Weather anomalies very challenging

Nino weather anomalies very challenging. (10)Countries in the Monsoon climatic region of SE & S Asia depend on the rains that come with the precision of Calender dates (due to the precise dates of Sun's seasonal shift as per Calender dates). It is essential for their agriculture, where countries with huge populations have to feed them, made possible with assured crops. Any variation in timing ; rainfall quantum affects their crop production adversely. It also leads to unforeseen flooding caused by excessive rains (other environmental factors ike soil erosion aiding it) that washes out the crops.Monsoon is created by the Sea surface temperature variation (Pacific Ocean largely) as per Calender dates. El Nino refers to the unusual, unseasonal warming of the equatorial currents of the Pacific Ocean that upsets Monsoon. We all know how huge is this Ocean and how very broad (about 10000 miles) it is at its Equator; its sheer volume of water absorbs the solar heat energy and acts like an e ngine for the Monsoon. It is a challenge to these countries. Modellig it mathematically (an exercise in atmospheric Physics) is one of the most complicated problems with an innumerable set of parametrs ; that is a challenge.India bought the first ‘Cray' Super-Computer for its meteorological department that can give accuarte predictio(a) Suggest why many countries find El Nino weather anomalies very challenging. (10) El Nino is referring to the dramatic change that occurs in the walker circulation cell and in other areas but I am going to focus on this specific area, where the usually outh-easterly trade winds going from west of South America to Australia and Indonesia across the Pacific Ocean reverse or severely weaken.This occurs usually every 3-7 years and can last between 12-18 months. During an El Nino the warm sea in the western pacific migrate towards the South American coast because they are being dragged across by the winds. This stops the upwelling near South America and means that there are little nutrients in the sea. This lack of nutrients ruins the South American fishing industry and courses them to loose lots of income and money, for xample in 1982/83 El Nino the South American fishing industry lost $290 million.Also as you can sea from fgure 7 there is lots of rain fall on the west coast of South America due to the low pressure, this heavy rain fall cause severe flooding and mudslides that result in loss of life, an example of this was in central Ecuador and Peru in 1997 when it suffered rainfall 10 times the average rainfall, this caused extensive flooding and erosion as well as mudslides, there was loss of life and destruction of property as the country wasn't able to cope with the severe weather.On the other side of the pacific in Australia and Indonesia the cold weather reduces evaporation, which causes very little rain and therefore drought, for example in the 1982/83 El Nino eastern Australia suffered one of it's worst drought ever, resulting in a $2000 million loss in agriculture production. It causes crop failure and famine and many people died as a result.

Leadership: Invictus Movie Report Essay

Clint Eastwood, with his movie Invictus, notches another success which uses a rugby championship as a means for examining South Africa’s transition from apartheid. Two characters are highlighted: Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) the new president of South Africa (1994-1999) and the captain of the Springboks, Franà §ois Pienaar (played by Matt Damon). After being locked up for 27 years, Nelson Mandela returns to politics. He symbolizes the new South Africa in which Black and White have the same rights, and the same opportunities. Mandela is calm and confident, but fully aware that his country could erupt into political violence with the least provocation. Mandela’s strategy is to embrace his opposition, a tactic that distances him from his core supporters. But some of his fellow compatriots disagree with that. The main example is when the chief of his bodyguards, who asked more men, refuses to work with the white bodyguards of the former president Frederik de Klerk. Part of being a great leader is setting your organization on a new course well before anyone else can see it. At that moment in the movie Nelson Mandela surprises his bodyguard by showing integrity and by saying: â€Å"The Rainbow Nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here. Forgiveness starts here too.† Black people think that they will get revenge from all the persecutions and all the acts of racism. But Nelson Mandela as their leader has already a new plan for his Nation: gather these two populations and create a modern country without racism. To achieve his goal he uses the white population symbol, the Springboks team, as the key factor. He demonstrates here his ability of visioning. Since South Africa is hosting the 1995 World Cup, Mandela throws his support behind the Springboks, who are representing the country. Those who don’t oppose the sport’s racist undertones have little regard for the team’s ability to compete on a world stage. Nelson Mandela uses the rugby team to change mentalities. The president wants the team to be good enough to impress other rugby nations. However it’s composed by a majority of white players who don’t care about Nelson Mandela’s plan, except for one, Franà §ois Pienaar. Pienaar is the captain of the Springboks, and has a role of leader. He wants to inspire his teammates with the use of the right techniques. â€Å"How do we get them to be better then they think they can be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspiration perhaps. How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inspire everyone around us? I sometimes think it is by using the work of others.† Nelson Mandela, with these words, wants Pienaar to lead by examples and to become a source of inspiration for his teammates but also for his nation. Mandela says some of the most powerful words to achieve convincing Pienaar â€Å"This country is hungry for greatness†. Black people want to change the name of the rugby team, but Mandela shows up at the committee meeting. Mandela explains that removing the name and colors would merely reinforce the fears of the country’s white minority. Besides, he has a bigger plan: to turn a symbol of apartheid into a unifying force. Brenda Mazibuko knows that’s a risky move and she confesses her thoughts to the president â€Å"You’re risking your political capital, you’re risking your future as our leader.† Great leaders make the right choice, even when it is not the most popular one. A popular choice is what the crowd wants, what they understand. That’s why Mandela goes against the unanimity to impose his opinion, and he is not afraid of doing so: â€Å"The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer fit to lead† Nelson Mandela’s answer to Mazibuko’s fear. He accepts his responsibilities and changes the majority’s opinion, especially when he talks about â€Å"Our enemy†, when he emphasis the importance of rugby for Afrikaners. â€Å"You elected me as your leader. Let me lead you now†. Franà §ois Pienaar receives the message loud and clear and tries to inspire his teammates by asking them to learn the new national anthem, by visiting Mandela’s cell, by taking them all over the country to play with black children. Some of them don’t want to go there and don’t want to learn this anthem. Pienaar has one sentence that impacts people minds: â€Å"Times change, we need to change as well†. That’s the start of this new fighting spirit that leads the Springboks to the World cup championship game. In this movie we have the feeling Pienaar learns from a great leader, Mandela, and he gets how to be one in the last game. All the team is defeated. The Springboks don’t succeed to stop Lomu, the best New Zealand player. Pienaar takes his responsibilities and leads the others to victory. â€Å"Come boys. What the heck are we doing? Lomu is killing us. Forwards, we must start scrumming. We must disrupt them at the first phase. Can’t allow Lomu to get the ball in space. He’s freaking killing us. But listen, if Lomu gets the ball, whoever’s there†¦ James, Joost†¦ hit the fucking guy, hold onto him, hold him. Help will come, help will be there. He may break my arm. He may break my leg. He may break my neck. But he is not going to get past me.â€Å" Franà §ois Pienaar becomes what Mandela was expecting him to be before the World Cup. He is the captain of the new symbol of South Africa. He has not only inspired his teammates but also all the white population. He is now an example for everyone. Francois’ last speech is an inspirational one. During the final game against New Zealand, Pienaar impresses his teammates with his communication skills and his energy. â€Å"Heads up! Look in my eyes. Do you hear? Listen to your country! Seven minutes. Seven minutes. Defense! Defense! This is it! This is our destiny! Kom Bokke.† These few words go way beyond the game. It’s not a normal game. He wants to help his new family, Mandela’s family which is composed of 42 million people. And they both achieve building this rainbow nation.

Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Automation is on an increase across all technologies and fields. This increase has led to the transformation, and the future role people play in Global workforce. The rise of artificial intelligence will result in the need for new skills and roles. Some Skills and roles may disappear and others will evolve. Some industries may need more people and others may need less or none. The balance in human workforce will be impacted hard. Non-availability of required skills & re-skilling will disrupt the workforce in all industries. Organizations and people would need to adjust to this change. While machines need to be built and maintained, artificial intelligence leads to job loss due to the skill gap and jobs eliminated by machines.Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the WorkforceAutomation & Artificial intelligence will result in improvement of productivity and economic growth, but millions of people may need to switch occupation or upgrade themselves to stay in the global workforce. Automation will have a far-reaching impact on the global workforce. By 2030 at a 15% midpoint level of automation adoption, 400 Million workers will be displaced by adoption of automation. According, to a 2-year independent study by the McKinsey Global Institute (Dec 2017). It is estimated that in 60% of the occupation almost one-third of the activities could be automated. A SurveyMonkey poll on AI conducted for USA TODAY also had overtones of concern, with 73% of respondents saying that would prefer if AI was limited in the rollout of newer tech so that it doesn't become a threat to humans. USA Today. (Jan. 2, 2018). Unfortunately, with the pace at which automation and artificial intelligence are growing, 3 to 14% (75 to 375 Million) of the workforce will need to change their occupational category.Historical data on the technology shiftâ€Å"Innovation has generally liberated humans to be more productive,† says Rep. John Delaney.â€Å"Similar to the personal computer in the 1980s, AI will reshape our personal and business lives in such a dramatic manner, most companies today cannot comprehend the full impact,' said Anand Rao, PwC US Data & Analytics Innovation leader. Fear of technology advancement had always been there. From the textile revolution in 1811 with the advent of personal computers in 1980 world leaders and the Global workforce are worried about technological advancement. â€Å"The major challenge of the sixties is to maintain full employment at a time when automation is replacing men.† President Kennedy (1961). Although there had been concerns, every time a technology shift has happened more jobs had been created than lost. When a workforce is shifted from the usual mundane jobs, they have focused on more creative and productive areas, resulting in the advent of the human race. The past may not be an exact reflection of present or future. The advance of automation and artificial intelligence could be far reaching. A robot that could just build is different from a robot that could design and build.Artificial intelligence, Skill Gap & Workforce TransitionTo be successful in an automated world, Man & machine need to work together. One cannot replace the other. This would require new and niche skills with exceptional leadership skills. However, However, â€Å"77% of CEOs say they see the availability of key skills as the biggest business threat.† USA Today. (Jan. 2, 2018). According to an EY poll, 80% of the organization recognize the shortage of required talent to drive Artificial Intelligence adoption as the top challenge. Technology and Innovation along with the on demand human capabilities like leadership, creativity, problem solving, and passion will make organizations thrive in the market. Eventually an automated world is a possibility, however in the process will create major ripples in the workforce. The change would go beyond Man versus Machine and require re-learning and retooling.Impact on societyLarge corporations like Apple, Amazon, and Facebook had refused to comment on Artificial Intelligence. However, they do have people tasked with monitoring Artificial Intelligence. Microsoft had announced that they have created a review board called Aether – AI and Ethics in Engineering and Research. USA Today. (Jan. 2, 2018). Trusting and allowing Artificial Intelligence to control, drive cars and aeroplanes, and automated trading may eventually lead to AI taking control of learning and updating themselves resulting in an uncontrolled growth of machines. A study by McKinsey Global Institute (Dec 2017) suggests countries like China, India, USA and Germany will have more percentage of work activities displaced by automation. A 38 % of automation achievement would throw some western democracies to authoritarian policies to control the civil chaos as suggested by Brookings institution. Calum McClelland (2018). Governments and policy makers should handle this situation carefully.ConclusionEven if we successfully transition, we would lose all jobs to artificial intelligence and automation. Being creative and keeping us educated will give a good chance in this changing world.ReferenceArtificial intelligence: Doomsday scenario – or age of wonder? – USA Today. (Jan. 2, 2018)You can't have a machine age without humans – PwC report – ENP Newswire. (Mar. 1, 2017)AI creates jobs, yet talent crisis remains, according to EY poll – ENP Newswire. (May 1, 2018)Jobs lost, Jobs gained: workforce transitions in a time of automation – McKinsey Global Institute (Dec 2017).

