Identifying the Most Common North American Conifers

Conifers are commonly thought to be synonymous with evergreen trees, which stay green through the year. However, not all conifers—also known as softwoods—remain green and with needles year-round. They are actually scientifically classed by how they fruit. They are gymnosperms or plants with naked seeds not enclosed in an ovary; these seed fruits called cones are considered more primitive than hardwood fruiting parts. General Guidelines for Broad Identification Though conifers may or may not lose their needles annually, most are indeed evergreen. Trees of this classification have needle-like or scale-like foliage and usually renew many leaves annually but  dont renew all of their leaves every year. The foliage is usually narrow and manifests in either sharp-pointed needles or small and scale-like leaves. Although  studying the needle is the best way to identify a conifer, conifers as a class are defined not by their leaves but by their seeds, so its only important to note the shape and size of leaves after determining whether it is a conifer by the shape, size, and type of seed the tree produces. Softwood trees  include pine, spruces, firs, and cedars, but dont let that alternative name for conifers fool you. Wood hardness varies among the conifer species, and some softwoods are actually harder than some hardwoods. The Many Types of Coniferous Leaves While all trees that bear cones are coniferous, and many of these cones are remarkably different from other species cones, often times the best way to identify the specific genus of a tree is by observing its leaves. Coniferous trees can produce two types of leaves with a variety of slight alterations that further define the tree type. If a tree has needle-like (as opposed to scale-like) leaves, it can then be further defined by how those needles are grouped (singularly or alone), how they are shaped (flattened or four-sided and sharp), the types of stems these leaves are attached to (brown or green), and if the leaves invert or not. Other Ways to Identify Conifers From there, the way the cone or seed is shaped and the way it hangs on the tree (sticking up or handing down), the smell and largeness of individual needles, and the erectness of branches in the tree can also help determine what specific type of conifer a tree is. Chances are ​if a tree has any of these features at all it is a conifer, especially if the tree also bears cone-like seeds. The Most Common Conifer Trees in North America Three of the most common conifers that grow in North America are pine, fir, and spruce trees. The Latin word conifer means to bear cones, and most but not all conifers have cones; junipers and yews, though, produce berry-like fruit. Conifers are among the smallest, largest, and oldest living woody plants known in the world. The more than 500 conifer species are distributed worldwide and are invaluable for their timber but also adapt well to the landscape; there are 200 conifer species in North America, but the most common are listed here: Bald cypress—Genus  TaxodiumCedar—Genus CedrusDouglas fir—Genus  PseudotsugaTrue fir—Genus AbiesHemlock—Genus TsugaLarch—Genus LarixPine—Genus  PinusRedwood—Genus SequoiaSpruce—Genus Picea

An Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I Could...

In the poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† by Emily Dickinson refers to death as a gentlemen who unexpectedly visits Dickinson to take her on a journey â€Å"towards eternity† (I. 24). It is very ironic that she considers death as a gentleman, but as we all know it is the total opposite. On the second stanza they both start the slow and peaceful journey. â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste† (I. 5). We can see the tranquility of the scene in which they are. Dickinson here understands the seriousness of the situation in which she is, and she forgets about everything. â€Å"And I put away my labor and my leisure too, For his civility† She describes her struggle in life with the word â€Å"labor†, the word â€Å"leisure† as her freedom (I.6) and deaths†¦show more content†¦Here Dickinson is dressed in a light â€Å"Gown† (I.15) and a cape or in this case a â€Å"Tippet†(I.16) which is the costume she is wearing for her funeral. On stanza number five is coming to an end. â€Å"We paused for a house that seemed a swelling of the ground†(I.18) this emphasizes or describes death’s â€Å"house† continued by â€Å"the Cornice-in the ground† one can relate this to her tomb on the ground. With this information one can conclude her death. Emily Dickinson describes show after her recent death, she feels like she has been dead for centuries, but actually it â€Å"Feels shorter than a day† (I.22). Already realizing she is dead. The last two lines of stanza six say â€Å"I first surmised the horses head† (I.23-24), obviously her journey is over, and headed to eternity. On â€Å"An Irish Airman foresees his death† by W.B Yeats the themes of the poem is the balancing of life and death with a hopeless feeling about life or in this case his destiny after the result of war. On the first two lines, Yeats prepares us for his journey. We can see how his negation of any natural feeling on line three and four. â€Å"Those that I fight I do not hate, those that I guard I do not love†. One can understand the situation in which the pilot does not care of the whole situation; he just wants this war to be over. As one goes over line five and six we can relate that the Irish is fighting for another country which in this case: the Germans. Even though he does not really care what the result of theShow MoreRelated Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I could not stop for Death693 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I could not stop for Death The poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson expresses the speakers reflection on death. The poem focuses on the concept of life after death. This poems setting mirrors the circumstances by which death approaches, and death appears kind and compassionate. It is through the promise of immortality that fear is removed, and death not only becomes acceptable, but welcomed as well. As human beings,Read MoreEmily Dickinson s `` Because I Could Not Stop For Death `` Essay1355 Words   |  6 PagesModernism for Emily Dickinson has to do with the uncertainty. Emily Dickinson was a somber thinker who doesn’t try to enlighten anyone of anything. Her poems were uniquely written and she wrote about the uncertainty, which makes her poetry easy to empathize with in the 21st century. The 21st century, is a period of science which is used as a tool to make sense of the uncertainty. Emily Dickinson uses her poetry as a means to question and observe the trauma of human existence. For instance, she doesn’tRead More Literary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry Essays1053 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous authors in American History, and a good amount of that can be attributed to her uniqueness in writing. In Emily Dickinsons poem Because I could not stop for Death, she characterizes her overarching theme of Death differently than it is usually described through the poetic devices of irony, imagery, symbolism, and word choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emily Dickinson likes to use many different forms of poetic devicesRead More Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death803 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death In regard to Emily Dickinson’s poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† Critic Eunice Glenn says: â€Å"In the first two lines Death, personified as a carriage driver, stops for one who could not stop for him. The word ‘kindly’ is particularly meaningful, for it instantly characterizes Death. This comes with surprise, too, since death is more often considered grim and terrible† (Glenn). Critic Charles R. Anderson says, â€Å"DeathRead MoreEmily Dickinson : The Point When A Reader1749 Words   |  7 PagesMohammed Horieh Introduction to Literature Professor Knoernschild November 27, 2015 Emily Dickinson At the point when a reader hears the name Emily Dickinson, they consider a female who composed verse that has been surely understood for a considerable length of time and years. Much to their dismay that Emily Dickinson established American Literature, and began an entire unrest of verse. The procedure Dickinson used to keep in touch with her verse was at no other time seen and was theRead MoreUnderstanding Relationships in Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death and John Updikes Dogs Death1796 Words   |  7 PagesEmily Dickinsons Because I could not stop for death and John Updikes Dogs Death both trigger intense feelings in readers as a result of the concepts that they relate to. Through emphasizing feelings experienced by the main characters with regard to individuals they love, these two authors want readers to get a more complex understanding of relationships that develop between individuals who truly comprehend the importance of love. To a certain degree one might feel inclined to consider thatRead MoreDickinson and Plath Comparative Analysis Essay example1530 Words   |  7 Pageswriting it. We use it to convey love, to mourn a loss, tell a story, or to say the things we are afraid to tell an actual person. Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath dont write sonnets. These two poets clearly used poetry as a cathartic release for the troubles of their lives. Their struggles with even the rudimentary, plagued them throughout their short lifetime. Life and death being in constant conflict,albeit causing them great sadness in life,also produced some of the greatest written word the worldRead MoreEmily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop For Death883 Words   |  4 PagesBecause I Could Not Stop for Death - Analysis One of Emily Dickinson’s most famous poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death, consists of Emily summarizing her journey through life, from the afterlife. The poem embraces death and its eternity. She begins by personifying death as a person who takes her on ‘date’ in which her life is calmly retold. To begin, Emily receives a visit from Death. Death is not scary or forceful, instead she perceives him as a gentleman caller, who puts her at ease throughRead MoreCritical Analysis Of I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died1381 Words   |  6 PagesLater in her life, Dickinson writes about death and the overwhelming presence of death. Her famous poem, I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died, talks about death and the decay of the body. According to Helen Vendler’s Dickinson: Selected Poems and Commentaries, it gives an analysis of the I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died in line 7 of the poem the king will be coming and will reclaim what belongs to him and when he comes it will be witnessed by the bystanders in the room. The King is coming for the deceasedRead More An Analysis of Dickinson’s I Felt a Funeral in My Brain Essay1005 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp; An Analysis of Dickinson’s I Felt a Funeral in My Brainnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; Emily Dickinson was a poet who used many different devices to develop her poetry, which made her style quite unique. A glance at one of her poems may lead one to believe that she was quite a simple poet, although a closer examination of her verse would uncover the complexity it contains. Dickinson’s poem I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, is a prime example of complicity embodied by

