Crosby V. National Foreign Trade Council

Crosby V. National Foreign Trade Council (99-474) 530 U. S. 363 (2000) 181 F. 3d 38, Affirmed. Crosby, Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts, Et Al. V. National Foreign Trade Council. Certiorari to the United States Court Of Appeals for the First Circuit. No. 99—474. Argued March 22, 2000–Decided June 19, 2000 2. Substantive Facts The State of Massachusetts barred companies of the state from going into financial negotiations with those companies that were having financial transaction with Burma.This law was passed in 1996. This law was followed by a subsequent conditional and mandatory imposition of sanctions on Burma by the Congress. After these incidents dissents arise from different quarters and the Council acted as respondent suited a file against the State of Massachusetts. The reason behind this was that much of the members of the Council were affected by the law. This suit was filed in the Federal Court. 3. Procedural HistoryThe main aspects of the issue was related to the fact that it was claimed that the State of Massachusetts was acting in an unconstitutional manner and it was an alleged infringement â€Å"on the federal foreign affairs power, violates the Foreign Commerce Clause, and is preempted by the federal Act. The District Court permanently enjoined the state Act’s enforcement, and the First Circuit affirmed† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1). 4. Issues legal questionThe fundamental legal question in this context was whether it was permitted under the jurisdiction of the State of Massachusetts to intervene in issues related to imposition of law that would directly affect a State and whether it was permitted under the jurisdiction of the State of Massachusetts to infringe on the grounds of Federal Foreign Affairs. 5. Broad holding Under the broad parameters of the law it could be stated that it is important to uphold the national policies in order to defend the Congress’s intention of f oreign policies.Under the same parameters it could also be stated that the policies of the Federal Foreign Affairs should not face any obstacle under any circumstances. It could be stated that â€Å"the state Act interferes with Congress’s intention to limit economic pressure against the Burmese Government to a specific range† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1). 6. Narrow holding The specific facts of this case indicated that the â€Å"Congress’s failure to preempt state and local sanctions demonstrates implicit permission–is unavailing† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1).However it should be stated that the basic assumption of the Supreme Court Clause hardly recognizes the conflict of interest between State Law and Federal Law system. 7. Doctrinal Reasoning The ruling stated that â€Å"the state Act is preempted, and its application unconstitutional, under the Supremacy Clause† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1). It should be mentioned that the doctrinal reasoning behind this rule is based on different previous cases and follows a specific line of explanation.It was stated that â€Å"even without an express preemption provision, state law must yield to a congressional Act if Congress intends to occupy the field, California v. ARC America Corp. , 490 U. S. 93, 100, or to the extent of any conflict with a federal statute, Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U. S. 52, 66—67† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1). Additionally the† Barclays Bank PLC v. Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. , 512 U. S. 298† was also used (Supreme Court of The United States, 1).It was reasoned that the State law was barring the basic objectives and purposes of the Congress it was not possible to oblige both the Federal and the State Law at the same time and no individual or party was able to satisfy both laws at one time. It also stated that â€Å"the state Act is such an obstacle, for it undermines the intended purpose and natural effect of at least three federal Act provisions† (Supreme Court of The United States, 1). 8. Policy Reasoning The social consideration in this context of the case between Crosby V.National Foreign Trade Council was very clear and precise as the fundamental question of the case was directly related to the international status of the country and the credibility of the National Foreign Trade Council as an effective policy maker. Thus the greater aspects of the national integrity were taken into consideration while ruling. 9. Miscellaneous The basic dissent relating to the case Crosby V. National Foreign Trade Council raised from the fact that it was argued that the National Foreign Trade Council should not be taken into consideration while judging the internal financial activities of a State.It is also argued that a State is assumed as a fundamental sovereign power to impose of rule out policies that are associated with the State affairs. Thus it was argued that the ruling was against the sovereignty of the State. References: Supreme Court of The United States. 2000. Crosby V. National Foreign Trade Council (99-474) 530 U. S. 363 (2000). Supreme Court Collection: Cornell University Law School. Retrieved on 12. 09. 2007 from http://www. law. cornell. edu/supct/html/99-474. ZS. html

Globalization and inequality-short essay Essay

The process by which the lives of all people around the planet become increasingly interconnected in economic, cultural, political, and environmental terms, along with our awareness of such interconnections is known as globalization (Appelbaum, 2001). Globalization has pushed the world into the revolution of information. The planet has become connected through technological renovations and the interdependence of economic expansion. Nations have formed one agenda, one unit, and with it, emerges the concept of winners and losers. Globalization has increased the gap between rich and poor. As we form one world, the level of inequality rises, the strong nations get richer, and the weak nations get poorer. The retail business is revolutionizing due to globalization, yet inequality seems to be the intimidating factor that comes with it. Globalization is being driven by five major factors: customers, markets, technology, competition, and costs. The global marketplace exposes retailers to an unprecedented number of customers. The relaxation of trade barriers, creation of trade blocs, and opening of new markets has presented the world’s retailers with the option of going global. Outsourcing has made it possible for domestic companies in the United States and worldwide to increase profits by using â€Å"cheap labor† to produce the goods that consumers demand at a much lower price. â€Å"Minorities† from countries like Mexico,  Guatemala, and parts of Asia are exploited in the â€Å"global assembly line† in order for companies to gain prestige through outstanding economic efficiency. The dependency theory suggests that the poverty of low-income countries is the immediate consequence of their exploitation by the wealthy countries on which they are economically dependent (Appelbaum and Chambliss, 173). Third world countries are exploited in order for first world countries to get ahead in the national economic arena. Peasants work in international factories because it is the only way out of starvation; to choose to work is not a luxury of the poor, it is a means of survival. Like the social stratification that occurs within the US, the systematic inequalities will continue as we globalize, only the discriminated will now be the new foreign laborers. They become the losers in the game headed my national corporations. The winners are top executives of corporations like Gap Inc,  Nike, Guess, Adidas, and all the other major corporations in the world. Technology is a key facilitator, and the Internet is the great enabler. Technology has enabled retailers to shrink distances, integrate and connect value chains, and provide a rapidly increasing amount of information for storage, transfer, and use. Meanwhile, the Internet serves as a global channel, and provides retailers with unique opportunities, as well as challenges, for conducting business with both consumers and other businesses. As domestic markets become increasingly saturated, globalization represents a unique opportunity to attain competitive advantage, leveraging economic benefits such as improved economies of scale and increased bargaining power with many suppliers. The supporters of globalization claim that it leads to higher employment and therefore greater  prosperity, whereas opponents believe that globalization, in its current form, only serves to widen the gap between rich and poor. Economies of scale, pooling production and taking advantage of lower factor costs mean that business on a global scale can be cheaper; and lower costs give retailers more strategic options. Companies that do not necessarily want to support sweatshops feel pressure because of competition, competition that could offer lower prices and abundant amounts of production. Therefore, the way that we can promote change is by being educated consumers, and supporting companies that risk losing, for morality sake. Globalization is a double-edged sword; it is a game of win or lose. Though it provides an economic dependence of national manpower, many nations exploit each other in order to achieve profit and get ahead of the worldwide competition.

