Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Paternity civil case and calculation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Paternity civil case and calculation - Essay Example These include the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) markers used in DNA evidence. Butler (2006) indicates that markers were first described as an effective tool to ascertain human identity in the early 1990’s. Since then they have become important tools which have been employed in order to resolve numerous paternity testing cases. Identigene (n.d.) indicates that genetists developed this set of markers to ensure a level of consistency in identifying individuals and named them according to their chromosomal location. Each of the marker location shows two alleles (variation values) represented by the numbers in the table below. In this case Identigene (n.d.) indicates that the alleles are measures of short tandem reports (STR). One of the STR alleles is from the mother and one from the father. If at least one of the markers for each STR locus matches then there is assumed to be a high probability of a paternity relationship. On the oth er hand if at least one of the markers for each STR locus does not agree with the alleged father’s then this is an indication that there is no paternity relationship. A paternity index that is greater than 100 yields a CPI of 99.0000%; one that equates to 200, yields a CPI of 99.5%; and one that equates to 1000 yields a CPI of 99.9900%. Identigene (n.d.) indicates that immigration cases require a CPI value of 200 or better. The International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) has a number of recommendations on biostatistics in paternity testing. These include: the importance of a statement of a hypothesis; information on how the calculations are done, considerations for the possibility of mutations whenever a genetic inconsistency is observed; guidance relating to the possibility of a single allele in a tested subject; as well as the details that should be presented in test reports. According to Gjertson et al (2007) the International

Monday, October 28, 2019

Course reflection Essay Example for Free

Course reflection Essay I have learned so much during this course that helped me get a better understanding of the writing process. A few of the concepts that helped me the most were keeping an error log, and reading my assignments out loud. The first concept I will address in this discussion is also the most important guidance I have received since starting at Ashford. My instructor, Dr. Wells, advised me in week 1, that I might want to keep an error log. What that is, is writing down the mistakes I make in my assignments, quizzes, and discussions. After writing these errors down, find the correct spelling or the grammatical rule I broke, write the correct answer, and then study and learn from these mistakes. This technique has helped me the most since starting at Ashford. As a writer, I have always been a big proofreader of my work. I would sometimes look over my papers several times before submitting them. Most of the times I would catch 90% of my errors, not all the time though. I learned that reading your paper out loud can also improve your proofreading. Sometimes just looking over a paper isn’t enough. When you hear the writing though, you can hear what others will be hearing. I would catch small errors because the sentence didn’t sound right or it was a run on sentence. These are things I would sometimes miss just reading my paper. Out of all the course materials I have read and studied, I believe 2 of the most valuable were chapters 4-3, Essentials of College Writing, and The Ashford Writing Center. In the Essentials of College Writing, 4-3 The Writing Process, showed me different techniques to use for writing an essay. Some of these ideas were plan, generate ideas, create a rough draft, revise, edit, and proofread and check format. This book taught me the value of making an outline and the importance of planning. It always helps to be prepared and have an idea of what you’re writing before you write it. The Ashford Writing Center has really made a big impact on my writing style. I was having so much trouble with APA formatting and how to insert citations, that I would lose percentage points on my work. After skimming through this text, I found in chapter 7-1 an instructional video that showed me step by step how to use APA format. In the same book, chapter 7-3, Citations and References, this taught me the proper way to insert my citations. There is also a thesis generator in this text in chapter 3-3, this has been one of the biggest helps to me in my writing process. The areas and that I believe have improved the most, and that I will continue to work on are my spelling and punctuation. The error log has helped with my spelling and punctuation but I still sometimes make careless mistakes. Though these areas have improved a lot, I will continue to work on these areas.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Present Builds Upon the Past :: history

The Present Builds Upon the Past The world is far from perfect. However, through the years, it has improved in many ways. If I went back in time and changed the tiniest thing in history, it is possible for my life to be completely different today. If you don't believe me, read on because I've got hard proof. It's depressing to know there was a time when "blacks" and "whites" were seperated simply because of the color of their skin. We have moved forward, then stumbed backwards, but slowly we started building and here we are year 2001, where everyone, despite your race, have equal rights. I realize pejudice is still alive today, but you have to admit, things have improved. During the late 1800's "Jim Crow" laws or "Black Codes" were made offical. This law legally seperated "blacks" and "whites" in every day life. It was ridiculous, immature, and just flat out unreasonable. They used seperate public waiting rooms, restaurants, theaters, public parks, schools, hospitals, just to name the basics. We have every single abolitionists, civil rights activists, and all the other freedom-fighters who stuck up for their rights. You wouldn't believe how much one person can accomplish. It wasn't too long ago when women were denied some of the rights that men had, such as voting. People believed that women were better fit cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children at home, rather than going out to earn money. They also believed that men had a higher ability of learning than women, which was why their education was limited. In order to get all the rights women have today, it took much time, effort, and most of all, courage. Many brave women organized protests demanding for equal rights. It was a slow process but every little effort added up, and today, women can even run for President of the United States. Who knows? Many if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be writing this report, or be able to write at all. A more recent example in which we can more personally relate to, is the World Trade Center tragedy. The fact that we needed a tradegy to bring America togeather is sad, but at least we are here for each other when we really need each other. I know living thirteen years isn't much at all, but in that time, I have never seen America more united than in the last few weeks.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Reading Response Abel’s Island

Chessman, this Is my reading response on Babel's Island, It Is a Newbury Honor book by William Stein, a short, sweet, enjoyable story. This book have 117 pages, I love this book so much that I spend only one day to finish the whole book. This book Is about a little mouse, Babel's adventure story on the Island, he encountered many problems, but also learned many meaningful things, and he became a better person after he finally returned home.I love all the things In this kook, all the exciting adventures of Able, all the lovely Illustrations, and all the beautiful writing by William Steel, he use all the most beautiful words In the world and created an island in the dream. I believe no matter what age you are at, anyone who have a heart that contains dream will love this sweet story by William Stein. – Summary: Able, the elegant mouse live in the Impossible is enjoying a picnic in the forest with his wife Amanda, but they are interrupted by a fierce rainstorm and are forced to t ake shelter in a cave nearby.There is already many animals in the cave, so Able and Amanda must stand on the edge. A hard wind blows up Manta's scarf, Able bravely lump down and try to reach the scarf, he did reach it but the wind blows up Able into a river and he is swept downstream until he is stranded on an island. Able attempts to escape the island several times the day after the storm, even though he haven't do any work at Impossible. He build a wood ship, but failed two times for crossing the river, then he decide to make a bridge, he first made of piled up stone, and he tried o build a straw bridge, but both of them didn't work out.And finally realizes that he must survive on the island by himself. He finds a log and makes it his home in the winter. To ease his loneliness since he is the only animal that have wisdom on the Island, he creates his family out of clay and talks to them. Able also found a book called [Sons and Daughters] and a big pocket watch left by some big civ ilized creatures, these things give Able more fun and let him believe there will be some veiled animals to visits again and save him.In the harsh winter, Able has to live through the hardest times, including battling an owl, stores the food, and live under the darkness in the log. But everything became better when the spring comes, the owl Is gone, and another stranded volt from the river, a frog named Grower, comes and became best friends with Able. The had some really good times In the spring. Later, Grower leaves when the water of the river became warmer and promising that he will send for help when he gets back home.However, due to Grower's lack of memory, Able didn't receive any help after weeks passed. Able then decides to swim against the fierce river after the water level has dropped sufficiently, he think If he didn't go this time, maybe he will waited to next year again. Then Able swim across to Impossible. Able go back to his house, his wife Amanda haven't return, Able ch anged his best clothing and papered Manta's scarf, he will have many, many stories to tell her! – Connections: In the book, I read that

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Personal life Essay

Living a â€Å"Good Life. † This is something most people strive for, but what we all question is, what is it that leads to a â€Å"good life,† or what does it really mean to have a â€Å"good life. † Most people would agree that whatever makes a person happy will lead to a good life, but happiness with each individual differs. Whether it be pleasure, wealth, or health many can disregard the virtue of true happiness, and their material desires leads to ignorance. Aristotle’s answer to this is that we must enjoy the proper things in life in order to be happy; and it is through proper activities that we are able to live the Good Life. I would have to agree with Aristotle’s beliefs, because of my upbringing, simple material things will not make me fully happy; one must live a just life filled with happiness. There is this woman named Janice, she s a manager for a major corporate office. Janice believes her happiness and the happiness of her children relies on her success in her career, and how much money she makes. She will do whatever it takes in order to rise up in the company to get any extra bonus or raise—even if it means stepping on other people to get there. Aristotle would say Janice is not living the Good Life by concentrating on the wealth and mistreating others for her own personal gain, because what she is doing is not a proper activity. I believe Aristotle may believe that the way Janice is living is irrational, and not the â€Å"good life,† because her happiness relies on her material wealth. According to J.L Ackrill from the Princeton university press Aristotle’s argument is as follows: 1) proper activities are those activities that best represent or fulfill the unique nature or purpose of humankind; 2) the unique nature or purpose of humankind is found in that particular quality which separates us from other species of beings; 3) that particular quality which separates us from other species of beings is reason; thus, 4) those activities that best express our reasoning abilities are those activities that will allow us to lead the Good Life; therefore, 5) some activities, like Janice’s activities, are not able to lead us to live the Good Life because again it is not a proper activity. Happiness isn’t simple, and living a good life isn’t easy. We can’t all just focus on the material; we have to focus on reason, on the virtue of our decisions. I was raise in a Christian home, so by default I was taught about being a servant to others, spreading the word of Jesus Christ, living a good life—according to what God has declared for me. But I believe that Aristotle’s belief of a good life coincides with some of what God has planned for me, by doing what is proper, and in my interpretation what is proper for me is following my path that God has laid out for me. We all have a purpose to life, everyone and everything. We are pieces to an order, a design t our universe, everything somehow fits together, we see the good and the truth through living justly with values and virtuous lifestyles, doing what makes us happy but only things that are â€Å"proper. † Aristotle believes that happiness is God given, and we need to live right by God.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Facts and History of North Korea

