Ways to Motivate Yourself to Write an Assignment

The best writers seem to effortlessly tap into their creative juices, then spontaneously produce gorgeous sentences—the kinds of sentences with which a teacher could never find fault. But what if you’re not the best writer? What if you’re positively terrified at the thought of having to express yourself in prose, to the point that some sort of temporary paralysis descends on your hands: so there you sit, fingers poised to tap-tap-tap away at the computer, and your digits won’t budge, instead hovering idly over the keyboard, never striking a single letter? You’re not alone. Trust me, you’re not alone. And also trust that there are developed strategies for getting over this very common anxiety and for moving toward productivity as a writer. Read on and then practice what I preach. No One’s Perfect Repeat this phrase ten times. Make it your motto for academic life. No writer fluidly crafts perfect prose, all at once, all the time. Every writer has to work at it, even though it definitely comes more easily to some than others. The point is that every writer has room for improvement, on every assignment, and that alone should motivate you to start a writing assignment. After all, who doesn’t relish the chance to produce something, refine it, and then perfect it? A writing assignment is just that—the opportunity to achieve something meaningful, and to enjoy the credit for doing so. Write—Edit—Revise—Re-write Don’t let these multiple stages discourage you; in fact, embrace the process, from the first brainstorming session to the rough outline, to the draft and finally to revisions and a re-write. The best part of this sequence is that you’re likely to find your voice, all while working on a writing assignment! Imagine, in fact, that the assignment is the vehicle for expressing your convictions, your philosophies—and to conveying thoughts you wouldn’t otherwise have conjured, invented, or verbalized. What’s more motivating than that? Recognize that the written word is that powerful, and that a writing assignment puts that power in your hands—literally. Know Why It Matters Think carefully about why the writing assignment is crucial for you as a student, a thinker, and as a participant in academic life. Consider where in your â€Å"big-picture† this essay or research paper might fit, and imagine ways that you could turn it into something bigger: could you later share the essay as a blog post, or could you develop a narrow research project into a broader academic thesis? Of course, not every writing assignment proves relevant to your life, but with planning, speculation, and imagination, it’s possible to relate a writing assignment to future scholarly conversations, or to opening fresh dialogue via social media. Get motivated to write with the goal of articulating something about yourself and your future. Settle In for Success Start every writing assignment with the intent to finish it. Nothing motivates more than the realization that you CAN and WILL see this through. Take that single-minded approach to every writing task, and motivation will course through your veins! To secure that ultimate success, find—or create—a quiet, focused environment that supports you doing your best work. Even the most competent writer can falter if distracted. The library may be an option, but if it’s noisy or too social, get off campus and try a more isolated location; move out of your immediate zip code if necessary! Be sure to have on hand everything you need, from source material to your laptop charger to snacks. With all of your needs met, no interruptions and no excuses will result in success.

anti-abortion research essay essays

anti-abortion research essay essays The definition of life according to Websters Dictionary is the property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter.(Websters Dictionary) According to this definition, what do murder, capital punishment, euthanasia and abortion all have in common? They all take away a life, but in Canada only one of these is not against the law and occurs over one hundred and thirty thousand times a year: abortion. Prior to the nineteen-seventies, abortion was illegal in Canada and was punishable by incarceration. Legal abortion was unheard of prior to this decade, and if this act was committed, a horrific stigma was placed upon such an individual. This was the most progressive and most active time period for the pro-choice movement. In history, the nineteen-seventys, was when values and beliefs began to change and more individuals began to speak out against the abortion laws. Today abortion has become a normal medical procedure, just like having ones tonsils removed. The present society has recognized the rights of the individual as very important because of the shift in societal values. As society progresses and changes its values, issues such as abortion have become more acceptable within the new limitations of societal values and beliefs. Abortion must be viewed as a whole instead of being judged as individual cases, and in doing such society will see abortion as morally wrong and, in turn, will make this act illegal once again. During the nineteenth century, society had great respect for life, as morals and the greater good were seen as important. Laws are a set of regulations and statutes that are made up of popular societal values and beliefs that are important by the members of society. As such, the belief of the right and respect of life was portrayed through the beliefs of the nineteenth century society. However, there was still the minority which...

Managing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing strategy - Essay Example However, the ever evolving industry of tourism in Europe has meant that there were several factors in the external environment that were impacting the tour operators. This report will analyze those factors using the PESTEL model and Porter’s Five Forces. PESTEL Analysis Political The major political problem that struck the European tour operator industry was the September 11 attacks in the United States of America. The debacle was not just detrimental for Europe but for everywhere around the world. One of the industries that suffered most was the tourism industry. The sense of fear among people grew and that brought a big halt to the number of travelers around the world. The countries had implemented strict policies on visas and entry of foreigners in their lands. Among countries, there was increased scrutiny as the after effects of the attack on the US. There was lack of trust because of the security troubles. Every foreigner was scrutinized. Policies were made strict and thi s was one major reason why tourism industry took a big hit after the attack (United States, 2006). Economical The attacks did not just affect the political landscape of the world but it also had a direct impact on the economies of several regions. Businesses came to a halt and export and import was severely affected. This meant that businesses were not making as much money as they would in normal times. Because of this, there was a severe lack of profit which led to businesses running out of capital (Beaver, 2002). There were a lot of jobs lost and unemployment was on the rise. The overall spending power of the common man went low because of which the expenditures on luxuries such as traveling was also cut down. This had a direct impact on the European tourism industry because people started become more concerned about their well being rather than spending heavy and travel and leisure. An enormous decline was seen in the amount of money being spent in tourism (Hall & Lew, 2009). Mat ters were also made worse when the global economic crisis hit the region in the last 2000s. The world became rife of liquid money and economies were collapsing. This meant that the overall economic situation was not healthy. Companies were suffering as well with many big names being forced into shutting down their businesses. All in all, it was a tough environment to operate in for the European tourism industry. Social The positive aspect in the external environment for the European tourism industry, however, was that the people of Europe generally liked traveling. It was taken seriously and people considered it as their passion. This meant that when political and economic conditions in the region improved, people went back to investing in their travels and this was something that immensely benefited the tourism industry in Europe (Davidson, 1998). Technological Technology had a big part to play in the European tourism industry. For tour operators especially, technology was proving to be a menace. This was because their direct competitors, who would be the hotels and airlines themselves, started selling their products and services through the internet. During the last 2000s, sales through internet surpassed all other mediums. Technology provided a more convenient and easy access to people who wished to book flights and tours. Airlines as well as hotels both were now providing packaged tours for their customers, something the tour operators in

