The Leadership Style Of A School - 2353 Words

Surname 8 Name Professor Course Date Reflective paper Introduction A leadership style is defined by the approach of the leader in the process full of activity. The school leadership style is one of the most important and key factors in achieving team progress due to its impact on contentment, motivation, obligation, quality and the stage or level of teacher?s acting as well as its influence on the success of the students. I have realized that the main role of a leader in a school is to use the most effective leadership style so as to bring about the discharge of duties by others i.e. teachers, students, staff and parents in the most appropriate manner so as to achieve maximum success in the school. A good leader must shift his†¦show more content†¦For instance, a task of leadership style that stresses the significance of success and good acting, yield, prosperity, evaluation of performance, supporting objectives, rewarding of performance, efficiency, quantity and quality of acting are all important for the achievements of the team and the w hole organization in general. Curriculum leadership is the best leadership style for educational leaders, teachers and administrators as it strategizes on how to cover the curriculum and align it with the assessments. Therefore, curriculum leadership is essential to the improvement of school and their reforms. Curriculum leadership As a school leader whose duties and responsibilities are to govern the school, establish and develop its strategic direction, guiding and developing research and teaching, guiding and developing staff and managing issues related to staff and encouraging the pursuit of teaching excellence, it would be important to adopt the culture of curriculum leadership as my own personal leadership style in making sure that all the affairs of the school run smoothly and successfully and that the curriculum is well covered in time. In chapter one of Reason?s book Stop Leading Like It?s yesterday!, the author encourages the leaders to create a vision that is shared instead of the traditional way of having a vision set primarily by the building leader ?sadly, many schools operate with

Marketing Plan For A Business Level Strategy - 1089 Words

As a rising star, The WhiteWave Foods Company has grown significantly in its short history. Today it is made up of four different groups of business, plus a joint venture in China (2013 Annual Review, 2014): Plant Based Foods (including the brands Silk ®, So Delicious ® and Alpro ® brands), Coffee Creamers Beverages (International Delight and Land O Lakes Half Half and Mini Moo’s), Premium Dairy (Horizon Organic), Organic Greens Produce (Earthbound Farm), and the joint venture with China Mengniu Dairy. WhiteWave has pursued a variety of strategies to support its unprecedented growth. Business-level Strategy Across its various business groups and within each of its brand, WhiteWave tends to follow a focused differentiation strategy to†¦show more content†¦With a low level of diversity, not venturing out of the larger food and beverage industry, WhiteWave could take advantage of operational relatedness, allowing it to share operations if it is opportune. In addition, it has competitive advantages throughout its value chain that it can transfer across the company. According to its website, it has core competencies in identifying trends, developing products with staying power, introducing new categories and developing line extensions, and scaling up quickly, both in manufacturing and marketing (WhiteWave Foods, 2015). Even in its short history as an independent firm, this claim has borne out: Earthbound Farms was acquired in 2013 and WhiteWave Foods was able to see a positive return the following year (Chen, 2014). Likewise, its investments in research and development in the United States and Europe have paid off, with the successful launches of Silk line extensions such as Almond Milk and refrigerated iced coffees (The Whitewave Foods Company, 2014). WhiteWave touts its strong portfolio of products, with its brands enjoying either #1 or #2 market share, all in high-growth markets (2013 Annual Review, 2014). It would most certainly rank as a star on the Boston Consulting Group portfolio analysis matrix. Merger Acquisition Strategy WhiteWave follows a horizontal acquisition strategy to increase market power at the corporate level, with the

Gasoline Motor Oil Which Is More Important free essay sample

Gasoline, Motor Oil: Which Is More Important? Essay, Research Paper Gasoline, Motor Oil: Which is more of import? Any driver will attest that they want to experience safe in their autos, motor oil and gasolene advertizers argue that each merchandise is of import to the driver while endeavoring to carry through the end of doing this experiencing a world. With drivers being put through more and more strict conditions on this states roads and main roads, how could anyone non desire to experience safe in their autos? Travel by car has become progressively viewed as one of the safest manners of travel. Automobile travel has continued to increase # 8211 ; a testament to its turning position as the taking manner of travel within the U.S. Gasoline and motor oil advertizers have aggressively tuned in to this tendency. The advertizers must make up ones mind on how to utilize the statistics to their advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on Gasoline Motor Oil Which Is More Important or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They need to make up ones mind what types of people they want to aim with their ads # 8211 ; the old? immature? male? female? # 8211 ; and what values and desires this group may portion. Two unambiguously different marks are evident in recent newspaper ads for Amoco Ultimate gasolene and Quaker State motor oil. The ad for Amoco Ultimate gasolene consists of a image of the Grand Canyon with the Amoco Ultimate sponsored race auto heading right for the drop. The chief image of the Grand Canyon shows the broad gaping gorge with a attractively colored sky operating expense. With dust winging behind it, the race auto appears to be speeding towards the drop. The auto is painted ruddy, white and bluish. The advertizers have typed # 8220 ; ultimate auto # 8221 ; , with the word ultimate bold faced, in the upper left manus corner of the page with a line drawn to the auto. Underneath the exposure is the slogan # 8221 ; You expect more from a leader. And you get it. # 8221 ; The ad for Quaker State motor oil shows a bottle of motor oil with the word Re-Formulated stamped in ruddy across the top of the bottle. The word Quaker State # 8211 ; stamped in large bold White inscription # 8211 ; lies on the center of the bottle. A image of a mid-size auto, perchance a Ford Taurus, is underneath the Quaker State inscription. Typed in yellow are the words # 8220 ; for protection beyond 3000 stat mis # 8221 ; and followed in white by the phrase # 8220 ; Under any impulsive conditions # 8221 ; . Typed below the bottle in large black letters is # 8221 ; This doesn # 8217 ; t intend losing your 3000 mile oil alteration is O.K. . It merely means you # 8217 ; ll still hold a auto to mistreat tomorrow. # 8221 ; The word # 8220 ; this # 8221 ; is circled in ruddy and an pointer is drawn to the phrase typed in yellow on the bottle. There is an mileometer in the underside left manus corner turn overing over from 3000 to 3001. Written in the underside right manus corner are the words reasonable engineering. What is the mark audience for these two ads? What characteristics might person happen appealing about these ads? Clearly the Amoco Ultimate ad is aimed at the younger, faster, bust up less driver, particularly the racing fan. As NASCAR ( National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ) has sho wn recently, the age of race auto drivers has become progressively younger. Amoco is concentrating in on this fact and utilizing it as a gross revenues technique. My perceptual experience of the Amoco Ultimate ad is that it is aiming those drivers who tend to experience the impulse to drive fast. The ad is stating them † Be free, driving fast is non merely for race auto drivers. Have faith that no affair how fast you drive your auto ; we will still maintain it whizzing like a race auto. What were the advertizers picks in doing this ad to portray this message? The Grand Canyon # 8211 ; with its auburn colored walls and crannies, its cloud screen with the purple shade # 8211 ; creates a sense of comfy, pleasant, lovely, and unagitated environment. Calculating out the remainder of the ad becomes a spot more complicated. Why the race auto? Why does it look to be speeding towards a drop? Why is it called the Ultimate auto? This is the lone auto in the image and it appears to portray the vision of control. Why? To run a race auto, the driver must hold entire control of the auto and that is what the ad is seeking to state. While the Amoco Ultimate ad attempts to rock drivers to believe that gasolene is the most of import plus to autos, the Quaker State ad relies upon the fact that motor oil is merely every bit of import to autos. This ad is geared more towards the household driver and non the younger and faster driver. This ad is a small easier to calculate out: Re-Formulated Quaker State motor oil offers auto proprietors protection beyond 3000 stat mis, under any impulsive conditions, maintaining engines running clean and problem free. Quaker State put a household auto on the forepart of the bottle to typifying the mean size household auto. The statement # 8220 ; RE-Formulated # 8221 ; lets me cognize that they made alterations to the merchandise. For protection beyond 3000 stat mis is a bold statement. The mean oil alteration happens at 5660 stat mis and is increasing 5 % yearly. This ad doesn # 8217 ; Ts say that it is all right to drive more than 3000 stat mis before you change your oil. The ad mearly suggests that if you do drive more than 3000 stat mis your auto will still be safe. This ad makes the driver experience more secure about when to alter the oil. This ad promotes a sense of security in the type of motor oil used. Now we see two different ways that a driver can experience safer in a auto. The Amoco Ultimate ad attempts to emphasize the fact that no affair how hard a driver pushes their engine, it will still continue to map every bit good as a race auto. It entreaties to rushing values tie ining gasolene with race autos, and demoing that people who drive fast can experience safe and secure. In contrast, the Quaker State ad shows that oil is merely every bit of import as gasolene because you can hold protection beyond 3000 stat mis even if you forget to alter the oil at the 3000 stat mi grade. It is clear that gasolene and oil are really of import to an engine. Together they make a driver feel safer on the route.

