Brigham and Houston Essay

1. Whenever we are interested in buying a bond from the bond market, the bond’s issuer promises to pay back the principal (or par value) when the bond matures (Brigham and Houston, 2001). During this time, the issuer is obliged to pay interest in order to compensate the use of money. The interest payment is made on coupon rate which is fixed. There is an inverse relationship between the coupon rate and the bond prices, when: †¢ Interest rate increase, leads to rise in income, whereas the price of the bond declines. †¢ Interest rate decrease, leads to decline in income, whereas the price of the bond rises. Also we need to consider that the coupon rate is inversely related to duration because higher coupon rates lead to quicker recovery of the bond’s value, resulting in a shorter duration, relative to lower coupon rates. If coupon rate is greater than the market rate then it is favourable for issuer and if coupon rate is less than the market rate then it is favourable for purchaser (Brigham and Houston, 2001). The reason behind the variations in the coupon rates of various bonds is the market interest rate; company’s performance, time length, and credit worthiness of the issuer. So, all these factors have an implication on the bond yields. 2. Ratings of these bonds are determined on the basis of both qualitative and quantitative factors some of which are listed below: †¢ If a company uses conservative accounting policies, its reported earnings will be higher than if it uses less conservative procedures. †¢ Various ratios including the debt ratio and the Times Interest Earned (TIE) ratio also have some implications on these bond ratings. †¢ If company explores any new sites containing oil, gas, coal fields etc. †¢ Increase in the company’s sales & net profit increase both domestically and internationally also uplift the bond ratings and it showed that debt holder show the confidence on the company’s policy. Bond ratings might take a downward leap when: †¢ There is a signal of bankruptcy, internal mismanagement and financial distress in the firm (Helfert, 2001). †¢ When the company does not abide by the law, i. e. it breaches the laws, this may be related to environment, etc. †¢ When the product life cycle is going downwards and company can’t add more products in their product line. †¢ Negative bond covenants also hits the bond ratings of the company. †¢ Labour unrest or strikes may cause instability in the bonds ratings. †¢ Economic recession in the country. 3. We know that whenever the interest rate rises, bond prices tend to fall, and when rates fall, bond prices tend to rise (Helfert, 2001). This primarily occurs due to the economic condition of the country and also because of the market sentiments. If the price of the bond goes down it is less attractive (pays less interest) in comparison with current offerings and when the price of the bond goes up it is more attractive (pays more interest) in comparison with current offerings. This may also be described as when the coupon rate is greater than market rate then it is favourable for issuer and if coupon rate is lesser than market rate then it is favourable for the purchaser. Some bonds are sold below par value, which means (at discount) or greater than par value, which means (at premium). This mainly occurs due to the risk perceived for the debt of that particular organization. Market interest rate fluctuations usually effect the performance of the bonds in the secondary markets. Federal bank monetary and fiscal policy, inflation rate, recession in the economy, etc are the factors that may force organizations to sell the bonds at discount or at premium. One must also consider that sale of bonds on discount or at premium also has some impact on the yield and also the maturity of the bond, the shorter a bond’s maturity, the less its duration. Bonds with higher yields also have lower durations. Also the company’s performance reflects in bond valuations, i. e. its bond ratings, bond covenants and credit worthiness etc (Helfert, 2001). 4. The yield to maturity (YTM) is a reflection of the return on investment, that is earned at the current price, incase the bond is held by the issuer to its date of maturity and redeemed at par value. In other words, YTM is the discount rate that equates the present value of future inflows from the bond equal to its present price.

