Monday, September 30, 2019

Sam Cooke and A Change Is Gonna Come

In the midst of a time where black Americans were facing extreme ridicule and fighting for their rights, Sam Cooke arose from the Gospel music style and merged into the music known as Soul, a genre that spoke to the socially crumbling nation about peace and civil rights changes. Through his smooth style, velvety voice, handsome appearance, and appeal to black and white audiences alike, Sam Cooke made a difference in the lives of Americans in the 1960s by singing with pure emotion and soul, like in â€Å"A Change is Gonna Come. Through this genre’s sincere singing with lyrics full of emotion, a sense of understanding was brought to the people of America about the African-American struggle for equality. Soul music came from Gospel roots, emerging onto the music scene around the 1950s. Because it came from Gospel and Rhythm and Blues, the term â€Å"Soul† really is what is says: the music itself contains much feeling or â€Å"soul† in the lyrics, and the actual style of music and singing reflect gospel-hymns, just with secular lyrics instead (Scaruffi). Soul allowed the sexual innuendoes of blues lyrics, and gave way to a more catchy style that caught on with the young people of America. Major elements of Soul music include a sense of call-and-response between the soloist and the chorus, improvisation in singing various vocal runs, and an almost vocal ‘moaning’ in between lines of verses and choruses. Credited with inventing Soul is Ray Charles, who initially fused the call-and-response format with the song structure and chord changes of R&B, along with the vocal styles of Gospel (Gilmore). Charles’ song, â€Å"I’ve Got a Woman,† recorded in 1955, is credited to be the first Soul song, starting a craze of Soul that would flourish through the late 1990s. The 1960s, however, were the golden years of Soul, where the genre gave way to the fame of a few notable names like Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. The styles of these artists and many others in the realm of Soul became very versatile, appealing to audiences black and white alike (Gilmore). This music showed America a piece of what was going on in lives of African Americans, uniting them in a sense, through music (Stephens). In 1959, Berry Gordy created the record company, â€Å"Hitsville, USA,† which would later become Motown Records. Every artist who came into this record company was African American until the late 1980s, and they all sang Soul. This record company played a vital role in the Civil Rights Movement, as many of the company’s artists were strong advocates of the movement, and they wrote their songs about it (Werner, 15). Known as â€Å"black music† in its time, songs of Soul in the 1960s frequently paralleled the civil rights issues the blacks were having in America. It is said that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the Civil Rights Movement a vision, and the artists of Soul gave it a voice (Werner, 4). Because most, if not all, Soul artists at the time were African American, they could honestly sing about the true emotions they were feeling at the time and write songs that matched the reality black Americans were facing. Some of the songs that could have emulated the movement were â€Å"Respect† by Aretha Franklin, â€Å"Say It Loud, I’m Black and Proud† by James Brown, â€Å"Inner City Blues† by Marvin Gaye, and â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come† by Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on January 22, 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression. The son of a Baptist minister, Cooke grew up singing in churches and multiple Gospel groups in the Chicago area where his family eventually moved (Bowman). In the boom of Gospel music during the time, Cooke latched onto a group known as the Soul Stirrers and became semi-famous while with the group (Gulla, 110). As a Gospel singer, Cooke was recognized to be different. He was known as the â€Å"voice of change,† having more of a pure voice compared to other artists of his time (Werner, 31). Cooke began discovering his natural vocal technique, and while still channeling the sounds of Jesus, he drew in crowds with his elegance and composure (Gulla, 111). Bobby Womack, a singer who had sang alongside Cooke in some acts said, â€Å"He went out there and started singing and people would not believe his voice. † Sam Cooke was a different breed of Gospel singer, and he changed the style, giving it an edge and a more youthful appeal. In 1955, Cooke began cutting secular songs to make it big with Specialty Records, and became a hit instantly with his hits, â€Å"I’ll Come Running Back to You,† and â€Å"You Send Me† (Gulla, 114). His short career produced many memorable hits and records, and in the midst of it, Cooke served his black community in the struggle over civil rights. In parallel to the movement and in light of his son’s tragic death and Bob Dylan’s â€Å"Blowin’ In the Wind,† Cooke wrote, â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come† in 1963 (â€Å"Song Facts†). Cooke suddenly died in 1964, right before the release of the song, and black America plunged into despair because he had been a ray of light, a symbol of hope, and an emblem of equality and racial balance (Gulla, 109). He had been an icon for both blacks and whites alike. In spite of his shorted career, â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come† affected America with is raw lyrics and unprecedented emotion Cooke displays in his song. â€Å"A Change Is Gonna Come† was released eleven days after Cooke’s death as a final farewell to his audiences that loved him. The song expresses the soul of the freedom movement as clearly as one of Dr. King’s speeches (Werner, 33). The song begins with a melodramatic playing of the strings and French horn, interrupted by Cooke’s voice bearing witness to the restlessness that keeps him moving like the muddy river bordering the Delta where he was born. Cooke then goes vocally into what could seemingly be back to his Gospel roots, saying that â€Å"It’s been a long, long time coming,† and in the second â€Å"long,† Cooke carries the weight of of a bone-deep gospel weariness (Werner, 33). Cooke then gives reassurance to the listeners that he â€Å"know[s] a change is gonna come. † The classic â€Å"whoa-whoa-whoa,† a Sam Cooke signature, is sang in the middle of the word â€Å"know† to give it emphasis, claiming this truth to America and the world, that a change will indeed come. These same lines are repeated at the end of every verse, giving a clearer answer to the problems Cooke poses, saying â€Å"It’s been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will† (Werner, 34). The second verse declares, â€Å"It’s been too hard living, but I’m afraid to die,† giving way the hard troubles African Americans go through, and not to give up the fight, for what is up â€Å"beyond the sky† is unknown to Cooke. The third verse speaks of segregation: â€Å"I go to the movie and I go downtown, somebody keep telling me don't hang around,† meaning people turning him and others down publicly because they are black. Next is the bridge, and it is different musically: the steady beat of the percussion halts for a moment, and builds up to Cooke saying â€Å"I go to my brother†¦ but his winds keep knockin’ me down. † This suggests that his â€Å"brother† is the white population, denying blacks justice and peace in the midst of their trials when they continually ask for it. Cooke then lets out a deep, emotional â€Å"Ohhhhh† leading up to the climax of the last verse. The horns pick up stronger in the fourth verse, and the pace of the song gains a stronger, semi-faster tempo. The tempo and instrumentation of the last verse gives a bolder feel to the song, making it have a â€Å"victorious sound,† which are not as sentimental as the verses in the beginning of the song. This fourth verse declares the strength of Cooke, declaring, â€Å"I think I'm able to carry on. † This reveals that through all these troubles, he is willing to put up a fight and carry on with his life. The song is ended with the repeated lines again, and a beautiful exit of the strings and horns, ending on a harmonious chord, symbolizing a harmony in America that can be reached if a change really does come. The reception and legacy of Cooke’s â€Å"A Change is Gonna Come† has been extraordinary. Rolling Stone magazine declared it number 12 in the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (â€Å"Song Facts†). The song has been featured in many movies and videos about civil rights, most recently the movie, Malcolm X. Also, the song has been covered by over 50 artists, some of them today including ‘Lil Wayne, Seal, and Adam Lambert (â€Å"Song Facts†). The song still has not lost its Soul roots and meaning over time. Despite the Civil Rights Movement being over, the song can be applied to any issue, struggle, or hard time one may face, which is why it has withstood as a legendary song. â€Å"A Change is Gonna Come† will forever be remembered as a beacon of light to the people of the Civil Rights Movement, and as a highlight of Sam Cooke’s career. He brought Soul to a new level and created a more elegant, clean style with his realistic lyrics and Gospel rooted voice. Because of his achievements and the impact his song had on America, he is remembered as the â€Å"King of Soul,† and the man who â€Å"sang the change† (â€Å"Song Facts†).

