Compare the Structure and Function of Collagen and Haemoglobin Essay

Haemoglobin is a transport protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and carries carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. In order to function most efficiently, haemoglobin needs to bind to oxygen tightly when the oxygen concentration is high in the lungs and be able to release oxygen rapidly in the relatively low partial pressure in the tissues. I will be comparing the structure and function of haemoglobin with the structure and function of collagen, which is a structural protein. Collagen’s functions are quite different from those of globular proteins such as enzymes; tough bundles of collagen called collagen fibers are a major component of the extracellular matrix that supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside. Collagen is also present in certain cells as it has great tensile strength, and is the main component of fascia, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone and teeth. Primary Structure; the number, type and sequence of amino acids The primary level of structure in a protein is the linear sequence of amino acids, formed by a condensation reaction. The primary structure of these proteins are very different. The haemoglobin molecule consists of four polypeptide (globin) chains, where as collagen is made up of three polypeptide chains wound round each other. In Haemoglobin there are a wide range of amino acid constituents in the primary structure, in contrast 35% of collagen’s primary structure is glycine. This difference in primary structure causes the proteins themselves to be different; due to the original different primary structure the haemoglobin protein is soluble in water whereas the collagen protein is not. Secondary structure; Formed when the chain of amino acid coils or folds to form an alpha helix or beta pleated sheet.  Haemoglobin is comprised of four polypeptide subunits, two with alpha helix secondary structure and two with beta pleated sheet form. All four components carry a heme group that can bind to oxygen, and all four components must be present to form haemoglobin. The shape of the haemaglobin affects its ability to carry oxygen, and travel freely throughout the circulatory system. Whereas Collagen’s secondary structure involves three strands of protein bonded together between the chains with hydrogen bonds  and then twisted into a helix that is referred to as a ‘collagen helix’. Tertiary structure; the final three dimensional shape of protein is formed when these coils and pleats coil or fold. Due to interactions between R-groups of the different amino acids. The tertiary structure or overall shape of collagen protein subunits is a helical chain. Due to the ways in which the amino acids are arranged the protein can be hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Soluble proteins, like haemoglobin will fold with the hydrophobic side on the inside and the hydrophilic side on the outside. As with all proteins the tertiary structure of each subunit is held in place by a number of bonds and interactions, these interation give the subunits and whole molecule very specific shapes, this is why haemoglobin and collagen differ so greatly in structure and in function as the shape of the molecule (due to the tertiary structure) is vital for the molecule to carry out its function. Quaternary structure; some proteins are made up of more than one polypeptide subunit joined together.   The quaternary structure of haemoglobin consists of four polypeptide subunits. Two are called alpha chains and two are called beta chains. The four subunits together form one haemoglobin molecule, which is water soluble. In comparison, The quaternary structure of collagen consists of three left-handed helices twisted into a right-handed coil. Fibrous proteins, like collagen contain polypeptide chains arranged in long strands or sheets, whereas globular proteins, like haemoglobin have polypeptide chains that are folded in a spherical shape. Due to the differences in structure of collagen and haemoglobin their shape and function also differ greatly. The triple helix structure of collagen gives the structure strength and therefore the function of collagen is to provide mechanical strength in many areas. Where as the presence of a prosthetic group, Haem, in the structure of haemoglobin means oxygen can bind to the iron. This means that one complete haemoglobin molecule can bind up to four

