Trust Is Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability Essay

Trust Is Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability - Essay Example Many people argue about the meaning of trust, but the most important aspect of trust in personal and professional relationships is the way we build it together through integrity, honesty, and reliability.   The idea that trust is a one-dimension trait is widely spread, but I find it to be a multi-dimensional act as different aspects have to be taken into account when it comes to building and keeping trust in our personal and professional relationships. Trust in integrity, honesty, and reliability is considered as such by many people.   Some of them equal trust to only one of those dimensions, but I find it useful to deal with the issue of trust as a multi-dimensional trait.   Trust is more a process than a permanent state of affairs.   Trust must be built and kept alive on an ongoing basis, so many factors have to be taken into consideration when we speak about trust in our personal and professional relationships. Indeed trust takes a lot of effort to be built and maintained alive.   It is easy to think of trust as integrity, or as honesty, or as reliability alone.   But if we take a close look at trust, we will find that it takes those three dimensions together to build and keep trust on a daily basis. That is so because if one of the ingredients is missing, we will end up being untrustworthy in the eyes of people. Looking at trust from a multi-dimensional point of view will keep us from making unnecessary mistakes, and at the same time, we will enjoy the benefits of healthy relationships.... Our good will and our efforts to achieve trustworthiness bring happiness and well-being to our souls here and now. Essay 2: Argument. Trust Is Built and Kept Through Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability. Introduction. Many people argue about the meaning of trust, but the most important aspect of trust in personal and professional relationships is the way we build it together through integrity, honesty, and reliability. The idea that trust is a one-dimension trait is widely spread, but I find it to be a multi-dimensional act as different aspects have to be taken into account when it comes to building and keeping trust in our personal and professional relationships. Building and Keeping Trust. Trust as integrity, honesty, and reliability is considered as such by many people. Some of them equal trust to only one of those dimensions, but I find it useful to deal with the issue of trust as a multi-dimensional trait. Trust is more a process than a permanent state of affairs. Trust must be built and kept alive on an ongoing basis, so many factors have to be taken into consideration when we speak about trust in our personal and professional relationships. Indeed trust takes a lot of effort to be built and maintained alive. It is easy to think of trust as integrity, or as honesty, or as reliability alone. But if we take a close look at trust, we will find that it takes those three dimensions together to build and keep trust on a daily basis. That is so because if one of the ingredients is missing, we will end up being untrustworthy in the eyes of people. We need a good mix of integrity, honesty, and reliability in order to build and establish a

Dowry system in india Essay Example for Free

Dowry system in india Essay Dowry is derived from the ancient Hindu customs of ‘kanyadan’ and ‘stridhan’. In ‘kanyadan’, the father of the bride offers the father of the groom money or property, etc whereas for ‘stridhan’, the bride herself gets jewelry and clothes at the time of her marriage, usually from her relatives or friends. In Varadakshina’, the father of the bride presents the groom cash or kind. All of these could be done voluntarily and out of affection and love. The Hindu marriage system is sacramental. According to this system, a marriage is forever and there is no scope for a separation. Among the various ceremonies previously practiced, the ceremony in front of a ‘godly’ fire (‘Yajna’ in Sanskrit) has taken over, the old-fashioned system of marrying a wife by capture. This form of marriage began the practice of dowry, where originally, the family of the bride would accept gifts and money from the groom’s family as an alternative to bloodshed during the capture of the bride. A later modification of this system has paved way for the present dowry system primarily practiced by the society. The dowry custom continues to rule our society. In majority of Indian families, the boy has legacy rights, while the girl is given a large sum at the time of her marriage in lieu of the government regulated equal rights for girls in parental property. Thus, dowry system has spread in almost all parts of the country and sections of society. There are several reasons for the occurrence of the dowry system, but the main one is that it is a necessary precondition for marriage. ‘No dowry, no marriage’ is a widespread fear. There has also been an appearance of a feudal mindset with a materialistic attitude in a new globalised economy. The price tag for the groom is now bigger and bolder. The emergence of an affluent middle class, the torchbearer of social change in modern India, is the main factor for the continuation of the dowry system. Families arrange most marriages, and a man who does not marry for love; he can marry for wealth. For this man and his family, a woman becomes the ticket to shortcut riches through the system of dowry. There are a number of things people desire to have in their own houses but cannot afford; they use the opportunity of a son’s marriage to get them. The girl’s parents do not protest against variety, as they regard the union as a stepping-stone towards higher social status and better matches for the remaining children. Dowry as a phenomenon has gone beyond the ritual of marriage. Pregnancy, childbirth and all kinds of religious and family functions are occasions when such demands are made. A more sophisticated public image of an extended gifting session has replaced the old system. Now there is demand for receptions in marriage places. The trousseau includes designer wear for the bride and groom’s family. Chefs are flown in for multi-cuisine wedding dinners. The bride’s family usually pays for all this. The rich revel in the exchange of their black money, but this in turn exerts pressure on the other classes to ape them with serious social consequences. The women have become a kind of commodity. It is them who are the worst sufferers because dowry is most often a monetary agreement between two men – the bride’s father and the groom. Caste-based practices have only added fuel to the fire. Marriages in political families are arranged to consolidate the caste base for support in electoral politics, so they do not challenge the dowry system. Dowry rituals have now spread even to communities where they were unknown. It has gone to different castes, crossed the boundaries of provinces and education and religion. Muslims and Christians, such as the Syrian Christians of Kerala and the Roman Catholics of Mangalore have started demanding dowry. Official statistics show a steady rise in dowry crimes. More and more women are killed every year in India for dowry. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh still record the maximum number of dowry crimes, but Bangalore, India’s fastest growing city also shows an alarming rise – four women reportedly die every day because of dowry harassment and domestic violence. The cases of dowry torture are the highest accounting for 32.4% of crimes against women in the country. The Dowry Prohibition Act, in force since 1st July 1961, was passed with the purpose of prohibiting the demanding, giving and taking of dowry. In 1980, the Government setup a committee that recommended amendments in the Dowry Prohibition Act and also suggested expanding the definition of dowry and instituting family courts and National Commission for women. Many parliamentary debates led to some amendments in 1983,1984 and 1986. To stop the offences of cruelty by husband or his relatives on the wife, Section 498-A was added in the Indian Penal Code and Section 198-A in the Criminal Procedure Code in the year 1983. The Dowry Prohibition Act clearly stipulates that a person who gives or takes or helps in the giving or taking of dowry can be sentenced to jail for 5 years and fined Rs. 15,000/- or the amount of the value of dowry, whichever is more. The Act also prohibits the giving and taking directly or indirectly any property or valuable security, any amount either in cash of kind, jewelry, articles, properties, etc. in respect of a marriage. The control is provided by stating a limit and names of people gifting and their relationship to the married couple to be signed by both sides of parents. In 1986, the Act was amended again, empowering State governments to appoint Dowry Prohibition Officers, who not only had a preventive role but also had powers to collect evidence against people who took dowry. Despite protest by women’s organisations, serious activism, legal amendments, special police cells for women, media support and heightened awareness of dowry being a crime, the practice continues unabated on a massive scale. Despite every stigma, dowry continues to be the signature of marriage. Women need real social, political, financial and moral support in their fight against the system. They have to be empowered so that they can take their decisions about their own life by refusing the dowry system.

The Horrors of Colonialism and Imperialism in Conrads Heart of Darknes

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the onset of the novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator Marlow compares his subsequent tale of colonialism with that of the Roman colonization of Northern Europe and the fascination associated with such an endeavor. However, throughout his narration, Marlow challenges this viewpoint by painting a heinous picture of the horrors of colonialist ventures. In the opening of his tale, Conrad, through Marlow, establishes his thoughts on colonialism. He says that conquerors only use brute force, "nothing to boast of" because it arises, by accident, from another's weakness. Marlow sees colonization as; "Robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as it is very proper for those who tackle darkness." Furthermore, he sees such conquests as taking land and materials away from those people who "have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses." This epitomizes the futility in such an undertaking. Moreover as he understands it, colonization is only successful if there lies within it a "devotion to efficiency" and a creation of civilization, not exploitation (Conrad, 4). In his novella, through the eyes of his narrator Marlow, Conrad offers a frank critique of European imperial colonialism through the numerous oppositions of black and white and dark and light.   Through the individual characterization, Conrad creates the division between dark and light ... ...of Anthropology, Lawrence Univ.).  Ã‚   "Africa and Africans in Conrad's Heart of Darkness."  Ã‚   A Lawrence University Freshman Studies Lecture, 24 Jan. 1996.   Rpt. James Banks, Willamette Univ.; & Free Speech Television: http://www.freespeech.org/james/conrad/heart.htm (Accessed: Apr. 2002) Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness, New York: Dover, 1990. Dintenfass, Mark. "Heart of Darkness: A Lawrence University Freshman Studies Lecture." 14 Mar. 1996. *http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~csicseri/dintenfass.htm* (2  Ã‚  April 2002). Hayes, Dorsha. "Heart of Darkness: An Aspect of the Shadow," Spring (1956): 43-47.. McLynn, Frank. Hearts of Darkness: The European Exploration of Africa. New York: Carol & Gey, 1992.

