International: Economics and Australia

A PESTEL analysis of the Australian market Australia is the 15th richest nation in per capita terms and is the 6th oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world. Australia has the 14th biggest overall economy in the world and the 9th biggest economy. Australia’s economy is open and innovative. Over the past decade solid productivity gains have been accompanied by low inflation and interest rates. Also Australia has low barrieirs to trade and investment .Australia foreign and trade policies promote the security and long term prosperity of Australia in a global context. Australia’s economy is highly susceptible to the impact of climate change. In 2008 the Australian Government committed to create an organization called â€Å"Infrastructure Australia† to provide a new national approach to planning ,implementing and funding the nations future. Being a safe, stable and prosperous country Australia is an increasingly attractive hub for international and region al business and business operations.According to recent survey it can be said that Australia’s economic success in the last century was based on its abundant agricultural, mineral and fuels resources. Numerous factors have contributed to this development Informations and communications technology is a key driver in economic growth,other factors such as advances in travel,exchanging of ideas,broader accces to standards to educations etc have also contributed to this success. Australia’s ICT market is worth an estimated $89 billion with more almost 25,000 companies employing 236000 IT specialists Political environmentIn Australia, it is a liberal-capitalistic democracy. The state keeps interfering substantially in the economy through the use of various roles; for instance the parliament might decide to set up importation taxes aimed to protect the national economy, or it might create environmental protection laws aimed to protect the natural heritage of the country. This affects international business because when taxes keep varying and increasing especially there will be an impact on the economy which in turn will affect the exchange rates and currency rate.Also according to the present situation as mentioned in The Australian Financial Review 2010: there is  fear that the hung parliament will negatively affect the economy. Australia's rate of economic growth slowed down between July and September as the high value of the Australian dollar dug into export earnings. The country's gross domestic product rose just 0. 2% during the third quarter period, down from growth of 1. 1% between April and June. Analysts deduced that Australian consumers were also hit by higher interest rates. However, the Australian economy is set to continue to grow, led by demand from China for its raw materials.According to Michael Blythe, chief economist at the Commonwealth Bank, the latest economic growth figure was a â€Å"disappointing outcome . Since Australia is he lped by its vast exports of iron ore and other raw materials, it has avoided recession for 19 years. One of the country's largest iron ore producers is the Anglo-Australian group Rio Tinto, which is increasing production, has announced $7. 2bn in new investment in the region since July 2010. According to surveys Australia's economy continued to gather pace in March as world demand for commodities boosted the nation's coffers.However due to recent uncertainty from the European debt crisis could lower expectations of economic growth in the future. Economic Environment Australia is an island continent in the Southern Hemisphere, lying between Antarctica and Asia. It is surrounded by the Indian Ocean to the west; the Timor, Arafura, and Coral Seas to the north; the Pacific Ocean to the east; and the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean to the south. In other words its placement is a added advantage to business because when it comes to export and import, Australia is like a commuting place.Much of the continent is low, flat, and dry. The area of the continent is 2. 97 million square miles and the population is roughly 20 million Due to the harsh physical environment has encouraged people to remain close to the fertile coastal areas as a result urban and rural dwellers articulate different economic and social interests. Personal home ownership is a common goal, and the nation has one of the highest home ownership rates in the world. Therefore architecture and real estate business has a good scope in Australia.Australians are among the world leaders in fast-food consumption, fast food outlets are a plenty, beverages snacks and fast food companies have a recognized name in Australia and other countries because Australian chefs are known worldwide for their â€Å"fusion cuisine† Australia is a major regional financial centre and a vital cog in the global financial system. The Australian Stock exchange and the Sydney Futures exchange merged in 2006 to form the worldâ₠¬â„¢s 8th largest listed exchange. Australia has one of the highest percentages of shareholders in the world.Share market is one of the main aspects in international business and since the amount of people who invest in shares in Australia is high international business is also promoted really well. Trade has always been a vital component in Australia’s economic prosperity. The hallmarks of its trading success have been strong infrastructure and stable institutions. A skilled workforce, rich resources and a good agricultural base are added benefits. The goods and services tax (GST) is levied at 10 percent and applies to almost all goods and services transactions across the economy. Besides that there is only a flat corporate tax of 30 percent.When there was little scope for industrial or commercial enterprises, the pastoral industry became a key force in economic development. In particular, growth in the wool advanced rest of the economy. Gold surpassed wool as the nation's m ajor export in the 1850s and 1860s, resulting in a rapid expansion of banking and commerce. A move toward privatization at the state and commonwealth levels of government has been gaining momentum since the early 1980s. Some states, such as Victoria, have embraced this move much more than others have. Australia is highly integrated into the global capitalist economy.The economy is strong in the service sector in relation to goods-producing industries which include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, construction, and energy. It contributed around 31 percent of gross domestic product during the mid-1990s, whereas on the other hand the services industries contributed 60 percent. Goods-producing industries provided around a quarter of employment, with the rest provided by service industries. In 1996 and 1997, manufacturing was the most significant sector. In 1996 and 1997, manufacturing was the most significant sector.Another major contributor was the property and bu siness services industry. Primary industries in mining and agriculture are of key economic importance. The development of large mines in some remote regions has been associated with the establishment of towns and increased employment. In order of economic significance, Australia's current major trading partners include the United States, Japan, China, United Kingdom, , and New Zealand. Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of wool, meat, and wheat. Australia is a major supplier of sugar, dairy products, fruits, cotton, and rice.The above being the export of Australia the imports are passenger motor vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and crude petroleum oils. Australia is increasingly shifting toward an information economy that relies on a high-skill base. Thus, the workers most at risk of unemployment are laborers, factory workers, and those who learn their skills on the job. Highly skilled managers, medical practitioners, teachers, computer professionals, and elect ricians have the lowest risk of unemployment. Social environment Australia is a nation officially committed to ethnic and racial inclusiveness.For much of the nation's history, there has been a focus on assimilating different cultural groups into the dominant British Australian traditions. Australia is a collectivity of diverse peoples living in a relatively young society. However, the divisions within the nation continue to find expression in public life, arising from social differences in race, ethnicity, social class, and gender. Although the impact of environmental variation is highly evident in the traditional cultures of indigenous Australians, it has not been as strong a factor in immigrant cultures.The most significant lifestyle differences are affected primarily by variations in climate. Australia has six states ,Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, and two territories ,the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territo ry, majority of the population lives in urban areas around the coast. . The dominant language since colonization has been English, with little multi-lingualism among the majority population. Australia’s culture can be more likely said to be cosmopolitan.Factors that have shaped the national culture include the early small female population relative to that of men, which is said to have laid the foundations for a widespread ideology of mateship. The involvement of Australian and New Zealand troops in World War I has been characterized as the symbolic birth of the nation. Australia is a modern trading nation and it is a diversified and reliable supplier of high quality goods and services to over 200 countries with a sophisticated import market for products from all over the world.The main reason for all this is the due to Australia’s dynamic and efficient sea and air ports along the extensive coastline which allows massive amounts of iron ore, coal and array of other nat ural resources to be shipped. Technological Environment; The benefits of e-commerce to the economy in terms of reduced costs, higher quality, new products and larger markets are significant highlights in a country’s international business. Recent surveys show an increase in national output, real investment, consumption, real wages and employment.Australia is one of the world’s most connected countries, estimated revenues of business-to-business e-commerce in Australia for 2000 was over US$2. 3 billion, ranking higher than Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. Regions or regionally based businesses are more likely to succeed in the global market if they are major investors in new technology, export focused and competent in the use of IT and e-commerce. Mobile banking. Information and communications technology is a key driver of Australia’s strong economic growth and innovation. Based on this technology is most of Australia’s high budget business.Si nce in today’s world time factor is one of the most important factors in man’s life and time management is one of the key factors that most business magnets fail. Information technology is like a boon to all these people because it does half the work a particular individual has to do, man power is substantially balanced whereas if a man had to do each and every thing in a international business it would take ages for him to get through to all of that. For eg†¦In Australia and most European countries computerized systems are looming up in supermarkets, petrol stations, malls, banks etc.The technological background in Australia is one of its advantages when it comes to international business according to reports and business publications. Internet and e-commerce have boosted the international competitiveness of Australian businesses. Many Australian firms are now using internet technology to expand into new foreign markets, almost all of the enterprises are increasi ngly using e-commerce because it only requires low overheads and comparatively less initial outlay of capital but leading to a fast turnover on investment.According to surveys about 94 per cent of large businesses and 60 per cent of medium businesses in Australia had a website in 2006, while there was over 37 per cent of online purchase in all types of business. The percentage of all businesses receiving orders online in the same period was 21 per cent. In 2006–07, out of the 11. 3 million people who accessed the internet in Australia, 61 per cent used the internet to for online purchase or to order goods and services. Income for Australian business from internet increased from $24. 3 billion in 2002-03 to $56. billion in 2005-06 Legal Background Australian assistance gives priority to law enforcement, intelligence cooperation,transport security ,legal frameworks,countering terrorist financing and preventing terrorists access to nuclear materials. Australia has a sound and pr actical structure of financial regulations and institutions that provides certainty for business and is open to investment without undue delay. This is a advantage when it comes to international business because it makes investors more comfortable in relying and in turn make large investments.Even for investors and businessmen from other countries Australia’s business law is flexible and makes the procedure of opening up a business simple and easy to achieve for one and all. There is a strong, transparent governance system along with business oriented regulation and insolvency regimes. According to the World Bank a new business can be established in Australia within two days compared with an average of 20 days in most of the other countries. Need an essay? You can  buy essay help  from us today! IntroductionThe country analysis report on Australia provides a wide array of analytical inputs to analyze the country’s performance, and the objective is to help the reade r to make business decisions and prepare for the future. The report on Australia analyzes the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) structure of Australia. The report provides a holistic view of Australia from historical, current and future perspective. Insightful analysis on critical current and future issues is presented through detailed SCPT (strengths, challenges, prospects and threats /risks) analysis for each of the PESTLE segments.In addition, the PESTLE segments are supplemented with relevant quantitative data to support trend analysis. The PESTLE country analysis report series provides an in-depth analysis of 50 major countries. Features and Benefits – Understanding gained from the country analysis report on Australia can be used to plan business investments or market entry apart from a holistic view of the country. – Political section on Australia provides inputs about the political system, key figures in the country, an d governance indicators. Economic section on Australia outlines the economic story of the country to provide a balanced assessment on core macro-economic issues. – Social section on Australia enables understanding of customer demographics through the income distribution, rural-urban segmentation and centers of affluence, healthcare and educational scenario in the country. – Technological section on Australia provides strategic inputs on information communications and technology, technological laws and policies, technological gaps, patents data and relevant laws. Legal section on Australia provides information about the legal structure, corporate laws, business set-up procedures and the tax regime. – Environmental section provides information on environmental policies in Australia and the performance in terms of important environmental indicators. Highlights PESTLE analysis of Australia identifies issues that affect the country’s performance through the pr ism of current strengths (strengths), current challenges (weaknesses), future prospects (opportunities) and future risks (threats). The political landscape discusses the evolution of the political scenario in Australia in different periods.The economic, social, foreign and defense policies are considered in the political landscape section. It also discusses the performance of the country as per World Bank Governance Indicators. The economic landscape describes the evolution of the economy of Australia in different periods. It also examines the country’s performance in terms of GDP growth, composition by sector (agriculture, industry and services), fiscal situation, international investment position, monetary situation, credit disbursement, banking sector and employment.The economic landscape also explains the financial system in the country, especially with regard to financial authorities/regulators. The social landscape covers the demographics, education and healthcare scena rio in Australia. The social welfare policies of the government along with the country’s performance in terms of healthcare, income distribution and education are also provided. The technological landscape discusses the structure and policies in terms of Intellectual property, research & development, technology agreements/pacts; and policies related to the promotion of technology in Australia.The legal landscape examines the structure of the judicial system, legislation affecting businesses, tax regulations, labor laws, trade regulations and corporate governance in Australia. The environmental landscape in Australia discusses the environmental regulations and policies of the country. The performance of the country in terms of in terms of environmental indicators and impact of environmental policies is also examined. â€Å"The Australian economy grew at a CAGR of more than 3% a year during 1991–2008, but then slumped to 1. 3% in 2009. The economy was unaffected by the global slowdown in 2001, and grew at a significant rate of 2. %. The economic growth rate did not significantly decline even when the country was hit by the worst drought in its history in 2003, as it dropped from 3. 6% in 2002 to 3. 5% in 2003. The buoyant growth was driven by sound macroeconomic policies and fiscal prudence. The growth rate increased to 3. 8% in 2007 from 3. 0% in 2006. However, the growth momentum decelerated to 2. 3% in 2008 because of the global financial slowdown, and then slowed further to 1. 3% in 2009. Following this, 2010 saw the economy rebound with growth of 3. 0%. According to Datamonitor's forecast, the economy is expected to grow by 3. 5% in 2011. â€Å"Your key questions answered – What is the outlook in terms of political stability, policies towards businesses, external front and popularity of government in Australia? – What is the economic performance of Australia in terms of GDP growth, fiscal situation, international investment pos ition, monetary situation, credit disbursement, and employment among other economic indicators? – What is the performance of Australia in terms of healthcare, income distribution and education? – What is the performance of Australia in technology intensive sectors like telecommunications and information technology, patents and R&D expenditure trends? What is the legal structure in Australia and are the laws conducive for investment? – What is the performance of Australia in terms of environmental indicators and impact of environmental policies? ————————————————- How to Create a Pestle Analysis Template 15DEC The  PESTLE analysis  is the analysis of the environment as a whole in which abusiness  operates or tends to offer its trade. These are systematic factors that are beyond ones control and businesses need to chart out strategies keeping the re sults in view to peacefully coexist and keep on gaining revenues despite the concurrent situation.It is of utmost importance to understand in depth the meaning of  PESTLE  and how every letter of the acronym represents an important aspect of the environment your business is in. PESTLE stands for: * P for Political * E for Economic * S for Social * T for Technological * L for Legal * E for Environmental The political factors account for all the political activities that go on within a country and if any external force might tip the scales in a certain way. They analyze the political temperament and the policies that a government may put in place for some effect.For example, the fiscal policy, trade tariffs and taxes are those things that a government levies on traders and organizations and they greatly alter the revenue that is earned by those companies. The economic factors take into view the economic condition prevalent in the country and if the global economic scenarios might make it shift or not. These include the inflation rates, foreign exchange rates, interest rates etc. All these can affect the supply and demand cycle and can result in major changes of the business environment. Social factors have to do with the social mindset of the people that live in a certain country.This sums up the aspect of culture, age demographics, gender and its related stereotypes, at times this analysis has to include the religious factors (when pertaining to products or services of a different kind). Technological factors take into consideration the rate at which technology is advancing and how much integration does a company needs to have with it. Legal factors have to do with all the legislative and procedural components in an economy. Also, this takes into account certain standards that your business might have to meet in order to start production/promotion.Environmental factors have to do with geographical locations and other related environmental factors that may i nfluence upon the nature of the trade you’re in. For example, agri-businesses hugely depend on this form of analysis. PESTLE analysis template This is a  template  that allows a company to understand what basics are required to conduct the analysis onto the environment. It combines all the representative factors in one table, and then you need to analyze based on the current market situation. Here is a comprehensive list of headings that one must look toward while carrying out the analysis on a market. . Political factors: * Trading policies * Government changes * Shareholder and their demands * Funding, * Governmental leadership * Lobbying * Foreign pressures * Conflicts in the political arena 2. Economic factors: * Disposable income * Unemployment level * Foreign exchange rates * Interest rates * Trade tariffs * Inflation rate * Foreign economic trends * General taxation issues * Taxation changes specific to product/services * Local economic situation and trends 3. Soci al factors: * Ethnic/religious factors * Advertising scenarios * Ethical issues * Consumer buying patterns Major world events * Buying access * Shifts in population * Demographics * Health * Consumer opinions and attitudes * Views of the media * Law changes affecting social factors * Change in Lifestyle * Brand preferences * Working attitude of people * Education * Trends * History 4. Technological factors: * Technological development * Research and development * Trends in global technological advancements * Associated technologies * Legislations in technological fields * Patents * Licensing * Access into the technological field * Consumer preferences * Consumer buying trends Intellectual property and its laws * How mature a certain technology is * Information technology * Communication 5. Legal factors: * Employment law * Consumer protection * Industry-specific regulations * Competitive regulations * Current legislation home market * Future legislation * Regulatory bodies and their processes * Environmental regulations 6. Environmental factors: * Ecological * Environmental issues * International * National * Stakeholder/ investor values * Staff attitudes * Management style * Environmental regulations * Customer values * Market value

