Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Joy Luck Club Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Joy Luck Club - Research Paper Example According to him, the ‘matrilineal’ connection between the mother and daughter has not only been portrayed through the stories, but the direction of photography and the visuals scenes are very well organized. Each of the stories have been interlinked very beautifully which makes this movie all the more popular among the viewers. The director chose the actors very carefully because they needed to play the roles and get into the shoes of the characters in order to play their part properly (Li). The second article was published by John Mullan, who described the narration of the movie in a very interesting way and how the mothers played the most important role in the movie. According to Mullan, the story has been divided into two parts. The first and the last parts are essentially the stories of the four mothers and how they met each other frequently over a card game. The second and third parts in the film depict the lives of the daughters and how they describe their ‘silently soup eating father’ who watch the game of their mothers. Interestingly, the movie has concentrated upon the lives of the women, but no importance has been given to the men of the society (Mullan). The third article was published on a website called Turner Classic Movies (www.tcm.com) where more importance was given in understanding how the movie was prepared with the help of the earlier published book. According to the website, the project was initially rejected, but as the book started becoming popular and was later translated into 23 languages worldwide after being in the NewYork best seller weeks for 75 weeks, there were second thoughts about directing the movie. After the popularity of the movie, the Oscar winning director, Ronald Bass also helped Wayne Wang (director) and Amy Tan (author) in writing the screenplay of the movie (Passafiume). The last article in this research study is more like a movie review of the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Stages of Policy Making: Immigration Policy

Stages of Policy Making: Immigration Policy Five Stages of Policy-Making Process An on-going policy issue that is at the forefront of diverse opinions in Congress is the Immigration Policy issue. Immigration influx began during the Second World War, which led to the need of having policies to regulate the influx. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act set the guiding principles of immigration in the United States. The five stages of the Immigration Policymaking are explained below (Migration Information Source, 2013). Identify Policy Objective According to McCabe (2010), the major issue that has led to the need for immigration policies is the illegal immigration and large influx of immigrants from Mexico in search for better wages. Illegal immigrants enter US using fraudulent documents, overstaying visa durations and illegally crossing land borders. Illegal immigration continues to date due to the economic upward growth in the agricultural and construction sector that demands for semi-skilled labour. Secondly, the issue of terrorism is largely affected by immigration. The 9/11 attack led to the formation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003. They have the mandate of overseeing entry of people and goods at entry points, enforcing the customs and immigration requirements in the USA. Additionally, the DHS adjudicates the immigration benefits applications like visa, asylum and naturalization (Migration Information Source, 2013). America is also the leading countries of refugees, providing the protection for political and religious victims. They provide refugee resettlement and asylum which has been a conflicting issue in the Immigration Bill (McCabe, 2010). Policy Formation Russell (2012) indicates that the most convenient way of immigrating is employment-based and family-based channels. Family-based immigration has no numerical restrictions, but there must be sponsoring of a relative for approval. Employment-based immigrations are aimed to uphold the nation’s economic demands. It is limited to 140,000 visas annually. Employment-based green cards are available for workers, mainly sponsored by their employers. Secondly, many immigrants are legalised through the method of the diversity visa lottery. The numbers of people who are naturalized are restricted by per country limits and numerical ceilings. According to the Immigration Bill, refugees are granted all humanitarian help in a foreign country and are resettled in the US. The Congress and the president set the refugee admission ceiling yearly. Noncitizens residing in the US for studies, work or tourism, are eligible for the non-immigrant status. This status has restrictive terms and conditions related to duration of stay. The majority of non-immigrants are tourists and students. The increase in student visas has been led by a rise in students from China (Russell, 2012). Adopting The Best Solution Notably, the Obama administration enacted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012 (Russell, 2012). The program protected young illegal immigrants from being deported and forced to work. However, this program applied only to those who came to USA as children, received education, and pose no threat to security. Policies such as the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and No Child Left Behind Act were enacted to safeguard the interests of the immigrants and their smoother integration (Russell, 2012). The Congress is continuing in ensuring the rights of immigrants are upheld because of the immense effect the immigrants have on elections. The Latino voting population was 12 million, which consisted of ten Percent of the total voting population. The Democrats and Republicans are pushing for immigration reforms so as to win the allegiance of minority groups (Migration Information Source, 2013). Implementing Immigration, integration is one aspect of immigration policies that is highly underfunded and only target small groups. Hospitals, churches, schools and other groups have taken center stage to initiate the integration of immigrants through English classes, health clinics and training of the immigrants. The government is ensuring illegal immigration reduces through enforcing stricter measures in visa screening, border patrol, employment enforcement. Also, there are removal and deportation of criminals who have violated immigration regulations. Additionally, these measures are focused mainly on the US-Mexican Border. The government has invested billions in infrastructure, technology and personnel for the Border Patrol (Russell, 2012). Evaluating Policy Directives The refugee admission number is flexible and is subject to review annually by the president and the Congress. The Federal government is sensitive to changing political and religious situations in other countries and seek to enhance democracy to all people. Programs such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are an indication of the measures taken by the Federal government in evaluating the rights and restrictions of immigrants (Migration Information Source, 2013). References Infoplease (2005). Marbury v. Madison case. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/us/supreme-court/cases/ar20.html. Migration Information Source. (2013) Immigration in the United States: New Economic, Social, Political Landscapes with Legislative Reform on the Horizon. Retrieved from http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/immigration-united-states-new-economic-social-political-landscapes-legislative-reform Burt, L. Batalova, J. ( 2014).Refugees and Asylees in the United States.Retrieved from http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/refugees-and-asylees-united-states This Day in History. (2009). Marbury V. Madison Establishes Judicial Review. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marbury-v-madison-establishes- judicial-review Banning of the Festival of Basant: The Debate Banning of the Festival of Basant: The Debate â€Å"Depriving us from celebrating Basant is tantamount to depriving us of our fundamental rights,† Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer said. The festival of Basant was banned in Pakistan in 2005. Apart from the fact that the ban itself was not fully justified, it not only meant the loss of revenue from the tourism sector but also of discarding of our centuries old tradition. Culture is what defines us in this age and Basant is part of our culture; hence banning Basant just because the State is incapable of controlling its adverse effects is unjustifiable. Most importantly, the imposition of ban itself is not fully justified as the decision to ban Basant was not neutral and was influenced to serve the purpose of our politicians. â€Å"The current ban on Basant, the world famous kite-flying festival of Lahore, appears to be more an outcome of political tussle between two political forces of the country than anything else (Qadeer 7).† The ban on Basant is not an outcome of pure decision making based on its pros and cons; instead the decision is politically influenced. Basant marks the arrival of spring and is a symbol of joy and happiness. It is an integral part of our culture, heritage and lifestyle and nobody has the right to rob us from it. Basant is deeply rooted in peoples psyche and lifestyle. Majority of the public is not only against the ban on Basant but is offended by this government decision. Mian Ejaz, acting district coordination officer during the DCOs absence said, â€Å"Basant should not be banned because it attracts people from all over the world and is a cultural event.† He lamented about grave problems caused by Basant but also said that the public was unwilling to support such a ban (Ali 7). Basant has been in our tradition from a long time and has become a custom and very important part of our lives. But there are some people, particularly those with strong religious assocaition, who raise the point that Basant being a Hindu festival should be banned. Actually this is not the case; these are just illogical accusations made by these people to show their importance in the community. The Hindu festival which these people refer to is ‘Vasant Panchami which is also called Basant.   According to the article ‘Tracing the Origin of Basant, written by Dr. Shaukat Mahmood, Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival which is about celebrating the glory of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. In India particularly in Indian Bengal, during this festival children are taught to write their first words; Brahmins are fed; ancestors worship is performed; the god of love Kamadeva is worshipped. The festival Hindus celebrate is limited to worshipping, wearing same color clothes and relatives gathering at one place. There is no sign of kite flying in their festival which clearly shows that our tradition is different from theirs. Basant is one of the biggest festivals in the country and is also recognized world wide. It is a sport which mainly exists in Pakistan but is well known to the rest of the world. It is a colorful festival consisting not only of kite flying but also of music, dancing and dinners. People gather together to enjoy and celebrate the arrival of spring. Yasir Qadeer states that, â€Å"It attracts tourists, not just locally but from all over the world (7).†Because of the uniqueness of Basant, people from around the world visits Pakistan to participate in the most awaited event. According to Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab, the Basant Kite Festival held in Lahore has become such a major tourist attraction that people flock from countries worldwide to participate in this unique occasion. The increase in tourism due to Basant in turn boosts the economy of Pakistan and improves the standard of living. Another reason why Basant should not be banned is the amount of revenue generated from it is enormous. There are several ways in which revenue is generated during the Basant. Thousands of people travel and visits Pakistan to join in the festival. The revenue generated from the rental of accommodation facilities significantly increases during Basant festival because of the increased tourists. Revenue generation during Basant is not only limited to kite flying activities . During the festival a lot of events take place such as musical events and also the food streets are jammed packed with people. â€Å"The intense economic activity that went with Basant (trade, travel, hotel, tourism, shopping, etc.) was touching the $ 250 million mark — not bad, for a week-long celebration. To top it off various other quality festivals started around the Basant bonanza (notably the music conference and the international drama and puppet festival) (Mirza 3).† However, there is some opposition and criticism about the Basant being not profitable, rather resulting in losses due to damages done to the electric wires and poles. According to Ali Pervaiz, a newspaper reporter, â€Å"Basant also faced opposition from Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and itsdistribution companiesmainly the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and GujranwalaElectric Power Company(GEPCO) as kite flying also resulted in frequent power tripping besides damaging the sensitive installations of WAPDA and its companies.† The main cause of this power failure is the use of metallic or chemical-coated string. These strings, when come in contact with electric wire, cause the wire to tear which result in power tripping. But this is a problem which can be easily resolved. By introducing and properly implementing a law which imposes a ban on the use of such types of strings can result in overcoming the power failure issue and countering the claims made by t hese companies. Kite flying business is a very large one. The industry related to it is massive with a very large market. About a week or two before the Basant, shopkeepers start to make preparations for selling kites and twine. Huge numbers of shops are set up and people invest millions of rupees in the trade. Many people are employed in the factories in which kites and twine are manufactured. â€Å"String and kite makers are working overtime on roadsides and in small factories in places like Shahdara, Murdike, Baghbanpura, Ichhra and Shadbagh. Kite making has become a sort of cottage industry involving even women and children the year round (Hanif 6).† So banning Basant, would lead to loss of employment for thousand of workers hence worsening their financial condition. For example, during the Basant the owners of the previously abandoned and dilapidated houses in Gowalmandis food street become rich overnight as many multi-national companies hustle to rent their rooftops for the occasion. Th e ban on Basant would affect them along with other in the kite flying business very roughly. The main incidents that lead to the ban on Basant were the use of the metallic and chemical-coated twine. Basant was officially banned in 2005 when a great deal of people in various cities including Rawalpindi lost their lives due to metallic or chemical-coated string that cuts instantly through the flesh like a sharp-edged weapon. Main issue regarding the ban was the damages that these razor-sharp strings caused. Many people lost their lives and many were severely injured when they came in contact with this twine while walking on roads or travelling on motorcycles. But banning is not the solution. Government should restrict the use of these types of strings. Also during these two days of kite flying, government should set a curfew on the people walking and driving motorcycles because most of the accidents happen to them. The government should alternatively provide free public bus transport during these days to accommodate those who want to travel. In conclusion, Basant should not be banned as it creates revenue for a country and is most importantly a part of our culture. To ban Basant is just like erasing an integral part of our culture which is unacceptable. Yes, there have been many unfortunate incidents in the recent past but banning Basant because of them is not the solution. For example, no government has banned flying of aircraft because some planes have crashed in the history. They rather focused on making flying a safer experience.Likewise, the government should focus on making this festival safer by reducing losses incurred to life and property to the minimum. Designated grounds should be prepared for flying kites and citizens who wish to participate in the activity should be facilitated to do so in safety in these designated areas. â€Å"Banning a festival which was like the smile of a child in spirit is too harsh a step——akin to rendering the city soulless† (Qadeer 7). Work Cited Qadeer, Yasir. Holi In Sky.Nation5 Mar. 2010. Print. Ali, Aayan. Ban on Basant Should There Be One or Not.Daily times11 Dec. 2004. Print. Mahmood, Shaukat. Tracing the Origin of Basant.The Nation Sunday Plus6 Mar. 2010. Print. Mirza, Nasir Abbas. Reasons behind the Basant Ban.Daily times31 Mar. 2010. Print. Hanif, Intikhab. Prepare for Basant, Come What May.Dawn5 Feb. 2002. Print.

