Budget For Terrorism Essays - Presidency Of George W. Bush

Budget For Terrorism Budgeting Against Terrorism This years budget will be required to address the new and dangerous reality of terrorism on the US home front. Over the next 5 years $50 billion dollars has been allotted to plans that are specifically geared to dealing with terrorism. In my belief in is important to separate the budget into two different categories of counter-terrorism. The first category allocates money in response to the attacks of September 11th. This money will contribute to programs that offer monetary assistance to both those directly affected by the attacks and those suffering from the negative economic impact of the attack. Approximately $30 billion dollars will be allocated to these programs for the first 2 years of the budget. In the following three years the monetary aid will be decreased to $20 billion dollars and that money will be funneled into maintaining security concerns both at home and abroad. The second category of programs seeks to combat terrorism on the home front. The programs included here w ill focus on preparing the US for and against more attacks. For the first two years the remaining $15 billion dollars will be given to these programs. After two years that $15 billion will be increased to $25 billion dollars because of the assumption that as the war on terrorism continues new avenues of terrorism will develop and new security measures will have to be developed. In the first 2 years $25 billion dollars of aid will be distributed into economic aid programs. $10 billion dollars will go as aid to US commercial airlines and the other $15 billion will go to increasing the benefits of the unemployed. It is important to help the airlines recover because of the money the represent in business and tourism. Also there is the issue of the lose of jobs in aviation since the attacks. In the 2-month period since September 11th 200,000 jobs have been lost in aviation. With the unemployment rate at its highest in the past 20 years the government cannot afford an even larger decrease in jobs. After 2 years this $10 billion will be decreased to $7 billion. This is an optimistic assumption that within this time period the airlines will be able to stabilize from the emergency and also be able to adapt to the new demands on their business. However, it is important to continue the aid for the final 3 years because it is unlikely that all the new changes that need to be made can be accomplished in 2 years and also because you have to allow time for the consumer trends to swing back to a place of normalcy in which more people are utilizing the services of the airline industry. The $15 billion increase in unemployment benefits will include both a lengthening of weeks unemployment is received. The time period will be increased for two reasons. Firstly, the job market is currently suffering because of a lack in consumption by the US public, which is a trend that is hard to predict. Secondly, increasing the time period helps worker efficiency. If workers take more time to search they may find jobs that are more appropriate for their skills, which enhances efficiency. There will be no formal time decrease on the amount of aid given to the unemployment program. Rather the aid will be adjusted over the five-year span in accordance to the unemployment trends being experienced. The hope is that after the first 2 years of the US dealing with this new threat and recovering from the attacks that an increase in consumer confidence will help the job market. If this is the case then the allotment to unemployment will be decreased by $5 billion. The last part of the aid category focuses on specifically aiding New York City. For 2 years this aid will be $6 billion dollars and then after will be decreased to $3 billion. This money is in addition to the emergency aid already provided to the city, which approximates $20 billion dollars. Instead of going simply to debris clean up and over time this money will try and help rebuild the New York economy. After the first 2 years the program will begin to

Person who i admire essays

Person who i admire essays The person who i admire most is Juana INes de la criz. She was born in Mexico. She was a smart girl. When she was four years old she learned how to read. When she grew up she was showing all talents and also her beliefs.She was a poet and also the first woman to open the school for women. I think her best qualities are that she was a fighter, she was brave and the she never gave up. Juana Ines de la cruz was a fighter. She fought for women. She wanted and made equal rights for them. She wanted women to study and go to school like the men did. In those days the school was just for the men, and no women were allowed. They thought the women were just for cleaning the house and taking care of their children. But Juana though differently. She thought the womenhad the same rights and opportunities as the men. So she kept studing and studing and when she tried to get in to college they told her that it was just for men. So she entered the college dressed as a man and acting like a man, but they disciovered her and she was expelled from the college. She never gave up. After she was expelled from college she got into a convent with nins. So that way she kept studying and did not marry. That is where she started writing poems about like, how the men and all the society were unfair with the women. One of her poems i like most is called "Hombres Necios." Thas means "Ignorant men." It talks about what the men let women do and what they don't. i think is a grat poem because it says a lot true things about men, women and life. Sge demostrated how brave she was. The society where she lived was ahainst the poems she wrote and her beliefs, but atthough the people were against her, she kept with her own beliefs. She did not stop, until she proved that shool was also for women. sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was a fighter, brave and, the kind of woman that admire her because she is the woman who fought for the freedom of women and for e...

