Gulliver’s Travels Essay

When Blackadder and Prince George are faced with dilemma of bribing an MP to vote in the princes favour they provide us with a description of a member of parliament called Sir Talbot Buxomly who is corrupt, cruel, ineffectual and open to bribes. According to Blackadder he is a perfect candidate to become a High Court Judge and even Prince George thinks he is â€Å"a little over qualified†. â€Å"Blackadder: Sir Talbot has the worst attendance record of any Member of Parliament†¦ but if we can get him to support us, we’re safe†¦ he’s a violent, bigoted, mindless old fool† The use of satire here suggests that the high court judge isn’t necessarily as honest as you would expect a person with that much power to be. A comparison with this is Swifts description of the Emperor in chapter two. He describes how he is expensively dressed. ‘He had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels, and a plume on the crest’. Swift compares him to the pompons King George the first. He was king of England but was brought over from Germany and did not speak the language. When the Emperor speaks at Gulliver he cannot understand a word and this is his bribe at the king. Like Sir Talbot Buxomly, the Emperor is useless and incompetent. When it comes to the actual election, Blackadder confesses that they will cheat in order to win votes. He is not alone in this outlook as one of his opponents, Pitt the Even Younger confesses what he did in order to be a decent politician – bad mouthed the opposition. – Bribed the newspapers. – Threatened to torture the public if his party lost. Once again driving home the point that the politicians will do anything within their power to get a seat in parliament. You can tell that cheating is certainly not beneath them when Pitt the Even Younger told what was a decent politician is in his opinion. â€Å"I fail to see what more a decent politician could have done† Similar examples of satire, which criticise politics and the government are also found in â€Å"Gulliver’s Travels†. In Lilliput anybody who jumps over the highest rope gets a position in court and how candidates jump over and creep under a stick held at various heights win the silken threads which show the kings favourite. Just like in Blackadder getting a job in the court in lilliput is not to down how good you would be at the job but is down to how much you can creep, crawl and pander to the king. â€Å"Whoever performs his part with the most agility and hold out the largest in creeping and crawling, is rewarded†¦ â€Å"

Globalization and Early America, 1492-1750

America’s present is significantly shaped by its past. Hence, it is vital for one to grasp the concepts that formed America to what it is now. Globalization in America is one of the key notions that play a vital role in forming today’s society. Though several scholars place the origins of globalization in modern times, others trace its history long before the European age of discovery and voyages to the New World. However, did early American history play a role in creating today’s globalization? Does globalization in the past play a positive, or negative role in this time period? While some might argue that weakening national autonomy is a negative result of globalization, others might defend that it has also sparked economic innovation. One of the major characters that changed the history of the world was Christopher Columbus. What would be the outcome today if Columbus never discovered the New World? Firstly, colonization would be nonexistent. In addition, without colonization U. S. ould have never created. The creation of the U. S. helped move much of the world towards democracy. It also led to the development of what is now the world's only superpower. A world without the United States is impossible to imagine today. Furthermore, a discovery by another major character, Ferdinand Magellan, also had a tremendous impact on the history of the world. He proved that oceans connected continents rather than dividing them. How did this important discovery influence today’s economy? By having the knowledge that oceans were great global passageways, Magellan had demonstrated that continents could be linked. Europe had the opportunity to establish a great economy and military power over Asian, Africa and the Americas that created great global trade networks. This was the beginning of the creation of globalization, which is very significant for today’s world economy. This also further demonstrates that early American history did play a role in creating today’s globalization.

Analysis of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren

The presidents have always played a crucial role in American politics and are known for their roles in unifying the nation. They are glorified for their charisma and ability to lead, but even these brilliant men make economic, political, and social blunders. Andrew Jackson, who was in office from 1829-1837, was a president of many firsts as he was the first frontier president, first to have a kitchen cabinet, and first to use a pocket veto. Jackson was later succeeded by his vice president, Martin Van Burden. Van Burden, who was in office from 1837-1841 , was known for his shrewd political skills.Both these men laid down the foundations for a stronger, more centralized national government with methods that garnered mixed responses. Andrew Jackson was a war hero turned president, but his battles did not end with his election. One type of problem Jackson faced was economic. South Carolinian planters saw that the protective tariff, passed by Congress in 1 824, as oppressive since most of the revenue made from it was invested in the northeasts manufacturing industry. They were more infuriated when the tariff was raised in the summer of 1828 (Brinkley 207).The South Carolinians and Vice President John C. Calhoun saw the taxes as blatantly unconstitutional, exceeding Congresss powers to raise necessary revenues and oppressing one section of the country while enriching others (Willets 63). A nullification document written by Calhoun known as the South Carolina Exposition and Protest was passed by the state legislature in 1 832 as a response. This text announced that any state could declare its original sovereignty and disregard federal laws that are found offensive in their borders.In retaliation, Jackson sent federal troops to South Carolina to enforce the law, but before any violence could ensure the state backed down Brinkley 207). This created a strong rift between the Jackson and his vice president that turned in to a bitter rivalry between the two. Jacksons strong approach caused the executive branch to become unstable and eventually Calhoun and he split in 1832 (Willets 64-65). Another negative economic event that Jackson faced was his clash with the Second Banks of the United States. The Second Bank of the United Sates was a privately owned institution with an outrageous amount of public influence. With a congressional charter, it was the national governments sole fiscal handler and could use public ends without interest for its own discretion (Brinkley 211). Due to this, Jackson saw the Bank as an unconstitutional aberration and an affront to popular sovereignty (Willets 75). There was also opposition of the Banks by advocates of soft money, who were mainly state banks, and advocates of hard money, who were people that disapproved all banks and believed only in coins for currency (Brinkley 211). O when it was time for the Banks charter to be renewed in 1832, Jackson. He removed all federal funds the following year and when the original charter expired in 1 836 all operations as a national bank ended. This would subsequently cause the economy to become unstable a year later (Willets 79-80). Although there were no wars during Jacksons administration, there have been close calls. A treaty was created, in 1831 a year before Jackson took office, whereby France agreed to pay reparations for damages made on American shipping under the reign of Napoleon.The French Chamber of Deputies, however, later refused to allocate the appropriate funds. Jackson infuriated with this called on Congress to allow for reprisals should the French not pay. Both nations refused to back down and the bickering spiraled to the point where they recalled their ministers and a war seemed imminent (Willets 138). The crisis was averted with the French eventually ceding with urgings from Britain. Jacksons stubbornness and refusal to back down landed the United States in hot water, especially in provoking a nation like France that she would not be able to fight. Jackson also faced the issue of American advancement into the west. The removal of Indians was a major concern of his administration and management of the situation was the most notable gaffe of his administration. Like many other Americans at the time, he believed that the Indians were inferior to white men and saw them as savages. Once in office, Jackson urged the Indians to move westward and give up their land, but he was adamantly opposed. The first of the land battles began with Georgia when the state claimed millions of acres of Indian land.The Indians responded with a suit in the Supreme court that was ruled in their favor, stating that Georgia had no authority over their land. The Georgians ignored this and a white invasion of the land ensued. Jackson did nothing to enforce the ruling and there was no consequences to the blatant disregard of the Supreme Court (Ermine 60-61 Later, the Indian Removal Act of 1 830 was eased and signed by Jackson which gave him the authority to make treaties that would exchange land in the west for Indian land east of the Mississippi.It also stated their relocation would be paid for by the federal government. The Indians opposed this act because although it seemed peaceful, they were removed forcefully. This led to many bloody conflicts in which one side would try to seize the land while the other side tried to protect it. The struggle continued and many citizens were polarize on the issue as some saw the Indians as hindrances to American expansionism while the others saw it as outright disrespect of the Indians rights.Eventually in 1835, after the anti- treaty supporters negotiated better terms, a treaty was signed in which the Indians would give up their land in exchange for other lands wes t of the Mississippi (Willets 139-141 This later led to the Indians large exodus where thousands suffered. Although Jacksons decision allowed for the nation to expand, it was at the enormous expense of the Indians. He forcefully kicked them Off their land and treated them as if they were livestock that did not deserve basic human rights. Jackson served for two terms and remained incredibly popular even after resigning.He was the true epitome of a poor, country boy who grew up to become president. He was a self-made man that used his presidency to help ordinary people rather than the rich. Although he had he helped the nation to grow, it came at the sacrifice of so many innocent lives. His popularity with the people led to the election of Martin Van Burden, who was his vice president and once the most powerful member of Jacksons cabinet as Secretary of State. At the very beginning of Van Burdens presidency, he faced the first major economic crisis that America had experienced thePanic of 1837. This fiscal fiasco was triggered by Jacksons withdrawal from the Second Bank of the United States and deposition into state banks of federal funds. Consequently, there was reckless speculation by the banks in lands westward (Willets 1 19). The bubble finally burst in 1837 and hundreds of businesses and banks failed, causing the worst depression of the economy at the time. Van Burden did little to relieve popular misery as he called for less government intervention and created no programs to help with the massive unemployment rate (Wider 102).He later proposed for the rancher of federal funds to an independent treasury. This bill would eventually be passed year latter, but many blamed him for the crisis and inadequate response to it. It ultimately led to his crushing defeat by the William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, in the following election (Wider 103-104). During his presidency, Van Burden also faced raising tensions with Great Britain as there was a heated border dispute near the Canada-Maine border. This skirmish brought the two on the brink of war. However, Van Burden sought to revolve this conflict before violence resulted.General Winfield Scott and an envoy were sent to Britain to negotiate a treaty, which subsequently concluded the conflict. Many criticized Van Burdens cautious diplomacy as they felt that he should have taken a stronger stance against Britain and assert the United States as a force to be reckoned with (Wider 131). Slavery at the time was a controversial topic as many northern cities saw it as an abomination that should be abolished while in the south it was the center of the economy. Starting in 1836, many slave owners looking for space to expand saw Texas as the solution to their problems.

