till late hours of the day. Men in particular have been moving away from one place to another in search of better jobs especially in various industries. Globalization has made men and women to work day and night and this has made them move away from their homes to go work in various places. A good example is that of outsourcing where people work in shifts where some work during the day and others at night. Women, likewise, have moved into the paid labor force and away from the home. From the period between 1960 and 2000 the number of women in the labor force went from 26 to 38 percent in America. The percentage of women in the workplace has increased both in the United States and Mexico. This has adversely affected the family care services that were provided by the women while their men were working in various sectors. This is a result of civilization which been brought about by the factors such as education, religion, work, urbanization among others. These factors have changed the various roles that were supposed to be executed by the family so as to prepare an individual to be a responsible member of the society. (Cecil, 1992) What has happened is that the world has seen women get better job opportunities which has assisted then them raise income to cater for their families. The increased number of single parent families has made it possible for the women to struggle to get money for rearing their families. While this is was going on there is also massive urbanization occurring all across the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as people who move from very poor rural areas to urban areas often get better jobs, and become less dependent on, for instance, a good rain to feed their families. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price & Wyckoff, 2006). References Hines D. A. , Morrison K. (2005) Family Violence in the United States: Defining, Understanding, and Combating. Sage Publisher. Heymann J. (2006) Forgotten Families: Ending the Growing Crisis Confronting Children and Working Parents in the Global Economy. Oxford University Press Poole M. et al (1993) Family: Changing Families, Changing Times. Allen & Unwin publisher. Robinson, Cecil. (1992). No short journeys: The interplay of cultures in the history and Literature of the borderlands. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Rowntree L. , Lewis M. , Price M. and Wyckoff W. (2006). Diversity amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. United States, Congress. House America’s (1992) Families: Conditions, Trends, Hopes, and Fears: Family policy. United States, Congress, House publisher.

Strategic Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic Plan - Assignment Example Creation of an online and face to face standards, behavioural research lab and development of a program structure to increase ALE opportunities to meet TSU graduation requirements will also boost the learning and teaching standards of the college. Evaluation and revision of the current curriculum to address development of global understanding, creation of entrepreneurial mind-set and development of IT infrastructure will help students increase their knowledge and sharpen their individual skills. Recruitment of qualified and more skilled staff in all faculties will help in decentralization of resources which will ease the management burden hence improve service delivery. This will also assist in the establishment of procedures to define and support budget, and policies for the operation of the college and cater for the expansion to accommodate more students. Creation of a student advisory board will help the administration in understanding the students need and demands hence create an ample learning environment. Also, through engagement in regional business networking, community services, alumni database and creation of an Investment Fund and a Financial Trading Lab for students to be involved in trade fairs will boost their skills. With all these strategies in place, the college will be able to achieve its core values, mission by creating current and future leaders with the capabilities of contributing responsibly and successfully in the dynamic business world. In such doings, the college will be the regional leader in business education as per the

More Hills Like White Elephants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

More Hills Like White Elephants - Essay Example On one hand, ‘the man’ is for abortion, whilst ‘the girl,’ on the other hand, is strongly against abortion (Hemingway, 2013). As such, in order to procure the abortion against ‘the girl’s† wish, ‘the man’ does all he can to convince he fiancà © to agree to abort the child. In fact, ‘the man’ goes to the extent of telling his fiancà © that abortion is just a simple operation that is necessary for her interest. Even though Hemingway failed to tell readers, whether ‘the girl’ procured the abortion or not, we can only conclude that she did the operation in Madrid. This became apparent at the end of the story, where ‘the girl,’ like her fiancà © became a supporter of abortion, which was not only considered immoral and dangerous, but also illegal (Hemingway, 2013). Hemingway developed the plot in such a manner that interlinks well with the characters in the story. After reading the story, one becomes convinced that the two characters are acting naturally in the story. Naturally, a man will always seek for an abortion in the event that a girl friend becomes pregnant unplanned. On the other hand, woman would always tend to resist performing an operation that she believes to be dangerous. Therefore, the two characters, no doubt, act naturally in the story. Regarding the ending of the story, Hemingway should have ended the story by telling readers whether the abortion was successful. In addition, the author ought to have ended the story by informing readers of the repercussion of performing the abortion considering the fact that abortion was illegal and considered immoral at the time he wrote this short

Bachelor's degree is helpful to increasing personal skills Research Paper

Bachelor's degree is helpful to increasing personal skills - Research Paper Example 27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZFDfU7PiDIj54QSDr4CYAg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=PDmMpwbs_CsC&pg=PA15&dq=bachelor%27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BXXfU5vTNarB7Aaq8IG4BA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=dH2nB1CX2SMC&pg=PA327&dq=bachelor%27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j47fU82-CLLQ7Aaw9IG4Cg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=AHsqIFnnn1YC&pg=PA92&dq=bachelor%27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j47fU82-CLLQ7Aaw9IG4Cg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=xrnPJcb7c54C&pg=PA90&dq=bachelor%27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=n5XfU6LhAqXB7AbujYHgDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=aSiCCLKHOL0C&pg=PA138&dq=bachelor%27s+degree+is+helpful+to+increasing+personal+skills&hl=en&sa=X&ei=n5XfU6LhAqXB7AbujYHgDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bachelors%20degree%20is%20helpful%20to%20increasing%20personal%20skills&f=false The book gives details on the kind of training required for public health professionals. It expounds on the relevant skills required.

McDonald and the Stella Liebeck Scalding Case Study

McDonald and the Stella Liebeck Scalding - Case Study Example McDonalds further maintained that this temperature was essential in maintaining optimum taste in the coffee, a feature most customers â€Å"prefer† to their safety. The court, while holding that McDonalds was largely responsible for the burns Stella Liebeck received from the scalding coffee moved to acknowledge that the plaintiff was partly responsible for her injuries. They based this decision on comparative negligence and the fact that the warning on the coffee was not sufficient. A company should be responsible for most but not all of the consequences of consumers using its products. The first reason why any company should be ware of consumers’ affairs is the fact that consumers are also stakeholders. In the realm of business, in most cases, consumers are secondary stakeholders. However, consumer’s intermittent ability to affect the running of a company (Gibson 245) should not be underestimated, case in point, the Stella Liebeck law suit. As such, accepting th e consequences of its goods and services, a company builds a foundation on which it can make profits while satisfying its customers. Secondly, accepting liability in regard to consumers ensures that the company gains the trust of its consumers. Gaining trust is instrumental when a business seeks a market niche and also to apply strategies such as cost leadership. From the actions of McDonald’s one can see that there is a clear need to fulfill customer needs for profit maximization. An excellent example is keeping the coffee extremely hot to maintain its taste. However, an intriguing concept is the aspect of duty and fiduciary relationship. Scholars hold that the interactions between a consumer and company should not reflect â€Å"a means to an end† character. Therefore, a company should pursue a fiduciary relationship rather than a duty oriented strategy. Fear of lawsuits and a dwindling market position should not be the only reason why a company strives to accept liab ility for its actions. Scholars such as Goodpaster argue that strategic thinking favors prudence rather than moral obligation. Society today is ablaze with ethical debates ranging from euthanasia to the rights of terrorists. The business world is not dormant on issues of ethics. A company by law and social stratification should consider the welfare of all its consumers regardless of the monetary ramifications. Philosophical ethics will argue against the actions of businesses with the claim that the self interest that causes them to pursue moral acts renders the act immoral. Gibson postulates that a company should treat its consumers as more than profit maximization tools thus the deontological approach. At this point, it is imperative to examine a moral act by the company Johnson & Johnson. In 1982, cyanide contaminated batch of its capsules killing more than half a dozen individuals. This led them to acknowledge fault, pull out 32 million bottles of the presumed contaminated produc t from the market and face crippling loses. However, after a while the company built its name again and regained its market position. This is what Gibson christens the bottom line. Despite the motive behind an action, the result is that both stakeholders were happy. McDonald fails in that it fails to accept rightful responsibility especially when the plaintiff requested medical

