Attitudes towards woman at the begging of the twentieth century Essay Example

Attitudes towards woman at the begging of the twentieth century Essay Example Attitudes towards woman at the begging of the twentieth century Essay Attitudes towards woman at the begging of the twentieth century Essay Essay Topic: Literature The Inspector starts his enquires with Mr. Birling, who is a prosperous business manufacturer. He is not from the same social class as his wife, Sybil. He is confident but betrays his lack of social graces, we see this when his wife corrects him, Arthur, youre not supposed to say such things We can also see that Mr. Birling is aware of business advantages from the union of the two families. Mr. Birlings business aspirations come into the open when he tells Gerald about his knighthood, theres a fair chance that I might find my way into the next Honours List. Just a knighthood, of course. These are all good examples of how being higher up the social hierarchy in this era was regarded as being extremely important. Mr. Birling also shows us the attitude towards women at the time. His involvement with Eva Smith goes back two years. He employs hundreds of women so is obviously a successful businessman. He sacked her because she asked for a pay rise; he did it without consideration of personal consequences for Eva Smith and refuses to accept responsibility. As his impatience grows we see his true colours, obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girls suicide. This is a good example of how women in the lower or working class meant nothing to the upper class. He does not seem to be at all bothered about what has happened to this girl and finds it all a complete nuisance. We also see later on that the only reason this was a nuisance is because if it were to get out in the open it would be a great threat to the chance of Mr. Birling getting a knighthood. This once again shows how important climbing the class hierarchy was to people of this era, even more important than a womans life. The next person the Inspector questions is Sheila. Sheila tried an item of clothing on in the shop where Eva worked but it didnt suit her. I caught sight of this girl smiling at Miss Francis and I was absolutely furious. So she went to the manager and said that Eva had been impertinent. Furthermore that Eva must be sacked immediately otherwise she would persuade her mother to shut her account with them. Obviously her mothers account was worth a lot more to the company than one working class girl. She did this out of jealousy, embarrassment and vanity, which we later go on to see is similar to her mother. Afterwards though she feels upset and guilty. This once again shows that the attitudes towards women especially in the lower class were poor ones. Next the Inspector questioned Gerald, Sheilas fianci. He had an affair with Eva, but she had changed her name so he knew her as Daisy Renton. His affair with her gave him sex and a sense of being a hero. This affair is not criticised by Sheilas parents though as in that time this was a thing that higher-class men would often do. He is embarrassed, defensive and looks for ways out of feeling guilty. Gerald suggests, young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things which is quiet ironic considering he cheated on Sheila and used Daisy as a prostitute. From the way he treated these two women we can see that he did not have a lot of respect for either of them. This was often the case in this era, men went around doing as they pleased and the women were just seen as second-class citizens who could be treated however the men pleased. Mrs. Birling is the next one to be questioned by the Inspector. Mrs. Birling met Daisy when she came to Mrs. Birlings womens charity asking for help. She needed help, as she was unemployed, homeless and pregnant. Mrs. Birling refuses to help Daisy, she says that she was personally insulted and lied to. Just like Mr. Birling she is angry and refuses responsibility. We see that people in the higher class had the right to decide whether or not the lower class deserved help and whether or no they were telling the truth. Mrs. Birling puts her foot in it firstly when she says, I blame the young man who was the father of the child she was going to have. If, as she said, he didnt belong to her class, and was some drunken young idler, then thats all the more reason why he shouldnt escape. She then goes on to say, hed be entirely responsible and that he ought to be dealt extremely severely. We then go on to see that the man she is talking about is in fact her own son Eric. The I So from the source we can learn that Polly Nicholls murder consisted of extraordinary violence. Inspector ends his enquires with Eric, who got Daisy pregnant. The fact that once more Daisy was used as prostitute, and also used for a mans pleasure and then dropped when he felt like it. He got her pregnant and although he did try to help her afterwards by giving her money other than that he made no real effort to help her. This once again shows how being a lower class woman in this era was just about as low as you could get in the class hierarchy. Afterwards he does realise though what he did was irresponsible and he does feel guilty for it. Like Sheila he also wishes that the others would take responsibility for their parts leading up to the death of Daisy. In conclusion we can see that An Inspector calls tells us a lot about the class hierarchy and attitudes towards women in the begging of the twentieth century. We see that women were treated very badly by men and sometimes even by other women who were in higher classes to themselves. We also see how the higher up you were in the class system the easier it was for you and the easier it was for you to get your own way in matters.

How to Write a Childrens Book in 5 Simple Steps the Master Guide

How to Write a Childrens Book in 5 Simple Steps the Master Guide How to Write a Children's Book: an Author's Guide So you want to know how to write a children’s book? That’s great news. Children and teenagers are some of the most devoted readers out there - just don't  underestimate the size of the task in front of you. A children’s book is sometimes mistakenly seen as â€Å"easy† to write when, in fact, the opposite is true. You’ll need to nail all the essential elements like your voice, structure, plot, and characterization†¦ with fewer pages.In this post, we ask some of our top children’s book editors for their tips on how to create a book that publishers and readers will want to buy. And from their advice, we're going to show you how to write a children's book in five steps:Understand the children's book market (and your category)Create memorable charactersTell an engaging storyHone your voiceDetermine whether you need an illustratorLet's drill a little deeper into each step, starting with the first...For some awesome examples, check out the 1 20 best children's books of all time!Step 1. Understand the children’s book market  (and your category)"The children's publishing industry deems a book successful based upon sales data, but if you want to know which books work, just look for Scotch tape. Look for the books with the weird stains on the pages, with frayed covers, torn-and-taped pages - the books that have been read so many times that they are completely falling apart. These are the hallmarks of a successful children's book." - Brian Saliba, children's editorBefore you write a word of your book, you need to figure out your target audience. You can’t expect a five-year-old kid, for instance, to give a preteen’s book the time of day - and vice versa! Literary agents, in particular, will discard any book that’s not demographic-friendly, which is why children's editor Anna Bowles advises you to tailor every aspect of your book to your age band. This includes:TopicLengthStylePlot complexityL et’s take a closer look at each of the major categories in the children’s book market. How is the children's book market split up? Find out in this guide to children's books Picture books (Ages 5-7)It’s important to note that not all books with pictures are picture books. In industry terms, a picture book is a book that relies equally on illustrations and words to tell the story. Since picture books are meant to be a child’s first reading experience, the word count is going to be very low (500 words or fewer, 1,000 tops). To perfect your written work, consider sharing it with friends, family, and children’s writing communities (such as Children’s Book Authors on Facebook or a writing group in your area). You should also test your book on your target audience: children. Kids are brutally honest so their feedback will be very valuable.If you think that you need a specialist's touch, you might want to hire a professional editor. Their decades of experience will improve your storytelling and make sure that your book is ready for the market. You can find out the cost of hiring a professional children’s book editor here.Taking the next stepOnce you’re happy with your book, it’s time to take the last step and put it out there for children to read. You can dive deep into the process in this extensive guide to publishing a children’s book.If you’re planning to self-publish, you’ll want to start thinking about marketing. Here’s a free 10-day course that provides marketing strategies to help you promote your children’s book before, during, and after its launch.Most of all, never lose sight of your goal. The journey to writing a successful children’s book might be hard, but it’ll be worth it when you picture your book in the hands of young readers everywhere.Are you writing a children's book right now? Do you have any more questions for our professional editors? Leave them in the comment box below and we'll answer right away!

Lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Lab Report Example A small velocity means the car will stop at a shorter distance. Hence the distance will decrease. The ramp will be set up as in the previous lab experiment with the ramp raised 45 cm above the floor. The meter rule will be stacked at the center of the ramp with its zero mark placed at the bottom end of the ramp. An ultrasound reflector will be taped at the back of the model car. The mass of the car is then measured and recorded. A book of about 300g is placed at the 30cm mark from the bottom end of the ramp. The motion detector is fixed at the higher end of the ramp according to the setup in the lab manual. The motion detector is channeled to the computer interface through channel one. The computer is then set for data acquisition. The car is placed at the 80 cm mark on the meter rule. The car is released simultaneously with the sound from the detector. After the car hit the book the distance which the book moves is recorded. Repeat twice and find average of the distance the book moved. The whole procedure is repeated but now with a book of 600g. To confirm the results for question [9], we repeat the above procedure but now recording average velocity of the car weighing 500g. The procedure is repeated but with a car of mass 1000g. Again the average velocity of the car is recorded. These velocities are used to calculate the momentum of the car at the time of

Humanitarian Interventionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Humanitarian Interventionism - Essay Example Military interventions have a long history both prior to and during the Cold War, and even at the turn of the decade it was not apparent that they might no longer be undertaken in the future. These interventions were justified on moral grounds, or on the grounds of international law, or as selfless acts. On October 7, 2001, the U.S. launched a massive military assault on Afghanistan that effaced its political structure and created an enormous refugee situation. From the middle of 2002, the U.S. threatened to do the same thing to Iraq, running through a spectrum of reasons that changed as each previous argument collapsed. After giving up on efforts of U.N. inspectors to find weapons of mass destruction in that country, the Bush administration's inability to do so dissolved that pretext as well. The assault on Afghanistan, mounted in response to the events of September 11, 2001, was part of a two-decade-long series that included Grenada (1982), Panama (1989), Iraq (1991), and Yugoslavia (1999). Each assault had its own peculiarity, and violated certain principles of democracy and international law; yet, each received overwhelming support in the U.S., at institutional and popular levels. Though its moments differ, they reveal a common structure and the series as a whole poses an envelo ping question concerning its general acceptability. After the 9/11 After the 9/11 attacks, though no one took credit for this coordinated act of destruction, the U.S. government immediately claimed, without evidence, that a Saudi expatriate allegedly living in Afghanistan was responsible, and that 19 men of Middle Eastern origin, whose names the FBI published two days later, had committed this act of collective suicide and mass murder. International law provides the right to defend against terrorist attacks, but not to retaliate without going through certain international channels and procedures, which the U.S. ignored. Though in violation of international law (the Geneva Accords and U.N. Charter), the military assault on Afghanistan constituted the first act in what was declared to be an "endless war." The massive bombing of Afghanistan created a civilian death count considerably beyond that of the World Trade Center; whole villages were obliterated, and an already critical refugee and starvation situation was exacerbated, stretching well into Paki stan. In place of the Taliban organization, an interim government was invented. Though objection to this assault in the U.S. was small, it was repressed: public figures who spoke against the attack were vilified, people were fired, students suspended from school, social programs closed, university professors sanctioned, etc. to arrest one man. The assault on Afghanistan, according to military experts, would have required at least three months of logistical preparation; indeed, plans for the assault had begun the previous July. (Stan Goff) If so, the arrest of bin Laden was merely a legalistic pretext for a prior political project, the change of regime in Afghanistan. This raises two issues. The first is the use of international legalism to symbolize rather than explain or authorize an intervention, the pursuit of which violates international and U.S. law. The second is the structure of popular acceptance that likewise ignores illegality (the violation of a treaty, of international codes, and the principle of national sovereignty). The U.S. invaded Panama

Coscto Wholesale Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coscto Wholesale Corporation - Case Study Example Consumers want new products, which often result from sizable expenditures on research and development that can be undertaken only by large enterprise. In reality, it seems that a market of partial monopolies has provided the greatest measure of abundance (Global Marketing Principles 2008). Competition occurs not only in markets of many small firms but also in markets of relatively few large ones. However, in markets with few large firms, competitive action can be countered, and price competition may not serve as an effective method of competition. Therefore, products and services also become competitive weapons, and nonprice competition assumes importance. This fact has not yet been sufficiently recognized and integrated into theoretical models (Costco Home Page 2008). Costco spends no on advertising following "the no-frills concept". Costco has no public relations and advertising department trying to prove that the main principle of business is to sell products "as inexpensively as possible" (DiCarlo 2004). Costco does not rely on advertising proposing customers unique services and wide assortment, low prices and customer support. Technological improvements facilitate the type of centralized management that characterizes these organizations. The economies of scale that result from increasing store count and the ability to divide tasks between store operations and central merchandising put them in very powerful positions vis--vis both their customers and their suppliers. Costco was founded in 1976 as Cash-and Carry Company. The owner of Costco, sol Price, opened the Price Club store in San Diego as a discount store. INTRODUCTION The sales model of Costco is to sell products at low prices but at high volumes. During the 1980s, economic turmoil opened the door to retailing innovators who cut the cost out of distribution and drove conventional department stores or discounters to their knees or to bankruptcy court. Of the top twenty discount department stores in 1980, fewer than half remain in operation today, while the doomed still stick to business as usual. The seeds of "creative destruction" were sown in the 1980s but will be harvested in the 1990s. As many as 20 percent of the regional shopping centers currently operating in the United States will close by the year 2000 (Costco Home Page 2008; Bearden et al p. 54). In order to remain competititve, Costco changed its strategy and introduce Costco membership. Goldstar and Business Memberships costs about $50 a year and the Executive membership is about $100 a year. Only Costco members can purchase main products except drugs, drinks and gasoline similar to other retailers of this type, Costco continues to rattle around within overstored retail square footage that outstripped both population growth and consumer spending over the past decade (Costco Home Page 2008). The coming shakeout in retailing has been preordained by a copycat, follow-the-leader mentality, a quiet conspiracy toward "sameness" in retailing--in layout, location, presentation, products, and service. Diversity in products, in consumers, in employees, and in the environment will demand diversity and dexterity among retailers. "Costco sells very large volumes of merchandise and achieving high inventory turnover In addition to

