Psychoanalytical Approach Essay

?1. Psychoanalytical Criticism ?2. Psychoanalytical criticism is a type ofcriticism that uses theories of psychology to analyze literature. It focuses on theauthor’s state of mind or the state of the mind of fictional characters. ?3. Sigmund FreudPsychoanalytical criticism originated in the workof Sigmund Freud. Freud’s theories areconcerned with the nature of the unconsciousmind. According to Freud, the human mindconsists of three parts: the id, the ego andsuperego. ? The id is source of our instinctual and physical desires. ? The superego is the part of the psyche that has internalized the norms and mores of society. ? The ego is keeps mediating between the demands of the id and the superego. It is rational, logical, and conscious. ?4. Repression? We often repress what the id encourages us to think and do because the ego and superego tell us not to think and do, therefore forcing these unacceptable wishes into the unconscious. All of us have repressed wishes and fears.? Repressed desires emerge in disguised forms: dreams and language (slips). They emerge in symbolic form that require  analysis to reveal their meaning.? Many elements of psychology that Freud described appear in literary works. ?5. Freudian Literary Criticism? Freudian critics try to understand how the operations of repression structure or inform the work They pay close attention to unconscious motives and feelings, whether these be those of the author, or of the characters depicted in the work.? They demonstrate the presence in the literary work of classic psychoanalytic symptoms or conditions. ?6. Carl Gustav Jung and Jungian literary Criticism? Jung developed the theory of the collective unconscious, a collection of shared unconscious memories dating back to the origins of human experience and manifested in dreams, myths, and literature.? A great work of literature is not a disguised expression of repressed wishes, but a manifestation of the desires one held by the whole human race, and now repressed because of the advent of civilization.? Jungian analysis of literature tries to discover the images in a work of literature that a permanent and universal significance. ?7. Harold Bloom and the anxiety of InfluenceThe most important contemporary psychological criticis Harold Bloom. Bloom uses the Freudian concept ofrepression to apply it to literary history in general. Nopoet creates in isolation from his predecessors. In TheAnxiety of Influence, he argues that poetsunconsciously misread the poems of their greatpredecessors. The new poems are essentiallyrewritings of poems by a father-figure predecessor. Poets keep struggling to free themselves from thisinfluence of father-figure poets.

Cyber Games Essay

What is a Cyber Game or Video Games? This is a game in the form of computer software, run on a personal computer or games machine and played by one or more people using a keyboard, mouse, control pad, or joystick. Computer games usually combine sound and graphics and range from traditional games such as chess to fast-moving action games or complex puzzles. Video and computer games, like many popular, entertaining and addicting kid activities, are looked down upon by many parents as time-wasters, and worse, parents think that these games rot the brain. Also, violent video games are readily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some youth become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games actually have many benefits – the main one being making kids smart. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future. Here are some of the good effects of the Cyber Games. Cyber Games give your child’s brain a real workout. In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. These skills are not even taught at school. Some of the mental skills trained by video games include: †¢Following instruction †¢Problem solving and logic †¢Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills †¢Resource management and logistics †¢Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives †¢Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions †¢Strategy and anticipation †¢Developing reading and math skills †¢Perseverance †¢Pattern recognition †¢Estimating skills Inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing †¢Memory †¢Reasoned judgments †¢Teamwork and cooperation when played with others. †¢Simulation, real world skill Video games introduce people to computer technology and the online world. You should recognize that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world. Video games make people adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. This is particularly important for girls who typically are not as interested in high technology as much as boys. Video games allow each and everyone to play together and can be a good bonding activity. Some games are attractive to kids as well as adults, and they could be something that they share in common. When a child knows more than you, he can teach you how to play and this allows you to understand a child’s skills and talents. In the contrast of the good effects, here are the bad effects saying that too much video game playing makes a person socially isolated. Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends. Video games do not exercise a person’s imaginative thinking. Using imagination may be important in developing creativity. Some video games teach kids the wrong values. Violent behavior, vengeance and aggression are rewarded. Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are often not options. Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative. Games can confuse reality and fantasy. Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. Video games may also have bad effects on some children’s health, including obesity, video-induced seizures and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders, such as tendonitis, nerve compression, carpal tunnel syndrome. When playing online, a child can pick up bad language and behavior from other people, and may make the child vulnerable to online dangers. A study by the Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family suggests that video games can be addictive for kids, and that the kids’ addiction to video games increases their depression and anxiety levels. Addicted kids also exhibit social phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted to video games see their school performance suffer. I am not saying; stop playing Cyber or Video games because it can harm you and your health rather to limit the amount of time in playing although playing video games can be a learning experience, a variety of entertaining things to learn from, so people will not be addicted to just one thing. Be sure to some read books, play sports, interact with other people, and watch good TV. Everything should be taken in moderation. The Pediatrics recommends that a person should not spend more than one to two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games (handheld, console, or computer), and computers (for non-academic use). This means seven to fourteen hours per week total.

Harvard MBA admission essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harvard MBA admission essays - Essay Example Although I was successful in setting standards on paper; however, creation of a practical roadmap was something that made me contemplate further. Since Saudi Arabia has neither unions nor work councils, I seized at the opportunity to mold the new ‘Organization Excellence’ department into a platform as an internal employee work council, as well as an intermediary between the company and employees. After conducting employee interviews, reading extensive P&G archives on performance management, and seeking out thought leadership resources, I designed a completely new system for mobilizing and motivating human assets. Not only did strategy of unifying workers and developing a more-positive working environment pay off; however, also my approach to ‘Organization Excellence’ touched off productivity gains throughout the P&G facility. During a short period of two years, I facilitated the department in its expansion, and it set indexed performance and rising job satisfaction standards throughout the organization. P&G sites across Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and beyond are now replicating my model, and subseq uently, the companys reputation, in terms of its human resources management, has also strengthened dramatically, and winning Saudi Arabia’s Employer of the Year Award is just an example of the accomplishment. After completion of the top-to-bottom redesigning of ‘Rewards and Recognition incentive system’, it was an understanding that the system was transforming into a global benchmark for P&G sites worldwide. For this reason, my inspiration stemmed from identifying performance gaps, and at that time, during the training of 350 employees on P&G success drivers and another batch on ‘High Performance Organizations Overviews’, I felt strongly that everyone should be able to take ownership initiative and feel valuation of their contribution. Simultaneously, I sought to transform trainings from a passive information transfer to an interactive experience

N role of independent HR consultant you have been invited to tender Essay

N role of independent HR consultant you have been invited to tender for the role of specialist advisor to the UK Olympic committee for the 2012 games - Essay Example Also, this course has helped me learn what group work is about, how to manage conflicts and also how to delegate tasks and to whom. Thus, this course and this term report have helped me a lot and will continue to do so in future. This research paper is about showing my understanding of the module Human Resource Management. The assigned task is to assume myself in the role of an independent HR consultant who has been invited to tender for the role of specialist advisor to the UK Olympic committee for 2012 games. This report will also show an understanding of scope, significance and legal framework of HRM in business organization. Moreover, it will identify the factors affecting human motivation in business organizations and how motivation affects standards of performances. As a specialist advisor, I will do my best to give the best possible solutions to the committee. It is important to set day to day achievable goals for every organization. In case of Olympics, it is extremely important. Being a specialist advisor I will have to set goals for all the teams working for the Olympics games. I will have to assign daily tasks to each team and will have to monitor what they are doing, whether they have achieved the task or not. Recruitment of employees is also very important aspect of an HR manager’s job. By recruitment it is meant that the HR manager has to hire and fire employees and has to keep a track on their performances as well. It has been observed that employees and work force needs to stay motivated. It is often advised to organizations to invite motivational speakers and arrange motivational speaking sessions. The motivational speakers might be people from the organization itself or they might be outsiders. Appreciation is a great motivational tool. People like it when they are appreciated. Appreciation at workplace is very important especially because it motivates employees to work and it gains their loyalty as well. At Olympics, when

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 110

Summary - Essay Example There was a massive migration of Europeans, mostly from Germany, Spain, Poland, and the present day Czech Republic to Mexico and Texas. These European migrants brought with them a new style of dance and music to the community living in Texas and Mexico. This event had a greater influence on the upcoming and development of the Tejano music genre. This migration resulted in the emergence of a special music genre that was later identified as the Tejano, which is a cross cultural mix of several traditional European music styles. Although this migration played a great role, it was not until the Mexican revolution that the Tejano music genre was fully developed. The Mexican revolution took place during the early 1900s and forced many Europeans migrants into south Texas, where their musical influence had a great impact especially on the development of Tejano genre. At the south Texas, the Tejano was music genre was mostly used by people involved in agriculture and ranching. There were occasionally travelling musicians who would come to the farms and ranches to play their music. They were using basic musical instruments such as guitar, flute, and drum to entertain their guest. As these travelling musicians were traversing the areas occupied by Poles, Germans, and Czechs, they began to incorporate the native sounds into their music. This resulted in an upcoming of a new form of music that later established itself as a strong music genre in the early 20th century. Thus, Tejano music genre evolved as a blend of various traditional European forms of music such as mariachi, corrido, Conjunto, Mexican cumbia, Pop, Ranchera, Rock, R&B, and polka amongst others that were introduced to Czech and German settlers in south Texas during the late 19th century (Peà ±a, 2010). There could be many possible reasons why Peà ±a describes Texas-Mexican women

Creation Myth Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creation Myth Project - Essay Example The matter and energy did not exist as separate entities, but rather there existed a vastness filled by senseless, meaningless, formless, nebulous space that pervaded every inch of a universe that was without any dimensions, forms or meanings. The universe was thirsty for a sense of form, dimensions and meaning. Then at the very center of this formless, dimensionless and shapeless world, there emerged a scintillating, shimmering, and incessantly vibrating substance element. In a world that was hitherto substance less, it was the first thing that could be called to be a substance, if it was a substance. This substance atom, this substance particle achieved enhanced sense of shimmering, vibration and scintillation, indicative of some infinite energy that was poised to both pervade and envelope the disturbing zero all around. The vibration soon increased to enhanced levels of humming and void, and the nooks and corners of this pervasive null were filled with an incessant and disturbing, humming. Fear gripped the hearts and minds of the entire creation that was yet to be. A sense of urgency, a sense of apprehension, and fear imbued the entire, pervasive nothingness. And then this substance element lost form and started to emit vast rays of energy, just a millisecond before it burst into flames and water. The flames scattered all around the surrounding vacuum and emptiness, finally cooled by its chillness and silence, to yield land masses or what the generations were to call planets. The water emanating from this bursting of the substance particle filled the cracks and crevices of these land masses. There emerged to be oceans, rivers and lakes full of water. The atomic content emanating from this elemental burst gave way to a chemical soup, which eventually shaped by the heat of this burst evolved to form organic molecules. The incessant cycle of life had been initiated in which the molecular organic creations further evolved

4 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

4 Discussion - Essay Example moral grounds wherein the involvement and formation of a consistent value system is administered to and this forms the base on which decisions concerning behavior is based upon. Conscience is the â€Å"the little voice,† perhaps at times may nag, complain or make us feel harassed when actions are considered not in the right perspective. Sigmund Freud described conscience as the voice within the superego, the set of rigid moral precepts that helped to control the want and take aspects of the id. Superego can be characterized as the sum of things learned in early life about right and wrong, wherein the self or ego functions within the bounds of a particular society. A person with poor superego control is considered id-driven.(Bonnie,1995) Others believe that the conscience is the other voice of reason as viewed by Thomas Aqinas. Since reason is God-given to Aquinas therefore consciences is also God-given. But human beings have the capacity to develop reason, and so reason remains a facility that must be exercised and developed. To act conscientiously is to act on reason-based decisions. (Bonnie,1995) Aquinas discusses people who have erring consciences and make wrong decisions based on faulty reasoning. He states that this may not be the person’s fault if he has not learned enough to know what is right or wrong. We have been stating that conscience is merely a feeling but I feel it is more of knowledge that is required to understand the difference between right and wrong. This extent of conscience is based on knowledge and is not merely a feeling. This should be a knowledge rather than rational or analytical knowledge wherein this knowledge of mine is an absolute obligation to goodness, justice and charity and virtue and holiness. Secondly this knowledge is of moral facts. Thus knowledge forms the bases for conscience. Now this conscience for me can lead to authority. The age we live in is filled turmoil and terrorism. And I feel that from young this

