The Current System Of Sex Education - 1308 Words

It is clear that the current system of sex education that California provides for its minors is inadequate. Presently, California’s education model includes instruction on STDs and the prevention of their contraction, contraception, or methods of preventing pregnancy, and the option to abandon one’s child after the mother gives birth (California Department of Education). Said topics are certainly of import to the general population, and should therefore not be rejected altogether, but the list is nowhere near comprehensive. The requirements for initiatives allow educators to skip over topics such as LGBT identities, responsible adoption practices, and the role the internet plays in sexuality. Ignorance on these topics at best leaves their†¦show more content†¦As Freud notes at the beginning of his essay entitled â€Å"The Infantile Sexuality†, â€Å"It is a part of popular belief about the sexual impulse that it is absent in childhood and that it first appears in the period of life known as puberty† (Freud 44). He is, however, quick to note that â€Å"this, though a common error, is serious in its consequences†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (44). It is crucial that children in middle school learn that the desires that they have had and will have are normal. Around the age of 11 (when kids start middle school), most female bodies will start to hit puberty, with male bodies following soon after. It is important to stress that experiencing sexual impulse is a common experience that in and of itself is not wrong or harmful. Only actions can be classified as such. II) Ask a Doctor -- Encourage QA That said, it is important to provide accurate and honest information regarding the nature of sex in American culture. Even if parents and guardians refuse to speak about sex with their children, it is unlikely that their children will remain ignorant about sex for long. Whether or not the information they receive is medically accurate, culturally appropriate, or even legal, on the other hand, is heavily dependent on the savviness of the child, and is ergo left to chance. It is thus the responsibility of the educator to provide the kind of information that will

Today’S Major Media Platforms Are Defining And Developing

Today’s major media platforms are defining and developing what constitutes the Internet’s version of free speech. As a new form of expression emerges through the use of social media platforms, policymakers must regulate the censorship of posted content while still protecting the integrity of the user’s First Amendment rights. Authors Marvin Ammori, Marjorie Heins, and Jonathan Zittrain engage in synergistic conversation of censorship by mega media platforms’ evolving terms and conditions and their effects on Internet users through the use of real-world examples, differing tones of voice, and individual angles of vision. Ammori’s article â€Å"The ‘New’ New York Times: Free Speech Lawyering in the Age of Google and Twitter† serves as the anchor†¦show more content†¦By addressing these different acts, Heins succeeds at expanding on examples found in the anchor article. Furthermore, Both Ammori and Heins describe New York T imes Co. v. Sullivan as a landmark case in the world of Internet censorship, but it is Heins who digs into the case’s weaknesses. Her grievances with the case, which include the need for protection against slanderous posts about public officials, are understandable, as the tone of her overall essay leans towards a criticizing view of the way different media websites censor what content users can search for and post. While the overall tone of each article varies between authors, one facet each article has in common is the use of first person pronouns. Ammori, Heins, and Zittrain did not shy away from first person pronouns, which helps make readers feel as though they are engaging in conversation with the authors. The use of first person pronouns also comes as a surprise for readers, as many academic conversations omit the use of first person pronouns in hopes of possibly sounding more intelligent. 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October 2012 Assessment Code: RWT1 Date: October 21, 2012 Table of Contents Cover page†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.1 Table of contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.2 Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreTaking a Look at the Field of Marketing2210 Words   |  9 Pagesscholars from several major universities, the development of marketing was in large part motivated by the need to dissect in greater detail these relationships and behaviors existing between the sellers and consumers. 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Capstone Integration Project Free Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Disuss about the Capstone Integration Project. Answer: Fastbrick Robotics is a robotic technology company that mainly aims at bringing a revolution in the construction industry in terms of speed, accuracy, cost and waste management. The world is in constant need of structures and the company has come up with the Hydrian X robot. Hydrian X is a fully mobile 3D printing robot that is designed to build structures layer by layer. The main problem the client faces is developing efficient software to run the robot as well as enhance mass production of the robot. The expected market demand for the robot is very high due to the several advantages it offers. The client has to come up with efficient operation software as well as a mass production mechanism for the robot. For me to develop the software that will enable the robot to run efficiently I don't have to work at the client's premises since few periodical interviews will work except for the testing stage. Is the client the employer for anyone on the team? The client is an employer of 37 employees in the company who range from mechanical engineers, mechatronic engineers, electrical engineers and administrative staff. The client is the chief executive officer of Fastbrick Robotics Company. Please describe if the project has any IT implications? The project is, as a matter of fact, an IT-based solution to the client's problem. System software has to be an improvement of the Architectural Designer software currently used to run the prototype. References Bogue, R. (2018). What are the prospects for robots in the construction industry?. Industrial Robot: An International Journal, 45(1), 1-6 Ingibergsson, J. T. M., Schultz, U. P., Kuhrmann, M. (2015, December). On the use of safety certification practices in autonomous field robot software development: A systematic mapping study. In International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement (pp. 335-352). Springer, Cham.