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Religion †god’s Essay

There are eight dimensions of religiosity framed by Kendler which defines religiosity as a system of belief. These include general religiosity which included sensing one’s place within the universe and daily experience; social religiosity or in relation to others; involved God or the living or experiencing God’s presence; forgiveness is a virtue associated with being religious, God as judge is related to involved God but taken on the context of â€Å"God as authority† and notion of judgment and punishment which are attributions of divinity; unvengefulness is taken as the opposite of forgiveness referring to a pendulum swing from religiosity to fanaticism; finally, thankfulness is construed as coping scale reflecting the two ends of gratitude and anger at life and God (Kendler et al. , 2003). But nonetheless, the point of view used remained sociological and not religious as a mystic would for example introspect or meditate on the nature of suicidal act but the attribution of religiosity is important in understanding the class of individual and social group behavior patterns. For the purpose of this study, the mystical experience is assumed to be true but the Heisenberg’s uncertainty theory would make it impossible to fully describe the experience first hand. A conception and faith in an almighty force in the universe, thankfulness and communion with God could be taken as internal processes while forgiveness, unvengefulness and belonging to a religious group as social dimensions. Research on suicide showed importance of social networks particularly the primary groups in significantly reducing suicidal situations and hence its ideation, it would be difficult to differentiate social religiosity with other groupings, e. g. school science club. Hence, the author tends to regard religious experience in the level of personal understanding. Fear and love of God – the all powerful are still outward manifestations that is why it reflects strongly in group organizations and which have been institutionalized as in organized religions and churches. Looking at religiosity on psychological point of view symbolism and introspective evaluation techniques are relevant at least in trying to understand the internal dynamism of such an important belief. While it is not the wish of the researcher to go into theological discourse on the existence of one God almighty, it would be important in this research to have a glimpse on how such a belief is being reinforcement both at the social and individual or personal level. While there are a lot of accounts on mystical experiences, these experiences are not unique to purely religious experience but are even associated with use of hallucinogenic substances in some exotic religious rituals. Communion with nature or being one with nature is another area of vague divide between religious beliefs. We therefore view religion in two levels as a system of shared beliefs and as an experience. For the purpose, understanding suicide in the religious context, we take the personal view and relate the importance of such practice in the conception of self and in relation to other beings. Mind, body, and otherness: A tri-disciplinary approach in evaluating suicide syndrome Based from the review of the three disciplines, we can now combine the elements useful in evaluating a dangerous syndrome. From sociology we borrow the systematic approach to the study of groups while giving to value formation and its possible relationship with the notion of will. Value formation and exercise of will are considered human attributes. Is this natural or learned? This is clearly domain of psychology. Symbolic interactionism is one of the trends in thinking in sociology which parallel concerns in developmental psychology, that of the role of cognition in human behavior and how products of cognition are shared with others. Furthermore we limit the conceptualization of suicide into manageable numbers of variables including values, group organization, self perception, will and cognition, value and meaning of life. Taken together these variables could constitute what may be considered the psychosocial senses which enable us humans to relate self with the universe and in extreme cases, to severe such a psychosocial tie as in the case of suicide.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Building Positive Relationships in Children Essay Example for Free

Building Positive Relationships in Children Essay To help your child understand feelings you could do a feeling chart or make a feeling tree in your home. To make a feelings chart just draw out faces with how there expression might be when they are feeling that way an do the expressions yourself when showing them. This will give your child a better understanding of their feelings and how they can express them through facial expressions. For a feeling tree its much the same idea as a feeling card but you just take in a branch from a tree and stick the faces with the expressions on it. this will help a child express themselves when they can’t do it through facial expressions. Buy them some books with plenty of colourful pictures with the theme of friendship and them to them.this will help show them how nice it is to have friends and how to make them and keep them. It is only after the age of three that children can incorperate other children into their playtime activities so at around this age ask other parents if they would like to make a playdate for their child and yours n a regular basis.this will get your child used to other childrens company.you can also talk about what they did together at dinner or quiet time alone and encourage them to do it again. To help your child with communication you need to be a good example to them.talk to them as much as you can about your day and ask how theirs was.even talking about their favourite tv programme would be good as they will be more likely to talk about something that they’re interested in. To teach them about respect you need to set a good example for this as well. Giving them boundaries will also help and treating them with respect will encourage them to do the same to you. Factors that impact/Motivate children Tou tourself have a major impact on your child.they learn from how you react to situations and other peaople and will use this as a guide for themselves. Also the tv programmes that they watch will make an impact on them and can also motivate them to try new things that they wouldn’t of thought of themselves. . Building Positive Relationships in Children. (2016, Dec 08). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Friday, September 27, 2019

Improving Patient Flow in Emergency Departments Research Paper

Improving Patient Flow in Emergency Departments - Research Paper Example He added that the increased number of admissions and unscheduled patients has significant impacts on the entire emergency care delivery system. In the throughput phase, there were delays in the operating suites because it is mainly done in specific days of a week. He said that surgical operations are done on Mondays and Tuesdays rather than spreading out the operations throughout the week. It, therefore, means that surgeons and other clinical officers are very busy in some days and free in others. The administrator of Provicence Hospital added that the various problems faced experienced in the output phase include prolonged time of discharge or referral and incomplete treatments. He noted that the incomplete treatments is a common problem in ED because it leads to delayed discharges and referrals and can last for many weeks when patients are instructed to visit the ED again in specific dates (Hall, 2013). Bottlenecks and the metrics used to identify them as well as the challenges of the patient were also identified during the interview. Note that the term ‘bottlenecks’ is the part of the emergency care delivery systems that is obstructed to cause delays and waits. Metrics and the methods used to measure the efficiency of the system (Hall, 2013). Based on Mr. Johnson’s response, the bottlenecks in the emergency care delivery system can be divided into three groups. In the group for inputs, the major bottleneck is the delayed admission and registration of patients due to the fact that clinical care responsibilities are not separated from the paper and information flow. The metrics used to identify this issue involved the measurement of the time taken for patients to be registered. Do they wait for long on the benches? Based on his response, most of the patients admitted to the ED wait for around 40-45minutes before they are treated. In the group addressing the throughput, the main bottleneck identified is the creation of idle time

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Supporting new business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Supporting new business - Essay Example Identification of your competitors - Is there any product, similar to your product, available in the market If yes, how different would be your product from them Why will they buy your product when they are using pre-existing products To answer your potential customers, you will have to perform a gap analysis between your product and those available in the market and highlight the key features of your product that will be beneficial to them. In nut shell, prepare plans for beating the competition. Identification of sales channel for the product - Are you planning for direct sale Are you planning to sale it through the dealers or online on the internet How will the product be delivered to the customers Estimation of the underlying infrastructure needed to support your business - What kind of machinery will be required for the production How many people will be needed to manufacture your product Do you require human resources for any other function of the business One needs money to start a business and to run every function of the business. Where will the required financial support come from You need to assess your financial capacity against what your business needs and fill this gap by arranging for the additional money. Identification of the source of funding - Do you have enough money to support your business If not, who will... Correct estimation of sales and market potential for your product will help you in making a realistic financial plan than simply relying on assumptions. Business Plan: Inputs from market research will enable you making of systematic business plan. Through business plan, entrepreneur will focus on strategies for running the business. Some of the key tasks of a business plan are: Identify the location of the business - How big should be the premises Will it be easily accessible by the targeted customers Is it affordable Identification of sales channel for the product - Are you planning for direct sale Are you planning to sale it through the dealers or online on the internet How will the product be delivered to the customers Estimation of the underlying infrastructure needed to support your business - What kind of machinery will be required for the production How many people will be needed to manufacture your product Do you require human resources for any other function of the business Identification of sales and promotion strategy - How will you promote your products in the market How will you make targeted customers aware of your product Analysis of the possible risk/threats to the new business - Identify, in what ways your business may fail Think about the mitigation plans to tackle those failure modes Financial Investment and Planning: One needs money to start a business and to run every function of the business. Where will the required financial support come from You need to assess your financial capacity against what your business needs and fill this gap by arranging for the additional money. Financial planning refers to: Identification of the source of funding - Do you have enough money to support your business If not,

Fundamental of Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fundamental of Advertising - Essay Example Moreover, if the endorsing celebrity were to be experiencing scandals, then this could actually damage the corporate image of the advertiser. In addition, recommendation fatigue could ensue, if there were to be a high frequency use of the same celebrity (Huang, Hsieh, & Chen, 2011, p. 9971). It has been a long standing practice with marketers to improve the appeal of a brand by resorting to celebrity endorsement. Celebrities, unlike non – celebrities, can significantly improve the image of a product, and render an advertisement outstanding. In fact, a global celebrity can successfully traverse language barriers and promote a product in the international market. They serve to develop a para – social relationship, despite the absence of direct contact with consumers (Tantiseneepong, Gorton, & White, 2012, p. 57). A major advertising strategy is to resort to celebrity endorsers. In this advertising technique, a famous person recommends a product in an advertisement. It has been demonstrated by several studies that celebrity endorsers enhance recall rates with regard to marketing communications. Moreover, this strategy achieves a positive impact upon the attitude of consumers with regard to the brand (Boyland, Harrold, Kirkham, & Halford, 2012, p. 659). Consequently, there is an increase in the likelihood that these consumers would purchase the product. As such, these celebrities increase sales, due to an increase in attention towards advertisements, in which they participate. Furthermore, there is an extension of the celebrities’ credibility from their areas of fame to the product that they endorse (Boyland, Harrold, Kirkham, & Halford, 2012, p. 659). Moreover, sensationalism has made its way into marketing strategy, as consumers tend to identify to a greater degree with products that are endorsed by the so called regular guy. As a result, advertisers now believe that celebrity endorsement is very effective. The relationship between