Your choice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Your choice - Research Paper Example The benefits that accrue to all the stakeholders of the school when students wear school uniforms provide an excellent basis and rationale as to why all students in all schools should wear school uniforms. According to Craik (37) school uniforms have been known to exist long time ago even prior to the thirteenth century.   For instance, in 1222 Archbishop of Canterbury instructed monks to dress in a conventional monastic form of dress. This was possibly the first standardized case of academic attire. In early 16th century, uniforms were utilized and developed into more explicit as diverse fashion styles became unattractive  to the university. The reasons why school uniforms should be encouraged are various. One of the reasons why school uniforms should be made a requirement in schools is that school uniforms build a homogeneous environment amongst students, reducing peer pressure and cases of bullying.  In a school where students dress uniformly, unwarranted competition between students over fashion and trend is eliminated, paving way to reduction of peer pressure. In 2013, national association of elementary school principals conducted a survey that revealed that 86% of management heads of schools agreed that school uniforms have a positive effect in peer pressure. Instances of bullying and belittling other students were reduced significantly when students wore uniforms as opposed to when they didn’t. Another statistical information also revealed that 64% of the schools head admitted that uniforms reduce bullying and discrimination (Brunsma & Rockquemore, 75). Moreover, the other argument that provides the case for school uniforms is that uniforms provide an opportunity for parents to save (Brunsma, 50). Cost-effectiveness comes in whereby parents are only required to purchase the uniforms as specified. They only purchase the clothes a few times a year, depending on how deep their pockets are. On the

On the book Burr by Vidal Gore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On the book Burr by Vidal Gore - Essay Example mellow down in his usual satiric stance, this being a historical novel, an exposition of the political events that unfolded a few decades after the American Revolution. If the latter, consumed so much passion, turbulence, physical energy and liters of gore spilled, we expect a subsidence, a quieting down and pacification in the decades following. In †Burr†, we’re in for a big surprise for there was turbulence and passions galore beside the rampant jockeying for positions and power, intrigues, scandals and hypocrisy. Gore Vidal was still in his element here still witty, bitchy and sardonic. But what sets â€Å"Burr† apart is the rampant iconoclasm. Gore Vidal’s guns were trained not only to traditional political institutions but to American ‘greats’ such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, James Madison and Martin Van Buren, who happened to be rumored here as Burr’s bastard son. Irreverent and sas sy, practically no one was spared here as Vidal cannot be stopped from unmasking the weaknesses and follies of revered heroes. Vidal’s interpretation of early American history, was therefore on the dark side. This interpretation was best expressed when Vidal put the following words in Burr’s mouth i.e. â€Å"Between the dishonest canting of Jefferson and the egotism of Hamilton, this state had been no live in a good world† ( Vidal 156). Vidal postulated that in this era the new nation still had to grope for stability; to organize things that were still in disarray; and had to strengthen its newly acquired independence and institutions. The Constitution, the legal system and the system of a 3-powered government desperately begged for amendments and rectifications as these were far from ideal and were subject to abuse. Vidal exposed the absence of the separation of powers among the judiciary, the executive and the legislative departments. That was why, President Jefferson was able to actively pursue the

Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Starbucks - Essay Example The company sources approximately 50% of its beans from South America, 35% from the Pacific Rim, and 15% from East Africa. The company chooses its location very carefully in order to ensure the maximum customer traffic possible. The firm enjoys a tremendous competitive advantage in terms of reach due to the fact that the firm has 16,635 franchises worldwide. The real estate strategy focuses on flexibility which allows the firm’s retail stores to fit in any type of area including corners, trapezoids, or triangles. The firm has built a tremendous corporate culture by empowering its employees. The employees of the company are referred to as baristas. The firm promotes diversity among its staff. â€Å"As partners, we embrace diversity to create a place each of us can be ourselves† (Starbucks). The corporation realizes that its employees are a critical success factor that enables the firm to offer its customer a unique experience. Some of the guiding principles of the compan y’s culture include providing a great work environment, applying the highest standard of excellence, satisfying the customer, and recognizing profitability is essential to the future success of the business. Starbucks has a tremendous variety of delicious coffees and hot drinks. The baristas have the freedom to customize the customer drinks to comply with the needs.

Television is the most important source of news for young people Essay - 1

Television is the most important source of news for young people today.to what extent do you agree - Essay Example Therefore, it stands to logic that television continues to be one of not the most important news sources for young people today. According to the American Press Institute, the conventional wisdom that people only get their news reports from a single source is a thing of the past. With the advent of streaming media, free access to online newspapers, and the rise of social media as a real time news source, no single form of technological information dissemination should be considered to be the primary mode. Most specially since there is at least a one hour gap between social media and internet news updates (since people post the news they experience as it happens) and television. (The American Press Institute, n.d.). Young adults today do not have the kind of patience and attention span of previous generations that allowed them to wait till they got home to confirm the news that they had heard during the day either from conversations with others, or headlines of the newspapers they pass at the newsstands. Surveys done in 2008 indicate that young adults tend to consider traditional news to be far too boring, time consuming, and old fashioned in a world where they gotten used to having everything they need at their fingertips. In this case, a swipe of their mobile phones, tablets, or laptops (Lewis, 2008). Furthermore, when a 2004 survey delved into the types of news media sources that young adults preferred to use, the results showed that 44% of young adults preferred to use the internet for news over the 35% that opted for the newspapers. and the 25% and 22% that would still use local and cable TV respectively (Lewis, 2008). Therefore, it stands to reason that as the internet and social media continue to grow its influence over the current generation of young adults, we will, as a society, continue to see a decline in the use of television as a primary

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

Management - Essay Example Organizational culture can have a significant impact on employee behavior and performance. First of all, if an employee is well-aware about the culture of the organization he works in; he would have a complete understanding about how things work, what is the working style, the system, norms and beliefs residing in the minds of its people, it would be easy to work in the organization. Once he understands the environment well and is settled and comfortable, he can perform to his maximum. Organizational culture also generates commitment in an individual, which leads to shared goals to be achieved mutually (Hellriegel and Slocum 432). There is evidence that shows that corporate culture does affect performance. For instance, if we compare Japanese and American management methods, the success of Japanese is shown by their strong culture emphasizing on employee participation, open communication, security and equality (Cumming and Worley). A study of productivity was conducted in research de partments of UK university which showed a strong relationship between productivity and organization cultures emphasizing team work and employee involvement (Cumming and Worley). Can the culture of an organization be changed to increase performance? Culture of an organization may not be perfect to current needs of the market. It might not be comfortable for the workforce to work in that culture. It might not lead to achieving best performance in terms of product quality and service for customers. In such a case, culture of the organization should be changed keeping your motives ahead of you (Hellriegel and Slocum 432). During 1980s, in US, many organizations started changing their cultures in order to meet the customer’s expectations in a better way. During late 1990s, organizations began to evaluate how well they fit into expectations of workforce (Hellriegel and Slocum 432). As a senior leader in an organization what can you do to change the culture and in turn increase perf ormance of the business? (Wade and Recardo 62) As a senior manager, I can look into the following things in order to change the culture: -Change chain of command -Bring flexibility in the system. -Emphasize on teamwork -Involve employees at all levels. As an HR leader in an organization what can you do to change the culture and in turn increase performance of the business? Culture is a result of technology, process and organizational architecture. An HR manager should first identify where the problem lies. As an HR manager, I can change the architecture and communication in order to change the culture in an organization. If I feel the workforce wants more flexible style of working, I can bring into decentralization by: -Reducing layers of management. -Making sure information is available at the lower level personnel. A few other strategies may also be applied to change culture in order to increase employee behaviour and productivity: -Modify the reward system. -Aggressive use of tec hnology to make the processes more efficient (Wade and Recardo) . What impact on performance can a coaching culture have on an organization? Accelerating or getting the maximum out of something, is a practice that managers should often observe. Coaching is a tool which makes a good thing even better (Gorrell and Hoover). In 2008, a study was conducted by American Management Association to see the impact of coaching on performance. It was found that nearly 60 percent of North Americans

Han Empire (Ancient China) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Han Empire (Ancient China) - Essay Example Mesopotamia Empire existed in southwest Asia. The empire is a fertile green land and occasional rainfall attracted growth of many plants. Due to the rich plants, many animals also found suitable habitat in the region. People who lived around the empire were consequently hunters and gatherers of animals and plants respectively. The empire also received supply of fresh water from Euphrates and Tigris rivers that sustained animals and plants during dry spells. The empire also depended on the rivers for its irrigation. Ancient Mesopotamia Empire also referred to cradle of civilization or Fertile Crescent. Nubian people broke away from the rule of Egyptians to establish their own independent kingdom in 1000 BC. The kingdom was located around southern part of Egypt in a region that later came to be known as Nubia. In the eighth century, the kingdom became so powerful that it conquered Egypt. Due to Assyrians invasion, the Kushites moved up to around Meroe city. They were the first people t o use practically iron after learning iron working. Powerful nomadic people weakened the empire later over its own territory.

The Americanization of Shadrah Cohen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Americanization of Shadrah Cohen - Essay Example This is a basic human instinct to adopt standards, culture, norms, dress, and behavior in order to integrate into the society. The second is more active and requires that the person realize that they are different and actively try to change themselves in order to become more like their host culture. These changes are shown in people in a number of different ways. The story that has been read, â€Å"The Americanization of Shadrah Cohen† shows how these exact changes came to be manifested in the life of the young immigrant. This essay will follow these changes and help the reader to understand how they came to be shown within Shadrah Cohen over time. As the story begins, Shadrah Cohen came to the United States just like many tens of thousands of Jewish Russian emigres in and around the turn of the century. Having brought with him enough money to begin a small shop in lower New York, Shadrah along with his brother begin at the very bottom of American society and work to build the ir way up. Theirs is the immigrant story. The story itself is somewhat predictable and standard up until the arrival of Shadrah and his brother’s father from Russia. When the father sets foot on American land for the first time, he is a strange creature in what he sees as a foreign land. However, his sons meet him and have a different perspective; even though they are from the same ethnicity and the same country of origin. The father still wears his long side burns in the traditionally Jewish curly fashion, still wears the oversized long black coat that he wore in Russia, and has a very long, overgrown, beard. Due to the way that Shadrah has come to identify with his new environment and culture, he is a little bit embarrassed by the way that his father reminds him of the old country and his traditionally Jewish roots. As he greets his father on the docks, he and his brother are both dressed in Western clothing, wearing nicely pressed suits with a diamond tie clip. Accordingly , he offers his father to take him to a barber to have his traditional hair style cut as well as to take him to the clothing store to get him out of the traditional Jewish clothes he is wearing. In a way, his father probably reminds him of the way he looked when he first came to the United States and for this reason it embarrasses Shadrah to the point that he wants to change this as soon as possible. In a way, the story that is told is very close to the experience that many immigrants have. As they grow into a new culture, they begin to forget both actively and passively their cultural origins and traditions. This happens so much that when they are faced with the way that they used to look, used to dress, or used to behave they see it from a different perspective and are almost embarrassed with it. What is not discussed in the story is what ultimately happened with the father. Due to the fact that his sons both assimilated to such a high degree and in such a short period of time, on e could assume that the father did so as well. However, the fact of the matter is that it is likely that the father, due to his age, would not so easily forget his culture or the roots that he has in the old country. Whereas both of his sons quickly tried to hide their identity and melt into the American culture, the father chose to hold on to his and represent who he truly was rather than putting forward a face that was not representative of his ethnicity or his culture. Work Consulted Lessing, Bruno. "Short Story: The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen."