The Math in Figure Skating

Alexis Dillon l. Introduction This paper will be discussing the involvement of math in figure skating. There are three parts of skating that will be discussed in the essay; Jumps and moves in the field. Jumps require a lot of power, strength and knee bend in order for the Jump to be successful. I will be looking at the appropriate angle of knee bend a skater needs to successfully land a Jump. Moves in the field are series of test that include certain turns and moves that are tested in front of Judges.Moves in the field require grace, knee bend, speed and strength. This essay will discuss the correct angle of the knee bend required to correctly complete specific turns, including counters, rockers and brackets and to successfully remain on the correct edge. I have been skating for nine years. I have done many types of skating, like freestyle, moves in the field and synchronized skating. I'm currently a competitive synchronize skater and working on my novice moves. Both these parts of f igure skating require speed, grace, edge quality and strength.Many things can affect how well a skater can preform and the quality of the skating. Knee bend is one of the many crucial parts of quality skating. II. What Is Skating? Figure skating is defined as a â€Å"competitive on ice sport in prescribed fgures and/or choreographed free skating. † Figure skating includes many different types and levels. Ill. Basic Skills To start, many skaters complete basic skills classes, which, in short, teach the basic components of skating, needed to be successful. Children under the age of six usually begin a beginner class called â€Å"snowplow'.This level consists of very basic skills including things like learning how to stand up and fall down. After the skater has completed these levels, or is above the age of six, moves on to the levels â€Å"Basic Skill† There are eight levels in this section, where each level increases in difficulty. The basic skills provide the fundamen tals of skating. These levels will also provide more challenging skills including, edges, turns, and crossovers that are necessary for successful skating. Once the skater has successful passed these levels, the skater may move on to â€Å"freestyle†.There are six levels in this section. These levels teach the skater basic Jumps and spins. ‘V. Freestyle Freestyle skating consists of Jumps, spins and footwork sequences choreographed in a program using the skater's style. Some Jumps include axel, the loop Jump, lutz and salchow. These Jumps can be preformed as singles (, doubles, triples, and even quadruples. The axel is one of the hardest Jumps to master, whether it's a single, double, or a quad The axel requires knee bend, power and speed Competitions are based on levels. There are eight levels in freestyle.Each level gets harder and the harder Jumps require programs with required moves, Jumps and spins. These test are preformed in front of Judges. These test are importa nt for a fgure skater because in determines what level the skater competes at. These tests ake practice and skill. V. Moves in the field Like the freestyle tests, there are eight tests the gradually increase in difficulty. The tests are as follows; pre-preliminary, preliminary, pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, intermediate, novice, Junior and senior. Each test consist of certain step sequences, turns, and moves that require knee bend, grace, and speed.Example of a very simple pattern on the preliminary exam: This pattern consist of a very simple inside three-turn in which you start on an inside edge and turn onto your outside edge. Example of a two very challenging patterns on the Junior exam: Figure 2 Figure 3 This pattern requires a lot good edge quality, grace and knee bend. This turns, also known as a rocker, requires you to stay on the same edge before and after a turn. To determine the correct amount of knee bend, twenty forward inside rockers were done and photographed.Each turn was a nalyzed to determine whether or not the turn was on the correct edge or not. The photos were separated into two groups, turn with a perfect edge and turn with imperfect edge. The angle of the knee was measured for each photo and then averaged. The average angle for a turn with perfect edge quality was 1090 (refer to fgure 3 for what the edge is supposed to look ike). The average angle for a turn with imperfect edge quality was about 1230. Below are the pictures of a person doing the turn and what the turn looked like on the ice. RFI Rocker. How does math relate to this turn?Although, the differences between the two angles may have seemed small, it made a huge difference. IVe been working on these types turns for about a year, and from experience, I know there are some many things that need to be perfect in order for the turn to be on the correct edge and successtul. One ot the most important and influential part of the turn is the amount of knee bend the skater has. So, how does the angle of the knee make the turn have good or bad edge quality? When you bend your knee, you are doing what's called, â€Å"pressing your edge†. This means you are on the correct edge because of your knee bend.So, how much knee bend is enough? Is there a certain angle needed to perfect the turns? The answer is yes. This experiment has shown that a very large angle and a very low angle will disrupt the turn. VI'. What is an axel? Axel is one of the most difficult Jumps. The axel takes off from the forward outside edge and is landed on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A single axel is 1. 5 revolutions. Axel is one of the many Jumps that skaters practice and attempt to master. Like most other Jumps, the axel can be increased in difficulty by adding more rotations to the Jump. VIII.What things affect the success of an axel? Many experienced skaters would say the most important things to master when learning how to land an axel successfully is power, speed, and height. How can you master all of these things? Through knee bend. Knee bend provides many things for a successful axel. When you bend you're knee while you skate, you â€Å"pressing on your edge† letting your skates skate with the ice rather than on top of the ice and merely liding.. No matter how fast your feet move, you will not gain speed if are â€Å"stepping† rather then bending your knees and actually skating.Knee bend also provides grace when preforming an axel. The more you â€Å"get down in your knees† or bend your knees, the more graceful and elegant you appear. This will help those who compete. Finally, right before the Jump takes off, knee bend provides height and the power of the Jump itself. But, how much knee bend is enough knee bend? Skaters, like me and those who think analytically, would love to know how much knee bend will lead to a successful Jump. ‘X. Figuring out how much knee bend is enough knee bend Like what was done for the rockers, a si milar experiment was done for the axel.To determine the correct amount of knee bend before the Jump, twenty axels were done and recorded and photographed. Each Jump was analyzed to determine whether or not the turn was a successful Jump or not. The photos were separated into two groups, turn with a perfect edge and turn with imperfect edge. The angle of the knee was measured for each photo and then averaged. The average angle for a Jump with good height and a quality Jump was 1070. The average angle for a turn with imperfect dge quality was about 1280. These results are very similar to the rockers.The Jumps that were considered unsuccessful landed with a fall or it was over or under rotated. This is most likely because the skater either had too much or too little power. X'. How does math relate to this Jump? Even though the differences between the two angles may have seemed small, it made a huge difference. From experience I know that an axel can up to about a year to perfect. Like the rocker, I know there are some many things that need to be perfect in order for the turn to be successful. One of the most important and influential part f the turn is the amount of knee bend the skater has.

