Government Intervention in Venezuela’s Economy

Economic Commentary_1 The article: How can Venezuela be so rich in resources, but so low in supplies? By Douglas French/April 24, 2012 http://www. csmonitor. com/Business/The-Circle-Bastiat/2012/0424/How-can-Venezuela-be-so-rich-in-resources-but-so-low-in-supplies To what extend do a country’s natural resources explain whether consumer goods are on the nation’s shelves for people to buy. Venezuela is a prime example of this question.This is a country having abundant natural resources for it is one of the world’s top oil producers and rich in gold and other minerals, also the rich soil and temperate climate allow the country for productive agriculture. However, there are shortages of staple products like milk, meat and writing paper. This commentary focuses on the main reason causing this problem in Venezuela that is over intervention of the government towards the free market. In order to maintain the level of consumer prices, the president of Venezuela imposed pr ice controls by setting the price ceilings.Government officials claim â€Å"companies cause shortages on purpose, holding products off the market to push up prices. This month, the government required price cuts on fruit juice, toothpaste, disposable diapers and more than a dozen other products. † However, bad consequences of the price ceilings set by the government were inevitable in terms of shortages in supply, decreased market size, elimination of allocative efficiency and black markets. In figure1. 1, the original market equilibrium price under the intervention of free market is at Pe where the quantity demanded and the quantity supplied are equal.After intervention of the central government, a binding price ceiling is set and the new market price is created at Pmax where the quantity supplied is much lower than quantity demanded. The artificially low price has caused more demand for the product, thus creating a movement from Qe along the demand curve to Qd. At the same time, producers cut production in response to the lower price, moving down along the supply curve from Qe to Qs. The distance between Qd and Qs shows a shortage of the good in supply.Because of this, now residents in Caracas are forced to rely on the once-a-week deliveries made to government-subsidized stores. Moreover, as figure1. 2 suggests, the gap between Qs and Qd creates a tension in the market. At Qs there are many consumers who would be willing to pay more than Pmax if Qs is on the market. These consumers may have a strong incentive to gain the goods and services they want on the black market. As a result, the supply curve will shoot right up at Qs and the price will raise right up at that point high on the demand curve.This shows that some price ceilings may actually drive the price higher than the original equilibrium and can be just applied to the case of Venezuela. Also, setting a maximum price lower than the market equilibrium price will result in a decreased market siz e as some of the companies will be driven out of the market. The government setting prices are too low for companies to make money so they either curtail production or stop all together. As shown in figure 2. 1, initially the producer surplus of the private companies, in terms of profit, derived by firms is shown as the area from the initial market price line to the supply curve.After price controls by the government, now the new producer surplus is shown as the area from the new price line to the supply curve which is smaller than before and this reflects a lower producer surplus, therefore a welfare loss in the society. In addition, the price ceilings eliminate an allocative efficiency in the country’s economy in a competitive market as it can only be achieved when the society produces enough of a good so that the marginal benefits is equal to the marginal, in other words, producer supply and consumer demand meet at a market equilibrium price.Due to intervention of the gove rnment, price controls disenable society to get goods and services it wants most. As Times mentions, â€Å"some of the shortages are in industries, like dairy and coffee, where the government has seized private companies and is now running them, saying it is in the national interest. † But the consequence of this action is that the government will turn the markets into monopolies as there would be only state ownership in these industries, so there are no competitions between various firms and consumers will not be able to acquire substitutes in the markets.What’s more, while these industries are being completely controlled by the central planner and create state ownership of the factors of production in addition to the guide of Venezuela socialist government, it will result in the lack of individual property rights and incentive to achieve maximum efficiency in the use of resources which characterize private ownership. To conclude, Venezuela is a typically very rich in resources but very low in supplies, price controls in the markets as well as

Haier: What is technological change? Essay

Technological change (TC) is a term that is used to describe the overall process of invention, innovation and diffusion of technology or processes.[1][2] The term is synonymous with technological development, technological achievement, and technological progress. In essence TC is the invention of a technology (or a process), the continuous process of improving a technology (in which it often becomes cheaper) and its diffusion throughout industry or society. In short, technological change is based on both better and more technology. Haier as a manufactural group and technologic change also impact them deeply. For example after Haier established they faces on fridge and air condition unit 1997 its entering color TV industry as the initiative, and it went into the industries of black household appliances and information household appliances. In 21st centry with the development of technologic Haier also expand their product range. For instance Haier Digital and Personal Product Group is a good example. They are engaged in multiple fields such as home appliances, computers and mobile phones. It is the only manufacturer in China that is able to produce big screens of TV, mid-sized screens of computer as well as small mobile screens. Haier takes personalized entertainment to another level by offering a brand new and unique smart home life solution through â€Å"cloud family† plan. Centered by Cloud Smart TV, cloud family integrates computers, mobile phones and home appliances to comprehensive interconnection and interaction. In recent month Haier digital developed DV- WF10 intelligent cloud camera. It can connect with terminal equipment (intelligent mobile phone, computer, PAD, etc.) in the wireless network. So customers can use wireless uploading the pictures or videos to phones or computer directly. With the development of biology mapped the entire sequence of human genes which improves our ability to treat a wide range of diseases and illnesses that are linked to the genes.

Regional Economic Cooperation Essay

One of the most important developments in the world trade system in the 1990s has been the emergence of regional cooperation. The end of the Cold War reduced political tensions between countries in Asia as well as globalizing production processes and increasing vertical integration. Cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore have been lifting their populations out of poverty in part through cooperative arrangements with neighboring countries. Transnational economic zones have utilized the different endowments of the various countries of East Asia, exploiting cooperative trade and development opportunities. Transfer of technology and manufacturing between nations has allowed them to develop sequentially. Information technology has improved linkages between economies and put remote regions in contact with the world. The private sector provides capital for investment; the public sector provides infrastructure, fiscal incentives, and the administrative framework to attract industry. Regional cooperation is now considered the means of enhancing economic development and providing economic security within the regions. Trade among ASEAN members accounted for more than 23% of all trade by member nations in 1994, topping that of any of the group’s major trading partners. Singapore has concentrated on becoming the technology center for Southeast Asia, sending labor-intensive operations to low-cost neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia in special mutual cooperative trade and development arrangements known as growth triangles or growth polygons. The Southern Growth Triangle, also known as SIJORI (Singapore, the Johore state of Malaysia, and Riau Province of Indonesia), was formed in 1989 and covers a population of about 6 million people. It attracted $10 billion in private sector investments during its first five years. Such regional economic cooperation has occurred in other Asian regions as well, spurring economic development. Growth triangles are expected to be a continued driving force for growth in Asian economies throughout the 1990s. Four growth triangles have been established since 1989, involving parts of 11 countries. There are currently eight growth polygons in East and Southeast Asia, with additional triangles being planned. For example, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China’s Yunnan Province have been discussing ways to develop the Mekong area since 1992. Regional cooperation provides a competitive model to attract investment and technology. According to the secretary general of ASEAN, Ajit Singh, â€Å"These growth areas will have to be flexible to change where necessary, innovative, and always attentive to the needs of the investors and the businessmen. They also have to be aware that they are competing with much larger countries such as China and India, whose capacities for attracting investors are much greater than their own† (Kruger 1996, 17). Asian capital markets are now watching the global economy, and large companies recognize their need to be involved in this fastest growing region in the world. The growth triangles typically group remote regions of the nations involved in an effort to exploit complementary assets within the groupings. For example, the Tumen Delta triangle integrates the capital and technology of Japan and the Republic of Korea with the natural resources of Russia and North Korea (i. e. , the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea) and the labor and agricultural resources of China. The governments of Brunei, East and West Kalimantan, and North Sulawesi of Indonesia; Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines have given priority to expanding air and shipping routes within the East ASEAN Growth Area, another polygon. Where all parts of the polygon are at similar levels of development, growth is expected to be slower. Singapore has provided capital and technology for developments in Malaysia to support SIJORI. Thailand is expected to provide capital and experience in developing the Mekong polygon. It will encompass a population of over 400 million people offering low wages, rents, and land costs. The Southern China Growth Triangle The Southern China Growth area comprises Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the southern provinces of China (Thant et al. 1994). Because China lags behind Taiwan and Hong Kong considerably in economic development and has a very large population, growth in this triangle has enormous potential. Establishment of this triangle was spurred by market forces and private sector initiatives rather than by policy coordination among the countries. However, government policies have supported the economic links that were instituted. The PRC’s economic reforms and open door policy initiated in 1978 laid the foundation for economic success in Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Establishment of China’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 1980 provided for tax concessions, expanded land use rights, and simplified procedures for foreign investment. Policies for land use, finance, and trade were designed to reduce transaction costs and to provide greater access to the domestic as well as the world market. Policies formulated within the SEZs themselves have been even more liberal than those in other parts of the triangle. For China, the triangle has provided exports, foreign exchange, and employment as well as access to the larger global economy. Rapid economic growth and higher incomes have occurred in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces with materials and components from Taiwan’s manufacturing sectors and the support of Hong Kong’s advanced services sector. Geographical proximity and common language are the most compelling factors for capital to move across the border from Hong Kong into Guangdong Province, or for investment to flow across the Formosa Strait from Taiwan to Fujian Province. Cantonese is a Chinese dialect spoken in both Hong Kong and Guangdong, while Fujianese is spoken in both Taiwan and Fujian. For Hong Kong and Taipei, the triangle has provided a means of implementing structural changes in manufacturing and export patterns at minimal cost. In spite of recent political posturing on the part of China, economic planners in Hong Kong and Taiwan are optimistic that economic logic will continue to drive regional integration. Low-Cost Sourcing As Japanese and U. S firms seek to reduce the cost of their latest innovations, they are outsourcing production to low-cost contract manufacturers. China has a growing number of low-cost parts and components suppliers. With a minimum of overhead and a large pool of low-cost labor in China, there is a growing list of high-quality vendors in China. The continuing miniaturization of products has lead to joint ventures with companies from Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other Asian countries. The success of these firms is dependent upon providing competitive value in a timely manner. Low-cost board assembly operations in China utilize the latest SMT equipment required by new computer and telecommunications products. Capital intensity will increase as IC packaging and SMT assembly operations are installed. In the 1980s, Korea and Taiwan provided the first step in the cost reduction chain by providing the most advanced process capabilities. Singapore and Malaysia became additional sources for contract manufacturing with the establishment of global vendors like SCI and Solectron. Today, further cost reduction is possible by moving production to lower cost regions like China and the Philippines. Wong’s Electronics in Hong Kong provides a three-step process for cost reduction that includes low-cost labor, low-cost sourcing, and low-cost production designs. Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and China are considered the home of lowest-cost manufacturing competitors in the electronics industry today. They offer limited component technology or product design skills, but provide many low-cost suppliers of generic, low-technology components. Since low-cost manufacturing countries generally lack the technologies required to become industry leaders, they must follow the technology trends as quickly as possible. OEM competitors from Taiwan and Singapore are being forced to open branch plants in China or other Southeast Asian countries to produce the most labor-intensive, cost-driven products.

