Determine the Optimal Investment Performance Appraisal Systems Research Paper

Decide the Optimal Investment Performance Appraisal Systems - Research Paper Example This is considered as one of the principal stage in understanding the exhibitions of an individual, financial conditions, wants and points. The beginning stage of this situational profiling involves examining the wellspring of riches, phase of life of the speculator and volume of these wellsprings of riches. There are predominantly two regular wellsprings of riches for the individual financial specialists. They are, (1) Wealth produced by pioneering movement riches is made through this action maybe shows information on the speculators and experience, by method of the hazard taking judgment. (2) Wealth amassed right through legacy or one-time godsends or aggregation of riches over a significant stretch of safe occupation Wealth is procured through along these lines demonstrates that individual has less information about hazard taking action. â€Å"Terminologies fluctuate, yet for down to earth purposes we can believe the individual financial specialist to be either well-to-do or high total assets. â€Å"For the prosperous financial specialists, the complete monetary assets are of generally a similar greatness, as they guarantee on those assets coming about because of the investors’ life choices† (Torre and Rudd, 2004, p. 2). Those decisions typically comprise of a requirement for post retirement costs, the acquisition of homes and the instructive costs of children. At the point when the financial specialist is moderately aged or youthful, monetary exercises regularly represent the littler piece of his entire assets, with human resources and land assets speaking to the greater part of his assets. â€Å"Traditional fund accept that all financial specialists display three significant qualities, for example, 1. Hazard avoidance Investors limit chance for a given degree of return or amplify return for given degree of hazard. 2. Judicious desire Investors... The paper shows that assessing execution introducing it reasonably is essential to the vitality of a speculation firm. Portfolio chiefs and security investigators make choices under conditions of vulnerability concerning the overall engaging quality of individual ventures and market segments; the capacity of execution experts is to clarify the aftereffect of those choices. Portfolio the executives is the workmanship and science for settling on choice as far as venture blend and strategy, accomplish the goal of financial specialists, by contributing resource for individual or establishments. Portfolios characterized as â€Å"a assortment of speculations all possessed by a similar individual or association. These ventures frequently incorporate stocks, which are interests in singular organizations; securities, which are interests in the red that are intended to gain premium; and shared assets, which are basically pools of cash from numerous speculators that are contributed by experts or as indicated by indices†. It is established to accomplish a degree of anticipated come back with most minimal hazard plausibility. The portfolio the board has been associated with new item advancement and advance activities to accomplish greatest benefit. In the feeling of current portfolio it is expertly developed system for speculation to accomplish more development from an ostensible measure of capital. It characterized as â€Å"Overall venture procedure that tries to develop an ideal portfolio by thinking about the connection among hazard and return, particularly as estimated by alpha, beta, and R-squared.

Relationship between Politics and Religion in India

Indian governmental issues has a significant relationship with Religion. Religion satisfies the job of a belief system in a circumstance of progress when there is a plenty of new requests and steady changes must be made. Both Islam and Hinduism in the late nineteenth century were attempting to suit the new requests. This cracked their prior facilities and prompted struggle with the need of an intricate connection among patriotism and Religion. This is the place the conflict began. India bombed on this front prompting clashes and division between two contending perfect world visions.The conflict of self images over premise and minor contradictions made this division inescapable. The significance of religion, disregarding such clashes can be explained in the expressions of Gandhiji who said that the individuals who affirm that Religion has nothing to do with Politics, have no comprehension of either Politics or Religion. That the Hindu lion's share were increasingly open minded and spo ngy of others’ perspective, is the same old thing. The religion itself is recognized as a result of its central segment of resistance which isolates it from other religion viewpoint.Anslie embree in his book on Utopias in Conflict expresses that â€Å"Tolerance isn't just a scholastic inquiry. It is naturally connected with the minority. The Islamic people group in India needed neither to be ingested or endured and this appears to have happened to not many examples of Hindu tolerance†. Resistance is likewise a matter of observation and throughout the hundreds of years as India met with three distinct human advancements, the general public assessed. The happening to Islam in the eighth century, to the significant force at the inside, as almost 500 years of their backbone, didn't change any crucial incentive in the Hindu religion.The happening to the Portugese and the French likewise didn't prompt any adjustments in our social structure, the explanation being the lack of care like the previous Muslim time frame when perspectives were enunciated in a strict jargon. The happening to the British was distinctive as â€Å"they didn't lucid their perspectives and mentalities of their way of life in strict terms†. The Hindu intelligential were certainly increasingly open to the social and strict thoughts as differentiated by the ‘keep aloof’ conduct in light of Muslim, French and Portugese ideologies.However the elaboration of the national movement’s perfect by Gandhiji in â€Å"vocabulary of Neo-Hinduism† lay the seeds of strict clash in India which prompted nonconformity. One of the significant oversights in this Neo-Hindu discernment was its powerlessness to fathom the conviction structure of Muslims and the distinctions with Hindus. Salvation in Hinduism is of an individual while the Muslims and Christians discover their salvation as a piece of an enormous strict network. The governmental issues of the nineteenth cent ury and the quality of patriotism has disappeared today however religion has all the earmarks of being as solid as could be and a key column in our politics.Secularism has been re-characterized and pseudo-secularism is by all accounts the request for the day where slaughter of the larger part network scarcely draws a response openly with the exception of in private. The Politics of Religion is as solid as could be and there is just a difference in recognition. Our lawmakers never pass up on a chance to misuse the utilization of religion, be it the Hindu view or the Muslim point and India legislative issues would keep on utilizing Religion and the Caste framework for their endurance.

Task 2 Literature Review (9102) Example

Task 2 Literature Review (9102) Example Task 2: Literature Review (9102) â€" Assignment Example > Global Competitive is a Crucial Curriculum ConcernOver the years, the word curriculum has gained a lot of definitions depending on the topic under research. Nevertheless, all these definitions culminate in showing that curriculum is indeed all the planned reading for students to learn within a particular school. Notably, the curriculum is at times a permanent subject just like the subjects that are offered during the teaching of the curriculum. Luke, Woods, Weir (2013) defined curriculum as a document that contains the syllabus which acts a map that describes the overview of the teaching. It is structured in a way that it gives outlines of what will be taught across the school years. Notably, per se, the syllabus is not the curriculum. In short, curriculum sums all the resources that are required in the school teaching such as the textbooks, cognitive, scientific, linguistic, and any other material that is needed in the school education. The authors also note that many regions, s tates, and nations are under a volatile period of coming up with the best settlements for their curriculum. While curriculum shows the learning that occurs during the school years, it has drastically become a global competitive concern. The Power of CurriculumAll countries worldwide are seeking to standardize their education including Saudi Arabia because they have recognized that curriculum has much power over the daily proceeding of the general life. A study by Winter (2017) shows that the approach of standardization of curriculum is associated with the tightening of curriculum practices control achieved through the curriculum policy. Notably, most of the scholars take curriculum as a systematic policy that is implemented in schools and classes through pedagogy which is framed by assessment, systematic evaluation, and testing systems. In simple terms, curriculum establishes every nation unproblematic boundaries and content of what should be included and excluded in the planned ed ucational experiences as well as future education outcomes expectations. Interestingly, Rizvi Lingard (2010) have a different perspective of the curriculum since they recognize it as a cornerstone to govern the school. On the other hand, Luke, Woods, Weir (2013) emphasized that apart from designing and legitimating the official school objectives, assessment criteria, and skills, the curriculum policy is also responsible for other aspects. The issues considered are school time and space organization and also the pedagogical relationships and practices. Additionally, the curriculum policy determines the meaning-making of teachers and students. In short, the curriculum forms a powerful mechanism of totalizing the experiences of students and educators in the education sector. Nevertheless, Mitchell Alfuraih (2016) study showed that the curriculum is just a raw material for the education and it is subject to rejection, acceptance, and even rewriting. In this sense, curriculum acts a s an influence to subjectivity which not only gives the students to become self but also changing the relationships and pedagogy. Crucial Curriculum Concern Mitchell Alfuraih (2016) study noted that the English language had undergone many reforms in the current world especially in the Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia. First of all, the authors pointed out that curriculum is passed from the older generation to the younger generation. The knowledge they place is what they think the younger generation in history, aesthetical, international, autobiography, gender, racial among other aspects of life and education. The information enables one to understand that curriculum is a tensioned environment that allows designing of the curriculum, its development, and implementation in all levels and the process that are involved. Accordingly, these reforms include all the people including teachers so that they can suggest what they feel is applicable for the education imperatives.

