Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Essay on International Relation in East Asia Nuclear and Peace on the Korean Peninsula

Essay on International Relation in East Asia Nuclear and Peace on the Korean Peninsula Essay on International Relation in East Asia: Nuclear and Peace on the Korean Peninsula Essay on International Relation in East Asia: Nuclear and Peace on the Korean PeninsulaUnder what condition do you think North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons development?North Korea can give up its nuclear weapons development on the condition of the full safety to the existing regime. However, in actuality, the totalitarian regime established in North Korea can never be certain in its full safety because of the risk of the internal rebellion and possible interference of the international community. In such a situation, the only condition to make North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons development is to provide the ruling regime with support sufficient to maintain the socioeconomic stability in the country, while the ruling regime will give up its nuclear weapons developments in exchange. This agreement needs the involvement of the major players in the region, including the US, China, Japan, Russia, North and South Korea. They should recognize the divide of Korea and guaran tee the independence of each state as well as the ban of the nuclear weapon use by either part in the region. International security guarantees should be backed up by economic aid to North Korea along with strict international control over its nuclear developments.How to make it happen? More sanction or more rewards?To reach the non-nuclear status of North Korea is possible through the combination of rewards and sanctions. If North Korea folds up its nuclear weapons programs, the international community should provide wider assistance in the field of energy supply and food supply to help the regime to maintain its existence. If North Korea violates its non-nuclear status, then the international community should respond with the total isolation of North Korea to the extent that the international community can use the military force against North Korea.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Create a Heritage Scrapbook - Family History Album

How to Create a Heritage Scrapbook - Family History Album The perfect place to showcase and protect your precious family photos, heirlooms, and memories, a heritage scrapbook album is a wonderful way to document your familys history and create a lasting gift for future generations. While it may seem a daunting task when faced with boxes of dusty old photos, scrapbooking is actually both fun and easier than you might think. Gather Your Memories At the heart of most heritage scrapbooks is the photos - pictures of your grandparents wedding, your great-grandfather at work in the fields, a family Christmas celebration, and so on. Begin your heritage scrapbook project by gathering together as many photographs as possible, from boxes, attics, old albums, and relatives. These photos dont necessarily need to have people in them - pictures of old houses, automobiles, and towns are great for adding historical interest to a family history scrapbook. Remember, in your quest, that pictures from slides and reel-to-reel 8mm films can be made at a relatively low cost through your local photo store. Family mementos such as birth and marriage certificates, report cards, old letters, family recipes, clothing items, and a lock of hair can also add interest to a family history scrapbook. Smaller items can be incorporated into a heritage scrapbook by placing them in clear, self-adhesive, acid-free memorabilia pockets. Larger heirlooms such as a pocket watch, wedding dress, or family quilt can also be included by photocopying or scanning them and using the copies in your heritage album. Get Organized As you begin to accumulate photos and materials, work to organize and protect them by sorting them in archival safe photo files and boxes. Use labeled file dividers to help you divide the photos into groups - by person, family, time-period, life-stages, or another theme. This will help make it easy to find a specific item as you work, while also protecting the items which dont make it into the scrapbook. As you work, use a photo-safe pen or pencil to write details of each photo on the back, including the peoples names, the event, the location and the date the photo was taken. Then, once your photos are organized, store them in a dark, cool, dry location, keeping in mind that its best to store photos standing upright. Assemble Your Supplies Since the purpose of compiling a heritage scrapbook is to preserve family memories, it is important to start with supplies that will protect your precious photographs and memorabilia. Basic scrapbooking begins with just four items - an album, adhesive, scissors, and a journaling pen. Scrapbook Album - Choose a photo album that contains acid-free pages, or purchase acid-free, PVC-free sheet protectors and slip them into a three-ring binder. The size of your scrapbook is a matter of personal preference (most scrapbooks are either 8 1/2 x 11 or 12 x 12.), but consider the availability and cost of supplies, as well as how many pictures you want to fit on each page when you make your choice. Scrapbook albums come in a variety of styles, with post bound, expandable spine and 3 ring albums being the most popular.Adhesives - Used to secure everything to the album pages, adhesives come in many forms, including photo corners, photo tape, double-sided adhesive strips, and glue sticks.Scissors - Available in both straight-edge and decorative-edge, scissors help cut your photos into interesting shapes and crop out any unwanted areas.Journaling Pens - Acid-free, permanent markers, and pens are necessary for writing down important names, dates, and family memories, as well as f or adding fun doodles and pictures to your scrapbook pages. Other fun scrapbooking supplies to enhance your family history scrapbook include colored and patterned acid-free papers, stickers, a paper trimmer, templates, decorative rulers, paper punches, rubber stamps, computer clipart, and fonts, and a circle or pattern cutter. Next Page Step-by-Step Heritage Scrapbook Pages After gathering the photos and memorabilia for your heritage scrapbook, its finally time for the fun part - to sit down and create the pages. The basic steps for creating a scrapbook page include: Select Your Photos Begin your page by choosing a number of photos for your page which relate to a single theme - e.g. Great-grandmas wedding. For a single album page layout, select 3 to 5 photos. For a two page spread, select between 5 and 7 photos. When you have the option, use only the best photos for your heritage album - photos which are clear, focused, and best help to tell the story. Heritage Tip - If a photo that you wish to use in your album is torn, scratched, or faded, consider scanning in the photo and using a graphic editing program to repair the cracks and clean up the image. The restored image can then be printed and used for your heritage album. Choose Your Colors Select 2 or 3 colors to complement your photos. One of these may serve as a background or base page, and the others for matting photos. A variety of papers, including patterns and textures, are available which can serve as beautiful backgrounds and mats for heritage scrapbooks. Heritage Tip - You can