Increasing Healthcare Costs Becoming A Concern Economics Essay

Increasing Healthcare Costs Becoming A Concern Economics Essay Rising health care costs has become a concern for many nations, societies and even individuals. The ability to cope with this issue and its implications will be greatly looked into in this report. In order to understand how to tackle this challenge, there is a need to first understand the root causes, in other words, what causes health care costs to rise. After having looked at some of the common beliefs of rising health care costs, the report will then look at the strategies implemented to tackle this challenge. To do so, the report will make use of a few journal articles to critically discuss on the effectiveness of Singapores healthcare financing system and recommend measures that will help solve the issue better. Literature Review A very common and simple reason that people give for the increase in healthcare costs often fall on the fact of aging population and the increased vulnerability of the population to health issues, leading to more medical consultations, both inpatient and outpatient. This in turn, causing healthcare costs to rise. Another common reason that many people give for the increase in healthcare costs is inflation. Inflation causes the prices of goods and services to rise. When such happens, the costs of health care will rise because the salary of the workforce employed in the healthcare industry increases, the costs of medication increases and the costs of health insurance increases, for example. (Cockerham, 2010) The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development noted a significant increase of average ratio of health spending to GDP in its 31 member countries. The report also suggested that while technological advancement brought about improvement in diagnosis and treatment, this also contributed to the increasing of health spending (OECD Health Data 2010, 2010). In another report, rising health care costs was attributed to greater use of innovative medical technologies. However, the report suggested that rising health care costs could also be due to the market power of health care providers. In the report, however, it seemed to suggest that the extent of the increase in rising health care costs in developed countries like the United States in terms of the market power of health care providers are more significant than that in developing countries. (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2005) It is undeniable that no country is able to guarantee accessible healthcare for all. However, the situation in low-income countries is far more critical as some are even unable to ensure access to basic healthcare for its citizens. A few options proposed to tackle this issue include governments increasing their budget allocations on health expenditure, raising additional domestic funds for health or diversifying their funding sources (World Health Organization, 2011). Another interesting cause highlighted for the increase in rising health care costs could be due to our social behaviour in terms of financial prudence when a third party pays our medical bills. It is interesting to note that when our medical bills payment falls on the responsibilities of a third party (i.e. employer, insurance company or government) and we only pay a small and affordable percentage, we are more likely to seek medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment even for the slightest illness. A case study on Singapore health care financing system is done to discuss on how these considerations are managed and how it may be further improved. Case study: Singapore health care system financing According to one of the research studies, Singapores ageing population which is estimated to increase by 12% in 2030 to 19% of its population being made up of older Singaporeans aged 65 and above. This is of a concern in ensuring provision of affordable healthcare especially where responsibility of the healthcare bill often falls on the children of this segment of the society. Singapores health care system focuses on developing independence and interdependence of its people on the nation. In order not to create total reliance and dependence on the nation, Singapores health care system begins with building a healthy population through preventive healthcare programmes and promoting a healthy lifestyle (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 2007). Singapores health care system then ensures affordability of healthcare to its people through offering universal coverage and multiple layers of protection. In this strategy, this is done through (1) heavy government subsidies of up to 80% of the total bill in acute public hospital wards, which all Singaporeans can access, (2) , a compulsory individual medical savings account scheme which allows practically all Singaporeans to pay for their share of medical treatment without financial difficulty, (3) Medishield, a low cost catastrophic medical insurance scheme, which allows Singaporeans to effectively risk-pool the financial risks of major illnesses. Individual responsibility for ones healthcare needs is promoted through the features of deductibles and co-payment in Medishield. Eldershield, a severe disability insurance, is also available for subscription by Singaporeans to risk-pool against financial risks of suffering a severe disability. and (4) Medifund, which is a medical endowme nt fund set up by the Government to act as the ultimate safety net for needy Singaporeans who cannot afford to pay their medical bills despite heavy subsidies, Medisave and Medishield (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 2007). To promote competition and transparency so as to counter further unwarranted rise in healthcare costs, in 2004, the Ministry of Health began to publish hospital bill sizes  to show the variation in costs among our hospitals, with a view to push our hospitals on this effort to do more with less.   There have been some successes since then in spurring improvements, e.g. LASIK prices dropped by more than S$1,000 per eye and the competitive price wars continue to this day, at great benefit to consumers. The Ministry has also progressively published health outcomes on the website to encourage further improvements and help patients make more informed choices. Singapores success was further supported by its statistics on government spending in 2008, when Singapore spent about S$ 10.2 billion or 3.9% of GDP on healthcare. Out of this the Government expended S$2.7 billion or 1.0% of GDP on health services (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 2007). Discussion: Effectiveness of Singapores strategies in managing rising health care costs Singapores focus on the ideology that prevention is better than cure helps managing rising health care costs by encouraging its population to reduce the need of seeking medical attention and thus reducing substantially incurring of such expenditure. Its preventive healthcare programmes such as free or subsidized community health screening programmes and activities aimed at promoting active living and healthy lifestyle makes being healthy a simple way of life which is possible to achieve. Moreover, this ideology will continue to tackle the lasting problem of aging population and the increased vulnerability of the population to health issues, which is said to be a cause for rising health care costs. With stressors of a fast-paced meritocratic society such as stress at school at a very young age, stress of work upon working life and the stress of supporting and maintaining a family, this often causes one to become sick and have to turn to medical attention for relief. As such, Singapore would need to consider strategies on how to tackle such non-health issues that may lead to healthcare expenditure, in order to further assist its population to manage rising health care costs. Next, having discussed the preventive strategy taken by Singapore, the Medisave and Medifund benefits would be discussed. It is important to first understand that only Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents contributing to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) as well as his dependents (i.e. spouse, children, parents and grandparents) would be able to benefit from the Medisave. In addition to subsidizing healthcare expenditure, the Medisave can also be used to pay the premiums of MediShield, which covers up to 80% of a large medical bill at the class B2/C level or any appropriate integrated shield plans from approved private insurers (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 2007). This allows the individual and his dependents who are subscribed to the MediShield or the integrated shield plans to have the most, if not all, of the inpatient and outpatient healthcare expenses, including co-insurance and deductible to be taken care and omits the individuals stress of having the need to seek sufficient cash funding for such a purpose. This in turn, helps to minimise the social stressor of healthcare need. While this may prove to be helpful to its population, it is important to note that as the benefits is still fairly limited. Compared to its entire population being able to benefit from such initiatives, there is a burden created on the CPF-contributing individual to look after both his personal and dependents healthcare needs and expenditure, using the Medisave. Should the CPF-contributing individual be the sole breadwinner of the household, this would inevitably create further psychosocial stressor on him which may pose potentially cause health deterioration and create unwarranted expenditure on healthcare needs. Therefore, Singapore would need to relook into providing healthcare financial subsidies to its population who are do not contribute to the CPF, in order for its approach to manage rising healthcare costs to be effective and complete. On top of the Medisave, the Medifund scheme exists to help ensure needy Singapore citizens who are unable to pay for their medical bills, are still provided with the necessary medical care. In order to benefit from the Medifund, a list of basic requirements needs to be met, such as the patient and his family having difficulty affording the medical bill despite heavy government subsidies, MediShield and Medisave (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 2007). While the Medifund scheme shows the government great concern and active efforts to ensuring medical care is catered to the needy of its population, the initiative is still not wholesome and thus need to be relooked into, such as in a situation where a patient meets most of the criteria stated but comes from a broken family and has a family member who is able but refuse to pay for the patients medical bill, he may then be unable to benefit from the Medifund. In such an instance, further implications and repercussions to the patients psycho logical and physical health may worsen his existing medical condition. Not only will his medical bill continue to snowball, his physical health problems may continue to deteriorate as well. Indeed, Singapores strategies in managing rising health care costs through its present healthcare system seem comprehensive and complete. However, there are still some areas that Singapore would need to relook and focus on in order that the strategies would be effective for its population. With the known fact that change is the only constant, a review system would thus need to be in place to improve strategies implemented to manage rising health care costs effectively. A recommended approach for Singapore to review and implement more wholesome, comprehensive and effective strategies to managing rising health care costs may be that of implementing differential healthcare financing schemes that would assist the various socio-economic segments of its population. Secondly, as rising health care costs due to inflation has yet to be tackled by its current strategies, Singapore may need to review its employment assistance and salary compensation strategies to better assist its population in managing rising health care costs, such as ensuring its population who are unemployed to be able to seek employment or reemployment within a short time frame as well as ensuring that the salary compensation for each occupation or profession would be appropriately accorded based on skills, abilities, experience, performance as well as inflation. Conclusion The Singapore government should not micromanage the issue of rising healthcare costs by superficially managing direct influence on rising healthcare costs. The need to prepare its population to accept the change to an ageing population society is crucial in ensuring that every individual is responsible for the

