The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C. S Lewis wrote the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe initially for his Goddaughter in order to keep her in touch with Christianity. What Lewis did not realize is that many adults would also enjoy the fantasy children’s novel as well. The narrative is filled with mythical creatures, humorous moments, and suspenseful situations. Although many events and characters seem improbable, the four children in the book—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—are realistically portrayed as well-rounded characters with individual strengths and faults. Although the novel is recognized as a children’s fantasy book, it is also popular with adults as the story contains bits of modern culture, vivid descriptions of violence and is heavy on Christian allegory. As much as the readers enjoy the magical land of Narnia, 21st century life is not exactly full of Dryads, Naiads and Fauns frolicking and feasting in the summer woods. By contrast, in today’s children’s fantasy novels, not every injustice is punished, and not all the good people live happily ever after: some of them die, because that is reality. Between school shootings, gang violence and child abuse is seems as though reality is thousands of miles away from the fantasy of complete and total justice in Narnia. What readers of all ages can relate to, however, is betrayal. For example, spouses who cheat, employees who steal from their employers, and friends who tell lies. This modern idea of betrayal is where readers from any age can relate to the novel. In the narrative, Edmund’s first betrayal is a small but unpleasant one: â€Å"Up to that moment Edmund had been feeling sick, and sulky, and annoyed with Lucy for being right, but he hadn't made up his mind what to do. When Peter suddenly asked him the question he decided all at once to do the meanest and most spiteful thing he could think of. He decided to let Lucy down† (Lewis 48). Edmund lies about his trip to Narnia in order to make himself look superior in the eyes of his older siblings. This small cruelty will pave the way for his greater betrayal further in the story. Readers of any age can connect with the modern culture of betrayal in the novel, where minimal details are explored that over time lead to Edmund turning his back on his siblings. This novel features an odd mix of childish adventure and bloody battles. Young children who read this story enjoy the fairy-tale aspects, while older readers can appreciate the repetition of scenes in which the children are often comforted by the sudden availability of tea, and the way the forces of good seem to always outweigh the evil. The use of violence throughout the novel deals strictly with fantasy for children, where it is mainly used for excitement. On the other hand, for older readers the violence in the novel can be seen as consequential where extreme force is used as simply last resort. For example, as the head of the forces of evil, the White Witch is not playing a long hand when she exclaims, â€Å"Summon all our people to meet me here as speedily as they can. Call out the giants and the werewolves and the spirits of those trees who are on our side. Call the Ghouls, and the Boggles, the Ogres and the Minotaurs. Call the Cruels, the Hags, the Spectres, and the people of the Toadstools. We will fight† (Lewis 149) There are many different creatures in Narnia that follow the White Witch and she merely acts as their stone cold captain. This quote explores evil where it is not an isolated incident in Narnia – it is the idea of violence and commands a great deal of power. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe functions as a spiritual allegory where one does not have to be too familiar with the Bible to recognize some of the key characters and themes. Without doubt, Aslan represents Jesus Christ, and also God himself, whereas the White Witch represents Satan. Narnia, where the adventure happens, visibly represents the Kingdom of God. Clearly there is no direct retelling of any of the Bible stories; however, readers can find elements taken and redistributed for younger readers. In addition, having this biblical reality come to life is important to ensure a committed Christian lifestyle not only for children, but also for adults. For instance, when Edmund arrives in Narnia alone, he immediately meets the White Witch where he is tempted with the enchanted Turkish Delight and the promise of becoming a prince of Narnia. The White Witch explains to Edmund, â€Å"I think I would like to make you the Prince – some day, when you bring the others to visit me† (Lewis 40). Succumbing to temptation is a very powerful theme in the Bible, where Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness with promises of great power. Not only does Lewis restate certain events in the life of Jesus in a context that is easy to understand, most importantly, readers of all ages can both relate to and enjoy the fantasy of Narnia. An understanding of the modern reality, use of violence and Biblical allegory in the novel is essential in satisfying both younger and older readers. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has already established itself as a timeless novel that appeals to both the atheists and Christians, the uneducated and to scholars, and lastly to children and adults. In addition to being a children’s fantasy book, it is an adventure story in which the heroes set out on a quest to recover their kidnapped friend and end up ruling the land. An analysis of this narrative, however, allows readers of any age to fully appreciate Lewis’ unique gift to simplify complex ideas and craft beautiful children’s fantasies. Thus, this allows the reader of any age group to gain a deeper understanding of Lewis as a skilled creative writer and a deeper satisfaction of his artwork, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Why did a campaign for women’s suffrage develop in the years after 1870?

During the 19th century women were seen differently, through the eyes of the law, men and work. Most people believed that women should be passive ‘ladies'; obedient to their husbands and should stay at home. Married women's property was owned by their husbands and so was their financial, political and social power. Women didn't have similar rights as men did during the 19th century and this had started to get more and more noticed, by women, towards the 20th century. Women were put into three types of class systems, working class being the lowest, middle class, being the intermediate and rich class being the highest. A woman's husband's class would determine which class she would belong to. Most working class women were noticeable if they had a tan. The reason being is that working class women would have had to do the domestic work as well as earning money by working for an employer, usually at a very low pay, and this would have resulted in the woman having a tan. Most working class girls were brought up into poor families and had to start work at a young age. They earned little money and tended to marry men from there own deprived class. However, middle class women had diverse experiences and attitudes towards themselves. They were known as ‘helpmeets' by men and had accepted their position in the sexual hierarchy. All middle class families had employed servants, which meant women had little to do except for embroidery and entertaining as only a majority of them could educate themselves. Middle class girls were taught at home by mothers and governesses and learned how to ‘catch a man' and how to be a good wife. On the contrary, rich class women had the ‘easiest' life out of all the types of women. They had servants to look after the homes, thus they had more time to spend on their families and themselves. They could go to school for an education and could even choose to be a doctor, accountant or banker. Although rich women could take up a career in one these jobs, they were still restricted in society of taking up a career in other jobs such as diplomats, barristers or judges. Overall, rich women had the most pleasant life out of all the types of women but even they had started to get fractious of the restrictions and the disparity that was towards them. Women were starting to get irritated of not having the same rights and equality as men did during the 19th century. They were mainly annoyed because of the ‘separate spheres' theory. This theory explained the roles of men and women, which were listed inside two circles, one for each sex, had showed the roles that each person would have to do. Women's roles were harder and longer than the men's were and this was due to the inequality, at the time of the 19th century, which lead to a difference in roles. By 1870, women were becoming more frustrated of the restricted paths they could choose from and this had lead in women starting to campaign and protest for equal rights. Changes in the education opportunities encouraged women to campaign for the vote because women had began to comprehend that they were not getting the same education as men were. This had started to infuriate women as they couldn't do much with their careers and this resulted in a lower income for women to support their families with. Working class women couldn't educate themselves due to their class, middle class women had accepted their position on the sexual hierarchy and where known as ‘helpmeets' towards men whereas rich class women were allowed to educate themselves but there were only a handful of good academic girl's schools at that time, of which the government didn't bother much about. Even though some women didn't want a change, things were starting to look good for the ones that did. In 1874, the first school of medicine was founded for the medical education for women. In 1878, London University was the first to award women degrees on the same terms as men. Although some opportunities were opening for women, the idea of disparity was still consistent. Changes in the legal status of women encouraged women to campaign for the vote because the general attitude towards them was beginning to change due to the legal status at that time such as the Custody of Infants Act, which was introduced in 1839 and meant that women were authorized to claim custody of young children following separation. In addition, the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 introduced the possibility of a civil divorce, one that could be granted without an act of Parliament. Also the Matrimonial Causes Act allowed legally separated women to retain their earnings, giving them some control over their own income for the first time. Now that women were a part of the new laws, they wanted to insure that they could get the vote, which was most important for them to achieve. Albeit there were beginning to be superior changes, women were still not treated equally and the law was preventing them from exercising politics. Changes in the workplace encouraged women to campaign for female suffrage because women (mainly working class) were starting to get stressed of having to do domestic work as well as working in factories, mills etc for little reward and being called ‘irresponsible' by people because they'd work and not look after there children all the time. Because of this, women had started to get annoyed and wanted better rights at work and home. Small groups had started to form due to the inequality of women's rights and campaigning was beginning to appear by the twentieth century. Although women had started to protest for disparity, they still weren't receiving the attitudes by men and the law as they had hoped to. Political groups such as the NUWSS encouraged women to gain the vote because they were opening a whole new gateway for women and their rights. The NUWSS (National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies) was beginning to make it clear to people that they wanted the vote. Milicent Fawcet was the leader of the NUWSS, also known as the Suffragists, and aimed to expand the rights of women and to improve society. The Suffragists were doing this by protesting, going to political meetings and by peaceful persuasion. By doing this they wanted people to realise they were solemn. They were achieving and had the success of many Liberal MPs and some Conservative leaders, however this wasn't enough to gain the vote and the slow moving process meant that suffrage groups such as the Suffragists weren't getting anywhere with the gaining of the vote and women were running out of patience. In conclusion, I think that a campaign for women's suffrage developed in the years after 1870 because situations changed for women, which took them one step closer to gaining the vote. The reasons I have listed in my essay show how women had started to take action after the year1870, such as protesting, peaceful persuasion etc. The main reasons that I think have encouraged women to campaign for equality are education, the workplace, the change in the legal status and most importantly female suffrage groups. All of these reasons have given women a better understanding on why they should gain the vote and to demonstrate why male and female ‘separate spheres' should interlink with each other to give the genders equal roles. I think that female suffrage groups acted like the spark that lit the fire for female equality as it gave women a voice to express their feeling on how they would have liked to be treated and the rights they would have liked to achieve from the government. Suffrage groups were a good way of campaigning towards the 20th century because people, such as the government, would have noticed suffrage groups and would have listened to their explanations rather than listening to only one person trying to explain a point. Although women had started to make points that they'd feel strongly about clear, this wasn't enough to gain the vote. Women had gained social and economical freedom, however they had still lacked in political freedom, which had started to exasperate the majority of them. Groups such as the Suffragists were making points clear to people, however there slow moving process was not going to plan as women still hadn't gained the vote towards the 20th century, and if their was no vote then their would be no change, so women had started to run out of ideas and most of them had started to run out of patience. Why did a campaign for women’s suffrage develop in the years after 1870? The women's suffrage campaign developed after the years of 1870, because life and existence was unjust. They way they were treated escorted to the development of the campaigns. To transform life, rules need to be changed, by chosen and appropriate law makers – the government, to fulfil the needs of the people. In 1865, the first British woman-suffrage association was founded by Mill. Campaigns expanded because the vote could change the life of women. Women were accused of being unable to vote, and the franchise was opposed, such as by antifeminist Queen Victoria. The Liberal Party was committed to increase franchise, but did not deliver their promise, so protest began, as women were infuriated. Additionally, women in other countries were given the vote. In 1893, New Zealand was the first country that franchised women's vote. This displayed the role of women and their independence, to the world. The campaigns in Britain arose because they wanted the same to be done, as it could be achieved. Next, the 1867 Reform Act was declared. It gave many working class men the vote, but did not mention the women's license to votes. This angered women very deeply, as they were promised again the vote in the new laws, but were betrayed. Again, this made the campaigns upgrade, as they worked even more to succeed. Inequalities with men in the workplace also lead to progression of the campaigns. There were more women working in factories, doing long hours in dull, un-skilled, monstrous work with little pay, particularly in textile factories, or as domestic workers plus servants than men. Men, conversely, did more skilled work in addition to receiving more responsibility and money. This displayed unfairness women wanted to change. Famous cases of women being prevented from taking ‘male' jobs depicted to women that they could be capable of doing anything but the country's antifeminists would stop them, unless they were stopped first by the law. Inequality with men before the law angered women. When women married, all her property became her husbands. Additionally, women could not sue. This was unjust. Successful but slow pace of reforms were prior to 1870. In 1882 and 1857, the Matrimonial and Cause Act were made, which took cruelty, adultery, and desertion in a marriage into account. But, this was unfair because men had to be committed to do two of these, while women had to act one of these, to face the law, divorce. In 1870, the Married Women's Property Act was released again, but more developed, to prevent loss of fortunes. However, even when the law was changed, inequality still existed. How women were treated unfairly in the eyes of the government was why the campaigns increased. Increased education of middle class women meant that women wanted jobs they were educated for, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers. Famous successful women as role models such as Annie Besant, Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole displayed that the work of women could revolutionise the world. Increased involvement of women in local politics allowed them to vote in local elections, such as the 1869 and 1882 Municipal Councils Act and in Schools Boards after 1870, plus Boards of Health from 1875. This acted as a taster of what could be, and women liked the power and control of voting. In conclusion, their development of their campaigns can stand to be symbolised that they wanted change and development since antiquity, in addition to the right of women to share on equal terms with men the political privileges afforded by representative government, and to vote in elections, referendums and hold public office.