The Bloody Chamber Notes

The Bloody Chamber Quotes – ‘like an extraordinarily precious slit throat’ – ‘bright as arterial blood’ – ‘faery solitude’ – ‘so many mirrors’ – ‘as if he were stripping the leaves off an artichoke’ – ‘instruments of mutilation’ – ‘the walls†¦gleamed as if they were sweating with fright’ – ‘an armful of the same lilies with which he had filled my bedroom’ – ‘the trumpets of the angels of death’ Characters – Heroine – ‘seventeen and knew nothing of the world’ – ‘the white-faced girl from Paris’ – ‘I was only a baby’ – Marquis – ‘dark leonine shape of his head’ – ‘opulent male scent’ – ‘dark mane’ – ‘waxen face’ Mother – ‘indomitable mother ’ – ‘wild thing’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Juxtaposition – ‘lascivious tenderness’ – Metaphor – the Marquis as a beast, or as God – ‘the eye of God – his eye’ – ‘Subterranean privacy’ of the chamber – likening bloody chamber to Hell – Form – Castle is a Gothic reinterpretation of the fairytale template – Reworked fairy tales – Carter called them ‘new stories’ not ‘versions’ – Short stories maximise the impact of Carter’s messages – Novelette – the slow pace of which mirrors the brief lifestyle of the heroine in her new life Structure – Long descriptive paragraphs followed by very short sentences e. g. ‘Dead as his wives. ’ – isolated simile – Longer sentences with commas increase the sus pense, short sentences create a sense of fear – Ellipsis also used AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – Child like language – ‘Baby mustn’t play with grownups’ toys’ (see EK, COW) – Fairy tale motifs – ‘All the better to see you’ – links to fairy-tale form (see EK, LOTHOL) – References to the modern world – ‘shrilling of the telephone’ (see COML) – Aggressive male language – ‘pistons ceaselessly thrusting’ (see EK)Gothic Features – Weather/setting – Castle is isolated, heroine sees its ‘faery solitude’ – how she chooses to view it, away from reality – Walls of the chamber ‘sweating with fright’ – as if guilty themselves – Marquis calls bloody chamber his ‘enfer’ – French word for Hell, ‘subterranean privacy’, ‘ like the door of Hell’ – Carter contrasts light and dark – ‘Lights! More lights! ’ – Foreshadowing – ‘the necklace that prefigures your end’, ‘bright as arterial blood’, ‘like an extraordinarily precious slit throat’ – all foreshadow the heroine’s decapitation Heroine escapes her fate – makes her an even stronger character – Dominant males – Marquis likened to God and a lion/animal – Passive females – Heroine accepts her fate quickly – Religion – Marquis is placed in the role of God – Refers to the heroine as ‘my little nun’, pornography referred to as ‘prayer-books’ shows Marquis’ lack of religion – Bloody chamber as Hell – see setting – Supernatural – ‘as if the key itself were hurt, the bloody token stuck’ AO4 – contextual factors and how they af fect the text – Angela Carter was a feminist – Published in 1979 – after the sexual revolution of the 1960s ‘Carter flirts with elements of the Gothic in many of the tales’ – S. Roberts – Same for all texts The Courtship of Mr Lyon Quotes – ‘one white, perfect rose’ – ‘there was no living person in the hall’ – ‘a lion is a lion and a man is a man’ – ‘there was an air of exhaustion†¦ in the house’ – ‘her own image reflected there’ (in the Beast’s eyes) – ‘Fast as you can’ – ‘an attic, with a sloping roof’ – ‘the roses†¦were all dead’ – ‘as if, curious reversal, she frightened him’ Characters – Beauty – ‘looked as if she had been carved out of a single pearl’ ‘she smiled at herself with satisfaction’ â₠¬â€œ ‘Miss Lamb, spotless, sacrificial’ – Beast – ‘some kind of sadness in his agate eyes’ – ‘a man with an unkempt mane of hair’ – ‘he was so different from herself’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Extensive imagery of snow symbolises Beauty’s purity – ‘white and unmarked as†¦ bridal satin’ – Personification of the house – ‘the chandelier tinkled†¦ as if emitting a pleased chuckle’ – ‘Pearl’ – pure, beautiful, valuable – Form – Reworked fairy tales – Carter called them ‘new stories’ not ‘versions’ Carter extracts ‘latent content’ – Short stories maximise the impact of Carter’s messages – Beauty and The Beast – both characters change, not just the Beast – rol e reversal of princess in the tower – Structure – ‘I hope he’ll be safe’ – no speech marks, highlighting Beauty’s lack of a voice AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – References to the modern world – ‘the snow brought down all the telephone wires’ (see BC, LOTHOL) – Fairy tale references – she reads ‘elegant French fairy tales’, ‘Fast as you can’ (see BC, EK, LOTHOL) Gothic Features – Weather/setting ‘Palladian house that seemed to hide itself shyly’ = ‘he forced himself to master his shyness’ – ‘Thin ghost of light on the verge of extinction’ – no signs of Spring at the Beast’s house – reflects what has happened to him – Bloody chamber = Beast’s attic – he is trapped and dying, claustrophobic setting – Roses die as the beast dies: â₠¬ËœThe roses†¦were all dead’ – Countryside = place of purity and femininity, town = masculine place of corruption – Foreshadowing – ‘she smiled at herself in mirrors a little too often’ – pride comes before a fall – Dominant males – no longer dominant ‘a cracked whisper of his former purr’ – ‘I am sick and I must die’ – Passive females – Objectification of women – she is called ‘Beauty’ but gets an identity at the end – ‘Mrs Lyon’ – Supernatural – Magic of the house – her father can call the garage even though the phone lines are down – ‘All the natural laws of the world were held in suspension here’ The Tiger’s Bride Quotes – ‘my father lost me to The Beast in cards’ – ‘I have lost my pearl’ – ‘the lamb must learn to run with the t igers’ Characters – Heroine – ‘always the pretty one’ – ‘Christmas rose’ – ‘no more than a king’s ransom’AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – description of â€Å"glossy, nut-brown curls† and â€Å"rosy cheeks† is repeated to highlight the similarities between the narrator and her â€Å"clockwork twin – Structure – Heroine is given a voice unlike Beauty in COML – objectification of women in a different way – Written in the past tense but changes occasionally to the present to suggest continuity The Erl King Quotes – ‘Erl-King will do you grievous harm’ – ‘the wood swallows you up’ – ‘the stark elders have an anorexic look’ – ‘everything in the wood is exactly as it seems’ ‘easy to lose yourself’ – ‘ What big eyes you have’ Characters – Erl-King – ‘an excellent housewife’ – ‘came alive from the desire of the woods’ – ‘tender butcher’ – ‘skin the rabbit, he says! ’ – ‘Eyes green as apples. Green as dead sea fruit’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Oxymorons such as â€Å"the tender butcher† and â€Å"appalling succulence† highlight the narrator’s conflict – Isolated similes such as â€Å"green as dead sea fruit† add emphasis to the comparisons – Metaphor is used to link sex to drowning e. g. his ‘dress of water’ that ‘drenches’ her Structure – ‘Erl-King will do you grievous harm’ – one line paragraph to emphasise significance – Switches between tenses and points of view in order to disorient the reader, cre ating a Gothic sense of uncertainty, and reflecting the feelings of the protagonist AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – Fairy tale references – ‘What big eyes you have’ (see BC, EK) – Superstition – ‘he says the Devil spits on them at Michaelmas’ (see W, COW) – Aggressive language – ‘he could thrust me into the seed-bed’ (see BC) Gothic Features – Weather/setting Wood is personified and isolated – ‘the wood swallows you up’ – More fairy-tale than Gothic – Bloody Chamber = Erl-King’s dwelling – Idea of confinement – ‘vertical bars of a brass-coloured distillation of light’ look like bars of a prison/cage – Erl-King can tie ‘up the winds in his handkerchief’ – Dominant males – childlike, less predatory – Romantic hero, she falls in love with him – Pa ssive females – none, she is mature and purposeful – Supernatural – ‘magic lasso of inhuman music’ – He has a ‘bird call’ – Religion – ‘he says the Devil spits on them at Michaelmas’ The Snow ChildQuotes – ‘midwinter – ‘invincible, immaculate’ – ‘the Countess hated her’ – ‘a feather†¦a bloodstain†¦and the rose’ – ‘It bites! ’ – ‘the whole world was white’ – ‘a masculine fantasy’ – Cristina Bacchilega Characters – Snow Child – ‘as white as snow’ – ‘as black as that bird’s feather’ – ‘as red as blood’ – ‘the child of his desire’ – ‘high, black, shining boots with scarlet heels’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Alliteration of ‘invicible, immaculate’ exaggerates the extremity of the weather – Rose is a symbol of femininity or the vagina Snow Child bleeds, symbolising menstruation – Bite symbolises the suffering that accompanies being female – childbirth, hymen breaking, menstruation – Form – Vignette – a small, literary sketch – Structure – Written in the 3rd person but from the perspective of the Count – ‘So the girl picks a rose; pricks her finger on the thorn; bleeds; screams; falls. ’ – isolated paragraph, one sentence, uses idea of ‘three’ AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations Gothic Features – Weather/setting – Bloody Chamber = Snow Child’s vagina – ‘White’ setting and snow symbolises purity and virginity, Dominant males – Masculine control of female identity – Coun t = Marquis from BC – Creates both women – Countess cannot exist without a Count – Passive females – Countess belongs to Count – she is only a Countess because of him – Price of being the Countess – subservience and a loss of identity – Neither female can exist without the Count – he gives them their power – One must die for the other to survive – Literal objectification of women – Count undresses and dresses Countess as he pleases, creates Snow Child – Incestuous rape – she was not expected to receive pleasure in having sex, she was his sexual objectThe Lady of the House of Love Quotes – ‘Vous serez ma proie’ – ‘Too many roses’ – ‘Now you are at the place of annihilation’ – ‘Fee fie fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman’ – ‘A single kiss woke up the Sleeping Beauty in the Wood’ â₠¬â€œ ‘wisdom, death, dissolution’ – ‘chinoiserie escritoire’ – ‘this ornate and rotting place’ – ‘Can a bird†¦learn a new song? ’ – ‘the bicycle is the product of pure reason applied to motion’ Characters – Countess – ‘her beauty is an abnormality’ – ‘hunger always overcomes her’ – ‘white lace negligee stained a little with blood’ ‘the fangs and talons of a beast of prey’ – ‘a cave full of echoes’ – ‘the fragility of the skeleton of a moth’ – Soldier – ‘pentacle of his virginity’ – ‘youth, strength and blonde beauty’ – ‘symbol of rationality’ (bicycle) – ‘the trenches of France’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Foreign wo rds are slipped into the narrative – allows reader to enter Countess’s bilingual mind e. g. ‘chinoiserie escritoire’ meaning Chinese-style desk/cabinet – Form – Reworked fairy tales – Carter called them ‘new stories’ not ‘versions’ Short stories maximise the impact of Carter’s messages – Structure – Broken up by inset couplets of thoughts, either fairy tale villains’ famous lines, or menacing French phrases, which suggest this is the inner voice of her predatory nature – increase ambiguity – Story is divided in two – first half is present tense, second half is past tense – more fairy-tale like AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – References to the modern world – ‘the trenches of France’ (see BC) – Humour – ‘you will be led by hand to the Countess’s larder’ (see PIB, COW) Gothic Features Weather/setting – ‘cracked mirrors’ – the Countess does not bear a reflection – ‘Too many roses’ – roses are beautiful and dangerous like her – Bird in the cage symbolises her entrapment in her vampiric body – ‘she likes to hear it announce how it cannot escape’ – Predatory females – ‘the fangs and talons of a beast of prey’ yet she evokes sympathy as she tries to change her fate – ‘Fee Fie Fo Fum’ places her in the role of the villain, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ places her in the role of the victim – Supernatural – Soldier does not believe in supernatural: ‘this lack of imagination gives heroism to the hero’ Foreshadowing – The Tarot cards change for the first time ever The Werewolf Quotes – ‘they have cold weather, they have cold hearts’ – ‘supernumerary nippl e’ – ‘Harsh, brief, poor lives. ’ – ‘she prospered’ – ‘they stone her to death’ Characters – Child – ‘good child’ – ‘coat of sheepskin’ – Wolf – ‘grizzled chops’ – ‘less brave than they seem’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Very unemotional in places – ‘they stone her to death’, ‘she prospered’ – detached narrator – Tricolons emphasise repetition and simplicity of their lives – ‘harsh, brief, poor lives’ Extensive description of superstitions highlights their importance – also seen in Company of Wolves – Pathetic fallacy – ‘cold weather†¦ cold hearts’ – setting mirrors personalities of inhabitants – Very simple language – fairy tale lang uage, childlike, simple to understand – Structure – Isolated paragraph with one sentence – ‘Winter and cold weather. ’ AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – Superstition – ‘wreaths of garlic on the doors’ (see COW, EK, LOHOL) Gothic Features – Weather/setting – Pathetic fallacy – Supernatural – Superstitions – wolves, witches, devil – Foreshadowing Descriptions of superstitions at the beginning The Company of Wolves Quotes – ‘you are always in danger in the forest’ – ‘a man who vanished clear away on her wedding night’ – ‘the forest closed upon her like a pair of jaws’ – ‘they are grey as famine’ – ‘you will suffer’ – ‘we try and try’ – ‘blood on snow’ – ‘Quack, quack! went the duck’ Characte rs – Heroine – ‘she is an unbroken egg’ – ‘she knew she was nobody’s meat’ – ‘she has just started her woman’s bleeding’ – ‘so pretty’ – Wolf – ‘the tender wolf’ – ‘fear and flee the wolf’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning Language – Narrator addresses the reader – ‘you are always in danger’, ‘you will suffer’, ‘we try and try’ – Written as if to recreate the oral tradition of fairytales – ‘Quack, quack! went the duck’ – ‘hurl your Bible at him’, ‘call on Christ†¦but it won’t do you any good’, It is Christmas Day, the werewolves' birthday’, ‘canticles of the wolves’ – undermining religion (canticle = short song/hymn) – ‘The forest closed on her like a pair of jaws’ – isolated simile, only sentence in paragraph, highlight isolated setting – typically Gothic (see ‘Dead as his wives’ simile in BC = isolated) Fairytale – ‘What big eyes you have’, ‘All the better to see you with’ (‘All the better to see you’ = BC) – Metaphor – ‘night and forest has come into the kitchen’ – Structure – Lengthy introduction highlights importance of superstitions and wolves in the lives of the people – Opens reader’s mind to the supernatural – it is common here – No speech marks increase the strangeness of the story – also, there would be no speech marks in oral tradition AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations – Fairy tale motifs (see BC, EK, LOTHOL) – Personification of the woods (see EK) Gothic Features Religion – ‘you must run as i f the Devil were after you’ – Weather/setting – Personification of the forest ‘like a pair of jaws’, also simile, similar to EK – Night time setting – typically Gothic, increases ambiguity – Dominant male – wolf – Non-passive female – she laughs at him, ‘she knew she was nobody’s meat’ Wolf Alice Quotes – ‘the corners of his bloody chamber’ – room of clothes where Duke’s prey live – ‘it showed us what we could have been’ – ‘her pace is not our pace’ – ‘the wise child who leads them all’ Characters – Duke – ‘his eyes see only appetite’ – ‘he is white as leprosy’ Wolf Alice – ‘not wolf or woman’ AO2 – language, form and structure and how they shape meaning – Language – Carter quickly allies herself with the read er and separates Wolf-Alice – ‘her pace is not our pace’ – Religious reference to Garden of Eden – ‘wise child who leads them all’ – Duke is ‘cast into the role of the corpse-eater’ – not the whole truth? – ‘She could not put her finger on’ – finger in italics, reminds us she is human AO3 – connections between texts and different interpretations Gothic Features – Weather/setting – Duke’s castle – Gothic reinterpretation of the fairytale castle ‘Moony metamorphic weather’ – setting mirrors Duke – Presence of the moon – time, menstruation, Gothic night time, when the Duke is awake – Graveyard settings – Dominant males – Duke – not a real man, doesn’t cast a reflection, doesn’t have a soul, does have physical strength, doesn’t talk to her – ‘separate solitud es’ – Passive females – Wolf-Alice is a strong female, physically, and becomes intellectually stronger throughout the story – Supernatural – Duke is a werewolf/vampire – Superstition/religion – ‘Young husband’ fills a church with silver bullets, holy water, ‘bells, books and candles’