Managing Change for Green Telco to Implement Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Essay

Managing Change for Green Telco to Implement Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Policy - Essay Example The company was established in 1989 and is currently performing leadership in telecommunication services in UK. It is a multi-awarded company which seeks to contribute for a greener world by engaging into environmentalism for improved biodiversity. As such, the company involved itself in tree planting activities and has committed to help offset carbon emission by supporting a renewable energy project—-the Wind Energy Generation. This report aimed to present an analytical process about how Green Telco should respond to the challenges on the need to innovate and manage changes in the implementation of operational policies targeting on significantly reducing companies’ wastes contribution and to nurture an eco-friendly workplace by using ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ principles for healthier working environment. The process will also identify alternatives that will produce a cost-efficient outcome in the administration of communications amongst its departments by adapting information technology for effective and efficient paperless administration and operations, as well as in its quality customer care. To concretely introduce changes, the company will conduct strategic organizational capacity assessment to appraise corporate performance viz-a-viz corporate vision, mission, goals, structure and its human resources capacity to actualize corporate plans. It will also evaluate corporate programs g auged on key success indicators and outcomes. Such will also ascertain how effective are its human resources in enforcing the company’s policy on â€Å"reduce, reuse and recycle† (3Rs) within specific period and to address the implication of these proposed changes. Data and information used in this report are sourced from primary and secondary sources that are accessible online. Sources are from Green Telco, journals, books, texts, and related studies. Materials are used based on its significance for managing organizational change. This document will further detail the problems of the company, key issues and proposed recommendations. The recommendations is inclusive of company’s determination of supportive plans that will strengthen human resource’s capacity; adaptation of information technology to develop paperless business operations; improve corporate business management; and strengthen organizational capacity through regular meetings, monitoring and e valuation. 1.0 Problem Identification and Analysis The world is beset with ecological problems (Johansson-Stenman, 2004). All pollution has contributed to environmental degradation which has been evidently affecting all of the civilizations that are currently confronting the impacts of climate change. In UK and like other nations,

Ethics, Values, and Social Responsibility Research Proposal

Ethics, Values, and Social Responsibility - Research Proposal Example Fraudulent practices are common nowadays especially in the aspects where there is money involved. People have witnessed substantial cases particularly in accounting practices. There is a necessary accounting practice ethics because this consideration is giving a certain degree of credibility and integrity of the corporate world. Leaders are vulnerable to engage in corrupt practices just to optimize generation of profit for the benefit of their advantage and the company. As a result, not disclosing the exact amount for accounting purposes and tax declaration entices the leaders or the management to go for the safest way that may be in favor for their profit generation. Here where the common fraud exists, which may have prior approval of the management or the corporate leaders. On the other hand, the work at the corporate world without question may undeniably extend to one’s personal life. This is a common scenario by which employees were constantly tracked in their online via t heir social networking accounts by their leaders or managers. This at some point may be a violation of their privacy and freedom of expression considering that some thoughts or gestures they initiated on the social media may be taken against them within the context of the corporate discipline. Another important ethical issue facing the leaders and the corporate world is confined within the context both external and internal to marketing. Marketing is primarily about conveying of information, and for the sake of convincing the target market, the use of deceptive schemes has become a common action that clearly at some point will also have to undergo leader’s approval. Next to marketing, another common ethical issue involving the corporate world and leaders is about paying employees. Some corporate organizations with the sheer approval of their leaders decide to pay their employees a kind of compensation which might not eventually fall on the standard. This is for the sake of op timizing profit and such direction has to be initiated for the disadvantage of the employees by not paying them the exact or right amount for their given time and effort for the company. Finally, perhaps the oldest of its kind in the array of ethical issues facing the corporate world and leaders is the issue of discrimination triggered by race, ethnic, origin, gender and sexual orientation. This is still common to exist in some organizations today where leaders may have certain bias or prejudice against certain groups of people or organizations. As a result, they have to employ relevant company policies and most of them have to be strongly integrated with the hiring process. For them, it is the best way to fire people while they are not yet hired. These are just some of the common ethical issues one may potentially raise as taking place in the corporate arena and affecting its leader’s actual credibility and integrity to lead the entire team. Knowing which of these is particu larly taking the lead is the next point of the work at hand. Using the relevant related literature review concerning this issue will lead to the opportunity to rank these ethical concerns. Ranking the Ethical Issues Business leadership and corporate social responsibility have clearly become the common primary concern in the context of business ethics in the age of globalization (Pies, Beckmann & Hielscher, 2010; Selart & Johansen,

How to establish the communication Essay Example for Free

How to establish the communication Essay Everyone has different needs and styles in which they communicate. There are also many different ways in which we may establish these communication needs, wishes and preferences. A good way to begin to understand a patient’s needs, wishes and preferences is to read their notes and history’s to see if this contains any relevant information. For example, if I read that a patient has hearing problems, I would then know to make sure that I speak to the patient clearly and slowly and look at them so they can read my lips. Other ways to establish communication needs, wishes and preferences is by interacting with the patient and through conversation I learn how to best communicate with the patient. It is also important to remember to be clear and concise in all forms of communication, especially when working with people with learning disabilities, where they might get confused if I speak too quickly or use too complex language. It may benefit, if this is the case, to use your body language to help explain what you are trying to say and to emphasise the tone of the conversation. Also, pictures can be used to help the patient and myself understand. For example, one of my patients uses cards that display what emotions they are feeling, they will use these to communicate how they are feeling. In the past, I have worked with a patient who is deaf. For me to establish what her needs were, I first spoke to the nurse in charge and they informed me she was deaf, however, could sign or write things down. As I could not sign, our preferred form of communication was writing, which after spending time together worked quite well.

French Maginot Line A Defensive Failure History Essay

French Maginot Line A Defensive Failure History Essay The plan of investigation is going to be an analysis and evaluation of the history behind the French Maginot Line and why it failed. To undertake this study, the following was used: visiting a local library and researching in the reference section, researching at Troy High Schools Library, and going to a bookstore to purchase secondary sources. With these starting points, I found articles, journals, and documents, that may be able to offer important information and details to my research reinforcing my arguments. Through the usage of the information gathered in these sources, I will formulate a conclusion of the importance of why the French Maginot line was a defensive failure from Germany in WWII. B. Summary of Evidence The Maginot Line, named after French Minister of Defense Andrà © Maginot, was a French defense structure comprised of concrete fortification, anti-tank barriers, artillery armaments, machine gun turrets, and much more (Allcorn). France built this structure to protect its borders from Germany and Italy based on experiences during the First World War, and preliminary Second World War (Kaufmann). The reasoning behind the construction of the Maginot line comes from the immense French losses during the WWI. By the time the war had ended November 11, 1918, the eastern sector of France was invaded and occupied by enemies for four years (Allcorn). Within these years, the war had caused the deaths of over one million French citizens and, as a result, had a major impact on demographics in France, such as a steep drop in the national birth rates (Maurois). Being a witness to the repercussion of the war, France asked itself a vital question: what could France do to defend itself in the future? The Maginot Line seemed to be the answer. If Germans were to attempt another invasion in France, a defense fortress like the Maginot Line would prevent them from doing so. The construction of the Maginot Line consisted of multiple phases throughout the 1930s (Kaufmann). The STG (Service Technique du Gà ©nie) ran the project and was supervised by CORF (Comission dOrganisation des Rà ©gions Fortifià ©es) (Allcorn). The majority of construction was completed during 1939, costing about three billion francs (Allcorn). The Maginot Line seemed to be the pinnacle of defense structures at the time: it was a linear structure, with a succession of forts constructed in an continuous line (Jurga).   Each fort was placed about 15 km apart from the next, varying amongst terrain. Between each forts were casements, armored buildings from where machine-gun are fired, that further reinforced the Lines defenses (Jurga). The forts and interval casemates were adjoined by anti-tank barriers and barbed wires (Jurga). In essence, the ligne de principale rà ©sistance, with all of its forts, casements, and barriers, seemed to be the ultimate defensive structure. In theory, an invading German army would have to battle the Line as wholly conjoined system, not as series of individual forts and turrets (Robertson).   However, as the German Army drew closer to France, the French Commanders withdrew troops and artillery troops that connected the individual forts and turrets and deployed them elsewhere (Maurois).   This choice weakened much of the Lines firepower and infantry.  Hence, when the Germans attacked, they did not battle the  Line as envisioned by  its constructors (Kaufmann).   The WWII German invasion plan of 1940 (Sichelschnitt) was created to deal with the Line (Allcorn). A decoy force sat opposite the Line to instigate the Phony War: for 8 months, the Germans gave the impression that they were planning to invade the French at the Maginot Line by shooting artillery salvos on an area nearby (Feuchtinger). In the meantime, another German force cut through the Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as through the Ardennes Forest, which lay north of the main French defenses (Allcorn). Hence, the Germans were able to avoid directly attacking the Maginot Line. On May 10th, German forces had penetrated deep into France continued to advance until for fourteen days (Kaufmann). The French Prime Minister, Marshal Philippe Pà ©tain, realizing that France was overrun, proceeded to surrender and requested an armistice with Germany, which Adolf Hitler agreed to (Maurois). C. Evaluation of Sources Maurois, Andre. The Battle of France. Right Book Club, 1940. Print. Origin: The author of this document is Andre Maurois, a French author born in Normany, who served in the French army during several wars, including the First and Second World. Purpose: The purpose of this document is to describe what Maurois witness firsthand during his time in the Second World War, mostly the Battle of France and what lead up to it. During his times as a traveler for the French army, Maruois had several duties that required speaking to people from different nations, primarily the British and Americans. Value: The value of this document is that it provides firsthand insight into knowledge of what occurred in World War II. A behind-the-scenes look at what happened during the war is provided as insight through this source. Not to mention that it also includes several different perspectives and ideas because Maurois spoke to people from various international countries. Seeing how Maruois spoke to French, American, and British soldiers throughout the war, including those that had posted at the Maginot Line, this document will provide me with useful information regarding the Maginot Line. Limitation: This document is limited in that it may be biased from a French perspective. Despite the fact that it includes the opinions of those who are from America or Britain, Maurois, as a Frenchman, could have easily filtered out facts or ideas that he did not appreciate. Jurga, Robert. Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II. Da Capo, 2002. Print. Origin: The author of this document is Robert Jurga, an American historian who studies specifically the era of the Second World War. Purpose: The purpose of this document is to look into the different types of defense structures that existed throughout Europe during the Second World War such as forts, bunkers, anti-tank barriers, and more. It describes in detail the sizes and fortifications of notable defense structures that were constructed during this time period, including the Maginot Line. Value: This document is valuable because it provides detailed descriptions of the Maginot Line such as the specific structures, building phases, and groups important to the construction of the Maginot line such as the STG (Service Technique du Gà ©nie) and CORF. Limitation: This document is limited in that it may be biased from an American perspective. Jurga, may have found certain defensive structures throughout Europe to be better than certain other ones. If he somehow considered the Maginot Line to be inferior, he may have put less effort into making a more detailed description of the design of structure. D. Analysis France had experienced catastrophic damage in World War I. After the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, France had a strong intent that it would never have to suffer from such a disaster again (Kaufmann). In 1920, both the government and military favored implementing a military tactic that would prevent any further German invasion (Allcorn). Many powerful figures in the French military, such as Marshall Foch, assumed that the German anger over their humiliating treatment at the signing of the Treaty of Versailles guaranteed that Germany would seek revenge (Kaufmann). As a result, the French military intent was to solely embrace the power of the defense (Kaufmann). When Andrà © Maginot took government office in 1929, he lead France to spend a fortune (nearly 3 billion francs) to construct a complete defense blockade, the Maginot Line, across the German border (Allcorn). He rashly opposed any objections to his plan, his only argument that the structure would surely prevent any further terrible bloodshed, like that of WWI, should there be another war (Kaufmann). The intended Line would run through the French-German and French-Italian borders (both foes during the war) and would have two functions: to deter an assault long enough to fully mobilize the French army, and to act as a bunker to fend off the assault (Kaufmann). Hence, any combat would occur on the French borders, avoiding internal harm and occupation. However, France made a critical error when they ceased to construct northern fortifications, which is where Germans would invade from (Feuchtinger). This was because Belgium, an ally, was north of France, and it was unthinkable that either one build such a colossal construction on their shared boundary: the Ardennes Forest. Furthermore, the French had believed that even if the Germans invaded through Belgium, they had considered the Ardennes Forest to be impenetrable due to its hilly and woody terrain (Maurois). As a result, the French decision to not extend the Maginot Line across the Ardennes Forest partly contributed it to become a defensive failure. On another note, many critics at the time claimed that the original design of the Line was too large and costly, which lead the project to become downsized (Jurga). Some of even proceeded that the only reason why the project did not extend across Belgium was because funds had been running out. In 1934, Chief of State Philippe Pà ©tain obtained a billion francs for construction, and many people saw this as definite overspending (Allcorn). Seeing how much was invested into a project that did not fulfill its purpose, it becomes evident why many people consider the Maginot Line a defensive failure. The errors of the French ultimately culminated in Frances failure to suspect and deter the Nazi invasion plan, the Sichelschnitt. Germany gave the impression that it was going to attack the Line; it posted a diversion army across the Line, whose mere presence prevented French soldiers at the Line to be used as reinforcements elsewhere (Kaufmann). On May 10th 1940, Germany attacked the Netherlands, through Belgium. France, at this point, was not worried-the war seemed to be according to plan, where troops at the Maginot Line would be used as a hinge to advance and deter the invasion through Belgium (Allcorn). However, the French did not expect that the German forces would cross Luxembourg, Belgium and go through the Ardennes. With well over one million troops and a thousand tanks, the German army easily crossed the impenetrable forest (Feuchtinger). They were faced with small resistance, and the French army began to wither. By June, Germans had swung behind the Line and cut it off fro m the rest of France, leading France to surrender and ultimately manifesting the Line as a defensive failure. E. Conclusion Though the Maginot Line had been considered by the French as the perfect defensive structure that would fend off an enemy invasion, it is clear that was not the case. Several factors contribute to why the Maginot Line was a defensive failure against the German invasion: the belief that the Line would be the only invasion entryway into France for the Germans, the wrong assumption that the Ardennes Forest was impenetrable, the failure to see that the German army opposite the Line was a diversion, the incompleteness of the Line (failing to extend across Belgium and the Ardennes Forest), and the high cost and time-consumption that went into it. The French had become paranoid from the damage it took from the World War I and invested too much time and money embracing the concept of defense without considering other possibilities such as from invasion elsewhere. As a result, the Maginot Line, the seemingly ultimate defensive structure, failed to perform its duty: to defend France. F. Bibliography Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Grand Rapids: Osprey, 2003. Print. Feuchtinger, Edgar. 21st Panzer Division in Combat Against American Troops in France and Germany. United States Military, 1940. Print. Jurga, Robert. Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II. Da Capo, 2002. Print. Kaufmann, J. E., and H. W. Kaufmann. Fortress France The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II (Stackpole Military History Series) (Stackpole Military History Series). New York: Stackpole, 2007. Print. Kaufmann, J. E. Maginot Line none shall pass. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 1997. Print. Maurois, Andre. The Battle of France. Right Book Club, 1940. Print. Robertson, Harry S.. Report on French Defenses: Maginot Line. United States Military, 1940. Print. H. Additional O.P.V.Ls Feuchtinger, Edgar. 21st Panzer Division in Combat Against American Troops in France and Germany. United States Military, 1940. Print. Origin: The author of this document is Edgar Feuchtinger, a German General (Generalleutnant) during the Second World War. He was the Commander of the 21st Panzer-Division and participated in many critical German battles such as the Battle of Normandy. Purpose: This document is a debriefing of German General Feuchtinger by the United States after he and the rest of the German 21st Panzer Division were captured by the British. Feuchtinger kept records and logs of what he encountered throughout the war. The debriefing document includes what Feuchtinger had known about the Line at the time, including the number of forces encountered there and what kinds of artillery and weaponry the French had in possession. Value: The value of this document is that it provides firsthand insight into knowledge of what occurred in World War II. Not only is it from the perspective of a German, but a General, a critical military position which requires much knowledge and skill. This document will be able to provide me with inside details about the Maginot from a position that I would normally not be able to get from a document that is taken from an American perspective. Limitation: This document is limited in that it may be biased from a German perspective. The German general may have withheld important information due to the fact that the war wasnt actually over when he was being debriefed. Robertson, Harry S.. Report on French Defenses: Maginot Line. United States Military, 1940. Print. Origin: The author of this document is Harry S. Robertson, an American Colonel during the Second World War, who was part of the 75th Infantry Division and the 291st US infantry Regiment. Purpose: Harry S. Robertsons duty was to investigate the Maginot Line for American intelligence. Robertson, along with his unit, went inside the Line and took firsthand observations to debrief what they witnessed there such as weaponry, troop count, and artillery. Value: The value of this document is that it provides firsthand insight of what occurred in World War II. Unlike many other sources, Robertson was there to witness what the Maginot Line was like at the time of the War: he saw what types of armaments the French were in possession of or what the structural layout of the Line was like. More recent documents attempting to investigate the Maginot Line are not likely to provide as much detail as this document due to the fact they are not deduced from firsthand experiences. Limitation: This docume nt is limited in that it may be biased from an American perspective. Due to the fact that it was an Americans job to debrief what he sees in a French fortress, it is plausible to believe that Robertson may not have found the assignment to have been too interesting and that he may failed to provide a completely accurate investigational analysis of the structure.