Compare and contrast the consequences of WWI respectively WWII Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast the consequences of WWI respectively WWII Essay WWI and WWII brought an extreme destruction and devastation to the world, certainly the previous wars had also brought devastation, but in a totally different scale. These wars were the biggest in the history of men with unexpectedly huge causalities to every country participating. The technology of warfare had improved beyond the imagination of men, bringing weapons that could kill enormous masses of people within a short period of time. WWI and WWII both had devastating results, far more than expected since each war took more than 10 million lives each and as written in the header, that was much more than any previous war. The cost of the war had gone along the size. Whole Europe fell in large debts from the wars, and there were inflation everywhere, more severe after the first war, and you can almost assume that the leaders of the countries had learnt something at least. Especially the inflation were high under the depression in Germany. The previous optimism from the 19th century was gone, now people had experienced the true horror of war, of the first world war, and after the second world war the horror that it could be repeated, a thought which didnt occur to most people after the first war. Partly due to that many countries changed their ideologies after both wars, countries drew back after the first war, trying to repair some of the devastation, along with the more republics that came, the ideologies became more turned inwards the country above all, we are the better, nationalism is a possible definition, but in many cases, except Germany, who mostly under these years were driven by hatred and revenge against the unfair Versailles treaty, it was more a fear, a paranoia, especially for the French along the Maginot line, walls rose between countries and the whole area were pretty tense, not as tense as before the war, but still everything hadnt faded away. The exception for this was the USA with their attempts to create the League of Nations, but it became very short lived and hadnt the impact it needed for becoming strong. However it planted the seed for the coming UN, which makes another similarity, both wars created these welfare organisations. But after the WWII the countries in Europe again started to look over their own borders, becoming a little more widely minded, countries became more involved in worldwide questions and started with these war-preventative organizations like NATO, trying to prepare for the next war, now that they knew that a repeat of the war werent impossible. These would show themselves useful sooner than expected. Since WWII as well as WWI led to a new conflict, for WWI obviously the WWII, and later for the second, the cold war, although it werent even close to the scale of the previous wars mostly due to the fact that it didnt blossom to the war it were predicted to. Both wars also had an enormous impact on the economy in Europe. Among others huge economic debts piled up for each country involved. Furthermore the countries lost labour, since they got killed in the war. This was a downfall for the economy but to make up for some of the scarcity of labour women got to work in the factories, something which earlier was unthinkable, especially in the first world war. A general opinion of men during the late 19th century and the early 20th century was that women should be at home, taking care of the family etc, while men should work, providing the family with money. Although women was accepted working in factories to a great extent in the second world war, compared to the first and especiallty the time before, it would take a lot of more years before a women, not during war time should work. This also provided to the new liberal ideologies after the Second World War. Moreover things that had an impact on the economic change was the new technical improvements during the wars, since many products was invented as a consequence of the war and also the rate of mass production rose during the first world war. Also due to the enormous cost of the war there were inflation in many countries, one extreme example is Germany after the first world war, the Versailles treaty had put Germany under unimaginable debts. Debts that Germany had no opportunity paying back. Thats the major reason behind the inflation, when in just a few months in 1923 the worth of the mark compared to the dollar rose from 4.6 million to 4.3 trillion, about 1000000 times as much. Also the geography of the world changed after the wars, the borders changed quite a lot, and for example the first world war was the final blow for the Ottoman Empire, the reason that it fell, although it were about to fall anyway this was the spark. Then during the war Austria Hungary fell and the borders changed a lot in the Balkans. Finally, as pointed out the effects are quite similar, the atmospheres after the wars were rather similar, both were tense and allowed for new conflicts to start. The distrust of people for the government rose greatly. Furthermore theres one effect I havent taken up yet, the destruction of the earth after the wars, great parts of Europe were affected, trenches were built, big land parts were bombed, and destructed even whole cities were bombed, then especially the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki under the second world war. Then theres the social trauma, both of the soldiers and the families at home, losing their relatives. But as they are similar, there arent many significant differences, probably the biggest were however the fact that no country did demand any compensation for the war, then there were no opportunity of a scenario like the one of Germany after the First World War to occur another time. Even though there also were positive sides on the war like the great leap in technology the overall effects were greatly negative, both wars had devastating effects.

Islam Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Islam Worksheet Essay When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. 1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. Islam is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Quran, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God, and by the teachings and normative example (called the Sunnah and composed of Hadith) of Muhammad, [ considered by them to be the last prophet of God. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim. 2. Explain the basic concepts of Islam. Is an unerringly monotheistic religion. It enjoins the existence of one God, his prophet Muhammad who is the Last Prophet in a long line of prophets sent throughout time and to every civilization, and the Quran as the Word of God revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibrael. Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable and the purpose of life is to worship him and to adhere to his word, as laid down in the Quran, and in Sunnah , as closely as possible. They believe that Islam is the final, completed and universal version of a faith revealed too many prophets before; most notably Abraham, Moses and Jesus, but whose message has now been distorted. Describe the practices of Islam. They go to church in cathedral mosques (Jamia), in which sermons are preached and congregational prayers are offered up for the reigning Sultan every Friday. Besides these there are about one hundred and eighty Muslim oratories or chapels (Mesjà ®d), to many of which schools are attached. Prayers are also frequently said at the grated windows of the little shrines or tomb-houses of celebrated welys, or saints, which are numerous in Damascus. Men of the higher classes rarely go to the mosques except on Fridays, as they can command proper places for ceremonial ablution and prayer in their own houses; but to a Muslim of the lower ranks, a large mosque which is open every day from sunrise to sunset or later, is like a second home. 3. Describe the goals of Islam. The 4. Describe the view of authority in Islam. philosophy, and the arts in the Muslim world. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following questions. Provide examples to illustrate your thinking. 1. What is the legal ideal in Islamic law? How does the Qur’an inform and guide Muslims in attaining this ideal? 2. What is the relationship between philosophy and theology within Islam? Is it acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs? 3. What artistic themes are regularly expressed in Islamic art and architecture? How are these themes explored? How has the Qur’an influenced the development of art in the Islamic world?

