Water Quality - Lab#4 Essays - Water Pollution,

Water Quality - Lab#4 Lab #4 Oakland Ravine and Lake: Water Quality 1. The pH levels are fairly constant for inlet and outlet. The dissolved oxygen(dO), on the other hand, varies very much between the inlet and the outlet. The measurements of the pH and the dO of the water do not differ greatly. By comparing the two graphs given I can see that both the pH and the dissolved oxygen are lover in the winter. I think this is related to the amount of sunlight that the water receives and also the temperature of the water. In the given maps the dO drops off very sharply at various points. I would assume this is a sign of eutrophication. That would also explain why in the winter the dO is much more steady up to a certain depth. The explanation being that the cold weather has killed off many plants, therefore the plants can't choke the oxygen supply. PH NO3 DO(A) PO4 INLET 7.3 7.3 7.05 1.7 5.5 5.5 Over-range LAKE 7.8 7.8 7.64 1.5 9 9 .42 OUTLET 7.5 7.5 7.35 .9 6 6 .48 2. These organisms were found in the sample of water we looked at on the slide. I would say that the organisms are about the size of a fine pencil point. The look like specs in the water to the naked eye, but under the magnifying glass they look extremely detailed and large. I think I found a synedra and a copepoda. Because these organisms are so small they must eat very small particles maybe from dead plants and animals in the water. They are probably just about the lowest on the food chain. Their existence most likely supports many other life forms. Science

Pro Wrestling Essays - WWE Hall Of Fame, American Christians

Pro Wrestling Essays - WWE Hall Of Fame, American Christians Pro Wrestling English 101 Mr. Lamore The Real World of Pro Wrestling If You Smeeelll What The Rock Is Cooking! This saying used by The Rock has become a very regular saying amongst young men. For the reason, being wrestling has climbed out of the gutter from where it was in the late 80s and early 90 right back into the spotlight. It has retained its, popularity due to the fact it has attracted many different people from age, gender, and ethnicity. When people think about wrestling most of them will tell you how fake it is, but is it? There are variable myths that come to the mind of many Americans when it comes to wrestling. Yes it is true that punches are pulled, the winner of the match is already decided, and most of it is choreographed. So in a sports since wrestling is fake, but to a lot of blue collar Americans it really doesnt matter. Its a mans version of a soap opera. In that people are always changing sides, friends are turning on each other. Another thing that most people think is that all these guys are just pretty faces with no prior wrestling experience. That is false in the sense that most of these wrestlers were All-American wrestlers in college. The Stiener Brothers, Rick and Scott were accomplished All-Americans at Michigan. Mike Rotunda was a All-American at Syracuse. Kurt Angle was an Olympic champion in Atlanta in 1996. Something else that people do not understand is that wrestlers are on the road 300-320 d ays out of the year. So when it comes to them needing time off, there will usually be an angle where a wrestler will pretend to be injured to take time off. They may also be written out of the script completely until they are fully refreshed. Then they will usually come back with a big angle. Then there are times when the injuries are real. Due to the pain that a wrestler will work through to put on a show for us, thus many wrestlers usually will take some kind of pain killer. We are not talking about Motrin or Advil here. We are talking about Codeine and Morphine very powerful sedatives. Brian Pillman, and Rick Rude, both former world champions, died because they overdosed on painkillers. Many wrestlers have had to give up their careers due to their back being injured. A back injury most common injury to a wrestler. Which The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Micheals, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith all had to retire from their back being injured. I remember th e first time I finally realized that wrestling was fake. I was 12 years old and my brother took me to go and watch The Ultimate Warrior versus The Undertaker in Fresno, CA. The Warrior won by DQ. Then about a month later, I go to Las Vegas to visit my sister, and she takes me to go and watch a wrestling match. To my disbelief its the same exact match which I saw a month earlier same moves same everything. Needless to say, I was heartbroken. Now what would wrestling be with out your Super Heroes or Villains. Today we call the Hero the face and the Villain the heel. The most popular wrestler of all time must be Hulk Hogan. Every kid I knew growing up said their prayers, ate their vitamims, and worked hard. Those were the Hulksters Commandments. Since Hogan has passed on. A different breed of heroes have emerged such as The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Sting. Now we cant forget about the bad guys such as Ric Flair, HHH, or Jeff Jarrett. Flair and The Four Horsemen terrorized the world of wrestling for most of the 80s and the early 90s, just like HHH and DX are doing to the WWF or Jeff Jarrett and the Young Blood are doing in WCW. It seems that all of the most notorious bad guys in the business ran in-groups such as The NWO, which consisted of such big names as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. Degeneration X or D/X as they are called (HHH, Road Dawg, X-Pac. One thing that I

How to Compare Two Novels in Comparative Essay

How to Compare Two Novels in Comparative Essay At some point in your literature studies, probably just about the time you get really good at finding the theme of a novel and coming up with a sound analysis of a single literary piece, you will be required to compare two novels. Your first task in this assignment will be to develop a good profile of both novels. You can do this by making a few simple lists of traits that might be comparable. For each novel, identify a list of characters and their roles in the story or important characteristics, and any important struggles, time periods, or major symbols (like an element of nature). You may also attempt to come up with book themes that could be comparable. Sample themes would include: Man versus nature (is each main character battling the elements?)Individual versus society (does each main character feel like an outsider?)Struggle between good and evil (are your characters involved in good v. evil scenarios?)Coming of age (do the main characters experience a tough lesson that makes them grow?) Your assignment will most likely give you direction as to whether you should find specific characters, story characteristics, or overall themes to compare. If it is not that specific, dont worry! You actually have a little more leeway. Comparing Two Novel Themes The teachers goal when assigning this paper is to encourage you to think and analyze. You no longer read for a surface understanding of what happens in a novel; you are reading to understand why things happen and what the deeper meaning  behind a character is a setting or an event. In short, you are expected to come up with an interesting comparative analysis. As an example of comparing novel themes, we will look at The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Red Badge of Courage. Both of these novels contain a coming of age theme since both have characters who grow a new awareness through tough lessons. Some comparisons you could make: Both characters have to explore the notion of civilized behavior in the societies where they exist.Each main character has to question the behavior of his male role models and his male peers.Each main character leaves his childhood home and encounters challenges. To craft an essay about these two novels and their similar themes, you would create your own list of similarities like those above, using a list, chart, or a Venn diagram. Sum up your overall theory about how these themes are comparable to create your thesis statement. Here is an example:​Both characters, Huck Finn and Henry Fleming, embark on a journey of discovery, and each boy finds new understanding when it comes to traditional notions about honor and courage. You will use your common characteristic list to guide you as you create body paragraphs. Comparing Main Characters in Novels If your assignment is to compare the characters of these novels, you would make a list or Venn diagram to make more comparisons: Both characters are young menBoth question societys notion of honorBoth witness behavior that makes them question their role modelsBoth have a nurturing female influenceBoth question their former beliefs Comparing two novels is not as difficult as it sounds at first. Once you generate a list of traits, you can easily see an outline emerging.

