Hunting Methods of Early Man Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hunting Methods of Early Man - Research Paper Example The major distinguishing feature of Homo habilis is his ability to organize into groups. This idea became possible because of the development of language that eased communication and understanding (Leakey 3). The groupings build more strength and hunting became easier with increased chances of success and low risks of attacks from animals. It is in this stage that man began making and using tools from stones and this is why the name handyman becomes more appropriate in describing him. The tools facilitated the hunting process and made killing easier and this enabled him to start killing bigger animals for food. The tools also gave him an advantage and he could thus fight back in case of any aggression from some other animals. The tools also enabled him to split the prey into smaller pieces to easily, carry the meat to their proffered destination as well as in the preparation of the meat before consumption. This, therefore, enabled him to lead a more settled life compared to the earli er species. However, the man did not establish permanent settlements like towns and cities because from time to time he had to move from one place to another in search of animals to hunt (Leakey 3). Despite feeding on meat, the man also consumed fruits, leaves, roots, insects as well as birds and their eggs. The conditions prevailing in the environment sometimes forced him to resolve into omnivorous especially when there were no animals to hunt. The man hunted in groups, as the chances of succeeding were very low if one hunted alone. They, therefore, used to move together while ganging up on the prey killing with very great force. Homo habilis, just as the other earlier species of man was also a scavenger feeding on fruits and berries that he collected from his environment.

Attributes of the ideal leader in higher or K-12 education Essay Example for Free

Attributes of the ideal leader in higher or K-12 education Essay Introduction The educational institution exists and cooperates in a network of dedicated, goal-oriented peers, in an environment of high expectations and immense collaboration. Communicating daily with adult education professionals and with students, a substantial background and specific competencies must be gained in this kind of practice. Faculty members are confronted with a fresh generation of students that live and study in a digital environment. They are challenged to convey persuasive learning milieus that are both instructionally evocative and thoroughly appealing to these digital students. Their job involves directing, guiding, or teaching adults. The online curriculum the knowledge and skills you need for working more effectively with adult learners and is designed for busy, working professionals. As the select few of these days higher educational institutions create and enhance their vision to meet the needs of the changing student population into the twenty-first century, the skills and attributes required are also changing. This paper attempts to provide an overview of the skills and attributes perceived as important in this changing environment. It is essential that the leaders and managers of our higher educational institutions welcome all their roles, contribute to the responsibility with the environment, and be acquainted with and incorporate change (Kincheloe, 1991). What makes a leader ideal? What specific qualities make an individual suited to handling responsibilities, various roles and demands that are expected in an institutional setting catered to adults and the like? What training development model should be used to train those seeking such positions in institutions of higher learning? Every now and then a decision maker in an establishment pre-determines a need for training but savoir-faire trainers constantly evaluate the analysis data before jumping on to settle on the training objectives. Why? This is because intuition-based training interventions frequently detect symptoms rather than root sources. On top of that training is never the key to all performance problems. Around 80% of performance obstacles are environment-connected. Developing occupation aptitudes will not advance these institutional issues (Yukl, 2002). Considerations should also include the personality type of the individual, the hopes and aspirations the person have within him/herself; and the type of institution that the individual is placed into-the subculture prevalent that influences the decision-making processes of all the people or constituents involve. All of which and more, are indispensable factors for consideration. Training, as most people assume about it, is concerned about developing particular skills. The function and relationship of preparation to the place of work is implied. Training dubbed as performance improvement has been the focus in instructional professional which includes solving performance problems to attain business results. Performance improvement covers skills training and considers other issues as well, such as does the organizational structure (decision making, supervision, feedback) sustain the workflow and are the environmental working situations (equipment, light, interruptions) suitable. The notion of performance improvement is frequently an easier sell to management and trainees than training for the reason that the emphasis moves from the person to overall performance of the organization. The ISD model, occasionally alternatively called Instructional Systems Development Model, consists of five phases, usually illustrated as analysis, objectives, design, delivery and evaluation. This training model is a methodical approach to managing human resources. Those who study and make use of that data in exclusive contexts are rightly described as professionals; in them lies the heart and soul of the profession. Abstract professional learning, on the other hand, can be infuriatingly difficult to classify. It expands past distinct responsibilities to embrace the combination of practice and insight. It requires rudiments of art as well as science. Transmitting abstract learning by means of instruction has parallel distinctiveness. Teaching in the professional education organization entails more than delivering subject matter. Good instruction is an art form in its own right. A first-class teacher can prevail over a poor curriculum, while a great curriculum will not replace with for a poor instructor. Industrial-age institutions look for routine and habit accomplished through standardized measures. Complex responsibilities are split into simple steps that are assigned to organizational positions to guarantee that employees are both interchangeable and effortlessly replaced. Bureaucratic hierarchies are likely to esteem proven evaluation of specific aspects of complex managerial tasks. In view of this, the picture of leadership is in reality changing as the image of organizations changes. Analysis ascertains those who require training and what skills or performance improvements are designated. Aims and goals set the restriction for the instructional outline and help attain the appropriate learning outcomes (Kincheloe, 1991). At the heart of any profession is a body of expertise and abstract knowledge that its members are expected to apply within its granted jurisdiction. Those who discover and utilize that knowledge in unique contexts are rightly described as professionals; in them lies the heart and soul of the profession. A good teacher can overcome a poor curriculum, while a great curriculum will not substitute for a poor teacher. In the industrial-age organizations seek routine and habit achieved through standardized procedures. Complex tasks are broken into simple steps that are assigned to organizational positions to ensure that employees are both interchangeable and easily replaced. Here are aspects of the systems analysis approach to education that are useful. There is nothing inherently harmful in developing competency lists, provided they are kept general in nature and viewed with the appropriate level of circumspection. Competency maps take on a wide variety of forms. The competencies might be called knowledge areas, skills, attributes, attitudes, components, tasks, traits, or simply competencies. Once identified, numbered, and listed, they are usually broken down into sub-components, which are also numbered, so they might be associated with the broader competency area or cluster of competencies. The mapping aspect comes into play when the competency areas are charted to training and educational objectives and events, and then ultimately to desired leadership behaviors. Competency mapping is chiefly appealing to analytically oriented decision makers. Advocates for aptitude and competency mapping stress that one can utilize a metric to determine the relative accomplishment of an individual competency that will predict success in associated leadership behaviors. Advocates refer to competency mapping as adaptive because the list and the educational experiences that match the competencies can continually be revised. Advocacy of competency mapping seems to be spreading. Its aim is to advance a blueprint, map, or matrix of desired skills, knowledge, attributes, and attitudes at various levels of the organization. The map is then used to direct recruiting, hiring, and training assessment. Competency mapping has gained a following in the human resources community and fashioned a cottage industry of business consultants and sellers who profess expertise in its application At the heart of list-based methods like competency mapping is a supposition that specific qualities such as motives, values, and skills can be acknowledged and reproduced through training and education, resulting in effectively led organizations. The roots of this approach lies in trait theories of leadership that correspond with Taylorism. Education scholars Joe F. Donaldson and Paul Jay Edelson have noted that â€Å"trait theory was developed in the first part of the twentieth century and took a psychological approach to specifying the personality traits of effective leaders. Although research has shown no relationship between individual traits and effectiveness, this approach still finds modern expression† (Donaldson Edelson, 2000). The trait approach has largely been supplanted by more sophisticated frameworks, yet leader competency mapping is proof positive that despite its dubious foundation the approach endures. Noted leadership author and scholar Gary Yukl has observed: â€Å"Early leadership theories attributed managerial success to extraordinary abilities such as tireless energy, penetrating intuition, uncanny foresight, and irresistible persuasive powers. Hundreds of studies were conducted during the 1930s and 1940s to discover these elusive qualities, but this massive research effort failed to find any traits that would guarantee leadership success. One reason for the failure was a lack of attention to intervening variables in the causal chain that could explain how traits could affect a delayed outcome such as group performance or leader advancement† (Yukl, 2004). Peter Northouse, author of Leadership: Theory and Practice observed the revival of an all-encompassing skills-based model of leadership distinguished by a map for how to reach efficient leadership in organizations (Porthouse, 2004). He recommended that the classification of specific skills which can be improved by training has an intuitive appeal: â€Å"When leadership is framed as a set of skills, it becomes a process that people can study and practice to become better at their jobs† (Northouse, 2004). He also suggests that although the skills-based approach claims not to be a trait model, it includes individual attributes that look a great deal like traits. The act of leadership is also an exercise of moral reasoning. In their book Unmasking Administrative Evil, Guy Adams and Danny Balfour caution against elevating the scientific-analytical mindset higher than all other forms of rationality. Even as the rise of â€Å"technical rationality led inevitably to specialized, expert knowledge, the very life blood of the professional,† it also â€Å"spawned unintended consequences in the areas of morals and ethics as the science-based technical rationality undermined normative judgments and relegated ethical considerations to afterthoughts† (Balfour, 2004). Distinguished scholar Ronald Heifetz on the other hand, developed a definition of leadership that takes values into account. He maintains that we should look at leadership as more than a means to organizational effectiveness. Efficiency means getting achievable decisions that execute the goals of the organization. â€Å"This definition has the benefit of being generally applicable, but it provides no real guide to determine the nature or formation of those goals. † (Heifetz, 1994). Heifetz went on to say that values such as â€Å"liberty, equality, human welfare, justice, and community† are inculcated with first-rate leaders (Heifetz, 1994). It is a necessity then, the infusion of these principles into the leader and from the leader into the organization. Reference: 1. Joe L. Kincheloe, Teachers as Researchers: Qualitative Inquiry as a Path to Empowerment (New York: Falmer Press, 1991), p. 77. 2. Draft US Army HR System Project Plan, Fort Leavenworth, Kans. , 21 January 2004. 3. Joe F.Donaldson and Paul Jay Edelson, â€Å"From Functionalism to Postmodernism in Adult Education Leadership,† in Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, ed. Arthur L. Wilson and Elisabeth R. Hayes (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000), p. 193. 4. Gary Yukl, Leadership in Organization (5th ed. ; Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Prentice Hall, 2002). 5. Peter G. Northouse, Leadership Theory and Practice (Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage, 2004), pp. 35-52. 8. Guy B. Adams and Danny L. Balfour, Unmasking Administrative Evil (Armonk, N.Y. : M. E. Sharpe, 2004), pp. 31-36. 9. Ronald A. Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers (Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard Univ. Press, 1994), pp. 21-22. 10. R. L. Shaw and Dennis N. T. Perkins, in Tara J. Fenwick, â€Å"Putting Meaning into Workplace Learning,† in Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, ed. Arthur L. Wilson and Elisabeth R. Hayes (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000), p. 296. 11. James G. March, A Primer on Decision Making, How Decisions Happen (New York: The Free Press, 1994), pp. 96-97.

