Tuesday, November 26, 2019

GDP Growth Rate and Economic Future of United States

GDP Growth Rate and Economic Future of United States Business Recommendations Based on Economic Projections Business recommendations basing on projections are very core in the achievement of the expectations or even better the achievement in terms of time and profitability. The company’s projections which cover a period of five years shows that the business needs to be expanded and at the same time increase the profits.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on GDP Growth Rate and Economic Future of United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to achieve this milestone, the company must make some decisions which will catapult the attainment of these expectations. The various perspectives of future projections therefore provoke decisions that govern the same set objective. Larson’s future expansion plan clearly shows that the company is faced by challenges throughout its life cycle and therefore there should be decision to act as antidotes during challeng ing times and better the performance during the most profitable or maturity stage of the business (McConnell, Brue Flynn, 2009). The decisions that are appropriate for the company therefore go hand in hand with the projections. GDP Growth Rate in United State The positive increase in the GDP in the fourth quarter should be maintained. For maintenance of this it is in order that the following decisions are necessary; the personal consumption should be encouraged through quality products and price incentive for the clients, improving exports through extensive marketing outside USA and encourage private investors so that the running capital is increased (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2009). GDP Growth Rate in United State The GDP of Germany increased by 0.7% in the last quarter of the previous year. The upward trend can be maintained or even made better through the use of various strategies. First the company greatly depends on export as the main economic pillar. It is recommendable th erefore that the export policies that encourage export should be implemented, these include better relationship with other countries and increase of market across the world. The goods being exported can be diversified at the same time exploration of internal market to increase or maintain the GDP (Global Finance, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consumer Loyalty Consumer loyalty is largely based on their confidence on the company’s products. The best way therefore for the company to win and maintain consumer base is to ensure that the quality of the product is up to the expectations of the consumer. Customer support relations should be implemented such that the clients’ views and recommendations gathered and implemented. This helps the clients to feel part of the company and therefore increase their loyalty and consequently the customers will im prove their willingness to spend (Bea, 2010). Economic Future The economic future of the company is based on proper decision making at every phase during the company’s life cycle to ensure that there are enough measures put in place for instance during the growth stage, marketing is very instrumental and customer promotion is also key. Expansion The expansion of the business should be based on adequate research of the market. It is important to carry out an extensive study about the competitors also so as to have enough information. The management should also carry out efficient site survey to ensure a strategic position to capture the market. The quality of production in the new plant however should be maintained to ensure a good brand name in the market and thus increase consumption, increasing the revenue of the company. U-SHAPED Economic Future This has projected a reduction in the sales in the following year. It is recommended therefore that the company should ensure tha t their consumers are given incentives so as to encourage them to buy the goods. Due to lack of loans the company should seek for external investors who are willing to buy in order to increase the sales. The company should also introduce credit facilities since this will help in increasing sales during the times when the client are financially disadvantaged. Alternatively the company’s production should be shaped to fit the demand to save on cost of production by avoiding over production (Orit James, n.d).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on GDP Growth Rate and Economic Future of United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The V-SHAPED Economic Future The cost of fuel-cell plug in vehicles should be made lower during the introductory stage so that it can attract more consumers in the rather competitive field and overpower the alternative sources. Marketing of the products’ superiority over the current battery is of importance and therefore the company can maintain some static performance before capturing the market and increase drastically. W-SHAPED Economic Future The intermittent future of the company can be evaded through exploration of alternative production of cheaper batteries to gather for the demands throughout all the seasons. The company should put in place measures such as price regulation, incentives and credit facilities during the moments when the company is experiencing downward trend. During the times when the company is on an upward trend they should invest in winning a brand in the market through the use of quality and rebranding where possible. The production also should be in tandem with consumption. The company should also explore exporting their goods to other countries and thus increase market base to aid during the times when the performance is low (Virts, Garrett, 1970). The W-Shaped economic future, details a recovery cut short by recession, then a seco nd rebound. The slowdown in this unstable economy has created a major problem for Larson to cut back on business expansion to other countries. In conclusion it is important to develop efficient measures to ensure that destructive anticipations are averted while positive projections are promoted (Robbins Judge, 2007). References Bea. (2010). U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis. Web. Global Finance. (2010). Germany Country Report:GDP data and GDP forecast. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More McConnell, C.R., Brue, S.L., Flynn, S.M. (2009). Econmoics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Orit, G., James, L. (n.d). Profit Pools: a fresh look at strategy. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 139. Robbins, S., Judge, T. (2007). Organizational Behavior (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentce Hall. Virts, J.R., Garrett, R.W. (1970). Weighing risk in capacity expansion. Harvard Business Review, 48(3), 132.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Beginning Level Writing for ESL Describing Cities

Beginning Level Writing for ESL Describing Cities Read the following paragraphs introducing Portland, Oregon. Notice that each paragraph focuses on a different aspect of the city. Portland, Oregon is located in the northwest of the United States. Both the Columbia and the Willamette river run through Portland. It is the largest city in the state of Oregon. The city is famous for its proximity to the mountains and the ocean, as well as its relaxed, friendly inhabitants. Approximately 500,000 people live in Portland while the Portland metro area has a population of over 1.5 million inhabitants. The main industries in the Portland area include computer chip manufacturing and sportswear design. In fact, two famous sportswear companies are based in the Portland Area: Nike and Columbia Sportswear. The largest employer is Intel which employs over 15,000 people in the greater Portland metro area. There are also many smaller technology companies located in downtown Portland. Portlands weather is famous for its rain. However, the spring and summer are quite lovely and mild. The Willamette V alley to the south of Portland is important for its agriculture and wine production. The Cascade Mountains are located to the east of Portland. Mt. Hood has three major skiing facilities and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The Columbia river gorge is also located close to Portland. Tips for Writing an Introduction to a City Discuss one aspect of the city in each paragraph. For example, one paragraph about general facts and population, one paragraph about industries, one paragraph about culture, etc.Use resources such as Wikipedia to help you find facts about the city.Use its as a possessive when writing about a city (not her, or his). For example, Its main exports are ...When using numbers, write out the numbers up to twenty. For larger numbers, use numerals. For example: There are two professional sports organizations ... BUT There are over 130,000 inhabitants in XYZ.Use million when expressing very large numbers. For example, 2.4 million people live in the greater metro area.Make sure to capitalize specific names of companies and monuments.Use both the comparative and superlative forms to make statements relating to other cities and regions. For example: It is the largest producer of apples in the state. Helpful Language Location X is located in the Y region of (country)X lies between the A and the B (mountains, valleys, rivers, etc.)Located at the foot of the B mountainsLocated in the R valley Population X has a population of ZMore than (number) people live in XApproximately (number) people live in XWith a population of (number), X ....inhabitants Features X is famous for ...X is known as ...X features ...(product, food, etc.) is important for X, ... Work The main industries in X are ...X has a number of Y plants (factories, etc.)The main employers of X are ...The largest employer is ... Writing About a City Exercise Choose a city you would like to describe.Find a research page for reference purposes. You can use sites like Wikipedia, magazines, or other resources.Choose three or four broad topics you would like to discuss.For each topic, write down a list of specific facts using your reference materials. For example: Â  Weather -Â  more than 80 inches of snow on average extremely hot summers etc.Take each fact and write a sentence about that fact. For example:Boulder receives more than 80 inches of snow on average each winter.Combine your sentences into a paragraph on each broad topic. Make sure to use linking language, pronouns, etc. to link the ideas in your sentences into a logical sequence.If you are using a computer, make sure to spell check your work.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Health care Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health care Education - Essay Example It is vital to place persons as well as their families in suitable context. Comprehending the wider cultural context in which families are entangled can help as important related data for directing assessments and scheduling intervention approaches. Ethnic facets such as ethics, principles, customs, and pattern of family may be utilized as clues, as a portion of the entire information gathered concerning clients who are taught. Gay (2000) has described culturally responsive teaching as consuming the cultural knowledge, previous involvements, and individual needs of diverse students in order to make learning more suitable and operative for them.  He has also defined culturally responsive teaching as comprising of these characteristics: Ethnicity is also a vital variable in how people with disabilities and/or illness are looked upon and treated by the members of their family as well as how their household, in turn, is observed by their community overall. Cultural influences facilitate ways in which symptoms are recognized and understood, suitable manners of expression of pain as well as discomfort, whether a specific chronic condition is extremely denounced or established, and whether the dependence that escorts chronic illness is disvalued or deliberated upon as a portion of the normal sequence of life. Finally, ethnicity may have a major impact on the ways in which families cooperate with health specialists and deliberations that practitioners must give for their care to be most operational. For instance, in the Latina culture, as a symbol of respect, elder persons should be spoken to by using their last name. Signalling should not be used because apparently benevolent body or hand movements may have contrary connotations in the rest of the cultures. Outright interrogative of expert such as a physician is offensive in some