Igbo Culture free essay sample

Imagine living a life with a completely different set of cultures and traditions; it is hard to do. Many people in the world today do not take the time to acknowledge the ways in which other societies live or how their cultures and traditions shape the way they are. The way in which a culture survives depends on the people’s capacity to understand and transfer it to succeeding generations. The Ibo culture has succeeded in maintaining its unique customs and traditions and is still successful to this day. The Ibo people have very unique customs and traditions. Nigeria is composed of three major ethnic groups, the Yorubas, the Hausas, and the Ibo. The Ibo people cover most of Southeast Nigeria, also known as Iboland. The Ibo people have very unique customs and traditions. One might feel shocked at the clothing that the Ibo people wear; while the majority of the people we know may wear jeans and a t-shirt, the Ibo people prefer quite less clothing. The sun lets out a blistering heat in Africa that causes the native people to desire to dress differently. Traditionally the Ibo wore very little to nothing until they reach the age of puberty at which time the men generally wear loose fitting cotton shirts and loincloths and the women usually wore a short wrapper with beads around their waist with other ornaments such as necklaces and beads. In the book Things Fall Apart Achebe decribes a womans attire â€Å"She wore a black necklace which hung down in three coils just above her full, succulent breasts and on her waist, four or five rows of jigida, or waist beads. †(71) The colonialism of the Ibo culture brought upon the western styled clothes such as trousers and shirts. Today the typical traditional attire of the Ibo men generally consists of an Isiagu top, which is very similar to the African Dashiki, paired with trousers and a hat. The Ibo women wear embodied puffed sleeve blouses, two wrappers, and a head scarf. Although the traditional attire has changed slightly, the new attire is still custom to the tribe. Kola nut (Oji)inhabits a unique place in the cultural life of Ibo people. The kola nut tradition is used for anassortment of events, but mainly to welcome guests to a village or house. Kola nut is always the first thing served to any visitor in an Ibo home. Other events where it may be shared include marriage ceremonies, entering into an agreement, and settling family disputes. The kola nut is also used to make a connection with spirits and ancestral gods. According to Ugbala â€Å"The importance which the Igbos attach to ? j? can further be illustrated by a legend which speaks of the visit of the founding fathers to the home of the gods where the gods asked the founding fathers to choose a fruit from all the fruits in the orchard of the gods. The founding fathers chose ? j? as the king of all the fruits and because it came from the gods, it is used in communicating with gods. Because it is the king of all the fruits (a sacred fruit from the gods) it is used in showing goodwill to visitors and for entering into bonds. †(Ugbala) Ways in which kola nut is broken is very specific to the Ibo people. Usually it is the privilege of the eldest man in a group to offer prayers and thanks when the kola nut is about to be broken and shared however in some parts of Iboland, the youngest breaks the kola-nut. The breaking of the kola nut is fundamental aspect of the Ibo people. The Igbo are intensely religious people who believe in one compassionate creator, usually known as Chukwu, who created the visible universe. â€Å"The creator can be approached through numerous other deities and spirits in the form of natural objects, most commonly through the god of thunder (Amadioha). There is also the belief that ancestors protect their living descendants and are responsible for rain, harvest, health and children. † (igboguide. rg) The living are very respectful and show much appreciation for the dead, it is actually against tribal law to speak badly of any spirit. Chi also plays a major role in the Ibo life. Chi is the spiritual entity that is embodied in everyone before birth and is with them throughout life. They believe that each life is predetermined by chi. The burial ceremonies of the Ibo are very complex, there are several deaths that prove to be shameful, and when these events occur no burial is performed at all. Women who die in labour, children who die before they have no teeth, those who commit suicide and those who die in the sacred month – for these people their funeral ceremony consists of being thrown into a bush. † (Slattery) The religious beliefs also led them to kill those who might be shameful to the tribe, for example, single births are considered typically human while twin births are thought to be typical of the animal world; therefore twins were seen as less than humans and put to death. The spirit world is very real to the Ibo people. The feast of the New Yam brings about much excitement in the Ibo community. The feast of the new yams is also known as Iwa-ji. These festivities normally include a lot of variety entertainment including aperformance of ceremonial rites by the Igwe or King, cultural dances by Igbo men, masquerade dance, fashion parade, and feasting at a grand scale on a wide variety of food that makes up the Ibo menu. Yams are the main agricultural crop among the Ibo and are the primary food as well. Generally at the start of each festival the yams are offered to the gods and ancestors before being distributed to the villagers. The rituals that are involved with the new yam eating are made to express the people’s appreciation to the gods for making the new yams harvest possible. According to Portia Websolutionsâ€Å"the day is symbolic of enjoyment after the cultivation season and a day of showing gratitude to god for his protection and kindness in leading them from lean periods to the time of bountiful harvest without deaths resulting from hunger. Iwa-ji is therefore an important event in the calendar of Igbo people all over the world. † The ceremony has been celebrated for centuries and is always celebrated in memorable ways in order to protect the tradition. The Ibo culture is very unique and diverse. The Ibo have an abundant sense of faith, and take great pride in the traditions and customs that they have created, tweaked, and maintained. The culture is still alive to this day and it is because of the people who kept the tradition alive and passed on for generations and generations.

Medical Testing On Animals Essays (538 words) - Animal Welfare

Medical Testing On Animals Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter! Medical Testing On Animals Animals have been used in medical research for centuries. Most of the animals used for research are rodents - rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils. Some dogs, cats and a variety of goats, ferrets, pigeons, monkeys and rabbits are also used .The struggle against this tyranny is a struggle as important as any of the moral and social issues that have been fought over in recent years. Animal rights are an emotional issue-second only, perhaps, to the bitter abortion debate." For decades the value of animal research has been grossly overrated. Although researchers have depended on animal test data to achieve medical advances, there should be other means of research because testing on animals is cruel, inhumane, and often unnecessary. The American Medical Association believes that research involving animals is absolutely essential to maintaining and improving the health human beings. They point out, that virtually every advance in medical science in the 20th century, from antibiotics to organ transplants, has been achieved either directly or indirectly through the use of animals in laboratory experiments. They also emphasize that animal research holds the key for solutions to AIDS, cancer, heart disease, aging and congenital defects. Lastly they insist that, the result of these experiments has been the elimination or control of many infectious diseases. This has meant a longer, healthier, better life with much less pain and suffering for humans. For many patients, it has meant life it self. However, there should be other means of research because the whole process of animal research remains cruel and inhumane. Animal rights activists have gathered a large amount of information that has closed down many laboratories that violate anti-cruelty statutes. In the past, research labs have had to be subsequently suspended due to animal cruelty. Reports involving horrifyingly painful experiments on monkeys and the filthy laboratories the animals must live in. Animals limited to living in tiny metal cages in which they can barely move. From the capture of primates in the wild, to the "factory-like" breeding of mice and dogs, to the confinement and isolation of cages - research is inherently cruel. Animal research is often unnecessary, history has shown that many important medical advances have been made by clinical research and close observations of human patients, not animals. There are countries that don't use healthy animals to train veterinarians or teach surgical techniques. In England they use only sick or injured animals and do most of their work on animal cadavers. Humans can give informed consent. Monkeys and dogs can't. Many AIDS patients have said they are willing to try out new drugs so why not let them. In most cases the drugs will need to be tested on humans before the FDA will approve them anyway and it is a known fact that not all drugs work the same on humans as they do on animals. Most of what we do to animals we would never do to people. We understand that people have certain rights that keep them from being experimented on by other people. What we don't realize is that it is impossible to justify rights for humans, who are a type of animal, and deny rights to non-human animals. Animals have a right to life just as humans have a right to life. Human morality must expand to acknowledge and respect the rights of non-human animals.

