Thursday, October 31, 2019

User Frustration Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

User Frustration - Assignment Example Errors occur when users get the perception that something in the computing system is not working right making the user unable to reach their task goals. The error might be from either the hardware or the software failure, e.g. a crash. Alternatively, the error might result from actions of users, for example, using wrong commands, or using the correct commands but entering them wrongly, such as a mode error. The situation gets worse if the user is new and is, therefore, unable to troubleshoot the errors. Such users may end up performing actions that only increase the intensity of the error. The error messages given might be too complicated for the user to understand, leave alone responding (Lazar, Jones, Hackley, & Shneiderman, 2006). Users, especially experts, would prefer computer applications that respond promptly. This would save them time and prove to be convenient. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes an application such as web browser may take so long to respond. This inhibits the user from completing the task within the desired time. The time delays occur mostly when users are requesting content from the web. In the end when the user finally gets the requested content, he may not find it that interesting. Long time delays make it harder for users to remember their goals, or even the related context in which the request was made. Web pages that take excessively long to respond make the user believe that an error has occurred, making him frustrated (Lazar et al., 2006). The amount of time spent in running a particular application may cause mood disturbances and discomfort when performing the task. Computer systems that take long response time increase user stress. Emotions play a role in the end-user experience with information technology. Applications complexities and poorly-crafted interfaces result in emotions such as failure, confusion and frustration (Lazar et al., 2006). Frustration originating from errors can be reduced by using bug

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Canadian Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Canadian Economy - Essay Example   The main   economic indicators of the   health of any economy comprise in either the absolute figure of the Gross National Product(GNP) or the Gross National Expenditure(GNE) of the economy ,preferably on deflated basis with a base year or the period to period growth rate in such a rate ;unemployment rate is another critical indicators of the economic development and growth as it indicates the percentage of the able bodies that are not gainfully employed; the third and last   most important indicator of the economic health of the economy is the inflation rate which indicates the rate at which a chosen set of prices are rising and thereby determines the real purchasing power of the national currency. A high degree of inflation often leads to widespread erosion of economic value and if the inflation is caused by monetary factors then the economic results can give misleading results if measured at market prices. Canadian economy has come out of period of recession and is on an expansionary phase. It has experienced this growth despite several shocks like the hit to beef exports caused by the Mad Cow disease SAARS afflictions etc. As of the 3rd quarter 2007 the total population of Canada was placed at 32,976,026 .As of October 2007 Canada had an unemployment rate of 5.8 % .As of September 2007 the overall Canadian inflation rate was measured at 2.5 % .Real GDP rose by   0.2 % as of August 2007. Gross domestic product (GDP) is the most often used economic indicator to arrive at a good measure of the value of economic activity.... tal population of Canada was placed at 32,976,026 .As of October 2007 Canada had an unemployment rate of 5.8 % .As of September 2007 the overall Canadian inflation rate was measured at 2.5 % .Real GDP rose by 0.2 % as of August 2007. Gross domestic product (GDP) is the most often used economic indicator to arrive at a good measure of the value of economic activity. In fact, the GDP is a double edged sword in the sense that it helps measure two major economic data over the reference period: the total income of the population in the economy and the total expenditure incurred on the economy's domestic output of goods and services. A major factor that makes the GDP measure these two things is the fact that whatever one person in the economy spends becomes the income of another person; because in the ultimate sense each person in the economy assumes one of the two roles i.e. either that of the buyer or that of the seller. If one is not a seller himself, more general position then he is a member of a seller organization which is an economic agent and pays the member for selling his services. Speaking from the accounting point of view, for the economy as a whole, income and expenditure must always equal one another. In the 2nd quarter of 2007 Canadian exports rose by 0.7 % ;whereas the imports rose by 1.6 % in the same period. The exchange rate of the Canadian dollar with its major trading currency the US dollar stood at 1.0254 as of October 2007.The most sensitive and indicative of all interest rates i.e. The Prime interest rate was placed at 6.25 % as of October 2007. The stock markets also witnessed a good turnover and activity and the S&P/TSX Composite Index, with base of 1975 stood at 14,625.00 as of October 2007.The most important economic indicators of the Federal

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The History Of Reliance Fresh Marketing Essay