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Red Convertible by OConnor and Guests of the Nation by Erdrich Essay

Red Convertible by OConnor and Guests of the Nation by Erdrich - Essay Example These stories are analyzed in this essay along with the current status of the Indian American culture. The story the Red Convertible talks about the experiences of two Indian brothers one summer prior to one of the going to war. The story focuses on the experience these two adventurers had a red convertible which was the first convertible car to arrive at their reservation. The red convertible to them was a symbol of freedom and let them escape from the struggle their people were facing. It provides insight into the tribal lifestyle and how these two learned to enjoy the simpler things in life such as nature, family, culture, and loyalty. Following that summer one of the brothers went to war. He struggled with psychological problems and could not cope with everyday life after he came back as damaged goods from the war. The brother tried to sheer his sibling up by restoring the red convertible but to no avail. War left scars on him which could not be repaired. The second story dealt w ith Irish army platoons and how the war can create friendships and destroy life and how these memories can last a lifetime. The story centers around a small group of Irish soldiers and a couple of English soldier prisoners under their care. For months they lived together in a shack sharing stories and becoming weird friends even though they were enemies. The stories go into detail about the struggles these people went through during the war and how by sharing each other lives the men took compassion and understood what each other was enduring. In the end, despite the relationship, these people had built the Irish soldiers were forced to kill the English prisoners who had become their friends under order from their superiors. These stories showed the type of struggle different cultures has gone through under tough situations.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Quiet American by Graham Greene Essay Example for Free