How to Evaluate Marketing Strategy and Few More Recommendations

Questions: The final stage of the marketing audit is for you to evaluate how well the marketing mix of the organisation is performing for your chosen organisation. NB: as before, if you have a large range of product offerings, it is a good idea to focus on just one.discuss the following: 1. Outline and describe the 8 marketing mix concepts theoretically and apply the components to one of your products offerings. As part of your application be sure to explain and evaluate all of the 8ps of marketing (product, prices, promotion, distribution, partnerships, people, processes and physical evidence). 2. Given your evaluation of your overall marketing strategies, the competition and broader contemporary issues facing marketers today, provide recommendations for your organisation. Your recommendations should focus on each of the 8ps and illustrate how contemporary issues may impact on your organisation and its marketing strategy. Answers: Introduction The Australian automobiles manufacturing company GM Holden Ltd dates back its establishment as early as the mid-19th century when its chief business operations focused on manufacturing saddles. In the year 1908, they moved into the automobiles manufacturing field. Later on in the year 1931 it became a subsidiary of United States of America's General Motor and became the General Motors-Holden's Ltd. The current name of the company i.e. GM Holden Ltd was taken in the year 2005. This essay aims to analyze the company and to recommend marketing strategies for the Holden cars company. At present, Holden cars are responsible for all the vehicular operations of General Motors in Australasia. As a result of this Holden held a partial ownership of the General Motors Daewoo and their operations in South Korea from 2002 to 2009. The company's expertise lies in the production of vehicles in its on a base of operations, and also the distribution of imported General Motors vehicles. As per the recent reports Holden cars have been reported to have to sell its productions like the Caprice, Commodore, and Ute along with, imported General Motors models like the Isuzu, Chevrolet, Opel, Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki, and Vauxhall Motors. The company has been in the business of exporting vehicles since the 1950s. However, there have been fluctuations in their exports over the years. With the decline in the number of sales in the country the company seeks to adopt new marketing strategies that will help it in increasing its sales rates. Furthermore, on December 11th, 2013 leaders of Holden Cars announced that the company will cease its automobile manufacturing operations and will focus more on the imports, exports and domestic sales of its vehicles. Therefore, a recommendation for this future endeavor of theirs is also included in this essay. Before stressing on the marketing ideas and the recommendations, it is necessary to analyze a few issues that directly affect the automobile sales industry. Lists of issues that are at present considered to play a crucial role in the recent downfall in the automobile sales industry are present as under: Issues affecting the Automobile sales industry adversely: The automobile companies are now facing challenges to get to the highest peak of profits, and thus, they are pushing themselves forward by recruiting the best automobiles engineers around along with some of the most qualified managers with such area of expertise(Armstrong Kotler, 2000). Innovation and its need: To attain some achievements in this particular sector, a company has to go through different stages and stepping forward without any flaws. Several competitors in the automobile industries are making a follow up to the previous versions of the vehicles produced by that company or might be some other company too. This may come in handy for some reasons, but they fail to surprise the buyers. In such cases, innovations play a key role to promote their presentation and to grab a buyer's attention quickly. That may not necessarily be new inventions to put through, but could be a modification of certain parts. Each member of the organization should come up with good innovative ideas to implement on their productionsBrambilla, I. (2005). A customs union with multinational firms. Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research. Demand estimation: A rising automobile company will probably come with more difficult situations such as management of demand issues. As mention above, with the rise of industries and development in technology, peoples demands have also made a vast growth from the past few years. Companies will always come up with a complexity to forecast and meet publics demand. Without proper management and overlooking what people demand, buyers may ignore the brand and move on to others. To avoid such failure in marketing their goods, the company has to make a proper estimation of the demand. New cars with upgraded features which might take years to get built could be a complex matter. That is why a company should make good estimations of the demands before the launch. This may bring a good hope to the company that they will get a hold of demographic, technological, and most importantly, the economic assumptions (Dencic-Mihajlov, 2013). The factor of cost: Cost price of the vehicles also matters a lot for the buyers who make them compare prizes of the models through various sources. In such cases, an automobile company has to put in mind that they should price tag their productions at a negotiable value but that certainly does not mean to make their cars cheaper and attain a loss. It should vary on the vehicles parts and features they are putting through. Some of the markets take the price value a little more seriously and stretch it as far as it can go. They have to make an observation of the mindset of the buyers and also their choices on the technological aspects so that the company should work it through depending on their budget. The buyers should not be put through the economic burden which makes them vulnerable. Cutting off the price a little should not be a problem for the markets. The issues presented above illustrate the dilemma manufactures and retailers face these days in the Automobile sales industry. The solution is to promote marketing strategies that would attract buyers and overseas clients for the large business operations Holden Cars run. In addition, as already mentioned in the introductory part of this article that the company is looking forward to ceasing its manufacturing business and focus all its attention on the automobile sales in near future, it is essential to incorporate marketing strategies that would help the Holden cars to gain a firm ground on the automobile sales business (Dholakia, 2015). Marketing strategy and recommendations: Marketing and other promotional aspects can always help a company to make a wide presentation of their cars. People at home who read newspapers and magazines will take a good look at the cars which they can afford to buy and will certainly get their attention at once. Presenting some of the best features along with the price will be a big deal; the people will be able to assess the amount they are going to spend and the features they will be availing from that expense. Some bright offers might make the buyers get a quick view of the cars and get knowledge of what they are going to buy. Other than that, televisions and leaflets also play a vital role in promoting a company's automobiles (Grewal Levy, 2010). These are some of the textbook marketing concepts that the company has followed till date. However, to attain its target i.e. a leading enterprise in automobile sales, there are a few more recommendations along with their critical analysis on the ways these were effective and the ways these will be effective when adopted and executed by Holden cars (Jovanovic, 2004). Promotional activities before the launch of new products: Promotional activities are undoubtedly the best possible way to get a new product acquainted with the people. In this case, as well promotional activities will certainly help the company in getting their new products acquainted with the people targeted for the marketing purpose. This will help the people develop an understanding of the product that company is about to launch, which in turn will enhance the probability of them to want' the product. This is the actual purpose of a promotional activity i.e. to let the people know about the product in a manner that they feel the urge to purchase the product. As based on Steve Jobss theory that the people do not know the kind of products they wanted until the product has been brought in front of them. Therefore, promotional activities in generating a demand in the market for a new product will certainly be a good marketing approach (Kerin, 2006). Considering the 1992 case study of Renault Clio, it has been established that promotional activities before the launch of a new product or model are a great strategy. In this inauspicious scenario the automobile company, Renault faced a great challenge in the decline in their sales of new vehicles by 21% with each passing year. At that time, the British economy was in a state of despair, and being a major purchaser of imported vehicles, the UK buyers showed their reluctance when it came for the automobile sales companies to make their sales to them. Approximate figures of 29% of the buyers from the UK were refusing to purchase new cars. Therefore, in a cataclysmic scenario (for automobile sales industries) the upcoming Renault model Clio, which was estimated to cost a figure that would have been 20% more than the previous models, seemed a bit over-burdening. As the economy was in the state of despair, and being an import oriented economy, the nation was in no state of taking such ris k at that moment. However, the dilemma regarding Clio's launch in the market was resolved with a unique promotional campaign model known as the "Nicole and Papa." The promotional activity consisted of a television advertisement, which gave a brief yet an attractive presentation on the new product (Kotler, 2000). The advertisement did not bear any technical information about the product; it just presented to the people a something that they would love to possess. The results were unexpected as the promotional activity defied all recessionary blues prevailing in the then UK economy and went on to achieve 1.5% more than what had been targeted from the standing start. Extending the product cycle: It is highly recommend adopting marketing strategies that would extend the product cycle. However, a product that is genuinely adored in the market will automatically have an extending product life. This is due to two factors: The overall quality and price of the product: Quality in the automobile vehicles is an essential thing. The better the quality and the more adoration it receives, and thus, extending its product cycle. The price of the product affects this concept as well, since, people always desire to purchase a commodity that has an assured quality and also comes within their affordability. Therefore, keeping a balance between these two aspects will certainly make the product a popular one in the market and further, extend the product cycle (Wooliscroft, 2011). The promotional and marketing activity: Studying the case of Renault Clio it has been observed that although the vehicle was launched in the early 1990s, it had an extremely extensive product cycle that lasted until the end of the millennium. The strategy was to promote the same strategies over and over again and at different stages of time. The same advertisement i.e. the phenomenal "Nicole and Papa" advertisement was broadcasted to remind the people of the quality product that Renault Clio was (Midgley, 2002). Holden Cars should also focus on such initiatives for the products, after making an analysis of their products, and assessing the quality and capability of the product on which this market campaign can be implemented on. Furthermore, they can repeat the promotional campaign on different overseas markets, depending on the type of economy the country has. This would require carefully planned steps as, the company will have to keep an eye on the deteriorating value of the product and the overseas market that help them to score profit from the targeted sales (Milisavljevic, 2013). Also, as the company already possesses the tools that were used in the very first promotional activity of the product, they would not need to expend further costs on developing those again. The company can implement the marketing strategy as per their market analysis in the domestic market as well. If they observe a pattern which indicates that the product will be able to generate further revenue from the domestic market, then they can use the domestic market again. This analysis can be done by: Using a survey process, both on field and telecommunication based survey would help (Planit, 2007). Using using the existing customer database, the company can use their existing customer database to create a returning customer. For instance, the company can offer them an exchange offer based on a discount on the same product. This will not only be satisfactory to the customer, but also the company will be able to retain its product, which then can be serviced thoroughly and can put up for sale again. This would help the company in cutting out their production costs as well. Moreover, as Holden cars have already announced that they are going cease all of their production operations and focus on being an automobile sales company, they would certainly benefit from incorporating this particular idea. Since they will not be engaging in the production procedure, they can retain some of their products those were originally manufactured by them and put them up for sale again thus, extending the product cycle (Plunkett, 2003). Marketing to analyze the market demands: Analyzing the market demands is one of the crucial aspects the company should keep in mind. At present the company Holden Cars is engaged in both: The sales of self-produced vehicles The sales of imported vehicle models (Stark, 2005). Analyzing the market demand is going to be fruitful for both the sales processes. To start with, the company can use marketing activities that would incorporate a pre-order facility to its targeted market. Before the production the company certainly had a figure on a number of products they will be producing at the beginning (Sandhusen, 2000). The number of pre-orders they will be receiving from this marketing strategy will ascertain the figure of the total sales they are assured to expect at the very start. This will help them minimize the risk factors that most of the products face at their launch. Apart from this, if the company has not yet decided on a number of products they will be producing before heading to the market, the company will get an estimation of the market demand they will be facing with the launch of their product. This, in turn, will not only help them stipulate the amount of products which are to be manufactured but also if need be cancellation of the manufactur ing of a product, based on the market analysis and if it reflects adversely(Richter, 2002). As presented in the paragraph above, estimating market demands will be helpful in the importation process of the products. Holden Cars import vehicles manufactured by General Motors with the view to make sales in the Australasian market. Prior estimation on the number of products that they will be importing for their sales purpose can be achieved using implementing this concept. Since, the company is going to focus on the automobile import, and export sales for the same brand they are doing now, they will be able to avoid unnecessary risk factors, and minimize the unavoidable ones. The marketing strategy will attract the prospective customers, who in turn will be asked to make pre-orders on their desired products. This will guarantee the company with an absolute amount of sale and will also create a prospective market for that particular product. The prospective market will have its foundation on the marketing activity. As the target of the marketing endeavor was to generate pre-orde rs, the marketing activity will be approaching people and seek to implant in their minds the seed of desire for possessing the product. Those who will succumb to this desire will place their pre-orders and become prospective customers, and those who did not succumb will not go to waste but will consist to be the prospective market. As these people had the desire to purchase the product but did not want to make a pre-order will certainly look forward to making their purchases as soon as the product is available for purchase in the market. Conclusion Holden Cars Ltd has been a leading and heavyweight name in the automobile manufacturing and selling business. Having decades of experience in peddling automotive products the company wishes to focus on the sales trade only shortly. The future of automobiles is taking turns and is running hand in hand with technology nowadays. Markets are flourishing with vehicles with their upgraded parts and highly appreciated technical aspects. With the rise of demands for cars and other vehicles, consumers are looking forward to buying the best one, and the vehicles' brand is the first thing they set their eyes on. In this era of fast growing economy, markets and some of the greatest automobile companies are competing to satisfy needs of the buyers. To fulfill consumer needs, the automobile companies are now rushing forward to come up with some great strategies and marketing methods. This was the purpose of this essay to provide an in-depth analysis that Holden Cars Ltd can incorporate in their ma rketing endeavors to achieve their entrepreneurial goals in the future. References Armstrong, G. Kotler, P. (2000). Marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Brambilla, I. (2005). A customs union with multinational firms. Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research. Dencic-Mihajlov, K. (2013). Marketing of initial public offering. Marketing, 44(2), 137-148. Grewal, D. Levy, M. (2010). Marketing. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Jovanovic, B. (2004). The product cycle and inequality. Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research. Kerin, R. (2006). Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Kotler, P. (2000). Marketing management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Midgley, D. (2002). What to Codify: Marketing Science or Marketing Engineering?. Marketing Theory, 2(4), 363-368. Midgley, D. (2002). What to Codify: Marketing Science or Marketing Engineering?. Marketing Theory, 2(4), 363-368. Milisavljevic, M. (2013). Value oriented strategic marketing. Marketing, 44(4), 299-309. Plunkett, J. (2003). Plunkett's automobile industry almanac. Houston, TX.: Plunkett Research. Richter, T. (2002). Marketing mix standardisation in international marketing. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Sandhusen, R. (2000). Marketing. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's. Stark, J. (2005). Product lifecycle management. London: Springer. Wooliscroft, B. (2011). Marketing theory as history. Marketing Theory, 11(4), 499-501.

