The Pre-Med Student’s Guide to Shadowing a Doctor

Shadowing a doctor refers to time spent observing a clinician as they see patients, perform procedures, etc. While you may be familiar with what a doctor does by your personal experience at the doctor’s office, or while being hospitalized, the opportunity to shadow a professional gives you a close-up behind-the-scenes look at the clinical experience. This may include intimate patient interactions and learning about the roles of others who interact with the physician.   Not all schools require reported shadowing from applicants. However, shadowing experiences can be very unique and worth the time and effort. Shadowing gives a glimpse into the everyday experience of a physician and familiarizes you with the clinic or hospital setting. This experience may differ depending on who you shadow, where you shadow, and when you choose to shadow. Learn tips on finding the right doctor to shadow, what to expect, and how to make the most of your shadowing experience. Finding a Doctor to Shadow In preparing for your shadowing experience, the first task is to find the right doctor to shadow. Consider following these preliminary steps: Do Your Research Research different specialties that interest you. Have you always been interested in women’s health? Does the idea of a fast-paced, dynamic environment like the emergency room intrigue you? Additionally, look into the different environments where your shadowing experience can take place. For instance, will you be observing in a big, teaching hospital among medical students, residents, and fellows—or in a small community clinic? Make a Connection Now that you have become familiar with medical specialties and practice environments, it is time to make the connection with a doctor to shadow.   Utilize your own resources. Your primary care doctor, professors, or other mentors may  help to connect you with someone within your scope of interest. Consider mentor programs, pre-med programs, and pre-health sciences clubs at your university. It is possible that these groups may have connections to several doctors and hospitals in the area who enjoy showing pre-med students around. You can also try reaching out to a local physician by cold calling the office of interest. In the initial email or phone conversation, begin by introducing yourself, making sure to include your name, major, and the school you attend. Let the person know how you obtained their contact information. Then, explain why you are interested in shadowing them. Try contacting one  physician at a time, and do not be afraid to send a kind, follow-up email if you do not receive a response within a week. Set a Time Once you are able to connect with the physician, start to brainstorm times that will work best with their schedule. Depending on the setting, and even day, the length of time you spend shadowing the physician can vary. You may plan to shadow for two to three hours at a time for a couple days throughout the week, or even plan to shadow the doctor for a full day on one occasion. Shadowing can take a good chunk of time out of the day, so it might work best with your schedule to plan to shadow over a holiday or summer break. Depending on the institution and patient population, you may need to complete a background check and additional paperwork.   What to Expect When Shadowing Think of a shadowing experience as a unique version of a lecture. A typical shadowing experience will involve quite a bit of time observing and listening. You will likely follow the physician around, from room to room, as they see their patients for the day. If the patient agrees, you will get a chance to be in the room during an otherwise private conversation between the patient and the physician. You will likely stand, or sit, just to the periphery so as to not interfere in the interaction between the patient and physician.   Pay attention to the subtle interactions between the patient and the doctor, like body language and tone. These cues provide important lessons. You might even have a brief moment of interaction with the patient, but this should be prompted by the physician or patient.  Although you are present primarily for observation, the physician may engage you during the visit or afterwards to explain the patient’s case. Also, do not be afraid to ask the physician questions, preferably after the patient is gone.   You will be interacting with various people, including patients and other medical staff, so it is important to dress professionally. The clinic or hospital might have a dress code for volunteers or students who are shadowing. Typically, students who shadow dress in business casual professional attire. Dress pants and a blouse or dress shirt are appropriate. Some students opt to wear ties as well, but a blazer or sport coat is unnecessary. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes that will allow you to stand for extended periods of time, as necessary. If you are completely unsure of what to wear on your day of shadowing, it is okay to ask the physician you will be shadowing for some pointers.   Tips for a Successful Shadowing Experience   Now that you understand ways to arrange an optimal shadowing experience, and what to expect while shadowing, keep in mind the following four tips for a successful and informative shadowing experience: Prepare It is not a bad idea to get familiar with the specialty you will be shadowing before the big day. It might help to look up the physician you will be shadowing for information on the education they obtained to be in their specialty. Your preparation should give you great questions to ask during your shadowing day and will help you to understand the path you might take to follow in their steps. Take Notes Leave your phone tucked away and have a notebook handy instead. Between patient visits, jot notes of interesting things you observe or any questions you may want to ask the physician or look into at a later time. You might also want to write a short summary of your shadowing experience at the end of the day, noting who, where, and for how long you shadowed. This might come in useful during your application and interview process. Ask Questions Questions, questions, questions! Be inquisitive about what you are observing. The shadowing experience is a learning experience. If you are unsure, or better yet, if you would like to know more, feel free to ask. Physicians usually enjoy teaching, both patients and students. Questions also show you are paying attention and engaged. Just be mindful of the appropriate time to ask them, and don’t interrupt the physician-patient interaction. Maintain the Relationship After the experience, it is always appropriate to write a thank you note to the person who gave you an opportunity to learn from them. Make sure to follow up with the physician and consider maintaining a longer-term professional relationship with them. They may be willing to help you find other physicians to shadow, may be a contact for a letter of recommendation, or may be a great resource for ongoing advice as you continue your journey into medicine. Conclusion A successful shadowing experience is an exciting step in learning if a career in medicine is right for you. Your time observing and interacting with patients can help give you ideas of what interests you and drives you towards this particular field. It may also steer you away from areas of medicine or practice environments that don’t appeal to you. Shadowing is a fun learning opportunity that will give you a close-up of a particular specialty and the intimate interactions between a patient and a physician that are a foundation to the profession.   Source Association of American Medical Colleges. Shadowing a Doctor.

Descartes Vs. Descartes s Theory Of Certainty - 1852 Words

As one of the greatest philosophers in history, Renà © Descartes tackles the daunting task of ensuring what is truly certain in life using a systemic thinking process known as methodological doubt in his Meditations on First Philosophy. In order to determine what is absolutely certain, Descartes concludes that the foundation which even reality sits upon is not firm since most of what contributed to its certainty is based on sensory perception. However, Descartes proves that even the senses can be deceiving. After stripping away all of reality, including his own existence, Descartes comes to the conclusion that the only certainty in life is thinking itself and, in turn, states, I am, I exist, as his certainty of his own existence†¦show more content†¦In another text of his, Descartes states famously that, I think, therefore I am, (Cogito, ergo sum) which he reasoned from doubting everything (Who Said). He was trying to discover the main foundation of reality that contains de finite facts that cannot be deferred at all when doubted and thinking was a process that, as he concluded, could not be doubted unlike things such as the senses or dreaming his own existence. Thinking was virtually involuntary yet remained practical despite all odds. As he tries to accomplish finding the truth, he seems to question everything he should in order to break down every aspect of life; however, he offers some of his own thoughts that contradict some of the claims he eventually makes. Either way, Descartes uses concepts, such as the Wax Argument, to express the practicality of pure intellection in every human mind that is used without inferences of any kind and his he describes at the kind of thought that is undeniable certain beyond all doubt. Even though Descartes s purpose and methodology were clear, his conclusions wholesomely were not. Skepticism of Descartes s work had a major resurgence and scholars of all kinds began breaking part his cogito theory to what ideals were true or false as well as any flaws that not many notice in Descartes claims. One scholar researches the criticisms on others, while including his own, to tryShow MoreRelatedThe Principles Of Empiricism And The Spirit Behind It2295 Words   |  10 PagesLocke’s theory of ideas – the basic principles of empiricism and the spirit behind it; Locke’s theory of the origin and types of ideas and the problems it gave rise to. Locke, John, An Essay concerning human understanding, Everyman, 1961: Book 1, of Innate ideas, Book 2, chapter 1, of ideas in general and their original, Berkeley, George, A treatise concerning the principles of human knowledge. 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Motion to suppress qrant or denial Free Essays

â€Å"Search and seizure law is drawn primarily from the Fourth Amendment, which has been called the most ambiguous of the 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. â€Å" (McWhirter, 1994, pg 1) The extent to which police may stop and frisk suspicious people who are in public and may be armed and dangerous has been of issue in many cases, (e.g. We will write a custom essay sample on Motion to suppress qrant or denial or any similar topic only for you Order Now Terry v. Ohio.)   The defendant was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon.   The court ruled that police may stop and frisk such people without probable cause if the police have a reasonable suspicion that the people pose a threat to public safety. The opinion of the Court., â€Å"This case presents serious questions concerning the role of the Fourth Amendment in the confrontation on the street between the citizen and the policeman investigating suspicious circumstances,† (McWhirter, 1994, pg 60).   However in our case involving the possession of an illegal substance, the seizure was not a follow up to a search incident of a lawful arrest. â€Å"Constitutional flaws in the methods used to arrest, search, and interrogate may be uncovered, and the defense attorney can also establish a basis for a motion to suppress and therefore bar crucial evidence from a subsequent trial.† (Bamberger 1972, PG 119) The â€Å"War on Drugs† has led to the development of aggressive or innovative, depending on your point of view, police tactics.   The Supreme Court has developed three broad categorizations addressing the â€Å"encounters† between citizens and police.   Overall intent is to protect the right of the citizens to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures.   â€Å"The Constitution does not permit police officers, without probable cause or reasonable suspicion, to restrain the liberty of American citizens.† (Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 19 n. 16 (1968.) Granted in a police department, law enforcement officials must simultaneously respond to a myriad of situations. An officer may enter the residence to find no burglar or any other person and numerous marijuana plants belonging to the absent homeowner.   As in either of these cases, happen stance yields an illegal product. Generally, officers must make their initial warrant-less entry into the home or commercial building immediately after realizing an emergency is at hand. Under some circumstances though, courts have allowed police to delay their initial entry. â€Å"In these cases, police may be facing either an ongoing emergency, such as a kidnapping, or gathering facts to determine whether assistance is truly needed, such as in a missing persons case. If there is a reasonable explanation for the officer’s delay, the entry, even though delayed, will most likely be construed as lawful under the emergency exception.† (10th Cir. 1994) (9th Cir. 1986) Sam Wardlow, a â€Å"middle-aged African-American male,† was standing in front of a building holding a bag†¦he ran before an arrest was made and a gun was confiscated. â€Å"Should running from police in â€Å"high crime areas† be viewed differently from running from police in â€Å"low crime areas†? If so, are there various shades of Fourth Amendment protections throughout the country, depending upon which neighborhood you live in?† (Slade, 1999, pg. 86) An additional indirect case that correlates the two â€Å"passenger† example, a defendant’s motions to suppress confiscated drugs, State v. Kaluna, was granted on the ground that it had been illegally seized. The state supreme court affirmed this suppression order.   Following an arrest for robbery, â€Å"the defendant was told to strip for a search. She then reached into her brassiere and pulled out a piece of folded tissue. Handing it to the matron, she claimed that this was all that she had. The matron unfolded the tissue and found a barbiturate. â€Å"(Friedelbaum, 1988, pg 134) District court judge Santiago Campos granted motion to suppress (U.S. v. Zapata (1992, 1993) the physical evidence and statements. This ruling exemplifies the two â€Å"passenger† cases fact for fact.   The initial encounter between the passengers and the narcotics agent was â€Å"an involuntary and nonconsensual seizure† in violation of the Fourth Amendment. â€Å"In a public compartment on an Amtrak train with his wife and infant son†¦DEA Special Agent boarded the train†¦ identified himself as a police officer, blocked Zapata’s egress from his seat, and asked if he could search Zapata’s bags, Zapata seemed to agree. Zapata stood up, took down the bags, and opened them†¦several kilograms of cocaine.†Ã‚   (Renteln, 2004, pg 91) For the press, it is one of the most difficult situations, a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence.   â€Å"If the report of a confession reaches them, trial delays are almost certain. If the defense asks for a change of venue the judge will be put under additional strain, particularly if he decides to go ahead with the jury selection process.† (Gerald, 1983 pg. 51) Reference(s) Darien A. McWhirter, Publication Year: 1994. Search, Seizure and Privacy.Contributors: Publisher: Oryx Press. Place of Publication: Phoenix. Page Number: 1. Darien A. McWhirter. Publication Year: 1994. Search, Seizure and Privacy. Contributors: TERRY v. OHIO, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN, Publisher: Oryx Press. Place of Publication: Phoenix.. Page Number: 60. Richard Bamberger, Publication Year: 1972, Justice Is the Crime: Pretrial Delay in Felony Cases. Contributors: – Lewis Katz – author, Lawrence Litwin – author. Publisher: Press of Case Western Reserve University. Place of Publication:Cleveland, OH.. Page Number: 119. Florida v. Bostick, 1968 Washington, 151 F.3d at 1357 (citing 501 U.S. 429, 439 (1991); Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 19 n. 16 ( (112.) Washington, 151 F.3d at 1357. (656) See United States v. Bute, 43 F. 3d 531, 537-39 (10th Cir. 1994)stressing importance of â€Å"immediacy† requirement). (657) See, e.g., U.S. v. Echegoyen 799 F.2d 1271 (9th Cir. 1986) (court upheld warrantless entry under exigent circumstances despite the fact that officers were on the premises for approximately two and one-half to three hours before they entered the home). David C. Slade, Publication Date: December 1999, Run! It’s the Cops!: Police Protector or Enemy in High Crime Neighborhoods. Contributors: – author. Magazine Title: World and I. Volume: 14. Issue: 12.. Page Number: 86. COPYRIGHT 1999 News World Communications, Inc.; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group Stanley H. Friedelbaum, Publication Year: 1988, Human Rights in the States: New Directions in Constitutional Policymaking. Contributors: – editor. Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: New York.. Page Number: 134. Alison Dundes Renteln, Publication Year: 2004, The Cultural Defense. Publisher: Oxford University Press. Place of Publication: New York.. Page Number: 91. J. Edward Gerald, Publication Year: 1983 News of Crime: courts and Press in Conflict. Contributors: – author.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: Westport, CT.. Page Number: 51. How to cite Motion to suppress qrant or denial, Essay examples