A Computer Science Life Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Computer Science Life - Research Paper Example I would aim to know the people who are the movers and shakers within the world of computer science and technology and would therefore try my best to be one step ahead of how they shaped up their lives and what they did in essence to reach the respective positions that they are at. This is true that as a computer science major, I would envision success if I am hard working and committed to the cause of knowing more and more with the changing times. This is significant because it would teach me the basics to know about computer science and in essence the varied technological manifestations. My desire would be to reach the top with consummate ease but for that I would leave no stone unturned and read a lot of books, journals and technology-related magazines to stay abreast of the changing trends within computer science and the linked technological areas. In short, I will incorporate the true value of computer science within my life and find out the best that there is, as far as the tech nological manifestations are concerned. What is even more astounding here is the fact that I would not stop here at all. I would try my utmost to find out about the people who have made it to the top echelons within the technological fields so that my canvas of understanding the computer science major would be bolstered with the passage of time.... I would also endeavor to provide them with a few inventions that would culminate with my hard work and skills which I will put to the best possible test. To the general society, I will always be giving in my very best (Soderdahl, 2011). I would read a lot of computer related journals and technological magazines which would offer me the best step forward. This shall make my task easier in discerning the very basics related with life and its different manifestations. It shall also dictate the way varied progresses would be made within the world of technology through a number of innovations, inventions and the like. I would therefore get to know quite a good amount of information regarding the world of computers and indeed the real world of technology. I believe that technology cannot work in vacuum. This needs to be properly understood in order to mesh quality results at the end. This can be done by incorporating technology within the management frameworks and then asking the managemen t regimes to employ the best possible use of technology so as to reap rich dividends at the end. Technology and management are related – in the sense that both work towards the final goal of satisfying the customers (or the users). Both technology and management contexts aim to look after the organizational well-being and bring in the positives which are strived for, by the employees and the top management alike. Technological domains need to be properly managed in order for them to become adequately sound with the business practices and regimes which are in place, and these must be comprehended by my entirety to gain further understanding (Brummans, 2011). The relation between the two

Recommended strategy for Delta Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Recommended strategy for Delta Airline - Essay Example The current and revised objectives of the organization is to provide ‘safe and reliable’ transport by air, provide ‘distinctive customer service’ as well as embrace higher standards of ‘hospitality’ in trading operations (Pratt institute, 2014). The achievement/realization of the objectives as they are is wholly dependent on the adoption of appropriate strategies by the organization. In fact, the effectiveness of imposing the strategies as they are determine the realization of the objectives and thus it is sure that proper implementation of the strategies is the only most feasible way of ensuring realization of the objectives as they are. The cooperation has certain major alternative strategies as the driving force for the realization of the set objectives. The strategies as they are meant to facilitate the realization of ‘improved customer experiences’, good and strong ‘balance sheet’ as well as increased ‘revenue generation’ for the cooperation. The major strategies that have been pointed out have been reduction in fuel costs, reduced product and employee costs, improve customer experience through modernization, targeting numbers and improving on competition (Moskowitz, 2013). The company designs and imposes business strategies through cooperate agreements which is effective in aiding in building corporate interest and trust. In reducing fuel costs, the strategy has been imposed through the purchase of an oil refinery (trainer oil refinery) which has the capacity of helping the cooperation cut on the costs up to about $300 million in an year. This strategy holds a lot in benef its to be reaped basic of which is on reduction in operation costs and increase in profit margins for the cooperation. However, it has the shortcoming that initial investment into the buying of the refinery is very high and hence may destabilize the operating balance sheet to the company. In reducing costs of operation and employee costs, the cooperation looks

Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Auditing - Essay Example These occurrences are known as subsequent events.1 There are two types of subsequent events which an external auditor must evaluate: Firstly, the auditors must consider those evidences which involved conditions with respect to those that existed at the date of the balance sheet and it would affect the financial statements. All the information that is achieved prior to the issuance of the financial statements should be taken into consideration. The second types of event are those events that did not existed even at the time of balance sheet. Some of these types of events are such that disclosing this information would save the financial statements form being misleading. The effects of the subsequent events can be seen in the assets such as receivables and inventories or in the estimation of liabilities because these kinds of events represent the functionalities which exist over a long period of time.2 After the balance sheet date is over, there is a time period when the auditors are c oncerned about completing their different phase of audits. This time period is known as subsequent period and this period extends till the date of the auditor's report. This period may vary from time to time depending on the situations. In addition to the main duties, it is also the task of the external auditor to conduct other auditing procedures and require adjusting and disclosing the essential financial events and occurrences so as to present a completely transparent report, according to the stated accounting principles.3 Solutions Further Audit Evidences This study is on the Platinum Pokie Club in Western Australia. The evidences in the subsequent period are giving for the external audit firm to analyze their outcomes. Audit evidences are basically the information that auditors use for arriving at a conclusion. Auditors do not examine all the information given because generally many of the information are cumulative in nature that is they occur over a long period of time and ma y sometimes be analyzed after the date of balance sheet during the subsequent period. Audit evidences are more reliable when they are receiving from external sources that are unbiased. The evidences acquired directly by the auditor are more authentic that information received indirectly. Moreover, information available in a documented form is trusted more than verbally transmitted information.4 The financial controller of the club reported on 5th august, before the auditor’s report, that Mr. Tan, the general manager has made fraudulent expenses claims of $ 40000 over 5 years. The profit and loss account for the five years during which Mr. Tan was working in the club should be properly analyzed. All the evidences supporting all the expenditures should be received and then estimate the actual amount of fraud expenditures. Moreover, the account details of Mr. Tan can be collected with the help of police authorities to see his bank balances. In the second evidence we see Ms. Pete rs taking legal action against the company and claiming medication and damage charge from the club. For this kind of even, solicitor's advice can be taken, so as to see the likelihood of the customer winning the case and estimate the costs that they would be incurring. The financial controller informed on 18th of August about some serious fire that occurred during a football celebration. For this the insurance money has already been received. But the problem is that the bistro and bar would remain close

US Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

US Democracy - Essay Example Fitting the above description of democracy the government of the United States of America in a fully democratic nation that forms exemplary example for other governments in the world Many factors make the US a democratic country. First, United States treats all its citizens equally as they are all equal before the law and in decisions making. The government discourages all forms of discrimination that result to people getting different treatment. In this, similar laws govern all the citizens equally and no single is above the legislation of the nation. Either, the constitution allows the people to choose their leaders after every four years in the exercise of their democratic right to vote. In this also, citizens are equal with one citizen with one vote. Besides, the form of governorship provides the citizens with freedom of expression and all other rights as expressed in the bill of rights. The government does not limit the individuals past the limitation of the established constitution making the type of government depicted in the US to be a democratic state system. Furthermore, the government has the government arms that represent those in the Democratic stat ues like the constitution and the parliament. In and democratic system the sovereignty of people is the power over in the rule of law. Since people make the government, the citizen in a democratic country are superior, and it limits the government. Therefore, limited government is a partisan concept in a democratic nation where citizenship has the authority to influence the rule of law while smothering the government.This concept places more power in the lower systems like the state governments, local governments and citizens to access and participate in crucial events. This model seeks to provide the citizens with more authority in the market share thus giving the greater opportunity to

Answer the questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Answer the questions - Essay Example Developed countries have adequate education levels, political and economic independence, and freedom of speech. Some of the indicators of development are health, education, leadership, and standards of living. Health is a good measure of development in any country in which the availability of quality health care for all determines whether the country is developed or not. Developed countries have good health facilities for offering health services to all its citizens. Health facilities include well-equipped hospitals, health centres, and maternity facilities for expectant mothers. In developed countries, all citizens can access high-quality health services and acquire good nutrition to live a healthy life. In underdeveloped and developing countries, citizens have a challenge in accessing quality health care and good nutrition. There is a big gap between the rich and the poor in terms of the health facilities they attend. In some cases, the poor go for the traditional medicine while the rich attend good hospitals. The health care facilities are ill-equipped health facilities especially in rural areas. Education is another indicator of development measured by the number of citizens acquiring both the basic and advanced education in a country. Equitable education for all is a measure of development while the disparity in education portrays underdevelopment. In developed countries, quality education is a key priority for the government that receives a high funding. The transition in developed countries from one level of education to the next is high in which technology plays a very important role. In both developing and underdeveloped countries, there is a big disparity in education in which children of the rich attend good schools with all the learning facilities. Children from poor families attend poorly equipped schools

The Abuse of Volunteering For Public Service Essay

The Abuse of Volunteering For Public Service - Essay Example These include social amenities like health, fire services, and housing among others. The public service was mostly provided by public servants who were hired by the government to ensure that the services are rendered to the masses. Most public servants are qualified in their respective fields to provide efficient service. In recent times, the public has been encouraged to participate in public service. This is done so that the public could play a role in the betterment of the lives of the community. The participation of the public will ensure that its members contribute directly to providing services that are required by a community. Initially, individual participation in volunteering for public service was purely based on altruism, a sense of obligation and patriotism that the community possessed. In recent times, however, the reasons for voluntary participation in public service have been questioned, since the motives are not based purely on duty. The motives of volunteers are most ly egocentric; these people want to attain benefits for themselves, so the original intention of helping the community as a whole is neglected. This raises the question whether or not voluntary public service has lost its meaning? This is because nowadays it is hard to distinguish if the volunteering is done due to duty or due to the desire of the volunteer to benefit himself or herself as opposed to the public. Individuals have contributed to public service in various ways. This includes volunteering time and expertise or monetary assistance. The motives of these contributions are, however, questionable, since not all of them are done to benefit only the society. The individuals may have an angle that is self-beneficial. This may be to gain political, educational, or career millage. Though there are individuals who volunteer only for noble reasons, this practice has been corrupted by selfish interests. The perception of public service has evolved over the years. This is because var ious motivations other than altruism are evident in the individuals volunteering for this. This is because individuals are volunteering for the services so that they can gain something in return. This may be to attain an advantage academically or to have a better-looking resume among other self-serving interests. In academic institutions, the students are required in some instances to gain field experience (Lee 3). One of the ways these students can achieve this is through volunteering for public service. The students are assimilated into public sectors and are given duties of public servants. This is then reflected in their reports and appraised by their respective institutions. In this scenario, both the public and the students benefit from this arrangement. This is because the students will devote hours of their time to serve the public while receiving the required field experience for their course. In their time as volunteers, the students will take part in activities that are b eneficial to the welfare of the society. However, there is a downside to this in that some of the student will volunteer only to get the required hours from the exercise (Lee 4). This will result in the students not giving quality service to the public, since they will not be dedicated to the service. The students will consider the volunteering only as a forced requirement rather than as a