To Kill A Mocking Bird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

The theme of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird is the existence of racism and prejudice in the 1930 – 40's. Harper Lee succeeds in presenting the topic in a manner that is not overly simplistic and thus achieves the task of allowing the reader to fully appreciate the complex nature of unjust discrimination. Harper Lee's inclusion of characters such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Dolphus Raymond and many others, aid the reader to grasp the concept of racism and its central role in the town of Maycomb. To Kill a Mocking Bird is narrated retrospectively from the view of Scout, the daughter of Atticus Finch a lawyer of Maycomb, and younger sister of Jem. The informal vocabulary of the narration is still good enough to suggest it is spoken from the view of an adult Scout, (looking back at her childhood) but is casual enough to be understood by most readers. Maycomb's racist attitude in To Kill a Mocking Bird is fueled by the events which occurred soon after World War I. After a devastating stock market crash, many employers lost a substantial amount of money and therefore could hardly afford to hire staff. Many resorted to buying slaves; it was cheap and required little responsibility on their part. This event led to the employment of Negroes. The Industrial revolution did not occur in South America since it was only logical to simply buy slaves rather than expensive machinery. The civil war soon followed, and declared that Negroes were no longer considered slaves and if they were unhappy with work conditions they could leave. Few did, since jobs were already dangerously scarce and by about 1930 racism toward blacks was obvious. Negroes were accused of stealing the jobs of white people and this led to a system of separate public transport, schools and even drinking fountains. To Kill a Mocking Bird expresses the racist attitudes of Maycomb most dominantly in the court case involving Tom Robinson (who's lawyer is Atticus Finch) and Mayella Eule. The trial makes blatantly obvious to the reader that Tom Robinson, the black man accused of rape is innocent and yet the jury finds him guilty. It also establishes that Mayella was actually beaten by her father and although the evidence that points to this occurrence is circumstantial, it is made perfectly clear. The court case also clarifies to the reader the frightful nature and obvious abundance of racism within the small town of Maycomb.

Fantasy Story Essay -- essays papers

Fantasy Story Deep in the City of Chic, on the plant of Decorous, there was a school named Ennui High School. At this school there was a very interesting girl named Bliss. Bliss had long wavy golden brown hair. She had big blue eyes that were on flawless snowy skin. Her lips were full, and they were always the perfect shade of soft crimson even without lipstick. Bliss just turned 17. She was doing well at school, but she really felt she was ready to get out of her old routine and see what else was out there. One spring Friday morning, Bliss was sitting on the stoop of the apartment building were she lived with her parents. She was looking up at the pink and purple towering buildings around her. They are wonderful, but I’ve been gazing at these buildings for 17 years now, she thought. Just then a big silver cat walked by her. It stopped, turned around, and came up to her. It looked at her intensely for a moment then said, "You will do just fine." After Bliss nearly choked on her tongue, she said, "Do just fine for what?" She had never seen a talking cat before, and she was lost in astonishment. The cat said, "I need some help finding an illusive treasure." Bliss replied, "Oh, and where is this illusive treasure?" The cat answered, "I’m not sure but I know where something is that will tell us where the treasure is. And this thing is about 3 blocks away." Bliss thought about this, and decided three blocks isn’t far. Besides she didn’t really want this talking cat walking out of her life. She said, "OK, lets go. What’s your name?" The silver cat said, "Jest. Follow me." They walked and turned corners for about 15 minutes. Bliss had always thought she knew the part of Chic that she lived in really well. They were only walking for a little bit. How did we get to a place I don’t recognize at all, she thought. She was following Jest into a light pink building. They went up two flights of red stairs, and down a hall. The floors, walls, and ceiling of the hall were royal blue. They came to an emerald door. Jest told Bliss to open it. As Bliss opened it, she was shocked at how white the room was. There was nothing in the room except a magenta wand with a light pink glittery top in the middle of the floor. Jest said, "Pick the wand up and ask it where the treasure is." Bliss did so to humor th... ... was made up of shiny platinum just like the outside. The walls, floors, and high ceilings were made of the enchanting platinum. The furnishings and the decorations were made up of glistering platinum and gold. It was breath takenly beautiful. Bliss and Jest followed the wand up three flights of platinum stairs. They went into a hallway that was entirely gold. Bliss, Jest and the wand went to the end of it. The were in front of a plain, solid, gold wall. The wand told Bliss where to knock on it. When Bliss knocked on it, a flight of platinum stairs that were going down appeared in the wall. They went down the stairs and came to a solid pink ruby door with a platinum doorknob. Bliss opened it. Inside was a room completely filled with diamonds. Each diamond was the size of a fist. They were so shiny and sparklingly. After Bliss got over her astonishment, she got the wand to transfer the diamonds, Jest, and herself to her bedroom in Chic. One year later. Bliss has one of the most successful boutiques in Chic. She travels all over Decorous. She lives in an awesome penthouse with Jest. She is thinking of opening a Club. She is never bored anymore. Fantasy Story Essay -- essays papers Fantasy Story Deep in the City of Chic, on the plant of Decorous, there was a school named Ennui High School. At this school there was a very interesting girl named Bliss. Bliss had long wavy golden brown hair. She had big blue eyes that were on flawless snowy skin. Her lips were full, and they were always the perfect shade of soft crimson even without lipstick. Bliss just turned 17. She was doing well at school, but she really felt she was ready to get out of her old routine and see what else was out there. One spring Friday morning, Bliss was sitting on the stoop of the apartment building were she lived with her parents. She was looking up at the pink and purple towering buildings around her. They are wonderful, but I’ve been gazing at these buildings for 17 years now, she thought. Just then a big silver cat walked by her. It stopped, turned around, and came up to her. It looked at her intensely for a moment then said, "You will do just fine." After Bliss nearly choked on her tongue, she said, "Do just fine for what?" She had never seen a talking cat before, and she was lost in astonishment. The cat said, "I need some help finding an illusive treasure." Bliss replied, "Oh, and where is this illusive treasure?" The cat answered, "I’m not sure but I know where something is that will tell us where the treasure is. And this thing is about 3 blocks away." Bliss thought about this, and decided three blocks isn’t far. Besides she didn’t really want this talking cat walking out of her life. She said, "OK, lets go. What’s your name?" The silver cat said, "Jest. Follow me." They walked and turned corners for about 15 minutes. Bliss had always thought she knew the part of Chic that she lived in really well. They were only walking for a little bit. How did we get to a place I don’t recognize at all, she thought. She was following Jest into a light pink building. They went up two flights of red stairs, and down a hall. The floors, walls, and ceiling of the hall were royal blue. They came to an emerald door. Jest told Bliss to open it. As Bliss opened it, she was shocked at how white the room was. There was nothing in the room except a magenta wand with a light pink glittery top in the middle of the floor. Jest said, "Pick the wand up and ask it where the treasure is." Bliss did so to humor th... ... was made up of shiny platinum just like the outside. The walls, floors, and high ceilings were made of the enchanting platinum. The furnishings and the decorations were made up of glistering platinum and gold. It was breath takenly beautiful. Bliss and Jest followed the wand up three flights of platinum stairs. They went into a hallway that was entirely gold. Bliss, Jest and the wand went to the end of it. The were in front of a plain, solid, gold wall. The wand told Bliss where to knock on it. When Bliss knocked on it, a flight of platinum stairs that were going down appeared in the wall. They went down the stairs and came to a solid pink ruby door with a platinum doorknob. Bliss opened it. Inside was a room completely filled with diamonds. Each diamond was the size of a fist. They were so shiny and sparklingly. After Bliss got over her astonishment, she got the wand to transfer the diamonds, Jest, and herself to her bedroom in Chic. One year later. Bliss has one of the most successful boutiques in Chic. She travels all over Decorous. She lives in an awesome penthouse with Jest. She is thinking of opening a Club. She is never bored anymore.

