Gardening as a Relaxing Hobby Essay

Amidst the problems with climate change and the food shortage in some parts of the world, certain hobbies may become beneficial to humankind. In my personal attempt to help in alleviating this environmental dilemma, I recently engaged myself in a hobby that is useful for myself and to the environment. Gardening is a hobby that I am quite interested in. This hobby is important to me as I am trying to go organic and help the environment in my own little way. Since I am just a beginner in this hobby, I know only little in this particular field and I have plenty of questions that need answers. Gardening may look easy at the start but tending the garden is actually a task that needs knowledge in plants and soil composition. I am moving towards in creating an organic garden that I find beneficial, since I can grow food in my backyard. However, I need to know what plants are best to plant in a particular season. In addition, I need to be knowledgeable on how I will be able to manage pests in my garden without using chemical pest control and how I will be able to add necessary nutrients in my garden soil to assure plants holistic growth. I managed to answer some of my queries through reading and researching about the particular topic. The main research tool that I used is the internet where I managed to find sites that are credible and reliable. They provided tips and suggestions on how to manage an organic garden effectively and efficiently. Also, I managed to find reading materials like magazine and books that contain articles on managing an organic garden. These are also reliable sources of information about the hobby. As a form of evaluating the sources, I assure that the material comes from an expert or someone who is knowledgeable in the topic. Gardening is a hobby that is beneficial to humankind and to the environment.

International Classification of Accounting Systems

Classification of Accounting Systems Critically evaluate to what extent past research into classification of accounting systems has become irrelevant because of international harmonization efforts. Let us remind that IASC was replaced in 2001 by IASB (International Accounting Standards Board). We are going to start this paper with the different classification researches, taking for example Hofstede and Gray’s studies. Then we will draw the main differences between GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). We will also speak about the Americanocentrism problem. To finally dealing with the differences and harmonization. *Two Main Example*s* of Past Studies*: *Hofstede’s* societal dimensions and Gray’s accounting values Different Classification Researches The first one is the deductive or judgmental method. Environmental factors are identified and they are linked to national accounting practices. Then, international groupings and development patterns are proposed. The second one is the inductive or empirical approach where individual practices are analyzed; the grouping or development patterns are identified, and where the explanations are based on economic, social, political and cultural factors proposed. In the deductive approach, Mueller developed four approaches to accounting development. Macroeconomic pattern: where business accounting is tied to national economic policies (Sweden, France, Germany) Microeconomic pattern: where accounting is a branch of business economics (Holand) Independent discipline pattern: where accounting is a service function derived from business practices (US, UK) and where accounting is considered to be capable of developing its own conceptual framework from business practice. Uniform Accounting pattern: where accounting is an efficient mean of control and administration. It takes into account that culture and historical roots are very important. Hofstede define four societal dimensions: individualism versus collectivism, large versus small power distance, uncertainty avoidance: degree to which a firm is ok with ambiguity, masculinity: preference for achievement, assertiveness, material success. Now let us focus on Gray who has developed the following pairs of contrasting accounting values: Professionalism VS Statutory Control: there is a preference for individual judgment, self regulation. Uniformity VS flexibility: there is a preference for enforcement of uniform practices. Conservatism VS Optimism: there is a preference for cautious approach. Secrecy VS Transparency: there is a preference for confidentiality. There are a lot of international pressures like the growing international interdependencies and the harmonization of the regulatory framework. But also the new opportunities, joint ventures and alliances. *GAAP/*IFRS Let us start by an analysis of the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Financial accounting relies on certain standards of the GAAP. Principles of GAAP derive from tradition. There are seven main principles: regularity or consistency, sincerity, permanence of methods, non compensation, prudence, continuity, and periodicity. In any report of financial statements (audit, compilation, or review), the auditor must indicate to the reader whether or not the information contained within the statements complies with GAAP. The convergence of accounting standards, that the majority of the industrialized countries support is advantageous for the companies in the Stock Exchange: they should not have to produce several financial statements and thus save important sums of money. The financial risk is reduced. The investors, for their part, can better compare and examine the financial data of companies wherever they are established. Their decision making is thus improved. This international harmonization is a process making it possible to arrive to a basic bringing together various accounting standards One big advantage can be seen when we face a merger or an acquisition. Decisions are much easier to take. However, the experience of convergence IASB/FASB shows that many years are necessary to ensure the convergence of two reference frames however based on the same Anglo-Saxon culture of the businesses. This is due primarily to an existence of an opposition between an approach by the rules in the case of FASB and an approach by the principles which follows IASB. IASB is at the center of the convergence movement. The IFRS are described like founded on principles, which means that they leave a big freedom of action to the companies about the evaluation of the accounting data. The US GAAP are described like founded on rules and they aim to regulate all the possible aspects of the presentation of the accounts. These standards thus require very detailed information on behalf of the companies. In the case of convergence between IASB and FASB, the harmonization of the IFRS and US GAAP is currently working and common solutions have already been found. That do not prevent from the divergence of several points of view, among the principal aspects to be solved one we think about the financial instruments and the presentation of the performances. Some of the differences between US GAAP and IFRS are embodied in the standards themselves. They are intentional deviations from US requirements. Americanocentrism Some countries adopted some international standards coming to replace their national standards or to supplement them. Some stock exchange places, first of all the London one, admitted companies of which accountancy is in conformity with standards IAS and more than 200 great groups (majority domiciled in Canada, in France and Switzerland) produced a second set of accounts established according to these standards. SEC even conceded at certain foreign companies the right to observe certain rules IAS as the standard relating to the table of financing (IAS 7), to currencies (IAS 21), companies (IAS 22) and inflation effects (IAS 29). Within the European Union, some harmonization efforts about accounting methods were undertaken. Those however knew the same fate than others and must still produce tangible effects. Moreover, European countries have adopted the principle of mutual recognition of the standards. In spite of the creation of an ad hoc work group in 1990, the accounting harmonization is not a priority anymore, no proposal nor declaration has been made since. It is use consider American standards as the reference. That does not imply their superiority that just reflects economic and political reality. Unless standards IAS are not accepted by the SEC, the companies which follow them do not meet the conditions to be allowed on the American stock exchange places. To be allowed, a German group like Daimler-Benz must satisfy the regulations and specifications of the Stock Exchange where its shares will be exchanged and to match the regulations imposed by the SEC, slightly amended for the foreign transmitters. SEC requires in particular that foreign companies present either their accounts in conformity with the US GAAP or a table showing together the US GAAP rules and the accounts drawn according to the accounts chart of their own country (Germany in the case of Daimler-Benz). Few companies choose the first method; nevertheless, even the second method is expensive. If the American Stock Exchange remains one of the more world significant markets, standards IAS non in conformity with the American rules will become obsolete. But if the SEC persists in its exclusive attitude, the domination of the American Stock Exchanges could be compromised. Can we solve the problem? Is harmonization the answer? Then harmonization in accounting standards shall serve many of the following benefits: Decrease in the costs of data collection Increase in the comparison of the information, Development in the capital markets, Facilitation in the fund movements Provision of competition advantage in favor of the firms Decrease in the audit costs and increase in the efficiency of the audit For multinationals, the advantages of harmonization are much more important. The impacts are cultural and social, on the employment and consumption pattern for example which are significantly influenced. The SEC made understand that any international reference moving away from philosophy and specificity of the American standards would not be acceptable. It profits from the support of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), insofar as generalized acceptance of standards IAS could compromise the credibility of standards FASB. *Why do the differences persist? And w*hat is *mainly *stopping* the harmonization*? Let us take another example. In Japan, Keiretsu is a group of companies undertaken with cross participations which maintain very close relations of customer-suppliers type. Similar systems exist in Korea. The relations between these companies are not comparable with those which bind a holding and its subsidiary companies; this system is running in United Kingdom and the United States. Moreover, no economic argument could be brought to justify the regulation of the accounting standards. Why the practices differ o clearly from one country to another? We can for sure think about culture, tradition and history. Then, external environment, legal systems (Common law & Codified Roman law), taxation, the level of inflation, accidents and external influences (such as the framing of law in response to economic or politic events for example) are the main causes of international differences. Also, liabilities, consolidation, segment reporting and foreign currency translation can be big issues in international accounting. However, the economists privilege the explanations relating to factors such as the legal system and the legislation on the property rights, even if, in the final analysis, these factors themselves form part of each culture intrinsically. Conclusion While convergence and harmonization are admirable goals with a lot of benefits, that may not easily or quickly achieved. The success will not depend only on the ability of the FASB and IASB to work together, but also on the willingness of national regulators to cooperate and to avoid issuing local interpretation of IFRS. In April 2005, SEC published the road map. This is an article by then Chief Accountant discussed the possible elimination of the US GAAP reconciliation for foreign private issuers that use IFRS. This Road map laid out a series of milestones which if achieved would result in the elimination of the US GAAP reconciliation by 2009, so quite soon. It is often noted that the process of IASC standards are influenced by Anglo-American approach, which partly explains the reserve of certain countries to adopt the international accounting standards. The difference between Anglo-American philosophies and European ones can be explained by the importance attached to two essential characteristics of accountancy: reliability and relevance. To conclude, despite the existence of many convergence points, this research show several major differences between two countries supposed to follow relatively similar rules. This thus tends to catch our attention on the difficulty of international harmonization. This study seems to illustrate perfectly (unfortunately? difficulties of the international accounting harmonization. It could be interesting to carry out a reflection on other ways of making accountancies comparable in order to avoid a fundamental opposition. However, new laws gave (or will give) to companies of several countries, including France and Germany; the possibility of presenting their group accounts according to the international standards, in particular those of the IASC and USGAAP, rather than the national rules. Almost all th e companies having a world activity do it already, or will probably do it soon. BIBLIOGRAPHY †Evolution of research on international accounting harmonization : a historical and insitutional perspective â€Å", Socio-Economic Review, October 2007 Bosco T. , Corporate Accounting Information Systems Cook D. Connor L. , UK/US GAAP Comparison Wolk H. , Dodd J. , Accounting Theory, 7th edition Elliott B. and Elliott Jamie, Financial Accounting and Reporting, 8th edition Ernst & Whinney, L’Impact de la septieme directive: la consolidation des comptes en Europe, ETP, 1985 Heem G. t Aonzo P. (2003),  « La normalisation comptable internationale: ses acteurs, sa legitimite,ses enjeux  », Revue d’Economie Financiere IASC, International Accounting Standards Explained, Wiley, 2000 Ortiz E. (2005),  « GAAP choice by European companies  », European Business Review POWER Michael, La Societe de l’audit, La Decouverte, 2005 Price Waterhouse Coopers ; â€Å"IFRS 2005 divergences France /IFRS† ; Editions Francis Lefebvre Street D. L. and Gr ay S. J. et Brayant S. M. 1999),  « Acceptance and observance of International Accounting Standards  », The International Journal of Accounting â€Å"Trends in research on international accounting harmonization â€Å", The International Journal of Accounting, September 2007 Weetman P. E. , Jones A. E. , Adams C. A. and Gray S. J,  « Profit measurement and UK accounting standards: a case of increasing disharmony in relation to US GAAP and IAS’s â€Å". Websites: www. wikipedia. fr www. lesechos. fr www. focusifrs. com www. fasb. gov www. investopedia. com www. ey. com www. authorstream. com

