“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift Essay

The essay, â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift is a satirical piece that discussed, in great detail, the issues surrounding 18th century society as it pushed forward development as society progressed, both technologically and socially. The essay contained a ‘modest,’ albeit radical, proposal from Swift, wherein he tried to provide a rational solution to the problem of increasing population, scarcity, and poverty in his society under the British rule. Among Swift’s ‘modest proposals’ were the imposition of polygamy among humans, wherein â€Å"one Male [sic] will be sufficient to serve four Females,† and the practice of bearing children as Food, which he identified to be â€Å"very proper for Landlords. † These propositions provided a glimpse into the social problems Swift’s society experienced during his time, wherein poor governance, in order to be alleviated, was resolved through what Swift considered to be deviant and inhumane practices. Proposing these deviant and inhumane practices was a demonstration of the increased demoralization among the citizens of Swift’s society, a state which the author deemed to be too outrageous to be true but is actually occurring. Hence, in order to address these outrageous yet unconfronted social problems and issues, Swift’s essay generated the attention it deserved and warranted, therefore making the readers and the essay’s target audience aware of the social state at which their country found itself in. Swift’s essay, in effect, drove home the fact that in the midst of social progress and development, moral demoralization occurred as a consequence, defeating the purpose of development and progress in the society. A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Essay How does Swift attempt to make his readers aware of the problems in Ireland with his pamphlet? To what extent do you think he succeeds? Satire; a mode of writing that exposes the failings of individuals, institutions, or societies to ridicule and scorn. The modest proposal was considered one of the finest pieces of satire in world literature and was published as a pamphlet in 1729 in Ireland aimed at mainly the middle/ upper class of Ireland. The reasons for Swift’s outlandish and shocking pamphlet were to argue that the problem of poverty in Ireland can be best remedied by selling the babies of the less fortunate as food for the wealthy. He put forward his ideas in a pamphlet as this was a common method to publish an argument or in the public treatise arena. There was an issue of too many Protestants becoming quarrelsome over the Irish religious issues and something had to be done to resolve the complaints. This is where Swift’s proposal came into action as it addressed the issue and played on people’s prejudices and stereotypes of the Catholics and the Irish being inhumane savages. The proposal can be perceived as barbaric, cannibalistic and outrageous whereas some will see the logic behind it and how it will actually work. In the whole pamphlet he uses irony constantly to show satire and to horrify the public but sometimes you cannot always see the serious behind the writing. Swift sets up the proposal by giving the reader an insight into what someone might see as they walk through a town in Ireland in 1729. He describes the town (Dublin) as ‘great’ in the first paragraph but then carries on by saying that the streets are ‘crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four or six children’. He is putting the country down by writing about the streets swarmed with beggars. This tells the reader that he doesn’t like where the country is going as in poverty and homeless people. He is very blasi when mentioning the beggar’s children as if they don’t care about them and can’t even keep track of their offspring. He is describing a place where there is a problem and it needs to be fixed. When mentioning the women with several hungry and poor children, he wants the reader to feel sorry for them. If he can engage the reader with poignant images then they will be keen to agree with the proposal. When talking about the amount of children the women are having he doesn’t want to make people feel sympathetic or even think that they are stupid for having so many children and not being able to raise them. He is playing on stereotypes of anti-catholic Protestants because Catholics do not believe in contraception so they will conceive more children than Protestants regardless if they can or cannot support them. Swift is highlighting a problem which he thinks can be resolved. He starts to build up to the proposal by giving hints along the way like in paragraph 3 when he says ‘and shall take in the whole number at a certain age, who are born of parents in effect as little able to support them’. This sentence must make the reader puzzled as to what is going to follow about poor and helpless children who cannot be raised by their parents. Paragraph 4 is where Swift reveals the basic idea of the proposal by talking about how much it is to raise a baby until the age of one year for a poor begging family. He says that it would cost no less than 2 shillings as the baby would feed on its mother’s breast milk. When it does reach that age then the baby can be sold to feed and clothe the ‘many thousand’ Irish rather than the child becoming a burden to its parents as they will not be able to feed them much longer. I think that Swift writes this with a dispassionate tone even though the topic he is proposing is a sensitive area to the people who are reading it. He could have used some emotion rather than becoming so reserved. In paragraph 5 he starts stating the advantages of the scheme like preventing voluntary abortions and ‘that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children’. For some, this will emphasise the savage animalistic nature of the Irish. This is where Swift becomes aggressive and tries to persuade the reader that his proposal can solve these unfortunate mishaps just because the families these children are born into cannot support them. In paragraph 6, Swift uses statistics to rationalise his argument. In this section he writes very bluntly without any emotion at all. He starts calculating the amount of women who will be used as ‘breeders’ and those who will be able to support their children. He then calculates the amount of breeders in Ireland and minuses the amount of miscarriages. It’s good that he does use statistics because otherwise the reader will not be able to imagine how you can put this plan into action to solve the problem of too many poor Catholics in Ireland. By using statistics he could win the readers over because they are very logical and straightforward ways of thinking. He weighs out the factors that could affect the ‘breeders’. He uses the term ‘breeders’ as substitute names for the wives who will be producing the children. This is harsh and inhumane as you would normally associate ‘breeders’ as animals or cattle. If Swift didn’t use statistics then the readers would not be convinced as to how such a plan would ‘work’. In ‘A modest proposal’ Swift uses a lot of irony in his writing. Some examples of this is when Swift says that 12 year old boys and girls could be sold as an alternative to deer however the reason he changed his mind was because they wouldn’t be worth much money for their meat. This is because they will have to be fed alot more than a one year old baby as they are growing and need to have some fat and meat on them to be used as food. They would be expensive to breed, clothe and feed. He never gives the full proposal in the first paragraphs which builds suspense as you want to know more and ask questions about why he is doing what he is and when will this happen. Swift reveals his proposal in paragraph 9 and 10 by mentioning ‘a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London’ which implies that he is blaming the theory on someone before he even starts. He says that this man told him that a ‘young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food’. This line would have most probably shocked all readers because they would never think of eating babies however Swift would see it as comical because it is a ridiculous idea in the first place. He then adds to the horrific idea of eating children by listing some of the ways to cook them! This is where Swift is being satirical and humorous because he would never cook a child ‘in a fricasie, or a ragout’. It was just to shock the audience. In paragraph 10 he tells you how he would go about ‘reserving’ women for breeding purposes only and how the males will be made to breed and not be allowed to create a bond with the women. It would be like a production line which would be similar to ‘sheep, black cattle, or swine’. He refers to them as ‘savages’ which is very callous and unsympathetic. Swift then talks about how many people one baby will feed and how many it will entertain. He says that a child will make two dishes for friends and for a family meal they can use the fore hind quarter will make a reasonable dish. He talks about the baby as if it is any piece of meat. He wants the audience to feel that he is very blasi about the situation and that he doesn’t care that he is dehumanising the Irish in such a horrific way. I think that the way he is so unloving about the women being used as baby machines is terrible but the only reason he is removing the love is to show the lack of humanity given to the Irish. The objective is to lessen the amounts of ‘papists’ which is an abusive and racist term given which plays on peoples prejudices of the Irish. He takes anti-catholic/Irish sentiment to its logical conclusion.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Proposal Essay

Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms: sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and other potentially dangerous situations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury. Controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees. Depending on the hazard or workplace conditions, OSHA recommends the use of engineering or work practice controls to manage or eliminate hazards to the greatest extent possible. For example, building a barrier between the hazard and the employees is an engineering control; changing the way in which employees perform their work is a work practice control. When engineering, work practice and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their employees and ensure its use. Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as â€Å"PPE†, is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices (earplugs, muffs) hard hats, respirators and full body suits. This guide will help both employers and employees do the following: Understand the types of PPE. Know the basics of conducting a â€Å"hazard assessment† of the workplace. Select appropriate PPE for a variety of circumstances. Understand what kind of training is needed in the proper use and care of PPE. The information in this guide is general in nature and does not address all workplace hazards or PPE requirements. The information, methods and procedures in this guide are based on the OSHA requirements for PPE as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 29 CFR 1910. 132 (General requirements); 29 CFR 1910. 133 (Eye and face protection); 29 CFR 1910. 135 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1910. 136 (Foot protection); 29 CFR 1910. 137 (Electrical protective equipment); 29 CFR 1910. 138 (Hand protection); and regulations that cover the construction industry, at 29 CFR 1926. 95 (Criteria for personal protective equipment); 29 CFR 1926. 96 (Occupational foot protection); 29 CFR 1926. 100 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1926. 101 (Hearing protection); and 29 CFR 1926. 102 (Eye and face protection); and for the maritime industry at 29 CFR 1915. 152 (General requirements); 29 CFR 1915. 153 (Eye and face protection); 29 CFR 1915. 155 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1915. 156 (Foot protection); and 29 CFR 1915. 157 (Hand and body protection). OSHA requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing these exposures to acceptable levels. Employers are required to determine if PPE should be used to protect their workers. If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should be implemented. This program should address the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness. PPE is addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, marine terminals, and long shoring . The Requirement for PPE To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts of both employers and employees will help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment. In general, employers are responsible for: ? Performing a â€Å"hazard assessment† of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards. Identifying and providing appropriate PPE for employees. Training employees in the use and care of the PPE. Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE. Periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program. In general, employees should: Properly wear PPE, Attend training sessions on PPE, Care for, clean and maintain PPE, and Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE. Specific requirements for PPE are presented in many different OSHA standards, published in 29 CFR. Some standards require that employers provide PPE at no cost to the employee while others simply state that the employer must provide PPE. Appendix A at page 40 lists those standards that require the employer to provide PPE and those that require the employer to provide PPE at no cost to the employee. United States department of labor Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez

Fear as Persuasion in the Crucible and Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God Essay

Fear is a strong tool to use when persuading people and trying to get what you want. Just as if a murder held a gun to someone’s head, that person would be submissive to the murderer, Jonathon Edwards and characters in The Crucible install fear into people to achieve certain goals. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God uses fear for good and to help people, while The Crucible uses it for both good and as an evil way to manipulate people. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is a sermon preached by Jonathon Edwards. He tries to scare the congregation in order to save them from going to Hell. One way that he does this is by using the metaphor of God being angry at everyone with a bow and arrow pointed directly at each person; the congregation realizes that they could die at any minute and if they aren’t saved, they will fall into a â€Å"lake of burning brimstone [that] is extended abroad under [them]† (Edwards 103,102). Edwards also compares what would keep the lost from going to Hell to a spider web trying to stop a falling rock (Edwards 102). He tries to establish fear into his audience by telling them that God holds them over Hell just like â€Å"one holds a spider, or a loathsome insect† and this God also has â€Å"wrath towards [them that] burns like fire† (Edward 103). Jonathon Edwards preached this sermon so that the congregation will feel as though they had no other option than to accept Christ as their savior that very day if they hadn’t already. This approach shown to be very effective and sparked the â€Å"Great Awakening† of this time period. Not only is fear used as a tool for persuasion in Jonathon Edwards, sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, but it is also used in The Crucible. Reverend Parris and his niece, Abigail, instate fear into people for two completely different reasons. Parris uses fear in his â€Å"Brimstone and Fire† types of sermons. He states that â€Å"there is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning,† to show that the people who are part of his congregations should do as there told (Miller 926). On the other hand, Abigail uses fear to manipulate situations and get what she wants. She tries to keep herself out of trouble by telling Betty that she’ll beat her if Betty doesn’t quite faking sick (Miller 919). She also threatens Mercy Warren and tells her that â€Å"[she] can make [her] wish [she] had never seen the sun go down† (Miller 920). She spats this because she thinks that Mercy Warren may squeal about what happened in the woods. Abigail also uses fear to try to get attention, choose who is charged with witchcraft, and get John Proctor all to herself. Making someone afraid of you is like attaching strings to a puppet; it allows one to manipulate the subject into doing whatever he or she wants the person to do. The Crucible shows how one can use fear to make people submissive unto oneself, but it ultimately ends up creating a crazy mess and limits one’s opportunities. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God demonstrates how one can also use fear in people to straighten them up and help them out. Fear is a strong an effective way to persuade people.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION TO THE MULTINATIONAL Essay

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION TO THE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION - Essay Example Josephine Bromme (2010) takes globalization to another level by relating to it as a compression of the social society. He suggests that globalization is the expansion of a company’s offering to other parts of the world and it takes international strategies for companies to expand their business at global level. Jorn Kleinert (2004) proposes that globalization has opened up a gateway for companies to flourish both on home and host countries. This has also helped society develop on cultural terms because when a product of one country is introduced to another country, distances and stereotypes are reduced and people become more open to acceptance. Globalization has helped multinational companies tap resources in host countries which have been unknown to the general society. Moreover, it has helped people fight in terms of competencies and skills in order to fulfill the standards set up by the multinational giants. Also it has made society a better off place. Globalization provide s an excellent outsourcing opportunity for multinational companies. When multinational companies make the most of the phenomena of globalization, they improve the economic, social, welfare and political condition of the countries where they invest. Research Method Sekaran, U. (2000) proposed primary research and secondary research as the most common and authentic methods of carrying out research. As mentioned in earlier sections of this research proposal, the purpose is to investigate how globalization has made it easy multinational companies to expand business and exploit resources. In order to do so, Coca Cola has been selected because this is one of the many trusted companies. Also it is one of the oldest multinational companies which has gained topmost image in the world of food and beverage business. For the purpose of carrying out this research, data is required from the internal as well as external customers of Coca Cola so that authentic results are obtained. I will be colle cting primary data from the employees as well as the customers of Coca Cola in the form of questionnaire. The questionnaire will be based on certain number of closed ended` questions which will be aimed at globalization and multinational companies’ relationship. It will be distributed to random customers at shopping marts and employees at various levels in the company. The sample size will be two hundred approximately because the more is the sample size of any research, more are the chances that the results obtained will be close to the term authentic because whenever researched through questionnaires is being conducted, large sample is gathered; a sufficient margin should be left for those respondents who fail to provide accurate information. It will not be difficult to gather data from customers present in marts because there are plenty of them and if not many, few will definitely show willingness to respond. The employees will be busy so it would take sometimes to get an a ppointment from them. After collecting the data, it

Financial Accounting theory and issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Accounting theory and issues - Essay Example Besides from this, there are other methods that can be adapted by the company to meet the expectations of the external environment and one of them is to increase external accountability. The idea behind the concept of increasing external accountability is that organizations can enjoy a continued or higher degree of confidence (i.e. becomes more legitimate) from its external environment when it is more open to the scrutiny of the concerned external agents such as stakeholders and the government (Meyer 1979). To achieve this, they institute reforms in the organization’s accounting practices. The logic between legitimacy and reforms in accounting practices that we have just discussed has been analyzed by scholars and some of them have expressed rather pressing and legitimate concerns. Di Maggio and Powell (1983) argue that the need to project a positive image to achieve legitimacy give rise to inefficient reforms because the external environment may require conformity to symbolic elements that entails sacrifices in addressing technical requirements. The adoption and use of accounting practices perceived to enhance the organization’s appearance of rationality and efficiency may even be symbolic, mythical or ceremonial. (Tolbert and Zucker, 1983: Covaleski, Dirsmith and Samuel, 1996). In the words of Meyer and Rowan (1977, p. 341), the accounting structure trying to satiate the external environment would â€Å"dramatically reflect the myths of their institutional environment instead of the demands of their work activities". Empirical evidence of this resulting inefficiency abound especially those in the public sector. The study of Carpenter and Feroz (1992) suggests that the modification of accounting practices of government regulators who were keen to achieve legitimacy had improving actuarial accounting performance as a minor concern. This claim

Music Culture and Marketing Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Music Culture and Marketing Principles - Essay Example Every art speaks its own language. Music uses more emotional and intense language for the listener to learn all its depth, as the music affects only hearing, unlike other forms of art. Music greatly influences the human imagination. For example, when hearing the "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven, the man imagines landscapes, paints beautiful pictures and faces wonderful emotions. In ancient times the role of music was determined by its ability to entertain the audience and bring people together for the common interest. At that time, people did not have discs, plates and everything depended on the musician, who sometimes had to cross long distances in order to play music at some important event. Since that time the world had changed as well as music. Music is a great support to the development of all mankind. If this support is weak, humanity is weak. Without an understanding of the world of music, the life of the person becomes poorer than it should be. Plato did not accidentally call music mainly academic subject, which goes ahead of all others. Jean Ferries wrote: â€Å"Listening to art music is art itself, and good listening is an active, creative experience. The listener must possess a fair measure of knowledge and experience in order for the cycle of creation, interpretation (performance), and appreciation of art music to be successfully completed† (1985). Rock music has become one of the greatest streams, created by the community. It touched people of different ages and social strata. The songs of famous rock singers were learned by heart.

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM WHY DO YOU THINK PLAGIARISM IS A PROBLEM IN Essay

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM WHY DO YOU THINK PLAGIARISM IS A PROBLEM IN ACADEMIC WORK HOW CAN YOU AVOID COMMON CAUSES OF PLAGIARISM - Essay Example It is a serious problem in the academic work because it defeats the valuable essence of education, which is to make students grow intellectually and prepare them to all the challenges life may bring. Also, educators cannot fully perform their duties because they cannot thoroughly assess the potentials of their students as they are deceived by the output of plagiarism. There are many common causes of intentional and unintentional plagiarism, and experts believed that there is no common antidote for all these grounds. For instance, stress and time pressure are among the common causes of plagiarism; therefore, to avoid these causes, I need to start doing my research papers/assignments as early as possible so that I will have ample time for researching and for rechecking proper citation usages and documentation (e.g., using quotation marks for a direct quote & paraphrasing). Another cause is ignorance of documentation; hence, I need to take notes carefully, understand not the words but the information so that I can use my own words/ideas, and be keen on using quotation marks for a direct quote. Also, I need to put automatically all the sources that I have used in my research paper in the reference page for me to avoid neglecting those. I can also check my paper to the school’s online plagiarism software to make sure that I did not fail to cred it some sources or if I have copied words/ideas of someone else without any

Police Officer Performance Appraisal and Overall Satisfaction Research Paper

Police Officer Performance Appraisal and Overall Satisfaction - Research Paper Example The research paper "Police Officer Performance Appraisal and Overall Satisfaction" discusses the article "Police Officer Performance Appraisal and Overall Satisfaction" written by David Lilley and Sameer Hinduja and published in the Journal of Criminal Justice in 2007. The research problem it seeks to reflect on is performance appraisals and overall satisfaction in the Police organizations. The hypotheses reveal that higher rate training, wider evaluation standards and more weight to officer development result in higher satisfaction levels among police supervisors. The article further reveals that the external factors like level of policing and the region as well as certain internal factors like the department size do not affect satisfaction levels in the Police. The article provides a review of existing literature on the topic of dissatisfaction with the performance appraisal systems in the police organizations. The article uses a quantitative research method and utilizes survey method to gather data. The survey included both open and closed ended questions. Data were collected from 600 law enforcement agencies on evaluation procedures adopted during the five-month period ending January 2001. The closed-ended questions provided a standard level of satisfaction for each provided question on a scale of 0-4. On the other hand, there were nine open-ended questions about the purpose and use of appraisal processes in the organizational context. And the agencies can gather information from such research papers and surveys.