Medical Sociology free essay sample

For him, sociology was the science of institutions, its aim being to discover structural social facts: A social fact is every way of acting, fixed or not, capable of exercising on the individual an external constraint; or again, every way of acting which is general throughout a given society, while at the same time existing in its own right independent of its individual manifestations. [3] Durkheim acknowledged the limitations of sociology, noting the necessity in social science to form theoretical concepts in the abstract: Science cannot describe individuals, but only types. If human societies cannot be classified, they must remain inaccessible to scientific description. [4] Durkheim was a major proponent of structural functionalism, a foundational perspective in both sociology and anthropology. [5][6] He remained a dominant force in French intellectual life until his death in 1917, presenting numerous lectures and published works on a variety of topics, including social stratification, religion, law, education, and deviance. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Sociology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Marcel Mauss, a notable social anthropologist of the pre-war era, was his nephew. Durkheimian terms such as collective conscience have since entered the popular discourse. 7] Contents [hide] †¢1 Biography o1. 1 Childhood and education o1. 2 Academic career †¢2 Theories and ideas o2. 1 Theoretical foundations of sociology o2. 2 Social facts o2. 3 Method and objectivity †¢3 Sociological studies o3. 1 Education o3. 2 Crime o3. 3 Law o3. 4 Suicide o3. 5 Religion †¢4 See also †¢5 Selected works †¢6 References †¢7 Further reading †¢8 External links [edit] Biography [edit] Childhood and education Durkheim was born in Epinal in Lorraine, coming from a long line of devout French Jews; his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had been rabbis. 8] At an early age, he decided not to follow in his familys rabbinical footsteps. [8] Durkheim himself would lead a completely secular life. Much of his work was dedicated to demonstrating that religious phen omena stemmed from social rather than divine factors. While Durkheim chose not to follow in the family tradition, he did not sever ties with his family or with the Jewish community. [8] Many of his most prominent collaborators and students were Jewish, and some were blood relations. The exact influence of Jewish thought on Durkheims work remains uncertain; some scholars have argued that Durkheims thought is a form of secularized Jewish thought,[9][10] while others argue that proving the existence of a direct influence of Jewish thought on Durkheims achievements is difficult or impossible. [11] A precocious student, Durkheim entered the Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS) in 1879. [12] The entering class that year was one of the most brilliant of the nineteenth century and many of his classmates, such as Jean Jaures and Henri Bergson would go on to become major figures in Frances intellectual history. At the ENS, Durkheim studied under the direction of Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, a classicist with a social scientific outlook, and wrote his Latin dissertation on Montesquieu. [13] At the same time, he read Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer. Thus Durkheim became interested in a scientific approach to society very early on in his career. This meant the first of many conflicts with the French academic system, which had no social science curriculum at the time. Durkheim found humanistic studies uninteresting, and he finished second to last in his graduating class when he aggregated in philosophy in 1882. There was no way that a man of Durkheims views could receive a major academic appointment in Paris. Thus in 1885 he decided to leave for Germany, where he studied sociology in Marburg, Berlin and Leipzig. As Durkheim indicated in several essays, it was in Leipzig that he learned to appreciate the value of empiricism and its language of concrete, complex things, in sharp contrast to the more abstract, clear and simple ideas of the Cartesian method. [14] [edit] Academic career A collection of Durkheims courses on the origins of socialism (1896), edited and published by his nephew, Marcel Mauss, in 1928. Durkheim traveled to Bordeaux in 1887, which had just started Frances first teachers training center. There he taught both pedagogy and sociology (the latter had never been taught in France before). [15] From this position Durkheim helped reform the French school system and introduced the study of social science in its curriculum. However, his controversial beliefs that religion and morality could be explained in terms purely of social interaction earned him many critics. The 1890s were a period of remarkable creative output for Durkheim. In 1892 he published The Division of Labour in Society, his doctoral dissertation and fundamental statement of the nature of human society and its development. [16] Durkheims interest in social phenomena was spurred on by politics. Frances defeat in the Franco-Prussian War led to the fall of the regime of Napoleon III, which was then replaced by the Third Republic. This in turn resulted in a backlash against the new secular and republican rule, as many people considered a vigorously nationalistic approach necessary to rejuvenate Frances fading power. Durkheim, a Jew and a staunch supporter of the Third Republic with a sympathy towards socialism, was thus in the political minority, a situation which galvanized him politically. The Dreyfus affair of 1894 only strengthened his activist stance. In 1895 he published Rules of the Sociological Method, a manifesto stating what sociology is and how it ought to be done, and founded the first European department of sociology at the University of Bordeaux. In 1898 he founded the journal LAnnee Sociologique to publish and publicize the work of what was, by then, a growing number of students and collaborators (this is also the name used to refer to the group of students who developed his sociological program). Durkheim was familiar with several foreign languages and reviewed academic papers in German, English, and Italian for the journal. In 1897, he published Suicide, a case study which provided an example of what the sociological monograph might look like. Durkheim was one of the founders in using quantitative methods in criminology during his suicide case study. By 1902 Durkheim had finally achieved his goal of attaining a prominent position in Paris when he became the chair of education at the Sorbonne. Because French universities are technically institutions for training secondary school teachers, this position gave Durkheim considerable influence — his lectures were the only ones that were mandatory for the entire student body. Despite what some considered, in the aftermath of the Dreyfus affair, to be a political appointment, Durkheim consolidated his institutional power by 1912 when he was permanently assigned the chair and renamed it the chair of education and sociology. It was also in this year that he published his last major work, The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. The outbreak of World War I was to have a tragic effect on Durkheims life. His leftism was always patriotic rather than internationalist — he sought a secular, rational form of French life. But the coming of the war and the inevitable nationalist propaganda that followed made it difficult to sustain this already nuanced position. While Durkheim actively worked to support his country in the war, his reluctance to give in to simplistic nationalist fervor (combined with his Jewish background) made him a natural target of the now-ascendant French Right. Even more seriously, the generation of students that Durkheim had trained were now being drafted to serve in the army, and many of them perished in the trenches. Finally, Durkheims own son, Andre, died on the war front in December 1915 — a psychological blow from which Durkheim never recovered. Emotionally devastated and overworked, Durkheim collapsed of a stroke in Paris in 1917 and now lies buried at the Cimetiere du Montparnasse in Paris. [edit] Theories and ideas Sociology Portal Theory and History Positivism †¢ Antipositivism Functionalism †¢ Conflict theory Middle-range †¢ Formal theory Critical theory †¢ Socialization Structure and agency Research methods Quantitative †¢ Qualitative Computational †¢ Ethnographic Topics and Subfields cities †¢ class †¢ crime †¢ culture deviance †¢ demography †¢ education economy †¢ environment †¢ family gender †¢ health †¢ industry †¢ internet knowledge †¢ law †¢ medicine olitics †¢ mobility †¢ race ethnicity rationalization †¢ religion †¢ science secularization †¢ social networks social psychology †¢ stratification Categories and lists [show] v †¢ d †¢ e [edit] Theoretical foundations of sociology A funda mental influence on Durkheims thought was the sociological positivism of Auguste Comte, who effectively sought to extend and apply the scientific method found in the natural sciences to the social sciences. According to Comte, a true social science should stress for empirical facts, as well as induce general scientific laws from the relationship among these facts. There were many points on which Durkheim agreed with the positivist thesis. First, he accepted that the study of society was to be founded on an examination of facts. Second, like Comte, he acknowledged that the only valid guide to objective knowledge was the scientific method. Third, he agreed with Comte that the social sciences could become scientific only when they were stripped of their metaphysical abstractions and philosophical speculation. [17] A second influence on Durkheims view of society beyond Comtes positivism was the epistemological outlook called social realism. Although he never explicitly exposed it, Durkheim adopted a realist perspective in order to demonstrate the existence of social realities outside the individual and to show that these realities existed in the form of the objective relations of society. [18] As an epistemology of science, realism can be defined as a perspective which takes as its central point of departure the view that external social realities exist in the outer world and that these realities are independent of the individuals perception of them. This view opposes other predominant philosophical perspectives such as empiricism and positivism. Empiricists such as David Hume had argued that all realities in the outside world are products of human sense perception. According to empiricists, all realities are thus merely perceived: they do not exist independently of our perceptions, and have no causal power in themselves. [18] Comtes positivism went a step further by claiming that scientific laws could be deduced from empirical observations. Going beyond this, Durkheim claimed that sociology would not only discover apparent laws, but would be able to discover the inherent nature of society. Throughout his career, Durkheim was concerned primarily with how societies could maintain their integrity and coherence in the modern era, when things such as shared religious and ethnic background could no longer be assumed. To study social life in modern societies, he hence sought to create one of the first rigorous scientific approaches to social phenomena. Along with Herbert Spencer, he was one of the first people to explain the existence and quality of different parts of a society by reference to what function they served in maintaining the quotidian (i. e. y how they make society work), and is thus sometimes seen as a precursor to functionalism. Durkheim also insisted that society was more than the sum of its parts. Thus unlike his contemporaries Ferdinand Tonnies and Max Weber, he focused not on what motivates the actions of individuals (an approach associated with methodological individualism), but rather on the study of social facts. [edit] Social facts Main article: Social fact Durkheims work revolved around the study of social facts, a term he coined to describe phenomena that have an existence in and of themselves and are not bound to the actions of individuals. Durkheim argued that social facts have, sui generis, an independent existence greater and more objective than the actions of the individuals that compose society. Being exterior to the individual person, social facts may thus also exercise coercive power on the various people composing society, as it can sometimes be observed in the case of formal laws and regulations, but also in phenomena such as church practices or family norms. [19] Unlike the facts studied in natural sciences, a social fact thus refers to a specific category of phenomena: t consists of ways of acting, thinking, feeling, external to the individual and endowed with a power of coercion, by reason of which they control him. According to Durkheim, these phenomena cannot be reduced to biological or psychological grounds. [20] Hence even the most individualistic or subjective phenomena, such as suicide, would be regarded by Durkheim as an objective social facts. Individuals composing society do not directly cause suici de: suicide, as a social fact, exists independently in society, whether an individual person wants it or not. Whether a person leaves a society does not change anything to the fact that this society will still contain suicides. Sociologys task thus consists of discovering the qualities and characteristics of such social facts, which can be discovered through a quantitative or experimental approach (Durkheim extensively relied on statistics). [21] [edit] Method and objectivity In his Rules of the Sociological Method (1895), Durkheim expressed his will to establish a method that would guarantee sociologys truly scientific character. One of the questions raised by the author concerns the objectivity of the sociologist: how may one study an object that, from the very beginning, conditions and relates to the observer? According to Durkheim, observation must be as impartial and impersonal as possible, even though a perfectly objective observation in this sense may never be attained. A social fact must always be studied according to its relation with other social facts, never according to the individual who studies it. Sociology should therefore privilege comparison rather than the study of singular independent facts. 