Truancy Among Students Essays (3185 words) - Truancy, Truant, Slough

Truancy among Students Truancy has become a growing problem. As the students are truant teachers, vice principals and parents become worried. They do not think that students have enough responsibility to stay out of trouble. The truth is that only a few of the students that are truant do not have the responsibility to stay out of trouble. Truancy is the act of deliberately missing one or more classes. Currently about 50% of the Granite district truants are truant again. Ten percent of students in Utah that is arrested for sloughing are truant again. Moreover, very few students who do slough participate in illegal activities. Sloughing is too much of a concern with parents and faculty. The truant students without the responsibility to make there own decisions will go smoke, vandalize personal property or shoplift. It is those few, without the responsibility to make their own decisions, that should be punished. The students that slough and go smoke or steal things should be arrested and tried as an adult. The students that commit the crimes think that they are responsible enough to make their own decisions like an adult that they should be responsible enough for the consequences that an adult would receive. Some friends of mine would slough and they would go to lunch, go to one of their houses and enjoy a good game or sleep. They would not go out and destroy other people's items or steal things. They did nothing wrong, one of them sloughed almost every day of the first quarter and passed all but two of his classes. He almost was kicked out of high school because he was having fun at his house or he was getting something to eat. Only one student who detested the thou ght of going to school and he would not go to school for 3 years. That student was the only one that was talked to that actually broke any law while being truant from school. That individual, while sloughing, was arrested for shoplifting. The certain individual is the only one that ever did anything illegal while sloughing school. That one truant out of seven ever broke the law while sloughing If the student sloughs school and does not pass his classes then the student should be talked to. The student should not be kicked out of school because that would just make things worse. It would make the student not want to go to school because he would be in a strange new school. The biggest reason that the truant students would be truant was that they did not like school. The second biggest reason why students would not go to school was that they just did not care about school. School was just a chore to them and they did not see the point in it. If they made school, a little more interesting and entertaining then maybe there would be a little less truancy. The administration does not see the solution to truancy that way. They think that force is the only way when it is actually the wrong way. If you force a student to do something, they will not succeed in school. Another reason that was common was that the truant students were addicted to the joys of being truant. There were many other reasons why students would be truant that included the famous ?senioritis', the idea that the seniors are tired of school and found something better to do in the time of the school. The other is that they were too tired to go to school They would go places in their car, vans, or some friends' cars, vans. Moreover, if they did not have a ride or a car then they would walk to wherever they wanted to go. It did not matter the transportation as long as they did not have to go to class and they could do something else other than sit in the hard chair at school. When the truant students would slough the most common activity was eat breakfast and/or lunch and sleep. If the school faculty was to make lunch a little longer and start school a little later then maybe there would be a little less truancy. A few of

Eastern North American Neolithic

Eastern North American Neolithic Archaeological evidence shows that eastern North America (often abbreviated ENA) was a separate place of origin for the invention of agriculture. The earliest evidence of low-level food production in ENA begins between about 4000 and 3500 years ago, during the period known as the Late Archaic. People entering the Americas brought with them two domesticates: the dog and the bottle gourd. Domestication of new plants in ENA began with the squash Cucurbita pepo ssp. ovifera, domesticated ~4000 years ago by Archaic hunter-gatherer-fishers, probably for its use (like the bottle gourd) as a container and fishnet float. Seeds of this squash are edible, but the rind is quite bitter. Read more about Cucurbita pepoRead more about the American Archaic Food Crops in Eastern North America The first food crops domesticated by the Archaic hunter-gatherers were oily and starchy seeds, most of which are considered weeds today. Iva annua (known as marshelder or sumpweed) and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) were domesticated in ENA by about 3500 years ago, for their oil-rich seeds. Read more about sunflower domestication Chenopodium berlandieri (chenopod or goosefoot) is reckoned to have been domesticated in Eastern North America by ~3000 BP, based on its thinner seed coats. By 2000 years ago, Polygonum erectum (knotweed), Phalaris caroliniana (maygrass), and Hordeum pusillum (little barley), Amaranthus hypochondriacus (pigweed or amaranth) and perhaps Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed), were likely cultivated by Archaic hunter-gatherers; but scholars are somewhat divided as to whether they were domesticated or not. Wild rice (Zizania palustris) and Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) were exploited but apparently not domsticated prehistorically. Read more about chenopodium Cultivating Seed Plants Archaeologists believe that seed plants may have been cultivated by collecting the seeds and using the maslin technique, that is to say, by storing the seeds and mixing them together before broadcasting them onto a suitable patch of ground, such as a floodplain terrace. Maygrass and little barley ripen in spring; chenopodium and knotweed ripen in fall. By mixing these seeds together and sprinkling them on fertile ground, the farmer would have a patch where seeds could reliably be harvested for three seasons. The domestication would have occurred when the cultivators began selecting the chenopodium seeds with the thinnest seed covers to save and replant. By the Middle Woodland period, domesticated crops such as maize (Zea mays) (~800-900 AD) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (~1200 AD) arrived in ENA from their central American homelands  and were integrated into what archaeologists have termed the Eastern Agricultural Complex. These crops would have been planted in large separate fields or intercropped, as part of the three sisters or mixed cropping agricultural technique. Read more about maizeRead more about the Three SistersRead more about the ​Eastern Agricultural Complex Important ENA Archaeological Sites Kentucky: Newt Kash, Cloudsplitter, Salts CaveAlabama: Russell CaveIllinois: Riverton, American Bottom sitesMissouri: Gypsy JointOhio: Ash CaveArkansas: Edens Bluff, Whitney Bluff, Holman ShelterMississippi: Natchez Sources Fritz GJ. 1984. Identification of Cultigen Amaranth and Chenopod from Rockshelter Sites in Northwest Arkansas. American Antiquity 49(3):558-572. Fritz, Gayle J. Multiple pathways to farming in precontact eastern North America. Journal of World Prehistory, Volume 4, Issue 4, December 1990. Gremillion KJ. 2004. Seed Processing and the Origins of Food Production in Eastern North America. American Antiquity 69(2):215-234. Pickersgill B. 2007. Domestication of Plants in the Americas: Insights from Mendelian and Molecular Genetics. Annals of Botany 100(5):925-940. Open Access. Price TD. 2009. Ancient farming in eastern North America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106(16):6427-6428. Scarry, C. Margaret. Crop Husbandry Practices in North America’s Eastern Woodlands. Case Studies in Environmental Archaeology, SpringerLink. Smith BD. 2007. Niche construction and the behavioral context of plant and animal domestication. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 16(5):188-199. Smith BD, and Yarnell RA. 2009. Initial formation of an indigenous crop complex in eastern North America at 3800 B.P. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106(16):561–6566.

