Socialism in The Jungle Essay - 1109 Words

Socialism in The Jungle The Rudkus family arrived from Lithuania to find Chicago as a city in which justice and honor, womens bodies and mens souls, were for sale in the marketplace, and human beings writhed and fought and fell upon each other like wolves in the pit, in which lusts were raging fires, and men were fuel, and humanity was festering and stewing and wallowing in its own corruption. (Pg.165) The city, during the time span of the novel, was truly a jungle-like society in which Upton Sinclair found much fault and great room for improvement. Sinclair perceived the problem in American society to be the reign of capitalism. In The Jungle, he presented the reader with the Rudkus family; who encountered a great deal of†¦show more content†¦Courts at this time were solidly pro-business, and not receptive to workers claims of employer responsibility for workplace accidents. Jurgis and his family were faced with many predicaments related to these poor surroundings and circumstances. The family hastily saw that they must enter the competition forced upon them in a social Darwinist fashion. When he first arrived in Packingtown, Jurgis found work quickly in the meat packing industry because of his strong, young stature. As the years went by, however, and he grew plagued with injuries and financial troubles, Jurgis found work to be evermore difficult to obtain and hold. The social system cracked down on the family and offered nowhere for the Rudkus to turn for help. Not only did the family stumble upon difficulties in their workplaces, but in basic living conditions as well. Jurgis and his family witnessed such atrocities, as baby Antanas tragically drowning in the unpaved roads, devastating financial loss through misinformation concerning the purchase and custody of their house, and unsanitary meat packed and sold for regular consumption. Such incredible pandemonium was involved with virtually all of the Rudkus familys daily activities and never ceased to cause anxiety and worry in their overburdened lives. This desolation drove family members to radical attempts at survival and hope for some means of liberation from their atrocious new lives in America. AtShow MoreRelatedSocialism in The Jungle1715 Words   |  7 PagesSocialism in â€Å"The Jungle† By Tyler Dobson Sinclair’s  The Jungle  is a novel that tends to advocate for socialism as a remedy for the evils of capitalism that has dominated a society. Upton Sinclair’s piece was written in 1906, at a time when many European immigrants had migrated to the United States with the hope of becoming prosperous in their lives. However, their expectations were not met as some of them ended up being unemployed and those who managed to get jobs like Jurgis Rudkus inRead MoreSocialism And Capitalism In Upton Sinclairs The Jungle876 Words   |  4 PagesSinclair is trying to argue in his novel, The Jungle. Sinclair makes a strong case for Socialism, describing why capitalism is bound to fail. Instead of having the desired effect of making the world aware of Socialism, his tactics of muckraking and yellow journalism to expose the conditions in the meatpacking facilities took the world by storm. Sinclair’s vivid depictions of life in the Chicago stockyard changed the world in 1906, but it did not bring Socialism into the public eye as he had hoped; insteadRead MoreSocialism And Capitalism In Upton Sinclairs The Jungle1003 Words   |  5 PagesSInclair’s novel, The Jungle, is a novel based on the â€Å"Gilded Age† in american history. It is the life of a working man named Jurgis Rudkus and as the story progresses, it shows the corruption and dishonesty of the people during this time period, as well as their reasoning behind their actions. Also as the novel continued, it showed the authors inspiration for the title of this novel. Throughout the book, Upton Sinclair had scattered metaphors as to why Capitalism is corrupt and why Socialism is better. WithRead MorePromoting Socialism Through Animalistic Connotations in â€Å"The Jungle†981 Words   |  4 PagesIn Upton Sinclair’s novel â€Å"The Jungle† the use of animalistic terms and connotations in the depictions of both the people and the politics created persuasiv e arguments for socialism and against capitalism. Christopher Phelps’ Introduction states, â€Å"As a metaphor, ‘jungle’ denoted the ferocity of dog-eat-dog competition, the barbarity of exploitative work, the wilderness of urban life, the savagery of poverty, the crudity of political corruption, and the primitiveness of the doctrine of survivalRead MoreThe Jungle Of Upton Sinclair1670 Words   |  7 Pages Amanda Poe The Jungle Paper Dr. Barnhart 03/10/17 The Jungle Upton Sinclair came from a life of struggle. He did not start school until after he was ten years old, but was in college by the age of fourteen. He attended City College of New York until he was eighteen, and then he attended Columbia postgraduate. He studied literature, music, history, and philosophy. Sinclair’s childhood was a rough one. He saw two different sides to social class. Since his father was an alcoholic and wouldRead MoreAnalysis Of The BookThe Jungle, By Upton Sinclair1636 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Jungle† is a novel by a renowned author by the name of Upton Sinclair. He is an American author who had an interest in addressing the improper conduct of the political and business class. He was born on September 20, 1878, in Baltimore, Maryland. As an author, he was able to publish several novels addressing important issues in the society. His novels include â€Å"The Springtime and Harvest,† which was his first novel in 1901 and â€Å"The Jungle † among many others. Through his work and dedication, heRead MoreEssay on The American Dream in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Jr.967 Words   |  4 Pagespolitics† (dictionary.com). Upton Sinclair gained fame in the early 1900’s from his muckraking novel, The Jungle, describing the life of a young Lithuanian immigrant, Jurgis, living in Chicago in pursuit of the American dream. Jurgis found out that America isn’t as good as it appeared; with higher wages came more expensive goods, and with cheaper houses came higher interest rates. The Jungle, a fictional novel, tells of the real horrors of working in a Chicago meat packing factory. Sinclair had goneRead MoreDorthy Day ´s Reaction to Upton Sinclair ´s The Jungle Essay860 Words   |  4 Pagestime that she began to read Upton Sinclairs The Jungle. Sinclair was a socialist whom Day most likely would have strongly related to. Day was a part of the Christian Socialist Movement and sympathized with a lot of Sinclairs ideals. At the time she was introduced to The Jungle, Dorothy Day lived in Chicago with her family. Coindentally, The Jungle was set in Chicago, and so Day could further relate to the realities depicted in the novel. The Jungle dealt with the cruel and shocking truths behindRead MoreUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-Packing Industry1072 Words   |  5 Pagesbook, The Jungle. Sinclair agreed to investigate working conditions in Chicagos meatpacking plants, for the Socialist journal, Appeal to Reason, in 1904. The Jungle, published in 1906, is Sinclairs most popular and influential work. It is also his first of many muckraker pieces. In order to improve society, muckrakers wanted to expose any injustice on human rights or well-being. Therefore, it was Sinclairs goal to expose the harsh treatment of factory workers through The Jungle. The improvementRead MoreEssay about Upton Sinclair And The Chicago Meat-Packing Industry1094 Words   |  5 Pagesbook, The Jungle. Sinclair agreed to investigate working conditions in Chicagos meatpacking plants, for the Socialist journal, Appeal to Reason, in 1904. The Jungle, published in 1906, is Sinclairs most popular and influential work. It is also his first of many muckraker pieces. In order to improve society, muckrakers wanted to expose any injustice on human rights or well-being. Therefore, it was Sinclairs goal to expose the harsh treatment of factory workers through The Jungle. The improvement

Classical Rome And Classical Greece - 1498 Words

The contemporary United States has been influenced by many ancient civilizations, mainly Classical Rome and Classical Greece. Even though Greece had a tremendous influence over our civilization, out of these two classical civilizations, I believe that Classical Rome has had a bigger impact on many aspects of the contemporary United States. In this essay, I am going to examine the political system, economic system, and the architecture of the Classical Rome Empire, and explain how these influenced the contemporary United States. The political system of Classical Rome was the base of the United States’ political system. Even though the founding fathers were also influenced by Classical Greece, Romans’ political system was developed to govern a larger population (Rome vs. US). The Romans were the ones to develop a form of government known as republic. In this type of government, officials are elected to govern the state and to represent the voters. Unlike the Greeks, whic h developed democracy, where citizens were allowed to directly participate in the decision making part of the government (Power, Politics, and You Enrichment). This type of government would work perfectly on a small civilization, but not in the US. In the United States, we vote to select our representatives because our population is very large. It would be very chaotic to allow every single citizen to participate; we would never be able to come to an agreement. In the beginning of the Roman Republic,Show MoreRelatedClassical Civilizations of Ancient Greece, Rome, and China Essay897 Words   |  4 Pagescivilizations of Greece, Rome, and China have done this, but what sets them apart from the others is their lasting significance and lasting impact they had on the world. For this reason, they are considered classical civilizations. To describe how Greece, Rome, and Han China are classical, there are three systems that are used; these are Economic, Social, and Political. Out of these three classical civilizations, Greece came first in history. An important invention of Greece was its plumbingRead MoreClassical Influences On Modern Films And Literature1171 Words   |  5 PagesVuong Khuat Classical influences on modern films and literature Classical Greece and Rome were ancient civilizations that existed 2500 years ago, and are regarded by numerous scholars as the foundation of humanities in various fields. In popular culture, Ancient Greece and Rome are portrayed substantially in books and movies; however, not many people are aware of how they also shape our thoughts, ideals, and motivations. Through an analysis of classical elements often portrayed in popularRead MoreAncient Greece And Rome Vs. Rome1179 Words   |  5 PagesClassical Greece and Rome were ancient civilizations that existed 2500 years ago, and are regarded by numerous scholars as the foundation of humanities in various fields. In popular culture, Ancient Greece and Rome are portrayed substantially in books and movies; however, not many people are aware of how they also shape our thoughts, ideals, and motivations. Through an analysis of classical elements often portrayed in popular media, this essay attempts to illustrate how the representation of a ncientRead MoreThe Classical Style Of The Ancient Greece And The United States1141 Words   |  5 PagesNeo- Classicism in France and the United States The classical style of the ancient Athens, derived from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome in the 15th century, has had a universal impact on many cultures during previous time periods. The classical period reflected traditional forms focused on symmetry and elegance; it flourished during the time of the Renaissance through artist such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo De Vinci. The artists’ main goal was to attain the absolute beauty in their artRead MoreThe Influence of the Greeks and Romans on Architecture894 Words   |  4 Pagestimelessness.† (Gehry, 2012). What Frank Gehry was trying to say in simple terms was our culture cannot do without proper appreciation of its classical roots and it goes without saying that the Romans and Greeks have influenced art and architecture with its classical style in a number of different ways. Allow me to give a definition for the word classical. â€Å"Classical† refers to any art or architecture modelled after ancient Rom an or Greek styles. In this essay I will be discussing what the word architectureRead MoreDifferences And Similarities Between Ancient Greece And Rome864 Words   |  4 PagesAncient Greeks and Romans, some of the similarities are their government and their arts and literature. Their first similarity is in their government. In Greece, Pericles was an important figure in Athenian politics between 461 B.C. And 429 B.C., during this time Athens expanded its empire abroad while democracy grew at home. The period of classical Athenian and Greek history was called the Age of Pericles. Pericles created a direct democracy, which is a system of government in which the people participateRead MoreClassical Greek Period The Anactoria Poem Analysis1489 Words   |  6 Pages Classical Greek Period: The Anactoria Poem Shaina C. Bretag Western Governors University #000700845 Initial Thoughts A1. Upon reading The Anactoria Poem, my initial thought was that this was a poem written by a man about a woman. He says most people think that the power and exquisiteness of a grand army or fleet is the most beautiful sight in the world, but it is in the eye of the beholder. My initial thought was that this is a love poem that illustrates the power of love or maybe even lustRead MoreComparison Between Roman And Roman Civilization1622 Words   |  7 Pages The fresco was based upon an event in the history of Rome famous at the time, the encounter between Pope Leo the Great and Attila the Hun. Although the fresco has historical inaccuracies within it, the fresco as an allusion to classical civilization was clear. Although the actual event was at Mantua, the picture implied that the event occurred at Rome, perhaps to evoke more strong memories of Roman civilization. The event marked the end of the Hunnic invasion, and represented one of the last momentsRead MoreClassical Societies Essay1135 Words   |  5 PagesClassical Societies Essay There is a tremendous amount of artwork from classical societies that still inspires artists and art enthusiasts today. Art can reveal an extensive amount of information regarding the culture of the society from which it was created. To analyze artwork in relation to the culture of the society, the artwork must be studied in a variety of ways. The artwork that will be examined will be the Parthenon from the Classical Greece period, the Nike of Samothrace from theRead MoreClassical Societies : China, Athens, And Rome Essay876 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Societies: China, Athens, and Rome: Review of Social, Economic, Political, and Cultural Situations The three areas of classical civilizations developed their cultural beliefs, lifestyles, political institutions, and social structures. However, there were significant similarities among them. Patriarchal values thrived in these civilizations. The male dominated family structure with loyalty and obedience heavily stressed in China s homes. Chinas Patriarchal society reinforced by Confucian

