Question Help Essay Example

Question Help Essay 1)The Seattle Corporation has been presented with an investment opportunity that will yield cash flows of $30,000 per year in Years 1 through 4, $35,000 per year in Years 5 through 9, and $40,000 in Year 10. This investment will cost the firm $150,000 today, and the firm’s cost of capital is 10 percent. What is the payback period for this investment? Payback period Using the even cash flow distribution assumption, the project will completely recover the initial investment after $30/$35 = 0. 86 of Year 5: Payback = 4 + = 4. 86 years. )As the director of capital budgeting for Denver Corporation, you are evaluating two mutually exclusive projects with the following net cash flows: Project X Project Z Year Cash Flow Cash Flow 0 -$100,000 -$100,000 1 50,000 10,000 2 40,000 30,000 3 30,000 40,000 4 10,000 60,000 If Denver’s cost of capital is 15 percent, which project would you choose? NPV Numerical solution: Financial calculator solution (in thousands): Project X: Inputs: CF 0 = -100; CF1 = 50; CF2 = 40; CF3 = 30; CF4 = 10; I = 15. Output: NPVX = -0. 833 = -$833. Project Z: Inputs: CF0 = -100; CF1 = 10; CF2 = 30; CF3 = 40; CF4 = 60; I = 15. Output: NPVZ = -8. 014 = -$8,014. At a cost of capital of 15%, both projects have negative NPVs and, thus, both would be rejected. 3)The capital budgeting director of Sparrow Corporation is evaluating a project that costs $200,000, is expected to last for 10 years and produce after-tax cash flows, including depreciation, of $44,503 per year. If the firm’s cost of capital is 14 percent and its tax rate is 40 percent, what is the project’s IRR? IRR Financial calculator solution: Inputs: CF0 = -200000; CF1 = 44503; Nj = 10. Output: IRR = 18%. 4)St. John’s Paper is considering purchasing equipment today that has a depreciable cost of $1 million. The equipment will be depreciated on a MACRS 5-year basis, which implies the following depreciation schedule: MACRS Depreciation Year Rates 1 0. 20 2 0. 32 3 0. 19 4 0. 12 5 0. 11 6 0. 06 Assume that the company sells the equipment after three years for $400,000 and the company’s tax rate is 40 percent. What would be the tax consequences resulting from the sale of the equipment? Taxes on gain on sale We will write a custom essay sample on Question Help specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Question Help specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Question Help specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When the machine is sold the total accumulated depreciation on it is: (0. 20 + 0. 32 + 0. 19) ? $1,000,000 = $710,000. The book value of the equipment is: $1,000,000 $710,000 = $290,000. The machine is sold for $400,000, so the gain is $400,000 $290,000 = $110,000. Taxes are calculated as $110,000 ? 0. 4 = $44,000. 5)Ellison Products is considering a new project that develops a new laundry detergent, WOW. The company has estimated that the project’s NPV is $3 million, but this does not consider that the new laundry detergent will reduce the revenues received on its existing laundry detergent products. Specifically, the company estimates that if it develops WOW the company will lose $500,000 in after-tax cash flows during each of the next 10 years because of the cannibalization of its existing products. Ellison’s WACC is 10 percent. What is the net present value (NPV) of undertaking WOW after considering externalities? NPV with externalities Step 1:Calculate the NPV of the negative externalities due to the cannibalization of existing projects: Enter the following input data in the calculator: CF0 = 0; CF1-10 = -500000; I = 10; and then solve for NPV = $3,072,283. 5. Step 2:Recalculate the new project’s NPV after considering externalities: +$3,000,000 $3,072,283. 55 = -$72,283. 55. 6)If one Swiss franc can purchase $0. 71 U. S. dollar, how many Swiss francs can one U. S. dollar buy? Exchange rates Dollars should sell for 1/0. 71, or 1. 41 Swiss francs per dollar. 7)Currently, in the spot market $1 = 106. 45 Japanese yen, 1 Japanese yen = 0. 00966 euro, and 1 euro = 9. 0606 Mexican pesos. What is the exchange rate between the U. S. dollar and the Mexican peso? Exchange rates Find the $ to peso rate: 106. 45 ? 0. 00966 ? 9. 0606 = 9. 3171. $1. 00 = 9. 3171 pesos. 8)A telephone costs $50 in the United States. Today, in the currency markets you observe the following exchange rates: 1 U. S. dollar = 1. 0279 euros 1 euro = 8. 1794 Norwegian krones Assume that the currency markets are efficient and that purchasing power parity holds worldwide. What should be the price of the same telephone in Norway? Purchasing power parity The cost of the telephone in Norway is 50 ? 1. 0279 ? 8. 1794 = 420. 3803 Norwegian krones.