Nursing Informatics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Nursing Informatics - Assignment Example The act defines an e-signature as an â€Å"electronics sound, process or symbol attached to, or associated with a contract and adopted by an individual with the intent to record or sign†. In simple terms, an electronic signature can be a digitized image of handwritten signature or name that is placed on a document for example making a signature on a document using a mouse or using electronic touch pen to make a signature. A major limitation of electronic signature is that they do not have secure coding since somebody can tamper with it easily. Digital signature is described as a type of electronic signature that is more sophisticated and provides permanent information when used. Digital signature employs encryption/decryption technology that provides increased security associated with the signed document since it involves verification of authenticity of the signed record. Digital signature takes the form of the traditional paper-based signing and turns it into an electronic â€Å"fingerprint† or a coded message that is unique to both the signer and the document but its legally binding. Digital signature has helped several organizations and companies sustain the signer accountability, authenticity and integrity of the

Deliberate Stereotyping Through Language of Various Groups Research Paper

Deliberate Stereotyping Through Language of Various Groups - Research Paper Example The average American lady works instead of just lazily sleeping all day (Leszczak 163). The two girls do not represent a small group of American ladies who prefer to wait for their handsome prince to sweep them off their feet into a world of house chores. Some girls prefer to wait for a rich suitor to marry them. After marriage, the ladies prefer to stay at home and care for the family. Caring for the family includes taking care of the children’s physical and emotional needs. Taking care of the children includes taking care of the love, care, and emotional needs of the busy working husband (Leszczak 163). Additionally, the cartoon television series The Simpsons show how the typical family life in America. The television show often shows common family issues that crop up in the average American family’s life. The television show also shows how the typical family resolves issues of misunderstanding among the family members. The same cartoon series shows how the average Fa mily resolves conflicts with the average American neighbor. Similarly, the same Simpson show indicates how the typical American family honors special holidays like Christmas day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Thanksgiving Day (Gray 41). African American Stereotyping American television stereotyping does not spare the African Americans from being one of the popular topics. In the 1915 Griffith film, Birth of a Nation, the film depicted the average African Americans as Toms, Coons, brutal bucks, tragic mulattoes or Mammies. The African American stereotype was infused into the 1974 Good Times television series. The same African American stereo was included in the creation of the 1993 South Central comedy television series. The African American audiences loved... This paper approves that all the above television series are not notoriety deserved. The concepts on the above works do not use offensive language. Some of the conversations of the above television series can be taking as curtailed irony. Consequently, we should not take all the stereotyping issues at face value. Rather, the stereotypes should be regarded as a small portion of the entire culture or outcome. Some television series deliberately stereotype children as eager learning individuals. The children’s television series cater to the cartoon television story needs of the children television audiences. The children would be happy to watch children’s television series. This report makes a conclusion that there are some lessons we can learn from the offensive language. First, we should censor the offensive language. Censorship means changing the language to milder or more tactful ones. The above television series are considered entertainment that adds lessons, morals, or values to the television audiences. The above television series clearly shows restraint in the use of offensive language. The offensive language rarely occurs in the entire television series. Based on the above discussion, deliberate stereotyping happens by focusing on the use of language of different groups (especially white people) in mainstream television shows. Some television series portray Asians and African Americans differently from White Americans. Other television shows portray women differently from men. Evidently, the research shows that most television series show a wrong image or stereotype of certain groups deliberately.

Prisoner Without a Name Book Review Essay Example for Free

Prisoner Without a Name Book Review Essay Prisoner without a Name, Cell without a number is a melancholy novel that expresses Argentina’s terrorist state. Jacob Timerman, a well respected man of Argentina, an editor of a well know Argentinian paper, La Opinion, tells the audience his story of the terrorist state of Argentina from 1967-1978. His gripping novel both describes his personal experience being kidnapped by terrorist, while he tells us about the condition of the terrorist state of Argentina. His book is important because it tells a first hand account of the fear, the distrust, and the mere insanity of conditions in the country of Argentina during its darkest time. In Timerman’s first chapter, he opens by describing how he lives (though being locked up in a cell is not living) while being locked away in an unknown location (p.g. 4). He first describes his own â€Å"cell†. He is extremely descriptive and the reader can feel as though they are in his small, narrow, cold, wet cell. He tells his audience of a little crack in the wall, his only ventilation and only source of light, in such little detail, yet the reader can understand his isolation from light, the outside world, and his family. Timerman describes the crack as a â€Å"faint glow, night and day, eliminating time† which represents his unwilling determination and hope for freedom. Timerman’s first chapter also gives the reader a sense that through all the events he has under gone, he still remains the same strong willed person (under the circumstances) he was as he is described in the rest of the book. In addition to he crack in the wall, Timerman describes an encounter with another prisoner when the eyehole of his cell accidentally left open by the guards. He describes his encounter with such passion and emotion, yet they do not say anything,, only stare at each other. Timerman describes how their movements, their eyes blinking, represented emotion and passionate communication between the two of them. For in these conditions seeing someone who is in the same situation and somehow communicating with them was extraordinary for Timerman. This encounter that he describes is an important aspect of his book, in that it represents an encounter with another person struggling through the same pain, and same tourture that he is experiencing. This can be looked at as a simile towards the conditions in the country of Argentina. After Timerman describes his torture and isolation while under imprisonment, his next chapter tells us about the chaos that has under gone in Argentina, and her government. He explains to the readers that there are two sides in this civil war between the two parties of government, and describes all of the violence that has occured as a by-product of this war. He tells us of his encounters with the hysteria before he was kidnapped, and the disarray that was upon Argentinians. Timerman uses a quote by Luis Borges that was very interesting and nsightful, claiming that â€Å"the Argentine is not a citizen but an inhabitant; that he lacks an idea of the nation where he resides , but views it as a territory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which is an understandable view. The people of Argentina, as Timerman describes, are scared of their government and the terrorism that is upon them. Timerman describes Argentina is such a state that there is no government, and, that the government is corrupt and that there is no trust authorities. Timerman, throughout the book, tells about mothers, fathers, relatives, and friends coming to La Opinion asking to write a letter about their loved one going missing, yet he further explains in almost every instance, that he could not do anything about it because it could get him executed. Timerman, throughout the book, always described his reasoning and perspective, in that, he said he wanted to help those people that came looking for help, yet he was already pushing his luck writing articles that no other paper would dare to write. Timerman tells the read that during his position as editor at La Opinion he received many death threats and hostile remarks due to his articles in his paper being to left sided, or too right sided political view. Yet Timmerman tells the reader that his intensions where not to support either side, but to write about the truth about what was going on in Argentina. He also wanted to stop this terrorism and find a way to halt this insanity. Timermans book does an amazing job at telling two stories, his story of survival during imprisonment for multiple years, while also telling the reader about the irrationality and absurdity of Argentina’s â€Å"government†. Though the book takes place in Argentina, those who read it will understand the universal application. It could happen else where, and that is why it is an important book to read, understand and take in. Timerman, in his book, is a witness for the rest of us.