22] It has been noted, at times with disapproval and amazement by non-French social scientists, that Durkheim traveled little and that, like many French scholars and the notable British anthropologist Sir James Frazer, he never undertook any fieldwork. The vast information Durkheim studied on the aboriginal tribes of Australia and New Guinea and on the Inuit was all collected by other anthropologists, t ravelers, or missionaries. [23] This was not due to provincialism or lack of attention to the concrete. Durkheim did not intend to make venturesome and dogmatic generalizations while disregarding empirical observation. He did, however, maintain that concrete observation in remote parts of the world does not always lead to illuminating views on the past or even on the present. For him, facts had no intellectual meaning unless they were grouped into types and laws. He claimed repeatedly that it is from a construction erected on the inner nature of the real that knowledge of concrete reality is obtained, a knowledge not perceived by observation of the facts from the outside. He thus constructed concepts such as the sacred and totemism exactly in the same way that Karl Marx developed the concept of class. [23] [edit] Sociological studies [edit] Education This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2009) Durkheim was also interested in education. Partially this was because he was professionally employed to train teachers, and he used his ability to shape curriculum to further his own goals of having sociology taught as widely as possible. More broadly, though, Durkheim was interested in the way that education could be used to provide French citizens the sort of shared, secular background that would be necessary to prevent anomie in modern societies. It was to this end that he also proposed the formation of professional groups to serve as a source of solidarity for adults. Durkheim argued that education has many functions: 1. To reinforce social solidarity oHistory: Learning about individuals who have done good things for the many makes an individual feel insignificant. oPledging allegiance: Makes individuals feel part of a group and therefore less likely to break rules. 2. To maintain social role oSchool is a society in miniature. It has a similar hierarchy, rules, expectations to the outside world. It trains young people to fulfill roles. . To maintain division of labour. oSchool sorts students into skill groups, encouraging students to take up employment in fields best suited to their abilities. [edit] Crime Durkheims views on crime were a departure from conventional notions. He believed that crime is bound up with the fundamental conditions of all social life and serves a social function. He stated that crime implies, not on ly that the way remains open to necessary change, but that in certain cases it directly proposes these changes crime [can thus be] a useful prelude to reforms. In this sense he saw crime as being able to release certain social tensions and so have a cleansing or purging effect in society. He further stated that the authority which the moral conscience enjoys must not be excessive; otherwise, no-one would dare to criticize it, and it would too easily congeal into an immutable form. To make progress, individual originality must be able to express itself [even] the originality of the criminal shall also be possible (Durkheim, 1895). [edit] Law Beyond the specific study of crime, criminal law and punishment, Durkheim was deeply interested in the study of law and its social effects in general. Among classical social theorists he is one of the founders of the field of sociology of law. In his early work he saw types of law, distinguished as repressive versus restitutive law (characterised by their sanctions), as a direct reflection of types of social solidarity. The study of law was therefore of interest to sociology for what it could reveal about the nature of solidarity. Later, however, he emphasised the significance of law as a sociological field of study in its own right. In the later Durkheimian view, law (both civil and criminal) is an expression and guarantee of societys fundamental values. Durkheim emphasised the way that modern law increasingly expresses a form of moral individualism a value system that is, in his view, probably the only one universally appropriate to modern conditions of social solidarity. [24] Individualism, in this sense, is the basis of human rights and of the values of individual human dignity and individual autonomy. It is to be sharply distinguished from selfishness and egoism, which for Durkheim are not moral stances at all. Many of Durkheims closest followers, such as Marcel Mauss, Paul Fauconnet and Paul Huvelin also specialised in or contributed to the sociological study of law. edit] Suicide In Suicide (1897), Durkheim explores the differing suicide rates among Protestants and Catholics, arguing that stronger social control among Catholics results in lower suicide rates. According to Durkheim, Catholic society has normal levels of integration while Protestant society has low levels. There are at least two problems with this interpretation . First, Durkheim took most of his data from earlier researchers, notably Adolph Wagner and Henry Morselli,[25] who were much more careful in generalizing from their own data. Second, later researchers found that the Protestant-Catholic differences in suicide seemed to be limited to German-speaking Europe and thus may always have been the spurious reflection of other factors. [26] Despite its limitations, Durkheims work on suicide has influenced proponents of control theory, and is often mentioned as a classic sociological study. Durkheims study of suicide has been criticized as an example of the logical error termed the ecological fallacy. [27][28] Indeed, Durkheims conclusions about individual behaviour (e. g. suicide) are based on aggregate statistics (the suicide rate among Protestants and Catholics). This type of inference, explaining micro events in terms of macro properties, is often misleading, as is shown by examples of Simpsons paradox. [29] However, diverging views have contested whether Durkheims work really contained an ecological fallacy. Van Poppel and Day (1996) have advanced that differences in suicide rates between Catholics and Protestants were explicable entirely in terms of how deaths were categorized between the two social groups. For instance, while sudden deaths or deaths from ill-defined or unspecified cause would often be recorded as suicides among Protestants, this would not be the case for Catholics. Hence Durkheim would have committed an empirical rather than logical error. [30] Some, such as Inkeles (1959),[31] Johnson (1965)[32] and Gibbs (1968),[33] have claimed that Durkheims only intent was to explain suicide sociologically within a holistic perspective, emphasizing that he intended his theory to explain variation among social environments in the incidence of suicide, not the suicides of particular individuals. [34] More recent authors such as Berk (2006) have also questioned the micro-macro relations underlying Durkheims work. For instance, Berk notices that Durkheim speaks of a collective current that reflects the collective inclination flowing down the channels of social organization. The intensity of the current determines the volume of suicides ( ) Introducing psychological [i. e. individual] variables such as depression, [which could be seen as] an independent [non-social] cause of suicide, overlooks Durkheims conception that these variables are the ones most likely to be effected by the larger social forces and without these forces suicide may not occur within such individuals. [35] Durkheim stated that there are four types of suicide: Egoistic suicides are the result of a weakening of the bonds that normally integrate individuals into the collectivity: in other words a breakdown or decrease of social integration. Durkheim refers to this type of suicide as the result of excessive individuation, meaning that the individual becomes increasingly detached from other members of his community. Those indivi duals who were not sufficiently bound to social groups (and therefore well-defined values, traditions, norms, and goals) were left with little social support or guidance, and therefore tended to commit suicide on an increased basis. An example Durkheim discovered was that of unmarried people, particularly males, who, with less to bind and connect them to stable social norms and goals, committed suicide at higher rates than married people. [36] †¢Altruistic suicides occur in societies with high integration, where individual needs are seen as less important than the societys needs as a whole. They thus occur on the opposite integration scale as egoistic suicide. [36] As individual interest would not be considered important, Durkheim stated that in an altruistic society there would be little reason for people to commit suicide. He stated one exception, namely when the individual is expected to kill themselves on behalf of society – a primary example being the soldier in military service. †¢Anomic suicides are the product of moral deregulation and a lack of definition of legitimate aspirations through a restraining social ethic, which could impose meaning and order on the individual conscience. This is symptomatic of a failure of economic development and division of labour to produce Durkheims organic solidarity. People do not know where they fit in within their societies. Durkheim explains that this is a state of moral disorder where mans desires are limitless and, thus, his disappointments are infinite. †¢Fatalistic suicides occur in overly oppressive societies, causing people to prefer to die than to carry on living within their society. This is an extremely rare reason for people to take their own lives, but a good example would be within a prison; people prefer to die than live in a prison with constant abuse and excessive regulation that prohibits them from pursuing their desires. These four types of suicide are based on the degrees of imbalance of two social forces: social integration and moral regulation. [36] Durkheim noted the effects of various crises on social aggregates – war, for example, leading to an increase in altruism, economic boom or disaster contributing to anomie. [37] [edit] Religion This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008) In classical sociology, the study of religion was primarily concerned with two broad issues: 1. How did religion contribute to the maintenance of social order? 2. What was the relationship between religion and capitalist society? These two issues were typically combined in the argument that industrial capitalism would undermine traditional religious commitment and thereby threaten the cohesion of society. More recently the subject has been narrowly defined as the study of religious institutions. In his article, The Origin Of Beliefs Emile Durkheim placed himself in the positivist tradition, meaning that he thought of his study of society as dispassionate and scientific. He was deeply interested in the problem of what held complex modern societies together. Religion, he argued, was an expression of social cohesion. His underlying interest was to understand the existence of religion in the absence of belief in any religions actual tenets. Durkheim saw totemism as the most basic form of religion. It is in this belief system that the fundamental separation between the sacred and the profane is most clear. All other religions, he said, are outgrowths of this distinction, adding to it myths, images, and traditions. The totemic animal, Durkheim believed, was the expression of the sacred and the original focus of religious activity because it was the emblem for a social group, the clan. Religion is thus an inevitable, just as society is inevitable when individuals live together as a group. Durkheim presented five elementary forms of religious life (The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life; Conclusion) to be found in all religions, from the more primitive to Judeo/Christian/Moslem. These are: 1. Sacred/Profane division of the world; 2. Belief in souls,spirits, mythical personalities 3. Belief in divinity, either local or multi-local 4. a negative or ascetic cult within the religion 5. Rites of oblation, communion, imitation, commemoration or expiation. He argued that these five forms were communal experiences, thereby distinguishing religion from magic. Durkheim thought that the model for relationships between people and the supernatural was the relationship between individuals and the community. He is famous for suggesting that God is society, writ large. Durkheim believed that people ordered the physical world, the supernatural world, and the social world according to similar principles. Durkheim’s first purpose was to identify the social origin of religion as he felt that religion was a source of camaraderie and solidarity. It was the individual’s way of becoming recognizable within an established society. His second purpose was to identify links between certain religions in different cultures, finding a common denominator. Belief in supernatural realms and occurrences may not stem through all religions, yet there is a clear division in different aspects of life, certain behaviours and physical things. In the past, he argued, religion had been the cement of society—the means by which men had been led to turn from the everyday concerns in which they were variously enmeshed to a common devotion to sacred things. His definition of religion, favoured by anthropologists of religion today, was, A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, i. e. , things set apart and forbiddenbeliefs and practices which unite in one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.