History of Halloween Essay

Close to $7 billion dollars is what consumers spent on Halloween costumes, candy, and decorations in 2011. When the temperature starts to drop, the leaves turn different colors and the sun sets earlier little by little each day, fall is the perfect season to celebrate Halloween. Millions of children dress up and go to strangers doors begging for candy. Have you ever wondered where this strange and unique tradition originated from? — The three most important points of Halloween can be summed up by looking at its origins, how it came to include jack-o-lanterns and bobbing for apples, and how it is celebrated today with trick-or-treating and haunted houses. Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, has originated from the ancient Celtic festival known as Samahin (â€Å"sow-in†) derived from the Old Irish Samuin meaning â€Å"summer’s end†. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated the end of the harvest season with the festival of Samhain and celebrated the upcoming new Year on November 1. Used by the ancient pagans, Samhain was a time to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. October 31 was the day the ancient Gaels believed the boundaries overlapped between the worlds of the living and the dead, and the departed souls would come back to life and cause mayhem such as damaged crops and sickness. The Gaels built massive bonfires and summoned the help from gods through animal and possibly human sacrifices to ward of the spirits. It is believed that the fires attracted insects to the area which in turn attracted bats. These are additional features of the history of Halloween. Halloween is also thought to be influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saints’ Day, also known as Hallowmas, and All Souls’ Day falling on November 1 and 2. It was a time for honoring the saints and praying for the deceased who had yet to reach heaven. Traditionally it was believed that the departed souls roamed the earth until All Saints’ Day, and Hallows’ Eve delivered one last chance before moving on to the next world, to gain revenge on their enemies. Christians would  disguise themselves in costumes and masks to avoid being recognized by the wandering souls. Trick or treating is the practice of dressing up in costumes and going door to door begging for candy and resembles the late medieval practice of â€Å"souling† when the poor would proceed door to door on Hallowmas receiving food, or â€Å"soul cakes† which were pastries, and in return would pray for their dead relative’s souls. It was believed at the time the souls of the departed would wait for passage into heaven until enough people prayed for their souls. â€Å"Soul cakes† would be given in exchange for a song, performance, or another sort of â€Å"trick† in some cultures. Eventually, children embraced this practice and were given money, food, and ale. Jack o ‘lanterns are a Halloween staple today, with at least two historical roots. The first is the pagan Celtic people carved turnips and rutabagas to hold hot coal from the bonfire to light their homes and ward off the evil spirits. Another folklore tale gives jack o ‘lanterns their name. An Irish myth portrays a trickster and a drunk known as â€Å"Stingy Jack†, who asked the devil to have a drink with him. Jack persuaded the devil to change himself into a coin so he could pay for his drink, but instead he put the coin in his wallet next to a silver cross, trapping the devil and preventing him to change himself back. Jack said he would free the devil if he did not bother him for another year. The following year Jack tricks the devil into climbing an apple tree for a piece of fruit. He then carved a cross in the bark of the tree preventing the devil from climbing down. In order to get down from the tree, the devil promised Jack he would not seek his soul anymore. Because of his swindling and drunken ways, when Jack died he was not allowed into heaven. He also was not allowed into Hell because the devil kept his word. Taking pity on Jack, the devil gave him an ember to light his way in the dark, putting it into a hollowed out turnip for Jack to carry on his lonely, everlasting roaming’s around the Earth. People from Ireland and Scotland  would make â€Å"Jack o ‘lanterns† during this season to scare away Stingy Jack and other evil spirits wandering about. Over the next several centuries, superstitions about witches and black cats were added to the folklore and legends of Halloween. Cats were thought of as evil, especially black cats, and were killed by the thousands in Medieval times, possibly contributing to the Black Plague, due to the shortage of the rat’s natural enemy, the cat. During this time, the church created the belief that evil witches existed. Apples, which are a seasonal fruit, and the symbol of the Roman goddess Pomona, were thought at the time to retain qualities of knowledge, resurrection, and immorality. Bobbing for apples was thought to predict the future on the night of Samhain. (sow-in) Halloween eventually made its way over the Atlantic in the second half of the nineteenth century when America became flooded with new immigrants. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that ultimately became today’s â€Å"trick-or-treat† tradition. The 20th century saw an emergence of Halloween as a genuinely North American holiday and one that was becoming an advantage for shopkeepers and manufactures. Costuming became popular for Halloween parties for children and adults as well. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States. Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic prototypes such as ninjas and princesses. Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses. Origins of these paid scare venues are difficult to pinpoint, but it is generally  accepted that they were first commonly used by the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees), who are a non-political youth service organization between the ages of 18 to 40, for fundraising. They include haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides, and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown. Haunted attractions in the United States bring in an estimate $300-500 million each year, and draw some 400,000 customers. This maturing and growth within the industry has led to more technically-advanced special effects and costuming, comparable with that of Hollywood films. Halloween is currently the second most important party night in North America, and in terms of its retail potential, it is second to Christmas. Personally, Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. Even as an adult, to dress up and be someone or something else for the night can be fun and exciting. To escape reality into a fantasy-like world where goblins mingle with princesses is definitely a strange site to see, but is well worth the money and time devoted to one of the spookiest nights of the year. So whether you celebrate Halloween or not, you now have an idea of how Halloween originated, how it came to include bobbing for apples and jack-o-lanterns, and how we celebrate it today with haunted houses and trick-or treating. The sources I cited for this information are from: www.cnbc.com www.halloweenhistory.org www.wikipedia.org www.history.com

America Movil †The Jaguar’s Next Move

After a deep analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of America Movil, and considering the forces that are currently driving the growth of the wireless telecom market in Latin America and the rest of the world, we have elaborated certain recommendations concerning the company’s future strategic decisions which, in our opinion, should be considered in order to consolidate the corporation’s current position as a global leader in this industry.Regarding the issue of the possible expansion of America Movil into new markets; the analysis shows that the best strategy for the company to follow, considering its current investments, assets and the forecasts for each region, is to focus on the organic growth and to continue strengthening its position in the Latin American market, where the corporation has been able to develop strong brand awareness among the consumers and where the cultural, social and economic aspects of the region represent an advantage against competitors.Reg arding the possibility of a future merge between America Movil and Telmex International, there is no doubt that the synergy that both companies could generate is enormous, nevertheless, due to the basic yet significant differences in these telecom segments, the best option is to keep both companies as separate entities while allowing them to work together by the establishment of joint ventures and strategic alliances in specific projects. Sincerely Yours, Author Organic Growth against Positioning in New MarketsAfter quite a long â€Å"shopping spree† that lasted over seven years, from 2000 to 2007, in which America Movil invested and acquired assets all over Latin America, becoming the largest and most powerful corporation in the region; today the company needs to decide whether to continue its expansion through acquisitions – either in the same region or in different potential markets such as Europe or Asia – or to settle down and focus on getting the most out of its current investments.To determine which of these options brings the most benefits for America Movil, we will analyze several aspects of the company and the environment in which it competes, as well forecasts, opportunities and threats that come with each one of these options. Analysis of America Movil and its current position in the Latin American MarketAmerica Movil currently holds a privileged competitive position in the Latin American Market, with strong presence in 16 different countries that at the same time, share a wide variety of cultural, economical and social aspects. These common characteristics represent an advantage for America Movil against foreign competitors due to the experience and proven success of the company in positioning itself and understanding the dynamics in this region.Some of the countries in which the corporation competes, are currently in an advanced stage of development regarding the wireless market – such as Argentina, Chile, El Salvador and Uruguay, where the wireless percentage of penetration is above 85% of the population – while others represent an attractive opportunity of growth – such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Puerto Rico – where the percentage of penetration ranges from 41% to 75% of the population.The impact of these percentages can be better appreciated in exhibit 1, where it shows that the total number of potential clients in the region can be assumed to be above 150 million, a number which exceeds the total number of customers currently affiliated with America Movil – 141 million-, especially in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, where the company already has a relatively high percentage of the market share.The total number of potential customers just in these four countries is almost 130 million, 85% of the total number of potential customers. As important as the size of the market available for this corporation, is the distribution of revenue that each one of these countries represents. This distribution can be better appreciated in exhibit 2. What the trend is showing is that the percentage of revenue from Mexico, the most important market for America Movil, is decreasing compared to other countries in which the company operates.From 2004 to 2008 the participation of Mexico has reduced from 54% to 39%, meaning that over half of the revenue of the corporation today comes from its operations in foreign markets, emphasizing their increasing importance relative to the domestic market, which importance has decreased in over 15% while the Brazilian, Caribbean, Andean and Mercosur markets have rose between 4% and 7% each. However, as we can appreciate in exhibit 3, the overall behavior of the Latin American Market shows that it has been in an important phase of growth in the past 4 years, from 2004 to 2008, where revenues have increased over 151%.These numbers together support t he arguments of both, the strong position that America Movil currently has in the Latin American market, and of the success of the company in understanding the dynamics of the Latin American economy and culture; which translate in a competitive advantage over its main competitor in the region, Telefonica, and other European and North American based corporations that have struggled in positioning themselves in the countries where America Movil has established.Current Strategy in Latin America The success factors of America Movil strategy in this region can be summarized in two main categories; the penetration strategy and the positioning strategy. Penetration Strategy The penetration strategy developed by the company has been clear since the beginning; the acquisition of assets in the different Latin American countries for a low price.This strategy has benefited the corporation by providing them with the required infrastructure to operate at a relatively low cost, taking advantage of opportunities generated by the failure of other companies to develop a strong position in the market and taking advantage of the liberalization of the Latin American economies. Examples of these acquisitions are the purchase of BCP from BellSouth Corp. (USA) and Verbier (Brazil) in 2003 for $643 million and American Movil Peru from TIM International (Italy) for $503.4 million. The main reasons for the retreat of these companies from the region were either difficulties at their domestic markets or failed business strategies, two factors that America Movil had under control, with a strong domestic market performance in Mexico and with a profitable business strategy in the region. Positioning Strategy The second factor that drove the success of the corporation in the countries where it penetrated was the positioning strategy.The strategy to obtain a strong position in the markets where it competes was developed considering the economic situation of the majority of the Latin American p opulation, which is relatively weaker and more unstable and than the one in markets such as North America or Europe. With this in mind, America Movil developed a system of pre-paid cards, which to this date, has been the driving force of the company’s growth in the region.The advantage of this model lies in the fact that the corporation discovered that Latin Americans were more likely to become users of wireless communication services if they had the opportunity to pay for the service as they required it; avoiding long term contracts and potentially escalating debts, which, because of the unstable economical situation, could become impossible to pay.The customers were not the only ones beneficiated, since with this model, America Movil became able to considerably reduce collection costs and to avoid invoice defaults that on the long run, could have affected the revenues of the company as well as the number of their clients. There are, however, two main weaknesses in this mode l, the first one lying in the fact that this strategy can be relatively easily copied by its competitors and in the long run, it doesn’t represent a significant competitive advantage over them.The second disadvantage is that the revenues generated by this strategy are lower than the ones obtained by a post-paid model, which mean that its profitability is based on the volume. Nevertheless, this is currently not a problem for the company since over 83% of its customers are using the pre-paid option. Forecasts of the Wireless Market in Latin America As appreciated in exhibit 1, there are currently a huge number of unattended potential customers in the Latin American Market.This can be assumed by noticing that the overall penetration is 66%, with countries such as Argentina with an astonishing 97% penetration percentage while others important markets such as Brazil and Mexico are about 65%, a number that can be largely increased considering the pre-paid strategy used by America M ovil, which simplifies and encourages the use of its service among the population.As seen in exhibit 4, according to the case, the forecast for the year 2012 expects an increase from 66% to 76% in the number of subscribers in the wireless market; this represents an increase of almost 50 million new customers, which, as analyzed earlier, are mostly expected to come from four countries: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, which combined, have a population of unsubscribed potential customers of almost 130 million, while all of the other countries barely reach 22 million.This information can help the company focus their efforts in the markets mentioned before, while maintaining a relatively stable growth in the others, focusing mostly not in attracting new customers but in increasing the profitability of each one of them. Analysis and Forecasts of the Wireless Market in the rest of the world After analyzing the benefits of focusing on the organic growth of the company, it is also importa nt to consider the option of expanding further into new non-natural markets for America Movil.The options available are the Asian, European and the Middle East/Africa and North American Market, where the company currently has a small operation. The main advantage of the Asian market is definitely its size; as the continent with the larger population, over 3,879,000,000 according to the World Atlas’ estimates of 2006, and over 10 times the population in South America; it’s definitely the most attractive market to consider. Nevertheless, there are two main barriers that might decrease the attractiveness of trying to penetrate in this market; the competitors and the enormous cultural differences between Asia and Latin America.The competition in Asia represent a huge threat for newcomers, since is the domestic market of China Mobile, the largest wireless corporation in the world with over $275 billion in revenue and the financial power to overwhelm any new entrant. In addi tion to this, the fact that, as in Latin America, America Movil is familiarized with the economic, social and cultural aspects of the population, China Mobile has a huge advantage and experience with the Asian culture.Europe is also another important market to consider, and the one that America Movil has been closer to penetrate in; however, the same problems arise, with the presence of Vodafone, a British corporation with over $152 Billion in revenue and the advantage of competing in a market in which the company is more familiar with. This in addition to the fact that, as stated in the case, Europe doesn’t seem to be ready to open to competitors from the new world, which mean that America Movil is going to have more trouble penetrating with its acquisitions strategy.Finally, North America doesn’t seem to be an attractive market due to its saturation and low expected growth of only 1. 2% and in the Middle East and Africa America Movil may end up making the same mistak es made by European and North American Corporations in Latin America, which is a weak positioning strategy. These are the reasons why the most feasible strategy is to focus on the organic growth, since the strengths that the company has in Latin America, specially the knowledge of the market, can become weaknesses when trying to expand to new markets where strong competitors already have the advantage of experience and economic power.Merger between America Movil and Telmex International The rapid technological changes in the telecommunications industry and the emergence of new players, combined with the reduction of traditional entry barriers and the rise of alternative service providers are forces that currently represent a huge threat for both America Movil and Telmex International. This is the reason why, taking advantage of being part of Carlos Slim’s Holdings, both companies should be able to establish synergy in the markets where they compete in order to offer a combina tion of services that would be more difficult, if not impossible, to provide by separate.Nevertheless, due to the significant differences in issues such as the infrastructure and strategies required to operate, a merger could not be the best option, however this doesn’t mean that both America Movil and Telmex International are not able to develop joint ventures or strategic alliances while working in specific project that might, in the long-term, increase their profitability, competitiveness and presence in the Latin American Markets.New trends in telecommunications such as the triple play which offers voice, date and video are rapidly acquiring popularity and obtaining an important share of the market, if Telmex International and America Movil can combine these with the wireless service, there is no doubt that they will obtain an important advantage in any of the countries where they establish.Cited Works Rullan, Samantha. America Movil, The Making of a Mexican Global Latina . 2008. INSEAD The Business School for the World America Movil. â€Å"2008 Annual Report. † 2008. 29th April 2010 . World Atlas. Continents of the World. 2006. 29th April 2010 .