Ginseng Essay -- Ginseng Plant Plants Science Essays

Ginseng What is ginseng? Ginseng is listed as an adaptogen. Hans Selye, a listed expert on stress, defines an adaptogen as a "non-toxic substance which reinforces the bodys ability to react to stress" (http:/www.sunwellness.com/ginseng.html). It is offered in a variety of species each yielding a different response. What is ginseng made of? Ginseng is a plant with many different components. It is used in its entirety in the preparation of teas, powders, and capsules. It contains saponins, or soaplike materials, that have been named with various numbers and letters, such as Rg1. Its root is said to have a composition similar to that of a steroid (http://www.mkservices.com/ginseng/ more.html) ) It contains compounds containing hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen in the proportion C42 H72O14, (Liu et al., 1995). What is it promised to do? Ginseng is said to have many effects on the human body. The cooling effects or relaxing effects are felt from the "Yin" ginsengs such as the American or Siberian species. The warming or stimulating effects are seen from the "Yang" ginsengs which include the species of Korean and Chinese ginsengs (http://www.tenzing.com/g.html). What they are saying: Promised effects Where they are saying it: Internet addresses stimulated mental and physical activity, improved accuracy of work, prevents http://www.mkservices.con-L/ginseng/more.html fatigue, stimulation of endocrine glands, improves memory http://www.com-star.com/ginseng/about.html strengthen the heart and nervous system, builds mental and physical vitality, builds resistance to disease, stimulates endocrine glands http://www.dacom.co.kr/O/o7Ekkm55/moreinfo.html recommended for: decreased health conditions, han... ...ss-induced antinocicpetion in mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 52(2) 427-32. Nishiyama N., Wang YL., Saito H. (1995). Beneficial effects of S-113m, a novel herbal prescription, on learning impairment model in mice. Biological & Pharmaceutical Buletin, 18 (11), 1498-503. Van Schepdael P. (1993). Effect of Ginseng G115 on the physical condition of triathletes. Acta Therapeutica, 19(4), 337-347. Wiklund I., Karlberg J., Lund B. (1994). A double-blind comparison of the effect on quality of life of a combination of vital substances including standardized ginseng G115 and placebo. Current Therapeutic Research, 55(1) 32-42. Zhang Y., Takashina K., Saito H., Nishiyama N. (1994). Anti-aging effect of DX-9386 in senescence accelerated mouse. Melissa Schweikhart Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee Health Psychology 115A December 10, 1996 Ginseng Essay -- Ginseng Plant Plants Science Essays Ginseng What is ginseng? Ginseng is listed as an adaptogen. Hans Selye, a listed expert on stress, defines an adaptogen as a "non-toxic substance which reinforces the bodys ability to react to stress" (http:/www.sunwellness.com/ginseng.html). It is offered in a variety of species each yielding a different response. What is ginseng made of? Ginseng is a plant with many different components. It is used in its entirety in the preparation of teas, powders, and capsules. It contains saponins, or soaplike materials, that have been named with various numbers and letters, such as Rg1. Its root is said to have a composition similar to that of a steroid (http://www.mkservices.com/ginseng/ more.html) ) It contains compounds containing hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen in the proportion C42 H72O14, (Liu et al., 1995). What is it promised to do? Ginseng is said to have many effects on the human body. The cooling effects or relaxing effects are felt from the "Yin" ginsengs such as the American or Siberian species. The warming or stimulating effects are seen from the "Yang" ginsengs which include the species of Korean and Chinese ginsengs (http://www.tenzing.com/g.html). What they are saying: Promised effects Where they are saying it: Internet addresses stimulated mental and physical activity, improved accuracy of work, prevents http://www.mkservices.con-L/ginseng/more.html fatigue, stimulation of endocrine glands, improves memory http://www.com-star.com/ginseng/about.html strengthen the heart and nervous system, builds mental and physical vitality, builds resistance to disease, stimulates endocrine glands http://www.dacom.co.kr/O/o7Ekkm55/moreinfo.html recommended for: decreased health conditions, han... ...ss-induced antinocicpetion in mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 52(2) 427-32. Nishiyama N., Wang YL., Saito H. (1995). Beneficial effects of S-113m, a novel herbal prescription, on learning impairment model in mice. Biological & Pharmaceutical Buletin, 18 (11), 1498-503. Van Schepdael P. (1993). Effect of Ginseng G115 on the physical condition of triathletes. Acta Therapeutica, 19(4), 337-347. Wiklund I., Karlberg J., Lund B. (1994). A double-blind comparison of the effect on quality of life of a combination of vital substances including standardized ginseng G115 and placebo. Current Therapeutic Research, 55(1) 32-42. Zhang Y., Takashina K., Saito H., Nishiyama N. (1994). Anti-aging effect of DX-9386 in senescence accelerated mouse. Melissa Schweikhart Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee Health Psychology 115A December 10, 1996

The Consumption of Alcohol and its Effects on the Body :: Alcohol Health Drug Abuse Essays

The Consumption of Alcohol and its Effects on the Body Alcohol, probably the oldest drug known, has been used at least since the earliest societies for which records exist. Of the numerous types of alcohol, ethyl alcohol is the type consumed in drinking. In its pure form it is a clear substance with little odor. People drink alcohol in three main kinds of beverages: BEERS, which are made from grain through brewing and fermentation and contain from 3% to 8% alcohol; WINES, which are fermented from fruits such as grapes and contain from 8% to 12% alcohol naturally, and up to 21% when fortified by adding alcohol; and distilled beverages (spirits) such as WHISKEY, GIN, and VODKA, which on the average contain from 40% to 50% alcohol. Drinkers may become addicted to any of these beverages. Physical Effects of Alcohol The effects of alcohol on the human body depend on the amount of alcohol in the blood (blood-alcohol concentration). This varies with the rate of consumption and with the rate at which the drinker's physical system absorbs and metabolizes alcohol. The higher the alcohol content of the beverage consumed, the more alcohol will enter the bloodstream. The amount and type of food in the stomach also affect the absorption rate. Drinking when the stomach is filled is less intoxicating than when it is empty; the foods in the stomach, which contain fat and protein, delay alcohol absorption. Body weight is also a factor; the heavier the person, the slower the absorption of alcohol. After alcohol passes through the stomach, it is rapidly absorbed through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream and carried to the various organ systems of the body, where it is metabolized. Although small amounts of alcohol are processed by the kidneys and secreted in the urine, and other small amounts are processed through the lungs and exhaled in the breath, most of the alcohol is metabolized by the liver. As the alcohol is metabolized, it gives off heat. The body metabolizes alcohol at about the rate of three-fourths of an ounce to one ounce of whiskey an hour. Technically it is possible to drink at the same rate as the alcohol is being oxidized out of the body. Most people, however, drink faster than this, and so the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream keeps rising. Alcohol begins to impair the brain's ability to function when the blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 0.