Globalisation. Its causes and results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Globalisation. Its causes and results - Essay Example This framework is the international strategy or strategic planning which is formulated by senior managers and executives detailing decisions regarding key issues such as where and how to produce goods or services, what products to sell, where to sell, and how and where to get resources for the production process. They must also decide how to compete with competitors and the key success factors for the company and product. Firms enter new markets for various reasons such as increased competition, discovery of new foreign markets, reaction to domestic market changes among others. Whatever the reason, the managers must chose the right market entry strategy and align it to corporate objectives (Andexer, 2008). Different strategies are linked to different entry modes depending on the situation, financial, economic, and environmental factors. The role of timely accurate marketing research and analysis to guide decision making is increasingly becoming critical. Depending on its situation, a firm may choose to use export, joint venture, direct investment, franchising, licensing, mergers and Acquisitions or global supply chains to enter new markets. The paper is going to analyse the market entry strategies of NatWest Bank since 2008. Company Background The National Westminster (NatWest) Bank is the largest retail and commercial bank in the U.K. It was established in 1968 after a merger of National Provincial bank and Westminster and District bank and began its operations in 1970. It has 1600 branches and 3400 cash machines across Britain. It also operates more than 7.5m customers and 850000small business accounts. It also has separate operations at Coutts & Co, Ulster bank, and Isle of man bank. It has been expanding over time and became a part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS) which is the second largest bank in UK in terms of assets and the fifth largest in the world by market capitalisation in 2000. However, it operates as a distinct brand though most fun ctions were merged with those of RBS. The bank has many subsidiaries and offers both banking and insurance services to personal, business and commercial customers across brands and channels. It is regulated and authorised by Financial Services Authority and it is also a member of the British Bankers’ Association (Worldwide web, 2012). Global Business Development Strategy International strategy is a comprehensive framework to help a business in achieving its fundamental goals (Andexer, 2008). It is more complex than a single country strategy for a firm in that it involves dealing with complex issues such as differences in language, culture, labour, political, legal, and currency among others. The strategy is aimed at attaining global efficiency, international flexibility and worldwide learning and can take the form of home replication, multidomestic strategy, global strategy and transnational strategy (Tielmann, 2010). Home replication focuses on transferring competitive advan tage from home market to foreign market. In this case, the firm develops a strategy and uses it in international firms. It is used when the need for flexibility and global integration is low. A firm may also use multidomestic str

Evolution and History of Cooking Essay Example for Free

Evolution and History of Cooking Essay The value of history is that it helps us to understand the present and the future. In food service, knowledge of our professional heritage helps us to see why we do things as we do, how our cooking techniques have developed and refined and how we can continue to develop and innovate in the years ahead. THE EGYPTIANS: †¢ First recorded instance of inn-keeping †¢ Generally managed by mother and father operations †¢ Most food was from their own gardens and flocks †¢ Meals consisted of mainly dates, figs, apricots, fish, chicken, duck, onions and red cabbage. †¢ Cooking media was largely olive oil. †¢ Poorer inns served predominantly ‘pulses’ that is soups made from a base of lentils. THE GREEKS: †¢ Ancient Greeks were the next who left written and pictorial records of eating, drinking and sleeping away from home †¢ Culinary world owes much of its knowledge to the Greeks †¢ Almost all of the foods purchased and prepared today, as well as many types of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic were used during middle and Late Greek times. †¢ The oldest cookbook preserved today is that of â€Å"Apicius† written sometime between400 BC and 100 AD depending upon the historical source. †¢ This book contains not only detailed instructions for preparing the cuisine of that day, but also rigid specifications for purchasing foodstuffs †¢ The art and cookery then spread to the Roman chefs of that day who were both negatively as well as positively motivated to learn the art of cooking food. †¢ The Greeks are also credited for developing the first comprehensive set of kitchen utensils and equipment †¢ Tools like frying pans, sauce pans, colanders, Bain Marie and butcher’s knives are being used even today. THE ROMANS: †¢ During this time, a group of scholars were sent to Greece to study literature and arts, including culinary arts †¢ Many of the finest Greek chefs were lured away and were treated as professionals worthy of the highest respect and esteem. †¢ The best of Greek culinary achievements were brought to Rome and were integrated into the Roman culture. THE FRENCH: †¢ The marriage of Catherine de Medici to King Henry has brought a whole battalion of Florentine cooks to France. †¢ In the 17th and 18th Century, the Royalty and high ranking people started taking great interest in foods and the cooks in gratitude started naming the dishes after them. †¢ By the end of the 19th century, French culinary art reached its peak, the highest point of perfection. †¢ Chefs like Escoffier and Prosper Salles etc published books on cookery, which had fat reaching importance and are known throughout the world today. †¢ France’s contribution to the international culinary repertoire is well known and has bestowed her own names on the majority of dishes creating technical terminology of international usage. †¢ Every ingredient speaks its own language. The most important role is to use only the best and perfect ingredients and proper blend of colour and taste of ingredients. †¢ Garnishes and accompaniments play a key role in French cuisine and dishes are identified by them. CHINESE COOKING: †¢ Chinese culture is the oldest continuous civilization in the world. †¢ In china, friendship and food are inseparably linked, a gathering without food is considered incomplete and improper. †¢ One thousand years ago, before BC, they were already experimenting with fancy cooking, recording their recipes on silk and bamboo. †¢ Considered the best in the Eastern world, they have been gastronomically courageous, setting no limits to their experiments. †¢ They put everything edible to use, finding wonderful ways to utilize strange plants and roots like lily buds, bamboo shoots, jasmine etc. †¢ Strong sense of artistry is expressed in Chinese cooking. †¢ Chinese cooking needs the shortest time, uses intense heat sealing the juices and preserving colour and texture. †¢ Regional cuisines of China include: Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan, Fukien and Xhanhung. INDIAN COOKING: †¢ Indian cuisine can be said to have evolved along lines parallel to Indian history †¢ Bhima, the Pandava prince and Nala, a King in Hindu Mythology have been acclaimed to be the best chefs. †¢ Strong impact made on Indian cuisine was during the reign of Moghals in the 16th Century, who were fond of good living, eating and cooking. †¢ The regional dishes are influenced in different parts of India by religion, caste and old traditions and customs. †¢ The preparations of various dishes are handed over from one generation to the next †¢ Indian cuisine can be broadly classified into North Indian and South Indian Cuisines.

