The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier And Clay - 1076 Words

The United States has struggled with the ideal of freedom throughout history including the 21st century. Nothing is more foundational to Americans as individuals and as a nation than freedom. Freedom, known as liberty, is embedded in our history and everyday life. American freedom has been represented by statues, fleeing from slave masters, and the rights to vote. Freedom has never been a fixed concept, it has been a tenacious conflict in American history. American freedom has been debates, disagreements, and struggles rather than a evolutionary record towards a predestined goal. It has been a battle ground throughout history, found on the proposition that liberty is a right of all human race, the United States deprived many people of freedom . Freedom has been through battles of racial minorities, women, workers, and other groups to fastened the freedom they understood. There are people who struggles to obtain full on actress to freedom of expression with reasons including poverty, discrimination and cultural pressure. Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a great example of Americas freedom of identity, which focuses on the means of escape and denial. The novel lies in the freedom of identity expression , acceptance, and being set free from feeling unaccepted. Americans LGBT do not have the freedom of full equality, LGBT people have been facing many different types of discrimination. LGBT communities have limited rights, from the denial toShow MoreRelatedThe Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier And Clay And Amazing Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao2168 Words   |  9 PagesMichael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and Junot Dà ­az’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wa o, the main characters were terrorized by two different dictatorships with their usage of scare tactics, surveillance abuse, and the stripping of their citizen’s basic human rights in order to oppress and terrorize the people and obtain complete power over them. In The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and The Amazing Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Josef Kavalier and Beli Cabral’s respectiveRead MoreSuperhero Worship By The Atlantic Virginia Postrel 1290 Words   |  6 Pagesthat instead of celebrities in general his main focus of the article is how the superhero aspect and people striving to be like superheros is what limits people in their lives. The author takes both ends of the spectrum from â€Å"The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay† which shows how hard it is for the characters to balance out their superhero lives with the troubles of their everyday lives. While at the opposite end of the spectrum there is â€Å"Spider-Man† or â€Å"The Fantastic Four† which only showsRead MoreSuperhero Worship By The Atlantic Virginia Postrel 1804 Words   |  8 Pagesthat instead of celebrities, in general his main focus of the article is how the superhero aspect and people striving to be like superheros is w hat limits people in their lives. The author takes both ends of the spectrum from â€Å"The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay† which shows how hard it is for the characters to balance out their superhero lives with the troubles of their everyday lives. While at the opposite end of the spectrum there is â€Å"Spider-Man† or â€Å"The Fantastic Four† which only showsRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 PagesCamus, Albert The plague AF 3 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Carver, Raymond Cathedral in The stories of Raymond Carver AF Chabon, Michael The amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay AF Clare, Monica Karobran: the story of an Aboriginal girl AF Conrad, Joseph The heart of darkness AF Cormier, Robert The chocolate war YA Cormier, Robert I am the cheese YA Courtenay, Bryce The power of one AF Dickens, Charles Oliver

Test Scores On Standardized Tests - 1017 Words

The Oxford Dictionary online defines the term â€Å"well-educated† as â€Å"having or showing a high level of education.† The opposite of â€Å"well-educated† according to Thesaurus.com includes antonyms such as â€Å"ignorant†, â€Å"unsophisticated†, â€Å"stupid†, and â€Å"uninformed†. Based on this dictionary definition, a person such as my girlfriend is well-educated since she earned two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and eventually a doctorate in Human Physiology. Does this definition imply that people who do not have advanced degrees are not well-educated? Since I have only a high school diploma and no advanced degrees, should I consider myself to be ignorant, unsophisticated, stupid, and uninformed? I will argue that being well-educated goes beyond the basic education attained during grade school and is not tied to the number of degrees earned, the prestige of the school, the number of discrete facts me morized, test scores on standardized tests, or any other measure of time spent in the classroom. Being well-educated is also not measured by standards of success in a career such as job skills, salary earnings, performance reviews, or job titles. Neither one of these standards includes the lifelong learning that occurs outside of the classroom. A more appropriate definition of being well-educated should include an ongoing desire to expand one’s knowledge and understanding of the world around us. In his article, â€Å"What does it mean to be well-educated?†, Alfie Kohn states, â€Å"It’s not enough toShow MoreRelatedLimitations Of Standardized Test Scores1644 Words   |  7 Pagesthey have taken a standardized test a great number of times in order to get the score to attend their college of choice. A standardized test is any exam that is given and scored in a predetermined, standard manner. The SAT and ACT are known as standardized aptitude tests (Popham). SAT stands for Scholastic Assessment Test and ACT stands for American College Testing. The SAT was first given in 1926 and the ACT followed in 1959. Students spend hours preparing and taking these tests only to find outRead MoreStandardized Exams And The Test Scores2070 Words   |  9 Pagesand the standardized tests. Specifically in an academic setting, one of most students’ primary goals seems to be achieving â€Å"high† numbers in grades and test scores. In such setting, tests are overempha sized; therefore, standardized exams, thought to reveal students’ intelligence, are forced to be a significant aspect of students’ lives. Standardized exams pose a major burden on students from a very young age. In New York State, state examinations, such as the Regents exams and state tests, are administeredRead MoreThe Effect Of Fine Arts On Standardized Tests Scores993 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the largest issues with fine arts implementation is the narrow effects. Garcia et. al conducted research that attempted to determine the effect fine arts have on standardized test scores. The researchers found that specific students attending schools with dense fine arts programs scored higher on the state standardized test; however, this improvement does not imply that fine arts will effectively cure the education decline. When analyzing the results, one sees that the fine arts mainly affectRead MoreStandardized Test Scores Of Racial Minority Students3402 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction The achievement gap is evident in the standardized test scores of racial minority students. When examining demographic information published by College Board Inc. and ACT Inc., it is evident that there exists a widening gap between the scores of African-American adolescents on the SAT, or the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and the ACT, or American College Test. Statistics from the 2013 SAT show African-American students earning scores of 431 in critical reading, 429 in mathematics, and 418Read MoreStudents Are Key Contributors With Their Standardized Tests Score1084 Words   |  5 Pages Students are key contributors with their standardized tests score. Their score will determine graduation and school ratings. On the elemental level, the student does not always comprehend the value or importance of their education. Therefore, it is the teacher’s role that is the leading pieces at this level. The students perspective can be influenced by other factors such as peers. Over the years, the teachers puzzle will become less and the students piece more as the student showsRead More Standardized Test Scores and Their Use in College Admissions Decisions1560 Words   |  7 PagesStandardized Test Scores and their use in College Admissions Decisions PURPOSE The purpose of this proposal is to examine current and future Iowa State University admissions decisions processes. At the present time most colleges, including Iowa State use a combination of standardized test scores, high school class rank, high school grade point average, and essays to make decisions on admissions. All of the above are good determinants of a student’s possible success in college, except standardizedRead MoreStandardized Test Scores An Accurate Representation Of A Student s Abilities1735 Words   |  7 PagesAre standardized test scores an accurate representation of a student s abilities? Standardized tests can be found at any level of a student’s academic career, but are they accurate indicators of a student’s academic abilities? Standardized tests are used to measure a student s academic abilities, and overall knowledge. In theory, a student s skills can be determined by examining the limited data collected from the test. However, standardized test do not fully represent a student s abilitiesRead MoreWhy Intelligence Is Measured By Standardized Test Scores And Letter Grades1521 Words   |  7 Pagesprowess. Artistic students are constantly made to feel deficient, as if there is something wrong with them if the struggle with STEM subjects. This paper focuses on asking why students are made to feel that way. Why intelligence is measured in standardized test scores and letter grades. It will explore how lack of the arts and creativity is damaging to students, and how this disregard for creativity starts well before we are aware of it. It starts in elem entary schools and primary education systems, andRead MoreBuilding A Space Where Student And School Success Are Measured Not Only By Standardized Test Scores930 Words   |  4 PagesOur bold and compelling idea is to build a space where student and school success are measured not only by standardized test scores but by the impact of community uplift. The vision of the Upset the Setup Academy is to establish a school for fourteen to eighteen year old students grounded in identity, community, and service as the pillars of learning, that leverages student experimentation, trust, and shared access to power and decision-making. This will be a place where students defined as at-riskRead MoreEssay on Standardized Testing in Schools1399 Words   |  6 PagesViews on Standardized Testing Standardized testing has long been a controversial method of assessment in our schools. Such tests are important indicators of student achievement and aptitude. However, some standardized test scores have been misused as a manner in which to track students, allocate school funds, and even determine teacher pay. Standardized tests, when used appropriately and for the right reasons, can adequately determine a students present level of strengths and weaknesses and his

