Saturday, November 30, 2019

Texas Politics In The Early 20Th Century Essays - Texas, Old Right

Texas Politics In The Early 20Th Century Conservative Texas In the book, The Establishment in Texas Politics, by George Norris Green, Mr. Green describes how, since 1939, fiscal and social conservatives have governed Texas. Anglo-Texas nationalism supported the idea of Texas independence from groups including the federal government as it pertains to laws overseeing business practices. From the traditionalistic-individualistic scheme of Texas politics emerged a philosophy of material self-interest above anything that might be considered fair to other groups within the borders of the state. To make matters worse (or better, depending on your own political persuasion) Texas at that time was a one-party system, and the powers that be relied on a consistently low level of voter participation and the powerful influence of special interest lobby groups. Interest groups sprang forth from the business landscape tilled by capitalist pioneers such as H.L. Hunt, Sid Richardson and Clint Murchison. These independent millionaires were concerned with preserving capital and enhancing shareholder value by reducing the interference by governmental socialists who sought to redistribute wealth though the use of social programs. These men, and many more like them, cared little about government and wanted no intervention in their economic affairs. Their attitudes were consistent with the popular values of the Jeffersonian Democrats of the nineteenth century: The less government the better, local control of what little government there was, and freedom from economic regulation, or laissez-faire. Three men, W. Lee O'Daniel, Coke Stevenson and Beauford Jester came to epitomize Texas conservatives during this period of Texas history. Each man, whether they knew it or not, practiced a type of pseudo laissez-faire that would later be known as Social-Darwinism; the belief that individuals who prosper and rise to the top of the socioeconomic ladder are worthy and deserve their riches, while those who sink to the bottom are unworthy and deserve their poverty. Social-Darwinist argue that people become rich and powerful because they are intelligent, energetic and self-disciplined, whereas those who become or remain poor do so because they are stupid, lazy or otherwise given to embrace certain destructive vices. Socio-economic status, thus, was thought to be a result of natural selection. Further, it was thought that as business flourished so would everyone flourish. As it has been stated, A rising tide lifts all boats. Wilbert Lee (Pappy) O'Daniel was born in Malta, Ohio on March 11 1890. O'Daniel was educated in public schools in Kansas, he later completed a two year curriculum at Salt City Business College in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1908. Upon graduation he worked his way up as a stenographer, bookkeeper and sales manager of a flour milling company. He organized his own flour concern in 1935 in Fort Worth. He began a series of radio shows featuring the Light Crust Dough Boys. At the urging of his radio fans, O'Daniel ran for the govennorship of Texas in 1938. His entire platform consisted of the Ten Commandments, the virtues of his own Hillbilly Flour, tax cuts for business and the industrialization of Texas. Given O'Daniel's business background, his philosophy was that of no corporate taxes and he was of course, anti-labor. He instead offered up a tax plan, secretly written by manufacturing interest groups that amounted to a multiple sales tax (a regressive tax borne by people least able to pay). He also sought to attack labor unions by writing the O'Daniel Anti-Violence Act but the courts discarded most of the provisions. At this time, O'Daniel began replacing members of the University of Texas Regents in an attempt to limit academic freedom and to eliminate communists who he saw as behind the pro labor movement. One of the more interesting characters in Texas political history would have to be Coke Stevenson. Born in a log cabin in Mason county Texas, Coke started his business career early. As a teenager he hauled freight from Junction to Brady. He worked his way up from rancher, banker, lawyer and legislator. After he won the governorship Stevenson began to demonstrate his fiscal and socially conservative ideology. He had amassed lucrative oil lease income and he opposed any tax levied on it, he also opposed gas rationing Texas during the second World War, the obvious implication here was oil prices would increase with greater