Animal Testing Essay Example for Free

Animal Testing Essay Living in the twenty-ï ¬ rst century society is beginning to raise questions about the importance and relevance of issues that could very easily alter our way of living. Animal testing is one of these issues; the use of non-human animals in experiments. When an opinion regarding whether or not animal testing is ethical is mentioned in conversation or our news, citizens generally begin to question its morality. In debates, the issues on animal testing should be divided into two sub-categories: what is necessary for survival, and what is moral. If animals do feel a little pain, can you imagine how they feel? They are forced to do something that they do not want to do just because they cant actually say ‘no’. Yet, scientists, the well educated people, believe that we should keep it, so should we really get rid of it? Animals used: Many different species of animals are used in research. In 2003, the majority of procedures used mice and rats. Other mammals accounted for around 3% of the total, including 11,000 pigs, 5000 dogs and 3000 primates (for example, monkeys and marmosets). Laboratory mice are used more often in research every year than any other animal species. Mice, and other rodents such as rats and hamsters, make up over 90% of the animals used in biomedical research. In addition to having bodies that work similar to humans and other animals, rodents are small in size, easy to handle, relatively inexpensive to buy and keep, and produce many offspring in a short period of time. However, rodents may not always be the best animal to use in certain experiments. In these cases, dogs, cats, rabbits, sheep, ï ¬ sh, birds, reptiles and amphibians, or other kinds of animals may be used. All of these animals together make up less than 10% of the animals used in research. Methods of testing the drug: 1.Exposure Testing Some animals are tested by exposure testing. Animals like rats, dogs, cats, monkeys and birds are exposed to things that people would normally be exposed to. Exposure includes inhaling cigarette smoke or being in a place where furniture polish is sprayed. Exposure to microwaves, UV lights, the sun and extremes in temperature are also ways animals are tested. The results found include diseases that show up because of exposure to elements, learning disabilities that might occur (based on maze and behavior tests after exposure) and pregnancy complications that go along with exposure. These tests are usually used to make conclusions about what a humans reaction would be to the speciï ¬ c substances or conditions that the animals were exposed to. Conclusions might be that products are safe for humans based on exposure to animals or that products and elements are not safe based on what happened to the animals. 2.Skin Testing Some products, like cosmetics, are tested on animals by skin testing. In this method of testing, animals have products applied to their skin. This is done especially with pigs. The products, like cosmetics and other skin care products, are introduced to the animals skin, and the results are recorded. Most of this testing is done by cosmetic companies themselves, who are looking for any adverse reactions the products might have. Reactions they are looking for include breakouts, skin irritations, sicknesses or allergies that crop up with exposure. Research companies might be paid by cosmetic companies to test the products of competitor companies to make sure that the products they are selling will perform better. Cosmetic companies and skin care companies are also looking to test how well their products work Skin testing on an animal http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/tags/skin against the claims they have made for their own +corrosion/default.aspx products. 3.Injection Testing Many animals are tested with injection testing. For drug testing, this might mean injecting an animal with a drug to see what the side effects of the drug might be. Allergy medications, acne medications, seizure medications and disease medications are tested on health animals to test for side effects like sicknesses, birth defects or behavior problems. Other animals are tested by ï ¬ rst being injected with a disease or a sickness, and then injected with a course of drugs to see which drug might beneï ¬ t it the most. Diseases include AIDS, Cancer, Parkinsons Diabetes and Epilepsy. The beneï ¬ ts they are looking for include a reduction in symptoms, a cure for the disease, or a way to slow down the diseases progress. Injection testing usually measures the effects of the substance that is being injected on the animals, in order to see what results those things might have Ingected animal testing for people. http://urchinmovement.com/ 2011/08/11/the-rise-of-the-planetof-the-apes-animal-testing-goesmainstream/ 2 Nayla Khalifa AlKhalifa 4.Creation Testing Some animals are created in order to be tested, or their creation itself is the test. Scientists play with the genetic makeup of animals and attempt to create new animals. They also perform experiments on animals in utero, such as inject them with drugs, expose them to chemicals and change their genetic makeup to see if these experiments can be accomplished successfully and then to see if those results can be repeated for humans. Animals are cloned in labs to see if the cloning process works and what drugs, processes and genetic manipulations affect cloning in what way. Cloned animals are then studied to determine the effects of cloning on a general population. 5.Behavior Testing Some animals are tested in a way that is unobtrusive. Behavior tests are not usually meant to test a product or cosmetic or drug. They are tests that look at the lives of the animals and their behaviors. Some tests might include testing the speed at which mice can run various mazes or testing an animals ability to recognize colors or symbols. These tests might include exposing animals to loud sounds like music or yelling or to stressful situations including loud sounds, ï ¬â€šashing lights or strange smells or vibrations. Researchers then watch their behavior and make conclusions about what might happen to people in the same situation. Behavior tests also include studying the way a dog thinks by having him respond to commands and stimuli or testing the way another animal reacts when praised or yelled at. These behavioral tests give more information about how animals think and how their brains work, and also provide insights into why humans might have some of the same behaviors or issues as animals. What are the alternatives? There is a huge range of non- animal research techniques that, as well as being a more humane approach to science, can also be cheaper, quicker and more effective. These include: ââ€" Cell cultures Almost every type of human cell can be grown in culture and this has been key to understanding cancers, sepsis, kidney disease and HIV/AIDS. Cells grown in test tubes are routinely used in chemical safety testing, vaccine production, medicines development and to diagnose disease. ââ€" Chemical methods Analytical techniques used by chemists can be used to detect toxins in products, such as the LCMS method to replace the use of mice who are injected to detect toxins in shellï ¬ sh. ââ€" Tissue and organ culture Tissues from humans donated after surgery or even death can be used to investigate diseases and also test whether drugs might be safe and effective, before they are used on humans. ââ€" Computer models Programs run on computers can be used to predict whether a chemical is going to be harmful based on its similarity to other chemicals, or to even simulate body processes such as heart rate. ââ€" Human Volunteers Studies of humans can often be the best way to replace animals. We can now see inside peoples’ brains using imaging machines or test microscopic amounts of new drugs harmlessly on volunteers, as well as conduct large scale studies of populations to help see what might cause disease (epidemiology). Scientists are moving away from using animals but it is a slow process and they need more support. My opinion on animal testing is that we still need it but we should try to minimize the amount of animals being used and the pain the may experience even when pain relievers and anesthetics are used. We should use alternatives as much as we need to. We should not completely ban animal testing until we have a full replacement for it that works just as well or even better. Scientist are actually just trying to save someones life, I think many people in this world would see that as a selï ¬â€šess act. Personally I would rather an animal die than a cancer patient. They also test on animals as some of them are very much like humans, that means if an animal has a positive reaction towards a drug we are one step closer to curing a disease and we would all rather an animal die during research than a human. Animals are mostly used to develop medicines for the sick and have they have actually helped ï ¬ nd different treatments for cancer, strokes, and may other diseases that many people die from each year. Anyone that thinks that they are against animal testing is basically telling some cancer patients that they would rather them die then some rats. I would never ban animal testing. I ï ¬ nd that the people who protest against animal testing are an insult to the poor people that are ï ¬ ghting for their lives lying in a hospital bed some where with one chance of getting their life back by taking a drug that may have been tested on animals. It makes me feel really uncomfortable knowing that healthy people want something which will drastically decrease the standard of living of others. A complete ban on animal testing will have very serious negative effects on medical research. I believe that developing better, more effective and safer drugs is more important than sparing a few rats. Either way, if we continue animal testing ( which we are now ) too many animals are getting hurt, money is being spent, and products are still being tested, but if we ban animal testing we only have alternatives that work with only certain parts of an animals body. So, if we do either one we will still have issues.