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Production and Cost Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Production and Cost - Term Paper Example The article "Production and Cost" talks about the cost minimization and why it enhances the smooth operation of the organization and reduces raw materials wastage. Production should always be based on the best optimal way that emphasizes on customer value maximization. More importantly, proper controls on the production process and insistent of manufacturing only what is deemed necessary significantly reduces the cost of production. Natural resources and labor costs are the major expenses incurred in creating the final product. The optimum ordering levels should be maintained including the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) to enable smooth flow of production process. The natural resources, work in progress, and final goods must be honestly accounted for. Integration of organizational departments plays a pivotal role in minimizing the cost of production. Arguably, there is great need to reduce costs by considering both variable and fixed costs. Variable expenses can always be regulated to minimize the resulting cost of production. These are costs that increase as the output goes up and decreases when output reduces. Variable costs may comprise of natural resources and direct labor costs. They include costs such as electricity and overtime wages paid to workers involved in the direct production of goods. A company may, therefore, regulate its variable cost to minimize the cost of production. Fixed costs are exogenous hence unconnected with the output. The total fixed cost always remains independent for a long time.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Nursing reaearch Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nursing reaearch - Term Paper Example In addition, they also examine ways to improve clinical practice. Furthermore, nursing education research emphasizes the manner in which students acquire the discipline and professional practice of this noble profession, and the procedures for improving educational strategies to train scientists and clinicians (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2014). In addition, it is the bounded duty of nurses engaged in research to uphold the ethical conduct of clinical research. This responsibility can be successfully fulfilled only when there is understanding regarding the nature of clinical research and the factors that render clinical research ethical (Grady & Edgerly, 2009). There are several patients, who do not fully comprehend the ramifications of the treatment proposed by their attending physicians. Under these circumstances, the promotion of clinical research and the protection of the rights and interests of the patient require familiarity with the manner in which clinical practice and clinical research diverge (Grady & Edgerly, 2009). Grady, C., & Edgerly, M. (2009, December). Science, Technology, and Innovation: Nursing Responsibilities in Clinical Research. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from Nursing Clinics of North America:

Monday, September 23, 2019

Operation management and decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operation management and decision making - Essay Example This is an area of some uncertainty in the capacity planning process. Hitachi Ltd is one of the companies used capacity management as the main tool to plan and control its production processes and improve performance. Hitachi Ltd. is a global leader on the electronic market specialized in Electronic Devices, Power & Industrial Systems, Digital Media & Consumer Products, High Functional Materials & Components, Logistics and Financial Services. The paper and analysis will concentrate only on one sphere of its activity: Electronic Devices. These are represented by the following types of products: power tools, measurements tools, electronic devices, semiconductors, etc. A special attention will be given to one product, semiconductors. In this segment, the efforts of executives to improve the management process have resulted in an influx of technological advances. Semiconductors are manufactured in Japan and Asia (Hitachi semiconductors 2008). For Hitachi Ltd, capacity planning is not visionary or futuristic thinking, but an example of process versus substance. Capacity management for semiconductors is the process that creates a balance between what is desired and what is possible. Capacity management enables managers to distinguish truly important decisions from less important ones and to build a strategic agenda. It is a process that deals with interdepartmental issues and allows the organization to develop synergy among functional components. It is a process that helps managers deal with turbulent, complex, and influential environments. It helps to identify critical success factors or key result areas, to avoid incremental thinking, and to effectively deal with change. The main products for semiconductors are Interlayer Dielectric Materials, High Heat resistance Photopolymers, die bonding paste, different types of bonding films, Epoxy Molding Compounds, liquid encapsulants, a high heat resistant coating. The product pu rity is strongly affected by many upstream variations (Hitachi semiconductors 2008). Local engineering systems help stabilize the columns to insure that the product meets minimum market specifications. These variations result in higher energy consumption and lower production capacity. At times, large variations disrupt the column operation to such an extent that it is necessary to shut down and restart. The fundamental source of such variation is easily traced to variations in the rates and concentrations of the many feeds that are pumped to the tank farm. In this case, as a recycle facility, it is not practical to negotiate with the suppliers for more consistency in the raw materials. There is little choice but to take the recycled acid as it comes, variation and all. There is a possibility, however, of reducing the magnitude of the problem by modifying the process and control system designs to be less sensitive to such unavoidable upstream variations. The plumbing of the tank is c hanged to make better use of the capacity of the inventory to reduce the magnitude and the frequency of the variations seen by the columns (Chase & Jacobs 2003). The main outputs are power semiconductors (high voltage, diodes), semiconductors for communication systems, and SDRAM for electronic technology (Hitachi semiconductors 2008).. "Improvements in production and inventory control translate

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Guide for Ema Essay Example for Free

