2- Religion Does Not Cause Wars

Religion Causes War. † So often is this sentiment heard in the best sellers from Richard Dawkins to Sam Harris that it has almost become a proverb. It is said so often that people believe it without question. But, in fact, religion does not cause war. If you are an atheist, I ask for your intellectual honesty in evaluating this question. You have every right to believe what you will, but we should all be honest and not sling mud where it is not warranted. Laying war at the feet of religion is just not honest, warranted, fair or accurate. War is people (usually men) fighting, usually for a bit of territory or desired resource.One party wants something another party has. The leader of the first party will use whatever he can to galvanize his entire party, usually connecting to any group identity he can think of, which includes but is not limited to ideology, nationality, ethnicity, class and yes, religion. War is two groups (of any definition, but of which the group designation i s incidental) fighting over something one has and the other wants. Blaming only religion is as incorrect as blaming only ethnic groups, ideologues, persons identifying with a certain country or class struggle.The two most destructive wars in history, World Wars I and II both had nothing to do with religion. WWI was the unfortunate culmination of dangerous levels of Nationalism. In WWII Hitler used nationality and ethnicity to galvanize his group to take what he wanted that others had: the whole of Europe. The millions who died under Communism were under a specifically atheistic ideology that explicitly proscribed religion and decried it as a delusion. All wars in American history from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, and the World Wars all had absolutely nothing at all to do with religion.Ah, but the major one cited by atheists is the Crusades. Once again though, one group (this time, yes the Christians) galvanized under that group bec ause they wanted something someone else, the Muslims, had. It is important to keep mind two things though 1) that the Christians had been in possession of the land until the Muslims seized in the 700s AD and thought they were just taking it back and 2) that it was not just Christians versus Muslims. Neither Christian nor Muslim leadership was united. It was different bands of Christians versus different Muslim cities and leaders.Several times during the fighting actually, Muslims would ally with Christians against their own Muslim enemies and vice versa. It was not straight Christianity vs. Islam. But regardless, the point is that it was one group wanting something another group had. Yes religion was the galvanizing factor in this case, but it could have easily been something else, like Europeans versus Arabs, and in the actually fighting those identities broke down as people allied with whomever would be most helpful in achieving their ends. Clearly, religion was not the only thing motivating those who fought.Eliminating religion would do nothing to eliminate war. There are so many other group identities which may be/are equally, if not more so, abused that the elimination of one, if even possible, would have no effect on the amount of fighting in this world whatsoever. This whole thing is not to say that group identities are bad, just that they, like anything existing, may be abused. I would not advocate an attempt to dissolve all group ties simply because they are not inherently bad in the least and I do not believe it possible to destroy them at all.They are true, not made up or purely subjective. They are natural, are usually very good and are part of the human condition. We desire to associate, as Aristotle and so many others have acknowledged, we are social creatures. â€Å"Man is a political animal. † Forming groups and identities is just what we do. And those communities become true expressions of self, a group self that has just as much potent ial for affirming true ideas as philosophy or science.Some may say that Europe, particularly France have effectively done away with public religious sentiment, but does not France identity as secular just as strongly as another country identifies as religious? Secularism too is an identity that has just as much potential to encourage war as religion or any other identity. Communism is an all too perfect example of that. In conclusion, there is a distorted story of history floating around in which religion causes everything. This is actually far from the truth.So in closing, here is just a brief list of examples of wars not caused by religion. 1. World War I 2. World War II 3. The Cold War 4. The American Civil War 5. The American Revolution 6. The Hundred Years War in Europe between England and France from 1337 to 1453. It was over a claim to the French throne 7. The Napoleonic Wars 8. The Rwandan Genocide (ethnic) 9. The Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta in Ancient Greec e (over territory and power) 10. Every Roman battle ever, such as the Punic Wars against Carthage Image Source

Management of the Cash Position Essay

Not only do these managers often have difficulty in comprehending sophisticated forecasting techniques, but the cash flows of their companies are usually dependent upon fewer customers and a smaller number of product lines than those of their larger competitors. Thus the cash flow pattern of the small firm is typically too unstable over time and the available data describing it too limited for reliable forecasting. The small business is subject to still other constraints, apart from those applicable to all firms, which tend to restrict the use of even relatively simple cash management techniques. Small firms, for example, are normally unable to afford the division of talent available to larger companies in the form of highly educated financial managers. Many small firms, struggling hard just to remain solvent and earn a fair return, suffer further from lack of recognition that a cash management problem even exists. Once a problem is discovered the manager may lack knowledge of the methods available for a viable solution. A solution which requires more manpower or expenditures than can be covered out of normal cash flow is Dr. Grablowsky is assistant professor and rhairman of the Department of Finance at Oid Dominion University. He has published articles in the JSBM, the Journal of Financial Education, and the Journal of Behavioral Economics. Prior to his entry into education. Dr. Grablowsky was with the Department of Cost, Planning, Systems, and Analysis at the Monsanto Co., World Head, quarters, St. Louis.  typically rejected by the small business.’ This article will present the results of a survey of small-business cashmanagement practices and compare these methods with techniques commonly employed by larger corporations. Small businesses are defined in this study as firms with annual sales under $5 million.’ Data for this study were collected by means of a mail questionnaire distributed to two hundred firms selected randomly, within the various business classifications, from classified advertisements appearing in the telephone directories of the Greater Norfolk-Portsmouth SMSA and the  Hampton-Newport News SMSA. The firms were selected in five different distribution levels, with annual sales varying from under $50,000 up to $5 million. The firms in the survey operated at from one to thirteen locations and employed up to three hundred persons, although more than half had fewer than ten employees. Of the two hundred businesses selected for study, 66, or 30 percent, responded. A breakdown of the respondent firms by industry and size is given in Table 1. The Cash Budget It was hypothesized that few of the firms with sales under a million dollars would prepare cash budgets; in fact, only 30 percent of all firms in the sample did so. Several interesting relationships were noted in this regard. One was that the newer firms 1 For an example of this situation see B. J. Grablowsky, â€Å"Management of Accounts Receivable by Small Businesses,† Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 14, No. 4, October, 1976, pp. 26-27. 5 According to E. Donaldson, J. Pfahl, and P. MuUins, Corporate Finance (New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1975), pp. 22-23, this would include, based on average sales per company, over 86 percent of all firms in the U,S. budgets, the larger ones updated their budgets more frequently than the others. One of the reasons for the more frequent update was that none of the largest firms made more than a thirtyday cash forecast while the smaller ones normally made budgets for up to a year. This last finding is in agreement with the results of other studies showing that few firms with  sales under $3 million make sales forecasts, whereas virtually all firms with sales over $10 million prepare one or more projections for various planning periods.’ As the firm grows, cash budgeting becomes more essential.† Of the firms that prepared cash budgets, an annual planning period was the most common, although some also used weekly, monthly and quarterly budgets. No company made a cash budget for more than one year. The frequency of updating the budgets was well distributed over weekly, semimonthly, monthly, quarterly, and annual intervals. Another question asked whether or not the firm’s cash balances were being handled in the most effective and efficient manner. Of the 67 firms sampled, forty-eight replied that they felt they were efficiently utilizing their cash balances, but, of these, only eleven regularly prepared cash budgets. The assumption by the 37 firms that did not prepare cash budgets that they were efficient in the use of their cash balances is certainly made in ignorance. Conversely, of the remaining 56 firms that did not preoare cash budgets twenty-three replied, and probably rightly so, that they were not using their cash balances in the most 3 See Orgler. Cash Management, pp. 4-13, for a discusFion of factors affecting the time horizon for cash budgets. A’so see: Keith Smith. Management of Working Capital (St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Co., 1974), pp. 35-49, for a survey of the practices of large businesses. < Soldofsky and Olive, Financial Management, p. 559. were more likely to prepa re budgets than their longer-established competitors. A possible explanation lies in the higher educational attainments of the owner-managers of the newer firms. This characteristic, together with the attitudes of the owners toward budgeting, is believed to be a major determinant of the efficiency with which financial planning is handled in the small firm. The d^ta also showed that, somewhat contrary to expectations, in the size categories which included the largest and the smallest firms (i.e., those with less than $50,000 and those with between $1  million and $5 million in sales) a smaller percentage prepared cash budgets than in the other groups. This result was expected for the smallest firms but quite unexpected for large ones. On the other hand, of the firms that prepared cash  effective manner. This realization alone should have provided impetus to the managements concerned to investigate the need and advantages for cash budgeting—yet they still failed to prepare the budgets which could have improved their cash flow performance. The managers of these firms recognized that they had a problem—the need for more efficient cash management—yet they failed to take the proper steps to solve it. These same firms tended to take fewer of their allowed trade discounts than others, suggesting that because they did not forecast cash flows they found it necessary to resort to expensive sources of financing such as foregoing discounts. Cash Collection  actions that they could take themselves. Although only about half of the respondents had even heard of lock boxes or concentration banking, more than one-third did use one or both of these methods for reducing float time. Generally, the respondents reasoned that they could not justify expending the time and money required to reduce float, because such action would not (in their opinion) materially improve the cash position or the profits of the firm. As with many other decisions confronting small businesses, this one was usually made with inadequate information or investigation. The principal reason, again, was the lack of human resources and expertise available to the small firm. Wholesalers, because of the regional or national nature of their sales, were the most frequent users of these techniques. Businesses with a local sales orientation, such as service establishments and retail stores, were much less likely to use any method to improve cash collections.