The History Of Reliance Fresh Marketing Essay Giant corporations like Wal-Mart and Reliance have started to try and take over the Indian retail sector. The entry of the giant corporate retail in Indias food market will have direct impact on Indias 650 million farmers and 40 million people employed in tiny retail. More than 6600 mega stores are planned with Rs40,000 crore by 2011. Our case is intended to cover two primary objectives which are: First, when experts and giants like future group WalMart and Reliance they are ready to start operations in retail what kind of strategies and structure they would be having to get the competitive edge over each other and established small and unorganized retailers. Second, what kind of impact has been on other retailers including unorganized ones with the opening of Reliance Fresh stores. In the following case findings about Reliance Fresh were quite awakening and exemplary. Even after recent shutdown of Reliance fresh stores from UP and unwelcoming vibes from states like Kerala, West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand for its retail format (which was allegedly capturing the unorganized sector and leaving thousands of self employed people jobless) Reliance was not in any mood to hamper its 25000 crore plan. Reliance responded with superb strategy in which it shifted its focus from retailer to being a supplier i.e. targeting hawkers, vendors, Push cart wheelers instead of customers. Big retailers like Reliance have huge resources and network which directly impacted many of the retailers some of whom are planning to quit. In our sample size of 75 retailers more than 30 agreed to have lost as much as 50% of their sales. This case also discusses pros and cons of contract farming which on one part assures farmers of price for their crop and knowledge about fertilizers and seed b ut on other side has some obvious drawbacks like monopoly of big retailers. As a big market in which organized sector is poised to grow with 25% 30% annually our government must come with appropriate regulations to save small retailers and our agricultural sector. BACKGROUND OF RETAIL India is a land of retail democracy- hundreds of thousands of weekly haats and bazaars are located across the length and breadth of our country by peoples own self-organizational capacities. Our streets are bazaars lively, vibrant, safe and the source of livelihood for millions. India has the highest shop density in the world, with 11 outlets per 1000 people. This does not include the village haats. Our retail democracy is characterized by: 1. High levels of livelihoods in retail with nearly 40 million employed which accounts for 8% of the employment and 4% of the entire population. 2. High levels of self organization. 3. Low capital input 4. High levels of decentralization Retail in India has started with the concept of weekly markets, where all the traders gather at one big place to sell their products every week. The people come to these weekly markets to buy the household items for the next one week. Village fairs and melas were also common as it had more of an entertainment value. Once the people started getting busy with their lives and when they turned entrepreneurial, there emerged the mom and pop shops and the kiranas in the neighbourhood. After independence, came into existence the system of Public distribution of foods through the ration shops, where food grains, sugar and oil for the daily consumption were distributed at subsidized rates through the government ration shops. The modern corporate retail formats are of the exclusive brand outlets, hypermarkets and supermarkets, departmental stores and shopping malls. But still the Indian consumer depends on the self-organized retail shops for their daily needs. This is largely due to the excell ent food retailing system that was established by the kiranas (mom and-pop) stores that continue meet with all the requirements of retail requirements albeit without the convenience of the shopping as provided by the retail chains. The Hawkers/lari galla vendors and the local kiranas are the two main forms of unorganized retail in the country, which almost account for 97% of the total retail trade. Giant corporations like Wal-Mart and Reliance have started to try and take over the Indian retail sector. Currently the value of the retail market is estimated at around $ 270 billion with a growth rate of 5.7 per cent per annum according to the Indian retail report. The size of small retail is big, the size of big retail is small, a mere Rs. 250 billion in 2004 or 3% and Rs. 485 billion or 4.7% per cent of the retail market in 2006. However, the large scale corporate retail is projected to grow at the rate of 28% to 30% per annum, reaching Rs. 1000 billion or $ 70 billion by 2010 from th e current size of US $ 8.7 billion. The tenfold increase in corporate retail will be at the cost of small scale retail, which employs nearly 10% of Indias population. The strategy here is to define the small scale self-organized retail as unorganized and the large scale corporate retail as organized. The real difference is however not unorganized vs organized. But it is self-organized vs. corporate Reliance Fresh is the convenience store format which forms part of the retail business of Reliance Industries of India which is headed by Mukesh Ambani. Reliance plans to invest in excess of Rs 25000 crores in the next 4 years in their retail division. The company already has in excess of 560 reliance fresh outlets across the country. These stores sell fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, groceries, fresh juice bars and dairy products. A typical Reliance Fresh store is approximately 3000-4000 square. feet and caters to a catchment area of 2-3 km. History Post launch, in a dramatic shift in its positioning and mainly due to the circumstances prevaling in UP, West Bengal and Orissa, it was mentioned recently in news dailies that, Reliance Retail is moving out of stocking fruits and vegetables. Reliance Retail has decided to minimise its exposure in the fruit and vegetable business and position Reliance Fresh as a pure play super market focusing on categories like food, FMCG, home, consumer durables, IT and wellness , with food accounting for the bulk of the business. The company may not stock fruit and vegetables in some states. Though Reliance Fresh is not exiting the fruit and vegetable business altogether, it has decided not to compete with local vendors partly due to political reasons, and partly due to its inability to create a robust supply chain. This is quite different from what the firm had originally planned. When the first Reliance Fresh store opened in Hyderabad last October, not only did the company said the stores main focus would be fresh produce like fruits and vegetables at a much lower price, but also spoke at length about its farm-to-fork theory. The idea the company spoke about was to source from farmers and sell directly to the consumer removing middlemen out of the way. Reliance Fresh, Reliance Mart, Reliance Digital, Reliance Trendz, Reliance Footprint, Reliance Wellness, Reliance Jewels, Reliance Timeout and Reliance Super are various formats that Reliance has rolled out. In addition, Reliance Retail has entered into an alliance with Apple for setting up a chain of Apple Specialty Stores branded as iStore, starting with Bangalore. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Today when most of the companies are busy in making profits by any means, there are few Ones who are focused to return this society, a part of what they have earned through this society. Reliance retail is one of them. Following efforts of reliance retail are aimed at benefiting the society making reliance socially responsible: 1) Reliance Retail aims at recruiting people from the underprivileged community in society. Hence, we are planning to train students from corporation schools and schools run by NGOs. And, we consider this as a part of our corporate social responsibility, he said. Asked whether the company will take students on an employment basis and pay them a stipend during the course period, he said that actually, it is planning to charge a small fee from those who want to join the course as we want to bring in some discipline and regularity among the students, and will reimburse that once they are inducted into service. 2) Farming in India is highly fragmented and subject to harsh climatic conditions: once harvested, it is very difficult to keep fruits and vegetables fresh. To secure high quality, Reliance Retail is directly sourcing fresh agricultural produce from thousands of farmers from villages through Collection Centers. With this concept, Reliance has built a business model generating shared value that links the company supply chain more closely to poor farmers in Indian villages. Reliance is providing a guaranteed market for the farmers produce, reducing transaction costs and training the farmers in better and sustainable farming practices. This initiative results in higher income and upgrading of skills for the farmers, and reduced spoilage of produce (up to 35 percent) and better quality products for Reliance retail stores. 3) Reliance retail has adopted farm to fork theory which means it is procuring Directly from the farmers thus offering them quite reasonable prices for their produce as now no intermediaries are involved. In return Reliance is giving farmers information about how can farmers improve their productivity. They have centers in villages who apart from providing information make farmers aware of market rates of different crops so that farmers can choose crops they want to sow to become profitable. farmers are provided technical help as well like information about quality of seeds and fertilizers. Service marketing environment Service marketing environment of reliance fresh can be scanned by considering the six major environment forces like demographic, economic, socio-culture, natural, technological, and political legal. As the demographic environment consists of the age mix of population, literacy and education level. Economic level consists of income distribution of different people. The rich grew by 400% in urban areas and 200% in rural areas. Socio- cultural environment consists of influence of religion, languages and customer that shapes the values and attitudes of customer preferences, habits and behaviour. Services Marketing and Marketing Mix A service is the action of doing something for someone or something. It is largely intangible (i.e. not material). A product is tangible (i.e. material) since you can touch it and own it. A service tends to be an experience that is consumed at the point where it is purchased, and cannot be owned since is quickly perishes. A person could go to a cafà © one day and have excellent service, and then return the next day and have a poor experience. So often marketers talk about the nature of a service as: Inseparable From the point where it is consumed, and from the provider of the service. For example, you cannot take a live theatre performance home to consume it (a DVD of the same performance would be a product, not a service). Intangible and cannot have a real, physical presence as does a product. For example, motor insurance may have a certificate, but the financial service itself cannot be touched i.e. it is intangible. Perishable in that once it has occurred it cannot be repeated in exactly the same way. For example, once a 100 metres Olympic final has been run, there will be not other for 4 more years, and even then it will be staged in a different place with many different finalists. Variability- since the human involvement of service provision means that no two services will be completely identical. For example, returning to the same garage time and time again for a service on your car might see different levels of customer satisfaction, or speediness of work. Right of ownership is not taken to the service, since you merely experience it. For example, an engineer may service your air-conditioning, but you do not own the service, the engineer or his equipment. You cannot sell it on once it has been consumed, and do not take ownership of it. Western economies have seen deterioration in their traditional manufacturing industries, and a growth in their service economies. Therefore the marketing mix has seen an extension and adaptation into the extended marketing mix for services, also known as the 7Ps physical evidence, process and people. Reliance Fresh Marketing Mix (7 Ps) After segmenting the market, finding the target segment and positioning itself, each company needs to come up with an offer. The 7 Ps used by Reliance Fresh are: 1. Product 2. Place 3. Price 4. Promotion 5. People 6. Physical Evidence 7. Process Target Segment what is Reliance fresh for me? A Family with children, a purchase place to be for the children. Urban customer on the move Great taste, quick service without affecting the work schedule. But keep it affordable. Product: How should the company design, manufacture the product so that it enhances the customer experience? Product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. Product includes certain aspects such as packaging, guarantee, looks etc. This includes both the tangible and the non tangible aspects of the product and service. Reliance fresh has intentionally kept its product depth and product width limited. Reliance Fresh studied the behaviour of the Indian customer and provided a totally different menu as compared to its International offering. India is the only country where reliance Fresh serve vegetarian. Even the sauces and cheese used in India are 100% vegetarian. Place: Where should be the product be available and the role of distribution channels? The place mainly consists of the distribution channels. It is important so that the product is available to the customer at the right place, at the right time and in the right quantity. Nearly 50% of U.S.A is within a 3 minute drive from a Reliance Fresh outlet. There is a certain degree of fun and happiness that a customer feels each time he dines at. There are certain value propositions that reliance fresh offer to its customers based on their needs. Reliance fresh offers hygienic environment, good ambience and great service. Now Reliance Fresh have also started giving internet facility at their centres and they have been playing music through radio instead of the normal music. There are certain dedicated areas for children where they can play while their parents can have some quality time together. Price: What should be the pricing strategy? Pricing includes the list price, the discount functions available, the financing options available etc. It should also take into the consideration the probable reaction from the competitor to the pricing strategy. This is the most important part of the marketing mix as this is the only part which generates revenue. All the other three are expenses incurred. The price must take into consideration the appropriate demand-supply equation. Reliance fresh came up with a very catchy punch line Growth Through Value Creation. This was to attract the middle and lower class consumers and the effect can clearly be seen in the consumer base Reliance fresh has now. Promotion: What is the suitable strategy and channels for promotion of the product? The various promotion channels being used Reliance fresh to effectively communicate the product information are given above. A clear understanding of the customer value helps decide whether the cost of promotion is worth spending. There are three main objectives of advertising for Reliance fresh are to make people aware of an item, feel positive about it and remember it. The right message has to be communicated to the right audience through the right media. Reliance fresh does its promotion through television, hoardings and bus shelters. They use print ads and the television programmes are also an important marketing medium for promotion. Some of the most famous marketing campaigns of Reliance fresh are:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Food and Fun People: How to converge the benefits of internal and external marketing? Reliance fresh understands the value of both its employees and its customers. It understands the fact that a happy employee can serve well and result in a happy customer. Reliance fresh continuously does Internal Marketing. This is important as it must precede external marketing. This includes hiring, training and motivating able employees. This way they serve customers well and the final result is a happy customer. The level of importance has changed to be in the following order (the more important people are at the top): 1. Customers 2. Front line employees 3. Middle level managers 4. Front line managers Physical evidences -Actual Experiferal evidence -A good time entry. -Sign boards. -Essential eminence of service. -Good parking place Process Process Exist are complex on railways like some processes are: -refund process / claim process. -Communication process. -Entraining/Detraining Process. The service segmentation Reliance Fresh has segmented their service to all class of people like rich, poor by providing standards of facility in different ways, for example you can find different items/buget packs for them these are the service segmentation of Reliance Fresh by which they are serving different categories of people. In all these service segmentation Reliance Fresh is providing different facilities and charging same money. Items at a Glance timetable, I have always used these on booking and have never had a problem, write the abbreviation in which you want to purchase, next to the word on the purchase form. Organizations are taking an interest in the international marketing of services because of low cost factors and the ability to compete in nearby country markets (Bradley 1995); however, international services pose special challenges for marketing managers as a result of the intangibility of services, the extent of customization, and differences in preferences across cultures. Research on international service offerings has focused on entry-mode choices technology growth , geographic roles, service influences on national competitive advantage and strategic differences across services . Yet the marketing literature has not investigated several key components of service strategy, particularly in the international domain. Customers Requirements and Customer Expectations Customers Experience after visiting the store can be said to be not much satisfactory. After this entire buzz it seemed to be a damp squib to me. 1. Choice and Range. Reliance Retail is primarily a super market store. So, one expects a wide range of goods available across various categories, brands and price ranges. Hardly there is any range available. Not even, any categories of goods. Just one or two we can easily live without. 2.  Super Markets like Nilgiris, Trinethra (recently bought by Birlas), Subhikhsa, and Modern Market especially the last one has a superb range and Reliance Fresh is nowhere in comparison to them. 3.  The Ambiance in the shop is good, but as I said nothing much different from the other super market chains. 4.  The staff is cordial and friendly very much eagerly looking forward to help. After I made the payment, the staff greeting me by saying a Namaste. This I liked a lot. Especially after horrible experiences of visiting shops in Kolkata. I do not know why but shop keepers in Salt Lake have this tendency of looking at you as if why do these customers keep bothering us, when u visits them. 5.  They accept card payment even for payments less than a hundred rupees. 6.   They have this membership card option with a free insurance thrown in, just to ensure that you show loyalty to them. As they go through the reviews by the members, they observe that the same points they have quoted above are bothering them too. Some more reading, browsing and research made me understand some of the aspects related to it, which I want to share with you. 1.  Customer is the last person in the minds of these supermarket chains. Though it might be surprising, thats the fact straightly put. What matters the most is the number. The more the number of stores opened, the more is the number of people visiting them, the more the chances of success. 2. The commission they get for selling a product. They are least bothered about providing a range of goods and brands to the Customer. In contrary, the companies that pay them the highest commission get to sell their goods from them. When they have the numbers, companies cannot afford to ignore them courtesy, the large number of customers visiting them. But why are the Customers visiting them, when they are not getting what they want? 3.  The feel good factor. The goods we buy here can be easily bought at any other grocery store round the corner. Then why do we flock to them? Just because, we feel good. We feel happy becoming a part of another India, which looks great much unlike the India we have grown in. We love the ambience. We like being greeted. 4.  By making a right balance between the numbers and the feel good factor, they achieve their targets some times much beyond the expectations they have set. We are just part of the market grind that is happening right now! Service recovery strategies -Improving the after sales services. -Admit and apologies. -rectification of any error -Compensate -Minor performance lapse need monitoring Quality concern Quality means watching the services from customer prospective. The main quality concern of Reliance Fresh is: To provide hygienic condition inside the stores. Avoiding as much as possible the delay in the schedule. Freshness is also one of the concern for Reliance fresh. Improving the infrastructure to world class level of standards. Integrated gap model of service quality Revenue% The central focus of gap model is the customer gap, the difference between customer expectations and perceptions. GAP-1 Not knowing what customer expect i.e. what are the expectation of customer of Reliance Fresh which can be due to inadequate marketing research. GAP-2 Not selecting the right service design and standards. Reliance Fresh have a good service design but not reached to that level of standards to meet all customer expectations. GAP-3 Not delivering to service designs and standards. This can be due to deficiency of human resource policy of Reliance Fresh. And may be due to failure in meeting supply and demand. Because of the huge population of India. GAP-4 Not matching performance to promises. This can be due to lack of integrating services marketing communication and ineffective management of customer expectation by Reliance Fresh. In this way the gap between expected quality and perceived quality can be calculated by Reliance Fresh. Blueprint of Reliance Fresh (near Patel chowk) Entering path Tracks for purchase of googd Tracks for purchase of googd Billing counter Gate keeper Entrance to Reliance Fresh This is the blueprint of reliance fresh. Customer when comes to this store firstly the gate keeper will check it and keep the bag if he has with him. The billing counter is first right of entrance. When customer enters it the tracks whether for seeing of goods and if he liked something than he can put it in trolley and then he can go the billing counter. If he needs some help than he also can ask for it but telling the nearest salesman. After selecting the good he can go to billing and go back to gate keeper. Gate keeper now demand for the receipt for just the security purpose. Pricing Strategies by Reliance Fresh -Discount pricing strategy -Wide price range of each items -Credit card acceptance -Accept coupons Competitive prices. -Price marked in paisas -comparable cost.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Lottery Essay -- essays research papers

Shirley Jackson’s insights and observations about man and society are reflected in her famous short story "The Lottery". Many of her readers have found this story shocking and disturbing. Jackson reveals two general attitudes in this story: first, the shocking reality of human’s tendency to select a scapegoat and second, society as a victim of tradition and ritual. Throughout history we have witnessed and participated in many events, where, in time of turmoil and hardship, society has a tendency to seize upon a scapegoat as means of resolution. The people of the village had been taught to believe that in order for their crop to be abundant for the year, some individual had to be sacrificed. "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon", said Old Man Warner. The irony here is that villagers are aware that this act is inhumane but none want to stand and voice their opinion, for fear of going against society’s standards and being outcast or being stoned. "It’s not the way it used to be," Old Man Warner said clearly. "People ain’t the way they used to be." Fear that if they go against society they might be chosen as the lottery winner or there might be a truth, after all, that it would disrupt their corn season. "Some places have already quit lotteries," Mrs. Adams said. "Nothing but trouble in that," Old Man Warner said stoutly. "Pack of young fools." In stoning Tessie, the villagers treat her as a scapegoat onto wh...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Mongol Ger