Friday, October 25, 2019

A High School Students Opinion of Poetry :: Education Poetry Poems Essays

A High School Student's Opinion of Poetry Students’ opinions of poetry are very important to consider when planning how to cover poetry in the classroom. In this article, Jon C. Mladic and Douglas R. Pietrzak surveyed a high school creative writing class in Normal, IL (grades 10-12) about their opinions of poetry. They created an extensive survey concerning the students’ opinions and experiences with poetry as well their preferences for instruction. They also interview the teacher of the creative writing class in order to gather her opinions. Mladic and Pietrzak found that surveying students in creative writing classes can be very useful for any class. Students stated that it was especially dificult to write on command and that the environment of the school was not particularly conducive to writing. Students that were inclined to write on their own often cited writing as a means of self-exploration and they felt as if the environment of the school was not fitting for this purpose. In this article, Mladic and Pietrzak discuss a list of possible adjustments that could be made to the classroom to help the students feel more comfortable expressing themselves through writing, but insist that a writing classroom should be individually adapted to the unique members and interests of each classroom. Poetry as a means of self-expression has a wide-range of possible uses outside the English classroom as well that can be very beneficial for students’ personal and social development. Introduction This study is concerned with students’ opinions and knowledge of poetry so that the teacher can best adjust the classroom atmosphere to encourage student writing and creative exploration. Poetry as a topic for high school students is full of misconceptions and stereotypes. Therefore, since high school students tend to have little exposure to poetry – especially writing it – it is very important for the teacher to be sensitive and understand the dynamics of the classroom so that they are able to inspire students to feel comfortable with poetry. Poetry can be a very powerful tool of self-expression and self-exploration for students. Research Questions Essentially we have one research question: What opinions do high schools students have when approaching poetry? This question, however, led to a number of other questions. How can the classroom be adjusted to best fit your approaches towards writing? What topics do you write about in poetry? What is students’ prior knowledge of poetry?

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Curfew Laws: Helpful or Harmful? Essay

Curfew laws are being carefully examined right now. Some adults believe that they are necessary and that they help curb adolescent crime. Others believe that they violate rights and don’t really solve the problem at all. To look at this issue more closely, there are two articles, one in support of curfew laws, and one against it. The first article is by David Knight, who is in support of curfew laws. There are strengths to his article. First of all, he is a police officer who has seen teen crime firsthand. He is also a parent, so he knows that kids may tell their parents one thing (i. e. â€Å"I’m going to Johnny’s house†) but really do another, intentionally or unintentionally. Knight is convinced that at night, teens can get into trouble because fewer people are watching them. Also, he says that teens who are out at night are likely behaving in ways that are disruptive, like violating noise ordinances and drinking underage. Knight points out that no one, regardless of their age, has the right to disrupt others and be publicly annoying. These are all good points. However, Knight fails to point out what effect, exactly, curfews have had on the juvenile crime rates. He also ignores other possibilities in combating juvenile crime, such as counseling or afterschool programs, or the parent’s role. While it is true, as Knight says, that some kids will lie to their parents, it is insulting and ridiculous to assume that all kids will lie to their parents. Knight glosses over this idea, and one has to wonder how much he trusts his own kids. The second article is by Colin Miller, who opposes curfew laws. The strengths are the statistics he cites – that most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 pm and 11 pm, with most occurring before 8 pm. He also states that afterschool programs have been shown to be far more effective in combating crime than curfews. Finally, curfews have cost cities a lot of money in increased police costs, money that Miller says could be used to fund afterschool programs and other ways to combat juvenile crime more effectively. Miller also says that curfews take away the parents’ rights, while making them more responsible for their teens’ behavior. The weaknesses of his article are that he doesn’t talk much about the actual effects of curfews on teens in the towns, he just says they are â€Å"ineffective. † He also doesn’t look at the law enforcement’s point of view much. I agree with Miller. Miller makes many more reasonable arguments than does Knight. Knight assumes that all kids are inherently bad, and that the only thing they would be doing on the streets is getting into trouble. While it’s easy to see how Knight would feel this way – he is a cop who deals primarily with teens in trouble – it is a false and troubling assumption about teens. Knight’s statement that all teens lie to their parents and that parents can’t control their kids without the law’s help is also ridiculous. This supposes no trust or respect between parents and kids, and many parents have raised their kids better than this. Miller recognizes that kids are often inherently good, and that those that aren’t are going to get in trouble just as much (and more) during the day as at night. Research has shown, as Miller states, that it is in the afterschool hours (when parents are still at work and kids are unsupervised) that kids are more likely to get in trouble, if they are going to get in trouble at all. What’s more, Miller is correct in saying that teens need the freedom to make choices if they are to learn to make good ones. Teens are nearly grown up, and if they can’t even choose to come home early (or to go to a good evening event, possibly at a friend’s house or at church), then how are they going to be entirely responsible for themselves in a year or two? Teens should be given more freedom as they grow up, not less. Finally, instead of punishing all teens who are out late at night, cops and the rest of society should worry about helping the teens who are in trouble, those who have already been in the system for doing something they shouldn’t. These teens need help, they need supervision, they need people to care about them and provide them with alternative activities. In general, money is much better spent on real crime prevention than punishing the innocent.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Best Experience of My Life

