Managerial Economics College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managerial Economics College - Essay Example Deprivatization will discourage foreign direct investment, this is because investors will fear the occurrence of such a situation in the future and therefore will prefer to invest in other regions. There are some factors that encourage foreign direct investment which include political stability and well defined property rights and when investors learn that political influences will occur they will not invest. Foreign direct investment has advantages in that it increases job opportunities, pay taxes to the government from profits earned, lead to the sharing of information and technologies and also stimulates economic growth, in future less foreign direct investment will decline and these advantages will not be realized. Privatization was aimed at making inefficient public owned businesses to become more efficient when owned by private investors, when this is reversed then we expect to see a decline in the efficiency of these firms in the economy. This is due to competition which will lead to a reduction in the prices of products, better quality and improved consumer choices. The government will have a way in which to implement policies and therefore will have a hand in controlling the economy, deprivatization in most cases occur when there is economic distress and it is aimed at improving the current situation in the economy. Investo Those who gain and loose: Investors have over the years developed the firms they acquired and this has added value to the firms over the years, previous loss making firms have been improved by these investors who have converted the firms into profit making firms. Therefore when the investors are deprived off their firms they will loose and the individuals, government or investors who are accorded the firm will gain. In some cases where products produced by the government are subsidized then privatization leads to an increase in prices, when the government owns these firms then the consumers will experience a reduction in the price of goods and services produced by these firms and therefore gain. Why politicians support these policy: Politicians want mass deprivatization of these firms due to some disadvantages they cause in the economy, one of this disadvantage is that foreign investors will repatriate profits to their home country and therefore does not benefit the host country, the other problem is that they bring stiff competition to the various industries and host country firms will close down due to competition. Finally the politicians will want investors in the country to invest in these firms and not foreigners and they will not want illegal allocation of these resources to some individuals. The performances of a government in power is required to safe guard state property and not transfer property to individuals, for this reason therefore politicians may want to increase government popularity by safeguarding public property by deprivatization. The public owned firms in the market are seen as a tool to further the government goals, when the government acquires these firms then it will be possible for the government to further economic and social goals in the whole nation. Finally private firms may be producing less than the demanded amount, this is because the private owners aim at increasing profits in the short run but the state will

Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2007

Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2007 The 2007 Regulations The key aim of CDM 2007 is to incorporate health and safety into management of all construction projects as well as to encourage everyone else in the project to give a combined effort to: Improve the planning and management of projects from the very start Identify risks early on Target effort where it can do the most good in terms of health and safety Discourage unnecessary bureaucracy. The drafters stated goal to remove useless bureaucracy is a definite advance on previous regulations such as manual paperwork that contributes little to risk management and such a waste of resources (according to the ACoP) may prove to be a distraction from actual business leading to risk reduction and risk management. The removal of requirement for a designated planning supervisor and the introduction of the CDM coordinator role is also seen as a positive step by most people. The clients role CDM 2007 stipulates that clients must not â€Å"appoint or engage a CDM coordinator, designer, principal contractor or contractor unless he has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the person to be appointed or engaged is competent† and must then ensure that they co-operate and co-ordinate their efforts. The Approved Code of Practice contains detailed information on the process and procedures that may be followed when determining the competence of the various post holders mentioned above. Clients are expected to make appointments to the above roles at the first opportunity in order to contribute to risk reduction throughout planning stages. It is generally accepted that impractical deadlines as well as failure to assign adequate funds are regarded as two major factors leading to poor control or increased project risk. As such, clients need to consider all resources such as staff equipment and time required for planning and conducting the work correctly when making appointments and inform prospective candidates accordingly. For all construction projects, CDM 2007 says the client needs to: Appoint the right people: competent designers and builders with sufficient resources, who are members of a reputable trade association Allow adequate time; rushed projects are unsafe, poorly planned and poor quality Provide adequate information to their teams, to enable them to design and plan a structure that is safe to build, safe to use and safe to maintain Ensure they communicate and cooperate with their teams throughout the project, especially during the design stage when issues such as buildability, usability and maintainability of the (finished) structure are up for discussion Ensure suitable management arrangements, using practicable risk assessments and workable method statements Make sure adequate welfare facilities are provided on site before work starts Ensure workplaces are designed to comply with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. For construction projects that must be notified to the HSE under CDM that is, any project scheduled for more than 30 days or involves more than 500 days of work when all workers time is totalled the client also needs to do the following: Appoint a CDM coordinator to advise and assist on CDM duties (but note that CDM 2007 does not require the CDM coordinator to supervise or monitor work on site) Appoint a principal contractor to plan, manage and coordinate construction Ensure the principal contractor produces a construction phase health and safety plan outlining the key arrangements so as to ensure work is carried out safely and without risks to health; work should not start on site until there is an adequate plan Keep the health and safety file: at the end of the project, the CDM coordinator should hand over the health and safety file to the client (ideally at the topping-out ceremony). The file is a record of useful health and safety information to assist the client in managing risk during maintenance and repair, additional construction work, or even demolition. It should be kept safe (preferably in the building), made available to anyone who needs to alter or maintain the structure, and kept up to date as circumstances change. Coordinator role According to L144 Approved Code of Practice to CDM 2007, the critical role of a CDM coordinator is to reduce risks of being hurt on construction sites. The client has to ensure that a coordinator is appointed up to the end of construction phase of that venture, although the actual company/individual carrying out the role can change. Where no such appointment is made, the client themselves will be held to take on the role of CDM coordinator and accordingly will have to abide by duties imposed in regulations 20 and 21 concerning the CDM coordinator. The duties of the CDM coordinator are to: Give suitable and sufficient advice and assistance to clients to enable them to comply with their duties; Notify the HSE about the project; Co-ordinate design work, planning and other preparation for construction where relevant to health and safety; Identify and collect the pre-construction information and advise the client if surveys need to be commissioned to fill significant gaps; Promptly provide in a convenient form to those involved with the design of the structure and to every contractor who may be or has been appointed by the client, such parts of the preconstruction information that are relevant; Manage the flow of health and safety information between clients, designers and contractors; Advise the client on the suitability of the initial construction phase plan and the arrangements made to ensure that welfare facilities are on site from the start; and Produce or update a relevant, user friendly, health and safety file suitable for future use at the end of the construction phase. Duty details The CDM coordinator is required to help the client to develop an appropriate management arrangement, and needs to advise clients on adequacy of appointed management. There are a number of issues that require consideration including ensuring that: The client is aware of their duties and understands what is expected of them; The principal contractor has been given enough time to plan and prepare for the work; Suitable arrangements are in place for developing the plan to cover risks that arise as the work progresses; The principal contractor has made arrangements for providing welfare facilities on site from the outset; and The PC has prepared a construction phase plan that addresses the main risks during the early stages of construction. When they work on notifiable projects, all contractors must: Check the client is aware of their duties under CDM 2007 and that a CDM coordinator has been appointed Check the CDM coordinator has notified the HSE about the project before work starts Cooperate with the principal contractor in planning and managing work, including agreeing on site rules and reasonable directions Provide details to the principal contractor of any subcontractors they engage in connection with carrying out the work Provide any information needed for inclusion in the health and safety file Promptly inform the principal contractor of any problems with or concerns about either the initial or construction phase health and safety plan Promptly report to the principal contractor any injuries, accidents, occupational diseases or dangerous occurrences. Clients are required to make available project related all health and safety information to the coordinator so that this may be passed onto prospective contractors and designers. A comprehensive list of information is given in the ACoP as an appendix. The information required includes details of the project and the management arrangements, along with information in respect of hazards such as location of utility services, information on existing structures and ground conditions. The principal contractors role Once appointed on a notifiable project, the principal contractors duties are to: Plan, manage and monitor the construction phase in liaison with all contractors and subcontractors Prepare, develop and implement a written construction phase health and safety plan and site rules; the initial plan should be completed and in place before the construction phase begins Ensure that all contractors and subcontractors are given copies of, and made aware of, their relevant parts of the plan Make sure there are adequate welfare facilities on site from the start of the project and that they are maintained and kept clean throughout the construction phase Check the competence of all appointed contractors and subcontractors Ensure everyone on site has a health and safety induction and receives any additional information, instruction and training deemed necessary to undertake their work in a safe and healthy manner Consult all workers on site regularly, ensure the site is secured at all times and Liaise with the CDM coordinator about any ongoing design work. Appointing the coordinator CDM 2007 requires appointment of coordinator to occur at earliest once the preliminary designs or related groundwork for construction project has started. Clearly, appointment of the coordinator will require some form of judgement to be made in terms of whether or not a project is likely to be notifiable. As soon as is practicable is not defined, but the ACoP requires the coordinator to be in a position of aligning health and safety aspects of designs and recommend compatibility and suitability of this design work. In accord, the coordinator needs to be appointed before any major detailed design is worked on. This major detailed design is considered as the preparation for early concept of both implementation and design during strategic briefs (typically Stages A and B of Royal Institute of British Architects plan of work stages). The reason for this is that as a project progresses the level of difficulty for making changes increases which would reduce risks. The coordinator can company or an individual or appointed independently or a combination with other roles (such as project manager or designer). However, the ACoP states that where roles are combined and performed by a single individual, it becomes critical for the CDM coordinator to have adequate independence for carrying out tasks in an effective manner. This can often be the case for larger projects, where tasks may be ‘shared out, but in these circumstances, it is significant to ensure that coordinators duties are clearly laid out and discharged. Assessing competence As with other appointments, coordinators competence must be assessed. As well as the necessary technical expertise, the coordinator will require sufficient social skills so as to promote cooperation between project designers and others. In particular, the ACoP highlights that the coordinator needs sufficient knowledge of: Health and safety in construction work; The design process; and The importance of co-ordination of the design process. The level of education needs to be germane to the project and the client has to consider complexity and size of construction project as well as the type of risks that may emerge. The coordinator does not necessarily have to be a designer, but they do need to have sufficient knowledge of design process so as to better analyse health and safety implications of it. Appendix 4 of the ACoP provides guidance as to the assessment process for both organisations that may be acting as a coordinator, as well as individuals within the organisation or who are acting in a stand-alone capacity. Typically, the evidence needed to demonstrate competence will include: The number of persons engaged in the project who have passed a construction health and safety assessment (eg CITB Construction Skills); Evidence of health and safety knowledge (eg NEBOSH Construction Certificate); Membership of professional bodies with level of membership commensurate with the complexity of the construction project; Evidence of continuing professional development; and Evidence of experience in the particular type of work to be undertaken. The designers role The designers duties according to CDM Regulations are to: Inform the client of client duties under the CDM Regulations and the requirements of the accompanying ACoP (this is still the case under CDM 2007) Ensure the design considers the need to avoid foreseeable risks to construction workers and others affected, such as cleaners (still the case under CDM 2007 and the ACoP) Combat at source risks to the health and safety of construction workers and others affected (still the case under CDM 2007 and the ACoP) Give priority to control measures that protect all on site not just individuals (still the case under CDM 2007 and the ACoP) Ensure that the design includes adequate information about construction site hazards (still the case under CDM 2007 and the ACoP) Cooperate with the planning supervisor and with other designers (not the case under CDM 2007 and the ACoP, as the planning supervisor role has now been replaced by the CDM coordinator, whose main role is to provide the client with a key project adviser on construction health and safety risk management matters; hence the designer needs to liaise with the CDM coordinator as well as with other designers). The importance of the designers role in terms of the ability to design out hazards from the start of any project (risk elimination/avoidance) and the need to specify the use of safer materials and construction methods. The designers role is also important to design the building/structure to be safe to use and maintain and also to provide fundamental information that is to be included in health and safety plan as well as in file. In all construction projects, designers are required to reduce hazards risks during the design stage and present sufficient information regarding effectively combating the remaining (foreseeable) risks. While, for all notifiable projects, designers also have to check that the client has knowledge of their duties under CDM 2007 and also that a CDM coordinator has been timely appointed and provides required information for health and safety file. In line with CDM 2007, designers are not responsible for providing information on unforeseeable risks which cannot realistically be anticipated simply fromdesign brief. Designers are not instructed specify construction methods however, they may do so in cases where the design requires particular construction sequence as well as in cases of a competent contractor requiring such information. Designers also do not have to practice health and safety management functions as they are exercised by contractors or others neither do they have to be concerned in relation to trivial risks. Everyone elses roles Anyone else on site, who doesnt fall into the categories above listed so far, must check their own competence, assist others and organize their work in order to make sure that health and safety of all construction workers and others (such as members of the public) who may possibly be affected by their work activities. Also, they need to report evident risks and follow through requirements laid out in Schedule 3 (workplace inspection reports) and Part 4 (health and safety duties on construction sites) of CDM 2007 for any work under their control. They also need to apply general protection principles as specified in Schedule 1 to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Management Regulations) when carrying out their duties. The principles of protection listed in the Management Regulations should be used by all dutyholders under CDM 2007 and direct how they identify and implement precautions necessary to control construction and demolition risks. The principles are: Avoiding risks Evaluating those that cannot be avoided Combating the risks at source Adapting the work to the individual, especially in the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work rate, and to reducing their effects on health Adapting to technical progress Replacing the dangerous with the non-dangerous or the less dangerous Developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships, and the influence of factors relating to the working environment Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures Giving appropriate instructions to employees. However, it is worth mentioning there here there is no explicit mention of the issue and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) anywhere in general principles of protection, reinforcing the view that PPE is not an acceptable control measure but merely a barrier (often temporary) between people and hazards. Issues with Coordinator The CDM coordinator should advise clients on carrying out competency assessments. But frequently the CDM coordinator is appointed at the same time as the principal contractor and often it is the same company. Clearly some earlier advice would be useful to the unsophisticated client when choosing the CDM coordinator and the CDM coordinator should be appointed before anyone else is engaged. In reality, only an appointee can know whether they have the necessary skills and expertise to be truly competent and the client may not have asked about competence in the tender documents. While appointees can be asked to give warranties as to their competency, capacity and resources, these are of little use if there is an incident, a delay or a prosecution. In addition, companies will often put forward their best people to win the contract, but those people might not end up actually doing the work. One way to safeguard against this is to include clauses in the contract of appointment specifying minimum qualifications/competencies/experience levels, or even naming key people. The planning period CDM 2007 requires clients to allocate enough time before construction starts in order to facilitate the planning and preparation. As part of the preconstruction information that clients must provide to the contractors they appoint, they must inform them of minimum time beforehand the construction phase that is basically plans the preparation of construction work. Some standard construction contracts require this CDM planning period to be stipulated in the contract but this is still not common practice. In many cases, the clients lack of knowledge means they are not specifying any planning period and simply giving an end date for works to be completed. Clients are obliged under CDM to provide the â€Å"pre-construction information† that is, information they have already or what is realistically attainable. This might include information about the existing site and structures, including location of services, storage of hazardous materials or the presence of asbestos. Where the information is vital to planning works safely (a ground survey, for example), frequently the client might not already have this information but it would be reasonable for them to obtain it. Uncertainty as to whose responsibility it is to provide reasonably obtainable material can lead to contractors taking risks where timescales are tight. In cases of gaps in information, it may be the clients task to make sure that they present information, but it may be the contractors who are contractually obliged to obtain it. Unsophisticated clients might not have the information, they may not seek the advice they need and they might not want to pay for additional surveys. If clients get the issue of information requests sorted out early on, as part of the procurement or tendering process, they can minimise the risks of a contractor delay. If principal contractors get the issue of information flow sorted out early on, they will minimise the risk from being surprised by site hazards and may even impress the client with their efficiency. However, over the last six months (and even under the old CDM Regulations), a different approach has been common. The principal contractor is frequently required to take the risk of commissioning surveys and to obtain other relevant information which, in many cases, the client should already have. In addition, clients who are tenants of a site will not always seek information from the land or building owner, or tell the principal contractor to ask the owner for further information. Though managing things in this old way is contrary to the spirit of CDM 2007, it should not be problematic so long as the information is actually obtained, collated and provided to the relevant parties early enough to allow for the planning and preparation of the construction works. However, where timescales are tight, risks are likely to be taken which could jeopardise delivery dates as well as profit. Costs of CDM 2007 Implementation HSCs Construction Industry Advisory Committee (‘CONIAC) suggests that the most optimum manner of delivering change is to revise CDM Regulations 94 and also the CHSW Regulations 96 along with supporting ACOP. Such decision reflects experience from past corrective attempts that draw on productive aspects of these measures and is regarded by the construction industry as an acceptable response that adequately addresses the many questions raised, whilst, holding on to commonly accepted principles of CDM Regulations 94 putting into action provisions of TCMS Directive and including Better Regulation principles. Collective costs of implementing CDM Regulations 07 have been anticipated between  £1.0 and  £2.8 billion while, quantified benefits such as safety benefits and productivity improvements are expected within  £1.96 to  £5.9 billion. However, the estimated health and safety benefits are uncertain. Moreover, it is improbable for them to smaller than the figure included within general estimate as health benefits are not quantified. Additionally, the costs to familiarisation CDM Regulations 07 with clients have not been estimated as the number of clients per year is not recorded. However, it is reported that annually 65% of clients are classified as â€Å"repeat clients† and are also assumed be involved in five projects per year while, remaining 35% clients are the only ones involved in single project. Out of which 70% are classified as â€Å"commercial clients†. Supposing client familiarisation with CDM Regulations 07 takes up to eight hours while, receiving an average client wage and a supposed 100% compliance (an unlikely eventuality), then, the present cost of familiarisation is around  £57 million. The objectives that must be met on any construction project such as quality, cost and time objectives can be listed as major priorities. However, the key to achieving these objectives is usually the strength of the relationship with the client. This requires a sound understanding of their requirements. Construction companies tend to not work with a client if the relationship is anticipated to be adversarial and instead choose to work as collaborative partners in order to achieve successful project outcomes. It is also important to establish a strong and effective project team by choosing people that are well suited to the specific project. This needs very careful consideration in relation to complex projects, such as the Olympic Park development. Previously, relationships between designers, engineers and quantity surveyors were often adversarial, while, successful projects require the team members to work in a collegiate fashion with mutual respect for one another so that they can each perform at their best. The ‘Constructing Excellence agenda has not been sufficiently embraced by the industry as a whole, although there are some good examples of projects that have successfully adopted the initiatives. For instance, private construction companies have embraced ideas such as standardisation to drive down cost and increase value. There have also been similar initiatives in the public sector. A good example is the MODs Single Living Accommodation Modernisation programme (‘SLAM) which sets out to upgrade the worst service personnel accommodation by 2012. In light of these positive examples, it is possible for the industry as a whole to adopt better practice and achieve greater success. Indeed, there are considerable financial pressures on projects in the current downturn and so it is imperative that more efficient methods are adopted to provide better value for money to clients. Adopting smarter ways of working makes it possible to reduce construction costs by 20-30% and not by cutting the contractors margin which is usually counter-productive and does not yield significant savings in any case. Real savings can be achieved by standardising construction and simplifying the procurement process. Under control The CDM Regulations 2007 establish a clear procedure for managing health and safety risk on construction sites. Prior to adoption of latest regulations, the HSE held a very constructive dialogue with the industry over a period of six years, which has meant that they have quickly received tacit acceptance. Construction companies have implemented initiatives to bring about behavioural and cultural change with respect to health and safety. For instance, there are ‘incident/injury free policies on our which have been taken up by others. More can be done by the industry as a whole and it is important to share ideas on best practice. There are various initiatives that the HSE have been engaged with recently, such as worker involvement, site induction training and supervisor competency. The HSE is much maligned in the press but that emanates from peoples misunderstanding of its role. The first aspect to note is that HSE is not accountable for prescribing how activities should be conducted. In fact, the onus is on the individual or organisation carrying out such a task to undertake their own risk assessment to determine the safest method of working using the available guidance from bodies such as the HSE. The HSEs purpose is to administer health and safety law and regulations and it has an enforcement role where there have been breaches. In light of the risks highlighted by the recent crane collapses, the Tower Crane Action Group has consulted widely and has published excellent guidance, which is available on the Strategic Forum website. Similarly, the HSE produce excellent best practice guidance notes, which are available to down load on their website. The guidance is aimed at various types of business, although sadly it is not always being followed. Had the HSE guidance on running a hair salon been followed, for example, then the recently publicised incident of a hairdresser disfiguring a customer with toxic hair products could have been avoided. Additionally, organisations are not properly addressing occupational health hazards. Three thousand people a year die from occupational health issues and scores of people suffer from illness and disability Conclusion Under the predecessor to CDM, the principal contractor was seen by the HSE as being in control of the whole construction site. But in practice, there were often difficulties controlling the entire site, and in particular in supervising subcontractors or the clients nominated subcontractors work. This is still difficult to manage, and particularly where there is no contractual right to restrict attendance on site. Clients own contractors will often turn up on their sites while principal contractors are supposed to be in control. Utilities companies or other contractors may have separate contracts with the client and the principal contractor will have to deal with these in addition to agreed site procedures and the existing programme. In contract, a client can allow the principal contractor to control access to the site for all subcontractors and also require any subcontractors to carry out detailed supervision of their workers. In some cases, a site lease may even be appropriate. The client has to carry out competency checks on any contractors they instruct before appointment. In the contracts, it is also possible to specify who should carry out continued monitoring on the site to inform the client about ongoing competence, to restrict entry to the site or to restrict contractors ability to tender for future work. The ACoP clarifies that it is the clients duty to perform practical steps for ensuring suitable management arrangements carry out their duties throughout the construction project by in such a manner as to preclude risks to health. This is in addition to the duty to ensure that principal contractors prepare a construction phase plan that complies with CDM 2007 as well as welfare installations that would be adequate throughout construction phase. Clients arent required actually to manage the works but they do have to check that all management arrangements are appropriate and are being followed though from the initial stages of project. The ACoP specifies that they are allowed to rely on advices of a competent CDM coordinator for making judgments as to the adequacy of the management arrangements. Clients also need to be careful to not take an active role in managing construction works because CDM 2007 places liability on those who control or run the manner in which construction projects are carried out. Similarly, principal contractors need to make it clear who is carrying out the detailed supervision and whether they have control over the subcontractors activities on site if they are to seek to take advantage of the ACoPs advice that principal contractors do not have to undertake the responsibility of detailed supervisions of the contractors work. In summary, the management arrangements that can be detailed in the contract include: Control over the site Control over subsubcontracting without notification Ongoing competency checks Levels of detailed supervision required of subcontractors The time allowed for planning and preparation The arrangement for communicating among the dutyholders and reporting to the client The provision of pre-construction information and reasonably obtainable information The format and quality of information for the health and safety file The provision of the construction phase plan and all updates to the client (and cdm coordinator). The more that is set down in the contract, the less likely any of the duties are to fall between the stools of the dutyholders. Increasing the level of detail in the contracts can help to safeguard all parties against delays caused by incidents or regulatory breaches (which can often wipe out the profit on a project). It can also be useful in removing uncertainty which in turn could help to prevent accidents or even reduce the need for any of the parties to develop a defence to a charge under health and safety legislation. References (2007). CDM UPDATE: After a long consultation the new CDM regulati