Figures for foreign language learning in different EU countries Assignment

Figures for foreign language learning in different EU countries - Assignment Example Languages are vital and need attention if the commission is to achieve capacity to increase productivity. Poor language skills, on the other hand, create obstacles to free movement of workers. People who cannot use foreign languages cannot secure cross-border employment that accelerates the home country’s ability to earn foreign exchange. English is becoming the first foreign language in the European Union. Kelly (2013) noted that English is the most taught foreign language, both in Europe and the world at large, because it plays a key role in daily life. Other foreign languages have also been identified as the primary accelerators towards the achievement of the European Commission’s 2020 plan. Therefore, member states make teaching and learning of foreign languages significantly more effective by ensuring proper quantity, quality, focus, guidance and monitoring. Kelly (2013) used secondary data methodology in carrying out his research study. In this method, the researcher collected data from available sources such as news articles, the European Union publications, and progress reports of ongoing foreign language learning projects. The main disadvantage of using secondary data methodology is that errors from the original data collection may be reflected in the current study. News articles are sometimes criticised because of lack of objective foundation for the data; information aired in the news are not researched well, but depend on public opinions. European Union publications are the most accurate sources of information that the author used to come up with the results. This is because the commission employs highly experienced researchers and data collected must be filtered to ascertain validity and reliability. The research study by Liepa and Ratniece (2013) focused on development of a model for studying a foreign language based on integrated language acquisition. The problem identified by Liepa and Ratniece (2013) in their research constituted

Memento (2000) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Memento (2000) - Essay Example These include a single problem facing the protagonist, comic relief and getting the audience to believe what the protagonist is fighting for. In Memento, Leonard’s mind is fixed on one thing only: track down his wife’s killer and kill them. There is comic relief in the story when Leonard’s details, such as having been an insurance investigator, and the story of Sammy, who also suffered a memory loss. The audience sympathize with Leonard. Leonard believes the second attacker’s name was John while the second name begins with â€Å"G†. He, therefore, embarks on an investigation to find John G. The plot of the film also details Leonard’s attempts to track down the second attacker with the name John G. The film develops in reverse sequence, showing the protagonist hot on the heels of a certain John G. He meets a man named Teddy whose full name turns out to be John Edward Gammell. Believing it is John G., he kills him. In the final black-and-white sequence, still in reverse, Leonard learns about another man, Jimmy Grantz and is told that he is a â€Å"John G† (memento, n.p.). Leonard proceeds to kill him. The film-makers have adopted a complicated narrative technique to tell the story. They present the film in two parts: the black-and-white section and color section. The black-and-white segment chronologically depicts Leonard as he hunts down his wife’s killer and ends when he kills Jimmy Grantz. The color segment, on the other hand, is presented in reverse. It begins with Leonard killing Teddy and works back in time to moment Leonard discovered that he had killed the wrong man, Jimmy Grantz (Memento, n.p.). Consequently, the events in the film are not presented chronologically as the two segments are intertwined throughout the movie. The film’s protagonist is Leonard Shelby. Leonard is hunting for his wife’s killer and the only clue he has is that the killer bears the name John and the second name begins

