Global Managerial Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Managerial Economic - Essay Example As a result of the supplemental agreements signed in 1993, NAFTA highlights the protection of environment and human resources recognizing that the entry of companies into the nations’ territories endangers them (NAFTA 1-5). The twelve year institution of NAFTA has changed the economic landscape of Mexico. Trade barriers have been significantly reduced in order to facilitate the entry of goods and services within the country’s borders. It can be recalled that prior to NAFTA, Mexico’s tariff reaches an average of 10%. This high level is reduced to the prevailing 2.9%. Empirical data also shows the significant improvement in the flow of goods between US and Mexico. In dollar terms, exports of goods to Mexico prior to NAFTA tripled in the third quarter of 2000. US imports from Mexico also tripled from 1994-2003. Exports now constitute a huge portion of the country’s GDP (The Effects of NAFTA on US-Mexican Trade and GDP 3). Trade liberalization has benefited the Mexican customer by providing more choices in the market. The reduction in tariff and other trade barriers consequently lower the prices of commodities. It should also be noted that the free flow of goods and services between the NAFTA participants significantly improved Mexico’s balance of payments. More jobs have also opened in order to support the larger export requirements. The NAFTA also facilitates the inflow of foreign direct investment from the United States and Canada. Recognizing that business organizations can take advantage of the lower input and labor costs, manufacturers are now locating their plants in Mexico. FDI inflow in Mexico after NAFTA has substantially mounted. In fact, the year 1996 brought $800 million private foreign direct investment which represents almost two times the country’s GDP (Study on the Operation 1). However, the proliferation of foreign firms operating in Mexico has brought about

International Financial Reporting Standards Essay Example for Free

International Financial Reporting Standards Essay Organizations around the world are continuously recording data and reporting financial information to the used for many purposes by the respective users. A tremendous amount of financial transactions continuously stir in the organizations, some transactions occur each second or minute whereas some transactions are very unique and take place occasionally as a result of a specific event. That is why to bring things in conformity and consistency, it is important that organizations establish standards and procedures for recording their data. In doing so present results will be in a position to be compared with historical data and with entities in similar industry. Listed companies have to particularly follow standard formats and disclose their financial information in such a way that it is easily understood by the users of the financial statements. This is because consistency flows through not just one organization but the entire industry making outcomes easier to contrast. These objectives are being addressed by standard setting boards such as IAASB by setting International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting standards (IFRS). Both IFRS and IAS are equal in terms of their value and standing. (Tatum Malcum) All transactions need to be recorded as suggested above. One of the aspects that are a part of recording is financial instruments; created by a legal document and having different monetary values. They can be classified as cash or derivative instruments. Cash type of financial instruments is widely used and can be most easily understood. Currency in itself is a cash instrument or a bank cheque is a good example which can be used to transfer money from one bank account to another. However derivative instruments include those tools such as futures; an instrument saying that the seller will sell the asset or buyer will buy it at a future date. Price of such transactions is determined at the time of entering into a future contract. There are other instruments as well such as options and swaps whereas sometimes stocks, bonds and currency forwards are also termed as financial instruments. (Tatum Malcum) Due to the wide range of financial instruments being used, IAS 39 was introduced by International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) in 2001 to regulate the process of recognition and measurement of such transactions. The organizations dealing with them were facing problems with respect to treatment as different approaches were being applied by entities. This led to inconsistency of disclosing and recording of appropriate amounts within the industry as they were no standard process for recording the financial instruments. This directed the results of entities within the same industry to be incomparable with one another. Many of transactions involving financial instruments remained unrecognized as no proper recognition and measurement processes were known to the accountants. Hence CFO and CEO were in a position to distort the actual results and lead shareholders astray. (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur) In response to that IAS 39 introduced a concept of fair value accounting. The standard increased the importance of the fair value accounting for the financial instruments and therefore required entities to record assets and liabilities on the face of the balance sheet and discloses the nature of derivatives in the financial statements. In case of hybrids, the structure had to be broken down into two components (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur). This is because hybrid instruments have a mixture of characteristics of both debt and equity thereby market price of the hybrid instrument is sensitive to both the interest rates and quoted price for the stock (Riskglossory. com). The two components of the hybrid contract are real contracts however derivative is separated from the contract to be measured at fair value. (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur) IAS 39 also introduced hedge accounting for all derivatives in order to minimize the volatile affects on the income statement. Further segregation in the standard came into place as the â€Å"intention† of hedging was used to establish which accounting rules will be applied. As a result a fair value hedge, net investment hedge in foreign currency and cash flow hedge accounting rules was launched. In fair value hedging the risks are connected to the fluctuation of fair value of an underlying asset or liability. Whereas cash flow hedges are those in which the exposure is connected to the future cash flows of assets or liabilities recognized or any future commitment or forecasted cash flow of the organization. Moreover, the net investment hedge in foreign currency is hedging the risks of an entity’s net asset which is not an associate, joint venture or a subsidiary. (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur) Implication of this IAS affected all the users of financial statements and also the people who were trying to comply with the standard. The development of this standard and its implementation had significant impact on the strategies in dealing with financial risks. As the financial instruments have volatile affects on the equity portfolio and income statements these affects were then being countered by engaging in hedging strategies and transparent accounting policies. (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur) IAS 39 also provides organizations with the recognition criteria on how to record hedging instruments when entering into a transaction. After that at each period end gain and loss is recognized on an ongoing basis. So it has a forward looking stance at initiation but a backward bearing when re-assessment of investment’s effectiveness is carried out. The organizations needed to asses which process of reassessment would be right for their investment portfolio. A proper system was therefore required to record and reassess not only cash flows and fair values but also take into account the premiums and discounts involved. Moreover, IAS required the disclosure of all the investments and subsequent gains or loss arising due to it. (Miolo Alessandro, Andersen Arthur) The first revision of the IAS 39 took place in 2004 which incorporated Macro hedging, involving interest rates risks hedge. This amendment was made due to the increase use of these instruments and such investments were not addressed by IAS 39. Macro hedge is an investment technique to reduce or minimize the risks associated with the whole portfolio of investments (Peter Williams). This investments technique was widely spread because of the ease of information available about the interest rate and currency fluctuations between different countries. The macro managers earned by hedging the risks in different market by buying long and short in different markets of the globe. That increasing trend required the correct measurement and recognition of such investment which could only be linked with financial instruments dealt in IAS 39. (Hubpages, Inc. ) Further amendment took place on the issue of initial recognition of financial asset or liabilities and the subsequent charging of gain or loss. Initially all of such instruments were allowed to be measured on fair value if measured reliably. In 2005 the option to value instruments at fair value had been restricted to only those investments which had significantly reduced due to accounting mismatch along with those financial instruments whose fair values were regularly managed evaluated for its correctness. In addition IAS 39 stated before October 2008 that once an instrument is classified on the basis of fair value i. e through profit and loss category, it cannot be reclassified. Amendment in 2008 allowed some of the instruments to be reclassified from fair value and available for sale category under certain conditions and a disclosure is required in case of such a reclassification. Moreover it was stated that all the derivatives need to be reassessed in case of any reclassification; an issue that was developed due to the global credit crunch, significantly affecting the financial market. (Delloitte Touche Tohmatsu) With all the problems and issues dealing with financial instruments IASB and FASB started working together on IFRS 9 to replace IAS 39. Its purpose is to reduce difficulty in accounting for financial instruments and hedging activities. This development took place in phases. Phase one tends to improve and simplify the measurement and classification of the financial instruments. Though this phase has been completed but the exposure draft has been under plan to be issued and the implementation is to be completed in the current year. (International Accounting standard board) This new standard has raising concerns in the world in corporate sectors on how this will be implemented and how it will affect their operations. Many are happy for the change to take place as the IAS 39 is thought to be a difficult standard to implement. The replacement is a result of the world’s economic crises after which all the investors and the regulators of financial institutions were demanding for an accounting system which showed the types of assets and liabilities held at a given time, the risks that they are exposed to and gain and losses expect to be realized. (IFRS 9 – Deconstructing IAS 39) In 2008 when Lehman Brothers share price collapsed, the investors in turn rushed to purchase the share prices in anticipation of prices bouncing back. However they couldn’t see the situation of the bank’s exposure in financial instruments related to subprime loans as less information was disclosed for their understanding. Hence it was later suggested that accounting needs to be clearer which became evident upon the fall of many banks. IFRS 9 strived to cater and answer all these major issues in hand while giving organizations an option to adopt this standard before it becomes mandatory in 2013. Only the first phase of the standard is completed and all the stakeholders are waiting to implement it upon finalization of IFRS 9 completion. IFRS 9 – Deconstructing IAS 39) IFRS 9 looks to tackle all the current problems and questions probed by various investors but it cannot give a guarantee to prevent any crises in future. It is important that accountants, regulator and the investors remain vigilant because no matter how much IFRS 9 helps to simplify the accounting of financial reporting, when this economy starts its recovery phase no one can stop the development of new financial instruments eluding the situation like before. European Union refused to adopt IFRS 9 last year posing some questions relating to fair value of investments coverage. On the other hand Japan signed it for an early adoption in March 2010 which is a significant step toward promoting transparency in policies and implementation (IFRS 9 – Deconstructing IAS 39). Hence it can be clearly seen that IASB and FASB have been working for the betterment of the society by incorporating the external changes in the market which can be reflected upon the replacement of IAS 39 with IFRS 9.