Gender Identity In Feminist Science Fiction English Literature Essay

Gender Identity In Feminist Science Fiction English Literature Essay By conducting this research I discovered to what extent the topic had been previously covered and what input I could put into the area without repeating others. I found that Carter and Russ have rarely, if at all, been studied solely alongside each other even though both their works have been identified as feminist science fiction. I therefore wish to explore how gender identity is dealt with in their works and the purpose of using the science fiction genre to do so. Baccolini makes the point that contemporary sci-fi texts written by women increasingly foreground the interaction of gender and genre. In particular, the questioning of generic conventions by feminist sci-fi writers appears to have contributed to the creation of a new genre, such as the critical dystopia or works of sci-fi that contain both utopian and dystopian elements with the aim of deconstructing tradition and reconstructing alternatives. Hollinger draws similarities between feminist theory and queer theory in a bid to explore how the variable construction of gender identity is represented in science fiction by women writers. She states the importance of relating theory to fictions as they function to suggest information about each other and de-familiarise each other. She reaffirms that science fiction is a useful discourse within which theoretical concepts on the issues of gender and sexuality can be represented. Cortiel discusses how Russs work transforms genre and plot conventions and disrupts the naturalised alignment of sex, gender, and sexuality. She critically interprets Russs earlier short fiction and how they relate to her later explicitly feminist works. Although Cortiels main focus is on the earlier short stories of Russ, she also makes interesting critiques on gender and sexuality in Russs novels, and to my particular interest The Female Man. 3. In her book Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Judith Butler argues that traditional feminism is wrong to look to a natural, essential notion of the female, or indeed of sex or gender. She questions the category woman: who does it include, and who decides who it includes? She also questions the terms masculine and feminine, determining that they are not biologically fixed but culturally presupposed. Butler also explores the concept of gender as a reiterated social performance rather than the expression of a prior reality. 4. In To Write like a Woman, Joanna Russ sets a standard of clear, intelligent, and relentless feminist criticism. This collection of her essays includes topics relevant to my research topic such as the aesthetic of science fiction and feminist utopian novels. In her essay What Can a Heroine Do? Or Why Women Cant Write, Russ discusses stories or myths whose genres employ plots that are not limited to one sex. She names science fiction as one such genre that generally involves a plot which explores a new world, human intelligence, and human adaptability. Such plots do not generally involve our culturally contrived gender roles and therefore allow writers to create fascinating characters that deal with current experiences and not inherited literary myths. In the chapter Recent Feminist Utopias, examples from various texts, including The Female Man, are used to explore the features of feminist utopian fiction. A particularly interesting point is made as regards female puberty in feminist utopias, where Russ states that feminist utopias offer an alternative model of female puberty that allows the girl to move into a full and free adulthood. 5. While acknowledging the sophistication and pertinence of Butlers theories on the performativity of gender identity, Trevennas article, entitled Gender as Performance: Questioning the Butlerification of Angela Carters Fiction, argues that there are significant differences between Butlers presentation of gender acquisition and that presented in Carters fiction. Highlighting how dominant theoretical trends can often problematically displace other relevant approaches, this article suggests that Carters presentation of gender acquisition is more in accordance with that promoted by Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex rather than the currently more fashionable theories of Judith Butler. It further suggests that Carters work also moves beyond the feminism of de Beauvoir and invites a more contemporary critical debate through its presentation of the pre-gendered subject as unstable and fragmented. 6. In the chapter Ursula Le Guins The Left Hand of Darkness: Androgyny and the Feminist Utopia from Women and Utopia, Jewell Parker Rhodes discusses the purpose of androgyny in the works of feminist writers. Although Ursula Le Guin sees androgyny as a heuristic for determining essential humanity without lifelong cultural conditioning of gender roles, Parker Rhodes argues that that the androgyne is an archetype that claims a woman to be deficient and in need of maleness. I feel this is an interesting argument which can be further explored in the texts, especially in Russs character Joanna in The Female Man. The majority of my research on feminist science fiction explores the questioning of dominant cultural definitions of difference and identity through the works of writers such as Octavia Butler, Vonda McIntyre, Suzy McKee Charnas, Pamela Sargent, and Margaret Atwood. For this project I propose to investigate the elements of feminist science fiction through Carter and Russ, in particular The Passion of New Eve and The Female Man. Although Russ is regularly discussed within the genre, her work doesnt seem to be studied alongside Carters. I plan to discuss comparisons and differences between how these two science fiction novels deal with gender identity. Furthermore, I wish to relate notions of gender by theorists such as Butler and de Beauvior to the approach of both writers to gender identity. Section Three: Introduction The introduction shall outline the aim of my study and include brief summaries of the chapters that follow. Chapter 1: The first chapter shall include different criticisms and theories on feminist science fiction and gender that I have found through my research. This section shall investigate what devices the science fiction genre has that attract feminist writers and particularly how they use utopian and dystopian elements to deconstruct tradition and reconstruct alternative societies. I will also include a range of examples from the works of feminist science fiction writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Marge Piercy, Margaret Atwood, and Octavia Butler. Chapter 2: This chapter will focus on the settings of the chosen works and examine how gender is treated by the different societies. Chapter 3: This chapter shall deal with how both Carter and Russ play with gender identities in the individual characters of their works. Here their views on the relationship between biological sex and gender identity can be compared to the gender theories of Butler and de Beauvoir. Conclusion The conclusion shall summarise the points made in the previous chapters and highlight any main conflicts or similarities I discover. Section 4: In conclusion, having researched my core bibliography, I plan to continue my research of gender identity in feminist science fiction with particular focus on secondary criticisms of The Passion of New Eve and The Female Man. Once I have done this I shall have a greater insight into the research and criticism that has already been done in the area and therefore be in a better position fine tune the points which I plan to make on this topic. Revised Core Bibliography: Barr, Marleen S.Alien to Femininity: Speculative Fiction and Feminist Theory. New York: Greenwood, 1987. Print. Barr, Marleen S.Future Females: A Critical Anthology. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular, 1981. Print. Butler, Judith.Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990. Print. Russ, Joanna.To Write like a Woman: Essays in Feminism and Science Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1995. Print. Trevenna, Joanne. Gender as Performance: Questioning the Butlerification of Angela Carters Fiction.Journal of Gender Studies11.3 (2002): 267-76. Print. Extended bibliography: Annas, Pamela J. New Worlds, New Words: Androgyny in Feminist Science Fiction.Science Fiction Studies5.2 (1978): 143-56.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Ayres, Susan. The Straight Mind in Russs The Female ManScience Fiction Studies22.1 (1995): 22-34.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Barr, Marleen S.Lost in Space: Probing Feminist Science Fiction and beyond. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 1993. Print. DuPlessis, Rachel Blau. The Feminist Apologues of Lessing, Piercy, and Russ.Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies4.1 (1979): 1-8.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Gamble, Sarah.Angela Carter: Writing from the Front Line.Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 1997. Print. Gardiner, Judith Kegan. On Female Identity and Writing by Women.Critical Inquiry8.2 (1981): 347-61.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Kerchy, Anna.Body Texts in the Novels of Angela Carter: Writing from a Corporeagraphic Point of View. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen, 2008. Print. Martins, Susana S. Revising the Future in The Female ManScience Fiction Studies32.3 (2005): 405-22.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Merrick, Helen. Fantastic Dialogues: Critical Stories About Feminism and Science Fiction.Speaking Science Fiction: Dialogue and Interpretation. By Andy Sawyer and David Seed. Liverpool: Liverpool U.P., 2000. 52-68. Print. Parker Rhodes, Jewell. Androgyny and the Feminist Utopia.Women and Utopia: Critical Interpretations. By Marleen S. Barr and Nicholas D. Smith. Lanham, MD: University of America, 1983. 108-20. Print. Rubinson, Gregory J. On the Beach of Elsewhere: Angela Carters Moral Pornography and the Critique of Gender Archetypes.Womens Studies29.6 (2000): 717-40.Informaworld. Web. Russ, Joanna. Women and SF: Three Letters.Science Fiction Studies7.2 (1980): 232-36.JSTOR. SF-TH Inc. Web. Apr. 2011. . Russo, Mary J.The Female Grotesque: Risk, Excess, and Modernity. New York: Routledge, 1995. Print. Sage, Lorna.Flesh and the Mirror: Essays on the Art of Angela Carter. London: Virago, 1995. Print. Spencer, Kathleen L. Rescuing the Female Child: The Fiction of Joanna Russ.Science Fiction Studies17.2 (1990): 167-87.JSTOR. Web. Apr. 2011. Wyatt, Jean. The Violence of Gendering: Castration Images in Angela Carters The Magic Toyshop, The Passion of New Eve and Peter and The Wolf..Angela Carter: [contemporary Critical Essays]. By Alison Easton. Palgrave Macmillan, 2000. 58-84. Print. FYP Progress Report

The Fall of the Potato: Causes of the Great Famine Essay -- Essays Pap

The Fall of the Potato: Causes of the Great Famine Phythophthora infestans was the lethal fungus that infested Ireland's potato crop and eventually ruined all of the land it grew on. This time is called the Great Famine and has impacted Ireland due to its destructive extinction of the potato farms which caused disease, extreme poverty, and death. There are several circumstances to take into consideration when looking at the causes of the Great Potato Famine in Ireland. Due to the great dependence the Irish people had on the potato, it is clear how blight could devastate a country and its people. To understand the Irish people's dependence on the potato for diet, income, and a way out of poverty, it is necessary to look at several key factors that were evident before the famine. Factors such farming as the only way of life, rise in population, and limited crops explain why the people of Ireland relied on the potato. But not only do these reasons clarify why the famine hit the Irish people so hard, other important factors play into effect as well. By looking at the weak relationship between England and Ireland through parliamentary acts and trade laws, it is more evident what the causes of the Great Famine are and why it was so detrimental. The relationship between Ireland and England played a major role in the causes of the Great Famine. Ireland became part of the United Kingdom in 1801 due to the Act of Union (Edwards & Williams 19). Under this act, Ireland was placed under "the jurisdiction of the richest and most industrially advanced empire in the world" (Kinealy 33). From this act, Ireland's parliament was abolished and became controlled by England through political leadership established throughout the Irish state. A... ...remier. EBSCO. Roesch Library, Dayton, Ohio. 19 January 2004. http://library.udayton.edu/research/article/ - Edwards, R. Dudley and T. Desmond William. The Great Irish Famine: Studies in Irish History 1845-52. Dublin, Ireland: Browne & Dolan, Ltd., 1957. - Kinealy, Christine. â€Å"How Politics Fed the Famine†. Natural History 105 (1996): 33-3. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Roesch Library, Dayton, Ohio. 19 January 2004. http://library.udayton.edu/research/article/ - O Grada, Cormac. The Great Irish Famine. England: MacMillan, 1989. - O Tuathaigh, Gearoid, ed. Ireland before the Famine, 1798-1848. Dublin, Ireland: Gill & MacMillan, Ltd., 1972. - Poirteir, Cathal. The Great Irish Famine. Dublin, Ireland: Mercier Press, 1995. - Whelan, Kevin. â€Å"Pre and Post-Famine Landscape Change.† O Tuathaigh 19-34.

Rowing :: essays research papers

Rowing, the Best Team Sport   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rowing, the thrilling team sport that gets you physically/mentally fit and provides you a second family with many friends. In the sport of crew, teamwork is very crucial. With that teamwork comes new friends and wonderful coaches. Even though you might think this is a physical sport it is also considered to be a mental sport. Just think, baseball has nine innings, approximately two hours of play and a lot can change in that period of time for a loss or win. With crew you only have about seven minutes to get your eight man boat down a two thousand-meter racecourse to receive a medal or win. If you have the lead it is mentally hard to come back and win for the rowers behind the top three boats. Aside of the teamwork going on is the individual effort that you yourself is contributing to the boat. As you are out on the water in the eight man boat you always need to give it your all even if it means pain. In fact, our coach just tells us to eat pain. As you are giving 100% and in pain, your brain is working 100% too. Handle height, legs down quick and hands down and away quick along with the part of feathering the blade. Those are the things you focus on during a race. Oh yeah you also have a cool little person screaming at you to pull harder. They are known as the coxswain (Cox-in). When the coach isn’t there listen to them because they are the assistant coaches. All this is the first stride you take to get that gold medal. Come on you can do one more push up! When you’re in the gym you do not have the support of teammates. At crew you will not give up because of the support you have from your teammates behind you. In the gym you can just say, â€Å"Oh that set can be done another day,† and give up. We have in crew on Tuesday and Thursday a 2k-meter ergometer (erg) test to see who will be in an 8A boat, that is our eight fastest men of our crew. These are the days that you need your friends behind you pushing you so your time comes true that the couch gives you. I know this might seem harsh but when it is all over with you feel very great about the way you look and how you just pulled on the 2k test.

Galileo :: essays research papers

Galileo Galilei was one of the greatest astronomer and mathematician of the seventeenth century. His support of support of Copernican cosmology against the Church’s strong opposition and his development of a telescope and his unorthodox opinions as philosopher of science were the central concerns of his career. He struggled brutally for freedom from the higher authority because of unable to resist his appetite for scientific investigation. However, Galileo’s science and career did not get him any where farther in his life; he was forced to withdraw his theories before the inquisition, and was sentenced to indefinite imprisonment by the pope and eventually became blind. Life of Galileo is visualized clearly in Bertolt Brecht’s the most fascinating novel Galileo. Galileo is one of Brecht’s truly brilliant characters, immensely alive complex human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout his life Galileo dedicated himself to science and research and discovered many amazing things; one of them was a telescope. The observation of the sky, which Galileo carried out with his telescope led to the discovery of the satellites of Jupiter and to Galileo’s increased adherence the Copernican system. He studied Saturn and observed the phases of Venus and the sunspots. In between his studies and discoveries Galileo began to encounter serious opposition of the motion of the earth. He discovered that it was earth that roll around the sun. “By that time, with any luck, they will be learning that the earth rolls round the sun, and that their mother, the captains, the scholars, the princes, and the Pope are rolling with it'; (Galileo, pg49). Galileo’s theory about motion of earth was judged as erroneous by Cardinal Bellarmino because it went against the doctrine of the Church. He believed that the god was the one who created this world the best way he could and that is the way it should remain. The god is the only one who has all the wisdom, knowledge, and power and he knows his work better than anybody does else does. “Does it not appear more probable even to you that the Creator knows more about his work that the Created?'; (Galileo, pg79). Furthermore, the Cardinal also believed that once the thing is written in the Holy bible and approved by many scholars it can not be changed; because by changing anything or questioning anything about god’s creation would be like questioning the god. And this would completely destroy many people’ faith in god.