Biography of Toussaint Louverture, Haitian Rebel Leader

Biography of Toussaint Louverture, Haitian Rebel Leader Franà §ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture (May 20, 1743–April 7, 1803) led the only victorious  slave revolt in modern history, resulting in Haitis independence in 1804. Toussaint emancipated the slaves and negotiated for Haiti, then called Saint-Domingue, to be governed briefly by black former slaves as a French protectorate. Institutional racism, political corruption, poverty, and natural disasters have left Haiti in crisis for many of the succeeding years, but Toussaint remains a hero to Haitians and others throughout the African diaspora. Fast Facts: Franà §ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture Known For: Led a successful slave rebellion in HaitiAlso Known As: Franà §ois-Dominique Toussaint, Toussaint LOuverture,  Toussaint Brà ©da, Napolà ©on Noir, Black SpartacusBorn: May 20, 1743 on the Breda plantation near Cap-Franà §ais, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti)Father: Hippolyte, or Gaou GuinouDied: April 7, 1803 at Fort-de-Joux, FranceSpouse: Suzanne Simone BaptisteChildren: Isaac, Saint-Jean, multiple illegitimate childrenNotable Quote: We are free today because we are the stronger; we will be slaves again when the government becomes the stronger. Early Years Little is known about Franà §ois-Dominique Toussaint  Louverture before his role in the Haitian Revolution.  According to Philippe Girards Toussaint Louverture:  A Revolutionary Life, his  family came from the  Allada kingdom of West Africa. His father Hippolyte, or Gaou Guinou, was an aristocrat, but around  1740, the  Dahomey Empire, another West African  kingdom in what is now Benin,  captured his family and sold them as slaves. Hippolyte was sold  for 300 pounds of cowrie shells. His family now  owned by European colonists in the New World, Toussaint was born on May 20, 1743, on the Breda plantation near Cap-Franà §ais, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), a French territory. Toussaints gifts with horses and mules impressed his overseer,  Bayon de Libertat, and he was trained in veterinary medicine, soon becoming the plantation’s chief steward. Toussaint was fortunate to be owned by somewhat enlightened masters who allowed him to learn reading and writing. He read the classics and political philosophers and became devoted to Catholicism. Toussaint was freed in 1776 when he was around 33 but continued to work for his former owner. The next year he married Suzanne Simone Baptiste, who was born in Agen, France. She is believed to have been his godfathers daughter but may have been his cousin. They had two sons, Issac and Saint-Jean, and each had children from other relationships. Contradictory Personal Traits Biographers describe Toussaint as full of contradictions. He ultimately led a slave insurrection but didnt take part in smaller revolts in Haiti prior to the revolution. He was a Freemason who  practiced Catholicism devoutly but also secretly engaged in voodoo. His Catholicism might have factored into his decision  not to participate in voodoo-inspired insurrections in Haiti before the revolution. After Toussaint was granted freedom, he owned slaves himself. Some historians have criticized him for this, but he may have owned slaves to free his family members from bondage. As the New Republic explains, freeing slaves required money, and money required slaves. Touissant remained a victim of the same exploitative system hed joined to free his family. But as he returned to the  Brà ©da plantation, abolitionists began gaining ground, convincing King Louis the XVI to give slaves the right to appeal if their overlords subjected them to brutality. Before the Revolution Before the slaves rose in revolt, Haiti was one of the most profitable slave colonies in the world. About 500,000 slaves worked on its sugar and coffee plantations, which produced a significant percentage of the worlds crops. The colonists had a reputation for being cruel and engaging in  debauchery.  The planter Jean-Baptiste de Caradeux, for example, is said to have  entertained guests by letting them shoot oranges off the tops of slaves heads. Prostitution was reportedly rampant on the island. Rebellion After widespread discontent, slaves mobilized for liberty in November  1791, seeing an opportunity to rebel against colonial rule during the throes of the French Revolution. Toussaint at first was uncommitted to the uprising, but, after hesitating a few weeks, he helped his former master escape and then joined the black forces fighting the Europeans. Toussaints comrade  Georges Biassou, who was leading the rebels, became the self-appointed viceroy and named Toussaint general of the royal army-in-exile.  Toussaint taught himself military strategies and organized the Haitians into troops. He also enlisted deserters from the French military  to help train his men. His army included radical whites and mixed-race Haitians as well as blacks, whom he trained in guerrilla warfare. As  Adam Hochschild described in The New York Times, Toussaint used his legendary horsemanship to rush from one corner of the colony to another, cajoling, threatening, making and breaking alliances with a bewildering array of factions and warlords, and commanding his troops in one brilliant assault, feint or ambush after another.  During the uprising he took on the name Louverture, which means the opening, to emphasize his role. The slaves  fought  the British, who wanted control over the crop-rich colony, and French colonizers whod subjected them to bondage. French and British soldiers left journals expressing their surprise that the rebel slaves were so skilled. The rebels also had dealings with agents of the Spanish Empire. Haitians had to confront internal conflicts that sprang from mixed-race islanders, who were known as  gens de couleur, and black insurgents. Victory By 1795 Toussaint was widely renowned, loved by blacks and appreciated by most Europeans and mulattoes because of his efforts to restore the economy. He allowed many planters to return and used military  discipline  to force former slaves to work, a system that was virtually the same as the slavery he had criticized but ensured that the nation had sufficient crops to exchange for military supplies. Historians say he maintained his abolitionist principles while doing what was necessary to keep Haiti secure, intending to free the laborers and let them profit from Haitis achievements. By 1796 Toussaint was the leading political and military figure in the colonies, having made peace with the Europeans. He turned his attention to putting down a domestic rebellion and then set to work bringing the entire island of Hispaniola under his control. He wrote a constitution that gave him the power to be a lifelong leader, much like the European monarchs he despised, and to choose his successor. Death Frances Napoleon objected to Toussaints expansion of his control and sent troops to oppose him. In 1802,  Toussaint was lured into peace talks with one of Napoleon’s generals, resulting in his capture and removal from Haiti to France. His immediate family members, including his wife, were captured as well. Abroad,  Toussaint was isolated and starved in a fortress in the Jura mountains, where he died on April 7, 1803, at Fort-de-Joux, France. His wife lived until 1816. Legacy Despite his capture and death, Toussaints biographers describe him as far savvier than either  Napoleon, who ignored his attempts at diplomacy,  or Thomas  Jefferson, a slave owner who sought to see Toussaint fail by alienating him economically.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If I were white I would receive only praise,† Toussaint said of how hed been slighted in world politics, â€Å"But I actually deserve even more as a black man.†Ã‚   After his death, Haitian revolutionaries, including Toussaints lieutenant Jean-Jacques Dessalines, continued to fight for independence. They finally won freedom in January 1804, two years after Toussaints death, when Haiti became a sovereign nation. The revolution Toussaint led is said to have been an inspiration to abolitionists such as John Brown, who attempted a violent overthrow of the American system of slavery, and to many Africans who fought for independence for their countries in the mid-20th century. Sources Berman, Paul. â€Å"A Biography Reveals Surprising Sides to Haitis Slave Liberator.†Ã‚  The New York Times.Hochschild, Adam. The Black Napoleon. The New York Times.Harris, Malcolm. Giving Toussaint Louverture the Great Man Treatment. The New Republic.Toussaint LOuverture  Biography. Biography.com.Toussaint Louverture: Haitian Leader. Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Take It Easy Quotes to Live By

Take It Easy Quotes to Live By Just about everybody feels rushed and stressed at times. Since we all know that stress can be harmful to our health, nows the time to take steps to reduce the amount of stress in our lives. Slow down as you do things. Accept that what has passed  is past. Take one step at a time instead of multitasking your way through the day. Identify  what you are doing when you feel totally relaxed and focus on these activities instead of ones that stress you out. No one can avoid all the stress in life, but you can cut back on it. Chill Out With These Quotes Jim MorrisonTime to live, time to lie, time to laugh and time to die. Take it easy baby. Take it as it comes. Christian Nestell BoveeThere is a German proverb which says that Take-it-Easy and Live-Long are brothers. David SelznickWhy do you knock yourself out? Take it easy. Elbert HubbardDo not take life too seriously; you will never get out of it alive. Johnny CashI recently found myself going through a period of uncertainty about my future as a performer, my status as a personality, the believability of my Christian witness and the knowledge of Gods will in my life. I felt a force bigger than myself saying, Lay back. Take it easy. Study hard. Read your Bible. Think, write and keep your mouth shut for awhile. Kate JacobsIts all about getting the hang of things. Easy does it; take it easy. Youll figure everything out in time. But for right now, just keep trying. Pay attention and avoid the temptation to go further than youre ready. Talk less. And listen more. Martin ScorseseThe problem with anger is that its so consuming. Youve got to take it easy on yourself at a certain point. Robert BreaultIts not that Im a Type-B personality. Its that Im driven by a passionate, all-consuming desire to take it easy. Jack Kerouac ï » ¿So long and take it easy, because if you start taking things seriously, it is the end of you. Jackson BrowneLighten up while you still can, dont even try to understand. Just find a  place to make your stand, and take it easy. Fats WallerTake it easy, be a sport. Just remember life is short. Oscar WildeLife is too important to be taken seriously. Ryan ReynoldsI see guys with, like, eyebrow art, and I wanna tell them, You dont have to go too crazy on your brows. Take it easy, man! Golda MeirMy dear, old age is like an airplane flying in a storm. Once youre in it, theres nothing you can do. You cant stop a plane, you cant stop a storm, you cant stop time. So you might as well take it easy, with wisdom. Mark GormanOnly 8 percent of our worry will come to pass. 92 percent of our worry is wasted. Dont panic!

Unprocessed foods Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unprocessed foods - Coursework Example This entire, natural, eatable nourishment contains every one of the supplements your body needs and doesn’t have whichever substances which might hurt your body. When the entire, normal nourishment is processed, its concoction structure is changed, in this way adjusting its dietary quality. Whole uncooked sustenances are the most supplement-concentrated nourishments. That implies that for every unit of vitality you eat, you obtain the best measure of supplements as vitamins and minerals. Additionally, people that consume fiber-wealthy sustenance have small serum cholesterols amounts, a decreased danger of a few malignancies particularly disease of the colon.Micronutrients: They comprise vitamins along with minerals. Such minerals as well as vitamins are crucial co-catalysts during the procedures of metabolism that happen inside of the human body (Bendich 56).Kale, Carrot and Avocado Salad sustenances are the mainly supplement-dense nourishments.Fiber: Individuals who consume f iber-wealthy diets posses smaller blood levels of cholesterol, a decreased danger of a few tumors particularly colon cancer, as well as they well control glucose levels.Vital fatty acids: Equally omega three as well as omega six unsaturated fats are imperative parts of cell layers and are forerunners to numerous different substances in the body, for example, those included with controlling pulse and incendiary reaction. Proteins: Truth be told, hair as well as nails are generally protein made. Te human body utilizes it to manufacture and refurbish tissue.

Post-Coloniale Theory_Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Post-Coloniale Theory_Gender - Essay Example This is not to say that he did not suffer the suppression of body, mind and spirit under alien masters or being an alien in his own country, as did millions of others before him. To imitate a popular statement: You can take colonialism out of a colony but you can not take a colony (of people) out of colonialism! Fanon was born in the French colony of Martinique, French Antilles in the Caribbean. Creole is the language of this colony and black, the colour of his skin. Under the French administration, Martinicians were born and brought up as Frenchmen or Frenchwomen. This superimposition of a European culture on an African community in the Caribbean islands formed the background to the evolution of Fanon’s thinking and writings1. Formally trained as a psychiatrist and a philosopher, he was an original thinker, Marxist revolutionary and writer on suppressive aspects of colonialism and propounded his views in his seminal works, most important of which are â€Å"Black Skin, White Masks† (1952) and â€Å"The Wretched of the Earth† (1961). Through these writings and other works, Fanon has helped us understand colonialism as more than the exercise of political and economic power, but as a psychological process. We shall analyse this argument in the light of his cultural moorings, his works and his revolutionary interpretations. The word colonialism has its origins in the mid-14th century Roman word ‘colonye’, a settlement, an outpost or occupied lands outside the Roman city states.2 ‘Colonialism’ is a 19th century concept of social, political and economic policy towards ‘occupied lands’ under the British imperialism. During the 15th and 16th centuries, European nations experienced renaissance of art, literature, music and drama even as Christianity and the church confronted the State to capture and control the minds of the people. The sea-faring