Abstinence :: essays papers

Abstinence With all the emphasis on the importance of using condoms and birth control to ensure safer sex, I feel an intelligent choice is being overlooked. What is this choice? Well, it is sometimes looked at as old-fashion or not as a plausible decision. I feel, though, that it is very possible, and I am living proof that it is. This decision that I have made is pre-marital sexual abstinence. First of all, I want to say that I feel that people should be educated about condoms and other forms of birth control. Being responsible enough to take those measures when dealing with sex is important in and outside marriage. Also, I would like to say that I am not looking down on anyone who chooses to engage in pre-marital sex. Many of my closest friends have chosen to have sex, and I have and always will be there for them no matter what decisions they make. I can talk to them about sex and give advice knowing that their beliefs are not mine. So, why have I made this decision? Well, the root of my decision is from my religion. I am a born-again Christian, and God tells us in the bible that it is wrong to have sex outside of marriage. When I was in junior high, I made a lot of promises that I swore I wouldn’t break. They included such things as not drinking and not having sex until I was married. Well, I managed to break most of those promises in high school, but I always have kept my promise of abstinence. It wasn’t a decision that I made to be a â€Å"good† girl, it was a way of life. Every issue I saw that dealt with sex in high school made my decision even stronger. I was scared that me wanting to be a virgin would receive a lot of sarcasm and jokes, but I instead received the exact opposite. Boys that found out would think it was wonderful and say such things as â€Å"You’re the type of girl I want to marry!† One of my best friends wrote in my yearbook â€Å"I will always admire you for your ability to say no in the most intense, heat of the moment. Always stick to what you believe.

Benito Cereno

The Razor In â€Å"Moby Dick,† by Herman Melville, he writes about multiple gams between Captain Ahab’s ship, the Pequod, and other ships, yet because of Ahab’s selfishness, these meetings do not last a while unless there is information to be gathered about Moby Dick’s whereabouts. This differs from Melville’s novella, or short story, â€Å"Benito Cereno,† in which Captain Delano’s ship, the Bachelor’s Delight, have a gam with Benito Cereno and his ship, the San Dominick.We see a major difference in how Ahab acts and how Captain Delano acts in their meetings with other ships because of Delano’s willingness to help, but this good trait of his is what makes â€Å"Benito Cereno† such a good story. He continually tosses hints of a slave revolt on San Dominick to the side because of he gives the benefit of the doubt to Benito Cereno. Some of these rebellion hints include the captives, or slaves, being free from chains, and slaves slashing axes together.The biggest hint though is the razor that Babo shaves Benito Cereno. The razor is very important in this novella because it ties the entire story together as well as signifies multiple things such as power and fear. The razor symbolizes power, and even perhaps the balance of powers, because this is the first instance in which Babo, one of the slaves onboard the San Dominick, shows his dominance over Benito Cereno by keeping the razor close to Cereno’s neck and eventually cutting his cheek.When this â€Å"accident† happens, we hear no apology from Babo, only, â€Å"See master- you shook so- here’s Babo’s first blood,† (Melville, p210), which shows that he might have meant to cut Cereno, but also that Babo is willing to make Cereno, and perhaps the rest of his oppressors, bleed more. This is important because Babo draws the first blood and the balance of power is possibly beginning to change through harming Benito Ce reno physically and mentally. Although the razor represents power, it also represents the other side of the coin, being fear.Because Babo holds down Benito Cereno with a razor to his throat, Cereno knows he is in Babo’s full control. This evokes a fear from Cereno, knowing that his life could potentially be at stake, especially since Captain Delano is oblivious to the fact that the San Dominick has been taken over by the captured slaves. Not only do we see fear while the razor is close to Cereno’s throat, but when Babo cuts him, we see him become very frightful of what might happen.Melville writes,† No sword drawn before James the First of England, no assassination in that timid king’s presence, could have produced a more terrified aspect than was now presented by Don Benito,† (Melville, p 210) which shows that Cereno is scared that he might be killed, but yet is still frightened of the little blood of his that Babo spilled. Fear plays a major role i n â€Å"Benito Cereno† because of the fact that Don Benito has already experienced the slave revolt on the San Dominick, and could be killed momentarily if he makes one mistake.The razor keeps him in line during his conversation with Captain Delano because he fears what Babo could do to him if he makes one mistake. The razor not only symbolizes the balance of power as well as evil, but it is also meaningful in â€Å"Benito Cereno† because it ties the entire story together. First off, because the razor symbolizes power, we can relate this to Senegal, the place that Babo and the rest of the slaves are forcing Cereno to sail to for their freedom, back to their rightful home.This place could also be considered weak because of the people that are forced from their homes into the slave trade, and now the balance of powers is shifting. At one point during this journey, Benito Cereno was in full control of the slaves, bringing them to Lima, but now, Babo and the slaves that on ce lost their humanly rights, are now in control over the man who kidnapped them. The razor signifies this changing of power because in that scene we see that Babo is holding it to Cereno’s neck and not vice versa.Just like above, the razor to the neck of Don Benito signifies fear, but can also be connected to Cape Horn, which represents suspicion and lies. Fear and Cape Horn can be connected to one another because not knowing what something, or someone, might be can be frightening. As basic as this may sound, it is true because Cereno fears what Babo might do to him next, after cutting his cheek with the razor.As little as the razor may be, it plays a big role metaphorically and literally. The razor is obviously used by Babo to shave Cereno, and while doing this, Babo cuts Cereno, asserting his control and putting fear into his enemy. The razor completes the story of â€Å"Benito Cereno† because without it, blood would not be spilled, showing the slaves’ newly acquired dominance over their oppressors, which is best shown with a razor to the neck.

Compare and Contrast the Colonization of Jamestown, Plymouth

HIST 1301: U. S. History to 1865 Fall 2012 Essay Assignment #1 Question: Compare and contrast the colonization of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay. Be sure to discuss the settlers involved, the purpose of the colonies, the success or failure of the colony, important developments associated with colonization, and the role of religion in the colony. HIST-1301-009 – U. S. HISTORY TO 1865 Essay Assignment #1 Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay are all belong to English Colonization. There have some similarities and differences among these three places.Jamestown has no settler, but only 100 male adventures which was leaded by Captain John Smith looking for quick profit. Then, Thomas Gates sails 500 colonists and Lord Delaware arrives with 150 colonists in Jamestown. However, different with Jamestown, although Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were settled by different people; Plymouth was steeled by Separatists from the Church of England and Massachusetts Bay was stee led by Non-Separating Congregationalists, but those settlers are all Puritans. The settlers of Plymouth are 101 men, women and children.In Massachusetts Bay, over 1000 Puritans sail for America in 1631 after 1630. Jamestown is for those adventures looking for a quick profit. But in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, both of them settled up not for quick. Plymouth was settled to avoid persecution. Massachusetts Bay was settled to reform the Church of England, to some extent, the colonists build a new society in there. Unfortunately, not like the success in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, the colonization of Jamestown is failure. From 1607 to 1624, people in Jamestown died from 14,000 to 1,132.In Plymouth, after they settled the colony up, it still had many people died at the first winner. The colonists helped the Wampanoags, and colony became self-sufficient in the following year. Then, civil government also grew out of church government. As Plymouth’s success, Massachusetts Bay also success in colonization. The colonists formed the New England Company, and Charles I grant a charter to the company. Finally John Winthrop moved the company to America to ensure the Puritan control. Even though Jamestown is failure, there still have many developments in colony. Related article: Jamestown and Plymouth Compare and ContrastTobacco became goods in exportation, colony accepted the Head-Right Policy to gain more settlers, and colonists granted the right of Englishmen. In Plymouth, colonists signed for the Mayflower Compact and became civil government because they landed off course and outside governmental jurisdiction. Massachusetts Bay had General Court. It was form by Winthrop and a few people, after more and more people got in, it finally became a legislative body in 1634, and became bicameral in following year. From Jamestown, there is no any religion get involved.Just some adventures want to get money in the short time, so they established the colony. However, different from Jamestown, religion plays a crucial role in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. First of all, the settlers of Plymouth are Separatists from the Church of England, and the settlers of Massachusetts Bay are Non-Separating Congregationalists. Both of those settlers are Puritans . Furthermore, Plymouth’s settlers established colony for avoid persecution, and Massachusetts Bay’s settlers established colony for reform the Church of England. Religion relates to these two colonies at the beginning.

Longboarding

Cameron Campbell English 1010 October 25, 2012 â€Å"Longboarding† Grippy and maneuverable, longboards are safer for street surfin’ and they can give you the most bang for your skateboard buying buck. Many people in this country associate skateboarding with ollies, grinds, and other tricks made famous by icons of the sport such as Tony Hawk. However, there is an entirely different way to utilize a board with wheels attached to it which doesn’t involve any hopping or flipping, just riding it. Longboards are wonderful for those who enjoy being outside and schussing down a smoothly paved hill.Longboarding matches similar feelings and maneuvers associated with surfing and snowboarding. Instead of relying on the ocean or a snowy mountain, most people can find a decent patch of pavement for some exhilarating laid-back fun. Young people around the country purchase longboards for purposes that symmetrical skateboards struggle to perform, such as transportation over long distances and achieving sharper turns. The shape of these boards, their elevation from the ground, and their rubber wheels allow much smoother, faster riding than the characteristics of normal skateboards.Not only is the act of riding a longboard much different than that of a common skateboard, but there is also an entirely different culture for the sport. Instead of starting from scratch, trying to learn tricks that may intimidate new skateboarders, all a budding longboarder needs to succeed is balance and a little confidence. The popularity of longboarding is largely attributed to how fun it is. The rush of cruising at high velocities coupled with the friendly, carefree culture that boarders have established help make longboarding a timeless sport.

Ethics and Intervention Techniques Essay

Using all three e-Activities and with reference to Intervention Techniques For Integrating Ethics Into Agency Operations in Denhardt, Chapter 4, select the two most effective of the 13 Intervention Techniques for Integrating Ethics into Agency Operations and defend your choices. Denhardt explains that ethics is a process by which we clarify right and wrong and act on what we take to be right. Instead of having employees follow a certain set of rules that management is exempt from, Leaders need to behave by example to reset an ethical culture. Consequently, I would consider ethical values and character in recruitment to be the first important and effective intervention techniques to be mentioned. I would require management to develop a statement of management philosophy for the organization (Denhardt) and a code of ethics like the federal government. In the recruitment of new employees, I would integrate a personality assessment for new applicants that will give the employer insight i nto the genuine ethics and integrity of the applicant before adding them to the organization. For existing employees, I would secondly follow this intervention technique with both compliance and integrity training and counseling. I would begin by developing training programs and/or other devices for communicating those ideals (Denhardt). Intermittently, during employment, I would integrate refresher courses for all employees, including management. It is imperative for new and continuing employees to sign off with a signature that confirms they understand the policies set forth and agree to comply during their tenure with the company. Stillman’s Chapter 16 Case Study describes the ethical tensions that may accompany leadership in the public sector. Analyze the ways in which George Tenet was challenged ethically, and present and assess at least two resolution strategies he used to handle these challenges. Although the goal of any firm should be to increase its owners’ wealth, to do so requires the public’s trust. Ultimately that trust depends on ethical business practices. George Tenet was described in many ways by observers and peers. Stillman describes Tenet as effective and efficient. However, some staffers felt he would oversimplify difficult issues. During the Clinton administration, he worked so hard that he had a heart attack during his term. Before Tenet joined the CIA, he was pretty much inexperienced which would be cause for concern because the CIA was in disarray. There was low morale, high turnover, outdated computer technology and major budget issues because there was no central accounting of funds spent. Tenet immediately began to rebuild. He worked hard to bring in funding and great staffers and recruits to support the upgrades in technology. As time progressed, Tenet became more involved in peace talk negotiations with Yasser Arafat and the Israeli Prime Minister which many thought was inappropriate was an ethical concern. All the while, the CIA continued to have major intelligence failures. People began to question have grave concerns with activity regarding war and attacks in other countries. Then the terrorist attacks in American with the World trade center s, Pentagon, etc†¦All of a sudden President Bush gave Tenet millions of dollars, resources and increased powers to take down our enemies. In my opinion Tenet decided to take a back seat like a coward and take a low profile. When Bush was pressing to go to war, he had an opportunity and an obligation of loyalty to speak up but rather down played crucial information that could have possibly prevented that war. To me Tenet failed with the ethical dilemma of being honest to his colleagues, field officers, and most significantly the entire nation by knowing that the statements about Saddam Hussein and chemical weapons were false. This decision cost American families over four thousand lives. There was a reference in our readings by Stillman that as public administrators climb higher in organizational hierarchy, they must contend with an increasingly intense tug and pull of competing ethical obligations, which in the end caused George Tenet to resign and also the decline of CIA. Two resolution strategies he used to handle these challenges were to resign from the CIA and influenced the government to restructure the agency more effectively and in a better position in the government. http://fs.huntingdon.edu/jlewis/Syl/PA/306StillmanStudOuts.htm Stillman, R.J. (2010). Public administration: Concepts and cases: 2010 custom edition. (9th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin – Cengage Learning