An Effective Teacher free essay sample

The qualities that define an effective teacher are very complex in my opinion. Everyone seems to have different ideas as to what the key indicators are. They range from; professionalism, communication, professional development, managing, guiding and strategies. There are even those of the opinion that it doesn’t matter what you do, children will always learn. However I have chosen professionalism as I believe that it is an essential attribute to being an effective teacher. Professionalism is defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as â€Å"Characterised by or conforming to the technical or ethical standard of one’s profession. (Belcher). In order to gain and preserve the respect and trust of students, parents and colleagues alike and to provide students with the best education possible it is important to demonstrate professional conduct and practice. The guidelines for professionalism in the teaching profession are provided by Code of Ethics, National Profession al Standards for Teachers and Duty of Care. We will write a custom essay sample on An Effective Teacher or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These define the â€Å"what†. The key however is being or acting professional, this is the â€Å"how†, the effectiveness of a teacher. This is the true measure of professionalism. Some of the primary demonstrable characteristics or attributes of a professional teacher are communication, morals and ethics and professional development. Communication is an essential aspect in education, the means to send and receive clear messages to and from students, teachers, parents and community members. It establishes positive and effective relationships and connections with the involved parties. Communication can be in many forms namely verbal, non-verbal or written and used by teachers to constantly impart new knowledge or important information. The ability for teachers to apply the characteristics of good and effective communication in all its forms, to a diverse audience with different backgrounds and interests and to minimise the barriers, for example noise, misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the messages are the makings of an effective teacher. In the article by Prozesky, he states that the most effectual way to overcome these barriers is to have two-way communication with regular feedback provided by the receivers. Professional ethics is not achieved by only purely applying the ethical codes of practice nor professional standards which embody the core principles but by also applying professional skills and personal skills (caring and nurturing) and ethical behaviour in the form of attitude, intention, words, acknowledgement, respect (inside and outside of the classroom), fairness and equity with regards to individual circumstances, colour, creed, age, social-economic status, to name a few. Brock (1998) says that when dealing with ethics and professional standards there are two questions to ask; what should one do and what one should not do, what is right and what is wrong and what is appropriate and what is inappropriate. These questions result in a number of ethical dilemmas that face the teacher such as truth versus loyalty, individual versus community and religion versus morals. Early Childhood Australia has published a guide to help teachers deal with every day ethical dilemmas. According to Marsh (2010) ethical decisions have been categorised into five different levels of decision making. Open decision making, limited decision making, decisions made by the teacher, security seeking (delegation) and avoidance. Several ethical relationships exist within the dynamics of a school environment; these include ethical relationship between the teacher and the education system for example, the education system restricts teachers on what they should teach. The teacher and the principal, an example being that the teacher and principal have different values and the principal’s values will over ride those of the teacher. The teacher and the students where the teacher develops emotional bonds with his or her students and there is a mutual respect between teacher and student. The third quality that defines an effective teacher is professional development. In order to be a good teacher you need to be a good learner too. The demands on teachers to find new ideas and forms of teaching are increasing. Teachers need to be innovative and therefore attend professional development days which will help them continuously enhance their competencies and provide their students with problem solving skills and advanced thinking thus elevating them to higher levels of achievement. The desire to expand their knowledge base, stay current and gain a broader exposure to information provides this opportunity. Through numerous examples it is clear how important communication, ethics and professional development are to professionalism. These attributes will help teachers to be more effective in imparting knowledge and wisdom to their students. All of these attributes will allow the students to really focus their energies on learning and engaging with their education. Even though all of the attributes are vital for effective teaching one must never forget that the purpose of effective teaching is â€Å"that teachers make a difference, (Boyd, 2009).

Nuclear Power Essays (1719 words) - Hazardous Waste, Radioactivity

Nuclear Power Radioactive wastes, must for the protection of mankind be stored or disposed in such a manner that isolation from the biosphere is assured until they have decayed to innocuous levels. If this is not done, the world could face severe physical problems to living species living on this planet. Some atoms can disintegrate spontaneously. As they do, they emit ionizing radiation. Atoms having this property are called radioactive. By far the greatest number of uses for radioactivity in Canada relate not to the fission, but to the decay of radioactive materials - radioisotopes. These are unstable atoms that emit energy for a period of time that varies with the isotope. During this active period, while the atoms are 'decaying' to a stable state their energies can be used according to the kind of energy they emit. Since the mid 1900's radioactive wastes have been stored in different manners, but since several years new ways of disposing and storing these wastes have been developed so they may no longer be harmful. A very advantageous way of storing radioactive wastes is by a process called 'vitrification'. Vitrification is a semi-continuous process that enables the following operations to be carried out with the same equipment: evaporation of the waste solution mixed with the ------------------------------------------------------------ 1) borosilicate: any of several salts derived from both boric acid and silicic acid and found in certain minerals such as tourmaline. additives necesary for the production of borosilicate glass, calcination and elaboration of the glass. These operations are carried out in a metallic pot that is heated in an induction furnace. The vitrification of one load of wastes comprises of the following stages. The first step is 'Feeding'. In this step the vitrification receives a constant flow of mixture of wastes and of additives until it is 80% full of calcine. The feeding rate and heating power are adjusted so that an aqueous phase of several litres is permanently maintained at the surface of the pot. The second step is the 'Calcination and glass evaporation'. In this step when the pot is practically full of calcine, the temperature is progressively increased up to 1100 to 1500 C and then is maintained for several hours so to allow the glass to elaborate. The third step is 'Glass casting'. The glass is cast in a special container. The heating of the output of the vitrification pot causes the glass plug to melt, thus allowing the glass to flow into containers which are then transferred into the storage. Although part of the waste is transformed into a solid product there is still treatment of gaseous and liquid wastes. The gases that escape from the pot during feeding and calcination are collected and sent to ruthenium filters, condensers and scrubbing columns. The ruthenium consists of ------------------------------------------------------------ 2) condensacate: product of condensation. glass pellets coated with ferrous oxide and maintained at a temperature of 500 C. In the treatment of liquid wastes, the condensates collected contain about 15% ruthenium. This is then concentrated in an evaporator where nitric acid is destroyed by formaldehyde so as to maintain low acidity. The concentration is then neutralized and enters the vitrification pot. Once the vitrification process is finished, the containers are stored in a storage pit. This pit has been designed so that the number of containers that may be stored is equivalent to nine years of production. Powerful ventilators provide air circulation to cool down glass. The glass produced has the advantage of being stored as solid rather than liquid. The advantages of the solids are that they have almost complete insolubility, chemical inertias, absence of volatile products and good radiation resistance. The ruthenium that escapes is absorbed by a filter. The amount of ruthenium likely to be released into the environment is minimal. Another method that is being used today to get rid of radioactive waste is the 'placement and self processing radioactive wastes in deep underground cavities'. This is the disposing of toxic wastes by incorporating them into molten silicate rock, with low permeability. By this method, liquid wastes are injected into a deep underground cavity with mineral treatment and allowed to self-boil. The resulting steam is processed at ground level and recycled in a closed system. When waste addition is terminated, the chimney is allowed to boil dry. The heat generated by the radioactive wastes then melts the surrounding rock, thus dissolving the wastes. When waste and water addition stop, the cavity temperature would rise to the melting point of the rock. As the molten rock mass increases in size, so does the surface area. This