O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” Essay

I chose to write a comparison essay on Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning†. Both of these stories share central characters with similar personalities as well as similar themes and conflicts through the stories. The Grandmother, in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, is an old woman with old-fashioned ideas and manners. She considers herself to be a good person, but she is also very selfish and manipulative. She makes up lies to get what she wants, such as when she tells the children about a secret panel in the plantation house that she wants to visit just to intrigue them into wanting to stop there. She tries to come across as an honest and holy religious woman, when in actuality, she is just the opposite. She uses the term â€Å"good man† quite loosely whenever she wants to please a man. Sarti’s father Abner, in â€Å"Barn Burning†, also posses the same two character flaws as the Grandmother, selfishness and manipulativeness. He uses his authority as an adult and as a father to put guilt trips on Sarti. He tells him that no matter what, he should never go against his own blood because blood is thicker than water. Another similarity in the two characters is that they are both responsible for the actions that take place throughout the stories. The Grandmother is constantly trying to direct the family’s vacation and tell them what to do. She feels that she knows best because she is old and wise. This is ironic because listening to the Grandmother is what gets the family into the predicament in the end. Because she insists on visiting the old plantation house, the family winds up getting lost. Because she sneaks her cat along for the trip, Bailey get startled which causes the family to get into a car accident. All of this leads up to the family meeting up with Misfit and his two accomplices, which in turn, causes the death of all five people. Abner, like the Grandmother, can not accept the fact that most of his actions caused his problems. He also feels that he knows it all and does not think of the future consequences of his actions. He feels no remorse in telling Sarti to lie for him because he feels that what he did was justified. Both â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"Barn Burning† involve the theme of a conflict between youth versus age. The Grandmother and Abner both have authority over the other characters because of their age. In â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, the characters disregard the Grandmother in the beginning when she says that she will not take her family to Florida because of the murderer who is loose there. But they do make the decision to listen to her when it comes turning around and looking for the plantation house, which turns out to be a fatal decision. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, Sarti starts off obeying his father, but then makes the fatal decision to turn him in. The small difference in these stories is that the family’s decision affects each one of them to where the outcome is the same for all, death. While Sarti’s decision does change his life and the course that it would take, it only causes death for his father. In conclusion, Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† are both stories that involve a central character whose actions seal the fate of all the other characters. They both have similar traits and views. Most importantly, neither of the two characters will ever openly accept responsibility for what happens, although they may feel it inside. Both short stories also involve a similar theme of choices. The characters make their choices of whether or not to do what the Grandmother and Abner say, according to what they feel is the right thing to do. Even though the Grandmother from â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and Abner from â€Å"Barn Burning† are extremely different people in very many ways, they are also quite similar.

The Mobil-Marathon case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Mobil-Marathon case - Essay Example The Directors of Marathon Oil Company filed an antitrust suit against Mobil at United States District Court in the Northern Ohio District. In the case, the director of Marathon argued that Mobil violated section seven of Clayton Act. The Act rejects the ideas of holding companies since they encourage the development of monopolies. The directors of Marathon wanted the court to restrain Mobil by preventing the company from purchasing shares of the company and permit the company to keep looking for other companies with which to form an appropriate merger. The district court ruled in the favor of Marathon Oil Company, which then proceeded to look for other companies. The directors of Marathon settled for United States Steel Inc., which was just newly formed. Just as the two were about to form a merger, Mobil Corporation filed a suit at the District Court in Southern District of Ohio arguing that Marathon had violated the Williams Act by withholding substantial information in its communication with its shareholders about merger and while filing with the country’s Stock Exchange Commission. Mobil Corp argued that the directors of Marathon had not disclosed adequate material facts of USS, Inc.’s tender offer. Mobil therefore requested an injunction on the merger. The district court denied the injunction. Mobil Corp appealed the ruling to the Sixth Circuit Court. The Circuit Court determined that Mobil indeed had the standing to bring a case against Marathon Oil Company since it was a tender offeror. As such, the Court began investigating the operations of Marathon as tabled by Mobil Corp. the court found that in its defensive tactics, Marathon Oil Company had violated a number of provisions of the William’s act (Kwoka and Lawrence 21). The two interrelated cases above involved a number of legal issues in the United States key among which was the interpretation and application of both the Williams Act and the Clayton’s Antitrust Act.

