Safety in Industrial Cities from fire Research Paper

Wellbeing in Industrial Cities from fire - Research Paper Example It is a miserable reality that the vast majority of the materials utilized in private and building foundations are really likely energizes of fire. Likewise, in modern urban communities, the quantity of combustible materials increments and this happens not by some coincidence. A mechanical city has generous number of business foundations which market or produce ignitable materials, unpredictable items and some more. These materials are noteworthy wellsprings of fuel. Without taking those into contemplations would conceivably result to harm in the days to come. This is the motivation behind why everybody should be very much educated with the idea of fire. It isn't sufficiently only to comprehend the idea of fire. What an individual needs to comprehend is that in the appearance of fire, there can be numerous things to be discovered that will possibly kill a similar event in the days to come. This is the motivation behind why there is a continuous pattern and in any event, spiraling num ber of logical investigations identified with fire. These examinations are fundamental to be scholarly. Notwithstanding, a portion of these investigations are getting confused. What an individual basically needs to comprehend about fire are the essential things about it. Realizing the fundamentals is a necessity since it is through it that expected revelations or thoughts will have the option to be found out about. The advocate of this report had the option to think about various investigations regarding fire and even the essential ideas about its creation. In accordance with this, the advocate had the option to utilize the data from the web, books and solid diaries from exceptionally dependable sources or specialists. The advocate attempts to improve the conversation about fire and just the nuts and bolts about it are dependably viewed as because of the way that this report is to support the individuals who have no or little foundation about wellbeing designing. Moreover, in accord ance with this, the advocate exceptionally considers fire as a significant occurrence in modern urban communities that should be basically comprehended from a logical perspective in a least difficult manner. Among of the most refered to data about this examination considers some down to earth understanding about fire from the perspective of episodes experienced from an earlier time. In accordance with this, the defender firmly accepts that more writing survey ought to be remembered for situations when there is have to see further fire as a critical issue happening in mechanical urban communities. This report is introduced to everybody as a significant guide for putting out fires action and control. Dynamic The U.S. Fire Administration (2011) announced that in private structures, the most widely recognized reason for fire is electrical breakdown which is around 43 percent and 37 percent for electrical arcing as warmth source and these are among of the main sources of upper room fires . As per the U.S. Fire Administration this further outcomes to an expected 30 passings, 125 wounds and $477 million worth of harm properties from 2006 to 2008. The above report is only one of the most widely recognized instances of fire in the United States and around the globe. It additionally shows the damaging limit of fire. Be that as it may, this report doesn't just concentrate ablaze in private setting especially in mechanical urban communities yet this significantly incorporates other related cases. This report is about the typical occurrences about fire. Fire is one of the most widely recognized episodes in the United States that presents significant degree of annihilation in mechanical urban communities. Fire isn't only a normal occurrence yet this requires the

Project Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Task Management - Research Paper Example Studies show that, a money saving advantage examination is utilized by associations to complete assessment of the absolute anticipated expenses in a task concerning the normal by and large advantages; taking into account the suitability of the proposed usage venture. costs unit passage broadened Implementation process arranging Hours 260 11,245 Labor contract Dollars 16000 16,000 Internal execution work Hours 900 38,925 Input/capital cost Dollars 16000 16,000 Implementation cost 82,170 continuing Operational costs Dollars/Month 1100 1,100 Maintenance cost Dollars/Month 1300 1,300 Proceeding/continuous month to month costs 2,400 Remunerated usage cost 1,600 Monthly expense $4,000 For an association, which is thinking about the usage of a ‘outsourcing finance administration system’, the immediate income improvement and cost decreases will include increment in representative profitability. This is on the grounds that the workers have now an opportunity to concentrate on num erous gainful exercises, which is quintessence, will improve productivity for the organization. Concerning cost decrease, the other direct approach to lessen cost is shirking of the IRS punishments. These relinquishes may come due to ill-advised accounting and outpourings. Through the redistributing administrations, numerous organizations may extraordinarily stay away from such punishments; the pay elevating can be decreased basing on the authoritative costs. This is the place the redistributing administrations permit workers to dispatch repayment guarantees over the web or on the web, which progressively helpful and time is sparing. Then again, aberrant income upgrade may include the way toward building brands in different nations; brand expansion. Fundamentally, this might be where the re-appropriated organization uses and highlights the accomplice organization's logo marking; this permits the organization to show case the organization name and the logo in all client and represent ative got to pages. The best innovation business is one of the backhanded techniques for cost decrease. It could benefit paltry enterprises, with less mastery strong points. To this end, there are dangers related with the execution of another finance framework in an association. As indicated by discoveries, any execution procedure conveys with it some level of dangers. This requires a hazard intend to be remembered for the execution procedure. As a rule, the focal point of registers has been on the innovation; its usefulness and the impact its disappointment may make on the general venture. The regular dangers related with new finance frameworks is, the repercussions when the framework neglects to convey a live activity by a specific time the apparent contingence plan set up. The other hazard is the change effect of hierarchical and political outcomes related with the development from an old finance model or framework to the new framework where the HR duty turns out to be increasing ly dismissed. To address these dangers, examines demonstrate that, most new frameworks are planned while utilizing best practice model. This requires extraordinary duty regarding frameworks and their proprietorship inside the human asset; this permits the exchange of information being prepared inside the human asset finance office, notwithstanding, its working, significantly depends on the undertaking prerequisites. It is just huge at that point to consider how to deal with the interface procedure including two pieces of one association with various prerequisites. In has been discovered that, in circumstances where there exists incorporated frameworks, which have not been a piece of the operational culture or life of the human asset

Stuyvesant, Peter

Stuyvesant, Peter Stuyvesant, Peter sti ´v?s?nt [key], c.1610â€"1672, Dutch director-general of New Netherland. He served as governor of Curaçao and lost a leg in an expedition against St. Martin before succeeding Willem Kieft in New Netherland. On his arrival (1647) in New Amsterdam (later New York City), he immediately informed the colonists of his autocratic intentions. He set up a board of nine men to advise him but dissolved it (1651) when they asked for redress of their grievances in a remonstrance to the Dutch government. As a result of this petition, however, Holland granted (1653) municipal government to New Amsterdam. Nevertheless, Stuyvesant continued his harsh rule and was intolerant of religious dissenters, especially Quakers. While he lost territory to Connecticut (1650), he expanded the colony by conquering New Sweden (1655). Overwhelmed by a surprise English attack, Stuyvesant surrendered New Netherland to England in 1664. He spent the rest of his life on his Manhattan farm and w as buried there under his chapel, now the site of a church, St. Mark's-in-the-Bouwerie. See E. L. Raesly, Portrait of New Netherland (1945, repr. 1965); H. H. Kessler and E. Rachlis, Peter Stuyvesant and His New York (1959). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

Nerve-Winged Insects, Order Neuroptera

The order Neuroptera includes an interesting cast of six-legged characters: alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies, snakeflies, lacewings, antlions, and owlflies. The order name derives from the Greek neuron, meaning sinew or cord, and ptera, meaning wings. Though we refer to this group as the nerve-winged insects, their wings arent laced with sinews or nerves at all, but instead with branching veins and crossveins. Description: The nerve-winged insects vary enough that some entomologists divide them into three distinct orders (Neuroptera, Megaloptera, and Raphidioptera). Ive elected to use the classification system outlined in Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, and consider them as a single order with three suborders: Suborder Megaloptera - alderflies, dobsonflies, and fishflies Suborder Raphidioptera - snakeflies Suborder Planipennia - dusty-wings, lacewings, mantidflies, spongillaflies, antlions, and owlflies Adult nerve-winged insects typically have two pairs of membranous wings, all nearly equal in size, and with many veins. Specifically, most Neuropteran wings have abundant crossveins near the leading edge of the wings, between the costa and subcosta, and parallel branches off the radial sector (see this diagram of wing venation if youre unfamiliar with these terms). Insects in this order have chewing mouthparts and filiform antennae with many segments. In general, nerve-winged insects are weak fliers. The larvae are elongate, with squared heads and long thoracic legs. Most larvae of nerve-winged insects are predaceous, with chewing mouthparts to consume their prey. Nerve-winged insects undergo complete metamorphosis, with four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In the Planipennia, they produce silk from their Malpighian tubules. The silk is extruded from the anus and used to spin a cocoon. All other nerve-winged insects have naked pupae. Habitat and Distribution: Nerve-winged insects live worldwide, with roughly 5,500 species known from 21 families. Most insects in this order are terrestrial. The larvae of alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies, and spongillaflies are aquatic, and inhabit rivers and streams. Adults in these families tend to reside near water. Major Families in the Order: Sialidae - alderfliesCorydalidae – dobsonflies and fishfliesMantispidae - mantidfliesHemerobiidae – brown lacewings Chrysopidae – common lacewingsMyrmeleontidae - antlionsAscalaphidae – owlflies Families and Genera of Interest: Antlion larvae often go by the nickname doodlebugs. They build pitfall traps in the soil to ensnare ants and other prey.Spongillafly larvae prey on freshwater sponges.Larvae of mantidflies are parasites of spider egg sacs.Some lacewings camouflage themselves by attaching woolly aphid carcasses to their backs. This enables them to live among the aphids without being detected.Green lacewing females place each of their eggs on a long, think stalk which is itself attached to a leaf. This is thought to help keep the eggs out of reach of predators. Sources: Insects - Their Natural History and Diversity, by Stephen A. MarshallBorror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonNeuroptera, by Dr. Jon Meyer, North Carolina State University, accessed December 6, 2012Order Neuroptera - Antlions, Lacewings and Allies, BugGuide.Net , accessed December 6, 2012

The Dystopian Society Depicted in Brave New World, V...