Life Without Gravity Essay

In a world without gravity, one would be weightless, but always nauseous. Because of this, it would be very difficult to complete a lot of your daily activities without throwing up. If you tried to eat something while you and your food are floating around, you will probably have a lot of trouble trying to hold your food down. In 0-g, life would be very hard. Roller coasters are a perfect example of this. I do not do well on roller coasters. I get sick when I encounter zero gravity for that split second on rides with loop-dee-loops and the like. This is how I know I would really suck at surviving if there was no gravity. Not only would I be constantly puking, but I wouldn’t be able read or really even enjoy doing anything except floating around trying not to dry heave. So, I wonder how someone, mainly me because I do not have a strong stomach, would merely perform the act of drinking a glass of water and thinking at the same time in a world where everything floats. Without the force of gravity acting on all objects, there is nothing keeping us attached to the earth. We would simply float away from the earth unless we nail out toes to our floorboards, and our entire house to the earth’s crust. So, drinking water†¦this would not go very well for me. Not only would the water not be forced to stay in its proper area of residency, the cup, but it would be poured on my face if ever I tried to drink it, and that is most certainly NOT WHERE IT BELONGS. However, since the only force acting on the cup is the earth’s, pushing everything away from its core, the water probably was already floating around in space somewhere. This would make for a very, VERY thirsty Alex, not to mention the rest of the world. Unless you had stocked up on bottled water prior to the sudden change in the laws of the world, you would be dead. Thinking during splashing water all over yourself, or trying to catch it as it pins itself to your ceiling, just as you are doing because of the lack of gravity, would probably present a slight problem. As if you weren’t already nauseous as could be, suffering from extreme thirst and boredom while you lie in wait on your ceiling for something interesting to happen like being crushed by that bookcase over there that has been slowly creeping closer with each passing second, you would also need to be able to think. While floating around on earth shouldn’t give you any more of a headache than when you lie down, I have a feeling that I would get them anyway. However, in space, 0-g, your blood would be floating free throughout your body, just as you do so, ubject only to those forces placed on it by your own circulatory system. Your blood would have no tendency to pool in any particular part of your body, meaning no headaches. But with everything floating around, I can’t help but think that all that free blood must make you kind of floppy. Without gravity, multitasking would probably be even more difficult than it is in a world with gravitational forces. If I tried drinking my water, while translating our national anthem into Arabic, WHILE I try to bike on one of those stationary exercise bikes, I would be very sad. Not only would I be nauseous and EXTREMELY THIRSTY, causing me to get a headache, but I would be floating away from my excise bike, while trying to stay on it, that giving me exercise within itself. I can’t even imagine how long our species would survive before we either all starved to death or tried to open a window for fresh air and then floated into our atmosphere and died from lack of oxygen. I don’t think that we would live very long at all, and drinking a glass of water would be so terribly difficult that it would make living very complicated.

World View Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World View - Essay Example Likewise, we see things to associate figures with their definitions in our minds. One can not actually know what sun is unless one sees it. We get to know only the much we see. When we know more than what we have seen, the knowledge essentially comes from others that have seen more than us. Humans use the senses they are naturally blessed with to know the world. In addition to this, religious knowledge comes from Holy books. What is really real, or the ultimate reality? In spiritual terms, really real is some thing that would never change and would never end, like the world hereafter. Life after death would never come to an end. It will continue forever. Therefore, that world would be really real. In fact, it is more rational to call that world the ultimate real. In worldly terms, really real is some thing that never changes. For example, a mother’s love for her baby is really real and remains as such throughout the life of their relationship. It is so real that one can not ex pect a mother to be unloving towards her children. Motherhood shows its reality not only in humans, but in every species of living creatures. Birds are possessive about their babies.

Hate crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hate crimes - Essay Example tions of their formation are mostly notorious in that, as the term hate implies, these groups expresses extreme aversion or hostility towards their defined focus; as they all possess characteristics of bigotry and being structurally organized. More identified with their activities are violent and exhibition of criminal acts, believed to be consistent with their philosophies and beliefs and with utter disregard for social responsibility. Personally, one believes that society must endeavor to create a check and balance mechanism that would pre-empt and anticipate aggressive behavior and violence planned to be perpetuated by these groups. By eliciting the assistance of authorized government security agencies (the FBI, anti-terrorist agencies, the police), the agenda of hate groups must be monitored and any untoward incident attributed to any of the groups’ members should be sanctioned according to proper legal proceedings. The questions that came to one’s mind while reading the chapter are: (1) how effective are current government agencies’ measures in pre-empting violence and crimes planned by these hate groups? (2) Were there any benefits that have been identified to hate groups’ ideologies to society, aside from seeking to achieve the groups’ interests and goals? (3) Could society ultimately provide a solution to prevent the formation of hate

PORTFOLIO PROJECT Part 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PORTFOLIO PROJECT Part 7 - Essay Example In stakeholders’ opinion, it is the benefit given to employees in exchange of the effort they have made for the organization. One complete definition for compensation is that it is a method to deal with all kinds of rewards of employees in the work system (Bomkamp, 2013). Compensation management as a HR function is significantly valued in organizations. Managers believe that it is a function that engages employees to their work system. They consider it as a function to ensure employees’ motivation in the work place. From a strategic point of view, compensation management is a planning stage for retaining employees. It is a planning process to organize qualified workers in the work system. It is a system that integrates workers with organizational culture and values. According to the contemporary literature, compensation is of two major types - financial and non-financial compensation. Financial compensation includes direct wages and performance based salaries while non- financial compensation may include job rotation, job expansion, hierarchy promotions and other resourceful benefits such as health insurance, medical facility, house or transport facility. In organizational practice, financial compensations are designed in accordance to market trends, while non-financial compensations are flexible, as they can be changed or amended depending upon the financial position of the organization. Furthermore, the literature asserts that compensation can be for the short term and long term. For example, Google Inc. offers work time entertainment facilities to employees as short term compensation, and the other company - Scientific Games Corporation offers $9.1 million golden parachute to the chairman of the office as long term compensation (Bomkamp, 2013, p. 2). The core objective of any reward or compensation is to retain employees and for that reason it has been noted that organizations actually determine compensations using flexible methods to ensure emp loyee retention. Definitely, if compensations are successful to retain employees, the employee turnover will be lower and as a result the organizational performance will be improved. This is what any organization would like to achieve from its compensation policy that is to increase employee performance. When high levels of employee performances are achieved then the company can expect higher efficiency and performance. The Challenge According to Joe (2011), accountants are in-charge of most of the technical work in an organization system (Martocchio & Joe, 2011). They have to conduct market research, prepare financial reports and bring revenue forecast, which is all a managerial level of task and operation (Martocchio & Joe, 2011). An effective compensation for accountants is one, which can justify with the accountant’s nature of work which involves high responsibility, major skill and effort (Singh, 2007). Definitely, if an accountant gives his full effort, the knowledge an d skill to his organization so the organization should acknowledge it by returning him back in the form of effective compensation. This is the challenge which most of the firms face while designing compensation for accountants, as they miss out the elements of fairness and equity at the time of compensating accountants (Martocchio & Joe, 2011, p. 20). Proposed Procedures for Accountants’ Compensation Management Market Assessment For designing effective

Field Report on visiting Ryton Garden Organic. sustainability issues Coursework

Field Report on visiting Ryton Garden Organic. sustainability issues - Coursework Example Expanding food markets is necessary for improving the livelihood of small scale farmers looking for ways of sustaining their livelihoods. Organic farming is part of sustainable agriculture that sustains the health of soils, people, and the ecosystem. The ecological processes, biodiversity, and local condition cycles sustain organic farming rather than agricultural inputs that have adverse effects. Organic farming combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the environment and promote good quality of life for participants. Garden organic was founded in the 1950s and is a national organizational for organic farming based in Ryton. The organization provides an organic approach to a sustainable future for the people and the planet through organic farming. Garden organic provides advice to organic farmers such as increasing the natural health of soil, choosing the right plant varieties, and producing a healthy garden through working with nature. The organization also provides fa rmers with guidelines for sustainable and efficient organic farming. Scientific research conducted by the organization aims to develop and improve techniques of organic agriculture and knowledge advancement on organic farming systems. Research also focuses on crop technology, pests, diseases, weeds, economics and markets, and soil dynamics. Garden organic also provides free resources for schools and maintains a Food for Life Partnership network for transforming the food culture into organic farming. Home composting is also promoted by the organization as a means of providing organic manure for farmers (Garden Organic, 2013). The wider society is involved through the international development program aims at promoting organic agriculture in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The program aims at improving the understanding of sustainable agriculture as a way of improving food security. The program conducts research and training on management and provides resources for poor farmers. Netw orks created in the international program organize farmers for capacity building on ecological agriculture. The program also develops organic agriculture for consumption in the domestic market and for export. The international program has been successful through farming networks created in different parts of the world. European organizations provide information and support in technological development for farming organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. NGOs, governments and extension workers in the third world have improved organic farming in their constituent countries (Garden Organic, 2013). Garden Organic owns 30 individual gardens that are set in 10 acres of land. The gardens showcase composting, pest and disease control, growing fruits and vegetables, herbs, roses, shrubberies, lawns, and herbaceous plants. The gardens have a conservation area that has native trees and wildflowers. The production method showcased support the organization’s incentive of organic farming. Wildflowers and native trees support environmental conservation. The showcase also incorporates bee farming and living willow structures that complement organic agriculture. Garden organic has expanded its activities beyond the UK into Africa, Asia, and America. Crop farming has surpassed bee keeping and is the main activity for the organization. Crop farming especially vegetable and fruit production has gained popularity over other farming types