The Use of Polygraph Tests by Law Enforcement Essay Example for Free

The Use of Polygraph Tests by Law Enforcement Essay Research Question:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How Reliable are Lie Detectors? Thesis Statement:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lie detectors are not completely reliable. 1st Source: White Jr., R. D. (2001). Ask me no questions, tell me no lies: examining the uses and misuses of the polygraph. Public Personnel Management, 30(4), 483+. This article discusses the different ways by which the polygraph is used and misused, and recommends certain guidelines for the proper use of polygraphs.   It presents both sides of what appears to be a long standing debate on the reliability of lie-detector tests, integrating significant legal developments in the discussion.    This is a good article because it outlines the history of polygraph development and use, and contrasts the pros and the cons of using polygraphs in the public sector and in law enforcement.   The article, however, may be considered a bit flawed in the sense that it seems to imply that there is nothing wrong with using polygraphs.    In this connection, it must be pointed out that the author only prescribes the use of the polygraph in narrowly-tailored, tightly circumscribed instances, which, upon a deeper analysis, means that the author is against the wholesale, indiscriminate use of polygraphs.   In other words, the author seems to imply that as a general proposition, the use of polygraphs or the results taken therefrom are not completely reliable, and may only be considered as such in certain instances.   Another strength of the article is that it discusses not only the technical aspects of polygraph use, i.e., its validity and reliability, but also its legal and ethical or moral implications. The article is relevant to the above topic because it discusses the use of polygraphs not only against criminals, but as against the individuals that compose the public sector.   It lays down the premise that despite the controversy regarding the use of polygraphs in the past, at present, its use has become more widespread and is applied not only to criminals or suspected criminals, but also to government employees and in government agencies, who are on the right side of the law. With respect to the article’s relevance to the question on the reliability of lie detectors and the statement that lie detectors are not completely reliable, as mentioned, the article presents both sides of the argument, and the conclusion implies that, in fact, lie detectors are not completely reliable because if they were, they could be used at any given instance, at any given time, without having to prescribe specific parameters for its use. The main argument for the continued use of polygraphs is that in numerous cases, the physiological responses elicited by questioning indicate the guilt or innocence of a person, because of the way people are supposed to react when they are lying or telling the truth.   The easiest criticism against the reliability of characterizing outcomes such as increase in pulse is that each person reacts differently to a particular situation. Hence, the person may be telling the truth, but he may feel nervous at being questioned and being strapped to a machine, so his pulse may be uneven.   Studies conducted, particularly by the Office of Technology Assessment or OTA, show that there is a large variance in the cases where the individual who was tested via polygraph was held to have been telling the truth when he was actually lying, or when he was found to be lying when he was actually telling the truth. Also assailed is the lack of training of the people who operate polygraphs, and the lack of operational guidelines in the actual use of the machines, as well as the use of what are called countermeasures that enable certain individuals to â€Å"beat† the polygraph.   In conclusion, the author concedes that reliable or not, polygraphs will still be used, and thus proposes several tests or criteria by which to determine whether or not a polygraph should be used, such as the existence of a compelling public interest, the presence of independently corroborating evidence, and the imposition of stricter controls with respect to actual testing.   The use of such criteria could mitigate the inherent unreliability of polygraph testing. 2nd Source:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dripps, D. A. (1996). Police, plus perjury, equals polygraphy. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 86(3), 693 to 716.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The article presents the author’s theory that making polygraph examination results admissible in evidence as a general proposition will ward off the evil of perjury committed by law enforcement agents.   The arguments presented by the proponent are very structured and organized.   The author paints a very convincing picture of the disadvantages and prejudice brought about by the current general rule on the inadmissibility of polygraph test results vis-à  -vis police testimony with respect to suppression hearings. The only weakness of the article is that it concedes, even if merely for the sake of argument, that polygraph testing results are generally unreliable, but they should be used anyway to at least ensure that policemen do not commit perjury on the stand when they testify as to the factual milieu of the case and the seizure of evidence.   It is a good article to contrast with the first because the arguments are similar but the conclusions and implications are different, and the details should be examined more closely to determine why, despite the similarities, there still exists a discrepancy or difference in opinion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The article is relevant to the above-mentioned topic, because it relates to the use of polygraph tests by and against law enforcement officers.   Like the first article, it presents the use of polygraphs not only as against suspected criminals, but even against those on the other side of the law.   It is relevant to the question on the reliability of polygraph testing and on the thesis that polygraph tests are not completely reliable because it argues against the thesis by citing the rules on evidence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, the Supreme Court held that the use of expert testimony based on valid science is admissible in evidence.   Despite the controversy as to its reliability, several scientific agencies have attested to the valuable use of polygraphs and have provided for acceptable margins of error; after all, nothing is perfect, and to expect that polygraph results are a hundred percent reliable would be an exercise in futility.   With the allowable margin of error, polygraph results are made more reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The article points out the background behind the OTA study; it was undertaken at the behest of the legislature on a move to be more stringent in regulating the use of polygraphs.   Many government institutions and agencies rely on polygraphs to help them ferret out the truth, such as the CIA, the FBI, and the Department of Defense. The article stresses that in general, polygraph test results can be relied upon, because it involves a science that has been empirically and objectively tested, and when the testing is done properly, the margin for error is acceptably low. In the specific context of suppression hearings, the admissibility of polygraph results as explained through expert testimony would better protect the rights of the accused, as many policemen are unfortunately wont to lie even under oath to ensure that crucial evidence does not get thrown out and the case against the accused does not fall apart.   At the very least, the admission of polygraph results would make law enforcement officers, and criminals, think twice about lying on or off the stand, and would contribute in some way to the proper administration of justice.

The Easter Uprising :: History Historical Ireland Essays

The Easter Uprising Ireland was filled with nationalistic views that had set in around the 1890’s. The Irish were tired of the English occupation in Ireland and they were tired of the Protestant religious oppression of Catholics. So this is when Patrick Pearse and James Connolly led a band of around 1,200 Irish Nationalists on Easter Monday into a rebellion against the English, who occupied Ireland at the time. The uprising began the day after Easter, 1916. The rebels took control of the General Post Office and held out for six days. This was a great try by the Irish but it was not a success. â€Å"Although the Rising itself ended in failure, it left behind a tradition of struggle that had far-reaching consequences." (Marxist) This quote by Ted Grant sums up the end of the rising, for what he says is true, it was a failure but had more effects than just a L in the win/loss column for the Irish people. As one person puts it, there were many losses in all â€Å" Between January 1917 a nd July 1923 , well over 7,500 people were killed or wounded, in a country that murder had become a rarity.† The effects were more devastating than just that. One of the effects of the Easter Rising was Irish people speaking out for their country, Ireland. There were many people that wanted to speak out about what was happening to them. The Easter uprising although popular amongst a few amount of people, was not accepted by the masses of Ireland’s population. After the six days that Pearse held out the British army with hardly any time passing put and end to the uprising. One of the things that the British did when they stopped the rebellion was gave what they called peace to the people and arrested the leaders of the rising including Pearse and Connolly. Not all the Irish people agree with the rising. This quote from a leader of the Irish nationalist group shows how ones did disagree; The great bulk of the population were not favourable to the rebels, they got no popular support whatsoever. What is happening is that