It is commonplace for individuals to envision a perfect world; a utopian reality in which the world is a paradise, with equality, happiness and ideal perfection. Unfortunately, we live in a dystopian society and our world today is far from perfection. John Savage, from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, V, from V for Vendetta by James McTeigue and Offred, from The Handmaid’s Tale by Margret Attwood, are all characters in a dystopian society. A dystopia is the vision of a society in which conditions of life are miserable and are characterized by oppression, corruption of government, and abridgement of human rights. Unfortunately, corruption is government is a phenomenon far too prevalent in today’s world. In the movie V for Vendetta, V†¦show more content†¦V says, â€Å"The truth is that something is terribly wrong with this country.† Citizens are being targeted and taken away somewhere unknown. The fact is that something is horribly wrong with the country, and the source of it is the communist government. Furthermore, in the book Handmaid’s tale, abridgement of human rights, especially for women, is present. Offred, the protagonist of the book, is a handmaid. There is no equality in their world, especially for handmaids. Offred says, â€Å"We are given tokens with pictures of the food we are supposed to get.† Women are not allowed to read or write and are meant to be kept in their limited space. Men are allotted a disproportionate amount of personal freedom under this societal regime. The men hold the power to everything, including women; who are now their property. Offred says, â€Å"Our names are given by placing ‘of’ in front of the commander’s name. Property of Fred.† Women no longer have any rights, forced to live as bonded slaves. Handmaids are given their purpose in life, but they have no purpose in living. They are not allowed to have any sort pleasure in their life. â€Å"Kissing is not allowed during the ceremony.† There is no romance, no happiness, but men occupy all these. They go to clubs, stay with prostitutes and there is no one to stop them. The human rights of women no longer exist in this type of