The Current Legal Drinking Age - 997 Words

In today’s American society, the consumption of alcohol is commonly practiced. It is quite uncommon for one to attend a social event where the presence of alcohol is obsolete. However, society has deemed it fit to tell our youth that they are not allowed to participate in the traditional social pastime of drinking until they reach the age of 21. Hence, when they encounter methods around this predicament-and most of them do-young adults often participate in the reckless consumption of alcohol in large quantities. II. Thesis: Essentially, the most obvious way to resolve this societal flaw is to lower the minimum legal drinking age and to commence educating our youth about mature alcohol use sooner. III. Credibility: Like many others, I have directly been affected by the minimum drinking age in one way or another, and I have done extensive research on this topic to show the effects it has and how it can be changed. IV. Preview: This afternoon, I will discuss the current legal drinking age, today’s generation, and the potential resolutions to underage drinking problems. Body I. Main Point 1: In response to the drunk driving epidemic, which was brought to attention by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), President Ronald Reagan passed the Minimum Drinking Age Act in July of 1984. a. Sub Point: According to the Alcohol Policy Information System, the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act requires that States prohibit persons under 21 years of age from purchasing orShow MoreRelatedDrinking Culture and American Social Norms1318 Words   |  6 PagesSPEECH #3 – PERSUASIVE SPEECH Name: DANIEL C. DILIGENT Title: Lowering the Legal Drinking Age Specific Purpose: To argue in favor of lowering the minimum legal drinking age in the United States. Thesis Statement: I will discuss 1) the current legal drinking age, 2) the effect that this drinking age has upon American social norms, and 3) the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. I. INTRODUCTION A. Hook: Alcohol is ever-present in today’s American society. Television viewers are constantly bombardedRead MoreLowering The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Essay1521 Words   |  7 PagesBeer For Everyone! The debate of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) has been going on for decades in the United States. Those opposed, argue that the current MLDA is not efficient and counterproductive (Engs 1). One study indicated that thousands of lives under the age of twenty-one are lost each year to alcohol (McCardell 1). Underage drinking is an issue that persists, despite evidence suggesting that the minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has lowered alcohol usage among individualRead MoreThe Influence Of Little Timmy On Children Essay1443 Words   |  6 Pagesand had his whole life ahead of him. As the celebrations for his eighteenth birthday had died down, he wished his parents good night and returned to his bedroom in his parents’ lovely, two-story home. Timmy could hardly believe that he was already a legal adult, free to do whatever he wanted, within his parent’s limit of course. Being an adult meant that he could do whatever he wanted Timmy thought as he put th e finishing touches on his history report due the next day. Being an adult also meant thatRead MoreNot Lowering the Drinking Age1642 Words   |  7 PagesLowering the Drinking Age Many teenage deaths in the United States are caused in some way by the influence of alcohol; however, many people still believe that the legal drinking age should be reduced to eighteen. This issue has been going on for years, but the law has not been changed since the change to twenty-one in 1980. States have become stricter about preventing under-age drinking, but teenagers have no problem getting alcohol. There are many arguments in favor of changing the drinking age back toRead MoreEssay about Debate Over the Legal Drinking Age1735 Words   |  7 PagesOver the Legal Drinking Age College life is filled with changes. It is filled with many new experiences. As college students, we are on our own, adults. As adults we are responsible for keeping up to date on information that affects us. One issue that affects college students nation wide is drinking. The current legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one years of age. The Federal government raised the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 in 1984. Even with the current drinking age at twenty-oneRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Reflect Today s Societal Values And That The Legislations Liquor Act 20071285 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the laws related to the legal drinking age does not reflect today’s societal values and that the legislations ‘Liquor Act 2007 No 90 (NSW) Part 7 Division 1 Sections 117 116’ should be reformed to raise the drinking age in Australia from 18 years of age to 21. Through surveying different age groups and socio-economic backgrounds of society, informa tion has been gathered to demonstrate that the current laws do not reflect society’s opinion on the legal drinking age in Australia. Research suggestsRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Of The United States1479 Words   |  6 Pages The legal drinking age in the United States has been argued for many decades. The current minimal legal drinking age is twenty-one but some want to lower between eighteen and twenty. The main focus of the research conducted and opinions of people are based on the minimal legal drinking age of eighteen. The research is taken from the 1970s, when the twenty-sixth Amendment was passed in the Constitution (Wagenaar, 206). It was stated that eighteen is the â€Å"age of majority†, so thirty-nine of theRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should Remain at the Age of 21 Essay1310 Words   |  6 PagesWithout a doubt, the United States has been facing serious national problems with underage drinking. Depending on personal ideologies, some people mi ght not agree that the current minimum drinking age of twenty-one is based on scientific facts rather then ideology of prohibitionism. For example, since 1975 over seventeen thousand lives have been saved since the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was changed to age twenty-one (Balkin 167). This shows that even over a short amount of time, a higher MLDARead MoreLowering The Legal Drinking Age1387 Words   |  6 PagesThe concerns about safety involving alcohol, including alcohol-related fatalities, â€Å"binge drinking†, and long-term health effects, will not be compromised by lowering the legal drinking age to nineteen in the United States. Activists who wish to raise the legal minimum age frequently discuss the ways that driving while intoxicated endangers countless lives every day in the United States, and is an increasing problem in model Europe as well. However, drunk driving increases will secrecy, not withRead MoreDo not Lower the Legal Drinking Age825 Words   |  3 Pagesinfringing on personal rights. It’s regarding whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. This has been a huge controversy geared exclusively towards college students due to the fact that alcohol consumption at universities is the definitive part of campus life even though the greater part of students are not legally permitted to drink. It is apparent that through the regularity and risks of binge drinking across universities and the high percentage of DUI and alcohol

10 Calcium Element Facts You Should Know

Calcium is one of the elements you need in order to live, so its worth knowing a little bit about it. Here are some quick facts about the element calcium. Fast Facts: Calcium Element Name: CalciumElement Symbol: CaAtomic Number: 20Standard Atomic Weight: 40.078Discovered By: Sir Humphry DavyClassification: Alkaline Earth MetalState of Matter: Solid Metal Calcium is element atomic number 20 on the periodic table, which means each atom of calcium has 20 protons. It has the periodic table symbol Ca and an atomic weight of 40.078. Calcium isnt found free in nature, but it can be purified into a soft silvery-white alkaline earth metal. Because the alkaline earth metals are reactive, pure calcium typically appears dull white or gray from the oxidation layer that quickly forms on the metal when its exposed to air or water.  The pure metal can be cut using a steel knife.Calcium is the 5th most abundant element in the Earths crust, present at a level of about 3% in the oceans and soil. The only metals more abundant in the crust are iron and aluminum. Calcium is also abundant on the Moon. It is present at about 70 parts per million by weight in the solar system.  Natural calcium is a mixture of six isotopes, with the most abundant (97%) being calcium-40.The element is essential for animal and plant nutrition. Calcium participates in many b iochemical reactions, including building skeletal systems, cell signaling, and moderating muscle action.  It is the most abundant metal in the human body, found mainly in bones and teeth. If you could extract all of the calcium from the average adult person, youd have about 2 pounds (1 kilogram) of the metal.  Calcium in the form of calcium carbonate is used by snails and shellfish to construct shells.Dairy products and grains are the primary sources of dietary calcium, accounting or about three-quarters of dietary intake. Other sources of calcium include protein-rich foods, vegetables, and fruits.Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption by the human body. Vitamin D is converted to a hormone which causes intestinal proteins responsible for calcium absorption to be produced.Calcium supplementation is controversial. While calcium and its compounds are not considered to be toxic, ingesting too many calcium carbonate dietary supplements or antacids can cause milk-alkali syndrom e, which is associated with hypercalcemia sometimes leading to fatal renal failure. Excessive consumption would be on the order of 10 g calcium carbonate/day, though symptoms have been reported upon ingesting as little as 2.5 g calcium carbonate daily.  Excessive calcium consumption has been linked to kidney stone formation and artery calcification.Calcium is used for making cement, making cheese, removing nonmetallic impurities from alloys, and as a reduction agent in the preparation of other metals.  The Romans used to heat limestone, which is calcium carbonate, to make calcium oxide. The calcium oxide was mixed with water to make cement, which was mixed with stones to build aqueducts, amphitheaters, and other structures that survive to the present day.Pure calcium metal reacts vigorously and sometimes violently with water and acids.  The reaction is exothermic. Touching calcium metal can cause irritation or even chemical burns. Swallowing calcium metal can be fatal.The elem ent name calcium comes from the Latin word calcis or calx  meaning lime.  In addition to occurrence in lime (calcium carbonate), calcium is found in the minerals gypsum (calcium sulfate) and fluorite (calcium fluoride).Calcium has been known since the 1st century, when the ancient Romans were known to make lime from calcium oxide.  Natural calcium compounds are readily available in the form of calcium carbonate deposits, limestone, chalk, marble, dolomite, gypsum, fluorite, and apatite.Though calcium has been known for thousands of years, it was not purified as an element until 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy (England). Thus, Davy is considered to be the discoverer of calcium. Sources Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 112.Parish, R. V. (1977).  The Metallic Elements. London: Longman. p.  34.Weast, Robert (1984).  CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp.  E110.​