Essay --

Mary Wollstonecraft was not only a figure during the Enlightenment, but one of the famous pioneers for the feminist cause. She would inspire women during the 18th century as well as women of the future with her novels such as The Vindication of the Rights of Women and The Vindication of the Rights of Man. She was a true believer that education for women would not only allow women to develop as humans but also to be independent from men. In a time where women were subordinate to men, Mary stood for her beliefs and preached for equality. Thus, Wollstonecraft's beliefs in equality for women would shape the future for women of the world. Mary Wollstonecraft was born on April 27th 1759 in London to an abusive, squandering father, Edward Wollstonecraft, and Elizabeth Dixon. The second of seven children, she and her family would frequently move. But in Yorkshire she meets clergyman Mr. Clare, which whom she starts to develop intellectually. She would go on to be a lady's maid, governess, teacher, translator, and writer throughout her life. She longed to live an independent life, but struggled to earn a living wage with the jobs she had and the fact she lived in a world where women were to become obedient wives. Mary's sister, Eliza, was supposedly deranged from her difficult birth to her daughter and the abuse of her husband. So, Mary convinced Eliza to leave her husband and baby. The sisters would then start a school with Mary's beloved friend, Fanny Blood. When Fanny dies in Mary's arms from complications during child birth, Mary returns to the school to find that it suffered during her absence with Fanny. Mary then closes the school and writes Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. She then goes on to become a... ...available to everyone. Mary Wollstonecraft achieved much in her life, but most importantly she inspired other women to be independent and to improve their lives. Mary lived a life a scandal during her time. Not only did she have children out of wedlock, but she was firm in her belief that she did not need to dedicate her life to another man just because it was the social norm. She was an advocate for education and equality because of the hardships she experienced in her life struggling to survive. Mary Wollstonecraft's achievements of inspiring women during her time and of the future as well as her support of education for women to grow not only intellectually but independently make her an inspiring figure during the Enlightenment. Thus, Mary Wollstonecraft's contribution to the Enlightenment was radical and inspiring to future generations of women.