Mongol ger With a history of over a thousand years, this portative tabernacle made of wood meshed together with leather thongs and covered with felt is the home of the Mongolian nomads. Easy to build and dismantle, the ger, its furnishings, and the stove inside can be carried by just three camels, or wagons pulled by oxes. The average ger is small but spacious enough to provide enough living space for a family, is wind resistant, and has good ventilation. Gers are constructed of a latticed wood structure covered with layers of felt and canvas (ger's coverings). A lattice (section of ger lattice wall) frame of narrow birch and willow laths is held together by leather strips. The sections are about 2 meters long and are bound together to form a large circular structure. This collapsible lattice is called khana. The average ger uses four to eight khana, with five being the most popular size. The door-frame is a separate unit, as is the ceiling formed from an umbrella-like frame-work of slender poles called uni (caber, poles or a ger which make up roof), which are meshed to the khana on one end and slotted into the toono smoke hole (the opening and frame on top of a ger), a circular frame, at the top. Traditionally, the door was a felt flap attached to the door-frame, but most nomads now use a carved or painted wooden door. In the center of the toono is a small hole which allows smoke to escape and fresh air and light to enter. Each ger is heated by a small metal stove (tripod, trivet fireplace) fueled with dried cow dung (dry droppings of cattle for fuel) or wood. The entrance of the ger always faces southwards. Once the wooden framework khana is meshed together, it is covered with layers of felt and canvas. The felt helps the ger retain heat and the canvas over it sheds rain. Busluur ropes (rope which encircles the ger) made of hair (from five kinds of livestock) and wool hold the thick layer of felt in place. During the summer, one layer of felt is used, but during the winter, two or three layers are needful. Travelers to Mongolia will have the opportunity to sleep in traditional gers while staying with nomadic families or at ger camps. The Mongolian ger has customs attached to it that are unique do's and don'ts inside a ger.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Franco Zefferelli’s film techniques Essay

The opening sequence of a film has to tell us a great deal about the story, it’s the opening sequence, which captivates the mind and keeps the viewer interested. Franco Zeffirellis opening shot is of the camera panning over a long-shot of central Verona, he does this to give an insight into the city, a quick zoom across instantly tells us this is set in the past as we are seeing fifteenth century Verona. The director’s name is superimposed on this, and then the camera focuses on a misty sun, this gives a sense of calmness. The camera then zooms in on the sun, and William Shakespeare’s name comes up below it. We then do a straight cut to a shot inside the city walls, the title of the film is again superimposed on the same shot while all this is happening music is playing (romantic orchestral). The camera then is showing a long shot of the citizens entering through the gate, the camera pans left, this shot lasts for fifteen seconds – this shot is given to add to the anticipation on what we are going to see next, where are these people going? It adds to the whole scene we have seen so far, every shot we are gathering more information about the place and that shot just helps it along a little. Then we hear the bustle of the market and cut to the market. Yellow and red clad legs are walking through the market, this is done, as this is our first view of the Capulets. Zefferelli frames the men’s legs, in their house colours to focus on them as part of the Capulets. We are now up to shot 4, the camera tracks the legs through to shot 6 – one of the Capulets kicks a dog, and someone shouts villain. Shot six is when we first see the men’s faces, this shot is quite close to give a clear view of the servants of the Capulets, it also shows us their emotions and they are talking about the everlasting quarrel between the masters of the Capulet and Montague. The Capulets are portrayed to be mischievous and having scandalous fun in the market that makes them laugh. Shot 7 we see the Capulet servants at a market stall, the shot is took behind the stall so we see a full on view of the Capulets, and there expressions when they see a Montague coming The camera then cuts to another stall, where the Montague priest is talking to the stall holder, this bring in the religious theme of the story. Then for the final shot in the opening sequence we cut back to the Capulets, where they are talking about quarrelling with the Montague’s. This whole sequence lasted one minute thirty three and due to the shots the camera took we have gained a great deal of information about the setting and themes, already we have seen evidence of religious and conflict themes within the story.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

ACT Photo ID 3 Requirements You Must Know

ACT Photo ID 3 Requirements You Must Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT has implemented a number of security measures to maintain the integrity of the exam. One such measure is requiring test takers to show a photo ID. If you don't have an appropriate ID with you on test day, you may not be allowed to take the ACT. In this article, I'll detail all of the ACT photo ID requirements. What's an acceptable form of ID? What should you do if you don't have a photo ID? Read more to find out. Why Is a Photo ID Required? A photo ID is required to confirm your identity and registration. In the past, there have been issues with cheating- students have taken the ACT for other people. The information and picture on your photo ID will be checked against the info and photo on your admission ticket to ensure that everybody takes their own test. If any of the information doesn’t match or you don’t have an acceptable ID, you won’t be allowed to take the test. ACT ID Requirements Your photo ID must meet the following requirements. These rules also apply for international students and students 21 and older. #1: Your ID Must Be Valid Your ID can’t be expired and it must be an official government-issued or school ID. If you use a school ID, it has to be from the school you currently attend. #2: It Must Be the Original ID You can’t show a photocopy or picture of your ID. If you use a school ID, it must be in hard plastic card format. You can’t show a paper or electronic ID. #3: The Text Must Be in English Your name and the text on your ID must be written in English. Don't photocopy your ID. You need to bring the original. Examples of Acceptable and Unacceptable IDs Here are some examples of IDs you can and can’t use for the ACT: Acceptable ACT Photo IDs Government-issued driver’s license Government-issued ID card Official school ID from the school you currently attend Government-issued passport Government-issued military or national identification card Talent Search Identification Forms (only if you weren’t required to submit a photo with your registration). This is just for middle school students. ACT Student ID Form (must be prepared by the school you currently attend or a notary) Unacceptable ACT Photo IDs Credit card or debit card, even if it has a photograph Birth certificate Social Security card Employee ID card Any temporary ID card Missing Child (â€Å"ChildFind†) ID card Diploma Family portrait Fishing or hunting license Organization membership card Any document that doesn’t meet the requirements Not an acceptable ID What If You Don’t Have Acceptable ID? Any student that doesn't have an acceptable ID can use the Student ID Form. A current photo must be attached to the form in the area indicated before the form is authenticated. The form will be used to verify your identity like a photo ID. On the form, you just need to provide basic biographical information like your name, gender, birthdate, and current school. If you need to use the Student ID Form, talk to your counselor or any school official who can help you. You'll need a signature from a school official for the form to be valid. If you're homeschooled or not in school, the form must be notarized and signed by an official notary. If you plan on using the Student ID Form as your ID, I recommend getting it filled out and completed as soon as you register, but you just need to have it correctly completed and with you on test day. All of the ID requirements apply to the Student ID Form. The photo you use on your ID form must match the photo on your Admission Ticket and your appearance on test day. You must bring the original Student ID Form to be admitted to the test center. The Names on Your ID and Admission Ticket Must Match The name on your photo ID must completely match the name on your admission ticket. When you’re registering, make sure you submit the name exactly how it appears on your ID. Don’t use a nickname or shortened version of your name. If you submit a name that’s different than the name on your photo ID when you register, you can change the name on your ticket so that it matches your ID. You can make changes by logging into your ACT web account and selecting â€Å"Make changes to your registration.† Or you can call ACT at 319-337-1270. You must make any necessary changes before the late registration deadline. Keep Your ID on You at All Times On test day, your ID will be checked multiple times. Make sure you have it with you from the moment you arrive at the test center. Typically, your ID will be checked when you first arrive. Then, you’ll have to show your ID before you enter the room where you’ll take your test. And when you return to the room after breaks, you may have to show your ID again. Don’t put your ID in your backpack. Keep it on you. Wear something with pockets, and have your ID with you throughout test day. Keep your ID with you on test day. Final Reminders: ACT Photo ID Rules Check to make sure you have an acceptable photo ID when you register for the ACT. When you’re registering, use the name that’s on your photo ID. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID with you on test day. The night before the test, put everything you’re going to need in a backpack. Review what you have to bring. When you’re at the test center, keep your ID with you at all times. If you have any questions about the ID policy, contact ACT Student Services. What's Next? If you have any other questions about the ACT, you may want to check out our article on answers to frequently asked ACT-related questions. If you're applying regular admission to college, find out when is the last ACT you can take before the deadline. Finally, figure out how to choose the ACT test date that's right for you. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Failures Can Be Productive Essay Example

Failures Can Be Productive Essay Example Failures Can Be Productive Essay Failures Can Be Productive Essay Productive failures are gateways for productive successes. Productive failures are those where we know that we are doing right, but need to take to lessons in application for achieving productive successes. In this competitive world, every individual and every organization intends a lot to achieve success. In search of this, the person or organization, needs to learn lot of new things. This learning will be effective when it involves innovation, experimentation, analysis, observation, willingness etc. The occurrence of failures is inevitable in this context. These failures give empirical evidence of what they can do next time. There are many examples of such productive failures that made individuals or organizations smarter. The organizations can adopt agile practices in their functioning with the help of productive failures. So, even a failure can be productive, when we take it as a ground work for productive success. â€Å"Even failures can be productive† mean that though a failure occurs, if we make use of it, we can gain, something from it. Productive failures can lead to productive successes. Now we need to know the differences between a productive success and an unproductive success. : An unproductive success is one when something goes well, but nobody knows how or why. Where as a productive success is that for which people know answers for how or why. Many organizations like Proctor and gamble, Xerox, Citicorp etc were got leadership. These organizations which stand as examples for making the failures as productive, now teaching lessons to many organizations. Organizations learning have become more critical as companies face environment of global competition and increasing rate of change. In such environment, there is a greater uncertainty and instability. In this scenario, even the best companies do not get everything right for the first time. Hence failures are very natural for any company. The efficiency of the company lies in how best the company is grabbing an opportunity to find something even from a failure that had occurred. The smart organizations can benefit in long run by productive failures in extracting ways to reach out to customers, suppliers, leaders of other industries, government policy makers and others who can provide information and insights about changing the world. Many organizations or individual persons are generally feel scarce of a failure. Also, the managements of many organizations cannot easily digest the organizational failures. This is the reason why, they do not want to accept for the fear of failure. But success starts with making changes that may be the matter of an organization or an individual. We are living in an environment where not only the success happen quickly, but also the failure can happen even much quicker. Organizations must get motivation to take the failures as challenges and must prove themselves to convert these failures as productive, which lead to successes in the future. Some great said their opinions about making the failures as productive. Some of these are as follows: * You cannot measure a man by his failures. You must know what use he makes of them. What did they mean to him. What did he get out of them? -Orison Swett Marden (1850 – 1924) * To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all. -Peter McWilliams * Don’t be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid. John Keats (1795 – 1821) * Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t as all. You can be discouraged by failure – or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, re member, that’s where you will find success. -Thomas J. Watson * Mistakes are the portals of discovery. -James Joyce (1882 – 1941) People dislike the use of words like â€Å"fail† or â€Å"failure†. It is better to call it as â€Å"poor result†. A failure can always acknowledge that there is a problem that need to be solved Tips to make the failures as productive 1. Fail FAST! 2. Learn from it. 3. Don’t do it the same way again. CONCLUSION A failure can be changed as success by making it as productive. This can be done if we think positively and motivate our self by identifying the problem, whenever a failure occurs. With this identification, half of the problem is solved, leading to success. References: 1. Newspapers: The Hindu Indian express 2. Internet : www. agileforall. com www. productiveflourishing. com