Nutrition Essay Essay Example

Nutrition Essay Essay Example Nutrition Essay Essay Nutrition Essay Essay Shakton Andrews March 27, 2012 4. 07 Movie Matinee Shakton Carbohydrate was chatting happily with a jar of paprika in the pantry when someone started calling her name. The voice got closer and soon, two hands appeared on the shelf. Whose head popped up above them but that of Norman Nutrition! â€Å"There you are, Shakton! † he said with a smile. â€Å"Hi there, Norman! † Shakton replied. â€Å"Listen, Shakton, we have a big problem- the Jones family isn’t eating right. They’re only eating donuts, candy, chips, and sodas. We have to do something! I’m calling on all the food groups to help me out. We’re going to show them how to eat healthy again. † â€Å"Of course I’ll help. We need to teach the Jones to eat properly or else they’ll be sick and overweight,† Shakton answered. â€Å"Good! Remember, meet me at the dining room table at supper time with three friends,† Norman said. Then he waved and jumped off the shelf to tell the other food groups about the Jones’ problem. â€Å"Bye, Paprika! Duty calls! † Shakton said, waving to his friend before jumping off the shelf like Norman. As Shakton floated down to the floor, he thought about who he should bring to the dining room with him. The Jones kids are fun and like to play. I should bring some friends that are fun! † And with that, Shakton headed to the kitchen. â€Å"Corn has lots of carbs; my friend Corn on the Cob would be perfect for the Jones kids! † Shakton decided, and made his way to the refrigerator. Opening the door was a challenge too big for little S hakton, so he had the family dog, Oscar, help her. With his teeth, he pulled on the towel Mrs. Jones kept tied to the refrigerator door handle. The towel stretched for a second, and then the door opened with a whoosh of cool air. How to open the drawer where Corn on the Cob lived was a harder problem to solve. Eventually, though, Oscar and Shakton figured it out. Oscar held Shakton carefully in his mouth while he grabbed hold of the drawer handle. Then, he pulled and the drawer slid open with a squeak. â€Å"Thanks, Oscar,† Shakton called as the dog trotted off. â€Å"Hey, Shakton, is that you? † Corn on the Cob asked from where she sat at the back of the drawer. â€Å"Yep, that’s me! † Shakton answered, jumping down into the drawer. Corn on the Cob ran over and gave her a hug. â€Å"I need your help,† Shakton began, returning his friend’s hug. Of course, anything! † And so Shakton explained the Jones’ problem. When he finished Corn on the Cob gasped in horror. â€Å"Oh, Shakton, that’s awful! What do you need me to do? † she asked. â€Å"I need you to come with me to the dining room table to show that it can be fun to eat good foods. We ha ve to be there by supper time, and I still have to pick up to other friends. † â€Å"Let’s go, then! What are we waiting for? † Corn on the Cob exclaimed. As Shakton and Corn on the Cob climbed out of the drawer, Shakton asked his friend who else they should bring along to the dining room. Corn on the Cob paused on the edge of the drawer, thinking, before jumping down onto the floor where Shakton waited. â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Jones might not be interested in fun foods like me at their age†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Corn on the Cob said sadly. â€Å"What about BlueBerry? He’s a bit more suited to their fruity pallet,† Shakton suggested. â€Å"Good idea,† Corn on the Cob agreed. Shakton and Corn on the Cob had to ask some of the other inhabitants of the fridge where BlueBerry lived, but eventually they found out where he usually stayed. It was a small drawer on the very top shelf on the Pantry Door. From where they stood on the bottom shelf, Shakton and Corn on the Cob looked way, way up to see where he lived. â€Å"How are we ever going to get up there? † Corn on the Cob fretted. â€Å"We’ll figure out a way. After all, I’m not in charge of the Protein food group for nothing! † Shakton encouraged. â€Å"Let’s think for a minute and see if we come up with anything,† Corn on the Cob suggested. Shakton agreed, and together they sat with legs crossed, chins resting on one hand, thinking hard. â€Å"I know! † Corn on the Cob suddenly yelled. â€Å"Let’s ask Spaghetti for help! â€Å"What a good idea,† Shakton said, and so they went over to the drawer where Mrs. Jones kept all the leftovers. The Leftover Drawer was a dark and scary place. Meatloaf and Lima Beans were not always the very nicest sort of foods, and it was hard to find your way around this drawer. Some foods got lost here, and never saw the light of day agai n until Mrs. Jones did her once-every-2-months-cleaning-of-the-refrigerator. However, Spaghetti was a new arrival to this drawer, having only been served for the first time 2 days ago. Luckily for Shakton and Corn on the Cob, that meant she lived near the front of the drawer. After several minutes, they found her. She was sleeping soundly in a large, noodle-y mass under a blanket of tomato sauce with her pet meatballs at her side. Shakton had a terrible time trying to wake Spaghetti up. He and Corn on the Cob tried poking Spaghetti, shouting, clapping their hands, and loudly singing in squeaky, off-key voices. Finally, their efforts were rewarded and Spaghetti woke up. Then Shakton and Corn on the Cob had to sit and catch their breath for minute before asking for help. â€Å"We need your help, Spaghetti,† Shakton began. â€Å"Yeah, we’re trying to get to the top of the Door to visit BlueBerry. But it’s too high up for us and there’s no way to climb up by ourselves,† Corn on the Cob continued. â€Å"Can you help us get up to the Top Shelf so we can climb across to the drawer on the door where BlueBerry lives? † Shakton finished. Spaghetti thought for a moment before answering, â€Å"Sure, I’ll help, but I never do something for nothing. While you’re up there in the Door, will you give a message to my friend Grated Parmesan for me? † â€Å"Yes, if you’ll just help us up there! † Shakton agreed. â€Å"All right, it’s a deal,† Spaghetti said. â€Å"Tell Parmesan hat she and I are supposed to be served for dinner tonight, so she had better not make any plans and be out partying in the very back of the refrigerator like last time! † The three of them made their way out of the creepy, shadowy leftover-drawer and Spaghetti began making a plan: â€Å"I’ll reach up to the next shelf and youâ⠂¬â„¢ll climb up along my arm,† she said. Her noodle arms were very, very long, and she would have no problem reaching way up to the next shelf. Shakton and Corn on the Cob nodded and Spaghetti continued, â€Å"Then I’ll pull myself up and we’ll do the same thing over again. I’m not entirely sure how you’ll get over onto the door, but I can at least take you as far as the Top Shelf. † â€Å"Thank you for helping us at least that much! † Shakton said gratefully. He really meant what he said. The three carried out their plan without a single thing going wrong, and eventually they reached the Top Shelf. â€Å"Here, I must leave you,† Spaghetti said sadly. Shakton gave her new friend a hug. â€Å"Thank you again for helping us. I don’t know how we would have made it up here without you! † â€Å"You’re welcome, Shakton. Good luck on your mission! † Spaghetti said, then began to go back down to the Leftover Drawer. A kindly tall, skinny cardboard pint of cream was more than willing to lean over and let Shakton and Corn on the Cob climb up his back to reach the Door. They had to quickly deliver Spaghetti’s message to Grated Parmesan, then they were on their way again. Finally, the two reached BlueBerry’s home. He was more than willing to come along- in fact, he was quite honored to be chosen as a representative of the Carbohydrate group. â€Å"Wait, there’s only Corn on the Cob and I†¦ doesn’t that mean you still need to get one more food? † he suddenly asked as they slid down the refrigerator door handle and onto the floor. You’re right,† Shakton realized. He looked at his friends, thinking about whom else he should bring along. He smacked her fist onto her palm, shouting, â€Å"I know! Let’s go get Ants on a Log! † Corn on the cob and BlueBerry looked at each other, puzzled. â€Å"Who’s that? † they asked at the same time. â€Å"Oh, you’ve probably never heard of him. He’s new to the Kitchen. Anyway, he’s on a plate on the counter, beside the sink. † Shakton, BlueBerry, and Corn on the Cob, scurried across the floor, very careful not to disturb the sleeping cat as they went by. They were all very glad that Mrs. Jones had been interrupted a while ago while sweeping the floors, because the broom was leaning up against the counter. It was pretty easy to climb up the broom handle and onto the counter after all that Shakton and Corn on the Cob went through to get to BlueBerry. When they had all climbed up the broom handle, they hurried over to the white plate sitting there a foot away. The Ants on a Log family were all lying around on the plate, chatting with each other. They all looked exactly alike! Shakton ran over ahead of the other two. â€Å"Hello! I’m Shakton Carbohydrate,† she said. All six of them turned and looked at her. â€Å"Hello,† they all said at once. They looked very friendly. Shakton quickly told them about the Jones’ eating problems (for the third time that day) and asked them if one of them would come with her to the dining room table at supper time. â€Å"Oh, yes. Allan will go with you! † one of them said cheerfully. â€Å"Thank you! † Shakton exclaimed gratefully. He looked quickly over her shoulder at the large clock on the wall. Oh no! It was almost 6:30! They had only five minutes to get to the dining room table. Would they make it in time? We have to hurry,† Shakton shouted. â€Å"Let’s go! † They all slid down the broom handle and ran across the kitchen. It was a very big kitchen, and they couldn’t run very fast on their short little legs. There was only two minutes left when they finally reached the dining room. They hurried over to the table, and then struggled to climb up one of its l egs. At long last, they all made it up onto the tabletop. They sat down tiredly, panting to get their breath back. â€Å"Shakton, you made it! Good job! † Norman Nutrition called from the middle of the table, where he sat beside the salt shaker. I knew I could count on you. † Shakton was very pleased when she saw many of her friends there beside Norman. Penelope Protein was there with her 3 representatives, along with Frances Fat, Phil Fiber, and Wally Water. Of course, the Jones family was there, too. They listened while Norman Nutrition explained that they were here to help them eat better so they could be healthier. Then, the leaders of each of the food groups took turns talking about their jobs. When it was Shakton’s turn he said: â€Å"My job in maintaining your bodies is to help build gain energy so you can run, jump, and play. I brought three friends with me. Corn has lots of carbs, but Corn on the Cob is more fun than other kinds, don’t you think? BlueBerry can be very fruity, and he’s all about carbs! Ants on a Log gets his carbs from the Peanut Butter he’s made with. † After everyone had gotten a turn to talk, Norman turned to the Jones. â€Å"After what you’ve learned, will you promise to eat better foods? † he asked. They all nodded. Shakton was tired that night, but very happy that the mission was a success. He knew if the Jones ate properly, they would live very happy lives.

Case Study of an innovative company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Study of an innovative company - Essay Example The staff turnover at this airport is around 4% with the average service length of an employee being 9.2 years and 32% rise is observed in revenue per employee (Dubai Airport Yearbook, 2012). Dubai International Airport, as part of an integrated and holistic approach towards improving their customers’ overall experience, attempts to cater to the vastly diverse and cosmopolitan tastes of their international customers. These services include a large number of client airlines, customs and immigration, duty free shops and other retailers; ground services provider data, efficient security scanning, smart gates and lost and found. A unique concept of â€Å"silent airport† has greatly reduced the number of announcements made in the airport, only to be replaced by screens displaying the flight details in order to alert customers (Dubai Airport Yearbook, 2012). Dubai International Airport is ranked at 25 in 2014 as against 33 in 2013. The key competitors of the Airport are Singapore Changi Airport, Incheon International, Munich Airport, London Heathrow Airport and Hong Kong International Airport. The strong performance of Dubai Airport’s commercial portfolio has boosted the total revenue by 17% in 2013. Aeronautical revenue and commercial revenue rose by 12% and 23% respectively, thereby portraying a strong growth of Dubai International Airport (Martin, 2014). Dubai International Airport is constantly trying to improve passenger experience by incorporating innovative strategies in its work policy. In November, Dubai Airport in a recent partnership with TWSteel Watches and Dubai Duty Free had hosted a live pop-up concert by a headline recording artist, Kelly Rowland. The performance took the passengers as well as the airport officials by surprise and attracted immense attention on the social media as several individuals captured the concert on videos that were uploaded on different sites such as, Twitter,