Teleconnection patterns Essay Example for Free

Teleconnection patterns Essay 1. Explain how observed teleconnection patterns can help in the preparation of a seasonal weather forecast. So the simple way of explaining a teleconnection is a warmer and cooler pacific can influence rainfall. â€Å"we saw how a vast warming (El Nià ±o) or cooling (La Nià ±a) of the equatorial tropical Pacific can affect the weather in different regions of the world† (Ahrens, 2015, p.271). These major storms as we learned in earlier chapters affect people in many regions of the world. A seasonal forecast is very important because it gives people a chance to prepare for what could possibly be. Forecasters can give a prediction of a wetter or drier season. They have said that this type of forecasting has been seen to be very keen in this field of work. If we can predict weather patterns for the upcoming months will only prevail for regions abroad. This will only prepare us for the worst and hope for the best. 2. If the temperature is dropping and the dew point is holding steady, what is your forecast for the relative humidity? Explain your answer. Let’s first understand what a dew point is. The dew point is basically the temperature at which the if it cool’s to a certain temp you will get hundred percent relative humidity. If the dew point drops low enough the cold air won’t be capable of holding the moisture. If the temperature is dropping and you have a stable dew point I would predict a higher amount of relative humidity. The lower the dew point dropped is when you decrease in relative humidity. If you had a hot summer day and a steady dew point; you would actually had a lower relative humidity. 3. In what ways are severe thunderstorms different from ordinary cell thunderstorms? What are some of the meteorological or atmospheric conditions that favor the development of severe thunderstorms? The basics of a thunder storm are fairly easy, because they consist of thunder, lightning, winds, rain and heavy hail at times. â€Å"The storm itself may be a single cumulonimbus cloud, or several thunderstorms may form into a cluster† (Ahrens, 2015, p.288). Thunderstorms form in unstable environments with warm air. They are known as convective storms. Cell thunderstorms form in regions where limited vertical wind shear is present. The winds direction  or speeds do not abruptly change rapidly. Ordinary storms develop and mature through a cycle, as cell thunderstorms don’t have this development. Different conditions vary from warm air rising, random turbulent eddies and terrain. These are a few that can be a trigger to these more impactful storms. 4. Where do thunderstorms form most frequently in the US? Why is this the case? Is this also where most tornadoes occur? Explain. The most area that gets thunderstorms more frequently is the Gulf Coast. This area includes all of Florida, to include parts of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. â€Å"We also find that, in summer along the Gulf Coast, a thick layer of warm, moist air extends upward from the surface† (Ahrens, 2015, p.303). This also makes a point that more storms consuming Hail are located in the Great Plains. Thunderstorms typically form more in the tropical latitude, which makes the gulf coast a prime location. The two areas that tornados occur most is the Tornado Alley and the Dixie Alley. Tornado Alley stretches from Central Texas to Nebraska, as Dixie Alley over Mississippi to Alabama. â€Å"The Central Plains region is most susceptible to tornadoes because it often provides the proper atmospheric setting for the development of the severe thunderstorms that spawn tornadoes† (Ahrens, 2015, p.313). This area gets that humid dry air with a cold layer to follow which creates the perfect formula for a unstable environment. This makes Spring a high frequency for tornados and winter the low time for them to occur. 5. The region of greatest tornado activity shifts northward from early spring to summer. Why does this occur? This is really interesting because the peak for tornados is actually around June 12th. This makes early spring a probability between 25-60 percent. When you hit June the probability jumps through the roof to 90 percent. The biggest possibility for the shift is â€Å"El Nino†, but there is not an actual confirmation on why this shift happens. The next possibility is the warming weather moving north is shifting the peak period by 7-10 days. This making Dixie Alley and Tornado Alley more susceptible to tornados during that peak time.