Motivational Strategies

Motivational Strategies Motivation theories were for a long time used in the field of psychology, especially in counseling and behavior change practices. A lot of achievements have been made in the use of motivational theories in the field of psychology.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the recent times, motivational theories have been heavily integrated into the field of business and general management. This is because organizations depend on their employees as the chief assets in the attainment of organizational goals (Mckenna, 2000). Therefore, motivation has become an indispensable tool in management due to the emerging challenges in management. These challenges include stiff competition and a volatile business environment (Beck, 2004). Motivation theories, as applied in business, are used during the motivation of employees in order to enhance employee delivery and thus leading to performance improvement. Also, in business, motivational theories have helped many organizations to focus the efforts of the workers on the real goals of the business as they perform their duties. There are many theories of motivation that are applied in different ways, and in different business organizations. However, they end up serving the same function, which is establishing a motivated workforce for improved performance and productivity (Gitman McDaniel, 2009). This paper discusses how motivation has been applied at the place of work and goes further to explain the impact that this has had on productivity. The discussion focuses on business organizations.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, the focus will be on the efforts of the organizations to motivate their employees and the outcomes of motivation in the organization. Motivational Strategies in Business Firms In business organizations, business ideas and strategies are often invented. These ideas have to be translated into reality that is depicted in business outcomes. This is done by the workforce of the organization. Inspiration encourages the hatching of new ideas, but for these ideas to be tamed and implemented, motivation of the workforce is needed. Motivation ensures that workers put significant effort in their duties so that the business ideas that result from inspiration become successful. Several motivational strategies can be applied in business operations so as to excite employees (Wiley, 1997). One of the strongest motivational strategies that have been found to work well for business organizations is the maintenance of open communication among employees, and between employees and management. Employees of an organization need to have a feeling that they count in the organization and that their ideas are taken into account by their managers. When this happens, the employ ees will feel more inclusive. They thus become more responsible as in the aspect of ownership is instilled through open communication (Gaspar, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A strategy that accompanies good communication and is embedded in communication is feedback. When it is well utilized, it bears more results than even financial rewards as these rewards are easily forgotten when the money has been used by the beneficiary. Frequent availing of positive feedback to employees accompanied by a team oriented environment makes a big difference in shaping the behavior of employees. It makes employees have the sense of value in the company, and thus the commitment level of employees to the company goes up. Positive feedback communication is molded as a culture in the organization. One company that has been utilizing this for quite some time is Tejas Securi ties Group Incorporated. This strategy has helped the company to maintain its staff for a long time and in expanding the activities of the company (Fielding, 2012). In a business, the most important motivational strategy is rewards. Workers will only be motivated by the success of the company when they are rewarded as a result of the success. Rewards can be in the form of material or in financial terms. The employees will always work hard to avoid failure as they know that if they fail, they will lose on rewards. This stems from having been rewarded previously. The employees increase their efforts when there are considerable rewards that are associated to success. A good example can be seen in the quarterly sales bonuses within a business. Salesmen show significant commitment to the sales function when there are high bonuses attached to a certain percentage of sales quotas (Mckenna, 2000).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employee empowerment also goes a step further in employee motivation. The management of most business organizations has acknowledged the importance for each employee of their companies to have a strong grasp of their tasks as concerning their job in the company. Empowerment is a motivational strategy that gives power and authority to employees to manage themselves in their line of duty while in business. Empowerment aims to cut down the level of employee supervision. The principle of empowerment resonates from a psychological perspective. This perspective asserts that when people feel free in attending to a certain task, they become composed and will thus accomplish the task in a furnished way. Close supervision of employees causes panic and fear of doing the work badly, and this result in poor work. However, empowerment is attained when employees are fully trained and have shown that they have mastered their work and that they can accomplish their roles without a lot of dependency. Employees who show an initiative, a strong desire to diversify their duties and become efficient in their jobs are left to perform their duties independently. Empowerment is accompanied by thorough training (Gaspar, 2006). Motivational Theories and Application in Business Organizations There are very many behavioral theories that have been used to motivate employees and other stakeholders of organizations. They include Maslow’s theory of motivation; goal setting and activation; affect perseverance; and consistency, cognitive evolution, control, and drive reactance theories among many other theories (Mckenna, 2000). There are many theories that explain how employees can be motivated. However, there is one motivational theory that has gained wide usage in the day to day life. This is the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. It is a theory that aims at shaping behavior. This theory has been applied in many business strategies by different business firms, especially in hum an resources management. The theory has had a wide use in the motivation of employees and customers when it is used in marketing functions of companies. The theory classifies the needs of people from the simplest to the most complex. According to the theory, the behaviors and actions of people are shaped by their needs. Therefore, the fulfilling of the needs of people leads to a positive change in behavior (Madura, 2007). This theory has meaningful considerations in organizational management. It gives insights into the best means through which organizations can motivate their employees, customers, vendors and clients. Business managers utilize the theory to devise creative ways of motivating workers. This is done by looking at how employee needs relates to job design, and the compensation scheme of the organization. Business leaders, in most cases, use the strength of the psychological needs of employees. This is done by providing wages that are enough to enable employees meet their basic needs. Safety and security needs are met through the provision of job security, a safe working environment, and retirement among other benefits. Social needs are met by way of developing team work in the organization which makes employees feel as being part of the broader organization. In the development of products, companies ensure that they develop products that address the requirements of customers. For instance, companies will strive to produce goods that are on fashion and or whose taste is valued by customers at that time. The fashion industry is commonly associated with this in which case psychological needs self esteem and actualization play a key role in determining buying patterns. Also, companies try to diversify their products so that they can meet different needs of consumers. The more needs the product can meet, the higher number of customers the company is likely to gain (Madura, 2007). The other theory that enjoys wide usage is the goal setting theory. The th eory of goal setting has had a wide usage in industrial, as well as organizational psychology. Goal setting is a management practice that gives the organization a pivoting point for its operations. Goal setting itself is a process that entails the establishment of the level of performance. This ensures that desired business outcomes can be obtained. When employees realize that their current performance is not leading to the achievement of the desired goals, they get motivated to step up their efforts or rather adopt a new strategy that will enable them attain the stipulated goals. In most cases, goal setting emanates from the discontentment with the prevailing performance levels in the organization (Mckenna, 2000). Through goal setting, structures are laid down to direct the behavior and action of employees towards performance improvement. Acceptance of goals is a big milestone in performance improvement. The management sets and explains these goals to the employees. The employees b ecome motivated in the performance of their duties once they accept these goals. The management makes the employees have self-efficacy and importance. Importance is offered by way of availing all the machinery that will be needed in attaining the goals. Inspirational mentorship and good leadership help in instilling the act of self-efficacy in employees. Progress in goal attainment is achieved through feedback (Gitman McDaniel, 2009). As discussed earlier, feedback motivates employees by way of making them feel that they are adding value to the organization. In the case of goal attainment, feedback will help employees to know the amount or level of progress that has been made as they continue implementing programs. When employees realize that they have made much progress, they will be motivated to increase their input so as to ensure that the goal has been accomplished. On the other hand, when little progress is reported, the employees will not want to show or display any act of fa ilure due to self-efficacy. Therefore, they will employ all possible tactics to ensure that they finish the task (Gitman McDaniel, 2009). An example of organizations that apply the theory of goal setting in all levels of operations is the General Electric Company. The company has marked the idea that underlies the goal setting theory. The company ensures that their goals are part of the organizational mission and vision. Their set goals touch on all the aspects organizational operations. The goals are regularly reviewed, and improvements are enhanced so as to ease goal attainment (Redmond, 2012). References Beck, R.C. (2004). Motivation: Theories and principles. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education. Fielding, R.L. (2012). Employee Motivation Strategies: Effective Solutions That Could Yield Maximum Profits. Web. Gaspar, J.E. (2006). Introduction to business. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. Gitman, L.J. McDaniel, C.D. (2009). The future of business: The essentials. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Madura, J. (2007). Introduction to business. Mason, OH: Thompson/South-Western. Mckenna, E. (2000). Business psychology and Organizational Behavior. A Student’s Handbook. Third Edition. Philadelphia: Psychology Press Ltd. Redmond, B.F. (2012). Goal Setting Theory. Retrieved from: https://wikispaces.psu.edu/display/PSYCH484/6.+Goal+Setting+Theory Wiley, C. (1997). What motivates employees according to over 40 years of motivation surveys, International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 18 Iss: 3, pp.263 – 280.