Music: Its a Way of Life :: Music

After a rough day, when you come home from work, you need something that will make your day better. The best choice you will have is listening to your favorite type of music. You can just turn on your compact disc player and have a great time listening to your music collection. Everyone has a music collection or at least a favorite genre. Did you know that just for English music there are over 10 genres? There is one for everyone. We all have different choices for music, none is better than the other. People these days listen to all kinds of music: hip-hop, classical, country, etc. People are really picky with what they listen to. People don’t want to compromise with what they are listening to, they don’t have to. Approximately, there are over two million songs written and published in the music industry since its birth (Answers.com). According to the stats shown, we know that people have countless choices of music to choose from these days. Music gives you a variety of choices and beats that you have never heard before. There are approximately 50 albums published every week (Approximately how many songs have been produced in the US and the UK since the music industry was born). Music has become a way of life in some parts of the world. Music has a influence on people all over the world. As we all know, music has been existing for over fifty thousand years (History of classical music traditions). Music is a source of living for a lot of people in this world. People take music as religion in some parts of the globe. Then there are also people that take music as pleasure and business. People now use music to express themselves in public and with friends. Music has a variety of genres, and these genres have a variety of songs. People have become what they listen to. If they like country music, they are called old fashioned people. If they like classical music, they are called band geeks. If they like rock music, they have become middle-aged people. If they like hard rock music, then they have become emos. If they like hip-hop or R&B music, then they are called cool people. If they like jazz and techno music, they are called the twenty’s. The modern music has changed how people live, by categorizing people in groups. When you go to school, there are different groups that the kids have divided themselves into: normal, band geeks, and emos.

Behaviorist BF Skinner

Behaviorist BF Skinner’s work with behavior analysis which led him to develop his theory surrounding operant conditioning methods have had a profound impact on today’s educational system as it led him to research the method of programmed instruction; its use in contemporary education has shaped the minds of countless students and offered an alternative method of teaching through its concept of trying to achieve errorless learning through swift feedback. BF Skinner, the renowned psychologist was known for his controversial scientific approach to human behavior.(Pierce & Cheney, 2003, p.9) The 1938 publication The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis became Skinner’s first professional work and contained almost 400 pages of the behaviorist’s research. It has since been described as â€Å"a significant volume in the history of the twentieth-century psychology. † (Todd & Morris, 1995, p. 7) He wrote a number of books and essays focusing on hi s philosophy of behaviorism; however two of the most notable are Science and Behavior and Verbal Behavior. (Todd & Morris, 1995, p. xxi)His theories offered a contemporary definition to the study of behavior and were not well received by his peers. Skinner proposed a â€Å"natural-science approach to human behavior† (Pierce & Cheney, 2004, p. 9) and this contradicted other accepted theories. He believed that the behavior of an organism was determined and a result of genetic and environmental factors. His hypothesis alleged that behavior caused emotions and described them as â€Å"additional activities of people that needed to be explained. † (Pierce & Cheney, 2004, p.9)The opposition believed that human behavior was a product of self-determination – a result of our feelings, thoughts and intentions. Skinner’s achievements were endless; however he’s most noted for his work with experimental behavior analysis, where he developed the theory surroundin g Operant behavior. His theory consisted of operant conditioning or learning by consequences as its major concept. As he was not the first to approach the subject of operant conditioning, he labeled his philosophy, radical behaviorism to separate him from the others who had approached the same topic.(Pierce & Cheney, 2004, p. 9) His analysis of behavior brought him to the conclusion that behavior was influenced by the environment and organisms responded in two fashions – emotional response and by the involuntary response of the nervous system. In order to change an organism’s behavior there must be a new stimulus introduced to the surrounding environment that influenced both areas of human nature. Operant behavior was learned via a series of reinforcements to strengthen the new response. (Staats, 1996, p. 40-41)Skinner’s approach was to offer reinforcement when the organism displayed the defined behavior over a period of time and on a number of occasions  œ the process of operant conditioning. His theory stated that in order to obtain the appropriate response the conditioning process must determine â€Å"the strength of response. † (Staats, 1996, p. 58) Though many of his peers advocated punishment as a deterrent to unwanted behavior Skinner did not agree. His negative response consisted of the simple process of deprivation. (Staats, 1996, p. 58) Through a series of animal experiments, Skinner continued to validate his theory.The Skinner Box was his primary tool for his study of operational conditioning. He designed various versions of the tool to accommodate various species – for example, pigeons could peck to obtain the reinforcement and a rat could not. If the animal performed the desired behavior, a positive reinforcement was automatically provided, if not it was withheld. The box allowed him to study operant conditioning and the contingencies of reinforcement. (Leonard, 2002, p. 98) In the 1950’s Skinnerâ₠¬â„¢s behavior analysis research began to focus on teaching machines.In the 1958 article titled Teaching Machines: From the Experimental Study of Learning Comes Devices Which Arrange Optimal Conditions for Self-Instruction, Skinner stated that the motivation to obtain more education existed and in order to meet that demand we needed to do more than continue to build more schools and train more teachers. He believed that â€Å"Education must become more efficient. † (Skinner, 1958, p. 969) He created teaching devices that arranged specific â€Å"contingencies of reinforcement† that rewarded â€Å"specific forms of behavior. † (Skinner, 1958, p. 970)Once the desired behavior was exerted Skinner was convinced that the â€Å"resulting behavior can be maintained in strength for long periods of time. † (Skinner, 1958, p. 970) Later in the article he addressed specific subjects, â€Å"Teaching spelling is mainly a process of shaping complex forms of behavior. I n other subjects-for example, arithmetic- responses must be brought under the control of appropriate stimuli. † (Skinner, 1958, p. 970) Skinner’s programmed instruction consists of three phases:1) Small steps – obtain small information in a step-by-step fashion.2) Overt responding – provide a clear response to generate reinforcement.3) Self-pacing – working through programmed activity at his or her own pace. (Leonard, 2002, p. 90)In 1958 Skinner incorporated his reinforcement methods into the first class of programmed instruction. (Lysaught & Williams, 1963, p. 10) In a speech titled Psychology in the year 2000 given in 1968 to the Department of Psychology of Wayne University, he not only expressed his opinion of the school system prior to his studies, he addressed what he believed to be the future of America’s schools.He believed that prior to his research that â€Å"educational psychology was primarily a matter of measurement. Mental tests dominated the field. Teaching was generally left to common sense. † (Skinner, 2004, p. 210) He felt that the students â€Å"studied because he feared the consequences of not studying. † (Skinner, 2004, p. 210) He went on to conclude that student’s slow recognition was a result of teachers’ inappropriate approach to teaching. (Skinner, 2004, p. 210)He felt that, â€Å"A good program is simply a reorganization of what is to be learned in such a way that the student is maximally reinforced for learning it in positive ways rather than as a means of escape from undesirable consequences. † (Skinner, 2004, p. 210) Though primitive at the time of inception, over the years and combined with modern technology our students are benefiting from his methods by way of computer-based teaching. Programs have been developed to teach spelling, reading, math, and a number of other subjects, as well as colleges and Universities offer certain Internet-based courses.The program models vary; some programs will not allow the student to advance without giving the appropriate response, others will offer more information to guide students to the appropriate response and universities are creating virtual classrooms that students have access to tools that perform a variety of functions. Though the approach has received mixed feedback, teachers are able to provide more of a one-on-one teaching, as well as further the efficiency of classroom procedure and in the case of universities, students are able to enjoy the convenience of online courses. (â€Å"Programmed Instruction,† 2004)In conclusion, Skinner’s controversial approach to psychology changed the approach to behavior modification and his methods have shaped the educational setting. Student behavior has improved; as positive reinforcement is applied to the learning process builds confidence and a willingness to comply. Students of all ages are able to progress at their own pace, which pr ovides and individualized education plan. College students report that they are able to attend college courses and maintain full time employment due to the convenience of online schooling.Skinner’s over all concern for providing an environment to influence behavior combined with technology creates a setting that is unique to each student and he or she can learn at a pace appropriate for the individual.ReferencesPierce, W. D. , & Cheney, C. D. (2003). Behavior Analysis and Learning. Mawwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Skinner, B. F. (1958). Teaching Machines: From the experimental study of learning come devices which arrange optimal conditions for self-instruction. Science, 128, 969 – 977.Skinner, B. F. (2004). PSYCHOLOGY IN THE YEAR 2000 Harvard University. JOURNAL OF THE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR, 81, 207 – 213.Programmed Instruction. (2004). In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed. ). New York: Columbia University Press. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101265989.Leonard, D. C. (2002). Learning Theories, A to Z. Westport, CT: Oryx Press. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101313032Lysaught, J. P. , & Williams, C. A. (1963). A Guide to Programmed Instruction. New York: Wiley. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=14538707.Pierce, W. D. , & Cheney, C. D. (2004). Behavior Analysis and Learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=104826262.Skinner, B. F. (2003). Chapter 14 Radical Behaviorism. In An Introduction to Theories of Personality (pp. 311-339).Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=104786837.Staats, A. W. (1996). Behavior and Personality: Psychological Behaviori sm. New York: Springer. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101935859.Todd, J. T. & Morris, E. K. (Eds. ). (1995). Modern Perspectives on B. F. Skinner and Contemporary Behaviorism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=24397049.