Assignment on Cubism and Synthetic Cubism

Cubism Written Assignment PABLO PICASSO & Synthetic Cubism Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), a Spanish artist, is one of the most well known artists of the 20th Century. From about 1909 he worked with a French artist called Georges Braque and together they created a style of art referred to as Synthetic Cubism. Both artists created still-life paintings to which other materials were added. Select a work by Picasso that is an example of Synthetic Cubism. ? ? Provide a coloured image Name and date the work. Answer the following: Q1.Describe the Subject Matter of the artwork. ? What do you think the artist wanted us to notice? ? Describe in detail what you see in the work. ? How has Picasso arranged the objects? Describe the art elements Picasso has used in this artwork. ? Discuss the line, tone, texture, shape and colours that have been used. ? Do any of these art elements affect the mood of the work? Describe the materials and techniques that have been used to create the art work. ? How have the materials been applied? Evaluate the artwork. ? Do you like this work by Picasso?Explain why. ? What are the best qualities? Q2. Q3. Q4. Due Date _________________________ Year 7 Cubism Assignment Rubric STANDARDS Criteria E The description of the artwork is inadequate and there is basic detail by the student. D There is a limited description of the artwork which is not detailed by the student. The student gives a limited description of some of the art elements seen in the artwork. C The student makes a detailed description of some of the subject matter. B The student makes a detailed description of most of the subject matter.A The student makes a complete and detailed description of the subject matter. The student makes a complete and detailed description, including analysis, of all the art elements seen in the artwork. The student makes a complete and detailed description ,including analysis, of all the materials and techniques used The student makes an advanced evaluation and judgement of the select artwork Description of subject matter in artworks Identification, description and understanding of the art elements.The student gives a basic description of some of the art elements seen in the artwork. The student makes a detailed description of most of the art elements seen in the artwork. The student makes a good detailed description of the art elements seen in the artwork. Identification, description and analysis of Cubist materials and techniques. The student gives a basic description of some of the materials and techniques used The student gives a limited description of some of the materials and techniques usedThe student makes a detailed description of most of the materials and techniques used The student makes a good detailed description of the materials and techniques used Evaluation and judgement of Cubism artwork The student makes a basic evaluation and judgement of the select artwork The student makes a limited evaluation and judgement of the sel ect artwork The student makes a satisfactory evaluation and judgement of the select artwork The student makes a thorough evaluation and judgement of the select artwork Grade: Comments:

Why a Pen is a Pen-According to Aristotle essays

Why a Pen is a Pen-According to Aristotle essays Why the Pen in Your Hand is a Pen Aristotle would agree that the pen in your hand is a pen. According to Aristotle everything is either a substance or an attribute, the pen in your hand is a substance. All substances consist of 2 Ontological moments, matter and form. An object must have matter and form to be accepted as a substance. A substances matter is what it is made of and the form is what makes the substance what it is, both of are needed to make the pen a pen. The matter of the pen is the ink, the plastic, and the ballpoint. The form of the pen is the penness. However, matter and form are not the only essentials Aristotle would use to support the fact that the pen in your hand is a pen. Aristotle Causes would also be used to verify the pens existence. These causes lead to the purpose of a substance. The first cause is known as the Material Cause, which deals with the matter of the substance. The Material Cause of the pen is ink, the plastic, and the ballpoint. The second cause is known as the Formal Cause, which deals with the form of the substance. The Formal Cause of the pen is penness. Both of these Causes make up the third Cause, which is known as the Efficient Cause. The Efficient Cause is the principle of motion or change. The person or machine that produced the pen Source: Looking at Philosophy (3rd Edition) by Donald Palmer (McGraw Hill, 2001) would be the Efficient Cause of the pen. The last Cause is called the Final Cause, this Cause deals with the purpose of a substance. The Final Cause of the pen is to be used for writing. These four causes along with the Ontological moments of a substance help lead to the conclusion that the pen in your hand is a pen. In conclusion the pen in your hand is a pen because it contains matter and form along with the essential causes that lead to its final purpose. ...

photosythesis experiments essays

photosythesis experiments essays Photosynthesis is the process by which chlorophyll - containing organisms - such as green plants, algae, and some bacteria - capture energy from light and convert it to chemical energy. For the process of photosynthesis to take place the organism must contain chloroplasts. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color in plants and is also responsible for their ability to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is usually carried out in the leaves of green plants, but it can also take place in other parts of the plant such as the stem. The balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis is: Sunlight + 6CO2 + H2O yields-C6H12O6 + 6O2 The purpose of this lab is to answer the question, "Is sunlight required for photosynthesis?" III.) Experimental Design Materials and Methods The first experiment was called "Separating Plant Pigments." In this first experiment the materials that you need are a piece of green plant (collard greens), a piece of chromatography paper, solvent, and a test tube. The first thing you do is take your green plant and fold it up tightly. Second, you lay the plant on the chromatography paper and smash parts of the plant onto the paper. Next you mark the outside of the tube with a wax pencil where the bottom of the pigments are. Then we take the paper back out of the tube and add the solvent to the bottom of the test tube. Next we have to wait fifteen to twenty minutes for the see what will happen to the paper. The purpose of this experiment is to see how many different pigments will separate from the green plants. The second experiment was called "Detecting Carbon Dioxide Absorption in Green Plants." In the second experiment that was conducted the materials needed are three large test tubes, some Elodea plants, bromthymol blue solution, and a piece of tin foil. The first thing you do is place pieces of the Elodea plant in two of the test tubes. Second you add the bromthymol blu...

Biography of Mark Twain

Biography of Mark Twain Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens Nov. 30, 1835 in the small town of Florida, MO, and raised in Hannibal, became one of the greatest American authors of all time. Known for his sharp wit and pithy commentary on society, politics, and the human condition, his many essays and novels, including the American classic,The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, are a testament to his intelligence and insight. Using humor and satire to soften the edges of his keen observations and critiques, he revealed in his writing some of the injustices and absurdities of society and human existence, his own included. He was a humorist, writer, publisher, entrepreneur, lecturer, iconic celebrity (who always wore white at his lectures), political satirist, and social progressive. He died on April 21, 1910 when Halley’s Comet was again visible in the night sky, as lore would have it, just as it had been when he was born 75 years earlier. Wryly and presciently, Twain had said, â€Å"I came in with Halleys Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I dont go out with Halleys Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.†   Twain died of a heart attack one day after the Comet appeared its brightest in 1910. A complex, idiosyncratic person, he never liked to be introduced by someone else when lecturing, preferring instead to introduce himself as he did when beginning the following lecture, â€Å"Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands† in 1866: â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen: The next lecture in this course will be delivered this evening, by Samuel L. Clemens, a gentleman whose high character and unimpeachable integrity are only equalled by his comeliness of person and grace of manner. And I am the man! I was obliged to excuse the chairman from introducing me, because he never compliments anybody and I knew I could do it just as well.† Twain was   a complicated mixture of southern boy and western ruffian striving to fit into elite Yankee culture. He wrote in his speech, Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims,1881: â€Å"I am a border-ruffian from the State of Missouri. I am a Connecticut Yankee by adoption. In me, you have Missouri morals, Connecticut culture; this, gentlemen, is the combination which makes the perfect man.† Growing up in Hannibal, Missouri had a lasting influence on Twain, and working as a steamboat captain for several years before the Civil War was one of his greatest pleasures. While riding the steamboat he would observe the many passengers, learning much about their character and affect. His time working as a miner and a journalist in Nevada and California during the 1860s introduced him to the rough and tumble ways of the west, which is where, Feb. 3, 1863, he first used the pen name, Mark Twain, when writing one of his humorous essays for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise in Nevada. Mark Twain was a riverboat term that means two fathoms, the point at which it is safe for the boat to navigate the waters. It seems that when Samuel Clemens adopted this pen name he also adopted another persona - a persona that represented the outspoken commoner, poking fun at the aristocrats in power, while Samuel Clemens, himself, strove to be one of them. Twain got his first big break as a writer in 1865 with an article about life in a mining camp, called Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog, also called The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. It was very favorably received and printed in newspapers and magazines all over the country. From there he received other jobs, sent to Hawaii, and then to Europe and the Holy Land as a travel writer. Out of these travels he wrote the book, The Innocents Abroad, in 1869, which became a bestseller. His books and essays were generally so well-regarded that he started lecturing and promoting them, becoming popular both as a writer and a speaker. When he married Olivia Langdon in 1870, he married into a wealthy family from Elmira, New York and moved east to Buffalo, NY and then to Hartford, CT where he collaborated with the Hartford Courant Publisher to co-write The Gilded Age, a satirical novel about greed and corruption among the wealthy after the Civil War. Ironically, this was also the society to which he aspired and gained entry. But Twain had his share of losses, too - loss of fortune investing in failed inventions (and failing to invest in successful ones such as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone), and the deaths of people he loved, such as his younger brother in a riverboat accident, for which he felt responsible, and several of his children and his beloved wife. Although Twain survived, thrived, and made a living out of humor, his humor was borne out of sorrow, a complicated view of life, an understanding of life’s contradictions, cruelties, and absurdities.   As he once said, â€Å"There is no laughter in heaven.†Ã‚   HUMOR Mark Twain’s style of humor was wry, pointed, memorable, and delivered in a slow drawl. Twain’s humor carried on the tradition of humor of the Southwest, consisting of tall tales, myths, and frontier sketches, informed by his experiences growing up in Hannibal, MO, as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River, and as a gold miner and journalist in Nevada and California. In 1863 Mark Twain attended in Nevada the lecture of Artemus Ward (pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne,1834-1867), one of America’s best-known humorists of the 19th century. They became friends, and Twain learned much from him about how to make people laugh. Twain believed that how a story was told was what made it funny   - repetition, pauses, and an air of naivety. In his essay How to Tell a Story Twain says, â€Å"There are several kinds of stories, but only one difficult kind- the humorous. I will talk mainly about that one.† He describes what makes a story funny, and what distinguishes the American story from that of the English or French; namely that the American story is humorous, the English is comic, and the French is witty. He explains how they differ: â€Å"The humorous story depends for its effect upon the manner of the telling; the comic story and the witty story upon the matter. The humorous story may be spun out to great length, and may wander around as much as it pleases, and arrive nowhere in particular; but the comic and witty stories must be brief and end with a point. The humorous story bubbles gently along, the others burst. The humorous story is strictly a work of art, - high and delicate art, - and only an artist can tell it; but no art is necessary in telling the comic and the witty story; anybody can do it. The art of telling a humorous story - - understand, I mean by word of mouth, not print - was created in America, and has remained at home.† Other important characteristics of a good humorous story, according to Twain, include the following: A humorous story is told gravely, as though there is nothing funny about it.The story is told wanderingly and the point is â€Å"slurred.†A â€Å"studied remark† is made as if without even knowing it, â€Å"as if one were thinking aloud.†The pause: â€Å"The pause is an exceedingly important feature in any kind of story, and a frequently recurring feature, too. It is a dainty thing, and delicate, and also uncertain and treacherous; for it must be exactly the right lengthno more and no less- or it fails of its purpose and makes trouble. If the pause is too short the impressive point is passed, and the audience have had time to divine that a surprise is intended- and then you cant surprise them, of course.† Twain believed in telling a story in an understated way, almost as if he was letting his audience in on a secret. He cites a story, The Wounded Soldier, as an example and to explain the difference in the different manners of storytelling, explaining that:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The American would conceal the fact that he even dimly suspects that there is anything funny about it†¦. the American tells it in a ‘rambling and disjointed’ fashion and pretends that he does not know that it is funny at all,† whereas â€Å"The European ‘tells you beforehand that it is one of the funniest things he has ever heard, then tells it with eager delight, and is the first person to laugh when he gets through.† †¦.†All of which,† Mark Twain sadly comments, â€Å"is very depressing, and makes one want to renounce joking and lead a better life.† Twain’s folksy, irreverent, understated style of humor, use of vernacular language, and seemingly forgetful rambling prose and strategic pauses drew his audience in, making them seem smarter than he. His intelligent satirical wit, impeccable timing, and ability to subtly poke fun at both himself and the elite made him accessible to a wide audience, and made him one of the most successful comedians of his time and one that has had a lasting influence on future comics and humorists. Humor was absolutely essential to Mark Twain, helping him navigate life just as he learned to navigate the Mississippi when a young man, reading the depths and nuances of the human condition like he learned to see the subtleties and complexities of the river beneath its surface. He learned to create humor out of confusion and absurdity, bringing laughter into the lives of others as well. He once said, â€Å"Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.† MARK TWAIN PRIZE Twain was much admired during his lifetime and recognized as an American icon. A   prize created in his honor, The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the nation’s top comedy honor, has been given annually since 1998 to â€Å"people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain.† Previous recipients of the prize have included some of the most notable humorists of our time. The 2017 prizewinner is David Letterman, who according to Dave Itzkoff, New York Times writer, â€Å"Like Mark Twain †¦distinguished himself as a cockeyed, deadpan observer of American behavior and, later in life, for his prodigious and distinctive facial hair. Now the two satirists share a further connection.† One can only wonder what remarks Mark Twain would make today about our government, ourselves, and the absurdities of our world. But undoubtedly they would be insightful and humorous to help us â€Å"stand against the assault† and perhaps even give us pause. RESOURCES AND FURTHER READING Burns, Ken, Ken Burns Mark Twain Part I, https://www.youtube.com/watch?vVs, https://amphilsoc.org/sites/default/files/proceedings/150305.pdfMoss, Walter, Mark Twain’s Progressive and Prophetic Political Humor, http://hollywoodprogressive.com/mark-twain/The Mark Twain House and Museum, https://www.marktwainhouse.org/man/biography_main.php For Teachers: Learn More About Mark Twain, PBS, pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/index.htmlLesson 1: Mark Twain and American Humor, National Endowment for the Humanities, https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/mark-twain-and-american-humor#sect-introductionLesson Plan | Mark Twain and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, WGBH, PBS, https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/773460a8-d817-4fbd-9c1e-15656712348e/lesson-plan-mark-twain-and-the-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor/#.WT2Y_DMfn-Y