A Closer Look into the Boxer Rebellion Free Essays

string(140) " and the priests situated in various parts of China were regarded to have the same political power as the Chinese prefects and magistrates\." The Boxer Rebellion was one of the many periods of history that has almost been forgotten by Western historians despite its importance and impact in Chinese history. Eventually, information regarding this rebellion had resurfaced which some historians have considered to be mythical in the sense that some historians have concentrated the information regarding the Boxer Rebellion only on certain portions that they have deemed to be beneficial to the current society of the country. In line with this, this paper aims to provide an analytical report justifying that the Boxer Rebellion, although may have begun as a political and economical uprising, most of the efforts done during the Boxer Rebellion was to prevent Western culture and tradition from tainting Chinese culture, particularly in terms of religion. We will write a custom essay sample on A Closer Look into the Boxer Rebellion or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper will also provide evidence to justify as to why many historians have considered the current image of the Boxer Rebellion to be a myth. In order to present the analysis report with regards to the Boxer Rebellion movement comprehensively, a brief overview of Chinese society during the period when the Boxer Rebellion arose should be first discussed. The Boxer Rebellion first gained attention in the year 1898 (Ch’en 290). During this time, China was currently under the governance of the Qing dynasty. Unlike the Ming dynasty before it, the Qing dynasty was not comprised of Manchus, foreigners from Manchuria who obtained governance on China as a result of conquest. The Manchus, as how the Chinese called them, were viewed as both privileged and idlers, with majority of the Manchus consuming one-third of the total revenue of the country (Purcell i-ii). It was also during this period a shift on the basis of the country’s economy from land acquisition to credit acquisition. In fact, Mark Elvin, author of â€Å"The Pattern of the Chinese Past† that was published in 1973 stated that usury, which was the term given to the act of controlling economic resources, became a â€Å"a more important source of social and economic power in the countryside than ownership of land† (as cited in Wakeman, Jr. 202). Apart from this, international trade and commerce that were previously banned during the Ming dynasty were re-established (Van de Van 230). Despite the shift in economic power, many members of the lower class in Chinese society still did not enjoy the independence enjoyed by the richer farmers and land owners because the practices of the moneylenders did not provide those the peasants with what they had considered to be essential to their way of life. Instead, they viewed this change in the economic power in Chinese society as a fragile and false link between the Manchu rulers and the Chinese subordinates. As such, most of the uprisings that had occurred during this period of time have been linked to peasantry revolts whose goals centered on the quest to equalize the land and resources (Wakeman Jr. 202-03). The above stated situation the China during the period of the Boxer Rebellion may have been the reason why many have associated this movement to be another peasantry revolt against the Manchu government. This was also supported by the fact that majority of the Boxers, as how they were called, were young male peasants, and that their revolt actions included stampeding into the cities and burning down blocks of the finest stores and offices of moneylenders (Liu 102). Furthermore, there have been only limited accounts on the Boxer Rebellion movement with these limited resources depicting the members of the Boxer Revolt as being hostile (Ch’en 290). While the characteristics of the Boxers were similar to that of other peasant revolts against the Manchu government, the aims and objectives of the Boxers Revolution was nothing similar. In fact, for a brief period in time, the Manchu monarchy – headed by Empress Dowager Cixi – supported the Boxers Movement (Liu 102). This is primarily due to the aims and objectives of the Boxers Movement. Because of the re-opening of international trade routes, many of the Chinese began to develop as sense of Xenophobia, which is, the fear of foreign rule. As international foreign trade blossomed, foreigners began to come in not just with raw items and other commodities, but also their own beliefs, particularly Christianity (Ch’en 290-91). Unlike the Westerners, the Chinese have patronized and supported their current government despite themselves being foreigners as well. This was because when the Chinese were brought under the rule of the Manchus, it was the Manchus and not the Chinese who assimilated themselves to the culture and society of Chinese to the point that if one would compare a Manchu and a Chinese side-by-side, only subtle differences can be viewed between them (Purcell 2). This is not the case with the Westerners who have been known to subtly invade other countries through the process of â€Å"cultural imperialism. † Cultural imperialism has been defined as the process of a foreign country to impose in a coercive manner, usually through political and economical methods, their beliefs, customs and traditions to another country, usually one that they have deemed to be more inferior than they were (Dunch 302). In the case of China, through its trade activities with European countries, has been viewed to be a country that was static, as compared to the European countries where advancements in technology was at its peak (Purcell 3). As a result, missionaries began to flock into China and began to establish schools in the Shandong province (Liu 103-04). Eventually, many of the Chinese have slowly begun to view these foreign missionaries as a threat to their cultural identity, especially after the missionaries were slowly being granted diplomatic and military support from the Qing dynasty monarchy. The Manchu monarchy increased the ranks and privileges of the foreign missionaries. One example of this was the bishop situated in the Shandong province was given the rank by the Empress Dowager Cixi similar to that of the Chinese governor of the province. On top of that, the monsignors and the priests situated in various parts of China were regarded to have the same political power as the Chinese prefects and magistrates. You read "A Closer Look into the Boxer Rebellion" in category "Papers" Because of the political power that was granted to the foreign missionaries, they were able to handle their missionary work in a more convenient manner. Not only could they not be touched by members of the local government within the area that they are ministering, but also they had the authority to protect those who have been converted into Christendom against any actions made by local authorities that they consider as harassment on the part of their converts (Liu 104). The members of the Boxers have viewed the actions of the Catholic missionaries as a way not just to make their mark in their culture, but also as a slow, but steady method of overthrowing their monarchy and their government and invading them. The Boxers viewed Christianity as a form of heresy and against the teachings of both Confucianism and Taoism, which are the prominent religions in China during this period (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 8). It was for this reason that the Boxers launched a propaganda movement against foreign missionaries. As far as the Boxers were concerned, their propaganda movement was justified by the literary pieces that were centered in both Confucianism and Taoism. Perhaps the most influential of these lyric pieces was a lyric poem which they have believed was composed by the god Chi-Kung, who shared it to the Boxers through the medium. The poem referred to the Chinese Christian converts as people â€Å"who have lost all their senses† and whose â€Å"aim was to engulf the whole country† and to â€Å"deceive our Emperor† (Ch’en 292). The propaganda literature distributed by the Boxers echoed the message of the poem of Chi-Kung. These literature included notices that they boldly advocated, such as the message that â€Å"The heresy [heresy referring to the missionaries and their converts] has no respect for either gods or Buddhas† (Ch’en 293). Based on these propaganda, it is clear that the Boxer Rebellion Movement’s aim was to wipe out foreign missionaries by any means possible in order to protect their beloved emperor and his family as well as the common people of China (Ch’en 293). Sadly, the government that they were trying to protect did not share in their vision. In the end, the Qing dynasty suppressed the Boxer movement and all forms of literature associated with the movement (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 15). There were a number of reasons as to why history presented the Boxer Rebellion more as a political revolution as opposed to a movement to protect the culture, government and people of China during the 19th century. One reason for this was that, as mentioned, all documents pertaining to the Boxer Movement, especially those that supported the Boxer Movement were destroyed. What were left were official documents and other forms of literature that were written by those who opposed the Boxer Revolution Movement. These documents depicted the Boxers as a group of illiterate individuals who were afraid of advancement and progress (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 15). But the primary reason for the difference of the viewpoint regarding the Boxer Rebellion Movement was on the historians themselves. While it is true that majority of historians document events that had occurred in a particular area during a particular period based on facts in order to provide the readers an objective viewpoint that is as accurate as the facts and evidences may allow them to, there remains some historians who have been considered by their colleagues as â€Å"mythologizers† (â€Å"The Contested Past† 82). These kinds of historians have been described as those who have a clear understanding of the past events and have access to the same evidences and facts that are available to historians, sociologists, anthropologists and the like. The difference lies in the manner on how they utilize these facts and evidences in their writings. Instead of providing the reader an objective, play-by-play account of the events that had occurred during a particular point in time, mythologizers have been known to utilize the facts and evidences to create an account of a historical event to serve another purpose. These purposes include political reform and psychological formation of the reader (â€Å"The Contested Past 82-83). Examples of this can be found with regards to the manner on how various authors whose works have long been considered as historical accounts on the Boxer Revolution. In one account which was entitled â€Å"The Boxers’ Conquest of the Westerners,† the Boxers were described as a group of individuals who were superstitious and irrational. In fact, not much attention was actually given to this over the more noble reason for the revolt, which was the protection and preservation of Chinese culture from the changes being imposed by foreign missionaries. As a result, this historical account presented the Chinese as a people who, in a period when everyone else were trying to advance themselves, remained superstitious by believing that gods and deities still correspond through mediums in order for the people to do their bidding as well as a country whose people remained ignorant and even barbaric (â€Å"The Contested Past† 84). Chen’s Duxiu’s essay is another example of mythologization of the Boxer Revolution. In his essay, he firmly addressed and justified that the Boxer Revolution was brought about by the influence of Confucianism, Taoism and other religions present in China during that period of time has led to the Boxer Uprising. Duxiu further stated that since these religions are still prevalent in China to this very day, it would not be long before another Boxer Revolution will take place (â€Å"The Contested Past† 85). While this does have some truth in it, it is also not entirely accurate because Duxiu failed to take into consideration that one of the main reasons why the Boxer Revolution erupted was because of the imminent overthrow of the current monarchy ruling China brought about by the government itself by providing political power to a certain extent to the foreign missionaries. This allowed them to be in a position to choose on whether they would follow the rulings of the local government where they were ministering. In fact, the term â€Å"Boxer† Revolution by itself may be considered to be a form of mythologization. In his article, Lu Xun had presented it as a metaphor to present the ignorance of the Chinese during the 19th century in his statement â€Å"[†¦] if the Chinese don’t learn the military art of using rattan shields, how can they protect themselves against firearms[†¦]† (as cited in â€Å"The Contested Past† 86). To summarize, the Boxer Revolution that occurred during the Qing dynasty was brought about by a number of historical events. The first was the experience of the Chinese towards foreign invasion. Although they were currently being ruled by foreigners from Manchuria, they did not fear that this would bring about a loss of their cultural identity and heritage. This was because the foreign rulers assimilated themselves into the Chinese culture and traditions to a point wherein Manchus living in China were not that different from the Chinese. The second historical event was the re-opening of international trade routes by the Manchus during the Qing dynasty that have been closed during the Ming dynasty. While this benefited the country economically with traders bringing in rare commodities in exchange for Chinese goods, it had also paved the way for European missionaries to enter the country, bringing in Christianity into China. This event has caused many of the converts to turn their backs from local customs and traditions, hence, their own cultural identity. The third was the decision made by the Manchu government through Empress Dowager Cixi to grant the foreign missionaries some form of political power. This proved to be the biggest threat viewed by the Boxer Revolt. The decision made by the Empress Dowager has not only provided the foreign missionaries some form of leniency which would allow them to practice their faith and to convert Chinese into Christianity more freely, but it also allowed the foreign missionaries not to adhere with the local government in the various provinces where they were ministering. This is because the political power granted by the Empress to the foreign missionaries has caused them to have the same political powers as those in the local government, if not higher. Based on the evidence presented, the preconceived notion that the Boxers were predominantly made out of peasants is inaccurate. On the contrary, the evidence have suggested that the Boxer Revolution was actually a movement that was composed largely of educated individuals and since education was a privilege that was enjoyed by the elite during this period of time, it can be assumed that the Boxer Revolution was a revolution created by the elite. This conclusion has been based on the development of the aim of the Boxer Revolution which was to wipe out the foreign missionaries in order to preserve and protect the Emperor of China and its people. They had based this on literary pieces that were usually accessible only to the elite. Among these forms of literature were the plays, poetry and teachings of Confucius and Tao. It will be highly illogical to state that the Boxers were mainly comprised of illiterate individuals since the only way for these to become the basis of the Boxers Movement is if and only if these someone who is literate, that is someone who could both read and write, would be able to not only understand these forms of literature but would have the capacity to disseminate these information to others. Also, the preconception that the Boxer Revolution was a revolt against the Manchu government has been disproved by the information presented in this paper as well. While it may be true that the Boxer Revolution was ultimately suppressed by the Manchu government, among the objectives of the revolution movement was to protect their Emperor and Empress Dowager. They had viewed the actions of the foreign missionaries as a step closer for cultural imperialism to become rampant in the country. Cultural imperialism refers to the act of members from a foreign country to bring in their own customs, beliefs and traditions into another country and would slowly assimilate this to the citizens of that particular country, usually through some form of political force. The most common method used for cultural imperialism is through religion. This was the case in the Boxer movement. How to cite A Closer Look into the Boxer Rebellion, Papers