Media Essays News Citizen Journalist

Media Essays News Citizen Journalist News Citizen Journalist Introduction We live in an era of information overload: it requires no groundbreaking analysis to establish this. Society is bombarded from every angle with news: Newspapers; television; streaming news services on the Internet and independent blogs written by ‘citizen’ journalist. This worldwide change has occurred over the course of a minute timescale. Since the dawn of journalism until very recently, there were always a finite number of news sources. In the 80’s there were ten UK dailies, and three channels which contained news bulletins. By 1998, at the dawn of online news coverage, articles were a day old and suffered the disadvantage of not being specifically written as an online medium. Sites were updated once a day, and breaking news would sometimes be covered by a small news ticker at the most. If we are to use September 11th as a comparative vantage point, set close to the present and catastrophic at a worldwide level, the scale of the change within the news becomes visible. The 7/11 bombings in America were viewed in Britain on five terrestrial television channels, three dedicated news channels (BBC News 24, Sky News and ITV News), and news services such as Reuters, CNBC and Bloomberg provided continuous information updates. This does not even attempt to cover the countless other news sources around the world whose focus was to cover this tragic event around the clock. The Internet was saturated with theories, creditable news stories and speculation. The Guardian and The New York Times at the time provided online coverage, and since then nearly every news channel has developed online news services. For the first time everyone was capable of getting their opinion out there: The Internet allowed people to post their views, share their sadness and grow theories of conspiracy as could never have been done before. On the 7th July bombings in London BBC 1 and ITV1 had coverage completely uninterrupted until 7pm. Material included large amounts of footage sent in by the public, including videos and pictures taken on camera phones. News now travels at light speed. The gaps between major news stories, which steal the public’s attention, are hardly long enough to allow absorption of the story, let alone understanding any greater sense of context within which it may lie. The Internet itself is growing at a massive and uncontrollable rate. According to Eric Schmidt, chief executive of Google, the search engine would need another three hundred years to successfully index the five million terabytes of data it is approximated the internet now holds. Google has been indexing information for the last seven years, and has managed to index somewhere in the region of one hundred and seventy million terabytes. Statement of subject Because it has never been easier for individuals to broadcast their opinion, the divide between what is and isn’t considered to be ‘journalism’ is being narrowed. The power to be published has been extended to anyone who may wish to take it: Words no longer need to be passed through an editorial filter; instead the public can broadcast their opinions through blogs, feedback and their own webpages. There are countless online forums and e-zines where the public can submit their own work, and as such there are no official standards because we are no longer tied to words entwined in the ethos of a large corporation. For the individual, when it comes to getting their word out, things have never been better, and the same applies to music, filmmaking and photography. To be published no longer certifies a vocational integrity. In my dissertation I am going to assess the increasingly important role of citizen journalist, and the effect of new media on independent reporting. In an article in the Guardian on the 12th November 2007, David Leigh points out that our principles are being degraded through the lack of discrimination we exert over sources. â€Å"Some voices are more creditable than others†¦a named source is better than an anonymous pamphleteer†. Essentially I want to assess whether the reporter is a dying species, overrun by ‘citizen journalist’, and in what areas a sense of vocationally based journalistic integrity will prevail and withstand the peripeteia taking place in the media. Reporting staffs are being cut globally, with more and more reporters going freelance. Investigative journalism is on the decline, and citizens are contributing to more stories than ever before. Leigh quotes a BBC Radio 4 interview where John Simpson, the BBC’s veteran international news correspondent was asked if all news corporations were cutting back. He confirmed that in his opinion reporters were under real threat, and were not needed anymore, â€Å"We just want people’s opinions about what’s happened, not the facts†. In the article Leigh quotes Max Hastings, the ex-editor of the Daily Telegraph, who states that â€Å"all sorts of areas of the world are now thought to be too boring to keep a correspondent there. The commentariat has taken over.† Explanation of research Restrictions of study The topic I am researching is very broad, and varies very much form place to place. The role of citizen journalist is still developing and maturing. The public are only now fully realising the effects of independent reporting. There is also a psychological dimension that is constantly changing: People are only now beginning to trust articles that do not come from the larger news corporations. Research questions and hypothesis I need to inspect public broadcasting standards, and see what mechanisms are in place to stop the news of larger corporations turning completely into infotainment. I need to find out how much larger news corporations rely on spin departments and press offices for their information, and how much investigation is carried out independently. At the moment people rely on news corporations for objective news, and tend to read the work of citizen journalist for a second opinion. My hypothesis is that all of this will eventually invert, and the only form of sincere and detailed reporting will actually be that of citizen journalist. Definition of key terms In order to understand this essay, the definition of the term ‘citizen journalist’ must be clarified. There has been much debate over this topic, and much confusion has ensued. The Internet is the most effective medium through which the public can dynamically post comments, leave opinions after news stories and feel a direct level of interactivity with their news. While it would seem that this would lead to ‘vandalism’, sites such as Wikipedia have demonstrated that there are systems effective at minimising this sort of input, and I will examine this in greater detail later. But the ability to simply broadcast opinion isn’t, nor has it ever been ‘journalism’. Audiences have always been harnessed into the process of news making, whether the input may be in the form of letters to the editor or a clip of video phone footage. Despite the fact that during the 7/7 London bombings contributed video footage was used, public contributions have always been vital to journalists. It is easy to forget that when Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, Abraham Zapruder, a member of the public who got the best shot of the assassination, shot the video footage seen across the globe. It was his film that was used by analysts to try and determine from where the president was assassinated. But recently the public have been recruited into the news making process at a much greater level. People are intrigued by people, and want to witness the experiences of others, to humanize their news stories. Editors and producers embed stories and experience from members of the public into news stories to give them a more personal dimension. This is the citizen as an addition to a news story. At a greater level of interaction, citizens can help report in a ‘participatory’ manner, whereby they contribute to a story in the field of their expertise. Their knowledge or guidance is framed within the journalist’s context. The ability to publish a soft draft of a story on the Internet has made it easier for journalists to gain help from the public to aid a story. Citizen Journalists are too often mistaken for eyewitnesses armoured with new technology. In wake of the 7/7 bombings, people are quick to label the footage and pictures submitted by members of the public as the work of ‘citizen journalist’. But I believe ‘citizen journalism’ entails the bypassing of the commercial news system completely. This is the only way for reporting to not contain the agenda of a large corporation. It can be argued that reporting can never be truly devoid of a personal agenda, but a corporation will inevitably be entwined in a political agenda. Citizen Journalist is a term used to describe the actions of amateurs taking it upon themselves to report on subjects in an accurate, and independent manner. It is not to be confused with ‘participatory journalism’, where the public are used as sources. Another relevant term is â€Å"Infotainment†, which is essentially a slang term used to describe information given the slant of entertainment. A summary of what is to follow I am going to assess the liberation technological advance has made for ‘citizen journalist’, including beneficial and detrimental effects on news production as a whole. I want to see whether there is room for both professional and citizen journalists and whether traditional reporters are a dying species. Using case studies I am going to analyse where stories written by citizen journalist may not have been possible in a larger, corporate journalistic context, and similarly, where reporting would not be possible without the resources available to a larger news corporation. As well as this I am going to analyse the trends of corporate news, and asses whether the very roles of citizen journalist and news by larger corporations will invert: with serious stories being written by the citizen journalist while corporate news is almost entirely reduced to infotainment. Literature review This topic is relevant because it affects all of the information we receive. The forces of supply and demand work heavily on the corporate news system, and as such are debasing the level of our news. Citizen journalist on the other hand, is relatively free from such forces, and more able to write for niche audiences. There is a new freedom to write passionately about non-mainstream topics, with the possibility of a worldwide audience. When newspapers first came into circulation, in 15th century German and Flemish states, they lacked the same institutionalized nature that they do today. It was the dawn of the industrial revolution and the creation of large cities, the cheapening costs involved in mass printing and the growth of literacy rates provided the market for newspapers in the nineteenth century. Then advertisers realized the true potential for marketing to an ever growing population of newspaper readers, and the costs of newspapers went down even further. The corporate model first took over the Hollywood film industry in 1914, and then the movie distribution system. By 1920 radio had become corporate, and by 1950’s television had followed suit. All forms of media were organized in â€Å"accordance with corporate industrial logic†. Government controlled media started to arise in many parts of less developed countries. In Africa and Asia, where power had been handed over to those whom the departing colonial powers were most comfortable with dealing with. These people were ‘clones’ of the ruling elite who had once colonised them. Hence the newly emerging media were staffed by the most Westernised natives. The New World Information Order (NWIO) was created to justify ‘development journalism’. The ethos of the organization encouraged state control of the media in order to ‘educate’ and develop the respective local populations, and in within this line of thinking the education system in developing countries was also shifted into the state run sphere. As Louw points out, Communist control of the media was justified through the same line of argument. â€Å"In Afro-Asia ‘education’ and ‘development’ were managerial tools by which ruling elites (forcibly?) Westernised their populations, thereby increasing the numbers of their own Western ‘tribe’†. (p.43) One of the most relevant aspects of the Internet, is the creation of an accessible worldwide community that endangers such political mechanisms of control. While once people’s perceptions of life itself were very much narrowed by the culture in which they lived, now people from all over the world have an interface with which they can communicate. The internet has evolved: third world countries, with their antiquated and even non existent phone lines missed out on the first generation of the internet. But as technology developed, fibre optic lines and broadband replaced the traditional ways of plugging in, and third-world countries, with no existing infrastructure to replace and facilitated with cheap labour costs, have quickly connected themselves in. The mobile phone revolution was similar: Five years ago in India if you wanted to make an International call you had to call an operator and book it in. You would then wait by the phone for an hour or two, and at some point the operator would call you back and connect you. Now every Indian with a roof over their head also has a mobile. This is an unbelievable phenomenon in a country which frequently still has power cuts, is home to immense poverty and still has a massively unreliable wired phone network. Despite this the prevalence of a mass mobile phone culture took place there even before America had abandoned their two-way. Having come from an Indian background, and with all of my family currently residing there including my fifteen-year-old sister, I have visited the country at least once a year for the last twenty years. I am persistently surprised by the massive changes that occur there from one year to the next, but these are factors relating to matters of economy and fiscal development. The most prominent changes have occurred, in my opinion, since the Internet and the mass availability of American cable channels. The standardization of social values simply through watching American cable television is enormous, and the impact on the younger generation is massive when in contrast to their parents. An issue, which is widely ignored in more developed western countries, is the dominance of their media throughout the world, and the lack of correspondence between them and local cultures. The birth of citizen journalist has empowered countless people in less developed countries. But spatial boundaries have been eroded by technology, distance has been tamed and while news once took months or even years to travel, today it travels in the blink of an eye. Because of this the relevance of political borders, and the concept of culture and country has become more peripheral. The importance of the citizen as a reporter, the value of hyper-local news and the democratic nature of the internet as tool for expression is quickly becoming invaluable. In part due to these matters authoritarian states such as China, Cuba and Iran have been forced into moving away from their isolation, both ideologically and culturally, and individuals are privy to the writing of journalists not within the borders of their own, controlled domains. Monroe Price asked the question â€Å"Can a nation state survive in a world in which the boundaries of culture, faith and imagination do not (1995: 236). Nation states have survived and, McNair argues in ‘Cultural Chaos’, they will continue to do so. He argues that they will bring into conflict nation states with conflicting ideologies. A brief account of the issues relevant to the topic The creation of a press department in any company or political organization is a key factor. Journalists rely more and more n the information fed to them by the very people they are trying to write about.*EXPAND â€Å"What is clear is that there will always be some individuals or groups trying to control meaning. Underpinning this is a competition over resources (material, cultural and status). Our life chances are set by the social parameters facilitating or hindering our access to such resources† (p25 The Media and Cultural Production – Eric Louw, 2001) Technological advances have resulted in a massive, global, spatial dissolution, and are becoming more and more relevant to our lives. This enablement of social realization through geographical space is a concept being dissolved through the advancement of technology. Technology affects the way we write, the footage we can capture to accompany our stories, and our ability to access the news itself. It is the advancement of technology which has enable the creation of a citizen journalist in the first place. The world is getting smaller, and the amelioration of communicative potential is bringing human beings closer together. Since the 1980’s, and more specifically with the onslaught of ‘live’ news coverage that CNN brought to the Gulf War in 1991, a new sense of immediacy has been brought to the news. There is a new sense of participation, and interactivity that has been brought to broadcasting and the news in general, with broadcasts becoming more dynamic. We can be transported from the isolation of our domestic environments to the parochialism of the news environment we are watching. Through news exposure, which includes the horror of human catastrophe, society is becoming more and more disengaged with the context of what it witnesses. People don’t have enough time between major world events to become fully acquainted with the context of any particular situation. Broadcasters would rather keep viewers engaged with sensational footage, than risk loosing audiences with a contextual background which could be deemed more ‘boring’. As a result people feel that there are too many events to care about any at all, and more importantly there is a widespread concern that we are essentially powerless to do anything about it. Our press has the freedom to fully articulate the injustices of today, but tomorrow there will be new injustices. When the format of the news we are subject to is too consistent and perpetual to never expect not to be shocked by a front page or a top story on a daily basis, we have no choice other than to be emotionally indifferent. McNair describes us as having ‘become fatigued by the proximity of human suffering’ (pg 7, Cultural Chaos). The News corporations, governed by the same principles of supply and demand as any other capitalist institutions, have advertency converted our round the clock news coverage into a form of entertainment†¦of ‘infotainment’. One of the primary book I am going to look at is â€Å"We the Media: Grassroots journalism, by the people, for the people†, by Dan Gillmore. â€Å"We the Media† inspects the blogging phenomenon, and more specifically analyses the relationship between the readers and creators of news. Gillmor acknowledges that blogging is still in an early stage of development, and that in many respects professional journalists are not only behind the developments occurring in news production, but struggling to keep up. He goes on to argue that institutionalized journalism needs a new model of conduct in order to be in a position to â€Å"fight the good fights†. I have also been looking at Cultural Chaos: Journalism, news and power in a globalised world by Brian McNair. He draws on examples from the War on Terror, the invasion of Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and the London Underground bombings to examine the relationship between journalism and power in the digital age. McNair explores the geographic and cultural breakdown-taking place as provoked by the digital age. He examines the impact of the digital age on journalism the effects it has in creating a global culture. There is a fear among news media professionals that the rise of ‘citizen journalist’ will eclipse the role of the professional journalist. The biggest, and most universal fear is a public reliance on the information provided by citizen journalist will lack the accuracy and â€Å"objectivity† of the larger corporation. Citizen journalists on the other hand feel that the professional media lack the passion or the flexibility to report as accurately or incisively as them. One of the advantages of citizen journalism is that the massive number of amateur writers overshadows the comparatively small number of professional journalists. When people can choose what to write about, it is guaranteed that they will do so with passion. Their articles will be researched; it can be argued, with greater dedication. Citizen journalist are ruled by no sense of hierarchy; as a group citizen journalist can use a skill set appropriate to a project. However, a journalist is merely meant to be a vehicle through which to convey a message. Will this influx of citizen journalism actually diminish objectivity? At least with the mainstream media the public can have an understanding of the context of the paper in which thy read their article. When a different writer, writes every article with no editor to moderate output, can we ever have an understanding of the standpoint of the writer, with no prior knowledge of him or her. On top of this, we can’t even count on a set of defining, professional journalistic principles, nor will amateur writer sever have access to the resources of a professional department. Case Study On Sunday, April 6th there was an article in the New York Times Observer about an undercover vegan, who set out to expose the horrific conditions of a South California slaughterhouse. â€Å"To fit in he bought sandwiches made from soy riblets and ate them in a dusty car parking lot with the other workers†. Despite his vegan beliefs, this citizen journalist spent long days escorting cows to the kill. Armed with a buttonhole camera, he â€Å"made sure he was successful in recording images of workers flipping sick dairy cows with forklifts, prodding them with electrical charges and dragging them by their legs with chains so that they could be processed into ground meat†. The investigation resulted in the United States authorities taking action at a national level. The film the citizen made was picked up by the mainstream media, and was effective because it was edited in a sensationistically limited manner. Citizen journalism is useful because it allows smaller groups of people to be heard, and the more empowered we become by technological advances, the easier it becomes for us to challenge the images we are exposed to by the mainstream media.