Facts and History of North Korea The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, is one of the most talked-about yet least understood nations on Earth. It is a reclusive country, cut off even from its nearest neighbors by ideological differences and the paranoia of its top leadership. It developed  nuclear weapons  in 2006. Severed from the southern half of the peninsula more than six decades ago, North Korea has evolved into a strange Stalinist state. The ruling Kim family exercises control through fear and personality cults. Can the two halves of Korea ever be put back together again? Only time will tell. Capital and Major Cities Capital: Pyongyang, population 3,255,000Hamhung, population 769,000Chongjin, population 668,000Nampo, population 367,000Wonsan, population 363,000 North Koreas Government North Korea, or the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, is a highly centralized communist country under the leadership of Kim Jong-Un. His official title is Chairman of the National Defense Commission. The President of the Supreme Peoples Assembly Presidium is Kim Yong Nam. The 687-seat Supreme Peoples Assembly is the legislative branch. All members belong to the Korean Workers Party. The judicial branch consists of a Central Court, as well as provincial, county, city and military courts. All citizens are free to vote for the Korean Workers Party at the age of 17. The Population of North Korea North Korea has an estimated 24 million citizens as of the 2011 census. About 63% of North Koreans live in urban centers. Nearly all of the population is ethnically Korean, with very small minorities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese. Language The official language of North Korea is Korean. Written Korean has its own alphabet, called Hangul. Over the past several decades, the government of North Korea has attempted to purge borrowed vocabulary from the lexicon. Meanwhile, South Koreans have adopted words such as PC for personal computer, handufone for mobile phone, etc. While the northern and southern dialects are still mutually intelligible, they are diverging from one another after 60 years of separation. Religion in North Korea As a communist nation, North Korea is officially non-religious. Prior to the partition of Korea, however, Koreans in the north were Buddhist, Shamanist, Cheondogyo, Christian, and Confucianist. To what extent these belief systems persist today is difficult to judge from outside the country. North Korean Geography North Korea occupies the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. It shares a long north-western border with China, a short border with Russia, and a highly-fortified border with South Korea (the DMZ or demilitarized zone). The country covers an area of 120,538 km sq. North Korea is a mountainous land; about 80% of the country is made up of steep mountains and narrow valleys. The remainder is arable plains, but these are small in size and distributed across the country. The highest point is Baektusan, at 2,744 meters. The lowest point is sea level. The Climate of North Korea North Koreas climate is influenced both by the monsoon cycle and by continental air masses from Siberia. Thus, it was extremely cold with dry winters and hot, rainy summers. North Korea suffers from frequent droughts and massive summer flooding, as well as the occasional typhoon. Economy North Koreas GDP (PPP) for 2014 is estimated at $40 billion US. The GDP (official exchange rate) is $28 billion (2013 estimate). The per capita GDP is $1,800. Official exports include military products, minerals, clothing, wood products, vegetables, and metals. Suspected unofficial exports include missiles, narcotics, and trafficked persons. North Korea imports minerals, petroleum, machinery, food, chemicals, and plastics. History of North Korea When Japan lost World War II in 1945, it also lost Korea, annexed to the Japanese Empire in 1910. The U.N. divided administration of the peninsula between two of the victorious Allied powers. Above the 38th parallel, the USSR took control, while the US moved in to administer the southern half. The USSR fostered a pro-Soviet communist government based in Pyongyang, then withdrew in 1948. North Koreas military leader, Kim Il-sung, wanted to invade South Korea at that point and unite the country under a communist banner, but Joseph Stalin refused to support the idea. By 1950, the regional situation had changed. Chinas civil war had ended with a victory for Mao Zedongs Red Army, and Mao agreed to send military support to North Korea if it invaded the capitalist South. The Soviets gave Kim Il-sung a green light for invasion. The Korean War On June 25, 1950, North Korea launched a ferocious artillery barrage across the border into South Korea, followed hours later by some 230,000 troops. The North Koreans quickly took the southern capital at Seoul and began to push southwards. Two days after the war began, US President Truman ordered American armed forces to come to the aid of the South Korean military. The U.N. Security Council approved member-state assistance to the South over the objection of the Soviet representative; in the end, twelve more nations joined the US and South Korea in the U.N. coalition. Despite this aid to the South, the war went very well for the North at first. In fact, the communist forces captured nearly the entire peninsula within the first two months of fighting; by August, the defenders were hemmed in at the city of Busan, on the southeastern tip of South Korea. The North Korean army was not able to break through the Busan Perimeter, however, even after a solid month of battle. Slowly, the tide began to turn against the North. In September and October of 1950, South Korean and U.N. forces pushed the North Koreans all of the way back across the 38th Parallel, and north to the Chinese border. This was too much for Mao, who ordered his troops into battle on North Koreas side. After three years of bitter fighting, and some 4 million soldiers and civilians killed, the Korean War ended in a stalemate with the July 27, 1953, cease-fire agreement. The two sides have never signed a peace treaty; they remain separated by a 2.5-mile wide demilitarized zone (DMZ). The Post-War North After the war, North Koreas government focused on industrialization as it rebuilt the battle-torn country. As president, Kim Il-sung preached the idea of Juche, or self-reliance. North Korea would become strong by producing all of its own food, technology, and domestic needs, rather than importing goods from abroad. During the 1960s, North Korea was caught in the middle of the Sino-Soviet split. Although Kim Il-sung hoped to remain neutral and play the two larger powers off of one another, the Soviets concluded that he favored the Chinese. They cut off help to North Korea. During the 1970s, North Koreas economy began to fail. It has no oil reserves, and the spiking price of oil left it massively in debt. North Korea defaulted on its debt in 1980. Kim Il-sung died in 1994 and was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il. Between 1996 and 1999, the country suffered from a famine that killed between 600,000 and 900,000 people. Today, North Korea relied on international food aid through 2009, even as it poured scarce resources into the military. The agricultural output has improved since 2009 but malnutrition and poor living conditions continue. North Korea evidently tested its first nuclear weapon on October 9, 2006. It continues to develop its nuclear arsenal and conducted tests in 2013 and 2016.   On December 17, 2011, Kim Jong-il died and was succeeded by his third son, Kim Jong-un.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Affirmative Aaction essays

Affirmative Aaction essays Affirmative Action was established to help overcome the affects of past societal discrimination by granting jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. The policy was implemented by federal agencies enforcing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While many people believe it is a step in the right direction in stopping employment discrimination, it is taking jobs from qualified persons because they are not of a certain race or gender, in turn doing the same thing that was done to minorities and women for years. Affirmative action must be stopped in order to protect the rights of all citizens. It requires discrimination against a different group, strips merit and gives preferential treatment to those who benefit from it. Affirmative action is reverse discrimination. Affirmative action requires discrimination against a different group. It simply reverses the discrimination against minorities by enforcing discrimination on whites. This policy enables two people who apply for a job in an office building for the same position to be judged differently. One applicant is white and the other is black. The two applicants have the same exact education and work experience but, according to affirmative action, the black person is better qualified because the company needs to diversify their workplace. So, the only reason why the white person did not receive the job was because of his skin color. Eastland says that distinctions drawn on the basis of race inevitably lead to racial discrimination. As is well noted in this example, Affirmative action demands racial discrimination: discrimination against whites. Whites are being discriminated against in the same ways that blacks were discriminated against years ago. The consequences of Affirmative action can hinder the growth of those who the policy was intended to help as well. The very existence of the program strips blacks and other minorities of merit. B...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Is a 401k Everything You Need to Know

