Income for College Football Athletes Essay

College football athletes have been selling their jerseys, selling signature footballs, and committing crimes in order to be able to feed and support themselves financially to survive in the real world. Student athletes don’t have enough time on their hands to work during the season or during off season workouts. It’s considered a year round sport due to the fact that in offseason, college football players in training to stay in shape for the return of their upcoming season in the fall. Football takes up more than half of their daily time each year. Maintaining a steady grade point average is often enforced because of the demands held by the football program. Should football receive income while on a scholarship? Football athletes should get paid, not necessarily as professionals, paid every game, but at least to receive some form of money to help increase their monthly pay. They should be paid because college football players are making money based off of their perform ance, football athletes are compensated for free education while 70% percent of the athletes don’t even graduate, football consumes too much of the athlete’s time, and are exposing their selves daily to serious injuries that may lead up to a paralyzed body or as far as death. College football and basketball for years have been the highest producing revenue sports in NCAA. More than $470 million in new money poured into major college athletics programs last year, boosting spending on sports, even though we’re in rough economic times. Most of the money made in athletics revenue was because elevation in money generated through multi-media rights deals, donations and ticket receipts, but schools also continued increasing their subsidies from student fees and institutional funds (Berkowitz). Helping with the success of revenues in schools are wins by football teams and basketball teams. 6.2 billion was spent in 2010 on athletics at 218 schools and spending grew by 3% while revenue grew by 5.5%. Money spent on athletics was equated to make a good amount of profit. Could this profit be distributed to the performers? In the years of sports in NCAA revenue, media agreements have created about 86 percent of revenue while the other 14 percent was made from ch ampionships ticket sales. Where does the money go? It is distributed directly to the Division 1 membership. 60 percent of NCAA revenue is distributed to Division 1 members which, in 2009-2010, totaled to a little more than $433 million (where does the money go?). Some of the distribution is used for particular uses, such as academic support or those that meet special student athlete needs. Most of the money is distributed to scholarships and sports sponsorships. These funds are paid to conference offices and divided among conference institutions. The common uses of the money would be for salaries, financial aid for student athletes, and facility maintenance and travel. Only some of the 60 percent is used for the athletes which pays for the tuition and living expenses. NCAA in the article â€Å"Where does the money go?† states that their revenue is relatively small part of the overall intercollegiate athletics fiscal structure. NCAA research estimates the college athletics spend about 10.5 billion annua lly. Overall annual revenue for college athletics programs is 10.6 billion. NCAA total expenses for 2009-2010 were 707.2 million. Schools are making profit off of the athletic programs and NCAA are just an helping hand. The schools are a big impact in budget managing. According to khan, college football and college men’s basketball generate professional level revenues. 757 million in 1999 were total ticket revenues for football and men’s basketball. The broadcast revenue from NCAA of all football, in season and off season, exceeds professional basketball at 2.2 billion. In the modern day, has increased by 8 billion. The university of Louisville’s budget has grown from 52.4 million to 68.8 million from football and basketball revenue. Even other larger schools, winning conferences, are making more from the revenue. Millions and billions of dollars are generated by the players, media and ticket sales, but few are given to them. Without the players performing, there would be no money generated. Televised games are one of the key contributors to generating revenues. In 1950s until 1984 NCAA exerted complete control over college football telecasts. Randall Bennett and John Fizel present the analysis of competitive balance in NCAA division 1 College football after the supreme court ruling. Supreme Court argued that NCAA had been successful in preventing a â€Å"power elite† from developing in college football because of bigger schools being televised while smaller schools are at a disadvantage. The results were the winning percentages in conferences significantly declined in two conferences and increased in two other conferences. NCAA control over television wasn’t focused on generate equality of playing strength among division 1 football teams. The teams with the most wins were highly focused by the NCAA in televising. Television is very important in gaining wins and more attraction â€Å"Televising is more important than money† as quoted by the Supreme Court in Bennett and Fizel’s article. Money is the NCAA’s center point and though most of the money generated by the players, most of it is not necessary for the players. In addition to generating revenues, recruits and players are compensated for free education while only under 70 percent of football player’s graduate. Division 1 student athletes who entered college in 1994 were the ninth consecutive class that met higher initial-eligibility. Student athletes who entered college and received an athletics scholarship as a freshman in 1994 graduated at a rate of 58 percent (NCAA). â€Å"The data of this class of student-athletes continues the pattern set by previous classes of graduating at a rate one to two percent higher than the general student body. Student-athletes in the two classes prior to the new academic standards graduated at a rate one to two percent lower than the general student body† (NCAA). These showings are obvious in the determined average football player who will graduate. What is interesting is that graduating is the number one goal as coaching staff and NCAA emphasize to football athletes. Overall, graduation rates for freshman class entering in 1994 were the same as the year before. This class equaled the rates of the 1988 through 1990 classes, as well as the 1992 and 1993 classes. In 1968 study of all Michigan state university athletes over a five year period revealed that 49 percent of team sport and 60 percent of individual sport athletes had graduate. In 1976, less than 20 percent of football players who entered North Texas State University graduated with a degree (Purdy, Eitzen and Hufnagel). 24 percent in that time were the graduating rate fort football players. Division 1 football and men’s basketball players continue to lag behind in graduating rates among all athletes, but it has grown since then. In 2004-2005 statics by (division 1 athletes’ graduation rates) NCAA division 1 rates for all sports is 82 percent and football and basketball stand at 68 to 69 percent in graduating rates. It has grown yet still the average is inadequate to the standards stressed by NCAA and faculty. NCAA could at least boost up the income for college football athletes if graduation is a main goal stressed. Below three quarters are exceed in graduation rates. Football players are getting their tuition paid for free with an addition of 1,000 to 1,500 monthly incomes if they are living on their own. It sounds like a decent amount, but when you break it down it becomes frustrating for the individual to live off of it. The minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 (Cowan). UNLV football athletes with scholarships receive 12000 dollars monthly for 10 months. The yearly salary is 12,000 dollars. So in reality, only 1,000 is received for each month. The weekly pay is $250. For one day, an UNLV football athlete is paid $35.71. The hourly salary is $4.46. Are we really worth this amount? College football athletes take four classes just to be eligible. In addition to the four classes, from2:00 to 6:30 is all football relation in during seasons. Lifting twice a week is mandatory. Study hall is also mandatory for new comers and those who have failed to meet the requirements by the NCAA. In a whole, all your time is needed to meet the standards set by NCAA. Passing all your classes include, studying (2 hours) and taking 1 to 2 classes a day(2-4) hours, lifting weights (2 hours), studying football, means watching tapes (2 hours), football meetings (2 hours) and football practices( 2 and half hours). Mandatory Study hall consumes about an hour of your day. In all, 12 to 13 hours is taken up by football daily. The rest of the hours are used for sleep and break times. The full time schedules, homework’s, practice, and travel for road games are big burdens for athletes to find other sources of income. NCAA prohibits payments beyond educational scholarships and specified expenses to athletes responsible for revenues. According Goldman that NCAA restricts the ability of college athletes to earn outside income because of the time consumed by the sport itself. Even if a part time job is allowed for student athletes, it raises concerns about over-taxing a student athlete’s already fragmented time schedule and increasing the opportunity for boosters to make â€Å"illegal† payments to favored athletes (Acain). There wouldn’t be a need for boosters or part-time jobs if NCAA could allow increasing the scholarship aids for football athletes. A study on football and basketball individual with scholarships, both generating revenues, say that they had less money. Ernie chamber, in Parent’s article, introduced a bill to pay college athletes but was lacking persistent. One of his arguments were that athletes are not getting enough money to eat and wash their clothes. Former All- American football player at USC who admitted that even though he was getting money from the grants there still wasn’t enough because he was sending it back home ( came from a poor family) to his family. He noticed how he was struggling to put food in his fridge and how the school was selling his jersey making money off of him. California state senator said â€Å"it was unfair that men’s division 1 basketball or football players do not receive at least a portion of the money that athletes have earned for their school and that NCAA has kept quiet about discussing these issues over the past years† (Parent). If a portion of the revenue is distributed to the performers, food and other expenses would be easy access. Also illegal money would not be a problem if more was given to the athletes. Adding to reasons why the collegiate football players should be paid, they are risking their lives for free education with some support for expenses and hopes of making it to the professional level. A data of five teams from major college in the nation were surveyed during practices and games in the 1976 season. Data were based on during drills in practice and games of the season. The injury rate was calculated very high in 12 specific drills, practice games, and other activities. Practice games, drill that simulate real live game emphasis had the lowest injury exposure, but are the highest risk factor. Agility drills were calculated as the fewest injury rates. Calisthenics had no injury rates because it’s a warm-up drill that prepares for the body for the practice. The study, according to Cahill and Griffith, was to determine harmful factors to prevent in the future and in other schools. The drills that were calculated high are often practiced throughout football even till to day. Head injuries are deadliest results of playing football. A survey commissioned by the NFL indicated that it retires have been diagnosed as having dementia or other memory related disease at rates higher than the national population. Helmet manufacturers have begun on protecting against concussion by designing air releasing shock absorbers that could handle a wider range of forces than foam alone (Schawz). Even though it focuses on the concussion taken, it is still not effective in how the head postioned.Dave Halstead states in Schwarz’s article, as advanced as helmets have become, they do not yet protect against dramatic rotational, rather than linear, forces. The position of the head is essential to avoiding head injuries and major risks. Major injuries in football could cost your life and productive time. A 22 year old football player at frostburg state university in Maryland died from head trauma sustained on the field. Dreks sheely died late Sunday at university of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock trauma center in Baltimore. According to Castillo, a spokesman for Frostburg State said sheely had been participating in â€Å"regular drills† with his teammates in Aug. 22 when he began feeling woozy. He was being helped off the field when he collapsed. This incident of dying is not likely, but has had cases like this 9 times in high school football. Head injury cases are at large with those who are paralyzed. Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed below the neck when making contact with player returning the ball against army. Doctors says, in â€Å"Rutgers football player paralyzed from neck down†, that he will remain in hospital for the near future. Legrand was headed to the Hackensack University Medical Center where he had emergency surgery overnight to keep stabilized after making the tackle against the returner. Tight end Kevin Everett, from buffalo bills, in 2007was memorized when he duck his neck making a tackle during second kickoff. He was paralyzed from the neck down with the same situation as LeGrand is in. These are the horrors and risks of playing football. College football players are struggling while the NCAA generates income off of their performance. NCAA distributes money thorough out the Division 1 members and only few is given to players.Even when revenue is increasing each year the same amount of money used to support college football athletes. College spends a lot on the athletic programs even in our declining economic times. As athletes, coaches and staffs stress the goal of graduating football players graduate at a rate of under 70 percent. It has increased since 1960 but it still doesn’t meet the NCAA emphasis on graduating in exchange for their performance. Football players from back in the 80’s till today still struggle the life of being a college football player with the financial aid. The amount of money supplied by the NCAA is unfortunately short for paying living expenses and for those who may send the money back home. Also more illegal attempts, boosters giving money and players selling their jerseys, that attract attention may be prevented by providing a little more to the aids. Finding sources of money becomes impossible because of the time that football consumes. Lastly, the game of football exposes football players to many injuries. Players dying to players being paralyzed are a risk that cost more than what there are given in college. Health insurance may pay for the minor injuries, but can it pay for death that is the last thing in a football players mind? These are the reason that football players should get paid, in an increase in their monthly income.

