Daisy in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Essay -- Great Gatsby Fitzgera

Daisy in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald All through the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character of Daisy Buchanan experiences numerous recognizable changes. Daisy is an image of riches and of guarantees broken. She is a character we develop to feel frustrated about yet most likely ought not. Conceived Daisy Fay in Louisville, Kentucky, Daisy was consistently the princess in the pinnacle, the brilliant young lady that each man longed for having. ?She wearing white, and had a little white roadster, and all the day long the phone rang in her home and energized youthful officials from Camp Taylor requested the benefit of hoarding her that night,? (79). Daisy is excellent, rich, and shows up exceptionally honest as a young lady, despite the fact that it is later proposed that she was very indiscriminate. While she was the object of each man?s want, Daisy was frantically enamored with Jay Gatsby. Daisy attempted to get away to New York to watch Gatsby leave for war however was forestalled by her folks since Jay didn't fulfill their guidelines. They objected to him since he didn't have as much cash or originate from a family in a similar social class as their own. In spite of the fact that Daisy composed letters to Gatsby and vowed to stay steadfast she wedded Tom Buchanan from Chicago the following year. Tom was extraordinarily well off and ?the day preceding the wedding he gave her a pearl necklace esteemed at 300 and fifty thousand dollars,? (80). Daisy appeared to be frantically enamored with her new spouse and seemed to be cheerful. Daisy has been hitched to Tom for a significant extensive measure of time and they have just had a little girl when Daisy?s cousin, Nick, returns in Daisy?s life. Mrs. Buchanan is amazingly cordial with her cousin and consistently appears to be happy to see h... ...nted everybody to feel frustrated about Daisy. In any case, one thinks that its difficult to feel frustrated about somebody also off as herself. She is an image of cash and the debasement it brings. One must be mindful so as not to distinguish Daisy with the green light toward the finish of her dock. The green light is the guarantee, the fantasy. Daisy herself is considerably less than that. Indeed, even Gatsby must understand that having Daisy in the substance is a whole lot not as much as what he envisioned it would be the point at which he went gaga for the possibility of her. While Daisy Buchanan experiences various changes all through the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, she stays an image of riches, broken guarantees, and dreams defiled. While one thinks that its simple to feel frustrated about her, she is in no methods the survivor of the novel. Work Cited F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992

With Reference to Your Own Research?

Regarding your own exploration to what degree do you imagine that acting in a socially capable manner is nowâ essential for organizations? Social dependable permits business to make a positive relationship with the network and furthermore then condition inside their activity. Organizations that utilization socially capable are Marks and Spencer. They have done this by making an activity consider Plan A where they can produce ? 85 million from simply lessening costs. Setting aside this measure of cash they are allowed the chance to extend the M&S brand, this is one of their principle goals where they need to have a M&S store inside a 30 minutes span of every client. With M&S sparing ? 185 million they have had the option to a constructive relationship with the network that they are in.What they have likewise done is that they have been clearing out the community’s lakes and waterways this is excellent as they will be hoping to show that they are thinking about the earth, being social dependable is an awesome advertising procedure as they will pick up exposure, and this will prompt more individuals turning out to be progressively mindful that M&S are taking care of the earth and individuals will bolster the thought. They will do this through shopping at M&S. The hindrances of social liable for organizations, for example, M&S are that they will have lost an open door cost as they have had the option to spare ? 85 million they should pick whether they need to keep supporting the neighborhood network or increment their piece of the overall industry. As M&S need to build their piece of the pie they won't be capable botch chances this way, however they must have a decent connection with the neighborhood network. M&S are currently supporting reasonable exchange and natural food, this unsafe as this is asking client whether they need to pay more for food or go to one of M&S’s contenders and begin shopping with them as b oth reasonable exchange and natural will cost more than some other food.By being social dependable M&S will have issues going in to developing markets, for example, Brazil a d China. With China having the option to remove 600 million individuals from destitution M&S will have lost the ideal opportunity to misuse that. Brazil have huge occasions occurring in the following 3 years with the world cup in 2014 and the Rio Olympics in 2016, contributing another store inside this region will assist them with expanding both market size and furthermore brand mindfulness M&S working benefits have fallen . by 1. 8%, this isn't useful for organizations such s M&S attempting to turn out to be increasingly social mindful, with this decline in benefits they will have less cash to spend on their Plan A venture. With representatives being informed that they should tidy up waterways and lakes M&S should have the option to persuade their laborers enough, this could cost M&S a l ot of cash just to get workers to do this. One of social obligation is to care for workers, making them clean a lake or streams could cause them to feel as though they are not being utilized to their maximum capacity and could bring about them taking mechanical action.M&S have been truly adept at diminishing their measure of carbon outflow being discharged and this is appeared as they have had the option to spare 28% more vitality contrasted with the measure of vitality utilized in 2007. Being social capable can help numerous organizations, for example, M&S monetarily as they won't have to pay such a great amount for their contamination charge this can bring about them having the option to expand their overall revenue and helping them bolsters the network more.Problems that M&S can likewise confront is that a portion of their clients may not accept that they will support their locale and may believe that they are only an advertising trick, this is significant that M& S show those individuals that they are truly helping the network and to do this they could distribute the measure of cash they have and give them what they need to spend it on. In general social obligation is presently basic for business to do as they can help the stores nearby network and business. With them sparing ? 85 million they must pick whether they need to exercuite their Plan A successfully or attempt and open more M&S stores inside creating nations, for example, Brazil and China. Particularly where there are two of the worlds’s greatest occasions occurring in Brazil inside 2 years of one another. To utilize their Plan A M&S should design and exercuite it all around ok that the network can feel like as though they have had a gigantic effect inside their locale. In any case, with cost decrease happening their benefit will increment.