One of my favorite family traditions is summer vacation. Every summer without fail we go on vacation, and we stay there for at least a week. For the past five years we have been going to Disney World with our family that lives in Los Angeles. He is my cousin Ricardo, he lives with his wife and his 1-yearold daughter. I like them because they’re nice, cool and funny. It has turned into a tradition and we all love to be together and have a good time. Every year when we go they greet us in such a way they make you feel like home. Once we’re there and our vacation starts we just forget about everything and relax for a week. We have been going on vacation with our cousins for so long, for a very good reason. It is because everyone gets along. My mom and dad, Ricardo and his wife Mari have a very good relationship. Ricardo my cousin, who is 30, is my cousin and my friend and we get along great. My sister Susan, who is 25, and Mari, who is 27, also get along very well. This works out great because we are all old enough to go out and do our own thing without getting the parents too much involved. Since most of the fun things to do are located right near the hotels we stay at any random hotel. We rarely need to ask them for a ride anywhere, so everyone goes their way and it turns into a great vacation for all of us. We have been going to Disney World together for as long as I can remember. We know the place inside and out. Where all the best rides are, which park is the best. It even got so bad that we knew what time the lines for each ride was shortest. Disney World always comes out with some kind of a new ride or show each year . All the characters are the same but they’re always happy and cheering for the little kids. So it doesn’t gets boring, that is what mostly keep us continuing coming back for more year after year. We headed for the food court because we were all very hungry. All I had eaten in the entire day was water a sandwich and a piece of gum . It was getting late and we hurried because we planned to go to the rides last. When we arrived at the restaurant me and my sister ordered a gigantic hamburger, my mom and dad fish, and my cousin and his wife chicken. When we finish we were all very satisfied and we headed for a little fun. We saw some lights in the far end and we followed them. We arrived at a show it was called the electrical parade and it was really cool. So we went down there last summer and it was a big vacation for all of us. I know it was more of an children’s vacation which but it was very fun and we all loved. In my opinion we are a little too old for Disney World but it was my favorite vacation. My favorite part was when we went to the rides and got on a rollercoaster. My sister tried not to vomit but I guess she had a weak stomach and vomited all over my dad. Unfortunately for my dad, he was on the same cart and he vomited too. When it all was over and we were in a hotel we joked about the vomit and laughed really hard. We shouldn’t had eaten right before going into the rollercoaster.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Roger McCoin essays

Roger McCoin essays My name is Erin and today I would like to share with you some information that I have obtained in an interview with Roger McCoin. First, let me begin by previewing what I am going to say. I will start by giving you some background information on my interviewee, Roger. Then, I will tell you about Rogers self-concept areas. Which are the Physical, psychological, and social concept areas. Next, I will tell you about Rogers knowledge areas. I will tell you the areas in which Roger is the least knowledgeable in and the most knowlegeable in. Then, I will tell you about Rogers ego-involvement areas. Ego involvement areas can range from: Positive High, Positive Low, Negative High and Negative Low And finally, I will evaluate myself as an interviewer. Let me begin with some background information. Roger was born on June 5, 1976 in Seminole, OK. He attended Seminole High School and graduated in 1994. While in high school Roger played football and golf. He still continues to play golf except he doesnt get to play for free anymore. Another piece of information about Roger is that he enjoys being outdoors. He likes to fish, but when he does catch a fish he hates to clean them. Something about Roger that most people dont know is that he played in an Alternative Rock Band!!! Roger is now 28 and married. He works at Al t like giving speeches. If he was asked which cartoon Roger would best portray he said it would be Hank Hill because of the fact that they both like beer and building things out of wood. When asked what his future plans are he told me he would like to be a 5th, 6th, or 7th grade Science teacher. ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Electic Kool Aid Acid Test essays

The Electic Kool Aid Acid Test essays 1) Title of Book: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test 3) The grounds on which Thomas Wolfe created this documentation of the Merry Pranksters is that he attempts to re-create both the mental and physical atmosphere of their adventure and exploration across America. 4) Specific evidence in supporting the aforementioned thesis can be found in the Authors Note section of the book but also in the writing style used to develop this masterpiece. Writing in a basic journal style, Wolfe documented the extraordinary life style lived by the Pranksters through personal experiences with them as well as transcribing their adventures that were captured on both film and tape. 5) Tom Wolfe, with his journalist style of transcribing the current events, seems hard-pressed to be categorized into a specific group of historians, but he can be most noticeably associated with the New Left. This is because The New Left dealt mainly with the social and economic movements of the 1960and 70s, and the Psychedelic movement Wolfe documented so well was definitely a social movement of the infamous 1960s. 6) Tom Wolfe grew up in the land of Richmond, Virginia. He eventually graduated from Washington and Lee University, and later received a doctorate in American Studies from Yale. Besides being a novelist, Wolfe has worked as a reporter for the Springfield Union, The Washington Post, and the New York Herald Tribune. Some of his writings have also appeared in New York Magazine, Esquire, and Harpers. 7) The available information on Wolfe only affects his point of view in that the reason for his meticulous work can be found in his outstanding academic work in American Studies and diligent work as a journalist. This novel, which originally started out to be a novel discussing Ken Keseys (author of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest) life as a fugitive wanted for drug possession living in Mexico, fr ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Find Canadian Tax Info Online with CRAs My Account

Find Canadian Tax Info Online with CRAs My Account My Account is a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) service that provides Canadians with secure access to their personal income tax information online. The My Account ​hours of service are 21 hours a day. Tax Information Available on My Account The My Account tax service lets you see information on various topics, including: Your income tax refundIncome tax returns and assessmentsIncome tax account balanceIncome tax installment paymentsSome tax slips: (T4, T4A, T4A(P), T4A(OAS), T4E)Canada Child Tax Benefit and related provincial program payments and balancesUniversal Child Care Benefit payments, balance and statement of accountGoods and Services Tax (GST) credit or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) credit and related provincial program payments and balancesRegistered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contributions, deductions claimed, and your RRSP contribution limitHome Buyers Plan and Lifelong Learning Plan statement informationTax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) informationWorking Income Tax Benefit advance paymentsDisability tax credit You can also make requests and take other actions on My Account, such as: Change your returnChange personal information such as address, phone number, or marital statusAuthorize a representativeApply for child benefitsArrange direct depositRequest remittance formsSet up a payment planDisagree with your assessmentSubmit documents Logging in to Use the My Account Service When you go to the My Account site, you will be given a choice between logging in with a CRA User ID and password, or logging in with credentials you may already have with a Sign-in Partner, such as those you use for online banking. When you use a Sign-in Partner, none of your personal tax information is shared with your financial institution, and the name of your financial institution, log-in credentials, and banking details are not shared with the CRA. Using a CRA User ID and Password To use a CRA user ID and password, you must first register for the CRA My Account service. Be sure the CRA has your current address before you register. There are several ways to change your address with the CRA. Read the CRA instructions on how to register carefully before registering for My Account. Its a four-step process. Youll need your last two income tax returns, your Social Insurance Number, your date of birth and your  postal code. Be ready to create a user ID and password using CRA checklists, and also be ready to create and answer security questions. Youll also have to wait for at least five business days (15 business days outside Canada and the United States) to receive a CRA security code in the mail. The security code has an expiry date, so be sure to follow the instructions in the letter you receive with the code. The Quick Access Service has been discontinued, but you can now get immediate access to some of your personal tax information using My Account without having to wait for the security access code. Without a security access code, you can: View the general status of your tax return (detailed information about the status of your return requires the security access code)View your RRSP and TFSA limits for the current yearrequest a remittance formView notice of assessment or reassessment Using a Sign-in Partner To use a Sign-in Partner to access the My Account Tax Service, first read the Using a Sign-in Partner FAQ. Then select Sign-in Partner Login on My Account to choose a Sign-in Partner. By choosing a Sign-in Partner you will be agreeing to the terms, conditions, and privacy notice of SecureKey Concierge, which is a credential broker service that acts as a bridge between the Canadian government and participating credential service providers. Computer Requirements for My Account Tax Service Check that your operating system and browser configurations and settings meet the requirements to use My Account. Help With My Account Tax Service If you require help using the My Account service, call the CRA.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Family Systems Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Family Systems - Term Paper Example After being married, Mahmood came to the United States, settled in Central Florida, and opened one and eventually three local convenience stores. After the long process required, Mahmood became a naturalized citizen of the United States, and eventually returned to Pakistan to pursue Nighat’s immigration process. Nighat bore a son Sheryar after immigrating to Deland and her, the bay and Mahmood lived with relatives for a year after which the family moved over to their own house. The family lives in a predominantly South East Asian and African American neighborhood while Mahmood’s parents live very close by. Nighat bore a daughter who had congenital muscular dystrophy at birth in 2006. The child was able to live for around 3.5 years before she died. The couple had another son Muhammad Usman in 2010 who has congenital muscular dystrophy. The child is undergoing treatment now but there are little chances for survival. Appendix ‘A’ shows the family’s geno gram for reference. Roles Mahmood and Nighat share the primary roles in the family because the children are too small to share any responsibilities yet. Mahmood is responsible for providing for the family, as the family setup is somewhat patriarchal in nature. The South East Asian culture promotes a strongly patriarchal family and this family reflects it strongly with Mahmood being the father figure. Although Nighat is educated but her role is restricted more to caring for the household than anything else and provides the mother figure role around the house. However, this does not mean that Nighat is restricted to the house alone but instead she can leave the house for shopping or visiting the doctor etc. This is in contrast to most South East Asian families, as women cannot leave the house without an accompanying male member. Nighat is also responsible for maintaining the house, shopping, attending the children’s school and for taking the children to the doctor. Nighatâ€⠄¢s son Sheryar (who is the eldest) is responsible for shopping with his mother at times. Moreover, Sheryar buys small things such as calling cards when his mother needs them. In addition, Sheryar helps Nighat to look after the smaller sibling by playing with him while Nighat prepares baby food or changes a nappy. Hence, Sheryar is in the typical role of a child in the family under discussion. Assignment of family roles occurs based on a patriarchal family structure where the male is responsible for providing for the family while the female’s role is restricted to caring for children and the household. Another factor is assigning the roles is Mahmood’s work schedule. Mahmood goes to work in the middle of the day and returns late at night so it is hard for him to deal with various functions such as shopping. Therefore, Nighat assumes these roles instead of Mahmood. Sheryar has some small roles by assigned his mother indicating a strong and coherent family structure. Mah mood finds little time to interact with the children because of his working hours. Some Sundays are on as well so Mahmood has some time off during the weekdays. Generally, Mahmood picks up Sheryar from school just before he leaves for work. Family members interact with each other cordially using established family rules. When Nighat initially immigrated to the United States, there was some violence