Persepolis Essay

Persepolis was a very insightful movie about the lives of Iranian people at a very important time in the country’s history. Two topics that stuck out to me the most were the effects of the war on the everyday lives of the citizens of Iran and secondly the not-so-patriarchal lifestyle of people at the household level. Once the revolution to bring down the Shah began, which was followed by the Iran-Iraq war, the lives of Iranians were never the same again. Before these events, Iran appeared to be what we can easily call ‘a modern society’. Women were treated equally, men and women openly socialized together without any restrictions and westernization was apparent with the dressing styles of women, parties and the children indulging in pop culture. All of this drastically changed after the elections and once the war began. Under the new repressive government, religious extremists in power imposed several laws that undermined the freedom of all citizens of Iran. Everybody was told how to dress whereby women were required to veil in public, parties and consumption of alcohol became illegal, children were taught in school that the new government was very good, young boys were influenced into joining the army and fighting in the war. In addition to all these social impacts there were economic downturns as well. The stores are shown to have empty shelves, the country’s infrastructure destroyed, healthcare deteriorated, the excessive restrictions on almost everything pushed for the need for black-markets and illegal operations. Even with all the restrictions from the people in power and the policing of everybody, there were still a large number of people who were very modern, even men. One example would be Marjane’s father telling her and Reza to be more careful about meeting in public. Another example would be when Marjane’s uncle Anoush is released from prison and visits them, everybody ate dinner at the same table, both men and women. One of the topics that relate to our class readings is war and bereavement. The war that lasted so long did not occur without expensing lives of millions of innocent people. During the war period, countless lives were lost and most of these were men. Men fought in wars and died and the women were left to deal with the loss. When a missile lands in Marjane’s neighborhood, the fear of losing her family takes over her and she is still a little girl at the time. The same incident cost the lives of her friends in the neighborhood. Of all the characters in the movie, to me, Marjane’s grandmother was the most compelling character. She was a wise old woman who was inspirational, understanding and very realistic. She was a symbol of independence and a great role model for Marjane. Most importantly, she practiced what she preached. She placed a great emphasis on protecting the innocent as this was an issue close to her since her husband and family members had been victims. When Marjane tells her that in order to save herself from the police, she lied and got an innocent man in trouble, Grandmother reacts in a way that I didn’t expect. She believed in being true to your own self and certainly did not tolerate any unfaithfulness, even from her beloved Marjane. The character that had the most impact on Marjane would have to be her uncle Anoush. He came into Marjane’s life when she was still very young and definitely made an enormous impression on her. As if his life story wasn’t enough, uncle Anoush’s death left an even bigger impact on Marjane’s life. She wouldn’t tolerate people talking about war and death lightly after his death. Several times in her life when she was feeling confused, the words of her uncle Anoush helped her get through.

Analysis Of The Fall Of Ferdinand Marcos Essay

October 10, 2001 Word Count: 2466 Research Question: How did Ferdinand E. Marcos eventually fall from power? INTRODUCTION Ferdinand E. Marcos was the longest reigning Philippine president in history. His rule spanned 20 years, beginning in 1965 up to his downfall in 1983. He was the first and only president re-elected so far (first in 1969 and second in 1981). After his second term, corruption in his administration was rampant. For 20 years he ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, and amassed a personal fortune. According to all sources, he managed to prolong his term for so long through his â€Å"private military† (Sonia M. Zaide, 217) that crushed or silenced opposition against him. His attempts to prolong his term however, were also responsible for the dissatisfaction of his people and the growth in opposition and against him which eventually led to his downfall, after the assassination of Benigno Aquino on 1983. BACKGROUND ON MARCOS’ RISE TO POWER Marcos came from a rich and politically prominent family in Ilocos, a province in the northern part of the Philippines. He began his political career in 1949, being elected to the House of Representatives as congressman of Ilocos. In 1965, he was elected as President of the Senate. He then (as a Nacionalista, one of the 2 main political parties) ran for president and gained victory over the incumbent president, Diosdado Macapagal. Marcos promised to â€Å"make the nation great again,† and during his first term of 6 years Marcos gained widespread popularity through his extensive economic and political achievements. In 1969 Marcos became the first (and up to the moment, still the only) re-elected president of the Philippines. During his second term however, Marcos lost popularity due to the extensive graft and corruption of his favoured cronies, and the human rights violations of the Marcos administration when he proclaimed Martial Law on September 21, 1972. He lifted Martial La w in 1981 after reducing the opposition by intimidation. During his second re-election in 1981, Marcos had only one opponent, Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista party, because Senator Benigno Aquino (who was his only credible opponent) was living in exile in the United States. During the next years, the Philippine economy was considered â€Å"the sick man of Asia† (Time Magazine). In 1982, Marcos was sickly and he was absent in many official ceremonies. During this time, his wife (Imelda Marcos) and her  cronies were unofficially running the country. It was during this time, when on August 21, 1983, his long time rival, Benigno Aquino (wife of Benigno Aquino), returned to the Philippines. He was assassinated in broad daylight in the Manila International Airport by one of the government military escorts and this incident was captured by camera (Don Lawson, 1). This infuriated the Filipino people, which was the final blow to his rule. After days of mass rallies and demonstrations all over the country, he called as snap election as part of his strategy to maintain his credibility in the international body. He was declared the official winner because of massive vote buying and cheating and intimation. The mass rallies and demonstrations continued nationwide which paralyzed the government operations † for example, banks were closed and transport services were on strike, and part of the military rebelled, and all these led to the now popular EDSA Revolution (also known as â€Å"People Power†) on February 16, 1986 which toppled Marcos’ rule. ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF MARCOS DOWNFALL The causes of Marcos’ downfall can be divided into two parts † long term causes and short term causes. Marcos’ acts of corruption which include: his attainment of large sums of money from the Philippine treasury during his reign, abuse of military power to suppress opposition and maintain a firm grip on presidency, and his political schemes to prolong his rule were responsible for creating an atmosphere of hatred and discontent on Marcos’ rule, under the overriding atmosphere of fear created by the resulting suppression of any threats to his power. These doings cultivated the seeds of dissatisfaction which soon developed into unified hatred towards Marcos’ reign. There was widespread discontent, but this discontent was still silent. The short-term or immediate cause of Marcos’ downfall was the Assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The â€Å"assassination brought Philippine’s economic shambles to world attention† (Fred Poole and Max Vanz i, 244) and lead to Marcos’ fall from power after the EDSA revolution. MARCOS’ MILITARY The military was the initial basis of Marcos’ power. Marcos’ military control provided him with a huge political advantage. Marcos used the military to create an atmosphere of terror, to discourage opposition and  eliminate any threats to his power to enable him to continue his rule over the country. During his reign, bribery and intimidation of voters during elections was rampant. As the corruption in the Marcos administration became widespread, demonstrations occurred as student activism rose, but were quickly suppressed by his military. An example of this is the â€Å"Battle of Mendiola† on January 1970, in which demonstrators tried to storm in the gates of the Malacanang Palace (the Philippine Presidential building, similar to the White House). It was the most violent of the student demonstrations (Florida C. Leuterio, 151). Due to the increase in violence Marcos imposed martial law in 1972. According to all sources consulted, there may have been a possibil ity that some acts of violence were planned by Marcos to ensure the legitimacy of his declaration of martial law. Since the constitution limited his presidency for merely two terms, he was due to step down on December 30 1973. However, upon the proclamation of martial law, he would be able to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines, because the 1935 constitution had not stated the limitations for the length of martial law (Florida C. Leuterio, 153). Marcos then used the military to detain Filipinos suspected of subversion. This included all critics/activists (ranging from students to professionals), and potential political opponents. They were tortured by their captors and many were then held in military detention camps. Marcos’ â€Å"military establishment tightened its grasp into a stranglehold through increased terror† (Fred Poole and Max Vanzi, 208). Although POLITICAL SCHEMES TO PROLONG HIS TERM AND GAIN POWER For more than 20 years Marcos was able to prolong his term. Through his political schemes and manipulations, Marcos was able to continue with his presidency despite the limitation of only eight consecutive years, the decline of his country’s economy, and the harsh conditions suffered by the majority of its citizens. Even before the presidential elections of 1965 Marcos received numerous military decorations which made him one of the most decorated heroes of World War II. Through this, Marcos gained popular American support, and gained an edge in the 1965 Elections. Sterling Seagrave (author of The Marcos Dynasty) states that Marcos had merely invented the feats made the Philippines most decorated World War II hero. Don Lawson (author of Marcos and the Philippines) however, does not state that Marcos has invented those feats. During 1971 a Constitutional Convention was held to rewrite the 1935  constitution which would then enable Marcos to continue in power under the new constitution. On 1973 he enforced the new constitution which would give him both the powers of a president and a prime minister (until one is elected). The constitution was ratified through citizen assemblies by raise of hands. Due to the prevailing atmosphere, the people adopted to the new constitution. During elections, Marcos engaged in massive fraud to ensure his victory. ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH According to Australian investigator Reiner Jacobi the Marcos rule was economically disastrous for the Philippines. Financial he discovered showed that Marcos had â€Å"systematically looted his country for over 20 years.† He states that the Marcos’ taken at least $5 billion in â€Å"ill-gotten wealth† and that there is other material suggesting that Marcos took even more. Marcos â€Å"used his favourites†Ã‚ ¦ to take charge of the nation’s natural and human resources and its big economic ventures.† Journalist Ron Whittaker goes on to prove that as Marcos and his family amassed a personal fortune, through stealing from the Philippine treasury. He states that â€Å"Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States each year, Marcos’ government was falling increasingly into debt; and, even as his personal fortunes rapidly escalated, the majority of his people were living in poverty.† Although Marcos succeeded in intimidating his opposition and prolonging his term, his abuse of power exposed his corruptness to the people, which thus created an atmosphere of discontent towards him which continued to build up and would eventually cause his downfall. However, due to the atmosphere of fear Marcos has created, there was still a lack of motivation to call for reform and stand up against the threat of Marcos’ military. THE AQUINO ASSASSINATION AND THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED The final blow happened when Benigno Aquino, his only credible opponent, was assassinated by his military escorts, with this incident captured in video tape and broadcast in the foreign media. The event shocked the not only the Filipino people, but the whole world, as footage of the assassination was aired internationally (Sonia M. Zaide, 217). The Assassination was the last act of injustice that the people would take from Marcos. This infuriated the Filipino people, who  became bold because of their outrage. Benigno Aquino was transformed into a national idol (Florida C. Leuterio). It created anger in the Filipino’s that was able to supersede the atmosphere of fear. His death awakened the Filipinos to the â€Å"Evils of Marcos.† In addition to this militant groups (the August Twenty-One movement, Justice for Aquino, Justice for all, and BAYAN† were organized. They staged demonstrations calling for an end to Marcos’ rule. Aquino’s death caused a ch ain reaction of events that eventually forced Marcos out of power. As the Philippine economy deteriorated the Filipinos became poorer and poorer. Anti-Marcos demonstrations cause the decline of the tourism industry. Rampant corruption discouraged foreign investors. High oil prices, and the price decline of traditional exports caused a slow down in economic activity. The government was forced to borrow from the IMF, World Bank, the US and its foreign creditors pressured Marcos to implement reforms as a condition for granting him economic and financial assistance. Their actions were like a vote of no confidence to the Marcos rule and legitimacy as the living conditions of the Filipino’s had furthermore worsened (Florida C. Leuterio, 165). Their actions resulted in further depreciation of the Philippine Peso. As many businesses slowed down, there were mass layoffs which, in turn, caused more poverty and the further disenchantment of the people. Marcos’ effort to survive by calling and winning the snap elections on 1986 failed because of the massive cheating, and the people truly believed Cory Aquino was the true victor. Doubt and scepticism on Marcos furthermore threatened his rule. A group of reformist lead by Fidel V. Ramos, and Juan Ponce Enrile made plans to face the Marcos loyalist and overthrow Marcos. In an attempt to prevent a bloody civil war Cory Aquino launched civil disobedience nationwide in a movement which became known as EDSA or â€Å"People Power.† The Filipinos made a human barricade that prevented the two forces from attacking each other. US senator Paul Laxalt advised him to â€Å"cut, and cut clean.† Marcos was forced to exile in Hawaii on February 25, 1986. According to Dr. Florida C. Leuterio (author of Philippine History and Government), despite the hopelessness of the situation, Marcos had not yet  give up and attempted to impose martial law once again. The plan was code-named â€Å"Everlasting.† He was to send soldiers dressed in civilian clothing to spread violence and terror. This incident would eventually give him an excuse to once again impose martial law and thus, furthermore prolonging his term. However, before he could put his plan into act, the EDSA revolution took place. This truly exposes the corruptness of Marcos’ and furthermore proves his unjust nature and his illegitimacy as president. Sterling Seagrave adds that just before the inauguration of Cory Aquino, Marcos had contacted Enrile offering to set up a provisional government were Cory Aquino, Enrile, and Marcos would rule. This goes to show Marcos’ sheer determination to retain his presidency and prolong his term. ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THE DOWNFALL OF MARCOS Ron Whittaker (a journalist who studies the effects on Media in politics) believes that the media has had a crucial role in contributing to the downfall of Marcos (both in exposing his corruption, and also in helping organize the EDSA revolution) and that Marcos might have retained his presidency if it were not for the media. He states that because of Marcos’ control over the media, the international community was not aware of the situation in the Philippines because unless certain attention is required, the â€Å"international media take their cues from local press coverage.† I strongly support this and believe that the media was essential in the downfall of Marcos. The assassination of Benigno Aquino was a key factor and the immediate cause of Marcos’ fall from power. It was the event that fuelled the Filipino’s angers and made them take action. It was the event that caused international eyes to observe the situation in the Philippines. This in turn, forced Marcos to think twice before carrying out his military abuses. CONCLUSION The Marcos experience teaches us that power corrupts and creates a situation which ultimately impoverishes the country and its people. The main cause of Marcos downfall is the suffering and poverty he created during his rule. Not even his control of the military can sustain him forever. Eventually he lost major support of the people, the church, and part of the military mutinied. (Unlike Lee Kuan Yu of Singapore who was also an  authoritarian leader, but he was perceived as honest and he was able to improve the economy of Singapore and the standard of living of his people. Even up to now Lee Kuan Yu is still active as a senior minister and highly respected all over the world, a sharp contrast to what happened to Marcos). Even if Marcos did not commit the fatal mistake of assassinating Benigno Aquino, I believe that it merely hastened the process and it would be only a question of time, before he will replaced by the people in a popular election or uprising. In this world of modern television and CNN, a corrupt leader like Marcos would not be able to sustain his image as a legitimate leader of his people. In many ways, the experience of Soeharto, who also had complete control of the military, also proves that a leader today cannot survive if there is widespread corruption and poverty in his country. With the help of the pouring international media, Marcos not only gained opposition locally, but abroad as well, and as a result of this Marcos was eventually forced to step down from power.