30 Books by Florida Authors Affected by Hurricane Irma

30 Books by Florida Authors Affected by Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma made landfall over South Florida on Sunday, September 10th. The devastation left in the storms wake caused the state to go dark. The millions affectedby power outages, storm damage, and floodinginclude some of my friends, teachers, and favorite Florida authors. Some of these authors stayed to weather the storm. Others watched from afar as loved ones desperately tried to evacuate  and homes were damaged or destroyed. Two, Chantel Acevedo and M. Evelina Galang, missed their book launches because of Hurricane Irma. But there  is something we can do to help. The best way to support authors is to buy their books. Consider buying one or two (or all 30!) of these authors books to help pick Florida up after Hurricane Irma. *All descriptions were borrowed from Goodreads. Fiction by Florida Authors Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat At the age of twelve, Sophie Caco is sent from her impoverished village of Croix-des-Rosets to New York, to be reunited with a mother she barely remembers. There she discovers secrets that no child should ever know, and a legacy of shame that can be healed only when she returns to Haitito the women who first reared her. Driving the King by Ravi Howard  The war is over, the soldiers are returning, and Nat King Cole is back in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, for a rare performance. His childhood friend, Nat Weary, plans to propose to his sweetheart, and the singer will honor their moment with a special song. But while the world has changed, segregated Jim Crow Montgomery remains the same. When a white man attacks Cole with a pipe, Weary leaps from the audience to defend himâ€"an act that will lead to a 10-year prison sentence. The Veins of the Ocean by Patricia Engel Reina Castillo is the alluring young woman whose beloved brother is serving a death sentence for a crime that shocked the community, throwing a baby off a bridgeâ€"a crime for which Reina secretly blames herself. With her brothers death, though devastated and in mourning, Reina is finally released from her prison vigil. Seeking anonymity, she moves to a sleepy town in the Florida Keys The Living Infinite by Chantel Acevedo After her cloistered childhood at the Spanish court, her youth spent in exile, and a loveless marriage, Eulalia gladly departs Europe for the New World. In the company of Thomas Aragon, the son of her one-time wet nurse and a small-town bookseller with a thirst for adventure, she travels by ship first to a Cuba bubbling with revolutionary fervor then on to the 1893 Chicago World Fair. Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu-Jaber At thirteen, Felice Muir ran away from home to punish herself for some horrible thing she had doneâ€"leaving a hole in the hearts of her pastry-chef mother, her real estate attorney father, and her foodie-entrepreneurial brother. After five years of scrounging for food, drugs, and shelter on Miami Beach, Felice is now turning eighteen, and she and the family she left behind must reckon with the consequences of her actionsâ€"and make life-affirming choices about what matters to them most, now and in the future. The Well-Dressed Bear Will (Never) Be Found by Jarod Roselló There is a bear loose in the city. He is violent and unpredictable. A menace. If you see this bear, please contact the authorities. Do not approach him, do not call out to him, do not follow him into alleyways or darkened places. Do not go looking for this bear. He is very dangerous. He is also very hard to find. Requiem by Teresa Carmody A lonely man plainchants for the waitress he once stalked, a sonless father serenades a fatherless son, and a bereft family gathers to bury a parent, providing an aching chorus of what is left.   The Nix by Nathan Hill Meet Samuel Andresen-Anderson: stalled writer, bored teacher at a local college, obsessive player of an online video game. He hasnt seen his mother, Faye, since she walked out when he was a child. But then one day there she is, all over the news, throwing rocks at a presidential candidate. Felt in the Jaw by Kristen Arnett A young dancer suddenly loses language while her family struggles to understand their new roles. A mother endures a horrifying spider bite while camping with her daughters in the backyard. A family reunion goes sour when a group of cousins are left to their own devices. The Heaven of Animals by Jamie Poissant From two friends racing to save the life an alligator in “Lizard Man” to a girl helping her boyfriend face his greatest fears in “The End of Aaron,” from a man who stalks death on an Atlanta street corner to a brother’s surprise at the surreal, improbable beauty of a late night encounter with a wolf, Poissant creates worlds that shine with honesty and dark complexity, but also with a profound compassion. These are stories hell-bent on hope. We Cant Help It If Were From Florida: New Stories from a Sinking Peninsula by Shane Hinton (Editor) Florida is more than just fodder for hard-boiled crime novels and zany farces. This anthology of new stories and essays challenges a star-studded line up of current and former Floridians to write about the state through a literary lens, though not without the requisite weirdness. The Florida within this book contains: lightning, oil spills, road rage, a lizard tied to a balloon, swimmers, sleepwalkers, characters that love Florida, characters that hate Florida, and at least three sinkholes. The Clairvoyants by Karen Brown On the family homestead by the sea where she grew up, Martha Mary saw ghosts. As a young woman, she hopes to distance herself from those spirits by escaping to an inland college town. There, she is absorbed by a budding romance, relieved by separation from an unstable sister, and disinterested in the flyers seeking information about a young woman who’s disappearedâ€"until one Indian summer afternoon when the missing woman appears beneath Martha’s apartment window, wearing a down coat, her hair coated with ice. Made for Love by Alissa Nutting Hazel has just moved into a trailer park of senior citizens, with her father and Dianeâ€"his extremely lifelike sex dollâ€"as her roommates. Life with Hazel’s father is strained at best, but her only alternative seems even bleaker. She’s just run out on her marriage to Byron Gogol, CEO and founder of Gogol Industries, a monolithic corporation hell-bent on making its products and technologies indispensable in daily life. The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French Seventy-seven-year-old Marylou Ahearn is going to kill Dr. Wilson Spriggs come hell or high water. In 1953, he gave her a radioactive cocktail without her consent as part of a secret government study that had horrible consequences.  Marylou has been plotting her revenge for fifty years. When she accidentally discovers his whereabouts in Florida, her plans finally snap into action. Perfume River  by Robert Olen Butler From one of America’s most important writers,  Perfume River  is an exquisite novel that examines family ties and the legacy of the Vietnam War through the portrait of a single North Florida family. Robert Quinlan is a seventy-year-old historian, teaching at Florida State University, where his wife Darla is also tenured. Their marriage, forged in the fervor of anti-Vietnam-war protests, now bears the fractures of time, both personal and historical, with the couple trapped in an existence of morning coffee and solitary jogging and separate offices. Arcadia by Lauren Groff In the fields and forests of western New York State in the late 1960s, several dozen idealists set out to live off the land, founding what becomes a famous commune centered on the grounds of a decaying mansion called Arcadia House.  Arcadia  follows this lyrical, rollicking, tragic, and exquisite utopian dream from its hopeful start through its heyday and after. The story is told from the point of view of Bit, a fascinating character and the first child born in  Arcadia. This is my personal favorite novel of hers. Nonfiction by Florida Authors Talk Thai: The Adventures of Buddhist Boy by Ira Sukrungruang On one side of the door, the rich smell of sweet, spicy food and the calm of Buddhist devotion; on the other, the strangeness of a new land. Honestly, Ira has been one of my favorite nonfiction writers ever since I heard him read in undergrad. Hes one of those writers that deserves a little (okay, a lot of) fame. Lolas House: Filipino Women Living with War by M. Evelina Galang Lolas’ House  tells the stories, in unprecedented detail, of sixteen surviving Filipino “comfort women.” During World War II more than 1,000 Filipino women and girls were kidnapped by the Imperial Japanese Army. They were taken from their homes, snatched from roadsides, and chased down in fields. Overall the Japanese forced 400,000 women across Asia into sexual slavery. M. Evelina Galang began researching these stories in the 1990s as 173 lolas, “grannies” in Tagalog, emerged after decades of shame and silence to demand recognition and justice from the Japanese government. Sunshine State by Sarah Gerard In the collection’s title essay, Gerard volunteers at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, a world renowned bird refuge. There she meets its founder, who once modeled with a pelican on his arm for a Dewar’s Scotch campaign but has since declined into a pit of fraud and madness. He becomes our embezzling protagonist whose tales about the birds he “rescues” never quite add up. Poetry by Florida Authors The Trouble with Humpadori by Vidhu Aggarwal Readers follows the progress of Hump (a.k.a. Humpadori, Hum, Om) a racialized, monstrous, performing entity that morphs across genders and commodity forms. Structured as a set of slapstick theatrical acts borrowing from American comedy routines and minstrel traditions, the book moves from lyric intimacy to predatory rage, examining the textures of feeling available to marginalized bodies in a globalized world. Big-Eyed Afraid by Erica Dawson Big-Eyed Afraid is a fast-paced, breathlessly witty and illuminating riff on the multiple effects of race, sex, biology and social pressure on who we are and how we see ourselves. Dawsons dazzling rhymes, her perfect pitch for an array of idioms ranging from the smutty to the sacred, and her extraordinary combination of metrical control and jazz-like syntactical elaboration make her work feel at one and the same time chiseled and improvised, traditional and utterly distinct. Alan Shapiro 90 Miles: Selected And New Poems by  Virgil Suarez Ninety miles separate Cuba and Key West, Florida. Crossing that distance, thousands of Cubans have lost their lives. For Cuban American poet Virgil Suárez, that expanse of ocean represents the state of exile, which he has imaginatively bridged in over two decades of compelling poetry. Scald by Denise Duhamel When her “smart” phone keeps asking her to autocorrect her name to Denise Richards, Denise Duhamel begins a journey that takes on celebrity, sex, reproduction, and religion with her characteristic wit and insight. The poems in  Scald  engage feminism in two waysâ€"committing to and battling withâ€"various principles and beliefs. Florida Poems by Campbell McGrath Moving effortlessly from prehistory to the space age, he catalogues Floridas natural wonders and historical figureheads, from Ponce de León to Walt Disney, William Bartram to Chuck E. Cheese the bewhiskered Mephistopheles of ring toss,/the diabolical vampire of our transcendent ideals.' Body Switch by Terri Witek A collection of personal, tragic, and wildly experimental poems that, to quote Erica Dawson, shapeshift before our eyes.' Special thanks to Terri for helping me compile this list. You can also check out her other books, Exit Island and Shipwreck Dress for more Floridian flavor. On the Street of Divine Love by Barbara Hamby Perhaps Paul Kareem Taylor said it best in his piece called  On the Road Again: Barbara Hambys American Odyssey: Reading Barbara Hambys poetry is like going on a road trip, one where the woman behind the wheel lets you ride shotgun as she speeds across the open highways of an America where drive-in movie theaters still show Janet Leigh films on Friday nights, hardware stores have not been driven out of business by soulless corporate titans, and where long poetic lines first introduced by Walt Whitman and resurrected by Ginsberg are pregnant with a thousand reasons to marvel at the world we inhabit.' Get Up, Please: Poems by David Kirby In comical and complex poems, David Kirby examines our extraordinarily human condition through the lens of our ordinary daily lives. These keenly observant poems range from the streets of India, Russia, Turkey, and Port Arthur, Texas, to the imaginations of fellow poets Keats and Rilke, and to ruminations on the mundane side of life via the imperfect sandwich. Mud Song by Terry Ann Thaxton A landscape of pine forests, palmettos, gopher tortoises and armadillos contains the clues that guide Terry Ann Thaxton s search for herself. As a fifth-generation Floridian, she knows, however, that the natural world is never more than a stone s throw away from its destruction. The path she follows takes her to the edge of the past s sinkholes and the daily chaos of roads forever under construction. These poems make sharp turns. Trauma is never far from beauty, desire never far from fear, and images are often as surprising as they are stunning. The Abridged History of Rainfall by Jay Hopler Jay Hoplers second collection, a mourning song for his father, is an elegy of uproar, a careening hymn to disaster and its aftermath. In lyric poems by turns droll and desolate, Hopler documents the struggle to live in the face of great loss, a task that sends him ranging through Floridas torrid subtropics, the mountains of the American West, the streets of Rome, and the Umbrian countryside. Slant Six by Erin Belieu Belieu oscillates between dark humor, self-consciousness, and pointed satire in a fourth collection that’s equal-opportunity in its critique. In the world of these poems, no one is innocent; everyone is confined to the complexity, absurdity, and, above all, fallibility of their human condition…. Anchoring the work is a conversational, lyrical speaker willing to implicate herself as part of the political and social constructs she criticizes, as when she depicts a Southern American culture still reeling from its history of social injustice  Publishers Weekly via Goodreads. Did I ungraciously leave out your favorite living Florida author? Add them plus your favorite book of theirs in the comments.