English is the global language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English is the global language - Essay Example Every language has its own importance. It is important for the people of that specific region who communicate through it. One language might be completely strange for the people of another place. But even in this vast diversity some languages are spoken and understood throughout this whole world. one example of such a language is English. English is spoken and understood almost in every region of the world that is why most of the people around the world have been now calling it a global language because it is that one language that is understood by the majority of the people of the world. A global language is a language that has the same quality and also it could be used as an important tool for intercultural and interregional communication. English certainly is not the official language of all the countries of the world, nor is it spoken and understood by each and every person in the world. A global language usually plays a ‘special role’, a role that proves it as a global language. English is spoken as a mother/first language in many countries of the world but this is just not enough for it to be called as a global language. â€Å"To achieve such a status, a language has to be taken up by other countries of the world. They must decide to give it a special place in their community. Even though have a few (or no) native speakers.† (Crystal 2003) It all depends on the other countries, who are native speakers of that specific language to make it a global language. They can do this either by making it their official language or by giving it enough importance to be taught with some priority as a foreign language. English has attained both the levels in many countries of the world. it has been given the level of the official language by many countries around the world. It has been observed that English is now being taught in many countries around the world as an important

Entrepreneurialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Entrepreneurialism - Essay Example Once one ventures on the entrepreneurial journey and the way to self-actualization, he will come across resources and people to make clear the way. Lastly, to develop into an entrepreneur is to achieve self-assurance, which emerges as a normal consequence of the process (Johnson, 2007). Characteristics of a wholesome entrepreneur are: they get things completed faster, have confidence, effective management of funds, they get used to changes and, finally, they are connected. I would make an effective entrepreneur since being an entrepreneur is like a rubber band where ones limits are stretched to unimaginable extends and one adapts to these changes. My business entails offering 3D rendering and online gaming services to people. When a designer has completed his concept in Computer Aided Design software, sometimes the computers are slow and it takes days for one to render the result. I will have very advanced and powerful computers where people will come to render their works and even play games online. I will finance my venture through bootstrapping which means employing any accessible possessions to assist in growing the business. Raising money from my friends and relatives would boost my venture. I would not mind applying for Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) given to technology businesses. Finally, I will approach customers who might be willing to support my business if I tailor my services for

Assess the claim that Work Choices is no radical break with the past Essay

Assess the claim that Work Choices is no radical break with the past but merely a logical and desirable development in how workplaces are regulated - Essay Example High productivity not mere dependent on higher efficiency but nowadays more on its contribution towards good and satisfying experiences as well as opportunities for employees to learn new skills and competencies required for continuous innovations and improvements. So increase in participatory approaches, high performance workplaces and learning organization processes are to key to improve the productivity. Basically high performance workplaces or productive workplaces are the places where employees are able to continuously innovate, be flexible and agile, competent, skilled motivated and dedicated as well as working together in an atmosphere of mutual respect trust and confidence, partnership & collaboration. Sustained productivity improvements depends upon enterprise’s human capital i.e. skill, knowledge, competencies, attitude of employee and also its social capital such as trust and confidence, communication, cooperative working dynamics and interaction partnership, shared values, teamwork etc. To maintain higher level of productivity, organizations need to hire the right people; facilitate them through good work organization, work environment and management practices; build and enhance their knowledge and developed them as committed, motivated and engaged enterprises with good workplace policies and practices always creates productive workplaces. All productive workplaces p ractices are based on the principles of the involvement & participation; labor management partnership respect and recognition equality & non-discrimination, competency and skills development and providing good working conditions & sharing gains. So it has been obvious that concept of collectivism, equality & non-discriminatory relationship between employer & employee, trust and faith between the to were the rood causes for sustained productivity but the new legislation of work choices and intervention by the Govt. in Australian

Rise of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rise of Capitalism - Essay Example In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation:The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms.... Therefore this system is different from the socialist and feudal systems in that there is private ownership of property. Competition: In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation: The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms of economic organisation. Given that production resources are scarce the individuals in the economy will compete

Comprehensive Exam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comprehensive Exam - Research Paper Example Nature and Types of Theory In order to understand the nature and types of theory, five articles in the field of ‘virtual project management’ have been analyzed. Article 1: â€Å"Patterns for Effective Management of Virtual Projects: Theory and Evidence† This research was undertaken with the intention of understanding the forms for efficient management of virtual projects. The research uses a blend of theories and disciplines in order to recognize different perspectives on the research subject. It explores the theoretical foundation of project typologies. For instance, in this research, the researcher used ‘Media Richness Theory’, ‘Channel Expansion Theory’ and ‘Adaptive Structuration Theory’ in order to recognize the theoretical concept of virtuality. The research is based on ‘Pattern Theory’ in order to understand natural perspectives on effective methods in the field of virtual project management. Theory is use ful way in this research to develop a sense with respect to different factors which impact on the virtual project management. In order to explain the theory, the researcher has also used figures. The figures help to describe different patterns on the aspect of virtual project management. ... It discovers the combined impact of leadership, personality and organizational aspects on time, scope and quality of virtual projects. The research is based on the theoretical aspect of transformational leadership, personality and other substitute factors in order to measure their effects on virtual projects. A model has been used in order to demonstrate the impact of leadership on performance of virtual projects. In this research, the major concept is to measure the impact of leadership, personality, and other aspects on virtual team performance (Strang, 2010). Article 3: â€Å"Knowledge Integration in Virtual Teams: The Potential Role of KMS† This article explores difficulties of knowledge integration in virtual team context. The research is based on communication theory in order to recognize ‘Knowledge Management System’ (KMS) in different stages of virtual project management. The research concepts are operationalized by concentrating on virtual team circumstan ces where organizations try to utilize the knowledge oriented assets. In order to conduct the research, the researchers used secondary databases for describing how virtual teams can generate challenges towards application of knowledge oriented assets throughout virtual project phases (Alavi & Tiwana, 2002). Article 4: â€Å"Getting it Together: Temporal Coordination and Conflict Management in Global Virtual Teams† The research aims at investigating the impact of chronological management on virtual teams through asynchronous interaction. The research demonstrates an explicit theoretical framework on the aspect of chronological management challenges, interaction and management of conflict within a virtual team. In order to gather information theories on non-virtual teams have

Summary and Strong Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary and Strong Response - Essay Example e author disputes the report’s contention that these statistics do not indicate racial profiling or bias, claiming that the results are compelling, particularly since Hispanic and black drivers are more likely to face police force than white drivers do. He uses evidence from the report that shows black drivers were twice as likely to be arrested at traffic spots, while Hispanics were more likely to receive tickets than white drivers (Robinson, 2007). The author continues to contend that blacks have become used to the profiling that they are less likely to accept traffic charges than Hispanics and whites (Robinson, 2007). In addition, blacks stopped for traffic issues are twice as likely to be released without charge as white drivers, meaning that they were not in the wrong to begin with. He uses this as clear evidence of racial profiling and selective searches. The author concludes that, from the statistics in the report, if white drivers were stopped as often as Hispanics and blacks, they would uncover thousands of new crimes (Robinson, 2007). However, because society does not want to be searched all the time, racial profiling continues unabated since Hispanics and blacks are easier targets. From the statistics provided by the author, I believe that racial profiling, especially on American roads, is still alive and well. From the statistics provided by the writer, it is obvious that Hispanics and blacks are more prone to be stopped and searched compared to white drivers. However, the manner in which he uses the statistics does not leave any room for additional factors as to why there is bias on America’s roads. For example, the statistics used do not factor in differences in driving patterns that are prevalent on the roads. Representation of Hispanic and black drivers among those stopped and searched could significantly differ from how the statistics used represent them in residential areas. People driving on major highways could be significantly different

Summative Assessment for Master of Midwifery Leadership and Essay

Summative Assessment for Master of Midwifery Leadership and Development (topic to be decided) - Essay Example These classical theories do not take into account individual characteristics of each member and each member’s capacity for potential leadership. Newer theories by Taylor and Weber offer more scientific principles and explanations for management and leadership. Through these theories, we can deduce various techniques in leadership. We can also deduce various elements of an effective team. The various elements of an effective team are: a meaningful and clearly defined task; clear team objectives and individual targets; regular meetings; regular feedbacks on individual and team success in achieving objectives; the right balance of people; reflexivity-the ability to reflect on team performance and adapt and change; a good balance of concern for the team task and concern for the team welfare; the experience of full participation; and good leadership. This study aims to establish the student’s comprehension of the subjects and unit topics covered by this course. It also aims to apply the knowledge that the student has learned in an issue related to leadership and management in healthcare. This study aims to apply the different theories on leadership and management which were discussed in the different sessions of this course. Strong leadership and management skills are important tools for members of the health care team. Without effective leadership skills, the implementation of health care services becomes a counterproductive enterprise. In the nursing care process, the nurse is often called on to be a manager, and in some instances, she is also called on to be a leader. Both roles are different from the other. Wywialowski (1993) refers to nursing management as â€Å"the judicious use of resources to achieve identified client goals†. The responsibilities of the nurse manager include directing and controlling. He distinguishes nursing management from leadership by defining the latter as

Technologies vs Traditional Skill Essay Example for Free

Technologies vs Traditional Skill Essay The traditional skills seems to be forgotten and dying due to the betterment of technology. The enhancement of technology improves the quality of life in the aspect of education, medication, and communication. The advantages of the improvement of technology can be seen in the field of education. The advancement in technology helps the students in their learning. The use of technology like projector in class makes the learning fun and easy to be understood by the students. In some schools, they use e-learning as a medium for the students to easily accessed to their teachers and learning. Now, a teacher does not need to use chalk and wasting their energy to write on the blackboard. Another contribution of the development of technology is in the aspect of medication. The body of a person can easily be analyzed by using the x-ray technology, microscope, scanners and many others. The revolutionized medicines and surgical tools make the treatment and surgery become less painful. The treatments become more efficient and many health problems can be cured easily. Lastly, communication is no longer limited because of the development of technology. In the past, people wrote and sent information through letter and telegram, which requires a long time to be received by the receiver. But now, information can be sent and received just by a click. Whether it is emergency services, friends, family or work related issues; we now have cell phones, PDA’s, email, and other ways of electronically transferring information we need to communicate for whatever reason. To sum up, there is no need to retain the traditional methods as the advanced technologies have already made the life ultimately easier.