Course Work Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Course Work - Coursework Example Secondly, the entire summary has so many citation errors. For instance, Purdy v United Kingdom (2010) AC 45 was used instead of (on the application of Purdy) v DPP [2009] UKHL 45 [2010] AC 345. Moreover, the term article in law is supposed to be written with a capital letter. However, the summary had most of its â€Å"Articles† written in small letters. For instance, article 8 instead of Article8. Furthermore, there are interchanged words or rather statements in the text. For example, â€Å"judge Lord† is used severally in the entire summary. This is supposed to be written as â€Å"Lord Judge†; an acceptable statement. The entire summary is full of misused and confused tenses. For instance, â€Å"If you provided a defence to those who assisted someone to kill themselves then you would have to apply it to euthanasia as well as assisted suicide.† To correct this statement, one should focus on the use of words and the tenses that come along with them. Thus, t he statement should be written as â€Å"If you provide a defense to those who assisted someone to kill him or herself, then you should consider it euthanasia and assisted suicide.† The statement â€Å"European Court of human rights† is not written appropriately. It should be written as â€Å"European Court of Human Rights,† in line with the rules of law as well as grammar requirements. This text is full of grammar errors, this is just bet an example or rather a representation of the errors. Lastly, a year was not provided in a citation â€Å"Gross v Switserland and Purdy.† It should be written or rather cited as follows: Gross v Switzerland (A/30)(1979). Summary of R V Nicholson (2013) This case was brought by Nicholson together with other individuals to the Court of Appeal after the European court of Justice ruled against assisted suicide and euthanasia of which they were never satisfied with. The applicants were disadvantaged since they could not kill t hemselves. Thus, they proposed that others should kill them. However, Section 2 of the Suicide Act 2010 states that it is unlawful for persons to assist others to commit suicide and whoever assists will be charged with murder. Similarly, the FPP had provided guidance on how and when the murder assisters should be prosecuted. This advice came immediately after the case of Purdy v United Kingdom (2010). Therefore, the Court had to decide as to whether there is a defense to murder that is referred to as a necessity or not. In addition, the Court had to decide whether a cover for such cases is an interference with the Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1950 or not. This Act protects privacy of people. Lastly, the Court had to decide if the DPP is supposed to set out greater details as to how he would decide his discretion in prosecution cases of the kind. In this case, the European Court of Human Rights, in absence of the Lord Judge, declined to give a declaration that was requested for since it was not the responsibility of the Courts of Law to make decisions about this. Parliament is the only body with the powers to make such decisions. The issue was extremely controversial for the courts to deliver their rulings thus it was not a necessity. The court used the case of Bland to support their decision. Moreover, the court stated that the right to life is a fundamental according to the common law, under the European Act. There being no right to commit suicide, one will be prosecuted if he or she tries to. Furthermore, if you provide a substantial

Business Operations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business Operations - Assignment Example The lean production process aids the company in performing operations with better economies of scale (Aldi, n.d.). In the present scenario, the UK retail market is seemed to be developing in an enhanced manner owing to increased consumer demands, both in the grocery along with food sectors. Additionally, it has been identified that online services are of immense importance in the retail sector for performing sales operations in accordance with the recognised customers’ preferences (SAS, 2013). Aldi is a leading as well as award-winning grocery store operating on a global context, wherein factors like globalisation and advancing technologies have increased market competitions. Additionally, the preferences of customers and buying behaviour of customers have changed in a considerable manner owing to online services. In this regard, the company is required to enhance its business operation management to a sustainable extent in relation to quality, global competition, productivity, customer services and e-business guidelines. Subsequently, the company is required to consider certain important elements with the aim of retaining its competitive position and business performance in the market segments of the UK for online business operations, which are illustrated hereunder. Aldi, in order to implement effective online business operations in the market segments of the UK, is required to develop an extensive relationship with customers. In this regard, building a relevant relationship with customers will facilitate the company with the opportunity of identifying the needs along with preferences of customers maintaining greater degree of accuracy and accordingly, conduct e-business operations facing minimum hurdles (Dignersys Consulting Berhad, 2011). Aldi, when planning to initiate online business operations, is required to make effective financial plans with the aim of ensuring that e-business

Reading summaries Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading summaries - Assignment Example This article has been authored by Rodrik and in this article the researcher states that policy reforms are not the only tools that can help a developing nation in increasing development. The author states that in order for policies to take effect, institutions that are in the backdrop are ill structured and thus any policy can only have a long lasting effect if the institutions are solid in nature. The author states that various policies such as the policy of trade liberalization cannot work effectively if there is lack of fiscal institutions and similarly if there is lack of a proper capital market then funds will not be allocated to those areas that need to be expanded (Rodrik 978). This is a discussion paper authored by Finn Tarp and in this paper the author argues that it is not necessary that foreign aid only works in those countries where good policies have been implemented. This is because Tarp believes that impact of foreign trade should not assessed in connection with good or bad policies because the policies that might be good might provide misleading information because it is not necessary that in developing nations there are institutions that are implementing these policies properly. In this article the researcher, Ravallion, identifies a new way of doing economics as identified by Banerjee as well as Duflo and according to this new way, decisions regarding economy should be based on randomized control trials or tests. The author states that performing randomized tests in order to conduct research related to economics is not new but these tests have provided surprising results. These tests are considered as important in order to identify causal relationship between different economic variables because these tests are easy to conduct as well as easy to explain. Another reason of these tests being good to perform causal study is that the

Building the Boeing 787 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Building the Boeing 787 - Term Paper Example The lightness of this Boeing 787 translates into large savings in terms of costs and fuel consumption. In addition to that, the Boeing 787 includes other notable innovations such as state-of-the-art electronics connected to the passenger compartment and to the flight deck, greater headroom, and larger windows. In order to accomplish the building of the Boeing 787, the company had to outsource part of its work (Hill, 2011). This paper will seek to provide the benefits of outsourcing to foreign suppliers and the risks involved in such dealings. To begin with, when a company outsources part of its work to either foreign or local suppliers, it reduces the risks involved in producing the intended materials. Since Boeing was dealing or otherwise gambling with very risky materials, it was a crucial step to have its suppliers manufacture part of the materials on the company’s behalf (McIvor, 2010). Particularly, risks involved in technological complexity are immense and can result to significant meltdown of a company’s resources. It is agreeable that manufacturing aircraft materials especially composite ones is expensive, time consuming, and technological irrational (Sparrow, 2003). Therefore, for Boeing to outsource 70 percent of the total content needed to build the jet to other manufacturers in other countries helped them minimize the risks it would stand to incur in case of mistakes. Therefore, outsourcing helped Boeing share among its suppliers the risks involved manufacturing such materials as well as in the building of such a risky technologically multifaceted aircraft (Brindley, 2005). Outsourcing makes the contracted companies feel being as part of the overall manufacturing process, which in turn brings a sense of contribution and ownership. Research findings show that such a feeling is pragmatic for business support (Hill, 2011). The Boeing’s outsourcing idea was critical. In fact, it made the partners feel included in the

Ethics Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethics Audit - Essay Example Hence, they are under intense pressures to ensure their own wellbeing, if not survival. Ends and activities not directly tied to their own survival or well-being, and not protected by other supportive conditions, naturally come under pressures for reduction or elimination. "Ethics is a moving target. Social values shift over time, influenced by a complex web of factors. Employers must keep a close eye on those values and, when possible, proactively address ethical dilemmas emerging in their companies" (Vickers 2005, p. 26). Fo P&G, business ethics is much more than an expression of taste, however strongly felt. Properly understood, business ethics is in fact about moral principles; indeed, it is the application of ethics to, or in, specifically business situations and activities. For P&G, ethics refers to moral codes and the actions enjoined by them as well as to the study of either or both. Indeed, when dealing with received opinion, such common usages will be observed, both with respect to "ethics" and to "business ethics." When strictly used, however, the term "ethics" refers properly to a subsection of philosophy, that which seeks to identify and clarify the presuppositions of human conduct having to do with good and evil (International Business E thics Institutive 2008). In a work on business ethics, the grounds of ethical activity, like the existence of business, must be taken as given. Certain implications of the philosophical nature of ethics are, however, crucial to the question of universality. "At Procter & Gamble, we have maintained strong Corporate Governance polices and practices for many years. These core values set a tone of integrity for the entire company-one that is reinforced consistently at all levels and in all countries" (P & G Home Page 2008). The most important, is that as a purely theoretical discipline, ethics has no necessary connection to any existing system of religious belief, or any specific legal framework, or any particular moral code. As a result, the commonly cited variations of actual practice are simply irrelevant to the question of whether there are universal truths of business ethics--cultural diversity, even cultural relativism, does not and cannot justify ethical relativism (Swanson, 2005 ). Nevertheless, although ethics is essentially theoretical, there is a metaphorical sense in which the techniques and principles of ethics proper can still be helpful in dealing with real life problems--the clarity of thought and awareness of key concepts developed in philosophical study may well inform action. It is in this extended sense that one may properly speak of "applied ethics," or the "application" of ethics to business, or of ethics "enjoining" specific courses of action. Business ethics is simply the application of general moral principles to specifically business situations and activities Husted et al 1996). The Function of Business Ethics P&G customizes its ethical culture to match unique needs and values of the company to global business demands. The function of business ethics is to resolve or at least to clarify the moral issues which typically arise in commerce. Starting from an analysis of the nature and

CAPM & DCFM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CAPM & DCFM - Essay Example the time value of the money. The more the investment is held, the higher would be the return required by an investor as money loses its value over time (Fama, 2004). The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method on the other hand is a method that is used in order to ascertain the charm of any particular investment. The DCF technique uses cash basis rather than accounting valuation techniques in order to analyze the attractiveness of any particular investment. Hence it considered less subjective because of its cash flow techniques. The cash flows that would be gained from any particular project are discounted using an appropriate discount rate based upon the market rate and the investor’s expectations in order to reflect the time value of money. If the value deduced after discounting i.e. the present value is greater than the outflows (usually required at the current time horizon), the project is accepted (Kaplan, 1994). The CAPM is used to calculate the required return of an investor. This required return is then used as a basis for the DCF method in order to ascertain the Present Value of any given project/investment. The CAPM is used in order to calculate the discount rate and this discount rate is further used within the DCF technique in order to value an investment or an asset. The CAPM uses the risk free rate in order to reflect the time value of the money. The market risk premium (i.e. the expected return rate within the market less the risk free rate) is multiplied with the relevant project beta; this project beta denotes the investor’s risk (Eugene et al, 2011; Kaplan, 1994). Usually, companies use the CAPM to ascertain the cost of equity. This cost of equity is further used to calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of a firm and finally this WACC is used within the DCF technique in order to calculate the Net Present Value (NPV) of a project/investment. The WACC within the NPV technique denotes the required