Hospital sSafety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospital sSafety - Research Paper Example There are different aspects of hospital safety which can target the healthcare providers or the patient. The main target of the study is the goals to achieve safety of the patients in hospitals. One of the goals in hospital safety is the reduction of health care associated infections which can be considered to incorporate procedures that can lessen such cases. One of the focuses in the issue of hospital safety related to healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is the onset of reporting and the implementation of standards. In the study undertaken by McKibben and colleagues the main goal is to present guidelines on the public reporting of HAI. It can be considered that such issue is important in the improvement of the awareness of the public and in effect the quality of the healthcare that is provided. The said issue then ensures that the health care institutions are putting the safety and the welfare of the patients on their main priority (p. 217). The said study covers the fact that there are reported inadequacies in the methods of reporting which can be related to the need for established guidelines. For that matter, methods were studied and implemented including reports that can be accessed by the public. Such data can be considered to check and verify the integrity of the health care services. Through the action of the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HIPAC), the studies were undertaken which included empirical set-up to test the procedures that established the said guidelines (McKibben 218-22). Based on the said study, it can be considered that the public reporting which is one of the main guidelines in ensuring the hospital safety related to HAI can either help patients have a higher level of awareness in the quality of healthcare or hinder them to access the healthcare service that they

Assess the importance of foreign capital and overseas emigration for Essay

Assess the importance of foreign capital and overseas emigration for the economic development of Germany in the 19th century - Essay Example Following the political and economic restructurings experienced in Germany during the mid-1860s, Berlin developed as Germany’s financial center (Stone 1999, 788). Transfer of commodities, people, capital as well as ideas characterized globalization in 19th century across continents. Germany was well known to be an important financial center after the Deutsche Reich, which was founded in 1871 following the war between Germans and the French. A territory was then established and defined persistently until 1914. Despite the political unification of Germany after the war, most areas of economic life were harmonized afterwards (Clark 2003, 176). In 1873, gold standard was introduced in Germany and a year later followed by creation of central bank, the Reichs bank. The period between 1870 until 1914 was characterized by a great economic expansion in nearly all sectors with a further shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy along with concentration of powers, enterprises and capital. This rapid expansion in economy was primarily the cause and consequence of the fast growing population and with the evolution to an industrialized economy leading to increased urbanization rates. Germany experienced net migration outflows until the mid 1890s when it turned into inflows until 1908. In 1883-1913, Germany invested roughly six hundred and eighty million capitals in British pounds in foreign securities that translated to an average of twenty two million pounds per year. This capital was predominantly invested into European countries but also other regions obtained considerable amounts of capital. In the middle of 19th century, private banks were the main financial intermediaries for foreign securities, but were later displaced by the joint-stock banks. The large majority of foreign securities were bonds and the main issuers were governments and railroad companies to Germany’s neighboring

How will you Identify, Cultivate, and Thank the Donors at the School Assignment

How will you Identify, Cultivate, and Thank the Donors at the School - Assignment Example The process of fundraising funnel starts with prospecting (Graecht, 2014). My core strategy would be to build the  prospect list. For instance, I would ask my current donors and Board of Directors for referrals. I would like to inquire if they know any people would want to know more about my cause/organization. The podcast specifically mentions that a non-for profit organization should usually look forward to having individual donors and not expect big organizations to take an interest in my cause. I will try to identify individuals that I can connect with and possibly build a relationship. Even if I do not get direct donors by prospecting, but the prospect that I converse with might probably lead me to a major donor. Before asking for direct referrals, I need to build a stable relationship with my current prospects. And it takes a lot of efforts to strengthen this relationship. Not-for-profit organizations do well with regular donors (Graecht, 2014). One does not need to introduce the cause (pitching) and do the fishing every time to get the donations. A lifelong relationship with regular donors is the best way to fund my project. I would like to hold ‘non-ask events’ because they are not intimidating. People are more comfortable in coming to and interacting in these events as compared to direct donation events. But as I’ve already mentioned that the first step is to develop a relationship with a few people. From then onwards I can ask them for referrals or indirectly ask for donations. From the study material, it is clear that hardly anyone gives contribution when directly asked for money (Graecht, 2014). It is a passive strategy, but very effective because the people need to see the cause and the impact that their contributions will make. I would also develop a story for my project.