World War I The Overthrow of the Romantic Essay Example For Students

World War I: The Overthrow of the Romantic Essay World War I changed this perspective forever. World War I was no exception to this initial romanticism. The men heading off to war were written in glorious terms as patriotic heroes, the women were depicted as faithful handmaidens, fulfilling the needs of their men. The men who served were on the battlefield, living through the day-to-day horrors of the trenches. The women were kept behind the lines, assisting in the processes of war from helping with the building of munitions, to serving as nurses to the wounded, to staying behind to mourn the loss of loved ones. All of this was reflected initially in the writings of both men and women. The shift in perspective was slow to arrive but arrive it eventually did as a result of a growing new political movement sweeping through Britain. Thanks to the emergence of the suffrage movement, women were slowly getting acclimatized to a new role, one that pronounced their independence, and announced that they could say and feel and do as they chose and as they believed. If they knew the truth, they could for the first time reflect upon it and let the world see it from their perspective. As the growth of independent thought of the female perspective grew so too did that of the male develop as well. As each gender learned to express TTS true feelings within the context of the times the grim realities of the war experience could be revealed to the world. As each gender reflected on the war, men with the harsh truth of the experience and women with the ability to write as a faction that finally mattered (even with the limitations that gender placed upon them), each faction could effectively portray the Great War as it really was. The initial reactions of both genders to war were virtually identical war was viewed in the most romantic of senses, with no real connection to the pain and suffering that war invokes. War was romantic, altruistic, and it was heroic. As time passed, war could no longer be viewed with this pastoral naivety. It was ugly, it was brutal, and it was senseless. Reality set in for the boys in khaki and for the women who soon came to realize that many of their men might never return home. Young men suddenly learned that war was not what they had anticipated, and their writings started to reflect on the brutality and ugliness of their conditions. As their perceptions changed, so too did those of the women back home and this time their political independence and free thinking played a role as never before in expressing their heartfelt beliefs ND views of war. The women of Great Britain, already amidst the womens suffrage movement, were further reinforced in their independence, to living in a world in which they could say and feel and do. If they knew the truth, it was now time to reflect upon it and to let the world see it from their perspective. As each gender reflected on the war, the men with the grim reality of experience and the women with the ability to write as a faction that mattered even with the limitations that gender placed upon them, each faction could more effectively portray the Great War as it really was. The switch in perspective was slow to emerge but once it gained momentum it was hard to contain. Initially war was depicted in the usual romantic way. However, things were starting to change as shown in the poem The Dragon and the Undying by Siegfried Swanson. Initially it appears that this poem is Just another somewhat romantic vision of war but looking more closely we see something else. The enemy and perhaps war itself is portrayed as a fearsome dragon it Reaches with grappling coils from town to town;/He lusts to break the loveliness of Spenserian hurls their martyred music toppling down. In lines three to five we view this enraged east as powerful and widespread, destroying not only the defenses of the towns it conquers but seeking to destroy the hearts of the people through their religion, as referenced by the spires of the churches and the music of their martyrs. Through these lines we get the feeling that war destroys not only bodies but hope and faith and culture as well. War is not so romantic anymore! This theme of destruction continues throughout the next lines. At line seven, we become aware of the slain, homeless as the breeze, references perhaps to those who died on the battlefield, unburied and unblended as they passed from this world. Their faces are the fair, enshrouded night, implies that these men are young and fair, enshrouded possibly being another mention to the lack of last rites, they are enshrines and thus not prepared to enter heaven. Yet, they tenderly stoop towards earth, to hail the burning heavens they left unsung. This last line, while still dealing with those who have been slain by the dragon that is the enemy, is a reminder again of the youth of the slain, with so much left unsung, earthbound yet reaching towards heaven. Still somewhat romantic, this poem at least attempts to give a more gritty depiction of the horrors of AR, its destructive qualities, its effects on all aspects of life and perhaps notably afterlife as well. Poetry written by women feeling the early stages of the war seemed to be rather sentimental to say the least. This can be clearly demonstrated by Marina Allens lament The Wind on the Downs in which she writes as a woman left behind to mourn. This poem avoids any depiction of violence or horror but rather deals strictly with loss and denial: Because they tell me, dear, that you are adjudicates I can no longer see your face,/You have not died, it is not true, instantaneous seek adventure in mom other place. This poem acknowledges the war with only one word khaki. It is the tragic romance of the lost hero that is the source of inspiration, and it is from the perspective of the woman left behind, whose life is one of waiting for the soldier who will never return home. Allen treats us to a romantic stroll in which she is able demonstrate her feelings for her love, yet once again, denies the reader the modernity that identifies this war as a stepping point for British literature. Discuss the form and poetic qualities of "Easter Wings." EssayIt is the voice of the independent woman that is beginning to carry through the war, not Just the women left to mourn and ponder the heroism of their men, but those that made a success of it, through their patriotic spirit or independence. Suddenly he voices of women were heard, published in the daily papers and lifted up for being of use to the war effort. The above two female poets, rather traditional in their beliefs, reflect the growing movement of the voice of women, a voice that is neither romantic nor sentimental, but one that is reflective of their own personal viewpoints. It is impossible not to ignore the voices of the women who served on the fields of the war itself. Their voices begged to be heard. Eva Double was a British nurse who wrote the poem Pluck about one of her patients, a young man whose legs were smashed in the trenches. The reality of nursing during the war was horrible, with lice- infested, mud-crusted uniforms, bloody bandages, gaping shrapnel wounds, hideously infected fractures, mustard gas burns, frantic coughing and choking from phosgene inhalation, groans and shrieks of pain, trauma from exposure, fatigue, and emotional collapse. (Gavin, 43) However, despite these conditions, her pity for him resounds throughout the poem. He is A child so wasted and so white,/He told a lie to get his way. This is the voice of the woman who has followed the soldiers to war, and who has seen the horror of it firsthand. She sees clearly the child who So broke with pain, he shrinks in dread/. /And winds the clothes about his head/That none may see his heart-sick fear. /His shaking, strangled sobs you hear. Doubles voice is clear, seeing the boy behind the soldier, scared and shaking, a child who lied about his age to be a man and help to fight the war. She knows that in the end, Hell face us all, a soldier yet and her poem remarks on the contrast between the wounded boy and the pride of a soldier who while wounded is not broken. Here we have a female poet experiencing first hand the horrors of war, who knows that soldiers are Just youths, ho knows that war kills and maims. She is willing to share that opinion with the rest of the world through the strong and independent voice of her poetry. Slowly emerging through the voices of male poets in this period is the concept that war is brutal, ugly, horrific. Written as a preface to a never published book, Wilfred Owen said: My subject is war, and the pity of war. The poetry is in the pity. (Williams, 3) He shows this perspective as he decries the hypocrisy of the romance of war in his poem, Disabled, as he describes a legless soldier, sent home from the war. Another boy who had asked to Join. He didnt have to beg;/Smiling they wrote his lie: aged nineteen years. Yet this boy is not in the hospital and does not have the kind nurse to care for him, instead he sits in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark. This soldiers story is one of a return home and of what awaits, and while it cries out for pity as a tragedy, it is also a limiting tale. It tells of the limits of the wounded soldier, not of his pride, but of his fall from wholeness, taking whatever pity they may dole. The young man who Joined the war to look a god in kilts. And maybe too, to please his Meg is now the tragic fugue. It closes with this same sense of helplessness: How cold and late it is! Why dont they come/And put him into bed? Why dont they come? Clearly, the romance of war is gone, replaced by the horrible aftereffects. According to Oscar Williams, war poetry is an unpopular and unread art form, as most people do not have the courage to face honestly the facts of others intense suffering. It is easier to have the attention diverted, the guilt of responsibility converted into a conviction that the suffering is Justified since it is in a noble cause. (Williams, 5) It is this initial reaction that the poetry of World War I displays, sing romantic and sentimental terms so as to inspire the people of Great Britain, rather than scare them with the vivid truth of life in the trenches. Where initially patriotism and the call to duty are treated with exuberance and romanticism by authors of both sexes, both men and women develop their own perspectives men reacting to the horrors of the front, and women responding to the tragedies of losing loved ones, going to work and facing the front alongside the men as they helped to treat the wounded and dying. World War I came as the womens suffrage movement was at its most violent and hose women who had once sung out for the vote used these same voices to call for their country and to support their government, which in turn resulted in a strong female voice throughout the war. These women can also see clearly that their voices are important amidst this battle and that they too can be of service to their country, either by recording vignettes of the war as they see it or by pushing the men to bear arms for their country. Each sex matters, each sex has a different perspective, and both of these perspectives are worth examining what truly is wonderful is that we can finally hear both factions. And as the voices emerged, there appeared to be a common chord in the song of war it was no longer the sentimental, it was no longer heroic.