Essay on Weapons Accountability - 988 Words

Weapons Accountability in the Military The history of weapons started centuries ago when cave people initially developed a weapon called a bow and arrow, for hunting purposes. They created this weapon from yew or elm for the bow and the arrow’s shaft, and used animal ligaments, or sinew to add tension to the bow. Archeologists have also found arrow heads made of sharp rocks and angled bones from different types of animals. These artifacts are all over the world displayed beautifully in museums to make new civilization realize the important role weapons have played in daily life. The next major improvement in weapons technology came from the Chinese civilization, the inventers of gun powder. Initially used for the purpose of demolition†¦show more content†¦We seem to take it for granted that we’re going to have our weapon on us at all times. Here in a war zone, as much as in a survival situation back stateside, there will be many times when a soldier is not within arm’s length of his firearm. He might be working on a vehicle in the motor pool, or having a cigarette outside, or just hanging around his living quarters. At none of these times is his rifle likely to be in hand or slung behind his back. Another factor is that, despite the fact that we’re in a war zone, in this war at least, soldiers don’t fire their rifles too terribly often. Those of us in signal units certainly don’t. Most of the time, your firearm is less a weapon than a damned thing you have to carry around all the time. This leads to complacency. A soldier’s job type can be a distraction factor, too. My job description doesn’t have anything to do with shooting at people, and when I’m sitting in the TCF checking on link and reading mail, I don’t give my rifle a second thought. The same is true of most other soldiers; even combat arms soldiers lose track of their rifles when they’re working on vehicles, doing work detail, and so on. Out of sight, out of mind. Survival situations can bring their own share of distractions, too. What does this teach us? Very simply, it teaches us that even in a place where you would think your weapon is the most important thing youShow MoreRelatedWeapon accountability Essay775 Words   |  4 PagesWeapon Accountability 20140320 The date was September 14, 2012. At around 10 p.m. Camp Leatherneck was attacked by 15 insurgents. These attackers, organized into three teams, began an assault on the airfield of Bastion. While wearing U.S. Army uniforms, the attackers toted automatic rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and suicide vests. While aboard Camp Leatherneck/Camp Bastion, they inflicted incredible damage to the air-wing. Destroying six AV-8B Harrier jets and damaging two othersRead MoreEssay on Accountability in Army885 Words   |  4 PagesA Soldier’s Accountability A soldier of the United States Army has many values that are set forth in the â€Å"Soldier’s Creed.† The Soldier’s Creed states: I am an American Soldier. I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values. I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in myRead MoreCompleting assigned tasks in the army1098 Words   |  5 Pagesplatoon motto that was assigned to me. I have let down my peers and my supervisors. 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Fiasco Report - WorldCom - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1720 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Fiasco Report WorldCom The team members do not have any relationship with WorldCom Overview of WorldCom (WC) WC started its journey as a small company known as Long Distance Discount Services (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“LDDSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ) in 1983, based in Clinton, Mississippi. In 1985 LDDS selected Bernard Ebbers, one of the major investors of the company, to be its CEO. The company went public as a corporation in 1989 after merging with Advantage Companies Inc. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Fiasco Report WorldCom" essay for you Create order The company name was changed to LDDS WorldCom in 1995 and MCI WorldCom in 1998. During the 1990s, the firm acquired a number of telecommunications firms that helped it to grow from $154 million in 1990 to $39.2 billion in 2001, placing it 42nd among Fortune 500 companies[i]. Significant acquisitions included the 1998 takeover of MCI, which made it the second largest U.S. long distance carrier, and the purchases of UUNet, CompuServe, and America Onlineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s data network, which put WC among the leading operators of Internet infrastructure. In 2001 the company had an employee base of 85,000 workers with a presence in more than 70 countries. From the outside, WC appeared to be a strong leader of growth. In reality, the appearance was nothing more than a perception. On June 25, 2002, the company revealed that it had been involved in fraudulent reporting of its numbers by stating a $3 billion profit when in fact it was a half-a-billion dollar loss. After an investigation w as conducted, a total of $11 billion in misstatements was revealed[ii]. As a result investors in WC have suffered major losses: the market value of the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s common stock plunged from about $150 billion in January 2000 to less than $150 million as of July 1, 2002[iii]. WorldComà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Product Market Focus Initially, it was a provider of long distance phone services to businesses and residents. Later the company diversified its business to internet service and solution, Data and IP Services, IT Solutions and Hosting, Networks management, Premises Equipment (PE), Security, Voice, VoIP, and Wireless network to reach a customer base of 20 million. However, increase in the number of services and the products are mainly attributed to the new acquisitions and mergers with new companies. During the pick of the business, WC provided mission-critical communications services for thousands of businesses around the world, owned and operated a global IP (In ternet Protocol) backbone that provided connectivity in more than 2,600 cities and in more than 100 countries. In 2001 it carried a significant amount of the worlds Internet traffic, specifically 50% of total worldwide e-mails and 50% of US Internet traffic. It also owned and operated 75 data centers on five different continents. Merger and Strategy was the key for WorldCom growth strategy Throughout its journey since the inception WC choose merger and acquisition strategy for its growth. The company evolved into the second largest long distance telephone company in the United States and one of the largest companies handling worldwide Internet data traffic through the successful completion of 65 acquisitions. [iv] Between 1991 and 1997, WC spent almost $60 billion in the acquisition of many of these companies and accumulated $41 billion in debt[v]. Two of these acquisitions were particularly significant. The MFS Communications acquisition enabled WC to obtain UUNet, a major su pplier of Internet services to business, and MCI Communications, thus providing them one of the largest providers of business and consumer telephone service. By 1997, WCs stock price grew from pennies per share to over $60 a share[vi]. During those days of the internet boom, WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s strategy seemed to be perfect to everyone and investment banks, analysts and brokers recommended WC as a strong buyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  to investors. The analystsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ recommendations, coupled with the continued rise of the stock market, made WC a very demanding and desirable stock to the investors. The top management explored this advantage (high stock price) to use WC stock as the vehicle to continue to purchase additional companies. The acquisition of MFS Communications and MCI Communications were, perhaps, the most significant in the long list of WC acquisitions. With the acquisition of MFS Communications and its UUNet unit, WC suddenly had an investment story to offer about the value of combining long distance, local service and data communications.[vii] In late 1997, WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer of $35 billion for the acquisition of MCI was 1.8 times more than the nearest offer made by British Telecommunications Corporation ($19 billion). MCI took WCs deal making WC a truly significant global telecommunications company[viii]. Issues affecting WordComà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Growth Strategy WC growth strategy was solely focused on mergers and acquisitions, not product development, innovation and customer satisfaction. It engaged in nearly 70 merger and acquisition deals in less than five years but did not focus on integrating organizational culture, structure and appropriate management control mechanisms. As a result, it was observed that by the early 2000s, the revenue of the company was diminishing. Furthermore, it was facing an emerging problem in 1990s of oversupply in telecommunications as the industry rushed to build fibre optic networks and o ther infrastructure based on overly optimistic Internet growth projections. WC and other telecommunications firms had experienced reduced demand as the internet boom ended and the economy entered recession. Their revenues had fallen short of expectations, while debt taken on to finance mergers and infrastructure investment remained. In this circumstance, the desire to conceal the bad news on company earning from the stock market investors created a powerful incentive for the top management to engage in fraudulent accounting reporting[ix]. The Management Controls Failure Fraud began at WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate headquarters, in the late 1990à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s[x]. Several employees were involved, including: Bernard Ebbers CEO, Scott Sullivan CFO, David Myers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Senior VP Controller, Buford Yates, Director of General Accounting, Betty Vinson à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" employee under Yates, and Troy Normand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" employee under Yates[xi]. WC paid various fees to use or lease facilities belonging to third parties. Normally, these fees were reported as an expense on the income statement, which were filed with the other financial statements on a quarterly and annual basis. The financial statements also included commentary and guidance from WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s senior management regarding future earnings. Typically this guidance pointed toward continued positive growth in earnings. In July 2000, WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expenses as a percentage of total revenue had begun to increase above historic averages[xii]. The fees paid for leasing were the primary drivers of this increase. This resulted in a decline in the rate of growth of WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s earnings. The risk of missing investor analystsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ forecasts had increased, and with that the possibility of stock declines also increased. By October 2000, Sullivan believed that expenses as a percentage of revenue were too high to meet analystsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ exp ectations, and that expenses were higher than previous guidance statements suggested they would be[xiii]. With Ebberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s approval, Sullivan instructed Myers, and those working under him to make entries in WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s general ledger that credited (and therefore reduced) expenses, and debited reserve and capital accounts (increasing these accounts)[xiv]. This series of transactions had the effect of increasing net income. This activity continued until June 2002[xv]. During this time, WC did not disclose these transactions to their external auditing firm, Arthur Anderson. The transactions were also not reported in SEC filings[xvi]. The fraud committed at WC was uncovered by a team of internal auditors in 2002[xvii]. The discovery was brought forward to the internal audit committee and board of directors. Once the board knew, several executives at WC were either fired by the board, or resigned, and the SEC began their investigation. Research Plan Outline To efficiently and effectively conduct our research on WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate scandal, we split the research into two areas: The WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fiasco itself, and an academic understanding of the control systems in place (and the ones that were missing). The first stage of the research component involves becoming familiar with the WC scandal from archives of reputable newspapers and business magazines. Secondly, we will examine the allegations brought upon WC by the SEC. We will also seek peer-reviewed academic journals for more details and insights into the incident allowing us to conduct an analysis of the role management controls played in the fiasco. In order to best understand WCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate scandal, we have to be familiar with well-known frameworks to analyze fraud, corporate governance, managerial controls, and compliance. As the purpose of this research is to seek for academic standard or frameworks in the above mentioned areas, we sh ould rely on information or publications from regulators, or generally accepted principals, such as US-GAAP. We may obtain information from academic, peer- reviewed journals. This research will be conducted concurrently with the studying of the WC fiasco as it does not require any sequence and therefore, can be conducted independently. End Notes [i] Lyke, Bob Jickling, Mark, WorldCom: The Accounting Scandal CRS Report for Congress,P-2, Updated August 29,2002 [ii] Ashraf, Javiriyah, The accounting fraud at WorldCom: The causes, the Characteristics, the consequences, and the lessons learned [iii] Ibid,p-2 [iv] Eichenwald, Kurt (2002). For WorldCom, Acquisitions Were Behind its Rise and Fall, New York Times (August 8), A-1 [v] Romero, Simon, Atlas, Rava D. (2002). WorldComs Collapse: The Overview. New York Times (July 22), A-1 [vi] Browning, E. S. (1997). Is the Praise for WorldCom Too Much? Wall Street Journal (October 8), p. C-24. [vii] Eichenwald, Op. cit., p. A-3 [viii] Ibid [ix] Lyke, Op Cit. P-2 [x] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“MCI Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 10 January 2014. Web. 2 February 2014. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCI_Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  [xi] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sullivanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. 2 March 2004. Web. 2 February 2014. https://www.justice.gov/opa/sullivan.pdf [xii] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“WorldCom Scandal: A Look Back at One of the Biggest Corporate Scandals in U.S. Historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Yahoo Voices. Yahoo Incorporated. 8 March 2007. Web. 2 February 2014. https://voices.yahoo.com/worldcom-scandal-look-back-one-biggest-225686.html [xiii] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sullivanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. 2 March 2004. Web. 2 February 2014. https://www.justice.gov/opa/sullivan.pdf [xiv] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Worldcomà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ex-boss gets 25 yearsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  BBC News. 13 July 2005. Web. 2 February 2014. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4680221.stm [xv] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Prepared Remarks of Attorney General John Ashcroftà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Attorney Generalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Office 2 March 2004. Web. 2 February 2014. https://www.justice.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2004/030204agweb.htm [xvi] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sullivanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. 2 March 2004. Web. 2 February 2014. https://www.justice.gov/opa/sullivan.pdf [xvii] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“MCI Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 10 January 2014. Web. 2 February 2014. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCI_Inc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 