Effects on Relationships Essay

Effects on Relationship Love by definition is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment, but what happens when there’s friction between love? That is what every couple has to deal with. Everyone has some sort of relationship in their life. Relationships can be between friends, parents, or even a man and woman. There are many factors that can determine the causes of trouble in a relationship. Miscommunication, disagreement, and trust are three factors contributing to trouble in relationships. I believe that miscommunication is a big factor to relationship problems. Simple things such as what time dinner is or how long a meeting is going to be can cause friction. By not communicating, a relationship can develop some major problems. Certain miscommunications can cause speculation such as one or both partners accusing another of being unfaithful. One should never develop problems from Just simply not talking to one another. By not having good communication, the relationship can suffer dramatically and could possibly end. Another major cause of friction in a relationship is disagreement. No matter what, veryone ends up getting into a disagreement or difference with another person. One might disagree on who should be voted off on the next episode of American Idol or who the president of the United States should be. Disagreement leads to argument; arguments are never good in a relationship. To have a strong relationship a couple should learn how to make compromises to ensure a strong and steady connection. By working to develop this, the relationship should be closer and stronger than before. Lastly, trust is the key to all relationships. Being loyal and having faith can keep any relationship steady. Without trust, how is one supposed to stay in a relationship? Trust is incredibly hard to gain and so easy to lose. In high school, one usually has a best friend that he or she tells everything to. What happens if that person gets mad at one for any reason and spills his or her secrets? All trust in that relationship has now disappeared. At that point, trust is so hard to gain back. Losing all trust could end a valuable relationship. There are many fgures that can cause friction in relationships. Miscommunication, disagreement and trust are all major factors in a relationship. Whether your relationship is between best friends, lovers or family; these are all main factors. If any problems come between these factors, relationships could go through major problems and possibly terminate. By causing problems between these three factors, it can cause bad effects on the relationship. It is important to not cause friction between any of these if one wants to keep a strong relationship. Effects on Relationships By amberrJade

Consumer behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Consumer behaviour - Essay Example These products have been grouped together depending on the type of decision rules that consumers would adopt while purchasing them Consumers will exhibit habitual/routine response behaviour while buying these products. In such cases, the consumer recognizes a problem and resorts primarily on internal search only, i.e. relies on his long-term memory. The internal search throws out a single solution, i.e. the most preferred brand which is purchased by the customer. There is thus low level of consumer involvement in such cases. Consumers typically demonstrate routine buying behaviour in case of low priced products that are frequently purchased. Consumers will resort to limited problem solving (LPS) decision rules while purchasing an aftershave lotion or taking carpeting decisions. Under LPS, consumers resort to some amount of external search in addition to internal search. They tend to consider a few alternatives before selecting a particular brand. Products involved in LPS arouse mild interest and curiosity. Consumers also resort to a little post purchase evaluation in such cases. Consumers will resort to extensive problem solving while purchasing luxury cars. They indulge in extensive information search which is followed by a complex evaluation of multiple alternatives. This process entails a thorough post purchase evaluation in such cases. Consumers use the extensive problem solving decision rules in case of infrequently purchased, very highly priced products. Typically such products carry a high symbolic meaning and have high social visibility. There are numerous features like focus, film format, lenses, timers, preview button, viewfinder, light meters, shutter controls etc. that can be considered while purchasing a 35mm camera. I find that the following attributes are relevant and must be kept in mind while making the purchase decision for a 35 mm camera; Shutter Speeds, Flash Sync, Autofocus,

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Research Paper

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Research Paper Example When Congress identified the need to share information among the department involved in the homeland security mission, it created an act in 2002 (Randol, 2010). The act defined the relationship between the departments concerned. Critics observed that the mandate of the Department of Homeland Security could be susceptible to challenge if the congress did not constitute an act, which protected the operation of the department. The act passed by the Congress defined the framework of activities, which were relevant to the promotion of interest of the America people. The legality of the organization must have a backing from the constitution. This explains the move made by the Congress to initiate an act, which could support the mandate of the organization in full. DHS has developed various changes in activities that it discharges to the society from its inception to date. The inception of the DHS defined its mandate, which included being a member of the Intelligence Community. This mandate subjected the organization to liaison between other relevant organizations in fighting the menace of terror attacks. However, major adjustment has occurred in the organization, which includes the following. The establishment of Intelligence and Analysis department within the organization in 2003 led to the reorganization of duties performed by the organization. The mandate of the Intelligence and Analysis department was to fuse, coordinate, and analyze the information received by the organization (Randol, 2010). The idea that propelled the move was to create a common picture in the operation of the organization. The intelligence and Analysis department acted as a bridge between the Intelligence Community and the DHS. The ability of the firm to discharge its mandate effectively depended on common operation idea, which involved the support of the state, private sector and the local partners. The commonality in handling the information of the DHS was very crucial

What is the Threat to the US from North Korea Assignment

What is the Threat to the US from North Korea - Assignment Example Due to this conflict, it is feared that North Korea may be planning to attack the United States directly or indirectly through its everyday developing nuclear program. One of the main threats to the United States from North Korea is that North Korea might soon become capable enough of developing nuclear weapons that can be used against the United States and its allies. North Korea and South Korea have been in continuous conflict over the issue of Korean Peninsula and United States has tried to help South Korea as South Korea is an ally of United States (U.S. Department of State, 2014). The threat is that if North Korea develops nuclear weapons, it may directly attack the South in order to solve and gain victory on the dispute of Korean Peninsula. If North Korea attacks the South, there is the huge possibility of a World War consisting of the use of nuclear weapons taking place. A World War may erupt because the US being friends with the South may help the South, while on the other ha nd China being an ally of North Korea may try to defend them (Schneider, 2014). The United States already owes a huge debt to China and China has the ability to completely destroy the United States and due to this United States may not be able to assist the South in order to protect its own nation. The United States has been fighting the war for peace and the war against terrorism for several years. Due to these several nations such as Afghanistan and militants living in those nations are quite angry with the United States. One reason due to which the United States has an upper hand over the extremist terrorist group is that these terrorist groups do not control nuclear weapons. If North Korea is able to develop its own nuclear weapons, then there is a possibility that North Korea may supply these weapons to the terrorist organizations and the terrorist organizations will then have the ability to attack the United States with nuclear weapons (Snyder, 2013). North Korea is kind of an isolated region which blindly trusts its government and is ready to take any action that may be commanded by their government.  Ã‚  