Guide for Ema Essay Guidance notes The three texts below provide information about the business environment for the Facebook company in May 2012. For this task, imagine you work for Facebook, and you have been tasked with carrying out a SWOT analysis on the company to determine whether this is the right time for the company to grow. Your job is to write a SWOT analysis and a report based on this analysis. You are writing this analysis and report for the senior management team. Your analysis should provide the team with a complete overview of the situation and should end with suggestions for what the company should do based on your analysis. This task requires you to demonstrate your skill in selecting and organising information to produce a company analysis. You should include a SWOT table or grid in your analysis and organise the document according to the SWOT framework. You should focus on the interaction between the Facebook’s internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) on the one hand, and its external environment (opportunities and threats) on the other. Your SWOT analysis should form the basis of the suggestions you make about the company’s future actions. To accomplish this task you will need to draw on the case study analysis skills covered in Book 1 of the module and the report-writing skills covered in Book 3. Remember to use the referencing conventions that have been taught in the module when you refer to the sources of information that you use. You may benefit from writing one or more drafts before you produce a final version of your report. The Influential Document Checklist will be a useful reference in this process (see the Appendix to Book 3). Your answer for Task 2 should be about 1000 words in length. Please note that all tables and diagrams included count towards your word limit. Your reference list does not count, however. Text 1 Facebook (Facebook IPO, May 2012) Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with 845 million active users around the world, and roughly 200 million in the United States, or two-thirds of the population. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room at Harvard, Facebook grew from being a quirky site for college students into a popular platform that is used to sell cars and movies, win over  voters in presidential elections and organize protest movements. It offers advertisers a global platform, with the exception of China, where Facebook does not operate. Facebook took its first step toward becoming a publicly traded company in February 2012, when it filed to sell shares on the stock market. The service is on track to be the largest Internet initial public offering ever — trumping Google’s in 2004 or Netscape’s nearly a decade before that. In its filing, Facebook said it was seeking to raise $5 billion. On May 3, Facebook set the estimated price for its I.P.O. at $28 to $35 a share, according to a revised prospectus. At the midpoint of the range, the social networking company is on track to raise $10.6 billion, in a debut that could value the company at $86 billion. Investors have been eagerly awaiting the Facebook offering, lured by the prospect of strong growth: in the first quarter, Facebook’s daily active users, a measure of engagement, increased by 41 per cent, to 526 million. Still, Facebook is experiencing the growing pains typical of a technology start-up. While revenue continues to rise, profit sputtered in the first three months of the year, falling 12 per cent, to $205 million, as expenses jumped significantly. Seeking to Offer More Disclosure to Users Facebook, unlike any other site, has come to define the social era of the Web. More than a portal, its value lies in its dynamic network of social connections and the massive amount of information shared by its users. Facebook, in many ways, is a data processor, archiving and analyzing every shred of information, from our interests, to our locations, to every article and link that we like. The collection of data is a potential goldmine for advertisers. On the other hand, all that information raises questions about Facebook’s privacy practices. Over the years it has faced intense scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. As it prepares to go public, it has been seeking to offer more disclosure to users. In April 2012, it announced it was expanding its downloadable archive feature, called Download Your Information, to provide greater transparency on the types of data on individuals that the compa ny stores. More Advertising, More Dollars Facebook’s hundreds of millions of users could soon be faced with a lot more  advertising — in their newsfeed, on their mobile devices and even when they log off. In early March 2012, the company announced a new suite of advertising products intended to insert more ads into Facebook’s traditionally clean interface and to take more advantage of mobile ads, where the company has struggled. The announcement was made at the company’s first marketing conference, held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. For users, the announcement could mean many more ads on Facebook. For advertisers, the effort offers a chance to reach more users in more places. Despite aggressively courting Madison Avenue for the last few years, Facebook has been an anomaly in the world of digital advertising. The ad units offered less creative options for advertisers who want to, say, take over the site’s home page or add moving text to an ad. Rather, the value in Facebook’s ads was in their data and personalization. The potential for more ad dollars was reflected in the company’s first filing for a public offering in February. At the time, analysts said the company was expected to be valued at $75 billion to $100 billion. But according to the filing, Facebook made only $3.7 billion in revenue last year, the bulk of that from advertising. Until now, advertisers were largely limited to a variety of ad spaces that were positioned on the right side of the Facebook home page, in addition to creating their own Facebook pages. The company said a new set of premium ads will run at different points in the site, with a special emphasis on ads running throughout a user’s mobile feed. Facebook’s Biggest Stumbling Block: Privacy Practices Facebook’s biggest stumbling block has been its privacy practices. As the world’s largest social network, Facebook has been under intense scrutiny from consumers, courts and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. But as a company preparing to go public, it is under pressure to find new ways to turn that data into profit. The company has repeatedly alienated users over privacy — as in the case of the 2007 controversy over Beacon, a tool that automatically posted on Facebook what its users did or bought on other sites. It has also faced lawsuits over the use of its members’ like endorsements in ads and drawn scrutiny for a facial recognition feature. The scrutiny is at its most intense in Europe, where Facebook’s data collection practices have tested  the boundaries of stringent privacy laws. In the United States, Facebook faces government audits for the next 20 years about how it collects and share s data, along with an assortment of lawsuits that accuse the company of tracking users across the Web. In November 2011, the company announced a settlement agreement with the Federal Trade Commission, which accused Facebook of having deceived its customers about privacy settings. After the F.T.C. order, Mark Zuckerberg conceded in a blog post that the company had made a bunch of mistakes, but he said it had already fixed several of the issues cited by the commission. In August 2011, Facebook made changes that it said were aimed at helping users get a grip on what they shared. When users added pictures, comments or other content to their profile pages, they could specify who could see it: all of their Facebook friends, a specific group of friends or everyone who has access to the Internet. Revamping Its Profile Design In December 2011, Facebook rolled out a revamped profile design called Timeline, which makes a user’s entire history of photos, links and other things shared on the site much more accessible with a single click. That could be when many of Facebook’s 800 million members realized just how many digital breadcrumbs they had been leaving on the site — and on the Web in general. The old Facebook profile page showed the most recent items a user posted, along with things like photos of them posted by others. But Timeline creates a scrapbook-like montage, assembling photos, links and updates for each month and year since they signed up for Facebook. For better or worse, the new format is likely to bring back old memories. Going forward, it could also make it harder to shed past identities — something that people growing up with Facebook might struggle with as they transition from high school to college, and from there to the working world. Analysts said Timeline was a significant evolutionary shift for Facebook. For starters, linking Facebook more closely to memories could make it harder for people to abandon the service for rivals. Buying Instagram for $1 Billion In early April 2012, Facebook said it had agreed to buy Instagram, the popular mobile-centric photo-sharing service, for $1 billion in cash and stock, giving it a stronger foothold in the market for mobile apps. It would  be Facebook’s largest acquisition to date by far. Instagram is a social network built around cellphone photos. It lets people add quirky filters and effects to their snapshots and share them with friends, who can like and comment on them. The service has been something of a rising star in the start-up world. Barely two years old, it has attracted close to 30 million users, even though it worked only on iPhones until early April, when it released an Android version of its app. Text 2 Facebook Cites Google+ With Mobile Shift Among Potential Risks By Brian Womack on February 08, 2012 Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) – Facebook Inc., the social network that filed for an initial public offering yesterday, listed rivalry with Google Inc., regulatory scrutiny, hacker attacks and the shift to mobile technology among the risks it faces. Facebook’s competition with Google, Twitter Inc. and other social-networking providers could impede growth, the company said in the risk-factors section of its filing. Facebook also said it would face competition in China if it manages to gain access to that market, where it’s currently restricted. Certain competitors, including Google, could use strong or dominant positions in one or more markets to gain competitive advantage against us in areas where we operate, Facebook said. Their tactics may include integrating competing social-networking platforms or features into products they control, the company said. Facebook, the world’s biggest social-networking service, has attracted more rivals as its popularity among users a nd advertisers soars. The company said it faces significant competition in almost every aspect of its business. The company also cited concerns about its mobile strategy. Almost all of its revenue comes from ads delivered to computers, not phones and tablets. Facebook’s mobile software currently generates no meaningful revenue, the Menlo Park, California-based company said. Facebook further cautioned that key mobile devices, such as Apple Inc.’s iOS products and gadgets running Google’s Android software, may not feature Facebook in the future. If either of these companies gives preference to another social network – say, if Google promotes its own Google+ more aggressively – Facebook’s growth could be jeopardized. Unforeseen Threats Bigger pitfalls could yet emerge, said Kevin Landis, the portfolio manager for the Firsthand Technology Value Fund, which holds Facebook shares. Google, for instance, couldn’t have foreseen the emergence of Facebook in 2004, when it went public. Let me put it this way: If you go back to Google’s S-1 in their risk factors, there’s no mention of Facebook, Landis said. Facebook was founded in 2004. Facebook also has considered entering China, which would bring its own challenges. The country has censorship laws that have kept Facebook and other social-media companies, including Twitter Inc. and Google’s YouTube, from operating there. We continue to evaluate entering China, Facebook said. China is a large potential market for Facebook, but users are generally restricted from accessing Facebook from China. We do not know if we will be able to find an approach to managing content and information that will be acceptable to us and to the Chinese government. Depend ent on Zynga Another risk: Facebook relies on Zynga Inc. for 12 percent of its revenue, according to the filing. San Francisco-based Zynga is the biggest developer of Facebook games, including CityVille and Texas HoldEm. The revenue comes from Zynga’s sales of virtual goods and from direct advertising purchased by Zynga. In addition, Zynga produces a significant number of pages on which Facebook displays ads. The dependence goes both ways. Zynga gets more than 90 per cent of its revenue from the social network. If we are unable to successfully maintain this relationship, our financial results could be harmed, Facebook said of Zynga. Facebook also said it faces pressure from governmental bodies. It’s possible that a regulatory inquiry might lead to changes to policies or practices, the company said. Regulatory Constraints Violation of existing or future regulatory orders or consent decrees could subject us to substantial monetary fines and other penalties that could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations, according to the filing. Text 3 As Privacy Concerns Grow, More Social Media Users Are Unfriending FEBRUARY 24, 2012 AT 7:00 AM PT by Lauren Goode As concerns about online privacy grow, users of social media sites are increasingly looking to unfriend other users and prune their personal profiles, according to a new report out today from Pew Research Center. More than 60 per cent of social media users said last year that they deleted people from their friends lists, up from 56 per cent in 2009; and 26 per cent of users who keep their profiles private say they apply additional privacy settings to limit what some friends can see. Profile pruning – deleting comments friends leave and untagging photos – is also on the rise, the report says. Women are significantly more likely to keep their profiles private, and are more likely to unfriend people than men are, with 67 per cent of women saying they’ve removed friends, compared with 58 per cent of men. Young people are more likely to manage their social media presences by deleting comments and untagging photos. The report comes just as the White House has moved to create a privacy bill of rights aimed at governing online data tracking. One of the issues at hand is a do not track tool which Web companies like Google have just agreed to support. Last week, Google was reported to be using deceptive practices to track Web users in certain browsers. As The Wall Street Journal notes, though, a do not track button would allow for some Web data collection – such as the data gathered through Facebook’s Like button. Pew is careful not to point to Facebook directly throughout the report, but notes that Facebook is by far the most popular U.S. social network (in its recent S-1 filing, Facebook showed that its user base has ballooned to more than 845 million). Pew’s report says that the term privacy settings – as well as unfriend – is part and parcel of the Facebook experience. The Pew survey on Internet usages was conducted between April and May of last year, and sampled more than 2,200 U.S. adults 18 and older. The survey found that two-thirds of U.S. Internet users had profiles on social networking sites, up from just 20 per cent in 2006. In terms of who was more likely to post things on social networks that they later admitted they regretted, males were almost twice as likely to do so, with 15 per cent copping to it, than were females, at 8 per cent. Young adults, age 18 to 29, were also more likely to post content that they’d later regret on social networks. Part 3 Task Write a reflective piece on your experience of participating on this module. Consider the questions that follow to guide you with your writing. * What was your overall experience of studying on LB160? * What were the most useful skills you learned on this module? Why? * If you engaged with the online activities on the module, what was your experience of using the Tutor Group Forum (TGF)? What were the strengths and weaknesses of the TGF you participated in? How would you evaluate the process of working collaboratively with other students? What did you learn from them? What skills did you develop through your online participation? * If you did not participate in the online activities, how did you find working on your own on the module? Do you think you would have benefited if you had been able to participate online? How? * Guidance notes * Your reflective piece should not be written in a question and answer format but as continuous text. Be sure to use examples as evidence to support your claims. * For this task we advise you to organise your text as Problem–Solution. Here, Problem implies a ‘gap’ in someone’s skills. You need to demonstrate in your text how such a ‘gap’ (if any) was addressed by LB160. You may also like to see your reflective piece as Claim–Evidence because generally you make a claim that certain skills were improved by presenting some evidence. If you like, you may want to use sub-headings too but they are not essential. * It is important to be honest in your evaluation. Negative experiences of the module are as valid as positive ones and you will not be penalised for reporting negative experiences. For the same reason, you will be assessed on the way you reflect on your learning, not on whether or not you were involved in the online activities. So feel free to use this opportunity to feed back to the module team on what the module experience was like for you. * Your reflective piece for Task 3 should be about 500 words in length.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Environmental Forces In The Indian Shipping Industry