Outline some of the key legislative developments in criminal justice Essay

Outline some of the key legislative developments in criminal justice within the last two decades - Essay Example An oft-heard justification is that you cannot treat hardened criminals with kid gloves or you will be perpetrating crime even further. But this argument has no regard for the fact that even hardened criminals are covered by the human rights guarantees in the Constitution and in human rights conventions. Human rights are inalienable and imprescriptible, and they apply to everyone. On the other hand, the desire to preserve society and prevent crime is equally valid. It would seem that society has been ill-equipped to come up with answers and solutions to address it definitively (Norrie, 1996). It is imperative however to disabuse oneself of the simplistic approach that is often used when analyzing crime rates. Many are wont to believe that a rise in crime rates signifies a social problem, and a decrease is something to be lauded. In fact, a rise in recorded crime rates could actually mean better police efficiency, a willingness of the victims to come forward, and a desire by society as a whole to condemn criminals. The significance of making this initial assertion is explained by Matthews (1995) as follows: Making this point at the outset is important for two reasons: First it helps to free us from the disarming grip of pessimism that is often associated with the assertion that increases in crime and inevitable and undesirable. Second, it reminds us that crime is a social construct and is the outcome of a complex process of action and reaction. Crime is reducible neither to an act or to a biography. Rather it is a process that requires both an offender and a victim - direct or indirect - to interact within a milieu of formal and informal constraints. The parliament is vested with the power to create laws that have coercive effect. It is essentially in their province to come up with regulations to maintain order and peaceful conduct in the society, while ensuring that a human rights framework is always in place. Over the past two decades, there has been a steady stream of legislation, marking the evolution of Criminal Justice as it is known in the present time. Indeed, the constant changes in the Criminal Justice Act reflects the constantly changing public mindsets on crime and its concomitant issues. The Criminal Justice Act of 1991 was introduced to reflect the notion of "just deserts", It also provided for some protections for the accused, in particular, a provision stating that past offenses should not be taken into consideration when sentencing a felon, except in certain circumstances. However, some feel that in practice, proportionality gives rise to many problems and within six months of being in force, the CJA 1991 was already being undermined. (Hudson, 1994). There are also those who perceive the XJA 1991 as a case of government valuing efficiency over democracy (Lacey, 1994). Said Windlesham (date): "Of all the lessons to be drawn the first is the way in which so many of the provisions which found their way into law derived from the perceived demands of local, sectional or national public opinion rather than from practical experience or

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Methodology - Essay Example The purpose of this study is to understand the position of small and medium enterprises in Indian Textile Industry. Also, to get more information about the status of Indian Textile Industries and role of government in its current position. During the 19th century, there were many paradigms have taken birth, the reason behind that was the increasing trend in social sciences research. Positivism paadigms and anti-positivism paradigms are the two main paradigms used for verification of theoretical propositions. Accourding to Saunder (2007), paradigms is the research philosophy that utilizes the idea of both the positivist and the phenomenologist. It pertain a practical approach, incorporate different perception to facilitate in data collection dn interpretation. For this research study non positivisim paradigms has been selected. The research philosophy is intended with the investigation of interpretive epistemology as the topic will depend on conducting research among people thoughts, opinions and experiences which will be shown through the questionnaires’ responses and the interviews’ answers. The Inductive approach will be used in this research which is part of the Subjectivism research approach as the investigations will depend on building theory through small sample of people perceptions regarding the situation that will be discussed to understand the reality of the study and to get their feelings about what is going on in order to identify better the nature of the problem and analysing those data. The results will give some solutions for the study along with evidences that will provide a clear picture for the target people to accomplish their goals. The primary data is to be collected by conducting field research that involves face to face interviews, surveys, questionnaires and focused group interviews. Primary research involves the usage

Benchmarking as an important activity in the analysis of e-Business Essay

Benchmarking as an important activity in the analysis of e-Business Web sites - Essay Example E-business has given every organization that uses it a additional advantage running their businesses. Competition to produce an online website that tells about the organization and its product has also started. In the same way selling products online through a website has also become popular, there are certain advantages attached to it but we wont go into that detail. Another important aspect of running a business online successfully is to check whether an organization's website is according to the standards of its competitors. This can be done using certain techniques like surveys, questionnaires and conducting interviews. This article explored a new technique called benchmarking. Benchmarking is basically evaluating the content of the website in terms of its usefulness and usability compared to your competitors. The importance of this method can be gauged by the fact that the two aspects that are being benchmarked namely usefulness and usability can only determine the actual return your website is giving to the organization. Claiming your website is successful by checking the number of times it has been viewed is useless, instead the benchmarking method makes a lot of sense as it is analyzing the two vital factors that originally decide whether a website is successful or not. If we go 30 years back in time there was no concept of using a computer to communicate to a co-worker or sending an email to your boss for a certain favor. Records were kept on files in a closet. If your boss needed information about last year's sale you had to tell him if he can wait for 2 days, and your boss agreed. Today if you reply to your boss in the same manner it's obvious your boss won't accept your reply, instead it might be possible that you are fired. This gets a bit harsh but this is a fact. Technology has taken great steps all these years and is looking to go even faster as the time moves on. It is important for every person to keep up with the moving technology to survive in this world, especially organizations that are running businesses internationally and on the Internet. Keeping in touch with the technology trend has become a necessity in this case as every organization looks for improving itself with the use of newer and better technology. E-business might seem e asy as to setup a website and conduct your business online, but its not the case and its not as easy as you think. As new and better technologies enter the market an organization has to make sure that it acquires it and makes the best use of it. It is important to keep abreast of technology trends when running an e-business because once a firm starts e-business it is attaching itself to the world of Internet and technology, and if an organization gets involved in this world it has to keep a track of what is going on and what is new so as to make sure it does not lag behind in any field. Q. 3. Comment on one recent technology trend, and discuss how it might affect an e-Business. As technology advances trends are being setup. For example a certain technology becomes famous as it enters the market and everyone gets attracted to it for a while. After 3 or 4 months a better technology comes into being and now people are driven towards this one. This will keep