Wheat Gluten Protein Analysis

Wheat Gluten Protein Analysis Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops and its end-products like breads, noodles, pasta and other baked products are consumed globally and have become staple diet. The viscoelastic properties of wheat dough are primarily dependent upon the interaction of gluten proteins. Gluten proteins consist of gliadins, which provide viscous property to wheat dough, and glutenins, which contribute towards elasticity of the dough (Ciaffi et al., 1996). Storage protein deposition is affected by environmental conditions during the grain development period (Randall Moss, 1990; Lukow McVetty, 1991). For controlling the variation in wheat flour, it is imperative that the regulatory factors responsible for formation, folding and polymerization of gluten proteins should be studied. In nature, folding of proteins is mediated by an array of proteins that act as molecular chaperones or foldases (Fischer and Schmid, 1999). The wheat gluten proteins are proline rich (10-30%) (Van-Dijk et al., 1997) and about 6% of all Xaa-Pro (Xaa: other bulky amino groups preceding proline) peptide bonds show the cis conformation. Peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerases (PPIases) are the only enzymes known to catalyse cis-trans isomerisation of peptidyl prolyl bonds which is a rate-limiting step in protein folding (Fischer et al., 1989). Understanding the role of PPIases in gluten protein deposition in wheat could help in developing strategies for manipulating the storage proteins desired for different food products by breeding and/or genetic engineering strategies. Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases comprise of three distinct classes of proteins- cyclophilins, which bind to the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA) (Handshumacher et al., 1984); FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs), which bind the macrolide drugs FK506 and rapamycin (Harding et al., 1989); and the parvulin family (Dolonski and Heitman, 1997). Due to their drug binding activities, cyclophilins and FKBPs are also known as immunophilins. The FKBPs are conserved in all organisms from prokaryotes to higher plants and mammals (Gasser et al., 1990). Rice genome is reported to contain largest number of FKBP members (Ahn et al., 2010). FKBPs, beside folding of proteins, are also involved in many other cellular processes such as cell signalling (Luan et al., 1998), protein complex formation (Pratt and Toft, 1997; Reynold et al., 1999), regulation of plant growth and development (Geisler et al., 2004), stress response (Kurek et al., 1999; Yu et al., 2012) and in redox control of photosynt hesis (Gupta et al., 2002; Gopalan et al., 2004). Two multidomain FKBPs, FKBP73 and FKBP77, were cloned earlier from wheat (Avezier et al., 1998). These proteins were also demonstrated to play role in signal transduction through their interaction with mammalian p23 and plant HSP90 (Owens-Grillo et al., 1996; Reddy et al., 1998). Recently, genes encoding three single-domain wheat FKBPs, TaFKBP13, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP16-3 were cloned and characterized by Gollan et al. (2011). TaFKBP13 was the first active lumenal FKBP reported in cereals, whereas, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP16-3 did not show any PPIase activity (Gollan et al., 2011). These FKBPs were also implicated in assembly of photosytem complexes and thylakoid membrane complexes (Gollan et al., 2011). It is evident that information on FKBPs which have been cloned and characterized from wheat is limited (Aviezer et al., 1998; Bhave et al., 2011). Further, their role in gluten protein deposition has also not been explored as yet. Theref ore, the present study was carried out with the following objectives. To analyze differences in deposition of gluten storage protein in grains at different stages of development in Indian wheat cultivars having varied protein content. Developmental changes in total PPIase activity and its correlation with storage protein deposition. To study the contribution of cyclophilins and FKBPs towards total PPIase activity in developing grains by inhibition assays employing cyclosporin A and FK506 as specific inhibitors, respectively. Cloning and characterization of FKBP genes and their expression analysis. Salient findings of the study Different hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars (GLUPRO, LOKI, HPW89), which varied in their protein content, were selected for this study. The grains were harvested at different stages of development viz. 8, 12, 16, 20, 25 days post anthesis (DPA) and maturation. The isolation and separation of different storage protein fractions from the wheat grains pose a challenge due to their cross contamination. Therefore, different methods, which were reported earlier by Osborne (1924) and Fu and Saperstein (1996) were tried. These methods did not result in isolation of pure fractions of gliadins and glutenins from the grains of cultivars used in this study. However, the method reported by DuPont (2005) resulted in highest recovery of different protein fractions with minimal cross-contamination. The reducing SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the accumulation of gliadins in the cultivars of wheat included in this study was affected by the developmental stage of the grain. Present stu dy also demonstrated that accumulation of high molecular weight subunits of glutenins (HMW-GSs) was also cultivar- and stage dependent. The profile of high molecular weight subunits of glutenins (LMW-GSs) was not altered significantly after 16 DPA in any of the three cultivars. Contrary to gliadins and glutenins, the albumins in the present study did not show any significant inter-cultivar variability. Further, the accumulation of albumins in all the three cultivars started after 12 DPA and increased up to maturation. The different albumins may consist of proteins involved in important cellular functions like protein folding, plant defence mechanism, stress response, etc. (Merlino et al., 2009) and, therefore, must be conserved in nature, which explains the lack of intercultivar variation in the three cultivars analysed in this study. Developmental regulation of PPIases in wheat grains has been reported for cyclophilin (Grimwade et al., 1996) and FKBP73 (Aviezer et al., 1998) at transcript and protein level, respectively. Expression studies of PPIases at activity level are however lacking also important because the transcript levels may not always culminate in higher levels of protein or activity due to post-transcriptional regulation (Arnholdt-Schmitt, 2004). Therefore, to elucidate the role of PPIase genes in accumulation of storage proteins in wheat grain, PPIase assays were performed by using crude protein extract of developing grains, and activity was estimated by a coupled enzyme assay method using chymotrypsin for cleaving the test peptide N-succinyl-ala-ala-pro-phe-p-nitroanilidine (Fischer et al., 1984). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that PPIase activity in cvs. HPW 89 and GLUPRO was related to the accumulation of gliadins. The presence of PPIase activity at different stages of grain develop ment in all the cultivars and its close association with storage proteins indicated that these enzyme(s) may be playing an important role in deposition of storage proteins in wheat. PPIase activity of FKBPs and cyclophilins is inhibited by immunosuppressant drugs FK506 and CsA, respectively (Harding et al., 1989). Since no cross inhibition by the two drugs is reported (Harding et al., 1989), we, therefore, employed CsA and FK506 as specific inhibitors to determine the contribution of these two classes of proteins to total grain PPIase activity. Except at 25 DPA in LOK I, the PPIase activity at all stages of grain development in the three cultivars was almost totally inhibited by CsA. These observations, thus, suggest that PPIase activity in the grains, except at 25 DPA in LOK-1, was primarily due to cyclophilins. Since FK506-inhibitable activity in the crude protein extracts of the three cultivars was negligible, therefore, to further investigate the reason for this observation, cloning of FKBP genes, which are expressed in the developing grains, was attempted. Sequence of an active FKBP type-1 domain of wFKBP73 (accession number X86903.1) comprising of 95 (50-1 45) amino acid (a.a.) residues (Blecher et al., 1996) was used as a query, which resulted in identification of hundreds of different putative FKBP sequences in T. aestivum. These sequences were retrieved from NCBI and subjected to TBLASTn using TIGR Plant Transcript Assemblies database (TADB; http://plantta.jcvi.org/) for wheat. Of the several retrieved sequences from TIGR, three different cDNAs, TaFKBP15-1, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP20-1, which showed longest open reading frame (ORFs), were selected for cloning using the RNA isolated from the developing grains harvested at 16 DPA. The study successfully resulted in cloning of three FKBP genes from Indian wheat. Bioinformatics analysis of the cloned cDNAs revealed that TaFKBP16-1 consists of an ORF of 408 bp encoding a protein of 135 a.a. residues with molecular weight (M.W.) and pI of 15.26 kDa and 5.75, respectively. The 561 bp and 477 bp ORFs of TaFKBP20-1 and TaFKBP15-1, respectively, were predicted to encode proteins of 186 and 157 a.a. residues, respectively, with M.W. and pI of 19.95 kDa and 6.77, and 16.61 kDa and 8.96, respectively. In silico analysis of a.a. sequences of the cloned TaFKBP20-1, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP15-1 revealed that the FKBP domains architecture, though conserved in these proteins, also show variability observed in their secondary structures. Further, analysis of signal peptide using different online tools predicted localization of TaFKBP20-1, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP15-1 to nucleus, possibly cytosol and ER, respectively. Compared to human homologue, hFKBP12, both TaFKBP15-1 and TaFKBP20-1 showed presence of all the essential residues (Y26, F36, F46, W59, Y82 and F99) required for PPIase activity, as compared to only three (Y26, Y82 and F99) in TaFKBP16-1. TaFKBP15-1 is 40% and 38% similar to TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP20-1, respectively, whereas, TaFKBP20-1 is 30% similar to TaFKBP16-1. The variability observed in these FKBPs in wheat suggests that these proteins may be playing specific roles in the cells, which need to be investigated further. The recombinant TaFKBP20-1, TaFKBP16-1 and TaFKBP15-1 proteins were expressed in E. coli BL21-CodonPlus(DE3)pLysS and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The recombinant nature of the purified proteins was validated by immunoblotting studies using anti-His antibody, which resulted in detection of the specific bands corresponding to the respective purified FKBP proteins. For biochemical characterization of three proteins, PPIase assays were performed. None of the three purified FKBP proteins showed any detectable PPIase activity since the first order rate constant (0.013 s-1) in presence of up to 2 Â µg of each of the three purified proteins was similar to the first order rate constant (0.0135 s-1) observed for the uncatalysed control (in the absence of protein). To determine the reasons for lack of PPIase activity, despite the presence of conserved a.a. residues, TaFKBP20-1 and TaFKBP16-1 were subjected to chymotrypsin susceptibility assay, which is used for determining the PPIase activity. The assays revealed that both the proteins were cleaved by chymotrypsin which could be one of the reasons for the absence of PPIase activity in the two proteins. Lack of detectable activity inTaFKBP15-1, however, could be because of improper refolding due to the use of urea which was employed for solubilization of this protein during purification. FKBPs in plants have been implicated in various stress responses (Kurek et al., 1999; Sharma and Singh, 2003; Magiri et al., 2006). Ca2+ is one of the most important secondary messengers in eukaryotes, which plays an important role in different signal transduction pathways under stress conditions (Reddy, 2001). A number of multi-domain FKBPs viz., MzFKBP66, AtFKBP62, AtFKBP65, wFKBP73 and wFKBP77 have been reported to interact with CaM in plants (Vucich and Gasser 1996; Hueros et al., 1998; Kurek et al., 2002; Aviezer-Hagai et al. 2007). We, therefore, also analysed the CaM-binding property of the cloned FKBPs. CaM gel-overlay assay demonstrated that of the three proteins, only the purified TaFKBP15-1 interacted with CaM, which was dependent on the presence of Ca2+. Real-time PCR analysis of TaFKBP20-1 and TaFKBP15-1 in developing grains of wheat revealed that expression of these genes is regulated developmentally- and is cultivar-dependent. The lack of PPIase activity observed for TaFKBP16-1, TaFKBP20-1 and TaFKBP15-1 indicates that ability to catalyse cis-trans isomerisation of peptidyl prolyl bond may not be a conserved feature of plant FKBPs, since other plant orthologues viz., TaFKBP16-1, TaFKBP16-3, AtFKBP20-2, AtFKBP42were also found to be inactive (Gollan et al., 2011; Lima et al., 2006, Edvardsson et al., 2007; Kamphausen et al., 2002). However, despite lack of PPIase activity, these FKBPs may be involved in other cellular functions such as cell signalling, stress response, photosynthesis and plant development, as reported for other orthologues (Sigal and Dumnot, 1992; Geisler et al., 2003; Gollan et al., 2011; Lima et al., 2006).

