Analysis of Brick Cleaner Essay

Aim: To find the percentage by mass of hydrochloric acid present in brick cleaner by doing an acid-base titration. Theory/Hypothesis: The main ingredient in brick cleaner is HCL and must be diluted and titrated with a base to be able to analyse it. It reacts with parts of the concrete which allows it to remove the concrete from the bricks. I think there will be around 30% of HCL in brick cleaner. Materials: * 5mL brick cleaner * 100mL, 0.1M standard sodium carbonate solution * 250ml de-ionised water * Methyl orange indicator * 250mL volumetric flask * 4x100mL conical flasks * Small funnel * 10mL measuring cylinder * 20mL pipette * Pipette filter * Dropping pipette * Burette and stand * White tile * Electronic balance * Safety glasses * Gloves Method: 1) A 250 mL volumetric flask was weighed with it’s mass recorded 2) A 10mL measuring cylinder was used to pour 5mL brick cleaner into the volumetric flask. The flask was stoppered straight after all the brick cleaner was in the flask. 3) The flask was then reweighed 4) De-ionised water was added until the flask was about half full. The flask was stoppered and shaken carefully upside down several times. 5) More water was added to the flask about a cm below the graduation line. A dropper was used to accurately drop the right amount of water to the flask so the bottom of the meniscus was on the graduation line. 6) A 20mL pipette was used to put 20mL of sodium carbonate solution into each of the four 100mL conical flask. 3 drops of methyl orange indicator was added to each. 7) The burette was filled with the solution of brick cleaner. 8) The sodium carbonate solution was titrated with the solution of brick cleaner until there was a clear permanent colour change. 9) Steps 7 and 8 were repeated until 3 concordant results were Results: Weight Volumetric flask 78.968g Brick cleaner 6.00g Titre 1 2 3 Initial vol 2.3 23.4 3.0 Final vol 23.4 44.5 24.0 Vol added 21.1 21.1 21.0 Calculations: On page attached. Discussion: The weight for the brick cleaner may not be 6.00g as the volumetric flask was not weighed again with the brick cleaner in it because that step was forgotten. So the result above was taken from another student that did the prac. This will affect the results as the mass of the brick cleaner is used to determine the percentage by mass of HCL in brick cleaner. All 3 titres show that they are only within 0.1 of each other. The hypothesis has been disproved because it was suggested the 30% of HCL would be in brick cleaner and there’s only 2.4% although it’s not certain that those steps were done correctly. There were no problems encountered during this prac. Focus Questions: 8)a) the manufacturer says that brick cleaner is made up of around 35% HCL, which is a massive difference to the answer that was got in this prac but again question 7 was not done correctly. b) differences in class results occur because not everybody would have done the exact volume of brick cleaner, sodium carbonate etc as each other therefore the difference in results obtained. 9) To correctly clean up a spill of 20mL brick cleaner you would mop it up immediately, washing it away with massive amounts of water 10)a) volumetric flask= once with water twice with brick cleaner b) Burette= once with water twice with diluted solution of brick cleaner c) pipette= once with water twice with diluted brick cleaner d) conical flask=once with water twice with sodium carbonate solution Conclusion: To conclude, there should be 35% HCL in brick cleaner although it was found that there was only 2.4%

Ratio analysis can help in measuring business performance and setting objectives/ goals Essay

Ratios are calculated from an organisation’s financial statements and are an effective business tool in measuring its performance. By comparing the ratios to those of the previous year it is possible to determine whether a business is doing better this year than last year. It is also possible to compare ratios of one organisation against those of another in a similar industry. This helps identify areas in which one business is either under performing or indeed is out performing another. Undertaking ratio analysis and making comparisons to market leaders within your industry will help focus on areas which require attention. By carefully selecting the most suitable ratios business owners and managers can use the results to gain a better understanding of how their organisation is performing. The same ratios can also be used to set future targets. Ratios are calculated from an organisation’s financial statements and are an effective business tool in measuring its performance. By comparing the ratios to those of the previous year it is possible to determine whether a business is doing better this year than last year. It is also possible to compare ratios of one organisation against those of another in a similar industry. This helps identify areas in which one business is either under performing or indeed is out performing another. Undertaking ratio analysis and making comparisons to market leaders within your industry will help focus on areas which require attention. By carefully selecting the most suitable ratios business owners and managers can use the results to gain a better understanding of how their organisation is performing. The same ratios can also be used to set future targets. Ratios are calculated from an organisation’s financial statements and are an effective business tool in measuring its performance. By comparing the ratios to those of the previous year it is possible to determine whether a business is doing better this year than last year. It is also possible to compare ratios of one organisation against those of another in a similar industry. This helps identify areas in which one business is either under performing or indeed is out performing another. Undertaking ratio analysis and making comparisons to market leaders within your industry will help focus on areas which require attention. By carefully selecting the most suitable ratios business owners and managers can use the results to gain a better understanding of how their organisation is performing. The same ratios can also be used to set future targets.