Medical Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical Research - Essay Example They do not include seemingly important information such as the brand of vitamins the study subjects were taking, what type and severity of diabetes the mothers of the infants had, and the like. Other than that, it appears that all results were reported. The information is aged, so there is a good chance this study acted to plant a seed in getting women to take nutritional supplements, especially if they had been diagnosed as being diabetic and was pregnant. According to the study, the results concluded that mothers with diabetes had an increased risk of having children with birth defects. This occurred only with those mothers who had failed to take multivitamins while they were pregnant. Those mothers who had diabetes and took multivitamins while they were pregnant did not show an increase for the risk of birth defects. This leads to the conclusion that the use of multivitamins during pregnancy may reduce the chances that a mother with diabetes will give birth to a child with birth defects (Correa, 2003). The conclusion, which is listed as the last sentence in the paragraph above, is appropriate to the results. Furthermore, the conclusion that was reached was supported by the data that was presented in the tables that came along with the research study. A discussion of implications is included near the results section of the study and is larger than the results section itself. The study does not discuss future research, but does refer a lot back to prior research that has been conducted on the topic in past research studies of a similar type (Correa, 2003). There is one point that appears in Table 5 that the authors fail to mention, but that is interesting and worthy of noting. Women without diabetes who took multivitamins during pregnancy had a 120/424 chance of giving birth to a child with birth defects. This is particularly noteworthy since the subjects for the study were selected on the basis of having birth defects, but the control group did not have diabetes while the rest of the mothers did (Correa, 2003). LIMITATIONS The authors do discuss limitations of the trial in the discussion section. They claim that the information regarding the status of diabetes and the taking of multivitamins were taken from the mother's words instead of produced in the study. Therefore, it could not be verified or detailed. This means that, in the study, they could not distinguish between type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes or see if that affected the study outcomes in any way (Correa, 2003). The authors did strongly attempt to give a justification for these limitations. Although limitations may seem purely negative in nature, that is not necessarily the case. They can give great ideas for those who plan on conducting

Foreign Exchange Derivatives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Foreign Exchange Derivatives - Essay Example ?rket hÐ °s been Ð °ccompÐ °nied by Ð ° lÐ °g in instituting regulÐ °tory controls thÐ °t would limit the destÐ °bilizing impÐ °ct of these new finÐ °nciÐ °l innovÐ °tions. Since mÐ °ny derivÐ °tives involve cross-border trÐ °ding, the derivÐ °tives mÐ °rket hÐ °s led to increÐ °sed internÐ °tionÐ °l finÐ °nciÐ °l frÐ °gility Ð °nd the Ð °ttendÐ °nt need for greÐ °ter suprÐ °nÐ °tionÐ °l governÐ °nce of derivÐ °tives. To explore these themes, I will use Ð ° monetÐ °ry theory of production provided by institutionÐ °list economic theory. From the outset, institutionÐ °list Ð °nÐ °lyses of the economic process hÐ °ve incorporÐ °ted the impÐ °ct of monetÐ °ry phenomenÐ ° on the production of goods Ð °nd services. Thorstein Veblen distinguished between pecuniÐ °ry Ð °nd industriÐ °l employments, Wesley Mitchell between mÐ °king goods Ð °nd mÐ °king money, Ð °nd John R. Commons between reÐ °l Ð °nd finÐ °nciÐ °l vÐ °lues. WhÐ °t Ð °ll sought to cÐ °pture wÐ °s Ð ° diÐ °lecticÐ °l relÐ °tionship between money Ð °nd mÐ °teriÐ °l flows. Ð s Dudley DillÐ °rd put it, under mÐ °rket cÐ °pitÐ °lism "the production of goods Ð °nd services by which we live is Ð ° byproduct of the expectÐ °tion of businessmen to mÐ °ke money" [DillÐ °rd 1987, 1623]. In institutionÐ °l Ð °nÐ °lysis, money is described Ð °s hÐ °ving functions beyond thÐ °t of Ð ° medium of exchÐ °nge. Money is Ð ° core component of economizing behÐ °vior under mÐ °rket cÐ °pitÐ °lism becÐ °use it serves Ð °s the numerÐ °ire by which gÐ °in mÐ °y be cÐ °lculÐ °ted in quÐ °ntitÐ °tive terms, Ð °n element essentiÐ °l to whÐ °t MÐ °x Weber cÐ °lled cÐ °pitÐ °l Ð °ccounting, or KÐ °pitÐ °lrechnung. PerhÐ °ps the most importÐ °nt function of money in the mÐ °rket economy Ð °rises from whÐ °t DillÐ °rd [1987, 1625] termed its chÐ °rÐ °cteristic Ð °s Ð ° speciÐ °l form of property. Ð  key feÐ °ture of the use of property is the power to hold or withhold. Moneyholders hÐ °ve the power to grÐ °nt or withhold Ð °ccess to their money cÐ °pitÐ °l, Ð °nd it is this Ð °bility thÐ °t provides one of the meÐ °ns through which monetÐ °ry flows mÐ °y disrupt the

Price Determination in Market Forces of Demand and Supply

Price Determination in Market Forces of Demand and Supply Introduction It is inevitable that world prices of commodities are increasing substantially. The increase of commodity prices does not only affect producers and consumers, but also governments. Around the world, governments face renewed pressure to reform their budgeting processes, including Malaysia. Malaysia has a well-established infrastructure and is one of the most economically advanced countries in South Asia. This essay is opted to discuss the rational of price hikes and its impacts to the cost of living particularly in the Malaysian context as well as providing the blueprint for Malaysian government in bracing the price hikes. 2.0 Do Oil Price Increases Cause Higher Other Commodity Prices? Current commodity price hikes are not only affecting the Malaysian economy and society, but also affecting the whole world. According to OECD Economics Department Policy Notes, commodity prices have risen considerably since mid-2010. The rational of price hikes is due to the price hikes of world’s primary sources like crude oil, food, steel, wheat and such. Oil is one of the world’s basic necessities and the backbone of most countries, especially developing countries, as some developed countries do have renewable resources as alternatives in their productions of commodities. OECD Economics Department Policy Notes states that higher energy prices have contributed to rising food prices, because energy accounts for over one-third of the cost of grain production. 2.1 Scarcity of Oil as One of the Important Natural Resources This is further encouraged by the scarcity of natural resources and raw materials. It is expected that world supply and production of oil are falling into depletion. This problem is commonly referred to as â€Å"peak oil†, where the production of oil reaches a maximum and will subsequently begin to decline until full depletion is ultimately reached. According to Hassan (2010), it is expected that the world’s oil supply will be completely diminished by 2025. Prices are Set by Both International and Local Market Factors Commodity prices are largely determined by international market powers within regional basis at most of the time. This shows that commodity prices are in-part out of government’s control in most countries around the world including Malaysia. 3.1 Mixed Economy in Malaysia Malaysia is practicing a mixed economic system and not exempted by international price changes. The economic activities in Malaysia are carried out by entrepreneurs in the production activities of goods and services as well as by the government that provides public goods and services to Malaysian citizens in terms of education, transportation, health and others. Based on Price Control Act 1961, Malaysian government is controlling only seven types of goods—white refined sugar, petrol, diesel, liquid petroleum gas, flour, cooking oil, and facemask (as illustrated in table 1). According to Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, Malaysian government previously controlled other five goods which are steel (price control was repealed on 12 May 2008), chicken (price control was repealed on 12 May 2008), cement (price control was repealed on 5 June 2008), sweetened condensed milk (price control was repealed on 1 April 2009) and white bread (price control was repeale d on 1 Jan 2010). Table 1: List of Controlled Goods Source: Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) Commodity Price Increases in Malaysia According to Datuk Dr. Wee Ka Siong, Ayer Hitam MP and MCA Deputy President, 2014 is seen as a tough year for Malaysians as the prices hikes, including the impending ones that impacting the middle-income earners and below (Foong, 2014). The price hikes are assumed as one of the impacts of the Malaysian government’s rationalisation exercise of fuel subsidies and the electricity tariff in the effort of reducing the nation’s economic burden. 4.1 Reducing Nation’s Economic Burden The Malaysia’s federal government is in a bad state because it is spending more than it earns, causing a persistent budget deficit. Malaysia’s debt-to-GDP ratio is higher than officials would like. With the exception of India, that deficit burden is the highest among the Non-Japan Asian economies (KPMG, 2011). According to Deputy of Ministry of Finance Datuk Ahmad Maslan, at the end of June 2013, the federal government owed tax of RM 284.7 billion, which is 28.8% of Malaysian GDP (Bernama, 2013). Until September 30, 2013, the shortfall is funded by the federal government incurring more debt, which was in total of RM529.2 billion or 53.6% of GDP (Bernama, 2013). 4.2 Subsidy Removal According to Shanmugam, â€Å"In Malaysia, the electricity tariff, food prices and toll rates on urban highways are all going up in 2014 as the government cuts subsidies and reigns in its operating expenditure†. Scrapping energy subsidies has become a target for government austerity measures over the past years. In complying with the latest budget, Malaysia has recently cut its annual subsidy on petrol and electricity (The Economist, 2014). Malaysia slashed its petrol subsidies by 20 cents a litre and by 20 to 80 cents on diesel (BBC News, 2013). This is the first time in more than two years that Malaysia cuts fuel subsidies as it tries to reduce its budget deficit. On the other hand, the electricity tariff in Malaysia is increased by an average of about 14.89% for Peninsular Malaysia, and by about 17% for Sabah and Labuan starting January 1st, 2014 as shown in Table 2 (Shagar, 2013). This is in line with the Government’s effort towards gradually reducing energy subsidi es to industries through the Subsidy Rationalisation Program. Table 2: The table on implications of the revised rate on domestic users Impacts of price hikes to Malaysian cost of living It is pretty clear that the cost of living in Malaysia is going to rise substantially as we stepped into 2014. According to Alliance Financial Group Bhd. and Malaysian Rating Corp., the 14 percent increase in sugar cost starting in October 2013 and 11 percent increase of petrol in September 2014 as well as 15 percent increase of electricity in January 2014 could inhibit private consumption growth by 0.9 percentage point in 2014 (Chong, 2014). Chong (2014) anticipates that Malaysia’s middle class is harshly hit by the price increases with elevated household borrowings as slower pay increase than the lower-income earners. According to Wan Saiful Wan Jan, the chief officer at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, with as little as RM 3,000 salary per month, the middle-income earners or the ‘Sandwich Class’ is not benefitting as much as other higher and lower classes from the government income tax cuts (Chong, 2014). Despite the increase cost of living, the Malaysian Employers Federation estimates that there will be lower salary increases as well as bonuses in the private sector in 2014, where executives will get a 5.63 percent average increase in salaries and non-executives will get a 5.65 percent raise as the results of an MEF survey of 257 companies (Choong, 2014). The producers are the ones that expected to gain much of the price hikes, especially for those who take advantage by their hidden charges through overprice selling of goods on consumers. However, Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry is taking serious actions to protect consumers’ rights. Figure 1: Food Prices Comparison between 2013 and 2014 Source: Utusan Online—3 January 2014 How do Malaysian government brace such increases in commodity prices? In many ways, Malaysia has been an early adopter of important financial reform programs. According to Shanmugam, the opposition has claimed that corruption and wastage are the main reasons the government is not able to spend within its means, thus increasing its spending that leads to high debt. Nevertheless, the technocrats in the Cabinet, Dato’ Seri Idris Jala and Dato’ Seri Abdul Wahid Omar say that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s administration has spelt out clear measures to tackle leakages in government spending and end corrupt practices. 6.1 Long-Term Agreement One of the ways that is taken by the Malaysian government in bracing the price increases is by having agreement with the resources supplying countries. For example, the government is able to control sugar price because of its long-term agreement with Brazil in supplying raw sugar to Malaysia. Nevertheless, sugar is pressured by price hikes due to the usage of sugar canes as primary supplier of raw sugar in biofuel (Department of Information, 2008). This causes sugar canes for the use of biofuel having high demand in the world market. Outcome-Based Budgeting The government has also introduced the Outcome-Based Budgeting (OBB) which is also known as Performance-Based Budgeting in Budget 2014 as a way to allocate resources based on achieving agreed upon objectives, program goals and measured results. This will help in improving the implementation of efficiencies, reducing redundancy and systematically evaluate the performance of all ministries. Furthermore, according to Dato’ Seri Abdul Wahid, the government is now more focusing on public-private partnerships, where the private sector implements the projects and end-users pay for it. He said that â€Å"there will be less emphasis on private finance initiatives (FPI) where the government has to pay annual lease payments, which contribute to a growing operating budget† (Shanmugam, 2013). Goods and Services Tax Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a broad based consumption tax which will generally be applicable on all goods and services, where consumers pay only on what they consume. Any registered business that charges GST can offset the GST it pays against the tax it collects before forwarding the balance to the government, so that the tax is ensured to be imposed only once. This is called as an â€Å"input tax credit mechanism†, where businesses are able to operate without tax cost and the final 6% tax is borne by the end consumer (Kumaran and Simpson, 2013). However, basic goods such as unprocessed meat, cooking oil, and sugar as well as public services like education, healthcare, tolls, financial services and life insurance will be exempt from GST (Kumaran and Simpson, 2013). This will help Malaysians in curbing their expenses with the increasing living cost. Furthermore, under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2010, it is illegal for businesses to increase prices by 4% across the board with the introduction of GST (Kumaran and Simpson, 2013). Pricing decisions by businesses are also obliged to be justifiable or else stringent penalties will be taken by domestic trade cooperatives and consumerism ministry. In brief, instead of making everything more expensive in addition to international price hikes, GST is going to help Malaysians by providing a more transparent, streamlined and fairer tax based on our consumption patterns (Kumaran and Simpson, 2013). Conclusion In conclusion, despite the drawbacks of price hike to the cost of living particularly in the Malaysian context, price hikes are seen as a good cause in reducing the government’s burden. The government does need to reduce its fiscal deficit for the long term economic wellbeing. Therefore, cuts in government subsidies executed by the Malaysian government are viewed as a rational approach. Based on the blueprint discussed in this essay, it shows that the government also has proposed some measures to curb the impacts of price hikes to consumers. The government and its people are supposed to be partners in their shared journey of development and progress, thus both parties have to play their parts in fiscal consolidation. References BBC News. (2013, September 3). BBC NEWS BUSINESS. Retrieved from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23926411 Bernama. (2013, November 25). Hutang negara RM284.7b pada akhir Jun tahun ini, lapor Kementerian Kewangan. Retrieved from The Malaysian Insider: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/hutang-negara-rm284.7b-pada-akhir-jun-tahun-ini-lapor-kementerian-kewangan Chong, P. K. (2014, January 7th). Malaysians Seen Curbing Spending as Living Costs Surge: Economy. Retrieved from Bloomberg News: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-07/malaysians-seen-curbing-spending-as-living-costs-surge-economy.html Choong, P. (2014, January 7). Malaysians Seen Curbing Spending as Living Costs Surge: Economy. Bloomberg News. Malaysia: Bloomberg L.P. Department of Information. (2008). Clarification on Subsidies and Price Increases of Goods and Services. Kuala Lumpur: Perkasa Nilam Sdn. Bhd. Foong, P. (2014, January 6). Malaysian Politics 2014: Tough explaining price hikes to people, says Dr Wee. Retrieved from The Star Online: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/01/06/Malaysian-politics-2014-Wee-Ka-Siong-MCA-Barisan-Nasional/ Hassan, M. (2010, July 19). Bersediakah kita menuju negara hijau? Retrieved from Utusan Online: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010dt=0719pub=Utusan_Malaysiasec=Rencanapg=re_06.htm KPDNKK. (2014, January 10). Price List of Controlled Items. Retrieved from Offical Portal of Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism: http://www.kpdnkk.gov.my/en/pengguna/penguatkuasaan/brg-kawalan/harga-brg-kawalan KPMG. (2011, September). Outcome-based Budgeting: A Six Nation Study. Making the Transition. KPMG International Cooperative. Kumaran, R., Simpson, T. (2013, October 21). Real impact of GST on cost of living. Retrieved from The Star Online: http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Business-News/2013/10/21/Real-impact-of-GST-on-cost-of-living-It-helps-change-the-way-we-pay-tax-provides-more-transparent-s.aspx/ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2011). The Effects of Oil Price Hikes on Economic Activity and Inflation. Economics Department Policy Note No. 4. OECD. Shagar, L. K. (2013, December 2). Electricity tariff up by average 15% from Jan 1. The Star. Malaysia: Star Publications (M) Bhd. Shanmugam, M. (2013, December 23). Shake-up in the economy. Malaysia: The Edge Malaysia Weekly. Star Publications (M) Bhd. (2014, January 21). Traders to pay for steep prices. Retrieved from The Star Online: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/01/21/Traders-to-pay-for-steep-prices-Shop-owners-will-be-taken-to-court-if-they-violate-regulation/ Tenaga Nasional Berhad. (2014). Tariff Rates. Retrieved from Tenaga Nasional: http://www.tnb.com.my/residential/pricing-and-tariff/tariff-rates.html The Economist. (2014, Jan 11th). Fuelling controversy. The $9 Trillion Sale (Almost) Everything Must Go! The Economist Newspaper Limited. The copyright of Nur Nisrin Alina Abdul Aziz (MBA Services Management, UniRazak)Page 1