Cornelius Eadys Brutal Imagination Essay -- Cornelius Eady Poetry Bru

Cornelius Eady's Brutal Imagination While most fictional characters are given a voice with which to express themselves, that voice usually does not stray beyond their realm of fiction and therefore is restricted from the power of the real world. The imaginary black man that Susan Smith falsely claimed had abducted her children in 1994, however, existed in reality in the minds of the American public for nine days until the truth surfaced about her infanticide. Cornelius Eady’s poetry cycle, Brutal Imagination, serves to give that imaginary black man (hereafter referred to as Zero), a voice that draws power from his simultaneous existence in both the real and fictional realms. Zero’s voice serves to explain a variety of aspects of his existence, including assertions of his own innocence, criticisms of Susan Smith, explorations of his paradoxical nature, and social commentary regarding the notions of free will versus powerful exterior forces. Zero is the product of Susan Smith’s and Cornelius Eady’s imaginations, and therefore lacks his own capacity for free will. Eady, however, allows Zero the seeming capacity for free thought and opinion, and therefore the opinions expressed by the character will hereafter be declared to be those of Zero, rather than Eady. Lucid of his lack of free will, Zero admits, â€Å"I float in forces / I can’t always control† (17). In the effort to discover what these external forces are, he feels compelled to explore his origins that caused his inception in the mind of Susan Smith. The attempt is made to explain various hypothetical examples of potential interactions that led to his ultimate creation. He assumes that at a young age, Susan was told that that â€Å"All [blacks] do... ...t actually be dead. â€Å"And here is the one good thing: / If [Zero is] alive, then so, briefly, are [the children]† (7). This abandonment of reality did not necessarily happen or may have been transient, but Zero simply maintains its existence as a possibility. Though described as â€Å"dull in his invented hide† (28) by â€Å"Uncle Tom in Heaven,† Zero is actually quite complex in his desire to articulate his ideas about his brief life with Susan and his life eternal. His complexity is compounded further by his paradoxical nature, especially his simultaneous existence as a â€Å"real† man and as a fictional product of Susan Smith’s brutal imagination. As an eternal symbol of the oppressed and abused, he could be said to maintain a symbolic reality regarding the existence of external forces acting against the oppressed, stripping them of the extent of their free will.

Good and Evil in Bless Me, Ultima :: Bless Me, Ultima

Good and Evil in Bless Me, Ultima In Rodolfo Anaya's novel, Bless Me, Ultima the author uses different settings in order to develop Antonio's sense of good and evil. An example of this would be Rosie's, the local whorehouse. To Antonio, Rosie's tempted his brothers and was the cause of their sins. In one of Antonio's dreams, three figures "silently beckoned" (pg. 65) Antonio into the "house of the sinful women" (pg. 156). Antonio saw his brothers entering and he told Andrew, the last of the three to go in, not to enter. Andrew told Tony that he would wait until Tony lost his innocence and only then would Andrew go into the bordelo. So , to Antonio, seeing Andrew in the "evil house" (pg. 156) was a confirmation of Tony's lost innocence and Tony wanted to stay innocent forever. Another example of the evolution of Tony's sense of good and evil through the utilisation of setting is Tony's own home. To him, his home provided him with warmth and safety. This was due to the people who lived in the house. Antonio's father creates a sense of protection in the home. When Tenorio and his men come to he house to take Ultima away, Tony's father "would let no man invade his home" (pg 123). This gave Tony faith that as long as his father was around, he would be protected. Antonio's mother made home a loving and caring place to be. She would always baby Antonio and give him the affection he needed whenever he needed it. The morning after Tony had seen Lupito killed, Ultima tells Tony's mother not to be too hard on Antonio; he had a hard night last night. His mother puts her arms around Tony and holds him saying he "is only a boy, a baby yet" (Pg.28). The Virgin also makes the atmosphere of Antonio's home peaceful and protected. Tony loves the Virgi n Mary because "she always forgave" (Pg. 42). Tony thought she was "full of a quiet, peaceful love" (Pg.42) which she filled the home with. The most important person who contributed to the goodness of Antonio's home was Ultima. She made Antonio feel as though her presence filled the home with safety, love, and a sense of security. When Tony saw Lupito get killed, it was Ultima who calmed him. Whenever he had a nightmare, Ultima was there to comfort Antonio and "[he] could sleep again" (Pg.

Malcolm X / Muslim religion Essay -- Biographies

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I did my report on Malcolm X. Malcolm X claimed himself as a Muslim. He didn’t always though. He had some very challenging moments in his life. In his earliest childhood memory the Ku Klux Klan attacked his house. They were forced out of their city because his father was a Minister for a Baptist church, and tried recruiting fellow African-Americans to join his church. The white people in the community called them the â€Å"trouble Negroes.† They were run out of their community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He had two older brothers, Wilfred and Philbert, and older sister Hilda, and a younger brother Reginald. His dad had previously been married previously, and so Malcolm had two half-sisters, Ella, and Mary, and a half-brother named Earl. Malcolm’s half family lived in Boston, but is immediate family lived in Lansing, Michigan. His father ended up getting killed there between the ages of eight and ten.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His mom ended up meeting a guy, and after about a year he left her because he couldn’t deal with six kids. She was on welfare for a long time after her husband died, and the social workers were really hard on the family. They would isolate the members, and then try to instigate harsh feelings. After the guy left Malcolm X’s mom had a nervous breakdown, and she ended up being sent to a mental hospital. For a while he lived with his older brother Wilfred, and his older sister Hilda, but eventually he got sent to a foster ...

