Hospice †Dying with Comfort and Dignity

From early childhood, it becomes clear to every person that their time on this planet is limited, and that they will have to die one day. This realization, however, in most cases, does not manifest itself in everyday life because most people find it much more comfortable to disregard that fact and live their lives as though that moment will never come.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Hospice – Dying with Comfort and Dignity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It can be a question for a debate as to where this attitude comes from; however, when thinking about it more thoroughly, one has to conclude that this attitude is wrong because we cannot just ignore a fact that shapes the human condition on the fundamental level. Only when they become aware that they are ill and that there is no cure for their illness, do people accept this fact and try to spend the rest of their time in a best possible way. In recent years, in addition to the research in curative medicine, some scientists have decided that trying to find ways to eliminate the symptoms without curing the illness is worth the effort. This branch of medicine is called hospice or palliative medicine. The aim of the people who are engaged in hospice is to establish efficient methods that could help patients who cannot be cured to spend the final days of their life in comfort by providing them with medical, psychological, spiritual and all other kinds of guidance (Methia, 2010). First off, given the fact that the science of medicine is rapidly advancing, we are becoming able to cure more and more illnesses, it is certain that human life expectancy is going to increase. On the other hand, it is also true that a completely effective cure for deadly diseases, such as cancer, will not be found very soon. Also, many scientists predict that in the absence of other causes, the percentage of deaths from cancer will be increasing consta ntly (Cancer Facts Figures, 2012, p. 7). This places an obligation on the scientists and the society as a whole to try to find ways of improving the lives of terminally ill patients. For the abovementioned reason, various hospice centers are being established all over the world. These centers are run either by the government within such institutions as hospitals or nursing homes, or they belong to the private sector. Each of the centers typically has a team that consists of one physician, one psychologist, one nurse and if it is religious based there is also a priest (What is Hospice Care, 2003, p. 57).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Medical help at hospice clinics has several aims. First, the chosen doctor has an obligation to explain to the patient his condition so that the patient could have an understanding of his or her situation and be able to make necessary pl ans accordingly. Secondly, of course, the main goal of the medical part of the team is to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the disease. A lot of terminal diseases cause a lot of pain in terminal stages so the physician has to prescribe an adequate pain therapy. Also, each type of condition and therapy demands a different diet so the physician has to be able to give advice or even prescribe the entire program of nutrition for a patient. In addition, if it is possible, the goal of the medical team should also be to give their best to prolong the patient’s life and make it as pleasant as possible. In some centers, this also includes alternative medicine such as chiropractic and many other alternative medical approaches (Gib, 2011). It is clear that dying patients can experience psychological problems, and for that reason, almost all hospice care teams include a psychologist. The psychologist has to have specialized knowledge in the psychological conditions that are likely to occur in terminally ill patients. The main goal of this component of the therapy is to give advice and support for the patient as long as it is necessary. In addition, psychologist might also prescribe medications that can improve the patient’s psychological well-being (Methia, 2011). Human beings are deeply social, and they have a strong need to be accepted in a group. Unfortunately, as it has been said, our culture still holds death as a taboo, and for that reason, people do not want to have a dying person in their environment. All of this makes a social challenge that dying people face perhaps the most difficult one. Therefore, in addition to a psychologist, who can also be helpful in this domain, hospice teams often have a social worker whose specialty is to address this very important issue. The goal of the social worker is to take care of social aspects of the patient’s life. He or she has to establish good contacts with the patient’s family and friends. F urthermore, if a center takes care of many people, the social worker can design activities such as group therapy in order that the patients see that they are not alone and that many people share their condition. This can be, perhaps, the most beneficial aspect of hospice, because during those activities it is not rare that the patients to make friendships, which although they are unfortunately not very long lasting, make the last days of the patients’ lives much happier (Methia, 2011). These centers address one more aspect of the patients’ well-being which is related to economy. Today, we are living in a society where almost everything is susceptible to the market, and really necessary things tend to have huge prices. It is a sad thought that terminally ill patients are one of the groups which is the most affected by this rule. The prices of everything from special medication to the necessary medical equipment impose great economic pressure on the patients.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Hospice – Dying with Comfort and Dignity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These centers are in most cases able to provide all the necessary services with reduced price, and they also provide many other ways to reduce the financial burden of patients and their families. The most important thing is that once a patient is received in an institution of this type, he or she can forget about all those economic difficulties and think about the things that are really important (Plocher Metzger, 2001, p. 222). Unfortunately, as a result of the recent economic crisis, many people are not able to provide this type of care for themselves or their loved ones. However, many government programs, like Medicare or Medicaid in the United States or similar programs in other countries of the world, are designed to cover the expenses of such care. In the United States, people who are diagnosed w ith a terminal condition, and their physician made a prognosis that they have less than six months to live can choose one of a large number of licensed hospice centers and their insurance will cover the expenses (Medicare hospice benefits, 2010, p. 43). One of the most difficult problems related to hospice is to decide when curative medicine loses its purpose, and it is time to switch to palliative medicine or hospice. Most of the people have heard of cases when a person was about to die, but they suddenly almost mysteriously recovered. One thing should be very clear to both the doctors and the patients together with their families, which is that no doctor can tell with absolute certainty that a condition will ultimately lead to death and that there is absolutely no chance of recovery. What they can do is present the patient and the family with the estimated probability of recovery together with the problems that can be faced in further curative therapy. For example, people dying of cancer usually receive very aggressive treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy, these ways of treatment have side-effects which are very difficult to endure. Therefore, it is rational to want to quit the therapy if it cannot have positive results, and try to improve the quality of life. However, it happens very rarely that patients retain their rationality at such a difficult point in their life. They tend to think that it is better to continue with the curative treatment despite its unpleasant side-effects because it implies even a small chance of recovery than to give up. However, the physicians can weigh out the negative consequences of continuing treatment and the chance of recovery it implies and determine whether it is rational to pursue further therapy. Once they do this, it is their obligation to present their judgment to the patient, and give advice on the right choice of further action.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An extensive line of research has to be conducted in this domain to equip the doctors with reliable information about the two variables so that they could give as accurate pieces of advice as possible. On the other hand, it is absolutely crucial for the patients to be realistic in their demands because only in that way can they get the best out of that most difficult situation without overburdening the doctors who already face a demanding task. Finally, this type of care places special professional and moral obligation on the caregivers. First off, unlike the ordinary medical treatments, hospice demands that the caregivers be familiar with the patient’s life story. The team has to find out about the most important things in the person’s life, their goals, plans, etc. This is important because that way they can help the patient to bring their life to a close as a complete whole. Secondly, the team has to be informed about the nature of the person’s disease in gre at detail in order to be ready for all possible issues that can come along the way. Also, this is important because they have to know the limits of the person’s abilities so as not to get them involved in activities which are physically too demanding and potentially harmful. Thirdly, caregivers have to keep in touch with current literature on bioethics and law. This is because in case of any kind of dilemma, it is best to know other people’s opinions, and learn from their mistakes and successes. Furthermore, being informed about recent legislative changes in the domain, gives the caregivers an awareness of all legal options that are on their disposal in different situations. Fourthly, doctors and other caregivers have to know the limits of their abilities as well, because they are undoubtedly trained and able to help, but over or underestimating oneself can lead to serious consequences (Black, 1998). In conclusion, hospice is a new interdisciplinary approach to medicin e. As every other incipient discipline it faces challenges and problems. It demands a thorough cultural change in the relationship towards death and serious illness to occur first if we are to utilize the full potential of this discipline. Furthermore, the perception of hospice as a discipline has to be changed within the medical profession because many doctors tend to view it as a futile discipline because it cannot cure the patient. Everyone has to realize that we as a society have an obligation to empathize and do whatever we can to help those who are in such a difficult situation. In that light, the government and all other institutions that fund scientific research have to consider increasing the amount of money invested in research in this domain because, as it has been stated, it is an incipient discipline which faces many problems. At his point, doctors have to establish clear methods that can help in determining when is the right time to switch from curative to palliative t reatment and educate their patients about its benefits. It is certain that the importance of this discipline will increase as the percentage of unnatural deaths is decreasing and life expectance increases. In the end, we may never be able to achieve immortality, in fact many claim that it would not be good at all, but we can certainly extend our lifespan and assure that the end of life be painless. References Black, T. (1998). End-of-Life Issues: Ethical Topic in Medicine. Web. Cancer Facts Figures 2012. (2012). Atlanta: American Cancer Society. Gib, A. (2011). Hospice Care: Comfort and Dignity in the End. Web. Medicare hospice benefits (2010). Baltimore, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services. Methia, R. (2010). Hospice – Dying with Dignity and Treated With Very Special Care. Web. Plocher, D. W., Metzger, P. L. (2001). The Case Manager’s Training Manual. Gaithersburg, Md.: Aspen Publishers. What Is Hospice Care?. (2003) . The Hastings Center Report, 33(2). This research paper on Hospice – Dying with Comfort and Dignity was written and submitted by user Ph1l1p to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Foods that are being served to our youth in the school systems