A Light to My Path

Grady has only known life with his mama and playing with Missy Caroline (from A Candle in the Darkness) when he’s sold away from the Fletcher plantation. He serves a slave trader for many years before managing to be gambled away to a kinder owner, Massa Fuller. When Massa Fuller begins calling on Miss Claire, Grady and Kitty’s paths cross. The pretty, naive artist intrigues Grady, but his hatred for anyone white clashes with her subservient attitude. Though Missy Claire treats her like an animal, Kitty is wholly devoted to the only person who’s shown her even the barest scrap of affection. The Civil War begins shortly after their owners marry. Grady sees this as the perfect opportunity for escape, but Kitty is terrified of the idea. Which will win, her love for Grady or her fear? And Grady must choose between his hatred and the Jesus he believed in as a child. Blending breathtaking historical detail with intriguing characters, Lynn Austin crafts a deep tale with important spiritual truths. The Refiner’s Fire series, which can be read in any order, will have the most appeal to women, even for those who don’t prefer books set during the Civil War. Pick up A Light to My Path and prepare for a soulful escape to the past. — Katie Hart, Christian Book Previews. com Book Jacket: This powerful conclusion to Lynn Austin’s REFINER’S FIRE series brings to a close one of the most acclaimed sagas in Christian fiction ever. Each of the first two novels won Christy Awards for Historical Fiction. Now Austin completes her trilogy with a dramatic examination of the Civil War through a slave’s perspective. Riveting, eloquent, and gripping as all of her previous works, it’s the conclusion for which you’ve been waiting. A Light to My Path Grady has only known life with his mama and playing with Missy Caroline (from A Candle in the Darkness) when he’s sold away from the Fletcher plantation. He serves a slave trader for many years before managing to be gambled away to a kinder owner, Massa Fuller. When Massa Fuller begins calling on Miss Claire, Grady and Kitty’s paths cross. The pretty, naive artist intrigues Grady, but his hatred for anyone white clashes with her subservient attitude. Though Missy Claire treats her like an animal, Kitty is wholly devoted to the only person who’s shown her even the barest scrap of affection. The Civil War begins shortly after their owners marry. Grady sees this as the perfect opportunity for escape, but Kitty is terrified of the idea. Which will win, her love for Grady or her fear? And Grady must choose between his hatred and the Jesus he believed in as a child. Blending breathtaking historical detail with intriguing characters, Lynn Austin crafts a deep tale with important spiritual truths. The Refiner’s Fire series, which can be read in any order, will have the most appeal to women, even for those who don’t prefer books set during the Civil War. Pick up A Light to My Path and prepare for a soulful escape to the past. — Katie Hart, Christian Book Previews. com Book Jacket: This powerful conclusion to Lynn Austin’s REFINER’S FIRE series brings to a close one of the most acclaimed sagas in Christian fiction ever. Each of the first two novels won Christy Awards for Historical Fiction. Now Austin completes her trilogy with a dramatic examination of the Civil War through a slave’s perspective. Riveting, eloquent, and gripping as all of her previous works, it’s the conclusion for which you’ve been waiting.

Understanding and carrying out health related behavior change Essay

Understanding and carrying out health related behavior change - Essay Example Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. It is more accurate and private and the need to get quality feedback was the main reason for use of this method. The risks involved in this type of data analysis include the language barriers, as the natives were the target group. Financial problems and loss of contact between one group and another in form of communication were also reported. Use of different age and different ethnic groups together with relatives helped in reducing researcher bias. The data method was appropriate with the type of research conducted for this findings. The author identifies some difficulties encountered in the process of research such as language barrier and high cost condition to conduct the research. Data management practices included correlation and comparison with other journals from the internet and other sources. The findings did not address the whole purpose of the study since the study was restricted only the data was partially analyzed. Interpretations did not reflect the true findings even though reported change on healthy lifestyles was reported. Some of the variations were explained as the difference between men and women in Muslim religion and cultural beliefs on some types of food consumed. The findings came up with the information on beliefs and cultures on some food influence healthy development while the religion factor, e specially on women, also is different with other journals of research.

Weekly progress report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Weekly progress report - Coursework Example I also spent another 2 days in reading the research paper written by Ibrahim Kushchu, International University of Japan (p. 2- 12). The research paper offers a brief insight over the e-government and m-government along with stating the overall significance and applications of m-government in different countries. This reading will help me in the literature review especially in stating the shift from e-government to m-government and highlighting the importance and relevance of m-government in the social environment. I have not read the entire paper as I just wanted to have an overview of m-government that will be further strengthened as I proceed further with the literature review part I spent 2 more days in searching more articles over the internet on m-government and went through the article published on the website of Mobile Government Consortium International offering an understanding over the m-government In the coming week, I will write the research aim and objectives along with stating the research questions. This will take 2-3 hours of time based on the understanding of the research topic. At the same time, I will go through the research paper based on the adoption of m-government services in developing countries published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research. This will take 2 days of time and will help me in strengthening my knowledge over the importance and relevance of m-government. This will also help me in the literature review chapter I will also search few articles on importance and introduction of m-government in Oman. This will take maximum 2 days of time including searching and a bit of reading. This will help me in forming a perspective over the pros and cons and acceptance and resistance for m-government in the context of Oman. If time permits, I will also form an understanding over the actual applications and advantages of m-government over the e-government in the context of

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Assignment

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Assignment Example The unified economic agreement between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on November 11, 1981 in Abu Dhabi. These countries are often referred to as The GCC States. This area has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, mostly due to a boom in oil and natural gas revenues coupled with a building and investment boom backed by decades of saved petroleum revenues. In an effort to build a tax base and economic foundation before the reserves run out, the UAE's investment arms, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, retain over $900 billion in assets. Other regional funds also have several hundred billion dollars. The region is also an emerging hotspot for events, including the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Doha also submitted an unsuccessful application for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. However, Qatar was later chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2006, its GDP (nominal) was $717.8 billion (IMF April 2007), led by spectacular growth in United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In 2007, its GDP (nominal) was $1,022.62 billion (IMF April 2008). IMF predicts its GDP to reach $1,112.076 billion at end of 2008 and $1,210.112 billion at end of 2009. ... Recovery plans have been criticized for crowding out the private sector, failing to set clear priorities for growth, failing to restore weak consumer and investor confidence, and undermining long-term stability. Threats being faced by GCC countries are numerous. These threats are both internal and external. Given the vast possession of natural resources like Oil and Gas, many internal and external forces are at work against these countries. Monarchs rule all the GCC countries, although all of them have provided more or less high degree of social welfare in their states there is a growing demand by public for democracy and basic human rights first being freedom of speech. (Web- The GCC in a turbulent world ) GCC states are facing several domestic challenges headed by demographic issues, which are to blame for political and economic problems as well as others associated with security and linked to the presence of a large proportion of foreign workers on GCC soil. The issues include agg ravation of the â€Å"growing fundamentalist Threat, effects of instability in Iraq, fallout of Iranian nuclear issue, over all security of Gulf, US and EU interests in the GCC area, presence of foreign troops in the area, US strategy in the area to â€Å"prevent any force from imposing its hegemony on the GCC area†, security of oil shipments, presence of US forces in consolidating the GCC regimes, Iranian role to undermining Iraq’s stability and Iranian nuclear issue presenting a serious challenge to the stability of the area. GCC countries remain unstable due to impact of host of issues on the region directly. Major challenges being security, economy and demography. These countries face internal conflicts with each other like GCC versus Iran and Iraq.