Show, Dont Ask

Show, Dont Ask Dont ask an editor what you can write for him. Writers arent just about putting words together. They are about bringing fresh material to the table. Writers are a dime a dozen. New ideas are a dime a dozen. Writers who can write and produce fresh ideas hit the sweet spot. Dont ask questions like: 1) What can I write for you? 2) Is this the sort of thing you publish? 3) What are your guidelines? 4) Are you accepting submissions? Were talking ANY sort of writing whether you pitch magazines, apply for copywriting gigs, write nonfiction, or create novels. Your job as a writer is to make an editors work easy, not add to their pile. Come to them with solutions, not more work, and yes, answering inquisitive emails is work when you multiply it times a hundred each and every day. At the risk of being repetitious, the golden rule for any writer attempting to earn money is this: Dont make work for an editor (or agent or publisher). Approach the editor/agent/publisher with a proposal that makes them eager. . . makes them feel like you are more than worth their time. Make a proposal strong. State what you can do for the other party and demonstrate how you can do it. Of course, a pitch for a freelance story is different from one for a novel, and nonfiction requires the book to be outlined with sample chapters while fiction must be polished to the hilt. But the recipient must open this package and marvel at how print-close it is. But the goal of any proposal/pitch/query is to show the person on the other end that: 1) You know how to write, 2) You have a fresh idea, 3) Your work fits THEIR goals of reaching readers, and 4) You are capable of following through. You might be a fantastic writer, but if you cannot pitch it properly and show how much value you can add, nobody will ever learn how great you are. And to ask someone to help you figure it out, not appreciating how full their plate already is, is like putting in your query, Youre not interested in buying my work, are you? Trust me. The answer will always be no.

Getting ahead planning your retirement in your 20s

Getting ahead planning your retirement in your 20s Have you ever heard the old saying that it’s never too early to start planning for the future? If so, you may have decided to ignore it, or just worry about it later- after all, when you’re young you feel as if you have an endless amount of time to plan your life and that your time is better spent having fun and living for the moment. But the truth is, the future is coming faster than you might realize. When it comes to retirement planning, the phrase â€Å"never too early to start planning† can be the best advice you’ll ever get. Sure, there are a lot of reasons why it’s especially tricky to start planning for such a far-off notion like retirement. The truth is, you’re likely just getting started in your professional journey, and you may have little to no idea where your climb up the career ladder will take you. Also, if you’re like most of us, the money you’re earning when you’re new to the work world doesn’t exa ctly leave you with a ton of options for saving and investing for the future. On top of all this, it is much more fun to be carefree and live for the moment when you’re young, and many of us make a deal with ourselves to start taking money matters seriously when we reach a significant (and distant) milestone in our lives (age 30? 40? 70?).That said, you really don’t have to completely overhaul your life or give up on fun in order to start planning for retirement but the more prepared you are for this inevitable end to your career journey the more confident and relaxed you’ll be about money matters at every phase of your life until then. Taking baby steps toward greater financial responsibility while you’re in your 20s will bring you that much closer to whatever your retirement goals turn out to be- and help you avoid (or at least minimize) the amount of fear, worry, and anxiety you feel when you’re focused on your financial health and future. And t rust us, if those days aren’t here yet, they’re right around the corner.If you’re ready to take the next step and get serious about your retirement planning, then consider the following strategies to move you in the right direction.4 steps to planning for retirement now1. Develop a saving mindset.Sure, when you’re in your 20s it’s hard to take savings seriously. Most likely, your main focus is on getting your bills paid and being able to afford the basics, and that makes total sense. However, even saving just a little bit can go a long way.Let’s take a look at a small example- suppose you enjoy a mid-afternoon latte each workday. The average price of a latte is around $2.50. Now, instead of buying the latte, imagine taking that money and dropping it into a savings account- in 5 years, you’ll have saved $3,250 just by making this one small life change. Are there other small savings changes you can make to help you build your nest egg? Probably, and the more money you’re able to divert to savings the better off you’ll be- both for short-term needs and for long-term health as you creep closer to retirement. But perhaps more importantly, just getting into a savings mindset early on in life will set you up for being a more financially responsible adult as you get older- and your ability and desire to save and spend wisely will set you up for a great financial future.2. Take advantage of work resourcesMost of us aren’t thrilled to have to work, but one of the good things about having to hold down a job is that it can often come with some useful employee benefits- which may include a retirement benefits plan. These days, more and more companies are offering a 401(k) plan to help employees save and prepare for retirement, which often provide some incredible perks like employer fund matching (which is as close to free money as most of us will ever get).Taking advantage of investing in a 401(k) is so universally recognized as beneficial (and often essential) that many companies automatically enroll employees in plans to help them start saving their money wisely. If your company offers this benefit, there is absolutely no good reason not to take advantage of it- even if it’s just a small percentage of your paycheck. Don’t worry if you don’t plan on staying at your current job forever- you get to take your money with you.3. Explore other investment optionsIn addition to the retirement benefits that your employer may offer, consider exploring other investment options available to you: IRAs, mutual funds, CDs, and the stock market. Sure, it’s a little scary to jump into the world of investing as a newbie, but there are a wealth of resources available to you, including online tools, wise and trusted friends and family members, and investment professionals tied to your bank (assuming you have a savings or checking account- and if you don’t, consider opening one). Do some research and start small. You’ll be amazed by how well a few wise investment decisions early on in life can set you up for a comfortable retirement.4. Decrease debtDebt is not your friend. Even though it’s often an unavoidable part of adulthood, be sure to make every effort to decrease your debt burden as you move closer and closer to retirement age. The truth is, some forms of debt- like a home mortgage- are indicative of financial stability and solvency. But other forms (like credit card debt) are best left avoided or eradicated as quickly as possible. If you have a credit card (or multiple cards), avoid using them unless it’s an unavoidable emergency, and pay off what you owe as quickly as possible. Nothing creates a financial headache and panic attack faster than an unwieldy amount of unhealthy debt- so be sure to avoid drowning here.