Foods that are being served to our youth in the school systems Introduction Healthy eating is the biggest contributing factor to an individual’s well being and it is associated with an increased quality of life as well as longer life expectancy. For children and adolescents, schools play a major role in molding their eating habits.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Foods that are being served to our youth in the school systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Research revealed that in 2004, more than half of school-aged children received either breakfast or lunch in school (Terrence et al. 501). With this in mind, greater consideration should be placed on the foods that are being served to our youth in the school system. This is in because dietary habits and preferences are acquired during childhood and they become habitual over time (Terrence et al. 501). Over the past decade, the nutritional quality of school meals has been called to question with unhealthy eatin g among school-aged children being prevalent. This is a troubling phenomenon since unhealthy eating has many adverse effects to the individual. This paper shall set out to outline the foods that are served to our nations youth in the public school system so as to demonstrate that majority of American children have poor diets. The negative impact that poor food and dietary choices result in among children and adolescents shall then be articulated. The actions that are being undertaken to rectify the issue shall then be highlighted and further insight offered on how to end the issue of poor dietary habits among school aged children. Food Served in Public Schools Schools offer a wide array of foods at the various food outlets. Fruits and raw vegetables are some of the healthy foods that are offered. Some of these products are offered through the Farm-to-School programs which link local farmers providing locally grown produce to school cafeteria (Story, Nanney and Schwartz 81). Bread an d rolls made from whole grains also constitute the healthy meals offered by schools. However, Gordon et al notes that only 5% of breads and rolls eaten in schools were made from whole grains due to the higher cost of whole grain (34). It should be noted that even in instances where schools offer healthy meals; children opt for unhealthier foods which are not only tastier but also cost relatively cheaper. The consumption of added sugars has in the recent past increased dramatically in the US. Frary et al reveal that teenagers are the age group which consumers most added sugars with added sugars contributing 20% of total energy intake for teenagers (56).Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Added sugars are defined as sugars and sweeteners and syrups that are eaten separately or used as ingredients in processed and prepared foods (57). For the children aged between 6 and 1 7 in the US, the major sources of added sugars in their diets are: nondiet soft drinks, fruitade drinks and sweetened dairy products. These products are available through vending machines which are located all over schools (Lawrence). Added sugars increase the risk of a child becoming obese or getting type 2 diabetes. Fast foods are the biggest culprits in promoting unhealthy eating habits among youths. Fast food, by definition, is designed for ready availability, use, or consumption with little consideration given to quality or significance (Freeman 2225). According to the CDC, 20% of schools in the USA offer brand-name fast foods such as McDonalds to the children during the school day. The major fast foods consumed by children and adolescents in schools include: hamburgers, French fries and pizza. In most cases, the attraction with these fast foods is that they take very little time to prepare which greatly appeals to the schools which are in most cases hard pressed for time. Addi tionally, junk food is relatively low priced compared to healthier meals which not only take longer to prepare but also cost more (Assuras). However, the fast foods consumed contain trans fats which have been linked to increased risk of heart diseases and have also been grossly implicated other health conditions including obesity and diabetes (Burniat 142). In addition to this, fast foods contain excessive amounts of fats, sugars and cholesterol; all which are associated with obesity and heart problems. Fast foods are also known to be prepared from saturated oils that are mostly reused over a period of days thus making them vulnerable to bacteria. The overconsumption of soft drinks has also increased markedly thus further contributing to the unhealthy eating habits of high school students. This is because high consumption of soft drinks has a dilutional effect on childrens essential micronutrient intake. Soft drinks are widely accessible to school children with many school districts having contracts with soft drink companies to promote the sale of soft drinks in schools. Research conducted by the CDC found that 33% of elementary schools, 71% of middle schools and 89% of high schools had a vending machine or canteen where students could purchase foods and beverages (Story, Nanney Schwartz 73). Staveren and Dale assert that this phenomenon is mostly as a result of under funded schools making contracts with big companies to sell their brand of products to the school (21). As such, schools have a vested interest in the promotion of the sale of these products (mostly beverages) as they receive a percentage of sales. Most schools therefore spot vending machines which are a principal source of extra money for the school.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Foods that are being served to our youth in the school systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Negative results of Poor Eating Habits A maj or consequence of poor dietary habits has been the increase of childhood obesity in the US. Dehghan, Danesh and Merchant observe that childhood obesity has reached catastrophic levels with 11% of children being classified as obese (2). Considering the fact that 70% of obese adolescents grow into obese adults, this rise in childhood obesity is cause for alarm. Research further indicates that the prevalence rate of obesity has risen over the past couple of years and statistics by the Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDCb) show that according to the 2007 national youth risk behavior survey, 23% of US high school students were overweight. This was a notable rise from the 5% level in the 1980s. Childhood obesity results in a decline in child health since children who are obese are at increased risk of physical as well as psychosocial health consequences (Jelalian and Steele 52). The CDC reports that there is a threat on the rise of Diabetes among school aged children and teenag ers in the U.S. Particularly, type 2 diabetes has shown significant prevalence among children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes was traditionally associated with adults aged above 40 years. The prevalence of this diabetes in children has been blamed on the dietary practices adopted. A CDC report reveals that the obesity epidemic as well as decreased physical activities among the youth is responsible for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Fast foods are prepared mostly through deep-frying which leads to high cholesterol rates and heart attacks. Poor dietary practices results in under nutrition which may have far reaching consequences. Under nutrition especially during childhood may have adverse long term consequences on the physical health and development of children. Terrence et al reveals that under nutrition can impact negatively on a childs cognitive development and school performance (502). This impact is long term in nature and irreversible hence highlighting the dangers that un der nutrition poses. The overall dietary quality of children and adolescents who rely on fast foods is poorer than for those who take in healthy meals.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More French et al further asserts that eating habits established in adolescence including preference for and reliance on fast food may place them at future risk for higher fat and energy intake as they move into young adulthood (1832). This predisposes them to increased sedentary behavior and excess weight gain which will impact negatively on their quality of life. Addressing the Issue Having highlighted the adverse effects that poor dietary habits may result in, it is obvious that a feasible solution is not only desirable but is the only way in which we can restore the health of the children. It has been extensively documented that the quality of food available in schools is of low nutritional value and unhealthy as it is mostly made up of snacks, fast foods and sodas. Key to solving the obesity problem is an overhaul of the school nutrition program. For this plan to work, the support of the parents, policy makers and especially the staff at school would be most crucial. This is because the funding of healthy eating programs is both expensive and would incur some resistance from supporters of vending machines and fast foods. A significant approach would be for the school to participate in the Federal Meal program. These programs adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) thus providing students with nutritious meals (U.S. DHHS). These meals are reimbursable by the state thus greatly decreasing the price per meal making them much more affordable. There is a general lack of educational programs on balanced diet in the school curriculum. School based programs can play an important role in promoting healthy eating lifestyle. Nutrition education is also fundamental to the success of any healthy dietary promotion efforts. Terrence et al. states that the school environment should be consistent with the value of healthy food choices that children are taught in the classroom (502). Having vending machines and snack bars in the school environment sends mixed messa ges to children and therefore derides the healthy food choice culture that is being inculcated in the children. Schools should come up with policies that outline the provision of comprehensive, standards-based nutrition education that is integrated throughout the school curriculum (Pekruhnk 32). The rationale behind this move is that even if students are obliged to take up health food choices in the school setting due to the programs in place, it will be of little help if they are not equipped to make health food choices outside of the school environment. Teachers should therefore posses the necessary knowledge and comprehension of health education so as to teach the same to the students. This can be achieved by the use of seminars or certification courses on health education to enable the teachers to integrate this important information in their lessons. The CDC highlights the need for provision of nutritional education guidelines to school-age youths so as to ensure that health li festyles are adopted early in life and perpetrated all through adulthood. The overreliance to corporate sponsors by schools also poses a significant threat to the success of the health food since most students will be inclined to go for the junk foods and sodas which are more attractive to the youth. Schools are in most cases forced to rely on the revenue they get from the large corporate sponsors due to poor funding by the federal government. The profit from selling fast food items in high school cafeteria helps to fund extracurricular programs and athletics. This places school administrators in a dilemma. However, the health of the students must take precedence over this money making schemes. As such, sale of unhealthy foods in school must be all together stopped or else provisions must be put in place to set nutritional standards for these products. Research by Frary et al indicated that the number of fruit and vegetable intakes by children decreased as intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages increased (61). It can therefore be inferred that decrease in junk foods and sodas will result in an increase in healthier food intake. With regard to the issue of financial benefits from unhealthy foods, a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that while doing away with soft drink contract would result in lost revenue, the same could be recovered through increased participation in the school lunch program. Discussion and Conclusion While schools alone cannot solve the problems that poor diets cause, it is unlikely that childhood complications arising from poor diets can be reversed without strong school-based policies and programs to support healthy eating (Story, Nanney and Schwartz 72). This is because the school environment has the potential to hugely impact on childrens diets because they consume up to 50% of their daily calories in school. Schools cannot achieve their primary objective of education if students are unhealthy and unfit. I t is therefore imperative that schools undertake measures to promote childrens health by creating an environment that promotes the intake of healthy foods and the establishment of lifelong skills for healthy eating. An important consideration in early education is that children in elementary school will in most cases fail to understand the implication of abstract concepts such as nutritional content of food. Focus should therefore be put in actual experiences of increased exposure to the healthy foods. This paper set out to describe the nutrient intake and food choices associated with children and adolescents so as to highlight that majority of youths do not consume proper diets. It has been observed that the school environment encouraged poor dietary habits amongst children and adolescents. Considering the long term nutrition and health consequences of poor dietary choices among children and adolescents, this paper has proposed solutions to rectify the issue. The paper has reaffirm ed the notion that schools are in a position to promote healthy dietary behavior by children and adolescents. However, for schools to help ensure appropriate nutrient intake, steps have to be undertaken to offset the current poor dietary practices. By doing this, the role of schools in the prevention of obesity, diabetes and other diet related complications can be exploited to the maximum with numerous benefits both to the children and the society at large. Assuras, Thalia. Fast Food, Fat Children. 21 April, 2001. Web. cbsnews.com/stories/2001/04/21/eveningnews/main287029.shtml Burniat, Walter. Child and adolescent obesity: causes and consequences, prevention and management. Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. CDC. Guidelines for School health Programs to Promote Lifelong Healthy Eating. Jan 2009. Web.. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00042446.htm CDCb. Diabetes Public Health Resource: Children and Diabetes. 12 Mar. 2010. Web. cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/cda2.htm Dehghan, Mahshid Danesh, Noori and Merchant, Anwar. â€Å"Childhood Obesity, Prevalence and Prevention†. Nutrition Journal 2005, 4:24. Frary, Carol et al. â€Å"Children and Adolescents’ Choices of Foods and Beverages High in Added Sugars Are Associated With Intakes of Key Nutrients and Food Groups†. Journal of Adolescent Health 2004; 34:56-63. Freeman, Andrea. Fast Food: Oppression Through Poor Nutrition. California Law Review, 2007. Print. French, SA et al. â€Å"Fast food restaurant use among adolescents: associations with nutrient intake, food choices and behavioral and psychosocial variables†. International Journal of Obesity (2001) 25, 1823–1833. International Journal of Obesity (2001) 25, 1823–1833 Jelalian, Elissa and Steele, Ric. Handbook of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity. Springer, 2008. Print. Lawrence, Patrick. Children Who Eat Vended Foods Face Health Problems, Poor Diet. 07. Nov. 2010. Web.. diabetesincontrol.com/articles/diabetes-news/9791-c hildren-who-eat-vended-foods-face-health-problems-poor-diet Terrence et al. â€Å"Nutrition Services and Foods and Beverages Available at School: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006†. Journal of School Health, October 2007, Vol. 77, No. 8. Pekruhnk, C. Childhood Obesity: A school Health Policy Guide. National Association of State Boards of Education, 2009. Print. Staveren, V and Dale, Daniels. Childhood Obesity: Are Schools Partly to Blame? Eastern Connecticut State University, 2004. Print. Story, Mary., Nanney, Marilyn and Schwartz, Marlene. â€Å"Schools and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity†. The Milbank Quarterly, Vol. 87, No. 1, 2009 (pp. 71–100). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2010 May. Web.. health.gov/dietaryguidelines/