Triple Bottom Line Free Essays

In the 1990’s, mainly due to global warming and its effects like the â€Å"ozone layer†, the world has spread the idea of the Green Movement and people started to question organisations’ practices and their environmental, social and economic impacts. With this in mind, companies started to pay more attention to business sustainability in order to improve the company’s reputation. The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept is a methodology that focuses on the 3 P’s: People, Planet and Profit. We will write a custom essay sample on Triple Bottom Line or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was first introduced by John Elkington in 1994 and has increasingly become a basis for business sustainability. Not only has the world’s Green mentality influenced how companies operate but also government policies have made companies implement a different approach. Although many companies are using the TBL reporting and have reported to reduce costs due to this approach some companies avoid incorporating sustainability into their practices. As Bristol was considered the European Green Capital large and is seen as a true role model for the Green economy in Europe. This award encourages cities to improve the quality of life by taking the environment and social aspects into account in urban planning and management. It is believed that companies in Bristol have been influenced by this award to take a more sustainable approach towards the operations. This paper will review the TBL concept and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It will also include thoughts of TBL in relation to the organisation researched and its effects on its operations by linking theory to research findings. Research methods The research methods used in this report consist of field interviews to customers and employees of the chosen organisation. The interviews were conducted between the 29th of November and the 1st of December. The only sources of evidence used in this report are data collected from the conducted interview, relevant information from literature and personal experiences that were related to the topic. Literature review The Triple Bottom Line concept was first introduced by John Elkington in 1994 to expand the environmentalist agenda of those working towards sustainability so that it more explicitly incorporates a social dimension (Elkington, 2004). The triple bottom line is described as an inevitable  expansion of the environmental agenda [that] focuses corporations not just on the economic value that they add, but also on the environmental and social value that they add – or destroy (Elkington, 2004). This framework went beyond the traditional measures of profits, return on investment and shareholder value to include environmental and social dimensions (Slaper and Hall, 2011). . In addition, Savitz argues that TBL captures the essence of sustainability by measuring the impact of an organization’s activities on the world including both its profitability and shareholder values and its social, human and environmental capital (Savitz, 2006). The three performance elements that compose TBL are social, environmental and financial variables. These are commonly to as the 3 Ps: people, planet and profits. Nevertheless, the 3Ps do not have a common unit of measure (Slaper and Hall, 2011). It is a very difficult task to put a value on social and environmental dimensions of the Triple Bottom Line. Some argue that monetizing these dimensions would be a good option as it would have a single unit of measurement but on the other hand, how could you find the correct price for extinct species? Different views on how to measure TBL has been a subject of argument since it began to be studied. The number of companies that use some kind of 3P accounting grows at an impressive rate (Tullberg, 2012). According to KPMG 70% of the top 250 companies of the world did so by 2005 (Tullberg 2012). This supports that companies are trying to achieve their goals of profit maximization and economic growth while increasing environmental and social awareness and responsibility and also by focusing on having sustainable operations. Sustainability is defined as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (WCED, 1987). Companies with different sizes and structures understand that having sustainable operations is extremely important and they do so by balancing the 3 dimensions of the TBL concept. Environmental sustainability is related to the reduction of the footprint left by the company on the environment. Social sustainability shifts the focus to both internal communities (i. e. , employees) and external ones (Pullman et al., 2009). In order to enhance their social reputation companies engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Fombrun, 2005). Corporate Social Responsibility requires companies to acknowledge that they should be publicly accountable not only for their financial performance but also for their social and environmental record (CBI, 2001) and, by relating the TBL concept to CSR, it can be suggested that companies not only need to engage in socially and environmentally responsible behaviour, but, also, that positive financial gains can be made in the process (Gimenez et al, 2012). In recent years, governments have implemented legislations that oblige companies to provide information on how they are being socially responsible. According to the UK Corporate Governance Code the board should set the company’s values and standards and ensure that its obligations to its shareholders and others are understood and met (Financial Reporting Council, 2012) and Henderson (2004) states that in the UK there is a minister that is charged of promoting CSR. These are some of many examples to show the importance given to CSR. It is not only in the UK that legislation plays a large role in investments by companies in CSR but, also, in other countries in the EU like Germany where companies where required to implement CSR updates on their reports. However, by implementing regulation that obligates companies to report on their CSR means that those that were already being sustainable will lose their competitive advantage. An UK Government report on CSR states that CSR is about companies acting voluntarily to raise performance beyond minimum legal standards (UK Government, 2004), but with the implementation of this type of legislation, companies which have been using sustainable practices for years, will have their positive brand image removed. Many may argue whether companies are actually using â€Å"real CSR practices† (Gallego-Alvarez, 2010) in a voluntary and caring way or simple not concerned at all about their social and environmental impact and only concerned about the positive brand recognition that come with CSR practices. Although, it is agreed by many sources that the concern of companies for CSR has significantly contributed to the social welfare, some, like Henderson, oppose the fact of companies accepting CSR as he believes that it is both harmful at the level of individual enterprises and in relation to the economy as a whole (Henderson, 2009). Furthermore, Eden (1994) stated that the use of sustainable development in a business orientation becomes problematic where that orientation obscures other issues and demotes environmental action to only shallow and reformist dimensions (Eden, 1994). In conclusion, the vision of sustainability has come a long way since first introduced and CSR has become an extremely important aspect of business processes and will continue to grow despite the opposition of some. Achieving Triple Bottom Line growth will be a continuing quest for many organisations but to achieve sustainable development other issues at a macroeconomic level must be addressed. The operation researched The chosen operation to research is a local community gym based at Gloucestershire Cricket Club located in one of Bristol’s main roads. BS7 Gym provides a high quality exercise facility for members of the community alongside Gloucestershire cricket professionals. It is easily observable, staff and members could be easily approached and it had sufficient data for statistics to be developed. Data collected Data collection was essential for this report. By conducting interviews to both gym staff and members and observing its facilities it enables the development of statements. In order to gather relevant data the interviewing of staff was centred on TBL, CSR and the European Green Capital Award (EGCA). From the staff interview, it was possible to understand that staff had little or no knowledge about the concepts of CSR and TBL. After being briefly introduced to these concepts the interviewees were questioned about their thoughts on Bristol being awarded the EGCA. Many said that is was very positive and related this to businesses thinking about green issues and some gave examples of environmental friendly practices conducted by businesses and families. One interviewee in particular, referred to transport systems and their improvements and also the Bristol cycling campaign. The remainder of the questions concerned more about the 3 Ps. The interviewees were questioned on what the BS7 Gym was doing towards the environment and the community and what were their thoughts on this and if they could improve. The main answer was based on the individual and not on the Gym itself as they believed that they, as an individual, were doing their best to have positive impact on the People and Planet. They thought that the Gym, as a whole, was not considering their environmental sustainability as much as they consider social sustainability. After conducting observation of the Gym facilities it was very evident that the environmental sustainability measurements were not positive. Simple things like keeping the changing room light on even when they are not being used and the toilet discharge tank dripping constantly show that the gym’s performance can be significantly improved. Some interviewees mentioned that they are individually committed to being sustainable and improve on their environmental footprint. Interviews were also made to members of the Gym. These interviews were based on the members’ thoughts about TBL and the gym’s concerns towards the environment. Mostly every member identified social variables that can be used to measure their TBL such as, charity contributions (food bank, working with Multiple Sclerosis patients and autistic students) and providing the facilities to the local school. Moreover, gym members mentioned that the gym is constantly improving their facilities, projects and invest on innovation. Their thoughts towards this, related mainly to the gym trying to satisfy every member by providing different class types and improving their gym material. Operational benefits As Tullerg (2012) stated, the increase in companies that use some kind of 3 Ps, is perfectly seen in BS7 Gym. As a medium corporation they are paying more attention in being sustainable. With the charitable contribution they are improving their brand image and ,by showing their members that they are a sustainable corporation, they can increase their membership sales. Concentrating on both internal and external aspects of social sustainability (Pullman et al, 2009), will influence both the employees and the local community to be more socially sustainable. One interviewee said that he was influenced by other employees’ commitment to being sustainable. Although BS7 Gym is very attentive to the social aspect of TBL they lack attention on the environmental aspect. The high level of light and water consumption shows that the higher levels of the organisational pyramid are not taking into consideration their environmental side of TBL and if they could implement timer on lights and water taps in order to reduce costs and improve the financial performance. Conclusion As sustainability becomes a bigger issue nowadays, BS7 Gym although being a small to medium company with very simple business processes, it is possible to say that they have a sustainable approach towards their activities and that they embrace Triple Bottom Line in depth. Their sustainable approach has shown to improve their performance and how they are seen by the local community and their members. Their social and environmental accountability and responsibility lead them to economic growth although some adjustments and improvements can be done. How to cite Triple Bottom Line, Papers Triple Bottom Line Free Essays TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE The triple bottom line refers to an extension of the criteria used to measure organisational success. Traditionally, business success (or failure) is measured in terms of its economic performance. A business is considered to be successful if it has generated a sufficient financial return from its investments, financing activities and operating activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Triple Bottom Line or any similar topic only for you Order Now The triple bottom line takes into account three criteria for assessing organisational performance; 1. economic, 2. social 3. and Environmental. The financial or economic performance of an organisation is the easiest of the three criteria to measure accurately. Traditional accounting methods take into account the inflow and outflow of resources from the business, generally including cash and finances, assets, liabilities and other easily definable business resources. The economic criteria can then be used to determine how much an organisation generates in monetary value. It can also be used to determine the net worth of the business at a given point in time. The social performance of an organisation is somewhat more difficult to define and measure. The social criterion of the triple bottom line takes into account the impact that a business has on people within the business (employees) and people outside of the business (the community). A business applying the triple bottom line principles will act in a way that benefits the community and will ensure that people are not being exploited or endangered by the operation of the business. Social factors that should be considered include labour utilisation and wages, working conditions and contribution to community living standards. Environmental performance is concerned with a business’ total impact on the natural environment. Triple bottom line organisations aim to improve the environment where feasible, or at the very least, reduce and limit their negative impact on the environment. Organisations need to look at more than just obvious environmental issues (like pollution) and should consider the total lifecycle impact of their products and services. Triple bottom line reporting is becoming more widespread amongst both large and small organisations. Triple bottom line reporting makes business decisions and actions more transparent and allows people to gain a thorough understanding of a business’ level of corporate social responsibility. The triple bottom line report also helps manager to assess and compare their performance across all three criteria against the business objectives and long term goals. How to cite Triple Bottom Line, Essay examples

