PolicyMaking in the EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

PolicyMaking in the EU - Essay Example Were it admitted to the EU, Turkey would be the most populated country and the first to be predominantly Muslim. Though its accession would have little effect on the European Commission, it would dramatically affect the European Council. Despite these many positives, some negatives make many weary about Turkey's inclusion. Agriculture is a major concern of EU policy. As Turkey's inclusion would affect voting power, Turkish concerns could change the common agriculture policy. Also, the European Union allows free movements of citizens among member nations. "A free flow of [Turkish] immigrants could destabilize labor markets around Europe. Though many of the members today feel that the presence of the Turkey would definitely create an impact on the growth of the European Economy, an equal number of the members feel that Turkey cannot be included into the EU as it is not geographically apt to be called 'European'. Its accession talks have since been delayed by a number of domestic and external problems. Several European countries such as Austria have shown their reluctance to allow Turkey into Europe. The issue of Cyprus continues to be a major obstacle to negotiations. European officials have commented on the slowdown in Turkish reforms which, combined with the Cyprus problem, has led the EU's enlargement commissioner to warn of a crash in the negotations with Turkey. Despite these setbacks, Turkey had closed its first phase in negotiations in June 2006. Based on what it views as lukewarm support for its accession to the EU and alleged double standards in its negotiations. France and Austria have indicated they will hold referundums on Turkey's membership), the Turkish public has become increasingly euroskeptic in recent times. Arguments favoring Turkey's membership in the European Union Economy An important in the favor of Turkey's inclusion is the rapid economical growth it has been achieving in the last 4 years. Although the current GNP per capita is still lower than all of the other new EU-countries, the current economic growth rate suggests that in a few years, Turkey will have overtaken Poland and Romania. In addition, Turkey has a young population. That, combined with the size of the country, and its growth rates, constitutes a major dynamism and a good opportunity for the EU. (Barry.M.Rubin, 2003) Relationship with the NATO Atlancist countries outside Turkey have always felt the inclusion of Turkey into the European Union would help counteract France's completely oblivious stand against the US. In countries like France, Netherlands and Germany, this is viewed as a point working against the country. Turkey is a strong regional military power which could give the EU more military capabilities. The Turkish Armed Forces are the second largest standing armed force in NATO after the United States Armed Forces, and they are the strongest in the Muslim world. Many countries in the west believe that the inclusion of the country in the EU would cement its alignment with the west. Many people in Turkey also believe that the Turkish inclusion could actually result in less military influence in the country and more stable Government. It could also improve in sustaining the economy. The Energy resources Turkey has now become the Energy hub of the continent. Direct piping between Russia and Iran carries natural gas to Turkey, which is planned to be distributed to the

Type of play Essay Example for Free

Type of play Essay The importance of play is reflected by the role it plays in development. Children are encouraged to play with gender appropriate toys but I have to ask myself why parents would rather have their son play with a gun rather than a doll.  Some studies have linked gunplay with aggressive behaviour and it is interesting to see (the table below) that boys are more aggressive than girls at a young age  Some child health professionals encourage parents to limit this type of play. Concern about guns also include potential confusion with real ones, which could lead to someone getting seriously injured. The media is also seen to be a major influence on behaviour. The way television affects a child depends on the childs age and what stage of cognitive development they are at. As a child watches television they absorb the program and then they interpret it to how they saw it. Some cartoons that are violent such as itchy scratchy, which is shown on The Simpsons shows a cat and mouse attack each other and put each others body parts in food blenders etc. Its a bit disturbing to some people but children find it hilarious. I think this is because it is unlikely in real life and depending on the age of the child, they will know that this sort of behaviour is not rewarded. Boys need to be parented in a different way from girls. Home, society and education have failed boys badly- these failures lead to unhappy men who cannot fully become happy, responsible emotionally confident adults.  There is a lot of research comparing the abilities and behaviours of males and females. As we consider the behaviour of boys and girls we have to consider how they differ in their behaviour. Albert Bandura believed aggression reinforced by family members was the most prominent source of behaviour modelling. He reports that children use the same aggressive tactics that their parents illustrate when dealing with others. Children learn to act aggressive when they model their behaviour after witnessing violent acts of adults, especially family members. Bandura is most famous for his Bobo doll experiment, in this experiment; he had children witness a model aggressively attacking a plastic clown called the Bobo doll. Bandura found that the children imitated the aggressive behaviour. There are many sex differences between boys and girls and one of the most comprehensive studies was conducted by, Maccoby and Jacklin (1974). They discover there were only four significant differences between the sexes. Although the differences were small they showed there is an overlap in the behaviour of boys and girls.  Although the study by Maccoby and Jacklin was in depth Shaffer (1993) pointed out, First, girls show more emotional sensitivity. Second, girls are less venerable developmentally than boys, and are less likely to suffer from learning disabilities, various language disorder, or hyperactivity. Third, boys tend to be more physically active than girls. Fourth, girls tend to be more timid than boys (PSYCHOLOGY FOR A2 LEVEL, M.W. ESYWICK, page 698)  In conclusion I would like to say, that I believe that behaviour is learned from society through the process of reinforcement and modelling. Behaviours such as, Sex-role behaviour can be learned by vicarious reinforcement. When you think about it makes sense for a person to keep doing things they are rewarded for and to stop doing things we are not. I found these quotes below and I agree with both of them on this subject.  In the theory of gender I began from zero. There is no masculine power or privilege I did not covet. But slowly, step-by-step, decade-by-decade, I was forced to acknowledge that even a woman of abnormal would cannot escape her hormonal identity.  (Paglia, Camille, 1947 American Author Critic Educator)  (Taken from: www.borntomotivate.com)  Except for their genitals, I dont know what immutable differences exist between men and women. Perhaps there are some other unchangeable differences; probably there are a number of irrelevant differences. But it is clear that until social expectations for men and women are equal, until we provide equal respect for both sexes, answers to this question will simply reflect our prejudices.

Analyzing Ibsens Character, Hedda Gabler Essay -- Character Analysis,

Henrik Ibsen's character, Hedda Gabler, is a woman who is torn between her desires and the expectations required of someone of her social standing. At the onset of the play, Hedda has been married for six months, but she still clings to her maiden name, as evident in the title of the play, â€Å"Hedda Gabler.† Her reluctance at accepting her new name is symbolic of her dissatisfaction of being married; she misses the freedom of being single, while at the same time longs to be married to an aristocrat, to someone who is more important in society than her husband is. Hedda was raised under the rule of her military father, General Gabler, and was probably subjected to strict rules and discipline. Growing up she learned nothing of the domestic skills and expectations required of the women of her social standing; she also learned nothing about motherhood, which left her feeling terrified and lost once she learned she was pregnant. Instead, she learned how to shoot pistols and ride horses. Her high social standing never left her in want of any possessions; Hedda was â€Å"used to having things in the General's time† (168). She was constantly engaged in social situations with suitors who, though she was beautiful, did not want to marry her. Her lack of prospects within the aristocratic class led her to accept a marriage proposal from Jà ¶rgen Tesman, a scholar of lower social standing. Her husband's potential failure at being able to obtain a respectable position at a university leaves Hedda fearing her security and the possibility of not being able to afford new and expensive possessions. Upon her first appearance on stage, one can garner some very important clues as to Hedda's personality. She is â€Å"aristocratic and elegant† (175) and ... ...p† (203) between herself, her husband, and Brack. The inevitability of an impending affair, coupled with her unwanted pregnancy and loveless marriage, convinced Hedda that she was losing all control of her life. Suicide was Hedda's final attempt at regaining her control. She destroyed her and Tesman's child, just as she had done with Mrs. Elvsted and Là ¶vborg's â€Å"child;† if she did not love the unborn child, no one else was going to be able to. But foremost, she wanted to be able to escape male dominion, most notably that of Brack's. She did not relish the idea of having to cater to his needs and abhorred the idea of having an affair because, if someone found out, it would cause a scandal. In Hedda's eyes, the only way out of this dire situation was to commit suicide. But her death was not going to be hideous like Là ¶vborg's was; hers was going to be beautiful.

Proud to ba an american :: essays research papers

Proud to be an American I am proud to be an American because I was born here. Four generations back, my ancestors came here from Europe. We have the right to be any religion we choose. Voting is a right of all people. We also have the most liberties and rights of any nation on earth. First of all, our nation is the richest country. We have clothes like T-shirts, jeans, socks and all sorts of other stuff. Afghanistan has sheets that they wrap around themselves. We have all sorts of food. We can go and get food at restaurants and groceries stores. Our nation is highly industrialized. We have the most jobs. Some big industries are Steel Case, General Motors and the Ford Motor Company. There are many, many jobs for people to work. Secondly, why I am proud to be an American is because of our technology. We have computers. They help us in our everyday life. Let's not forget our vehicles. We have cars, trucks, four wheelers, dirt bikes, boats, planes, jets and helicopters. Without these vehicles, we would have a hard time getting around from place to place. NASA sent up a rocket that enabled men to land and walk on the surface of the moon. We were the first nation to accomplish such a mighty task. Thirdly, and one of the most important reasons why I am proud to be an American is because of our veterans. They fought for our country. They saved our lives and defended our freedom. They risked their own lives by fighting to save ours. "Jon, why are you proud to be an American?" "I got out of high school and was asked to join the army. Fortunately I did. And when World War II ended, I had a good feeling because I knew I had accomplished something for our country and people. I was proud to have served my country." Our founding fathers believed so strongly in the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy today, that they were willing to give their lives for the cause.