Prisons as Total Intitutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prisons as Total Intitutions - Essay Example This process according to interpretations by Hassine and Abbott creates a subculture for the prisoners with behavioral ways, beliefs and values that though antisocial to the world outside are promoted and even rewarded within the institution of prison. The in-prison socialization helps in this adaptation process but will be severely damaging when the inmate is released to the real world society. Deprivation within the walls of the penitentiary in various forms causes loss of self-esteem in prisoners. It starts from the point of becoming an inmate. It is therefore desirable to introduce correctional policies to reduce the level of deprivation like allowing weekend leaves and conjugal visits as has been done to alleviate sexual deprivation. One way of reducing the prisonization is to involve the inmates in the management of the prison obviously excluding the administrative part. This will help in developing a reciprocal and balanced relationship of the prisoners with the prison administrators providing scope for mature handling of the situation. The real prisons do not, however, fully behave like a total institution of Goffman but in a manner demonstrated by Hassine and Abbott referring to the prisoners falling in line with the inmate sub

Population Growth in Earlymodern Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Population Growth in Earlymodern Europe - Essay Example "Migration to urban centres was a long-term trend over the century; it was also a short-term trend during periods of famine, and it resulted in a disproportionate growth in the numbers of the urban poor," Bonny (1991, p.273). Another obvious cause was the tight-knitted family of those days which gave enough security, care, medical included, and the right atmosphere for the children to survive. "Family was at the foundation of private life. In western Europe, the nuclear family was most common. In eastern Europe, the nuclear family was also prevalent, although extended households were more common than in the west. Kinship ties bound the family to other groups within rural communities" http://wps.ablongman.com/long_kishlansky_cw_6/0,10852,2350097-,00.html Even though here the discussion is between mortality rate and fertility, there were many other contributing factors to the population. Change in land-labour ratio and hence, in real wages and land rents, affected the economy and the population growth levels. Differences in marriage patterns, modernization of rural societies, loss of communal and private properties, alternation in the social hierarchies, empire building and travels to distant lands resulting in high economic development, scientific discoveries and advancement in medical science, were all such contributors to the population. Representative government, literacy, technology, development are all might not be major factors; still they contributed. It is important to know that population could work in two ways. "Population can function in two ways to explain social and economic change in early Modern Europe. First, changes in the land-labour ratio can explain changes in real... Early modern period is approximately from 1500 to 1750 that includes rise of colonies, agrarian revolution, industrial revolution, initiation of transportation, communications and mobility, and reformation. This was a period of transition and even the people who did not migrate, eventually did well.This was the time when there was a booming increase in the population of Europe. The increase was proportionately larger compared to the increase in the rest of the world and one particular cause of this sudden demographic expansion is difficult to pinpoint. According to Musgrave, countries like Italy, Spain and Southern France developed higher strata of political, economic and social existence, which eventually ensured a much higher standard of living, even better than that could have been offered by the industrial revolution. This development eventually established â€Å"Europe’s place in the world.† In spite of the disastrous Thirty Years' War, this period, comparatively e njoyed a better peace and the earlier crisis-ridden days were forgotten fast enough to give place to a period of growth, arts, creativity and intellectuality. "Although some areas took as much as a generation to recover pre-crisis levels, many managed to do so with surprising speed. Fertility rates have improved with better standard of living and relaxed way of life. It is necessary to conclude that there were many factors that led to an unprecedented population growth during this period.

PERSONAL ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE Assignment - 1

PERSONAL ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE - Assignment Example A leader in my own rights, I shall feel responsible in relieving tension in the environment I am living in. Life with its fast pace causes humankind to be continuously circulating in surroundings which are full of stressful conditions. My mind and body will be aware of this strain while communicating with my fellow humans. The daily issues which harass me and my friends will be solved with patience and togetherness. I would like to be in the role of mentor. The issues of ill health due to obesity and related illnesses ranging from diabetes mellitus to cardiac illness are snuffing out the lives of even young people in this fast- paced age. Sedentary lives are more common with the advent of computers. All this points to one main solution of exercising. I would set an example by jogging every morning and encouraging my friends to accompany me. If I have a say, I would motivate the other students and together we would formally request for a gymnasium for our college where all the staff and their families can work out. Physical well-being is extremely essential. My family of four members is very close to me. My father, a religious and strict personality has been my role model. He believes in keeping family ties intact. His instructions and exemplary behavior have kept this family cozy and happy. Mother insists on all of us sharing the breakfast and evening meals together. Sometimes we find it hard to reach in time. However when we remember that no one would eat without our presence, we manage to do so. We talk freely during our meals and family issues are discussed here as these are the few occasions when all are together. Paying attention to each other is another habit that we have thoroughly enjoyed. I would gladly pass on tips from my experience to my friends and acquaintances. Studying for engineering, I am lucky to have many bosom friends who have given me many wonderful

Accounting Revenue Recognition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting Revenue Recognition - Research Paper Example SolvGen Inc has agreed to three separate deliverables: a) The commercial launch of the first instrument system Version 1- Delivered March 31 b) The commercial launch of an improved instrument system Version 2- Pending development c) The commercial launch of new improved instrument system Version 3-Pending development. The other part of their agreement is the five year distribution and license contract with Careway Inc. Under this agreement Careway will have the right to market and distribute their proprietary instrument systems developed in conjunction with SolvGen. SolvGen is responsible for producing the necessary volume to meet the demand requirements of CareWay after each product launch. The company is responsible to maintain adequate inventory and production quality control to meet client requirements. 2) Based on the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) it is common practice to use the revenue recognition principle which states that any current revenue has to be reco gnized in the accounting period on which it is earned. Therefore a company cannot realize as current revenue any payments that are part of a long term contract; these payments should be differed and systematically recognized over the remaining time of the agreement or contract.

Opinion for a case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Opinion for a case - Essay Example The City of Ontario received 22 pagers from Arch Wireless in late 2001 and 2002. The method by which the text message are sent are as follows: the text message leaves the originating pager through a radio frequency transmission, which is then received by any one of many receiving stations, owned by Arch Wireless. The message is then entered into the Arch Wireless computer network by wire transmission or satellite. Once the message is in the Arch Wireless computer network, it is then relayed to the Arch Wireless computer server, where it is archived and stored for up to 72 hours, until the receiving pager can receive the text message. Once the message is archived and delivered in an Arch Wireless service area, the recipient pager is ready to receive delivery, at which point the Arch Wireless server retrieves the message and sends it to a transmitting station close to the recipient pager. Arch Wireless owns the transmitting stations. The City of Ontario, while having no official policy regarding text-messaging by use of its pagers, did not have a general policy regarding computer usage, internet and e-mail, and this policy is that â€Å"[t]he use of City-owned computers and all associated equipment, software, programs, networks, Internet, e-mail and other systems operating on these computers is limited to City of Ontario related business. The use of these tools for personal benefit is a significant violation of the City of Ontario Policy.† In addition, the City of Ontario reserved the right to review all Internet sites that the employees visited and log all e-mail and Internet use, with and without notice. Access to the Internet and e-mail was not confidential, and all information produced is considered City property. Appellant signed an â€Å"Employee Acknowledgement† in 2000 in which he acknowledged that he had read the company policy regarding computer usage, Internet and E-mail. On April 18, 2002, Appellant attended a meeting with

Child Protection Task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Child Protection Task - Essay Example sores, serious nappy rash and urine scalds, significant dental decay. Compromised standards of hygiene i.e. child consistently unwashed. Poverty-stricken complexion and hair texture. No adequate supervision for their age. Searching or stealing food and focus on basic survival. Extensive stays at school, public places and other homes. Longs for or erratically seeks adult affection. Rocking, sucking, head-banging. Poor school attendance (Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect). Signs in children due to physical abuse: Streak marks on face, head or neck, other staining marks depicting the shape of the object that caused it e.g. belt buckle, hand print etc. the child show drowsiness, vomiting, fits or pooling of blood in the eyes, suggesting that the physical abuse has resulted in head injury. Some may display adult bite marks and scratches and in severe conditions fractures of bones, dislocations, sprains, twisting, burns and scalds encompassing cigarette burns. In some conditions child may complain about the abdominal pain caused by broken internal organs, swallowing of poisonous substances, alcohol or other harmful drugs (Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect). Possible signs of sexual abuse depicted by the child: bruising or hemorrhage in the genital area, suffering from STD (sexually transmitted disease). In female child, bruising to breasts, buttocks, lower abdomen or thighs may be depicted. Child telling about the sexual acts, sexual knowledge shown by the child not appropriate for her age. Fear of going to bed and if going then with full clothes. Signs of bed wetting or soiling, showing changed behavior pattern of self destruction, attempting suicide, anorexia or over-eating, adolescent pregnancy, child not able to explain about the accumulation of money and gifts, enduring running away from home (Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect). Possible signs of psychological abuse: Any kind of abuse, gives a great impact on the psychology