Megalania - Facts and Figures

Megalania - Facts and Figures Name: Megalania (Greek for giant roamer); pronounced MEG-ah-LANE-ee-ah Habitat: Plains of Australia Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-40,000 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to 25 feet long and 2 tons Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; powerful jaws; splayed legs About Megalania Aside from crocodiles, very few prehistoric reptiles after the age of dinosaurs achieved enormous sizesone notable exception being Megalania, also known as the Giant Monitor Lizard. Depending on whose reconstruction you believe, Megalania measured anywhere from 12 to 25 feet from head to tail and weighed in the neighborhood of 500 to 4,000 poundsa wide discrepancy, to be sure, but one that would still put it in a heftier weight class than the largest lizard alive today, the Komodo Dragon (a relative lightweight at only 150 pounds). Even though it was discovered in southern Australia, Megalania was described by the famous English naturalist Richard Owen, who in 1859 also created its genus and species name (Megalania prisca, Greek for great ancient roamer). However, modern paleontologists believe that the Giant Monitor Lizard should properly be classified under the same genus umbrella as modern monitor lizards, Varanus. The result is that professionals refer to this giant lizard as Varanus priscus, leaving it to the public to wield the nickname Megalania. Paleontologists speculate that Megalania was the apex predator of Pleistocene Australia, feasting at leisure on mammalian megafauna like Diprotodon (better known as the Giant Wombat) and Procoptodon (the Giant Short-Faced Kangaroo). The Giant Monitor Lizard would have been relatively immune from predation itself unless it happened to spar with two other predators that shared its late Pleistocene territory: Thylacoleo, the Marsupial Lion, or the Quinkana, a 10-foot-long, 500-pound crocodile. (Given its splay-legged posture, it seems unlikely that Megalania could have outrun more fleet-footed mammalian predators, especially if these furry assassins decided to gang up for the hunt.) One interesting fact about Megalania is that its the largest identified lizard ever to have lived on our planet. If that makes you do a double-take, remember that Megalania technically belongs to the order Squamata, placing it on an entirely different branch of evolution than plus-sized prehistoric reptiles like dinosaurs, archosaurs, and therapsids. Today, Squamata is represented by close to 10,000 species of lizards and snakes, including Megalanias modern descendants, the monitor lizards. Megalania is one of the few giant Pleistocene animals the demise of which cant be traced directly to early humans; the Giant Monitor Lizard was probably doomed to extinction by the disappearance of the gentle, herbivorous, oversized mammals that early Australians preferred to hunt instead. (The first human settlers arrived on Australia about 50,000 years ago.) Since Australia is such a huge and uncharted landmass, there are some people who believe that Megalania still lurks in the interior of the continent, but there isnt a shred of evidence to support this view!

Higher education in Pharmacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Higher education in Pharmacy - Essay Example I have always been scientifically inclined with keen interests towards medical field. Pharmacy has wide scope in the current market and degree in Pharmacy would provide me informed choices so as to exploit opportunities for personal and professional growth. My long term goals are to become successful pharmacist and serve my community. I want to go back to my roots and show them that education is a strong tool for becoming a successful person and professional. I come from a poor family and had to work hard from an early age to survive. But I am also self driven person with strong ambition for prosperous future. I want to become a successful pharmacist and show my people that hard work and education are important to achieve goals in life. My strong interests in the medical field have been the motivating force for studying pharmacy. The pharmacy school represents my hopes of the future and it would help me to realize my dreams. My strong interests in the medical field have been the motivating force for studying pharmacy. The pharmacy school represents my hopes of the future and it would help me to realize my dreams of becoming a successful person.

The Kinship System of Yanomamo Culture Assignment

The Kinship System of Yanomamo Culture - Assignment Example This system of kinship is based on bifurcate merging. In this system of kinship, though the institution of marriage remains closely confined to the family, it sternly prohibits marriages between parallel cousins. It is just because the Yanomamo people tend to hold kinship so dear that they tend to form groups and manage intergroup relationships by resorting to alliances and warfare (Simpson & Kenrick, 1997). The Yanomamo people tend to organize themselves locally relying on the patrilinial decent. The depth of the lineage groups seldom extends more than three adult generations. Individuals are not allowed to mention the names of their dead as it is considered to be inauspicious (Simpson & Kenrick, 1997). In a practical context it means that the name of ancestors and the human ties associated with them are soon forgotten. Marriage to more than one woman is considered by the males to be a symbol of social status. The social life is woven around striking relationships between groups either through alliances or warfare. Both these methods of striking relationships involve the exchange of women between groups and it is mostly this exchange that gives way to violence and warfare. The Marriages alliances involve a marriage between two groups belonging to two different tribes. In the Yanomamo system of kinship, the individual loyalty and allegiance of a tribe member automatically passes on to the tribe in which that member marries (Simpson & Kenrick, 1997). Perhaps Yanomamo adhere to this kinship going by the need for the males to help tribes survive in an environment marked by scarce resources. Yanomamo people also tend to forge feasting alliances with tribes that are not united by a marriage, but are also not divided by aggression and war. In a broader context the Yanomamo idea of kinship originates from their philosophy that considers nature to be a unified and sacred force, marked by its power to

Tradition vs innovation in textile Literature review

Tradition vs innovation in textile - Literature review Example This essay is going to discuss the inventions in the textile industry and compare the traditional textile production with the modern innovations in the industry. One of the key changes that have been introduced in the textile industry is the issue of sustainability (Wilson, 2001, p.71). In the modern world, lobby groups, environmental organizations, governments and the international community in general are emphasizing a lot on the need of having sustainable technologies of production of not only textile products, but also other types of products. The main idea is to ensure that natural resources are conservatively utilized and in an effective manner. Sustainable methods of production have also played a major role in reducing the rate of pollution with respect to emission of harmful gaseous, liquid and solid wastes into the environment (McArthur and Shepard, 2001, p.85). Initially, textile producing companies cared very little about the environment and instead focused on how they would maximize their profits. However, most of these manufacturers have realized the need for becoming socially responsible or what is commonly known as corporate s ocial responsibility (CSR) by incorporating production methods that are friendly to the environment. Another major innovation in the textile industry is human hair. There has been a tremendous revolution on the way artificial human hair is manufactured. Better and extremely appealing artificial hairs are been produced as entrepreneurs compete to have a market share in this multi-billion industry. In the modern world, appealing hair design is one of the most essentials that ladies and sometimes men value a lot (Udale, 2008, p.32). As a result, numerous innovations have been made in making artificial human hair more attractive. Others go to an extent of purchasing natural hair from countries like Philippines at a very high cost. Introduction of smart

Biochemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biochemistry - Essay Example The conversion of glucose to glycogen, a process of energy storage, is achieved by a number of enzymes, the absence or deficiency of which leads to the GSDs resulting in inborn errors of glycogen metabolism. These disorders arise due to deficiency of enzymes involved in the glyconeogenesis or due to abnormal functioning of the glycogen breakdown enzymes. GSDs are categorized based on the type enzyme deficiency and the tissue affected. The systems involved in glycogen synthesis disorders are the liver and muscle, which are the primary sites of energy storage. GSD Type IV, also known as amylopectinosis, is usually fatal and leads to death by age 4. Some of the clinical symptoms include hepatomegaly, failure to thrive, splenomegaly, cirrhosis and lumbar lordosis. Type IV disorder arises due to deficiency of the glycogen branching enzyme amylo-1,4-1,6 transglucosidase, which leads to the formation of abnormally structured glycogen, having amylase molecules with low solubility, leading to glycogen precipitation in the liver, the heart and other tissues. The condition ultimately leads to early death (Ozen, 2541-53). Type I diabetic patients who are erroneously prescribed too high of an insulin dose in their insulin regimen can present liver disease symptoms similar to those presented in glycogen storage diseases. Explain the biochemical basis for this finding. One of the important functions of insulin is glycogen syn... Insulin regulates the amount of glucose absorbed or released from the cell. The glucose absorbed from the blood is stored in the form of glycogen in the liver. One of the important functions of insulin is glycogen synthesis, brought about by activating the enzyme hexokinase. This in turn, phosphorylates glucose, thus, trapping it within the cell, in the form of energy. Insulin also inhibit the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and activates phosphofructokinase and glycogen synthase, thus helping the hepatocytes to havest excess glucose in the form of glycogen. But, in the absense of insulin, as in case of type 1 diabetes, glucose circulation in the blood increases and the cells fail to harvest it for energy. In the absence of energy the cells activate the enzymes involved in the breakdown of glycogen (glycogenolysis).Under the conditions of cell starvation triggered by lack of insulin, glucagon, a counter regulatory hormone,is activated, which, again stimulates the process of glycogenolysis in hepatocytes, thus releasing energy. When insulin is administered from an outside source, in excess, (eg: injections), insulin activates the formation of glycogen from glucose and inhibition glycogenolysis. Therefore, in presence of excess insulin, there is a surplus production of glycogen, similar to that of glycogen storage disorders. Also, there is inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate, similar to deficiency of the same as in glycogen storage disorders (Bowen). 3.Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that colonizes the upper gastrointestinal tract in humans and is the causative agent of chronic gastritis, ulcers, and possibly gastric cancer. Knowledge of the intermediary metabolism of this organism would be helpful in developing effective drug