Creativity and Creative Learning in Young Children

CYPOP4 Promote Young Children’s physical activity and movement skills 1. 1 Physical activity is an essential component in children’s overall health and well being. Unfortunately some children are not as active as they should be to prevent harmful harmful short term and long term effects on their health. * Short term health Physical activity helps children to build muscle, develops the skeletal frame, develops the heart and lung function and also helps prevent obesity. Children who are active are likely to sleep better and longer and are less likely to develop infections such as colds and flu. * Long term healthPhysical activity in young children not only supports health in the short term but can also give children a positive attitude towards sport, playing outdoors and walking. It is important to start when the children are young as when they are older they lose interest in activity. If children are not sufficiently active they are more likely to become overweight or ob ese, this in turn is linked with serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancers. For girls, there is also the increased risk of developing osteoporosis later in life if they don’t take physical exercise. * Well beingAs well as providing short and long term benefits, physical activity is also important for children’s overall well being. If physical activity is taken outdoors, children will benefit from fresh air and a feeling of being in a free environment. Children can benefit emotionally and socially as they learn new skills and develop confidence playing with others The current guidelines for physical activity suggest that children should get a minimum of one hour a day. This can be through walking, play or structured activities. 1. 2 In order to achieve the physical skills required a mixture of movement skills need to be acquired in the right order.They include the following; * Hand – eye coordination Many activities require the hand and eye to work together. For example throwing a ball requires the brain to send the correct signal from the eyes to the hands to create the correct movements. * Foot-eye coordination Children have to learn to guide their feet. Kicking a ball or climbing stairs require this type of coordination * Balance Balance is a complicated skill. Although most of us take it for granted, the ability to balance is a skill that develops with age. These skills form and develop as part of the central nervous system in babies and young children.The Central nervous system is responsible for sending out signals from the brain to the rest of our body. Information is constantly collected from our body’s senses. The whole process is surprisingly quick allowing the body to take action against possible dangers. In babies and young children the central nervous system has to develop and mature. At first babies have to rely on the natural reflections they are born with until the central nervous system lear ns how to control their responses. The rate at which babies and children gain control over their bodies varies enormously.There are three key principles that underpin the gaining of this control; 1. Development follows a definite sequence Movements and control develop in a specific sequence which means babies cannot learn to walk before they can sit unsupported 2. Development starts with control of head movements and develops downwards and outwards Babies gain control over their head and top of their spine before the rest of the body. 3. Development starts with uncontrolled gross motor movements before becoming precise and refined Babies gain control over their arms before their hands and fingers.This is important to know before trying to teach a child to write. They will need to start with large letter types before learning to write letters in the correct size and form. We use our physical skills every day. The development of children’s skills gives them independence, over t ime they no longer need our help to feed them or get them dressed or move from one place to the next. This gives them confidence to learn because they are exploring. Children also use their new found skills to play together and play more challenging games. Physical skills also link to other aspects of children’s overall development.These are; * Emotional Development Builds children’s confidence. When they can do things for themselves they are more likely to gain confidence. They can do things how and when they want . They can also use physical skills to express themselves like paint, draw and dance. * Language Development Language develops when there are things to talk about. This is easier when children can do things themselves to explore and see things. It gives them a reason to talk. * Social Development Play with babies is active rather than language based. Children can join in when they have learned and developed their physical skills. Cognitive Development Most o f children’s learning is linked to practical activities. This requires movement skills. There are links between early physical movements and brain development. 2. 3 Natural outdoor environments include, fields, woodland, moors and beaches. For children they are a wonderful playground which change with each visit according to the changes in the weather and the season . Children should have access to these kind of environments so they can learn about nature. These kinds of environments encourage children to learn and practise new skills such as climbing up a tree or over a wall or fence.They may also enjoy running on the sand, making footprints and pictures in it. Natural environments may also be challenging for the children as the terrain will be different. It may be uneven to walk on. There may be pools for them to jump in or avoid and things to jump over. All these encourage confidence and better coordination. 3. 1 Although many children are naturally active it is important to think about creating a range of different opportunities for them to develop their physical skills. Planning their development is important. Observation is key to planning for young children.It needs to be the starting point so we can establish what the children enjoy doing and ensure we are planning opportunities appropriate to their development. Planning appropriately for children involves the following; * Time You need to plan sufficient time for the children’s activities. Some children learn at a slower pace so you need to allow for each individual to get enjoyment from the physical activity, while they are developing their new skills. * Balance of child initiated and adult initiated opportunities It is a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage that you allow enough opportunities of each during play activities.It is important as children need time to discover new skills for themselves and play in ways that interest them. * Interest Children need to be motivated in order to practise and develop their skills. It is important to look at what each child is interested in and develop from that so they are encouraged to learn and develop . Play is key for children’s development and learning so planning should be around their interests and how we can incorporate physical activity into this. * Developmentally appropriate Activities should be developmentally appropriate.So when planning you must allow for the fact some children have disabilities and special needs. Ensure you seek the correct guidance and support to enable all children to develop through physical activity. * Range of skills and movement It is important that all physical activities allow children to experience and practice a range of skills and movements. * Planning for non mobile babies Babies who are not yet mobile still need opportunities for physical activities. This might include a baby gym to encourage the baby to move their arms and legs, or grasping and shaking a rattle .Babies also need time lying on their front to encourage muscle development for when they learn to crawl. It is important to place objects where babies can reach and grab so they don’t become frustrated. We should also get on the floor and interact and play with the babies. In addition our plans also need to include actions we do ourselves which help babies enjoy movement. These include rocking, swinging, being held up high and bouncing. All these give babies a different view of the world and aid spatial awareness and rhythm. * Planning for toddlersToddlers enjoy exploring and practising their new found skills. They will need opportunities to walk and climb. Some resources toddlers will require to aid development are; * Books * Shape sorters * Sensory equipment such as water, sand and dough * Rocking horses * Sit and ride toys * Slides * Balls * Pushchairs * Planning for 3-5 year olds Most children this age will have fairly good coordination but they will need help developing their fine motor skills. They will also need varied support with their movement skills, which should be incorporated into their play whenever possible.Some adult led activities can be used to ensure that all children develop and range of movements and skills. Some equipment 3-5 year olds will need are; * Puzzles * Construction toys * Sand and water play * Dressing up and role play toys * Small world play * Climbing frames * Slide * Tricycles and scooters * Balls, hoops and cones * Fabrics * Pushchairs 3. 2 Once you have identified opportunities that will promote physical activity in the children you need to incorporate them into your plan.Your plan must; * Meet the individual movement skills needs of the children * Include activities that promote competence in movement skills * Encourage physical play To ensure these points are covered your plan should be based on observations you have carried out on the children. You may show in your plan, details of equipment, specific adult init iated and child initiated activities. The Early Years Foundation also states you show how each child is planned for. It is also good practice to include the child’s ideas when planning activities. They may have preferences to what activity or equipment they would like to use.You need to watch children carefully when implementing planned activities. Their reactions will let you know whether it is developmentally appropriate for them or not. They will also let you know if they find it interesting and sufficiently challenging for them. You should be ready to change, adapt or even abandon the activity if necessary. Being flexible and ready to change your plan according to the needs and interests of the children is essential. Children can be very creative and they may well change or adapt your planned activity to suit them.Some children are more confident than others and may find movement skills easier or be more confident taking risks. Other children will be hesitant and will nee d encouragement to go that step further. 4. 1 It is important to include physical activity into daily routines in order for children to gain skills and build stamina. Getting children used to physical activity as part of their every day lives will help them later on in life. It is also good practice for their independence. Working with parents so they are keeping the children active at home also helps.Children should also have outdoor play each day so they get used to the outside environment. Sources of physical activity in every day routines are; * Washing and drying up * Sweeping the floor and outdoor area * Pouring their own drinks * Preparing snacks * Walking up and down stairs * Tidying up * Dressing and undressing * Wiping tables * Hanging up coats * Walking to and from the setting In my setting we walk to school and back in the morning and afternoon. The children take off their coats and those that can reach hang them up. They take off their shoes and put them together.We hav e music time each day where the children can play the instruments and dance to the music and we go to the park or visit the local green where there are lots of trees and paths to walk on and there is a woodland area where we look for different animals, insects and birds. 5. 1 It is important for us to be aware of how effective our provision and practice is in supporting children’s physical activity. To be able to assess the effectiveness in your setting you should consider the following; * Observe and assess children’s participation and developmental progress Look at the children and observe them over a number of weeks.Consider how interested they have been in opportunities of physical activity and if they have made progress. * Gain direct feedback from children Children’s reactions can be verbal or non verbal. They may tell us if they have enjoyed an activity or not. Children who cannot speak will let you know with body language and expression. A child who has enjoyed an activity may become excited at seeing a photo of them doing the activity. In my setting I have a photo album which the children can access themselves to look at. I also get it from time to time and we look at the pictures together. Gain feedback from parents, colleagues and others Other people can see more objectively and give their thoughts about our settings and provisions. Parents also experience seeing their children in other situations and may be able to guide us on sufficiently challenging activities. In my setting I have daily chats with parents, I also have a facebook page they can look at and I provide regular parent surveys to get feedback from them. 5. 2 Feedback and information you gain should be used to identify areas for future development.In some settings this may mean altering the physical environment while others may need to change the types of activities and play opportunities. 5. 3 It is important to reflect on your own practice in order to make any imp rovements necessary. Some questions you could ask yourself are; * Do you act as a good role model? * Do you join in physical activities? * Do you observe children’s physical skills regularly? * How aware are you of the children’s expected development? * How do you adapt activities and play opportunities to meet the individual needs oof the children? How do you ensure both boys and girls enjoy physical activity? * How do you plan activities to ensure the children are engaged in a range of movement skills? * How do you ensure that there is sufficient challenge for the children? * How often are children able to play in a natural outdoor environment? Being honest with yourself is key to ensuring you are meeting the children’s developmental requirements. It’s no good thinking you do that or being pretty sure you are good at this. You have to be sure bin order to provide the best for your children.