Biological Pest Control Case Study – the cassava mealybug

The Cassava plant was brought to Africa from South America in the 16th century. The next four years the starchy thickened roots became the main source of food for millions of Africans, providing up to 70% of the recommended daily intake. The cassava plant is the habitat of the cassava mealybug and is damaged by the insect. The problem – The cassava mealybug- eating cassava plant- biological control of mealybug by using wasps. When the cassava plant was introduced to Africa most of its predators for example mites and plant diseases, were not also introduced therefore leaving the plant free of most of its predators but in the 1970’s a pest called the cassava mealybug was accidently introduced from Latin America(2) The pest is a rare insect but it quickly spread across the entire cassava plant growing area and due to the lack of natural predators within 10 years it became the most important pest insect on cassava causing a loss of up 80% of crop. The mealybug(5) shown on left hand side of text has damaged the cassava plants by sucking sap from roots, tender leaves; petioles and fruit form the plant. The severely infested leaves of the cassava plant will turn yellow (3) and gradually dry out a severe attack on the cassava plant can result in shredding of leaves. On the right is a picture (4) of a cassava plant which has been infested by the mealybug. Another problem with the mealybugs is that some will inject a toxic substance while feeding causing deformation of the cassava plant and therefore there was less food to be harvest. Although timing is not regular, depending on biological events and conditions such as area under cultivation and climatic factors, it seems that major new diseases or strains of cassava disease tend to appear every 7–10 years. Table below shows the disease problem in Arica. Biological methods/ processes- biological control of invasive species. Cassava mosaic and mealybug control programs were introduced in the 1970s (2) to combat these two problems, the decline in crop because of the mealybug eating the plant and further decline because of the spread of disease. The Institute of Biological Control (CIBC) based in Trinidad and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) researched into how the mealybug was kept under control in South America. They eventually found that a tiny wasp (smaller than the head of a pin) called the Leptomastix, which laid its eggs on the mealybug was keeping the mealy bugs under control therefore protecting the cassava plant. The picture on the right shows the small wasp on the mealybug larvae. You can read also Costco Case Study The picture on the left shows an infected cassava tuber dug from the field and sliced open. The wasps were able to control the cassava eating the cassava crops by the wasp laying eggs on the mealybug they grew on the mealybug, the wasp larvae then killing the mealybug this would have a huge effect on the population as seen in South America, of the mealybug and therefore restoring the natural balance. This could be the breakthrough that they were looking for and could control the mealybug. Meeting the challenge Tests were run on the wasp by the CABI Bioscience in the UK. There the mealybug was tested to see how highly specific they are to the cassava mealybug host because if they were not then they could also affect other insects in the continent and therefore would be too dangerous to introduce to the area. The results showed that the wasp was highly specific to the insect (mealybug) so were given the okay to be shipped to Africa so they then can be reared and then the distributed to other areas around Africa. This was a huge breakthrough as without this research it had the ability to cause huge damage on the environment and the economy because of further damage to other crops. Appropriateness.-Has been successful with the mealybug. The mealybug feeds on the cassava stem, petiole, and leaf near the growing point of the cassava plant. During feeding, the mealybug injects a toxin that causes leaf curling, slowing of shoot growth, and eventual leaf withering. This is the effect the cassava mealybug has on the plant resulting in a huge loss of crop due to infested plant crop. The yield loss in infested plants is estimated to be up to 60 percent of root and 100 percent of the leaves the root is the main source of food so this causes a huge problem for the crop yield. The results were a reduction in mealybug damage was seen in the first season following release in both the leaf and the root, and full control was typically achieved within 2–4 years (6) after and now after a decade (10 years) the cassava mealybug and the wasps lived in natural balance with the mealybug population down to a maximum of 10% of what they were 10 years ago at a peak of the infestation.(1) Now the cassava can grow with no or little dam age from the mealybug as the wasp has stopped the 60% root damage and the 100% of leaf destruction. Yield losses as reported by farmers are averaged at about 80% during the 1983 cassava mealybug outbreak but were reduced to 43% in 1979 pre infestation levels. (7) Implications Environmental- An environmental implication is that when the wasps are introduced to south America there was a risk that it could have a huge impact on the food chain as by taking away one organism or gaining one can have a knock on effect on others for example of the wasp was then hunted by a predator this could leave its normal pray to multiply therefore having an over population which in turn can then have knock on effects to their pray and so on and so on until extinction of a food source. Causing problems for South America in the economy and for the environment also. This environmental implication causes an imbalance of the natural balance of wildlife; this may have a knock on effect of the overall environmental surrounding and the effect on the human population. Economic For the farmers of Africa the economic impact has been useful and successful by increasing dramatically there yield percentage therefore increasing the money income. Every pound of investment in the mealybug project control work has returned between 200 and 500 pounds. These benefits to the environment from this environmental solution with no costs but a huge increase in crop harvest, obviously is a clear advantage economically to the farmers. By introducing the wasps there will be a series of tests that need to be run before can be realised for example testing the wasps to see if they were highly specific to the mealybug and whether they would cause destruction on other pests in the environment. The cost of setting up the project is costly especially as it is a longitudinal study so will have a large amount of money spent which will be spent over the years as has to be monitored over the years. Benefits to the humans There was a desperate need for something that could stop the crop destruction on the cassava plant and by finding the wasp that ate the mealybug which was destroying the crop made the crop loss decrease dramatically There was 80% of crop lost so with the help of the cassava mealybug project has gone down to 43 % (7) this a huge benefit for the locals economically it brings in more income for them and also more food, As is a large food source for the local people. The cassava plant is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropic area. The cassava is a major food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for around 500 million people. Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava. The cassava is a great source of carbohydrate for the people although it lacks in protein. Risks to the environment Although there is many reasons why there was a need for this biological control of the cassava mealybug, but there was also a huge risk of the environment being destroyed for example, if the wasp was not highly specific to the mealybug and caused a different crop to grow out of control this could also affect the natural balance of the environment resulting in and upset of the natural predators food source leading to disruption of habitat and extinction of some insects which will have a large effect on predators higher up the food chain. The wasp being introduced to the environment could have caused further damage on the environment destroying the local agriculture if it had effected another plant in the environment with could have caused further damage on the local economy and their food source. The food chain on the right shows how a small animal’s decrease of extinction would affect along the food chain resulting in effecting the highest food predator and can easily lead to extinction of this animal. Alternative solutions Pesticides can be used to control out breaks of mealybugs. It is not very easy to control, as the cassava mealybug is covered in hydrophobic wax which repels water-based insecticides therefore making it very difficult ton successfully irradiate the mealybug using this method of biological control. Also unless mealybugs are sprayed with the insecticide at certain times the treatment will not be effective. Firstly because mealybugs are protected from aqueous sprays by their wax coat and seek sheltered sites at certain points in which to feed, insecticides must be applied when mealybugs have least wax and are most exposed. This time is in early spring as the mealybugs will feed on the foliage and at this point the mealybugs are young and have not had enough time to produce the full thick layer of wax coating. And therefore this leaves the mealybug unprotected from the insecticide. There are also fewest leaves at this point so is harder for the, mealybug to hide from the insecticide resulting in a higher success rate. Insecticides applied after Christmas has limited effect, Once mealybugs have established there position on the plant (usually from mid-January onwards), they are virtually impossible to remove or control with insecticides at this stage therefore this means that there has to be a lot of research gone into discovering the perfect time to use the pesticide therefore costing a lot as is a longitudinal study and may vary from year to year. Genetic modification. Another possibility that is being looked into it genetic modification of plants, this was done by Dr Stanford. He was looking into crop improvement and saw the power of genetic selection and how there was limited changed possible using just selective breeding. He then became involved in plant genetic engineering research and showed that there were numerous genes which were potentially useful in crop plants but they were struggling to find a method for delivering these genes into the plant genome, there was no transformation technology(8) . Further research showed that shooting DNA into cells thereby penetrating cell walls and membranes. This was called the gene gun and it was able to transform early transgenic crops. This gene gun would be able to in theory change the genetic makeup of the cassava plant so that it could offer some sort of protection against predators. This would also have risks as you do not know how the modification will affect all of its predators and could therefo re have an effect on them so may cause harm in some way. Although there is less risk in destroying the natural environment as it is not causing other insects a problem. Conclusion In conclusion the biological control of the mealybug has had a huge effect and has caused the problem of the economy and environment to be resolved therefore keeping harmony between the organisms and the human population by keeping a natural balance between the small wasp and the mealybug.

