Mythology And Legends Of Ancient Greek Film The Traveling...

There are lots of myths and legends of ancient Greek hero Orestes who have been widely discussed and appreciated throughout the history. From the Homeric poem The Odyssey to a more recent Greek film The Traveling Players (1975), Orestes both represents an example for vengeance of homicide. However, while the former regards Orestes’ revenge as a totally justifiable and glorious deed and sets him as a prototype for Telemachos to take on the journey in search of news for his wandering father, the latter one recasts his story to fit in and reflex on the political turmoil in Greece during 1939 to 1952. As the gorgeous descendent of the cursed house of Atreus, Orestes is doomed to bear the lasting sufferings and to end the curse through his struggles, therefore symbolizing the great avenge of homicide. Orestes is the son of Agamemnon and Klytaimestra, who falls in love with Aigisthos and accomplices the murder of her own husband. In Orestes’ manhood, he shouldered the respons ibility to kill Aigisthos to avenge for his father’s â€Å"pitiful death†. It is also indicated in The Odyssey that he killed his mother as well. The deed wins him great reputation, implicating the blood-feud social structure and universal beliefs that the son should take responsibility for his father’s murder. Besides the brief description of Homer, Orestes is more fully developed in many other legends including the trilogy Oresteia by Aeschylus. In his account, Klytaimestra sent Orestes to king Strophius,Show MoreRelatedSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages............................................................ 19 Athletes and Sports Stars: Bethany Hamilton (Young surfer and shark-attack survivor)................................................................... 21 Billie Jean King (Tennis legend and women’s rights activist) ................................................................. 23 Jesse Owens (Track star and civil rights icon).......................................................................................... 25 Muhammad

Cell Phones And Its Effect On Our Lives - 934 Words

Walking down a street and you see many individuals walking around constantly looking down on some handheld device ,without a lack of any sense of direction or even giving any status of another being exist, especially in our generation. This seems to be not a problem at moment, but with advancement of technology and new ways of meeting people digitally is seems people feel it’s appropriate to constantly be on their mobile devices without any consequences or surroundings. With Mobile device and other forms of wireless communication also effecting on distracting driving. The use of cell phones pose a risk for society in many ways involving cell phone conversations and texting or instant messaging in car distract drivers, and create safety hazard; also it can be a health concern, the overuse of cell phones can result in overexposure to radiation. Technology has gradually expanding throughout our lives. It has change many beneficial factors changing how we think and in our prospect ive making our live efficient and time consuming. In the past, mobile device are purposely used for communicate with others. However, with the invention of the Internet and creation of smartphones expanding with applications, social media, and other unique features. Has revolutionized the whole prospect of communication. They are becoming a necessity in our everyday lives and creating a problematic concern with how er socialized and how we communicate, not consider the traditional way and not create theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Cell Phones On Our Lives1053 Words   |  5 Pagesyears that improve our everyday lives. The wide use of cell phones has caused a remarkable impact on physical, and social aspects of our life. Cell phones impacts have contributed positively to our lives, but still others have influenced negatively on our life. With technology, the way we communicate has changed over the past year with our smart phones we can surf the internet, check our social media accounts, use GPS, and text and call our families and friends. The cell phones have made a significantRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Our Lives938 Words   |  4 Pagesout lives. We use our cell phones for everything from finding directions, to taking pictures of moments you do not want to forget. Everywhere you go, you cell phone goes with you, if you forget it at home, somehow we feel naked without it. Cell phones have become so powerful and useful for so many things other than just making phone calls; I do not even know why we still call them phones. With that, we have the right to feel secure and free from unwarranted searches though our cell phones andRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Our Lives1366 Words   |  6 Pagestechnology and increasing use of cell phones, a lot of studies are taking place. Even though cell phon es today have been helpful with communicating with people far away, these cellular devices still are dangerous in many extravagant ways. Dangerous can mean many things when it comes to cell phones. Billions of people throughout the world are implementing cell phone use in their daily routines. Cell phones are becoming a prone addiction which causes us to not be so aware of our surroundings when using itRead MoreCell Phones Effect Our Lives977 Words   |  4 PagesHow Cell Phones Effect our Everyday Lives Once upon a time, cell phones did not exist. If you wanted to make a call you had to use a home phone or a pay phone, but cell phones are now common place in our everyday lives. Almost everyone has one, even children in elementary school have cell phones. So how does having such easy access to a cell phone effect our everyday lives? The positive effects of cell phones are easy to see, as cell phones can be convenient and used as a life line in an emergencyRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Our Lives1612 Words   |  7 PagesFollowing the time when the mid 1980s, phones have been rapidly moving their route into our commonplace lives, particularly with the presentation of cam telephones in the early part of the new thousand years. As cells develop they have more of an effect on our commonplace lives and I need to exactly how much they are affecting. Similarly as with new engineering in whatever other structure, phones have changed enormously over their generally short life com passes. As these progressions happen, soRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Our Lives862 Words   |  4 Pageshouse without theirs. The answer to this riddle? Cell phones. Children and adults alike are partaking in the growing addiction to their mobile devices. Can we blame them though? The sheer amount of uses, features, along with other various gizmos that come along with a cell phone are enough to make not having one a handicap on most people. Schools, websites, work places, all are integrating cell phone use into their everyday tasks. Downsides to cell phones do exist, but the benefits of having one farRead MoreThe Effects Of Cell Phones On Our Lives2011 Words   |  9 PagesDue to increasing technological innovations, many people are gradually trapping themselves in the web of cell phones. Even with primary laws in effect, drivers are tempted to text and drive on the road, and it has only brought grave consequences. According to the United States Department of Transportat ion, â€Å"It is estimated that drivers who text while on the road contribute to at least 100,000 collisions each year (qt. in Northwest drivers Admit). Besides causing careless accidents, intexicated driversRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Our Lives924 Words   |  4 PagesCellular Distractions Can Wait. Cell phones, otherwise known as smart phones by today’s standards, are an immense help to most Americans in many ways. We use our cell phones daily for communication with friends and family through texting and phone calls, scheduling appointment, or social media. However, the convenience of smart phones is being abused daily in several ways that can lead to severe impacts with the distractions they cause. The advancement of cell phone technology in the last decadeRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Our Lives Essay1222 Words   |  5 PagesGone are the days when cell telephones were considered as extravagance thing to have with. The developing rivalry in portable makers has brought down the costs of cellular telephones to that degree that these days, purchasing a cell telephone is not a major ordeal. Simply spend a couple bucks and you are pleased proprietor of a cell telephone. In today s opportunity, it s elusive a man who does not possess a cellular telephone. The little contraption is an essential need of life. In any case, whyRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Our Lives894 Words   |  4 Pages The first cell phone that was build in a car the reason why it was because it was too big to carry around in your pockets. Buying a phone in 1980 were very expensive, not everyone can afford a phone for themselves. Cell phones back in the day would cost just about over a couple thousand of dollars. The mobile devices that were made in that time was only for phone calls without any caller ID s to tell who s calling you. .Cell phones have been producing a lot better over these few years. Back

Internal Communication to Turn Strategy †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Internal Communication to Turn Strategy. Answer: Introduction: The communication audit process carried was conducted in our organization by the organizations audit consultant farm. The communication audit process began by determining the audit scope which was both internal and external communications, then interviews with sample population from each department was used as the methodology. The organizations communication process and channels were evaluated and data collected from sampled employees, and a SWOT analysis was conducted. Finally, all data was objectively reviewed, findings and recommendations for improvement made accordingly. Employees are not always choosing the appropriate means of communication (traditional or digital) for the context and the audience The auditor found out that employees are not using the appropriate means of communication and the audience addressed is as well inappropriate. The use of wrong communication method will distort the information and cause misunderstanding (Downs, Adrian, 2012). This will negatively affect the organizations output because wrong solutions due to misunderstanding will lead to wrong recommendations or poor strategies both to the organization and to its clients (Bloom et al., 2014). For instance, wrong information on the sales revenue will lead to wrong strategies and actions. The internal organizational communication network is limited and partial, with some groups being left out The auditor report also ascertained that the internal communication system was not all inclusive and thus some employees from different teams were left out. This significantly affects the flow of information and there is delay in sharing of information. Also, this implies that the excluded staff will be ignorant with regard to the organizations progress and their input will not have been utilized effectively. This quantitatively affects the organizations output because some employees whose experience is required in the organizational decision making are left out and thus services and products offered will be of poor quality ( Karanges et al., 2015). The same demoralized employees will carry such an attitude to customer service and this will drive away clients thus affecting the organizations market share and revenue. Inter-organizational meetings are ineffective. The third problem was found out to be the ineffectiveness of the inter-organizational meetings. This has a very significant effect on the organizations production and development process. This will hinder the knowledge sharing advantage that inter-organizational meetings come with. As a software company, this will derail our innovation and creativity (Hoberecht et al., 2011). As a result, our products will bear no new technological features and thus not be able to meet the current market needs of clients. This will cause poor revenue and loss of the already established wide clientele base. To overcome the issue of wrong communication channels and to wrong audience, the organization will conduct trainings on effective communication channels and its significance through seminars and workshops (Guffey, Loewy, 2012). Also, the organization will establish regular communication processes with defined rules. The organization will engage a consultancy firm to improve the network of the internal communication system so that it is all inclusive and effective. New and improved means of communication will be adapted to replace the current faulty ones (Quirke, 2017). Various changes in the Communication methods In order to make the inter-organizational meeting count, the information technology department will create a social platform where all employees will be receiving updates, reminders and agenda for the meetings (Men, 2014). Emails and memos will be utilized as well. All employees that will not be able to attend will have to request for permission from their respective supervisors. Additionally, each team will be required to prepare and make presentations on the ideas shared at the meeting and how they can be applied in our organization. Therefore, the audit report found out that the internal communication was the weakest and affected by the issues mentioned above and the corresponding recommendations. This memo outlines the ineffectiveness of the internal communication system according to the audit report, its quantitative and qualitative significance and the corresponding recommendations for improvement. The compliance of all staff to the recommendations made in this memo will ensure healthy interrelations amongst the staff, good working environment and the achievement of the organizational and individual goals. In case of any additional assistance, youre welcome to the directors office or you can contact the director through the contacts shown below. References Bloom, N., Garicano, L., Sadun, R., Van Reenen, J. (2014). The distinct effects of information technology and communication technology on firm organization.Management Science,60(12), 2859-2885. Downs, C. W., Adrian, A. D. (2012).Assessing organizational communication: Strategic communication audits. Guilford Press, NY. Guffey, M. E., Loewy, D. (2012).Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning. Hoberecht, S., Joseph, B., Spencer, J., Southern, N. (2011). Inter-organizationalnetworks.OD and Sustainability,43(4), 23. Karanges, E., Johnston, K., Beatson, A., Lings, I. (2015). The influence of internalcommunication on employee engagement: A pilot study.Public Relations Review,41(1), 129-131. Men, L. R. (2014). Strategic internal communication: Transformational leadership,communication channels, and employee satisfaction.Management Communication Quarterly,28(2), 264-284. Quirke, B. (2017).Making the connections: using internal communication to turn strategyinto action. Routledge.