Women as Political Leaders an Example by

Women as Political Leaders America has seen great women for centuries whose achievements gave pride to the country. Today, their influence goes beyond the borders of homes and into the corridors of power as they become presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, and legislators. Women occupy half of the population in the world and comprise 50% of the workforce. Indeed, there is a need for women as political leaders to address fully the issues and problems facing a nation like the United States. The presence of women in government is very essential to democracy as they balance opinion in policy-making decisions. Women have proven their ability as world leaders and public servants symbolized by Britains Margaret Thatcher and Indias Indira Gandhi. Lately, Nancy Pelosi made history as the first woman to assume House Speaker of the US Congress. Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice occupied powerful seats in the cabinet as State Secretary with excellent track records. Need essay sample on "Women as Political Leaders" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed People Usually Tell EssayLab support: Who wants to write paper for me? Rely On Our Help In Essay Writing In the Philippines, two women were elevated to the presidency through a peoples revolution to replace two corrupt leaders. A simple housewife Corazon Aquino defeated the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos while the current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo liberated the Filipinos from Joseph Estrada now detained for plunder. With their brand of leadership skills, the women have shown their worth and what they can do. Women want to influence the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their families, the political economy, and destiny of their communities and nations, as well as the structure of international relations. Political participation and representation are essential for the achievement of these end (Banerjee and Oquist 3). Despite their strong presence in politics, the women still suffer discrimination and stereotyping as regards to their traditional roles as wife and mother. Ironically in America, the number one democratic country, women are misrepresented in gover nment where only 16 out of 100 senators are females, and only 71 out of 435 representatives in Congress are females. The US places 68th in the ranking worldwide regarding the number of women having government posts. Some studies reveal that women, as leaders, are good in building partnerships and strengthening relationships to bring people together in a consensus by bridging the gap of groups with diverse views. According to Mary Hawkesworth, director of the Center for Women and Politics, women are great negotiators and effective advocates for many causes. Women tend to ask more questions to listen to all sides of the problems and come up with better solutions. They are inclined to make legislation or formulate policies that have a social impact like health care, education, environment, child support, employment, finance, and family values. Listening to womens voices might also bring fresh perspectives and insights into the values debates. Women living, working, and building communities at the grassroots of American society may have a different voice about what moral values mean and what they demand of American citizens. Their ideas may change the way we debate politics and policymaking about a variety of issues (Caiazza 1). A study by the United Nations showed that women lead in resolving conflicts and promoting peace and security. They are good communicators, creative, and able to perform multi-tasking activities just like in the homes where they cook, raise children, and do all sorts of household chores. Unlike men, they do not normally seek personal glory but focus on what they can contribute engaging mostly in collaborative politics. In another study conducted by Hagberg Consulting Group in California where 425 corporate executives were evaluated, the women scored very high in everything they did and were graded as effective leaders than men. They also received high marks when it comes to reliability since they are less confrontational and give importance to what direction to take. Further research disclosed that women are more honest and trustworthy than men because they have higher moral and ethical standards. Research sponsored by the World Bank has shown that countries with a high number of wome n in parliament enjoy lower levels of corruption. It also concluded that women are less likely to be involved in bribery and that corruption is less severe where women make up a large share of senior government officials as well as the labor force (Hunt 2). Also, women have the high tolerance when everything seems discouraging and possess the emotional strength to hold on hope. However, despite their competitiveness and capabilities, women continue to face several obstacles to make it to the top. First, politics is predominantly cultured by men. Second, women running for public office often lack support from various organizations. Third, they do not have access to well-developed educational and training system. Fourth, most women lack confidence in themselves. Nevertheless, women have contributed significantly to the economic, political, and social structure of any country. Their vision calls for cooperation of every citizen to shape a more productive nation. While the debate about enfranchisement of women and participation of women in decision making often focuses on issues of justice, equity, and human rights, the representation of women and the inclusion of their perspective and experience into the decision-making process will inevit ably lead to solutions that are more viable and satisfy a broader range of society. That is why women should be part of the process and why it matters: all of the society benefits as we find better and more appropriate solutions for our problems (Ballington and Karan 15). Slowly, public opinion on women as leaders is transforming to a positive attitude. However, there is also a need to change notions that in taking charge of a country or society women should not be forced to act like men but be themselves without losing their female qualities. By this time, women are now ready to take on the world, and they deserve our support. References Hamadeh-Banerjee, Lina, and Oquist, Paul. Womens Political Participation and Good Governance: 21st Century Challenges. United Nations Development Programme. 2000. Caiazza, Amy Ph.D. The Ties That Bind: Womens Public Vision for Politics, Religion, and Civil Society. Institute for Womens Policy Research. Hunt, Swanee. Let women Rule. Foreign Affairs, May-June 2007. Ballington, Julie and Karam, Azza. Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Revised Edition. 2005.

Free Essays on Causes Of The American Civil War

The South, which was known as the Confederate States of America, seceded from the North, which was also known as the Union, for many different reasons. The reason they wanted to succeed was because there was four decades of great sectional conflict between the two. Between the North and South there were deep economic, social, and political differences. The South wanted to become an independent nation. There were many reasons why the South wanted to succeed but the main reason had to do with the North’s view on slavery. All of this was basically a different interpretation of the United States Constitution on both sides. In the end all of these disagreements on both sides led to the Civil War, in which the North won. There were a few reasons other then the slavery issue, that the South disagreed on and that persuaded them to succeed from the Union. Basically the North favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution. They wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states. The North also wanted internal improvements sponsored by the federal government. This was more roads, railroads, and canals. The South, on the other hand, did not want these projects to be done at all. Also the North wanted to develop a tariff. With a high tariff, it protected the Northern manufacturer. It was bad for the South because a high tariff would not let the south trade its cotton for foreign goods. The North also wanted a good banking and currency system and federal subsidies for shipping and internal improvements. The South felt these were discriminatory and that they favored Northern commercial interests. Now the main reason for the South’s secession was the Slavery issue. Basically the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South was going to do anything they co... Free Essays on Causes Of The American Civil War Free Essays on Causes Of The American Civil War The South, which was known as the Confederate States of America, seceded from the North, which was also known as the Union, for many different reasons. The reason they wanted to succeed was because there was four decades of great sectional conflict between the two. Between the North and South there were deep economic, social, and political differences. The South wanted to become an independent nation. There were many reasons why the South wanted to succeed but the main reason had to do with the North’s view on slavery. All of this was basically a different interpretation of the United States Constitution on both sides. In the end all of these disagreements on both sides led to the Civil War, in which the North won. There were a few reasons other then the slavery issue, that the South disagreed on and that persuaded them to succeed from the Union. Basically the North favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution. They wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states. The North also wanted internal improvements sponsored by the federal government. This was more roads, railroads, and canals. The South, on the other hand, did not want these projects to be done at all. Also the North wanted to develop a tariff. With a high tariff, it protected the Northern manufacturer. It was bad for the South because a high tariff would not let the south trade its cotton for foreign goods. The North also wanted a good banking and currency system and federal subsidies for shipping and internal improvements. The South felt these were discriminatory and that they favored Northern commercial interests. Now the main reason for the South’s secession was the Slavery issue. Basically the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South was going to do anything they co... Free Essays on Causes Of The American Civil War The South, which was known as the Confederate States of America, seceded from the North, which was also known as the Union, for many different reasons. The reason they wanted to succeed was because there was four decades of great sectional conflict between the two. Between the North and South there were deep economic, social, and political differences. The South wanted to become an independent nation. There were many reasons why the South wanted to succeed but the main reason had to do with the North’s view on slavery. All of this was basically a different interpretation of the United States Constitution on both sides. In the end all of these disagreements on both sides led to the Civil War, in which the North won. There were a few reasons other then the slavery issue, that the South disagreed on and that persuaded them to succeed from the Union. Basically the North favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution. They wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states. The North also wanted internal improvements sponsored by the federal government. This was more roads, railroads, and canals. The South, on the other hand, did not want these projects to be done at all. Also the North wanted to develop a tariff. With a high tariff, it protected the Northern manufacturer. It was bad for the South because a high tariff would not let the south trade its cotton for foreign goods. The North also wanted a good banking and currency system and federal subsidies for shipping and internal improvements. The South felt these were discriminatory and that they favored Northern commercial interests. Now the main reason for the South’s secession was the Slavery issue. Basically the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South was going to do anything they co...