9 Creative Ideas for Teaching Time

9 Creative Ideas for Teaching Time Teaching time can be tricky and frustrating at times, but hands-on and lots of practice will help the concept stick. Judy clocks are excellent clocks for kids to use since the hour hand moves when the minute hand goes around, just like the real thing. The following ideas are from homeschoolers, teachers, and others who submitted creative teaching strategies on an online forum Make a Clock For telling time, you could make a clock, using strong paper and a brad in the middle, and practice telling time. Start with the oclock times, then move on to 30s. After that, show that the numbers around the face have the minute value which is reached when you count by 5s, and practice telling time with the minute hand on the numbers. (Make sure you progress the hour hand as you go. They need to get used to the idea that at 4:55, the hour hand will look like its on the 5.) –Anachan Start with Hours For telling time, we made a clock out of a paper plate and used a paper fastener to attach to construction paper hands. You can move the hands to demonstrate different times. I started with teaching hours (9 oclock, 10 oclock, etc.), then did quarter and half hours, and finally minute increments. –chaimsmo1 Start Later I didnt introduce time and money until toward the end of 1st grade. Its easier to understand quarter-past and half past once you have covered fractions. Of course, we talk about time and money in our daily life long before the end of first grade. –RippleRiver Telling Time Job I always ask her to provide me the time. It is just one of her jobs. It is also her job to adjust the thermostat. She will read me the numbers and I will tell her what to change it to or how many to change it by, etc. –FlattSpurAcademy Count by 5s on Watch For my son, since hed learned how to count by 5s, I taught him to count by 5s on his watch. He picked this up really well. We did have a little adjusting to do with the times that were near the next hour because it always looks like the next hour, but he learned to really pay attention to where the little hand was (just before the next number, etc.). To me, I find it confusing (and a waste) to show a breakdown of hour, half-hour, learn that, then break it down more... the same time could be spent learning the count by 5s. I havent taught him how to count by exact number yet (12:02 example), but will be doing that this year. –AprilDaisy1 Time Story Problems Personally, I wouldnt start with money and time until she has mastered counting by 5s and 10s. This way, it will become very easy for her to understand the principles in figuring out the time and amount of change, etc. My son only knew the value of coins and telling time by oclock and half-past in kindergarten. Now, he is able to make change, count change, and tell time. He is now learning how to figure out time sentence problems (e.g., How much time did it take, etc.) and he is starting 2nd grade. However, while in kindergarten and 1st grade, he was able to add and subtract very large numbers and carry-over, etc. So, dont be surprised if your child is not ready for this- especially if he/she cannot count by 5s and 10s first. –Kelhyder Teach it as it Happens Well, I have a kindergartener and were working on time and money right now. He actually is really good at time because we teach time as it happens. He realizes that his favorite show comes on at 4:00 pm, he knows that his friends come home from school at about 3:00 pm, etc. He learns because he asks. Also, when he went to visit my parents this summer, they bought him an analog watch and taught him how to tell time on it. Hes not perfect at it, but he can get it down to the hour now. But yes, time is definitely better taught as it happens. Thats also how I learned analog time when I was a kid. –Erin The Shiny Pocket Watch To teach my son to tell time, once he understood the basics, we went to a store and he picked out a pocket watch that caught his eye. I told him it was up to him to make sure we always knew the time. He was excited to have any excuse to pull out that shiny watch and use it. It reinforced his time telling skills and now every time he sees it, he can remember that special time we spent together. –Misty Name the Hands I realized it is helpful if you give the names to the following hand: Second hand Second hand (keep it the same)Big hand Minute HandSmall hand Name Hand You can explain now or later that its not really called the name hand, but it will make it easier to learn for now. Start off by teaching the time at the top of the hours. Put the clock at 3:00 and ask what number does the name hand point to? When he says, 3, say that means its 3 oclock. Next, change it to 4. Now what time does the name hand point to? etc. Mix it up after a few times. Once the child seems to understand that, ask him or her to make a time and tell you what it is. If they go to something other than an oclock, (like 3:20), feel free to tell them what time that is, but say that the big hand has to be facing up for it to be three oclock. Explain youll learn the rest of it another day (or teach it to them later after they have mastered the oclock part. Every child will be different.) –Matt Bronsil