Consequences of Tattoos

Acquiring tattoos without thinking of the consequences COM / 150 March 07, 2010 Michaela Roessner-Herman Tattoos: The 21st century status symbol. Individuals are crowding the tattoo shops to become part of this new wave crossing the country. This symbol admits them to the greatest show on earth. They become part of an elite group who has a sense of belonging and able to express their personalities without limits. Tattoos have been a part of history for hundred of years and cultures adopted tattooing for different symbolic meaning.In the Brief History of Tattoos and Body Arts (2007), some cultures tattoos symbolized strength, bravery, and spirituality while other cultures tattoos symbolized a form of punishments, outcast, and slavery. In today’s society, tattoos are simply body arts and a way of expression. Tattoos popularity is increasing among teens and young adults. Peer pressure is a cause for many young adults’ tattoos without thinking of the consequences this decis ion will have on their future. For some, a tattoo is a way of fitting in, feeling a sense of belonging and making a fashion statement.Reality shows, newspaper ads, TV ads and the Internet are all big influences regarding tattoos. These media sources depict tattoos as cool and creative status symbols. Athletes’ tattoos symbolize their strength, rappers’ their sense of accomplishment, Armed Forces for honor, actors, and actresses simply as body art. Other individuals’ tattoos represent personal meaning for a love one. Although tattoos can be nice, they carry negative connotations. Gang members’ tattoos are part of an initiation and show what gang they are with and prison inmates tattoos display membership to a certain groups as well as a part of a coding system.Even with the pain a person go through for a tattoo, he or she seldom think about the risks. Considered as cosmetics, the one thing tattoos have in common are health risks. Think before you Ink: Are Tattoos Safe? (2009), explains tattoo inks are not approved by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and many reports of bad reactions has started an investigation into tattoos safety. In Tattoos: Understanding risks and precautions (2010), when acquiring a tattoo; a tattoo artist uses a tattoo gun to apply color ink under the skin with needles.This process breaks the skin allowing bacteria to penetrate developing skin infections. Skin infections cause increasing redness, pain, swelling, and rashes. Tattoos are performed with needles increasing the development of other health risks such as Hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), HIV and AIDS. A person who suffers from allergies can have an allergic reaction to the color ink (especially red dye that is non-hypoallergenic) that cause swelling, itching, hives, and with sever allergies, anaphylactic shock – a fatal systemic reaction. Health risks are not uncommon with tattoos.Many people frequent tattoo shops and have to depend on the sh ops employees to sterilize their equipments in effective and safe way. With of the popularity of tattoos, corporate America is beginning to see more tattoos in the workplace. Young adults with entry-level desire to work in corporate America faces judgment especially if the corporation fears employees’ tattoos will hurt their professional appearance. In some corporations with older executives, strict policies regarding visible tattoos are written in the company’s policy and enforced.Individuals with tattoos working in corporate America believes they are protected by the First Amendment rights to freedom of expression. This is not the case in the workplace. The article titled Body art in the workplace, confirms that â€Å"companies have a constitutional right to ban employees with tattoos. Companies can limit employees' personal expression on the job as long as they do not impinge on their civil liberties. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers re allowed to impose dress codes and appearance policies as long as they do not discriminate or hinder a person's race, color, religion, age, national origin, or gender. † KnowledgeHR International (2010). Body art in the workplace. Retrieved February 2010. People entering corporate America believe they can cover up their tattoos. This is true depending on the size of the tattoo and how many he or she has. All too often people allow their emotions to dictate the numbers and size of their tattoos.Unfortunately, this choice connects them to the negative association that was once attached to bikers, gang members, and prison inmates. This bias assessment is a barrier to career advancement. Promotions’ overlooked because visible tattoos are unprofessional looking and during interviews denied employment. This type of prejudice has led many people regretting their tattoos. Individuals who regret their tattoo is causing the dermatology industry to rocket. This decisi on, in some cases, has become a barrier for employment and for others; the symbol that once had meaning no longer exist.One of the most regrettable tattoo people insist on receiving is the name of a boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, or husband. (Hudson, 2009). Tattoos are meant to be â€Å"forever† and there are times when relationships or marriages are over and the constant reminder of his or hers name inked in the skin presents an expensive problem. Depending on the size and the location of a tattoo, the removal can be costly and painful. Hudson (2010) states several options for tattoo removal to include Laser, Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL), and do- it-yourself creams.The laser removal is the most common for tattoos removal. Considering the size of the tattoo and the ink colors, removal can take from one to 10 sessions with no guarantee of scarring; each session costing in the range of $250 – $850. Despite the expense and pain, people are willing to go through any le ngths to have this process performed. Individuals have choices. With choices come consequences. Consequences can be in the form of a positive or negative outcome. When making a permanent choice, think about not only the moment; consider the future.

Affrimtaive Action essays

Affrimtaive Action essays After the United States Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964, it became apparent that certain business traditions, such as seniority status and aptitude tests, prevented total equality in employment. Then President, Lyndon B. Johnson, decided something needed to be done to remedy these flaws. On September 24, 1965, he issued Executive Order #11246 at Howard University that required federal contractors to take Affirmative Action to ensure that applicants are employed . . . without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin (Civil Rights). With the signing of that order, and without knowing it, President Johnson created reverse discrimination. Affirmative Action was created in an effort to help minorities leap the discriminative barriers that were ever so present when the bill was first enacted, in 1965. At this time, the country was in the wake of nationwide civil- rights demonstrations, and racial tension was at an all time high. Most of the corporate executive and managerial positions were occupied by White Males, who controlled the hiring and firing of employees. The U.S. government, in 1965, believed that these employers were discriminating against Minorities and believed that there was no better time than the present to bring about change. This action, that started with good intentions, would later lead to a different and more complex form of discrimination. When the Civil Rights Law passed, Minorities, especially African- Americans, believed that they should receive retribution for the earlier years of discrimination they endured. The government responded by passing laws to aide them in attaining better employment as reprieve for the previous two hundred years of suffering their race endured at the hands of the White Man. To many people the passing of these laws was an effort in the right direction. Supporters of Affirmative Actio...

In what ways did the dual Kingship of Sparta reflect (or perpetuate) other aspects of Spartan society Essay Example