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill BP’s handling of the Situation BP’s immediate response to the disaster was a rather frantic attempt to coordinate emergency response to curb the oil spill (Macalister 2). This happened in the eve of April 20th (The Guardian 8). Many measures were applied to contain the oil leak but quite a number were unsuccessful in the initial stages.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, the company tried to pump thousands of barrels of oil into the well to stop the leak but nothing much came out of it (The Guardian 8). The mitigation efforts were poorly coordinated and rather clumsy, with many of the company’s shareholders expressing fear that the company was going to significantly incur a lot of financial damages in the cleanup exercise (The Guardian 8). This caused BP’s shares to plunge by more than 2% (The Guardian 5). Howev er, the shares of the company hit an all-time low after it was estimated that the cleanup costs and litigation expenses were costing the company in excess of $2.35 billion (The Guardian 8). Nonetheless, after subsequent consultations with the company engineers, the oil leak was contained and sealed to this date. On 3rd June, the company embarked on efforts to carry out major advertising campaigns to boost the company’s image among the American public (The Guardian 5). This was undertaken through television commercials that were aired throughout the country. Soon afterwards, the company embarked on rewarding its shareholders with dividends; a move which was politically criticized because the crisis obviously implied increased financial burden for the company in cleanup costs (The Guardian). Considering there were a number of fatalities in the disaster, the company decided to pay $20 billion as compensation to the families (The Guardian 5). This translated to 13.5 billion Euros (The Guardian 5). The above responses implied a number of advantages and disadvantages to the company. Though containing the leak was the first response procedure the company undertook, its lack of coordination showed the company’s weakness in dealing with disasters. However, since it undertook efforts to curb the disaster (as a prompt strategic response) the company was perceived to take responsibility for its own misdeeds.Advertising Looking for assessment on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was a swift strategy the company undertook. Another commendable response that the company undertook was to compensate the families of those who lost their members in the disaster. This was a positive strategy in portraying the company as having a human touch to its undertakings. In other words, the company was easily perceived as caring for its employees, as opposed to solely being driven by t he aim of making profits. The television commercials and advertisements developed by the company to improve its image was also a good strategy in minimizing the negative publicity the company got as a result of the disaster. However, the effectiveness of such a strategy depended on the content of the advertisements. Bad content or inappropriate advertising would have easily sealed the fate of the company in bad publicity, but if it were carefully crafted, it would have served its purpose. In this case, the adverts were carefully crafted and they served to mitigate the effects of the bad publicity (though not much effectiveness could be evidenced as will be seen in subsequent sections of this study). Relevance of Tench and Yeomans’ Statements in BP’s Situation Tench and Yeomans assertions that it was prudent for the organization to be prepared, knowledgeable, calm, controlled and easy in disseminating information applies best to the BP disaster because the responsive st rategy that the company undertook lacked specific elements identified above. One of the most important missing elements in BP’s disaster responsive strategy was the ability to be prepared. This failure was easily noticed from the company’s uncoordinated efforts to contain the oil spill. Though Tench and Yeomans note that no disaster response offers a hundred percent guarantee of working, it would have been beneficial for the company if it had an effective disaster preparedness strategy for such kind of disaster. Preparedness could easily have eased the level of stress on the company executives because they were held up in endless meetings to deliberate on how to go about the disaster (a step that could have been easily defined with the preparedness plan) (The Guardian 15). The Guardian further affirms that â€Å"some of the executives were complaining that they wanted their lives back† (16). This kind of assertion however angered the American public (The Guardia n 16).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With regards to knowledge management in crisis management, there were reports that BP was aware that its drilling well was leaking, days before the oil spill got out of hand (The Guardian 15). This was an invaluable piece of information for the company, if it acted on it in good time. Because the company disregarded such information, the disaster was extensively disastrous. The company exposed some sense of complacency in the way it responded to the crisis, and from the analysis of Taylor (9), such an attempt at disregarding important information is unacceptable and potentially dangerous (just like it was). Calm, as asserted by Tench and Yeomans is an important ingredient in crisis management when evidenced from the BP disaster. The lack of calmness in dealing with the gulf oil spill could be seen from BP†™s efforts to try and come up with a quick fix to the problem. This is the reason why there were a number of frantic efforts to salvage the situation and none of them worked for a couple of weeks (The Guardian 5). A sense of calm in crisis management would have been beneficial for the company because it would have allowed for adequate time to gather data relating to the situation, asses the situation, consult widely and ultimately form a team to deal with the disaster (Bolander 4). A failure to observe calm caused the company executives to freak out and consequently cause the disaster to spin out of control (The Guardian 5). Communication is also another important crisis management tool advanced by Tench and Yeomans because it helps in the spreading of rumors and perpetration of falsehoods regarding a given crisis. However, before proper communication is carried out, a proper communication structure needs to be in place. Preferably, the communication structure needs to be horizont al and not vertical. Those to be communicated with include the internal and external shareholders of the organization. BP failed to have a good communication plan in overseeing its crisis management efforts and that it why the company suffered increased financial damages. This kind of consequence is predicted by Schmidt who notes that: â€Å"Companies that underestimate the importance of effective employee communication during times of crisis often suffer significant economic damage as the result of, among other reasons, a lack of trust, low morale, and the subsequent loss of their most valuable asset, well-trained and dedicated employees† (7).Advertising Looking for assessment on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lastly, Tench and Yeomans note that control is an important tool in crisis management. Control is often exercised by establishing crisis control centers (Conflict Research Consortium 1). Exercising control in crisis management is important in ensuring information is properly interpreted and up-to-date information regarding the given crisis is availed (Conflict Research Consortium 1). Also, control enables companies to negotiate crisis reduction steps incase current strategies fail to materialize (Conflict Research Consortium 1). BP did not fair badly with regards to this provision of crisis management, but such an observation cannot be specifically attributed to the company alone because the American government, through the Environmental protection agency (EPA) helped the company establish a control of the crisis (Gibbs 12). This can be evidenced through its establishment of the website: www.epa.gov/bpspill which provided the public with information regarding the responses the gover nment and the company were jointly undertaking (Gibbs 12). Comprehensively, from a personal point of view, BP should put in place an elaborate disaster preparedness plan that encompasses the above elements, just like Tench and Yeomans proposes. This kind of disaster management plan would be beneficial in ensuring most functional areas in crisis management are well catered for. Opportunities in Crisis Management The assertion by Jeflkins that organizations can potentially