7 Ways to Get Promotedâ€Beyond Just Working Hard

7 Ways to Get Promoted- Beyond Just Working Hard Think you can just slog away as diligently as you can and then everything else will fall into place? Think again. Just putting your head down and working hard is not enough. Don’t just imagine some omniscient presence is watching your performance at every turn and taking note of how well you’re doing. Here are a few concrete things to do to put yourself in a position to be promoted, beyond just showing up and working hard.1. Do something significant.So many rookies ask for a raise or a promotion without having done anything to earn it. Sure, they’ve worked hard. But they haven’t done the kind of specific work needed to grow as a leader or apply their talents and skills in a targeted way to help the company with what it needs most. Rise above. Then ask for a raise.2. Keep track of your successes.You should keep a running document of your accomplishments. Project start and end dates, significant milestones, quantifiable results, and thanks or congratulatory notes. This will be your arsenal when the time comes to prove your worthiness for promotion.3. Log professional development.Anytime you participate in a professional development activity- and you should be doing this!- log it. Keep track of courses, dates, names, contacts, etc. And file any new licenses or certificates you achieve, as well.4. Build a support team of mentors.You can’t get where you want to go without help. It takes a village- or, really, a team. Build bridges between you and your colleagues, supervisors, peers, managers, etc. Think about the ecosystem in which you’re operating. Learn its quirks and learn to thrive as a member of that climate. The best thing about scoring good mentors is that you might just land yourself a sponsor or ally who might be in the decision-making room when you aren’t and can make your case.5. Think ahead.Long before your review, sit down with your boss and make sure you know what tangible goals you should be working tow ards. Make sure you know the metrics you’ll be judged on when it comes time for promotion. Make a list of desired (or required) achievements. Then make sure your review is scheduled when it’s supposed to happen. If your first review comes and goes with no promotion, make sure you ask your boss what you’d need to do in the next six months to get there.6. Don’t wait to lead.Leadership opportunities won’t necessarily come to you. You have to seek them out. Lead a project, chair a committee, take charge of something. This will give you the exposure and visibility you need. Then just make sure you’re doing excellent work and maintaining your new role as leader.7. Branch out.It’s not just all about your company. Make sure to stay current. Network, interact, and yes, even interview at different companies in your field. Your employer isn’t the be all and end all. Anything could happen. Staying fresh and connected to the greater industr y not only means you’ll land on your feet if any shake-ups or lay-offs come around, but also that you will be seen as more valuable when the promotions start coming around.

Three Network Topologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Three Network Topologies - Essay Example Here the first topology we use for our company is BUS: The bus topology is frequently referred to as a "linear bus" for the reason that the computers are linked in a straight line. This is the easiest and mainly common technique of networking computer. By this our company’s whole computer is connected to main server so that whole data can be seen on main server.1 Next the second topology we use is STAR: In the star topology, wire sections from every computer are linked to a centralized part that is called a hub. Signals are broadcasted from the transmitting PC throughout the hub to all PCs on the network. This topology invented in the early on days of computing while computers were linked to a centralized mainframe workstation. This topology we use for the connecting the whole organization to our main server. So that any message from any PC can be deliverer to each PC on the network.2 The 3rd topology we use for our company is RING: The ring topology attaches computers on a sole circle of wire. Dissimilar the bus topology, there are no ended ends. The signals tour about the circle in one way and go by from side to side every computer, which be able to take action as a repeater to increase the signal and drive it on to the subsequently computer. The breakdown of one computer can have a crash on the whole network. This topology we use for our company to only in case of transmitting any information that we want to reach on every PC. By this information or any error report can be circulated to whole network.3 Here I will present the performance, reliability, cost and effectiveness criteria of our company for the selection of topology. We avoid using the mesh topology because it is more costly and we have lot of workstation so that we can not afford a very complex net of wires, so these only three topologies that are BUS, RING, and STAR are used by us in our company. The cost of these three for implementing point of view is less than the mesh topology.

Environmental Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Environmental Planning - Research Paper Example The local planners scrutinize proposed public facilities such as hospitals, schools, parking areas, market places among others. They present their request to the relevant government department so as to get approval as well as funding. They have to keep abreast of social, economic as well as legal issues for their project to be viable (Levy, 2011). When the government is sure that all the regulations have been followed, they allow the local planners to implement the plan. This improves the living standards of people in the urban areas as well as creating job opportunities. However, the government is keen to ensure that the project achieve their objectives. They do this by constant evaluations. This ensures that public money and other resources are not misappropriated. In addition, the local planners work together with civic leaders, land developers as well as public officials. They are also charged with the duty of mediating in case of disputes. Thus, they are on many occasions required to defend their proposals before elected official and legislative committee. This ensures that the local developer do not deviate from the state authorities objectives (Levy,

Ge Imagination Breakthrough Essay Example for Free

Ge Imagination Breakthrough Essay Can he hope to change a company whose growth was driven by acquisitions and productivity improvement into an organic growth company dependent on innovation, entrepreneurship and risk taking particularly in such a large complex performance driven corporation? Answer: 2a: Yes, Immelt is relying on ‘technological leadership, commercial excellence and global expansion’ to provide â€Å"unstoppable† opportunities and expand GE’s business base. He wanted to use GE’s size and diversity as sources of strength and to drive growth by investing in places and in ways that others could not easily follow. As a counter effect of 1st Jan 2005 deadline for emission regulations it was predicted that there would be a spike in demand for old products, leaving little market for EVO in 2005. These old models were in ready inventory and with much better discounts. 3c: Continual redefinition of the global EVO product and the failure to make hybrid commercially viable * Initially GE decided to develop EVO country specific during IB meeting but it was not viable because of low requirements. * Recognizing the international constraints the EVO was also developed as a product concept ‘Global Modular Locomotive’. Design developed around set of standard components that could be building to different requirements. * GML also helped GE in reducing the response time in international tender processing, reducing the amount spent in non recurring engineering, and reducing the time between order amp; the sale. * GE was also adaptable to specific international requirements such as Kazakhstan’s condition to transfer the assembly operations to their country. This was a part of GE’s international strategy â€Å"In country, for country†.

The Development of Action in Kate Chopins The Storm Essay -- Chopin S

The Development of Action in The Storm "The Storm" by Kate Chopin is about a storm that passes through a coastal townin the Southern United States. The story charts the different phases of the storm, and then associates the character interaction with each phase. The tension between characters increases as the physical aspects of the storm become more violent. This essay will outline the development of the storm and coincide character relationships with the outline. The passing of the storm is the central action in The Storm and this essay will analyze the affect it has on the story as a whole. The storm is noted in the first line of the story. The stillness in the air alerted even Bibi, the boy, of the incoming weather. We find that both the boy and his father are worried about Calixta, the female head of the household. Bobinot is the husband and father. The mounting conditions make him think of his wife at home, and the sanctity of a strong marriage in contrast with the turbulence of a storm; he buys her a can of the shrimp that she is so fond of, a type of security for times when conditions are adverse. (Stanford, 665) Calixta is at home; her work has left her unaware of the gathering clouds. The next mention of the physicalities of the storm comes along with a stranger on a horse. The reader learns that the animals are huddled away from the storm, leading one to believe that the sense of changing weather is instinctual and that creatures will behave instinctually. Just as the stranger is to voice an opinion that would break a dangerous chain of event ... ...ions were perfect for a storm. Chopin does show humans with power over these conditions, when Alcee must fight his instinctive desires and leave Calixta for example, even though in most respects she treats the lustful urges encountered by Calixta and Alcee as uncontrollable and unavoidable as a storm. Chopin wanted to show that human nature is still a part of nature and that humans still must cater to Mother Nature s whims. The storm in this story is not essential for Chopin to get her point across, though it is a very strong backbone to carry her idea. She could have chosen several natural occurrences. Storms are traditionally literarily friendly and that humans have a certain fascination with storms. In closing, the different phases of the storm in this story is a good guideline for matters of the heart.

Biographical Reflection of John the Baptist

Biographical Reflection of a Saint- John the Baptist Though such an accomplished man, not much is known of John the Baptist’s childhood. John, what a basic name right? Wrong, even the name of John was holy, for his name in Hebrew means, â€Å"Jehovah is gracious. † But moving on to his adult life, he pursued the life of a priest without ever being officially recognized as such. The greatest thing that occurred in his adult life was the Baptism of Christ Jesus, our Lord. However, very few people know that Jesus and John were relatives, cousins in fact. John did not know that Christ was the Messiah until the miracle at the Jordan River. When Jesus approached John and asked that he may be baptized in the way of the Lord, John said, â€Å"Should it not be you master, who cleanses me. † And Jesus replied, â€Å"I am but a servant to you, not master. † And with that, John agreed to baptize Christ, but as the water was poured out upon Christ’s head, the Holy Spirit was revealed. Known as the first disciple of the completed Christ, now unified with the Holy Spirit, John continued the mission of baptism. As for when he earned the nickname â€Å"Son of Thunder,† Christ gave the name to him, under rather adverse conditions. They were traveling together through Judea, and Christ was under ridicule. John felt they were being so unjust, so far from the best humanity could be, he asked the lord to wipe them out. At this point Christ prayed that God would forgive them, while telling John, no matter how unjust the Judeans were the Lord will never take life for his name. He was in some senses so close to divinity others asked whether he was the Messiah, however, he always replied, â€Å"Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friends of the bridegroom, which stand and hear him, rejoice greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: thus my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. † This showed his humble appreciation of Christ, by saying he must be known less, and Christ more. However shortly after the Miracle at the Jordan, king Herod for the spreading of as he put it, â€Å"an unorthodox faith,† arrested John. He spent two years in prison until he was released because of the new, changing Roman Empire. John eventually went back to baptizing at the Jordan. This career was once again short lived however, for Salome, child of Herodias, demanded his death. And thus his fate was set in stone; he was to be beheaded in A. D. 31. Once beheaded, his head was to be given to Salome on a silver platter, as a sign of disrespect. As for what I think, I feel the act of baptizing Jesus was the highest honor humanly possible. For this he was very lucky to be the one to perform so noble an act. As the first saint I had ever known, John had a substantial impact on my life. As soon as I knew what Confirmation was, I knew I had to pick the first I had known, he with the greatest impact on me, John. I remember always feeling a sense of divinity whenever I saw an illustration of him baptizing Christ. As a child, I always wanted to obtain knowledge; because of this I became increasingly familiar with him, even at an early age. The thing I liked about him the most as a child was how I shared his name. And so, this biographical reflection begins and ends with a name, John.