Homeland security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Homeland security - Assignment Example Secondly, since the department is faced with the challenge of shrinking resources, taking an all-hazards approach will help address this problem. Although critics of the all-hazards approach have pointed to resource availability as a major restraining factor, a closer analysis reveals the opposite. This is because a single comprehensive program for responding to all types of disasters will be developed as opposed to having separate capabilities for the different disasters (Canada, 2003). Such a unified approach will help eliminate bureaucracy, and ensure that all relevant bodies across all the states work in harmony. This is well captured in the DHS’s 2012 strategic plan where it is recommended that an integrated approach to disaster management should be adopted. This can be effectively achieved through sharing of information with federal, state and local partners, including the private sector as well as international partners. Finally, the DHS is capable of handling all types of disasters if relevant local and regional structures are put in place. Through this, it will be easy to identify and deal with threats of all kinds in good time. Since homeland security is more than terrorism, the DHS must enhance its capacities and deal with all forms of hazards. As noted in the article by Christopher Bellavita (2008), homeland security goes beyond terrorism. This requires bringing all stakeholders on

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Management - Essay Example Gadgets such as Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad which also doubles as an eReader are garnering huge popularity among the readers and book lovers alike. Furthermore with the increasing penetration of internet in almost all walks of life, a significant change in the patterns of reading and behavior of book readers is being observed worldwide. The consumers have shown a greater acceptability of such new gadgets and the publishers are cashing in on the popularity to drive their sales and increase their profits. The popularity of e-book readers can be estimated from the rising sales. According to statistics (see figure 1), the sales of eReaders in the first quarter of 2011 rose to 236 per cent, totaling 4.8 million units. It is expected to further rise to 27 million by the year end (Digitimes Research, 2011). Figure 1: According to research, Amazon is expected to be the frontrunner and retain its industry dominance by capturing approximately 60 per cent of the market share, followed clos ely by Barnes & Noble which is likely to settle on the second spot, followed by Sony. Challenges for the industry players The major industry players in the e-book reader market include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony and Apple. Amazon has emerged as a strong player in the market, although Sony was the first company to initiate the product in the U.S. markets with its state of the art technology. The launch of Kindle has since far surpassed the sales of all other electronic book readers available in the market. However, on account of new entrants such as Google for instance, which is taking giant strides in digitizing books from all major libraries the current industry leaders are likely to face serious competition in the near future (DailyMarkets, 2011). With record number of sales observed in the first quarter of 2011 and strong predictions for the rest of the year, it is highly likely that the market for eBooks and eBook readers is going strong and growing steadily. More and more pri nt editions such as newspapers and magazines have also joined in the eReader bandwagon owing to its incredible success. However, one of the greatest challenges faced by this industry is that of rising concerns over piracy. The publishers are wary of the proliferation of pirated copies floating freely on the internet, supported by the ease of pirating such copies and converting them in digital formats. There is a high and urgent need for product differentiation in the industry. Publishers are yet largely unaware of the choices of formats preferred by the readers of online books and the popular sections such as Science, fiction, non-fiction or academic books and target their customers accordingly (Dillehay, 2001). With regard to markets geographically, North America is likely to continue as the biggest market for e-book readers accounting for approximately 72 per cent of the global market share. However, at the same time newer markets are constantly opening up such as Europe, Japan an d China. The global market for eBook readers is likely to reach 63 million units as shipments, by the year 2014 (Digitimes Research, 2011). 2. Comparison between Border Books and Barnes & Noble on the following grounds: a. Approaches taken by Barnes & Noble and Border Books to respond to the changes in the e-book market With the advent of new technologically enabled gadgets and

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES - Coursework Example During the process new leaders are made for the future through proper training and experience. Any organization that is in its finest today whether it be, Apple co, Microsoft, Zara was the result of one or more individuals in their early thirties who possessed leadership qualities. While it is true that for a company to be created and be successful it needs to have something to sell, at the same time they need a great leader. A fine example is the late Steve Jobs who did not create any of the Apple computers but steered them into the right direction with his social intelligence and his eye for design. Change management however, is needed in any and every company that wants success in the long run. It simply might be needed because the customers are bored of the monotonous product that they’re being offered or a more complex reason might be because intrapreneurship is needed in the organization because the previous management system wasn’t effective enough. Sometimes the change might be needed because the competitors have caught up and you no longer hold a competitive advantage. Having discussed leadership and change management, it is true that an organization cannot survive without either one of them. Any organization that comes into being is very informal in the beginning, starting off with very few employees, mostly friends who share the same ideas and visions, working in a small office consisting of a mere two or three rooms. Some of these organizations even start off from the garage of a home. The environment of these organizations is very informal which works in the beginning as they only need enough revenue above breakeven to invest further into the workings of the company. When this organization has matured and has enough employees to push out of a city or district it needs to change from an informal management to a more formal one. This is achieved by hiring leaders or identifying leaders among

Politics of US Environmental regulations on drilling, pipelines, Essay

Politics of US Environmental regulations on drilling, pipelines, refineries - Essay Example In the background part, the overview of the drilling process, oil drilling types, and key environmental considerations is given. It is followed by the analysis of the US oil reserves and resources, with regards to the variety of opinions about them (from optimistic to pessimistic). One of the central issues of the US drilling politics is the regulation of further offshore drilling. In this light, two alternative viewpoints are being examined: the first is â€Å"pro-drilling†, advocating the expansion of existing offshore drilling initiatives, based on such arguments as the state energy independence and job opportunities. The second is â€Å"pro-regulation†, critical about the progression of offshore drilling and about the impact of oil drilling in general, supported by environmental considerations and economic analysis. Key governmental documents are being examined in connection with these two tendencies. In this paper, we support the sustainable development view that e conomic and social needs should always be balanced with environmental considerations; that is why, little support is given to the dangerous industrial plans of oil explorations and development, but the existing objections are also being approached cautiously. Oil Drilling Process The Procedure of Oil Exploration and Development Oil resources are found in various environments. They are classified according to these environments into onshore and offshore crude oil resources. This distinction is politically significant, as offshore drilling accounts for most of the US oil recoveries: for instance, in 2009, IHS estimated that deepwater offshore oil discoveries were 6 times bigger (as measured by barrels) than the onshore discoveries (IHS, Role of Deepwater Production in Global Oil Supply). Exploration and development of the onshore crude oil is technically different from that of the offshore oil; hence, they will be described separately. It takes several stages for the oil resource (tha t is, â€Å"the total amount of oil in place, most of which can’t be recovered†) to become the oil reserve, or â€Å"the amount of oil that can be recovered economically with existing technology† (Rapier). Roughly sketched, these stages involve: Geologic and geophysical prospecting (the analysis of the potential place for well) Exploratory drilling (making drills, logging, and different analyses of the reservoir) (Centre for Economics and Management of IFP School 69-82) Primary drilling (usually commercially inefficient) (Centre for Economics and Management of IFP School 84) Secondary and tertiary, or enhanced, recovery (Centre for Economics and Management of IFP School 85). Later, the oil has to be separated from gas and water; it also has to undergo other preparatory procedures before being transported for commercial, communal, and industrial use. It is important that scientific exploration of the oil reservoirs also involves drilling; it continues 2 to 6 mont h and has the success rate (meaning the discovery of profitable reservoirs) of approximately 25% (Centre for Economics and Management of IFP School 76). This means that noise and damage to soil and local ecosystems on the stage of exploration affect 5 times more territory than that for later oil development. Offshore exploratory drilling also requires land use for meteorological and diving stations? (Centre for Economics and Management of IFP School 77). The very recovery of oil from the reservoir is possible due to the difference in pressures, as it is shown on the picture 1 (from Centre for

Small Business Owner Characteristics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small Business Owner Characteristics - Essay Example If you would have listen to my investment advice years ago, maybe you wouldn’t be in this situation. You can look into a small business loan. There is something you can do about your non-existent business background. The first thing I would do is look up this website, http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html. It is the United States Small Business Association website. They offer help in many different ranges, from business planning to small loans. Since your small business is already established, some of their services wouldn’t be helpful. They do have free online courses to help manage a small business. The Small Business Association should be able to help you not only with bookkeeping, but with business planning. Business planning is a must. It not only helps you define your profit and losses, it helps you market and achieve longtime goals. You can go this route, or if you don’t have time, you can hire a part time bookkeeper/manager. This will d ecrease from your profits. I believe you told me Hugo does his own books. If he can do his own books, manage and still find time to do machinist work, it should be possible for you to achieve as well. Small businesses fail because of the owner’s vision of his business, not what the business really does. You must go into this venture with your eyes wide open. A business owner has to be able to not only manage his staff critically, but his self as well. For example, if a job is going to put you into debt because of your need for perfection, you have to be able to turn that job down. You cannot let the machinist in you override your ability to manage this business. Hugo’s decision to take a small down payment and then take a percentage of the profit for the next fifteen years could be wise or very stupid. The Small Business Association website has a section on financing. You should check it out. If you take my advice and use this