Types of Democracies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Types of Democracies - Assignment Example Bentham and Mill argued that a protective democracy must have the ability to participate in free and fair elections, right to free press, universal male suffrage, secret ballot and frequent elections make up the bulk of protective democracy. In such a democracy the government ought to ensure that there is disparity in the sharing of resources unlike any other system of governance where political leaders only serve their personal interests. The utilitarian theory therefore teaches the need for government to protect both the people and the capitalist markets. Excesses of protective democracies could hurt the capitalist markets since most people will assume security from the government making them poor and property less due to liberal anxiety. Another shortcoming of a protective democracy is that the government assumes that inequality will still exist therefore they are less concerned about potential threats that could be created by such an inequality. Protective democracies assume a ne gative view of the people. Developmental democracies have the advantage of assuming a positive view of the people. Unlike the protective democracy, this model encourages people to be assertive developers who can create their own wealth despite the government mediation during harsh economic times. Political and social analysts are opposed to this model stating that there can never be such a government where its citizens are equal and uninformed about political happenings in their countries. This cannot be true at any time and if it was a reality then it will be a hindrance to democratic politics. Pluralist democracy is a democracy that attempts to correct the inefficiencies of a developmental democracy. This model gives people the power to be free and participate in the political activities of their countries. It encourages competitive elections where even the less active people in the society can have a right to vote. The main disadvantage of a pluralist democracy is that not all

Measures to avoid the collapse of Jarvis construction Essay

Measures to avoid the collapse of Jarvis construction - Essay Example Jarvis Construction Company could have avoided collapse by ensuring an intensive analysis of the environment prior to formulating strategies. This should have been followed by a clear plan of implementation to ensure the mission of the construction firm remains on track (Adamson and Pollington, 23). Organizational strategic management demands that a company must remain in control of its strategies of operations. Jarvis construction lacked extensive external analysis in the United Kingdom construction industry. This caused the management to squander the opportunities available within the construction market. The conflict between price water house coopers and Jarvis was an early indicator of strategic collapse of weakening. The management of the company failed to appreciate the fact that strategies are not always implemented exactly as planned (Radosavljevic and Bennett, 19). Strategic organizational management in the construction industry demands flexibility depending on the market pr essures and the need to retain competitive advantage. The unforeseen environmental events affected the performance of the company adversely (Adamson and Pollington, 23). This could have been avoided by appreciating the gap between the strategies which are intended and those realised. The invariable changes in the course of implementation lead to profit warnings and inevitable losses. The management needed to have a constant strategic action with is dynamic and responsive to market pressures. The management of Jarvis Company could have invested in skilled and analytical thinkers. The training of personnel capable to digesting data and bring out the desired direction. The first change in the construction and the rising competition was not addressed in time. The failure of the company to adapt to the environmental influences has a profound effect on the firm (Radosavljevic and Bennett, 19). The management of the company needed to utilize industrial organization to ensure that the indus try maximized its competencies and resources (Adamson and Pollington, 23). This would have course Jarvis Construction Company to influence the strategies of the rival companies or even alter the industrial structure in the United Kingdom. An analysis of the operations shows that Jarvis Construction Company lacked a distinctive competence despite the strong reputation and decades of experience, the construction giant succumbed to the gradual market pressure which can be attributed to lack of operating strategy. The value of the company continued to fall (Radosavljevic and Bennett, 19). The management of Jarvis Construction Company failed to enhance its tangible and intangible assets. These included information, equipment, capital and knowledge. The management of the Jarvis admitted failure in delivery of quality services of London-Glasgow express. This could have been avoided by ensuring that the operational strategy is run effectively and effectively. The risk management strategy of the company needed to be reinvented to address the current threats to within the construction industry (Adamson and Pollington, 23). This is evidenced the results of the Potters Bar crash in Hertfordshire in 2002. The company needed to invest in sustained competitive advantage through excellence in service delivery. Systematic and comprehensive financial strategies could have been used to ensure the company avoided a financial meltdown. The financial advisers of Jarvis Construction Company should have helped the company to capitalize of the favorable market situations. Overreliance of a single client posed directly threats to the financial stability of the

Agriprocessors - Muckrakers of the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