What Is a 401k Everything You Need to Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you have the option of setting up a 401k plan? Does your employer offer a 401k matching benefit? Are you confused about what these words even mean? Don't worry! We'll explain everything you need to know about these accounts, but, first, what is a 401k, exactly? A 401k is a retirement savings account sponsored by an employer and designed by the government to give you tax benefits on your savings. Your money quietly grows until the time you can withdraw it in your late 50s. This guide will explain exactly what a 401k does, what you can and can't do with it, how to put money in it, and how it can set you up for a financially secure retirement. For anyone new to the world of 401k plans, let’s start with a quick review of terms. Saving for Retirement Terms: A Glossary Here are some terms you’ll see throughout the guide and a brief working definition of each: 401k: an employer-sponsored retirement account that allows your money to grow over time. Your company has to offer it, and it chooses the rules. Traditional 401k: this is the most common 401k account. You contribute money before it is taxed. Then, you pay taxes on your money when you withdraw after age 59 1/2 (or 55 if you've retired). Roth 401k: this is a newer 401k account where you contribute money that’s already been taxed. You don’t have to pay taxes later when you withdraw. IRA: this stands for Individual Retirement Account. An IRA doesn’t have to be employer-sponsored. You can transfer your 401k money into an IRA in the event you lose your job or your company goes under. Brokerage account: another option for investing your money independently. A brokerage account doesn’t offer the same tax benefits as a 401k or IRA, but your stock options are unlimited. Employer matching: many employers will match all or some of your yearly contributions to your 401k. Free money! While Roth 401k’s are gaining in popularity, most of us will still be offered a traditional 401k through our company. Therefore, we'll start by going more into detail about traditional accounts to answer our million dollar question: what is a 401k plan? Employer matching is the best. With both you and your company contributing to your nest egg, it can grow quite large over time. What Is a 401k? A 401k is an employer-sponsored retirement savings account. Not all employers offer 401ks, but those who do determine how it works. For instance, the employer chooses the various funds that make up your 401k portfolio. Since your employer has to offer it, you can't set up a solo 401k on your own. If you decide to open a 401k account, you’ll typically contribute money to it automatically each month or year. If so inclined, your company may match your contributions anywhere from 25% to 100% (some companies even go beyond 100% for the highest paid employees). Some 401k companies start by matching a small percentage of your contribution and increase this percentage the longer you work for them. There are lots of ways you can save money for retirement, including establishing an IRA or brokerage account or collecting bills in an old coffee jar. What are the advantages of putting money into a 401k as compared to these other methods? What Are the Advantages of a 401k? There are several advantages to a 401k, as well as a few limitations. Let’s start with the benefits. #1: Tax Benefits 401k plans allow your money to grow untaxed. Traditional 401ks let you contribute pre-taxed money. When you eventually withdraw the money, that’s when you’ll pay taxes on it. Roth 401k plans have you contribute already taxed money. When you take it out, you don’t have to pay any taxes on it. IRA and Roth IRA accounts also have tax advantages, but they often set restrictive limits on how much money you can contribute per year. Some only allow you to put in $5,500 a year, while 401k plans, as you'll read below, allow you to put up to $18,000, or even more if you're including an employer match. In a brokerage account that you can set up independently of an employer, your money would be taxed twice. In a 401k (traditional or Roth), your money is only ever taxed once. This tax set-up is a big benefit of 401k accounts. #2: Annual Compound Growth The second advantage of putting your money into a 401k as opposed to say, a coffee jar, is that it allows your money to grow over time. Thanks to the power of compounding interest, you could see your money grow significantly over decades. If you contribute $5,000 per year when you’re 25 and your money grows at a 5% annual rate, for example, then you would have an additional $30,000 more than you would if you started contributing ten years later. You’ll see significantly more money the earlier you start saving. You could bury your savings in your backyard, but the only thing your money would grow is mold. #3: Employer Matching Some, but not all, employers will match a percentage of your annual contributions. Employer match is essentially free money! Unless you really can’t afford it, you should strive to get the full employer match you can per year to make the most of this offer. #4: High Contribution Limits As mentioned above, 401k plans also have higher contribution limits than some independent retirement accounts. Some IRAs only let you put about $5,500 a year, while 401k limits are set at about $18,000, depending on the year. That limit doesn’t include any matching contributions made by your employer, so you could actually put a lot more per year into your 401k. We’ll get into the exact numbers below. All in all, 401ks are appealing because they offer significant tax advantages for your retirement savings, allow your money to grow over time, and they may involve significant contributions from your employer. That being said, there are some 401k limits that you should know about. Below are the three main limitations. What Are the Limitations of a 401k? Since your company offers the 401k plan, it also sets up certain rules and regulations. For instance, your employer chooses the stock options that make up the 401k. While you might have unlimited options with a brokerage account, you may only have a few with your 401k. This can actually be an advantage for some people, who would rather take a more hands-off approach to how their money gets invested. Secondly, some employers put in place a â€Å"forfeit law.† If you get laid off and have less than a certain amount of money in your 401k, then you don’t get that money back. Your company will set this amount and the details of any forfeit law. Make sure to ask whether or not your company has one. Finally, some companies also require you to work with them for a minimum number of years before you’re fully â€Å"vested† and can retain their matching contributions. If you leave or lose your job before that time, you can still keep your own savings, but any employer match contributions will disappear. Now that you know the advantages and limitations of a 401k, what do you have to do to set one up? Do you choose your investments, or does the company decide for you? Continuing with the nest egg metaphor, do you have to build the basket where your savings eggs will grow? What Steps Should You Take to Set Up Your 401k Plan? The first step in establishing your 401k plan is signing up with your employer. Typically, your employer or an HR professional should go over the steps with you when you get hired. If you chose not to sign up when you first started working at the company, you can still speak to your employer about how to sign up now. As you fill out the requisite paperwork, you’ll decide how much money you want to contribute. You can increase or decrease this amount if your circumstances change, but you won’t be able to withdraw money once you’ve deposited it (before retirement age) without a penalty. Once you’ve opened your account, you can take an active investing approach or put the 401k on autopilot. As mentioned above, your employer will choose the stock options, and you can choose how your money gets distributed among them. The majority of people, though, simply go with a â€Å"target-date† fund. With a target-date fund, you set the date you might retire, say, 2050, and the 401k does the rest. You won’t have to design your portfolio; instead, the account itself will adjust how your assets are allocated over time. If you do decide to take a more active approach, a good rule of thumb to follow is to have a diversified portfolio that can ride out the ups and downs in the market. With a diversified portfolio, you can help make sure that your savings will grow over time. While the amount of money you can afford to contribute to your 401k varies by individual, there are certain limits in place. Read on for the 401k contribution limits in 2016. How Much Money Can You Contribute to Your 401k? There are 401 k limits that determine how much money you can contribute to your account per year. These 401k contribution limits fluctuate a bit over time along with inflation. As of 2016, people under 50 could put in up to $18,000 per year. People over 50 could put in $24,000. The additional $6,000 is considered a â€Å"catch up† contribution for those who didn’t max out their limits in earlier years. Any company matching doesn’t count toward this 401k limit. The maximum combined contribution (yours plus your company match) can go up to $53,000. A good rule of thumb is to invest about 10% of your annual income, if possible. If you have employer matching, then you should also strive to get the biggest match contributions you can. Besides 401k limits, there are also rules about when you can take money out of your 401k. Read on to learn when you can make a 401k withdrawal. If you withdraw your money early to buy a four-day Bonnaroo ticket, you’ll pay a steep penalty. Better to let it sit until you retire. When Can You Get Your Money Out of a 401k? You can take money out of your traditional 401k starting when you’re 59 1/2 (regardless of whether you've retired or not) OR if you retire at age 55 or higher. If you try 401k withdrawal before that time, then you’ll incur a hefty 10% penalty fee. So far, everything discussed applies mainly to traditional 401k accounts. They let you contribute pre-taxed money and have penalties for withdrawing money before you reach a certain age. There is one other kind of 401k with different rules and regulations called a Roth 401k. Read on to learn more about a Roth 401k and how it differs from the traditional 401k accounts that most employers offer. The main difference between a traditional 401k and a Roth 401k has to do with when you pay the tax man. What Is a Roth 401k? In addition to a traditional 401k, some companies also offer a Roth 401k. A Roth 401k has a few differences from a traditional 401k. The most important difference is that a Roth 401k has you contribute money after it’s been taxed. When you withdraw money from the account later, you won’t have to pay taxes on it. The second difference has to do with 401k withdrawal rules. A Roth 401k plan lets you take out your money at any time without penalty after you’ve held the account for five years. You won’t have to pay a 10% penalty as you would on a traditional plan for Roth 401k withdrawal before a certain age or retirement. If your employer offers both traditional and Roth 401k options, which one should you choose? Traditional 401k vs. Roth 401k: Which One’s Better? If your employer offers both a traditional 401 k and a Roth 401k, then you have to decide which one to choose or, alternatively, whether to set up both types. Essentially, you want to figure out which type of 401k will help you save the largest amount of money in the long run. There are also some psychological factors that come into play. #1: Do You Want to Be Taxed Now or Later? As you read above, a traditional 401k taxes your money later while a Roth 401k taxes your money now. If you’re young, not making a lot of money, and not currently getting taxed highly, then a Roth 401k might be the preferable option. While you won’t be putting as much money into the account initially, you will be able to leave your money for many years to grow. If you’re older, make a high paycheck, and are in a high tax bracket, then you might want to go with a traditional 401k. That way, your money will be taxed when you retire and are in presumably a lower tax bracket than you are presently. Both traditional and 401k plans have great tax benefits. You should just need to decide which would benefit you more. #2: How Is Your Financial Self-Control? Beside figuring out the tax situation, there’s a self-control factor to think about. If you need all the money in your traditional 401k, then you’ll want to set aside other savings to pay the eventual large tax bill. Will you be able to set aside money to pay taxes later, or at least plan around the large chunk of your savings that will get taken away by taxes when you retire? On the flip side, if you open up a Roth 401k, will you have the self-control not to withdraw any of your savings after the five-year mark when you can withdraw penalty-free? Besides weighing the tax benefits, you should ask yourself these questions to figure out which option is better. Finally, you might not decide not to choose between them at all and instead opt for both types of accounts. Should You Choose Both a Traditional and Roth 401k? Some financial advisors suggest going with both a traditional 401k and a Roth 401k if you have the option. You don’t actually have to choose one or the other, but instead, can split your savings between the two. Going with both is similar to diversifying your stock portfolio to reduce risk. We can’t know what tax laws will come into play in the future, so choosing both a traditional and Roth 401k is a way to hedge your bets. Now that you know the ins and outs of both traditional 401ks and Roth 401ks, let’s go over the essential points that you need to remember about saving for retirement. What Is a 401k? Just the Essentials These are the key points you need to remember about a 401 k plan: A 401k is a retirement savings account that some employers offer. You can contribute a certain amount per year, and your employee might match your contributions (free money!) In a traditional 401k, your money is taxed when you withdraw, not now. In a Roth 401k, your money is taxed now, not when you withdraw. 401k tax policies are superior to those of brokerage accounts, where your money is taxed twice. Your money will grow over time thanks to the power of compounding interest. Start early to have the most amount of money saved for retirement! Now that you have a better understanding of what HR is talking about during new employee orientation, how should you proceed? Should you join in on the 401k fun? With a 401k, you can predict the future, at least the financial part. Should You Contribute to a 401k? Magic 8 ball says, â€Å"Most likely!† Unless you can’t cover your living needs, there’s no reason not to set aside some money for Future You. She’ll really appreciate it. Of course, your employer has to offer a 401k plan. If your company doesn't offer 401k benefits, then you can't set up a solo 401k. You could instead save money for retirement in an IRA, Roth IRA, or brokerage account. If you do have the option of a 401k, a good rule of thumb is to invest as much money as you can, perhaps about 10% of your income. If possible, try to max out any employer matching benefits so you get the most money you can from your employer toward your retirement savings. Start early to maximize the power of compounding growth. 401k accounts offer a simple, hands-off approach to saving for retirement. With just a little paperwork and rearranging of your daily expenses, you can save for retirement and reap huge financial benefits in your golden years.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Leadership and managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and managment - Assignment Example Being prepared to deal with conflicting staff allows management to implement several strategic tactics to dissolve conflict resolution and restore solace to the workplace. Diversity has emerged in the hiring practices of the work place in the areas of race, age, gender, religion and most recently culture. The globalization of the business world has jolted corporations to embrace diversity in order to maximize competitiveness and optimize human resources. However, the array of differences can lead to misunderstandings and unfortunately workplace contention. Supervision has to be well prepared to counteract confusion. Both authors Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan (2008: 92), authors of the book Effective Leadership Stems from Ability to Handle Conflict, believe that â€Å"most effective leaders are extraordinarily competent at handling conflict.† An example of such an experience is the feel-good movie Glory Road. The movie is based on The Texas Westerns college basketball team in 1966 who won the NCAA championship while promoting diversity. The coach of the team, Don Haskins, pioneered diversity by recruiting players deemed best for the positions and sidestepping traditional hiring practices. The hiring of the new folks in nontraditional roles is an exemplary example of effective leadership. These are attributes of a true leader as the attainment of the desired result outweighs skepticism and cynicism. Peter F. Drucker (1994: 100) article â€Å"The Theory of the Business† reveals that a valid theory of business suggests that the assumptions about environment, mission and core competencies must fit reality. The example of coach Haskin has to be the pinnacle of addressing conflict. Throughout the movie, strong interpersonal attitudes clashed among team members. Fights erupted and tempers boiled. In one particular scene, teammates squared off and the season