Huck Finn Literary Criticism

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain portrays his main character and the novel’s namesake, a deeply complex individual, even as a child. He has obvious abandonment issues and continues to struggle with finding his place in society. Huck starts by trying to fit in with Tom and a band of young boys, but eventually finds true companionship in a slave named Jim. Huck continues in his struggles as his moral beliefs conflict with the moral beliefs of the society of his time.This conflict comes from Huck being so immersed in a society that he does not seem to belong in, all while still trying to find a place that he does belong. According to Harold Bloom and Leslie A. Fiedler, â€Å"The moral crisis of the book is created by the constant disjunction in the mind of Huckleberry Finn between what he thinks he ought to do, and what he is aware that he must do† (Bloom and Fiedler 25-39). This is seen throughout the novel, as Huck struggles with following society or following his heart.A nother critic, Gemma Marshall, makes a point very similar to Bloom and Fiedler, saying, â€Å"Through the character of Huck and his internal debates, we see the conflict between what is morally right and what is legally enforced† (Marshall). At one point in the novel, Huck, himself, says: [The Widow Douglas] told me what she meant–I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself†¦.I went out in the woods and turned it over in my mind a long time, but I couldn't see no advantage in it–except for the other people; so that at last I reckoned I wouldn't worry about it any more, but just let it go. (Twain) This statement, which completely supports the views of both critics, does not come from Huck being a selfish individual. Rather, it comes from him struggling to survive. Once Huck meets Jim, it is seen that he does put Jim first in many occasions, because at that point, he can afford to.Earlier in the novel, he could not let his blooming moral compass get in his way of survival. This moral conflict also contributes to Huck’s disregard for the law and his reasons why he does so throughout the novel. Earlier on in the novel, Huck is seen trying to fit in by joining Tom’s gang even if that meant killing people. At that point in the novel, one might say that Huck agreeing to this was just out of loneliness and wanting to belong. As the novel progresses, however, Tom’s actions seem to become more and more aggressive. As Bloom says, â€Å"Tom's scheme for stealing way a Negro whom he knows to be free is not only sadistic but thoroughly immoral. † Though to readers Tom’s actions might seem immoral, he is simply acting as a product of his society. Just as Huck was trying to fit in with Tom by agreeing to join his gang, Tom is trying to fit into his society by following the normalcies that have been exposed to him. Based on this point, Bloom goes on to say that there â€Å"is nothing any more ridiculous about what Tom does than there is about what society inflicts on them every day† (Bloom 25-39).Readers, therefore, cannot judge the moral level of the characters based on today’s moral code, but rather of the moral code of the society that these characters were placed in. As the novel progresses, however, Huck begins to become aware of the morals in society, but chooses to go against them anyway. Bloom argues: It never enters his head for a moment that protecting Jim against recapture is anything but wrong; for he has no abolitionist ideas and questions the justice of slavery no more than did Aristotle.He considers, however, that as an outcast he has little to lose. (Bloom 25-39) If Huck is becoming aware of the morals of his society, yet is still choosing to go against them, this can mean that Huck is subconsciously forming his own moral code. Even though he knew that helping Jim was wrong, h e must have felt, some place down in his heart, that it was right. Otherwise, why would he risk his own life to do so in the first place? In a society full of moral confusion, the one character â€Å"is presented as intelligent, analytical, [and] highly moral† is Jim (Marshall). Does Jim not make for a far more suitable role model than the drunkard Pap? † Marshall asks. He does, in fact, as he goes as far to create a home for Huck, that Pap never did. As unconventional as it may be, Jim and Huck become a family, with the river as their home. As they travel up the rive â€Å"it gradually becomes clear that the two characters leave the constraints of society behind them and create their own world on the water- it is within this world that the influence of societal values are suppressed in favour of a more logical, practical system of values† (Marshall).It is along this journey that Jim teaches Huck what values are really important in an individual, regardless of wh at society says is correct. He teaches Huck what it means to value another person’s life as much as one value’s his own. It is easy to see the moral complexities in this novel reading it through a modern lens, especially in the case of Huck. Readers are constantly struggling with whether nature or nurture will come out victorious: will Huck rise above his society because he was born with the ability to think beyond what he sees in it or will society’s pressures cause Huck to break?Contemporary reviews of the novel were also asking this question. On February 20, 1885, a review was published in The Hartford Courant. It’s author asked, â€Å"What, for instance, in the case of Huck, the son of the town drunkard, perverted from the time of his birth, is conscience, and how does it work? † This show how contemporaries of Mark Twain were able to see and appreciate the moral complexities of his novels and his characters just as easily as readers can today. The whole study of Huck's moral nature is as serious as it is amusing, his confusion of wrong as right and his abnormal mendacity, traceable to his training from infancy, is a singular contribution to the investigation of human nature,† the author of the review goes on to say. The fact that the author uses the term â€Å"confused† by the author of that review is an interesting one. It implies that while Huck may think of his actions as wrong, as determined by his society, his actions actually prove Huck’s ability to think in morally superior terms of his society.Had a Southerner written this review, it may not have had the same implications. As a Northerner, who likely had much stronger anti-slavery views than a Southerner, wrote this review it makes it easier for him to appreciate the development of Huck’s moral code, despite what society was telling him. All three sources of criticism are in agreement about the moral difficulties faced by Huck throughou t the novel. They also all agree that Huck is put at odds with his society because of his moral character, whether he views himself as moral or not.Since the two pieces of literary criticism are quite modern, it is not surprising that the critics are able to look at the novel and pinpoint all of the complexities that are entangled in this novel and in the life of Huck. Since a Northerner wrote the contemporary review, and Northerners were obviously more progressive in the ideas of abolition and anti-slavery than Southerners of the time, that could explain the level of forward thinking presented in the review.All three reviews also agree that Huck’s main conflict throughout the novel is that between himself and society. This is what causes him to set forth North in search of a place where he may belong. Luckily, however, throughout this journey he was able to find his sense of belonging right there with Jim. At the very end Huck reconciles with the fact that without Jim, Huck has nothing, as he does not belong to this society. He finds harmony by deciding to head west. Works Cited Bloom, Harold, and Leslie A.Fiedler. â€Å"Huckleberry Finn: Faust in the Eden of Childhood.. †Ã‚  Bloom's Major Literary Characters  (2004): 25-39. EBSCOHost. Web. 17 Feb 2013. Hartford Courant 20 Feb 1885, Page 2. Web. 18 Feb 2013. www. etext. lib. virginia. edu/twain/harcour2 Marshall, Gemma. â€Å"Literary analysis: Controversial themes in Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. †Ã‚  Helium: Where Knowledge Rules. 05 Dec 2008. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. Guy Cardell. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002. Print.

Unfortunate Irony “Hope” Ariel Dorfman

Essay 2 Unfortunate Irony In the poem â€Å"Hope† by Ariel Dorfman the use of irony is what really sets and delivers the mood of this heart wrenching story. The author uses a very straight forward approach in this poem because they are essentially just telling the story, adding loose rhythm and rhyme structure. The best way for the author to get the point of this tragedy across is with subtle but profound irony. The mother and father finding â€Å"joy† in this horrible event is the best example of irony.Irony in my opinion is what can really drive home the feeling of the author or lyricist and is a way to completely change the direction of feeling. In Hope, when the author says â€Å"we couldn’t find out anything else about him†, it’s as if the author’s implying they don’t know where they are taking him, what they are doing with him, or if they’ll ever see him again. The irony in this statement is that we assume that until compl eting the poem and rereading it, that maybe the parents will not get to see the child grow up.The author is speculating this early on that they will not see their child do all those things we have all been able to do and our parents have watched us do. Because they already know and somewhat accept what is going to happen to the child. The author is completely aware of what kind of situation this has brought about. You see this when Ariel says, â€Å"somebody tell me frankly what times are these, what kind of word, what country†. Ariel knows, these are terrible times†¦ This type of irony really reminds of classic and contemporary country lyrics.The one that comes to mind immediately is â€Å"He Stopped Loving Her Today† by George Jones. The story he tells is of a man that’s hopelessly in love with a former lover that no longer loves him. The opening line really sets the tone with Jones’ haunting twang, â€Å"He said I’ll love you till I die, S he said you’ll forget in time. † But as the story explains, he doesn’t. Jones’ lyrics are extremely painful when describing the setting of his home and how he has held on to items that are linked to her. He kept some letters by his bed, Dated 1962, He had underlined in red, Every single I love you. † The verse right before the chorus and the chorus itself are what show the very unfortunate irony. The person telling the story explains how he went to see his friend and he’s â€Å"All dressed up to go away, First time I’d seen him smile in years†, the man had finally found the end to his pain on his way to his own funeral. The chorus, â€Å"He stopped loving her today, They placed a wreath upon his door, And soon they’ll carry him away, He stopped loving her today. To find happiness in such a way just shows how bad the pain actually is, just like in â€Å"Hope†. To find any amount in joy due to horrific pain and sadne ss, is very sad and it is understandable how the family of the child in â€Å"Hope† and the friends of the man in â€Å"He Stopped Loving Her Today† can find joy in these extremely sad and difficult situations The ultimate display of irony in â€Å"Hope† is after Ariel acknowledges the circumstances and situation their family has found themselves in and how to deal with it. They say they recognized his voice, his screams, they say†, this is very powerful and very disturbing. This leads to the ultimate question of this piece, â€Å"What I’m asking is how can it be that a father’s joy, a mother’s joy, is knowing that they, that they are still torturing their son? † And the joy and comfort they find by knowing that if he is being tortured that is still alive and that still leaves a window for hope. Which means that he was alive five months later and our greatest hope will be to find out next year that they’re still torturing him eight months later, and he may†¦ might†¦ could still be alive. † That is unfortunate irony, finding joy in a loved one being tortured because at least there is still hope they will one day be reunited with their child. Works Cited Dorfman, Ariel. â€Å"Hope†. Kirszner/Mandell Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing Jones, George. â€Å"He Stopped Loving Her Today† http://www. cowboylyrics. com/lyrics/jones-george/he-stopped-loving-her-today-18102. html

Adapting to a New Environment essay Essay Example

Adapting to a New Environment essay Essay Example Adapting to a New Environment essay Paper Adapting to a New Environment essay Paper Human begins are very adaptable. We can live in most climates of the world. In the past, people tended to stay in the place they were born, but now we move easily from countryside to city, from one part of a country to another, and even from country to country. Each place has its own customs and ways of life, and countries also have different languages. When I moved from Vietnam to the united States, I had to make adjustments to my life. First of all, when I came to the United States, I didnt know how to speak English. I was very scared when I met someone. I thought about it every day because English is one of the hardest things is to communicate with native speakers. If you dont know it, it is difficult for you to do something. Then Ive lost a lot of time to study English. In short, I feel under pressure Often, and I wonder about a drug to acquire this language quickly. Secondly, America has different customs from Vietnam, for example, if you make plans with someone, you should go on time. Three to five minutes early is even better, because it shows that you are really interested to spend time with another person. Most of the time, people will wait five or ten minutes, but more than hat and they will angry, and they never want to make plans with you again. It shows you are not polite. If you late, or you cant come. You should phone the person at once and explain why. Dont be late repeatedly because it is the worst. You will become a bad guy. All in all, had to adjust and leave the old Vietnamese habit behind. Thirdly, the transportation in the United States was a concern to me because didnt know how to drive car, and I dont have anything to help me go. If I want to go somewhere, I have to go for a walk, and it takes long time to go. It is a disadvantage to me when want to go somewhere. I never had this problem in my country. Its easy to go somewhere because I know how to drive and have one motorcycle. I can go anywhere anytime I want. In conclusion, I need to take driver license and have a car to go everywhere that want in the United States. In conclusion, I wonder sometimes if I am the same person I was before I moved. By adjusting my English, my custom, and my transportation, I may appear to others as if I am a new person. However, I think of if not as having changed but as having grown.