Cost Club Week Essay

The issues against discharging an employee with any reason can be very harmful to any business. This opens the door for a lawsuit to any organization because, an ex-employee could file a lawsuit against the employer for alleging that they had been discharged wrongfully. The civil right law act in 1964 provides protection to the employees against wrongfully discharge. This describe that companies cannot terminate their employees basis of race, gender, skin, religion, color etc, (Employment law for business, 2007)†.) For example, if their at-will relationship exists between the employee and employer this does not mean that employer may terminate the employee, in a discriminatory manner. This mean the organization has to follow the legal principles before discharging their employee. There are so many laws that protect the individuals even though we are an, at- will state. The Federal anti-discrimination law prevents employees from wrongful discharge by the employer (Lawson, 1998)†. This scenario does not say that the employees were not let go due to the basis of any reason. This lawsuit against the organization for wrongful discharge could be very risky for the Cost Club since there were no reasons for terminating their employees. Reduction in Employee Costs There are many ways to reduce company cost. One thing a company can do is to outsource their HR. This will help reduce the cost of the employee benefits  program by bring in an outside company like GNA Partners. The GNA Partners have many ways to save the company money but, may bring cost to the workers. The GNA Partners provide negotiation insurance rates, which the plan cost are determined by what age group the employees fall into. Next the company can choose higher deductible plans, which this reduces, the cost of benefits plan. †¢ The business can offer robust benefits package by making their employees contribute. †¢ Using different types of workers like temporary workers, contract employee, part-time employees, employees and, non-employees work hours. These job types can be helpful to accomplish the seasonal demand of the organizations plus can cause the increase within the organizational performance. The organization knows all different categories of workers who can hire to save money for definite and indefinite period. Organization understands that temporary workers directly reports to the employer and receive their reimbursement from the company. When a company hires a contract employee, temporary and, part-time employee they know that they do not have to pay this employee benefits or high rates. Like vacation, sick, and part-time workers are usually define a workers, who have shorter working hours other fulltime workers. The rules, policies and, procedures for the part-time employee are not the same as the regular employees but quite different from the temporary workers† (Part Time and Temporary Employees, 2009). According to â€Å"Bennett-Alexander, & Hartman, â€Å"by hiring independent contractors, the cost of overtime is eliminated (the federal wage and hour laws do not apply to independent contractors) and the employer is able to avoid any work-related expenses, s uch as tools, training, or traveling. The employer is also guaranteed satisfactory performance of the job for which the contractor was hired because it is the contractor’s contractual obligation to adequately perform the contract with the employer, while the employee is generally able to quit without incurring liability (Employment law for business, 2007)†. For example, the company manage is an employees work who sets an employee’s schedule, along with deciding the method the employee uses to perform their work. An independent contractor is a person who provides particular services to an organization. Whether it be a short or long-term assignment. This is very effective low cost and saving the companying money because; temporary, contract or part-time employment arrangements provides several benefits to any business. Injury and Damages According to Tort Law, the Cost Club will be liable for the misconduct of employees with the customers. Tort laws are laws that offer remedies to individuals harmed by the unreasonable actions of others. Tort claims usually involve state law and are based on the legal premise that individuals are liable for the consequences of their conduct if it results in injury to others (McCarthy & Cambron-McCabe, 1992). Tort laws involve civil suits, which are actions brought to protect an individual’s private rights. The second situation, the employee is liable for physical harm to the customers’ property. Therefore, the company who hires the employee will be held liable for their employees negligent. The last situation, the business will not be liable for the acts of a real estate agent, because, the real estate agent is not controlled by the business. Therefore, the Cost Club should let their customers know they, are not responsible or that the real estate agent is an independent and organization contractors and that they have no control on his or her activities so, Cost Club will not be liable for the tort of him or her (Tort Liability Basics: Strict, Vicarious, and Joint Liability, 1999). Resolving Disagreement Processes Resolving disagreement between company and its employees, the can †¢ Set up a subject box  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Have a meeting once a week with the manager, and employees to discuss the problem that may arise between co-workers and managers. †¢ Includes third party as the mediator between employees and company. †¢ Grievance procedure, corporate due process, mediation etc., †¢ Clear as the formal complaint by the employees that they are behaved wrongly by the management decisions (Open door policy) These steps can be very effective to resolve between most companies’ problem. Which, if not settled could cause a big problem like violation of law, and just a perception of unfair treatment by the employees and managers. This method has to be effective in order to achieve long-term success and to facilitate and to accommodate between the employees and the company. Employment Law Concepts for Selection Employment law concepts for selection would include several legal implications. According to Bennett-Alexander, & Hartman, â€Å"the Civil Rights  Act 1964 prohibits the employers from discrimination among the potential employees on the basis of race, gender, color, region etc. in its recruitment and selection process. The next step is once the employee is hired, the company should make sure they follow steps are, training, appraising, compensating, and implementing employment decisions that determine such things as promotions, transfers, and layoffs† The selection procedure should also be job related and concern with the business necessity. The company should always follow the State HR Laws, and all the employees should be treated fairly and equally (Employment Tests and Selection Procedures, 2008). The Age Discrimination in Employment Act should also be considered in the selection procedure by the management. Reference: Beatty, J.F. & Samuelson, S.S. (2009). Introduction to Business Law (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning. Bennett-Alexander, D. D. & Hartman, P. L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). New York: McGraw–Hill. Retrieved October 29, 2012 from University of Phoenix, rEsource. Part Time and Temporary Employees. (2009). Retrieved October 29, 2012 from http://employment.findlaw.com/employment/employment-employee-overview/employment-

Review what your role, responsibilities and boundaries as a teacher would be in terms of the teaching/training cycle Essay

There is often an assumption that, if we give people some training it’s bound to do some good and often simply experiencing a training event can result in learning. However the chances are far greater when a systematic approach to teaching is applied. The ‘teaching/training cycle’ is the classic method of carrying out the teaching process. It is a logical and structured approach to teaching which ensures that the needs of the learner are effectively met. The teaching cycle is a cyclical model of experiential learning which consists of a five stage learning sequence which encourages continuity from one experience to another. It can be approached at any stage, but it needs to be followed through to be effective. Taking shortcuts at any stage can lead to ineffective teaching/training. It is paramount that the role, responsibilities and boundaries as a teacher are understood and integrated within the parameters of the cycle for learning to be effective. A teacher’s role in the Lifelong Learning Sector is broad; indeed Harden and Crosby (2000:334) identified twelve distinct roles of the teacher, however this falls short of the nineteen roles identified by Wilson (2008:6). Some of the functions sit within specific stages whilst others embrace the whole of the training cycle. Identifying learners’ specific needs is critical because if these are not identified, the training will not achieve the intended outcome. It is vital to ensure that the training has the correct purpose. At this stage it is important to assume nothing. Stage One- A diagnostic assessment (Training Needs Analysis) evaluates what is already known whilst exploring learning outcomes. This is accompanied by initial assessment (S4L screening); an analysis of Learning Styles and ICLP (learning plan). At this first stage it is key to establish boundaries with  the learner; Bluestein (2010 Online) identifies eleven reasons to use boundaries including â€Å"being able to express your limits and to communicate the conditions or availability†. The teacher must foster integrity and confidentiality in order to establish trust and respect with the learner. It is also important to remember the teacher’s role as a role model and that you only get one opportunity to create a good first impression. As a teacher it is imperative that you are punctual; dress appropriately; use appropriate language and feedback at the appropriate times. It is important to portray a professional image and to be seen to work within the boundaries of the law, professional codes, values and ethics. Teachers are responsible for pastoral care; for looking after the personal and social wellbeing of the individual including the health and emotional support of the learner. Often issues can be picked up early in the cycle and the teacher can then support the individual. The learner may need financial, health and learning support which can be gained via referral to a support service. Occasionally they may need a break from the programme in order to resolve personal issues and only then is the individual able to reach their full potential. The needs and objectives of the learner should be routinely examined throughout the programme through direct and indirect feedback so that the individual feels supported and valued and is able to reach their full potential. Stage Two – The teacher is responsible for planning and designing a programme of study that responds to these needs. This involves the teacher designing a scheme of work and model of delivery; individual lesson plans and sourcing resources. Stage Three – Stage three focuses on delivery with the teacher providing appropriate methods, resources and support while facilitating learning. Approaches to learning will depend on the number of students and learning styles of the group. Stage Four – Giving learners access to fair assessment; the teacher assesses and checks learning and monitors progress. This is an opportunity to feedback on success or initiate change. Stage Five – Involves gaining feedback as part of the evaluation process; the teacher and the learner review the effectiveness of the course and consider any information, advice and guidance (IAG) the learner may need to progress with their development. The teacher analyses retention and success levels. The teacher is responsible for contributing towards the administration of the programme and contributing to Quality Assurance. The teacher has a duty of care to facilitate learning to everyone without discrimination within a safe learning environment and to ensure that all learners receive a positive learning experience and achieve their goals. References Bluestein, J. ( © 2010), 11 Reasons to use Boundaries. http://www.janebluestein.com/handouts/bound_reasons.htmlDeerfield each, FL: Health Communications, Inc., Harden et al (2000) Medical Teacher. Volume 22, Issue 4 July 2000, pages 334-347. London: Informa Plc. Wilson, L. (2008) Practical Teaching: A Guide to PTLLS & CTLLS. London: Cengage Learning Bibliography Bluestein, J. ( © 2010), 11 Reasons to use Boundaries. http://www.janebluestein.com/handouts/bound_reasons.htmlDeerfield each, FL: Health Communications, Inc., Fox, R. (2005) Teaching and Learning. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Harden et al(2000) Medical Teacher. Volume 22, Issue 4 July 2000, pages 334-347. London: Informa Plc. Petty, G. (2006) Evidenced Based Teaching. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. Wilson, J. (2000) Key Issues in Education and Teaching. London, New York: Cassell Wilson, L. (2008) Practical Teaching: A Guide to PTLLS & CTLLS. London: Cengage Learning