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Early Development of the United States Court System

Early Development of the United States Court System Article Three of the US Constitution stated: [t]he judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The first actions of the newly created Congress were to pass the Judiciary Act of 1789 that made provisions for the Supreme Court. It said that it would consist of a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices and they would meet in the nations capital. The first Chief Justice appointed by George Washington was John Jay who served from September 26, 1789, to June 29, 1795. The five Associate Justices were John Rutledge, William Cushing, James Wilson, John Blair, and James Iredell. The Judiciary Act of 1789 The Judiciary Act of 1789 additionally stated that the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court would include appellate jurisdiction in larger civil cases and cases in which state courts ruled on federal statutes. Further, the Supreme Court justices were required to serve on the U.S. circuit courts. Part of the reason for this to make sure that judges from the highest court would be involved in the principal trial courts learn about the procedures of the state courts. However, this was often seen as a hardship. Further, in the early years of the Supreme Court, the justices had little control over which cases they heard. It was not until 1891 that they were able to review courses through certiorari and did away with the right of automatic appeal. While the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, it has limited administrative authority over the federal courts. It wasnt until 1934 that Congress gave it the responsibility for drafting rules of federal procedure. Circuits and Districts The Judiciary Act also marked out the United States into circuits and districts. Three circuit courts were created. One included the Eastern States, the second included the Middle States, and the third was created for the Southern States. Two justices of the Supreme Court were assigned to each of the circuits, and their duty was to periodically go to a city in each state in the circuit and hold a circuit court in combination with the district judge of that state. The point of the circuit courts was to decide cases for most federal criminal cases along with suits between citizens of different states and civil cases brought by the US Government. They also served as appellate courts. The number of Supreme Court justices involved in each circuit court was reduced to one in 1793. As the United States grew, the number of circuit courts and the number of Supreme Court justices grew to ensure that there was one justice for each circuit court. The circuit courts lost the ability to judge on a ppeals with the creation of the US Circuit Court of Appeals in 1891 and was entirely abolished in 1911. Congress created thirteen district courts, one for each state. The district courts were to sit for cases involving admiralty and maritime cases along as some minor civil and criminal cases. The cases had to arise within the individual district to be seen there. Also, the judges were required to live in their district. They were also involved in the circuit courts and often spent more time on their circuit court duties than their district court duties. The president was to create a district attorney in each district. As new states arose, new district courts were established in them, and in some cases, additional district courts were added in larger states. Learn more about the US Federal Court System.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Why kids should not be on the internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why kids should not be on the internet - Essay Example The success remains in how cleverly we utilize them for the wellbeing of the people. Internet is just like an ocean of knowledge for all the people. But the problem is that this ocean consists of good and evils. Only the matured persons will be able to select and segregate good things from internet whereas immature people always fell in to this ocean as victims of the bad things. â€Å"Internet can provide contents like sexual acts or conduct, lewd exhibitions of genitals, the seven "dirty" FCC words, revealing attire, the use or sale of weapons, game sites designed for teens or older, legal or illegal drugs, legal or illegal gambling, alcohol consumption, explicit violence against people or animals including hate crimes, tobacco use etc to the kids which are harmful in their development as a socially accepted personality and hence the internet usages should be restricted to them. This paper analyses the negative impacts of internet on kids. Internet consists of sex related contents which is harmful to the kids. One of the major reasons for juvenile offenses is the influence of internet upon children. Segregation of good and evils is difficult for kids because of the growth sex hormones at these ages. It is easy for the juveniles to watch movies filled with violence and sexual activities using internet websites like YouTube. Internet is used by kids playing video games and relaxing purposes. It is difficult for them to search for serious things at this age because of the peculiarity of their age. After a busy work outs in the classrooms most of the children uses internet for watching something interesting to them. â€Å"The Internet is an invaluable tool for adolescents who use it to look for answers to personal, sensitive, and embarrassing questions about their bodies, relationships, and health. A study of 778 teens aged 15-18 in the African nation of Ghana shows that two-thirds had gone online, mainly at cafes with I nternet access. All of

Friday, October 18, 2019

Intel Corp Strategies, Organizational Design and Strategic Controls Essay

Intel Corp Strategies, Organizational Design and Strategic Controls - Essay Example This shift towards manufacturing microprocessors saw its success as a market leader because with the success of personal computers, Intel also emerged as the forerunner for supplying high speed and more sophisticated microprocessors to enable PC users to expand their choices of using PC for different purposes such as gaming etc. This however, been successful mainly due to the way Intel was managed as well as the mission and objectives it set for itself. Intel, as a company has intensively relied on setting strategic directions for itself which is based on delivering technology advancements which help improve the way we live and work. This paper will attempt to study the vision, mission and objectives of the organizations and would then examine the existing organizational design and strategic controls to determine whether the strategic fit between the two exist or not. Setting up the mission statement help firms to identify the unique and fundamental objective for which distinguish the firm from others in the industry. (Pearce and David). Intel has set following mission for itself: The above mission statement suggests that the focus of Intel has been on focusing on three distinct stakeholders i.e. customers, employees and shareholders by providing them technologies which are considered as vital to the way we work and live. Based on this mission statement, the organization has also set values of "customer orientation, Result Orientation, Risk Taking, Great place to work, Quality and Discipline" (Intel) however, these values are going to help Intel to achieve the objectives of extending its technology leadership by delivering best microprocessors and platforms so that it can become profitable worldwide by excelling in customer orientation. (Intel). The above goals and objectives suggest that the focus of Intel has been on becoming a market leader in microprocessor market by focusing on being customer oriented. However, in order to attain such mission and objectives, Intel has set up organizational design and strategic controls in such a way that they support its mission, vision, values and objective. The following section will discuss the organizational design and strategic controls within Intel which help it to achieve its mission and strategic objectives. Organization Design and Strategic Controls & Strategic Fit Organizational Design and Strategic controls involve the setting up of the roles and processes which outline the reporting relationships within the organization. The definition of roles and processes help organizations to accomplish the operational and tactical objectives so that the strategic objectives of the organization shall be achieved and strategic controls help organizational designs to follow a pre-defined strategic framework. Similarly, Strategic fit defines how well the strategies and mission of the organization are supporting its internal capabilities and external environment. It also requires that the organizations must match their organization design according to its internal as well as external environm

Reproduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reproduction - Essay Example It has gonads also known as testes, a chain of ducts that helps in transportation of spermatozoa, and accessory glands (Palladino, n.d.). The process of spermatogenesis begins in the testes. It constitutes spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis (Jones & Lopez, 2006). In spermatogenesis, a diploid spermatogonium is changed into four haploid spermatids. The spermatogonia are found as immature germ cells found next to the walls of each seminiferous tubules. Mitosis is involved in the multiplication of these cells. Every one spermatogonium is 2n and constitutes double number chromosomes (46) (Jones & Lopez, 2006). Mitosis is involved in the multiplication of chromosomes, in which each of the pair that arises is moved into the progeny. Some spermatogonia begin meiosis. In the division, the spermatogonium changes into primary spermatocyte. This then enters the first meiotic division resulting in daughter cells with 23 chromosomes (Jones & Lopez, 2006). At this stage of reduction, the cells are now haploid (n) instead of diploid (2n). The n cells at this stage are known as secondary spermatocytes. In meiosis II cells produce four haploid cells known as the spermatids (Jones & Lopez, 2006). At this stage, the process is complete. The spermatids are later changed into sperm cells through a process known as spermiogenesis (Jones & Lopez, 2006). This is capable of fertilizing an egg. The process of spermatogenesis also relies on hormonal regulation. The tubules are surrounded by interstitial cells that help in the production of testosterone and secrete it into the bloodstream (Palladino, n.d.). The production of testosterone is at its highest in teenage years. The increase leads to the start of spermatogenesis as well as the development of accessory glands. Another hormone that plays a significant role in the process is androgens. The hormone helps in male sexual being as well as stimulation of secondary sexual characteristics (Palladino, n.d.). A complex

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Business Law - Essay Example dismissing the contract because they no longer have confidence in Lewis to continue with the business because he does not have sufficient equipment, but they will still win so long as they demonstrate that there is an existing law, which is related to the issue of market price. In addition, the court may not be able to grant a summary of judgment if both parties dispute against a material fact. In this case, Lewis can defend himself by providing evidence that such law does not exist, or that it affect their contract, if it exists (Jorgensen 250). Both Nine Mile Mine and Lewis can defend their position; in support of the motion or opposition of the motion respectively, by use of information obtained during the initial stages of the proceedings, such as answers to interrogatories, deposition testimony, and answers to wishes for production. In addition, the disputing parties can use affidavits from experts to oppose or support the motion. If any parties lose on the judgment, then they are free to seek appeal, though the chances of overturning summary judgments on appeal are extremely rare (Jorgensen

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Opinion on economic issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Opinion on economic issue - Essay Example Thomas Piketty, in his book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, warns that income inequality will continue increasing because the rate of capital return in developed countries exceed their respective economic growth rates. The book, by analyzing data of the past 250 years, notes of the problem of wealth concentrating in few hands. S&P reports that income inequality has grown in the US thereby excluding a huge part of the population from enjoying the benefits of a large economy. Income inequality is a great problem in the context of the recent recession that made many people lose their hard-earned wealth. It is crucial to highlight that income, in this sense, is assessed in terms of earnings. Economists and other intellectuals have hypothesized that gaps in technology and education are responsible for corresponding gaps in income earnings. This happens as highly educated and specialized people receive high-income incentives for their work while the lowly skilled receive relatively low pay. It is essential to highlight that firms have different calibers of workers. The workers who receive very high pay are highly likely to possess a larger bargaining power than the employees with lower skills. This seeps into the society and create a persistently unequal community. Numerous problems stem from income inequality in the society. In the American recession of 2007 to 2009, many individuals lost their job. Loss of jobs makes it difficult to ascend the job environment, especially, for those with relatively low skills. A generation’s inequality has high chances of moving into the next generation in case of no mitigation measures against the same. For instance, a family with low income has limited chances of accessing quality healthcare and education. This further entrenches inequality because talented but unprivileged people cannot access

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Cause and Effect of Learning the English Language Essay

The Cause and Effect of Learning the English Language - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that not so many people can speak the English language well in the companies in Saudi Arabia and such, employees who could speak the language well are often paid high salaries. In addition, English speaking employees also get promoted easily compared to the non-English speaker because companies prefer those who can interact with more people. This is becoming more important today because employees now have to work with other people from other countries and culture with the globalization of our economies. Such, learning English is becoming more and more important to be effective in one’s job in the future. This explains why many of us flocks in English speaking universities in order to improve our English. We would like to get paid well and get easily promoted in the companies that we will work in the future when we go back to our respective countries after graduation. It is hard but it is worth it.  