Oedipus Rex †The Women Essay -- Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex – The Women  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Charles Segal in Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge explains the protagonist’s concern for Jocasta’s burial in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex:      Oedipus turns from his utter desolation and abasement to something of his old air of command, albeit in a chastened and softened tone. He asks Creon to expel him from Thebes as quickly as he can and gives orders for Jocasta’s burial (1446ff), a gesture of concern and responsibility characteristic of the Oedipus we saw in the opening scenes(73).    Oedipus’ attitude toward Jocasta in death – is it the same as in life? This essay will answer the previous question and many other questions regarding women in Oedipus Rex.    Michael J. O’Brien in the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, maintains that there is â€Å"a good deal of evidence to support this view† that the fifth century playwright was the â€Å"educator of his people† and a â€Å"teacher†. Sophocles in his tragedy, Oedipus Rex, teaches about â€Å"morally desirable attitudes and behavior† (4), and uses three women to help convey these principles of living.    At the outset of Oedipus Rex no female characters are present; the reader sees a king who comes to the door full of curiosity: â€Å"Explain your mood and purport. Is it dread /Of ill that moves you or a boon ye crave?† When the priest has responded that the people are despairing from the effects of the plague, the king shows sympathy for his subjects: â€Å"Ye sicken all, well wot I, yet my pain, /How great soever yours, outtops it all.† Thomas Van Nortwick in Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life : â€Å"We see already the supreme self-confidence and ease of command in Oedipus. . ... ...s of the Antigone.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993.    Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Transl. by F. Storr. no pag. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi    â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.    Van Nortwick, Thomas.   Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998.    Watling, E. F.. Introduction. In Sophocles: The Theban Plays, translated by E. F. Watling. New York: Penguin Books, 1974.         

Genetics of Alcoholism. Does Alcohol Dependence Depend of Race

Alcoholism is very all known occurrence that have a place in every culture. Modern medical definitions describe alcoholism as a disease and addiction which results in a persistent use of alcohol despite negative consequences. Although this definition do not specify current and on-going use of alcohol as a qualifier for alcoholism, some do, as well as remarking on the long-term effects of consistent, heavy alcohol use, include dependence and symptoms of withdrawal. Psychiatric geneticists John I. Nurnberger, Jr. and Laura Jean Bierut suggest that alcoholism does not have a single cause—including genetic—but that genes do play an important role â€Å"by affecting processes in the body and brain that interact with one another and with an individual's life experiences to produce protection or susceptibility. † They also report that fewer than a dozen alcoholism-related genes have been identified, but that more likely await discovery. At least one genetic test exists for an allele that is correlated to alcoholism and opiate addiction. Human dopamine receptor genes have a detectable variation referred to as the DRD2 TaqI polymorphism.Those who possess the A1 allele (variation) of this polymorphism have a small but significant tendency towards addiction to opiates and endorphin releasing drugs like alcohol. Although this allele is slightly more common in alcoholics and opiate addicts, it is not by itself an adequate predictor of alcoholism, and some researchers argue that evidence for DRD2 is contradictory. Also, studies indicate that the proportion of men with alcohol dependence is higher than the proportion of women, 7% and 2. 5% respectively, although women are more vulnerable to long-term consequences of alcoholism.Around 90% of adults in United States consume alcohol, and more than 700,000 of them are treated daily for alcoholism. Professor David Zaridze, who led the international research team, calculated that alcohol had killed three millio n Russians since 1987. In the United Kingdom, the number of ‘dependent drinkers' was calculated as over 2. 8 million in 2001. The World Health Organization estimates that about 140 million people throughout the world suffer from alcohol dependence and dominant number of them is European people. 70% of Asian people, according to Svetlana Borinskaya PhD.Laboratory worker of institute of General Genetics behalf of the Vavilov, have a particular gene that works as a protector from alcohol addictive syndrome. My hypothesis statement is that Asian people are less predisposed to become an alcohol addictive that European people. In order to test my hypothesis I will use an experimental method. In my experiment I will need two groups of participants, both groups will be experimental. First group will contain 100 participants that belong to European race, second group will contain 100 participants that belong to Asian race with â€Å"Asian† gene of alcoholic protector.In my exper iment I will try to select in general alike participant from the physical appearance point of view. Also they should not be active alcohol users or they should be people that never taste alcohol. There are criteria for participants: males, 25-35 years old, weight 70-90 kg, height 170-190 cm, average constitution, good health, average social status and average economical status. Experiment will last two months. In the beginning of my experiment I will place participants in two houses. During experiment they will have five ingestions per day: breakfast, dinner, snack, lunch and supper.Then every day before ingestion they will receive portion of vine- 400 g. and also they will have an access to vine. Vine intake before ingestions and free access to vine will lasts one month in the second month we will stop access to vine and also in taking vine before ingestion. And during whole this month observe their behavior. After second month of experiment we will give them a portion of vine. Als o directly after experiment we will ask them to evaluate their self-appraisal about them from the alcohol dependence point of view.Then according to participants reaction to final portion of vine and also refers to a self-appraisal of participants we will collect and then analyze data. There are three expected outcomes of the research First, European people will demonstrate less tolerance to alcohol dependence then Asian people and it will mean that my hypothesis is right and â€Å"Asian† gene is worked as alcohol dependence protector. Second, there will be no difference between European and Asian people from the tolerance to alcohol dependence point of view it will mean that â€Å"Asian† gene do not influence to alcohol protector mechanism.Third, European people will demonstrate higher tolerance to alcohol dependence then Asian people, it will mean that†Asian† gene do not influence to alcohol protector mechanism or works inversely than that we suppose.

Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay

Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay â€Å"Christianity is not the faith of the complacent, the comfortable or of the timid. It is a set of rituals, beliefs (and most importantly) a way of living that creates heroic souls like Wesley, Wilberforce, Bonhoeffer, John Paul II, and Billy Graham. Each showed, in their own way, the relentless and powerful influence of the message of Jesus Christ.† – Mitt Romney With reference to the quote explain how Christianity is a living religious tradition in the life of its adherents. The quote from Mitt Romney is based around evangelists who, from Christianity gained their strength to overcome oppression and enact the word of Jesus Christ from the beliefs and rituals based around Christianity. To followers of Jesus Christ, this quote proves Jesus’s relentless and powerful message towards his adherents. This is symbolic as it shows followers of Jesus Christ to understand his message, which is central in Christian beliefs. As a result of this Christianity has proved not to be static, but rather living religious traditions in the life of its adherents. This is evident through many factors such as rituals, ethical teachings, and significant leaders within Christianity that have stood the test of time. The quote highlights that although Jesus is not with us, through his relentless and powerful message. His presence is still felt by all his adherents. This highlights that in order for Christianity to be living religious tradition adherents must practise the rituals set in place. Baptism is the Christian rite of admission, celebrating the initiation of an individual into the Christian community. Within Christianity there are many denominations where baptism has a different meaning. Such as in Catholism for means of salvation, baptism is received in order for original sin to be lost and regained penance. In Anglicanism it involves the turning from all that is evil and repenting towards Christ. Fundamentally as Christ has been resurrected, his life is significant and Christian adherents are baptised to show their following of God. In John 3:5 it states â€Å"Unless a person is born through water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God†. This ritual is practised differently throughout denominations in Christianity. In many protestant Churches such as Lutheran and Anglicanism baptism by immersion is common. This is where the whole body is submerged in water and scripture is recited â€Å"Baptise in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit†, this ritual recognises the dying of your old self like Jesus Christ and rising up again like Jesus Christ. Through this practise an individual is able to live out the message of Christ in everyday life through the release of original sin and the transcending of God’s Holy Spirit on the adherent’s heart in which allows the Holy Spirit to be real in their life. This shows how Christianity is a living religious tradition because of the Holy Spirit’s everlasting presence in an individual’s life. In Catholism, Infant baptism is the most common, it is done by the aspersion or sprinkling of water over an infant. In Romans 4:25, it states â€Å"He was delivered up for trespasses and raised for our justifications† this confirms the resurrection of Christ. This also recognises that if Christ had not been resurrected therefore sin would still be prevalent in the world and Christians would not be able to actively worship God. However Jesus Christ did rise from the dead and in whom Catholics believe that through infant baptism original sin is taken away, validating that Christianity is a living religious tradition. Additionally for baptism there are elements which are needed for this ritual to place, such as the use of white garments which represent purity and innocence, baptismal candle representing the eternal light of Christ, anointing oil which marks the candidate as a child of Christ as oil cannot be washed off by water, and the use of readings from the Gospel throughout the

Essential Things to Know About Shakespeares Sonnets

Essential Things to Know About Shakespeares Sonnets The collection of 154 Shakespeare sonnets remains some of the most important poems ever written in the English language. Indeed, the collection contains Sonnet 18 – ‘Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?’ – described by many critics as the most romantic poem ever written. It is strange that, considering their literary importance, they were never supposed to be published! For Shakespeare, the sonnet was a private form of expression. Unlike his plays, which were written expressly for public consumption, there is evidence to suggest that Shakespeare never intended for his collection of 154 sonnets to be published. Publishing the Shakespeare Sonnets Although written in the 1590s, it wasn’t until 1609 that the Shakespeare sonnets were published. Around this time in Shakespeares biography, he was finishing his theatrical career in London and moving back to Stratford-upon-Avon to live out his retirement. It is likely that the 1609 publication was unauthorized because the text is riddled with errors and seems to be based on an unfinished draft of the sonnets – possibly obtained by the publisher through illegitimate means. To make things even more complicated, a different publisher released another edition of the sonnets in 1640 in which he edited the gender of the Fair Youth from â€Å"he† to â€Å"she†. A Breakdown of Shakespeare's Sonnets Although each sonnet in the 154-strong collection is a standalone poem, they do interlink to form an overarching narrative. In effect, this is a love story in which the poet pours adoration upon a young man. Later, a woman becomes the object of the poet’s desire. The two lovers are often used to breakdown the Shakespeare sonnets into chunks. The Fair Youth Sonnets:  Sonnets 1 to 126 are addressed to a young man known as the â€Å"fair youth†. Exactly what the relationship is, is unclear. Is it a loving friendship or something more? Is the poet’s love reciprocated? Or is it simply an infatuation? You can read more about this relationship in our introduction to the Fair Youth Sonnets.The Dark Lady Sonnets:  Suddenly, between sonnets 127 and 152, a woman enters the story and becomes the poet’s muse. She is described as a â€Å"dark lady† with unconventional beauty. This relationship is perhaps even more complex than the Faith Youth’s! Despite his infatuation, the poet describes her as â€Å"evil† and like a â€Å"bad angel†. You can read more about this relationship in our introduction to the  Dark Lady Sonnets.The Greek Sonnets:  The final two sonnets in the collection, sonnets 153 and 154, are completely different. The lovers disappear and the poet muses on the Roma n myth of Cupid. These sonnets act as a conclusion or summing up to the themes discussed throughout the sonnets. Literary Importance It is difficult to appreciate today how important Shakespeare’s sonnets were. At the time of writing, the Petrarchan sonnet form was extremely popular †¦ and predictable! They focused on unobtainable love in a very conventional way, but Shakespeare’s sonnets managed to stretch the strictly-obeyed conventions of sonnet writing into new areas. For example, Shakespeare’s depiction of love is far from courtly – it is complex, earthy and sometimes controversial: he plays with gender roles, love and evil are closely entwined and he speaks openly about sex. For example, the sexual reference that opens sonnet 129 is clear: The expense of spirit in a waste of shameIs lust in action: and till action, lust. In Shakespeare’s time, this was a revolutionary way of discussing love! Shakespeare, therefore, paved the way for modern romantic poetry. The sonnets remained relatively unpopular until Romanticism really kicked in during the nineteenth century. It was then that the Shakespeare sonnets were revisited and their literary importance secured.

Supply Chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Supply Chain - Essay Example Supply Chain The role of international supply chain management is significant amongst organizations in the present scenario. Increased globalization is the major reason behind such form of supply chain management. It can be stated that this form of trend has given birth to increasing sourcing through cross-border activities (Farmer and Jessop, 2008). On the other hand global supply chain even enables firm to acquire certain parts of the value chain offered by low cost providers. This increasing rate of global operations has even enabled global coordination amongst firms. In present decade it is observed that many larger organizations work in collaboration with SMEs due to the support provided by such international supply chain activities (Lysons and Farrington, 2005). The framework of international supply chain management has been beneficial for larger and mid-sized organizations and even for manufacturers as they are able to develop larger lot sizes, better environments and much lower tax rates for their product line. Amongst organizations this framework plays an active role by not only storing large base of resources but even through effective customer service management, management of manufacturing flow, product commercialization and development, maintaining supplier relationship, handling returns and successfully fulfilling placed orders

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design Case Study

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design - Case Study Example The collected data were tabulated and graphically represented in order to conduct the proposed program more smoothly. The gathered information clearly indicated that back injuries and cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) were very common among the employees. However; among the recordable cases, 30% were back related whereas CTDs constituted only less than 10%. From a detailed analysis, the investigators identified that ‘selectors’ were the group most vulnerable to back injuries while forklift operators maintained the second place. A department-wise study revealed that the grocery department had majorily affected by injuries followed by freezer department and meat and diary departments in second place and third place respectively. Contusions and sprains were outnumbered and hence that could not be brought under the range of this study. In addition to the collection of statistical data, the project members also gathered ten minutes videos of each department’s work perf ormance in order to examine the nature of physical strain caused by each job. The adopted biomechanical techniques for this study included â€Å"a three dimensional analysis of static strength requirements and an analysis of repetitive lifting using the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation† (Laurie, Andres & Wood, n.d.). As a part of the research, frequency data in January, 1994 were gathered for each job. Vertical and horizontal distances between each job location were estimated using measurement tapes and handled loads are weighed. The investigators also consulted personnel familiar with these operations with intent to acquire information regarding overtime work. The collected information processed using the two selected methods. The study outcomes illustrate that lifting cases above 50 lb. and horizontal movement cases beyond 20† cause high stress on the body and it would probably affect the low back or shoulder area. Section 2 Every organization largely depends on its employees to achieve a comprehensive economic growth. The above stated grocery warehouse distribution company also offers certain benefits to its employees. As discussed earlier, the firm implements an incentive pay system by which the employees get the opportunity to earn unlimited income. Under this option, the fastest worker achieves more so that an employee may tend to perform his works rapidly. An employee’s outstanding physical performance on a regular basis would certainly result in injuries and sprains on his body. This situation turns out to be the main cause of increased back injuries and CTDs in the organization. It has been identified that the grocery selectors are the most affected category of back injuries. The gathered data show that grocery selectors lift a weight of 30 pounds at a frequency of four per minute and this activity continues for eight hours. The asymmetry angle or back twisting angle for this wo rk is 30 degrees. At the same time, meat selectors lift 70 pounds two times in a minute and their job duration is also 8 hours. All other elements remain the same for each

Employability skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employability skills - Essay Example The company offers a range of products to clients depending on clients needs. They run care homes, health centers, dental centers, and hospitals, offer personal and company health insurance and provide home health care, workplace health services, health assessments and chronic disease management services including health coaching. The organization employment structure ranges from the top echelon to the bottom depending on employees skills such as professional level. As an erstwhile employee of the institution (saved as a financial adviser), I was tasked with the responsibility of marketing policies of the company to the clients. It is a position that requires certain skills and competencies as well as professionalism to effectively and efficiently deliver in terms of performance ( Bupa, 2015). Personal skills in the modern workforce especially in private institutions are considered to be profitable. There are those who subscribe to the school of thought that personal skills are generic hence its passed from one generation to the other. It is further from the truth as scientific proof show that traits can be acquired. As a financial adviser, I developed my responsibilities by grooming appropriately and in an acceptable manner to the eyes of the clients as well as to the codes and ethics of the institution. Besides that, reporting punctually to workstations would give ample time for proper preparation. Punctuality and strict time observation enable a financial adviser(FA) to identify the appropriate client prospecting methods with the sole purpose of meeting the client’s needs and convincing them into consenting on preferred products. In addition to that it enhances the self-respect, good self-management, honesty to the unit manager and team members and ones work. Ca rrying out duties responsibly boosts confidence in ones work, and that correlates with the