Analysis of the Use of Quantum Mechanics

Analysis of the Use of Quantum Mechanics Description of the theory There are a number of mathematically equivalent formulations of quantum mechanics. One of the oldest and most commonly used formulations is the transformation theory invented by Cambridge theoretical physicist Paul Dirac, which unifies and generalizes the two earliest formulations of quantum mechanics, matrix mechanics (invented by Werner Heisenberg) and wave mechanics (invented by Erwin Schrà ¶dinger). In this formulation, the instantaneous state of a quantum system encodes the probabilities of its measurable properties, or observables. Examples of observables include energy, position, momentum, and angular momentum. Observables can be either continuous (e.g., the position of a particle) or discrete (e.g., the energy of an electron bound to a hydrogen atom). Generally, quantum mechanics does not assign definite values to observables. Instead, it makes predictions about probability distributions; that is, the probability of obtaining each of the possible outcomes from measuring an observable. Naturally, these probabilities will depend on the quantum state at the instant of the measurement. There are, however, certain states that are associated with a definite value of a particular observable. These are known as eigenstates of the observable (eigen meaning own in German). In the everyday world, it is natural and intuitive to think of everything being in an eigenstate of every observable. Everything appears to have a definite position, a definite momentum, and a definite time of occurrence. However, Quantum Mechanics does not pinpoint the exact values for the position or momentum of a certain particle in a given space in a finite time, but, rather, it only provides a range of probabilities of where that particle might be. Therefore, it beca me necessary to use different words for a) the state of something having an uncertainty relation and b) a state that has a definite value. The latter is called the eigenstate of the property being measured. A concrete example will be useful here. Let us consider a free particle. In quantum mechanics, there is wave-particle duality so the properties of the particle can be described as a wave. Therefore, its quantum state can be represented as a wave, of arbitrary shape and extending over all of space, called a wavefunction. The position and momentum of the particle are observables. The Uncertainty Principle of quantum mechanics states that both the position and the momentum cannot simultaneously be known with infinite precision at the same time. However, we can measure just the position alone of a moving free particle creating an eigenstate of position with a wavefunction that is very large at a particular position x, and zero everywhere else. If we perform a position measurement on such a wavefunction, we will obtain the result x with 100% probability. In other words, we will know the position of the free particle. This is called an eigenstate of position. If the particle is in an eigen state of position then its momentum is completely unknown. An eigenstate of momentum, on the other hand, has the form of a plane wave. It can be shown that the wavelength is equal to h/p, where h is Plancks constant and p is the momentum of the eigenstate. If the particle is in an eigenstate of momentum then its position is completely blurred out. Usually, a system will not be in an eigenstate of whatever observable we are interested in. However, if we measure the observable, the wavefunction will immediately become an eigenstate of that observable. This process is known as wavefunction collapse. If we know the wavefunction at the instant before the measurement, we will be able to compute the probability of collapsing into each of the possible eigenstates. For example, the free particle in our previous example will usually have a wavefunction that is a wave packet centered around some mean position x0, neither an eigenstate of position nor of momentum. When we measure the position of the particle, it is impossible for us to predict with certainty the result that we will obtain. It is probable, but not certain, that it will be near x0, where the amplitude of the wavefunction is large. After we perform the measurement, obtaining some result x, the wavefunction collapses into a position eigenstate centered at x. Wave functions can change as time progresses. An equation known as the Schrà ¶dinger equation describes how wave functions change in time, a role similar to Newtons second law in classical mechanics. The Schrà ¶dinger equation, applied to our free particle, predicts that the center of a wave packet will move through space at a constant velocity, like a classical particle with no forces acting on it. However, the wave packet will also spread out as time progresses, which means that the position becomes more uncertain. This also has the effect of turning position eigenstates (which can be thought of as infinitely sharp wave packets) into broadened wave packets that are no longer position eigenstates. Some wave functions produce probability distributions that are constant in time. Many systems that are treated dynamically in classical mechanics are described by such static wave functions. For example, a single electron in an unexcited atom is pictured classically as a particle moving in a circular trajectory around the atomic nucleus, whereas in quantum mechanics it is described by a static, spherically symmetric wavefunction surrounding the nucleus (Note that only the lowest angular momentum states, labeled s, are spherically symmetric). The time evolution of wave functions is deterministic in the sense that, given a wavefunction at an initial time, it makes a definite prediction of what the wavefunction will be at any later time. During a measurement, the change of the wavefunction into another one is not deterministic, but rather unpredictable. The probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics thus stems from the act of measurement. This is one of the most difficult aspects of quantum systems to understand. It was the central topic in the famous Bohr-Einstein debates, in which the two scientists attempted to clarify these fundamental principles by way of thought experiments. In the decades after the formulation of quantum mechanics, the question of what constitutes a measurement has been extensively studied. Interpretations of quantum mechanics have been formulated to do away with the concept of wavefunction collapse; see, for example, the relative state interpretation. The basic idea is that when a quantum system interacts with a measuring apparatus, their respective wavefunctions become entangled, so that the original quantum system ceases to exist as an independent entity. Quantum mechanical effects As mentioned in the introduction, there are several classes of phenomena that appear under quantum mechanics which have no analogue in classical physics. These are sometimes referred to as quantum effects. The first type of quantum effect is the quantization of certain physical quantities. Quantization first arose in the mathematical formulae of Max Planck in 1900 as discussed in the introduction. Max Planck was analyzing how the radiation emitted from a body was related to its temperature, in other words, he was analyzing the energy of a wave. The energy of a wave could not be infinite, so Planck used the property of the wave we designate as the frequency to define energy. Max Planck discovered a constant that when multiplied by the frequency of any wave gives the energy of the wave. This constant is referred to by the letter h in mathematical formulae. It is a cornerstone of physics. By measuring the energy in a discrete non-continuous portion of the wave, the wave took on the appearance of chunks or packets of energy. These chunks of energy resembled particles. So energy is said to be quantized because it only comes in discrete chunks instead of a continuous range of energies. In the example we have given, of a free particle in empty space, both the position and the momentum are continuous observables. However, if we restrict the particle to a region of space (the so-called particle in a box problem), the momentum observable will become discrete; it will only take on the values , where L is the length of the box, h is Plancks constant, and n is an arbitrary nonnegative integer number. Such observables are said to be quantized, and they play an important role in many physical systems. Examples of quantized observables include angular momentum, the total energy of a bound system, and the energy contained in an electromagnetic waveof a given frequency. Another quantum effect is the uncertainty principle, which is the phenomenon that consecutive measurements of two or more observables may possess a fundamental limitation on accuracy. In our free particle example, it turns out that it is impossible to find a wavefunction that is an eigenstate of both position and momentum. This implies that position and momentum can never be simultaneously measured with arbitrary precision, even in principle: as the precision of the position measurement improves, the maximum precision of the momentum measurement decreases, and vice versa. Those variables for which it holds (e.g., momentum and position, or energy and time) are canonically conjugate variables in classical physics. Another quantum effect is the wave-particle duality. It has been shown that, under certain experimental conditions, microscopic objects like atoms or electrons exhibit particle-like behavior, such as scattering. (Particle-like in the sense of an object that can be localized to a particular region of space.) Under other conditions, the same type of objects exhibit wave-like behavior, such as interference. We can observe only one type of property at a time, never both at the same time. Another quantum effect is quantum entanglement. In some cases, the wave function of a system composed of many particles cannot be separated into independent wave functions, one for each particle. In that case, the particles are said to be entangled. If quantum mechanics is correct, entangled particles can display remarkable and counter-intuitive properties. For example, a measurement made on one particle can produce, through the collapse of the total wavefunction, an instantaneous effect on other particles with which it is entangled, even if they are far apart. (This does not conflict with special relativity because information cannot be transmitted in this way.)

Tactical Medicine in EMS today Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tactical Medicine in EMS today - Term Paper Example actical medicine is focused and highly discerning endeavor that necessitates intensive training, control, regulation and distinctive association with law enforcement. Tactical medicine encompasses the principal accountability of giving medical care to the SWAT team, although their duties extend far ahead of such undertakings. The present article observes the progression and current tactical medical beliefs and methods engaged by military and LEAs specifically SWAT teams (Morrissey, 2013). The concept of tactical medicine is in existence since the dawn of medicine and combats. In early battles the treatment was given only to the royal individuals like Kings and other important people. Although outcomes were not significantly promising and caused mortality at times or else the victim suffered with the serious infections which may cause death. Over the centuries, advances in tools, techniques and medical facilities drastically enhanced the understanding towards injury management (Morrissey, 2013). Conflicts witnessed in the last decade displayed controlling extremity hemorrhage as well as aggressive airway management, resulting in a significant decline or drop in casualty fatality rate (CFR), the percentage of individuals who got injured in the battle and expire. A closer examination of CFR highlights the fact that a remarkable reduction in fatality occurred after 2004. The CFR for World War II was recorded as 19.1 percent, in Vietnam War it was recorded to be 15.8 percent while in Iraq/ Afghanistan conflicts CFR was recorded to be 9.4 percent. However, earlier than 2004, a considerable percentage of deaths of American soldiers during the Global War of Terror (GWOT) involved numerous kinds of injuries such as hemorrhage from extremity injure; junctional hemorrhage involving high traumatic amputation; gunshot injury to the abdomen resulting in non-compressible hemorrhage; airway problems and tension pneumothorax (Morrissey, 2013). Introduction of tactical medics

United States should not remove all penalties on drugs Essay

United States should not remove all penalties on drugs - Essay Example More than 30% of the states have legalized the use of these kinds of drugs. Thus there arises a conflict of interest between the Federal Government and the central government. However, the liberalization and decriminalization of drugs is not a very acceptable phenomenon from a societal point of view. This essay makes an attempt to justify the opinion that US should not remove all penalties on drugs. Discussion The US government had planned to remove or reduce the drug penalties on several grounds like lack of any violent activities or the use of weapons. If the drug penalty on those people are removed who have not indulged in violence, the others may be instigated to get involved in such activities knowing that they would be freed too. This would have a harmful effect on the society. The drug peddlers who trade drugs to anyone other than the minor had also been given relaxation. Circulation of illicit drugs even to the adults is not acceptable (Savage 1). A lot of money of the govern ment that comes in form of taxes is spent in the prison expenses of the people convicted of the crime. Most of the people had taken advantage of this and had moved to jail so that their basic needs are taken care of. However, to curb such increasing expenses the persons who are accused of using and distributing drugs cannot be freed because it will cause harm to the society. The drug peddlers who trade drugs to anyone other than the minor had also been given relaxation. Circulation of illicit drugs even to the adults is not acceptable (Savage 1). A lot of money of the government that comes in form of taxes is spent in the prison expenses of the people convicted of the crime. Most of the people had taken advantage of this and had moved to jail so that their basic needs are taken care of. However, to curb such increasing expenses the persons who are accused of using and distributing drugs cannot be freed because it will cause harm to the society. These drug addicted people would come out and spread the curse among more people and it would have detrimental effects on the society. Thus by maintaining the penalty the government of US would be able to deliver better safety standards for the public. If penalties are removed, the use of drugs would lead to several organized crimes. The drugs are mostly expensive and thus the sale of drugs provides a lot of money to the drug peddlers. These people with their money can influence many powerful entities and continue with their illegal business. It would also lead to a waste of money by the youngsters especially who can use that money for educational or other productive uses. The consumption of drugs would also increase because the people who did not indulge in drugs in fear of legal bindings would now start using drugs. Most important point in this regard is the fact that US government under the leadership of Ronald Reagan and more recently Bill Clinton had passed several legislations to curb the use of drugs. These measures have actually helped the government control the use of drugs. Records have proved that the crime rates had decreased in the period when these rules were there. Thus in order to ensure the safety of the citizens and the benefit of the society as a whole, the US should not remove the penalty on drugs (Levine 1). Conclusion Thus it is clear that the binding that is existent in the US regarding the consumption and the use of laws should remain stringent and the penalties that are existent should not be relaxed. The relaxation of the penalties woul d send a wrong signal to the society and the illicit consumption would increase. The stringent regulations would curb the crime rate of the society that take place due to drug abuse. The waste of money and other forms of resources would be prevented and it could be utilized for the social welfare. The regulation of the use of drugs would prevent the economic power from concentrating into the hands of the influential drug dealers. Though the people who indulge in the business and use of