War on Terror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

War on Terror - Essay Example One of the most negative instances of the "War on Terror" occurred at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, as the reader finds out in John Barry, Mark Hosenball and Babak Dehghanpisheh's "Abu Ghraib and Beyond;" many detainees, suspected terrorists, and Taliban fighters, were tortured by U.S. soldiers in an effort to extract information. The instances of torture were photographed and eventually made their way to the press and widespread viewing around the world. In the ensuing session of finger-pointing as to who was responsible, the soldiers who committed the acts claimed to have been told to do so by their superiors; their commanders denied having instructed them to humiliate the prisoners and torture them. The end result was that the soldiers were punished, Donald Rumsfeld's credibility was decimated, and the Islamic world became enraged at the American treatment of the prisoners. The names of the worst "interrogators" are given in the article, for they often stripped and tortured the inmates, rather than simply interrogating them. It is commendable that the article is not written in a way that condemns Lynndie England (one of the stars of the illicit torture photographs), but it points the blame higher to military officials, with being overt in doing so. Given the timing of the article (soon after the torture incidents, in the spring of 2004), the authors of the article show quite a bit of restraint in reporting the events at Abu Ghraib. Unlike most of today's reporting, the article is written in a matter of fact manner, without a lot of the leftist rhetoric found in today's reporting of the war (or anything having to do with George W. Bush). Additionally, it should be noted that in 2004, it was considered un-American to take the U.S. military to task on their behavior in the Middle East. This article shows a great deal of bravery by the authors, for the res ponse to the piece could have been quite negative.

Complexities of the U.S. Financial System Research Paper - 1

Complexities of the U.S. Financial System - Research Paper Example Therefore, one way in which the financial markets affect the economy is through determining the flow of both savings and investments into the economy, a pattern which in turn determines the rate of economic growth. Therefore, the financial markets offers an opportunity for savings that have been made by individuals and other business entities to re-enter the economy through the sale of shares, bonds and other financial securities, thus allowing the economy to have a consistent flow of money, which then promotes economic growth (World Financial Watch, 2014). Thus, when the financial markets are not operating smoothly, the economic growth is deterred. On the other hand, one way in which the financial markets affects businesses is through the provision of financial capitals for the business to invest further and grow (World Financial Watch, 2014). Different businesse entities convert their financial worth into shares, which are then listed on the stock market. Additionally, business can form different nature of securities and trade them in the stock and security markets, in order to raise capital for the further investment. In this respect, the financial markets determine the capacity of businesses to raise capital, which in turn determines the level of investment by businesses and the consequent profitability (Metcalf, 2014). In addition, whenever companies and businesses wants to raise money directly from the public, as opposed to raising it from the investors, the businesses issue their shares as Initial Public Offer (IPO) directly to the public, so that they can raise more capital, while making the businesses public entities. This way, the financial markets provides a platform through which private businesses can convert into public entities, while also providing the platform through which the willing and able members of public can own some stakes in some businesses and companies of their choice

How did the Roman Republic become the Roman Empire Research Paper

How did the Roman Republic become the Roman Empire - Research Paper Example The Roman Empire owes its expansion to able rulers who ruled with autocracy. The Roman Empire was able to stand for that long because of the religious believes of the Romans. This is because they believed in their supreme deity Jupiter. They believed Jupiter granted them limitless empire. Thus they believed that the whole world should be under their rule perhaps this explain their endless effort to extend their empire. Latin language was the universal language and this provided cohesion. The Roman Empire was so big that it is can be equated with 40 countries of nowadays. It extended from north England, Asia, Africa and Mediterranean. It is also important to note that it has not been smooth ceiling for the Romans in the transition from a republic to an empire. This is because this transition was characterized civil wars as people were against the extension. The Roman Empire had diverse cultures since it existed and controlled many people. The rulers had to adjust to give everyone free dom of worship. Their style of ruling has had a large contribution to the modern politics. Their religion too has affected the way people worship. An example is the Roman Catholic Church. This religion came into existence because of the Christian rulers who ascended to power. The advancement of Roman Empire in such a quick way was because they had military prowess. There was no nation at that time that matched the military prowess of the Romans. They conquered almost the whole of Europe, Asia, Mediterranean, Persia and Egypt. Despite their military prowess, they were unable to conquer Germany. This is because the Germans resisted their advancement. The Germans were decentralized as opposed to other communities that were centralized hence it was difficult to subdue the Germans. This later led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. There were several reasons that made Roman Empire to rise and dominate the largest empire in the world for so long. The first reason is the naval dominance. The Romans dominated the coastline for long. This ensured that they had military or naval advantage since they could locate approaching enemies from far, thus giving them time to prepare. They were also able to deploy their army with ease along the coastline hence giving them military advantage. The naval dominance also was lucrative. This is because they were able to control trade as they controlled the coastline. This enabled them to amass wealth from proceeds of trade. Their success in naval dominance came after the defeat of Carthage by Romans in the Punic war, which gave the Romans the chance to control fully the Mediterranean. The Romans further used appeasement to advance. This is because they ensured that the local were satisfied to reduce military work. They gave the locals freedom of worship and allowed them to observe their culture. This ensured that military concentrated on further advancement of the empire rather than using them for controlling the local thus, they were able to reduce drain on military. The other reason is that the Romans provided political stability and promoted commerce. The people under the Roman Empire received protection from enemies by strong military. They ensured there was free trade and they provided unitary currency to ease transactions. With this, they ensured that the locals were happy to reduce internal conflict. In fact, few people in the Roman Empire were below poverty line. The other reason

Tort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tort - Essay Example Most tort cases occur due to negligence. This is where a person causing the harm did not do it with ill intentions. However, the neglect that came into play led to the suffering of another. This paper will review some tort risks that arose in the product liability video and tort violations from the video. Product liability is where the manufactured products of any company may cause harm to their consumers. Negligence that may have taken place in the company at the time of manufacture may be the cause of this. They are liable for law suits from those affected. They then have to pay for damages through monetary compensation (Currie & Cameron, 2000). This is if the affected party can prove beyond doubt that they were harmed by the product consumption. Tort risks that may arise from the product liability video include medical malpractice, and automobile accidents. These risks may bring harm to consumers and customers involved with the products produced by these companies. The negligence that may occur during the manufacture of some of these products can cause law suits for product liability (Currie & Cameron, 2000). Consumers have a right to safe products. But a good question arises about the safety of products, â€Å"how safe is safe enough?† The answer is often given by the manufacturer about their product to convince consumers of safety. However, if problems arise after the consumption of such products, it is usually termed as a breach of contract. This is because the manufacturer promised safety, but failed to deliver on that promise (Deakin, 2008). This is equated to a breach of contract. They are, therefore, liable for a lawsuit from the person affected. Today, a breach of any contract is often termed as a tort, or a civil wrong. A tort violation in the video is product malfunction. This is where a fully manufactured product ceases to function normally. The result of this is personal injury to the consumer of that product. It is the job of

Intoduction Development Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intoduction Development Economics - Essay Example Moreover, the document will discuss the prevalence of the inequality in the years. Assessment of the poverty evolution in the country in the last two decades and the factors that led to the performance will be elaborated in the document. The population growth of the country will be part of the subject of the paper since the year 1980. Lastly, the paper will tackle the poverty levels in the country in the nation given its poverty levels in the last two decades. Ecuador is one of the poor countries in the Latin America and the level of inequality of the country’s resources keeps bloating in the developing years. The country’s inequality is a trending feature that gives the country bad reputation on the priorities the government has put in place to counter the inequality in the country. As the countries natives suffer the economic devastations, some parts of the country enjoy the fruits of tourism and high end bars. This land termed as ‘gringolandas’ are known for the rich culture of using American luxury products and the few elite enjoy the resources generated from the tourist revenue in the country. Marginalization of the Afro-Ecuadorians in the nation has contributed to the inequality in the country as the communities have the notion that they are the lazy and criminals. A few miles into the Atacames a touristy beach town could benefit the Esmeralda residents but the mindset in the country give the vicious cycle of poverty a chance in the country by fueling the stereotypes on the Afro-Ecuadorians. Racism in the country is a big issue in the country ingrained from the Spanish colonial eras is still evident in the country aggravating the population’s marginalization. Inequality in the recent years is partly fueled by the environmental devastation in the country. The deforestation and oil spills in the countryside where many indigenous Ecuadorians live become more prominent because the legislature is very corrupt and lacks protect ive measures to control the companies given the contracts. This degradation of the environment brings the country to depravation of morals and defined greed in the system that governs the country. The constant westernization of the urban Ecuador is very instrumental in the promotion of inequality. The supermaketization of the urban areas gives convenience to the wealthy but puts the local farmers out of business creating further inequality in the country. In comparison to other countries that have the same income levels, Ecuador has a lower prevalence of the poverty levels compared to the Dominican Republic. However, the level of poverty in Costa Rica is reduced and low in comparison to both countries. Inequality in the countries has declined in the recent years but not in all countries. The level of inequality in Costa Rica has seen a stagnation trend as compared to the other countries. The evolution of the inequality has evolved in the country citing the new discoveries of natural resources that attract companies that mine without the care for the environment and the natives. Furthermore, the country has had a lot to do with racism, which is a good aggravator of inequality. These changes are occurring because the government and the appropriate bodies are doing little to protect the common person in the country and instead enjoy the luxury that comes with the resources the country contains. The presence of deeply rooted corruption gives the common person a hard