Detainees in Afghanistan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Detainees in Afghanistan - Research Paper Example The collection of materials is primary objective of the HUMINTS and should be pursued with due diligence in order to enhance the credibility of their findings. The purpose of the human intelligence should be intended to enhance human and technical collection techniques with due respect to the national laws. Collection of Information Collection of information is the major duty of HUMINT operations and it must be done with utmost care to safeguard their operations and yield good results. The credibility of collected information is vital to the success of the HUMNT operations and must be safeguarded at all costs in their operation. This is because this is their core mandate in their operations both nationally and internationally. The elements of the intelligence community are authorized to collect and retain any information based on the command of the organization in which they work for and the interest of the information they pursue.2 The procedures or information use and retention sho uld also be done after the consultation with the attorney general of the concerned state. Such procedures protect constitutional and other legal rights and limit the use of such information to unlawful government purposes thus infringing the rights of the victim. The use of electronic surveillance is only limited for the purposes of training, testing and conducting countermeasures to hostile electronic surveillance and is thus avoided in most instances. Inconsequential physical searches by the elements of intelligence community are also highly restricted by the law. The attorney general is delegated the power to give the necessary legal assistance and advice in the operations of the HUMINT practices. The elements of intelligence services are expected to cooperate with other appropriate law enforcement agencies for the purposes of protecting information and property of any element of the intelligence community. The members of the intelligence are authorized to provide special equipme nt, technical knowledge and necessary assistance when the lives of the suspects are endangered and support the local law enforcement agencies in necessary sectors. The provision of personnel services is limited to the approval by the general counsel in the concerned cases. The intelligence members are permitted to render any assistance and cooperate to law enforcement agencies and other civil authorities not precluded by the law in the course of their services.3 All the operations of the human intelligence members are required to be consistent with the law and any act of violation of the constitution is punishable by the courts of law. The participants of human intelligence services are not entitled to join or participate in any organization as they wish in the course of their operations. This can only be done in accordance of the procedures established by the head of intelligence and should be of the interest of the intelligence services. HUMINT Military Regulations The HUMINT has got various limitations and capabilities with regard to military operations in any part of the world. They have the ability to collect information and cross cue from endless variety of potential sources in all respects including detainees and related documents. They are to focus on collection of information not available by other means which includes information on threat intentions

Who influence me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Who influence me - Essay Example It was after several months of training that she went to India and took her initial vows as a nun. Teresa taught at St Mary’s high school in Calcutta from 1931 to 1948. During her stay at the convent, Teresa saw how the poor suffered. This resulted to her being granted permission to go and work amongst the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Depending on divine providence, Teresa started an open school at the slums of Calcutta. Fortunately, she was joined by many volunteers and financial aid also increased. As a result, Teresa was able to expand on her line of work (Nobelprice 1979 par 2). Teresa started her own order in October 7, 1990 after getting permission from the Holy See. She named it "The Missionaries of Charity". The task of the Missionaries of Charity was to take care of the less fortunate that had no one to take care of. The Missionaries Charity became an international religious family under Pope Paul IV. Currently the order has active and contemplative branches comprising of sisters and brothers in many countries. Between 1963 and 1984, several branches were established; Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the Active branch of the Brothers was founded in 1963, the Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added in 1979 and the Priest branch was established in 1984. The Missionaries Charity has over the years spread all over the world including the former Soviet Union and some Eastern European countries. They take care of the less fortunate people in continents like Asia, Africa and Latin America. They also assist people affected by catastrophes like, famine, floods and epidemics. The Missionaries Charity society has home all over the world where they take care of, AID’S victims, homeless, alcoholics and even shut-ins. On March 29, 1969, Co-workers aided and assisted the Missionaries Charity to become an official international

Effective Leadership and Potential Obstacles Assignment

Effective Leadership and Potential Obstacles - Assignment Example Leaders should be social people (extroverts) and not timid. Since people listen to us, they should focus on the positive rather than the negative. It is also important to differentiate leader`s official duties from his personal life. It is very easy to attack and destroy the reputation of a leader so it is imperative that a leader shy away from situations and individuals who wish to do just that. Self-awareness plays an integral part in each of our lives since it simply makes us aware of whom we are as well as our traits, character, feelings and our desires. Any person with any ambition to become a leader should first identify all these attributes. David Keirsey and Richard L. Daft are the most renowned scholars in the field of effective leadership. They state that every person has four kinds of temperaments, and each of them differs from person to person. They include diplomatic, strategic, logistical and tactical (Keirsey & Marilyn, 20). According to David Keirsey, an individual tends to identify with one temperament and then ranks the rest in second, third and fourth in that order (Keirsey & Marilyn, 1984). As we leaders, I should be able to influence other people into embracing diverse cultures and also influence public opinion. I will gauge my payoff by the number of conflicts I determine as well as how well I do my job without any complaints from my subordinates. As a leader, I am prone to encounter many obstacles along the way from individuals who do not appreciate my leadership roles to those who seek to assume leadership. As a leader, I mostly identify with the diplomatic temperament. This is because I deal with lots of conflicts, and it is my job to come up with solutions to quell these conflicts. If I was to list, how I identify with my temperaments, diplomatic comes first followed by logistical, strategic then tactical. As a leader, I need to improve my feelings and my desires because I tend to become biased when it comes to some  very delicate issues such as discrimination.

D5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

D5 - Essay Example The management style adopted is a bit informal with minimal supervision from the managers (Johnson, 2013). However, despite the obvious advantages, the company’s pay does not match the physical and manual output rendered, coupled with the long working hours of the employees (bad work/home life balance). In addition, there’s a communication disconnect between management and employees in the smaller branches, since communication is heavily centered on the big stores. There is need for improvement in management structure to curtail inefficiencies in distribution and sales sectors and promote educated personnel. The company’s market and growth opportunities lie in partnering with the 8th Wonder Brewery and distribution to sport franchises. According to Corenbleth, Glazer’s is a competitor of Silver Eagles Distributors and deals with the distribution of alcoholic beverage such as spirits, malts and wines. The company’s distribution not only covers the U.S (Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, Arizona, and Oklahoma) but other countries such as Canada. The company, which was founded in 1909, has more than 100 employees and a sales revenue of around $3.8 billion. Just like Silver Eagles Distributors, its good financial position has contributed to its low risk credit rating. However, despite the similarities, Glazer’s has a bigger distribution network and has been ranked as among one of the top 150 biggest private companies by Forbes (Corenbleth, 2011). Stanford-McIntyre states that some of the advantages of the company include the high quality of their products, effective distribution network and competitive wage structure for their employees, good work/home life balance and strong job security. However, there are some disadvantages such as the poor wage structure for sales personnel and insufficient room for career

Collaborative Editing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Collaborative Editing - Essay Example The paragraph tends to get too wordy and as a reader I found myself getting lost. There were also a few grammar errors in this segment such as verb tense, comma placement, and sentence structure. The closing was a little too editorial and did not leave much room for the reader of the review to make their own decision on the political slant of the film. Also, stating the message of Orwell so plainly might take out all the enjoyment it can have as a children's film. The review of Jane Austen's "Emma" was well written and very interesting to read. The writer of the essay caught Austen's sentiments about life and conflict with some depth of understanding. The structure was easy to read and contained few, if any, grammatical errors. However, after I read it, I still was not sure it related the story of "Emma" as Austen may have intended it. Aside from the brief, and eloquent, overall description of the book as "a more common, frequent, and laughable mockery", there is little else told to the reader to help them understand the feeling of the story. A descriptive quote would have aided the reader to get a sense of the character. The review could also have benefited from an example of how Austen challenges the reader with her complex storytelling technique. The last paragraph sums up the writer's thesis of "Emma" very clearly.

The Role of New Media Technologies in the Promotion Research Proposal

The Role of New Media Technologies in the Promotion - Research Proposal Example It is the evolutionary break between the world before the internet and the world that has emerged since its proliferation. The way in which humans now communicate has had an elementary shift. Communication is accomplished through writing, verbalizing or through interpretation of imagery. Communication is codified with signals that indicate the context for the content. The impersonal nature of internet communication has been compensated for by the development of social languages that are in many ways kinder and friendlier than in previous forms of more formal communication. Therefore, the nature of how emotion is indicated in written language has become symbolized through pictorials, shortened references such as lol, meaning laugh out loud, and the use of capital letters or small letters. Furthermore, because of the heavy use of advertising, the way in which movement of digital imagery and impact of color usage has been defined has changed elements of the way in which humans respond t o what they see (Lievrouw and Livingstone 2006, p. 37).  It is the evolutionary break between the world before the internet and the world that has emerged since its proliferation. The way in which humans now communicate has had an elementary shift. Communication is accomplished through writing, verbalizing or through interpretation of imagery. Communication is codified with signals that indicate the context for the content. The impersonal nature of internet communication has been compensated for by the development of social languages that are in many ways kinder and friendlier than in previous forms of more formal communication. Therefore, the nature of how emotion is indicated in written language has become symbolized through pictorials, shortened references such as lol, meaning laugh out loud, and the use of capital letters or small letters. Furthermore, because of the heavy use of advertising, the way in which movement of digital imagery and impact of color usage has been defin ed has changed elements of the way in which humans respond to what they see (Lievrouw and Livingstone 2006, p. 37).   The use of a window display is the first step of VM (visual marketing). In creating a window that has an allure to the shopper, the shop is creating a marketing dialogue with the potential buyer. The window, through the use of the media of interior design, art, and visual communication, sustains a communication with the consumer in providing information about seasonal changes and the point of view of the collection within the store. The use of strategic communication addresses the brand of the store while the tactical communication is defined by the changes of seasons as interpreted by the collection and the promotions that are time specific (Bhalla, Swati, and Anuraag 2010, p. 145). Through the use of a well-designed window, a shop can help a shopper understand what to expect once inside the door as well as attract them into the outlet.  