Local government taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Local government taxes - Essay Example The poorest twenty percent of Americans, on average, pay a combined local and state tax rate of eleven percent while those in the wealthy bracket only pay five and a half percent. This disparity becomes even more pronounced in the Washington State, which possesses the most regressive system of tax with the poorest twenty percent paying an average rate of seventeen percent while the wealthy families pay only 2.3%. What are the most regressive and progressive states? Progressive States The most standout feature of regressive tax states is the progressive nature of income taxes and less reliance on excise and sales taxes. Vermont taxes, for example, are among the least regressive in the US due to their highly progressive income tax and decreased excise and sales taxes (Davis et al 3). Vermont’s tax system is also rendered as a little unfair because of the refundable EITC. Delaware’s income tax regime, however, is not progressive, but the high reliance it has on income taxe s and low utilization of consumption taxes makes its tax system only slightly regressive. The District of Columbia and New York have each achieved a tax system that is close to flat overall via the use of generous EITCs, as well as an income tax that has relatively high top rates (Davis et al 3). However, it should be noted that the least regressive states as far as tax policy is concerned generally still fail to meet the criteria that most people would consider as a minimal standard of tax fairness. In these states, some middle or low-income groups actually pay more local and state income tax than the wealthy actually do. New Jersey is another of the progressive states with their legislature passing a millionaire’s tax, which was vetoed; however, by the Governor for the third straight year. The revenue raised from this would have helped offset property tax decreases for middle class. Finally, Rhode Island came up with an innovative tax idea to reduce incrementally corporate taxes to companies that created employment over a 3-year period in the state, which was a progressive move. Regressive States On the other side, of the tax regimes are ten states that have particularly regressive state and local taxes. These include; Alabama, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, Florida, and Washington. In these states, residents with lower income are asked to pay almost six times as much income tax as their wealthier counterparts. Middle-income families residing in these states have to pay three times the share of their income when compared to the wealthier families. In a majority of these states, including Nevada, Tennessee, South Dakota and Washington, personal income taxes are not levied on a broad base. The rest of these states, including Illinois and Alabama, do levy income tax, although their income tax is structured in a way that makes them less progressive than, for example, New York and other progressive states. Illinois and Tennessee have an income tax at a flat rate, which taxes the wealthy using similar marginal rates to those used in taxing the poor wage earners. Nevada, Tennessee