Friday, October 18, 2019

Personel Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personel Finance - Essay Example In the event that I lose my job and I do not have a source of income, I will adjust my financial lifestyles, budget and the financial plans that I have. The following analysis will look at the specific steps and how my new lifestyle will be like. The loss of job will be characterized by decline in my income; hence difficulties in making my ends meet. The first will be to accept this new situation and discuss it with my important people in my life. I will adjust my budget so that I only spend my money on the basics of the life and only on what I can afford at the current economic status. This means I will adjust from spending on the things that do not bring any value in life at current status. For example I will stop going out or adjust to going out to the places that I can comfortably afford. I will invest the remaining resources to get another source of income such as securing another job or any income generating project. I will stop buying expensive clothes and only buy the basics. On the long term basis, this will affect my expected investments such as building my own

Business of Fashion COS shopping mystery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business of Fashion COS shopping mystery - Essay Example The essay "Business of Fashion COS shopping mystery" concerns Business and Fashion. The objective of establishing COS was therefore to provide people like these with the opportunity to purchase classy and fashionable goods without necessarily paying exorbitant amounts of money. On the other hand, it is also important to note that offering cheap products was not part of this strategy; the goods were supposed to be cheaper but not cheap. Finally, after months of talking about it, I visited the COS Flagship Store at 222 Regent St – near Oxford Circus. I must say that the store had a very good ambience, and the setting gave it a grandeur that I did not expect to see given the â€Å"cheaper† slogan that H&M had adopted for use in selling COS to its customers. The store was generally clean, and the dressing rooms were nice, presentable and welcoming. The attendants were all dressed in casual clothing, which was not a surprise considering the line of work they were in. From th e entrance, I could see both classic and casual attire. It is also worth mentioning that all the employees wore the current season trends from the brand; this is a promotional strategy that is used by businesses all over the world. If you want to popularize your products and get people to use them, start closer to home. One thing that left me disappointed during my visit was the service. I mean, it is one thing to set up shop, and a different thing to create good customer service that promotes a good rapport between a business and its customers.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Is there something problematic in the idea of European citizenship Essay

Is there something problematic in the idea of European citizenship - Essay Example I consider this question to be worth-discussing, thus the given work will try to find the answer for it by means of the corresponding research. First of all, the definition or meaning of the term â€Å"citizenship† will be provided. In order to find the correct answer to this question, the attention with be paid to such significant factors as democracy, rights, identity, constitutional patriotism, symbols etc. It will be given a short description of each of these points in order to form the attitude to the problem under consideration. As a result the most problematic issue in the idea of European leadership will be defined and the solution to the problem will be offered. The overview of the recent controversy will be presented in order to prove that even in the modern conditions, it is still possible to determine what it means to be a European citizen. The notion of citizenship The notion of citizenship is closely connected with the notion of state, because, if there is no sta te, it is impossible to talk about the citizenship. Democracy also can’t exist without citizenship. It looks like a closed circle. In this context it is possible to talk about sovereignty as well. ... It could be easily explained in the following way: it is the citizens, who form the body of government. The democracy can operate only due to the equality and participation of citizens. Liebert states: â€Å"people do effectively engage in the making of a European polity. By initiating national court proceedings active citizens are promoting fundamental European rights in Member States' practices. As party members they contribute to shaping mass media communication about, and national publics' understanding of, European political alternatives. As civil society activists citizens help build social networks for contesting certain EU reforms or advocating others. Last but not least, as voters in national and European elections they choose between competing party visions, and national parliamentary stances regarding the role of democratic citizenship. This original contribution to the debate about democratic citizenship vis-a-vis the challenges of economic globalization and European pol itical integration presents critical explorations of different fields of direct, representative, participatory and deliberative democratic citizenship practices that affect the transformation of Europe† (Liebert 2013:2). One can notice that nowadays these principals are not working in a full capacity; some of them are just omitted. As Bellamy states â€Å"Citizenship as it developed within the member states combined the values of belonging, rights and participation. EU citizenship has attempted to develop the first from an attachment to the second, and to employ new and more selective forms of the third. However, neither rights nor participation prove sustainable without a fairly strong sense of belonging, such as has already developed within the

The Inspiration of Ignatius of Loyola and Why the Society of Jesus is Essay

The Inspiration of Ignatius of Loyola and Why the Society of Jesus is Different - Essay Example According to the discussion a small cannon ball shattered his right leg and although he submitted himself to surgery, it was only so that he would be deformed with a limp that he carried on through life. To relieve his boredom while recuperating, he asked someone for knightly romances, but was instead handed a book of piety, which â€Å"significantly changed the course of his life and indirectly influenced hundreds of thousands of people over the next five centuries.†This paper outlines that although such a prevailing contribution to the Society resulted from his conversion, his time at Manresa was not all an easy path. From the outset, he doubted about sustaining his new life for many decades to come, but was able to recognize God’s grace, which had liberated him from such doubts. Hence, despite obstacles such as money and support, he was able to initiate his new religious order. As Donnelly emphasized, Loyola "was certain God was calling him to help souls," but how wo uld he accomplish such task? This is exactly what makes the Society of Jesus particularly different from other religious orders, from this paper’s point of view.  Loyola's goal for the Society of Jesus was to "win people to Christ and reform their lives," but in order to do so, he and his followers knew that they must fulfill a good classical and theological education. He then decided to study Latin in order to work for his mission of winning souls for God. He went to Barcelona, Alcala, Salamanca, and Paris, where he studied philosophy for three years.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Is there something problematic in the idea of European citizenship Essay