Opinion on economic issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Opinion on economic issue - Essay Example Thomas Piketty, in his book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, warns that income inequality will continue increasing because the rate of capital return in developed countries exceed their respective economic growth rates. The book, by analyzing data of the past 250 years, notes of the problem of wealth concentrating in few hands. S&P reports that income inequality has grown in the US thereby excluding a huge part of the population from enjoying the benefits of a large economy. Income inequality is a great problem in the context of the recent recession that made many people lose their hard-earned wealth. It is crucial to highlight that income, in this sense, is assessed in terms of earnings. Economists and other intellectuals have hypothesized that gaps in technology and education are responsible for corresponding gaps in income earnings. This happens as highly educated and specialized people receive high-income incentives for their work while the lowly skilled receive relatively low pay. It is essential to highlight that firms have different calibers of workers. The workers who receive very high pay are highly likely to possess a larger bargaining power than the employees with lower skills. This seeps into the society and create a persistently unequal community. Numerous problems stem from income inequality in the society. In the American recession of 2007 to 2009, many individuals lost their job. Loss of jobs makes it difficult to ascend the job environment, especially, for those with relatively low skills. A generation’s inequality has high chances of moving into the next generation in case of no mitigation measures against the same. For instance, a family with low income has limited chances of accessing quality healthcare and education. This further entrenches inequality because talented but unprivileged people cannot access

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Bounce height when a ball is dropped Essay Example for Free

Bounce height when a ball is dropped Essay There maybe the odd factor of staying away from units and corners of tables as you could have a nasty head accident since you could be leaning down to record the results of the bounce height. But I am almost certain that nothing serious can happen unless stupid behaviour occurs. Items During this investigation some items will be needed in order to perform the experiment efficiently and easily as possible. Here is a list of the main items being used throughout the investigation: Metre ruler stick Ball of some type   Pencil and paper to record results Plan cont. Now with the basic outline of the plan sorted all we have to is sort out the variable I will change during the investigation in order to find the best results to conclude my prediction or theory. Here is the list of recordings I will use for the investigation: Height (m)   We felt these would be the right amount of results and would give us a wide range of results good enough to prove and test my prediction or theory and be satisfactory enough for our targets. One more factor we had to consider is how we would make the recordings. Of course all you had to do was drop a ball from a certain height and then see how high it bounces back up again, then work out the energy factors involved, but we were faced with another problem. We had to work out, since it was a rounded tennis ball (a sphere), where we would make the recordings from. We had three options to choose from: the top of the ball, the centre of the ball or the bottom of the ball. After a short discussion we decided to use the bottom of the ball as it would be easier for us to calculate the bounce height and drop height. While doing this a partner would then record the results onto paper while the other performed the experiment. Last of all we had to decide how many times we were going to repeat the experiment. Since we had a good range of recordings, we decided to repeat the experiment six times at each height and therefore leaving us with a nice set of results along with a good average result. We also felt that it was enough to perform this investigation properly with a good set of results. Since we had already done the experiment three times (preliminary work), we only had another three set of results to do. But little did we know that we were not allowed to include our preliminary work with our results and therefore only had three sets of results. Results Height (m) Exp 1 (cm) Exp 2 (cm) Exp 3(cm) Average (1dp) Height (m) Engy Conv 1 (%) Engy Conv 2 (%) Engy Conv 3 (%) Average (1dp) 0Key (m) = metres Exp = Experiment (cm) = centimetres (1dp) = 1 decimal place Engy Conv = Energy Conversion (%) = Percent Conclusion Now from the results you can definitely see many factors that need to be taken into consideration. You can patterns occurring and also see where mistakes were made and need to be fixed. First of all I am reasonably happy with the results except maybe a few values, but then again nothing is perfect and without mistakes, it makes your evaluation shorter. You can see from the first set of results from the first table that there is a wide range of results, enough to perform this investigation. But then once you work out the energy conversions you can see a pattern occurring throughout the table, except for a few values. These values are from Experiment 1 Height 1. 6m, Experiment 2 Height 1. 6m and the first few values in Experiment 3. Now these mistakes can easily be made due to they are recorded by the naked eye and therefore and not all perfect by any point. But since there only a few extreme values, you can cancel them out and take the rest of the appropriate data to create many patterns. For instance in table one you can see from the averages column that the height two of the ball is about twice as great each time you increase the height by 20cm. For example, at 1. 0m, the average is 54. 3cm, then at 1. 2m, the average is 64. 3cm; therefore making a 10cm increase in drop height 2 when you increase the height 1 by 20cm. This means that it loses about half its potential energy from its original drop height. About a 50% energy conversion. In table 2, the energy conversion table, you can also see a regular pattern occurring. But this time its not through the averages as much, but per column. You can see that the energy conversion from a certain start point (0. 2m) gradually increases to another certain point (around 1. 4m) then begins to decrease again. It is a gradual decrease but you can still see that the average energy conversions all stay around 50% which therefore shows you once again, that the potential energy loss is about 50% each time from drop height 1 to drop height 2. Evaluation During this investigation I manage to find many errors and corrections in which needed to be fixed and found much room for improvement in which would benefit the experiment if it was to be performed again. I felt that the experiment did go well in many ways, but then again, improvements can be made from place to place. One thing I would definitely change is the amount of experiments made for the experiment. After I have done my first three experiments I then was told that they are for the preliminary work and therefore couldnt use them in my official experiment and report. This is a shame, because I would liked to of added them to my report as it would have given me a wider range of results. But due to lack of time I was un-able to do this and therefore time was against me. Nevertheless I carried on with the time I was given and managed to produce three separate experiments and put them into tables. You can see from the results, that there is the odd value or values out of place, due to the fact that the figure is different to what it should be. This basically means that the naked eye is not always the best option to use for this experiment. To perform this experiment with the utter most perfection, a machine or tool of some type could be used to record the exact height of both height 1 and 2 to perfection. With this you know your results are done properly and no major mistakes were made. Luckily since I had enough results, I could spot where mistakes were made in judging the height 2 of the ball and therefore you can count them as extreme values but mistakes are always going to be made by accident. Therefore there is not much we could have done to have changed this factor. Another thing I would have liked to have done is to have tried to record the exact mass of the tennis ball, with doing this I can work out Potential and Kinetic Energy at each height and worked out the Potential Energy Loss per result. With this I could have produced more figures in my report which could have supported my prediction with more facts. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Why Is HRT Prescribed For Menopausal Women

Why Is HRT Prescribed For Menopausal Women This dissertation to answer the research question (Why HRT is prescribed for menopausal women despite the risk of breast cancer?) was carried out as mentioned in the methodology section using the literature review methodology. The selected studies were appraised with the critical appraisal tools by the Public health resource Unit. The methodology of literature review had well assisted to review all the studies in the perspective of the other and divulge meaningful evidence and information which in a single study capacity would have been otherwise unnoticed. The Critical appraisal tools have assisted to review all the studies comprehensively to ensure there validity, reliability and applicability so that the result could be generalized to all the menopausal women population. The studies which have been reviewed were conducted in various settings with participants from all types of study population hence the results are a wholesome reunion of the existing predisposing factors with the associated risk of HRT in the incidence of breast cancer. ANSWER TO THE RESEARCH QUESTION Every doctor has the relief of the patient of utmost importance while prescribing a treatment and every treatment is meant to bring relief. And treatment has dose schedules, administration guidelines and perhaps side-effects which are generally explained by the doctor. But unlike other medicines there is a lot of unrest around the use of HRT though the associated risk when evaluated with other factors is not high. Keeping the results and conclusions derived from these studies in the present and elements for further research in front, it is seen that HRT does have benefits. These associated benefits with use of HRT according to this study are: 1) Use of HRT decreases the risk of death overall (Sellers et.al,1997) (Sener et.al, 2009) and is associated with recurrence, metastasis-free survival and better overall and disease-free survival than HRT nonusers in the univariate analysis irrespective of the start of menopause (Sener et.al , 2009) (Bonneir et.al, 1998) 2) HRT does not increase the risk of breast cancer when administered to women for whom other risk factors have been excluded (Tzingounis et.al, 1996). 2) There is an inverse relationship between HRT and mortality due to coronary heart disease, stroke and cancers other than breast (Sellers et.al, 1997) 4) Use of HRT gives fewer locally advanced cancers and smaller and better-differentiated cancers compared to non-users (Bonneir et.al, 1998). 5) HRT is a favourable prognostic factor for breast cancer. (Bonneir et.al, 1998) 6) Use of HRT counteracts the increased incidence of breast cancer with the lower incidence of other tumors. (Olsson et.al, 2001) 7) Long term HRT use has a favorable effect against colorectal and endometrial cancer. (Writing Group for the Womens Health Initiative Investigators, 2002) (Corrao et.al, 2008). 8) Use of trans-dermal HRT compared to the oral use of HRT is associated with lesser risk of breast cancer (Million women study collaborators, 2003) (Corrao et.al, 2008) which is presumed by the WHI, 2002. However these benefits depend on many other inter-connected factors of duration of use, age of the menopausal woman, past personal history of HRT used, family history related to breast cancer, dose of the HRT administered and type of HRT regime prescribed. These same factors affect the element of risk as well in the following way. 1) Risk of breast cancer may be increased with HRT use for duration of 5 years or less in women with family history of breast cancer (Sellers et.al,1997) (Olsson et.al, 2001). 2) Increased risk of breast cancer after prolonged use of HRT (Olsson et.al, 2001) (Sellers et.al, 1997) (Corrao et.al, 2008) (Sellers et.al, 1997) (Olsson et.al, 2001). This risk increased with increasing duration of use and decreased with time and reached at baseline with 5 years time. (Ewertz et.al, 2005) (Million women study collaborators, 2003) 3) Higher risk in current users than in past users which was greater for combined therapy than for other oral types of HRT (Million women study collaborators, 2003). 4) Women who used combined estrogen and progestin HRT regime are at increased risk of breast cancer (Stahlberg et.al, 2004) (Million women study collaborators, 2003) and Oral HRT use for long term had a higher risk of breast cancer than trans-dermal use of HRT (Corrao et.al, 2008). 5) Increased risk of breast cancer with current use of HRT in women of 50 years of age and above which increased with increased use. No increased risk in women between the ages of 40-49 (Ewertz et.al, 2005) (Million women study collaborators, 2003). 6) The risk of breast cancer increased in women who were current HRT users and had used OC in the past. (Lund et.al, 2007) 7) HRT users developed breast cancer at a younger age than non HRT users (Sener et.al, 2009). According to the synopsis of the issues and factors derived it can be concluded that there are benefits associated with use of HRT which mutually depend on the risk factors. And this is the reason why HRT is prescribed for menopausal women despite the risk of breast cancer. And these will again depend on gynecologist judgment and patients level of knowledge and awareness (2006). RECOMMENDATIONS To bring the optimal benefit with minimally associated risk, HRT could be prescribed to menopausal women for lesser duration which the studies present as 5 years. This duration which could be disputable and the age of the women also has to be considered with the link of different effects of HRT in different age groups would again depend on the individual gynecologists judgment and the patients compliance for regular follow up and mammographic screening. An attempt has been made to clear the otherwise existing dilemma of prescribing HRT or not but this again depends on many other factors which are most importantly the patients follow up and the doctors perception of the associated prescribing strategies. However more research is needed as within the limitations of this dissertation though it is possible to conclude that there are benefits associated with the use of HRT despite the risk of breast cancer; it is not possible to chalk out an effective prescribing strategy. And to bring any considerable changes a prescribing strategy and better patient compliance for follow-up would be needed. LESSONS LEARNT These total results, conclusions and opinions from the studies have presented some principle elements which could guide through the dilemma of prescribing HRT to yet another menopausal woman. 1) It is evident that duration has a role to play in the increase of the foresaid risk of breast cancer and that there is no risk with the use of HRT in the past. 2) A lot would also depend on the gynecologist or the physicians prescribing principles. It would be needed by them to follow some guiding factors like evaluating high-risk and low-risk women, family history and previous history of Oral Contraceptives which would vary for each patient. 3) A regular follow-up and timely check up as mentioned would help to catch otherwise unnoticeable breast changes. 4) Another factor which needs to be pursued for future research and studies is the type of HRT regimes. In routine HRT is prescribed orally hence less is known about other methods of administration which could perhaps assist in reducing the risk. 5) It would also be helpful to find if there is a link with the BMI and use of HRT. Generally obesity is linked to many diseases and unhealthy conditions and this would help to categorize women into high or low risk group. This dissertation has tried to bring up some associating factors which could help to extract the optimal benefits with lesser risk. This systematic approach has helped conduct this dissertation so as to answer the research question. However research in healthcare is never ending and is expanding every day (Aveyard, 2010). New studies with various designs are being conducted around this topic as I write my dissertation which will bring in more new opinions and evidences which will form base for yet another dissertation or study tomorrow to help develop a successful prescribing strategy.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Mathematics :: Personal Narrative Math Essays