Business Operations of Ford Motor Company Essay - 1

Business Operations of Ford Motor Company - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that today, Ford Motor Company is the second largest vehicle manufacturer in America and ranks fifth in the world. The company initially introduced Ford Fiesta in the American market during the 1970s. However, this new product failed to grab a large percentage of the automobile market. Although Ford Fiesta did not sell in the American market, the product grabbed a place in the market of Europe and its sales volume has been good for more than four decades now. The Fiesta car is changing the preference of buyers in fairly quicker rate. Particularly, in Britain, Fiesta car model has the largest market compared to other car models. Based on the results of recent researches that customers are more willing to buy low CO2 automatic and low-cost vehicle, Ford has used Fiesta strategy to accommodate these preferences. The Fiesta’s gearbox is different from traditional torque converters. It is a dual-clutch transmitter and t his enables it to drain less power, thus having a decent fuel economy. The Ford Fiesta car has a kinematic design. Ford Company uses this design to ensure minimal noise, harshness, vibration, and smooth ride. This product also has many features like 6-Speed Powershift Automatic Transmission (SPAT), Ti-VCT Engine (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing), ESP (Electronic Stability Programme that has TSC (Traction Control System), fuel efficiency, easy fuel, seductive center console, and Bluetooth that has voice control. The company represents this new brand with a better warranty and services. The buyers of Ford Fiesta are given a 3-year warranty that is only valid when the vehicle is in the appropriate condition prescribed in the owners’ manual that is authorized by Ford Service Center.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton on Black suffrage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Elizabeth Cady Stanton on Black suffrage - Essay Example Stanton served as the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Elizabeth worked closely with Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass (a former slave), her husband Henry Stanton and cousin Gerrit Smith. Lucretia Mott (1840) she was a great admirer of feminist, she was so angry when she couldn't see Mott speak because women were supposed to sit away from the view of men and for this reason Elizabeth Drafted a declaration of Sentiments Elizabeth Cady Stanton ones said, "The prejudice against color, of which we hear so much, is no stronger than that against sex. It is produced by the same cause, and manifested very much in the same way". Men have made women submit to law in which women have no voice, men have deprived women their rights as citizens, women rights to property have been deprived and that men have the monopoly to nearly all the profitable employments. Elizabeth can therefore be seen as a woman who has pioneered in the fight against women oppression. Although she fought for women rights to vote she died 20 years before women were granted this rights. She was an intelligent courageous and hardworking woman in that she dared give a speech in front of the committee of judiciary of the United States. Elizabeth died in October 26, 1902. Frederick Douglass served as a marshal of the District of Columbia and as consul general to the republic of Hai

Case study on critical understanding of the treatment and sentencing Essay

Case study on critical understanding of the treatment and sentencing of young people - Essay Example The six elements were enunciated in the Morgan Report: Safer Communities: the Local Delivery of Crime Prevention through the Partnership Approach Home Office Standing Conference on Crime Prevention which were implemented by the 1998 Act. The six elements can be summarised as follows: In keeping with this mandate, the police have an option within the scope and range of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 whether to prosecute James. Under Section 65, the constable could have merely warned and reprimanded James if James had no antecedents or his detention and prosecution would not be in the public interest.2 On the facts however, James has been taken into custody and the presumption is that the arresting officer either is aware of James’ having committed previous offences or that his conduct is such that detention and prosecution would not offend the public interest. Section 69 introduces an Action Plan Order which is meant to aid in the rehabilitation of convicted youth offenders. This course of action may be administered to James in the event he is convicted of assault under the Offences Against the Person Act. The Action Plan Order is available to any child or young person who is convicted of an offence and the penalty is not fixed by law. Section 42 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 gives the sentencing tribunal options of two months imprisonment and/or fines for a conviction in respect of common assault or battery.3 Therefore the penalty for James’ offence is not fixed by law and he is eligible for the Action Plan Order. By virtue of the Action Plan Order, James will be required to be under the supervision of a designated officer for a period of three months following the date of the order. account for his conduct and whereabouts for three months commencing from the date of the order.4 The sentencing court may also make a Reparation Order under Section 67 of the Crime

Psychosis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychosis - Research Paper Example Suicidal tendency is more among patients with psychosis. It can occur as part of psychological diseases such as bipolar disease, delusions, depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia etc. Lots of reasons are cited for the occurrence of psychosis. Heredity, environment and some physical diseases such as HIV, brain tumor etc can play a pivotal role in causing psychosis. This paper analyses various dimensions such as causes, symptoms, treatment options etc of psychosis. Causes of Psychosis The exact causes of psychosis are still unknown to the medical science. However, psychologists and psychiatrists are of the view that along with biological reasons, heredity and environment also play an important role in causing psychosis. It is not necessary that psychosis is caused by one single reason. In many cases, more than one reason is associated with psychosis. Like most of the other psychological diseases, stress is associated with psychosis. Tough life situations can often generate in tolerable amount of stress. Suppression of stress often results in emotional outbursts or catharsis in the form of psychosis. â€Å"Being born in the winter months, being brought up in a big city, immigration, childhood head injury, stressful life events and use of street drugs† etc are some of the environmental factors which can cause psychosis (What causes psychosis, 2004, p.1). Environment can condition or strengthen some of our behaviors. For example, a person brought up in a city may struggle to adjust with the poor living conditions of a rural area. The luxurious life styles of the city need not be available in rural areas. Sudden changes in living standards or life styles can develop frustration and stress which may lead towards psychosis. I have a friend who has developed psychosis when he got employment in a city. He was an innocent person and was unaware of the malpractices in the city. When he faced challenges from the crooked fellow employees, it was difficult for him to adapt with it and subsequently he developed signs of psychosis and forced to resign from his employment. Genetic factors can also contribute to the development of psychosis. Our brain receives and sends different information and instructions with the help of neurotransmitters, transporters and receptors. Genes, the basic building blocks of our DNA, instruct our body in the protein manufacturing process. Genes can commit mistake in the protein manufacturing process which is often referred as mutation. â€Å"When a mutation occurs in a gene that contains the instructions for a brain protein, like a neurotransmitter, it may contribute to a chemical imbalance in the brain, which is one of the factors in the development of psychosis† (What causes psychosis, 2004, p.1) Alcohol and certain illegal drugs, both during use and during withdrawal can cause psychosis along with Brain tumors, Dementia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, chromosomal disorders, HIV, some pres cription drugs such as steroids and stimulants, Some types of epilepsy and Stroke can cause psychosis (Psychosis, 2010). It is proved scientifically that thyroid problems can cause psychological diseases. In short, heredity, environment and biological factors can contribute to the development of psychosis. Symptoms of Psychosis Confused thoughts, feeling about sped up or slowed down thoughts, preoccupation with unusual ideas, belief in other’

Compare and contrast two quarterbacks in the NFL Essay

Compare and contrast two quarterbacks in the NFL - Essay Example ared to Peyton Manning because of his Super Bowl experience, because of his team’s better stats against Manning’s stats and because of his better playing stats when they are up against each other. Supper Bowl is a major event for any player of the NFL and representing a team during this event is the single most important predictor of how well a particular player is. In case of the Brady versus Manning debate, Brady has undoubtedly won the debate. This is because he has secured two more rings of the Super Bowl as compared to Manning (Dlouhy 1). Brady has been successful in leading his team in more Super Bowls as compared to his competitor Manning. Brady is credited for leading his team five times during the Super Bowl in a total career of 12 seasons deducting seasons he was injured and during the time when he was recognized just a rookie (Dlouhy 1). On the other hand Manning had been able to lead his team in the event for only three times during a total career of 15 seasons (Dlouhy 1). A real comparison between the two QBs takes place when they are head to head against each other in a football game. A comparison of the stats of the matches in which Brady’s team Patriots and Manning’s team Colts have been against each other clearly indicates that Brady and his team is better than Manning and his team. A total of 14 matches have been played against both teams in which Brady and Manning headed their offensive sides and out of these 14 matches a total of 10 were won by Brady and his team (Riccobono 1). A comparison of the wins between the two teams under the leadership of these two great QBs may provide a misleading image, but it is true that Brady is statistically better than Manning when they play against each other. In the 14 games in which both the QBs and the teams have competed against each other, Brady has been able to score better stats with 6% higher completion rate and 3 more touchdowns as compared to Manning’s touchdowns (Shuster 1). Tom Brady

