Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How the U.S. Is Countering Terrorism

How the U.S. Is Countering Terrorism Terrorism is not new, nor is the practice of trying to prevent it through  counterterrorism  measures. But as the number of terrorist attacks has skyrocketed in the 21st century, the United States and other nations have had to become much more proactive in defending their citizens from such violence.   Counterterrorism in the U.S. The U.S. government has made fighting terrorism a priority since the early 1970s, following the terrorist attacks on the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, and several airline hijackings. But it was the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that made counterterrorism a pillar of domestic and foreign policy in the U.S. and beyond. The RAND Corporation, a defense policy think tank, defines the ongoing war on terror this way: Counterterrorism, since 2001, threatens terrorist safe havens, infiltrates terrorists financial and communications networks, hardens critical infrastructure, and connects the dots among the intelligence and law enforcement communities... Several federal agencies play critical roles in contemporary counterterrorism, both domestically and internationally, and often their efforts overlap. Among the most important are: Department of Homeland Security: The lead agency in charge of all domestic anti-terrorism and security activities.Department of State: Manages  the development and implementation of all U.S. government policies and programs aimed at countering terrorism overseasOffice of the Director of National Intelligence: Coordinates the gathering, analysis, and sharing of data among federal intelligence agencies such as the FBI and CIA.Federal Bureau of Investigation: Executes counterterrorism actions such as surveillance and investigation in conjunction with other law-enforcement agents at the local, state, and federal level.Central Intelligence Agency: Collects, analyzes, and shares international intelligence and data to inform and carry out U.S. foreign policy.National Counterterrorism Center: Plans  and coordinates counterterrorism policies and programs among federal agencies Fighting terrorism isnt limited to these agencies. The Department of Justice, for example, is responsible for prosecuting terror-related criminal cases, while the Department of Transportation frequently works on security issues with Homeland Security. State and local law enforcement agencies are often involved in some capacity as well.   On an international level, the U.S. government frequently cooperates with other countries on matters of security. The United Nations, NATO, and other nongovernmental organizations also have established counterterrorism policies of their own. Types of Counterterrorism Generally speaking, counterterrorism efforts have two goals: to protect the nation and its citizens from attack and to neutralize threats and actors who would attack the U.S. Defensive measures can be simple, like placing concrete bollards in front of buildings to stop an explosive-laden vehicle from getting too close. Video surveillance of public areas coupled with facial-recognition technology is another, considerably more advanced defensive counterterrorism measure. The security lines at U.S. airports, operated by the Transportation Security Agency, are yet another example. Offensive counterterrorism measures can range from surveillance and sting operations to arrests and criminal prosecutions to seizing financial assets and military action. In February 2018, for example, the Treasury Department froze the assets of six people known to conduct business with Hezbollah, an Islamic organization the U.S. has labeled a terrorist organization. The 2011 raid by Navy Special Forces on Osama bin Ladens Pakistan compound, which resulted in the death of the Al Qaeda leader, is one of the best-known examples of successful military counterterrorism activity. Sources Jenkins, Brian. Bush, Obama, And Trump: The Evolution Of U.S. Counterterrorist Policy Since 9/11. ICT.org.il. 24 September 2017.Lederman, Joshua. Taking Aim at Iran, US Hits Hezbollah With New Sanctions. StarTribune.com.  2 February 2018.Roser, Max; Nagdy, Moses; and Ritchie, Hannah. Terrorism. OurWorldInData.org. January 2018.United Nations staff. UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. UN.org.  United States Department of State. Country Reports on Terrorism 2016. State.gov. July 2017.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Divergence of Hungarian and Finnish Languages