Importance of Risk Management in Banking

Importance of Risk Management in Banking The fall of Lehman Brothers and Bean Stearns triggered the financial crisis from 2007 to 2008. In the case of Lehman Brothers, which was one of the largest investment banks with old history in United States, illustrated the importance of appropriate internal risk management with control. Self-interview threat occurred and was leading to the bankruptcy. In the event of lacking enough bank reserve for withdrawal, Bank of East Asia (BEA) chose to enter mass of capital and welcome the public to take freely from the account balance. It would like to increase the stakeholder confidence and is finally success and solve the problem. It is obvious that risk management plays an important role in the financial institutions. Risk management is the management of identification, assessment and prioritization of risks to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the internal control system and reduce the impact of unexpected events. (ISO 31000, 2009) Without proper risk management, banks are diffi cult to operate with financial difficulties and survive during the financial crisis. An effective risk management also improves Corporate Governance procedures that help to increase investor confidence, transparency and accountability that helps institutions operate efficiently. If any error or missing occurs in the process of risk management, it causes a failure of corporate governance and may result in operating difficulty. In United Kingdom (UK), the Financial Services Authority (FSA) provides framework of risk management (Arrow), risk assessment framework and financial risk outlook (FRO) for financial institutions to understand the major risks. In addition, Turnbull provides a guidance of good internal control with implication of UK corporate governance code that focuses on the quality and extent of risk management disclosures in an organization and thus reduces the impacts. Combined Code (1998) requires the board of director (BoD) to maintain a good internal control system that includes risk management that safeguarding the tangible and intangible asset and ensure the effectiveness of system. In United States (US), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) 2002 requires that both management and auditor to maintain a sound internal control system. Section 302 requires management to certify the periodic financial reports and disclose significant internal control deficiencies and section 404 requires management to provide assessment of the internal control and auditors to provide opinion on that assessment. And the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) set accounting rules that corporations need to follow, i.e. they need to prepare, present and report the financial statements. In Hong Kong, the international banking regulation Basel III is applicable to banks. And HKMA regulates the economic stability in banking industry. Many large banks, like the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), also implement the SOX act, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) corporate governance rules and USA PATRIOT act of the other countries in the Hong Kong. Internal control plays an important role in enterprise risk management (COSO, 2004 Pagano, 2001) Woods (2008) states the relationship between an effective and efficiently internal control linking with enterprise risk management (ERM). It also claims that management-based internal control includes conflicts of interest for internal auditors, is extremely risky for the financial institution. Harker and Stvros (1998) shows the efficiency of risk management significantly affect financial performance of financial institutions. Without effective risk management, auditing of financial statement and expense of audit may be affected and cause unreliable reports. In the financial crisis from 2007 to 2009, many corporations include banks liquated due to a weak internal control system without an effective risk management. Therefore, a good risk management programme is important to the firm in the Hong Kong banking industry. Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) is one of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest financial institutions and thus its risk management will be identified, analyzed and compared with its competitors. Banking regulations and frameworks will be reviewed and key elements of risk management will be identified and compared. The debates will be reviewed and the strength and weakness of internal control of HSBC will be identified. In addition, recommendations for future improvement in effective risk management will be drawn. Aim and objectives of study The aims of the study are to illustrate the importance of maintaining a good risk management programme in the Hong Kong banks and to draw recommendations for the improvement of weaken risk management. To achieve this aim, the objectives have been established: To review banking regulations and framework (Basel III) apply to Hong Kong banking industry To compare and examine the risk management of internal control systems in HSBC and its competitors To review different comments given by its stakeholders during financial crisis (2008) and era To identify the strengths and weakness of an HSBCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s risk management To provide conclusions and recommendations for future improvement in effective risk management in financial institutions 1.3 Proposed Chapter Headings: Introduction Importance of Risk management Background The aim and objectives of the study Structure of the dissertation Literature Review Introduction of risk management Kinds of bank risks Credit risk Liquidity riskà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  funding risk Interest rate risk Mismatch risk Market liquidityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  market price risk Market risk Foreign exchange risk Regulations framework Benefit of risk management Weaknesses of risk management Causes of business failure Stress Testing Example of banks: Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), Bank of China (BOC) Government and authority intervention Conclusion An effective internal audit function of an successful case in Hong Kong The weakness of internal control system cause influence and failure of business performance Research Methods Statistical analysis of annual reports of different corporations to compare their differences with internal control systems Data findings Profile of respondents Data analysis Conclusion Recommendation Research direction Recommendations and Conclusions Summary of the actual findings Recommendations for an effective internal control system and risk management Limitations of Corporate Governance Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction of risk management The uncertainty environment leads to financial services products have become more complex and also increase the accountability of regulation. (Collier, 2009) Doyle (2007) shows that there are common material weaknesses in the risk management of complex and rapidly growing. Krishnan (2005) states limited scope of research leads to insufficient disclosure of internal control. Internal control plays an important role in enterprise risk management (COSO, 2004 Pagano, 2001) It includes 4 stages: risk identification, quantitative or qualitative assessment of risks, risk prioritization and response planning. Role of risk management Collier (2009) ALARM 2.2 Kinds of bank risks COSO (2004) defines enterprise risk management as a process applied with strategies to identify and manage potential risks and thus providing reasonable assurance of achieving corporate objectives. Basel I (1999) states banks should use measurement techniques based on robust data. Eccles et al (2001) reviews the US GAAP and SEC and illustrates 4 major risks: market risk, credit risk, operational risk and accounting risk. Then, Fell Devine (2003) demonstrate operational risk should be separated as liquidity risk, insurance risk and group risk. Further, De Wit (2007) recognizes that risks also include legal risk, concentration risk and reputation risk in financial institutions. There is legal risk of possibility of court cases. If they are well-known of providing good service about criminal, more companies would like to create financial relationship them that concentration risk arises. Also, negative publicity, which is uncontrollable and unpredictable, often lead to reputation risk in money laundering case. Collier (2009) states there are many ways of classification of risks. Recently, Besis (2010) states there are 7 major types of risks in banks: credit risk; liquidity risk (funding risk); interest rate risk; mismatch risk; market liquidity (market price risk ) and foreign exchange risk. 2.2.1 Credit risk Credit risk, which is risk of financial loss that creditors fail to execute their obligation of payment, is the main risk in banking industry that potential loss due to counterparty fail to execute payment obligation. (Besis, 2010) Collier (2009) mentioned that credit risk increases the impact of default as it can be transferred to third parties by using securitization. 2.2.2 Liquidity riskà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  funding risk 2.2.3 Interest rate risk 2.2.4 Mismatch risk 2.2.5 Market liquidityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  market price risk 2.2.6 Market risk 2.2.7 Foreign exchange risk 2.3 Role of governing bodies in risk management and control International Federation of Accountants Committee (IFAC) concludes the role of governing bodies in risk management and control in public sector. (International Federation of Accountants, 2001, cited in Collier, 2009, p.37) They should ensure to establish an effective risk management in the framework of control. Also, ensuring effective internal audit function includes in that framework. Moreover, they should ensure a framework of internal control is well established with practice and the statement of effectiveness is included in the annual report. Lastly, they should form an audit committee that involves non-executive independent members to provide independent review of the framework of control and external audit process. 2.3 Regulations framework 2.3.1 Basel Basel III is a set of international banking regulations developed by the Basel Committee on banking supervision. It revises Basel I and II that requires a higher level of capital. Basel II, which improves the weakness of Basel I, considers regulatory capital with risks. (Glantz Mun, 2008) Basel II provides three approaches for calculation of risk. A standardized approach is commonly used that requires banks to use standard risk assessment to calculate the risk weightings. Next, internal ratings-based (IRB) foundation approach that is based on internal assessment in probability of default from counterparty (PD), quantified estimates of exposure at default (EAD) and loss given default (LGD) can be applicable. And the third approach is called IRB advanced approach, which is based on own internal assessment in PD, EAD and LGD. 2.3.2 Benefit of risk management Weaknesses of risk management Causes of business failure Fight (2004) states that many industry surveys analysed 5 top causes of business failure. First of all, it states cyclical decline in demand is at the top of the five causes. Recession is not the main factor of failure but the element that helps to show the weakness of risk management in firms. It mentions some examples of weakness, such as poor competitive position, problem in internal control of quality and financial and weak capital and liquidity ratios. With these weaknesses, firms lost competitive advantages and cannot fulfill customer needs and also lead to decline in demand. Next, poor top management is followed. Thirdly, lacking of centralized financial control Fourthly, bad acquisition or inadequate integration strategy. The fifth is inappropriate product or market strategy Except the cyclical decline in demand, the other four causes are related to management. It is showed that management of firms plays an important role of survival in economic downturns. Regarding to the case of Lehman Brothers, the creditor fail to execute their obligation of payment that the demand of mortgage or loan was dropped. 2.5 Stress Test 2.6 Example of banks 2.6.1 Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) is a world-wide diversified banking group that involves in different business and activities since 2005. It takes conventional strategy in its entities in different areas, such as Europe, Hong Kong, Rest of Asia Pacific, Middle East, North America and Latin America. HSBC Holdings plc (2009) mentions that there are many factors vary the risks in HSBC, such as environment change. vary the degrees, measurement, evaluation of its risk management. mentions there are 4 main types of risks: credit risk, counterparty credit risk, market risk and operational risk in its business. Its credit risks arise from failure of receiving payment by customers or counterparties in its business, such as direct lending, trade finance, leasing business, guarantees, derivatives and debt securities. It applies 3 approaches in Basel international banking regulations to calculate the counterparty credit risk and determine exposure values. The three approaches are standardized, mark-to-market and internal model method (IMM). HSBC adopt the standardized approach and mainly adopt the IRB advanced approach to eliminate the credit risk. In addition, counterparty credit risk is risk of economic loss that counterparty may default in transactions arises from offer-the-counter (OTC) derivatives and securities financing transactions. HSBC uses the mark-to-market and IMM approaches to reduce the counterparty credit risk. Market risk is the risk of lower income or portfolio value with market risk factors, including foreign exchange rates and commodity prices, interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices. To get rid of it, HSBC applied standard rules of financial services authority (FSA) and value at risk (VAR) models. Lastly, operational risk is a risk of potential loss by imperfect internal processes and systems or external events. Actually, it also includes technological and legal risks. HSBC employed the standardized approach to determine its operational risk in group. To control risks in the IT area, 3 ways is implemented. First, it uses risk bases project management (RBPM) and a global HSBC tool that is called clarity tool to control the software development life cycle and ensure the consistency and efficiency of management. Second, a disaster recovery plan (DRP) is implemented. For example, it is used to recover system in the case of disasters to ensure the continuity of system. Third, it maintains a secure and reliable governance structure to control and response to the technological risk in different departments. For instance, senior management committees are responsible for managing the risk. The committees consist of HTS Steering Committee, Risk Management Committee (RMC), Operational Risk and Internal Control Committee (ORICC). In the way of managing legal risk, HSBC concerns with contractual, litigation, legislative or regulatory, reputation and non-contractual rights. In addition, it established policies and procedures, estimates potential losses from the judicial or administrative resolutions, disclose the relevant information. Moreover, it established policies and procedures for the identification, measurement of legal risk to eliminate or reduce the possible loss due to the non-performance of the norms and avoid adverse resolutions. 