Australias Health Care System | Analysis

Australias Health Care System | Analysis The key principle underlying Australian healthcare system is equity to universal access to most health care regardless of the situation or ability to pay. This is achieved since revenue for this healthcare comes from taxation. Health services are funded through Medicare and pharmaceuticals schemes which are highly subsidized by the government while public hospitals and public healthcare are partly funded by commonwealth and state funding agreements. The schemes are founded on the spirit to make public health accessible by all the citizens irrespective of their financial ability (Healy Hilless, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to expound on the concepts of equity of access of healthcare in relation to effectiveness and efficiency and the relationships that exists among these concepts. Equity of access Equity is all about ensuring that all people have the support that they need to access, participate and achieve the same level. Access and equity are two concepts that go hand in hand they imply removing barriers and opening up opportunities. In the field of health these concepts mean that people with differing needs and abilities have the same opportunities to be attended to professionally by the medical practioners whether private or public at any time irrespective of their age, disability, color, race, gender, religion, sexuality, or location. It means addressing the healthcare need of everyone (Department of education and equity standards branch, 2003). The Australian government through its insurance schemes have tried to make healthcare accessible to all, however, it has been found that compressive insurance coverage is not always sufficient to ensure equitable access to health services since other factors such as shortages or mal-distribution of health services providers or constraints presented by language or cultural differences limit access to medically necessary care for apportion of the population (Docteur, 2004). In fact there is a wide agreement that rural and remote Australian communities are underserved by appropriately trained health professionals compared to those who live in the urban areas. Further, most remote Districts of Australia communities are unable to attract medical practioners and they are dependent upon rural remote area nurses to provide their healthcare. The shortage of rural registered nurses also impacts negatively on health care delivery. Despite these short comings, Australian population enjoys good h ealth relative to other countries with an increasing life expectancy of an average of 78 years and low incidences of life threatening infectious diseases. Although the spirit of the government healthcare policy to provide equity and access to healthcare has not been fully achieved, this policy has contributed greatly to the health status of its citizens. For instance over 85% of the people consider themselves to have excellent health status. In order to achieve the equity of access to health care ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s important that distribution of the health officers be checked and implements tele health services that will ensure that those Australians in remote areas have access to relevant healthcare (Jackson et al., 2009). Effectiveness There is no unanimity on how the concept of effectiveness can be defined, as a result of this there is inconsistency among scholars in their definition of the concept for instance. Some scholars view effectiveness as the degree by which organization achieves their goals, while others view it as the survival of the organization (Sudan Chand, 2004; Stephen, 2008). Other feels that effectiveness is present as long as an organization uses its resources efficiently and continues to contribute to the large system. Despite the inconsistencies, scholars have agreed on some points that may be applicable in measuring effectiveness. For instance how well has expectations of the society been met as per societal regulations and rules, the time dimension of how the system meets its goals in near future. Intermediate or in distant future and the decline or growth of the system can also be an indicator of effectiveness (Sudan Chad, 2004). Increasing the effectiveness of health care systems in Australia is growing priority for policy makers. The notion of effectiveness encompasses a broad and growing number of dimensions, reflecting increasing expectations in Australia in such away that health system must do more than just improve population health and reduce disability. The effectiveness of the access of health care by rural and remote communities in Australia has been enabled by the outreach models initiated; these are periodic supplies of the services from one location especially in towns to other location in this case remote areas. Other problems associated with heath care system especially in secondary and tertiary services such as surgery are not available to the people for instance Kimberley region has higher mortality rates than in the state level due to lack of access of specialist services like surgery which takes to long to be availed. The state rural community lacks enough medical personnel which mean that access to healthcare is also a problem. Compared to major towns like Melbourne, Kimberly the Australiaà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s most northern region with the highest proportion of aboriginal people always have a shortage of not lees than 20 medical doctors (OECD, 2002). Efficiency Measuring efficiency in healthcare is concerned with comparison of inputs with outputs or outcomes of the health care system to access the degree to which goals are achieved while minimizing resource usage. From economic perspective, efficiency put two elements into consideration that is allocative efficiency and dynamic efficiency.Allocative efficiency is aimed at allocation of resources so that the input invested in heath care system yield the best output. To achieve this technical efficiency, effectiveness and priority setting must be addressed. Effectiveness is aimed at maximizing outputs to a limited amount of inputs. Priority setting involves deciding amount of resources to be allocated in each and every disease while technical efficiency is achieved by ensuring that the staff serves to their full potential. Efficiency can also be measured in three levels i.e. the disease, subsector and system level. The disease level focuses on each disease on the gains in heath status brought by healthcare system, while the subsector level focuses on gains brought specifically by hospitals, outpatient care and pharmaceuticals and the system level relies on the holistic view of the system (OECD, 2010). Large hospitals and multi general practioners practice and specialist medical centers are most common in urban Australia and rare in rural Australia and services that look similar are actually structured differently. These healthcares deliver different services and cater for different populations. Rural residents are not equal participants in the primary health system since there are few general practioners in rural areas, they also make few visits in healthcare centers and they spend much to seek health care than their urban counterparts this means that the Medicare scheme of the government is not efficient in providing equity of access of health care to all citizens. The cost of time, transport and greater competition for services in regional centers contributes to lower utilization rates of those in smaller isolated communities (Luck, 2011). In addition the experienced pre-exist nurses in rural area can be up-skilled to serve a broader range of primary health care hence reducing t he burden of the general practitioners rather than trying to fill every vacancy of general practitioner. The nurses serve by complementing the work of medical practitioner. Interrelationships A properly functioning health system can be evaluated in terms of equity of access, efficiency and effectiveness of all the components of the system. Although there are a number of challenges in these dimensions, Australian health care system has strengths which manifests that the government has made efforts to maintain the proper functioning of the system in recognition that all these aspects are necessary and inseparable in a good health system. Efficiency, effectiveness and equity of access concepts are thus interrelated and their matrix is important when formulating policies of a system. Healthcare has remained a focal point for discussion throughout the history. However with entitlement spending dramatically increasing, poised for further increases, healthcare has been placed at the fore front of public policy. Globally very few countries have achieved an efficient and equitable healthcare industry. Australia serves as an excellent example in their health care policy because its system balances for equity of access and efficiency through the adoption of the free market policies in health provision as well as the base safety net for individuals who cannot afford free market rates hence making sure that the biggest population can be able to access the health services. According to Duckett (2008) efficiency compare outputs to inputs in this case, the number of health care staff to the number of people seeking health care services putting in to consideration the satisfaction the patients. Ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s possible to estimate the number of health staff required to attend patients satisfactorily in every region if efficiency ratios are known. In the efforts to achieve efficiency and effectiveness of the medical staff the policies of the government ensures that the citizens can access adequate and qualified medical personnel equitably. For instance in rural Australia there is an average of one medical doctor in a population of one thousand people. This is in contrast with the urban settings where the number of medical doctors is higher in the same population. While doctors in rural area may be efficient due to high number of patients they attend to access to them by citizens is limited hence contributing to the in effectiveness of the system due to citizensà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ dissatisfaction. Australia government and private sector has invested heavily in construction of health facilities in all regions so that citizens can access them easily and equitably. For instance it had 1051 acute care hospitals of which 734 were public hospitals providing 70% of the bed stock and 317 were private hospitals. Public hospitals are funded by the government or by charitable organizations while private hospitals are privately funded (Healy, 2001). Due to large number of public hospital with many facilities and resources they at times underutilized hence operating inefficiently. To ensure that efficiency is achieved public hospitals liaise with private hospitals to provide private services that are not available in private hospitals. This way efficiency is achieved and at the same time the satisfaction of the citizens by the kind of collaboration that exist between private and public hospitals indicates that the hospitals are effective in accordance with social rules and regulations. Eff iciency of hospitals has also been achieved through the policy of regional hospitals constructed in regional centers especially to cater for rural population. The regional hospitals also help the citizens to access specialist health care with ease. All this efforts contributes to the success of the health system in the spirit on universal access to health care (Duckett, 2008). For the societal satisfaction with the health care system the founding principles of the Australian health care system must work hand in hand. Effectiveness, efficiency and equity of access principles should be demonstrable in a perfect system. Although perfection cannot be achieved the governments through its insurance policies have tried to make accessibility a reality. In addition to accessibility the efficiency of the health workers has been tried to be achieved through encouraging the general practitioners to work in the remote areas where there is shortage of practitioners this is done through incentives, perks and allowances offered to those who practice in rural areas in addition to this tele health care services are adopted such that health care services are moved closer to the people from the urban areas where it concentrated these practices are done periodically. Conclusion The underlying principle in Australian healthcare system is equity to universal access to most health care regardless of the situation or ability to pay. This is achieved since most health care system get revenue from taxation thus promoting equity of access of the health system. The concept of equity of access in relation to effectiveness and efficiency is also explored in Australian heath care system (Healy, 2001). In this case efficiency is measured by degree to which goals are achieved in health care system while minimizing resource usage while effectiveness is measured by degree to which health care system achieve their goals. Large hospitals and multi general practitioners practice and specialist medical centers are most common in urban Australia and rare in rural Australia. This indicates that the Medicare scheme of the government is not efficient and effective in providing equity of access of health care to all citizens. Representations Of Women In The Media: Unrealistic Representations Of Women In The Media: Unrealistic In this essay I will discuss the images of women in mass media and mass culture and how realistic or discursive they are. I will