Reviewing for Les Miserables Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reviewing for Les Miserables - Movie Review Example e, listening to the basic songs of the main characters of the play is a profound understanding of the essence of the Parisian underworld, where dwellers are full of courage, dignity and bravery. The actions of these people from the underworld sound louder than words. This song reflects daily troubles of the poor. The singers are a foreman, workers, a girl and Fantine. They sing about their daily troubles and a secret of Fantine is revealed. She sends money to her illegally borne child and the workers are demanding her to be thrown away. The end of the day is a miserable time for poor and workers, because they think about coming death, overall hunger on the lands. They are thankful that they have an opportunity to work and to feed their children and a place to sleep. Fantine is afraid of revelation and her secret about her child becomes well-known to the rest of the workers. A girl is in a real despair and women start to fight until Valjean pacify them. Fantine tells to the women that she has a child, which lives with an innkeeper and his wife and she has to earn money and send it to her daughter. In this solo song a real despair of a woman can be heard. She wants to return back to happy times and she does not realize what happened wrong in her life and why life is so cruel with her. She dreams about another life, where men were kind and the world was an exciting song. Fantine dreams about everlasting love in a peaceful world. She dreams about returning her love though she understands that these dreams cannot come true. This song is a choral piece and the final song of Act 1. Every singer sings his own part before joining the chorus. Valjean follows the melody of "Who Am I?", Marius, Cosette and Éponine continue their song in the melody "I Dreamed a Dream". A key melody is slow and it can be heard that different characters of musical unite their voices to make the effect of the song even more tragic. We can hear different songs of the main characters and it is

Research Paper Lawsuits Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lawsuits - Research Paper Example Yet it would not be long before the Pinto was everything but amusing to Ford Motor Company. There had only been twenty-nine months between Iacocca’s decision to manufacture the car and its introduction for sale. That is a very short time in the design and manufacture of an automobile, as the average timeframe is usually between four and five years. Yet the race was on, and as a result, design flaws were no doubt inevitable. And there was a flaw on the Pinto: the gas tank was placed behind the rear axle, making it extremely vulnerable to rear collisions. Some would later call the car a rolling bomb. Thirteen year old Richard Grimshaw found this to be an all too painful fact. On May 28, 1972 in San Bernardino, California, the boy was a passenger in a 1972 Pinto that was hit in the rear by another car. The Ford burst into flames, the driver was killed, and Grimshaw suffered burns over ninety per cent of his body. His family and the driver’s heirs filed suit against Ford (C raig, â€Å"Grimshaw and Grays..†). In 1978, the jury awarded Grimshaw $2.8 million in compensatory damages, which is not shocking considering the by then the young man had suffered through over seventy surgeries. Yet the surprise of the verdict was the fact he was awarded $125 million in punitive damages, a record breaking award that based on 2012 dollars of $440 million would be astronomical even in today’s tort happy environment. The case was eventually settled for something over six million dollars (Dunn, 2000). II. Risk Management for Lawsuit Prevention It was not the fact that the Pinto was inherently dangerous in its design that inflamed the Grimshaw jury; it was Ford’s own greed. The Company knew about the flaw as early as the pre-production stage, yet had issued what was referred...Ford could have saved all of the headaches it wound up if it had only instituted the tiny eleven dollar modification to the car during the design process. Iacocca was never t old about the flaw and probably did not want to hear about it, insisting the car be 2,000 pounds and sell for $2,000. Yet later he said in his autobiography that â€Å"Honesty is the best technique I use†. He also said something that was chilling, that one should be willing to sacrifice to accomplish his goals. In the Grimshaw case, Ford would have been well-advised to try to settle the suit way before the trial. Perhaps they did, for a ludicrous sum. As far as the car itself, Ford kept it around for nine years, but shortly after the criminal case concluded, the Pinto slid into the history books with over two million units sold. Ford probably eventually made a profit with the car, but it is continually on everybody’s â€Å"worst cars ever† list. Yet it should also be noted that its chief competitor, the Chevy Vega, also appears on those lists, mainly for reliability issues.

Module 4 - SLP Training and Appraisals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 4 - SLP Training and Appraisals - Essay Example Skills gapping starts right from the recruitment stage in an organization, when the administrators compare the skills of prospective employees with the skills an organization lacks or needs. When the skills a job candidate posseses is of dire need to an organization, the candidate may be considered. Applicants with a higher degree of match between skills desired and skills acquired therefore have an upper hand in being recruited by the training authorities (Jones, 2000). The traning administrators then move further to establish if there exists a deficiency between the skills employees have and what they ought to have. Should they detect insufficiency in the desired skills, the immediate managers of the employees or their training administrators check if there is a set of courses in their training programs that can adress the staff’s challenges. Another thing that they look into is the possible events in that given organization which can offer training to its employees. In the process, organizations iron out their employees’ challenges in a personalised precision training program (Jones, 2000). In today’s business environment, both philanthropic and profit making organizations such as commercial banks are in dire need of employees who are computer literate. For banking institutions having employees deficient of computer skills, skills gapping must be conducted if an organization’s efficiency is to be improved (Jones, 2000). Conventionally, the program starts with examining job candidates for computer skills. What is sought by organizations with regard to computer skills may not be extreme technical skills possesion, but basic knowledge in operating computer applications, especially softwares that most befits the running of that given organization. Standardized tests may be administered on these prospective staffs. Mostly, candidates are often required to practically prove their assertions that