High School Dropouts and Crime

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS TO LEAD CRIMINAL LIVES? Michael Webbers 13APRIL2013 Criminology ADJ 107 Spring 2013 Professor George D. McMillan Purpose:It is extremely important to get an education and graduate high school. Without obtaining a high school diploma, a GED or College Degree, an individual will likely experience great difficulties in finding and obtaining a job. As a result of such basic educational requirements enforced by society and more specifically employers†¦ an individual may also have a difficult time functioning and earning a reasonable income. Additionally, with no financial resources to support a family, this puts the individual in the bottom 5 to 16 percent of Americans whom we deem to be in poverty. With crime most apparent in the lower- and underclass, we can make the assumption that a lot of dropouts come from these groups of individuals. To make a difference, we must start where there is the greatest chance of dropouts, and that of cours e is at the bottom of the societal pyramid. So, if we reduce the dropout rates, it may help with the crime rates.The intent of this research proposal is to better understand the cause of dropouts and the affect they have on society. More importantly, it is to identify the problems so that the juvenile system can help prevent further continuance and ultimately reduce the underclass crime rate in dropouts. In efforts to help diminish the dropout rate, it can: (1) stimulate the economy; (2) decrease the amount of unemployment; and (3) cut the size of the underclass in half, which in turn will decrease the vast majority of visible crime.By making it difficult for high school students to become predisposed to poverty and crime, we can improve the outcome for future generations. I want to better understand the internal cause of this phenomenon, but in order to do that we have to start from the external cause. I am going to be looking at how society is affected, as well as, how they affect the dropouts. On my search for information, I will try and obtain an interview with some old schoolmates who dropped out during our Sophomore year at West Springfield High School.The reason they dropped out was always a mystery to me, and I always just thought to myself that, â€Å"These people must be stupid, so they dropout. † I was quick to learn how ignorant I was myself. Background:High school graduation was never really tracked until the late 1900's. 3 So, dropout rates were never really a sought after statistic. Archived data has now been used to understand the graduation rates dating back almost a century ago. In 1870, the earliest date on record, only 2 percent of 17-year-olds in the nation had a secondary-level education.In 1940, for the first time, half of all students finished high school. Although graduation did not become an established norm until the 1950s, the U. S. graduation rate reached its historical high point at the end of the 1960s, with the graduation rate peaking at 77 percent in 1969. 3 It looked as though high school graduation was becoming a trend, but something must have happened after Class of '69 to cause the national average to drop more than ten percent in just over 30 years.In the late 1980's, when modern-day data became readily available to public schools, the graduation rate slowly was on the decline from record highs of around 70 percent. 3 The graduation rate plummeted during the early 1990s, eventually stabilizing around 66 percent by the end of the decade. As stated by the EPE Research Center, 2010; U. S. Department of Education, â€Å"since then, [graduation rate] has generally been characterized by gradual but steady improvements. The class of 2005 was once again earning diplomas at a pace last seen in the early 1990s.However, two consecutive annual declines since then have eroded the nation’s graduation rate, which stood at slightly less than 69 percent for the class of 2007†. 3 With all this tal k about graduating or not, the underlying reasons for the decline were unheard of; dropping out to help support their family financially, to pursue work, or probably the worst thing that can happen from dropping out of high school – living the criminal lifestyle. Key Questions: What actually defines a high school dropout? What provokes students to drop out of high school?What is the dropout rate of high school students in Virginia? How do high school dropouts affect society? Are high school dropouts more prone to lead criminal lives? How can society go about preventing future dropouts? Introduction:Every year nationwide, thousands of students dropout of high school. Of these students, 54 percent of dropouts ages 16 to 24 were jobless, compared with 32 percent for high school graduates of the same age, and 13 percent for those with a college degree. 8 High school dropouts are a very serious topic in modern-day society.With such a debate about taxes and who should be paying for what, it is important to get an education; not only to voice an opinion, but not to be a detriment to the economy as a teen/young adult. High school dropouts hurt the economy, costing the federal government millions of tax payers dollars. Since dropouts are more prone to lead a lifestyle involved with drugs, alcohol, and early pregnancy, it is crucial to identify individuals early in their high school career, and give them the assistance needed to stay in school.By taking action in helping the community decrease the dropout rate and encourage more students to graduate, we can help our economy save billions of dollars a year. An increase in graduation rates can mean less tax payer money towards school assistance programs, and more tax payers to pay the government to maintain our cities and keep crime off the streets. According to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Research Center, â€Å"poor earning power, unemployment, or frustration,†1 may lead individuals to commit criminal acts.Crime rates in Virginia are still on the low end of the spectrum, but by decreasing dropouts, we can keep the crime rates even lower. By helping in our community and informing schools of the ongoing problem, it is possible to make a tremendous difference in our economic state. What actually defines a dropout? In Virginia, we use the definition that was determined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Stated by the NCES, â€Å"a dropout is an individual who was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year but was not enrolled on October 1 of the current school year.Or, they were not enrolled on October 1 of the previous school year although expected to be in membership; and – has not graduated from high school or completed a state- or district-approved educational program, and – does not meet any of the following exclusions: transfer to another public school district, private school, or state- or district-ap proved education program; temporary school-recognized absence due to suspension or illness; death†. 2 The state does not consider students a dropout by merely not attending school, although that is the only way to pass and get a diploma, it is based on the students actual enrollment.What provokes students to drop out of high school? There are many factors that cause students to drop out of high school. Without identifying the specific cause for dropouts, it is hard to know how to help prevent it. One significant factor influencing high school dropout rates is family income. Along with income, older siblings or friends can influence dropouts by dropping out themselves and ensuring it is the right thing to do. Ultimately, dropouts can be triggered due to the racial and gender attacks that seem more relevant these days. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students from low-income families are six times more likely to drop out of high school than students from high-inco me families. 2 In other words, due to the predisposition to a life of poverty, it is more likely the student will end up in poverty due to incompletion of high school. While living in poverty, school may not be the first thing on a students mind. Survival is always the most important factor to human beings. Without means of surviving, humans can't accommodate the other necessities, like getting a high school education.At a young age, it is really hard to keep oneself away from drugs, alcohol, and crime. Students whose parents have low expectations are also more likely to dropout of high school and resort to crime by means of rebelling against their parents. A study done by the New York Times demonstrated that, â€Å"[high school dropouts] will commit crimes to get an adrenaline rush and so that they can release some built up stress from the household†. 8 What this means is that students have too much time on their hands, and too little time is spent concentrating on school wo rk.Either the parents do not stress the importance of homework, or they are not there to help the student when he or she is struggling in class What is the dropout rate of high school students in Fairfax County, Virginia? Fairfax County, Virginia projected a much lower dropout rate in contrast with the national average. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), â€Å"Virginia's high school dropout rates have decreased in recent years†,2 and subsequently the â€Å"Virginia's property crime rate (as measured per 100,000 population) was 2,250, a decline again from the previous year†. Virginia has been on a good trend of ‘cleaning our act up' when it comes to turning around our educational system. According to the NCES: Virginia had the 14th lowest dropout rate in the country. Virginia's 2009 rate was also lower than the national rate of 4. 1 percent and the rates of its peer states. Tennessee's dropout rate in 2009 was 3. 2 percent, North Car olina was at 5. 3 percent, and Maryland's rate was 3. 0 percent. Wyoming had the lowest dropout rate in the nation in 2009 at 1. 1 percent. How do high school dropouts effect society?High school dropouts destroy the nation’s competitive edge when it comes to education. The U. S. ranks 18th in high school graduation rates among developed countries, and workers with an education beyond high school are predicted to increase by only four percent through 2020. 2 At the same time, the nation’s senior citizen population will greatly increase over the next decade, especially when compared to the number of working-age Americans. This is going to lead to an increase of assisted living senior citizens. Furthermore, high school dropouts earn a tremendous amount less and contribute much less to stimulate the economy.The lifetime income difference between high school graduates and dropouts is estimated to be $260,000; the difference in lifetime income tax payments is $60,000. 6 What this shows is, dropouts alone are going to make a significantly less amount of money, but along side the fact that they live in poverty as a student, this just means they will be in more of a deficit as an adult. The combined lifetime earning losses of one group of 18-year-olds that never completes high school is $156 billion or 1. 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product.So, for example, if the United States was able to cut the number of dropouts in half, in a single cohort of 20-year-olds, the country would gain $45 billion through extra tax revenue and reduced public health, crime and justice, and welfare payment costs. 6 Moreover, families of high school dropouts are likely to be on some form of public assistance. For example, single mothers who lack a high school diploma are very likely to access housing assistance, food stamps, and/or federal assistance to needy families. If all single mothers obtained at least a high school education, the annual cost savings would be $3. billion. 6 We can clearly see that getting an education is crucial if there is any sight of having a family. Without any means of money and no education, it is extremely hard to get a well-paying job to survive in our economy. What is the a connection between dropouts and criminal activity? Dropouts are 3. 5 times more likely to be arrested than high school graduates and more than eight times as likely to be incarcerated, says â€Å"School or the Streets: Crime and America’s Dropout Crisis,† a report from the non-profit organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.What this can mean is that dropouts are seeing crime as an alternative. Through music, media, and social networking, students can be often aroused by the thought of stealing, gangs, or even killing to survive. Crime is talked about everywhere, including the news and social networks. To most citizens, it is a mystery at how people can commit such inhumane crimes. This can be understood by knowing the type of environment t hat the individual grew up in. For example, a student whose parents always fight, might come in to school and get in a lot of trouble because his anger towards his parents.On the other hand, if they lived in a neighborhood with gang activity and gun shots at night, they are more inclined to get involved with violent crime later in life. Students who dropout are more likely inclined to a criminal life to survive. A study by the New York Times showed that, male dropouts were 47 times more likely than college graduate to be jailed; more than half, 53 percent to be exact, become recidivists. 8 By preventing dropouts, and increasing the amount of students going to college and continuing education, we can prevent more crime.How can society go about preventing future dropouts? Our society has been trying to combat the increasing number of teens dropping out of high school every day. The Advertising Council and U. S. Army’s high school dropout prevention campaign evolved into the nat ional â€Å"Boost† campaign. This campaign was established to help students get on a better track for graduation. Extra learning assistance offered outside of school, and peer-to-peer learning classes for students to have one-on-one teaching in school.These programs help the students feel more inclined to succeed in high school and fill that gap of time students have after school to get involved with gangs or crime. Another good way the community helps students is by Big Brother Big Sister. They have been proven to help increase student grades, and help make it less likely students will interact with drugs and alcohol. This in turn will prevent students from having exposure to these things, and keep them from experimenting later in life. Also, another program dedicated to keeping students in school and away from crime is BoostUP.This group is sponsored by the AdCouncil and the U. S. Army to help students get support and assistance needed to graduate high school. Methodology:F or a better understanding of high school dropout rates and the cause of them, I would first go to different high schools, in varying income areas, and obtain the names of the students enrolled in the previous year who are not currently enrolled. For example, get a list of students enrolled before October 1, 2010 and then get a list of students who were not enrolled after October 1, 2011, and this will determine the list of dropouts.I would give each dropout a number, and then randomly choose the individuals with a random number selection software. I will have a survey for the student to fill out without the parents in the room; this gives the student the feeling of privacy, and hopefully more honesty in the answers. The questions would be related to how much time they have to do homework and if the parents help them; along with how much time is spent doing chores around the house, and are their parents working a lot or unemployed. The income of the family is one concern, but at the same time, the psychiatric state of the student is most important.If the student is not doing well in school and feels like nothing will change, it can lead the student to be less motivated and more likely to follow the path of dropouts. Understanding a students psychological state of mind can help draw trends about how other students are behaving in school. Field Work For my field work, I got in touch with an old friend to understand the cause of his dropout Sophomore year. At the time, I figured he just dropped out of high school because he was failing his classes. I never thought that there was more to it.I chatted with him over Facebook and asked a couple questions. He asked that I keep it anonymous. What caused you to drop out of high school? â€Å"I was 15 years old, dating [a girl] for almost a year. It was our first time and we didn’t use any protection. I got [her] pregnant and wanted to leave her because I was scared, but my mother told me that ‘You got into this mess, so you have to handle it. ‘ I picked up a job doing yard work with my fathers company and he paid me under the table. I then had to use the money to support my wife, but also asked my mother for some help.When [the baby] was born, my wife and I faced more struggles than we could ever imagine. I was so busy with going to school and passing, my mother took care of my son. Going to school was one of my least concerns, especially since I was always thinking about the child. I didn't think it would impact me so much, but without providing for my own family, I felt like a useless father. At the end of my Freshman year, my father passed away from a heart attack. † How did this effect your family? Peers? â€Å"The event as a whole, dropping out and having a kid so early, really hurt my mother.I felt as though she looked down on me and thought worse of me because I wasn't like all the other kids who go to school. But after my father passed away, I realized how much my mother and siblings needed me there. I stopped attending high school Sophomore year to get a job at McDonalds and to continue working for my fathers company so I could provide for my family. My family wasn't the most wealthy, but we weren't poor. My mother would always talk about me as â€Å"The Man† of the house. She [worked] full time so she wasn't home with all of the kids much.Without a father figure, it is hard to really grow up, and I had to play that role for my younger brother, Juan who was 8 years old at the time. I am now working to get my GED, slowly, but it is in progress. It isn't easy to go back to school after being away from it for so long. Work and family is still my #1 priority, but school is definitely a necessity in this day and age. I lost touch with all my friends, but it's inevitable when you have a child at a young age, and work two jobs. Facebook helps, but I accepted it pretty easily knowing I had the love of my life and a family. What would you hav e done differently to prevent these effects? â€Å"Wear protection! But in all seriousness, I wish I would have completed high school so that it would be easier to support a family. There isn't much you can do to prevent everything else that happened to me. I am glad I could learn from it rather than regress. I am now 22, working two jobs, have a wife, and a five and a half year old son who I provide for. School is extremely important and if you can't make time for that opportunity given to you, then I don't know what else there is to do.I couldn't prevent my fathers death, but I definitely should have gotten my GED sooner. It is hard to think of other ways I could have handled this of situation. † Did dropping out of high school lead you to any crime? Gangs? No, never. My wife and I are very Christian and would never steal or commit crime. Maybe a traffic violation, but never any serious crimes. I have seen too many friends and family live a life of crime, and I have been to more funerals than I would ever like to. It definitely crossed my mind when I was still a teen, but I'm much happier knowing I never resorted to illegal means to make a living.And no, never considered a gang because then it would have defeated my purpose of leaving school – my family. Bibliography Unknown Author. (2010). The Importance of Education. Retrieved from http://education. laws. com/importance-of-education 1 National Center for Education Statistics (February 04, 2013). High School Dropout. Retrieved from http://vaperforms. virginia. gov/indicators/education/hsDropout. php 2 EPE Research Center. (2010). Graduation by the Numbers [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www. edweek. org/ew/articles/2010/06/10/34swanson. h29. html 3 SLJ Staff. (2008).Crime Linked to Dropout Rates, Report Says. Retrieved from http://www. schoollibraryjournal. com/article/CA6590701. html 4 Johnston, Cindy. (2011). Series Overview: The Cost Of Dropping Out. Retrieved from http://www. npr. org 5 Dianda, Marcella R. Ed. D. (November 2008). Preventing Future High School Dropouts: An Advocacy and Action Guide for NEA State and Local Affiliates. Washington, DC: National Education Association. 6 Dillon, Sam. (2009). Study Finds High Rate of Imprisonment Among Dropouts. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/10/09/education/09dropout. html? _r=0 8