Different ways of looking at health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Different ways of looking at health - Essay Example â€Å"Health promoters need to be clear that what they do involves certain values and principles about what is ‘good health’ and health promotion† (Naidoo and Wills, 2000, p.130). Advances are likely to come from laboratory science that will not only assist the medical science professionals develop better drugs but also they will help them get deeper knowledge regarding working of the human body. The medical model of health emphasizes on diagnosing the diseases present in the human body and providing effective treatment to the person in order to eradicate the identified diseases. Medical model is mainly concerned with the effective treatment of diseases through medical science. Medical model promotes use of surgeries and drugs for the treatment of diseases. However, use of drugs by a medical professional is not considered good. â€Å"Multiple physical health, emotional, and interpersonal problems are associated with illicit drug use† (Leonard, 2009, p.2). Authority is the core element of the medical model. Doctors should not negatively use this element for providing instant treatment to the patients. Drug use should never be recommended as a permanent treatment for anyone. â€Å"A drug may be legal or illegal, harmful or helpful, such as those substances used in medical therapy† (Isralowitz, 2004, p.2). There exist some other drugs such as Amphetamines, Cocaine, and Marijuana, which are strictly prohibited in most of the countries including USA. Governments should put a ban on such pharmacists who hand over the drugs to the patients without receiving a prescription or a drug order from a licensed doctor. â€Å"A drug order is a medication order written to a pharmacist by a legal prescriber† (Durgin and Hanan, 2005, p.112). The medical professionals should never recommend such drugs to the patients that can adversely affect their health after providing them little benefits. Advancements in the field of medicine should

Your thirst and hunger centers tell you that you are dehydrated and Assignment

Your thirst and hunger centers tell you that you are dehydrated and hungry - Assignment Example Your starting point should be anatomical position. Instructions: (Part 1) Specify the movements, muscles, bones, and joints involved in reaching for the glass and bringing it to your mouth. As in the previous Application Assignment, explain any and all movements individually across each joint involved specifying the actions involved (i.e. flexion, extension, etc.), the muscles causing such actions, the bones being pulled on by said muscles, the types of joints involved, and how these movements collectively relate to the overall scenario/movements in this application. (Part 2) Trace the path of the water from the mouth to the urethra, listing the path in as much detail as possible. Be very specific and very detailed. Your answer should include both the digestive and renal systems. (Part 3) You finally go in for some chicken wings. Specify the movements, muscles, bones and joints involved in opening your mouth and chewing those scrumptious wings. Once again, explain any and all movemen ts individually across each joint involved specifying the actions involved (i.e. flexion, extension, etc.), the muscles causing such actions, the bones being pulled on by said muscles, the types of joints involved, and how these movements collectively relate to the overall scenario/movements in this application. (Part 4) Trace the path of â€Å"the wings† from the mouth to the anus, listing the path in as much detail as possible. ... Then, the palm is placed on glass, grip is fastened by closing the fingers (phalanges) and glass is taken to the mouth for drinking with the help of elbow joint and articulations of three bones namely the humerus, radius, and ulna. Part 2: Water enters the mouth and flows through the pharynx. From pharynx into esophagus and finally it enters the stomach, where is mixed with the rest of the food. Leaving stomach through pylorus, into 12-inch long beginning part of bowel, where most of it is absorbed into the arterial blood stream, through tentacle-shaped absorbing part of the bowel. After entering the blood stream, water is adsorbed into the cells, where it accumulates cell excretions. Then this water enters the venal blood stream that is sent to the kidneys through the heart. However this is not done immediately as most of the water still circulates in the body until it has accumulated enough wastes to be released in the kidneys. Then it goes to the blood filtration part inside the k idney, where blood elements remain in blood stream, and water with Impurities is expelled from the blood stream. That "waste water" is collected in bladder, until enough amount is collected to be economically released, through urethra. Part 3: The mandible is the only movable part in the human skull, which plays a vital role in the act of chewing also known as mastication. The muscles involved are collectedly referred to as muscles of mastication. To chew the chicken wings, initially the Lateral Pterygoid Muscle helps to depress and protrude the mandible forward, which opens the jaw. Then Masseter muscle, temporalis muscle and Medial Pterygoid muscle help to retract and elevate the mandible

Peacekeeping and Collective Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Peacekeeping and Collective Security - Essay Example If the UN is to maintain its credibility, he says, it has to conserve its resources--unless its members are prepared to approach peacekeeping in a more serious and generous spirit. On May 13th Mr Boutros Ghali told the Security Council that it was impractical to send UN peacekeepers to Bosnia while the war there was still pursued with such ferocity. If the council members wanted to intervene, they should not try to do so on the cheap; they would have to consider sending in tens of thousands of troops equipped with offensive capability. Even if they opted, at this stage, only for armed escorts to protect the relief convoys, they would have to think along similarly expansive lines; a convoy led by the UN had been brutally ambushed by Muslim militiamen. But the council, ignoring his warning, voted two days later for the provision of armed escorts without going into their military needs. The new secretary-general, who for many years was the eminence grise of Egyptian foreign policy, is not a table-thumper, a politician or even a good speaker. But he is beginning to show a sure touch and may be less worried than his predecessor about making enemies. One sign of this is his readiness to accuse the council of telling him to find people to do difficult and dangerous things without giving them the wherewithal to do them. He believes that when regional groups are strong, as the European Community supposedly is, they should work more consistently to bring about a peace. The UN peacekeeping operation is kept permanently and humiliatingly on the verge of bankruptcy. If the Security Council insists on sending a force into Bosnia without adequate political and military backing, the result on the ground could be a cruel farce. The background to Mr Boutros Ghali's caution is that the newly assertive ambassadors at the Security Council, unlocked from American-Soviet rivalry, are trying to do something exciting, but they are doing it by stealth rather than accepting that there may have to be changes in approach. The argument for stealth is that pragmatism works; attempts to bring the changes into daylight could open a box of troubles. One of the troubles is the membership of the council itself: the five permanent members are the victors of the Second World War. Japan, murmuring from the outside, wants to join the permanent five by the time the UN has its 50th anniversary in 1995. More important, the new peacekeeping operations exploding around the council's head are no longer of the traditional kind and do not necessarily call for traditional answers, let alone traditional fund-raising. That the UN charter makes no mention of peacekeeping'' is handy since it lets members be inventive in stretching the international peace and security'' criterion. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait was exceptional in being the type of conflict the charter writers had in mind. Most of the conflicts with which the UN is now involved are civil or ethnic--domestic matters into which the Security Coun