benefit from opportunities brought about by disasters is true because crisis management potentially poses a lot of opportunities in the event of a disaster. However, it should be understood that before any opportunities are capitalized in the event of a disaster, proper crisis management should have been first undertaken and all the people who need to be helped, are helped. This is a pre-condition to taking advantage of crisis opportunities, otherwise, if the above is not observed, the attempt to capitalize on an op portunity from a crisis may prove futile or cause more harm that it can. However, in coming up with opportunities in the event of a crisis, it should be acknowledged that in the process of rebuilding (after a crisis) people can capitalize on their experiences (after a crisis) to build something better to withstand future crises. For instance, since the BP oil spill was brought about by structural and human error, during the rebuilding of the damaged well, the engineers can build the well valves in a stronger way to prevent any future spillage. Also, policies can be formulated to correct future human errors of similar kind, say, through increasing human monitoring stages (and the likes) so that future calamities of the same magnitude can be avoided. Crises can also provide an opportunity for leadership change, in the sense that, leaders can develop better skills at handling their roles. In particular, â€Å"crisis leadership† can be an easily developed skill among a crop of le aders in an organization. This is probably an opportunity that BP failed to realize because its current crop of executives was up for resignation after the disaster (considering they were perceived as part of the problem since they failed to curb the disaster). In reference to this development, the US president, Barrack Obama, pointed out that he would have fired the company executive if he was working for him (The Guardian 32). Such sentiments were probably said because it is human nature to find someone to blame. However, such a strategy would not be recommended when analyzing the opportunities crisis and disasters bring to the organization. This is true because the company executives who were up for resignation were better placed to handle future company calamities (incase they happened) because they had adequate knowledge on how to handle such disasters. This experience is acquired first hand; meaning that it is possibly invaluable. How to Improve Company Corporate Image BP†™s corporate image should be improved through effective marketing strategies that can restore the company’s position in the corporate map. The marketing tools to be used change by the day but the company should consider using a wide variety of channels. This includes, website marketing tools, print media, television and radio. These tools should all be engaged simultaneously because the public should be bombarded by positive media advertisement regarding the company since it has been 9 months and the company may still continue to suffer from poor reputation and customer skeptism if it does not do something drastic. Firstly, since the company is currently experiencing a lot of customer skeptism, low customer confidence and confusion regarding the company’s ability to handle crises in a good manner; it is up to the company to project a good corporate image with these concerns in mind. Specifically, the company should project an image of dependability, reliability and r emorse so that they can win back customer confidence. More importantly, the company should project an image to portray the fact that it is doing everything in its capability to reverse back the damages it caused to the environment because environmental degradation is one concern which much condemnation was directed at the company. This involves doing something out of the ordinary, say, sponsor an environmental cause that projects a perception that the company really cares about the environment. Doing the bare minimum (which is cleaning up the oil spill) is not enough to restore public confidence, since many people would think it is only doing so with the aim of restoring â€Å"status quo†. Moreover, the company should be creative enough to devise ways through which it can communicate reasons why the company should be trusted again. A failure to do so will lead to less patronization of the company’s outlets because of a lack of customer commitment and therefore most of its traditional sales will go to its competitors. These factors should be communicated through print, internet, television and radio because the company needs to reach as many people as possible. This involves the use of an integrated marketing strategy because the more channels the public hears the message, the more effective the message is likely to be, and the more the number of people the company will reach. An integrated marketing strategy is also identified by many researchers a sure way of boosting the credibility of the company and trust between the company and the public (Optimal Marketing Communications 5). For example, Optimal Marketing Communications affirms that â€Å"Keep in mind that the more your target audience sees and hears the name of your organization or business, the easier it will be for you and your associates to sell your products, services, or point of view† (5). Secondly, since the company had already issued a number of press releases regarding the state of the disaster; the company should organize with the local media, and even international media, to carry out media interviews so that the company can explain the improvements it has made so far, and how it seeks to handle such kind of disasters in future (Optimal Marketing Communications 6). In the same regard, the company will also be in a good position to reiterate its environmental commitment, especially in light of the fact that the oil industry has been singled out to be one of the most visible catalysts to environmental degradation. This kind of public relations strategy should be pushed through television and radio. Thirdly, the company should push its â€Å"positive image† agenda through editorials and guest columns (written by either the company itself or its associates). In this kind of marketing strategy, the company should embark on resonating the company’s commitment in environmental preservation, but most importantly, the company should consider re iterating its past record of good environmental practices and how it has been mindful of its employees’ welfare. This will be in light of the number of employees the company lost in the disaster and how it responded to the same. A good record of disaster preparedness, environmental practices and employee welfare would instill a perception that the oil spill Disaster was a secluded case and probably an accident. Lastly, considering the company experienced a bad reputation not only among the public but also the company stakeholders; it is advisable that the company undertake a public relations exercise to restore the trust its stakeholders had with the company (and more especially with its management). This ought to be done through workshops and seminars where the company will communicate its position regarding the measures it has taken after the disaster and how it seeks to improve its image in light of the same. This strategy is important because company stakeholders support the management and operations of the company; so if the company cannot be guaranteed of internal support, it would be fighting a losing battle. Bolander, Jarie. Crisis Management for Creatives. 6 December. 2010. 15 February. 2011. thedailymba.com/2010/12/06/crisis-management-for-creatives/ Conflict Research Consortium. Crisis Management. 1998. 15 February. 2011. colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/crisis_m.htm Gibbs, Robert. The Response to the Oil Spill. 5 May. 2010. 15 February. 2011. whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/05/01/response-oil-spill-5110 Macalister, Terry. Gulf oil spill: An industry at war with itself. 8 September. 2010. 15 February. 2011. http://gu.com/p/2jh94/tw/ Optimal Marketing Communications. Public Relations and Press Releases:  Powerful Cost-effective Marketing Tools. 2002. 15 February. 2011. http://marketingsurvivalkit.com/pr.htm Schmidt, Oliver. Effective Employee Communication in Times of Crisis. 2010. 15 February. 2011. disaster-resource.com/articles/04p_124.sh tml Taylor, Michael. Importance of Disaster Remember the Preparedness and Mitigation. 20 September. 2006. 15 February. 2011. associatedcontent.com/article/60392/remember_the_importance_of disaster.html The Guardian. BP Oil Spill Timeline. 22 July. 2010. 15 February. 2011. guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/29/bp-oil-spill-timeline- deepwater-horizon