Prompt Six - On Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Prompt Six - On Design - Essay Example This is also referred to as a cross over study. It allows for a comparison of the results arising from different tests performed on the same group of subjects. For example, in a test comparing the effects of a low glycemic load (LGL) diet with a high glycemic load (HGL) diet the same group is fed with a LGL meal in one instance and a HGL meal in another instance. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. In the ‘between groups’ approach participants are less likely to become bored as in the ‘within group’ approach because they are only used for one treatment. Therefore, they are more likely to entertain follow up treatments than is the case with the ‘within group’ approach where participants may not complete the tests. The ‘within group’ is less costly when compared to the ‘between groups’ approach as it involves only one group on which more than one treatment is administered while the ‘between groups’ approach require more than one group. Therefore, the number of participants subjected to tests are half as much as in the ‘between groups’ approach. Additionally, the ‘within group’ approach is less error prone since the same subjects are used for both tests whiles the ‘between groups’ approach is negatively imp acted by individual differences. The effect of the first treatment on the second treatment is a major disadvantage of the ‘within group’ approach. The main differences between the two approaches need to be clearly understood in order to facilitate a determination of the statistical tests to be employed so that inferences can be made. Paired t-Tests is useful in analyzing ‘within group’ designs while independent t-Tests is useful for analyzing data for ‘between groups’

Graphics and Illustrations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Graphics and Illustrations - Essay Example Below, two graphic designers are discussed and both of them belong to totally different times. The first graphic designer discussed is Robert Brownjohn. He was one of the famous graphic designers in 1950's and 1960's. He designed the title of James Bond movies and did a lot of other remarkable work. The second graphic designer discussed is David Carson. He is one of the most famous graphic designers of today's world. He worked with the famous brands of today's world. The brands he worked with include Pepsi Cola, Nike, Armani etc. The similarity between the both designers is that they both experimented with the typography and both of them are considered to be the first one in this regard. Graphic designer is a person who is expert in graphic designing and art. His job is to work in graphics professionally and give illustrations to his customers according to their need. They deal with the images, typography and videos. They put them together and create a piece of graphics or illustrations. Their job is to develop graphics and illustrations for advertising purpose mostly. Their work is published and printed in newspapers and magazines and also is displayed on the electronic media. People expect the work of graphic designer to be perfect and aesthetic. The aesthetic sense of the designer plays an important role in this process. People pay him for not only his skills but his aesthetic sense. With the rise of twentieth century, world saw the rise of graphi... So it could be said that print media played and important role in developing the graphics and illustrations. The electronic media played very important role in development of graphics and illustrations. Televisions and cinema gave a bigger platform to the advancement of graphics and illustrations. And then comes the computer graphics and internet. It could be said that internet provided a bigger canvas to the designers. They can improve their work and can also share it with other designers. This helps them in improving and polishing their talents. Graphics designers can display their work all over the world through internet. And it is a great development for them. While taking a look at the history of the graphics and illustrations, it becomes clear that the start of graphics took place in 1820 with the industrial revolution. Though at that time, they were called the pattern makers. In US, it starts in 1920, when consumer society emerged. Different commercial artists, advertisers and illustrators came up with their ideas and started graphics and illustrations as their profession and sooner it became an important industry. Robert Brownjohn Robert Brownjohn was a famous graphic designer of his time. He was born in 1925 and died in 1970. Most of his work is in typography and graphics. He was an initiator of computer graphics in New York during 1950's and in London during 1960's. So his contribution to computer graphics cannot be ignored. His work includes the designing of the title of James Bond's movies. He developed the graphics of Robert Fraser Gallery. Another work that increased his fame was the artwork that he designed for Rolling Stone musical group. He got a great affection with music and it is obvious

Coventry's contribution to transportation Essay

Coventry's contribution to transportation - Essay Example The automotive industry in the United Kingdom- UK dates back to the end of the 19th century. During the 1950’s, the car manufacturing industry in the UK became the second largest in the globe falling behind to the United States (NAIGT 2008, p.89). At the time, the UK was the largest exporter of cars. In the decades following the 1950’s, the industry faced greater competition from other car manufacturing nations such as France, Japan and Germany. This led to a fall in growth of the industry. By 2008, statistics showing the production of cars by volume ranked the UK as the 12th largest car manufacturer. As competition in car making rose during after 1950, so too did the number of foreign car manufactures rise in the country (Tom, Jason & Clive 2012, p. 54). Companies such as BMW, TATA, and Volkswagen Group invaded the industry. Foreign company groups also claim a large percentage of ownership in traditional British car brands such as Rover, Triumph and Riley (Wells 2010, p. 103). Below is a picture of a Triumph Dolomite sprint car that got manufactured between 1973 and 1980; The Coventry motor industry has experienced innovations and inventions over the years as it faces competition and pressures from the market. The industry has invested heavily in modular design and technology in response to other competing automotive firms in other countries (Tom, Jason & Clive 2012, p. 13). ... This becomes possible through the industry’s extremely sophisticated systems integration skills. The industry has also seen massive technological progress since its inception. The industry has incorporated vital features to ensure vehicle safety (Tom & David 2000, p. 118). Technological progress has also seen the industry focus on issues such as fuel economy, environmental impact, comfort, performance and versatility. Technology and modern management skills have led to transformation of the industry through cutting edge design analysis, lightweight materials, extension of digital control to enable most car functions. Coventry has recently assisted in developing cars that embrace green technology such as electric cars and hydrogen powered vehicles (NAIGT 2008, p.65). The image below represents the technological advancements in green technology by the industry; Part 2: Report One sector that makes up the Coventry automotive industry gets to be research and development- R&D. the efforts of Coventry’s R&D get geared towards a technology roadmap that makes use of relevant resources to build cars that meet the consumers’ demands and environmental demands. This paper will analyze the R&D segment of Coventry’s automotive industry to determine its strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Success of the industry’s R&D will ensure that the industry remains competitive and relevant in the current global automotive industries (NAIGT 2008, p.59). The current global targets in transport aim towards decarbonizing the system by 2050, improving vehicle performance, safety and designs. R&D expenditures represent key information on the sustainability of an industry. The R& D represent an

Identifying and Clarifying Opportunities Case Study

Identifying and Clarifying Opportunities - Case Study Example This approach to decision making may pose as one of the biggest challenges for future survival and growth of  MLR. MLR is positioned as a casual, full-service restaurant that caters to a relaxed and fun-loving crowd. The chain strives to attract people who enjoy socializing and hospitality. The management however does not want to project the restaurant as a pub, sports bar or other drinking establishment. The present positioning is based on the founding members own experiences and not on any marketing research. MLR competes in the marketplace on the plank of differentiation. The restaurant offers a signature dish which is consistent with consumer’s preferences for healthier diets. The founders did not use inputs from consumers before finalizing these important marketing decisions. Likewise, there has been no effort to segment the market on any quantitative or sophisticated market assessment tool. MLR is presently facing cash flow problems. The costs have risen, however the revenue has not increased proportionately. The restaurant has accumulated large amount of debt. Heavy interest payout is compounding the issue of large cash outflows. The annual sales of MLR have risen consistently from $1,472,000 in 2006 to $ 17,222,000 in 2009. The projected sales of $22,329,000 for the year 2010 represent a 30 percent growth over the previous year. On the face of it, these figures suggest that MLR is doing pretty well. However they mask some important aspects that need attention. First and foremost is the fact that rate of growth in sales has been falling every year as depicted in the table below. Despite this slowdown in the sales growth rate, revenue per store has continued to increase every year. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, which included the worse part of the economic recession, the average revenue per store was $1,435, up from $1,372 during the comparative