create your own background papers by photocopying precious family heirlooms (such as a bit of lace from your grandmothers wedding dress). If using patterned paper or a photocopied image for the background, then it is usually best to mat photos with plain papers to help them stand out from the busy background. Crop Photos Use a pair of sharp scissors to trim away unwanted background and other objects in your photos. You may want to keep cars, houses, furniture, or other background images in some photos for historical reference while highlighting just a specific individual in others. Cropping templates and cutters are available to help you crop your photos in a variety of shapes. Decorative-edged scissors can also be used to trim photos. Heritage Tip - It is best to make and use copies of any precious heritage photos which you wish to crop, rather than cutting and possibly destroying the only photo you have of a deceased relative. Cropping can also cause crumbling edges and cracking emulsion in older, fragile photos. Mat Photos A bit different than the traditional picture mat, matting to scrapbookers means to glue a photograph on a piece of paper (the mat) and then trim the paper close to the edges of the photograph. This creates a decorative frame around the photo. Different combinations of decorative-edged scissors and straight scissors can help provide interest and help your photos pop from the pages. Heritage Tip - When including original heritage photographs in your scrapbook, it is always a good idea to attach them to your page with photo corners rather than glue or other adhesive options. in case you need to remove them or make additional copies. Arrange the Page Begin by experimenting with possible layouts for your photos and memorabilia. Arrange and rearrange until the layout satisfies you. Be sure to leave room for titles, journaling, and embellishments. When you are happy with the layout to attach to the page using acid-free adhesive or tape. Alternatively, use photo corners or a corner slot punch. Heritage Tip - Always assume that memorabilia is acidic, rather than finding out the hard way. Use a deacidification spray to deacidify book pages, newspaper clippings, and other papers, and enclose other memorabilia in acid-free sleeves. Next Page Add Interest With Journaling Embellishments Add Journaling Personalize your page by writing down names, date, and place of event, as well as memories or quotes from some of the people involved. Called journaling, this is probably the most important step when creating a heritage scrapbook. For each photo or set of related photos, you should follow the five Ws - 1) who (who are the people in the photo), when (when was the photo taken), where (where was the photo taken), why (why is the moment significant), and what (what are the people doing in the photo). When journaling, be sure to use a waterproof, fade resistant, permanent, quick drying pen - preferably black as research has shown that black ink best stands the test of time. Other colors can be used for adding decoration, or other non-essential information. Heritage Tip - When journaling in your heritage scrapbooking, it is important to be specific, adding related memories and details to the names and dates. Grandma in her kitchen on June 1954 is nice, but it is better to write: Grandma loves to cook and is very proud of her kitchen, seen here on June 1954. Her chocolate cake was always the hit of the party. Embellish by adding mementos from the occasion, such as a copy of Grandmas chocolate cake recipe (in her own handwriting, if possible). Add Embellishments To complete your scrapbook layout and complement your photos, consider adding some stickers, die cuts, punch art, or stamped images. Stickers add interest with very little work on your part and help give your page a polished look.Die Cuts are pre-cut shapes cut from cardstock, available in many sizes and colors. They help add pizzazz to your scrapbook without the need for a lot of creative talent. Solid die-cuts also make great spots for journaling. Be sure to select die-cuts made from acid-free and lignin-free paper.Punch Art, the process of using shaped craft punches to cut various shapes from cardstock and them combining those shapes to create completed works of art, is another easy way to add interest to your scrapbook pages. Again, be sure that you use acid-free and lignin-free paper to create your punch art.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Energy Wedges Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Energy Wedges - Lab Report Example Our energy wedge is mainly concerned with efficient utilization of energy and use of renewable sources as the major active ways of reducing carbon emission by the year 2055. Faced with only two solutions of either maintaining the current emission of carbon in the next 50 years or reducing the production of carbon in the atmosphere by the similar amount of time, we opted to build our wedge on the basis practical reduction of carbon in the atmosphere by half for the next 50 years. This option was opted for the various reasons of changing environmental conditions and the sudden changes in technology that demand use of carbon energy (Levy, 2010). The world is required to reduce atmospheric carbon from current 8 billion tons per year by half hence ensuring only 200 billion tons by the year 2055. This is only possible by increasing sufficient use of transport. This is mainly by adopting efficient fuel engines in terms of motor vehicles. Another way is by reducing the distance travelled while at the same time ensuring efficiency in construction and building hence reducing electricity use. This is possible by utilizing solar energy and using materials that conserve energy during winter. Use of renewable sources of energy is our next energy wedge which aims at using sources in the environment that do not produce carbon in the atmosphere. Use of solar energy is just one of the means. Using wind-generated electricity is already in use in many countries in the world. In addition to this forest, conservation and soil storage are also means thorough which carbon emission can be reduced. Lakes, rivers, forests, and soils absorb atmospheric carbon from the atmosphere (UNEP, 2007). The group believes that if the above energy wedge proposal is implemented then the world is likely to achieve its objectives. According to the work sheet above, taxpayers failed to recognize the importance

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Organizational Innovation and Change D5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Innovation and Change D5 - Essay Example In an aim of expanding the organization and giving it a global image the bank has invested realized its social responsibility. It has invested in charity events and in the effort of improving the needless in society it has vented into Africa and Asia (Zell, 2008). The bank has been involved in the motivation of their employees. The bank has developed a culture in which the welfare of the employees is paramount. They have end month fan fairs and they pay their employees well. All employees are insured and housed or given house allowances. This intern increases the employees’ commitment (Tushman, 2006). The customers get satisfied due to good public relation; it is able to expand due to a large client base. The bank has also has also invested into technology and allows great idea this is there reason to its expansion. There are regulations that drive the financial sector consolidates is the result of 60 percent growth in terms of shares and asset. There banks vision statement has been realized to a percentage. The success is due to an organized team. The bank has portrayed the essence of the vision statement and how it’s used to drive the company forward. The bank has invested heavily and employed expertise to enable their success (Beerman, 2005). The vision statement should be the one driving a company towards the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Poetry and Wright Essay Example for Free