List of the Current Legislation and Codes of Practice Relating to Equality

Legislation Purpose Disability Discrimination Act 1995Protects the rights of all those with disabilities. It also places a duty on schools (and other organisations) to eliminate barriers to ensure that individuals can gain equal access to services Disability Discrimination Act 2005 Places a duty for schools to produce a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) and an Access Plan. Schools must encourage participation in all aspects of school life and eliminate harassment and unlawful discrimination Race Relations(Amendment)Act 2000Outlines the duty of organisations to promote good relationships between people from different races Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Makes it unlawful for educational providers to discriminate against pupils with a special educational need or a disability Children Act 1989 Sets out the duty of local authorities (including schools) to provide services according to the needs of children and to ensure their safety and welfare Human Rights Act 1998Sets out rights of all individuals and allows them to take action against authorities when their rights have been affected Children Act 2004Sets out the duty to provide effective and accessible services for all children and underpins the ive Every Child Matters outcomes Education Act 1996Sets out the school’s responsibilities towards children with special educational needs.The Act also requires schools to provide additional resources, equipment and / or additional support to meet their needs Equality Act 2010Sets out the legal responsibilities of public bodies, including schools, to provide equality of opportunity for all citizens. This brings together nine equality laws

Post War Era essays

Post War Era essays The post war era following the Second World War in American history was a time of great growth and development of American ideas, society and culture. Suburban life has been created and flourishing. American developers returning home from the war held the mentality that we conquered the threat of tyranny now lets conquer our backyards. They set out with their idealism and moved away from the cities. They tore down the tree and put planned communities and commerce and named the streets after the trees. It is hidden somewhere in the background of a Norman Rockwell painting and it is kept alive in old television shows, that which the call Americana. As well as Main St. USA is everywhere. With Roosevelts second bill of rights the economy is booming after the war and the nations proud is just as high. The GI bill passes in congress and education is notion that is available for all. This high feeling of euphoria trickles through society. With the growth in the economy and wages the standard of living increased. People set out to form communities away from the city, to be happy to be safe to pursue the American Dream. Society and social structures became transformed and reconstructed. We looked at our government as to having direct interaction and to provide for well beings. People had a rebirth, a new sense of self and pride and thought that they were deserving of rights and privileges. Soldiers returning home from war wanted a family. Wanting things to be better not just for them but for their children. This concept of provider strengthened the male role. He went to work provided a home and wages. The suburb represented this. It was an escape from the hustle and bustle where every child would have baseball diamond to play on and each wife a home with the white picket fence. These were the happier parts of suburban life. It took away the hustle and bustle of city life. It gave a place to retir...

50 Open Source Resources for Writers

50 Open Source Resources for Writers 50 Open Source Resources for Writers 50 Open Source Resources for Writers By Daniel Scocco Why pay for Word processors, image editing software and other tools when there are solid open source alternatives around? The guys from Job Profiles just compiled in fact a big list with 50 open source resources for writers. Below you will find my favorite ones: Open Office (office suite; forget Microsoft) NotePad++ (best notepad around, especially for editing HTML and other codes) AbiWord (very light word processor) JaLingo (desktop dictionary) Ever Note (organize your chapters and essays) Sonar (track your publishing contacts) PDF Creator (word as good as the Adobe software) Prompt (change your prompt to get inspired) GIMP (alternative to Photoshop) WordPress (if you need a website, go with WordPress) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of Infinitives45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†Testimony vs. Testimonial

Alcoholic Addiction Essays

Alcoholic Addiction Essays Alcoholic Addiction Essay Alcoholic Addiction Essay Dry. Charles Flowers using the five steps Step 1: What Is the problem? Family member who Is an alcoholic. Step 2: What are the alternatives? Self-awareness, treatment for alcoholism, and research medical journals. Step 3: What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of each alternative? Acknowledge the addiction, attending local alcoholics anonymous meetings, and learning why people turn to self-medication. Step 4: What is the solution? Enlighten the family member on the dangers of alcohol, getting them to admit they eave a problem, and convincing them to seek treatment. Step 5: How well is the solution working? In my experience, I have found that most addicts do not want to see that they are being destructive or that they are having a problem. Write a 100- to 150- word reflection about this process. How did this process help you devise a solution? How can you use this process with future problems? Will this work for all problems you face? Why or why not? This process was overwhelming but it helped me to see that there is a solution to all robbers in life. Problems are opportunities to make some good things happen. Its hard to assign a value for any problem, because for each situation, one of the criteria may strongly outweigh the others. Planning lets you be sure you have taken care of all of the details. Planning helps you save time, energy, and resources In the long run. Even If there are some unwanted results, you may well decide that the benefits outweigh the negatives. As when youre taking medication, youll put up with the side effects to cure the disease. But be sure you go Into the process with your eyes open to the real costs of solving the problem at hand. By Church HUM/114 Using the five steps Step 1: What is the problem? Family member who is an alcoholic. Self-awareness, treatment for alcoholism, and research medical Journals. Step 3: all of the details. Planning helps you save time, energy, and resources in the long run. Even if there are some unwanted results, you may well decide that the benefits effects to cure the disease. But be sure you go into the process with your eyes open

The internship assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The internship assignment - Essay Example The internship assignment The customers need their ordered products on time and therefore, vendors have to attain a certain levels of synergy and coordination among various departments in order to achieve the desired outcomes of a specific project. The job that was performed during the internship was all about conforming by the deadlines. I managed to perform the job quite well as I was able to promote teamwork and synergies among the entire workforce. It was significantly challenging for me to combine various members from several departments in order to build cross-functional teams. The team developmental process was halted and jammed more than a few occasions. The difficulties were faced because there was a presence of particular distaste and unwillingness towards the notion of working closely among technical and managerial staff. Both of the groups held on to the point that the other group does not have necessary information needed to comprehend the issues. But I with the help top management sponsored a le arning environment in the overall organization and therefore, played a significant and important role in the completion of delayed projects. My job as a coordinator in a software development company assisted me to get important knowledge about the global industry of software development and sales. The industry has spread in all parts of the world and due to this reason I have gotten an unforgettable chance to interact and communicate with people from various cultures and nations. As a sales representative, I have also noticed a few marked differences in the behavior of people from under developed and advanced nations respectively. The customers belonging from formerly mentioned group of nations set a premium on cost effectiveness of information technology solutions. The buyers from latter type of countries focus on quality and they are least concerned with the price tag of the product. The clientele of the company where I worked is culturally and regionally dispersed. I have found Americans with very professional attitude and they were extremely lenient in terms of providing extension in deadlines. The Chinese and Russian s on the other hand, were very aggressive in handling delays. In short, I have come to recognize that the population of developed nations is far more polite and humble. But the customers from less developed nations are very annoying and they got on my nerves on more than one instances. Yet I remained calm and composed while handling their grievances. More specifically, I have learned that the culture is the software of human mind (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2010) and therefore, people use their cultural and economic experiences for making decisions. The economic conditions of the less developed world have been continuously degrading. The abovementioned trend has forced companies in less developed world to outsource technology to more developed ones. But the companies from less developed world are highly sensitive towards prices and therefore, they always search for the cost effective technological solutions. I have also learned that those companies with poor computer and technological lit eracy cannot use the solutions to the full extent. Nevertheless, I will propose intensive technological training to all companies that are looking to acquire latest infrastructure. In my view, state of the art technology is useless until the staff knows how to use it. In the case of major number of the companies, technology results in less

Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chemistry - Essay Example This could be manifested in a person suffering from bipolar disorder or related mental illnesses. As early as 1800, pharmacological studies came up with antipsychotic drug that will help doctors during psychiatric treatment. Research and surveys showed that by the year 2005, based on the report of Archives of General Psychiatry, approximately 5.7 million of adult Americans or 2.5 percent of its population were affected by bipolar disorder (BD). There are also cases of BD found among children (Geller B, Luby J, 1997). Bipolar disorder or manic-depression is a mental disorder characterized by signs of mania or depressions which can be observed in alternating episodes. Prominently, these episodes show shifts of mood swings, from extremely energetic moods to hopeless and depressive moods. It includes one or more incidents of manic behavior, disrupted sleep, fast speech, distractibility and increase in goal-oriented-activities. Together with these manic episodes are depressive episodes characterize with lost of interest, displeasures, feeling of emptiness and unworthiness. A bio-chemical explanation was presented by scientist and researchers to explain why people tend to suffer manic-depression. Biologically speaking human brain was composed of nerve cells, neurotransmitters and receptors sending messages from one another (Prof. Hokin, University of Winconsin).Over activity or under activity in these neurotransmitters or messengers of the brain could be the reason for such disorders. So bipolar disorder could be manifested whenever brain operations has gone wrong resulting to alternating poles of mania and depression. Anti-psychotic drugs are prescribed by psychiatrists to treat bipolar disorder. These are termed to be mood stabilizers and help the patient as it goes into psychiatric treatment. The most common yet old used anti-psychotic drug nowadays is lithium. Dr.