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Political and Social Aspect of Business of The UN Global Compact Essay

The Political and Social Aspect of Business of The UN Global Compact - Essay Example The UN Global Compact (GC) is voluntary and the underlying objective is stated to be the introduction of social responsibility into international business and the code embodies ten core principles.In essence, the UN GC is a voluntary corporate citizenship network geared towards the mainstreaming business activity ethics worldwide and fuelling the preservation of UN human rights’ objectives within the international business framework (Macintosh et al, 2004 at p.11). Slaughter further observes the UN objectives in the GC in attempting to harmonize consistency in corporate social responsibility measures among UN organizations, international labor organizations, and NGOs to assist the creation of a â€Å"more inclusive and equitable marketplace,† (Slaughter, 2004: p.192).However, the GC does not impose sanctions or implement an enforcement framework and prima facie provides a system for facilitation and is not a regulatory instrument. Indeed, Macintosh et al highlight the f act that â€Å"the Global Compact relies on public accountability, transparency and the enlightened self-interest of companies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦in pursuing the principles upon which the Global Compact is based† (Macintosh et al, 2004 p.11).In the absence of any regulatory code, Slaughter further refers to the UN’s assertion of information sharing requirements and the chief architect of the GC’s declaration that â€Å"the core of its change model is a learning forum. Companies submit case studies of what they have done to translate their commitment to the GC principles into concrete corporate practices† (Slaughter, 2004 at p.11) As such, there is an assumption that information sharing and self-regulation will facilitate human rights compliance.

Reforms for K-12 California Education System Essay

Reforms for K-12 California Education System - Essay Example Many efforts have been put to address multiple language students. A number of inconsistencies that remains deeply entrenched within the inefficient system. Firstly, parents are left to determine whether a child should be taken to a bilingual class or not. Of course, this is the greatest undoing of the California system because parents do not understand the fundamental principles of learning. In addition, leaving the decision entire for parents is a sign of a failed system because it pays no attention to the child’s abilities.   Ã‚  Secondly, appear to lean towards western traditionalist ideology as compared to the modern multiculturalist’s approach in education (Friend and Loyce 2013, 367). One of the key issues that the system fails to recognize is the existence of rights of a student to be taught in a language they understand. In contrast, we find that this partial implantation of multicultural education systems captures the Norton of sympathetic westernized tendenc ies. In reality, the schools are failing in enhancing systematic education training using the right channel. Studies show that many Asian students have poor scores, not because they have limited potential but because teachers and California State Department of Education has failed to develop a comprehensive policy and provide necessary special facilities that is adequate and appropriate to the student’s needs.  Ã‚  The future of multiple culture approach remains bleak with this K-12 system if the system of purposeful discrimination.

Batch and Real-Time Processing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Batch and Real-Time Processing - Assignment Example sic variation between the two is that batch processing involves ‘batches’ whereas real-time processing involves single input (Bernstein, & Newcomer, 2009). In this case, batch processing is preferred. The preference of batch processing lies on its simplicity over real-time processing. With batch processing, data sets are collected and integrated to form a single input. As such, it becomes easy to control the input to achieve the desired output. Batch processing entails the input, processing, and output. Therefore, similar data sets are processed as one data set to achieve an output. The figure below represents a hypothetical batch processing transaction. As evident in Figure 1, electricity consumption rates are summed up into one data set and processed to produce electricity bills. On the contrary, a real-time processing would process individual electricity consumption rates and produce respective electricity bills. As such, the difference is evident. The batch processing system requires inputs to be queued for a set time or quantity before they are processed whereas the real-time processing system requires a continuous cycle of input-process-output. A batch processing system is applicable in a payroll system that involves end-of-cycle processing. Similar to electricity bills, a payroll system is active at set intervals (weekly or monthly). It is prudent to employ batch processing as it collects working hours and integrates them into a single batch at the end of the interval to produce pay slips for employees. It would be time consuming to employ real-time processing where an end-of-cycle processing is required. A batch processing system is efficient for a payroll system. The figure below represents the application of batch processing system in an end-of-cycle processing A batch processing system is applicable in a stock management system. The core advantage of the batch processing system is that it is automated; hence, minimal human interaction. Stock

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Platos The Philosopher Ruler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Platos The Philosopher Ruler - Essay Example In some ways, too, Pericles' account of his democracy can also be seen as ideal. On certain subjects, therefore, concerning the types or descriptions of government and heroic men advocated in these two works, while some amount of concurrence can be seen between them, some differences can also be detected. Close attention to the texts of both works give the idea, of an underlying unity, though they do represent differing (i.e. ethereal vs. corporeal) levels of a similar idea. One of the first ideas presented in "The Philosopher Ruler" is one that describes citizens as courageous warriors who would under no inducement desert their positions in battle. This seems an appropriate beginning when one considers the circumstances for which persons are gathered in "Pericles' Funeral Oration." The deaths being mourned are those of warriors who have seemingly embodied the virtue being lauded here in Plato's description of the ideal citizens. The men have demonstrated the ultimate courage and have died in the service of their country, proving themselves to be true patriots of the order described by Plato. Yet Plato seems to be concerned with more than just these expressions of courage. In fact, as Schofield (1999) writes, "What Plato is interested in is justice and moral excellence and the question of the unity or complexity of the human mind" (p. 4). He describes an excellence that lies far beyond the physical and which expresses an ideal. In Plato's record of the dialectic between Socarates and Glaucon, one finds Glaucon inquiring whether or not ideals can or have ever been fully expressed in the actual. He wonders whether persons have ever truly been what they have been said to be. He says, "Is it not the nature of things that, whatever people think, practice should come less close to truth than theory" (Plato, 1952, p. 262). This question appears particularly pertinent in view of the type of oration being given by Pericles. This speech attempts to show forth (among other things) the works and characters of the men who fought and died for their state. Pericles seems to express a similar idea, yet one that is (paradoxically) opposite to that expressed by Glaucon. While Glaucon argues from the point of the ideal-wondering whether language or even the real occurrences on earth have ever been shown to express it precisely, Pericles worries that language itself might fall short in expressing the actual. He says, "It would be enough, I think, for their goodness to be proclaimed in action" (Thucydides, 1972, p. 144) as he expresses concern at being able to accurately speak on it. Therefore, while Pericles considers the exploits of the heroes as possessing ideal qualities that may not be utterable, Glaucon contends that such exploits (being expressions of the actual) could never attain the heights of the ideal. While Socrates and Glaucon appear to praise the virtues of the intellect as ones that are indispensable to the constitution of a ruler, one finds that they also describe physical attributes and training as desirable qualities for a leader to possess. They mention the grooming of youths who have distinguished themselves in attention to philosophy taught them in their youth, and who have also distinguished themselves in the physical aspects of training as well. Hanson and Heath support

European Union Law - Article 101(1) Treaty on the Functioning of the Assignment - 1

European Union Law - Article 101(1) Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - Assignment Example It also increases the part played by national completion authorities (NCA) and national courts in enforcing EU competition law therefore warranting an effective and even application (Cavicchiolli 1991). The main EU competition rules are encompassed in article 101(treaty on the functioning of the European Union TFEU) which covers anti-competitive agreements. The new rules came into force as from June 1, 2010 and will expire in May 2022.A paramount aim of the founding fathers of the European community was creation of a single market. To accomplish this, a compatible, fair and transparent regulatory framework had to be established. The first major decision under article 101 was taken by the commission in 1964 (Kimmer 2011). There is debate surrounding the purpose of the law of competition while some assert that it serves as elimination for substandard firms that are non-competitive. It is argued that the law stands in the way of free flow of goods and services. The general court says that the law is to protect the final consumer whereas Stephen (2010) states its purpose in protection of member states as a whole. The overall bargain however is to maintain a balance between undertakings and the consumer. Article 101 is construed widely. It includes formal and informal agreements, concerted practices where businesses tend to increase or decrease prices simultaneously without physically consenting to do that. Coincidental price increase or reduction will not itself uphold as a concerted activity hence there should be proof that the parties involved were knowledgeable of the fact that their actions may destabilize the normalcy of competition operation within the internal market. In the light of agreements, sheer anti-competitive influence is ample to make it unlawful despite parties being unaware of it or having no intent to spur the effect to occurrence (Okeoghene, 2006). In