Concept political culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concept political culture - Essay Example The latter was the form of governance utilized in the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans among others. The Ayllu were an example of Incan Empire, which utilized communally participatory politics where kinships existed. It added to the authoritarian, hierarchical, as well as other dictatorial methods of governance (Prevost & Vanden, 31). It was developed from the Iberian Peninsula and applied from following the governing methods that were part of the colonial and republican eras. One significant form of governance was the absolutist tradition, which went on to become a manifest of the Americas form of power with the fusion of the military power possessed by the Latin society. In the case of Latin America, it is a pot of cultural variations, which has established a level of diversity in Latin America. This is clearly shown by the political aspects, where the Latin countries adopt different political culture, which is determined by historical events. Latin America was deemed a region of having resources in abundance, and it resulted in different countries colonizing the region in the early years. With countries such as Spain, England, and even the United States, they each played a role in developing the political forms of governance in the region. It is illustrated by the development of Latin as the language in the region, which is heavily influenced by the Spanish language. This is an example of the major influences that the colonial period created in Latin America. The latter is influenced by the large number of tribes and social variations that have made the Latin culture so diverse. It has established a form of identity for the different countries in the region. A significant political factor that influences the region is the element of Dictatorship. The latter was introduced in the colonial period, and it was the style and rule

Biochemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biochemistry - Essay Example The conversion of glucose to glycogen, a process of energy storage, is achieved by a number of enzymes, the absence or deficiency of which leads to the GSDs resulting in inborn errors of glycogen metabolism. These disorders arise due to deficiency of enzymes involved in the glyconeogenesis or due to abnormal functioning of the glycogen breakdown enzymes. GSDs are categorized based on the type enzyme deficiency and the tissue affected. The systems involved in glycogen synthesis disorders are the liver and muscle, which are the primary sites of energy storage. GSD Type IV, also known as amylopectinosis, is usually fatal and leads to death by age 4. Some of the clinical symptoms include hepatomegaly, failure to thrive, splenomegaly, cirrhosis and lumbar lordosis. Type IV disorder arises due to deficiency of the glycogen branching enzyme amylo-1,4-1,6 transglucosidase, which leads to the formation of abnormally structured glycogen, having amylase molecules with low solubility, leading to glycogen precipitation in the liver, the heart and other tissues. The condition ultimately leads to early death (Ozen, 2541-53). Type I diabetic patients who are erroneously prescribed too high of an insulin dose in their insulin regimen can present liver disease symptoms similar to those presented in glycogen storage diseases. Explain the biochemical basis for this finding. One of the important functions of insulin is glycogen syn... Insulin regulates the amount of glucose absorbed or released from the cell. The glucose absorbed from the blood is stored in the form of glycogen in the liver. One of the important functions of insulin is glycogen synthesis, brought about by activating the enzyme hexokinase. This in turn, phosphorylates glucose, thus, trapping it within the cell, in the form of energy. Insulin also inhibit the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and activates phosphofructokinase and glycogen synthase, thus helping the hepatocytes to havest excess glucose in the form of glycogen. But, in the absense of insulin, as in case of type 1 diabetes, glucose circulation in the blood increases and the cells fail to harvest it for energy. In the absence of energy the cells activate the enzymes involved in the breakdown of glycogen (glycogenolysis).Under the conditions of cell starvation triggered by lack of insulin, glucagon, a counter regulatory hormone,is activated, which, again stimulates the process of glycogenolysis in hepatocytes, thus releasing energy. When insulin is administered from an outside source, in excess, (eg: injections), insulin activates the formation of glycogen from glucose and inhibition glycogenolysis. Therefore, in presence of excess insulin, there is a surplus production of glycogen, similar to that of glycogen storage disorders. Also, there is inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate, similar to deficiency of the same as in glycogen storage disorders (Bowen). 3.Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that colonizes the upper gastrointestinal tract in humans and is the causative agent of chronic gastritis, ulcers, and possibly gastric cancer. Knowledge of the intermediary metabolism of this organism would be helpful in developing effective drug

Cyber Terrorism and other types of terrorism in Australia Research Paper

Cyber Terrorism and other types of terrorism in Australia - Research Paper Example The practical difficulty in controlling cyber crimes made it one of the most dangerous terrorist activities of modern era. Since most of the critical areas of human life are making use of computers and internet at present, cyber attack can affect the social life drastically within a second. For example, transporting systems, power supply, military operation and telecommunication systems etc are relying heavily on computers and internet for its routine jobs and functions at present. Any problems occurred in the functionality of computers and internet can affect these areas negatively and cause immense damages to public life. This paper analyses the terrorism threats faced by Australia in general and cyber threats in particular. It is not necessary that cyber attacks may create physical ham alone to Australia. In fact cyber attacks can be used to defame a country like Australia in front of others. The most common form of hacktivism is the defacing of web pages to carry a message to the audience of that web site. The site shown in Figure below – an Australian business defaced to accuse Australia of being a terrorist country, is a recent example of hacktivism – as well as illustrating the tensions of the war on terror being transferred to the electronic realm (Ellsmore, p.5) The above webpage is a clear example of how the cyber attacks happening against Australia. Australia is a strong supporter of war on terror which is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Terrorists target all the countries which support war on terror in some way. Since most of the countries like Australia have strengthened the security measures against a physical or direct terrorist attack terrorists now adopting channels of indirect attack. Cyber attacks give them the luxury of attacking their targets from a distance and the chances of arrest or punishment are extremely rare. â€Å"Evidence exist s to suggest that al-Qaeda have also been using the Internet to collect & collate information about potential critical infrastructure targets† (Ellsmore, p.6). Internet is an ocean of information. It is not necessary to visit a place to collect information about it. All the details about all the places in the world are available on internet at present. It is easy for terrorist groups to collect and analyze this information before planning an attack on a particular target. The electronic information can be used for cyber attacks or even for physical attacks. According to the CERT Co-ordination Centre, the number of reported computer security incidents increased from 9,859 in 1999 to 52,658 in 2001, and we are on track for almost 100,000 in 2023. Similarly, the 2002 Australian Computer Crime and Security Survey found that 67% of respondents suffered a security incident, twice the level of 1994 (Ellsmore, p.8). The above statistics are clear indications of growing threats faced b y Australia from cyber terrorism. Cyber attacks can affect the productivity of organizations and employment losses to the employees. In other words, cyber attacks can destroy affect the financial systems more than the lives of the people. The expenses needed to conduct a cyber attack are extremely cheaper compared to the expenses needed for a physical attack. At the same time cyber attacks can cause more damages to the target than a physical attack. Moreover, the publicity generated by cyber attacks may create panic and disgust among the people. The above facts motivate terrorist in selecting cyber medium for their future channel of attack. â€Å"