Divergence of Hungarian and Finnish Languages Geographic isolation is a term commonly used in biogeography to explain how a species might diverge into two distinct species. What is often overlooked is how this mechanism serves as a major driving force for many cultural and linguistic differences among different human populations. This article explores one such case: the divergence of Hungarian and Finnish. Origins of the Finno-Ugrian Language Family Also known as the Finno-Ugrian language family, the Uralic language family consists of thirty-eight living languages. Today, the number of speakers of each language varies immensely from thirty (Votian) to fourteen million (Hungarian). Linguists unite these diverse tongues with a hypothetical common ancestor called the Proto-Uralic language. This common ancestral language is posited to have originated in the Ural Mountains between 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. The origin of the modern Hungarian people is theorized to be the Magyars who resided in the dense forests on the Western side of the Ural Mountains. For unknown reasons, they migrated to western Siberia at the beginning of the Christian era. There, they were vulnerable to the onslaught of military attacks by eastern armies such as the Huns. Later, the Magyars formed an alliance with the Turks and become a formidable military power that raided and fought throughout Europe. From this alliance, many Turkish influences are evident in the Hungarian language even today. After being driven out by the Pechenegs in 889 CE, the Magyar people searched for a new home, eventually settling on the outer slopes of Carpathians. Today, their descendants are the Hungarian people who still inhabit the Danube Valley. The Finnish people split off from the Proto-Uralic language group approximately 4,500 years ago, traveling west from the Ural Mountains to ​the south of the Gulf of Finland. There, this group split into two populations; one settled in what is now Estonia and the other moved northward to modern-day Finland. Through differences in region and over thousands of years, these languages diverged into unique languages, Finnish and Estonian. In the middle ages, Finland was under Swedish control, apparent from the significant Swedish influence present in the Finnish language today. The Divergence of Finnish and Hungarian The diaspora of the Uralic language family has led to geographic isolation between members. In fact, there is a clear pattern in this language family between distance and language divergence. One of the most obvious examples of this drastic divergence is the relationship between Finnish and Hungarian. These two major branches split approximately 4,500 years ago, compared with Germanic languages, whose divergence commenced an estimated 2,000 years ago. Dr. Gyula Weà ¶res, a lecturer at the University of Helsinki in the early twentieth century, published several books about Uralic linguistics. In Finland-Hungary Album (Suomi-Unkari Albumi), Dr. Weà ¶res explains that there are nine independent Uralic languages that form a language chain from the Danube valley to the coast of Finland. Hungarian and Finnish exist on the polar opposite ends of this language chain. Hungarian is even more isolated due to its peoples history of conquering while traveling across Europe toward Hungary. Excluding Hungarian, the Uralic languages form two geographically continuous language chains along major waterways. Coupling this vast geographic distance with several thousand years of independent development and vastly differing history, the extent of the language diversion between Finnish and Hungarian is not surprising. Finnish and Hungarian At first glance, the differences between Hungarian and Finnish seem overwhelming. In fact, not only are Finnish and Hungarian speakers are mutually unintelligible to each other, but Hungarian and Finnish differ significantly in basic word order, phonology, and vocabulary. For example, although both based on the Latin alphabet, Hungarian has 44 letters while Finnish has only 29 in comparison. Upon closer inspection of these languages, several patterns reveal their common origin. For example, both languages employ an elaborate case system. This case system uses a word root and then the speaker can add several prefixes and suffixes in order to tailor it for their specific needs. Such a system at times leads to extremely long words characteristic of many Uralic languages. For example, the Hungarian word megszentsà ©gtelenà ­thetetlensà ©ges translates to a thing that is almost impossible to make unholy, originally coming from the root word szent, meaning holy or sacred. Perhaps the most significant similarity between these two languages is the relatively large number of Hungarian words with Finnish counterparts and vice versa. These common words generally are not exactly alike  but can be traced to a common origin within the Uralic language family. Finnish and Hungarian share approximately 200 of these common words and concepts, most of which concern everyday concepts such as body parts, food, or family members. In conclusion, despite the mutual unintelligibility of Hungarian and Finnish speakers, both originated from a Proto-Uralic group that resided in the Ural Mountains. Differences in migration patterns and histories led to geographic isolation between language groups that in turn led to the independent evolution of language and culture.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Burj Khalifa Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burj Khalifa Description - Essay Example Burj Khalifa occupies maximum floor area. The travel distance elevator in the Burj Khalifa offers the longest distance in comparison to elevators in all other structures in the contemporary world. Thus, it offers the tallest elevator service in skyscrapers. The building was completed in six years in total. The total amount of concrete consumed in the construction of just the foundations of Burj Khalifa was more than 45000 m3 that weighs above 110000 tonnes. The foundation is made of piles protruded over 50 m into the ground. A total number of piles used in the making of the foundation is 192. According to an estimate, the total volume of concrete used in the construction of the whole structure would be about 330000 m3 along with over 39000 tonnes steel and the whole structures has consumed some 22 million man-hours of construction (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†). The speed of construction grew with the passage of time. In the start, a number of panels produced each day fell between 20 a nd 30. As the construction gained speed, the rate of production of panels increased up to 175 per day. (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†) According to the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), there are three fundamental criteria to judge a structure’s eligibility to be called as a skyscraper, namely the height to architectural top ratio, floor area occupied, and the height to tip ratio (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Where Are You Going Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates Essay

Where Are You Going Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates - Essay Example This story narrates the sexual advances in the midst of a time that represents the idea and philosophy of the beat culture along with its attempt to change and ignore all traditional concepts. However, what comes out of the story is the lust of Arnold and the opportunity to blend the nihilist ideology of the era into personal satisfaction. This process of seduction is well documented in this story and it reflects the complex nature of the juxtaposition within traditional moral and rebellious nature of the generation of the beat culture. It should be mentioned that Larry Rubin's assertion that Connie's encounter with Arnold Friend is only "a dream-like projection of her erotic fantasies" (Rubin, 202) is mistaken for several reasons. Firstly, it is not desperately required for a person of that generation to fantasize when the elements are readily available. Secondly, there is no single instance where it is hinted that Arnold is a metaphor or result of a fantasy. He appears completely real and menacing all the while. Thus it cannot be stated that critic Larry Rubin is correct when asserting that Connie's encounter with Arnold Friend is only "a dream-like projection of her erotic fantasies" (Rubin, 202). It is true that Joyce M. Wegs mentioned that "Arnold is clearly a symbolic Satan" (Wegs, 202) but it appears that he is the product of the era itself. Arnold is no different and his character is well depicted in the story where his ability is low and he seeks a benefit of low interest and he is satisfied with his gains. It can well be stated that are always some negative points in the time of change and people like Arnold are the individuals who are instrumental in incorporating those negative for their momentary and intangible benefits. The doubts, dilemmas, and confusions of the beat culture were gradually, quite slowly indeed, giving way to a new and unique cultural revolution. It was happening all across the Western world and the characters of the story find themselves in the midst of it. People suddenly seemed to realize that there was enough of political warfare to disgrace humanity. The prevailing standards suddenly seemed to be meaningless, and the insurgent youths wanted something different to happen. This 'something' took place in the form of nihilism and beat movement and the story depicts exactly this mood when an opportunist like Arnold took full advantage of the situation of Connie. He tried to justify his acts by yielding bizarre psyche and philosophies, actually fallacy, that was so relevant at the time among mass culture. Arnold's approach to Connie was planned but he placed like an artistic jest with fallacies of philosophy. "Now, put your hand on your heart, honey. Feel that That feels solid too but we know better. Be nice to me, be sweet like you can because what else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in-and get away before her people come back" (Oates, 388-9) or for that matter lines like "I'll have my arms tight around you so you won't need to try to get away and I'll show you what love is like, what it does. The hell with this house! It looks solid all right". (Oates, 388) It is evident from these words that the actual intention was to emulate the philosophical concept of the time but the situation and the intention was completely materialistic in nature. No matter how much Arnold poses as a carefree beat and a nihilist by uttering unconventional and anti establishment ideas like "The place where you came from ain't there any more, and where you had in mind to go is cancelled out. This place you are