Racism - After The Civil War Essay -- essays research papers

The conclusion of the Civil War in favor of the north was supposed to mean an end to slavery and equal rights for the former slaves. Although laws and amendments were passed to uphold this assumption, the United States Government fell short. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments were proposed and passed within five years of the Civil War’s conclusion. These amendments were to create equality throughout the United States, especially in the south where slavery had been most abundant. Making equality a realization would not be an easy task. This is because many problems were not perceived before and during the war. The reunification of the country would prove to be harder than expected, and entry into a new lifestyle would be difficult for both the freedmen and their former oppressors. The thirteenth amendment clearly prohibits slavery in the United States. All slaves were to be freed immediately when this amendment was declared ratified in December of 1865, but wh at were they to do? Generations of African-Americans had been enslaved in America, and those who had lived their whole lives in slavery had little knowledge of the outside world. This lack of knowledge would not be helpful in trying to find work once they were released. Plantation owners with a lack of workforce were eager to offer extremely low pay to their former slaves. In addition, the work force of the plantation would often live in the same quarters they did while enslaved. These living condition...

Cal Ripken Jr. :: essays research papers

Cal Ripken, Jr., was the perfect baseball player. He would play when he had the flu and even when he had a sprained ankle. He was loyal to his city of Baltimore. He never left if more money was offered. In 1995 he broke Lou Gehrig’s 2,130 games by playing 2,218 games in a row. According to World Book, Cal ended his streak of 2,632 consecutive games when he chose not to play in the game of September 20, 1998. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 220 pounds. He was and still is the biggest shortstop in major league history. He is the only shortstop ever to hit 20 or more home runs in 10 straight seasons. He is noticed much less than most major league superstars. He only gets noticed for his good plays. He is the only shortstop to have a record of start in eight straight All Star games. In his first year in the major league, he was voted Rookie of the Year by the newspapers writers who cover the American league. In 1983, at the age of twenty-three, Cal lead the Orioles to a World Series victory. He always seemed the favorite every group would vote for as player of the year. There were two reasons. First was his outstanding performance on the field. Second was the way Cal handled himself off the field. He loves being a role model for children, so he tries to be the best person he can in order to set a good example. In 1987, Cal had a dream come true. His brother Billy joined the Orioles and the team was managed by his father Cal Ripken, Sr. His Father was manager of the team until the beginning of the 1988 season. The Orioles started the season by losing the first six games. The teams owner and general manager made the decision of removing Cal Ripken, Sr. as the manager. Cal Ripken, Sr. was put back as third base coach. Cal Jr. understood, because he knew these things happen in baseball. Cal was so dedicated to baseball that he had a batting cage with a mechanical pitcher in his backyard so he could practice for hours everyday. Cal would spend one afternoon a week at Baltimore’s stadium answering every letter he received from fans. He would hang around the ballpark more than an hour after games, signing more than 500 autographs.

Euthanasia of Pretamture Babies :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Amy gave birth to a baby boy after only 24 weeks gestation. The premature child weighed only 1 1/4 lbs and was only 13 inches. Statistically, the child has between a 5% and a 20% chance of survival and over a 50% chance of growing up with intellegence disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, and deafness. Should money be continually spent on medical treatment or should the parents and/ or doctor be given the rigt to take away the life support? What is euthanasia? Is it just a murder, or is it a helpful procedure to end people's suffering? It is the "act of helping a person end his or her life in a painless fashion to relieve unbearable suffering". It is the taking of a human life by another person to prevent further pain and misery. There are four types of euthanasia: Active, Passive, Voluntary and Involuntary. Active Euthanasia is when a second party, whether is be a doctor or someone else, discretely introduces a lethal amount of medication into the sick or dying person. Passive Euthanasia involves the removal of medical treatment from the suffering individual. Voluntary Euthanasia is when the patient asks his or her doctor to assist in the procedures to ensure the end of the patient's life. Involuntary Euthanasia is present in Amy's case, along with Passive Euthanasia. It is when the individual who is suffering is either in a coma, incompitent, or a premature child that cannot speak for itself, and instea d of the patient making the decision, the family and/ or doctor does. Prematurity is when a child is born within less than 36 weeks gestation. The child is usually born with low birth weight, some type of physical deformity and / or any kind of mental problems that can all lead to a future of being outcatsed. Around half the babies born at 24 weeks are at risk of growing up with severe disabilities. Minor disabilities dont usually occur until further in the child's life, approximately once the child begins attending school. Reading and learning problems may occur. Obviously, the earlier the child is born the less chance of survival and health there is. This is because the babies have not yet fully developed the lungs, causing sudden collapses with every breath the child takes. "Matters involving the most intimate and personal choices a person may take in a lifetime...are central to the liberty protected by the 14th amendment.

Poe vs. Dickens

Poe vs. Dickens (Battle of Authors) Edgar Allen Poe has a better way of describing his emotions on to paper, his tone is dark and depressing yet gives into a little anger here and there. Charles Dickens has also dark and emotional stories growing up poor he must have a few little glimpses of pain but he became wealthy in time. Poe was born wealthy and became poor as he grew older, and if that was not enough sadness, every loved one he had died most of tuberculosis so he drank and wrote stories to cope with the pain of being alone and loveless.Poe always introduced his characters as the ones with murderous intent and seeking revenge against a person who maybe insulted the m in a way. Dickens starts his stories with characters but his characters weren’t â€Å"Insane† they were normal going about their lives, Poe’s stories always had an amazing plot and a killer with some thrills, horrifying thoughts, and vivid pictures that he painted with his words.Some stories ha d characters who learned their lessons and became a better person, they get second chances in Charles’ stories yet in Poe’s if you treat the main character wrong, you will most likely die, I am referring to â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†. Dickens has mostly emotional tones that end with happiness and rainbows, Poe had almost no happy stories, his tone was anger, confusion, sadness, betrayal, and mysterious, such as in the book â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†.Poe wrote about murder often that mostly gave off the feeling of fear you could feel every last word echo inside you as he continued to describe in great detail murders that came from his own mind, I haven’t read any Dickens’ books like that. Dickens’ stories have a great deal of foreshadowing in them, he always had kept the audience guessing what was going to happen next, Poe also used foreshadowing ,his story â€Å"The Raven†. â€Å"Tapping at my chamber door; Only this and n othing more (Stanza 1 line 5/6)†. Dickens mostly used the theme of lessons, you do something wrong, learn lesson, problem fixed.Comparing Poe to Dickens is like comparing a graveyard to a hospital, sure they have a few similarities but it’s missing something, Poe’s lesson was don’t mess with people, if you hurt someone you will hurt right back, or to put it in simple terms equivalent exchange. Dickens was a great author but compared to Poe his books should be read in a preschools, Edgar Allen Poe was ahead of his time, his imagination dared to reach into the darkest depths of his mind, he brought nightmares to life and completely changed the meaning of sadness, I believe Poe was one of the greatest authors of all time.