“Cousin Kate” and “The Seduction” Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Cousin Kate† and â€Å"The Seduction† Essay Both poems are written by female poets, who express their love by exploring physical and emotional aspects. Both poets imply that men are motivated by the physical side of love while women treasure the emotional side. The female characters in each poem to begin with are naà ¯ve, innocent and vulnerable. However each being mistreated left them both experienced before their time. The Seduction is set in the mid 1970’s when a teenage girl is at a party and is lured by a sleazy boy. Cousin Kate is about a young maiden who is taken advantage of by a lord ho then leaves her for her cousin Kate. Both are left with an experience and a child. The poems were written in very different periods and reflect love and marriage in different social manors through time. ‘Cousin Kate’ was written in the Victorian reign around the 1870s. Love and marriage in the 1870s was very different to present time, as the Victorian citizen’s approach and mind-set was to expect women to provide children especially sons to become an heir, ‘Your father would give lands for one, To wear his coronet.’ This shows that the father would be willing to pay a lot of money (land) to have a grandson. Birth out of marriage was considered wrong; ‘The neighbors call you good and pure, Call me an outcast thing’. Society saw Kate as a good person and a good marriage that they accepted into the community. Whilst they considered the cottage maiden as an outcast for having a child out of wedlock. They were also perceived to have a duty to marry and obey their husband; in the bible it says St.Paul in Ephesians 5:22: ‘Wives, be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Similarly in the Seduction although much more recent, societies view of birth outside marriage especially among teenage pregnancy is still frowned upon. ‘And better, now to turn away, move away, fade away, Than to have the neighbors whisper that ‘you always looked the type.’ The Seduction reflects a more modern attitude to love, where people frequently meet at social gatherings.’ She met him at the party and danced with him all night’. This shows that relationships can be started without knowing each other, when you are drinking. The poem also shows that men and women are now perceived as equal, in that both men and women are at the party and both are drinking alcohol. Messages of love have been interlinked with the environment to help you portray their attitudes towards one another. The setting in the Seduction has been created by using imagery and personification which helps the reader to envisage the scene. ‘Far from the blind windows of the tower blocks.’ This could imply that no one is there to see what could happen or that no one cares. An industrial dock yard is not a nice place to be and most probably not many people go there. ‘Towards the frightening scum on the water’, because this setting is so unromantic it implies that the sleazy boy is only after one thing. ‘She chattered on, and stared at the water, The Mersey, green as a septic wound.’ Here the author has used a simile to help explain nervousness of the girl. These words are effective because it emphasizes her innocents, although it seems to be dark and ery. The opening of ‘Cousin Kate’ tells us that she is just a simple country girl working to live. ‘I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air, Contented with my cottage mates,’. Having this opening shows the emphasis of her innocents and it gives us a small idea of who she is. The author Christina Rossetti has pieced together a small picture of what her life was like but tells you enough for you to finish the scene in you mind. This all changes when later on it contrasts with the mention of her cousin Kate and the new lords. Both poets have used the environment help them create an image and an atmosphere which when added to the dramatic monologue is very effective. Also it transfers the feelings and emotions from the character to the reader. The poets have both used a range of techniques to help present the atmosphere and attitude to love. The atmosphere at the beginning of ‘The Seduction’ is quieting down after leaving a party with a random person who has got her drunk. It slowly turns into a dark and depressing mood but the girl is excited, naà ¯ve and unaware. The poet has used words like ‘she giggled’ and ‘he muttered’. This is successful as it shows the contrast between the innocent girl and the sinister boy. At the end of the poem the atmosphere has changed to a despaired attitude this shows how the poets view has changed. The emphasis of the change is described using poetic techniques like Connotation, Imagery, Oxymoron’s and alliteration. ‘And a bag filled with shimmering, sweet paint thinner.’ This implies that the boy was going off to get high when he is meant to be at school, I have chosen this quote also as an example of imagery and alliteration. Similarly the beginning of ‘Cousin Kate’ is peaceful, illustrated though words such as ‘contended’, ‘care’ and ‘flaxen’. However later on in the poem the narrators’ feelings are mixed; ‘Even so I sit and howl in the dust’ shows that she does feel sorrow and the reader can empathise with her. Also the poet has used dust to create a sad atmosphere. Whereas she perceives her cousin as wealthy and happy; ‘You sit in gold and sing’. This gives contrast from poor and rich, sorrow and joy. The narrator is also angry with the lord, ‘I would have spit in his face’. This illustrates her anger towards him, which creates tension and increases the reader’s knowledge of the narrator. Another way the poets express their attitudes to love and marriage is through the relationships between men and women. ‘Cousin Kate’ suggests the role of the men in the Victorian society were much more superior to women as they are the ‘hunters and gatherers’. By this I mean that the men are the leaders and are loved by women and the women should do as they are told. Conversely the male in the poem is not seen as likeable character, ‘He lured me to his palace home’. The word ‘lured’ projects an image of an ungentlemanly character which has falsely persuaded the victim. This is effective as he treats her as she is an object; ‘He changed me like a glove’. Equally ‘The Seduction’ the male character is perceived as someone who is not a pleasant person and a bad influence, ‘He spat into the river’. This is valuable as it illustrates how shocking and uncouth the boy is. Eileen McAuley has used verbs to convey the actions of the characters in ‘The Seduction’; for example the girl’s movements are submissive toward the strong minded boy. Although the same as ‘Cousin Kate’ the women in that period of time are meant to be submissive to their ‘master’. Consequently both poems are exploring the role of women in relationships and despite the fact that there is over a hundred years between the poems they both seem to be implying that society still criticise young mothers. Although the men are described as sleazy and sinister, this could be a miss conception as these may be the views from a women perspective. These descriptions of the male characters are portrayed as a stereotypical chauvinist male and could be offensive from a mans point of view. Finally the two poets have used the structure to help represent the theme of love. Both poems are written in stanzas and each tells another part of the story. ‘Cousin Kate’ is set out in a very traditional manner which help you to grasp the thoughts and emotions of the narrator. It repeats certain words in the first person like ‘I’, ‘he’ and ‘you’ this is done to show the difference between the characters but mostly cousin Kate and the narrator because ‘Kate’ has stolen the narrators ‘man’ (father); also because of the style it has created the piece of writing to be a dramatic monologue. Similarly ‘The Seduction’ also uses a lot of repetition of words in the third person like ‘she’ and ‘he’ this helps to show that it is a narrative. The poem is almost split into two sections; the fir half concentrates on the build up to when she discovers that she is pregnant and the second half only talks about if only it had not happened; also the first half is showing her innocents forming into an experience. This is successful because she is a young girl who still day dreams and wishes to be out with her friends; ‘Day trips to Blackpool, jumping all the rides?’ McAuley has also used a rhetorical question as if to say should she be out with her friends or does she get what she is deserved; but then it carries on to question what does the girl deserve? I believe that there is a subliminal message beyond the words and technical styles of writing, in both poems which can be related to the present time. The most obvious one is not to be naive and fall for boys tricks. However boy tricks are not always bad and good things may come of it. I consider the most successful technique is not a poetic technique, but more the structure the poets have written them in because it creates the mood, the speed and most of all in my eyes the tension and suspense.