Is there something problematic in the idea of European citizenship - Essay Example I consider this question to be worth-discussing, thus the given work will try to find the answer for it by means of the corresponding research. First of all, the definition or meaning of the term â€Å"citizenship† will be provided. In order to find the correct answer to this question, the attention with be paid to such significant factors as democracy, rights, identity, constitutional patriotism, symbols etc. It will be given a short description of each of these points in order to form the attitude to the problem under consideration. As a result the most problematic issue in the idea of European leadership will be defined and the solution to the problem will be offered. The overview of the recent controversy will be presented in order to prove that even in the modern conditions, it is still possible to determine what it means to be a European citizen. The notion of citizenship The notion of citizenship is closely connected with the notion of state, because, if there is no sta te, it is impossible to talk about the citizenship. Democracy also can’t exist without citizenship. It looks like a closed circle. In this context it is possible to talk about sovereignty as well. ... It could be easily explained in the following way: it is the citizens, who form the body of government. The democracy can operate only due to the equality and participation of citizens. Liebert states: â€Å"people do effectively engage in the making of a European polity. By initiating national court proceedings active citizens are promoting fundamental European rights in Member States' practices. As party members they contribute to shaping mass media communication about, and national publics' understanding of, European political alternatives. As civil society activists citizens help build social networks for contesting certain EU reforms or advocating others. Last but not least, as voters in national and European elections they choose between competing party visions, and national parliamentary stances regarding the role of democratic citizenship. This original contribution to the debate about democratic citizenship vis-a-vis the challenges of economic globalization and European pol itical integration presents critical explorations of different fields of direct, representative, participatory and deliberative democratic citizenship practices that affect the transformation of Europe† (Liebert 2013:2). One can notice that nowadays these principals are not working in a full capacity; some of them are just omitted. As Bellamy states â€Å"Citizenship as it developed within the member states combined the values of belonging, rights and participation. EU citizenship has attempted to develop the first from an attachment to the second, and to employ new and more selective forms of the third. However, neither rights nor participation prove sustainable without a fairly strong sense of belonging, such as has already developed within the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Source Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Source Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Different decisions are necessary before making a bible interpretation such as allegory in which the reader must look beneath the surface of the text to get the real meaning. Reading the accounts of creation in genesis chapter 1 and 2 requires one to understand the deeper meaning of the text and avoid literal reading (Aageson, 2000). The message by the author of this reading is that the bible requires an in-depth reading to understand the actual meaning of its contents. Literal reading will not give a perfect interpretation of what the bible contains, as the language is figurative. All biblical material such an epistle, prophecies, apocalypse, and fable require the reader to make an accurate meaning of the word before making any interpretation. According to the author, historical facts need to have meaning, significance, and some biblical claims such as the death of Jesus on the cross for human redemption. Jesus death on the cross is a historical fact, but the argument that his death was meant to save the world from third sins does not have historical evidence. Evaluation of the truth concerning the bible material is not possible except by using the truth by definition. for instance, the statement "Jesus is God" (Aageson, 2000). The state can be taken as truth by definition and cannot be verified. Some of the biblical myths are mainly the Israelites ideas of covenant especially the Devine promise of land such as Canaan. Therefore, many biblical themes and stories fall under the mythical category rather than the truth and anything concerning God’s creation and his dominion over the world are all myths. The author gives critical contents of the bible to those that think that the bible has more hidden meaning and require critical analysis to establish the truth. According to the author, literal reading of the bible will not elaborate the statements or give the actual meaning to th ose who need a serious interpretation of the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Figuring Fixed Costs Essay Example for Free

Figuring Fixed Costs Essay 10.1 The highest number of meals served was 4,900 in December, with the lowest of meals being 3,500 in July making a difference of 1,400 of meals served, between the two months. The cost per meal variable is 1400à ·$5500.00 for a total of $3.93 (WHDM’s) fixed cost is computed as follows $20,500.00-(3,500*$3.93) =$6,745.00 According to the following â€Å"formula: PX=A+Bx 5.77x=$6,745+$3.93† 5.77-$3.93=$6,745+ ($3.93-$3.93) 1.84x=$6,745 1.84x*1.84x=$6,745*1.84x â€Å"X=3,666 Monthly BEP 3,666*12= 43,992 BEP for the fiscal year† (Oppapers.com, 2012), for the Westchester Home- Service Meal Delivery program, since the program received 45,000 meals to serve and only needed 43,992 of them their profit is going to come from selling the other 1008 meals at a . 84 per meal making a profit of $1,854.72. 10.2 NRCC and Its BEP Annual revenue = $20.00 per subscription Annual variable rise for â€Å"making and mailing six bimonthly issues has risen 4.50 â€Å"(Martin, L., 2001) (NRCC) annual fixed cost is 6,000 + 3,900 = 9,900 Per subscription (NRCC’s) annual margin would be 20-4.5 for a total of 15.5 Making their BEP as follows 9,900/15.5 equaling 639 PX = A+Bx 20x=6,000+3,900+4.50x 20x=9,900+4.50x 20x-4.50x=9,900+ (4.50x-4.50x) 15.5x=9,900 15.5x/15.5x=9,900/15.5x X=639 No way is this feasible, because there are two staff members, who are all ready at the maxim capacity of 650, leaving no capacity for any kind of slack. References: Martin, L. (2001). Financial Management for Human Services Administrators. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn Bacon http://www.oppapers.com, 2012 http://www.studymode.com,2013 University of Phoenix. (2001). Financial Management for Human Service Administrator. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HSM 260 website.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Analysis of Ancient Roman Architecture