Australian Taxation Law

Question: Identify and evaluate key arguments both for and against retaining these tax concessions if housing affordability is to be achieved. In your response you must explain what is meant by negative gearing and how capital gains arising from property investment are treated. You should refer to sections of legislation, tax rulings and cases where relevant. Answer: Introduction Housing affordability is a term that is used to describe the relationship between household income and household expenditure of an individual related to the costs of housing. Housing affordability is related to the acceptable proportion of income of an individual that must be spent for housing purposes. In other words, the concept relates t the capability of an individual to survive sufficiently after incurring expenses for housing purposes. In the present situation, housing expenses of Australian citizens have increased to a great extent. According to a report published by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute titled Housing Affordability: A 21st Century Problem, around 15% of all households in Australia pay almost 30% of their income for their housing costs. This surge in the prices of housing and rental properties in Australia has affected the middle and lower income groups to a great extent (Action for Housing Affordability, 2016). This gave birth to the concept of Negative Gearing that was introduced as a tax measure by the Government to set off the ill effects of the soaring prices of the real estate. Negative gearing is a practice where an individual borrows money to invest in income producing investment property in expectation that the income generated from the property will be more that the costs of acquiring and maintaining the property. However, in reality this does not happen and the costs exceed the income resulting in a loss. According to the provisions of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, expenses and losses incurred while producing income from an investment decisions are subject to deductions from the assessable income of such individual. In the present scenario, people are intentionally resorting to more and more to negative gearing in order to reduce their overall tax liability. This has resulted in much speculative activities in the real estate market and reduced house ownership further as the prices of properties have failed to reduce ("ACOSS address the impact of negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax on housing affordability | ShelterWA", 2016). The secondary mortgage market also has been affected by such type of speculative transactions. This essay is directed towards evaluating these points and brings out the points related to the nexus among housing prices, negative gearing and capital gains tax regime. Is there a housing crisis in Australia? This has been the main topic of discussion in Australia over the past few years. Housing costs and overall housing expenditure on the housing sector is much more when compared to the other developed countries of the world. Housing costs have increases to a great extent during the years. One of the reasons for such increase is the growth in the urban population. Demand has increased over the years; however, on the other hand, supply is limited and has been restricted by the government in various occasions. Another important and influencing factor is the nature and extent of the demand (Choice, 2016). People have a fascination about the size of homes and rental properties. They often choose large chunks of land to build their home on. Increasing interest rates is also considered to be contributing factor to this current situation as it leaves its impact on the mortgage debt and the mortgage debt market. Residential and commercial backed securities have lost their value in the market as there is a rising trend in default in repaying mortgages by the borrowers who are more concerned about obtaining tax concessions and deductions from the tax authorities ("Expenses deductible immediately - management and maintenance including interest | Australian Taxation Office", 2016). With a rise in housing prices, more and more people are losing their ability to afford a shelter over their heads, especially the lower and the middle income group. Factors Influencing Housing Affordability The housing sector is one of the primary concerns of any government. Since the prices have posed much concern in the country, the government took a few steps to control the market prices. However, these steps did not prove effective to bring a proper solution to the problem. Property price has increased are constantly being overvalued making it difficult to access for most of the population who do not own their house. The situation is so grave that the country is in a brink of having a mortgage crisis. Low and restricted supply of land and property have fuel the crisis. Such a rise in the property prices will tend the market to destabilize. This will create a difference between the level of income and property prices. In such a situation, the primary objective of the government is to make housing affordable ("Borrowing to invest and negative gearing - pros, cons, and how it works", 2016). The government proposed various tax reforms in order to control the situation. Since 200, the de mand of real estate has increased to a great extent and this has allowed sellers and builders to raise the price levels. This has resulted in much concern and now people are required to sacrifice more of their financial resources in order to own or rent a property. First time home owners are the worst affected groups as they are go to great lengths to accumulate finance for their first homes. On the other hand, tax concessions and deductions are available only to people who are interested in acquiring investment properties that will tend to generate assessable income for them. Some of the other contributing factors stipulated by the experts are inflation, the prevailing tax structure and easy access to credit for investment purposes. Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax Negative gearing involves and borrower to borrow money for investing in investment properties that tend to fetch future income for such borrower. The quantum of future income is of great important in negative gearing. The borrower invests in such properties where the future assessable income from such investment property is less than the costs of acquisition and maintaining the property. This results in incurring in a loss in the transaction. This loss is then allowed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), to be set off against other assessable income of the borrower. The main intention of the tax authorities is to provide a buffer to the borrower and provide them with a tax relief so that they are able to cut down their losses (Choice, 2016). The overall tax effect is to set off the net rental loss arising out of the transaction with the other sources of assessable income source of the borrower so that there is a decrease in the overall tax burden of the borrower. This deduction i s provided as an incentive to the borrower according to the provisions of the ITAA 1997. If in any income year, the assessable income of an assessee is not sufficient to set off the loss, it is carried forward and adjusted with the income earned by the assessee in the next year ("Expenses you can claim | Australian Taxation Office", 2016). On the other hand, the ATO and the ITAA 1997 have rules and provisions for Capital Gains Tax related to investment properties. Tax concessions are provided to assesses in case of investment housing. When a property is held for 12 months or more and then sold, the capital gains arising out of such transactions are subject to 50% tax deductions. Negative gearing and capital gains tax regime combined together form a complete code of deductions that are provided by the government and the taxation authorities so that assesses are able to cut down their losses and decrease their overall tax burden ("Rental properties - avoiding common mistakes | Austral ian Taxation Office", 2016). The facilities of negative gearing and capital gains tax have a two-fold advantage that an individual is able to avail. First one being the ability to deduct the loss from rental property and the second is that of the 50% discount that can be availed in respect of capital gains tax. In negative gearing, the borrower is allowed to set off their loss every year against their assessable income. Therefore, the loss from investment property that is incurred during a year is allowed to be deducted during that year itself. Therefore, the assessee is able to take advantage of the negative gearing facility each year and lower his or her tax burden ("Fuel on Fire: Negative Gearing, Capital Gains and Housing Affordability", 2016). The second advantage here is that when such investment property is disposed off, deductions can be claimed from capital gains tax when such investment property is disposed off. The tax applicable in case of capital gains is much less than the normal income tax rates a pplicable to individuals. Therefore, it can be seen that an assessee is able to claim much deductions and concessions in case of negative gearing and capital gains tax. This is the main intention of the tax authorities so that individuals are able to lower their tax burden (Planners, 2016). The provisions of the ITAA 1997 and that of 1936 intend to provide an effective and efficient tax structure for the people of Australia. The legislative provisions provide a complete structure so that tax planning can be done effectively and people are able to plan about their tax burdens. Division 8 of the ITAA stipulates the deductions that can be availed by tax payers in order to lower their tax burdens ("INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT ACT 1997", 2016). This provides an ease to the tax payers and makes tax levy and collection easy with an intention to make it fair and transparent. The structure is so formulated that people are able to properly plan about their tax payments and the system makes sure tha t they collect what is owed to them ("Hot property: negative gearing and capital gains tax | Grattan Institute", 2016). The present story is somewhat different. The tax incentives provided by the ATO and the government are used in the wrong sense. In reality, the loss incurred in negative gearing gets set off against the tax incentive provided. People are resorting to more borrowing for taking advantage of the negative gearing arrangement. They are investing in property that does not fetch much income so that the costs can be covered (Milligan, 2007). This act is done intentionally so that they are able to get the tax incentive. Set offs are availed yearly until the property is disposed off. On the other hand, capital gains tax deduction can be availed when the property is sold. People are availing both these incentives in a wrong way that itself defies the intention of the tax authorities and the government. Easy access to finance for investment purposes has fuelled this phenomenon. People are availing more and more finance from banks and financial institutions in order to buy investment properties a nd taking advantage of negative gearing ("Rental properties 2013-14 | Australian Taxation Office", 2016). Often it is seen that same individual is buying two or three properties in order to lower their tax burdens. This matter is of serious concern as it has increased speculative activities in the housing sector and the real estate market. People are resorting to hedging actively that affects the secondary mortgage market and influences securitisation. The worst affected group is the first home owners who are still unable to provide a roof above their heads dur to the rising prices of housing and rental properties (News Sydney's housing affordability crisis for low income earners is spreading, 2016). Conclusion Property prices are soaring in Australia due to acute shortage of supply. This has allowed builders and seller to maintain a high price for their properties. In such a situation there is disparity between the level of income growth and the market price of houses and rental properties. In order to have a control of the situation, the government introduced several tax reforms in the form of negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions. The main intention of the tax authorities was to lower the overall tax burden of tax payers who have a just and fair cause. However, these tax incentives are being used in an unethical manner by the tax payers. People are engaging in speculative activities and intentionally investing in properties that are not able to provide adequate returns to cover the costs associated with the properties. People are borrowing more and more to invest in investment properties ("The positives of negative gearing", 2016). As a result, loans and debts are being rest ructured randomly by the banks and financial institutions. In order to have a full control of this situation, either tax incentives have to be discontinued or capital gains tax should be imposed on a yearly basis. People are getting resorting to investment in real estate through Super Funds where capital gains tax is not applicable to gains arising out of the sale of investment properties. Therefore, a difference is being created between disposable income and property prices. High prices are preventing common people from owing a house for residential purposes. In the given case scenario, Jai intends to sell his residential house property and buy another residential property and an investment property. He intends to take maximum advantage of the negative gearing process and the tax incentives that are available for capital gains made by him in the process of these transactions ("What to include in your assessable income | Australian Taxation Office", 2016). Therefore, there are two transactions that will attract tax legislations and accounting of the overall tax burden of Jai. We will be discussing theme respectively. Selling of the Residential Property A capital gains tax event occurs when a depreciating asset is sold or disposed off. Capital gains tax is not a separate tax but forms a part of the income tax of an individual. Capital gains tax is applicable to CGT assets when they are sold. A gain arises when a CGT asset is sold and the sale proceeds exceed the cost of the asset. House of Jai is considered to be a capital asset and the gains made while selling the property will be subjected to capital gains tax (Works, 2016). However, the ATO provides a few exemptions to the tax. One of which is the principal place of residence. When a residential house is sold or disposed off where the tax payer resides, it is exempted from the ambit of capital gains tax. Therefore, selling of the residential property by Jai will not attract any tax liability. Plan to Buy New Properties Jai wants to buy two properties. He has $200000 in hand and wants to borrow $150000 from his existing bank. The primary concern is the manner in which these monies are to be invested. The interest to be charged by the bank for $150000 is 5% pa. He has the following options in front of him. The first option involves utilising the cash in hand ($200000) for buying a residential property and the loan amount ($150000) for buying the investment property. In such a situation, he has to pay an yearly interest of $7500 and in order to avail the benefits of negative gearing he has to maximise his costs and such costs have to be less than the rental income that can be earned from the property. Therefore, this $7500 is the maximum costs that can be incurred by him. In the second option, the investment property will be bought with the cash and the remaining cash and loan amount will be used for buying the residential property. This will not give him much advantage as negative gearing is available only for investment properties that are bought with borrowed money. In this situation, the loan amount will be utilised for buying residential property. In this situation, the residential property is to be bought by utilising $100000 cash and $100000 loan amount. Therefore, only $50,000 will be used to buy the investment property. Therefore, in this situation, Jai will not be able to maximise his expenses with respect to the investment property. Thus, it can be inferred that he will be able to utilise the advantages of negative gearing by opting for the first option. References 2015, H. assisted, T. (2016).Action for Housing Affordability.Tenantsunion.org.au. Borrowing to invest and negative gearing - pros, cons, and how it works. (2016).Taxpayer.com.au. Choice, C. (2016).Capital gains tax explained - Mortgage Choice.Mortgagechoice.com.au. Choice, W. (2016).What is negative gearing and positive gearing? - Mortgage Choice.Mortgagechoice.com.au. Expenses you can claim | Australian Taxation Office. (2016).Ato.gov.au. Fuel on Fire: Negative Gearing, Capital Gains and Housing Affordability. Hot property: negative gearing and capital gains tax | Grattan Institute. (2016). INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT ACT 1997. (2016).Austlii.edu.au. Planners, A. (2016).Negative Gearing.Propertyinvestmentplanning.com.au. Rental properties 2013-14 | Australian Taxation Office. (2016).