Develop In Children The Ability To Tackle Problems†Free samples

Question: Discuss About The Develop In Children The Ability To Tackle Problems? Answer: Introducation It is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence. Children develop their confidence from the environment especially that which is found in the educational institutions. The development of the ability to solve numeracy is among the most desired life skills in the world today. The focus of most learning institutions has been to equip children and the younger generation with this essential skills. This move is meant to address the various concerns about how the young generation gains knowledge on education and the numeracy skills(NN, 2017). These numeracy skills would be essential for their achievement of fully rewarding and sustaining lives. Moreover, it would enhance their active participation in the daily life activities. It is a fact that most professionals in the education system care about the acquisition of these skills by the youths. Several efforts have focussed on how best these skills could be improved. Normally, public opinio n has been sorted out so as to get a glimpse of what is popularly accepted as the best possible way of gaining knowledge in education and numeracy. All these foci are to ensure the young people acquire new behaviors from their interaction with the environment thus developing confidence and creative skills. (Monk, 2014). The behaviorism theory is one of the best explanation on how the children can acquire educational and numeracy skills that are essential for the growth and development of problem-solving skills(Skinner, 2017). This theory is mainly focused on the external events that enhance learning. Education programs are pursued in classical conditions according to this theory. A better understanding of the mathematical perspective and the numeracy skills are dependent upon external stimulus(Watson, 2013). For instance, in situations where learning of mathematics is a teacher centered environment, there are high chances that the students will only get the procedure and not the concepts. It is a fact that concepts are the basics if a better understanding of the mathematics and numeracy skills is to be realized(LTHEORIES, 2017). So much focus on the teacher puts students off from grasping the concepts. In the hearts of the students in this kind of a learning environment is embedded the belief that t he teachers know it all and so they need not think. In a layman's language, this is described as spoon feeding. This behavior causes dependence such that the children only depend on the tutor. Blocking the thoughts of the students by creating a virtually dependent learning environment of this kind is the greatest enemy of acquiring numeracy skills. The best ways to understand and solve numeracy challenges is by knowing and understanding the concepts. This kind of environment would discourage students from understanding concepts thus discouraging learning of the numeracy and mathematical skills (Anghileri, 2006). The above-mentioned challenge can be overcome by creating a suitable environment at the beginning of learning. A better understanding of numeracy is anchored so much on the environmental conditions or a rather external stimulus of the learners(Pavlov Anrep, 2003). Teachers must always understand and apply this concept whenever they engage the students in learning forum. The first essential step to better acquisition of the numeracy skills is the employment of direct communication with the students. The teacher must ensure that they communicate directly and clearly to the learners. Sometimes they should explain concepts and engage them by asking rhetorical questions so as to ensure they are always attentive. This helps to create an environment which focussed only on the numeracy skills being learned(Pavlov Anrep, 2003). Moreover, this would discourage to a greater extent a lacking in the classroom that might create a boring classroom condition. This kind of environment would make mo st students be disengaged thus they would not be able to acquire all the necessary (Anghileri, 2006). The behaviorism, though useful, sometimes fail to cater for the learning need of every student. The truth is that each student has their best means of understanding the numeracy skills. Some understand on the first time a teacher explains to them in the classroom(BEHAVIORISM, 2011). Other students, however, would need further explanation with follow up discussions and assignment so as to best grasp the concepts; constant involvement of some of the students in the learning of the numeracy skills and mathematical concepts. The process of encouraging the students to be involved in checking and revising their assignments and class work frequently. The advantage of this is the cultivation of a behavior that is useful for constant learning and understanding of the numerical lessons. This strategy is useful for taking care of every learner (Prigg, 2011). The ability of the tutors to give guidance to the students during the lessons is critical to grasping of the numerical concepts(Phillips Jonas, 2012). This guidance is meant to prompt the students' ideas and to have them air out their opinions about what they are learning in the classroom. It is well known that when someone discusses what they are studying, they would be able to understand and remember more as compared to when they just listen to the tutor. This is the reason why the behaviorism teaching theory insists on the environment created for the learners. The more conducive the learning environment the more it is easier for them to grasp the numerical concepts. According to Skinner the founder of behaviorism theory, learner of the numeracy and mathematical concepts require a well-developed stepwise approach. The stepwise approach must be in a linear direction. To put this into perspective, learning approach starts from the easiest numerical concepts as it progresses to more complex concepts(Watson, Behaviorist Learning Theory, 2017). This method of learning greatly promotes learning and understanding of mathematics. This kind of programs should be rolled out to all educational programs. The stepwise programs are similar to the way children learn how to walk. In other words, I would describe it as the baby step learning method (Anghileri, 2006). Furthermore, the focus of the theory is on the individualized learning. That is to mean, every student irrespective of their learning abilities must be taken care of in the learning environment. This kind of an environment will promote a development of the numerical skills in children irrespective of their learning capabilities. It is useful for upbringing the children to develop numerical skills. The skills have been realized to be useful in the society. The truth is, no skills in life is used as it is required for everyday activity. Even the noblest of the peasant in the society would need to do a few mathematical concepts even in their daily purchase of the grocery (Anghileri, 2006). The learning periods are beefed up with discussions so as to promote the children communication skills and the ability to think beyond the box. It is a fact that mathematics is a serious subject. However, learning mathematics should never be a serious matter. A tense environment scares learners; thus instilling fear in the minds of the learners(Phillips Jonas, 2012). A good learning environment would promote not only learning but also make the children love mathematical concepts. The reality is that when the students love what they do they would easily apply the skills in the real world. The application of the concepts is the basic concept of learning them. If learning was not for the purpose of application then it would make no sense why people would invest a lot of money and time in acquiring knowledge. Having a fun filled environment with friendly teachers is the greatest key to easier and quickest learner of the numeracy skills. Behaviourism theory is way better than other theories such as constructivism because of its strength of promoting whole students learning thus equal development of problem-solving skills among the children. The constructivism theory simply involves direct communication of the concepts to the learners without hearing from their side. This lack of sharing of ideas during learning transforms the children to be like machines who can simply cram procedures even if they do not understand them. Moreover, that calm friendly learning condition is destroyed thus creating a survival to be the best kind of an environment which make others quit from tackling numeracy problems. Such children will in future lack problem-solving skills while dealing with real life issues. Mathematics teaching has left behind rehearsals mathematics because it makes learning seem like a competition thus scaring some of the learners. A competitive environment would not only make the learning environment tense but also would scare the slow learners who may be in the class(NN, 2017). As mentioned earlier, this theory focuses on the promotion of the numeracy skills in every child and not the bright ones only. If a competitive environment is created, the learning abilities of all the children would not be promoted thus the lack of wholesome growth and development of the younger generation in the society in the field of numeracy and education as a whole (Anghileri, 2006). In conclusion, the development of the numeracy concepts is essential in any society. These skills are best learned when they are instilled in the children in their early stages of development. This is to mean that educational programs should focus more on having people develop a passion for these skills when they are still young. A stepwise learning skill that identifies every good deed by the learners is very beneficial towards the promotion of these skills(Phillips Jonas, 2012). The theory of behaviorism in education is the best theory that could be applied in making the children better understand the numeracy skills. This theory finds an advantage over other theories because of its concentration on every student's detailed learning and not just passing information to the children. The educational systems of the world would be able to make great advancements when they succeed in promoting numeracy skills among the young generation by making mathematics become their passion rather than just another subject of study. Learning numeracy and mathematical skills have changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on the mathematical thinking and communication to prepare the children for the real world of tomorrow (Anghileri, 2006, p.2). References Anghileri, J. (2006). Childrens mathematical thinking in the primary years perspectives on childrens learning (Repr. 2006. Ed.) London: Continuum. BEHAVIORISM. (2011). April: https://www.funderstanding.com/theory/behaviorism/. LTHEORIES. (2017, August). BEHAVIORISM. Retrieved from Learning Theories: https://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html Monk, H. (2014, October 1). 'Enforcing good behaviour is fundamental to education'. Retrieved from The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/11132924/Enforcing-good-behaviour-is-fundamental-to-education.html (2017, July). Why is numeracy important? Retrieved from National Numeracy: https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/why-numeracy-important Pavlov, I., Anrep, G. (2003). Conditioned reflexes. Courier Corporation. Phillips, C., Jonas, F. (2012). Perspectives on Learning. In C. Phillips, F. Jonas, Perspectives on Learning (p. Ch 3). Teachers College Press. Prigg, (2014). Can women do math? New study find sexes believe men are better: A journal of mathematics. Skinner, B. (2017). About behaviorism. Vintage. Watson, J. (2013). Behaviorism. Read Books Lts. Watson, J. (2017, August). Behaviorist Learning Theory. Retrieved from Innovative Learning: https://www.innovativelearning.com/teaching/behaviorism.html