A Long Short Screenplay and Step Outline about homelessness and hunger Research Paper

A Long Short Screenplay and Step Outline about homelessness and hunger among the working poor - Research Paper Example We used up all the money that I got last week. I also went to a friend of mine, he was broke as well, but he gave me a dollar. Let us go find something to eat. Alex and Tom, who are two 20 year old homeless individuals who work at a certain car wash in the streets, sit on a hip of garbage. They look so discouraged. They are so dirty that the people passing by do not want to get close to them. Alex looks at Tom and smiles. My friend, we have not eaten now for three days. That work at the car wash is not worth it man. It would be better to just sit and do nothing, than tire ourselves with that worthless job. This life keeps getting harder and harder. I wish I was in a school Tom, and I also wish I had a family. They both nod their heads in agreement to that. Tom looks to the left, and as if expectedly, sees Peter and Phyllis walking out of the wooden hotel outside Brands mini-shop. Peter also sees the two, and walks towards them. There is no work at the car wash, since the beginning of this week; we have only washed one car. Otherwise, we are glad that we are still alive sir. But we are very hungry; imagine we have not eaten for three days. Peter puts his right hand into the polythene bag and brings out an even smaller black polythene paper and hands it over to the boys. The boys smile and thank Peter and his wife. Peter smiles back at them, and together with his wife, they leave. As they leave, Alex and Tom eat the food gluttonously. Annette’s face is suddenly filled with gloom. She wishes her son could understand how hard things are. She works in a hardware office by the road side as a cleaner, but she does not get much from it. She goes and sits beside her son But we know those boys, how mean can you be? What if they were your kids? Okay, if you feel bad about that, then why don’t you eat all of that food yourself? Since all you ever think about is your stomach. Annette looks at Phyllis, and knows that she is hiding

Personal statement for admission Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

For admission - Personal Statement Example Thus, while benefiting from the first hand experiences and active performances, I still lacked academic learning in the field of music. This pushed me to opt for a master’s degree in Music and Performance at the Indiana University. I have now completed my masters and I feel that I am on a good stand with regard to academic learning as well as performance. But I still believe that further learning and practice would enhance and polish my skills. It would make my academic ground stronger and it is for this purpose that I wish to enroll in the doctoral program at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and it will provide me with the best opportunities to strengthen my career. I would then be able to go back to Korea as a musician having both strong practical skills as well as possessing good academic skills. This would assist me in performing well and at the same time in becoming a good instructor and thus impart my knowledge to the students in

Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Teamwork - Essay Example Teamwork In organizations in which cohesiveness is present within team settings the members of the team display greater motivation. These employees value the time they spend with their co-workers. There is a lower employee turnover and lower absenteeism in companies with cohesive team units. A cohesive team unit is not achieved overnight; it takes time for employees to build trust in each other. It is more likely to cohesiveness to manifest itself when group members are similar in age, attitudes, needs and backgrounds (Schermerhorn, et al. 2003, p.202). Another factor that is favorable to achieve cohesiveness is to creating small size teams. The optimum size of a team is between four and seven members (Yeatts & Hyten, 1998). When a group is too big it becomes difficult to the member to build close relationships with each other, thus cohesiveness is harder to achieve. Creating cohesiveness within a team is important, but from an organizational perspective cohesiveness is only attractive if it enables the firm to a higher work performance. A way to determine if cohesiveness is adding value to a company is by measuring the match of cohesiveness with performance norms. If a specific work team has a high degree of cohesiveness, but the performance of the team has not improved over time or has declined then it is possible that cohesiveness is having a negative impact on the work output of the team unit.

Personal statement for admission Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

For admission - Personal Statement Example Thus, while benefiting from the first hand experiences and active performances, I still lacked academic learning in the field of music. This pushed me to opt for a master’s degree in Music and Performance at the Indiana University. I have now completed my masters and I feel that I am on a good stand with regard to academic learning as well as performance. But I still believe that further learning and practice would enhance and polish my skills. It would make my academic ground stronger and it is for this purpose that I wish to enroll in the doctoral program at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and it will provide me with the best opportunities to strengthen my career. I would then be able to go back to Korea as a musician having both strong practical skills as well as possessing good academic skills. This would assist me in performing well and at the same time in becoming a good instructor and thus impart my knowledge to the students in

Weight management Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Weight management - Article Example One shortcoming of the research is that, much of it is concentrated on the behaviors that lead to weight decrease , but less study is findings has been provided for weight loss maintenance. The work has concentrated on broader issues (e.g., calories consumed), but data are scant on behavioral schemes related to weight maintenance. One broadly acknowledged idea is that successful and sustainable weight decrease needs paying vigilance to both sides of the energy-balance equation: power intake through nourishment and drink and power expenditure through physical undertaking . The influence of the blended strategy of consuming fruits and vegetables and engaging in normal physical activity has not been widely studied in mature persons thriving at heaviness decrease maintenance. A population-based approach was used to examine behavioral schemes used by those who were successful in weight loss. Such parameters as racial and ethnic dissimilarities in men and women were analyzed and described the combined dietary and physical activity behavior amidst U.S. adults who were trying heaviness loss upkeep. It was set out to analyze whether the combined tendency of consuming higher amounts of low-energy–density fruits and vegetables and engaging in regular physical undertaking is affiliated with successful heaviness loss upkeep. In addition, behaviors of respondents dining outside their homes were also considered and self-assurance in their proficiency to enlist in behavioral strategies that support successful weight decrease maintenance. In this study, men and women thriving at weight management described distinct one-by-one behaves. Amidst women who described consuming five or more crop and vegetable servings on the previous day, one-third were thriving at heaviness loss maintenance. Among women who described consuming less than five fruit and vegetable servings, one-fourth were thriving. Although,

Project Management Summary Essay Example for Free

Project Management Summary Essay Strategic portfolio management plays an intricate part in project management. Through this paper, the reader will gain a stronger understanding of the relationship that strategic portfolio management plays in project management. Strategic Management Relation to Project Management Project management involves several parts, but the meaning must be understood first. â€Å"Project management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of company resources for a relatively short-term objective that has been established to complete specific goals and objectives† (Kezner, 2013, p4). Knowing this allows the project manager to implement steps toward achievement of the defined goals and objectives. Part of these steps has to do with strategic management. Project management is strategically managed to advance the corporations organizational goals. Strategic management insures the right initiatives are pursued and supported with resources. Strategy today needs to align to a more fluid nature of business environments. It has to be flexible enough to adapt constantly to changing external and internal conditions. The relationship between strategic portfolio management and project management is a very important relationship. Strategic management compliments project management in that it attempts to ensure success by way of doing things at the most opportune time. If a company attempts something too early or too late then possible negative consequences may occur. Projects, within programs or portfolios, are a means of achieving organizational goals and objectives, often in the context of a strategic plan. Although a group of projects within a program can have discrete benefits, they can also contribute to the benefits of the program, to the objectives of the portfolio, and to the strategic plan of the organization. Conclusion As stated at the beginning of this paper â€Å"strategic portfolio management  plays an intricate part in project management†. The reader should now have a stronger understanding of the relationship that strategic portfolio management plays in project management. References Kerzner, Ph.D., H. (2013). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (11th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. (PMBOK guide). Newtown Square, Pa: Project Management Institute.

Image processing Techniques to Forecast Plant Disease

Image processing Techniques to Forecast Plant Disease A Synopsis on A Feasibility Study on The Prediction/Forecasting of Disease for Plant Leaf Using Image processing Techniques by Chaitali Pandya   INDEX PAGE (JUMP TO) Introduction Scope of the proposed study Review of work already done on the subject Objectives of the proposed study Research Methodology Hypotheses to be tested Tentative Chapterization Bibliography Introduction India is a country where the agricultural plays a very important role. Here more than 70% depends on agriculture. Demand of agricultural industry, is increased day by day, so it is very important for the plant to grow effectively and increase its yield. The crop may be fruits or vegetables. For that it is very much important that a plant has to be monitored its growth period at the time of crop. Image processing is used as a tool to observe the diseases on leaves of plants during farming from plantation up to harvesting. This study might help to forecast a plant leaf diseases. Importance/Rationale of proposed Investigation The demand of the agriculture industry increases day by day, it is very much important for the plant to grow effectively and gives the maximum output or harvest. For doing so, it is essential to monitor the plant and plant leaf during its growth period, as well as, at the time of harvest. Scope of the proposed study The research only considers the plants of the vegetables that are of any type. Digital Images of defective leaf of a plant. The study only considers the Image processing toolbox for converting the image. The study modifies the existing algorithm to convert image to text to perform the disease forecasting. Review of work already done on the subject A web based tool named as Identificator is used to help the people who are not experts in identifying plant diseases in a particular way, which is totally based on the picture selection and/or little text descriptions. It is applicable when no suitable images exists, which represents the symptoms on a specific sample of plant tissues. User can access this system from anywhere, it can be said as a multi accessed system, because the multi-access key of identification has to be generated, and it from the remote side or desktop computers or smart phone operators can easily use it. In this, the user selects pictures approaching the symptoms and the system gives the most probable disease.[1] The other study for the identification of symptoms of a plant diseases, where the images are colored is a machine vision system. The region, where the diseases found, in the digital pictures were improved, separated, and a set of features were removed from each of them. Inputs to a Support Vector Machine (SVM) features were then used as classifier and tests were performed to identify the best organized model. [2] One study based on leaf image has been done. Some chemicals applied to the plants on the periodic basis. This kind of technique was only applied to the plants where the leaves already have been defected with the disease. Hundreds of chili plants were observed to perform disease forecasting. To detect disease on the chili plant leaf, the image processing technique plays a very important and useful role. This system will help farmers for the future monitoring and plantation.[3] One study has already been done, in that a quantitative and qualitative optimization criteria for the co-operative evolutionary optimization method had been used, that involved a user and system (CEUS) for problems. The model, which is named as interactive evolutionary computation (IEC) model, system and user plays the own role for the evolution, such as individual replica or evaluation. Exactly in the opposite side, the proposed CEUS allows the user to dynamically change the allocation of search roles between the system and user, resulting in immediate optimization of qualitative and quantitative objective functions without increasing user exhaustion. To achieve above mentioned optimization, it is better that a combination of user evaluation prediction and the integration of interactive and non-interactive EC would be used.[4] Objectives of the proposed study The main objective of this research is to maximize the cost-effective, reliable harvesting to the agriculture industry. With regarding of doing so, the study will seek following objectives: To provide the tool to forecast/predict plant diseases for the vegetables. The study may give the solution to the problem where the crop of any vegetable will not give the expected results. To forecast how the plant leaf got defected in concern with the diseases. It may give the partial solution of the diseases by image of plant leaves. Research Methodology In this research study, different image processing techniques might be used. First digital image will be taken of the plant leaf. Image editing software MATLAB will be used to convert the image using image processing toolbox. A survey on the image will be done in the qualitative and quantitative situations. Data might be collected from the specified region(s)/ farm(s). Comparison of the data which is taken from the digital image with the actual data to forecast the disease. Hypotheses to be tested Sources of Information Sources of the information would be the farm or a nursery from where the digital pictures might be taken on a specific interval to study whether the leaves are affected with any specific diseases or not. Tools and Techniques of Research Tools that will going to be used is the MATLAB R2010a (image editing software) with image editing tool ,that will help to convert the image into the text, those texts will be used for the future reference. Tentative Chapterization There might be the following chapters in the PhD thesis : Title page Abstract (with keywords) Table of contents List of tables List of figures Abbreviations Statement of original authorship Acknowledgments 1 Introduction 2 Literature review 3 Methodology 4 Analysis of data 5 Conclusions and implications Bibliography Appendices Bibliography Nakayama, S. O. (2014). User-system cooperative evolutionary computation for both quantitative and qualitative objective optimization in image processing filter design. Applied Soft Computing , 203 218. Jhuria, M. a. (2013). Image processing for smart farming: Detection of disease and fruit grading. Shimla. Elad, I. P. (2012). Identificator: A web-based tool for visual plant disease identification, a proof of concept with a case study on strawberry. 144 154. Husin, Z. a. (2012). Feasibility Study on Plant Chili Disease Detection Using Image Processing Techniques. (pp. 291-296). IEEE. Smith, A. C. (2009). Image pattern classification for the identification of disease causing agents in plants . Computers and Electronics in Agriculture , 121 125. Zhou, Y. C. (2010). Plant root image processing and analysis based on 2D scanner., (pp. 1216-1220). [1] Elad, I. P. (2012). [2] (Smith, 2009) [3] (Husin, 2012) [4] Satoshi Ono and Hiroshi Maeda and Kiyomasa Sakimoto and Shigeru Nakayama