I.e. vs E.g. vs Ex. Which Is Which

I.e. vs E.g. vs Ex. Which Is Which SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Struggling to figure out when you should use e.g. vs i.e.? What about i.e. vs ex.? E.g. vs e.x.? Those are enough abbreviations to make your head spin! In this article, we’ll break down what i.e., e.g., and ex. all stand for and explain how to use each properly in a sentence. We’ll also give you some quick tips for remembering which is which. The Bottom Line: What’s the Difference Between I.e., E.g., and Ex.? I.e., e.g., and ex. are all abbreviations. I.e. and e.g. are abbreviations for Latin phrases and ex. is an abbreviation for an English word. Let’s take a deeper look at each them. What Does I.e. Mean? â€Å"I.e† is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase â€Å"id est,† which translates to â€Å"that is† or â€Å"in other words.† Here’s a look at â€Å"i.e.† in action: â€Å"I am a vegetarian, i.e., I don’t eat meat.† In the example, â€Å"i.e.† is used to provide more clarification about what being a vegetarian means. You could also read the sentence as, â€Å"I am a vegetarian, in other words, I don’t eat meat.† What Does E.g. Mean? â€Å"E.g.† is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase as well. The Latin phrase â€Å"exemplia gratia† is the longer form of â€Å"e.g.† â€Å"Exemplia gratia† translates to â€Å"for example.† Let’s take a look at an example of â€Å"e.g.† in a sentence: â€Å"I love to eat vegetables, e.g., carrots, spinach, and arugula.† You use â€Å"e.g.† to introduce examples of something. In the sentence above, it’s used to introduce examples of the vegetables that the subject of the sentence likes. What Does Ex. Mean? â€Å"Ex.† is another abbreviation, but for an English word: â€Å"exercise.† Writers use â€Å"ex.† in their work to refer to an exercise. Many people think that â€Å"ex.† stands for example, but that’s a common mistake. â€Å"Ex.† is used to introduce exercises. Here’s a look at how: â€Å"Please refer to ex. 4.† The sentence instructs the reader to refer to an exercise later in the text, likely in an appendix. Rules for Using I.e., E.g., and Ex. in Writing Now that we know what e.g., i.e., and ex. mean, let’s look at how to use them correctly in writing. E.g., i.e., and ex. should all be written in lowercase when you use them in the middle of a sentence. E.g. and i.e. should be followed by a comma, as seen in the following examples: â€Å"There were many flavors of ice cream at the shop, e.g., chocolate, vanilla, cookie dough, and mint chocolate chip.† â€Å"I don’t like eating raw fish, i.e., sushi.† Even though e.g. and i.e. are both Latin abbreviations, you don’t need to italicize them in your writing. Tricks for Using I.e. vs E.g. vs Ex. Stuck trying to figure out when to use i.e. vs e.g., i.e. vs ex., or e.g. vs ex.? Don’t worry, there are a few tricks for remembering which abbreviation works for which situation. You don’t need to remember the Latin translations for i.e. or e.g. to know when to use them. Instead, remind yourself what each means! â€Å"I.e.† is another way of saying â€Å"in other words.† You can remember this because â€Å"i.e.† and â€Å"in other words† both start with the letter â€Å"i.† Whenever you write a sentence with â€Å"i.e.,† read it back to yourself and replace â€Å"i.e.† with â€Å"in other words.† If it makes sense, you’re using it right. If not, take another look at the sentence. â€Å"E.g.† in Latin is â€Å"exemplia gratia.† â€Å"E.g† means â€Å"for example,† so you can remember that â€Å"e.g.† is used to introduce different â€Å"exemplia† or â€Å"examples.† If you’re writing a sentence with â€Å"e.g.,† read it back to yourself and replace â€Å"e.g.† with â€Å"for example.† If it makes sense, you’re all set! If not, you’re probably using â€Å"e.g.† incorrectly. â€Å"Ex.† is short for â€Å"exercise.† You can remember that because â€Å"ex† and â€Å"exercise† both start with â€Å"ex.† Final Thoughts It’s tricky to remember the differences between i.e. vs e.g. vs ex. But it doesn’t have to be! Each has its own specific usage: â€Å"I.e.† is another way of saying â€Å"in other words.† â€Å"E.g.† is another way of saying â€Å"for example.† â€Å"Ex.† is an abbreviation for â€Å"exercise.† Remember that and you’ll be all set! What’s Next? Are you studying clouds in your science class?Get help identifying the different types of clouds with our expert guide. Need help with English class- specifically with identifying literary devices in texts you read?Then you'll definitely want to take a look at our comprehensive explanation of the most important literary devices and how they're used. Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

Careing essays

Careing essays In class we have just completed Milton Mayeroff book On Caring. Mayeroff discusses many of lifes philosophies, and the meaning and importance of caring as well as being cared for. He deals with peoples basic morals towards caring and being cared for in many situations. Caring is feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for others. (Encarta 99). I feel that caring is being able to be honest, trust, and also being able to stay strong with courage. All these aspects play a large role in a person growth over years with their family, and friends as well as associates. Caring is often taken for granted, but Mayeroff clearly defines the true meaning of caring in his book. He really makes you recognize who in your life has played a serious role, and how you know if you are truly caring for another. In Mayeroffs book he writes on over thirty topics of caring. I have chosen five topics that I feel are the most significant in his book On Caring. First I believe that honesty is the core essential in caring for another. Honesty is present in caring as something positive, and not as a matter of not doing something, not telling lies of not deliberately deceiving others. Mayeroff (p.g. 25). The only way to be able to build a solid relationship with another person is to be honest. I feel that this is necessary in a relationship; if you are not honest you will not only cheat yourself but others as well. The truth hurts but it is always better to deal with the truth then to be deceived and have to learn how other people deal in stressful situations. I feel personally that this is the core essential ingredient in a caring relationship. Honesty is the best policy Mayeroff (p.g. 26). The second aspect of caring I want to deal with is trust, and how I feel it relates to one of the five major aspect of caring. Caring involves trusting the other to grow in its own time and in i...