The World Of The Infant And Toddler Children And Young People Essay

The World Of The Infant And Toddler Children And Young People Essay Early childhood educators have long recognized the importance of play in infants and toddlers lives. Play is a strong feature which has meaningful learning practices. Play is embedded in and threaded throughout the New Zealand early childhood curriculum called. Te WhÄ riki: He whÄ riki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. This report will be discussing quality play as curriculum for infants and toddlers and will show the importance of play which supports childrens learning and development and will examine the value of play and how play promotes infants and toddlers to learn and develop. This report will also explain how Te WhÄ riki supports play as indicators of meaningful learning and together what is my role in facilitating a play-based curriculum with my beliefs and philosophy of play. Rationale Piaget describes three cognitive stages of play. He explains that in the first sensorimotor practice play, Infants and toddlers experiment with bodily sensation and motor movements with objects and people. My personal philosophy is making things interesting for the infants and toddlers I believe that pushing and grasping happens during their play times and through doing this over and over again the children learn that for example balls roll away and through this they experience the sensation and pleasures of movement and my philosophy is that play is natural and important for children. Vygotsky stated that the value of play is to promote childrens physical, cognitive, language, social, emotional development(Gonzalez-Mena, 2009, p.72). By playing with blocks and boxes children gain to master object permanence. Piaget states that retrieving hidden objects reveals that infants have begun to master object permanence, the understanding that objects continues to exist when out of sight. (B erk, 2010). According to Gonzalez-Mena (2009) a main ingredient of any infant or toddler program should be play(p.72). Play is natural for infants and toddlers and it should be an important use of their time. Piaget indicates play as the nature, built- in way to contribute children to accumulate learning experiences for their development (Dockeet Fleer, 1999). My own belief for play is giving infants and toddlers the freedom to play and extend on their interests while providing them with interesting resources to play with. Children develop eye-hand co-ordination from manipulation with toys. Vygotsky describes play is always a social experience even when they are engaged in solitary play as the children draw on themes, experiences and roles that have social originality (Berk Winsler, 1995). Play also provides rich experiences for children to develop their language, social and emotional skills (Berk Winsler, 1995). For example, when children pretend to be mothers, they become sensi tive to others needs and feelings because they get the knowledge about how their mothers care for them. Therefore they need to control their emotions to show their love and kindness to accomplish their roles. During play, all children need to use language, gestures, and symbolic objects to express their interests and feelings, like I am tired, or sit nicely on your highchair, Children may also pretend to use blocks as imaginary cakes to feed their babies. Through his play experience children learn their own capabilities and the way to understand themselves by social behavior such as sharing and taking turns, co-operating, using manners and language, emotional management, the nature of social rules and the way of making friends and feel part of a group and learn how to live and work in groups. Therefore, children improve their language communication and negotiation skills, as well as gaining the development of imagination and creation (Jalongo, 2004). I believe that even when the chi ldren disagree on who gets to be the baby, they are honing their social skills. Play is extremely beneficial and children have many opportunities to expand their own world and through play children are learning all the time. Aspect One: Group Sizing and age span during play for infants and toddlers. Larger groups tend to be over stimulating According to Gonzalez -Mena (2009), As larger groups are overly stimulating the quiet children usually get ignored and it is harder for the children to really get into their play, So a strategy that will be useful is to make sure that all children get to have their turn to play and teachers can encourage children to turn take and scaffold them during their play. Arthur, Beecher, Docket , Farmer, and Death (2007) states through scaffolding, those with expertise in a particular area ,such as parents or teachers, provide the framework of support that enables the children to try out new ideas, so as to lead them to greater understanding (p.95). Mixture of Ages As some play programs work well with a mix of ages others work well with the same age group. In this case with a mix of infants and toddlers it is best to protect the ones who cannot move around to the ones that can move. I can do this by fencing a portion of the room for the children that are immobile. It is best to not keep the children in playpens or cribs. Space for preschoolers and toddlers Children need space to move around as they need room to stretch. They need the space to interact with adults who share the floor space. Arthur et al. (2007) discusses that recent research exploring childrens social play has encompassed not only how children play with each other but also the nature and quality of social interactions, interactions among adults and children, the influence of childrens social and cultural context, and the role of popular culture in play (p.100). White, OMalley, Toso, Rockel , Stover, Ellis (2007) explains that The position of a child within a powerful social vision is articulated within Te WhÄ rikis goals: all children will grow up as confident and competent learners, healthy in mind and body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the sense that they make a valued contribution to society (Ministry of Education,1996,p.9). As sometimes the mixture is toddlers and preschools. It is important to make sure that the toddlers are protected from the equipment they arent mature enough to play with. Aspect Two: Environments for infants and toddlers to play. Environmental factors that influence play Careful considerations need to happen when giving space for children to play as the age span and group size matters. Educators need to think about how the room is appropriate for infants and toddler for this to happen be to set the environment up and what the space needs. There should be choices that need to be encouraged. Choice depends on the philosophy of the centre and the age of the children .Culture also has an influence to the environment of play. Rogoff (2003) notes that participation and play for children is how the children change some of these routines and rituals through their participation. Through participating in play children learn the structure and cultural expectations of events. For example, participating in play conversations facilitates an awareness of the nature of conversations (such as turn taking, speaking and listening) (p.102). Setting up environments for play It is best for a caregiver to provide structure by doing this the environment gets structured to a play environment. Caregivers must set up an environment that has a good deal of undesirable behavior. For example if a child is not allowed to play in the kitchen it is a good idea to put a gate across the access. For infants and toddlers educators must make sure that everything that is in the environment to be touchable and mouth able which means that the play object is clean and safe to put in their mouths as infants and toddlers learn through mouthing. Te WhÄ riki (1996) states toddlers have access to an increasing range of playthings that can enhance both gross and fine motor skills (p.87). It is good to set up the right number of toys with providing the right number of choices and let the children find special ways to combine their toys and material. Which are soft and hard that will develop their fine and gross motor activity. Hygiene and gross motor activity for infants and toddlers. Making sure that the toys are sanitized time to time is important .Children should not be getting restricted to their natural inclinations. Ailwood (2003) describes such play as a natural, intrinsic and free, and progressivisms version of free-play. Providing gross motor activity is important inside as much as outside play. Infants and toddlers should be in an environment where they get to roll and slide and climb and also run. The area should be like a gym that is set up for active play. Aspect Three: Caregivers creating curriculum out of play for infants and toddlers. Safety as an overarching theme Setting up an environment that put safety a primary considerate is good so that the children are free to explore and discover. Te WhÄ riki (1996)states that safe things are provided to assist infants to move, for example, something to hold on to, to balance against, or to pull them up on (p.87). Caregivers encouraging interactions and then stepping back It is important to make sure that the caregivers interactions are encouraging for facilitating play for infants and toddlers. It is also important to support problem solving between children so they get to see themselves as capable children. Observing is a way to understand each individual child and each situation to promote the childrens learning. Ailwood (2003) states the process of play is characterized by play as learning which maintains is the result of the legacy of developmental psychology with its associated truths. Adult Roles in Infant-Toddler Play Caregivers can create curriculum out of play by giving the children their own freedom to play and also by helping them pursue their own special interests and adults should extend on their interests .Adults should also provide fun and colourful play resources. While children are playing it is important to encourage child to child interactions and encourage youngsters to come and learn such valuable skills and how the children can resolve conflicts. It is important to step back until needed too. A caregiver should always know when to intervene and become sensitive. Te WhÄ riki (1996) discusses toddlers are encouraged to develop skills at their own rate and to know and understand their abilities and limitations. Adults wait to let toddlers indicate that they need assistance rather than assuming that they will (p.87). Timing is crucial for infants and toddlers play .When adults step in too soon. Te WhÄ riki (1996) states that toddlers have opportunities for active exploration with the support, but not the interference e, of adults. Valuable learning can be lost but if an adult steps in soon but if it is too late there is a possibility that children can hurt each other (p.87) It is good to remember to encourage children to solve their own problems as it is a very important part of their education. But steeping back and not intervening is another adult skill that is important to practice. We should not interrupt a child who is really absorbed into their play as absorption is a quality that educators should value. Conclusion: In conclusion, play as a curriculum is the highest form of learning in early childhood education. Infants and toddlers are able to reach their deepest, wide range level of learning best through play. Play has an important function and infants and toddlers are learning all the time through their interactions with others, as well as working through the rules and values of their cultural groups. Three aspects of the above will finally draw a conclusion of the importance of play in the learning and development of supporting infants and toddlers. Play is a professionalized process and play is a freedom of expression as well as a game for life.

Characterization in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Act One of William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, we meet Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt. Right away, we get an idea of who these characters are and what kind of role they will play throughout the story. Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt share many distinctive characteristics and personalities in the story. We learn that Romeo is the romantic and handsome son of the Montagues. In the beginning of the story, he was depressed, but his mood quickly changed as the story went on. We also learn that Mercutio is Romeo’s closest and good friend who tries to make Romeo forget about his first love, Rosaline. He is a great entertainer and he’s very sarcastic too. Instantly, we learn that Tybalt is a Capulet and Juliet’s cousin. He is very hot-headed, aggressive, and violent. He loathes the Montagues very much. Finally, in Act One of William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, we meet three characters, Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt and we d irectly get an idea of what the characters are like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the story, we find out that Romeo is very depressed, but towards the end, he starts changing to be romantic. In the beginning of the story, the Montagues ask Benvolio of Romeo’s whereabouts. Benvolio answers that Romeo has seemed troubled about something since the morning. Montague quotes, â€Å"Away from light steals home my heavy son and private in his chamber pens himself, shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, and makes himself an artificial night†(I, i, 138-141). He’s talking about how Romeo looks so sad that it seems as if he doesn’t want to come home and he rather be locked up in a room with shut windows blocking daylight in or out. This makes Montague think that it sounds like Romeo is making himself live in an imaginary, not existing, fake world all by his lonesome self. When Benvolio and Romeo meet, they talk about what is bothering Romeo. This is when we learn that Romeo is depressed by the rejecti on of his love, Rosaline, who believes in chastity. Also, Rosaline won’t return the love that Romeo is waiting impatiently for. So this is why Romeo is heart-broken. But later, Romeo relieves his depressed feelings and he soon becomes romantic when he meets his new love, Juliet. When Romeo first sees Juliet at the Capulet ball, he completely forgets about Rosaline and falls in love with Juliet at first sight.

I Have a Gambling Problem Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

I Have a Gambling Problem Professor’s comment: This student’s essay is well researched, strongly analytical, and seriously personal. But the essay did not begin as a personal essay—far from it— from major rewriting emerged this fascinating and very effective essay, in which social and personal analysis intertwine. Hi, my name is ______ and this is my first GamAnon meeting. I am nineteen years old, and I started gambling in junior high, $5 bets with friends. In high school, craps and deuces were the craze. The teachers had no idea. Then I started playing the lottery, hoping to hit the jackpot. Age never really mattered since the vendor never asked to see ID. In my first year of college, I started wagering on sporting events through an online sports book. It was completely legal, even though I was only 18 years old. I have always loved sports and having money on a game made it even more fun, more exciting. At first, it was only $25 or $50 a game, but then things got out of control: I was laying hundreds of dollars on single games. It wasn’t fun anymore. My bank account dwindled from four figures to two. My GPA was half my high school 4.0+. I knew I had a problem, but I just couldn’t stop, no matter how hard I tried. That’s why I’m here today. I need help. I never thought that a friendly wager could lead to such self-destructive behavior. Luckily, I recognized that I had a gambling problem and sought help, unlike the millions of other pathological gamblers who allow their problems to worsen, some eventually becoming involved with drugs, alcohol, and crime (Lesieur 43). Annually, Americans legally wager over five hundred billion dollars—more than they spend on groceries—and illegally bet hundreds of billions more (Ren... ...ychological Reports 67 (1990): 907-912. Griffiths, Mark. Adolescent Gambling. New York: Routledge, 1995. Koughan, Martin. â€Å"Easy Money.† Mother Jones. July 1997: 32-37. Layden, Tim. â€Å"Bettor Education.† Sports Illustrated. April 3, 1995: 68-83. Lesieur, Henry R. â€Å"Compulsive Gambling.† Society. May 1992: 43-50. McGowan, Richard. State Lotteries and Legalized Gambling. Westport: Quorum, 1994. McGraw, Dan. â€Å"The National Bet: Laying an Illegal Wager Has Never Been Easier.† U.S. News and World Report. April 7, 1997: 50-56. Reno, Paul. â€Å"The Diceman Cometh.† Policy Review 76 (1996): 40-46. Sandel, Michael J. â€Å"Bad Bet.† New Republic 216 (1997): 27. Simon, Paul. â€Å"The Destructive Side of Gambling Mania.† St. Louis Journalism Review 26 (1995): 8-11. Snyder, R.J. â€Å"Gambling Swindles and Victims.† Journal of Gambling Behavior 2 (1986): 50-57.