Calamitatum Of The Individual

Calamitatum Of The Individual Essay In the realm of critical thinking, Abelard undoubtedly ranked highly in his day. He was an expert dialectician, philosopher and theologian, and as a result led a movement towards individual thinking. He traveled a lonely path of individuality, and when his ideas were suppressed, he found different ways to express his individuality. The beginning of his life was marked by extreme personal freedom. As his journey through life continued, he found himself compounded with innumerable restrictions. The role of monk could not change Abelard, and his individuality brought him even greater misfortune. He may forewarn others against the risks of such extreme individualism, but his life clearly shows that Abelard thought his individuality was a natural part of him, a part that was as inseparable as his faith. From the beginning of Abelards Story of my Calamities he portrays himself as an individual. The as oldest child in his family his life was intended for a military career, but as he tells us, he abandoned Mars for Minerva, denouncing the popular and glorious profession of arms for that of learning. In writing this he shows his clever and distinct way of thinking by referring to dialectic, the art of examining options or ideas logically, as a weapon of war. I chose the weapons of dialectic to all the other teachings of philosophy, and armed with these I chose the conflicts of disputation instead of the trophies of war. (p. 58, ll. 7-9). This is remarkable for the son of a soldier to make such a choice even renouncing his inheritance and pursue only intellectual advancement. Leaving home, he traveled off to school in Paris. He was welcomed for a short while, but soon found disfavor with his teacher Champeaux, the grand master of dialectic at the time, by refuting his arguments and proving himself several times to be the superior in debate. This shows Abelards superior intellect at a very early age. This is no doubt a major reason for his individuality. One of his intellectual rank finds it hard to conform to others standards, and naturally becomes a spectacle when showing his skills. This early conflict caused Abelard to leave and start his own school. Unfortunately, he could not maintain it and had to return home. Years later he was teaching in Paris again, he tells us how pupils flocked to him from every country in Europe, a statement which is more than corroborated by the authority of his contemporaries. He was, In fact, the idol of Paris, eloquent, vivacious, handsome, full of confidence in his own power to please. As he tells us, the whole world at his feet. In the Story of My Calamities, he confesses that at that period of his life he was filled with vanity and pride. I began to think myself the only philosopher in the world, with nothing to fear from anyone, and so I yielded to the lusts of the flesh. (p.65, ll.13-15). The first part of this statement is a window into what made Abelard an individual. He felt that he did not have to follow the same rules that other people did because he was superior to them. The result was a man that did things differently, for better or for worse. The second part of that statement lead Abelard down his next path of individuality, the first to cause him physical pain. To these faults he attributes his downfall, which was as swift and tragic as was everything, seemingly, in his dazzling career. He tells us in graphic language the tale of how he fell in love with Heloise, niece of Canon Fulbert. READ: Daedalus Myth And Portrait Of The Artist EssayIn the midst of his exploits he met Heloise, and in the first time writing about her in The Story of My Calamities he describes her individuality. in the extent of her learning she stood supreme. A gift for letters is so rare in women that it added greatly to her charm and had won her renown throughout the realm. (p.66 ll.15-17). This shows that Abelard valued individuality highly in others as well as in himself. He arranged an agreement with Heloises uncle to educate her, and gained access to Heloise. Their relationship encompassed the maximum in personal freedom and experimentation. They had a premarital sexual affair of unparalleled proportion. The whole affair was entirely against the rules of society at the time, and was the culmination of the progressive pattern of freedoms, turned into the abuse of opportunity. Soon after Abelards individuality and superiority caught up to him. Heloise became pregnant, and Abelard could not successfully sidestep the ethics of society again. To appease her uncle, Abelard offered him satisfaction in a form he could never have hoped for: I would marry the girl I had wronged. (p.70, ll.6-7). In this offer, Abelard showed that he was out of touch, because to marry in secret was really just an insult, and he considered it a complement of the highest magnitude. As a result of this final insult, the uncle could not contain his rage any longer, and had Abelard castrated. This very profoundly caused him pain for the rest of his life. Then Abelard embarked down his last path, but still as an individual. He made the decision to become a monk. About this decision he writes, I admit that it was shame and confusion in my remorse and misery that rather than any devout wish for conversion which brought me to seek shelter a monastery cloister. (p.76, ll.15-17). Abelard is distinguishing himself from others by demonstration that while he made a choice that others had also made, he made the choice for special reasons, reasons that are different from anyone elses. Of course, as soon as he was positioned in this monastery, he started making waves with the head of the monastery, and doing things not expected of a monk: I applied myself mainly to the study of the Scriptures as being more suitable to my present calling, but I did not wholly abandon the instruction of the profane arts in which I was better practiced. (P. 77, l.31) This aroused the envy and hatred of the other heads of school against me. (P.78, l.5) It would seem that Abelards extreme individuality led him into trouble no matter where he turned, or what endeavour he undertook. When he did apply himself to religion, he got himself into more trouble than even he expected. In his most unpopular argument he says that even though there is only one God, God did not beget Himself, even though there is the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost. This sets off a multitude of enemies against Abelard, and is the beginning of a very bad reputation for him. He refuses to recant anything he has said, and is forced to his own book burned. This attack on his pride was the one to cause him the most pain. Abelard is harassed at every step by enemies, and eventually he moved to the wilderness. Abelard lived there in an oratory of weeds and thatch (p.88, l. 22), while other his peers surely would have thought of him as uncivil. This shows that Abelard really just doesnt even care what anyone thinks. Soon, many eager student appeared at the wilderness spot, and a school was eventually created. Being an irrepressible individual, Abelard titles the school controversial name of Paraclete as a way of reemphasizing his beliefs about God, causing enemies to attack him. He is again forced to leave for fear of injury or death. READ: Art Of Poets EssayHis refusal to conform to the certain norms of society was consistent even when his life was endangered. It comes to the point where he states, But now Satan has put so many obstacles in my path that I can find nowhere to rest, or even to live; a fugitive and wanderer, I carry every where the curse of Cain (p.102, ll.15-17). With standing all adversity Abelard proves himself definitely a true individual Through good times and bad, that is maybe his only constant. Even though in closing Abelard says, This is my experience all the time; a poor monk raised to be an abbot, the more wretched as I have become more wealthy, in order that my example may curb the ambition of those who have deliberately chosen a similar course. (p.104, ll. 18-21), it is painfully clear that the lone path of individuality was the only route for him.

Death in Hansel and Gretel and The Hunger Games Essay

Death in Hansel and Gretel and The Hunger Games - Essay Example Death means death of â€Å"death of death† as taboo, as well as death of humanity through the loss of morality rationality, and civil liberties,. For poor people, death is not a taboo, because it is part of their reality. Collins' Hunger Games is set in dystopia, where the Capitol controls twelve (12) districts by siphoning their resources and keeping them poor and hungry. The people, as a result, are too hungry to revolt against the system, particularly after the first revolution led to the creation of the Hunger Games. Collins shows that death is something real and evident in the Seam. Katniss thinks: â€Å"Gale and I agree that if we have to choose between dying of hunger and a bullet in the head, the bullet would be much quicker†(Collins 18). She thinks about this, because she knows how hard it is to survive in Panem, when the Capitol controls and owns all resources and food. She knows how hard it is to die slowly from hunger, and it is harder to watch one's family die slowly from the fangs of hunger too. What is taboo in Panem is listing starvation as the cause of death: â€Å"Starvation is never the cause of death officially. It’s always the flu, or exposure, or pneumonia. But that fools no one† (Collins 29). ... This thinking reflects the importance of self-survival over parental instincts and humanity. Hansel and Gretel's mother would have her children dead than find herself dying from hunger too. They talk about death as if it is the weather, unimportant and something that is paradoxically part of their existence. These stories argue that death is not limited to its physical dimension, because humanity can also die within people, when their sense of morality is gone. The Hunger Games kills humanity's morality. Part of it is knowing that life is a jungle and every one is game, especially in the Hunger Games. Katniss thinks that it will not be right to be affected too much by Peeta's kindness: â€Å"So I decide, from this moment on, to have as little as possible to do with the baker’s son† (Collins 49). To feel kindness and indebtedness will make her vulnerable and vulnerability is the first step toward death. The Hunger Games turns death into an option that can be erased, if o ne gives up one's morality. Morality also dies when people choose to be beasts. When Gale visits Katniss, he tells her that hunting in the forest is the same as hunting for people. Katniss does not believe in this: â€Å"The awful thing is that if I can forget they’re people, it will be no different at all† (Collins 41). One of the power implications of this statement is that an authoritarian society ensures that people's morality are gone, so that they can be ruled easier. At the individual level, Katniss is saying that if she can kill people so easily, then she is not a human being anymore, just another beast among wild animals. Another way that morality is killed is through trauma. When Katniss' father dies,

HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING IN MACDONALD COMPANY Essay

HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING IN MACDONALD COMPANY - Essay Example It revealed the way many companies such as MacDonald Company, which are providing large elements of personal services can achieve success through employing HR planning or development models vital for recruiting, training, retaining and learning process. Under varied development models, the researcher examined in details each aspect such as recruitment process and revealed the way a company can achieve success through recruiting people with required skills necessary for performing certain tasks. It also revealed the significant of training employees and retaining them through employing varied strategies vital for enabling them to manage employee relations. The researcher revealed the way learning process can enable workforce to improve their work related skills vital for increasing organizational productivity. It also provided the effective strategies implemented for positive employee relations, performance management and reward in an organisation. Lastly, the human resource performan ce monitoring techniques used with recommendations for the organisation to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of these operations were examined. The conclusion provided a brief summary of what have been discussed in the research project. Human Resource Planning in MacDonald Company Introduction Human resource planning is basically developing effective strategies in order match the size and skills of workforce vital for achieving organizational needs. The human resource planning process helps the organisation to recruit, retain, train and optimize the employment of the personnel required to match the objective of the company; thus meeting changes in the external environment. There is a need to incorporate the development, training and retaining strategies that the company can use in achieving the stated organisation objectives. MacDonald is one of the largest companies with it’s headquarter located in the United States and also largest global chain of fast food restauran ts. The company serves millions of customers every day in more than 119 countries; thus, human resource planning process is significant in the organisation. Therefore, the project evaluates the recruitment, training, retention and learning, as well as, developing strategies employed by human resource managers in MacDonald Company. HR Planning and/or Development Models The human resource planning is a continual process that attempts to guarantee flexible resourcing related to internal and external environments. An effective HR planning or development model is vital because it will help MacDonald to anticipate possible expected difficulties that might arise in the company (Armstrong, 2006, p. 56). The workforce has changed dramatically for the past decades because of rapid technology advancement and other aspects such as job expectations, ethnicity, family structure, racial composition and many other aspects. Moreover, social developments structure has drastically impacted on the natu re and organizational operations in the HR management such as training, recruitment, retaining, development and management programs. Therefore, the ability to achieve sustained competitive advantage, which is based on the ability to recruit, and retain a committed skilled workforce is crucial (Armstrong, 2006, p. 57). For many business entities such as MacDonald Company and many others, which are providing large elements of personal services, employing HR planning or development models is vital for recruiting, training, retaining and learning process. Recruitment Evaluation process for future recruitments needed in MacDonald Comp