Agriprocessors Muckrakers of the 21st Century Essay Despite common belief, child labor still exists in the United States. In some areas more than others. The government defines child labor as work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children. There are companies in America that employ kids who; ââ€"  are under the required age to do jobs in dangerous environments ââ€"  are paid less than minimum wage ââ€"  are not even supposed to be in this country (illegal immigrants) Many of these companies would not be the first place you would look for illegal workers. One such company that was thriving from its illegal ventures was the Agriprocessors Inc. Kosher Slaughterhouse and Meats Packing Plant in Postville, Iowa. The so called â€Å"religious† CEO, Sholom Rubashkin was involved in many behind the counter activities. Besides the $35 million dollars he gained illegally through bank fraud, he was a strong supporter of child labor. His company helped provide fake documents for children who were either under-aged or illegal immigrants, so that they would be able to work for him. Kids as young as 13 were working on slippery, blood-covered floors, using ban-saws and other such limb-removing equipment to cut up livestock. They had little of the proper safety equipment. They were mostly paid minimum wage, but there were some kids that were paid â€Å"behind the counter† to do â€Å"low risk jobs, such as cleaning floors or transporting materials. What is now known as the Postville Raid, occurred in 2008. A large scale raid was performed by Homeland Security and the CIA. It resulted in over 400 arrests of both adult, and child illegal immigrant workers (pictures below). This is just one company that took advantage of children in need. There are many more out there that havent been caught. Not all companies that hire children use illegal child labor. There are plenty of organizations that help kids find jobs that will suit them and are actually able to do. One example of these organizations is Youth Employment Services with IYB. There are also businesses that hire older teens to do jobs such as running a cash register, or restocking shelves. Two examples of businesses that hire older teens are Wegmans and Rite Aid. The circumstances that caused the Postville Raid, were not at all uncommon in the early 20th century. Many children worked in dangerous environments, doing difficult jobs for very little pay. At one point, 19% of all children in the US had jobs. There were many types of jobs for children. They could work in mines, factories, mills, farms, and food processing. They worked long shifts (12 hours was common) and were lucky if they make 80 cents in that time. The government passed few laws regarding these issues at the time. Today’s government is doing its best to shut down any company or business that uses illegal child labor. The problem is that these illegal activities are getting harder and harder to spot. It used to be that children needed to worry about bad working conditions. In modern times, children are being used in downright illegal activities. For example, children are used to transport/smuggle illegal goods throughout the United States. In general, the issues of child labor have changed since the 1900’s. The main difference that separates the modern era from the 20th century, is the existence of laws that protect children and prevent them from performing dangerous jobs. The pictures below are from the Postville Raid. I learned about it from a show I saw on the Discovery channel. There may be a documentary on netflix. if you are at all interested, I would highly recommend watching it.

Free Euthanasia Essays: Assisted Suicide and the Supreme Court :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Assisted Suicide and the Supreme Court The Court upheld two state laws absolutely prohibiting assisted suicide, stating that Washington state's law does not violate constitutional guarantees of "liberty" (Washington v. Glucksberg) and that New York's similar law does not violate constitutional guarantees of equal protection (Vacco v. Quill). Oregon's law selectively permitting assisted suicide for certain patients had been found by one federal district court to violate equal protection; that ruling was not before the Supreme Court. See Lee v. Oregon, 891 F.Supp. 1429 (D. Or. 1995), vacated on other grounds, 107 F.3d 1382 (9th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 328 (1997). As Chief Justice Rehnquist said in his majority opinion in Glucksberg: "Lee, of course, is not before us... and we offer no opinion as to the validity of the Lee courts' reasoning. In Vacco v. Quill..., however, decided today, we hold that New York's assisted-suicide ban does not violate the Equal Protection clause." Washington v. Glucksberg, 117 S. Ct . 2258, 2262 n. 7 (1997) (emphasis added). To this day no appellate court in the country has ruled on the constitutionality of a law like Oregon's. The Court also said nothing about assigning this issue to state as opposed to federal jurisdiction. In reviewing the Nation's longstanding tradition against assisted suicide, it cited federal enactments such as the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997 alongside state laws. Illustrating the government's interest in protecting terminally ill patients, the Court favorably cited an earlier decision upholding the federal Food and Drug Administration's authority "to protect the terminally ill, no less than other patients," from life-endangering drugs. Washington v. Glucksberg, 117 S. Ct. at 2272, quoting United States v. Rutherford, 442 U.S. 544, 558 (1979). What the Court did rule is that laws prohibiting assisted suicide (whether state or federal) are constitutionally valid and serve several important and legitimate interests. Excerpts follow: Washington v. Glucksberg The question presented in this case is whether Washington's prohibition against "caus[ing]" or "aid[ing]" a suicide offends the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. We hold that it does not... In almost every State -- indeed, in almost every western democracy -- it is a crime to assist a suicide. The States' assisted-suicide bans are not innovations. Rather, they are longstanding expressions of the States' commitment to the protection and preservation of all human life.