Strategic Management Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management Analysis - Case Study Example In a scenario where reference governments ban Cirque performances in public spaces like Las Vegas, the Cirque du Soleil will have to change its strategy. Indeed, this will have a significant effect since permanent shows attract a huge audience since they host a portfolio of different shows with a series of related displays. The huge audience that attends Cirque performances in public place increase the total number of spectators experiencing Cirque du Soleil's shows worldwide, which is the company’s strength. As such, this scenario will reduce the company’s market presence and revenues derived from ticket sales and concessions from products sold during the shows in the public spaces. The company will lose its competitive advantage. To avert this crisis, the company must consider changing its strategy by investing more on world tours. This will involve altering the calendar of events for the convenience of performing artists, celebrities, audience, and other stakeholders sponsoring the events. Indeed, the company can also establish partnerships with interested parties that will host Cirque performances and finance the building of private theatres. Moreover, the company will invest huge resources on building private theatres designed for Cirque performances at the company headquarters and branches. The company will diversify and market its operations by establishing television deals to broadcast Cirque performances and venturing in other related businesses like selling the Cirque du Soleil's shows merchandise.

Development and Use of Curricular Adaptations for Students Receiving Research Paper

Development and Use of Curricular Adaptations for Students Receiving Special Education Services - Research Paper Example There are some common special needs, which are included in the special education that is crucial for imparting proper knowledge. Students who need special education, suffers with various problems as they are not as headstrong as the normal students. They face communication disabilities, learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorder, physical disabilities, and development disabilities and hence need special attention. The students who are surviving with these types of disabilities will get benefited from these special types of education. These students are provided with additional education services, which require different types of technology specially adopted for teaching area or a resource room, which helps in providing different approaches of teaching (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2013). The objective of the study is to describe about the various aspects of special education. The study will define about the various steps that have been adapted for the development processes for imparting special education, which will be helpful for the success of those disable students in the educational field. The other aim of the study is to describe about the curricular adoptions for the students who are receiving the special educational services. The main purpose of the study is to establish the effective developmental techniques and process for establishing special educational need for students. The special education is a mechanism, which refers as a social and educational service that has been provided by the some schools and educational institution. The purpose of special education is to provide pleasant atmosphere for effective education to all the students who are disable. The main purpose of special education is to empower the impartial participation of those students who want special need and attention for better development and societal standard. The special need

Website Migration Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Website Migration Project - Term Paper Example I will use The internet-based architecture in this project ,because it is the best solution for online purchasing . HTML based website is used for the user interface, and through the internet the website is connected to the main server.shifting the responsibility for the interface from the client to the server simplifies the process of data transmission and results in lower hardware costs and complexities. The support operations include maintenance. The website will have to be maintained constantly. This is done regularly to ensure that the system is up and running and that the information is up to date. This will be done by the technical staff in direction with the web master.Now that the website will be used by clients to make purchases and order items, another support operation that need to be included is updating the products and their prices. clients will have to be informed of what is there in the store what is lacking. This will enable them to order for items which are availab le in the store. This will be done by the technical staff in collaboartyion with the sales team. Another vital operation that will be done is checking and updating security status of the website. With web security becoming an important aspect of IT, it is important to ensure that security is upto date and that the transaction and the payment process of the clients is secured. With many hackers targeting unsuspecting buyers online, it is important to secure the website and make sure that it is safe always.