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to choose a minor in college

How to choose a minor in college The best minors for your English major Learn about the best minors from our list and decide whether you want to pair Spanish with psychology or linguistics. Psychology Study psychology for a better understanding of the human nature. You can either be a fiction lover or a math fan, but if you dedicate yourself to learning about people’s thinking, you will soon realize you can write a novel psychological enough to win the Nobel prize! Besides, you will be able to embrace different cultures and their mental attitudes apart from the capacity to analyze fictional characters and why students procrastinate on a daily basis. There is a reason we want psychology to be our minor, and that’s not because writing tasks are not that complicated (they actually are). After you get a psychology degree, life suddenly seems to be more diverse, and that’s only the beginning. Humanities If you have a passion for writing that can’t be quelled and can discuss the word origins for hours, then welcome to the humanities league. You will be able to pursue the history of the language and immerse into literary art like a pro, dealing with concepts and forms that have been developed by writers through the centuries. Not a far cry from history, humanities would be a perfect choice for anyone remotely interested in language issues and will certainly add to your understanding of linguistics, if you make enough effort. Besides, you can always get a bonus for being an expert in word definitions and fictional concepts. Foreign language Let’s be honest – foreign language means amazing job opportunities, and hey, who wouldn’t be glad to receive a promotion? If you are learning a second language, however, do not forget to do your research and track the statistics – Chinese still occupies the first place along with Spanish, and you can find many people traveling to Spain for the same reason. If you are too lazy to choose a minor right away, we recommend you reading short stories in another language so that you practice and enrich your vocabulary daily. As they say, learning is one of the pleasures of life if you know how to do it. Suddenly, the world has more color to it and we should say being bilingual does not hurt! History History is kind of associated with humanities, but you will be surprised how much there is to know about the current state of affairs. You may have read Pride and Prejudice, but do you know it was quite revolutionary for its time? Sometimes, you just need history to learn about cause and effect and the consequences of big political decisions on the world arena. What is more, you can add that to your minor list and still be able to attend your major course, since history surveys along topic classes. Journalism For people who know they want to write and just can’t help it, this course should be amazing. You have to remember, however, that fantasy is no longer something you can indulge in once you become a news manager – hello, truth! So, prepare yourself for the change of the subject: instead of your own thoughts and opinions (though they still may be present in blog), you will have to give way to politicians, government leaders and political representatives. Boring? It can be, especially if you are taught the standards of the creative writing, but then, you also gain a lot of experience and spend the majority of your time with the like-minded people. Interviewing celebrities is also included, which can be considered a bonus in some ways. Don’t be afraid to explore the new horizons with a minor!

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Credit Crunch and Its impact on UK's Real Estate Market Dissertation

Credit Crunch and Its impact on UK's Real Estate Market - Dissertation Example Bernanke and Lown (1991) define a credit crunch as a decline in the supply of credit that is abnormally large for a given stage of the business cycle. Credit normally contracts during a recession, but an unusually large contraction could be seen as a credit crunch. The credit crunch is the result of multiple factors. These multiple factors adversely affect the ability of the banks to supply credit at a time when banks’ ability to adjust to these factors was unusually limited. A credit crunch that continues for a long time is actually opposite of easily available and plentiful lending practices .These cheap lending practices are sometimes called â€Å"Easy Money† or â€Å"Loose Credit† .As it been stated earlier that credit crunch is a cyclic process . During the upward phase in the credit cycle it is seen that the prices of the assets undergo lot of fervent competitions .Upward credit cycle is also marked by the presence of leveraged bidding with inflation in a p articular asset market. These all situation can then lead to formation of a speculative price bubble. During the upswing of the cycle increase in the money supply happens because of new large debt creation. This in turn stimulates the economic activities. Finally there is also chances of temporarily raise in economic growth and development.(Cooper,2008) The reason of credit crunch can be diverse. Few of the reasons are given below: 1. If there is an anticipation about the decline in the value of the collateral. The collateral is used by the banks to secure the loans that are taken. If the decline in value continues then it will lead to credit crunch.(Bizer ,1993) 2. If there is perception in the market about the risk of insolvency of other banks in the banking system. In this situation the traditional financial institutes will tighten the credit lending regulations (Kleege and Stephen,1992) 3. When the central government is imposing direct credit controls or are implementing monetar y changes then lending of the loans will be done very warily by the goverment. (Grant,1993) 4. When there is a prolonged carelessness in lending the loans. The process of lending the loans is inappropriate and doesn’t take into account the intricacies of market and interest rate. This leads to losses to the lending institutions. The debtor is not able to pay the debt and finally the financial institutions will reduce the availability of credit. The prolonged defaults by the debtors leads to credit crunch.(Peek ,Joe and Eric,1993). 5.When the assets which were overpriced, before ,suddenly sees a sharp fall in their prices then it leads to financial crisis because of price collapse. If this price collapse continues then many banks and investors will face insolvency and bankruptcy. The financial institutions will become more alert .As the result the financial institution restore to restrict the regulations for lending the loan and as a result the market will face the credit crun ch.( Rosenblum.1991) The last two points were the main reason for the recent credit crunch that struck the world’s economy. This was caused due to the bursting of housing bubble in