2.6.2 Bank of China (BOC) Bank of China applied the stress testing. 2.7 Government and authority intervention Woods et al (2009) states without perfect credit risk management, the survival of numerous financial institutions in the financial crisis relies on financial support or taking-over by government. In United States, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch collapsed because of no financial support to continue the business. On the contrary, United Kingdom mortgage providers, Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley, survive in financial crisis as had been taken over by government. In addition, Derbyshire Building Society and the Cheshire Building Society faced substantial problems and then survived as it had been taken over by the Nationwide, a large mortgage lender with a stronger capital base. Starting from summer 2007, accumulating losses on sub-prime mortgage triggered financial tsunami in the global financial system. The paper analyzes that banks and mortgage providers using special purpose entities (SPE), collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) or collateralised debt oblig ations (CDOs) and illiquidity as the problems Financial Services Authority (FSA) provides operating framework (Arrow II), risk assessment framework and regulations for financial institutions. 2.8 Conclusion Chapter 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ Research method The research is mainly based on quantitative research by obtaining statistical data, such as complaints or commercial crimes, and related to annual reports and financial statement. Reports from Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) will be a part of source to analyze the data as it is easily assessed and convenient in obtaining data. In addition, the risk management system of 10-15 limited companies will be examined and compared. It helps to define the strength and weakness between different risk management systems under sudden events. It supplements questionnaires collection and theoretical research. Questionnaires collection is also used as an instrument in obtaining useful information. To obtain relevant information from stakeholders, questionnaires about satisfaction of financial institutions will be collected and some samples will be further conducted by face-to-face survey. And theoretical research is taken place on reviewing information of theories and practices about an effective internal control system with suitable risk management from academic journals and textbooks. 3.2Limitation: It is difficult to assess information because the internal information is not related to the operation that source is limited and limited samples are not be sufficient to conclude subject to risk management. In other words, recommendations are not be sufficient for the whole banking industry. In addition, the online questionnaires do not have a large number of respondents as the respondent rate is limited due to many reasons. For example, some people do not interest in filling questionnaire and some people feel trouble to complete the questionnaire. Chapter 4 Profile of the respondents A survey was conducted in late 2010, from October to November. Online questionnaires were collected from 30 respondents to understand their confidence level of banks in Hong Kong whether it is influenced by the occurrence of financial crisis and also obtain recommendations of risk management in Hong Kong banks for improvement. There are 25 questions in a questionnaire (see appendix) and it is formed as 3 parts: Personal Details; Before Financial Crisis (2007 -2008); After Financial Crisis (2007 -2008). The first 5 questions are about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“personal detailsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. For question 6 to 8, questions are part of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“before financial crisisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. And questions 9 to 25 are focused on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“after financial crisisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? that shows present. The major findings drew from the questionnaires are concluded as below. Personal Details Question 1: What is your gender? Female Male Total 16 14 30 In the online questionnaires, there were 30 respondents that slightly more than half of them are Female while slightly less than half of them are male. Question 2: What is the range of your age? From the questionnaires, it was found that the respondents are mainly youngsters which are most (26 in 30 respondents) in the range of 18 to 29 years old. And there are a small number of respondents (2 in 30 respondents) in the range 30 to 39 years old and (2 in 30 respondents) the range of 40 to 49 years old. Question 3: What is your education level? According to results of questionnaires, no respondents are educated under primary level. Three fifths of respondents achieve the degree education whereas the minority of them, 2 in 30 respondents, reach the master or above education level. And the other two sixths of respondents completed secondary to diploma education. Question 4: What is the range of your monthly salary? It is showed that half of the respondents have monthly income less than $5000 while one fifth of them have over $5000 but lower than $10000 and the other one fifth have monthly income between $10000 and $19999. The minority of respondents got income more than $20000 each month that one respondent got more than $20000 but less than $30000 and two respondents got more than $30000. Question 5: What is your role in bank? The respondents are mainly customers in banks that there are over 90% of them, 28 in 30 respondents, as the role of customers and less than 10%, 2 in 30 respondents, of them as the role of employees in bank. Before Financial Crisis(2007-2008) Question 6: Before financial crisis (2007 2008), what was the percentage of your salary you spend on saving in a bank each month? Before financial crisis (2007 2008), almost two fifth (37%) of respondents expressed that they had habit of saving. Only a few of them spent their salaries mostly on saving while a minority spent much more on saving every month. And one in six respondents spent almost half of salary on saving. In the meanwhile, three fifths of them spent fewer while a few respondents spent slightly fewer or none on saving. Question 7: Before financial crisis (2007-2008), did you invest in stock of Hong Kong banks, such as HSBC? Over 70% of respondents, 73%, said that they had habit of investment in Hong Kong stock before financial crisis (2007-2008) while slightly less than 30%, 27%, had not invested. Question 8: Before financial crisis (2007-2008), what was the percentage of your salary you spend on investment each month? Before financial crisis (2007-2008), most of respondents had habit of investment. Three fifths of respondents had spent much more and majority or all of salary on investments each month. For example, less than half of them, 43%, had spent the majority and almost all of salary (80% 100%) on investment while one sixth had spent 60% to nearly 80% of salary. And a small number of them, 10%, had spent almost half of salary (40% 59.99%) on investment while nearly one quarter (23%) of them had spent fewer (25% 39.99) on investment. But, few respondents, 7%, said that they had not invested or spent slightly fewer on investment. Question 9: Did you have habit of checking your balance in your current accounts /investment accounts in banks? And how often did you check your balance each month? Before financial crisis (2007-2008), none of the respondents never check their current account or investment account balance. One in three respondents showed that they seldom (1 to 7 times per month) checked their balance in accounts while half of them often checked their accounts over once a week and nearly once per two days (8-15 times per month). And one in five respondents usually checked their accounts (16-30 times per month). After Financial Crisis (Present) Question 10: Do you own any current accounts for saving in banks? How many banks do you own current account? All respondents have current accounts for saving in banks in Hong Kong. One-fifth of respondents reported that they only owned current account in one bank while almost most of them, 77%, said that they owned current accounts in from two to four banks. In addition, only one respondent responded that hold current accounts in more than five banks. Question 11: What is the percentage of your salary you spend in saving each month? It is showed that most of the respondents have habit of saving. Almost a quarter of them, 23%, spend much more on saving while about two fifths of them, 41%, spent majority or almost all on it. Also, no respondents spend almost half of salary (40%-59.99%) while a minority of them reported they spent fewer and nearly a quarter of them reported they spent slightly fewer and almost none on saving. Question 12: Do you invest in stock Hong Kong banks, such as HSBC? After financial crisis (2007-2008), three fifths of respondents said that they had habit of investment in stock of Hong Kong banks while two fifths did not invest. Question 13: Do you own any investment accounts in banks? How many banks do you own current account? Most of the respondents own investment accounts in Hong Kong banks. For illustrate, more than half of respondents, 73%, only own investment accounts in a bank while 1 in 10 respondents own an investment account in two to four banks. And one-sixth of them, 17%, do not own any investment account and. However, no respondent hold investment accounts in more than five banks. Question 14: What is the percentage of your salary you spend on investment each month? More than half of respondents reported that they spent their salaries less on investment. One third of them spent slightly few and almost none of their salary on investment while one fifth spent fewer as well as the other one fifth almost spent half of it on investment. On the other hand, a small number of them, 10%, responded that they spent much more while 1 in 6 respondents spent most and almost all on investment. Question 15: Do you have habit of checking your balance in your current accounts/ investment accounts in banks? And how often do you check your balance each month? After financial crisis, none of the respondents never check their current account balance. Nearly three fifths of respondents,57%, reported that they seldom (1 to 7 times per month) checked their balance in account while one fifth of them often checked their accounts over once a week and nearly once per two days (8-15 times per month). In addition, about a quarter of them checked their accounts frequently (16-30 times per month). Question 16: After financial crisis (2007-2008), what do you pay attention to the bank before investment in it? (Answers can be chosen more than one.) The table shows the issues about bank whether respondents pay attention to before investment or not. After financial crisis (2007-2008), the respondents mainly pay attention to the news about the bank and also the banking industry before investment. Nearly three quarters of them, 73%, pay attention to the news about the bank and banking industry to concern about their investment. In addition, one-fifth of them pay attention to the risk management of the bank to concern whether risks are minimized and properly controlled. And the other one fifth also pay attention to relevant court cases while three in ten respondents focus on the changes in its share price. However, only a minority pay attention to the big issues, such as big loss or financial difficulties. Question 17: What element(s) do you think it is important in risk management? The table illustrates that importance of elements in risk management respondents revealed. Regarding to questionnaires, almost two fifths of the respondents thought identification of risk was important in risk management while about two thirds of them did not. About assessment of risks, nearly third fifths (57%) of them agreed it was an important element while more than two fifths of them (43%) disagreed. In addition one third of respondents expressed that internal control is an important element in risk management. However, only a minority of respondents, 4%, totally agreed that identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks and the internal control are important in risk management. Question 18: Do you trust the risk management of bank can ensure steadily operation with lower risks to prevent bankruptcy? Two thirds of respondents reflected they trusted the risk management of bank that can ensure it operating steadily with lower risks and prevent bankruptcy while one third said that they did not trust it. Question 19: What is the level you rely on the risk management of bank? After financial crisis (2007-2008), a small number (10%) of respondents reflected that they extremely relied on the risk management of bank while one fifth said that they more relied on it. Half of them remained neutral whereas a minority less relied and a few respondent never rely on the risk management of the bank. Question 20: After financial crisis (2007-2008), have your confidence in bank been cracked? About two fifths of respondents, 37%, thought their confidence in bank had not be cracked after financial crisis (2007- 2008). Nevertheless, half of them reflected their confidence were partly impaired while a minority (13%) revealed that their confidence were mostly damaged. Question 21: What is (are) the issue(s) that impair your confidence in the bank and make you think that it has weak risk management? The chart illustrates the issues whether it can impair their confidence of respondents and affect their investment decision in the bank. According to the responds, a majority of respondents, 90%, thought occurring liquidity problem and big loss can impair their confidence in the bank. And 70% of them expressed that weaken defense of risks and without experience of facing financial crisis can lead to bank have a weak risk management and also impair their confidence. Besides, slightly more than a quarter of them, 27%, considered human resources problem was one of the elements of weak risk management. For example, improper authorization and delegation policies lead to conflict of interest exists in the bank. Moreover, nearly one-fifth thought operating without following regulation, such as Basel framework, is more likely to maintain weak risk management. Finally, only a few of them, 7%, responded that involving in court case impair their confidence in bank and they might think it had we ak risk management Question 22: Do you read the annual report of bank to understand its risk management before investment? The above chart shows that one third of respondents responded that they saw annual report of the bank before investment to understand its risk management. However, two thirds of them expressed that they did not. Question 23: Do you think these banks have good risk management? In five Hong Kong banks, respondents expressed which banks they think have good risk management. As a result, most of them commented HSBC had a good risk management while only one third thought Bank of China had a good risk management. Also, half of them expressed that Hangseng Bank had good risk management while the other half disagreed that. Concerning to standard chartered bank, only one fifth thought its risk management was good. Moreover, slightly less than twenty percent of them reflected that Citibank had good risk management. Question 24: What rank do you give for the risk management of HSBC? (Please rank from 1to 5: 1 is weakest; 5 is best) Rank of HSBC Number of respondents