In what ways did the dual Kingship of Sparta reflect (or perpetuate) other aspects of Spartan society Essay Example In what ways did the dual Kingship of Sparta reflect (or perpetuate) other aspects of Spartan society Essay In what ways did the dual Kingship of Sparta reflect (or perpetuate) other aspects of Spartan society Essay Essay Topic: History Sparta, as countless others scholars have noted, was a world apart from the other poleis in Ancient Greece in its customs. It was one of the few poleis to retain a Kingship, and as doubly odd to have had a Dyarchy two Kings reigning simultaneously, one each from the Agiad and Eurypontid lines respectively. Is it possible, in fact, that this strange royal partnership reflected and maybe even in some way fuelled the peculiar habits of Lacedaemonian society? I wish to explore the nature of the Kings role in the Spartan constitution, their role in Spartan religion and their powers commanding the army. I will also explore their role in diplomacy. The concept that we have of archaic monarchs (in this case, dyarchs), especially many of those during the Hellenistic era (like Phillip II Alexander I of Macedon, the Great Kings of Persia and later on into history) is that of absolute control and to check that power. In Sparta, it was a very different affair (Cartledge, 1987: 17; 2001: 57). Perhaps a very basic point, but something that reflected the overall ethos of Laconian society was the deemed seniority of the Agiad line (Hdt. 6. 51; Cartledge, 1987: 23, 100). This echoed throughout Spartan society; where the Spartan youth were tutored to obey their elders. The two Kings were overseen (literally MacDowell, 1986: 128) by Ephors and laws were passed by the Gerousia (which they were at least part of). It is quite plausible that over the centuries, before the advent of Ephors, the constitutional powers of the Kings were much greater (MacDowell, 1986: 123). For example, by the mid 5th century, we know that judicially, the Kings judged cases involving unmarried heiresses, adoptions and public roads (Herodotus, 6.57. 4/5). Indeed, the constantly fluctuating relationship between the Ephors Gerousia with the Kings is something worth investigating. In theory, the Ephorate was established to prolong the royal crowns (Cartledge, 2001: 33), with both of them exchanging vows to each other monthly to act within the law (Xen. Lac. Pol. 15.7). But there were instances where ulterior motives on either side came to the fore. Pausanias tells us that when a King committed a misdemeanour and was to be tried back home, the judges included the other governing arms the Ephors and the Gerousia, the latter including the other king (Paus, 3.5.2); Cleomenes was exiled for trying to dismiss the Athenian boule (Yates, 2005: 75/6). However, it is quite possible that this was a special case, regarding the trial of Pausanias (MacDowell, 1986, 128, Cartledge, 1987: 109). We also hear of the Ephors conducting a ritual sky watch once every 8 years, searching for bad omens which they could use against the kings rule (Rahe, 1977: 278-9, no. 145). Not only does this show a cautious approach from them towards the dyarchs, but the ritual itself fits very neatly with the religious aspect (page 6) of the kings themselves; they could be impeached by the gods. Ste. Croix goes further, categorising the trials and banishments of the Kings in the 5th 4th centuries as the work of the Ephors (1972: 350-3; Rahe, 1980: 398). Pleistoanaxs actions in Attica (446-5 BC) led him to being put on trial and exiled, and this may well have been due to the report of the Ephor(s) accompanying him on the campaign (Cartledge, 1987: 17). It might well have been that his peace with Athens was not popular with the Gerousia and Ephors, ably demonstrated by the violation of his peace (Cartledge, 1982: 261/2). This would also show the inherent hostility towards Athens in Spartan society . Yet, there are instances where the balance is reversed and the ephors were used as an advisory board of sorts. Cleomenes I went to the ephors in order to inform them about the suspicious activities of Mnaiandrios of Samos (Hdt. 3.148.2). We also hear from Xenophon that King (regent) Pausanias managed to convince three Ephors to take military action (Xen. Hell. 2.4.29), though this would have been different for other judicial decisions (MacDowell, 1986: 131). There is also the instance where Agesilaos managed to take drastic action and execute conspirators after consulting the ephors (Plutarch, Agesilaos. 32. 11). The Ephors were liable to manipulation from wily Kings (Brunt, 1965: 279). Despite being put in place to check the power of the Kings, it is likely that the Ephors werent indicative of popular representation within Sparta, being as they were, just 5 citizens elected from the damos (Aristotle, Pol. 1256b39-40) and holding office for only a year. Individual Ephors might well have exploited disagreements between Kings to their own advantage (Cartledge, 2001: 59), but split voting, change of policy with new Ephors and disagreements would have put pay to any personal ambitions. Moreover, the Kingship remained the principal office for which true political power remained, as the Machiavellian scheming of Lysander attests to (Cartledge, 2001: 36). What this shows is the willing subservience of Spartan society to adhere to their rigid hierarchy of royal dominance, and that the downfall of a King would be the reluctant last solution, if it would save the Lacedaemonians from doom. Let us take the example of a King being indicted (see above). If a charge against a King was to be upheld, it was necessary for all the Ephors and the majority of the Gerousia with the other King to vote against said King on trial (Cartledge, 2001: 60). If the King was summoned by the Ephors, he was only required to do so upon the third time of asking (Cartledge, 2001: 62). In Agesilaos IIs case, he hobbled. The Spartans despised physical disability but since Agesilaos was King; this must have been overlooked because of his status, again reflecting submission to ones betters. We should also note that in the presence of a King, everyone else had to stand. As Cartledge picks up upon, this mirrored the Spartan ideal whereby juniors were expected to give up their seat to a senior (2001: 62) and probably also the deferral to ones superiors as well (Kelly, 1981: 48). As for the Gerousia, Cartledge argues that it might well have been as old as the Kingship itself, but its size and the inclusion of the 2 Kings (If a king was away, then his vote was given to another, who would vote for him and himself (Thuc. 1.20.3) thus conforming to the rest of the Gerousia) within it reflect a change in status of the Dyarchy, to the advantage of the Gerousia (2001: 31). He also argues that the Gerousia was the main domestic and foreign decision making body (2001: 60) made from the senior, aristocratic Spartiates (however, as the Kings were ex officio members, it is possible that the Kings could have been the youngest faces within the Gerousia, disagreeing with the superiority of the elders (Pleistarchus and Agis IV McQueen, 1990: 167)). If this is the case, then a long reigning King would have been able to see the Gerousia membership appointed in his favour (by his own admission: Cartledge, 2001: 65). Agesilaos IIs vote to save Sphodrias in the trial of 378 is a good indication of his control over the Gerousia. So it is a good bet that the Kings were the political foci (Mitchell, 1991: 58; despite Lewis, 1977: 48; Hdt. 6.52.8). Far from the nature of the Dyarchys role within the government of Sparta, we can tell a lot about how much they mirrored Spartan society from their day to day lives within the polis. The Kings would both eat in the Royal mess tents (syssitia), which the homioi were separated from, promoting the idea that the Royals were something else (Cartledge, 1987: 104). Whats more, the Kings were awarded double rations so as to honour guests (Cartledge, 1987: 108; Xen. Ages. 5.1; Lak. Pol. 15.4) and we can presume that this was used as part of the xenia process. The mess tents the homioi used were subject to control of membership, along grounds of social, wealth and seniority status (Hodkinson, 1983: 253/4), thus promoting the oligarchic fashion of Sparta. That the Kings were kept separate heightens this idea. In terms of property, it was very much a case of furthering ones own ambitions (Leonidas in Plut. Kleo. 1.1) and keeping property within their family by literally doing just that marrying close consanguineous kin or similarly wealthy aristocrats (Hodkinson, 2000: 82, 408). This was done by the Kings and aristocrats alike. In the cases where they judged adoption, the Kings would make sure that the adopted was landless and would pass them onto those who were the same, thus allowing them to keep the properties in the upper echelons of society (Hodkinson, 2000: 82). The royal houses were typical of Spartan propertied classes. Good examples of this would be Leonidas Is marriage to Gorgo, Cleomenes Is only child so as to inherit Cleomenes property when he died as well as bolster his claim to the Agiad throne (Hdt. 7.239.4), Cleomenes IIIs marriage to Agiatis, the widow of Agis IV (Hdt. 6.71), Ariston marrying his friends wife (Hdt. 6.61-2) and Aegisilaos Is marriage to Kleora (Paus. 3.9.3). We should however note that the Agiad Eurypontid royal lines owned considerably more land than any other citizen as they possessed territories in many perioikic communities (Xen. Lak. Pol. 15.3). Though they imitated the attitude of the wealthy few in Sparta by such a process, it limited the number of heirs and the division of inheritance, concentrating the property and wealth in the hands of the closely related few; wealth married wealth, segregating society even further. The royal houses enhanced their socio-economic position over history through such activities (Hodkinson, 2000: 413). As the elites perpetuated their position, the decline in citizen numbers accelerated, allowing the successful aristocratic lineages to safely secure high offices and property (Hodkinson, 2000: 415). This in turn would have lead to policy-making being dominated by very few, not least between the 2 Kings and their respective supporters in the Gerousia (Roy, 2009: 442). Religion was integral part of Spartan life, like most other Classical poleis. In Sparta, the Kings had an important part to play. We learn from Herodotus (6.59) that both Kings were hereditary high priests of Zeus Lakedaimonios and Zeus Ouranios (perhaps one for each). As such, they were required to sacrifice to Zeus and others before, during and after a military campaign (Lipka, 2002: 221). Whilst marching, the Kings preceded the fire-bearers, whilst a train of sacrificial animals followed behind the army (Burket, 1985: 257). The representation of Castor and Polydeukes was taken on military campaigns (Cartledge, 1987: 109). They ate first and received twice as large a portion as everyone else at sacrificial feasts (Cartledge, 1987: 107). The Kings received 72 litres of barley and a quart of wine every new moon and on the 7th day of the lunar month (Lipka, 2002: 221). Lastly, no-one was permitted to touch the Kings (Plut. Agis. 19.9). They were probably not God-Kings, but more than mortal (Miller, 1998: 2). It is clear that the health of the state was bound to the health of the Kings (Cartledge, 1987: 105; Parker, 1988: 153). The fact that the Kings were apportioned the skins and entrails of the sacrifices shows the high esteem they were held in by the Religious community. As Sparta was an extremely superstitious and seriously religious community, it certainly seems consistent that the Kings were assigned such duties. They were also given the honour of appointing two Pythioi each, who acted permanent ambassadors to Oracle at Delphi (Hdt. 6.57.2-4), the highest honour, presumably as Delphi was the pan-Hellenic sanctuary! Lysanders attempted bribery of Delphi reflects the entrenched power the kings had, since they maintained a close relationship with Delphi through their Pythioi (Cartledge, 1987: 96), maybe even to further their own agenda (Cartledge, 2001: 63). Royal funerals on the other hand, were perhaps the most spectacular in the Peloponnese (Hdt. 6.58), which would have been in sharp contrast with the simplicities (Laconic) of ordinary Spartans (Parker, 1988: 153), and it would have had an impact upon the members of the royal house (Hodkinson, 2000: 263). Each free household (Spartiate and Perioikic) had to provide one male and female each to the funeral; Helots were obliged to attend (reflecting Spartan societys dominance over them (Cartledge, 1987: 333)). The funeral would have been a public affair, lying-in-state, reflecting the very Spartan practice; other cities kept their funerals as private affairs (Cartledge, 1987: 333). Again, unlike anywhere else in Greece, the King would have been buried within the boundaries of the living, maybe even close to a sanctuary, defying the Hellenic taboo of Greek pollution (Plut. Lyc. 27.1). It is interesting to notice that the custom of embalming their King was copied from Persian and Egyptian practices (Hdt. 1.40.2, 4.71.1), which is seemingly at odds with their xenophobia towards foreign cultures. Leonidas I, who died in battle may well have had an exceptional burial (buried again after his demise 40 years earlier), sharing a similar Spartan trait of honouring only those who died fighting (Cartledge, 1987: 336). The royal funeral was beyond what a mere mortal man could claim and what many aristocrats aspired to (Xen. Hell. 3.3.1), thus convincing the Spartiates of the connection between a healthy Sparta and the dual Kingship (though this would become less and less effective in later Sparta (Cartledge, 1987: 337/341)). For Spartans, soldering was their life. However, unlike the homioi, the heirs to the thrones were not required to go through the Spartan education system the agoge (Plut. Ages. 1.4). This does seem strange initially, but when you consider how the Kings were perceived as beyond mortal (see above), the heirs and Kings were already superior to everyone else (Cartledge, 1987: 24). Agesilaos IIs decision to go through the agoge would naturally have made him even more special, considering his disability; just like Leonidas before him. Herodotus tells us (5.75.2) that because of a crisis between Cleomenes and Damaratus on a joint campaign in 506 BC, one King stayed behind in Sparta. The King elected on campaign assumed sole command on campaign, handling an enormous amount of power; anyone who tried to prevent this would be cursed (Cartledge, 1987: 81, 105). He was even assigned his own bodyguard (hippeis) who were the elite soldiers (Thuc. 5.72.4). The King could also expect a personal haul of a third of the total booty collected on campaign (Polybius. 2.62.1). Aristotle (Pol. 1285a 7-8, 1285b 26-8) inferred that the Kings were mere hereditary generals, but as we can see, that was patently not the case. Their power was absolute (they even had the authority to choose between life and death (MacDowell, 1986: 126). With the King at the head of an army, the connection between the military and the political hierarchy was plain to see. Leadership went hand in hand with the military caste (Cartledge, 1987: 203). To lead the army in a military orientated state like Sparta would surely have been the greatest honour. This echoes what was said earlier (page 4), about having to submit to ones betters, especially in Sparta, replicating the master/student, senior/junior, rich/poor relationship in all of Spartan society. The Lacedaemonians were subject to the power of the Ephors, Gerousia and the Dyarchy at home, yet outside Sparta, it became a Monarchy. I feel this could be due to the way the Spartiates perceived non-Spartiates. As they distrusted foreigners, they needed to be, in theory, intimidated. So, one King with full power and a large army would have done this perfectly and was indicative of Spartas xenophobia. Where it was a matter of gaining advantage for Lacedaemon, the Spartan elites did engage with those from the outside (of Sparta). The Kings were allowed to appoint proxenia, Spartiates who acted as ambassadors for those from other poleis (Hdt. 6.57.2). This was certainly related to Spartas xenophobia (cf. Figueira, 2003: 66), where the only ones who were entrusted to make relations with non-Spartiates were those trusted by the Kings, and was thus open to manipulation (Cartledge, 1987: 81, 97, 108). No doubt, the Spartan kings would already have had friendship ties (xenia) with many Peloponnesian oligarchies, thus enabling them to influence foreign policy in those states (Cartledge, 1987: 246). King Agis II was fined for negotiating with Argives (Thuc. 5.59-63), one was a Spartan proxenos and another had xenos with Agis himself (Hodkinson, 2000: 352; Roy, 2009: 440). Archidamus had terms of xenia with Pericles of Athens (Thuc. 2.13.1; Mosely, 1971: 434). The relationships the Kings had with their friends in the Peloponnese is reminiscent of the 18th 19th century European Monarchs, who retained ties of blood and friendship with each other. In what ways did the Dyarchs reflect other aspects of Spartan society? Though they were designed to prevent it, the Kings dominated both of the Ephors and Gerousia, reflecting the superior/inferior (master/slave) aspect of Sparta as a whole. Messing in the syssitia and the accumulation of property through marrying close kin or wealthy others promoted the oligarchic fashion (ruled by the few (in this case 2!)). The Kings as high priests and their spectacular funerals cemented their demi-god credentials; it fitted perfectly with the zealously religious Spartans. Leadership of the state was reflected by their leadership of the army and the Kings leading the peculiar form of Proxenia and xenos reflected the inherently xenophobic nature of Spartan society. The Dyarchy was coterminous with Sparta (Arist. Pol., 1310b 38-9), though it has been considered an egalitarian society, it was anything but, with competiveness instilled from youth (Kelly, 1981: 54). Sparta demanded high reverence to the continued influence of the Spartan Kings (Rice, 1974: 165) and time passed, the un-checked power of the Kings fostered Hellenistic monarchic tendencies in later kings (McQueen, 1990: 166). The dual Kinship promoted a dual image, where the Spartans promoted one thing, but did another (Miller, 1998: 13).