Opposition of the Quraysh to the message of the Prophet Muhammad The WritePass Journal

Opposition of the Quraysh to the message of the Prophet Muhammad   Abstract Opposition of the Quraysh to the message of the Prophet Muhammad   .  The global Muslim community at a crossroads. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger. Cohn, J. 2012 Muhammad: Prophet of Islam. New York, NY. Oxford University Press. Hashmi, S. 2003. The Quran and tolerance: An interpretive essay on Verse 5: 48.  Journal of Human Rights, 2 (1), pp. 81103. Ibn HishaÌ„m, Ê ». A. and Ibn IshÃŒ £aÌ„kÃŒ £, M. 1955.  The life of Muhammad. London: Oxford University Press. Ibn Kathir, 2000. The life of the prophet Muhammad : a translation of Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya / translated from the Arabic printed text of Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid by Trevor Le Gassick, v. 1 Garnet, 1998-2000, p. 278-310. Mcauliffe, J. D. 2006.  The Cambridge companion to the QurÊ ¼aÌ„n. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Peters, F. E. 1994.  Mecca. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Rahman, F. 1976. Pre-foundations of the Muslim Community in Mecca.  Studia Islamica, (43), pp. 524. Ramadan, T. 2007.  In the footsteps of the prophet. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Rubin, U. 1995.  The eye of the beholder. Princeton, N.J.: Darwin Press. TÃŒ £abariÌ„. 1988.  The history of al-Tabari =. Albany: State University of New York Press. Venardos, A. M. 2009.  Handbook of Current Islamic Banking and Finance Issues in South East Asia. Hackensach, NJ [u.a.]: World Scientific Pub Co Inc.

How a Cartoonist-for-Hire Can Get Your Books Point Across

How a Cartoonist-for-Hire Can Get Your Books Point Across How Cartoonists Can Turn Ordinary Books Into Something Memorable Nate Fakes is a professional syndicated cartoonist for MAD Magazine. His work has been published worldwide in greeting cards, newspapers, magazines, books, and numerous other places. As a cartoonist-for-hire and a book illustrator, you can  check out his profile on Reedsy. If you run across a cartoon, more than likely, you’ll notice it. No, trust me: you probably will. Think of the last time you didn’t pay attention to a cartoon? They pop-up on your social media feeds, on greeting cards, magazines, and - every so often- books. Cartoons get noticed and leave a lasting impression. You read them, hopefully, get a laugh, and they stick out like a sore thumb. (But unlike a sore thumb, cartoons can hurt from too much laughter.)When I talk about using cartoons, the first thing I hear at the end of the conversation is usually, â€Å"Wow! I never thought of using cartoons before. When you explain it, it all makes sense!†Cartoons work well in many mediums, and books are certainly no exception. Tony Robbins uses them in business and self-improvement books like Awaken the Giant Within. Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series of middle-grade novels are structured around illustrations. They’re practically a mainstay in certain t ypes of how-to books. You’ll see them appear in memoirs, gift books, regional books, and†¦ I can go on and on.Using cartoons in your bookImages like cartoons can work wonders on your book, as long as they’re developed the right way, of course. Creating a cookbook? This cartoon could be a great segue into a chapter about using eggs.Most importantly, cartoons can help to humanize a dry topic. If you want to keep readers interested between chapters, a well-placed cartoon will add a much-appreciated burst of levity or humor. Creating a book about computers? A cartoon like this would work well if featured in a chapter about the frustrations of laptops.Give your social media channels a boostNow, more so than ever, cartoons are also a great marketing asset. They can add a lot of character to your website, blog, and social media; people will â€Å"like† and share them; they might even stick a good cartoon up on their fridge.A good example of this is a cartoon I created for 21st Century Fox and Super Bowl LI. They wanted a custom cartoon about the upcoming game and the new technology that was included. Their post that featured the cartoon had the highest number of views on their blog and - to this day- is still the most popular post of all-time.Actor George Takei has used over a dozen of my cartoons to help improve his social media presence. Currently, he’s up to over 10 million followers on Facebook. Here’s an example of how a cartoon can get shared by tens of thousands: The key is: cartoons get people talking. If the cartoon does its job well, it will get noticed - and whoever’s platform it’s featured on will get noticed, too.There are sites with cartoons available for licensing like Cartoonstock and Gag Cartoons, to name a few.Working with a Cartoonist-for-HireIf you really want to personalize your book, blog, newsletter, or social media project, consider hiring a professional cartoonist to create something unique. It’s a great way to enhance any publication with cartoons that are new and fresh. Cartoonists can take almost any idea and run with it. And if you get a true professional, think of this cartoon almost as a celebrity endorsement. They’re using their work to help your book. It’s not as affordable as licensing out cartoons, but it will add a certain quality to any manuscript.Costco used the  following custom cartoon that I created with my company, BizComics, to demonstrate how much people enjoy the free samples at their wholesale stores. The same concept can be applied toward your book.To go back to the first point I made in this post, answer this question: did you read the cartoons on this post? Thought so.A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So, give your fingers a break from typing and try a cartoon instead.Head to the Reedsy Marketplace for free quotes from Nate and other award-winning book illustrators. If you have any questions about cartoons in books, leave it in the comments and Nate will do his best to reply.

Auditing and Accouning Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Auditing and Accouning Ethics - Essay Example The assertion of independence is at the core of the audit function. It is assumed by shareholders that auditor formulate their opinion on the financial information independently from the influences of the management of their client’s company. In case of Enron auditors are blamed for not giving regards to their professional obligations and maintaining independence. Prior to Enron case external auditors were observed to be highly dependent on their client’s business. They were providing not only audit services but also non-audit services that impaired the quality of audit and it was surely detrimental factor for the perception of auditors’ independence amongst shareholders. Independence that is seen as a form of mental state of auditors needs not only to be practiced but also displayed to shareholders in order to keep their trust and confidence in the opinions furnished by auditors (Lindberg and Beck). Reasonable assurance is related to the planning and performing audit for accumulation of audit evidence that is considered sufficient to suggest that the financial statements are free from material misstatements, errors or even frauds. The reasonable assurance does not imply that the elements of errors or frauds are completely covered but it is based on the understanding that the management provides full access to auditors who then implement different audit techniques to collect sufficient evidence to formulate their opinion. The perception and understanding of reasonable assurance varies significantly amongst different ranks of audit professionals (Law) and it is widely argued that audit cannot provide complete guarantees (Pickett). The audit function is split between internal and external audit. Internal audit is Both internal and external auditors are responsible for ensuring that the financial information prepared by companies’ accountant is in fact in compliance with the accounting standards set out by the regulatory bodies and accounting

The great inflation of the 1920s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The great inflation of the 1920s - Essay Example In the initial stages of the great inflation, German citizens did not experience its effects partly due to the stability of German’s economy before World War I. At the end of 1923, the effects of the great inflation started being felt by the German citizens. The great inflation reached its peak at the last half of 1923 when the prices of basic commodities had increased by more than five hundred times. The price continued to increase steadily putting German’s economy at the risk of collapse. Although the inflation resulted from economic factors, it was related to German’s governance. This essay will investigate the great inflation, and its impacts on Germany and the German people. Like most other inflations, the great inflation had its source in poor monetary policies and governance issues. Germany’s involvement in World War I is believed to have been the source of its monetary crisis. At the height of World War I, the German government exhausted its moneta ry reserves forcing it to turn to money printing press as a quick intervention measure. The German government needed money to pay its soldiers and officers serving in the war. The government also needed money to purchase military equipment that was required during the war. The government considered the act of printing extra money as a quick intervention strategy of winning the battle. ... This measure was meant increase the amount of liquid money under government’s control. This measure could not however, guarantee the government adequate money to pay its military personnel. To contribute to the government’s efforts of increasing the amount of money in the treasury, the parliament passed policies that allowed the government to offer war bonds. The Reich bank was to respond to this offer by printing extra money to balance the amount of money in government’s position with that in circulation. From 1914 to 1918, the amount paper money printed for both the government and private sector spending had reached 33.12 billion marks. This was a significant increase since before the war the German government and the private sector spending accounted for nearly 2.37 billion marks. Before the war, one US dollar traded for approximately 4.12 marks. At the end of World War I, the exchange rates had changed significantly since one US dollar traded for 8.32 marks. This was however, the initial stages of the inflation. Although the effects of this inflation were not sufficient to cause an economic breakdown, they greatly influenced German’s economy. The worst phase of the monetary crisis was experienced during the first five years that followed the war. At the first quarter of 1919, the supply of paper money had reached 50.16 billion marks. This figures changed constantly to reach 1,310.56 billion marks at the close of 1922. On the other hand, 192.3 marks traded for one US dollar at the beginning of 1919. The exchange rate increased dramatically and reached 7,589.37 in 1922 and, the worst situation occurred in November 1923 when one US dollar traded for 4,200,000,000.00 marks. This figure is absurd and it implied great