Preparing People to Manage, Support and Use of ERP systems Dissertation

Preparing People to Manage, Support and Use of ERP systems - Dissertation Example , the quantitative and qualitative data were subjected to both statistical and thematic analysis. The study has found that the employees who were investigated expressed that loss of control of the organisation and complexity of ERP were acceptable in their present organisation along with the effectiveness of the alignment of ERP to business process and strategy and the resistance of users. In addition, the study likewise found that Planning was a key enabler of ERP implementation, along with management of the project and education and training. The variable of culture has particularly been disagreed upon as an enabler of successful ERP implementation. In addition, it was also found that management of the project, education and training and involvement of users are all significant, positive predictors of effectiveness of ERP deployment. As such, a number of recommendations had been presented. Acknowledgements Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1. Background 9 1.2. Project Rationale 1 2 1.3.Project Aims and Objectives 13 1.3.1. Project Aims 13 1.3.2. Project Objectives 13 2. Literature Review 2.1. Introduction 14 2.2. ERP systems: A Brief Overview 14 2.2.1. The Importance of ERP systems 15 2.3. Obstacles to the Effective Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning 19 2.4. Factors that Positively Affect Effective ERP Implementation 25 2.5. Empirical Studies 32 2.6. Conclusions 37 2.6.1. Key Conclusions 38 2.6.2. Refined Research Questions 40 3. Research Methodology 3.1. Introduction 41 3.2. Research Philosophy 41 3.3. Research Strategy 42 3.4. Data Generation Methods 43 3.5. Data Analysis 46 3.6. Sampling 46 3.7. Ethics 47 3.8. Limitations 48 3.9. Conclusions 48 4. Results and Discussion 4.1. Introduction 50 4.2. Questionnaire Analysis 50 4.3. Interviews Analysis 74 4.3.1. Business Process and Strategy 74 4.3.2. Loss of Control of the Organisation 74 4.3.3. Complexity of ERP 75 4.3.4. User Acceptance/ Resistance of Users 75 4.3.5. Planning and Management of the Project 76 4.3.6. Teamwork 76 4.3.7. Support from Top Management 77 4.3.8. Communication 78 4.3.9. Management of Change/Culture 78 4.3.10. Education and Training 79 4.3.11. Overall Effectiveness of the ERP Implementation 79 4.4. Discussion 4.4.1. Introduction 80 4.4.2. Obstacles in ERP Implementation 80 4.4.3. Enablers in ERP Implementation 83 4.5. Conclusions 85 5. Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1. Conclusions 87 5.1.1. Conclusion 1 87 5.1.2. Conclusion 2 88 5.2. Recommendations 5.2.1 Recommendations 1 89 5.2.2. Recommendations 2 89 6. Personal Reflection 90 Bibliography 91 Appendices 97 List of Tables Table 1. Items measuring obstacles in ERP implementation 46 Table 2. Items measuring enablers in ERP implementation. 49 Table 3. Gender: Frequency and percentage breakdown. 50 Table 4.. Age: Frequency and percentage breakdown. 51 Table 5. Level: Frequency and percentage breakdown. 52 Table 6. Tenure: Frequency and percentage breakdown. 59 Table 7. Descriptive statistics:

Project paper on interpersonal communication theories and chosen book Essay

Project paper on interpersonal communication theories and chosen book - Essay Example Yet these two English speaking Caucasians can barely last seven days without confrontation amongst themselves and amongst their loved ones. Such is the downfall of language. People can understand the words, but it takes much more time and effort to understand the context in which people speak. This film essentially portrays the lives of two individuals in their unique journey to Japan. While it seems as though Bob is going through a mid-life crisis in conjunction with family problems waiting in the States, Charlotte appears to be having a crisis of her own at twenty years of age. She looks for sympathy in Bob Harris and receives something that borders on romance and heart-break. Not only an intense drama, but the film also portrays the life-styles of two different generations of marriage. Intimate relationships, especially marriages, are considered one of closest forms of relationships. Both participants are supposedly devoted enough to disclose very personal information to one another. Conversely, can that form of intimacy last? What if the discloser is no longer appreciated in a marriage? Bob Harris appeared to be going through such a scenario with his wife overseas. In a specific scene, Bob is speaking with his wife about some of the extraordinary people he has been meeting in Japan. To this end, Mrs. Harris mundanely expresses how happy she is that Bob is having fun. Of course, her voice and tone reveal that she could care less about Bob’s experience—even though he claims that Japan not fun, just â€Å"different.† Mrs. Harris’s lack of enthusiasm illustrates a marriage without intimacy. It is a marriage only held together by the devotion to their children. This film portrays very convincingly of the loss of such intimacies. Relationships can blossom so hastily only to fall just as quickly. A once exciting intimacy can degrade into jealousy

Opportunities and Limitations of the Trade Market Essay

Opportunities and Limitations of the Trade Market - Essay Example It is an integrated process through of creating value for customers and build strong customer relationships to capture value from customers in return (IMA, 2010). International marketing refers to marketing outside the immediate country of origin or registration of a given organization. It so happens that there is currently a lot of competition for tourists from almost all countries in the world. To help improve their chances of capturing tourists, countries are only too willing to give their profiles to help them achieve this end (Pricken, 2008, p 24) This paper sets out to discuss the application and analysis of the profile of France with specific regard to the tourism industry. It looks at France as a potential market for tourists bound for the UK and proposes appropriate strategies to boost this particular market segment for the benefit of UK tourism. France is one of richer Western European nations. It is made up of a population of 64.1 million persons according to the 2008 national census. The main language spoken in the country is French which is an international language spoken by over 1 billion people globally who are mainly found in Francophone countries which are former colonies of France. Other important languages are English, Spanish, and German. It is important to note that all these languages share a history of conflicts with French for supremacy in Europe. So some of them, especially English, may not have been very welcome in certain sections of France in the past. However, with the emergence of America as a superpower, speaking English has become fashionable and prestigious among the younger generations in France (visitbritain.com, 2010). French is a highly developed language classified as romantic and low context. It is highly expressive with nasalized and lilting sounds.

Financial Planner Essay Example for Free

Financial Planner Essay Among the many career fields to choose from, Id like to pursue one in the financial planning industry. A financial planners job is diverse and could be in areas like management of cash flow, investment and retirement planning, tax and estate planning, insurance and risk management planning, among others. There are also job opportunities outside personal planning that provides more financial rewards. I believe this job to be interesting, challenging and beneficial to people. This isnt like other jobs wherein youre only there to perform a task sometimes without knowing the end result or the product of your efforts. As a financial planner, a person is able to help other people in more significantly, even in a life-changing manner. Its a fact that many people have great ideas and good intentions regarding their finances, but few have the willpower and the right know-how to execute their plans. Thats where I see myself helping. Id like to see people to be more financially stable and create for themselves a nest egg for their future. People should be aware of financial planning at an early age. The earlier a person starts setting aside part of his income for a financial plan, the more secure is his future going to be. Another reason why Id like to have a career in this field is because I get stimulated when dealing with numbers. Crafting plans after studying pages of figures and mathematical formulas is something that does not daunt me. According to journals and news articles that have been published regarding the financial planning field, the demand for financial planners are rising globally as more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of having tailored financial plans for themselves. Over the years, financial planners have gradually, but consistently, created a niche for themselves in the market. There are several factors that have contributed to the upswing of demand for financial planners. In the earlier years, people were happy with social security benefits and old age Planner 2 pensions provided by the government. But years later, peoples outlook has shifted and the idea of being more comfortable and secure in old age have dominated the minds not just of those who are near retirement but even those who are still relatively young. Awareness among young professionals is seen to continue within the next decade, making it reasonably safe to assume that demand for financial programs and financial planners will continue. Another reason why the financial planning business has risen is caused by uncertainties in the stock markets. People are now opting to seek professional advice, before investing in a particular bond or stock. There is also a growing demand for financial planners outside the personal planning arena. Financial planners have found themselves becoming more and more necessary in banks and other financial institutions. Their expertise is needed in determining risks involved in investment vehicles. The pay scale and benefits that a certified financial planner receives differ from company to company, experience, and type of certification. A person who holds a position in higher management, like a vice president or portfolio manager, will earn a six-digit figure. Likewise, a person whos been a financial planner for more than twenty years will also receive a six-digit salary. Entry-level compensation is often in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. The banking industry and other financial institutions salaries are often higher compared to other industries. For instance, a job posting for a financial advisor in Connecticut offers an annual income of $50,000 to $80,000. Another example is an ad for looking for financial planning director, which offers at least $150,000 annual income. But whats more attractive about being a financial planner is the opportunity to earn more than your basic salary. Commissions and incentives are given for every transaction. A persons overall income is often measured by how well he networks and sells financial products.