Pakistan humanitarian needs (Solar energy and Clean water plants) Assignment

Pakistan humanitarian needs (Solar energy and Clean water plants) - Assignment Example There is clear evidence that Islamists are part of political system following the election of Rehman as the leader of opposition. Tribalism is evident by the number of killings in areas occupied by different tribes like Uzbeks and Chechens. Ethno-nationalism is also evident when militants destroyed energy producing station in Balochistan (Gladstone, 120). The author has a number of claims regarding Pakistan as a weak country due to various reasons including failure to protect its citizens. The author has substantial evidences to support the claims derived from undesirable acts from different groups posing threats to the country. After the analysis of the claims, I have effectively understood the humanitarian needs of the Pakistan people. The cruel acts of militants evident after destruction of Kari-Dor Bridge and Sui gas plants have greatly contributed to answering of the research question. This has given me clear insight of the question. The need for clean water plants and the solar energy to improve the well being of the citizens can be derived

The Influence Of Technology On Hospitality Firms Essay

The Influence Of Technology On Hospitality Firms - Essay Example The hospitality industry is a very wide and far reaching industry that covers many businesses and people. It has been defined as including hotels, restaurant, and all facilities that provide shelter, food, and other services to people away from home. Hence, there is an appreciation of the grand scale of facilities that are covered within the hospitality industry. This article will assess the role that technology has played in ensuring that this industry has continued to be effectively managed (Barrows & Powers, 2009). Technology in the Hospitality Industry The hospitality industry has for a long time been slow in adopting technology. Due to its sensitive nature, the hospitality firms have always been more interested in enhancing interpersonal contact with their clients rather than having technology do the same for them (Jones, 2008). The need to ensure that the clients get that personal touch has seen the hospitality industry get the description of being ‘low tech and high touc h’. Jones argues that the human interaction has remained of paramount importance in the hospitality industry (Jones, 2008). However, there has been a move towards the adoption of Information Technology (IT) within this industry. Several benefits can be achieved from the adoption of technology within the hospitality industry. ... Additionally, technology can be helpful to employees who deal with clients to customize the whole interaction process (Jones, 2008). This means that the hospitality firm will still be within its paramount goal of enhancing inter-personal contact with the clientele. Conversely, in this case, the technology will come in to enhance the whole experience making it more pleasant to the client. As a result, this will be helpful in ensuring that the firm gets a return customer. On the other hand, the customers will also benefit from the adoption of technology by the hospitality firm. In essence, they will be in a position to use technology independently to customize service delivery, and his/her delight (Jones, 2008). This means that there are cases when the customer who is known to frequently use the services of a hospitality firm gets to enjoy a form of special treatment whenever they visit the firm. The Ritz Carlton, for example, has a service, which allows it to handle sudden and unexpec ted demands of a client. This also includes arranging to have the client’s preferences of food, and other services such as entertainment provided whenever the client has visited the hotel (Jones, 2008). The emergence of the Web 2.0 has been a great influence on the habits of tourists. It has a tremendous amount of influence on the manner that they plan and consume travel related products (Fuchs et al, 2012). This means that there is a lot of potential to involve the internet in the hospitality industry. A travelling agency can take advantage of this fact to place all its packages online. With different destinations, as well as the costs of each package, a client will go through all this information, and then settle on what they think suits them. All this can easily

Six sigma theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Six sigma theory - Essay Example and then compare them to the statistics of their performance after which a measure is undertaken to help determine the suitability of current study strategies. Remarkably, a student who employs the six-sigma theory is observed to not only forgo their previous strategies, but also measure previous success based on these strategies, which facilitate the identification of where the problem is in case of deteriorating academic results. An eminent observation also in real life application of six-sigma theory in academics is the fundamental aim of the theory, which involves the implementation of improved measurement-based strategies (Rojas 104). These strategies focus on the improvement of the existing measures that help a student design and implement changes to the unsuccessful study process. The students is also matches his/her performance to develop the requirements needed for implementing the new study process. Additionally, a student is able constitute and implement new control that prevent the problem of failing in certain course/subjects and uphold the results achieved from the achievements. Another observation in the application of the theory in academics is that students are able to reflect on their improved strategies to safeguard long-lasting success. Rojas, Alejandro J. Sustaining Student Achievement: Six Sigma Strategies And Successful Urban School District Superintendents. 1st ed. Los Angeles, California: University of Southern California, 2008.