EU Economic And Monetary Policy Case Of Spain

EU Economic And Monetary Policy Case Of Spain This research paper aims to discuss how the EU has influenced economic and monetary policies of Spain and vice versa. This dual relationship is of utmost importance as we look at the costs and benefits the EMU has brought to Spain and the possibility of the long-standing inflation problem in Spain affecting EUs monetary policies. EU membership has undoubtedly largely influenced the economic policies and conditions of Spain. For example, Spains accession in 1986 forced the government and economic elites to adopt the necessary policies to embark on economic modernization. In addition, the European Monetary Union (EMU) Maastricht Treaty criteria resulted in Spain having to implement micro and macroeconomic policies like fiscal consolidation, central bank independence and wage moderation (Royo, 2006). Also, the current Greek debt crisis has also thrown the spotlight on Spain which is also undergoing a crisis of itself: competitiveness crisis. With this crisis in mind, it is highly unlike ly but still possible that EU might either choose to expel Spain from the euro area or undergo a series of policy reforms to deal with this crisis. This research paper will begin with an introduction of Spains accession into the EU, followed by the costs and benefits Spain experienced from complying with the EMU Maastricht Treaty. This will be followed by an investigation on the competitiveness crisis in Spain and its influence on the EU. Lastly, this paper will have a discussion on the possible economic and structural reforms that both Spain and EU should undertake to smoothen EU integration for both parties. Spains accession into the EU Before accession into the EU, Spains economy was of a protectionist nature. It remained largely outside the international economic trading area. However in the 1980s, Spain decided to integrate with Western Europe, and was enthusiastic in accommodating to the EC trade customs and rules in order to secure accession. Spain joined the EMU because it was economically beneficial then as the majority of Spains trading partners are in the EU. On January 1986, Spain joined the European community as a full member. Spain was a firm supporter of the European and Monetary Union from the very beginning and rushed to be a part of the European Monetary System (EMS) in 1989 (Sebastian Royo, 2003). The European Monetary Union was established with the purpose of creating and improves trade among European countries. Based on the accession agreement, the taxation policy of Spain was transformed dramatically. Firstly, Spain had to gradually remove custom duties as well as industrial tariffs on EC goods (US Library of Congress). Spains tax rebate on exports had to be removed too. In addition, Spain had to impose a value-added tax (VAT) which had affected Spain negatively in the 1980s. For instance, the introduction of VAT makes Spain a more expensive destination for inbound visitors/tourists and this will affect the Spanish tourism industry. 2.1 Implications of European financial integration on Spain More importantly, membership in the Economic Monetary Union has many implications on Spains domestic economic policies. This is because Spain now loses control of monetary and exchange rate polices to fix problems in its economy and have to rely on the EMUs monetary policy instead. The EMU is tasked with the objective to conduct policies to ensure and achieve stability and growth in the Euro zone (Trichet, 2005). European financial integration kick-started a series of reforms aimed at liberalizing and modernizing the Spanish economy. Accession to ERM and then EMU membership resulted in the reform of the tax system. This reform of the Spanish tax system includes the introduction of VAT as well as a reduction of import duties. This was accompanied by a fiscal consolidation process (reducing government budget and debt deficits). Membership in the EU which resulted in European financial integration has both positive effects and negative effects on the economy. The general consensus is that the economic outcome for Spains membership is still largely positive. For example, gross domestic product per capital (GDP) increased significantly from 1985 and 2005 (Elcano Royal Institute European Parliament Office in Spain, 2006). The Spanish economy has also enjoyed growth since accession. Furthermore Spain has received a large amount of funds since accession and has made use of these funds to finance regional cohesion projects and develop infrastructures to modernise the economy. In addition, with greater exchange rate stability, imports of goods and services in Spain rose significantly and thus there was a greater degree of openness in the Spanish economy. However there remain major differences in economic development between Spain and the leading economies in the EU. Financial integration due to EMU was not totally smooth-sailing for Spain. The financial integration, which resulted in industrial restricting, has adverse effects on the economy in the early 1980: it resulted in high unemployment. In addition, the 1992 EMS crisis was traumatic for Spain. The 1992 crisis originated from an increase in government spending in Germany. This coupled with contractionary monetary policy led to increase in interest rates which affected the rest of the members of the EMU. The result was a sharp decline in the growth rate of real GDP and Spain having to devalue thrice. Many jobs in Spain were lost in the crisis. Fortunately these effects were cushioned somewhat by an economic boom in Spain, the continuing fall in oil prices and large inflow of foreign direct investment into Spain as many foreign companies seek to grab a slice of Spains expanding consumer market (US Library of Congress). Therefore for Spain to seize the benefits of EU membership and enjoy economic growth as well as low inflation, it has to push forward its structural reforms as well undertake sound fiscal policies. Spain till now has succeeded in conducting sound fiscal policies. However its inherent problem of high inflation continues to threaten its competitiveness and hence its trade balance. This has not been resolved quickly partially because of complacency due to its early economic success in the EU (Royo, 2006). European financial integration of the EU which entails efficient free movement of capital, commitment to exchange rate stability as well as harmonization of capital taxes have many positive implications on the Spanish macroeconomic policies. One benefit is that free movement of capital results in a decrease in financial costs for companies and thus allowing companies to raise more resources. However European financial integration has its drawbacks too for Spain. For instance, such commitments come into conflict with the aim of the Spanish government to reduce inflation as such commitments tend to result in lower interest rates thus raising inflation rates. Nevertheless, EU membership has contributed to some extent in lowering inflation in Spain. The introduction of the Euro and the European Central Bank (ECB), have considerable success in limiting price increases. The ECBs main aim of its monetary policy is to keep inflation of those in the euro zone under control and achieves this b y raising interest rates. The ECB therefore sets long-term interest rates for all the EMU countries. Since entering the EMU and participating in the single currency, Euro, the Spanish economy has transformed in a starkly different manner as compared to its counterparts in the EU. Spains economic growth in terms of GDP and inflation rate has been significantly higher than the other member states in the EU (Andres, Hurtado, Ortega, Thomas, 2009). These differentials particularly the inflation differential is most probably caused by the convergence and the integration of foreign markets. In fact, the surrendering of a nations right to pursue autonomous monetary policy as a result of complying with EMU and ECB is one reason why Spain has problems reducing her traditionally high inflation rate. Therefore this is perhaps the reason why Spain is powerless to use initiatives like setting interest rates to control inflation. As mentioned previously, one of the most significant implications of EMU membership for Spain was the convergence of interest rates which resulted in extremely low interest rates in Spain. (Royo, 2006). The drastic decline of interest rates in Spain was necessary in order to secure entry into the EMU. In fact, this convergence of interest rates as a result of EMU membership has an indirect effect on Spains current account trade deficit. Low interest rates led to an explosion of credit and mortgages. This raises houses prices. Low interest rates cause savings to decrease and thus the saving rate is insufficient to finance investment projects, resulting in the private sector having a large trade deficit. Low interest rates also result in excess demand and leading to high goods and wage inflation. Therefore, although membership in the EU served as a primary trigger for the Spain to embark on liberalizing the economy and has largely improved trade, it also contributes to problems regarding Spains trade balance. This is because most of Spains trade partners (countries which Spain exports her products to) are in the EU. (Royo, 2006)This coupled with rising GDP, which increased at a faster rate than exports, resulted in a growing current account deficit. It is important to note that the high inflation problems and the rising current account deficit took place in a setting of fiscal stability (Ubide, 2007). Once again, membership in the EU has resulted in Spain having a lack of monetary and cyclical tools to achieve fiscal surplus and control rising inflation. Having the national currency in a fixed exchange rate due to the EMS thus caused Spain being unable to resolve these economic problems. In other words, if Spain is not a member of the EU and do not participate in the single currency, Euro, she could have devalue her currency with respect to other currencies and improve its competiveness of its exports, and thus improve her trade balance. 3.1 The Competiveness Crisis in Spain The Greek debt crisis has put the spotlight on the peripheral member states of the EU especially Spain. However Spain is undergoing another crisis which of a different nature as compared to Greece. Spains crisis is not due to a lack of budgetary discipline, but caused by the boom in domestic credit (due to convergence in interest rates in the EU). The membership in the EMU can be attributed to the boom in domestic credit leading to the construction boom in Spain. EMU reduced the cost of borrowing for households as real interest rates for households fall substantially. This is due to the reduction in the risk premium as a result of EMU membership. Therefore, reduced cost of borrowing for households led to an increased in number of houses built and thus a boom in the construction industry. The construction boom in the private sector was accompanied by poor economic performance in the other sectors; this resulted in instability as well as trade imbalance. From the late 1990s to 2007, Spain has displayed poor international cost competitiveness (as compared to the rest of the EU members) as a result a significant increase in cost of production especially in the tradable goods sector (Marzinotto, 2010).This significant increase in cost of production is caused by Spains real estate investment boom. Other factors that contributed to poor international cost competitiveness include wage indexation to past high inflation and extension of wages which are agreed at industry level (Marzinotto, 2010). In the 19809s, Spanish firms were facing intense competition from Latin America and the Far East on products like clothing, textile which are Spains main exports. These countries from the Far East and Latin America have leverage on Spain because they are able to produce these goods far cheaper than Spain due to their low wages (Royo, 2006). As a result, Spain is often overlooked by foreign investors who chose to set their operations in these countries instead. This situation worsened when the enlargement of the European Union to the central and eastern European countries materialized. This is because Spain has to deal with new competition from new members on industries which are labor-intensive which form the bulk of Spanish trade. This further affect the trade balance of Spain because these new members also are able to exploit their low wages thus are able to produce cheaper exports as compared to EU. It is a tough obstacle for Spain to resolve the resulting current account deficit because such trade imbalance exists independent of any utilization of sound fiscal policies. This is not only an important issue for Spain but also has an important influence on the EU. This is because the poor international competitiveness of Spain will affect the stability of the Euro too. 3.2 Spains crisis and its implications on the EMU Based on the current competiveness crisis of Spain, one of the unlikely options for Spain is to exit from the euro area. However such an option begs another central question: is a euro exit possible and how will the credibility of the euro being affected? Firstly, the credibility of the euro is unlikely to be threatened if countries like Spain and Greece exit from the euro zone. However in an event of a Spanish exit from the euro zone, it will lead to other troubled nations pondering over similar departures and such spill over effects will create an uncertain environment which is not conducive for further European financial integration. Nevertheless, such concerns may be redundant because the chances of Spain exiting the euro zone or any other member state doing likewise is extremely unlikely because of the difficulty in doing so. One important barrier to exit is the financial integration between the members of the EU has reached a significant degree thus cross-border assets are very high. Therefore an exit will result in massive upheaval (Willams, 2009). Of course there will be benefits for Spain to leave the euro as it implies regaining autonomy in pursuing independent monetary policy as well as exchange rate flexibility. However, the costs of withdrawal are high too. For instance, there will be a cut in access to finance as well as a sharp increase in funding costs due to a removal of funding by the EMU as a result of withdrawal. This thus suggest a likely situation where Spain will remain in the euro zone and attempt to deflate its housing boom without the use of independent monetary policy or currency devaluation. This crisis has wide implications on the EU. The EU cannot and will not hang these struggling economies out to dry. Therefore to fix the competiveness crisis in Spain, there is a need for the EU to make some changes or introduce some frameworks. One possible way in which the EU can manage this crisis is to introduce a system to monitor wage and price developments (Marzinotto, 2010). This is not exactly a novel avenue which the EU has not implemented before. One of the requirements of the Exchange Rate Mechanisms ERM (before the introduction of the euro) was that no member country could change its nominal exchange rate without the consent of the others due to its effects on competitiveness. This is not the case now. Member states can now change its real exchange rates via VAT increases and cuts in social security contributions (Marzinotto, 2010). Therefore in this avenue, the EU should regularly monitor the real exchange rates in the euro zone and should introduce initiatives whenever economic developments pose a threat to the stability and the operation of the EMU. In addition this European competiveness monitoring framework (Marzinotto, 2010) should have a euro-wide perspective and focus as Spains current account deficit means a surplus for another country. Therefore in the event of necessary adjustments, the EMU must take into consideration both the interests of the deficit and surplus member states. In addition to a monitoring framework, there should also be an alert procedure (Marzinotto, 2010)that will have an assessment whenever fluctuations in a countrys current account deficit exceed the predefined limits. In the alert procedure, the country that has flouted the predetermined limits will be assessed based on its efforts to correct this problem. If the assessment is negative, the commission will then propose initiatives to solve the problem based on a euro-wide focus. Nevertheless, despite these recommendations to help Spain and other similar countries to solve such competiveness crisis, the onus is for these countries to make a concerted effort to resolve it via national efforts. The Spanish government should implement a national competiveness monitoring framework (Marzinotto, 2010). This framework includes utilizing a range of policies for remedial action. However this will not be any easy task due to obligations to the EU. Policies that Spain is hindered from using due to euro membership include encouraging inward investment by offering tax incentives and cheap loans to investors as well as devaluation. Therefore there seems to be only supply-side policies which Spain can use to remedy the crisis. Supply-side policies are favourable because an improvement in supply-side performance tends to lead to sustained economic growth without a rise in inflation rate, ceteris paribus. However, a good supply-side performance alone is not sufficient and mus t be accompanied by a sufficiently high level of aggregate demand so the productive capacity of the economy can be utilized. The Spanish government can encourage an entrepreneurial culture by providing regional policy assistance for entrepreneurs and also helping these firms with regards to access to knowledge and advice. In addition, although Spain has managed to maintain a sound fiscal policy, it has not fully utilized the fiscal policy to deflate the housing boom. Spain can modify the tax treatments of interest payments on house loans to cool the domestic housing market. With higher cost of capital, the disposable income of a household will be affected thus leading to a reduction in excess housing demand. In fact Ireland has demonstrated that raising the cost of capital of households can be achieved by removing interest relief on mortgage interest payments, (Gerald, 2004) is possible within the EMU. This goes to show that the loss of independent monetary policy (as a result of EMU membership) to correct the crisis cannot be an excuse for failure. This is because a well targeted fiscal policy can be used effectively to reduce excess demand in the housing market. However such measures undertaken by the Spanish government may not be popular with the Spanish public. 3.3 Efforts by the Spanish government Spanish government launched the National Reform Program (OECD, 2007) in 2005 to identify challenges to the economy (as a result of indirect implications of EMU membership) and propose initiatives to solve these problems. Despite the intentions of the program, it has not been very successful in meeting the challenges. In addition, the tightening by the European Central Bank has not managed to cool the domestic demand in Spain by a small degree. Furthermore, although the housing market in Spain has showed some signs in slowing down, residential investment continue to form a significant part of Spains GDP and house prices are still steadily increasing (OECD, 2007). Industry productivity has not improved significantly thus inflation differential still persist between Spain and the rest of the euro zone members. As compared to other members of the euro zone, Spain has embarked on a fiscal consolidation policy with a more concerted effort. This is because of a need to counterbalance the effects of the current loose monetary policy conditions. Although ECB raised the interest rates in 2007, it had limited success in cooling the domestic demand in Spain. This is partially due to tax reductions on households which increase the households disposable income. Therefore Spain should continue or even enhance its restrictive fiscal stance to reduce pressure on the domestic demand. The Spanish government has also attempted to develop the rental housing market. However it has met with limited success. Therefore, it will be better to gradually phase away any forms of assistance which home owners can receive in order to balance the incentives between renting and purchasing and moderate demand pressures. (OECD, 2007). Another measure is to improve the legal security of relations between owners and tenants so as to improve the use of the housing stock (OECD, 2007). With the gradual decrease in EU transfers to Spain as a result of enlargement, there is an increasing need to have and manage the government budget effectively. The Spanish government has recognized this need and have adopted reforms to improve the management of the government expenditure and resources. The Spanish government limited the growth of government expenditure to below the projected rise in nominal GDP and also used tax revenue to reduce indebtedness (OECD, 2007). The government has also increased the accountability and responsibility of regions regarding their expenditure. This is achieved via increasing the control the regions have over the taxes imposed on their specific regions. This will have the effect of reducing the reliance by these regions on the central government for transfers. Therefore this delegation of responsibility will also enhance the regions revenue raising powers. However there are problems associated with such decentralization, there may be loss of in formation thus affecting efficiency. Therefore there have to be an independent agency to monitor and evaluate the polices of the various government agencies of the respective regions (OECD, 2007). In addition such assessments have to be transparent to the Spanish public. The Spainish government has also reformed the 2003 Fiscal Stability Law (OECD, 2007)in order to maintain fiscal stability and prudence in a decentralised system. According to the 2003 Fiscal Stability Law, each level of the government has to ensure that its accounts are permanenty in balance. In addition, the law assessed the cyclical position of the Spanish economy by monitoring its expected growth rate against it potential. Although this law seems has a great influence on maintaining fiscal stability, the government must execute this law with caution to prevent a situation of a pro-cyclical budgetary outcome where a loose fiscal stance is adopted when times are good and a restrictive fiscal stance when times are bad. Conclusion Since accession into the EU in 1986, Spain has enjoyed a positive economic growth. In addition, EU transfers had also allowed Spain to modernise and develop its economy as well as infrastructure. Although the financial integration process was difficult for Spain with the introduction of VAT and other measures, Spain accommodated its national policies to secure entry into the EMU. Despite Spain maintaining an environment of fiscal stability, the high inflation differerntial between Spain and the rest of the euro zone members threatens to harm Spains international competitiveness. This competition crisis can be partially attributed to the low interest rates set by the EMU thus leading to domestic credit boom and hence excess demand in the housing market. This is a central issue for both the EU and Spain as it has wide implications for both parties. Therefore it is likely that EUs economic policies and framework will be modified to include initiatives like a monitoring framework to mana ge the Spains crisis or other similar crisis by other member states in the future. In addition, although Spain is tied by its obligations to the EMU (which include not being able to devalue its exchange rate or pursuing an independent monetary policy to deflate its booming housing market), there are some supply-side policies and national reforms that Spain can pursue to reduce inflation. Lastly, remedial action by both the EU and Spain will invariably have implications on each other as well on the rest of Europe.