approach this through observing and analysing media advertising and stereotyping of females as a whole. I will examine the role of the woman in modern society and consider her position in public culture. I will begin with an explanation of Cantors theory that representations of women in the media are unreasonable and too different from reality in present society (Cantor, M. 1978). This hypothesis suggests that these images reflect only a few â€Å"real† women and disregards those of different colour, age, status or sexual orientation. The fact is that female icons in the media reshape the perceptions of women and exacerbate the flaws of ordinary ones. Goffman (1979) argues that while images of men are closer to reality, female are represented as â€Å"models pretending to be real persons†. This comes from the fact that women in mass media have lost their personality and have become an object of sight, a thing to be gazed at (Berger, J. 1972). I conclude that women in popular culture do not represent the complete reality but we can witness some improvement throughout recent years, which I will mention later in the essay. First, I will start with the way that women are displayed in the media and what their role they adopt in terms of populism. Females, either celebrities or models, are often put on exhibit in different types of media in order to promote products, shows, movies, events. There are different stereotypes- from the femme fatale to the supermom but there is a connection between all of them. They are always white, slim, and perfectly-shaped which implies a certain ideal of the modern woman. Problems come when ordinary women are forced to conform to this ideal. And when I say â€Å"forced†, I mean trying to live up to the imposed visions of female beauty. There are set standards of beauty and women try to meet these standards in order to be liked and admired. Womens main concern is their body shape. They try to achieve this mesomorphic figure. This means an ideal shape of the body which for women is an â€Å"hourglass† figure (Handout â€Å"Is Media Sexist†). I argue tha t these beauty standards are established for a purpose. Everybody gains from womens insecurities except them. When women are not self-confident, they turn to cosmetic and diet products to achieve the desired standard. This results immediately in the profit and the development of the companies and the industries. For evidence I turn to data from (BBC News World Edition, Feb 5. 2003) where the diet industry alone is worth 40 to 100 billion (U.S.) a year. What is worse, being surrounded by all these perfect images, women start to feel depressed, lose their self-confidence and develop eating disorders. The American research group Anorexia, Nevrosa Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four female students regulates her weight through fasting, skipping meals or vomiting. â€Å"Beauty demands sacrifices† this is the excuse for women suffering and struggling to achieve the ideal. However, this ideal lies in the realm of the unrealistic beauty. It is impossible to achieve perfection and what is more, flaws make us unique and charming. Nevertheless, not everybody feels that way, especially when every single advertisement, show or magazine has imposed the thinness as the main factor for attractiveness. Canadian researcher Gregory Frouts reports that over three-quarters of the actresses in television shows are underweight and those who happen to be heavier are criticised and get negative comments. Magazine industry has made some efforts to oppose the trend of displaying only slim models by putting a heavy-set model on its cover but the advertisers remain sceptic towards their ability to sell beauty products. Another group being affected by the beauty standards are teenagers. 50% to 70% of all preadolescent girls, for instance, are reported to have been on at least one diet and are dissatisfied with their bodies. This stems from the fact that more young girls are involved in media and popular culture. By observing their idols that dress provoc atively and act controversially, teenage girls look up to them and imitate them, believing this is the right behaviour. In her book the Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf (2002, page 3) says: â€Å"The notorious Calvin Klein ad campaigns eroticised sixteen-year-olds when I was a teenager, then eroticised fourteen-year-old models in the early nineties, then twelve-year-olds in the late nineties.† With reducing the age of the girls on exposure in the media, it becomes harder for youngsters to ignore the sexualized ideal and not to obey the markets and the industrys conventions. The truth is that this sexualized ideal and pornography have started to influence popular culture and this leads to the objectification of women (Briggs, A. and Cobley, P. 1998). Knowing that sex sells in todays society and men are attracted to women on the base of sexuality and seductiveness, the only thing which comes to mind when seeing another commercial with a beautiful and provocative girl, is sex. The need for mens attention and the wish to be desired are the main reasons for a woman to change herself. In spite of the change, women will hardly achieve this ideal because of the high and unattainable requirements it sets. The term which applies to this situation is hyperreal. It is a post-modern theory which suggests that we cannot tell the difference between image and reality (Baudrillard, J.) It seems that media has reshaped usual representations and it is hard to perceive an image of a celebrity going out in the public without makeup to walk her dog, for example. The incapability of making a distinction between media image and reality and setting an expected model for womens appearance make it harder for women to meet the demands of the popular media. That is to stand for something that does not exist. This is the time when the simulacra replaces reality. The Simulacra (a copy) starts as a reflection of reality, then it masks and misrepresents it till there is no longer a basic reality and the simulacra becomes a substitution for the real world (Baudrillard, J. 1988). Good example s are processes which help us transform our image such as digital photography and editing, virtual reality, controlling weight. These methods of changing oneself could have a great impact on the simulacra and it will start to disguise and fight reality. For instance, nowadays is easier to fool the audience. With the developing technology and the growth of cosmetic surgery industry it has become a common practice for faces of the media to cover certain imperfections and to hide flaws. I will argue that female movie stars are highly misrepresented regarding their appearance. The paradox comes when even in movies for ancient times, female characters are still perfect, with perfect skin and white teeth never mind the situation, the place (stranded on a desert island for example, the TV series Lost) or the period of time. Also, body doubles are used to veil some weaknesses of the actresses. (such as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman). Studies show that 85% of these body doubles have breast implants. (Kilbourne, J., Cant Buy My Love, 2001). However, there is scientific evidence which suggests a lot of women with breast implants suffer different side effects: pain, deformations of the skin, insensitive breasts or potentional tumour. (Centre for Policy Research for Women and Families, Washington, D.C.) Studies indicate that even plastic surgeries among teens have increased by 50% from 1996-1998 mostly for girls. This results from media superstars parading with their plastic surgeries and advertising them everywhere which eventually leads to a model for imitation. This non realistic model, however, cannot be accepted by everyone. Very few women could achieve this ideal. Even so advertised among girls Barbie cannot be a measure for perfection. Research comparing a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions shows that if put into practice, this exemplary woman would have a too weak back and a too narrow body to include all human organs. Eventually, such a woman would die from malnutrition. (Time, Nov 11. 1996). This is another example of the unrealistic image and role which women accept. There is another alternative that women have started to apply their desire for beauty and change- the reality TVs Extreme Makeover, The Swan or I Want a Famous Face. These people, mostly women, participating in the project are subjected to a strict diet and exercise regimes, psychological counselling and many surgical procedures. The aim is to transform the person physically and then the inner peace and tranquillity will be achieved resulting in ones satisfaction with life. These programmes claim that all social and personal problems could be solved through cosmetic surgery. The only thing that the shows miss, however, is showing the potential risk of such interventions. Neither of them reveals the possibility of complications of plastic surgery. In this way particularly women are made to believe that ideal bodies are attainable and transforming ones figu re is a normal thing now. (Turner, L. 2004). In other words, all kinds of media television, film, radio, magazines and music video industries have a great influence on defining and identifying the conceptions of ideal physiques and figure. Music televisions such as MTV often display girls and women in the traditional role of a sex object, inviting and evoking sexual fantasies, whereas serious female musicians are rarely featured. Also, men are shown as sex objects less frequently. (MTV Programming; and Media Use in America, 2000, Mediascope). So, women are again in the submissive role but this is the way audience will perceive them. Most often, there is a connection between images and audiences. Fiske (1987) suggests that audiences recognise two different strategies when interpreting womens images. One is the realistic interpretation which implies the presence of real persons and the belief that the representations are genuine. The other is the discursive interpretation which reveals a non realistic image and depends on the so cial and cultural values of the audiences themselves. This suggests that images of women in the media correspond to the needs and the values of contemporary society. Eventually, interaction occurs between media representations and their addressees. It is in their hands to decide whether to believe or not, whether to be like these images or not but the most important thing is that the women should have the right to choose and not to follow an unrealistic ideal just because of the trend. I conclude that the conception that women always have to perfect their bodies has made a huge progress. Nevertheless, there have been some indications for a change in recent years. Naomi Wolf (2002) argues that from the first publishing of the book, which criticise the demand and the judgement upon women concerning the beauty, there has been some room for improvement now. According to her, there is no more just one representation of the woman in popular culture. Women of colour have now more publicity in all fields of media (e.g. Rhianna, Beyonce), as the second one is one of the most successful and profitable singers and is more of a plus-size woman at the same time. Speaking of plus-size women, I suggest looking at celebrities like Queen Latifah launching a plus-size clothing line. Before, it was unthinkable to display old women and whenever this happens, they were transformed in such a way that they will have no wrinkles and will look no older than thirty. Now, media is overwhelmed by statements like â€Å"Demi Moore is not afraid of getting old†. Different age, colour, even sexual orientation (Ellen DeGeneres- openly gay TV host) have started to get accepted by general public and gain more popularity in terms of the real representation of women. I would like to conclude that there are still stereotypes and a common misrepresentation of women in the media but it is all starting to create a greater variety of beauty standards which result in a more realistic, though still demanding, conception of beauty and femininity. References 1. Baudrillard, J. (ed.) (1988) Selected Writings, Stanford: Stanford University Press. 2. BBC News World Edition, Feb 5. 2003, The Diet business: Banking on failure. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2725943.stm 3. Beauty and Body Image in the Media http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm 4. Berger, J. (1972) Ways of Seeing, Harmondsworth: Penguin. 5. Briggs, A. and Cobley, P. (1998) The Media: An Introduction, Essex: Pearson Education Limited 6. Cantor, M. (1978) â€Å"Where are the women in public broadcasting?† in G.Tuchman (ed.) Hearth and Home: Images of Women in the Media, New York: Oxford University Press. 7. Centre for Policy Research for Women and Families, Washington, D.C. 8. http://www.mediaandwomen.org/problem.html 9. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1393908.php/Demi_Moore_s_age_ease 10. Friske, J. (1987) Television Culture, London: Methuen. 11. Goffman, E. (1979) Gender Advertisements, New York: Harper Row. 12. Handout â€Å"Is Media Sexist† 13. Kilbourne, J. (2001) Cant Buy My Love, New York: Touchstone. 14. Moore, S. (1998) â€Å"Heres looking at you, kid!† in L.Gamman and M.Marshment (eds) The Female Gaze, London: Womens Press. 15. MTV Programming; and Media Use in America, 2000, Mediascope 16. The Canadian Womens Health Network (Body Image and the Media). http://www.cwhn.ca/node/40776 17. Time, Nov 11. 1996, Barbie boots up. http://www.time.com 18. Turner, L. (2004), Cosmetic Surgery: the new face of reality TV 19. Wolf N. (ed.) ( 2002) The Beauty Myth, London: Chatto Windus