Second Amendment of the US Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Second Amendment of the US Constitution - Essay Example Several issues still remained unaddressed, for example, whether legislation, less stringent than the D.C. state violate the Second Amendment, whether lower courts will use their dicta with regards to allowable restrictions, and what to what extent should the courts apply scrutiny when analyzing a statute that imposes upon the Second Amendment. Keeping in view several issues and the interpretations in focus it all has helped in shaping the nation’s gun control debate. There are several societies and groups which are supporting an individual right to own a personal gun licensed by the National Rifle Association. Further, it was argued that the Second Amendment will provide all citizens with not only with powers of militia but they will possess a power and right to own a gun. Moreover, the agencies which propel a stricter gun control such as Brady Campaign believed that the Second Amendment is not a blank check for anyone to possess a gun. It is required to place certain restrict ions on firearms; some of these rules include the right who can have them, what specific condition is necessary for carrying a gun, where these firearms can be taken and what category of firearms are safe to carry and what is the appropriate place to buy such things(Ersin, 2014).In the context of the above-stated information, we turn now to the case of Ivette Ros was dismissed from Wells Fargo after the corporation found that she had a hidden carry license and a gun.Ivette was brought up in a house where her father kept guns.

Pick one of the poems from this module and EXPLICATE it Essay

Pick one of the poems from this module and EXPLICATE it - Essay Example is crucial in communicating the meaning of the poem in that it allows the audience to read the poem not only as a account of the African – American suffering but also as a racial statement aimed at restoring the pride of the African –American. The narrative voice, stanzas, figures of speech and the diction in the â€Å"Negro† are orchestrated to communicate one or more of the following tones: pride, sad and hopelessness. The resultant mood of these tones makes the tone the most important element of the poem than the words used to describe the events of the poem. The tones of pride, sad and hopelessness are established through the element of the narrative voice. The first person point of view establishes the speaker’s intimate relationship with the narrated events. However, the narration of events is marked by underlying tone; this tone can be established from the narrative voice. The voice does not lay much emphasis on the description of events yet it has a profound effect on the feelings of the audience, this is the effect of tone. The events are stated without too many details yet the effect is achieved. The effect of the tone on the audience is meant to align their feelings with the specific moods created. Langston capitalizes on tone to convey meaning of words. â€Å" I am a Negro/ Black as the night is black/ Black like the depths of my Africa† (1-3). Without factoring the role of the tone, the stanza would be reduced to a mere explanation of the narrator’s color and origin. The bold tone in which these words are c onveyed are crucial in understanding the meaning of these words as an affirmation of the Negro’s pride in his color and heritage. It is clear the speaker is stating what the audience already knows. (Campbell 65) argues that the mention of Negro is enough for the audience to imagine his color and place his roots making it irrelevant in deducting meaning in this context. The relevance of the tone in deducting the intended message renders

Creatine Loading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Creatine Loading - Essay Example This part of the essay will be discussed under the following heads: 1. Introduction 2. Evidence based practice: concept and definition 3. EBP in sports & exercise context a. Swimming b. Cycling 4. Conclusion 1.1 Introduction 1.1 The concept Evidence-based practice (EBP) is refers to the â€Å"review and use of scientific research to determine the most effective outcome. The scientific evidence plays a central role, although clinical judgement and the athlete’s personal preferences and values must also be considered† (Dunford & Doyle, 2008, p.17). EBP is also refers to as the preferential use of mental and behavioural health interventions for which systematic empirical research has provided evidence of statistically significant effectiveness as treatments for specific problems. The University of Minnesota Libraries, which maintains a website on EBP states that â€Å"EBP is a thoughtful integration of the best available evidence, coupled with clinical expertise and enabl es health practitioners of all varieties to address healthcare questions with an evaluative and qualitative approach. EBP allows the practitioner to assess current and part research, clinical guidelines, and other information resources, clinical guidelines, and other information resources in order to identify relevant literature while differentiating between high-quality and low-quality findings† (University of Minnesota; Libraries , 2010). 1.1.1 Significance EBP is highly desirable to research as it leads to rigorous and systematic study of research questions, the answers to which are based on scientific evidence (Nelson, 2010). Gray & Gray (2002) explain that â€Å"because research findings are fundamental in forming recommendations, the quality of the research is very important in EBP (Dunford & Doyle, 2008, p.17). This in turn becomes fundamental to the development of the best practices in a variety of professions (Nelson, 2010). In recent years, professional organisation s such as American Psychological Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the American Nurses Association, and the American Physical Therapy Association have been urging their members to carryout research in support or against specific interventions. Canadian equivalent of these organisations also stress on EBP. Other agencies such as the insurance providers have been known to deny insurance coverage to certain interventions due to lack of systematic evidences. 1.1.2 Applicability and areas of research The medical profession, in which treatments prescribed by doctors are based on the best evidence available so that the treatment is effective for the condition at hand, are not the only one to benefit from EBM. Other areas include psychology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, sports and physical activity research to mention a few. Many of these areas where lose bodies of knowledge were prevailing for generations without any empirical evidence are also now exploring applic ation of EBM. Nevertheless, sports and exercise scientists perhaps are the most immediate beneficiary of EBM, next only to the medical profession. The succeeding sections of this part discuss how sport & exercise scientis