Increase in Aggregate Demand Essay Example for Free

Increase in Aggregate Demand Essay In order to address this question it is first necessary to define both inflation and aggregate demand. Aggregate Demand is the total amount demanded by the whole economy, ie it is not related to one single market. Inflation is the persistent increase in the average level of consumer prices compared to the same time the previous year. This is a natural occurrence over time as wages rise and so the quantity demanded increases, which activates the incentive price function and causes prices to rise, thus causing inflation. There are numerous types of inflationary pressure but nearly all can be subdivided into demand-pull or cost-push inflation. Demand-pull inflation is inflation caused by an extension in total demand, which is sufficiently big so that it exceeds total supply, this happens because of a huge increase in aggregate demand. As a result all factors that lead to large increases in aggregate demand can also cause demand-pull inflation. Thus, a main cause of demand-pull inflation could be a reduction in the levels of direct taxation. By reducing the level of direct taxation consumers have more real income and therefore greater disposable income to spend on goods and services, this leads to increased consumption and thus an extension in demand in all markets. Due to this extension in aggregate demand, firms will increase prices within each market leading to average price rises and inflation. Another factor which would cause demand-pull inflation would be a boost in consumer confidence such as the one which occurs when an economy reaches the recovery stage after emerging from recession. Due to the boost in consumer confidence and increasing amount of money is spent on goods and services which in turn raises the demand and thus firms increases prices, leading to inflation. Several further factors which also cause demand-pull inflation are a decrease in indirect taxation, rapid consumer borrowing in times with low interest rates and depreciation in the exchange rate. Cost-push inflation is inflation which occurs when firms increase prices in  order to maintain a profit margin. They did this because of an increase in cost productuion. For example the price of cars will be increased by firms if there is an increase in demand for and therefore and increase in the price of steel. A main cause of cost-push inflation is increasing labour costs. Labour costs may be increased by the government introducing a higher minimum wage or by a union led workforce negotiating a higher wage. Due to this increase in overall costs profits are reduced and it is necessary for firms to increase their prices to increase the amount of profit they are making so it reaches the previous level. In this case average prices will rise compared to the previous year even though there has been no increase in aggregate demand, as cost-push inflation is not linked to demand. A secondary cause of cost-push inflation is higher rates of indirect taxation which may be imposed by the government on certain products such as alcohol and tobacco or by increasing VAT. This is generally done in a free market economy to reduce the popularity of what are seen as negative goods which may harm peoples health. This happens because some firms feel that there is elastic demand for the products they supply and so pass on the increase in costs to their customers in the form of higher prices to maintain profitability. In this case aggregate demand has not grown but there has been an average price level increase. There is no doubt that inflation can be caused by an increase in aggregate demand, in the form of demand pull inflation, however cost plus inflation also exists where inflation occurs without an increase in aggregate demand and thus this view is incorrect.