Poetry and Wright Essay The poetry of Judith Wright conveys a strong sense of ? Australian Identity. This is evident though Wrights strong connection to the sea, using descriptions and personifications of the sea. Wrights ? Australian Identity is firmly established through poetry with her use of ideas that have become synonymous with the Australian stereotype: what people recognise as being uniquely ? Australian. This includes the description of the stereotypical Australian beach scene and the attitudes shown by the surfer and even the surf in the poem: characteristics recognised as ?  typically Australian. These features of her poetry have established Wright as a truly ? Australian poet. The surf, grey-wolf sea sitting on the whitened pebbles and shells are images that are recognised as Australian and part of the Australian identity. The surfer too is instantly recognisable as typical Aussie character. He is described as brown and he has muscle ? he is the stereotype of the bronzed, muscular surfer. The use of these ideas that have become typically Australian show Judith Wright as an Australian poet which in turn reflects the Australian identity. Judith Wright has a strong connection to the Australian beach, and the ideas she conveys through her poetry are very much steeped in nature. This link to the Australian sea immediately distinguishes Wright as an Australian poet. The Australian connection to the sea and surf is reflected in the repetition of muscle to describe both the surfer and the wave expresses the surfers connection to the wave and to nature. This connection is further emphasised by the personification of the wave through long muscle of water. The bond of both the surfer and Wright to the sea defines Wright as Australian and reflects Australians strong links to the sea. ?Australian traits are not shown only by Wright herself, but by characters in her poems. In The Surfer, Wright uses assonance (those and foam) to describe the wave. This has the effect of creating a long and lazy piece of sound imagery for the reader. The laconic nature of the wave is the same as the typical Australian ? laid back spirit giving Wrights poetry an Australian flavour and such contribute greatly to Wrights recognition as being an Australian poet.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Damning Guilt in Macbeth Essay -- Free Macbeth Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both main characters in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth meet unfortunate ends, with this due in part at least to the huge burden of guilt which they must carry through most of the drama. In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye sees a relationship between Macbeth's guilt and his hallucinations: The future moment is the moment of guilt, and it imposes on one, until it is reached, the intolerable strain of remaining innocent. [. . .] Macbeth's capacity for seeing things that may or may not be there is almost limitless, and the appearance of the mousetrap play to Claudius, though more easily explained, has the same dramatic point as the appearance of Banquo's ghost. (90) Fanny Kemble in "Lady Macbeth" asserts that Lady Macbeth was unconscious of her guilt, which nevertheless killed her:    A very able article, published some years ago in the National Review, on the character of Lady Macbeth, insists much upon an opinion that she died of remorse, as some palliation of her crimes, and mitigation of our detestation of them. That she died of wickedness would be, I think, a juster verdict. Remorse is consciousness of guilt . . . and that I think Lady Macbeth never had; though the unrecognized pressure of her great guilt killed her. (116-17)    In "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth," Sarah Siddons mentions the guilt and ambition of Lady Macbeth and their effect:    [Re "I have given suck" (1.7.54ff.)] Even here, horrific as she is, she shews herself made by ambition, but not by nature, a perfectly savage creature. The very use of such a tender allusion in the midst of her dreadful language, persuades one unequivocally that she has really felt the maternal ye... ...1957.    Frye, Northrop. Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1967.    Kemble, Fanny. "Lady Macbeth." Macmillan's Magazine, 17 (February 1868), p. 354-61. Rpt. in Women Reading Shakespeare 1660-1900. Ann Thompson and Sasha Roberts, eds. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1997.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Siddons, Sarah. "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth." The Life of Mrs. Siddons. Thomas Campbell. London: Effingham Wilson, 1834. Rpt. in Women Reading Shakespeare 1660-1900. Ann Thompson and Sasha Roberts, eds. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1997.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Journeys End †R.C.Sherriff †“Character of Stanhope” Essay

Explore the ways in which Sheriff presents the character of Stanhope â€Å"How is the dear young boy? Still drinking like a fish, as usual?† The character of Stanhope is introduced by Hardy in Act 1, without him actually making an appearance. Osborne shows respect to Stanhope and is clearly angry and annoyed by the way Hardy is dismissive of Stanhope’s ability. Already, we are presented with two contrasting views of Stanhope. By considering the way in which both characters discuss him, we can address the question of whether or not Stanhope possesses heroic qualities. The play depicts the horror of trench warfare; it gives us an insight into what life is like in the war, the reality of the war and the reality of heroism. Heroism is to show great courage and bravery. A lot of men in the war signed up because when the war was over they wanted to be seen as a hero. None of these men had any idea about the reality of the treacherous conditions in the trenches. R.C Sheriff wanted to dispel the myths about the horrors of the war and address how real men survived; the heroic men. In this essay, I am going to analyse Act 1 and Act 2, scene 2. I will look at the ways in which Sheriff uses language, stage directions and dramatic devices to present the character of Stanhope and I will address the question as to whether or not Stanhope possesses heroic qualities. In Act 1, the character of Stanhope is introduced. This has a major impact on the audience. It builds up tension for stanhopes arrival and provides the audience with valuable information about the character of Stanhope. Hardy shows disrespect towards Stanhope, for the simple reason that he ‘likes a good drink’. Osborne is indignant over these comments and continually informs Hardy of his dedication, loyalty and perseverance. â€Å"Oh he’s a good chap† Hardy says this in a patronising manner, dismissing his abilities as a leader. He does not share the same respect but instead uses Stanhope’s values as an