Godfather Essays (1645 words) - English-language Films,

Godfather Vito Corleone is one of the main characters in the movie The Godfather. Throughout the movie Vito gives numerous speeches to the men who work for him, do business with him, and ask favors of him. His style is unusual for a man with all of his power, but it is very effective. His style could be a good example to anyone who is in a management position working with subordinates as well as anyone working in sales or any other position where there is contact with potential business partners. In this paper I will be analyzing Vito's speaking style. First, I will discuss a brief history of Vito Corleone's life to put his speaking into perspective. Next I will discuss his speaking style in different situations. Finally I will look at the reactions to his speaking and his overall speaking effectiveness. Vito Corleone was born with the last name Andoline. He was born in Corleone, Sicily, in the early 1900's. When Vito was twelve-years old his family was murdered and fearing for his own life he immigrated to the United States. Young Vito did not want to be discovered so he did not give the immigration officer on Ellis Island his last name. The officer had to put some name down so the officer choose to use the town that Vito was from as his last name. After hiding out for a few years with relatives, Vito went to work in a grocery store in New York's Hell's Kitchen. At the age of eighteen, Vito married an Italian girl who had just arrived from Sicily. Vito continued to work at the grocery store until a local offshoot Mafia member made the grocery store owner give Vito's job to his nephew. Until that point Vito had never done anything illegal. Out of a job, Vito reluctantly helped a neighbor hide some illegal guns for a few dollars. Vito eventually made friends with his neighbor Peter Clemenza, and his neighbor's partner Tessio. A few weeks later Vito reluctantly agreed to high jack a truck with Clemenza and Tessio. Each of them cleared at least a thousand dollars from the heights. The local smalltime Mafia leader who had cost Vito his job heard about the truck heist. This local Mafia leader demanded a cut from the three young men. Vito, Clemenza, and Tessio were torn between paying the money that they worked so hard for, or keeping the money and becoming an enemy of the leader. Vito decided to hold out and not pay the amount the Mafia leader was asking. Clemenza and Tessio reluctantly agreed to let Vito handle the situation. Vito Corleone, after a clever discussion with the Mafia leader, used an ambush to kill the Mafia leader. Vito was still not interested in organized crime, he just had wanted to keep all of his money. Clemenza and Tessio were noticing that no new Mafia member had taken over now that the original leader had been killed. Clemenza spoke to Vito saying, "Nobody is collecting from the store owners. Nobody is collecting from the card games and gambling in the neighborhood." Tessio then said, "We could take over his customers. They would pay us." Vito shrugged, "I have no interest in such things." Slowly Vito realized that his neighbors viewed him differently now. Vito was treated as a "man of respect" by everyone now. When a widow had a problem with her landlord kicking her out, she surprising came to Vito for help. When he spoke to the landlord at the widows request, the landlord was rude and insulted that Vito would even step into his personal business. Vito remained polite and as he was leaving said, "Do me this service, eh? I won't forget it. Ask your friends in the neighborhood about me, they'll tell you I'm a man who believes in showing his gratitude." The landlord immediately made inquiries about Vito Corleone. He visited Vito that vary night, assuring Vito that it had been a dreadful misunderstanding and he not only let the widow stay, but he reduced her rent. The landlord was so afraid that he stayed out of town for a few weeks. Vito Corleone was reputed to be a member of the Mafia of Sicily. Men who ran card games gave him money each week for his "friendship." Store owners who had problems asked Vito for help and paid him well. Vito gave part of his new income to Clemenza and Tessio without being asked. This is how Vito became