Accounting and Corporate Governance Essay

The memo is to address the accounting maneuver of Lehman’s Repo 105 (or 108) from perspectives of accounting and corporate governance. The memo will illustrate the role of repo transaction in Lehman’s business model, analyze the accounting irregularities regarding repo by Lehman, observe auditors’ role in these irregularities, and discuss the corresponding accounting and corporate governance issues. In addition, the memo will provide recommendations on how to prevent financial institutions from abusing regulatory deficiencies by emphasizing on the importance of accounting regulation, auditors’ role, and business ethics. See more: Recruitment and selection process essay The major goal of Lehman’s Repo 105 is to temporarily remove troubled securities from its balance sheet while presenting favorable financial statements to its investors, creditors, rating agencies, and the public. By temporarily removing these securities from its balance sheet, Lehman made its leverage ratio much lower. With low leverage ratio, Lehman would keep its credit rating at high level and maintained its customers’ confidence. A repo, or sale and repurchase agreement, is an agreement in which one party transfers to another party as collateral for a short-term borrowing of cash, while simultaneously agreeing to repay the cash and take back the collateral at a specific point in time (SFAS 140). An ordinary repo should be treated as a financing transaction and should be accounted for as a secured borrowing. An ordinary repo is a commonly-used form of secured loan between financial institutions. In fact, repo does not have real economic substance. However, by the Repo 105 transactions, Lehman did the same in an ordinary repo, but because the assets value were 105 percent or more of the cash received, accounting rules permitted the transactions to be treated as sales rather than financing. Lehman aggressively employed Repo 105 transactions before reporting periods at the end of 2007 and the first two quarters of 2008. During the reporting periods, Repo transactions helped Lehman remove assets from balance sheet and use cash received to payback short-term loans. In addition, Lehman did not report any liabilities that reflected the obligation to repay the borrowed funds. After the reporting periods, Lehman would borrow funds to repurchases the transferred assets. Then these assets would be reversed on the balance sheet again. The consideration is whether Lehman’s accounting for Repo 105 violated the Generally Accepted Accounting Principal (the GAAP). Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 140 (SFAS 140) provides the accounting guidelines on repo transactions. A company is permitted to account for these transactions as sales only if the transferor surrenders control over the assets to transferees. To account for a repo transaction as a sale, all three conditions must be met: 1) the transferred assets must be isolated from the transfer, 2) transferee has right to pledge or exchange the assets, 3) the transferor does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets. A typical repo contract can easily meet the first two conditions. However, in order to take advantage of favorable accounting treatment as sales transaction, Lehman has employed some accounting maneuvers to meet the third condition. SFAS 140 (Paragraph 218) states that the transferor’s right to repurchase is not assured unless the repurchase price is 102 percent or less of the cash received, or the cash received is 98 percent or more of the value of the transferred assets. â€Å"The Board believes that other collateral arrangements typical fall well outside that guideline (FASB, 2000, p. 91). † The repurchase price of Repo 105 is 105 percent of the cash received, which is higher than the 102 percent guideline. As a result, Lehman could argue that Repo 105 did not meet the third condition of maintaining effective control, and then classified it as sales. Based upon the above analysis, Lehman’s accounting for Repo 105 seemed to be technically in compliance with the U. S. GAAP. However, Lehman’s bankruptcy examiner Anton R. Valukas (2010) provided evidence showing that Lehman intended to use Repo 105 to manipulate its 10-K and 10-Q financial reporting. Valukas argued that the classification of these repo transactions should be based on its economic substance rather than its form (such as the 102 rule). Since Lehman had clear intent to buy back the transferred assets under Repo 105, these transactions are clearly secured borrowing and should not have been recorded as sales. The obvious accounting irregularity is Lehman’s failure of disclosing Repo 105 transaction in its quarterly and annual financial reports. Valukas (2010)’ report indicates that Lehman’s SEC 10-K and 10-Q filing between 2000 to third quarter, 2007, regularly misrepresented some repo transaction as â€Å"secured borrowings† despite that it actually recorded as sales. In addition, Lehman never disclosed its involvement in Repo 105 its 10-K of 2007 and the first 10-Q of 2008 (Chang et al, 2011). In fact, Lehman has aggressively involved in Repo 105 during the end of 2007 and first two quarters of 2008, removing approximately by $38. billion in fourth quarter 2007, $49. 1 billion in first quarter 2008, and $50. 38 billion in second quarter 2008 (Valukas, 2010). It is clear that Lehman’s misrepresentation and failure of disclosure of its Repo 105 practice is material enough to mislead its investors, debtors, rating agencies and the public. As the auditor of Lehman Brothers, Ernst & Young approved the use of Repo 105 transactions. These transactions were characterized as sales of assets and created a misleading picture of Lehman’s financial position during the financial meltdown. Ernst & Young said in a statement: â€Å"Our last audit of the company was for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2007. Our opinion indicated that Lehman’s financial statements for that year were fairly presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and we remain of that view. † Ernst & Young would like the public to believe their responsibility for Lehman’s financial statements ends with the 2007 10-K. Actually, It does not. According to the examiner’s report, Ernst & Young had just started planning for its year-end audit of Lehman when the firm collapsed into bankruptcy. Lehman remained an E&Y client until the bankruptcy in September 2008. This period included two more 10-Qs. But most troubling for the auditors could be allegations in the examiner’s report that Ernst & Young did not inform the audit committee on Lehman’s board about a whistleblower who had expressed concerns about the repos to them. In a March 2010 letter to its clients, E&Y defended its audit work for Lehman. The letter states that Lehman’s bankruptcy resulted from unprecedented adverse events in the financial markets, declining asset values, and loss of market confidence that caused a collapse in its liquidity. The firm believes the bankruptcy wasn’t caused by accounting or disclosure issues, as Lehman’s financial statements clearly portrayed it as â€Å"a leveraged entity operating in a risky and volatile industry. † The most telling assertion in the complaint concerning E&Y’s alleged misrepresentation of Lehman’s compliance with applicable accounting standards is that E&Y didn’t require the financial statements to reflect economic substance rather than just legal form. In other words, the complaint accuses E&Y of letting Lehman engage in transactions without business purpose in order to achieve a specific financial-statement result. The bankruptcy examiner said that the sole function of Repo 105 transactions as employed by Lehman was to reduce its publicly reported net leverage and net balance sheet. Although Lehman knew that none of its peer companies were using the same accounting tricks to arrive the leverage numbers, it continued to rely on the use of Repo 105 substantially, at a level that is much higher than the originally defined â€Å"materiality† level by the management. As a consequence, it left Lehman with heavy concentrations of illiquid assets which could not be monetized to meet its current obligations (Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. v. Debtors, 2010). The Examiner did not find supporting evidence to bring â€Å"colorable claims† (Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. v. Debtors, 2010) against Lehman’s directors, however, they should have better monitored the managers. And the examiner did find sufficient evidence to support a colorable claim against certain senior officers for breaching their fiduciary duties to shareholders and other stakeholders because they failed to inform the public and shareholders about the substantial use of Repo 105 by non-disclosure of related information and by filing materially misleading periodic reports, which risked the company with potential liabilities; and they also failed to advise the Board of Directors of the Repo 105 practice (Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. v. Debtors, 2010). The examiner also concluded that sufficient evidence existed that Lehman’s quarter? nd Repo 105 practice was material and should have been disclosed in the financial statements. In addition, Lehman had an obligation to disclose required information relate to Repo 105 in its MD&A statement. In terms of accounting malpractice, Lehman’s external auditor, Ernst & Young, was also held responsible for allowing Lehman’s financial reports to go unchallenged. Ernst & Young well knew the practice of Repo 105 adopted by the company, but failed to review the volume and timing of Repo 105 transactions, and failed to access the materiality of information omitted regarding Repo 105 transactions. Furthermore, Ernst & Young failed to conduct investigations with regard to the concern about Repo 105 raised by Matthew Lee, then-Senior President of Finance Division. In conclusion, corporate governance was lacking both internally and externally (Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. v. Debtors, 2010). The accounting irregularity of Lehman’s Repo 105 practice partly due to the deficiencies of accounting rules, however, integrity or accounting professionals as well as business ethics also play an important role in the accounting malpractice. In 2009, FASB issued SFAS 166 to amend SFAS 140. These efforts could close some loophole in accounting standards. Good corporate governance requires not only effective board and ethical top management, but also reliable accounting personnel and independent outside auditors, to properly perform their jobs and fulfill their responsibilities, to create the â€Å"check and balance† that can maintain the financial health of a company and at the same time to reduce agency cost. In case when one party went badly, the others could and should be there to detect the potential problems and to monitor and correct the mistakes. In summary, the ethical challenges faced by E&Y in deciding how to address issues with a long-standing and profitable client may be faced by many public accountants. In fact, accountants in all areas of the profession frequently face similar ethical issues of simultaneously complying with their duties for faithful service and loyalty to their employer or client while respecting their responsibilities to other stakeholders. Doing the right thing† for all concerned may sometimes be an impossible assignment. Guidance such as the overarching principles of honesty, fairness, objectivity, and responsibility contained in the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice will go a long way toward helping all accountants to do the right thing. Doing the right thing is always the best policy in the long run.

How do Thomas Hardy and F Scott Fitzgerald present the issue of womens choices in The Melancholy Hussar and The Ice Palace Essay Example