amusement. He was particularly amused at the fact that Stanhope missed his leave. He put it down to the reason that he did not want to show his family the drunkard state he was in. Maybe, the actual reason is that he  is so loyal to his men that he does not want to abandon them. Osborne repeatedly defends Stanhope and emphasises the fact that he had seen him suffering all day, physically and mentally, then out on duty all night. â€Å"Young Stanhope goes on sticking it, day in and day out† This comment recognises Stanhope’s quality of loyalty, commitment and overwhelming mental strength. It is for these qualities that could describe Stanhope as a hero. Sheriff’s purpose of including this scene in the play is to present the audience with two contrasting views of Stanhope. By doing this, he heightens the eager anticipation and curiosity. The audience are left to develop their own opinion on the character of Stanhope. In Act 1, scene 1, Sheriff presents the audience with another characters opinion of Stanhope. We can see that Raleigh is very enthusiastic and keen to talk about Stanhope. Dramatic devices are used to create an alternative perspective if Stanhope. Osborne: D’you know him Raleigh: Yes, rather! †¦ Osborne: He’s a splendid chap Raleigh: Isn’t he? His reactions to Osborne’s comments show that he highly respects Stanhope and is in total awe of him. He looks up to Stanhope as a kind-of role model. ‘He looked splendid in it’, Raleigh’s language used to describe Stanhope suggests that he worships him. He uses words like â€Å"splendid† and â€Å"amazing† and â€Å"terrific†. This shows his excitement and wonder at being placed under his command. The scene on a whole shows Stanhope as a hero figure. Raleigh is in awe of him like a school boy idolises an older student. In Act 2, scene 2, Hibbert is taken aback when Stanhope admits to suffering from neuralgia also. Hibbert: This neuralgia of mine. I’m awfully sorry. I’m afraid I can’t stick it any longer Stanhope: I know it’s rotten isn’t it. I’ve got it like hell Hibbert: (taken aback) you have? In this scene we do not know whether Stanhope is actually suffering from neuralgia. However, it seems apparent to believe that he is from the earlier discussion of hoe Stanhope deals with pain. Hibbert is using this illness as an excuse to leave. If Stanhope is suffering from neuralgia too, then why should one leave and not the other? Stanhope takes away Hibberts excuse to leave- the fear of life the trenches. Stanhope does not want one man to jeopardise the lives of others around him. Hibbert: I’ll go right along now, I think- Stanhope: (quietly) you’re going to stay here. Stanhope shows control and authority by saying this. He stands his ground and is firm in his words, but at the same time is calm and composed. This shows his natural skill as a leader and strength to keep his men together. In this sense Stanhope can be described as showing heroic qualities, fidelity and compassionate love to all under his command. With the use of dramatic devices, the character of Stanhope is introduced to the audience. Throughout the play, Sheriff continually uses these techniques and we are left feeling totally in awe of Stanhope’s fine comradeship, born leader skills and compassionate love to all in his battalion. Although Stanhope â€Å"likes a good drink† his weaknesses are overlooked by his dedication, loyalty and perseverance. Stanhope has suffered the dreadful conditions of trench warfare but still â€Å"goes on sticking it, month in, month out†. In the eyes of his men â€Å"there isn’t a man to touch him†.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Cameron Auto Parts Essay

Cameron Auto Parts was founded in 1965 in Canada by the Cameron family to seize opportunities created by the Auto Pact (APTA) of 1965 between the United States and Canada. The APTA allowed for tariff-free trade between the Big Three American automakers and parts suppliers and factories in both countries. The one caveat in the APTA to qualify for the zero-tariff trade was that companies must maintain assembly facilities on both sides of the border. Cameron Auto Parts specifically manufactured original equipment parts (OEM) such as small engine parts and accessories based upon design specs created by the Auto manufacturers and then sold these parts to the auto makers. Alex Cameron took the reins in 2001 and was immediately faced with a financial crisis. Sales in 2000 had dropped to $48 million and were only $18 million for the first six months of 2001. Cameron lost $2.5 million in 2000 and the same amount in the first six months of 2001. This decline was primarily due to declining auto sales of American cars and trucks and the increased presence of Japanese automakers. Market forces were driving the American firms to find ways to cut costs and modernize plants. Cameron used $10 million of its $12 million credit line to reinvest back into the firm by modernizing equipment and computer-assisted design and manufacturing systems. However, Cameron did not have its own design engineering team and relied on specs from the Big Three automakers for its products. This left Alex Cameron with an uneasy feeling that expansion into product design was essential for the long-term survival of the firm. In mid-2001, Cameron took the steps necessary to design and develop its own parts line. Cameron hired four design engineers and, by 2003, came up with a flexible coupling idea that would entice international buyers and not just the Big Three automakers. Cameron was then faced with the dilemma of how to market and sell the product. Projected sales of the new product in 2004 were between $35 and $40 million which was terrific but they weren’t sure they had the capacity to handle the production. They needed to decide if it was better to expand  current facilities, buy/ build a new facility, or license the fabrication of the product to outside companies. While on a vacation trip to Scotland, Alex went to check in on a local customer, McTaggart Supplies, Ltd, who convinced him that the flexible coupling product was in high demand in the U.K. and that more production was necessary to keep up with the demand. Alex decided at that meeting that Cameron would exclusively license the production of the flexible coupling to McTaggart in order to gain a stronger foothold in the U.K. for relatively little up-front investment. 1. Should Cameron have licensed McTaggart or continued to export? Cameron Auto Parts should license to McTaggart in the UK. It was one of Cameron’s key goals to penetrate foreign markets and the licensing agreement with McTaggart would be a swift way to begin executing this business strategy. McTaggart was in a superior position to penetrate the U.K. market due to a good cultural understanding and close proximity to potential clients. Once this business arrangement was proven successful, Cameron Auto Parts would be able to form similar agreements with other companies and expand to other foreign markets. McTaggart is an excellent licensee, as they are a reputable company in the U.K. with excellent credit, cost saving manufacturing practices, good market contacts, and 130 years of service in the business. They are also assuming most of the financial risk by paying Cameron Auto Parts the startup costs as well as a percentage of sales. Embarking on a licensing strategy would also eliminate the prohibitive cost of developing and maintaining a sales force in a foreign country that likely wouldn’t perform as well as a local company like McTaggart since customers had cultural ties and existing relationships with them. Additionally, orders can be filled more quickly as the product would be made locally reducing shipping costs and travel time. It was also a good decision for administrative and economic distance reasons. Since the product would be produced in the UK, it would not be subjected to excess cost of import duty, freight, insurance, or the value added tax. This would allow for the product to be sold at a more attractive price. Lastly, the value of the dollar fell during the original five year contract and the percentage of sales in pounds produced a higher dollar income for Cameron without changing the price of the products sold. The disadvantages of continuing to export are loss of  profits due to shipping costs, currency values, taxes and tariffs. The five year contract allows Cameron to evaluate the effectiveness of the licensing strategy and determine whether this is a profitable venture for the company. 