Gender and Technology Essay

This essay will take a look into an article called, â€Å"Caring About Connections: Gender and Computing† written by Jane Margolis, Allan Fisher and Faye Miller. In their article they take a look at differences in women and males with their uses and influence in technology, and women’s efforts to pursue an education in computer science and technology. This paper will be able to sum up their main ideas, critically analyze their beliefs, and take a particular look at women pursing fields of study in the technological workplace and technological studies. Gender Definition The definition of gender is not a very easy word to define. There are many meanings and terms that can be characterized under both males and females and mixed genders. However according to dictionary. com gender is the following: â€Å"(in many languages) a set  of classes that together include all nouns, membership in a particular class being shown by the form of the noun  itself or by the form or choice of words that modify, replace, or otherwise refer to the noun, as, in English, the choice of he   to replace the man,   of she   to replace the woman,   of it   to replace the table,   of it   or she   to replace the ship. The number of genders in different languages varies from 2 to more than 20; often the classification correlates in part with sex or animateness. The most familiar sets of genders are of three classes (as masculine, feminine, and neuter in Latin and German) or of two (as common and neuter in Dutch, or masculine and feminine in French and Spanish). â€Å" (Dictionary. com 2012) This definition of gender is what said to best fit the word however I believe that this is not the only way to describe a gender. Gender in my opinion the biological make up and the combination of actions and norms an individual follows and goes through. The biological make up of an individual is not the only way to depict what gender they are associated with but the actions and ideas they follow can also influence them. People are able to choose which gender they are associated with even if they pursue a gender different from their biological make up. Definition of Technology Technology is similar to gender where there truly isn’t one single definition behind the word. This term is also relatively new and has was not heavily used until World War one and two and after these event, the term began to be used as much as the word science. (Lecture18, March 27th). Science and technology are often closely related to one another because technology relies on science and the more science that is understood, the more technology can be created and change. With this is mind, innovation is key to defining technology and how to describe what technology is. In one our lectures, Kevin Kelly described technology as, â€Å"Anything that is invented after we are born. † With this in mind, a definition of technology can be described as any new innovation created that may help or hurt society as a whole. Authors’ Main Ideas The Authors of this article take a look into many different angles in the field of computer science. The ideas of the authors vary from some being where these individuals first got their first interest into this study. The authors also discuss the world around computer science and the individuals that are apart of this select group. Finally the authors also touch on the overall fact that the computer science is a field of study that is heavily associated with male users and students. Students who want to pursue this field of study often have different reasons and answers as the first enthusiastic moment in the study. The different reasons also relate to the basis of their gender. For many women in this study, there reasons to enter this field of study were to use the knowledge and information from studying to work with another field of study, such as education or science. Men on the other hand had different explanations or reasons for entering the field of computer science. Many men that were interviewed brought up a time in which they first remembered a time in which computers interested them or discussed items that are used for technology. Margolis, Fisher and Miller, also discuss a finding from a studying done by a researcher named Brunner. In his study, he found â€Å"The feminine take on technology looks right through the machine to its social function, while the masculine view is more likely to be focused on the machine itself. As a result, when technology is introduced as an end in itself, as in a programming class, for instance, young women are less likely to be interested than young men. (Brunner, 1997). This study done by Brunner helps show partial reason why men are more likely to show a strong interest n technological studies and pursue degrees in these fields. Because of this gender barrier that women are going to have to overcome in these fields it does show that many women do face a harder time in this field because of a view they are more likely to see rather then males. Many individuals that pursue the study of technology often associate themselves as different from the average group of people. Many men that pursue this field often believe they are truly the right individual and they often see women in the field as weaker or as someone that may struggle. According to Margolis, Fisher and Miller, in regard to the selective image and individuals that are perceived in the technological fields. â€Å"The pervasive image of the computer science student has a more deleterious affect on women students† (Margolis, Fisher and Miller 1998). Women are more affected by the â€Å"image† that select individuals are able to be apart of this industry. However not only are the classroom settings and social impact of other members impacting women. The media, Internet, and many other factors also impact women and the opportunities to pursue technology. These factors include the media depicting men as experts in technology, societal expectations of different goals for boys and girls, the structure of learning tasks, the nature of feedback in performance situations, and the organization of classroom seating† (Hale Pg 1). The social implications that women face show that they struggle when they are trying to join the field of technolog y. Finally, the field of technology is a field in which males already heavily dominate the workforce amount often turning women away from pursuing jobs and technological influence in the field. In their essay, Margolis, Fisher and Miller discuss the curriculum of computer science and its basic functions. Many classes in technological studies involve mathematics and scientific studies. Overall many of these classes have shown on average the men usually score high grades in these classes as these classes. Many women seem to steer away from classes like these because of the heavy presence of males, and the pressure of males in the classroom setting. Another item that many individuals that are apart of this industry are often characterized as nerds or geeks. According to the New York Times, â€Å"†¦another explanation for the drop in interest, which is linked to the pejorative figure of the â€Å"nerd† or â€Å"geek. † She said that this school of thought was: â€Å"Girls and young women don’t want to be that person. †Ã¢â‚¬  (Spertus, 2008). Many individuals, but particularly men and women want to avoid being called a geek or nerd and because of these names associated with many people in this industry, many women avoid these studies. Critical Analysis Overall Margolis, Fisher and Miller have shown many areas in which women and men have differences in the studies of computer Science field. The reasons for many of these individuals were different depending on their genders, which is often the case for many jobs and areas of studying. Many fields of studies do relate to individuals with certain preferences and the way many are set up in structure can benefit one gender over another gender. This is a fair argument because there are certain curriculums that do tend to have classes that are easier and a slight advantage to different genders. Secondly, the fact that many women are steered away because of the intimidation of not having the â€Å"image† of a computer science individual is also true. People in general want to fit in with a group of people that they are going to be studying their major in. Because of the large decrease of women entering the field of computer science and technological studies, many women are beginning to feel isolated from others and intimidated by the class structure. Finally, the heavy dominating field of men and the often-characterized nicknames of geeks and nerds also turns many women away from these studies. The increasing number of men studying in this field turns away many women from entering the field through intimidation and the infamous nickname of â€Å"geeks† and â€Å"nerds†. These names often associated with people in technological studies can steer individuals that want to learn more about the technological field into a different area of study to prevent harassing. However, though Margolis, Fisher and Miller did bring up many excellent points about gender inequality and differences in the fields of technology, these authors did fail to bring into that fact the usage of ICTs varying amongst genders. Though many women do not pursue degrees or jobs in technological fields, they are still heavily active in their use. Women in general are the largest users of cell phones, and among races, African American Women are the largest users of the Internet. However men do dominate women in some categories of ICT usage. Males are most notably the users of online gaming, however among races, African American men are least likely to use any form of technology. These differences are important to acknowledge with gender differences in technology. Men and women do both have different usages of ICTs and races do play a small role in the measurement of ICTs. With this in mind, though there are gender differences that exist in the fields of technology and ICT usage, each gender does have an area in which they do have the dominant share of usage. Conclusion In the world we live in, technology is constantly growing and adopting. New innovations are causing changes in simple items and transforming items we would have never thought to have. Genders are playing roles in the usage of technology. Though genders may face barriers or issues that can cause them to struggle, each gender does control heavy usage in certain ICTs. Margolis, Fisher and Miller passage has helped show the decline in women in the field of technological studies, particularly in computer science. Many women meet much conflict from the curriculum, to the intimidation factor of a primarily men filled class setting, to the often associate selective group of people in this field. Though these problems are common, many women do continue to pursue in these fields. As a result, men and women both face gender conflicts with technology, and certain technologies are more associated with genders. Overall, men and women still benefit from technology and the growing rate of technology in the world will lead to new items and new change.