Big box stores vs mom and pop stores Assignment - 1

Big box stores vs mom and pop stores - Assignment Example Each restaurant offers something different than the other and so they are free to select whatever price they like for their products. Examples of Monopolies include public utilities like water, gas and electricity, cable TV, the local phone service companies. Important to note, that monopolies can exist in a market locally due to their geographical locations. Entry into a market where monopolies exist is quite difficult by new businesses since the large firms have larger market shares and there is not much left for the new companies in the market both in terms of buyers and profits. Competition is directly related to the methods and procedures by which the companies produce and sell their products. Different market structures are found in different industries which imply that there are different kinds of buyer to seller relations in every market. In a monopolist firm, they are able to increase or reduce the prices of their products (due to product differentiation), however, they cannot do so with full liberty, they have to abide by the unfriendly forces of the market. Sellers’ rivalry against each other involves sales-promotion costs along with the expenses of differentiating their products in order to attract customers. As a result, buyers get more variety in the products but in the long run the products prices involve the additional costs involved. Since the sellers in a monopolistic competitive market are not likely to be equally flourishing in their product policies and sales promotion, some of them will be successful in achieving profits exceeding t he basic interest on their investment, such profits will be earned from the buyers that have been attracted. (Karier, 241) The market and the monopolist’s demand curves are found to be the same. Demand of the monopoly is the demand of the industry and hence illustrated by a downward curve. However, the

Sarbanes Oxley Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sarbanes Oxley Act - Essay Example The degree of disclosure of financial information is also a main reason. Mostly the corporate running bodies do not find them answerable in front of any regulatory body; therefore they keep on trying 'innovative' ideas for which others have to pay. (Maclean, 2005) Financial information in the form of audited accounts can prevent the system slipping into corruption (Sunlight is the best detergent), but it is not clear why, for example, a superior US financial reporting infrastructure did not help us detect Enron. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-204, 116 Stat. 745 (July 30, 2002), is a United States federal law also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 (and commonly called SOX or SarbOx). With the major financial reforms in most of the countries of the world the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed in the United states in order to deal with the issues such as establishment of the public company, the level of auditor's independence, proper monitoring of the accounting practices of the company under a board, corporate social responsibility and enhancement in the financial disclosure to the prescribed level by the act. The law is seen as the major reform in the after the New Deal passed in 1930. The act revolutionized United States securities laws. The House approved act with the majority of 423-3 and Senate by 97-0. The act increased the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission powers. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act's requires the companies to make their financial reports certify by the chief executive officers and chief financial officers. According to the act the Executive officers and directors are not allowed to take personal loans. The act prescribed the companies for the extended disclosure of the financial information in order to improve the shareholders and stakeholders accountability. The act also increased the jail sentence duration and increased the fine amount in case of violence of the securities law or misuse. The corporate executives misstating the financial information will also have to face increased sentence time duration and higher amount of penalties. The act also prohibited the audit firms to provide any services additional to that of the auditing to the companies they are working for. The compensation of the Chief executives and other higher executives are also required to be reported. The act also accelerated reporting of trades by insiders and prohi bition on insider trades during pension fund blackout periods. (Wikipedia, 2006) Reference Maclean, P., (2005). Power Play - Robert McCullough was interviewed for an article covering Enron's role in the California power crisis and its aftermath, Portland Monthly, May 2005, Retrieved 05/005/06 from Wikipedia, (2006). Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Retrieved 05/005

Project Management Essay Example for Free

Project Management Essay Project management tool is important for any project management to achieve success. Effective management are with out doubt requires the use of a set of tools that enables plan development and tracking and to be able to foresee or predict the outcome of the project. Among the widely used tool of management is the Cost Business Analysis which is used to determine if a project will be worthwhile. The analysis is performed prior to implementation of project plans and is based on time-weight estimates of costs and predicted value of benefits. This management tool is very important because it provides necessary and precise information about the project cost factors that includes labor, materials, and resources. This tool also provide estimate of the cost factors in terms of dollar amounts and expenditure period. More importantly, it helps the management decide if the project will be implemented or if the project will be beneficial. Another important project management tools that could provide project managers gain insights of the potential success of the project is the Project Plan. Thomas Pyzdek stressed that project plan â€Å"shows the why and the how of a project† (p. 535). Pyzdek noted that a good project plan include â€Å"a statement of the goal a cost/benefit analysis, a feasibility analysis, a listing of the major steps to be taken, a timetable for completion, and a description of the resources required to carry out the project† (p. 535). But the most important benefit that the project manager can get from having a good plan is that it helps identify â€Å"objective measures of success that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed changes† (p. 35). The importance of having a project plan is that it provides a vehicle for discussing each worker’s role and responsibilities; this helps direct and control the work of the project. It also provide idea how the parts fit together, for coordinating related activities, and it provides a clear of the objective when it is reached and when the project ends. Among the project management tools used by project managers are the PERT-CPM-type, Gantt chart, and other web-based applications such as Primavera Project Planner, Project KickStart, and many others. PERT-CPM-type is recommended for large-scale projects that require more rigorous planning, scheduling, and coordinating of numerous interrelated activities such as in military establishment. Gantt chart on the other hand is also a very useful project management especially in planning and scheduling projects. Its strength is in monitoring the progress of project from the start of the project until its finish date. Three of the leading software nowadays such as GanttProject, Primavera and KickStart are the number one choice of the professionals because they are very accurate and cost-saving. GanttProject is a Gantt chart based in Java; however, the project can run on Windows or Linux (linux. com). The tool allows for a wide-ranging activity such as breaking the activities into tasks and assign human resources to perform the tasks. Primavera (P3) is more affordable and it can manage the toughest kind of project and activities in a very short duration of time; information can be accessed throughout the company. Project KickStart on the other hand is easy to use and is designed for small to medium scale projects. This helps the managers to identify the different phases of the project such as goals, obstacle, and calendar (Project KickStart). Basically, each tool possesses strength and weakness; the project manager chooses the tool that suits the needs of the project. These tools provide the same services as the Office Project. They are simpler and convenient to use unlike MS Excel where some commands may not be provided to get the required information. Also, it is limited in terms of access to Web and multiple users.