Essay --

Bharathidasan University is promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). We support electronic publishing and open access to scholarship in order to enhance the sharing of knowledge worldwide. Our website includes resources for librarians, faculty, students, and the general public. Topics include how to find, create, and preserve ETDs. An electronic library (colloquially referred to as a digital library) is a library in which collections are stored in electronic media formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible via computers.[1][not in citation given]The electronic content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks. An electronic library is a type of information retrieval system. In the context of the DELOS, a Network of Excellence on Digital Libraries, and DL.org, a Coordination Action on Digital Library Interoperability, Best Practices and Modelling Foundations, Digital Library researchers and practitioners and software developer produced a Digital Library Reference Model[2][3] which defines a digital library as: "A potentially virtual organisation, that comprehensively collects, manages and preserves for the long depth of time rich digital content, and offers to its targeted user communities specialised functionality on that content, of defined quality and according to comprehensive codified policies."[4] The first use of the term digital library in print may have been in a 1988 report to the Corporation for National Research Initiatives[5][not in citation given] The term digital libraries was first popularized by the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Libraries Initiative in 1994.[6] These draw heavily on As We Ma... ...s (floppy disks for example) are emulated, bit-streams (the actual files stored in the disks) are preserved and operating systems are emulated as a virtual machine. Only where the meaning and content of digital media and information systems are well understood is migration possible, as is the case for office documents.[19][20][21] However, at least one organization, the WiderNet Project, has created an offline digital library, the eGranary, by reproducing materials on a 4 TB hard drive. Instead of a bit-stream environment, the digital library contains a built-in proxy server and search engine so the digital materials can be accessed using an Internet browser.[22] Also, the materials are not preserved for the future. The eGranary is intended for use in places or situations where Internet connectivity is very slow, non-existent, unreliable, unsuitable or too expensive. Essay -- Bharathidasan University is promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). We support electronic publishing and open access to scholarship in order to enhance the sharing of knowledge worldwide. Our website includes resources for librarians, faculty, students, and the general public. Topics include how to find, create, and preserve ETDs. An electronic library (colloquially referred to as a digital library) is a library in which collections are stored in electronic media formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible via computers.[1][not in citation given]The electronic content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks. An electronic library is a type of information retrieval system. In the context of the DELOS, a Network of Excellence on Digital Libraries, and DL.org, a Coordination Action on Digital Library Interoperability, Best Practices and Modelling Foundations, Digital Library researchers and practitioners and software developer produced a Digital Library Reference Model[2][3] which defines a digital library as: "A potentially virtual organisation, that comprehensively collects, manages and preserves for the long depth of time rich digital content, and offers to its targeted user communities specialised functionality on that content, of defined quality and according to comprehensive codified policies."[4] The first use of the term digital library in print may have been in a 1988 report to the Corporation for National Research Initiatives[5][not in citation given] The term digital libraries was first popularized by the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Libraries Initiative in 1994.[6] These draw heavily on As We Ma... ...s (floppy disks for example) are emulated, bit-streams (the actual files stored in the disks) are preserved and operating systems are emulated as a virtual machine. Only where the meaning and content of digital media and information systems are well understood is migration possible, as is the case for office documents.[19][20][21] However, at least one organization, the WiderNet Project, has created an offline digital library, the eGranary, by reproducing materials on a 4 TB hard drive. Instead of a bit-stream environment, the digital library contains a built-in proxy server and search engine so the digital materials can be accessed using an Internet browser.[22] Also, the materials are not preserved for the future. The eGranary is intended for use in places or situations where Internet connectivity is very slow, non-existent, unreliable, unsuitable or too expensive.

Academic excellence is the only way to success Essay

What is academic excellence about? Is it how many marks we get? Or is it the number of competitions we win? It is much more than that. We often say that getting good marks is what academic excellence is about, but no it is the process of education we go through. From learning ABC in kindergarten we go to learning History, Science, Maths and more in higher grades. This process of academic excellence gives us the potential to be a good human being. It provides us with the strong base of knowledge we require to build our building of life. The process and excellence provides us with the skill to sculpt our life the way we want it to be, to help us shape it and decide what we want in life. It teaches us to use this skill and knowledge by pushing our limits further by working hard in the direction of the goal. This hard work helps us to climb the stairs of success. The knowledge base, skill and hard work talk about our inner selves. Here comes the topic of our outer selves. The outer self is what we show to others around us. We improve it when we work as a team. Learning teamwork helps us achieve more as in our future the jobs we do depend on teamwork. Working with others a increases our ethics as we interact with others and it also teaches us to communicate politely and properly, also the process of academics prepares us for the competitive life ahead. On completing this process the certificate of excellence or degree we get on completing our education. That degree is the first impression we give to our interviewers on applying for a job. And in today’s world people who achieve academic excellence are respected and idolised. Some may say that the great men of our like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did not achieve academic excellence. But such examples we can count on our fingers. Such people are one in a million. What about the rest of the world? The worldwide population is crossing 7 billion, what about those people? They would not be able to achieve anything in their lives without academic excellence. Concluding my debate here I fell that ‘’Academic excellence is success in itself’’.

Police Organizational Structures Essay

Organizations are entities of two or more people who cooperate to accomplish an objective. (Peak, Policing America, 2012). A police department structure must be parallel so that this way its structure can be effective in completing the overall goal of protecting and helping the public. Over the years police agencies have followed a traditional structure but by the passing of years the structure is starting to evolve. Traditional police structure Traditional structures are based upon principles such as â€Å"specialization, Hierarchy of offices, rules and regulations, technical competence, official activity demands the full working capacity of the official and the office management following exhaustive stable written rules. These principles allow the structure to work efficiently. With that said â€Å"most police organizations are based on a traditional pyramidal quasi-military structure† (Peak, Policing America, 2012).in where all those principles are present shows an inverse relationship between rank and the number of personnel allows the structure from anyone having too much of authority. this is called the hierarchy rank which allows an organization to have a chain of command. for example from the base of the pyramid up the base is supervisor then mid-level managers and the top is administrators the higher you are on the pyramid the more responsibility you have. So in the chain of command the supervisor would report to mid-level managers and the mid-level managers would report to the administrators. Basically this structure in the past a police officer would be hired and would be able to get promoted through political favoritism it didn’t matter if the person was qualified or not because they attained he job through political favoritism. Evolving organizational police structure Organizational police structure has changed over the years as technology is changing, some of the things that have changed or in other words evolved from the traditional police structure is that in efforts to prevent corruptions they have got rid of some rules and policies this also helps to prevent â€Å"red tape†. Now instead of having a centralized organization the evolved structure has been decentralized. This means â€Å"Cities were divided into precincts, and precinct-level managers often, in concert with the ward leaders, ran precincts as small-scale departments by decentralization combined with  primitive communications and transportation gave police officers substantial discretion in handling their individual beat† (Moore, 1988) basically in the evolved structure the hiring of all personnel was not left to change they look for qualified managers, supervisors and administrators and after they are chosen they recruit qualifying officers. What do these both structures have in common?

Alcoholic Beverage and Quantum Software Essay

Quantum Software does indeed have a problem involving a disagreement in the appropriateness of a company sponsored social activity. This weekly gathering is offered by Quantum’s management as a reward for their productiveness displayed throughout the week. While the get-together appears to be very popular among employees and managers alike, there is at least one party (Bill, the corporate attorney) who voices objection to the weekly festivity (Brown & Harvey, 1995). The problems can be defined in terms of macro; issues having to do with leadership, resources, and the surrounding infrastructure, and micro, which include internal issues such as employee training, empowerment and organizational processes. (Packard 2005). The macro issue is that there is a difference in opinion on whether or not the â€Å"beer bust† is an appropriate means of rewarding the company’s employees. Stan and Erin, the founders of Quantum Software, feel that this time is beneficial because it provides an opportunity to â€Å"encourage the team concept† (Brown & Harvey, 1995). Bill however, after witnessing an employee stumbling as a result of his drinking, questions the company’s liability of providing alcohol during the workday. The micro issue, although not specifically stated in the study, is that coworkers are subject to seeing each other as well as members of management in an intoxicated state; creating a situation where professional integrity could be compromised. The cause for the conflict is the fact that the company is offering its employees alcohol during work hours, creating a situation where Quantum would be held liable should an accident occur at work or as the employees were leaving the office. Additional concerns are warranted in considering that not all employees (based on statistically studies of drinking in the workplace) will be included in an event where drinking alcohol is involved (NZMA, 2006). Additionally, studies show that organizations that encourage drinking at work have a higher rate of employees with drinking problems; which can greatly affect worker performance (National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, 2006). Alternative opportunities should be offered to the employees that would achieve the goals that Stan and Erin have set of creating an atmosphere where workers can â€Å"blow off a little steam† without providing alcohol (Brown & Harvey, 1995). Recognizing that the workers are adults and have the ability to make responsible decisions in regards to drinking, perhaps a social committee could provide an alternate experience to the â€Å"beer bust† that does not conflict with the interest of Quantum Software. There are two recommendations that I would offer to the management team of Quantum Software. First, the monies dedicated to offering the current â€Å"beer bust† should be redirected to an offering that includes all employees, including those that do not drink. This will provide an inclusive atmosphere where all employees can participate. Second, an off-property location should be established by a social committee (not management) where employees have the opportunity to â€Å"socialize over a beer without the pressure of work† (Brown & Harvey, 1995). This way the employees are on their own time and are responsible for their own actions; relieving Quantum Software of any responsibility for its employee’s actions. References Brown, D. & Harvey D. (2006). An experimental approach to organization and development. Upper Saddle River: Pearson National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2008). Alcohol and the workplace Retrieved March 23, 2008 from http://alcoholism. about. com/od/work/l/blnaa44. htm NZMA (2006). Alcohol consumption. Retrieved March 23, 2008 from http://www. nzma. org. nz/journal/116-1184/645/Figures%20and%20tables. pdf Packard,T. (1995). TQM and organizational change and development. Retrieved March 23, 2008 from http://www. improve. org/tqm. html#Exhibit%20I:%20A%20Force%20Field %20.