Supply Increases Price

Homework Week 23. What effect will each of the following have on the demand for small automobiles such as the Mini Cooper and Smart car?a. Small automobiles become more fashionable This will increase the demand in small automobilesb. The price of large automobiles rises (with the price of small autos remaining the same) The demand will increasec. Income declines and small autos are an inferior good. The demand will increased. Consumers anticipate that the price of small autos will greatly come down in the near future. The demand will decreasee. The price of gasoline substantially drops This statement is unclear. You can’t really tell if the demand for small automobiles will increase or decrease just because the gas prices drop substantially.6. What effect will each of the following have on the supply of auto tires?a. A technological advance in the methods of producing tires. Supply will increaseb. A decline in the number of firms in the tire industry. Supply will decreasec. An increase in the price of rubber used in the production of tires. Supply will decreased. The expectation that the equilibrium price of auto tires will be lower in the future than currently. Supply will increasee. A decline in the price of large tires used for semi-trucks and earth hauling rigs (with no change in the price of auto tires). Supply will increasef. The levying of a per-unit tax in each auto tire sold. Supply will increaseg. The granting of a 50-cent-per-unit subsidy for each auto tire produced. Supply will increase9. How will each of the following changes in demand and/or supply affect equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity in a competitive market; that is, do price and quantity rise, fall or remain unchanged, or are the answers indeterminate because they depend on the magnitudes of the shifts? Use supply and demand diagrams to verify your answers.a. Supply decreases and demand is constant Price goes up and quantity goes downb. Demand decreases and supply is constant Price goes down and quantity also goes downc. Supply increases and demand is constant Price goes down and quantity upd. Demand increases and supply increases Price is indeterminate and the quantity goes upe. Demand increases and supply is constant Price goes up and quantity upf. Supply increases and demand decreases Price goes down and the quantity is indeterminateg.Demand increases and supply decreases Price goes up and the quantity is indeterminateh. Demand decreases and supply decreases Price is indeterminate and the quantity goes down11. Critically evaluate: â€Å"In comparing the two equilibrium positions in figure 3. 7a, I see a larger amount is actually purchased at a higher price. This refutes the law of demand† The increase in demand from D1 to D2 increases both equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity. On the second equilibrium we can see that demand has increase causing buyers to buy more at higher prices than the first equilibrium.

John G Roberts

John Roberts By: Juan Castillo Rm. 309 John Glover Roberts Jr. was born in Buffalo, New York, on January 27, 1955, the son of Rosemary and John Glover Jack Roberts, Sr. (1928–2008). When Roberts was in fourth grade, his family moved to the beachside town of  Long Beach, Indiana. He grew up with three sisters: Kathy, Peggy, and Barbara. Roberts attended Notre Dame Elementary School, a Roman Catholic grade school in Long Beach, and then  La Lumiere School, a Roman Catholic boarding school in  La Porte, Indiana. , He studied five years of Latin,  some French, and was known generally for his devotion to his studies.He was captain of the football team, and was a regional champion in wrestling. He attended  Harvard College, graduating with an  A. B. summa cum laude  in history in three years. He then attended  Harvard Law School  where he was the managing editor of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated from law school with a  J. D. magna cum  in laude 1979. Afte r graduating from law school, Roberts served as a law clerk for Judge Henry Friendly on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals for one year. From 1980 to 1981, he clerked for then-Associate Justice William Rehnquist on the United States Supreme Court.From 1981 to 1982, he served in the Reagan administration as a Special Assistant to U. S. Attorney General William French Smith. From 1982 to 1986, Roberts served as Associate Counsel to the President under White House Counsel Fred Fielding. Roberts entered private law practice in 1986 as an associate at the Washington, D. C. -based law firm of Hogan & Hartson. As part of Hogan & Hartson's pro bono work, he worked behind the scenes for gay rights advocates, reviewing filings and preparing arguments for the Supreme Court case Romer v.Evans (1996), which has been described as as well as arguing on behalf of the homeless. Roberts left Hogan ; Hartson to serve in the George H. W. Bush administration as Principal Deputy Solicitor General from 1 989 to 1993 and as Acting Solicitor General for the purposes of at least one case when Ken Starr had a conflict. In 1992, George H. W. Bush nominated Roberts to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but no Senate vote was held, and Roberts's nomination expired at the end of the 102nd Congress. John Roberts argued 36 cases and prevailed 25 of them.On July 19, 2005, President Bush nominated Roberts to the U. S. Supreme Court to fill a vacancy that would be created by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Roberts was the first Supreme Court nominee since Stephen Breyer in 1994. On September 5, Bush withdrew Roberts's nomination as O'Connor's successor and announced Roberts's new nomination to the position of Chief Justice. Bush asked the Senate to expedite Roberts's confirmation hearings to fill the vacancy by the beginning of the Supreme Court's session in early October.