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Platos The Philosopher Ruler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Platos The Philosopher Ruler - Essay Example In some ways, too, Pericles' account of his democracy can also be seen as ideal. On certain subjects, therefore, concerning the types or descriptions of government and heroic men advocated in these two works, while some amount of concurrence can be seen between them, some differences can also be detected. Close attention to the texts of both works give the idea, of an underlying unity, though they do represent differing (i.e. ethereal vs. corporeal) levels of a similar idea. One of the first ideas presented in "The Philosopher Ruler" is one that describes citizens as courageous warriors who would under no inducement desert their positions in battle. This seems an appropriate beginning when one considers the circumstances for which persons are gathered in "Pericles' Funeral Oration." The deaths being mourned are those of warriors who have seemingly embodied the virtue being lauded here in Plato's description of the ideal citizens. The men have demonstrated the ultimate courage and have died in the service of their country, proving themselves to be true patriots of the order described by Plato. Yet Plato seems to be concerned with more than just these expressions of courage. In fact, as Schofield (1999) writes, "What Plato is interested in is justice and moral excellence and the question of the unity or complexity of the human mind" (p. 4). He describes an excellence that lies far beyond the physical and which expresses an ideal. In Plato's record of the dialectic between Socarates and Glaucon, one finds Glaucon inquiring whether or not ideals can or have ever been fully expressed in the actual. He wonders whether persons have ever truly been what they have been said to be. He says, "Is it not the nature of things that, whatever people think, practice should come less close to truth than theory" (Plato, 1952, p. 262). This question appears particularly pertinent in view of the type of oration being given by Pericles. This speech attempts to show forth (among other things) the works and characters of the men who fought and died for their state. Pericles seems to express a similar idea, yet one that is (paradoxically) opposite to that expressed by Glaucon. While Glaucon argues from the point of the ideal-wondering whether language or even the real occurrences on earth have ever been shown to express it precisely, Pericles worries that language itself might fall short in expressing the actual. He says, "It would be enough, I think, for their goodness to be proclaimed in action" (Thucydides, 1972, p. 144) as he expresses concern at being able to accurately speak on it. Therefore, while Pericles considers the exploits of the heroes as possessing ideal qualities that may not be utterable, Glaucon contends that such exploits (being expressions of the actual) could never attain the heights of the ideal. While Socrates and Glaucon appear to praise the virtues of the intellect as ones that are indispensable to the constitution of a ruler, one finds that they also describe physical attributes and training as desirable qualities for a leader to possess. They mention the grooming of youths who have distinguished themselves in attention to philosophy taught them in their youth, and who have also distinguished themselves in the physical aspects of training as well. Hanson and Heath support

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Integrated Management System and Processes (IMSP) Case Study

Integrated Management System and Processes (IMSP) - Case Study Example After detail deliberation with his present team and personal efforts Roberge has enlisted following main characteristics and challenges required to be address by the proposed Information System Management and Process (IMSP) project a. The project is required to be an enterprise level thoroughly integrated solution developed in ABC software. b. The solution is required to stream line the enterprise wide accounting, finance, human resource management, sales and marketing operation to give the higher management a real time proactive decision support. c. Roberge is a seasoned manager and fully understand the management vision of the IMSP. He knows, â€Å"A properly designed DSS is an interactive software-based system intended to help decision makers in compiling useful information from raw data, documents, personal knowledge, business models, etc., to identify and solve problems and make decisions. (Howlett, Lakhmi & Shaun, 31). IMSP is required to support all the functionalities of an enterprise level corporate Decision Support System (DSS). e. Finding and deploying experienced, skilled and technically sound professionals is respective slots is first and foremost important decision and the success of the whole project rests over the formulation of effective and proficient team. (ii) Jean Roberge has carefully outlined several requirements for IMSP project but few other information technology directives are required to be incorporated in order to ensure the successful implementation of IMSP in ABS Corporation. Following are few additional requirements to be fulfilled to ascertain a new direction ABS in information technology. a. A parallel project for enterprise level network infrastructure is required to be established to ensure the provisioning of effective and highly secure channel for corporate information interchange. The enterprise network will also assist in launching Sales department web module of IMSP project and home based access of corporate information system through Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Contract Law Case Study of Hotel

Contract Law Case Study of Hotel Contract law involving a hotel and client A. In this scenario, the first significant point is the nature of the parties’ respective first dealings with one another. From the hotel’s point of view, their first contact with A was through their advertisement on their website. This advertised the price of accommodation at the Scarborough Palms Hotel as being  £300. From A’s point of view, his first contact with the hotel is through an initial emailed enquiry. Although we are not told exactly what A’s initial enquiry was concerned with, it is probable that it was simply asking for details of the offer. In order to establish what the nature of the ultimate contract is, between the hotel and A, it is first necessary to find the ‘offer’ and ‘acceptance’; the constituent parts of any contract. An offer has been held to be a statement which objectively (I.e. to a reasonable observer) indicates that the person making the ‘offer’ is prepared to contract on the terms specified in that offer (Gibson v Manchester City Council). It would at first sight, appear that the hotel’s website and advert for the accommodation at the specified price was an offer. This, however, is not the case, as it has been held by the courts that advertisements are usually ‘invitations to treat’ rather than offers, as the advert usually lacks the other essential ingredient of a contract; an intention to be legally bound (Partridge v Crittenden). This principle is in place in order to protect the advertiser from incurring liability in contract to everyone who is willing to purchase the goods (in this case, the holiday), at the advertised price. An ‘invitation to treat’ is an invitation to the other party to negotiate the terms of a potential contract. A responds to this invitation by making his initial email enquiry, which can similarly be classed as an invitation to treat, or perhaps simply an enquiry. No offer has yet been made by either party (Fisher v Bell). The hotel then respond to A’s initial enquiry informing A of a special promotion that will entitle him to the accommodation at the price of  £200. This communication will certainly be counted as an offer, as it displays an intention to be bound by the terms it mentions (a requirement that was first set out in the seminal case, Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co). A then ‘accepts’ the offer by filling in the online booking form. The hotel have stipulated a means of acceptance, by providing the online booking form which A is required to complete. This is, then, the hotel’s prescribed method of acceptance. A, through no fault of his own, is unable to complete this prescribed method of acceptance, despite his attempt. It is uncertain whether this will affect his ‘acceptance’. In Manchester Diocesan Council for Education v Commercial and General Investments Ltd, it was held that the prescribed method of acceptance was not the only possible one, prov ided the other method was no less advantageous to the offeror. Unless the hotel specifically stated that the online booking form was the only method of acceptance, A’s posting of a hard copy would be valid. We come to the issue of communication of the acceptance to the offeror. Upon A’s arrival at the hotel, he is informed that his booking form did not arrive, and that there are no available rooms. It is an established principle that an acceptance must be communicated to the offeror in order for their to be a contract (Holwell Securities Ltd v Hughes). In the present instance, however, the acceptance has been posted by A. Following Household Fire Insurance v Grant, the acceptance is effectively communicated on posting (the so called ‘postal rule‘). In order for this rule to apply, however, it must have been reasonable for A to use the post to accept the offer (Quenerduaine v Cole). In this instance, since the online booking form was not working, it seems likely that it would be found to have been a reasonable method of acceptance. As of this point, then, the contract exists between A and the hotel. The terms of the contract specify that A will have accommodation at the hotel for the price of  £200. He will later be able to claim damages for breach of contract from the hotel when they cannot furnish him with a room at that rate. Before that arises, however, there is a further contract which requires clarification. Upon A’s arrival, and discovery that his booking form has not arrived, he threatens to sue the hotel. The manager’s response is to make an offer of accommodation for  £250. It is possible that subsequently, the hotel could claim the offer was made under undue influence. It is an established principle of contract law that where a contract is induced by undue pressure, it is voidable (Williams v Bayley). This means that if the hotel can establish that the manager made the offer under pressure, the agreement could be cancelled. A agrees to these terms, and a second contract exists betwe en the parties. A then spend his holiday at the hotel and completes the second contract. A subsequently claims for damages in the amount of  £50. The hotel counter-claims for damages because A has breached the contractual term not to pursue an action against the hotel. These two claims, however, refer to two distinct contracts, and both, it would seem, are legitimate claims. It is possible that through forming the second contract, the equitable principle of waiver came into play. That is, by making the second contract, the parties (and A in particular), waived the right to claim damages (Hughes v Metropolitan Railway). There is also the possibility that by forming the second contract, the initial contract was frustrated, as it became impossible to carry out because the parties had subsequently contracted to the same agreement on different terms (Nickoll Knight v Ashton Edridge Co). With regard to the second contract, the hotel are within their rights to claim damages for A’s breach. He has clearly broken his contractual promise not to pursue an action against the hotel. There is a contract rule that a claimant cannot recover damages in respect of a loss which is too remote a consequence of the defendant’s breach of contract. If the losses flow naturally from the breach, which in this case they would appear to, the losses are recoverable (Hadley v Baxendale). The hotel, then, will be able to recover damages for A’s breach of the contract term subject, of course, to proving that this agreement was a term incorporated into the second contract. BIBLIOGRAPHY Statutes Cases Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256, CA Fisher v Bell [1961] 1 QB 394 Gibson v Manchester City Council [1979] 1 WLR 294 Hadley v Baxendale [1854] 9 Exch 341 Holwell Securities Ltd v Hughes [1974] 1 WLR 155 Household Fire Insurance v Grant [1879] LR 4 Ex. D. 216, CA Hughes v Metropolitan Railway [1876-77] LR 2 App Cas 439, HL Manchester Diocesan Council for Education v Commercial and General Investments Ltd [1970] 1 WLR 242 Nickoll Knight v Ashton Edridge Co [1901] 2 KB 126, CA Partridge v Crittenden [1968] 1 WLR 1204 Quenerduaine v Cole [1883] 32 WR 185 Williams v Bayley [1866] LR 1 HL 200, HL Secondary Sources McKendrick, E., Contract Law (Oxford, 2003)