Amazon Marketing Services 20 Creative Unique Ways to Use AMS Ads

Amazon Marketing Services 20 Creative Unique Ways to Use AMS Ads Amazon Marketing Services: 20 Creative Unique Ways to Use AMS Ads â€Å"AMS Ads are dead, said the not-so-savvy self-published author.Don’t believe this lie. AMS Ads, or Amazon Marketing Services ads, are stronger than ever, and whether we like it or not they are here to stay. As a matter of fact, Amazon just rolled out a brand-new, improved UI for AMS; they have added new features, and are constantly creating training material to help authors better understand the platform.Would they do that if AMS were on the way out? Not likely.Sure, not every book is a good fit for Amazon ads: that’s why many Amazon published authors grow bitter and blame the platform for not being able to sell a book that would not be marketable anyways.Don’t be discouraged. Now is the time to jump onto the AMS wagon if you want to actually get paid to write. Those who don’t read the Self-Publishing School Blog and believe that Amazon advertising is dying will gradually move away from it, making the space less crowded and much more profitable for all of us. Here are our tips for using Amazon marketing services effectively:Target famous authors with Amazon marketing servicesTarget Amazon published booksTarget books featured on BookBubTarget books that are recent moviesTarget paperback booksTarget audiobooks with Amazon Marketing ServicesThink about Amazon ads for your book seriesGrow your email listAdvertise your backlistUse The Greatest Hits methodThe Amazon Ad puzzleThe Ad stackerPre-populate with pre-ordersUse AMS for reviewsUse Amazons Bid+ systemUse negative keywordsTarget your own bookStay put, don’t give up. When others zig, just zag 🙂What is Amazon Marketing Services?Amazon marketing services (AMS), now called Advertising Console is a collection of effective tools to help vendors drive traffic to their products and sell more.For authors, this means AMS is a hub for increasing low book sales and maintaining a steady income with their books.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about how to build a platform and maintain consistent book sales in our Sell More Books Program. Learn more about it hereAmazon Marketing Services for Authors Made EasyI get it, click bids have gotten more expensive, finding profitable keywords is more difficult and winning is harder than ever. But this is only a byproduct of the space getting more crowded. However, let me assure you: those CPC prices are nowhere near what our friends in the physical product markets are paying. Strange as it may seem, AMS is still a happy place for authors. The key is to get more creative, thinking out of the box. Find new ways of using AMS, test and tweak, and you’ll be way ahead of the (still relatively small) competition. How? Here are 20 ways in which you can use Amazon Marketing Services Ads for your book marketing ventures. Each tactic is coupled with a brief explanation of how to implement it in a practical way. Enjoy the list and remember: now is the time for Amazon advertising!#1 Targe t a famous author in your genreYoull do this in order to try to get into his or her also-boughts. You know, the little section in this screenshot that shows you what other people who bought an item havealso bought↓It’s no secret that ‘also-boughts’ are the main source Amazon uses when they recommend new books to readers. And if your book is in one of your competitor’s ‘also-boughts’, then there’s a good chance it will get shown, recommended and ‘pushed’ to the exact audience you’re after. Happy days. Try bidding heavily on one of your competitors as a target so that your book shows up everywhere on their book’s page and ‘steals the show’ in your reader’s eyes.#2 Target books published by AmazonAmazon has various imprints through which it publishes books, the most famous being Thomas Mercer. Targeting authors and books by these subsidiary companies is a great idea. Amazon (and their algorithm) love when people buy their stuff, which they continuously promote left and right. Try to get your book next to one of Amazon’s own babies, and you’ll be a happy writer indeed. #3 Target books that are featured on BookBubOnce a book is featured in BookBub’s daily email (aka their ‘Featured Deals’), it’s likely to get thousands of downloads and a load of traffic on all the retailers. Which of course means more eyeballs on the said book. By keeping an eye on the books that appear daily on BookBub’s email blast and targeting them with your Amazon ads, you’ll be the first to place your book next to the day’s hottest title, thus piggybacking on its visibility and hopefully sales.#4 Target books that have recently been turned into moviesA hot new release (just as explained in point 3) is always going to garner bigger attention, at least for a few days. Keep an eye on new movie releases in your genre, especially b ig blockbuster films that have been inspired by bestselling books. Again, the trick here is to target those hot new titles so that your book shows next to them, thus collecting some love from all those hungry readers.#5 Use Product Display Ads to target paperbacksAmazons Product Display ads give you a unique chance to specifically target paperback versions of your competitor’s titles (unlike Sponsored Product ads). The first benefit of doing thisis that you’ll undoubtedly broaden the reach of your ads. But most important perk is that you’ll also likely increase the sales of your own paperback copies.As it were, ‘physical book lovers’ have a preference for physical books, which are more expensive and thus will likely result in higher royalties for you to pocket!#6 Use Product Display Amazon Ads to target audiobooksSee point 5 above, but this time use PD ads to target audiobooks! Don’t have an audiobook version of your title? You’re de finitely missing out on one of the hottest and fastest-growing trends in the indie publishing industry. You can find a step-by-step guide on creating an audiobook right here.#7 Lose money on the first book in your seriesYour first in series is likely to be free on Amazon(or at least it should be). But don’t fret, pure ROI seekers! Sure, by going a bit ‘heavier’ on Amazon ads pointing to that book, you’ll likely lose money. But you’ll make it back when readers go on to purchase book 2, 3, 4, etc. in your series. Make sure you have a good idea of how to calculate your audience’s ‘read-through rates’, and adjust your CPC bid and daily budget accordingly.#8 Lose money (again) to grow your email listBe sure to display an opt-in form in the free book you’re running ads on (pro tip: also place it in the first pages of the book, so that readers don’t have to ‘wait’ until they’ve read the whole thing be fore parting with their email address). This will inevitably result in more signups to your email list. Again, this isn’t stellar for pure ROI, and you might be losing money now, but in the long term, this will be super-beneficial.#9 Advertise Your BacklistDon’t put all your eggs in one basket (aka, don’t point all your ads and spend all your budget on one book). Running Amazon ads for other titles in your backlist is always beneficial in keeping the books ‘sticky’ in the rankings, often also providing a load of read-throughs to the other titles in the same series (see point 7).#10 The Greatest Hits methodStart your ads by bidding low-ish on keywords and competing authors/book-titles. Once you have a good idea of what is actually performing well, take those successful phrases and compile them in a ‘Greatest Hits’ ad, with higher CPC bids and daily budget.#11 The Amazon Ad PuzzleTry using your own book as a target keyword, but this ti me to advertise your higher-priced titles or box sets. The ‘Sponsored’ results on the latter’s book page will likely populate with all your other titles, just like the pieces of a puzzle. If a reader lands on your one book and sees your other stuff in the Amazon ads, they might buy a higher-priced title in your collection (and go on to become an aficionado fan of yours)!#12 The Ad StackerDon’t limit yourself to Amazon Marketing Services ads. Ad ‘stacking’ is often the best way to get a gazillion eyeballs on a new release (especially if you’re aiming at hitting bestsellers’ lists when running a hard launch). Try your hands at BookBub ads, Facebook Ads, and others. You don’t need to spend thousands on them: a small budget will be more than enough to Discover where your readers are hanging out, so that you can place your books right under their eyes.#13 Pre-populate with pre-orders!Start running AMS ads well in advance, eve n when your book is still in the pre-order phase. If you get your targeting right, this will help add your book to the ‘also-boughts’ of other books in your genre, thus igniting the sacred ‘recommendation loop’ from Amazon.You can do this one week to a few months in advance. The bigger your author platform is, the longer you can get away with putting your book up for pre-order before the actual publication date.Plus, people will be exposed to your book, will pre-order it, and when the book is live, the instant truckload of downloads will shoot it into the stratosphere!#14 Use AMS for reviewsSpend a bit more on AMS during a free promo you have scheduled. This might sound counterintuitive when it comes to pure ROI, but you’ll be amazed at the number of downloads you’ll get. Be sure to add a ‘call for reviews’ to the end of your book. Some readers won’t, but many will actually leave an honest (and verified) review.#15 Bid+Wi th their recent ‘upgrade’ of the Amazon Marketing Services platform, Amazon has given authors the chance to use their ‘Bid+’ system (an old acquaintance of those using Vendor’s Accounts). This new feature basically lets Amazon know you’re willing to spend up to 50% more on CPC for the terms that are performing well.Its really simple to use, as you can see in the example below so dont be afraid to use this! Think about it: if Amazon has given us this new tool, why not take advantage of it? You definitely won’t go broke (the daily budget still being the highest cap on spend): rather, you’ll likely outbid all of your competitors on your most prized keywords and phrases!#16 Use negative keywordsAs you surely know by now, hyper-relevant laser-focused targeting is the name of the game with AMS, but sometimes, this is much easier said than done. Have an epic fantasy novel that appeals to teens, but that YA readers would absolutely hate ? Don’t risk getting one-star reviews by unsatisfied vampire-hungry audiences. Another new feature that Amazon has just implemented into their new AMS platform is the ‘negative keywords’ field. Use it wisely to list all of the keywords you absolutely DO NOT want to associate your ads to through Amazon Marketing Services. The sniper approach has never been easier.#17 Target your own bookWhy on earth would you want to spend money targeting your own book? After all, it already shows up ‘organically’ in the search results for your key terms, no? Well, not exactly. Amazon is putting a lot of emphasis on advertising (another reason why you should use AMS ads), so it sometimes favors paid results over organic something other platforms (e.g. Facebook) have been doing for a while now. Crazy, right? Try punching one of your keywords in the search box and see if your book appears. It doesn’t?Then you might want to give it a nice little push with a coup le super-targeted ads. Bonus: 3 more advanced Amazon Marketing Services tacticsIf yourereally ready to make some money, you can try to tackle some of these more advanced Amazon Marketing Services methods to increase your book sales.These might be tricky for you at first, butwith enough practice, theyll prove to be more than effective.#18 Use a Vendors Account (part 1)An Amazon Vendor’s Express account will let you advertise your ebooks, but also audiobooks or paperbacks. Use this incredibly powerful tool to advertise your physical or audio copies on relevant pages by your target authors. As seen above (point 5), this will often result in sales of your own audios and paperbacks, yielding a lot more royalties!#19 Use a Vendor’s Account (part 2)A Vendor’s Express account through Amazon Marketing Services will also let you advertise titles that you didn’t publish yourself. Why would you want to do that, you say? For multi-author box sets you’re a par t of, for example! This will bring more eyeballs to your stuff and†¦ don’t forget to include an email-optin in your portion of the text!#20 Use a Vendor’s Account (part 3)As seen above, why not use a Vendor’s Account to also promote a traditionally-published book you wrote before going indie? Your publisher will likely not be using AMS, so show them who the savvy author is and get some sales rolling!Hope you enjoyed some of these tactics for Amazon Marketing Services ads. As I mentioned in the introduction to this post, don’t listen to those who want to attract you to the ‘next best thing’.Think out of the box, test, test, and test again. And you will succeed!Ready to Sell More Books?Your books sales can mean the difference between helping a few and helping the many.We have exactly what you need to sell more books- and change more lives.