Portfolio Theory and Banks :: Finance Financial Essays

Portfolio Theory and Banks Over the years competition in the financial industry has been very high. Banks have been competing harder over market shares and profits. These firms have of late been facing a very unique challenge; how to extract high levels of profit while still maintaining their foundations as lending institutions. Lending is not a very profitable business, the risk of default coupled with the competition driving down market prices have made lending a less attractive enterprise. Therefore some banks are trying to concentrate on their more profitable activities (i.e. advisories, debt and equity sales, mergers and acquisitions). But to be able to extract this sort of business requires banks to engage in loans. Without loans customers have no incentive to do business with them, since one of their primary needs is to finance their commercial activities through debt. Portfolio theory gives these lending institutions a tool to minimize the risks and hazards of lending. Portfolio theory was first published by Fischer Black and Myron Scholes in 1973. This model provided banks with a strategy on how to diversify their loans and investments. Before this, banks had no real investment strategy and their only option was to obtain as much collateral as possible and make default an unattractive option. Portfolio Theory allows companies or investors to diversify their investment so to minimize risk and maximize gain. The principle behind the Black – Scholes model is to diversify your equity so that your lowest risk bond produces the same risk as your highest risk investment. When your investments have reached this equilibrium, then risk minimization has been achieved.[1] [1] www.kmv.com/Knowledge_Base/public/general/white /Portfolio_Management_of_default_Risk.pdf What is the Black - Scholes model? The model also called portfolio theory works under the following assumptions: 1) Price of the underlier is lognormally distributed 2) No transaction costs 3) Markets trade continuously 4) Risk-free rate is constant and the same for all maturities.[1] The model was first used for simple put and call options and now has been expanded for use with other financial instruments. This model is a mathematical model and certain variables are needed for the formula to work. These variables are the stock price, exercise price, time to maturity, volatility, and price of a discount bond that matures when the option does.

What is Instructional Technology? Essay -- Definition IT Essays

What is Instructional Technology? Describing Instructional Technology (IT) is a lot like herding cats – it can probably be done but it won’t be easy. It has been a difficult question for educational researchers and technologists to answer. Few other fields have such a difficulty in self-definition. Everyone can readily define such fields as psychology and biology, but the IT field is so new that no one has a definite answer. The term instructional technology is further confused because it is often used interchangeably with the terms educational technology and instructional design. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) (1994) defines IT as "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning." Silber (1970) describes IT as "the development . . . of instructional systems components (messages, people, materials, devices, techniques, settings) and the management of the development . . . in a systematic manner with the goal of solving educational problems." According to Tickton (1970), "instructional technology is a way of designing, carrying out, and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching in terms of specific objectives, based on research in human learning and communication and employing a combination of human and non-human resources to bring about more effective instruction." The U.S. Commission on Instructional Technology (1970) defines IT as ". . . the media born of the communications revolution which can be used for instructional purposes along side the teacher, textbook, and blackboard. . . . a systematic way of designing, implementing and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching in... ...ugustana.edu/library/Newsletter1/index.htm . Commission on Instructional Technology. (1970). To improve learning. A report to the President and the Congress of the United States. Washington, D.C: U.S. Government Printing Office. Jones, B.W. (1999). A Differentiating Definition of Instructional Technology and Educational Technology. Available online: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Campus/7941/trmpprh.html Seels, B.B. and Richey, R.C. (1994). Instructional technology: The definition and domains of the field. Washington, D.C: AECT. Silber, K.H. (1970). What field are we in, anyhow? Audiovisual Instruction, (15(5), pp. 21-24. Tickton, S.G. (1970). To improve learning: An evaluation of instructional technology. New York: R.R. Bowker Company. Webster’s Dictionary (1989). Edited by Patterson, R.F. and Litt, D. Miami, FL, P.S.I. & Associates, Inc.

Which is the best graduate program in criminal justice in the Midwest

In conducting a research to determine the best criminal justice graduate program in the Midwest, it would be best to select measures that are able to clearly give snapshots of what to expect from each program. These measures are faculty quality, student-instructor ratios in both classes and research, graduate prominence in criminal justice institutions, and program standing with accrediting organizations. The first measure can be ordinal, nominal, and ratio. Basically, we need to examine the credentials of the faculty members teaching in the said program. This examination includes the number of papers that they’ve published in peer-reviewed journals, their positions in academic organizations, as well as their rankings in relevant and recognized academic competitions. Of course, we need to compare each of these variables for this measure separately. This measure gives us a comprehensive view of the level of competence professors in the program have. However, this does not include one of the most important measures which is student feedback, a variable that may often be difficult to obtain due to it being classified in nature. The next measure is the student-instructor ratio. This is the ratio of the number of students that are found in a class handled by one professor. This can also refer to the number of advisees handled by one professor. Generally, favorable ratios should come closer to one. The larger the ratio is, the more congested classrooms are likely to be. This implied that the professor might not be able to give ample attention to each student. This is especially problematic in terms of research advising. Professors should generally be advising only a few students at a time with research work. Following the student-teacher ratio is the prominence of the program graduates in criminal justice institutions. This measure can include the positions held by the graduates, the length of time after graduating before they held the said positions, as well as awards that they received in the positions held. This measure gives a preview of what to expect after graduation from the program. Ratio data can be collected by taking the total number of graduates to the number of graduates holding positions in relevant institutions after a certain time period. A bigger ratio would imply poorer graduate performance specifically in the program that they have completed. Finally, ordinal and nominal data from accrediting institutions can be collected as the fourth measure. Nominal data can be grade accreditations while ordinal data can include program rankings with other programs in the Midwest. With this measure, the student will be able to see just where the program places with respect to other programs according to criteria set by credible bodies. Following the four measures set in this paper will provide the prospecting student with a comprehensive view on the quality of the graduate school program in criminal justice that he or she seeks to enroll in. The measures selected scrutinize both the competence and availability of faculty members to attend to student needs in both class content and graduate research. The measures also provide means for scrutiny of the program itself by examining the experiences of its graduates. Lastly, direct examination of accreditations provide a clear image of how the academic community views the program. These measures will be successful in evaluating which school offers the best program.