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Middle East Crisis Essay -- essays research papers

The Middle East Violence in the Middle East must be stopped for the good of humankind. Fighting in recent days has been hazardous and fatal. There are many things that can be done to prevent this violence. A permanent cease-fire must be in effect, the international community should get involved and land claims must be worked out. These three things are necessary in order to resolve this situation. A permanent cease-fire would be very important. If a permanent cease-fire was in effect, the death tolls will be dramatically lowered. The first step in the cease-fire process would be to unite both the Israelis and the Palestinians in an international peace conference. This conference would make both countries realize that the violence that is occurring is serious and horrible. The Palestinians must cease their protests. These protests in the recent days have been turned into bloody battles because of the â€Å"rock throwers†. The rock throwers cause the Israelis to return fire. In the worst case, this violence could turn into a mass murder. The violence might become so violent, that there would be many unnecessary deaths and a potential genocide, which has happened in other countries such as Yugoslavia with this similar situation. This is not the only thing that has to take place in order for the peace process to proceed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The international community should be involved in the peace process. The United Nations condemns this violence and should ...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Media :: essays research papers

As we look at our society and culture as a whole, we see that violence does exist in vast amounts. The problem of violence is compounded by the constant saturation that media coverage often provides. The media creates an almost artificial world for young people who do not have a single family member or extended family member to provide any small measure of love and kindness towards them. Naisbitt suggests that the boys involved in the Columbine shootings were absorbed in an environment full of violence. By means of television, movies, video games and other sources of electronic entertainment these boys became engrossed by aggression and violent behavior (81). While Naisbitt says that it is the violence that drove these boys to commit such a heinous crime, he never proposes that it could have been the lack of family that led these young boys to violence. Often we do not see that people are driven towards violence of the media because of family neglect. Overall, we need to create an environment in which parent and child can easily live and play together, so we can draw their attention away from this enticing entertainment. If we find that it is often the â€Å"latch-key† children whose parents work that more quickly turn to violence, then can we create programs to keep these children otherwise occupied? Violence serves as a diversion and a source of entertainment for children, but if we are able to create an enriching setting for our youth, one which places family on a high level we can often avoid many of the violent acts which do take place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we live in a world where we can feel loved and supported, we do not take wrong turns as often. It is not necessarily a family that one needs to maintain a violence free existence, but the inclusion of loving and caring people in one’s life. Perhaps more thinking about how to build family outside the traditional definition of the perfect family is necessary in one’s own quest against violence. When I think about my own transition from living in a small town just outside of Boston, a relatively safe large city to the completely new city of New Orleans, I recognize a basic truth about family. As I find myself in an entirely different part of the country engrossed in an entirely different culture, I often feel unsafe and alone in this city, new to me which I call my home .

Friday, October 11, 2019

Multiple Governments and Intergovernmental Relationships Essay

Multiple Governments and Intergovernmental Relationships To be successful as a unified or United States, meaning a group with the same but often times different agendas, a few things had to become true. First the individual governments of these states had to feel that their best interests were represented within the united whole. Second that their powers within their borders would not be encroached upon too much, and lastly that the benefits of an overarching federal government would outweigh any loss they experienced. This is a delicate cooperation that we will explore more in depth hurricane Katrina as an example. Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina hit the golf coast on Monday August 29 2005, the eye of the storm hitting Sothern Louisiana, between New Orleans, and Gulfport Mississippi. This storm cause severer damage all along the cost, destroying homes, roads, and bridges as far as 12 miles in land (â€Å"Hurricane Katrina†, 2013). This author lived in northern Mississippi, a five-hour drive from the gulf coast, and lost power for days, as well as severe damage to his home, and the loss of seven 100+ year old trees. The worst damage though was within New Orleans Louisiana, where most of the city is below sea level and protected by an intercut system of levees, and sea walls. These levees broke and flooded most of the city, mixing with raw sewage and underground gasoline stores making a lethal cocktail, not fit for human habitation. As a result of this and a lack of proper cooperation within our government many people died. Cooperation In a catastrophe this large, no one-government entity can handle the issues alone. There must be cooperation at all levels of government. The local communities, which are affected probably, do not have any government infrastructure or resources to deal with the event. Next, the states are not necessarily equipped to handle these events. This would require stockpiles of resources just waiting for an event like this to take place. The Good The federal government and state governments knew this was going to be a hard storm, but must felt that it would not be any worse than the hundreds of hurricanes, which have hit the area prior. Still, the local communities prepared in the same way as before, issuing evacuation warnings, prepositioning National Guard, water and food around the suspected areas. The federal government also prepositioned the coastguard, and other resources around the affected area. These would have been efficient for a normal hurricane, but not for what happened (â€Å"Hurricane Katrina†, 2013). The Bad Unfortunately, the events that took place, with the gulf coast, the water surge, and the levees breaking in New Orleans were not predicted. The flooding made most of the region un-passable by normal modes of transportation. It took supplies, and resources far too long to reach the injured, and others in need. This was only compounded by poor decision-making and political finger pointing on the part of many and unfortunately, this resulted in further lost lives, and more injuries. How Could It Have Been Done Differently This is one of those difficult questions. Of course, hindsight is always twenty-twenty, but there is no reason, considering how chaotic something like a hurricane can be that any possible catastrophe should be ruled out. Before the Hurricane, officials actually stated that there was no way the levee system could be breached by the sea. This shows that there was a concern about it prior to the storm, yet it was ruled out as a possibility. Contingency planning was a failure here. There should be a contingency plan for anything no matter how possible. For example, the space shuttle had no less than 100 emergency landing sites throughout the world. This contingency plan did not have one plan with a backup plan it had a contingency plan and each contingency plan had another. No possible eventuality should ever be foolishly ruled out. The contingency plan for the hurricane should of included supplies, personnel, and equipment stationed inside the hurricane zone, in case there was difficulty getting into the area, which it was. Agencies such as FEMA, should have moved resources in, and protected them for the storm as opposed to station it on the outside of the area, and expecting an ability to move it in. Stationing the supplies and help outside the area shows that our government was hoping for a best-case scenario when they should have planned for the worst. Reference Hurricane Katrina. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/hurricane-katrina

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Composed Upon Westminister Bridge Essay

This poem is all about the poets epiphany-like realisation about London’s beauty while crossing Westminster bridge. He opens the poem with a hyperbole, designed to grab the attention of the reader. He continues this with almost an accusation: â€Å"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by†. This is basically challenging the reader to read on, as he or she would be ‘dull of soul’. In the next line, the word â€Å"now† shows that it is not just this place, but this time that adds to the atmosphere. This is supported where Wordsworth describes the beauty of the morning as a garment that the city wears. This shows that the city is not always this beautiful, but with the morning being ‘worn’ it is. The next two lines show that the beauty is added to both by human creations and by nature, in a serene confluence that astounds Wordsworth. The volta (transition between octave and sestet) is subtle, but the sestet starts with another hyperbolic statement: â€Å"Never did sun more beautifully steep†. In the third line of the sestet, he describes that the atmosphere is making him feel â€Å"a calm so deep†. This is counter-intuitive, as London is a busy, bustling, and hectic place. The fact that it is calm emphasises that it is the time more than the place which creates the feeling. In the fourth line, Wordsworth writes â€Å"the river glideth at his own sweet will†. The word ‘glide’ implies that the river is taking its time- it is in no rush. Also, he uses of the word â€Å"glideth† instead of ‘glide’ because the ‘-th’ sound is softer then the ‘-s’ sound, adding to the mood of calm. The poet ends saying that the city is so unusually calm and quiet, and that at this time all of the energy and madness of city life is not yet there- and he loves it.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Online Clinic Management System

I. Company Profile Established in November, 2008, the Villa-Santarromana Dental Clinic provides quality dental services to private clients who prefer dental treatments in a friendly and caring environment. The clinic was managed and owned by Dr. Karen Francia S. Villa. It is located in the city proper of Luna, La Union. They offer services in the field of General Dentistry, Orthodontics, and Cosmetic Dentistry. As for the moment it has a huge amount of clients who comes every day for dental services.We all know that modern clinics are now operating at great pace striving to serve as many patients as possible with the best of their abilities. But as the years rolled by, prescriptions, billing and appointment schedule, is no longer practical. In this study, we hope to develop a web-based application that will minimize all paper works and manual records keeping, therefore allowing doctors and staff ease in keeping track of patients.Reducing patients’ waiting time and increasing t he number of patients served a system that is fully automated, user-friendly, time effective and efficient. II. Problem Definition A. General Problem: The main problem of Villa-Santarromana Dental Clinic is that they have the manual way on recording, tracking, and managing patients request which sometimes lead to slower transaction within the clients. B. Specific Problem: New and regular patient’s records was recorded manually; * Billing statement and its official receipt is done manually; * Tracking regular patients; * Scheduling of services; * Tallying of monthly income. III. Objectives A. General Objective This study was aimed to designed and develop an online clinic management solution that will serve as proposal to help the dentist and staff to save time and resources with the automation of its daily clinic operations.Specifically this study was aimed to: * To computerize record keeping of patients; * To allow dentist retrieve complete patient instantly; * To automate bi lling statement and official receipt; * To automate medical prescription and medical certificates. IV. Project Description Project Goal: The focus of this study is to create an online clinic management system that will greatly improve the efficiency and quality of care in clinical practice. The system covers the profile of the client’s personal information; * The system tracks the records of the regular clients; * The system will have an automated billing statement and official reciepts; * The system will record, update, store, organize, and retrieve patient’s records. * Web-access of the patients is not included; * The system has a secure log-in for dentist and staff; * Managing appointment is also integrated; * Automated medical prescriptions and medical certificates.