Hard Rock Cafe Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hard Rock Cafe - Term Paper Example Forecasting is one method that has led to the success of the restaurant. With forecasting, the management can analyze the forces of demand and supply and make reasonable decisions. They can also determine the point where profits will be maximized. However, forecasting is not realistic as it can be affected by economic changes due to the cyclical nature of the market (Evans 2002). The actual results might differ from the forecasted data giving rise to risk. Therefore, it important to ensure that proper forecasting is done using reliable data and models. Introduction Hard Rock Cafe has grown at a very fast rate from a one pub in 1979 to cafe having 129 branches in over 40 countries internationally. With such growth, the Cafe has been successful in delivering quality services and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction. Nowadays, the hospitality industry is growing drastically. For this reason, the hotels require consistent progress to attain a competitive edge. Operations management is important to ensure that daily activities of an organization are achieved efficiently. This report will analyze the operation management of Hard Rock Cafe with regard to its forecasting strategy. The current forecasting strategy of the Restaurant will be analyzed and suggestions on other possible strategies with regard to sales will be discussed. In order to assess the future perspectives, it is important to analyze the current situation first. 1. Hard Rock Cafe’s forecasting strategy There are different forecasting applications at Hard Rock Cafe. The forecasts relate to the long-run, intermediate and short run. Long run forecasting methods are used in establishing a better capacity plan. Intermediate forecasting methods are used when Hard Rock Cafe aims at establishing good contracts with its main suppliers. The method is used to forecast on revenues using the pricing and costing information in respect of every cafe. Short term forecasting is used on daily sales and takes in to account variables such as events. The point of sale (POS) system is used in forecasting sales. The POS captures daily sales for each customer in all its cafes around the world. All daily sales are transmitted to the headquarters database electronically. From there, the financial team uses the data for forecasting purpose. In forecasting any anticipated events that might impact sales forecasts are taken into account. Such events might include sporting events or concerts to be performed anywhere near the cafes. The daily forecasts are further broken down to hourly sales which are used for employee scheduling purposes. Another forecasting strategy is Cafe’s menu planning which is done using multiple regressions. Multiple regression analysis helps the managers determine the degree of responsiveness on the quantity demanded to changes in price. Forecasting is also used in reorganizing the menu. This is because it measures the domino effect it would have on the menu items. Forec asting is also used in evaluating the performance of managers and setting rewards such as bonuses. Hard Rock Cafe uses a 3 year weighted moving average on cafe sales for this purpose. Bonuses are awarded when managers exceed their targets. Finally, forecasting is used in staff recruitment and management. Future demand is calculated and used to determine the period when to hire more staff or manage its staff in each department of the restaurant. Hard Rock Cafe can also use forecasting in the following areas: Establishing new outlets Determining future market changes by analysis the economic factors New products and its impact to the customers. 2. The role of