British Airways – a Pr Case Study

INTRODUCTION: It was time when British Airways showed the world the future of travel with the opening of Heathrow Airports spectacular new Terminal 5. Opening on the 27th of March 2008, inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth (the second), the terminal completely failed in the first two weeks of its operation. Insufficient staff training and testing, coupled with a disruption in the Terminals IT systems led to around 500 flights being cancelled. SEGEMENTED ANALYSIS (What went wrong): 1. Logistics and Planning: Rather than properly training the Bag Handlers and staff members, they were simply shown around the whole Terminal.Where in weeks ago before the terminal was inaugurated they should have been trained with trail runs. Due to lack of training they found it difficult to navigate through the Huge building causing inconvenience to the passengers. Duties should have been delegated, and training should have been conducted in a specialized manner with people doing only their assigned tasks. 2. Technical and Human Errors: a. The computer systems didn’t recognize staff ID’s b. Doors meant to be open were locked. c. 17 out of the 18 terminal lifts were jammed d. The transit system meant to move passengers broke down. . Carousels, escalators, walkways and electronic screens all failed. f. Baggage handling system (capable of handling up to 12000 bags an hour) crashed by 11 am All of the above mentioned problems occurred because the whole terminal had never been tested in a â€Å"live† terminal situation. There was lot of miscommunication from one department to another also technicians were not alert as to what were the terminal requirements. 3. Lack of leadership and Hubris: One week before its openings BAA declared â€Å"We have a world class baggage system that is going to run perfectly on day one†.Despite the hitches reported by the baggage staff, the management was complacent and over looked all technical problems. Also the BA office that should have sorted out all such concerns were shut on the last week. The management shouldn’t have been so slug and unnerved about these technical faults. Everybody just seemed jubilant about the opening of the terminal, there by discarding chances of any problems that might occur. In fact the management should have cross-checked and re-run the whole terminal to make sure nothing went wrong specially after making tall claims in Public. 4.Low Morale and Goodwill: Staff complained that morale in the last few months has been very low. Whenever BA got into any mess the people helped out. But with a mistake of such degree even its goodwill evaporated. On the day, disoriented baggage handlers and stressed ground staff became surly and unhelpful as they didn’t know how to handle the situation and the problems kept unfolding. The management shouldn’t have let the problem reach such a level. There was a clear communication and gap and the Staff didn’t know how to react and just gave up under pressure as they didn’t consider it their fault. . Lack of Communication & Crises Management: BA decided to disappear right when the problems were beginning. There was a total breakdown in communication both internally and externally. There was nobody to help with announcement or information, monitors weren’t working, nobody to help with baggage. Only 2 out of the 26 information desks were operational. Passengers arrived but the flights were delayed, others were told their flights were cancelled when they were scheduled. There was chaos all around with nobody knowing what to do. The management at BA should have led by the front on such an occasion.Even if things were going the other way, they should have been there trying to find a solution instead of exiting via the back door, as they were in charge of handling any crises what so ever. This was one of the biggest drawbacks. 1. What advice would you give BA and BAA right now? Shutting T5 for a fe w days and then restoring operations is not an option as the Terminal is running and it would be a major problem, shutting all activities. Thus the management of BA and BAA should collectively stand up and 1stly publicly announce all the faults, so the customers know as to what went wrong.Then section by section they should start rolling work. Which means, shut down a particular section first, fix it up and move on to another. There by not totally shutting operations. The Baggage systems should be fixed first, after which the elevators etc should be fixed. Also they should make sure that they have an active workforce. Information Desks should be restored with people communicating exact details of the situation. The staff should be spoken to by the management themselves. It’s important their morale is boosted. Everybody should be assigned particular tasks and all the queries of the staff should be cleared.Communication both internally and externally have to be clear. Also as t he improvements happen, they should be conveyed to its customers with a due apology and a guarantee that nothing as such would happen again. 2. What do they need to learn from this crises? a. Staff inputs should be taken into consideration, and have to be duly dwelled upon as they are the people who run the terminal. b. The staff has to be informed about everything at all point of time. Internal Communication is very necessary. Also it should always be put across in a very positive and strategized away.Every problem needs to be conveyed, how it is conveyed should be thought about. c. The management should not shy away from its responsibilities. BA has a reputation to live up to. What they communicate and how they communicate is important. They just can hide when a crises rises up. There by next time around, their PR and Communication strategies should be in place to match every problem. d. A check should be kept on operations at all times. Also technicians should be on alert if any system fails. A contingency plan should always be ready with management. e.Also all necessary information should be conveyed to its customers and the media at the right point of time. The information Desk should be active and fully aware of every situation. 3. What do they need to do to restore their reputation and put things right with their customers? The opening of T5 was a huge embarrassment to BA and a Humiliation for BAA. What should have been an opportunity to rehabilitate Heathrow as one of the world’s greatest airports turned into a nightmare of Delays, passenger confusion and chaos. Five days on, 250 flights were cancelled and there was still a backlog of 15,000 baggage’s. a.Firstly, The BA and BAA collectively should face the crises and at the earliest solve all technical and human problems. b. Since everything is already out in the open, they should publicly apologize and count on its built brand name to work for them. It has a reputation and everybody make s mistakes. So rather than shying away, they should openly ask for another chance. c. All its customers should be compensated. Free air tickets, discounts, stay and living vouchers etc should be given to its passengers on case to case basis. d. A whole new PR strategy should be employed, which caters to image building and customer satisfaction. . Communication should be opened, the media and the public should be fully aware of why the crises happened and how they are being corrected to now suiting its customers. f. A whole new Advertising and Marketing strategy should be launched to repair the damaged reputation and attracting its customers back. g. Heathrow Airport is an integral airport, also BA has goodwill. That should be taken into account to re-construct its current mistake. h. Management should publicly and personally apologize to regain customer confidence. This are my findings and interpretations of this particular case study.

To what extent was there a step change in Britains relationship with Essay

To what extent was there a step change in Britains relationship with the EU in 1997 - Essay Example Unfortunately, half a century later, the EU term does not consist of all European states. The EU is a supranational organisation, this means that it is made up of other countries. Countries that choose to become members make a major sacrifice to forego some of their national sovereignty in order to agree on social, political and economic policies which are of common interest.2 At this juncture it would be prudent to note that the EU is more superior to its member states. This is evidenced by the member states’ laws and national policies which are equally bound by the EU institutions and regulations. Ironically though, the theoretical basis for the EU was provided by the then British Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill yet it is them who have lagged behind in actualising European integration3. Due to the country’s historical, traditional and institutional background, it has found it extremely difficult to link both its domestic and European policies. Since time in memorial, Britain was never keen on intergrating with other countries in Europe. It always isolated itself and even in the 1950s while other European countries such as Italy, France and Germany, joined into a single market in coal and steel, which was then termed the Common Market. This is the modern day European Union (EU). Britain however succumbed to the insurmountable pressure and eventually joined, this was in 1973. Their decision to join was however due to being forced by circumstances. Europe seemed to be where the money was and not being a part of it was tantamount to cutting your nose to spite your face. The British are still yet to change their mentality over their inclusion in the EU, they view it as a marriage of convinience, as it helps them in carrying out their transactions. The Thatcher government for instance was opposed to the rapid integration of the European markets. She was also

Parenting stratagies in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parenting stratagies in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Families, or more specifically parents, have the greatest impact on children’s development and characters (Sanders, 2012). Methods of education differ according to differences in communities. Sumargurgi et al. (2013) studied an Indonesian community and they indicated that many Indonesian parents still use ineffective methods of dealing with their children, such as screaming. Developing countries tend to have high rates of behavioural and emotional problems in children (Mejia et al., 2012). My own philosophy about psychologists came from working in a parenting program in Saudi Arabia. It can be linked to Foucault’s philosophy, which focuses on parenting without using violence-based strategies because these are incompatible with learning. Some research is based on explaining the parenting methods used in Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and whether they using positive or negative strategies with children. A Saudi study indicated that 7% of parents were satisfied with their parenting performance and reported that did not need to know more about parenting techniques (â€Å"King Abdulaziz ...†, 2011). This essay aims to understand the parental methods used by Saudi parents with their children, to explain the education methods utilised by the Saudi community, and to identify whether those methods are effective or ineffective. It also assumes that there are differences in the parenting methods of Saudi parents, which are linked to Foucault’s concepts of an ethic of care, discipline and punishment, knowledge, governmentality, and pastoral power. An explanation is provided of how these concepts operate within my personal philosophy and professional philosophy of Altuwajery. From my perspective, Saudi families have strong relationships between children and parents, even after the children marry. There is a strong correlation at the relationship level between discipline and family cohesion. The relationship between Saudi families is closer than average

College writing- bodybuilding and steroid Research Paper

College writing- bodybuilding and steroid - Research Paper Example In this way, the athletes struggle, and perpetual desire to perform at the height of their abilities is how the spectator believes they integrate with the game or performance in question. Sadly, as has been exhibited over the past few decades, athletes are more than willing to go beyond the bounds of ethics and morality and dope themselves with performance enhancing drugs/steroids as a function to perform beyond the abilities that normal training and everyday dedication can yield. Such a decision has more than one set of drawbacks. As such, the first of these is the moral and ethical drawback that the athlete is ultimately not achieving whatever level of success they do based upon their own natural abilities but rather based upon the unnatural and unethical use of chemicals that do not exist within their body. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the fact that the athletes are doing irrevocable harm to their bodies for but a few brief moments of hoped fame that this will engend er. Accordingly, this brief essay will seek to discuss and draw a level of inference upon these two factors as a way of understanding what the effects of steroid use can ultimately portend for the athlete’s morality as well as general health. Firstly, the issue of morality and ethics must be considered. This particular consideration is important due not only to the fact that the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs allows the athlete to perform beyond his/her natural abilities but due to the fact that the use of these substances represents a dishonest image of the sportsman to the end spectator and/or viewer (Stephan, 2007). This is not truly the singular fault of the athlete but also a fault of the way in which our current society seeks to place its athletes and celebrities on something of a pedestal of perfection. In such a sense, it becomes inconceivable for society to understand that the athlete, something of the current idol and/or god, could

Conservation and Management of the Environment Case Study - 5

Conservation and Management of the Environment - Case Study Example On the other hand, her employer Carl Damon is not strongly into environmentalism. He gets excited and hopes that Jacquie would create awareness about the entire thing across the organization’s employees. Jacquie Lipscomb’s interest was in the prevention of pollution which dated back to her school days. She used to track everything that happened to all the papers and came up with a recycling program that was implemented in the entire school. Thus, Jacquie was really encouraged by the company’s interest in conserving the environment. She got accustomed to all the operations at KTI and educated herself of all the outputs from the manufacturing procedures and designed ways through which the firm could reduce the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Her work at KTI was remarkable and Carl, her boss, was really impressed with her performance at work. After about a year, Jacquie realized that the company has been selling its wastes to another company which never disposed of the wastes properly. This made her approach her boss for clarification. To her surprise, Carl disclosed how the implementation of environmental approaches made the firm’s interest to diminish. In addition, his response was clear that the strategies Jacquie had put in place were never supported. Jacquie felt deceived and wondered if the management is transparent with every operation in the company. Jacquie has all the reasons to feel or rather conclude that Carl deceived her. Deceit has been a problem in companies for years. Thus, to cope with such situations in organizations, there are a number of actions that one should take. These actions are meant to make a person deal with the management which has lost its sight of vision and reality and failed to implement the strategies that are worth to the company, employees, environment and the entire society. To start with, pinpointing the reason why managers sometimes lie is extremely crucial.  