Art. 121 of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea

Art. 121 of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea Discuss the interpretation of Art. 121 of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea after the decision in PCA-Case N ° 2013-19, Philippines vs China. Are there general conclusions to be drawn which can assist in other similar disputes around the world? Siderakos Panourgias Introduction On the 22nd of January 2013, the Republic of Philippines commenced, under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an arbitration procedure against the Peoples Republic of China. The dispute concerned the South China Sea and is mainly known as the South China Sea Arbitration (PCA case number 2013-19). The arbitration was made before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). The Republic of Philippines claimed the violation of the UNCLOS Convention as long as historic rights, the source of maritime entitlements, the status of certain maritime features in the South China Sea were concerned and also doubted the lawfulness of specific actions by the Republic of China in the specific area. In particular, Chinas rights were disputed over specific islands (island formations within the nine-dash line). However, China denied to accept the arbitration and did not participate in the whole procedure as it did not recognize the jurisdiction of the PCA in the spec ific case. Area of Interest The South China Sea is a sea in the west Pacific Ocean and covers an approximate area of 3.5 million km ². From north, it is surrounded by the mainland of China, Taiwan and Vietnam, from west there is Philippines, Malaysia and Sumatra and from south there is Borneo. Within this sea there are island and reef formations, from which the most important are the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, Pratas, the Natuna Islands and Scarborough Shoal (fig. 1). The wider area of the South China Sea is very unique and interesting because annually, approximately one third of the global maritime traffic goes through these waters. The fishing stocks of the area are massive. Moreover, Japan and South Korea rely mainly on the South China Sea for their fuel and material supply and their trading, too. It is also believed by scientists that underneath the seabed, it contains huge reserves of natural gas and oil. In addition, the South China Sea is the area which contains highly considerable, ree f ecosystems of high biodiversity importance. All the factors mentioned above have obviously transformed the South China Sea into a very conflicting area with essential, economic and geostrategic benefits for decades now. Main Historical Background The general dispute over the South China Sea has begun many years ago, from the decade of 1940s after the WWII. More specific, in 1947 the Republic of China (Taiwan) published a map of the South China Sea with an eleven-dash line area, which included many island formations that claimed to be under its sovereignty. Two of the dashes at the Gulf of Tonkin were later removed in 1949, when the Communist Party of China took over the mainland of China, forming the famous nine-dash line area in the South China Sea (Wu Shicun, 2013). In 1951, Japan renounced all claims to the Spartly Islands of the Republic of China (Taiwan). As a result, the Chinese government proceeded to a specific declaration, reestablishing Chinas sovereignty over the wider area of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands. The Philippines, from their side, based their claim for the sovereignty over the Spartly Islands to the geographical proximity. Over the years, many events escalated the dispute. One of these was in 1956 when the President of the Philippines, Tomas Cloma and a group of his people, settled on the islands, even stole the national flag of China from the Taiping Island, and declared the islands as a protectorate of the Philippines with the name of Freedomland. A couple of months later he returned Chinas flag to the Chinese embassy in Manila and wrote a letter apologizing and claiming that he would not proceed to any similar actions in the future. In the 1970s, some countries began to invade and occupy islands and reefs in the Spratly Islands. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) from its side claimed that it was entitled to the Paracel and Spratly Islands because they were seen as integral parts of the Ming dynasty. The Republic of China (Taiwan) took control of the Taiping Island (the largest one in the island formation) since 1946. Vietnam claimed that the islands have belonged to it since the 17th century, using historical documents of ownership as evidence. Hanoi began to occupy the westernmost islands during this period. In the early 1970s, Malaysia joined the dispute by claiming the islands nearest to it. Brunei also extended its exclusive economic zone and claimed Louisa Reef. Discussion The dispute, as mentioned in the introduction, begun in 2013 when Philippines started a tribunal arbitration with the PRC, complaining about the legality of specific actions in the South China Sea, the legal basis of maritime rights and entitlements in the specific region and the status of certain geographic features. The basis, on which this arbitration and all its results must stand, is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Philippines accused PRC that the historical rights over the Spratly Islands had no serious evidence, it was responsible for artificial-constructed islands that ruined the natural environment and also for the over-exploitation of the South China Sea from Chinese fishermen under its permission and tolerance. UNCLOS The UNCLOS is a convention that was signed in 1982. Both the Philippines and the PRC are members of it, having it ratified in May 1984 and June 1996, respectively. The most basic and essential aim of this Convention was the desire of the States Parties to settle, in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, all issues relating to the law of the sea and aware of the historic significance of this Convention as an important contribution to the maintenance of peace, justice and progress for all peoples of the world (UNCLOS). The Convention was ratified by the number of 168 States. In its articles, a very wide range of issues are being analyzed. A small listing of them includes territorial and internal waters, transit and innocent passage of ships, to Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Continental Shelf and sovereignty on resources. More specifically, it provides the coastal States the framework in order to establish the zones and their limits, in which they exercise their national jurisdiction. Moreover, in the Convention, a specific organization is authorized in order to resolve peacefully any dispute that will arise between States in the future. This organization is the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). The PCA was the organization that Philippines asked for its tribunal arbitration in the case of the South China Sea, using the Annex VII of the Convention. The most relevant, with our case, zones are the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Continental Shelf, the High Seas and the Area. However, the PCA was not responsible and of course could not address the sovereignty over land territories, in particular over the Spratly Islands or the Scarborough Shoal. A matter that was clearly stated in the South China Sea Arbitration Award of 12 July 2016. Article 121 Interpretation In this report, the article that has more importance is the article 121. According to the UNCLOS, the article 121 states that: 1. An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide. 2. Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of an island are determined in accordance with the provisions of this Convention applicable to other land territory. 3. Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The three paragraphs of the article 121 mentioned exactly as in the Convention above, play a major role in the arrangement of the jurisdictions and sovereignties all over the world, as long as there are waters and islands in them. Firstly, paragraph 1 states with great clearance the definition of the island. A naturally formed area of land, surrounded by waterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ automatically excludes everything that is artificially created. No artificial-constructed islands can be considered as natural. As a result, artificial islands cannot have any maritime zones around them (contiguous zone, EEZ, continental shelf etc.). The only zone that they can legally have is a safety zone that cannot extend to more than 500 meters from its outer edges. The purposes of this safety zone are completely for maritime safety reasons. Moreover, if an artificial island can be officially proved to be a maritime danger according to the international maritime safety standards due to abandoning or misuse, it will be completely removed on its whole. (unclos article 60) Secondly, in paragraph 2 it is clearly stated that natural-formed islands have all the legal maritime zones around them as all other land territories do. A very strong statement, that designates many rights but also obligations to the sovereign State as long as the maritime zones are concerned and all their characteristics. Thirdly, paragraph 3 gives the most important statement from the whole article. That is that any small island (rock) with no human habitation or economic life can have no EEZ. A statement that is both clear and logical, because having a small island with an oil platform, a casino or a military base on it, does not automatically make it a real island with an Exclusive Economic Zone. The human habitation could not be supported by its own powers and the economic life cannot be developed on a social basis. If a fact like this could be legal, that would extend the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the owning State 200 nautical miles even further into the ocean, interfering with other coastal States rights and jurisdictions. Chinas interpretation over Article 121 It was inevitable that Chinas interpretation over the article 121 would raise many objections from its side. The most important matter for China, that it referred to many times officially, was the Japanese Oki-no-Tori-shima rock. Oki-no-Tori-shima is an atoll, located in the western Pacific Ocean between Okinawa and the Northern Mariana Islands, of which only two small portions naturally protrude above water at high tide.(Award) Under that definition, and following directly the directions of the Article 121 (3), China denied the existence of continental shelf of the Oki-no-Tori-shima rock as it cannot sustain human habitation or economic life on its own. A rock that is currently under Japanese sovereignty and jurisdiction. A general acceptance of the non-existence of the continental shelf of the current rock, would automatically reduce the Japanese rights in the specific area by two hundred nautical miles. A huge area with many benefits, both social and economic, as it affects both the local life of people fishing in this area but also the exploitation of possible deposits in the seabed. A possibility, supported by many scientists and theories, which could easily bring in enormous amounts of profits to the owning State. Furthermore, China claims sovereignty both on the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal. Its actions imply that China considers Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao in Chinese) as a fully entitled island, naturally formed and with all the following maritime zones around it. Such actions (e.g. the banning of fishing north of 12 ° North latitude and the objection in petroleum surveys and concessions in the area) specifically signifies Chinas thoughts and considerations over the Scarborough Island in the wider area and its rights and jurisdictions on it. Tribunals decisions The CPA reached adjudication, mainly rejecting any claims of China in the South China Sea by historic title. Furthermore, in accordance to Article 121, the CPA did not recognize the Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal as naturally formed islands. Therefore, these low-tide elevations cannot generate maritime zones around them. Also, it declared that Subi Reef, Gaven Reef (South), Hughes Reef, Scarborough Shoal, Gaven Reef (North), McKennan Reef, Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef are not islands that can sustain human habitation or economic life, so they do not have the right of any maritime zone. Finally, it declared that the Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal are within the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines. In general, as seen above, the CPA did not recognize any sovereign rights or jurisdictions of China related to the nine-dash line area, claiming that this area is completely contrary to the UNCLOS and has no legality. It also stated the breach of Chinas obligations amongst environmental protection of the area and its biodiversity, and also illegal prevention of traditional fishing in the area from the fishermen of the State of Philippines. Similar disputes around the world As described above, from the dispute of the South China Sea between the PRC and the Philippines many general conclusions were made. These conclusions can be easily used in similar disputes around the world, however proper attention must be paid as each situation has its own unique parameters. Such areas are many; two of the most famous are the Aegean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. In the Aegean Sea, Greece and Turkey have disputes that have started many decades before. These disputes include sovereign rights and jurisdictions over islands in the Aegean and the right of Search And Rescue (SAR) operations in its waters. In the Caribbean Sea there is a dispute along the neighboring States about the environmental protection of the area and the general maritime safety. Firstly, the main conclusion from the South China Sea that is very useful to concentrate on is the fact that an adjudication from which one of the two States does not take part in, is considered to be non applicable. From the moment that China does not recognize the award of the PCA and its jurisdiction, no real facts and results can be expected in the region rather than a continuous conflict with unexpected incidents or accidents. So, almost in every similar case around the world, it is almost for sure that there will never be a unanimous agreement from all the sides of the dispute in order to reach a peaceful and cooperative agreement. For example, in the Aegean Sea, Turkey has been claiming (mainly under the presidency of Recep Tayyip ErdoÄÅ ¸an) that many islands are Turkish. The Greek government obviously does not accept that, referring to the UNCLOS and the Treaty of Lausanne, claiming that all Turkeys claims are illegal. As a result, Turkey has never accepted to discuss o ver the conventions and treaties mentioned above, as it serves its own aims and rights in the region of the Aegean Sea. Secondly, another main conclusion is the fact that no artificial islands can be considered to be natural. Therefore, they cannot have any maritime zones around them. This forbids the right to any State that builds an artificial island to claim any jurisdiction or sovereign right around the waters of the island, which could possibly collide to another neighboring States continental shelf from its mainland or a natural island with human habitation and developed economic life on it. Finally, the existence of a rock just emerging over the surface of the sea does not constitute a land, capable of having continental shelf or exclusive economic zone. A conclusion that can be very useful in many disputes around the world and could force many States to reconsider their continental shelves and EEZs. Conclusion In conclusion, the case of the Philippines against the Peoples Republic of China over the South China Sea is very interesting and its award and conclusions are very useful for the whole world and the society of the international maritime law. The articles of the UNCLOS Convention were strictly followed by the CPA, reestablishing Philippines rights and jurisdictions on specific regions of the wider area. Moreover, it recognized the illegal actions of China in the area, concerning the protection of the marine environment and the actions against the fishermen of other neighboring States. Although these conclusions can be used for the interpretation and analysis of other similar cases and disputes around the world (e.g. the Aegean Sea, the Caribbean Sea), many other factors must be taken into consideration for the final outcome. Factors such as the general geographic status of the area, the already signed Conventions or Treaties of the conflicting States and the geostrategic importance o f the area, can completely alter the final outcome of the dispute. In addition, special organizations must be formed in order to resolve similar disputes. Organizations that will be globally accepted, with representatives from all the binding States. It must never be forgotten that a dispute over an area with great profits and benefits, can easily end up in a combat clash with many casualties from both sides. An undesirable outcome that does not promote peace in the world between States, one of the most fundamental principles of the UNCLOS. Figure 1: Map of the South China Sea, including the nine-dash line area      Ã‚  