History and Geography of Turkey

History and Geography of Turkey Population: 77,804,122 (July 2010 estimate) Capital: Ankara Bordering Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, and Syria Land Area: 302,535 square miles (783,562 sq km) Coastline: 4,474 miles (7,200 km) Highest Point: Mount Ararat at 16,949 feet (5,166 m) Turkey officially called the Republic of Turkey, is located in Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia along the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. It is bordered by eight countries and also has a large economy and army. As such, Turkey is considered a rising regional and world power and negotiations for it to join the European Union began in 2005. History Turkey is known as having a long history with ancient cultural practices. In fact, the Anatolian peninsula (on which most of modern Turkey sits), is considered one of the oldest inhabited areas in the world. Around 1200 B.C.E, the Anatolian coast was settled by various Greek peoples and the important cities of Miletus, Ephesus, Smyrna, and Byzantium (which later became Istanbul) were founded. Byzantium later became the capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. The modern history of Turkey began in the early 20th century after Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk) pushed for the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and a war for independence. According to the U.S. Department of State, the Ottoman Empire lasted for 600 years but collapsed during World War I after it participated in the war as an ally of Germany and it became fragmented after the formation of nationalist groups. After it became a republic, Turkish leaders began working to modernize the area and bring together the various fragments that had formed during the war. Ataturk pushed for various, political, social and economic reforms from 1924 to 1934. In 1960 a military coup took place and many of these reforms ended, which still cause debates in Turkey today. On February 23, 1945, Turkey joined World War II as a member of the Allies and shortly thereafter became a charter member of the United Nations. In 1947 the United States declared the Truman Doctrine after the Soviet Union demanded that they be able to set up military bases in the Turkish Straits after communist rebellions began in Greece. The Truman Doctrine began a period of U.S. military and economic aid for both Turkey and Greece. In 1952, Turkey joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and in 1974 it invaded the Republic of Cyprus which led to the formation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Only Turkey recognizes this republic. In 1984, after the beginning of governmental transitions, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group in Turkey by several international organizations, began acting against Turkeys government and led to the deaths of thousands of people. The group continues to act in Turkey today. Since the late 1980s however, Turkey has seen an improvement in its economy and political stability. It is also on track to joining the European Union and it is growing as a powerful country. Government Today the government of Turkey is considered a republican parliamentary democracy. It has an executive branch that is made up a chief of state and a head of government (these positions are filled by the president and prime minister, respectively) and a legislative branch that consists of the unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Turkey also has a judicial branch which is comprised of the Constitutional Court, High Court of Appeals, Council of State, Court of Accounts, Military High Court of Appeals and the Military High Administrative Court. Turkey is divided into 81 provinces. Economics and Land Use Turkeys economy is currently growing and it is a large mix of modern industry and traditional agriculture. According to the CIA World Factbook, agriculture consists of about 30% of the countrys employment. The main agricultural products from Turkey are tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulse, citrus, and livestock. Turkeys main industries are textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining, steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, and paper. Mining in Turkey consists mainly of coal, chromate, copper, and boron. Geography and Climate Turkey is located on the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The Turkish Straits (which are made up of the Sea of Marmara, the Strait of Bosphorus and the Dardanelles) form the boundary between Europe and Asia. As a result, Turkey is considered to be in both Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia. The country has a varied topography that is made up of a high central plateau, a narrow coastal plain and several large mountain ranges. The highest point in Turkey is Mount Ararat which is a dormant volcano located on its eastern border. The elevation of Mount Ararat is 16,949 feet (5,166 m). The climate of Turkey is temperate and it has high, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The more inland one gets, however, the harsher the climate becomes. Turkeys capital, Ankara, is located inland and has an average August high temperature of 83ËšF (28ËšC) and January average low of 20ËšF (-6ËšC). References Central Intelligence Agency. (27 October 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Turkey. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Turkey: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108054.html United States Department of State. (10 March 2010). Turkey. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm Wikipedia.com. (31 October 2010). Turkey - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

Lesson 16 - Analyzing Direct Costs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lesson 16 - Analyzing Direct Costs - Essay Example Based on the above computation, Question 5, Dept A, generates a lower factory overhead cost because the factory overhead rate of Question 5, $8.79 is lower than the Question 1, $9.20 factory overhead rate. On the other hand, Question 5 Dept B, generates a higher factory overhead cost because the factory overhead rate of Question 5, $12.07 is higher than the Question 1, $12.00 factory overhead rate. Dept A reduces the profit of Job 123 by $0.41 per direct labor hour. The total profit of job 123 is reduced by $77.40. (4) The buyers would prefer the plant-wide rate. The plant-wide rate is lower than the department rate. Consequently, the buyers will pay a lower price for the manufactured products, when the plant-wide rate is chosen. The underabsorbed did not benefit the company or the customers (Schneider 128). With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. In the same manner, the underabsorbed amount did not benefit the company or the customers. With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. In the same manner, the underabsorbed amount did not benefit the company or the customers. With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. (3) In the Motley issue, the company is required to provide historical cost data of the $845,000 amount. The historical cost data is more reliable source

HRIS Implementation Plan in a middle-sized company Essay

HRIS Implementation Plan in a middle-sized company - Essay Example In many cases, errors occur when a person is entering data manually into databases. Data cleansing is thus crucial since some errors are unavoidable. However, automation of data like in the case of HRIS results in errors and intricacies that are not easily corrected. Additionally, attempts to locate and correct may result in complication of the problem. A good example is when dealing with data regarding the employees’ employment history, which is interrelated to other employment aspects such as pay rate and positions held. Attempts to make correction in one of the field might result in automatic alteration of data in other categories. To overcome this problem, it is important to implement an application that acts as an interphase between the different fields to enable data transfer from one database or application to another. This ensures that employees’ data entry is only done once and transferred across different databases without making alterations. Additionally, the application should be capable of linking employees’ data to the security profile to ensure that only the right people make changes on employe es’ data. Process 2 or tracking employee job performance entails enabling the HRIS system to evaluate employees more quickly and efficiently and creating a uniform system for employee system. It is important that managements define what performance is for the different job specifications. After 1determining performance, the organizations should set goals to direct the managers and employees. A salient factor that would jeopardize implementation of process two is unclear alignment of employee’s goals with the corporate culture and goals. To prevent this, the HR department should concur with the management to ensure the goals set are attainable. In some instances, the set goals are unrealistic and some employers end up blaming the employees for underperformance. It is thus important to

Marketing the New Product of IMMO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing the New Product of IMMO - Essay Example The product should be differentiated and branded differently and it should target different segments of the market as well as well as be priced differently. Further in terms of forecasting demand for the product, it is advisable that the organization obtains orders from the law enforcement agencies as well as from retailers before deciding on the number of units that should be manufactured at launch and in the four quarters of the first year. The objective of this report is to help the management of the organization to decide on the different strategies that it should undertake to ensure that it is meets its full potential in profitability and market penetration. Throughout this document the author has carried out an in depth analysis of the organization, its products, the markets that it wishes to penetrate and the current economic conditions and makes the necessary conclusions and recommendations. In this report the author first analyses if IMMO Tech should proceed with its plans to market the new product, and then the if the organization should enter into any international markets and if so which ones in particular. ... alyses if IMMO Tech should proceed with its plans to market the new product, and then the if the organization should enter into any international markets and if so which ones in particular. Further the author also analyses which market segments and target markets should they focus on, who the target consumers are and which social demographic and lifestyle characteristics they have to share. Once the author studies the different demographic groups in and their similar characteristics the author then goes on to advice the organization on the importance of standardizing or differentiating the products according to the market segments that are targeted and how this can be done to suit the different markets. Next the author analyses the pricing strategy and which strategy should be adopted at the early stages of the product's life cycle, the retail price that should be recommended to the stockists. Since the pricing strategy has been recommended the author then goes on to study and analyze the implications of charging different prices in different markets and the extent to which exchange rates play a role in the context international business. In the final sections of the document the author then analyses if IMMO should develop a range of accessories, if the organization does decide to produce accessories then, how will they add value to the brand and the profitability of the organization. How will it be done in a manner that it rivals can copy Then the author goes on to analyze how and where IMMO should promote and advertise its smartphone, how many units should IMMO Tech manufacture in the run up to the launch And finally how many should be produced in the first four quarters after the launch Once all of the above has been analyzed in detail the author then draws