Enhancement of Polymeric Materials through Nanotechnology

Enhancement of Polymeric Materials through Nanotechnology Performance Enhancement of Polymeric Materials through Nanotechnology Dr. P.C. Thapliyal Abstract: In the last decade or so, nanotechnology has gained tremendous and widespread attention. Currently, nanotechnology is being applied in many fields to formulate materials with novel functions due to their unique physical and chemical properties. The major nanotechnology applications are identified as energy, agriculture productivity, water treatment, disease diagnosis, drug delivery system, food processing, air pollution control, construction, health monitoring etc. In the construction sector, nanotechnology is being used in a variety of ways to produce innovative materials. Using nanotechnology as a tool, it is possible to modify the nano/basic structure of the materials to improve the bulk properties. The applications of nanomaterials in construction improve the essential properties of building materials and novel collateral functions such as energy saving, self healing, anti fogging and super hydrophobic. Present paper focuses on how nanotechnology has improved and enhan ced the performance of polymeric materials in buildings. Introduction Nanotechnology is gaining widespread attention and being applied in many fields to formulate materials with novel functions due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Major nanotechnology applications are identified as energy, agricultural productivity, water treatment, disease diagnosis, drug delivery system, food processing, air pollution control, construction, health monitoring etc. In the construction sector, nanotechnology is being used in a variety of ways to produce innovative materials. Using nanotechnology as a tool, it is possible to modify the nano/basic structure of the materials to improve the materials bulk properties such as mechanical performance, volume stability, durability and sustainability. The applications of nano materials in construction improve the essential properties of building materials such as strength, durability bond strength, corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance, novel collateral functions such as energy saving, self healing, anti fog ging and super hydrophobic. Newer applications in the field of advanced materials are related to matter for which the surface-to-volume ratio is very high. Nanotechnology significantly improves and enhances the performance of these materials. In fact nanotechnology based polymeric materials can be developed into multifunctional materials. Therefore, the combination at the nano size level of inorganic/ organic components into a single material may lead to an immense new area of materials science leading to development of multifunctional polymeric materials (Cao et al., 2001; Kowalczyk and Spychaj, 2009; Lee et al., 2010; Thapliyal, 2011; Zhao et al., 2012). Role of nanotechnology in polymeric materials Today’s buildings contain many polymeric materials including neoprene, silicone, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), laminated glass using polyvinylbutyral and fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Many of these polymeric materials were discovered and used successfully in industry decades before their application in buildings. Polymeric materials are also important components of paints and coating systems. These polymeric materials are expected to have characteristics such as (a) excellent weather ability (exterior durability), (b) film integrity, (c) tunable mechanical performance, (d) process ability, (e) amenable for environmentally friendly coating formulations, among others. Using nano technology, polymeric materials including advanced coatings systems can improve energy efficiency, durability, aesthetics and other functionalities of buildings and superstructures. For example, cool-roof coatings (high solar refection and thermal emission) have been very effective in increasing building efficiency and thereby reducing energy consumption for cooling. Solar heat-absorbing polymeric materials are becoming essential components of solar collectors used in solar energy harvesting. Super-durable coatings with self-cleaning properties are in much demands for applications on super-structures, monuments and areas where re-painting is very costly. Current status Polymeric materials such as coating systems are reported for the corrosion prevention based on alkyds, acrylics, polyurethanes, polyesters and epoxies. Among them epoxies have number of advantages such as better physico-mechanical properties and improved chemical resistance. Its low UV resistance and higher cost led to develop innovative epoxies by blending with low cost renewable natural resins. The epoxy resin and modified epoxy cardanol resin based coatings form a kind of inter penetrating network (IPN) on the surface of steel and concrete, thus providing a barrier to the attack by moisture. IPNs possess several interesting characteristics in comparison to normal polyblends, because varied synthetic techniques yield IPNs of such diverse properties that their engineering potential spans a broad gamut of modern technology (Sperling, 1981; Thapliyal, 2010). In Indian scenario ongoing research efforts on polymeric materials at IIT Bombay, researchers are taking into consideration of the basic issues like homogeneous dispersion of CNT in polymer matrix and adequate interfacial adhesion among the phases and a novel CNT material i.e., SMA-g-MWNT is being by grafting acid functionalized MWNT with styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) dissolved in THF solvent. The RD work on development of heat reflecting coating on flat glass is being done at CSIR-CGCRI. CSIR-CBRI has the expertise in the area of polymeric materials especially adhesives, sealants and coatings. In the past, CSIR-CBRI scientists have done work in the field of synthesis, formulation and testing of different types of polymeric materials. As a result CSIR-CBRI had published a number of research publications and several technologies were transferred to the private organizations. For example, CSIR-CBRI has developed natural cardanol resin based epoxy coating systems for corrosion protecti on. (Aggarwal et al., 2007; Thapliyal, 2010) A new era of polymeric material innovations for buildings Recent developments in the field of the fabrication and characterisation of objects at the nano-scale make it possible to design and realise new materials with special functional properties. For example, materials can be strengthened or, conversely, made more flexible, or materials can be given greater electrical resistance and lower thermal resistance. The possibilities are virtually endless, particularly in relation to the coupling between living cells and specific functional nanoparticles, nanosurfaces or nanostructures. Artificially inserted organic particles or surfaces can influence a cell to the extent that it takes on an entirely new functionality, such as fluorescence or magnetism. Insertion of these particles or surfaces in cells may even result in the production of new biomaterials. These couplings open up many new scientific and commercial avenues. New material—polyamide, or nylon—has emerged in applications as a â€Å"smart† vapour barrier in exterior envelopes. Its water vapour permeability increases ten times even in conditions of very high humidity. This is particularly useful when moisture is trapped inside a wall assembly. The vapour barrier becomes more permeable and allows moisture to escape, reducing the risk of corrosion, rot, and the growth of mould and mildew. Although nylon was discovered in 1931, its properties as a vapour barrier were not described until 1999, and it was recently commercialized for this purpose. Both of these examples illustrate opportunities that arise from addressing the needs of the built environment with polymeric materials science and engineering. The first resulted from an unintended consequence of an aesthetic choice, the second from an overlooked property of a common polymeric material. Both examples raise the question of why our built environment has been so resistan t to change when new polymeric materials may offer better performance and more satisfying aesthetic results (Munirasu et al., 2009; Thapliyal, 2010; Singh et al., 2010). Conclusions Building new polymeric materials at the atomic and nano scale and structuring or combining existing materials, resulting in entirely new characteristics of these materials, make the application area virtually limitless. The international interest in this area is demonstrated clearly by the growing number of major research programmes being funded in Europe, Japan and the USA as well as in Australia, Canada, China, S. Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, etc. However, the introduction of unfamiliar polymeric materials in buildings is difficult because of life safety concerns, first-cost constraints, and the reluctance of builders to adopt new practices in the field. In addition, the very long life of buildings that serve as host to unproven polymeric materials compounds the risk of legal exposure for all involved, from researchers to builders. However, it is likely that latent opportunities for achieving a substantially improved built environment await the attention of building experts and the polymeric/materials science community united in common research goals. References Chao, T.P.; Chandrasekaran, C.; Limmer, S.J.; Seraji, S.; Wu, Y.; Forbess, M.J.; Neguen, C.; Cao, G.Z. J. Non-Crystalline Solids. 2001, 290, 153-162. Kowalczyk, K.; Spychaj, T. Surface Coatings Technology. 2009, 204, 635–641. Thapliyal, P.C. Nanodigest. 2011, 3(5), 46. Lee, J.; Mahendra S.; Alvarez, P.J.J. ACS Nano. 2010, 4(7), 3580–3590. Zhao, Y.; Xu, Z.; Wang X.; Lin, T. Langmuir. 2012, 28, 6328−6335. Sperling, L.H. Advances in Interpenetrating Polymer Networks, Lancaster: Technomic. 1981, 2, 284. Thapliyal, P.C. Composite Interfaces. 2010, 17, 85-89. Aggarwal, L.K.; Thapliyal P.C.; Karade, S.R. Prog. Org. Coat. 2007, 59, 76–80. Thapliyal, P.C. Proc. GTGE 2010. 2010, 29-30. Thapliyal, P.C. Proc. International Workshop on Nanotechnology in the Science of Concrete. 2010, 69-74. Singh, L.P.; Thapliyal P.C.; Bhattacharyya, S.K. Nanodigest. 2010, 2(3), 45-49. Munirasu,S.; Aggarwal R.; Baskaran, D. Chem. Commun. 2009, 30, 4518-4520.