The role of social networking in building strong luxury fashion brands Dissertation

The role of social networking in building strong luxury fashion brands among the young customers in the UK - Dissertation Example Further, many researchers carry out measurement of data. The research can gather data using several methodologies. The methodologies include letting selected U.K. research respondents answer a questionnaire. The questionnaire may include a yes or no question. The current research includes a yes or now research question. The questionnaire may include letting the U.K. research respondents rank several choices from the highest to the lowest rank. The current U.K. research includes this type of methodology in the research. Further, U.K. research respondents can be asks to pick one of several alternative choices. The current U.K. research included requiring the U.K. research respondents to pick their best choice from several alternative choices. The implementation of the different methodology types includes a compulsory implementation of a clear and explicit research methodology. To be convincing, the researcher must explain the different steps taken to accomplish the methodology goals, i ncluding time-constrained objectives (Roy, 2008). Statistics. The term can be defined as the collection of research data. In addition, statistics covers the presentation of research findings. Lastly, statistics incorporates the interpretation of the research findings. ... The definition is a very common sense discussion of trend analysis. A more complex definition includes the use of quantitative statistical tools to answer a scientifically formulated research question. The trend analysis includes the gathering of both independent and dependant variables. The variables will contribute to spotting the future direction of one product, service or any other activity. Normally, trend analysis focuses on the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variables. In the current research, the independent variable is the 160 U.K. research respondents. The dependent variables are many. The dependent variable includes choosing the best social networking sites. The dependent variables also include choosing the best luxury branded fashion apparel brand. Consequently, time series statistical tools can be used to present a more convincing trend analysis forecast (Chandler, 2011). SPSS. The term refers to the modern statistical software. Under the SPSS stati stical research approach, the researcher inputs the 160 U.K. research respondents’ answers into the SPSS software. The research clicks any statistical tool choices listed in the SPSS menu. After selecting the statistical tool, the SPSS generates the results of the chosen statistical tool. By clicking on the mean statistical tool, the research can immediately expect the SPSS statistical software to generate the results of the mean statistical tool. In the current research, the research chose the mean statistical tool of the SPSS software. Next, the research clicked the frequency statistical tool choice provided by the SPSS tool. The research inputs the different dependent variables into the SPSS calculation section. Consequently, the SPSS software

Importance of Building a Brand for Kellogg Essay

Importance of Building a Brand for Kellogg - Essay Example In the Kellogg’s Case Study, an extensive evaluation of the brand building Kellogg is carried out. It deals with the question whether Kellogg is able to sustain its product lifecycle which is of great significance. Whilst building a brand for a product, it is equally important to consider whether it is possible to capture the market and profitability. For this, it is necessary to implement appropriate major strategic matters related to marketing. Kellogg’s All Bran Brand has been a leading brand in the fiber sector of the cereal market for a long period of time. Kellogg, a leading company in the global market, produces cereal products and other food items like snacks, pastries, cookies etc. One of the main features of Kellogg’s products is that the company offers goods marked for taste and quality. Among its number of brands, All-Bran brand of Kellogg Company holds a considerable position in the market avenues. This is mainly for the reason that the brand offers more nutritious products than the other brands. An effective implementation of both financing and marketing sectors is decisive for this brand building of All-Bran banner. In addition to this, it also requires consumer perception of the changes made by Kellogg Company. The brand image of Kellogg’s All-Bran is outstanding as compared to other high fiber brands made by Kellogg. So, in order to attain an overall development of all brands, Kellogg gas decided to merge all other brands with the master brand of Kellogg Company. As we take in to account the running style of the Kellogg Company, we find that it is necessary to evaluate the product life cycle of All-Bran product in order to improve its existing strategic plans. Effective implementation of marketing strategies is essential in the accomplishment of goals set by the entity. The success of any product and its marketing is highly related to its brand image. â€Å"Consumers very often do not use explicit, concrete, rational factors to evaluate products, and thus their motivation to purchase is not always easy to articulate.†Ã‚  

The role of social networking in building strong luxury fashion brands Dissertation

The role of social networking in building strong luxury fashion brands among the young customers in the UK - Dissertation Example Further, many researchers carry out measurement of data. The research can gather data using several methodologies. The methodologies include letting selected U.K. research respondents answer a questionnaire. The questionnaire may include a yes or no question. The current research includes a yes or now research question. The questionnaire may include letting the U.K. research respondents rank several choices from the highest to the lowest rank. The current U.K. research includes this type of methodology in the research. Further, U.K. research respondents can be asks to pick one of several alternative choices. The current U.K. research included requiring the U.K. research respondents to pick their best choice from several alternative choices. The implementation of the different methodology types includes a compulsory implementation of a clear and explicit research methodology. To be convincing, the researcher must explain the different steps taken to accomplish the methodology goals, i ncluding time-constrained objectives (Roy, 2008). Statistics. The term can be defined as the collection of research data. In addition, statistics covers the presentation of research findings. Lastly, statistics incorporates the interpretation of the research findings. ... The definition is a very common sense discussion of trend analysis. A more complex definition includes the use of quantitative statistical tools to answer a scientifically formulated research question. The trend analysis includes the gathering of both independent and dependant variables. The variables will contribute to spotting the future direction of one product, service or any other activity. Normally, trend analysis focuses on the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variables. In the current research, the independent variable is the 160 U.K. research respondents. The dependent variables are many. The dependent variable includes choosing the best social networking sites. The dependent variables also include choosing the best luxury branded fashion apparel brand. Consequently, time series statistical tools can be used to present a more convincing trend analysis forecast (Chandler, 2011). SPSS. The term refers to the modern statistical software. Under the SPSS stati stical research approach, the researcher inputs the 160 U.K. research respondents’ answers into the SPSS software. The research clicks any statistical tool choices listed in the SPSS menu. After selecting the statistical tool, the SPSS generates the results of the chosen statistical tool. By clicking on the mean statistical tool, the research can immediately expect the SPSS statistical software to generate the results of the mean statistical tool. In the current research, the research chose the mean statistical tool of the SPSS software. Next, the research clicked the frequency statistical tool choice provided by the SPSS tool. The research inputs the different dependent variables into the SPSS calculation section. Consequently, the SPSS software

Is PPACA Constitutional Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is PPACA Constitutional - Assignment Example There are various initiatives that are part of the PPACA program. Majorly the concept of quality/cost as an initiative is designed to improve the quality of health services and at the same time lowering the costs to enable everyone to access Medicare. Improving the quality and reducing the cost will transform health care by changing how the patients receive Medicare in hospitals and also how the physicians in the hospital get compensated. According to this article, PPACA provides a perfect environment for a better healthcare in the future (Segal, 2009). Most important is the cost reduction by preventive care. In this, it has been noted that most a significant part of the bulk of health spending lies in the treatment as opposed to prevention. Thus OPTUM has been involved in a program to monitor patients and behaviorally influence them regarding their health. And owing to the benefits of large scale, providers have famed the work to OPTUM and this reduces the costs. The preventive care involves the employment, training new programs, development, job designs, and interfacing on the operational modality of the new department. Ethnic specialization is as well a good initiative. Ethnic specialization will help in lowering the total costs of variances that would bring in quality throughout the system. Different ethnicities possess different markers and attributes. The UHG has thus chosen to come up with initiatives to educate the communities and extract information from them. The data can hence be used for various analyses or even be provided as a service to the public. OPTUM will also take an initiative of helping providers and offering clinical services. In this, it shall aid providers who require HITECH funds through the provision of technological solutions to them; this shall include HER/EMR implementation organizations, prescription management, services such as payment or billing as well as collaborative technology payments.