World Religions Essay Example for Free

World Religions Essay The roles of women within the three major religious groups have changed throughout the years. Their beginnings; as-well-as, their current situation, have played an important part in how women are viewed within the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic communities. For this paper, I plan to examine what those roles were and how women in these faiths are now CEO’s, business owners, and important leaders within their respective communities. Roles of women within the Islamic faith vary from country-to-country. However, the roles of Islamic women are fairly standard and, in many countries, are open to interpretation based on how devoted they and their families are. The majority of Muslims live in more conservative countries, where women are required by law to be completely covered while in public or in the presence of men who are not family, or their husband. In these that require this of their women, those women are not allowed to work outside their homes. Their â€Å"job† is to maintain the household and tend to the children. In westernized countries, the burqua is seen as a symbol of repression for Islamic women. But for most of the women who live in the countries where it is required, they see the burqua as a means of protection for unwanted attention by the opposite sex. The â€Å"dress code† for these women have changed in ways that might not be apparent to the outsiders, but women now wear heels, brightly colored nail polish and other things that many westerners take for granted. Another change for conservative Muslim women, is the allowance of women to compete for their countries in athletic events such as the Olympics. They are still required to keep their legs covered, and are required to compete in their events wearing their head coverings and track suits. Conservative Muslim women are now allowed to walk around in public unaccompanied by a male, and they are slowing starting to enter the work force. Some Afghan women are even starting their own businesses outside their homes. In other Islamic countries where the laws concerning women aren’t as strict, women are attending public schools, universities, and raising up in the ranks of international corporations. The country of Jordan is one of these less strict countries. In an interview with Queen Noor al-Hussin of Jordan back in 1983, she states that Jordan was in the midst of a five-year development plan which emphasized the role of women in the development of a more modern Jordan. Islamic women all over the world have been given greater opportunities for education from primary up through the university levels. This increase in educational opportunities have led Islamic women to be able to serve in parliaments; such-as the Egyptian Parliament and even in the Egyptian cabinet. Islamic women has also been named director of national television stations, and even the Minister of Culture for Syria was a woman. It safe to say that Islamic countries, even those who are very traditional and conservative, are starting to realize that women are vital to their economy; as-well-as; vital to the needs of their own households. Within the next 20 years, Islamic women will no longer be forced to do anything they aren’t willing to do, nor suffer the harsh punishments that are dealt out when an Islamic woman wants to better herself. Furthermore, Islamic women in countries like Afghanistan, will continue to become heads of states, foreign dignitaries, business owners, and CEO’s, while maintaining their faith. Women’s roles within the Jewish communities have also changed. Women are and were, seen has being the heart of the home. Their role, according to Jewish law, was to be the primary vehicle of religious expression. Though for the most part, their role cannot be defined as simply that of mother, sister, or wife, but it assumes different forms as each women develops herself accordance with the general parameters of Jewish law and philosophy. Their roles have always been central and considered an asset to the Jewish communities, yet, they were limited and traditional and dominated their identities. In the more liberal synagogues, Jewish women now wear ritual garments and can read from the Torah, but at one time and even within the Orthodox Synagogues, women are forbidden to even hold a position of any meaningful leadership. However, a few years ago, a female was ordained as a Rabbi. This was a big step for Jewish women everywhere. It is now common in not only in a worship setting, but also, in a business setting for Jewish women; especially; women in the Orthodox Church, to hold jobs outside the home. Not long ago, Jewish women were not allowed to study the Torah, a right that was reserved for strictly the men. However, women are now starting their own Torah prayer groups which are being led by those same women. This, among other changes have caused heated debates within the Jewish world. In the future, not only will women in the more strict synagogues become leaders within their communities, but will also become future CEO’s, which currently, they are not allowed to do. One prime example is Gold Meir, the first Jewish Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. If a Jewish woman can become Prime Minister, imagine what they could do, we could even have a Jewish woman as President of the United States. I saved Christianity for last. Christian women have had their own issues within the business world; however; since Christianity isn’t as strict as some of the other religions on what they considered to be the â€Å"proper† roles for women, their entrance into the business world was a bit easier. The roles of women within Christianity have changed. At one point, like in other religions, women were expected to take care of the household, their husbands and children. Their education wasn’t up to the same standards as men, and were not allowed to discuss anything that was considered to be â€Å"mans† talk. Colleges and Universities were open to only men; whereas; women went off to â€Å"finishing† schools where they learned how to be a â€Å"proper† hostess, etc. Things started to change at the turn of the 20th century. Women started to become doctors, lawyers, and owned and operated their own businesses. They went to college and were determined to be educated the same as men were. Just recently the tide has shifted and there are almost as many women in the corporate world has men. Some of those women even holding places of authority. Women will always have a place in the business world, regardless of their religion. Hopefully, those women who decide to go against the grain and become more than their communities feel they are, will help other women see their potential. Women may be able to manage a household, but there isn’t much of a difference between fighting children and fighting co-workers. They will and are using their â€Å"homemaker† skills in the business world and in the future, will led to better businesses, less ethical issues and a higher economy.

What Is Workers Participation Management Management Essay

What Is Workers Participation Management Management Essay The term participation is derived from Latin word Participare that mean taking part or sharing shaving is a bilateral process involving motivational functional manifestations, the term worker participation involves sharing in an appropriate manner. The decision- making power with the lower ranks of the organization. Workers participation in management is an essential ingredient of Industrial democracy and is based on Human Relations approach to Management which brought about a new set of values to labour and management. Traditionally the concept of Workers Participation in Management (WPM) refers to participation of non-managerial employees in the decision-making process of the organization. Workers participation is also known as labour participation or employee participation in management. Concept:- The technique of the workers participation in management has been regarded as a powerful behavioral tool for managing the industrial relation system. The concept of the WPM crystallizes the concept of industrial democracy and indicates an attempt on the employer to build his employee into a team, which works towards the realization of common objectives. It is a mental and emotional involvement of a person in a group situation which encourages him to constitute to goals and share responsibilities with them. Objectives of WPM: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To establish Industrial Democracy. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To build the most dynamic Human Resources. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To satisfy the workers social and esteem needs. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To strengthen labour-management co-operation and thus maintain Industrial peace and harmony. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To promote increased productivity for the advantage of the organization, workers and the society at large. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Its psychological objective is to secure full recognition of the workers. Strategies / Schemes of WPM: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suggestion Schemes:  Participation of workers can take place through suggestion scheme. Under this method workers are invited and encouraged to offer suggestions for improving the working of the enterprise.   A suggestion box is installed and any worker can write his suggestions and drop them in the box. Periodically all the suggestions are scrutinized by the suggestion committee or suggestion screening committee. The committee is constituted by equal representation from the management and the workers. The committee screens various suggestions received from the workers. Good suggestions are accepted for implementation and suitable awards are given to the concerned workers. Suggestion schemes encourage workers interest in the functioning of an enterprise. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works committee:  Under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, every establishment employing 100 or more workers is required to constitute a works committee. Such a committee consists of equal number of representatives from the employer and the employees. The main purpose of this committee is to provide measures for securing and preserving amity and good relations between the employer and the employees. Functions:  Works committee deals with matters of day-to-day functioning at the shop floor level. Works committees are concerned with: Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Conditions of work such as ventilation, lighting and sanitation. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Amenities such as drinking water, canteens, dining rooms, medical and health services. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Educational and recreational activities. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety measures, accident prevention mechanisms etc. Works committees function actively in some organizations like Tata Steel, HLL, etc but the progress of Works Committees in many organizations has not been very satisfactory due to the following reasons: Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of competence and interest on the part of workers representatives. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Employees consider it below their dignity and status to sit alongside blue-collar workers. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of feedback on performance of Works Committee. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Undue delay and problems in implementation due to advisory nature of recommendations. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joint Management Councils:  Under this system Joint Management Councils are constituted at the plant level. These councils were setup as early as 1958. These councils consist of equal number of representatives of the employers and employees, not exceeding 12 at the plant level. The plant should employ  at least500 workers. The council discusses various matters relating to the working of the industry. This council is entrusted with the responsibility of administering welfare measures, supervision of safety and health schemes, scheduling of working hours, rewards for suggestions etc. Wages, bonus, personal problems of the workers are outside the scope of Joint management councils. The council is to take up issues related to accident prevention, management of canteens, water, meals, revision of work rules, absenteeism, indiscipline etc. the performance of Joint Management Councils have not been satisfactory due to the following reasons:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers representatives feel dissatisfied as the councils functions are concerned with only the welfare activities.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trade unions fear that these councils will weaken their strength as workers come under the direct influence of these councils. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work Directors:  Under this method, one or two representatives of workers are nominated or elected to the Board of Directors. This is the full-fledged and highest form of workers participation in management. The basic idea behind this method is that the representation of workers at the top-level would usher Industrial Democracy, congenial employee-employer relations and safeguard the workers interests. The Government of India introduced this scheme in several public sector enterprises such as Hindustan Antibiotics, Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd etc. However the scheme of appointment of such a director from among the employees failed miserably and the scheme was subsequently dropped. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Co-partnership:  Co-partnership involves employees participation in the share capital of a company in which they are employed. By virtue of their being shareholders, they have the right to participate in the management of the company. Shares of the company can be acquired by workers making cash payment or by way of stock options scheme. The basic objective of stock options is not to pass on control in the hands of employees but providing better financial incentives for industrial productivity. But in developed countries, WPM through co-partnership is limited. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joint Councils:  The joint councils are constituted for the whole unit, in every Industrial Unit employing 500 or more workers, there should be a Joint Council for the whole unit. Only such persons who are actually engaged in the unit shall be the members of Joint Council. A joint council shall meet at least once in a quarter. The chief executive of the unit shall be the chairperson of the joint council. The vice-chairman of the joint council will be nominated by the worker members of the council. The decisions of the Joint Council shall be based on the consensus and not on the basis of voting.  Ã‚   In 1977 the above scheme was extended to the PSUs like commercial and service sector organizations employing 100 or more persons. The organizations include hotels, hospitals, railway and road transport, post and telegraph offices, state electricity boards. Levels of Management Participation There can be 5 levels of Management Participation or WPM: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Information participation:  It ensures that employees are able to receive information and express their views pertaining to the matter of general economic importance. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consultative importance:  Here workers are consulted on the matters of employee welfare such as work, safety and health. However, final decision always rests with the top-level management, as employees views are only advisory in nature. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Associative participation:  It is an extension of consultative participation as management here is under the moral obligation to accept and implement the unanimous decisions of the employees. Under this method the managers and workers jointly take decisions. d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Administrative participation:  It ensures greater share of workers participation in discharge of managerial functions. Here, decisions already taken by the management come to employees, preferably with alternatives for administration and employees have to select the best from those for implementation. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decisive participation:  Highest level of participation where decisions are jointly taken on the matters relating to production, welfare etc. Reasons for failure of Workers participation Movement in India: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employers resist the participation of workers in decision-making. This is because they feel that workers are not competent enough to take decisions. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers representatives who participate in management have to perform the dual roles of workers spokesman and a co-manager. Very few representatives are competent enough to assume the two incompatible roles. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Generally Trade Unions leaders who represent workers are also active members of various political parties. While participating in management they tend to give priority to political interests rather than the workers cause. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schemes of workers participation have been initiated and sponsored by the Government. However, there has been a lack of interest and initiative on the part of both the trade unions and employers. Measures for making Participation effective: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employer should adopt a progressive outlook. They should consider the industry as a joint endeavour  in which workers have an equal say. Workers should be provided and enlightened about the benefits of their participation in the management. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employers and workers should agree on the objectives of the industry. They should recognize and respect the rights of each other. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers and their representatives should be provided education and training in the philosophy and process of participative management. Workers should be made aware of the benefits of participative management. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There should be effective communication between workers and management and effective consultation of workers by the management in decisions that have an impact on them. Viper Report