Albert Einstein’s vs. Newton General Theory of Relativity Free Essays

string(194) " walking in parallel lines \(since they are walking only in a straight line\), is one will stand behind them in between them, he/she will notice that those two people will start to drift apart\." Albert Einstein, most famously known as a physicist, was a contributor to the scientific world with his many known researches and humanitarian work. As a Nobel Prize Winner in 1921, his chronicled and more important works include Special Theory of Relativity (1905), Relativity (English Translation, 1920 and 1950), General Theory of Relativity (1916), Investigations on Theory of Brownian Movement (1926), and The Evolution of Physics (1938). (Nobel Prize Foundation, 1921) In all his important works, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity has lead the way for how science currently views time, space, energy, and gravity. We will write a custom essay sample on Albert Einstein’s vs. Newton: General Theory of Relativity or any similar topic only for you Order Now Relativity, which all motion must be defined relative to a frame of reference and that space and time are relative, rather than absolute concepts, consists of two principal parts: The theory dealing with uniform motion, or the Special Theory of Relativity (1905) and the theory dealing with gravity, or the General Theory of Relativity (1916). (dictionary. com, pars. 2) Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity is the physical theory of measurement in inertial frames of reference. Although Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity was â€Å"special† because it dealt only with inertial reference frames; his General Theory of Relativity accounts not only for these, but also for bodies that accelerate and are based on the postulate that the local effects of a gravitational field and of acceleration of an inertial system are identical. (dictionary. com, pars. 2) An example of Einstein’s Special Relativity: One of the peculiar aspects of Einstein’s theory of special relativity is that the length of objects moving at relativistic speeds undergo a contraction along the dimension of motion. An observer at rest (relative to the moving object) would observe the moving object to be shorter in length. General relativity or the general theory of relativity (GR) in whole is the geometric theory of gravitation. It is what we currently define as gravity in modern physics. GR integrates with special relativity in relatively, but GR consists of Newton’s law of universal gravitation and describes gravity as a property of the geometry of space and time. Even though special relativity intertwines a lot with general relativity, these two viewpoints are really what GR is about and relate greatly to each other. In the first viewpoint of GR, it is a theory of the behavior of space and time. Before the 20th century, all physics theorists assumed space and time to be absolutes, or separated from each other. Now called spacetime, together space and time formed a background within which matter moved. (Felder, pars. 4-5) In Einstein’s theory of GR, this physical theory was to describe how different kinds of matter would interact with each other and predict their motions. The theories of space and time greatly changed after the development of the Special Relativity Theory and shortly later the General Relativity Theory by Einstein. This results that space and time came to be viewed as the important variables in physics, which are capable of being changed by the mater within them and in turn changing the way that matter behaves. (Felder, pars. 5) Spacetime is an important factor in GR. In Newton’s world and before the 20th century, physics space and time again were viewed completely separately. In relativity theory, time is the fourth dimension our world has instead of the three one would think there is. It is hard to picture a 4D world, so to make things simpler let’s picture a 2D world. As shown in diagram 1, we can view spacetime as a 2D surface where the horizontal direction is space and the vertical direction is time. The diagram below shows the world line of an object in a one-dimensional space (Felder, pars. 7): (Diagram 1) A spacetime diagram like this is very critical to help in understanding relativity. It answers questions like: What’s the world line of a particle at rest? What the world line of a particle moving with constant speed in one direction? How would you describe the motion of a particle with the world line shown below? Viewing spacetime this way allows us to formulate physics in new ways. It is a similar way in getting Newton’s first law of motion, which states that an object with no force acting on it will move in a straight line at a constant and we can just say that the world line of a free object (one with no forces on it) is a straight line. speed (Harrison, pars. 6) Comparing to Newton’s laws, spacetime are considered two separate things, while in relativity, both in special and general theory, it is necessary to view spacetime as one. In GR this team of spacetime is curved by the effects of gravity. Now in GR, curved space often refers to a spatial geometry, which is not â€Å"flat. † Spacetime becomes curved in the response to the effects of matter and there is no gravitational force deflecting objects from their natural, straight paths. This puts gravity to correspond to changes in the properties of space and time, which in turn changes the straightest-possible paths that objects will naturally follow. So the act of curving is caused by the energy-momentum of matter and affects matters behaviors. In Newton’s first law of motion, it states that, where an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. In a curved spacetime what used to be straight lines are now twisted and bent, and particles with no forces acting on them are seen to move along curved paths. (Physics Classroom, pars. 1) John Archibald Wheeler, an American theoretical physicist, paraphrases, â€Å"Spacetime tells matter how to move; matter tells spacetime how to curve. † (Britannica Encyclopedia, pars. ) To explain curved space in an example, suppose there are two people. Each person stands two feet apart from each other facing the same direction and begins walking straight. Even though one might think the two people are walking in parallel lines (since they are walking only in a straight line), is one will stand behind them in between them, he/she will notice that those two people will start to drift apart. You read "Albert Einstein’s vs. Newton: General Theory of Relativity" in category "Papers" In awhile the two people will become four feet apart instead of the 2 feet that they started on and both are not pointed in exactly the same direction as they started on. One might assume it’s because one is not going in a â€Å"straight† line. (Picture of Geodesics) Although, what is a â€Å"straight† line? One assumes that a straight line means being parallel or that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. But in curved space path that stay parallel to each other are not paths of minimal distance and vice-versa, there is no path in space that fits a â€Å"straight† line being parallel or the shortest distance. In space, a straight line is curved and the shortest path between two points is called a geodesic. The second viewpoint of general relativity is described as a theory of gravity. In Newton’s second law of motion, that states that the acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object. (Physics classroom, pars. 2) In other words, getting two massive bodies like the Earth and Newton’s â€Å"famous† apple are going to pull each other because of the law of gravity. To explain further, if an apple started out at rest and when it just breaks off from a tree, gravity would make it move towards the Earth until it collided with it. Newton’s curiosity of a fallen apple not only explains his law of gravity and the falling of apples, but also the orbit of the moon about the Earth, the motions or the planets about the sun, and much more. Einstein’s theory of GR relates to this because it explains all of Newton’s laws, but in a very different way. In GR, a massive body like the sun causes the spacetime around it to curve and this act of curving in turn affects the motion of the planets, causing them to orbit around the sun. In Newton’s second law of motion, these objects (i. e. the earth and the apple) will have a gravitational attraction, causing them to accelerate towards each other until they eventually collide. In GR, the same effect will happen, but the description is different because gravity is not a force in GR. Objects neither exert nor feel any-non-gravitational forces, so basically the objects should act like free particles moving alone geodesics. (Felder, pars. 5) In a flat spacetime, which has no gravity, the geodesics would be in straight lines. Since objects started out at rest, their world lines would be vertical lines, this means that they would always stay the same distance from each other. However, in the effects of gravity, we know that the objects will have spacetime around it. In a curved space, parallel lines do not always stay parallel. The geodesics in this curved spacetime start out parallel but over time it doesn’t. This results in the objects colliding. Einstein shows that although Newton’s theory of two objects colliding is predicted, the underlying description of the curved space is different. To show an example about gravity and curved space with a couple of geodesics, here is another graph (Felder, pars. 14): To explain the graph in more detail, the yellow rectangle is the sun (and the space around the sun is really three-dimensional), the spatial axis is â€Å"r† (radius) instead of x, and â€Å"t† (time) instead of y. The geodesic lines (red ; blue, respectively) are the particles moving directly towards or away from the sun. The red geodesic shows that an object initially at rest will curve towards the sun. Even an object moving away from the sun could fall back in if it were moving slowly. While the blue geodesics, is for the particle starting out at the same place but with an initial outward velocity large enough that I will never fall back, objects that have an escape velocity. Explaining the basis of GR helps form a stepping stone to Einstein’s more complicated theories and consequences, along with some knowledge of the General Theory of Relativity. In this very complicated version by Einstein of Newton’s laws of motion, it in fact shows not that Einstein just complicated Newton’s theories, but showed that results are not the same. The result in fact that objects collide are there and come out slightly the same, but the behavior is different. Spacetime is therefore â€Å"curved† as a straight line. The theory of GR has brought the science world to a dramatic position of understanding the universe. Space and time, in which were two separate things are now explained as one union with each other. In GR gravity is not only viewed as a force but now as a description of the geometry of the universe. This helps scientists envision the universe in a more dramatic and insightful way. As Albert Einstein was forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence, he quoted: â€Å"Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter. † Works Cited â€Å"Albert Einstein† Pac Bell. ; http://home. pacbell. net/kidwell5/aebio. html; â€Å"Albert Einstein†, Colliers Encyclopedia, (MacMillan, 1985) Volume 8, pg. 684-685 â€Å"Albert Einstein†, World Book, (World Book Inc. , 1999) Volume 6, pg. 146-147 â€Å"Albert Einstein†, Encyclopedia Britanica, ( Encyclopedia Britanica Inc. , 1997) Volume 4, pg. 403 â€Å"Albert Einstein†, Current Biography Who’s News and Why, (H. W. Wilson Co. , 1953) Volume 1953, pg. 178-180 â€Å"Albert Einstein†, Current Biography Who’s News and Why, (H. W. Wilson Co. , 1955) Volume 1955, pg. 177-178 â€Å"Albert Einstein†, The Biographical Dictionary of Scientists, (Oxford University Press, 1994) Second Edition, pg. 206-208 Felder, Gary. North Carolina State – Math and Physic Help. 2003. ;http://www4. ncsu. edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/kenny/papers/gr1. html; â€Å"general relativity. † Dictionary. com Unabridged (v 1. 1). Random House, Inc. 05 Feb. 2009. ;Dictionary. com http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/general relativity;. General Relativity† Albert Einstein Biography, Spark Notes. 05 Feb 2009 ;http://www. sparknotes. com/biography/einstein/section7. rhtml; Geroch, Robert. General Relativity from A to B. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978. Harrison, David M. Homepage. 18 August 2007 ;http://www. upscale. utoronto. ca/GeneralInterest/Harrison/GenRel/GenRel. html; Leaving Certificate Physics Homepage. â€Å"Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity. † ;http://www. teachnet. ie/torourke/Physicswebsite/Relativistic%20Length%20Co traction. htm; â€Å"Newton’s Laws. † The Physics Classroom. 1996-2009. ;http://www. physicsclassroom. com/Class/newtlaws/u2l1a. cfm; Nobel Prize Foundation. Nobel Lectures, Phys ics: Albert Einstein. 1901-1921. ; http://nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/einstein-bio. html; Truth ; Reality. â€Å"Einstein Relativity. † 1997-2009. ; http://www. spaceandmotion. com/albert- einsteins-theory-of-general-relativity. htm; Wald, Robert M. General Relativity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984. How to cite Albert Einstein’s vs. Newton: General Theory of Relativity, Papers

Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia Essay Example Essay Example

Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia? Essay Example Paper Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia Essay Introduction The political configurations of constituent nations in the Asian continent have seen many significant changes over the last fifty years. The conclusion of the Second World War served as the precipitant event in transforming the erstwhile colonies in Asia into independent, sovereign nations. But, not all transformations have led to positive consequences. It would be simplistic to not look beyond official labels attached to governments in these nations. For example, classifying an Asian nation as a democracy or a dictatorship without taking into account the complex and often subtle political realities can lead to distorted perceptions. It is the objective of this essay to understand the real social, economic and demographic parameters that define a civil society and evaluate political transitions in Asia in this context. Many analysts have pointed out that the salient features of a vibrant democracy are quite different from superficial symbols of a democratic setup as seen in many coun tries across Asia. For example, in countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, etc, which were colonies of European imperial powers until half a century back, the effects of the protracted period of imperialism are still evident in the way their institutions function. These post-colonial societies are at crossroads of history and have to overcome challenges in the realm of economics and politics if they are to emerge as competent players in the new world order. In order to make an objective assessment of political transitions in Asia, we need to adopt a broad historical approach to the subject. While wide-ranging references add to the merit of analysis, care has been taken not to indulge in standards of moral relativism when evaluating the state of democracy in this region. Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia? Essay Body Paragraphs To begin with, let us consider the case of East Timor and its turbulent road to independence. It is now accepted in hindsight that the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975 was a blatant act of aggression, although it is a well documented fact that the western media did not strictly condemn the Indonesian atrocities in East Timor as and when it happened. By giving due consideration to facts and by applying universally accepted standard of human rights, it is obvious that the invasion of East Timor was perpetrated by an Indonesian leadership that is both authoritarian and ruthless (Fox, 2004). More than two decades later, with Megawati Sukarnoputri contending for political leadership of the country, the dark legacy of authoritarianism is still part of the fabric of the political establishment. This can be discerned from the fact that Megawati made no concessions to Timorese independence (not even local level autonomy) in the lead up to the elections. This goes to prove that democr acy and the instrument of elections alone are not sufficient for imposing acceptable standards of freedom, equality and justice in a country, which goes to strengthen the thesis that superficial labels and nominal institutions does not imply a functioning democracy (Razack, 2006). This is true as much in Asia as anywhere else in the world. Also, the catastrophe in East Timor cannot be divorced from the broader equations of power and dominance. While the close diplomatic relationship between the United States of America and Australia is well known, the role assumed by Indonesia as a subordinate agent of these two more powerful entities is not often mentioned in political scholarship. To elaborate further, for nearly forty years since 1965, the Australian government supported the atrocities carried out by General Suharto in neighbouring Indonesia. Jonathan Fox draws out this case of hypocrisy in an emphatic style thus, â€Å"During the long years of Suharto’s dictatorship, whi ch was shored up by western capital, governments and the World Bank, state terrorism on a breathtaking scale was ignored. Australian prime ministers were far too busy lauding the â€Å"investment partnership† in resource-rich Indonesia. Suharto’s annexation of East Timor, which cost the lives of a third of the population, was described by the foreign minister Gareth Evans as â€Å"irreversible†. As Evans succinctly put it, there were â€Å"zillions† of dollars to be made from the oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea†. (Fox, 2004) Another important aspect of post-independent history of this region is the blatant disregard for legislative power as well as the judiciary. As a result, several leaders have misappropriated their executive powers to impose emergency rule over the citizens and civil institutions, making the institution of democracy a total farce. While several justifications have been forwarded for the application of emergency powers, none has been accepted as valid by neutral observers of the international community. This infringement on legal and parliamentary authority had happened in almost all nations of the South East Asian bloc, including Indonesia and Philippines, which is ironical considering the fact that these two nations were supposed to be the more advanced in the region. The invoking of emergency powers by President Fidel Ramos in Philippines remains a classic case of abuse of power (Razack, 2006). A disturbing trend witnessed in East Asian democracies is the smooth transformation of the old authoritarian elite into top leadership of political parties. This defeats the very purpose of intended progressive changes, as those individuals accustomed to exercising autocratic rule assume roles in democratic institutions. Author Mervyn Bendle cites the example of the KMT in Thailand, the leaders of which held undisputed power in the country’s days of dictatorship as well as in the new period of democrac y. While political organization might have changed for the better, the regime has effectively been the same. The successful entry of authoritarian ruling class into democratic institutions is achieved, as in Thailand and Philippines, through patronage and intimidation of uninformed, illiterate and underprivileged masses. This is clearly evident from the re-emergence of autocrats from the Marcos era in the Philippines. So, political transitions in Asia need to be seen in their overall impact on civil society, as opposed to basing the assessment on token and illusory indicators of progress and prosperity (Bendle, 2005). A deeper analysis of the Asian polity reveals several nexuses between political parties and business corporations. In almost all countries of the region, the influential business class interferes in democratic processes, thereby undermining the will of the electorate. Razack terms this phenomenon as â€Å"money politics†, where political manoeuvres that favour b usiness interests can be bought with money. The disconnection between the military and electoral democracy is another major concern for people of the region. The South East Asian region had seen its share of military coups, which subvert the power of the citizens in determining political outcomes. The central financial institutions of the region wield too much power in shaping economic policies. Moreover, the central banks of Thailand and Korea basically act as agents of the IMF. The policy framework within which they work ensures that the international economic order is maintained, even at the cost of depriving its own citizens’ basic necessities of living (Razack, 2006). Considering that China is predicted to be the next global superpower and at present the fastest growing economy, it requires a more detailed analysis. For the prospects and fortunes of China and its people will have ripple effects on other nations in the Asian continent. To gain a historical perspective on this key nation, we should go as far back as the communist revolution of the late 1940s, and the subsequent formation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1949, since when many developments have taken place both within the party as well as for Chinese citizens. The CCP and its cadres â€Å"are changing in ways that make creative solutions to political governance problems feasible than a repeated violent reaction to social change, as in 1989† (Smith, 2003). While progress and reform is on the party agenda, its leadership still retains useful traditions and customs. A case in point is the utilization of nomenklatura system for selecting party leaders. Its critics will point to its shortcomings, including its inability to curb corruption within the party ranks. But the nomenklatura system was not devised to deter corruption. Also, the cadre responsibility system was meant to act as an analytical tool for zeroing in on the primary goals of the party and assessing the success o f various policy initiatives; and it has proved equal to this stated objective (Dickson, 2006). The political transitions in China over the last sixty years have not been without moments of indiscretion and impasse. When in September of 1949, the communist revolution was complete and the CCP ascended to power, the people of China were relieved and also hopeful; Relieved of closing a conflict-ridden chapter of their recent history and hopeful of a brighter future. It can safely be said that their hopes were fulfilled to a large extent. The CCP has to be credited for bringing about a degree of economic and political stability in the first decade of their reign. The subsequent years proved to be more challenging for the CCP leadership, which had to deal with famine caused by its Great Leap Forward program. From these early days, when the party and its members were still learning the ropes of governance it has now become a sophisticated and well coordinated political machine. The party building efforts in modern urban settlements (also called ‘shequ’) is an innovative move (Smith, 2003). Further, â€Å"Such local experiments in limited political reform are creating a mixed regime based on one-party rule, Mandarin traditions, and intra-party elections, which will be democratic in its own terms even if not by Western standards.Chinese business classes are likely to play a role that their European counterparts did in the past by eventually promoting democratization†. (Smith, 2003) We will write a custom essay sample on Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia? Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia? Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why does the definition of civil society matter to the evaluation of political transitions in Asia? 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Early History Of Judaism Essays - Land Of Israel, Free Essays