How to Say Hello in Mandarin Chinese

How to Say Hello in Mandarin Chinese The first step to starting a conversation in Mandarin Chinese is to say hello! Learn how to greet people in Mandarin Chinese with the help of audio files to ensure your pronunciation is correct. Audio links are marked with ââ€" º. Characters The Chinese phrase for hello is made of two characters: ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ ââ€" ºnÇ Ã‚  hÇŽo. The first character ä ½   (nÇ ) means you. The second character Ã¥ ¥ ½ (hÇŽo) means good. Thus, the literal translation of ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ (nÇ  hÇŽo) is you good.   Pronunciation Note that Mandarin Chinese uses four tones. The tones used in ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ are two third tones. When 2 first tone characters are placed next to each other, the tones slightly change. The first character is pronounced as a rising tone second tone, while the second character shifts into a low, dipping tone. Informal vs Formal Use ä ½   (Ç ) is the informal form of you and is used for greeting friends and associates. The formal you is æ‚ ¨ (nà ­n). Thus, the formal form of hello is ââ€" ºnà ­n hÇŽo - æ‚ ¨Ã¥ ¥ ½.   æ‚ ¨Ã¥ ¥ ½(nà ­n hÇŽo) is used when speaking to superiors, people in authority, and elders. The more casual ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ (nÇ  hÇŽo) should be used when speaking to friends, colleagues, and children.   China Taiwan The use of æ‚ ¨Ã¥ ¥ ½ (nà ­n hÇŽo) is more common in Mainland China than in Taiwan. The informal ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ (nÇ  hÇŽo) is the most common greeting in Taiwan, no matter what the rank of the person you are addressing. You may also be wondering why there are two Chinese written versions of this phrase: ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥â€"Ž and ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ â€". The first version is in traditional characters which are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and many overseas Chinese communities. The second version is simplified characters, the official writing system in Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia. How Are You? You can extend ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½ (nÇ  hÇŽo) by adding the question particle Ã¥â€"Ž / Ã¥ â€" ââ€" ºma. The question particle Ã¥â€"Ž (traditional form) / Ã¥ â€" (simplified form) can be added to the end of sentences and phrases to change them from statements into questions. The literal translation of ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥â€"Ž? / ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ â€" (nÇ  hÇŽo ma)? is you good?, which means how are you? This greeting should only be said to close friends or family members. It is not a common greeting for associates or strangers. The answer to ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥â€"Ž / ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ â€" (nÇ  hÇŽo ma)? can be: hÄ›n hÇŽo - Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã¥ ¥ ½ - very goodbà ¹ hÇŽo - ä ¸ Ã¥ ¥ ½ - not goodhi hÇŽo - é‚„å ¥ ½ / è ¿ËœÃ¥ ¥ ½ - so so

Ebola and the US Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ebola and the US Response - Essay Example This was highlighted when the first Ebola cases were reported in Texas and New York. Despite the mad scramble for some semblance of coherent response, the government’s policy appears to be uncoordinated, unprepared and inadequate. Perhaps the appropriate development that could best define the government’s response to Ebola was when President’s Barack Obama appointed Ron Klain as the â€Å"Ebola Czar†. Klain does not hold any medical degree because he is a political operative. His appointment was supposed to help the government navigate through the intricacies of the bureaucracy, coordinating various federal and state agencies to solve the problem. His political acumen was also expected to effectively articulate governmental policy and response. Unfortunately, this move reflects an erroneous strategy that appears to approach the issue from the political point of view, keeping the focus from the medical and the scientific. It sends the wrong message, contributing to public hysteria because it appears that the government is not taking matters seriously. Indeed, there are already public officials who are undermining the federal response to the problem such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christi e, who have imposed stricter quarantine guidelines (Sanchez & Cohen, 2014). The case would have been different had an expert was appointed to the post. Any policy pronouncement would be credible and authoritative. There are several implications to the inadequate and confused government response. First, there is the case of the quarantine, which could impinge on people’s civil liberties. The federal government appears to be delegating much of policymaking in this area to the states. Benjamin Hayes, the Center for Disease Control spokesman, was quoted as saying, â€Å"We don’t have the authority to tell the states what to do when travelers end up in their states†¦ We set the base guidelines, and the states have the choice to tighten those guidelines† (Dizard, 2014).

Evaluation and Opinion on Oligopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation and Opinion on Oligopoly - Essay Example The new oligopoly is made up of multinational corporations that have chosen specific product or service categories to dominate. In each category, over time, only two to four major players prosper. Starting a new company in thatmarket segmentis difficult, and the few that do succeed are often gobbled up or run out of business by the oligopolies. (Oligopoly, 2006a) Strategic Interaction: when only a few firms operate in a market, they will soon recognize their interdependence. Strategic Interaction, which is genuinely a new feature of oligopoly, occurs when each firm's business plans depend upon the behavior of its rivals. Analyzation reveals that economists are particularly concerned about industries characterized by imperfect competition. One reason is that such industries behave in certain ways that are unfavorable to the public interest. For example imperfect competition generally leads to prices that are above marginal costs; this results in an inefficient allocation of resources. The result of such high prices leads oligopolistic industries towards supernormal profits. However in depth studies shows concentrated industries having only slight higher rates of profit than unconcentrated ones. (Nordhaus, 1998, p. 171) The distinguishing characteristic of oligopoly is the interdependence among firms in the industry. Since an oligopolist knows that its own actions will have a significant impact on the other oligopolists in the industry, each oligopolist must consider the possible reaction of competitors in deciding its pricing policies, the degree of product differentiation to introduce, the level of advertising to undertake, the amount of service to provide etc. Since competitors can react in many ways, therefore we possess several oligopoly models based on the particular behavioral response of competitors to the actions of the first. Because of this interdependence, managerial decision-making is much more complex under oligopoly than under other forms of market structure. (Salvatore, 2001, p. 427) The following are the sources of oligopoly, which represent the barriers to other firms entering in the market in the long run: Economies of scale may operate over a sufficiently large range of outputs as to leave only a few firms supplying the entire market. Huge capital investments and supplying inputs are usually required to enter an oligopolistic industry and this acts as an important natural barrier to entry. A few firms may own a patent for the exclusive right to produce a commodity or to use a particular production process. Established firms may have a loyal following of customers based on product quality and service that new firms would find very difficult to match. A few firms may own or control the entire supply of a raw material required in the production of a product. A

The Origins and Early Form of the Arms Race Research Paper

The Origins and Early Form of the Arms Race - Research Paper Example These technological developments, however, only occurred because of vast systems of ideology and doctrine that convinced both sides they needed to adopt and aggressive postures towards each other. To truly understand the arms race, it is essential to understand the doctrines and philosophies that led to the perception of its necessity. The United States and the Soviet Union were allies during the Second World War, but even before the close of the that conflict significant cracks began to emerge – Truman and Stalin were already spoiling for a conflict as of the Potsdam Conference prior to the close of the war. His journal entries at that point contain subtle threats. In one time, Stalin and Truman had a frank discussion, in which Truman refers to Stalin’s questions as â€Å"dynamite,† before referring to the fact that Truman had â€Å"some dynamite too, which I’m not exploding now.†3 This clearly speaks to veiled threats – Stalin making some, before Truman refers to the fact that he has a secret weapon more powerful than the Soviet Union. So even as of World War II, both the Soviets and Americans were convinced they would be in conflict with each other – they were certain that their ideologies were too divergent, their interests too opposed to each other, and the world simply too small to accommodate the both of them. This represents the earliest beginning of the Cold War and the arms race. The arms race became further reinforced by the differing doctrines of both countries The first doctrine that the United States adopted towards the Soviet Union after the close of the Second World War was the Truman Doctrine, a doctrine essentially of containment of Soviet Union, which the United States believed was highly imperialist.4 The Soviet Union, for its own part, believed that a spreading proletariat revolution was a necessity, and heavily encouraged communist revolutions in a variety of countries, including successful revolutions in North Korea, Vietnam, China, as well as the de facto annexation of much of eastern and central Europe through the conflict of the Second World War. This further reinforced the idea in each country that they would eventually come into conflict with each other. It seemed almost certain. But this conflict would be different from any that came before it, because it would involve nuclear weapons, something against which there was no effective defense. Previous systems of weaponry could be battled – to destroy a city through bombing would take massive waves of bombers, which could be destroyed, thus limiting damage. With the advent of atomic weapons, however, this all changed. If a single airplane flew through a defense, it could obliterate a city. There was no way to defend against this new kind of weapon, which meant the only way to stop it from being used was through deterrence. Each side had to be absolutely certain that if it used atomic weapons, they would have atomic weapons used against them. This brought about a troubling strategy