Mexican Cartel Essays -- Drugs, Weapon, Trafficking

Mexican Cartel Drug War Mexico has a long history of cartels the deaths, drugs and weapon trafficking is in all time high increasing year by year. â€Å"Mexico's gangs have flourished since the late 19th century, mostly in the north due to their proximity to towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. But it was the American appetite for cocaine in the 1970s that gave Mexican drug cartels immense power to manufacture and transport drugs across the border. Early Mexican gangs were primarily situated in border towns where prostitution, drug use, bootlegging and extortion flourished† (Wagner). They keep themselves armed and ready with gun supplies shipped from the U.S, taking control of the drug trades. The violence is spilling so out of control that they overthrew the Mexican government. The cartels are now in control of most of the drug trades and are successful. The Mexican border gives them the power to go everywhere they desire, making them a relentless force. â€Å"To date operation Xcellrator has led the arrest of 755 individuals and the seizure of approximately 5 U.S. Currency more than 12,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than 16,000 pounds of marijuana, more than 11,000 of methamphetamine, more than 8 kilograms of heroin, approximately 1.3 million pills of ecstasy†(Doj 2). Mexican cartels extend to central and southern America. Columbia is the supply of much of the cocaine exported to the U.S. Colombia is under control of South American gangs, they do business with the Mexican cartels to transport drugs the north. The Northern Mexican gangs hold the most control because the territory is very important (Wagner1). They are many different types of cartel in Mexico it also signifies that there are killing each other so their cartel can expand an... ...g steps in helping out with any evidence we might know to the official authorities and FBIs. In doing all this we secure our borders by stopping gun flow, any types of drugs, kidnappings, murders, and the criminals causing it before it gets to out of control and start doing it on our side of the border. â€Å"We must employ the full spectrum of our law enforcement agencies` resources, expertise, and statutory authorities by continuing to work together, building on what we have done well so far and developing new ideas to refresh our strategies, we can rise to the current challenge. Again, thank you for your recognition of this important issue and the opportunity to testify here today† (Odgen6). Together, we can help the U.S and Mexico to work together more often to build a better border and a strong army of men designed for a better future in favor of the both nations.