Airline Industry Bangladesh Essay Example for Free

Airline Industry Bangladesh Essay ABSTRACT Air transport is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing transportation systems. Formation of regional and sub-regional co-operation will have a significant influence on air transportation system. Realizing the potential of air transportation in the country and region, after the recent air transport deregulation in Bangladesh, a number of private airline companies have started their operation which results in a better and competitive market. The paper focuses on the impacts of privatization on aviation industry of Bangladesh. This paper presents the results of a study on the comparison among various private and public airline companies and analyses their problems and provides some guidelines for their development. The results show that the supply cost of the private airlines is 40 percent lower than the same for public airlines. The results of this study can be used by the South and Southeast Asian countries to develop policies in this regard. INTRODUCTION Privatization of the airlines is more generally known as deregulation of the airlines industry. In the last two decades air transport world have witnessed dramatic changes in the deregulation in this sector. The movements towards the deregulation of the air transportation industries with the â€Å"1978 Deregulation Airline Act† have significantly altered the operating environment for the firms providing passenger and cargo transportation related services. With the airline deregulation, airlines were permitted to choose the routes and fares. These changes have had profound effects on many aspects of airline operations, particularly fares, level of service and routing. Through privatization of air transportation in Bangladesh the Government has opened up a new horizon. To achieve a competitive environment and maximize the benefit, private airlines can control their scale of operation, effectively pursue cost reduction measures, and generate additional demand through improved services and reasonable fares. By providing improved level of service and lower fare the private airlines may create new demand which will result in unit cost reduction and allow further fare reductions and service improvement. This virtuous circle should continue to strengthen the position of the operators and increase consumers’ benefit. Moreover, recent trends in the development of regional and sub-regional co-operation together with foreign investments in remote areas will have a significant influence on air transportation system. These cooperative frameworks will demand dynamic changes both in routing and scheduling of air transportation. Public airlines are incapable of dealing with these changes due to their bureaucratic structure and lack of motivation. To develop the policies for privatization and regulation of air transportation market it is necessary to analyze various aspects of the system. This paper focuses on the potentiality of the private air transport operators in Bangladesh. The paper has been prepared on the basis of a detailed study on demand and supply of air transportation in the country (Karim, 1998). The paper discusses the impact of deregulation on different cost items of airline operation. The aggregate cost of operating the airlines has been segregated into major cost items. Then comparison is made between public and private airline operators on the basis of these cost items. The paper also identifies several areas where adequate regulations are required for the overall betterment of t he system. The objective of the study is to investigate the potentiality of the changes brought about by privatization in air transportation in Bangladesh. The results will help the operators in the industry to develop their strategies. As the East, Southeast and South Asia are expected to experience a high economic development as well as a shift towards service and hi-tech industries, their demand for air transportation is also expected to increase accordingly. In this regard, the results of this study are important for these countries also. AIR TRANSPORTATION AND AIRLINES IN BANGLADESH The domestic air transportation network in Bangladesh is comprised of 8 conventional (full-size) airports, 8 airports for STOL (Short-Take-Off and Landing) aircraft including two airports under construction. The 8 conventional airports, which are used for commercial purpose, handle widely varying traffic volumes. The largest airport is Zia International airport near Dhaka and the smallest one is Cox’s Bazar airport. The most important corridors, as measured by air passenger volumes, are those between Dhaka, at one end, and Chittagong, Jessore, Sylhet at the other end. At present there are five airlines operating in Bangladesh. They comprise one public airline and four private airlines. The state owned national carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airline (BBA), is the oldest and has been the only operator in domestic arena until the recent past. It has generally been a losing concern contributed by many factors that could include inappropriat e size of aircraft to handle low volume of demand, insufficient level of operation and inefficient management. Although air transport carries only a small portion of total passenger and cargo movement in the country, its relative importance is much higher if aspects such as value of the product as well as time, speed and efficiency of the alternative modes are considered. Realizing its importance and considering the opportunities that exist, private airline companies (PAC’s) have now joined the fray of enticing domestic passengers and freights. This trend in domestic air transportation market is expected to reduce the monopoly of BBA and make air transport mode a better as well as competitive one for domestic transportation. Biman Bangladesh Airlines and four independent airline companie s are regulated by the government authority named Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). Fares are subjected to the approval of CAAB and certain minimum standards of service are imposed on the airline companies. Initially the fares of private airlines were 39 to 50 percent higher as compared to that of BBA. Recently BBA has increased its fare by 25 percent. Although it seems that the fares of the private airlines are higher than the same of BBA, the demand of private airlines has been increasing. This may be caused by better quality of service which include punctuality, regularity, improved customer services and lower waiting time. INTRODUCTION OF PRIVATE AIRLINE COMPANIES In October 1993 the CAAB advertised for applications from the interested parties to start airline operation. Although about 50 organizations submitted their proposals, the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) permitted twenty-seven of them to operat e. Three of them have already started carrying passengers and one has ventured into cargo transportation. These airlines tended to become very popular and the passengers who used to travel by Biman for so long have started showing their interest in traveling by private airlines in domestic routes. A brief description of these airlines is given in the following section, which is also summarized in Table 1. Aero Bengal Airlines (ABA) Aero Bengal Airlines was the first private airlines in the country and started its flight operation on Dhaka-Barisal route with two Chinese built 17-seater Y -12 aircraft. Later a leased Russian built 48-seater N-24 aircraft was included in ABA fleet for the operation in Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong routes. Air Parabat The airline has started commercial flight operation with two brand new Czech-built 19-seater LET L410 aircraft on all the routes operated by Biman (except Ishurdi). It is now planning to add destinations like Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, Shamshernagar to its network in near future after procuring two more Czech-built LET L410 aircraft. Air Parabat has appointed Airspan as its General Sales Agent (GSA) which will be responsible for all the advertising and customer services for Air Parabat and in this way they are saving their overhead expenditure. At the moment, it is operating profitably and has no dues owed to the CAAB. The airline is expecting to recover their investment in 7 years. GMG Airlines Starting operation of commercial flights in early 1998, GMG airlines have emerged as the leading private airlines in Bangladesh. GMG started with Canadian manufactured Bombardier built 37-seater full- fledged aircraft. It operates a number of flights in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Jessore, and Barisal every day and has plans to expand the network of destinations at home and aboard. The airline has signed an inter- line traffic agreement with British Airways (BA) enabling them to sell tickets to different destination of the world via BA. GMG Airlines have already made an investment of Tk. 1.00 billion (US$ 20 million). It has also planned to spread wings overseas and already sought permission from the government to operate in international destinations. This is a good planning because if GMG make progress and can operate South Asian countries, they would probably become the leading private airline in the region. Omni Airlines This airline only deals with cargo operation. Most of the cases the company provide the logistic support via using aircraft of other companies. It has also started air cargo operation for international destinations. During the devastating flood of 1998 when most of the national highways and railways were inundated and surface transportation became inoperable, many exporters especially garments manufacturers used the airline to transport their product to the port. Table 1 presents a comparison among the inventories of BBA and PACs. This comparison indicates that BBA operates at lower load factor with respect to PAC’s. This may be caused by the size of aircraft, which seems to be too large for low level of air travel demand existing in the country. Table 1 Inventory of the Airline Companies Operating in Bangladesh. Name of the airlines Biman Bangladesh Airlines Aero Bengal Ailines Air Parabat Limited GMG Airlines Year of Starting Service 1972 No of Aircraft 4 Type of Aircraft F-28 ATP AN-24 Y-12 LET-410 UVPE. DASH 8SRS 100 No. of seats 85 70 48 17 19 37 No of weekly flights 68 Avg. Pass. Load factor 55-60% (approx.) 75-80% (approx.) 80-85% (approx.) 80-85% (approx.) Avg. No. of Pass. (Weekly) 5134 July, 1995 January, 1998 April, 1998 3 2 2 18 56 35 1016 1294 1520 For the three PAC’s the sizes of the aircrafts seem to be more preferable for profitable operation. Figure 1 illustrates as comparison of usage among BBA and PAC’s in the domestic routes. In most important routes BBA is still dominant whereas in other routes passenger movement of BBA and PACs are almost same. In the Dhaka-Barishal (BZL) route the number of passengers carried by PCAs is higher than the same for BBA because the latter does not operate regularly in the route. 1500 No. of Passenger 1200 900 600 300 0 CHI ZYL JSR SPD RAJ CXB BZL BBA Air Parabat Aero Baegal GMG Airlines Figure 1: Passenger Movement Comparison between BBA and PACs AIRLINE OPERATION COST IN BANGLADESH In this section, the cost of operating airlines in Bangladesh is analyzed. The costs for public and private airliners are analyzed separately to facilitate comparison between them. Here the cost elements are calculated on the basis of average monthly costs because actual data supplied by various airlines are monthly data for different cost items. This cost is transformed into the cost per passenger for different routes. For the development of cost function nine principal cost elements are included in the analysis. The cost variables included on the analysis are shown in Table 2. The values of these variables are calculated on the basis of twenty-two secondary cost factors, which are also mentioned along with the principal cost variables in the table. For the analysis, data has been collected for several years for all the routes considered in the study. Table 2 Cost Elements Analyzed in the Study with their Notations Cost Elements Administrative Cost Maintenance Cost Marketing Cost Civil Aviation Charges Running cost Capital Cost Contingency Cost Procurement Cost Profit Important Cost Elements To describe the supply analysis conveniently all the costs are grouped under two heading namely ‘Total Operating and Maintenance Cost’ (TOMC) and Total Cost (TC). TOMC includes administrative, maintenance, Civil Aviation charges, running, capital and marketing costs and TC includes TOMC, contingency and procurement cost. Among the nine principal cost elements, running cost is the most important one (on an average 39 percent of TOMC. Other important cost elements are capital cost (33 percent) and maintenance cost (19 percent). Small variation in these figures will result in a significant change in operator’s revenue and profit. Among the nine cost elements administrative, Civil Aviation charges and marketing cost do not vary significantly although these costs includes both fixed and variable cost. Fixed cost is the main portion of these costs because these costs don’t vary greatly with the increase in the number of flights or distances traveled. Effects of Scale of Operation on the Cost Elements Using small-scale aircrafts, civil aviation charges and capital cost can be saved significantly. For larger aircrafts greater charges are imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority. Similarly, capital cost is a function of cost per hour of operation and load factor, which also depend on the size of the aircraft. For example, private airlines use comparatively smaller size of aircraft that results in savings of 20 percent of civil aviation charges. Also by using smaller aircrafts these airlines are able to attain higher load factor than BBA. Due to higher load factor the capital cost per passenger reduces significantly. For the same reason a small amount of maintenance and running cost can also be saved. Although BBA purchased larger sized aircrafts to operate in domestic routes to achieve scale economy, it seems that smaller aircrafts are more suitable due to low air travel demand in the country. Symbol C1 C2 C3 C4 Secondary cost components No. of flight (Fl), Capacity of aircraft (Q), Load factor (I) No. of flight (Fl), Capacity of aircraft (Q), Load factor (I) No. of flight (Fl), Capacity of aircraft (Q), Load factor (I) Night surcharge (Ns), Hanger charge (Hn ), Cost of parking charges (Pa), Landing (La), Security charges (Su) and Navigation charges (N a). Cost fuel per liter (Fu), fuel consumption of aircraft per hour(Fc), Trip distance of travel (TD) Fleet size (La), Flying time of aircraft (Ft ), Cruising speed of aircra ft (Sp ) Total cost Number of flights (Fl) Total cost (TC) C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 One of the major cost items of air transportation for both types of operator is unexpected accident or technical fault of aircraft during the operation period. Contingency and procurement cost are 15 percent and 12 percent of TC respectively. If operators can maintain their aircraft more efficiently they can enjoy significant savings in these areas also. Cost Comparison between Public and Private Airlines Comparison between the public and private airlines on the basis of various cost items is given in Table 3. The values in the table represent the ratio between cost per passenger for BBA and average of the same for PACs for all the cost elements discussed earlier. It shows that the costs incurred by BBA are higher for all the cost elements. The differences are very prominent for administrative cost, maintenance cost and civil aviation charges. The negative ratios for the case of profit imply that for BBA the total cost is higher than fare, which results in losses for the airline. Table 3 Ratio between the Costs of Public and Private Airlines on the basis of cost elements. Routes DAC-CHI DAC-ZYL DAC-JSR DAC-SPD DAC-RJH DAC-CXB DAC-BZL Adm Cost (C 1 ) 1.6 1.58 1.66 1.88 1.89 1.93 1.51 Maint Cost (C 2 ) 1.37 1.31 1.39 1.56 1.57 1.44 1.14 Aviat. Charge (C 3 ) 1.23 1.23 1.23 1.19 1.19 1.24 1.24 Run. Cost (C 4 ) 1.16 1.19 1.21 1.03 1.39 1.04 1.04 Capit. Cost (C 5 ) 1.04 1.07 0.98 1.14 1.28 1.11 1.03 Mark. Cost (C 6 ) 1.15 1.11 1.16 1.19 1.21 1.11 1.12 Cont. Cost (C 7 ) 1.17 1.22 1.19 1.06 1.26 1.08 1.41 Proc. Cost (C 8 ) 1.23 1.21 1.14 1.09 1.25 1.09 1.23 Profit (C 9 ) -3.46 +.01 -2.38 -1.46 -1.16 +0.26 -1.36 IMPACTS OF PRIVATIZATION ON AIR TRANSPORTATION IN BANGLADESH The introduction of PAC’s in the aviation sector of Bangladesh is expected to bring about some short and long-term effects in the air transportation sector of Bangladesh, at least in the domestic routes. These effects are discussed below. Making Profit Oriented Service Introduction of private airline in Bangladesh will compel the state-owned BBA to be a profit-oriented organization rather than being only service oriented because the plane journey is made by the rich who do not require any subsidy. The competition is also expected to improve level of service. Increase in Fare Pursuing a wrong policy, the fares charged by BBA in domestic have always been less than the actual cost which resulted in huge losses (over US$ 4 million in 1997). Private airline imposes a higher fare pressuring Biman to increase fare. It increased fare by 15% in July 1996 and could make up losses of about US$ 1 million annually. In 1998 BBA ag ain raised fare so that it can reach breakeven point and make profit on the domestic sector. Improvement of Customer Service Due to the introduction of private airlines, the customer facilities have improved a lot. Customers seem to be very satisfied with the overall services provided by the private airlines. Private airlines provide regular and punctual services with less waiting time and, very easy and informal ticket confirming process that improves the level of service of the operation. Better Competitive Market In case of GMG Airlines the promoters have sought for permission from the government to operate air service on the international routes. Government is considering to accord permission to private airlines so that they can operate service among SAARC countries. In that case the government of SAARC nations will have to change their rules allowing more than one carrier of each country to operate air service among SAARC nations. All these changes will make the domestic as well as r gional air travel market a very e competitive one and this open air policy will construct a good future for the coming private airlines in this market. REGULATIONS NEEDED FOR PRIVATE AIRLINES Although PAC’s have shown a great a potential to improve the airline market of Bangladesh into a better competitive mode, but there exist some issues which should be carefully considered to develop a better future for the industry. Some of these issues are discussed in the following section. Schedule Problem in low Demand Routes Due to insufficient demand in some domestic routes, sometimes private airlines have failed to maintain their schedules properly or stopped operation in those routes. This may hamper future expansion in these routes. Government may consider subsidizing these routes. Choice of Aircraft One of the dominant factors of airline business is the appropriate size of aircraft. But some airlines have failed to procure proper and suitable aircraft for their operation. They have purchased aircrafts those are too backdated for safe and profitable operation. Proper advice and guidance are required in this regard. Development of long-term Strategic Plan Except GMG Airlines others have no long-term strategy or any specific future plan to expand and develop their operation. These airlines even had not even made any feasibility study before they started their business. As airline industry requires huge capital investment, long term strategies are vital for survival in the business. Level of Service Standards In some cases the private airlines have failed to improve quality service especially in the case of passenger compensation. Government should make strict regul ation in this regard and ascertain consumers’ right. Poor Performance in Analyzing the Current Condition The PCAs do not have good record keeping mechanism and thus unable to make routine performance evaluation or at least analyze or check the current cost and revenue conditions. Due to lack of experience in the aviation market, these new airline companies sometimes ignore the basic management principles. Lack of adequate consideration in this area may lead to financial and management crisis. Safety Aspect For profit maximization purpose, private airlines may neglect the safety issue, which is the most important factor of airline business in terms of reliability. Civil Aviation authority must impose some strict guidelines and safety precautions for providing the service on the private companies. At present twenty-seven airlines have the permission to operate in the domestic routes of Bangladesh. For the success of privatization policy it is essential for the airlines currently in operation to present a better and efficient performance. As the air travel demand in the country is still v ery low, entry of too many operators may jeopardize the situation. Also proper training related to the technology and systems need to be arranged. CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive review of the potentiality of privatization of domestic air transportation system of Bangladesh has been presented in this paper. The short-term trend suggests that the private airlines have a great opportunity in the domestic air travel market of the country. Their performances are quite satisfactory. There still exist a lot of room for improvement. This paper is concluded by addressing some implications in the light of the results of this study. (1)The trends in domestic air travel demand in Bangladesh suggest that in near future private airline companies will dominate the domestic market. (2) The operating costs of government operators are about 25-30 percent higher than those of the private operators under the same level of service. (3) From the cost elements it is evident that the administrative and maintenance costs of the public airline are significantly higher than the same for private airlines. This is indicative of the lack of management efficiency existing in the country. (4) Due to the introduction of private airlines the consumers’ benefit has increased significantly. (5) Although the private air line companies have so far performed quite satisfactorily, for betterment of aviation industry of the country and success of privatization policy of the government, some regulations need to be imposed. For this purpose a governing and advisory organization is required. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are grateful to the private airline companies as well as to the authority of Biman Bangladesh Airline for their help during the course of this study. REFERENCES BBS (1996), Statistical Y Book of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. ear Karim, D.M. (1998), A Study on Demand and Supply of Domestic Air Transportation in Bangladesh, Research Project Report, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, Dhaka.