Eight Important Duties of an Agent Towards the Principal Essay

1. Duty to follow principal’s directions or customs (Sec. 211): The first duty of every agent is to act within the scope of the authority conferred upon him and perform the agency work according to the directions given by the principal. When the agent acts otherwise, if any loss be sustained, he must make it good to the principal, and if any profit accrues, he must account for it.   Illustrations: (a) Where the principal instructed the agent to warehouse the goods at a particular place and the agent warehoused them at a different warehouse which was equally safe, and the goods were destroyed by fire without negligence, it was held that the agent was liable for the loss because any departure from the instructions makes the agent absolutely liable (Lilley vs Doubleday). (b) An agent being instructed to insure goods neglects to do so. He is liable to compensate the principal in the event of these being lost (Pannalal Jankidas vs Mohanlal). If the principal has not given any express or implied directions, then it is the duty of the agent to follow the custom prevailing in the same kind of business at the place where the agent conducts business. If the agent makes any departure, he does so at his own risk. He must make good any loss so sustained by the principal. Illustrations (Appended To Sec. 211): (a) A, an agent, engaged in carrying on for B a business, in which it is the custom to invest from time to time at interest, the moneys which may be in hand, omits to make such investments. A must make good to B the interest usually obtained by such investments. (b) B, a broker, in whose business it is not the custom to sell on credit, sells goods of A on credit to C, whose credit at the time was very high. C, before payment, becomes insolvent. B must make good the loss to A, irrespective of his good intentions. 2. Duty to carry out the work with reasonable skill and diligence (Sec. 212): The agent must conduct the business is generally possessed by persons engaged in similar business, unless the principal has notice of his want of skill. Further, the agent must act with reasonable diligence and to the best of his skill.   If the agent does not work with reasonable care, skill (unless the principal has notice of his want of skill) and diligence, he must make compensation to his principal in respect of ‘direct consequences’ of his own neglect, want of skill or misconduct. But he is not so liable for indirect or remote losses. Illustrations (Appended To Sec. 212): (a) A, a merchant in Kolkata, has an agent B, in London, to whom a sum of money is paid on A’s account, with orders to remit. B retains the money for a considerable time. A, in consequence of not receiving the money, becomes insolvent. B is liable for the money and interest from the day on which it ought to have been paid, according to the usual rate, and for any further direct loss such as loss by variation of rate of exchange, but nothing further. (b) A, an agent for the sale of goods, having authority to sell goods on credit, sells to B on credit, without making the proper and usual enquiries as to the solvency of B. B, at the time of such sale, is insolvent. A must make compensation to his principal in respect of any loss thereby sustained. 3. Duty to Render Accounts (Sec. 213): It is the duty of an agent to keep proper accounts of his principal’s money or property and render them to him on demand, or periodically if so provided in the agreement. 4. Duty to communicate (Sec. 214): It is the duty of an agent, in cases of difficulty, to use all reasonable diligence in communicating with his principal, and in seeking to obtain his instructions, before taking any steps in facing the difficulty or emergency. 5. Duty not to deal on his own account (Sees. 215 and 216): An agent must not deal on his own   account in the business of agency; i.e., he must not himself buy from or sell to his principal goods he is askedto sell or buy on behalf of his principal; without obtaining the consent of his principal after disclosing all material facts to him. If the agent violates this rule, the principal may repudiate the transaction where it can be shown that any material fact has been knowingly concealed by the agent, or that the dealings of the agent have been disadvantageous to the principal. The principal is also entitled to claim from the agent any benefit which may have resulted to him from the transaction. Illustrations: (a) A, directs B to sell A’s estate. B buys the estate for himself in the name of   . A, on discovering that B has bought the estate for himself may repudiate the sale, if he can show that B has dishonestly concealed any material fact or that the sale has been disavantageous to him. [Illustration (a) Appended to Section 215 ( b)A directs, B, his agent, to buy a certain house for him. B tells A that it cannot be bought and buys the house for himself. A may, on discovering that B has bought the house, compel him to sell it to A at the price he gave for it. [Illustration appended to Section 216] 6. Duty not to make any profit out of his agency except his remuneration (Sees. 217 and 218): An agent stands in a fiduciary relation to his principal and therefore he must not make any profit (secret profit) out of his agency. He must pay to his principal all moneys (including illegal gratification, if any) received by him on principal’s account. He can, however, deduct all moneys due to himself in respect of his remuneration or/and expenses properly incurred. If his acts are not bonafide, he will lose his remuneration and will have to account for the secret profit to his principal. 7. Duty on termination of agency by principal’s death or insanity (Sec. 209): When an agency is terminated by the principal dying or becoming of unsound mind, the agent must take, on behalf of the representatives of his late principal, all reasonable steps for the protection and preservation of the interests entrusted to him. 8. Duty not to delegate authority (Sec. 190): Subject to six exceptions stated earlier (under the heading Delegation of Authority), an agent must not further delegate his authority to another person, but perform the work of agency himself.

Audit Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Audit Report - Essay Example It therefore means all sectors as well as households have to play a role in order to achieve that goal. This environmental audit report is based on an environmental review of my household which is a flat. The review took place between the periods July 4 and July 17, 2011. Everything that is done in the household has an impact on the environment. Electricity is used for energy in the household. It provides lighting and heating and provides energy to operate appliances. Electricity contributes to the emission of greenhouse gas which has a negative impact on the environment. Waste from household activities also contributes to the emission of greenhouse gas in the environment. All of these activities result in climate change which affects all of us. Water is a scare resource and the way it is used in households has an impact on environmental pollution which is just one of the consequences of climate change which is due also to the irresponsible consumption of water (Household Water Audit ). Overview of household activities My household consists of three (3) persons, two of whom go out to work from Monday and Friday. I attend university and so I am hardly at home during the days. We are scarcely at home for a full day on Saturdays. However, we spend some time cleaning and washing before leaving home for various activities including shopping and entertainment. Saturdays and Sundays are the only days we prepare breakfast and dinner. The microwave is used to prepare meals each morning and each evening for a approximate 20 minutes each day from Monday to Friday. Our waste from Monday to Friday each week is very light since we are away from home for the better part of those days. However, on Saturdays and Sundays it is a bit heavier, especially on Sunday when we prepare for the rest of the week. Environmental impact of electricity use During any week we operate a number of appliances. They number approximately ten (10) and are used at least once per week. The table below shows the appliances in use, kilowatt hour (KWh) used along with the number of hours in used for each day during the period July 4 to July 17, 2011. Table 1 - Electricity used during the period July 4 to July 17, 2011 Electricity Usage Day Air Cond (KWh) Time (hr) Stove (KWh) Time (hr) M/Wave (KWh) Time (hr) Washing machine (KWh) Time (hr) Fridge Time (hr) TV (KWh) Time (hr) Laptop (KWh) Time (hr) Lights (KWh) Time (hr) Hair dryer (KWh) Time (hr) Iron (KWh) Time (hr) Total KWh Wattage 400 Â   800 Â   1400 Â   400 Â   725 8 120 Â   50 Â   18 Â   1500 Â   1500 Â   Â   Mon 2 5 0.4 0.5 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.1 2 0.09 5 0 Â   0 Â   Â   Tues 2 5 0.8 1 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.05 1 0.108 6 0 Â   0 Â   Â   Wed 1.6 4 0.8 1 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.05 1 0.108 6 0.25 Â   0 Â   Â   Thur 2 5 0.8 1 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.075 1.5 0.108 6 0 Â   0 Â   Â   Fri 2 5 0.8 1 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.05 1 0.108 6 0 Â   0 Â   Â   Sat 2.8 7 1.2 1.5 0 Â   0.8 2 5.8 8 0.48 4 0.1 2 0.126 7 0 Â   2.25 1.5 Â   Sun 2.8 7 2.4 3 0 Â   0 Â   5.8 8 0.84 7 0.15 3 0.144 8 0.75 0.5 0 Â   Â   Mon 1.6 4 0.4 0.5 0.462 0.33 0 Â   5.8 8 0.24 2 0.05 1 0.09 5 0 Â   0 Â   Â   Tues 1.6 4 0.8 1 0.462

Assesing organizational readiness for change Essay

Assesing organizational readiness for change - Essay Example The first step is to assign at least one designated change agent responsible for overseeing the change effort. â€Å"It is very important for the leader of change to seek the active support of the workforce population† (Edosomwan, 2009, p.13). In a meeting with senior managers and important middle managers, this change agent should be elected to take on the responsibility of communicating the importance of the relocation effort with employees and coordinate the necessary human resources activities necessary to keep motivation high and commitment top-notch. People are often resistant to change, especially in a situation where Med-Qpment would be uprooting most of its staff and forcing them, and their families, to move into a different part of the state. Issues of job security will be considered, along with their basic physiological concerns, such as the costs of selling their homes or purchasing new homes to meet the change goal. After electing the change agent, they should be exposed to the realistic budget for this change effort and produce a qualitative questionnaire for distribution to the employees that can address individual concerns about the change. This questionnaire should highlight issues such as telecommuting possibilities (to avoid relocation) as well as any counseling services that might be required on behalf of human resources. Two experts in this kind of change offers that failed relocations can cost approximately $115,000 for each employee (Lachnit & Solomon), something Med-Qpment cannot afford currently. As the practicing change agent, these questionnaires can be distributed in a group meeting format where discussion about the probable relocation can occur face-to-face. â€Å"In times of change, interpersonal interaction with peers and superiors is highly valued, making such relationships a salient feature in shaping readiness† (Bouckenooghe, Devos &