Educational System in Nigeria Essay

Education in Nigeria is the shared responsibility of the federal, state and local governments. The Federal Ministry of Education plays a dominant role in regulating the education sector, engaging in policy formation and ensuring quality control. However, the federal government is more directly involved with tertiary education than it is with school education, which is largely the responsibility of state (secondary) and local (primary) governments. The education sector is divided into three sub-sectors: basic (nine years), post-basic/senior secondary (three years), and tertiary (four to seven years, depending on the major or course of study). Education in Nigeria is provided by public and private institutions. According to Nigeria’s National Policy on Education (2004), basic education covers education given to children 3-15 years of age, which includes pre-primary programs (ages three to five), and nine years of formal (compulsory) schooling consisting of six years of primary and three years of junior secondary. Post-basic education includes three years of senior secondary education in either an academic or technical stream. Continuing education options are provided through vocational and technical schools. The tertiary sector consists of a university sector and a non-university sector. The latter is composed of polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education. The tertiary sector as a whole offers opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, vocational and technical education. There are currently (2011) 117 federal, state and private universities accredited in Nigeria as degree-granting institutions. Information on all accredited universities is available on the National University Commission’s website. The academic year typically runs from September to July. Most universities use a semester system of 18 – 20 weeks. Others run from January to December, divided into 3 terms of 10 -12 weeks. Annually, an average of 1.5 million students take the Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination (UTME) for entrance into Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Universities have the capacity to absorb less than 40 percent of these test takers. The other 60 percent tend to go to their second and third choice categories of institutions—polytechnics and colleges of education. Many Nigerian students also apply to institutions abroad. In 2011, 40 percent of the students who sat for the UTME made the minimum cut-off grade of 200 (out of 400) for entry into Nigerian universities. There are currently various government reforms and initiatives aimed at improving the Nigerian educational system. These include the upgrade of some polytechnics and colleges of education to the status of degree-awarding institutions, the approval and accreditation of more private universities, and the dissemintaion of better education-related data, including the recently published Nigerian Educational Statistics (a publication assisted by USAID among others). However, with the recent announcement by Nigeria’s National Population Commission that Nigeria’s population is expected to hit 166 million by October 31, 2011 and that approximately 60 percent of this population will be between the ages of 13 and 45, the recent government initiatives fall far short of addressing the educational needs of the country. As a result, an increasing number of families and students are looking at alternative educational opportunities within the region and further abroad. Primary education (grades 1-6) is free and compulsory, and offered to children aged 6-12. The curriculum is geared toward providing permanent literacy, laying a sound basis for scientific, critical and reflective thinking, and also in equipping children with the core life skills to function effectively in society. In 2009, the gross enrollment ratio at the primary level was 89 percent (95 percent male and 84 percent female) according to UNESCO statistics. The net enrollment rate (as a percentage of children in the 6-12 age group) was a much lower 61 percent (male children 64 percent, female children 58 percent) in 2007 (UIS) suggesting that many students outside of the primary age group are attending primary school. In 2008, the primary to secondary transition rate was 44 percent, according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) EdData Profile. Under the new Universal Basic Education (UBE) system of 9-3-4, which replaced the former universal primary education scheme of 6-3-3-4, students attend six years of primary school and three years of junior secondary, thus nine years of compulsory and uninterrupted schooling. This is followed by three years of senior secondary schooling. Until 2006 entry to junior secondary education was based on the Common Entrance Examination, but entry is now automatic. The Junior Secondary School Certificate is awarded at the end of junior secondary school. Students who pass the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) at the credit level (see the grading system below) in not less than six subjects may proceed to senior secondary school (grade 10) at either the same institution, or they may transfer to another institution of their choice. Core subjects at the junior secondary level include: English, French, science, technology, Nigerian language (Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba), mathematics, and social studies. Students may also choose to study a number of elective subjects. A prevocational stream is also available to students looking to pursue technical or vocational training at the senior secondary level. A majority of senior secondary school students proceed in the academic stream from junior secondary school. However, there is also a technical stream, in addition to vocational training outside of the school system, or apprenticeship options offering a range of terminal trade and craft awards. Private organizations, community groups, religious bodies, and the federal and state governments establish and manage secondary schools in Nigeria. All private and public schools offer the same curriculum but most private schools include the Cambridge International Examination curriculum, which allows students to take the IGSCE examinations during their final year in high school. It is also important to note that some private schools offer GCE A-levels, which usually serve as a gap year after graduation for students that are interested. The common core curriculum at the senior secondary level consists of: English, one Nigerian language, mathematics, one science subject, one social science subject, and agricultural science or a vocational subject. In addition students must take three elective subjects, one of which may be dropped in the third year. Students take the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) at the end of grade 12. The Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) is awarded to successful candidates. The certificate lists all subjects in which the student is successful. The SSCE replaced the West African GCE O and A levels in 1989, although those examinations are still available to students who wish to take them (see above). The SSC is issued by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) or the National Examination Council (NECO), depending on the examination board used. An average grade of ‘credit’ level (C6) or better is required for access to public universities; however some require higher grades for admission. The standards of the two examinations are essentially the same. Students register for a maximum of nine and a minimum of seven subjects, which must include mathematics and English. A student must get at least a C in English and four other courses relevant to his or her major in order to sit for the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination. A student applying for admission to study medicine, computer science or accounting, for example, will be required to have a minimum of a C in mathematics as well as in English whereas a student applying for a program in history will not necessarily require a C in mathematics.