Industrialism is maladaptive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrialism is maladaptive - Essay Example From my perspective, industrialism is maladaptive because industrialization is a defective adaptation towards the environment, which has flaws and caused unstableness of the environment. Industrial revolution enabled human society to grow into a larger scale with higher speed, which seemed exciting at the start but indeed harmful to the environment and the society itself. Referring to Rapa Nui’s tragedy, a small group of Polynesian settlers arrived at Easter Island. At the beginning, the population grew slowly. Several hundred years later, the population grew larger than before, and an obsession with building Moai led to increased pressure on the environment of the island. The residences didn’t realize the problems was coming and didn’t make changes. In the end, the Easter Island had been deforested, so people started fighting to each other for the resources that are limited on the island. The wars lead to famine, and eventually cultural collapse. (Terry) Industrialization is exactly the same thing as the Polynesian’s obsession of building Moai: overproducing products while some of them are unnecessary that consume a lot of resources from the environment and eventually damage the world we living in; the Easter Island is the small version of our world: limit land, limit resources that can’t be enough when the population is over its carrying capacity. What Terry found in his started to appear after industrialization when the scale of the world became larger and larger as well as the development speed got higher and higher; therefore, the industrial mode of adaptation has an unstable relationship with the environment. From my perspective, industrialism is maladaptive because industrialization is a defective adaptation towards the environment, which has flaws and caused unstableness of the environment. Industrial revolution

Admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Admission - Essay Example My passion for law was converted in strong belief after I encountered a tragic incident in my childhood. One of my mother’s patients was working in a company which went bankrupt. This patient became miserable as he was not able to gain any security or financial help from the company. At the same time, he lacked the knowledge about the legal resources available to fight the company for his rights. Finally, the feeling of injustice, despair and insecurity drove him to commit suicide. This incidence shocked me to the core and my decision of pursuing law strengthened. I realized that people involved in the field of law can play a very crucial and important role in awakening people about their rights in the society. Law not only is influential in helping individuals in claiming their rights but also can help organizations and countries by developing awareness of justice in their citizens. These aspects of law made me to aspire to be an expert in the field of law. I also realized th at the injustice and the inhuman treatment suffered by innocent people in my country can be changed only with the help of law. I wanted to be a person who can bring happiness in lives of innocent people by fighting for their rights. As Oscar Wilde said â€Å"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.† The enthusiasm in learning law may have originated from immature and childlike idea, however, the desire to do the Juris Doctor (JD) programme in University of __ was a thoughtful decision as it is not only my interest but a stepping stone for the developmental needs for the future experience. Having a strong desire to study law was instrumental in me leaving Mainland China and come to an international city of Hong Kong, which was world-class in professionalism and opportunities, to study Bachelor Degree in_____. In the four-year study, I obtained a strong foundation in the major subjects like Policy Studies and Social