HISTORY (26) Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HISTORY (26) Discussion - Essay Example If human suffering had any face then, it would not be incorrect to say that economic monster was there to play that role! I asked him was it caused by banks. He said no. it was mainly caused by stock prices which were experiencing an unusual level of upward increase. Furthermore, he contended that many people had lost their confidence on the economy after the year of 1929. Consequently, they preferred to withdraw their money. I asked him â€Å"Do you believe that it is safe to avoid depositing cash in banks in these days?† He found it difficult to agree with me. He contended that it would be unwise to hold responsible banks for them and putting money in your own custody. Furthermore, he said by putting money at oneself would increase the risk of theft and snatching or robbery. Nowadays, there are more stringent measures on banks and other financial institutions for fund management in comparison with the economic measures of the era of Great Depression when the economic policie s were neither strict nor having a tight control over many aspects of the economic policies. References Romer, Christina. Great Depression. Available at http://www.econ.berkeley.edu/~cromer/great_depression.pdf [Accessed on 09 February, 2011]

It is up to you Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

It is up to you - Coursework Example The main components of syuzhet, often translated as plot or the presentation of the story, include actions, scenes and episodes and their distribution in such a way that these make sense and are interconnected, providing ease to understanding of audience. Mostly the syuzhet articulated in good films and dramas are those which describe exposition of characters, dispute, climax and ending of the story. Exposition of characters may be sometimes delayed and distributed across the whole film. Artists usually design syuzhet in such a way that it grasps attention of audience, and strengthens the gaps between cause-effect chains of a fabula. The syuzhets that provide knowledge about the characters such as family, location, profession, values, and class, among others, are usually selected. Events which seems expalinatory and communicative, are usually implied when designing syuzhet’s presentation of fabula, thereby interlinking the events seprated on a temporal or spatial scale. Provid ing details regarding main events and characters through syuzhet in a film untangle the complexity of fabula, grab the interest of audience and increase their curiosity about the end of story. Bordwell, David: Principles of narration. In: Philip Simpson ... [et al.] (eds.): Film theory: critical concepts in media and cultural studies. Vol. 2. London [etc.]: Routledge, 2004, 5. 245-267. [Ursprà ¼nglich in: David Bordwell: Narration in the fiction film. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1985, 5.

Project 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project 1 - Assignment Example Ans3. The economic-benefit component consists of two variables namely delayed costs and avoided costs. Avoided costs were the maintenance or the operational expenses that were to be incurred but were avoided. Whereas, delayed costs are the ones which were postpones by the violation but will be incurred to attain compliance. On the other hand, gravity based component are the penalties over and above the economic benefit. The gravity based component is more effective because in this way businesses will be encouraged to self-police and not to violate. Ans4. The conditions are that the discovery of violation must be through environmental audits or EMS- Environmental management system; Discovery of violation must be voluntarily; agreement of taking steps for preventions should be there. The violation must be disclosed within 20 days after the discovery to EPA. Within 60 days, the violation must be corrected. Ans5. We have learned the ways of conducting business ethically and this article highlights some rules and regulations that regulate the businesses and their environment. It keeps a check and balance that humanity and environment should not be harmed in the process. EPA’s incentives would help the businesses to be proactive from the start and they would not end up violating the rules, thus doing business ethically. Ans6. The main aim of any business is profit maximization. If the penalties hinder this objective then they will definitely make sure not to violate the rules. Moreover, in order to have a good image they will fulfill their corporate social

It is up to you Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

It is up to you - Coursework Example The main components of syuzhet, often translated as plot or the presentation of the story, include actions, scenes and episodes and their distribution in such a way that these make sense and are interconnected, providing ease to understanding of audience. Mostly the syuzhet articulated in good films and dramas are those which describe exposition of characters, dispute, climax and ending of the story. Exposition of characters may be sometimes delayed and distributed across the whole film. Artists usually design syuzhet in such a way that it grasps attention of audience, and strengthens the gaps between cause-effect chains of a fabula. The syuzhets that provide knowledge about the characters such as family, location, profession, values, and class, among others, are usually selected. Events which seems expalinatory and communicative, are usually implied when designing syuzhet’s presentation of fabula, thereby interlinking the events seprated on a temporal or spatial scale. Provid ing details regarding main events and characters through syuzhet in a film untangle the complexity of fabula, grab the interest of audience and increase their curiosity about the end of story. Bordwell, David: Principles of narration. In: Philip Simpson ... [et al.] (eds.): Film theory: critical concepts in media and cultural studies. Vol. 2. London [etc.]: Routledge, 2004, 5. 245-267. [Ursprà ¼nglich in: David Bordwell: Narration in the fiction film. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1985, 5.

Leadership and Management Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and Management Styles - Essay Example The three approaches to effective leadership are autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire. Under autocratic leadership, the â€Å"I tell† philosophy is employed. The managers using autocratic leadership instruct the staff about the necessary actions. The management either instructs or persuades the staff to do whatever is expected by the company. The autocratic approach works best when there is a crisis or emergency and the company is required to act immediately so as to come up with a solution. Under democratic leadership, managers allow subordinates to take part in decisions but reserve the power to withdraw and repossess the same power (Businesscasestudies.co.uk, 2015). The managers seek the opinions of all relevant subordinates before making the final decisions. Democratic leadership is a collegial and open style of conducting a team. Ideas circulate freely within the group and are openly discussed. The style functions best in environments where not much is taken as a cons tant. In Laissez-faire, the employees are trusted to make personal decisions without the interference of the management. The subordinates enjoy an almost unlimited degree of freedom.In my opinion, the best approach when managing the work of subordinates is the democratic approach. The theory behind this approach asserts that the implementer uses an â€Å"I consult† philosophy (Businesscasestudies.co.uk, 2015). The approach has a number of advantages which include increased motivation and creativity on the side of the employees.

Police officers Essay Example for Free

Police officers Essay Have you ever been in a situation where you find yourself stuck between facing consequences for things you haven’t done and giving in to someone who seems to be on a power trip and is taking advantage of their superiority over you? Whether it be a manager taking advantage of his power in the work place or a police man or woman doing unnecessary and over the top things to you. Abuse of power seems to be a common thing in some police officers every day life and this is not okay. It is very apparent what a police officers job is and that is to protect and serve the community and make sure that real criminals are being served justice, however; some may come across police officers that use the fact that they have badges and weapons to their advantage in order to basically become a bully instead of a hero. Of course not all police officers are corrupt, most are actually doing their job and are concerned with the safety of all people and not just their own but those few that are corrupt need to be stopped and be punished for their police brutality and/or abuse of power. So the question is, are police men and women being evaluated thoroughly enough so as not to hire corrupt officers? Are police officers being punished and or brought to justice because of their wrong doings? In this paper I will bring some cases of police brutality and or abuse of police powers to your attention as well as if and how police are being punished because of their illegal or down right cruel behavior. Becoming a police officer is far from an easy task as it should be, but why is it that after so much questioning and tests of integrity and moral values citizens are becoming more and more victimized by police officers? In my opinion police officers are not being as extensively tested for a corrupt mind set as we are led to believe they are. Possible police officers are asked questions on a polygraph test that mostly tie in with the questions asked in the application process so as to get details and obviously the truth out of anything remotely suspicious on the application. These questions mostly having to do with drug use or theft and anything that may prove an officer to be dishonest about questions already asked prior to the polygraph. These questions however rarely have to do with how officers view a citizens race, religion, gender, levels of class, etc. For example, a police officer is not asked in a polygraph test if he does not like Muslim people or if he is disgusted by gay individuals.