Risk Assessment Case Study Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Risk Assessment Case Study Evaluation Essay The risk assessment case study evaluates the chromium-contaminated soils. Twelve years of research went into the study to characterize the health hazards caused by the chromium-contaminated soils. Within New Jersey there were at least three different chromate chemical manufacturing companies operating, one in Kearny, New Jersey, and the other two in Jersey City. The study was conducted through a human health risk assessment, which contains four main steps; first identifying the hazard, second the dose response assessment, followed by the exposure assessment, and finalizing with the risk characterization. There are many short and long term health effects found within the risk assessment, which is one reason that assessment is so important. Looking at the risk assessment that was done within the area, the final implication was the simple fact that a remedial cleaning needed to be done within the area. It seems that there may have been a high cost for the study and the actual cleanup, but the benefit of saving an environment and human health is priceless. Risk assessment studies are very important to human and ecological health, therefore no matter the cost associated the benefit will always be much higher. Looking at the risk assessment of chromium-contaminated soils is important; it shows health effects related to chromium and what needs to be done to clean the area for further use by humans and nature. The case study includes a group of hazardous waste sites in Northern New Jersey. At these waste sites a series of unique research efforts were implemented over the past 12 years to improve the accuracy of the Risk Assessment process† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). The case study specifically documents the use of applied research to advance the characterization of both exposure and toxicity associated with the uncontrolled release of hexavalent and trivalent chromium in the form of chromites ore processing residue (COPR) in an urban setting (Paustenbach, 2002). Early investigation began after redevelopment of certain neighborhoods i n downtown Jersey City led to the discovery of COPR. Research conducted by the task force revealed that construction companies and hauling firms had sued or sold the COPR to fill basements of demolished buildings, as base for parking lots and buildings, and/or to fill low – lying areas (Paustenbach, 2002). A total of 2,138 surfaces and subsurface soil samples, 31 groundwater samples from 31 monitoring wells at seven sites, 33 ambient air samples, 19 surface-water and 11 sediment samples, and eight building wall wipe samples were collected and analyzed during the remedial investigation that was conducted by Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE). As a result of the investigations conducted in the late 1980s it was clear that there was considerable uncertainty about how better to characterize the potential health risks associated with the COPR sites. â€Å"The human health risk assessment a development used to process the estimation, the nature, and the chance of an adverse health effects occurring in humans who may be exposed to chemicals contaminated with environmental media† (EPA, 2012, p. 1). The risk assessment can be categorized into four steps; the hazard identification, the dose-response assessment, the exposure assessment, and the risk characterization. The easiest to perform and the most recognizable, the first step is to identify the hazards. Hazard identification determines whether exposure to a hazardous agent could be a risk for the health of humans. The assessment also considers the exposure to animals and how the hazardous agent may affect or adversely affect the animals. The second step, the dose-response assessment is â€Å"the process of characterizing the relation between the dose of an agent administered or received and the incidence of an adverse health effect in exposed populations and estimating the incidence of the effect as a function of exposure to the agent† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). Influencing issues are a variable in the second step, such as; age, gender, routines, the amount they are exposed, and the volume that they are exposed. A dose-response relationship describes how the possibility and severity of adverse health effects are related to the amount and condition of exposure to an agent† (EPA, 2012, p. 1). The third step is the exposure assessment. â€Å"Exposure assessment is the process wherein the intensity, frequency, and duration of human exposure to an agent are estimated† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). Last, the final step is the risk characterization. The hazardous effect on health is labeled in the final pha se. By calculation and educated guesses, the incidence of a health effect under the various conditions of human or animal exposure described in the exposure assessment is defined. The community has not been significantly affected by the COPR – containing soils. â€Å"The property values have been kept intact and the businesses on affected properties have continued to operate† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). When the COPR was ub the process of disposal, there was little or no concern for the environmental and human health risks that would occur as a result of the distribution of COPR outside the plant. The potentially exposed populations were defined by onsite and surrounding land use. â€Å"Exposures to chromium in COPR were assumed to occur via inhalation of suspended soil particulates, dermal contact with soil, and incidental soil ingestion† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). The data from the site surveys were used in site-specific risk assessments to quantify exposures. Chapter nine verified that the there were 42 properties affect by the exposure and toxicity assessments (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). There were many samples taken. Between 1986 and 1989 â€Å"a total of 2,138 surface and subsurface soil samples, 31 groundwater samples from monitoring wells located at 7 sites, 33 ambient air samples, 19 surface-water and 11 sediment samples, and 8 building wall wipe samples were collected and analyzed during the RI† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). Surface water and soil samples were also taken in the risk assessments. The assessments confirmed that there was indeed a problem and that a remedial was needed. The risk characterization showed that something needed to be done and remediation was needed for these current vacant lots. Results verified that the exposure and toxicity assessment had a high toxicity in the soil and carcinogenic that people were exposed to in the air, soil, and water. Evidenced proved that indoor dust was highly toxic and yielded a link between the dust and chromium levels. High levels of chromium were definite in all tests. The carcinogenic compounds of chromium were not proven in one, though, done on lab rats. The problem was passed around inside the company but was eventually managed and is still being handled today. The implications of these assessments have changed with every assessment done. Each assessment could test even more accurately. The final assessment was that there is a need to concentrated effort on the chromium left from these sites. Each step was precisely performed and accurately carried out. Limitations arose during the first step of identification. Again, the second step dose-response was limited by the research that had been done on chromium. As soon as they would file an assessment, there would be a new more accurate test available that would make the report inaccurate. The limitations and newly surfaced assessments left unanswered questions and concerns with the assessments. This 12-year period transformed a time of new developments in testing. With the availability of these new tests it brought the need for more assessments. The final assessments show that cleanup is needed and will require extensive planning to make it happen. The assessments were designed to discover the results of how much chromium was in the area. The effect on the health of humans and the environment was also correlated within the assessments. Over the 12-year period, the assessments were evaluated and fulfilled to their fullest potential. According to Paustenbach (2002), in Chapter 9, â€Å"the cost of the 12-year study equaled 10 million dollars in research† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). Results can be seen in the undertaking of the removal of soil in these areas and taken to a hazardous material dump in Canada. By lowering the levels of chromium in these areas, like the wetlands, they have save a unique environment in America. According to the Njdep Site Remediation Program (2012) the cleanup in these areas are ongoing and the testing is being posted on this web site to show what the levels are in these areas (NJDEP, 2012). The people living and working in the particular areas will most benefit from the program. The people can stay in tuned with the daily operations, along with the level ratings, through the website. Although the study was lengthy, â€Å"the studies conducted have lowered the liabilities by almost 1 billion dollars† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). The practical implications of the risk assessment were that there would have to be a remedial cleanup. â€Å"A review of chromium toxicology suggested that valence differentiation in the environment would be key to correctly calculating health-protective cleanup standards and maximizing the benefit of each dollar committed to remediation† (Paustenbach, 2002, p. 1). The specific goal approach was practical because it addressed the issues and came up with a plan of action. Many big companies do not have a plan of action and this hinders the process to be successful in the remediation process. Another reason for the practicality of the risk assessment was that they were able to budget for how much the remedial and the cleanup would cost. Many companies are unable to see have a plan of action at times like this and cannot for see the cleanup and the cost associated with it. A cost benefit analysis is important when looking at a risk assessment. The cost and benefit analysis reviews the cost and benefit or cleaning up an area. Most analytically reviewed references monetary gains and loses. Looking at the cost and benefits of both scenarios will help decide whether to clean the area or leave it alone. When looking at a CBA there are four different areas that must be looked at: first the gross disproportion, the sensitivity analysis, annualisation, and discounting. Gross disproportion is basically a factor when deciding if control measures should be used; if the costs are not grossly disproportionate from the benefits the control measures must be used. Sensitivity analysis is taking one or more of the factors and varying them to see if the outcome would be any different, this is used to show that control measures will be unsuccessful or that all that can be done has been. Then the annualisation, when the costs are worked out year by year with the varying changes in money, is done by looking at the discounting numbers. Discounting is a deeper look into the different cost and benefits of each year, this looks at maintenance costs and other cost that may be incurred. The main problem with the CBA is that there are no set criteria for any of the sections, it is left up to those doing the CBA and those fighting the results must take it to court and the court decides. Have set criteria listed for each aspect will help clarify what needs to be done. A CBA can be very beneficial to the decision of what needs to be done, it just needs a little more work to be more concise. The importance in a risk analysis can be witnessed in the review and evaluation of the risk assessment. The risk assessment of the chromium-contaminated soils in New Jersey; the 12-year assessment proved many points. Such an extensive assessment demonstrated an area of strength and weakness within the risk assessment. The risk assessment is made up of four parts, first identifying the hazard, then looking at the dose response assessment; this is followed by the exposure assessment and the risk characterization. Within the risk assessment of the chromium-contaminated soils illustrated that there would be marked improvement with a remedial clean-up of the area. While it may not have been an easy decision, due to the fact, that the CBA has no set criteria. The risk analysis was conducted for 12 years to ensure human safety when living and working within the area; the 12 year study also helped form future risk analysis studies.