Gold investment: An overview

Gold investment: An overview Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Overview Since prehistoric time, human are using the gold in trading and value keeping asset. Even current financial activities are always surrounding by the gold issue. The ancient treated the gold as the true form of wealth. Gold has been using early in 4000 B.C as a fashion decorative object in where today Eastern Europe is centred. In 1500 B.C the gigantic gold-bearing regions of Nubia made Egypt a wealthy nation (National Mining Association). By the time the gold has widely recognize as the standard form of medium of exchange for international trade. Gold is represented the royal and honourable in different religious and cultural area. Its aesthetic appearance is the finest ornament above all other metal. Gold play the role in all aspect around us, such as religious customs, reward system, ornament, jewellery, and even the component of industrial product. Gold exist and be using for decade, its intrinsic value is still maintain high and irreplaceable. Investing in gold has been seen as the supreme way of safe haven investment. Gold investment is booming in recent year and the reasons behind this incident can be explained as the investor become more aware of the benefit of the gold and its special features. Gold demand for investment purpose accounted one-thirds of gold demand all over the world which is substantial influential (World Gold Council, 2009). Investment demand for gold has shown as significant increase in the last seven years as investor seeking the fashion to balance their investment portfolio and safeguard against the economy and political uncertainty Generally gold demand can be divided into three main types, which included the Jewellery demand, gold investment demand, and industrial demand. The gold investment can be further divided into physically and non-physically holding the gold. In Malaysia, there are several ways to participate in gold investment and this will be studied in chapter two. 1.2 Benefit of gold investment In portfolio management, prudent investor will have different sort of investment vehicle. The reason for holding diverse investment is to safeguard the portfolio against fluctuations or uncertainty that occurs in the economy system. Gold investment has been studied by many of professional toward its ability to protect the wealth of investors against the overwhelming global financial crisis and economic uncertainty. Generally, the group of similar asset will react correspondingly among each other during the transformation of the economy and financial system. Diversification will reduce investors risk in portfolio investment. Besides the common investment vehicle like company share, bond, and mutual fund, gold investment is an option for investor to diversify their investment portfolio. Portfolio that contains gold investment is generally more robust and less risky as compared other investment vehicle. The inflationary hedging ability of gold is prominent especially during the economic uncertainty period. Gold price react quickly that other commodities when there is any change in the market condition. Conversely, price of the CPI-basket is adjusted slowly to the change of market condition ((Mahdavi Zhou, 1997). Risk factors that may affect the gold price are quite different in nature from those that affect other assets. Purchasing power of gold is maintain even the transformation of the era is remarkably significant (Greer, 2005). In addition, gold is one of the examples of safety investment instrument that have very limited amount of risk associated with it. The credit risk is the possibilities that the debtor unable to repay the loan. Gold is unique which do not involve such repayment relationship. The profitability of gold investment is operating in the accrual basis. The liquidity risk which means the possibilities that the asset cannot be sold as the buyer in the market may not be available during the time of reselling. However the gold market has high demand rate from the individual consumer, jewellery sector, financial institution and manufacturing of industrial product. Thus its liquidity risk of gold investment is very low (World Gold Council, 2009). 1.3 Problem statement Gold investment in Malaysia is less well known by investor, even though it is a superior investment vehicle. Generally, most of the elderly will save their money in fixed deposit. Some of them may invest their money into mutual fund and government bond. The rate of return from the fixed deposit is very low and the intrinsic value of the saving will be overwhelmed by the wave of inflation during financial crisis or recession. The purpose of this study is to find out what are the reasons that affect the intention to adopt gold investment in investors portfolio. In early 2008, the inflation rate surge high, most of the investor who invests in share market suffers a huge loss in the market. The collapse of Lehman brother and many giant corporations in 2008 raised the vigilance of the investors. Many of investors seek for the immunity to keep their capital away from the threat of inflation and downward movement of stock prices. According to World gold council (2009) stated that there is significant increase in the demand of gold investment. Current financial recession and anxiety toward future uncertainty have urge the political and finance officer unearth the solution to withstand the inflation problem. Some professors have suggests the gold investment to investor as the safe haven to protect their wealth against the inflation shock. Gold investment has the special feature of inflationary hedge which have been study by a number of researchers and professionals. Malaysian investors should add the gold investment into their portfolio and hence reduce the risk of investment. However, gold investment in Malaysia is still not widely adopted as compared to other counties such as Singapore, Thailand, China, United state and India. Some investors are eager to make the quick profit from the speculating activities such as short-selling the share and the commodities future. However the speculating activities will create the bubble in the market and finally it will turn into another financial turmoil. The gold price seen not stable in short and is more volatile than other commodities. However the gold price in long-run shown an upward shifting trend and the value of gold is appreciated over the past 30 years. In Malaysia, the gold investment opportunity is very limited and the public are hard to find the advertisement of the gold investment account or the gold investment seminar. The lack of public awareness toward the gold investment is one of the problems in Malaysia. It is imperative to enhance the public awareness to the gold investment and adoption of gold investment in the investors portfolio. Gold investment is very popular in other country such as china and India during the recent years. Based on the statement from the World Gold Council (2009) the investment demand hit high at 656 tones which account for 16 per cent of total gold demand. James Burton, the CEO of the WGC has announced the investment demand for the gold market has a striking increase in the last six years. The rising demand of gold investment is due to the investors seek to further diversified their portfolio and safeguard against economic uncertainty and political instability. However this tide is not yet hit the Malaysia Investment market as compared to other country. As we can see the method of gold investment in Malaysia is enormously limited. This thesis may help the local investment institution to identify the factors that affect the adoption of the gold investment. Thus the local institution can come out with the absolute plan special cater for the local investor. It may help to establish the sound financial investment structure in Malaysia. Besides, investors are furnished to more options of investment and enhance the ability to diversify their investment portfolio. Development of a country required the liberalization of the Malaysia market so that to attract the multinational corporation expand their business locally. Generally, Malaysias local investment institution is lack of competitive advantage as compared to giant foreign investment institution. Hence government always exercise its authority to prevent the foreign institution enter into Malaysia financial market. This will be an obstacle to the government in their liberalization plan. In order to increase the competitiveness of the local investment institution, the research on perception of local investor is indispensable. It would assist the local investment institution to compete with the strong forces from overseas. In the evolution of the world monetary system, the gold is increasingly been esteemed as the new form of currency after the abandoned of the Bretton Woods System in year 1973. The loss of confident towards the paper notes and some professionals have pointed out gold as a true form of medium of exchange. Greer (2005) has defined the money is backed by nothing other than the confidence that its holders place in the issuing bank. The paper notes will be able to exchange for goods and as way to store their wealth. However, it depends on the ability of that government to keep inflation under control. The problem of the fiat money have cause the Zimbabwe nation suffer from the hyperinflation due to the excessive money supply. Malaysian should employ some inflationary hedging instrument to avoid the unwanted event. The rising demand for gold in the countries such as china, India, United state and Australia in gold investment have significantly drive the gold investment as part the portfolio investment tools worldwide. Malaysia is still on the developing stage of this form of investment instrument. Thus we are rarely seen the Malaysian investors holding their portfolio with the portion of gold investment. Even gold is superior and have been widely adopted in other countries. 1.4 Objective of study The General objective of this research is to examine the perception of Malaysian toward gold investment. Investor perception toward gold investment is extremely important when come to the promotion of the gold investment. Here is to study what is investor view on the gold investment. What investor perceive the gold investment and what is image of gold investment that in the eye of investor. Special objectives: 1. To determine the adoption of gold investment in Malaysia There some relevant cause and effect relationship of the low adoption of the gold investment. Why gold investment is not popular and widely adopt by the investor as compare to other investment or saving plan. One of the objectives of this thesis is to discover the factors that associate with the degree of espousal to gold investment. 2. To determine the factor affect the gold investment among Malaysian Gold investment is prominent investment vehicle and is widely embraced. The factors affect the gold investment adoption in Malaysia provide insight to the investment institution to cater local investors need. 3. To determine the relationship between perception and adoption of gold investment Is the Malaysians perception toward gold investment having significant relationship with the adoption of gold investment? The perception is the behavioural aspect of human thinking and the adoption is the actual action takes by the Malaysian. Hence, the relationship will be examined in this research. 1.5 Significant of study Based on the investor perception toward gold investment, bank and the investment institution can formulate the gold investment plan to gratify the local investor needs. Malaysia is gradually moving to the liberalization era in different area especially banking area. Due to the open forces from the foreign financial institution, local banks and investment branches are increasingly focus on the customer services and their facilities improvement. By understanding the local investor perception toward the gold investment, local banks or other local investment institution will be able to compete with other foreign giant finance and investment institution. The local investment institution professionalism and customer service is improved if the research and development are increasingly focused on the development of facilities. In addition, government will be eased when implementing the liberalization plan if the local financial institutions are employed with the strong competitive advantages . Malaysia evolves to a resilient nation as we moving deeply into the liberalization era. Thus the local banking system needs to have more inputs to renovate the investment structure in Malaysia. This research enhances the ability to attract the foreign direct investment due to the liberalization of the market. The demand of Malaysia currency is indirectly driven by the foreign direct investment. Hence it will strengthen the Malaysia currency to other nations currencies rate. This research contributes to the Malaysia financial market stability and development while the losses of the investors had been minimized due to the â€Å"safe haven† protection of gold investment. It enhances the resiliency and stability to country financial market, because the losses of investor is been reduced. In addition, local consumers and market players are given the opportunity to variety of choices and enjoy the privilege in term of banking products and services from the open force of the liberalization. Hence it boosts the local investor and market player confident toward the local banking and finance institution. Gold investment in Malaysia is not well known investment vehicle to investors even though there are rising demand of the gold investment from the global perspective. Thus, analyze Malaysia perception toward the gold investment is a vital driver which directly influences the gold investment demand in Malaysia. During the economy difficulties, the consumer are generally suffer from the rising price of the necessities. The decrease of the consumer spending will detain the recovery of the local economy system. If Malaysians engage in some sort of inflationary hedging instrument, the situation will be ease. The inflation problem will not distress the nation seriously as the investors are protected against inflation. From the gold investment facilities provided in Malaysia, we can draw the conclusion of the Malaysia gold investment industry is not well-crafted as compared to other foreign country. There is the need to produce more research topic related to the Malaysia gold investment industry. The research can extend the investor knowledge toward Malaysia gold investment market and also create the awareness to the gold investment opportunity. Malaysia aims to establish a knowledge-based society which is stated in the National Vision Policy (NVP). Hence, in order to consistent with National Vision Policy the extension of the knowledge in gold investment is one of the significant of study in this research. Diversification enables investor to minimize their risk in their portfolio. Investors are given more option to diversify their investment portfolio instead of the current common type of investment vehicle. The inflation rate surge high every year, the real wealth of the investor is diminish over time if they do not involve in the inflationary hedging activities. Among the inflationary hedging activities, gold investment is the safer form of instrument. It is because gold have the high demand and high intrinsic value instead of the legal tender given by the authorities. In addition, the gold is durable and imperishable even for thousands of years. Thus, it acts as a superb value storing asset among others. Risk adverse investors such as elderly will be able to keep their wealth more efficiently and withstand the uncertainty in future. This study provides the important feature of the gold investment which can benefit investor especially during the economic uncertainty period. 