Real Estate Investment Trusts in China

Real Estate Investment Trusts in China Real Estate Investment Trusts in China: how can we learn form American model to develop our REITs system? Ouyang Chun Abstract The real estate market is a burgeon market and is an essential part in the Chinese economy. During the past decades, the government made all their efforts to boost its development by using foreign countries experience. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) model is new method to finance for city development. Since 2007, Chinese government began to test whether this model is suitable for China. The paper addresses the situation of Chinese REITs and the factors influencing REITs operating in China. Using the American REITs model for reference, the paper also discusses how to solve this problems and how to implement REITs model in China. I. Introduction The real estate market is booming in these years, particularly in China. The demand of finance as well as the housing supply makes China searching for other more efficient financing methods to meet the increasing requirements. Recently, with the releasing of the law restrictions and the reform and opening-up, more and more diversified investment methods are being tested in China. The Chinese government is now trying to find a new financing method by learning from foreign experience and integrating it with the Chinese situation. The REITs is considered to be one of the most efficient and suitable investment tools in China. REITs first appeared in the USA in 1960s. With over 40 years of development, REITs was successful in America because of complete laws and professional evaluation agencies. REITs developed rapidly in both their size and numbers since 1990 in America (Chan et al., 2002), and now it is a very mature investment model in the USA, benefiting the individual investors by running properties under the professional institutions. A REIT is a mutual fund to collect money from both individuals and institutional investors, with the exemption of the taxation, investing to different categories of real estate projects in different regions indirectly, and it is also can be traded on the stock markets (Jones. C, 2007). According to the Baker Review (Baker, 2003), the institutional investors prefer to use REITs, which is a tax transparent investment tool, to stimulate and to improve the rent stock as well as to stabilize the market. This tax transparent feature means that there is no need to pay double tax on REITs. Since 2007, the Chinese government established some test spots by choosing several potential projects, examining the feasibility of REITs in China. However, almost all the tests failed by various factors. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors influencing the REITs adapted to the Chinese market. The paper also examines the experience from the USA, which has the most mature REITs model in the world, and contrasts with the Chinese REITs model. As part of the task, the paper addresses the countermeasures for the factors influencing REITs feasibility in China by giving the law supports, improving the REITs models and establishing the professional evaluation system. The paper first examines the definition and the properties of REITs and then addresses the current situation of REITs operation in China. It then considers the factors which influences why REITs did not particularly adapt to China before. The paper then introduces the experience of REITs in America and also the reasons making REITs successful in the USA. The final part of the paper considers the countermeasures for making REITs adapt to China in the future and draws some conclusions. II. The current situation of REITs in China In this section, the paper will first address the potential of REITs in China, giving some reasons why REITs is considered to be the most suitable financial tool in China. The paper will then examine the reasons influencing REITs developed in China since 2007. A. The potential of REITs in China The National Association gave the definition of the Real Estate Investment Trusts as followed (NAREIT): â€Å"[a] REIT is essentially a corporation or business trust that combines the capital of many investors to acquire or provide financing for all forms of real estate. The aim of REITs is to invest to the real estate market and to receive the returns, it just like the stock shares held by the investors, which creates the possibility to indirectly invest to the market with professional management. REITs is suitable for China because of its features, the liquidity, the diversification of risk and the available capital. The Liquidity of REITs is that it can be traded on the open markets just like the stock shares, which means that the individuals or the institution can invest to the real estate market even though they are not the professionals in this area. It also gives them a chance to withdraw their asset quickly when the market is depressed instead of the long period of the direct investment (Eichholtz, 1996, Hoesli et al, 2000,Walpole, 1999). Eichholtz also pointed out that (Eichholtz, 1996) REITs can diversify the risk of the investment. The capital of the REITs will be divided into several parts to invest in different category of properties and in different regions. The development in China is unbalanced even in the metropolitans. Thereby, REITs will spread the risk efficiently for the investors and improve some undeveloped area where the direct investment did not participate in. REITs welcomes all kinds of investors including the retails and the institutions. Because it does not need too much assets to involve, REITs may collects enormous money and becomes a non-ignored capital in the market (Walpole, 1999). REITs can be cultivated stronger in China because of the massive of the retail investors, thereby, the available capital of REITs may become incredible huge and will benefit substantially for the Chinese real estate market. B. The reasons influencing of the Chinese REITs Since 2007, the Chinese government set up several test points to examine whether REITs adapted to China, however, almost all the projects failed, which exposed many factors influencing REITs operating in China. The supporting laws and policies is non-enough. The Chinese government published few supporting laws or policies for REITs. REITs returns are mostly attribute form the exemption of the tax, but there are still not any policies or laws published to exempt the taxes of REITs, which makes the incomes of REITs are very low. Thereby, the investors in China still wait and see to determinate whether invest to REITs market. The complicated properties of the projects make the evaluation difficult. Due to the limited test spots, the competition in Chinese REITs was very sharp since 2007, more and more conglomerates joint or had a will to join at that time, the projects they brought to the test spots is significantly huge for the Chinese REITs system. There was not enough preparations for such big properties in this market, such as the laws, the regulations as well as the evaluations systems, which is considered to be the most important part in REITs investment, did not prepare maturely at that time. Therefore, as the test began, the problems appeared gradually, the valuation of the properties was evaluated incorrectly or the values of the whole project were not easy to evaluate which caused the investor was not able to grasp the information precisely. The unclear ownership of the Property Portfolio reduced the value of the REITs. After the project started, this problem appeared significantly, a larger of buildings which were prepared to be the asset pack existed problems, the use or the property of lands are not correct or the approval process is not complete. Such buildings are not allowed to invest to the Chinese REITs market due to the laws. Thereby, these problems affected the evaluation of the asset directly and also affected launching the REITs definitely. The rental fee can not be collected efficiently. The Chinese government established some development areas in the past decades, in which the investor would be benefited when they established the projects by some policies. These policies exempted the rental fees from their buildings for a particularly period, which effected the operating of REITs dramatically, because the most important factor, the returns, was affected. A non-returnable property would not make and profits for the REITs products obviously and would confuse the investor on how they would get their incomes after they invested, therefore, it would not be approved by the market definitely. Although there were many defects in Chinese REITs, we could avoid these disadvantages by using other countries experience for reference. The American REITs model is one of the most mature models in the world. Their development history, their REITs structure as well as the reason of its success are worth us to reflect our REITs model. III. The REITs model in USA and the analysis of the reasons of the success of RIETs in America In this part, the paper will analyze the reason of the success in the American REITs. The paper will first give a brief history of the REITs in the USA and address its structure. After that, the paper will focus on analyzing the reasons promoting REITs market to boost and boom in recent years. A. A brief history of the REITs in America The modern pattern of the REITs appeared by the Wall Street in 1960s even though the idea of it can be dated back to 1880s. In 1960, in order to stimulate the depressed real estate market, the United State published the Real Estate Investment Trust Act, which gave the supporting law to the new invest model (Klame. P et al, 2001). This Act defined the regulation of REITs and also gave it the exemption from the federal taxation, which means there is no need to pay the double tax while using this investment tool (Klame. P et al, 2001). REITs did not make any significant achievements in the first decades, but grew dramatically from the 1990s, in which erupted a housing market collapse (Harvard University, 2003). Due to the low cost of management and the diversity of risk, more than 200 companies in America invested indirectly to the real estate market, the total assets exceed $ 12,000 billion until January 2000 ,and now, the American public real estate market is the biggest and most mature market in the world (Klame. P et al, 2001). B. The current situation of REITs in America The structure of REITs investors in America are divided into three parts, 55% in the domestic institutions, 25% by individuals and 7% by the foreign investors (Friday, 1999). REITs benefit all forms of the real estate projects, such as office buildings, shopping centers and private housing (Klame. P et al, 2001). The aim for the REITs was first defined for the retail investors, but attracted the institution investor since 2004, which increased the numbers of the trades as well as the liquidity of the REITs (Chan et al., 2002). Moreover, the REITs investors in America can obtain about 90% of the income of the REITs and do not need to pay any tax from their incomes, thereby making the benefits they receive higher than the stock markets (Klame. P et al, 2001). C. The reasons of the success of American REITs With almost 50 years development, REITs in the United Stated became the most mature one in the world. The reasons for that are varieties. The first reason is the government published a lot of supporting laws. With these Acts, REITs developed rapidly. The REITs did not make many achievements at the very beginning, but the American government made all their efforts to push this investment method to success. With the Tax Recovery Act in 1986, the REITs in the USA first grew tremendously after experiencing the bubbles and the depression in 1970s. This Act weakened the limited partnership by restricting their tax exemption and cancelling the accelerated depreciation accounting method of the real estate. The Act also loosened the access standard of the REITs, which made the REITs companies not only owned the real estate assets, but also could manage the properties. Moreover, most of the REITs added the low debt provision in their organizational files, which would absolutely reduce the risk in operation. These changes attracted the investor to join this boom market and promoted the development of REITs. At the end of 1999, the most important Act, REITs Modernization Act, passed and published in 2001. This Act reduced the distribution proportion to 90%, and stipulated the companies could dominate the profits freely after they pay the tax from their un-distributed incomes. Therefore, REITs could use this profit to maintain the existing properties, invested to new properties or pay the debt. As a result of that, this Act increased the investment chance and promoted the business performance. These Acts helped REITs to become more flexible, more focus in customer demands and a more profit-seeking institution. The supporting laws and policies are definitely important, however, REITs needs more supporting from the financial system, and the evaluation system is considered to be the most important systems in REITs development. The evaluation system in the U.S. is quite complete. With the experience of over 100 years financial operation, the Americans accumulated substantial finance evaluation experience. When REITs started, the evaluation of the REITs products were not difficult tasks to finish. Almost all the REITs projects had been evaluated correctly, which provided accuracy information to the investors. Due to the REITs market is not difficult to enroll, most of the investors, including individuals and institutions, could operate readily when they joined the market. That absolutely promoted the REITs boom in the United State during 1990s. In addition, REITs companies in America invest to specific objects. Compared with China, the U.S. REITs concentrated in existing real estate projects, which means the companies preferred to operate the buildings rather than to establish one. That would absolutely reduce the risk for REITs, which attracted a lot of investors. These three factors motioned above supported the REITs developed very fast since 1990s and make it becomes one of the most efficient and mature REITs model in the world. The Chinese REITs may probably enlighten form these experiences and avoid the problems by learning their developing history. IV. Countermeasures To establish a relatively complete environment for REITs investment, China would probably benefits from the American experience. The paper will provide some suggestions which might helpful for improve the REITs in China. A. Exemption of the double tax of REITs As Chinese REITs markets were mainly affected by the investment environment, especially the supporting laws, the Chinese government could refer to the American model to release the law restricting gradually. The most exigent problem which should be solved first is the taxes on the REITs products. The American experience exposed that the transparency feature of the tax is the most important factor promoting REITs market boost. Without the tax transparency, the returns of the REITs would be very low. The Chinese government should use this experience for reference, exempting the double tax on the REITs, stimulating the REITs markets by raising the returns. B. Introduction for the public Due to the returns of REITs are a little bit higher than the stock markets and the investment skill is fairly easy to grasp, both the individual and the institutional investors would be willing to invest to this market. However, the REITs market was not flourishing as the exception, that is mainly because most individuals in China did not understanding what was REITs and how many retunes they could received by the REITs, even the specialists would not invest lightly due to the unclear information of supporting policies of the REITs. If the government really want to boom the REITs market, they should focus on publicize the REITs products to the citizen and publish the very clear supporting policies or law to enhance the investors confidence. In order to extent to market of REITs, it should absorb both individual investors and institution investor to join. However, the Chinese government paid more attention on the institutions instead of considering the individuals, which cause the ins ufficient funds of the REITs markets. Obviously, the institution investors are quite cautious and would not invest their money to the uncertain finance products such as REITs, which would directly lead the depression of the REITs markets and also caused a vicious circle : no investors, no money and no money, REITs market would not attract investors. To change this situation, money from individual investors is necessary because the asset from individuals is fairly huge in China. The government should use this kind of power, just like the U.S. model, to support the unstable REITs market at its very beginning. Using the bank sell model, which is just like the fund sell model in China, and minimizing the unit of REITs just like the American to create the chance for individuals to enroll. C. The clear investment aim The investment object is another severe problem in Chinese REITs model, REITs companies in China used to prefer invest to the big projects. Because the limitation of the test spots, the opportunities are very competitive. Most of the companies used their best properties to join this market, these properties are so huge that could not be evaluated very clearly before they used them to invest. Therefore, due to the unclearly evaluation of these properties, the information for the investors are ambitious, which would definitely cause severe problem in them investment decision-making. Moreover, REITs in China is a relative new investment methods for both individual investors and institutional investors, with the unclear information, investors therefore would not have a willing to buy this kind of finance products, they might consider that REITs is a very risky products for them to invest. That is also a reason why investors enthusiasm for this investment tool is not very high as the expe ctation. However, the situation in America is complete change. At the very beginning, REITs was considered to be a quite popular invest method, the reason for its depression is the only the double tax. Thereby, when the government released the tax and published some supporting laws to regular REITs, its market grew suddenly. That is because almost all the properties, which are provided by the REITs companies in America, were not very huge at the very beginning and were evaluated clearly before they came into the markets. Even some properties are relatively big, having been given exhaustive information for the investors. Therefore, investor could easily invest to these products with this information and would approximately calculate the incomes they would return. Such experience should be used in Chinese REITs market, establishing the professional evaluation agencies to provide the official evaluation reports to the investors, making sure the information they received is true and int act. That might greatly stimulate the investors confidence and give them a positive signal that the REITs is a fairly formal investment tools for them to choose. V. Conclusions The Chinese real estate market is booming these years, but it is by no means that all of the foreign finance methods suitable for China. When we want to use some advance experience to the Chinese market, we should consider it very clearly, not only learn the structure of concept of the new method, but also we may need to figure out the essential of it and in what situation we will use it. According to the REITs, we may understand that even its concept is fairly suitable for Chinese situation, the operation details is also quite difficult to follow. It might need several years to establish our own REITs market and to publicize it to the whole citizen. That is not the task which only to publish some REITs products, it is also a task to build a whole REITs system, including the supporting policies or laws, complete the evaluation system and extending the REITs spots. All of them need time to finish. Therefore, we could not run it so fast but to make sure every step is moderate and effic ient. In this circumstance, we may probably find some new problems and new chance for us to develop our REITs, and also we might discover some new ideas or methods to make the REITs more efficient and more suitable for China. References Barker, K. (2003) Review of Housing Supply: Interim Report-Analysis (London: HMSO). Chan, S. H., Erickson, J. Wang, K. (2002) Real Estate Investment Trusts Structure, Performance, and Investment Opportunities (Oxford: Oxford University Press). Eichholtz, P.M.A., â€Å"Does International Diversification Work Better for Real Estate than for Stocks and Bonds?, Financial Analysis Journal, January-February, 1996, pp. 56-62. Friday, H.S., G.S. Sirmans, and C.M. Conover, â€Å"Ownership Structure and the Value of the Firm: The Case of REITs, Journal of Real Estate Research, 1999, vol. 17, no. 1/2. Harvard University (2003) The State of the Nations Housing 2002 (Massachusetts,