The Quiet American by Graham Greene Essay The Quiet American, is more than a political statement about whether or not America or any other country for that matter should become involved in the affairs of another country; Greene makes the question human and personal. The novel can be read as a political and moral reflection on the opening stages of the United States’ involvement in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Greene’s novel becomes a commentary on the pointlessness of the United States’ later investment of men and material in a political action that could only end, as it did for the French, in defeat. The Quiet American is considered one of Graham Greene’s major achievements. The story is told with excellent characterization and sophisticated irony. The plot bears a resemblance to that of a mystery story. A crime has been committed. Who is the murderer? As in most mystery stories, as much needs to be learned about the victim as about the villain. Yet what is learned takes on political, moral, and religious significance. The story ends in mystery as well. Who exactly killed Pyle is not revealed, but the burden of the crime, like the burden of telling the story, is Fowler’s. The large-scale political thesis of the novel is that American interference in the internal affairs of another country can only result in suffering, death, and defeat, and is not morally justifiable because of abstract idealism. This is not the only meaning of consequence in the novel, and given the course of later events, its importance may be blown out of proportion. The lesson, however, is clearly explained by a French aviator with â€Å"orders to shoot anything in sight. Captain Trouin confides to Fowler that he detests napalm bombing: â€Å"We all get involved in a moment of emotion, and then we cannot get out,† he explains. Trouin understands that the French cannot win the war in Indochina: â€Å"But we are professionals; we have to go on fighting till the politicians tell us to stop,† he says with bitter resignation. â€Å"Probably they will get together and agree to the same peace that we could have had at the beginning, making nonsense of all these years. Greene’s political objective is clearly to make a mockery the notion of a â€Å"Third Force† in Asian politics, countering the threat of Communism and replacing the rationale of colonialism as an explanation for Western involvement. Because of Greene’s apparent anti-American bias, the novel was not popular in the United States. It is no wonder then that Greene’s warning about Vietnam was not taken seriously, even though later events tended to validate the wisdom f his political analysis. Thus Graham Greene summarizes the lesson of Vietnam fully ten years before the American government expanded its military commitm ent to fill the vacuum left by the defeated French. The Quiet American is a shocking novel of political prophecy. Its mystery story characteristics perhaps better define its interest to the average reader, as Greene’s unreliable narrator gradually provides the details leading up to Pyle’s death. The dramatic focus concerns the conflict between Fowler and Pyle over love and the politics of war, the contest between Fowler and Vigot, who knows that Fowler was responsible for Pyle’s death but cannot prove it, and, finally, Fowler’s internal conflict, his beliefs of noninvolvement transformed by circumstances and emotion to a position of murderous intervention. â€Å"Sooner or later,† the Communist Heng tells Fowler, â€Å"one has to take sides if one is to remain human. Perhaps Fowler finally â€Å"takes sides† because he understands how dangerous Pyle’s blind idealism can be, but his motives are not entirely clear because of his dependence on Phuong. Fowler does not idolize her, as does the more romantic Pyle, who sincerely cares for Phuong but is absolutely unfeeling about the rest of the native population. Pyle believes in the political theory of York Harding (a name that links a less-than-stunning American president with a patriotic war he ro) and the need for a â€Å"Third Force† (American intervention) in Vietnam. Yet Pyle’s naiveness is not entirely consistent with his intelligence, his training, and his Harvard degree. He is hopelessly innocent. In one of his strongest metaphors, Greene likens innocence to â€Å"a dumb leper who has lost his bell, wandering the world, meaning no harm,† but obviously bearing contamination and corruption with him. Fowler is a fascinating character and narrator because he simultaneously reveals and conceals so much about himself and his involvement in the story. On the one hand, he is openly contemptuous of Pyle. Like other Americans, Pyle is so obsessed with his mission to save the world that he does not register the reality around him. It is ridiculous for him to think that Phuong is an innocent he must rescue. She has stayed with Fowler because he offers her security. She leaves Fowler for Pyle because he offers her even more wealth and protection. Pyle is shocked because Fowler says he is merely using Phuong for his own pleasure and because of his need to have a woman beside him to stave off loneliness. It never occurs to Pyle that Phuong has acted just as selfishly or that Pyle imself is using people. On the other hand, Fowler is not entirely honest with himself. He claims to be disengaged, not only from politics but also from the sentiments of love Pyle professes. Yet Fowler’s passionate rejection of Pyle’s worldview and his defense of the Vietnamese, who he believes should be allowed to work out their own destiny, free of the French, the Americans, and any other intruding power, surely reveal anything but dishonesty. In this respect, Pyle is right to see good in a man who claims to be without sense of right and wrong. In fact, Pyle loses his life because of Fowler’s moral outrage. Fowler is so appalled by the bombing atrocity at the cafe that he determines to put a stop to Pyle’s activities. Fowler’s passion is hardly consistent with his habit of staying reserved. Actually, he cares deeply about Phuong and about the Vietnamese. He believes in self-determination, which ironically is the ideology that Americans claim to support. Americans think they are supporting freedom by allying themselves with the anticommunists. Thus, there are multiple ironies in The Quiet American. Fowler says he is a pessimist, but he acts like a wounded idealist. Pyle says he is an idealist, but his involvement with anticommunist thugs places him in disparaging and brutal situations. Phuong looks like a delicate, easily manipulated, and passive victim, and yet like many other Vietnamese she is a survivor who plays one side against the other and changes according to the current political issues. Fowler declares to Vigot that he is not guilty, then retells the story of his involvement with Fowler to clear his name, yet concludes by realizing that he is guilty. The novel’s title is also ironic. In one sense, Pyle is quiet—even unassuming. He patiently questions Fowler about his tie to Phuong and even declares his love for her to Fowler before he marries her. Pyle is the opposite of loud, vulgar Americans such as his boss Joe, or the noisy American journalist Granger. In another sense, however, Pyle is anything but quiet. He stirs up Saigon with explosions and he turns Fowler’s life into turmoil. An even greater irony is that for all their differences, Fowler and Pyle are alike in their moral earnestness. Fowler is the sophisticated European who has learned not to wear his heart on his sleeve. He denies any form of selfless behavior. Pyle is the naive American who is openhearted and believes he acts for the good of others. Yet both men cause great damage because they care about others. They are caught up in the evil that Fowler thinks he can avoid and that Pyle thinks he can remove. The political and moral divide between Fowler and Pyle is not as great as Fowler has supposed. His narrative ironically binds him to Pyle—a fate Fowler has consistently tried to avoid. The novel dramatizes Fowler’s fate in the scene where he refuses to call Pyle by his first name. He also refuses to let Pyle call him Tom and insists on being called Thomas. No formalities can really separate the two men however. Fowler’s own narrative shows them to strongly connected. The Quiet American is concerned with the effect the superpowers have when they intervene in the politics of the developing nations, in this case, Vietnam during the last days of French colonial rule. Greene himself is in an interesting position in that England, once a major colonial power, has increasingly surrendered that position to the United States since World War II. This weakened position makes Greene, like Fowler, something of an observer of the more active Americans. Fowler observes the covert actions of Pyle and finds them wrong. He thinks Americans are politically naive, dangerously idealistic, and too willing to hurt other people if they get in the way of their political goals. Greene has been accused of being anti-American but the novel and Fowlers judgment of Pyle were obviously very relevant. The novel was especially popular during the war in Vietnam, when many Americans came to share Fowlers opinions. Although the war and the controversies surrounding it still plague the memories of many Americans, the war and the novel itself are not quite so topical as they were in the 1960s and early 1970s. Still it might be worth stressing that the novel was written well before America became deeply involved in Vietnam. In fact, America is now involved as a â€Å"Third Force† in Iraq, where the political concerns of the novel are still quite applicable.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Biological Warfare :: essays research papers fc

There is no longer a question of whether or not a bioterrorist will attack, but rather the question remains, when will they attack? â€Å"It is highly likely that a terrorist group could threaten or attack Americans with germs within the next few years,† according to President Clinton. (Solomon)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Biological warfare intentionally uses viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins from living organisms and death or disease in humans, animals, or plants. Fermentation can be used to produce such bacterial agents as anthrax, brucellosis, cholera, meloidosis, plague, q fever, or tularemia. Other viral agents are smallpox, cimean congo HF, rift valley fever, and vee. Use of these types of viruses and bacteria are becoming widespread in many areas of the world because they can affect many people efficiently and are cost effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Biological weapons can ve traced back to Exodus when God placed the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, as a result of Pharaoh’s refusal to free the Jews from slavery. These plagues included blood, frogs, vermin, flies, murrain, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first born. Even though this type of warfare may have had origins as early as Exodus, the methods of making these germs is described in scientific literature and is no secret to terrorists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This germ warfare is an especially serious threat for several different reasons. The first reason is the ability of these germ agents to be undetectable to spy technology. Secondly, the warfare labs that are used to produce these germs are difficult to detect, and major nations sometimes work together collectively to produce these agents for use in warfare. Most importantly, it is against this threat that there may be no defense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though bioterrorism has been banned, it poses the greatest threat upon the Western World because of the mobility of their population. For this reason it is necessary for extremists to use aerosol dispersion to contaminate food, water, or air resulting in the death of every living organism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two incidents in particular make this threat of a bioterrorist attack more likely to occur. The first of these occurred in Tokyo when nerve gas was unleashed in a Tokyo subway by the nihilistic Japanese cult group, Aum Shinrikyo. Twelve people were left dead and another five thousand had to be hospitalized. This incident raises an even greater concern because the taboo that once prevented terrorists from attacking no longer exists; it was broken when these warfare agents were used in the Tokyo subway.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Impact of Globalisation on Africa Essay