Importance of Petroleum to the Economy

Importance of Petroleum to the Economy Petroleum became important during the mid -1800s with the increased use of petroleum products such as kerosene for light. The industry soon started growing and the market was introduced with automobile and the internal combustion engine. Petroleum Exporting Countries Organisation (OPEC), a multinational organization has been established to co-ordinate the petroleum policies of its member and to provide the member states with technical and economic aid. [2] The price of petroleum as quoted in news generally refers to the spot price per barrel (159 liters) of either WTI/light crude as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) for delivery at Cushing, Oklahoma, or of Brent as traded on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE, into which the International Petroleum Exchange has been incorporated) for delivery at SullomVoe. [3] The price of a barrel of oil is highly dependent on both its grade, determined by factors such as its specific gravity or API and its sulphur content, and its location. Other important benchmarks include Dubai, Tapis, and the OPEC basket. The Energy Information Administration(EIA) uses the imported refiner acquisition cost, the weighted average cost of all oil imported into the US, as its world oil price. Petroleum products demand has changed drastically in both quantitative and qualitative terms. Each and every second, prices for oil change as they are very volatile. Consumption of petroleum products depends a lot on global macroeconomic conditions and has a positive relationship with economic growth. Higher economic growth implies higher demand for petroleum products. High oil prices generally have a large negative impact on the global economic growth, according to the International Energy Agency. [4] In Mauritius, it is the State Trading Corporation (STC) that imports all of our requirements and hands them over to Oil companies, namely, Shell, Total, Chevron and Indian Oil, for storage and distribution. STC pays for the imports and gets paid when it sells the products to the Oil companies. [5] STC shall operate a Price Stabilization Account for each product in order to shield the market from price fluctuations.Monthly price shocks on commodities crucial to the conduct of economic and social activities ought to be avoided if at all possible. They come in the way of longer-term planning of all economic activities as well as the family budget and therefore affect the country and all its citizens directly. [5] Since 2004, it was the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) which decided the prices in Mauritius. However, numerous weaknesses of this mechanism were seen, creating conflicts between the public and the APM committee. Prices were increasing when it was not necessary, especially when the world market prices were going down and the trend was always price increase after price decrease and so on. Price decreases were falling by a very small percentage and were very rare. [5] To correct this imperfection and the doubts of the public about an unfair pricing mechanism, the APM was replaced by the Petroleum Pricing Committee (PPC) whereby the committee will meet once every 4 months to monitor oil purchase and sale, to examine price trends around the world and then decide if prices need to be reviewed or not. [5] Market forces determine the price of petroleum products on the world market. The price at the pump is calculated by STC based on the purchase price, taxes and levies and the profit margins for distributors and retailers. The Petroleum Pricing Committee verifies and approves the processes in a very transparent manner and finally recommends to the Minister for the fixing of the new retail price. Gasoline and Gasoil are expensive even in oil producing countries because of the growing demand in emerging economies such as India and China. When compared to most countries in the world, Mauritius is said not to be that expensive despite the geographical remoteness and the small size of the market. Problem Statement The concept of pricing mechanism of oil and petroleum has often been surrounded with confusion. It is important to understand what different prices really mean. It is necessary to analyse the process of convergence and understand what the spot price really means in the context of oil market, although the futures price often converges to the spot price. The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Showkutally Soodhun specifies that the committee will have full opportunity to check all the documents and the truthfulness of the figures and thus ensure that all parameters were taken into account by the previous committee of the APM, that the PPC will work in full transparency while publishing everything on the website of the State Trading Corporation. There will be full details of all elements that come into play in accounting for the fuel prices. However, most people in the country either do not have the required knowledge to use a computer, some do not have a computer at all, and others do not have access to the internet. Many people do not know how the pricing mechanism works. Even if the PPC is said to work in transparency no detailed is made public about the formulae considered in pricing the petroleum products, no cashflows or financial statements are known, the public is not reassured about whether their money are rightly used. The middle class people cannot afford to pay high prices especially when their income is low with most of it going into the basic food necessities. This may create social problems like disputes in the family, domestic violence, increases in social vices like thefts. One important aspect is that other countries may have high taxes on their oil, but this is compensated by their high income and the high value of their currency. Our currency has a really low value, which is why we pay higher prices for petrol, during financial crisis and in periods of inflation. This may lead to economic problems in the near future with lower investments and hence slowing economic growth. Aims and Objectives The aim of this research paper is to decrease the difficulties faced by the population because of the rising prices of petrol and to understand the mismatch of supply and demand situation. A clearer pricing system is required and this study can also help in enhancing the performance of petroleum market in the country. Objective: To make the whole population aware of the petroleum and oil pricing mechanism To change the working principle of the petroleum pricing mechanism To provide alternatives to help decrease the effect of the high petrol price Methodology The target population for the study is the population at large, though higher emphasis is laid on the population owning a vehicle. Every Research Report requires information as the basis for analysis. Information sources can be categorised as either primary or secondary data. Primary data is original data that has been collected by a researcher by whatever means appropriate in the answer of a specific research question. Secondary data is data that has been collected by others for their own purposes, but which may be used by a researcher for his or her different purposes. There are two different types of data that are likely to be collected: qualitative data, such as opinions, and quantitative data such as measurements. Qualitative data include verbal narrative pieces of data; quantitative data are anything that can be measured and expressed in numbers. Quantitative data analysis often contains descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics include measures of central tendency (averages mean, median and mode) and measures of variability about the average (range and standard deviation). These give the reader a picture of the data collected and used in the research project. Inferential statistics are the outcomes of statistical tests, helping deductions to be made from the data collected, to test hypotheses set and relating findings to the sample or population. [6] Questionnaire is usually designed specifically for the study in question. Unlike a test, which yields only a total score, or an inventory, in which each item is interpreted as a part of a scale or group of items, a questionnaire yields many separate pieces of information. Analysis usually consists of tabulation or cross-tabulation of responses to individual itemsrarely are more elaborate procedures used. Questionnaires are most often used direct (person-to-person) contact with respondents is not possible or necessary. It is probably the single most widely-used data source. Some experts have estimated that as many as half the research studies conducted use a questionnaire as a part of the data collection process. Voluntary and informed participation of individuals or communities is necessary for research. Their participation should be based on informed consent; the greater the risk to participants, the greater is the need for it. Informed consent is essential to protect the participants, not the researchers and institutions. The sample size will consist of 50 of working and non-working people and the aim is to pick a representative sample free from bias. A Nonprobability (Convenience) sampling will be chosen. It involves the selection of elements based on assumptions regarding the population of interest, which forms the criteria for selection. Hence, because the selection of elements is nonrandom, nonprobability sampling does not allow the estimation of sampling errors. [7] Convenience sampling is often used for a case study. Convenience sampling (sometimes known as grab or opportunity sampling) is a type of nonprobability sampling which involves the sample being drawn from that part of the population which is close to hand. That is, a sample population selected because it is readily available and convenient. Also, snowballing method would be used to carry out the survey. Scientifically, it is impossible to have ideal samples; the best compromise is to include a sample with widest possible range of variation in the phenomena, settings, or people under study. [8] Data Collection A particular observation technique will be designed for the research topic, describing and discussing the aims of the survey, the nature of the survey (what/who/how/when will be questioned?) and the method of recording (e.g. field notes or using a structured observation schedule). A draft ethics protocol will also be provided (getting informed consent, being honest, not forcing anyone to take part, giving participants the right to withdraw, protecting them from harm, feeding back the results, maintaining confidentiality). The ethics protocol approval should take the form of the document that will be issued to potential participants in order to obtain informed consent, which would cover issues such as confidentiality, right to withdraw, feedback, etc as appropriate. For a QUESTIONNAIRE survey it is often preferable to incorporate the ethical provisions in the introduction to the questionnaire form itself, i.e. telling informants what the project is about (informed consent), giving them the choice not to respond to individual items or the form as a whole (right to withdraw), setting out how feedback may be obtained (debriefing), describing the provisions for confidentiality (particularly if the form is not anonymous), etc. This section of the questionnaire is in effect the ethics protocol and can be submitted for approval. Questionnaire Analysis Each completed form will be numbered after having them back. Then the easy stuff will be sorted out first, i.e. the answers to closed-ended questions which you can simply count in order to give you frequencies According to the design of the questionnaire, the respondents will have to the code by ticking the appropriate number which can then be entered into the spreadsheet. Its not difficult to find out how many respondents gave each sort of answer. These numbers can easily be turned into percentages (showing what percentage of the respondents gave each sort of response). These figures are already very useful as analytical tools. It helps to make sure when designing questionnaire that it is amenable to computer analysis. For quantifiable data, MS Works and Excel spreadsheets will all produce a wide range of computations and forms of presentation such as graphs and charts as well as carrying out some statistical operations. Benefits of Research This research will be useful and helpful to many stakeholders in the country. First of all, the society at large would get to know and understand the procedure behind pricing petroleum and oil. The society benefits in the way that they will get value for money and would not be exploited into paying higher prices for the oil and petrol, in the end, they would have fairness and would know where, why and how their money are being spent. The government as well would benefit from this research since it would help the government officials to have a better idea about how to price the petroleum and oil so as to maximize the benefit of the public. Another benefit would be is that both parties (the government and the public) would know about the expectations of each other and hence would know how to better satisfy those expectations. Also, transport cost forms part of a large percentage in the budget for companies. Investors (both local and foreigners) would be more attracted to invest in the country when the pricing mechanism is clear with lower prices. As a result, there would be more economic growth in the country, standard of living of the population would increase, and unemployment level may fall. The indirect benefits of this research would be decrease in prices of the commodities that the people consume since the reduced transportation cost would lead to lower cost of production. The society would benefit as they would have more income left, their savings in bank may increase, hence the bank would have more loans to give to investors. As a whole investment would increase leading to economic booms. Time plan A Gantt chart is a representation through graphs of the duration of tasks against the progression of time. It is a useful tool when planning and scheduling projects and helpful when monitoring a projects progress. There is a variety of Gantt charts namely the Basic Gantt, Multiple milestones, daily Gantt, Baseline Gantt, Timeline Gantt, Summary Gantt, Stoplight Gantt among others. [9] Summary Introduction Problem statement Aims and objective Methodology Benefits of research Budget analysis 25/03/11 27/03/11 28/03/11 30/03/11 31/03/11 01/04/11 Budget Analysis List of items Estimated cost (Rs) Printing 200 Travelling 325 Internet 600 Telephone bill 150 TOTAL 1275

Language and Social Position Essay -- Expository Essays

Language and Social Position As I sat in my never-all-that-comfortable seat at the theater to watch "Titanic" for the second time on the big screen, a thought quite alien came over me: good usage in language. This film, based on the 1912 disaster, went to the extremes on details to make everything about it convey the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The language of the film was scripted as best to the year 1912 as was the model made of the ship itself. The film showed the language of both the upper crust ("nobility" of America) and the lower class of different nations of the world. Concentrating on the educated, monied, upper-class, their language was so pure, concise, and definitive. The best example that I can quote from the film was a line from young Rose, when trying to get it through her thick-skulled, snobbish mother's head that there were not enough boats for everyone on board, in fact less than half of the passengers would get a spot on a lifeboat. She says to her mother, "Not enough by half!" In four words, Rose has said what would have taken me at least ten words to say in our modern language usage, something similar to "There are not enough [boats] for even half of the people!" "Not enough by half" is a phrase I easily comprehended, but I have never heard a phrase so worded in my life (in contemporary conversations, dialogue, speeches, etc.). It reminds me more of diction in writings from the past, that authors such as Shakespeare or Benjamin Franklin may have used. Why isn't a phrase like "Not enough by half" used today in modern American English? This phrase is clear, concise and is not difficult to say. Robert Hall would probably praise such a phrase as a fine example of good usage. It ... ...ld've thought "groovy" and "crazy, man" would have made a comeback, huh? Language usage should not be the criterion by which we judge one another. Language was created to communicate, and shouldn't we communicate in the easiest and most efficient manner? We should heed Robert Hall's advice and make the rules of good usage based on "the most efficient way of saying" (hand-out) govern our language usage. However, in reality, it seems that William Tanner's thoughts creep into our opinion of good usage and connect it with social etiquette, thereby creating judgments of social class and distinction based on one another's speech. We, as listeners and speakers, need to make a conscious decision to stop judgment of others based on language usage and to start to become followers of Hall (we'll call ourselves Halloons), and make our language clear, concise and efficient.