Based on Bergen's book (War and Genocide), what were the differences Term Paper

Based on Bergen's book (War and Genocide), what were the differences between the policies of the period 1933-1940 and those of 1 - Term Paper Example Nazi Germany Policies In the book â€Å"War and Genocide: A concise history of the holocaust†, Bergen brings out the difference between policies during the period between 1933 and 1940 and those of the period between 1940 and 1945. She argues that, during the former period, the Nazi policies against their enemies underwent significant changes. These included those towards the Jews, those suffering from hereditary diseases, Gypsies and political opponents. It took place in particular designated areas known as Einsatzgruppen that were conquered from Eastern Europe territories. It was part of their territorial expansion in Europe (154). She mentions the other targeted groups as the disabled and homosexuals â€Å"and others and attacked communists, homosexual men...(viii). A considerable difference is also highlighted with regard to the nature of actions during these periods. In the first years, actions were lighter than during the later years. Bergen shows that the Nazi policy w as moderate between 1933 and 1934. It was also contributed by the lack of agreement on what qualified an individual to be regarded as a Jew. They were afraid to scare voters and average minded politicians. It is at this time that the Haavara Agreement was signed between Nazis and Zionists to ensure that Jews in Germany migrated to Palestine before 1939 and Israel by 1949 (239). The genocide of Jews took part during this time leading to the persecution, enslavement and killing of millions of Jews (169). Immediately after, thousands of Jews were terminated from employment to avoid infiltration of destructive traits (55). These superior or privileged positions were reserved for the Aryan Germans (36). Nonetheless, it is at this time that most Germans were recruited to support the military service. According to Bergen, the members of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) formed their hatred from the familiar prejudices they had experienced during the pre-Nazi regime in Germ any (1). In this respect, she exposes the attempts made by Hitler to eliminate laws that would stop the Nazis in their quest (48). She contends that the Nazi believed in the scientific legitimacy of this racial doctrine in â€Å"the pseudo-science that grew up around it† (12). The eugenics or racial hygiene program was also include to sterilize and exterminate the victims compulsorily where she indicates â€Å"Hitler introduced a law to legalize eugenic sterilization.... to prevent reproduction by people deemed unworthy† (66). During the later years, different policies including the education system where populist anti-Semitic education was introduced in schools. These blamed the economic problems experienced after the war, unemployment and loss of World War I on Jews. However, during World War II, Nazi accepted Slavs to serve in the occupied territories of their army despite their consideration as sub-humans. It was a measure to deal with the manpower shortages in the military (168). Upon prompting by their leader, the Nazi changed their policies regarding the Croats and Slavs. The Nazi policies became worse hence culminating into the holocaust that was alternatively known as â€Å"The final solution† by Friedlander (246). Additionally, different measures were taken against the persecuted groups. In this sense, she explains how the persecution process took place in different stages. For instance, the National Committee against Nazi persecution and Execution of Jews was developed. Other legal

Describe an historical evolutionary concept and its impact on that Term Paper

Describe an historical evolutionary concept and its impact on that population(ie.Genetic drift or founder effect).Include how th - Term Paper Example However, these lacunae in no way takes away from the fact that evolution was and still is an ongoing, dynamic process. The inability to chart the human evolutionary process in a categorical manner does not mean that the specie human sapiens is not subject to the laws of evolution, in spite of the diverse assumptions and hypotheses to the contrary. The very first such assumption is to do with the fossil records, the findings of which did not occur in a chronologically uniform manner. The earliest fossil record known to science is said to be Aegytopithecus  sp a small animal, the size of a spaniel. This fauna is believed to be an ancestor of the humans, as also the modern apes, although quite distinct from all the other primates. It existed in the latter part of the Oligocene era, around 30 million years ago. Since the animal represented the dawn of apes as well as humans, it was termed the ‘dawn ape’. 10-15 million years passed before the lines leading to the great apes and humans began to diverge. 20 million years ago Dryopithecus  appeared exhibiting ape like features and 5 million years later Ramapithecus entered the evolutionary arena. It is exactly these rather long intervals of time about which we are completely dark about the onward momentum of the evolutionary process that make some people think that scientists have failed to categorically chart the human evolutionary process. ... 2001). The term is Leakey’s own way of recognizing the intimate evolutionary relationship that existed among human beings, chimpanzees and gorillas (Gee, 2001). This he did in spite of the already mentioned gaps in time. There are other assumptions and arguments going around denying the importance or even prevalence of the laws of human evolution. This is a deliberate attempt to establish that humans are not subject to the laws of evolution and most are far fetched in the extreme. One theory going around and gaining ground, particularly in the United States subscribes to the Creationist view of all living beings as depicted in the Genesis of Old Testament. They are more interested in discrediting evolution by the simple expedient of ignoring all discoveries of hominid fossils. As in many a field of human endevour, hoaxes and mistakes can at times occur in science too. Creationists cherry pick such examples in an effort to prove that these hoaxes and mistakes are proof enough t o establish the weakness of science and its theories, particularly the theory of evolution. This is a gross misinterpretation of the very nature of science which advances by learning from its mistakes and drawing confidence from its successes. The scientific method has this built-in, self- correcting mechanism which is a potent asset of science. All scientific hoaxes are soon exposed and rectified and those who do so are not creationists but the scientists themselves. All that the creationists do is to read about such exposes in the newspapers and watch them on TV and claim that it was they who exposed them in the first place. Ironically, the modern Indian savant Osho, whose disciples hail more from the Occident rather than from the nation of his birth, when asked whether there was a