This course will examine the critical and rapidly changing role of the state at the beginning of a new millennium as a result of internal and external factors, paying special attention to the state as a central player in ensuring the provision of public services, as well as facing the new challenges emerging around the world. It will enable students to: †¢ assess the impact of global economic liberalisation and information dissemination on governments and their constituents; †¢ engage in specific analyses of the changing role of the state, the different actors and stake-holders involved, the mechanisms of governance at different levels; and the emerging frustrations and violence. †¢ identify the capacities of and constraints facing governance processes; †¢ critique the manner in which reforms undertaken by governments impact social, cultural and economic development; and †¢ analyse the challenges faced by governance with regard to democratisation; To accomplish this, the course is divided into three thematic areas: 1. The State and the People – (internal factors): Under this first part of the course, students will identify the basic components of state-craft, the different actors who come into play in decision making, the relative importance of each over the course of history, the constants in different geographic contexts, etc. With the advent of fresh economic, social, and environmental challenges, there is a strong sense among governments that their scope for autonomous public action is being reduced by the forces of globalisation and the consequent growth of inter-dependence among states. Sound governance in the public sector is a critical factor for continued progress. A determined effort is thus required by governments in refocussing the capacities of the public sector to meet the emerging challenges, and to grasp the opportunities thrown up by the global trends in a new millennium. 2. The State and Globalization – (external factors): Under this second part, students will review the process of rapidly increasing globalization, and its impact on the role of the state, the process of increasing inter-connectedness between societies such that events in one part of the world have increasing effects on people and societies far away. Economically, transnational flows of commodities and production factors, such as capital and labour, are being accelerated. Politically, the sovereignty of nation states is being undermined, and certain kinds of supra-national authorities are being enhanced. Socio-culturally, contacts between peoples in different parts of the world have become easier, enhancing the advent of a global culture and cultural homogenisation. The effect of the integration of markets, new information technology, the erosion of sovereignty, the growing role of non-state actors, and sub-national groups, and an increasing inter-dependence among states, has resulted in the emergence of a global community, global issues, and global actions. Students will analyse the changes required in the functions of the state so that it can effectively mitigate the impact of globalization to ensure sustainable development, and national security. 3. Reconstructing the State – (mechanisms of reform): Under this third part, students will review the need for recasting the roles of the institutions of the state, as well as the normal interaction between the various stakeholders – the state, the private sector and the civil society. They will analyse and debate on how national governance institutions can be reconstructed and retooled in different contexts within a climate of privatisation, participation, and decentralisation, how local governance can be promoted, how rule of law and regulatory frameworks can be established through responsible governance, and how democratic space can be created and maintained. This includes engaging civil society and the private sector in a dynamic partnership to improve the quality of developmental services, enhance social responsibilities, and ensure the broadest participation of citizens in civic life. The task o f the state is to take advantage of the forces of globalisation in providing a secure and stable domestic environment. The course will also analyse the manner in which the state can promote the participation of citizens in decision-making, enforce impartial legal frameworks, build transparency and promote accountability and equity, design policies on consensus, and provide strategic vision to overcome the challenges of mitigating the negative impacts of the global economy, transnational bodies, international law, powers and power blocs, and sub-national fringe groups. READINGS While required readings will consist of the following texts which will be placed on reserve in the Library, additional articles for each lesson may also be made available either over email or in hard copy. Some of these articles are cited in the various lesson descriptions below. Recommended Texts: †¢ Globalisation, Human Development Report 1999, UNDP, available for free download at : http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/1999/en/ †¢ Reinventing Government, David Osborne, 1992. †¢ Reconceptualising Governance, Discussion Paper 2, UNDP, January 1997, available for free download at : http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/!UN98-21.PDF/Recon.htm †¢ The Third Wave, by Samuel Huntington, published by the University of Oklahoma Press. †¢ Development as Freedom, by Amartya Sen, published by Random House Anchor Books. †¢ The World Turned Upside Down? Globalization and the Future of the State, by Berry Jones, published by St. Martin’s Press. †¢ Globalisation and its Discontents, by Joseph Stiglitz, published by W W Norton and Company. †¢ The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas Friedman, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Other General Texts: †¢ Globalisation and the State, World Public Sector Report 2001, United Nations †¢ Civil Society and Political Theory, Arato and Cohen, MIT Press, Cambridge. †¢ Democratic Governance, March and Olsen, New York Free Press. †¢ Globalization and the Nation-State, Holton, London: MacMillan. 2 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The Retreat of the State: The Diffusion of Power in the World Economy, Strange, Cambridge University Press. Marc Williams (1996), â€Å"Rethinking Sovereignty†, Chapter 8, Elenore Kafman and Gillian Youngs (Eds.), Globalization: Theory and Practice, London: Pinter Globalization: Theory and Practice, edited by Youngs, London: Pinter The Twilight of Sovereignty: How the Information Revolution Is Transforming Our World. Wriston, New York: Charles Scribner. Governance in the Twenty-first Century , Rosenau in Global Governance, Vol. 1, No. I (Winter 1995) Globalisation, State Sovereignity, and the Endless Accumulation of Capital. Arrighi. A new version of a paper presented at the ‘States and Sovereignity in the World Economy’ conference, University of California, Irvine, 21-23 Feb. 1997. What Future for the State?, Strange, Daedalus Vol 124, (Spring 1995), 56. The Defective State, Strange, Daedalus Vol 124, Number 2, Spring 1995. The Retreat of the State: The Diffusion of Power in the World Economy, Strange, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1996 Governance and Politics in Africa, Goran and Bratton, Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc. Colorado, USA. Institutions , institutional change and economic performance. North, Cambridge University Press. Making democracy work, Putnam, Leonardi, and Nanette, Princeton: Princeton University Press. CLASS POLICIES Class Participation: Class participation is essential in this course, and therefore, timely and regular class attendance is mandatory. Class attendance will be marked at the very beginning of each class. Attendance will be graded. Except for serious emergencies, and medical reasons, which must be brought to notice immediately over email, absences or late arrival will not be â€Å"excused†. It should be clearly noted that almost one-third of the Final Grade is dependant on attendance and punctuality. Drafting: Particular emphasis will be placed in this class on building up an ability to draft assignments and papers in a grammatically correct and logical manner, in presentations that can carry weight and conviction with the reader. The same will hold true of oral presentations in class. Email: Because of the importance attached to email and web pages, all students must have proper email accounts, and must check them regularly every day. (All email addresses will be collected in the first class). Students should also maintain a group address (Listserv) of all classmates, including the Professor, so that messages of common interest can be circulated to all. Reference Formula: All email correspondence MUST contain the following four-part Reference Formula in FOUR places, namely, (a) as the only â€Å"subject† of the email; (b) as the only first line of the text of the email; (c) as part of the â€Å"header† of any attached assignment, and (d) as the â€Å"filename† of the attachment: (initials of university)-(course symbol)-(initials of student)-(assignment number) 3 Example of the four-part Reference Formula: NYU-G-XXX-A# (where NYU stands for New York University, G stands for Globalisation, XXX are the student’s initials in capital letters, and A# is the assignment number). Format of assignments: Assignments will normally be submitted in hard copies, and must be saved in Microsoft Word (or WordPerfect) format exclusively. They should be saved with the same filename as the â€Å"Reference Formula† above, so that no confusion is ever created. Web-Sites: Each student will be encouraged to maintain a personal web-page, which will be graded. (Some tips on the quickest means to establish student web-sites will be discussed in the first class). In addition, a Class Web-Page may also be maintained as a group project. Each student