Teaching Theories Essay Example for Free

Teaching Theories Essay The purpose of this report is to research theories, frameworks and the different aspects relating to the effects of inclusive learning and teaching of disabled learners We continually face challenges in supporting the learning of our students in our changing world. The curriculum that frames our learning and teaching practices are developed from research and learning theories. Expectations emphasise knowing how to learn and how to understand, access and use information gained. In the first half of the 20th century two theories dominated the way we learnt, Pavlov and Skinner were influential figures with their extensive research largely based on laboratory studies of animals. Skinners operant conditioning theories (Baldwin and Baldwin 1986) uses a mixture of positive and negative reinforcement to control learner’s behaviours. Operant conditioning is such a fundamental aspect of learning and is also effective in behaviour management. This is achieved entirely through verbal feedback, for both positive and negative reinforcement, on a negative this theory focused on observable behaviour and less on what learners gained in knowledge. In the middle of the 20th century research began to look closely into acquisition of knowledge, although the teacher still played the most active role. In the1970’s research moved away from laboratories and into more natural learning situations, this showed learners playing an active and strategic role in their own learning. Piaget’s theory had a huge impact on teaching methods a this time and remains one of the most important cognitive development theories in education to date, although further evidence suggests Piaget underestimated the ability of infants and children as well as not accounting for individual differences. Constructivist theory works well with disabled learners, due to the fact that the learners do not seem so overwhelmed and frustrated and it aids in mot ivating the students. Teachers should prioritize and teach the most important facts relating to key ideas, the main aim and purpose of implementing this theory is intended to not cause undue stress or reason for the learners to feel overwhelmed with having to take on board and memorize too much information at any given time. The teacher should utilise techniques such as brainstorming in order to access and asses the skills and abilities gained by the students on an on-going basis, Students can track their own progress and errors and gain feelings of confidence and success. Although the behaviourist theories are positive in that they suggest  breaking down tasks into small manageable segments, the best teaching practices tend to integrate ideas from all of the theory principles and integrate them to produce a more successful outcome. Research enables us to understand how learning occurs, thus enabling the teachers to select and design the curriculum and look at the learning environments and the strategies for teaching and assessing those which support disabled learning. Knowing how to support the learning process for our students and implementing and identifying the theories and principles concerned, allows us to create and enjoy rich learning and life experiences for all those involved. Learning is central to economic success †¦ Those who are disadvantaged educationally are also disadvantaged economically and socially; equity and viability dictate that all should have the opportunity to succeed. (Kennedy 1997:15) People with disabilities experience stigma being attached to them which can on occasions be more detrimental and painful than the disability itself. Many children are kept at home or are institutionalised in one form or another; this tends to occur due to the lack of support for families and the feeling of worthlessness. The stigma attached to disabled people such as being frowned upon and seen as being a hindrance and a drain on society can form such opinions as for example †there’s no point in educating disabled people as they are incapable of working or contributing to society† Attitudes are made of individual personal experiences as well as feelings, reactions and beliefs of the past. This consequently forms a cluster of set ideas which are called stereotypes. Bohner and Wanke (2002, p.5) defined it â€Å"attitude is a summary evaluation of an object of thought.† As attitudes influence perception, thinking, other attitudes and behaviour, they contribute significantly to a person’s psychological make-up. The negatives of stereotyping are they can lead people to assume all members of a set group possess similar features and/or act in the same way. As these are handed down from generation to generation stereotyping needs to be challenged in all manners so that we can educate others and aid disabled learners in reaching their full potential and having the confidence to do so. Disabled people developed the social model of disability because the traditional medical model didn’t explain their personal experience of  disability or help develop more inclusive ways of living. The social model dictates that disability is a reflection of the way society is organised, whereas the medical model looks at what is â€Å"wrong† with the person instead of the †needs of the person†. An example of the above would be a learner with visual impairment having to read something for the benefit of their studies, unfortunately under the medical model solutions are far and few between, an example of a social model solution would be giving access to a full- text audio recording. Inclusive education is the practice of teaching disabled students alongside their non-disabled peers within regular classroom settings, instead of segregating them into special classrooms. The principle of inclusion is based on the idea that every person has a right to belong and be included in the education community. This has benefits for both disabled and non-disabled learners as both can learn different skills from each other. Inclusive learning promotes autonomy and personal growth, quality of life depending on their ability to exercise choice and self-determination, self-worth and esteem, the building of meaningful relationships and peer role models for academic, social and behavioural skills. Adaptations facilitate access to the general education curriculum (Fisher Frey, 2001); for inclusion to be successful, its essential to implement adaptations that meet individual student needs (Cross, Traub, Hutter-Pishgahi, Shelton, 2004). For the non-disabled learners it aids in developing other skills such as empathy, acceptance, skill acquisition and problem solving. It also encourages respect and acceptance for individual differences and preparation of a learner’s future in an inclusive society. Communication and Collaboration are at the heart of learning and change, between all those involved. Practitioners have obligations under legislation including Part 4 of the Education Act 1996 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. They also have obligations including a requirement to have regard to the SEN Code of Practice. Bernes (1973) Transactional analysis theory is a method of analysing communication using three personality states; the child, the parent and the adult. This helps us to reflect on our communications with others and be  mindful in our approaches when doing so. Communication itself has a huge impact on the learners and inclusive learning; there is a lot to consider when looking at modifications required. Teachers need to be aware of the environment provided, such as seating arrangements and background noise and ensure that the communication is accurate, jargon free, and work is prioritised with sub headings and explanations are brief and clear. Any expectations regarding learners are stated firmly. Visuals aids and trips beyond the setting are required to extend the learners experiences and imaginations coupled with the need for any worksheets to be proofread before handing to the students. The information must be accessible in all different formats and text should cover equality, differentiation and inclusiveness. Above all there must be an importance with respect to the development of inclusive learning as active listening to learner’s voices aids them to gain a feeling of belonging and provides them with the willingness to participate. Inclusive learning comes with a wide range of challenges. National exams fail to always accommodate the student’s diverse backgrounds and needs, and so does the curriculum which tends to be content heavy and lack flexibility. Budgets for education services to supply resources required to support learners is problematic and so is access to some environment/ settings. Lack of involvement and support from our learner’s family can also cause barriers that need to be overcome. Lack of training for staff is a huge issue as lack of communication skills to communicate with learners with a disability can cause underachievement and low expectations, also lesson planning that covers learners diverse needs and cultural backgrounds takes more consideration and time as designing such teaching materials to suit all is a challenge. In conclusion theories are required to continue to develop through further research to enable our learners to further their skills and reach their full potential. Inclusive learning techniques and practices are required to ensure the progression of disabled learners within society and  provide the opportunity to change the misconception of disabilities and their impact. The education process and all those involved needs to implement, review, adjust and strive to overcome and manage barriers faced by the learners on a day to day basis. The question is no longer which approach is best but how we can apply what has been learned from each model in a way that can produce positive outcomes such as attainment and achievement.

Theories of Communication and Language Acquisition

Theories of Communication and Language Acquisition Natalie Ulugà ¼n Introduction What is communication? According to Buckley ( ) communication is the delivery of information from one person to another whereby the intended meaning is understood. Communication is a multi-faceted feature that enables humans to identify with their own socio-emotional world and its relation to others. Communication requires motivation and auditory processing ability. Moreover, the ability to understand and convey messages both verbally and non-verbally use sensori-motor skills. Buckley ( ) suggests communication skills normally develop from birth through early maternal interaction and evolve through the experience of play. However, communication is complex and relies on intrinsic and extrinsic factors for development this can result in some infants not developing the necessary skills for communication. This essay will discuss the processes involved in both the development and deficiency of communication skills in young children and it’s effect on their emotional and cognitive development. Particular significance to the role of play in in this development will be outlined and evaluated. The ability to communicate effectively is essential to human social interaction. Furthermore, communication skills provide the basis for successful edification, relationships and the participation in the wider community (miller et al). The two modes of communication are verbal and non-verbal. Bruce (2005) suggests up to 85% of our communication is non-verbal which includes all non-spoken means of communication such as gestures, body language, expression and sign. Verbal communication uses spoken language to convey information. The human brain, central nervous system, physical articulators and ears are required to produce speech. If any one area has a deficit it will have an effect on speech development. According to Kahim(1998)cites (asha 1983) communication using language requires the comprehension of social interrelations. These can include complex modes such as motivation, tacit clues and social and cultural rules. Buckley () suggests language is a symbolic mode of communication governed by grammatical and social rules .These rules not only encompass semantics, syntax and phonology but also the contextual considerations of language such as sarcasm, politeness strategies referred to as pragmatics (Bloom and Lahey 1978). In view of such intricacies de Boysson-Bardies( 1999) affirms the acquisition of language must be genetically encoded and exclusive to human beings. This is a nativist approach to language acquisition which was embraced by Noam Chomsky. Theories of language acquisition Chomsky (1959) proposed that children have an innate ability to learn language through a language acquisition device. According to Chomsky (1965) the brain is hard wired through genomes to understand a spoken language. He suggests the L.A.D is situated within the auditory cortex. It has also been suggested by Lenneberg (1967) that if language is not acquired by puberty it can never be learnt. This suggests that the ability to learn languages is genetically acquired through synapse connection in the brain and furthermore has a critical period to stimulate its development (Schwartz 2009). The interactionist approach suggests language acquisition is a process influenced by environmental and nativist elements. Vygotsky and Bruner held the view that a child needs interaction with others to support language learning. This is known as LASS Language acquisition support system. Conversely traditional behaviourist’s theory of language acquisition suggests children acquire language through conditions and reinforcement. This is evidenced through observation of a new-born and mother. The new born’s motivation for communication is rewarded by the mother’s interaction. Crystal (1986) argues that children do not simply imitate adults or older children when acquiring language; this is evidenced by the immature and incomplete speech that children develop as a result of applying grammatical rules or possessing inadequate vocabulary. This is evidenced in the following case studies.   The processes involved in development of effective communication Verbal and non verbal language development Primarily, early communication is an expression of need ( Crystal). If an infant’s pre-linguistic vocalisations are rewarded by their needs being met they quickly learn the advantages of communication. Furthermore, an infant needs a warm and affectionate relationship with their caregiver in order to initiate communication. Ferroni et al (2002) demonstrated that early non-verbal communication such as eye gazing contributes to the development of facial decoding and the theory of mind. Theory of mind is a cognitive ability to decode nonverbal communication, deduce the emotional states of others using intuition and cues, as well as understanding a situation from different perspectives. According to Goldberg and Burdick( ) Theory of Mind deficits are caused by cognitive dysfunction and are present in neuropsychological conditions such as Bipolar euthymic and ASD spectrum disorders. This suggests a correlation between nonverbal communication impairment and future social cognitive de velopment. Nonverbal communication continues to develop alongside verbal communication in neurotypical children. According to Elks and McLachlan (2001) the most important process in verbal communication is concentration, listening skills and memory recall. From four months a baby develops strength in their tongue and the in excess of one hundred jaw muscles needed to produce phonology. (Crystal ) begin babbling, the head and neck growth allow vocal chords to sit in correct position for speech consistant with an adult . This suggest there is a biological reason why a baby does not produce speech until ten months. 10-12 months According to ( Volkmar) (Capone )as a child begins using gestures and pointing to objects they will acquire the symbolic language that represents the object however this is not always the case for children diagnosed with ASD. According to Baron- Cohen () young children diagnosed with ASD do not use pointing gesture to request visual attention in the same manner as neurotypical children, inasmuch as a child with ASD can lack motivation for conversation. Communication chain Elks and McLachlen (2008) highlight the complexity of language and communication by categorising the processes in sequential order; this is referred to as the Communication Chain. The metaphoric chain depicts the interdependence of each process involved in order to achieve effective communication. If there is a deficiency in any of these processes it will have an overall negative effect upon language acquisition and communication. The process begins with the motivation or reason to speak followed by choosing the correct semantics, syntax and phonology. The next stage involves the physicality of speech production, motor sensory instructions to the articulators which include the muscles, jaw and tongue. The production of sound then the delivery of pragmatic speech. Interestingly, the mindfulness or â€Å"self monitoring â€Å"of the appropriateness of the speech occurs after delivery. Thus implying that to self-monitor before you have an idea does not take place although it does prio r to a response. Children diagnosed with ASD often have a deficit in understanding pragmatics of a language and can appear rude or their conversation inappropriate (Buckley). According to Volkmar et al ( )they equally lack ability to self-monitor, maintain eye contact and understand non-verbal cues which are the next phases; this is a substantial part of the communication chain. Role of play in language development According to Russell (2006) philosophers and scholars have attempted theorise play and provide definitions. The example by Hugh (1996:16) expresses the fundamental elements of play; â€Å"†¦freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated.† Frost et al (2005) suggests psychoanalytical theories of play involve a child acting out previous experiences that may have been caused trauma or fear. Or perhaps an emotion that would not be ordinarily accepted. Other theories of play here The EYFS Statutory framework (2008 suggested that play is vital to a child’s development; play should be supported by adults but led by the child thus promoting self-confidence, problem solving and social skills. Goouch (2006) adds, child led play promotes self-esteem and reinforces a child’s identity particulary the imaginary play. According to ( )play supports children to understand speech. Williamson and Silvern (1984) suggests when young children act out a story they demonstrate improved memory and comprehension of the story ( ) suggests language impairment and deficits in imaginary play occur concomitantly. Hughs (2010) notes the similarities between language development and play inasmuch as the required skills for imaginary or symbolic play are likened to the ability to interpret the world through mental representation. Observations were made of a young child actively playing alone commenting on his play activity. Vygotsky, cited in Britton (1994:260) refers to this as â€Å"Speech for oneself†. This gradually diminishes as the child ages and eventually this process becomes internal thought. This process of internalised language is essential for problem solving, reasoning and abstract thinking skills. Concluding that the inability to internalise language would have a negative impact on cognitive development (Miller et al 2013 ). According to Buckley () adult interaction is essential to develop language skills particularly reciprocal conversation aimed at the level of the child’s ability such as motherese or child directed speech. Evidence for ( ) suggest the pauses and intonation of motherese assists children to understand language syntactically .Somoa argues there is no difference in language aquistion in families not practising parentese ( the east) . A child’s socio-emotional development depends on their command of language (Miller). Early infant and carer interaction is essential for all areas of a child’s development. As a child’s language develops they go from talking in the present tense and progressively to the past and future tense. Piaget suggests that not until a child has learned the concept of time will this be displayed within their language use. Conclusion Whitehead (2006) suggests that early skills for communication begin inutero .Evidence from ( ) argue that babies prefer the mothers face and voice, Infants gaze into their carers eyes from ? weeks they will then overt eye contact to cease communication . Someone ( ) attributes the lack of communication in children with ASD to their lack of proficiency in play, particularly for imaginary play. Vygotsky () theorised that play was significant to language and cognitive development. Vygotsky () argues it is necessary for a more knowledgeable other to confirm the correct language use. Piaget theorised that the acquisition of language has a direct correlation on a child’s cognitive development. According to Piaget an infant will not apply nouns to objects until he has reached the cognitive ability of object permanence.. Not until a child reaches the pre operational stage ( About 2) two will they understand the world around them by the use of language and speech.