The American Dream Essay Example for Free

The American Dream Essay What is the American Dream? There are a myriad of aspects to it, but one general idea: the ideal life. It is making a lot of money, being respected, and triumphing difficult situations. The American Dream has been pursued by many, but only few make it all the way. One very good example of the American Dream is Andrew Carnegie, the founder of what is known as U.S. Steel. Carnegie was born in Scotland to a poor family. As a teen, he emigrated from Scotland to the United States. He was portrayed as a hard working individual who was very intelligent and disciplined. He took it upon himself to read and learn as much as he could. Carnegies first job was a telegraph messenger boy, and later upgraded to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a telegraph operator. His persevering work allowed him to quickly advance through the company, and he became the superintendent of the Pittsburgh Division. He continued making investments and made good profits throughout the civil war, and finally left Pennsylvania Railroad and started his own iron companies, eventually Keystone Bridge Works and Union Ironworks. Carnegie saw how bad the wooden railroads were, so he proceeded to slowly replace them with iron ones. Carnegies charm, perception, and hard work led to becoming one of the worlds most famous men of the time, and led to the first corporation in the world with a market capitalization in excess of one billion when he sold his companies to John Morgan who called them United States Steel Corporation. The rise from the poor boy in Scotland to the second richest man in America. He had plenty of initiative and persevered throughout his life to become what he wanted to be. He retired as one of the most respected men in the world, and he will be in the history books forever. He was polite, educated, wealthy, intelligent, respected, and perceptive. Andrew Carnegie lived the American Dream. This still holds true today, as many immigrants come to the United States for better, more successful life. This is what the states were founded upon, and, hopefully, will never die. Life, liberty, and the p ursuit of happiness. Overcoming all obstacles, becoming someone no one else is. Everyone dreams of the American Dream.