Polycarp (ca,69-155) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Polycarp (ca,69-155) - Research Paper Example The Catholic literature identifies the fundamental texts from which information about the life and works of Polycarp are to be found, and they are the following: St. Ignatius epistles; the Epistle to the Philippians by Polycarp; details of Polycarps martyrdom, as detailed in the Letter to the Smyrnaeans; and various St. Irenaeus text passages. It is noteworthy that the original letters to the seven Asian churches includes Smyrna, in Turkey, as one of those original churches, rooting Polycarp and his church in the center of that movement in history to Revelations, indicating the degree to which Polycarp and his church was persecuted by the political and religious establishment of the time (Knight 2009; Kiefer 2014). The text The Martyrdom of Polycarp in particular narrates of the suffering and death of Polycarp in defense of the faith. He was put on the stake and there burned, and finally stabbed to death. He died at age 86, in 156 AD, and was stabbed to death when the fire at the stake failed to kill him. This is the first fully documented account of a martyrdom in the early church. Polycarp is also noteworthy for being a direct disciple of one of the original disciples of Jesus, in John the Apostle, and it was from John that Polycarp was granted the authority to head the Christian church in Smyrna, where he was given the title of bishop. It was St. Jerome who narrated this. These latter details were put on record by Tertulian, as well as by Irenaeus. The extent of his influence is reflected in the way Polycarp has come to be considered a saint not just within the Catholic church, but also in the various Orthodox churches, among the Lutheran congregations, and among Anglicans (Knight 2009; Cat holic Online 2013; Franciscan Media Copyright 2012). One gets a sense of the importance of Polycarps life and times in the way he had been a faithful first-hand witness

Globalisation of business activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Globalisation of business activities - Essay Example It should be noted that there are quite a number of key players that drive globalisation and these include the multinational corporations, World Trade Organisation (WTO), World Bank and International Monetary Fund (Rodrick 2001). Different governments are also key actors as they authorise trade to take place between them and the multinational corporations intending to invest in their countries. They are very instrumental in determining the outcomes of trade and investment between the states involved as they would be responsible for regulating the operations of the multinational companies. The WTO also plays a pivotal role in that it facilitates the platform through which international trade agreements are negotiated and enforced among member states. On the other hand, the World Bank and the IMF are major actors in that they provide with loans as well as technical assistance to the governments or multinational corporations that wish to invest in other different countries. 2. The manufacturing sectors in different countries seem to have rapidly expanded on a global scale and the three major drivers that seem to have accelerated the trend of globalisation in this sector include the government, cost, market and competitive. In the manufacturing sector, it can be noted that it is expensive to manufacture certain products in other countries as a result of availability problems of raw materials, transport costs involved as well as labour costs. Against this background, various multinational companies prefer to establish their manufacturing business in areas where raw materials are readily available and in some cases where there is availability of cheap labour. The market drivers are particularly influenced by per capita concentrations in industrialised countries where they seem to have greater control of the means of production hence can determine the

Market Analysis of Coca Cola as a Global Brand Assignment

Market Analysis of Coca Cola as a Global Brand - Assignment Example The discussion seeks to answer the question: Why in the world, among the different categories and sectors of the global market, Coca Cola has happened to successfully penetrate and retain its market internationally and become the most valuable brand at the global scale level? The Coca Cola as a brand is not limited only to its Coca Cola soft drinks. As mentioned earlier, it encompasses a wide array of categories of beverages like soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, water, ready – to – drink juices, teas, as well as coffees. Moreover, Coca Cola has managed to venture their products into new opportunities through different product variants in these different categories of beverages. The Coca Cola products are not without issues. In point of fact, a worldwide hate campaign, Killer Coke, is formed against The Coca Cola Company and is calling to boycott its products. Primarily, its products are criticised for their adverse possible negative effects on health among its consumer as a carbonated and sweetened drink. It produces nothing but products detrimental to health which can lead to death. Since Coca Cola products are high in sugar and calorie content, they fuel the prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the whole world. Some of chemical components and food dyes used in these products are identified to cause cancer. Caffeine, a substance causing physical dependence, is also present in these products. Nonetheless, in the soft drink category, Pepsi, RC Cola, and other local competitor brands are just behind Coca Cola. Despite the issues faced by Coca Cola, its consumers across the globe remain loyal to the brand and the brand has managed to be on top among the other sectors of beverages. Each of the Coca Cola products is positioned to target specific market. For example, the original version of Coke is not only serving as refreshment for an individual but is seen as a special part of the modern times. It functions as means of bonding to family as well, especially when having the traditional dining. While on the one hand, Diet Coke and Coke Zero target those who are health conscious and do not want to gain additional weight due to drinking soft drinks. Coke Zero is positioned as a no sugar and no calorie version of Coke. For those who do not want to ingest caffeine, there is also Caffeine – Free Coca Cola. For those who still want a fruity taste of soda, Coca Cola has its cherry, lime, citra, light sango and orange soda variants. For those who are not into soft drinks, Coca Cola also has ventured in RTD juices like Minute Maid which is positioned as a product with real pulps of fruits like orange. Because of the pulps in Minute Maid, it is considered by the consumers as a healthy citrus drink in the beverage sector. The Coca Cola Company has a

WORLDCOM ACCOUNTING FRAUD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

WORLDCOM ACCOUNTING FRAUD - Essay Example WorldCom is a company that realized growth through evaluated mergers and acquisition that enabled it recorded immense growth and control in the telecommunication industry (Clikeman, 2009). After attaining a peak in the telecom boom, WorldCom Inc. was rated at $ 180 billion. Thereafter, the company company’s credit ratings declined and they started facing job cuts. Consequently, the share prices declined from $64 to $2.65. This decline in the stock prices caused a shock in the financial market and this negatively affected the telecommunication sector and shares of the other sectors of the economy. Banks intensified pressure on the then CEO, Benard Ebbers to restore margin calls on his WorldCom stock utilized in other endeavors (Markham, 2006). Because of the slow down turn, the company profitability was hardly hit in 2000 forcing the company to rescind its earlier decision to merge with Sprit. How the fraud was committed Considering the consolidated income of the company from 1 997 to 2001, WorldCom realized a decline in the operating margin in 1988. In the year 2001, the operating margin was -5.51% compared to the previous year where the company realized a profit margin of 13.78% (Clikeman, 2009). Owing to this decline in performance, the management engaged in manipulation of the financial statements to conceal the performance that could result in the share prices. Investors are interested in the financial performance of a company and any loses can force investors withdraw their investment and cause companies to collapse. The manipulation of the financial statements was successful in the year 1999 and 2000 where a profit margin of 21.96% and 20.85% was reported. In 2001, it was impossible to hide the falsified statements to reflect better financial performance (Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). In this year, the manipulated company profits declined from 20.85% in 2010 to 9.98%, a decline of more than 50%. This year saw the WorldCom split into MCI WorldCom Inc and Wo rldCom Inc that continued to sell voice and data to corporations. The question on the stability of WorldCom aggravated the situation in 2002 and saw investors start believing that WorldCom had off-balance sheet finances apart from the increasing debt that deteriorated the company’s status (Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). Efforts by the CEO to explain that the whole industry was experiencing acute problems were ignored. The CEO asserted that competitors were going out of operation because of the hard economic times since the revenues declined sharply. The growth in the mobile phone usage further threw the telecom sector in many problems. WorldCom was compelled to restate the financial performance that revealed losses in the year 1999 to 2001. In the restatement, the capitalized line costs were reversed and the costs that were manipulated to show small amounts were corrected. Since the line costs account for about 40-45%, its manipulation had to result in material financial influences ( Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). For instance, the manipulatedincome statement showed a profit of $1407 million instead of a loss of $1648million, which is an accounting fraud. The violation of the generally accepted accounting standards by capitalizing expenses resulted in creation of worthless assets. This has been considered the largest accounting fraud that was straightforward and that should have been detected by simple audit procedures. In the year 2001, the CEO persuaded the board of directors to offer him a loan and guarantees summing to more than $400 million to cover the pressure from the banks. His request was however rejected by the board that was later ousted as the CEO of the company. The company CFO,