Good VS Evil Essay Example for Free

Good VS Evil Essay There are many different gangs; some only allow certain races or colors to be considered part of the gang. Other gangs require an entrance fee which includes doing something to prove you are worthy to become part of the gang. This is anywhere from sexual acts to thievery to violent crimes to include killing people. The age range of gangs varies tremendously and includes ages from 9 years to 40 years and even beyond in some cases. There is a gang called The Satanic Cult who is based in the Gaithersburg, MD area. Their actions are pretty synonymous with their name. They practice in the ways of ritual animal and human sacrifices. Those that were not Caucasians were not allowed as well as those who had brown hair. The age range varies within this gang and there is no specific entry fee but the moment the gang feels you are no longer part of the gang they will then kill you. The Crips are from Los Angeles and are predominantly African American. This gang is one of the largest in the US and is involved in numerous murders, robberies, drugs and other various forms of criminal activity. They are also always in open warfare with the Bloods, also from Los Angeles. The Bloods are similar to the Crips and were originally the Crips back in 1970 until an internal war started which separated the original gang. The bloods show much disrespect to the Crips and are generally involved in the same thing as the Crips. Both can be found in the US and Military databases as threats. The Mexican mafia, yet another faction in Los Angeles teaches their children from a very young age on how to hold and operate a gun, helps their friends and neighbors with drugs, mainly heroin and is prevalent with car jackings so that the parts can be sold on the black market. Everything this gang does is done broadly and openly among all family members, regardless of their age. In Oregon there is a different type of gang and that is the outlaw motorcycle related gangs. One of these gangs is called the Mongrols and have four different chapter is the Eugene and Central Oregon area. Their ultimate punishment for infractions is to beat to death, the person who allegedly did wrong against the club. Their main operations include motorcycle jackings, drugs, prostitution, trafficking, and assaults and have additional chapters in both Australia and Germany. There is an estimated 1 million gang members throughout the US. The majority of them are involved in various criminal activities and there are only a few gangs who do good. Motorcycle gangs from The American Legions across the US do rides together for the benefit of children. So even though this is a small percentage, it goes to show not all gangs are bad, granted the majority of them are. References Alonso, A. Los Angeles Gangs (c. 1999) http://www. streetgangs. com/history/history. html Mac. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Flying Colors in Oregon. 2008 http://nwhog. wordpress. com/2008/05/08/outlaw-motorcycle-gangs-flying-colors-in-oregon/

Three Tier Architecture Is A Client Server Information Technology Essay

Three Tier Architecture Is A Client Server Information Technology Essay In software engineering, three-tier architecture is a client-server architecture which consists of three layer; presentation layer, functional process logic layer and data layer and is develop and maintain as different module. This architecture is developed by Jon J.Donovan in Open Environment Corporation(OEC), a tools company the founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By dividing application into tiers or layers, developers only have to modify or add a specific logic into the desired layer, rather than rewrite the whole application. This architecture will allows developer to create a more flexible, reusable and maintainable application. This kind of Three-tier layer can also be known as multi-tier architecture or n-tier architecture. Example when user wants to change the text colour from black to red, only the presentation layer will be affected. A common example of three tier architecture is ATM (Automated Teller Machine) or Cash Machine. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) where we select services is the presentation layer for ATM. When selecting one of the services that are displayed on the screen, designated event for the services will be invoked. This common set of behaviour is designed in the functional process logic layer. When requesting information such as checking the balance in our bank account, ATM will get the data from the database or application server. This will be the data layer. Presentation Layer or can also be known as presentation tier, a layer where the presentation or user interface of an application is designed or displayed. In other word, this is the layer which will display all the information that is needed or requested by the user. Presentation layer is the top most layers in the three-tier architecture. Besides displaying information that is needed by user, this layer will also be used to communicate between other layers by user. For example in Window OS (Operating System), program icon is displayed to allow user to click on it to open the clicked program. Presentation layer is also part of security where only the needed information will be displayed while other sensitive information will be kept. For example, stock department will need to be able to view and edit the product stock while sales department only need to be able to view the stock that is available. The presentation layer for Al-Seraj Hire Firm will consist of multiple types. This is because Al-Seraj Hire Firm has different employees that are specialise in different type of aspect of business services in the hire firm. Some employees will only need to display certain information while other may have more or less information. For example in Al-Seraj Hire Firm; purchasing, customer account, sales and marketing will have their own presentation layer. Functional process logic Layer Functional process logic Layer is the middle layer in the three-tier architecture. It can also be known business or data access tier, a layer where logic and calculation is taken place. In other word, the business function or business flow will design in this layer. Functional process logic layer contain the code or function to control the application functionality and also the application business flow. Besides that, it also contains the business logic of the company. Functional process logic Layer is separated from presentation layer and data layer is to protect the confidentiality and integrity of business flow of a company. Besides that, function is shared by different users. This enables the system to have a consistent and centralized function that can be used by different users. For example, the function or logic to view the stock that is available in the company that is viewed by the stock department the same as what is seen by the sales department. Other than that, by separating the functional process logic layer, it will enable the administrator or person in charge of the system to easily add in or modify the logic in the system without affecting the other layer. The functional process logic layer in Al-Seraj Hire Firm will contain the function to indicate whether the customer is a private customer or a business customer. This is because private customer and business customer has their own business logic. Examples of business logic are hiring equipment for private customer is restricted within five miles radius while business customer doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have this restriction. Besides that, business customer will have a 24-hours customer services to replace the faulty equipment while private customer will need to bring in the faulty equipment to replace to working equipment or get a full refund if the equipment is not available. Data Layer Data Layer or can also be known as data tier, is a layer where all the data which is inserted by the user is saved. In other word, all information that is entered by the user will be saved in this layer. Data layer will be responsible to provide the data that is requested from the user. Besides that data can be shared by different users. By doing this, data integrity can be achieved and providing accurate data that is requested by users. This is because the data is saved in a single database which allow different user to get access and request for the data. Besides that, by separating data layer, this will improves the scalability and performance of the system. The data layer in Al-Seraj Hire Firm will contain the price of the equipment and also the delivery time that is offered by the suppliers. Besides that, it also contains the customer account and also the account packages that are provided by the hire firm. The five most important user group for Al-Seraj Hire Firm System are Purchasing, Customer Account, Stock Management, Sales and Marketing and Administrator. Administrator Administrator is a user group which have the most privileges than any other user group in the system. This is because administrator is a user group that is designed to control or use the full function of the system. Besides that, they also have the privilege to change sensitive data such as the price or discount value for each type of membership account. This user group is used by the owner of Al-Seraj Hire Firm or the person-in-charge of the system. There are three quality requirements for Administrator user group. The first quality requirements are security requirement. Security requirement is the requirement for the user to be authenticated and authorize as administrator user group. In this user group, the user of the system will need to be authenticated before user is allowed to be authorized as an administrator. The second quality requirements are modifiability requirement. Modifiability is the requirement for the user to be able to add, modify or delete any data in the database. In this user group, the user of the system will be able to add, modify or delete data in the system. Examples of data in database are discount value for silver membership, gold membership and diamond membership. The third and last quality requirements are testability requirement. Testability requirement is the requirement for the user to be able to test the whole system with ease. In this user group, user will have the full function that is provided in the system. This also includes other user group function such as stock management and customer account information. Administrator user group is the top user group in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. This is because any changes that are made by administrator user group, other user group will also be affected. For example, discount value for silver membership which are currently 10%, has been changed to 15%, all user group will have to follow the new discount value. Customer Account Customer Account user group is a user group which is responsible for managing customer. In other word, this user group is designed to manage all the type of customer who makes transaction with Al-Seraj Hire Firm. Besides that, this user group also responsible to modify or update customer information and also provide customer services to the customers. There are two quality requirements for Customer Account user group. The first quality requirement is modifiability. User in this user group will need to be able to change the customer account information as accurate as possible to maintain the productivity of the company. For example, company X has changed their address; the user will need to change the address to the new address to allow other employee to deliver the goods to the destination. The second and last quality requirement is performance. Performance requirement is the requirement for the user to be able to access or display the desired data in a less amount of work. In this user group, user will need to use the system to search out the suitable customer account in a less amount of time. Customer account user group is the low level user group in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. This is because all customer details will need to be added into customer account database. As for the data of the customer account, user from the same level will need to take reference to decide which type of customer are they dealing with. For example, a customer has called in and reported that one of their tool has been broke, the user will need to check the customer details to identify whether the customer is a business customer or a private customer. Sales and Marketing Sales and Marketing user group is a user group which is responsible for doing sales transaction with the customer. In other word, this user group is designed to record any transaction that is made with customer into the database via Al-Seraj Hire Firm system. Besides that, this user group will also keep track or produce a financial report according to the sales transaction that has been made in a period of time. There are three quality requirements for sales and marketing user group. The first requirement is performance. Performance is important for this user group because this is where the income of the Al-Seraj Hire Firm came from. User in this user group will need to have the speed and efficiency to search for tool that is available in time and also the price for it. Besides that, they also need to identify whether it is an existing customer and which type of customer are they in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. For example, two users from this user group will be able to use the system simultaneously to search for customer information. The second quality requirement is availability requirement. Availability requirement is important for this user group is because sales of Al-Seraj Hire Firm need to be available during working period. In other word, the system will need to be available when it is needed. For example, maintenance or patch of the system can only be done when there are no people that are using the system to prevent disruption of the sales flow. The third quality requirement is usability. The information that retrieves by the user from the system can be used or not. In other word, the user will need retrieves accurate information from the system. Sales and marketing user group is the low level user group in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. This is because user will need to be able to access into the stock management user group information and customer account user group information. This is because they need to identify whether the customer is a private or business customer and is the tool available and what is the price for it. Stock Management Stock Management user group is a user group which is responsible for managing stock in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. In other word, this user group is designed to maintain the availability of tool stock in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. There are two quality requirements for stock management user group. The first quality requirement is usability. The user of this user group will need the accurate information of the stock that is available in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. In other word, user need to get the real number of stock that is available to decide to restock or not. This is because other user group such as sales and marketing will also be able to change the value of the stock in the stock database. The second quality requirement is modifiability. User will need to be able to change the value or number of stock in the database through the system. In other word, user will add or modify the number of stock in the database via the system that is designed. Stock management user group is the low level user group in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. This is because user in this user group will need to be able to check for the number of stock that is available and restock it if it is not enough. Purchasing Purchasing user group is a user group which is responsible for purchasing new equipment brands based on Al-Seraj Hire Firm equipment categories. In other word, this user group is designed to purchase new equipment brands for the stock management user group. There is one quality requirement for purchasing user group. The quality requirement is modifiability. The user of this user group will need to be able to add in new equipment information into the database. For example, brand X information will be saved into the stock database. Purchasing user group is the low level user group in Al-Seraj Hire Firm. This is because user in this user group will need to be able to add in new equipment in the stock database. Limitation There are three limitations or design flaw in Al-Seraj Hire Firm system that is designed. The first limitation is only five user group can use the system. This is because the system is designed to be able to allow only five user groups to be using this system. The second limitation is online ordering transactions are not available. This is because the system is not designed to be to have a shopping cart. The third limitation is system doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t allow add in new membership categories. This is because the system is not design to allow user to add in new membership categories. The limitation can be changed in the future by adding new function in the system. Parallel Changeover Changeover is a method that is used to implement or install the system into an existing or new server. There are four types of changeover; direct changeover, parallel changeover, pilot changeover and phases changeover. The changeover method that can fulfil the requirement of Al-Seraj Hire Firm is parallel changeover. Less expensive. Lower risk of error or failures. The first part is stock management module and purchasing module. The second last part is customer account and sales and marketing. In the period of implementation, user acceptance test is given to check whether the system fulfil their requirement. Training is given if the system is accepted by the user.