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Supercritical Fluid Chromatography Engineering Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Supercritical Fluid Chromatography Engineering Essay Even though high performance liquid chromatography is a widely used technique for extractions of analytes in many classes, SFC has clear advantages over it. In HPLC a substantial amount of organic solvent is generated with each extraction, which then needs to be disposed. However, the disposal of the organic solvents is expensive at $5 $10 per gallon, whereas SFC uses considerably less or no organic solvent which leads to a decrease in analysis costs [1]. In replacement of organic solvents an inert environmentally friendly mobile phase is used, often carbon dioxide which can be collected from the atmosphere, as it is energy efficient in the isolation of the desired products [2]. Also without the use organic solvents the product is more concentrated compared to HPLC where the solvent must be evaporated, without the need to evaporate any solvent there is a reduction in energy and labour costs [2]. SFC is similar to gas chromatography (GC) in that it has a lower viscosity and higher diffusion coefficient than HPLC which allows for quicker, more efficient separations as it more effective at entering porous solid materials than liquid solvents. The separation time can be cut down from hours or days to a few tens of minutes [3]. As seen in Table 1, supercritical fluids lie between liquids and gases, which allows for SFC to use features of both HPLC and GC. Due to supercritical fluids having gas like and liquid like density it has a greater solvating power so SFC has a larger molecular range which includes non-volatile molecules which methods like GC do not include [1, 4]. Also, unlike GC which does not analyse thermally unstable compounds, SFC is able to due to the low critical temperatures of supercritical fluids such as carbon dioxide (31oC) [1] ; an advantage of supercritical fluid carbon dioxide is that it has a varied solvating strength that allows for selective extractions [5]. Along with this by altering the temperature and/or pressure it is possible to achieve higher selectivity. The range of detectors is also wider for SFC compared to GC or HPLC this is because in SFC the mobile phase can be liquid or gas like, so GC and HPLC detectors can be used [1]. For example SFC with flame ionization detection (FID) can provide quantification of resolved materials with a sensitivity of 0.1 ng [4]. Due to the range of detectors available for SFC and the low critical temperature of the carbon dioxide mobile phase, the detection and analysis of thermally labile compounds has been successful [3, 5]. Another advantage SFC has over HPLC is separation of chiral compounds, in HPLC the process is very time consuming, in SFC however, due to the lower viscosity of the supercritical fluids, the chiral separation can be run at a flow rate of up to 5 times faster than that of the HPLC all while avoiding pressure build up. The higher flow rate of SFC consequently means that the productivity is higher than HPLC methods [2]. When used in large scale extractions, fluid carbon dioxide can be recycled and then reused this minimize the amount of waste generated [3]. Property Gas Supercritical Fluid Liquid Density g/cm3 (0.6-2) x 10-3 0.2-0.5 0.6-1.6 Diffusion Coefficient cm2/s (1-4) x 10-1 10-3-10-4 (0.2-2) x 10-5 Viscosity g cm-1 s-1 (1-3) x 10-4 (1-3) x 10-4 (0.2-3) x 10-2Table 1: Comparison of Properties of Supercritical Fluids, Liquids and Gases [1] Due to the fact that SFC has features of both GC and HPLC, SFC has diversity in the columns that can be used which are either open tubular (GC) or packed (HPLC). In packed column SFC by choosing suitable column dimensions and particle size [6], this can cause an increase in the number of theoretical plates (over 100,000) [2, 6]. Further advantage is SFC is very clean; mobile phase contaminants are usually trace quantities of other gases. The mobile phase is very free of dissolved oxygen and is not particularly reactive and the mobile phase is easily and rapidly removed [2]. A disadvantage of using carbon dioxide as the mobile phase is it does not elute very polar or ionic compounds; this is overcome by using an organic modifier. However, there are some disadvantages of SFC these include that if molecules are highly polar they are not soluble in the mobile phase. Usually SFC only moves a small amount of a large specimen onto the column Limited availability However, these limitations have been overcome through instrumental modifications that more appropriately address purifications of micro-scale and nano-scale quantities of physiological molecules. More sophisticated 2D systems (2D-SFC) allow for the interfacing of 2 SFC columns having different column coatings or packing and thus provide for orthogonal separation capabilities [2]. Instrumentation used in SFC Originally, SFC instruments were based on HPLC designs with some modifications, however now the design includes a pumping system, modifier module, post-column nozzle and a separator detector [2]. The mobile phase in SFC is pumped as a liquid and then heated up past supercritical temperature until it reaches the supercritical region. The mobile phase passes through the injection valve before the sample is introduced, which carries the sample into the analytical column. To ensure the mobile phase stays supercritical, pressure restrictors are placed at the sides of the detector or at the end of the column. The pressure restrictors are heated as too avoid clogging [7]. As SFC uses a supercritical fluid as mobile phase, there are two possible types of column setup; one setup is HPLC like which consist of two reciprocating pumps these allow the mobile phase to mix and the introduction of a modifier, a packed column which are placed in an oven the detector used is an optical detector and the pressure and flow rates can be controlled separately [7]. Packed column SFC has recently become popular again over the past decade due to drug discovery and the pharmaceutical industry, as it offers the use of an environmentally friendly mobile phase, carbon dioxide, decrease in waste generation and provides purified materials even on a large scale, when used for drug discovery packed SFC is usually coupled with a mass spectrometer detector [2, 8]. In SFC there are lower eluent viscosity and higher diffusion coefficient which as a result lead to an increase in efficiency and a shorter separation time, the low viscosity causes only slight pressure drops which in tu rn allows for the flow rate to be quicker (3-5 mL min-1) compared to that of HPLC (typically ~1 mL min-1) [1, 8]. The other column setup is capillary SFC which is an extension of GC that includes a syringe pump and a capillary column inside a GC oven with a restrictor with a flame ionisation detector (FID), however, in capillary SFC the flow rate of the pump controls the pressure of the system [6, 7]. Other detection methods are also used for capillary SFC one method is Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry. Capillary SFC is used for high separation power and is more suited for fluids with low density. However, capillary columns have some limitations these include sample loading capacity, detection limits and quantitation [6, 7]. As mentioned FID is mostly used for capillary SFC, although in certain cases FID can be used with packed column SFC when a non-flammable mobile phase is used. However, the mobile phase that is used is usually carbon dioxide which requires an organic modifier to deactivate any unbounded silanol groups in the stationary phase [10] thus causing the mobile phase to become flammable this in turn causes a high background signal and a loss of sensitivity. Alternatively, modifiers like esters or lower alcohols can be used in packed column SFC in order to improve the elution of polar compounds [9]. However, to avoid the use of modifiers, open-tubular capillary columns can be used, since silanol groups are not present in the stationary phase [10]. Compared to capillary columns, packed columns display higher efficiency per unit time; also separations can be transported directly from analytical or preparative liquid chromatography (LC) to SFC. Moreover, a standard liquid chromatograph can easily be converted into a supercritical fluid chromatograph [11]. It has was found that certain separations that were developed on a 50 ÃŽÂ ¼m i.d. capillary column can be repeated with the same or better performance on a 1 mm i.d. (microbore) packed column. The packed column system has the additional advantage of yielding excellent peak area precision. It is also shown that the combination of water and formic acid is an effective modifier for CO2 which can be used with FID [6]. A study using the water and formic acid modifier was conducted by H. E. Schwartz et al. formic acid is used as it has low background noise and therefore is more favourable, however another problem arises when using this modifier and that large gradient humps appeared during the run, these were most probably because of organic impurities in formic acid. A way round this problem is that water is added to the carbon dioxide via the use of an aquafier system, the aquafier system used by H. E. Schwartz et al. was a 15 cm x 4.6 mm i.d. silica column (100-200 mesh) that was saturated with ca. 40% w/w water. The column was placed between the pump outlet and injection valve. A test mixture of the formic acid and water modifier was performed by H. E. Schwartz et al. and prodcued the chromatogram as seen in Figure 1[6]. Figure 1 Chromatogram of a test mixture of formic acid/water/CO2 mobile phase. Peak identification (from left to right): n-eicosane, anthraquinone, n-triacontane, tocopherol acetate, cholesterol [6]. In Figure 1 the baseline rises this was due to the pressure program used, however due to the addition of water to the mobile phase which prevented the accumulation of formic acid on the head of the column no hump is visible. In Figure 1 it can also be seen that all the peaks have good shape and resolution even for the more polar compounds like anthraquinone, tocopherol acetate and cholesterol [6]. Mobile phases and stationary phases used in SFC In SFC the density of the mobile phase is about 200-500 times greater to that in gas chromatography. Compounds with high molecular weights are not usually detectable in gas chromatography, however with the density of the mobile phase being greater they can therefore be chromatographed [12]. A wide range of compounds have been tested for use as SFC mobile phases, however, a variety of these required special conditions, and would therefore not be suitable. This resulted in carbon dioxide CO2 being used as it was easily obtainable, low cost and safe [13], along with the critical temperature being 31oC and critical pressure being 73.8 atm [14]. A problem with CO2 as a mobile phase in a packed column is that if CO2 mobilizes a species then there is a possibility that the compound will be irreversibly adsorbed onto the column, this is because of the high activity of most sorbents, this does not happen in capillary SFC as inert fused silica open-tubular column are used. To avoid adsorption onto the column, surface activity needs to be decreased; this has been achieved by using modifiers [14]. There are two main reasons why modifiers are added to the mobile phase, first is that only a small amount of modifier is added in order to deactivate the sorbent active sites, second is when the modifier is added in higher concentrations (level of modifier needed is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥1%)it improves the solubility of the analyte in the mobile phase [14]. One problem with using modifiers is they have a high response when a FID is used; this high response causes an increase in the baseline. The alternative to using FID which helps relieve this problem is the use of a ultra-violet absorption detector, although it is not as applicable to organic compounds compared to FID [14]. This is only true for packed SFC, as when capillary SFC is used most separations are done using only CO2, which is compatible with FID. Having only CO2 as the solid phase can cause slight defects on the chromatograms such as very broad peaks and not well resolved, as well as longer retention times, this is solved by adding a small amount of water to the mobile phase, hence improving the peaks and decreasing the retention time [12]. Modifiers which can be used with the mobile phase include methanol, acetonitrile, chloroform and formic acid. Methanol is the most popular modifier being used in both packed and capillary SFC, even though the addition of water speeds up elution of polar compounds in capillary SFC [12]; methanol has a greater effect when used with silica-packed columns [14]. The solubility of methanol, acetonitrile and chloroform in CO2 was studied by K. L. Maguire and R. B. Denyszyn, they found out that when the pressure is below 90 for methanol/CO2 there was little effect on solubility, but when raised above 90 there was a substantial increase. Acetonitrile/CO2 had very little pressure dependence but small temperature dependence. Finally, chloroform/CO2 both pressure and temperature had a small effect on solubility, when either was raised the solubility of chloroform increased [14]. Research by G. L. Pariente and P. R. Griffiths showed when carboxylic acid groups were present in the analyte the retention time was greatly increased while still using CO2 mobile phase. The cause of this could be due to that the solubility of these polar molecules is low and the solvation is not great enough to overcome the strong hydrogen bonds. The alternative mobile phase used was chlorofluorocarbon (CCl2F2), in comparison to CO2 which had a capacity factor greater than 20 for isophthalic acid; CCl2F2 had a capacity factor of 3.9. These results suggest that CCl2F2 has sufficient free energy of solvation to overcome the hydrogen bonds [14]. Even though CO2 ­ is the most extensively used mobile phase it is no more polar than hexane [15], so alternatives including CCl2F2 have been investigated, however the critical temperatures must not be too high as one of the main advantages of SFC is that elution can take place at mild temperatures. Another example is ammonia (NH3), as it possesses a high dipole moment and relatively low critical temperature, however supercritical NH3 reacts with siloxane linkages and when left for an extended time the siloxane stationary phase for capillary SFC breaks down too [14]. Therefore, a more useful way of eluting polar compounds is CO2  ­and the use of a modifier [15]. For packed SFC more or less all of the stationary phases used in HPLC are used in SFC, most of these are silica-based, chemically bonded or encapsulated, or polymeric [8]. Evaluation of stationary phases of SFC was originally carried out by Schoenmakers et al. this was however, only done using pure CO2 as the mobile phase, and certain phases did not perform well, if a modifier was used these phases would have performed better. When CO2 and a modifier is used as a mobile phase the stationary phase also becomes modified in that both CO2 ­ and the modifier adsorb onto the stationary phase. Depending on the stationary phase depends on the level of adsorption, for CO2 all phases adsorb the same but more polar phases adsorb more modifier than less polar phases. This causes the stationary phase to become more polar than the mobile phase, which in turn will cause polar solutes to interact more with stationary phase increasing retention time. Other stationary phases that have been studied include octadecylsiloxane-bonded silica (ODS), cyanopropylsiloxane- bonded silica, divinylbenzene-ODS, polydimethylsiloxane and porous graphitic carbon (PGC) stationary phases in supercritical [8]. In capillary SFC a problem arises in that normal GC stationary phases dissolve in the supercritical fluid mobile phase as they have a high solvating power. In order to correct the problem a non-extractable stationary phase is needed, examples of this are bonded phase where the stationary phase is attached to the column to surface groups via covalent bonds and cross linked phase where polymer chains within the stationary phase are attached to each other. In order to create non-extractable stationary phase, the process of coating must be undertaken, there are two types of coating, dynamic and static. The most favoured for SFC is static, as dynamic can lead to poor column efficiency and a thick stationary phase is not possible. In static coating the stationary phase is first dissolved in supercritical fluid and forced into the column, to avoid the removal of the phase cross link phase is used as it occurs between the polymers and not between polymer and substrate, and therefore can be applied to glass and fused silica columns [16]. Conclusion