Pepsi Energy Drink Essay Example

Pepsi Energy Drink Paper Analyzing The Marketing Environment Pepsi Energy Drink The company is emerging with the motto to deliver sustained growth in Bangladesh and move towards nominate Beverage Company, delighting nourishing every Bangladesh, by best meeting their everyday beverages needs stakeholders by delivering performance with purpose, through talented people. DEMOGRAPHIC FORCES Demography refers to study of the population. Demographic factors are the relevant to the business for formulating and implementing of strategy for controlling and accomplishment of the objectives of the organization. Demographic factors like size of the population, population growth, rate, age, composition, life expectancy, family size, spatial dispersal, occupational tutus, employment pattern etc. , affect the demand for goods and service. Following are the Demographic factors contain age, population density and distributions of targeted customers which is can effects the marketing of PepsiCo. 1. Age: PepsiCo should target that customer group that customer it the most and make promotional strategies according to that particular group of consumers behavior because the requirements of different age groups are different. The potential customer of PepsiCo would be the age of 14 to 30 years. So their main target is young generation. Soft drinks are one Of popular reject linked by our youth. 2. Education: Company has to plan promotional strategies to attract the customers. If the targeted customers majority population is educated in a country then through advertisements PepsiCo can be made well aware of their product and can convey their message easily. Promotion and education has a direct relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Pepsi Energy Drink specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pepsi Energy Drink specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pepsi Energy Drink specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 3. Population Distribution: Population distribution means how much population lives in urban areas and rural areas. In Bangladesh 35 % population resides in urban areas and 65% population lives in rural areas. PepsiCo targets on urban areas ND middle class to upper class as people there are more attract towards such beverage while people in rural areas are more attracts to local drinks. 4. Population Density: PepsiCo sales their product more those cities and regions, which have the largest population density. Dacha has the largest population density in Bangladesh. Pepsi sales are more in Dacha as compared to the sales in Chitchatting. ECONOMIC FORCES The economic environment constitutes of economic conditions, economic policies, and the economic system that is important to external factors of business. Economic factors are the very important determinants of business tragedy in the organization for formulating, implement and controlling of economic policies. Economic environment refers to the nature and direction of the economy within which business organization are to operate. For instance, in developing country, the low income may be reason for the very high demand for the product and services of the business. Consumers require buying power to buy a product. The economic environment consists of factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns. Bangladesh has a developing economy which offers outstanding business opportunities for the right kind of product. Pepsi has also focused on this factor using their economic forecasting. Pepsi have announced different products for different set of people. So if there is an economic downfall in the country they still have the capacity to run their business and they have absolutely no fear of wipe out. Their economic policy preparation can be seen through their price patterns-? The 1 TTS regular drink is targeted for local customer outside needing refreshment after lunch or dinner. The task disposable pet bottle is TA regret for people who are traveling and have high eying capacity. The task Cans are status symbol and are consumed by upper class to show some difference. The Pepsi Co. Price targeting for different groups help them run their business efficiently in economic down fall time too. Fifth there is a big economic downfall in the country so their sale of regular bottles decreases but on the same time due to their perfect marketing their Cans sale increases. The other advantage Pepsi finds from their perfect marketing is that their sports sponsorships help them gain respect in youth which increases their sale when there is a win from Bangladesh team. So they never get cut short in a boom. POLITICAL-LEGAL ENVIRONMENT Political environment refers political and government and legal environment. It has close relationship with the economic system and economic policy. For instance; the communist countries had a centrally planned economic system. Communist government countries laws are control investment and related matters. The political environment is based on the uncertainty, therefore, demographic countries consist of number of political parties. Political parties arent got clear majority to form a government. In this situation, industry and amerce collapsed their business activities due to hung government. The political parties are unable to formulate stable government, it affect and fluctuate the government policies. Therefore, business organization and public are needed to the stable government. Bangladesh is a politically stable economy; foreign investors are attracted to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government is improving business with trade and investment. 1. Political Stability: Whenever the government is considered to be stable, the business will flourish. If there is political stability in the country the policies and eateries made by Pepsi can be consistent to be implemented. Foreign companies are also keen to invest in those countries which are politically stable where they have no fear of decline in their market share or shut down due to sudden change of government. 2. Mixed Economy In mixed economy government and private sector both plays their role in developing the economy Of the country. Investment by foreign companies like Pepsi is more likely to flourish in mixed economy. 3. Laws Formulation Government has given copy rights to Pepsi so that another company cannot sell their product by the name of Pepsi. The countries where laws are formulated, the strategies and activities of the company are different. 4. Social Responsibility Pepsins social responsibility is to provide its customers with clean and hygienic product so to do this they have increased the use of disposable bottles. SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT Socio-cultural environment is an important factor that should be analyzed while formulating company business strategies. If company is ignoring the customs, traditions, tastes and preferences and education, it can affect the business. It consists of factors which are related to human relationships and he impact of social attitudes and cultural values. These are bearing on the business of the organization. Social practice, beliefs and associated factors are helpful for promotion of the certain products, services or ideas, the success of marketing depends to a very large extent, on the success in terms of changing social attitudes or value systems. The cultural environment is made up of institutions and other forces that affect the society basic values, perceptions, preferences and behaviors. The Pepsi Co. Bangladesh is an expert in dealing with the cultural factor though it is an non-Muslim company UT still its most sales are in Muslim countries the reason behind their success is that they have never created boundaries of religion in their add campaign and they have deal with the Muslims in their own way. The Pepsi uses the cultural factor of people of Bangladesh which is giving dinners to the family remembers and they have targeted this particular thing in their ads which has created Pepsi a basic necessity of every get together. The other major Muslims belief is Ramadan and DID. Pepsi have utilize this cultural factor very smartly and through discount promotions and viral ads campaign urine the Ramadan and DID help them gather a very successful business and market share. The perfect ads campaign forces even the lower middle class to purchase the Pepsi products during Ramadan and especially for DID. One major disadvantage Pepsi had due to some extreme religious beliefs of some people in Bangladesh which tried to portray Pepsi as a Non Muslim company and the products they sell are forbidden or prohibited in Islam. But Pepsi came out of this challenge by asking Jungian Smashed (old singer now a renown Islamic scholar) to do an ad for them to promote their product and ell consumers that this product is permitted. So tackling each factor sensibly is an art of marketers and Pepsi Co. Team have always come up with the new ideas to increase their business. TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT Technological factors sometimes pose serious problems. A firm that unable to cope with technological changes may not be survived. Further, the differing technological environment of different markets or countries may be called for product modifications. Technology is the most important elements of the macro environment. Technology is the human being innovation and it literally ender. Technology helps to human being go to moon, traveling the spaceships, other side of the globe with few hours. Advances in the technologies have facilitated product improvements and introduction of new products and have considerably improved the marketability of the products. The technology is advancing day by day with new technology coming up and replacing the old quite easily. The technology advancement is also a macro environmental factor for a business. As the new technology coming up rapidly so no company can rely on their conventional ways of production and other asks. World has now become a global village and there is no issue of transferring one product from one country to different so the only way to survive for companies is by producing the product in quick time and with cheap price this was the reason behind the success of China as they manufactured cheap and fast products through advancing in technology and by using new ways to manufacture a product. Similarly Pepsi also keeps on advancing their machine, production units, sale systems and logistics supply System to keep up with the fast growing world. The major change in the Pepsi reduction came up with the advancement of their inventory control system from normal SQL to SAP. This allowed them to record complete sale record of the country and track each every sales point present throughout the country. The expert system Pepsi Co. Uses helps them in taking crucial decisions and forces them to advance to new production units in a timely fashion. The new recycle plant implemented by Pepsi Co. Eaves 70% of the waste which not only helps in making environment green but also reduces the cost of bottles by 50%. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Natural environment is the study of an important component of the nature . E. , natural environment. Difference in geographical conditions between markets may sometimes call for changes in the marketing mix. Geographical and ecological factors also influence industries which help material index tend to be located near the raw material sources. Climate and weather conditions affect the location of certain industries like the often textile industry. Ecological factors have recently assumed great importance. The depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution and the disturbance of the ecological balance has caused great concern. Government policies mimed at presentation of environmental purity and ecological balance, conservation of non revisable resources etc. , have resulted in additional responsibilities and problems for business, and some of these have to effect of increasing the cost of production and marketing, externalities also become an important problem Of the business has to confront with. The Pepsi co. Have a great advantage manufacturing in Bangladesh because the major ingredient required to manufacture Pepsi is Sugar which is produced in a vast amount in Bangladesh. So Pepsi shares a great liberty in manufacturing their rodents in Bangladesh for the home country and also for the neighboring countries if there is a need of more supplies to neighboring countries of Bangladesh. The natural environment is vastly effected by the cluster of industries and Pepsi Co. As also one of the major factors of waste materials in the country through their disposable plastic bottles but now they have invested in a major recycling plant in Bangladesh and have followed many different ways to reduce the industrial waste. According to a report PepsiCo have reduced their 80% of the industrial waste through new majors. Through his approach of new packaging and paying high amount of money in the recycling system they are now considered as an environmental friendly company. Their new initiative to replenish water has been a major SUccess.