Baby Blues in Europe

The population growth in most of the European nations is at critical point. The term baby blues have been used to describe the situation where families are opting to have fewer children due to various economic and social reasons. They are shying off from having an extra child due to the things they are experiencing day by day. The societies have become more affluent and when such a thing happens one the effects is the low fertility rates. On the other hand women have gained more freedom in the society.They are engaging in the work force, this has resulted in consumption boom contributing to the delay of marriage and the rate at which people are marrying, this further impact on the fertility rates. The impacts of the social changes that have taken place in the recent years have been compounded by the changing of the working patterns. Career patterns have replaced the unskilled labor which has increased the importance attached to the longer training periods and the unbroken periods of employment as one gains skills has further strengthened the idea of delaying childbearing.This is what has resulted to the baby blues in a continent that had the highest population growth some years back. (Golin, A; Bruno, L and Lori, A 1991) Some of these factors are: lack of a nanny to take care of the child, busy schedules, work related and many others. The birth rates are generally falling fast with many women either opting to have no children or families making a choice of remaining with only one child. This trend is worrying many governments as they foresee a big problem ahead.The population growth rate is negative in most countries in this part of the world. If the trend continues it shows that the population in Western Europe countries will shrink. This is a dangerous trend for the bloc that is aiming to counter the United States as the world power. In the United States the population has been growing at a higher rate in comparison to the Europe due to factors such as migrat ion, incentives from the government among others. What are the impacts of baby blues in the society?This is a question each and every government in Europe is trying to analyze and at the same time provides a workable solution to a situation that is threatening to impact negatively on the gains that this continent has made in the number of years. Having negative growth rate is not something any government in the developed world should be proud of. It is a risky affair that will have serious effects in the years to come. It means that at one given time Europeans countries will have a population imbalance where the number of the graying population will exceed the young people.This graying population will be a burden since there will be very few young working population to support them impacting negatively on the countries economic situation. (Golin, A; Bruno, L and Lori, A 1991) The trend will have an effect in the society especially in situation where the elderly have to be taken care of by the young. They require more money to cater for their medical bills and other expenses that come with the old age. This will be a burden to the younger population as they also have other obligation to meet.This population might also opt to have lesser families due to the added burden of caring of the elderly. If the trend continues beyond this point the problem will escalate for many years to come impacting heavily on the economic situation of these countries. The governments are concerned with this trend and they are up and planning on the measures to be taken to counter this negative development. The government can not afford to sit on the fence as it watches the population decline. This can have serious impact than imagined. It can threat the very existence of a nation.A nation whose population can not meet the needs of its economy is a t great danger especially if the other parts of the world more so those perceived to be the competitors are at an advantaged position rega rding the population growth. China and United States population are projected to rise tremendously in the next fifty years whereas on the other hand the European population has been predicted to decline by a great margin. This means that Europe will depend much on the countries with a positive population growth on labor, market and other activities.To many governments in this region, this is a dangerous development as it will affect their power situation where these nations may take its position in the world map of power. (Hantarais, L 2004) The governments need to be concerned and act on the situation as it can have serious effects on all aspects of the society. Declining population goes hand in hand with the economic slow down. When the older population is higher than the young working population the situation becomes grave as the government will be faced with the burden of taking care of this graying population which can be as sensitive as the baby population.In the next ten or m ore years to come it is expected that the European population level will be more than seventy million or roughly ten percent below its current level. The governments are busy trying to counter this negative trend as it may pose serious problems if it is not tackled early and in an effective manner. Births rate have fallen to levels where they can not be replaced and on the other hand the continent median age has climbed steadly. This poses a complex problem which need to be approached in a sober manner as it can result to every disastrous situation.A decline in the working population mean that the government can only promote immigration to counter a situation where the labor supplies dwindle ,this poses a serious problem as this population will only be attracted from the developing nations where there are population crises and the level of skills is often. To stop the decline the government has to come up with a workable solution which will solve this problem once and for all and he lp avert a situation where economic slow down is experienced further complicating the matters.(Hantarais, L 2004) Of particular concern is the need to replenish the declining workforce as this will have long term effects if left unchecked. With the population having reached close to seven hundred million people a decline can be the most unfortunate things for the nations in Europe. The governments having been faced with the challenge on how they will approach this problem may mean that the problem will be bigger than imagined, but with the proper planning and coordination of policies this is an issue which can be tackled.Population ageing will increase the number of dependent people creating a potential burden on pension and public health care. The tax burden will have to be passed to the few working population further complicating the issue as this group will be overburden by the financial obligation they are supposed to meet. This will only escalate the existing pro blem with a hi gher probability of increased baby blues. The fear of having many children or in some cases- no children at all- among the childbearing population in the western nations and Europe in general poses a great danger for this continent.If the current fertility levels persisted and immigration ceased altogether the European population would fall way below six hundred million by the turn of the century. What would this mean in a continent that is expected to steer the global economy to the next level in the century. It shatter the dreams of a powerful Europe in the world map while at the same time putting the continent at a disadvantaged position since the population in some the world regions is increasing at a higher rate.Therefore since this is a problem that will have far reaching effects for some years to come the government s in the respective countries need to move fast and come up with comprehensive policies which will help in solving this problem. (McIntosh, A 1983) The government s are not spoilt of choices they have to act swiftly to avert a catastrophic situation where economic meltdown might be experienced in future. One of the response would be to boost the birth rates, this can be achieved through giving incentives to the couples who are willing to have children.These incentives need to be as attractive as possible so that they can include many people. In such a move the birth rates might turn a round and the feared decline may not be experienced at all. Immigration has been mentioned as another option as far as solving this problem is concerned but some people have pointed out that it will only be short-lived since the immigrants will eventually adapt the trends that already exist in the receiving countries. Government has to approach this issue in a broader way to ensure that the end results are positive.Though some people have described the situation as the best for the continent since there would be minimal competition for resources, baby blues pres ent a dangerous situation for Western Europe as far as it future economic position is concerned. Bibliography Golin, A; Bruno, L and Lori, A. Population Changes in Europe, Labor, vol 5, Rome Italy (1991) Hantarais, L. Family Policy Matters: Responding to Family Change in Europe, The Policy Press (2004) McIntosh, A. Population Policy in Western Europe, ME Shape (1983)

Israel Palestine Conflict

Israel Palestine Conflict Introduction The world history is characterized by various conflicts which are caused by various issues of social, political or either economic origin. The conflict between Israel and Palestine is a major one especially due to the fact that it has been in existence for a long time. It is complicated as it emanates from many factors such as control of Jerusalem, border disputes, security, freedom of movement of Palestinians, water rights and settlement of Israel, to name just a few.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Israel Palestine Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The conflict is an issue of international concern due to the fact that it has resulted to a lot of violence. In consequential, various actions have been taken especially against the parties concerned but little has been realized from the same. The problem became worse after the Oslo peace records collapsed in September 2002. There may have been many factors that may have led to the failure of Oslo, but most studies illustrate that culture played a great role in the same. This is due to the fact that it influences the preferences and the strategies of various political leaders, determines domestic politics as well as affects the perception, behavior and intentions of the parties involved (Finkelstein pp. 127). The conflict is wide and multifaceted and therefore, this paper shall discuss more about the problem, its history, causes, as well as various measures that have been taken to curb the problem. In addition, the paper shall also cite some viable solutions to the problem. History of the Palestine Israeli conflict As highlighted in the introductory part, the conflict has been in existence for a long time. Moreover, it has been taking place in different phases and each phase has been characterized by different events. For instance, towards the end of the nineteenth century up to 1917, the main conflict that existed was cau sed by Arabs who were in the Ottoman Empire. On the same note, it is important to mention that most of conflicts and dispute by then had not reached a national level as they were religiously influenced. From the early twentieth century to the mid twentieth century, the region which was known as Palestine was being ruled by the British. During that particular time, the conflict which was known as Jewish Arab conflict resulted from the dispute of the land of Palestine. Therefore, the conflict was mainly a land issue by then (Finkelstein pp. 170). The next phase of the conflict ranged from the year 1948 to the year 1967-a phase that was marked by the time the state of Israel was declared and the time the six days war took place. By then, the region was divided in to three political regions; West Bank under the control of Jordan, Gaza Strip under the Egyptian rule and lastly the State of Israel. From the year 1967 to the year 1993, both Israel and Palestine was being ruled by the state of Israel.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, afterwards, State of Israel coexisted together with Palestinian Authority. The period between the beginning of the 2nd Intifada and the year 2005 was marked by the arresting operations conducted by Israel in West Bank. From the year 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza Strip and as a result, the Hams took control over the region after wining the election. Currently, both parties believe that the other party is not interested in ending the conflict but on going on with the conflict. The issue of Jerusalem continues to be disputed because Palestine claims part of the city while Israel believes that the city should not be subdivided. Since Palestine has been violent against Israel, it is considered as a terrorist not by Israel but also by other states like United States. Consequently, for security purposes Israel has allowed other nations to come to its rescue. Palestine has been violent not only in Israel but also against other countries. For example, Europeans and Americans have been victims of the Palestinian military attacks. Therefore, there are many issues that characterized the conflict and most of the major causes are political in nature. Having gotten an over view of the history of the conflict, it is important to look at the major causes of the conflict. However, before then, it is important to mention that conflict has been marked revolts, disputes, wars, and uprisings to name just a few (Harms and Ferry pp. 100). Some Underlying causes of the Palestine- Israeli Conflict Although there are many causes of the conflict culture has played a great role and it can be considered as the underlying factor. Studies indicate the presumed origin of each country is also an important contributory factor to the conflict. For example, Palestinians suppose that Israel came about due to crimes wh ich were committed by Hitler. Therefore, they believe that they are not supposed to shoulder the responsibility that was as a result of the Western colonial era. Additionally, Palestinians view themselves as victims of the Nkaba which took part in the year 1948 and 1949 and they have continued to harbor bitterness especially due to the loss that was incurred during that particular period.   Palestine continues to hold Israel responsible for the loss and have much trouble with the stand of Israel of not allowing the refugee from Palestine to return back to their homeland (Congressional Quarterly, inc pp. 240). Religion, which is part of culture, has a vital role to play not only as the source of the conflict but also an obstacle to various negotiation processes. Nonetheless, the region has got only there religions which include Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Since Jerusalem city is significant to the three religions, conflict arises since both countries seek to retain Jerusalem for religious purposes. Palestine has been claiming all the parts of Jerusalem that were not initially part of Israel before 1967.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Israel Palestine Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More United States proposed a plan which was aimed at resolving the Jerusalem conflict in the year 2000 and 2001. The plan had proposed that the Jewish parts of the city were to be retained by Israel while the Arab parts were to be retained by Palestine.   Even if both countries had accepted the proposal, the summit failed and the conflict was not resolved (Burge pp. 120). Ethnicity in reference to Palestine and Israel contributes to the conflict greatly and hinders some attempts aimed at resolving the same conflict. Israel consists mainly of Jews while Palestinians consist mainly of Arabs and the two ethnic groups have got different political views and principles. For example, Palestinians belie ve that they have suffered greatly from Israel violent attacks and continue to be victims up to date. On the other hand, study of the history illustrates that Arabs from Palestine have been conducting various violent attacks not only in Israel but also in other places especially after the establishment of Oslo records. Palestinians believe that they only get involved in wars as a result of Israeli’s aggression (Lerner pp. 128). Steps that have been taken to resolve the Conflict Given that there are many initiatives that have been taken; the paper shall only discuss the major ones. To begin with, the popularly known OSLO records took place in the year 1993. It was instituted by both Palestinian and Israel leaders. Arafat recognized that Israel had the right to exist and therefore, to bring about peace, the country was supposed to stop controlling some of the Palestine territories. However, the two parties failed to reach an agreement and did not achieve their initial objective . Camp David Summit is yet another proposal that was convened by the United States president by the name Bill Clinton. Although the offer of the president was meant to favor both states, it was rejected and even after that, Arafat did not come up with any other proposal. Although United States was pushing for a proposal to end the conflict, the proposal which was developed was not appreciated by the members concerned. The Road Map for Peace is yet another initiative by Russia, United States and United Nations but was not successful. Finally, there is the Peace Initiative which was established in the year 2002. It proposed solutions to the conflict and has been both supported and criticized by the concerned leaders (Congressional Quarterly, inc pp. 120). Conclusion and Recomendations Study has indicated that despite the fact that the conflict is an international concern, it might persist unless appropriate solutions are sought.   It is not possible to underestimate the contribution of various programs and summits that have been established.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, it is important to take into consideration the cultural contribution to the conflict since various studies have demonstrated that ethos contributes greatly to the same. Each party has got its own society beliefs that are a major hindrance to resolving the conflict. Any peace mission should be aimed at changing the beliefs of every society especially concerning the goals of the conflict. Therefore, cultural beliefs ought to be changed to focus mainly on peace building. Lastly, it is important to create a change that will allow for establishment of trust, respect as well as sensitivity of each party’s needs.   Such a step is very vital as it can give room for negotiation which can eventually lead to reconciliation. Burge, Gary M. Whose land? whose promise?: what Christians are not being told about Israel and the Palestinians . Cleveland : 2003, Pilgrim Press. Print. Congressional Quarterly, inc. The Middle East. Washington: CQ Press, 2007. Print. Finkelstein, N orman G. Image and reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict. New York : Verso , 2003. Print. Harms, Gregory and Todd M. Ferry. The Palestine-Israel conflict: a basic introduction. London : Pluto Press , 2008. Print. Lerner, Michael. Healing Israel/Palestine: a path to peace and reconciliation. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 2003. Print.