Environmental Forces In The Indian Shipping Industry The global shipbuilding industry has changed in the last two decades, the demand and supply of goods in the international market, that many sectors in the market of shipbuilding in force. The transport of goods in bulk can only be transported by large commercial cargo ships. Shipping industry is a huge industry that requires a lot of skilled and cheap labour. Shipping industry requires expensive investments. In the 1960s Europe were dominant in this industry. Globalization and free trade have opened up opportunities for new life to the shipping industry. There are many factors that directly or indirectly affects to the present day companies such as government policies, regulations, laws, competition, technology, international organizations, institutions of world trade, minimum wage, accidents, risk, violence, safety, labour, supplies, etc. So for any company to survive they have to manage the strategies accordingly to overcome those factors. But in practice it is virtually impossible to consider all these various factors. There are certain forces like PEST that determine the external factors to the environments of shipping industry. Here I found that, the Indian government is providing enormous support to promote foreign trade for the economic development and from my personal experience in shipping industry under Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) gave me thrust to explore more about the Indian shipping industry. Here I analysed the Indian shipping industries growth and present situation using PEST forces. The four environmental forces [PEST] are discussed in this report are as follows 1. Political 2. Economic 3. Social 4. Technology 1 Introduction 1.1 MACRO ENVIRONMENT The major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organizations decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the economic factors; demographics, legal, political, and social conditions, technological changes, and natural forces. A PEST analysis is used to analyze the external environment that affects al firms. PEST is a short form of political, economical, social and technological factors of the external macro environment. Changes in the external environment also create new opportunities and the letters are rearranged to construct the more optimistic term of STEP analysis. Many macro environmental factors are country specific and a PEST analysis will need to be performed for all countries of interest. Specific examples of macro environment influences include competitors, changes in interest rates, changes in cultural tastes, disastrous weather, or government regulations. 1.2 Indian shipping Industry In todays fast moving world of airplanes, traveling by sea is very slow, but when we talk about transporting heavy and mass delivery of goods, ships can be the only option. The marine and the sea trade have always been given the first preference in India and also all over the world. This is the main reason that, marine industry is considered the largest transportation industry. Shipping industry involves huge workforce, huge investment and modern technology for smooth running. Shipping is a time consuming process. As we know import and exports contribute the national income of the country, where major imports and exports are done through the sea. The main driving factor of this industry is the GDP growth. Over the past years the shipping industry has shifted its primarily base from the dominating nation like Europe to now Asia. The Indian shipping consists of about 616 vessels with a total capacity of 6.62 million gross tonnages (GRT). Of these, about 258 ships in overseas trade and the other layers operate domestic routes. After a period of decline, both tonnage and fleet size has grown recently with the addition of vessels tugs, survey vessels, towing vessels and pilot vessels one of the Ports and Maritime Board. These were recorded between April 2002 and March 2003. There are approximately 55 shipping companies in the industry, of which 19 are exclusively in the coastal areas of trade and 29 operating in the overseas trade. The rest operate in both types of trade. Â   A few major players dominate the sector. Of these, the State Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and the private sectors Great Eastern Shipping has mixed fleet. Other companies like Essar Shipping are focused on energy trade and mainly operates tankers. Chowgule Shipping and Varun shipping are two other major companies in the industry. Varun Shipping is especially deals with bulk, gas and chemical transport and Chowgule shipping moves bulk commodities like iron ore, grain, coal, fertilizer, etc Here we will analyze the overall Indian shipping industry using PEST analysis which refers to factors like Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors. 2 Political Factors Shipping industry in India is administered by central government through Ministry of Shipping with the individual responsibility to plan policies, programme and its implementation. Every port in India is governed under Major Port Trust Act 1963 and Indian Ports Act 1980 and administered independently by board of trustees under direct orders from central government. Due to the immense involvement of the government political force are more important in India. 2.1 Appointment of Custom House Agents Customs House Agent (CHA) is a person who is appointed by the government to act as an agent for operation of any business relating to the entry or departure of conveyances or the import or export of goods at any Customs station. These agents are governed by Customs House Agents Licensing Regulations, 1984 which involve responsibilities like filing bills of entry, shipping bills, submitting documents, helping in examination of goods, payment of duty on behalf of principal, storage and movement of goods. These agents act as an intermediate between importer, exporter, clearing agent and custom house due to the more involvement and technical behaviour of work involved in connection with the clearance of cargo. These agents are selected after clearing certain criterias like minimum qualification as graduation, practical working experience in customs for 3 years, consistency of applicant, financial soundness and completion of oral and written examination with maximum 3 attempts. This kind of agents affects positively in the Indian shipping sector, because it prevents the fraud and illegal entry and controls the activities of shipping business in a particular manner. 2.2 Infrastructure Development Maritime transport is a national social and economic development infrastructure. It will affect the speed, structure and mode of development. 90% of Indias foreign trade conducted by sea, unlike the existing port infrastructure and trade will not be sufficient treatment. In recent years, the Government has started in return for up to 100% of the tax exemption of up to 10 years to promote PPP model in infrastructure project investment up to 100% relief, ADIs incentives. As a result of this a huge amount of investments have been made by foreign companies like Maersk, PO Ports, Dubai Ports International and PSA Singapore for the development of port and operation activities. This type of activity helps to encourage the shipping industry for the new investors, while it also gives the benefit to the existing market players by providing loans and other facilities, and helps in development of sites, this factor is positively affect the industry. 2.3 Anti Sea Piracy: Government is actively involved in reducing the sea piracy in Gulf of Aden off Somalia coast. Pirates became a major problem in the recent time for the shipping industry, especially during the trade and transit between India and other counties like Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Egypt and Ethiopia. To protect vessels and crew from such pirate attacks, India has deployed its naval warship in Gulf of Aden since 2008 under informal Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS). This was accepted by 22 countries for securing their vessels from the coast of Somalia from pirates. Around 59 Indian vessels are hijacked in the year 2009 till date but none of the crew members or vessels has been held detained due to proactive and timely measures by government. This policy negatively affects the industry, because due to policy of government businesses in sea is not safe at Somalia coast. So the shipping business was suffering a lot because none of the companies want to do their business in such dangerous places. 2.4 Safeguarding Domestic Market: With the action of anti dumping and anti subsidy measures and comply with the WTO agreement, government seek to provide necessary relief and protection to domestic companies against dumping of goods and articles at cheaper rates by exporting companies of foreign countries. India has been a victim since long time against such unfair practices in items like import of chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textile, steel and other consumer products which were dumped at cheaper rates than offered by Indian companies. Under these anti dumping measures government charges an additional duty on such cheap imported products making it equivalent to price offered by domestic market. These factors will effect negatively to the shipping business in India. This is because the anti dumping and high duty will discourage the foreign players to invest in Indian market, because of less opportunity and less import in such a situation. 2.5 Promoting Exports: To overcome shortcomings on account of multiple controls and clearances, absence of world class infrastructure, unstable fiscal regime and with a view to attract larger foreign investments in India, the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Policy was announced in April 2000. This policy intends to make SEZs an engine for economic growth, employment opportunities, attract foreign direct investment, infrastructure development with attractive incentives like exemption from central and state taxes, 100% income tax exemption for 5 years, duty free imports, exemption from custom and excise duties etc. As a result there are presently 105 SEZ units operational in India with continuous growth rate of more than 50% annually. Even during the period of recession when global markets were struggling Indian SEZs were booming with growth rate of 93% and 50% in fiscal year 2008-2009 and 2009-20010 respectively. These factors will positively affect the shipping business in India. As the other benefits and tax saving in SEZ is more, the foreign companies are interested to invest in Indian Shipping Industry, which will improve the development of Indian shipping industry. Also 100% benefit in tax and other duty free schemes encourage the domestic companies to invest more and more and export as much as possible. This will result into high growth of industry. Overall, from the above factors, two factors will negatively affects the shipping industry and two will positively affect the shipping industry in India. All the present and upcoming governments are interested in development of shipping industry. So, the political factors are positively affects the shipping industry. 3 Economic Factors: Economic factors are as important as political factors that affect not only this industry but every industry in every corner of the world. Change in economic conditions at domestic or at international level mostly affects the functioning of each industry, following are some of the economic factors that may affect shipping industry. Exchange Rates are required for determining the custom duties and excise duties, assessment of import and export goods, payment of duties etc. These rates are not uniform and fluctuate daily in line with demand-supply factors existing in international markets. The Indian government used to inform the shipping authority about the monthly exchange rate, through monthly notification. This ensures that dealing and communication between trade bodies and government agencies, in respect of duties and value of goods is uniformed across all ports and across all custom houses throughout India, instead of different rates and different value. 3.1 Rationalization Measures With the incentives like minimal or zero custom duty, government is promoting trade of medical equipments, construction machineries, renewable sources of energy, bio degradable products, solar energy, export of species, tea/ coffee plantation and agricultural machinery etc. At the same time the Indian government demotes import of products like petrol, diesel, precious metals which add no value to the economy as a whole. These validation measures are available to improve infrastructure, quality of life of people, better facilities and environment friendly products. These factors affect positively to the shipping industries, as encouragement from the government for export, agricultural improvements etc will increase the export and increase the profitability of Indian shipping industry. 3.2 Push n Pull Factors Due to global recession for the last few years liquidity of countries around the world has affected badly. As a result of the recession many governments have increased the percentage rates on fixed and saving deposits to pull out money from its people to fund the shortage. This move was successful to some extent which was further boosted by relaxation in income tax slabs. For example, individual in India earning 5 lacks (0.5 million) or more was paying 30% tax under previous rules which is now decreased by 20% under Union Budget 2010-11. This means saving of Rs 50,000 by way of tax annually which has indirectly increased the buying power of that individual. Government also made tax relaxations, if the investment is made in national health care, medical and infrastructure projects. These new procedures and relaxations have provided relief to around 60% of taxpayers by way of savings in taxes. This factor is also positively affects the shipping industry indirectly, as the circulation of money getting high, the demographic pattern of people will also change like income, purchasing power etc. which will increase the business of shipping by more movement of goods and services for meet the high demands. 3.3 Inflation The inflation rate reflects changes in supply and demand conditions in economy. Inflation management therefore involves controlling demand and supply factors by various monetary and fiscal measures respectively. Before global recession wholesale price index (WPI) inflation was high due to the raw material and fuel prices increase, resulting decreased due to meltdown in the global economy, which has resulted in the sharp decline in commodity prices. Due to the above factors the inflation rate in India during the period 2008-09 was 10.20% which has reached to 1.63% in 2009-10. As regards food inflation, the continuous increase in inflation rate from start of 2009-10 was majorly due to unfavourable monsoon in India which was worst since 1972. Food inflation has reached double digits because of shortage in supply of wheat, rice, pulses, sugar, onions and potatoes. Government initiated several anti-inflationary measures such as exempting duties on import of rice, wheat, pulses, edible oils to bring more imports to country and also allowing distribution of rice and wheat to consumers through public distribution centres (PDS). So to control the increase in price further trading, exports have also been suspended for rice, wheat and onions. However inflation in India was much better and inactive compared to other countries of world. Inflation rate negatively affect the Indian shipping industry, because high rate of inflation will resulted into high prices and high rate of transfer of goods will decrease the business of shipping. Overall, economic factors are positively affects the shipping industry. Except inflation all factors are positively affects the shipping industry and growth rate is also high. 4 Social Forces 4.1 Quick Facts Indian civilization can be traced back to 3400 BC during the development of Indus Valley Civilization. India lies to the north of the equator between 6Â °44 and 35Â °30 north latitude and 68Â °7 and 97Â °25 east longitude. Indias coast is 7,517 kilometres long which consists of 43% sandy beaches, 11% rocky coast including cliffs, and 46% mudflats or marshy coast India has a GDP of over USD 1.367 trillion, the 11th largest in the world. It is the 4th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. Its per capita income is USD 1124, 139th in the world. Population in India is second highest in the world. As of 2010, Indias population is estimated to be 1.18 billion. India ranks 139th globally under medium human development category according to human development index (HDI). Due to significant changes in economic reforms undertaken during the industrial revolution in 1991, India has transformed itself to one of the fastest growing economies in world. India is also a strong member of Commonwealth of Nations, SAARC, and WTO. Indias strong 55,000 military personnels are serving in 35 UN peacekeeping operations across 4 continents. 4.2 Demographics India has more land than any other country except United States, and largest water covered area after Canada and United States. Indian life revolves mostly around agriculture and allied activities in small villages, where the vast majority of Indians live. As per the 2001 census, 72.2% of the population lives in about 638,000 villages and the remaining 27.8% lives in more than 5,100 towns and over 380 urban areas. In languages Hindi is used by over 80% of population in India followed by Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.4%) and Sikhs (1.3%). Muslim population in India is third largest in world after Indonesia and Pakistan. 57% of population in India is between age group 15-59 years while around 35% of population is below 15 years. Literacy rate in India is 64.8% overall distributed between urban (79.9%) and rural areas (58.7%). This factor is positively affects the shipping industry, as difference in location, demand people will demand different things and import of it will increase the s hipping business. 4.3 Cultural Trends Trends are a sign of new enablers unlocking existing human needs which are constantly changing with time. Cultural trend reflects in many tangible aspects ranging from architecture to attire to food to culture which are deeply embedded in the rich historical and geographical elements of the country. In the past two decades, India has seen number of changes, more seen as an after effect of globalization. A nation of thinkers has become a nation of makers, eco sensitivity is on the rise, and all this has translated into a new language of patriotism, and speaks of a newly defined culture. This cultural shift has definite impacts on the Indian work scenario. Start-ups today have fresh innovative concepts and exciting working models which highlights the key socio-cultural trends in India. Businesses are increasingly catering to rational, practical and current cultural needs and are not based only on traditional models and offerings. Indian society is defined by relatively strict social hi erarchy because of high degree of syncretism and cultural pluralism. Marriage is considered to be a thought for life and therefore divorce rate is extremely low in India. 4.4 Recent Trends in 2011 Government has started its long awaited prosperous plan to provide unique identification number to every citizen which would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services. It would also act as a tool for effective monitoring of various programs and schemes of the Government. This program of unique identification will strengthen transparency and accountability. Plans are also underway to improve literacy rate of 60mn females among 70mn illiterate adults through introduction of Saakshar Bharat (Educate India) scheme enhancing post metric scholarships schemes for scheduled cast students. National Social Security Fund for unorganized sector workers to be set up with an initial allocation of Rs. 10,000mn. This fund will support schemes for weavers, toddy tappers, rickshaw pullers etc. Various such measures are being taken by government to improve the education level in rural areas, improving the health of rural people and those living below poverty line, develo ping rural infrastructure and rural housing. Overall, socio cultural factors positively affect the industry. Because people are more relay on shipping and this will increases the growth. 5 Technological Factors Technologies significantly affect humans ability to control and adapt to their natural environments. Technological development like printer, telephones and internet to name a few have narrowed physical barriers to communication and allowed human to interact freely on a global scale. However, not all technology innovations are good for society like development of nuclear and other weapons which only create destruction. In recent times, more encouragement is being given to new technologies which are environment friendly. Shipping industry is majorly dependent on technology which fastens the movement of goods and ships data processing, control the increased throughput, better delivery and communication, reducing fuel consumption and costs. We will see some of the benefits of technology to revolutionize the shipping industry. 5.1 Faster Data Processing Traditional methods of manual data entry with typewriters for the preparation of shipping documents, invoices, the survey reports, and load / discharge list were taken over by computers and the Internet. Now customers prepare shipping instructions in their own office with computers and direct delivery to shipping companies for the preparation of bills of lading using the internet. Customers also receive web invoices and payments to shipping companies with online banking. This technology has improved in changing the way people have traditionally been the work with greater ease, flexibility and efficiency. Customers can also track estimated arrival / departure of cargo to / from Terminal Operators on site because of the synchronization between companies system and the Internet. CHA and shipping companies have also benefited with this technological improvement. They are now able to communicate with customs, government offices easily through mails and can send official shipping documents using encrypted data transfer channel. These e-business solutions, organizations benefit through low costs, reduction in errors, short processing times, reusable data, real time information, less rekeying, saving of phone, fax and courier costs, secure solutions, seamless flow etc. These e-solutions have been further boosted in shipping with the introduction of INTTRA (Third E-business platform), which has allowed customers to send the same data to multiple operators, rather than sending each data individually to each operator. Now almost every shipping communication between customer and shipping lines are being done using this system. Another breakthrough in this area was the implementation of customs EDI system (electronic data interchange), which connected Indian customs with companies in international trade electronically. The main purpose for its implementation was to respond quickly to the needs of trade, the reduction of trade interaction with authorities, uniformity of assessment and evaluation across all custom stations, providing quick and correct information and statistics to policy makers. Due to the increased data accuracy, security and management the paper work, operational time and costs reduced drastically. 5.2 Ship Technology Changes in shipbuilding and engineering design technology and material changes made to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, thereby reducing erosion to save marine ecosystems and to increase fuel efficiency. One innovation which is underway in field of recirculation of exhaust gases in ships, which will reduce pollution of nitrogen oxide in atmosphere. A company named MAN has produced the diesel engine using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system that can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% today and 80% in near future. The system works by directing part of a vessels exhaust gas back into the engine scavenge air, reducing the oxygen content in the combustion chamber. The reduced lower combustion temperature in turn reduces the formation of nitrogen oxide. Testing of this prototype system will be done in of the container vessel in current year (2011). Another technology is developed by SISTEMAR, in design of propeller which is expected to increase efficiency of the ship by 5% to 8%. This contracted and loaded tip (CLT) propeller is an unconventional propeller which will reduce tip vortex, reduce cavitations, improve manoeuvring and will reduce emission by 5% to 8% compared to conventional propellers. After the initial testing it has been found that new propeller has significantly reduced vibrations onboard the ship, increased the efficiency and the propeller is causing low induced pressure pulses. Overall, technological factors positively affect the shipping industry, because the development of technology will reduce the time of process and useful in timely decisions. New technological advances will increase the business by improving service quality and high performance processing. 6 Conclusions and Recommendation Container line business is a flamboyant industry not only in India but in whole world. Due to fast economic growth as in the past, trade between India and developed countries has increased appreciably. India is now seen as export making country from its traditional tag of import specific country. As a result of this development, shipping industry is progressing at average rate of 10% during the last 3 years. It is also important that government of India and Ministry of Shipping in particular should take more positive steps like setting up automated container terminals, increasing more dry cargo berths, liberal regulations in free movement of foreign exchange and international trade, easing export/ import duties to make this industry work more freely and contribute even more to economic development of the country. Companies at same time should adapt more technology to make easy and efficient work environment for customers and employees. Looking ahead it seems strong prospective in growth markets, where the number of middle-income consumers is booming. In 2011, government should focus the main part of its attention and investments in these markets. In the start of the worst year ever for container activities is in 2008 2009 due to recession, the Indian government continued its focus on strengthening competitiveness.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Alchemy, The Foundation of Science Essay -- Scientific Research