Urban Government and Private Development :: Public Policy Politics

Urban Government and Private Development in Postindustrial Urban America ABSTRACT: As revenue-deprived cities in the United States depend more on developments aimed at attracting visitors, the governing bodies controlling this infrastructure play a larger role in urban government. This paper explores the case of one such development, Chicago’s Navy Pier. The author argues that the Pier’s redevelopment as a festival marketplace, which was based on public rhetoric and space, necessitated the creation of a public authority that compromised this vision. The paper begins with a description of the postindustrial city, then outlines the history of Navy Pier and its redevelopment, and closes with a discussion of the role of public authorities in the contemporary city. In 1986, Chicago and urban America generally, were in decline. The bedrock of federal urban funding had disappeared, middle class residents continued to flee the city for suburban enclaves, and manufacturing jobs that had once employed large portions of city dwellers were suddenly much scarcer. While cities searched for strategies to reverse these trends, most found great trouble in doing so. An urban regeneration seemed unlikely at the time, but cities would soon find ways to attract dollars, residents, and visitors back within their limits. Seventy years earlier, Municipal Pier, a mixed-use development for shipping and entertainment, was constructed near the mouth of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. The initial uses of the structure known today as Navy Pier symbolize the industrial and leisure activities taking place in a rapidly growing, and at times, carefree urban setting. In the decades to follow, the pier served as a Navy training base, the Chicago campus of the University of Illinois, and finally, as a landmark used intermittently for municipal gatherings and public events. During the era of urban decline, however, Navy Pier sat idle amidst a city on the verge of rebirth; plans for renovation had come and gone and it looked as though the Pier might never be of use again. The ever-changing currents of urban America provided a different outcome. In 1990 a plan that would redevelop the Pier was accepted, and in the previous year, two factors ensured its success. The first was the plan’s use of public rhetoric, which stood out from other festival marketplaces that had embraced private development exclusively. This can be attributed to the fact that throughout the city’s history, Chicagoans have treasured their public space along Lake Michigan. A phenomenon best represented by Daniel Burnham’s 1909 plan for Chicago, which placed an emphasis on beautifying the lakefront and rejuvenating the residents and city (Hall, 2002, pp.