Address the Problem of Global Warming

Address the Problem of Global Warming Free Online Research Papers The numbers are striking. No region of the world will be unaffected if Global Warming continues to increasingly grow. Yet day after day people take actions that can change the earth and its climate in significant ways. Many people just stand motionless as the wave of climate change becomes more apparent. The IPCC predicts that during the next century, the average rate of warming will be greater than anything seen in the last 10,000 years. Global sea levels could rise by at least fifteen and perhaps as much as ninety-five centimeters. Surface temperatures could increase by between 1.0 and 3.5 degrees Celsius. With climate change there will be an even greater complexity with water resources in every branch of the globe. Nineteen countries are under strain for deficiency of water. This figure is expected to double by the year 2025 even if the climate does not change. The present rate of extinction for birds, animals and plants is already between 50 and 100 times the natural one. If the current rate of deforestation in the tropics continues this would go up, potentially, to 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural extinction rate within the next 30 years. If global warming occurs, every thing and everyone will be affected in some way. An increase of just 0.2% in the solar output could have the same affect as doubling the carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere. On average most places will be warmer which will cause changes in the quantity and pattern of rain. Everything in the natural environment will all be affected. If a blanket of air did not surround the Earth, it would be much too cold for human habitation. Earth’s atmosphere acts as a shield. Small amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, help to retain heat in a crucial process known as the greenhouse effect. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and strikes the Earth, some of the light is reflected and some of the light is absorbed. The absorbed light warms the surface of the Earth. The heated surface then radiates infrared light into the atmosphere, where small amounts of carbon dioxide keep the radiation from escaping. Since prehistoric times, carbon dioxide has helped to regulate the temperature of the Earth. Due to the burning of large amounts of coal, oil, and natural gas, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has nearly doubled over the past one hundred years. As we all know, trees remove carbon dioxide from the air as part of their natural processes. As human being cut down forests, the capacity of trees to remove carbon dioxide from the air is diminished. It is believed that as we continue to burn large amounts of fossil fuels, and deplete our forests, the greenhouse effect will result in Global Warming. Scientists warn that the Earths average surface temperature could increase by five degrees Celsius over the next century A warming trend of only a few degrees could cause a melting of the polar ice caps, resulting in increased ocean levels and flooding of coastal cities. United Nations programs and organizations actively focus on global warming to stifle the ever more evident battle of Global Warming. The ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement that aims to diminish the discharge of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, has shed new light into the ongoing battle of Global Warming. Under the 1997 protocol, 38 industrialized nations are committed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to an average of 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by the period 2008-2012. The United States, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, pledged to reduce its emissions to seven percent below 1990 levels, while the European Union pledged to reduce its emissions by eight percent below its 1990 levels. Developed countries have been previously responsible for the majority of the Earth’s greenhouse-gas emissions. It is enormously critical that industrialized countries should carry on with their treaties and contracts to pave the way on climate change. Developed countries should serve as a model to under industrialized countries. â€Å"The ultimate objective of the Convention on Climate Change is to achieve a stable level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that will avoid dangerous interference with the climate system. Even stabilization at a little above present level will require significant cuts in global emissions next century. The dilemma facing us is how to achieve that at the same time as improving living standards throughout the developed and developing worlds.† Trading emissions credits, received by companies that surpass authorized emissions cuts, is one of the systems encouraged by the protocol for combating global warming. But the Kyoto Protocol will not take effect until it is ratified by fifty-five percent of the nations emitting at least fifty-five percent of six greenhouse gases that trap the sun’s heat close the Earth’s surface. A report commissioned by the United States Department of Energy demonstrates that â€Å"Companies can reduce their emissions through energy efficiency measures and save costs. Capital turnover during the next 15 years will allow industry to introduce cleaner technology with lower emissions at little extra cost.† Lower emissions are often united with other environmental enhancements, such as improved air quality. â€Å"Emissions trading has become the policy of choice for addressing climate change in nations around the globe, finds a new report from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. The report concludes that, while the greenhouse gas emissions market remains fragmented, trading activity has increased around the world over the last five years.† Many major corporations are already indicating that emissions’ trading is a very moneymaking and lucrative means to ease greenhouse gas ejection. Some authors estimate that â€Å"approximately 65 greenhouse gas trades for quantities above 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide have occurred worldwide since 1996.† This outline includes trades of actual emissions cutbacks as well as financially based reductions. The authors also warn that local and national trading programs are working under different rules, which could delay the formation of a united market and boost the costs of trading. â€Å"With the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the Asia-Pacific region increasing, measures to curb the effects of these emissions are urgently needed. A model†¦is being developed to coordinate efforts for greenhouse gas emissions forecasting, the analysis of the results of measures to curb emissions, and the evaluation of the effects of global warming. Forecasts on global warming are being used to develop another model to evaluate the phenomenons effect on water resources, plant life, human health, and agriculture.† President George Bushs new global warming plan was announced on February 14 of 2002. Officials at the World Resources Institute declared that the plan was said to increase greenhouse gas emissions by fourteen percent, which was later followed by some skeptics as misleading information. Certain organizations stress the need for an accurate system that institutes a suitable emissions foundation for greenhouse gases. One such program fulfilling the concept and that has been used in the past is voluntary emissions reporting. Reporting programs that not only attract practical companies, but also draw basic fundamental corporations, should be considered a necessary dynamic characteristic. A strategy by which communities seek economic development and benefit the local environment is known as sustainable development. Societies have found that they are creating, rather than solving, environmental problems by traditional approach. Sustainable development offers long lasting solutions. The future depends on how well we balance social, economic, and environmental goals, and this is what sustainable development suggests â€Å"Sustainability refers to the ability of a society, ecosystem, or any such ongoing system to continue functioning into the indefinite future without being forced into decline through exhaustion. . . of key resources. With the many questions and unanswered problems that Global Warming encompasses, market-based measures and other actions of the sort must be achieved in order to establish safety and security on Earth. In the world’s pursuit of economic growth, we must treat our world with pure motives with chaste solutions. It is absolutely mandatory that the nations of the world work multilaterally to not only address the problem of Global Warming, but also resolve and decipher the crisis that it withholds. Marco D’Angelo Research Papers on Address the Problem of Global WarmingRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Spring and AutumnGenetic EngineeringMind TravelDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital

The Catcher in the Rye Summary

'The Catcher in the Rye' Summary J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye follows the young protagonist Holden Caulfield, who narrates a three-day stint after being kicked out of prep school sometime in the 1950s.  Holden decides to leave before the end of the semester and travel to Manhattan, where he spends his time wandering the city and trying to connect with old friends and family. Chapters 1-7 Holden begins his story the day he leaves Pencey Prep, the all-boys boarding school he attends in Pennsylvania. It’s Saturday, and there’s a football game against Saxon Hill. Holden decides to go see his history teacher Mr. Spencer instead of watching the game. Mr. Spencer tries to talk some sense into Holden, who is being expelled for flunking nearly all of his classes. Holden decides that Mr. Spencer will never understand his point of view and returns to the dorms. Back in his room, Holden is interrupted by Robert Ackley, who lives next door. Ackley is rather unpopular, and Holden expresses annoyance at Ackley’s unhygienic personal habits. Stradlater, Holden’s popular roommate, is getting ready for a date. Holden thinks Stradlater is a â€Å"phony, and he is displeased that Stradlaters date is Jane Gallagher. Jane is an old friend of Holdens, and he knows that Stradlater is a womanizer who wont treat her with respect. Stradlater asks Holden to do his homework assignment for him. Holden acquiesces, and after he goes out for hamburgers and pinball with Ackley and his friend Mal Brossard, he goes back to the dorm to write. Holden writes the essay about his younger brother Allies baseball glove. Holden reveals that Allie died of leukemia in 1946, and Holden is wrapped up in memories of Allie during the writing process. When Stradlater returns to the dorms, he reads the essay and gets mad at Holden for straying from the assignments instructions. Holden asks whether he slept with Jane, but Stradlater wont answer, and Holden becomes so angry that he punches him. Stradlater pins Holden to the ground and gives him a bloody nose in retaliation. Holden decides to leave school early and head to New York City. He sells his typewriter for some extra money. Between that sum and the amount his grandmother sent him, he figures he has more than enough money to last him for a couple of days. Chapters 8-14 On the train, Holden meets the mother of Ernest Morrow, a student Holden calls the biggest bastard at school.  Holden tells the woman that his name is Rudolf Schmidt and makes up a story about how shy, modest, and popular Ernest is. Once they arrive in New York, Holden says goodbye to Mrs. Morrow and takes a taxi to Edmont Hotel. On the way, he becomes preoccupied with the whereabouts of the Central Park ducks during wintertime. He asks the driver, but the question only seems to annoy him. At the hotel, Holden thinks about phoning Jane, but instead ends up going to the bar and trying to buy a drink. He dances with three tourist women. He finds their eagerness to spot celebrities pathetic and sad, but ultimately falls half in love with one of the women because of how well she dances. When the women leave, Holden starts thinking about Jane again. He decides to head to Ernie’s, a popular spot for prep-school and college-age kids. He runs into Lillian Simmons, who used to date his older brother D.B. She invites him to sit with her, but he finds her pretentious, so he he leaves and walks back to his hotel. The hotels elevator operator, Maurice, offers to send a prostitute named Sunny to Holdens room for five dollars. Holden agrees, but when the woman arrives, he becomes uncomfortable and changes his mind. He sees how young and nervous she is and tells her that he just wants to talk. Sunny tells Holden that her visit costs ten dollars instead of five. Holden refuses to pay the extra money. Maurice and Sunny return together to beat Holden up and take the money. Chapters 15-19 The next day, Holden calls a former girlfriend named Sally to schedule a date, then heads to a sandwich bar for breakfast. At the sandwich bar, he talks to two nuns about their work and the books hes reading for school. Holden enjoys their company and donates ten dollars for their collection. He then leaves to go meet up with Sally. During his the walk, Holden buys a record called Little Shirley Beans for his younger sister Phoebe, knowing that she will love it. At the play, Holden expresses how much he hates the phoniness of plays and movies. Sally, however, loves the matinee. Holden grows increasingly annoyed when Sally runs into an old friend and carries on a loud conversation with him about various acquaintances. Then Holden and Sally leave and go ice-skating in Central Park, mainly because Sally loves the skating costume she gets to wear. After ice skating, Holden urges Sally to run away with him and live in a cabin in the woods in New England. Sally refuses, seemingly panicked by Holdens behavior, and the two get into a fight. Holden calls her a pain in the ass, and Sally gets so upset that they part ways on terrible terms. Holden tries to call Jane again, but hangs up when she doesn’t answer. He goes to see a movie, hating how cheesy it is, before going to see an old classmate of his named Carl Luce. They meet up at the Wicker Bar. Holden makes too many inappropriate jokes, and their conversation sours quickly. After Luce leaves, Holden remains at the bar and gets very drunk. Chapters 20-26 Holden calls Sally late at night to make amends, but her mother answers the phone and Sally gets on the line only to tell him to go home. He takes a walk in Central Park, where he accidentally breaks the record he bought for Phoebe. Holden decides to go home to visit her. He is careful to sneak into her room to avoid being detected by his parents, who still think he’s at school and do not know about his expulsion. Holden loves talking with Phoebe, but when she finds out that he’s been expelled, she grows angry with him. Phoebe asks Holden if he likes anything, and he can’t think of anything other than this boy, James Castle, who fell out a window at school and died. He tells Phoebe that he likes Allie, and she retorts that Allie is dead. Holden tells Phoebe that he fantasizes about being the catcher in the rye. He envisions a group of children running around in a field of rye at the edge of the cliff, and pictures himself catching the children and saving them from falling over the edge- effectively preventing them from losing their innocence. Holden leaves when his parents return from a party. He rings up his old English teacher, Mr. Antolini, who lives in the city and teaches English at NYU. Mr. Antolini tries to give Holden life advice, and warns him about caring too much about the wrong things so as to not be able to function in society. He and his wife set up the couch for Holden to spend the night on. Holden is woken up by Mr. Antolini patting his head and becomes so uncomfortable that he leaves. He ends up sleeping at Grand Central Station and spends the next day wandering around Fifth Avenue. Holden fantasizes about leaving the city and pretending to be a deaf-mute so that he can work as a gas station attendee out West and never interact with anyone. He visits Phoebe’s school and leaves a note asking her to meet him at the museum to say goodbye for good. While at the school, Holden notices an expletive scribbled on the wall. He grows angry thinking about the innocent children who will see the word and learn its meaning. He tries to rub it off, but its permanent. Phoebe meets Holden at the museum as he requested. She has a suitcase with her, and she tells Holden that she wants to run away with him. Holden refuses and Phoebe gets so angry that she won’t walk next to him. They go the Central Park Zoo. Holden tells Phoebe he will stay, and he buys her a ticket for the carousel. He experiences overwhelming happiness as he watches her ride the carousel. Holden ends the story by alluding to the time that has lapsed since the events in the novel. He says that he got sick, has been visiting with a psychoanalyst, and is going to start a new school in September. Holden ends the novel by expressing how much he misses his old classmates and others in his life.