Poile Sengupta and the Theatre of Protest

Poile Sengupta and the Theatre of Protest Abstract Drama is a reflection of life as we know it. Hence it becomes a very effective tool to gauge the changes in social perspectives. In India, the later decades of the twentieth century have seen comparatively more women producing some very intense work. Most plays written by women during these decades are honest, reflexive, often violent and at times extremely disturbing. They try to seek an answer to the question of power imbalance that is prevalent in our society. In this paper I have tried to analyse current trends in Contemporary Indian Drama in English especially with regard to Women’s Drama i.e. plays written by women playwrights, about women and their experiences. I’ve chosen Poile Sengupta as a representative playwright and analysed her plays for my study. Keywords Protest, Society, Theatre, Women. Poile Sengupta and the Theatre of Protest. A few years back, I was watching a movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding wherein a mother advises a grown up daughter saying, â€Å".You must always remember, a Man is the head of the family and the woman is the neck. It is the neck that turns the head in the direction it wants to see, whatever it wants seen..† It was at this precise moment that this journey of mine began. A journey to find out the truth behind the words as well as to see if they held true in our world /culture as it is so similar to that of the Greeks. Objective I chose to study Drama as it is the closest art form to life as we know it. And I chose contemporary women playwrights for study so as to be able to gauge the relevance of the words in a world that I am a part of. The objective of this paper is to analyse a new trend in theatre – the Theatre of Protest and showcase its relevance in the plays of Poile Sengupta, one of the foremost contemporary Indian playwrights. Traditionally women have never had, nor were allowed a voice of their own. â€Å"Because a woman has patience, She is not allowed to speak; And she never learns the words.† Narrator in Mangalam Women, as per social construct and social device, were considered inferiors and had to play domestic roles in the family and familial role in the society. Cultural restrictions, traditional barriers, religious norms, poverty, illiteracy, subjugation and suppression have been the blocks on the way for women to pen down and articulate their points of views History is proof that male writers have often written about women. In many of their works, the central character is a woman. However, in these works, the women characters are almost always seen primarily in relation to men, and they are usually of interest largely in terms of their romantic and sexual relationships. Women writers, likewise, often deal with the topics of Love, sexuality and marriage, but they deal with other aspects of a womans life as well. The women playwrights in India have focused on their appearance on stage and breaking all the myths and barriers they have boldly taken steps to represent themselves. They do not have to be dependent on the male playwrights to be represented and act according to their choice anymore. Women have found drama as a means of expression of their innermost feelings, and exposition of personality. They have been able to reach common people through staging and characterizing themselves in the plays from their own point of view. These women writers consciously or unconsciously establish themselves through a cultural identity and the outcome of their literary art is to journey towards self identity. They long and focus for an ultimate change in the society. Theatre of Protest The new trend that leads Indian English drama is undoubtedly plays of women, by women for everyone. Women’s theatre has emerged as a distinct dramatic force which stages the various issues of contemporary Indian society. Women dramatists have courageously written serious and social plays portraying day to day life of women in the family, profession, community, and the society at large.It is in these texts that one feels the pulse of the people of the country, their daily struggles, their problems and difficulties as tangible realities. The issues raised in these plays are amazing in their variety and range, especially with regard to the women’s experiences. Such plays are a source of empowerment; they enable women to speak out. It is at the intersection of art, activism, and social relevance. Such theatre acts as an instrument of real change in women’s lives. It is an exploration of women’s own unique idiom their own form, their language, and ways of communication. It is a challenge to the established notions of theatre. It can thus be attributed as a ‘Theatre Of Protest’ because women writers expressed their resentment against the politics of exploitation on the ba sis of gender discrimination. These plays do not confine themselves only to the domestic sphere or love and romance. They touch upon every domain of life and offer a range of analyses of the position of women and different strategies that need to be adopted to negotiate social change. In fact, through their examination of the material circumstances of human life, the work of these dramatists demands a reconsideration and reformulation of the comfortably established paradigms of society. As Tutun Mukherjee, eminent Critic and professor at Hyderabad Central University says about these Women Playwrights, â€Å"Their plays have no author-defined conclusions, no resolutions, and no happy/sad endings. They do not aim at mental or emotional peace but close in irresolution, just as life’s experiences often do. The plays disturb and roil the equilibrium; they provoke and demand response. They try to forge a new kind of audience that will not expect to be entertained but will participate in the dialectics since the issues concerning women and children are of the kind that have invariably been and continue to be side-stepped and neglected by the society.† Thus, in some form, each of these plays deal with some form of resistance, sometimes trying to analyze women’s sexual exploitation in the domestic and public sphere, sometimes accepting women’s own complicity in such exploitation. In either way, they try to define women’s theatre against male-dominated ideologies and try to represent the under-represented aspect of sexual abuse in women’s lives. Themes There are many issues that bar women from writing plays as gender differences, religious barriers, cultural restrictions, lack of economic support, prevailing prejudices against women (women cannot produce good plays), family responsibilities and above all lack of standard education. In spite of these restraints, a few women playwrights have succeeded in their endeavours to write and produce plays in India and have been acclaimed internationally as well. Dina Mehta, Manjula Padmanabhan, Poile Sengupta and Tripurari Sharma are some of the names to mention who have been working tirelessly in the field of drama and have published many plays. These plays are linked by a commonality of themes and their intention bound by a common vision. A recurrent theme is that of psychosexual abuse and how women cope with sexism in everyday life. The spotlight is on women marking out their anguish, the pain, and often the inferiority that they suffer. Raju Parghi in his article ‘Indian Drama and the Emergence of Indian Women Playwrights: A Brief Survey’ claims that plays written by women can be broadly categorized into four broad categories. He says, â€Å"The themes of the plays written by women mostly deal with the issues related to women, at the same time they also depict children’s world and the issues related to men. The women playwrights are conscious of contemporary issues blended with troubling past memories, expectation of better and blissful future attempt to present balanced views on both society and family. Their multifarious themes can be compressed under four broad categories of plays. The Plays of Relationships include themes like motherhood, intricate baffling relationship of men and women, incest and adultery. The Plays of Violence focus on various types of violence as physical, emotional, psychological, and the exploitation of women at home and in profession. The Plays of Resistance present the themes of , voicing against rape, injustice and inequality, poverty illiteracy and gender discrimination. The Plays of Revolution suggests the themes of voice of the voiceless, political issues, religious and supe rstitious practices conservative values and traditional restrictions.† Poile Sengupta Poile (Ambika) Sengupta is one of India’s foremost playwrights in English. She has written many plays and all her plays have been performed every now and then in Banglore. Mangalam, was written in 1993 and produced the next year. Her other plays include Inner Laws,(1994), A Pretty Business (1995), Keats was a Tuber (1996), Collages (1998), Alipha and Thus Spake Shoorpanakha, So Said Shakuni (2001) and Samara’s Song(2007). Mangalam was published by Seagull in Body Blows (2000). In the Preface to an anthology of her plays, Poile Sengupta says, â€Å"when I write, I do so with the consciousness, the sensibility that is mine. However I’ve always been troubled about the status of women, and children, who seem to be the worst sufferers in any conflict, whether familial, social or political.† She also claims to enjoy the challenge of fashioning the grammar of an English sentence into what is essentially an ‘Indian’ syntax. Her first play Mangalam won The Hindu Madras Players Play-scripts Competition in 1993. It is a remarkable play that revolves around a dead person. The interaction among the characters probes the past that hides many skeletons. Each character is nuanced and individualised and each memory adds flesh and blood to the absent Mangalam. The invisible is made visible through memories. Mangalam is the female character in the play within the play, whose death becomes, in a way, the basis for much of the action. Throughout the first Act, we can feel her ‘absent presence’, through references to the time of her life when she was alive. At first, we are told that she probably committed suicide by swallowing pills, but we are not given any reason for her having done so. It is only the narrator’s choric commentary that provides insights like â€Å"Women die many kinds of deaths; men do not know this.†(102). Gradually we learn that she was carrying someone else’s child when she got married to Dorai. Her sister Thangam’s response to this accusation is, â€Å"Did you ever think that it could have been forced upon her?†(122). Not willing to relent on this, Dorai is keen on presenting himself as the victim, until Thangam retorts, â€Å"What about that married woman who used to come to the temple everyday and take prasaadam from your father? She took prasaadam from you also, didn’t she?†(121). While any hints of a woman’s unchaste conduct can malign her reputation for life, a similar act on a man’s part, is forgivable and can be easily ignored. Dorai, however, still has the audacity to justify himself, â€Å"It’s different for a man†(121). The shamelessness with which such private aspects of a woman’s life are openly discussed, slandering her reputation even after her death, is nothing more than a war of ideologies between the characters, none of whom are really sensitive to the loss of Mangalam. The female voice offstage comments: â€Å"Because a woman is strong, she is not to be protected; others violate her, and she must pay for their trespass.†(123). It is at the end of the first Act, that we get to know that Mangalam was molested by her own sister Thangam’s husband, alongside which news, Dorai’s daughter Usha too arrives, having left her husband’s house, because the oppression there, had got the better of her. Domestic space, which is the marker that tradition sets for the preservation of women’s chastity (Sita was abducted when she crossed the boundary marked by Lakshman), has now become a space of sexual violence and has led to an impasse for women. Act Two is, in a way, a comment upon Act One, because one realizes that the first Act was a play within the play one is reading. However, the same themes recur here, too. In fact, Sengupta uses the same actors in this Act as in the previous one, to depict the ruthless repetition of exploitation, even though in the second Act, ‘modernity’ has set in. Suresh is a modern-day ‘rake’ who values only conquest over women. This is why his sister Sumati is led to remark, â€Å"†¦the moment a woman doesn’t fit into the category of being a mother or a sister, she’s baggage†¦sexual baggage.†(129). Very soon, Thangam learns that her husband Sreeni has been having a clandestine extra-marital affair with another woman, which leaves a sense of hopeless reconciliation in the reader’s mind. It gets further aggravated when Radha tells Vikram: â€Å"[Sumati] had gone out with [a] man and I think he was violent with her. She didn’t r ealize†¦he suddenly†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (146). Towards the end, just when Thangam has gained courage enough to leave her husband, a sudden terrified scream is heard, which one soon learns, is Sumati’s, trying to escape from the advances of her uncle. Another play titled Keats was a tuber was short-listed for the British Council International New Playwriting Prize in 1997. Very realistic and humorous, it presents a group of English teachers in a provincial college and brings into play our ambivalent attitude to English and the way it is generally taught. The mindless memorizing of facts, often not the essential ones, is what gives the play its title. The students memorize the line ‘Keats was a tuberculosis patient’ by breaking it into two meaningless portions: â€Å"Keats was a tuber, Keats was a tuber† and â€Å"culosis patient, culosis patient†¦.† The memorized line does little to explain Keats’ poetic genius and illustrates the mechanical and spiritless teaching that drains a language and a literature of their beauty and appeal, and in no way aids learning. As the human relationships unfold in the play, Sengupta makes brilliant use of the English language – with each character demon strating an individualizing inflection as a bridge between those who teach and those who are taught. Some of her other very well known works are Inner Laws (1994), a satirical sit-com about five mothers-in-law and their five daughters-in-law whose names are drawn from the epics; and a woman-centred play called A Pretty Business (1995). Her play Dream makers of Calcutta with its backdrop of football was published in Telegraph in 1998. Sengupta explains that she wrote Collages in 1998 after she met a dear old lady at the British Council Library who talked to her for hours as though she was desperate for someone to talk to. She seemed a sad and lonely woman. The play too is grim and reflective in its tone and style. A 1999 play, Samara’s Song , deriving its name from an Iraqi city, is a mournful socio-political reflection on the violence that wipes out all traces of culture and civilization. In its wake comes the sense of irreparable human loss. The play Alifa (2001) recalling the first word in the alphabet in Hindusthani, dramatizes the obstacles in the way of women’s e mpowerment. There are just two characters, a woman and a man, totally unrelated and unknown to each other and extremely different in temperament and character yet at certain points their narratives intersect. The stage lights up one and the other alternately as they tell their stories. The play is both appealing and relevant. Sengupta’s Thus Spake Shoorpanakha , So Said Shakuni (2001) is an ambitious play which takes its characters from two different epics. They meet as two travelers at an airport. Gradually they start talking and reveal their innermost thoughts about the way they have been ill-treated by history. Sengupta explains that she was fascinated by a folktale about Shakuni’s brothers being imprisoned and killed by the Kauravas when Hastinapur kingdom was extended to Qandahar in the northwest. Only Shakuni had survived and he swore revenge upon the Kauravas. His dice were made of his brothers’ bones. Shoorpanakha, on the other hand, represents all those women who are bold enough to remain single and declare their desire for male companionship without taking recourse to false modesty. Such women threaten the male world so they are described as â€Å"dangerous rakshasis† (un-Aryan demonesses) who must be controlled/contained/ punished before they can upset the patriarcha l set-up. When these two characters meet in a contemporary situation, another crisis begins to threaten the world. Finally it is Shoorpanakha who dissuades Shakuni from provoking another bloodbath. Conclusion The Indian women playwrights consider drama a more serious tool of expression and representation. They have dealt with certain issues which the men playwrights have failed to do. They have adopted the genre as a more practical means to present serious familial, social cultural and political issues, the heinous crimes and practices of the society in satirical way. Their aim is to bring awareness of certain harsh realities, to protect every individual’s basic rights, to live freely, and to respect every individual irrespective of different gender caste or creed. The above mentioned four types of plays can be again compressed into one umbrella term as ‘The Plays of Change’ a new trend that perhaps goes hand in hand with the theatre of women. As Poile herself says through the narrator in Mangalam â€Å"As for the women, the gods said Let them be strong, rooted like trees For it is they who shall hold The ends of the world together, And there will be storms And the winds will blow very strong But the women will stay like trees, They will hold the world together .† References Kaushik, Minakshi (2012), Struggle and Expression: Selected Plays by Manjula Padmanabhan, Poile Sengupta and Dina Mehta, Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 1(1). Mukherjee, Tutun (2005), Ed. Staging Resistance: Plays by Women in Translation, OUP, New Delhi. Mukherjee, Tutun (2007), Finding a Voice: Forging an Audience: Women Playwrights in English, Muse India (Web-Zine,), Issue 14. Parghi, Raju(2010), Indian Drama and the Emergence of Indian Women Playwrights: A Brief Survey, Impressions : An e-journal of English Studies, 1(1) Sengupta, Poile(2010), Women Centerstage : The Dramatist and the Play, Routledge, New Delhi. Singh, Anita(2009), Feminist Interventions: A Reading of Light’s Out, Getting Away with Murder and Mangalam, Muse India, Issue 26.