Introductory Accounting Assignment

ACCT 2060 Introductory Accounting Assignment – Semester 2, 2011 This assignment is designed to get you to locate the Annual Reports for a company and become familiar with the contents of an Annual Report, particularly the financial statements and the notes to the financial statements. While we have looked at very basic formats of the financial statements, the financial statements for a company contain a little more detail and information on some items you may not have been introduced to yet.Pay particular attention to the information provided in the notes to the financial statements as you will find a lot of useful information in them that may help with some of the questions. REQUIRED: You are required to obtain the 2010 Annual Report of Blackmores Limited and then answer the questions that follow in Part A and Part B. PART A – THE COMPANY (8 x 1 = 8 marks) Question 1 Describe the company’s principal operating activities. Ans: Blackmores Limited manufactures & de velops health products. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 2]Question 2 An auditing firm will have received remuneration for their services. What services did the auditing firm provide for this company in 2010? Ans: The auditing firm, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU, audited the Remuneration Report included in pages 41 to 48 of the directors’ report for the year ended 30  June 2010. Their  responsibility is to express an opinion on the Remuneration Report, based on their audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 41 to 48, Page 50 and 51] Question 3Using the 2010 Annual Report, identify the number of the note that deals with Significant Accounting Policies and identify the method of depreciation the company uses to depreciate property, plant and equipment. What is the underlying assumption of this method in relation to the usefulness of property, plant and equipment? Ans: Total numbers of notes dealing with Significant Accounting Policies are 22. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 58 – 64]. The method of depreciation the company adopt onto depreciation of property, plant and equipment is the straight-line method.The underlying assumption is that the residual value is estimated based on the cost of asset over the expected useful life. Freehold land is not depreciated. The following estimated useful lives are used in the calculation of depreciation: †¢ Buildings 25–40 years †¢ Leasehold improvements 3–13 years †¢ Plant and equipment 3–20 years [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 59]. Question 4 The annual report contains a number of reports with only some of these being ‘financial reports’. Name all of the financial reports in the 2010 annual report shown for this company in their annual report.Ans: The financial reports in the 2010 annual report are Statement of Financial position as at 30 June 2010, Statem ent of Comprehensive Income for the. Statement of Changes in Equity and Statement of cash flows. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 53-57]. Question 5 Directors of the company will often own shares in the company as well. Identify the name of the chairman of the board of directors and identify the number of shares the chairman held in the company at the end of their 2010 financial year (financial year ends June 30, 2010). Ans:Chairman of the board of directors is Marcus C Blackmore AM [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 36]. The number of fully paid ordinary shares he has is 4,479,278 [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 38]. Question 6 Describe the purpose of the external auditor’s report. Ans: The external auditor’s report is to ensure that the financial reports produced by Blackmores internally are true & fair, complete & accurate. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 51]. Question 7 With reference to the consolidated entity: †¢ What is the total amount of revenue and other income in 2010? What are the two revenue items? †¢ What is the ‘other income’ comprised of? (You must refer to the relevant note to find the answer to this. ) Ans: The total amount of revenue and other income in 2010 is $217,093,000 The two revenue items are Sales and Royalties. The ‘other income’ comprises of bank deposits / Net foreign exchange gains. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 53 and 67]. Question 8 Again with reference to the consolidated entity: †¢ What is the amount of cash receipts from customers in 2010? †¢ Why does this amount differ from the 2010 sales figure? Ans:The amount of cash receipts from customers is 2010 is $237,522,000 The amount differ from the 2010 sales figures as not all customer pay cash on payment, some may pay on credit which result in account receivable. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 57]. PART B – Analysis of financial informa tion (12 marks) Question 1 (4 marks) Using the consolidated figures for Blackmores Ltd, calculate the following ratios for the years 2009 and 2010. Ratios are to be shown at one decimal place. You must show all your workings. (Where no workings are shown you will receive zero for this section): . Current ratio ii. Acid test ratio iii. Gearing ratio iv. Interest cover ratio Ans: Current ratio = Current assets / Current liabilities Acid ratio = Current assets (excluding inventory and prepayments) / Current liabilities Gearing ratio = Long-term liabilities / (Share capital + Reserves + Long-term liabilities) Interest cover ratio = Profit before interest and taxation / Interest Expense [Ref: School of Business, MBA 2011, ‘Introductory accounting’, Course Notes from ACCT2060_1160, ‘Lecture 6, Unit 6 – Financial Ratio Analysis’, Page102-107 , RMIT University, Melbourne] |Yr 2009 (Working) |Yr 2009 Ratio |Yr 2010 (Working) |Yr 2010 Ratio | |Current ratio |6 9,544 / 31,903 |2. 2 |82,985 / 34,457 |2. 4 | |Acid Test ratio |(69,544-16,072) / 31,903 |1. 7 |(82,985-22,555) / 34,457 |1. 8 | |Gearing ratio |48,043 / (58,563 + 48,043) |0. 5 |48,102 / (71,790 + 48,102) |0. | |Interest cover ratio |30,335 / 1,372 |22. 1 |36,746 / 2,442 |15. 0 | [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 53 and 55]. Question 2 (2 marks) You have been provided with the following information about another company, Company X, in the same industry as Blackmores Ltd: |COMPANY X | |Ratio |2010 |2009 | |Current ratio |2. |1. 8 | |Acid test ratio |1. 2 |1. 5 | |Gearing ratio |1. 2 |0. 8 | |Interest cover ratio (times) |10. 9 |13. 1 | Using the information above and the calculations in Part B Question 1, you are required to analyse the liquidity and financial gearing (leverage) of Blackmores Ltd and Company X by providing: ) a description of the movement in each of the ratios for Blackmores Ltd; b) a description of the movement in each of the ratios for Company X; c) an explanation of what each of these ratios tell you about Blackmores Ltd; d) an explanation of what each of these ratios tell you about Company X; Ans: A) The current ratio for Blackmores Ltd indicates that the company is experiencing a slight increase in current asset over current liability. The acid ratio for Blackmores Ltd indicates that the company has slight increase in current asset over the current liability excluding inventories.The gearing ratio for Blackmores Ltd indicates that the company has marginal increase in long term liability over equity. The interest cover ratio for Blackmores Ltd indicates that the company has increase in interest expense. B) The current ratio for Company X indicates that the company is experiencing a slight increase in current asset over current liability. The acid ratio for Company X indicates that the company has slight decline in current asset over the current liability excluding its inventories.The gearing ratio for Company X indicates that th e company has marginal increase in long term liability over equity. The interest cover ratio for Company X indicates that the company has increase in interest expense. C) In Blackmores Ltd current ratio, we see a 20cents increase in liquidity to repay for every 1 dollar of obligation in the next operating cycle. By zooming further into acid ratio test, it becomes clearer that the company has only a 10cents increase in liquidity to repay for every 1 dollar of obligation within 90days as it excludes inventories and prepayment.In gearing ratio, we can conclude that Blackmores Ltd has lowered their long term by 10cents per 1 dollar obligation. As for interest ratio, it reflects that Blackmores Ltd has to pay more interest on outstanding debt. D) In Company X current ratio, we see an increase in 30cents in liquidity to repay for every 1 dollar of obligation in the next operating cycle. Looking further into the acid ratio test, it becomes clearer that the company actually have a 30cents d ecline in liquidity to repay for every 1 dollar of obligation within 90days and we also can assume that the company has a lot of inventories or prepayments.In gearing ratio, we can assume that Company X has increased their long term liabilities in certain aspect. In interest cover ratio of Company X, it also reflects that Company X has to pay more interest on outstanding debt. Question 3 (2 marks) Assume you are considering becoming a creditor for Blackmores Ltd or Company X (from Part B Question 2 above). That is, you will only be providing credit to one of them. Explain which company you would prefer to provide goods to on credit and why you have chosen this company. You may consider both financial and non-financial information in making this decision.Ans: I would provide goods on credit to Blackmores Ltd because Blackmores Ltd has a higher ability to pay off obligations as compare to Company X reference from their current and acid ratio. Also, Blackmores Ltd shows that the compan y is relatively low in term of leverage shown from gearing ratio. Question 4(4 marks) Prepare a table similar to the table below. Complete the table by inserting information from Blackmores’ financial statements (consolidated figures). Calculate each item as a percentage (%) of sales revenue. Financial Item |2010 ($) |% |2009 ($) |% | |Sales |214,934,000 |100. 0 |200,314,000 |100. 0 | |Total expenses |180,347,000 |83. 9 |171,380,000 |85. 6 | |Promotional and other rebates |19,054,000 |8. 9 |18,581,000 |9. | |Raw materials and consumables used |65,748,000 |30. 6 |71,338,000 |35. 6 | |Employee benefits expense |48,179,000 |22. 4 |42,212,000 |21. 1 | |Selling and marketing expenses |19,134,000 |8. 9 |21,078,000 |10. 5 | |Net profit attributable to equity holders of the parent |24,297,000 |11. |20,782,000 |10. 4 | Refer to the table above to explain the performance of Blackmores in 2010 compared to 2009. Ans: Based on the above table, Blackmores Ltd performance in 2010 is has inc rease in sales by 7. 3% compared to 2009. By looking at the table, we can determine that the company has cut down on expenses. Particular area is the buying of raw materials and other consumables and marketing expenses. With these we can assume that marketing is successful. The other reason is because the company’s equity has increased as well.This means more dividends for the shareholder. [Ref: Blackmores AR Report August 2010, Page 53 and 55]. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Format and Presentation: The assignment needs to be presented and formatted according to the guidelines shown in this semester’s Course Guide. You need to ensure that the numeric answers you provide are accurate. For example, some figures are shown in thousands while others are not; showing an answer as $102 instead of $102,000 will result in a mark of zero for such a question as there is obviously quite a difference between these two figures.Also ensure that you read each question carefully as some questions will ask for a figure for a particular year and for either the Group (Consolidated) Financial Reports or the Parent Entity (Company). Referencing: As you will be using a company’s Annual Report as the basis for answering many of the questions asked in this assignment, you need to ensure that you acknowledge this in your assignment. In fact, any sources that you use need to be acknowledged in order to avoid plagiarism. Information on referencing can be found in the Guidelines for Referencing and Presentation at the RMIT website using the following address: (http://www. mit. edu. au/bus/students). A copy can also be found on the Blackboard under the Course Documents folder. From the Blackboard site there is also an online referencing resource that you might find useful. It can be found by following these links: External Links / Study and Learning Centre / Study Skills/Referencing/Referencing for Business Students. In-Text Referencing and the Reference List: Sources of information must be cited both in the body of the text (in-text referencing) and the end of the assignment (reference list). Failure to do so will result in penalties.Remember that when referencing an Annual Report it is a corporate document that does not have a particular author but it will still require referencing any time you use information from it. Any other documents or books or other references you use will also require referencing. Penalties Regarding Referencing: No in-text referencing – deduct 1. 5 marks Some in-text referencing only – deduct 1 mark No reference list – deduct 1. 5 marks Incomplete reference list – deduct 1 mark Policy on Late Submissions: The policy on late submissions can be found in the current semester’s course guide. ASSIGNMENT TOTAL – 20 Marks