Social Skills Development in Early Childhood Essay

Social Skills Development in Early Childhood - Essay Example If a child does not have the required confidence and charisma in them they might not be able to survive as better individuals in this society, therefore, development of social skills is very important in schools as well as at home. This report discusses two references that have been used to help understand the importance of developing social skills in early childhood and how to cater to the child's needs. Both of these articles were found on the internet. The first one is a 'peer reviewed' article from the 'Australian Journal for Early Childhood' written by Jacquelyn Mize and Ellen Abell. The other one is another article that is directed towards the parents titled 'How your lifestyle can be a positive model for your child's social skills' by an author surnamed Jet. Reference Details: Jacquelyn Mize, Ellen Abell (year) Encouraging Social Skills in young Children: Tips Teachers can share with parents. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from web title Web site: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org. The target audience in both the audience is mainly the parents who can be a great help in developing social skills in their kids. ... The target audience in both the audience is mainly the parents who can be a great help in developing social skills in their kids. Both the articles enlighten us with tips and tricks parents can use at home to help their children boost up their public skills. The authors have facilitated the concept of home-learning with the help of examples, stressing on the fact that it is at the home where the child learns most of his social and personal traits. Children who display high levels of social competence typically enjoy parent-child relationships characterized by positive and agreeable interactions, acceptance (Cohn, Patterson, & Christopoulous, 1991; Pettit & Mize, 1993; Putallaz, 1987) Both the sources were located by using the search engines available to us. The search terms used to locate the peer reviewed journal were 'journal of social development' and 'peer reviewed social journals'. The search engine specifically Google and Yahoo were used to locate the Australian Journal for Early Childhood. The same were used to locate the other article. In the first article by Jacquelyn Mize basically tries to illustrate the fact that how parents can influence their children's upbringing and how they can help them to develop social skills in them so that one day they can become socially competent with the world. This article provides the viewers with specific steps that the author has provided to facilitate the parents. The article starts by stating that it is not unusual to have children who are shy when compared to others and parent's worries are equally acceptable about this fact. The author has then discussed the idea of socially competent pre-schoolers and how they boost up the environment present in a class room with their vibrant

ERITREAN REFUGEES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ERITREAN REFUGEES - Essay Example The vested interest of the world powers were in supporting the actions of Ethiopia therefore the voice of Eritrea received no attention. The war of liberation against Ethiopia started which lasted for 30 years. Former USSR also involved in the war when Ethiopian regime was changed in 1974. The situation further deteriorated in 1984 due to famine. In 1991 Eritrean People's Liberation Front defeated Ethiopian army and formed government. During war of liberation the first wave of refugees fled to Sudan in 1950’s when USA assisted Ethiopia. The second wave again fled to Sudan in 1974 when former USSR started its assistance to the changed regime in Ethiopia. The last major movement was in 1984 when famine forced Eritrean population to leave their homeland. The flow of refugee is still on due to the oppressive policies of current Eritrean government. The majority of such refugees take shelter in neighboring Ethiopia. Eritrean refugees have taken shelter in different countries. Major ity of them are in Sudan but they are also taking shelter in Libya, Egypt and Ethiopia. Along with them there are IDPs also within border of Eritrea. The condition of all these refugees and IDPs is a big challenge for humanity.

Buddhism Essay Example for Free

Buddhism Essay Ultimate reality:Â  None, Nothing is permanent. Holidays:Â  Buddhas birthday, Buddhas enlightenment and lunar quarters Human nature: There is no self or soul. Human existence is nothing more than a combination of five impermanent components (khandas). Purpose of life: Theravada Become an arhat, escape the cycle of rebirth, and attain nirvana. Mahayana Become a boddhisatva then help others attain enlightenment. Afterlife: Rebirth or nirvana. Nirvana is seen simply as the cessation of suffering by some and as a heavenly paradise by others. Founder/Leader Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born a prince in Lumbini, Nepal, at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges, in 580 B. C. He died at age 80 in 480 B. C. His father was Suddhodana, king of the Sakhyas-. His mother, Maya, died seven days after his birth, he was raised by his foster mother, Maya’s sister Mahaprajapati. He was also known as Sakhya Muni, meaning an ascetic of the Sakhya tribe. He is also called the Enlightened One. Upon his birth, astrologers predicted that upon achieving manhood, Siddhartha would become ither a universal monarch (Chakravarti), or would abandon all earthly comforts to become a monk and a Buddha. Siddhartha married Yasodhara at age sixteen, who subsequently gave birth to their son, Rahula. Desiring to see how the people in his town were living, he managed to get out of his walled enclosure accompanied by his servant, Channa. He came upon a decrepit old man, a sick man, and a corpse and he was shocked. He then met a monk who impr essed him with his serenity and beauty. Siddhartha left his home forever, donning yellow robes and shaving his head, to take up Yogic practices. Seeking instruction from several hermit teachers who lived in caves in the neighboring hills, he practiced severe Tapas (austerities) and Pranayama (breath control) for six years, during which time he almost starved to death and became exceedingly weak. Given food by a young woman, he sought a comfortable place to sit and eat it. He found a large tree, now known as the great Bo-tree, or Tree of Wisdom. He came out of the meditation victorious, his face shining with illumination and splendor, having attained Nirvana. At age 35, Siddhartha was a Boddhisatva. Buddha left his wondrous Bo-tree behind, venturing out into the world to teach others who were seeking Wisdom and Enlightenment. The subsequent teachings of The Buddha are the foundation of Buddhism. Creed The Four Noble Truths 1. Life means suffering 2. The origin of suffering is attachment 3. The cessation of suffering is attainable 4. The path to the cessation of suffering Code Five Percepts 1. I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life. 2. I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given. 3. I undertake the training rule to abstain from sexual misconduct. 4. I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech. 5. I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness. Eight Percepts 1. I undertake to abstain from causing harm and taking life (both human and non-human). 2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given (for example stealing, displacements that may cause misunderstandings). 3. I undertake to abstain from sexual activity. 4. I undertake to abstain from wrong speech: telling lies, deceiving others, manipulating others, using hurtful words. 5. I undertake to abstain from using intoxicating drinks and drugs, which lead to carelessness. . I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time is after sunrise, before noon). 7. I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories). 8. I undertake to abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping, and overindulging in sleep.