will have to provide a personal â€Å"thumbnail† picture and a few lines of descriptive text for this Class Web-Page. These thumbnails have to be provided within the first two weeks of class. Other material on the class web-page will include summaries of class notes, and links to the personal web pages of each student reflecting their respective assignments. Assignments: Assignments will include : (a) One Mid-Term Paper (4-6 pages, single space, Garamond 12 or 14 pt. font, or equivalent) to be prepared and submitted by the 7th week of class. (b) One Final Paper (14-16 pages, single space, Garamond 12-14 pt. font, or equivalent) to be prepared and submitted by the 12th week of class. (c) Class Notes to be prepared each week by designated students working separately or in couples for each of the class sessions. (d) Oral presentations, supported by Summaries, on some of the essential texts (note: The summary of the presentation MUST be circulated to all students and to the professor via email a full 24 hours before the presentation). Class Notes: The objective is to maintain a complete record of the notes from each class on the home-page. The assigned group (which will always be different from the group preparing the presentations) will be responsible for preparation of the class notes. Class notes MUST be written within 24 hours after the class, and then circulated immediately via email to all. Class notes should not be longer then one page and should contain the following 1. The gist of the topics discussed in class. 2. The lessons learned News: The daily reading of at least one leading American newspaper (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, etc), one major foreign newspaper or weekly (London Guardian, Economist, etc), and one major American quarterly (Foreign Report) is required. All are available over the Internet. GRADING POLICY Grading Notes: In judging the quality of all assignments, the total grade for each of these will be divided into three portions, one-third for the quality and formatting of the presentation, one-third for the factual accuracy of research, and one-third for the strength and persuasiveness of the opinions expressed. Extra weight will be given for any visible improvement of work manifested over the semester. 4 Grading values: A+ (98-100) A (94-97) A-(90-93) B+ (88-89) B (84-87) B-(80-83) C+ (78-79) C (74-77) C-(70-73) D (60-69) F (59-less) Grading Break-up: Attendance and participation Web-page maintenance Assignments (oral and written) Final or Term Paper SCHEDULE OF LECTURES 30% 10 % 30 % 30 % SESSION 1 : INTRODUCTION Class policies and ground rules regarding, drafting techniques, web-sites, email addresses, oral book presentations, etc., and the road map of the semester will be discussed in detail. SESSION 2 : THE ROLE OF THE STATE : RIGHTS, DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS This session reviews the definitions of the state, including the institutions of the legislature, the judiciary, electoral bodies as they have traditionally been conceptualised. What are the duties of the state to the public? What levels of government carry out what duties? How does legislature respond to the needs of the state, its duties and obligations? Governments are established to respond to the needs of their populations? What are these needs? How are they defined? What right do the people have to demand them? How do they make their concerns known? And in turn do they have duties to fulfill in their capacities as private citizens that contribute to the smooth functioning of their governments? What is the role of citizenry in good governance and in the effective functioning of the state? Book Presentation: Globalisation, Human Development Report 1999, UNDP Other discussion Papers: Public Sector Management, Governance and Sustainable Human Development. Discussion Paper 1. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. January 1995, Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/!UN9821.PDF/Psm.htm The Challenge to the South, The Report of the South Commission, 1992. Available through http://www.southcentre.org/ The Rise of the Brand State, Peter van Ham, Foreign Affairs, Sep-Oct 2001 SESSION 3 : UNDERSTANDING GLOBALISATION This session will attempt to define the parameters of the forces of globalisation in their historical and functional contexts. How does globalisation today differ from its earlier versions? What are the respective roles of the state and the private sector in using these   forces ? How do states, citizens, businesses, benefit from these forces ? Who gains and who loses out in the process. Book Presentation: Reinventing Government, David Osborne, 1992. Other dscussion papers: Selling Globalization The Myth of the Global Economy, by Michael Veseth Globalisation, Human Development Report 1999, UNDP, Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/1999/en/default.cfm The Clash of Globalisations, Stanley Hoffman, Foreign Affairs, Jul-Aug 2002 SESSION 4 : GOVERNANCE AS A BASIC PRE-CONDITION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Governance is a basic precondition for sustainable economic, social and political development. This lesson will look at the linkages between governance and development that is sustainable. It will review how systems of governance can effect development positively or negatively and the challenges posed to the state and society. It will also look at accountability and transparency in dealing especially with corruption, which is a major concern in most countries. Book Presentation: Reconceptualising Governance, Discussion Paper 2, UNDP, January 1997 Other discussion Papers: Governance for Sustainable Development, a UNDP Policy Document, 1997, Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/policy/default.htm Corruption and Good Governance. Discussion Paper 3. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. July 1997 Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/ under: Discussion Papers Series. SESSION 5 : THE INTEGRATION OF MARKETS, TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION This lesson reviews the impact of globalization on nations and countries all over the world. It examines the development of new technologies, and rapid information communications that are breaking down barriers of time and distance. It looks at the effect of unprecedented integration of trade and financial transactions through electronic means and the massive diffusion of information through Internet and satellites. It examines the effect of globalization on the sovereignty of the state and the need for a change in its role. Book Presentation: The Third Wave, by Samuel Huntington, published by the University of Oklahoma Press. Other discussion Papers: Globalization and the Nation-State, by Robert J. Holton, London: MacMillan, Philip G. Cerny (1996), â€Å"What Next for the State?†, Chapter 9, Elonore Kafman and Gillian Youngs (Eds.), Globalization: Theory and Practice, London: Pinter. The Knowledge Gap, Avinesh Persaud, Foreign Affairs, Mar-Apr 2001 SESSION 6 : THE EROSION OF SOVEREIGNTY The process of globalisation is undermining the sovereignty of nation states and will lead to the eventual disintegration of the sovereign states system in international politics. The sovereignty of nations is being undermined by multiple sources: technology, civil society, global consensus on issues such as human rights, democracy and governance. However, sovereign states are still the basic constituents of the international society. This lesson will look at the effect of globalization on the sovereignty of the state and review policies that need to be adopted to meet the requirements of the international community. Book Presentation: Development as Freedom, by Amartya Sen, published by Random House Anchor Books. Other discussion Papers: Philip G. Cerny (1996), â€Å"What Next for the State?†, Chapter 9, Elonore Kafman and Globalization: Theory and Practice, by Gillian Youngs (Eds.), London: Pinter, The Twilight of Sovereignty: How the Information Revolution Is Transforming Our World, by Wriston, Walter, New York: Charles Scribner, Will the Nation State survive Globalisation, Martin Wolf, Foreign Affairs, Jan-Feb 2001 SESSION 7 : THE GROWING ROLE OF NON-STATE ACTORS The modern state is witnessing civil society, NGOs and the private sector becoming more powerful at the expense of the state. In some countries, the influence of some transnational corporations (TNCs) has become greater than that of the state. These TNCs are the most important single force creating global shifts in economic activity, and their strategies and operations are much influenced by the forces of technological change. Moreover, private investment has become a major source of funding for development activities. How can the state interact with these non-state actors gradually gaining a more prominent role? This lesson explores the different experiences and responses of nations to answer this question. Book Presentation: The World Turned Upside Down? Globalization and the Future of the State, by Berry Jones, published by St. Martin’s Press. Other discussion Papers: Governance in the Twenty-first Century, by Rosenau, James N. in Global Governance Vol. 1, No. I (Winter 1995) Public Sector Management, Governance and Sustainable Human Development. Discussion Paper 1. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. January 1995, Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/!UN9821.PDF/Psm.htm Assignment submission deadline for one of the following topics: 1: How is globalization affecting the poor and other disadvantaged groups in developing and developed countries. Each student can either take one country or one aspect of globalization to prepare this summary. In other words the unit of analysis could either be one issue/aspect of globalization applied to different countries, or one country through which all aspects are brought together. or 2: Critically examine the problems of the civic and corporate responsibilities of multinational corporations. Students can either choose one company, or prepare a general note to examine how private sector companies can share social and economic responsibility for the communities and groups in which they work. Such responsibilities might include, among other possibilities, support to local economic development, increasing awareness of human rights, supporting the government to fight cross border corruption, etc.. SESSION 8 : THE INCREASING INTER-DEPENDENCE AMONG STATES There is visible evidence about the emergence of a global community, global issues and global actions. Examples lie in multi-lateral organisations as in the United Nations system, and in regional institutions, as in the European Union, NAFTA, ASEAN, etc. Increasing interaction among states in tackling political, economic and financial issues, has resulted in a growing awareness that interaction at regional and global levels is essential in this globalized world. There is a need to address issues of peace, security, economic stability, poverty and health as global concerns. There is an awareness that global actions are becoming essential in effectively tackling problems which are acquiring global dimensions, for example, drugs, terrorism, global warming, crime, poverty, illiteracy, AIDS, etc. There is growing awareness also about the concept of â€Å"global public goods†. How can nations deal with this new interdependence? What is the most effective role for the state? This lesson reviews the effect of rapidly increasing globalisation in the 21st Century and its impact on national governments of the North and South. It looks at the issue of global goods, effects on the growth, distribution of incomes, availability of public services, and increasing inequities within countries and across nations and reviews the need for increased collaboration in policy, with particular emphasis on global governance. Book Presentation: Globalisation and its Discontents, by Joseph Stiglitz, published by W W Norton and Company. Other discussion Papers: Governance in the Twenty-first Century by Rosenau, James in Global Governance, Vol. 1, No. I (Winter 1995) SESSION 9 : THE EFFECTS OF GLOBALISATION AND LOCALISATION Globalization is forcing states to cede some sovereignty over global issues. The greater demand for decentralisation and citizen empowerment is also forcing states to devolve power, authority and finances to local levels. What is the role of decentralisation and how can this be distinguished from the process of devolution, and deconcentration? This lesson will look at institutional changes, experiences in decentralisation and democratic governance. Book Presentation: The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas Friedman, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Other discussion Papers: Institutions , institutional change and economic performance, by North, Douglass, Cambridge University Press, 1990. Making democracy work, Putnam, Robert D., Robert Leonardi, and Raffaella Y. Nanette. 1993. Reconceptualising Governance. Discussion Paper 2. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. January 1997, Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/!UN98-21.PDF/Recon.htm Globalisation, Human Development Report, UNDP, Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/1999/en/default.cfm Globalisation’s Democratic Defeat, Joseph Nye, Foreign Affairs, Jul-Aug, 2001 SESSION 10 : RETOOLING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS. Governments and international organisations are faced at all levels with increasing globalisation, population, and growing needs. New forms and ways of government functioning are emerging. The twenty first century is marked by a focus on democratisation, and an increased emphasis on global, national and local governance. The challenge is to restructure national governance institutions to deal with the impact of globalisation and the changing circumstances as well as providing efficient and effective public services with limited funds. Other discussion Papers: The new institutionalism: Organizational factors in political life. by March, James. G., and Hohan P. Olsen.. American Political Science Review 78 (3): 734-749. SESSION 11 REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS AT THE INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS The objectives are, ensuring society-based supremacy of laws, establishing regulatory systems to set up effective regulatory frameworks and a rights based system, ensuring equal treatment before laws protecting life, property and human dignity. How is law implemented in multijuridical states? What challenges does this present to governments? How does this affect the democratic representation of each citizen? The session will also look at overarching international juridical bodies: who designs them, who informs them, how is their mandate determined and implemented. Particular attention will be focussed on the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO. Country cases are used to illustrate the needs of establishing policies, laws and resource priorities at the national levels to ensure equity and justice, and the upholding of rule of law, bringing security, and predictability to social, political and economic relations in the world. Other discussion Papers: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; United Nations Available at: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html SESSION 12: BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR What constitutes civil society? What is the most effective role of civil society organisations at the local, regional and global level? Do they and should they have well defined mandates? How can they work collaboratively with government? In addition, beginning with a review of the traditional role of the private sector in the stability of a nation-state,what are the moral, financial and legal obligations that the private sector has both to governments and to its constituents, addressing the question of the appropriate tools for regulation, if any. It examines the vital role of the private sector in good governance and in mitigating the negative effects of globalisation. Other discussion Papers: Citizens, Strengthening Global Civil Society. CIVICUS. Good Governance and Trade Policy: Are they the Key to Africa’s Global Integration and Growth?. by Francis and Yates, Alexander; World Bank. 1999, Available at: http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDS_IBank_Servlet?pcont=details&eid=000094946_99032505 585398 Taxes and Bribery: The Role of Wage Incentives. Besley, Timothy, and J. McLaren. Economic Journal, Vol. 103, January 1999. Final Paper submission deadline: What is the issue of the changing role and power of the nation-state in the face of globalisation. Some argue that invincible globalising forces will inevitably lead to the demise or fatal weakening of the nation-state in international politics. This kind of argument is explicitly presented in titles such as â€Å"The End of the Nation-State† (K. Ohmae, 1996) and â€Å"The Retreat of the State† (Susan Strange, 1996) Others refuse this argument and contend that nation-states will hold fast to their traditional powers and sovereignty. Examine the conflicting arguments on the relationship between globalisation and the sovereignty of the nation-state. In doing this, look into the conceptual aspects of globalisation and sovereignty first, present the different views on the subjects, and try to arrive at some conclusions as to what the conflicting arguments imply for human development. or A focused single-topic paper, either on one of the following topics, or on any other relevant topic which is cleared in advance with the Professor: (a) Corruption and Accountability. (b) Electoral Reform in Established Democracies. (c) Decentralisation and Democracy. (d) The Importance of Rule of Law and Access to Justice. (e) The Limits to the Capacity of the Public Sector. (f) The Uneven Impact of Globalisation. (g) The Erosion of Sovereignty. (h) The Role of Civil Society in the Future World. (i) The Role of Foreign Direct Investment. (j) Information Technology as a Driving Force. (k) Terrorism, causes and effects (l) Poverty and its Effects (m) New Doctrines in Law (n) Free Trade and Protectionism (o) Migration flows in a Globalised world. SESSION 13 : FINAL SUMMATION – CURRENT GOOD PRACTICES Several modules of good governance exist around the world. Students will identify different models of good governance and critically analyse its components establishing the reasons for the success of the models and identifying the circumstances where these models could be used as an example of â€Å"best practices†. What does capacity development for governance involve? How is the capacity of a national government assessed and what are the innovative approaches required to create an enabling environment and interrelationship of groups and organisations. Other discussion Papers: Governance for Sustainable Human Development. Discussion Paper 7. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. http://magnet.undp.org/policy/default.htm January 1997, Available at: Corruption and Good Governance. Discussion Paper 3. UNDP, BDP/MDGD. July 1997, Available at: http://magnet.undp.org/ under: Discussion Papers Series. The Capacity to Govern: Report to the Club of Rome. Yehezekiel, The Commonwealth Portfolio of Current Good Practices and New Development in Public Services Management, Commonwealth Secretariat. 1996, Emerging Issues in Capacity Development, Proceedings of a Workshop. Institute on Governance, Ottawa, 1994. Spreading the Wealth, Dollar and Kraay, Foreign Affairs, Jan-Feb 2002 Is Inequality Decreasing, Galbraith and Pitt, Foreign Affairs, Jul-Aug 2002 SESSION 14 : DISCUSSION ON FINAL PAPERS This session will review the Final Papers of students before the semester ends