Crimes on Campus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crimes on Campus - Essay Example The intent of the bullying person is to gain power over the victim. An individual is said to be bullied when he finds it difficult to protect himself from recurring harmful actions from another person or a group of persons. Bullying students are usually very outgoing and bold without any idea of indignity or remorse; whereas, the bullied ones are already very introverted and hesitant, which makes them prone to bullying. Smith and Sharp assert that school bullying involves â€Å"5-10 per cent of children as being bullied and about 5 per cent of children as bullying others† (5). They state that bullying is generally out of sight of the school authorities, because the bullied students and their peers hesitate in informing their teachers about the bully, and that is why it keeps on going. The National Association of School Psychologists (as cited in Shore 5) estimates that â€Å"160,000 children miss school every day for fear of being bullied†. The description of bullying i s not complete until we describe the aspects of bullying. Bullying can be of various types. Some of these are: Oral bullying: shouting, calling names and spreading rumors about the victim Written bullying: nasty letters and text messages Physical bullying: kicking, hitting, slapping, punching and pushing Isolating the victim from social gatherings Making the victim do things he does not want to do Making the victim feel ashamed of his race, color, religion and language Sexual harassment Cyber bullying: teasing through nasty emails, chat messages and phone calls Bullying can have devastating effects on the bullied student, so much so that he may be forced to commit suicide. He may undergo hypertension, freight, loneliness, anxiety, depression, low self-worth, low grades and suicidal attempts. Glew et al. (1026-1031) found that school bullying resulted in a decline in school attendance, academic outcome, psychosocial adjustment, and psychological health of students. Bullying also crea tes bad impact on the observers of bullying. Since bullying creates an apprehensive environment on campus, students who watch someone being bullied may tend to turn away from their studies feel guilty for not stopping it; or, may even be tempted to participate and support the bullying students. Such students are called the bystanders. Rivers et al. (211-223) conducted a study regarding the mental health of those students who witness school bullying. The participants included 2,002 students aged 12 to 16 belonging to 14 schools in the United Kingdom. The researchers found that â€Å"observing bullying at school predicted risks to mental health over and above that predicted for those students who were directly involved in bullying behavior as either a perpetrator or a victim† (211). The observers are either convinced to take part in bullying or they refrain from involvement or from protecting the victim, all of which are signs of poor mental health. In order to avoid all these negative effects of bullying on campus, I recommend that school authorities should promote interpersonal and helping relationship among its students. Students’

Not necessary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Not necessary - Research Paper Example After identification of constituencies, objectives should be set and proper communication channels should be adopted for delivering the probable crisis information to the constituencies (Argenti, 2007). According to Fowler, et.al (2007), top level and middle level managers are much more prepared for crisis as compared to employees. Learning is also a part of the crisis preparation. If the organizations are well prepared before occurrence of a crisis, the employees and management learn from their taken actions and also learn to change according to the needs of a new crisis. The management of an organization plays an active role in preparing for a crisis. In learning from crisis events, there are several barriers for organizations. According to Smith and Elliott (2007), crisis should be used as a means for learning, organizations should learn from crisis, about crisis and for crisis. Learning is not an easy process as there are hindrances in learning such as environmental changes, value systems, refusal of expert opinions and ineffective communication (Smith and Elliott, 2007). Corporate communication is an attractive course and I think that I will be able to obtain much more until the end of this course. In a business setting, communication plays a crucial role and its importance cannot be negated in any circumstances. As a student of corporate communication, I have researched about Primo Small goods Company, which is a meat company in Australia. My learning experience with the company was a good one as I was able to assess corporate environment practically. These kinds of assignments are really helpful for students and provide them a chance to get better equipped with skills that will be required in their future lives and careers. Learning is essential for all the students and I feel that the corporate communication course is providing its students with multiple opportunities to learn. Without effective communication, our day-to-day

Public Tax Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Tax Policy - Essay Example Therefore, a public tax policy can be described as guidelines for actions that the executive or the administrative branches of a country’s governance should take. These actions are usually encompassed with essential principles and are usually of responsive nature (McGrail, Morgan, and Hertzman 160). As such, these actions are mostly adopted to respond to certain issues in a manner that can be identified as consistent with the country’s laws as well as customs of the institutions within that country. The stronghold of public policies in any country is the national law as well as the constitutional law, which is in most cases substantially established. In addition to this, the implementing legislation is also identified as fundamental to national policies. An example of this is the U.S federal code (McGrail, Morgan, and Hertzman 166). Judicial interpretations as well as the legislation authorized regulations make the rest of the substrates essential in establishing public taxpolicies. According to scholars, the most effective description of public policies is that they are a system of regulatory measures, funding priorities as well as actions taken with reference to a specified topic. It should not only be a topic but one that has been promulgated by the government representatives or the entity itself (Feehan 45). Commonly, the public policies are entailed such aspects as the judicial decisions, constitutions as well as in legislative acts (Howlett 36). II. Thesis Statement The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the public tax policies adopted by the U.S and thereby determining if the founding fathers really made the right decisions concerning those policies (McGrail, Morgan, and Hertzman 170). III. Discussion Analysis of Govermental engagement in Public tax policies i. President’s Office In the US, the office of the president is usually mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that the government agents operate cohesively as well as optimumly with regard to govermantal projects. The funding of these projects comes from the public finances. Usually, the president designs the framework in from which implementation of the public tax policy will be done and passed to the U.S treasury and from there, this framework is released to the public (Feehan 46). In his Gettysburg address, Lincoln brought the U.S together while it was experiencing impairments. He did this by invoking the Founding fathers. This course of action can also be traceable in the actions of Franklin Roosevelt during his attempts to change the America’s social contract such that, apart from the security from hostility, he ensured that it also included the economic security which is a subject of a common good for the public (McGrail, Morgan, and Hertzman 176). Moreover, the process is usually multifaceted and it entails interplaying between individual groups as well as several individuals (Feehan 47). As such, these individuals and inter est groups engage themselves in collaborations in an effort to inflict an influence on the makers of the policies such that they will act in a certain manner. In an effort towards advancement of their aims, these interest groups and individuals utilize a wide range of tools as well as tactics. These include; mobilizing the affiliated parties on some issues, make explicit attempts not only to empower but also to educate the supporters as well as the opponents. In

Response Essays Essay Example for Free

Response Essays Essay Response to: Foul Shots In Foul Shots, Rogelio R. Gomez writes about his Chicano background and the neighborhood he grew up in. Furthermore, he describes himself being stereotyped as one of the â€Å"barrio boys† basically meaning that he is considered inferior to the Anglos. In high school, the writer states that he was on a basketball team and that there was one day when his coach announced that his team was to â€Å"buddy up† with the opposite team. The opposite team was all White and therefore had a big conflict with the â€Å"barrio boys† due to racism. One of the Anglos threw a bag of Fritos to the â€Å"barrio boys† as an insult because of the â€Å"Frito Bandito† commercial which was, at its time, very popular and involved a stereotyped â€Å"Mexican bandit† from the Western movies who would steal Fritos. Gomez states in his essay that this insult still persists in his mind after â€Å"more than 20 years† have passed because he still wonders what he should have done in the situation and always comes to a though in where he is crushing â€Å"a silly bag of Fritos. The title seems to go well with the whole theme of this essay and has two meanings on being that since they are on a basketball team and a â€Å"foul† in basketball is an illegal move and also using the meaning of the word â€Å"foul† as unfair; they are being compared in a sense. The Anglos in the essay are very stereotypical due to the fact that they threw a bag of Fritos at the â€Å"barrio boys† and treated them very rudely; they basically thought of them as â€Å"inferior† as stated in by the author. Something that can also be said in this situation; however, is that the stereotypical thoughts could be turned towards the Anglos implying that the Mexican-Americans discriminate towards them too. The reason why is because, in the essay, it says that the â€Å"barrio boys† tried to act like they were superior because of their â€Å"toughness† and how they played basketball much better than the Anglos, beating them at every game. This whole problem could have probably been prevented if the coaches took a different approach towards the conflicts between the two teams. Rather than having the two teams get together, which obviously magnified the problem, the coach should have talked to the students about the different ethnic backgrounds and how to deal with racism and stereotypes. Response to: The Happiest Day of My Life In the essay, The Happiest Day of My Life, a man by the name of Michael T. Smith worked in an office with large windows that were facing a busy overpass. One day, Smith decided to start waving at the people that would pass by. Smith started these â€Å"window antics† to bring joy and relieve the stress during work. Smith kept on waving to these people to the point where it became a daily routine. Eventually, his co-workers began to notice this and share the laughs he would get from waving at these people. Around Christmas time, it began to get stressful because of all of the job cuts and to help cheer everyone up, Smith decided to dress up as Santa Claus during work. When his supervisor found out about this, he called Smith into his office which made Smith become very nervous, especially during this time, but to his surprise, his supervisor couldn’t help but laugh and thanked him for what he had done to cheer everyone up. I personally thought that Smith was going to get warned not to do something like this again or he would lose his job because of the reaction given in which it says that his supervisor â€Å"†¦turned and left. † After a while, Smith began to see a bond growing between the people he would wave to, especially the bus riders, but didn’t realize how strong it was until the day when his daughter was born and they held up a sign saying â€Å"congratulations! †