Analysis of Ancient Roman Architecture Ancient Rome is well recognised for its potential to produce large, dense and complex network of infrastructure ranging from roads, aqueducts, bridges, baths, and temples. The Romans were impressive builders and some of the structures built by the Romans that still stand up to this day exhibit this. Large infrastructure was one of the fundamental aspects that allowed the Roman Empire to maintain its expansive territory; roads allowing the free movement of goods, information and troops, the sewers and freshwater systems enabling the growth of large populations. Thus, with these benefits, the Roman empire began to flourish and sparked a golden age of technological advancement and architectural development. Under the Roman empire, city development followed the grid plan based framework adopted from late Greek cities of the Hellenistic period. Roman cities had two major roads, the Cardo Maximus, the main street running through the north-south and the Decumanus, running east-west, serving as a secondary street, emphasised in the ancient Roman city of Timgad (figure 1), which was a common aspect of Roman cities. In essence, the Cardo Maximus and Decumanus played an integral part of city planning, but also served as a central hub for economic life and business. Figure 1: The city of Timgad in Algeria (Marten Kuilman 2010) Furthermore, the Roman grid-based city plan transitioned towards an urban plan by the first century B.C.E. However, it was not planned entirely in advance during the development of Rome. On the other hand, by superseding grid-based plan, an urban plan was a more flexible solution resulting in a more elaborate and organic plan that allowed Rome to expand, improve and grow in splendour (Evans, 2017, p.24-5). Thus theatres, public buildings, basilicas, temples, libraries, and amphitheatres were sprinkled all across the urban fabric of the city so that every building was surrounded by a public structure (Kostof, 1991, p.214). Albeit, Rome did suffer from urban issues, most of which was the gap between the wealthy and poor. The vast majority of Roman citizens were poor and lived in multi-storey flats or apartments known as Insulae (figure 2), which were simplistic buildings that only provided at best a maximum of 2 rooms with no indoor plumbing; therefore, the poor had to commute to public baths to get a supply of water. Figure 2: Remains of a insula in the Capitol hill, in Rome (II century a. C.) (Peter Collony and Hazel dodge 1998) On the other hand, the rich lived in single storey private houses called Domus, consisting of multiple rooms, lavishly laid out walls, gardens and courtyards surrounding the atrium (figure 3) which was the large central hall of the Domus.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ Figure 3: A Pompeian Interior oil on panel Dahesh Museum of Art (Luigi Bazzani 1882) The Roman forum was an oblong space adapted from the Greek agora, located near the intersection of the Cardo Maximus and Decumanus whereas the theatre and amphitheatre were located at the perimeter of the city, wrapped around by fortified city walls. The forum was mainly composed of public buildings such as baths, temples of worship, civic centres and administrative buildings, enclosed by colonnades and either a town hall or a basilica. This was because of the Roman propensity to enclose public buildings, for example, the classical Greek theatres evolution that initially began as an open structure (figure 4), however, it was improved upon by the Romans into an enclosed theatre (figure 5) through the combination of the auditorium and stage (Wheeler, 1964, pp.111-2). Figure 4: Greek theatre (Twinningblog 2008) Figure 5: Greek theatre (Twinningblog 2008) Public buildings were adorned with sculptures, paintings, and fountains that were used as a source of civic pride for the Roman public. As a result, the forum became the focal point of business, social existence and the centre of political debate amongst the people of the empire and politicians. Roman temples such as the Maison Carrà ©e, Nimes (16 B.C.E.) (figure 6) were considered the home of the gods as Roman religion played an important part of Roman society. People went to temples to worship and pray to a multitude of deities such as Jupiter, Juno, Venus and Mars amongst many other main gods. Figure 6: The Maison Carà ©e, the Arenas and the Magne Tower in Nimes (Hubert Robert 1787) The Roman theatre, amphitheatre and Hippodrome provided Roman society with an abundance of entertainment. Amphitheatres such as the Coliseum (figure 7) was the home of violence presented in many forms. Entertainment ranged from gladiatorial fights, executions, wild animal fights and the occasional naval battles that required the Coliseum to be flooded, in front of 50,000 spectators from different social classes arranged on stands that the Coliseum was able to house. Therefore, the Coliseum became a public spectacle to a society that loved blood and could decide the fate of the loser but also reflected the social stratification of Roman society. Figure 7: Colosseum: Cross-section (Granger 2014) Whereas the Circus Maximus offered a different kind of entertainment that was chariot racing in front of a maximum capacity 250,000 people that were as famous as the events held at the Coliseum. Even though society loved watching fights and races, however, some members of the public were opposed to the idea of watching fighters die for entertainment at the Coliseum. Thus, the theatre was the ideal alternative to the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus, where plays were held. Roman baths were considered as an essential requirement for day-to-day life in Rome. The Roman practice of Bathing was initially a Greek tradition; that gained popularity amongst Roman society during the second century B.C.E. Moreover, due to the popularity that baths gained, it highlighted the requirement for a centrally based bath complex within the urban structure of every Roman city as more Roman cities began to emerge, epitomised by the city of Bath that gained its name for its Roman bath complex. By the early third century C.E., Eleven main aqueducts supplied the city of Rome on average 190,000 cubic meters of water daily to homes, public and private baths, which had to be provided and distributed via a system of pipes made from either clay or lead. The aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, built in the second Century CE is still being used today. Whereas the Pont du Gard that is part of the aqueduct de Nimes (figure 8) is probably regarded by many architects and engineers as the most impressive aqueduct built by the Romans, standing at a total height of 48.77 metres, shows the skill and complexity that Roman engineers were able to attain. Figure 8: Pont du Gard (Emanuele 2007) Despite water being supplied to Roman baths and houses via a system of pipes, fees were charged in accordance to the pipes size, the larger the pipe, the higher the tax. Therefore, for personal hygiene, Roman citizens went to local baths such as the baths of Caracalla (figure 9), known for its complex functionality, sophistication and immense size. Romans were able to bathe for a small fee; however, Roman baths also became areas of social interchange where gatherings gossiped and conversed about current events or to discuss business matters while getting clean at the same time. Figure 9: The Baths Of Caracalla (Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema 1899) Some Roman structures have survived the test of time and still reside within the urban fabric today, many of these have been changed, repurposed and modernised into urban forms within the city and have contributed to the formation of cities. The Roman amphitheatre turned into a public circular square in Lucca, Diocletian palace that became the centre of Split in Croatia, which was a palace with walls that became the downtown of the city since the collapse of the roman empire. Furthermore, piazza Navona was built on the site of the stadium of Domitian, the amphitheatre and basilica having significant influence on Western architecture. To conclude the Romans were a sociable society that transformed the legacy of Greek architecture into their vision, a vision turned into an art form and embodied in many cities today. Despite Roman architecture being around for millennia, it is one of the most influential architectural styles that became a source of inspiration for many architects throughout time. Bibliography: Kuilman, M. (2010). QA596 The city of Timgad in Algeria. [image] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/quadralectics/4361584827/in/photostream/ [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Collony, P. and Dodge, H. (1998). Remains of a insula in the Capitol hill, in Rome (II century a. C.). Photography from CONNOLLY, Peter y DODGE, Hazel: La Ciudad Antigua. La vida en la Atenas y Roma clà ¡sicas, Madrid, 1998.. [image] Available at: http://www.catedu.es/aragonromano/images/insulac2.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Bazzani, L. (1882). : A Pompeian Interior oil on panel Dahesh Museum of Art. [image] Available at: http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/pompeii/images/atrium_int_large.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Twinningblog, (2008). Greek Theatre. [image] Available at: https://twinningblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/t-greco.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Twinningblog, (2008). Roman theatre. [image] Available at: https://twinningblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/roman-theatre1.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Robert, H. (1787). The Maison Carà ©e, the Arenas and the Magne Tower in Nimes. [image] Available at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Hubert_Robert_-_The_Maison_Car%C3%A9e%2C_the_Arenas_and_the_Magne_Tower_in_Nimes_-_WGA19601.jpg/612px-Hubert_Robert_-_The_Maison_Car%C3%A9e%2C_the_Arenas_and_the_Magne_Tower_in_Nimes_-_WGA19601.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Granger, (2014). Colosseum: Cross-section. [image] Available at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGHiZ2c9vI-7jCILNw0Xabpa8c2vVL0m81PKFwyvZTftXZKwuSU5lMP_RRui3768WA_5WaLLZJOPNz6idhDMzB_c1KH9cJmf2jXwZqbMXRL8vvJuUL3yt8e8M15Np4Zol_7m2i3iNaFuD/s400/colosseum-cross-section.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Emanuele, (2007). Pont du Gard. [image] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[emailprotected]/1566294527 [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Alma-Tadema, L. (1899). The Baths Of Caracalla. [image] Available at: https://uploads1.wikiart.org/images/alma-tadema-lawrence/the-baths-of-caracalla-1899.jpg!Large.jpg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2017]. Dudley, D. (1991). Roman society. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Evans, G. (2017). Cultural planning : an urban renaissance. London: Routledge. Gates, C. (2004). The archaeology of urban life in the ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece, and Rome. London: Routledge. Hodge, A. (2002). Roman aqueducts water supply. London: Duckworth. Kostof, S. and Richard, T. (1991). The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings Through History. London: Thames and Hudson. Macaulay, D. (1975). City : A Story of Roman Planning and Construction. London: Collins. Perez de Arce, R. (2017). Urban Transformations and the Architecture of Additions. [ebook] London: Routledge, p.xvi-ii. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CX09BAAAQBAJprintsec=frontcover#v=onepageqf=false [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. Rykwert, J. (1976). The idea of a town. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Vitruvius Pollio., Schofield, R. and Tavernor, R. (2009). On architecture. London: Penguin Books. Watkin, D. (2009). The Roman Forum. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Wheeler, M. (1964). Roman art and architecture. London: Thames and Hudson. Yourcenar, M. (2000). Memoirs of Hadrian. London: Penguin.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Essay on the Role of Women in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart

The Role of Women in Things Fall Apart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart explores the struggle between old traditions within the Igbo community as well as Christianity and "the second coming" it brings forth. While on the surface, it appears the novel narrows its focus to a single character, Okonkno and his inner battles, one can read deeper into the text and find an array of assorted conflicts in the realm on human vs. human, human vs. nature, human vs. society, and society vs. society. For the purposes of this paper I shall focus on the labyrinth of human vs. human and human vs. society in the framework of the role of women in Igbo society and how men assign and dictate these roles. I will also briefly explain the importance of women in terms of motherhood and wifedom. Throughout my research I've encountered numerous papers on the rights women do have in Igbo society, on the importance of women in this society. They site the role of widows in Igbo society as well as the respect given to the first wife as proof that while this society is not an ideal situation for women, it is hardly the misogynist society that some make it out to be. I passionately disagree. It is obvious to me that to the characters in Things Fall Apart, women are "things" to be exploited, abused and to serve as second-class citizens to the rank of male privilege. The theme of misogyny runs rampant throughout the text whether it is exposed by the absence of women in the text, the abuses women suffer at the hands of men, or the subtle ways in which society dictates and reinforces these negative statuses and images of women. Throughout the text women are virtually invisible and live their lives on the sidelines; it is clear from a close read... ...p but be sickened and saddened by not only the reality of women in Africa but of Achebe's portrayal of it.    Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1958. Chun, June. "The Role of Women in Things Fall Apart" 1990  Ã‚   October 1999 Jeyifo, Biodun. "Okonkwo and his Mother: 'Things Fall Apart' and Issues of Gender in the Constitution of African Postcolonial Discourse" Callaloo Fall 1993 Mezu, Rose Ure. "Women in Achebe's World" Spring/Summer 1995. October 1999 Osei-Nyame, Kwadwo. "Chinua Achebe Writing Culture: Representations of Gender and Tyranny in Things Fall Apart" Research in African Literatures Summer 1999. Sengovaa, Joko. "Native Identity and Alienation in Richard Wright's Native Son and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: A Cross Cultural Analysis" The Mississippi Quarterly Spring 1997.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Ane Frank

Graded Assignment Journal: Insight into Anne Answer the following questions in complete sentences as you work on Lessons 1–3. Be sure to turn this assignment in to your teacher when you finish Lesson 3. Remember: You need to complete the assignment by the due date to receive full credit. (12 points) How does the fact that Anne tries to maintain a positive attitude affect the way readers view her? Answer: Despite what is going on in her world, Anne believes it will end someday and somehow. She believes that despite the bad things going on, people are still good at heart. (13 points)How does the fact that Anne sometimes gets depressed and begins to view the world as confining and unhealthy affect the way readers view her? Answer: She's a teenager, plain and simple. One day, she views her world as a safe haven, the next day, she wil be sad because she is longing for her friends and the outside. (12 points) In what ways does Anne's diary help her to overcome some of the negative f eelings and emotions that threaten to overwhelm her sometimes? Answer:Writing was her way of expressing herself because in the situation she was in, she couldn't express her feelings too openly. (13 points)What does Anne’s using the motif of the natural world in her diary tell you about her abilities as a writer? Answer:She's creative and believes that one day she will be free and be able to enjoy her life from where she left off. ———————– |Name: dasha |Date: | |Score | | | |Score | | | |Score | | | |Score | | | |Your Score |___ of 50 |