1.6 Organization of study In this research project, there are total of five chapters and the title for this research is â€Å"the perception of Malaysian toward gold investment; an empirical study. In chapter one, the overview of the gold investment and benefit of gold investment is included in this research. Besides, the problem statements give an illustration of the problem of gold investment in Malaysia. After that objective of study and significant is study is developed and explained briefly. Chapter two is the literature review; the information is obtained from various sources such as the, research journal, bank catalogue, newspaper, book, and website. In this chapter, the variables are studied clearly and the independent variables are further justified. Chapter two included the study of gold supply and demand, characteristics of gold and gold investment opportunity in Malaysia. After that, the independent variable is studied accordingly. In chapter three, the Research Framework and model specification is developed. Theory of reasoned action has been employed in this study. After that, the hypothesis is established for ten independent variables. Research design is stated in this chapter and it provides detailed information for the method of study. Research sample, questionnaire design, data analysis method is included in this chapter. Chapter four is about the result analysis which the data will be analyzed and interpreted. Finally, chapter five is the recommendation and conclusion of the study. Chapter 2: literature review 2.1 Gold supply and demand Precious metal has the feature of the currency and it possesses the intrinsic value besides the legal tender given by government (Greer, 2005). Hence, investor tend to put their money in gold during time of uncertainty and when they loss confident toward the paper currency (Rusell, 2009). Recent years, there is an increase demand in this real asset due to the loss of confidence toward the paper currency (Willie, 2009). Gold price is demand on the demand and supply mechanism in short-run. Gold demand is high in the country such as East Asia, India and Middle East. In addition, China, India, USA, Italy, and Turkey accounted 55% of the total gold demand of the world. The gold demand can be divided into the jewellery demand, investment demand and industrial demand (Lutter, 2009). Jewellery demand has a highest percentage to the total gold demand. India is the largest jewellery demand due the cultural and religious tradition which is independent to the economic variable. The investment demand which is the primary consideration in this research mean the gold is been traded over-the-counter market. The investment demand has a dramatically increase over last five year which shown a 412% in term of value (World gold council, 2009). More investors seeking gold as protection against the instability of numerous macro-economic variables such as inflation, currency exchange rate, and interest rate (Levin and Wright, 2006). In industrial demand, gold has been use as the thermal and electrical conductor, the demand arises from the use as an electrical components. On the supply side, it is come from the mine production, central bank holding, recycled gold and gold production. The mine production is inelastic to the changes in price and demand due to the long mining process. Recycled gold is from the process of extract and melt down of the jewellery and electrical components (World Gold Council, 2009). 2.2 The characteristic of gold Gold have variety of characteristics besides the independent variable stated in this research. For example, gold possess the characteristics of liquidity, store of value, durability, unit of account and Malleable. The characteristics of the gold provide strong foundation of the demand for the gold especially during the recession or economic uncertainty period. According to world gold Council (2009), the liquidity risk of the gold is relatively low as compare to other investment vehicle especially during the economic hardship. Murray (2004) said that the gold market provide high liquidity to investor when they are in the need of the fund. According to Sathye (2003), the collateral is a second source of repayment to the loan. The Marketability of the asset is an important consideration to the lending decision. The Marketability of the asset depends on the acceptability of the particular asset. Gold has the characteristic of acceptability. Levin Wright (2006) stated that gold is widely acceptable and investor can sell the gold whenever they need the liquidity of the fund. The According to Harmston (1998), gold can uphold its real purchasing power in long run. He claim that gold have consistent value storing ability even at the economic instability. Sjaastad, Larry and Scacciavillani (1996) claimed that when world inflation is surging higher, gold is performance its remarkable function as a value storing instrument. Dubey, Geanakoplos Shubik, (2003) said that gold is a form of commodity money and it can store the value. However gold is durable as compare to other commodities. Besides, the durability of the gold is prominent as a value storing asset. In chemical term, gold is a chemical element with symbol Au and atomic number of 79. This metal has the high thermal and electrical conductivity, resistance of corrosion and malleable characteristics (Wikipedia, 2009). Gold has an atomic number of 79 and atomic weight of 196.967. Gold has high melting point which at 1064.43 °C. Beside, gravity of gold is 19.3 and can be explained as 19.3 times weight than equal volume of water (National Mining Association, 2004). 2.3 Gold investment prospect in Malaysia Gold is an efficient investment vehicle for preservation of wealth and a store of value during the economy volatility especially the high inflationary period. The special features of gold such as diversifier, safe haven, inflationary hedge, universal acceptance, and transportability have make the gold demand the superior choice for investment purpose. In Malaysia, investors have some ways to participate in the gold investment market either physically and non-physically holding of gold. Firstly, we discuss the physically holding of the gold in Malaysia. The Commercial bank investment branches have contributes some fine-tuning gold investment account such as Maybank, Public Bank, Standard Charter Bank, and Bank Negara Malaysia. Maybank offers their gold investment account which called Gold Savings Passbook Account (GSPA). The minimum first purchase is 5 grams only. The weight of gold holdings can be converted to Ringgit Malaysia at the prevailing market gold price and the selling price will be update at the Maybank website from time to time (Maybank, 2008) Public Bank provides the Public Bank Gold Investment Account for investor to participate at the gold market. Public Bank Gold Investment Account having the similar concept with the Maybank Gold Saving Passbook Account. The only difference is the minimum first purchase is 20 gram. Bank can make available the physical gold upon customer require physical withdrawal of gold. A minimum quantity of 2 grams of gold should be maintained by the customer as an assurance of the account is in active mode (Public Bank, 2008). Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad offered its retail investment gold to investor with the launch of Premium Currency Investment Gold (PCi Gold). PCI Gold is a dual currency investment which means that contain both USD and gold. However the minimum amount of 250,000 is required to operate the account with the possession ranging from one week, two week and one month (Standard Chartered Bank). For the gold investment passbook provided by the Public Bank and Maybank is quite similar, the trading record for the gold investment is recorded in a passbook provided to investor. This type of gold investment in generally back by the real gold. However the disadvantage of the gold investment passbook is the investor will not be given any interest and dividend. Investors just make a profit when they sell the gold at higher price. In addition, the bank will charges the gold investment passbo ok holder when the convert or sell their gold holding. When investor buy the gold through the gold investment passbook the price will be slightly higher that the prevailing world gold price. Bank Negara offers the Kijang Emas Gold Bullion Coins. By issue the Kijang Emas Gold Bullion Coins, Malaysia become the 12th country issue its own gold bullion coins. The Kijang Emas Gold Bullion Coin purchase and reselling price is determined by the prevailing international gold market price (BNM, 2002). Investor can buy other bullion coins in some international company such as the Canadian Maple Leaf, American Eagle, and Australian Kangaroo Nugget. The gold investment that involve in non-physically holding of the gold in Malaysia includes gold fund, gold related fund and units trust that involve gold as a core element. The exchange trade fund (ETFs) which is trade similarly as stock or bond. ETFs track the index movement and performance and it is listed on stock exchange (Bursa Malaysia, 2009). Gold exchange trade fund (ETF) is another option for investors and it is listed and traded just as the stock exchange. ETFs enable investor to take part in gold market without investors physically own the gold because it tracks the price performance of the gold bullion. However gold exchange trade fund is still not available in Malaysia. Investor can invest in ETF in Singapore through foreign trading account offered by a local securities firm and investor is subject to the currency risk Gold fund and gold-related funds can be defined as unit trust funds that pool investor fund for investment in gold and other precious metals and investor vary from individuals, corporations to government institutions with common investment objectives. Investor can benefit from the expertise of fund manager who administer the pool fund investment rather that do internal data collection by themselves. There are only one gold fund is available in Malaysia with the minimum investment set at US$150,000 which equivalent to RM513, 000. For gold related fund, investor can just invest minimum of RM 1, 000 to diversify their investment portfolio. (New Straits Times, 2009) The above information provides an insight and general idea to the way to participate in gold investment industry in Malaysia. Investors need the timely information to make their decision on selecting the proper way go investment and investment instrument. According to Lutter (2008), investor will search for the particular investment vehicle before they add the instrument into their investment portfolio. Investor will normally seek information for these four categories, individual, salesperson and advertisement, public communication instruments and personal observation. 2.4 The independent variables of the intention to adopt gold investment among Malaysian In this chapter, the independent variables that are expected to have significant relationship toward the intention to adopt gold investment will be examined. The dependent variable is the intention that Malaysian investor employ the gold investment as part of their investment portfolio. The potential independent variables are the inflationary hedge, currency rate, diversifier and safe haven, time horizon, third party influences, cultural influences, risk averse, advertisement, and professionalism. The independent variable is grouped according to Maheran, Nursuzila and Aspiyati (2008) which adopt the theory of reasoned action. Besides, some mortification is made to tally with this research special requirement. The advertisement and professionalism is common type of independent variable that influences the adoption of some products or services. Advertisements play an important role to persuade consumer intention to accept the products and services. Professionalism is needed especially for the investment sector; investors are generally employs less information than the agent and the professional in the field. 2.5 Economic Factor and gold investment Purchasing power of gold is maintain even the transformation of the era is remarkably significant and the purchasing power of the contemporary currency is diminished gradually (Greer, 2005). In year 1945, Breton wood agreement which endorse by the United States Congress was set the gold exchange standard. The standard involves setting par values for currencies in term of gold and the member countries is required to convert foreign official holdings of their currencies into gold at the prevailing par value. Breton wood system had fixed the 35 US dollar equivalent to 1 ounce of gold to establish the global currency standard (Dammasch, 2005). According to world gold council (2009), the current gold price is increase sharply and currently one ounce of gold is approximately equivalent to 1079 US dollar per ounce. From the above , we can notice that the purchasing power of US currencies has generally declined due to the impact of rising prices for goods and services. Consequently, gold is always in pursuit by the investor when there is fluctuation in the currencies and economy. According to World gold council (2006), the robust growth of the gold investment demand recent year can be attributed to the factors such as macro-economic and the political instability. Economic factors have high contribution to the gold investment demand and the US dollar plays a crucial role in this aspect. According to Levin and Wright (2006), gold is prominent for its inverse relationship with the US dollar. During the drop in the currency rate of the US dollar recently, the gold price had shown a robust upward shift in the price. The currency factor contributes to investor decision making framework in adoption of gold investment (Boye, 2005). The inflationary hedging ability of gold and currency rate volatility is the key independent variable in this research and it is widely study by many of the professors (eg. Lutter, Sjaastad, Larry Scacciavillani, Worthington Pahlavani and Greer) 2.5.1. Inflationary hedge and gold investment Under the overwhelming financial emergency in 2008, investors are alert to the predictable inflation in the coming future; they realize the advantage of possessing gold, this drive the gold investment demand in China (China research and intelligence, 2009). In consistent with the china research and intelligences finding, world gold council researcher shown that the gold price remains high and stable at around US$ 989/oz in the first quarter of 2009. The scenario is driven by the anxious of investors toward the stability of the financial system, risk aversion, future possibility of inflation and as well as deflation (WGC, 2009). The World gold Council and China researcher predict the gold demand increase during the late 2008 is driven by the inflation and economy uncertainty. In Lutter (2008) study he shown that investor treat gold investment as the superior investment instrument and belief it will give the return which is higher that the inflation rate. Thus investor will demand gold during the inflationary period. According to Worthington and Pahlavani (2007), they claimed that commodities are the best way to hedge against rising prices which reduce the returns of purely financial assets like stocks and bonds. Worthington and Pahlavani point out that gold is special which unlike most commodities; gold is durable, relatively transportable, universally acceptable and easily authenticated. The commodities hedging ability is supported by Ranson and Wainwright (2005)