Mathematics At the recent annual meeting of the Psychology of Mathematics Education--North America Chapter, held in Florida, Bob and I were playing Frisbee on the beach. The lure of the surf soon led us into thigh deep water where waves added to the fun we were having with the wind. We were throwing parallel to the shore but the waves were coming in at an angle so that a breaking wave first hit Bob before hitting me a few seconds later. Verbal communication was difficult due to the noise of the surf, so thumbs-up or down, applause, head-nodding or shaking, along with smiles or frowns took its place. Soon a game had evolved and the use of the signs mentioned above became structured. Entering Paul's Umwelt The waves are high and strong making it challenging to catch the Frisbee unless it is thrown accurately. But the waves are also high enough to make it interesting to try to throw the Frisbee such that it just clears a wave as its crest passes the halfway point between Bob and me. Shake the water off, wait...wait...throw! Alright! A thumbs-up from Bob. He's right I got really close that time--but I bet I can cut it closer--just have to get a feel for the timing--aim a tad lower. OK, here comes his throw. Oops! Too high--Arrgghhh-splutter...YES--got it! Big complimentary smile from Bob. Actually it's fun when he misses high because then I get to jump for it just as a wave crashes into me. OK, my turn, wait...wait...remember-low...now! Perfection--that one skimmed the crest of the wave!! Entering Bob's Umwelt The waves are high and strong enough to make it challenging to catch the Frisbee unless it is thrown accurately. Uh-Oh...another low throw...Arrgghhh-splutter--yes! Hangs on for the touchdown. Big smile and thumbs up from Paul. Hmmpf! Does he really enjoy making it so hard for me to catch it? He always seems to time it so that a wave crashes on me just as the Frisbee arrives. OK, back to him...have to clear the waves...wait for the calm between the waves...now! Yes! Right on target and high enough for an easy catch--not too high like last time. Hmmm...no response from Paul--doesn't he appreciate my accuracy? Umwelts in Collusion While walking back to the hotel we discussed our "game". Bob: You sure had a knack for timing your throws! Paul: It was challenging to see how close to the water I could throw it and have it still get to you.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Free College Admissions Essays: She is my Hero :: College Admissions Essays

She is my Hero Stepping out of the clinic into the broad daylight, tears ran down her face. She had actually done it. She had an abortion. She climbed into the back seat of the family station wagon and listened to the silence. What had she done? When most girls write about their mothers they talk about how wonderful of a childhood they had being raised by such a great woman. They talk about her accomplishments and how they want to grow up and be just like her. They talk about the soup sick babble that every "perfect" family has to offer. When I write about my mother, I speak of the pain, the fears, the learning and the salvation. My Mother has been a great inspiration to me. She is my hero. Not because of the wonderful things she has done. Not because of the marvelous childhood I was given and certainly not because of her upbringing. My Mother is my hero because she was led down a path of destruction, but with God's grace and mercy she was pulled from her perils; and blessed. As the youngest of five children she was often overlooked. The pride of the family often overrode the opportunity to receive health care, handouts and a decent chance to become something. My mother spent her childhood in a tiny house with her family and many relatives. She was never given the opportunities to excel in learning and life like my generation has. My grandfather was a carpenter and on that living fed many hungry mouths. But despite this already unfortunate lifestyle my mother maintained good grades and was on a path to overcoming her misfortune. When she was sixteen, my mother met and got pregnant by a boy that she attended school with. Ashamed and spiritually broken she gave into to her parents pleading to have an abortion. As time passed she grew older and wiser. She graduated high school and began working several jobs. Attending college was never a thought in her mind. She married young and moved on with her life. Eventually she became pregnant again, but this time she was ready. By now God had strengthened her life. She believed in him and sought is will. She had been given a second chance. To this day my mother is a strong and charismatic woman, full of God's love and joy for life.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Laughter Therapy Essay

â€Å"Laughter is the best medicine!† We’ve all heard that before, but is it true? Studies show 20-25 minutes of laughter every day is healthy for the body. Laughing also helps with depression, cancer patients, making our hearts healthy. It also strengthens our immune systems, relieves stress, helps us look younger and so much more. Laughing Therapy relates to positive thinking. Most diseases are related to stress, tension depression. When we have tension, we start various problems in our body such as; high blood pressure, heart troubles, lowers our immune systems, etc. Laughing helps relaxes our muscles and helps in relieving stress. Muscular tension is released when you laugh. Your digestion is better. It helps heart rate and helps blood flow. The blood vessels carrying blood in our body expands which results in increased blood supply to various body parts. When we laugh, our mind stops the thought process, we don’t think of anything, keeping our stress at lowest possible level. Laughter also helps in keeping the level of stress hormones low. Laughing also helps in fighting against mental stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and various other mental disorders. This reduces our dependencies up on various medications required to stay away from the illness. People who try laughter therapy say they feel much better, tension-free, mentally balanced and they sleep better than before. By laughing, it improves our immune system. As I stated above, the base of laughter therapy relates to positive thinking. It is proved scientifically that if a person has negative thoughts while he/she is sick or prey to depression or anger about his/her illness, then it results in weakening of his/her immune system and then it takes more high doses of medications to cure that person. At the other end, positive thinking helps a person improve his/her immune system and become healthy again as soon as possible. Laughter therapy helps in removing negative thoughts from our mind and not letting our immune system go down any further. â€Å"According to one research, laughter helps in increasing the number of Natural Killer cells, antibodies levels in our body which fight against diseases that attack us, improving our immune system many folds.† This has proved very helpful in fighting against some deadly diseases such as cancers, AIDS, some mental disorder. The treatment of which requires patient to have a strong immune system. It also helps you feel and look younger by exercising your facial muscles. Laughter provides support in curing some chronicle and hereditary diseases, asthma, obesity problems, addictions of various types by improving conditions of patients such by strengthening immune system, blocking negative thoughts, arresting anger and similar mental conditions. People who cannot exercise because of their physical condition, have found laughter to be very beneficial. Steve Wilson started the Laughter Therapy in 1964. He was a psychologist at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Wilson was asked to teach his practices in other states and it became a hit! He went from Ohio across to California and he made it to India. In India, he met Dr. K in 1998, who was also a Laughter Therapists. The teachers’ in India who believes in the laughing therapy was completely different from the East side of the world. The East side thought it would just a study to go into for school and to help relieve stress. The West believed it healed the ill ones. With the influence of the India teachers and his colleagues from the East, Wilson decided to start his World Laughter Tour so the methods of the East and the West could be shown to the whole world. There are classes taught everywhere here in Utah. Most are called Laughter Yoga Classes. The Laughter Yoga Classes is learning the unconditional laughter with yogic breathing, also known as Pranayama. You will learn how to just laugh, without even hearing a joke, seeing something funny, or even thinking. Laughter Yoga is non-political, non-religious, non-racial, non-threatening, and non-competitive. It also teaches you to just take a breather and stay positive no matter what situation you are in. â€Å"Laughter Yoga combines laughter with yogic breathing exercises. It is a perfect way to laugh and get exercise at the same time. It approaches laughter as a body exercise so it’s easy to laugh even if you’re depressed or in a bad mood. I’ve tried it, and it works.† – Oprah Winfrey Laughing for about 20-25 minutes a day can make you feel fresh for the rest of the day. Not only does it make you feel fresh but also it helps keep you healthy. Laughing will help keep your blood levels downs, help the blood flow smoothly, relaxes your muscles, and help cure diseases. You will learn how to relax and think positive. Laughter Therapy is known all over the world. However, I have just found out about this. Classes are taught all over Utah. Take a class and get the feel of what Laughter Therapy can do to you. And remember, â€Å"Laughter is the best medicine!† Works Cited: 1. http://www.worldlaughtertour.com/sections/about/history.asp †¢ CeraNet, Inc. World Laughter Tour, Inc. – History  ©2011 †¢ Used September 24, 2011 2. http://www.laughteryoga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=731:laughter-yoga-as-laughter-therapy&catid=263:laughter-yoga-for-healing-therapeutic-benefits&Itemid=457 †¢ Laughter Yoga International, Dr. Kataria – Last updated September 10, 2011 †¢ Used September 24, 2011 3. http://www.laughteryoga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=180:what-is-laughter-yoga&catid=85:about-laughter-yoga&Itemid=265

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Internal Security Challenges