Performance-Enhancing Drugs In Sports

Performance-Enhancing Drugs In Sports Free Online Research Papers There are several different types of performance-enhancing drugs used by athletes and others in today’s society. Two of the most common drugs used are steroids and androstenedione. These drugs, among others, when used are referred to as â€Å"doping†. â€Å"In sports, doping refers to the use of performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids, particularly those that are forbidden by organizations that regulate competitions.† (Doping (sports), 2007) Steroids have been around since the mid-1930’s. There are thirty (30) different types and they are primarily made of progesterone, androgen and estrogen. This drug is used for many different reasons. Some reasons people use steroids is to grow muscle, become stronger, endurance, recover quickly, and train more. (Staudohar, 2005) The other common drug used is androstenedione, which is a type of steroid. (DiConsiglio, 1999) Another name for androstenedione is â€Å"andro.† Andro originates either from the conversion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone or from dehydroepiandrosterone#. These are then converted into either estrone or testerone. Just like steroids, andro is used to help a person grow more muscle and become stronger. There are several side effects from the performance-enhancing drugs. Just from steroids alone, the side effects are increased protein synthesis, muscle and strength, appetite, bone remodeling and growth, production of red blood cells, blood pressure, cholesterol, risk of cardiovascular disease and acne. (Gassman, 2007) The side effect of androstenedione is gynecomastia#. These drugs are very dangerous and damaging to a person’s health, body and even mind. Another drug used by athletes, but not often mentioned, is cocaine. This drug is thought to be used primarily by the stereo-typed persons who have â€Å"some combination of the following variables: money, fame, free time and feeling of invincibility.† Some of the side effects of this drug are hypothermia, anxiety, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, chronic nasal drip, sinusitis, and sudden death by bleeding or seizures in the brain and rhythm disturbances of the heart. (Preboth, 2000) Another drug used by athletes, which seems to be becoming popular and common, is HGH or human growth hormone. HGH is located in the center of the brain and is produced by the pituitary gland. It is the most abundant hormone. The human growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland. It helps the human body in a variety of health functions. The human growth hormone is said to help build muscle and stop aging. (G) There are three (3) different ways to take human growth hormones. They can me taken by injections, oral sprays and releasers (herbal supplements). Although each method is costly, taking HGH Injections seems to be the most expensive. (G) The injections are typically used two (2) to three (3) times a day. Each injection averages about $25.00 per shot. So when taking the injections, you’re looking at spending about fifty (50) to seventy-five (75) dollars a day. Using the injections isn’t natural because it uses â€Å"scientifically engineered† or synthetic HGH. Although this method is effective, it is very painful, requires a prescription, expensive, can have serious side effects and is time-consuming. (G) The oral spray on the other hand isn’t effective at all. The â€Å"sprays are said to be ineffective because growth hormone is a large, unstable molecule that can’t pass through membranes in the mouth.† (G) You also can’t tell how much of the dose that you’re taking. The spray is also dangerous to fillers and binders and is distasteful. (G) The releasers are very different from the injections and sprays. They don’t cost that much and they actually work. They also don’t require a prescription and don’t have any side effects. The releasers contain only natural herbal ingredients. It seems as though that the human growth hormones are good for you and the only one that poses a threat are the injections. The sprays don’t work at all and they pose a little threat. It seems the releaser is the best one to use. But if the human growth hormones are good for you, then why do people think that they’re bad? Well, if you abuse them, then there could be serious side effects. It could even be fatal to your health and could make you loose a lot of money. Twenty (20) years ago, drug testing was in the beginning stages. (Mannie, 2006) For example, in 1976, testing first began among athletes in the Montreal Olympics. (Murphy, 2007) Now it’s more complex and in constant change. (CBC, 2004) As the years go by, more tests have been developed to trace and stop drug usage. The NFL, and other organizations like the NHL and NBA (Mannie, 2006), took measures into their own hands by having random urine testing procedures. The old test, used by the NFL, only tested seven (7) players at random, per week during a season. The new one tests ten (10) players at random, per week during a season. Also, the players, if caught using drugs, will be suspended and could forfeit a prorated portion of their signing bonuses which is often the only guaranteed compensation. (AP, 2007) In 2005, the NHL started to tests players twice a year. (Murphy, 2007) The German Sport University in Colgne also found a way to test for low concentrations of drugs. They h ave developed a chemical technique to detect synacthen.# (Mika, 2007) Although there are tests and new procedures have been developed and adopted, some sports players are still being question as to whether or not they’re using. In baseball, a center fielder for the Angels is alleged to have bought performance-enhancing drugs. If this is true, then Gary Mathews, Jr. could be suspended for fifty (50) games. Mathews name also appeared on a pharmacies prescriptions list in Albany, NY. The two (2) owners of the pharmacy made headlines of their own as they were arrested for illegal distribution on February 27, 2007. (DiGiovanna, 2007) With sports players using the drugs, it’s making some fans cynical because they’re asking themselves, â€Å"How much has been achieved naturally?† (CBC, 2004) Over the past century, there have been several incidents/reported cases of drug use among athletes. Starting in 1904, an Olympic marathon winner, Thomas Hicks was using strychnine and brandy during the race. In 1960, a Danish cyclist, Knud Jensen, dies from a fractured skull after taking stimulates and crashing. In 1988, Ben Johnson, a Canadian sprinter, is banned for two years and stripped of his medal after testing positive for anabolic steroids. In 1992, a NFL defensive end dies. Lyle Alzado was 43. Although it’s not proven, taking muscle-enhancing drugs allegedly causes his cancer. (Murphy, 2007) Several more cases have made headlines as the years go by. Even with strict laws and rules, the use of performance-enhancing drugs still continues. With the headlines featuring big-named-athletes for things other than the longest home run, another win or this athlete or team can’t be defeated, kids that are looking up to these athletes may be influenced to follow in their favorite players footsteps. This could be very dangerous because some kinds are just looking to â€Å"fit in†! With the considerable amounts of risks and effects involved in using performance-enhancing drugs, the question has been brought up as to whether or not the drugs should be legalized. The legalization of the drugs would be for the sole purpose to gather information and â€Å"assess any increase in risk afforded by the use of drugs or technology, every performance-enhancing method needs to be studied.† (Kayser, 2005) Although it seems that the legalization of drugs is appealing, what would be the outcome of it all? Another question that needs to be asked is, â€Å"How addicting would the â€Å"testing methods† be?† Every little bit of a drug that is taken can be addicting and researchers want to risk a person(s) career, life and family? Would you be willing to risk it all for a drug research project? Trying to keep sports clean is a never ending race between drug testers and users. (CBC, 2004) With new technology and advances, it seems the use of drugs progresses and is never going to completely come to an end. Even with several cases of users dieing or having serious effects, it will still be a trend to use. After knowing all the effects, what the drugs are made of and some known incidents, would you take performance-enhancing drugs? References ( 2004, December 3). The inside dope. CBC Sports Online. A.P. (2007, January 26). NFL, players union agreed to implement stricter drug testing. Taipei Times, p 23. Anabolic steroid. (2007, March 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anabolic_steroidoldid=116125363 Androstenedione. (2007, March 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Androstenedioneoldid=115150214 Dehydroepiandrosterone. (2007, April 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dehydroepiandrosteroneoldid=121035897 DiConsiglio, J. (1999, April 26). Drugs sports. Scholastic Action, 22 (13), 4-4. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. DiGiovanna, M. (2007, March 2). Silence sounds bad to angels (home ed.). Los Angeles Times, p D9. Doping (sport). (2007, April 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doping_%28sport%29oldid=121401525 G. HGH Human Growth Hormone Information. The Truth About HGH. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from truth-about-hgh.com/truth-about-hgh.html Gassman, R. (2007, February). Drug busters. Popular Science, 270 (2), 34-34. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. Gynecomastia. (2007, March 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gynecomastiaoldid=116082298 Kayser, B., Mauron, A., Miah, A. (2005, December 17). Legalization of performance-enhancing drugs. (viewpoint). The Lancet, 366 (9503), p S21. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from Thomson Gale PowerSearch. LePage, M. (2006, August 19). Only drugs can stop the sports cheats: far from providing unfair advantage, drugs could make sports fairer- and safer too. New Scientists, 191 (2565), p 18. Mannie, K. (2006, October). Doping dà ©j vu. Coach and Athletic Director, p 13. Mika, E. (2007, February). Drug busters. Popular Science, 270 (2), 34-34. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. Moore, T. (2007, March 3). Steroids raid casts wide net (mained.). The Atlanta Journal – Constitution, p D2. Murphy, J. (2007, March 1). A century of drugs and the athletes. USA Today, p 03c. Preboth, M. (2000, October 15). Cocaine abuse among athletes. American Family Physician, 62 (8), p 1918. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from Thomson Gale PowerSearch. Staudohar, P. D. (2005). Performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. Labor Law Journal, 56 (2), p 139-149. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. Steroid. (2007, March 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steroidoldid=116058656 Research Papers on Performance-Enhancing Drugs In SportsThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseGenetic EngineeringIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsCapital PunishmentAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Importance of Values in a Religious Pluralist World