Jeanne La Pucelle (joan The Maid) :: essays research papers

1412, it is in the last half-century of the Hundred Years' War in which the French attempted to attain freedom from English rule by fighting to eradicate English strongholds. An unusually strong, healthy, and possibly clairvoyant girl is born to Isabelle Romà ©e and Jacques d'Arc in the small village of Domremy, France. Her mother is from the town of Vouthon, which is west of Domremy. Her surname concurs that either she or a family member has visited Rome. Her father was born in a village called Ceffonds in the province of Champagne. His last name indicates a connection with Arc-en-Barrois, a small town fifty kilometers north of Ceffonds. She had a somewhat wealthy family as you can tell from their home with a stone construction. You can still visit her home today. It has since been used as a wine cellar, a wine press, and a stable. She was one of five children: Jacques, Catherine, Jean, Joan, and Pierre. Their wealth came from their farming of wheat, flax, beet hemp, and colza. They also bred livestock, spun wool and tow, and kneaded their own bread. She was baptized by Jean Minet in the Church of St. Remy. She is admired by patriots, women's rights activists, paranormal investigators, and playwrights. The woman I am talking about is commonly known as Joan of Arc. When Joan was 13 she began to see visions and hear voices who she later determined to be Saints Catherine, Margaret, and Michael. They convinced her that she was chosen by God to help the dauphin, Charles VII free France and take his seat in the throne. At age 17 in 1429 she gained access to the King through the military commander in Vaucoulaurs. Charles was desperate because the English had captured almost half of France including Paris. When Joan told him of her visions of the Saints he was doubtful so he set up two tests for her. In the first he disguised himself as a courtier, but she pointed him out immediately. For the second test he asked her what he prayed to God for the night before she arrived; she told him exactly. Some of the clergy believed her to be Satanic, but Joan was approved. Charles fitted her with armor and gave her command of the military. Soon after she set out to free Orleans from a brutal siege. The other French commanders hesitantly followed orders, but soon they obeyed her whole-heartedly. Under Joan's command the siege was broken after only ten days and the English fled. She was given the everlasting title "The

English language

II. In his 1946 essay, Politics and Language, George Orwell addresses the stagnation and misuse of the modern English language. In particular, Orwell addresses but does not limit his discussion to the use of language in the political spectrum. Increasingly, Orwell attempts to demonstrate, written language has become unnecessarily complicated and many times insensible. In describing particular offenses such as â€Å"dying metaphors,† â€Å"operators or verbal false limbs,† â€Å"pretentious diction,† and â€Å"meaningless words† Orwell shows how the meaning of ideas and the language itself is sometimes lost in the over-the-top prose of the writer.Orwell calls for a simpler turn to language, which doesn’t seek to necessarily eliminate particular turns of phrase or vocabulary but rather increases the precision of the words and to this extent the ideas. Instead of losing their ideas in convoluted sentences that say little and mean even less, Orwell call s on writers and politicians to express themselves with clarity and a familiarity with the language they choose to employ. III. Orwell addresses the misuse and overuse of language in political and general writing.He shows how writing or speaking in a manner that is seeks more to impress than express, modern writing increasing lacks imagination and coherence with the message frequently being lost in the words rather than being expressed by them. 2. Orwell’s conclusion is not to eliminate the language that is misused but instead to educate the writer in the misuse and to promote clarity in writing. 3. Orwell’s reasoning behind both his argument and his conclusion appear to be a love of language.While he admonishes overused metaphors, he presents several of his own throughout the text. He is not asking for perfect writing but rather an appreciation and an understanding of language and the ideas it is used to express. 4. N/A 5. N/A 6. Orwell presents several fallacies in h is argument, chief among them being the generalization of the five examples he presents at the beginning of the essay as indicative of modern writing. Also present is a faulty causal argument that connects the insincerity of politics and ideas with this kind of writing.However, it’s important to note that while simplifies this issue in this manner, Orwell also addresses these fallacies within his argument. He makes it clear that by dramatizing the prevalence of this type of language, he is simply attempting to better employ language to clearly express his ideas. 7. Orwell’s argument is largely based upon personal observation. There is the distinct feeling that while Orwell has support in this idea, especially when he notes the popular distaste among journalist for worn-out and uninspired metaphors.However, Orwell’s own observations of the over-done quality of academic and political writing. 8. Arguments could be made against Orwell’s claims on language, p articularly in his attacks on literary/art criticism or political literature. Literary and art critics coming from a particular school of thought could make the argument that in addressing their topics they must seek a new language to express their distinct interpretations. Politicians would make an argument against Orwell’s claims to their insincerity which they attempt to cover with language a lack of ideals or actual stance.N/A 10. There is much information omitted from Orwell’s argument, especially the writers who have not fallen to abusing and misusing language. However, as with the fallacies of his argument, Orwell is clear in noting that he is not speaking of all but rather drawing attention through a handful of examples to a growing trend. 11. Overall, Orwell presents a strong though admittedly biased argument. That it is Orwell himself who admits to this bias, illustrates the presence of his own ideals of clarity as beauty in language as a basis for the essay. My value assumption allows that there is a major basis of truth in Orwell’s argument and that the commonality of the types of language he rails against are as prevalent now as it was in 1946. 13. While the personal edge to Orwell’s argument could be seen as a drawback, I believe it instead highlights the very personal nature of language and how it is meant to express rather than suppress ideas. In his essay, Orwell is advocating for this expression and a strengthening of language through proper use and clear understanding. 14. Orwell’s essay remains as valuable today as it was in 1946.He could not have predicted and would likely be disheartened that despite his call to lingual arms that society and politicians continue to use â€Å"dying metaphors,† â€Å"operators or verbal false limbs,† â€Å"pretentious diction,† and â€Å"meaningless words. † However, his lessons of clear, simplistically beautiful prose is as needed to today as it was 60 years ago. Politicians and regular people alike still hide behind overblown and misunderstood language, failing to understand their own words and creating ignorance as the rest of the world struggle to understand as well.

Primary Stakeholders of Google Inc Essay

Introduction The American multinational enterprise, Google Inc., predominately leading the globe in internet services and products. They provide online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud storage, applications and other software. Their customers are advertising agencies and large businesses who pay to be exposed on the many free services Google offers to internet consumers. The largest shareholders Brin Sergey and Larry Page, founded Google while attending Stanford University. Google is the most universally used internet search engine, which allows them to gather interests and information about the consumers using their free services. Advertisers spend billions to strategically place their ads through Google because the free Google services accumulates personal interests and information needed to identify consumer demographics on the internet. In recent years the government and general public have raised concern about consumer privacy, as well as, the monopolistic presence in the internet market. Their shareholders are predominately internal making any external influence to the company improbable. Google employees are carefully selected and generally consist of newly graduated software geniuses; recently the media has criticized Google for the majority of their employees being Caucasian and Asian males. Google Inc. has a responsibility to manage its operations to maximize shareholders profits, but how well does it treat the other four primary stakeholders: the government, employees, customers, and general public. (Google, n.d.) Government Google has gained the government’s attention through multiple investigations over the years. In 2011, Google government officials from Europe joined the United States Congress to bring antitrust investigations against the Company. The next year in 2012, the Federal Trade Commission, FTC, conducted an investigation to gather evidence suggesting Google is a monopoly. Apple competes through SIRI and the app store as alternative search methods to  Google. Amazon holds the lead in product searches and Facebook is commonly used to search for trusted customer reviews by friends. The FTC was unsuccessful in proving their monopoly case and Google still dominates the internet/ computer market easily eliminating any start up competition. The Google business model makes sure no shareholder has a vote that could significantly impact the company, but the way media, government, and the majority of web users, interpret their activity could influence the company’s objectives. The FTC government agency has the influential power to investigate and bring media attention to the topic of Google’s seemingly unfair advantage in their market (Singer, 2012). Customers Approximately 99% of Google’s revenues are derived from businesses advertising on the free services it provides users. In Google’s system many advertisers bid on keywords. Popular keywords like â€Å"Miami Florida† are sold for much higher â€Å"value-per-click† than other less popular search topics. This revenue method allows Google to attract both large corporations and small business to place advertisements. The free services provided for Google users has destroyed markets. Decreasing the demand for products/ services like GPS, road atlas, and current traffic status by allowing the free anytime access to Google Maps. Google distracts its users with free services that make their life easier when Googles actual intent is selling individual attention and information about the users to advertisers. Google users are the product and not the customer. Through Google user’s searches and personal information like passwords saved in google chrome or contacts from gmail accounts, Google can deliver a product to advertisers tailored to their exact needs; people looking for shoes are delivered to shoe sellers, and people located in a certain town are delivered to local restaurants (Newman, 2011). Shareholders Google Inc. is a huge company owning 66 percent of its shares leaving 34 percent of the company owned by external shareholders. Founder Brin Sergey owns the largest amount of shares by an Individual at 21.8 million shares. There are less than five major external shareholders are institutions such as, FMR LLC, Vanguard Group INC, State Street Corp, Price T Rowe Associates INC, and Barclays Global Investors UK Holdings LTD. Unlike Microsoft, Intel,  and Apple; Google does not give cash back to its shareholders. Amazon and Facebook also do not yield cash dividends, but they are not as large, mature or as profitable as Google. If Google wanted to increase its shares a capital return program could be attractive to new investors. The cost of Google offer such a program would mean applying a payout of about 1.5 to 2.5 percent to compete with its peers. Google has three classes of shares: Class A gets one vote per share, Class B gets 10 votes per share, while Class C receives no voting privileges. Class B shares are only held by company insiders so Brin Sergey, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt own 92.5 percent of these shares, thus the majority vote (Niu, 2015). Employees Google is universally acclaimed as a great place to work. Its stock has soared 674% since its inception in August 2004. Their offices abound with areas designed to promote interaction, like a bowling alley in the California office or a pub lounge in the Ireland office. The search engine company provides its employees with a great health plan, legal aid, travel assistance, and a college reimbursement plan. If an employee dies, Google will continue to pay 50% of the deceased’s salary to his or her family for a decade (keep in mind they higher new graduates with an expected long life ahead of them). The California headquarters lobby is decorated with lava lamps, a piano, and search query projections posted on the wall. There are colorful fun exercise balls and bicycles for physical fitness in the hallways. Google receives 3 million applications annually and only higher about 0.2%, statistically Ivy League schools have a higher acceptance rate than Google. Engineers make up the majority of Googles employees and their salaries range from $ 100 thousand to $ 200 thousand. Engineering interns make approximately $ 7 thousand monthly (Unknown, 2014). Over all Google is more than generous when it comes to the treatment of their employees and promotes job low turnover (Waggoner, 2013). General Public According to Forbes magazine in 2013 four companies tied for first in corporate social responsibility: Microsoft, The Walt Disney Company, Google and BMW (Smith, 2013). Google has gained its popularity though the free services it provides all Google users. They have about $62.3 billion in cash and even after subtracting out its long and short term debt it has $57.2  billion. The majority of its profits, $41.8 billion, are held in foreign subsidiaries for tax avoidance. Being a technology based company, replacing hardcopies with electronic documents saves the company money as well as the preservation of the environment. Therefore google can brag about its efforts to achieve â€Å"green† status whether they are simply eliminating supply costs or have a general concern for the environment. Google has minimized the environmental impact of their services. Their carbon footprint is practically zero, but it doesn’t need an access amount of environmental resources (Google, 2015). Conclusion Google is a young, expanding, and profitable company. The government is concerned and continually investigating Google because of its controversial monopoly in the search engine market and antitrust based on the selling of user information. The general public and government should be concerned that Google invests approximately two –thirds of its cash overseas to avoid tax laws in the United States. The advertisement customers that Google provides as their revenue generating services are given information tailored to view ads strategically and that makes Google more successful than other internet marketing company. The shareholders of Google are mostly internal owners; no capital return programs have been established and all impacting votes are controlled by the internal shareholders only. The employees are treated extremely well compared to companies across the globe. Google will continue to grow based on its business plan, which brilliantly manipulates the general public users into thinking they are getting services for free while they make billions by selling adverting companies the information they want without breaking any laws. Google could treat the general public and government stakeholders better by improving user privacy and cease avoiding taxes. Bibliography Google. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google Google. (2015, 3). The Big Picture. Retrieved from Google: http://www.google.com/green/bigpicture/#/ Newman, N. (2011, May 29). You’re Not Google’s Customer. Retrieved from The Blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-newman/youre-not-googles-custome_b_84159