Common Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Common Law - Essay Example Once this process ceases, the parties are supposed to reach an agreement or abandon the process without an agreement. The traditional way of ascertaining whether or not an agreement has been reached is to apply the rules of offer and acceptance. An offer, when properly made by one party and accepted by another party, an agreement is said to take place. That is, on acceptance or at the moment of communication of acceptance, to be more precise. Though the process is simple, it raises several questions as to whether an offer has been made at all and who the offeror is.An offer can be made at auctions, tenders, by price list or advertisements. But these are not strictly offers but invitation to treat. See Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots 2 The offer comes in variety of forms that a formal communication of acceptance is not necessary in all cases. For example, advertisement of rewards and offers to the whole world. See Carlil v Carbolic Smoke ball & Co 3 Some times, questio n arises as to whether a silence can amount to acceptance. The agreement so formed by the process of offer and acceptance, should be supported by another element known as â€Å"consideration†. Consideration is something what the offeror and the acceptor are prepared to exchange for what he has been offered or has accepted.4 Gratuitous promises cannot be enforced as was established in Re Hudson,5 wherein Hudson’s executors were sued after his death for moneys owed by him on account of balance of donation he had promised give @  £ 4,000 per year for five years. The court held that money had been promised to be paid by him merely as a charity and not in exchange of some thing the donees had given him in return what is known as consideration in law. The position would have been different had Hudson executed a gift deed which could not be construed as a contract in any case. Thus, an offer is a proposal or promise by one person to another