Bangladesh and Education Essay Example for Free

Bangladesh and Education Essay Education a simple word that is one of the major drivers of our planet earth. Through education people get to know who they are, where they came from and where they will be heading in the near future. Education is the spearhead of a society. It is because of proper education that people get to know about the diversity of this unpredictable world. Education forges the lives of those who get it. Education is one of the important factors that affect the quality and the means of leading a prosperous life. Bangladesh was described as one of the poorest countries of this world after the liberation war in 1971. It had gone through harsh phases of floods, droughts, cyclones, famines and other natural calamities and at present one of the world’s most crowded countries still remains well below the poverty line and as a result most of the population is still illiterate. Education still and always will remain an important form of social capital in this world. Education fosters innovation, contributes to the economic growth of a country and also increases the efficiency, effectivity and productivity of all the individuals who get the light of education. The World Bank (WB) approved generous amount of loans in the recent past to promote and improve the education sector of Bangladesh. However, the government and the NGOs are playing an active role in the development process by educating the mass population of Bangladesh and the whole course of action mainly focus their vision on the children and women. In Bangladesh the educational process is so slow and weak that the development process has become sluggish. OBJECTIVE Education system in Bangladesh is three-tiered and highly subsidized and the Bangladesh government operates many education institution in the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels. Through the University Grants Commission, the government funds more than 35 state universities in the tertiary education sector. Bangladesh emphasizes on the education For All (EFA) objectives, Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and the International Declarations. According to the articles 15 and 17 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, every citizen has the right to education and all children between the ages of 6-18 should receive primary and secondary education free of charge. The government should provide the underprivileged children with free books and education free of cost. METHODOLOGY As we are the students of RS, we were unable to go outside to meet with people and conduct interviews with them. So, to gather our information and data, we had to go though different forums, journals, books and different websites. HISTORY OF EDUCATION. From 1971 our education system started officially. At the beginning of the education system in Bangladesh the number of schools and universities were very poor. There were only 6 public universities in 1971. But now the numbers of universities are increasing. Now the numbers of primary schools are near about 76000. The great point system started from 2000 and the JSC and JDC education system was started from 2010. In recent years Bangladesh has adopted various strategies to educate the general people mainly the children. In education sector BRAC’s contribution is bigger. Sir Fazle Hassan Abed founded BRAC School at 1972. In the history of education BRAC played an important role . EDUCATION SYSTEM AFTER LIBERATION After the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh became an independent nation free to choose its own educational destiny. As Bangladesh was, and still is, a secular state, many forms of education were permitted to co-exist. The formidable British system was, and still is, largely practiced. In fact, presently, the Bangladeshi system of education is divided into three different branches. Students are free to choose anyone of them provided that they have the means. These branches are: The English Medium English medium schools are mainly private and thus reserved for the wealthy class. After three years of pre-school, students must successfully pass through ten grades to be eligible for writing the Ordinary Level Exams, also called the O-Levels. Then after one more year of studies, students can write the Advanced Level (A-Level) Exams. The Bengali Medium the Bengali Medium, which is offered by the government. In the Bengali Medium, all the courses are offered in Bengali with the exception of English courses and the Religious course. The tuition fee is minimal compared to English schools but they still vary largely between schools. After three years of pre-school, students in the Bengali medium do five years of primary school. Then they move to high school for grade five to grade ten. At the end of the tenth grade, they appear for their SSC (Secondary School Certificate) exam. Afterwards, they move on to two years of college following which they have to write for the HSC (Higher School Certificate) exam. The Religious Branch Bangladesh is a very poor country with millions of homeless children. To educate these children, there are religious institutions called Madrashas where these children are sheltered, fed and taught the ways of Islam by priests. These children learn the scripts from the Koran and the regular prayers. Literacy situation in Bangladesh Period Census The 1974 census defined literacy as the ability to read and write in any language. This definition was in conformity with the UNESCO; one accepted throughout the world. The definition of literacy used in the 1981 census covered only persons of age 5 years and above and included those who could write a letter in any language. The 1991 census also defined literacy as the ability to write a letter in any language but covered persons of age 7 years and above. The effect of change in definition of literate has been reflected in the literacy rates of different census years. Increase in Literacy Literacy rate among people of all ages rose from 17% in 1961 to 24. 9% in census year 1991. For the 7 years and above age group, the literacy rate increased from 26. 8% in 1974 to 32. 4% in 1991. In all census periods, the literacy rates were higher among the males than among the females. The female literacy rate, however, rose significantly in the 1991 census. It was 16. 4% in 1974 and 25. 5% in 1991. Urban rural variation in literacy rate is also quite evident in all census periods. Literacy rates in urban areas are higher than in rural areas in all census periods. Adult literacy Adult literacy rate for population 15 and above is defined as the ratio between the literate population of the age 15 years and over to the total population of the same age expressed in percentage. This rate for both sexes was 25. 9% in the 1974 census and 29. 2% in the 1981 census. In the 1991 census the rate was 35. 3%. In all census periods, male adult literacy rate was higher than the female. Educated adults come to the urban areas for better employment and education. As a result, the adult literacy level of urban population is much higher than that of their rural counterparts in all census years. However, the gap between urban-rural literacy rate narrowed in 1991, as did the gap between the male and female population. This is due to rural peoples increasing participation in education in recent times. Steps of Bangladesh after Liberation towards development of education The independence of Bangladesh generated a new enthusiasm in both government and private level in efforts to expand literacy and remove illiteracy. The Bangladesh Constitution of 1972 provides the basis for a policy on universal primary education. The policy has three components: establishing a uniform mass oriented and universal system of education; extending free and compulsory education to all children; and relating education to the needs of society and removing illiteracy. Keeping in view the constitutional directives, Bangladesh committed itself to implement the recommendations of The World Conference on Education for All (1990), The World Summit on Children (1990) and The Summit Declaration on Education for All (1993). Primary Education of Bangladesh Primary education was recognised as the foundation of preparing literate citizens of the country in all national documents, reports of the commissions, and committees on education. But this stage of education got a momentum only after the enactment of the Compulsory Primary Education Law of 1990. Compulsory primary education under this Act was introduced in 1992 in 68 thanas, and all over the country in 1993. Measures such as satellite schools, community schools, and Food for Education Programme were taken up to increase enrolment and decrease dropout. The new primary curriculum based on terminal competencies was implemented in 1992. These steps resulted in some improvements in various efficiency indicators of primary education such as in gross enrolment ratio and the completion rate and raised the participation of girls in primary education. In addition to state intervention, from the second half of 1980s, the government allowed NGOs to experiment with a variety of delivery mechanisms to cater to the basic educational needs of the disadvantaged population. Role of BRAC BRAC launched its education programme in 1985 with 22 one-room primary schools following non-formal approach. The goal of the BRAC Education Programme is to make a significant contribution to the achievement of education for all in Bangladesh. The BRAC Education Programme is mainly focusing on   increase access of basic education in unreached and underserved population improve quality in formal education system support the government in achieving Millennium Development Goal 2 Education for All by 2015 ? In sheer size, BRAC operates the largest private school system in the world: 1. 1 million students (70% of them are girls) are enrolled at present in 37,000 BRAC schools that provide four years of non formal primary education. So far, almost 5 million children have already graduated from primary school and got their basic education from these schools and close to 95% enrol to secondary schools. Education Programme Primary School Operations Primary Schools Currently running24,398 Current Students0. 75 mil Graduates4. 95 mil Cost per Child per YearUSD 32 Schools for Indigenous Children2,441 Pre-Primary Schools Currently Running13,054 Current Students0. 36 mil Graduates4. 33 mil The Five Year Plan(s) According to the Report of Bangladesh Education Commission of 1974, the number of adult men and women illiterates in the country at the time of independence was 35 million. The Report recommended adoption of non-formal and mass education programmes for them. Accordingly, the First Five-Year Plan (1973-78) launched a massive functional literacy programme through non-formal education and allocated Tk 400 million for this subsector. The Second Five-Year Plan (1980-85) attached high priority to eradication of mass illiteracy. In the Third Five-Year Plan (1985-90) the programme was revived with an allocation of Tk 250 million and a modest target of making 2. 4 million adults literate by June 1990. Information from the office of the Integrated Non-Formal Education (INFE) project (former MEP Office) show that only 27 upazilas were covered in this project out of a target of 71 upazilas. A total of 291,600 adults were made literate in five years. In the Fourth Five-Year Plan (1990-95) Tk 235. 70 million was allocated. During the Plan period MEP was continued as a spillover under the project and total of 367,660 adult illiterates of 11-45 years age were made literate. The programme was implemented in 68 thanas of the country. Moreover, under the aegis of the district administration a programme named Total Literacy Movement (TLM) was started in 1995 in Lalmonirhat and Bhola districts. It was later extended to 15 other districts. Preparatory work is now under way to extend TLM to 22 more districts. The Fifth Five-Year Plan (1997-2002) adopted an ambitious objective to achieve the goal of Education for All (EFA) by the end of Plan period 2002. The major objectives are to increase gross enrolment in primary schools to 110 percent (net 95%) with particular emphasis on enrolment of girls and on increasing completion rate of primary education to at least 75 percent by the year 2002. The Fifth Plan also set up some important objectives of mass education consistent with the overall objectives of achieving the goal of EFA and fulfilling the educational needs of 30 million adult illiterates. These objectives are to increase literacy rate of adults (15 years and above) to 80% by the year 2002, to empower learners with technical skills, entrepreneurial traits and leadership skills, to empower skills related to literacy, numeracy and communication, to reduce gender gap in literacy rates in both rural and urban areas, and to develop continuing education programme for neo-literates. ? BANGLADESH, EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS OF 2005 ? BASIC EDUCATION STATISTICS, 2010 Number of Institution, Enrolment and Teacher in Post-Primary and Primary by management and sex, 2010 Type of SchoolManage. mentInstitutionTeacherStudentIndicators TotalTotalFem. % FemTotalGirl% GirlTSRSPITPI Primary School EducationPublic3767218145510543158. 109885697506116551. 20542625 Private450021995026812834. 157018849347542149. 52351564 Total8267438095717355945. 5616904546853658650. 50442045 Secondary School EducationPrivate187232107804791722. 737240497387315753. 493438711 Public3177231241733. 4322527710651947. 283171123 Total190402180115033423. 097465774397967653. 313439211 College EducationPrivate3068773201626521. 04150516671642347. 601949125 Public2569900231023. 3388910935852340. 3290347339. Total3324872201857521. 302394275107494644. 902772026 Madrasah EducationPublic310400. 0060642313. 8158202135 Private93581077431091110. 132194863116742753. 192023512 TOTAL93611078471091110. 122200927116765853. 052023512 University EducationPublic319163165618. 072629418198831. 18298482296 Private515710170129. 792009394912524. 45353940112 Total8214873335722. 5746388013111328. 26315657181 Technical Vocational EduPublic251401554213. 501338971799913. 443353316 Private259711286270823. 993140307052122. 46281214 Total284822455461120. 5344792710258122. 90201578 ProfessionalPublic70179548627. 0819120935748. 941127326 Private214312345014. 41508231451628. 561623715 Total284491893619. 03699432387334. 131424617 Teacher EducationPublic90103927526. 47176631005856. 941719612 Private9283025530. 728613243728. 2910949 Total182186953028. 36262761249547. 551414410 All (Post-primary)Public101833247768623. 12155407158467537. 6247152733 Private341034167928020719. 2411514931589360651. 182833812 Total351214500398789319. 5313069002647828149. 572937213 All (Primary + Post-primary)Public3869021470211311752. 6911439768564584049. 35532966 Private7910561629414833524. 0718533780936902750. 55302348 Total11779583099626145231. 46299735481501486750. 09362547 COMPARISON OF EDUCATION AID AND SPENDING OVER THE PERIOD 1980-2008 Figure 5 shows the increasing gap between education aid and government spending. The 1980s illustrate the small gap between aid and spending, which began to increase over time. From 2006 onwards, education aid began to decline and government spending increased. This reflects the relatively low and declining proportion of aid in total education spending. ? TOTAL PRIMARY STUDENT ENROLMENT (1985-2005) Fiscal Year Primary student enrolment (millions) 1985 10. 08 1986 10. 78 1987 11. 26 1988 11. 76 1989 11. 77 1990 12. 34 1991 13. 03 1992 13. 72 1993 14. 2 1994 15. 19 1995 16. 43 1996 17. 07 1997 17. 32 1998 17. 63 1999 19. 61 2000 17. 67 2001 17. 66 2002 17. 56 2003 18. 43 2004 17. 95 2005 16. 23 PRIMARY ENROLMENT Source: Ministry of Education, Bangladesh PROGRESS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT RATE SINCE 2000 One of the key EFA goals is to ensure gender parity in education by 2015 – Unlike most South Asian neighboring countries, Bangladesh has already achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education. The GER and NER for girls have increased from 87. 7 percent and 63. 9 percent to about 88. 4 percent and 67. 4 percent respectively within 2000-05. About 16. 