Paradise Lost Essay -- essays research papers

Paradise Lost: an Essay Upon viewing the documentary, â€Å"Paradise Lost†, one of my first impressions was a feeling of shock at the hysteria surrounding the case, and how heavily it impacted the trial. Another area of concern was the tenuous (or nonexistent) evidence tying these youths to these horrible murders. The entire essence of the prosecution’s case was a confession of questionable authenticity by Jessie Misskelley, Jr, coupled with a community-based fear of a satanic ritual having occurred. Such trials and convictions, sadly, are not new in the American experience. Many such mockeries of justice have taken place in our history, the most infamous being, of course, the Salem witch trials. Fortunately, the extremely weak bases for the convictions of the defendants are being systematically torn down, thanks to the appeals process. It is still disturbing to note, however, that an entire community can be thrown into a panic, based solely on fear and ignorance coupled with sensationalism. One of the most interesting pieces of data that my research has turned up is a very compelling, meticulously researched, and extremely detailed forensic analysis by Brent Turvey, MS, of the crime, along with a psychological profile of the possible killers. It is attached to this essay in its entirety. The main conclusions of this analysis are in marked contrast to the conclusions reached by the Arkansas investigative authorities. Among the more significant are the following: 1. The natu...

Land use in Covent Garden

Aims: * Land use in Covent Garden is characterised by commercial retail and office functions. We will be looking at how buildings are used vertically what functions are present on each floor of every building. This will help us distinguish fact from fiction about land use in Covent Garden * It is possible to identify distinct vertical land use zones in Covent Garden. How easy is it to tell how levels are being used in Covent Garden? * The CBD suffers high levels of traffic congestion. This can be investigated by doing a traffic survey. We will monitor traffic on different streets for 10 minutes each and the record the information and compare it to other streets. * The CBD is the most accessible part of the city. This is shown by high pedestrian densities. Like the traffic survey people counts will help us judge how densely populated Covent Garden really is with pedestrians. Background / History of Covent Garden: In the 1630s land formerly owned by Westminster Abbey was redeveloped by the 4th Earl of Bedford. He commissioned Architect Inigo Jones to design a piazza (a square). The piazza was designed with arcaded houses to the north and east (These are now all gone). This piazza was a public one. But this approach lead to its social downfall. The distinguished people who occupied the houses around the square soon began to get agitated by the lack of privacy. This set off the trend of people leaving Covent Garden. The Covent Garden began in a very small way in 1649 but expanded quite a lot when the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed other markets in the City. In the 1760s, the market occupied much of the piazza. The market, the nearby theatres in Drury Lane and Bow Street and the many public houses, Covent Garden acquired an extremely dubious reputation, though it was still popular. Soon the market began to dominate the piazza. The main building in the piazza which is seen today was erected in 1830 by Charles Fowler, but at the time did not then have a glass roof – that came in the 1870s. The first part of the Flower Market was put up in 1872 – it is now used by the London Transport Museum and the National Theatre Museum. By this time Covent Garden market had become the principal fruit & veg market of the country. Even before World War II, it was becoming evident that the market had to move from this very congested area of London. A long time after the war, a decision was made to move the market to Nine Elms. It was relocated there in 1973, leaving empty market buildings and many vacant premises. It is called the New Covent Garden Market but many people want the name to be changed to Nine Elms Market. One of the proposed redevelopment plans was to knock it all down and build a brand new metropolis of through highways, hotels and conference centres. There was a major barrier in this though, the residents of Covent Garden and the general public. Instead the market was transformed into a very popular shopping centre. Covent Garden has been associated with theatres for a very long time, the longest established being The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. Covent Garden wasn't always just a market and theatrical home, it was at one time thriving with coachmakers (especially in Long Acre), there have been lots of famous publishers and printers, notably Odhams Press. Sainsbury's began in Drury Lane. Moss Bros. began on the site of Tesco in Bedford Street, Moss Bros. are still located in Covent Garden. Samuel French, (Theatrical publishers) began in Wellington Street. Sotheby's, the auctioneers began in the same road. Also Covent Garden was the birthplace of Punch & Judy. Covent Garden has Protected Lands which are the Central Market, 25-31 James Street, 7, 9, 10 Floral Street, Bedford Chambers and Cubitts Yard and the Museum Blocks. The market itself has a very interesting history, it started life as a small market trying to balance out the lack of markets after the Great Fire but became the busiest fruit, vegetable and flower market of possibly the whole nation. Every morning at 4am market workers and retailers arrived to buy and sell their stocks in bulk. This continued for a long time and in the end the decision was made to move the market to Nine Elms to ease the pressure on the area put forward by the early morning congestion. Space was also fast running out is Covent Garden as it was continuously getting more and more popular with retailers and tourists alike. Background to Urban Geography Land use in a city varies from place to place, in one part of the city land use could purely be for housing and in another it could purely be for offices and commercial use. Many geographers make models and concentric diagrams; one of the most widely used is Burgess' Model. Burgess' Model has five zones; I. CBD – Central Business District II. Zone of Transition III. Low Class Residential IV. Medium Class Residential V. High Class Residential Another land use model is the Hoyt Model which shows how cities are laid out. Hoyt's model also has five zones with the same names but is set out differently: There are other ways of showing how land is used in a city one being transect maps, these are diagrams showing land usage across from one end of the city to the other, with the CBD in the middle. Land values also mean a lot and these are shown with Bid-Rent curves;