About ways to reduce the impact of a particular lifestyle behavior Research Paper

About ways to reduce the impact of a particular lifestyle behavior - Research Paper Example The â€Å"Inconvenient Truth† that Al Gore presented establishes a significant response from the public, even in some government institutions around the world. The report of Gore presented a remarkable issue that tries to link the significant contribution of mankind to the destruction of the environment. Gore presented the point that the contribution of the human activities to the pollution in the environment is staggering as a result of economic activities and other personal activities prior to the preservation of life and establishing the advancing economy. In the case of cars on the road, many business establishments cannot simply move in their economic activities or business activities if they will not use cars, as a basic requirement in the advancing level of industrialization in the 20th Century. This leads fossil fuels to become the highlight or issue in the prevailing environmental pollution. However, the point that fuel or oil to be considered as the lifeblood of the economy in the 20th Century cannot just be simply eradicated. Every individual or business establishment might have a substantial requirement for fuel. If it is not for personal gain, it must be for the achievement of certain economic objectives. Unfortunately, this has become the remarkable trend around the world today. Every day there are various vehicles on the road that are on the go in contributing to a certain level of greenhouse gases emission. Eradicating them might not be the ultimate feasible solution as for now, but trying to minimize those running on the road will be a significant contribution to the reduction of harmful gases emission like carbon dioxide. For this reason, taking the carpool or subway is viewed to be a significant contribution in alleviating the degree of air pollution in the environment. Studies found that cars, especially around 10 percent of the older ones alone are significantly contributing around 50 percent of air

Research, identify and discuss technologys influence on society, as Essay

Research, identify and discuss technologys influence on society, as well as at least three ways it has changed the way companies do business - Essay Example Satellite technology has become so advanced that these systems give companies such as Southwest and American Airlines the ability to understand specific cloud formations and make course adjustments in an instant. This improves efficiency and puts much less dependency on physical air traffic control agents. Satellite technology improvements also satisfy budget restrictions, thereby allowing all consumers to have the pleasure of receiving lower cost fares. Technology also influences society in the form of high energy physics. This type of physical science technology has improved medicine by accelerating efficiency of x-rays and photons to better track disease and cancer (HEP, 2010). High energy physics have also changed power transmission with utility companies, thereby giving consumers more reliable energy sources with much less loss of power. This technology has changed how utility companies do business by giving them long-term sustainable options for electricity transfer by burying cables and thus freeing the environment for more infrastructure and housing. Finally, technology has changed business and society in terms of physical medicine to improve patients and shorten reliance on physical hospital workers. For example, technological improvements now allow diabetes patients to monitor their own glucose levels and make informed decisions as to whether to inject or deny practical treatment. Self-monitoring devices are relatively new that no longer require painful regular injections and extensive blood extraction, thereby improving the quality of life for diabetes patients. This also frees up the labor pool for hospitals and independent clinics whereby doctors and nurses no longer have to staff as many individuals or can free up their activities for more important patient issues. These hospitals and clinics, thanks to technology, can provide support

Pluto Telecommunication- Organisational Behaviour (People Management & Assignment

Pluto Telecommunication- Organisational Behaviour (People Management & Organisation - Assignment Example The main concern in this context can be recognised to be shortage of proper coordination amid the leaders of top level management and lack of proper planning that could help the company in conducting proper marketing and selling of its products. Thus, with this concern, this particular report is about analysing the problems confronting Pluto and offering valuable suggestions for the resolution of the problems to the company (Martin, 1994). Problem Identification According to the case study, Pluto is being facing crucial problems over a few preceding years. In this regard, one of the problems can be viewed as poor communication. There does not lay any sort of effective communication between the three functional departments of the company which ultimately hampered the performance of the company at large. The overall performance of Pluto got hampered in terms of losing number of orders and also increasing in the complaints of its products by the customers. The main problem which can be seen in accordance with the case study is the cultural difference which is prevailing in the three different operating segments of Pluto. This can be one of the major reasons which eventually results in making inefficient communication between different groups (Martin, 1994). ... between management and employees, whereas, smaller-scale deficiency in communication can occur between the individuals belonging to different functional or operational departments. It is worth mentioning that failure to communicate effectively is often said to be one of the imperative reasons behind raising conflicts in any organisation. Poor communication can create conflict in a number of ways that are apparently visible in this case study. For instance, in accordance with the case, it is clear that the deficiency in proper communication between various operational departments of Pluto has affected the financial position of the company through generating conflicts with the customers in terms of raising severe complaints and losing new orders (Martin, 1994). Analysis Is This an Issue or Problem That Is Concerned With One or Several Aspects? Pluto Telecommunication has been facing challenges while performing its different operational functions. It can be stated that the main reason b ehind the arising challenges is the expansion of the company. It can clearly be seen that there exist lack of proper coordination between the three various functional departments of Pluto. The particular aspect raised several problems like no formulation of proper marketing strategy, need of forming incentive plans by the sales department and non-availability of brochures depicting features of the new products among others. Thus, on the basis of the above discussion, it can be affirmed that the issue concerning shortage of proper coordination or communication is principally concerned with several significant aspects (Martin, 1994). Theories or Concepts Relating to the case study of Pluto, several theories or concepts can be taken into concern that would help in analysing the organisational