Analysis of War Photography

Analysis of War Photography War photography has existed since the nineteenth century, when Roger Fenton set out to photograph the Crimean war in 1855. From the beginning of war photography questions have always been raised about their representation of the truth. Compared to modern day cameras the exposure time required to take a photograph ensured that action shots were not possible. The images could only be of dead on the battlefield or posed for. This was apparent throughout Alexander Gardeners photos of the American Civil. The photographer, who created the book Photographic Sketch Book of the Civil War, was famed for staging various shots. The image which was captioned, The home of a rebel sharpshooter was proved to have been staged. Civil war experts reviewed the image revealing that Gardner had dragged the body into the shot and twisted his head towards the camera. The gun also within the image was placed strategically by Gardner. During World War two the staging of photographs continued. The cameras used during this war were a significant improvement and allowed for action shots to be taken but still questions were being asked about the authenticity of some of the photographs. Yevgeny Khaldeis famous photograph of a Soviet soldier placing the Soviet Unions flag atop of the Reichstag building in Berlin was in fact staged. The photo was taken three days after the Soviets had firstly placed a flag at the top. The image was taken at such an angle to prevent showing other Soviet soldiers who were looting and the soldiers were handpicked by Khaldei. Another of a photo which is circled by rumours of being staged is the most reproduced photo in the world. Jim Rosenthals photo of the flag rising at Iwo Jima was claimed to be, too perfect. The image taken was not the first picture of a flag being raised. Marine Photographer took the first picture of a flag being raised earlier in the day while the marine were under heavy fire. Rosenthals photo was taken later in the day and pictured a much larger flag. There has always been a partiality of representation in major wars simply because usually only one side is reported on by journalists representing news institutes from the same country as the army they report on. This begs the question of what is the purpose of war photography. Is it to inform the public or to provide morale for troops and the home public? The purpose of war photography has shifted throughout the years. During earlier wars photos were purely used to inform the public. Images were sent back to keep the public updated on what their troops were doing. In contrast, recent war photography, due to censorship and embedding, has become nothing more than propaganda. Staged and altered shots are created in order to show the military in a positive light, therefore limiting the offence they create to the viewing public. Other factors need to be taken into account, in order to determine whether war reporting is purely for morale of the country or to inform the public, such as the safety of the nation. For instance the World wars threatened national survival, so therefore reports and photographs released and published were intended to create a sense of morale and keep the war effort going. This was mainly as everyone would have been affected by the war., while wars being fought in foreign countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan lead to a sense of anonymity as it is out of direct view of the public. Reports and images published from these photojournalists need to carry a certain amount of truth to inform the public back in their home countries. The Vietnam War is known as the war that was lost on TV. The media was allowed to publish all kinds of images. During Vietnam the press was given remarkable freedom to report the war without any government control. Vietnam was the most heavily covered war in which reporters were not subject to extensive censorship. Pictures of decapitated bodies and civilians injuries were being broadcast back in America causing the public to think twice about the war that was taking place. President at the time Richard Nixon stressed this issue by saying, In each nights TV news and each mornings papers the war was reported battle by battle, but little or no sense of the underlying purpose of the fighting was conveyed. Eventually this contributed to the impression that we were fighting in military quicksand, rather than toward an important and worthwhile objective. The severity of the images was one of many factors that contributed to the American government losing the will to fight on in the war. Many journalists generally reported what they saw both positive and negative, according to James Reston, journalists didnt think it was their mission to serve the war effort. The freedom they were given was interpreted in several different ways, with the majority reporting the war in a completely subjective way. Reston goes onto say, for better or worse it was the journalists views that prevailed with the public, whose disenchantment forced an end to American involvement. This was especially prominent in independent photographers, as they would not have an editorial agenda to adhere to. Inevitably during military briefings they would lose the idea of the big picture. Although it can be argued that military briefings are often thinly disguised as propaganda anyway. The general stance on reporting the war started to change as the war progressed. The longer the conflict continued the more graphic the images and reports were. The offensive and disturbing reports from Vietnam as well as conscription and the fatality rate led to many people staging an anti war protest and voicing their concerns about the war. The largest of which was at Washington DC when a reported two hundred and fifty thousand people gathered in joint protest. Although it is claimed to be one of the contributing factors Professor Daniel Hallin of the University of California at San Diego conducted a study into the Vietnam coverage. He concluded that the war coverage was almost completely sanitised on television, due to the need not to cause any offence to any of the soldiers families. As a response to what happened in Vietnam, the censorship put upon the press by the British government during the Falklands war was at an extreme. Every inch of columns and pictures had to be check thoroughly by army officials before it was then passed onto the Ministry of Defence, who then proceeded to check it again before it could be published. The censorship in the Falklands was so extreme that it led to the word censored actually being censored. Due to the negative press that was created throughout Vietnam, the British government made a deliberate attempt to stop people knowing what was going on. The government were keen to project a positive picture back the British public and it did this by starving the press of any influential information. This was evident on the 14th of May 1982 when an Exocet missile hit HMS Sheffield. The military ensured that the news was delayed in reaching the reporters present. All reporters were also kept at arms length any live footage sent back to Britain was shot from a few hundred metres away. Very few clear picture of HMS Sheffield were shown back in Britain. Before the invasion of Iraq it was decided that journalists would be embedding among soldiers The concept of embedding reporters was an initiative proposed by the US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The concept was introduced after initial pressure from the countrys news media. The press were disappointed with the level of access that they were granted in previous conflict zones. The concept of Embedding reporters was not a new on but it was never carried out on this kind of scale before. After deciding to embed reporters among soldiers Rumsfeld explained the reasoning behind his decision, We need to tell the factual story-good and bad-before others seed the media with disinformation and distortion, as they most certainly will continue to do. Our people in the field need to tell our story-only commanders can ensure the media get to the story alongside the troops. The main concept of embedding reporters is that they would identify with the troops around them. Each journalist would be assigned to a company of soldiers and would experience the war first hand in the frontline. Each reporter would be issued with military equipment; they would also eat and sleep alongside their respective soldiers. By assigning a journalist to a troop, it meant that the reporter could be placed anywhere. This meant that the position of the embed could be decided by the military. Around six hundred national and local journalists were embedded with troops as they entered Iraq. The system of embedding reporters tended to have a psychological effect upon reporters causing them to lose the ability to remain objective. The system also led to reporters having tunnel vision especially when reporting on tactical operation. Journalists would only see one or two units in action, and therefore only reporting upon what they were doing. Gordon Dillow an embedded reported said, I fell in love with my marines I wasnt reporting; the point was I was reporting the Marine grunt truth which had also become my truth. The following images and articles will be analysed using Roland Barthes theory of semiotics. Building upon Ferdinand de Saussures linguistic theories Barthes constructed his own theory of semiotics. According to his paper Myth today (1957) the theory consists of a signifier, the signified and the sign. The signifier is the term used to describe the image, which is being examined, and the signified is the term used to describe any ideas which are raised by the signifier, and the sign is the correlation of the signifier and the signified. Barthes also noted that anything signified by the signifier is culturally specific, Signifieds have a very close communication with culture, knowledge, history, and it is through them so to speak, that the environmental world invades the system. Barthes (1967) This would suggest that whatever is being signified may change over time and that different people would interpret signifieds differently. For example within an Indian culture cows are perceived as a sacred holy animal, while in western culture the cow is simply a provider of food. Due to the fact that each signified is culturally specific Barthes theory also takes into account the uses of denotation and connotation. Denotation is a literal description of the image or object being examined while connotation is the ideas associated with the image or object. When analysing press photographs it is important to also include the caption, as Barthes claims that the image and the caption are two different structures. Barthes uses the terms anchorage and relay when referring press photograph captions. Anchorage refers to when the text within the caption, directs the reader through the signifieds of the image causing him to avoid some and receive others. Barthes (1977). Relay describes the addition of something in the caption, which is not actually present in the image. Barthes also included in his theory of semiotics the element of myth. Myth is described as, a second-order semiological system. Barthes argues that signification is divided into two different sections connotations and denotation and myth is signification in the connotative level. Myth sees the signifiers in its raw form. Similar to signifieds myth is divided into two categories, the language object which is the linguistic system and myth itself which is described as metalanguage because it is a second language which talks about the first one. Barthes described the use of myth as, When he reflects on a metalanguage, the semiologist no longer needs to ask himself questions about the composition of the language object, he no longer has to take into account the details of the linguistic schema; he will only need to know its total term or global sign (Barthes 1967) When using Barthes theory two competing myths can be attained about war. One myth is based upon General William Tecumseh Shermans quote that reads, It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for bloodWar is hell. The competing myth to this is that war can be fought in a morally acceptable way. Making a war morally manageable is minimising the risk to casualties and soldiers and hence political and electoral risks to their masters. By using various photographs and articles from differing conflicts such as Vietnam, the Falklands, and Afghanistan, this essay will use Barthes theory of semiotics to test the theory that images from non embedded reporters will support the myth that war is hell and embedded photographers will show that war can be fought in a morally acceptable way.