Impact of House Prices on the UK Economy

Impact of House Prices on the UK Economy What happens to house prices is perceived as being very important for the wider UK economy (at the moment the concern is that they may fall sharply). Consider to what extent house prices are important for the UK economy and how the government (or Bank of England) should respond to a sharp fall in house prices. Introduction The health of the residential property market is seen as a very important factor in the UK economy, and house prices have risen dramatically (though unevenly around the country) between 1996 and 2005. Some analysts argued that this was the result of a ‘bubble’ in the housing market, rather than due to purely economic reasons, while others argued that the rise in prices was a rational reaction to high employment, economic stability and low interest rates. The price rises slowed in 2005 and that led some analysts to predict a sharp fall in prices. These fears proved unfounded, as renewed growth since late 2005 has led most analysts to predict modest price rises in the medium term. However, many analysts remain concerned that housing prices may fall sharply in the near future. This essay will first consider the different ways in which house prices in an economy relate to (and impact on) the performance of that economy more broadly, outlining in particular the specificities of the UK housing market that make its prices especially important to the UK economy. It will then examine the policies the government (or Bank of England) could adopt in response to a sharp fall in house prices, assessing which of these would be the most appropriate. Finally, it will also consider some longer term policies which could reduce house price volatility and the impact of house prices on the wider UK economy. The relationship between house prices and the wider economy The most obvious way in which house prices affect the wider economy is through their impact on household consumption (Cameron 2005:4) – a fall in house prices, for example, makes homeowners feel less wealthy so they tend to reduce consumption. Furthermore, a fall in house prices also reduces consumption indirectly by making it harder for people to borrow. Credit constraints are increased through two key channels: (1) reduced house prices means homeowners have reduced collateral against which they can borrow, further reducing consumption; and (2) lending institutions make losses when housing prices fall, and so they reduce their lending or tighten their lending policies. According to Oswald (1999:2), ‘an economys natural rate of unemployment depends on the ease with which its citizens can move around to find jobs. Fluid societies have efficient economies.’ High house prices and a relatively small private rental market make it more difficult for people to move around to find jobs, and thus can contribute to unemployment. House prices can also have an indirect effect on the exchange rate, which is a particular concern because it may lead to a crash in house prices. High house prices contribute to high levels of household indebtedness which can be associated with increasing the current account deficit. This, in turn, may suddenly trigger a correction in the exchange rate. If the exchange rate is weakened, a sharp rise in inflation and interest rates may follow, leading to a sharp fall in house prices. House prices and the UK economy According to Cameron (2005:3), the high level of house ownership in the UK means that households are ‘exposed to a considerable amount of risk (almost half a million households had their homes repossessed in the 1990s).’ Not only are house prices more volatile in the UK than elsewhere in the developed world, the impact of house prices on consumer spending is also particularly heavy in the UK – according to the OECD, a 1% fall in UK housing wealth correlates with a 0.07% fall in consumer spending. The nature of the UK housing market (typically high loan to value ratios, few long-term fixed rate mortgages, and easy to re-mortgage) makes house prices particularly volatile and responsive to interest rates. Cameron (2005:3) explains that ‘a one percentage point rise in the short-term real interest rate would reduce house prices over a five year period by 2.6% in the UK, 1.8% in the US, and 1.3% in Germany.’ The UK housing market is characterized not only by a high level of home ownership and typically high loan to value mortgage ratios, but also by an insufficient housing supply. Demand consistently outstrips supply and the market is not sufficiently responsive, primarily due to the limited land available for construction and the difficulties in obtaining planning permission for new buildings. ‘Constrained housing supply leads to increasingly unaffordable housing, frustrating the home ownership aspirations of many individuals and families. It also leads to wealth redistribution from those outside the housing market to those inside it. Low housing supply reduces labour mobility, damaging the flexibility and performance of the UK economy and key public services, and can also translate into wider macroeconomic instability.’ (HM Treasury 2005:9) Barker (2004:3) explains her view of the importance of the housing market to the UK economy more broadly: ‘Volatility in the housing market, in the UK, combined with the strong association between house prices and private consumption (reflecting in part high levels of owner occupation) is striking. Consequently, the housing market has contributed to macroeconomic volatility, creating a more difficult environment for businesses and for economic policy makers.’ Responding to a sharp fall in house prices In order to respond to a sharp fall in house prices, the main tool which the government or central bank has at its disposition is monetary policy. If there is a sharp fall in house prices, consumption can be expected to drop (as per the relationship between house prices and consumption outlined in the first section of this essay) and there is a danger that a recession with ensue. In order to prevent this, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England should respond to any such fall by reducing interest rates, even though this may not be compatible with meeting their inflation target. This should help house prices to grow again, thus building up wealth and promoting consumption. Further, it will make credit more accessible which will also encourage consumption. Longer term policies Rather than being forced to respond to a sharp fall in house prices, the British government, or the Bank of England, would be better off developing longer-term strategies to prevent such a sharp fall in the first place – that is to say, they should be proactive rather than reactive. Cameron (2005:4) argues that it may be possible to make the UK housing market behave more like the US housing market (i.e. to make prices less responsive to interest rates and less volatile) ‘if the share of long-term fixed-rate mortgages could be increased (even when UK borrowers do take out fixed-rate mortgages, they tend to only fix the rate for three to five years).’ According to the OECD (2005:3), the risk of a sharp fall in house prices has been significantly reduced, and this has been achieved by longer term monetary strategies. ‘If a relatively â€Å"soft landing† in the housing market has indeed been achieved it owes much to the strategy of gradual preemptive monetary tightening, in marked contrast to previous episodes when an abrupt correction in house prices was triggered by sharp interest rate rises. Nevertheless, reforms are needed to make housing supply more elastic to damp future housing market cycles.’ Furthermore, Miles (2004:97) argues that in order for monetary policy to be most effective in stabilizing the currently volatile housing market, the UK mortgage facilities also need to be improved, and borrowers should be better informed. Conclusion Because house ownership levels are high in the UK, and because houses represent most households’ biggest asset, house prices are particularly important to the UK economy. As it currently functions, the UK housing market is insufficiently flexible to respond to, and reflect, the needs of the economy as a whole. Fortunately a drastic fall in house prices is unlikely in the near future. To prevent one in the medium to long term, the government should consider increasing the flexibility of the housing market. This could be achieved through relaxing planning regulations and adapting the mortgage market. References Barker, K. (2004) ‘Review of Housing Supply: Delivering Stability: Securing our Future Housing Needs’, Final Report – Recommendations (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/053/C7/barker_review_execsum_91.pdf on 26 February 2007) Cameron, G. (2005) ‘The UK Housing Market: Economic Review’ (downloaded from http://hicks.nuff.ox.ac.uk/users/cameron/papers/ukhousingmarket.pdf on 22 February 2007) HM Treasury (2005) ‘Housing Policy: An Overview’ (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/296/69/housing_policy190705.pdf on 26 February 2007) Miles, D. (2004) ‘The UK Mortgage Market: Taking a Longer-Term View’, HMSO (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/80DDF/miles04_470.pdf on 22 February 2007) Muellbauer, J. Murphy, A. (1997) ‘Booms and Busts in the UK Housing Market’, The Economic Journal, Vol. 107, No. 445. (Nov., 1997), pp. 1701-1727 OECD (2005) ‘Economic Survey of the United Kingdom, 2005 (downloaded from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/34/35473312.pdf on 24 February 2007) Oswald, A. (1999) ‘The Housing Market and Europes Unemployment: A Non-Technical Paper’, Warwick University (downloaded from www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/oswald/homesnt.pdf on 27 February 2007) Wadhwani, S. (2002) ‘Household Indebtedness, the Exchange Rate and Risks to the UK Economy’, Bank of England speech delivered to the Macclesfield Chamber of Commerce on Monday, 25 March 2002 (downloaded from https://164.109.43.50/publications/speeches/2002/speech166.pdf on 22 February 2007)