Early History Of Judaism Essays - Land Of Israel, Free Essays Early History of Judaism It has been argued that Judaism can be seen not only as a single religion, but as a group of similar religions. It has also been pointed-out that through all the trials and tribulations that Judaism has suffered through, that there have been common themes that have proven omni-pervasive. Any institution with roots as ancient and varied as the religion of the Jews is bound to have a few variations, especially when most of its history takes place in the political and theological hot spot of the Middle East. In this discussion, many facets of Judaism will be examined, primarily in the three temporal subdivisions labeled the Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Period, the Divided Monarchy, and the Hasmonean / Maccabean and Roman Era. Among all the time periods where the religion has been split, these three seem to be the most representative of the forces responsible. As for a common thread seen throughout all Judiasms, the area of focus here is the place associated with the religion : Jerusalem. This topic will be covered in detail first, and then the multiple Judaism arguments will be presented. In this way, it is possible to keep a common focus in mind when reading about all the other situations in which the religion has found itself. A brief conclusion follows the discussion. A Place to Call Home No other religion has ever been so attached to its birthplace as Judaism. Perhaps this is because Jews have been exiled and restricted from this place for most of their history. Jerusalem is not only home to Judaism, but to the Muslim and Christian religions as well. Historically this has made it quite a busy place for the various groups. Jerusalem is where the temple of the Jews once stood; the only place on the whole Earth where one could leave the confines of day to day life and get closer to God. In 586 BCE when the temple was destroyed, no Jew would have denied Jerusalem as being the geographic center of the religion. From that point on, the Jewish people have migrated around the world, but not one of them forgets the fact that Jerusalem is where it all began. It is truly a sacred place, and helps to define what Judaism means to many people; a common thread to run through all the various splinters of the religion and help hold them together. Even today, as the Jewish people have their precious Jerusalem back (through the help of other nations and their politics) there is great conflict and emotion surrounding it. Other nations and people in the area feel that they should be in control of the renowned city, and the Jews deny fervently any attempt to wrestle it from their occupation. It is true that there is no temple in Jeruslaem today, nor are all the Jews in the world rushing to get back there. But it is apparent that the city represents more to the religion of Judaism than a mere place to live and work. The city of Jerusalem is a spiritual epicenter, and throughout Judaism?s long and varied history, this single fact has never changed. Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Judaism?s roots lie far back in the beginnings of recorded history. The religion did not spring into existence exactly as it is known today, rather it was pushed and prodded by various environmental factors along the way. One of the first major influences on the religion was the Canaanite nation. Various theories exist as to how and when the people that would later be called Jews entered into this civilization. But regardless of how they ultimately got there, these pioneers of the new faith were subjected to many of the ideas and prejudices of the time. Any new society that finds itself in an existing social situation, can do no more than to try and integrate into that framework. And this is exactly what the Jews did. Early Judaism worshipped multiple gods. One of these gods was known as Ba?al, and was generally thought-of as a ?statue god? with certain limitations on his power. The other primary deity was called YHWH (or Yahweh) and enjoyed a much more mysterious and illusive reputation. He was very numinous,