Market Structures: Tesco

This task for Business environment is split in two parts. For Part 1 I will be describing the 4 different market structures that economist usually talk about are perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly. Using the 4 market structures I will illustrate using real life case studies and examples how a selected business of my choice has behaved/responded to its market structure and finally describe how the OFT and other regulatory bodies check against anti – competitive behaviours. In the second part of the assignment I will describe the value of international and EU markets to UK firms. My description will include an evaluation of the pros and cons of UK joining the Euro along with that I will describe the impact of 2 EU policies on UK businesses. The business that I have chosen for this assignment is Tesco; this is because Tesco is a multibillion pound international business. Different types of market structures Market structures are the business orientated characteristics of a market; all businesses must focus on these characteristics of the market because these have an effect on the degree of competition in the industry and influence the business product or service pricing decisions. Perfect competition: In a perfect competition there are few entry and exit barriers, in this type of competition the companies target the mass audience and they differentiate their product with minor changes in the product attributes (Homogenous). Homogenous products are identical products or business e.g. aviation all airlines prove one service which is to get their customers from one location to their destination and most customers have no preference or specific type of airline that they want to travel with, most customers will just look for the cheapest airline. In such type of competition most of the companies use Push strategy, i.e. huge efforts will be done through their sales team, the main focus is the product availability. In this type of competition the companies are forced to follow the competitive pricing strategy in order to survive in the industry, i.e. the buyers have the power to influence the price of the product or services. Examples of a perfect competition to its closest definition are in the financial market like stock exchange, currency exchange market and the bonds/certificates market. As the companies are bound to follow market prices the only way the company can have advantage over its competitors is by reducing its operating costs and working at optimum level of efficiency . Monopolistic competition: Under monopolistic competition, the market consists of many buyers and sellers who trade over a range of prices rather than a single market price. A range of prices occurs because sellers can differentiate their offers to buyers. Either the physical products can be varied in quality, features, style or the accompanying services can be varied. Buyers see different in sellers, products and will pay different prices for them. Sellers try to develop differentiate offers for different customer segments and, in addition to price, freely use branding advertising and personal selling to set their offers apart. In this sort of environment the businesses and trades people have somewhat control over their prices because of the products differentiations. Most common examples of monopolistic competitions are: restaurants as in the right area and right type of food they can have their own small portion of monopoly, professional solicitors, building and project managing firms and finally plumbers as there are less of them and more required. Oligopoly: In this type of competition the industry has a small numbers of large dominant firms that have a firm control over the market. In oligopoly there are many entry and exit barriers such as huge investments etc. In this type of industry firms usually follows pull strategy and make huge efforts in marketing and advertising to attract its target customers, the products in the industry could be highly differentiated or even be similar but hard of getting a hold and this is why businesses use branding or homogenous. Due to the low degree of competition theses big giants can decide on their own price which is most suitable for its target audience and these prices will be non-competition prices however there could be potential for collusion and price fixing so that each dominant business can enjoy their market share and have profits accordingly i.e. their profits margin will vary but still always high. Example of oligopolistic business industries are: supermarkets such as Tesco which alone owns 30.4% which is nearly 1/3 of the UK supermarket retail share market share, banking industry, chemicals industry, oil and energy industry, medical drugs and also the news and media broadcasting industry. http://www.retail-week.com/data/kantar-worldpanel/tesco-market-share-up-as-it-piles-pressure-on-asda/5010942.article (Tesco market share) Monopoly: A monopoly has high barriers to entry and firms have strong controls over their prices and they also control the supply of their product which can increase demand of popular products, because a firm with a monopoly has majority of the market share it can decide to have low prices in order to destroy their competitors. A good and most current example of a monopoly is the Apple Company which has created the iPhone, because of the degree of the monopoly there is a high possibility of price discrimination where the customers and the consumers have their choices limited to what is available in the market. There are three different types of monopolies listed as below: Pure monopoly in where the firm is the industry, for example Transport for London, the firm which owns all buses and underground tubes in and around London, this is where consumers have no or very limited choice. Actual monopoly is where the firm has somewhat majority of the market share in the industry, in this case Tesco is the most famous example, Tesco owns over 30.4% of the market share and is the leader in supermarket industry. Natural monopoly is where there are high fixed costs for example the energy industry like gas and electricity as well as water, telecommunications and the transportation industry like underground and rail. The disadvantages of a monopoly is that customer are exploited to high prices and potential supplies have limited choice for demand and this means that the consumers have less choice and again might have to pay higher prices than normal or the monopoly can even use very low price to push their competitors towards administration or bankruptcy. (http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:qGV5KxXiB80J:www.bized.co.uk/educators/16-19/economics/firms/presentation/structure.ppt+market+structures&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk) What is Tesco's market structure? Tesco's market structure described by the media is believed to be a monopoly, Tesco has also been through the legal proceedings to prove their innocence, Tesco has accused of being manipulative and gaining monopoly by building stores across towns and cities through the country and Europe but realistically Tesco is an oligopoly, although Tesco is the dominant supermarket it has fairly large competitors who also partly control the market. Tesco accused of ‘Manipulative Monopoly' (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23658062-tesco-accused-of-manipulative-monopoly.do) â€Å"A ‘competition test' to curb the power of the supermarkets was unveiled by the Competition Commission last year as part of a planning shake-up designed to boost competition in the multi-billion pound grocery market. But the tribunal agreed with Tesco that the commission did not fully take account of the fact that the test, relating to planning decisions for larger stores, might have â€Å"adverse effects for consumers†, among other matters.† (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23658062-tesco-accused-of-manipulative-monopoly.do) How has Tesco responded to this structure? Monopoly Vs Oligopoly Tesco has over 4,000 stores across the world and out of those 4,000 Tesco has more than half of them in the UK around 2362 stores and this does not include all the Tesco metro and express stores. (http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/map/) Tesco themselves say that it is an oligopoly, this is because Tesco is not the only supermarket in the UK, Tesco is the dominant shareholder but cannot be called a monopoly as there are many other firms which are in competition with Tesco e.g. Sainsbury which owns 16.3% of the UK supermarket shares and Morrisons which owns 11.5%, this means the entry barriers to entry are very high because the industry is dominated by small number of large firms which control and own that share market. OFT (Office of Fair Trading) The ‘Office of Fair Trading' is the UK's consumer and competition authority and their mission is to make markets work well for consumers. OFT is a non-ministerial government regulator that was established by government in 1973. Another organisation that does similar commerce to what Office of Fair Trading do, Ofcom is an independent regulator and competition authority, for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Competition regulators are important in business and are required to ensure equality and a fair deal for all, How does OFT checks anti-competition? OFT plays a leading role in promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive. This work is done using the powers granted to the OFT under consumer and competition legislation. OFT gathers intelligence about markets and trader behaviour from a wide range of sources and then they respond to complaints about markets from nominated consumer bodies, where the OFT is able to see potential problems, the OFT undertakes market studies and recommends to take action respectively. In a recent investigation by the OFT has reviled that British Airways has been found guilty over the price of ‘long-haul passenger fuel surcharges' and has paid a penalty of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½121.5m to be imposed by the OFT, therefore enabling the OFT to close its civil investigation and resolve this case. This penalty to the British Airways has been the highest ever imposed by the OFT for violation of competition law and this demonstrates the determination of the OFT to deal strongly with anti-competitive behaviour. In another case, The Royal Bank of Scotland or RBS has also paid a fine of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½28.59 million about 2 months ago in March 2010, after admitting breaches of competition law between October 2007 and February or March 2008, the fine for the bank was reduced from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½33.6 million to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½28.59 million and this was done to reflect RBS's admission and agreement to co-operate. The OFT has a 5 step method of keeping a good eye on business and other organisations these 5 steps start with Analysis, Prioritisation, Prevention, Partnership and Evaluation, the details of all the steps are on their website under ‘What we do'. (http://www.oft.gov.uk/ about/what/#named2) How do other supervising bodies monitor anti-competition? As the OFT only supervises what happens in the United Kingdom, there is the European Union which is active in a wide range of policy areas, from human rights to transport and trade, the European Union monitors all of the 27 countries that are part of the union, using similar techniques as the OFT but on a much larger scale, the policy to monitor and control competition is said as â€Å"A fair deal for all† and this policy is described as: â€Å"Effective competition to provide goods and services cuts prices, raises quality and expands customer choice. Competition allows technological innovation to flourish. The European Commission has wide powers to make sure businesses and governments stick to EU rules on fair competition. But in applying these rules, it can take account of the interests of innovation, unified standards, or small business development.† (http://europa.eu/pol/comp/index_en.htm) United Kingdom supermarket share Following are the 4 leading supermarket chains in the United Kingdom Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, these fantastic four have a combined share of 75.6 percent of the UK grocery market accord to the research done in the 12 weeks ending 1 November 2009 (Source: Kantar World pane) http://TNS_Worldpanel What is European Union? (http://europa.eu/abc/panorama/index_en.htm) European Union is a unique economic and political society which is in partnership between 27 democratic European countries. What are its aims? Some of the basic aims of the European Union are peace, prosperity and freedom for its 498 million citizens in a fairer, safer world. What results so far? Under the European Union the members can travel and trade freely without any constraints as long as the members are trading in euro (the single European currency). European Union policies ensure safer food and a greener environment, better living standards in poorer regions, joint action on crime and terror, cheaper telecoms and communication, millions of opportunities to study abroad and more How does it work? To make these things happen, EU countries have set up bodies to run the European Union and adopt its legislation. The main ones are: * The European Parliament (representing the people of Europe) * The Council of the European Union (representing national governments) * The European Commission (representing the common EU interest). How can the members have their say? The European Union is not a perfect society but it is an evolving project and constantly has to be improved. If a community or even an individual has an important point to show to the union they must do some of the following starting with: * Contacting their local MP – European Union policies are part of national politics. * Contacting their MEP and cast vote at the European Parliament elections the European Parliament enacts EU laws: (www.europarl.europa.eu) * Contacting their NGOs (consumer associations, environmental pressure groups, etc.) they work with the EU on shaping policies. The EU has developed a single market system of laws which apply to all member states, and ensures the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, including the elimination of passport controls by the Schengen Agreement between 26 European Union states which I have listed below. European Union executes legislations in justice and home affairs, and maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Austria, Belgium, Czech, Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. (http://www.axa-schengen.com/en/schengen-countries) Value of International markets to UK Non EU Exports * In June 2010 the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to countries outside the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to countries outside the EU in May 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9.4 billion and for June 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.2 billion. * June 2010 showed a 15.5 per cent increase in exports compared to May 2010 and a 33.0 per cent increase in exports compared to June 2009. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods exported excluding June 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½45.5 billion, which has been downwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6.9 million. * The final total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½101.5 billion. Non EU Imports * In June 2010 the total value of trade-in-goods imported to the UK from countries outside the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.4 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported to the UK from countries outside the EU in May 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.0 billion and for June 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.0 billion. * June 2010 showed a 9.6 per cent increase in imports compared to May 2010 and a 28.4 per cent increase compared to June 2009. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods imported excluding June 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½67.5 billion. * The final total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported for January 2009 to December 2009 remains at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½147.3 billion. (https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=noneufullreport) It can be concluded that UK has less exports to the non EU zone compared to the European market, in June 2010 total value of goods exported to Europe was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.3Billion compared to the total value of goods exported to the international market which was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9Billion. International business traffic is an important feature of the UK economy's survival; almost 50% of UK's export is in the Non European Union zone, there fore international market has a vital role to play in UK's economy. The imports of UK data shows that the import from the non European Union zone is increasing i.e. from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.0 billion to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.4 billion, hence the UK economy is dependent on the import of essential raw and prepared materials; today the service sector is more and more important to the UK economy as a result of the weakening of the manufacturing sector now imports are crucial and that is why using the international market the UK economy is on the growth as the export data depicts that UK's export is increasing from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.2 billion to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9 billion. Value of European markets to UK EU Exports * In May 2010 the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to Member States of the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.3 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to Member States of the EU in April 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.6 billion and for May 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9.3 billion. * May 2010 showed a 2.9 per cent decrease in exports compared to April 2010 and a 21.3 per cent increase in exports compared to May 2009. * The total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½124.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½48.5 million. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods exported excluding May was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½46.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½273.6 million. EU Imports * In May 2010 the total value of trade-in-goods imported to the UK from Member States of the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.7 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported to the UK from Member States of the EU in April 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.3 billion and for May 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.2 billion. * May 2010 showed a 4.2 per cent decrease in imports compared to April 2010 and a 20.8 per cent increase in imports compared to May 2009. * The total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½162.7 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½238.0 million. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods imported excluding May was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½59.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½96.7 million. (https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=euearlypub) The single market benefits the firms, by making it easier & cheaper to do business in other EU countries. No customs tax is charged on goods that are sold or transported between member states. The EU also tries to make each market as similar as possible to ensure fair competition across national borders. Free Movement of Citizens: European citizens have the freedom to live, work, study, and travel in any other EU country. Since 1995 alone, about 100,000 young Britons have spent time studying in another European country. More Jobs: It is estimated the 3.5 million British jobs are dependent on* Britain's membership of the EU. (Source: UK Jobs Dependent) UK joining the Euro (Pros & Cons) Below I have listed the advantages and disadvantages which were discussed by the chancellor Gordon Brown at the times of between 1999 and the year 2002 when the waves of countries in Europe joined the European Union and the currency: Advantages: 1. A single currency should end currency instability in the participating countries (by irrevocably fixing exchange rates) and reduce it outside them. Because the Euro would have the enhanced credibility of being used in a large currency zone, it would be more stable against speculation than individual currencies are now. An end to internal currency instability and a reduction of external currency instability would enable exporters to project future markets with greater certainty. This will unleash a greater potential for growth. 2. Consumers would not have to change money when travelling and would encounter less red tape when transferring large sums of money across borders. It was estimated that a traveller visiting all twelve member states of the (then) EC would lose 40% of the value of his money in transaction charges alone. Once in a lifetime a family might make one large purchase or transaction across a European border such as buying a holiday home or a piece of furniture. A single currency would help that transaction pass smoothly. 3. Likewise, businesses would no longer have to pay hedging costs which they do today in order to insure themselves against the threat of currency fluctuations. Businesses, involved in commercial transactions in different member states, would no longer have to face administrative costs of accounting for the changes of currencies, plus the time involved. It is estimated that the currency cost of exports to small companies is 10 times the cost to the multi-nationals, who offset sales against purchases and can command the best rates. 4. A single currency should result in lower interest rates as all European countries would be locking into German monetary credibility. The stability pact (the main points of which were agreed at the Dublin summit of European heads of state or government in December 1996) will force EU countries into a system of fiscal responsibility which will enhance the Euro's international credibility. This should lead to more investment, more jobs and lower mortgages. Disadvantages: 1. Twenty seven separate countries with widely differing economic performances and different languages have never before attempted to form a monetary union. It works in the United States because the labour market is mobile, helped by the common language and portability of pensions etc. across a large geographical area. Language in Europe is a huge barrier to labour force mobility. This may lead to pockets of deeply depressed areas in which people cannot find work and areas where the economy flourishes and wages increase. While the cohesion funds attempt to address this, there are still great differences across the EU in economic performance. 2. If governments were obliged through a stability pact to keep to the Maastricht criteria for perpetuity, no matter what their individual economic circumstances dictate, some countries may find that they are unable to combat recession by loosening their fiscal stance. They would be unable to devalue to boost exports, to borrow more to boost job creation or cut taxes when they see fit because of the public deficit criterion. In the United States, Texas could not avoid a recession in the wake of the 1986 oil price fall, whereas demand for Sterling changed in the light of the new oil price, adjusting the exchange rate downwards. 3. All the EU countries have different cycles or are at different stages in their cycles. The UK is growing reasonably well, Germany is having problems. This is the reverse of the position in 1990. Since the war the UK economy has tended to have an economic cycle closer to the US than the EU. It has changed because interest rates are set in each country at the appropriate level for it. One central bank cannot set inflation at the appropriate level for each member state. 4. Loss of national sovereignty is the most often mentioned disadvantage of monetary union. The transfer of money and fiscal competencies from national to community level would mean economically strong and stable countries would have to co-operate in the field of economic policy with other, weaker, countries, which are more tolerant to higher inflation. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/single_currency/25081.stm) One of the few reasons that the United Kingdom did not want to join the single European currency with the first wave of countries on 1 January 1999 is that according to the chancellor of the Exchequer at that time in 1999 who was Gordon Brown our current prime minister said that, â€Å"although the government supported the principle of the single currency Britain would not be ready to join at least until the second wave of countries† which occurred in 2002 and during that time he told the European Union that the country should begin to prepare for monetary union but up till now there have been no indications of the United Kingdom joining the European Union currency, Euros. From my understanding there are many possible reasons that the government should consider while joining Euro, joining Euro would reduced exchange rate uncertainty for UK businesses and lower exchange rate transactions costs for both businesses and tourists. Eliminating exchange rates between European countries eliminates the risks of unforeseen exchange rate revaluations or devaluation, further those businesses who involved in commercial transactions in different member states would no longer have to face administrative costs of accounting for the changes of currencies. The loss of national sovereignty is the most often mentioned reason for the UK not joining the monetary union is the transfer of money and financial proficiency from national to community level would mean that economically strong and stable countries would have to co-operate in the field of economic policy with other weaker countries. European policies The European Union is currently active in a wide variety of policies from ‘human rights' to ‘transport and trade'; below is the list of some of the policy areas of the European Union. Agriculture Media Competition Consumers Education Employment Environment External trade Fight against fraud Human rights Taxation Transport Justice, freedom Internal market Customs (http://europa.eu/pol/index_en.htm) Impact of European Union's Competition policy on Tesco Competition policy: A fair deal for all Effective competition provides goods and services cuts prices, raises quality and expands customer choice, allows technological innovation. The European Commission has wide powers to make sure businesses and governments stick to EU rules on fair competition. Competition must be fair It is illegal under EU rules for businesses to fix prices or carve up markets between them. A multinational company like Tesco cannot merge with another giant if that would put them in a position to control the market, though practice this rule only prevents a small numbers of mergers going ahead. If Tesco plans to merge with its competitor, Tesco needs approval from the European Commission, the EUC (European Union Commission) marks their decision depending on the amount of business that Tesco has within the European boundaries. The Commission may agree to a company having a monopoly in special circumstances – for example where costly infrastructure is involved (‘natural monopolies') or where it is important to guarantee a public service. The large may not exploit the small In doing business with smaller firms, Tesco cannot use their bargaining power to impose conditions which would make it difficult for their supplier or customer to do business with its competitors. The Commission can, does and has fined companies for all these practices. No props for lame ducks The Commission also monitors closely how much assistance EU governments make available to business (‘state aid'). This aid can take many forms – loans and grants, tax breaks, goods and services provided at preferential rates, or government guarantees which enhance the credit rating of a company compared to its competitors but in this case this does not apply to Tesco till today as Tesco is already on top of its game. Exceptions that prove the rule Some exceptions to the general rules are possible. The European Union Commission can allow companies like Asda and Morisons to cooperate in developing a single technical standard for the market as a whole. It can allow smaller companies to cooperate if this strengthens their ability to compete with larger ones such as Sainsburys and Tesco. Aid for research and innovation, regional development or small and medium-sized enterprises is often allowable because these serve overall EU goals. Checks and balances The Commission's extensive powers to investigate and halt violations of European Union competition rules are subject to legal review by the European Court of Justice. Businesses regularly have to make appeals against Commission decisions if it seems like a unfair deal. The competition policy stops the Tesco from growing further from their potential market share, something which Tesco has known to be done in the recent years. Effective competition provides goods and services, automatically raises quality and customer choices increase with competition. The policy also allows technological innovation and the European Commission makes sure that these innovations are in the European Unions fair competition policy. Environment: The European Union has some of the highest environment standards in the world, developed over decades to address a wide range of issues. Today the main priorities are combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and reducing health problems from pollution and marking sure that natural resources are being used more responsibly. Climate change Climate change is one of the gravest challenges facing humanity. The European Union plans to reduce greenhouse gases at least 20% by 2020 (compared with 1990 levels), raise in renewable energy's share of the market to 20% and cut overall energy consumption by 20% (compared with projected trends). All businesses like Tesco's are directly affected by this policy as this aims to cut energy consumption and greenhouse gasses by 20%, meaning Tesco will have to recycle more, reuse materials more and reduce wastage and use of non-biodegradable equipment which will have a small dent on their profit. Emissions trading European Union's rewards businesses and organisations, which reduce their CO2 emissions and penalises those that exceed limits. Introduced in 2005, the scheme takes in about 12,000 factories and plants responsible for about half the EU's emissions of CO2. Under the system, European Union governments set limits on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by energy-intensive industries and if they want to emit more CO2 than their quota, they have to buy spare permits but most supermarkets stores do not manufacture and this means that they will have to use eco friendly methods of business and equipment. Tesco has already proven that they are committed towards being eco-friendly, â€Å"Tesco Plc, the world's No.4 retailer, plans to spend over 100 million pounds with British green technology companies over the coming year as it steps up its drive to halve carbon emissions by 2020.† (http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE61203720100203) Environmental health Noise, swimming water, rare species and emergency response -these are just some of the areas covered under the extensive body of environmental legislation that the EU has established over the decades. EU has set binding limits on emissions of fine particles known as PM2.5. Released by cars and trucks, these microscopic particles can cause respiratory diseases. Under the new law, EU countries will have to reduce exposure to fine particles in urban areas by an average 20% by 2020. In 2007 Tesco received the Top online green award for their zero-emission delivery vans. Sustainable development Sustainable development has long been one of the overarching objectives of EU policy. EU leaders launched the first EU sustainable development strategy in 2001 and updated it in 2006 to tackle shortcomings and take account of new challenges. Since then there have been significant efforts in terms of policy. Now the focus is on putting policy into practice in to UK's market. As Tesco manly sells general groceries they are affected by the European Union's environment policy, in a way that it has to source materials from the suppliers who obey and follow the European Union's environment policy, this means that Tesco has limited span of potential suppliers.