Importance of Values in a Religious Pluralist World Introduction There are certain values that are esteemed universally. Moreover the different religions of the world are deemed to be in support of these values. These human values are several and comprise of such attributes such as peace, respect of human life and dignity, freedom of worship and speech and tolerance.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Values in a Religious Pluralist World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A human being is valued in the world and should have the right to justice and peace. All people have the right to security and legal recognition. Human rights ensure that the people are protected from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. As time has passed, there has been an increase in the different religions making it a religious pluralistic world. How do the different religions practice and adhere to these values? Are there times there are contradictions in the way people pract ice these values? Family Values There are times when religious pluralism in a country causes disagreements in the area of family life. In Australia, there have been Muslims who have desired a sharia court so that they can be granted divorce according to their religion. The national courts are able to give them divorce however they feel they are not adhering to their faith when they do not go to their own court. Recently, human rights have touched on the freedom of one choosing who they will marry and giving birth. Previously the State had focused on the freedom of speech and expression but there has been conflict in the issue of same sex marriages and abortion especially when it comes to the teenage pregnancies and health risks in abortion. There has been a shift or a change in the values esteemed in various states especially when it comes to the family values. Traditionally there was a long process to be followed when one wanted a divorce especially in the Christian set up however the State made it possible for the people to be able to get divorce quickly. There are other contentious issues such as abortion and same sex marriages where the church and the people in other religions have not been in agreement as the clergy perceive the acts to be going against the Christian values (Lupu and Tuttle, 480). In the traditional Christian set up especially the Catholic churches there has been the expectation that the people will value life and that is why there had been so many debates on abortion before certain countries legalised the process. There was concern that legalising same sex marriages would be a threat to the usual family set up where there is a female male relationship. As time has progressed, the pluralist religious views have caused many to greatly analyse and even question their beliefs when it comes to marriage, divorce and abortion. It is therefore a tough call for the State to manoeuvre through all these viewpoints.Advertising Looking for re search paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are religious people who will not agree to oversee or coordinate same sex marriages or have anything to do it. However at the same time, there can be no discrimination or insensitivity towards these people of different beliefs as it would be going against the universal values of equality and freedom of expression. It is therefore important for all the people to ensure that they practice the universal values otherwise they will find themselves arrested and paying damages. Even as most people agree that peace is a great value, there are times that religious pluralism causes a lot of conflict in the world (Gopin, 15). There have been disagreements and even serious civil wars and conflicts between the Christians and Muslims in African countries such as Nigeria and Sudan. As much as different governments respect human rights there is also an increase in eth nic and religious conflict. When it comes to issues of religion it touches the core of the person and it gets highly sensitive. The people at times refuse to observe the universal views of human rights and freedom of expression all in the name of defending their religion. The question that remains however is what is more important, defending one’s religion or obeying the rules of the religion which advocate for peace and love with one’s neighbours? Universal Values In Islam, there is emphasis on the community and when the religious people teach the people the law, they emphasize that Allah looks at the community and expects the society to be just. The individual’s rights are protected under the society’s collective responsibility. In Christianity especially the protestant faith, an individual is responsible for his actions and is expected to be fair and just. In the traditional Confucianism religion, the ruler is expected to take care of his subject and m anage property matters. If he mistreats his subjects he loses the mandate to rule them which was given to him from heaven. What about the freedom of worship and speech? In most religions there are certain dressings or ornaments that the individuals wear. It is not a matter of choice but it is an act of religious duty and obedience. The Catholics have the crucifix while the Muslim women have the hijab. In Eastern Europe especially France the wearing of religious symbols in public schools has been prohibited.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Values in a Religious Pluralist World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lately, there has been intolerance, xenophobia and great fear towards Muslims. When they wear their religious clothes it is perceived to increase the risk of violence and threats that go against the democratic values and institutions of the State (Danchin, 6). There have been arguments aga inst this view. When a woman or man wears their hijab it does not mean they are extremists or fundamentalists or they are against the liberal institutions and processes of the state. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, there arose great debate on the issue of racial profiling in the United States as the people felt that the Muslims were being discriminated against and their privacy was being invaded. The truth is that the people were afraid of their lives and they were concerned that the Muslims did not respect the universal human values of peace and harmony between the people. If anyone had the highest probability to be a terrorist, he would be an individual of Middle Eastern origin who was a practicing Muslim. There were employers who were hesitant to employ people of Middle Eastern descent. Choosing to act on these feelings however would be wrong since one is not allowed to discriminate against others on the basis of their religion. One of the universal values in the world is equality when it comes to opportunities. No one should be discriminated when it comes to what they desire to achieve in terms of their work and family because of their religion. Ever since the terrorist attacks of September 9/11, the Muslim women’s dressing in Australia has come to be perceived as a form of women’s subjugation instead of the expression of their faith. The French government has the view that wearing religious symbols may infringe upon the rights of others. The freedom of others to worship and express them would be adversely affected. The religious symbols may work to pressure people towards a certain religion. It may also be a channel for propaganda and provocation. The government is also concerned about the women in the nation. It does not want the occurrence of any event where women and girls are discriminated against. The question however is whether wearing the hijab causes any harm to the girls or the society. They wear the hijab for their own pr ivate reasons.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Political Values There are values that deal with man’s relationship with others. For leaders, more is expected as they are expected to carry out their responsibility well in the society. They are expected to be accountable and have integrity. These are values that are agreed on by all the people even in the face of increasing religious pluralism. The people are expected to live in peace and harmony respecting each other’s belongings and property (Spickard., 8) There are people who view democracy as a value that should be upheld. In the countries where there are fundamental Muslims, they may perceive concepts such as democracy as a Western influence which they do not want to be associated with (Esposito and James, 428). There are those values such as democracy which may actually take time to take root in some cultures or religions. There are countries which do not want to be under cultural imperialism. Even the most repressive cultures however realize the importance of human rights. However they do not want to practice the values under the Western human rights notion. They have chosen to use alternative philosophies of socialism and community development. When it comes to ensuring that there is harmony and peace, the different governments have been trying to separate religion and the state. Religion should be regarded as someone’s private affair. This is what is known as secularism. It is liberal democracy that is regarded to be the optimal environment where equality can be observed (Norris and Inglehart, 40). However when religion is used as an excuse to attack other people or other countries, it is wrong. In the 2001 terrorist attacks, President Bush spoke of the fight between good and evil and the way good has to triumph (Aly and Green, 5). There will be no tolerance for the fundamentalists, extremists and radicals who use Islam as an excuse to terrorize the nationals of a different country. The people of America whether Christian, Hindu or Buddhist stood to defend the sanctity of life. The nationalistic unity came to the front to ensure that human lives are respected. Conclusion With the rise in religious pluralism, there is increasing growth in secularism where the family values in the religious setting will not be practiced in the country by all the people. There will be a shift towards the universal and political values with a great emphasis on human rights as stipulated by the United Nations. Those religions that encourage contrary beliefs will have a hard time interacting with other countries. Aly, Ann and Lelia Green. â€Å"Less than Equal Secularism, Religious Pluralism and Privilege† Media and Culture Journal, 11.2 (2008), 1-16. Print. Danchin, Peter. â€Å"Suspect Symbols: Value Pluralism as a Theory of Religious Freedom in International Law† The Yale Journal of International Law, 33: (2008)1: 2-61. Print. Esposito, John and James Piscatori â€Å"Democratization and Islam†. Middle Ea st  Journal, 45.3 (1991) :427-440. Print. Gopin, Marc. â€Å"Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution† Peace and Change, 22.1(1997):1-31. Print. Lupu, Ira and Robert Tuttle â€Å"Same-Sex Family Equality and Religious Freedom†. Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, 5(2010): 275-305. Print. Norris, Pippa and Ronald Inglehart. â€Å"Uneven Secularization in the United States and Western Europe† Democracy and the New Religious Pluralism. Ed Thomas. Banchoff. UK: Oxford Publishers. 2006. 31-58. Print. Spickard, James. â€Å"Human Rights, Religious Conflict, and Globalization – Ultimate Values in a New World Order†. International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 1.1(1999): 2-19. Print.