How do Thomas Hardy and F Scott Fitzgerald present the issue of womens choices in The Melancholy Hussar and The Ice Palace Essay Example How do Thomas Hardy and F Scott Fitzgerald present the issue of womens choices in The Melancholy Hussar and The Ice Palace Paper How do Thomas Hardy and F Scott Fitzgerald present the issue of womens choices in The Melancholy Hussar and The Ice Palace Paper Essay Topic: Literature Short Stories of F Scott Fitzgerald The two short stories, which are going to be considered, were set over a hundred years apart. Both stories concern the subject of womens choices and were written by men. The Melancholy Hussar written by Thomas Hardy was set in the first years of the nineteenth century although it was written around 1875. The main character in this story is Phyllis who lives with her father on the South Coast of England. Parallel to this is the short story of The Ice Palace written by F.Scott Fitzgerald. This was written in 1919 about contemporary times. The Ice Palace is set in the Southern states of North America which is a totally different continent to that of The Melancholy Hussar. This helps to demonstrate the different social groups and influences. The first short story, by Thomas Hardy, is about a young girl named Phyllis. Phyllis lives with her father on the South Coast and is not very social and is restricted due to her relationship with her father. Phylliss father is not the sociable type and prefers to keep himself away, because of this he feels Phyllis should act in the same way. beyond the seclusion of the girl lay the seclusion of the father The Melancholy Hussar is set along the South coast. Thomas Hardy presents a quiet village in his introduction to the story. He explains the atmosphere first and a field is being described. The scenery is described as sombre and lifeless until the meaning of the scenery is introduced as symbolic. The scenery relates back to ninety years ago when the Kings German Legion slept there in tents. The main subject of the story is about Phyllis meeting a soldier and seeing him regularly. A good relationship was built up while Humphrey Gould, Phyllis fiance, is away. The story concerns love and when all the soldiers visit Phyllis is interested. She finds a soldier and begins talking to him. They meet every night at the same time until her father tries to send her to her aunts house. After a while Mattheus Tina, the German Hussar decides to run away as he does not like England. He wants to take Phyllis with him. you go with mebe my wife there Phyllis main decision is when she decides to join him. Phyllis sees that running away with Matthaus is a way of escaping her dull life. Daringly she risks her life and decides to change everything. Phyllis would not be able to return to her current life if she ran away as her father would be disgusted and embarrassed. Everything is planned and the night eventually arrives when Phyllis is just about to run over to Matthaus and a coach pulls up. It happens to be Humphrey and he talks about a present he is going to give to her for treating her badly. At this point Phyllis reverses her decision and decides to stay. Phyllis thinks to her self that she should stay and suffer for the rest of her life. She would stay at homemarry him, and suffer It is terrible to think that a woman would rather lead a suffering life for security than to run away to be with whom she wanted. Society as a whole was cruel to women and they did not have the status which women have today. Men were of a higher class than women and women had to be married to be respected. This was not always the case but in The Melancholy Hussar Phyllis is happy to be engaged so she can be accepted in the village. In a way Phyllis made the correct decision because that night her lover, Matthaus Tina, and his friend, Christoph Bless, are caught and are killed. Phyllis watches their killing for desertion and sinks down into her garden. Phyllis does not have a happy life, and although Humphrey has bought her a present he asks her to break off their engagement as he has already met somebody else. Phyllis does this as if a man breaks off an engagement it is considered rude and impolite. The Ice Palace however is a story on the same subject, womens choices, as the Melancholy Hussar and is about a young girl called Sally Carrol who is around the age of nineteen. The language style written by F.Scott Fitzgerald introduces this character after setting the scenery of a languid town. The sunlight dripped over the house like golden paint Each sentence is stringed together by words suggesting quietness and laziness and the description and F.Scott Fitzgerald sets the scene perfectly for a nice romantic story. Sally Carrol is middle class and lives in a family house, she is painting when first introduced, painting for her sister and when she kicks over a paint jar leaves it lying on the floor while preparing to go swimming with her best friends. kicked over the painting waterbut let it lay From the quotation above Sally Carrol is suggesting that she has a maid to tidy the house. From the general language style the South is portrayed a family orientated and the houses named after the families show this. The Butterworth, Larkin and Happer houses are the three mentioned and only the Happer house, of which Sally Carrol lives, is in view of the sun. The way in which Fitzgerald has written the story makes it easy reading and concentration is not needed as there are long flowing sentences to help the description nicely and also the main character, Sally Carrol, is convincing. She is portrayed as down to earth and human by the way in which she acts when around her friends. It is clear to see from the choices that Sally Carrol has to make that she is from a middle class setting from the 1920s. When Fitzgerald describes the North, he uses harsher language and short, sharper sentences. The flow of language is faster and more intense. F.Scott Fitzgerald uses the sentences and the language to create the atmosphere and pace of the story. The first sentence of the second part of the story introduces Harry Bellamy. Harry Bellamy, tall, broad and brisk From the quotation above it shows that short and sharper words can create pace and a new atmosphere. Whenever Harry Bellamy, Sally Carrols fiance, is spoken about, the short and quick pace is brought back to the writing and it is easy to distinguish that Harry Bellamy is not from the laid back Southern Georgia like Sally Carrol. Sally Carrol wants to go to places and to meet people and to do this she has made the decision that she is going to go to the North and live with a man whom she met in the summer. This was a hard decision for Sally Carrol but as stated in the text, she wants to make something of her life. I want to go places and see people and tied down herefeel I was-wastin myself The two quotations show how Sally Carrol tries to tell her friends that she needs to move on. After meeting Harry again she visits the North with him to spend some time. The contrast from the South shocks her especially the weather and she feels that the weather reflects the people there, cold. Sally Carrols first vision of the North is when she is on the train there. The train becomes very cold and Sally Carrol wants another blanket. The pace of the writing becomes rather intense, as the Pullman gets closer to its destination. two tracks ran up beside the train-three-four As the train enters the urbanised area, it speeds up the pace until eventually it stops at the frosty station. Sally realises almost immediately that she will not like the North as it is such a contrast to the warmth of the South and there are many unfamiliar faces. Sally finds the people cold and the people seem to be hidden away underneath coats. saw three fur-bundled figures In The Ice Palace there are two main significant places. These happen to be the graveyard of which Sally Carrol loves and has a place in her heart. One gravestone is especially meaningful to Sally Carrol and this is of Margery Lee. Margery Lee is the symbol of the South, a kind of motherly figure like the Southern Belle. The other significant place is the Ice Palace. When Sally Carrol goes to the North to stay with Harry they visit the Ice Palace. Harry is very excited about this and looks forward to it. In the Ice Palace, Sally Carrol loses Harry and all the lights go out. Sally Carrol panics and begins to think of the cold, ghosts and death. The cold and quietness of the Ice Palace symbolises Sally Carrols dying love for Harry and she realises that her relationship will not work with him when Margery Lee talks to her in her head. your tears would just freezeall tears freeze up here! Sally Carrol is rescued by Harry but has already made up her mind to return to the South as she realises her friends are much more important. The language style that F.Scott Fitzgerald uses to continue the South is the same description as in the introduction. It goes back to describing Sally Carrol eating an apple. Sally Carrol seems to have an easy life. She made the decision to move to the North and live with Harry but found that the North did not have the atmosphere to her liking so returned. The two stories are very closely related in both decision-making and also the way in which both women see men as a way to get to be a person society. They have very different decisions to make and for Phyllis her decision could change her whole life and there would be no way out. Sally Carrol experienced her choice and then decided that it would be better to return to her old life and carry on as normal without being thought of a different. It is clear to see that both women needed to marry to have a good life and in Phyllis case she needed to marry young to be respected when older. In Sally Carrols case she returned to her normal life knowing that if she wanted she could get married whenever she wanted as she was in different circumstances and was prettier. A third short story, which I read, was called Desirees Baby and also involves womens choices. Desiree was adopted when a child and managed to make a good marriage with a plantation owner. She had a baby who appeared to be of the slave race and she was rejected by her husband. In the face of her pain and humiliation Desiree decided to choose death for herself and her baby. After Desiree had left, the husband finds a note from his mother to his father. He learns that his mother was of the slave race and he had wronged his wife by dismissing her and her child. All three women had very major and hard decisions to make. They all had to choose what to do, as they could not just live their lives as normal. All three women were in different circumstances and under different social affluences. Sally Carrol is the main woman who could choose to go and then return to her normal life if she disliked it and she took that opportunity. The other two women either had to go or stay. Desiree decided to go and took her life, Phyllis decided to stay and suffer which meant that she did not have a happy life anyway. Life through the years has had a major effect on womens choices and the way they make decisions. If a woman is faced with a major decision today she has the right to do what to do without male interference. Men were respected and if a woman wasnt married, she was not treated the same in society. In the present day, women can have careers without being criticised and live a normal happy life without the need to get married and they are not treated much differently at all. Influences and affluences play a major part in life but in the twenty-first century women can make their own choices and are becoming as dominant as men.

Arguments Against Horse Racing

Arguments Against Horse Racing Death and injuries are not uncommon occurrences in horse racing, and some animal welfare advocates argue that the sport can be humane if certain changes are made. To animal rights activists, the issue is not the cruelty and danger; its about whether we have a right to use horses for entertainment. The Horse Racing Industry Horse racing is not just a sport, but also an industry and unlike most other sports arenas, horse racetracks, with few exceptions, are directly supported by legal gambling. The form of gambling at horse racetracks is called parimutuel betting, which is explained as: The entire money bet on the event goes into a large pool. The holders of winning tickets divide the total amount of money bet on the race (the pool), after deductions for tax and racetrack expenses. The money take out is similar to the rake taken out by the pot in a poker game played in the card room. However unlike the small rake in poker, in the parimutuel pool this â€Å"rake† can amount to 15 – 25 percent of the total prize pool. In various U.S. states, bills have been considered and sometimes passed either allowing racetracks to have other forms of gambling or protecting racetracks from competition from casinos. As gambling has become more accessible in recent years through new casinos and online gambling websites, racetracks are losing customers. According to a 2010 article in the Star-Ledger in New Jersey: This year, the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park will lose upwards of $20 million as fans and bettors have migrated to tracks in New York and Pennsylvania with slot machines and other casino games. Pressure from Atlantic City casinos have prevented the racino model from taking hold here, and the tracks have suffered. Daily attendance at the Meadowlands routinely hit 16,500 in its first year. Last year, the average daily crowd was below 3,000. To counter these losses, racetracks have been lobbying to be allowed to have slot machines or even full-blown casinos. In some cases, the slot machines are owned and operated by the government, with a cut going to the racetrack. One might wonder why a government body would be concerned about supporting racetracks instead of allowing them to perish like other outdated industries. Each racetrack is a multi-million dollar economy, supporting hundreds of jobs including everyone from breeders, jockeys, veterinarians, farmers who grow hay and feed, and blacksmiths who do the horseshoeing. The financial forces behind racetracks are the reason they continue to exist, despite concerns about animal cruelty, gambling addictions, and gambling morality. Animal Rights and Horse Racing The animal rights position is that animals have a right to be free of human use and exploitation, regardless of how well the animals are treated. Breeding, selling, buying and training horses or any animal violates that right. Cruelty, slaughter and accidental deaths and injuries are additional reasons to oppose horse racing. As an animal rights organization, PETA recognizes that certain precautions can reduce deaths and injuries, but categorically opposes horse racing. Animal Welfare and Horse Racing The animal welfare position is that there is nothing wrong with horse racing per se, but more should be done to protect the horses. The Humane Society of the United States does not oppose all horse racing but opposes certain cruel or dangerous practices. Cruel and Dangerous Horse Racing Practices According to PETA, One study on injuries at racetracks concluded that one horse in every 22 races suffered an injury that prevented him or her from finishing a race, while another estimated that 3 thoroughbreds die every day in North America because of catastrophic injuries during races. Pushing a horse to his physical limits and forcing him to run around a racetrack is enough to cause accidents and injuries, but other practices make the sport particularly cruel and dangerous. Horses are sometimes raced when they are under three years old and their bones are not strong enough, leading to fractures that can lead to euthanasia. Horses are also drugged to help them compete with injuries, or given prohibited performance-enhancing drugs. Jockeys often whip the horses as they approach the finish line for an extra burst of speed. Racetracks made of hard, packed dirt are more dangerous than those with grass. Perhaps the worst abuse is one that is hidden from the public: horse slaughter. As a 2004 article in the Orlando Sentinel explains: To some, horses are a pet; to others, a living piece of farm equipment. To the horse-racing industry, though, the thoroughbred is a lottery ticket. The racing industry breeds thousands of losing tickets while looking for its next champion. Just as farmers cannot afford to care for spent egg-laying hens when they get old, racehorse owners are not in the business of feeding and keeping losing horses. Even winning horses are not spared from the slaughterhouse: Decorated racers like Ferdinand, a Kentucky Derby winner, and Exceller, who won more than $1 million in purse money, were retired to stud. But after they failed to produce champion offspring, they were slaughtered. While there are rescue groups and sanctuaries for retired racehorses, there are not enough. Horse breeders argue that horse slaughter is a necessary evil, but it wouldnt be necessary if the breeders stopped breeding. From an animal rights perspective, money, jobs, and tradition are powerful forces keeping the horse racing industry alive, but they cannot justify the exploitation and suffering of the horses. And while animal advocates make the ethical arguments against horse racing, this dying sport may pass away on its own.