The Tiffany & Co Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Tiffany & Co Analysis - Research Paper Example This article is about Tiffany & Co analysis as a high-end jewelry company. We discuss briefly the history of the company history, its products, pioneers, location and distribution globally, and customer relation. The article also exploits the company’s’ new ventures in the jewelry industry. We also analyze the company position by performing a SWOT analysis to determine the various parameters influencing the company. The company has profound strength in its strong local existence, Positive brand image, well known for its silvery jewelry and strong direct selling strategy. Tiffany has some weakness as a result of declining cash flows and limited product range. Contrary to the weakness, the company prides in a number of opportunities such as Singapore as a luxury retail hub for Asian market and new business venture- Corporation with other companies to expand its market dominance. For the company to maintain its positive growth, it has to address the following threats; Prol iferation of imitation for its items and Economic slowdown This study also expands its analysis by looking at the quantitative variables that influence company performance. Here we scrutinize quantifiable variables of the company like company worth and predictable sales. The method involves analyzing profit and loss accounts, arithmetical state of the financial system, sales and earning histories. The variables discussed in this section are; Financial Ratio Analysis, Industry Specific Metrics and EV/Revenue Valuation. Under the financial analysis, we study the company’s Liquidity, Asset, and Debt Management and Profitability status. For specific company metrics; Sales per Retail Square Foot, Sales per Employee and Capital Intensity are as well discussed. The analysis winds with a EV/Revenue Valuation. The article finalizes by making suggestions which if incorporated can boost the company revenue, increase customer relation and deliver quality products to customers. The change in the company’s old model of management and market strategy will improve its goods and service delivery. We also take a conclusive analysis relating both quantitative and qualitative analysis to give advice to investor, buyers and company management on critical issues that needs to be addressed. We close the study by not recommending major fix within the company, but an advice to investor of the current company position and worthiness of making an investment. The fluctuations in major determining factors do not necessarily mean that the company is on the fall, but rather is responding to a change in prevailing conditions. Tiffany has shown excellent response to change in key determining factors like recession. Introduction Tiffany & Co. is the most popular lavish jewelry corporation in the United States of America.

Midterm Exam Essay Example for Free

Midterm Exam Essay 1. (TCO 1) Suppose your company sold $25,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 2. (TCO 2) Suppose your company sold $50,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 3. (TCO 3) Rationalization is one of the components of the fraud triangle. What types of rationalization could a person use to justify misconduct? How can a company protect itself from rationalization as a part of fraud? (Points : 12) 4. (TCO 4) What is horizontal analysis of financial statements? How does horizontal analysis differ from vertical analysis? (Points : 12) 5. (TCO 3) Separation of duties is a key feature in an internal control system. Why is separation of duties such an important internal control? Give an example of separation of duties as an internal control. (Points : 24) 6. (TCO 1) Describe the balance sheet. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors? (Points : 24) 7. (TCO 4) Name and describe one liquidity ratio. What does this ratio measure? What is the formula for this ratio? (Points : 24) ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 2 1. (TCO 1) The retained earnings statement shows all of the following except which one? 2. (TCO 1) Management’s views on the company’s short-term debt paying ability, expansion financing, and results of operations are found in which of the following? 3. (TCO 4) For 2010, Fielder Corporation reported net income of $30,000; net sales $400,000; and average share outstanding 6,000. There were no preferred stock dividends. What was the 2010 earnings per share? 4. (TCO 4) A useful measure of solvency is which of the following? 5. (TCO 2) Which pair of accounts follows the rules of debit and credit, in relation to increases and decreases, in the same manner? 6. (TCO 2) The principle purpose of posting is which of the following? 7. (TCO 3) Joe is a warehouse custodian, and also maintains the accounting record of the inventory held at the warehouse. An assessment of this situation  indicates 8. (TCO 3) The following information was taken from Hurlbert Company cash budget for the month of June: 9. (TCO 11) Managerial accounting information does which of the following? 10. (TCO 11) Which one of the following is not a direct material? 11. (TCO 11) Sales commissions are classified as which of the following? 12. (TCO 11) Manufacturing costs include which of the following? 13. (TCO 11) Neeley Manufacturing Company reported the following year-end information: 14. (TCO 5) What effect do changes in activity have on fixed costs per unit? 15. (TCO 5) Which one of the following is not an assumption of CVP analysis? ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 3 1. (TCO 5) A company has total fixed costs of $210,000 and a contribution margin ratio of 30%. How much sales are necessary to break even? 2. (TCO 5) How much sales are required to earn a target income of $70,000, if total fixed costs are $100,000 and the contribution margin ratio is 40%? 3. (TCO 6) For which one of the following budgeting aspects does the budget committee generally have the responsibility? 4. (TCO 6) Under what situation might a budget be most effective? 5. (TCO 6) How does long-range planning compare to a master budget? 6. (TCO 6) Which one of the following is a source of information used to prepare the budgeted income statement? 7. (TCO 7) When is a static budget most appropriate in evaluating a manager’s performance? 8. (TCO 7) Which type of center is the housekeeping department of a manufacturing company? 9. (TCO 7) For which of the following is an investment center manager responsible? 10. (TCO 7) Merck Pharmaceuticals is evaluating its Vioxx division, an investment center. The division has a $45,000 controllable margin and $300,000 of sales. How much will Merck’s average operating assets be when its return on investment is 10%? 11. (TCO 11) Financial and managerial accounting are both concerned with the economic events of an enterprise. Similarities between financial and managerial accounting do exist, but they have a different focus. Briefly distinguish between financial and managerial accounting as they relate to (1) the primary users, (2) the type and frequency of reports, (3) the purpose of reports, and (4) the content of reports. 12. (TCO 4) Are short-term creditors, long-term creditors, and stockholders primarily interested in the same characteristics of a company? Explain. 13. (TCO 5) In the month of  September, Nixon Company sold 800 units of product. The average sales price was $30. During the month, fixed costs were $7,200 and variable costs wer e 60% of sales.

Research Paper on Smoking Essay Example for Free

Research Paper on Smoking Essay Recently there has been an abundance of media coverage regarding a public’s â€Å"war of smoking.† Recently, Washington state has begun taking vital steps to prohibit smoking in public areas in order to make Washington a better place. There are many arguments about the smoking. The health issues for the smoker and those around them increase the prices and the social unaccepted of the act. Smoking is dangerous for smoker and for the one who is around the smoker. Firstly, smoking is dangerous for smoker, when smokers are smoking, will take lung cancer. The most common form of cancer diagnosed in United States is lung cancer. Lung cancer accounts for 14% out of all cancers, and 28% out of all cancer deaths. (ALA Lung cancer Fact Sheet) According to the American Lung Association, â€Å"Cigarette smoking is responsible for an estimated 87% of lung cancer deaths, or seven out of eight† (American Lung Association). Cigarette contains more than 400toxic and 4000 chemical compounds. Nicotine is the most addictive substance in tobacco. Smoking decreases the level of oxygen from reaching the tissues, giving rise to different health problems such as strokes, heart attacks or miscarriages. Nicotine is increases cholesterol levels in the body and carbon monoxide, which decreases the amount of oxygen within the body. When cholesterol level is increase in blood, increases the chance that a heart attack. Smoking also caused of chronic coughing, shortness of breath, premature aging, recurrent infections and reduced overall fitness (Disease s Caused by Smoking). Yang2 Another example of health issues originated from smoking is emphysema. The Lung Association states that when one has emphysema, some of the air sacs in smoker’s lungs are damaged (The Lung Association). Emphysema does not develop suddenly, it comes very slowly. Years of exposure to cigarettes causes the development of emphysema. Secondly, smoking is also dangerous for non-smokers. Lung cancer is not only a trouble for the smoker, but it is also a trouble for the non-smokers. The indirect effect of smoking comes from two places; smokers breathe out from the other person smoking, and smoke from the end of a burning cigarette  (American Lung Association). The American Lung Association said, â€Å"Indirect smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals; 200 are poisons and 43 cause of cancer.†(The American Lung Association) When non-smokers are stay nearby smoker, they will get some harmful effects. Kinds of cough, nausea, headache, eye irritation, sore throat, dizziness even cancer. Workplaces alone could stop over 32,000 cancer deaths and over 75,000 heart disease deaths. According to the government, 83% of worker health complaints related to trouble with indoor air quality will decrease when workplaces become smoke-free. Constant exposure to tobacco smoke in the workplace nearly doubles the risk of having a hea rt attack. Thirdly, prices of cigarettes have been going through a dramatic increase recently. The government thinks that the increase of price will protect or even get people to quit smoking (Higher Cigarette taxes). According to several studies the increase of cigarette taxes is one of the most effective ways to decrease smoking among teenager and adults (Tobacco Free Kids). These studies show that every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes will decrease total cigarette consumption by three to five percent and decrease teenager smoking by about 7% (Tobacco free Kids). If cigarette prices were increased 10% per pack throughout the country, it would decrease the number of teenagers who become regular smokers by more than a million, saving teenager from dependence, disease and death. Studies also show that people with low income are ones that respond to the increase of prices and end up quit smoking. It is proven that smoking levels are highest among people with low incomes. Lastly, former day, people could hardly find any places without someone smoking there. Now it is prohibited to smoke in public places in many countries. While the number of smokers is increasing, the number of places they can smoke is declining. Many provinces across Canada as well as the Washington states are making it a law that all restaurants and public areas have to be 100% smoke free (U.s. Environmental). A poll conducted by Washington state today shows that 70 % of participates preferred restaurants  that were smoke-free. Over the after 45 years, smoke-free (Research about cigarette). Everyone is at risk for diseases caused from smoking when they are in public places that are not smoke-free. Even with all the evidences that prove the dangers of smoking, some businesses still look down on banning this behavior (U.s. Environmental). There is no real evidence that proves going smoke-free is bad for the business. In fact, there are many positive outcomes when a business adopts s moke-free policy. For example, maintenance cost decreases when smoke, matches, and cigarette butts are eliminated in places. Also, hardware such as equipments, floors, and furniture last longer, and of course, people’s health is freed from danger (Higher Cigarette taxes). In result, many people have different opinions about smoking. There are many characteristic proving smoke-free places are beneficial for many reasons. The government is also trying different methods to induce people to stop smoking. The great increase in cigarette prices is the main one. They figure that this will stop people not to even start smoking. Many businesses today are changing what was used to be normal in a public area: smoking. Smoke free businesses are becoming more and more common. There is no real evidence that shows that adopting smoke-free policy is harmful to businesses. It helps out the business in many areas such as maintenance. People have different opinions, but researchers prove that smoke-free public areas are good for other peoples health, not just smokers health. Eventually one day the society will be 100% smoke free. BIBLOIGRAPHY American Lung Association, â€Å"Cigarette smoking is responsible for an estimated 87% of lung cancer deaths, or seven out of eight† (http://www.lungusa.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/health-effects/smoking.html) The American Lung Association said, â€Å"Indirect smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals; 200 are poisons and 43 cause of cancer ( http://www.lungusa.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/facts-figures/general-smoking-facts.html) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indirect smoking is known as the cause of cancer (http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html) The Lung Association states that when one has emphysema, some of the air sacs in his lungs are damaged (http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/emphysema/) The government thinks that the increase of price will protect or even get people to quit smoking, The increase of price will make them think two times about smoking. Quitting will save them money and reduce their financial needs (http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/health-of-the-public/20090303smoke-tax.html) According to several studies the increase of cigarette taxes is one of the most effective ways to decrease smoking among teenager and adults, These studies show that every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes will decrease total cigarette consumption by three to five percent and decrease teenager smoking by about 7% (http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what_we_do/federal_issues/federal_tobacco_taxes/) Yang6 The increase of cigarette taxes is one of the most effective ways to decrease smoking among teenager and adults(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539350/) Many provinces across Canada as well as the Washington states are making it a law that all restaurants and public areas have to be 100% smoke free(http://www.city-data.com/forum/politics-other-controversies/99626-positive-effects-non-smoking.html) A poll conducted by Washington states today shows that 70 % of participates preferred restaurants that were smoke-free. Over the after 45 years, smoke-free(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9791529) Even with all the evidences that prove the dangers of smoking, some businesses still look down on banning this behavior (http://www.davehitt.com/facts/banlinksarchive2.html) Hardware such as equipments, floors, and furniture last longer, and of course, people’s health is freed from danger (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/10/tech/main6194761.shtml)