Xenon Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Xenon Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Xenon is a noble gas. The element has atomic number 54 and element symbol Xe. Like all the noble gases, xenon is not very reactive, yet it has been known to form chemical compounds. Here is a collection of xenon facts, including the elements atomic data and properties. Xenon  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 54 Symbol: Xe Atomic Weight: 131.29 Discovery: Sir William Ramsay; M. W. Travers, 1898 (England) Electron Configuration: [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p6 Word Origin: Greek xenon, stranger; xenos, strange Isotopes: Natural xenon consists of a mixture of nine stable isotopes. An additional 20 unstable isotopes have been identified. Properties: Xenon is a noble or inert gas. However, xenon and other zero valance elements do form compounds. Although xenon is not toxic, its compounds are highly toxic due to their strong oxidizing characteristics. Some xenon compounds are colored. Metallic xenon has been produced. Excited xenon in a vacuum tube glows blue. Xenon is one of the heaviest gases; one liter of xenon weighs 5.842 grams. Uses: Xenon gas is used in electron tubes, bactericidal lamps, strobe lamps, and lamps used to excite ruby lasers. Xenon is used in applications where a high molecular weight gas is needed. The perxenates are used in analytical chemistry as oxidizing agents. Xenon-133 is useful as a radioisotope. Sources: Xenon is found in the atmosphere at levels of approximately one part in twenty million. It is commercially obtained by extraction from liquid air. Xenon-133 and xenon-135 are produced by neutron irradiation in air cooled nuclear reactors. Xenon Physical Data Element Classification: Inert Gas Density (g/cc): 3.52 ( -109 °C) Melting Point (K): 161.3 Boiling Point (K): 166.1 Appearance: heavy, colorless, odorless noble gas Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 42.9 Covalent Radius (pm): 131 Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.158 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 12.65 Pauling Negativity Number: 0.0 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1170.0 Oxidation States: 7 Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 6.200 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Return to the Periodic Table

How to Train Your Brain to Keep You Healthy in Times of Stress

How to Train Your Brain to Keep You Healthy in Times of Stress A recent study in the Journal of Personal and Social Psychology found that your habits- good and bad- come out in full force during times of stress.  That  means if you’re in the practice of  mindlessly eating junk, you’ll revert to a diet full of Doritos and Frappuccinos when you’re in the middle of a big project; if you’re  already in the habit of a  more virtuous morning oatmeal, you’ll reach for that during busy times. Your body keeps up what it’s used to and what it knows. What can you do? Sculpt your habits carefully- from sleep patterns to gym routines. They just might turn out to be the rock your brain turns to in times of doubt.German researchers hypothesized in 2012 that this phenomenon is due to stress hormones in the brain, which cause it to revert to normal  routines in stressful scenarios, even if that means abandoning its goals. When stressed, the brain  favors the routine and reduces activity in the decision-mak ing part of the brain.The best way to keep our heads in times of stress, then, is to make sure we cultivate the best habits in our downtime. You never know what you can train your brain to do- so start making better choices while you have the conscious chance.It turns out that our behavior is much more important than we realized. It can form the basic building blocks to build our own way out of stress.

Academic montioring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic montioring - Essay Example It is worthwhile to consider some of the possible monitoring systems and strategies that a teacher can employ in K-5 grade class room. One strategy a teacher can use in a class to monitor the understanding level of lesson materials of students in K5 is to ask the students to draw pictures on the taught items. Sometimes the children may not be willing to draw the picture. But if they are motivated they do the work. The teachers can understand the child’s level of understanding even if the pictures are not worth watching. The drawn up piece can be considered to be a mirror kept against the child’s progress. In certain cases the teacher can ask the students to take the role of a teacher in group works. A talented or pre instructed student can easily find out the problems of his or her friends. Students will easily be able to gather information from their friends. Children open up their difficulties in studies to their friends. Then the teacher can cleverly identify the pro blems and help the children in tackling their problems. Effective monitoring in the classroom can be done in a different way. If the child is totally indifferent to the works given in the class, the teacher can promote him to do works of his or her own. Sometimes the child may select works outside the syllabus and it may not come up to the expected standard. Through this the teacher can understand the student’s ability in different areas. Once he or she gets the appreciation from the teacher there starts the change .Gradually the teacher can bring the child to class related assignments and activities. Similarly, the teacher can also do the strategy of assigning the works and telling the students to do it for their loving ones. Sometimes they will do it for their parents, siblings or friends. At the end of each week the teacher can ask them how much they could score for their loved ones. This has shown great results in the progress of most students in

An essay about the supply and demand Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An about the supply and demand - Essay Example In order to maximize profit, suppliers have to sell their goods and services at high prices but this has to consider the purchasing power of the intended market. This paper is a critical evaluation of supply and demand as principles of economics. Concepts of Supply and Demand The Law of Demand The law of demand states that the higher the price of a commodity, the lower the quantity demanded cateris paribus, while the lower the prices the higher the demand (Fisher 36). Cateris paribus in this case implies that all other factors that influence demand are held at a constant. These are for example weather, taste and preferences, income among others. This is due to the fact that the law of demand is basically dependent on two variables i.e. quantity demanded and price. The following diagram is a demand curve, which is a graphical depiction of the law of demand. Fig 1 From the diagram, it can be noted that the quantity demanded was highest, (Q3), at the lowest price, P1, while it was lowes t at price P3, which was highest. However, it is important to note that not all goods abide by the law of demand. These are for example giffen goods and products that act as status symbols. Giffen goods are defined as inferior commodities whose demand goes up with rising prices while the vice versa is also true (Baye 42). Inferior, in this context, does not necessarily imply that the goods are of poor quality. For example, if the staple food in a family is rice, products such as meat may be perceived as superior. If the price of rice goes up, it would be normal to find people buying more rice and less of meat and when the prices go down, more meat is bought in comparison to rice. The two goods are not substitutes and in this case, it is assumed that the consumer can afford both items therefore eliminating opportunity cost. On the other hand, status symbols are goods whose value creates a perceivable higher social standing in the society (Gorman 29). For example, if the price of a Me rcedes Benz makes it unaffordable for the common market as opposed to that of a Toyota sedan, then, any person owning a Mercedes would be perceived as having an economic advantage over the owner of a sedan. It therefore goes without saying that a reduction in the price of a Mercedes would make it lose its value as a status symbol and that would definitely make it lose its demand to other more expensive and luxurious vehicles. On the other hand, an increase in its price would increase its value as a status symbol thus increasing its demand thereby defying the law of demand. Movements along a Demand Curve versus Shifts in Demand Curve A movement along a demand curve is dependent on one variable only which is price. From the diagram below, DD1and DD2 represents the demand for a commodity, with prices plotted on the Y axis while quantity demanded on the X axis. DD1 will be used to illustrate movement along a demand curve while DD2 illustrates a shift in a demand curve. Fig. 2 On the DD1 curve, it is notable that when the price was at p1, the quantity demanded was highest at Q3. However, after the prices increased to p2 and p3, the quantity demanded moved to the lower side i.e. from Q3 to Q2 and Q1 respectively. However, the demand curve shifted entirely to the right as a result of an increase in income. Notice that prices p1 to p3 remained static but still, the quantity

Napoleons Quest to Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Napoleons Quest to Egypt - Essay Example One of the greatest military commanders and a risk taking gambler; a workaholic genius and an impatient short term planner; a vicious skeptic who forgave his closest betrayers; a misogynist who could captivate men; Napoleon Bonaparte was all of these and more, the twice-emperor of France whose military endeavors and sheer personality ruled Europe in person for a decade, and in thought for a century. Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on August 15th 1769 to Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer and political opportunist, and his wife, Marie-Letizia Bonaparte. The Buonaparte's were a rich family from the Corsican nobility, although when compared to the great aristocracies of France Napoleon's kin were poor and pretentious. A combination of Carlo's social climbing, Letizia's adultery with the Comte de Marbeuf - Corsica's French military governor - and Napoleon's own ability enabled him to enter the military academy at Brienne in 1779. He moved to the Parisian cole Royale Militaire in 1784 and graduated a year later as a second lieutenant in the Artillery. Spurred on by his father's death early in February 1785, the future emperor had completed in one year a course that often took three. Despite being posted on the French mainland, Napoleon was able to spend much of the next eight years in Corsica thanks to his ferocious letter writing and rule bending, as well as the effects of the French revolution and sheer good luck. There he played an active part in political and military matters, initially supporting the Corsican rebel Pasquale Paoli, a former patron of Carlo Buonaparte. Military promotion also followed, but Napoleon became opposed to Paoli and when civil war erupted in 1793 the Buonapartes fled to France, where they adopted the French version of their name: Bonaparte. Historians have frequently used the Corsican affair as a microcosm of Napoleon's career. Napoleon became a hero in 1795, defending the government from angry counter-revolutionary forces; Napoleon was promoted to high military office, a position with access to the political spine of France. Bonaparte quickly grew into one of the country's most respected military authorities - largely by never keeping his opinions to himself - and he married Josephine de Beauharnais (Cronin, 2006). After the events in his place, he wants to explore the east and want to conquer Egypt. Many Historians had interpreted Napoleon's quest to Egypt that he wants to follow the footsteps of Alexander the Great. The French attempt to apply influence over Egypt was because of economics, a political need to deteriorate Britain and the personal needs of General Napoleon Bonaparte, who saw the shadow of unemployment - and a loss of influence - threatening as his armies in Italy were nearing the end of their successful struggles against Austria. Having seen the benefits of Britain's profitable colonies, France's Directory listened to Bonaparte's idea to invade Egypt, drive out the ruling Mamelukes and put up a modern style of government friendly towards French ways. Napoleon's swift victory may have been due to the way he adapted to the rigours of warfare in the Near East. He faced a highly developed cavalry with little of his own, but by organizing his infantry into hollow squares which faced four directions, he could repel a charge from any side. This combined with his artillery enabled Napoleon to resist the Mameluke attacks (Brahmrosensweig, 2006). On