Sam 489 unit 9 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sam 489 unit 9 - Assignment Example this regard, the 911 commission conducted investigations across the government’s security departments and presented its findings to the then president George Bush (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). The major findings/recommendations of the 911 commission were that the security intelligence failed to prevent the attacks. It emerged that the intelligence failed to disclose vital information obtained at the airports, before and after the attacks, to the military and police forces. This is because the commission realized that there were loopholes at the airport when the terrorists accessed the country to execute the attacks (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). The commission also found that most of the attackers were Saudi Arabian citizens drawn from the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. The evidence was derived from video footages obtained from the airport control unit (Felzenberg, 2006). As a result, the commissioners recommended more funding to be added towards the security kitty to enable them to adequately prepare. The Bush administration received grades from the commission on their efforts towards national security. For instance, the Congress performance was low because it failed to mark terrorism as a major policy to handle. The intelligence agencies were also ranked below average because of their failure to liaise with other security department for maximum protection (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). It is apparent that the government did not consider threats from Al-Qaeda to be serious and ignored calls for tight security measures along the borders. The report grading also indicated that the citizens should be vigilant by cooperating with the security teams in case of threats or risks in their neighborhoods (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). The grading provided a challenge to the US government to design new measures of approach the emergent terrorist extremism. This is because the occurrence of the 911 attacks exposed considerable challenges and

How are our oceans Are there plenty of fish in the sea Research Paper

How are our oceans Are there plenty of fish in the sea - Research Paper Example The other major problem that has resulted in the displeasing state of the oceans as it stands currently is the issue of overfishing. This vice has also resulted in the reduction of the viable offspring of the major fish species that are endangered, resulting in further endangerment of the marine life (NRDC, 2011). Further, the oceans have now become a source of health risk for the human population, owing to the sedimentation of the plastic, heavy metals and other pollutants in the beaches and in the rivers, which eventually finds way into human homes. The result is that there is a high risk of health associated with the ocean pollution (NRDC, 2014). In this respect, the state of the ocean is not suitable is not in good shape, and thus there is a need to address this problem, lest the ocean eventually fails to support life. Are there plenty of fish in the sea?   The saying that there is plenty fish in the ocean does not hold any more in the modern world. This is because, with the cu rrent trend of ocean pollution and dangerous fishing practices, there will be virtually no wild fish in the oceans by 2050 (NGS, 2014). One of the major problems that are causing the decline in the population of the fish in the oceans is the high demand for seafood globally, considering that fish meat is not associated with high cholesterol levels. Thus, combined with the effects of pollution in the ocean and the subsequent climate change, the whole environmental setting has become less supportive for marine life.

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

Common Law - Essay Example was extremely slow points towards false representation and it is arguable that this misrepresentation gives Abigail the right to repudiate the contract on the misrepresentation constituting a condition (Poole, 2006). The burden would be on Abigail to prove this, which may be difficult on grounds that there is no record of her telephone conversation with CableFast. Additionally, as the contract was for the supply of services, the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 implies terms into Abigail’s contract, which cannot be excluded and therefore enforceable against CableFast. The 1982 Act provides that in a contract for the supply of services and where the supplier acts in the course of a business, there will be an implied term that the supplier will exercise reasonable skill and care in delivering the services. The 1982 Act requires the services to be provided to a satisfactory quality and fit for the purpose intended. Therefore, if Abigail can establish breach of these implied terms she will have a claim for breach of contract. The fact that the broadband connection was very poor will operate in Abigail’s favour in establishing breach. Alternatively, as the contract is a business to consumer contract and was concluded via telephone, it will constitute a contract at a â€Å"distance† under Regulation 3 (1) of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (the Regulations). Most importantly for Abigail is the 7 day cooling off period provided by the Regulations, which enable consumers to cancel the contract during a seven day period. Whilst the Regulations permit businesses to stipulate the conditions and procedures for withdrawal, the right to cancel cannot be derogated from and information regarding the procedure for cancellation must be supplied to the consumer (Regulation 11). As Abigail’s contract was for the provision of services, Regulation 12 provides her with the right to cancel within 7 working days from when the order is