Racially Biased Pretextual Traffic Stops Essays - Law Enforcement

Racially Biased Pretextual Traffic Stops The interviews excerpted here show that racially biased pretextual traffic stops have a strong and immediate impact on the individual African-American drivers involved. These stops are not the minor inconveniences they might seem to those who are not subjected to them. Rather, they are experiences that can wound the soul and cause psychological scar tissue to form. And the statistics show that these experiences are not simply disconnected anecdotes or exaggerated versions of personal experiences, but rather established and persistent patterns of law enforcement conduct. It may be that these stops do not spring from racism on the part of individual officers, or even from the official policies of the police departments for which they work. Nevertheless, the statistics leave little doubt that, whatever the source of this conduct by police, it has a disparate and degrading impact on blacks. But racial profiling is important not only because of the damage it does, but also because of the connections between stops of minority drivers and other, larger issues of criminal justice and race. Put another way, driving while black reflects, illustrates, and aggravates some of the most important problems we face today when we debate issues involving race, the police, the courts, punishment, crime control, criminal justice, and constitutional law. A. The Impact on the Innocent The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, and specifies some of the requirements to be met in order to procure a warrant for a search. Since 1961--and earlier in the federal court system--the Supreme Court has required the exclusion of any evidence obtained through an unconstitutional search or seizure. From its inception, the exclusionary rule has inspired spirited criticism. Cardozo himself said that the criminal is to go free because the constable has blundered, capturing the idea that the bad guy, caught red handed, gets a tremendous windfall when he escapes punishment because of a mistake in the police officer's behavior. We need not even go all the way back to Cardozo to hear the argument that the exclusion of evidence protects--and rewards--only the guilty. The justification advanced for the exclusionary rule is that while the guilty may receive the most direct benefit when a court suppresses evidence because of a constitutional violation, the innocent--all the rest of us--are also better off. The right to be free from illegal searches and seizures belongs not just to the guilty, but to everyone. The guilty parties who bring motions to suppress are simply the most convenient vehicles for vindicating these rights, because they will have the incentive--escaping conviction--to litigate the issues. In so doing, the argument goes, the rights of all are vindicated, and police are deterred from violating constitutional rules on pain of failing to convict the guilty. One problem with this argument is that it takes imagination: the beneficiaries of suppressed evidence other than the guilty who escape punishment are ephemeral and amorphous. They are everybody--all of us. And if they are everybody, they quickly become nobody, because law-abiding, taxpaying citizens are unlikely to view ourselves as needing these constitutional protections. After all, we obey the law; we do not commit crimes. We can do without these protections--or so we think. It is not my intention here to recapitulate every argument for and against the exclusionary rule. Rather, I wish to point out a major difference between the usual Fourth Amendment cases and the most common driving while black cases. While police catch some criminals through the use of pretext stops, far more innocent people are likely to be affected by these practices than criminals. Indeed, the black community as a whole undoubtedly needs the protection of the police more than other segments of society because African- Americans are more likely than others to be victims of crime. Ironically, it is members of that same community who are likely to feel the consequences of pretextual stops and be treated like criminals. It is the reverse of the usual Fourth Amendment case, in that there is nothing ghostlike or indefinite about those whose rights would be vindicated by addressing these police practices. On the contrary, the victims are easy to identify because they are the great majority of black people who are subjected to these humiliating and difficult experiences but who have done absolutely nothing to deserve this treatment--except to resemble, in a literally skin-deep way, a small group of criminals. While whites who have done nothing wrong generally have little need to fear constitutional violations by the police, this is decidedly

The Political and Economic Organizations of Mycenae essays

The Political and Economic Organizations of Mycenae essays The first Greek-speaking, Indo-European tribes appeared in Greece about 1900 BCE, during the Middle Bronze Age. The first peoples were highly adaptive, ready to learn, eager to accept, adopt, and change their culture. It was only naturally that these outgoing, innovative people traveled and came in contact with the Minoan culture. Under Minoan influence these peoples developed into a new culture, the Mycenaean. The Mycenaeans were a different race altogether from the Minoans, and came into existence in Greece around 2000 B.C. The Mycenaean culture proved successful, becoming very powerful and very rich. Although the great civilization fell, it still thrived and flourished for an entire period. The mainland of the 15th century did not have any revolutionary developments in the political, economic or social sense. The political, economic and social systems thus had been moving toward the North Easts idea centralization. The population was growing, and foreign trade was booming. The purpose of my paper is to examine the political and social systems of Mycenae by means of closely examining their power bureaucracy, social systems, and their trade; both imports and exports. All information is gathered from the Tablets, archaeological evidence, Scholars theories, and Homer. First, I will address the political system of Mycenae. There is little evidence about the form and organization of the Mycenaean society. The Linear B tablets provide some information, but even that information is questionable and debated. Perseus is the traditional and mythological founder of Mycenae. The beginning of Mycenaes excellence began with the fall of Knossos. The world depicted by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey can only partly be treated as historical evidence, but Homer still exhibits some clues and evidence for rebuilding a model of Mycenaes political system. By a combination of Homer, the Linear B tablets, and arc...

SWOT Analysis of Wal Mart and Carrefour in China Essay

SWOT Analysis of Wal Mart and Carrefour in China - Essay Example Also, being a globally renowned company, the company can face a number of issues politically as well as other external factors. The company also faces high levels of cost competition across the country. Carrefour is one of the worlds second largest and the largest retailer in Europe. The company has been in the Chinese markets for the past few years and has opened as many as ten stores in China at the end of 2010. The main strengths of the company here include its strong global brand name and brand image. Also, the company’s strong experience and knowledge of the industry provides it with an upper hand. Also, since Carrefour has been in China since 1995, the company has strong suppliers and strong contacts within the country. The weaknesses of the company, however, include lack of strong and well-integrated systems within the country. Carrefour uses the strategy of adopting the country as many small markets instead of one large market. This leads to a lack of a strong integrat ed system for the company. In terms of the opportunities, Carrefour has a strong opportunity to enter into the development of small stores across the country as well as to use their strong relations with the suppliers to expand its business and increase the number of stores, considering the size of the Chinese markets (Carrefour). Finally, in terms of the threats, it is clear that the company also faces high levels of threats from other competitors like Wal Mart and also the small local retailers.

A Wedding Ceremony and Theatre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Wedding Ceremony and Theatre - Essay Example This paper stresses that  theatre is an integral aspect of human life. From a broader perspective, theatre can be said to be everywhere around people. A wedding ceremony is an excellent example of a theatrical performance that the bride and the bridegroom perform unwittingly to the guests. At the same time, the guests to a wedding are an audience to the performance of the bride and the bridegroom, their respective family members, bridesmaids, priest, and groomsmen. In a wedding situation, there is meticulous planning prior to the actual ceremony. A wedding planning phase can be considered as a period when both the bride and bridegroom and their respective families go through the ‘script’ of the scheduled ‘performance’.  This essay discusses that  the bridegroom and the bride and their respective families send invitation cards to their close friends and kin. The wedding invitation cards, in a theatre scenario, symbolize ‘tickets’ of entry t o the ‘performance arena’ which in reality is the venue of the wedding ceremony. Critical perspectives of typical wedding ceremonies across societies around the world reflect some theatrical elements that include: uniforms or costumes, spectators and performers, and a ritualistic framework.  In the United States for instance, several factors such as culture, social norms, and culture forms the basis of the majority wedding ceremonies.  Before the wedding ceremony, most brides have ceremonies that are commonly identified as ‘bridal showers’.