Poverty Java Poor

Poverty Java Poor This thesis examines the incidence of poverty in Central Java in the period from 1996 to 2002. Susenas expenditure data in 1996, 1999 and 2002 were used to measure the incidence of poverty based on the Foster, Greer, and Thorbeckce (FGT) index. Using the decomposition formula developed by Huppi and Ravallion (1991a, 1991b), this thesis also investigates the effects of urban and rural poverty on the change in overall poverty. The incidence of poverty was higher in rural than that urban areas before the economic crisis. However, the urban poverty has worsened more significantly than the rural poverty after the crisis, as indicated by the higher headcount and poverty gap index in 1999. Spatially, poor people were distributed unevenly across districts. There were two major clusters of poor districts: one in the eastern part and the other in the middle of Central Java. One of the policy implications from our analysis is that poverty reduction programs seem to be more effective if they are targeting the poor in specific location. Poverty reduction programs should be targeted both on rural and urban poor people with specific policy measures and instruments between the rural and urban sectors. Since economic growth is found to be very effective in reducing poverty in both rural and urban areas, growth promoting policies in general should be conducive to alleviating poverty across the country. CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1. Background Central Java is one of six provinces in Java Island, which is the heart of Indonesia. It is located between West Java and East Java. Administratively, it consists of 29 kabupatens (regencies) and 6 kota (municipalities). According to data from Indonesia Population Census, the population of Central Java was 31,223,258 in 2000 and 31,997,968 in 2005. Compared to other provinces, it is the third most populous province in Indonesia, with the percentage of 15.2 % in 1995, 15.2 % in 2000 and 14.6% in 2005 out of the total national population of the country. According to Indonesia poverty information data base, 19.04 % of the poor people of Indonesia lived in this area. Among other provinces in Java, Central Java has the lowest GRDP. Until 1996, the growth rate of the GRDP was approximately 7% per year. In 1997, its GRDP shrank and grew negatively due to the economic crisis. The economic crisis following the currency depreciation triggered the increase of price of basic needs, especially foods. The inflation rate in Central Java increased sharply from 5.4 % in 1996 to 10.9 % in 1997 and reached 75.5 % in 1998. This undoubtedly affected the living standard of the people. The people not only suffered from the price increase, but also lost their jobs. Many industries collapsed, increasing the unemployment rate in Indonesia, including Central Java that brought many households into poverty. 1 1.2. Objectives of Study Firstly, the objective of this study is to examine the poverty incidence in Central Java in 1996, 1999, and 2002. By calculating the incidence of poverty using the FGT measure for each kabupaten and kota, this study tries to describe the spatial distribution of poor people at the district level. It aims at finding out the most severe districts in the period from 1996 to 2002. Using the same poverty measurement, the incidence of poverty is also measured for urban and rural areas, to investigate where the poor are concentrated. Secondly, using the decomposition formula developed by Huppi and Ravallion (1991a), this study also aims at investigating the influence of poverty incidence in urban and rural areas on aggregate poverty changes in Central Java. 1.3. Organization This study has six chapters, including this introductory chapter. Chapter 2 provides a literature review of studies on the impact of economic crisis on poverty and living standard in Indonesia, and the spatial analysis on poverty. Chapter 3 presents an overview of Central Java economic performance in 1996-2002 and poverty reduction policies that have been implemented in Central Java. Chapter 4 describes the method and the data used in this study. Chapter 5 presents the pattern of poverty in urban and rural areas and pattern of poverty by kabupaten/kota. Finally, chapter six presents the conclusions. CHAPTER 2 Literature Review 2.1. The Impacts of Macroeconomics Condition on Poverty Studies on the impact of the changes in macroeconomic condition and government policy on poverty have been conducted by many researchers. Their objectives were to find desirable development policies to facilitate poverty alleviation. One of the interesting issues is the impact of the financial crisis that caused high inflation in the mid 1997. Since poverty is often defined in terms of income, price changes must have a significant effect on individuals living standard. The external shock that affected macroeconomic condition in Indonesia in the mid 1980s was the declining of oil prices which caused GDP per capita growth rates to fall sharply (Huppi and Ravallion, 1991b). To examine how this shock affected the aggregate poverty in Indonesia, Huppy and Ravalion (1991a) employed the Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) index to measure the incidence of poverty. Using Susenas data in 1984 and 1987, they developed a decomposition formula to assess relative gains to the poor within the specific sectors and the contribution of each sector to the change in aggregate poverty. They found that aggregate poverty, both in urban and rural areas in Indonesia declined during this adjustment period. 3 Using the same data and method, Huppi and Ravallion (1991b) continued their research to examine the change in the sectoral structure of poverty in the adjustment period. They employed their decomposition formula to examine the sectoral gains due to the reduction in aggregate poverty. According to the findings, a high concentration of poverty was found in rural farming areas, therefore gains within rural farming sector had the highest contribution to the aggregate poverty reduction. An increase in rural farming sectors mean income and consumption had strong contribution due to aggregate poverty reduction. This study also found that more than a half of the gains were contributed by rural farming sector in Central Java and East Java. After the adjustment period, Indonesia was hit by the financial crisis in the mid 1997, which caused a significant decline in GDP per capita. Friedman and Levinsohn (2002) analyzed the distributional impact of Indonesias financial crisis on household welfare. They used the consumption module of the 1996 National Socio-Economic Survey (SUSENAS) as the pre crisis data and monthly price data for 44 cities throughout Indonesia from January 1997 to October 1998. They matched both data to obtain compensating variation which is the amount of money sufficient to compensate households following price changes and enable a return to pre crisis level utility (Friedman and Levinsohn, 2002). According to their finding, the impact of the crisis on household welfare depends on the consumption choice, sources of income, and location, i.e., urban and rural areas. In general, households were severely affected, and the urban poor was the most adversely affected by the crisis. Rural poor were not affecte d as much as the urban poor because of their ability to produce food to mitigate high inflation. Skoufias et al.(2000) also conducted a research about the changes in household welfare, poverty and inequality during the crisis. They used the 100 village survey data conducted by CBS (Indonesian Central bureau of Statistics) in May 1997 and August 1998. Using the social welfare function developed by Atkinson in 1970, where welfare at time t is the function of the mean level of per capita consumption expenditure (PCE) in period t multiplied by one minus the level of inequality in the distribution of PCE in period t, they investigated the changes in households welfare. They used the Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) index to calculate the incidence of poverty, while to calculate inequality, they used the generalized entropy class of indices, the Gini index and Atkinson index. The findings of this study were that the welfare of Indonesias household decreased in the first year of the economic crisis and the incidence of poverty doubled. One of the other studies about the dynamics of poverty during the crisis was Suharyadi et al. in 2003. To obtain a complete picture on the changes in poverty during the crisis, they used a consistent series of data which were obtained from various sources. The method used for estimating the change in the headcount ratio with the poverty line equal to the food poverty line plus non food poverty line after considering the change in prices (inflation rate) during the crisis. The result was that the headcount ratio fluctuated over the period, and reached the peak in 1998 then declined until 2001. After 2001, it started to increase, but until the early 2002. This study found that there were approximately 36 million additional people who experienced absolute poverty. Suharyadi and Sumarto (2003) investigated poverty and vulnerability in Indonesia before and after the crisis. The study used the three-step feasible generalized least square (FGLS) method to investigate the vulnerability, by combining 1996 SUSENAS as pre crisis data and 1999 SUSENAS as the post crisis data with the village potential (PODES) datasets. The result showed that the poverty incidence increased significantly, and the chronic poor (the poor who have consumption expenditures below the poverty line and will most likely stay poor in the near future) increased from 20% before crisis to 35% after the crisis. ( Suharyadi and Sumarto, 2003). Using SUSENAS data of 1984 and 1990, Cameron (2000) examined the impacts of the changes in age, educational structure, and industrial structure on poverty and inequality in Java by employing the method used by DiNardo et al., (1996). This study modified the method used by DiNardo by decomposing the changes in cumulative distribution functions, Lorenz curves and generalized Lorenz curves. Following DiNardo, the decomposition was presented visually rather than in statistical form. The results show that poverty in Java decreased during the period from 1984 to 1990, but income inequality increased in the same period. Increase in educational attainment, income of less educated workers and income of outside agriculture workers contributed to the poverty reduction in Java. On the other hand, an increase in non-agricultural income and education attainment also contributed to the inequality increase. 2.2. Spatial Analysis on Poverty Poverty can also be analyzed spatially. It is a spatially heterogeneous phenomenon where poor people tend to be clustered in specific places. Geographic variation in the incidence and magnitude of poverty is due to such spatial factors as natural resource endowments and access to services including health care, education, labor and products markets (Henninger and Snel, 2002). Islam and Khan in 1986 conducted a study on spatial pattern of poverty and inequality by using Susenas data in 1976. Inequality measures used in this study were Gini ratio, Atkinson index, Theil T index, and Theil L index, while to measure poverty, they used head count index, poverty gap index and Sen index, with different poverty lines for each province. This study investigated the correlation between poverty (using Sen index) and income inequality (using Atkinson index) by categorizing the incidence of poverty and income inequality into three categories, low, medium and high. Seven provinces, i.e., Jambi, South Kalimantan, Aceh, East Kalimantan, North Sumatra, Bali, and Central Kalimantan, had low poverty and low inequality. Six provinces, i.e., Yogyakarta, West Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sumatra, Riau and Bengkulu had medium level of poverty and medium level of inequality. Provinces which had high levels of poverty and inequality were Lampung, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tengga ra, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, South Sulawesi and South East Sulawesi. Jakarta had low poverty but high inequality, West Kalimantan had a medium level of poverty but high inequality, West Sumatra had a medium level of poverty and low inequality, while Central and East Java had high poverty and a medium level of inequality. To examine the effect of a regional poverty target program in Indonesia, Daimon (2001) conducted a research on the spatial dimension of welfare and poverty. He found that there were significantly different social effects of the economic crisis across geographical locations. This study used spatial econometric method to estimate the spatial poverty trap in Indonesia. The data used was the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) in 1993, which included 6,000 households throughout 13 provinces in Indonesia. Poverty target program, called Inpres Desa Tertinggal (IDT), was designed to empower the local communities. Empowerment of local communities was the key factor to remedy the targeting policy. CHAPTER 3 Overview of Central Java Economic Performance in 1996-2002 and Poverty Reduction Policies in Central Java 3.1. Overview of Central Java Economic Performance in 1996, 1999 and 2002 Located in the middle of Java Island, Central Java has a strategic position due to its regional economic development. Its northern part, which mainly has a low terrain and passed by main transportation route, has various kinds of economic activities, particularly a lucrative fishery on Java Sea. For that reason, infrastructure developed more rapidly in this area. While the southern parts main economic activity is a less productive fishery, the central part is mainly dominated by farming due to the mountainous terrain. This province consists of 35 districts, consisting of 29 kabupatens (regencies) and 6 kotas (municipalities). 8 Central Java is the third most populous province in Indonesia. The population of Central Java was 29,698,845 in 1996, 30,761,221 in 1999 and 31,691,866 in 2002. Kabupatens Brebes, Cilacap and Banyumas were the largest districts in terms of population; while Kotas Surakarta, Tegal and Pekalongan had the highest population density. The population density of those three districts was 11,734/km2, 8,609/km2, and 7,213/km2, respectively. . Generally, per capita income decreased in the period from 1997 to 1998. It should be noted that during this period, economic crisis occurred. Only three districts (Kab. Cilacap, Kota Semarang and Kab. Brebes) experienced an increasing per capita income during this period. Based on data presented in table 3.3, 1998s growth rate was negative, due to the economic crisis in 1997, which shrank the GRDP from Rp. 43,129,839 million in 1997 to Rp. 38,065,274 million in 1998. Looking at the economic structure, the largest contributor of Central Java economy was the manufacturing industry, followed by trade and agriculture The structure of Central Java in terms of employment was slightly different from the structure in terms of GRDP. As shown in table 3.5, the highest share of employment was registered by the agriculture sector, followed by trade and manufacturing. It indicated that agriculture sector had lower productivity compared to trade and manufacture. The 1997s economic crisis also had a negative impact on employment because many industries had to reduce their production cost, mainly their labor cost. The number of unemployed people increased from 552.914 people in 1996 to 599.237 people in 1997, and 831.435 people in 1998. 