Effects Of Climate Change On Tourism Tourism Essay

Effects Of Climate Change On Tourism Tourism Essay Tourism is an industry that contributes to the world economy. In fact, some countries economies derive most of their revenues from tourism. The increase in individual income and the promotion of different countries of their attractions have caused the industry to grow. Its growth is also fueled by the ease of transportation as more and more hard-to-reach destinations have constructed airports for easier access. With airports, tourists find it possible to reach far-flung areas and enjoy the beauty of the local places. Those who come from cold places would seek warmer locations in the same or different continent. The Northern Europeans, for instance, would go to the nations in the south, like Spain and Italy, to take advantage of the warmer climate. Others would even go so far as Southeast Asia or the Caribbean for their beaches or coral reefs (Bigano et al. 2005, p. 1). In the past several years, there has been a growing concern over the effect of global warming on the climate. All around the world, climate changes are becoming more evident, causing flooding and extreme temperatures in different nations. Weather patterns have become unpredictable, which means that summer periods could be extended or winter may be longer than usual. These disturbances in the weather and their impact on the environment are significant to the tourism industry. The tourism industry is dependent on the predictability of the season in order to attract travelers who want to experience different activities related to the season. Those who love skiing would visit ski lodges while the water enthusiasts are going to beaches during summer. But with climate changes, the tourism industry is affected in various ways. Climate changes can directly or indirectly affect the local destinations, which need to retain their appeal to foreign visitors in order for the industry to flourish. A. Impacts of Climate Change on Tourism Each tourist destination worldwide has its own appeal. This can come from the activities it can provide to visitors, like skiing or golf, or it can come from their natural beauty or what nature has to offer. It is important that each destination should retain its charms in order to keep the tourist industry booming. Another important factor to keep tourism alive is that of accessibility. Areas that become damaged or inaccessible lose their charm, causing tourists to seek other unspoilt or reachable destinations. With climate change, the beauty of the local destinations is threatened while accessibility too can become a problem especially when airports, roads and bridges are destroyed during extreme weather disturbances. The different impact of climate changes on the tourism industry will be discussed in the succeeding sections. (i) Coral Bleaching: Affects Scuba Diving Tourists Scuba diving is one of the most popular activities that encourages the growth of tourism. Areas with extensive and diverse coral reefs would attract visitors from different countries to explore the wonders of the underwater world. However, climate changes in recent years have caused damage to the oceans and the reefs. In the Philippines, a country that is blessed with various diving sites, the warming of the sea especially from the El Nino phenomenon resulted to what is known as coral bleaching. Coral bleaching results to the death of about 49% of live coral. Moreover, the higher amount of dissolved CO2 means that corals, mollusks and shells are also destroyed in the process (Ocean Heritage Philippines 2009). Without these organisms and creatures underwater, the diving industry in this nation will suffer. The diving crowd does not have any reason to visit the Philippines if its corals and sea life will continue to experience devastation. Maldives is another country that would be severely affected by climate changes. Like the Philippines, it also has rich coral reefs that are in danger of being destroyed because of coral bleaching. Divers who visit Maldives specifically for its coral would lose a reason for visiting the island. The same is true for all the other diving spots worldwide. They would all suffer the lessening of the number of visitors to their places. Tourists who are into diving may opt to stay in their places of origin or pursue other alternatives if there are not enough corals in the world left that are worth their time (Viner and Agnew 1999, p. 16). (ii) Coastal Flooding and Erosion A more pressing concern of climate changes is the rising of the sea level. Maldives elevation is low, which means that the higher the sea level rises, the more likely will the island be overwashed with storm surges. It is estimated that Maldives could be removed from the map in the next 30 years if the sea level continues to rise unabated. Not only will the countrys tourism become affected but the entire island would disappear (Viner and Agnew 1999, p. 17). The Bahamas is another popular destination among tourists because of its temperate climate and its pristine beaches. But the warming brought on by climate changes is going to negatively impact the island. Like the Maldives, the Bahamas is also vulnerable to storm surges, which can get worse with the rising of the sea level. Its freshwater bodies are also turning brackish because of the encroachment of the seawater. Flooding and coastal erosion will severely impact the tourism industry of the Bahamas because tourism is dependent on the relative beauty of the coastal areas. Resorts and hotels could be severely damaged if there are strong storm surges. This island, along with others in the Caribbean, must adapt to climate changes so that their vulnerabilities are lessened (Smith 2008). (iii) Threat to Winter Activities: Reduction of Snow Cover While rising sea levels and coral bleaching threaten tropical islands, those that are located in colder regions are faced with a different kind of threat brought on by climate changes. The tourism industry in colder regions are dependent on winter sports, like skiing, The general trend in the weather conditions is that of warming, which means that the summer months could be extended and the snow cover would be lower. Without enough snow, traditional ski resorts will not be able to offer their usual winter activities. Without those activities, tourism will become slow since their visitors would not want to be stuck in ski resorts with nothing to do for the duration of their vacation (Viner and Agnew 1999, p. 19). In the Prairie Provinces of Canada, which includes Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, it is expected that the grassland ecozone will be shifting North, and the wildlife will also move with the ecozone. Some wildlife will not be able to adapt to rapid changes, which can result to their extinction. Wildlife enthusiasts will also follow the game and would not visit the usual places where tourism normally is. A longer summer is also foreseen, which will threaten the livelihood of ski resort operators, restaurants, and hotels (International Institute for Sustainable Development 1997, p. 9). Alternatively, cool destinations become more attractive not because of the winter sports but as a respite from the warming of the already warm regions. People would seek colder places, like North America and Australia. The British and German tourists, who are considered to be the largest in the number of overall international tourists, may prefer to stay home because their weather would not be too cold anymore (Lynas 2003, p. 97). The result of this would be a decline in international tourism revenues. (iv) Uncomfortably High Temperatures Causes Shift in Destinations While ski resorts are experiencing lower revenues because of shorter seasons, those that are located in warmer climates are also finding it a problem when temperatures rise to an uncomfortable level. Northern Europeans mostly like to go vacationing during winter in other parts of the world where the weather is usually sunny for most of the year. They would stay outdoors to sunbathe for several hours. However, summer temperatures are likely to rise above 40 degrees Celsius. This level is already very high for human to still feel comfortable. This can already lead to heat stress and may even cause fatalities due to stroke. Tourists are not likely to visit the summer places to avoid the soaring temperatures. They could instead go to places that are still cold but not as cold as their own regions. Alternatively, the holidaymakers may opt to postpone their vacations to a later time of the year or take it earlier while the heat is not that intense yet (Viner and Agnew 1999, p. 21). Bigano et al. (2005, p. 8) stated that it is possible for the movement of tourists to shift and for international tourism revenues to become lower. Some regions are going to benefit from the shift since tourists would be heading to temperate regions; others will suffer from the movement because of the loss of revenues. (v) Spread of Diseases There are many diseases that thrive on warmer climates. Many of them become spread or carried to other countries that did not have them in the past because of the movement of people and goods. The dengue-carrying mosquito and the malaria-carrying mosquito do not thrive in cold climates. They are found in tropical countries in Africa and in Southeast Asia. But with the warming of the globe, suitable environments can be created for them in other nations. This can affect tourism because holidaymakers will shun a tourist destination that becomes a source of a fatal illness. In Spain, for example, the nation is seen as a no-risk destination. Meaning, tourists do not need to get immunized for malaria or the yellow fever. People can go to Spain and have their fun without worrying about exotic diseases. However, malaria has resurfaced in Spain because the climate changes in the region is becoming ideal for the breeding of the type of mosquitoes that carry the disease (Viner and Agnew 1999, p. 23). (vi) Loss of Income for Tourist Destinations Since climate changes cause temperatures to rise, the result of that would be the melting of snowcaps and the inundation of coastal areas. The melting of snowcaps is going to hurt the ski operators in Japan, Australia, North America, and the European Alps. When snow melts, that would cause the water level to rise, which in turn will flood coastal areas that are very attractive to those who like to experience the sea. All of these would deal a huge blow on industries that directly or indirectly depend on tourism. The ski resorts are going to lose customers without enough snow for their usual activities. The beach resorts are going to be damaged because of flooding and the natural attractiveness of the beaches could get damaged after flooding. People working on resorts are going to lose their jobs. Those that are indirectly affected by a decline in tourism are the tour guides, the hotels, and the people who derive their income from selling to tourists or for offering their services. Of the $735 billion revenues generated from international tourism, about one third of that income went to developing countries that boasts of beautiful beaches and extensive coral reefs. A worsening of climate change means that developing countries are going to lose a rich source of income (Balboa 2009). B. Implication for Tourism Management Policies Although tourism is a big source of income, it can also become the source of pollution that affects the environment and contributes to climate change. Air travel, ground activities, and ground transport all increase the emissions of carbon dioxide, which causes the climate to become erratic. This means that the local governments should implement policy changes so that tourism does not become a problem. Toward this end, several tourist destinations worldwide are already taking measures to avoid worsening the environmental degradation, as well as, preserve natural attractions. The Boracay Island in the Philippines is one of the famous destinations for people who enjoy long, shorelines with white and powdery beaches. The local government, along with various environmental groups like Green Peace Solar Generation Youth, has implemented climate-friendly solutions that tourists and resort operators should follow. These include responsible tourism, energy efficiency, and zero waste. Energy efficiency measures include the use of solar panels for powering laptops and the use of batteries to operate cars and motorbikes (Temblador 2009). The Phuket island of Thailand promotes ecotourism since the government is also aware that businesses and individuals have to radically change how they deal with the environment in order to lower greenhouse emissions. The Carbon Neutral Concept is already in effect so that those who are in the island become environmental stewards who protect and conserve the natural resources for the future. The program also calls for businesses and individuals to measure and limit their carbon footprints. If possible, they should target net zero emissions (Hot Phuket Villas, n.d.). These two examples are just among the local changes initiated by the governments of areas that are known to be popular tourist destinations. However, these efforts are localised and only aimed at protecting local attractions. There is a need to coordinate efforts among the global tourism industry so that long-term solutions are reached. Those that are in the business should also work with various governments and interest groups so that more countries adapt to the changes that the environment needs. Conclusion It is undeniable that the world is experiencing weather disturbances due to climate changes. Experts believe that environmental damage is one of the reasons why this is happening. Tourism is found to be a contributing factor to climate changes because the movement of people and their activities while on vacation increase the level of carbon emissions. The different effects of climate changes include snowcaps melting, coral bleaching, flooding, and rising sea levels, which are all causing changes to the tourism industry. The more obvious effects include the lowering of the number of tourists in popular destinations where the natural resources, like coral reefs and beaches, have been destroyed due to climate changes. It is also predicted that there is going to be a shift in the movement of people away from overly warm climates to temperate ones, which creates new jobs in new places while making the old destinations suffer economically due to job losses. The impact of climate changes on tourism calls for reforms in the existing policies that relate to the environment. There is a need for local and international cooperation so that the businesses and individuals in the sector will be able to adapt to these changes. The tourism industry has to adopt measures so that natural resources are protected. These measures should also contribute to the protection of the global environment.

Edar Allan Poe Essay -- essays research papers

A Reflection of the Life and Works of Edgar Allan Poe  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edgar Allan Poe is a name even the literary illiterate know, but not many people know Edgar Allan Poe the person. When reading the works of this poetic genius many might think that he had a vivid imagination or just a morbid soul. The truth is that the works of Poe are based on his own life, the life of an orphan who suffered from an obsessive compulsive disorder and who eventually became diseased by alcoholism. Understanding Poe the man, who had true medical problems that caused erratic behavior and depression among many other things, is to have an understanding of the true meaning hidden behind the words of his poetry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poe earned his place as a major figure in American letters for his tales of the bizarre and fantastic, short stories that are structurally brilliant and considered precursors of many forms and themes in subsequent American and European literature (Bloom, Harold p.491). Born of impoverished parents and orphaned at the age of two, Poe lived a brief and tragic life: a life whose legend has often proved an overpowering influence on the critical reception of his work (Bloom, Harold p.491). Before Poe was three years old both of his parents died, and he was raised in the house of John Allan, a prosperous exporter from Richmond, Virginia, who never legally adopted his foster son. Poe attended many of the best schools at that time. At the University of Virginia he distinguished himself academically, but after little more than only one year he had to leave because of financial debt and lack of adequate funds from Allan. Poe went on to enlist himself in the army where he finished and published his first poetry collection Tamerlane and Other Poems. These works received no recognition. When his second set of works appeared in 1829, it received only slight attention. Also in 1829 Poe was honorably discharged from the army, having attained the rank of regimental sergeant major, and was then admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point (Gale Research p.1). However because Allan would neither provide Poe with sufficient funds to maintain himself as a cadet nor giv e the consent necessary to resign from the Academy, Poe gained a dismissal by ignoring his duties and violating regulations (Gale Research p.1). H... ...roversy over the sanity, or at best the maturity of Poe (Paul Elmer More called him â€Å"the poet of unripe boys and unsound men†), it was the question of the value of Poe’s works as serious literature (Gale Research p.5). Edgar Allan Poe’s personal life, especially the stories surrounding his drinking and early death, are dealt with extensively by Poe’s contemporary critics as well as those writing in the twentieth century (Bloom, Harold p. 491). In their confusion of the man and his literary creations, certain critics have ascribed to Poe a morbidity of character and a cruel and unnatural temperament. (Bloom, Harold p. 491). This critical attitude was adumbrated by the publication of Poe’s letters under the direction of R.W. Griswold, his literary executor (Bloom, Harold p.491). Griswold, for reasons unknown, sought to defame Poe by falsifying his letters and printing forged material that portrayed Poe as a bizarre and menacing character (Bloom, Harold p. 491). Although he was ultimately vindicated through the scholarship of A.H. Quinn and others, it has been the work of modern scholars to reestablish Poe’s reputation based on the work and not the man (Bloom, Harold p. 491 ). Edar Allan Poe Essay -- essays research papers A Reflection of the Life and Works of Edgar Allan Poe  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edgar Allan Poe is a name even the literary illiterate know, but not many people know Edgar Allan Poe the person. When reading the works of this poetic genius many might think that he had a vivid imagination or just a morbid soul. The truth is that the works of Poe are based on his own life, the life of an orphan who suffered from an obsessive compulsive disorder and who eventually became diseased by alcoholism. Understanding Poe the man, who had true medical problems that caused erratic behavior and depression among many other things, is to have an understanding of the true meaning hidden behind the words of his poetry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poe earned his place as a major figure in American letters for his tales of the bizarre and fantastic, short stories that are structurally brilliant and considered precursors of many forms and themes in subsequent American and European literature (Bloom, Harold p.491). Born of impoverished parents and orphaned at the age of two, Poe lived a brief and tragic life: a life whose legend has often proved an overpowering influence on the critical reception of his work (Bloom, Harold p.491). Before Poe was three years old both of his parents died, and he was raised in the house of John Allan, a prosperous exporter from Richmond, Virginia, who never legally adopted his foster son. Poe attended many of the best schools at that time. At the University of Virginia he distinguished himself academically, but after little more than only one year he had to leave because of financial debt and lack of adequate funds from Allan. Poe went on to enlist himself in the army where he finished and published his first poetry collection Tamerlane and Other Poems. These works received no recognition. When his second set of works appeared in 1829, it received only slight attention. Also in 1829 Poe was honorably discharged from the army, having attained the rank of regimental sergeant major, and was then admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point (Gale Research p.1). However because Allan would neither provide Poe with sufficient funds to maintain himself as a cadet nor giv e the consent necessary to resign from the Academy, Poe gained a dismissal by ignoring his duties and violating regulations (Gale Research p.1). H... ...roversy over the sanity, or at best the maturity of Poe (Paul Elmer More called him â€Å"the poet of unripe boys and unsound men†), it was the question of the value of Poe’s works as serious literature (Gale Research p.5). Edgar Allan Poe’s personal life, especially the stories surrounding his drinking and early death, are dealt with extensively by Poe’s contemporary critics as well as those writing in the twentieth century (Bloom, Harold p. 491). In their confusion of the man and his literary creations, certain critics have ascribed to Poe a morbidity of character and a cruel and unnatural temperament. (Bloom, Harold p. 491). This critical attitude was adumbrated by the publication of Poe’s letters under the direction of R.W. Griswold, his literary executor (Bloom, Harold p.491). Griswold, for reasons unknown, sought to defame Poe by falsifying his letters and printing forged material that portrayed Poe as a bizarre and menacing character (Bloom, Harold p. 491). Although he was ultimately vindicated through the scholarship of A.H. Quinn and others, it has been the work of modern scholars to reestablish Poe’s reputation based on the work and not the man (Bloom, Harold p. 491 ).