Trade Deficits and Weakening Dollars Essay Example for Free

Trade Deficits and Weakening Dollars Essay Economist Frank Shostak offers an unpopular view of the United States’ trade deficit and its effect on the country’s economy. The view is widely held that an increasing trade deficit ultimately leads to the unwillingness of other nationals to hold the American currency. The effect of such a development would be an ultimate decline in the United States’ dollar exchange rate. When United States nationals converts its dollars to that of another country, say the Japanese Yen, in order to procure their goods, this might be considered as the existence of a demand for Japanese money. This demand arises as a result of a demand for goods produced in Japan. If such demand is no reciprocated—that is, if this American demand for Japanese products is not answered by an equal demand by Japan for American products—then this could lead to a trade deficit. The important aspect of this trade deficit lies in the fact that the demand for American goods is not as great as American demand for foreign goods. On some level, money can be considered as a commodity—especially for the purposes of investment where interest becomes the price of money. When the demand for American money decreases, the price of money also decreases. Interest rates are an important part of economic growth as it denotes (in the most simplified sense) the worth of such strictly monetary transactions as investments, lending, savings, etc. It would appear that when the price of money decreases, the worth of money would also decrease, and this leads to a disparity between the worth of the U.S. currency and that of the Yen—in favor of the Yen. Shostak argues otherwise. Though he concedes that the trade deficit is related to the exchange rate of the U.S. currency, he does not consider the trade deficit to be the deciding factor of that exchange rate. Rather, he considers the deficit an unfortunate result of that decline in the exchange rate. The U.S. monetary policy is what he blames. He considers a wanton increase in the money supply as having precisely the same effect as counterfeiting. Below is a table showing the changes in money supply, interest rates, trade deficit and GDP between 1987 and 2005. Here it can be seen that a fall in GDP does occur in relation to a fall in interest rates. Though the decrease appears small, the comparison should not be exaggerated, as many fluctuations occurred in between the given time period. It does show an overall decrease in the net deficit, but this is shown as a percentage of GDP. The effect of one on the other is therefore not clear from this table. Money Supply (1987 = baseline) Interest Rates 1987 2005 1987 2005 100% 273% 6.5% 1% Net Deficit (as % of GDP) Gross Domestic Product 1987 2005 1987 2005 ~8% 6.3% ~3.4% ~3.3%   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Naito, Norrington Yamaguchi; Elwell, 8). However, according to Shostak, when the U.S. money supply increases in relation to that of another country (say Japan), yet all else remains the same, the amount of money competing for essentially the same amount of output rises. This scenario mimics a rise in demand, which leads to a rise in prices according to the price elasticity theory of demand. When this occurs, the comparison between the prices of two similar products in the United States and Japan yields an elevated price in U.S. dollars and therefore a deflated U.S. currency. This comes from the principle of purchasing power parity. However, it might be argued that the fall in the U.S. exchange rate could have the effect of reducing the trade deficit when the amount becomes expressed in terms of other nations’ currencies. The final analysis is that Shostak’s theory appears convincing especially in light of the rise in the U.S. monetary supply that seems to exceed GDP growth (see table) and the current weakening of U.S. dollar on the global market. The U.S. exchange rate in comparison with the Eurodollar fell 40% between 2001 and 2004 (Evans, 2). Works Cited Elwell, Craig K. The U.S. Trade Deficit: Causes, Consequences, and Cures. Congressional   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Services, 2006. http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RL31032.pdf Evans, Edward A. Understanding Exchange Rates: A Weakening U.S. Dollar—Good, Bad, or    Indifferent for Florida Farmers and Agrobusinesses? Gainesville: University of Florida   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IFAS. 2005 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FE/FE54600.pdf Naito, Yuki, Robert C. Norrington, Keiko Yamaguchi. â€Å"The United States.† A Multi-country   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Evaluation of Trade Imbalances. Ed. Steven Suranovic. Washington DC: George   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Washington Universtiy. 1999. http://internationalecon.com/tradeimbalance/US.html Shostak, Frank. â€Å"Does the widening U.S. trade deficit pose a threat to the economy?† The Daily   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reckoning. 2006 http://www.dailyreckoning.com/Featured/ShostakDeficit.html

Neurofibromatosis Case Report

Neurofibromatosis Case Report Abstract Neurofibromatosis, though not discussed in depth, is not at all a clinical rarity. The condition has been reported in all races and does not exhibit specific clinical manifestations and features for occurrence. The hereditary nature has been recognized for long, though the depth of mutations is still a long way in short of understanding. It has got a chance occurrence of 50% mutation rate. It occurs with a frequency of 1 case in approximately 3000 births. Malignant transformation has been reported in a few cases, which underlines the importance of in depth analysis of this condition. Introduction Neurofibromatosis is one of the most common hereditary neurocutaneous disorders with an incidence of 1:3000. It is autosomal dominant and shows no race or sex predilection.1 30 to 50% are de-novo cases occurring due to spontaneous mutations.2The condition first documented in 1882 by the German pathologist Frederich Von Recklinghausen presents with protean clinical manifestations.3This case is reported due to the severe facial hemi hypertrophy associated with neurofibromatosis. Case Report A 12 year old female patient presented with swelling of left side of face since infancy. Swelling was first noted at one year of age after which it increased steadily and reached the present size. Speech was slurred. No family history of such a condition was observed. On extra oral examination severe hemi hypertrophy of the maxilla was noted with subsequent disfigurement of the face on account of deviation of the nose and mouth to the right (Fig 1). There was a soft painless mass on the left forehead measuring four centimeters in length and two centimeters in breadth. There was overgrowth of coarse, stiff hair on the mass. The skin showed patchy pigmentation. Left eye is pushed downwards and remained closed due to the pressure exerted by the mass (Fig 23). On palpation the mass was soft to firm with diffuse borders. No fixity to underlying tissue was noted. There was no associated regional lymphadenopathy. Cafà © au lait spots (CALS) of size one to two centimeters and blue black in color were distributed over the trunk and palms of hands (Fig 4). There was a large CALS of size 10 X 15 centimeters in the back of trunk which was irregular with diffuse borders (Fig 5). Intraoral examination showed a firm mass extending from right maxillary lateral incisor to left maxillary first premolar. The mass measured 3 X 2 centimeters in size and was firm and non – tender on palpation. Maxillary left central incisor was found embedded and the lateral incisor and canine were partially exposed. CALS were noted on the mass. Nodular masses were seen on the palate adjacent to right maxillary premolars, on the mass adjacent to right central incisor and on the left upper lip. There was hemi hypertrophy of the tongue and spacing of teeth on the left side resulting in malocclusion (Fig 6). CT scan shows the lesion extended well in to the brain- cerebrum, frontal sinus, and eye, nasal and maxillary sinus (Fig 7). Preliminary hematological investigations including serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase were carried out and values were found within normal limits. Incisional biopsy was performed from the anterior palate. Histopathological examination of H E stained sections showed cells with elongated, bent nuclei separated by abundant, fine and sinuous collagen fibers. There is presence of nerve bundles, mild vascularity and areas of hemorrhage. Overlying epithelium is orthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of normal thickness (Fig 89). Diagnosis of neurofibroma was made. Patient was referred to the department of oral surgery for further treatment. Discussion Present knowledge shows that neurofibromatosis consists of at least two diseases which show distinct clinical and genetic features, the peripheral form or neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and the central form or neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2). The more common one is the NF1. 4 This is autosomal dominant and 50% of cases are new mutations, 80% of which are of paternal origin. The NF1 gene, one of the largest in the human genome is a tumor suppressor gene located in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 17. It encodes the neurofibromin protein which consists of 2800 amino acids. Due to the large size of the gene and numerous mutations that may occur genetic testing is not a viable option in diagnosis. A protein truncation assay is used to detect stop mutations but this confirms the disease only in two thirds of cases and cannot predict the severity. 5,6 Diagnosis is confirmed if two or more of the diagnostic criteria are present. (Table 1) Hence clinical findings are imperative. Accurate correlations between the genotype and phenotype have not been possible because of the large size of the gene. Still it has been found that the severity of the condition increases with complete gene deletions with occurrence of large numbers of neurofibromas and a significantly higher lifetime risk for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Familial spinal neurofibromatosis corresponds with mutations at the 3’ end of the gene. Somatic mosaicism may account for the segmental forms of neurofibromatosis.5 The clinical manifestations are first seen in childhood as small macules resembling freckles which slowly increase in size and deepen in color. Microscopically melanin pigment is seen in macromelanosomes. The number of cafà © au lait spots indicates the severity of the disease. In mild forms with fewer spots the neurofibromas occur late in life and may also be restricted to one part of the body. Secondary symptoms may arise due to occurrence of neurofibromas. An abrupt increase in size may indicate malignancy or may be due to pregnancy or onset of puberty.7The central nervous system may be affected with neurofibromas example the optic nerve glioma.8 The skeleton may be affected due to primary defects and also pressure effect from the tumors. Cystic lesions are noted within the bones histologically resembling non-ossifying fibroma.9 Renovascular hypertension occurs due to vascular stenosis. The varied symptoms of neurofibroma include growth disorders, abnormal sexual development and lung abnormalities. Certain forms of neurofibroma shows atypical or incomplete features compared to the classic form. These variants are segmental neurofibroma, gastrointestinal neurofibroma, familial spinal neurofibroma and familial cafà © au lait spots.8 Neurofibroma is a disease with diverse characteristics. Early diagnosis aids in proper monitoring of patient. Genetic counseling is also required in familial cases. Frequent reviews are needed as there is possibility of development of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) in a subset of NF1. Proper histologic evaluation is essential as it is difficult to differentiate a neurofibroma with atypical histologic features from a low grade MPNST. Germ-line mutations in genes encoding RAS-ERK signaling pathway components cause a set of related, autosomal dominant developmental disorders, termed â€Å"RASopathies† , which include Noonan syndrome . Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigenes (NS-ML; formerly known as LEOPARD syndrome), cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFCS), Costello syndrome (CS), and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). RASopathy patients typically display short stature, facial dysmorphia, cardiac defects, developmental delay, and other variably penetrant features. 10 Conclusion Neurofibormatosis and concomitant symptoms are always associated with numerous manifestations. The condition including von Recklinghausen disease has to be understood in depth for proper diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols. Though, significant steps has been taken for analyzing the molecular pathway and genetic mutations involving the conditions, the finer details are still out of light as far as molecular origin and pathway is concerned. An extensive discussion and deliberation is needed in this regard so that debility and mortality rate