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Malaysia’s financial service Essay Example for Free

Malaysia’s financial service Essay 1.0 Introduction Maybank was established in 1960, Maybank has grown into an international brand. Malaysia’s financial services leader with presence in 20 countries operating from 2,200 offices, with a workforce of over 47,000. Corporate responsibility is integral to the way they do their business. For more than 50 years ago, they have believed in an actively practiced ‘Putting People First’. To be Maybank customers, investors, partners, employee or even the community. In 1990, Maybank has set up the Tabung Kebajikan Kumpulan Maybank (TKKM), a trust fund through which Maybank could reach out to various communities to bring about good social. Over the years, TKKM has evolved and grown. Beginning with medical and social welfare, the fund soon found other ways in which it could contribute to positive change by nurturing continuing economic and community development, heritage preservation and environment conservation. In 2010, in conjunction with the group’s 50th anniversary, the Maybank foundation replaced TKKM as a guidance of hope for all those who are isolated and disadvantaged. As Maybank new vehicle for Corporate Responsibility, the Maybank foundation aims to expand their impact across the region, touching lives wherever they are operate, and empowering communities to build a better future both for present and future generations. http://maybankfoundation.com/history.html Maybank Group offers a comprehensive range of products and services that includes commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, offshore banking, leasing and hire purchase, insurance, factoring, trustee services, asset management, stock broking, nominee services, venture capital and Internet banking. 1.1 Introduction Maybank’s mission is to humanize financial services across Asia, by providing access to financial services to the people at fair terms and pricing, and to be always at the heart of the community. Maybank vision is to be the leading financial solutions provider in the target markets and communities they commit to save. http://www.maybank.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/overview.page The target market would be for resident that has identity card of themselves and local, it can be adult, youth and young kids for their saving money. The resident can be a consumers, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations and corporation any purpose can using the Maybank without worrying. . 2.0 Comparison with others competitors 2.1 SWOT analysis Strength (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Strength of Maybank is the leading regional market. It is the largest bank in Malaysia in terms of number of branches where is it was 384 domestic branches and 190 international branches and office of the Maybank. Maybank is the largest listed on the Malaysian stock exchange, Bursa Malaysia, with market capitalization of over RM54 billion as end of March 2011. Capital adequacy, Dividend Yield, Return on Assets and return on Equity are substantially higher than the industry and sector average. A Higher returns is according to its financial report Maybank showed low overhead and cost. Maybank has a customer base of more than 21 million. The user of friendly website, www.maybank2u.com.my is the pioneer for internet banking in Malaysia and easy to be used, it does not wasting people time to go to the bank to make their business. With maybank2u people can do their business smoothly without worrying their busy time. Maybank is the largest Banking Service Provider in Malaysia with their ATM Machines widely available all over Malaysia even the international money transfer service was owned by a Maybank Malaysia, its available through Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan. Maybank product line is diversification from loans, financing, deposit, insurance to investment Banks, over 100% increase in Sales Performance at branches increased product penetration in Maybank’s corporate client product portfolio. Weaknesses Weaknesses of Maybank is too much of Banking Operation are focused in and around Malaysia and Singapore, hence limited global penetration and too much revenue comes from retail banking and Islamic Banking, less revenue comes from other offerings. Revenue Concentration with all the good branding, Malaysia is still low of the customer satisfaction rating. They are rated at number of 17out of 17 banks in Malaysia for the customer service in year 2010. Maybaks has no continual evaluation and updating of human resources practice and policies. The workers collateral agreement has been passed due from March 2010. The increase of none Interest expense, Maybank has a reputation for the new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may weaken overtime due to homogeneous product service. Maybank has a strong presence in the Malaysia, as they need to look for a portfolio of other countries in order to spread business risk. Mayban k tends to invest in countries which have none stable economic presence such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines. Maybank share price is low than other banks and have to pay a huge amount of money to stakeholder. 2.2 SWOT analysis Opportunity Maybank growing global Islamic Finance Market as a Maybank Islamic Berhad on track to record RM1 billion in pre-tax profit for 2012. The wider regional Islamic Finance Market to Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, China, the Philippines and the Middle East. Maybank were the business expansion that can explore and exploit are sized up and its growth potential assessed in the profile. The strategic Restructuring scout for the potential investments and acquisition targets, with detailed insight into the company’s strategies, financial and operational performance. Maybank high opportunity is to expand into countries like Laos, once the banks gets the license to operate and to grow in investment banking in Hong Kong. Growth in internet banking will increase the customer base. Maybank is exploring the international banking opportunity in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia to achieve its plan to become Regional Financial services leader in 2015. Threats 2.2 Marketing strategies Marketing strategies is the Maybank employee promotes their product from old product to new product to everyone. Which is they promote at a shopping mall, where a lots of people and easy to get a customer. They promote by using a card or giving a short talk about their product such as in terms of giving loan with smaller interest. There are many types of the product for the Maybank to promote for the customer. Undisputed No. 1 Retail Financial Services Provider in Malaysia In Malaysia, Maybank is aiming to maintain their top ranking, in terms of overall market share, across their core retail financing products including mortgages, automobile financing, credit cards, unit trust financing, and individual deposits. Maybank is intending to reinforce their leadership position in touch points and distribution network as a key community destination and focal point. The Maybank Customer Value Proposition centers on convenience and serving the needs of the community and they are committed to the values of a One Stop Shop, Needs Based Selling and World Class Services. They will leverage on a shared distribution model across all parts of the Group network, and will customize and differentiate their products by segment to meet the needs of their four different types of customers: High Net Worth, Affluent, Mass and SME. The Group will also