Critical Analysis: Js Mills Defense Of Free Speech

Critical Analysis: Js Mills Defense Of Free Speech Reading J.S. Mills Defense of free Speech was a great deal of interest, education and increment of knowledge to me. I was so thrilled by his choice of words and his mechanism of analyses. It is of a great pleasure and of a great honor to me to have this opportunity to analyze and asses critically this very write up. According to J.S. Mill we see that freedom means: a) the freedom of thought, religion, speech, b) the freedom of tastes, and the freedom to plan the life in own way, and c) the freedom of assembly. Thus, Mills ideal is a possible freedom of every person for the purpose of the whole society prosperity. Mill even stated that the state should take care of own people and dont try to increase the value of own citizens with the purpose of making them obedient instruments of own projects implementation. Mill defends the right of individuals to live as he pleases. According to Mill we see that each of us is self-sufficient with respect to own health, as bodily, mental and spiritual. Social growth is the result of all the various individual initiatives. Clearly, everyones freedom finds its limits in the freedom of another. Individual shall not infringe upon the interests of others or a certain group interests, which by law or acquiescence should read as legal. He was forced to accept their re sponsibilities and the necessary sacrifices for the protection of society and its members from any sabotage and unrest. Freedom in Mills mind is the public good. Because a free person is more productive than not free person and has a better chance of happiness, advocated by the time Mill in his work. Now we have a reason to suspect that the freedom is the condition for further evolution of the individual and, more importantly, the collectivity development, i.e. culture-and sociogenesis. Survival of the human species depends on how human can think, and on his ability to modify the form of collective existence. It is possible to say without exaggeration that Mill first felt in what direction the further process of universal evolution goes or even where it should be directed for the purpose of its future continuation. It cannot be overemphasized the importance and necessity of freedom in life. It is our right to exercise our freedom. The freedom of speech in consideration here most especially is definitely needful, useful and should be unutilized or underutilized by individuals in recent times. This is one of the bases of civilization. Thinking about the liberty of thought and discussion on the governmental level we see that Mill was worried by the state censorship of individuals behavior more as a danger rather than the topic of the day. In old Europe the state interference in individuals life and the freedom of expression has not been true until Mills times. It had a place not because of big governments sympathy to personal freedom, but because of the so-called technical problems; it means that the government was still focused on other prerogatives. No one was aware of how widely it may be areas of potential individual freedom, because life was a meager content, and finally the prerogative of th e regulation of morals then belonged to the church and community in those times. First of all, I would like to have a short look at the prehistory of the book On Liberty, because it will help me to be more professional in further analysis of Mills thoughts. The book On Liberty Mill co-wrote with his wife in 1859. The author has predicted a long life to this his work by himself and thought that exactly On Liberty will survive the rest of his creations. Mill does not get tired to stress the importance for man and society as a whole in maximum diversity of characters and full freedom of human nature in a myriad of contrasting directions. Freedom does not only protect from the tyranny of power, it insures also against such kind of tyranny as the tyranny of prevailing opinion and feeling of general social trends, ideas and habits It seems to me that the freedom limits the penetration of legitimate collective wisdom of individual independence. On my opinion, treatise On Liberty is one of the fundamental works of liberal thought, as it provides the rationale unit of society, where the freedom of speech, the freedom of thought, the freedom of private life (including economic freedom) and the freedom of social and political associations were discussed. According to Mill the above numerated freedoms would become a reality in democratic governance. However, in a representative board (it is assumed in a democracy) are possible the tyranny of fashion and the tyranny of the majority. Mill considered that in a society the law and public opinion should compel people to perform certain behavioral rules. In this case the most important question is about the true essence of these rules. In every era and in every country the dominate rules and laws are perceived as unquestionable and self-evident by people. Meanwhile, this almost universal illusion is one example of the magic influence of habit. In all societies, wrote Mill, there are several principles that play an important role in the formation of behavioral rules that are imposed by the law or public opinion in the first and the foremost rate it is the interest of the ruling class. The majority of public morality is conditioned to the interests of the ruling class where one class dominates the other. The second principle, which plays an important role in the formation of the behavioral rules, lies in cringing and in desire to please masters or gods. In addition, the moral concepts were also affected by the public interest. The fact that there are in accordance to our views the presence of good government and bad government might not be one without error. This was critically emphasized in Mills write up. Mill (1859) stated that The best government has no more title to it than the worst. It is as noxious, or more noxious, when exerted in accordance with public opinion, than when in opposition to it. If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were. The opinions we bear always make us who we are. When we see the government as a bad one, it makes us a people who are led by a bad government. An opinion held by a majority or by people in power or even any individual could be erroneous. The same very opinion held by a group of people as truth and correct might be total held by the other group as completely false statement and completely incorrect. The presence of change cannot be overemphasized and does not change as different generation passes by. It is a true saying that as new generation comes, there comes a new way of life, way of thinking and many other improvements or non-improvements in processes. There have been many reformations and changes in the system of governance of any country of the world from the year 1678 to 2010. What does this point to? This means that for a rational critic to rationally criticize any government there should be detailed consideration of the time, setting and location of the criticized government. Nevertheless I still want to stipulate that there still holds some general view on the basic things expected of a government to offer its citizens and this is the freedom of speech. According to Van Belle (2000) we see that For the most part, efforts to defend press freedom have been equal to the task. In fact, if the gradual growth of press freedom around the world is any indicator, the defense an d pursuit of press freedom might even be considered to be slightly more robust overall than the effort to censor. If you mark the beginning of the fight for press freedom with the arguments for unlicensed printing put forth in John Miltons Areopagitica, scholars, philosophers, and politicians have been fighting for the freedom to publish free of government control for three and a half centuries. To make our points approved is an enviable feature and character worthy of emulation which establishes our opinion as a statement of truth. I will not but also comment on this point as it evokes the feeling and awareness to each of us and most especially the government to allow great room for criticism and evaluation of the views and beliefs held. Mill holds the view that our views and opinions despite the fact that they are value statements should have enough safe grounds of defense to it. We should always weigh our statements, opinions and views in order that they should be worthy enough for anyone to rely on. In the issue with misunderstand with a great man once lived-Socrates by the law givers in his time, was of course an act of intimidation, non-civilization and inhumanity. There is a great disharmony between the then existent way of things, judgments and opinion which nowadays is considered as a terrible one. According to Mill (1859) we read that Mankind can hardly be too often reminded, that there was once a man named Socrates, between whom and the legal authorities and public opinion of his time, there took place a memorable collision. There has been in history the execution of great men who made great differences in life only because of disagreement with what they believe by the then governing authority. It is of course not an act of justice, not an act that depicts the presence of freedom and grants full power to the government without a full rational basis. Holding of opinion is not just enough but being able to defend it to some degree is the importance of this opinion thereof. Mill (1859) wrote in accordance to previous statement that There is a class of persons (happily not quite so numerous as formerly) who think it enough if a person assents doubtingly to what they think true, though he has no knowledge whatever of the grounds of the opinion, and could not make a tenable defense of it against the most superficial objections.. In existence are yet individuals who think one should only listen to them and believe all they say. Any argument with them evokes annoyance and possibly some punishments on the arguer in a case when they are the governing body of the very societal setting. There is great truth in this in that for civilized people the weapons of battle are words; well-constructed, that portrays opinion and substantiates it and able to prove and defend it beyond all reasonable thoughts, but not to involve any physical battles. T he battle of words is a constructive civilized way of life aimed at confirming how strong a value statement could be and should even not involve any sort of punishment. The freedom of expressing ones belief is good but more especially there should also be concomitant knowledge of the opposing belief in order to rationally express the basis of this belief. The greatness you have as a propagator of a certain belief lies in your knowledge of an opposing beliefs facts and knowing and expressing a rational assertion of superiority over the opposing belief. It is political as well as rationally worthy to discuss opinions for the complete exposure of its foundational basis and meaning. Analyzing Mills position we see that Mill opposed to individual self-restraint, to restriction of individuals freedom from the societys side, and also he opposed to restrictions on freedom of the individual and society from the states side. It is obvious that Mill was well aware that the joint lives of individuals cannot exist without any restrictions of freedom. Mill said that the freedom of one ends where the freedom of another begins. The boundary of the previous Mills statement, of course, is mobile and conventional and, incidentally, is supported in the free discussion. Mill in his treatise On Liberty provides some clarification, as this border should be determined. But wherever it took place, Mill insists that the freedom is the norm, and its limitations are rationally justifiable exceptions or pathology. An individual is entitled to any vices and f ollies, if it will not cause harm to anyone except himself. Moreover, the scope of conduct, harmless to others, in Mills explanations is much extended. If the individuals behavior provokes a moral outrage and aesthetic revulsion at the neighbors, then shrugs Mill, let them leave their feelings with themselves: the freedom of public interest and public good is more important than their feelings. It could be named Mills rationalization of tolerance. One can easily agree with him that many who profess the Christian fate lack the deep knowledge of its foundation. Mill (1859) was interested To what an extent doctrines intrinsically fitted to make the deepest impression upon the mind may remain in it as dead beliefs, without being ever realized in the imagination, the feelings, or the understanding, is exemplified by the manner in which the majority of believers hold the doctrines of Christianity. To what end will it then be in general to profess something you have no full understanding concerning. It pertains not only to Christianity but other spheres of life. The concept of the whole truth is one that is farfetched especially when considering the extent of truth in the opposing doctrines. Man is not an island and his existence knowingly or unknowingly is influenced by the existence of other people, their thoughts, activities and their way of life. It of course also freely given to man, his existence here on earth and much more especially important is also his freedom to influence his surroundings. He influences all components of his surroundings and this includes the people in it, the animals that exists in it and even the climate. If our notions will actually influence others, it will do so only when it is well grounded such that the erroneous nature of it will be near zero. In the society where the lives of men and women are being led by other men and women, there should be presence of quality and capability in these leaders. It is of course worthy and respectable the fact that leaders act, make decisions, enact laws and even enforce punishments on those they believe defaulted the law, there should also be a justifiable explanation for their actions and steps. Adequacy and competency in leadership and politics therefore not only includes actions which of course should be appropriate ones but also should include their ability to communicate their decisions, intention and even their actions to those they lead. Conclusion I agree to a great degree on the write up because of expressive power portrayed concerning the fact that truth is a complex concept that takes almost eternity to completely rationally evaluated. It is worthy of understanding then that since governing powers, humans and group of individuals are bound to be erroneous, there is only a major demand on rationally expressing the reasons of actions, views, decisions and doctrines beyond all reasonable doubts that could arise against it. Lets remember that Darwin showed the man that he was an animal in some way. Mill explained how this animal is different from all others. Unlike other animals, man is able to manipulate by himself choose the lifestyle and create own character. But the person needs freedom of thought and action for the purpose of this natural human ability has been realized and it means that this freedom must be provided to the person as soon as possible. Thus, connecting Darwins and Mills works we see that their two fundamental books were published almost at one time and they were two remarkable documents of emancipation of the human person, deeply connected with each other by a common theme, as is clearly seen in our time. Darwin explained individuals retrospection on the evolution stage, and John Stuart Mills traced prospects of human further development. Machizukuri in Japan: Overview and Analysis Machizukuri in Japan: Overview and Analysis Planning in Japan has existed more than a hundred years ago (Evans, 2010) and Machizukuri is one type of planning in Japan. By the beginning of 1980s, the term Machizukuri has been extensively used (Evans, 201), but its concept is claimed, to be changing from time to time and its term is often ambiguous as it is usually used base on peoples own understanding in many different situation (Watanabe, n.d). Therefore, the origins of Machizukuri need to be explored in order to be able to determine how the concept of Machizukuri is shaped and indirectly determining the characteristics of Machizukuri that vary it from the other types of planning in Japan. Machizukuri is a type of planning which is closely related to peoples desire in creating a livable and sustainable city (Evans, 2014). It is a type of planning where the local residents work together or in cooperation with the government by doing variety of activities to make their place attractive and appropriate to live in (Evans, 2014). Machizukuri is a collaboration of two different terms Machi and Zukuri where Machi can be defined as community, but also often means small area rather than large area and Zukuri is defined as making or planning (Watanabe, 2007). In general, Machizukuri can be understood as an attempt to improve or sustain the city with the involvement of the local residents in the planning. The activities of Machizukuri include from meeting, involvement of the resident in policy making and so forth (Watanabe, 2006). The terms Machizukuri is claimed by many to be vague and ambiguous because many have used it as a catchword. However, it is not until the early of 1960s, this term started to be adopted in the field of urban planning (Evans, 2010). As an example, the term was used in Kobes municipal and ward social councils in 1965 as a slogan (Evans, 2010). However, it is very difficult to determine when and where actually Machizukuri originated, as in the past it was used often as a catchword. Watanabe (n.d) agreed with this and he pointed out that Mr. Kan Hideshima had discovered Dr Naoto Nakajima used the term Machizukuri without accompanying the actual activities in 1947, and Dr Naoto can be one example where the term Machizukuri was used as a catchword. On the contrary, Professor Shiro Masuda had used the term Machizukuri in his journal in 1952 (Watanabe, n.d). This is believed to be the earliest work that had used the term in relation its actually activity. Although he did not describe the term precisely, he used the term in relation to peoples movement. The term Machizukuri was used in his journal about Kunitachi, where at that time, was in the middle of peoples movement due to the turning of quiet and decent college town into unpleasant place for residents to live in. Some activist called their movement Machizukuri. (Watanabe, n.d) This is believed to be the birth of the term Machizukuri with refers to the activity. However, the concept of Machizukuri itself was ambiguous. In between 1960s to the end of 1970s, several factors had taken place and indirectly had helped in shaping the concept of Machizukuri (Evans, 2010). These factors are not just favor the establishment of Machizukuri but also help to develop Machizukuris concept. The first factor is the influence of the citizens movement. Citizens movement shows that the citizens are concerned and conscious about the city they lived in. This consciousness may leads to their involvement on the planning of the city, hence, resulted in Machizukuri as citizens participation is the key factor of Machizukuri (Evans, 2010). To further elaborate, in 1950s to 1960s, Japan was focusing towards the development of its economy and industries which had resulted in a dreadful pollution. This had triggered a wide environmental protest throughout Japan over the 1960s due to house shortages, traffic congestion and environmental arose that threaten residential life of the local citizen (Watanabe, 2006). The environmental movement by the local resident has indirectly led to the popularization in local participation. This movement had given way for the awareness of citizens right and growth in citizen consciousness. The second factor is the decentralization of planning powers resulted from the 1968 New City Planning Act. The replacement of 1919 city planning act with 1968 new city planning act can be considered as step towards Machizukuri. This is because the new act did mark an important step for public involvement in the planning process (Ishida cited in Evans, 2010). As stated by Evans (2010) that other important features of the 1968 New City Planning Act include the introduction of public participation. By encouraging public participation, this will provide opportunity for Machizukuri to grow and take place. Thirdly is the slowing down of urbanization also leads to Machizukuri. This can be seen from the slowdown of urbanization due to the oil crisis in 1973, which resulted in transition of a high-growth to low-growth economy in Japan (Evans, 2010). Many changes happened after the worldwide oil crisis, this caused people to stop migrating to the city, and some went back to where they came from. According to Alden and Abe (cited in Evans, 2010), net migration to metropolitan regions of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya was almost zero during 1975 to 1980. However, the central government introduced urban system where the local areas within a city prepare its own plan (Evans, 2010). By giving the role this give the local to are more involve in the planning of the local area, hence may lead to Machizukuri, as its not only the government will be handling the planning the city but also the locals. These factors are mostly had given the opportunity for the participation of the citizens and by opening opportunity for citizens participation in planning, this will give chance for the Machizukuri to take place. Therefore, these kinds of events can be considered to be the main driving forces for the establishment of Machizukuri. Although Machizukuri is often seen as the involvement of citizens in the planning, it has other distinctive characteristics, which identify the actual Machizukuri. Consequently, these characteristics vary Machizukuri from other types of planning. The term machi in Japanese term according to Watanabe often opposes the large area. Furthermore, Vogt (n.d.) described Machizukuri to normally restricted to smaller scale projects such as a park, residential neighborhood and so forth. For example in Mano district with population of only 4,739 people (Evans,2010). and also Machizukuri in Aneya lane which is a narrow 700m long street in the centre of Kyoto (Hein, 2008). This is unlike other types of planning which usually cover large scale such as Toshi Keikaku where according to Vogt (n.d) it deals with the improvement of city or larger parts of it. This can be said to be one of Machizukuris characteristics where it is focusing normally on a small-scale area. The change resulted from Machizukuri is often claimed to be slow and gradual. This can be demonstrates in a district called Mano. This district suffered from pollution and associate health problem in 1960s which led to formation of residents anti-pollution campaign. As a result from this Machizukuri school took place in 1970s where this school consists of lectures and workshops on topics related to residents campaign. In addition, Manos residents had drew up a machizukuri plan where it is a whole plan for Mano and consist of their vision, and ways to achieve this. Twenty years since, the appearance of Mano changed significantly. (Evans, 2010). This can also be seen on Sanjo Machizukuri, it took over 20 years for the Machizukuri to transform a declining wholesale area to an attractive place for shopping or dining and so forth (Hein, 2008). This is another characteristic of Machizukuri, where the change is rather slow, this is due to revitalizing a local area without uprooting the loca l population, therefore, it is incremental. Machizukuri is also seen as a method that focusing on the soft aspects of planning unlike the traditional town planning which is more towards the hard aspect such as roads and other phyical infrastructure (Evans, 2010). Machizukuri may include the hard aspect as well but it emphasis more on soft aspect such as upgrading an area. This can be seen in Sanjos Machizukuri, Kyoto, where the centre of its commerce has an unpleasant appearance. Therefore, in this case, it focused on the economic and social renewal of Sanjo Street, and this indirectly had dealt with the environmental problem (Hein, 2008). In conclusion, Machizukuri is a concept which did not understand very well by many in the previous years. Determining the origins and identifying its characteristics helped in understanding and shaped the actual concept of Machizukuri. Although, it is difficult to really determine the actual origin of Machizukuri, but the term itself has been used since the 1940s and its concept have been shaped by several events between 1960s to 1970s. Furthermore, Machizukuri has its own characteristics, which represent its peculiarities from other planning. References: Evans, N. (2010). Machi-zukuri as a new paradigm in Japanese urban planning: reality or myth?. Japan Forum. [Online] 14:3 (2002). p. 443-464. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/0955580022000008745 [Accessed: 8th March 2014] Evans, N. (2014), Community Planning lecture notes distributed in Urban Japan at Kings College London, London. on 6th March 2014 Hein, C. (2008) Machi: Neighborhood and Small Town The Foundation for Urban Transformation in Japan. Journal of Urban History. [Online]. Available from http://juh.sagepub.com/content/35/1/75 [Accessed: 8th March 2014]. Vogt, S. (n.d.) From Toshikeikaku To Machizukuri Urban Planning In Tokyo With Special Reference To The Participation Of The Residents. [Online]. Available from http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~erisa-25/kosakuin/warehouse/silke01.htm [Accessed: 18th April 2014] Watanabe, S. J. (n.d.) The Historical Analysis of the Kunitachi Machizukuri Movement: Its Nature and the Role of Professor Shiro Masuda. 15th International Planning History Society Conference. [Online]. Available from: http://www.fau.usp.br/iphs/abstractsAndPapersFiles/Sessions/36/WATANABE.pdf [Accessed: 8th March 2014] Watanabe, S.J. (2006) ‘Machizukuri in Japan: a historical perspective on participatory community-building initiatives’, in Hein, C. and Pelletier, P. (eds) Cities, Autonomy, and Decentralization in Japan,[Online] London: Routledge, pp.128-138. A vailable from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bm[emailprotected]sessionmgr4001vid=1format=EBrid=1 [Accessed: 12th March 2014] Watanabe, S.J. (2007) ‘Toshi keikaku vs machizukuri’, in Sorensen, A. and Funck, C. (eds) Living Cities in Japan: Citizens’ Movements, Machizukuri and Local Environments, [Online] London: Routledge, pp.39-55. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bm[emailprotected]sessionmgr4001vid=1format=EBrid=1 [Accessed: 12th March 2014]