Harold Pinter Essay -- Biography Biographies Harold Pinter Essays

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter is one of the greatest British dramatists of our time. Pinter has written a number of absurd masterpieces including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, Betrayal, Old Times, and Ashes to Ashes. He has also composed a number of radio plays and several volumes of poetry. His screenplays include The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Last Tycoon, and The Handmaid's Tale. He has received numerous awards including the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear, BAFTA awards, the Hamburg Shakespeare Prize, the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or and the Commonwealth Award. Harold Pinter was born on October 10, 1930 in Hackney, East London. He was the sole child of Jack Pinter and Frances Franklin. His father was a ladies’ tailor whose family was among Jewish immigrants that reached the East End of London. Both sides of Harold’s family were Jewish, but they had different personalities and characteristics. His paternal side was Orthodox Jewish and they had an artistic background, whereas his maternal side was more secular and skeptical about strict rules of religion and were known for their entrepreneurial background. Although the Pinter’s were relaxed and music-loving, they got along well at family gatherings with the noisy and clamorous Franklins. Since Harold was an only child, he would imagine a life with brothers and sisters and would create imaginary friends and play out adventures and scenes in the backyard of his home. This isolated world created a place where Harold felt warmth and security. However, this childhood was interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1939. Harold had to leave his home in Hackney as part of a nationwide evacuation, and along with twenty four other children, Harold was sent to John Nash, a fabricated castle, from the elementary school. This was a traumatic and disturbing experience for all of the boys who were isolated from their homes and families, especially for nine-year old Harold. Some boys took advantage of this experience and were happy to be exposed to rural life. â€Å"For Harold, the disturbing experience blended with a magical eye opening encounter of rural life and his tendency to introspect blossomed† (Top Biography). At the same time, his awareness to sounds and images developed, and these permeated his later life and work. This encounter left a mark in Harol... ...lways isolated from something, whether it be from the lack of feeling of love from non-existing siblings and creating imaginary friends in his backyard, or being isolated from his parents during his evacuation throughout the war. Pinter’s life was filled with significant events, but he claims that his life is and was confusing and has had no influence through his works. In this case, his plays, like his life, are just a series of events that happen in real life, but are not supposed to mean a certain thing or express a certain thought. His most recognizable plays mostly take place in just a room filled with people dealing with a certain issue, but they mean so much more; or do they? These situations can be so awkward and silly at times that they are absurd enough to see humor in them and laugh at. This is the way Pinter wanted his plays to be looked at. He was never trying to get a message across and his plays are meant to show a situation at hand and how people deal with it. It is so easy to try and come up with a reason for his menace which causes critics to over-analyze his work. This is what makes Harold Pinter one of the greatest British dramatists of our day.

Othello: Emilia’s Metamorphosis Essay -- Othello essays

Othello: Emilia’s Metamorphosis  Ã‚        Ã‚   In his tragic play Othello, Shakespeare endows the minor character Emilia with some important functions. Her character, which changes dramatically in several ways toward the finale of the play, is the topic of this essay.    A.C. Bradley, in his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, defines the character of the ancient’s wife:    Few of Shakespeare’s minor characters are more distinct than Emilia, and towards few do our feelings change so much within the course of the play. Till close to the end she frequently sets one’s tooth on edge; and at the end one is ready to worship her. She nowhere shows any sign of having a bad heart; but she is common, sometimes vulgar, in minor matters far from scrupulous, blunt in perception and feeling, and quite destitute of imagination. She let Iago take the handkerchief though she knew how much its loss would distress Desdemona; and she said nothing about it though she saw that Othello was jealous. (222)    Emilia is not mentioned in the play until the initial furor of the first two scenes subsides. Brabantio’s rage, among other reasons, necessitate that Desdemona live with Iago and Emilia during the Moor’s campaign in Cyprus against the Turks. Later, while awaiting the arrival of Othello’s ship at the seaport of Cyprus, Emilia is sharing the company of her husband and Desdemona. She shows herself mentally unfit to fight off the verbal attacks of Iago, which are demeaning to her: â€Å"her tongue she oft bestows on me†; â€Å"chides with thinking†; â€Å"Bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchen / Saints in your injuries, devils being offended.† So Desdemona intervenes on Emilia’s behalf with: â€Å"O, fie upon thee, slanderer!† dir... ... with Cassio! (5.2)    Then she accuses him of causing murder: â€Å"And your reports have set the murder on.† Emilia is aware that she is violating social convention here: â€Å"’Tis proper I obey him, but not now.† This violation costs her dearly. Emilia’s stunning interrogation and conviction of her own husband as the evil mastermind behind the murder results in Iago’s killing her. She becomes a martyr for the cause of truth and justice. Quite suddenly she is transformed into a heroine of the play!    WORKS CITED    Bayley, John. Shakespeare and Tragedy. Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981.    Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.      

Personality Development Case Essay

Success in business and personal life is determined by one’s ability to communicate effectively with others. â€Å"Social intelligence,† or the ability to interact, converse, negotiate with, and persuade others, is the most highly paid and respected form of skill one can have, and this can be developed. Students participating in this program will experience a drastic transformation in terms of personality, communication skills, confidence level and the way of looking at life. The entire program is based on the concept of learning and acquiring skills most effectively when one is not under any pressure. The whole process of acquiring skills is like a game – entertaining and exciting. It is similar to the way a child learns to communicate and acquire skills, but with greater awareness. Basic Personality Development Workshop A wholistic workshop focused on the person’s appearance, social graces, and personality. This workshop will help the participants to project themselves in a corporate setting thru social graces and etiquette. Presence, Polish, and Power Workshop This workshop aims to help participants project a confident, professional and polished image. The Art of Business Dining This is a comprehensive session on everything one needs to know about fine dining: from use of basic tools to engaging in table talk. The objective of this course is to help the individual create a positive impression with others and enhance the image of the company he or she represents. Wellness in the Workplace This workshop was designed for leaders and persons who will eventually manage teams. Stress affects productivity and teamwork. It’s therefore important for a leader to address actual and potential stressors in the office and at home. Creating Lasting Connections This workshop serves as an introduction to the science of social intelligence – it will help you gain insights on human relations; how to better â€Å"read† people, situations and react accordingly. Key Topics * Personality Development * Confidence Building * Business Etiquette * Corporate Grooming * International Etiquette * Social Etiquette * Dining Etiquette / Table Manners * Gentlemen Etiquette * Ladies Etiquette * English Voice / Accent * Dress Code * Presentation Skills * Personal Counseling