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Climate Anomalies and Hemispheric Charts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Climate Anomalies and Hemispheric Charts - Essay Example A negative sensible heat flux indicates that the air is warmer than the earth's surface. Heat must be transported from the air to the earth's surface to reach equilibrium. A zero flux value is indicative of the equilibrium between the air and earth's surface (ARM, 2005). Latent heat is the rate of heat energy required to change a substance from one phase of matter to another phase (i.e. from liquid water to water vapor). The transfer of latent heat from tropical areas to Polar Regions is the main mechanism the atmosphere uses to attempt to reach thermal equilibrium on a global scale (ARM, 2005). Due to the high ocean thermal capacity, the heat is transferred by currents and melting ice. However, there are some variations in heat transport due to the difference in the amount of land and the differences between the hemispheres. Most of the earth landmasses lie in the Northern Hemisphere, which is the reason why sensible heat transfer reaches latitudes of 50N and 60N (Bryant, 1997). Changes in temperatures are considerably big in high latitudes; a small latitudinal gradient should reduce poleward heat transport, implying weak thermal forcing in high latitudes. Temperature variations in low/high latitudes can be subject to zonal temperature gradient changes and changes in poleward heat flux (Barry and Carleton, 2001). The air mass can retain its vorticity unless the vortex changes latitude. By changing the latitude, the vortex of the air mass can be affected by the topography as exemplified by mountains in the case of Rossby waves. Rossby waves are formed in the upper atmospher e and are associated with jet stream on the top of the troposphere (Bryant, 1997). 4. Results Figure 1: the monthly average temperature anomaly for stations Alborg, Edinburgh, Toulouse and Helsinki from 1951 to 1991. The annual temperature cycle graph shows the average maximum temperatures in June, July and August. The minimum temperatures are recorded in December, January and February. The highest temperature was recorded in Toulouse in summer 1983 with a value of 24.4 C. The lowest temperature was recorded in Helsinki in winter 1987 with a value of -17.9 C. The mean (M) and the standard deviation (s) figures have been calculated by using the monthly sets of temperature and precipitation data for the indicated seasons and individual months at each of the stations (Tables

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Paul Rand Essay Example for Free

Paul Rand Essay Paul Rand (born Peretz Rosenbaum, August 15, 1914 – November 26, 1996) was a well-known American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs. He designed many posters and corporate identities, including the logos for IBM, UPS, ABC and Westinghouse. Paul Rand portrayed abstract ideas with clarity that resonated with viewers. In his work, Rand recast modern art as something innocuous for the average patron, and no longer a radical political manifesto. This adoption of modernist ideas to mainstream communication shifted the work from rebellious to insightful. One of his strengths was his ability as a salesman to explain the needs his identities would address for the corporation. Rand used the avant garde movements as inspiration for his own style. He came to appreciate a relationship between geometric form and color through the works of artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Adolphe Mouron Cassandre and Moholy Nagy as well as an understanding of line through the works of artists such as Paul Klee. Rand developed elements from these artists and fused them with the American Modernist Movement that grew out of the 1930’s. Modernism was a movement that continued to change and grow as the twentieth century progressed. During Rand’s time, modernist art expression started to merge with American pop culture. Other designers of the time, such as Lester Beall, Saul Bass and Bradbury Thompson embraced this exposure of design to the mainstream through advertising, logo design, poster design, book jackets, packaging, etc. Most of these artist’s works from the time incorporate bold color, basic geometric form, playful typography and an obvious experimentation with formal decision-making. These elements are repeated in Paul Rand’s work but in a style that is indicatively his own.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Long-term Safety and Effectiveness of Low-Carbohydrate Diets :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the obsession with "losing weight" continues, many people are turning to low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins diet. With total book sales over 45 million, many doctors are starting to ask questions about the safety of a high fat, high protein diet. There have been many short-term studies reporting that a low-carbohydrate diet can be effective for weight loss. Unfortunately, most studies have been based on data collected for 90 days or less. Dieters and Doctors alike could benefit from long-term studies reporting on safety and weight loss after a year or more. In 2003, there were three trials reporting on the long-term effectiveness and side effects of the Atkins diet. These studies followed obese dieters who were following the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet. The results were then compared to the standard low-fat diet, which has been recommended by doctors for years. From the results of these studies we must decide if weight loss equals health and what should be considered acceptable risk?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weight loss was the primary focus of most of the studies done on the Atkins diet. Dieters are looking for results and a decrease in weight, not necessarily fat, is the ultimate goal. All three studies showed greater weight loss after six months of a low-carbohydrate diet than the same time spent on a low-fat diet. On average low-carbohydrate dieters lost about 4kgs, or roughly 9lbs, more than the low-fat dieters. This is one reason why the Atkins diet has become so popular; dieters see results more quickly. Many people are only on the diet for a few months and then go back to eating normally. For those that stick with it, it was found that after twelve months there was no longer a significant difference in weight loss between the low-fat and the low-carbohydrate groups. Although result happened quickly, in the long run the Atkins diet didn’t prove to be any more effective at weight loss than the low-fat diet. Studies of more than a year are nearly non-existent and the studies referred to here contain flaws. More research needs to be done before we can reach a definitive answer. At the moment, it seems that for the first 3-6 months the Atkins diet may be more effective than a low-fat diet. In the long term however there is no indication that a low-carbohydrate diet is better. For both diets, participants had trouble following the guidelines and many