Culinarian Coookware Case Essay Example for Free

Culinarian Coookware Case Essay I.Consumer Behavior Culinarian cookware is sold through retailers and directly to consumers. Culinarian has carefully cultivated relationships with its limited retail network, comprised of three upscale kitchen specialty chains, two department store chains, and 75 local specialty stores. Direct-to-consumer sales are made through Culinarian’s website or its catalogs. Because Culinarian relies on a variety of intermediaries to sell its products through retail channels (see Exhibit A for details), it must be careful how any planned promotions will change incentives for those intermediaries. For example, price discounts offered by Culinarian may not be passed on to end users. Thus, although end users ultimately drive sales of Culinarian products, Culinarian must take care to protect the interests of retailers and their salespeople in order to remain successful. The Orion Market Research Study reveals a great deal of useful information regarding Culinarian’s target demographic. Despite the many options to purchase remotely (via online vendors or mail order catalogues), purchases from retail locations account for 85% of total sales. See Exhibit B for details. This is strong evidence that consumers want to evaluate the quality and style of the cookware at the time of purchase. 75% of consumers in the study already own more than 5 pieces of cookware. See Exhibit C for more details. The majority of households in the Orion study had either given or received cookware as a gift, which aligns with evidence suggesting that cookware sales are seasonal – purchasing peaks occur in May and June (wedding season) and November and December (the holiday season). Because cookware is a durable good (i.e. it is not consumed and carries forward from one period into the next) it may be especially sensitive to sales discount cycles. Details on pre-sale losses and post-sale losses due to cannibalization are shown in Exhibit E. See Exhibit F for details on variation in cookware purchases by month. If consumers are purchasing in anticipation of annual events, they may be especially sensitive to promotional offers. This means that any analysis of cannibalization due to promotions or price discounts must be sure to analyze the full impact of pre and post-sale cannibalization. II.Culinarian success factors Culinarian has built a premium brand by producing innovative, high-quality cookware and developing strong relationships with retailers. Culinarian’s products are trusted by consumers who consider cooking to be their number one hobby (60% of Culinarian customers), and by professional chefs. The company meets the needs of these different segments by offering four product lines, each varying in terms of the level of technology and features involved, but all high quality. Culinarian has also been a leader in terms of metallurgic improvements in the cookware industry. Most important to Culinarian’s success, however, is its relationship with retailers. The company’s focused retail strategy allows the Culinarian sales team to visit retailers more often than their competitors, keeping retailers abreast of new products and training sales clerks as necessary. In addition, Culinarian products are more profitable for retailers than competitors’ products, creating addi tional warmth for their cookware among retailers. III.Evaluation of 2004 promotion Culinarian’s senior sales manager, Victoria Brown, maintains that the 2004 promotion was profitable, while a team of consultants believes it lost Culinarian money. The tables in Exhibit G depict each viewpoint on the effectiveness of the promotion, in addition to our own midrange analysis. Differences in the estimation of projected vs. actual sales largely accounts for the difference in profitability estimates. The consultants included cannibalization estimates in their model, while Brown argued that different â€Å"normal† estimates should be used when calculating sales. However, we find Brown’s belief that â€Å"there is no reliable way to calculate cannibalization costs† (case p.6) to be unconvincing; while the consultants’ numbers may not be perfect, they approximate the results of customers and retailers being able to plan purchasing around the price promotion due to the January notification. We included cannibalization in our midrange estimate for this reason. Brown and the consultants also disagree on the calculation of variable costs. Brown states that only direct labor and raw materials should be included, while the consultants include a much more comprehensive bundle of SGA expenses and overhead. Either could be considered correct, but as a check we calculated a midway point in addition to the consultants’ perspective and Brown’s perspective. Brown’s numbers show strong profitability of $2.4 million due to the 2004 sales promotion, while the consultants’ numbers show a loss of $409,697 due to the promotion. Our intermediate scenario, incorporating cannibalization costs but splitting the difference between the consultants and Brown on both sales figures and variable costs, shows a weak profitability of $106,594 from the promotion. This weak profitability must be held against the negative side effects of price promotions in general, and part icularly with regard to premium products. IV.2007 promotion recommendations We do not recommend that Culinarian continue offering price promotions. The fluctuations in demand for Culinarian products around the promotional period in 2004 indicates the likelihood that cannibalization occurred; we found that much of the growth in demand as well as the corresponding decline in demand before and after a promotional period had little to do with the typical monthly demand in the market. It seems very likely that the decreased demand we see before and after the promotional periods can be attributed to the cannibalization of full price sales by the discounted units sold during promotions. Another strong reason why we recommend against price promotions is that no other premium cookware manufacturer engages in these promotions. Part of cultivating a high-end brand image is making sure that products are priced accordingly, and making sure that consumers are able to distinguish between lower-end and premium products. Price can be an important indicator of quality, desirability, and status in this regard. Culinarian is extremely careful about maintaining its premium brand image, and offering regular price promotions along with lower-end producers such as Star Chef and Kitchen Select would likely erode the brand positioning that Culinarian had developed. However, we have developed two alternative recommendations to price promotions that may help strengthen Culinarian’s distribution network and increase sales. First, we recommend that Culinarian strengthen the point system currently in place to reward retail salespeople with Culinarian cookware. Emphasizing this alternative incentive would help maintain good retailer relationships, and would increase the motivation of salespeople to sell Culinarian. Second, we recommend that Culinarian continue its free gift promotion in slightly altered form. Qualifying customers should be provided with a coupon that directs them to Culinarian’s website, where they can enter their information and have the gift shipped to them. By running the promotion through its website, Culinarian will remove the burden of free gift inventory costs for retailers and, more importantly, drive traffic to Culinarian’s underutilized website (currently less than 5% of sales are made through the website). Additional web traffic could increase the proportion of direct purchases (with the attendant higher margins), as well as keeping customers more connected to the company and more likely to purchase Culinarian products in the future.