Second Foundation 20. “I Know…” Free Essays

string(43) " fifty volumes of reports in five minutes\." The last two months of the Stettinian war did not lag for Homir. In his unusual office as Mediator Extraordinary, he found himself the center of interstellar affairs, a role he could not help but find pleasing. There were no further major battles – a few accidental skirmishes that could scarcely count – and the terms of the treaty were hammered out with little necessity for concessions on the part of the Foundation. We will write a custom essay sample on Second Foundation 20. â€Å"I Know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or any similar topic only for you Order Now Stettin retained his office, but scarcely anything else. His navy was dismantled; his possessions outside the home system itself made autonomous and allowed to vote for return to previous status, full independence or confederation within the Foundation, as they chose. The war was formally ended on an asteroid in Terminus’ own stellar system; site of the Foundation’s oldest naval base. Lev Meirus signed for Kalgan, and Homir was an interested spectator. Throughout all that period he did not see Dr. Darell, nor any of the others. But it scarcely mattered. His news would keep – and, as always, he smiled at the thought. Dr. Darell returned to Terminus some weeks after VK day, and that same evening, his house served as the meeting place for the five men who, ten months earlier, had laid their first plans. They lingered over dinner and then over wine as though hesitating to return again to the old subject. It was Jole Turbor, who, peering steadily into the purple depths of the wineglass with one eye, muttered, rather than said, â€Å"Well, Homir, you are a man of affairs now, I see. You handled matters well.† â€Å"I?† Munn laughed loudly and joyously. For some reason, he had not stuttered in months. â€Å"I hadn’t a thing to do with it. It was Arcadia. By the by, Darell, how is she? She’s coming back from Trantor, I heard?† â€Å"You heard correctly,† said Darell, quietly. â€Å"Her ship should dock within the week.† He looked, with veiled eyes, at the others, but there were only confused, amorphous exclamations of pleasure. Nothing else. Turbor said, â€Å"Then it’s over, really. Who would have predicted all this ten months ago. Munn’s been to Kalgan and back. Arcadia’s been to Kalgan and Trantor and is coming back. We’ve had a war and won it, by Space. They tell you that the vast sweeps of history can be predicted, but doesn’t it seem conceivable that all that has just happened, with its absolute confusion to those of us who lived through it, couldn’t possibly have been predicted.† â€Å"Nonsense,† said Anthor, acidly. â€Å"What makes you so triumphant, anyway? You talk as though we have really won a war, when actually we have won nothing but a petty brawl which has served only to distract our minds from the real enemy.† There was an uncomfortable silence, in which only Homir Munn’s slight smile struck a discordant note. And Anthor struck the arm of his chair with a balled and furyfilled fist, â€Å"Yes, I refer to the Second Foundation. There is no mention of it and, if I judge correctly, every effort to have no thought of it. Is it because this fallacious atmosphere of victory that palls over this world of idiots is so attractive that you feel you must participate? Turn somersaults then, handspring your way into a wall, pound one another’s back and throw confetti out the window. Do whatever you please, only get it out of your system – and when you are quite done and you are yourselves again, return and let us discuss that problem which exists now precisely as it did ten months ago when you sat here with eyes cocked over your shoulders for fear of you knew not what. Do you really think that the Mind-masters of the Second Foundation are less to be feared because you have beat down a foolish wielder of spaceships.† He paused, red-faced and panting. Munn said quietly, â€Å"Will you hear me speak now, Anthor? Or do you prefer to continue your role as ranting conspirator?† â€Å"Have your say, Homir,† said Darell, â€Å"but let’s all of us refrain from over-picturesqueness of language. It’s a very good thing in its place, but at present, it bores me.† Homir Munn leaned back in his armchair and carefully refilled his glass from the decanter at his elbow. â€Å"I was sent to Kalgan,† he said, â€Å"to find out what I could from the records contained in the Mule’s Palace. I spent several months doing so. I seek no credit for that accomplishment. As I have indicated, it was Arcadia whose ingenuous intermeddling obtained the entry for me. Nevertheless, the fact remains that to my original knowledge of the Mule’s life and times, which, I submit, was not small, I have added the fruits of much labor among primary evidence which has been available to no one else. â€Å"I am, therefore, in a unique position to estimate the true danger of the Second Foundation; much more so than is our excitable friend here.† â€Å"And,† grated Anthor, â€Å"what is your estimate of that danger?† â€Å"Why, zero.† A short pause, and Elvett Semic asked with an air of surprised disbelief, â€Å"You mean zero danger?† â€Å"Certainly. Friends, there is no Second Foundation!† Anthor’s eyelids closed slowly and he sat there, face pale and expressionless. Munn continued, aftention-centering and loving it, â€Å"And what is more, there was never one.† â€Å"On what,† asked Darell, â€Å"do you base this surprising conclusion?† â€Å"I deny,† said Munn, â€Å"that it is surprising. You all know the story of the Mule’s search for the Second Foundation. But what do you know of the intensity of that search – of the single-mindedness of it. He had tremendous resources at his disposal and he spared none of it. He was single-minded – and yet he failed. No Second Foundation was found.† â€Å"One could scarcely expect it to be found,† pointed out Turbor, restlessly. â€Å"It had means of protecting itself against inquiring minds.† â€Å"Even when the mind that is inquiring is the Mule’s mutant mentality? I think not. But come, you do not expect me to give you the gist of fifty volumes of reports in five minutes. You read "Second Foundation 20. â€Å"I Know†¦Ã¢â‚¬ " in category "Essay examples" All of it, by the terms of the peace treaty will be part of the Seldon Historical Museum eventually, and you will all be free to be as leisurely in your analysis as I have been. You will find his conclusion plainly stated, however, and that I have already expressed. There is not, and has never been, any Second Foundation.† Semic interposed, â€Å"Well, what stopped the Mule, then?† â€Å"Great Galaxy, what do you suppose stopped him? Death did; as it will stop all of us. The greatest superstition of the age is that the Mule was somehow stopped in an all-conquering career by some mysterious entities superior even to himself. It is the result of looking at everything in wrong focus. â€Å"Certainly no one in the Galaxy can help knowing that the Mule was a freak, physical as well as mental. He died in his thirties because his ill-adjusted body could no longer struggle its creaking machinery along. For several years before his death he was an invalid. His best health was never more than an ordinary man’s feebleness. All right, then. He conquered the Galaxy and, in the ordinary course of nature, proceeded to die. It’s a wonder he proceeded as long and as well as he did. Friends, it’s down in the very clearest print. You have only to have patience. You have only to try to look at all facts in new focus.† Darell said, thoughtfully, â€Å"Good, let us try that Munn. It would be an interesting attempt and, if nothing else, would help oil our thoughts. These tampered men – the records of which Anthor brought to us nearly a year ago, what of them? Help us to see them in focus.† â€Å"Easily. How old a science is encephalographic analysis? Or, put it another way, how well-developed is the study of neuronic pathways.† â€Å"We are at the beginning in this respect. Granted,† said Darell. â€Å"Right. How certain can we be then as to the interpretation of what I’ve heard Anthor and yourself call the Tamper Plateau. You have your theories, but how certain can you be. Certain enough to consider it a firm basis for the existence of a mighty force for which all other evidence is negative? It’s always easy to explain the unknown by postulating a superhuman and arbitrary will. â€Å"It’s a very human phenomenon. There have been cases all through Galactic history where isolated planetary systems have reverted to savagery, and what have we learned there? In every case, such savages attribute the to-them-incomprehensible forces of Nature – storms, pestilences, droughts – to sentient beings more powerful and more arbitrary than men. â€Å"It is called anthropomorphism, I believe, and in this respect, we are savages and indulge in it. Knowing little of mental science, we blame anything we don’t know on supermen – those of the Second Foundation in this case, based on the hint thrown us by Seldon.† â€Å"Oh,† broke in Anthor, â€Å"then you do remember Seldon. I thought you had forgotten. Seldon did say there was a Second Foundation. Get that in focus. â€Å"And are you aware then of all Seldon’s purposes. Do you know what necessities were involved in his calculations? The Second Foundation may have been a very necessary scarecrow, with a highly specific end in view. How did we defeat Kalgan, for instance? What were you saying in your last series of articles, Turbor?† Turbor stirred his bulk. â€Å"Yes, I see what you’re driving at. I was on Kalgan towards the end, Darell, and it was quite obvious that morale on the planet was incredibly bad. I looked through their news-records and – well. they expected to be beaten. Actually, they were completely unmanned by the thought that eventually the Second Foundation would take a hand, on the side of the First, naturally.† â€Å"Quite right,† said Munn. â€Å"I was there all through the war. I told Stettin there was no Second Foundation and he believed me. He felt safe. But there was no way of making the people suddenly disbelieve what they had believed all their lives, so that the myth eventually served a very useful purpose in Seldon’s cosmic chess game.† But Anthor’s eyes opened, quite suddenly, and fixed themselves sardonically on Munn’s countenance. â€Å"I say you lie.† Homir turned pale, â€Å"I don’t see that I have to accept, much less answer, an accusation of that nature.† â€Å"I say it without any intention of personal offense. You cannot help lying; you don’t realize that you are. But you lie just the same.† Semic laid his withered hand on the young man’s sleeve. â€Å"Take a breath, young fella.† Anthor shook him off, none too gently, and said, â€Å"I’m out of patience with all of you. I haven’t seen this man more than half a dozen times in my life, yet I find the change in him unbelievable. The rest of you have known him for years, yet pass it by. It is enough to drive one mad. Do you call this man you’ve been listening to Homir Munn? He is not the Homir Munn I knew.† A medley of shock; above which Munn’s voice cried, â€Å"You claim me to be an impostor?† â€Å"Perhaps not in the ordinary sense,† shouted Anthor above the din, â€Å"but an impostor nonetheless. Quiet, everyone! I demand to be heard.† He frowned them ferociously into obedience. â€Å"Do any of you remember Homir Munn as I do – the introverted librarian who never talked without obvious embarrassment; the man of tense and nervous voice, who stuttered out his uncertain sentences? Does this man sound like him? He’s fluent, he’s confident, he’s fun of theories, and, by Space, he doesn’t stutter. Is he the same person?† Even Munn looked confused, and Pelleas Anthor drove on. â€Å"Well, shall we test him?† â€Å"How?† asked Darell. â€Å"You ask how? There is the obvious way. You have his encephalographic record of ten months ago, haven’t you? Run one again, and compare.† He pointed at the frowning librarian, and said violently, â€Å"I dare him to refuse to subject himself to analysis.† â€Å"I don’t object,† said Munn, defiantly. â€Å"I am the man I always was.† â€Å"Can you know?† said Anthor with contempt. â€Å"I’ll go further. I trust no one here. I want everyone to undergo analysis. There has been a war. Munn has been on Kalgan; Turbor has been on board ship and all over the war areas. Darell and Semic have been absent, too – I have no idea where. Only I have remained here in seclusion and safety, and I no longer trust any of the rest of you. And to play fair, I’ll submit to testing as well. Are we agreed then? Or do I leave now and go my own way?† Turbor shrugged and said, â€Å"I have no objection.† â€Å"I have already said I don’t,† said Munn. Semic moved a hand in silent assent, and Anthor waited for Darell. Finally, Darell nodded his head. â€Å"Take me first,† said Anthor. The needles traced their delicate way across the cross-hatchings as the young neurologist sat frozen in the reclining seat, with lidded eyes brooding heavily. From the files, Darell removed the folder containing Anthor’s old encephalographic record. He showed them to Anthor. â€Å"That’s your own signature, isn’t it?† â€Å"Yes, yes. It’s my record. Make the comparison.† The scanner threw old and new on to the screen. All six curves in each recording were there, and in the darkness, Munn’s voice sounded in harsh clarity. â€Å"Well, now, look there. There’s a change.† â€Å"Those are the primary waves of the frontal lobe. It doesn’t mean a thing, Homir. Those additional jags you’re pointing to are just anger. It’s the others that count.† He touched a control knob and the six pairs melted into one another and coincided. The deeper amplitude of primaries alone introduced doubling. â€Å"Satisfied?† asked Anthor. Darell nodded curtly and took the seat himself. Semic followed him and Turbor followed him. Silently the curves were collected; silently they were compared. Munn was the last to take his seat. For a moment, he hesitated, then, with a touch of desperation in his voice, he said, â€Å"Well now, look, I’m coming in last and I’m under tension. I expect due allowance to be made for that.† â€Å"There will be,† Darell assured him. â€Å"No conscious emotion of yours will affect more than the primaries and they are not important.† It might have been hours, in the utter silence that followed And then in the darkness of the comparison, Anthor said huskily: â€Å"Sure, sure, it’s only the onset of a complex. Isn’t that what he told us? No such thing as tampering; it’s all a silly anthropomorphic notion – but look at it! A coincidence I suppose.† â€Å"What’s the matter?† shrieked Munn. Darell’s hand was tight on the librarian’s shoulder. â€Å"Quiet, Munn – you’ve been handled; you’ve been adjusted by them.† Then the light went on, and Munn was looking about him with broken eyes, making a horrible attempt to smile. â€Å"You can’t be serious, surely. There is a purpose to this. You’re testing me.† But Darell only shook his head. â€Å"No, no, Homir. It’s true.† The librarian’s eyes were filled with tears, suddenly. â€Å"I don’t feel any different. I can’t believe it.† With sudden conviction: â€Å"You are all in this. It’s a conspiracy.† Darell attempted a soothing gesture, and his hand was struck aside. Munn snarled, â€Å"You’re planning to kill me. By Space, you’re planning to kill me.† With a lunge, Anthor was upon him. There was the sharp crack of bone against bone, and Homir was limp and flaccid with that look of fear frozen on his face. Anthor rose shakily, and said, â€Å"We’d better tie and gag him. Later, we can decide what to do.† He brushed his long hair back. Turbor said, â€Å"How did you guess there was something wrong with him?† Anthor turned sardonically upon him. â€Å"It wasn’t difficult. You see, I happen to know where the Second Foundation really is.† Successive shocks have a decreasing effect- It was with actual mildness that Semic asked, â€Å"Are you sure? I mean we’ve just gone through this sort of business with Munn-â€Å" This isn’t quite the same,† returned Anthor. â€Å"Darell, the day the war started, I spoke to you most seriously. I tried to have you leave Terminus. I would have told you then what I will tell you now, if I had been able to trust you.† â€Å"You mean you have known the answer for half a year?† smiled Darell. â€Å"I have known it from the time I learned that Arcadia had left for Trantor.† And Darell started to his feet in sudden consternation. â€Å"What had Arcadia to do with it? What are you implying?† â€Å"Absolutely nothing that is not plain on the face of all the events we know so well. Arcadia goes to Kalgan and flees in terror to the very center of the Galaxy, rather than return home. Lieutenant Dirige, our best agent on Kalgan is tampered with. Homir Munn goes to Kalgan and he is tampered with. The Mule conquered the Galaxy, but, queerly enough, he made Kalgan his headquarters, and it occurs to me to wonder if he was conqueror or, perhaps, tool. At every turn, we meet with Kalgan, Kalgan – nothing but Kalgan, the world that somehow survived untouched all the struggles of the warlords for over a century.† â€Å"Your conclusion, then.† â€Å"Is obvious,† Anthor’s eyes were intense. â€Å"The Second Foundation is on Kalgan.† Turbor interrupted. â€Å"I was on Kalgan, Anthor. I was there last week. If there was any Second Foundation on it, I’m mad. Personally, I think you’re mad.† The young man whirled on him savagely. â€Å"Then you’re a fat fool. What do you expect the Second Foundation to be? A grammar school? Do you think that Radiant Fields in tight beams spell out ‘Second Foundation’ in green and purple along the incoming spaceship routes? Listen to me, Turbor. Wherever they are, they form a tight oligarchy. They must be as well hidden on the world on which they exist, as the world itself is in the Galaxy as a whole.† Turbor’s jaw muscles writhed. â€Å"I don’t like your attitude, Anthor.† â€Å"That certainly disturbs me,† was the sarcastic response. â€Å"Take a look about you here on Terminus. We’re at the center – the core – the origin of the First Foundation with all its knowledge of physical science. Well, how many of the population are physical scientists? Can you operate an Energy Transmitting Station? What do you know of the operation of a hyperatomic motor? Eh? The number of real scientists on Terminus – even on Terminus – can be numbered at less than one percent of the population. â€Å"And what then of the Second Foundation where secrecy must be preserved. There will still be less of the cognoscenti, and these will be hidden even from their own world.† â€Å"Say,† said Semic, carefully. â€Å"We just licked Kalgan-â€Å" â€Å"So we did. So we did,† said Anthor, sardonically. â€Å"Oh, we celebrate that victory. The cities are still illuminated; they are still shooting off fireworks; they are still shouting over the televisors. But now, now, when the search is on once more for the Second Foundation, where is the last place well look; where is the last place anyone will look? Right! Kalgan! â€Å"We haven’t hurt them, you know; not really. We’ve destroyed some ships, killed a few thousands, torn away their Empire, taken over some of their commercial and economic power – but that all means nothing. I’ll wager that not one member of the real ruling class of Kalgan is in the least discomfited. On the contrary, they are now safe from curiosity. But not from my curiosity. What do you say, Darell?† Darell shrugged his shoulders. â€Å"Interesting. I’m trying to fit it in with a message I received from Arcadia a few months since.† â€Å"Oh, a message?† asked Anthor. â€Å"And what was it?† â€Å"Well, I’m not certain. Five short words. But its interesting.† â€Å"Look,† broke in Semic, with a worried interest, â€Å"there’s something I don’t understand.† â€Å"What’s that?† Semic chose his words carefully, his old upper lip lifting with each word as if to let them out singly and reluctantly. â€Å"Well, now, Homir Munn was saying just a while ago that Hari Seldon was faking when he said that he had established a Second Foundation. Now you’re saying that it’s not so; that Seldon wasn’t faking, eh?† â€Å"Right, he wasn’t faking. Seldon said he had established a Second Foundation and so he had.† â€Å"All right, then, but he said something else, too. He said he established the two Foundations at opposite ends of the Galaxy. Now, young man, was that a fake – because Kalgan isn’t at the opposite end of the Galaxy.† Anthor seemed annoyed, â€Å"That’s a minor point. That part may well have been a cover up to protect them. But after all, think – What real use would it serve to have the Mind-masters at the opposite end of the Galaxy? What is their function? To help preserve the Plan. Who are the main card players of the Plan? We, the First Foundation. Where can they best observe us, then, and serve their own ends? At the opposite end of the Galaxy? Ridiculous! They’re within fifty parsecs, actually, which is much more sensible.† â€Å"I like that argument,† said Darell. â€Å"It makes sense. Look here, Munn’s been conscious for some time and I propose we loose him. He can’t do any harm, really.† Anthor looked rebellious, but Homir was nodding vigorously. Five seconds later he was rubbing his wrists just as vigorously. â€Å"How do you feel?† asked Darell. â€Å"Rotten,† said Munn, sulkily, â€Å"but never mind. There’s something I want to ask this bright young thing here. I’ve heard what he’s had to say, and I’d just like permission to wonder what we do next.† There was a queer and incongruous silence. Munn smiled bitterly. â€Å"Well, suppose Kalgan is the Second Foundation. Who on Kalgan are they? How are you going to find them? How are you going to tackle them if you find them, eh?† â€Å"Ah,† said Darell, â€Å"I can answer that, strangely enough. Shall I tell you what Semic and I have been doing this past half-year? It may give you another reason, Anthor, why I was anxious to remain on Terminus all this time.† â€Å"In the first place,† he went on, â€Å"I’ve been working on encephalographic analysis with more purpose than any of you may suspect. Detecting Second Foundation minds is a little more subtle than simply finding a Tamper Plateau – and I did not actually succeed. But I came close enough. â€Å"Do you know, any of you, how emotional control works? It’s been a popular subject with fiction writers since the time of the Mule and much nonsense has been written, spoken, and recorded about it. For the most part, it has been treated as something mysterious and occult. Of course, it isn’t. That the brain is the source of a myriad, tiny electromagnetic fields, everyone knows. Every fleeting emotion varies those fields in more or less intricate fashion, and everyone should know that, too. â€Å"Now it is possible to conceive a mind which can sense these changing fields and even resonate with them. That is, a special organ of the cerebrum can exist which can take on whatever field-pattern it may detect. Exactly how it would do this, I have no idea, but that doesn’t matter. if I were blind, for instance, I could still learn the significance of photons and energy quanta and it could be reasonable to me that the absorption of a photon of such energy could create chemical changes in some organ of the body such that its presence would be detectable. But, of course, I would not be able, thereby, to understand color. â€Å"Do all of you follow?† There was a firm nod from Anthor; a doubtful nod from the others. â€Å"Such a hypothetical Mind Resonating Organ, by adjusting itself to the Fields emitted by other minds could perform what is popularly known as ‘reading emotion’ or even ‘reading minds,’ which is actually something even more subtle. It is but an easy step from that to imagining a similar organ which could actually force an adjustment on another mind. It could orient with its stronger Field the weaker one of another mind – much as a strong magnet will orient the atomic dipoles in a bar of steel and leave it magnetized thereafter. â€Å"I solved the mathematics of Second Foundationism in the sense that I evolved a function that would predict the necessary combination of neuronic paths that would allow for the formation of an organ such as I have just described – but, unfortunately, the function is too complicated to solve by any of the mathematical tools at present known. That is too bad, because it means that I can never detect a Mind-worker by his encephalographic pattern alone. â€Å"But I could do something else. I could, with Semic’s help, construct what I shall describe as a Mental Static device. It is not beyond the ability of modem science to create an energy source that will duplicate an encephalograph-type pattern of electromagnetic field. Moreover, it can be made to shift at complete random, creating, as far as this particular mind-sense is concerned, a sort of ‘noise’ or ‘static’ which masks other minds with which it may be in contact. â€Å"Do you still follow?† Semic chuckled. He had helped create blindly, but he had guessed, and guessed correctly. The old man had a trick or two left- Anthor said, â€Å"I think I do.† â€Å"The device,† continued Darell, â€Å"is a fairly easy one to produce, and I had all the resources of the Foundation under my control as it came under the heading of war research. And now the mayor’s offices and the Legislative assemblies are surrounded with Mental Static. So are most of our key factories. So is this building. Eventually, any place we wish can be made absolutely safe from the Second Foundation or from any future Mule. And that’s it.† He ended quite simply with a flat-palmed gesture of the hand. Turbor seemed stunned. â€Å"Then it’s all over. Great Seldon, it’s all over.† â€Å"Well,† said Darell, â€Å"not exactly.† â€Å"How, not exactly? Is there something more?† â€Å"Yes, we haven’t located the Second Foundation yet!† â€Å"What,† roared Anthor, â€Å"are you trying to say-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, I am. Kalgan is not the Second Foundation.† â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"It’s easy,† grunted Darell. â€Å"You see I happen to know where the Second Foundation really is.† How to cite Second Foundation 20. â€Å"I Know†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , Essay examples