Dunkirk-Not a Triumph? Essay

Many people also believed that Dunkirk was a disaster; it was a disaster in a number of ways. Firstly, there were many casualties in the battle. 68,000 of the British Expeditionary Force perished during the barrage, along with about a quarter of the remaining French military. Along with the loss of vital live came the massive losses of equipment. Overall, nearly 40,000 pieces of equipment were surrendered to the enemy, including 17,000 machine guns, 12,000 field guns, 2,800 anti-aircraft guns and 475 tanks. This was one of the worst losses of equipment ever sustained by the British military. In this part of my essay I am going to prove how the next four sources challenge the interpretation of Dunkirk being a triumph. Firstly, to help the statement that Dunkirk was not a triumph is source B10 as it argues the fact that it was not organised there was a lot of waiting around and the horrific state of the soldiers, â€Å"while among the crowds on the beaches were shell-shocked, dazed so ldiers wandering about trying to find some shelter from the bombing.† The source was created by John Harris, a historian. This source is taken from a book about the great military battles. The purpose of this source is to sell and he wants other people to understand his point of view. This source is very reliable because it is written by a historian, therefore he will be very knowledgeable about the research and he will know what he is talking about, but the source was written in a poetic and dramatic way, so John Harris may be emphasizing the content of this source. The usefulness of this source is very good as it gives us a slight understanding of what state the soldiers were in, and what type of things they would experience whilst on the beaches of Dunkirk, â€Å"some of the men were even bomb-happy and on the edge of hysteria.† Meaning that soldiers were so tired that they were laughing; mentally falling apart and that there was no getting away from the bombs, they were constant. This source is also useful as it gives a soldiers point of view. However, the book is John’s own interpretation, meaning that it could be inaccurate. The next source that does support this statement is source B12 which disagrees that Dunkirk was a triumph as argues at it being â€Å"a military defeat†. However this source does portray across that it was â€Å"a propaganda victory†, this would be because newspapers started this myth of the battle being a victory and the government just let them carry on with it, did not question their decisions. The source was created by a BBC news reporter. The purpose of this was to give out information. This source is reliable as it is by the BBC, which a British news company that is repetitively well respected and trustworthy, the BBC are also criticising reports from starting the Dunkirk myth. However, this source is hindsight. This source would be useful as it helps prove the statement, ‘Dunkirk was not a triumph?’, because it shows that propaganda was used to manufacture of Dunkirk being a victory and almost rule out the negative side of Dunkirk. The third source that I will use that will support Dunkirk not being a triumph is B14. It tells us about a senior army officers experience during Dunkirk, already this source is reliable as Brian Horrocks was there, but he is remembering events that happened, but on the other hand you tend to always remember significant events. The purpose of this officer writing his autobiography is to make money,( to increase sales he has written it in an emotional way that will make it more interesting) celebrate his life story and use it as historical evidence. The author had first-hand experience of these events which makes it so reliable. The source tells us what a soldier would remember about the retreat to Dunkirk, â€Å"shame and exhaustion†- this would be because when the troops had returned to Britain Churchill would not allow them to go back and bring back more evacuees. Brian Horrocks gives us some idea of what the tactics were like for both sides, Nazis used Blitzkrieg and where well prepared, whereas Britain and France where making tactical errors and major flaws. The final source that I am going to use that will back up Dunkirk being a disaster is B16; Lord Haw-Haw is questioning Churchill’s tactics, Churchill being a liar and how many more lives he is willing to sacrifice. Lord Haw-Haw (British citizen, heavily influenced by the Nazis) broadcasted this on a radio hearing on the 17th June 1940. This source shows that not everyone believed in Winston Churchill’s views and therefore where willing to question him. The purpose was to undermine British confidence, so that eventually Churchill will start questioning himself, also undermined British propaganda.

Free Essays on Dave Matthews Band

The Dave Matthews Band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in early 1991, when vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews decided to put some songs he had written on tape. Instead of simply recording himself with a guitar, he opted to bring in some instrumental help to give his musical ideas more depth. Dave found assistance in drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who were both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene. Based on the recommendation of distinguished local jazz guru John D’earth, 16-year-old musical prodigy Stefan Lessard came on board to play bass. Completing the band was keyboard player Peter Griesar, who left the band after a couple of years, as well as the talented and classically trained violinist, Boyd Tinsley. The first official gig for the newly conceived Dave Matthews Band was May 11, 1991, at a private rooftop party in Charlottesville. Its first public show was at the city’s 1991 Earth Day Festival. Local weekly gigs soon followed, and within a little time, word of the band’s contagious new sound spread like wildfire throughout the region. Clubs started to fill up, tours began to cover more territory, and the fan base grew at an incredible rate. On November 9, 1993, DMB released its first album, Remember Two Things, on its Bama Rags label. The album was recorded live at The Muse Music Club on Nantucket Island, in August of 1993. The album debuted on College charts as the highest independent entry, and went on to be certified gold by the RIAA a significant accomplishment for an independent album. Meanwhile, the band kept touring and its fan base continued to grow. By allowing fans to tape shows for their personal use, DMB created a highly interactive community that continues in spirit today. During the first part of 1994, Dave Matthews Band recorded its RCA debut, Under The Table and Dreaming. Just before the album’s release on September 27, 1994, Dave Matthews... Free Essays on Dave Matthews Band Free Essays on Dave Matthews Band The Dave Matthews Band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in early 1991, when vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews decided to put some songs he had written on tape. Instead of simply recording himself with a guitar, he opted to bring in some instrumental help to give his musical ideas more depth. Dave found assistance in drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who were both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene. Based on the recommendation of distinguished local jazz guru John D’earth, 16-year-old musical prodigy Stefan Lessard came on board to play bass. Completing the band was keyboard player Peter Griesar, who left the band after a couple of years, as well as the talented and classically trained violinist, Boyd Tinsley. The first official gig for the newly conceived Dave Matthews Band was May 11, 1991, at a private rooftop party in Charlottesville. Its first public show was at the city’s 1991 Earth Day Festival. Local weekly gigs soon followed, and within a little time, word of the band’s contagious new sound spread like wildfire throughout the region. Clubs started to fill up, tours began to cover more territory, and the fan base grew at an incredible rate. On November 9, 1993, DMB released its first album, Remember Two Things, on its Bama Rags label. The album was recorded live at The Muse Music Club on Nantucket Island, in August of 1993. The album debuted on College charts as the highest independent entry, and went on to be certified gold by the RIAA a significant accomplishment for an independent album. Meanwhile, the band kept touring and its fan base continued to grow. By allowing fans to tape shows for their personal use, DMB created a highly interactive community that continues in spirit today. During the first part of 1994, Dave Matthews Band recorded its RCA debut, Under The Table and Dreaming. Just before the album’s release on September 27, 1994, Dave Matthews...