Computers In Society :: essays research papers fc

Computers have good and bad effects on society. This essay deals with both aspects of computers. This paper will deal with two articles that have been written about computers. One article deals with the positive side of computers and the other deals with the negative side of computers. Negative Effects of Computers Schengili-Roberts, Keith. "Holmolka Trial On BBS Raises Information Access Issues". Computer Paper, The. January 1994. pg. 12. This article deals with the fact that even though information on the Karla Holmolka-Teale trial has officially been banned by the Canadian government, it is still accessible to many Canadians. It is very easy to get a hold of this material. Anyone with a computer, modem, and some spare time could most likely get a hold of this information. The court transcripts, transcripts of the A Current Affair episode that was banned in Canada, and other articles from other publications banned in Canada are accessible from local BBSes, Internet, or by calling long distance to a BBS in the US or Europe. Also, Internet, a computer network of BBSes established all over the world, has various chat bases set up for people to discuss the information. People can also get the information by having it sent to them from friends or relatives living outside of Canada. While it is not illegal to have this information, it is illegal to have for the purpose of distribution. The reason that the above information was banned in Canada is so that Karla Holmolka-Teale's husband, Paul, is assured a fair trial. The lawyers, court, etc., were afraid that if the public found out about the court proceedings, they would make up their mind about Paul's innocence before he was given a trial and therefore, finding an un-biased jury would be next too impossible. Another problem with computers and modems is the distribution of X rated pictures and other pornographic material through the phone lines. Even though there are adult BBSes dealing strictly with this material, many other BBSes that do not restrict memberships to certain age groups have it available too. The children would then be able to receive this material by just lying about their age to the Sys-Op (System-Operators). This poses a problem for society and the government. It shows us that almost all information is accessible as long as you have a computer and a modem. It also tells us that information bans many times don't work and that there will almost always be an information leak.