Effect of Music During Worship Service Term Paper

Effect of Music During Worship Service - Term Paper Example Consequently, the congregation expresses their unity through singing together a repeated common story thus facilitating the formation of religious identity. Gospel music components such as the pitch, rhythm and lyrics are humanly organised thus they strongly affect the worshippers emotions through influencing the chemical processes of the brain thus leading to reflections, joy, sadness and physical expression of the gospel truth through body movements (Wren, 2000). In addition, emotions are reflected in the patterns of belief and actions like bodily movements unlike passive listening to professional choirs (Christian, 2003). The research paper will enable us understand the reasons behind the growth of use of music during worship especially in evangelical churches. The research will be instrumental in composition of worship music that strengthens the emotions of the worshippers and glorifies the gospel. Hypothesis statement Music executed properly will bring the glory of God that will cause every believer to participate in the worship service. Research questions In order to understand the effect of music during worship, the research paper will answer the following questions. I. How often is music used during worship? II. Does music during worship strengthen the emotions and minds of the worshippers? III. Does music during worship allow more freedom of expression through the lifting of hands and other body movements? IV. Can music during worship unify Christians and exalt God? Literature review In 1500, Roman Catholic Church worship was practically a formal affair with professional choirs leading the music. However, the prevailing attitude among the congregations was that God needed the best from every worshiper instead of worshippers listening attentively to... This paper approves that music during worship will establish the mood thus enabling the congregation to value both faith and feelings towards the creator. Musical rhythms have deep personal associations for worshippers thus act as a reference point during worship. Music during worship facilitates revelation since Christians believe that revelation that is both natural through human experience and also supernatural through praise and worship. However, majority of the Catholic respondents see music as not essential during worship and they do not necessary express their freedom through bodily movements, but through prayer. The research findings point out that a majority of the Churches incorporate music during their worship regardless of whether in an urban or rural setting. This report makes a conclusion that music is a powerful tool of worship since it influences the mental and spiritual aspects of the worshippers. The primary effect of music is to provides the worshippers an opportunity for participation thus improving their remembering and reinforcing the unity and gospel truth. Music during worship affects the worshippers’ emotions and feelings thus strengthening their spiritual and mental capacities. Nearly all Churches, regardless of the denomination have incorporated either Gospel or contemporary music in their services. Although traditional churches denominations like the Catholic have not appreciated the effect of music during worship, modern denominations like the Baptism appreciate music as essential in worship.

International Financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

International Financial management - Essay Example From here, the borrowed money must be converted into to home currency or pounds sterling using the current spot rate of 1.2834because the company is assumed to invest what it has borrowed to earn interest at UK at 4%. Thus, the future value will be the total amount at  £393,447.48 will be received from the foreign exchange transaction at the end of six months. Also, when it is time to pay the foreign currency loan, it will use the foreign currency money it receives from its customer to pay such loan. Method I is an example of money market hedge where the current spot rate is the only relevant rate and fluctuations in spot rate in the future is not relevant. This can be done by borrowing foreign currency money at a fixed rate at the strength of future receipt of foreign currency. Method 2 on the other hand makes of forward exchange hedge. Note that the exchange rate that is relevant this time is the forward rate as it will determine the cash inflow that the company will receive in the future. Thus, the current spot rate and the subsequent fluctuations in spot rates during the period of six months are irrelevant. At the date of the contract is entered upon, there are no cash outflows or inflows involved. The cash inflow will happen at the end of the forward contract which is after six months. At six-month time, the company will give to the bank the 500,000 euros that it will receive from its customer. The bank in turn will give to the company the amount of 500,000 euros converted into the forward rate it has agreed with the company. Comparing the value to be received in Method 1 at  £393,447.48 as against  £392,003.14 to be received under the Method, there is evidence to choose the former at will give a net advantage of  £1,444.34 . The international risks that company faces in relation to changes in foreign exchange rates are divided