Oedipus Trilogy Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Novel Analysis of The Oedipus Trilogy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus Tyrannus as it is in Latin, could be what we call today a Freudian work of literature. The Oedipus Trilogy was originally written by Sophocles and is meant to be told in a story-telling fashion. But this Grecian tragedy was revised and translated into English by Paul Roche and put into a novel form. The Oedipus Trilogy is a novel that deals with destiny and fate. The reader is shown a series of events plotted out from which Oedipus cannot escape. When we begin to read this story, we must remember that Greek society was based around myths and legends. They, much like today’s society, had the need to explain everything. Their myths were a way of explaining such things. They had a series of gods and muses and fates to explain why things happened the way it happened. They believed in a force greater than their own controlling their every move. Sophocles took their beliefs and used the Oedipus Trilogy to explore the irony of how the Fates work more closely. The Oedipus plays are separated into three main plays: Oedipus Rex (The King), Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. The story starts in Oedipus Rex, and the city of Thebes in which he is ruler is in plague. The city calls upon the ruler Oedipus to find a way to stop the plague. At this point in time, it is 15 years after the prophecy given to him by the Oracle of Delphi of his father dying and him marrying his mother. When he hears of this he promises never to return so he may outsmart the fates. He eventually ends up in Thebes through his travels and gets into an argument with an old man. He ends up killing the old man in a brawl. Little does he know that this old man is King Laius, his father. He goes to Thebes where a Sphynx is harassing it’s people for an answer to it’s riddle. Oedipus solves the riddle and the Sphynx throws itself from its perch upon a rock outside the city. Its people make Oedipus the new King. Now he is faced with another challenge, to find the killer and banish him from the city to rid them of the plague. We are faced with an interesting plot indeed. When Oedipus pledges to find the murderers, he puts himself in the ironic position of having to hunt himself down. The story shows Oedipus following his own tracks until he finds the shepherd who gave the infant Oedipu... ... this thronging round my feet- this holding out of olive branches wreathed in woe?'; (Roche 23). By this sentence Sophocles is showing that his people are crying at his feet for an answer to their sickness. Little did Oedipus know that he had his own much larger problem on his hands. The plays of Oedipus have long been some of the most enlightening and teaching of stories. This story sparked the study of much psychological debate and theories pertaining to the love of ones mother and ones own sanity. It was used in Ancient Greece to tell of the twisted ways that Fate worked and how you can do something you may not want to out of pure ignorance. This story is a truly remarkable one for those who would read it for pleasure, and yet it is a plague of its own for many a student. And it is still used today so that we may study how an ancient culture thought. Much of Greco-Roman myths are centered on the subject of Fate. Homers epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey are two such examples. We can see that their societies were greatly concerned with Fate, as much of their writing reflects that. Every society has its own needs and concerns, and literature is always the best way to reflect them.