Literary Components Of M Commerce Information Technology Essay

Literary Components Of M Commerce Information Technology Essay The present assignment on Secure Mobile Transactions: m-commerce, aims to present a comprehensive view of all the technological and security aspects that influence and govern monetary transactions done on wireless networks. This paper refers to some basic concepts related to m-commerce and then proceeds to discuss various purely technical issues involved in m-commerce. This work identifies presently available technologies that facilitate m-commerce and gives explanation about each of such technology. Further, the assignment focuses on the security challenges involved in mobile transactions and various aspects of mobile payments. Finally, the paper gives a brief list of m-commerce solutions currently available. Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Mobile commerce or simply m-commerce relates to commercial business operations and transactions carried out on wireless telecommunication networks with the infrastructural assistance of handheld mobile electronic devices. E-commerce is the commercial business processes done on internet and the m-commerce is making all monetary transactions on mobile devices (wireless electronic commerce). The technology of m-commerce offers many services and facilities that make commercial dealings simplified and reduce time consumed in those transactions. But the users and service providers have to be cautious of possible treats of wireless trade operations. Security of information, privacy to personal details and protection to the money involved are the real touch stones of strength of m-commerce. 2. Literary components of m-Commerce: The concept of mobile commerce came into existence in the last decade of the 20th century. What has started as a facility to make payments to a soft drink vending machine, has now effectively subsumed nearly every aspect of electronic commerce. Today, m-commerce has emerged as a viable extension to e-commerce. Now the customers of any service or product can make their payments over mobile phones staying anywhere or even on move. Fundamental difference between e-commerce and m-commerce is that, in electronic commerce business dealings and transactions are made on internet, but the mobile commerce services can be used with the help of simple and inexpensive SMS and IVR systems (Rediff.com, 2010). Statistics inform that, the penetration of personal computers is still limited and the mobile penetration is nearly ten times more than that of PCs. Further, the wide internet access is still a distant dream with the exception of big cities and conurbations. Thus with the presently available u ser share and the further spread in future would certainly point mobile commerce as a viable and popular option to make swift and secure monetary transactions. Further, people with basic literacy can also make use of various services of mobile commerce unlike the electronic commerce, which requires the users to have good command on PC knowledge and its operational procedures. The central point of mobile commerce is making payments on mobile phones. It is a point of sale payment made over a mobile gadget like cell phone, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) ,a smart phone, gadgets of personal area networks and other newly coming wireless equipment (Krueger, 2001). Here, not only the merchandise transactions made through cell phones but the monetary payments made to utility vending machines, cab services, car wash machines etc also constitute acts of mobile commerce (Paavalainen, 2001). The core idea is the convenience. This convenience should not turn into a nightmare because of lack of security of the data exchanged in these commercial transactions over wireless networks. Important services offered by m-commerce are, Making reservations of tickets of journeys Booking various entertainment show tickets Making payments of civic utility bills Transferring gift vouchers Booking hotel rooms Booking cab services Make money donations to social service foundations Making stock market trading To avail all these facilities, mobile users can make use of SMS, BREW, GPRS and IVR services. Key issues of mobile transactions are the questions of authentication and security. The service providers have to follow robust security standards that are in vogue world wide. Some of the presently accepted standards are PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). Advantages of m-commerce are: Reduction of time consumed in serving merchandise orders Reduction in the cost of management of commercial transactions Gives extensively broad reach Helps in effectively coordinating all the business processes involved Gives competitive advantage in matters of product pricing Provides high speed access to modern cellular applications (Answers Corporation, 2010). Disadvantages of mobile transactions: Cost of establishing and managing wireless telecommunication infrastructure Concerns over safety of information and data exchanged over mobile gadgets Mobile devices come with small screens and this limited display can limit the types of data and files that can be exchanged and accessed Advanced mobile technologies are now largely confined to big cities Technical limitations of mobile telecommunication equipments (Answers Corporation, 2010). Given the comparative merits and demerits of mobile commerce, one can be perfectly sure that, the ongoing technological researches would certainly find viable answers to problems of this new paradigm in wireless commerce. 3. How m-commerce differs from e-commerce? The level of wide availability of wireless telecommunication networks to use m-commerce applications practically from any location. The convenience in handling these small and low weighed devices is unique when compared to equipment required for carrying out electronic commerce transactions. Further these mobile devices are purely personal electronic gadgets and this guarantees maximum personalization unlike the PCs with Internet which are needed for e-commerce actions that are often shared among multiple users. Localized positioning of users can be done on all mobile commerce transactions. As the users carry their mobile phones with them, they can utilize their preferred personalized settings with which they can transact. This personalization is not available in electronic commerce transactions and dealings. 4. Technical areas related to secure m-commerce: There are various aspects on the technical front that are closely related to safe money transactions done on wireless telecommunication networks with the help of mobile handheld devices. They are: 4.1. Need for secure m-commerce: According to Yeun (2001), there are more cell phones which are connected to internet than the number of net connected Personal Computers. Though the PC penetration is also gaining pace, the spread of mobile phones and related gadgets has already surpassed all the future projections. The comfort given by mobile merchandise transactions is fueling the further expansion of m-commerce. As more and more people are resorting to the m-commerce utilities, the service providers have to take every care to ensure that all the transactions done, payments made, business deals concluded and the information exchanged over wireless networks is best guarded and strongly protected. Already the electronic commerce has seen any worst cases of security breaches and fraudulent infringements in high value commercial transactions done on electronic media through PCs connected to internet. This shows the dire need to research, design, invent and implement robust security standards for every small monetary tr ansaction done over mobiles. Propensity of threat should be reduced and the vulnerability of supportive wireless networks should be reduced to sub-terrestrial depths to complement the growing demand for m-commerce. 4.2. Security Challenges in m-commerce: As the wireless telecommunication networks are spreading fast and becoming a ubiquitous resource, the user base of m-commerce is fast expanding. But to ensure the continuity of this boom, high security of mobile transactions is in dire need. Important data and transaction security problems that pervade over m-commerce transactions are analyzed by Grosche Knospe (n.d.). As the mobile gadgets are purely personal devices, they are bound to carry some important private and confidential information which needs protection from unauthorized intruder access. To answer this threat these, smart and sensitive gadgets must employ user authentication mechanisms like passwords and PIN. Further, these cell phones must come with good data backup and crash recovery tools pre-installed in them, to cater to any unforeseen data loss and authentication breach. The operating systems used in the wireless gadgets must have tested perfection in defending owners data security needs. While the owner of the mobile phone intends to transmit some data over wireless telecommunication network for any commercial dealing, the wireless interface that guides this information exchange must be strong enough to maintain high levels of confidentiality, content integrity and more particularly user authenticity. Eavesdropping is a big threat which the wireless networks have to confront ser iously. Data security mechanisms vary from one mobile technology to another. The end user access networks need to be strongly protected from data theft within and out side these network loops. And the network operator concerned must ensure that the money transactions made are concluded to the maximum satisfaction of both parties. Money payment actions done on wireless networks should have assured secrecy and protection to the money involved. This task should cover all the stages starting from the payment or committing to make a payment up to the conclusion of the deal and authentication systems have to guard the entire transaction leaving no chance to intruder attack. 4.2. Technologies involved in m-commerce security: With the increasing widening of mobile penetration, and all other similar wireless handheld devices, the services offered by mobile commerce have assured future. The technologies involved in the mobile commerce mainly deal with transferring of data and information over the available wireless telecom networks. Presently, widely used supportive network technologies are 2nd generation (2G), 3rd generation (3G) etc (Grosche Knospe n.d.). 2nd generation wireless telephone technologies include, GSM (TDMA based), CDMA One etc. 2G telecommunication technologies are also known as PCS (Personal Communications Service) in USA. Advanced version of 2G services is 2.5G. This new one offers data transfer at higher speed. These services gave way to 3G services. This 3G technology comes with wireless telecom services like CDMA2000, UMTS, GSM EDGE, WiMAX, DECT etc. These new mobile standards support data transfers up to 14Mbits per second while downloading. The security of data transfers is higher in 3G when compared to earlier 2G technology. 