Story in Spanish About the Poinsettia

Story in Spanish About the Poinsettia Improve your Spanish this holiday season with this story about the poinsettia, the rare U.S holiday tradition that originated south of the border.   La flor de Nochebuena Durante la temporada navideà ±a, la flor de Nochebuena es muy popular en Estados Unidos. Pero muchos no saben que la flor es originaria de Mà ©xico. En espaà ±ol, la flor tiene muchos nombres como la flor de Nochebuena, la flor de Pascua, la flor de fuego, la estrella de Navidad y la corona de los Andes. Los indà ­genas mexicanos la llamaban cuetlazochitl, que significa la flor de pà ©talos resistentes como el cuero. Para los aztecas, la flor roja era sà ­mbolo de la sangre de los sacrificios que ofrendaban al sol. En los EEUU, la flor es conocida como la poinsettia en honor de Joel Poinsett, botnico y el primer embajador estadounidense a Mà ©xico. En Mà ©xico hay una leyenda sobre la flor. Se dice que habà ­a una nià ±a muy pobre que lloraba porque no tenà ­a regalo para dar al nià ±ito Jesà ºs en el altar de su iglesia. Un ngel escuchà ³ sus oraciones, y le dijo que cortara las ramas de algunas plantas cerca del camino. Cuando llegà ³ la nià ±a al altar, al contacto con sus lgrimas, de las ramas brotaron bellas flores rojas y resplandecientes. Eran las primeras flores de Nochebuena. Ya tenà ­a regalo adecuado para el nià ±ito Jesà ºs. Translation With Grammar and Vocabulary Notes Durante la temporada navideà ±a,During the Christmas season, Navideà ±o  is the adjectival form of  Navidad, the word for Christmas. The  feminine form  is used here  because  temporada  is feminine. la flor de Nochebuena es muy popular en Estados Unidos.the poinsettia is very popular in the United States. Nochebuena, a combination of  noche  (night) and  buena  (good) is the word used for Christmas Eve. Although the phrase  flor de Nochebuena  could be translated literally as Christmas Eve flower, doing so would not be as clear here as using the English name of the flower. Pero  muchos  no  saben  que la flor es originaria de Mà ©xico.But many dont know the flower is originally from Mexico. The phrase  ser originario de  is frequently used to indicate where something originates. Note that  originario  (or the feminine form,  originaria,  in the original sentence here) is an adjective, not an adverb as in the English translation. Note also that the word  que  is left untranslated in English. In this case, it could have been translated as that, a word often omitted in English. But in Spanish,  que  is essential. En espaà ±ol, la flor tiene muchos nombresIn Spanish, the flower has many names como la flor de Navidad, la flor de Pascua, la flor de fuego, la estrella de Navidad y la corona de los Andes.such as the Christmas flower, the  Pascua  flower, the fire flower, the Christmas star and the crown of the Andes. The word  Pascua  originally referred to the Jewish Passover. In Christianity, it came later to refer to Easter, whose timing is theologically connected with Passover. Los indà ­genas mexicanos la llamaban  cuetlazochitl,The natives of Mexico called it  cuetlazochitl, Indà ­gena, meaning an indigenous person, is one of those unusual words that end in  -a  in both masculine and feminine forms. In the above sentence,  la  is used to mean it because it refers to a feminine noun,  la flor. If the reference had been to a masculine noun,  lo  would have been used. que significa la flor de pà ©talos resistentes como el cuero.which means the flower with petals tough like leather. Note that in Spanish, the period comes outside the  quotation marks, the opposite of what is done in U.S. English. Note also that the  de  in the definition is translated as with, even though  de  typically is translated as of. This provides a more natural translation. Para los aztecas, la flor roja era sà ­mbolo del sangre de los sacrificios que ofrendaban al Sol.For the Aztecs, the red flower was a symbol of the blood of the sacrifices they offered to the sun. The verbs in this sentence are in the  imperfect tense, as is usually the case with verbs that refer to events or repeated actions that occur over a long period of time. En los EEUU, la flor es conocida como la  poinsettia  en honor de Joel Poinsett, botnico y el primer embajador estadounidense a Mà ©xico.In the U.S., the flower is known as the poinsettia in honor of Joel Poinsett, a botanist and first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. EEUU  is the abbreviation for  Estados Unidos. See how the letters are doubled as is often done in an  abbreviation of a plural noun. En Mà ©xico hay una leyenda sobre la flor.In Mexico there is a legend about the flower. Hay  is a form of  haber  that is very commonly used to mean there is. The past tense, as in the following sentence, is  habà ­a. Se dice que habà ­a una nià ±a muy pobreIt is said that there was a very poor girl Se  dice, a  reflexive  form of  decir, is a common way of saying it is said or they say. que lloraba porque no tenà ­a regalo para dar al nià ±ito Jesà ºs en el altar de su iglesia.who cried because she didnt have a gift to give to the baby Jesus on the altar of her church. Nià ±ito  is a  diminutive  form of  nià ±o, a word for boy. Un ngel escuchà ³ sus oraciones, y le dijo que cortara las ramas de algunas plantas cerca del camino.An angel heard her prayers and told her to cut the branches of the plants near the path. The verb  cortara  is in the  imperfect subjunctive  form, because the  subjunctive  form typically is used with  commands and requests  that follow  que. The  le  in this sentence is an  indirect object pronoun; to cut the branches is what the angel said, but the girl is whom the angel told it to. Cuando llegà ³ la nià ±a al altar, al contacto con sus lgrimas, de las ramas brotaron bellas flores rojas y resplandecientes.When the girl arrived at the altar, upon contact with her tears beautiful and brilliant red flowers came forth from the branches. Use of  al  followed by an noun, seen here in the phrase  al contacto, is a common way of saying in Spanish that something occurs as the result of another event. Also note how the word order in this sentence is different than what it would be in English. Eran las primeras flores de Nochebuena.These were the first poinsettias. The translation of They were ... also could have been used. As the  subject is often omitted  in Spanish sentences, you can let context determine the smoothest translation. Ya tenà ­a regalo adecuado para el nià ±ito Jesà ºs.Now she had a suitable gift for the baby Jesus. Ya  is a very common adjective whose translation varies widely depending on the context. The adjective  adecuado  is obviously related to the English adequate (making it a  cognate) but doesnt have the same connotation.