International Journal of Accounting and Financial Essay

ABSTRACT The role of Indian mutual fund industry as significant financial service in financial market has really been noteworthy. In fact, the mutual fund industry has emerged as an important segment of financial market of India, especially in channelizing the savings of millions of individuals into the investment in equity and debt instruments. Mutual funds are seemingly the easiest and the least stressful way to invest in the stock market. Quiet a large amount of money has been invested in mutual funds during the past few years. Any investor would like to invest in a reputed Mutual Fund organization. Mutual funds are financial intermediaries concerned with mobilizing savings of those who have surplus and the canalization of these savings in those avenues where there is a demand for funds. These intermediaries employ their resources in such a manner as to provide combined benefits of low risk, steady return, high liquidity and capital appreciation through diversification and expert management. Reforms in the  Indian economic system and the opening up of the economy have been the reasons for the tremendous growth in the Indian capital market. This study analyzes the impact of different demographic variables on the attitude of investors towards mutual funds. Apart from this, it also focuses on the benefits delivered by mutual funds to investors. To this end, 200 respondents of Solapur City, having different demographic profiles were surveyed. The study reveals that the majority of investors have still not formed any attitude towards mutual fund investments. KEYWORDS: Mutual Fund, Investors, Solapur City INTRODUCTION Mutual fund is a pool of money collected from investors and is invested according to certain investment options. A mutual fund is a trust that pools the saving of a no. of investors who share a common financial goal. A mutual fund is created when investors put their money together. It is, therefore, a pool of investor’s fund. The money thus collected is then invested in capital market instruments such as shares, debentures and other securities. The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciations realized are shared by its unit holders in proportion to the no. of units owned by them. The most important characteristics of a fund are that the contributors and the beneficiaries of the fund are the same class of people namely the investors. The term mutual fund means the investors contribute to the pool and also benefit from the pool. The pool of funds held mutually by investors is the mutual fund. A mutual fund business is to invest the funds thus collected according to the wishes of the investors who created the pool. Usually the investor’s appoint professional investment managers create a product and offer it for investment to the investors. This project represents a share in the pool and pre status investment  Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi  objectives. Thus, a mutual fund is the most suitable investment for a common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed basket of securities at relatively low cost. EVOLUTION OF INDIAN MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY The formation of Unit Trust of India marked the evolution of the Indian mutual fund industry in the year 1963. The primary objective at that time was to attract the small investors and it was made possible through the collective efforts of the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India. The history of mutual fund industry in India can be better understood divided into following phases: Establishment and Growth of Unit Trust of India – 1964-87 Unit Trust of India enjoyed complete monopoly when it was established in the year 1963 by an act of Parliament. UTI was set up by the Reserve Bank of India and it continued to operate under the regulatory control of the RBI until the two were de-linked in 1978 and the entire control was transferred in the hands of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI). UTI launched its first scheme in 1964, named as Unit Scheme 1964 (US-64), which attracted the largest number of investors in any single investment scheme over the years. UTI launched more innovative schemes in 1970s and 80s to suit the needs of different investors. It launched ULIP in 1971, six more schemes between 1981-84, Children’s Gift Growth Fund and India Fund (India’s first offshore fund) in 1986, Mastershare (Inida’s first equity diversified scheme) in 1987 and Monthly Income Schemes (offering assured returns) during 1990s. By the end of 1987, UTI’s assets under management grew ten times to Rs 6700 crores. Entry of Public Sector Funds – 1987-1993 The Indian mutual fund industry witnessed a number of public sector players entering the market in the year 1987. In November 1987, SBI Mutual Fund from the State Bank of India became the first non-UTI mutual fund in India. SBI Mutual Fund was later followed by Canbank Mutual Fund, LIC Mutual Fund, Indian Bank Mutual Fund, Bank of India Mutual Fund, GIC Mutual Fund and PNB Mutual Fund. By 1993, the assets under management of the industry increased seven times to Rs. 47,004 crores. However, UTI remained to be the leader with about 80% market share. 1992-93 UTI Public Sector Total Amount Mobilised 11,057 1,964 13,021 Assets Under Management 38,247 8,757 47,004 Mobilisation as % of Gross Domestic Savings 5.20% 0.90% 6.10% Emergence of Private Secor Funds – 1993-96 The permission given to private sector funds including foreign fund management companies (most of them entering through joint ventures with Indian promoters) to enter the mutal fund industry in 1993, provided a wide range of choice to investors and more competition in the industry. Private funds introduced innovative products, investment techniques and investor-servicing technology. By 1994-95, about 11 private sector funds had launched their schemes. Growth and SEBI Regulation – 1996-2004 The mutual fund industry witnessed robust growth and stricter regulation from the SEBI after the year 1996. The mobilization of funds and the number of players operating in the industry reached new heights as investors started showing more interest in mutual funds. A Study of Investors Attitude towards Mutual Fund with Special Reference to Inversotrs in Solapur City Investors’ interests were safeguarded by SEBI and the Government offered tax benefits to the investors in order to encourage them. SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 was introduced by SEBI that set uniform standards for all mutual funds in India. The Union Budget in 1999 exempted all dividend incomes in the hands of investors from income tax. Various Investor Awareness Programmes were launched during this phase, both by SEBI and AMFI, with an objective to educate investors and make them informed about the mutual fund industry. Growth and Consolidation – 2004 Onwards The industry has also witnessed several mergers and acquisitions recently, examples of which are acquisition of schemes of Alliance Mutual Fund by Birla Sun Life, Sun F&C Mutual Fund and PNB Mutual Fund by Principal Mutual Fund. Simultaneously, more international mutual fund players have entered India like Fidelity, Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund etc. There were 29 funds as at the end of March 2006. This is a continuing phase of growth of the industry through consolidation and entry of new international and private sector players. Indian mutual fund industry reached Rs 1,50,537 crore by March 2004. It is estimated that by 2010 March-end, the total assets of all scheduled commercial banks should be Rs 40,90,000 crore. The annual composite rate of growth is expected 13.4% during the rest of the decade. In the last 5 years there is an annual growth rate of 9%. According to the current growth rate, by year 2010, Mutual fund  India assets will be double FEATURES THOSE INVESTORS LIKE IN MUTUAL FUND If mutual funds are emerging as the favorite investment vehicle it is because of the many advantages. They have over other forms and avenues of investing parties for the investors who has limited resources available in terms of Capital and ability to carry out detailed reserves and market monitoring. These are the major advantages offered by mutual fund to all investors: Professional Management Mutual Funds provide the services of experienced and skilled professionals, backed by a dedicated investment research team that analyses the performance and prospects of companies and selects suitable investments to achieve the objectives of the scheme. Diversification Mutual Funds invest in a number of companies across a broad cross-section of industries and sectors. This diversification reduces the risk because seldom do all stocks decline at the same time and in the same proportion. You achieve this diversification through a Mutual Fund with far less money than you can do on your own. Convenient Administration Investing in a Mutual Fund reduces paperwork and helps you avoid many problems such as bad deliveries, delayed payments and follow up with brokers and companies. Mutual Funds save your time and make investing easy and convenient. Return Potential Over a medium to long-term, Mutual Funds have the potential to provide a higher return as they invest in a diversified basket of selected securities. Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi Low Costs Mutual Funds are a relatively less expensive way to invest compared to directly investing in the capital markets because the benefits of scale in brokerage, custodial and other fees translate into lower costs for investors Liquidity In open-end schemes, the investor gets the money back promptly at net asset value related prices from the Mutual Fund. In closed-end schemes, the units can be sold on a stock exchange at the prevailing market price or the investor can avail of the facility of direct repurchase at NAV related prices by the Mutual Fund Transparency You get regular information on the value of your investment in addition to disclosure on the specific investments made by your scheme, the proportion invested in each class of assets and the fund managers investment strategy and outlook Flexibility Through features such as regular investment plans, regular withdrawal plans and dividend reinvestment plans, you can systematically invest or withdraw funds according to your needs and convenience Affordability Investors individually may lack sufficient funds to invest in high-grade stocks. A mutual fund because of its large corpus allows even a small investor to take the benefit of its investment strategy. Well Regulated All Mutual Funds are registered with SEBI and they function within the provisions of strict regulations designed to protect the interests of investors. The operations of Mutual Funds are regularly monitored by SEBI. DISADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUNDS Above I have mentioned the various advantages of Mutual Funds but it also suffers from a lot of drawbacks as the market is volatile and it is ever affected by national as well as international factors, these days we can see that crude oil prices in International market has become an important factor  in determining the market movement. Here are some disadvantages as cited by me and by survey: Fluctuating Returns Mutual funds are like many other investments without a guaranteed return: there is always the possibility that the value of your mutual fund will depreciate. Unlike fixed-income products, such as bonds and Treasury bills, mutual funds experience price fluctuations along with the stocks that make up the fund. When deciding on a particular fund to buy, you need to research the risks involved – just because a professional manager is looking after the fund, that doesn’t mean the performance will be always good Diversification Although diversification is one of the keys to successful investing, many mutual fund investors tend to over diversify. The idea of diversification is to reduce the risks associated with holding a single security; over diversification (also known as diversification) occurs when investors acquire many funds that are highly related and, as a result, don’t get A Study of Investors Attitude towards Mutual Fund with Special Reference to Inversotrs in Solapur City the risk reducing benefits of diversification. At the other extreme, just because you own mutual funds doesn’t mean you are automatically diversified. For example, a fund that invests only in a particular industry or region is still relatively risky. For example: Sect oral Funds Cash and More Cash As you know already, mutual funds pool money from thousands of investors, so everyday investors are putting money into the fund as well as withdrawing investments. To maintain liquidity and the capacity to accommodate withdrawals, funds typically have to keep a large portion of their portfolios as cash. Having ample cash is great for liquidity, but money  sitting around as cash is not working for you and thus is not very advantageous. Costs Mutual funds provide investors with professional management, but it comes at a cost. Funds will typically have a range of different fees that reduce the overall payout. In mutual funds, the fees are classified into two categories: shareholder fees and annual operating fees. The shareholder fees, in the forms of loads and redemption fees are paid directly by shareholders purchasing or selling the funds. The annual fund operating fees are charged as an annual percentage – usually ranging from 1-3%. These fees are assessed to mutual fund investors regardless of the performance of the fund. As you can imagine, in years when the fund doesn’t make money, these fees only magnify losses. Figure 1: Structure of Mutual Fund A mutual is a set up in the form of trust, which has sponsor, trustee, assets management company (AMC) and custodian. Sponsor is the person who acts alone or in combination with another body corporate and establishes a mutual fund. Sponsor must contribute at least 40% of the net worth of the investment managed and meet the eligibility criteria prescribed under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Mutual Funds) regulations, 1996. The sponsor is not responsible or liable for any loss or shortfall resulting from the operation of the schemes beyond the initial contribution made by it towards setting up of Mutual Fund. The Mutual Fund is constituted as a trust in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 by the Sponsor. Trustee is usually a company (corporate body) or a board of trustees (body of individuals). The main responsibility of the trustee is to safeguard the interest of the unit holders and also ensure that AMC functions in the interest of investors’ and in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Mutual Fund) Regulations 1996 the provisions of the Trust deed and the offer Document of the respective schemes. The AMC is appointed by the Trustees Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi as the investment Manager of the Mutual Fund. The AMC is required to be approved by SEBI to act as an asset management company of the Mutual Fund. The AMC if so authorized by the Trust Deed appoints the Registrar and Transfer Agent to agent the mutual fund. The registrar processes the application form, redemption requests and dispatches account statements to the unit holders. The Registrar and Transfer agent also handles communications with investors’ and updates investor records. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Lenard et., al. (2003) empirically investigated investor’s attitudes toward mutual funds. The results indicate that the decision to switch funds within a fund family is affected by investor’s attitude towards risk, current asset allocation, investment losses, investment mix, capital base of the fund age, initial fund performance, investment mix, fund and portfolio diversification. The study reported that these factors are crucial to be considered before switching funds regardless of whether they invest in non-employer plans or in both employer and non-employer plans. Bollen (2006) studied the dynamics of investor fund flows in a sample of socially screened equity mutual funds and compared the relation between annual fund flows & lagged performance in SR funds to the same relation in a matched sample of conventional funds. The result revealed that the extra-financial SR attribute serves to dampen the rate at which SR investors trade mutual funds. The study noted that the differences between SR funds and their conventional counterparts are robust over time and persist as funds age. The study found that the preferences of SR investors may be represented by conditional multi-attribute utility function (especially when SR funds deliver positive returns). The study remarked that mutual fund companies can expect SR investors to be more loyal than investors in ordinary funds. Walia and Kiran (2009) studied investor’s risk and return perception towards mutual funds. The study examined investor’s perception towards risk involved in mutual funds, return from mutual funds in comparison to other financial avenues, transparency and disclosure practices. The study investigated  problems of investors encountered with due to unprofessional services of mutual funds. The study found that majority of individual investors doesn’t consider mutual funds as highly risky investment. In fact on a ranking scale it is considered to be on higher side when compared with other financial avenues. The study also reported that significant relationship of interdependence exists between income level of investors and their perception for investment returns from mutual funds investment. Saini et., al. (2011) analyzed investor’s behavior, investors’ opinion and perception relating to various issues like type of mutual fund scheme, its objective, role of financial advisors / brokers, sources of information, deficiencies in the provision of services, investors’ opinion relating to factors that attract them to invest in mutual and challenges before the Indian mutual fund industry etc. The study found that investors seek for liquidity, simplicity in offer documents, online trading, regular updates through SMS and stringent follow up of provisions laid by AMFI. Singh (2012) conducted an empirical study of Indian investors and observed that most of the respondents do not have much awareness about the various function of mutual funds and they are bit confused regarding investment in mutual funds. The study found that some demographic factors like gender, income and level of education have their significant impact over the attitude towards mutual funds. On the contrary age and occupation have not been found influencing the investor’s attitude. The study noticed that return potential and liquidity have been perceived to be most lucrative benefits of investment in mutual funds and the same are followed by flexibility, transparency and affordability. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Mutual funds have their drawbacks and may not be for everyone. No investment is risk free. If the entire stock market declines in value, the value of mutual fund shares will go down as well, no matter how balanced the portfolio. A Study of Investors Attitude towards Mutual Fund with Special Reference to Inversotrs in Solapur City Investors encounter fewer risks when they invest in mutual funds than when they buy and sell stocks on their own. However, anyone who invests through a mutual fund runs the risk of losing money. All funds charge administrative fees to cover their day-to-day expenses. Some funds also charge sales commissions or â€Å"loads† to compensate brokers, financial consultants, or financial planners. When he invests in a mutual fund, they depend on the fund’s manager to make the right decisions regarding the fund’s portfolio. If the invests in Index Funds, they foregoes management risk, because these funds do not employ managers. Though these are the problems in the investment of mutual funds, in the recent days most of the investors preferred to invest their funds on mutual funds. In this background, the research has made an attempt to study the investors’ preference for mutual funds in Solapur City. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The present study is based upon the results of survey conducted on 200 mutual fund investors. The implications of the study are subject to the limitations of sample size, psychological and emotional characteristics of surveyed population. SCOPE OF THE STUDY This paper provides Future of Mutual Funds industry information as well as awareness level amongst people for Mutual Funds. Also this project report of Mutual Funds gives an outlook to management as to how the mutual funds are performing in the current market situation as a result what may be the future of this industry. This paper on mutual funds is informative the students who want to understand and undertake assignments in the industry. This study also facilitates the general people who can understand the importance and explore the new option for investment in Mutual Funds. Different financial institutions provide services that are both complementary to and competitive with each other. A well built financial system directly contributes to the growth of the country. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study is descriptive in nature based on survey method. The study aims at finding out the attitude of the investors towards investment in mutual funds in Solapur city. This study was based mainly on primary sources. The primary data was collected from the investors of mutual funds with help of the questionnaire. The secondary data were collected from the books, records and journals. By adopting convenience sampling, 200 respondents were selected for this study. The essential data were collected with the help of questionnaire. The data collected from the period of January 2011 to April 2011. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Figure: 2 Showing Pattern of Investment Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi From above figure it is clear that 75% investors are invested in open ended schemes where as 15% invested in closed ended schemes in mutual fund. Figure: 3 Reason for Investment in Mutual Fund From above figure it is clear that and 42% investors say that they invested money in mutual fund for tax assumption. 33% investors say that they invested money in mutual fund for higher returns. 16% investors say that they invested money in mutual fund for value creation in fund. 9% investors say that they invested money in mutual fund for other reason. Figure: 4 Showing the Reason of Investors that not Invested Money in Mutual Fund From above figure is clear that 50% investors say that they not interested to invest money in mutual fund. 33% investors say that they have imperfect knowledge in mutual fund, so they are not invested. 8.5% investors say that they invested in govt. bond. 8.5% investors has other reason so they not invested money in mutual fund. Figure: 5 Showing Type of Investment Investors Should be Preferred A Study of Investors Attitude towards Mutual Fund with Special Reference to Inversotrs in Solapur City From above figure it is clear that investors invest money in fixed deposits. 15 25% investors invest money in gold/real estates. 17% investors invest money in mutual fund. 8% investors invest money in bond/debentures. Remaining 17% investors invest money in shares. Figure: 6 Showing Returns Investor get from their Investment From above figure it is clear that 70% investors are gaining 5-15% returns from their investment. 23% are gaining 15-30% returns from their investment. 5% investors are gaining 30-45% returns from their investment. Remaining only 2% investors is gaining above 45% returns from their investment. Figure: 7 Showing Duration of Investment From above it is clear 80% investors are dealing in short term duration whereas 20% investors are dealing in long term duration. Figure: 8 Showing the Investors Experience in Mutual Fund Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi From above figure it is clear that 73% investors say that they are having bad experience in mutual fund. 12% investors say that they are having good experience in mutual fund. Remaining 15% investors say that their experience is ok. FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS Findings †¢The trend for investment is changing rapidly besides the traditional pattern of investment and people today they are ready to undertake risk and also bear the volatility of changing mutual fund market scenario. †¢This shows that people with Middle Income Group are more attractive this market and are ready to bear the risk. †¢It is observed that 75% investors have invested open ended schemes that they want higher returns on their investment rather than investing in closed ended schemes in mutual fund. †¢It is observed that 42% investors have invested money for tax assumption.33% investors have invested money for higher returns in their investment.16% investors have invested money for value creation in fund. And remaining 9% investors have invested money for other reason. †¢It is observed that 50% investors have not interested to invest money in mutual fund.33% investors have imperfect knowledge so they not invested money in mutual fund.9% investors find govt. securities bond is better that’s way they not invested money in mutual fund. And remaining 8% investors have other reason so they not invested money in mutual fund. †¢It is observed that more businessmen were inclined towards investing in current account. The ladies were inclined to invest their money in Gold and jewelleries. Service class people and retired class people prefer more saving and fixed deposits People with high income. †¢It is observed that 70% investors have invested to getting returns in the range of 5-15% which shows in short span of time they are getting good returns and more than expectations. †¢It is observed that 80% investors have invested in short term duration which indicates the investors have not ready to invest in long term period due to various risks associated with long term duration of investment. †¢On asking how they get knowledge of mutual fund a large number of them attributed to print media. Even banks today follow the role of the investment advisors. Very few get any information from the e-media or Hence, AMCs must increase the awareness about their product through Electronic media (TVs, Cables, Radios etc.) as well as and should not just constrained itself to the print advertisement those who do not read newspaper. SUGGESTIONS Investor’s Point of View The question that entire customer, irrespective of the age group and financial status, think of is- Are mutual funds are a safe option? What makes them safe? The basis of mutual fund industry’s safety is the way the business is defined and regulation of law. Since the mutual fund invests in the capital market instruments, so proper knowledge is essential. Hence the essential requirement is well informed seller and equally informed buyer who  understands and helped them to understand the product (here we can say the capital market and the money market instruments) is the essential preconditions. A Study of Investors Attitude towards Mutual Fund with Special Reference to Inversotrs in Solapur City Being Prudent Investor One Should †¢Ask one’s agent to give details of different schemes and match the appropriate ones. †¢Go to the company records or the fund house regarding any queries if one is not satisfied by the agents. †¢Investors should always keep an eye on the performance of the scheme and other good schemes as well which are available in the market for the closed comparison. †¢Never invest blindly in the investments before going through the fact sheets, annual reports etc. of the company. Since, according to the Guidelines of SEBI The AMCs are bound to disclose all the relevant data that is necessary for the investment purpose of investors. Company’s (Mutual Fund Companies) Point of View  Following measures can be taken by the company for getting higher investments in the mutual fund schemes: †¢Educate the agents or the salesmen properly so that they can take up the queries of the customer effectively. †¢Set up separate customer care divisions where the customers can anytime pose their query, regarding the scheme or the current NAV etc. These customer care units can work out in accordance with the requirements of the customer and facilitates them to choose the scheme that suits their financial status. †¢Conduct seminars or programs about mutual fund where every information about the product is outlined including the risk factor associated with the different classes of assets. †¢Brokers should reduce the brokerage charges for intra day and delivery based so that the investor can save more amounts to generate extra investment for the investor as well as for the Mutual Fund companies. †¢Mutual Fund companies should try to increase the promotion and advertisement strategies for awareness of Mutual fund in solapur city. CONCLUSIONS The mutual fund industry is growing at a tremendous pace. A large number of plans have come up from different financial resources. With the stock markets oaring the investors are attracted towards these schemes. Only a small segment of the investors still in Mutual Funds and the main source  sources of information still are the financial advisors followed by advertisements in different media. The Indian investors generally invest over period of 2-3 years. Also there is a tendency to invest in fixed deposits due to the security attached to it. In order to excel and make mutual funds a success, companies still need to create awareness and understand the psyche of the Indian customer. REFERENCES Agapova, Anna, 2011, „The Role of Money Market Mutual Funds in Mutual Fund Families , Journal of Applied ‟ 1. Finance, Vol. 21, Issue. 1, pp. 87-102. Agarwal, Vikas; Boyson, Nicole M.; Naik, Narayan Y, 2009, „Hedge Funds for Retail Investors? An Examination of Hedged Mutual Funds , Journal of Financial & Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 44, Issue 2, pp. 273-305. ‟ 2. 12 Pritam P. Kothari & Shivganga C. Mindargi 3. A. Vennila, R. Nandhagopal(2012) â€Å"Investors’ Preference towards Mutual Funds in Coimbatore City European Journal of Social Sciences ISSN 1450-2267 Vol.29 No.1 (2012), pp. 115-125 4. Binod Kumar Singh (2011) â€Å"A Study on Investors’ Attitude towards Mutual Funds as an Investment Option† JOURNAL OF ASIAN BUSINESS STRATEGY, VOL. 1(2): 8-15 5. Badrinath, S.G & Gubellini, S, (2011), „On the characteristics and performance of long-short, market-neutral and bear mutual funds , Journal of Banking & Finance, Vol. 35 Issue 7, pp.1762-1776. ‟ 6. Dranikoff L, Koller, T. and Schneider, A, â€Å"Divestiture: Strategy’s Missing Link†, Harvard Business Review, May 2002, 80 (5). 7. Dr.Nishi Sharma (2009) â€Å"Indian Inverstors Perception towards mutual funds† Business Management Dynamics Vol.2, No.2, Aug 2012, pp.01-09 8. Gil-Bazo, Javier; Ruiz & Verd, Pablo, 2009, „The Relation between Price and Performance in the Mutual Fund Industry , Journal of Finance, Vol. 64, Issue 5, pp. 2153-2183. ‟ 9. Hansen M and Nohria N, â€Å"What’s your Strategy for Managing Knowledge?† Harvard Business Review, MarchApril, 1999, 77 (2).1 10. Journal of Marketing, 32 (October), 65-68, 1968. 11. Rajeswari, T.R., and V.E. RamaMoorthy, 2001, An Empirical Study on Factors Influencing the Mutual Fund Scheme Selection by Retail Investors . Retrieved on May 2010 < http://www.utiicm .com/Cmc/PDFs/ ‟ 2001/rajeswari.pdf>. 12. Singh, Chander, 2004, „Performance of mutual funds in India – an empirical evidence , ICFAI journal of applied ‟ finance December, pp. 81-98. 13. Subbash C. Jain, â€Å"Marketing Planning and Strategy†, South Western College Publishing, Sixth Edition, 2000. 14. Singh, B. K. and Jha, A.K. 2009, „An empirical study on awareness & acceptability of mutual fund , Regional ‟ Student s Conference, ICWAI, pp. 49-55. ‟ 15. Winer, C. Strategic Thinking: An executive Perspective, Upper Saddle River, Prentice Hall, 2000