The US Correctional System Essay Example for Free

The US Correctional System Essay When it comes to the phrase â€Å"being behind bars,† most people get the visualization and thought of prison, our correctional facilities. When thinking of these prisons there is one big thought about it and that is time. Offenders that get sentenced to prison usually have a very long sentence over there head. The real questions for these correctional systems is how are offenders punished as well as how are they rehabilitated? People may never understand the main role of prisons, but it won’t hurt to find out. When thinking of punishment when it comes to offenders what does it really mean? Punishment is a penalty dispensed on an offender with legal system. Correctional officials and parole board members determine the context of punishment and, occasionally, its length (Stanko, Gillespie CREWS, 2004). Soon after the advancement of penitentiaries, early disciplines were frequently brutal and torturous. These punishments were flogging, mutilation, branding, public humiliation, workhouses, and exile. Flogging is being beaten with a rod or a whip. The last flogging of an offender was in Delaware, June 16, 1952. Mutilation is basically a system of particular prevention that makes it challenging or unrealistic for people to carry out fate wrongdoings. All through history, diverse public orders have cut away the hands of hoodlums and burglars, blinded spies, and maimed attackers. Blasphemers had their tongues torn out, and pickpockets endured broken fingers. Noteworthy mutilation, which incorporated cutting off the ears and splitting out the tongue, was initiated in eleventh-century Britain and encroached on pursuers who poached on regal terrains. Branding was utilized to promptly distinguish declared guilty offenders and to caution alternates with whom they may go in contact of their perilous potential. Various early disciplines were composed to mortify offenders in accessible and to permit parts of the group a chance for vengeance. The stocks and pillory were two such disciplines. In the belief that neediness was created by slowness, administrations were snappy to make workhouses outlined to inject â€Å"inclinations of industry† in the unemployed. Lastly, many criminals were banished in many societies. The French sent criminal offenders to Devils Island, and the Russians utilized Siberia for quite some time for the same reason (Schmalleger, 2008). Now days Imprisonment is the most regular illustration of discipline in the correctional framework, however the demise punishment and lesser punishments for example probation are likewise outlined to be corrective (eHow Contributor , 2013). In the philosophical level headed discussion about punishment, two fundamental sorts of speculations of discipline command: utilitarian speculation and retributive speculation. Speculations that set the objective of discipline as the anticipation of destiny wrongdoing (prevention) are for the most part pointed to as utilitarian being as how they are inferred from utilitarian theory. Past oriented speculations (hypotheses that center on the past activities of the offender) are pointed to as retributivist for the reason that they look for requital from offenders for their criminal acts (Banks , 2013). After punishment comes rehabilitation. When it comes to prisons today, does rehabilitate really mean anything and if so what takes place with rehabilitation? Rehabilitate means to restore to a former capacity (Rehabilitate, 2013) as well as intimates interior change, importance a perpetual change in qualities, demeanor, ethics, or ways of getting a load of the planet (Stanko, Gillespie CREWS, 2004). The prison framework offers a mixture of courses to accommodate restore offenders: existence aptitudes classes, drug medicine arrangements, school, work developing, and an assortment of different projects (Hillman , 2009). Rehabilitation is the essential re-socialization strategy connected with the criminal equity framework. Throughout recovery, offenders study that faithful, adjusting conduct gives more gushing and material compensates than resistant, oppositional conduct. Correctional rehabilitation improved in tandem with the ascent of the social sciences in the early twentieth century. Scholastics started going to penitentiaries with the end goal of deductive exploration. It was noted that recovery regularly had a medicinal introduction. Clinicians and psychiatrics started overseeing emotional disposition tests to convicts throughout gathering and appraisal in the early twentieth century. Jail sociologists were likewise procured to group convicts as per their behavior and needs. A mixture of directing projects was launched, incorporating gathering treatment, conduct change, and contemplation. Rehabilitation was the overwhelming correctional theory for a large portion of the twentieth century. Nonetheless, the New York State Department of Corrections led an assessment investigation of rehabilitative projects in the mid1970s. Martinson was one of the scientists who presumed that recovery did not diminish recidivism. That is, medication and help customizes outlined to re-socialized convicts were not working. Martinsons exploration started a level headed discussion that kept up into the 1980s and 1990s. Lawmakers and social traditionalists utilized his summations to development the corrective part of adjustments, while analysts and liberals debated his findings. In late years, nonetheless, the open deliberation over restoration has disappeared in light of additionally pressing correctional issues, for example climbing jail inhabitant totals, packing, and budgetary lessening (Stanko, Gillespie CREWS, 2004). Determining whether punishment or rehabilitation is more effective in reducing crime, well it can be difficult to determine. In my opinion punishment would be the most effective. For example, if a 9 year old got in trouble by getting mad and going to his room after fighting with his parents and then slams the bedroom door. Talking with the child and pretty much telling them what they did was wrong is going to help them not do it again. If the child is punished by his parents and has to open and close the door softly 100 times nonstop in a row, it would teach the child that since he did something wrong he has to pay the price of it. I know that from experience. I used to slam the door and after opening and closing it over and over countless times, I learned my lesson and never slammed a door. Here is a quoted dialogue from the movie â€Å"Shawshank Redemption† that explains why I think rehabilitation isn’t very effective. Redding: â€Å"Rehabilitated? Well, now, let me see. You know, I dont have any idea what that means.† Parole Board Interviewer: â€Å"Uh, well, it means youre ready to rejoin society† – Redding: â€Å"I know what you think it means, sonny. To me, its just a made up word, a politicians word, so that young fellas like yourself can wear a suit and a tie and have a job. What do you really wanna know? Am I sorry for what I did?† Parole Board Interviewer: â€Å"Well, are you?† Redding: â€Å"Theres not a day goes by I dont feel regret. Not because Im in here, or because you think I should. I look back on the way I was then, a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I wanna talk to him. I wanna try to talk some sense to him tell him the way things are. But I cant. That kids long gone and this old man is all thats left. I gotta live with that. Rehabilitated? Its just a bull**** word. So you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I dont give a s**t (American Rhetoric: Movie Speech , 1994).† After this dialogue took place in the movie Redding’s parole decision to be released was approved. So honestly I really don’t think that rehabilitation does any good in trying to change offenders’ personal behavior so that they will not commit any future crimes. Like Redding said, it’s just a made up word. Our US Correctional system can be very complex when it comes to punishment and rehabilitation. Flogging, mutilation, branding, public humiliation, workhouses, and exile were early punishments that took place soon after penitentiaries were created. Now day’s imprisonment is the main role for punishment. Existence aptitudes classes, drug medicine arrangements, school, work developing, and an assortment of different projects are all associated with rehabilitation now days. Rehabilitation is the essential re-socialization strategy connected with the criminal equity framework. When it comes to reducing crime some people think that punishment is more effective than rehabilitation and others think that rehabilitation is more effective. We may never know exactly which one is more effective to help reduce crime but in my opinion punishment would me the most effective. It teaches the offender a lesson. Don’t get me wrong, rehabilitation can and does help for certain offenders, but for most offenders now days, sometimes it just takes some discipline to help turn them back around. References American Rhetoric: Movie Speech (1994). The shawshank redemption [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechtheshawshankredemptionparoleboard.html Banks , C. (2013). Criminal justice ethics. (3rd ed., p. 105). Tousand Oaks, California: Sage. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/upm- data/5144_Banks_II_Proof_Chapter_5.pdf eHow Contributor (2013). Role of the correctional system. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5087269_role-correctional-system.html Hillman , S. (2009, April 17). Do us prisons really rehabilitate criminals?. Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/1418951-prison- systems-rehabilitation Rehabilitate. In (2013). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/rehabilitate Schmalleger, F. (2008). Criminal justice today: An introductory text for the 21st century . (11th ed., pp. 451-453). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Retrieved from http://content-crj.kaplan.edu/CJ101_1201B/images/product/M13_SCHM4091_11_SE_CH13.pdf Stanko, S., Gillespie, W., CREWS, G. A. (2004). Living in prison : A history of the correctional system with an insiders view. (pp. 10, 54-55). Westport, Connecticut: GREENWOOD PRESS. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/ebookviewer/ebook/nlebk_125608_AN? sid=a8ee54a8-197e-4b9a-8e17- [emailprotected]vid=2