Lord of the Flies Essay -- Lord of the Flies Essays

Hidden inside every human being is the urge to obide by law and authority and to act civilised, but hidden much deeper is the temptation to resist acting lawfully and resort to savagery. Sometimes, these two impulses conflict with one another and people are confused as to which desire to follow through with. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and John Polson’s Hide and Seek are two prime examples that demonstrate the conflict between civilised behaviour and savagery through their characters’ cultured manners, savage impulses and struggles as they decide who they really are as people. The instinct to follow rules and act in a civilised manner is highlighted throughout the first four chapters of Lord of the Flies, but is especially perceptible in the boys’ behaviour when they first arrive on the island. The first chapter, The Sound of the Shell focuses on Ralph’s discovery of the island and his joy at the fact that there are â€Å"No grown-ups!† (p.12) present and so he can do as he pleases. His companion Piggy however, is obedient to the authority of his home life as he will not run, swim or blow the conch when Ralph does because his aunty told him not to â€Å"on account of his asthma†. (p.13) The repetition of Piggy’s referral to his aunty and her rules emphasise his conformity. The formation of an assembly, the ruling of Ralph as chief and the creation of rules on the island such as â€Å"‘hands up’ like at school† also comply with the social standards of order and democracy that they had to obide by in Eng land. Jack, representing a figure of authority, leads his choir who comply with his commands even though they are not at home anymore. â€Å"The choir belongs to you, of course.† (p.31) The choirs’ great compliance to their leader foreshadows t... ...shouldn’t’ be there, but does not actually tell her to go away. Brutality is also evident in Emily’s actions - while smiling threateningly she destroys a doll infront of the little girl. A close-up camera angle is used during this act to reinforce Emily’s evil intentions. The characters’ battle to resolve the conflict between following their natural instincts and satisfying their ultimate desires to kill is achieved in both texts with the impulses of violence prevailing. From the analysis of the characters’ actions, words and personalities from the novel Lord of the Flies and the movie Hide and Seek, it is evident that both texts represent the conflict existing between morality and sin through their use of the narrative devices of repetition, alliteration and foreshadowing as well as the film techniques of intruding close-up angle shots and manipulative lighting.

Hiroshima :: essays research papers

The biggest and bloodiest war ever fought on the face of the earth, World War II, was coming to a deadly end. The allied forces were starting to run out of options and resources. The United States of America decided to unleash the most destructive force they had, the power of the atom. Many supporters of the Atomic Bomb say that even though it killed thousands in Japan, it saved millions more everywhere else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the number of supporters of the bomb there were that many more skeptics that believed the atom bomb would never work. Some reasons that contributed to this theory were that it was so complex that someone working on it made a mistake somewhere. One of the major skeptics of the atomic bomb was Albert Einstein himself, which made many more people become skeptical. (â€Å"Hiroshima† 1998)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pilot that dropped the atomic bomb was Colonel Paul Tibbets of the 509th Bomber squadron (James Chan â€Å"Hiroshima† 1997) and he was flying the Enola Gay, which was named after his mother and was a B-29-45-MD Super fortress. (Peter Wyden â€Å"Day One† 1984)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was 2:45 A.M. when the Enola Gay took off, after it got going it was flying at a ground speed of 330 M.P.H. The flight was going to take six and a half hours until they reached Hiroshima on the Honshu Island on Japan (U.S. National Archives â€Å"Hiroshima† 1999). Even though the crew knew their destination, Hiroshima, their target, the iota T-bridge, and that they were dropping a bomb, they didn’t know that it was an atomic bomb that would take out almost the entire city. (Peter Wyden â€Å"Day One† 1984) The name of the Bomb was named the â€Å"Little Boy† and it weighed 10,000 lbs. 137.5 of that was pure Uranium. When the bomb detonated the Uranium split into two and it started a fission chain reaction (â€Å"Hiroshima† 1998). The fireball created by the bomb was equal to six and a half tons of TNT. The heat in the hypocenter reached upwards to 3000 degrees Celsius (James Chan â€Å"Hiroshima† 1997). Within a mile of the blast fences, railroad ties and trees ignited from the heat. In the hypocenter iron melted and 900 feet from the hypocenter granite melted (Peter Wyden â€Å"Day One† 1984). The bomb was detonated at approximately 9:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945. Seen from five and a half miles away the explosion was 10 times as bright as the sun (James Chan â€Å"Hiroshima† 1997).