Ved Marwah Shri N N Vohra, Shri K Santhanam, Director IDSA, Ladies and Gentlemen: I deem it a privilege to be invited to deliver the IDSA Foundation Lecture. Since inception in November 1965, under the stewardship of the late Shri Y B Chavan and the subsequent direction provided by Shri K Subrahmanyam, former Director, the IDSA has acquired a creditable profile. Over the years, the IDSA has played a commendable role in enriching the security discourse and deliberations in India. It is in this context that I propose to share my thoughts with you on a matter of concern to all of us, namely, â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges†. India was partitioned in the backdrop of large-scale communal riots, but the partition of the country on religious lines, without taking into consideration its multiple identities, instead of bringing the communal tensions down, in fact, worsened the situation. The two-nation theory created Pakistan, and it still survives on this theory. Pakistan finds it difficult to accept the reality that India continues to be a democratic, plural, multireligious society and that India today has more Muslim citizens than Pakistan. Read this  Chapter 2 – Why Security is Needed The Government of Pakistan has taken upon itself the responsibility of not only protecting its own citizens, but also the Indian Muslims. The power structure in theocratic Pakistan, dominated by the army, the feudal landlords, the bureaucracy and the religious leaders has been able to retain its hold over the levers of power by playing the antiIndia and Islamic cards. Pakistan plays the Islamic card in its foreign policy also. It misses no opportunity to club India as an anti-Islamic country where Muslims are not safe. The continuing tensions between India and Pakistan have a direct bearing on the internal situation in India. They have further complicated the internal security situation. * IDSA Foundation Day Lecture delivered by Shri Ved Marwah, Governor of Jharkhand on November 11 2003. Strategic Analysis, Vol. 27, No. 4, Oct-Dec 2003.  © Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 503 The management of internal security, therefore, assumes great importance. If the internal security issues are tackled effectively, subversion by the external forces to that extent becomes more difficult. Unfortunately, the rise of contentious politics based on sectarian, ethnic, linguistic or other divisive criteria, is primarily responsible for the many communal and secessionist movements flourishing in India. The presence of hostile neighbours enables the internal conflicts to get external support, which includes money, arms and sanctuaries. The vested interests exploit these conditions to pursue their own agenda. In a well-established political system and a developed economy, conflicts between the various group identities are kept under check as in due course they get assimilated into the national identity. But that has not happened in India as yet, where the wounds of the partition and the colonial rule have still not fully healed. Moreover, the dependence on the government by a large section of our people for their very survival sharpens these conflicts among them. The democratic institutions and the state structures are still not strong enough to fully harmonise these conflicts in a peaceful manner. Violence erupts when conflicting interests cannot be consensually reconciled. The hostile external forces, taking advantage of this situation through subversive propaganda, further accentuate these conflicts. They give material and ideological support to aggravate this sense of grievance to such an extent that a small minority are willing to become tools in their hands to subvert the stability and security of the country. In addition, a number of secessionist and the so-called revolutionary movements are operating in India today. Their goal could be to overthrow the government and bring about revolutionary changes in the structure and functioning of the state, or even secession from the Indian Union. Ever since independence, India has been facing all types of violent conflicts based on religion, caste, language, ethnicity and regional loyalties. Political insecurity further compounds the problem. Preoccupied with the problem of survival, the governments in some of the most affected states are not looking at the problem from a long-term perspective. They have bought temporary peace by compromising with the subversive forces. Such shortsighted policies can have disastrous consequences in the long run. Instead of effectively dealing with them in the initial stages when the problem is manageable, they have allowed these anti-national forces to take roots and spread their tentacles far and wide. When a state government 504 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 is unable to effectively deal with them, instead of strengthening the state police machinery, it rushes to the Centre to hand over its responsibility at the first sign of any serious trouble. It is not surprising that in these states some sections of the police have actually joined hands with the subversive forces against the central forces. If you cannot fight them, join them†. Finding themselves at the mercy of these subversive forces, the people tend to change sides and start supporting them instead of supporting the security forces. It would be wrong to assume that all those supporting, directly or indirectly, these forces are sympathetic to their ideology. Far from it! For most of them, preoccupied with the daily battle of survival, this is the obvious choice, because the police are unable to protect them. Polarisation on caste and religious lines can further reduce the credibility of the police in the minds of the people. The police-politician-criminal nexus can embolden the criminal elements. Their activities can create an environment of lawlessness, where influential and rich people violate the law with impunity. The police is not the only component of the criminal justice system that has suffered because of this nexus. In fact, the entire criminal justice system is under strain. Not all crimes are being registered and those registered are not being properly investigated; and even out of those charge-sheeted, very few are ending in conviction. The conviction rate in case of heinous crimes is steadily falling. In some North-Eastern states it has reached almost zero level, where the police have stopped even submitting the charge sheets in the insurgency-related cases. When the fear of legal punishment disappears, organised crime finds it convenient to spread its tentacles. The crime syndicates are finding the new communication and information technology very useful. Extortion and payment of the so-called ‘protection money’ is more widespread than we would like to believe. According to some reports, direct extortion from the government funds runs into hundreds of crores of rupees. Many of the insurgent and militant groups are not driven by ideology, but by sheer greed. Money power is a bigger motivating factor than ideology. Vested interests have developed around these groups with active connivance of corrupt politicians, police officers and civil servants. Some politicians even take their assistance during election times. They have to return their favours when they come to power. This mutually beneficial relationship has seriously damaged the quality of governance in the interior areas. The real losers are the people. The development process â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 505 gets seriously hampered in a violent environment. When large development funds are siphoned out by this unholy alliance between the criminal and corrupt forces, even the delivery of the most basic services like water, power, healthcare, education and communications becomes a stupendous task. A vicious circle starts. The deprived and the marginalised sections of the society, unable to survive in the present system, get alienated. The militant and extremist forces thrive in this environment. The rise of Left extremism is more due to these compulsions than on ideological grounds. There are media reports about the carving out of a corridor by the Left extremist forces from Nepal to Tamil Nadu. Even if there is no truth in these reports, the involvement of hostile external forces in support of the Left extremist forces to destabilise the country cannot be ruled out. The mushrooming of armed ‘Senas’ on caste and ethnic lines in some parts of the country is a direct consequence of the polarisation of the society. This phenomenon has also affected the police and the administration in general. Loss of public confidence in the capacity of the state to protect their life and property is the primary cause of this dangerous development. Far from controlling them, a politicised and partisan police actually encourages this development. The tensions in some parts of the country, especially in the tribal areas, due to a perceived threat to their identity is not new, but the rise of so many violent movements is a relatively recent development. In the border states these movements become secessionist because of the support they receive from the hostile neighbouring states. The rise of fundamentalist forces is posing the most serious threat to India’s security. Fired with religious zeal these forces have created an entirely new situation. The intelligence agencies in our neighbourhood and the organisations, like Al Qaida, and Jaish-e-Mohammad, are encouraging the so-called ‘Jehadis’ to enter India from outside. After first targeting the border states they have now spread deep inside the country. These bands of fanatics are not only indulging in subversive activities, but are spreading the virus of fundamentalism among the Indian Muslims. The break-up of the Indian Union continues to be the main goal of Pakistan’s domestic and foreign policy. Easy availability of deadly weapons with the subversive groups operating in India has created new dangers for India’s security. With the ‘Golden Crescent’, and the ‘Golden Triangle’ in India’s neighbourhood, drug trafficking poses yet another threat to our security. 506 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 Drug syndicates are generating huge funds, a part of which is being used to give financial support to some of these subversive groups. The intelligence agencies like the ISI are recruiting a number of ‘carriers’ in drug trafficking as their agents. These agencies provide legal immunity for their criminal activities in their own country in addition to giving them financial and logistical support. Internal security challenges are not confined to any one area, but the North-East, Jammu and Kashmir, and the areas afflicted by Left extremism deserve special mention. North-East The Naga leadership under Z. A. Phizo had challenged their integration into the Indian Union even before India became independent in 1947. The Naga insurgency started way back in the early 1950s. Since then the insurgencies in this region have multiplied and spread to many new areas. In this extremely diverse and strategically sensitive region, there are different reasons for the ethnic upsurges and insurgencies in different states. Some seek secession from the Indian Union, some others seek separate states and yet others greater autonomy within the existing state. The number of such insurgent groups could reach three-digit figures. In Manipur alone, more than twenty-five groups are operating. Thousands have died in the insurgency-related violence. Insurgencies have seriously affected the economic life of the region. The whole developmental process is seriously hampered because of this unending violence. One can imagine the plight of the people who are already living on the margin. What to talk of getting a share of the fruits of development, they are deprived even of the most basic services. Unfortunately, unlike Jammu & Kashmir, these violent movements do not stir much response in national consciousness. Even serious incidents of violence hardly find any mention in the so-called mainstream media. The geo-strategic importance of the North-East is not sufficiently appreciated even in the security establishment. All the states in the North-East share an international border with other countries and the seven North-Eastern states are linked to the rest of the country only by a narrow strip of land. The lack of physical, cultural and emotional links has encouraged a feeling of alienation, which is being exploited by the nottoo-friendly neighbours to pursue their own agenda. They are giving support and sanctuaries to many of these groups to use them as leverage against a much bigger and more powerful neighbour. â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 507 The roots of these many insurgencies in the North-East lie deep in its history and its geography. But, it would be wrong to treat it as one homogeneous region with common problems, or social systems and customs. Even physiographically, the region can be divided into three broad areas — hills, plateaus, and plains. The many ethnic groups, speaking many different languages and dialects, who inhabit this remote part of the country consider themselves as separate people with little in common with the people in the rest of the country. The lack of physical, cultural and emotional links has encouraged this feeling of separation. The partition of the country seriously dislocated the old system of communications with serious demographic consequences. At the heart of the problem, however, is the new political consciousness and an urge for asserting their identity, especially among the fiercely independent tribal communities. The partition left the entire region land-locked, and even the old road, railway and river-waterway links with the rest of the country were severed, because they all passed through East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The new rail link via North Bengal is circuitous and too long and expensive for easy access to the region. The air link is not only expensive, but also unreliable due to climatic conditions. The people have to bear enormous additional transport cost for all their supplies. Another intractable problem is created by the influx of migrants from East Pakistan and now continuing from Bangladesh. In the beginning it was confined to the Hindus leaving East Pakistan due to insecure conditions, but later, because of intense population pressure even Muslims started migrating. The fear that immigrant population will one day dominate them is keeping many of the insurgent and secessionist movements alive. The terrain in this region is eminently suitable for insurgency. The hilly terrain and dense forests provide convenient hiding places to mount ambushes on the moving convoys of the security forces. Large parts of the interior areas have little or no police presence. The insurgent groups virtually control the administration in these areas. After attacking the security force they can easily disappear into the local population. Because of deprivation and alienation, a large section of the people tend to be sympathetic to the members of these groups. It is the alienation of the people that has sustained insurgency all these years, though logistic support and sanctuaries provided by the neighbouring states play a vital role in sustaining them. The dispersion of ethnic groups across the international 508 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 boundaries has profoundly influenced the nature of political conflicts. However, it needs to be emphasised that internal-external linkages originate with the failure of the domestic political and administrative system in coping with the internal conflicts. Secessionist leaders often adopt alternative strategies to achieve their goal. They keep on changing their tactics and demands according to the ground situation. The intensity of the conflict depends very much on how strong the public support is. Ethnicity can become an important dimension of internal conflict when it becomes intertwined with other social, political and economic issues. As conflicting groups go from one crisis to the next, they learn by experience to raise their demands to increase their bargaining power. Political changes that offer new opportunities for personal gain and extending their influence can spark violent conflicts. Even though most of them are conscious of the fact that secession is not a viable option, they keep on raising this demand to