Booker T Washington Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

For every exalted leader it is often said, "he was not without flaws." Perhaps when referring to Booker T Washington, it would be more accurate to say, "he was not without virtues." Through his autobiography, we see a man raise himself Up From Slavery to succeed in a white man's world. At first glance, it's easy to assume Booker T Washington was an adequate, if not impressive leader for the black race. Yet upon a closer examination, it is easy to find his thinly veiled motives - completely selfish in nature. His ambitions, and the ambition of the black race in the late 19th century, do not fully coincide. An assessment of Washington's leadership skills shows him to be a surprisingly adept bureaucrat, although a divergent force as a representative for his race. On a surface level, Booker T Washington indeed did make progress for African Americans. We cannot fault him for his great strides in educating an almost completely uneducated race. Washington claims that there were over six thousand men and women from Tuskegee alone that were working all over the South at the time of the books publish (202). The success of these students was due in great part to the realistic outlook of Booker T Washington. By insisting that each and every student perform manual labor, he prepared them for life much more thoroughly than could ever be accomplished in the classroom alone (135). By becoming a skilled in tasks manual labor, Washington believed you were perfectly in line for a comfortable life. In his words, "any man, regardless of colour, will be recognized and rewarded just in proportion as he learns to do something well" (181). As an educational role model, Booker T Washington was a tremendous success. In addition to his contri... ...he was, but he did not toil land. Instead, he built himself into a wealthy sophisticate - the father of a university with an inordinate amount of influential friends. And how did he do it? He cast down his bucket. As a black man, and a former slave, rising into fortune was a difficult task that could be accomplished only with great consideration. By founding Tuskegee, he gained notoriety. Then, by befriending whites, by being an "uncle tom", he gained power. He thus rose to prominence not as a great leader, but instead as a great manipulator of the system. Due to his uncanny ability to work within the bureaucracy of American government and culture, he was able to attain all he had ever wanted - wealth, power, and white acceptance. Works Cited Washington, Booker. Up From Slavery: The Autobiography Of Booker T. Washington: Aun Autobiography. Citadel, 2001.