Culture Essay -- Anthropology, Durkheim, Functionalism

Throughout the complex yet recognised studies upon sociological phenomena, the term ‘culture’ continues to astound anthropological revisions. Whether or not a definition of ‘culture’ can be determined, or merely the exact forces which bring about such an abstract entity, the concept that culture exists can be acknowledged with focus to structural functionalism. The precise justification for culture itself began to enlighten anthropologists such as Durkheim, who in turn has encouraged studies from Malinowski and Parsons for instance. Still, existing theories suggest intensely dynamic and multifaceted definitions of ‘culture’, those of which ‘explain’ culture with various stances. Within contemporary studies, culture itself is often implied using the notion of functionalism. Durkheim outlines a society as a functional culture; both culture and society encompass systems and institutions which determine their own intentions (Durkheim, 1982). Each institution in a culture or society is a portrayal of the exact functions they have in that specific culture or society. Structural functionalism represents a paradigm of reality which interconnects the facets of civilisation and social order (Parsons, 1973). What’s more, it is these interrelations which may define culture as a system of collective purposes. Those specific purposes are determined by the civilisation of which they are present, thus often localised. Malinowski developed interpretations of functionalism in order to avoid ethnocentric ethnographies, and his work emphasises the impression that biological needs of a community are the forces which generate culture (Malinowski, 1944). The needs of a society encourage the development of institutions which function to fulf... ...xtent to which culture can be explained is very limited. A cultural system entitles the recognition of moral codes, survival mechanisms, cognition and an interaction with the environment. Durkheim revolutionised anthropological thoughts amongst sociological theory but the phenomena of ‘culture’ can scarcely be defined. An explanation of culture may encompass the notion that a specific set of views and behaviours will be adopted by a people and they will respond in certain ways, which is their culture. It is a form of society and believing which deviates towards a state of equilibrium; a state which will incorporate shared ideals and morality. The mere complexity and dynamic structure of culture ensures difficulty when explaining the concept; without properly being able to distinguish what culture is, one is also unable to determine its meaning and purpose.

Air France-KLM Business Model Essay

A full service network carrier’s business model is typically based upon the operations of a hub-and-spoke route network (Vespermann & Holztrattner 2010). Air France-KLM group currently operates the largest network between Europe and the rest of the world. The network is coordinated around the two intercontinental hubs of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol airports. These two hubs are organised in waves known as banks, combine connecting with point-to-point traffic. Air France-KLM group has a fleet of 573 aircraft which serves 253 destinations in 105 countries worldwide. Created by the merger of Air France and KLM in 2004, the Air France-KLM Group focuses its activities in 3 main areas: passenger, cargo and aeronautical maintenance. The passenger business is Air France-KLM’s main activity, contributing some 80% of the Group’s revenues. As a FSNC, the Group offers all type of route network including short, medium and long-haul. In which, the short and medium-haul network is a cornerstone of the Group’s development as its profitability has seen a significant deterioration since the 2009 crisis. Therefore, Air France-KLM is now offering new services to Business and Premium Economy customers together with new catering. Passengers now have access to catering inspired by the service on long-haul flights. Air France and KLM also continue to improve their levels of in-flight service. The Economy class will be innovated and upgraded with new in-flight entertainment systems. While the Business class offers its passengers a high standard of comfort and greater privacy with a redesigned World Business Class cabin including new seats which convert into fully flat beds, a choice of meal tray and time of meal service based on their individual needs. To facilitate and improve the airport experience for customers, Air France and KLM are developing the use of new technologies to enable boarding autonomy and streamlin e the baggage drop-off process. In June 2012, the two airlines decided to enhance their program for their frequent flyer customers by offering more reward ticket seat availability on the Air France and KLM European network and increasing the opportunities to earn miles. The Group is also one of the founding members of SkyTeam, which enables it to extend and consolidate its reach across 187 countries. The cargo business is the second of the Group’s activities, representing some 11% of the total revenues. Air France-KLM has a market share of 29.6% in 2012 amongst the Association of European Airlines (AEA) and 6.6% at global  level. During the financial year, the Group transported more than 1.4 million tons of cargo of which 66% in the passenger aircraft and 33 % in the dedicated cargo fleet, to a network of 251 destinations. In 2012, the new commercial strategy was deployed worldwide to improve efficiency and adapt to market conditions, and satisfy customers through more effective contractual conditions, adjusted customer segmentation, the implementation of a stronger key account team aligned with the organization of customers and the rationalization and simplification of the product portfolio. The acquisition of a 25% equity interest in Alit alia enables the Group to step up cooperation with the Italian airline and reinforce its presence in the Italian market, the fourth largest in Europe. Aircraft maintenance is the Air France-KLM Group’s third business. This activity generates more than one billion euros of revenue with third-party customers. Aircraft Maintenance is an attractive market despite the growing constraints which was led by the economic crisis, continued with the reduction in flight schedules, route closures and the early retirement of the oldest aircraft. Also aircraft, engine and equipment manufacturers are developing their after-sales services on this market by offering clients increasingly-integrated maintenance solutions. AFI KLM E&M is well known as the number two global player in the multi-product MRO area by total revenues. AFI KLM E&M’s primary task is to guarantee the airworthiness of the Group’s fleet and oversee regulatory compliance. With 75-year-plus track record, AFI KLM E&M has the large-scale human, technical and financial resources it needs to carry out the job in terms of maintaining the group’s fleets, and of being a flagship player in the global marketplace. Air France-KLM group h as one of the largest fleets in Europe with 605 aircraft, in which 573 were operational, the detail is as shown below: At December 31, 2012, 40% of the total Group fleet was fully owned, 22% under finance lease, and 38% under operating lease. The Air France-KLM Group’s pro-active fleet aimed at ensuring a fleet scaled in line with traffic growth and achieving technical consistency, while reducing its environmental impact. Source: Air France-KLM References: Vespermann, J & Holztrattner, S 2010, ‘The air transport system’, in A Wald, C Fay & R Gleich (eds), Introduction to aviation management, LIT Verlag, Mà ¼nster, Germany. Airfranceklm-finance.com, 2013, ‘Strategy, [in] Activity, Registration Document 2012, Labrador, Europe, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, Airfranceklm-finance.com, 2013, Air France-KLM Fleet, Air France – KLM, Europe, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, < http://www.airfranceklm-finance.com/en/content/download/7482/45417/file/Flotte_VA_31122012.pdf> Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Profile and key figures – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Passenger – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Cargo – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air F rance – KLM: Maintenance – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Afiklmem.com, n.d., Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance – Overview, AFI KLM E&M, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Afiklmem.com, n.d., Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance – Key Figures, AFI KLM E&M, viewed on 1 Apr 2014

An Imagery Example in Huckelberry Finn Essay

IMAGERY: Imagery is a description in a work of literature that can be created through the natural senses of the human body, including visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile elements. EXAMPLE: â€Å"I never felt easy till the raft was two mile below there and out in the middle of the Mississippi†¦ I was powerful glad to get away from the feuds†¦ we said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.† (128) Twain, Mark. _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn._ New York: Penguin Books, 2003. Print. FUNCTION: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is about a young boy who runs away from his hometown and society and decides to travel down the Mississippi River with Jim, a slave who becomes his travelling companion along the way. In the example above, Huck is talking about a shooting that goes down between two families that are involved in a feud. While this is just one example, it represents almost every other event that occurred on land versus on the river. When Mark Twain wrote this novel, his goal was to get the message across to his audience using the journey of a young boy travelling down the Mississippi. The entire book is filled with details that help the reader visualize Huckleberry’s journey and set the mood for each scene. Through imagery, the mood is set and as the readers, we can see a vast difference between Huckleberry’s experiences on land, and Huckleberry’s experiences on the river. In other words, as the story progresses, we realize that Huck’s experiences on land represent all of the wrongs of  society, while his experiences travelling down the river represent the way Huck wants to live, wild and free. Without Twain’s excessive use of imagery, we the readers would not be able to picture their experiences well enough to notice the vast difference in-between the two.