Henry Thoreaus Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther King Jr. :: Henry Thoreau, Martin Luther King

Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience took the original idea of transcendentalism and put it into action. His civil acts of defiance were revolutionary as he endorsed a form of protest that did not incorporate violence or fear. Thoreau’s initial actions involving the protest of many governmental issues, including slavery, landed him in jail as he refused to pay taxes or to run away. Ironically, more than one hundred years later, the same issue of equal rights was tearing the United States apart. Yet African Americans, like Martin Luther King Jr., followed in Thoreau’s footsteps by partaking in acts of civil disobedience. Sit-ins and peaceful rallies drew attention to the issue while keeping it from escalating into a much more violent problem. Thoreau’s ideas were becoming prevalent as they were used by Civil Rights Activists and the Supreme Court, in such cases as Brown v. Board of Education. The ideology that was created by Thoreau aided the a ctivists and the government in their quest for equality and a more just system of law. The main goal of the Civil Rights Movement was to instate equality under the law. King was a figurehead for the Civil Rights Movement. King’s ability to organize factions into a force that was unaffected by violence greatly contributed to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. In a letter he wrote from a Birmingham jail, King describes the four steps to non-violent protest. The first step is â€Å"collection of the facts to determine whether an injustice exists.†i This relates to Thoreau’s critique of an unjust government. Thoreau believed that every machine had friction, yet â€Å"when the friction comes to have its machine†¦let us not have such a machine any longer.†ii In the case of civil rights, the government has the friction of racial inequalities. That friction had several machines which enables whites to prevail over African Americans. King’s second step was negation. Thoreau lived during a time when negotiation was non-exi stent. He met the government â€Å"once a year--no more--in the person of its tax-gatherer; this is the only mode in which a man situated as I am necessarily meets it.†iii In the case of Thoreau and King, their struggle could not be resolved by simple negotiation. The third step, as King calls it, was self purification.

Nazi Germany’s discrimination against the Jews throughout World War II Essay

As a result of anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany, a system of violent suppression and control emerged that ultimately took the lives of an estimated 6 million Jewish people Anti-Semitism is an opposition to, prejudice against, or intolerance of Semitic people, most commonly Jews. Anti-Semitism has existed throughout history, since Israel’s dispersion in 70 AD. In every land in which the Jews have lived, they have been threatened, violated and murdered, century after century. After Germany’s defeat in World War I, many Germans found it hard to accept their defeat. These Germans connived a theory that the citizens at home had betrayed them, â€Å"especially laying blame on Jews and Marxists in Germany for undermining the war effort† (http://www. historyplace. com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/ends. htm). This is the main reason that led to the extreme discrimination and removal of basic rights of Jewish people in Germany during the 1930’s and 1940’s, however, there were many other reasons including Christianity’s general hatred for Jewry. Jews were often the victims of Nazism. The first Jewish victims of the Nazi era were 8 innocent people who were killed in the streets on 1 January 1930 by Brownshirts. Soon after that, violence against Jews in the streets became common. Violence was an integral part of the Nazi programme†¦ Jews were molested in cafes and theatres, synagogue services were disrupted and anti-Jewish slogans became the daily calling card of Nazi thugs. (Gilbert,2001:31) One particular night of violence, known as Kristallnacht, is remembered with fear. During the night of November 9-10, 1938 thousands of windows were smashed out of Jewish businesses and homes, hundreds of synagogues were burnt to the ground, and more than ninety Jews were murdered. On March 9, 1933 the first Nazi concentration camp was opened at Dachau. On April 1, a boycott of all Jewish shops was put in place. It only lasted a day, because of threats of a counter-boycott in the USA of all German made goods. However, the expulsion of all Jewish people from Germany’s Universities and then the ‘Burning of the Books’ quickly followed the one-day boycott. The ‘Burning of the Books’ consisted of 20 000 books burned in a massive bonfire in front of the Berlin Opera House, and opposite the University of Berlin. The books that were destroyed were judged to be ‘degenerate’ and ‘intellectual filth’ by the Nazis, many being written by Jewish authors. Also during this time, Jewish scientists and intellectuals were dismissed from their positions, and Hitler was quoted as saying â€Å"If the dismissal of Jewish scientists means the annihilation of contemporary German science, we shall do without science for a few years†. In late 1939, the first ghettos were created in Poland. All Jews were forced to move into a designated area of a city or town, which was surrounded by brick walls topped with barbed wire, and guarded by armed men. SS General Heydrich ordered that the ghettos were to be located on railway junctions, or along a railway ‘so that future measures may be accomplished more easily’. Large numbers of people had to share small living quarters, and medical supplies and food were limited. The Jews could only bring into the ghettos what they could carry, and their luggage was searched and pillaged on their arrival. Life in the ghettos was hard, and death rates were high. Most of the deaths in the ghettos were by starvation or disease. In the two largest ghettos in Poland, Warsaw and Lodz, the death toll from starvation alone in the first twelve months after the creation of the ghettos reached approximately 42 000. In most of Western Poland, there were no ghettos. This was because General Heydrich had ordered Western Poland to be ‘cleared completely of the Jews’. Immediately after the Germans invaded a town, they rounded up all the Jewish people, made them dig large pits, then shot and buried them just outside the town. The ghettos were also referred to as concentration camps and slave labour camps. This was because while the Jews resided in the ghettos, they could be forced to work up to fourteen hours a day in some circumstances. Some were deported to separate concentration camps where they would work on farms in the country to maintain a food supply for the German war machine. Others who stayed in the ghettos worked for the Nazis in munitions factories making armaments, or for local businessmen who paid the government for the use of slave labour to work their factories. These Jews were mostly considered totally expendable, and were subject to minimal food rations, a lack of medical attention, and violent beatings. At least half a million Jews died as slave labourers. The extermination camps, or death camps were the sites for hundreds of mass murders. Men, women and children were deported from ghettos and concentration camps to these death camps and usually taken straight from the train to a gas chamber where they were gassed to death. A few hundred people were kept alive as slave labour to sort through the clothing and luggage of the victims. A small part of this labour force was known as the Death Jews. These Jews performed the task of removing bodies from the gas chambers and stripping them of anything of value. They then dragged the corpses to a crematorium where the naked bodies were burnt. Most of the labour forces were killed and replaced whenever a new group of deportees arrived. The most infamous death camp was Auschwitz, where mostly deportees from Western Europe and southwest Poland were taken. Lilli Kopecky, a deportee from Slovakia recalls arriving at Auschwitz: When we came to Auschwitz, we smelt the sweet smell. They said to us: ‘There the people are gassed, three kilometers over there. ‘ We didn’t believe it. (Gilbert,2001:77) More than a million Jews were murdered at Auschwitz alone. The Holocaust is probably the most infamous instance of anti-Semitism in History. The oppressive tactics of Nazi Germany took away all the rights of the Jews, and wiped out almost the entire race of Jewish people in Europe. If the Nazis had succeeded in what they came so close to doing, there would not be a trace of Jewry remaining in Europe today.