Formal Informal Social Support Systems Health And Social Care Essay

Formal Informal Social Support Systems Health And Social Care Essay Realising that it is the natural right that all those who labour should enjoy to the fullest extent the fruits of their labour the Colonial Government of the Gold Coast initiated a package for public service workers who went on retirement after serving in the public service for over 30 years, passed an ordinance as part of the reforms in the colony. That ordinance came to be known as CAP 30. The following category of workers were entitled to enjoy this package, Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service, Fire Service, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, Civil Service etc. However, by 1972 the law was amended to allow another body, SSNIT to take responsibility of some category of workers contribution towards their retirement. After 1972, employees of the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, and Judiciary Service amongst others were directly under the SSNIT Pension Scheme with the exception of the Security Services. The Social Security Pension Scheme was established under the PNDC Law 247 of 1991. The Scheme is administered by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to cater for Civil and Public Servants, Employees in the private sector, Professionals, Traders, Artisans, Farmers and also the self-employed. The Social Security Scheme is the only basic Social Security Scheme that insures a worker against the following contingencies: Old Age, Invalidity and Death. The worker contributes 5% of his/her basic salary and the employer adds 12.5% of the workers basic salary, making a total of 17.5% which is paid to SSNIT. The rate of Contribution for Self-Employed or Voluntary Contributor is 17.5% of declared income. It would interest you to know that Government Pension or cap 30 attracts a huge sum of money than the SSNIT pension which is relatively lower. This disparity in the pension administration has brought about workers agitation for fairness in their retirement benefits. In the public sector a person qualifies for full pension at the age of 60years and you must have made a minimum contribution of 240 months in aggregate but can voluntarily go on retirement at age 55years for reduced pension and must have made a minimum contribution of 240 months. As a result of ill-health one qualifies for invalidity pension. In that case you must have made contributions for not less than 12months in aggregate within the last 36 months and you must have been declared permanently invalid and incapable of any normal gainful employment by a qualified and recognized medical officer and certified by a Regional Medical Board on which a SSNIT Medical Officer is represented. Since 1957 when the country gained independence expatriate officers in the Ghana Civil Service opted to retire and many vacancies occurred. This created the opportunity for Ghanaians who were on pension to be re-engaged in the Civil Service on contract. These officers enjoyed their pension in addition to their remuneration as contract officers. However, in 1968, the Government of Ghana ordered the cessation of the payment of the pension package in addition to the salaries attached to the contract appointment. This measure obviously did not go down well with the affected pensioners who considered it a stab at the back and a breach of faith. ( Tachie-Menson, 2003). In Accra, a group of pensioners engaged the services of lawyers to fight their cause for them. They succeeded and thus the emergence of the Ghana Government Pensioners Association for Accra which also assumed a national status. The way was then opened for branches in all the regional capitals to register members and make payment of part of their monthly dues to Accra. In Wa the pensions Association was formed in 1986 to cater for retired workers in the municipality. Pensioners under the Government Pensions Association are over six hundred as the number keep dwindling due to death. Pensioner with the SSNIT, as at February, 2010 stood at one hundred thousand four hundred and fifty eight with a retirement rate of 0.65%. It was my doubt that some retired public service workers would live uncomfortable lives after long years of contributing meaningfully to mother Ghana as those kinds of assumptions, suggestions, and my personal experience of my aged parents that prompted me to undertake this proposal in this area. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM There is a general perception out there that retirement from active service in Ghana renders one jobless and with nothing to do which often leads to frustration and early death in life if one does not plan life properly. This is attributed to the fact that people on retirement who do not plan well use their benefits to find shelter for themselves after which they end up living on their meager monthly allowance. It is claimed because most workers are not able to put up shelter during their working lives before they go on retirement. This has been the situation over the last decade and more and has rather impoverished retirees. Such claims are not hard to find in the municipality if one visits these retired workers at their homes. Therefore retired workers whose family members are not there to support them are left to their fate or are forced to put up with neighbours. It is also worrying to find frail looking pensioners go to their banks every fortnight to struggle for their allowance s. In some situations those incapacitated to the extent that they cannot make the journey to the bank would not have access to their money unless they prepare an authority note to be endorsed by the Association and countersigned by the Accountant Generals representative for the bank to effect payment, a process quite laborious. Calculation of retirement benefits of Government Pension which was originally based on the pension constant of 1/960th of ones terminal salary multiplied by the number of years served in months was reviewed in 1946 by the Harragin Salary Commission to 1/600th and has since been increased to 1/480th. The amount arrived at is spilt for 25% to be paid as gratuity and the remaining 75% as pension which is spread over 20 years and is payable monthly. On the death of a pensioner what is due him/her from the remaining period out of the twenty years is paid to his/her beneficiaries as commuted pension. (Tachie-Menson, 2003) For beneficiaries of a deceased pensioner to claim the unexpected portion of the twenty years pension there are three approaches towards that end:- (a)The nomination form filed with his Department while a civil servant in which he indicated his beneficiaries is the first to be used as authority for disbursement. However, the nomination forms can be revised at any time that the person wishes. (b)The will is the next authority to be used for disbursement, if it super cedes the nomination form. (c)In the absence of the two above, Letters of Administration prepared jointly by the head of the pensioners family on one side and the wife and children on the other, must be obtained from the Law Courts with which to claim the commuted pension. As the years roll by for inflation to set in adjustments are made to salaries by the grant of allowances in various forms to the basic salaries of Civil Servants. However, when allowances are added to the basic salaries to mitigate the effect of the rising cost of living, it does not reflect in the pension calculation. This prompts the Ghana Government Pensioners Association to enter into serious negotiations with the Government for pension to be increase. When the consolidated salary was introduced pensioners were left in the lurch. The Associations negotiating machinery was put to the test with the bargaining power of the Public Services Workers Union of which the Association is a Division; Government then consented to the grant of 50%. Therefore to address the issue of social support for the retired public sector workers in the municipality, it is important to know that the enormous concern of this essay is focused on the poor adoption of measures on the part of local authorities and community members to provide additional welfare resources and other social interventions to support the retired. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: This research would give an in-depth knowledge of the formal and informal social support systems of retired workers and to know the plight of retired workers so as to come out with remedies to assist these aged citizens. It would also contribute to prepare would- be retirees to adequately plan for their future retirement. Furthermore, before a research of this nature is meaningfully carried out in the municipality of Wa, it is imperative to have some knowledge about what the area under study is made up of. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of the study are as follows: Specific objective: A. To evaluate the adequacy of available formal and informal support and welfare resources to the retired persons at the community level. The investigation will be directed toward the identification of social support systems that would meet the growing and changing needs of the retired. GENERAL OBJECTIVES: 1. To determine, in some Ghanaian communities, social support systems for elderly persons. 2. To study both support providers and the beneficiaries comprehensively in order to understand how poverty and the needs of the retired are distributed, and how they are dealt with in practice. 3. To determine the degree of success of formal interventions of support provision to the elderly. 4. To ascertain the social pattern of relief and support, and to draw the social implications of the existing and changing patterns so that appropriate and adequate social policies may be formulated. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: These specific objectives above will be framed around the following specific and general questions: How adequate are the formal and informal social support and welfare resources of retired public sector workers? GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. What are the general cultural expectations about the retired person in the community and how are these changing? 2. What resources are available to them? 3. To what extent do retired persons avail themselves of the community resources and at what cost? 4. What factors encourage or discourage utilization of such resources? 5. To what extent do the resources available complement one another to meet the needs of the retired and what needs are left unmet? 6. What are the principles of reciprocity involved in these various support arrangements in the family and the community? LITERATURE REVIEW: In reviewing literature, the study will triangulate conceptual and theoretical frame work of the topic understudy. The operational definition of key concepts include the terms formal, informal, social support systems and public sector workers. I am interested in defining formal as the official government situation in the line of events. Informal means private and unofficial initiative. Social support system means social interventions to the vulnerable. My construct of these concepts is similar to other concepts that are in use. However, in the past Social welfare protection, in the form of insurance and assistance programmes, emerged in Europe in the 1800s in order to provide citizens with an economic safety net during periods of illness, economic hardship, and other shocks as discussed (Palacios Sluchynsky, 2006). Today, nearly every country has some form of social protection developed to provide economic support in times of need (International Social Security Association, 2005). Assistance comes in the form of old-age pensions, survivor benefits, family allowances or other supports. In Africa, the author suggests that social welfare programmes were originally developed in the 1950s and 1960s as a safety net for white workers (Dixon, 1987). Employer-based contributory pensions were the dominant model. Still today, these pensions primarily serve the wealthiest workers who live in urban areas and have secure careers in the public sector (Palacios Sluchynsky, 2006). Those who are excluded from these benefits are left to rely upon the traditional safety net of family aid, mutual support, and communal living. For example, in Kenya, the clan system has operated as a labour union world, pooling resources and providing extra support during vulnerable periods (Dixon, 1987). This informal system has eroded. However, as countries have developed and urbanized, sources of livelihoods have diversified, family sizes shrunk, and the population aged. Moreover, throughout sub-Saharan Africa, poverty has further destabilized households, changed demographic patterns and orphaned enormous numbers of children (UNICEF, 2006). Vulnerable populations face a social protection vacuum when both formal programmes and informal practices fail to provide the safety nets that families need to survive, even though social protection is a proven component in fighting poverty and responding to families overwhelmed by disease or other shocks (Barrientos