Cultural Similarities and Differences

The Indian culture has different languages, which include Hindi, Bengali, and Urdu. The officially recognized language is Hindi with other local languages not recognized by the central government. Texans officially use American English with various variations and accents. Australian languages Include Australian slang, Indigenous Australian languages, and variations of Australian English (Dally, 1998). Nigeria has over 50 indigenous languages with very many local dialects. The predominant languages are Your, Bio, Afro -Asiatic and Kanji. The official language is English ND Is used across all states to unite the people.Except India, the other three countries share a salary language (I. E. English) though It has small variations In accent and pronunciation. Family Systems Indians maintain close personal ties with their families including the extended family members. Family relationships are hierarchical and the father is the patriarchal leader of the family. All members have mutual obli gations to their families and they maintain deep rooted trust among all relatives (Maker, 2008). Nigerian maintain an extended family system with relationships guided by hierarchy and seniority.Individuals are obliged to give the extended family members financial assistance and guidance (Coelenterates. N. D). The American family unit Is nuclear with the extended family living away from it. Individualism is highly practiced. The family set ups across the four countries recognizes the father as the head of the family. The role of extended family members is emphasized in Nigerian and Indian cultures where people recognize the senior members of the society. Australian and Texan cultures emphasize individualism and the societies generate highly independent people. Behavioral NormsIn India, greetings follow seniority with the most senior person being greeted first. Though shaking hands Is common, men seldom shake hands with women because of religious beliefs and It Is mandatory to bid eac h person farewell Individually when leaving a group. In Nigeria, shaking hands is the most common form of greeting. Men 1 OFF other person's well being. Direct eye contact is avoided when meeting with older and senior members of the society and as a sign of respect one is expected to bow. Nigerian place importance to professional titles and surnames. In Texas greetings are casual, a handshake, a smile, and a hello are enough.Men use only handshakes but women and children may hug and shake hands even in formal settings. Introductions are very important before any communication. It is considered rude to call senior persons by their first name. Men are supposed to be polite to ladies, they pull chairs and open doors for them and ladies are expected to say a polite thank you in return (Celebrities, 2012). Australian forms of greetings are informal and brief; shaking hands is common in formal setups. Ladies generally do not greet each other. Australians maintain good relationships with a ll people as they are down to earth ND modest.Religion India is a secular state with a lot of religious diversity. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jansenism, and Schism are practiced by most of the people. Christianity is practiced by a minority. Texas has a wide range of religious diversity with Christianity being practiced by the majority. Adherence levels are very high and individual religious beliefs are tolerated. Religious diversity in Nigeria is great with Christianity and Islam being practiced by the majority. Native religions that believe in deities, spirits, and ancestral worship are spread throughout the country. The country constitution remunerates freedom of worship.Majority of Australians are Christians with Islam being practiced by a few. Traditional aborigine religious cultures are practiced by a few aborigines as the others have converted to Christianity. The country laws are tolerant to different religious beliefs. Across the four countries, religion influences the culture of the people with Christianity, Salamis, Hinduism, and Judaism being recognized and accepted by the societies. Freedom of worship is allowed by their respective constitutions; but in Nigeria emergence of radical Salamis has affected he culture of the societies living in the affected areas.Business Etiquette There are various ways in which business is approached in various societies. In Indian society, it is customary for all sides to personally know each other before any business transaction take place. Business meetings are planned by appointments and punctuality is kept as a sign of mutual respect. Negotiations are non confrontational and the final decision is made by the person with the most authority. Decision making is slow and informal and successful negotiations are concluded by a word of mouth and celebrated over a meal. Formal dressing during meetings is expected and shows respect.In the Nigerian culture, developing a personal relationship is essential before any business tra nsaction. Business is conducted in a formal setup and decision making involves all the stakeholders. Nigerian are overly suspicious and proceed with business cautiously. Punctuality for meetings is very important to Texans and it is a sign of disrespect to be late. There is little emphasis on small talk and business is conducted rapidly. To conduct business, an appointment is necessary in Australia. Business is conducted rapidly in a relaxed environment. Personal relationships and show of emotion is not important in their business transactions.Conclusion The culture across all the four countries is steeped with differences and similarities continually changing with advent of globalization and information technology. The family and religious inclinations of these societies fundamentally influences their behavior, norms, and way of thinking. The cultures have inherent mechanisms of maintaining their way of life. In all the cultures, younger members are expected to respect their elders and this maintains social order. Though fundamentally different, arioso cultures have a lot to teach and are universally almost the same.

Nigeria Labour Congress Demand for the Review of the National Minimum Wage and General Wage Review