East European Jews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

East European Jews - Essay Example They were greeted with hostility the moment they landed in New Amsterdam. The government of the day also treated them with contempt and denied them religious freedom as is evident from Governor Peter Stuyvesant’s view that â€Å"If we grant liberties to the Jews, we will have to grant them also to the Lutherans and the Papists† (Kampelman 586). It was indeed a long and hard struggle for the community to gain basic rights. â€Å"What shall we do with these rejected and condemned people, the Jews?† (Noble) Surprisingly, these were the words of Martin Luther King Jr., the champion of the civil rights movement and an iconic figure in American history. In his speech, he goes on to propose- â€Å"synagogues should be burned to the ground; their houses destroyed; their prayer books seized; their rabbis forbidden to teach on pain of death †¦ they should be prevented from traveling in the countryside and their wealth confiscated †¦ the young and strong should be forced to do menial work in order to prevent them feasting and farting †¦ we should toss out these rogues by the seat of their pants† (Noble) Across the Atlantic, the Nazis did not miss this propaganda opportunity. Hitler mentions in Mein Kampf that Luther is a â€Å"great historical protagonist† and someone he admired greatly. Irrespective of his real intentions, Martin Luther offered in his writings a historical and intellectual justification for the Holocaust, which the Nazis took pains to exploit† (Noble). The attacks in West Hartford, Connecticut and New York City stand out among numerous other occurrences in the 1980’s. There was a series of such incidents leaving behind burnt synagogues, destitute families and shattered livelihoods. The expressway shootout was another example of such pattern of events where Yeshiva students and other Jews, descendents of East European Jews, were targeted in 4 such shootouts during a 3 month period (Time 18). The disappointing fact about anti-Semitism in America

Monday, October 7, 2019

Criminal Liability And Use Of Force Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Criminal Liability And Use Of Force - Essay Example When someone is arraigned in court on the event that they solicited another person, it has to be proven. At this point, corroboration comes in. In court, there always has to be evidence otherwise multitude of people will be held custody and others for no solid reason. Corroboration requirements apply on a crime of solicitation when the accused is guilty of commanding another person to commit a crime. Not only is corroborating evidence a requirement on its own, it needs one witness along with it. Corroborating evidence is so firm on its own that it only needs one witness. It can have recordings of audio and video acts or any other doing. Someone is found guilty even on planning a solicited crime even though the crime is not in progress. The crime of solicitation can be numerous in one plan considering whether they happened in different places, different ways, different times and different payments with different amounts. The accused would be facing several suits. It is found sensible that if one encourages another person to commit a specific crime, it is part of that crime too. Conspiracy is termed used as the agreement or merging of ideas between two people to commit a crime. A conspiracy is successful when there is a motive and is agreed upon, an intention to the motive and an overt act. An overt act could be something like buying of ammunitions and guns to be used in the certain crime. The overt act is a very transparent act that can be used as proof in front of a jury or during jurisdiction on a presentation of a crime.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

The NHS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The NHS - Essay Example This free treatment policy of the NHS needs to be revised, as this is not only unfair to the taxpayers but is likely to bring economic collapse to the NHS budget with the increasing number of diabetic and cancer patients (Hardman, 2012). Diseases of lungs cancer, diabetes, and metabolic syndromes are the ones which require expensive and prolong medical treatment. Lungs cancer is the most known form of cancer which can cause malfunctioning lungs of patients and could also result in a painful death. Doctors researching on this ailment have clearly stated that 90% of the lung cancer is due o cigarette smoking or tobacco consumption. As the number of active smokers have increased, so is the rate of lung cancer, and there is no other major factor contributing to this disease (Groves, 2012). Report of the American Lung Association on world diseases, reveals that the among all cancer deaths including Breast and Colon cancer, lung cancer has the highest number of deaths (American Lung Associ ation, 2013). In the course of just 50 years, this disease has taken lives of more than 6.5 million people in the UK alone. The major reasons for this is the contribution of globalization, which has hundreds of cigarette, cigar and tobacco manufacturing companies, which has decreased the prices of these drugs and has made it easily accessible to everyone (Cancer Research UK, 2012). The other reason is the lack of government attention on this matter and the failure of introducing applicable and futuristic policies. In the ongoing debates to whether the NHS should change its funding and free treatment policies for lung cancer patients, these facts can provide a firm ground to the argument of restricting those funds. In this regard, Phillip Lee, a GP practitioner, raised the point that if the government kept paying for smokers and diabetic patients, it is in a way encouraging other smokers. He said in the NHS conference (2012) that people are free to consume whatever they wish for, but only at the cost of their own money. If the NHS is not going to cut down the treatment expenses funded to the smoking patients, then there is no way the country will get rid of smoking health disorders (Groves, 2012). It is evident from these facts that the disease of lung cancer is due to the bad appetite choice and smoking habit of the patient. Moreover, these people have harm the health of other people in their surroundings, as anyone who inhales the smoke of cigarette is also affected to some extent. Medical researchers have outlined the fact that passive smokers, the ones who are exposed to cigarette smokes of a smoker, have more chances to develop lung cancer than those who are not (Groves, 2012). This explains that smokers have not only put their lives on risks, but also the lives of many others who come in the vicinity of their smoking zone. One encouraging fact for these smokers is their free treatment from the healthcare budget of the country (Groves, 2012). The purpose o f providing free medical treatment to patients is to help those who cannot afford for the medical expense of their diseases or disorders, which have developed naturally or accidently and they are not the ones responsible. Providing this facility to lung cancer patients will not make them realize their act of ignorance and immorality. Therefore, if individuals who are addicted to smoking or tobacco are

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Data Analysis using two way repeated measure ANOVA Statistics Project

Data Analysis using two way repeated measure ANOVA - Statistics Project Example h course abroad, the second group enrolled themselves in a short course and the third group comprises of students who are the alumni of the American University and have completed the IEP requirements. The methodology of the test is that, all the participants irrespective of the group which they belong to, are subjected to two sets of observations – the first, before they received an English education and the second, after they received one. After the required data is collected, comparisons are made between the differences in the levels of omissions for all the students irrespective of their education. 1. H01: There is a significant difference in the levels of omission between the class of students who never enrolled themselves in any English course with the class of students who have completed a short course in English. 2. H02: There is a significant difference in the levels of omission between the class of students who have completed a short course in English with the class of students who have completed the IEP requirements. Before any lessons on English education was imparted, the people who received no English education from abroad are found to make an average of 15 mistakes against 20 mistakes of those who have received a short education from abroad. However, the standard deviation is found to be very high for the latter implying that the number of mistakes is heterogeneous among the population. On the other hand, after both the classes received English education, the numbers of mistakes were significantly reduced for both the classes. However, it was found to be lower for the second group than the first; even the standard deviation measures were lower for the second group as well implying that there was a considerable and uniform improvement in knowledge among the latter group. The descriptive statistics table in support of the above statements has been presented as under – To test the aforesaid hypothesis (H01), the relevant statistic is the

Friday, October 4, 2019

Project Involving the Evaluation of a Website Coursework

Project Involving the Evaluation of a Website - Coursework Example The study will be divided into two different sections. First, will be the introduction of the website in regards to the 7Cs of website evaluation. This will facilitate assessment whether the choice of website is appropriate and also to evaluate the purpose of the website. The website must be able to cater for the regulation, customers’ diversity, and data protection requirements. This is why the assessments of context, content, community, customization, communication, connection and commerce are necessary. It is essential that evaluation of website meets the standard criteria. Evaluation is a process of assessing the subject in accordance to set of rules that are applicable. IKKS website assessment is not exceptional and must be evaluated as per set criteria. The second study will be founded on the Webqual 2.0, where accessibility is analyzed in details. Across the bench of 13 questions, individuals can assess the weaknesses and strengths of the website (Suh 2005).For enforcin g the website to have striking features and attract customers’ attention, it is necessary to enforce four key recommendations. First, the product may improve through bricks and clicks development, this awaits further discussion the subsequent sections. Secondly, the IKKS site ought to enhance its good judgment of society so as to award potential customers a genuine logic of corporation social responsibility. Thirdly, study and ranking of the web in accordance to the Amit and Zott forces in sequence of importance; the strategies would involve most important, 2nd most importance, 3rd most important and lastly least important. E-commerce is increasing in significance for both businesses and individuals leading to penalties for how corporations compete. Creating worth for customers that outstands the rivalry has turned into vital for firms contending through e-commerce. Business structures are generated and applied for the particular reason to contend and generate a competitive a dvantage. The website of IKKS has incorporated most of e-business requirements. Introduction Evaluating IKKS website involve assessment of the website in regard to e-business evaluation criteria.Evaluation is a methodical determination of a topic's merit, value and importance, using criteria administered by a set of principles. It can help an organization, plan, project or any extra intervention or inventiveness to evaluate any aim, realizable notion/proposal, or any option, to assist in decision-making; or to establish the level of accomplishment or value in regard to the objectives and purpose and outcomes of any such activity that has been accomplished. IKKS evaluation involves the assessments of context, content, community, customization, communication, connection and commerce. These are the 7Cs that I would use to evaluate the website (Workshop on E-Business & Wei 2002). The context of IKKS website contains aesthetic and practical feel-and-look. It is evident websites have opted to focus a lot on striking graphics, colours and invent structures, while some have accentua ted simpler utilitarian objectives, such as simplicity of scrolling. On the basis of the context, IKKS website has aesthetic, functional look and feel and utilitarian objectives. The images and graphics are attractive and the ease of navigation for more material is present (Workshop on E-Business & Wei 2002). Respective pictures within the website are navigation links to various departments or sections of the website and companies details. In IKKS website