Underlying Meanings within Children Stories

Underlying Meanings within Children Stories People enjoy a good story. More importantly, children enjoy their fairytales. However, many of these stories have more morbid underlying meanings. Everyone should know, or at least be vaguely familiar with, the cute story of Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. What people may not know, or may not have figured out, is that this particular story’s dark messages are mental disorders. Each character in Winnie the Pooh, according The Perfectionist, author of a biomedical blog, has a different mental disorder.Are these disorders going to affect the way kids view others and themselves? The initial story line of Disney’s 2011 â€Å"Winnie the Pooh† is innocent enough. The movie starts off with the introduction of a young boy named Christopher Robin who has, as the narrator says, â€Å"a very active imagination. † However, Christopher Robin may have more than just that. He displays the common charac teristics of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a condition in which one has trouble defining the line with perception of reality.Common symptoms, according to the medical dictionary, are delusions, hallucinations, and hearing voices based on the person’s behavior. All of Christopher Robin’s â€Å"friends† are depictions of his stuffed animals coming to life. He talks and interacts with them and each character responds back appropriately. We are next introduced to Pooh. This is Christopher Robins’ â€Å"best friend. † Winnie the Pooh is a bear who is so obsessed with food, in particular honey, that he can be classified with an eating disorder.His consistent desire for honey interrupts his daily activities by not allowing him to think of other things besides filling his tummy. He thinks about it in his dreams, during the day, and even while he is attempting to complete another task. He makes eating his biggest priority. The first example of this in the movie is the very first glimpse we see into the Hundred Acre Woods. Pooh is talking in his sleep about honey, suggesting that that is what he is dreaming about. He then is woken up and the first thing he sets out to do is get honey.This priority is evident throughout the entire movie while he is trying to get honey from his friends or get some honey wherever he possibly can, with little to no regard to how he obtains it will affect his friends. While Pooh is searching for honey, for he had run out, he hears the grumbling sigh of his friend, Eyore. Eyore can easily be classified as clinically depressed. Depression is displayed by always feeling gloomy or sad. The first time Pooh and Eyore come together, this constant gloominess is apparent. Pooh greets him with a â€Å"Good morning. Lovely day, isn’t it? and Eyore promptly responds with â€Å"Wish I could say yes† in his typical bummed out manner. Eyore becomes more hopeless when he discovers his missing tail. This is the â€Å"very important thing† that everyone is the Hundred Acre Woods must do, they must help Eyore find his tail, or a tail. It is at this point Owl flies in. Owl is characterized as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissistic Personality disorder is an obsession with oneself. There is an exaggeration in the importance of the self and the belief that they are exponentially unique and need constant approval and admiration of others.Owl enters the scene interrupting Pooh and Eyore with the need to bring the attention of his friends to him. He perches himself in a tree and announces that this is the tree where he was hatched and all about the marks his mother made on the tree. He begins to write his book. He titles chapter one â€Å"The birth of a Genius. † Pooh interrupts this â€Å"important work† by asking him to help find Eyore’s tail and feeds Owl’s Narcissism by saying he â€Å"has such a talent for speaking and telling [them] wh at to do. † Of course, Owl quickly recognizes his own importance in this and takes the lead to finding Eyore’s tail.Pooh is nailing up signs announcing that there is â€Å"a very important thing to do† when Tigger pounces in at a red balloon that is floating around nearby. The Perfectionist diagnoses Tigger with having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). ADHD cause a person to have trouble paying attention and be constantly over-active. Tigger goes from fighting with the balloon, to playing, to being afraid of it, and to being worried something will happen to it if it is his â€Å"sidekick,† all within the span of about 1 minute. Also, from the moment he enters the scene to the very end, he does ot stop moving or talking. Pooh goes to Christopher Robin’s house in search of some honey to share but finds a note. He cannot read the note so he takes the note to Owl to be deciphered. Owl is, of course, more than happy to be the one selected to decode the meaning of this note. However, he misinterprets the note. He thinks that â€Å"back soon† is a monster called the â€Å"Backsoon† and that Christopher Robin has been captured by this creature. This sets off Piglet’s Panphobia. Panphobia is a disorder that makes a person overly fearful.They are afraid of basically everything but especially the unknown. The fact that this monster is lurking around gives Piglet the shakes. While setting up the trap for the Backsoon to capture him and get Christopher Robin back, it becomes apparent that Rabbit also suffers a mental disorder; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is a disorder that causes obsessive thought about a ritual that must be performed or to adhere to rules with strict acuteness. If these things are not completed then it causes the person extreme anxiety.When setting everything up for the trap, Rabbit made sure everything was just so and that nobody interfered with what has been done. Christo pher Robin came back, much to their surprise, and explained that he had gone out and that he would be back soon. After that was settled, Pooh went back to Owl’s house to see if he would have some honey but when he saw the bell rope was actually Eyore’s tail and Owl had taken it by mistake Pooh rushed the tail to Eyore and won a prize pot of honey for finding his tail. There is obviously a lesson here about putting your friends first when Pooh denies honey to return the tail to Eyore.However, when children are watching this and they see characters with symptoms of these disorders, does it make them more tolerable when they are around friends at school with these same issues? Winnie the Pooh is not the only children’s story with madness as a twist; for example, the original â€Å"Grim Brothers Fairytales† and â€Å"Alice in Wonderland. † It could serve as an exposure for children to be more accepting differences among the people around them. As it is put in Alice in Wonderland, â€Å"we are all mad here. †