capitalize on technology and innovation to achieve high performance in processing times and customer service. Leading ASEAN Wholesale Bank and eventually to expand into the Middle East, China and India Maybank is aim to become the leading ASEAN wholesale bank which will involve enhancing to corporate relationship model. Strategic initiatives will include Improving domestic and regional market position for corporate and non-retail deposits; Building a regional investment bank, increasing contributions to revenue from non-domestic markets and increasing the fee to income ratio contribution. Maybank also aim to expand to the Middle East, Chi na and India. Undisputed Insurance and Takaful Leader in Malaysia and Emerging Regional Player Maybank is seek to be the domestic insurance champion and an emerging regional player by 2015 through the growth of their life, general insurance and takaful business, carried under the Etiqa brand. For general insurance and takaful, the Group will keep pace with industry growth while maintaining a healthy portfolio mix and supporting a better combined ratio compared to the market. To achieve organic growth in life or family business, they are aggressively growing the Assets under Management (AUM) of their life or family funds through product innovation. The strategy of the Maybank asset management subsidiary is to build a leading asset management brand by providing strong investment management support for Etiqa funds, wholesale funds and institutional mandates as well as by leveraging on Maybank’s extensive distribution network. Truly regional organization, with ËÅ"40% of pre-tax profit derived from international operations by 2015 Maybank goal is to become a truly re gional organization with approximately 40% of loans and pre-tax profit derived from international operations by 2015. This will be driven by their key markets of Indonesia and Singapore. At the same time, Maybank are developing a presence in the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and China by building scale and scope in these growth markets. Global leader in Islamic Finance Maybank target is to have one third of their domestic financing backed by Islamic financial assets by 2015. To achieve this, Maybank Islamic banking operations will take full advantage of Maybank’s huge domestic branch network as well as its electronic banking platforms and the various distribution outlets of Maybank strategic partners. Maybank also aim to grow their Islamic business in markets like Indonesia and Singapore. Our Islamic banking operations, meanwhile, will focus on delivering innovative and globally accepted products and services that differentiate they Maybank from other Islamic financial institutions. http://www.scribd.com/doc/106370482/Swot-Analysis 2.3 Pricing strategies http://www.onlinebanksguide.com/maybank/loan.html Maybank provides various types of loans to both the personal and business banking customers. The available loans include personal, home, car, ASB and government guarantee loans as well as the Maybank Mikro and Islamic Mikro for a small business enterprises and self-employed individuals. Apart from Malaysia, various types of loans including personal, car, education and home or housing loans are also available in Singapore and consumer loans in Philippines. Maybank Loan ASB Maybank ASB loans or financing are provided for purchasing ASB unit trust. ASB are available in two types namely ASB financing and ASB financing I. Both are offered with a minimum loan amount of RM 10,000 and up to a maximum of RM 400,000. The details of pricing, payment, period and other requirements can be obtained from the website. Maybank Loan Car Maybank car or auto loans are available for purchasing and financing on new or second hand cars. On the other hand, these loans can also be used for financing on reconditioned or modified the motor vehicles. In addition, the Islamic and conventional car loans are available with the margin of finance value up to 90% of the seller’s invoice at the maximum and the maximum repayment period of to nine years. Maybank Loan Home Maybank home loans are provided for buying a new house or financing on various types of properties under construction or completed properties. These loans are available as the following types. * Maxi Home * Maxi Home–i with variable and fixed rate option * Home Equity-i Maybank Loan Rate Maybank loan rates are varied from one type to another and the interest rate also depends on the type of the loan and amount borrowed from the bank. For the home loans, the rates are available in various options including the variable and fixed rate packages. In fact the home loans are offering at the lowest rate of 4.50% for the first 3 years. Maybank Loan Calculator Maybank provides various types of web based calculators to calculate the monthly repayment, maximum repayment amount, maximum financing amount for the home loans and monthly installment for car or auto loans. These calculators are available as home loan, Islamic home loan and hire purchase calculator. 2.4 Product concentration 2.5 Types of short term and long term loan available Business loan http://www.maybank2u.com.my/mbb_info/philippines/public/personalList04.do?channelId=FIN-FinanceprogramId=FIN05-CorporateComLoanchCatId=/mbb/Personal/FIN-Finance Floor Stock Financing A revolving facility providing finance for auto dealers working capital requirements to support purchase of inventory of new vehicles for a short term period Salary Loan Salary deductible loans for any legal purpose granted to qualified employees of companies accredited by the Bank. Revolving Credit Line Loan granted for purpose of working capital, where the amount paid is made continuously available provided it does not exceed the approved credit line. Short Term Loan Term loans are granted for the purposes of project financing, capital assets acquisition, or business expansion 3.0 Conclusion Assignment 2 1.0 Question 1 Calculate the future value of RM1, 000 invested today for three years at 10% (i=0.10) interest rate per annum? Simple interest FV = P (1+ (I x n) ) P = amount borrowed / principal I = interest rate N = number of years FV 1st year = RM1,000 (1+ (0.10 x 1) ) = RM1,000 (1.1) = RM1,100 FV 2nd year = RM1,000 (1+(0.10 x 2) ) = RM1,000 (1.2) = RM1,200 FV 3rd year = RM1, 000 (1+(0.10 x 3) ) = RM1,000 (1.3) = RM1,300 1.1 Question 1 Compound interest FV = P (1+i)n FV 1st year = RM1,000 (1+0.10)1 = RM1,000 (1.1) = RM1 100 FV 2nd year = RM1 100 (1+0.10)2 = RM1 100 (1.21) = RM1 331 FV 3rd year = RM1 331 (1+0.10)3 = RM1 331 (1.331) = RM1 771.561 2.0 Question 2 PV= FV1+in PV = RM100 1(1+0.05)1 + RM100 1(1+0.05)2 + RM1000 1(1+0.05)3 PV = RM100(1.05) + RM100(1.05)2 + RM1100(1.05)3 PV = RM95.24 + RM90.70 + RM950.22 PV = RM1 136.16 3.0 Question 3 Simple interest FV 1st year = RM10 000 (1+ (0.06 x 1) ) = RM10 000 (1.06) = RM10 600 FV 2nd year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 2) ) = RM10 000 (1.12) = RM11 200 FV 3rd year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 3) ) = RM10 000 (1.18) = RM11 800 FV 4th year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 4) ) = RM10 000 (1.24) = RM12 400 FV 5th year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 5) ) = RM10 000 (1.3) = RM13 000 3.1 Question 3 Compound interest FV 1st year = RM10 000 (1+0.06)1 = RM10 000 (1.06) = RM10 600 FV 2nd year = RM10 600 (1+0.06)2 = RM10 600 ( 1.1236) = RM11 910.16 FV 3rd year = RM11 910.16 (1+0.06)3 = RM11 910.16 (1.191016) = RM14 185.19 FV 4th year = RM14 185.19 (1+0.06)4 = RM14 185.19 (1.26247696) = RM17 908.48 FV 5th year = RM17 908.48 (1+0.06)5 = RM17 908.48 (1.338225578) = RM23 965.59 4.0 Question 4 5.0 Question 5