The Psychological Impact on Children Soldiers

Some are abducted or forcibly recruited, others are driven to Join by poverty, abuse and discrimination, or to seek revenge for violence enacted against hem or their families. There is legislation in place that makes illegal any involvement of children under age 18 in hostilities, however it is still rampant throughout the world. The use of Children in war is an epidemic that has plagued humanity since the earliest civilizations and has developed through time. In medieval times in Europe, young boys from about twelve years of age were used as military aids called squires, though their role in actual combat was supposed to be limited.In 1212, the Estevez 2 Children's Crusade rounded up thousands of children, with the notion that they will ucceed in battle due to divine powers that will ensure their victory. In 1814, Napoleon was faced with an invasion and recruited many teenagers for his armies aged between fourteen and seventeen. During the 1800's and the age of sail, young boys form ed part of the crew of British Royal Navvy ships and responsible for many important tasks. Even during the Civil War a 15 year old received the Medal of Honor for his acts during the Civil War Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history.People under the age of eighteen fought in world war one and world war two, even beside the fact it was illegal. They had age restrictions, but due to the patriotism, of the boys, and the conditions of England they accepted some and others passed by into the military. In Cambodia, during the Vietnam War, a communist group exploited thousands of desensitized children, recruiting them to commit mass murders and other inhuman acts during the genocide in Cambodia. They were brainwashed and taught to follow any orders without any hesitation.I find this a betrayal of the responsibility adults have towards children. In the 16th and 17th centuries, childhood began to be recognized as a different state then adulthood. Society began to see childr en not as miniature adults, but as a person of a lower level of maturity needing the protection, love, and nurturing of an adult to guide them through that stage of their lives. This was the change in society that transitioned to children being given less responsibility than adults.The division Estevez 3 of children and adults became officially recognized, however it didn't eliminate the abuse of children. The use of children in battle and wars has been around for a long time, but has taken a new form in todays society due to the improvement of technology. The early 1900's are regarded as a huge development of war weapons, with the creation of the fully automatic rifle. Through the century, they have involvement of children in modern conflicts that typically involve irregular forces; they usually target civilians. 80% of the fighting forces composed of child soldiers, this is one characterization of the ‘new wars,' which constitute the dominant form of violent conflict that ha s emerged only over the last few decades† (Schauer and Elbert). The motivation for armies or soldiers to recruit children to be use in war is that children have a limited ability to asses risk. It is easier to manipulate the mind of a child than it is a mind of an adult. They have feelings of invulnerability, shortsightedness, and cost less money. Children receive fewer resources, including less and smaller weapons and equipment.They are more likely to get killed or injured in the front lines than their adult counter parts. Children and young adults who are facing poverty, starvation, unemployment, and ethnic or political persecution, can be lured by the idea of becoming a soldier to escape the pain they feel. In interviews from â€Å"The Psychological Impact of Child Soldiering† they say, â€Å"that hildren are more malleable and adaptable. Thus, they are Estevez 4 easier to indoctrinate, as their moral development is not yet completed and they tend to listen to autho rities without questioning them† (Schauer and Elbert).The conflicts that use children in the battlefield usually start by the breakdown of a government. It becomes difficult to identify those who are recruiting and using children as soldiers, making it difficult to influence them to stop. Child soldiers typically raised in environments of severe violence are often made to commit the worst cruelties and atrocities. The children would be repeatedly exposed to these traumatic stress', during the most crucial stages of development. This caused mental and physical damages changing their personalities.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is also a common disorder found in children solders, because they are so young they become deprived from a normal and healthy development, impairing their integration into society as a fully functioning being. During the twentieth century the proportion of civilian casualties in armed conflicts has continually increased and is now estimated to be more tha n ninety percent. Half of the casualties are children, and more than 2 million died as a result of armed conflicts over the last decade.In addition to that, at least 6 million children have been seriously injured and between 8,000 and 10,000 children are killed by landmines every year (UNICEF, 2005). Seven of the ten countries with the highest rates of deaths of children under the age of five are due to the affects of armed conflicts in the countries. Estevez 5 In â€Å"The Psychological Impact of Child Soldiering†, they interview three people who had been child soldiers. The first interview was of a sixteen year old boy who had een an active recruit for three years since the age of thirteen, for the group, Mai- Mat.His recruitment process was a lot more civil than the other two. He stated that, â€Å"l was frightened, since our home was attacked almost every night by bandits and other rebel groups as well, what did I have to lose? Also my parents were too poor to send me to school anymore my mind was made up fast, I Joined my friends and from that boy had served five years after being recruited at age fourteen. He says, â€Å"350 strokes were given on my back and buttocks. After a while the pain was so big that I felt that t would be better if I was dead†¦..But then I heard a loud voice: â€Å"Get up. † I tried, but I couldn't sit. I kneeled for almost one hour. I realized that all other children around me had died in the beating. I could see them lying still and not breathing† (Schauer and Elbert 7-8). The next boy was recruited at 13 and served three years as a child soldier, he explains how they would kill other soldiers as punishment, â€Å"When people did something really wrong, they got killed as a punishment .. .1 have seen 5 people being killed for severe disobedience during my time with the group.They were crucified in the forest. Nailed to trees at their hands and feet higher up on tall trees. The nails were thick ones, y ou would first nail through the palms of the hand and later through the feet† (Schauer and Elbert). Estevez 6 It may seem to the individual that some children Join these groups with their own free will, but in a psychological and social point of view, children's choices to Join and remain in armed groups cannot be considered Voluntary. There are reasons or circumstances that may lead children to be more accessible to Join a militant group.