3G services come with user authentication facilities while connecting to any network. This guarantees high security to all the transactions done of that specific telecom network (Grosche Knospe n.d.).. GSM is the most used media for carrying out mobile commerce transactions. The data transfer and sharing services offered on GSM networks are, SMS (Short Messaging Service) for sending short messages having maximum 160 characters on the network media, WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) to access internet APIs designed in WML (Wireless Mark-up Language), HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) tool of channel clustering for high data transfer rates and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) actually, this is an extension of GSM services. Fundamental architecture of GSM network generally contains GPRS, Intelligent Network(IN) and SMS services. UTMS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) is a modern telecommunication system offered by 3G services. This is largely an extension of existing GSM. It has WCDMA (Wireband Code Division Multiple Access) radio channel signaling technology (Grosche Knospe n.d.). WLAN (Wireless LAN) works in 2.4 GHz 5 GHz spectrum. Normally WLANs are low in data security. IEEE stipulated WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) to provide some security to transactions done on WLANs. 5. Security at various levels of mobile transactions: 5.1. Safety in data transport channels: The technologies like GSM, GPRS, WLAN, UTMS provide considerable security to all deals transacted on wireless networks. But they cannot handle the safety constraints, when the commercial transactions involve multiple access networks. To ensure end to end security in such cases that communicate over Internet Protocol, SSL/TLS is widely used. SSL works with TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). Another transport layer security protocol designed and used for this purpose is WTLS with WAP services (Grosche Knospe n.d.). 5.2. Safety of network services: To make m-commerce transactions more secure, Intelligent Network (IN) concept in GSM networks is introduced. This GSM framework contains IN logic i.e. CAMEL (Cuatomized Application for Mobile Enhanced network Logic). IN handles all the m-commerce conversations. These services can also be used with SMS systems. Other technologies for secure services are, Parlay / OSA (Open Service Access) and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) (Grosche Knospe n.d.). 6. Security models presently in use: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) is the widely used mobile security standard in European countries. According to Zobol (2001), Europe has the highest mobile penetration and the European Commission is presently implementing 15 new projects that operate mobile telecommunication networks. These projects are using WAP, GPRS, UTMS technologies. For ensuring high security of mobile transactions, they are using NESSIE encryption and E-PASTA environment. Further, 4G an ultra speed broadband is also under implementation. 7. m-Payments: The commercial transactions concluded on mobile wireless networks do involve money payment. The concept of m-payments related to payment of charges for services or the price of goods sold or purchased over mobile wireless telecommunication networks. Significant advantageous aspects of m-payments are, less time consumed, no need to carry physical money and remote operability of accounts safely. There are different variants of m-payment systems like, pre paid payment systems, pay now payment systems and post payment systems. There are various agreed limits of money transactions that can be done on mobile networks. In Europe micro, small and macro payments are in vogue form 1euro to more than 10 euros. In India the monetary transactions up to Rs.50000 can be done (Rediff.com, 2010). The level of safety such mobile transactions need varies based on the money involved and the items that are traded in that transaction. But in each of such case anonymity of customer has to be protected safely. Mandatory and common requirements of mobile transactions are authenticity, reliability, confidentiality, authorization and integrity. Further the response time has to be reduced to minimum. And, conformity to ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability) principle for all deals involving monetary payment. Depending on the sources of money from where customers make payment over mobile networks, various m-payment systems presently available are: Software electronic coins, Hardware electronic coins, Background amount (Grosche Knospe n.d.). 8. Examples of m-commerce security solutions: Irrespective of the mode of payments made on mobile phones, there are various standardization bodies that deal with mobile commerce transactions. Some of them are, MoSign, Mobile Payment Forum, mSign etc. Another famous data security standard related to m-commerce is PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) (TechTarget, 2010). Visa International has recently developed Mobile 3D. It is a global security specification standard system that makes money transactions made by mobile phones and on internet more secure and safe (CellularOnline, n.d.). Finacle m-commerce solution developed by Infosys has many good security features like, generation of One time Password (OTP), USSD application, strong inclusivity framework and ability to register multiple bank accounts to a single mobile (Infosys, 2010). 9. Conclusion: Security of transactions concluded on mobile telecommunication networks is of fundamental necessity for the very concept of m-commerce. This assignment attempted to through light on every important aspect related to mobile commerce. The technologies discussed in this paper do need further improvement to cope up with the increasing threats to data and money transfer over internet and on wireless networks. Growing fraudulent intrusions on mobile information systems and individual gadgets make up a persistent need to continuously refine existing solutions and design new ones that can better resist attacks on transaction security over wireless media.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Provides Revolutionary and Life-saving Bre

"Stem cell research is the key to developing cures for degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and motor neuron disease from which I and many others suffer. The fact that the cells may come from embryos is not an objection, because the embryos are going to die anyway." -- Stephen Hawking The phrase â€Å"stem cell† calls to mind images of controversy: Pro-life picketers outside abortion and in-vitro fertilization clinics, patients with chronic disabilities waiting on a cure, scientists in a lab experimenting with a petri dish. These cells offer unimaginable opportunities for regenerative medicine because they can retain the ability to differentiate. Stem cells are classified as either adult or embryonic. Embryonic stem cells can reproduce any cell in the body, whereas adult stem cells can only produce somatic cells within their own tissue type. Somatic simply means a cell that is not directly involved in sexual reproduction. What makes research into stem cells exciting is that they can provide a means to regenerate cells in a way that humans cannot accomplish on their own. Spinal cord tissue can be regenerated in paraplegics, giving a new lease on life to war veterans. Mental diseases associated with age such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkin son's, can be cured. Even entire organs can be reconstructed and implanted into patients that desperately need them, such as in the case of Claudia Castillo, who received a bronchus coated with her own cells. Why then is such a cutting-edge and promising field subject to so much controversy? Because one of the primary sources for stem cells is blastocysts, undeveloped microscopic human offspring only 200 cells large. Generally the opponents of stem cell research are also pro-... ...db0-932e-4bfd-b9ab- 1a874c41df1a %40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ %3d%3d#db=ulh&AN=J0E381453909605>. Obama, Barack. "Finding a Middle Ground." Vital Speeches of the Day 75.7 (2009): 316-319. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2014. . Scott, Christopher Thomas. Stem Cell Now: from the Experiment That Shook the World to the New Politics of Life. New York: Pi, 2006. Print. Thompson, Tanya. "World first as woman gets organ made from stem cells." news.scotsman.com. Johnston Press Digital Publishing, 18 Nov. 2008. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. . Stephen Hawking Quote Web. 3 Oct. 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/stem_cell_research.html#iM2R1JXFolmB71yF.99

Essay on Faith in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown -- Young Goodman Bro

Faith in Young Goodman Brown  Ã‚        Ã‚   For those who have not studied the Puritans or their beliefs, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" is not much more than a story of lost (or maybe just confused) faith. Hawthone, a man of puritan descent, had some oppositions to the ideals that Puritans followed. Some of these ideals are discussed in his "Young Goodman Brown".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The basic impression that most people have of Puritans "describes them as dour, irascible, self-righteous, hypocritical people who hated sex, joy, and life. They dressed in black, they hated nature, they burned witches, and they repressed all natural desires,". This is the view that influences most people when Puritans appear in literature. We see the stereotypical hatred of the forest (the Devil's playground), the fear of Indians (the Devil's spawn) and the extreme fear of the Devil himself run rampant in "Young Goodman Brown". Hawthorne's description of the forest is very disheartening. "He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest..." (p 375) This is a rather depressing and f... ... not be so blindly relied upon. However, after a bit more delving, that the story speaks not only of faith and it's hazards, but of the flaws in the puritan system.    1.) Roberts, Trish. Background to the American Puritans.  Ã‚  http://www.missouri.edu/~engpat/purs.html. (accessed 2-1-02) 2.) Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown". printed in: A Handbook of Critical  Approaches to Literature: Fourth Edition. Editors Wilfred L. Guerin, Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Reesman, John R. Willingham. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 1999.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 13