Importance of Debate in John Milton’s Paradise Lost :: Milton Paradise Lost Essays

Importance of Debate in John Milton’s Paradise Lost Paradise Lost Is an epic novel depicting the creation of the world and Man's fall from grace. It also shows the fall of Lucifer and his entrapment in Hell with other arch demons. Though Lucifer was one of the most beautiful angels, he became the most hideous of creatures in hell as Satan, the most powerful demigod-god. Satan resents God for the punishment that he has received and seeks revenge on Him. Satan knows, however, that he and his forces are no match for the might of Heaven, so he calls for a debate among his devilish council to work through their options. John Milton portrays the arch-demons of hell like members of the Senate, toiling over how to get back at God. The arguments are similar only in that they all believe that some course of action must be taken, but in most ways they are vastly different. Each debate builds on the last until the best compromise is met. Satan begins the debate with his opening remarks. He sounds hopeful, even though he knows that Hell is no match for God. Satan then yields the floor to Moloch, who argues the most extreme course of action. He believes that a full out war on Heaven is the only way to seek revenge on God. Moloch's speech was the first argument so the other demons were the most open minded about his ideas. Belial then took the stand, though he had a far different view than Moloch's. Belial can see that they are no match for the power of God, and therefore denizens of Hell should be benign and hope that God pities them. In other words, Belial is ready to give up because he recognizes that their hands are tied. He is hoping that God wants them to realize this and will allow them back into heaven for admitting that He is superior. Belial's argument is the complete opposite of Moloch's in that he believes in repentance, not revenge. Mammon disagrees totally with Belial's argument. He thinks that because they have been banished from heaven and become so obviously hideous, there is no longer any place for them there. He believes that they are forever banished to Hell and they should make the most of their situation. Repentance is not an option in his mind. According to Mammon, the arch-demons should make the most of a bad situation.

publicity :: essays research papers

What is Publicity? Well publicity is the Art of Attracting FREE public exposure making One’s self visible to the public eye now this may be a newspaper article mention in a magazine on radio or television interview or item it’s all free exposure none paid visibility that can illustrate a positive or negative image to the â€Å"general public†. Now I’m sure your saying to your self publicity sounds a lot like advertising, and you’re wondering, what’s the difference between Advertising and publicity? Well ladies and gentlemen advertising is the activity of attracting public attention to a product or business or â€Å"a band†, as by PAID announcements in the form of print, broadcast, or electronic media such as the internet, what can Publicity do for you? To really hit the nail on the head I would say Publicity provides important visibility. An article in newspaper or a story on radio or television will attract public attention and stimulate public interest and create awareness and build creditability for the cause you’re promoting, then you and your organization can profit from this most important visibility Why attract publicity? One of the main reasons P.R professionals seek publicity and not advertising the significant word here is Creditability, publicity is regarded as more credible th en advertising; to attract positive publicity requires establishing a good working relationship with the media. This is of course easier said then done, your job as public relations professional is to provide the media with none biases information about your organization whether it is electronic or print with and you do this by furnishing them with a press release. Its what editors and reporters receive and read each day to make up there paper and decide what Stories to use. Never attempt to lie to the media always be truthful it is imperative to be honest and open all it takes is one lie one cover up and your creditability is destroyed and in order for your creditability to be eradicated all that is needed is one nosey reporter trying to make a name for his or her self. Weather the mass media has lost relative influence to other proliferating alternative communications vehicles or not the fact remains that securing positive publicity through the media still lies at the heart of public relations practice. Despite the growth of the internet and electronic media, print still stands as the number one medium among public relations professionals.

Domestic Violence in Canada Essay -- Violence Against Women Essays new

Violence has become prevalent within society; it is something the western world has learned to accept. With every minute that passes Canadians come face to face with certain acts of violence they may not have previously encountered (citation). Although, violence is not a subject that one can escape, women and children have unfortunately become the prime victims of violent acts. The media glorifies violence in other countries around the world it fails to address the presence of violence within Canada. Although violence is usually associated with gangs and guns, Canada experiences more violence related to bullying, sexual, verbal, cyber and domestic abuse (citation). Amidst the changing societal views towards treating women equally and eliminating objectification, of all these types of violence and abuse in our society, the most common still happens to be domestic abuse, which is mainly targeted at women and affects children. Domestic abuse is described as a form of abuse that takes pl ace in the confines of the household (Citation). Though 51% of Canadians have said to have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse only 20% of those cases related to domestic violence are ever reported (citation). Domestic abuse has become more prevalent in modern society; however, it is an issue that is left un-noticed simply because its effects are invisible outside the walls of ones home. In reality the effects of domestic violence have severe negative effects on women, children and the social structure of today’s society. Without any notification of domestic violence the re precautions of this abuse can be dire. When an individual thinks of domestic abuse, their ideas quickly relate back to women, simply because women are the usual and most common victims of domestic violence. And therefore is an issue that must be resolved rather than ignored. An abused woman is always faced with a number of different choices from which she may consider, with regards to seeking help or ending the relationship with a variety of alternatives, the woman knows each decision involves a variety of risks. Time after time, the common question arises, â€Å"why doesn’t she just leave?† This question can be answered by analyzing the psychological effects domestic abuse has on women. Many women are unable to cope with the emotional and psychological stress of domestic abuse and resort to violence and extre... ...mestic violence become homeless, their social economic status begins to decline. Going from a potentially middle class lifestyle they must resort to living in a shelter or on the street, simply because they are mentally or physically unable to find work due to the abuse they have experienced. As individuals lose their social economic status the social gap between the rich and the poor grows inevitably. The widening social gap can lead to discrimination and disparities such as growing food insecurities which can be described as the struggle for poor and homeless minorities to obtain food. The result of homelessness due to domestic violence will, negatively affect interaction between individuals, consequent to the social gap that will detach the victims of violence from their desired social economic status. In conclusion, the invisibility of domestic violence has caused numerous negative effects on women, children and the overall structure of modern day society. Women have been affected psychologically as well as socially. Children have been disadvantaged by the effects of domestic abuse within the school environment and in the latter parts of their lives. (worldly statement).