Programming a Tic Tac Toe Game in Visual Basic

Programming a Tic Tac Toe Game in Visual Basic Programming computer games may be the most technically challenging (and possibly the best paying) job that a programmer can have. Top level games require the best from both programmers and computers. Visual Basic 6 has now been thoroughly bypassed as a platform for game programming. (It never really was one. Even in the good ol days, serious game programmers would never use a high-level language like VB 6 because you just couldnt get the cutting edge performance that most games require.) But the simple Tic Tac Toe game is a great introduction to programming that is a little more advanced than Hello World! This is a great introduction to many of the fundamental concepts of programming since it combines techniques including: The use of arrays. The X and O markers are kept in separate arrays and the entire arrays are passed between functions to keep track of the progress of the game.Using VB 6 level graphics: VB 6 doesnt offer great graphical capability, but the game is a good introduction to what is available. Much of the rest of this series is an exploration of how GDI, the next generation of Microsoft graphics, replaces the VB 6 level graphics.Using math calculations for program control: The program uses clever modulo (Mod) and integer division calculations using the two-game marker arrays to determine when a three-element win has occurred. The class of programming in this article is perhaps just a little past the beginning level but it should be good for intermediate programmers. But lets start at an elementary level to illustrate some of the concepts and get you started with your Visual Basic game programming career. Even students more advanced than that may find that its slightly challenging to get the objects in the form just right. How to Play Tic Tac Toe If youve never played Tic Tac Toe, here are the rules. Two players alternate at placing Xs and Os into 3 x 3 playing field. Before the game starts, both players have to agree about who will go first and who will mark his moves with which symbol. After the first move, the players alternately place their marks in any empty cell. The goal of the game is to be the first player with three marks in a horizontal, diagonal or vertical line. If there are no empty cells and neither player has a winning combination, the game is a draw. Starting the Program Before starting any actual coding, its always a good idea to change the names of any components you use. Once you start coding, the name will be used automatically by Visual Basic so you want it to be the right name. Well use the form name frmTicTacToe and well also change the caption to About Tic Tac Toe. With the form established, use the line toolbox control to draw a 3 x 3 grid. Click the line tool, then draw a line where you want it. Youll have to create four lines this way and adjust their length and position to make them look right. Visual Basic also has some convenient tools under the Format menu that will help. This is a great chance to practice with them. In addition to the playing grid, well need some objects for the X and O symbols that will be placed on the grid. Since there are nine spaces in the grid, well create an object array with nine spaces, called elements in Visual Basic. There are several ways to do just about everything in the Visual Basic development environment, and creating control arrays is is no exception. Probably the easiest way is to create the first label (click and draw just like the line tool), name it, set all of the attributes (such as Font and ForeColor), and then make copies of it. VB 6 will ask if you want to create a control array. Use the name lblPlayGround for the first label. To create the other eight elements of the grid, select the first label object, set the Index property to zero, and press CTRLC (copy). Now you can press CTRLV (paste) to create another label object. When you copy objects like this, each copy will inherit all properties except Index from the first one. Index will increase by one for each copy. This is a control array because they all have the same name, but different index values. If you create the array this way, all of the copies will be stacked on top of each other in the upper left corner of the form. Drag each label to one of the playing grid positions. Be sure that index values are sequential in the grid. The logic of the program depends on it. The label object with index value 0 should be in the top left corner, and the bottom right label should have index 8. If the labels cover the playing grid, select each label, right-click, and select Send to Back. Since there are eight possible ways to win the game, well need eight different lines to show the win on the playing grid. You will use the same technique to create another control array. First, draw the line, name it linWin, and set the Index property to zero. Then use copy-paste technique to produce seven more lines. The following illustration shows how to set the index numbers correctly. In addition to the label and line objects, you need some command buttons to play the game and more labels to keep score. The steps to create these are not detailed here, but these are the objects you need. Two button objects: cmdNewGamecmdResetScore Frame object fraPlayFirst containing two option buttons: optXPlayeroptOPlayer Frame object fraScoreBoard containing six labels. Only lblXScore and lblOScore are changed in the program code. lblXlblXScorelblOlblOScorelblMinuslblColon Finally, you also need the label object lblStartMsg to mask the cmdNewGame button when it shouldnt be clicked. This isnt visible in the illustration below because it occupies the same space in the form as the command button. You may have to move the command button temporarily to draw this label on the form. So far, no VB coding has been done, but were finally ready to do that. Initialization Now you get to finally start coding the program. If you havent already, you might want to download the source code to follow along as the operation of the program is explained. One of the first design decisions to make is how to keep track of the current state of the game. In other words, what are the current Xs and Os on the playing grid and who moves next. The concept of state is critical in a lot of programming, and in particular, its important in programming ASP and ASP.NET for the web There are several ways that this could be done, so its a critical step in the analysis. If you were solving this problem on your own, you might want to draw a flowchart and try out different options with scratch paper before starting any coding. Variables Our solution uses two two-dimensional arrays because that helps keep track of state by simply changing the array indexes in program loops. The state of the top-left corner will be in the array element with index (1, 1), the top-right corner will be in (1, 3), the bottom-right in (3,3), and so forth. The two arrays that do this are: iXPos(x, y) and iOPos(x, y) There are a lot of different ways this can be done and the final VB.NET solution in this series shows you how to do it with just a single one-dimensional array. The programming to translate these arrays into player win decisions and visible displays in the form are on the next page. You also need a few global variables as follows. Notice that these are in the General and Declarations code for the form. This makes them module level variables that can be referenced anywhere in the code for this form. For more on this, check Understanding the Scope of Variables in Visual Basic Help. There are two areas where variables are initialized in our program. First, a few variables are initialized while the form frmTicTacToe is loading. Private Sub Form_Load() Second, before each new game, all variables that need to be reset to starting values are assigned in an initialization subroutine. Sub InitPlayGround() Note that the form load initialization also calls the playground initialization. One of the critical skills of a programmer is the ability to use the debugging facilities to understand what the code is doing. You can use this program to try: Stepping through the code with the F8 keySetting a watch on key variables, such as sPlaySign or iMoveSetting a breakpoint and querying the value of variables. For example, in the inner loop of the initialization: lblPlayGround((i - 1) * 3 j - 1).Caption Note that this program clearly shows why its a good programming practice to keep data in arrays whenever possible. If you did not have arrays in this program, you would have to write code something like this: Line0.Visible FalseLine1.Visible FalseLine2.Visible FalseLine3.Visible FalseLine4.Visible FalseLine5.Visible FalseLine6.Visible FalseLine7.Visible False instead of this: For i 0 To 7linWin(i).Visible FalseNext i Making a Move If any part of the system can be thought of as the heart, its subroutine lblPlayGround_Click. This subroutine is called every time a player clicks the playing grid. (Clicks must be inside one of the nine lblPlayGround elements.) Notice that this subroutine has an argument: (Index As Integer). Most of the other event subroutines, like cmdNewGame_Click() do not. Index indicates which label object has been clicked. For example, index would contain the value zero for the top-left corner of the grid and the value eight for the bottom-right corner. After a player clicks a square in the game grid, the command button to start another game, cmdNewGame, is turned on by making it visible. The state of this command button does double duty because its also used as a boolean decision variable later in the program. Using a property value as a decision variable is usually discouraged because if it ever becomes necessary to change the program (say, for example, to make the cmdNewGame command button visible all the time), then the program will unexpectedly fail because you might not remember that its also used as part of the program logic. For this reason, its always a good idea to search through program code and check the use of anything you change when doing program maintenance, even property values. This program violates the rule partly to make this point and partly because this is a relatively simple piece of code where its easier to see what is being done and avoid problems later. A player selection of a game square is processed by calling the GamePlay subroutine with Index as the argument. Processing the Move First, you check to see if an unoccupied square was clicked. If lblPlayGround(xo_Move).Caption Then Once were sure this is a legitimate move, the move counter (iMove) is incremented. The next two lines are very interesting since they translate the coordinates from the one-dimensional If lblPlayGround component array to two-dimensional indexes that you can use in either iXPos or iOPos. Mod and integer division (the backslash) are mathematical operations that you dont use every day, but heres a great example showing how they can be very useful. Â  If lblPlayGround(xo_Move).Caption TheniMove iMove 1x Int(xo_Move / 3) 1y (xo_Move Mod 3) 1 The xo_Move value 0 will be translated to (1, 1), 1 to (1, 2) ... 3 to (2, 1) ... 8 to (3, 3). The value in sPlaySign, a variable with module scope, keeps track of which player made the move. Once the move arrays are updated, the label components in the playing grid can be updated with the appropriate sign. If sPlaySign O TheniOPos(x, y) 1iWin CheckWin(iOPos())ElseiXPos(x, y) 1iWin CheckWin(iXPos())End IflblPlayGround(xo_Move).Caption sPlaySign For example, when the X player clicks the top left corner of the grid, variables will have the following values: The user screen shows only an X in the upper left box, while the iXPos has a 1 in the upper left box and 0 in all of the others. The iOPos has 0 in every box. The values changes when the O player clicks the center square of the grid. Now th iOPos shows a 1 in the center box while the user screen shows an X in the upper left and an O in the center box. The iXPos shows only the 1 in the upper left corner, with 0 in all of the other boxes. Now that you know where a player clicked, and which player did the clicking (using the value in sPlaySign), all you have to do is find out if someone won a game and figure out how to show that in the display. Finding a Winner After each move, the CheckWin function checks for the winning combination. CheckWin works by adding down each row, across each column and through each diagonal. Tracing the steps through CheckWin using Visual Basics Debug feature can be very educational. Finding a win is a matter of first, checking whether three 1s were found in each of the individual checks in the variable iScore, and then returning a unique signature value in Checkwin that is used as the array index to change the Visible property of one element in the linWin component array. If there is no winner, CheckWin will contain the value -1. If there is a winner, the display is updated, the scoreboard is changed, a congratulation message is displayed, and the game is restarted. Lets go through one of the checks in detail to see how it works. The others are similar. Check Rows for 3For i 1 To 3iScore 0CheckWin CheckWin 1For j 1 To 3iScore iScore iPos(i, j)Next jIf iScore 3 ThenExit FunctionEnd IfNext i The first thing to notice is that the first index counter i counts down the rows while the second j counts across the columns. The outer loop, then simply moves from one row to the next. The inner loop counts the 1s in the current row. If there are three, then you have a winner. Notice that you also keep track of the total number of squares tested in the variable CheckWin, which is the value passed back when this function terminates. Each winning combination will end up with a unique value in CheckWin from 0 to 7 which is used to select one of the elements in the linWin() component array. This makes the order of the code in function CheckWin important too! If you moved one of the blocks of loop code (like the one above), the wrong line would be drawn on the playing grid when someone wins. Try it and see! Finishing Details The only code not yet discussed is the subroutine for a new game and the subroutine that will reset the score. The rest of the logic in the system makes creating these quite easy. To start a new game, you have only to call the InitPlayGround subroutine. As a convenience for players since the button could be clicked in the middle of a game, you ask for confirmation before going ahead. You also ask for confirmation before restarting the scoreboard.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 219

Assignment Example Consider Africa, for example. The continent is the second most populous on earth, and has the largest arable land on earth. The paradox? Africa has the worst cases of famine and starvation globally, and the lowest levels of food security on earth. From a critical perspective, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned scenario should not exist. However, it is also important to consider that a lack of initiative is the biggest obstacle to sustainable food production. In developed countries agriculture always ranks top among the priority areas of development. This is not the case in places with food insecurity, and even if it were the case there is no commitment beyond simple formulation of policies (Christou 32). Budgetary allocations are either below required levels, or misappropriation of funds and poor prioritization abound. While all these constraints remain in place, population growth is not being controlled. Developed countries had to implement population control measures at some point in order to balance food production and population growth, thereby providing a window for food production to be boosted while population growth was managed/stabilized. People like to go on about climate change and soil erosion, but it is important to know that there is nothing that cannot be managed for the sake of mankind’s advancement (Gilland 19). With will, resources, and commitment it will be possible for food production to be boosted beyond the effects of population growth, and all other challenges surmounted. In conclusion, I must say that countries with food insecurity just haven’t done enough to mitigate the situation. The possibilities are endless, but the commitment is

Central Bank and Monetary Policy Research Paper

Central Bank and Monetary Policy - Research Paper Example This paper deals with central bank objectives, instruments and theory behind them. Five objectives of central banks will be described and discussed. Central banks’ objectives are price stability, stable real growth, financial stability, and interest rate and exchange stability. Then, direct and indirect tools of monetary policy will be described and discussed. Direct tools affect directly the economic agents (Alexander et al., 1996, p.14). Indirect tools affect bank reserves (Alexander et al., 1996, p.14). Direct instruments are: interest rate controls, credit ceilings, and directed lending to the authorities (Alexander et al., 1996, p.14). Indirect instruments are open market operations, reserve requirements, and central bank lending facilities (Alexander et al., 1996, p.14). Advantages and disadvantages of both will be discussed. It will be described how the central banks control the economy through money supply and how price stability is related to other objectives of centr al banks, but only as long as money supply can be controlled by the central bank. Finally, United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be shortly analyzed and the performance of their central bank will be discussed. It will be shown that the central bank of UAE’s focus is on exchange rate and economic stability. Since the UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, inflation cannot be controlled by the central bank of UAE as its monetary policy is restrained by the peg. Instead, it depends on the inflation in the USA, since the USA is free to adjust its monetary policy. ... Today, they service both, the governments and the commercial banks (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). By 2011, there were around 170 central banks in the world (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). Though central banks around the world nowadays do not all have the same objectives, most share certain characteristics. They are in charge of monetary policy as the government’s bank (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). In countries where the central bank is largely independent to determine the interest rate on its own, the goals toward which the monetary policy should be used are independent of political events. Central banks’ goals are following: price stability, stable real growth, financial stability, interest rate and exchange stability. Each will be shortly discussed with regard to its importance for the central bank and the wider economy. Stable real growth is an objective of some central banks. A central bank can through independence from politic al processes and a consistent policy promotes economic stability and decreases uncertainty and fluctuations in economic growth rates (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). A central bank may insulate an economy from business cycles through independence by ensuring the long – run growth potential is promoted, so that fluctuations in growth rates do not occur, or are minimized (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). The long – run growth potential is determined by factors such as capital stock, the size of the capital stock and labor force size (Cechetti & Schoenholtz, 2011, Chapter 15). However, active monetary policy is no longer favored by most central banks. Since effects of