Monday, November 11, 2019

Point of Sale System (POS) Essay

Introduction Point of sale (POS) or checkout is the place where a retail transaction is completed. It is the point at which a customer makes a payment to a merchant in exchange for goods or services. At the point of sale the merchant would use any of a range of possible methods to calculate the amount owing – such as a manual system, weighing machines, scanners or an electronic cash register. The merchant will usually provide hardware and options for use by the customer to make payment. The merchant will also normally . issue a receipt for the transaction.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_sale / Retrieve on February 6, 2013] A Point of Sale (POS) system is a system for managing the sales of retail goods. A POS manages the selling process by a cashier accessible interface. The same system allows the creation and printing of the receipt using the POS printer. The Problem The problem is that many retail stores uses manual sales transaction which result to inaccurate calculation and lost of profit in their business. Manual managing stocks takes a lot of time which is very hassle. Statement of the Problem 1. What are the methods in creating Point of Sale System? 2. How the methods are integrated and implemented to the system? 3. How to test and evaluate the efficiency of the Point of Sale System? Objectives 1. To be able to identify the methods in creating Point of Sale System. 2. To be able to integrate and implement the identified methods to the system. 3. To be able to test and evaluate the efficiency of the Point of Sale System. Definition of Terms 1. Point of Sale (POS) – A system that make sales transaction and manage stocks. 2. Sale Transaction Retail software in which a customer exchanges an agreed amount for an item. 3. Receipt – a piece of paper that shows the item being sold. 4. Cashier A person who receives and pays out money works at a POS. 5. POS Printer A machine that prints a receipt from a computer. 6. Database- Storage of data of the POS. 7. Stock-supply of goods available for sale.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Extent to Which an Organization Meets the Objectives of Different Stakeholders.

A person, group, organization, or system who affects or can be affected by an organization's actions. † A â€Å"project stakeholder† is defined as â€Å"a person, group or organization with an interest in a project. † That could mean a sponsor (an executive, customer, supplier, agency, etc. that is sponsoring / funding the project), upper management, a project manager, and others. Whoever has a â€Å"stake† in the project? In order to perform good project management, you need to both manage and meet stakeholder expectations. The result of the project should match their expectations for what will be delivered at the end of the project.Why would an organization look at project management software to help them with that? Certainly project management software cannot in and of itself meet stakeholder objectives, but it is a tool that is in the Project Manager's arsenal to facilitate meeting objectives. Here are some ways that organizations use it for this purpos e: -Providing a mechanism for stakeholders to check on the status of the project (such as task and schedule completion). -Providing a collaborative platform to interact and view interactions, such as via a blog. Sending proactive reports, such as cost, schedule, and issue data. In addition, project management software can help the Project Manager and other managers ensure that a) the project team understands the stakeholder expectations (perhaps by having a project description or attaching a key project document), and b) the project team is currently on the right path to meeting those objectives. How you utilize project management software depends on your particular needs, objectives, and culture, but meeting stakeholder objectives is one way to demonstrate the value of a good tool.In order to meet its objectives, the organization needs to know the people and/or the groups affected by, or affecting, its work – the stakeholders. Knowing who your stakeholders are will help you to: †¢Understand the effects of your activities, whether they were anticipated or unexpected, positive or negative. †¢Identify, and then respond to, their concerns and the issues they raise. There are all kinds of ways of doing this – a list, a chart, putting people and organizations on a geographic map, or making a ‘mind map’ (a technique for arranging ideas and their interconnections visually)