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bullwhip Efect Barilla Spa Essay

The Bullwhip Effect and Barilla SpA The Bullwhip Effect is an observed phenomenon in forecast-driven distribution channels where there is variability up the supply chain. Some of its causes are: Dependent demand processing Forecast Errors Adjustment of inventory control parameters with each demand observation Lead Time Variability (forecast error during replenishment lead time) Lot-sizing/order synchronization Trade promotion and forward buying Anticipation of shortages One way to achieve this is to establish a demand-driven supply chain which reacts to actual customer orders. The result is near-perfect visibility of customer demand and inventory movement throughout the supply chain. Better information leads to better inventory positioning and lower costs throughout the supply chain. Methods intended to reduce uncertainty, variability, and lead time: †¢Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) †¢Just In Time replenishment (JIT) †¢Strategic partnership †¢Information sharing †¢Smooth the flow of products ocoordinate with retailers to spread deliveries evenly oreduce minimum batch sizes osmaller and more frequent replenishments

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Marlon Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards

Marlon Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards The social turbulence of the 1970s was a time of much-needed change in Indian country. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage  - quite literally. A Time of Unrest The Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. Indian activists had taken over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building the year before and the siege of Wounded Knee was underway in South Dakota. Meanwhile, the Vietnam War showed no end in sight despite massive protests. No one was without an opinion and some Hollywood stars are remembered for the stands they would take, even if they were unpopular and controversial. Marlon Brando was one of those stars. The American Indian Movement AIM  came about thanks to Native American college students in the cities and activists on the reservations who understood all too well that the conditions they were living under were a result of oppressive government policies. Attempts were made at non-violent protests - the Alcatraz occupation was completely nonviolent although it lasted well over a year - but there were times when violence seemed like the only way to bring attention to the problem. Tensions came to a head on the Oglala Lakota  Pine Ridge reservation in February 1973. A group of heavily-armed Oglala Lakota and their American Indian Movement supporters overtook a trading post in the town of Wounded Knee, the site of the 1890 massacre. Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservations residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. Marshal Service as the eyes of the nation watched on the evening news. Marlon Brando and the Academy Awards Marlon Brando had a long history of supporting various social movements dating back to at least 1946 when he backed the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland. He had also participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and he supported the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. He was even known to have donated money to the Black Panthers. Later, however, he became critical of Israel and supported the Palestinian cause. Brando was also highly dissatisfied with the way Hollywood treated American Indians. He objected to the way Native Americans were represented in the movies. When he was nominated for an Oscar for his infamous portrayal of Don Corleone in The Godfather, he refused to attend the ceremony. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. Littlefeather was a budding model and actress, and she agreed to represent him. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. She delivered a short speech on behalf of Brando declining acceptance of the award. He had actually written a 15-page speech explaining his reasons, but Littlefeather later said that she had been threatened with arrest if she attempted to read the entire speech. Instead, she was given 60 seconds. All she was able to say was: Marlon Brando has asked me to tell you, in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterward, that he must ... very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award.And the reason [sic] for this being ... are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry †¦ excuse me†¦ and on television in movie reruns, and also the recent happenings at Wounded Knee.I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will, in the future ... our hearts and our understanding will meet with love and generosity.Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando. The crowd cheered and booed. The speech was shared at a press conference after the ceremony and was published in its entirety by the New York Times. The Full Speech Native Americans had virtually no representation in the film industry in 1973, and they were primarily used as extras while lead roles depicting Indians in several generations of Westerns were almost always awarded to white actors. Brandos speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. In his original speech as printed by the New York Times, Brando said: Perhaps at this moment you are saying to yourself what the hell has all this got to do with the Academy Awards? Why is this woman standing up here, ruining our evening, invading our lives with things that dont concern us, and that we dont care about? Wasting our time and money and intruding in our homes.I think the answer to those unspoken questions is that the motion picture community has been as responsible as any for degrading the Indian and making a mockery of his character, describing his as savage, hostile and evil. Its hard enough for children to grow up in this world. When Indian children watch television, and they watch films, and when they see their race depicted as they are in films, their minds become injured in ways we can never know. True to his political sensibilities, Brando also minced no words about Americas treatment of American Indians: For 200 years we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their families and their right to be free: Lay down your arms, my friends, and then we will remain together ...When they laid down their arms, we murdered them. We lied to them. We cheated them out of their lands. We starved them into signing fraudulent agreements that we called treaties which we never kept. We turned them into beggars on a continent that gave life for as long as life can remember. And by any interpretation of history, however twisted, we did not do right. We were not lawful nor were we just in what we did. For them, we do not have to restore these people, we do not have to live up to some agreements, because it is given to us by virtue of our power to attack the rights of others, to take their property, to take their lives when they are trying to defend their land and liberty, and to make their virtues a crime and our own vices virtues. Sacheen Littlefeather Sacheen Littlefeather received phone calls from Coretta Scott King and Cesar Chavez as a result of her intervention at the Academy Awards, congratulating her for what shed done. But she also received death threats and was lied about in the media, including allegations that she wasnt Indian. She was blacklisted in Hollywood. Her speech made her famous literally overnight and her fame would be exploited by Playboy magazine. Littlefeather and a handful of other Native American women had posed for Playboy in 1972, but the photos were never been published until October 1973, not long after the Academy Awards incident. She had no legal recourse to contest their publication because she had signed a model release. Littlefeather has long been an accepted and highly respected member of the Native American community despite lingering speculation about her identity. She continued her social justice work for Native Americans from her home in the San Francisco Bay area and worked as an advocate for Native American AIDS patients. She committed herself to other health education work as well and worked with Mother Theresa doing hospice care for AIDS patients.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