Benefits of School Sports Programs: A Survey

Benefits of School Sports Programs: A Survey Memo of Transmittal   Subject: Need for more athletic events in school Problem: Selkirk College is a respectable school in the Kootenays region. This school has many branches such as Castlegar, Nelson, Trail etc. In this school, many international students are studying now such as from India, China, Japan and many other countries. They face many problems here like accommodation and work mainly due to which some students feel homesick too. They feel alone and stressed from studies and all the assignment work. In our school, hardly one or two cultural events and other athletics event occurs. Students who are from sports background love games very much, so they miss these types of events here. No doubt, the college always organizes many types of events like Intercultural Festival and small gaming competition, but these are not as big and organised as required and also they are held seldomnly. Solution: Our school management can make a decision about this. Physical activities can be added to the school curriculum without any academic disturbances and also can offer physical, emotional and social benefits. At every weekend friendly sports events should be held in our gymnasium. We should not force the students to take part in those events. In every semester, there should be one big Sports Event at college and an Annual function should be arranged for students. In these events different kinds of matches like Cricket, Basketball and Badminton should be organised and cultural dances, dramas and many more such things should be held. There should be prizes for top 3 students of classes for appreciation for their hard work. Conclusion: Schoolbased sports activities can bring out positive reactions and behaviors in students.   An annual function could encourage students to study more when they see their friends getting awards for their hard work. So the management should look after this issue and should take effective steps regarding this. I would thanks to Parmider Singh and Sarabjit Singh for their cooperation. Table of Contents (Jump to) List of Illustrations Executive Summary Introduction Discussion Sections Conclusions  and Recommendations   References List of Illustrations Graph 1: Students from different countries and their interest Figure 1: An example of intercultural events Executive Summary To summarize, I would like to say that we have less extra curriculum activities in our school which are really important for the overall growth of mind and health of students. We should start Yoga, Basketball, Cricket and many more classes at our campus. These classes may be considered individual or team depending on the kind of sport. I did survey and group discussions with many students in the college to discuss this topic and to know their views about these activities. Almost every student wants to see these kinds of extra curriculum activities to be organised in the college. Once in a semester these kinds of events and matches should be organised within different campuses of the college. So, at the end I hope the management and authorities of our college will also think about this change and they will start these kinds of events in coming days. I really appreciate those students who helped me to represent my views in front of the organization by supporting me. Introduction In this project, I have thrown some light on the issue of organising some extra curriculum activities for students in the college. This is a really important issue for all the students who feel stressed and bored from the studies and also the students who want to show their talent in sports. The college should organise some kinds of sports activities within its different campuses along with some cultural events once in a semester. However, at the end of the semester top 3 students should be awarded. This should be done at a bigger level and students from all courses should be welcomed. Due to this change, students will excel in their overall growth both physically and mentally. Moreover, there are many international students who feel homesick and alone in the college. So they will also be benefited from this. Also, students will be motivated by the watching others getting awards for their hard work. Discussion Sections I did survey regarding sports and other activities in college. In this survey, I asked to answer in between the rating of 0-10. Like if you strongly agree with the opinion then give 10 and so on according to your level of interest. My questions were- Do you miss your functions held in the past? Do you want to see those functions again in Selkirk College? How much is it important to organize functions and sports activities in college? Does it reduce stress level? Can we learn from this kind of activities? Can this kind of activities encourage students to study more and give competition to other students? Is it important for fitness purpose? Is it reducing homesickness up to some extent for international students? Do you think it could be great source of fun in this small town? In results, I got most of the students giving 8-10 for their answers. Moreover, I did group discussion with students from different countries. Firstly, I did with Indian students. They said they are missing those events which they enjoyed in Indian college and they are willing to enjoy those moments here too. When I discussed this matter with Canadian students they said they would love to see this kind of activities being organised in the college.   I just shared my Indian college event experience with them to explain them little bit. All the Chinese, Japanese students are agreeing and excited to see these functions. Because, we all believe through these events we can learn about different cultures and show our talents. Graph 1 Students from different countries and their interest We can see from this bar chart more than 70% of the students are agreeing to organize these functions and sports activities in this college. Fig 1: An example of intercultural events Conclusions After doing the survey with different types of students, we came to the result that more than 70% of the students agreed with our opinion and they also want to see these kinds of events in the college. We also found that the students are lacking in physical fitness which is affecting their overall growth. So, the authorities should take effective steps in this change for the betterment of the students. Recommendations In order to implement these changes the college should start giving free classes and coaching to the students like of Yoga, Cricket, Basketball and many more. The authorities should hire trainers and coaches in the college. Also, the sports department of the college should renovate the playing courts and grounds for the matches. Moreover, the Student Union department should isolate the students and should promote these kinds of events in the college. Intercultural events like Dance, Dramas should be organised at a bigger level in the college. References [1]  http://globalsportsdevelopment.org/benefits-of-school-based-sports/ [2]  http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/10-ideas-to-improve-your-schools-pe-program/ [3]  http://www.google.com [4]  http://yuva.epfl.ch/files/content/sites/yuva/files/YUVA%20Web%20folder/Cultural/2014/Event%20pics/Cultural%20Events.png Policy Analysis Paper: Caregiver Relief Act Policy Analysis Paper: Caregiver Relief Act Austina Burton The North Carolina state legislation I chose is house bill 99, or also senate bill 535. It is titled the Caregiver Relief Act. It was filed on February 13th, in 2013, in the House of Representatives (House, 2013). The primary sponsors in the house are Representative Alma Adams from Guilford County, and Representative Larry Hall from Durham County. Other sponsors in the house include Representatives Cunningham, Farmer-Butterfield, Floyd, Gill, Hamilton, Harrison, Insko, Moore, Pierce, and Wray (House, 2013). The Caregiver Relief Act was passed to the senate on March 28th, in 2013. The primary sponsors in the Senate are Senator Earline W. Parmon, who is from Forsyth County, and Senator Angela R. Bryant, who represents Halifax, Nash, Vance, Warren, and Wilson counties. Another sponsor in the North Carolina Senate was former senator Eleanor Kinnaird (Senate, 2013). The Caregiver Relief Act has costs, benefits, and stakeholders, and is effective and viable. Issue The Caregiver Relief Act is supposed to address a gap in the Family Medical Leave Act, also known as FMLA. The act would amend the labor laws to provide relief for caregivers in North Carolina (Caregiver, 2013). The purpose is to provide for supports in the workplace, under state law, for caregivers, who provide direct care to certain family members in need of care in those instances, where such leave would not be afforded to the caregivers under federal law. (Caregiver, 2013) The Caregiver Relief Act would extend the protections of the federal Family Medical Leave Act to allow employees to care for a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, or parent-in-law.Should an employer offer FMLA benefits, the law already allows for an employee to take 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave (Caregiver, 2013). The general rule the relief act would put into place is: An employer, required to comply with the FMLA, shall provide the same leave to an employee to care for a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, or parent-in-law, that the employee is entitled to under the FMLA at 29 U.S.C. sections 2614 and 2615, as amended, with respect to a spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the eligible employee for the eligible employee’s sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepchild, stepparent, or parent-in-law. (Caregiver, 2013) Costs and Benefits The costs of the Caregiver Relief Act would be no different than the costs the Family Medical Leave Act has already implemented. An employee, who takes leave, is entitled to the same protections and rights that an eligible employee is entitled to under the FMLA (Caregiver, 2013). The leave granted under the relief act shall be taken in the same manner, and under the same conditions, and restrictions the use of leave in the FMLA applies. The benefits mostly revolve around the caregivers. According to the Caregiver Relief Act, it has been found that employees, with care responsibilities, add additional health care costs to employers due to their own poor health. It has also been found that caregiving supports in the workplace can save businesses significant money associated with reduced incidences of absenteeism, crisis in care, workday interruptions, supervisory time, and reduced hours (Caregiver, 2013). Stakeholders There were more people, and agencies, supporting the bill than criticizing it. Beth Messersmith, who is the campaign director of NC MomsRising, and co-coordinator of NC Families Care, shows support to the Caregiver Relief Act. The FMLA is a crucial piece of legislation, that has been used an estimated 100 million times to provide job-protected, unpaid leave to women and men across the country to recover from a serious illness, care for a new child, or care for a seriously ill spouse, parent, or child. It’s time to fill the gaps to ensure that all workers can fulfill their family responsibilities without falling out of the workforce. (Media, 2013) The NC Chapters of the National MS (multiple sclerosis) Society recognize that the demands of caregiving are being shared by more and more family members and support the Caregiver Relief Act (Media, 2013).Mary Bethel, who is the associate state director for advocacy for AARP North Carolina, stated, â€Å"Today’s reality is that we are a state of working family caregivers. North Carolina ranks 6th in the nation in the number of children cared for by their grandparents† (Media, 2013). Bethel made a good point about how much this bill is needed. North Carolina’s Senator Kinnaird said, â€Å"The FMLA has had a tremendous impact on the lives of North Carolina’s working families. Without expansion, many are unable to put family first.† She suggests that the FMLA needs to expand its protections, so family leave becomes more accessible (Media, 2013). Rationally Effective The Caregiver Relief Act is effective and feasible. It has been effective in the general assembly, not only because it has a lot of support, but because it is aiming for measurable results, and will achieve a rational outcome, if voted into law. Furthermore, other states, in the United States, have reformed the Family Medical Leave Act in some way. For example, the California Assembly passed their bill, number 592, which changed how employers handled maternity leave. This bill made it unlawful for an employer to interfere with the allotted leave time for woman who were pregnant (California, 2011). Other changes, that states have made, include expanding the definition of family beyond child, spouse and parent, increasing the allowable uses under the FMLA, establishing family leave insurance programs, and lowering the employer threshold (Media, 2013). Politically Viable The Caregiver Relief Act is politically viable. It is viable because it has political support, it is capable of succeeding, and it will work as intended too after it is implemented. First, it has political support from many representative and senators in the North Carolina General Assembly. Second, it has the capability to succeed in the house and the senate, and then, be put into law. The Caregiver Relief Act will succeed in fulfilling its intentions, and will have positive effects on caregivers. They will have more time for their loved ones, and they will have less stress from work related issues. Overall, the Caregiver Relief Act will fulfill its intention, which is to require employers to provide leave to an employee to care for a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, or parent-in-law. It will do this by enforcing any right, or obligation, created by the policy, by a civil action (Caregiver, 2013). Social Worker Point of View As a social worker, who operates within the NASW Code of Ethics, I would support the Caregiver Relief Act. I would support it based on the fact that it is needed, and based on two different sections of the Code of Ethics. First, house bill 99 is needed because the elderly population is growing very rapidly. They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population in 2009 (Aging Statistics). According to the Administration on Ageing, by 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons. That is more than twice their number in 2000 (Aging Statistics). In addition, many of them will need caregivers. These caregivers will need some kind of assistance from their employers, so therefore they will not lose their jobs if they need to take extended leave to care for an older person. Based on the NASW Code of Ethics, it is a responsibility of a social worker to uphold the general welfare of society, and this includes advocating for living conditions (Code, 2008). Section 6.01, of the code of ethics, talks about social welfare, and how social workers should advocate for living conditions favorable to the fulfilment of basic human needs. This is one reason why I would support the Caregiver Relief Act. My concern is the welfare of the people that need caregiving. Also, the caregivers need a way to support themselves, while supporting the needs of the older adults they are helping. One place to give them support is in their workplace with the Caregiver Relief Act. Part ‘a’ of section 6.04 of the Code of Ethics, explains that social workers should seek to â€Å"ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs.† It is part of a social workers job to engage in social and political action that would benefit people (Code, 2008). This legislation would benefit caregivers by giving them the resources they need, to stay afloat in the economy, if they are taking care of someone else. Conclusion In conclusion, House Bill 99, in the North Carolina General Assembly, would help mend a gap in the FMLA. It would extend the FMLA to count siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and in-laws as people caregivers can take leave to care for. An employee, who takes leave, is entitled to the same protections and rights that an eligible employee is entitled to under the FMLA. One reason this is needed is because it has been found that caregiving supports in the workplace can save businesses significant money (Caregiver, 2013). Therefore, there are more people, and agencies, supporting the bill than criticizing it. A few are the campaign director of NC MomsRising, the NC Chapters of the National MS Society, and the associate state director for advocacy for AARP North Carolina (Media, 2013). The Caregiver Relief Act is effective and feasible. It has been effective in the general assembly, not only because of its support, but because it is aiming for measurable results and will achieve a rational outcome if voted into law. The Caregiver Relief Act is politically viable. It is viable because it has political support, it is capable of succeeding, and it will work as intended too after it is implemented. As a social worker, who operates within the NASW Code of Ethics, I would support the Caregiver Relief Act. Many states have expanded, or improved, the Family and Medical Leave Act already by lowering the employer threshold, expanding the definition of family beyond child, spouse and parent, increasing the allowable uses under the FMLA, and establishing family leave insurance programs. North Carolina lawmakers have taken important steps toward filling the gaps by introducing the Caregiver Relief Act. References Aging Statistics. (n.d.). Aging Statistics. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://www.aoa.gov/Aging_Statistics/ Assembly Bill No. 592. (2011). California Legislation. Retrieved March 27, 2014, from http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0551-0600/ab_592_bill_20111009_chaptered.pdf Caregiver Relief Act. (2013, February 13). General Assembly of North Carolina. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H99v1.pdf Code of Ethics (English and Spanish). (2008). Code of Ethics (English and Spanish). Retrieved March 23, 2014, from https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp House Bill 99. (2013.). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2013BillID=H99 MEDIA RELEASE: Caregiver Relief Act would help working caregivers hold onto their jobs. (2013, April 1). North Carolina Justice Center. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.ncjustice.org/?q=workers-rights/media-release-caregiver-relief-act-would-help-working-caregivers-hold-their-jobs Senate Bill 535. (2013). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2013BillID=S535 Is College Essential For Employment? Is College Essential For Employment? Does college matter? What does college mean? Is college important to teenagers? Should college be essential for people to find a good job? Is everyone able to go to college? When we talk about college, these questions always come up. As a society, people have their own free ideas to plan their lives. A number of students decide to go to college to get a better and higher education, and to improve their wisdom associated with specific areas such as politics. Most of them think getting college degrees will lead them to find a great job, or even improve their personal qualities. On the other hand, some do not want to go to college. They consider that they do not need a college degree, as they think they can live better without four years of college life or they have other reasons to give up college studies. However, college still matters because going to college can increase one’s salary, make people more knowledgeable and also get students some different experiences. There is a hot debate over the value of college in this era of increasing student debt and high unemployment. Some people argue from the perspective of economy that people can live a better life without college degrees. The four years of college costs them much money or even forces them to burden huge debt. However, if they do not pay such a high debt or cost to the four years college life, they can earn much money within the four years. Since their friends or high school classmates graduated from the college, those who do not receive college education probably have had certain social and economic resources. In addition to the economic reasons, some people point that for those students who have supreme talents in specific areas do not necessarily need college degrees. For example, Bill Gates, the CEO of Microsoft, who dropped from Harvard and sought for his fortune in his twenties. At the beginning, people considered him crazy and irrational, as Harvard is the dream for most of people worldwide. However, Gates proved his choice was reasonable and rational with his amazing success and huge fortune. At this point, many people would claim that having a college degree is not important. Meanwhile, some people may propose that a college degree is not the unique channel to success. However, the success of other people cannot always be copied. In today’s society, the pursuit of college education contributes to the wisdom and great jobs. The richness of knowledge would increase the competitiveness for people in different fields. Receiving college education will cost a lot of money. People have to borrow money or take out educational loans to support their fees. However, based on the â€Å"The Rising Cost of Not Going to College†, it is found that 89% of college-educated Millennial are most likely to be recruited full time, while 82% of their less educated counterparts and less likely to be unemployed or fired. This data indicate that the college degree contributes to getting a good job, although people have to pay the expensive tuition. From the perspective of politics, the college education serves as an important engine for us to identify the difference between demagoguery and responsible arguments from politicians. It also expresses that people are living in a society with bombarded pleading or persuasions everyday such as advertisements, political appeals, and punditry of all kinds (243). All these are designed and established to capture our loyalty, money, and more specifically our vote. The most appropriate way to sustain a functioning democracy should be the wisdom of citizens that can distinguish the differences between demagoguery from responsible arguments. For this, it is quite necessary for us to receive college education, as the associated political issues would be introduced and well understood in college. Currently, most people aspire to get college degrees as a door opener to find great jobs. The survey concerning the rising cost of not going to college indicates that among Millennials, 46% of college graduates are significantly more likely to agree that their college degrees have been good a tool to find a job or a satisfied career than the 31% of their less educated counterparts. For those adults who receive higher education degrees in the college and training to improve their careers. Above the data indicate the advantage of a college education. On the one hand, education can confer the associated degree to the college students. Then, they can take this certificate of academic degree to find good jobs. On the other hand, their rich theoretical knowledge can well direct their practical techniques in the actual business. Compared with the less educated counterparts, people who have received college education will be more acute and more intellectual than their less educated counterpa rts. When I came to college, I met plenty of challenge and new experiences. In UCSB, there are students from all around the world. Most of them speak English but others speak their own languages. I have heard stories from English , Korean and Italian people, and those stories are exciting and wonderful. In addition, I have joined sport clubs that I had never thought about before. I do not like sports but I change my mind because at college, I met some weak people who still do exercise during their leisure time. If I did not go to college, I truly believe that I would have stayed inactive and I could not get those precious experiences. My own experience shows that receiving college education improves personal qualities. That is, college education fosters people’s sense as well as their mind to experiences that would be foreclosed to them. For most college students, the college education enriches their capacities to read mandatory literature works and to catch basic political concepts. Meanwhile, college education contributes to the improvements of alertness to color and form, melody and harmony. In this way, as people gradually grow old, they will feel grateful for the college education they received. It delivers them the capability of appreciation towards our daily lives. Such an education performs as a hedge against utilitarian values. After receiving college education, people’s aspiration for contact with works of arts that somehow register one’s own longings and yet exceed what one is able to express by and for oneself. It also points out that people need â€Å"the inside of your head to b e an interesting place to spend the rest of your life† (244). The benefits of receiving college education would be larger than those who do not pursue a college education. The college education contributes to more employee opportunities. People can enjoy their political rights at their own will without being distracted. Also, college education can equip people with knowledge to compete with others including less educated counterparts. Finally, college education can improve people’s understanding towards life. That is, the attitudes, assumptions and way of thinking towards the life will be well enhanced by knowledge. From the above analysis, college still matters. Cited Page Delbanco, Andrew. â€Å"Three Reasons College Still Matter.† American Now: Short Readings  from Recent Periodicals. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2013. 243-247. Print. â€Å"Disparity among Millennials Ages 25-32 By Education Level in Terms of Annual.† Earning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pew Research Centers Social Demographic Trends Projects RSS. Pew Research Center, 1[CW1]0 Feb. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2014. http://www.pewsocialtr[CW2]ends.org/2014/02/11/ the-rising-cost-of-not-going-to-college/ sdt-higher-education-02-11-2014-0-01/>. [CW1]This page does have a date at the top of the article. [CW2]MLA suggests adding the URL so the reader can find it directly.