Environmental Analysis Of Ryanair

Environmental Analysis Of Ryanair In spite of lots of controversies, in august 2006 Air Transport World Magazine announced that Ryanair was the most profitable airline in the world on the basis of its operating and net profit margins (case study). The purpose of this report is to undertake an environmental analysis of European airline industry with implications to Rynair. On the bases of environmental analysis Ryanairs success and its sustainability in European budget airline industry is critically assessed. An environmental analysis is undertaken on the European airline industry with implication to Ryanair using tools such as PESTEL analysis, Porter five forces, SWOT analysis and Strategic group analysis. Pestel analysis is one of the important tools to analyse environmental factors influencing organisations strategy. PESTEL stands for political, economic, social, technology, environmental and legal. It is important for organisation to analyse how these factors are changing and how they are likely to change in the future (Johnson et. al, 2009). PESTEL analysis is used to analysis macro-environment in which Ryanair operates and to identify key-drivers of change. Government policies can influence to a large extend on airline industry. After the terrorist attract in 2001 UK authorities imposed serve security measures at all airports. As a result of this Ryanair suffered a loss of 1.9 million Euros on reduced bookings. Airport and handling charges was increased by 21% in 2006, which could put more pressure on budget airline like Ryanair. In 2005 EU regulations came into effect, which forced the airline to refund fares to passengers in case of delays, cancellations or denied boarding. Economic climate plays a vital role in influencing airline industry. During time of recession people refer to reduce their expenses which could reflect on number of people travelling in a flight, they may use any other alternative transport. The main economic factors that concerns airline industry is increase in fuel price, which forced some of the airlines to include fuel surcharges into airfares. Ryanair guaranteed its customers that it will not add fuel surcharges into their tickets. Current fluctuation in exchange rate is another issue in airline industry. The fuel price was always quoted in US dollars therefore there is always a risk in converting, as Ryanair deals with Euros. Ryanair had not hedged early, so it was paying $70 per barrel of oil up to October 2009 while other airlines were paying $50 to $60 per barrel of oil. Social: Social factors include social life style, demographic, perceptions which could also influence airline industry. It is expected that by 2012 there will be more old people in European countries; this will be the key to all airlines to come up with something special for them. Ryanair charged up to  £18 for using wheelchair and check in baggage and advertising standards rebuked the airline for misleading advertisement complaint, all these could create a negative impact on customers. Technological: With new technological improvement flying has became a new experience for passengers. New flights, online boarding, in flight entertainment system are some of the technological advancement in airline industry. In 2001 Ryanair launched its website which facilitates car hotel rentals, rail services and travel insurance, all at low prices. The airline website was largest travel website in Europe and fifth most recognised brand on Google, offering huge potential in E-commerce and advertising revenues. Ryanair brought new Boeing 737-800 aircraft which is more environmentally-friendly, reducing fuel consumption by 2%. Environmental: The airline industry is been accused by various social groups for emissions of carbon. Aviation represents 2.6% of carbon emissions in the EU, Oxford university study predicted that carbon from aviation would accelerate. Therefore airline industry was asked to play environmental taxes which could put more pressure on all airlines. Ryanair protested against this taxation arguing aviation contributes only small proportion of carbon emissions. Legal: Ryanair filed two cases against UK government: one for claim to compensate the carrier for lost flights and bookings; another was for increase in insurance costs for all commercial airlines. The carrier was sued by Swedens prime minister and a former foreign minister for placing their photos in one of companys advertising campaign without getting their permission. Porters Five Forces The five forces model was introduced by Porter, which helps to identify the sources of competition in an industry or sector. Although initially used with business in mind, it is of value to most organisations (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). Porters five forces model is used to analyse the level of competition existing in airline industry. Competitive Rivalry: The low-cost airline market is very competitive compared to other markets. The concept of low cost can be easily copied by rivals, which leads to high competition in the industry. Two major low-cost airlines (EasyJet and Ryanair) have always avoided direct competition by serving different routes. There is high level of competition for Ryanair and other established airlines in getting landing permissions and departure slots. Bargaining Power of Customers: Customers who prefer low-cost airline are often price sensitive and tend to switch over to another airline. Now days all airlines are online which has made customers relatively easier and cheaper for them to more to another airline. Moreover they try to maintain some sort of loyalty towards the airline in which they frequently fly. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The major cost for all airline industry is fuel prices, which is constantly increasing. There is no alternative to aviation fuel therefore oil companies has high bargaining power. Boeing supplies plans to Ryanair, if they have to switch to another supplier it will cost them high since they have to retrain its pilots. Bigger airports like Heathrow has a high bargaining power than smaller airports, thus it will be difficult for Ryanair to operate from these airports. Threat of New Entrants: The low-cost model can be easily adopted by others and can enter into the market. There are also some barriers for the new entrants like requires huge capital investment, availability of slots and price war existing in routes where other low-cost airlines operates. The new entrants have to get prior authorisations which are not easily these days and need to setup strong base in order to survive in the competition. Substitutes: Not all people prefer to travel by flights. Especially during time of recession most people avoid flights and travel by other cheap alternatives like travel by sea or by trains or by ferries or by cars. There are some people who may be aerophobia (Fear of flying), these people try to avoid flying and choose other alternative. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis summarises the key issues from the business environment and the strategic capability of an organisation that are most likely to impact on strategy development. It aims at identifying the extent to which the current strengths and weakness are relevant in dealing with threats in the environment (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). It is very useful tool in environmental analysis, which helps to find out strengths, weakness and opportunities threats of Ryanair. Strengths and weakness are concerned in detail to analyse current position of the company, complete SWOT analysis can be found in Appendix 3. Strengths: Ryanairs CEO Michael OLeary is one of the main strength to the airline as he often comes up with new ideas and was credited with single-handedly transforming European air transport. Ryanair always operates from small airports thus reducing their costs on airport charges and gaining suitable departure SLOTS. In 2000, Ryanair launched its website www.Ryanair.com, which facilitated car and hotel rentals, rail services and travel insurance and all at low prices (Box and Byus, 2007). The airline uses Boeing 737-800 which is more environmental friendly and also reduces fuel consumption by 2%. Weakness: Ryanair is always criticised for charging for wheelchair and check-in luggage which could leaves a negative image on the customers. The staffs and crew members are not well trained therefore not customer friendly. Ryanair always avoided bigger airports and concentred on small regional airports, which could be a drawback for the company for future expansion. Other important concern for Ryanair is its relationship with authorities, the airline often involved in some kind of crash with them. Strategic Group Analysis Strategic groups are organisations within an industry with similar strategic characteristics, following similar strategies or competing on similar bases. There are many different characteristics that distinguish between strategic groups but these are classified into two major categories: scope of organisations activities and resource commitment (Johnson et. al., 2008). The main competitors to Ryanair are EasyJet and Aer Lingus. Strategic group analysis (Appendix 5) is used to understand the competition, strategic opportunities and mobility barriers of Ryanair in low cost airline industry. Strategic Groups in Low-cost industry In Europe there are three main airlines providing low-cost flights to destinations namely Ryanair, EasyJet, Aer Lingus. Ryanair is dominant low-cost producer and has a gross cash of more than 1.8bn Euros. EasyJets majority of passengers are UK based, but becoming pan-European player. Aer Lingus is another low-cost airline operating from Dublin serving more than 70 destinations across Europe and US. Figure 1 in appendix 5 shows the positioning of these airlines on bases of passengers capacity and their market share in industry. Ryanair and EasyJet have 56% of market share in low-cost industry. Strategic Space in Industry Strategic group maps help us to identify the most attractive strategic spaces within an industry. A strategic group map is only the first stage of the analysis; strategic spaces need to be tested carefully (Johnson et. al., 2008). In low-cost airline industry, for instance the airlines can serve long haul routes which could help them in expansion. They can also consider moving into other low-cost segments like trains and offer its passengers new attractive products and services (figure 2 in appendix 5). Mobility Barriers Moving across the map to gain competitive advantage is costless but it often involves difficult decisions and rare resources. Mobility barriers are the obstacles to movement from one strategic group to another (Johnson et. al., 2008). Similarly in the low-cost airline industry (figure 3 in appendix 5) it will be difficult for airlines to move to another strategic group. The lack of experience in long haul routes, increasing fuel prices, high competition from big airlines like British airways and other regional airlines are some of the barriers which could put more pressure on airlines to move to another strategic group. RYANAIRS SUCCESS When Ryanair was started in 1990, everyone where anxious to see its performance in an industry where there was a monopoly created by giants like British Airways and Lufthansa. In response to this, the airline became one of the successful low-cost airlines operating from 127 destinations around the world (Case study). There have been many ups and downs for Ryanair since its launch but it continues to be successful in its operation. The success of an airline depends on how and what it offers to its customers. In case on Ryanair, it always tried to offer its passengers low-cost airfares at all times. The airline often comes up with new ideas which make them to reduce its airfares. These new ideas differentiate it from other traditional airlines. One of the main differentiate is its website, the companys site is largest travel website which was recording 50000 bookings per week (Box and Byus, 2007). The website also provides additional facilities to its customers like car, hotel rental, rail services and travel insurance, all at low prices. The airline offers customers online check-in which enables them to save its costs on printing tickets and other additional costs. The use of internet also makes it easy and quicker for customers to check-in. LIMITATIONS OF MODELS USED PESTEL Analysis The environment is constantly changing therefore PESTEL analysis should be done on regular basis and information needs to be accurate (Campbell et. al, 2002). PESTEL analysis is very expensive in terms of cost and time The effectiveness of this model depends on the level of prediction made on future. No one can predict the future. The speed of changes makes it difficult for managers to anticipate developments that may affect the organisation in future. Porters Five Forces Porters five force model assumes that all companies try to achieve competitive advantage over others in the industry This model assumes that goal of competitive advantage is to dominate suppliers and buyers (Campbell et. al, 2002). Internal environment is not taken into account It is difficult to use this model in complex industries with multiple interrelations. SWOT Analysis It is not critically analysed The data used in the analysis may be based on assumptions. Lacks detailed structure. It usage rarely amounts to much more than a poorly structured, very general list of factors regarded by the proposing individual as important components of the organisations strategic situation (David, 1997). Value Chain The concept of value chain disaggregates a company into activity or the discrete functions or processes that represent the elemental building blocks of competitive advantage (Porter, 1998). There is risk of losing control of proprietary knowledge, skills, capability, or competence as these are disseminated to supply chain members (Morden, 2007). It can be applied only to manufacturing companies not to service industries. Strategic Group Analysis Difficult to group companies based on their strategy. Strategic groups are relatively unstable.

Moral Sentiments and Determinism Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Pap

ABSTRACT: P. F. Strawson’s essay "Freedom and Resentment" was a landmark in the study of determinism, free-will, and morality. It contributed a much-needed correction to the problem of overintellectualization as found in twentieth-century compatibilist literature. Although most of the central claims in Strawson’s essay are important and true, it fails to fill the lacuna in the analysis, discussion and proposals of traditional compatibilism. The reasons may be summarized as follows. The web of moral demands, feelings and participant attitudes comprises a set of facts within human social life which must be investigated in order to understand the relation (or lack thereof) between determinism and morality. If the facts themselves fill the gap, then it must be some adequate and coherent understanding of them. According to Strawson, the incompatibilist has an understandable dissatisfaction with his opponent’s account because, among other things, the latter fails to de al with the condition of desert and of the justice of moral condemnation and punishment. However, the theory of "Freedom and Resentment" fails equally on this point. What is now needed is a combination of factual study with ethical inquiry. The former would draw on the results of social psychology, the psychology of moral development, the social sciences of morals, and (philosophical) moral psychology. I In the light of a well-known distinction between participant moral attitudes and objective ones, the traditional issue of free will and morality is rephrased, in P.F.Strawson’s ‘Freedom and Resentment’ (henceforth FR), as follows: Could, or should, determinism lead us always to look on everyone exclusively in the objective way? The negative answer is defended and ... ...egal punishment, and the sociology and anthropology of morality. As far as the latter is concerned, that would amount to a sort of revival of the late l9th Century and early 20th Century studies in the social sciences of morals. In an age of multidisciplinary studies such as ours, FR may retrospectively be looked on by present-day students of our philosophical problem as containing an ‘ahead-of-its-time’ invitation, and an especially attractive one, for the philosopher to embark on such a multidisciplinary enterprise. References Honderich, T. (Ed.), Essays on Freedom of Action, Routledge and Kegan Paul, l973. Schlick, M., Problems of Ethics , Dover Publications, N.York, l939. Strawson, P.F., ‘Freedom and Resentment’ in Freedom and Resentment and other Essays, Methuen, l974 Skepticism and Naturalism: some varieties, Columbia University Press, l985.

English Proverb Example

English proverbs 1. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. † Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder. 2. â€Å"No man is an island. † You can't live completely independently. Everyone needs help from other people. 3. â€Å"Fortune favors the bold. † People who bravely go after what they want are more successful than people who try to live safely. 4. â€Å"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. † Don't criticize other people if you're not perfect yourself. 5. â€Å"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. †This seems pretty clear 6. â€Å"Better late than never. † This one's clear, too. 7. â€Å"There's no place like home. † Your own home is the most comfortable place to be. 8. â€Å"Discretion is the greater part of valor. † Sometimes it's important to know when to give up and run away, instead of always acting brave and maybe getting hurt. 9. â€Å"The early bird catches the worm. † You should wake up and start work early if you want to succeed. 10. â€Å"Never look a gift horse in the mouth. † If someone offers you a gift, don't question it. 11. â€Å"You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. When you try to do something great, you'll probably make a few people annoyed or angry. Don't worry about those people; just focus on the good results. 12. â€Å"God helps those who help themselves. † Don't just wait for good things to happen to you. Work hard to achieve your goals. 13. â€Å"One man's trash is another man's treasure. † Different people have different ideas about what's valuable. 14. â€Å"There's no time like the present. † If you need to do something, don't wait until later. Do it now. 15. â€Å"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.Different people have different ideas about what's beautiful. 16. â€Å"Necessity is the mother of invention. † When you're really in need, you think of creative solutions to your problems. 17. â€Å"A penny saved is a penny earned. † Save your money. 18. â€Å"Familiarity breeds contempt. † When you're around someone for too long, you get tired of them and annoyed by them. 19. â€Å"You can't judge a book by its cover. † Things sometimes look different than they really are. A restaurant that looks old and small might have amazing food, for example. 20. â€Å"Good things come to those who wait. † Be patient.