How Ronald Reagan’s Ended Cold War Essay

How Ronald Reagan’s Ended the Cold War with the Soviet Union â€Å"I’ve always recognized that ultimately there’s got to be a settlement, a solution. † —Ronald Reagan, December 23, 1981 President Ronald Reagan initially had a hard-lined foreign policy with the Soviet Union. At the beginning of his administration, he focused on massive reduction of arms, confirmation of agreements between the U. S. and the Soviet Union, series of negotiations regarding arms control specifically to the employment of arms of the Soviets outside their territory and reciprocity (Matlock, 2004, â€Å"Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War ended†). However, these policies have not been effective in promoting changes in the Soviet Union. Soviet leaders were not intimidated by Reagan’s rigid approach that led the Soviets to continue with their communist ways. By 1985, Reagan started to change the direction of his policy. He opted to soften his methods by facilitating negotiations on arms negotiation, preventing the use of Euromissiles, â€Å"compromising strategic nuclear weapons† and complying with the restrictions of the SALT II treaty (Wittner, 2004, â€Å"Did Reagan’s military build-up really lead to victory in the Cold War?†). Because of this, the American public felt that there was a brewing nuclear war between the U. S. and the Soviet Union that resulted to numerous mass protests. The public stir influenced Reagan to make an announcement proposing for conciliatory efforts with the Soviet Union to assure the public that there will be no war. Then, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev forged an alliance in â€Å"implementing disarmament and peace†(Wittner, 2004, â€Å"Did Reagan’s military build-up really lead to victory in the Cold War? †). Reagan’s continuous efforts amid many hurdles, strategic alliance with Soviet leaders and American political transparency have pushed both countries to stop global domination through arms that put an end to the Cold War (Wittner, 2004, â€Å"Did Reagan’s military build-up really lead to victory in the Cold War? †). References Matlock, J. (2004). Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War ended. Random House Publishing. Wittner, L. S. (2004). Did Reagan’s military build-up really lead to victory in the Cold War?. History News Network. Retrieved March 29, 2008 from http://hnn. us/articles/2732. html

Analyse the methods Charlotte Bronte uses to make the reader empathise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters Essay Example