War on Drugs is a Domestic Problem Essay examples -- essays research p

WAR ON DRUGS IS A DOMESTIC PROBLEM   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The new policy that the government has unfolded on the War on Drugs, has pointed the finger of responsibility toward stopping terrorism by stopping the individual drug users. Terrorism affects the entire world, and the United States has assumed a position at the spearhead to confront it. There is no way to actually stop terrorism, but one way to financially divert the problem is to stop the money from flowing to the organizations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The War on Drugs has been taken to a new level since the attack on the United States in September. Just two days before the attack in New York and Washington D.C. a shipment, being distributed by the Columbians, of Afghan heroin, reported to be 53 kilograms, was seized in New York. (Denny) This event demonstrates how the terrorist and the narcotics trade are linked together. Without the funding of drug trafficking, many terrorist organizations would not be able to continue operations at the current levels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug traffickers share common traits along with the terrorists of the world. A drug trafficker does not have a general regard for human life. The only thing that matters to the trafficker is the money that is made from the illegal sale of the product. Whether the money comes from a twelve year old in anyone of the main cities in the United States or from a terrorist organization does not matter to a trafficker. This di...

Imported Medicines: A Strategic Shift in Human Thinking Essay

Internet and online businesses gradually change our lives. What used to be impossible two years ago now has turned into a matter of daily performance. With Internet, we are no longer limited in our activities and can broaden the scope of all major operations that have previously been unachievable. Healthcare and medicines are not exceptions, and where Internet works to provide us with additional opportunities for communication, we have finally been given a chance to reconsider the costs of all healthcare services and medical preparations. Online medical markets have produced an irreversible change in the structure of healthcare services and human thinking. With the advent of the new technological age and the growing globalization, customers have become more attentive to what they buy and how much they pay for it. Imported medicines purchased online offer a competitive alternative to brand-name drugs. Simultaneously, imported drugs are not always licensed and may create serious health risks. In this situation, the state should actively work to impose severe price restrictions on the major brand-name drugs and to develop effective monitoring systems with regard to the imported drugs that are sold online, to guarantee that customers are given a viable choice and are not limited in their access to quality healthcare services and medical preparations. True, the growing customer commitment to imported medicines is the result of the national pharmaceutical markets’ being largely non-regulated. Americans typically pay the highest prices for brand-name drugs because, unlike Canada and many other countries, the United States does not impose price controls on pharmaceutical companies† (Colliver). The growing number of online pharmacies reflects the misbalanced nature of the price strategies, to which present day pharmaceutical companies adhere. Despite the fact that brand-name drugs are sold with significant discounts, the majority of healthcare insurance plans does not cover them and does not make them affordable for consumers. The current economic crisis makes Americans more attentive toward their expenditures, and online pharmaceuticals offer an excellent opportunity to obtain the needed list of medical preparations for a much lower price. â€Å"If the government doesn’t get its act together, and with 47 million who are uninsured, there is a marketplace for alternative supply of some of these drugs† (Colliver). It appears that in the current system of healthcare services customers are not given any relevant choice. With the absence of price restrictions, pharmaceutical companies feel free to establish prices as high as they deem necessary, making customers seek effective alternatives elsewhere. That is why imported drugs as such, and online imported drugs in particular have caused a strategic shift in human thinking, giving people a chance to resolve their health issues at a lower cost. With the growing number of Internet users and given the cost-effectiveness of imported drugs, customers are no longer willing to stick to traditional purchasing practices and choose a technological way of resolving their health issues. More and more people realize the benefits of online pharmaceutical marketing. Many of them enjoy the freedom of choice and convenience they are offered by online pharmaceuticals. â€Å"More Americans appear willing to take a calculated risk in the absence of prescription drug coverage† (Colliver). In other words, when health and life are at stake, customer will not think twice before ordering an affordable imported medical preparation from online suppliers. For many of them, imported medicals offer the most attractive and acceptable option; that is why online companies gradually grow to cover larger shares of online markets even without any specific advertising. Unfortunately, ordering imported drugs online is not always safe. Despite the fact that technology has forever changed the direction of human thinking and has made the process of purchasing imported drugs fast and convenient, imported drugs are associated with substantial risks. Customers cannot always be confident that they buy an authentic drug from an authentic foreign manufacturer. Some Web sites hawk controlled substances without a prescription or falsely purport to get drugs from a Canadian pharmacy or other more trustworthy source. While operators try to separate themselves from such operations, it’s tough to tell the difference† (Colliver). Even if the government imposes strict limitations on pharmaceutical prices, the shift that has already occurred in customer attitudes will require time to be reversed. The problem is not in imported drugs; given the growing globalization trends, imported drugs will keep conquering larger shares of pharmaceutical markets. The problem is that for customers to purchase imported products is a matter of â€Å"no other choice†. Many of them are no longer willing to return to conventional medical practices. As a result, and taking into account that online businesses will further work to conquer the minds and spirits of the American customers, the state should develop effective monitoring systems that will impose price restrictions and will control imported drugs sold online, to provide customers with a reasonable choice and to give them another chance for recovery. Conclusion Imported drugs and Internet have produced an irreversible change in customer attitudes toward healthcare. Beyond broader access to imported medical products, customers are given an opportunity to reduce their costs and to purchase medical products in fast and convenient manner. Given the threats which imported non-licensed products may produce on human health, and taking into account the growing customer commitment to purchasing imported medicines online, it is the state’s responsibility to develop effective regulatory and monitoring strategies that will not limit customer choice but will guarantee safety of all imported medical products.