7 Outstanding Language-Learning Apps and Websites

7 Outstanding Language-Learning Apps and Websites The most excellent websites and applications for language mastering Quite often even English-speaking person faces the need to learn some other language, being under specific circumstances. As the modern world provides you with the ability to enjoy the charms of electronic world, you can perform studying online via web sites from your PC, laptop or some pocket device that is quite useful. Below, you may find the greatest tools and websites that can help you master the knowledge on a language. LIVING LANGUAGE For persons who treat learning as a significant task, this site is the very place to begin. Here you can find about 20 languages which you are able to master. A lot of options are present here: specific notes, recordings in audio format, vocabulary and grammar. Among the most popular are e-touring with the speakers of a native tongue and using of games as a part of the study. Do it online, with the use of the applications or order the corresponding edition. If you do not want to pay – use Living Language’s Free Resources section, in which there are numerous PDFs for reading at any time you want. BBC Languages The web site gives you a great choice of about 40 languages to perceive. Concerning seven languages, like German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek and Chinese you get more features with assessments tests to define the level of the knowledge, depending on which you receive the corresponding materials and resources. And it should be noticed that here you can find a lot of videos for free that is really great opportunity. DUOLINGO This chargeless site with a wonderful interface design proposes learning of languages combining the processes of writing, reading, speaking and listening. Another interesting feature is that for positive results you gain extra points and in addition are able to share your results with friends. There is the set of many languages of Europe for you. You are able to study several languages during the same period without a need to pay additionally charges. LIVEMOCHA The key feature of Livemocha site is the ability to associate with native speakers. Though special membership is not for free, you can acquire lesson credits by helping other users in learning, for example, by editing of content or providing your comments concerning their pronunciations through audio recordings. Additionally, clients can attend virtual online classes or book online sessions, depending on their peculiar circumstances and conditions in studying. BUSUU BUSUU is the place where more than 60 million speakers of native tongue share their knowledge and assist each other to study languages. Here there are full language courses with short lessons that ideally suit for day-by-day life, working and travelling. The exercises are checked and edited by the native language speakers from all over the world. Such interaction between users is very efficient and productive, resulting in fast gained and positive results. The site provides instructions in most of European languages and also Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. FOREIGN SERVICES INSTITUTE To some extent specific site that has kind of simple interface, but complex set of knowledge. The FSI site stores a lot of materials for more than 45 tongues. They are of very high quality and were developed by highly-skilled linguists. Here such languages as Serbo-Croatian, Sinhala or Maranao Igbo are represented for you. Though the site stores government-sponsored content in public domain, in real it is maintained by private individuals. MEMRISE Those who prefer to use visual comprehension to perceive information Memrise site offers â€Å"mems†, mnemonic flash card generated by users with the concern to fancy and art drawing that help to enlarge your vocabulary. Here there are tens of hundreds of chargeless courses in various languages at your disposal. And you can even be the one to create such mems especially for other members that will open your new abilities not only to study material, but also to generate it for others. Use these apps and make the language-learning activities easy and fun!