Battle of Island Number 10 in the Civil War

Battle of Island Number 10 in the Civil War Battle of Island Number 10 - Conflict Dates: The Battle of Island Number 10 was fought February 28 to April 8, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Brigadier General John PopeFlag Officer Andrew Foote6 gunboats, 11 mortar raftsapprox. 20,000 men Confederates Brigadier General John P. McCownBrigadier General William Mackallapprox. 7,000 men Battle of Island Number 10 - Background: With the beginning of the Civil War, Confederate forces began making efforts to fortify key points along the Mississippi River to prevent Union attacks south. One area that received attention was the New Madrid Bend (near New Madrid, MO) which featured two 180-degree turns in the river. Located at the base of the first turn when steaming south, Island Number Ten dominated the river and any vessels attempting to pass would fall under its guns for protracted period. Work commenced on fortifications on the island and adjacent land in August 1861 under the direction of Captain Asa Gray. The first to be completed was Battery No. 1 on the Tennessee shoreline. Also known as the Redan Battery, it had a clear field of fire upstream but its position on low ground made it subject to frequent flooding. Work at Island Number Ten slowed in the fall of 1861 as resources and focus shifted north to the fortifications under construction at Columbus, KY. In early 1862, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant captured Forts Henry and Donelson on the nearby Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. As Union troops pressed towards Nashville, the Confederate forces at Columbus came under threat of being isolated. To prevent their loss, General P.G.T. Beauregard ordered them to withdraw south to Island Number Ten. Arriving in late February, these forces began work to strengthen the areas defenses under the guidance of Brigadier General John P. McCown. Battle of Island Number Ten - Building the Defenses: Seeking to better secure the area, McCown commenced work on fortifications from the northern approaches to the first bend, past the island and New Madrid, and down to Point Pleasant, MO. Within a matter of weeks, McCowns men built five batteries on the Tennessee shore as well as five additional batteries on the island itself. Mounting a combined 43 guns, these positions were further supported by the 9-gun floating battery New Orleans which occupied a position at the western end of the island. At New Madrid, Fort Thompson (14 guns) rose west of the town while Fort Bankhead (7 guns) was built to the east overlooking the mouth of a nearby bayou. Aiding in the Confederate defense were six gunboats overseen by Flag Officer George N. Hollins (Map). Battle of Island Number Ten - Pope Approaches: As McCowns men worked to improve the defenses at the bends, Brigadier General John Pope moved to assemble his Army of the Mississippi at Commerce, MO. Directed to strike at Island Number Ten by Major General Henry W. Halleck, he moved out in late February and arrived near New Madrid on March 3. Lacking the heavy guns to assault the Confederate forts, Pope instead directed Colonel Joseph P. Plummer to occupy Point Pleasant to the south. Though forced to endure shelling from Hollins gunboats, Union troops secured and held the town. On March 12, heavy artillery arrived in Popes camp. Emplacing guns at Point Pleasant, Union forces drove off the Confederate vessels and closed the river to enemy traffic. The following day, Pope began shelling the Confederate positions around New Madrid. Not believing that the town could be held, McCown abandoned it on the night of March 13-14. While some troops moved south to Fort Pillow, the majority joined the defenders on Island Number Ten. Battle of Island Number Ten - The Siege Begins: Despite this failure, McCown received a promotion to major general and departed. Command at Island Number Ten then passed to Brigadier General William W. Mackall. Though Pope had taken New Madrid with ease, the island presented a more difficult challenge. The Confederate batteries on the Tennessee shore were flanked by impassable swamps to the east while the only land approach to the island was along a single road which ran south to Tiptonville, TN. The town itself was sited on a narrow spit of land between the river and Reelfoot Lake. To support operations against Island Number Ten, Pope received Flag Officer Andrew H. Footes Western Gunboat Flotilla as well as a number of mortar rafts. This force arrived above the New Madrid Bend on March 15. Unable to directly assault Island Number Ten, Pope and Foote debated how to reduce its defenses. While Pope desired Foote to run his gunboats past the batteries to cover a landing downstream, Foote had concerns about losing some of his vessels and preferred to commence a bombardment with his mortars. Deferring to Foote, Pope agreed to a bombardment and for the next two weeks the island came under a steady rain of mortar shells. As this action ensued, Union forces cut a shallow canal across the neck of the first bend which allowed transport and supply vessels to reach New Madrid while avoiding the Confederate batteries. With the bombardment proving ineffective, Pope again began to agitate for running some of the gunboats past Island Number Ten. While an initial council of war on March 20 saw Footes captains refuse this approach, a second nine days later resulted in Commander Henry Walke of USS Carondelet (14 guns) agreeing to attempt a passage. Battle of Island Number Ten - The Tide Turns: While Walke waited for a night with good conditions, Union troops led by Colonel George W. Roberts raided Battery No. 1 on the evening of April 1 and spiked its guns. The following night, the Footes flotilla focused its attention on New Orleans and succeeded in cutting the floating batterys mooring lines leading it to drift away downstream. On April 4, conditions proved correct and Carondelet began creeping past Island Number Ten with a coal barge lashed to its side for added protection. Pushing downstream, the Union ironclad was discovered but successfully ran through the Confederate batteries. Two nights later USS Pittsburg (14) made the voyage and joined Carondelet. With the two ironclads to protect his transports, Pope began plotting a landing on the east bank of the river. On April 7, Carondelet and Pittsburg eliminated the Confederate batteries at Watsons Landing clearing the way for Popes army to cross. As Union troops commenced landing, Mackall assessed his situation. Unable to see a way to hold Island Number Ten, he directed his troops to begin moving towards Tiptonville but left a small force on the island. Alerted to this, Pope raced to cut off the Confederates sole line of retreat. Slowed by fire from the Union gunboats, Mackalls men failed to reach Tiptonville before the enemy. Trapped by Popes superior force, he had no choice but to surrender his command on April 8. Pressing forward, Foote received the surrender of those still on Island Number Ten. Battle of Island Number Ten - Aftermath: In the fighting for Island Number Ten, Pope and Foote lost 23 killed, 50 wounded, and 5 missing while Confederate losses numbered around 30 killed and wounded as well as approximately 4,500 captured. The loss of Island Number Ten cleared the Mississippi River to further Union advances and later in the month Flag Officer David G. Farragut opened its southern terminus by capturing New Orleans. Though a key victory, the fighting for Island Number Ten was generally overlooked by the general public as the Battle of Shiloh was fought April 6-7. Selected Sources History of War: Battle of Island Number 10CWSAC Battle Summary: Battle of Island Number 10New Madrid: Battle of Island Number 10