Ada Lovelace Essay

Ada Lovelace was born in 1815, and died in 1852 from cancer. Ada Lovelace was the daughter of a famous poet Lord Byron and Anabella Millbank, who also enjoyed math. Ada’s parents were divorced right after she was born and was never able to meet her estrange father. However, her father corresponded with her mother on her upbringing. Anabella Millbank, Ada’s mother, did not want her daughter to be a poet like her father and did everything possible, pushed Ada night and day, to learn mathematics. Even though Ada’s fond interests were elsewhere, her mother diminished those interests until Ada grew a fondness of math, by no choice of her own. At an early age Ada met with Charles Babbage in London, and with that Ada first learned of the Difference Engine. This is when Ada Lovelace’s eyes grew with enormous content, interest, and enthusiasm of the invention, which was later known as the Analytical Engine. In her twenties, Ada married her husband (several years her age) Earl William King and soon after, she bore three children. After having her children she became engrossed and focused on the formulation of the Analytical Engine, which took several years of extensive work, which she loved. Ada composed a â€Å"plan for how the engine might calculate Bernoulli numbers. This plan is now regarded as the first â€Å"computer program† (Larry Riddle, p. 1). Ada became ill and was diagnosed with cancer of the uterus and died at an early age, like her father, right after her accomplishments. Ada’s achievement was shown in her â€Å"notes† on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which was finally acknowledged and â€Å"became reality in the 20th century computers which earned her a place in the history of mathematics and computer science† (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, p. 6).