Diversity in Early Childhood Essay

Introduction Inclusive practices in the context of education in general underpinning the basic principle of fairness and equal rights to education regardless of race, language, family and socioeconomic background, culture and ability. Touching on the issue of inclusion in the early childhood context, it is important to consider who are the children or the group of children that are being included. Also, taking into consideration how inclusive practices are being enabled and what knowledge of the early childhood educators, practices of the centres and resources that are evident and made available in the centres. In relation to inclusive practices, the sociocultural theory states that learning and development occur through a process of changing participation in dynamic cultural communities, in which there are active contributions from individuals, their social partners, practices and tradition (current and historical), cultural tools, technologies, and materials, and values and belief systems (Ragoff, 1995, 2003). Sociocultural theorists therefore recognise that cognition is not an individual construction. It is a collaborative process between the individual and his social partners to participate in relevant activities. As such, cognition involves collaborative process as people engage in thinking together with others (Rogoff & Toma, 1997). Hence, the aim of the case study is to find out to what degree of inclusiveness, in particular working with children with disabilities or special needs (both strength and weaknesses), has been practiced in the local (Singapore) early childhood setting. The case study on the inclusive programs for children with disabilities or special needs was done in a childcare centre situated in the northern residential part of Singapore. It has a total of seventy-three childcare students and seven infants under the infant care program. Out of the seventy-three childcare students, five attend the half a day program. There are a total of nine childcare teachers and six infant care teachers. Under the centre’s philosophy, the centre believes that the key role of early childhood education is to prepare children for the journey of lifelong learning. The centre’s role is to provide a caring and conducive environment by providing facilities and programme to stimulate the child’s inquisitive mind and optimize his social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional development. The centre aims to foster strong links within the local community by incorporating the resources available in the neighbourhood. The research was done in the kindergarten level, K1 and K2, five and six years old respectively. There are seven Malays, two Indians and nineteen Chinese students in total for both K1 and K2 class. Each of the kindergarten classes has their own lead teacher who teaches them mathematics, language arts, art and crafts, science and music. Both the classes shared one language teacher (Chinese language). These two classes share the various learning centres such as language and literacy, art and craft, and construction (wooden blocks and legos). The learning environment is not very conducive for the K1s as the allocated space area was a little too cramp for fifteen children but the space area for the K2s is sufficient enough to accommodate the eleven children. The centre adopted a structured, teacher centered curriculum approach where most of the teachings (hands-on or modeling) done by the teacher. There is also no flexibility in carrying out the lessons as the teachers have to follow strictly the lessons planned for them by the curriculum department from the head quarters. As such, if any of the children displayed great interest in a certain topic, the teacher could only extend the topic / theme for just one more day. Out of the total twenty-six kindergarten children (K1 and K2), there are two special needs children – children living with autism, one from each class. Both the children attended external, professional therapy and sessions for children with special needs. The child from the K2 class (‘J’) attend his sessions on a daily basis while the other from the K1 class (‘D’) attend his thrice a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. J’s sessions are on every morning and he will come to the childcare in the afternoon. As for D, on every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday he attends childcare in the morning and goes off for his therapy / sessions in the afternoon. The data gathered based on the evaluation done on the checklist implemented. The objective of gathering the data is to analyse to what extend has the centre practiced the inclusive program in working with children with special needs. The areas evaluated are teachers’ knowledge, skills and attitudes demonstrated in their day-to-day working either directly or indirectly with their two students living with autism. In reference to the checklist, all trained teachers (diploma level) are not specifically trained to working with children with special needs. The knowledge that teachers have are just an awareness to what special needs is all about and to understand a little more about each type of special needs or disabilities. Therefore, teachers at the centre are not very responsive towards the two children. On top of that, the management level did not show clear evident of playing their part towards the two children with autism and it certainly does not correspond with their vision statement: The Centre believes that children of different ethnic background, social status and abilities should not be deprived of quality care and education (see appendix). This evident shows that the teachers’ beliefs and underpinning knowledge of understanding children with special needs is rather minimal. However, they do show respect on individual differences by trying to understand the children’s behaviour (J and D) and routine as well as to always create an awareness and respect, through role modeling, in all the other children in the centre towards J and D. The teachers responses act as a role model to all the other children under their care and those children are learning about disability and at the same time developing their own ways of understanding (Palmer, 1998). The learning environment provided that was present in the centre was not suitable for both J and D. Provision of learning and teaching materials were inadequate and unsuitable for their use. As both J and D are in placed together with the kindergarten children, the lessons plan for the class was inappropriate for J’s and D’s learning. An issue that has to be taken into consideration will be the student teacher ratio. In order for learning and communicating to be effective with J and D, the teachers of both classes need a lot of time spent with them. Unfortunately, the class size does not permit the teachers to do so freely. Both the kindergarten teachers can only communicate with the two children when their class is heavily involved in their activity, which most of the time quite a number of the children are able to accomplish their written task within a short period. As such, it is impossible to communicate and have lessons effectively with J and D without being interrupted by the others. The classroom environment does not allow for personal quiet time for the children and this is a basic need for children with autism. Not that there are plans for segregation but to let both J and D feels comfortable being themselves, whenever they wish to be alone. Children with disabilities engage in social interaction with their peers less often than typically developing children (National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). Finally, the factor on trained teachers in working with children with special needs. Both the kindergarten teachers knew and are aware of what special needs are but their knowledge are insufficient to teach and guide this special group of children. Thus, most of the time both J and D are left alone to do what they want to do, which is sitting in solitary. Due the lack of knowledge in handling children with special needs, both teachers are most of the time unable to resolve when problems arise such as sudden screaming, or refusing to share toys or things, or refusing to move on to the next routine. In order to make the environment suitable for an inclusive program to be implemented, there are a few things which need to be changed or added on to the centre. First and foremost, early childhood educator managing the programme must be trained in a course on children with special needs and preferably have experience in teaching children with special needs. Secondly, the centre should work in partnership with the parents of the child as well as with professionals trained in the field. Centre can also engage speech therapists, child psychologists in order to provide therapy sessions for the children with special needs. Collaboration is the cornerstone of effective inclusive programs which means including and empowering parents as part of the decision-making team in the education of their children ( National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). Early childhood educators managing children with special needs have to make necessary planning, teaching and management strategies, and exercise flexible arrangement necessary adjustments for behaviour coping strategies and alternative support programmes when working with children with special needs. Adequate support is important in order to make inclusive environments effective for the children involve. Support which includes professional training, personnel, provision of materials, planning time, and on-going consultation. These supports can be delivered in various ways, and each individual involved in inclusion may have unique needs (National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). Another important aspect that needs to be looked into is the aspect of learning environment. The learning environment must be suitable and organized to ensure it accommodates the needs of the children. On top of that, the centre should developed an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) for each child with special needs. Lastly, parents-teacher-conference should be conducted at least once in six months. Across a range of disabilities, positive outcomes are reported for children with disabilities in inclusive settings (National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). Children in the inclusive programs in general fair as well as children in specialized programs. It is also reported by the National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, that children without disabilities participated in the inclusive programs often see beneficial changes in terms of confidence, self-esteem, and understanding of diversity (National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). In a nutshell, high quality early childhood programs form the necessary structural base for high quality inclusive programs, as such, all children benefit when programs are of high quality and truly inclusive (National Professional Development Centre on Inclusion, 2007). As stated at the beginning of this essay, the objective of collecting and evaluating the data is to find out to what extend inclusive programs is implemented in the local early childhood setting at the same time looking at the strength and weaknesses should the program is implemented in the centre. Word count: 1789. References: National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (2007). Research synthesis points on early childhood inclusion. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, FPG Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina. Palmer, A. (1998) Young Children with Additional Needs, AECA Research in Practice Series V5, 2. Rogoff, B. & Toma, C. (1997) Shared Thinking: community and institutional variations, Discourse Processes, 23, pp. 471 – 497. Rogoff, B. (2003) The Cultural Nature of Human Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.