Giving adice to another student how well to do on test,why it is Essay

Giving adice to another student how well to do on test,why it is important it is to do well - Essay Example First of all, I advise that you study your lessons first thing, early in the morning while your mind is well rested and free from any worries. This will allow you to easily grasp information and remember them because your brain is not yet worked up. Moreover, the silence in the early morning allows your mind to work more efficiently without the disturbances or distractions noise and other things could bring. Secondly, it would be most helpful if you plan what you study starting from what is most difficult for you. Subjects you are having difficulty with requires more efforts to understand than those you usually enjoy so while your brain is still freshly rejuvenated, take the chance of devouring and understanding information which are difficult. Lastly, study your own notes because it is easier to remember things that you have written yourself. Of this demands that you take notes during lectures and that you have to listen well so you know the important information you need to jot

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Issues in strategic management - Essay Example However, it is essential to distinguish the two basic differences in the strategic management research - while one focuses on the research of the content of the strategic management ideas, the other makes the process of strategic management its object, and also examines the factors, which influence this process. It is interesting to note the expression, which can give and explain the principal roots of the strategic management decision making: Thus, the aim of the research is not only to make the taxonomy of the decision making knowledge in strategic management, but to make it simple, understandable and practical for the use in the further similar researches. Taxonomy is the science of classification of any knowledge, and can be applied to any theoretical or practical field of science. (Porac & Thomas, 1990) Applying taxonomy to the area of strategic decision making has become popular in the recent years, though attempts to systematize the schools of the strategic decision making has been attempted earlier. It was a difficult task to accomplish, as strategic decisions have been described, as being unclear, complex, unpredictable and messy. (Schwenk & Dalton, 1991) The first attempt to create at least approximate taxonomy of the strategic decision making was performed in 1976 by Mintzberg and Theoret, who were able to define the three major phases in this process, and described them as the identification phase, the development phase and the selection phase. (Goodstein et al, 1994) Hart (1992) has also created his own system of strategic decision making processes, and has divided them into five different types - the command mode, the symbolic mode, the rational mode, the transactive mode and the generative mode. The systematization of the knowledge in the area of strategic management decision making is a difficult process, but we will here attempt to create a table on the basis of the existing theoretical schools and to describe them in more detail, which will assist in further application of the knowledge found in literature in future researches and the solution of the practical issues. Taxonomy of the strategic management decision making Name of the theoretical school The author The basic knowledge used The design school model Learned, Christensen, Andrews and Guth SWOT analysis; defines strategy as simple and informative process The planning school Ansoff Makes little emphasis on the concept of strategy as it is; is more concentrated on the detailed plans elaboration The entrepreneurial school Schumpeter Focuses on the CEO role in strategic decision making process The extended design school model Prescribes the CEO's vision to the building of consensus and commitment in the decision making The detailed discussion of the theoretical schools In the light of the abovementioned information and in the view of the table created on the basis of the already existing schools of strategic management thinking and decision making, it is interesting to note, that some strategies use the role of the

Breeze of Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Breeze of Change - Essay Example I knew I had to start working towards achieving my dreams. I did not want to be caught up by death before realizing my full potential. I needed to travel the world and learn about other people. I always felt that the future was in the air. Everywhere I went, I would feel the future blowing in the wind of change. I had many things I wanted to change in my life and those of others. I hoped to see a world where people respected each other’s culture. I wanted a world where people appreciated and celebrated their diversity. Even up to today, I have always had the passion to learn other people culture, and I am glad I have partially done so. Because I believe this will enable me, understand and appreciate others. Early years were characterized by numerous trips to different countries. In every trip, I learned something that changed my life. My trips outside the United States helped me understand other people’s culture. I learned to accept other people’s point of views no matter how much they differed they were from my own. When I visited Baha’i Temple in Wilmette in Illinois, I realized the significance of religion. Since I value my own religion and I promised myself to appreciate other people’s culture and religion. This was reinforced when I attended a Catholic-sponsored high school, which made me realize that Catholics are very receptive of other religions. The experience changed my life and I wanted to be receptive to other people’s culture, and opinions. Attending college enabled me to meet people from different places. I learned the dynamics of socialization. A chance to be in the army strengthened me physically and mentally. I realized that every experience was a lesson for me. Death has always scared me in some way. When my 14-year old cousin and my great uncle died on the same day, I realized how death could cut short our ambitions. It was traumatizing to see someone die at such an early age. I decided to live each d ay to the full and always do my best. When I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Art and History, I was excited. Nevertheless, I knew I had to find a job. The job searching process turned out to be tougher than I thought. My parents were there for me, and they taught me the importance of being there for others. However, I ended up deciding on doing volunteer work. It was an opportunity to touch other people’s lives. During my volunteer at Navajo Reservation, I realized of the sufferings that American Indians go through. During my work, I learned that no amount of textbook learning could teach us about new and unknown cultures. Working with people from diverse culture taught me how to deal with others. I was glad I took the opportunity to help them. My international trip to Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, North, and South Carolina helped me realize how rampant racism and bigotry were. People still judged others in terms of their culture. When I moved to Albuquerque in New Mexico, I was prepared for what lay ahead.  

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Maritime Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Course Content and Modes of Teaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Course Content and Modes of Teaching - Assignment Example This study stresses that the fact that the course is undertaken by both local and international students, we are dealing with issues that require cultural diversity to be appreciated so as to interact with other members of the class. The process of interacting with a wide range of cultures in the class has enabled me to develop interest in communication, thus leading to success in this class. In addition, the communication class helps in improving the author's English skills in both written and oral language, which is an essential aspect in the real-life workplace and thus. This research discusses that in presenting the course material, the teacher uses different methods, including lecturing, where the teacher is the sole disseminator of information. In this method, interaction with the students is mainly limited by the lecturer when presenting the instructions. The demonstration method is mainly used in the health class and involves the students observing the process of carrying out a procedure. The health class is complemented with practical exercise where the students participate actively in the process. In addition, the communication class uses the brainstorming method where the instructor gives instructions and the students form groups where they discuss opposing ideas.  Each one of the courses is aimed at a unique purpose. On one hand, the health course is aimed at honing the students’ skills in relation to basic health terminologies while preparing them for future professional practice in health-related areas.  

Maritime Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Maritime Economics - Essay Example In the Shipping Industry, many Ship owners have been resorting to strategies like concentration to sort out the problem that are occasioned by freight rate fluctuation. This concentration has allowed them to maximize their market shared, reduce the cost per volume and remain in competition for the industry leadership. There has been a fluctuation demand for shipping services that is also faced with a fluctuation in supply of the shipping services themselves. (Hoffman, 1998, p. 1) On the demand side, many Shipping firms have believed that the best strategies for concentration will be realized when the merge the ships in order to gain from economies of scale. To that end there have been a series of mergers and acquisition that have lead to an oligopoly of the top 20 leading shippers owning over 50% of the industry business. (Hoffman, 1998, p. 1) The beginning of 1990s saw the formation of Alliances in the World lines. The progress so far has been 10 big groups controlling more than 65% of the volume transport. With a target of lowering the shipping rates, the millions of containers have been criss crossing the high seas from one port hub to the next with the world inflation also at their trail. It has been estimated that the biggest ship can transport more than 8.700 TEUs. The figure in Exhibit 1 below shows the trends of container ship mergers that were lead by motives of economies of scale. (Hoffman, 1998, p. 1) Exhibit 1.Effects of demand for technology on the shipping rates Adopted from Drewry Shipping Consultants, Post Panamax Containerships, London, 1996. Data for 2000 is an ECLAC forecast. (Hoffman, 1998,