Different Perspectives in Looking at Literacy

I. IntroductionThe objective of this paper is to provide a general discussion on how literacy can be understood from different perspectives. Just the like the proverbial 5 Blind Men of Hindustan who described the elephant albeit incompletely and relative to their experience, literacy can also be understood from different perspectives. We may say that though all these perspectives are correct, they are also at the same time all inadequate to describe the whole phenomena of literacy.Yet by bringing all of these perspectives together, we can come with a fuller picture and definition of what literacy really is. It is the aim of this paper to come up with a more complete understanding of literacy. In the end, we will bring together the different perspectives and come up with a wider view. Eventually it is hoped that through this, a better understanding of literacy can be achieved. Yet in the end, the definition would still be incomplete for literacy is a process and learning never really ends.The point however is to live it at its utmost definition and contribute to its enhancement. There are four perspectives that will be dealt with in this paper with which literacy is tackled. These are: 1. Literacy as a skill; where cognitive skills in speaking, reading, writing, and functional literacy are discussed 2. Literacy as socially situated; where literacy is defined by the specific social context from which it springs. 3. Literacy as a process of learning; where literacy is seen as a lifelong and unending process4. Literacy as text where critical analysis of the social constructions are processed.II. BodyLiteracy as a skill The Cognitive science perspective on literacy looks at literacy mostly as reading and writing skills where reading must become like second nature and automatic while at the same time having a very accurate interpretation. The brain must be able to process reading as fast as it can and in the most precise comprehension as possible. This skill must be practice in order to have mastery over it (Abadzi, 2004).Writing on the other hand is another skill which is intricately connected to a particular syntax of a specific linguistic script which are meaning-based and sound-based (Barton, 1994). An example of meaning based writing is the Chinese character which is not an alphabet but a representation of what is being referred. An example of sound-based writing is our current alphabet based on the Greek system of writing assigning vowels and consonant sounds to actual letters that would signify meaning. This is considered to have technological superiority over other forms of script (Olson, 1994).There is a belief that writing is more superior to speech because it is the actual transcription of the spoken word. Thus the cognitive argument emphasizes on the significance of literacy in society’s advanced capacities and progress. However this view has been criticized. To quote from Olson: ‘The focus on literacy skills seriously underestimates the significance of both the implicit understandings that children bring to school and the importance of oral discourse in bringing those understandings into consciousness in turning them into objects of knowledge.’ (Olson, 1997 cited in Street 2004)Thus one needs to factor in oral competencies together with reading and writing skills in looking at literacy as skill (Robinson, 2003). Numeracy skills also have to be added as an important component of literacy. Literacy skills must also include those that enable access to knowledge and information such as skills in surfing the internet, technological skills, computer literacy, among others (Lankshear, 2003). This new view paved the way for the concept of functional literacy which can complement the limitations of the skills based perspective.Functional literacy is defined by the World Congress of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy, Tehran September 1965: â€Å"Rather than an end in itself, l iteracy should be regarded as a way of preparing man [sic] for a social, civic and economic role that goes beyond the limits of rudimentary literacy training consisting merely in [sic] the teaching of reading and writing. † (Yousif, 2003) Functional literacy is most often linked to development which not only means teaching reading, writing, ‘rithmetic and speaking, but also knowing how to go about in society such as finding a job.Literacy as Socially Situated The ethnographic perspective to literacy looks into the practices of literacy in different cultural and social contexts. This perspective has been coined NLS or New Literacy Studies (Gee, 1999). This perspective looks at ‘the everyday meanings and uses of literacy in specific cultural contexts and links directly to how we understand the work of literacy programmes, which themselves then become subject to ethnographic enquiry’ (Street, 2004). This perspective looks at literacy not only as a skill but as a social practice which is socially constructed and imbedded in the culture of society.It argues that reading and writing are not neutral skills but based on concept of ideology, identity, being and knowledge. Thus this perspective emphasizes on the social situatedness of literacy. This is a more culturally sensitive approach where there is no single and universal definition of literacy but only in the social context wherein meaning is derived from (Doronilla, 1996). Most often than not the classification of illiterates are done on traditional societies on the hunting and gathering mode of economic production.However we cannot impose this definition on their lives because the applicability of being â€Å"literate† on their culture is not going to be very significant. Thus there is a call to review the literate-illiterate dichotomy. In a study by Sylvia Scribner together with Michael Cole in (The Psychology of Literacy, 1981) on the functions of literacy in Vai of north-west L iberia, they argue that literacy will only be fully understood within the context of the people’s social practices (Barton, 1994). The argument is such that being literate means that one can navigate well in his or her social world.In traditional societies, learning to read and to write is not as compelling as learning to hunt and survive in the forest. The criticism levelled at this approach is that it emphasizes too much on local context without factoring in external forces such as colonization, religious evangelization, economic globalization and others (Brandt, 2002). Others also question this overemphasis on cultural difference when literacy should be encouraging peoples of the world to integrate and create meaningful social, economic, and political linkages (Maddox, 2001).Anthropological and ethnographic researches looking into the communicative process reveals that it is the local contexts that define literacy and that the texts can only be produced within specific cul tural and social perspectives. Thus literacy should not be imposed from the outside as a dominant discourse but should naturally development from one’s culture. Literacy as a process of learning The constructivist perspective looks at literacy as a continuing process rather than an end product. Knowledge is seen as continually evolving and being socially constructed in the process of doing.This looks into the perspective of the learner and how he or she makes meaning and sense from his own experiences. In this perspective, critical reflection is the key to individual and social transformation. This was developed by Kolb in adult education where the design is experiential and learning begins by personal reflection (Kolb, 1984). Paulo Freire is one of the main theorists propounding on this perspective. I quote from Paulo Freire, â€Å"Every reading of the word is preceded by a reading of the world.Starting from the reading of the world that the reader brings to literacy progra ms (a social- and class determined reading), the reading of the word sends the reader back to the previous reading of the world, which is, in fact, a re-reading. (Freire, 1995)† For Paulo Freire, literacy is not a matter of learning to speak, then to read then to write. These are all part of the learning process. Literacy is such that it gives meaning to our life and to our world as we continue to be part of the never ending process of social transformation.The whole process of interpretation and meaning giving should not be without conscientization and resolve to higher action. Part of Freire’s pedagogy is praxis which is a combination of theory and practice where literacy can dialogically transform the world (Freire, 1995). For Freire literacy originates first and foremost, from the social practices of man and his actual encounter with the world. Literacy as text Linguists, educationalists, and literary theorists look at literacy from the perspective of it being the à ¢â‚¬Ëœsubject matter’ (Bhola, 1994)) where the nature of the given texts are created and used by individuals.These texts may vary in terms of genre and subject, the levels of difficulty in the language being used, and in ideological content which can be explicit or hidden. This perspective looks at literacy where texts are bound together in intertextuality where people’s practices and texts intertwine. Thus the texts have the power to reproduce social practices such as social inequalities, gender relations, and racism among others. This is referred to as discourse.Others improved this perspective by also including non verbal communication, gestures, body language are part of the communication process where different cultures and contexts can change the interpretation of meaning (Kress, 2001). Thus people choose ‘representational resources’ on a case to case basis depending on what situation and what context. To illustrate, even the theories of literacy are themselves embedded in the assumptions and values of institutions and individuals. This perspective requires a critical reading of the text as social constructed and at the same time socially recreating society.Meanings are constructed according to social binaries and collusion of different values and forms of life. The criticism levelled at this perspective is determining its applicability in multi cultural settings and in a rapidly globalizing information society where the internet serves as a main medium bridging different cultures. Moreover, this perspective tends toward nihilism if we begin to look at all text being socially constructed, one may conclude that there neither defining value nor stable foothold to culture. Literacy as a Dominating IdeologyNeo Marxists levels its attack on the idea of literacy itself as a western and dominating ideology that creates social inequalities. This is being done by derogatory classification of â€Å"illiterates† without even lookin g at their specific culture and life forms from their own point of view. Literacy as an ideology is said to impose a standard created by the First World which brings with its own economic system of capitalism as already accepted. Thus the space of indigenous peoples for discourse is reduced only to a certain level of â€Å"literacy† from which they can discourse.Those who cannot speak the educated language are silenced. Technical discourse is preferred over experiential discourse. Bringing it all together If we look at the various perspectives in which we have analyzed literacy, we can see some common denominators in which all these perspectives can agree upon. These are: 1. That literacy should involve the whole range of human communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, counting and even non verbal communication and the study of proxemics and body language as forms of representation. 2.That literacy is contingent on the needs of the learners and the needs of soc iety. 3. That literacy must be able to empower and engage the people and must thrive within a positive learning environment. Yousif gives general definition of literacy based on these 4 perspectives: â€Å"Literacy is a technical capacity and a social act whose principal focus is reading, writing and numeracy as a step in a lifelong learning process that can lead to creative expression and conceptual problem-solving skills.Its principal objective is to enable the individual to achieve his goals and to  contribute to the welfare of his community (Yousif, 10-12 June, 2003). † If we examine the definition above we will observe that at the core of literacy are cognitive skills but it does not end there. The definition of Literacy further reaches out to creative expression, the ability to navigate the social world and survive, and conceptual problem solving. This definition further affirms the social roots and origins of literacy as human beings are social beings. As individuals they have to make meaning and interpret communication. As social beings, we need to be part and contribute to the welfare of society.As literacy is integral to culture and society, it is also a lifelong process of learning for human society is never static. The Significance of this definition This definition can prove to be very significant in the conduct of literacy efforts all over the world. While literacy efforts may stress on cognitive skills at the beginning, they should also emphasize on self actualization and social transformation as a direction. Literacy is also seen not as an end in itself but a lifelong process directed at creative self expression, psychological empowerment and self actualization, critical engagement, and social transformation.Literacy efforts should also look at the applicability and practicability of literacy programs on the actual life situation and culture of the people. There is no generic formula for literacy and the point of literacy programs is t o make human communities a better place to live in. While however accepting such diversity, we also have to take note that the mass media through the information high way is literally changing the communication landscape of the world.Thus we need to be open to learning how to navigate through fast developments while being critical of dominating discourses that flood the media.III. Conclusion:Education for Freedom During the last 300 years when the industrial revolution began, dramatic advances had made it a requirement for people in the modern world to have formal education in the schools. Before that, the transmission of learning and skills happened via oral tradition and the socialization of the young. Today, educational institutions are a must and acquiring formal education is already a necessity among the young.With the study of the different perspectives on literacy, we now know that literacy does not only mean skill but also competency. However, competency is not enough if one is to reach his highest potential. One needs critical self reflection to examine the deepest roots of our society and social life in order to change it. Thus literacy means gaining knowledge to understand the world and analyze society. Yet again the process never stops. For in the end, knowledge is useless if it has no goal and direction. The only worthwhile direction of human knowledge is none other than Freedom.This is what it really means when we say that reason has finally triumphed; where the world lives on free discourses and what matter is what’s right and not who’s right. This is where literacy brings not only development but also freedom and a better world guided by wisdom and reason. As information society increases global communication and makes the world smaller, so must the free exchange of culture and knowledge proceed without discrimination but with respect so there would be a diversity which is a unity in itself guided by the highest kind of literacy w e can ever imagine.