Investigating how the concentration of reactants affects the rate of re

Investigating how the concentration of reactants affects the rate of reaction Chemistry Coursework This experiment is aimed at investigating how the concentration of reactants affects the rate of reaction: The reaction between hydrochloric acid and magnesium will be used to investigate how different concentrations of the acid affect the rate of reaction. The gas produced from the reaction will be measured and used to display the average rate of reaction. The rate of reaction is a measure of how fast a reaction is going and how long it takes to complete. This rate is found by measuring the amount of a reactant used up per unit of time or the amount of a product produced per unit of time. For this reaction, the product will be measured, as this substance is the easiest and most accurate to measure. Scientific Knowledge: A reaction can be stimulated to go faster or slower by varying the temperature, the concentration of reactant and the surface area. For the magnesium and acid particles to react together, they must: i) Collide with each other ii) Have enough energy in the collision. 1) The particles in the liquid move around continually. Above, an acid particle is about to collide with a magnesium atom. 2) If the collision has enough energy, a reaction takes place. Magnesium chloride and hydrogen will be formed. 3) If the collision does not have enough energy, no reaction occurs and the acid particle will bounce away again. Particles need to collide with enough velocity so that they react. During a chemical reaction, the particles have to collide with enough energy to first break the bonds and then to form the new bonds and the rearranged electrons, so some of the particles do not have enough energy to react when... ...make a reaction take place. (The results from the second experiment were used in order to get a more accurate data collection.) Evaluation: For future experiments, it must be noted that the gas needs to be removed from gas syringe after each test, as this was one of the problems during the investigation. If the excess gas is not removed, the experiment begins and the results are completely out of range. It was felt that this experiment may have been easier with the aid of three people, as this would mean that there were not so many activities fro each person to record or read. In order to get a more accurate result, having recorded the measurements from the experiment, the results should have been averaged, instead of using only one set. For a full conclusion to be confirmed, more tests should have been carried out to provide enough evidence to support the argument.

Animal Testing Essay -- essays research papers fc

Animal Testing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More and more animals are being taken form their natural habitats and tested on every year. Researchers, scientists, and companies just trying to make new products are using animals to further their experiments. If animal testing continues to happen at this rate then their will be no animals left to use for food, study, or even for simple amusement. When the animals are being taken form their natural environments it harms the natural food chain and other ways of life. When people abusing the animal’s rights they make the animals suffer and decrease their overall population. Many people are trying to find ways to end this hurting of nature. Some people find different ways like using computer simulations and other new sources. Many animals are dying everyday from humans testing on them. These animals have been tested on for research, drug use, and to test company products. Testing on animals leads to more diseases occurring. There are many groups assembling to stop the scientists and researchers from hurting the animals. Some people try and argue the reasons for why animals are being abused. Some say that it is for science and to expand our knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many new forms of diseases being found everyday. A major cause of these new diseases is testing on animals. Many scientists and researchers find that new forms of diseases or showing up from exposing new substances to animals.(Hart, Snyder pg#1+) Research at the Barrow Neurological institute in Phoenix has shown that injecting cancer cells into beagle puppy’s brains has caused a new, different form of cancer. (Hart, Snyder pg#1+)Another way diseases are spreading is the fact that people in Korea are eating dogs and passing different diseases between spaces. Many people that are not testing on live animals are contracting diseases too. (Texley pg#1+) Some students in an Alabama school caught a slightly different case of the flu from dissecting dead frogs in biology class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many groups have been formed to stop animals from being abused and tested on for selfish reasons. Animals are being tortured and killed for some companies to test their products. (Motavalli pg#3+) Many people in there groups are going to law schools in America that offer animal rights law. Animal righ... ... this is aloud to continue. People will keep trying and finding ways to save the animals and still further science. I feel that animal’s rights should not be violated for the sake of science. I feel life should not be traded off for simple research. Works Cited â€Å"A Big First Step in Reducing Animal Testing.† NIH News Release. December 28, 1999. SIRS. January 5, 2005.www.sirs.com. Balcombe, Jonathan. â€Å"Anything but Routine.† Good Medicine. Autumn 2003. SIRS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com. Balcombe, Jonathan. â€Å"Stress and Substance Abuse.† Good Medicine. Spring 2003. SIRS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com. Hart, Bill and Kerry Fehr-Snyder. â€Å"Almost Human.† Arizona Republic. December 10, 2000. SIRS. January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com. Morrison, Adrian R. â€Å"What’s Wrong with Animal Rights.† American School Board   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal. January 1992. SIRS. January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com. Motavalli, Jim. â€Å"Rights from Wrong.† E Magazine. March-April 2003. SIRS. January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com. Texley, Julian A. â€Å"Doing Without Dissection.† American School Board Journal. January 1992. SIRS. January 14, 2005. www.sirs.com.

Thesis: Design and Fashion

Fashion may strike the public as of little importance and even refer to it as a luxury. However, fashion is evident everywhere especially in today's society where fashion has become a meaner of self-expression. The popular society of today are becoming more and more aware of the importance of fashion in their daily lives or, to the least, in important occasions where first impression already matter. The widespread awareness of fashion entails creative minds to innovate and design not only aesthetic wise apparel and accessories but also for functional and racial purposes.In order to produce competent designers and artisans demand an institute which can address the proper training of these artistic and skilful work forces. Zebu is full of potential fashion designers and artisans therefore gaining its title as the â€Å"Creative City' of the Philippines by the London based â€Å"Creative Cities Campaign. † This campaign aims to preserve, promote, and develop the existing potenti al creative mindset of a chosen city. Living up to the standards of this campaign are schools inclined to the arts and a fashion institute would add up to this elopement as we have several internationally acclaimed fashion designers. Fashion schools will improve the acceptance of our local fashion designers and artisans professionally through proper certification of educational attainment. An institution duly credited and recognized by the academic society will boost the fashion industry in Zebu and hopefully pioneer in the whole Philippines. Existing fashion schools in the Philippines have recently branched out to other regions of the country hoping to cultivate potential fashion designers. Their curriculum strictly focuses on clothing design.There are also other schools offering courses which are related to fashion namely: make-up, styling, and fashion photography. The fashion schools in the Philippines specifically in Zebu city cater only to the involvement of designing skills wi thout the incubation of these designs. On the other hand, the training for artisans only revolve around the technical skills of production without the exposure of working with designers. Combining these two elements in one facility creates a unique academic system which promotes sustainability among students.Educational attainment in the field of the arts have unfortunately long been selected and seen only as a hobby in the Philippines. Its is only up until now where schools focusing on the arts have sprouted all through out the country. This is due to the uprising digital and commercial age. Fashion in particular is beginning to take its mark in the Philippine academic and professional scene. Putting up a fashion institute strategically located in the center of the Philippine map would cater those who aspire to become professional designers and artisans.Therefore, lessening or eliminating the need to go abroad to acquire proper education and training. In order o successfully teach and train students, who are artistically inclined to fashion, will be the use of architecture as an instrument to provide an efficient facility. The current set-up of fashion schools in Zebu are vocational trainings that prepare them only in small scale enterprise and are trained in spaces where they tend to dwell in their own personal space resulting to the elimination of learning opportunities. This type of set-up risks the sustainability of students in their future careers as designers.This imposes the need to create additional spaces that examine their learning experience. The proponents of this study intend to design a facility tailored to accommodate the spatial needs of a fashion design institute which takes advantage of learning opportunities. The proponents of this study also intend to correlate the flow of curricular activities and spaces required to attain maximum efficiency of both the architecture of the institute and the curriculum/educational system to be adapted. Thu s, this study aspires to answer the following questions: 1. What are the factors to consider in designing the proposed project? . How do paces interact with each other? 3. What configuration of spaces is most efficient for both indoor and outdoor circulation considering curricular activities and institutional operations? 4. What amenities and facilities are necessary? 5. What atmosphere is conducive for students to conveniently improve their talents and skills without influencing their aesthetic? The study seeks to introduce a new type of educational system aided with the proper facilities specifically and efficiently designed to accommodate the needs of the institute's specialized curriculum. The study aims to envision: 1 .Aims to adapt a curriculum leaning towards a holistic and comprehensive system of education. 2. Aims to improve and/or develop raw talents and skills in the field of fashion. 3. Aims to provide adequate facilities and other amenities necessary to achieve the utmo st fulfillment of the institute's educational system. The main objective of this study is to come up with a functional and effective design solution for a fashion institute in Zebu city and in the Philippines as a whole. The following is intended to be accomplished by the end of the study: 1. Research the needed space requirements for the project proposal. Research on potential industries that the community can adopt a sense of having a fashion institute. 3. Design an institution for fashion and other related courses with the proper and efficient planning of spaces in coherence with its operational and educational system. 4. Establish an actuarially design concept.