Microbes are everywhere free essay sample

The experiment performed in the Lab was isolation of microbes taken from us and the environment. We used Nutrient Agar which is a growth medium used to culture microorganisms or small plants and Sabourand Dextrose Agar plates used to cultivate moulds and yeasts. The objective of it was to demonstrate that microbes are everywhere. We expected to find a variety of bacteria, moulds and yeasts. We were introduced to aseptic techniques as they help ensure that only certain microorganisms are present in the plate. These methods also guarantee that microorganisms do not escape from the specific petri dish, contaminating the laboratory and possibly causing disease. Describe features of colonies. Materials required: Nutrient Agar plate (N. A. ) Sabaround Dextrose Agar plates (S. D. A. ) 4x sterile Swabs 1x Diluent (universal bottle) Method: Firstly, NA plate was exposed to microbes from me using sterile swabs. The swab was scrubbed inside my nails and then rubbed over ? of the plate. We will write a custom essay sample on Microbes are everywhere or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Secondly, for the environment- the swab was dipped in diluent to moisten and then applied to the drainage pipe from the laboratory. This swab was rubbed over the second half of the plate. NA plates were incubated inverted at 37oC for 48 hours. We repeated the procedure with the SDA plate at 22oC for 5 days. All plates were labelled with our initials, part of the body/environment swabbed, incubation temperature and media used. Results obtained: Moulds are actually fungi, and they often appear whitish grey, with fuzzy edges. They usually turn into a different colour, from the centre outwards. Examples are shown below: On the right hand side we can see a circular green mould colony and round yeast colonies. Left hand side of the plate shows round bacterial colonies. The dominant colour is cream. However, we can appreciate a round colony in a pinkish colour. We can see mould colonies in a yellowish colour at the top. However, the handle’s side appears to have a darker colour and a green patch. It is interesting the way the mould has divided so rapidly that we can barely differentiate the two halves of the plate. The mould from the air conditioner could have contaminated the handle section. We can also notice small pinkish colonies in the centre of the air conditioner’s sample. The bottom of the plate has black, yellowish and light green patches. In the sample taken from my nails we could see an agglomeration of a larger number of bacterial colonies. Colonies appeared punctiform with a wavy form and cream in colour. Unfortunately we could not see any sign of growth in the sample taken from the drainage pipe. We aimed to see microbial growth of each sample with a variety of bacterial colonies with several shapes and colours. Perhaps microorganisms taken from the drainage pipe were in the lag phase of growth and needed a longer or different type of incubation. As per sample taken from the cheek we can distinguish several bacterial colonies circular in shape. Each distinct circular colony should represent an individual bacterial cell or group that has divided repeatedly. Some fungi and moulds can cause a variety of skin diseases such as athletes foot, jock itch, and ringworm. They can also cause pulmonary and internal infections. However, others are beneficial such as Penicillium which produces the antibiotic penicillin and Saccharomyces is the yeast used to make bread rise and to brew beer. Many bacteria are dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella (food poisoning), Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), MRSA responsible for many serious infections. Nevertheless not all bacteria cause diseases. Lactic Acid bacteria enhance health and protect us against pathogens and carcinogens. There are many different types of bacteria in our mouth and intestines that produce some vitamins and ferment fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids. Microorganisms are essential on Earth. On the other hand, we can appreciate the importance of hygiene in our daily lives to avoid harmful levels of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Sample Psychological Report free essay sample