Religious Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religious Studies - Essay Example II. Historical Occurrences: Historical events such as the revolution also played a part as the Father's desired a 'break' from the traditionalist British religions. The American Revolution itself has sacred tales of origins, the centre and the source for an American civil religion. (pp. 297, 298). III. Unity and Nationalism: The need for a 'one religion and many religions' also enforced the founding father's to adopt the civil religion. As early as 1749, Benjamin Franklin was already speaking about the need for 'publick religion' (p. 284). Deliberations of the continental congress 25 years after that birthed the US were filled with attention to religious details (p. 284). They adopted a religious system with a 'theology, creed and set of symbols related to their political state existing alongside the churches' (p. 284). They sought to promote nationalism. Civil religion was designed to 'unite many people from many different nations into one state (a political state)' thus creating nation and a nation state (p.285). By the time George Washington took his first oath of office in New York, civil religion was in place. It had arisen out of England Puritanism, but especially out of a union of Puritanism with the engagement of Americans (p.285). Roman Catholism was "introduced into America by Spanish, French missionaries" and introduced to the new world sacramentalism. "Sacramentalism did not end with the seven sacraments; it was a means of understanding the mystery of the church, human life, and the natural world". From sacrament perspective "the sign of God's reality was God's presence among humans". The Pope of Rome was that presence, "the sign of the church: representing the reality of God and acting as a conduit through whom God communicated with human". He was "Vicar and stood equal to the bible as a source of spiritual authority". The Catholic Church "unlike a sect or denomination" sought to include ideally all the "human race not withstanding territory or culture". It sought to include all saints and sinners. "The church was the sign of God's presence in the world". (pp. 66, 67) 4. Do you think that it's possible for modern Americans to return to the primordial religions of their ancestors Why or Why not Religion in the United States evolved over centuries from the religious beliefs of the Native American to the dominant Christianity. From Protestantism to Scientology most modern Americans are still trying to find a balance in the many denominations and sometimes adopting new ones, clearly according to their beliefs, convictions or lack of 'faith' in others. For the native Americans "culture was tradition was religion" (p. 21), while in contrast for modern Americans "religion transcended culture" (p. 21). The current era of coexistence of "one religion and many religions is a fact of American life" (p. 371) and provides solace for Americans uprooted by a

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 13

History - Essay Example Note the Confucius section is the last section of your paper and incorporates your experience from the two individual studies. There is only one Confucius section, not one for each individual   Thomas Jefferson was one of the most significant figures in U.S. History. He played a central role in the revolution; however, his most important contribution to the development of the new nation was his work on the Declaration of Independence. Indeed, Jefferson could be described as the most important of the Founding Fathers. Jefferson was born in1743 to a prominent Virginian farming family. Like most children from well-to-do families in the South he was well educated, studying Latin, Greek and eventually Law and philosophy at the College of William and Mary (Whitehouse.org). It is here that Jefferson was introduced to the British Enlightenment thinking of John Locke, Francis Bacon and Newton – three figures who were to have an enormous impact on Jefferson’s own political views (Peterson 1236). Upon graduating Jefferson practised law and entered Virginian political life. It was here that Jefferson began his more radical writing, protesting against the introduction of what he considered the implementation of unfair laws by the British Parliament (Remini 34). Jefferson was involved in the Second Continental Congress which produced his most famous and enduring document; the Declaration of Independence. After the Revolutionary War Jefferson entered re-entered politics serving as Governor of Vir ginia, a member of the new Congress, Ambassador to France, Secretary of State, and ultimately, the third President of the United States (McPherson 2000: 28-29). Jefferson made tremendous contributions to the evolutions and development of the Untied States. The three most important were, however, the creation of the Declaration if Independence, his co-founding of what was to become the Democratic-Republican party, and his actions during his Presidency – namely the

Arguments against abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Arguments against abortion - Essay Example Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being's entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign." The aspect of abortion has been in vogue for centuries in all parts of the world and debated for and against ever since. While individuals arguing for abortion have been insistent on certain safety related issues and also often alleged business related factors, aspects against abortion too have various and even more credible grounds including religious, medical, legal, ethical and so on. While abortion is definitely a favourable decision in case of a medical emergency whereby at least the mother's life can be saved, in today's world abortion has actually become a matter of choice on various counts, and unfortunately, even a family planning tool. Across the country, people on both sides of abortion debate agree that women have a right to make informed decisions about their pregnancy. Women have a right to know what is right, safe and good for them and the child in the long run ethically, morally, medically and even psychologically. However, in honest opinion of this author, there are certain critical issues involved when terminating a pregnancy willingly, which may affect her for a long time. While there are adequate instances of medical practitioners and employers advising women regarding terminating pregnancies purely to save them monetarily through savings on maternity benefits, the abortion decision should not be taken under pressure from the employers. Unfortunately, even this happens far too often in modern world. "Coercive and unethical counselors lie to vulnerable women and pressure them. This has happened in some abortion clinics as well as some pregnancy care centers. Women have died from botched abortions, both before abortion was legalized and after, when it is supposed to be safe. After all, employers do not want to pay for maternity benefits or lose productivity when a mother takes time off to care for a newborn or sick child. "(Source: Feminists for Life, Serrin M. Foster, 1999) WHAT RELIGION SAYS Bible doesn't advocate anything against abortion for the basic reason that abortion was unthinkable in those days when a child was considered to be a gift from the god. Further, childlessness was seen as the greatest curse. Hence, there was no need to mention this aspect at all in the bible. However, "some verses appear to teach that if a woman gives birth prematurely, but the baby is not injured, then only a fine is appropriate. However, if the child dies then the law of retaliation (lex talionis) should be applied. In other words, killing an unborn baby would carry the same penalty as killing a born baby. A baby inside the womb has the same legal status as a baby outside the womb." (Arguments Against Abortion, Kerby Anderson, President of Probe Ministries International, 1997) Roman Catholicism: The popes have taught that abortion is

A Progressive Learning App for Children that are behind Assignment

A Progressive Learning App for Children that are behind - Assignment Example Nevertheless, very few domestic businesses operate in retail food sectors as luxurious restaurant like multinational food chains present in this market. Therefore, future growth of this new business has been identified after detailed analysis of business environment, market trend and consumer behavior. The main objective its marketing strategy would be to position the brand as luxurious restaurant with a touch of western culture. To develop a brand the company also needs to offer varieties of dishes considering the domestic culture and food habits and also popular foreign recipes. 2.0 Situation Analysis 2.1 Market Summary Market of BiCE refers to the potential customers who would be interested in consuming high quality Italian food with premium services. The defined market also covers the purchasing power of the target customers and the product and service offered by the company are permitted by the laws and regulation. The company faces demand of its product and services from a nich e market only then it can gradually work towards achieving greater market share by following the trends and demands of the market. According to the Economic Report of 2012-2013 of the UAE the Hotels and Restaurants sector held almost 1.7% of the market during 2010 and 1.7% in the following year. The sector was worth 22 Billion AED during 2010 and a slight increase in the value happened in 2011. Moreover the market exhibited a price increase in the eatery and non-alcoholic beverages segment which was 4.45% during 2010 and reached 5.87% during 2011 (Annual Economic Report, 2012). The service sector of UAE illustrated continuous decline throughout 2012, 2013 and appear to decline in 2014. The given diagram represents the same- The growth of the Oil sector has been assumed to slow... From this discussion it is clear that  United Arab Emirates has been enjoying modern, diversified and growing retail food sector over the years. Increasing development of new hypermarkets in last few years is the key driver for rapid growth in retail food sector. 90% of the total consumed food especially food ingredients s outsourced from markets and processed in this market. Therefore the domestic firm has huge opportunities in food market of UAE. Consequently, the people have high disposable income and for this reason they are very much reluctant to pay higher price for food if it is presented in a luxurious way and environment.   Nevertheless, very few domestic businesses operate in retail food sectors as luxurious restaurant like multinational food chains present in this market.  As the paper highlights market of BiCE refers to the potential customers who would be interested in consuming high quality Italian food with premium services. The defined market also covers the pur chasing power of the target customers and the product and service offered by the company are permitted by the laws and regulation. The company faces demand of its product and services from a niche market only then it can gradually work towards achieving greater market share by following the trends and demands of the market.  BiCE will offer a complete package of Italian foods which will satisfy the variety seeking group of customers.

Contract Law on Offer and Acceptance Case Study

Contract Law on Offer and Acceptance - Case Study Example Hence Brenda succeeds on the both the counts against Andrew. Tuesday Morning: Brenda replied by e mail that the price of 50 was a mistake instead of 500 and offered to Andrew the car at a discounted price of 450.and kept the offer open till 12.00 p.m on Friday. and Andrew replied that he would consider the new offer though expressing annoyance at Brenda's mistake. Brenda had corrected the price on the website before receipt of Andrew's offer. An offer is made when one person signifies to another his willingness to do or not to do a certain act with an intention that it shall be binding on the offeror if accepted by the person to whom the offer is made. The latter is called 'offeree"1 The offeror's signifiying act called expression of willingness may be by means of a letter, newspaper, websites, e mail and also by conduct by which an offeror may be genuinely offering or just displaying an act what is known as 'invitation to treat" As such goods advertised are only 'invitation to treat'. 2 They are of unilateral nature i.e. open to the whole world to accept such as offer for rewards etc. 3 In Partridge v Crittenden [1968], appellant Patridge had been convicted for sale of banned variety of bird punishable under Protection of Birds Act 1954 by inserting a classified advertisement in a journal without mentioning the words "offer for sale" In the appeal it was held to be an invitation to treat and not an offer for sale and co nviction was set aside. On the other hand in the case of Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893], an exception was made because the offeror meant business by depositing a certain sum of money as a reward for any one contracting influenza inspite of using medicine. So they could not escape liability stating their offer was an invitation to treat. Question arises website advertisements are offers or invitations to treat, relevant the instant case of Andrew v Brenda. .An offer is a set of conditions contemplating acceptance and capable of being accepted. "Thus in Thomson v James (1855) 18 D 1, Lord President MacNeill said, 'an offer is nothing until it is communicated' (at p.10). This is because an offer is not capable of acceptance until it has been communicated to the offeree" 4 "It is important to be able to differentiate between these invitations to treat and true offers, as acceptance of an offer creates a concluded contract whereas 'acceptance' of an invitation to treat is merely an offer. To assist in the identification of such invitations the law has developed presumptions as