Female Characters in Bram Stokers Dracula Essay -- Dracula Bram Stoke

Female Characters in Bram Stoker's Dracula Having studied Bram Stoker's Dracula as part of my GCSE English Course, I am going to consider the representation of women in the novel. The three main characters I will study are Mina, Lucy, and the three female vampires (belonging to Dracula). I am going to consider the similarities and differences of each character, and how well they compare to traditional Victorian women. I will support my answers with quotes and evidence. During the early twentieth century, the traditional Victorian ideal would be a lady of leisure. A Victorian woman effectively had only two options: she was either a virgin- a model of purity and innocence, or she was to be a wife and produce an heir. If she was neither these, not only would men not take any interest in her, but also she had no consequence in society. Women had to run the household and obey their husbands, not only them, but to treat all men with respect. Moral behaviour, and a feminine appearance were also aspects of a traditional Victorian ideal. As well as this, Victorian women were expected to be obedient and virtuous. However, in the late 1800?s the Victorian ideal was being challenged, which better became known as the ?New Woman?. These new women were to be considered the feminists of the time, they rejected clothing that restricted their movement, like corsets and petticoats, and others even took to riding bicycles. All of these matters evolved into being a threat for the traditional way of Victorian life. In Bram Stoker?s ?Dracula?, Mina measures up fairly well as a traditional Victorian woman. She has a good extent of tradition, and she matches the acquirements well. Mina is beneath veneer of modernity; ... ...acters fulfil their role well, but sometimes everyone betrays the tradition. Stoker created an image at a first glance that the characters appear to be cast in typical gender roles, the purpose of this being not to upset or threaten the reader?s sense of how things should be. He then creates suspense into the actions of the characters, for example, Mina turning into some one like Lucy; will she be lost? Bram Stoker shows us with Mina, that she was able to achieve her own goals, as well as the typical goals of Victorian women. Mina still carries on with the tradition as well as maternal instincts, and we know this from the important information given to us after the novel; her having a baby. This is therefore showing us that Victorian Women could do more than that was traditionally common or expected, without the rebellious, threatening ?New Woman?.

Persuasion Paper :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Matt B  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2/14/05   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PY129  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Persuasion Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hello, woman who sits in the front of the class. I may not have your name, but I do have some unfortunate news for you. You should never go out with me. We all know it would have happened. Everybody knows what’s on a woman’s mind, and how could I not notice things like the way you stare at me in class, it’s just so distracting. I’m just trying to stop this very attractive problem before it’s too late. This paper will save you from years of therapy and gallons of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough. Don’t feel bad, it’s not you, well actually it is; but you can still choose from the other 10 guys in our class who mysteriously all sit in a circle around you! I just don’t think things would work out between us. I believe that I have a pretty good idea of what kind of a person you are from being in your logic class and never talking to you once. Our close and personal relationship gives me insight to who you are, and why we aren’t right for each other. First, your too predictable and boring for me, second, your not willing to change, and third, I don’t think you could satisfy me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Variety is the spice of life! Mix things up a bit. You sit in the same seat every day, who does this? Don’t you ever wonder what it feels like to sit someplace else? I wouldn’t be able to stand that kind of compliancy. Another testament to your predictability, is the fact that you never have a story to tell about how your weekend was. This means either one of two things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1) You do nothing on weekends. Your idea of fun is watching the Lifetime channel. You go to Six Flags and enjoy such rides as ‘Teacups,’ ‘Ferris wheel,’ and ‘Dirty bench by the hotdog stand.’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) Just the opposite. Maybe you frequent S&M clubs or rob orphans on the weekends. Whatever it is, it probably makes the baby Jesus cry. You disgust me. So start enjoying the finer, more fun things in life. Until then, though, I just don’t think your ready for my kind of excitement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You most likely do a variety of things, or have some qualities that are unattractive to me, and you are also unwilling to change them. I know this because of our many interactions together, where you have revealed to me your deepest secrets and habits.