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Harold Pinter Essay -- Biography Biographies Harold Pinter Essays

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter is one of the greatest British dramatists of our time. Pinter has written a number of absurd masterpieces including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, Betrayal, Old Times, and Ashes to Ashes. He has also composed a number of radio plays and several volumes of poetry. His screenplays include The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Last Tycoon, and The Handmaid's Tale. He has received numerous awards including the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear, BAFTA awards, the Hamburg Shakespeare Prize, the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or and the Commonwealth Award. Harold Pinter was born on October 10, 1930 in Hackney, East London. He was the sole child of Jack Pinter and Frances Franklin. His father was a ladies’ tailor whose family was among Jewish immigrants that reached the East End of London. Both sides of Harold’s family were Jewish, but they had different personalities and characteristics. His paternal side was Orthodox Jewish and they had an artistic background, whereas his maternal side was more secular and skeptical about strict rules of religion and were known for their entrepreneurial background. Although the Pinter’s were relaxed and music-loving, they got along well at family gatherings with the noisy and clamorous Franklins. Since Harold was an only child, he would imagine a life with brothers and sisters and would create imaginary friends and play out adventures and scenes in the backyard of his home. This isolated world created a place where Harold felt warmth and security. However, this childhood was interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1939. Harold had to leave his home in Hackney as part of a nationwide evacuation, and along with twenty four other children, Harold was sent to John Nash, a fabricated castle, from the elementary school. This was a traumatic and disturbing experience for all of the boys who were isolated from their homes and families, especially for nine-year old Harold. Some boys took advantage of this experience and were happy to be exposed to rural life. â€Å"For Harold, the disturbing experience blended with a magical eye opening encounter of rural life and his tendency to introspect blossomed† (Top Biography). At the same time, his awareness to sounds and images developed, and these permeated his later life and work. This encounter left a mark in Harol... ...lways isolated from something, whether it be from the lack of feeling of love from non-existing siblings and creating imaginary friends in his backyard, or being isolated from his parents during his evacuation throughout the war. Pinter’s life was filled with significant events, but he claims that his life is and was confusing and has had no influence through his works. In this case, his plays, like his life, are just a series of events that happen in real life, but are not supposed to mean a certain thing or express a certain thought. His most recognizable plays mostly take place in just a room filled with people dealing with a certain issue, but they mean so much more; or do they? These situations can be so awkward and silly at times that they are absurd enough to see humor in them and laugh at. This is the way Pinter wanted his plays to be looked at. He was never trying to get a message across and his plays are meant to show a situation at hand and how people deal with it. It is so easy to try and come up with a reason for his menace which causes critics to over-analyze his work. This is what makes Harold Pinter one of the greatest British dramatists of our day.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Significamt Health Care Event