3.2. Poverty Reduction Policies in Central Java In 2002 central government initiated a poverty reduction program by establishing an independent board called Komite Penanggulangan Kemiskinan (KPK) or The Poverty Reduction Committee and Komite Penanggulangan Kemiskinan Daerah (KPKD) or The Regional Poverty Reduction Committee in each province. Poverty reduction policies in Indonesia are classified into two groups. The first is aiming at community development and the second includes the safety net programs. The aims of community development based programs are to create job opportunity, to develope local/regional capacity, infrastructure building, and to improve community based activities. These programs include the following programs. Inpres Desa Tertinggal ( IDT) / Presidential Instruction to Underdeveloped Villages According to Daly and Fane (2002), this is the first anti-poverty program in Indonesia. The aim is to raise the employment opportunities and household expenditures through community development. This program was targeted to underdeveloped villages in the form of a revolving block grant, where each village accepted Rp.20,000,000.00 per year for 3 years. The fund was distributed among groups of people based on each groups proposal, and should be used for productive activities. Program Pengembangan Kecamatan (PPK) / Kecamatan Development Program. Kecamatan is a sub district which consists of several villages. The Kecamatan Development Program (PPK) was a program that also included a revolving block grant, but the fund was distributed on kecamatan level. Each kecamatan is given a fund from Rp. 750,000,000.00 up to Rp. 1,000,000,000.00, which could be used to support the private sector economic activities as revolving loans or as a capital for providing public infrastructure. This program was supported by NGOs. Program Penanggulangan Kemiskinan Perkotaan (P2KP ) / Urban Poverty Alleviation Program The idea of this program was almost the same as PPK, except that this program was targeted specifically to kecamatan in urban areas. The aim is to mitigate poverty in urban areas by supporting economic activities with loans and creating jobs for unskilled workers. Each group given the fund has to return the loan within two years with low interest. 4. Program Percepatan Pembangunan Daerah Tertinggal (P3DT )/ Supporting Infrastructure Development of Underdeveloped Villages (Desa). This is the newest program which replaced IDT program. The program has been implemented by local governments and NGOs. Hence, the NGOs help to facilitate recipient groups in each of the planning, implementation, evaluation, and report making stages. Program Pemberdayaan Masyarakat akibat Dampak Krisis Ekonomi (PDMDKE)/ Regional Empowerment to Overcome Economic Crisis Impact. This is a special program to overcome the impact of economic crisis through labor intensive activities. The aim of this program was to create jobs and to build public infrastructure. Gerakan Terpadu Pengentasan Kemiskinan (Gerdu Taskin) / Integrated Movement for Poverty Eradication. This program was administered and coordinated under The Ministry of Demography / Indonesian Family Planning Board ( BKKBN). There are three targeted groups: Family This group includes poor household, the elderly, the disabled, the unskilled unemployed workers. The program provides, for example, foods, and subsidized contraception. Regional/areas Underdeveloped villages, slum areas, coastal areas are included in this category. The programs provides basic infrastructure, such as clean water piping and public toilets. It is also used to improve housing quality in these areas. Institutions This includes governments and non governmental organizations. The program is aimed at empowering these institutions in order to overcome poverty. Social safety net programs are in the second group of poverty reduction policies. These programs were made mainly in response to the 1997 economic crisis. They are aimed at meeting basic needs, by providing subsidized rice for the poor, supplementary foods for primary school pupils, and supplementary foods for children under five years old. Under social safety net programs, governments provided free health services and subsidies for primary school fees to the poor people. They also gave a specific block grant for schools and hospitals. In 2005, a new social safety net program started, after the central government reduced oil subsidy, especially a subsidy for kerosene which is widely used by poor households. Under this new program, each poor household received the sum of Rp. 100.000 per month. CHAPTER 4 Data and Methodology 4.1. Data This study used national socioeconomic survey (Susenas) carried out in 1996, 1999 and 2002. Susenas is a consumption based survey, conducted annually by the Central Bureau of Statistics of Indonesia (CBS) since 1963 (Core Susenas). In addition, there are three modules of Susenas that has been carried out every three years since 1981. One of the modules is the consumption expenditure module that captures more than 300 items of consumption expenditure for representative of 30 provinces. This study used the consumption expenditure module for Central Java that was conducted in 1996,1999 and 2002. The sample size for Central Java Province was 6,803 in 1996, 7,303 in 1999, and 7,374 in 2002, covering 35 districts. The consumption expenditure module is classified into food and non food categories. The food category consists of 216, 214 and 216 items, whereas the non food category consists of 103, 105 in 1996, 1999 and 2002, respectively. This module also presents the way those items are obtained, whether they are purchased in the market, self produced, or received as a gift. 17 All the data are in 1996 constant price because in the mid 1997, Indonesia was hit by the economic crisis that caused the growth rate of GDP to decline, from a positive 4.7 percent in 1997 to a negative 13.1 per cent in 1998. The crisis affected the living standards of the people because the inflation rate increased substantially due to large depreciation in rupiah against US dolar. In 1998 and 1999 the inflation rate was 57% and 20% respectively, but declined to 4 % in 2000. It increased again to more than 10% in 2001 and 2002. Therefore, nominal household expenditures need to be deflated using the consumer price index in 1996 as the base year. Household consumption expenditure data are very useful when we estimate individuals living standard. Many researchers have used household consumption expenditure as an indicator of an individuals living standard. The reason is that consumption expenditure is a better welfare indicator than income. The data can be used to measure poverty by setting a poverty line based on consumption expenditure. According to Central Bureau of Statistics of Indonesia (CBS), the poverty line is defined as the total expenditure in rupiah that are able to purchase foods needed to satisfy 2,100 calories energy requirement per capita per day. It is based on the recommendation of the National Workshop on Food and Nutrition in 1978, which states that in order to stay healthy, a person must consume as much as 2100 calories per day (Maksum, 2004). The method for computing the value of the daily minimum standard of living has improved over year. The poverty line was determined separately for urban and rural areas and also for each province since the basket of food items differs among urban and rural areas and provinces. The calculation is based on the average consumption of basic items, including 52 foods items and 46 non-food items. The poverty line set by BPS for Central Java in 1996 is Rp. 30,499 for rural, Rp. 40,075 for urban and Rp. 33,444 for overall (urban and rural) in terms of monthly per capita expenditure. 4.2. Methodology 4.2.1. The Measurement of Poverty In order to measure poverty, the class of poverty measures developed by Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) will be employed (Foster et al., 1984). By using the FGT index, a quantitative estimate of the effect of a change in subgroup poverty on total poverty can be obtained. The index is defined as follows: (1) where is total number of people, is the poverty line, is the total number of poor people, is the expenditure of individual and ÃŽ ± is a parameter. The formula can be redefined according to the value of ÃŽ ± . When ÃŽ ± = 0 (2) It is simply , that is the proportion of people living below the poverty line, known as the head count index . When ÃŽ ± = 1 (3) It presents the extent to which each individuals expenditure falls below the poverty line as a percentage of the poverty line. It is called the poverty gap index. When ÃŽ ± = 2 (4) It measures the severity of poverty. P2 is distribution-sensitive for any transfer of expenditure, since the square term gives a higher weight to poorer people. 4.2.2. Decomposing Change in Overall Poverty To analyze the change in overall poverty over the study period, this study uses the decomposition formula developed by Huppi and Ravallion (1991a, 1991b), where the change in overall poverty is decomposed into intrasectoral, population shift, and interaction effects. The decomposition formula is given as follows. In this decomposition analysis, we consider two sectors: urban ( = 1) and rural sectors ( = 2). (5) In this formula, is the incidence of poverty in sector i in year t, as measured by the FGT index with the parameter , while is the population share of sector i in year t. It should be noted that in this formula, refers to the population share, rather than the total number of people. presents the change in overall poverty due to the changes in the intrasectoral poverty ( = 1, 2). presents the change in overall poverty due to population shifts, i.e., due to the change in the distribution of population between urban and rural sectors. presents the interaction effect, which captures the correlation between the sectoral and population shift effects. Since this study uses Susenas data for 1996, 1999, and 2002, we analyze the change in overall poverty in two periods: from 1996 to 1999 and from 1999 to 2002. 4.2.3. Mapping the Incidence of Poverty Using Arcview GIS 3.3 (a software package), this study presents the incidence of poverty by Kabupatens (regencies) and Kotas (municipalities) on a map using the FGT index. The aim is to show the spatial distribution of poverty in Central Java, i.e., to see whether poor people are concentrated or dispersed. In order to present the distribution of poverty on a map, we classify all districts (i.e., all Kabupatens and Kotas) in Central Java into three groups: low, medium, and high poverty groups. The low poverty group includes those districts that have the FGT value smaller than , while the high poverty group includes those having the value higher than , where is the average value of the FGT index, is the standard deviation. The medium poverty group consists of those between and . CHAPTER 5 Poverty Incidence in Central Java From 1996 to 2002 5.1. Incidence of Poverty by Location (Urban and Rural Sectors) The incidence of poverty was higher in rural areas than that in urban areas in 1996 by any FGT measures (. The headcount index ()was 0.189 in rural areas, while it was 0.172 in urban areas in 1996, its means that rural areas had a larger proportion of poor people than urban areas. The poverty gap index () was also higher in rural than urban areas, as it was 0.032 and 0.029 in rural and urban areas, respectively, meaning that rural poverty was deeper than urban areas in 1996, though this was due mostly to the fact that rural areas had a larger proportion of poor people than urban areas. 22 The incidence of poverty increased significantly both in rural and urban areas in 1999. But the increase was more substantial in urban than rural areas, as the headcount index () was 0.215 and 0.227 in rural and urban areas in 1999, respectively. In 1999, both the headcount index () and poverty gap index () were larger in urban than rural areas. The economic crisis that occurred in 1997 seems to have a much larger impact on urban than rural areas in Central Java. Food prices skyrocketed because of the large depreciation of Rupiah against the U.S. dollar after the economic crisis, and many people lost their jobs due to the collapse of some industries. But the effects were much less severe in rural areas than urban areas, since many rural people were able to produce their foods by themselves, so that they could mitigate the impact of the inflation. In 2002, Central Java seems to have recovered from the crisis, as both the headcount index () and poverty gap index () decreased prominently in both rural and urban areas. The headcount index () was 0.100 and 0.099 in urban and rural areas, respectively, meaning that mere 10 percent of the people in Central Java were under the poverty line in 2002. In 1999 and 2002, rural areas had a much larger value than urban areas (0.020 vs. 0.012 in 1999 and 0.009 vs. 0.004 in 2002), even though both the headcount index () and poverty gap index () were smaller in rural than urban areas. This indicates that while rural areas had a smaller proportion of poor people than urban areas, their poverty was much more severe than urban poverty, meaning that there were a large number of extremely poor people in rural areas whose consumption expenditures were far smaller than the poverty line. 5.2. Incidence of Poverty by District (Kabupaten and Kota) and Its Spatial Pattern In 1996, Kabupaten Blora had the highest head count index (), which was followed by Kabupatens Grobogan, Wonosobo, Sragen, and Temanggung. On the other hand, Kota Magelang had the smallest head count index (), which was followed by Kotas Salatiga, Tegal, Pekalongan, and Kabupaten Pekalongan. Except Kabupatens Pekalongan, Demak, Sukoharjo, and Kudus, kabupatens had much larger values of the head count index () than kotas, showing that poor people were concentrated in kabupatens. The poverty gap index () had almost the same pattern as the head count index () in 1996. Kabupaten Blora had the highest poverty gap index (), which was followed by Kabupatens Wonosobo, Sragen, Grobogan, Magelang, and Temanggung. On the other hand, Kota Magelang had the smallest poverty gap index (), which was followed by Kotas Salatiga, Tegal, Pekalongan, and Kabupaten Pekalongan. Again, except a few kabupatens, kabupatens had much larger index values than kotas. The number on the map shows the rank of districts with respect to poverty measures within Central Java. There were two major geographical clusters of poor districts