The Fulcrum and the Lever Essay -- essays research papers fc

I turn the key and unlock the deadbolt. It’s been a long day’s work. I have been working three jobs for weeks now. I come through the door of my tiny one-bedroom house and stare at the desk, piled high with debris: old junk mail, magazines, and a few bills. I keep thinking maybe on my day off I’ll clean this mess up, balance my check book and pay my bills. â€Å"But what’s the use?† I think to myself, â€Å"I have $210 left on my credit card, that’ll get me through another week.† Independence is what I wanted and that’s what I got. I have a car, a house, furniture, stocked cupboards, and plenty of I-can-do-what-I-want free will. I was working a lot, and sure was doling out a lot of dough, yet I felt atrophy kicking in. When I was dying to leave my parents house, I didn’t think that it would be like this. Going and doing whatever I wanted all the time was not something I did. Life cost money and the reality was kicking me in the stomach every time I walked in my front door and looked at my desk. â€Å"Where is that Consumers bill? How much money is left in my checking account? Do I even have any in my savings?† These thoughts break-danced in my head often. In a day where I see more commercials advertising credit cards, debt consolidation, and home mortgage lenders, one might find it hard to believe that debt can actually be a problem. Seeing those poor saps dance in a conga line screaming, â€Å"Freedom!† makes it that much harder to notice. With three maxed-out credit cards, and other debt in the thousands of dollars, I was one of those people screaming, â€Å"Save me!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My life could go nowhere while I was struggling to make payments on three credit cards that I hadn’t even used in two years. One of my frustrations stemmed from the fact that all of this money was going to the credit card companies for things that I don’t even remember buying. With my student loan in deferment, I had only to worry about everything else. Working three jobs was not my cup of tea. The â€Å"American Dream† was killing me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A lot of Americans are drowning in debt, with predators just waiting to add to the pile. Dave Ramsey, New York Times best selling author and financial advisor, says: Debt is dumb. Most normal people are just plain broke because they are in debt up to their eyeballs with no hope of help. If you're in debt then you're a slave, i... ...y Book. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation. 1999. Sylla, Richard. â€Å"American History Information About National Debt.† The Reader's Companion to American History. Houghton Mifflin Company. 20 May 2005. . Ramsey, Dave. The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2003. -----. More Than Enough: The Ten Keys to Changing Your Financial Destiny. New York, NY: Penguin Books. 1999. â€Å"The Debt To the Penny.† Bureau of the Public Debt: United States Department of the Treasury. 20 May 2005. . Waggoner, Darren. â€Å"Going Broke?: Younger Americans have a serious debt problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not surprisingly, lenders and consumer advocates propose different remedies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  for the credit crunch.† Collections & Credit Risk. 10.5 (2005): 21. Infotrac:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Reference Center Gold. Online. 31 May 2005. Webster, Noah. Noah Webster's First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language. San Francisco, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 1995; Reprint edition 1 June 1967. Yaqub, Reshma Memom. â€Å"Swipe at Your Own Risk.† Parents. July 2005. 49-53.

Wildlife-Conservation and Importance (India)

Conservation is the act of using and protecting resources properly. Catching animals, throwing garbage, and using and harnessing the different resources should all adhere to the proper way of conservation. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, rain forests, plains, and other areas including the most developed urban sites Importance for Wildlife Conservation * Maintains ecological balance & the organisms have their unique positions in food chains, food webs which keep ecological balance. * Wild life contributes to the maintenance of material cycles such as carbon and nitrogen cycles. * For improvement and progress in agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries the genes from wild life preserved as gene bank are utilised in breeding programmes. * Wild life provides a number of useful products like food, medicine, honey, lac, wax, resin, etc. * Colourful birds, insects, beautiful flowers, trees make environment beautiful. Nature†¦ (Indescribable) Food, pets, traditional medicines Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age peoples and hunter-gatherers relied on wildlife, both plant and animal, for their food. In fact, some species may have been hunted to extinction by early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing, or gathering wildlife is still a significant food source in some parts of the world. In other areas, hunting and non-commercial fishing are mainly seen as a sport or recreation, Many Amazon species, including peccaries, agoutis, turtles, turtle eggs, anacondas, armadillos, etc. are sold primarily as food. Others in these informal markets, such as monkeys and parrots, are destined for the pet trade, often smuggled into the United States. Still other Amazon species are popular ingredients in traditional medicines sold in local markets. The medicinal value of animal parts is based largely on superstition. Religion Many wildlife species have spiritual significance In different cultures around the world, and they and their products may be used as sacred objects in religious rituals. For example, eagles, hawks and their feathers have great cultural and spiritual value to Habitat destruction and fragmentation Farms sprawl across the landscape with paddocks. Media Wildlife has long been a common subject for educational television shows. National Geographic specials appeared on CBS beginning in 1965, The BBC natural history unit in the UK was a similar pioneer, the first wildlife series LOOK presented by Sir Peter Scott, was a studio-based show, with filmed inserts There are many magazines which cover wildlife including National Wildlife Magazine, Birds & Blooms, Birding (magazine), and Ranger Rick (for children). Tourism Fuelled by media coverage and inclusion of conservation education in early school curriculum, Wildlife tourism & Ecotourism has fast become a popular industry generating substantial income for developing nations with rich wildlife specially, Africa and India. Destruction The rate of extinctions of entire species of plants and animals across the planet has been so high in the last few hundred years it is widely considered that we are in the sixth great extinction event on this planet; the Holocene Mass Extinction. The four most general reasons that lead to destruction of wildlife include Overkill. Overkill occurs whenever hunting occurs at rates greater than the reproductive capacity of the population is being exploited. Hunting, fishing and so on, has lowered the competition between members of a population. However, if this hunting continues at rate greater than the rate at which new members of the population can reach breeding age and produce more young, the population will begin to decrease in numbers. Habitat destruction and fragmentation The habitat of any given species is considered its preferred area or territory. Many processes associated human habitation of an area cause loss of this area and decrease the carrying capacity of the land for that species. Examples of habitat destruction include grazing of bush land by farmed animals, changes to natural fire regimes, forest clearing for timber production and wetland draining for city expansion. Impact of introduced species The vast majority of species exposed to a new habitat do not reproduce successfully. Occasionally, however, some populations do take hold and after a period of acclimation can increase in numbers significantly, having destructive effects on many elements of the native environment. The Rattus Rattus is native to India, but it has spread to almost everywhere in the world. This rat has directly caused, or contributed to, the extinction of multiple wildlife species including a variety of birds, plants and other small mammals. They’re blamed for the incredible decline in seabirds on several islands, including many Hawaiian species Some introduced species (such as most of our food crops and pets) are beneficial. However, others are very damaging. People have moved species around the world for millenia, sometimes by accident, but often with considerable enthusiasm. English garden birds in New Zealand are merely quaint curiosities introduced by settlers wanting the familiar species of their former homes. Some introductions have been devastating — goats or rabbits on various islands, for example. Other introductions, such as those of genetically engineered organisms, present potential problems yet to be considered in any detail. Chains of extinction This final group is one of secondary effects. Large herbivorous animals such as the hippopotamus have populations of insectivorous birds that feed off the many parasitic insects that grow on the hippo. Should the hippo die out, so too will these groups of birds, leading to further destruction as other species dependent on the birds are affected. Also referred to as a Domino effect Wildlife of India The wildlife of India is a mix of species of diverse origins. According to one study, India along with 17 mega diverse countries is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity. India's wildlife is both rich and varied. More than 4% of India's land is under forest cover- there are at least 90 national parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries. The country is one of the 12 mega diversity areas in the world, in terms of animal. Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species. Fauna the political boundaries of India encompass a wide range of ecozones—desert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, areas surrounding rivers, as well as island archipelago. It hosts three biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the hilly ranges that straddle the India-Myanmar border. The region is also heavily influenced by summer monsoons that cause major seasonal changes in vegetation and habitat. India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros. Some of these animals are engrained in culture, often being associated with deities. These large mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs. The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority in the face of direct poverty of the people. Skins of various animals including the tiger in Kashmir However Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that, â€Å"The state shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country† and Article 51-A states that â€Å"it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Recent extinctions Exploitation of land and forest resources by humans along with hunting and trapping for food and sport has led to the extinction of many species in India in recent times. These species include mammals such as the Indian /Asiatic Cheetah, Javan Rhinoceros and Sumatran Rhinoceros Many species have not been seen since their description. The Bengal Tigers in India, although they are threatened to extinction. Some species of birds have gone extinct in recent times, including the Duck and the Himalayan Quail Flora The Flora of India is one of the richest of the world due to a wide range of climate, topology and environments in the country. With about 47000 species of plant species, it occupies tenth place in the world. It is thought there are over 15000 species of flowers in India, which account for 6 percent of the total plant species in the world. [1] and probably many more species. Since ancient times, use of plants as a source of medicines has been the inherent part of life in India. There are more than 3000 officially documented plants in India that holds great medicinal potential. India comprises of seven percent of world's flora. India is divided into main eight floristic regions namely – Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indus plain, Ganga plain, the Deccan, the Malabar and the Andamans. The classification and ranking of plants varies. Recent extinctions Kerala Legume Tree(1870, India) Arunchal Hopea Tree(1996, India)Nilgiri Holly –(1859, India)Karnataka Sapota(1900, India)Meghalaya Sterculia (1877, India)Courtallum Wendlandia(1997, India) Avi-faunas In India India is blessed with over 2000 species and sub-species of birds. The diverse birdlife of the forests includes large hornbills, serpent eagles and fishing owls, as well as the elegant national bird, the peacock. Waterbirds, such as herons, ibises, storks, cranes, pelicans and others, are seen not only in parks but at numerous special waterbird sanctuaries. These sanctuaries contain large breeding colonies, and are of great importance for the countless numbers of migrating birds which visit India annually. Reptiles In India Among the other wildlife are over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians, including magnificent king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater tortoises and monitor lizards. A huge number of snake varieties, lizards and crocodiles account for the reptile count. Snakes include the deadly King cobras to the equally poisonous Kraits. Scorpions and insects are a plenty in this country. Major threats to wildlife Major threats to wildlife can be categorized as below: Habitat Loss: Fewer natural wildlife habitat areas remain each year. Moreover, the habitat that remains has often been degraded to bear little resemblance to the natural wild areas which existed in the past. †¢ Climate Change: Because many types of plants and animals have specific habitat requirements, climate change could cause disastrous loss of wil dlife species. A slight drop or rise in average rainfall will translate into large seasonal changes. Hibernating mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects are harmed and disturbed. Plants and wildlife are sensitive to moisture change so, they will be harmed by any change in the moisture level. Pesticides & Toxic Chemicals: Pesticides are deliberately spread to make the environment toxic to certain plants, insects, and rodents, so it should not be surprising that other plants and wildlife are deliberately harmed at the same time. In addition many chemical pollutants are toxic to wildlife, such as PCBs, mercury, petroleum by-products, solvents, antifreeze, etc. †¢ Hunting and Poaching: Unregulated hunting and poaching causes a major threat to wildlife. Along with this, mismanagement of forest department and forest guards triggers this problem. †¢ Natural Phenomenon: Floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, lightning, forest fires