2. Was Mc Taggart a good choice for licensee? Yes, McTaggart was a good choice as a licensee. They have all the tools necessary to successfully produce and sell the flexible couplings. †¢ McTaggart was already familiar with the product and had bought over U.S. $4,000 in the first four months in 2004. They had been able to sell the product as fast as it could be shipped and built a solid working relationship with Cameron as well as good credit. †¢ McTaggart has production experience that Cameron may benefit from and substantial room to increase production capacity. †¢ They have a solid reputation with great financial standing, excellent credit, and a capable sales staff to market and sell the product. †¢ They have manufacturing capacity and are willing to invest and develop the manufacturing capability to efficiently produce the flexible couplings. In addition, they have established a client base. 3. Was the royalty rate reasonable? A royalty rate is the money that must be paid to the owner of products (â€Å"the licensor†) from a buyer (â€Å"the licensee†). The amount of royalty fee is considered the fee for acquiring a patent or a copyright. In most businesses, a royalty fee applies when two or more companies have licensing agreements or sell the products in foreign countries. [i] In U.K., the normal rate of the royalty for licensing is around one and a half cent on each sale. However, Cameron Auto Parts was asking three per cent of sales from McTaggart. Although it was dropped down to 2 percent with a 5 year contract after negotiations, it is still higher than the normal rate. This seems reasonable as Mc Taggart will save a considerable amount of importation expense and will be able to sell the products at a lower rate than they can by importing. Cameron will have established an ongoing royalty income without incurring the overhead cost of production and sales expense. Cameron Auto Parts asks a higher royalty rate than normal rate because the company helps McTaggart choose equipment and provides training of operation  and production. Although McTaggart would like to pay these services separately, Cameron Auto Parts points out the benefits of getting services to keep higher royalty rate. With this five-year agreement, the royalty rate of two per cent is ensured in the first five years, but it will be down to one and a half per cent when the techniques of choosing equipment and operation have been acquired by McTaggart after five years. In conclusion, the royalty rate is reasonable for both parties involved. Cameron Auto Parts was able to enter the U.K. market expeditiously through McTaggart’s sales force, cut down on lead-times, save on duties, freight, and insurance and not be subject to currency fluctuations. McTaggart was able to sell a product already in demand, obtain training, focus on increasing sales and gain valuable insight into Cameron’s manufacturing process. Both companies would benefit from the shared knowledge they could provide each other, thus make the licensing agreement valuable for everyone involved. 4. What about the alternatives to licensing? The alternative to licensing would be to continue production and sell directly to McTaggart and other customers. This would involve dedicating a certain amount of production floor space to a market that is culturally and geographically distant and unpredictable. There is risk involved as the production space ties up cash flow and is not certain to produce profit. Travel expense would be incurred as company representatives would have to travel often to the U.K. in order to resolve issues or sell products. The sales side expense would be higher as well. More sales people would have to be employed to serve that region. They would either have to travel often or be based there and paid in pounds, which are currently stronger than the dollar. Instead of receiving a check from one contact that represents all sales for the whole area, Cameron would have to maintain relationships with various customers, which requires personalized attention to each and exposes him to having to perform collections and write off bad debt. Since unit production costs were estimated to decline 20% as annual sales climbed from $20 million to $100 million and Andy felt that the $20 million  mark was easily obtainable in the coming year, the continued value of exporting to Europe would have grown along with the European market. Looking at the pricing index, we can see that importing to Europe results in a cost of 113 to the importer. Since Cameron Auto Parts sell the flexible couplings at the same price to domestic and foreign distributors, licensing is an effective strategy to penetrate the European market while eliminating import and other logistical costs. Cameron Auto Parts would benefit most from a licensing agreement with McTaggart Supplies Ltd. Other options exist besides exporting or licensing such as a joint venture / wholly-owned subsidiary, selling through an agent, or selling through a distributor. Benefits to these strategies include reduced manufacturing cost, higher sales volume, and better market penetration and in some cases shared risk. The drawbacks to these methods include loss of price control, unpredictable sales volume, and loss of profits. [ii] Case Update Cameron Auto Parts enjoyed rapid growth during the 2004-2005. In 2004, the company undertook a major plant expansion for $10 million, adding 200,000 square feet to the company’s production capacity. Royalties from McTaggart during the first year of the licensing agreement were  £20,000; this grew to and  £100,000 the following year. High overall profitability left Cameron in a strong financial position in 2006. In 2006, Cameron was presented with an opportunity to purchase a 40 percent interest in Michelard & Cie., a family-owned distributor organization in France, which would allow Cameron to break into the continental European countries. Cameron agreed to the deal for $4 million and a royalty of 4 percent on sales of all flexible couplings. The deal enraged McTaggart, who had been selling flexible couplings in Europe and would now be competing with Michelard. Partly to appease McTaggart, Cameron agreed to a proposed joint venture in Australia. McTaggart would own 60 percent of the plant and be responsible for managing the venture.  