International Business Environment Essay

Venturing into new business and market frontiers like Malaysia requires extensive understanding of the environment in terms of the political establishment, business potential, legal and regulatory framework, and availability of resources, socio-cultural aspects and to an extent geographical position and infrastructural development of the country. The research and analysis of these key and crucial factors are important in analysing the potential and business environment of Malaysia. Malaysia possesses unique features and characteristics which are different from any other nation and it’s therefore essential to scan and research the market. Geographically located in Eastern Asia, Malaysia has been one of Asia fastest developing markets in the last half century. Malaysia is among the â€Å"Asian Tigers† a terminology given to the Asian economies which transformed from third world nation status to middle income nations within a short span thanks to sound and effective economic policies. It has a sizeable population of around 28. 3 million with diverse ethnic composition largely comprising the Ethnic Malays, Indians and Chinese population (CIA fact book, 2010). Similarly Malaysia is a developing nation with growing high per capita income making it a potential market for introduction of any business. The nation has well established and developed financial markets and excellent world class infrastructure in transport air and sea and moreover it’s known worldwide for the technology superiority and advancements. It’s highly developed commercial and manufacture sectors makes it a target for many international business. Malaysia has enjoyed a relative stable political stability which has been instrumental in spurring its economy and attracting foreign firms. It’s also a competitive business environment with flexible legal and regulatory framework making it easy to operate business. Therefore it’s very important to explore and understand these aspects and others in detail to ensure conclusion and market analysis of Malaysia is obtained through in depth understanding of the market. This would enable the company to undertake its strategies and plans effectively and efficiently in Malaysia. The paper tries to look some of the aspects mentioned above in more detail. Conclusively, In order to expand business to other countries, many factors should be put into consideration so as to ensure there is professional development of the business. Critical analysis, exploring and report writing is therefore important considering these issue and thus should be undertaken respectively. Introduction In business, the understanding of a given culture in which business is to be done and be based is very critical and thus important. With connection to these some aspects have to be considered so as to know where and which country qualifies better for allocation of such business. These can be well achieved through exploring and analysing the business environment of a prospective country. For instance, Culture and cultural practices are very important and have to be understood in order to make sure all the selling strategies have been able to offer good fruits in the business (Sandra, 2001, p 58). This paper thus comes up with the choosing of Malaysia as an example of a country on which as the Business Development Manager of Australia have chosen with the aim of expanding business. Therefore this paper discusses the critical analysis and the report obtained from exploring and analysing business environment of Malaysia which in return helps in determining where the country fits in the complexity of international business environment. Many factors should be put into consideration so as to decide whether the business will effectively run smoothly (Dunning, 1998, p 98). Country Profile Situated in Eastern Asia Geographically Malaysia covers approximately area of 392,748 square Kms, this is lightly larger than New Mexico in United States and a population of 26 Million people (C.  I. A fact book, 2010) this is a sizeable population which can be viable for any target market and introduction of business ventures. In Malaysia Islam is the pre-dominant and largest religion practised by the ethnic Malays but the nation is a multi-ethnic society and has other religious beliefs like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Taoism practised by the minority ethnic population of Indians, Chinese and a small proportion of immigrant labour force. Ethnic Composition of Malaysia has around 53. 3% ethnic Malays, Chinese 26%, Indigenous 11. 8%, Indians 7. 7% others 1. % and Islamic religion has 60. 4% followers, Buddhism 9. 2%, Christianity 9. 1%, Hinduism 6. 3% ( CIA fact book ,2010) Its essential to know the ethnic and religious composition in order to understand the fabric of the society properly. Bahasa Melayu is the official language along with Chinese , English and Tamil are the languages used pre-dominantly in Malaysia and it’s a plus to have English as one of the languages as it makes it easy for transactions and communication when the business and corporations aspiring to penetrate Malaysian market are from English speaking nations. The country is contained of two distinct parts which are separated by the South China Sea whereby, the parts, the east and west share similar landscape in that they have coastal plains which rise due to densely forested hill and mountains. Malaysia neighbours Indonesia and thus the two countries share some cultures (Carsrud & Brannback 2007, p, 54). This is due to the Indians ethnic community which is quite well represented in Malaysia and also it borders countries like Singapore and China. The nation is well endowed with natural resources, good infrastructural development in communications technology and transport and a good coast line with proximity to major sea routes. Economy Malaysia transformed from a third world economy to middle income economy within a duration of around three decades and the nation shifted from being a primarily agricultural economic based to an industrial and commercial economic hub. The country actively participates in international trade which has been enhanced by the shipping routes around its coastline and has well established manufacturing sector. Malaysia produces top exporter of manufactured goods, palm oil, rubber, petroleum and liquefied natural gas. Malaysia is considered as a newly industrialized country although not a developed one but on the way to become one and research shows its GPD per capita ( of around $14000) in the year 2008 was recorded high thus ranking the country 48th in the world and 2nd in Southeast Asia (Drucker, 2007, p , 23). The nation has a GDP of $313 billion and an average GDP annual growth rate of 5. 9 %( Ibp USA, 2008, p. 7 ) The GDP growth rate has been consistent over a long period of time and the economy has shown resiliency during the wake of economic crisis like the Asian economic crisis and recent global recession. It’s known for the developed commercial sector producing and exporting electronic products and other advanced technological goods. Export market is $158 billion and its currency Malaysian currency (ringgit) exchanges at $3 (Ibp US, 2008 p. 18) The exchange rate of ringgit against major currencies has been consistent and stable avoiding currency fluctuations. Malaysia has a floating exchange rate although it has pegged its currency to the dollar. Similarly the nation is a member of almost all major trading blocs around the region and Asia, from WTO to regional economic trade blocs making it an open and very competitive market. Political System  Since Malaysia gained independence its economic performance has been high in comparison with other Asian nations due to its stability and has avoided military coups ( Nayland,2001,p. 164) Another critical factor to consider is the political system of the country. Politics and economy are intertwined and interrelated and political stability determines the environment which economy and business operates. The political stability of the democratic nation like Malaysia makes it an attractive place for investment. Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy having a head of state is referred as the king of the nation who is elected to a five year term and a parliamentary system of government headed by prime minister and has a healthy democratic space with opposition parties Parliamentary elections are held after every five years and thus only registered voters of age 21 and above are allowed to vote for the members of the House of Representatives (Ahmad & Seymour, 2008, p, 76). Legal and Regulatory Framework MIDA (Malaysian Industrial Development Authority) is a body charged with promoting investments activities both local and foreign, and to helped and guided investments in the business environment (Cheang Lo, 1997, p. 57) This is one of the bodies created by the government to eliminate the bureaucracy in obtaining legal documentation in the country by simplifying the licensing and regulatory process of businesses which wish venture in that country. Although any business needs to go through the required government process in obtaining licences the government has created an environment where restrictions and licensing red tape has been reduced significantly. Socio- Cultural Environment The socio-cultural environment in Malaysia is well defined by its ethnic composition and religious diversity. Malaysia is pluralistic society with Malays being the majority and the other significant minority group like the Chinese, Indians and Tamils each with different religion. With such a rich cultural heritage, acquiring the relevant skills and cultural knowledge in order to conduct business in Malaysia is crucial to your success (Communicaid, n. d) the socio-cultural environment settings in Malaysia although comprising different ethnic groups and religious affiliations is a conservative society and thus it’s important for people to understand how to address the people. Each particular ethnic group has its own mode of communication and interaction and it’s critical to ensure you understand the culture and behaviour of each ethnic group in Malaysia. Generalizations of the all Malaysians while conducting business may be costly to the business as it may be viewed negatively by other ethnic groups. For instance â€Å"the Chinese for example expect punctuality, whereas both ethnic Malays and Indian business people have a more relaxed attitude towards time (Communicaid, n. ) In regard to the consumer attitudes towards products and goods there is a general tendencies among Malays of regarding goods produced locally to be somehow inferior to the goods made by the developed nations which are advanced more than them and hence produce quality products. Quality is sensitive to Malays consumers. â€Å" Malaysian local products are regarded with skepticism compared to south Korea products but are believed to be of high quality in comparison with goods fr om India ,china, Mexico and Thailand. (Ghazali et al,2008, p. 7) Resources  The country is well endowed with natural resources and enough raw materials which it has continued to exploit in its quest to develop its economy. During most of the 1970’s and 1980’s Malaysia was the largest producer and exporter of tin, tropical timber, palm oil and natural rubber (Vincent, 2005, p. 10) Although Currently, Malaysia is not a major producer of some of the raw materials like natural rubber it still has abundant supply of tin, timber palm oil and natural rubber which has been used effectively by the government in exploring and developing its economy. Malaysia has transformed itself from primarily agricultural based economy to an industrial, technological and commercial giant due to the availability of human resources in the country. Malaysia has been known to be open in attracting foreign labour in its economy to make it competitive and potent. However there have been slight problems in obtaining and retaining skilled labour from Malaysia. â€Å"In contrast to this 44% of Australians firms reported difficulty in maintaining skilled labour in Malaysia (Nayland, 2001, p. 0) Ethical and Social Responsibility â€Å"More than 60% of managers in Malaysia were supportive of the view that that to improve market share and public image their firms would have to show there are social responsible (Harrison, 2005, p. 208) Malaysian socio-cultural structure is based on conservative setting like Islamic religious dimension on the Malay population which actually sees the aspect of giving back to them community is a responsibility rather than f avour. Corporations and business doing business in Malaysia are therefore obligated to be active in supporting projects in communities to uplift their image of sharing with the community the profits obtained from them. Conclusion and Recommendations Having noted some of the major findings and factors affecting the level of entrepreneurial activities from research that has been done, it will be necessary to agree on the need of making Malaysia one of the key standards of venturing into any fast developing markets. Also, it is necessary to note that, some of the factors that affect the level of business and entrepreneurship in this country tend to have direct impacts on other economic activities and performances and they have been identified as positive and potent. Once all the factors have been keenly identified and outlined, it becomes quite easy to address them respectively so as to attain overall economic performance and development (Datamonitor, 2009, p, 31). From the analysis and research based on political stability, economic performance and availability or resources the general picture can be concluded that Malaysia is a potential and viable environment to conduct any business of any nature. Although it may have some challenges and obstacles, the business environment and its market potential makes it a conducive environment to establish business ventures and has a potential market for growth. The nation is also strategically placed to penetrate other markets in Asia.