2 million students are currently enrolled in primary schools in Bangladesh, of which about 8 million are girls In an effort to promote the education of the poor, the GoB has been engaged over the past ten years into demand side interventions such as the Food for Education Program (FFE) and the primary stipend program. PROGRESS IN ADULT LITERACY RATE SINCE 2000 According to HIES 2005, Bangladesh is estimated to have about 41. 5 million people aged 15 or more who are illiterate. Considering the extent of poverty and the prevailing high illiteracy rate (about 54 percent in 2000), the GoB gives high priority to non-formal education through basic and post-literacy programs and continuing education. The government also recognizes that the literacy and numeracy skills can help improve the income and welfare status of the poor. Literacy and social mobilization programs have contributed to raising the national literacy rate from 45. 6% to 52. 7% between 2000 and 2005. Bangladesh is likely to meet the EFA target of a 50 percent increase in adult literacy by 2015 if the annual growth rate of literacy rate exceeds 4 percent. The literacy and social mobilization programs are likely to have contributed to raising the national literacy rate from 45. 6 percent to 52. 7 percent between 2000 and 2005 (cf. HIES 2000 2005). In particular female literacy rate has gone up by almost 9 percentage points compared to male literacy rate which only records a 5 percentage point increase. Furthermore, the number of illiterates aged 15 to 30 has decreased from about 15 million to 11. 8 million between 2000 and 2005. Although Rural areas appear to be still lagging behind urban areas. ? PROGRESS IN PRIMARY COMPLETION RATE SINCE 2000 OVERVIEW OF THE PRIMARY EDUCATION AND ADULT EDUCATION Bangladesh sustains one of the largest primary education systems in the world with as many as 80,401 primary institutions of 10 different kinds namely, GPS, RNGPS, NRNGPS, experimental schools, community schools, kindergartens, NGO schools, ebtedaee madrashas, primary sections of high madrashas, primary sections of high schools. According to the School Survey Report 2008, GPS, RNGPS, Experimental and community schools constitute 75% of the total institutions. These four categories of institutions are providing primary education to 81. 9% of the total primary school enrolled children of over 16. 3 million. The proportions of boys and girls enrolled at the primary level are 49. 3% and 50. 7% respectively. A total of 364494 teachers are engaged in primary teaching in all the ten categories of institutions comprising 40. 4% female and 59. 6% male. The proportion of female teachers in GPS, RNGPS, PTI and community schools is 50. 2%, 32. 2%, 39. 0% and 73. 6% respectively and the pupilteacher ratio is 51. 4, 44. 7, 48. 1 and 43. 35 respectively. NGOs in the country have been making significant contribution to the education sector. About 500 NGOs are currently running 48,855 learning centers for providing primary education to 10,24,495 females and 6,06,802 males in the country (CAMPE, 2007). A total of 518 NGOs have been engaged in education programs of which more than 450 have adult literacy programs integrated into NFE. The NGOs are providing adult education to 1,19,277 females and 26,193 males through 6,574 learning centers (CAMPE, 2007). However, some of the major NGOs in the country offering adult education are BRAC, Proshika, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, FIVDB, Action Aid, Swanirvar Bangladesh. BRAC has been the largest NGO in the country operating the largest non-formal education program. It runs 34000 NFPE schools serving 1. 02 million un-enrolled and drop out children of the marginal families. RELATE WITH MDG The Government of Bangladesh has made commitment in the World Education Forum held at Dakar, Senegal in April 2000, towards achievement of Education for All goals and every citizen by the year 2015. The World Education Forum adopted six major goals for education, two of which also became Millennium Development Goals later in the same year. The Dakar goals covered the attainment of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and gender equality, improving literacy and educational quality, and increasing life-skills and early childhood education programs, and were to be achieved within 15 years (EFA Global Monitoring Report, 2005:28) However, the gender goal was judged to be particularly urgent – requiring the achievement of parity in enrolments for girls and boys at primary and secondary levels by 2005, and of full equality throughout education by 2015. The Millennium declaration of the United Nations adopted on 8 September 2000 by all member states in the millennium Summit gave birth to eight goals to be achieved by 2015 (UN, 2005:3). Besides the eight goals, there are 18 targets and 48 indicators in the MDGs. All these Aaspects are pertinent to combat poverty, hunger, illiteracy, diseases, inequality between man and woman, infant mortality, maternal mortality, environmental degradation and improving global partnership for development. The second Goal has designated universal primary education that emphasizes the implicit objective of equal education for boys and girls alike and to be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. Bangladesh is committed to achieve the MDGs and the goals are included in the countries first Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. By May 2005, the government developed Unlocking the Potential: National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction (PRSP). It takes a rights-based approach and identifies four strategic objectives: creating opportunity towards realizing the full potential of children i. e. access to health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation; ensuring the best interests of children in national, social, family and personal situations i. e. empowerment of children; ensuring safety and security at home and in the public space i. e. protection against abuse, exploitation and violence and establishing and protecting children’s rights i. e. social inclusion, decent work and livelihood. PRSP goal is to introduce and strengthen early childhood and pre-school education; introduce a unified and common primary education opportunity for all children; improve quality of primary education; 100% enrolment, and raise all other targets to achieve quality and completion in primary education; increase literacy rate to 80% and expand the scope of NFE beyond the literacy to reach out to the extreme poor and in remote areas (PRSP, 2005:50-51). In summing up the discussion it can be said that Bangladesh has been improving in primary education significantly since independence. Though primary education has been given priority from the emergence of the country but some dramatic changes has been noticed in the 1990s. This decade saw a renewed dedication to the expansion of primary education, and consequently primary education experienced significant enhancement during the period. In 1990, in a major policy direction Bangladesh made commitment to international compliance and as a result WCEFA came into being. Similar major international initiatives were taken in 2000. World Education Forum at Dakar and the UN Millennium conference at New York, fixed various targets and goals, named as MDGs. As a signatory country, Bangladesh is now committed to attain these targets by 2015. Currently primary education in Bangladesh is on target of achieving the second MDGs phase and it is a matter of concern Number of Students Enrolled in Primary Schools and Percentage of Boys and Girls *percentage of boys and girls students in primary schiools (1991-2009) Number of Students % of Students YearTotalBoysGirlsBoysGirls 199112,635,4196,910,0925,725,32754. 745. 3 199213,017,2677,048,5425,968,72554. 245. 8 199314,067,3327,525,8626,541,47053. 546. 5 199415,180,6808,048,1177,132,56353. 047. 0 199517,284,1579,094,4898,189,66852. 647. 4 199617,580,4169,219,3588,361,05852. 447. 6 199718,031,6739,364,8998,666,77451. 948. 1 199818,360,6429,576,9428,783,70052. 247. 8 199917,621,7319,065,0198,556,71251. 448. 6 200017,667,9859,032,6988,635,28751. 148. 9 200117,659,2208,989,7958,669,42551. 049. 0 200217,561,8288,841,6488,720,18050. 349. 7 200318,431,3209,358,7579,072,56350. 849. 2 200417,953,3009,046,4338,906,86750. 449. 6 200516,225,6588,091,2218,134,43749. 8750. 13 200616,385,8478,129,3148,256,53349. 650. 4 200716,312,9078,035,3538,277,55449. 350. 7 200816,001,6057,919,8378,081,76849. 4950. 51 200916,539,3638,241,0268,298,33749. 8350. 17 Statictis of primary schools in Bangladesh(1996-2009) YEARInstitution GPSEXPRNGPSCOMM* SATTHSAPSNGPSKGEb. Mad- rashaHMAPSNGOTotal 1996377105219683275920027593963143494992759-80818 19973771052195291962104212923472154582312850-77685 19983771053196582989282215823177169171732948-79803 199937709531955331072945123026321940640432531478840 200037677531925330613884122021262296371034379276809 2001376715319428326840951576197124773843357417078126 2002376715319428322548231576179224773443357430178363 2003376715319428326048231618167030886581820034586737 20043767154198143218-1283169937456723821444782868 20053767254196823027-135394622816768*832928980401 20063767254199993192-1314114026656726892033882020 20073767254201073186-131497322536726892022981434 20083767254200833263-157196629876744923340882981 20093767255200612991-95981927446744923323081508 GPS- Government Primary School, RNGPS- Registered Non Government Primary School, NGPS- Non Government Primary School, EXP- PTI attached Experimental School, KG- Kinder Garden, HSAPS- High School Attached Primary Schools, HMAPS- High Madrasa Attached Primary School, * SATT Sattilite Schools which are closed from 2004 . CHALLENGES †¢Quality of teachers : Teacher’s poor academic quality and low competency is a serious problem for student’s educational attainment. Rahman attempted to establish a profile of the primary school teachers by interviewing some 500 teachers. He found that most of the teachers have only the SSC/HSC examination in the third division (Rahman, 1986:32). This poor quality of teacher’s academic competencies results in ineffective teaching. †¢Fund : Lack of funding is a big problem. The government and donors try to invest more in education sector to achieve the goals of education for all. †¢Quality of education : Bangladesh has a significant progress in achieving some goals of education for all but it needs to focus on the quality of education and early childhood development. †¢Coaching centers : some coaching centers are very much expensive. It helps to decrease child’s creativity because students found readymade notes there and they don’t need to work for it. †¢Students politics : when students participate in politics, they can not concentrate their studies. They will very much busy with political activities rather than their study because they are given money to do this. †¢Lack of consistency: Dhaka, Jan 2 (BDNEWS) – Countries leading educationists Monday demanded cancellation of the proposed unified education, which was postponed earlier, and introduction of a genuine unified education based on equality, and scientific and secular thinking at secondary level. RECOMMENDATION 1. Inclusion of legal education in government’s policy priorities, and to undertake concrete steps to improve its quality. 2. Formation of a Council of Legal Education for overall control, monitoring and supervision of legal education in Bangladesh. The Council will exercise its functions in collaboration with the Bar Council and the University Grants Commission. Necessary law is to be enacted for the formation of the Council, which would also entail amendment of the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order 1972, in so far as it concerns legal education. 3. To form legal education committee in the University Grants Commission consisting of the representatives of the law schools, and with this end in view to make necessary amendments in the University Grants Commission Order, 1972 and the relevant rules. 4. Provision for additional vocational course up to one year for law graduates as prequalification for appearing at the bar examination. How this course would be designed and run would be determined by the proposed Council of Legal Education. 5. Rational combination of academic and vocational character of legal education to make sure law graduates acquire knowledge, skill and competency for legal practice as well as law related general services. It is necessary to provide for more practical methods of teaching law i. e. Socratic method, problem method, case study, moot court and mock trial, clinical legal education etc. 6. Promotion of inter-disciplinary approach to curriculum to help students better understand the societal problems. Subjects like national history, economics, political science, sociology, logic etc could be included in the law curriculum. 7. Inclusion of new law courses (subjects) in the curriculum to respond to the needs of modern economy, ICT and globalisation. Subjects such as corporate law, international economic law, e-commerce, intellectual property law, environmental law, medical jurisprudence need to be included. 8. To include in the curriculum separate courses on ADR, legal ethics, research, drafting and conveyancing. 9. Need for emphasising transnational aspects of law to include more subjects on public and private international law and comparative law. 10. To enhance human rights and gender sensibility of legal education. Separate papers on these issues are suggested to be included in the syllabus 11. Narrowing down the gap between college legal education and university legal education by including more subjects in college curriculum and extending its duration. 12. Introduction of clinical legal education which means learning law by providing legal services to the community. Students need to be involved in various ADR activities where they will be exposed to real life situations and get opportunities to apply their knowledge of law as well as be sensitised to the rights of the marginalised sections of the community. 13. Immediate need for massive reforms and overhauling of college legal education by — (a)extension of duration of courses from existing two years to three years with emphasis on practical courses in the final year; (b)introduction of admission tests; (c)limiting number of seats for admission; (d)mandatory appointment of full time teachers; (e)provision for government financial assistance; (f)provision for adequate infrastructural facilities like class-rooms, library, books, computers etc; (g)provision for effective supervision of the colleges. 14. Establishment of government sponsored model law college to set the norms and standards of modern legal education. 15. Evaluation and examination of students by problem oriented questions. 16. Introduction of basic legal education at SSC and HSC levels as a part of general legal awareness, and as a stage of prequalification for higher studies in law. Ministry of Education is to provide necessary directives and frame rules to incorporate fundamentals of law of the land in SSC and HSC curriculum. 17. To preserve the present bilingual character of medium of instruction for law with an emphasis on effective learning of English. 18. To provide for institutional accountability of teachers, and their evaluation by the students. Details of the procedures of accountability and evaluation would need to be worked out. 19. Provision for training of the teachers. 20. Besides legal profession of a lawyer and a judge, to create more diversified professional job opportunities for the law graduates in various government and non-government departments. One of the ways to do it is to create by competitive examination BCS cadre service(legal) for law graduates to perform law related works in various government and autonomous bodies. CONCLUSION Bangladeshs education system has deeply entrenched links to the English language over many centuries. This has made English the de facto second language. Whats more important though, English is the primary language of trade and commerce here, which makes Bangladesh a very attractive destination for software and IT services off shoring. And now the government also has been taking some steps for the betterment of the educational system of Bangladesh. People are also concerned now unlike the previous dates. The people and the young generations should come forward along with the government on this purpose. We should remember one thing that we need to change for the development.