Legal Process

Discrimination is rampant.   In the workplace, employment discrimination can take various forms.   According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2004.), â€Å"it is illegal to discriminate in any aspect of employment†.   Employment discrimination can be based on sex, race, color, religion, disability or sexual orientation.   â€Å"federal and state employment discrimination laws prohibit employers from engaging in unfair employment practices† (Justia.com, n.d.). Most of the employment discrimination cases are handled first by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before a case may be filed in court. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (n.d.), the Equal Employment Opportunity or EEO complaint process â€Å"is a legal process designed to resolve allegations of employment discrimination and retaliation†. The legal process sis composed of three parts.   First is the â€Å"pre complaint counseling process.   Second, the â€Å"formal complaint process.   Lastly, â€Å"the appeal process†Ã‚   (U.S.   Office of Personnel Management, n.d.). At the counseling process, John will be referred to an officer so that he may be apprised of his rights and the remedies made available for him under the various equal employment opportunity laws.   This is where John can be advised of the best course of action to take and the corresponding costs and benefits of the relief.   The formal complaint process shall commence after John filed a charge and the investigation proper.   At this stage, the complainant, John, and the respondent, and his employer, are already entitled to the right to appeal.   Should they feel that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission erred in its resolution or investigation, they may file an appeal according to the provisions of law. If a person feels that his employment rights as regards equal employment opportunity have been violated, he can start the legal battle by filing a discrimination complaint at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.   However, it should be noted that another person may also file a complaint in behalf of another person who has been discriminated against (The U.S.   Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2007. In John’s case, he can start his complaint by filling out an â€Å"intake questionnaire† which shall be submitted to the nearest Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office either personally or by mail.   According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2007), â€Å"an intake questionnaire or other correspondence can constitute a charge under the statutes if it contains all the information required by EEOC regulations governing the contents of a charge and constitutes a clear request for the agency to act†. In order to complete the charge, relevant information should be provided including the names, addresses and contact numbers of the complainant and the respondent employer.   A short description of the acts complained of or of the acts constituting the violation.   After which, John should see the Federal Sector Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Processing (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2007). After the complaint has been filed, the Commission will inform the respondent of the nature of the complaint.   Then, the Commission will act on the complaint either by referring it to a priority investigation if it appears that there is a convincing proof that a violation indeed happened; or request for a follow up investigation should the complaint need additional evidence.   However, settlement efforts can be resorted to at any stage of the investigation. In this case, should John’s employer be willing to negotiation or submit into alternative disputer resolution like mediation.   However, should these efforts prove unsuccessful, the investigation shall continue.  Ã‚  Ã‚   After investigation, the EEOC will issue recommendation and judgment as to the charges.   After which, should the EEOC decide in favor of John, a â€Å"right to sue† can be issued in his favor so that eh can file a formal complaint in the courts of law. The suit should be filed within 90 days following the issuance of the â€Å"right to sue† (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2003).   Pursuant to Title 28, U.S. Code, Section 1914, John is required to pay a filing fee, which can be given back to him should judgment be rendered in his favor together with all other costs of litigation.   John should know that under the law, he is entitled to a number of remedies. He shall be entitled to back wages, reinstatement, hiring, promotion or reasonable accommodation; including the payment of attorney’s fees and other costs of the suit.   Compensatory damages can also be awarded should intentional discrimination be found (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2003). Once a complaint is filed in court, it shall undergo the usual proceedings in court until a judgment is rendered and the judge in order for the decision to be adhered to, either in favor of John or his employer issues a Writ of Execution. References The Federal Judiciary. (n.d.).   Frequently Asked Questions.   Retrieved January 12, 2008 Justia.com. (n.d.).   Employment Discrimination.   Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.justia.com/employment/employment-discrimination/ The U.S.   Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2003). EEOC’s Charge Processing Procedures.   Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.eeoc.gov/charge/overview_charge_processing.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2004).   Discriminatory Practices.   Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.eeoc.gov/abouteeo/overview_practices.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2007).   Filing a Charge of Employment Discrimination.   Retrieved January 12, 2008 U.S.   Office of Personnel Management.   (n.d.).   Laws and Executive Orders.   Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.opm.gov/disability/appempl_5-01.asp