The Unhealthy Chesapeake

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Life in the American wilderness was harsh. Diseases like malaria, dysentery, and typhoid killed many. Few people lived to 40 or 50 years. In the early days of colonies, women were so scarce that men fought over all of them. The Chesapeake region had fewer women and a 6:1 male to female ratio is a good guide. Few people knew any grandparents. A third of all brides in one Maryland county were already pregnant before the wedding (scandalous). Virginia, with 59,000 people, became the most populous colony. II. The Tobacco Economy The Chesapeake was very good for tobacco cultivation. Chesapeake Bay exported 1. 5 million pounds of tobacco yearly in the 1630s, and by 1700, that number had risen to 40 million pounds a year. More availability led to falling prices, and farmers still grew more. The headright system encouraged growth of the Chesapeake. Under this system, if an aristocrat sponsored an indentured servant’s passage to America, the aristocrat earned the right to purchase 50 acres land, undoubtedly at a cheap price. This meant land was being gobbled by the rich, and running out for the poor. Early on, most of the laborers were indentured servants. Life for them was hard, but there was hope at the end of seven years for freedom. Conditions were brutal, and in the later years, owners unwilling to free their servants extended their contracts by years for small mistakes. III. Frustrated Freemen and Bacon’s Rebellion By the late 1600s, there were lots of free, poor, landless, single men frustrated by the lack of money, land, work, and women. In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led a few thousand of these men in a rebellion against the hostile conditions. These people wanted land and were resentful of Virginia governor William Berkeley’s friendly policies toward the Indians. Bacon’s men murderously attacked Indian settlements after Berkeley refused to retaliate for a series of savage Indian attacks on the frontier. Then, in the middle of his rebellion, Bacon suddenly died of disease, and Berkeley went on to crush the uprising. Still, Bacon’s legacy lived on, giving frustrated poor folks ideas to rebel, and so a bit of paranoia went on for some time afterwards. IV. Colonial Slavery In the 300 years following Columbus’ discovery of America, only about 400,000 of a total of 10 million African slaves were brought over to the United States. By 1680, though, many landowners were afraid of possibly mutinous white servants, by the mid 1680s, for the first time, black slaves outnumbered white servants among the plantation colonies’ new arrivals. After 1700, more and more slaves were imported, and in 1750, blacks accounted for nearly half of the Virginian population. Most of the slaves were from West Africa, from places like Senegal and Angola. Some of the earliest black slaves gained their freedom and some became slaveholders themselves. Eventually, to clear up issues on slave ownership, the slave codes made it so that slaves and their children would remain slaves to their masters for life (chattels), unless they were voluntarily freed. Some laws made teaching slaves to read a crime, and not even conversion to Christianity might qualify a slave for freedom. V. Africans in America Slave life in the Deep South was very tough, as rice growing was much harder than tobacco growing. Many blacks in America evolved their own languages, blending their native tongues with English. Blacks also contributed to music with instruments like the banjo and bongo drum. A few of the slaves became skilled artisans (i. e. carpenters, bricklayers and tanners), but most were relegated to sweaty work like clearing swamps and grubbing out trees. Revolts did occur. In 1712, a slave revolt in New York City cost the lives of a dozen whites and 21 Blacks were executed. In 1739, South Carolina blacks along the Stono River revolted and tried to march to Spanish Florida, but failed. VI. Southern Society A social gap appeared and began to widen. In Virginia, a clutch of extended clans (i. e. the Fitzhughs, the Lees, and the Washingtons) owned tracts and tracts of real estate and just about dominated the House of Burgesses. They came to be known as the First Families of Virginia (FFV). In Virginia, there was often a problem with drunkenness. The largest social group was the farmers. Few cities sprouted in the South, so schools and churches were slow to develop. VII. The New England Family In New England, there was clean water and cool temperatures, so disease was not as predominant as in the South. The first New England Puritans had an average life expectancy of 70 years. In contrast to the Chesapeake, the New Englanders tended to migrate as a family, instead of individually. Women usually married in their early twenties and gave birth every two years until menopause. A typical woman could expect to have ten babies and raise about eight of them. Death in childbirth was not uncommon. In the South, women usually had more power, since the Southern men typically died young and women could inherit the money, but in New England, the opposite was true. In New England, men didn’t have absolute power over their wives (as evidenced by the punishments of unruly husbands), but they did have much power over women. New England law was very severe and strict. For example, adulterous women had to wear the letter â€Å"A† on their bosoms if they were caught (as with The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne). VIII. Life in the New England Towns Life in New England was organized. New towns were legally chartered by colonial authorities. A town usually had a meetinghouse surrounded by houses and a village green. Towns of more than 50 families had to provide primary education. Towns of more than 100 had to provide secondary education. In 1636, Massachusetts Puritans established Harvard College to train men to become ministers. (Note: in 1693, Virginia established their first college, William and Mary. ) Puritans ran their own churches, and democracy in Congregational church government led logically to democracy in political government. IX. The Half-Way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trials As Puritans began to worry about their children and whether or not they would be as loyal and faithful, and new type of sermon came about called â€Å"jeremiads. In jeremiads, earnest preachers scolded parishioners for their waning piety in hope to improve faith. Paradoxically, troubled ministers announced a new formula for church membership in 1662, calling it the â€Å"Half-Way Covenant. † In the Half-Way Covenant, all people could come and participate in the church, even if they fell short of the â€Å"visible-saint† status and were somehow only half conv erted (with the exception of a few extremely hated groups). In the early 1690s, a group of Salem girls claimed to have been bewitched by certain older women. What followed was a hysterical witch-hunt that led to the executions of 20 people (19 of which were hanged, 1 pressed to death) and two dogs. Back in Europe, larger scale witch-hunts were already occurring. Witchcraft hysteria eventually ended in 1693. X. The New England Way of Life Due to the hard New England soil (or lack thereof), New Englanders became great traders. New England was also less ethnically mixed than its neighbors. The climate of New England encouraged diversified agriculture and industry. Black slavery was attempted, but didn’t work. It was unnecessary since New England was made of small farms rather than plantations as down South. Rivers were short and rapid. The Europeans in New England chastised the Indians for â€Å"wasting† the land, and felt a need to clear as much land for use as possible. Fishing became a very popular industry. It is said New England was built on â€Å"God and cod. † XI. The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways Early farmers usually rose at dawn and went to bed at dusk. Few events were done during the night unless they were â€Å"worth the candle. † Life was humble but comfortable, at least in accordance to the surroundings. The people who emigrated from Europe to America were most usually lower middle class citizens looking to have a better future in the New World. Because of the general sameness of class in America, laws against extravagances were sometimes passed, but as time passed, America grew. XII. Makers of America: From African to African-American Africans’ arrival into the New World brought new languages, music, and cuisines to America. Africans worked in the rice fields of South Carolina due to (a) their knowledge of the crop and (b) their resistance to disease (as compared to Indians). The first slaves were men; some eventually gained freedom. By 1740, large groups of African slaves lived together on plantations, where female slaves were expected to perform backbreaking labor and spin, weave, and sew. Most slaves became Christians, though many adopted elements from their native religions. Many African dances led to modern dances (i. e. the Charleston). Christian songs could also be code for the announcement of the arrival of a guide to freedom. Jazz is the most famous example of slave music entering mainstream culture