bring together the various contending conflicts on one platform. Making common cause against the Indian state is how many of these groups with conflicting ideologies cooperate with each other in their fight against the Indian state. The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) was born out of the demand to throw out the migrants from Bangladesh, and yet its top leaders are today finding sanctuary in that country. The South Asian ountries have more in common with India than with other countries in the region. They do not even have a common boundary with each other. But this reality has not made them friendlier towards India. History and geography have encouraged negative sentiments rather than positive sentiments about India in these countries. The big powers too have not hesitated to fish in troubled waters. Till the 1970s, China was directly supporting the ins urgencies in the North-East. Strategically, politically and economically the North-East is the most sensitive part of the country and should receive the serious attention it deserves. The ongoing dialogue between the government and the NSCN (IM) is a positive development, but it is going to take a long and torturous route. The NSCN (IM)’s claim on the Naga-inhabited areas in the neighbouring states has created serious complications. The riots in Manipur in 2001 following the extension of the ceasefire to the areas beyond the boundaries of Nagaland are a pointer to the difficult road ahead. The situation in â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 509 Assam has shown some signs of improvement, but large-scale extortion by the ULFA and other groups is posing serious problems. The NLFT and the ATTF continue to be active in Tripura. They have sanctuaries in Bangladesh. Mizoram is quiet, but there are problems between the Mizos and the Chakmas, and the Mizos and the Reangs. Thousands of Reang refugees from Mizoram are staying in camps in Tripura. In spite of many rounds of negotiations between the Mizoram government and the representatives of the Reangs, so far no solution appears to be in sight. The unending internecine feud between the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K) has spilled over from Nagaland to the neighbouring states and even to Myanmar. A number of Meitie and Kuki groups have sanctuaries in the Chin Hills in Myanmar. The ULFA and the Bodo groups have sanctuaries in the forests of Bhutan. There are unconfirmed reports of some sort of tie-up between the ULFA and the LTTE. A number of groups have also come up in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Many experts have called the Naga insurgencies as the mother of all insurgencies in the North-East. The level of violence, however, in this explosive region continues to be high in spite of the fact that the ceasefire agreement with the NSCN (IM) has been in place since 1997. This only goes to show how difficult the road to peace is going to be in this trouble-torn region. It is truism to say that it is not only a law and order problem. It has many other dimensions. No strategy will succeed unless it strikes a right balance between political, economic and security measures. There is need for closer co-ordination among the policymakers. Ideally, there is need for a consensus among the major political parties. The pursuit of narrow political agenda can be exploited by the subversive groups. Many political leaders in this region indulge in double-speak. They mouth nationalist slogans in Delhi but have no hesitation in making strong anti-national statements and collaborating with the insurgent groups in the state. Nor do they have any reservation in changing parties. They frequently hop from one political party to another. In Manipur some politicians have changed sides as many as six times in a year. A chief minister changed his party three times in one month, and his coalition partners three times in 48 hours. A party label has very little meaning. Money and muscle power with active support of the insurgent groups play a key role in the elections. Most of these states are not financially viable. They hardly collect any revenue and depend almost entirely on the Union government for financial 510 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 support. This has caused lack of responsibility in incurring public expenditure. For example, Manipur has created a huge bureaucratic structure with a workforce of almost 100,000 on its pay roll. Over 80% of its total revenue (both Plan and non-Plan) is spent on payment of salaries and pensions. Extortion by the insurgent groups, the leakage’s of huge funds through corrupt practices leave very little for development. And they conveniently put the blame on the Centre for not giving them adequate funds. Through years of neglect this potentially rich region is today the most backward, almost primitive, part of our country. In these appalling conditions an alienated population becomes an easy target for the secessionist propaganda. Jammu & Kashmir The problem has been with us since independence even though Pakistan has no legal case. The ruler of this erstwhile princely state decided to accede to India. According to the Independence Act it was for the rulers of the princely states to decide to join India or Pakistan. Pakistan has been disputing the legality of the accession signed by the then J&K ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh. The initial hesitation of the Maharaja to accede to either India or Pakistan and the unilateral Indian offer to find out the wishes of the people of the state has given Pakistan an excuse to challenge the legality of the accession. It has been doing everything for the last 56 years to grab this state. It has not been able to achieve its objective through wars with India. So, it has started a proxy war since 1989. Waging of a proxy war fits into the Pakistani designs of bleeding India. Unfortunately, the weaknesses of the state and of the administrative systems have provided Pakistan with opportunities to fish in troubled waters. More interested in perpetuating their rule than governing the state, its rulers have been exploiting regional and religious differences. Anti-national forces thrived in this environment and Pakistan has missed no opportunity to support and encourage them. Over the years it has succeeded in building a proPakistan base in the state. Frustrated in their efforts to gain power through democratic means, some politicians joined the anti-India front, more to put pressure on the Indian government than on ideological grounds. In a state, where the overwhelming population was against communal politics at the time of partition, the fundamentalist forces have managed to penetrate into the secular polity. The many serious problems of the people have to be addressed. It is not a coincidence that Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 511 he situation in the state received some success only when our own political mismanagement provided it with an opportunity to intervene, as in 1965 and again in 1989. One of Pakistan’s main aims is to divide the polity on communal lines. The attitude of the Pakistani military government is unlikely to change in the near future. But that does not mean that Pakistan should be allowed to set the Kashmir agenda. Moves will have to be made on all fronts to regain the initiative on both political and diplomatic fronts. The proposals made in the announcements by the Cabinet Committee on Security on October 22 are steps in the right direction, but the ground situation does not justify over-optimism. There are likely to be many ups and downs on this long torturous road to peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Left Extremism Making a beginning in Naxalbari in West Bengal and Telengana in Andhra Pradesh in the 1970s, the movement has since spread to many states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. The root cause for the rise in Left extremism is the inability of the states to address the many genuine grievances of the people. The gap between the unrealistic expectations, fuelled by populist rhetoric, and their actual fulfilment has increased and not decreased over the years. The younger generation is no longer willing to put up passively with injustice and humiliation without a fight. The bitterness of the angry young man against the prevailing unjust socio-economic system is spilling over. The older generation is not unsympathetic to them. An educational system which produces unemployable young boys and girls has not helped. Pressure on land has made the task of survival on agriculture more difficult. A callous district administration, especially in the rural areas, a clogged judicial system and feudal attitudes have compounded the problem. The land disputes have multiplied, but the land records and the judicial system to settle them is in disarray. There is a sense of frustration and anger. The most prominent among the groups, that have mushroomed in the recent years, are the People’s War Group (PWG) and the Marxist Communist Centre (MCC) . But it is not ideology and revolutionary zeal that is driving them. For many, joining these groups is the only way to survive. Their main activity is extortion. Huge funds amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees are being extorted by them. What they cannot 512 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 get through legitimate means they obtain through arms and explosives. Their tactics are no different from the insurgents and terrorists. Create terror and extort money. They are, however, not secessionists. Their aim is to overthrow what they call an unjust socio-economic system. But they are in no hurry to achieve their ideological aims as long as they can extort enough money. Corrupt politicians, policemen and civil servants have made their own adjustments with these groups. A live-and-let live attitude is mutually beneficial to all of them. Who knows how much money goes to the extremists and how much goes to the others. The real sufferers are the very people for whom the extremists are waging this war against the state. In public perception a government that is unable to discharge all its responsibilities is more likely to respond when the demand is loud, organised and backed by acts of violence. The many progressive, wellintentioned legislations are not eing implemented effectively and sometimes have done more harm than good by creating more bitterness and frustration, e. g. , the Minimum Wages Act. The marginal and deprived sections of the society are the worst hit. Social and economic factors are important, but even more important are religion and identity. The secessionist movement in J&K is politically motivated, but its ideological base is built ar ound religious funda-mentalism. Fired by religious fervour, the young recruits have no hesitation in attacking ruthlessly what they consider the decayed political and moral order, which they perceive as hedonistic. Once the instruments of governance are discredited, it is not too difficult to justify their destruction as in J&K, the North-East or in the states afflicted by Left extremism. In another sense, however, the aim of all these movements is no different from the aim of legitimate political movements. They too seek to acquire power, measured in terms of exercising influence or control over the people and acquisition of wealth for them is the source of all power. Extortion, therefore, becomes an essential part of their strategy. Their goal and strategy could change during the course of the movement. In the initial stages some of them may only demand economic and political justice or more autonomy in the existing political system, like the Bodos in Assam, but they can take a more extremist stand and demand secession in the later stages. Effective steps to reduce ethnic and social inequalities, disparities in educational and employment opportunities, and for creating an effective machinery for the redressal of public grievance, are absolutely essential to â€Å"India’s Internal Security Challenges† 513 mprove the environment in which extremist violence flourishes. Steps to reduce economic deprivation and improve the delivery of essential services can erode the base of public support on which the extremist movements survive. It is relatively easier to find solutions to seemingly intractable political problems, like in J&K, in an environment where people are by and large satisfied with the function ing of the government agencies and are not deprived of essential services. More than anything else, it is the economic policies that would ultimately determine the future of these movements. A thriving economy, which gives hope and opportunity to the people, is more likely to defeat all types of extremist movements than any other strategy. The need for a well co-ordinated security apparatus can hardly be overemphasised. It should include the police, the paramilitary forces, the army and the intelligence agencies. A composite force on the lines of the National Security Guards (NSG) should be organised in all the states, even in those states where the internal security situation is not so serious. It is easier to deal with the problems at the initial stages, than later, when the state police is no longer able to cope with them. But in the states where the situation has gone beyond their control, the Centre, as laid down in the Constitution, is duty-bound to intervene, notwithstanding the fact that law and order is under the State List. The Union government is charged with the responsibility of protecting the states from internal disturbances under Article 353 of the Constitution, even though law and order comes under List-II, the State List. The Union government can issue directions to the state under Articles 257-258. Action for non-compliance of the directions from the Union government can be taken under Article 365. A state government can be dismissed under Article 356, if a situation arises in which the administration of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. A national emergency can be declared under Article 352. But, even if the Centre decides to intervene, the state’s role cannot be minimised. The primary responsibility to deal with the security challenges must rest with the state governments. A situation should not be allowed to develop where the state government washes its hands off, or its forces instead of cooperating with the central forces, actually work against them. The many internal security challenges can be met effectively only with full cooperation between the central and the state governments. The police, 514 Strategic Analysis/Oct-Dec 2003 the paramilitary forces, the army and all the intelligence agencies must act in close co-ordination. The hostile foreign forces can and will take advantage of the internal situation to destabilise the country in pursuit of their own agenda. All serious internal security problems: communal and sectarian violence, organised crime, drug-trafficking, labour and students’ unrest, political violence and even economic crimes, if not checked effectively can develop an external dimension. There is an urgent need to make the police and the paramilitary forces more professional. The emphasis has to shift from ‘more numbers’ to ‘more professionally trained forces’. The internal security problems should not be treated as merely law and order problems. They have to be dealt with comprehensively in all their dimensions and at all levels — political, economic and social. They are all interlinked. At times, the required measures will conflict with each other. Going too far in one direction could be counter-productive. The security requirements have to be met, but that does not mean giving the security agencies a free hand. Striking the right balance is the key to success in meeting these challenges effectively. We need a comprehensive security policy that will be implemented effectively at all levels. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for your indulgence. It has been my endeavour to offer a personal perspective on the nature of the internal security challenges that India currently faces. I hope these thoughts and observations would encourage greater deliberations amongst you. From this interaction we could perhaps distil a collective perspective that would be relevant both to the policy makers and the civil society. And finally, my best wishes to the entire IDSA fraternity on this occasion — and may your stature grow.