Nonfiction Piece

Essay ProposalThis piece draws a portrait of a stranger in a coffee shop. Offering a kind of weekly enigma to me, she has come to represent the constant allure of mystery in the seemingly trivial. This essay focuses on that enigma, and the possible answers I have for them.I start the essay with a snapshot of what this woman is. What does she look like? What does she do? In giving a descriptive appraisal at the beginning, I lay the foundation of the mystery. I note her gestures – the faint inclination of her head when she looks at her watch, the expectation apparent on her face when someone walks through the door, and the inevitable disappointment almost every time – and raise the question that would bring us closer to â€Å"solving† her mystery: Why? Why does she look the way she does? Why does she act this way? Why is she there? In this part of the essay, I create the mythos I have woven about her through the answers to these questions.In this essay, I depict he r as I see her – the woman waiting. Because of the questions she has raised in me, I have assigned her an identity.  This essay presents her as what she seems to be, and then seeks to go further, bringing both reader and author along for a venture into who she is, or at least, what she might be. In writing this, I thrust the philosophy that everyone really has a story. The natural inclination of the curious man is to find out. And if one cannot know, then you can always let your imagination run free.Literary Nonfiction EssayThere she is again, alone in the table at the far corner. Today, she has brought books with her: sonnets by Pablo Neruda, a creative writing textbook, and a discredited memoir. The book of poetry has been opened, and rests on her lap. A notebook, bound in leather, lies open on the table. A pen rests on the stark whiteness of the pages. She is looking at none of these. She smokes bent cigarettes every five minutes or so. She drinks her coffee as she glanc es at the door, trying not to look as if she were truly alone – that by looking at the doorway once in a while, she can pretend (and the world with her) that someone is coming to meet her.  Her cellphone, too, lies open. She takes a bite from her slice of lemon cake. The phone's screen remains dark, no matter how long she stares at it.Outside it is raining.She looks up, scans the crowd, most of whom are oblivious of her presence. I cannot be. I have known her for far too long. No, I do not know her name, and I do not think I will ever ask. But I have seen her so many times before, her presence is more familiar than a stranger’s should be. Today, I have positioned myself only two tables away from her. Because I know I can never march up to her and demand what she is, I content myself with absorbing everything I can of her. I have sat closer to her today. I cannot help this fascination. I simply want to know.Her gaze finally rests beyond me, towards the door. I see her face more clearly than I ever have before, after all these weeks. Oval, and wan – her forehead is high, her eyes wide and dark. It is not a delicate face, for perhaps the prolonged sadness has seeped into her bones that her face has toughened, has become stronger. Her cheeks jut out and her lips are thin and pale. Her mouth is arranged into its usual tightness. She sighs when the door opens, then closes, and turns away. She looks at her watch. She sighs once more, leafs through the open book of poetry.When will she realize that she is the only woman in a cafe of lovers? Or has she always known? She has one mug all to herself, the others have to share. One cup of coffee, one white porcelain rim, for two bleeding mouths of bleeding hearts.  Inevitably, I think of the possibility of the reluctant lover. Every week, I see her here, always alone. I have never seen her leave with someone. I have never seen anyone, man or woman, stride over to her table, hold her hand, to lead he r outside.Perhaps she has waited with the smallest of hopes that soon, someone would come to end the waiting. But perhaps the reluctant lover roams now the asphalt streets, in a suit and tie, a briefcase hanging from one hand as though it is an extension of his body. And this woman, with her poems and novels and empty notebooks – she is here, waiting, being watched by a person who has seen enough of her to realize that she is waiting.  Another woman – more of a girl, really – is at another corner. But she smokes her cigarette with the ease of one who knows that someone will meet her. Soon she will be gone and this woman, this woman, would light another cigarette and turn another page of one the books she has brought.I see her cellphone buzz, vibrating on the surface of the table. She twitches, then snatches it. Her eyes run over the illuminated screen, taking in the message quickly. Then, her lip curls, and she tosses her cellphone back to the table.Has she be en told that she has to wait longer?She returns to her book but her gaze is blanker now. This book she has been reading has quite possibly turned out to be a chore and all too soon, the words blur until they are white. There is too much of her coffee, and the crystal grains of sugar have refused to melt. The lemon cake crumbles. Even her cigarette offends her, and she puts it out, only half-consumed.  With her, this woman, her waiting – things pale and darken at the same time. Knowing these things are just distractions, something to pass the time that just seems to crawl slower and slower that it sometimes falls still: the coffee cannot be finished, the cigarette doesn’t burn, the page goes on and on and on. Something has cloaked her – is it the knowledge that all these are things she'd rather not be doing? Shouldn't be doing in the first place?She must finish her coffee, and only crumbs should be left on her plate. The book, open on her lap, can be replaced. There are two other books in her bag, and she takes them out: poetry speaking of a requited waiting.  She must think now: all this talk about unrequited love, when poetry should be made about unrequited patience: waiting for the phone to vibrate, waiting for the crumbs to settle, waiting for the coffee mug to empty, waiting for the cigarette to turn into ash, waiting for the books to turn to the last page, waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for the clock to strike ten, waiting for someone to come through the door with the spaciest of smiles just for her. Waiting, waiting, waiting.If she wrote – and I have feeling that she does, in spite of the blankness of her notebook now – how many times has she written about women like her?  She looks at her watch. Her phone vibrates one more. Listless, she picks it up, punches at the buttons. In but moments, her face clears, she sags in her chair. She is starting to smile.  I wonder then: the reluctant lover (but only in h er mind, only when they are not together.) Has the un-reluctant lover tells her that he is near? Would Neruda, then, glow again?Because she is a woman who waits diligently albeit unwillingly, week after week, later, she will be disgusted with how much everything makes sense now. Even waiting in a parked car, while errands are run, will make her smile. The rain will fall harder. The drops will be opaque against the windshield and yet it shall leave shadows on her jeans.Oh, that smile.And she will think: Everything should be a familiar novelty, a novel familiarity. Yes, even waiting for him to come back with a bag or two of bread, while a Japanese love song drifts from the radio. She will think the song talks of a fulfilled longing, of a waiting ended.  But now, she is still waiting. But now she is sure that someone shall come for her.  She looks at me, sees me watching her. The smile she gives me is fleeting, the token nicety for strangers who stare too long at you. I smile back at her.She looks at the doorway, but it seems more out of habit, than anticipation.One last look, then it is time for me to go. Nonfiction Piece Essay ProposalThis piece draws a portrait of a stranger in a coffee shop. Offering a kind of weekly enigma to me, she has come to represent the constant allure of mystery in the seemingly trivial. This essay focuses on that enigma, and the possible answers I have for them.I start the essay with a snapshot of what this woman is. What does she look like? What does she do? In giving a descriptive appraisal at the beginning, I lay the foundation of the mystery. I note her gestures – the faint inclination of her head when she looks at her watch, the expectation apparent on her face when someone walks through the door, and the inevitable disappointment almost every time – and raise the question that would bring us closer to â€Å"solving† her mystery: Why? Why does she look the way she does? Why does she act this way? Why is she there? In this part of the essay, I create the mythos I have woven about her through the answers to these questions.In this essay, I depict he r as I see her – the woman waiting. Because of the questions she has raised in me, I have assigned her an identity.This essay presents her as what she seems to be, and then seeks to go further, bringing both reader and author along for a venture into who she is, or at least, what she might be. In writing this, I thrust the philosophy that everyone really has a story. The natural inclination of the curious man is to find out. And if one cannot know, then you can always let your imagination run free.Literary Nonfiction EssayThere she is again, alone in the table at the far corner. Today, she has brought books with her: sonnets by Pablo Neruda, a creative writing textbook, and a discredited memoir. The book of poetry has been opened, and rests on her lap. A notebook, bound in leather, lies open on the table. A pen rests on the stark whiteness of the pages. She is looking at none of these. She smokes bent cigarettes every five minutes or so. She drinks her coffee as she glances a t the door, trying not to look as if she were truly alone – that by looking at the doorway once in a while, she can pretend (and the world with her) that someone is coming to meet her.Her cellphone, too, lies open. She takes a bite from her slice of lemon cake. The phone's screen remains dark, no matter how long she stares at it.Outside it is raining.She looks up, scans the crowd, most of whom are oblivious of her presence. I cannot be. I have known her for far too long. No, I do not know her name, and I do not think I will ever ask. But I have seen her so many times before, her presence is more familiar than a stranger’s should be. Today, I have positioned myself only two tables away from her. Because I know I can never march up to her and demand what she is, I content myself with absorbing everything I can of her. I have sat closer to her today. I cannot help this fascination. I simply want to know.Her gaze finally rests beyond me, towards the door. I see her face mo re clearly than I ever have before, after all these weeks. Oval, and wan – her forehead is high, her eyes wide and dark. It is not a delicate face, for perhaps the prolonged sadness has seeped into her bones that her face has toughened, has become stronger. Her cheeks jut out and her lips are thin and pale. Her mouth is arranged into its usual tightness. She sighs when the door opens, then closes, and turns away. She looks at her watch. She sighs once more, leafs through the open book of poetry.When will she realize that she is the only woman in a cafe of lovers? Or has she always known? She has one mug all to herself, the others have to share. One cup of coffee, one white porcelain rim, for two bleeding mouths of bleeding hearts.Inevitably, I think of the possibility of the reluctant lover. Every week, I see her here, always alone. I have never seen her leave with someone. I have never seen anyone, man or woman, stride over to her table, hold her hand, to lead her outside.Pe rhaps she has waited with the smallest of hopes that soon, someone would come to end the waiting. But perhaps the reluctant lover roams now the asphalt streets, in a suit and tie, a briefcase hanging from one hand as though it is an extension of his body. And this woman, with her poems and novels and empty notebooks – she is here, waiting, being watched by a person who has seen enough of her to realize that she is waiting.Another woman – more of a girl, really – is at another corner. But she smokes her cigarette with the ease of one who knows that someone will meet her. Soon she will be gone and this woman, this woman, would light another cigarette and turn another page of one the books she has brought.I see her cellphone buzz, vibrating on the surface of the table. She twitches, then snatches it. Her eyes run over the illuminated screen, taking in the message quickly. Then, her lip curls, and she tosses her cellphone back to the table.Has she been told that she has to wait longer?She returns to her book but her gaze is blanker now. This book she has been reading has quite possibly turned out to be a chore and all too soon, the words blur until they are white. There is too much of her coffee, and the crystal grains of sugar have refused to melt. The lemon cake crumbles. Even her cigarette offends her, and she puts it out, only half-consumed.With her, this woman, her waiting – things pale and darken at the same time. Knowing these things are just distractions, something to pass the time that just seems to crawl slower and slower that it sometimes falls still: the coffee cannot be finished, the cigarette doesn’t burn, the page goes on and on and on. Something has cloaked her – is it the knowledge that all these are things she'd rather not be doing? Shouldn't be doing in the first place?She must finish her coffee, and only crumbs should be left on her plate. The book, open on her lap, can be replaced. There are two other books in her bag, and she takes them out: poetry speaking of a requited waiting.She must think now: all this talk about unrequited love, when poetry should be made about unrequited patience: waiting for the phone to vibrate, waiting for the crumbs to settle, waiting for the coffee mug to empty, waiting for the cigarette to turn into ash, waiting for the books to turn to the last page, waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for the clock to strike ten, waiting for someone to come through the door with the spaciest of smiles just for her. Waiting, waiting, waiting.If she wrote – and I have feeling that she does, in spite of the blankness of her notebook now – how many times has she written about women like her?She looks at her watch. Her phone vibrates one more. Listless, she picks it up, punches at the buttons. In but moments, her face clears, she sags in her chair. She is starting to smile.I wonder then: the reluctant lover (but only in her mind, only when they are not together.) Has the un-reluctant lover tells her that he is near? Would Neruda, then, glow again?Because she is a woman who waits diligently albeit unwillingly, week after week, later, she will be disgusted with how much everything makes sense now. Even waiting in a parked car, while errands are run, will make her smile. The rain will fall harder. The drops will be opaque against the windshield and yet it shall leave shadows on her jeans.Oh, that smile.And she will think: Everything should be a familiar novelty, a novel familiarity. Yes, even waiting for him to come back with a bag or two of bread, while a Japanese love song drifts from the radio. She will think the song talks of a fulfilled longing, of a waiting ended.But now, she is still waiting. But now she is sure that someone shall come for her.She looks at me, sees me watching her. The smile she gives me is fleeting, the token nicety for strangers who stare too long at you. I smile back at her.She looks at the doorway, but it seems more out of habit, than anticipation.One last look, then it is time for me to go.

Deforestation in Cuba.

Deforestation in Cuba. Centuries prior to the ruling of the Castro government, in the 16th centuryprecisely, 90 percent of Cuba was covered with forests. Agriculture Ministry officials inCuba revealed that the Castro government, in the last for decades, had sown 1.24million acres of trees, of which were mainly derived from the mountainous zones of theSierra Maestra, Escambray, and Sierra de los Organos. This reduced Cuba's forestcover to 53 percent and by 1960 it was down by 13.5 percent. Ultimately, mining,farming, sugar planting, supplying timber and setting up cattle ranches, demolishedCuba's forests over the centuries.Deforestation, in any case, is both detrimental to the environment and to theeconomy of Cuba. Forest products are extremely important to the economical well-beingof Cuba because they play a primary role in the production of tobacco, sugar, and citrusfruits, a few of the island's main exports, as well as in construction and electrical andtelephone services.Pico Torquino in the Sierra Maest ra, Cuba's highes...Above all, forests play a crucial role in the protection andconservation of Cuba's natural resources and their contribution to improving theenvironment as a whole.In Cuba, there are approximately 40,000 persons who are employed in theforest sector, which includes 1,200 professionals, 2,000 technicians, and 70 researchers,to name a few. Since forests are a source of long-term employment, particularly in ruralcommunities, many people who work in the forest sector, who rely on forests as theirmain source of income, find themselves facing the possibility of unemployment with theonset of deforestation.Currently, several initiatives are being undertaken to improve the issue ofdeforestation. Current initiatives include a joint initiative of the Cuban and Canadiangovernments as part of their cooperation program called the Institutional Strengtheningof the Cuban Forest Service...