â€Å"As the last drops fell from the glass to my tongue, I wondered - only for an instant - what perhaps I'd never know. What would it taste like, what would it feel like, if that liquid sliding down my throat was not champagne. But the elixir of life† (Neville). The concept of an elixir of life discussed in Katherine Neville’s book, The Eight, is by no means a new concept. In fact, it is one of the main goals of of a group of people, alchemists, who first recorded their workings 2500 years ago (Bateman). Alchemists have greatly shaped much of science and society. Alchemy has a very long history that also reaches around the world. â€Å"Though long associated in the Western world with medieval Europe, alchemy was a philosophy and proto-scientific practice common to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Persia, India, China, Japan, Korea, Greece, and Rome† (Campbell). Alchemy is believed though, to have started in either Egypt or China. (Bateman) â€Å"Alchemy was the attempt to transmute, or change, one substance into another† (Campbell). And alchemy, at its core, â€Å"was an attempt to understand, deconstruct, and reconstruct matter† (Campbell). This is very similar to the purpose of chemistry, which is: to understand matter and the changes matter undergoes. Alchemists were hoping to use their understanding of matter to fulfill three tasks. Alchemists worked to find â€Å"the elixir, a drink that could make a person live forever; the panacea, a medicine that could cure all illnesses; and the Philosopher’s Ston e, which could turn any metal into gold† (Bateman). â€Å"Much of the work of alchemists is remembered as the work of wizards and witches. They made potions and remedies and thought that matter could be transformed using magic† (Bateman). And eve... ..., CT: Brown Bear, 2010. Print. Campbell, Margaret Christine., and Natalie Goldstein. Discovering Atoms. New YorK: Rosen Pub., 2012. Print. Carney, Linda L. "Alchemy in Selected Plays of Shakespeare." Diss. Drake University, 1977. Abstract. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Neville, Katherine. The Eight: A Novel. New York: Ballantine, 1989. Print. Read, John. From Alchemy to Chemistry. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print. Rowling, J. K., and Mary GrandPrà ©. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: A.A. Levine, 1998. Print. Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Alchemy, The Foundation of Science Essay -- Scientific Research â€Å"As the last drops fell from the glass to my tongue, I wondered - only for an instant - what perhaps I'd never know. What would it taste like, what would it feel like, if that liquid sliding down my throat was not champagne. But the elixir of life† (Neville). The concept of an elixir of life discussed in Katherine Neville’s book, The Eight, is by no means a new concept. In fact, it is one of the main goals of of a group of people, alchemists, who first recorded their workings 2500 years ago (Bateman). Alchemists have greatly shaped much of science and society. Alchemy has a very long history that also reaches around the world. â€Å"Though long associated in the Western world with medieval Europe, alchemy was a philosophy and proto-scientific practice common to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Persia, India, China, Japan, Korea, Greece, and Rome† (Campbell). Alchemy is believed though, to have started in either Egypt or China. (Bateman) â€Å"Alchemy was the attempt to transmute, or change, one substance into another† (Campbell). And alchemy, at its core, â€Å"was an attempt to understand, deconstruct, and reconstruct matter† (Campbell). This is very similar to the purpose of chemistry, which is: to understand matter and the changes matter undergoes. Alchemists were hoping to use their understanding of matter to fulfill three tasks. Alchemists worked to find â€Å"the elixir, a drink that could make a person live forever; the panacea, a medicine that could cure all illnesses; and the Philosopher’s Ston e, which could turn any metal into gold† (Bateman). â€Å"Much of the work of alchemists is remembered as the work of wizards and witches. They made potions and remedies and thought that matter could be transformed using magic† (Bateman). And eve... ..., CT: Brown Bear, 2010. Print. Campbell, Margaret Christine., and Natalie Goldstein. Discovering Atoms. New YorK: Rosen Pub., 2012. Print. Carney, Linda L. "Alchemy in Selected Plays of Shakespeare." Diss. Drake University, 1977. Abstract. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Neville, Katherine. The Eight: A Novel. New York: Ballantine, 1989. Print. Read, John. From Alchemy to Chemistry. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print. Rowling, J. K., and Mary GrandPrà ©. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: A.A. Levine, 1998. Print. Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. .