Significant Health Care Event Violet Sowell HCS/ 531 Feburary 4, 2013 Regina Phelps Significant Health Care Event In the paper the topic to be discussed is a significant healthcare event. There are many events that have an impact on healthcare. The significant event that will be discussed in more detail is managed care. The main points to be discussed in further details are how managed care relates to the changes in health care, has managed care impacted the historical evolution of health care, and based on beliefs and values do I agree with managed care’s significance.To fully understand the significant health care event managed care first needs to be defined. According to Shi, L. , & Singh, D. (2012), â€Å"Managed care is a system of health care delivery that seeks to achieve efficiencies by integrating the four functions of health care delivery discussed earlier, employs mechanisms to control (managed) utilization of medical services, and determines the price at which the services are purchased and, consequently, how much the provides get paid† (P. 8). Managed Care Relating to the Changes in Health CareHealth care costs are rising significantly throughout the years. In the 1990s rising cost in managed care grew rapidly resulting in consumers to keep up with these rising costs. Individuals who are paying health care insurance out of pocket are struggling to pay these costs. Conklin, T. stated, â€Å"Managed care-on the other hand-reflects a significant change in doing business that gradually reached most areas of the health care arena† (2002). With the changes in health care costs hospital admissions are reducing, increase of ambulatory care, out-patient surgeries, and home care (Conklin, T, 2012).Individuals’ deductibles and co-pays are increasing in result of managed care. There are many struggles that health providers face when working in managed care. Raiz, I. A. (2006), â€Å"The experiences of mental health providers workin g in managed care settings have paralleled those of providers working in the general health care field, as both are affected by market place trends† (P. 2). Different health providers are affected by the changes in managed care in one way or the other. Managed Care’s impact on Historical Evolution of Health CareI believe that that managed care impacted the historical evolution of health care. When managed care was developed in the United States the main purpose was to improve medical care outcomes as well as efficiency. Westert, G. P. , â€Å"During the second half of the twentieth century, managed care developed in the United States as a mechanism for constraining the growth of health care costs by controlling the delivery system† (2005). The federal government decided to offer managed care options through Medicare because of the growing expenses that the elderly have to through Medicare.Westert, â€Å"Reductions in health care utilization brought about by mana ged care in the western United States have been adopted in other areas of the nation and the world† (2005). After the increase of managed care through the 1980’s and 1990’s as well as the twentieth century managed care began to decline. The association between the plans and the health care providers began to weaken in the United States when dealing with managed care. Once managed care began rising in cost consumers and providers decided to look elsewhere. Managed care began to change so that the health care providers and consumers come back to use the plans.When managed care began to decline the increase of insurance deductibles for employee offered by the employers. Agreeing with Managed Care’s Significance based on beliefs and values Based on my beliefs and values I personally agree on managed care’s significance. Managed care has had up and downs throughout the years. The federal government has changed managed care to help the consumers and provi ders to ensure efficiency and effectiveness for the patient’s. Managed care offers employers the chance to raise deductibles in order to lower insurance premiums. ConclusionManaged care has made an impact on the evolution of health care beginning with the decline of health care cost to the increase in these costs. Managed care has been changed over the years to better improve the plans for consumers and providers. The federal government is working to find way to improve health care costs for the consumers so that the costs are affordable. References Conklin, T. P. (2002). Health Care in the â€Å"United States: An evolving system. Families & HealthCare. Vol. &, no. 1, Fall 2002. Retrieved from http://hdl. handle. net/2027/spo. 919087. 0007. 102 Riaz, I. A. (2006). The effect of managed care on professional psychology. Spalding University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 132-132 p. Retrieved fromhttp://search. proquest. com/docview/304917965? accountid=35812. (304917965 ). Shi, L. , & Singh, D. (2012). Delivering health care in America: A system approach. (5th ed). Boston, Ma: Jones and Bartlett. Westert, G. P. (2005). Current and future developments in managed care in the United States and implications for Europe. Retrieved from http://www. health-policy-systems. com/content/3/1/4

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Methodology Review

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research study is to determine and gather information about the television viewing habits of individuals who watch game shows most of the time. This study would aim to determine what factors affect the participant’s attraction to game shows as well as the benefits and disadvantages that they gain from watching game shows. At the same time, this study would like to demonstrate whether the feelings and thoughts of respondents would lead to psychological addiction to game shows. Data Collection This study will be conducted in the researcher’s hometown, an urban city with various cultural groups and which have a wide array of economically diverse individuals. The city is small as compared to major cities but nonetheless is exposed to the different game shows, in fact around 10 game show contestants have come from this city. Most families own a TV set and most people stay home to watch the TV than to party or go out at night. The data will be collected through the use of a survey questionnaire designed by the researcher. The questionnaire will use both open ended and close ended questions as well as a Likert scale on items that asks about attitudes and feelings. The survey questionnaire will be given out to the researcher’s workplace and neighborhood. The sample of respondents will be identified through referrals and randomly approaching coworkers and neighbors. The data gathering would approximately take around 2 weeks to complete excluding the data analysis and preparation of the manuscript which would take another week. An assistant will be hired to help give out and retrieve the survey questionnaires in the researcher’s neighborhood. The assistant will be compensated based on the number of survey forms completely filled and returned. The respondents will be informed of the objectives of the research and they will be asked to voluntarily complete the survey, no compensation or reward will be given to the respondents. After the data has been collected, the researcher will then proceed to collate the data and analyze it using statistical tools. Descriptive statistics will be done on the demographic data and viewing habits of the respondents while rating scale equivalents will be identified for items that use the Likert scale. The open ended questions about the benefits and disadvantages of watching television game shows will be analyzed and discussed identifying the most common responses and contrasting it with the least common responses. It is anticipated that the researcher may encounter problems in data collection, this would include the low respondent turn-out, since respondents will be asked to totally volunteer their answers and time to the survey, not many people might be willing to do this, another issue is that since the target participants will be the coworkers of the researcher, the responses may have not been seriously given as they are busy individuals and they just comply with the researchers request. Moreover, the participants form the neighborhood of the researcher may not be able to adequately respond to the questions because it may not be culturally appropriate or difficult to understand. Preliminary Survey Form Demographic data: Age: _____ Gender: ______ Ethnicity: ______ Educational level: ______ Occupation: ______ Open ended questions: In a week, how often do you watch TV game shows? List all the game shows that you watch. What do you think makes TV game shows attractive to watch? What are the benefits that you have gained from watching TV game shows? What are the disadvantages you have experienced in watching TV game shows? Likert Scale: Please indicate your answers by using the following scale: 5 – Always 4 – Often 3 – Sometimes 2 – Rarely 1 – Never 1. When I watch TV game shows I feel excited. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 2. I am happy the most when I watch TV game shows. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 3. I am alert and awake when I watch TV game shows. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 4. I become sad when the player in the game show loses. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 5. I wish that I would become a TV game show contestant. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 6. I dream that I am a game show contestant. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 7. I feel frustrated when I am not able to watch my favorite game show. 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5   