She lives in an isolated rural location, has to travel some ten miles to work, and there is no public transport for her to use. Consequently, she has no option but to drive and experiences severe and disabling anxiety when she does so. The intensity of her reaction tends to fluctuate depending on her experiences on the day. Sometimes she is able to make the journey in one go but more often than not she will have to stop and compose herself, for example if someone is driving too close behind her, suddenly pulls into her pathway, or if there are lorries in close proximity. She is unable to drive in the dark or if the weather conditions are poor. Her employers have been sympathetic toward her difficulties and have provided her with a computer at home with e-mail, so if she is unable to drive she can continue to work from home. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample Psychological Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Other than avoiding driving in the dark, she also avoids driving on motorways. She will avoid any non-essential journey and will not even go out shopping, now buying goods over the Internet. She acknowledged that short local journeys are not too distressing although she endeavours to limit the time that she spends in the car. As a result of her driving anxiety her social life has been considerably curtailed. Whereas she used to drive to see friends, she now no longer does so. She generally prefers to remain at home and whilst she will occasionally go out to town if necessary, she will avoid doing so if at all possible. She is exceedingly wary of other vehicles on the road, particularly those travelling behind her. She feels that she is constantly looking in her mirror and as a result is aware that she is driving unsafely. She is also very anxious as a passenger, reflecting that at times she will scream out, and on one occasion even tried to get out of the car. She will make the driver, usually her husband, pull over at times given the extent of her distress. She does not feel in control and feels that the driver tends to go too fast for her. If they do have to go anywhere socially then she prefers to travel by train. She feels very despondent about the extent of her anxiety as she is aware how limited her life has become as a result. For example, she and her husband no longer go for days out in the ca for pleasure and neither does she go on shopping trips in town which she used to enjoy. She has endeavoured to seek help for her difficulties. She underwent a course of driving lessons but was told that there was nothing wrong with her driving and that it was in her head. She was referred by her doctor to a counsellor but did not find this of any help in managing her anxieties. Mrs Jones did not describe dwelling on the accident and neither did she note spontaneous intrusive imagery of such. However, she is reminded of the accident whilst travelling in a car and is always conscious of vehicles travelling behind. The main psychological impact of the accident would appear to be her shattered belief in her sense of safety whilst travelling in a car and that there is nothing she can do to protect herself. This is in marked contrast to her former confidence driving, where she was able to undertake long distances in the car and had even driven on her own to Scotland and abroad. Whilst she did not describe having recurrent dreams of the accident she did describe anxiety type dreams in relation to the driving situation where she will be trying to drive from the back seat of the car and unable to reach the pedals. In general her sleep has not been markedly affected by the accident. However, she will wake up worrying in the middle of the night if she has a particular journey to undertake the following day. She did not describe being anxious in other situations other than in relation to car travel. However, even news of accidents on the television will cause her to worry and feel anxious, as she fears that she will be involved in a similar incident. There was no indication of symptoms of emotional numbing. She reflected that â€Å"life goes on† and is generally happy whilst at home. She did not describe any loss of interest in her previous hobbies of knitting and sewing, but does feel frustrated that her social life has been affected on account of her driving anxiety. Her relationship with her partner has not been effected as she remains close and loving toward him and, indeed, he would appear to be very patient and sympathetic over her difficulties. She is not generally more irritable, although does get uptight in the car and rows can sometimes ensue. She did not describe any significant concentration difficulties reflecting that she has been able to cope with her work. However, she does worry that, whilst her employers have been sympathetic in the past, they would appear to be increasingly frustration about her situation in respect to her driving anxiety and avoidance. There is no sense of a foreshortened future. 2 of 5 5/21/13 5:54 PM Sample Psychological Report http://www. psychologyservice. co. uk/report1. htm Her husband, who attended part of the interview, noted a number of changes in Mrs Jones. These included: 1. The main change has been in respect to driving and car travel and whereas she used to enjoy going out at weekends, they no longer do so. . They no longer have the same social life as they used to and holidays have been curtailed as these usually involve driving. 3. If scenes of accidents occur on the television, then he has to change channels straight away. 4. It is difficult to accompany her in the car now given the extent of her anxiety. 5. She is more cautious when she is driving herself. 6. As a passenger, she insists that he pul ls over if anything comes up from behind. 7. Her sleep is disturbed prior to any notable journeys. (2. 2) PREVIOUS PERSONAL HISTORY Mrs Jones was born in South Yorkshire and grew up in Lincoln. She has one sister. She has good memories of her childhood although her mother suffered from poor health and died when she was in her twenties. She has remained close to her father whom she continues to visit on a regular basis. He is now retired and in his eighties. Mrs Jones enjoyed school and left at the age of sixteen after her GCSE examinations. She went on to study business and administration at college and has worked with the same company since then in administration. She is happy in her job and did not describe any other concurrent stressors. She has been married since 1995 and she and her husband generally have a good relationship together. They do not have any children. (2. 3) PREVIOUS MEDICAL HISTORY Mrs Jones described her medical history noting that she had generally been fit and well. She did not note any previous psychological problems and history of such in her family. She recalled a previous road traffic accident several years before that in question, although this had not affected her confidence driving. She has never taken any psychotropic medication and neither has she undergone any psychological therapy prior to the accident. Since the accident, she has seen a counsellor, but did not find this of any help, reflecting that generally the counsellor just let her talk about her feelings and thoughts associated with the accident. (2. 3. 1) MEDICAL RECORDS The claimant’s general practice records from 1970 have been obtained and studied in respect of references to psychological or psychiatric symptoms/conditions which predate the matter under litigation, or occur subsequent to it, and which may be relevant to the current investigation. a) PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT 15/12/1996 RTA, hit from the side, low speed, some neck pain. Nil else. 10/3/1998 Some stress at work, not sleeping. Doesn’t want medication. 6/4/1998 Feels better now. (b) SUBSEQUENT TO THE INCIDENT 4/11/2002 Had accident yesterday, some neck pain. Tearful, not depressed. ?PTS. Advise rest. 03/01/2003 Accident 2/12 ago, terrified of travelling in car. Probs getting to work. Requests counselling – refer M Lewis. Not depressed at presen t. 29/1/2003 †¦.. fear of driving ? for psychotherapy 05/02/2003 Letter of referral to M Lewis regarding fear of riving which is clearly interfering with her quality of life 16/04/2003 Letter M Lewis, Counsellor, noting referral and that an appointment had been offered. 10/08/2003 Still troubled by driving +++ (2. 4) TEST RESULTS (2. 4. 1) DSM-IV POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOM CHECKLIST (As compiled by the writer from the above interview) A (1) Event involving actual/threatened death, serious injury or threat to physical integrity NO (2) Experience of intense fear, helplessness or horror ? Symptom Symptom present Current post accident but not necessarily current 3 of 5 5/21/13 5:54 PM Sample Psychological Report http://www. psychologyservice. co. uk/report1. htm B RE-EXPERIENCE PHENOMENA (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Recurrent/intrusive recollection NO NO Recurrent dreams NO NO Acting/feeling â€Å"As If† event recurring NO NO Distress on exposure YES YES Physiological reactivity on exposure YES YES C AVOIDANCE/NUMBING (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Avoidance of thoughts/feelings NO NO Avoidance of activities/situations YES YES Inability to recall NO NO Diminished Interest NO NO Estrangement/detachment NO NO Constricted affect NO NO Sense of foreshortened future NO NO D INCREASED AROUSAL (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Sleep difficulties NO NO Irritability/angry outbursts NO NO Concentration difficulties NO NO Hypervigilance YES YES Exaggerated startle NO NO For a DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD, positive answers are required from (A) 1 and 2, a minimum of one symptom from (B), three symptoms from (C) and two symptoms from (D). In addition, there must be clinically significant impairment of functioning. (YES) Symptom present but not necessarily related to PTSD ? Some symptomatology present but does not fulfil criteria (3) DISCUSSION AND OPINION Following a road traffic accident in November 2003 Mrs Jones has suffered a marked psychological reaction. She would not at any time have qualified for a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She described no significant symptoms of traumatisation. However, the accident appeared to shatter her belief that she could travel safely in a car and left her with a marked sense of vulnerability which underlies her anxiety in relation to car travel. Mrs Jones clearly suffers from a Specific Phobia in relation to driving/ car travel. Whilst she has continued to drive she experiences great distress when she does so and generally endures this situation with dread. The extent of her anxiety has had a marked impact upon the quality of her life, as she, at times, has to work from home and her social life and interests have been restricted. Despite counselling there has been no improvement in the intensity of her psychological reaction over time. Prior to the accident Mrs Jones will be noted to have experienced some stress at work, although this was short lived and did not persist for any length of time. There is no indication of a continuation of a pre-existing condition, and anxiety related to car travel has never been part of her clinical picture beforehand. Whilst she had had a previous road traffic accident in 1996 this had not affected her psychologically. Consequently, her symptoms of anxiety related to driving and car travel can be entirely attributed to the accident in question. 4) CONCLUSIONS (4. 1) SUMMARY OF DIAGNOSIS Mrs Jones has suffered a Specific Phobia to driving/car travel of moderate intensity, which has persisted without improvement over the past year. (4. 2) CAUSATION Her symptoms of anxiety related to driving and car travel can be entirely attributed to the accident in question (4. 3) PROGNOSIS There has been little improvement to date in Mrs Jones’s symptomatology despite being referred for coun selling. However, this form of therapy is rarely appropriate in such anxiety cases and can conversely make the situation worse. She requires cognitive behavioural therapy and with appropriate intervention there should be good recovery within some six to nine months from the commencement of such. (4. 4) TREATMENT REQUIRED Mrs Jones currently requires cognitive behavioural therapy with a therapist such as a chartered clinical psychologist or cognitive behavioural therapist. This should be sought privately given the long waiting lists within the NHS and the cost of therapy should be 4 of 5 5/21/13 5:54 PM Sample Psychological Report http://www. psychologyservice. co. uk/report1. htm udgeted at between ? 90 to ? 120 per session. Some eight sessions should suffice. (5) DECLARATION I understand that my duty as an expert witness is to the court. I have complied with that duty. This report includes all matters relevant to the issues on which my expert evidence is given. I have given details in this report of matters which might affect the validity of this report. I have addressed this report to the court. I confirm t hat I have not entered into any arrangement where the amount or payment of my fees is in any way dependent on the outcome of the case. I confirm that insofar as the facts stated in my report are within my own knowledge I have made clear which they are and I believe them to be true, and that the opinions I have expressed represent my true and complete professional opinion. Mr Brown BSc. MSc. CPsychol Chartered Clinical Psychologist (6) APPENDIX Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) – 4th ed. (1994) Published by the American Psychiatric Association The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders (1993) By the World Health Organisation moving ahead in psychology 5 of 5 5/21/13 5:54 PM

Rajasthan Essay Example

Rajasthan Essay Example Rajasthan Essay Rajasthan Essay When we talk about Rajasthan at first come in our mind is its proud culture. Our discussion is incomplete without paying some words for its culture. Rajasthan is globally known for its rich and proud culture. In fact, one of the most prime reasons why Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world is no doubt its rich and proud culture. The desert state of Rajasthan is best known for its exotic and rich culture that still remains intact. Its strict devotion to the tradition and culture is really noteworthy. Rajasthani people are very fond of colourful costumes. Rajasthani men’s love for colourful turbans and Rajasthani women’s love for ornaments like colourful bangles, anklet, armlet, rings and earrings as well as full Ghaghra (Skirt) are well-known. Everything of Rajasthan like interesting paintings, soulful music, colourful handicrafts, folk dance music, religion, resplendent fairs festivals and breathtaking art architecture show the rich culture of Rajasthan. Music and Dance are the important part of Rajasthani culture. For the Rajasthani people celebration is a way of life. Every region of Rajasthan has its own music and dance. The Kalbeliya dance from Jaisalmer and Ghoomer dance from Udaipur are well-known around the world and have universally fame. Folk music and folk dance are the vital part of Rajasthani culture. Folk music and folk dance show the past glory, legends, chivalry and history of the region. Hindi is widely spoken in all over in Rajasthan but there are also local dialects in Rajasthan. These are Jaipuri, Marwari, Mewati, Malwi and Rajasthani. There are also English speaking people in the cities of Rajasthan. Hindi is the official language of Rajasthan. Fairs and festivals of Rajasthan are the best way to experience the exotic culture of Rajasthan. Fairs and festivals of Rajasthan such as Desert Festival, Pushkar Festival, etc, add more colours and liveliness to the lives of Rajasthani people. Most of the festivals in Rajasthan include exotic activities like camel elephant processions, camel elephant races, folk performance and many more. Apart from fairs and festivals of Rajasthan, forts and palaces of Rajasthan also show the exotic culture of Rajasthan and narrate the saga of bygone era. Really the desert land of Rajasthan is a perfect place for culture vultures. The Rajasthanis are energetic people who have tendency to enjoy every moment of life. They know how to enjoy their life better. Their life is full of happiness which is filled by the enchanting fairs and festivals that they celebrate with full zeal cheerfulness. Generally Rajasthanis are simple. They are untouched with the fast pace of modern times. These factors make Rajasthan one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Rajasthani women are famous for their gorgeousness and beauty. The beauty of legendary Maharani Padmini Devi of Chittaurgarh and Maharai Gayatri Devi, present day Rajmata of Jaipur is famous all over the world. History says that Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, was so obsessed with the beauty of Maharani Padmini Devi that he attacked over the Chittaurgarh for her hand but he did not succeed. Maharani Gayatri Devi was considered to be amongst the ten most beautiful women in the world in her heydays. And her beauty has not reduced one bit till today. Rajasthani women are symbol of truth, dignity and beauty. Rajasthani women are very fond of colourful clothes and jewellery. Like women Rajasthani men are also very fond of colourful costumes and jewellery. Each category of Rajasthani people either they are village folks or Rajas Ranis; they love to put on colourful costumes and wear jewellery. Rajasthan men folk are very fond of Turban tying. They wear colourful Turban on their head. Turban tying is a unique practice of Rajasthan. There are about more than 1000 different styles and types of Turbans in Rajasthan. It is said that at every 1 km the style and type of turban becomes changed. People use specific turbans on specific occasions. In past years, the profession of the people decided the caste of the people. Rajasthan is a land where people of various castes and sub-castes reside. Rajputs are the major residents of Rajasthan. The other castes of Rajputs are Brahmins and Vaishyas. We are mentioning below about some broad categories in which the people of Rajasthan can be classPopularity of Rajasthani handicrafts is not only in India but also all over the world. The handicrafts of Rajasthan are famous for its variety, the use of lively colours, exception artistic work which all show the tradition and culture of Rajasthan. Some of important Rajasthani Handicrafts are followingified. he climate of Rajasthan varies with the seasons of the year. There are fours seasons in Rajasthan – summer, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter. In summer the weather of Rajasthan is very hot and in winter very chilly.