According to McTaggart, local assembly in Australia could triple volume of current sales to around  £10 million. An investment of  £2 million could make around  £400,000 a year after Australian taxes while avoiding tariffs imposed on shipping finished products. This agreement would also position the firms to benefit from Australia’s free trade agreement with New Zealand. [iii] Cameron Auto Parts is very likely a pseudonym for Fernco, Inc., a flexible coupling manufacturer based outside of Detroit with a very similar history to that of Cameron Auto Parts. Fernco, Inc. is lead by Chris Cooper who, like Alex Cameron, took over the company from his father after graduating from Michigan business school. In addition to manufacturing facilities in Canada, the U.K., Australia and Germany, Fernco has expanded distribution to the E.U, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and China. [iv] ———————– [i] â€Å"Valuation Resource†Royalty Rates and License Fees.† Retrieved June 29, 2011 from < http://www.crucial-systems.com/dmbr/Mechanical_Royalties> â€Å"Mechanical Royalties.† Time. 05 December 2004. Retrieved June 29, 2011 from < http://www.crucial-systems.com/dmbr/Mechanical_Royalties> [ii] â€Å"Use These Top Five Strategies for Selling in International Markets.† Retrieved July 1, 2011 from [iii] Beamish, Paul and Crookell, Harold. â€Å"Cameron Auto Parts (B) – Revised.† Richard Ivey School of Business. University of Western Ontario. Jan 10, 2006. [iv] Ferno Company Website. Retrieved July 1, 2011 from . ———————– It is best NOT to start with a recommendation. I would first discuss the pros and cons of the issue on hand Cameron can simply do what it has been doing: Exporting. It is important that you should show licensing would be superior to exporting in order to advocate licensing These are good points. You realize the resources and capabilities of Cameron are limited. That is also a good point but that point supports the â€Å"exporting† option. There are other options as well: Joint Venture (JV) and foreign direct investment (FDI) are others to be considered. Take a look at the posted answers, especially, slide # 5 where a table lists pros and cons of each option in terms of various resource based factors. I must indicate my preference for such tabular presentations. They are simple, neat and to the point. All of your points are good. But they are one-sided. I am ALWAYS interested in a â€Å"balanced† analysis detailing not only points that support your perspective but also counter perspective. Please see the posted answers for such a perspective There is NO precise way of determining the royalty rate. Please see the posted answers for some guidance Not sure I understand this last point. Cameron is an Exporter. Why would they worry about import costs? Please take a look at the posted slides for this question. Good update. There are 2 things I suggest to improve your analysis: 1. Provide a balanced perspective. Nothing in this class is a clear pro or con. Every issue has both pros and cons. Both need to be studied carefully. 2. Incorporate other assigned readings into your analysis to provide evidence of learning. Some of the assigned readings could have easily been cited to support your viewpoint.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on A Hanging

A Hanging by George Orwell is a harsh, wake up call as to how cold and blind the human race can be. This story takes place in Burma, India in the 1940’s. Orwell is a warder for a prison in Burma and he tells about his one experience as he prepares and puts a prisoner to death. They all gathered around him, six warders, and walked the prisoner out of his cell and towards the gallows. The prisoner went calmly but was very afraid – for his life is coming to an end in a mere 2 minutes and there is nothing he can do to change that. As the prisoner makes his way to the gallows, Orwell watches the him as he walks and notices that he came upon a puddle and steps aside to avoid getting his feet dirty, even though he is about to be put to death. Orwell starts to realize that the prisoner is a human being with feelings and thoughts, who is about to be cut short of his life. As they were walking to the gallows, into the yard comes this dog. Wild and happy to see so many people together, he went round the men, barking and wagging his whole body around. In an instant, the dog made a dash for the prisoner, trying to lick his face. The superintendent of the prison became angry, for he wanted to get along with the execution so in that way the other prisoners can get there breakfast. They escorted the prisoner to the gallows. Two warders then placed a noose around his neck and tightened it. The prisoner then began to cry out to his god – â€Å"Ram! Ram! Ram!† (Orwell, A Hanging, 234). It was a steady and rhythmical cry, not fearful and urgent. In hearing this sound, the dog answered with a whine. The warders then put a cotton bag over his face, but the sound muffled by the cloth, over and over again. Throwing up his head, the superintendent made a swift motion with his stick. â€Å"Chalo† he shouted fiercely. There was a clanking noise, and then dead silence. The... Free Essays on A Hanging Free Essays on A Hanging A Hanging by George Orwell is a harsh, wake up call as to how cold and blind the human race can be. This story takes place in Burma, India in the 1940’s. Orwell is a warder for a prison in Burma and he tells about his one experience as he prepares and puts a prisoner to death. They all gathered around him, six warders, and walked the prisoner out of his cell and towards the gallows. The prisoner went calmly but was very afraid – for his life is coming to an end in a mere 2 minutes and there is nothing he can do to change that. As the prisoner makes his way to the gallows, Orwell watches the him as he walks and notices that he came upon a puddle and steps aside to avoid getting his feet dirty, even though he is about to be put to death. Orwell starts to realize that the prisoner is a human being with feelings and thoughts, who is about to be cut short of his life. As they were walking to the gallows, into the yard comes this dog. Wild and happy to see so many people together, he went round the men, barking and wagging his whole body around. In an instant, the dog made a dash for the prisoner, trying to lick his face. The superintendent of the prison became angry, for he wanted to get along with the execution so in that way the other prisoners can get there breakfast. They escorted the prisoner to the gallows. Two warders then placed a noose around his neck and tightened it. The prisoner then began to cry out to his god – â€Å"Ram! Ram! Ram!† (Orwell, A Hanging, 234). It was a steady and rhythmical cry, not fearful and urgent. In hearing this sound, the dog answered with a whine. The warders then put a cotton bag over his face, but the sound muffled by the cloth, over and over again. Throwing up his head, the superintendent made a swift motion with his stick. â€Å"Chalo† he shouted fiercely. There was a clanking noise, and then dead silence. The...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members The salary and benefits paid to the Senators and Representatives of the U.S. Congress is a constant source of public fascination, debate- and most of all- fake news.   For example, one massively-sent email states, â€Å"Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term.