For On Est Allé, Agreement is Optional

For On Est Allà ©, Agreement is Optional Mistakes will always be made in French, and now you can learn from them. When you want to say we went or   they went in French, you dont have to use the French subject pronouns nous or ils/elles.  You can choose to use the indefinite subject pronoun on. Its always conjugated in the third person singular, and it may or may not agree with the subject it replaces or any adjectives present. Using on as an informal replacement for these plural subject pronouns, there are actually two options: Either the past participle allà © agrees in gender and number with the plural masculine pronoun that on replaces, or it doesnt. Actually, you can choose either. Agreement is optional. Both forms are correct Both on est allà © AND on est allà ©s are correct.  Its your choice. The French pronoun on is a little strange. It literally translates to the indefinite one as in one shouldnt do that, but it can also mean we, you, they, or people in general. One often hesitates over agreement when on replaces a plural. Since on has to take the third person singular form of the verb, it might seem as though agreement should also be singular. In other words, no agreement. In fact, agreement with whatever subject on replaces is optional. Either way is correct.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Nous sommes allà ©s au cinà ©ma. / On est allà © au cinà ©ma. / On est allà ©s au cinà ©ma.  These all mean: We went to the movies. They are all correct.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sont-elles prà ªtes ? / Est-on prà ªt ? / Est-on prà ªtes ? These all mean: Are they ready? They are all correct. What Is On? 1. On  (listen) is the indefinite pronoun and literally means one. Its often equivalent to the English  passive voice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On ne devrait pas poser cette question.  Ã‚  Ã‚  One shouldnt ask that question.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On demande : caissier.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cashier wanted.      On ne dit pas à §a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  That isnt said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ici on parle franà §ais.  Ã‚  Ã‚  French is spoken here. 2. On  is also an informal replacement for we, you, they, someone, or people in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On va sortir ce soir.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Were going out tonight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Alors les enfants, que veut-on faire  ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  OK kids, what do you want to do?   Ã‚  Ã‚  On dit que ce resto est bon.  Ã‚  Ã‚  They say that this restaurant is good.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On a trouvà © mon portefeuille.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Someone found my wallet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On est fou !  Ã‚  Ã‚  People are crazy!   Ã‚  Ã‚  On ne sait jamais.  Ã‚  Ã‚  You never know. Agreement With On There are two related debates about whether  agreement  is required with the subject implied by  on: 1.  Adjectives: In  on est content  (we/they are happy OR someone is happy), should the adjective agree?  Ã‚  Ã‚  feminine:  On est contente.  Ã‚  Ã‚  plural:  On est contents.  Ã‚  Ã‚  feminine plural:  On est contentes.2.  ÃƒÅ tre verbs: In  on est tombà ©Ã‚  (we/they/someone fell), should the past participle agree?  Ã‚  Ã‚  feminine:  On est tombà ©e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  plural:  On est tombà ©s.  Ã‚  Ã‚  feminine plural:  On est tombà ©es. There is no real consensus, so heres my opinion:  On  is a neuter singular pronoun, so there shouldnt be agreement, but its really up to you...or your French teacher.   Additional Resources On:  indefinite subject pronounOn vs. lonAgreement

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Environmental policy and energy in the next 30 years Research Paper

Environmental policy and energy in the next 30 years - Research Paper Example The policies that are adopted should be geared towards invention of new energy sources to support those that are being depleted and the production, transportation and usage must ensure environmental sustainability. This paper examines the trend in the production, transportation, and usage of energy in the next thirty years, and secondly, the environmental impact due the forecasted trends. Trends in the Production, Transportation, and Consumption of Energy in the next 30 years Energy policy is the way in which the government or an entity decides to address energy, production, distribution, and consumption. The components of such a policy may include international treaties, legislations, offering incentives to investment, taxation and other public policies (AuthorStream, 2012). Consumption The global energy demands are expected to rise by 30 percent from 2010 to 2040 (ExonMobil, 2013). This calls for diversification of energy sources, seeking reliable and affordable sources of energy. It is only through this mix that energy can promote economic growth and social advancement. The world is changing with improved standards of life; introduction of modern appliances and fuel efficient vehicles coupled with limitations of greenhouse gas emissions defines our energy usage in future (Gigaom, 2013). It is projected that up to the year 2020 fossil fuels will still largely dominate the energy use. Oil demand will increase due to transportation needs and will fill the gap where other energy sources are not available. Usage of gas for process, heating, and power generation where available, will be on the rise. Oil is expected to remain the major source of energy up to 2040, recording a growth of about 25 percent. Natural gas is expected to replace coal as the second largest source of energy by the year 2025. Gas demand is expected to grow by 60 percent by the year 2040 (ExonMobil, 2013). Its growth is expected to surpass any other energy source. This may be influenced by gas being economical, clean, and efficient source of energy. Gas production pollutes less and meets the world’s future energy needs better. Coal, natural gas, and oil will remain to be the major sources of energy and they are estimated to account for 80 percent of energy by the year 2040(ExonMobil, 2013). Nuclear energy use is also expected to grow because of the rising need for electricity and the desire to reduce CO2 emissions. Nuclear energy usage is expected to double between 2010 and 2040. There is also an expectation in the growth of use of solar, wind and bio-fuels energy. These fuels are expected to have a demand five times that of 2010 in 2040. However, in 2040 they will only account for 3-4 percent of the total world energy (ExonMobil, 2013). This is because greater technological advancement is required in order to harness this energy source. This leads to higher costs of production and hence preference is given to other more economical sources (Lahidji et al, 1999). P roduction and Transportation Policies in the next 30 years Fossil fuels as earlier stated are expected to remain the most dominant energy source in the next 30 years. Advanced and more efficient technologies are expected to be developed in the production of fossil fuels in the next 30 years. Coal has normally been criticized for polluting the environment, the next 30 years may see introduction of new