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Martin Luther King And Mass Media Essays - Community Organizing

Martin Luther King And Mass Media Essays - Community Organizing Martin Luther King And Mass Media Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Mass Media Martin Luther King Jr. was a very significant and influential man. Though his life was cut short at 39 years old, he left a big mark on today's society. From the Prayer Pilgrimage of May 17, 1957, an event and a date that marked King's entre into the field of national Negro leadership to the unforgettable March on Washington. (Bennett 10) King was determined to reach his goal, which was to have blacks and whiter united and treated equally. King was faced with many obstacles, including the press. At first, there was hardly any print about King's events and protests. When the events did get recognition King's name wasn't mentioned at all. Not until many years later when the protests sparked violence and death was King's name mentioned and even then, it was used in negative way. In this paper, I will discuss how the news magazines Time, Newsweek, and the U.S. News went about distorting, neglecting, and eventually praising King and his events. In order to help understand the Civil Rights Movement and it controversy you have to start at the beginning. On the way home from work as a seamstress Mrs. Rosa Parks boarded a Montgomery City Line bus. When asked to give up her seat for a white passenger Rosa Parks refused. The bus driver left his seat and summoned the police. The police officer arrested Rosa Parks for violating the cities segregation ordinances. ( Bennett 59) Rosa Parks arrest sparked a one-day boycott that stretched out to 382 days. That event started the Civil Rights movement and changed the spirit of Martin Luther Kings, Jr. Time magazine was the first of the newsmagazines to pick up the story of the bus boycott. (Lentz 26) Newsweek didn't print the story until five months after it happened. In addition, not until then did King's name was mentioned by it or Time. Neither King nor the cause grabbed the attention of U.S. News & World Report. What they did report was how disturbed the southerners were over the population shift in Montgomery that seemed to be leading to black control. (Lentz 28 ) With the bus boycott in full swing merchants were loosing millions of dollars and white housewives were having to drive their black maids around, whose services they didn't want to loose. With people, complaining the Montgomery government stepped in. While the court was scheduled to hear the city governments petition to stop the bus boycott, the Supreme Court stepped in. A message came down form the Supreme Court striking down the motion that the bus segregation ordinance as unconstitutional. When this was heard a joyful bystander stated God Almighty has spoken from Washington D.C. (Lentz 31) After King's victory, there was almost nothing in Newsweek and Time. Not until 382 days after the bus boycott began, did Time and Newsweek report on the event. Both magazines predicted that the black victory would be accepted by whites. (Lentz 31) This later proved untrue. Snipers fired shots at buses and the homes of black ministers were bombed, as were black churches. Kings first arrest after trying to enter a crowed courtroom where another Negro integration leader was testifying put his face in Newsweek. A photograph showing policeman handling King roughly, appeared in Newsweek. The caption noted Alabama arrests a Negro minister on a loitering charge. (Lucaitis 27) Not even mentioning Kings name. In the late summer of 1962, King decided to launch a series of demonstrations in Birmingham. The demonstrations lead to wide spread violence. White police officers with K-9 dogs invaded the march and arrests were made. King was one of the demonstrators arrested. Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report would find themselves forced to write about the events in Birmingham. U.S. News would be forced into the all-together awkward position of having to account for the brutal and open violence black demonstrators, especially children, that the entire world had seen.(Lentz 78) Time and Newsweek would recall the Birmingham campaign as a crusade for freedom. (Lentz 78) When reporting about Birmingham, Newsweek entertained doubts. The journal chose terms, siege, army, generals, and recruiting troops, -that spoke of invasion and military.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Freedom Caucus Definition and Membership