Human resources - Expatriate Compensation Research Paper

Human resources - Expatriate Compensation - Research Paper Example This paper will seek to discuss about the different compensation options offered to expatriates as well as what they should expect in those compensation packages. Additionally, it will also include the hidden costs and other life costs that expatriates should consider as they could affect their compensation. Compensation options offered to expatriates Tax Many companies offer expatriates several compensation options. These compensation options can be in the form of taxes whereby a foreigner working in a particular country can be exempted from taxation. This means that, that employee has a compensation option, which is tax, and he or she can choose to be exempted with reference to this option (Froymovich, 2011). In this case, an employee becomes eligible for things like foreign tax exclusions. In addition, he or she can still eligible for extra compensation options that include credits and deductions that help protect the employee from double taxation particularly on the same amount o f income he or she generates after a given period. Therefore, it is advisable that if an employee is going to be paying for his or her local taxes, hiring a qualified and eligible international tax expert who can help understand the kind of exclusions and credits an employee can qualify for in that specific country (Aenlle, 1996). For instance, in some countries such as Belgium, temporary international workers have the eligibility to claim for deductions that locals cannot. In tax preparation, employees tend to include what they commonly refer to as the tax equalization contract in expat packages. In this kind of situation, a company pays for an employees’ international or foreign taxes while the employee essentially pays for taxes in his or her home country as if he is still living in that country (Froymovich, 2011). However, noting that there are number of pitfalls in this case is crucial. An employee can end up owing the company he works for if that company’s accoun tants calculate the employee’s tax burden and establish it exceeds the total amount of money the employee has in his accounts especially if the employee is an American (Kwoh, 2012). Moreover, despite the point that the company may promise to pay for an employee’s tax preparation so that the employee complies with the US regulations, it may fail to inform the employee of any other local charges that the employee is responsible for in due time making it hard for the employee to comply immediately. A clear outlook into this situation indicates that the article provides evidence that there are hidden charges that an employee may fail to be aware of resulting to ambiguities. In this case, the hidden charges are the local charges needed to take care of the required paperwork and in the US, it can cost up to $1000 or more (Aenlle, 1996). Apart from this case, there are others where an employee may be responsible for his or her local taxes without prior preparation knowledge o r assistance as per what date will the exemptions or deductions will be available. According to the senior portfolio manager, Maxim Global Wealth Advisors, Portland, Ore,

Day Dreaming Essay Example for Free

Day Dreaming Essay I have always dreamed of the perfect vacation, the perfect place to go. As I have just returned from that very location, I am excited to share the experience with everyone. I am sure that you, too, will want to visit this place where only your wildest dreams could compare. While shopping at a local grocery store I noticed an entry box for a free, all expenses paid getaway. I have always wanted a dream vacation, but without finding the time and the extra money, that was exactly what it would always be, a dream. The entry form said it was a getaway, not a vacation. So what was the difference? As I read the small print on the entry form I expected to find the catch that most of these offers have. I was surprised to find no catch. No salesman would call. No mass marketing e-mails would invade my e-mail box. The entry form simply stated that the winner would receive an all-expenses paid getaway. I entered the drawing with thoughts of getting away from the daily grind. As I left the store with my few bags of groceries, I found myself wondering where this getaway was. The entry never said anything about the location. If I were to win, I hoped that it would be someplace warm. I let my thoughts run wild as I made the drive home. I was amazed at how good I felt just thinking about the perfect vacation. All too soon my thoughts returned to real life and what was. During the next month, after what seemed like the longest day ever, I arrived home to find a letter in the mailbox stating that I had won the all-expenses-paid getaway. My family has always called me lucky, but I have never been this lucky. There had to be a catch. As I sat down to read the letter I felt just absolutely exhausted. I reclined on the sofa and continued reading the award letter. Before I knew it I had dozed off. A short time later I find myself driving to the airport. I was ushered to a very large private Leer Jet. I was stopped in my tracks the moment I stepped through the entrance to the aircraft. I was amazed at the comfort level of the interior. The seats were overstuffed, soft, tan leather. There were perfectly placed tables and couches. The excitement of a real getaway was truly setting in. Strange as it was, I was not worried about the destination. The letter said to pack a small bag of only the bare necessities, so I packed two large pieces of luggage with everything I could think of that I might need on this getaway. I was greeted by a very lovely lady, and as she showed me to my seat for the flight, I was told that once we were airborne that I could feel free to wander about the jet. As I sat in the overstuffed seat I felt my body relax. My mind slowly let go of all thoughts of my daily life and stresses. Take off was barely perceptible. I glanced out of what seemed to be a large window for an aircraft and watched the world I knew slowly disappear into the distance. I relaxed and closed my eyes. As the jet drifted off into the blue sky, I too drifted off. I cannot tell you how long we were in flight; as if in a dream I realized that we had landed. The landing strip was a beautiful field of grass. The outer edge of the landing strip was lined with the most beautiful green trees I had ever seen. As I reached the exit door of the jet, I saw only beauty. I didn’t know where I was, but I really didn’t care at that point. There was a golf cart waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. The driver was a very handsome young man. After a brief introduction he drove me to a very inviting bungalow and told me that this was where I would be staying during my visit. The bungalow had a well-appointed, covered, raised front deck area before the entrance. The view was more than I had ever hoped for. The oversized bungalow was everything I had ever dreamed of; the furnishings were made to order from my very own wish list. The colors of the decor were inviting yet calming. Not a wish or expectation had been left out. The rooms were much larger than I thought they would be. My luggage had already been delivered and as I began to put things in the closet and drawers, I found that my every need had already been provided for. There were clothes in the closet that were just my size and I could clearly see that they were made for a location just as this. I could not remember a time that I had felt so comfortable and relaxed. On the desk I found a brochure explaining that anything I could ever want to do, experience, purchase or eat was only a thought away. I decided to sit on the front deck and just take it all in. On the table outside next to a lovely chaise lounge was a bottle of my favorite beverage. I smiled as I sat and sipped the cool drink. I hadn’t eaten all day and thoughts of what I would like to eat became clear. Just then a golf cart rolled up to the bungalow and a silver dinning tray was delivered to the outside table. The young waiter said nothing and left. The meal was exquisite. Never before had I tasted food so flavorful. Here I was on vacation and so satisfied to stay right here, relaxed. No sooner than I began to anticipate the sunset, it began. The sunset was anything but short lived. The colors were radiant. The entire scene, with all the colors, the mountains in the distance, the trees, all seemed to soak into my soul. It was just absolutely breathtaking. I really did not want to call it a day, but the thoughts of a limitless tomorrow made it easy to retire to the exquisite bedroom of the bungalow and stretch out on the luxurious bed. I dosed off to sleep with the sound of a gentle breeze through the trees and the distant sound of small waves lapping against a beach. The next morning as I stared into the mirror, after my glorious shower, I found that my own reflection seemed much younger. I felt so alive and reenergize! I decided to visit the small town, not too far from the Bungalow, that the brochure said would be a delight. As I entered the colorful little community, I noticed several small store fronts and shops that offered for sale anything a person could want. As I made my first purchase, I was very surprised when the sales person refused my cash I tried to hand him. The sales person, seeing my shock, informed me that cash was only a temporary illusion as were all tangible treasures that most people cling to. Furthermore, I was informed that I would find, in my wallet, just enough cash to purchase anything I may want, however, I would not need it. As I continued to visit the remaining shops, I was delighted each time I wanted to make a purchase, to find just enough cash in my wallet, but the cashiers would not accept any of it. The next several days brought a joyous time of swimming in the warm crystal blue waters of a secluded lake that was like a lagoon off the coast of Australia, sunning on a sensational beach, and hiking some of the most profound and beautiful mountains I have ever had the pleasure to see. The food had more than met my every expectation. Sleep had never been so satisfying. Every morning I was awakened by a delightful, brilliant sunrise and every evening was blissfully serene. I knew that all too soon my short getaway would have to come to an end. I chose to spend the last day of this wonderful vacation on the glorious beach I had visited several times. I swam freely in the warm water and snorkeled the coral reef where I was met with a burst of colorful coral and stunning little fish. Feeling somewhat exhausted for the first time during my stay, I decided to relax on the soft white sand and soon fell asleep. Somewhere in that sweet spot just before wakefulness, I felt something crawling on my foot and there was a phone ringing and the obnoxious noise of traffic. It surely must be a dream right? The thing rawling on my foot brought me to full consciousness. In a flash my dream vacation was over. I awoke to find myself still reclined on the sofa, letter in hand, telling me that my dream vacation was just that, only a dream, and out of the corner of my eye, crawling across the floor, I see the spider that brought my dream vacation to an end. You may be wondering how difficult it was to return to the reality of daily life. I must tell you that it was not all that hard because I know that I or anyone can return to this refreshing location in a matter of moments. You need only let your mind drift to where it really wants to be. Daydreaming is easy and has also been touted as good for you. A deep daydream can easily turn into a dream. An article from QualityHealth. com states that recent research conducted at the University of British Columbia in Canada reveals that not only is daydreaming extremely common (experts say we spend one-third of our lives doing it), but its actually healthy. It turns out that when we let our minds wander, numerous areas of the brain are activated, more than were previously thought. And were not even aware were doing it. In this study, scientists placed subjects inside a special scanner and had them perform a routine task. Their attentiveness was gauged using brain scans, their performance on the task, and reports by subjects themselves. Not only did the parts of the subjects brains responsible for easy mental tasks activate, but so did the so-called executive network responsible for processing more complicated thoughts and problems. What does this mean? When you put aside that tough essay after working on it for several hours in order to sit on your porch and stare at the flowers, it doesnt mean youre lazy. It means your brain is smart enough to recognize that switching to a more mundane activity allows complex thought to take place. By letting your mind wander, youre allowing it to hit on the solutions to problems that may have eluded you before. In fact, many creative people claim that they get their best ideas while doing something routine, such as taking a shower or going for a run. And some of the smartest kids in school may spend part of their classroom time doodling or staring out the window. Teachers or bosses may not approve of your daydreaming, but it is generally a healthy thing. Of course, if daydreaming takes up so much of your time that youre having trouble getting even basic chores completed, you probably should learn to focus a little more. Otherwise, dont worry about those mental time-outs that reenergize and refresh you for the tasks at hand. So, as you can see, you can go anywhere you want, do anything you want, see anything you want, touch, feel, or taste anything you can dream up. This can be done in a matter of minutes or if you have the time, you can spend hours at any location of your choice, in a daydream.