The History Of Visual Effects

The History Of Visual Effects The moving images has always enthralled and surprised its viewers. Since the first ever video of horse running to prove his animal feature to the latest video featuring Akon or Eminem, or to the latest film avatar which took 10 long years for its completeion, this medium of Moving Visual Images has come a long way and still far more to go and explore. The most influencial among these moving images is the medium of cinema. I has a strong hold on people, they never get tired of movies. This is the key thought behind movie making . If the people are showing any hesitation towards the movies, the makers would soon come up with new ideas and technologies. If the Improvement is in the field of technologies it would certainly be containing the word Effects in its priority list. Effects is the most important and key part behind the film Industry now. More than 90% of films releasing today has a Special or Visual Effects sequence in some part of its running time or may be the entire movie would be VFX showcase. The first film screening was done on December 28, 1895 showing 10 short films of 20 minutes in total was held in the basement launch of the Grand cafe on the boulvard des capucines in Paris, and the inventers of this technique of capturing and projection of sequence of images were by the Lumere Brothers. And now A single film is releasing world wide on the same day in more than thousands of theatres. The growth of the Industry was in tick of a time but this tick of time has a lot more to say. Louis Lumiere once said about cinema Cinema is an invention without any future. He might have been right when he made this statement, The period of invention, Invention of usabel electricity, steel and petroleum products which inturn lead to the second Industrial revolution. But that statemnt of Louis Lumiere would be a joke at this poit of time, In this era of technologies and development, A period when manpower is questioned by the machines. Experiments were the key to improvement, innovation and inventions. The technologies dint come up by itself There is a lot of hard work and lot of man power behind it. A small brief of the eveolution of Effects. Special Effects Smokes and mirrors were the first visual effects tool used in the begning of movie making to create Effects. The smoke and mirrors with the help of tricky camera techniques startled the audience. This was achiedved with the help of human inablity of vision, that they will see sequence of images as they are in motion and not as single images. These was scientifically called as the persistance of vision. These simple techniques were produced within the camera, such as simple jump-cuts or superimpositions, or were created by using miniatures, back projection, or matte paintings. The first ever Special effect used ina motion picture is called Stop trickand It was the first type of photographic trick in motion pictures. The trick is simple,Executed by Alfred Clarke in 1895. While filming a reenactment of the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots, Clark instructed an actor to step up to the block in Marys costume. As the executioner brought the axe above his head, Clarke stopped the camera, had all of the actors freeze, and had the person playing Mary step off the set. He placed a Mary dummy in the actors place, restarted filming, and allowed the executioner to bring the axe down, severing the dummys head. George Melies a French magician is a personality whom I shouldnt miss when speaking about the History of Special Effects. He is also reffered as the Cinemagician. George melies accidently discovered the same Stop trick. While he was filming in the streets of paris, his camera got jammed. And later when it was screened He found that Stop Trick has caused a truck turn into a hearse, Pedestrians to change direction and men turned into women. Melies the stage manager at the theatre Robert-Houdin, was inspired to develop na series of more than 500 short film, between 1896 and 1914, in the process developing or inventing such techniques as multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand painted color. Because of his ability to seemingly manipulate and transform reality with the cinematography. He used this trick when shooting his eight-and-a-half minute famous Nickelodeon based on Jules Vernes From the Earth to the Moon. This video featured a combination of live action andanimation, and also incorporated extensive miniature and matte painting work. Introduction To Visual Effects Visual Effects or VFX is a subsidiary part of special effects. What is VFX Visual Effects (Visual FX/VFX) is the various process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live action footage. Visual Effects involve the Integration of computer generated Realistic Environments, characters or Effects which is dangerous, costly or simply impossible to capture on film. The technique of Visual Effects is now commonly used in Big Budget films as the generation is a costly business. The Availability of affordable Compositing and 3D softwares creates a wave among the amateur film makers to include these techniques in their films too. Different Techniques Involved or Integrated with Visual Effects Animation: Animation is the technique by which images which would be 2D or 3D artwork or model position shown in a sequence such that it creates an illusion of motion. This is due to the optical illusion of motion which is in turn by the persistence of vision of our eye. The most common method of presenting this would be motion picture or a video program although there are plenty of other methods. Chroma key: Chroma key compositing or Chroma Keying is the technique of compositing two images or frames together in which a color or small color range from the above image is removed or made transparent revealing the image behind it. This technique is also referred as Colr keying or Color separation overlay green screen or Blue screen. Compositing: Compositing is the combining of of visual elements from various sources to one image, creating an illusion that all these elements are the part of the same scene. Live action shooting for various compositing are called, chroma keying, green screen, blue screen etc. All compositing involves replacing one part of an image with another part from another image. In the digital method of compositing the software command designates a narrowly defined color as part of an image to be replaced. Then every pixel from the source image is replaced by the pixel from the image which has to be in place. That should be aligned in such a way that the whole composition should look like a single image or frame. Computer Generated Imagery: Computer Generated Imagery or CGI is the application in the field of Computer graphics or more precisely 3D computer graphics to special Effects in films, Television programs, Commercials etc. CGI is used for films because its controllable than the other physical processes like Constructing miniatures or calling Extras for the crowd sequence. And the advantage CGI has over other mediums is that It can be controlled and edited by one individual/CG Artist without the help of Actors, Expensive set pieces or Costly props. Matte Painting: A matte Painting is the painted representation of a landscape, Set or Distant location that allows filmmakers to create an illusion which would rather be very much expensive, impossible to visit or shoot on a live action film. During the course of time since its first usage, The artist have used and experimented different techniques on matte painting. But the quality of output of matte painting is seamless and is directly proportional to the skill level of the artist and his imaginations. Rear Projections: Rear Projection is an in- Camera special effect technique used in film productions to combine foreground performance with pre-filmed backgrounds. It was widely used and still being used to show background motions like driving or a distant Background motion. The projector is placed behind the screen which is called plate and casts a sequence of images on to the screen. As the projector is behind the screen a reversed image is casted which makes the image looks fainted or washed out . A large area of space is occupied for this kind of projections as the projector is kept at a distance from back of the screen. Since the screen is called plate, Roll Plate was the command given to the crew to roll the projector according to the time. Front Projection Effect: In contrast to rear projection, in front projection the background image is projected onto both the performer and a highly reflective background screen, with the result that projected image is bounced off the screen and into the lens of a camera. This is achieved by having a screen made of a retroreflective material such as Scotchlite, a product of the 3M company that is also used to make screens for movie theaters. Such material is made from millions of glass beads affixed to the surface of the cloth. These glass beads reflect light back only in the direction in which it came, far more efficiently than any common surface. The actor (or subject) performs in front of the reflective screen with a movie camera pointing straight at him. Just in front of the camera is a two-way mirror angled at 45 degrees. At 90 degrees to the camera is a projector which projects an image of the background onto the mirror which reflects the image onto the performer and the highly reflective screen; the image is too faint to appear on the actor but shows up clearly on the screen. In this way, the actor becomes his own matte. The combined image is transmitted through the mirror and recorded by the camera. Schà ¼fftan process: Its a special Effect technique used in the first of 20th century before being completely replaced by traveling matte. This process is named after its Inventor Eugen Schà ¼fftan(1893-1977)Schà ¼fftan placed a plate of glass at a 45-degree angle between the camera and the miniature buildings. He used the cameras viewfinder to trace an outline of the area into which the actors would later be inserted onto the glass. This outline was transferred onto a mirror and all the reflective surface that fell outside the outline was removed, leaving transparent glass. When the mirror was placed in the same position as the original plate of glass, the reflective part blocked a portion of the miniature building behind it and also reflected the stage behind the camera. The actors were placed several meters away from the mirror so that when they were reflected in the mirror, they would appear at the right size. . Visual special effects techniques in rough order of invention practical effects in-camera effects miniature effects Schà ¼fftan process matte paintings rotoscoping Dolly zoom optical effects travelling matte aerial image effects optical printing bluescreen prosthetic makeup effects motion control photography Audio-Animatronic models digital compositing wire removal morphing match moving Virtual cinematography Landmark movies 2001: A Space Odyssey (Pioneer in spaceships models) Amadeus (Old age stipple, era effects) The Birds (Male/Female Matte developments) Buddy (Animatronics) The Day After Tomorrow (Prolonged digital shots, playing with weather effects) Independence Day (Digital effects combined with small-scale models) Jurassic Park (Large animatronics, creating creatures from scratch) King Kong (2005) (Motion Capture) The Lord of the Rings film Trilogy (Created Massive Software, prosthetic work, digital effects, motion capture) The Matrix Trilogy (Bullet Time) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest (Motion capture from a 2D image) Star Wars (Creation of original, practical effects, destruction effects, pioneer in spaceships models) Superman (Human flight) Terminator 2: Judgment Day (3-Dimensional Morphing and 3D Human Body) The Terminator (Digital effects) Titanic (Model work, computer generated water, motion capture) Toy Story (Complete Computer Animation) Tron (Computer animation, virtual sets) The History Of Indian Cinema History Of Indian Cinema The first ever screening In India was held in Bombay at Wastons Hotel in the year 1886, six soundless short films were screened by Lumiere Cinematographe just on year after the first ever screening by Lumiere Brotheres in Paris. Soon after, Hiralal Sen and Bhatavdekar started making films in Culcutta(now Kolkatta) and Bombay(now Mumbai) respectively. First acuality films were made by Bhatavdekar in 1899 just like the Lumieres did. Thogh there were many efforts in making feature films since the introduction of Film in India, The first feature film Raja Harishchandra was made in the year 1913 by Dada Sahab Phalke, He was later known as the Father of Indian Cinema.By the year 1920, The begning of Indian film Industry was started and started with 27 films per year, reached 207 films in 1931 and today India makes about more than 1000 films per year. A world record has been set in 2009 by producing about 2961 films on cellulloid which includes a staggering figure of 1288 feature films. Visual FX in India The History of Indian Visual FX dates back to the silent era, At the same time as hollywood films were experimenting and Executing VFX, India has also closely followed and caught on. Dada Saheb Phalkes silent movie Kalimardhan in the year 1919 is one example wit such work. Later came movies like Padhala Bhairavi and Mya Bazar which took VFX to greater heights. The Golden Era(1940-1960) Of Indian Cinema: This was the era when Indian films where well acclaimed and Appreciated along with the growth of world Cinema. The films were treated well in the Industry. This nourished and helped the Indian film makers to Explore and Experiment both technically and story base. There were many experiment in the field of cinematography innovating new techniques and experimenting with new Ideas. Cinematographers like Subrata Mitra were pioneers in that. His techniques had an Impact on the cinematography of the world cinema. His techniques included Bouncing the light thats using the daylight on the sets. Then came the major twist, which has made the Indian films to lack behind in Techniques. The reason are many, But two main reasons would be The usage of computer generated technologies in world cinema where Indian filmmakers were drawn back, as the Indian Scientists and technologist may ot have helped the field of cinema in improving its quality. The second reason would be, Eventhough the scientists and Technologists were keen in helping the Indian film for producing the special effect techniques, Indian film makers might have more preferred creating Masala Movies( A colocial word used for the Typical Indian Commercial Film) fledged with Darama, songs, Tragedy and all. As the medium of cinema is a Pure process of Business through Entertainment. Even then Few movies were released in Indian Cinema with magnificant Films with special Effects, Makers being the pure lovers of Cinema, and whoe adored the growth of world Cinema. The 90s: Begning of The Visual FX The 90s has to be considered as the milestone decade for the Visual FX Of Indian Cinema. This decade show us first that Indian Cinema has the strengh and courage to Compete with the world cinema in Visual FX. The first live action movie incorporating animation in India was O Faby in 1993, A malayalam feature film. Then Came a film in the year 1994 where the lead Actor was dancing with his heroine for the song Mukkala Mukkabula but the surprise was that only his clothes were visible and his body parts were just blank or Invisible. This was the first time when Indian Audience as well as the makers were experiencing such a technique in an Indian cinema. The Indian Government had been too impressed with this dance I think, From the next year onwards, 1995 The rajat Kamal or Silver Lotus for Special Effects have been Included in the National Film Awards. The first award went to none other than the creator of this piece of Effect Mr. Venky. Venky has shown his talent in the 1993 released film Gentleman and did some charisma in the movie, and then he came to work in Kadhalan and grabbed the award. But it would be too Unfair If I dont mention the Director Both the films, which is the same person, who has shooked each and everyfilm maker in the country with his love toward Visual FX, with his love towards Cinema, with his belive in the Visual FX, and shooked the whole country with his latest film Endhiran/Robo( 2010), Simple but fledged with Innovative ideas Mr. Shankar.