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Differences Between Bureaucrats And Aristocrats In Government :: essays research papers

Bureaucrats and aristocrats, the former evident in the government in the Tang dynasty (617-907) and the ladder pronoun in the government of Heian Japan. Both are different in many different aspects, such as within government, government structure, law, economy, and society.A bureaucrat can be defined by the following: an appointed government official with certain duties and responsibilities defined by disposition in the bureaucracy. A bureaucrat is more dependent on the government than an aristocrat because official power comes from official appointment through the bureaucracy (Class Lecture, Oct. 16, 97). Bureaucracy first replaced aristocracy in the Tang dynasty, under the rule of Empress Wu (625?-706?, r.690-706) bureaucracy was expanded by furthering expansion policies and supporting the examination system. Positions in government were filled through the examination system, and people who passed were called the literati. When one held this title of literati, you were considered intelligent and were considered to have high status (TA session, Oct. 28, 97). "They were a group of smart guys with a good education." (Steve, TA session, Oct. 28, 97). This of course deprived the hereditary aristocracy of power 'they had enjoyed during the period of division, when appointments had been made by recommendation, and opened government service to a somewhat wider class of people...' (Schirokauer, p.103). For the first time, men who entered office through examination could attain the highest office, even that of Chief Minister. Examination graduates earned (earn being the operative word) prestige, and even though officials still entered government by other means such as family connections, at the same time the literati and thus the bureaucrats were gaining authority, jurisdiction, and power. And thus, one could see this shifting of supremacy from the aristocracy to the bureaucracy.Government in the Tang dynasty was regulated by the Tang legal codes, a system of laws written by legalists which consisted of a system of rewards and severe punishments (TA session, Oct. 28, 97). These legal codes were administrative: reporting what the state could do and what the subjects could not do. This is an important point in that, this showed the subjects possessed little power, the Tang legal codes are the opposite of any laws of present day, these legal codes protected the government and not the people. Government needed the subjects only to provide for taxes (revenue), labour (grain) and military (soldiers) reasons. 'A dead subject was not as useful as a living subject.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Capital Punishment :: essays research papers

How often have we heard the statement â€Å"Two wrongs don’t make a right†? Yet, is this saying ever really applied to our lives? When do we ever turn the other cheek? As far as history is concerned, the human race has never felt the sting of a hand consecutively on both sides. Evidence to this can be found anywhere. Soldiers kill the enemy to win the war. Athletes become violent in order to obtain a trophy. And, in the judicial system, the ultimate crime of murder is dealt with the ultimate punishment of death. Yet, it poses the question does the end really justify the means? Can society’s practice of the death penalty be considered a moral disgrace? Justice is not without faults. Canadians Guy Paul Morin and David Milgaard were both wrongfully accused of murder. Both men spent many years serving out a penalty which should have never been bestowed upon them. Although, if the death penalty was common practice in Canada, these innocent victims may have been executed. They may have been killed. Murdered. All because of a guilty verdict and society’s desire to extinguish the flame of violence. The desire to have revenge. Yet, does the elimination of an offender bring back their victims or heal the wounds of the families? Should we consent to causing pain for another family by killing their child? If the offender was your child, would you want to watch them die? Of course, there is always the argument that the threat of death acts as a deterrent to threatening offenders. However, the claim that this act really does deter violent crime is inconclusive, not proven, and extremely difficult to disprove. For every set of statistics saying that it lowers the amount of violent crime, there is another to say it doesn’t and another that states it does both. Using such an ambiguous argument to support a controversial act is not only unacceptable, but it is irresponsible. If there is any validity to this argument, it is negated by the actual amount of time an offender spends on death row. Endless appeals, delays, technicalities, and retrials keep those condemned to death waiting for execution for years on end. If the majority of death row residents live to an old age anyway, why would anyone be afraid of capital punishment? It would be just as easy to sentence offenders to life of captivity and work in a prison.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