Estimating And Pre Contracts Quantity Surveying Construction Essay

Estimating And Pre Contracts Quantity Surveying Construction Essay The most important stage of any project is Estimating and Pre-Contracts Quantity Surveying. Care has to be taken at this stage, to produce a more accurate and realistic cost of the project so that the client is in knowledge of the financial requirement with no major surprises, for successful completion of project within the budget. Construction projects are always out of budget and delayed completion date. The two main reasons are either a wrong assessment of the cost and duration for the completion of the project or the client is being deliberately presented with a reduced budget and a tight schedule for completion of project. However the most common reason is the combination of the cost and time estimates and the latter being used by most consultants / architects to convince the clients to go ahead with the project. The reduced budget and the tight time schedule is sometimes way away from the actual, which is the main reason for the collapse of the client. One of the bitter experience is with the Dubai Government Roads and Transport Authority being provided with a Cost Estimate of about 4.25 billion dollars (15.5 billion dirhams) for the Dubai Metro Rail Project, which went over budget and crossed time limit while crossing 7.67 billion dollars (28 billion dirhams) expenditure with still part of the network stations being incomplete. As per RTA there were four reasons of the increase, first the project was extended by 4.5 km, secondly adding a station with few more kilometres of the rail, thirdly adding two more stations on the Red Line and lastly the changing of the interior of the stations drastically and including footbridges. Also to the fact that in my career of 10 years in Dubai, I have noticed only one project completed within the budget and within the allotted tight time period. The project was executed with good management and proper allocation of resources to achieve the completion within a short period of time. However it is not fair to put the blame on Pre-Contracts procedure deciding the major part of the fate of the construction project. ABSTRACT The PCQS has to submit various documents according to the various stages in Pre-Contracts. The various areas to be considered in the Pre-Contracts Quantity Surveying stage are as following 1) Selection of team. 2) Collection of historical data. 3) Identifying key personals specialised in particular field to co-ordinate. 4) Incorporating inputs from various departments heads. 5) Defining and implementing practically a clear quality check procedure. 6) Following the various steps according to the stage of the document submittal. 7) Team leader to identify and distribute the work to the responsible personnel. 8) Quality Management, especially during the end of the submission date. 9) Preparing a more realistic cost estimate. 10) Back-checking by comparing the Engineers Estimate and the realistic tender opened. 11) Client can make the consultant responsible by asking to provide backups for the quantities and rates. 12) Including feedback and data provided from ongoing projects by Post Contract Quantity Surveyor. 13) Preparing of BOQ for Remaining Works of a contract after the termination of the Main Contractor. 14) Making the Consultant responsible for cost estimates provided to clients, to avoid huge variation. 15) Quantity Surveyors to be fast and accurate in dealing with Notice to Tenderers. To learn good lessons and avoid future loss to the members of the construction industry, some case studies are being provided. ESTIMATION AND PRE-CONTRACTS QUANTITY SURVEYING The Pre-Contracts stage needs a very good Quantity Surveyor having a wide range of experience with skills to manage the calculations with the available software and most importantly the historic data available in the organisation for using it as a base in Estimating. The normal procedure in the pre-contracts estimating is preparing the estimate during the Preliminary Study, Preliminary Design, Final Design and Tender Design. For repetitive or similar projects, for which the organisation has good sound recent historic data, the difference between all the stage estimates shall be very less, provided there is no drastic change in the scope of the work. The Quantity Surveyor shall prepare and keep standard rates derived from historic data and keep as common. It is better that the person preparing the estimates, derives the standard rates himself, so that he is in knowledge of those items which are lumped into some unit rates or for those items whose cost to be separately calculated if possible, or just allow some percentage in the contingencies or any other line item. As the stage progresses the quantities and items becomes well defined and then only applying appropriate unit rates becomes a key factor. But at each and every stage the Quantity Surveyor using any assumption shall keep records for any future justification of all the estimates even until the start of the project. The various stages of Pre-Contracts document submittal with approximate time frame is mentioned below: Stage 1 Preliminary study One page estimate prepared by PCQS to be included by the Project Manager in is study report. Stage 2 Preliminary Design (After approximately one month from stage 1) Volume 1 Tender and Contract Conditions Sample copy from previous project Volume 2 Specifications Sample copy relevant to the project Volume 3 BOQ Sample copy with item description and without quantities, relevant to the project Volume 4 Drawings Relevant to the project, including standard drawings relevant to the project Preliminary Design Cost Estimate One page estimate of the project Stage 3 Final Design Document (After approximately one month from stage 2) Volume 1 Tender and Contract Conditions With all details relevant to the project Volume 2 Specifications Only relevant to this project Volume 3 BOQ Actual items and quantities from drawings of this project Volume 4 Drawings Relevant to the project only Stage 4 Final Design Cost Estimate (On the 7th day from stage 3) Final Design Cost Estimate Detailed cost estimate with quantities from drawings and current market rates. Stage 5 Tender Design Document (After approximately one month from stage 3) Volume 1, 2, 3 4 Tender and Contract Conditions Same as in stage 3 with incorporation of corrections and changes. Stage 6 Notice to Tenderers (After the floating of Tender documents to the bidders and not after 10 days before Tender opening date) It consists of a report stating the changes in all or any of the Volumes and the new pages. Stage 7 Engineers Estimate (On the day of Tender opening date, after all Bid documents are opened and is submitted to the Client separately) It consists of a detailed cost estimate with quantities from drawings and current market rates, after incorporating all NTTs. Stage 8 Tender Analysis (On the 14th day after stage 7) The PCQS has to prepare an analysis report of the bid documents submitted and compare it with Engineers Estimate. Stage 9 Contract Documents (After stage 8 and finalization of the successful bidder to award the contract) The PCQS has to compile all the documents of Volumes 1, 2, 3 4 submitted by the bidder and check if all the NTTs are incorporated and include if any missing. He has to also include any post tender correspondence and changes as agreed. This document is sent to the Contractor for him to check and sign. This signed document is then signed by the Client and thus the Contract is formed. One copy of this signed document goes to the Post Contracts section, with which the responsibility of the PCQS is completed. Below are the various formats used in Pre-Contracts Documents: The software required is very nominal such as MS Word and MS Excel for preparing documents. And for calculating quantities MS Excel is most powerful which can be used along with Autocad, Microstation and Geopak. The Preliminary Study and Preliminary Design BOQ, consists of sample BOQ items with nil quantities as shown below: Figure 1 The Final Design BOQ and Tender Design BOQ consists of actual work items with quantities calculated from drawings as shown below: Figure 2 Preliminary Study and Preliminary Design Cost Estimate format is as given below: Figure 3 Final Design Estimate and Tender Design Estimate is a detailed estimate with work items, quantities and rates, as given below: Figure 4 A sample page of the Tender Analysis is shown below, which compares the rates and amounts quoted by three contractors. It also calculates the minimum, average and maximum rates of all the contractors: Figure 5 The index of the Volume 1 Tender and Contract Conditions is shown below: Figure 6 A sample of the unit rate calculation sheet is shown below: Figure 7 PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF PRE-CONTRACTS QUANTITY SURVEYING The study is fine tuned to Infrastructure projects like Roads and Bridges and using FIDIC contract conditions and CESMM3 method of measurement. The following are important areas to be considered in Pre-Contracts stage. 1) Selection of team depending on the project and client : This is the job of the person in-charge of the QS team to select the particular QSs who shall be able to deliver the required project with accuracy and in time. If the project is more specialised and unique then the key QSs shall have a better engineering background and innovative skills to deal with issues which comes up during the preparation of BOQ and estimate. However some portion of the work shall be similar to routine work, which can be done by other QSs. Thus within the team roles and responsibilities shall be divided as per calibre and capacity of doing the job. The most important aspect is of communication, i.e. each and every person of the team shall be communicated of any changes and share new information received from other departments or client. 2) Collection of historical data from similar kind of projects : The various stages of estimates are Preliminary Study, Preliminary Design, Final Design and Tender Design. The first two stages needs the estimate to be a one page estimate, having most of the items clubbed together to form a single line item like Roadwork, in which the items included are preparation of formation, laying sub-base, road-base, prime coat, asphalt base course, tack coat, asphalt wearing course, road markings, trial trenches, any demolition works, etc. The cost per meter square of roadwork can be calculated by adding the unit rates of all the above items, except for trial trenches and demolition works for which a percentage of around 5% of the unit rates can be applied. The per unit cost of bridges can be worked out by calculating the total cost of a concrete bridge from previous project and then dividing it by the plan area of the bridge giving us the unit rate of bridge per square meter. Thus in the preliminary study and preliminary design stage the major line items ha ve to be identified and their most likely unit rate shall be derived in terms of unit which can be calculated easily from the available drawing. Since the areas of roads and bridges are clear at these two stages, the quantities are defined in area unit. All the rates used in these line items, shall be taken from the recently opened tender and if required apply uplift for inflation on a quarterly basis. 3) Identifying key personals specialised in particular field to co-ordinate during the progress of Bill of Quantities preparation : Depending on the type and nature of the project and the various departments involved like Highway design section, structural design section, traffic study section, steel structure section, landscape section, intelligent transportation section, various service departments, the QS team leader has to co-ordinate with respective section heads. The point of contact person shall be the same throughout the project. Any message or information passed on by sub-ordinates to sub-ordinates of QS section shall be communicated through the responsible section head. Frequent meetings shall be arranged between all the section heads, by the project manager so as to assure proper progress and to nullify any delay by any team being lagging behind which shall effect the project delivery. 4) Incorporating inputs from various departments heads including on-site and off-site : The QS team can refer to the historic data available with their company for usage in the current project. In addition to this, the PCQS also shall co-ordinate with the post-contract QS to get some feedback from the ongoing projects so as to rectify those mistakes committed in previous documents and incorporate in their next submission. This procedure is normally not followed practically as the two sections behave as separate distinct entity. But there shall be a better communication between the pre and post-contract QS and it can be achieved very easily by the head of the QS section with very little effort, enhancing the overall quality of pre-contracts works. 5) Defining and implementing practically a clear quality check procedure before submitting the document to the client : A very important procedure of quality check shall be included in the pre-contracts work, to provide quality documents for the clients. Any document after preparation and before sending it to the client shall undergo quality check by Senior QS or experienced QS in the section. This procedure shall eliminate minor mistakes definitely and also have a check on major items to avoid any blunder in quantity or description of items. It is sure that certainly the quality of the document shall be enhanced even if this procedure is implemented for atleast about 1 to 5 hours, depending on the time available for submission. This procedure of checking can be made effective by making the person sign the document after his checking of the document. This procedure can be followed if the internal audit plan cannot be followed due to time restrictions. However the normal internal audit procedures available with Corporate are good enough for a quality product. 