Antonin Artaud: Theatre of Cruelty Essay

Antonin Artaud’s most profound piece of work was not a poem, not a play, not an acting role, but a theory: Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty. He began to form his Theatre of Cruelty theory after learning of the Balinese theatre that seemed, to him, to share qualities with his ideas about theatre. Artaud held a great respect for Balinese theatre which revolves around dance and actions to convey meaning (Encyclopedia Britannica). More traditional theatre revolves around words to convey meaning. Artaud believed that the specificity of verbal interpretations got in the way of true meaning and that using physical gestures to express thoughts was more effective (Encyclopedia Britannica). He looked at drama as more of a physical act than a recitation of a script. The entire form of theatre, in his view, needed to be different to suit his new idea that the purpose of theatre was to express the cruelty of human beings (Encyclopedia Britannica). Artaud was very liberal in his ideas for this new theatre. He was specific in what he wanted out of the new theatre. He had many plans for how it would function and many dreams of the effect it would bring to it’s audiences as well as the art form as a whole. Antonin Marie Artaud was born in 1846 in Marseille France to his Greek parents, Euphrasie Nalpas and Antoine-Roi Artaud. He was one of the two surviving children out of nine, but he was very ill. Many of his problems can be attributed to his early childhood illnesses and the way they were treated. As a child, Artaud suffered from meningitis of the brain, neuraligia, and clinical depression. Since he was an unhealthy child, he was treated with opium which began his life-long addiction. As a young man Artaud was smart, handsome, and capable. He wrote poetry, but his main focus was theatre. He also acted in plays and directed theatre. While he was never well-known, he gave his life up to writing and excelled at it. His aptitude for writing strange-yet-interesting pieces was a result of his demented mind. He had strange ideas that were both brilliant and misunderstood. The opium and mental illness that brought Artaud his skill in writing took a toll on his body and were his eventual downfall. Artaud spent some years of his life going in and out of mental hospitals. He lived a fast, short life nd he died at the young age of 52 in a psychatric clinic. People may never definitely know whether Artaud was really intellectually inspired by the drugs he was so addicted to, but one might hope that the drugs that took his life away from him at such an early age served some sort of useful purpose. Such an odd man would seem to be more well-known, when in fact Artaud and his theories are so obscure that little can be found on them in any reliable resources. To fully understand Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty completely, one must first understand the meaning Artaud puts into the word cruelty. He used the words in many different ways to express his own philosophies. Artaud, according to Lee Jamison, used the word cruelty to apply to many differerent philosophies and views of his. More specifically, she defines four different ways Artaud included the concept of cruelty in his theories. The first of Artaud’s conceptual definitions of cruelty is the â€Å"essense of human existence† (Jamison). This definition of cruelty is that human life has no meaning, which is a cruel thought indeed. This definition shows Artaud’s jaded persepctive of life. He believed that life had no meaning and that theatre should show everyone else the cruel fact that he knew to be true. The second definition is cruelty as a practice, the practice of cruelty being breaking away from â€Å"false reality† (Jamison). He believed that everyone was living a lie and should just accept reality rather than ignoring the truth. Artaud’s third cruelty concept is that he believed that the audience should be exposed to cruelty by means of the theatre experience. He did not just want the audience to see cruelty up on the stage; he wanted to put them in the middle of it all and to experience it themselves. He wanted all barriers to be erased and for the audience to become part of the action in drama (Jamison). In this way the audience could have a better understanding of the concept Artaud was so eager to put on display in the theatre. The fourth and last interpretation of cruelty is Artaud’s own personal views. He considered everything imaginable to be reality (Jamison). If it could be thought up, it was real. This ties in with the willing suspension of disbelief which means what the audience is experiencing in the theatre is real in a way. The characters become people that the audience cares about. Understanding the many meanings Artaud put on one word, cruelty, is vital to understanding his meaning in his theory of Theatre of Cruelty. Artaud’s theories could very well be the work of a misuderstood genious carrying a jem of precious intellect. He makes many valid points in his writing. Perhaps life is just a cruel, meaningless existence. One could never know without blind faith. There is no science to prove that life has a deeper meaning other than to live and reproduce. If facing the truth is cruel then Artaud believed that all people should stand up to cruelty and look it in the face. Artaud could be right in saying that people should not live a lie. Putting an audience in a dramiatic situation is a marvelous idea if not taken too far. His theories may have been the beginnings of improvisational theatre or may have even spawned the modern day house of horrors. Artaud could be right about saying that even things that exist only in the mind are real. Reality is merely perception. Whether one can think of something or tangibly experience it, it is real in their perception. Artaud had many excellent ideas and theories that carry on with humanity through today. Artaud’s theories very well may be the jumbled-up imaginations and creations of a drug-addicted mad man. Perhaps his mental instability made him look at life through a distorted looking glass. What he saw was there, he was merely twisting it. Life itself being cruel sounds exactly like an exaggeration a depressed person would make. Life can be wonderful in so many ways. Existence itself is no cruelty to mankind. Existence merely forces the living to eat and breath, nothing more. Society may be a cruelty to mankind, but then again civilization is not innate. That people tend to avoid the truth is a terribly large generalization to make. It sounds like it was just made up. There is no evidence put behind it at all. Putting an audience through cruelty by making them part of a play is very cruel indeed. It may be so cruel that it serves no purpose at all, except to drive people away from the theatre. Looking at it reasonably and scientifically, if something cannot be seen, smelled, heard, touched, or tasted, one can never know if it is actually there. It almost sounds like something that would come out of the mouth of someone mentally ill. The main problem with no one adopting Artaud’s theatre was that immense changes would have to be made to the art in itself. Buildings would have to be changed so that the audience could be part of the action in plays. Writers would have write in a way that demonstrated Artaud’s theories. His precise and thought-out ideas for the theatre were too specific to be conformed to easily. If the changes had not been so drastic, theatres very well may have adapted and become Theatres of Cruelty. Artaud was very particular in his theories. All of Artaud’s theories tied in very closely to one another. To conform to one of Artaud’s ideas without conforming to any other would be an immense challenge.

Planning Matrix Essay

The Decision Stage Analysis and intuition provide a basis for making strategy-formulation decisions. The matching techniques just discussed reveal feasible alternative strategies. Many of these strategies will likely have been proposed by managers and employees participating in the strategy analysis and choice activity. Any additional strategies resulting from the matching analyses could be discussed and added to the list of feasible alternative options. As indicated earlier in this chapter, participants could rate these strategies on a 1 to 4 scale so that a prioritized list of the best strategies could be achieved. The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) is a high-level strategic management approach for evaluating possible strategies. Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix or a QSPM provides an analytical method for comparing feasible alternative actions. The QSPM method falls within so-called stage 3 of the strategy formulation analytical framework. [pic] The left column of a QSPM consists of key external and internal factors (identified in stage 1). The left column of a QSPM lists factors obtained directly from the EFE matrix and IFE matrix. The top row consists of feasible alternative strategies (provided in stage 2) derived from the SWOT analysis, SPACE matrix, BCG matrix, and IE matrix. The first column with numbers includes weights assigned to factors. How to Construct a QSPM Step 1 Make a list of the firm’s key external opportunities/threats and internal strengths/weaknesses in the left column of the QSPM. This information should be taken directly from the EFE Matrix and IFE Matrix. A minimum of 10 external critical success factors and 10 internal critical success factors should be included in the QSPM. Step 2 Assign weights to each key external and internal factor. These weights are identical to those in the EFE Matrix and the IFE Matrix. The weights are presented in a straight column just to the right of the external and internal critical success factors. Step 3 Examine the Stage 2 (matching) matrices and identify alternative strategies that the organization should consider implementing. Record these strategies in the top row of the QSPM. Group the strategies into mutually exclusive sets if possible. Step 4 Determine the Attractiveness Scores (AS), defined as numerical values that indicate the relative attractiveness of each strategy in a given set of alternatives. Attractiveness Scores are determined by examining each key external or internal factor, one at a time, and asking the question, â€Å"Does this factor affect the choice of strategies being made?† If the answer to this question is yes, then the strategies should be compared relative to that key factor. Specifically, Attractiveness Scores should be assigned to each strategy to indicate the relative attractiveness of one strategy over others, considering the particular factor. The range for Attractiveness Scores is 1 = not attractive, 2 = somewhat attractive, 3 = reasonably attractive, and 4 = highly attractive. If the answer to the above question is no, indicating that the respective key factor has no effect upon the specific choice being made, then do not assign Attractiveness Scores to the strategies in that set. Use a dash to indicate that the key factor does not affect the choice being made. Note: If you assign an AS score to one strategy, then assign AS score(s) to the other. In other words, if one strategy receives a dash, then all others must receive a dash in a given row. Step 5 Compute the Total Attractiveness Scores. Total Attractiveness Scores are defined as the product of multiplying the weights (Step 2) by the Attractiveness Scores (Step 4) in each row. The Total Attractiveness Scores indicate the relative attractiveness of each alternative strategy, considering only the impact of the adjacent external or internal critical success factor. The higher the Total Attractiveness Score, the more attractive the strategic alternative (considering only the adjacent critical success factor). Step 6 Compute the Sum Total Attractiveness Score. Add Total Attractiveness Scores in each strategy column of the QSPM. The Sum Total Attractiveness Scores reveal which strategy is most attractive in each set of alternatives. Higher scores indicate more attractive strategies, considering all the relevant external and internal factors that could affect the strategic decisions. The magnitude of the difference between the Sum Total Attractiveness Scores in a given set of strategic alternatives indicates the relative desirability of one strategy over another. Limitations of QSPM A limitation of the QSPM is that it can be only as good as the prerequisite information and matching analyses upon which it is based. Another limitation is that it requires good judgment in assigning attractiveness scores. Also, the sum total attractiveness scores can be really close such that a final decision is not clear. Like all analytical tools however, the QSPM should not dictate decisions but rather should be developed as input into the owner’s final decision. Advantages of QSPM A QSPM provides a framework to prioritize the strategies, it can be used for comparing strategies at any level such as corporate, business and functional.The other positive feature of QSPM that it integrate external and internal factors into decision making process.A QSPM can be developed for small and large scale profit and non-profit organizations. Cultural Aspects of Strategy Choice All organizations have a culture. Culture includes the set of shared values, beliefs, attitudes, customs, norms, personalities, heroes, and heroines that describe a firm. Culture is the unique way an organization does business. It is the human dimension that creates solidarity and meaning, and it inspires commitment and productivity in an organization when strategy changes are made. It is beneficial to view strategic management from a cultural perspective because success often rests upon the degree of support that strategies receive from a firm’s culture. If a firm’s strategies are supported by cultural products such as values, beliefs, rites, rituals,ceremonies, stories, symbols, language, heroes, and heroines, then managers often canimplement changes swiftly and easily. However, if a supportive culture does not exist and is not cultivated, then strategy changes may be ineffective or even counterproductive. A firm’s culture can become antagonistic to new strategies, and the result of that antagonism may be confusion and disarray. Culture provides an explanation for the difficulties a firm encounters when it attempts to shift its strategic direction.