Online Journalism, Mass Media and Communication Essay

Online Journalism, Mass Media and Communication - Essay Example Most researchers and academicians assert that the internet communication is a superior way to attain competitive advantage in this century. This is critical since timely information facilitates accurate and timely decision making towards execution of valuable activities. It is imperative for institutions and various individuals to embrace technological advancement towards ensuring quality provision of information. This paper gives an insight about online journalism especially the web and blogsphere. 2.0 Web and blogsphere Journalists are bound, with professional ethics and obligation, to disseminate credible information based on factual elements. This is critical since information they make available facilitate progressive decision-making. Web 2.0 and blogosphere provides an online edited gathering of essay and information, which gives discursive and communicative facts (Mitchelstein & Boczkowski 2010). Consequently, blogs also exist together as connected community where various indi viduals publish various opinions for internalization globally with an example being the New York Times where blogs serve as communicative avenues. It is a concept, which currently is adoptable due to increased need for timely information touching on various issues. ... bility towards the provision of timely information based on factual events and matters cannot be challenged easily especially in the current century (Lowrey & Kim 2009). The world is presently a global village through technological enhanced services thereby rendering blogging venture reliable and relevant. Variably, journalist’s updates via the internet are fit and subject to regulation by international journalism standards, which ensure that value is achievable within the reported content of information (Deuze, Neuberger & Paulussen 2004). Evidently, internet communication has positively resulted to sound performance in various institutions; for example, it benefits businesses through customer retention, conversion, reach, and community integration. According to Frey (2011), it has the potential to leverage performance in the modern societies towards building strong information based capacities. Clearly, individuals require timely and valuable information to facilitate choice making on various matters like economic issues due to dynamic changes. It is stated that quality performance is reliant on the eminence of communication in various departments and sectors (Frey 2011). That is, timely provision of quality information facilitates superior decision making which in turn leads to excellence in various institutions. Consequently, blogging also expands ones network system and societal integration through adoption of best practices in life with an example being the political dispensation in US, which is often affected by blogs. According to Srisuwan (2008), technology is a key pillar towards developing sustainable communication networks thus institutions should ensure integration of technological activities for sound performance. Similarly, Morozov in his articles

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia Dissertation

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example 1.2 Introduction The research report is about the FDI prospects in Saudi Arabia. The researcher has made an attempt to conduct primary research with the help of interviews ad questionnaires to analyse the topic along with an in-depth analysis of some previous researches of the topic. 1.3 Background According to Vazquez, Fournier & Flores (2009, pp.257-270), Saudi Arabia, being a developing country, has a large amount of foreign direct investment. The country’s government has made heavy investments in the infrastructure so that FDI is attracted. The government welcomes FDI as it brings in technology, employment opportunities, trained workforce, makes efficient use of domestic raw materials and enhances economic development. As per Korgstup & Matter (2005), forty five percent of the GDP and 90% of the export earnings are from the petroleum sector. The country’s economic development is also dependent upon 6 million overseas workers. With the signing of the World Trade Orga nization agreement, many opportunities have opened for investment in the country especially in the oil and service sector where the country is concentrating on producing the products rather than exporting raw materials. According to Benbya, Passiante and Belbaly (2004, pp. 201–220)m Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) may be defined as a long-term investment by a foreign direct investor in an enterprise resident in an economy other than that in which the foreign direct investor is based. This involves a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate that together make a transnational corporation (TNC). For such an agreement to be termed as FDI, the parent firm should have the control over the other affiliate. However, Korgstup & Matter (2005) argues, any sort of investment in a foreign land should done carefully as there may be several risks involved and many issues may occur over the course of the investment. For example language and cultural barriers in Saudi Arabia limit the scope of the investment tremendously and therefore the investor should have a through understanding of the market he is venturing. Moreover, there may be differences in business negotiation styles, religion, social norms and etiquettes that may impact the FDI. The report of UNCTAD (2002), on Foreign Direct Investment to the Middle East countries recorded a decrease of 33% dropping in 2002, from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $4.5 billion in 2002, that accounted for approximately 2.8% of total FDI inflow in the Developing Countries. This was mainly due to the regional political unrest, which in turn had an impact on their global business relationships. Moreover, according to Korgstup & Matter (2005) the region along with Saudi Arabia is not a plausible place for foreign investment due to such unrest and investors are seeking new markets for their future investment due to these political vagaries. 1.3 Aims of the Dissertation: 1.3.1 The objectives of the research are to: 1.Identify the various ris ks that a foreign investment faces in Saudi Arabia and how they affect foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment is essential for Saudi Arabia and is essential for the growth of the country. However, there are many problems and difficulties that foreign investors have to face when they invest in Saudi Arabia, which deters new investors to explore this market. In this research an attempt will be made to identify these problems and issues that are causing difficulties for these foreign firms that in turn are affecting foreign direct

Mainstream Literature Does this Worsen the Text?