Factors Influencing the Use of Presidential Veto Essay

The democratic system of government relies mainly upon the proper functioning and the harmonious relationship between its three main branches: The Executive Department which has the power to execute the law; b) the Legislative Branch which has the power to propose, enact, amend and repeal the law; c) the Judiciary which has the power to interpret the law. Our constitution has divided these three most important functions to these three departments which are considered co-equal and supreme authority within their own domain. The principle of separation of powers has for its aim the prevention of the over concentration of authority in one person or group of persons that might lead to an error or abuse to the prejudice of the whole state. The idea is that the separation of power will produce greater action on the part of these three departments, prevent any of these three departments from over-extending their authority to the point of encroaching into the domains of the other department, to prevent the possibility of abuse by any department in the exercise of its power and to obtain maximum efficiency in the delivery of public service. Austin Ranney (1995) once said that any concentration of powers in a single branch is tyrannical and only true separation of powers will protect the liberties of the people against the aggressions of government. (Austin Ranney, p. 240) Checks and Balances The US Constitution has provided for the principle known as the checks and balances. Under this principle, the constitution has given each department certain powers by which it may restrain the other department from improvident action. This enables the whole state to maintain the right balance among them and preserve the will of the sovereign as expressed in the constitution. Thus, pursuant to the principle of Checks and Balances, one department is allowed to resist encroachments made by one department against another or to rectify mistakes and errors committed by the other department. The principle of separation of powers should not however be interpreted to mean that there is a sibling rivalry of some sort in the exercise of the powers of these departments. The fact remains that even if one department may control, interfere with or encroach upon the acts done by another department pursuant to the constitution, it is still the policy that each department have to interact with one another to achieve a unity of purpose. There is therefore no wall of isolation or animosity among the three departments. Blending of Powers Corollary to the principle of separation of powers and the checks and balances is the principle of blending of powers which is very evident in the manner every democratic government runs. In the performance of a constitutional task, one department acts in a manner complimentary to or supplementary to the other. The principles of separation of powers, checks and balances and blending of powers can be adequately explained in the manner of enactment of laws and statutes. The principle of separation of powers provides that to the legislative belongs the power and authority to enact, amend and repeal a law. To the executive department belongs the power to implement the law. Thus bills are passed by Congress and sent to the President for his approval. The principle of checks and balances is manifested in the way the president vetoes the bills passed by the Congress. The power to veto bills passed by Congress is stated under Article 1 Section 7 of the United States Constitution, to wit: â€Å"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. (Article 1, Section 7, United States Constitution) Though the Congress enacts the law, the president has the prerogative to reject the law through his exercise of the veto power. In effect, the President, theoretically, can indirectly become a lawmaker by rejecting bills passed by Congress and by proposing to the Congress that certain bills be passed. The same is true for Congress which may greatly influence the exercise of the President of his authority to implement the law. It is clearly stated in the US Constitution that it has the power to override the veto power of the President provided it has the required numbers supporting it, to wit: â€Å"If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law. † (Article 1, Sec 7, United States Constitution) In addition, to its power to override presidential veto, Congress may opt to exercise pressure to the president by not confirming certain presidential appointments which the constitution has delegated to the Legislative Branch. In addition, the Congress may also exercise its power to commence and initiate its power of Impeachment. (Gary W. Copeland) In effect, the Congress if it really wants to enact a bill into law may convince the President with the exercise of its power to sign the bills into law. Factors Why the President Veto Legislation There are different views on the president’s exercise of his veto power. Some say that the more the president exercises his veto power the more effective leader he is. (Jong R. Lee) The theory is that a president who can influence the Congress is more likely to veto a bill and once vetoed this bill will not be overridden by Congress. This appears to be conclusive considering the following statistics: from the time of Washington to Nixon the veto was used 2,257 times. Out of these, only 75 vetoes or only 6% have been overridden by Congress. On the other hand, some say that the president’s exercise of veto is a sign of weakness on his part. The idea here is that if the president really had control and influence over the Congress then they would not have passed these bills that prompted the president to override them in the first place. The veto power is one of the potent weapons which a president may exercise under our democratic system of government. It is even stated that it is the power of the President to veto legislations that make him a dominant American political figure. Copeland) The veto power of the president serves as a check to the power of the Legislative branch to make laws by exercising its veto power. One of the reasons cited for the exercise of the veto powers is because the bill is unconstitutional. The primary function of the President is not to please his political party or to please the electorates. His main responsibility is to protect the constitution and to ensure that the laws are passed i n accordance with the United States Constitution. As its protector, the Constitution has expressly given the president the power to veto bills which are unconstitutional. Thus, several presidents have in the past vetoed bills on the ground of their unconstitutionality. Thus, consider President Andrew Jackson who vetoed bills that seek to extend the charter of the Second Bank of the United States because he insisted the Bank was beyond the power of Congress to create. (Bruce Fein) Aside from the bill’s unconstitutionality, the president has also in the past vetoed bills based on serious ethical and moral grounds. One particular example is HR 810 or the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2006 which authorized the Secretary of State to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic cells. This bill was vetoed by the president. (â€Å"Message to the House of Representatives†) In his veto message dated July 19, 2006, President George W. Bush states that as though he is in favor of exploring the potentials of the research on stem cell, he however is apprehensive about the ethical repercussions of the said research. Signing this bill will allow the deliberate destruction of human embryos for the purpose of research which is damaging to our nation. In addition, it is widely acknowledged that the past president have used the veto power not merely to protect the constitution. The president has in the past used the veto power not merely as a means for protecting the constitution but also for various political purposes. It bears stressing that not all presidents have the support of the Congress. Several presidents in the past have to contend with a hostile Congress to get the needed legislations they wanted. If the president would not be firm in his response, it is possible that certain important pieces of legislations may not be passed at all. To avoid this from happening some presidents in the past have resorted to the extreme method of vetoing more laws to remind that that he holds the power. Consider the case of Franklin D. Roosevelt who in the past occasionally vetoed a piece of legislation simply to remind Congress that he is still in control (Richard E. Neustadt 1976) Harry Truman and Gerald Ford used the veto power for the purpose of determining differences in Congress to build a political base. (Neudstadt) It is the essence of democracy that the legislative and executive departments though they perform different tasks are co-equal. This may or may not be advantageous for the whole citizenry depending on the condition of the nation. It may happen that the country may experience economic difficulties. During this time, laws must be swiftly passed so that the needs of the people will be addressed more quickly. The ideal reaction would be that the Congress should communicate with the President so that they will have an understanding of what kind of laws need to be passed that can help improve the lives of the people. However, the exact opposite happens during economic difficulties. It is at this point that everybody wants to go grandstanding thinking that it is his best time to point the blame to another politician. It is at this time when every politician wants to be recognized for the littlest things he has done in the past. It is because of this reason that during economic difficulties and hardships there are more bills that are being vetoed by the president. Research has also shown that the president who feels that more voters are in his favor are more likely to use the veto power. The idea here is that the more the president thinks that he has the electorate on his side the more that he will tend to exercise this power to veto legislation. This could be measured by analyzing the results of the election in the past, the higher the votes the president gets the more likely it is that he will exercise this power. The political party who sponsored the bill may also influence the decision of the president whether he will veto it or not. The theory is that the more votes the bill receives from the members of his own party in Congress, the more likely that the president will sign the bill into law. On the other hand, the less votes the bill receives from the members of his own party, the more likely it is that the president will not sign the bill into law. Normally, when a bill is sponsored by a representative from a political party different from that o the president, the best thing for him to do if he seeks to have the bill passed into law is to compromise with the president and the other political party. Compromise can be manifested by deleting some portions of the bill which is objectionable on the part of the other political party. It bears stressing that if the sponsor of the bill refuses to eliminate these objectionable portions it is more likely that the president will likewise refuse to sing the bill into law and veto it. Conclusion The democratic system of government is indeed a complex system which requires the proper balance among its three branches. Based on the foregoing, there are many factors why a president may make use of his veto power. It could be because of the personality of the president. There are some presidents who are more inclined to veto legislations because they feel they have support of the electorate. President may also veto legislation because of the person sponsoring the bill. It is possible if the sponsor of the bill is someone other than a party mate of the president and the former does not make any compromises with the president such as deleting any objectionable portion of the bill then it is possible that the bill may be vetoed. Also, it could be because of the defects in the bill itself such as it is unconstitutional, unethical and immoral or may be because it is not yet timely.