† Well, maybe many citizens do not have that idea, because it is just flat wrong. Another infamous email demanding passage of a mythical â€Å"Congressional Reform Act† claims members of Congress do not pay Social Security taxes. That, too, is wrong Salaries and benefits of members of the U.S. Congress have been the source of taxpayer unhappiness and myths over the years. Here are some facts for your consideration. As of 2019, the base salary for all rank-and-file members of the U.S. House and Senate was $174,000 per year, plus benefits. Salaries have not been increased since 2009. Compared to private-sector salaries, the salaries of members of Congress is lower than many mid-level executives and managers. Rank-and-File Members: The current salary (2019) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. Members are free to turn down pay increase and some choose to do so.In a complex system of calculations, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, congressional pay rates also affect the salaries of federal judges and other senior government executives. Congress: Leadership Members Salary  (2019) Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members. Senate Leadership Majority Party Leader - $193,400Minority Party Leader - $193,400 House Leadership Speaker of the House - $223,500Majority Leader - $193,400Minority Leader - $193,400 Pay Increases   Members of Congress are eligible to receive the same annual cost-of-living increase given to other federal employees if any. The raise takes effect automatically on January 1 of each year unless Congress, through the passage of a joint resolution, votes to decline it, as Congress has done since 2009. Benefits Paid to Members of Congress You may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security. Well, thats also a myth. Social Security Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees Retirement System Act of 1986. Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation. Health Insurance Since all provisions of the Affordable Care Act or â€Å"Obamacare† took effect in 2014, members of Congress have been required to purchase health insurance plans offered through one of the Affordable Care Act-approved exchanges in order to receive a government contribution toward their health coverage. Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, insurance for members of Congress was provided through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB); the government’s employer-subsidized private insurance system. However, not even under the FEHB plan was the insurance â€Å"free.† On average, the government pays from 72% to 75% of the premiums for its workers. Like all other federal retirees, former members of Congress paid the same share of premiums as other federal employees. Retirement   Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS. As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes. Members of Congress become eligible to receive a pension at the age of 62 if they have completed a total of 5 years of service. Members who have completed a total of 20 years of service are eligible for a pension at age 50, are at any age after completing a total of 25 years of service. No matter their age when they retire, the amount of the members’ pension is based on their total years of service and the average of their highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary. Can They Really Retire After Only One Term? Those mass emails also claim that members of Congress can get a pension equal to their full salaries after serving only one term. That one is partly true but mostly false. Under the current law, which requires at least 5 years of service, members of the House of Representatives would not be eligible to collect pensions of any amount after serving only one term, since they come up for reelection every two years. On the other hand, U.S, Senators - who serve six-year terms - would be eligible to collect pensions after completing only one full term. In neither case, however, would the pensions be equal to the member’s full salary. While it is highly unlikely and has never happened, it is possible for a longtime member of Congress whose pension began at or near 80% of his or her final salary could - after many years of accepted annual cost-of-living adjustments - see his or her pension rise to equal his or her final salary. Average Annual Pensions According to the Congressional Research Service, there were 611 retired members of Congress receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of October 1, 2016. Of this number, 335 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $74,028. A total of 276 Members had retired with service under FERS and were receiving an average annual pension of $41,076 in 2016. Allowances Members of Congress are also provided with an annual allowance intended to defray expenses related carrying out their congressional duties, including official office expenses, including staff, mail, travel between a Members district or state and Washington, DC, and other goods and services. Outside Income Many members of Congress retain their private careers and other business interests while they serve. Members are allowed to retain an amount of permissible outside earned income limited to no more than 15% of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule for federal employees, or $28,400.00 a year in 2018. However, there is currently no limit on the amount of non-salary income members can retain from their investments, corporate dividends or profits. House and Senate rules define what sources of outside earned income are permissible. For example, House Rule XXV (112th Congress) limits permissible outside income to salaries, fees, and other amounts received or to be received as compensation for personal services actually rendered. Members are not allowed to retain compensation arising from fiduciary relationships, except for medical practices. Members are also barred from accepting honoraria - payments for professional services typically provided without charge. Perhaps most importantly to voters and taxpayers, member of Congress are strictly prohibited from earning or accepting income that may appear to be intended to influence the way they vote on legislation. Tax Deductions Members are allowed to deduct up to $3,000 a year from their federal income tax for living expenses while they are away from their home states or congressional districts. Early History of Congress Pay How and how much members of Congress should be paid has always been a debated issue. America’s Founding Fathers believed that since congressmen would typically be well-off anyway, they should serve for free, out of a sense of duty. Under the Articles of Confederation, if U.S. congressmen were paid at all, they were paid by the states they represented. The state legislatures adjusted their congressmen’s pay and could even suspend it completely if they became dissatisfied with them. By the time the first U.S. Congress under the Constitution convened in 1789, members of both the House and Senate were paid $6 for each day there were actually in session, which was then rarely more than five months a year. The $6 per-day rate remained the same until the Compensation Act of 1816 raised it to a flat $1,500 a year. However, faced with public outrage, Congress repealed the law in 1817. Not until 1855 did members of Congress return to being paid an annual salary, then $3,000 per year with no benefits. Sources and Further Reference Brudnick, Ida A. â€Å"Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief.† Congressional Research Service (April 11, 2018).Feran, Tom. â€Å"Can members of Congress retire with full pay after just one term?† Politifact Ohio (January 11, 2013)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