Wakeboarding Essay -- essays research papers

Wakeboarding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Have you ever been Wakeboarding? I have, my first time was last summer. My friend Matt asked me if I wanted to go wakeboarding with him and I said yes. I had never tried it before so of course I was nervous, but extremely excited at the same time. Matt said he would teach me, he had a lot of confidence in me that I would get the hang of it pretty fast. So I drove over to Matt’s house nervous with excitement, the boat sitting in his driveway latched to his step dads maroon Chevy Silverado. We all hopped in the truck and then we were off to Kitsap Lake.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We arrived at Kitsap Lake about noon or one and we loaded the boat into the water. We loaded all the towels, life vest, and of course the wakeboard into the boat. The weather wasn’t the best, it actually started to rain. Later into the afternoon it started to become sunny. Mike, Matt’s step dad, was trying to explain to me how to get up, and so was Matt. Then Matt decided to make it interesting with a bet. He said if I made it up on my third try he would give me $10. So Matt went first so I could see how it was done, Mike would kind of explain to me what Matt was doing, so I would know what to do when I got out there. Matt was really good, he totally knew what he was doing out there. I was actually kind of surprised. Then after Matt was out there for a while, it was finally my turn. I put the freezing cold life vest on, a...

South Sudan: Challenges Facing Africas Newest State Essay -- Diplomac

With the continued development of third-world countries becoming more of a trend, international powers expect that the world is making a larger shift towards total democracy. With the establishment of one of the world’s newest states, South Sudan has many challenges ahead of them yet to conquer in their quest of total independence. How can one make sense of the international relations of establishing a new state. Since secession is not a new theory, we should outline and map the challenges faced by the country of South Sudan. This term paper will provide a brief background, and discuss the challenges that are faced by the newest state of Africa. It’s important for international relations researchers to carefully observe and note these challenges, which can then be applied to other nations in the future. The Republic of South Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. Its current capital city is Juba, the nation’s largest city. Sudan (including South Sudan) was originally a part of Egypt, dating back to the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. It was later governed as an Anglo-Egyptian colony until it’s independence, in 1956. In 1972 following the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed, which lasted until 1983. A second civil war emerged, which ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. Also that year, the Autonomous Government of South Sudan was formed. (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012) On 9 July 2011, South Sudan Seceded from North Sudan, becoming an independent nation, which is not without it’s challenges, both internally and externally. This paper will examine some of these challenges. It can first be noted that South Sudan may not be ready for independence, as the international ... ...thor claims Oliny as new ally. BBC News. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12666585 Carpenter, S. (2011, April 22). South Sudan: reflections on a fragile state. Open Democracy. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www.opendemocracy.net/sam-carpenter/south-sudan-reflections-on-fragile-state Central Intellgence Agency (2012, March). The World Factbook Page on South Sudan. In 2012 World Factbook [Online Database]. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/od.html Storo, C. (2011, June 16). The failed state notion of South Sudan, post secession. Consultancy Africa Intellgence. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www.consultancyafrica.com Young, J. (2003). Sudan: Liberation Movements, Regional Armies, Ethnic Militas, and Peace. Review of African Political Economy [JSTOR], 97(434).

The Air Quality in Beijing

In a world where man-made air pollutants is evidently damaging the atmosphere, it is ironic that Beijing, the capital of China and the host of the 2008 Olympics, is one of the cities with a serious problem in pollution. Based on a recent report, almost everyday, the Chinese capital is blanketed by a sooty mist which is mainly composed of ozone, a harmful substance to the lungs, and nitrogen oxide, a combustible element.Other substances, such as sulfate and carbon are also present in the air which causes pollution levels to go up five times higher than the safety level recommended by the World Health Organization (USA Today, 2007).The major contributors of the air pollution in Beijing are coal burning in the mining industry, gas stations, industrial factories and also the increasing number of road vehicles. The city has roughly 3 million vehicles and the number is increasing by more than 1,000 per day, which generates thick ground level air dust aside from the pollution in the atmosph ere.Moreover, while it is often sunny in Beijing, the sky is regularly hazy and the smog air is filled with carbon monoxide emitted by vehicles which could pose a problem for the participating Olympic athletes next year (Reuters).However, despite the fact that the pollution in the Chinese capital is getting worse every year, according to a Chinese environmental officer, the national standard grade of the air is Grade 2, which he claims is suitable for any form of activity (Reuters).Despite his claim, health officials of the World Health Organization said that pollution could cause very serious problems to people with heart complications or abnormal heart conditions (Reuters). Given the facts stated above, it is very clear that worsening air pollution is threatening the population in Beijing and also the environment.If this problem is not addressed it could cause a significant amount of damage that could be difficult to reverse References Reuters. (2007). Beijing stops cars for Games clean air test. Retrieved October 31, 2007 from http://www. reuters. com/article/environmentNews/idUSPEK17354820070817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&sp=true USA Today. (2007). Olympic inspectors to focus on air quality in Beijing. Retrieved October 31, 2007 from http://www. usatoday. com/sports/olympics/summer/2007-10-23-beijing-air-quality_N. htm? csp=34

Nodody Won Essay

Abstract When the Arthur Andersen LLP/Enron scandal surfaced in 2001, there was much confusion as to whom committed what crime and how many employees were actually involved. After the facts and criminal charges were final, the sequence of events makes sense; the union of two companies, the rise of the participating executives, and finally the end of the money ride. The leaders of both companies used dishonesty to make an abundant amount of money and gain power status (Thomas 2002). Christopher Bergland said it best when he wrote, â€Å"Karma is a boomerang and the long-term shame and anxiety of cheating will ultimately negate the short-term gains of victory,† . This definitely held true for the employees who were disgraced at the conclusion of the legal proceedings; they may have had more money than they needed, but they ultimately lost in the end. The Beginning The joining between Arthur Andersen LLP and Enron was a marriage too good to be true . The relationship started in 1986 when Enron hired the accounting firm Arthur Andersen LLP to perform â€Å"creative accounting,† allowing the energy company to appear more powerful on paper than it really was . Enron Corporation started investing massive amounts of money in â€Å"Special Purpose Entities† to generate huge amounts of revenues. Special Purpose Entities are creative ways for companies to more efficiently raise debt, but they also make it tougher for investors to decipher a company’s actual debt exposure . Company Backgrounds Both companies were built on determination, dedication, and hard work. The founder, Arthur Andersen, who was orphaned at the age of 16, worked as a mailboy during the day and attended school at night. By the age of 23, he became the youngest CPA in Illinois. A mere five years later he started his own accounting firm . The same mind set Andersen possessed in his teen years carried over to his adult life. He realized the key to his business succeeding was by â€Å"†¦promoting integrity and sound audits†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . Enron was founded on the same characteristics plus a few others: pride, arrogance, and greed. Kenneth Lay wanted to have the largest money making company he could and succeeded by pushing for deregulation of the power industry. In 1985, Mr. Lay took advantage of the government’s decision to let gas prices fluctuate/float with the currents of the market. By doing this, Enron grew from 10 billion to 65 billion in assets in 16 years . Lay had visions of what he wanted Enron to be and then sold them to his staff. Hitting it Big In order for a new idea to be successful, a leader with self-assurance and confidence must be present. Mr. Lay found these qualities present in Jeffrey Skilling and hired him as a Chief Executive Officer. Skilling believed in the survival of the fittest. He had an opinion that money is the only incentive that motivated people and he created a competitive, ruthless, and cutthroat workplace. Skilling implemented the Performance Review Committee. Performance Review Committee, or PRC, is an employee evaluation system which graded workers from 1-5, 5 being the lowest and resulting in dismissal from the company. The Enron staff knew it better as â€Å"rank and yank† . One employee who was a trader was quoted saying, â€Å"†¦if I can get a $5 million bonus for stepping on someone’s toes, I’ll stomp on their throat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . Both companies worked hard to build a reputation. Andersen expected all of his staff to be honest and always to put the client’s needs in front of their own agenda unless it involved falsifying documentations. Early in the company’s beginning, Mr. Andersen was faced with a moral decision concerning fabricating records for a client. Andersen, with his integrity intact, refused . The firm continued with the â€Å"think straight and talk straight† tradition after the death of Andersen and through the transition of promoted employee Leonard Spacek .With Spacek at the controls, the company continued to thrive while remaining committed to the regimented management style of the founder . Offices were opened throughout the United States, then ultimately around the world. At this point, the firm started consulting as well as offering audits. Under Spacek’s supervision, Arthur Andersen LLP became one the most prominent accounting firms labeling them as one of the â€Å"Big Five† . The company grew so immensely that Spacek had to turn down clients. Enron had the same growth spurt as Andersen. In a few short years, the company became the seventh largest corporation. It was touted as being led by the best and the brightest . Ken Lay, Cliff Baxter, Jeff Skilling, and Lou Pi were men who thought they were unstoppable. These ruthless