Columbus City Schools

Columbus City Schools Free Online Research Papers Columbus City Schools is formerly known as Columbus Public Schools. It is the official school district for the city of Columbus, Ohio and is one of the most progressive urban districts in the nation. Columbus City Schools is the second largest school district in Ohio. CCS has approximately 56,000 students enrolled, which equates to most of the citys families. (2008) The district has been recognized with many honors. Columbus City Schools employs approximately 4,800 teachers and 330 administrators. (2008) The district offers a very competitive salary and benefit package. In addition to the benefits, CCS enables certified employees to proceed with their education at no cost due to fee waiver programs at the citys area colleges and universities. (2008) Columbus City Schools recently implemented the Kronos Workforce Management System which has had a strong affect on the organization. The Kronos, which is a workforce management software better known as a time clock. (2003-2008)Kronos has been implemented within the district to help improve student outcomes through efficient workforce management. The district has a vision that if employees are better managed than they will deliver superior student education. The districts top management believes many elements contribute to excellent student outcomes. Among these elements are: (1) High performing teachers and staff; (2) Minimal administrative costs; (3) Sufficient funds for classrooms; (4) Efficient district operations. In order for these elements to produce the positive student outcomes, an effective workforce management is what is required. (2003-2008) The Kronos systems is suppose to provide our district with a comprehensive workforce management solution that enables the saving of labor dollars and maximizing education resources. (2003-2008) The systems should also do the following; (1) increase funds available for education students; (2) pay teachers and staff accurately and on time; (3) manage district operations effectively and efficiently; (4) enhance compliance with labor laws and collective bargaining units; (5) Improve teacher consistency and school support services; (6) maximize use of grant dollars. The downfall of this implemented change is that the Kronos system will not be utilized by all employees of the district but only the hourly employees, which is causes reason for resistance. (2003-2008) The Kronos system was just recently implemented so up until two years ago, employees werent concerned with the tight management of their work hours which is another reason to resist this drastic and prompt change. Employees have demonstrated passive resistance toward this change. Symptoms displayed by employees include procrastinating or dragging their feet on fully implementing the Kronos, feigning ignorance as far as remembering to utilize the time clock, and allowing change to fail by again not using the time clock properly. Columbus City Schools could have prevented the resistance to this change by educating and communicating this change to its employees before drastically springing this change onto them in the mist of the ball rolling. The district could have also welcomed feedback from the employees or at least middle management. The number one prevention would have been to equally implement this change across the whole district to affect every employee and not just a select g roup. I would enhance the organizations ability to overcome resistance to change by implementing a situational approach such as Kotter and Schlesinger s Methods for Managing Resistance to Change. (2006) This approach include six methods for preventing or managing resistance: (1) Education and communication; (2) Participation and involvement; (3) Facilitation and support; (4) Negotiation and agreement; (5) Manipulation and cooptation; (6) Explicit and implicit coercion. (Kotter, J 1996) I choose this approach because I think the implementation of change should proceed through each of these six methods. I think the employees should be educated on the change and provided with the necessary information regarding the change and its effects. To ensure that the employees arent resisting, they should be involved in the change process. For those employees still resistant due to uncertainty, there should be resources provided. For actual and/or potential resistors, there should incentives offered. As last resorts, manipulation and coercion should be used. Offering the selective use of information and roles in the change process should be used before actually threatening with undesirable consequences. (2006) I would implement each of Kotters eight step change model by using the following steps (Kotter, J 1996): (1) Increasing urgency –There would need to be a sense of urgency created around the need for change in hopes that it will spark the initial motivation to get things moving. In order to do this, I will need to create an open an honest and convincing dialogue about whats happening within the organization, offer dynamic and convincing reasons to get people talking and thinking. Potential threats should be identified and scenarios developed showing what could happen in the future. I would also request support from top management, board members, and the community to strengthen my argument. Kotters model suggest that â€Å"for change to be successful, 75% of a companys management needs to buy into the change.†(Kotter, J 1996) In other words, I would really need to work hard on step one by spending significant time and energy building urgency. before moving onto the nex t steps. I dont want to act to fast because I could be risk experiencing short-term losses. (2) Building the guiding team – In order to form a powerful coalition, I would need to convince people that change is necessary. A powerful coalition usually includes strong leadership and visible support from key people within the organization. My coalition would be comprised of influential people whose power comes from a variety of sources, including job title, status, expertise, and political importance. After the team is formed, we will then work as a team, continuing to build urgency and momentum around the need for change. (Kotter, J 1996) (3) Get the vision right – A clear vision can help everyone understand why youre asking them to do something. When people see for themselves what youre trying to achieve, then the directives theyre given tend to make more sense. What I could do to get the vision right, is determine the values that are central to the change. I would also need to create a written vision that captures what I see as the future of the organization. (Rose, 2002) More importantly, a strategy on how to execute the vision would need to be created. (Kotter, J 1996) (4) Communicate for buy-in – My vision will more than likely have strong competition from other day-to-day communications within the company, so I will need to communicate the vision frequently and powerfully, and embed it within everything that you do. When I keep the vision fresh on everyones minds, theyll remember it and respond to it. A good practice to have is to demonstrate the kind of behavior that I want from others. (Kotter, J 1996) (5) Remove Obstacles – Removing obstacles will empower the people I need to execute the organizations vision and help the change move forward. I will also identify change leaders whose main roles are to deliver the change. I will evaluate the organizational structure, job descriptions, and performance and compensation systems to ensure theyre in line with your vision. (Rose, 2002) Recognize and reward people for making change happen. I need to put in place a structure for change, and continually check for barriers to it. Identify people who are resisting the change, and help them see whats needed. (Kotter, J 1996) (6) Create short-term wins – I should offer my company early victories because nothing motivates more than success. Within a short time frame (such as a 6 months or a year), I should have results that my staff can see progress. Without this, critics and negative thinkers might hurt my progress. I will need to create short-term targets that are achievable. (Rose, 2002) There will need to be a thorough analysis the potential pros and cons of the short-term targets because if we dont succeed with an early goal, it could hurt the entire change initiative. Finally, I should reward the people who help meet the short-term targets. (Kotter, J 1996) (7) Consolidate gains Kotter states â€Å"that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early†. (Kotter, J 1996)Real change runs deep and quick wins are only the beginning of what needs to be done to achieve long-term change. Each success provides an opportunity to build on what went right and identify what you can improve. I will set goals to continue building on the momentum the organization has achieved thus far. I will keep ideas fresh by bringing in new change agents and leaders for my change coalition. (Kotter, J 1996) (8) Make change stick To make any change stick, the change should become part of the core of my organization. I will need to make continuous efforts to ensure that the change is seen in every aspect of my organization. This effort will help give the change a solid place in my organizations culture. Its also important that my companys leaders continue to support the change. If I lose the support of these people, I might end up back where I started. The leaders should talk about progress every chance they get by telling success stories about the change process, and repeat other stories that theyve heard. When hiring and training new staff, I should include the change ideals and values. I should publicly recognize key members of my original change coalition and make sure their contributions are remembered. It is important to create plans to replace key leaders of change as they move on to ensure that their legacy is not lost or forgotten. (Kotter, J 1996) In conclusion, you have to work hard to change an organization successfully. When you plan carefully and build the proper foundation, implementing change can be much easier, and youll improve the chances of success. Based on my knowledge acquired from MBA 770, if you create a sense of urgency, recruit powerful change leaders, build a vision and effectively communicate it, remove obstacles, create quick wins, and build on your momentum, you can help make the change part of your organizational culture. Research Papers on Columbus City SchoolsStandardized TestingResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Project Managment Office SystemNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceTwilight of the UAWAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaOpen Architechture a white paperThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is Art