Visiting foreign country Essay Example for Free

Visiting foreign country Essay The chief object of ports is, of course, bodily exercise. â€Å"A sound mind in a sound body† is a well-known saying. The heath of the body is essential for success in life. An unhealthy man is always sad, gloomy ad therefore loses confidence in him. To keep healthy, one must take an active interst in sports. Thus sports serve an essential purpose in life because they ensure good health and build a fine physique. If one is bodily fit, one feels capable of hard endeavor and life without endeavor is useless. The great advantage of sports is that they combine exercise with trill, excitement and sensations. In order that we should readily take exercise it should be made interesting and, as everybody knows, practically all kinds of games devised by man possess a certain degree of interest. The Value of Sports such as Hockey, football, cricket, tennis, badminton, rowing and swimming all these and others not only give exercise to the libs but also provide a good deal of excitement and entertainment. Besides, the competitive element in sports is source of thrills for the mind. Not only the players, but the spectators also feel engrossed in a game because of its suspense and unexpected turns. It is for these reasons that sports form a very important part in education. A bookworm who takes no interest in sport is physically weak and all his mental excellence can’t make up for his physical deficiency. The Value of Sports benefits not only the body but also the mind. Almost every game requires a certain degree of skill to play. Skill is a mental quality. Physical vigor alone is not enough in games like golf, cricket and tennis. Sports develop and encourage the spirit of healthy competition. The, competitive instinct is natural in man and demands outlets. Sports have wide scope for the competitive instinct. Matches and tournaments and contests are held to put to test the skill, toughness, stamina and endurance of values of participants. Medals and awards are an incentive to players to achieve excellence and a high standard of performance in their respective fields. The healthy spirit of rivalry and competition constantly leads to improvement in the performance and previous records are constantly excelled or surpassed. There are several other considerations which entail sports to an important place in life. It is usually by taking part in sports that we cultivate what is called the spirit of showmanship. This spirit of sportsmanship is an excellent quality in a man and consists of fair play, sense of discipline, capacity for team work and cooperation and confidence in oneself that enabled one to accept a defeat cheerfully. A sportsman playing on the field is not expected outplays foul. He must cooperate and finally, if his team suffers a defeat he must not lose self-confidence but must shake hands with his adversaries cheerfully. When a sportsman has acquired these qualities on the playground, he will naturally exhibit them in the wider sphere of life. If he has truly imbibed the lessons taught to him by sports, he will be very honest and fair in his dealings with other people. He will never see his enemies below belt. He will always obey his superiors. He will never feel heartbroken on account of the disappointments. If he shows these qualities in his general conduct, he has learnt how live truly. His life is successful and he will be admired everywhere. Sports are an excellent means of spending one’s leisure. All work and no play make jack adult boy. Sports are much interesting pastime. Most of the games are quite inexpensive too. The Value of Games in Education The Value of Games in Education : Education aims at full development of the human personality. The human personality has several sides and it is the purpose of education to develop all these sides so that the individuals may attain his full stature. Man has a body, a mind and a spirit. Accordingly education aims at the physical development, intellectual development and the spiritual and more development of man. It is a very narrow view of education to think that educations merely gives knowledge to a human being and thus fits him for the purpose of earning his livelihood but educations does much more than this. The Value of Games in Education cannot ignore the physical side of man. Man has been blessed with a beautiful body. Poets, painters and sculptors have gone into raptures over the human body and have tried to depict it in their arts in many ways. Games are a means of keeping the body healthy and fit. Physical fitness and freedom from all kinds of ailments are the desire and ambition of very human being. Indeed, good health is the first condition of happiness in life. Those who play games greatly maintain good health. Games are an excellent means of bodily exercise. Apart from building the body, games are an excellent recreation or pastime. Education teaches man the need and value of recreational activities. Education does not approve of the scholar who keeps pouring over books all time. Recreations are necessary. And games are among the most interesting recreations in the world. The essence of a recreation is that it should refresh the body and maintain and provide a means of escape from one’s professional or scholarly pursuits. When one paying golf or billiards or badminton or table tennis, one becomes forgetful of everything else and gets absorbed in the games. Thus games are very useful as a diversion for the mind. They are a diversion not only for the players, but also for the spectators, because of the greet interest they create. The Value of Games in Education are just a diversion for the mind. They even provide a kind of training for the mind. Most games today are a matter of high skill and right judgment. Hockey, football, cricket and other games are not just a matter of physical exertion and exercise. The player must acquire the art of playing a game. Every game, therefore, contributes to the development of the mind and the judgment of a player. The Value of Games in Education offer that Good players show a lot of mental alertness and ingenuity in the course of their play. Fair play is noble moral quality when practiced in political dealings. The quality is best inculcated in human beings through games. The habit of fair play makes a man love honesty, integrity and justice which are great moral qualities. Games also teach the lesson of accepting a defeat on the playfield with a smiling face. A defeated player shakes hands with his victorious opponent and eve offers him congratulations. Defeat does not dishearten or depress a true sportsman. On the contrary, it provides an incentive for a greater effort. This lesson also is bound to prove useful to a man in the wider sphere of life. Life has its misfortunes, woes, failures. But a man with tough character is not daunted by these. Games make a man tough and thus enable him to withstand the sling and arrows of fortune. Games teach retain other lesson as well. They teach team-spirit or the spirit of mutual cooperation. They teach the value of unity or united effort. They teach the necessity of always obeying the orders of the captain or the leader. All these are valuable lessons which prepare man to live correctly and nobly. Education aims at building up character and character includes all the qualities mentioned above. Thus the value of games in forming and molding character is very great. Education aims too at developing qualities of leadership in human beings. The qualities of leadership are developed most effectively and fruitfully thought games. The Vacation I Had The Vacation I Had : Summer vacations are probably the happiest period in a student’s life. This lasts for about 60 days every year. Summer vacations generally commences form second week of May every year. The purpose of the summer vacations is multifold. First are relaxations. A student is fatigued at the end of the annual examinations. He needs rest to recoup health and viability. The second purpose is to tide over the unbearable heat of the summer months. The third purpose is to provide a change to a student to make up his deficiency in any particular subject. It also gives an opportunity to students to visit new places. Travelling is an experience and has great educative value. I planned my program in such a manner as to obtain maximum benefits. I took permission of my fatter to visit Calcutta and Darjeeling along with my friend Chandra. Both of us got the berth reserved in the Coromandel Express weeks ahead. Having visited all places in Calcutta we got into a bus for Darjeeling. We hired a cottage for our stay there. The climate was very bracing. We felt as if we were in heaven. We relaxed there fully. I was weak in English, so I had taken a learner book with me. I used to study grammar in my leisure time. I also learnt horse riding and the game of polo there. We used to have plenty of fruit after meals. Every nice thing has its end. So was the case of our short trip to Darjeeling. Time rolled on and the day approached when we had to leave that snow Valley of dreams. There was a great rush of passengers at Calcutta. We contacted the station master who helped us in securing berths in the train. We reached Chennai after 30 hours of journey. The short trip to Darjeeling during the summer vacations was a happy experience for us and its memory is still green in our minds. Visit to Taj Mahal Visit to Taj Mahal : There are many beautiful and worth seeing historical places in India. But the Taj Mahal of Agra is the most beautiful of all. It is a dream in marble. My friend and I visited that in the last summer vacations. The vision cast a spell over me. It stood in unique majesty. What a fine lay out indeed! This is what one could say on the spot. It looked white on all sides. The green tufts of glass and the green shoots of hot Cyprus trees adorned its majestic beauty. Nature’s beauty made the ground of the building look all the more beautiful. We went down the staircase. We found the graves of the king and the queen under the dome in a dark chamber. Multicolored pieces of glass and couplets form the Quran decorated the side walls. The four minarets stood as watch men at each of the main building. A full moonlight followed the next day. We visited the Taj again that night. Its beauty smiled in the silvery light of the moon. It was a memorable scene. My joy knew no bounds when I saw its reflections in the river Jamuna. Clear picture of marble could be seen. I closed my eyes and opened them again to find it was a reality. Nay! It was to a dream. As god is there to bestow nature’s beauty, man’s hand is there to create wonderful pieces of art and architecture. How could man be so perfect in working out the minute details of art? I am full of wonder even now. And I can still see the beauty of the Taj with my mind’s eye, if at all I desire so. Wheat a great beauty man could create! The Taj Mahal was built about three hundred and fifty years ago by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaj. A Visit to A Zoo A Visit to A Zoo : Our school broke up for the winter vacations. One day I went to Vandalur zoo with my friends. The entry was by tickets. We went up several steps to purchase the tickets. Then we entered the zoo. We walked up and down. A deep canal ran parallel to the footpath. Beyond the canal there were small trees. The cages of the birds were hanging down the branches of the trees. Their multi-coloured feathers gleamed into sunlight. Next we saw a small water pond with many kinds of birds swimming in it. It was interesting to see new birds in an enclosure. They twittered, chirped and whistled. They presented nature’s voice. It was pleasing indeed to hear them. We saw many birds there sparrows, nightingales and owls of different colours set in the closed cage. The owls sat with closed eyes lost in thoughts. We bade a silent farewell to those philosophers among birds and walked on. We visited the tigers, lions and bears shut in cages. We saw some hippos and also a rhino. We heared the loud roar of a lion. One tiger was in a fit of anger. The tiger was strong and handsome. I was reminded of Blake’s lines. â€Å"What immortal hand or eye dare frame the fearful symmetry? † Then we enjoyed a boat cruise. I enjoyed it most. We also saw many other fauna like crocodiles, snakes, frogs, fish ad a hundred other creatures. They all felt at home in the zoo. Last of all we saw different kinds of monkeys. We passed many happy hours in the zoo. It was a pleasing experience for all of us. I am Proud of My Country. English Grammar Index I am Proud of My Country. : India, my country is often described as a land of varieties. It is one of the most ancient countries of the world. It has a rich and varied heritage, the like of which no other country could boast of. I am really proud of it because it is the land of saints and seers. It is the country which has given us the great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is a great country blessed with the Himalayas and the sacred rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Kaveri, Sindu etc. My land is so vast that it cannot have uniformity in anything. The people of India are from a variety of racial types, Aborigines, Aryans, Greeks, Sakas, Kushans, Huns, Mongolians, Arabs, Turks, Afghans etc. Naturally there is a wide diversity in languages spoken, physical features, religious practices. Indians considerably differ in their social habits, diets, dress and ornaments. Though the society is divided into different castes and communities, there is a general feelings of oneness among our countrymen. All are first and foremost Indians. India is a museum of cults and customs, creeds and cultures, faiths and tongues, racial types and social systems. Our country presents geographical diversity. We come across extremes of temperatures, fertile lands as well as deserts and varied climates. But there is an underlying unity among the people. There is a basic unity of ideas, philosophy, conventions and outlook on life. Festivals like Raksha Bandan, Dasara, Holy, Deepavali etc. are celebrated throughout the country. It is holy country which has given the world the Buddha, Sankara, Ramanuja, Ramakrishna, Viveka and a host of others. I love my country more than my own life. I LOVE MY INDIA. I LOVE MY INDIA. : I love my India not because it is my mother-country. The people around me are lovely. The tradition is something unique. My mother-tongue is the most beautiful language on the earth. The natural beauty spread all over India is really enchanting. The religious touch that we could find among Indians is heart-touching. Besides all these factors, there are many other aspects of India which have attracted my attention to keep me loving it. I want to state only two aspects here because of shortage of time. 1. UNITY in DIVERSITY We speak different languages. Every 25 kilometer entertains different culture. All the major religions are followed here. Communal clashes are the nature of the day. Political parties are diverse at national as well as the regional level. In spite of all these differences, we feel ONE when it becomes the matter of Indianism. The warmth and hospitality of the Indian people get deepened in spite of this diversity. The economic renaissance is amazing in the recent past. The economic progress of the people has maintained the unity of the people. Indian philosophy of life which is also called is called Sanatan Dharma is prime factor to sustain this unity in diversity. 2. CREATIVITY of THE PEOPLE To quote Sri Aurobindo, For more than three thousand years, India has been creating abundantly and incessantly, lavishly with an inexhaustible many sidedness, republics, kingdoms, empires, philosophies, cosmogonies, sciences, creeds, arts, poems and all kinds of monuments, palaces, temples, public works, communities, societies, religious orders, laws, codes and rituals, physical sciences, psychic sciences, systems of Yoga, systems of politics, administration, arts spiritual, arts worldly, trades, industries, fine crafts the list is endless. This is the honest word to vouch for the creativity of My India. Of course there are many and many factors of India which have attracted different people in different times. For all these things, I love My INDIA. Democracy versus Dictatorship Democracy versus Dictatorship : In theory, democracy is the best form of government. It is the government of the people as distinguished from the government of an individual or of a class of people. It makes all the citizens interested in their country by giving them a voice in legislation. It gives them a feeling of importance and a sense of responsibility. It thus gives a meaning to their personality. Another merit of democracy is that it is less liable to revolution than other forms of government. Since people themselves elect the members of government the need of a revolution does not arise. In additions to this, a democratic government usually guarantees freedom of thought and speech. This twofold freedom is a very great advantage as it enables the individual to grow freely. Democracy thus offers the most favorable atmosphere for the development of the human personality. Democracy literally means the rule of the people. It has been defined as government of the people, by the people for the people. Modern democracy rests on the principle of representation. The people elect their representatives by vote. These representatives attend the legislature and act on behalf other citizens. If the citizens are not satisfied with their representatives, they may not re-elect them in the next elections. But democracy has its danger. The greatest of which is that it may be the rule of ignorance. â€Å"Nine peoel out of every ten†, says Carlyle, â€Å"are fools† and citizens who are not sufficiently intelligent or educated are likely to commit errors of judgment in the casting of votes. The best men may this fail to get elected. Elections are usually matters of propaganda. However, the voters in countries like Britain and America have not proved so lacking in judgment as many of the opponents of democracy would have us believe, though it is true that our own country the people, being illiterate, rarely give evidence of sound or independent judgment. Another critic of democracy is that it is wanting in efficiency. For prompt and effective actions, unity of action is essential. â€Å"One bad general†, said Napoleon â€Å"is better than two good ones†. In a multitude of minds, much unprofitable discussion takes place, whereas unity of control is needed for a vigorous national life. According to Newman, for example, the British government cannot cope with the emergencies created by war as effectively as a dictator can. This criticism, however, is not very convincing because in times of war the British prime minter usually wields the powers of a dictator. During world wars, for examples, Sir Winston Churchill faced few real difficulties as a result of the system of democracy in England. A sounder criticism of democracy in times of war would be to say that secrecy in military affairs becomes difficult, if not impossible, and that the oppositions usably lowers the morale of people by its loud condemnations of the actions of the Cabinet. It was thought that the two world wars had made the world safe for democracy, but this forecast proved to be wrong. While democracy worked quite well in France and the English speaking countries, most other countries swung towards dictatorship. So successful and powerful did their dictatorships become, that the days of democracy seemed to be almost over. Unfortunately, theemthods of scitatorhsip are, and have to be, ruthless. Dictatorship employed force and violence OT maintain itself. It resorts to physical compulsion, person, concentrations camps censored, intimidation purges and execution. Both n Russia and Germany countless execution was ordered for the sanity of dsicitsorhsip. A dictatorship cannot brook slightest oppositions. Dictatorship is certainly not without its merits. As carryall poitnsour, society is anorgnaism. And not a machine. Now mechanical sytemliek the ballot-box can, therefore, prove satisfactory. The safer course is OT gives all power to a dictator. The dictator must, of course, be once who has exception amity to organize, direct and admitter. Parliamtary rule usably means gomer by clues ofpoliticans whose purviews dictator on the other hand, can concentrate all his emerges towards theupliftment and improvement of his country.