Today, Nigerians who are lucky to have jobs are finding it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to survive on their monthly pay. The major reason for this is that the pay of the Nigerian worker is not only one of the lowest in the world; it has also not improved as it should in the face of changes in market conditions. Workers in the public sector are particularly worse off.As huge revenues have continued to be acquired from the sweat of workers, the pay and conditions of workers have continued to deteriorate; workers have increasingly been excluded from the wealth created by their labour. In Nigeria, the difference in pay between managers and workers is not only one of the highest in the world: out of every N1 paid as wages, managers collect more than 80 kobo while workers receieve less than 20 kobo; the difference has been increasing over the years.At the same time, owners and managers of banks, top government officials and members of the political class have seen their pay a nd wealth swell ostronomically while workers have had to survive on starvation wages. Workers can no longer survive on what they earn; the situation is made worse by the fact that those who work also have to support family members who form part of the huge army of the unemployed. It has become crystal clear that there is an urgent need for an upward review of the national minimum wage and an upward general review of wages and salaries.History of wage reviews fought by workers This is not the first time that workers would be asking for a general upward review of wages and an increase in the National Minimum Wage. Between 1945 when workers staged the famous 45 days general strike for a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and 2007, when the demand won by workers for a 25% general wage through the Ernest Shonekan Wage Consolidation Committee was arbitrarily cut down to 15% by Obasanjo, workers have struggled at 15 times to have wages improved and a national minimum wage legislated upon.But the struggles produced notable victories for workers and the NLC, it was usually the case that: the National Minimum Wage was always set below the minimum wage needed by workers to survive. Because of the inadequacy of the wage, some state governments elected on their own to pay more. Even then, there were also some 1 state governments that pay less than the stipulated national minimum wage. The result was that workers always could not cope. The wage reviews were largely unstructured; sometimes negotiated wages were changed by government through circulars; at other times, government effected unilateral wage increases.Agreements reached with government were sometimes distorted at implementation or not implemented at all by government. For example, the 2000 Wage Review Agreement provided for a further 25per cent wage increase for workers with effect from May 1, 2001, and 15 per cent wage increase with effect from May 1, 2002. This was not implemented. Following industrial dispute over this a 121/2 percent increase rather than the 35 per cent agreement in 2000, was signed in 2003. But in the end, only an increase of between 4 and 12 1/2 per cent was implemented by the Federal Government.Although the Shonekan Committee was set up against this background and recommended a 25% increase in salaries, Obasanjo unilaterally implemented a 15% increase in 2007. Government also failed to abide by the timeframes set out for subsequent negotiations with workers. Workers always had to fight to get government to agree to collective bargaining even when the procedure was agreed in previous negotiations. Today, workers find that they have to fight yet again to get government to agree to negotiate a new National Minimum Wage and a general upward review of wages.Rationale for Upward Wage Review today There are several reasons why there must be an upward review of workers wages today. The consequence of the abdication of the agreed approach to the implementation of the phased-wage increases has been that wages and salaries are today sharply depressed and incapable of meeting the basic needs of most workers. In the last one year, inflation has intensified with the cost of living index in the urban sector increasing by over 14 per cent. The disproportionate increase (20. 9 percent) in the cost of food means that the erosion in the real wages and salaries of workers is alarmingly severe.The process of monetizing and consolidating in-kind benefits which were hitherto not taxed has resulted in an escalation of the tax paid by workers. This has further depressed the real take home pay of workers. 2 All over the world, salary increase in the public sector is underlined by the principle of equity and the need to bridge social inequality in the face of widening economic and social gaps amongst citizens of a country. In Nigeria, while workers’ salaries increased by 15 percent between 2006 and 2007, those of political office holders increased by over 800 percent. The 2008 increase in the compensation of political office holders has further aggravated the disparity (Table 1). On average, their compensation package has been doubled. We need to reduce this disparity for greater equity, productivity and morale. TABLE 1: Salaries of Political Office Holders (Pre and Post Consolidation) S/N Categories 1 Special Assistant to the President; Chief Speech Writer to the President; Chief Press Secretary to the President Members, House of Representatives; Deputy Chief of Staff TTP; Senior Special Assistant, TTP. Ministers of State; Senators; Principal Officers of the House of Representatives; Special advisers TTP.Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives; Minister; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Chief of Staff TTP; National Security Adviser; Chief Economic Adviser; Inspector General of Police; Chairmen, Federal Civil Service Commission, Federal Character Commission, National Salaries, Incomes, & Wag es Commission, Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Commission. Deputy President of the Senate; Justices of the Supreme Court; President, Court of Appeal. Speaker of the House of Representatives. HASS (Basic) 626,700 865,200 CONSS* 4,392,012 13,102,402 3 4 1,015,700 13,374,240 1,194,600 15,094,426 5 6 7 1,403,700 15,240,500 1,649,400 16,348,926 Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ; 1,938,000 21,524,164 President of the Senate; Chief Justice of Nigeria . 8 President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed 2,506,000 24,954,405 Forces of Nigeria . *Source: National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Abuja 3 In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Nigeria ought to be paying one of the highest minimum wages, given its resources and level of development.The reality, however, is that the existing minimum wage in Nigeria is one of the lowest in Africa. Table 2 presents the data for Sub-Saharan Africa. The data in the table takes adequate account of the need to adjust the wages to differences in the cost of living or what is called the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Table 2: Minimum Annual Wage Levels in African Countries ($USD) Country Minimum Special Notes PPP PPP-Based Wage Factor Minimum Wage Angola 1511 1. 975 2984. 23 Botswana 3011 2. 106 6341. 17 DRC 468 2. 077 972. 04 Kenya 948 2. 534 2402. 3 Lesotho 1080 For Manufacturing 1. 847 1994. 76 Madagascar 336 3. 107 1043. 95 Malawi 407 3 1221. 00 Mozambique 1177 2. 129 2505. 83 Nigeria 550 2. 274 1250. 70 South Africa 2780 Farm Minimum 1. 651 4589. 78 Wage: $975 Swaziland 1369 1. 958 2680. 50 Tanzania 1680 2. 8 4704. 00 Zambia 1147 1. 81 2076. 07 Average 1266 2674. 33 The current national minimum wage of N7,500 is far below the minimum cost of providing basic needs for the worker and his / her immediate family. Our survey shows that today the minimum cost of providing for basic needs is N58,200 (Table 2).This estimate is based on threshold hardship levels in which 6 or 8 people may be forced to live in one or two rooms and endure a dietary and living style that is most rudimentary. Additionally, it should be noted that N18,000 is allegedly spent on the feeding of one prison inmate monthly, while the estimate here is merely N20,000 for the feeding of a family of 6 per month. 4 An examination of the cost of living since the enactment of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 shows clearly that the cost of living index has risen so much that the real value of the minimum wage set by the law has virtually been wiped out.Employing published data on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from 2000 till July 2008, and taking into account developments in the overall economy and compensation adjustments since 2000, the minimum wage of workers in 2008 can be computed. This computation shows that in real terms, the minimum wage of workers would have to be adjusted upwards by a minimum factor of 4 in order to maintain the relative position of the least pai d worker in the national compensation structure established in 2000.Thus, the appropriate amount required in 2008 to maintain the real value of the National Minimum Wage set in 2000 would be (N11,213. 52 x 4=N44,856). Table 2: Estimated Monthly Cost of Meeting Basic Needs for a Representative Family * Item Accommodation Utilities a. Electricity b. Water c. Kerosene d. Communication Food Clothing Medical Education Cleaners, Soap and Detergents Entertainment, Recreation Communication Miscellaneous Total Cost (N) 6,000 1,000 500 4,000 2,000 20,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 1,300 and 1,000 1,500 N58,500Our Demands Based on the foregoing Congress demands: (i) A new National Minimum Wage of N52,200. This is the approximate average of the minimum wages when we take into consideration Minimum Annual Wage Levels in African Countries, the minimum cost of providing basic needs for the worker and his / her immediate family and the cost of living data. 5 (ii) that the Federal Government sets up a tripar tite committee as a matter of urgency to negotiate and agree on this, so that the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 can be amended to reflect the new amount.It is instructive to note that current negotiations on fixing a minimum wage for Ghana has recently reached preliminary agreement within the tripartite framework to adopt the basic needs approach in computing the minimum wage. (iii) an amendment to the Act to the effect that the National Minimum Wage law should apply to any establishment employing 20 or more workers, instead of the 50 workers currently stipulated by law. (iv) a general wage review; there is an urgent need to commence negotiations in both the public and private sectors so as to agree on new compensation packages. v) a wage review in the public sector based on the minimum wage computed above. Currently, the least salary in the Civil Service under the Consolidated Civil Service Salary Structure is N133,564 per annum or N11,130 per month. The new salary structure recom mended by the Congress is based on the least salary of N52,200 per month or N626,400 per annum, which is the proposed new national minimum wage. The new Consolidated Salary Structure would then be constructed so as to maintain the existing relativities in the salary structure.Sustainability and Affordability of NLC’s Demands Is the minimum wage proposed by the NLC reasonable, sustainable and affordable? Can the nation pay the new national minimum wage? The answer to both and related questions is an overwhelming YES! It is a resounding YES for the following reasons: (i) An increase in the purchasing power and effective demand of workers will increase the demand for goods and services and translate into growth for the economy. The morale, and therefore, productivity of workers will be greatly enhanced by the wage review. ii) Nigeria earns enough revenues, even with the downward slide in oil prices, to be able to pay. The problem in Nigeria is massive corruption by members of th e political and administrative elite and not lack of resources. To be sure, paying the new minimum wage will require that members of the political class cut their level of stealing of public funds. This will not be a bad thing; in fact, it will be good for the economy. (iii) If the economy can accommodate the huge sums spent on political office holders, it can accommodate a general upward review of wages and a national minimum wage as proposed.In any case, more resources should be devoted to the productive workers in any economy. Apart from political office holders, the profits declared in most areas of the private sector, continue to be massive. Even sectors which are contracting their operations continue to declare huge profits. Therefore, the public and private sectors of the economy are capable of paying higher wages. 6 Framework Proposed for the Negotiations The national minimum wage negotiations should be carried out within the tripartite framework, with workers, NECA and gove rnment represented.The emerging agreement from this negotiation should then be forwarded to the National Assembly as a Draft Amendment to the National Minimum Wage Act, 2000. At the conclusion of the minimum wage negotiation, the public service wage review negotiation should commence between labour and representatives of government, both Federal and States. Private sector negotiations should susequently take place within the existing sectoral framework of collective bargaining. On the general wages review, we wish to call on government to adopt the framework of collective bargaining, with representatives of all public sector employers, whetherFederal or State Governments, as employers, not as governments. Conclusion Congress makes these demands with great patriotism, sensitivity and responsibility. Congress holds that collective bargaining and negotiations with trade unions are sacrosanct and in consonance with the spirit of democracy. Congress calls on government to set up the nece ssary structures for the negotiations without further delay. To delay negotiations will further compound the living conditions of workers of Nigeria in the face of the alarming mass poverty already destroying their lives. February 2009 7

Wounds That Can Not Be Stitched

Stephanie Holmes 06-06-2011 Wounds that Can’t be Stitched Up I learned that sometimes you think your over things in your life until you see that actual person that has caused a fear in your life. It was upsetting to me that this man did not get any serious punishment for DWI and hit this family. That how did even have the nerve to get back behind the will after the tragedy he caused. It made me made when people were making excuses for him. He had the nerve to say to her at the end did I scare you oh, that really ticked me. As he staggered from his vehicle, he looked at me and asked drunkenly, â€Å"Did I scare you? † It made me mad. How can he dare ask a question like that when he damn their killed her mom, brother, and sister. Her daughter was standing outside to. I would imagine that would be very upsetting to her especially the stuff her family had been through. I think the writer was very heated and probably wanted to beat him up. That some people don’t understand what they did caused pain and hurt. Some people never learn. Now and then I’d see his name in court log of our local paper for another DWI. As he staggered from his vehicle, he looked at me and asked drunkenly, â€Å"Did I scare you? † He kept repeating that he’d did nothing wrong. Yes she was an intelligent source to discuss this piece with. She had an essay that appeared in Newsweek. The incident had caused her to write the essay The Wound That Can’t Be Stitched Up. That she used the sixth edition of Models for Writers to help her learn how to write.