Causes of changes in wheat prices

Causes of changes in wheat prices Since the summer of 2010, we have seen the price of wheat significantly increasing. In this essay I will outline the possible reasons why wheat prices have shot up in recent months and also introduce methods of intervention that can be used to try and contain the price rises. This year has seen irregular weather patterns considerably affecting harvests in many major wheat producing countries. This has in fact manufactured the recent spike in wheat prices across the globe. Russia’s harvest has been the most significantly affected by the weather. During the summer, Russia and the Ukraine had been experiencing severe droughts and wildfires which have prevented the growth of crops, also destroying a third of their produced wheat. As a consequence, Russia announced a ban on all exports of their grain from the 15th August – end of December, which was then extended into 2011. After the failure of the Russian harvest alone wheat prices shot up by 20% alone, illustrating a rest riction in supply of the grain. After this announcement the US Department of agriculture cut its projections for the next year’s world production of wheat by 15.3m tonnes to 645.7m tonnes. However, it is important to note that wheat stocks are higher still than crisis levels witnessed in 2007-08. This projection and halted production have caused wheat prices to increase on the future markets to their highest levels since the last crisis. Canada, the 2nd largest wheat exporter in the world has been severely affected by heavy rains which have prevented farmers planting seeds and also destroying hectares of land, considerably damaging next year’s harvest. India, the 2nd largest wheat producer, was hit by severe monsoon rains in August which heavily affected their wheat storage. They had insufficient storage, causing around 10m tonnes of wheat to be at risk of rotting due to it being exposed to the rain. Also, Egypt, Serbia, Australia and Pakistan have been hit by major fl oods which have destroyed up to a fifth of the countries crops, reducing supply further and aiding the price increases. The combined effect of these weather disasters is shown in the diagram below: The diagram shows that supply has fallen from S1-S2. This has reduced output from Q1-Q2 and increased the price from P1-P2. Here you can see that the change in price is considerably larger than the change in output. This is due to the fact that wheat is a necessity and therefore is price inelastic, which is represented by the inelastic demand curve. This means that with a reduction in the supply of wheat, even if it is below crisis levels seen in 2007-08, there will be a large increase in price. Another reason why prices have been rising lately is because of the rapidly increasing global population. The global population is rising so fast because emerging countries have the fastest increasing population rates. Many emerging countries are becoming wealthier meaning that demand for grains i s increasing faster than the population. However, it may be argued that recent spike in wheat prices has been caused by uncertainty in the market and panic buying, as a result of export restrictions and a fall in supplies. It may also be argued that recent price rises have been exaggerated due to ‘Speculators’. These are investors who purchase wheat on the commodities markets expecting further price rises and are compressing supply whilst making profits from doing so. This results in short term increases in the price of wheat, which is what we have witnessed in recent months.

Sustainable Construction Method Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Sustainable Construction Method - Coursework Example Much of this is now controlled by legislation and pollution of air, land and sea within the European Union and many Western Nations is now reducing. The loss of control of manufacturing processes therefore has a considerable environmental impact. 2. Resource Use The construction industry is the major consumer of resources of all industries. 3. Habitat Destruction While the three greatest and most imminent threats to the survival of our civilization are global warming, peak oil (the growing energy gap between supply and demand) and resource depletion, habitat destruction can have a more immediate and disastrous effect on certain localized areas and species. Sometimes these can also have a global impact (for example the impact of the deforestation of the Amazon rain forests). . 4. Waste There are increasing regulations about waste disposal from construction and many products, even common products like gypsum plasterboard and mineral wool insulation are now labeled as hazardous and requ ire special disposal. In addition there are many projects to find new uses for waste construction materials. However here, as with waste disposal, the less processed a material is, and the less hazardous, the easier re-use, recycling or healthy disposal (for example through composting) will be. Many essential materials are now in short supply. 5. Climate change The main base performance criteria for energy efficient buildings all concern the thermal performance of the building shell where most of the CO2 gains can be most easily made. The fact is that if we are serious about climate change then we need to stop playing games with technologies which do not deliver real CO2 savings. The real challenge in this area is... The intention of this study is the environmental impact assessment as a â€Å"process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made†. An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts when deciding whether to proceed with a project. The construction process and building use not only consume the most energy of all sectors and create the most CO2 emissions, they also create the most waste, use most non-energy related resources, and are responsible for the most pollution. Materials such as copper, which is largely mined in South America where whole mountains have been taken down and landscapes altered in the search for ever more rare resources. The environmental aspect can be looked as: emissions into the air, water spills, waste generation, soil pollution, resource consumption, local impacts, and impacts associated with transportation, effects on biodiversity and emergency situations and incidents. This particular proposal has been prepared by consulting engineers done on the behalf of their client. The aim of the project is to present a preliminary assessment findings pertaining to `energy options that can be exploited by client.