Thursday, November 7, 2019

MRSA †Staph Bacteria

MRSA – Staph Bacteria Free Online Research Papers MRSA is by definition a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to a large group of antibiotics called the beta-lactams, which include the penicillins and the cephalosporins. In breaking that down, it is easier to just state that MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics. MRSA can be fatal. The MRSA bacteria are commonly found on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Staph bacteria are present in the nose of approximately 25% to 30% of the population without causing an infection, while MRSA is present in only about 1 percent of people. Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. Its known as health care-associated MRSA, or HA-MRSA. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at most risk of HA-MRSA. More recently, another type of MRSA has occurred among otherwise healthy people in the wider community. This form, community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA, is responsible for serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia. Staph skin infections, including MRSA, generally start as small red bumps that resemble pimples, boils or spider bites. These can quickly turn into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. Sometimes the bacteria remain confined to the skin. One major problem with MRSA is that occasionally the skin infection can spread to almost any other organ in the body. When this happens, more severe symptoms develop. MRSA that spreads to internal organs can become life-threatening. Fever, chills, low blood pressure, joint pains, severe headaches, shortness of breath, and rash over most of the body are symptoms that need immediate medical attention, especially when associated with skin infections. Both hospital- and community associated strains of MRSA still respond to certain medications. In hospitals and care facilities, doctors often rely on the antibiotic vancomycin to treat resistant germs. CA-MRSA may be treated with vancomycin or other antibiotics that have proved effective against particular strains. Although vancomycin saves lives, it may become less effective as well. Some hospitals are already seeing strains of MRSA that are less easily killed by vancomycin. In some cases, antibiotics may not be necessary. For example, doctors may drain a superficial abscess caused by MRSA rather than treat the infection with drugs. Infection control is key to stopping MRSA in hospitals. Steps health care workers can take include: PROPER HANDWASHING! Covering coughs and sneezes Staying up-to-date with immunizations Using gloves, masks and protective clothing Making tissues and hand cleaners available Following hospital guidelines when dealing with blood or contaminated items To prevent community-associated MRSA: Practice good hygiene Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, or clothes Wash soiled sheets, towels and clothes in hot water with bleach and dry in a hot dryer There are two major ways people become infected with MRSA. The first is physical contact with someone who is either infected or is a carrier. The second way is for people to physically contact MRSA on any objects such as door handles, floors, sinks, or towels that have been touched by an MRSA-infected person or carrier. Normal skin tissue in people usually does not allow MRSA infection to develop; however, if there are cuts, abrasions, or other skin flaws such as psoriasis MRSA may grow. Many otherwise healthy individuals, especially children and young adults, do not notice small skin imperfections or scrapes and may be lax in taking precautions about skin contacts. This is the likely reason MRSA outbreaks occur in diverse types of people such as school team players (like football players or wrestlers), dormitory residents, and armed-services personnel in constant close contact. People with higher risk of MRSA infection are those with obvious skin breaks (surgical patients, hospital patients with intravenous lines, burns, or skin ulcers) and patients with depressed immune systems (infants, elderly, or HIV-infected individuals) or chronic diseases (diabetes or cancer). Patients with pneumonia due to MRSA can transmit MRSA by airborne droplets. Health-care workers as a group are repeatedly exposed to MRSA-positive patients and can have a high rate of infection if precautions are not taken. Health-care workers and patient visitors should use disposable masks, gowns, and gloves when they enter the MRSA-infected patients room. In conclusion, MRSA can be fatal, but is also very preventable. Using good hygiene measures, (especially hand washing), will greatly reduce the risk of spreading. Research Papers on MRSA - Staph BacteriaSexually Transmitted DiseasesGenetic EngineeringInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtDefinition of Export QuotasA Marketing Analysis of the Fast-Food RestaurantThe Fifth Horseman19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

Monday, November 4, 2019

A comparative study of small and medium enterprise banking services in Bangladesh and Canada