An Analysis of Obesity in America

LIB 111 9 October 2012 Our Responsibility: An Analysis of Obesity in America America is becoming obese. As a community we are becoming more accepting of being overweight. Americans must make choices about where they eat, and how much they eat, for themselves, as well as their families. It is a person’s own responsibility to choose what they consume, not their government’s. Fast food is the new tobacco. Only society, not the government will be able to change the way Americans view their food choices.Many people, such as First Lady Michelle Obama, in â€Å"Remarks to the NAACP National Convention† believe that it is the government’s job to help control America’s obesity rates (432). Obama states that the government is proposing, â€Å"a $400 million a year fund†(427), to promote health. America prides itself on the liberties of its citizens, and the government is supposed to ensure that American’s have rights, not take them away. Forcing Americans to change their way of eating is not the solution to obesity. In â€Å"What You Eat Is Your Business† written by Radley Balko, Balko talks about how America is â€Å"migrating toward socialism†(396).We are migrating toward socialism by not allowing the people to think for themselves and make their own decisions. Balko believes that we should not bring â€Å"government between you and your waistline†(396). He argues, â€Å"[w] e’re becoming less responsible for our own health, and more responsible for everyone else’s†(396). Balko makes the most valid of points by asking himself, â€Å"if the government is paying for my anti-cholesterol medication, what incentive is there for me to put down the cheeseburger? †(397). If the government is just going to take care of you once you have the negative affects of fast food, you don’t need to prevent it.David Zinczenko, chief editor of Men’s Health wrote, â€Å"Donâ€⠄¢t Blame the Eater† in 2002. In his essay, Zinczenko voices that the public should know better than to eat several meals a day at a fast food restaurant, however he does hold fast food restaurants accountable for not telling the public how many calories a meal contains (397). It is the government’s duty to have fast food restaurants make nutritional facts available to the public. American’s find it easiest to blame others for their faults, instead of dealing with them.In society, many people are often careless when looking out for themselves, and always claim to need the government’s assistance when in need. Our government should help, but only as a last resort. Americans need to promote their own healthy lifestyle. If there is no inner desire for a healthy lifestyle, the government should not be able to change your chosen way of living. Food is related to emotions. All American’s can relate to the sweet smell of their mother baking cookies on a co ld day, and the melt in your mouth taste of the warm cookies after playing outside in the cold.Judith Warner claims, â€Å"the Obama nanny state is, essentially, snatching cookies-I. e. , the pursuit of happiness- from the mouths of babes†(401). By regulating what children are allowed to eat, it is an â€Å"assault on the American way of life†(401). It is a parents job to control what their children eat, not the governments. Many find that their inspiration is from ads, other people, TV, and Internet. It is society that evolves and changes into a new mindset together. Tobacco sales, as argued by Judith Warner in â€Å"Junking Junk Food† did not decline due to the government’s involvement, but because of society’s modern outlook on smokers.Warner says â€Å"it was a shift in cultural attitudes, not laws or regulations, that led Americans to quit smoking†(404). If the harmful ingredients in tobacco can be outlawed by society, and influence Ame ricans to live a healthier lifestyle, then society, not our government can and will be responsible for their healthy diet. One will not change their outlook on healthy living or healthy diets, based on what a government demands, it must be one’s own choice to change the way they and their families eat and exercise.When society begins to evolve, without the government demanding it, people will be confident with their healthy lifestyle choices. Warner believes that â€Å"social norms could change: that huge portions, or eating processed foods loaded with sugar, salt and fat for example could become socially unacceptable†(404). There is hope for American citizens to make their own decisions. It is up to American parents to control what their children eat, as well as what they are consuming. The government does not have the right to regulate one’s personal food intake.American’s must see their current faults, and allow for change in their lives. We must be re sponsible for ourselves, and not allow the government to constantly take care for their citizens as children. Works cited Balko, Radley. â€Å"What You Eat Is Your Business†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 395-397. Print. Obama, Michelle â€Å"Remarks to the NAACP National Convention†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 417-433 Print. Warner, Judith. â€Å"Junking Junk Food†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 400-404. Print. Zinczenko, David. â€Å"Don’t Blame the Eater†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 391-392 Print.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Police Personality Revision Essay

A good police work lies on the concept of their personalities taking into consideration their traits hand in hand with their socializations and experiences. These decisive factors basically comprise what ideal personality of a police is necessary in order to completely exemplify their tasks. Perhaps, it is imperative to give emphasis on the notions of police character to give a strong hold on this subject matter. At any rate, there were instances that conflict arises as police render their services. â€Å"Part of this reflected broader social conflict over the just and equal distribution of opportunities and legal protections to all people; other sources of conflict included disparities between the symbolic role of the police, everyday social expectations about police services and behavior† (Vila & Morris, 1999). There is indeed a unique trait that flows in the blood of every police such as dedication, bravery, and conviction. The uniqueness of police’s trait can never be gamble away. Police’s compassion to the welfare of their people is on top priority. They are willing to surrender even their own lives in order to defend the people. It is tough but they chose to risk everything for the sake of their profession. Thus, this is the one that fulfills their personality; to serve the people at all costs. On the other note, socializations and experiences are important tools to be able to epitomize their character properly. Apparently, the police needs to know how to communicate with the people as well as to know how to address their demands in order to properly portray their roles. Socialization and experience are indispensable contrivance that makes the attitude of a police. They will be able to serve pertinently due to the fact that they have enough experiences. â€Å"What is important about socialization, then, is that people learn to behave according to the expectations of their culture and transmit that way of life from one generation to the next† (Kenney & McNamara, 1999). Weighing these two elements that encompass the personality of a police, it is on a certain note that their unique traits make them more trustworthy on their chosen field. It is in these traits also that they detached their profession far beyond all other field. â€Å"The profession is a moral unit positing certain values and ideals which guide its members in their dealings with laymen. This guide may be a set of unwritten norms transmitted through the professional educational system or it may be codified into written canons of professional ethics† (Glenn et al., 2003).   Certainly, as they socialized and experienced a lot of circumstances, it all boils down on having a good persona – unique trait – which make them build rapport with a lot of people in town and which also gives them the pride for the people to respect them and their line of work. Reference:    Glenn, Panitch, Barnes Proby, Williams, Christian, Lewis, Gerwehr & Brannan (2003). Training the 21st Century Police Officer: Redefining Police Professionalism for the Los Angeles Police Department. Rand    Kenney, dennis Hay & McNamara, Robert P. (1999). Police and Policing: Contemporary Issues. Praeger Vila, Bryan & Morris, Cynthia (1999). The Role of Police in American History. Greenwood Press

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Autobiography of a Classroom Essay

I am a very big classroom in a well-known public school. I cater to needs of the kindergarten class of the school, accommodating I think about eighty five children, a big number isn’t it? I understand that I am the best looking room in the school as, the very small children study here. I am very attractively decorated so that the little ones like to come here every day. The room that is me – is decorated with beautiful coloured pictures. The walls are a blend of some colours I do not know the names of. The furniture that is placed in the length and breadth of the room consists of small round tables to seat four children on each table, and the chairs are also tiny. That is not all, all the furniture is a mixture of many colours. When the children come inside the class they almost fight to sit on certain chairs. That makes me understand that they like the colours and fight for their favourite colours to sit on. At the top two ends of the length of the classroom there are two bigger tables and full size chairs for the teachers to sit. Since there are so many children there are two teachers while in other classes there is only one each. I am a treat for everyone to see. My pleasure knows no bounds when everyone who comes inside the class, admires me, appreciates my get up and the colours that don me. I have the twin advantage of being the most beautiful room in the school and also having the cutest of children coming to spend their time with me. Thus, my life is full of beauty, colour, noise and laughter and at times of course also crying and howling of the children. At times some new entrants to the school come to me with their mothers and, cry as if they had come to the slaughter house to be butchered. At such moments even by heart cries for the little ones and I wonder why man makes these little children come to study if they do not want to. I of course do not know how important studies are for human children, I only feel sad seeing the children cry. My life is full of a very busy schedule though very interesting. The routine of my daily life is so busy that, I do not get any relief for quite long hours. In the morning as early as 6 a. m.two sweepers come open the lock of my room or rather me, and off they start working on me. They sweep my floor, squab it, dust each and every piece of the furniture in me. Thus, I get alerted as soon the room is unlocked. It is not even 8 a. m. when the little brats start pouring inside my body’s doors. At times they enter with so much noise that my whole body feels the rattle of it all. Their movements are so loud that now, I cannot even think of any rest. School bags get flung, tiffin boxes are strewn all about, water bottles are kept just anywhere and there is a lot of commotion all over. Soon the maid enters the room and keeps everything in order and my appearance at once improves and I look tidy and well kept. For these small ones the school hours are just three from, 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. These three hours is my duty time, and just is the time when I also get the day’s entertainment. Being a classroom for the Kindergarten children I get a great chance of hearing conversations between the teachers and the parents. Since this is the first time their children have entered school, parents devote a lot of time to talking about the school and its standards. At times I find that some parents are just too critical and, inspite of getting all the best in this school they always seem to be unhappy and dissatisfied with something or the other in the school. Such parents keep lecturing about things missing in the classroom, the school or even in the playground. When I hear such complaints, my heart sinks and I wonder if they will allow or not allow their children to come to me any more,. For such conversations I have understood that, these days parents pamper the children too much, and it seems that they can never yes, never be satisfied. I am quite surprised to see the vast difference in opinions. While on the one hand I, and also many parents think that I am very beautiful, well kept, and decorated, others of the same clan are always complaining of many defects in my appearance. This gives me a feeling of depression and I do wonder if I can do anything in the matter. After some thinking bouts, I realize that, I can do nothing to satisfy these unhappy parents. I am just here in the hands of the school authorities and stand here as and how they keep me. My working hours are just six, from 6 a. m. when sweepers enter to say 12 noon when I am locked after all children go. After my duty hours I just relax but also feel lonely. No matter what is said about me, I am thoroughly enjoying my life in the cute company of little children. Their company makes me also feel young though now I am quite old. Every summer vacation I am painted afresh, my furniture is painted, and, I am ready to welcome my little friends, new and old with a new look, new enthusiasm and renewed vigour. I pray that my life is forever allowed to remain so interesting and so relaxed. I just love all the children and teachers who come here to me, to work and play in the restricted area within my four walls.