Impact of the Ageing Workforce

Impact of the Ageing Workforce Prior to the passage of the Social Security Act in 1935 work did not typically end with a planned retirement. Average retirement (meaning the age at which 1/2 of workers from an initial age cohort remain in the workplace) was age 70 or more for men. After World War II there was a need to open the workplace to growing numbers of unemployed younger workers, particularly veterans. Also retirement leisure was becoming a symbol of success. Social security and private pension policies were designed to encourage earlier departures from work. In 1961, for example, Congress lowered the age men were eligible for unreduced Social Security benefits from 65 to 62. Average retirement dropped from age 70 in 1950 to age 65 in 1970 with age 62 becoming the norm by 1985 [Quinn, 2002; Cahill et al., 2005]. Despite this long trend toward earlier retirement since the 1940s, the 78 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 comprise such a large group that there are more workers in their fifties and sixties on the job than ever before. As they leave the workforce, whether at age 55, 62, 65 or later, there will also be more retirees than ever before. To complete the picture, as these baby boomers age at work and then leave for retirement, they are followed by a substantially smaller younger generation, the baby bust of 1965–1976. The enormous economic and labor market consequences of this demographic transformation are becoming clear. In the State of Washington, for example, 29% of employed workers were 45 or older in 1995. This had grown to 39% by 2005 [Kaglic, 2005]. This growth is not being matched by younger workers. By 2015 there will be 115,000 more 60- to 64-year olds and 30,000 fewer 40- to 44-year olds in the Washington State labor force (those who are either employed or seeking employment) than there were in 2005 [Bailey,2006]. As these older workers move into retirement the direct impact will be a tighter labor market and a shortage of various skills. According to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers by 2010 as many as 60% of today’s experienced utility workers will retire. Similarly, the average age of hospital caregivers today is about 45, with 70% of the hospital workforce eligible to retire over the next 20–25 years [Briley and Hutson, 2002]. The indirect, but equally profound, impact of the demographic changes will be economic. The integrity of our federal social security system has depended upon the labor and income of large numbers of young workers supporting the retirement needs of smaller numbers of disabled and retired workers and their dependents. In 2005 for every person 65 and older there were five people aged 20– 64 (i.e., an old age dependency ratio of 20%). The Social Security Administration e stimates that by 2080 this ratio will more than double, to more than 40%, with only 2.5 younger people for every older one. Not only will the number of retirees grow, but their life expectancy and associated duration of retirement is increasing as well. While private pension systems are theoretically fully funded at the time the commitment is made to provide the future benefit, in fact this is often not fully realized. Underfunded pension programs in both the private and public sectors are now common, the federal assurance program for these pensions is not robust, and these pensions may also be jeopardized by these changing demographics. Although the impact of the growing dependent older population will be somewhat mitigated by lower fertility rates which reduce the numbers of the very young who are also dependent on the working age population [Burtless, 2005], this will not offset the profound economic consequences of the demographic trends. As these trends progress—more old er workers moving toward retirement with fewer younger replacements— substantial pressure on our social security and pension funds will accompany the anticipated shortages of labor and skills. Public and private employment policies will almost certainly evolve to encourage workers to stay on the job longer. Other factors creating incentives to stay at work longer include the need for private health insurance until at least the age of 65 in the face of relentlessly rising health care costs and the increasing uncertainty about pension benefits that comes with the trend from defined benefit private pension plans shift toward defined contribution programs. Some of the expected policy changes are already evident, including the 1978 and 1986 amendments to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 [ADEA, 1967] which have largely eliminated mandatory retirement ages, the gradual increase in the age for full social security benefits from 65 to 67, and a relaxation of the social security retirement earnings test so that workers can stay on the job longer without a loss of benefits. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 has made it easier for senior employees to phase their retirement plans by starting to draw pension income without penalty while they continue to work full or part time past age 62 [PPA, 2006]. These changes are probably not enough. Business Week magazine, for example, predicts that social security’s normal retirement age will incrementally rise to 70 [Coy and Brady,2005]. This, however, is not certain since along with predictable political opposition many actuaries assume that raising the retirement age would result in an increasing number of older people applying for Social Security disability benefits, thus offsetting the possible savings from the raised retirement age. The impact of these developments is already apparent. While the labor force participation rate among 65-year-old men dropped from 70% in 1940 to only 32% in 1985 [National Research Council, 2004] this trend shows signs of reversing as the incentives for early retirement are beginning to soften. From 1985 to 2004 the labor force participation rate of 25- to 54-year olds stayed essentially stable (à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uctuating between 82% and 84%) while the rate among 55- to 64-year olds increased consist ently from 54% to 62% [Toossi, 2005]. This trend is likely to continue, as signaled by a May, 2005 Gallup survey showing that the percent of people planning to put off retirement until after age 62 had risen from 35% in 1998 to 55% in 2004. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the percent of older workers staying on the job will continue to rise at least through 2014, even without major changes in social policy such as further increases in full social security retirement age. The impacts of age on cognitive function are more complicated. Some mental processes such as those requiring spatial abilities, problem solving, and processing of complex stimuli are especially age sensitive. Cross sectional data sets suggest declines in these domains beginning as early as 20–30 years old, while the onset is a bit later for longitudinal studies. Performing multiple simultaneous tasks or holding multiple items in working memory are examples of these age dependent processes. Psy chologists distinguish these ‘‘fluid’’ functions which involve processing input at the time of performance from other ‘‘crystallized’’ cognitive functions which are the cumulative results of earlier processing and are better preserved with age. The ‘‘crystallized’’ knowledge of word meaning or the ability to retrieve familiar information, for example, is relatively age stable. In addition to these crystallized semantic skills, memory for procedural skills such as typing, which relies on early learning, is also relatively well maintained with age [National Research Council, 2004]. The ability to work successfully with increasing age is thus the integrated result of many factors. For example, older typists have been shown to have slower tapping rates and reaction times, but are able to compensate for declining motor speed by using experience to scan characters further in advance than younger, less experience d typists [Salthouse, 1984; Bosman, 1993, 1994]. Similarly, despite significant age-related declines in the cognitive ability to recall short musical melodies, at every age those with musical experience and skills tend to maintain their advantage in musical memory over those with less experience and skill [Meinz and Salthouse, 1998; Meinz, 2000]. Based on a comprehensive review Salthouse [2006] has concluded that while many types of cognitive and physical performance are improved at all ages with training and practice, this does not appear to change the rate at which capability declines with age. In other words training, practice and experience can enhance performance at older ages and can often result in older workers outperforming younger ones, despite the fact that age-related declines continue at the same rate as they do in workers with less experience and practice. Laà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡amme and Menckel [1995] have summarized these relationships in a study of work injuries by noting that skills and experience can compensate for age-related physical and cognitive declines only when the job demands remain lower than overall work capacity and that this compensation is not feasible when work organization and working methods are rigid. Several recommendations have been made for the implementation of practical programs consistent with the evidence summarized above. Four strategic dimensions have been suggested, including interventions that focus on the work environment, the way work and retirement are arranged and organized, the health and fitness of the individual worker, and the social context of work [Moyers and Coleman, 2004; National Research Council, 2004]. We are beginning to experience profound work place changes related to the demographic changes of an aging population. Those who do encourage older employees to remain at work but fail to take steps to support their productive capacities and minimize their vulnerabilities may experience adverse impacts on qu ality, productivity, workers’ compensation and other insurance costs. On the other hand employers who promote and support the work ability of employees as they age may gain in safety, productivity, competitiveness, and sustainable business practices. There are several possible reasons why employers have been slow to anticipate and meet the needs of an aging workforce. First, some of the actions that that have been suggested— such as phased retirement programs—might require complex changes in pension law, benefits agreements and personnel policies. Second, many employers still harbor false beliefs that older workers are less reliable, less productive, less safe and more expensive than younger ones [Wegman, 1999]. Third, some employers are insuffiently informed about laws governing workplace bias and equal opportunity and are fearful that measures perceived to favor older workers might open them to charges of discrimination. Two recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions should mitigate these fears, but knowledge of them is not widespread [General Dynamics, 2004; Smith, 2005]. In combination these decisions make it clear that while age sometimes does affect an individual’s capacity to do certain types of work, employers may attend to the special needs of older workers without providing equivalent assistance to relatively younger workers. Thus, it is permissible to treat older workers preferentially in comparison to younger workers, but it is not permissible to deny them advantages or privileges extended to younger workers. It is important to note, however, that programs and policies which most effectively meet the needs of an aging workforce are not just programs for older workers but are those starting when workers are young in order to prevent or slow the effects of aging at work. Fourth, while there is strong evidence to support the implementation of some of the interventions discussed in this paper (e.g., ergonomic measures to prevent mu sculoskeletal disorders and clinical preventive services to reduce disability from cancer and cardiovascular disease), the evidentiary is limited and unknown to most employers. Research is needed to determine the effectiveness of the various program designs together with a substantial effort to disseminate results and recommendations to employers and employee organizations References Quinn J. 2002. Changing retirement trends and their impact on elderly entitlement programs. In: Altman SH, Shactman DI, editors. Policies for an aging society. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, p 293-315. Kaglic R. 2005. 2005 Washington State Labor Market and Economic Report. Olympia, Washington: Washington State Employment Security Department. Bailey S. 2006. Data projections from Washington State Office of Financial Management, adjusted by Washington State Employment Security Department. Private correspondence. Briley T, Hutson T. 2002. Who will care for you: Washington hospitals face a personnel crisis: Washington State Hospital Association. Burtless G. 2005. Can rich countries afford to grow old? In An Ageing Society. Research Centre on Financial Economics. Portugal: Lisbon. ADEA. 1967. 29 USC section 621 et seq. 1967 as amended by Public Law 95-256 (1978) and Public Law 99-592 (1986). PPA. 2006. Pension Protection Act of 2006 Public Law 109-280 section 905. Coy P, Brady D. 2005. Old. Smart. Productive. Business Week. National Research Council, Committee on the Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers. 2004. Health and safety needs of older workers. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. Toossi M. 2005. Labor force projections to 2014: Retiring boomers. Mon Labor Rev 128:25–44. Salthouse TA. 1984. Effects of age and skill in typing. J Exp Psychol Gen 113(3):345–371. National Research Council, Committee on the Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers. 2004. Health and safety needs of older workers. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. Meinz EJ, Salthouse TA. 1998. The effects of age and experience on memory for visually presented music. J Gerontol B Psychol Soc Sci 53(1):P60–P69. Salthouse TA. 2006. Mental exercise and mental aging: Evaluating the validity of the ‘‘use it or lose it’’ hypothesis. Perspect Psychol Sci 1(1):68–87. Laà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡amme L, Menckel E. 1995. Ageing and occupational accidents: A review of the literature of the past three decades. Saf Sci 21(2):145–161. Moyers P, Coleman S. 2004. Adaptation of the older worker to occupational challenges. Work 22:71–78. Wegman DH. 1999. Older workers. Occup Med 14(3):537–557. General Dynamics Land Systems. 2004. Inc. v. Cline 540 U.S. 581. Smith v. 2005. City of Jackson, Mississippi, 544 U.S. 228.