Motion

Motion Motion-sensing Game Controllers Essay Mara Drake-Shoffner Mr. Morgan Business Software 1A September 23, 2013 From One Controller to Another Video games and computer games use a game controller as the input device that directs movements and actions of on-screen objects. Two commonly used game controllers are gamepads and motion-sensing game controllers. Game controllers not only enrich the gaming experience but also aid in the movements and actions of the players. A gamepad is held by the player with both hands, allowing the player to control the movement or actions of the objects in the video or computer games. Players press buttons on the gamepad, often with their thumbs, to carry out actions. Some gamepads have swiveling sticks that also can trigger events during game play . Some gamepads include wireless capabilities; others connect via a cable directly to the game console or a personal computer. Motion-sensing game controllers allow the user to guide on-screen elements or trigger events by moving a handheld input device in predetermined directions through the air. These controllers communicate with a game console or personal computer via wired or wireless technology. A variety of games, from sports to simulations, use motion-sensing game controllers. Some of these controllers, such as baseball bats and golf clubs, are designed for only one specific kind of game; others are general purpose. A popular, general purpose, motion-sensing game controller is Nintendo’s Wii Remote. Shaped like a television

Corroboratively vs. Collaboratively

Corroboratively vs. Collaboratively Corroboratively vs. Collaboratively Corroboratively vs. Collaboratively By Maeve Maddox A reader has brought my attention to an odd use of the word corroboratively in a job description for a communications specialist position: Work corroboratively as a member of an integrated contractor team Like the reader, I believe that the recruiter was reaching for the adverb collaboratively, which is the word used to describe the action of working with others in a cooperative manner. In my search for additional examples of this misuse, I did not find many, but corroboratively, often spelled â€Å"corrobatively,† does appear in other job descriptions published by recruiters, including several from the UK and one from Australia: You will work corroboratively with the Directors and other Managers Work corrobatively [sic] to support recovery process A marketing site provided another: I think probably this has [a lot] to do with the niche and how much [revenue] is in it for them, and is used corrobatively [sic]. The verb corroborate means â€Å"to strengthen or confirm.† It cropped up frequently in the old Perry Mason television series: Can you corroborate his alibi? If it please the Court, we have corroborating evidence. The adverb form corroboratively is rarely used, although I did find it in two or three difficult-to-follow interpretations of the Book of Revelation in which the prophecies are seen as an indictment of the petroleum industry: all prophecy is corrobatively [sic] linked into the energy business I’m not certain, but I think this example may have something to do with the idea that the Bible provides supporting evidence for the writer’s views. So far the rogue use of corroboratively in the sense of cooperatively or collaboratively is rare, but errors travel quickly in cyberspace. Beware. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†The Four Sounds of the Spelling OUPreposition Review #1: Chance of vs. Chance for

An interview with a small firm about talent management to find the gap Assignment

An interview with a small firm about talent management to find the gap between academic and practitioners - Assignment Example However, recent scientific research established that the generic teamwork skills are more than an individual’s personal skills and abilities. Another gap is in the approaches to composition of teams in organizations. Most organizations take the average of team members on a particular trait and treat the score as the teams mean composition. However, recent scientific research suggest that the most appropriate approach to measure team composition traits depend on many other circumstances. Scientific research therefore, suggest that the mean score is not the best approach for Human resource managers to use to evaluate team composition Demographic diversity in teams also presents certain gaps between research in human resource development and actual practice of human resource development. Diversity in the workforce is changing over time with increased involvement of gender, age, and cultural diversity in the organization. There are also changes in management of a diverse workforce for organizations. In many firms, there is a perception that demographic diversity increases team performance. However, according to research, more demographic diversity does not always result in increased team performance. Other studies suggest that demographic diversity does not influence team performance especially on long term basis. (Hollenbeck, DeRue, & Guzzo, 2004) To solve the gap in choosing the best people to form a team, it is important for organizations to develop a foundation of knowledge, skills, and abilities. The firm can examine a number of factors based on theoretical and methodological background. Organizations should develop teams depending on feedback, cooperation, team spirit, morale and adaptability of the employees. Choosing a team should not focus on individual skills. The choice should be comprehensive in nature In order integrate between human resource

History of a Winery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of a Winery - Research Paper Example The high quality wine that is produced by the company is among the list of 150 top brands in Burgundy region. Some of the notable brands includes white Bourgogne Aligotà © , red Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains , Crà ©mant de Bourgogne, Crà ©mant de Bourgogne blanc de noirs, and AOC Bourgogne Pinot Noir among others. The company is known for its reputation of producing high quality wine and this has been successful due to the acquisitions of vineyards in 1980s up to 1990s (Fred, 2013). Maison Louis Jadot has more than 300 acres that belong to the family. This makes the company to yield high profit since the 300 acres belong to the family and thus the company management takes effective control of it. As a result, the company supplies large quantity of wine that is of high quality. The company management has been authorized to negotiate for the grape requirements with other growers with non binding agreements (Boehm, 1987). They sign agreements like willing seller willing buyer so as to strengthen the relationship between the company and the growers and finally they attain a collaborative partnership. The good terms of trade between the company and the growers of grapes makes the company to maintain the supply of grapes thus making it easy to attain a consistency in the production of its brands. Louis Jadot has specialized in wine making for almost 150 years and has been expanding to other wine making facilities and making contracts with growers to meet the demand of high quality wine. Louis Henry Denis Jadot is the man behind the Maison Louis Jadot, when he founded it in 1859 though the first vineyard was established in 1826 by Jadot family. The company is known for producing Burgundy wine in the market under the leadership of Jadot family. The family has its own vineyards. Because of large consumption of wine in the area, the company buys grapes from estates such as Domaines Lapalu, Medoc,