Opera Critique Rigoletto

The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center is home for the world’s most creative and talented artists working in opera. Upon entering the building, the vicinity at Lincoln Center is unique and elegant. Approaching the Metropolitan Opera, a stylish and well-structured water fountain full of water is gushing while the off-white marble floor allures the visitor to the building. Entering the building, the glamorous and sophisticated snowflake-like chandeliers and winding staircase gives the visitor a welcoming feel. Before sitting, the visitor will notice the red carpets and the particular set-up of the theater. As the seats are elevated upward, there are sound cushions to promote a higher quality sound on the side balconies. What felt very informative were the captions in front of the seats, that also were available in other languages, to understand the singers. Guiseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto was written between 1850 and 1851. When the stage is first viewed, it is evident the time frame Verdi had written in. Rigoletto, played by George Gagnidze, is a hunch-baked jester that acts out the part very well. Costumes in the play were very detail- oriented and focused primarily on the way individuals dressed in the 19th century. The stage settings were altered according to Act, which represented very hard work and skill. During Act II, Gilda played by Christine Schafer, and Rigoletto join together in a duet that explains the courtship and Gilda’s abduction. The costumes, although could not be seen up close, were elegant for the time period. Rigoletto is dressed during this Act in a white, somewhat formal shirt beneath his regular vest – which was a dark brown, along with white tights underneath knee length shorts. As opposed to how individuals dressed today, it seemed outlandish but well- designed. The opera singers and orchestra had the most contribution to the performance. The pitch and vocals of the performers proved to be rich with character insight. Rigoletto contains a wealth of musical empowerment and melody. As the conductors of the orchestra are observed, it is apparent the time and practice placed into the performance were well spent. Compared to modern music, the orchestra conducted music that was pleasing to the ear that gave a new cultural view of other genres of music. Overall, the performance of Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center was an enriching experience. After only viewed one other play, The Christmas Music Spectacular at Rockefeller Center, it certainly offered a cultural background for the Italian culture. The theater itself was definitely an exquisite and elegant building that often is not found in the local area. The performance was an excellent portrayal of the 18th century as far as costumes and stage set-up while the musical aspect depicted the inspired drama set in Rigoletto. This experience has given an eye-opener to a different genre of music while setting an appreciation for other cultures.

Vestigial Structures Evolution Definition

A vestigial structure or vestigial organ is an anatomical feature or behavior that no longer seems to have a purpose in the current form of an organism of the given species. Often, these vestigial structures were organs that performed some important function in the organism at one point in the past. However, as the population changed due to natural selection, those structures became less and less necessary until they were rendered pretty much useless. They are believed to be leftovers, only vestiges of the past. Keep in mind the evolution is a slow process, with changes in species happening over hundreds or thousands if not millions of years, depending on how significant the change is. Although many of these types of structures would disappear over many generations, some keep being passed down to offspring because they do no harm—they arent a disadvantage for the species—or they have changed function over time. Some are present or functioning only during the embryonic stage or fetal development, or maybe they just have no function as we get older. That said, some structures that were once thought of as vestigial are now thought as useful, such as the whale pelvis or the human appendix. As with many things in science, the case isnt closed. As more knowledge is discovered, the information we know is revised and refined. Examples  of Vestigial Structures The animal kingdom is ripe with vestigial structures in their skeletons and bodies. Snakes descended from lizards, with their legs growing smaller and smaller until all that was left is a small bump (leg bones buried in muscle) at the back of some of the largest snakes, such as pythons and boa constrictors.Blind fish and salamanders who live in caves still have eye structures. One explanation, in the case of the fish, is that mutations in the genes that increase taste buds degrade the eyes.Cockroaches have wings, though the ones on the females arent developed enough for them to fly.The whale  shark is a filter feeder and its rows of teeth couldnt bite anything if they tried.The Galapagos cormorant has vestigial wings that dont help it to fly or swim, though the birds still dry them off in the sun after they get wet, just as if they would if they still could use them to fly. This species diverged into a flightless bird about 2 million years ago. Vestigial Structures in Humans The human body contains many examples of vestigial structures and responses. The coccyx or the tailbone: Obviously, humans no longer have visible external tails, because the current version of humans do not need tails to live in trees as earlier human ancestors did. However, humans still have a coccyx or tailbone in their skeletons. In fetuses, any tail is absorbed during development. The coccyx currently serves as an anchor for muscles; that wasnt what it was for originally, so thats why its considered vestigial. SCIEPRO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images   Male nipples: All people inherit nipples from both their parents, even males. Natural selection hasnt selected against them, even though they dont have a reproductive use in males. Goosebumps: The pilomotor reflex, which raises the hair on your arms or neck when you feel alarmed, is vestigial in humans, but its pretty useful for porcupines who raise their quills at a sign of danger or birds, who fluff up when it gets cold. Bele Olmez/Getty Images Wisdom teeth: Our jaws have shrunk over time, so we no longer have room for wisdom teeth in our jawbone. Your Appendix Actually Has Uses The function of the appendix had been unknown, and it had been thought to be a useless, vestigial structure, especially because no domestic mammals have one. However, its now known that the appendix serves a function. These endocrine cells of the fetal appendix have been shown to produce various biogenic amines and peptide hormones, compounds that assist with various biological control (homeostatic) mechanisms, Professor Loren G. Martin told told  The function of the appendix appears to be to expose white blood cells to the wide variety of antigens, or foreign substances, present in the gastrointestinal tract, Martin said. Thus, the appendix probably helps to suppress potentially destructive humoral (blood- and lymph-borne) antibody responses while promoting local immunity.