Aquinas for Armchair Theologians by Timothy Renick Essay

Aquinas for Armchair Theologians by Timothy Renick - Essay Example If God is as powerful as we are led to believe, he should have the ability to eliminate Satan. However, saying that God cannot get rid of Satan brings into question a possible limitation of God’s power. Furthermore, if God is all good, he should want to terminate evil and injustice, and thus Satan. By continuing to allow Satan to wreak havoc on God’s marvelous creation, God’s goodness is being undermined. In an attempt to understand the presence of evil in the world, believers and skeptics alike are throwing God’s entire being into a circle of doubt and confusion. Aquinas steps in and tries to set the argument straight. Aquinas believes that God does not make evil; he is only capable of creating good. Evil is not a substance, a physical thing, but simply the removal of some of the good from a wholly good object. This still causes people to believe that God is the creator of evil. The Manichees believe that God is a co-creator with Satan; evil is a substanc e, and Satan is its source. Aquinas, as well as many others, refuse to accept this, as it puts Satan on the same level with God. Aquinas enforces the idea that evil is not created, but a subtraction of good. As an example, Renick turns to Adolf Hitler, claiming that, under Aquinas’s ideals, Hitler was wholly good, but a portion of this good was removed. He used his created talents for evil ends. God made good, but Hitler did evil. In the first chapter of Genesis, God made the world and â€Å"it was very good.† There are no exceptions to this. God created Satan to be completely good, though not perfect. When Satan rebelled against god, he did not become evil; his angelic abilities were still there and they were good, but he used these attributes for evil. Satan is good, yet his actions are evil. Nevertheless, we now must figure out who or what causes this removal of good. If God is the cause of the removal of good, that would make God responsible for the existence of ev il, which brings us back to the beginning of the argument. Aquinas’s perception of this part of the debate is that we, as imperfect human beings, must expect and accept that good has the ability to decay. God may be the cause of all the things that happen, but he is not morally responsible for the evil acts of human beings. The argument of God and evil turns into an argument of human beings having free choice. John Calvin and Martin Luther were under the impression that humans could not possibly have free choice, otherwise it would undermine God’s ability to be all-knowing. Calvin believed that everything we say and do is predestined by God. We have no choice but to do it, and therefore have no free will. Aquinas’s argument is more accepted by Christians, and some skeptics. Aquinas believed that if we lacked tree freedom and all is predestined by God, God could not be just. If humans have no free choice because everything is a product of God’s control, th e God punishes people for actions that are not their own. God would be unjust, which is a characteristic that goes completely against who God is. Aquinas pushes the concept that God is timeless to help further straighten out the argument. Humans may see what is behind them, and they may aware of what is ahead of them, but only to a certain point. God sees everything as it happens at once, but not before

Cross Culture Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cross Culture Management - Essay Example The nature of the Indian culture comprises of people who believe in sharing love with one another yet fall short on the count of being good to them all the same. What this means is the fact that the Indians are very sensitive within their judgments and hence could lead to a number of consequences in the long run for their own domains (Henderson, 2002). The culture of India is a mixture of the Hindu and Muslim religions since Hindus are in majority while Muslims are also in a sizable proportion. India is famous for its culture manifestations through films, music, cricket and so on. These have essentially bolstered the basis of India as a country all over the world, and people know that India is one nation where one can expect color and excitement as the people like to live their lives to the maximum. The culture of India has many different forms since this is one country whose population is more than 1 and a half billion, making it the second most populous country in the world after C hina. India serves a huge population and hence its culture is manifested in a number of different ways and means. The culture of India is such that the people derive pleasure from its varied manifestations and representations. The celebrities form an essential part of the Indian culture and this is easily witnessed on the television, in the movies and on the outdoors. What is interesting to note is the fact that India boasts of a population that absolutely cherishes the idea of dance and music (Cohen, 2000). The people believe it to be a part of their everyday lives, and hence the reason that th