Freedom Caucus Definition and Membership The Freedom Caucus is a voting bloc of about  three dozen Republican members of the House of Representatives who are among the most ideologically conservative in Congress. Many of the Freedom Caucus members are veterans of the  Tea Party  movement that took root following the bank bailouts of the Great Recession and the election of Barack Obama as president in 2008. The chairman of the Freedom Caucus is U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina. The Freedom Caucus was formed in January 2015 by nine members whose mission is to â€Å"advance an agenda of limited, constitutional government in Congress.† It has also argued for a more decentralized power structure in the House, one that allows rank-and-file members a greater voice in deliberations. The mission of the Freedom Caucus reads: â€Å"The House Freedom Caucus gives a voice to countless Americans who feel that Washington does not represent them. We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.† The coalition has been described as a splinter group of the Republican Study Committee, the conservative group that serves as a watchdog on the partys leadership in Congress. Founding Members of the Freedom Caucus The nine founding members of the Freedom Caucus are: Rep. Justin Amash of MichiganRep. Ron DeSantis of FloridaRep. John Fleming of LouisianaRep. Scott Garrett of New Jersey  Rep. Jim Jordan of OhioRep. Raà ºl Labrador of IdahoRep. Mark Meadows of North CarolinaRep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina  Rep. Matt Salmon of Arizona   Jordan was elected the first chairman of the Freedom Caucus.   Members of the Freedom Caucus The Freedom Caucus does not publicize a membership list. But the following House members have also been identified in various news reports as being members of or affiliated with the Freedom Caucus. Rep. Brian Babin of TexasRep. Andy Biggs of AlabamaRep. Rod Blum of IowaRep. David Brat of VirginiaRep. Jim Bridenstine of OklahomaRep. Mo Brooks of AlabamaRep. Ken Buck of ColoradoRep. Warren Davidson of OhioRep.  Scott DesJarlais of TennesseeRep. Jeff Duncan of South CarolinaRep. Trent Franks of ArizonaRep. Paul Gosar of AlabamRep.  Morgan Griffith of VirginiaRep.  Andy Harris of MarylandRep.  Jody Hice of GeorgiaRep. Darrell Issa of CaliforniaRep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia  Rep. Alex Mooney of West VirginiaRep. Gary Palmer of AlabamaRep.  Steve Pearce of New MexicoRep.  Scott Perry of PennsylvaniaRep. Ted Poe of TexasRep. Bill Posey of FloridaRep. David Schweikert of AlabamaRep. Mark Sanford of South CarolinaRep. Joe Barton of TexasRep. Randy Weber of TexasRep. Ted Yoho of Florida Why the Small Freedom Caucus Is a Big Deal The Freedom Caucus represents but a small fraction of the 435-member House. But as a voting bloc, they hold sway over the House Republican Conference, which seeks support from at least 80 percent of its members for any move to be considered binding.   â€Å"Choosing their fights carefully, the Freedom Caucus has certainly made an impact since its formation,† wrote the Pew Research Center’s Drew DeSilver. DeSilver explained in 2015: â€Å"How does such a small group get to have such a big say? Simple arithmetic: Currently, Republicans have 247 seats in the House to 188 for the Democrats, which would seem to be a comfortable majority. But if the 36 (or more) Freedom Caucus members vote as a bloc against the GOP leadership’s wishes, their effective strength falls to 211 or fewer- that is, less than the majority needed to elect a new speaker, pass bills and conduct most other business.† While the makeup of the House has changed since then, the strategy remains the same: to maintain a solid caucus of ultraconservative members who can block action on legislation they oppose even if their own party, the Republicans, control the House. Role in John Boehner Resignation The Freedom Caucus rose to prominence during the battle over Ohio Republican John Boehner’s future as speaker of the House in 2015. The caucus was pushing Boehner to defund Planned Parenthood even if it meant forcing a government shutdown. Boehner, tired of the infighting, announced he would abandon the post and quit Congress altogether. One member of the Freedom Caucus even suggested to Roll Call that a motion to vacate the chair would pass if all of the Democrats were to vote in favor of ousting Boehner. â€Å"If the Democrats were to file a motion to vacate the chair and were to vote for that motion unanimously, there probably are 218 votes for it to succeed,† the unnamed member said. Many in the Freedom Caucus later supported Paul Ryan’s bid for speaker. Ryan was to become one of the youngest speakers of the House in modern history. Controversy A handful of Freedom Caucus members defected because they were unhappy with the group’s tactics, including its willingness to side with Democrats on votes that would undermine mainstream or moderate Republicans, including the effort to oust Boehner through a Vacate the Chair motion. U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble of Wisconsin quit after the leadership coup. â€Å"I was a member of the Freedom Caucus in the very beginning because we were focused on making process reforms to get every Member’s voice heard and advance conservative policy,† Ribble said in a written statement provided to CQ Roll Call. â€Å"When the Speaker resigned and they pivoted to focusing on the leadership race, I withdrew.† U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California quit the Freedom Caucus nine months after it formed because, he wrote, of its â€Å"willingness- indeed, an eagerness- to strip the House Republican majority of its ability to set the House agenda by combining with House Democrats on procedural motions.† â€Å"As a result, it has thwarted vital conservative policy objectives and unwittingly become Nancy Pelosi’s tactical ally,† he wrote, adding that the Freedom Caucus’ â€Å"many missteps have made it counterproductive to its stated goals.†

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Role Of Satirical TV Shows In People's Enhancing Political Awareness Essay - 7

Role Of Satirical TV Shows In People's Enhancing Political Awareness - Essay Example Satirical television shows help the audience to be more conscious of the news and politics by using comedies to expose the misconduct of politicians. Satirical TV shows provide are designed and comedies but has a rich content that exposes the truth of the political arena. First, the TV shows provide disclosure of hidden political agendas that the public are least aware of. The designers of Satirical TV shows use an exciting approach to tell the public of the mischief of politicians. These programs provide a detailed exposure of the information that covers the effects of the politics on the society and the specific country or even particular groups in the society. They cover a wide range of misbehavior patterns among the politicians and present them in a comical manner. Providing this information to the public allows people to learn about the behavior of their political leaders and this attracts their attention to be wary and more conscious of political behavior. In addition, the satirical TV shows make a direct attack on the political leaders, hence sensitizing them on the need to change certain negative behaviors. Most of the satirical TV shows expose specific political characters who have misbehaved and ridicule them. Actually, these shows mock negative political actions and sensitize the victims to change their behavior. As politicians are sensitive of their public image and the way these shows portray them to the society, they fear mockery and would rather come off clean. When these programs expose them to the public, they push them to change in an effort to reconstruct their political behavior. On this note, satirical TV shows provide the public with the real political images of their leaders and give the public the opportunity to push their leaders to change. In brief, satirical TV programs attract the people to contribute to changing the political arena.