Analyse the methods Charlotte Bronte uses to make the reader empathise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters Essay Example Analyse the methods Charlotte Bronte uses to make the reader empathise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters Essay Analyse the methods Charlotte Bronte uses to make the reader empathise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters Essay Essay Topic: Jane Eyre Literature In 1847, Charlotte Bronte published a Victorian novel called Jane Eyre under a male pen name, Currer Bell. The reason for that was that in Victorian times women were criticised for being emotional, and that reflected in their writing work. It is interesting to explore how Charlotte Bronte makes the reader emphasise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters of the novel. Bronte does that by reflecting the settings on Janes emotional and mental state and by demonstrating that Janes values contrast favourably with those of a patriarchal household. The novels opening sets out a cold miserable scene, which reflects on Janes mental and emotional state. The narrator says: We had been wandering indeed in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and rain so penetrating, that further outdoor exercise was now out of the question. Bronte uses adjectives such as leafless, cold, winter, sombre and penetrating to set the setting of coldness and loneliness. Bronte uses nouns such as; shrubbery, wind, clouds and rain to emphasise how cold and lonely it was. The particular focus on loneliness is leafless shrubbery; it reflects a lonely shrub, which is left without its leaves. The book Bewicks History of British Birds, which Jane is reading shows great resemblance to Janes character. They were does which treat of the haunts of sea-fowl. Jane can be seen as the sea-fowl, because when she is at Gateshead Halls she shows a lot of fear towards John Reed. Jane resembles to the sea-fowl because she is a lonely, isolated girl, just like a sea-fowl is at sea. When Jane says, every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near she again resembles to the sea-fowl. The dialogues in the novel influence the readers opinion about Jane. The way John Reed talks to her makes the reader emphasise with Jane. The first time the reader meets John he treats Jane like his servant. John says to Jane; Say, What do you want, Master Reed? was the answer. I wasnt you to come here and seating himself in an arm-chair, he intimidated by a gesture that u was to approach and stand before him. When John tells Jane to refer to him as Master we see that he has little too no respect for Jane at all. By demanding that she comes to him, Bronte shows to the reader how Jane is treated like a servant, which makes the reader sympathise with her. Bronte introduces John to the reader first, before Mrs Reed or his sisters, because he is the person that mistreats Jane the most. John even calls Jane a rat; That is for your impudence in answering mama a while since, said he and for you sneaking way of getting behind the curtains, and for the look you had in your eyes two minutes since, you rat! It is almost Johns role in the family is to keep an eye on whatever Jane does wrong and punish her for it. He refers to her as a rat, which shows that she has the lowest status in the household. John is seen to be important within the Victorian household. Despite the fact that he is poorly behaved, his mother, sisters and servants treat him with the most respect. While Jane is locked in the red room, we are told that John is the dominate person in the house. John, no one thwarted, much less punished; though he twisted the necks of the pigeons, killed the little pea-chicks, set the dogs at the sheep, stripped the hot-house vines of their fruit, and broke the buds of the choicest plants in the conservatory; he called his mother old girl too, sometimes, reviled he for her darker skin, similar to his own; bluntly disregarded her wishes; not unfrequently tore and spoiled her silk attire; and he was still her own darling. Jane explains that she has committed as many crimes as John and he is not punished for it. Mrs. Reed still loves him and calls him her own darling, despite him disrespecting her by calling her old girl, spoiling her clothes and more. When Georgina and Eliza call Mrs Reed, she immediately assumes that Jane has done something wrong and sends her to the red room, even though John was calling Jane a rat. The servants, Bessie and Abbot, also respect John more then the others. When they come down and see Jane and John fighting they respond with; Dear! Dear! What a fury to fly at Master John! and Did ever anybody see such a picture of passion! They also immediately side with John and shout at Jane for attacking him. This is because at those times there was an idea that the eldest male (John) should be the dominant in a Victorian household. This relates back to Brontes assertion that conventionality is not mortality just because something is done in a traditional way, does not mean that it is ethical. self-righteousness is not religion just because you believe that you are good and others are evil does not mean that god would approve of your ways. Jane does not believe that just because John is the eldest male, he should be the most respected. Jane believes that she should be treated in the same way that John is. Their likes and dislikes are contrasted to undermine the ides that the eldest male should be the dominant in the house. When Jane is sent to the red room and she is told that she should be ashamed of hitting her master, she does not understand how he is her master. She says: Master! How is he my master? Am I a servant? the idea of conventionality is not mortality and that self-righteousness is not religion comes in again here, Jane is not allowed to treat John with disrespect because he is a male. The servants, Bessie and Abbot, understand Jane, but do not side with her at all. They say: And you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none: it is your place to be humble, and try to make yourself agreeable to them. Abbot explains to Jane her status in the household; they say that she is not equal to Mrs Reeds children, and that she should be humble. The social divisions in the 19th centuries that the novel portrays are that it is not very important to be intelligent or sensitive, rather then being rich and male. Your sex, wealth and social position defines how you will be treated in society. The more respectable people in society in those times were the rich men, and in some cases they didnt have as much to offer as some women, or men that were in a lower social position then they were. Women in the 19th century were not valued as the men were because people thought that they are too emotional. Charlotte Bronte was forced to publish Jane Eyre under a male pen name because her work would not have been appreciated if it was known that a woman wrote it. Jane was forced to be hysterical when she thought she saw Mr Reeds ghost, to reflect that women were emotional. Bronte tries to reflect a difference between what seems to be good and what is good, which would ensure that external show is not mistaken for sterling worth. Jane doesnt give up on her beliefs (sterling worth) though she is mistreated. In the mid-17th century the main theme of novels written was illicit love (forbidden love). The novel Jane Eyre was informed by novels written in the mid-17th century because Jane falls in love with a married man, but doesnt marry him until his wife dies, which is the illicit love. In the 18th century novel were popular because the main characters were virtuous (morally good). Jane Eyre was informed by such novels because she was also virtuous. Novels of Sentiment were popular in the 18th century and such novels main characters were, virtuous because they were aware of their surrounding and had sympathetic hearts. In Jane Eyre we see that Jane is also aware of here surroundings and has a sympathetic heart. In the 19th century many novels used landscaped to reflect the depth of their characters feelings. This includes Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, her sister, Emilys Wuthering Heights and others. In such novels pathetic fallacy is used to reflect on the characters feelings. The opening of Jane Eyre is a good example of this as Bronte opens with a rainy, cold day that reflects on how isolated and depressed Jane is. In the novel Bronte shows how the settings reflect on Janes mental and emotional state and how Janes values contrast with those of the patriarchal household. Bronte also shows that the womens place within Victorian Ideology was low and that men were considered to be better.