Financial Management Essay

Introduction In this assignment I will be researching and discussing how to manage my own personal finances. For this I will have to research sources of income and write about different types of employment and unemployment. The affect these have on salaries and wages will also be investigated. I have also been asked to research and summarise allowances and benefits. As part of the management of my personal finances I must produce a personal budget over a specific period of time, on completion of this I will pair with a partner and discuss my findings. Task 3 Why is it important for me to manage my personal finance? * To help not to run out of money * Help me with budgeting * Scarce resource * Savings * Paying bills * Living alone * Managing money is skill Task 4 Jobseekers allowance Jobseekers allowance would be paid to me if I am eligible for it and looking for (seeking) work. I also would have to be age 16 or over to be able to receive jobseekers allowance. This source of income is relevant for me because I am over the age of 16, living on my own and I am currently looking for work. Income support Income support provides financial help for people ages 16 and over, who have low income or no money coming in at all. This money is for people who are not currently seeking work. This money is to help people with day to day living. Income support is relevant to me because this is the situation I am currently living in and I also receive income support myself. Child benefit Child benefit is parents that have children under the age of 16 or children under 19 in full time education. Child benefit is no longer relevant to me because I do not live will my mother any more. Housing benefit Housing benefit helps towards paying my rent which would be my local authority, but they don’t cover all my housing costs. Housing benefit is eligible to people who are renting a room or living in a hostel of sum sort. I can apply for this by just going down to my local authority office and filling in a housing benefit form. Working families’ Tax Credit Working Tax Credit is for people who are employed or self-employed, over the aged of 16 and are working at least 16 hours a week. They also have to have at least one child. In couples, one person has to choose who receives the tax credits. The amount of tax credits they receive will depend on their annual income. Tax credits are not relevant for me because I am not responsible for any children and I am not currently working. Task 5 When preparing for employment the documents I would need: * CV * Covering letter * Application form * National insurance number * Bank details * Qualification certificates * P45 (maybe not for me yet) CV I would need a CV so that the employers get a brief summary of my qualifications and experience to-date. It would include the school and college I have attended. It will also include my past work experience. My CV will now include that I have recently worked at Superdrug. My CV will also have my references. References are very important as the employers may want to contact the referees to confirm I have the qualifications for the job, and if I am reliable and trustworthy enough for the job. Covering letter A covering letter is needed because it is a part of the formal requirement. It will show the employer where I heard about the advert and why I feel I would be right for the job. Application form Application forms are used to help the employer to separate the good candidates from the not so good candidates. They are also used to find out about information and candidates background. National Insurance No. Every one that has the right to work in the UK has the right to a national insurance number once they reach the age of 16. The national insurance number will show what national insurance contributions the worker pays over the course of his/her working life and also the contribution employers have made. Bank details Bank details are required in order for the employer to give you your wages. Wages are now paid by direct transfer from the employer to the bank account of the employee. Qualification certificates Proof of GCSE’s and past qualifications are important because the employer will expect me to have certain right qualification in order to have the job. Superdrug have specific qualifications that are required, these are called essential qualifications. Task 6 Types of employment Self employment Being self employed is when you do not work for anyone else you have your own business. For example owning your own sweets shop is self employment. The income of the sweets shop will come from the customers who purchase the sweets. The income may also come from the bank if you borrow money. Freelance Freelancers are a different type of self employment. Instead of owning their own business they sell their services by working for different businesses. For example a freelance hair dresser would not have their own hairdressing business they would get to all kinds of other businesses and do hairdressing. Employee Employees are people who work for someone who controls what work they do. The employer is in charge of the employee’s income and deducts national insurance from the employee’s wages or salary. As long as they is someone handling your wages before you get them you are an employee. Task 8 Key points of each job Job title Retail manager Tasks to be carried out Retail managers are responsible for day to day running of department stores, chain stores, supermarkets and independent shops. They look after staff management, including taking on and training new staff, maintaining a good standard of customer care and increasing sales and profitability. Their duties usually include: * Making sure premises and displays are well maintained * Organising stock checking and re-ordering as necessary, through computerised or manual systems * Making sure targets are reached and all opportunities are taken to increase sales and profitability * Organising sales promotions * Recruiting, interviewing and training staff * Dealing with queries or complaints from customers Skills required A retail manager should: * Know the company’s products and procedures well * Be committed to providing a high standard of customer service * Be able to lead and motivate a team * Have good knowledge of legal an d security issues * Have relevant commercial skills for business Qualifications required There are no set academic requirements to work in retail, although employers may prefer employees to have at list five GCSE’s grades A-C and have some working experience in retail. Useful qualifications would include: * BTEC national reward in retail * OCR certificate in retail * BTEC Higher National Diploma in retail management * Degree in retail management Individual qualities required * Be confident, energetic and quick thinking * Have excellent spoken English and written communication skills * Be able to take responsibility and make decisions * Have a smart appearance * Be organised * Be able to deal effectively with problems and complaints Wage/salary Starting salaries are usually from around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,000 Experienced managers may earn from around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15,000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½26,000 Managers of large stores may earn up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½65,000 or more. Job title Retail assistant Tasks to be carried out A retail assistant is responsible for making customers feel at ease when shopping and browsing around the store, directing them towards products and accepting payments. This job generally includes: * Restocking shelves and making sure merchandise is presented neatly * Greeting customers and answering enquiries about products * Operating computerised tills and barcode readers to scan items * Accepting payments for goods and wrapping them * Checking for stock items and ordering goods Skills required * To be accurate and thorough, even under pressure * To be trustworthy- they may be dealing with expensive products and large amounts of cash * To understand and follow company’s policies for health and safety and hygiene * Stamina, in order to serve on the shop floor for long periods Qualification required Employers set their own qualification requirements. But usually look for good communication skills, a pleasant personality and look for at least to two to four GCSE grades. Individual qualities required * Have an approachable, polite manner * Have good communication skills * Have a smart personal appearance * Enjoy providing a good level of customer service Wage/salary Starting salaries for a retail assistant is around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9,000 a year An experienced retail assistant may earn around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11,500 a year. Task 9 Why I think I am suitable for each job Retail assistant I think that I am suitable to work as a retail assistant because I have relevant experience within the retail industry. I have recently completed a 2 week work placement at Superdrug which is in the retail sector. During this period I was privileged to be responsible for replenishing stock, providing customer advice and keeping the shop floor tidy. This placement enabled me to develop vital skills such as team working, numeracy and customer service skills which are all needed in order to become a successful retail assistant. This work placement was a part of my BTEC introductory business coarse this qualification will also enable me to qualify to work as retail assistant. Retail manager I am qualified to work in the retail sector as a retail assistant but in order to qualify as a retail manager I would have to finish my BTEC introductory coarse and then go on to study for three more years to receive a BTEC national certificate in business. After this I would then need to go and study a degree in retail management in order to qualify for this job. I have good interpersonal and communication skills and while on my work experience I enjoyed providing good customer service these skills would help me with working toward becoming a retail manager. Retail managers are responsible for day to day running of department stores, chain stores, supermarkets and independent shops this may include Organising sales promotions and recruiting, interviewing and training staff. Task 10 Wage/salary deductions Gross pay Gross pay the amount of money an employee earns before any deductions are made such as tax or national insurance. Net pay Net pay is the money employees actually get for them to spend. National insurance contributions National insurance contributions is an amount of money that the employee has to pay towards there employers this is deducted by the employer from the employees wages. If you are self employed you also have to pay national insurance contribution, this is a small monthly payment and then a lump sum at the end of the year. National insurance code National insurance codes indicate an employee’s marital status and how long an employee has been working. Income tax There is a certain amount of money that every body is allowed to earn before they have to pay income tax, this is called personal tax allowances currently for people under the age of 65 this is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5,225 a year. If you earn any more than this you will have to pay income tax, how much you pay will depend on how much money you earn. Pensions/superannuation Pensions are long time investments that are designed to provide you with money in your old age when you are not able to work any more. The earlier you start your pension the more you get when you retire. Employees are usually offered a pension scheme when the start there job. The employer pays a contribution to your pension fund and so does the employee this is deducted out of the employee’s wages before it get to them. Union subscriptions A union is a large group of workers in a particular industry or profession. Unions provide benefits such as legal advice and can also provide support in cases of unfair treatment or dismissal. To subscribe employees would have to pay fees this is sometimes deducted from the employees wages before it is received or the employee can pay the fees themselves but it is not compulsory. Task 11 Allowances and Benefits Housing benefit Housing benefit helps towards paying my rent which would be my local authority, but they don’t cover all my housing costs. Housing benefit is eligible to people who are renting a room or living in a hostel of sum sort. I can apply for this by just going down to my local authority office and filling in a housing benefit form. This benefits me because its helps me to save money gives me more money to spend on more important things. Council tax Council tax is an amount of money you pay if you are renting out a council property or of you have you own property with a certain amount of people living in there. Council tax paid to pay the council for giving you their service of letting you live in their property and council tax also pay for things like people cleaning the streets. Interest from savings Interest from savings is when you put money into the bank or a financial institution and earn extra money on top. This is called interest. When you get interest you have to pay income tax on that interest, the bank usually deducts the tax before pay the interest. This benefits me because I regularly put savings into my bank account. Inherited money Most people decide to leave money to their relatives when they die, this is called inheritance. Inheritance could be a small or large amount of money and it may be necessary to pay inheritance tax on it. Borrowed money Borrowed money is anything from a loan to a bank overdraft. Money can also be borrowed from a relative or close friend in this case the money you have borrowed is the money you pay back. If you take out a loan or overdraft which is quit a large amount of money this usually involves paying back the money monthly and each month interest is added on top of the money that you are paying. This result in you paying more that you actually took in the first place, it is much wiser that you save your money for whatever you want to get therefore you will earn interest on your money rather that earning it. Working Families Tax Credit Working families’ tax credits is for people who have at least one child under the age of 16 or 19 in full time education and earn an income which is below a certain level. The person has to be working at least 16 hours a week and must have savings below à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8000. this does not apply to me as I am not eligible for this because I have no children. Task 14 Explanation of how I planned my personal finances Spend or save As soon as I receive my money I spend it on things that I need such as food shopping and rent. Any money left over would get spent on the gym and my mobile phone then the rest would get put aside as my savings. Gambling Gambling is when you pay money hoping for a chance of winning more money. Doing this is dangerous because you are not guaranteed your money. Gambling is very addictive and if done regularly this could put you into debt that why I choose not to go down this road. Spending habits When I receive my money on a weekly basis I try and spend as little as possible on food shopping so that I have money left over for myself to spend on small luxuries for example a meal out with my friends. I sometimes tend to spend too much on luxuries and this sometimes gets me into problems but I always have someone at hand to help me. Money and lifestyle At the moment the amount of money I receive doesn’t allow me to have the best of lifestyles but it is enough to put clothes on my back and to buy me shopping every week. To achieve the lifestyle I want I would need to find at least a part time job so I can earn more money than I’m getting now. My expectations of work and money As long as I have enough money to buy me some food and to pay the rent I am ok for the moment. But I would like a bit more than that for example going on holidays and buying the latest clothing. To do this I would need to find a job and also make sure that I handle my personal finances correctly and do some budgeting for these luxuries. Short term accounts Every week I receive my income support into my bank account. I am currently using a current account all my bills are paid out of this account and all my Ema payment come into this account. I also have a short term savings account which I put money into every week. I use this account when I run out of money or need to pay for something important e.g. phone bill. Long term accounts A long term savings account is an account that allows you to build up interest on money that you are saving over a number of years. An example could be an ISA, this is an individual savings account because it is tax free provided the amount saved each year doesn’t exceed à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,000. The interest is cumulative which means the amount of interest plus capital will increase year on year. Another example of a long term account is a bank loan. A bank loan is usually drawn over a long period. This is a lump sum of money that I borrowed from the bank and paid off over a long period of time. For example a mortgage is paid over a period of 25 years. Cheque book A cheque is a promise to pay someone in place of cash. When you are writing a cheque you write down exactly how much you are going to pay the person. The person then takes the cheque to the bank and waits for it to clear this takes between 3-5 days. It is important to make sure that you have the right amount of money in your bank so you don’t go into debt. It is also important to keep a record of any cheques that have been written, this can be done by using stubs which are left in the cheque book after you tear it out to pay someone. The stubs are there so that you can note down the details of the cheque and will help keep track of your money. Credit cards A credit card is a card that you can use to pay for items of clothing or products. This card however gives you money on it but you have to pay it back you are also given a credit limit. To avoid spending more money than you actually have you should usually pay back the money within a month if the money is paid after this you will be charged interest. If you go over the limit that the company has given you interest will also be added. Also you can check how much money you are spending by checking a mini statement that you can get from a cash point. Debit cards Debit cards are cards that have your own money that you put on to the card. You can use this card to purchase virtually anything but instead of having a credit limit of borrowed money you are actually using your own money to purchase goods. A debit card allows you to take cash out of ATMs if you have enough money in your account. To see how much funds you have in your account through an ATM you are given a pin number by your bank to memorise this then allows you to draw cash from the machines and purchase items in shops. To check that no-one is stealing from you or to make sure you are not spending more money than your supposed to it is good to check your bank statement each month these are sent to you by your bank. The bank statement show how much money you had in your account originally, then show all payments that were taken out of that money. You can then check if there are any payments that you are unsure of or if any mistakes were made in you transactions. Paying bills Bills can be paid using direct debit or standing orders. This is when you money is taken out of you account and paid to a business for example, BT telephone company at the same time every month. This can help with budgeting, as you will know how much money is going out every month. To check that you are not paying out more than you’re supposed to you can check the phone bill you receive every month. Remaining in credit It is important to manage your account carefully to ensure you stay in credit. You must make sure that when you making payments such as cheques and debit cards you have enough money to make those payments. If not you account will go in to debt and you will be charged fines for doing this, it will also build up a bad credit rating which will make it hard for you to get a mortgage or a credit card in the future. Task 16 Summary of holiday budget activity Why do you think it is important to manage your personal finances? I think it is important for me to manage my finances because it helps me to pay all my bills on time without getting into to debt. It also allows me to put money aside for unexpected emergencies. Managing my personal finances is a very important skill. This skill is extremely important if I would like to start my own business or borrow money from a bank. Managing my money correctly will enable me to live quiet a prosperous life in the long run. Did you find it easy or difficult to manage the finances given in exercises? – give reasons I found managing finances quiet hard because you have to keep track of the money coming out of my income every week and there were a lot of different bills to pay and they were all different amounts. I also had to keep track of my spending at the same time to make sure that I didn’t get into debt this was really difficult because you can get carried away when your sending your money on luxuries. After all that I have to calculate the total regular expenditure and then work out if I had any money left over to put aside as savings, overall this task was very challenging but it taught me a lot about how to manage my own finances. What did you learn from the exercise on budgeting over a period of time? From doing the budgeting exercise I learnt that saving the little scraps of money here and there builds up into to something big. Also cutting down on luxuries also helps in the long run because the money you have saved enables you to get those luxuries if you just give time. This budgeting exercise also taught me how to calculate my net cash flow which I previously did not know how to do. I also learnt that budgeting is important for everyone because it stop many people from getting into to debt and also helps them to save considerable amount of money. Bibliography BTEC introduction business-published by Heinemann in 2005 Heinemann Educational Publishers Halley Court, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8EJ ISBN 978 0 435401 21 4 John Ruskin college intranet site Unit 6 Financial Management