Micha I'm determined to have a party tonight, even though I'm not a fan of parties. Never really have been. I just like how they block out all the noise inside my head and what I'm hoping is that tonight's will block out the sound of my dad's voice. Ella bailed on me when we got back to our houses, muttering something about finding her father. I offered to go with her, but she declined and took Lila instead. I let her be because I sensed she needed space. I was fine with her taking some time as long as it wasn't the space of five hundred miles. Ethan and I take a break from working on the car to plan the party. After a massive amount of text messages are sent out and a couple of keggers ordered by Ethan, we're good to go. We're hanging around in the kitchen, waiting for people to start showing up when clouds start rolling in and thunder rattles at the windows. â€Å"Can I ask you something?† Ethan asks abruptly. I take out a frozen burrito from the freezer and drop it on a plate. â€Å"Sure. What's up?† â€Å"Don't take this the wrong way.† He tips back in his chair. â€Å"But what is it with Ella? Why are you so fixated on her? You have like a ton of girls falling at your feet all the time and you used to totally be all into it. Then suddenly you weren't and it was all about her.† â€Å"I wasn't ever into the girls falling at my feet. I was just bored.† I pop the plate into the microwave and press start. He grabs a handful of chips from a bag on the table. â€Å"Okay, but that still doesn't answer my question.† I cross my arms, uncomfortable with the awkward heart-to-heart moment. â€Å"I'm not sure, but why do you care?† â€Å"I'm just curious because you've never talked about it.† â€Å"Yeah, but we don't talk about a lot of stuff.† He lets the chair legs reconnect to the floor. â€Å"Look, I'm not asking you to open up and spill your feelings out to me, so quit being weird. I just want to understand because I've known both of you practically forever.† The microwave beeps and I turn to it. â€Å"It was the night of the snowboarding incident. That's when I realized things were different.† â€Å"When she broke her arm?† he asks. â€Å"And you had to take her to the hospital.† I nod. â€Å"You remember how she fell off the roof and then didn't get up right away and certain people were yelling that she was dead.† â€Å"Hey, I was drunk,† Ethan gripes because he was the one yelling. â€Å"And she looked dead to me.† â€Å"Well, that's when I knew.† I take the burrito out and set it on the counter. â€Å"Thinking she was dead was seriously the most terrifying thing that's ever happened to me. More than the idea of my father never returning. More than my own death.† Ethan nods, trying to make sense of my babbling. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I slam the microwave door shut and sit down at the table. â€Å"Hey, you asked.† He taps his phone on the table. â€Å"What do you think of Lila?† â€Å"She seems nice.† I get up and grab a soda from the fridge and then toss one to Ethan. â€Å"And she seems to be into you, I guess.† He taps the top of the can, and then flips the tab. â€Å"Yeah, but she barely knows me.† Sipping my soda, I sit back down. â€Å"Everyone barely knows you.† He shrugs, staring out the window. â€Å"I never really understood the point of that whole get-to-know-you thing.† The house phone rings and our conversation ends. I inhale the rest of the burrito as the answer machine beeps. â€Å"Um, hi†¦ this message is for Micha.† It's my father's voice. I freeze, gripping the edge of the table. â€Å"Look, Terri, I understand that he's pissed at me, but I need to talk to him. It's important, okay? And he hung up on me yesterday morning†¦ I thought maybe if you encouraged him to call me?† He sounds frazzled. â€Å"I don't know†¦ look, I'm sorry.† He hangs up. I release the table from my death grip, get up, and delete the message from the phone. When I turn around, Ethan is on his feet. The hole that I punched in the wall hasn't been fixed and I think about hammering my fist through it again. â€Å"We should get our shit picked up before it rains,† Ethan says, staring at the sky through the window. I pop my knuckles and walk for the door. â€Å"Sounds like a plan.† Ella I find my dad at the bar. It's the first place I look, but it's disappointing that it was so easy. Lila waits for me in the car, because I ask her to. When I walk in, I spot him slumped over in a barstool with an empty cup in front of him. Denny, the bartender, is wiping down the counters with a rag. When he sees me in the entryway, he holds up his hand. â€Å"You're going to need to show me your ID, before you come in any further.† He drapes the cleaning rag over his shoulder and walks around the counter toward me. â€Å"It's me, Denny,† I say. â€Å"Ella Daniels.† His eyes widen. â€Å"Holy shit. You're back.† I nod. â€Å"I am, but only for the summer.† He rakes his hands through his curly brown hair. â€Å"Where were you anyway? No one really seemed to know.† â€Å"In Las Vegas, going to school.† I point at my father. â€Å"I should probably take him home, I'm guessing.† Denny glances back at my father. â€Å"He stumbled in here early this morning. I wasn't even opened up yet, but he was already too drunk to understand when I tried to explain to him that we were closed.† â€Å"I'll take him home,† I tell him and he lets me by. â€Å"I'm sorry he's been so much trouble for you.† He drops the rag on the counter and helps me get my dad to his feet. He smells like he showered in a bottle of Jack Daniels. â€Å"I don't mind him being here, Ella,† Denny says. â€Å"But I'm starting to feel guilty about it. For the last few months, he's been showing up more and more. I think he might have a problem.† â€Å"He's had one for a while.† I drape my dad's arm over my shoulder and Denny does the same with his other arm. My dad mumbles an incoherent objection and then something about missing her and wanting it to all go away. We drag him outside and Lila hops out of the car. She doesn't say anything as Denny and I lie my dad down in the back of the Firebird. It's starting to sprinkle and lightning snaps across the sky. â€Å"Thanks for helping me get him out,† I tell Denny, shielding my eyes from the raindrops. Denny rubs his neck tensely. â€Å"Have you ever considered getting him some help?† â€Å"What do you mean? Like rehab?† I shout over the thunder. He shrugs. â€Å"Or AA. Something that will help him get his life together.† I scratch my head, confused. Why hadn't it occurred to me? Panic starts to claw up my throat and guilty feelings about my mother's death consume. â€Å"Just think about it,† Denny says, giving me a pat on the arm. â€Å"And if you need any help, you know where to find me.† I thank him again and jump into the car. I wait for Lila to say something, but when she opens her mouth, it's not what I was expecting. â€Å"My older sister was a drug addict,† she says quickly. â€Å"For like a year.† I stop chewing on my gum. â€Å"I didn't know that.† â€Å"I know. Not a lot of people do. My family is very firm on keeping our dirty laundry to ourselves.† She rotates in her chair to look at my dad snoring on the backseat. â€Å"But I wanted to tell you so that you know that I understand how hard it is to watch someone you care about hurt themselves.† I turn the car down my street and the tires splash puddles onto the hood as they hit the potholes. â€Å"Why did you never tell me before?† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me about your dad?† â€Å"I don't know.† Who is this girl sitting next to me? â€Å"So my life doesn't scare you?† She arches her eyebrows and sits forward in her seat. â€Å"I wouldn't go that far, but your personal life doesn't.† *** There are three large Keggers on Micha's back porch when we pull up to my house. The garage door is wide open and his car is missing. The rain is pouring down and flooding the sidewalk and the tree next to the house sways in the wind. â€Å"They must have got the car fixed,† I say, unbuckling my seatbelt. â€Å"Dang it.† Lila smacks her hand on her knee and a smile expands across her face. â€Å"I was so looking forward to watching Ethan bent over the hood.† I snort a laugh. â€Å"Well, that wasn't really my point,† I say when I stop laughing. â€Å"We somehow have to get him out of the car and into the house and I was going to have Micha help.† Lila and I turn toward the backseat, trying to figure out a way to get my dad out. â€Å"Maybe we could ask your brother?† Lila suggests. My eyes roam to the Porsche parked in front of us. â€Å"I'm not sure he'll help even if we ask him.† â€Å"It doesn't hurt to try.† â€Å"Yeah, you're right.† I sigh and text Dean to come help. He doesn't answer, but a few minutes later the back door swings open. Dean steps out, barefoot, with a hoodie pulled over his head. He doesn't say anything when he swings the door open. Lila hops out of his way and he ducks inside the car and drags our father out. I scramble out of the car and hold the back door open for him. He lets my dad lean his weight on him and he aides him to the living room sofa. â€Å"Where did you find him?† Dean asks me as he turns my dad to his side in case he throws up. â€Å"At the bar.† I place the duvet from the back of the couch over my dad and he snuggles up to it like a child. â€Å"Denny helped me get him to the car.† Dean presses his lips together, and bobs his head up and down. â€Å"That's where I figured he was, but I didn't want to go looking for him.† â€Å"You know I'm not even old enough to be in a bar, right?† â€Å"And I'm old enough to know that I don't want to deal with this crap anymore.† I open my mouth to yell at him but zip my lips and shake my head, regaining power of my temper. He backs toward the stairway. â€Å"I've had enough. I'm moving on with my life and you should do the same.† He leaves me in the room alone with a heavy feeling in my heart. I'd love to move on, but I'm not sure how. Running away to Vegas for eight months sure as hell didn't help because I'm almost back to where I started. *** Lila and I decide to go to Larry's Diner, the local fast food drive-in, to get some lunch. It's a seventies themed restaurant where the waitresses wear roller skates and skate up the cars to take orders. After they hook the food tray to the window, we eat in the car and listen to music. The rain is still beating down, but softer, although the roof is draining onto the front of the hood. We're chatting about the group of guys sitting on the tables underneath the canopy, when Lila focuses the conversation to somewhere I don't want to go. â€Å"So where did you and Micha run off to this morning?† she asks, sipping her soda and batting her eyelashes innocently. I dip a fry in the ranch cup balanced on the console. â€Å"Nowhere. He just chased me down the street.† She dumps some more ketchup onto her chicken sandwich. â€Å"Then why did both of you come back soaking wet?† My body tingles at the memory of Micha and me rolling around in the grass. â€Å"One of the neighbor's sprinklers turned on while we were running across it.† â€Å"Seems like you were awfully wet just from being in the sprinklers for a few minutes.† She dabs her lips with a napkin. â€Å"And you look really happy right now.† I force back a smile and pick the pickles off my burger silently. â€Å"If you don't want to tell me,† she says. â€Å"Then you don't have to.† â€Å"I'm just not comfortable talking about Micha,† I explain. â€Å"When I don't even know how I feel about him.† â€Å"Okay, well you could talk to me about it. That's how friends help each other figure things out.† She pauses, cleaning up some grease that dripped on her shirt. â€Å"Didn't you ever have a friend that you could talk to about everything?† I shrug and take a bite of my burger. â€Å"Micha maybe, but I can't talk to him about him.† She looks at me sadly. â€Å"Try talking to me then.† I chew on a fry, trying not to choke. Once it's out there, it's real. â€Å"I'm not sure I can.† â€Å"Just try,† she urges. â€Å"What's it going to hurt?† I stir the ranch with a fry. â€Å"Micha kissed me on the front lawn. That's why we came back all wet. We were lying on the grass, getting soaked by the sprinklers and making out.† â€Å"Did you like it?† â€Å"Like what?† She rolls her eyes. â€Å"The kiss.† â€Å"I like it every time he kisses me,† I say nonchalantly. â€Å"Yet at the same time, I don't. My feelings are conflicted.† â€Å"Because you don't know what you want?† she asks. â€Å"No, I think I do know what I want,† I mumble, stunned by my own answer. â€Å"I just won't admit it.† She says, â€Å"I think you just did.† I continue thinking out loud. â€Å"I think I might have figured it out that night on the bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My mind starts to drift back to that night as I stare at the rain pattering against the windshield. She slurps her soda. â€Å"What happened the night on the bridge?† â€Å"I kissed Micha.† I shut my eyes, drifting back to the memory, not on the bridge but somewhere else we went that night. We're in his car talking. He seems happy and so do I. She giggles. â€Å"I knew it. I knew he wasn't just a friend. So tell me the details, like what happened after the kiss.† My eyes open to a veil of rain on the window as the images drift away from my mind. â€Å"Nothing. I left for college.† She balls up the sandwich wrapper and sets it in the bag. â€Å"You just left? God, no wonder you two visually undress each other. The sexual tension between you is probably about ready to burst.† I start to deny it, but realize she's right. I want Micha so badly it physically hurts sometimes, however if it hurts to want him this much, then how bad would it be to lose him? â€Å"Speaking of the devil.† She rolls down the window as Micha's Chevelle pulls up beside us. â€Å"What are you like stalking us or something?† Ethan leans over from the passenger side and hollers, â€Å"How did you ever guess?† Micha's extremely quiet, as he reads the menu on the marquee. The waitress skates over and ducks her head into the cab of the car, sticking out her butt. Rain falls on her back as she jots down their orders and then giggles at something either Micha or Ethan said. Either way, it's annoying. I pile all the garbage onto the tray, start up the car, and rev up the engine, startling the waitress and everyone else. Lila gapes at me. â€Å"Ella, what are you doing?† â€Å"Sorry,† I apologize, feeling kind of bad, and put a tip on the tray. The waitress gives me a tight smile as she collects the tray and skates off to the order window. Micha hops out of the car and his boots splash in the puddles. He stretches his long legs and arms, and then winds around the back of my car and to my door. He taps his fist on the window. Sighing, I roll it down. He crouches down so we're eyelevel and rests his arms on the seal of the window. â€Å"Do you want to explain what that was about?† â€Å"An accidental slip of the foot,† I say, knowing he's going to read straight through my bull shit lie. â€Å"Sometimes it happens.† â€Å"Not with you.† His eyes twinkle like sapphires as raindrops bead down his face. â€Å"If you want my attention, just say so.† â€Å"I want your attention.† The truth falls from my lips, shocking us both. He kisses me on the forehead with his wet lips. â€Å"See, that wasn't so hard.† â€Å"Yes, it was,† I surrender, defeated. â€Å"But I'm tired.† â€Å"Of being someone you're not?† â€Å"That among other things.† He lets out an unsteady breath and lowers his voice as he leans close to my ear. â€Å"Are you ready to talk about it?† I shake my head. â€Å"Not yet, but maybe soon.† â€Å"I'm here when you're ready.† He gives a soft suck on the sensitive spot right below my ear, and his tongue tastes my skin before he pulls away. â€Å"You want to race home?† He wiggles his eyebrows, teasing me. â€Å"Loser owes the other one a favor.† I scrunch up my nose and glance over at his Chevelle. â€Å"I'm not stupid enough to think I could ever win that bet.† He laughs, sucking his lip ring into his mouth. â€Å"I promise I'll go easy on you.† A naughty feeling dances inside me. â€Å"What if I don't want you to go easy on me?† He's speechless, which is rare. His gaze bores into me and then he strides forward and kisses me. It's quick, but it steals my breath away.