In media studies, the critique of ideology is deployed to analyze Essay

In media studies, the critique of ideology is deployed to analyze issues of power in highly stratified liberal democracies. Usin - Essay Example In contemporary times, the influence and responsibility of the media is expanding because of the development of information technology, which is producing new forms of mass media. According to McLuhan’s Technological Determinism theory, the media determines social and cultural changes in communication technology. Therefore, nowadays, the role of the media seems more important than ever before, and if it does not function properly then we cannot expect society to progress in an orderly fashion. Also, in order to become a more productive society, press freedom should be safe from harm, and additionally, critique of ideology should be allowed to function because the critique of ideology observes how appropriate the role of media is in providing answers for society. The critique of ideology also makes people judge misinformation and insists on demanding the truth. However, there is another way to communicate with society: through culture. According to Raymond William, culture can refer to high culture, folk culture, or, in terms of industrial societies, mass culture. As he mentions so often, culture contains human thought, art, and mentality. Culture is the most traditional and natural way of communication between people in society. Therefore, it is significant to study about ideology, and furthermore, what the critique of ideology accomplishes in a liberal democracy. Ideology has multiple meanings, as shown in Olivier Reboul’s classification of ideology. In a book called Language and Ideology, Olivier Reboul classifies ideology to the Napoleon meaning, Karl Heinrich Marx meaning, and sociology of knowledge meaning by Karl Mannheim (Reboul, 1994). First of all, for the Napoleon meaning, according to the document that his secretary kept, he defined it as a disturbance that blocks flexible ideas for hypocrites. He also described that it refers to a person who is abstract and an idealist. It is not used all that commonly, so it will just be treated as hi storical meaning. For the Karl Heinrich Marx meaning, Marx defined ideology as false consciousness, using the metaphor of a camera obscurer. False consciousness means only showing a portion of a concept, and this makes people misrepresent the idea; it does not show what the full picture is. This kind of fantasy intimates with religious and moral principles. In this case, the subject who makes an ideology is dominant, and the person who receives the distorted information is weak and receives unfair treatment. Over time, ideology is a system of awareness or notion that is made from the dominating party. The problem with this is that particular information is accepted as common knowledge to the receiver. The Napoleon meaning criticizes the existing rulers while the Marx meaning is trying to remedy society. However, the last ideology’s meaning is completely different from the above two meanings. This ideology comes from the Hungarian-born German sociologist Karl Mannheim, and is called the sociology of knowledge. This idea is based on neutrality and first appeared in the 20th century. He terms ideology as every image that can be seen in a certain group. He emphasized that the composition of a group helps the group to work together. This idea is less controversial than the other two and is a unique cultural idea; however, it’s true that this makes it more open to debate. How does ideology apply to cultural

Friday, November 1, 2019

Isaiah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Isaiah - Essay Example This is contrary to what they would have enjoyed if they kept God’s ordinances from the great to the small. However, certain scholars despite holding onto the idea of â€Å"everlasting covenant† argue chapters 24 to 27 their content is about a period, which is still in the â€Å"undefined future.† â€Å"Undefined future† relayed in these chapters according to some scholars is the messianic second coming. Therefore, this interpretative study seeks to analyze varied statements featured in these chapters coupled with linking them with other Biblical supporting verses having similar implications. Penalties featured in verses 1 – 5 seem to denote eschatological events intended to take place in the undefined future2. Hence, the penalties act as prediction of what the supreme God will do to repay those who chose to disobey His statutes. The denotation of â€Å"everlasting covenant† in these verses is evident from their adoption of a contractual stru cture, whereby any agreement or pact has both the fine’s side and benefits. Mainly, these are for those involved in the contractual process to enjoy if they comply as necessitated with the already devised laws or suffer suppose they choose to live on contrarily to what the Lord demands3. Benefits of the â€Å"everlasting covenant† are evident in chapters 25 to 27, which comprise of a hymn outlining the restoration the chosen would enjoy characterized by an extremely promising future4. The future based on Isaiah’s victorious song is incomparable to what the chosen have ever enjoyed before choosing to wander away from their God’s ordinances while on earth5. Mostly, the Future relayed in 25:1-5 encompasses adequate protection not only from the enemies but also from harsh environmental conditions like heat and rain6. The identity of â€Å"everlasting covenant† in these verses is also evident when the Isaiah tries to relay the kind of feast, which the S upreme Judge promises Jerusalem’s remnant7. Remnant in this case encompasses those who have kept the law though due to numerous challenges beyond human control did fail but rose again. Feast promised for those who will be the remnant though based on this banquet’s nature, signifies total rest from the miseries of this passing world. For instance, God through Isaiah besides assuring the chosen absolute protection, He also declares to destroy death eternally8. Hence, proving that the evidence of consolation evident in verse 8 is in the future, which in this case is â€Å"undefined† whereby the beneficiaries will enjoy total peace. Since, they will experience neither death nor other life’s predicaments characterizing humanity’s existence on earth9. The banquet’s rules concerning â€Å"everlasting covenant† relayed in these verses is similar to the blessings and curses, which God though Moses told His children will encounter if they chose to either obey Him or disobey10. Consequently, this â€Å"everlasting covenant† promises extends to date, whereby those who have chosen to abide by God’s ordinances ought to keep their hopes alive knowing they also share the same assurances11. This is because the â€Å"undefined future† and eschatological events relayed in these verses signify the second messianic coming12. 2. Two cities relayed in Isaiah 24 – 27 signify Jerusalem and fortified city. The latter city based on the reading experiences God’s wrath. This is because of their disobedience and lack of its residents persistence to the end when the Lord will prepare a banquet for those who proved to be triumphant, which is evident in the victorious’ song in chapter 2513. Based on apocalyptic interpretation, fortified city in