Sound and Images, the Culture and the Role of Media

Due to the fast evolution of the technology in the society, there has been an increasing integration of sound and images in the media that people are exposed to. The film industry started only with moving images. Later on, as technology progressed, it became possible for sound to be integrated to it, making the experience of watching these movies more pleasurable. Naturally, the integration of sound and images also helps create a greater level of the believability of the movies that people watch. This means that people are able now to suspend their disbelief more easily and immerse themselves into the movies that they are watching. The message that images carry in this regard become more pronounced since they are able to manipulate sound as well. Given the joining of these disjointed features of film that may be generated in different times and in different locations, such an interaction of sound, space, and image reinforce the postmodernism ethos already affecting media, culture and the awareness of people around the world (Darley, 2000). The recent innovations in sound and image integration also give power to the visual digital culture being propagated among young people nowadays. A lot of media platform use this integration such as music videos, film, video games, and other platforms. With the changes in digital visual culture, there has been a change in the way that story, representation, and meaning are being presented to the audience. This is remarkably different from the way that traditional visual culture enhances the experience of audience (Darley, 2000). Audiences now are more critical of style, sensation and image performance. According to Frith, Goodwin, and Grossberg (1993), studying sound and image would require the serious student of mass communication to look into the nature of music television and the way it shapes perceptions among people young and old. Music videos, particularly, are making it possible for young people to redefine their styles and their views. Such approach would of course take a look at particular aspects of the development of young people’s personalities and views. In this kind of analysis, psychology and sociology come into the fore to analyze the impact of sound and image integration into the lives of those who adhere to this form of media. Modern video, with its integration of music and sound is now emerging as an important platform of mass media being analyzed by mass communication practitioners and theorists in the world today. The role of sound and image in this area of media production cannot be discounted. As such, these two platforms become carriers of meaning, which can be more easily understood by viewers and audiences alike (Cubitt, 1993). With sound and image, the practice of the imagination to recreate a place or a scene in the mind is no longer needed. In fact, since the setting, the actions in question, and the dialogues of the characters are played out as clearly as possible, little is left in the imagination as to how it could have occurred otherwise. With books in the form of novel and short stories, the viewers participate in the creation of virtual worlds in their minds. The way that the protagonist looks and how he speaks are all objects of imagination which he has to recreate based on the text that he reads. With image and sound, however, this is done away with. He just have to keep his eyes wide open and ears listening and he will understand what is being played out in the movies or shows that he is watching and enjoying. The emergence of video where sound and image interaction is already a given also has an important impact on how people make sense of themselves as members of the society and as individuals trying to make sense of their world. Through the movies and shows that they watch, new variables and ways of looking at things are being brought to the fore. Where will these mediations lead them? Do these mediations lead to a better understanding of their lives and their world? Or do they introduce new practices and views that undermine the prevalent understanding regarding their world and their environment (Cubitt, 1993). Through these videos also, there are cultural practices that are evolving. Such practices help artists and their audience find expressions for their passions and the way in which sound and image interact in creating cultural items. These movies and shows then carry cultural weight with them, which can fill the curiosity of students of mass communication for years to come. Conclusion People never imagined that image and sound can attain the heights that they have already achieved so far. There are still advancements along the way. Whatever forms of progress this will take, for sure, videography, and the way that sound, image, and motion interact with each other will challenge traditional perspectives in trying to understand mass media and the impact that it exerts on the development of the culture of society. These changes may be little but they are all significant. Reference Campbell, R., Martin, C. R., & Fabos, B. (Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Bedford: St. Martin’s Press. Cubitt, S. (1993). Videography: Video Media as Art and Culture. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Darley, A. (2000). Visual Digital Culture: Surface Play and Spectacle in New Media Genres. London: Routledge. Frith, S., Goodwin, A. & Grossberg, L. (1993). Sound and Vision: The Music Video Reader. London: Routledge. Â   Â   Â  

Developments in Migration Theory, Feminisation, Diaspora Transnationalism, and Asylum as a Migration Flow The WritePass Journal