Strategic structure of regulatory legislative frameworks for Dissertation

Strategic structure of regulatory legislative frameworks for sustainable development of Iraqi and Kurdistan Region oil and gas r - Dissertation Example When this government was dissembled, new laws and regulatory processes had to be installed and the Constitution (2005) was the first put in place. All other laws and regulations would stem from this piece of legislative work as time went on.1 Currently, this thesis argues that Iraq’s legal system must be seen as a product of Iraq’s distinctive history and local circumstances. It analyses the current nature of Iraq’s regulatory infrastructure and notes that Iraq’s law builders have relied heavily upon the United States model which may not suit Iraq in its current state of rebuilding the country. Therefore, this thesis argues that Iraq’s approach to law reform and development in this area has not always produced a body of law that is appropriate to Iraq’s particular circumstances. Examples within the regulatory system are analysed in this chapter with proposals for better solutions made at the end of the chapter. As there are a number of ways t o conduct doctrinal research and analysis methods, this thesis follows the method of Australian higher degree research (HDR), utilizing the two part method of first locating the sources of the law and then interpreting and analysing the text accordingly, with a final presentation of solutions given at the end. As an overview of regulatory infrastructures, it is important to understand why they are in place first: to establish institutions that would provide incentives for sustainable development in long-term economic and legal commitments from all sides; and accordingly, to encourage and protect investment opportunities from both internal and external existing and potential customers.2 Regulation refers to government-instituted controls on business activity as defined by the Handbook for Evaluating Infrastructure Regulatory Systems.3 As such, regulatory infrastructures are perceived to benefit and protect both the clients and those providing the benefits of partnerships. Yet, in mos t cases, many believe that national regulatory systems have failed in Iraq to provide both commitments and protections as they were supposed to do.4 Since Iraq created its first Constitution in 2005, and while somewhat flawed in certain articles, it provides the first real sense of active regulatory infrastructure, geared to environmental and sustainable development for all its peoples. Chapter 4 Analysis This chapter reviews and analyses the regulatory infrastructure currently in place such as the Federal Iraqi Constitution and how any current regulatory systems also align with international regulations which concern oil and gas and sustainable development. The process for analysis shows that it is not enough to describe the laws, processes and institutions but that there is a two-part system of analysis through questions involved: 1) to find out if the formal governance elements have actually been implemented (who’s in charge and how) and 2) then to determine the real actio ns and decisions of the regulators because they affect the performance of all regulated enterprises through all the parts affected.5 This also aligns with working with international groups such as the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations in its various commissions. As a final observation, the Federal Constitution