Mainstream Literature Does this Worsen the Text? How far does conceding to the popular mainstream strip a text of its literariness? (Explore the ways in which your chosen essay texts negotiate competing demands of literary and the popular) William Faulkner said of Ernest Hemingway: He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary (UOI, 1947) attempting to demean the literariness of his works. Hemingway responded; Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use. (Ross, 1950) His response to Faulkners elitism suggests that a text does not have to adhere to the implicit, often judgemental rules that define a piece of work as literary in order to be worthy of such a title. Using the poems of Linton Kwesi Johnson and The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, I will analyse how both authors navigate the fine line between what is popular and what is literary, and whether this affects the overall impact of their work or its integrity as literary fiction. I intend to argue that a text does not have to present itself in a literary fashion in order to be considered worthy of the te rm literary, and similarly, literary texts can exist without conforming to the demands of mainstream culture whilst still being appreciated by modern society. In its simplest definition, literature is simply a written work; it is only when we place the boundaries of what is considered intellectual, or art, upon it that there becomes any kind of speculation as to whether a writers work is literary or not. In contrast, popular culture is a term associated with primarily Western entertainment, news, technology and sports. In its initial conception, the idea of popular was one associated with the uneducated working class, in comparison to the literary culture of the upper classes. Pop culture was the culture of those outside the power establishment; it was entirely separate from scorned and excluded by those in power, who had their own official culture (Berrong, 1986). As a result, there is an ongoing elitism toward popular culture, with many labelling it trite or unintelligent, or suggesting that low culture stress substance, form and being totally subservient; there is no explicit concern with abstract ideas or even with fictional forms of contemporary social problems and issues content to depict traditional working class values. (Gans, 2008) As a result, creators and audiences of popular culture are by association considered to be superficial or lacking in intellect. Popular fiction is defined as plot-driven fictional works, written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre, (French, 2010) so as to appeal to mainstream readers who buy into the pre-existing format because it is familiar, recognisable and easily digested. These so-called conventions of popular fiction are specific settings, roles, events and values that define individual genres and their subgenres (McKee, 1997) and often, publishing houses are known to present obligatory guidelines for authors to follow in order to have their works considered for publication. Any literature in fitting with these conventions is usually considered separate from literary fiction by critics for being stereotypical and poorly written; those texts are created solely to provide escapism to its readership as opposed to meaningful, carefully crafted prose that might incite thought or action. Literary fiction refers to works that hold so-called literary merit, which here means that they compr ise of political commentary, comments on societal hegemonic ideologies and the human condition. Like its popular counterpart, literary fiction is written purposely with its own set of conventions in mind, with the difference being that the focus of the works involved lingers more on themes than on fast-paced plot progression or audience appeal. It is arguable that pop culture is the easiest way to appease the mainstream, an audience fundamentally made up of young people; technology has transformed culture, especially popular culture, into the primary educational site in which youth learn about themselves and the larger world (Giroux, 2000). There has always been contentious debate regarding the discrepancies between high art, a category into which literature falls, and popular culture. However, it is arguable that this debate is obsolete; the distinction between the two is blurred just because a piece of work is easily accessible and appeals to the masses, does not necessarily sacr ifice its credibility or deem it an unintelligent piece of work that is lacking in thought. A televised adaptation of Austens Pride and Prejudice, or Baz Luhrmans modern reimagining of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, for instance, could be considered literary in an intertextual manner, being as their origins hail from classic literature. For instance, author John Storey would argue that the quantitative definition of culture has the problem that much high culture is also popular (Storey, 2014), making the two difficult to separate into distinguishable categories. It also could be said that pop culture is more intrinsic to society than so called high art, because it wields so much influence over the general public and which media they do or do not consume; in the struggle over the symbolic order that characterizes our times, popular culture developed by name brands and various forms of media, including the Hollywood film industry is crucial in creating the identities and representat ions that our youth embrace (Reynolds 2006). Linton Kwesi Johnson is a Jamaican writer based in the United Kingdom the second living poet, and the only poet of colour, to be immortalised in the Penguin Modern Classics collection. Johnson is a dub poet a genre that is, according to him, overcompensation for deprecation and as a writer, refuses to conform to English standards of poetry; he uses Creole patois as a political statement, defying the expectations society holds for poets. This phonetic, unstandardized transcription of his own language is certainly not that of great literary figures Jane Austen, George Orwell or Charles Dickens, and yet, he has been awarded the Golden PEN award in 2012 for a Lifetimes Distinguished Service to Literature. His idea of poetry has been passed through generations, and did not simply consist of standard Received Pronunciation English or what was deemed publishable but included traditional slave songs. Johnsons poetry is heavily inspired by the Black Panther movement, a group in which he be came active during his school years; their belief being that violence in the face of constant racism is necessary, using militant revolutionary force against the racist police and segregation of 1960s London. He himself describes his writing as a political act [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] poetry was a cultural weapon (Wroe, 2008). It was during Johnsons childhood that the SAS law, or the 1824 vagrancy act, was reintroduced, which enabled the police to arrest someone they suspected had intentions of committing a crime, allowing police to exploit and arrest people of colour in London without any evidence. The subject matter of his poetry is usually political, depicting his experiences as an African-Carribean living in Britain, but has also focused on foreign policies and police brutality. Johnsons poem If I woz a tap natch poet serves not only as an example of his subversion from the conventions of literary work but simultaneously describes his rejection of the canon, and his interstitial position between musician and poet, between high art and popular culture, between politics and aesthetics (McGill 2003). For instance, he begins if I waz a tap-natch poet, like Chris Okigbo, Derek Walcot ar T.S Eliot (Johnson, 2004); the opening challenges any predispositions suggesting that canons operate according to transparent principles of coherency or homogeneity. Chris Okigbo signals an alternative to the Western Canon advocated by critics. In contrast, Derek Walcott is a Nobel laureate, and his appearance suggests a movement back towards conservative tastes. However, the inclusion of T.S. Eliot demonstrates that the canon Johnson is crafting is unfortunately one made up entirely of people of colour. He continues by saying if he were top-notch himself, he would write a poem so h dyam deep/dat it bittah-sweet (Johnson, 2004), implying that the works of Okigbo, Walcott and Eliot create work that is deep or poses intellectual questions, a prerequisite of literariness. Moreover, the poem appears to carry another irony when analysed more thoroughly in that T. S Eliot appears as a token white poet, which is reflective of the way in which right-wing institutions that anthologise the zeitgeist of the times, such as anthologies, are known for including very few people of colour, sometimes just a single person, to demonstrate supposed diversity and avoid criticism or backlash from minorities. On perhaps the other end of the literary spectrum to Johnson is Suzanne Collins, an American writer, renowned for her young adult dystopian trilogy The Hunger Games. She was born in Harvard, Connecticut but being the daughter of a military officer, consistently moved across America. Consequently, inspired by her fathers career in the Air Force, her work tackles themes of war and its effects on the world, including poverty, starvation and innocent civilian death. The Hunger Games is set in Panem, a post-apocalyptic America made up of the Capitol and 12 surrounding districts; every year, two children from each district, male and female, are chosen to take part in an obligatory, televised fight to the death, known as the Hunger Games. The staggering popularity of her work resulted in her being named one of Time magazines most influential people of 2010 and as of March 2012, became the best-selling Kindle author of all time. It is not unusual for creators of literature to use so called p op culture tropes and appropriate them into high culture works; with the blurred lines of literary and popular first identifiable in the Romantic period where romance fiction became a substantial influence on future literature, despite having been previously disparaged. More recent examples include Andy Warhols use of the Campbell soup can in his pop art, as well as artist Jeff Koons conceptualising kitsch and pornography, subject matters often vilified for lacking in culture or finesse, to create new work which is supposedly worthier of the label high art. This same technique of intertextuality and the idea that any one piece of literature is created by combining several others is arguably evidenced in Collins dystopian novel; on the surface, it is a young adult romance implementing the typical formulaic conventions and character archetypes evidenced in the majority of mainstream pop culture, arguably inspired by the critical success of Stephanie Meyers Twilight saga. However, when discussing the origin of The Hunger Games, Collins cites the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur as the most significant inspiration for her book a classic Greek tale wherein Minos forces the people of Athens to sacrifice 14 women and children to be slaughtered by the Minotaur in the never-ending labyrinth. She also interweaved the concept of the Roman gladiator games; an all-powerful and ruthless government, people forced to fight to the death, and the games role as a source of popular information (Scholastic, 2010) and in doing so, she successfully brings re nowned, classic Greek literature to the mainstream audiences, albeit in a more easily digestible fashion, by reimagining the stories in a fashion that appeals to pop culture fans. Contrastingly, Johnsons poetry focuses not on fabled morality tales, but on real life issues of racism, segregation and police brutality, particularly in London, where he grew up. It can be assumed that, as this is not a topic to which popular culture utilise for its audiences, he does not concern himself with the opinions of critics, or of his audience for that matter, on his work. It is my understanding that it is more important for Johnson to promote anti-racial messages and protest against the mistreatment of people of colour. Johnson himself said that writing anti-establishment poetry during the Race Riots could be considered an act of protest, an act that could have been to his great detriment as a result of the United Kingdoms fervent racism. This shows Johnson to have integrity he is writing about what he believes is important and worth saying; one way to perform a test of literary merit must be, first, the sincerity of the writer. I would be willing, I think, even to add t he seriousness of purpose of the writer (Peters, 2006). From this, one can argue that Johnsons sincerity in his writing of his experiences, and his determination to express anger and encourage reactions to political issues makes his work literary. In If I waz a tap-natch poet, he purposely distinguishes himself from any of the other writers he mentions; he seems to exist in a liminal space, and it is difficult to discern where he sees himself within the hierarchy of literary and popular. It is arguable that he doesnt consider himself a part of either category, because neither of them serve any importance to him. However, whether a text is deemed literary or popular is very rarely a decision made by its own creator; Johnson is simply distancing himself from the process, as he feels it is unnecessary. Although his work holds no evidence of popular culture references, it is certainly popular amongst a specific minority group; people of colour. They have experienced many of the atrociti es he writes of, and can relate to them in a way that the white Western mainstream cannot. As a result, I would argue that Johnsons writing is certainly popular amongst a niche audience, and that appealing to the mass market is not the only category that makes a text worthy of the title. Johnson first became active in the poet community in school, but he was not published until 1974, in the journal Race Today. In the same year, Harper Lees controversial bildungsroman To Kill a Mockingbird was also released. Both Johnson and Lee tackle the subject matter of racism, albeit in different areas of the world, and Lees novel is regarded as one of the greatest of our generation. The difference between Harper Lee and Linton Kwesi Johnson is that one is a privileged white woman, and the other a Jamaican man of working-class background, whose poetry is not isnt carefully pre-packaged in the standard Oxford Dictionary English, the mainstream being young white heterosexual teenagers, who of cour se, prefer to access literature in this way. Johnson is angry about his mistreatment, and that of so many other people of colour, at the hands of white policemen and politicians and civilians. When declaring a text worthy of literary merit, critics significantly consider the moral or messages the story is trying to create, usually through the medium of symbolism or allegory. The metonymic concept of bread and circuses becomes particularly apt when looking at The Hunger Games, as the Latin translation Panem et circenses served as inspiration for the name of the novels fictional setting, Panem. The phrase, first used by Juvenal, who was degrading the sheep-like nature of common people, their selfishness and obliviousness to wider concerns and civic duty, alludes to an appeasement with a lack of substance. It refers to the way in which supposedly democratic governments make use of superficial distractions to satisfy the immediate, shallow requirements of a populace in order to continue to manipulate them for hegemonic gain. Although this could make reference to the Capitols attempts to placate the districts so they cannot overthrow their regime and dismantle their hierarchy, it could also be an allegory for the way in which popular culture works in the real world. When taking a Marxist reading of the novel, it is arguable that Collins was inspired by the Industrial Revolution, most noticeably the living conditions in 19th century Europe. Katniss illustrates this by saying What must it be like, I wonder, to live in world where food appears at the press of a button? How would I spend the hours I now commit to combing the woods for sustenance if it were so easy to come by (Collins, 2008). Collins plot coincides with Marxs socialist philosophy; Panem is comprised of two groups, the proletariat, or the people of the districts, and the bourgeoisie, or the Capitol. This highlights what is a fundamentally unfair system wherein the majority of wealth is held by the minority whilst the general public struggle to maintain a living. This is further evidenced by President Snows hosting of the Hunger Games, themselves, wherein his government hold complete power over the Districts and their people, who have absolutely no hope of