P&G Japan Essay

Slow, conformist and risk averse – stretch, innovation and speed Leadership Innovation Team implemented a global rollout of Dryel and Swiffer Impact – 18 months after entering the first test market they were on sales in US, Europe, Latin America and Asia Processes Performance-based component of compensation increased from traditional range of 20% to 80%. Extended the reach of stock options to virtually all employees Integrated business planning process where all budget elements of the operating plan could be reviewed and approved together Structure Primary profit responsibility shifted from P&Gs four regional organisation to seven GBUs that would now manage product development, manufacturing and marketing of their respective categories worldwide Charged with standardising manufacturing processes, simplifying brand portfolios and coordinating marketing activities Eliminate bureaucracy and increase accountability Committee responsibilities were transferred to individuals Activities such as accounting, human resources, payroll and much of IT were coordinated through a global business service unit Progression form Ethnocentric/Polycentric- Regiocentric – Geocentric SK-II – within P&G this high-end product had little visibility outside Japan Because Japanese women had by far the highest use of beauty care products in the world, it was natural that the global beauty care category management started to regard Max Factor Japan as a potential source of innovation Working with R&D labs in Cincinatti and the UK, several Japanese technologists participated on a global team that developed a new product involving a durable color base and renewable moisturising second coat – Lipfinity Japanese innovations were than transferred worldwide, as Lipfinity rolled out in Europe and the US within six months of the Japanese launch Implementation of O2005 in July 1999 – half the top 30 managers and a third of the top 3000 were new to their jobs – capabilities do not reside in management Global product development process Technology team assembled at an R&D facility in Cincinnati, drawing the most qualified technologists from its P&G labs worldwide US-based marketing team and Japanese team had the same task – Japanese team came up with SK-II In the end, each market ended up with a distinct product built on a common technology platform. Marketing expertise was also shared, allowing the organisation to exploit local learning Decisions Japanese Opportunity Tapping into P&Gs extensive technological resources – extend the SK-II line beyond its traditional product offerings Although would take a considerable amount of time and effort, it would exploit internal capabilities and external brand image Product innovation and superior in-store service – competitive advantage in Japan China Operating since 1988 only Entrepreneurial beauty care manager in China Some were worried that SK-II would be a distraction to P&Gs strategy of becoming a mainstream Chinese company and to its competitive goal of entering 600 Chinese cities ahead of competitors Targeting an elite consumer group with a niche product was not in keeping with the objective of reaching the 1. 2 billion population with laundry, hair care, oral care, diapers and other basics Europe De Cesare – new the European market well Without any real brand awareness or heritage, would SK-II’s mystique transfer to a Western market Organisational constraint De Cesare recognised that his decision needed to comply with the organisational reality in which it would be implemented Jager – openly questioned how well some of the products in the beauty care business fit in the P&G portfolio – the fashion-linked and promotion-driven sales models neither played well to P&G’s â€Å"stack it high, sell it cheap† marketing skills nor exploited its superior technologies From a local to a global focus

A teaching assistant work Essay

A teaching assistant works alongside a class teacher in a primary or secondary school. All over Europe, they have different names, such as : ‘aides’, ‘classroom assistants’, ‘learning support assistant’, but the moment the most common one is the one used at the beginning of the sentence.(Study Topic 1) In present, their role is extremely important, and it is hard to imagine things as easily as they run now without their help, especially because there is a big deficit in the number of teachers in primary schools. Skilled teaching assistant bring a very valuable contribution to pupils achievement within the learning environment. Unfortunately I started working in a school later than I should have, but I feel as every experience I’ve been through led me to this. I volunteer as teaching assistant 3 days a week, and in the rest of the time I look after two children, aged 9 and 5 years old, that attend the school I work in. My job description involves certain things, such as assisting the teacher by supporting the pupils during the teaching of the curriculum and always working under the direction of the class teacher. Because I am all the time surrounded by children, I can assist the children and understand their learning needs.(K.U 1.1) My prior job inside the classroom is to listen to the children, respect and value them. Even though I haven’t been working for too long with them, the pupils in my classroom already gained respect and confidence in me, and I can see how slowly, with my help and of course, the teacher’s , they are gaining the sense of independence, which is extremely important for a child developing. I’m helping by ensuring they have access to the curriculum at all the times, and by using plenty of praise and rewards. I make sure that all the children participate fully in every lesson, by reminding them of teaching points made by teacher and help them organise and participate in appropriate play activities or games. Most of the times I’m working with pupils in Year 3, but sometimes I’m in Foundation Stage. In the Year 3 (7-8 years), I encourage the pupils to work independently when the case and to try to manage their own reading. I’m also always encouraging them to use the library independently, as I am with the pupils in Foundation Stage, which need to be encouraged to develop their independent learning skills. They have to learn to take turns and speak and follow simple written instructions. I need to make sure that the pupils are able to make choices about books and to persuade them to learn independently. In both cases I am always trying to teach the pupils to use information from various sources and to complete all tasks set in a given time. I have to be aware at all the times of the school’s policies, for example in the case of children protection, the school has a member of the staff who is responsible for child protection matters, a Child Protection Policy and certain procedures to deal with any child protection issues arising(K.U 1.2). Another important matter that I must always keep in mind are the policies regarding bullying, as unfortunately, is a very common problem in schools all over the world. In order to provide support for the school, I must attend all the staff meetings and training sessions and to make sure that I’m in constant process of acquiring the full range of skills and knowledge needed to satisfy job requirements, especially as I come from a foreign country. It is also very important that I, as a teaching assistant, I understand my roles and responsibilities in relation to school’s policies and insist that the pupils conform to the standards detailed in the school’s policy in behaviour, and if necessary, take measures to isolate (conform the policy of behaviour) a disruptive child from the rest of the class. As stated in the title, my most important role is to provide support for the teacher, and a very important way of doing that is by participating in meetings with parents and carers, where I have to listen, support and  discuss issues sensitively with them, whilst providing them an accurate feedback (K.U 1.7) Participating at these meeting is a real delight, as I can analyse the other teachers and teaching assistants and I can improve, as a teaching assistant. One of my jobs is to listen what the children have to say. ‘Pupils can provide valuable feedback so we do need to invite them to tell us what they think.’ (E111 Reader 1, Chapter 4, My history of helpers). So far, the feedback I have received from the pupils has been very helpful, even though in certain moments I’ve been disappointed by what I heard. Thanks to this and also to the feedback received from the colleagues, I was able to realise where I have to improve. (K.S 4.3) I have to help the teacher plan the weekly programme and sometimes , I have to supervise the class and maintain good order and keep the pupils on the task. I have to promote the home school partnership and to ensure an appropriate learning environment. At the moment I am dealing directly with 2 teachers, offering them full support any time when required. Luckily, they are aware of the fact that between us it’s a co-dependent relationship, where I need them and they need me. (P.S 3.3) all the time I am in direct contact with the other professionals from the school and mostly with the other teaching assistants. Every afternoon I have to set out , prepare and tidy the equipment. During classes, I must monitor and evaluate pupil’s responses to learning activities and I must provide accurate feedback and reports to the teacher. In order to provide support for the curriculum, the school got me involved in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT ) area, even though the teachers I work with are computer literate, but this is a subject that I am very interested in. Every day I must make sure that the equipment is working properly and I must ensure that the teacher has some non-computer work handy in case something goes wrong with the power or with the computers. The past experience is essential when working with children, with special needs or not. Not only that most of the schools are looking for experienced teachers and teaching assistants, but it is very difficult to keep up when not experienced. Fortunately for me, I have a wide experience related to working with children, even though it’s not in United Kingdom. I started working part time in a kindergarten when I was 14 years old, and even though my attributions weren’t so many in the beginning, it really helped me understand the way children develop and sometimes I was able to see the world from their point of view. By the time I was 18 I was working full time, one on one with the classroom teacher. Kindergarten is a very important experience as it can be considered the child’s first experience in school, and I tried to help them get the most of it. In the same time I’ve been working as a babysitter in my spare time, and my most important experience was volunteering in a centre for children with special needs. First of all I learned that it is important to listen to what children have to say, even without asking, and to respect their opinion. I think it’s amazing how children learn from constructive play. One of the most important things I did with the children in the past was helping them learn how to resolve their problems and improve their social skills, and this is one of the things I’m still doing, I’m always trying to help the pupils gain confidence and developing. Working as a waitress helped me gain my own confidence while working with the other people. Just like in my previous jobs, I am working in a team, along two other teachers directly, but also with the secretary. According to Belbin, there are nine different roles which team members play are based on their personalities, ways of thinking: completer/finisher, coordinator, implementer, monitor/evaluator, plant, resource investigator, shaper. specialist, team worker. (Nigel Belbin, Belbin Reports). In my case, I am definitely a team worker, with strict responsibilities. Although I would like to say that I am 100% effective in school, the truth is that I have my own strengths and weaknesses that impact my  effectiveness. Unfortunately, I have a big disadvantage, as the school system in United Kingdom is new to me, but I’m willing to develop and learn as much as I can. The first thing I am doing is to have a good attitude and take initiative whenever I can. I have to improve my skills, and one of the most important one is the communication skill. I’ll be more effective in my role if I’ll learn first of all to be a good listener and if I’ll be careful with my writing skills as well (emails, messages). Even though at the moment it is not absolutely necessary, I have to work on my leadership skills. â€Å"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Dwight D. Eisenhower Developing my skills in order to improve my effectiveness is a challenge for me, just like working in British school is. I come from a country where the style of teaching is very strict and rigid, and classes are very formal. At first, I found it difficult to adapt, but at the moment I think being able to compare the two styles of teaching is going to help me improve in front of the pupils. Unfortunately, most of the time the training needs of the non-teaching staff are neglected. â€Å"They are seldom invited to participate in staff meetings or training events, but they can be asked to do cleaning or redecorating during the time set aside for other people’s development.† .(Action Research for Inclusive Education: Changing places, changing practice, changing minds, Forging and Strengthening Alliances, pg 49. ) It’s not the case for me, though, as I have been very well received by all the staff members and the school itself is extremely supportive, trying to help me develop as much as I can. References †¢ The Open University (2005) E111 Supporting Learning in Primary Schools, Study Topic 1; †¢ School Policy of Behaviour; †¢ The Open University (2005) E111 Reader 1, Chapter 4, My history of helpers; †¢ Nigel Belbin, Belbin Reports; †¢ Action Research for Inclusive Education: Changing places, changing practice, changing minds, Forging and Strengthening Alliances, pg 49