Role of Nssf in Welfare Development

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) was established in 1965 by an Act of Parliament under cap 258 Laws of Kenya. The Fund was intended to serve as the 1st pillar of social security for Kenyan workers. The ILO defines Security as the protection which society provides for its members through a series of public measures against the economic and social distress that otherwise would be caused by stoppage, or substantial reduction of earnings resulting from sickness, maternity, employment injury, unemployment, invalidity, old age and death the provision of medical care and the provision of subsidies for families with children.Social security is important for the well being of workers, their families and the entire community. It is a means of creating social cohesion, thereby helping to ensure social peace and social inclusion. It is an indispensable part of the government social policy and important tool to alleviate poverty. It can through national solidarity and fair burden sharing, contribute to human dignity, equity and social justice. It is also important for political inclusion, empowerment and the development of democracy. 1 SOCIAL SECURITY STRUCTURE IN KENYAKenya has several types of schemes which offer social security which can be divided into three broad categories:- 1. Public Schemes †¢ The NSSF †¢ The NHIF †¢ The Civil Servants Pension Fund †¢ The local Authorities Pension Trust †¢ The Public Universities Superannuation Pension Fund †¢ The Workmen’s Compensation Fund †¢ The widows & Orphans Compensation Fund †¢ The Parliamentary Pensions Fund These are established by Acts of Parliament. 2. Occupational Scheme 1 ILO resolution on social security, Geneva 2001 1 The Occupational schemes are run by employers for their employees and are underwritten by private insurance companies. . Individual Schemes The individual schemes are private schemes designed for the employed, self-employed and/ or for those in non- personable employment. The public schemes, occupational and individual schemes cover workers mainly in the formal sector. They form the first pillar where membership is not optional but compulsory. The Occupational schemes form the second pillar where membership is either voluntary or mandatory and are privately managed. The voluntary schemes form the third pillar where membership is voluntary. REGULATION OF PENSION SCHEMES IN KENYAThe Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) is the regulator and supervisor of pension schemes in Kenya. Currently, 1350 pension schemes are registered with RBA and cover 15% of the Kenyan Labour force. Labour Force Statistics The total labour force is estimated at 8 million out of which 2. 5 million are employed in the formal sector. 2 NSSF has the largest share of the working labour force as illustrated in figure 2. Fig 2: Coverage Within the RBA 15% of Workforce67%22%11%0%1234 1- National Social security Fund 2- Civil service Pension Scheme – Occupa tional Retirements Benefit schemes 2 Central Bureau of statistics, 2007 2 4- Individual Retirements Benefits Scheme Source: Retirements Benefits Authority, 2004 MEMBERSHIP OF NSSF In 1966 membership of the Fund was 252,107. Over the years, membership has steadily grown and the Fund has a cumulative registered membership of 3,569,573. The Fund attributes this growth to an increase in the working urban population. The current active membership accounts are 887,421. NSSF currently draws its membership from workers in the formal sector of the economy.The Fund’s mandate is to register members, collect contributions, invest the contributions and pay specified benefits. The scheme is financed entirely by the employer/employee monthly contributions set at 5% of wages based on a ceiling of Kshs 4000 per month. Table 1: Membership and Contributions Received Year 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 Members Registered 106,483 97,066 94,356 80,585 68,144 62,633 64, 301 110,413 117,508 139,100 Contributions (Kshs billions) 1. 538 1. 589 1. 539 1. 593 1. 650 1. 688 2. 562 3. 602 3. 847 4. 00 TYPES OF CONTRIBUTIONS PAYABLE TO NSSF There are three types of contributions payable to the Fund namely:- †¢ Standard contributions in respect of regular workers at kshs. 200 (employer) and Kshs. 200 (employee) †¢ Special contributions in respect of casual workers at 5% of the employer’s total wages bill †¢ Voluntary contributions payable in respect of self employed persons. Voluntary contributions range from a minimum of Kshs. 100 to a maximum of Kshs. 1000 The financial resource of NSSF is totally dependent on its members and not government funded.The types of contributions payable to NSSF have varied over time as follows:- 3 Table 2: Monetary ceiling on contributions Year Total (Kshs) Employer’s contribution (Kshs) Employee’s contribution (Kshs) 1966-1977 80 40 40 1977-2001 160 80 80 2001 400 200 200 There are differen t types of benefits paid by NSSF to its members. The Age Benefit or Retirement benefit is paid to a member who is 55 years and is no longer in employment. Payment is a single lump sum made up of total contributions and interest earned over the contribution period. Minimum interest according to law is 2. % per annum. The age benefit is paid to a member who has attained age 55 and has retired from regular employment. The withdrawal benefit is paid to a member who is at least 50 years and is unemployed. The invalidity benefit is paid to a member who is certified as being permanently incapable of working and there is no age barrier prescribed. The emigration grant is paid to a member who is permanently leaving the country and no age barrier is prescribed. The survivor’s benefit is paid to eligible dependants of a deceased member. The funeral grant which amounts to kshs. ,500 is paid to the family of the deceased member to help defray funeral expenses. In summary form the original mandate of the NSSF has been registration of eligible members, collection of monthly contributions, investment of the contributions mainly in Government Securities and payment of the contributions when due. Table 3: Contributions & Benefits paid since 1997 Financial statistics in billions of Kshs Year ended 30th June 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Contributions 1. 59 1. 54 1. 59 1. 65 1. 68 2. 50 3. 60 3. 85 4. 29 4. 6 Benefits paid 1. 53 1. 62 1. 79 1. 87 2. 21 2. 20 2. 09 2. 23 2. 3 2. 85THE ROLE OF NSSF IN THE WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE KENYAN SOCIETY The Fund plays the role of securing the future of its members. After several years of contribution members are assured of a lump sum payment that goes towards alleviating 4 poverty. Studies have shown that the payments by NSSF have assisted members in different ways. The Fund is an active participant at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE). Quantitatively the Fund's portfolio at the Stock Exchange is equivalent t o 8 °1o of the NSE value. In this regard the Fund helps to stabilize the operations of the NSE. The Fund has shareholdings in companies such as Bamburi Cement (17 °10).E. A Portland Cement (27 °10), KPLC (7 °10), Kenya Commercial Bank (9 °10), Kenya Breweries (60/0), British America Tobacco (160/0), National Bank of Kenya (480/0) among others. Should the Fund decide to dispose off its equity, this would drastically affect the stock exchange. The Fund has also developed several estates in Nairobi and Eldoret. The purchasers pay 100/0 deposit and are allowed to reside in the residential houses while paying the balance in monthly instalments for a period of 15 years. This enables Kenyans to own homes at a more affordable rate through a Tenant Purchase Scheme that is friendly. The interest rate is fixed.This goes on to assist the Government's goal of providing affordable housing to Kenyans. Besides, NSSF has several commercial buildings and plots around the country. The rents charged are fair and this stabilizes the costs of office space in the country. With regard to the plots, the Fund has sold over 2000 plots at Tassia to low income earners through the Fund's Tenant Purchase Scheme. Through collection of monthly contributions from the workers of this country, the Fund plays a role of mobilizing savings. This money is re-invested in the economy and conversely helps the government mop up excess liquidity.Part of the contributions is used to buy Government Treasury Bills and Bonds and this enables the government to carry out its financial obligations. The Fund has 39 branches spread across the Country and makes deposits in several banks where its branches are. These deposits improve liquidity of the banks enabling the banks to lend loans to the Society. It also plays the role of an Employer to Human Resource. Currently the Fund has employed 1,800 personnel who in turn support their nuclear and extended families. This can be construed to be a very positiv e role in the Kenyan Society.In its daily operations, the Fund is a consumer of goods and services. There are several service providers who benefit from them. Thus the NSSF creates employment indirectly to Kenyans by way of utilizing the services of Kenyan Companies. This includes supply of materials such as stationery, security, training, information technology and construction. 5 If the proposed conversion of the NSSF from a Provident Fund into a Pension Scheme is effected, it will be paying its members monthly pension as opposed to lump sum payment. This will greatly enhance poverty reduction in Kenya.CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY In the Fund's reforms and changes the Board of Trustees and Management have made a decision to participate in Corporate Social Responsibility and involve the society at the following various levels. †¢ Corporate Membership to the Kenya Society for the Blind The Fund is a Corporate Member of the Kenya Society for the Blind and donates Kshs. 50,000 /= annually. †¢ Target Women and Children When you invest in women you invest in communities. The Fund believes in supporting small and upcoming women's groups in an effort to eradicate poverty.The Fund gives donations, offers advice, helps with investments and recruits the women through Voluntary Membership. This enables them to save with the Fund for their future. With regard to children, the Fund is actively involved in health campaigning through ventures of Mater Hospital Heart Run. The Fund contributed Kshs. 100,000/= towards this cause in 2007. It plans to set up mechanisms to help educate children who are bright through scholarships and intends to target KCPE and KCSE. The initial plan is to look for a brilliant child in each province. Standing Donation to the Elderly Members of the Society Each year the Fund donates Kshs. 50,000/= to Helpage Kenya, an Organization dealing with the welfare of the Aged. Each year the NSSF also donates foodstuffs and blankets to the elderl y. †¢ Participation in National Disasters 6 The Fund participates in National Disasters. Last year the organization through its Trustees donated Kshs. 1. 5 million towards Famine Relief. Staff members also came together to donate foodstuffs and money for the famine relief. †¢ Participation in Freedom of Hunger Walk The Fund gives a donation of Kshs. 00,000/= annually for the Freedom from Hunger Walk and also participates in the walk. †¢ Sponsors Athletics Events The NSSF sponsors events carried out by the Kenya Athletics Association. It intends to recruit young athletes to be its members and educate them on saving and steer them from poverty. †¢ Environmental Clean-up Staff Members get involved in environmental clean-up exercises in hospitals. The Staff members in Kisumu help the Women Fish mongers in the market to clean up their stalls. CHALLENGES FACED BY THE FUND †¢ One lump sum payment is made to the retiree which is inadequate. The benefits offered to t he members are limited. †¢ Limited public knowledge on the need on social security. †¢ Organizing the informal sector into a unit which can access social security. †¢ Slow growth of the formal sector. †¢ Retrenchment of Workers. †¢ High prevalence of HIV and AIDS. †¢ Tendency for employers to artificially understate workers to avoid compliance †¢ The contributions are very modest MILESTONES †¢ The autonomy of the Board of Trustees. †¢ Remarkable growth in membership. †¢ The Funds large market share in the retirement benefits industry. 7 †¢ The ability to pay the retirees. The introduction of Voluntary Contribution. †¢ The introduction of Funeral Grant. RECENT REFORM INITIATIVES †¢ Drafting of a Bill to convert the NSSF into a Pension Trust. †¢ Improved Investments portfolio through adherence to guidelines of the REA; appointment of custodian etc. †¢ Incorporation of the Informal Sector into all the NSSF's str ategic planning for growth of coverage. †¢ Improvement of service delivery through the decentralization of all core activities of the Fund to 39 branches spread countrywide. †¢ The Board of Trustees and Management are on performance contract

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