ascending to higher status. Katniss, the protagonist of the novel, lives in the district that is hardest hit by the Capitols regime. She represents the lowest of the proletariat, whereas the closer the districts are to the Capitol, the more advantageous; Its tempting, so tempting, when I see the bounty waiting there before me. And I know that if I dont get it, someone else will. That the Career Tributes who survive the bloodbath will divide up most of these life-sustaining spoils. (Collins, 2008) Here, Katniss describes the Career tributes are more likely to survive, having received training for their entire lives to prepare for the games. Whilst Districts One and Two still have to supply children for the games, this is a mere faà §ade, bread and circuses; Snow makes the districts think everything is equal, but in actuality, the Career tributes are much likelier to survive and win the Games, thus maintaining the bourgeo isie whilst slowly killing off the poor. However, Katniss follows the Marxist ideology and seizes the means of production. Collins writes Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers faces. Theyd have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed slowly and painfully, while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country (Collins, 2008) By refusing to conform, rejecting the role of victor and encouraging Peeta to do the same, this forces the Gamemakers to change the rules and allow both to win. Katniss is still aware, though, that the Capitol would have the power to make an example of the Gamemakers to restore order. These allusions to Marxism and communist theory imply that there is a lot more depth to Collins work than it at first seems; by incorporating themes of real life class issues, she is commenting on societal problems and posing a moral question regarding Americas modern class system. When asked how he would define literariness, critic Walter Van Tilburg Clark declared the final test of literary merit, is the power to endure obviously such a test cannot be applied to a new or recent work, and one cannot, I think, offer soundly an opinion on the probability of endurance (Peters, 2006). Here, he is arguing that the most significant criterion of the definition is that if a text can endure, it can be considered worthy of literary merit. It is not, then, necessary for a text to follow the other rules regarding context, connotations or conveying a higher meaning; if a text is popular, it is likely to endure. The Hunger Games Trilogy spent 50 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated to the screen as a multi-million dollar film series. Such a lengthy stay at the top of a highly-regarded rating system is suggestive of endurance, and therefore, regardless of the issues the trilogy presents in terms of stereotypical pop-culture tropes and character moulds, it can be defined as literary. In addition, the concept of literariness is one that is inherently subjective; particularly because aesthetic value is entirely based in personal preference. It is, according to critics, a relic of a scholarly elite.Similarly, the predispositions regarding popular texts and its dismissal as uncultured also seem to be outdated views stemming from old-fashioned beliefs. The examination and understanding of popular culture, therefore, is necessary to understanding ourselves, our identities and the world that surrounds us. A text that is considered brilliant by one, will be terrible to another; we each have different interests and tastes, and there is never going to be unanimity when defining literary and popular and the difference between them. The study of popular culture enables us to consider literature in a less judgemental, more open-minded fashion, voiding the inherent laws of what makes a text literary or fundamentally good. Popular cultur e does not exclusively lend itself only to companies to churn out poorly-written prose lacking in value and increase financial revenue, although it is manipulated by those in power to detract from real life issues; just because this is the case some of the time, it doesnt define all literature that falls into the category of popular as unworthy of also being literary. The two terms are not mutually exclusive, and a text does not give up its right to being one by adhering to some characteristics of the other. The spectrum of defining literary and popular categories, albeit arbitrary in nature, which are not binary opposites in terms of literature, is, in my opinion, one that is entirely personal, and each individual will hold opinion on where any given text falls; that does not make them true, as there are no correct answers. Word Count: 3496 _____________________________________________________________________ References Johnson, L. K (2002) If I Woz a Nap-Natch Poet, Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems London: Penguin Collins, Suzanne (2008) The Hunger Games New York, Scholastic University of Iowa (1967) An Interview With William Faulkner The Western Review: A Literary Quarterly, Volume 15, Number 4 Ross, Lillian (1950) Profiles: How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen? The New Yorker, F. R. Publishing Corporation, New York. Berrong, R.M (1986) Rabelais and Bakhtin: Popular Culture in Gargantua and Pantagruel University of Nebraska Press Gans, Herbert J (2008) Popular culture and high culture Basic Books. pp. 8-10 Storey, J (2014) From Popular Culture to Everyday Life Routledge French, C.T Literary Fiction vs Genre Fiction[online] http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=10id=18884 (accessed December 2016) McKee, R (1997) Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting New York: HarperCollins. p. 87 Giroux, Henry (2000) Stealing Innocence: Youth, Corporate Power and the Politics of Culture, New York, St. Martins Press Reynolds, W (2006) Cultural curriculum studies, multiplicity and cinematic-machines Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, Caddo Gap Press Wroe, N (2008) I did my own thing [online] https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/mar/08/featuresreviews.guardianreview11 (accessed December 2016) McGill, R (2003) Goon poets of the black Atlantic: Linton Kwesi Johnsons imagined canon Textual Practice, Vol. 17, Issue 3 Scholastic (2010) Video: Classical Inspiration, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins [online] http://ww(w.scholastic.com/thehungergames/videos/classical-inspiration.htm (accessed December 2016) Bill, M; Peters, N (2006) Howl on Trial: The Battle for Free Expression City Lights Books. p. 224. Poland as a Potential Market: Environmental Analysis Poland as a Potential Market: Environmental Analysis 1.  INTRODUCTION Servcorp is an Australian-owned services company that specialises in the provision of business solutions. Its main offerings include fully-serviced office packages (office space bundled with IT and communications infrastructure and accompanied by IT and administrative staff), virtual office products such as communications and address services, and meeting rooms for hire (Servcorp, n.d.). Servcorp has expanded its operations into New Zealand, the U.S., Asia, and Europe. While the company operates in the UK, Belgium, and France, it does not currently operate in Poland. In this report, I will analyse five environmental factors relevant to the consideration of Poland as a potential market for Servcorp. These are the country’s political and legal environment, economic environment, trade and financial environment, social and cultural environment, and infrastructure. The ensuing discussion will integrate these findings and provide an overall outlook for Poland. Finally, based on these analyses, a number of recommendations will be put forward regarding Servcorp’s potential expansion into Poland. 3.  ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 3.1.  Political and legal environment Poland has become one of the most politically stable European countries since it joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 (Bujnicki, 2013). In 2012, Poland ranked below the OECD average on the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (where a lower score indicates fewer restrictions on FDI) (OECD, 2012). Poland also has a number of state aid measures in place to attract foreign investment. For example, the country has 14 Special Economic Zones; these areas have relaxed income taxation rules and have the appropriate infrastructure in place for starting a business, though businesses require a license to operate in these zones (Lex Mundi, 2013). In Poland, then, Servcorp would find political environment that actively encourages FDI with the view that it is vital to developing the country’s economy. While Poland has few restrictions on FDI, its overall regulatory environment is somewhat complex. The World Bank (2013) ranked Poland 45 of 189 countries on the ease of doing business in 2013, though pointed out that the country’s tax system remains complex and outdated. It takes an average of 685 days to enforce contracts in Poland compared to the OECD average of 529 days, and a number of other bureaucratic hurdles remain (World Bank, 2013). For Servcorp, these factors mean that the company might have to do substantial research into Poland’s tax system, as it contains intricacies not present in Australia’s taxation laws. Property registration is a vital consideration for Servcorp, as the nature of the business means that they must acquire office space to hire out to clients as well as a building for their own use. The World Bank (2013) ranked Poland 54 on the ease of registering property. This is compared with a rank of 40 for Australia; however, there is only one more procedure involved in registering property in Poland than there is in Australia, so red tape in this arena is only slightly more pronounced. 3.2.  Economic environment Real GDP growth in Poland ranged from 1.6% to 6.8% during the period 2005-2012; Poland was the only country in the EU to experience a growth in GDP during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis (OECD, 2013). Real GDP in Poland is expected to grow by 2.7% in 2014 and 3.3% in 2015 (OECD, 2013). However, Poland experienced a small slump in economic growth in 2013; recent changes in fiscal policy have been aimed at encouraging economic growth through expanding the budget deficit and eliminating restrictions on fiscal stimulus measures (Onoszko Krasuski, 2013). Overall, demand for the modern services provided by Servcorp may increase as Poland’s citizens experience an increase in wealth and the economy continues to grow at a healthy rate as a result of these fiscal measures. The slight downturn in real GDP growth in 2013 has been accompanied by low inflation (Eglitis, 2013). This is promising for Servcorp, as it means that the business may be in a better position to make long-term plans with the knowledge that their purchasing power will not decline, and borrowing costs may be lower. With the Polish government’s planned relaxation of fiscal policy, however, Servcorp must continue to track changes in inflation given that these measures may work to raise inflation. 3.3.  Trade and financial environment Relevant bilateral agreements between Australia and Poland include the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Double Taxation Agreement (DFAT, 2013). These agreements ensure that the interests of foreign investors are protected in Poland, and in the case of the latter agreement, that foreign businesses do not have to pay taxes on their business profits in each of the two countries. In short, both agreements are conducive to Servcorp doing business in Poland. A discussion regarding tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in Poland will not take place here as Servcorp is not seeking to export to or import from Poland—rather, this report considers the risks and opportunities Servcorp faces in establishing operations in Poland. For similar reasons, free trade agreements that Poland has with other European countries will not be discussed here. In 2012, Poland ranked 37 on the Financial Development Index, which along with other factors, considers a country’s financial stability (World Economic Forum, 2012). Specifically, the WEF found that Poland performed particularly well in terms of the stability of its exchange rate and banking system. The leniency with which currency transactions are treated in Poland depends heavily upon the nature of the relationship between the transactor’s home country and Poland (Lex Mundi, 2013). Because Australia has a tax treaty with Poland (ATO, 2012), Australians can expect to face minimal problems when engaging in currency transactions in Poland. It appears that Servcorp would face little financial risk in the country. 3.4.  Social and cultural environment In Poland, 60.9% of the total population live in urban areas (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). This is compared to 80% in the UK, 97% in Belgium, and 85% in France. Poland’s comparatively low rate of urbanisation suggests that there may be less of a demand for the services that Servcorp offers (office space, IT and communications infrastructure for businesses) in Poland compared with the other European countries in which the company operates. Religion plays a prominent role in Poland, with 89.8% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Servcorp must recognise and close business on religious occasions that are not recognised as national holidays in Australia, such as Corpus Christi. Poland also tends to score highly on uncertainty avoidance, meaning that citizens may reject unorthodox or innovative ideas put forward by some businesses (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). This poses a small risk to Servcorp given that much of their product offering rests on their â€Å"virtual office† innovation; Poles may be wary of this unfamiliar idea. In terms of corruption, Poland’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2013 was 60 of a possible 100 (where 100 indicates no corruption whatsoever), above the world average (Transparency International, 2013). However, there is some concern that Poland does not have the appropriate frameworks in place to manage the growing risk of foreign bribery that comes with its expanding economy (OECD, 2013). Servcorp must be aware of this risk while simultaneously recognising that bribery is not an endemic part of Polish culture. 3.5.  Infrastructure Poland’s score on the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) in 2012 was 3.10 (where the maximum possible score is 5) (World Bank, 2012). This is substantially lower than the 2012 scores received by the European countries in which Servcorp currently operates (the UK, Belgium, and France, which received scores of 3.95, 4.12, and 3.96 respectively). The OECD (2013) remarked that the quality of Poland’s transport and communications infrastructure â€Å"are among the lowest in the OECD† (p. 217). A finding of particular concern is that Poland’s fixed broadband coverage is the lowest in the EU, at only 69.1% (Point Topic, 2012). Poland’s relatively low fixed broadband coverage may prove problematic for Servcorp given that a substantial portion of their business model rests on their provision of modern IT and communications infrastructure to organisations. When acquiring office space for company use as well as for hiring out to clients, a constant concern may be whether or not there is broadband access at that location. Though this is an issue, things may be set to improve: a joint venture between Hawe and TP Teltech is aimed at substantially improving Poland’s broadband infrastructure (van Blommestein, 2012). 5.  REFERENCES Australian Taxation Office. (2012). Countries that have a tax treaty with Australia. 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Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/daf/anti-bribery/polandneedsstrategytomeetgrowingriskofforeignbribery.htm OECD. (2013b). Economic policy reforms: Going for growth 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/inclusive-growth/Economic%20Policy%20Reforms%202013%20Going%20for%20Growth.pdf Onoszko, M., Krasuski, K. (2013, July 17). Poland to relax budget and fiscal rules to stimulate economy. Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-16/polish-government-relaxes-budget-fiscal-rules-to-boost-economy.html Point Topic. (2012). Broadband coverage in Europe in 2012: Mapping progress towards the coverage objectives of the Digital Agenda. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://point-topic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Point-Topic-Broadband-Coverage-in-Europe-in-2012-Final-Report-20130813.pdf Servcorp. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.servcorp.com.au/en/about-us/ The Hofstede Center. (n.d.). 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