Multimedia The Wide Spectrum Essay -- Essays Papers

Multimedia The Wide Spectrum In this paper, I will endeavor to provide you with a basic overview as to what multimedia consists of. I will also delve into the visual aspect in the wide spectrum of multimedia to show what it consists of and for a better understanding as to how it fits in. Multimedia first began with games but Web pages, interactive courses, and catalogs with sound and video have now dominated the stage. Not long ago, the term â€Å"multimedia† referred to a room full of slide projectors, tape decks, and movie projectors. Multimedia presentations were hard to put together and even harder to run. Many of them took weeks of preparation and they were then shown only once (Curtin 217). The computer has changed all of that. With multimedia, it is easier to stitch together the various elements and, once finished, the multimedia presentation is available to be shown over and over again. Multimedia is widely used in the entertainment and education fields. For entertainment, you can play computer games that seem almost alive with sound and motion. In education, interactive multimedia programs allow you to study and progress at you own pace and branch into areas of interest when you want to. You can even be a multimedia developer simply by using traditional office applications. Sounds and videos can be embedded in spreadsheet or word processor documents so when recipients click an image or click an icon they get and explanation of key points. Multimedia has entered and clung to the mainstream because of its attention-holding capabilities and effectiveness. It is used everywhere from business presentations to museum exhibits. Holiday Inn, for instance, uses it to train employees. When they click on topics, the system â€Å"talks† to them. It has reduced training time on a new property management system from 14 to 6 days (Curtin 218). Though history, and over recent years, various media have been developed that inform or entertain: paintings, books, magazines, newspapers, movies, radio, and photography ("Multimedia"). Using computers, multimedia fuses two or more of these media together on the premise that the combination is better than any of the individual components. Hence the term â€Å"multi† media. Multimedia can be used for entertainment, corporate presentations, sales presentations, education, training, kiosks, digital publi... ...oth. When done as a series of steps, an animation shows the girl growing old. To make morphing realistic, certain areas of the image, such as the eyes, must be overlapped on the first and last images and locked into place. This way, other parts of the image seen to transform around these fixed points (Curtin 223). Works Cited Curtin, Dennis P., et al. Information Technology: The Breaking Wave. Boston: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1998. Geiken, C. â€Å"Multimedia Design for the World Wide Web.† NCSA. 17 Dec. 1998. 1 Dec. 1999 http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Training/AdvHTML/multimedia.design.html. Hajicek, Donald J. Design Post. 1 Dec. 1999 http://www.designpost.com/defaultflash.htm. â€Å"Integrated Services Digital Network.† Bell Atlantic. 1999. 3 Dec. 1999 http://www.bell-atl.com/federal/html/isdn.htm. â€Å"Multimedia.† PC Webopaedia. 1998. 2 Dec. 1999 http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/m/multimedia.html. â€Å"Partial Project List.† Platinum Pictures Multimedia, Inc. 1999. 4 Dec. 1999 http://www.3dcafe.com/ppm/projects.htm. â€Å"Platinum’s 3D Art Gallery.† Platinum Pictures Multimedia, Inc. 1999. 4 Dec. 1999 http://www.3dcafe.com/ppm/gallery.htm.

Canadian Briefing Note (LCBO) Essay

1. Introduction The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is a Crown Corporation established in 1927. It operates nearly 600 stores across the province and has a monopoly on the sale of spirits in Ontario.1 LCBO generated nearly $2.9 billion annually for the people of Ontario – including $2 billion in taxes and another $900 million in profits each year, making it the second largest government liquor distributor in the world.2 The former Tories planed to sell the board’s revenue stream while retaining actual ownership. Now, Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals was handing out a workbook to focus groups it had convened, saying that the 600 stores could be sold as franchises. There’s something about the prospect of a $5.6-billion deficit that has encouraged the government to obtain funds from selling its prime asset. However, the Ontario Liquor Board Employees’ Union has been running a successful campaign against privatizing the LCBO, and at same time, National Union of Public and General Employees threw its full support behind a campaign to stop government of from privatizing the phenomenally-profitable Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Should LCBO be privatized now? In this report, first of all, the importance of the issue is discussed, then a detailed analysis of the interests among government, business and public is presented, finally I will draw the conclusion and make a few of recommendations for privatization of LCBO. 2. Importance of the Issue 2.1. Revenue The LCBO is a highly profitable business owned by the government of Ontario. It is also a significant component of the economy of the province. It generates $2.9 billion a year in taxes and profits. The LCBO also contributes to the economy of Ontario in salaries, rents, and the purchase of various goods and services. This sum of money has a multiplier effect on the provincial economy, larger than the original amount injected into the economy. 3 2.2. Pricing and Marketing The LCBO carries a very wide selection of quality-tested products throughout the province at uniform prices. The liquor control boards can, as single buyers, bargain for lower prices and greater special discounts from suppliers and carriers. The privately-owned outlets are fragmented and multiply rapidly and are therefore not centralized in their operations and distribution network. Privately-owned retail outlets also require higher rates of return on their capital costs than control boards, and these higher costs, among others, lead to higher alcohol prices under privatization. 2.3. Employment The LCBO is a progressive employer of a committed and customer oriented workforce who are classified as permanent (amount 3362) and casual, and full-time and part-time.4 LCBO privatization means the laying off of LCBO employees that will lead to huge losses to the treasury and economy of Ontario. Thus the union struggles to organize campaign against the privatization. 2.4. Society Influence Privatizing the LCBO would likely lead to increased access to alcohol, increased consumption and therefore more alcohol-related costs. The significant potential consequences of the privatization of alcohol monopolies include: increased overall population consumption; increased sales to under-aged and intoxicated patrons; increased problems with monitoring and enforcement. 3. Analysis of Privatization 3.1. Government From the aspect of government, it is a current trend that government should not put more intervention in business. Tory said in throne speech: â€Å"The government will sell businesses it should not operate and assets it should not own.† 5 Thus it is reasonable that the former and current minister planned to sell off or partly sell the LCBO. Another reason for privatization may attribute to fiscal deficit, because ministers want to cut its deficit during their terms. The sale of LCBO will obviously resolve its financial problem in short term. However, if we consider it as a financial decision in the long term, it may not be a good choice. Because LCBO is running very well now, it brings an annual dividend of $975 million to government or people of Ontario in 2002-03.6 3.2. Business Many private investors would prefer to buy the franchise of LCBO or directly buy its retail shop. Because LCBO has already established its stable customer base, and have its brand recognizing advantage, it will be a little easy to develop their business in such situation. But due to limit of small scale, its operating cost would be higher than the LCBO, this may lead to high sale price of liquor. And at same reason, it may not control the quality of product as LCBO does. Until now, too many small towns didn’t get LCBO service because they couldn’t support the overhead of a full-sized LCBO store. Sterling, the former minister of consumer and business services, told reporters. â€Å"With our go-ahead to offer franchises to existing retailers in very small markets, we’ll improve service for residents and visitors, while preserving the LCBO’s social responsibility standards.† 5 3.3. Public Most people are satisfied the LCBO’s product and service, and support the board control. Alcohol is special commodity, thus government intervention is needed at this situation, even though LCBO has monopoly status in Ontario area. All LCBO retail employees are trained to Challenge and Refuse service to anyone who appears underage and cannot provide valid ID or appears intoxicated. Last year, LCBO frontline staff challenged 1.2 million would-be customers and refused service to nearly 70,000, about two-thirds of whom appeared underage and could not provide valid ID.7 It is difficult to imagine what will happen if all these retail shops are sold to private investors, they may consider more on their own economic benefit and neglect social liability. Increased alcohol problems such as sale to under-aged and intoxicated patron are very likely happen. 4. Recommendation and Conclusion The privatization of LCBO is a complicated issue, because we should consider the relationship and interests among government, business, and public. On one hand, normally government should not act as a policy decision maker and business operator at same time, which will easily lead to monopoly and against good faith.8 On another hand, we have to consider that alcohol is special commodity, which should be effectively controlled by government based on public interest. Therefore my suggestion is to partly privatize LCBO, it will decrease business monopoly in the market, but government could still occupy large part of share, so it can effectively regulate the operation of business. There are many methods of privatization, and some ideas had been mentioned by government in LCBO history, such as franchise store in rural area, merge with Beer Store, and income trust. The main concern is to find an appropriate way to balance the interests of all parties, and make the privatization go smoothly during a period, not suddenly hit some party’s interests, and untimely be accepted by all groups. In order to achieve this goal, the LCBO and ministry must be more transparent in their decision-making, and more open to consideration of public health interests. From this point of view, government could organize a board which has enough members from different stakeholders, such as employees of LCBO, representative of Ontario citizen, expert of public health and safety, economists, private investor and government officer. They could regularly meet together to discuss the possible method of privatization and collect all kinds of opinion and feedback from society. Although this method may spend more time during policy-decision process, only when the issue is thoroughly discussed and known by public, the rational policy could be made to reflect all party’s interest and untimely encounter less resistance while it is applied. Endnotes: 1. LCBO, â€Å"Business Information†, http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/businessinformation.shtml (accessed 16 October 2004). 2. LCBO Annual Report 2003, 44, http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/annualreport2003.shtml(accessed 17 October 2004). 3. Ontario Liquor Boards Employee’s Union, â€Å"LCBO Revenues†, http://www.ourlcbo.com/revenues.htm (accessed 18 October 2004). 4. LCBO Annual Report 2003, 44, http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/annualreport2003.shtml (accessed 18 October 2004). 5. The National Union of Public and General Employees, â€Å"Ontario opening 150 private rural liquor outlets†, http://www.nupge.ca/news_2001/news_se01/n26se01a.htm (accessed 19 October 2004). 6. LCBO Annual Report 2003, 11, http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/annualreport2003.shtml (accessed 19 October 2004). 7. LCBO, â€Å"Today’s LCBO†, http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/todayslcbo.shtml#social (accessed 20 October 2004). 8. Glen E. Randall & David S. Barrows, Business P700 Lecture (McMaster University, 15 October 2004). Bibliography: 1. Daniel Girard. â€Å"Liquor stores could still be up for sale, Harris says†. The Toronto Star, 27 May 1999. 2. Ian Urquhart. â€Å"McGuinty puts controversial Tory ideas into play†. The Toronto Star, 2 Oct. 2004. 3. Nuri T. Jazairi. â€Å"The Impact of Privatizing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario†. http://www.yorku.ca/nuri/lcbo.htm (accessed 18 October 2004). 4. Robert Benzie. â€Å"Eves talked of selling LCBO, insiders say†. The Toronto Star, 31 Oct. 2003. 5. Robert Benzie. â€Å"Eves sought list of assets to be sold†. The Toronto Star, 2 November 2003.