Thursday, October 3, 2019

The Balanced Scorecard and Its Application to Hospitality Businesess Essay Example for Free

The Balanced Scorecard and Its Application to Hospitality Businesess Essay This essay will try to explore the role of the Balanced Scorecard in today’s organisations, in particular in hospitality businesses. The research will start by exploring performance measurement and later will describe the basics of the Balanced Scorecard to finish with a practical example of the implications of not applying correctly a performance measurement system in a hospitality business. Performance measurement is described by Neely et al (1995) as the process of quantifying action, where measurement is the process of quantification and action leads to performance. Therefore performance measure is the metric used to quantify the efficiency and effectiveness of an action. These actions refers in other words to the changes that an organisation experiment by achieving performance goals through allocating and prioritising resources. This valuable information is later used by managers to conform or modify their strategies in order to meet these goals. Performance measurement is crucial in today’s organisations because: †¢It helps identifying and tracking progress against organisational goals †¢It helps comparing performance against both internal and external standards. Ensures customer requirements have been met †¢Helps setting sensible objectives and work towards them †¢Provides a physical scoreboard for employees to monitor their performance †¢Highlights quality problems and suggest areas for action (Kald and Nilsson 2000) Within this context, the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) can be described as a strategic performance management framework that integrates a coherent set of performance measures with the organisation’s strategic plan. This allows organisations to define their strategic priorities and design indicators to monitor how well they are executing their strategy. Kaplan Norton, 1992). The main innovation from this approach is that it provides a multifaceted view of the organisation’s performance and balances the traditionally observed financial measures with other operational non-financial measures. The architects of the Balanced Scorecard, professor Robert Kaplan and David Norton believed that traditional performance measures based on financial information alone provide a very partial and short-term view of the performance of an organisation as they measure past performance and offer very little to support organisations on their quality journey. Kaplan Norton 1996). In this aspect, other analysts have added that financial measurements alone are insufficient to provide relevant information about a company’s root problems (Malone Sinnett, 2005), it overlooks the intangible enablers of the business (Norreklit, 2000) and disregards value creation (Bicheno, 2008). All this comes to demonstrate that financial measures are simply a consequence of operational activities and only by getting the fundamentals right, the organisation will be able to provide successful financial results. Taking all this into account, Kaplan and Norton identified the most intuitive components of a company’s strategy and created a more robust and balanced set of measurements that go beyond the financials. It all starts with a vision or a strategic goal and from there managers articulate a set of objectives, measures and targets in four key perspectives. The first is the financial perspective or how do the company look to shareholders. Metrics like the return on investment and residual income provide still valuable information but as already mentioned, not enough to create future value. In order to deliver any financial objectives, we need first to deliver to customers, which is the second perspective. In this perspective are articulated performance measures related to customer satisfaction and the key performance indicators should answer to the question, how customers see us?. In a similar way, in order to do well what the company does for the customers, it is necessary to identify what are the vital things the organisation needs to excel at in order to implement the strategy. This is the third perspective and Kaplan and Norton call it internal processes. This approach measures aspects related to the core of the what the organisation does in order to generate profit. Finally the fourth perspective looks at the intangible enablers of the business or the learning and growth perspective. Aspects like retaining the right human capital and keeping them engaged, investing in a good IT infrastructure, or having the right organisation culture, will help the business to do the right things internally, which helps to deliver to the customer which ultimately helps to deliver the financial objectives. A very important step is choosing the aspects the company will measure in order to achieve the strategic vision. These measures are known as key performance indicators (KPI’s). Choosing the appropriate KPI’s is a crucial as they will monitor the progress towards specific goals. According to Kaplan Norton (1996), KPI’s should be meaningful, unambiguous and easy to understand by all the members of the organisation. They should collect relevant data embedded in the normal organisation’s procedures, they also need to be able to drive improvement and should be intrinsically linked to the critical goals and key drivers of the organisation. In order to implement the Balanced Scorecard approach, Kaplan Norton (1996) identified three levels of information. The first level sits at the very top of the organisation and is where the corporate objectives are defined, the second one translates the corporate targets into more specific targets for each business unit and the third is the team and individual level where specific objectives are articulated which means that everyone in the organisation is aligned with the top level objectives. Since its creation in the 1990’s, the BSC has evolved from a simple dashboard of performance measures into a comprehensive management system that aims to channel the abilities and specific knowledge of each member of the organisation towards achieving long term strategic goals. Due to its simplicity, it is reported that it was the most widely adopted performance measurement framework in 2010. Over 50% of Fortune 1000 firms now use the BSC methodology and an estimate 85% have adopted some kind of performance measurement. Also, the BSC was selected by a panel from the Harvard Business Review as one of the most influential management ideas of the past 75 years. (Harvard Business Review, 2013) However, the implementation of the BSC is not free of challenges and many authors find numerous flaws. Thomas (2004) for instance argue that the BSC simply provides a list of metric results and lacks recommendations and advice. Besides there is little evidence that shows that the use of the BSC improves decision making as many companies seem to fail to act on its findings. Smith (2013) also highlights other important concerns when implementing the BSC: -There is a risk for unclear and poorly designed metrics. -There is a lack of efficient data collection and reporting, particularly non-financial metrics. -It has no process improvement methodology. -It is very inwardly focused. If environmental factors such as threats and Opportunities are not considered, the BSC may not present a correct picture of the organisation in the market. Critical assessment of the application of the BSC in a hospitality business Although the BSC has been deployed widely amongst businesses, government organisations and even non-profit organisations, research show that it has been minimally applied within hospitality businesses (Gunasekaran et al. 2001). In my own personal experience working for Premium Country Dining Group, part of Mitchells Butlers, the leading operator of restaurants and pubs in the UK, I have struggled to perceive evidence of the implementation of the BSC or any other framework for performance measurement in the business. After 15 months working for the organisation I still don’t know what the company’s strategic objectives are in the short term and what specific contributions towards those goals are expected from me as an employee. Is difficult to identify who is to blame for this, but the reality is that the strategic vision hasn’t permeated down the organisation. On the contrary, every day I see evidence that comes to show that the main source of comparative information used to measure performance and efficiency are still the traditional financial and accounting reports, which has been proven to provide a poor and inadequate view of the business in terms of helping decision making and provide strategic directions. Financial ratios such as net operating profit, labour costs or average covers per day are commonly used in the business to evaluate performance and are the main factors considered when forecasting in terms of ordering of food and drink, preparation levels of food and staffing. These ratios along with good doses of intuition and past experience seem to be the main drivers to lead the company which in words of Kaplan and Norton (1996) is like trying to drive a car just by looking at the mirrors. Although the restaurant has the customer at its core. Although both front and back of the house do their best in order to provide a quality product, quick service and the best customer experience possible and although the company’s motto: â€Å"Simply amazing pubs† may give a hint about the strategic direction of the company, all these are failing to materialize because of the lack of a solid strategic performance management framework and a good set of key performance indicators that could highlight where are we failing, why customers complain and why our business is buried down on the Tripadvisor rankings and there is no plans for action. It is obvious that the company is disregarding the internal processes, as can be seen in the high staff turnover, lack of encouragement for employees to grow, and tight cost-control in maintenance which leads to difficulties in doing our job effectively. This consequently leads to long waiting times for customers and a poor service due to short staffing (customer perspective), and ultimately this poor service and unsatisfied customers affects the much regarded financial results. Definitely a more organised approach to process design and the inclusion of non-financial performance dimensions would result in an increase of overall business effectiveness. Conclusion This research has found that the Balanced Scorecard or any other framework for measuring performance such as the performance pyramid, the performance matrix or the EFQM business excellence model, are effective tools in bringing together previously disparate measures into more coherent models. In the case of the BSC, it has proven to be particularly successful in adding a much needed non-financial perspective to measuring performance and as Fitzgerald et al (1991) points, encouraging organisations to continually improve, innovate and expand their capabilities in order to gain competitive advantage, understand customer’s needs and adapt to the changing environment.