Developments in Migration Theory, Feminisation, Diaspora Transnationalism, and Asylum as a Migration Flow Abstract Developments in Migration Theory, Feminisation, Diaspora Transnationalism, and Asylum as a Migration Flow ) describe the transnational approach as one that discards the nation-state as the only source of empirical analysis which is also posited by Faist (2000) and Portes (2000). Methodological transnationalism, which is constructed by Amelina and Faist, covers a range of research methods that complement current epistemological approaches to the link between space and social mobility. Linked to this are migrant’s investments and entrepreneurship (as a way in which they pursue a wide range of transnational economic activities), which is an important concern of policy makers (Olesen, 2003).   As migration can be understood through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary viewpoints, developments in migration theory such as those by Castles and Miller (2009) fully describe this view, which only suggests an attempt to overcome the limitations of the ‘push-pull’ model 2.2 Feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration Feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration is seen in the example of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, which obtained the labour market for domestic workers, thereby spurring the feminisation of migration in the Gulf region. Female migrants are found in such fields as medical/health, sales, hospitality, and maintenance. The largest number of women migrants is in domestic work (Asis, 2005; Mateos, 2005). According to Asis (2005), Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines deploy female workers annually at 62-75 per cent; and deployment is associated with feminisation of migration. There are circumstances that feminisation of migration would broaden to include other countries, as illustrated by the example of Thai women migrants who may face underrepresentation in legal migration, but are predominant in terms of irregular migration (Asis, 2005). It may be seen based on Asis’ (2005) discussion that the wider significance of feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration is driven by labour migration. Piper (2013), on the other hand, surmised that the relevance of gender is found in most aspects of migration. Feminisation has been acknowledged as one of the major issues of current migration streams, as noted by academic studies since the 80s. Piper cited the reason for this:   improvement in statistical visibility, increased women participation in most migration flows, increased failure of men to seek full-time jobs in their countries of origin, and an increasing demand for female employment in destination countries. In support to this, Engle (2004) claims that foreign women are tremendously regarded as commodities and carriers of service. If in the past, the movement of women was often due to family reunification or dependent on a male migrant; today, such movement features them as main migrants in their own right, generally as low-wage earners, where the dynamics of corporate globalisation are the ones directing female employment. The wider significance of this feminisation trend for understanding migration is that it plays an important role in the institutionalisation of corporate globalisation in the process of migration, which offers further understanding of migration. 2.3 Diaspora and transnationalism as two awkward dance partners Diaspora and transnationalism are described by Faist (2010b) as ‘two awkward dance partners’ that function as prominent research lenses for seeing the   upshot of international migration. Albeit both ‘globalisation’ and ‘multiculturalism’ describe cross-border processes, the concept of Diaspora has often denoted national or religious groupings of people that live outside an imagined native land. Transnationalism, on the other hand, is used narrowly (to describe the strong ties amongst migrants) and widely (to depict communities and social formations) (Faist, 2010b). Why Diaspora and transnationalism are two awkward dance partners is because of the discussion below: Transnational social spaces, which are depicted in transnationalism, describe migrants’ daily practices as they engage in a range of activities, such as reciprocity and unity, political participation in both countries of emigration and immigration, and migrants’ small-scale entrepreneurship, to name some.   Transnationalism is not broadly used compared to Diaspora and is not as politicised, but it is entangled with political connotations. Despite the indicated presence of ideology in the ‘ism’ in transnationalism, the adherents of this ideology is not apparent. Moreover, discussions on immigrants’ integration have been sparked by transnationalism ever since transnationalism was introduced to migration studies (Faist, 2010a). It has been made clear that both Diaspora and transnationalism cannot be taken apart in any way since doing so would mean neglecting the panoply of constantly overlapping definitions. Diaspora faced an absolute increase in applications and interpretations and these characteristics sum up most of its definitions. The first pertains to the causes of migration.   Forced dispersal has been affixed to the older notions, which can be traced from the experience of Jews. Newer notions, on the other hand, relate to any form of dispersal, such as trade dispersal. The second refers to homeland’s cross-border experiences with destination, as implied in older notions that indicate a revisit to an imagined homeland. Newer notion, on the other hand, replace revisit with dense and continuous connections across borders, which include countries of onward migration, thereby highlighting lateral ties. Thus, Diaspora can be referred to include ethnic and religious groups/communities. Lastly, the third characteristic suggests the â€Å"integration of migrants and/or minorities into the countries of settlement† (Faist, 2010b: 13). It may be inferred that based on these discussions, Faist is right in describing Diaspora and transnationalism as awkward dance partners. 2.4 The Increasingly Differentiated Migration Flows Focused on Asylum This section discusses the increasingly differentiated migration flows, focused on asylum migration. According to Lasailly-Jacob (2010), policies on asylum have been the main focus of academic research and public debates. The point of view of the host countries has been given much attention, with particular emphasis on the foresights of the receiving ones who manage the effects of population movements in their country. Doomernik and Jandl (2008) observe that a tough policy on asylum migration has been undertaken to balance global recruitment strategies. Whether a strong asylum policy only intends to mask an increasing volume of immigration is open to interpretation. Published reports indicate refused asylum applications alongside approximately 60,000 deportation targets. The European Union (EU) compromises certain democratic norms in dealing with neighbouring counties like Libya or Ukraine to adopt migration activities. Questions that arise include proper access to asylum, protection from persecution, and detention conditions. Physical safety has been used as a prism for greater cooperation to regulate the flow of asylum seekers across countries. Common legally binding policy in relation to asylum and policing has been undertaken (Charmie and Powers, 2008). Both asylum and immigration policies face the issues of visas, family unification, social integration, equal treatment and inclusivity, and admission criteria, to name a few (Peers and Rogers, 2006). 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Research Design: Qualitative The specific research design for this study is qualitative, which is defined as â€Å"multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter† (Denzin and Lincoln, 2011: 5). This indicates that qualitative research undertakes investigations in natural settings, whereby people attempt to interpret phenomena based on the meanings brought to them. Some of the empirical materials used in qualitative studies are interviews, case studies, visual texts, and focus groups, to name a few. The justification for using the qualitative design for this research is its direction to present the research questions involving migration, which cannot be adequately discussed if a quantitative or a mixed method design is applied. 3.2 Research Paradigm: Interpretive Since this research pursues the qualitative design, it hence correspondingly employs an interpretive paradigm. This paradigm states that people continuously produce social constructions from the world around them. The ultimate purpose of interpretive paradigm is to understand the experiences of people as the study takes place in natural settings (Chilisa and Preece, 2005). On the point of view of interpretivism, knowledge is subjective because of its nature to create social constructions. This is differentiated from the positivist paradigm, which is based on measurement and quantification (Cohen, Manion, and Morrison, 2011). 3.3 Data Collection Both primary and secondary data collection methods are applied to this research to address the research questions. Primary data are those collected afresh for the specific use of the researcher and are therefore original (Mooi and Sarstedt, 2011). Examples of these are survey data, interview data, observation data, field notes, etc. Secondary data, on the other hand, are those already collected by someone else for their own purpose, which is being used again by another (Kothari, 2004). Examples of these are data from books, journal articles, corporate reports, online data, and the like. This current research employs interview data as well as data from books and academic journals. The interview thus conducted is in-depth and semi-structured, involving an asylum seeker from Sierra Leone. 4. Presentation and Analysis of Results According to the interview participant, the civil war in her homeland caused her to come to the UK in 2002. Her purpose of migration was to obtain safety from the war and to have a better chance of good education.   This is coherent with the notion of forced dispersal embodying the concept of Diaspora (Faist, 2010a; Faist, 2010b). There was a strong belief from the participant that Britain is more accommodating towards asylum seekers than other countries, as she was reminded that Sierra Leone was once a colony of Britain. The presence of a strong Sierra Leone community in Britain, to which she is able to identify and rely strongly, also served as a reason for her search for asylum in the country. Physical safety is the reason for her search for asylum, which the literature also claims as the prism that precipitates greater cooperation to regulate the flow of asylum seekers (e.g. Charmie and Powers, 2008).   Apparently, the push-pull model does not harmonise with the participantâ €™s situation because of the model’s focus on the individual level and its propensity to overlook the internal stratification and heterogeneous character of societies (e.g. de Haas, 2008). The participant states that despite her strong Sierra Leone culture, there were changes in her priorities along the way. She claims that she goes home every year, communicates with her family via phone or Skype, and sends money to her people. This is congruent with de Haas’ (2008) description of the transnational community. The participant now sees the UK as her home because this is where she lives, works, and pays her taxes. The strong cultural ties and community spirit with her people is seen in the fact that if any Sierra Leonean is in difficulty, she participates (along with the others) in contributing money, buying food, or helping the person to take care of their children if they cannot. It may be suggested that within this community is a form of people’s cooperative union, showing Diaspora that includes ethnic and religious groups/communities as described by Faist (2010b), as well as an â€Å"imagined homeland† (Faist, 2010a).   This also demonstrates ho w migration systems link people in transnational communities, consequently resulting in a geographical clustering of migration streams (de Haas, 2008), as how the Sierra Leone community (where the participant belongs) is formed. Having lived in the UK for quite a long time, the participant appreciates the idea of the multicultural community, coupled with friends of different nationalities who are generally more accepting. Faist (2010b) calls such integration into the country of settlement ‘Diaspora’. According to the participant, some countries do not apply equal opportunities, fairness, and human rights as they do in the UK.   Amongst those she appreciates the most in the UK are free education, respect for human rights, safety and security, a feeling of independence, and economic and political stability. She says that this is unlike the civil war, corruption, and lack of economic growth in Sierra Leone. However, she stresses the importance of having family members around, since being alone can be isolating. Despite having lived in the UK for a long time, she claims that the Sierra Leonean culture has influenced her character more than the British culture. The notion of transnationalism is see n in this context, specifically transnational social spaces, such as reciprocity and unity in both countries of emigration and immigration (Faist, 2010a). Her country of origin benefits from her living in the UK by working with the Red Cross as a way to give back to the country that rescued her from persecution in her homeland. The war in Sierra Leone created an avenue for her to come to the UK and pursue her goals, including education, which is valued in her family as a means to sustain financial and social statuses. Amelina and Faist (2012) describe this in their ‘methodological transnationalism’ as a development that takes place between space and social mobility. It must be noted that the concept of feminisation (e.g. Piper, 2013; Engle, 2004; Asis, 2005) may also be applied to this example, as the asylum seeker is a woman who was eventually able to integrate to the UK society as a student and a worker. It has been forwarded that the relevance of gender can be seen in most aspects of migration (including asylum) (Piper, 2013), to which the participant’s situation is applicable. 3. Evaluation and Conclusion 3.1 Evaluation The participant in the study demonstrates the irrelevance of the push-pull model of migration to the stream of migration. Rather, the transnational approach reveals a more applicable position to the situation, as shown by the social bonds thus created amongst Sierra Leoneans and with other UK residents, and the tendency of the participant to remit some money to her family and friends way back in her country (e.g. de Haas, 2008; Amelina and Faist, 2012). Albeit faminisation is not the major issue in the interview, it can be surmised that its essence is nonetheless existent since the asylum seeker eventually became a worker in the UK, and her deployment may be associated with feminisation of migration (Asis, 2005). Diaspora is evident in the groups of Sierra Leonean people who live outside an imagined native land (e.g. Faist, 2010b). Transnationalism, on the other hand, is seen in the description of the migrants’ strong ties and social formations (e.g.   Faist, 2010a; Faist, 2010b).   Thus, the partnership between Diaspora and transnationalism is relevant to the migrant as an asylum seeker. Moreover, regulation processes create and mould migration flows, which are involved in labour market segmentation insofar as polices are supported by gendered and classed postulations. Legal channels are concluded to have opened up due to the upsurge of irregular migration, including asylum.   3.2 Conclusion This research deals with the developments in migration theory and how these developments addressed the limitations of the push-pull model. It explains feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration, as well as the metaphor that Diaspora and transnationalism are ‘two awkward dance partners’. Further, it focuses on asylum and how it complicates the analysis of global migration and their regulation. Developments in migration theory have caused an attempt for the surmounting of the limitations of the ‘push-pull’ model, an individual choice and equilibrium model. The relativity of migration pressure shows the triviality of the model. The transnational approach deals with this triviality and limitations, whereby it rejects the nation-state as the sole basis of empirical analysis. Feminisation, on the other hand, is seen as a major trend in contemporary migration, as evidenced by the proliferation of women workers in the fields of medical/health, sales, hospitality, and maintenance. Labour migration drives the occurrence of feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration. Gendered norms also mediate the way migrants perform their roles in the migration process. There are prevailing stereotyped assumptions amongst labour recruiters set at the heart of the feminisation of migration, offering both demand and opportunities for female workers. Through migration systems, people, families and communities are linked in transnational communities, and it consequently leads to an orderly geographical arrangement and clustering of migration streams, just as the participant in the study seems to depict. The concept of Diaspora denotes national or religious groupings of people that live outside an imagined native land. Transnationalism is used to explain the strong ties that prevail amongst migrants as well as to describe communities and social formations. A balance between tough policy on asylum migration and global recruitment processes has been established in migration process. Physical safety has been the precipitating prism for regulating the stream of asylum seekers across countries, which is the same reason for asylum seeking by the participant in the study. Bibliography Amelina, A.   and Faist, T. (2012) De-naturalizing the National in Research Methodologies: Key Concepts of Transnational Studies in Migration. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35 (10): 1707-1724. Asis, M. M. B. (2005) Recent Trends in International Migration in Asia and the Pacific. Asia Pacific Population Journal, 20 (3): 15-38. Castle, S Miller, R. (2009) The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World.   Fourth Edition. New York:   Macmillan. Charmie, J. and Powers, M. G. (2008) International Migration and Development: Continuing the Dialogue: Legal and Policy Perspectives. Geneva: International Organization for Migration. Chilisa, B. and Preece, J. (2005) Research Methods for Adult Educators in Africa. NY: Pearson Education. Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (2011) Research Methods in Education. Seventh Edition. Oxon: Routledge. de Haas, H. (2008) Migration and Development: A Theoretical Perspective. Paper 9. Working Papers. Oxford: International Migration Institute, James 21st Century School, University of Oxford. Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, Y. S. (2011) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: SAGE Publications, Inc. Doomernik, J. and Jandl, M. (2008) Modes of Migration Regulation and Control in Europe. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Engle, L. B. (2004) The World in Motion: Short Essays on Migration and Gender. Geneva: International Organization for Migration. Faist, T. (2000a) The Volume and Dynamics of International Migration and Transnational Social Spaces. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Faist, T. (2010b) Diaspora and transnationalism: What kind of dance partners? R. Baubock T. Faist (Eds.) Diaspora and Transnationalism: Concepts, Theories and Methods (pp. 9-34). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Gabriel, C. and Pellerin, H. (2008) Governing International Labour Migration: Current Issues, Challenges and Dilemmas. Oxon: Routledge. Kofman, E. (2005) Citizenship, Migration, and the Reassertion of National Identity. Citizenship Studies, 9 (5): 453-467. Kothari, C. R. (2004) Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. Second Edition. Delhi: New Age International. Lasailly-Jacob, V. (2010) â€Å"Forced migration in Africa: A new but overlooked category of refugees†. In C. Audebert and M. K. Morai (Eds.) Migration in a Globalised World: New Research Issues and Prospects. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Mateos, N. R. (2005) The Mediterranean in the Age of Globalization: Migration, Welfare, and Borders. NJ: Transaction Publishers. Mooi, E. and Sarstedt, M. (2011) A Concise Guide to Market Research: The Process, Data, and Methods Using IBM SPSS Statistics. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Olesen, H. (2003) ‘Migration, Return, and Development: An Institutional Perspective’. In N. V. Hear and N. N. Sorensen (Eds.) Geneva: The Migration Development Nexus. Peers, S. and Rogers, N. (2006) EU Immigration and Asylum Law: Text and Commentary. The Netherlands: Konikliije Brill NV, Leiden. Piper, N. (2013) New Perspectives on Gender and Migration: Livelihood, Rights and Entitlements. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. Oxon: Routledge. Portes, A. (2000) ‘Globalization from below: The rise of transnational communities. In D. Kalb et al. (Eds.). The End of Globalization: Bringing Society Back in. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield, p. 253-270. Smith, M. P.   and Favell, A. (2006) The Human Face of Mobile Mobility: International Highly Skilled Migration in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines

Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines Republic Act No. 6848, otherwise known as â€Å"The Charter of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines† outlines that the primary purpose of the Islamic bank is â€Å"to promote and accelerate the socio-economic development of the Autonomous Region by performing banking, financing and investment operations and to establish and participate in agricultural, commercial and industrial ventures based on the Islamic concept of banking.† In addition to allowing the bank to act as a universal bank capable of offering both conventional and Islamic banking products and services, the Sections No. 10 the bargaining power of multilateral and bilateral aid organizations(USTDA, WB, ADB, JBIC) is high due to their involvement with micro-finance and development banks; the large size and unorganized nature of the labor sector affords it little bargaining power; bargaining power among depositors is highly skewed towards the higher income deciles who’s deposits ac count for 88.3% of the savings in banks, with the lower deciles having nor bargaining power. (2) With regard to the bargaining power of buyers, the higher income deciles belonging to the middle and upper classes resided and/or did business in the National Capital Region (NCR) and demand services such as â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦electronic banking, payroll services, and bill payments.†; The power portions of the population find it difficult to obtain financing from formal banks due to their situation, and thus do not have much bargaining power, but their sheer numbers offer a potentially large market. (3) With regard to the threat of new entrants, any new Islamic banks allowed by the BSP could actually benefit the Amanah Bank by providing much needed visibility for the beleaguered Philippine Islamic banking sector. (4) With regard to the threat of substitute, notable alternatives that customers may opt for are informal financial institutions, employers that provide loan programs, or complete abstinence from banking entirely. Another threat is the outflow of capital from the country. (5) With regard to rivalry among existing players, the tendency of banks to be large tends to lead them to avoid small borrowers and savers, as such the government has had to develop the banking system so as to include such institutions as thrift and rural banks which cater to the needs of small borrowers and savers who would otherwise resort to informal institutions. In order to counter the threat of oligopoly the government competes in the financial sector via the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). (Isnaji, 2003)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS Essay