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Birth Control in China: the One Child Policy

Population Control In China â€Å" There are many ways to make the death rate increase† (Robert McNamara). The regulation of population via forced abortions, forced sterilizations, infanticide, and government programs does not only hurt the economy, but continuously damages it to a point of weakness and downfall. Population control in China has been hurting the Chinese people and destroying the Chinese economy for a span of 65 years, and continues to cause conflict even today. The one-child policy that exists within China’s communist government has and will continue to devastate the Chinese economy if forced sterilizations and abortions continue.Population control in China has been prevalent in the Chinese economy ever since the communists took over china in 1949. When Mao Zedong took over as the dictator of China in the 1950’s, he proposed what he called â€Å"The Great Leap Forward† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1). This giant movement encouraged the peoples of China â€Å"to have as many kids as possible in order to prove China’s greatness as the world’s most populous country† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1). Due to a major increase in China’s population, â€Å"famine and disease† became a major concern for the Chinese government (â€Å"China† 1).The â€Å"Wan Xi Shao† Program was introduced as a way to regulate China’s population by â€Å"promoting later marriages, longer intervals between births, and fewer children† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 1). â€Å"Deng Xiaoping† proposed the â€Å"wan Xi Shao† program in 1978 when he came to power; however, it was not passed until 1979 (â€Å"China† 2). The Wan Xi Shao program eventually evolved into the one-child policy which Encouraged and promoted the same ideals as the Wan Xi Shao program, but provided government funds to those Chinese families that followed th e policies (Friedman 5).With no â€Å"birth-control policy before the communists took over China in 1949, the fertility rate was 3. 7% per year†; As of a census in 2002, â€Å"the annual fertility rate in china has been reduced to 1. 2%† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 4,5). Chinese families are currently being pressured into having only one child by the communist government and the policies held by the government in China. The one-child policy was â€Å"designed to curb the overpopulation from the 1950’s-1980’s by limiting families to having only one child† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1).The One-child policy is mostly encouraged on â€Å"a local level† instead of a federal level (â€Å"China† 4). For each extra child, or â€Å"surplus† child, the family is required to pay fines and financial penalties. Also, these â€Å"surplus† children are ineligible for â€Å"extra bonuses and special programsâ €  funded by the Chinese government (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 4). In many rural parts of china, where the policy is less enforced, a family who has a first born female child may be allowed to have a second child â€Å"without being subjected to fees† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 5).This is because of the country’s traditional preference for boys; boys will regularly carry on the family name and care for their elderly parents. This is an example of the policy being enforced less federally and more locally where families can be accounted for. Also, in order to â€Å"promote ethnic minorities†, non-Han/Chinese families are encouraged to have more than one child without being subjected to any fees (â€Å"China† 6). However, even with these birth control policies in effect, â€Å"China’s population still ranks first in the world with 1,306,313,812 residents as of 2006† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 6).At this rate, â€Å"the number of people living in china is predicted to be as high as 1. 5 billion in 2025† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 7). If population regulation policies continue to be in effect in China, a massive gender imbalance may occur within the population of China. The Han, or Chinese culture’s, â€Å"traditional preference for boys† has led to many acquisitions of â€Å"female infanticide and abandonment† (Friedman 2). This means that because of the Han’s traditional preference boys, they have participated in killing off their female children.This may result in a large gender imbalance and may prove â€Å"disastrous to Chinese society in the future† (â€Å"One-child Policy†3). This imbalance within the Chinese population will eventually create a â€Å"shortage of women and leave some men unable to marry and reproduce† (Friedman 1). When these men will not be able to reproduce, a steady rise in â€Å"the il legal trafficking of women for marriage and prostitution† will occur in order to satisfy their needs (â€Å"One-child Policy† 13). Along with the rise in prostitution and trafficking of women, an increase in â€Å"the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases† will be imminent (Friedman 4).There are not many solutions to this particular problem and all of these solutions are delicate topics to discuss. The controversy on human rights in china is not likely to go away as long as it is argued in terms of â€Å"freedom vs. stability† (Shanor 2). As long as we are arguing for the people’s freedom of choice against the stability of a communist nation, a debate will never be won. Change may only come to china as it continues â€Å"to modernize and begins to see the extension of the rule of law not as a threat but as an advantage to its development† (Shanor 2).Winning this debate on human rights means â€Å"understanding that too much p ublic pressure of human rights† will only worsen the matter (Shanor 1). Only quite and gentle pressure could help such a change. The one-child policy is destroying the Chinese economy and social life within the Chinese government. The one-child policy has been in place for over 50 years and if it continues to prosper then life in china will not. Life in china will only head in a downward spiral. Population control must be terminated or it will continue to wreck and hurt the world’s economy. Birth Control in China: the One Child Policy Population Control In China â€Å" There are many ways to make the death rate increase† (Robert McNamara). The regulation of population via forced abortions, forced sterilizations, infanticide, and government programs does not only hurt the economy, but continuously damages it to a point of weakness and downfall. Population control in China has been hurting the Chinese people and destroying the Chinese economy for a span of 65 years, and continues to cause conflict even today. The one-child policy that exists within China’s communist government has and will continue to devastate the Chinese economy if forced sterilizations and abortions continue.Population control in China has been prevalent in the Chinese economy ever since the communists took over china in 1949. When Mao Zedong took over as the dictator of China in the 1950’s, he proposed what he called â€Å"The Great Leap Forward† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1). This giant movement encouraged the peoples of China â€Å"to have as many kids as possible in order to prove China’s greatness as the world’s most populous country† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1). Due to a major increase in China’s population, â€Å"famine and disease† became a major concern for the Chinese government (â€Å"China† 1).The â€Å"Wan Xi Shao† Program was introduced as a way to regulate China’s population by â€Å"promoting later marriages, longer intervals between births, and fewer children† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 1). â€Å"Deng Xiaoping† proposed the â€Å"wan Xi Shao† program in 1978 when he came to power; however, it was not passed until 1979 (â€Å"China† 2). The Wan Xi Shao program eventually evolved into the one-child policy which Encouraged and promoted the same ideals as the Wan Xi Shao program, but provided government funds to those Chinese families that followed th e policies (Friedman 5).With no â€Å"birth-control policy before the communists took over China in 1949, the fertility rate was 3. 7% per year†; As of a census in 2002, â€Å"the annual fertility rate in china has been reduced to 1. 2%† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 4,5). Chinese families are currently being pressured into having only one child by the communist government and the policies held by the government in China. The one-child policy was â€Å"designed to curb the overpopulation from the 1950’s-1980’s by limiting families to having only one child† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 1).The One-child policy is mostly encouraged on â€Å"a local level† instead of a federal level (â€Å"China† 4). For each extra child, or â€Å"surplus† child, the family is required to pay fines and financial penalties. Also, these â€Å"surplus† children are ineligible for â€Å"extra bonuses and special programsâ €  funded by the Chinese government (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 4). In many rural parts of china, where the policy is less enforced, a family who has a first born female child may be allowed to have a second child â€Å"without being subjected to fees† (â€Å"China Passes the One-Child Policy† 5).This is because of the country’s traditional preference for boys; boys will regularly carry on the family name and care for their elderly parents. This is an example of the policy being enforced less federally and more locally where families can be accounted for. Also, in order to â€Å"promote ethnic minorities†, non-Han/Chinese families are encouraged to have more than one child without being subjected to any fees (â€Å"China† 6). However, even with these birth control policies in effect, â€Å"China’s population still ranks first in the world with 1,306,313,812 residents as of 2006† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 6).At this rate, â€Å"the number of people living in china is predicted to be as high as 1. 5 billion in 2025† (â€Å"One-child Policy† 7). If population regulation policies continue to be in effect in China, a massive gender imbalance may occur within the population of China. The Han, or Chinese culture’s, â€Å"traditional preference for boys† has led to many acquisitions of â€Å"female infanticide and abandonment† (Friedman 2). This means that because of the Han’s traditional preference boys, they have participated in killing off their female children.This may result in a large gender imbalance and may prove â€Å"disastrous to Chinese society in the future† (â€Å"One-child Policy†3). This imbalance within the Chinese population will eventually create a â€Å"shortage of women and leave some men unable to marry and reproduce† (Friedman 1). When these men will not be able to reproduce, a steady rise in â€Å"the il legal trafficking of women for marriage and prostitution† will occur in order to satisfy their needs (â€Å"One-child Policy† 13). Along with the rise in prostitution and trafficking of women, an increase in â€Å"the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases† will be imminent (Friedman 4).There are not many solutions to this particular problem and all of these solutions are delicate topics to discuss. The controversy on human rights in china is not likely to go away as long as it is argued in terms of â€Å"freedom vs. stability† (Shanor 2). As long as we are arguing for the people’s freedom of choice against the stability of a communist nation, a debate will never be won. Change may only come to china as it continues â€Å"to modernize and begins to see the extension of the rule of law not as a threat but as an advantage to its development† (Shanor 2).Winning this debate on human rights means â€Å"understanding that too much p ublic pressure of human rights† will only worsen the matter (Shanor 1). Only quite and gentle pressure could help such a change. The one-child policy is destroying the Chinese economy and social life within the Chinese government. The one-child policy has been in place for over 50 years and if it continues to prosper then life in china will not. Life in china will only head in a downward spiral. Population control must be terminated or it will continue to wreck and hurt the world’s economy.