Community Assessment Essay Example for Free

Community Assessment Essay The name of my community is Buchanan County, Va. The total size of the area is approximately 504 square meters. (County Date, â€Å"n.d.†) The county was named after James Buchanan the 15th President of the United States. The approximate number of families in the community according to the U.S. Census is 6,866. (Population, 2010,) Buchanan County is a residential type of community. Buchanan County is a community with people who have been here from generation to generation. The community is a very family oriented community. Families are very close and always lived here all their life in this part of Virginia in this small pleasant community. The majority of houses in Buchanan County, VA are privately owned. Rental houses are of plenty in Buchanan. They are more trailers parks that are occupied and rented than rental houses. Most of the trailer parks and rental houses are in poor condition a lot of privately owned houses are in good condition. There’s maybe approximately 200ft in some areas between neighbors. The typical age of homes is 10-30 yr. old homes. Buchanan County has no subdivisions per driving thru the community. The population of the community is as follows: Infants as of 2007 where 203(Public records infants, 2007). The number of preschoolers are 149 which is 3%, Kindergarten 174 and 3.5%, grades 1-8 which is 2,089 and is 42.3%, grades 9-12 which is 1,132 and is 22.9%.(county assessment, 2011). Fifteen years and over marital status is as follows total is 22,457 (100%) of this age population, never married 4,069 (18.1%), now married 14,265 (63.5%), separated 641 (2.9%), , divorced 1,595 (7.1%), ages 30-34 is 1,418 (5.9%), ages 50-54 is 2,086 (8.7%), ages 85 and over is 308 (1.3%), and widowed 1,887 (8.4%).(census 2010, 2010) There are 10 public schools and 1 private in the county which are as follows Twin Valley Elementary/Middle School which is located in the Oakwood, VA area which is from PK-7 grade and has approximately 417 children receiving an education, Twin Valley High School which is located in the Pilgrims Knob, VA area which is from 8-12 grade and has approximately 286 children receiving an education, Grundy High School which is located in Grundy, VA which is from 9-12 grade and has approximately 472 children receiving an education, Hurley High School which is located in Hurley, VA which is from 8-12 grade and has approximately 257 children receiving an education, Haysi High School which is located in Haysi, VA which is from 9-12 grade and has approximately 284 children receiving an education, Hurley Middle School which is located in Hurley, VA which is from PK-7 grade and has approximately 419 children receiving an education. Council Elementary/Middle School which is located in Council, VA which is from PK-7 grade and has approximately 217 children receiving an education, Russell Prater Elementary School which is located in Vansant, VA which is from PK-5 grade and has approximately 116 children receiving an education, Riverview Elementary School which is located in Grundy, VA which is from PK-8 grade and has approximately 921 children receiving an education, JM Bevin’s which is located in Grundy, VA which is from K-5 grade and has approximately 132 children receiving an education, and Mountain mission is a private school located in Grundy, VA which is from PK-12 grade and has approximately 259 children receiving an education.(Schools, 2011) To the best of my knowledge I don’t believe we have any type of daycare facilities. Buchanan County has a head start program in the community. Almost every school has a Pre-k program. There is a public Library located in Grundy, Va. There is a vocational center at Grundy, VA as well. There are several forms of higher education, Southwest Virginia Community College at Richland’s, VA, Appalachian College of Pharmacy in Oakwood, VA, and Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Va. As of 2007 there were 125 voters in Buchanan County, Va. (census 2010, 2010) There are several voting locations throughout the community. Most of the voting booths are located at most of the surrounding area schools. Most individuals may travel up to 10miles or more to get to a voting location depending on what area in the county you live in. Air pollution is of plenty in Buchanan County, Va. The Coke ovens of Jewel Smokeless Mines pollute the air with lots of smoke. The coke ovens are located at Dismal Road at Patterson, Va. U.S. route 460 is a very busy highway for all due to much travel from Richland’s, VA and Kentucky to Grundy, VA either to work or to get home. There are several bodies of water throughout the county. The most famous are the Levisa River and Dismal River both located throughout the county. The water source is county water from PSA which our major water source comes from John Flanagan Dam. The sanitation department is located in Grundy, Va. The noise in the county is not bad, but CNX has many ventilation fans that you can hear sometimes running circulating air throughout the underground mining systems. The only crimes I can find that are bad is substance abuse which the county had 991 total drug violations in 2000. (Buchanan County, 2000) The unemployment rate for the county is 7.30% which is high and the average household income is $29, 712. (Income, â€Å"n.d.