Mechanism and Optimization of Melphalan

Mechanism and Optimization of Melphalan Melphalan Introduction Cancer in general is referred to body cells that grows rapidly and over the limit of normal cells (Hayflick limit). There’s over 200 different types of cancer, where some cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body leading to further complications. It’s one of the biggest leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore interest in finding treatment and prevention for this disease has been growing. One of the most successful chemotherapy drugs is Melphalan. It’s been over 50 years in use and there’s an increase in research to improve this drug. It’s indicated for different type of cancer: for the analgesic treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) and for the alleviation of unresectable epithelial tumor of the ovary. It has also been used alone or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs for relief treatment of locally repeated or unresectable in-transit metastatic melanoma of the extremities. It’s also used in addition to other drugs or surge ry in breast cancer. Mechanism of action Melphalan belong to a class of chemotherapy drugs called nitrogen mustardalkylating agents. It’s the oldest class of anticancer drugs still frequently used. It’s a bifunctional alkylating agent which means it has two sites where the reactivity occurs. It displaces the chloride ion by amine nitrogen to form a cyclic amine ion (aziridinium ring) by intramolecular nucleophilic attack. Afterwards the DNA nucleophile undergoes a nucleophilic attack and opens the azidrine ring, which leads to the alkylation of DNA. The lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen in the drug will then be regenerated when the azidine ring cleaves. The same reactions happen on the second reactive site of the drug, by displacing the second chloride ion. (picture) This will lead to cross-linked DNA molecules through covalent bonds. The covalent bonds can be made in two different ways: either on the same DNA strand which will alter the shape permanently prevents other enzymes or molecules from binding t o it, or on adjacent strand therefore preventing replication/transcription process. (picture) The reaction happens in the N7-site of guanine, which is the most preferred nuclei acid. However the reaction can also take place at the N3-site of adenine. The alkylation of the nucleotide leads to miscoding of DNA as for example Thymine will bind to guanine instead cytosine. Due to the p-orbital of the benzene ring in melphalan that draws the lone pair electrons from nitrogen, this leads to reduction of reactivity to form the azirdine, hence only strong nucleophiles such as guanine will react with it. This has the benefit of reducing the side reactions with water, tissue and blood, leading to the drug can be given orally. The side chain of Melphalan is L-phenylalanine, meaning it has a component that act as the amino acid phenylalanine. (picture) Consequently the drug is most likely to be recognised as an amino acid, and it will be taken into the cell by transporter protein. This increase s the stability of the drug further. Optimization of Melphalan Despite Melphalan being used as an anticancer drug for over 50 years, it’s associated with many complications including poor solubility in water, variable bioavailability and rapid hydrolysis at physiological pH (11-14) which also increase the bioavailability problem. Another major problem is its rapid clearance from the blood circulation due to its short half-life (90 min). A study conducted in USA to tackle these difficulties by adding a poly ethylene glycol (PEG) to the Mel, in order to enhance the formulation of parental and oral administration. PEG is a synthetic polymer which is water soluble and non-ionic. It is an amphipilic polymer meaning it has an exceptional capacity to be soluble in both aqueous and organic solvents. This property makes it ideal for chemical conjugate of substance that has a biological effect. Another advantage of using PEG is it has exceptionally low level of antigenicity and immunogenicity. The process of conjugation is called PEGylation. Itâ₠¬â„¢s a two-step process where in the first step the activation and derivatization of PEG occurs with appropriate functional groups. In step two the conjugation of the activated PEG with Mel occurs. The NH2 group in melphalan undergoes a nucleophilic reaction with mPEG-succinimidyl propionate (mPEG-SPA) under the presence of DMAP catalyst. This reaction produces an amide bond, which is reasonably stable. The mPEG-SPA gets hydrolysed to mPEG and N-hydroxysuccinimide. Fig x. The study conjugated two molecular weight (MW) PEG: 2000 and 5000 Da. Variable test were conducted to measure the difference between the two different MW PEG conjugates and the parent drug Melphalan. The aqueous solubility of the conjugated Melphalan was measured by dissolution test, the results are shown in table 1. The table shows there is an increase in aqueous solubility of MpPEG-2000 by nearly 80 times reading as 7.2 ±0.12  µg/ml and increased by approximately 123 times for MpPEG-5000 reading as 11.07 ±0.8  µg/ml, compared to the measured solubility of the parental Melphalan of 0.09  µg/ml. This results can be explained due to the PEG chain being attached to the drug. On the other hand the haemolytic activity of melphalan versus its conjugates was also determined by assessing the haemoglobin content. The melphalan haemolytic activity was measured to 100% above the concentration 3.5  µg/ml (table 2). With regards to MpPEG-5000 only 48.8 ±1.5% haemolysis observed at concentration of 32  µg/ml (table 3). In case of MpPEG-2000 the highest percentage of haemolysis of 81.3 ±0.5% was recorded at concentration of 32  µg/ml (table 4). The lower haemolytic activity of the conjugates compared to melphalan might be due to the dominated property of polymeric carrier PEG. These results is an indication that the chain length of PEG plays an important role on the haemolytic activity. The property of delaying haemolysis is better in MpPEG-5000 compared to MpPEG-2000 even at higher concentrations. It also has an effect on the aqueous solubility due to the longer the chain the more hydrophilic backbone of PEG will be present. The percentage cumulative hydrolysis of the conjugates was observed in case of MpPEG-2000 to be 10.11 ±0.68 after 6 hours, whereas for MpPEG-5000 was only 5.21 ±1.2% after the same time (table 5). The low cumulative hydrolysis detected in MpPEG-5000 may be understood due to the ester linkage being protected by the PEG molecule du e to the steric hindrance. Furthermore the amide bond is more protected in MpPEG-5000 compared to MpPEG-2000 due to the shielding effect of the larger chain of PEG. Therefore the MpPEG-5000 can be an ideal candidate to provide a slow release drug formulation. Thus, increase the half-life of the drug and decrease the clearance. Clinical trials Conclusion This drug adds a small group, an alkyl group to the DNA to alter its structure and hence modifies the function. It’s an alkylating agent which means it adds an alkyl group to DNA. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkylcarbocation, afree radical, acarbanionor acarbene(or their equivalents). Nitrogen mustards (NMs) form cyclic aminium ions (aziridinium rings) by intramolecular displacement of the chloride by the amine nitrogen. This aziridinium group then alkylates DNA once it is attacked by the N-7 nucleophilic center on the guanine base. A second attack after the displacement of the second chlorine forms the second alkylation step that results in the formation of interstrand cross-links (ICLs) as it was shown in the early 1960s. At that time it was proposed that the ICLs were formed between N-7 atom of guanine residue in a 5’-d(GC) sequence.[15][16] These kinds of lesions are effective at forcing the cell to undergo apoptosis via p53, a protein which scans the genome for defects. Note that the alkylating damage itself is not cytotoxic and does not directly cause cell death. For the analgesic treatment of multiple myeloma and for the palliation of non-resectable epithelial carcinoma of the ovary. Has also been used alone or as part of various chemotherapeutic regimens as an addition to surgery in the treatment of breast cancer, alone or in combination regimens for palliative treatment of locally recurrent or unresectable in-transit metastatic melanoma of the extremities, as well as for the treatment of amyloidosis with prednisone. http://www.bloodjournal.org.ezproxy.kingston.ac.uk/content/106/2/698 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.kingston.ac.uk/doi/10.1002/cncr.27820/full http://www.bloodjournal.org.ezproxy.kingston.ac.uk/content/117/24/6445 http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB01042 http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/44/7/2773.full.pdf+html http://pubs.acs.org.ezproxy.kingston.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1021/jo300351g http://www.bloodjournal.org.ezproxy.kingston.ac.uk/content/100/1/224 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4024156/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4286742/ http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0898656813000314/1-s2.0-S0898656813000314-main.pdf?_tid=c3b012a4-c411-11e4-944b-00000aab0f27acdnat=1425654312_d9351a386aa77b225426f1c34e100e88 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0144861714004196/1-s2.0-S0144861714004196-main.pdf?_tid=00c4f2b8-c412-11e4-aee6-00000aab0f6cacdnat=1425654412_90fa9336c00ccddd1706b13914966246 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0009279702000145/1-s2.0-S0009279702000145-main.pdf?_tid=458a0f50-c412-11e4-b306-00000aacb360acdnat=1425654528_8adc41f2576ed853db84f0b37d63aba7 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0014827X03001642/1-s2.0-S0014827X03001642-main.pdf?_tid=8710dca6-c412-11e4-ba2b-00000aab0f02acdnat=1425654638_fb397da0e9304b218456d2a2da0cc6bf http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0144861714012533/1-s2.0-S0144861714012533-main.pdf?_tid=ffa7bf86-c412-11e4-9b6f-00000aacb361acdnat=1425654840_9033413b545510662226d20eec11b255 http://www.drugs.com/mmx/melphalan.html http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/23/8_Part_1/1315.full.pdf http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jna/2010/543531/ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Sd6ot9ul-bUCpg=PA1208lpg=PA1208dq=nitrogen+mustard+aziridine+ringsource=blots=TMPCHHeGPrsig=tArK9BCztSsPXxLXMj2ojRGFG2shl=ensa=Xei=FggDVaHxFMatU_6zgfABved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepageqf=false Bifunctional alkylating agents (e.g., nitrogen mustards (melphalan, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, and ifosfamide) and chloroethylnitrosoureas (BCNU and CCNU)) possess two reactive sites. These agents cross-link DNA with proteins or, alternatively, cross-link two DNA bases within the same DNA strand (intrastrand cross-links) or on opposite DNA strands (ICLs). ICLs, which block replication forks, are the most serious cytotoxic lesions produced by most bifunctional drugs. Accordingly, the extent of ICLs correlates well with the cytotoxicity of nitrogen mustard drugs

Direct and Indirect Costs :: Economics

Direct and Indirect Costs Direct costs ============ An organisation can apportion the costs incurred in the production of products or services in either a direct or an indirect manner. The direct costs can be defined as being the amount materials actually cost plus any other directly linked costs, such as labour. (for Quirk, materials, electricity, labour employee and management, machine depreciation) Production materials, machine or assembly wages =============================================== 1. Labour and wages – the cost of obtaining, training and retaining labour is a significantly high cost which must be allocated to each unit of production. There are many legal obligations as well as social and welfare considerations, which add to this high costs total. In order to work out the exact labour and wages costs to be attributed to each unit of production, an organisation must take a careful study of the production process and allocate the appropriate expenses. If, for example, an individual earns  £10 per hour and processes 10 units during that hour, then  £1 of direct costs may simply be added to each unit. Unfortunately, things are not that simple. There are many other individual costs which an organisation must bear in the employment of individuals. These may include employer’s national insurance contributions, pension payments and insurance policy payments. In most organisations, labour and wage costs account for the majority of direct costs. 2. Materials – the costs of materials differ according to the sector in which an organisation operates. As organisation that operates in the primary sector has comparatively low material costs. At the other end of the scale, in the tertiary sector, the costs of finished goods to a retailer for example, will be extremely high. The principal elements that affect the costs of materials should be included in the organisation's overall budgetary controls. In addition, an organisation must also consider the cost of materials in relation to market demands, as these will inevitably cause periodic fluctuations in material costs. Only those materials that are actually used in the production of a product or service should be considered part of the cost of that product or service. Task 2 Page 2 Other consumables used by the organisation are classed as indirect costs and are considered under separate budgets. Indirect costs ================== (for Quirk, rent/rates, sales/ marketing/ insurance/ non-production depreciation management salaries) Indirect costs are costs incurred in the running of an organisation that cannot be easily apportioned to the production process.