leaders took huge risks in order to make money. They were failing miserably, but Ken Lay reported otherwise to the public. He said in news conferences that Enron was thriving and prospering because of his staff’s willingness to take risks. With the growing of both firms, it was evident that structural changes were needed. Structural Changes at Andersen The client load for Andersen was becoming too much for just one company. It was evident that balancing the commitment to auditing while adding a consulting practice was so much of a struggle that Arthur Andersen LLP decided to create another division within the company. In the mid-1980’s, the majority of Andersen’s revenues were being generated from the consulting fees, but were still being dispersed with the accounting side . This caused a strain between the two parties. The consultants felt since they were contributing more to the company their salaries should be increased. The only solution was to change the current organizational structure and create two divisions. Andersen Consulting along with Arthur Andersen LLP became subunits of Andersen Worldwide Organization . Spacek, like his predecessor, was a leader who liked to be seen by his staff, was well informed of business dealings, and continued to encourage honesty. Being decentralized allowed the decision-making to be made by the divisions, branches, departments, or subsidiaries . Both parts of Andersen Worldwide Organization could operate however they chose and make their own decisions, including which clients they took on. Ultimately, it was the accounting division that took on Enron. How the Two Companies Fit Enron officials knew that Andersen had made some questionable decisions in the past and were coming off of a quiet lawsuit that involved some â€Å"creative accounting† . Andersen fit the profile that Skilling knew he needed in order for his visions to work. With Andersen being divided up into two divisions, Spacek could not control what was happening in both sides of the firm. Lay, on the other hand, knew exactly what his executives were doing . Enron hired the accounting firm to make the energy company to appear more powerful on paper than it really was . Enron Corporation started investing massive amounts of money in â€Å"Special Purpose Entities† to generate huge amounts of revenues. Special Purpose Entities are creative ways for companies to more efficiently raise debt, but they also make it tougher for investors to decipher a company’s actual debt exposure . They were also using mark-to-market to book potential future profits regardless of actual money. Profits were whatever Enron said they were based on hypothetical future value or HFV. Mike Muckleroy, a former Enron executive, warned Mr. Lay of the risks associated with betting on the oil market, but Lay did not change any policies or procedures. In fact, he approved of the current behaviors. Lay sent out a memo to his executives saying to keep up the good work. As long as money was being made, he chose to ignore the dishonesty. The money ride came to a sudden halt in 2001. For approximately sixteen years, Arthur Andersen LLP would audit Enron’s financial statements. Not only would the accounting firm provide external audit services, but also handle the internal auditing processes as well. As Enron’s revenues dramatically increased year after year, the paperwork and audit information had to match accordingly. Enron needed Arthur Andersen’s employees to make the visual parallel happen and compensated them millions of dollars for their services. At one time, Arthur Andersen LLP had approximately one hundred people assigned distinctively to Enron. There had become such a significant amount of work that accounting offices were designated for the accounting employees and staff was transferred to Enron’s headquarters in Houston. Eventually, the responsibility of Enron’s Chicago and London locations were added to their caseloads making Enron one of Arthur Andersen LLP’s largest clients worldwide . Pump-n-Dump Top leaders in both firms were making an obscene amount of money. An anonymous tip was given to authorities about former President of Enron, Louis Borget. It was said he had taken over three million dollars of corporate funds and put it into his own account, and that was just the beginning. Enron reported a loss in the third quarter earnings at the same time as a reduction of stockholder equity. Former CEO Jeff Skiing, current CEO Kenneth Lay, and other executives started to sell large amounts of Enron stock as prices dropped from $90 to less than a dollar; this practice was called â€Å"pump-n-dump† . This scheme allowed top executives to push the stock prices up then cash in their multimillion dollar options. Lou Pi was the leader for Enron Energy Services at the time and after he sold his stock using this method, he made profited $250 million . Selling of this much stock gained attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which led to an investigation. It was apparent that a divorce, a trial, and probably prison time was in the near future for Arthur Andersen LLP and Enron leaders who were involved. No matter what the outcome of the trial was going to be, the once impeccable Arthur Andersen and powerhouse Enron were doomed companies because the damage had already been done. Crumbling Companies Andersen’s company, once led by an honest, visible leader who was filled with integrity by making ethical choices was now being led by greedy, selfish executives who saw dollar signs instead of morals. Andersen’s reputation was ruined and finding clients was going to be next to impossible because of the publicity the scandal received. David Duncan who was responsible for the Enron audit, was fired by Arthur Andersen LLP for mass destruction of Enron documents and Enron relieved Arthur Andersen LLP of all accounting and auditing duties . Even though Arthur Andersen pled not guilty to the charges brought against them, the final decision of the courts was Arthur Andersen LLP was found guilty of obstruction of justice and received five years probation, had to pay a $500,000 fine, lost their license in the state of Texas, and ceased their auditing services. Resulting in a devastating loss of clientele and over 7,000 workers had to find new jobs . More people were affected by Enron’s outcome than that of Arthur Andersen’s. After the investigation, Enron filed bankruptcy, over 20,000 people lost jobs, many officials served a prison sentence, and shareholders lost tens of billions of dollars . As officials dug deeper into the scam, recovered documents and many of the testimonies revealed many banks were guilty as well. Bank employees detailed how the banks engineered fake transactions to keep billions of dollars of debt off Enron’s balance sheet and create the illusion of increasing earnings and operating cash flow . As a result, stricter accounting laws regarding audits were later passed by the SEC . Conclusion In this situation, having a leader who exhibits good judgment, morals, ethical conduct, and integrity can strengthen an alliance within a work place. When Arthur Andersen and Leonard Spacek were the supervisors, Arthur Andersen LLP was a major company with a flawless reputation that was completely shattered by a few employees who did not exemplify such characteristics as the former leaders. Arthur Andersen LLP split into two separate divisions, which I think was the correct move because the company was growing and the current staff could not handle the clientele load. In order for the split to work, though, both units needed supervisors like what the company was founded on; managers who could be trusted and held accountable. If I was a partner in Andersen and realized what was being committed, I would have tried to put an end to it. Maybe if someone had the gumption to stand up for what was right, many jobs could have been saved and investor’s money would not have been lost. Enron, on the other hand, was dishonest from the beginning and it was only a matter of time before the leaders were caught of wrong doings. Enron, in my opinion, was being led by the inspiring leaders with excellent leadership skills and work ethics; they just did not have the morals to go with it. Mr. Borget was the first to get caught; Ken Lay was aware of Borget’s actions, but ignored it because he was not incriminated or even suspected yet, but as history reveals, his time was coming . Finally several years later, Lay and his associates received their forthcoming. In the 2001 trial, Ken Lay was charged with 11 criminal acts. Jeff Skilling was sentenced to prison and to this day still claims he did nothing wrong, Cliff Baxter committed suicide before he was to appear in court, and Lou Pi lost 6 million in an insurance policy from the corporation, but never saw any jail time . Had Andersen Worldwide Organization declined on Enron’s business proposal, the accounting firm may have continued to grow and possibly dominate the number’s world. From my point of view, this scandal was a lose-lose situation to everybody involved, from entry level positions all the way up to Chief Executive Officers. Enron became a major power-house in sixteen years and only took 24 days to collapse and go bankrupt . A devastating ending to both firms; several criminal charges were filed against numerous employees, hearings were held, and the companies which were built on ambition and drive were destroyed and are no longer are in existence. In this case, nobody won. References Answers. (2012). Retrieved from Advantages and disadvantages of centralization and decentralization?: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Advantages_and_disadvantages_of_centralization_and_decentralization BBC. (2003). The Enron Affair. Retrieved from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2002/enron/ Bergland, C. (2012). Cheater’s Never Win. Psychology Today. Brickley, J., Smith, C. & Zimmerman, J. (2009). Managerial Economis and Organizational Architecture (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Byrne, T. (2002). Special- Purpose Entities Are Often A Clever Way to Raise Debt Levels. Retrieved from nyu.edu: http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/articles/specpurpentity.htm Findlaw. (2003). Indictment (US v. Arthur Andersen, LLP). Retrieved from News: http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/enron/usandersen030702ind.html FundingUniverse. (2005). Anderson History. Retrieved from FundingUniverse: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/andersen-history/ Geller, R. (2002). Background of the Banks’ Role in the Enron Debacle. Retrieved from The Enron Fraud: http://www.enronfraud.com/ Gibney, A. (Director). (2004). Enron-Smartest Guys in the Room [Motion Picture]. Houston Chronicle. (2002, April 19). Hot Topic Anderson. Houston Chronicle. Investopedia. (2011). The Enron Collapse: A Look back. Retrieved from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/The-Enron-Collapse-A-Look-Back.aspx#axzz23riaPOrn NewsHour. (2002). Enron: After the Collapse. Retrieved from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/enron/player6.html Thomas, W. (2002). The Rise and Fall of Enron. Retrieved from Journal of Accountancy: http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2002/Apr/TheRiseAndFallOfEnron.htm Wikipedia. (2012). Arthur Anderson. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Andersen

CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY Essay

â€Å"A woman is the full Circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform†. Diane Mariechild. Historically women in India were revered and the birth of a girl was widely believed to mark the arrival of Lakshmi – the Goddess of wealth and riches. Women have been considered ‘janani’, i.e., the progenitor and ‘ardhanigini’ i.e., half of the body. Women are also considered to be an embodiment of Goddess Durga. Women have shouldered equal responsibilities with men. So if history has incarnated women to be the goddess of wealth and riches or Goddess Durga herself, so why there had been gender discrimination in the society since ages? Why sex-selective abortions are there? Widespread discrimination against women is, however, reflected in recurrent incidents of rape, acid throwing, dowry killings, wife beating, honour killings, forced prostitution, etc. Some of these issues were highlighted by ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (Truth alon e prevails) – an acclaimed television show hosted by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan. A global poll conducted by Thomson Reuters rated India as the â€Å"fourth most dangerous country† globally for women, and the worst country for women among the G20 countries. Gender discrimination is not only inequitable but also hampers the development of the nation. Evidently no country can sustain its development if it underutilizes its women, who constitute almost half the population. Thus, to fight against the said issues women have changed their role in the society, from being housewives, timid and influential to being a employee, independent and assertive, self-reliant and confident. For centuries, woman and their rights have been oppressed by the dominance of man. There has been continued struggle for the recognition of woman’s cultural roles and achievements, and for their social and political rights. It was very much a patriarchal society for woman, which hindered or prevented woman from realizing their productive and creative possibilities. They have been op pressed to a point where they were treated as a completely different species. They were in a country that seemed to be a dark tunnel with no hope, dreams, or sense of fulfillment. These ideas where seen in the play Merchant of Venice written by William Shakespeare in c. 1598 when Portia and Nerissa have to dress up as men so that they can enter the court room to help Antonio because woman are not allowed to enter courtrooms along with many other public places men had deemed unbefitting for woman. Their only identity was being a mother or housewife and nothing beyond that. They were  timid and influential. But now women have been given their natural birthrights, and they are now able to do everything males can do. Their role has changed in the society. They are now the bread-winners of the family. They perform a variety of jobs, from being astronauts like Kalpana Chawla to famous sportsperson like Sania Mirza, from being politicians like Sonia Gandhi and Meera Kumari to writers and winners of Booker Prize like Arundhati Roy. This change in role has also increased the versatility of women by managing household and work with equanimity. Being the bread-winners of the family i.e. being employed has made women independent, self-reliant and confident. Financial income of the family has also increase leading to better standards of living. Women are now participating in international events. The attitude of people towards women is changing to. Women are now foraying into all fields. They have become scientists, successful teachers, politicians, literary figures, astronauts, philosophers etc. No frontier is now forbidden for womankind. But according to me, this change of role has a disadvantage too. Due to both working father and mother, the children suffer. Children are losing the moral values that earlier were present in every person. The quality time which a mother used to spend with her children is missing. This is really harmful as children are losing the necessary moral and ethics. This is my opinion and neither I am not protesting the act of women working outside.