Tactical Concerns Essay Example

Tactical Concerns Essay Example Tactical Concerns Essay Tactical Concerns Essay The Israel defense Force have been officially prohibited female soldiers from serving in close combat military operations since 1948. In 2001 women began to serve on experimental basis. The reason for removing female soldiers from the front line is not the reflection of the performance of the female soldiers but that of the enraged male infantryman after witnessing a woman wounded. The IDF saw a complete loss of control over soldiers who apparently experienced an uncontrollable protective, instinctual aggression which would have resulted in a massacre.Australian soldiers have voiced similar concern saying these soldiers are reluctant to take women on reconnaissance or special operations, as they fear that in the case of combat or discovery, their priority will be to save the women and not to complete the mission. Thus while men might be able to be programmed to kill, it’s is not as easy to program men to neglect women. It has been noted that Islamic militants rarely, if ever, surrender to female soldiers.In modern warfare where intelligence is perhaps more important than enemy casualties every factor reducing combatants’ willingness to fight is considered. Similarly, Iraqi and Afghani civilians are often not intimidated by female soldiers. The military’s conflation of masculinity and the male body was codified into law in 1948 with the passage of the Women’s Armed Services Act, which restricted women’s participation, advancement, and benefits in the Armed Services.The official definition of close combat, or direct ground combat on land, involves deliberate offensive actions; i. e. , †¦engaging an enemy with individual or crew-served weapons while being exposed to direct enemy fire, a high probability of direct physical contact with the enemy by fire, maneuver, or shock effect in order to destroy or capture, or while repelling assault by fire, close combat, or counterattack. This description goes far beyond the experience of being in danger, or serving in a combat zone. Even if physical capabilities were objectively measured, and they are not, that would not be the only issue.Discipline, deployability, and unit cohesion are even more important in close combat units, and various kinds of friction associated with gender integration could detract from those factors and undermine mission accomplishment. Cultural values are also important Assigning female soldiers to close combat units would be tantamount to acceptance of deliberate violence against women, as long as it occurs at the hands of the enemy. The 1992 Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces saw this as an unnecessary and unacceptable setback for American cultural values.Conclusion: These points clearly explain the reasons why women should not be allowed in combat zone: Women a are physically weaker than men and therefore standards would have to be lowered and unite effectiveness jeopardized The presence of women in units leads to fraternization, sexual harassment, and sexual assault Women lose a disproportionate share of time due to pregnancy, which would undermine unit readiness Combat would take women away from their families, which would have harmful psychological effects on the children If combat units are open to women, women would have to be drafted; and The presence of women in combat units would adversely affect unit cohesion and undermine the morale of men who do not want to work with women More than 40,000 American women served in the war against Iraq. The Marine Corps awarded twenty-three women the Combat Action Ribbon for service in the Persian Gulf War because they were engaged by Iraqi troops. Desert Storm was a huge turning point for women, much like Vietnam was for African-Americans, and it showed that modern war boundaries between combat and non-combat zones are being blurred. It makes no sense to cling to semantics (combat vs combat support) given the reality of war.Furthermore, allowing both men and women to compete for all military occupational specialties is not an equal rights issue, but one of military effectiveness. It is the matter of safety and security of millions of people which can never be compromised for the sake of equal opportunity’ in a field where the sexual orientation does count.Works cited:1. Bonnie Moradi, Perceived Sexual-Orientation based harassment in Military and Civilian contexts, Military Psychology, 2006, 18 (1), 39-60 2. Diane Sawyer, Primetime Live Interview with Jessica Lynch: An American Story,’ ABC News Transcripts, November 11, 2003.

Public Sector Finance & Control Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Public Sector Finance & Control - Assignment Example The council had declares a policy that was to restrict the ‘Council Tax Band D’ charge to 5% above the 2011/12, increasing the charge from 155 to 162.75, consequently, the general revenue being 45, 768, 880. An increase of the charge from the 2011/12 level by 8.2% could be sufficient enough to cover the 53,469,500 general expenditures. Alternatively, certain expenditures can be reduced from the books of accounts so that revenue generated from taxes match the expenditures. Theater expenditure, capita programme expenditure, and environmental and health expenditure can be arrived at through public-private partnership. In fact, expenditure should match revenue in the non essential services. Transferring of certain essential services to be catered for by the central government can be a better alternative to managing the council bills, particularly expenditure on education and health. Through the councilors, the council should rally the members to pass the adjustment so that the desired council tax band d for 2012/2013 is achieved, otherwise at the projected rate of 5% would not achieve the projected revenue demands. A marriage of geographical positioning of the Council Tax Band D equivalent, increase in the charge and reduction in expenditures or a private public arrangement can aid in matching expenditure to revenue. In the United States, water and sewer service, garbage collections have been privatized and these reduce the overall expenditure budget. The budgeting process consists of fundamental chain of activities which can be considered in the following guidelines: budgetary framework, budgetary methodologies, and allocation of resources to the budget activities. A budget framework, on the other hand is defined by certain critical factors namely: timeframe, in the case study, budget as prepared for the 2012/13 financial year, while the previous one was prepared for the 2011/12

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon by Ang Lee Movie Review

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon by Ang Lee - Movie Review Example The protagonist (Li Mu Bai) is a swordsman and the female protagonist (Yu Shu Lien) is female warrior. Both of them travels to Beijing to gift the sword to another person, named as Sir Te. Eventually, they meet female antagonist (Jade Fox), the mastermind behind the protagonist’s mater’s murder. The female antagonist and another female character, named as Jen, steal the sword. But, the protagonist recovers his sword and kills the female antagonist, but he succumbs to death. In the end, the Jen commits suicide because she realizes the differences between imagination and actuality. In the film, the female characters never face marginalization because they are portrayed as the embodiment of courage, dedication, and self-confidence. Kin-Yan Szeto states that, â€Å"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon embodies a cosmopolitical perspective of the feminine that is inspired by both Taoism and feminism† (63). To be specific, the female protagonist decides to help her friend because courage is inherent in her character. On the other side, Jen helps her governess/trainer in critical situations and follows her own lover. This proves her dedication to martial arts and love. On the other side, the female antagonist murders the protagonist’s master and tries to grab the sword. She was attacked by the protagonist and his female friend, but she does not give up. This proves that she is confident in her abilities as a martial arts trainer. In short, the director makes use of the female characters to uphold and unmask the element of vigor in them. The main characters in the film (say, the protagonist, female protagonist and the female antagonist) consider that revenge is utmost important in human life. Alex Caldon makes clear that, â€Å"The title describes one facet of the Taoist way of life-the Taoist master will crouch like a tiger, in order to maintain the strength of a dragon† (101). One can see that the protagonist