6) Following the various steps according to the stage of the document submittal : Various steps has to be followed according to the stage of the submission, whether preliminary study, preliminary design, final design or tender design. During the preliminary study the pre-contracts QS has to prepare only a one page estimate based on the key layout plan for e.g. Calculate the area of the road and bridges from the plan and then multiply it with the area of the road and bridges from the plan and then multiply it with the derived rates from previous standard projects. And consider percentages for services, landscape works, street lighting works, contingencies, etc. to arrive at the total project cost. In the preliminary design stage the PCQS has to submit a one page cost estimate and a detailed sample BOQ with the quantities as nil. The BOQ items shall be standard items, from previous projects relevant to the current projects. Even the tender and contract conditions is provided same from the previous similar project. In the final design stage, the Volume 1 Tender and Contract Conditions, Volume 3 Bill of Quantities and a detailed cost estimate is submitted. This stage is a more detailed stage and may be entirely different from the preliminary design, based on the changes being incorporated during this stage. The PCQS has to prepare volume 1 incorporating the description of the project, duration of the project, any milestone, any stage handover, the particular conditions of contract, penalties, liquidated damages, conditions for advance payment, performance bond guarantee form, tender bond form and the general conditions of contract. The volumes shall be a detailed BOQ, with no assumed quantities and all the items and quantities shall be derived from the available drawings. In addition to this there shall be a Bill No. 1 for General Items, containing the items for Method Related charges and Time Related charges for the contractor to price, so that he receives the initially invested money early a s mentioned in this Bill. But sometimes contractor uses this Bill to front load these items to get initial profit earlier as he shall put all his profit in the Bill and price less profit in the actual work items. The next submission is the Tender submission which is similar to Final Design submission, with the only difference that any changes in the drawings from Final Design to Tender Design has to be incorporated into the BOQ. Care has to be taken in this document as it shall be provided to the Tenderers for bidding and any mistake at this stage shall be borne by the client and in turn by the Consultant. A real example of a very serious mistake happened by inserting the Quantity as One in the BOQ for costly items, whereas in the drawings there were huge numbers. The contractor being aware of this fact priced high for these particular items and later during the project execution, when the client got aware of this he claimed the excess amount from the consultant as it was a pure mistake of the consultant, by putting the item in the BOQ, but not putting the exact quantity as per drawing. This could have been avoided by having a QC check before floating the document as Tender. The cost estimate known as Engineers Estimate shall be provided on the date of the Tender Opening. In between the Tender submission and the Tender Opening, the consultant can issue a number of Notice to Tenderers to incorporate any changes in drawings or any tender documents. In this process, the PCQS can also rectify his mistakes which were not seen in the Tender Submission. The NTT is of standard form, consisting of serial numbers and the front page summarising the pages to be replaced or added from any of the Tender documents. 7) Team leader to identify anD distribute the work to the responsible personNEL of various departments and within Quantity Surveying department : The team leader of the PCQS has to carefully allocate and distribute responsibility of preparing the Volume 1 and various parts of Volume 3 such as roadwork, bridges, landscape works, services, tunnel works, electromechanical works, etc. accordingly. Also he has to co-ordinate and be aware of instructions and details provided by different section heads for preparation of the BOQ. Any change in any of the service or other section, shall be communicated through the section heads to the team leader and the PCQS doing that part of BOQ. The project manager shall also be aware of all these communications. 8) Quality Management, especially during the end of the submission date, when major design changes occurs : As discussed earlier there shall be a specific quality management plan for the PCQS works for a better quality product to the clients. This can be achieved by conducting a 1 to 5 hour QC check of all the documents prepared before sending it to the client. Criteria of checking each document is to be set out and the document used for quality check shall be stamped and signed duly by the Quality checker QS and the Team leader so as to be responsible for the document. This procedure shall atleast make 90% free of mistakes or blunder in any of the documents. This specially becomes difficult when huge changes in design are done when the submission date is very near and even getting 1 to 2 hours for checking is difficult. But it is suggested to have a quality check even in this tight schedule, when chances of mistakes are more. 9) Preparing a more realistic cost estimate for Tender Opening : After the tender document submission, the cost estimate known as Engineers Estimate is submitted to the client at the tender opening time. Care has to be taken in preparing this estimate for the following reasons, a) there shall not be large variations from the final design estimate, other than the changes in design. b) the estimate shall be reflecting the current market rate, since it is derived from a previously opened tender and hence inflation rate has to be applied. c) The estimate shall be within the range of the offers submitted by the bidders at the tender opening time. d) Justification and hard copy proof shall be kept for those items, for which rates are not available from previous tenders and is derived from basic as there might be major differences when compared with the bidders. Since these proofs might be required to justify these rates at a later stage if the estimate is way out of the range of the lowest bidder. For the fact that certain clients fix the maximum limit of variation of engineers estimate as 15% and if it goes beyond it then the consultant is responsible for that variation. 10) Back-checking by comparing the Engineers Estimate and the realistic tender opened, for future incorporation of any shortcomings : After the opening of all tenders the offers of all the bidders shall be compared with the engineers estimate. This is submitted to the client which is a part of tender analysis report. However the consultant shall also check for items where the engineers rates have large variation from all the bidders and try to avoid this mistake in future estimates, to provide a more realistic estimate to the clients. Normally the bill amount for General Items is considered as a percentage of the cost of work items and ranges from 15% to 30% depending on the class of the contractor and their overheads cost. But sometimes some of the contractors price these bill items less than 10% or even more than 30%, however we have to consider the average percentage from a majority of normal class contractors pricing. 11) CLIENT CAN MAKE THE CONSULTANT RESPONSIBLE BY ASKING TO PROVIDE BACKUPS FOR THE QUANTITIES AND RATES : Another way of achieving quality and accuracy in the BOQ and estimates, is by asking the consultants to provide backup and calculation of each quantity and rate. By checking this client can ensure the reality of the BOQ and the estimates. 12) Including feedback and data provided from ongoing projects by Post Contract Quantity Surveyor to the Pre-Contracts Quantity Surveyor for future contracts in design stage : One of the most important aspects of Quantity Surveying is the co-ordination and exchange of information between the pre-contracts and the post-contracts quantity surveyor. This is not done practically. However this can be done very easily by arranging monthly or bi-weekly meetings among them by their in-charge personnel. This will provide the PCQS the data about the new rates, missing BOQ items, quantity variation, claims due to BOQ, high rates for provisional items, high rates for mis-calculated BOQ quantities, to elaborate BOQ items description, insufficient BOQ description creating ambiguity of the scope of work. The comments and suggestions of the meetings can be used to incorporate in all the future tender documents to get a refined product for the client. This is a way by which the PCQS can assess the application of the documents prepared by them at site and measure the quantum of loss, occurred due to small or negligible mistake done during the pre-contracts period. This woul d also suggest the PCQS to include QC checks relevant to these mistakes in their checklist of quality control. 13) Preparing of BOQ for Remaining Works of a contract after the termination of the Main Contractor, to award the remaining works to a new contractor : This is a very rare case that the main contractor is terminated and the remaining works is awarded to the new contractor. However, if this happens then the PCQS has to be very cautious in preparing the BOQ for the remaining works. The BOQ of the balance works to be prepared by taking the difference between the tender quantity and the actual work done quantity at site. However, care shall be taken to prepare some new items such as manholes and such other works which are partially completed by the main contractor and remaining has to be done by the new contractor. These item quantities shall be accurate if possible to be measured at site and no assumptions shall be made, as if the quantities are less than actual, then the new contractor shall price it more, the excess of which shall be paid by the main contractor, it is not good from an ethic point of view. Any item partially done and unsure of quantity shall not be included in the BOQ. Also to avoid major losses to the main contractor , items of this kind shall not be included in the BOQ, since the new contractor shall price it very high during tender stage, which we cannot control his pricing. However, if these items occur at site and if there is no BOQ item, then a better controlled new rate can be approved by the consultant, minimizing the loss to the main contractor. Items like testing of pipes, duct proving etc. shall not be included in the BOQ as the new contractor shall definitely price it very high than the actual incurred by them. 14) Making the Consultant responsible for cost estimates provided to clients, to avoid huge variation after the opening of the tender : One important stage of the PCQS is to provide the cost estimates to the client. Sometimes the consultant might underestimate the cost of the project to make it look cheaper, so that the client goes ahead with the project and the consultant is free from the responsibility of providing the most economical design for the client. This can be nullified by making the consultant responsible for the cost estimate and impose a fine, if the cost estimate varies more than +15% to -15% of the lowest bidder. Also the fees for the consultant design fees shall be based on the lowest of all bidders including the consultants cost estimate. In this case the client shall also take particular interest and ask justification for the rates being priced for the BOQ items by the consultant. 15) Quantity Surveyors to be fast and accurate in dealing WITH Notice to Tenderers within A short period of time : Notice to Tenderers provides a sort of cover to the mistakes or late design changes for the consultant and the client. Always these are issued within a short span of time in hurry and most probably having a risk of containing mistakes and errors being sent to the tenderers. Since the time is short and a lot of parts such as drawings, specifications or BOQ has to be re-issued there is chances of error. However this shall be avoided by having a rapid and thorough QC check. If it is not possible to do even this check, then the consultant shall request from the client to provide an extension of time, for the tender opening. This would avoid and nullify any future major loss of money or ambiguity during the post-contracts period. Also this is good opportunity for the consultant to rectify any mistakes done by any of their department during the pre-contracts stage in the tender documents. In this notice even the consultant has to send in the answers to the queries raised by the bidders. La ter on during the formation of the contract document, each page and every answer of the query forms an integral part of the contract document in Volume 1 and other Volumes as applicable. Notice to Tenderers, before issuing to the client who in turn issues it to the bidders, shall be authenticated by the responsible heads of department, who is related to the contents of the Notices. The PCQS responsibility is the preparation of Volume 1 and Volume 3 and cost estimates at any stage. After the tender opening, even the preparation of the contract documents has to be done and thoroughly checked by the PCQS. A very systematic procedure shall be followed in preparation of the contract documents. Because, even if in the pre-contracts stage a mistake of the consultant is rectified in the subsequent NTT and that page is not incorporated in the Contract document, then the purpose of NTT is lost and the contract after signing has to be executed with that mistake, giving rise to disputes and claims. Initially the original Tender document has to be taken and then one by one the succeeding Notices shall be applied by the PCQS. He should take responsibility for all the Volumes, because the other department personnel might not remember or not have any documentation to replace the pages as mentioned in the NTT. A important point to be noted is that each and every page issued in each NTT shall become a part of respective Volume. Sometimes or more often there are certain discussions negotiation being held after the Tender opening known as the Post Tender stage. Each correspondence and documents submitted during this post tender stage shall become a part of Volume 1, as it shall be the deciding factor of the contract during a later part of the construction stage. Once the contract document is signed by both parties, ie. The client and the contractor then the contract is formed. At this point of time the responsibility is transferred from Pre-Contracts Quantity Surveyor to Post Contracts Quantity Surveyor. TO LEARN GOOD LESSONS FROM CASE STUDY TO AVOID MISTAKES AND AVOID HUGE LOSSES : Case Study 1 The items for Drainage Manholes were included in the bill, but the quantity take-off from the drawings was not included in the Tender BOQ. The contractor knowing this fact priced it four times high, since the quantity in BOQ was unit and it did not effect the overall tender price. The client became aware of this fact that the actual Manhole quantity is more and the client shall have to pay around 5.48 million dollars (20 million dirhams) more. The client wrote a letter claiming this excess amount from consultant. This mistake happened at the pre-contracts stage, due to non-inclusion of the working of the Drainage bill quantity done by team member into the main BOQ excel file. Conclusion: Teamwork is important and each team member shall ensure that his part of work is included in the main work. Case study 2 Due to lack of time the area of concrete retaining wall was calculated as length multiplied by average height of 3.5m. During the execution of the work, the actual quantity seemed to be three times more than the quantity mentioned in the BOQ. This excess amount was out of the clients budget and he asked a justification from the consultant. This mistake happened since the QS preparing the quantities did not refer the road profile drawings in which, the starting and end point stating the heights of retaining wall were clearly mentioned. Conclusion: To check each and every drawing while calculating quantities, referring to partial drawings shall definitely mislead and create error. Case study 3 Due to non-availability of time between Tender document issuing date and Tender Opening date and also the pressure created from the project manager, major electro-mechanical items were missed from the Tender BOQ. Later on during construction period, lot of variations cropped up and the consultant was responsible for this loss to the client, as the contractor would have priced these with a competitive rate during the tender stage as compared to the present new rate. Conclusion: This mistake happened due to the pressure created by project manager to complete the work in short time. However this could have been avoided by extending the tender period and giving sufficient time to issue a proper well developed NTT. Case study 4 The client asked to submit all the four stage documents of the pre-contracts stages urgently one by one, by