Costco Ethics Essay

Costco wholesale follows a very strict code of ethics, which are strongly enforced with their compliance program. Costco’s ultimate mission is to provide their members with quality goods and services at the lowest price possible. In order for Costco to achieve their mission, they must abide by their simple code of ethics which consist of, obeying the law, taking care of their members, taking care of their employees, and respecting their suppliers. Upon success of these four codes, they have the ability to reward their shareholders, which is their ultimate goal. In order for Costco to implement their code of ethics, they must follow an austere compliance program. Costco must first appoint or retain a Chief Compliance Officer who directly reports to the Nominating and Governance Committee of Costco’s Board of directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee is made up of several independent directors whom have the responsibility to develop ideas, and give recommendations to the board corporate governance guidelines. In order for the Chief Compliance Officer to understand the whole process, and compliance program itself, he or she must retain their position for at least three years. Within these three years, he or she must report to the Governance Committee at least twice a year in regards to compliances issues, and the relay of information between the financial reporting department and the financial planning department. Also the Chief Compliance Officer must report to the independent accounting firm or law firm at least once a year. The Chief Compliance Officer’s initial duty is to coordinate and oversee the following areas: to improve Costco’s already set compliance program, revising the Code of Ethics to make it easily understood for their employees, spreading the compliance and ethical standards to officers and employees, improving the employee training program, to look for and address unethical behavior, enhancing the â€Å"whistle blower† program for anonymous accusations, to check on senior executives to ensure their participation in the ethics and compliance program, and lastly to ultimately oversee internal investigations involving financial fraud. To guarantee that information is properly shared between the internal departments responsible for Costco’s equity compensation program there is written procedures to be followed. The departments that are mainly responsible for following this procedure are the financial reporting department, and the financial planning department. These departments are mandated to meet for at least three years for quarterly meetings attended with the Chief Compliance Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller and the supervisors of both departments.

Compare the Lutheran and Calvinist Reformations

Like the family and the economy, religion is a universal and pervasive phenomenon, a part of the cultural system, because it is assumed to meet some basic need of human being. Religion is an integrated part of human experience and shows remarkable continuity through time. Even in the modern secularized societies in the West, religion has persisted and still exerts a great influence in the lives of people. Almost all known peoples in all places and times have some set of specific cultural patterns made up of beliefs and codes of conduct, tinged with emotional views, an explanation or justification of human behavior and social organization regarding the distribution of power between the leaders and the governed, the moral code, the distribution of wealth, or the success of some and failure of others may be found in religion. Religious, beliefs and practices have been debated by various religious sectors and it includes the Lutheran and Calvinist reformations. This paper compares and contrasts the doctrines and beliefs between Lutheran and Calvinist Reformations. II. Discussion A. Calvinism and its beliefs The theology and system of church practices based on the teachings of the protestant Reformation leader John Calvin. It is the doctrine of the Presbyterian and the Reformed churches and is part of the heritage of Baptists, the Congregationalists, and certain other Christian groups. Calvin’s thought is most completely expressed in his Institute of the Christian Religion (1536). Other significant documents of Calvinism are the Canons of Dort (1619), the doctrinal basis of the reformed churches; and the Westminster Confession (1646), the traditional Presbyterian creed. Fundamental to early Calvinism was the belief in God’s absolute sovereign will over the affairs of man. To do God’s will was man’s first duty. According to the doctrine of original sin, Adam, the first man, was created pure and did God’s will. Adam’s sin, however, resulted in man’s fall from this state. Thus, all mankind was infected with â€Å"a total depravity,† leaving man free to sin but not to do good. All were rightfully damned (R. Po-Chia Hsia & Henk Van Nierop, pp. 234-236, 2002). The strict Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement held that Christ’s death atoned for the sins of a limited few, not all mankind. The limited few, called the elect, were thus saved. According to predestination, Calvin’s most widely known doctrine; God decreed eternal life for the elect and eternal damnation, or reprobation, for the rest. According to the idea known as irresistible grace, individuals elected by God to be saved by his grace could not choose to resist it. Calvinist, like most other early Protestants, emphasized the doctrine of justification, which dealt with the condition of man’s salvation. A saved individual was made righteous by God’s grace, and by God’s judgment was declared just, or acceptable. Good works by an individual could not achieve his salvation or justification: he had to live by faith alone. However, his faith was expressed outwardly in strict moral and righteous conduct and good works. To a Calvinist, the ability to base one’s life in faith was probable evidence that one was saved from sin and numbered among the elect (Kingdon, p.45, 2006). In Calvinism, Scripture became the supreme authority in faith and life. Calvinists believed that the Bible designated only two sacraments—baptism and Holy Communion. Calvin’s notion of the church government in which the church elects elders, or presbyters, to govern its affairs came from the Bible and was adopted by the Presbyterian and the Reformed Churches. This idea of representational church government was an important influence on the development of modern democracy. In the 17th century, some Dutch theologians and the English Puritans added to Calvinism the covenant theology. The covenant was a contractual relationship between the Christian and God. The sacraments were given as seals of the covenant. There were two covenants that God made with man—the covenant of works was made with Adam; the covenant of grace was made in Jesus Christ (Van Bruaene, pp.481-489, 2004). The covenant theology, which became central to Puritanism in England and America, softened the doctrine of predestination by giving recognition to human cooperation in achieving salvation. B. Lutheran and its beliefs These are Protestant Christians who follow the teachings of Martin Luther, the leader of the German Reformation. Lutherans form the largest group of Protestants. The Lutherans are the largest religious group in Germany; they claim more than 95 percent of the people of the Scandinavian countries; and they have strong minorities in many other countries. Lutherans in the United States number about 8,460,000 and are the nation’s fourth largest religious group. Lutherans places strong emphasis on doctrine. It affirms that the Bible is the sole rule of faith and accepts all traditional Protestant Christian doctrines. Distinctive Lutheran beliefs are defined in Luther’s two catechisms, the Augsburg Confession, the Schmalkaldic Articles, and the Formula of Concord (Anderson, pp.121-125, 2001). The chief Lutheran tenet is justification by faith alone. Salvation, according to this belief, does not come through food works. Rather, it comes by the faith of believers that God has forgiven their sins through the Sacrifice of Christ, and that by Gods grace they have been justified (become righteous). Lutheranism has two sacraments, baptism and the Lords Supper. Lutherans believe that in Holy Communion there is no physical change in the bread and wine, but that Christ is truly present to forgive sins and to renew the spiritual life of believers. Lutheran churches make greater use of liturgy the most Protestant churches, but there are differences in forms of public worship among Lutheran bodies (Braaten, pp. 83-86, 2004). There are differences also in church government. The Lutheran churches in Europe have bishops. In the United State the local congregation is the unit of church organization and the source of authority. During the 19th century congregations combined in synods, or regional groupings (Arnold, p.47, 2002).   After 1900 many synods united to form national denominations. Some synods are advisory bodies while others have a considerable amount of authority. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was form in 1987 by a merger of the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church in America, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. The denomination has 5,300,000 members, two of the denomination that make up the church were born out of mergers; and one, the association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, was a group that seceded from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (Braaten, pp. 83-86, 2004). The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod believes in strict adherence to the Bible and to all Lutheran confessions. This denomination, of German origin, was founded in 1847 by the Rev. Cal F. W. Walther. The Missouri Synod has about 2,630,000 members. It has many congregations in Canada (Rogness, pp. 364-366, 2000). The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is one of the conservative Lutheran bodies, holding without reservation to the Lutheran confessions and the infallibility of the Bible.   The church was organized in Milwaukee in 1850. It has congregation in most states of the Union and has some 400,000 members. Other Bodies. There are several small Lutheran denominations. Thy include the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America (6,000 members), Association   of Free Lutheran Congregations(19,000 members), Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (12,000 members) Church of the Lutheran Confession (9,000 members), Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (7,000 members), Evangelical Lutheran Synod (20,000 members), Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (14,000 members), Protestant Conference (Lutheran), Inc. (1,000 members), and World Confessional Lutheran Association (1,300 members) (Nelson, p.17, 2002). III. Conclusion In conclusion, by the early 20th century, only a few Protestant churches held to the strict Calvinism of the 16th and 17th centuries. Most churches characterized as Calvinist have either greatly modified or rejected such doctrines as election, predestination, and irresistible grace to give man a free will to determine his salvation. Moreover, there was much rivalry between Lutherans and the Reformed Church, which was founded by John Calvin. The reformed faith gained considerable support in some German states. During the 19th century the Lutheran and Reformed groups formed union churches in many of the states. Reference: Anderson, C.S. Faith and Freedom: The Christian Faith According to the Lutheran Confession, pp.121-125, (Augsburg, 2001). Arnold, D.W. The Way, the Truth, and the Life: an Introduction to Lutheran Christianity, p.47 (Baker Book House, 2002). Braaten, C.E., editor. The New Church Debate: Issues Facing American Lutheranism pp. 83-86, (Fortress Press, 2004). Kingdon, Robert M. The Disciplinary Revolution: Calvinism and the Rise of the State in Early Modern Europe.   Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 59, p.45. 2006 Nelson, E.C. The Rise of World Lutheranism, p.17 (Fortress Press, 2002). Rogness, A.N. The Story of the American Lutheran Church, pp. 364-366, (Augsburg, 2000). Van Bruaene, Anne-Laure. Calvinism and Religious Toleration in the Dutch Golden Age. Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 57, pp.481-489, 2004. R. Po-Chia Hsia, Henk Van Nierop. Calvinism and Religious Toleration in the Dutch Golden Age.   pp. 234-236, Cambridge University Press, 2002