DeJong, 2004; Bourguignon, Ferreira, Leite, 2002; Chronic Poverty Research Centre, 2005; Skoufias di Maro, 2006). Throughout Africa, social protection programmes could well be mechanisms that enable families to economically survive and help children reach their potential. The reality that social welfare schemes in Africa exclude more people than they cover, has been established (Dixon, 1987; Fultz Pieris, 1999; Taylor, 2001) and yet there are important reasons to revisit this topic. He argues that in the last decade, a growing number of countries have expanded or developed new programmes in an effort to reduce poverty as well as to invest in human and economic development. Evidence of the growing momentum around social protection schemes include the Livingstone Call For Action (2006) where thirteen Eastern and Southern African governments pledged to draft costed national social transfer plans within two to three years. In a related situation, the African Union is driving and supporting efforts to promote the development of better social welfare systems; while heads of states throughout the world, have committed to building, where needed, and supporting the social security systems that protects the aged (United Nations General Assembly, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of existing social welfare policies in Ghana and countries throughout Africa. These policies are described and the characteristics of existing social welfare schemes are analyzed in order to facilitate dialogue on how governments, supported by the international community, can improve current welfare schemes and build new systems that are better aligned with the needs of vulnerable populations, in order to provide a meaningful social safety net. METHODOLOGY: In order to examine the characteristics of government and employer provided social support schemes to retired workers, the research must conduct an enquiry aimed at increasing knowledge based on facts. Therefore to achieve this, a systematic method and instruments of collating and collecting data should be used since the appropriateness of these methods and instruments to a large extent determine the validity and reliability of the data. Also the sample used should be a true representation of the population as well as the instrument utilized in the research. STUDY AREA The Wa Municipality is one of the oldest districts in the region, and the biggest of the nine districts. It is the capital town of the region. The estimated population of Wa Municipality for 2008 is 124,476 as against 105,065 in 2000, an increase of about19%. The population density of the area is 38 persons per square kilometers. It has about 32 communities. Because Wa doubles as the Municipal and Regional capital, it has a high population growth rate of 4% per annum with a greater proportion of the total population of the Municipality and the Region concentrated in it. Wa Municipality covers the Southwestern parts of the region. It stretches from longitude 1Ù’Â °40N to 2Â ° 45N and from latitude 9Â ° 32W to 10Â ° 20W. It covers an area of approximately 5899.30 square kilometers, which is about 32% and 2.56%of the region and the nation respectively. To the South, Southwest and Southeast, Wa Municipality shares common boundaries with Wa West/Wa East, Wa West and Wa East Districts respectively. To the north, Wa Municipality is bordered by Nadwoli District. It has more retired civil and public servants and also suitable in terms of providing sufficient sample sizes of retired persons. TARGET POPULATION The target population for this research is the retired civil and public sector workers in the municipality and their families. Retired civil and public sector workers are of two categories. The first category is made up of pensioners under Government Pension scheme and the second category is made up of pensioners under SSNIT Pension scheme. SAMPLE A number of samples will be drawn for the study. Unlike Census, where the entire population is covered by the study, sampling enables a researcher to study a relatively small part of the target population and yet obtain accurate and detailed data that are representative of the whole at a lower cost (Sarantakos, 2005). . The first sample of respondents will be made up of community members who are 60 years and above. The second respondents will be made up of family members, kin relationship and local authorities. SAMPLING PROCEDURE A snowball sampling procedure will be used. By this method a retired public sector worker is identified within the community and interviewed. This first respondent then leads the researcher to the next respondent who also falls with the target group. The process is continued until the required number of respondents is interviewed. CHOICE OF RESEARCH METHOD Considerable interest is shown in the choice of research methods to use in this research proposal. There is the quantitative data and method approach which often is associated with positivism, the prevailing paradigm in recent times. Under this approach scientific methods can more or less readily represent and measure concepts which seek to predict and explain causal relations among key variables. However, some critics are of the view that positivistic methods reduce the contextual meanings in the process of developing quantified measures of phenomena. Though the issue of empirical approach to research has been justified by its success in measuring quantitative research, in more recent years, scientists have been challenged to explain phenomena that defy measurement and their inability to quantitatively measure some phenomena, and the dissatisfaction with which the results of measurement of other phenomena have led to an intense search for other approaches to study human phenomena. A modern approach, which came to be known as post positivism, is a recent evolution of positivism which focus has been on qualitative methods, and is modeled on positivistic methods and experimental designs (Miles and Huberman, 1993). This approach has led to the acceptance of qualitative research approach which does not need empirical data to discover knowledge. However, one cannot help but to stuck by the success of qualitative research methods in the market place of academic ideas (Atkinson, 1995, p. 117). The tradition of using qualitative methods to study human phenomena is grounded in the social sciences. The tradition came about because aspects of human values, culture, and relationships were unable to be described fully using quantitative research methods. More recently, the practice of qualitative research has expanded to clinical settings because empirical approaches have proven to be of limited service in answering some of the challenges and pressing clinical questions, especially where human subjectivity and interpretation are involved (Thorne, 1997, p. 28). However, the use of qualitative research has its own flaws as well. It is unable to study relationships between variables with the degree of accuracy that is required to establish social trends. For the purpose of this proposal a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methodology would be used to analyse data. However qualitative method has a more flexible approach in pr ocedure to construction of research design in the sampling, data collection and processing and reporting. DATA COLLECTION Data will be collected from a variety of sources within the selected community, from families, kin, neighbours, educationists, legal and health practitioners, from neighbourhood and community associations, religious groups, welfare agencies, specialised groups such as trade unions, from local councils and other organised groups. Further information gathered will come from retired persons themselves, from their families/kin, extra familial networks, neighbourhood, their community and from state agencies. The material gathered from these levels will be in a complementary relationship to one another in order to approximate a high degree of reliability and validity. The principal data that will be gathered include the followings: (a) Community profile: geographic, demographic, historical, political-social and economic conditions of the community, placed within the national context. (b) Prevailing cultural norms and the expectations concerning the retired persons and their care, conceptions about reciprocity and exchange, family and kinship relationship etc. (c) Inventory and detailed descriptions of indigenous informal support systems and of formal support systems available within the community. Another source of data collection will be a historical review of formal and informal support systems available in the community and local levels. At the formal level, data will include the public services and programmes instituted by the government at different levels. At the informal level, data will include information on the traditional supporting roles played by family, kin, patrons and others. Data collection will proceed by means of primary sources of data such as interviews, questionnaire, and focus group discussions. Secondary data through existing literature will be used by the researcher. In terms of priorities, it is expected that questionnaires will be constructed and pretested. INTERVIEWS The interview is a face to face meeting between a questioner and a respondent, or an oral presentation of an opinion or attitude scale (Zikmund, 1994). Structured interview will be used for meeting the respondents. It will however be inter space with unstructured interviews when interacting with non pensioners. QUESTIONNAIRES A questionnaire is a written instrument that contains a series of questions or statements called items that attempts to collect information on a particular topic. It is useful for large scale surveys that involve collection of data from literate respondents. Questionnaire will be administered to pensioners as well. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION Another source of data collection will be focus group discussions. This third phase about 9-12 pensioners will be grouped for discussions about their personal experience before and after active service. The selection of participant will be balance in terms of sex to give it a fair representation. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION In recording the information or data gathered, I will employ both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Data will be described and in other cases subjected to quantitative analysis regarding trends in each dimension of the topic. Correlations between aspects of the topic and a series of other variables to establish more detailed results will be conducted. Beyond this, the researcher is expected to explain behaviours more extensively and more accurately. Where data needs empirical analysis quantitative model will be used and where it needs description and collection and analysis occur simultaneously, qualitative model will be suitable. INTENDED BENEFITS The Government under the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare is seriously considering the development of a national policy for the aged. Local authorities should compliment government effort by initiating social and community activities to engage the elderly in the community as well as supplement government efforts of finding welfare resources for them. The results of this study should identify and address gaps in existing interventions. My contribution to the study is to draw to attention that every worker dreams of going on retirement one day. Therefore adequate preparations should be made for the aged who have live most of their life working to develop the country so that they dont retire and still wallow in poverty. My motivation stern from the very experience of having to handle my aged parents who were once public servants and are now on retirement and in addition to relations and friends who are affected in one way or another of their aged relatives. The intention of spending time and money on this exercise is to bring about an improvement of the status quo. TIME PLAN PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 FROM TO FROM TO FROM TO DATA GATHERING METHOD 1 use of questions 2 interviews 3Focus grp Dis. June-July. Pre test Decem.-Jan. Retired workers. June-July Cap 30 Retired Workers Oct. Nov. August-September Commty. profile Feb-Mar. Families Kin. Commty mmb August Sept. SSNIT Retired Workers Octob.- Novem. Prevailng cul. Norm April.-May edu, Leg., Health workrs ANALYSIS METHODS 1 Qualitative Mainly descriptive analysis of data. Often collection and analysis will occur simultaneously. METHODS 2Quantitative Mainly statistical analysis of data. Correlation between aspects of the topic and a series of variables will be established. BUDGET. Activity Quantity/number Frequency Unit Cost Total Cost GHÂ ¢ Internet Browsing Browsing and printing 20.00 Documents acquired 40.00 Travel expenses Fuel for local movement 20.00 Feeding accommodation Rent for two years and food GHÂ ¢ 120.00 240.00 Printing and photo copying questionnaires 15 pages 100 respondents 100.00 Printing 80 pages 8 copies 60GP 384.00 Binding of books 8 copies GHÂ ¢10.00 80.00 Grant Total GHÂ ¢884.00