Allusion in Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare uses allusion in the play Romeo and Juliet to reinforce the themes of young love and youth being impetuous. Throughout the play Shakespeare uses allusion to reinforce these themes by putting in myths that have tragic ends much like the end of the play. One myth that Shakespeare uses in the play many times is Cupid and Psyche. Cupid is the Roman god of love. The myth of Cupid is that there was a king that had three daughters and each of them was beautiful but not as much of the youngest Psyche.She was so beautiful that she left the altars of Venus, Cupid’s mother, deserted. Venus then sent out Cupid to punish Psyche for distracting all the men from her and make her fall in love with a hideous man. Instead, when Cupid sees Psyche he shoots himself with the arrow and falls in love with her. Psyche is never allowed to see Cupid but they marry. One day her sisters told Psyche that Cupid was actually a serpent and tells her to sneak a look. When she does this she realize s that Cupid is actually beautiful and Cupid leaves and says he will never see her again.After this Psyche begs for Venus to let her see Cupid again and Venus makes her do almost impossible tasks but succeeds them. After this Cupid asks Zeus to give her immortality so she will not distract mortal men from Venus. The mythical reference of Cupid and psyche refers to love at first sight between Romeo and Juliet. Cupid has the power to make anyone hit with his arrow to love the next person they see. Romeo and Juliet feel that they were both pierced by Cupid’s arrow when they met. This allusion refers to the theme, love at first sight.This theme is seen in the book as a very powerful theme because over the course of a week Romeo and Juliet create an immense love for each other that cannot be matched. That is how this allusion drives the theme of the play. Another myth that Shakespeare uses in the play is that of Phoebus and Phaeton. The myth of Phoebus and Phaeton is that a young boy who was the son of Phoebus thought he could do anything and was very impatient. One day the children at his school made fun of him and told him he couldn’t do everything.He went home to his mother and asked if he could do everything and she said yes because he was the son of the sun god Phoebus. She then told Phaeton to go ask Phoebus if he could do everything. He went to him and asked if he could do everything. Phoebus then promised him to let him do anything he wanted to try. Phaeton said he wanted to drive the chariot of the sun for one day. Phoebus then tries to get Phaeton to try something else but he refuses. He then goes on to say he will drive the chariot.Immediately after getting into the chariot Phaeton loses control of the horses because they knew it was not their master and did what they pleased. After a while of the horses wreaking havoc on the earth, Zeus struck down Phaeton and killed him and the horses immediately stopped. The allusion to Phaeton and Phoeb us helps drive the theme that youth is impetuous. The reason why this allusion supports one of the themes of the book is because in the play Romeo and Juliet both never thought about what they were about to go through with and how it might affect their lives.In the myth Phaeton never realizes that his father may be right in not letting him ride the chariot because it is extremely dangerous to someone with no experience. All of the characters in the story that were impetuous had early demises because of there impulsivity and having no regard of the repercussions of what may happen to them. Impetuousness also led to the demise of Tybalt and Mercutio in the play by them not thinking of the dangers if they fought. Those are the reasons why the allusion drives the theme of the play.Another allusion that Shakespeare uses in the play is the myth of Echo and Narcissus. The myth of Echo is that she is a nymph who loves to talk and is always talking and always has to get the last word in. One day Hera casts a spell on her so that she can only get the last word and says exactly what the person said and can never be the first. In one myth Echo meets Narcissus whom she falls in love with at first sight. Narcissus has a spell on him in which he cannot love anyone but himself. Echo tries to make contact with him but only annoys him because she repeats everything he says.When one of the nymphs prays to the avenging goddess to let Narcissus feel what it’s like to have affection but not have it returned. When he goes to drink water he sees his reflection and never leaves it because it is too beautiful. After gazing at it for a long time he dies. After he dies Echo goes into a cave until she dies. The allusion to Echo and Narcissus drive the theme of love at first sight. The reason why that theme is supported by the myth is because as soon as Echo saw Narcissus she loved him. If Narcissus wasn’t so in love with himself he may have loved her back.But in the end Echo and Narcissus both died for a love that wouldn’t happen and was cursed from the start. In Romeo and Juliet this is seen because Romeo and Juliet both loved each other but there love was forsaken because of there different families and flaws in there personalities. Juliet also says that if Romeo does not want to have her love then she will go into a cave and die there as Echo did. Another allusion that Shakespeare uses in the play is the one of Aurora, the goddess of dawn. The myth of Aurora is that she falls in love with the son of the king of Troy.She asks Zeus to grant him physical immortality in which he would live forever but he would still age. After he had lived far passed that of a normal mortal should have he lost the power to use his limbs. After he became extremely weak Aurora turned him into a grasshopper. The myth of Aurora helps drive the theme of love at first sight because she fell in love with Tithonus and always loved him even when he was a grasshopper and a n old man. In the play Romeo did not get out of bed because Rosaline had rejected him and he didn’t want to leave his room and he tried to create night in the daytime because he was depressed.After he met Juliet Romeo became extremely happy and this shows the theme of youth being impetuous also because he got over Rosaline so quickly. That is how the allusion helps drive the themes from the book. Once last allusion that Shakespeare in the play is the myth of Hermes. The myth of Hermes is about a messenger who was born by Jupiter and a mortal woman. He goes on to steal cattle from the sun god Apollo very sneakily. Apollo tells Zeus about this and then Hermes has to give them back. Apollo later goes on to forgive him and Hermes makes a lyre for him.After he grows up he is assigned to lead dead souls into the underworld. He was also promoted to watch Apollo’s herds when he was younger. This allusion supports the theme youth is impetuous because in the play to show that Ro meo wants to get the message to Juliet fast that he wants her love. Hermes the winged messenger could do it and get the message to Juliet faster than anyone. Romeo also uses it as a way to show that Hermes is delivering a message to him from heaven that he should be with Juliet. Those are the allusions that help drive the theme of the play.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Education College Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Education College - Personal Statement Example Besides, I could encourage my parents to save money by having a 401K. At work, I am always seeking ways to be creative to streamline my reporting. For example, I support the sales group and I tried to view expense reports in detail because I needed to fulfill my business partner's needs. It was quite sure for me that someone in corporate would be able to provide me with the data I was requesting. I contacted corporate and after talking to several departments I was able to obtain the report that was needed. I am persistent and won't stop enquiry until getting the answer. My parents motivate me when it comes down to education. They are not educated and my form of paying them back is to continue my education. Thanks to my parents as they gave me chance to continue in a country that provides me facilities to advance my education. This country offers me enough opportunities to continue my education regardless of age, gender and ethnicity. I am the first generation of my family living in the United that has earned a college degree and hopefully I will also be the first one obtaining a masters degree. If admitted to the program, I will bring with me my enthusiasm, dedication, and stalwart work ethics. I am proud of what I have accomplished till this moment in my life and see much of it as a stepping stone towards a successful future in the business world.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Managerial Economics in MBA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managerial Economics in MBA - Essay Example Measuring marginal opportunity cost should reflect the intricate ecological and physical inter-linkages that exist within an ecosystem, allowing for the relationship between soil erosion, deforestation, sedimentation, and stream-flow. In turn, the marginal opportunity cost is comprised of direct costs from the use of resources, externalities that arise from inter-linkages of the ecosystem, and user component that comes from the use of resources in a non-sustainable way. 1. Most of Europe’s coal mines have closed down. There are still large reserves of coal available. Under what circumstances would you envisage businesses opening up coal mines and exploiting these resources? Europe still possesses plenty of coal resource reserves. In some cases, these are not easy to access although they can still be mined. The question that arises when considering the probability of their exploitation is their economic viability. The decline witnessed in the 80s regarding mining of coal, as well as the closure of mines, was done because extraction costs for coal became too high given the shifting focus of the global market (Ali & Jeffrey 21). The market began to move towards the use of gas to produce electricity, as well as the use of coal from countries where mining was extra economically viable. However, as Europe becomes a net exporter of gas and oil again as supplies start to run out, they will be forced to be more reliant on supplies of gas from unfriendly economies like Russia or price-hiking Sheikhs from the Middle East. As the price of gas continues to rise due to these factors, the development of technology will alter the relationship that exists between coalâ €™s marginal cost and its marginal revenue (Ali & Jeffrey 21). Another way that coal could become viable again is a new method of making it clean in order to offset its environmental destruction (Ali & Jeffrey 29). Coal causes major environmental destruction, and for its marginal revenue to be above its marginal costs, then it has to be cleaned. Several European countries have begun efforts towards this. One technology, which could see the environmental cost of coal go down, is carbon capture technology.