Development of Soil Nutrient Sensors

Development of Soil Nutrient Sensors The rising demand for food crops and the growing concern for environment have made it necessary to shift from traditional agricultural practices towards modern agricultural practices. Traditional agricultural practices are labor intensive, time consuming, expensive and also a cause of environment pollution. To achieve sustainable agriculture, it is necessary that the precision agriculture technologies and practices are integrated with the traditional practices, which will also help to deal with the spatial heterogeneity of the soil [1]. The biggest hurdle in the proper implementation of precision agriculture is the inability to generate information related to a particular site rapidly and at an acceptable cost using laboratory analysis and soil sampling methods. The nutrients required for the healthy growth of a crop are obtained from the soil. The quality of crop yield depends on the quality of soil in which it grows. Therefore, soil testing is an important aspect of precision agriculture. The proposed research work is an effort towards the design and development of a soil monitoring system that can be used to estimate the urea content in soil. The system makes use of Partial Least Squares Regression Technique (PLSR) for the estimation of urea. The system can be made portable, smart, low cost and user friendly through the use of embedded systems. With some modifications the system can be designed to estimate more than one soil component. The thesis is organized in the following chapters as described below. Chapter I (Introduction) â€Å"Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own†[2]. The growth in the demand for food, feed and fiber globally is anticipated to grow by 70 percent. The demand for crops for industrial use and in the production of bio-energy is also expected to rise simultaneously. The increasing demand for agricultural goods will put huge pressure on the limited resources available. The increase in urban settlement areas will force agriculture to compete for land and water. Agriculture will therefore have to adapt itself to newer conditions and at the same time will have to address issues related to climate change, maintenance of biodiversity and preservation of natural habitats [3]. To meet these demands, farmers therefore need to equip themselves with new technologies so as to increase productivity with limited number of resources. Sustainable resource management is the need of the hour. Conservation of soil quality is crucial to sustainability in agriculture. This has led to a shift from the use of traditional agricultural practices to modern agricultural practices so that the available resources are utilized in a sustainable manner. The modern technique of farming known as precision farming is based on the concept of site specific crop management. This method takes into consideration variability exhibited by the soil and accordingly inputs are applied based on the local requirements within a field. Soil sensing plays an important role in precision farming. Large numbers of soil sensors are being developed all around the world to measure different soil properties. Some of which are still in the research and development stage and some of which are commercially available. Based on their principle of working these soil sensors can be classified as follows: Electrical and Electromagnetic sensors: Depending on the composition of soil under test, electrical capacitance or inductance, resistivity or conductivity of the soil is measured. The response time of these sensors is very fast, they have high durability and are of low cost. These sensors are commercially available. Optical and Radiometric sensors: These sensors, through the use of electromagnetic waves, measure the level of energy that is either absorbed or reflected by the soil particles depending on the soil composition. The properties of the soil are measured using visible and near-infrared wavelengths [4]. They can be used for the estimation of CEC, soil texture, moisture and other soil parameters with the help of appropriate data analysis techniques. Mechanical sensors: these sensors measure soil resistance with the help of a tool used in the soil. The measure of resistance offered by the soil has a relation with the compaction of the soil which is a spatially varying property of soil. Acoustic sensors and Pneumatic sensors: Though these are a class of mechanical sensors, they can be used as an alternative means for the differentiation of physical and mechanical characteristics of soil. Measurements taken using pneumatic and acoustic sensor have been used to correlate soil texture and compaction. The application of acoustic sensors in characterizing the physical state of soil is not very clear and requires more research work. Electrochemical sensors: These sensors produce an output voltage through the use of ion selective membranes, depending on the activity of ions under study such as H+, K+, NO3 −, Na+, etc. Soil pH sensors using this technique are already commercially available. The extraction of ions such as potassium in real time is still not possible even though the concept appears to be simple. There is a need to develop fast, real time and portable soil sensors which can generate soil report instantly. Thus, the problem of designing and developing a smart soil monitoring system was formulated using a reconfigurable embedded system platform. Chapter II (Literature Survey and Objectives) The conventional laboratory methods of soil testing have a number of limitations such as they are expensive, labor intensive and time consuming. As such new methods of soil testing are being developed across the globe. A number of soil nutrient sensing techniques are in the stage of development and testing. These sensors can be broadly classified into two types depending on the techniques of measurement being used. 1. Optical sensing uses reflectance spectroscopy technique wherein the light that is absorbed/reflected by soil particles is measured. Since optical sensing techniques have the advantage of being non-destructive they are more widely used as compared to electrochemical sensing techniques [5], [6]. Soil color analysis can be used for estimating soil organic matter content through the use of optical sensors [7]. The visual and near-infrared spectral reflectance in optical sensing can be used for estimating soil texture, moisture, CEC etc. [8]. 2. Electrochemical sensing is based on the measurement of current or voltage generated between the sensing electrode and the reference electrode. The amount of voltage or current measured is related to the concentration of the selected ions such as H+, K+, NO3-, etc. [8]. Ion selective electrodes made of glass or polymer membrane, or ion-selective field effect transistors are used for the measurement of soil fertility. Ion-selective membrane sensors have a huge potential in the development of on-the-go soil nutrient(s) and pH sensors [9]. Currently, the accuracy of the results using these sensors is low as compared to those using laboratory tests, but this can be taken care of by increasing the sampling density. Use of Spectroscopic techniques in the estimation of soil properties has been demonstrated since 1970’s [10]. Various methods using spectral analysis have been proposed for the measurement of the soil properties. Methods that are based on the physical and analytical characteristics of the signal and chemometric based empirical methods provide good effective predictability. Therefore, the relation between soil properties and soil absorption can be used to develop regressions using field and laboratory data for calibration. Spectroscopic techniques are found to be faster, can provide real time measurements and are of low cost, as compared to conventional methods and hence are found to be more suitable when there are more samples and analysis to be done. Also, unlike laboratory testing methods which require sample pre-processing and the use of chemical extractants, spectroscopic techniques can be used directly, thus saving on cost and time [11]. Thus, the problem of developing a soil nutrient sensor using RF spectroscopy based on the dielectric principle was formulated. The thesis emphasizes on the design and development of the sensor and the use of embedded platform to make it portable, real time and user friendly system through the use of DSP algorithms. Objectives: In order to meet the global requirements of increased crop productivity and sustainable agriculture, there is an urgent need of developing soil sensors which are fast, accurate and portable. Also, the problem was formulated keeping in mind the conditions of Indian farmers. Indian farmers are mainly small farmers who are poor, technically unfit and cannot afford modern tools. This research work is being undertaken with the main objective of developing a fast, portable, cost effective and user friendly soil monitoring system to analyze the fertility status of the soil. The objectives of the research work are the design of a dielectric cell to measure absorption loss at RF frequencies for various soil nutrients and to use this RF data to develop a FPGA based smart soil monitoring system for accurate prediction of soil content using PLSR technique. The system shall be user friendly as well as reprogrammable for changed environmental conditions. Chapter III (System Design for Soil Monitoring System) The block diagram of proposed design for Soil Monitoring System is as shown in Figure 1. The design consists of RF data obtained from Scalar Network Analyzer fed as input to Altera DE2 board with target as NIOS II FPGA. The RF data is obtained from the soil sensor connected between a tracking generator and a spectrum analyzer. A soil sensor based on the dielectric loss technique is designed and constructed to measure the RF responses of various soil nutrients. The cell is rectangular in shape with outer dimensions 13cmx2cmx2.5cm and is made up of PMMA sheets. The inside surface of the cell is lined with gold foil and the same is connected to the outer shield of the feed connectors so as to provide the necessary shielding effect. The outer surface of the cell is covered with a copper foil and is also provided with the necessary shielding effect. A wire made of gold is connected from the input feed connectors to the output feed connector at centre of the cell. The RF spectrum of a sample is measured by placing it in the cell. A tracking generator is used for injecting an RF signal into the sample through the central gold wire. Thus, a dielectric cell consisting of the central wire, the outer copper shield and the sample is formed. The signal strength starts reducing as it propagates through the central wire from the input end to the output end of the cell, due to the dielectric loss associated with the sample solution. Thus, an output signal proportional to the absorption loss of the sample solution is captured by the RF spectrum analyzer connected at the receiver end of the cell. Signal Hound USB-TG44A tracking generator and Signal Hound USB-SA44B spectrum analyzer are used with both the instruments working in the frequency range of 1Hz-4.4GHz. Figure 1: Block diagram of the Soil Monitoring System Figure 2 shows the RF spectra for urea in the range 10MHz to 4.4GHz. Figure 2: RF Spectra of urea. Figure 3: Section of urea spectra with varying concentrations Samples for obtaining the RF responses of various soil components are prepared by dissolving the required component in distilled water. The amount of the component to be added to water was calculated from the data obtained from agricultural department. This amount was taken as the normal concentration of a particular component found in the soil. Samples of varying concentrations of the soil components are prepared and denoted as 1 for normal, 0.5 for half the normal, 2 for twice and 3 for thrice. The soil components considered for the study are urea, potash, phosphate, calcium carbonate and sodium chloride. The frequency range of 10 MHz-4.4GHz is divided into smaller frequency ranges based on the unique frquencies at which the variation in the attenuation is found as per the change in the concentration of the soil component. A set of recorded spectra for various combinations of the five soil components with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 are used in the calibration file. In order to predict the unknown concentration of urea in a sample, the detected spectra containing the urea signature along with the other components is passed through signal conditioning stage. The output from Spectrum Analyzer is stored in the computer. This data is then fed to a CYCLONE II device with Altera Nios II processor running on it. The recorded spectra are then passed through SIMPLS algorithm running on NIOS II processor. The algorithm predicts the concentration of unknown sample (Urea) and displays the result on LCD or a computer screen. The SNR of the detected spectra must be sufficiently high so a s to provide reliable urea specific information and therefore data processing is needed to identify spectral features of urea from the combination spectra originating from interfering matrix components like potash, phosphate, sodium chloride and calcium carbonate. We can extend the use of this system for the analysis of other soil components by modifying the processing algorithms required to analyze that component without changing the hardware. Chapter IV (Multivariate Data Analysis) It is a statistical analysis technique used in the case of data consisting of multiple variables. Due to the advancements in the field of information technology there is a huge amount of data being generated in various fields. Though the magnitude of data available is huge, it is still a challenge to derive useful information and knowledge from this data. Multivariate Analysis can be used to derive meaningful information for the improvement of process performance and product quality. Over the last decade, multivariate analysis is being successfully used to monitor and model chemical/biological processes [12]. Techniques using multivariate data analysis are widely used in the analysis of spectral data both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quick analysis of complex samples from their spectral signatures can be done using standard tools like Partial Least Squares (PLS), Principal Component Regression (PCR), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) and discriminant analysis based on chemometric techniques [13]. Partial least squares (PLS) isone of the recent multivariate data analysis technique particularly useful in situations where there is a large set of independent variables (i.e., predictors). A set of dependent variables can be predicted from this set of independent variables by using PLS. Partial Least Squares (PLS) can be an effective tool for the analysis of data as it has minimum constraints on scales of measurement, size of sample, and residual distributions. It consists of methods for regression and classification, and techniques for reducing dimens ion and tools for modeling. The basic assumption on which the PLS methods work is that a small number of latent variables that are not directly observed or measured are used to drive the observed data from a process or a system. The technique of PLS for projecting the observed data to its latent structure was developed by Herman Wold and coworkers. PLS is now being used as a standard tool in the analysis of a wide spectrum of chemical data problems in chemometrics. The successful data analysis of PLS in chemometrics has led to its increase use in other scientific fields such as bioinformatics, food research, medicine, pharmacology, social sciences, physiology etc. PLS is a multivariate technique that transforms the input-output data onto a smaller latent space, by extracting a small number of principal factors having an orthogonal structure. The extraction of the factors is done in such a way that it provides maximum correlation with the dependent variable [14]. To model linear relations between multivariate measurements, PLS is used as a standard tool. Multivariate Calibration Model for Soil Monitoring System: Multivariate spectroscopic data can be analyzed using the PLSR model. PLSR is one of the techniques of multiple linear regressions and is probably the least restrictive of the various multivariate techniques used in multiple linear regression models. This feature of PLSR makes it possible to be used in situations when there are limitations on the use of other multivariate methods, for example, when the predictor variables are many as compared to number of observations.PLSR can be used as an elementary analysis tool for the selection of suitable predictor variables and in the identification of outliers. PLSR model based on SIMPLS algorithm using C language is developed and ported on NIOS II platform to estimate the urea concentration. The PLSR model is validated for the following cases: Case 1: Changing urea concentrations from below normal to above normal i.e. from 0.5 to 2 and keeping other components at their normal concentration value i.e. 1. Case 2: Changing the concentration of each of the other soil component from 0.5 to 2 and keeping urea constant in all the cases. Chapter V (Design of FPGA Soft Cores for Soil Monitoring System) DSP functions can be implemented using two different types of programming platforms: digital signal processors (DSP) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Digital signal processors are microprocessors specifically designed for handling DSP tasks, while FPGAs are reconfigurable signal processors. The factors that make FPGAs more suitable, particularly for high performance computing applications are: (i) Huge potential for implementation of parallelism (ii) The control logic is embedded (iii) On-board memory in FPGA helps to overcome the limitation set by number of I/O pins on processor logics memory access bandwidth and hence results into significant performance benefits (iv) A higher capacity FPGA can be used on the same board as an older device, to support performance upgrades. DSP Implementation on Embedded system The implementation of DSP algorithms is done on Altera platform. A Nios II system is designed to measure the concentration of urea in soil. The Nios II system is the heart of the instrument which controls the various modules of the system like interacting with 12 bit ADC and performing the SIMPLS algorithms on the spectral data to estimate the concentration of urea. The whole interface and algorithms are implemented using 32-bit NIOS II soft-core ported on CYCLONE II FPGA. Chapter VI (Analysis, Results and Conclusion) The thesis covers the design and development of soil sensor based on the dielectric technique. The technique proposed the use of RF signals in the range of 10MHz-4.4GHz and analyzing the detected spectra in the soil sample for urea signature. In this thesis a novel Soil Monitoring System is developed using RF spectroscopy based on embedded technology. An Altera DE2 board based on NIOS II soft-core platform and having target as CYCLONE II (EP2C6) is used to estimate the urea content in soil in the RF range of 10MHz-4.4GHz. SIMPLS algorithm for PLSR model is developed using C language and embedded on the NIOS II platform for the estimation of urea concentration. The designed sensor was tested for its precision by recording the spectra of a particular component over a number of times. The PLSR model was validated by calculating percentage error under various conditions. It was found that the predicted urea values showed percentage error which was within the acceptable levels required fo r device development.