A comparative study of small and medium enterprise banking services in Bangladesh and Canada Women Entrepreneurs in Canada What is the typical Canadian woman in a business like? What kinds of businesses do Canadian women entrepreneurs choose to start and develop? How many women-owned businesses are there in Canada? Ive put together this collection of statistics on Canadian women in business to answer these questions and others like them. Facts and Figures on Canadian Women Entrepreneurs The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, 2013 There were 950,000 self-employed women in Canada in 2012, accounting for 35.6% of all self-employed persons. In 2010, Quebec had the highest proportion of majority-owned female SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprise) at 19 percent, followed by Atlantic Canada, Ontario, and then the Prairies and British Columbia. 47% are SMEs were entirely or partly owned by women. The proportion of women-owned businesses that plan to expand their business is generally higher than men. Approximately 51% of Aboriginal-owned SMEs belong partly or wholly to women. Among established businesses (non-start-ups), the percentage of female entrepreneurs rose from 27% in the early 1990s to 33% in 2012. The average net profit before tax of female-owned businesses has increased from 52% of male-owned business profits in 2000 to 89% in 2007. Majority female-owned firms with growth intentions are significantly more active in hiring new employees than majority male-owned firms. Majority women-owned SMEs represented over $117 billion per annum of economic activity in Canada. A greater concentration of women-run SMEs is present in certain sectors, such as professional services, accommodation, and food services. The percentage of young women (25-34) with a post-secondary degree or diploma has increased from 43% in 1990 to 71% in 2013. Women Entrepreneurs. Small Business Financing Profile. Jung, Owen. (2010). Ottawa: Industry Canada Small Business and Tourism Branch, October 2010. Majority female-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (i.e., 51 to 100 percent of the ownership of the business is held by women) constituted 16 percent of SMEs in Canada in 2007. On average, female business owners were younger and reported fewer years of management or ownership experience compared with male business owners. Majority female-owned firms were more likely to operate in the tourism industry than majority male owned firms. Revenues earned by majority female-owned firms were still significantly less than revenues earned by majority male-owned firms in 2004 and 2007; however, before-tax net incomes generated by majority female-owned firms were comparable to net incomes generated by majority male-owned firms. In 2007, majority female-owned firms were just as likely as majority male-owned firms to seek external financing (17 percent request rate), in contrast to 2004 when majority male-owned firms were more likely to seek financing than majority female-owned firms (24 percent versus 15 percent respectively). Most majority female-owned firms that sought financing in 2007 were successful in acquiring at least some form of external financing; however, majority female-owned firms were less likely to be approved for short-term debt financing, such as lines of credit and credit cards, than majority male-owned firms (77 percent versus 94 percent respectively). There was little evidence of disparity with regards to interest rates or requests for collateral among majority female-owned and majority male-owned firms that were successful in obtaining financing. On the other hand, among SMEs that were denied debt financing, majority female-owned firms were significantly more likely to be turned down due to a poor credit history or insufficient collateral than majority male-owned firms. Among SMEs that intended to expand the size and scope of their businesses within two years (i.e., declared growth intentions), majority female owned firms were more likely to require external financing to fund their expansion plans than majority male-owned firms. Interestingly, majority female-owned firms were more likely to consider sharing equity in the business to fund their expansion plans than majority male-owned firms. In 2007, majority female-owned firms were more likely to declare growth intentions than majority male-owned firms. From 2004 to 2008, firms that declared growth intentions exhibited noticeably stronger growth in total revenue and full-time equivalents (employees) than firms that did not declare growth intentions regardless of owner gender. Action Strategies to Support Womens Enterprise Development The Canadian Task Force for Womens Business Growth. November 2011. In 2010, over 900,000 of the 2.6 million self-employed workers in Canada were women. Canadian women business owners are on average less likely to engage in international trade compared to male counterparts. Key Small Business Statistics July 2012 Statistics Canada. There were 910 000 self-employed women in Canada in 2008, accounting for about one-third of all self-employed persons. Between 1998 and 2008, the number of self-employed women grew by 6.4 percent compared with 11-percent growth in male self-employment. Accommodation and food services industries have the highest share of businesses that are majority-owned by females, at 22 percent. Women Entrepreneurs of Canada 84% of women feel their business has reached a size they are comfortable with and dont want to grow, as compared to 37% for men. Women are also more likely to operate businesses in the servic e sectors rather than in knowledge and manufacturing industries, which traditionally enjoy higher growth potential and profitability. Canadian Women Entrepreneurs, Research and Public Policy: Barbara Orser. Tefler School of Management. The University of Ottawa. November 2007. Because this is a literature review, I have followed each quote from Ms. Orsers report with the complete references she refers to, as she cited them in the appendices of her paper. The majority of majority women-owned firms (85 percent) are micro- businesses employing fewer than 5 people (Carrington, 2006)(p. 15). Women are significantly more likely to operate firms in the services sectors and less likely to operate knowledge-based industries and manufacturing operations. The most common service sectors for women entrepreneurs were wholesale/retail, professional services and information/culture/real estate. (Carrington, 2006) (p. 17). The majority of self-employed women (62.7 percent) remain unincorporated solo workers concentrated within personal services and retail sales sectors (Hughes, 1999; 2006) (p. 17). Canada is a global leader in wom en’s entrepreneurship (GEM, 2000). The participation rates of Canadian women business owners are comparable to those in the United States and higher than those of other leading nations such as Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand (Brush, Carter, Gatewood, Greene, Hart, 2006) Are Women Shortchanging Themselves? Paul Lima. Globeandmail.com Business. November 10, 2006. a flexible work schedule is a greater motivator for women planning to open their own business (63%) than for men planning to do so (51%). 36 percent of men planning to open a business plan to do so to become wealthy, while only 23 percent of women planning to open a business do so for the same reason. The majority of women and men entrepreneurs (69 and 64 percent respectively) seem to be equally driven by a love for what they do or hope to do. Women are less likely than men to start a business because they want to be their own boss. Women are more likely to employ a spouse or a child and to be first-time business owners. Virtually equal amounts of male and female entrepreneurs listed their three main challenges faced when starting up a business as finding clients; keeping a steady workload and working long hours. Canadian Women in Business in Summary: The numbers of Canadian women entrepreneurs are still growing.On average, women business owners are younger and have fewer years of management or ownership experience compared with male business owners. Women entrepreneurs are much more likely to choose to start and run small businesses in the retail and service sectors. Women entrepreneurs do not make as much money as male entrepreneurs although the gap appears to be closing. Canadian women business owners are on average less likely to engage in international trade compared to Canadian male business owners.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Death and Dying paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Death and Dying paper - Essay Example One evening while watching a television interview â€Å"Nightline†, Mitch comes to realize the existence of his once favorite lecturer who happens to be the interviewee. It is from this point that Mitch, who stays in Michigan, contacts Morrie, who stays in Massachusetts and promises to pay him a visit. Right from their first meeting after a long period, Morrie and Mitch found an opportunity to talk much about life. It is during this discussion when Mitch realizes that Morrie had forfeited his favorite hobby, dancing, after contacting ALS. From this point, Mitch is seen as coming to learn more about his life. Mitch notices that maybe he has placed his priorities in the wrong order. Mitch eventually regrets a lot for his failure to contact Morrie for all that period of time. in addition, Mitch is hit hard with the fact that he will not be able to have Morrie around his life now- Morrie will die of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Mitch then promises to pay Morrie a visit every Tuesday to learn more about life, hence the title, Tuesdays with Morrie (Albom, 2010). Based on the activities around the main characters, a reader can easily grasp a lot from the novel Tuesdays with Morrie. Primarily, the main theme pursued by the author is socialization. That is, how social contacts influence people’s lives. In addition, many readers understand how careers and shortcomings in life, such as diseases (in this case cancer and ALS) may deteriorate relationships between people. The writer uses the main characters Mitch and Morrie to convey his message to the readers. ALS is a neurological disease, which affects the brain and the spinal cord by killing neurons and eventually damaging the functionality of the brain. The ALS is a killer disease that at its advanced stages leads to the death of the patient. A lot of discussions and research works have been carried out in trying to understand better