Alan Klein Sugarball

More importantly, Klein asserts, baseball is uniquely American in how it has spread to other nations and dominates the game elsewhere.   It has the largest and strongest organization, the richest teams, largest fan base, most lucrative broadcasting and advertising contracts, and most extensive networks for scouting and player development. Baseball’s presence in the Dominican Republic (among the western hemisphere’s poorest nations) is also uniquely American because, as with other aspects of American culture, it was brought there as American domination spread throughout the Caribbean American interests assumed control of the Dominican economy. However, unlike other American corporations, Major League Baseball did not provoke widespread, unmitigated resentment, but is for the most part supported by the nation’s people.   In addition, the methods long used to scout and sign Dominican ballplayers is similarly dubious and rifer with duplicity; Klein calls their methods â€Å"so reminiscent of those of the West African slave traders of three centuries earlier† (42). In terms of the game itself, the rules and style in each are generally the same, and while Dominicans play the game with an intensity equal with Americans, their approach to other aspects of baseball are more casual, reflecting that society’s leniency and lax approach to time.   While Dominican players play as hard as their American teammates and opponents, they embrace a much more casual attitude toward time, frequently showing up late for meetings or practice unless specifically required to be punctual.   In addition, they tend to be more exuberant and unrestrained; playing the game seriously is not equated with a somber demeanor. Most of the differences lie off the field, particularly in the atmosphere of a stadium on game day.   The fan culture is radically different; where American fans are more restrained, often get to games on time, and can sometimes be confrontational with other fans, Dominican fans are generally louder, more physically and temperamentally relaxed, more effusive (even with strangers), and, despite the demonstrative body language and shouting shown in arguments, there is far less violence than at an American ballgame. Klein attributes this to the fact that â€Å"[Dominican fans] are far more social than North Americans, more in tune with human frailty.   Because they see so much human vulnerability, because they are closer to the margins of life, they are more likely to resist the urge to bully and harm† (148). Economic power essentially defines the relationship between American and Dominican baseball, because Major League Baseball develops and signs much of the local Dominican talent, leaving the Dominican professional league and amateur ranks underdeveloped and subordinate to the North American teams who establish baseball academies and working agreements with Dominican teams. Since 1955, when the major leagues established working agreements with Dominican professional clubs (and, more significantly, eliminated the â€Å"color line† that prevented most Dominicans, who are predominantly mulatto, from playing), American baseball has shown its hegemony over its Dominican counterpart, turning the latter into a virtual colony by taking its raw resources and giving back very little in return.   Klein comments: â€Å"The lure of cheap, abundant talent in the Dominican Republic led American teams to establish a more substantial presence there . . . [and the] bonds between American and Dominican baseball came increasingly to resemble other economic and political relations between the two countries† (36). Klein writes that most Dominicans accept American dominance of their baseball, adding that â€Å"whereas giants such as Falconbridge and GTE are resented, major league teams are largely supported† (2), mainly because Dominican players have such a notable presence and bring positive attention to their impoverished homeland.   This support is by no means unconditional, though; they steadfastly refuse to approach the game with American businesslike gravitas; instead, they treat the game itself somewhat like Carnival, with joy coexisting alongside energetic, intense play. Resistance appears in the way Dominican players relax at home, interacting more freely with fans, who themselves resist American baseball’s decorum by being themselves and creating a festive, effusive, Carnival-like atmosphere.   According to Klein, â€Å"The game remains American in structure, but its setting is Dominican and it has become infused with Dominican values† (149).   Indeed, the park fosters a microcosm of Dominican society, particularly its impoverished economy, and unlike the more slick American baseball business, it does not exclude its marginal activities. In addition to the paid vendors and park employees within the stadium, an illicit economy flourishes both within and on the outside, with self-appointed â€Å"car watchers,† vendors, and ushers (adults and children alike) plying their trade for small fees, and bookmakers work openly, often in the presence of the police, who turn a blind eye to most illegal activity aside from the rare fight. Dominican baseball’s symbolic significance is not a sense of the pastoral heritage, like some in America interpret it; instead, it reflects Dominicans’ sense of themselves being dominated by the United States, and offers a symbolic outlet for striking back. In his preface, Klein writes: â€Å"The tensions between a batter who has two strikes against him and the opposing pitcher are a metaphor for the political and cultural tensions described in this book† (xi).   Indeed, the Dominican republic’s deeply entrenched poverty and long domination by foreign powers give it a feeling of vulnerability and compel its people to seek some means of besting the dominant power – if not politically or economically, then at least athletically. At the start of the book, Klein states that â€Å"every turn at bat is a candle of hope, every swing is the wave of a banner, the sweeping arc of a sword† (1).   Indeed, when a Dominican reaches the major leagues and excels, it is not merely an athletic success story but a symbolic invasion and conquest of the conqueror’s territory.   (The United States twice occupied the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century, an ever-present fact in Dominicans’ minds.) Also, the atmosphere in the crowd of a Dominican professional game serves as the country’s symbolic assertion of its culture in the face of American dominance.   At Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya Stadium, one witnesses â€Å"a mass spectacle that makes simultaneous use of American and Dominican elements. . . . [Baseball] at Quisqueya embodies many of the things that North Americans find blameworthy in Dominican culture – lateness, overly casual behavior, inefficiency.   But the Dominicans see these characteristics as a source of pride, and they take their game seriously† (150). The Dominican baseball press is a source of more open resistance; says Klein, â€Å"the press has inadvertently created a Latino universe of discourse, one in which North Americans are conspicuously absent† (127).   Its journalists display an obvious bias by devoting so much attention to Dominicans in the major leagues that one hardly knows other nationalities even participate. In addition, Dominican baseball writers openly blame Dominican baseball’s problems on American control, protesting a skewed economic relationship that mirrors the larger political and economic imbalance.   They promote much of the public’s pride, says Klein, but that pride is â€Å"tempered by the view that Dominican baseball is still an adjunct to the American game† (121).   Dominican resistance is thus aimed at countering this uncomfortable fact. In baseball terms, American culture interacts with Dominican culture by treating it with some degree of condescension and insensitivity.   Many American baseball professionals are impatient with Dominicans’ loose sense of time, quickly deeming Latino players uncoachable â€Å"head cases,† without looking at the cultural differences. Among Dominicans, says Klein, â€Å"There is none of the regimentation, guardedness, and nervous tension that characterizes players in the United States.   North American managers must take this looseness into account when they go to the Caribbean, for the players’ conception of the game and of time is as elastic as that of other Dominicans† (148). Despite the United States’ long domination of the Dominican Republic, the small nation’s people feel less anger than a mixture of muted resentment and aspiration to attain American material prosperity and stability, which for most are a distant, unreachable ideal.   Thus, when Dominican ballplayers reach the major leagues, their large salaries represent a sort of victory and source of immense pride for the small island nation.   Says Klein, â€Å"Much as archeological treasures attest to a rich Dominican past, salaries attest to the present† (128). Klein’s study pays keen attention not only to Dominican history but also to the ways in which Dominicans embrace this imported sport but also use their prowess to offer their own subtle response to American political and economic dominance.   The dynamic he describes illustrates not only American hegemony, but also how subordinated peoples’ identity and spirit can thrive even in the face of foreign domination. Klein, Alan M.   Sugarball.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991. Alan Klein Sugarball More importantly, Klein asserts, baseball is uniquely American in how it has spread to other nations and dominates the game elsewhere.   It has the largest and strongest organization, the richest teams, largest fan base, most lucrative broadcasting and advertising contracts, and most extensive networks for scouting and player development. Baseball’s presence in the Dominican Republic (among the western hemisphere’s poorest nations) is also uniquely American because, as with other aspects of American culture, it was brought there as American domination spread throughout the Caribbean American interests assumed control of the Dominican economy. However, unlike other American corporations, Major League Baseball did not provoke widespread, unmitigated resentment, but is for the most part supported by the nation’s people.   In addition, the methods long used to scout and sign Dominican ballplayers is similarly dubious and rifer with duplicity; Klein calls their methods â€Å"so reminiscent of those of the West African slave traders of three centuries earlier† (42). In terms of the game itself, the rules and style in each are generally the same, and while Dominicans play the game with an intensity equal with Americans, their approach to other aspects of baseball are more casual, reflecting that society’s leniency and lax approach to time.   While Dominican players play as hard as their American teammates and opponents, they embrace a much more casual attitude toward time, frequently showing up late for meetings or practice unless specifically required to be punctual.   In addition, they tend to be more exuberant and unrestrained; playing the game seriously is not equated with a somber demeanor. Most of the differences lie off the field, particularly in the atmosphere of a stadium on game day.   The fan culture is radically different; where American fans are more restrained, often get to games on time, and can sometimes be confrontational with other fans, Dominican fans are generally louder, more physically and temperamentally relaxed, more effusive (even with strangers), and, despite the demonstrative body language and shouting shown in arguments, there is far less violence than at an American ballgame. Klein attributes this to the fact that â€Å"[Dominican fans] are far more social than North Americans, more in tune with human frailty.   Because they see so much human vulnerability, because they are closer to the margins of life, they are more likely to resist the urge to bully and harm† (148). Economic power essentially defines the relationship between American and Dominican baseball, because Major League Baseball develops and signs much of the local Dominican talent, leaving the Dominican professional league and amateur ranks underdeveloped and subordinate to the North American teams who establish baseball academies and working agreements with Dominican teams. Since 1955, when the major leagues established working agreements with Dominican professional clubs (and, more significantly, eliminated the â€Å"color line† that prevented most Dominicans, who are predominantly mulatto, from playing), American baseball has shown its hegemony over its Dominican counterpart, turning the latter into a virtual colony by taking its raw resources and giving back very little in return.   Klein comments: â€Å"The lure of cheap, abundant talent in the Dominican Republic led American teams to establish a more substantial presence there . . . [and the] bonds between American and Dominican baseball came increasingly to resemble other economic and political relations between the two countries† (36). Klein writes that most Dominicans accept American dominance of their baseball, adding that â€Å"whereas giants such as Falconbridge and GTE are resented, major league teams are largely supported† (2), mainly because Dominican players have such a notable presence and bring positive attention to their impoverished homeland.   This support is by no means unconditional, though; they steadfastly refuse to approach the game with American businesslike gravitas; instead, they treat the game itself somewhat like Carnival, with joy coexisting alongside energetic, intense play. Resistance appears in the way Dominican players relax at home, interacting more freely with fans, who themselves resist American baseball’s decorum by being themselves and creating a festive, effusive, Carnival-like atmosphere.   According to Klein, â€Å"The game remains American in structure, but its setting is Dominican and it has become infused with Dominican values† (149).   Indeed, the park fosters a microcosm of Dominican society, particularly its impoverished economy, and unlike the more slick American baseball business, it does not exclude its marginal activities. In addition to the paid vendors and park employees within the stadium, an illicit economy flourishes both within and on the outside, with self-appointed â€Å"car watchers,† vendors, and ushers (adults and children alike) plying their trade for small fees, and bookmakers work openly, often in the presence of the police, who turn a blind eye to most illegal activity aside from the rare fight. Dominican baseball’s symbolic significance is not a sense of the pastoral heritage, like some in America interpret it; instead, it reflects Dominicans’ sense of themselves being dominated by the United States, and offers a symbolic outlet for striking back. In his preface, Klein writes: â€Å"The tensions between a batter who has two strikes against him and the opposing pitcher are a metaphor for the political and cultural tensions described in this book† (xi).   Indeed, the Dominican republic’s deeply entrenched poverty and long domination by foreign powers give it a feeling of vulnerability and compel its people to seek some means of besting the dominant power – if not politically or economically, then at least athletically. At the start of the book, Klein states that â€Å"every turn at bat is a candle of hope, every swing is the wave of a banner, the sweeping arc of a sword† (1).   Indeed, when a Dominican reaches the major leagues and excels, it is not merely an athletic success story but a symbolic invasion and conquest of the conqueror’s territory.   (The United States twice occupied the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century, an ever-present fact in Dominicans’ minds.) Also, the atmosphere in the crowd of a Dominican professional game serves as the country’s symbolic assertion of its culture in the face of American dominance.   At Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya Stadium, one witnesses â€Å"a mass spectacle that makes simultaneous use of American and Dominican elements. . . . [Baseball] at Quisqueya embodies many of the things that North Americans find blameworthy in Dominican culture – lateness, overly casual behavior, inefficiency.   But the Dominicans see these characteristics as a source of pride, and they take their game seriously† (150). The Dominican baseball press is a source of more open resistance; says Klein, â€Å"the press has inadvertently created a Latino universe of discourse, one in which North Americans are conspicuously absent† (127).   Its journalists display an obvious bias by devoting so much attention to Dominicans in the major leagues that one hardly knows other nationalities even participate. In addition, Dominican baseball writers openly blame Dominican baseball’s problems on American control, protesting a skewed economic relationship that mirrors the larger political and economic imbalance.   They promote much of the public’s pride, says Klein, but that pride is â€Å"tempered by the view that Dominican baseball is still an adjunct to the American game† (121).   Dominican resistance is thus aimed at countering this uncomfortable fact. In baseball terms, American culture interacts with Dominican culture by treating it with some degree of condescension and insensitivity.   Many American baseball professionals are impatient with Dominicans’ loose sense of time, quickly deeming Latino players uncoachable â€Å"head cases,† without looking at the cultural differences. Among Dominicans, says Klein, â€Å"There is none of the regimentation, guardedness, and nervous tension that characterizes players in the United States.   North American managers must take this looseness into account when they go to the Caribbean, for the players’ conception of the game and of time is as elastic as that of other Dominicans† (148). Despite the United States’ long domination of the Dominican Republic, the small nation’s people feel less anger than a mixture of muted resentment and aspiration to attain American material prosperity and stability, which for most are a distant, unreachable ideal.   Thus, when Dominican ballplayers reach the major leagues, their large salaries represent a sort of victory and source of immense pride for the small island nation.   Says Klein, â€Å"Much as archeological treasures attest to a rich Dominican past, salaries attest to the present† (128). Klein’s study pays keen attention not only to Dominican history but also to the ways in which Dominicans embrace this imported sport but also use their prowess to offer their own subtle response to American political and economic dominance.   The dynamic he describes illustrates not only American hegemony, but also how subordinated peoples’ identity and spirit can thrive even in the face of foreign domination. Klein, Alan M.   Sugarball.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991.