Applying Economics To Current Events

There are so many events going on in the world today. There is a housing market issue, health care reform issue, and companies fighting for paid sick leave from their jobs. There are many more this is just to name a few. The housing market is going to start booming again for a short time. The health care reform created by Obama will continue to be an issue for a long time, and companies are fighting to get paid sick leave when they are ill. There are so many things that have changed in the world, and it sure is not what it used to be. First, the housing market is starting to come back to business, but it is taking some time. â€Å"Between 2002 and 2007, the population of prospective homeowners grew at an average annual rate of 2. 5 million. Over this same time period, the number of households increased by average of 1. 1 million. And to accommodate these newly formed households, homebuilders built an average of 1. 7 million housing units a year† (Maxfield, 2013). That is great for some people. When the United States was in the recession, there were many of people that lost almost everything that they owned. Anyone that is looking to buying a home, or having one built should take careful planning before doing so. People should consider that the United States could go into another recession at any time. Is the person going to be able to afford their home? That is the number one question a person should ask themselves. There are many people that try to live outside of their means. Sure it is nice if the person has a good job that is secure. Most jobs are not securing anymore, especially health care. The health care reform has everyone up in a roar. Some people agree with the reform and others do not. Something has been pulled out of the Affordable Care Act and, â€Å"It gives states just enough power over insurance marketplaces and the Medicaid expansion to continue the unequal and unfair distribution of state-based social services. It allows states to eviscerate Medicaid in ways that don't make sense† (Vox, 2013). The states are still going to have control over everything and even more now. â€Å"In some states, Medicaid pays to save the life of a stroke victim in the hospital, but then denies adequate ehabilitation services and devices to prevent that person's ongoing health problems from rapidly placing further strain on the thin social-service safety net†(Vox,2013). Medicaid used to cover everything that a patient would need. There should not be a change in that. There are some people that cannot afford health care coverage on their own. If a person has a job and the company offers insurance, then yes a person should take it. The people that take advantage of the system and does not take the offered insurance and stays on Medicaid should be fined. Employers are going to have to start paying for their employees to have insurance. The company must have at least 50 full-time employees to start the mandatory coverage. When a company does not provide the coverage, the company will get fined between $2000. 00 and $3000. 00. There are many of companies that do not have that many employees. What are going to happen to all of the small businesses? Are they going to get shut down? Are they going to get a fine for not having some type of insurance coverage for the employees? There are still un-answered questions and there are people wondering what is going to their jobs when the Affordable Care Act goes into full effect. There are also companies that do not offer paid sick leave. There are many states that have already got the law passed that it is mandatory for employers to offer paid sick leave. There may be some people that would abuse the privilege of having this, and not wanting to offer it. There are still honest people in the world that it could be an advantage to. Many people have families and cannot afford to call-in sick when they have the flu, or another illness. That is where the paid sick leave would come in. Employees coming to work sick could be a bigger risk then not letting them have to day off. It could be difficult for some smaller businesses to offer this because of the costs. The restaurant industry could get hit pretty hard because of the administrative costs as well as having to cover peoples’ shifts that are unable to go to work. â€Å"The U. S is the only major industrialized nation without a national paid sick-leave policy Some 145 countries provide paid sick days for short- or long-term illnesses. Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Singapore require employers to provide at least 10 paid sick days† (Koba, 2013). In Conclusion, the world is not what it used to be. The government is eventually going to control the whole world and nobody will have a say on anything. The housing market is slowly coming back up, but are the people going to be able to get a new home and afford it later down the line? The United States is not promising that it will not get back into another recession so the person better only hope that they have a safe, secure job. The Affordable Care Act will be completely controlled by the government, and Medicaid patients will not have the coverage they once had. Companies do not offer paid sick leave to the employees, but some states are trying to make it a law.