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS - Essay Example The River Caf in Hammersmith, is an expensive, utterly delicious example. London takes on Tuscany, in attractive if hard-to-reach surroundings. There is a little group of smart Italian restaurants growing up, associated with Giorgio Locatelli, who cooks at Zafferano, near Belgrave Square, with a startlingly original menu, well grounded in tradition. He has opened a couple of simple Italian places - Spiga on Wardour Street in Soho and La Spighetta in Mayfair that do wonderful thin-crust pizzas cooked in a woodfired oven. London has always led the world in Indian restaurants, and today they are booming. Tamarind, in Mayfair's Queen Street, is a glitzy, principally North Indian restaurant with prices to match the elevated dcor. The only restaurant that has true Anglo-Indian dishes is Chutney Mary, down the King's Road at Lotts Road, worth for its collection of uncommon Indian regional dishes. The rooms, with their view over Regent Street, look handsomely understated by Indian restaurant standards and the management has simplified the whole business of ordering an Indian meal. The overall picture of strong profit growth in the UK in the year 2007 was predominantly due to the London hotels in the sample that, on average, enjoyed an upswing in profit of 12.8 per cent to 64.04 per available room. With no change in occupancy, it was a 10.2 per cent increase in average room rate to 112.81, and a firm grip on payroll costs, that enabled London hoteliers to turn in a very healthy profit performance in 2007. even though the report is for 2007, it shows the healthy economic conditions of London hotels. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT A key sector in tourism, hotels have several key environmental impacts: energy consumption, water consumption, waste production, waste water management, chemical use and atmospheric contamination, purchasing/procurement, local community initiatives. Many restaurants are trying to become more eco-friendly and hence to keep up the good relation of the hygiene conscious customers. The Duke of Cambridge in Islington remains one of the best and most ethically run gastro pubs in London. It has pioneered seasonal, organic British food, using local sourcing, careful monitoring of food miles, buying direct from the farmers, and even now the beers are still brewed locally and the wines and spirits are organic where viable. The water is purified on the premises, and they have installed wind and solar generated energy, along with strict recycling procedures and adherence to sustainable fish buying policies. This shows the environmental influence to restaurant operations. IMPACT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS London's extraordinary social and cultural diversity is reflected in over 60 different cuisines provided in over 12,000 restaurants, which is more than half the nation's total. This variety and vibrancy extends to London's food retail outlets, with exciting well-known markets like Borough and Walthamstow alongside major supermarkets and independent corner shops. 'Food tourism' is an increasingly vital element of London's attraction for visitors. It has many of the best restaurants in the