Deviant Society Behavior

The world of humans is oftentimes unpredictable, changing and wondrously exciting. However, when these attributes become extremely bizarre and painfully detrimental, humans become sick and worried about to what extent can other humans afford to inflict harm against them. Suicide bombing is, if not the most, one of the most gruesome acts anybody can commit. It is outright crazy and stupid. One must be beside the normal to be entertaining such a thought in mind.Ironically, fanatics who have committed and attempted suicide bombings in the past, were deemed normal until the day when the execution of their ultimate plans were made public whether foiled or completed. People who are afflicted with mental disorder may, as other people, travel for the same reasons – vacation, visiting friends or relatives, business, recreation, and sometimes for religious or spiritual focus (Miller & Zarcone, 1968). Others indeed may travel for reasons other than the normal – for reasons trigger ed by malformed mental state such as the men who carried out the 911 attack of the Twin Towers in New York.Along the 911 attack, suicide bombing through aircraft came to prominence resulting in the stirring of the awareness among the international public of the fact that the regular traveler might not be that â€Å"regular† anyway. It is probable that some of them are driven by excessive anger or motivated by utopic hope as taught in the communities wherein they have pledged their life allegiance (Silke, 2003). In a recent turn of events in Pakistan, upon the return of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to her home country, 124 were killed and 320 plus got injured as a result of another suicide bombing.The bomber threw grenades among crowds of people and afterwards blasted himself to death (CNN update, Oct. 18, 2007). It’s difficult to think of sensible reasons why a sane person (if that person was ever considered sane by his colleagues) has committed such an act in the first place. To spend and expend one’s self for a noble cause is commendable only if they benefit people outside one’s own community. It’s never an ideal to advance a religion’s cause at the expense of the lives of other people. A suicide bomber is demented in that even in the logic of religion, all religions presupposed a benevolent god who is both powerful and loving.There must be distortions somewhere within the suicide bomber’s mind to have associated the act of delivering a bomb and acts of piety. Understanding mental health: Factors that contribute to a Suicide Bomber's Behavior The majority of theories and models of human behavior fall into one of two basic categories: internal perspective and external perspective. The internal perspective considers the factors inside the person to understand behavior. People who subscribe to this view understand behavior as psychodynamically oriented. Behavior is explained in terms of the thou ghts, feelings, past experiences and needs of the individual.The internal processes of thinking, feeling, perceiving and judging lead people to act in specific ways. This internal perspective implies that people are best understood from the inside and that people’s behavior is best interpreted after understanding their thoughts and feelings (Jourad, 1963). The other category of theories takes an external perspective. This focuses on factors outside the person to understand behavior. External events, consequences of behavior, environmental forces to which a person is subject, are emphasized by this external perspective.A person’s history, value system, feelings and thoughts are not very important in interpreting actions and behavior. Kurt Lewin for instance considered both perspectives in saying that behavior is a function of both the person and the environment (Tiffin,& McCormick, 1958). Man is a social being and as such his personality is viewed from the society and c ulture where he belongs. A society represents a geographical aggregate and has boundaries, similar government or a group of persons in meaningful interaction and engaged in social relationship.Personality is the individualizing traits of man which constitute his singularity and differentiate him from any other human being. The three determinants of personality: 1] biological heritage which has direct influence on the development of personality. This includes musculature, the nervous system, and the glands; 2] E. Q. factor describes qualities like understanding one’s feelings, empathy for the feelings of others, and the â€Å"regulation of emotion in a way that enhances living (Gibbs, 1995);† 3] environmental factors.Taking everything normal, environment plays an important role in personality development. Environmental factors are cultural environment, social environment, home and family, culture, status and role and social agent. Many of men’s pronounced stirred -up state of mind such as fear, anger, disgust, and contempt, have posed the question, why? What has caused such a reaction? What has brought a change to his/her behavior? What is the frustration that has brought about such behavior? In the world of a suicide bomber, he/she contemplates on various input or stimuli from the world he/she evolves in.There are frustrations of every form and even without these, his/her psyche or mental state functions on the basis of anything he/she receives (actively or passively) from the milieu. Life’s problems are numerous and as long as one is alive and kicking he will always be faced with problems, be they big or small. Such problems stir-up one’s emotions or feelings which maybe pleasant or unpleasant. Physiological problems, environmental problems, personal deficiencies and psychological concerns bring on a variety of responses; some predictable, others are not.Disorganization of family life, disintegration of personality brought ab out by depression, great personal suffering, any of these may take any person beyond the limits of his tolerance. Man is born in a social environment surrounded by cultural norms and values. He is faced with cultural taboos and acceptable social behavior. Numerous environmental factors come to the fore which may or may not be easily overcome. One of the most difficult problems in this area is one’s cultural dos and don't s. Environmental frustrations cannot be avoided, for there are always certain factors in a person’s growth and achievement.Psychological or internal problems are the most difficult to resolve as they are within the inner feelings of a person. One may not be able to detect his/her concerns/anxieties through his /her overt behavior. It may only be inferred from what his/her inner thoughts and feelings are but will not know what caused such a feeling. Psychological concerns of various forms represent a more serious threat to the personality of the individ ual than do environmental pressures. If severe enough, they may create considerable emotional tension with accompanying behavior disorders.Reacting to pressures and other concerns such as frustration varies from person to person because of their personality differences. These reactions maybe defensive, neurotic or psychotic. Most people are sympathetic to people who develop physical ailments, but regard an individual with mental disorder as â€Å"crazy. † At this juncture, does a suicide bomber then be considered a person with a mental disorder or deemed as â€Å"crazy? † definitions of mental health vary considerably. Freud when asked what he thought a normal, healthy person should do well replied â€Å"love and work.† Karl Menninger’s (1956) definition is quite similar to Freud’s. He states: â€Å"Let us define mental health as the adjustment of human beings to the world and each other with a maximum of effectiveness and happiness. Not just effi ciency, or just contentment, or the grace of obeying the rules of the game cheerfully. It is all together. It is the ability to maintain an even temper and happy disposition. This, I think, is a healthy mind. † When we therefore, try to define mental health, we have in mind the adjustment process which an individual brings into force when he is faced with a problem situation.Adjustment is defined as an individual’s manner of reacting or responding adequately to a perceived problem. From the standpoint of mental health, adjustment refers to a happy and socially acceptable response to life’s situations. Mental health therefore, is the ability of the individual to function effectively and happily as a person in one’s expected role in a group and in the society in general. It is a condition of the whole personality and is not merely a condition of the â€Å"mind† as is often supposed.It is an out-growth of one’s total life and is promoted or hind ered by day-to-day experience, not only by major crises as some assume (McCllelland et al, 1973). Mental health is the capacity to live harmoniously in a changing environment; to face and solve one’s problems in a realistic manner; to accept the inevitable, and to understand and accept one’s own shortcomings as well as the shortcomings of others. In this sense, people who develop and encourage Jihad or any â€Å"terroristic† ideas and brainwash others to do the same, are seen people who do have unrealistic way of looking at life and their experiences.They are commonly classified as people having delusions of grandeur among others. This term refers to people who experience a bloated sense of importance or missions and oftentimes associated with corresponding persecution complexes (Jourad, 1963). They therefore harbor also a sense of anxiety that some people are out there to cut off their goals and obstruct their missions. Their resolve to deliver their target aim s is even stronger the reason for their methodical and systematic way of doing things.Since they cannot accept that they must co-exist with people whose beliefs radically differ from theirs, they accept the notion that annihilation is a solution and dying a martyr’s death to ensure this goal is the ultimate sacrifice. This kind of mindset comes only from a frame of thinking that has been exposed only to a few options; in fact, only very narrow options. That option is the radical Islamic alternative and nothing else. When living in this world, co-existence is not just something that is talked about inside the halls of the academe: co-existence signifies a mindset that is healthy as well and free from disorders.Mental health is a matter of degree. There is no hard and fast line that separates health from illness. It is not a simple matter to divide the population into two distinct groups-those who should be institutionalized and those who should not be. Many of us at one time o r another exhibit traits and pattern of behavior which if, accentuated and continuous, would necessitate psychiatric care (Jourad, 1963). Though radical a thought this may seem, and naturally sounds unrealistic, the ideal place is to set monitoring and evaluation of mental hygiene at some point in time. How to do this is going to be a big issue, expectedly.However, terrorism and the likes of suicide bombing can probably be controlled in some ironic way: by referring to them as idiosyncratic, delusional or even possessing mental disorders. Another way of classifying them is through the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM) classification system; these people are versions of psychopaths or psychotics; because the symptoms are there and they cannot function normally among any general population. Conclusions The difficult but frequently asked question is that â€Å"Will suicide bombers be able to wreak havoc again as they did in 911 in New York?† The possibilities are largely an d unsurprisingly high that it might happen again. People are people: as indicated in the opening statement, we are unpredictable, inundated with problems and those extremists have come to the point in their lives that their choices of so-called â€Å"martyrdom† that they do for religion and their god is close to pleasurable, fulfilling and the dream of their lifetimes. What can probably compel them against that? What can possibly move them away from doing what seemed to be â€Å"heroic acts?†What is being done in the United States today like tightening security and vigilance that other countries had been doing (e. g. , Israel) and for which others are also implementing (i. e. , United Kingdom/England), is by far the best that they can do. But that is as far as any human or groups of individuals are also capable of doing. The bottom line is that when a certain person intends to kill or murder, it is just time that they are running against with. Somewhere, some how, some people will be able to make themselves explode and duplicate 911.