†) The best occupations for men are to work for CNX in the mines or the gas well occupation. The best occupation for women is the healthcare occupation. The only new jobs in the county were with the coalfield express to make the highway better through the surrounding areas in Buchanan. The Health Department in Grundy, VA offers WIC for low income families and also several other government funds such as Tanf. There’s a food pantry in Grundy, VA. There’s a service called people incorporated that offer assistance such as shelter to children and mothers who have been abused. There’s a free clinic for surrounding areas for Buchanan, Tazewell, and Russell is the Reddy Tri County Health Clinic which is in Richland’s, VA. The stores in Buchanan County are Food city in Vansant, VA, Save a lot in Oakwood, VA, and Wal-Mart in Grundy, VA. All of these stores have healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables and other healthy products. The public transportation is as follows: There’s the County transit bus for all ages and incomes serving the Buchanan County, VA and surrounding areas, and the children have public school buses available for school transportation. There’s about an average of 7-8 red lights throughout the community. The average number of cars per each house as per driving and my observations in the community are about 2 per household. Most of the cars are in good shape. The recreational activities are of plenty in Buchanan. We offer many parks. Each area in the county has some form of recreation. The most famous of parks serving the Buchanan county areas and surrounding areas is the Breaks Interstate Park. The Breaks offers a new Water Park, hiking and biking trails, paddle boats, and Lovers Leap. There’s a park in each community most has a ball field with a track around it. There’s several public pools in the community they are at Twin Valley Elementary School in Oakwood, VA which also has a track and tennis court , the YMCA in Grundy, VA which also has exercise equipment, William P. Harris Park in Council, VA it also has a tennis and volley ball court with a ball field and several picnic shelters. These area parks are for all ages. The area has several churches and religions. The percent of religious people are 24.67%. The Non-religious percent of people are 8.1 %.(religion, â€Å"n.d.†) There are several churches in the community: Baptist churches, Church of Christ, Jehovah Witness, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Pentecostal. The percent’s are as follows: Baptist is 11.30%, Jewish is 0%, Methodist is 1.92%, Pentecostal 0.46%, Presbyterian 1.02%, and other is 9.81%.(religion, â€Å"n.d.†) The cultures in Buchanan are mainly white people (dominant culture) which accounts for 96.3%, black people are 2.8%, American Indian and Alaska Native people are 0.1%, Asian are 0.3%, People reporting two or more races are 0.5%, Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are 0.4%, and White not Hispanic 96%. (Culture, 2011) The distance of most relatives in Buchanan County would probably be no more than 10-20 minutes away. The countys public water system was designed with the regulations and guidelines of the Virg inia Department of Health. The size of each fire hydrant and water line allow for 250 gallons of water to safely flow from the hydrant each minute. (Wampler, May 11, 2006) The closest police station is in Grundy, VA on Walnut drive, the sheriff’s office is in the same location as the police station. There is also the 29th circuit task force which is on Almarine Dr, in Grundy, VA. There are about 12 fires stations. The most used in the community is Grundy Volunteer Fire Department in Grundy, VA. Most families have locks and gates on their houses for safety. Maybe an average of 20 homes has alarm systems in this area. The numbers of clinics in the community are 10 and are community health clinics. There’s only one hospital in the community and that is Buchanan General Hospital. The only long term care facility is Heritage Hall on Slate Creek Rd. in Grundy, VA. The psychiatric facilities in the community are the Cumberland Mountain House in Keen Mountain, VA and the Baxter House at Oakwood, VA which educate and rehabilitate with group therapy. Patient education is provided by the clinics throughout the area, but mainly at Buchanan General Hospital in Grundy, VA. They are approximately about 15 or more ambulance services in the community. 911 is available in the community. They are several Home health agencies to help with families with disabilities. They are many pharmacies available in the community. A big shortage of Doctors and Dentists in the community. The community only has 69 doctors in the community and six dentists, but on the other hand nursing is of plenty 111.8 per person in Buchanan County, VA. ((Healthy people, 2009) Media Sources in Buchanan are newspapers Virginia Mountaineer and The Voice. Local TV is available our news stations are WCYB and WVVA. Cable is available from Time Warner. Cable and high speed internet are available from time warner and Verizon. Local radio stations are WMJD FM and WNRG AM. The main nursing diagnoses that stand out are: Actual problems with substance abuse, Risk for relocation as evidenced by a shortage of jobs, and Risk for poor health as evidenced by a shortage of healthcare workers. References Buchanan County. (2000). Retrieved July 5, 2012, from www.fedstats.gov/mapstats/arrests/county Census 2010. (2010). Retrieved July 5, 2012, from www.u.s.census.com County Data for Buchanan County, Virginia. (â€Å"n.d.†). Retrieved July 04, 2012, from http://www.landsofvirginia.com/county/detail/?id=5040 County assessment. (2011). Retrieved July 5, 2012, from www.buchanancountyonline.com/communityassessment2011.pdf Profile of general population and housing characteristics: 2010. (2010). Retrieved July 04, 2012, from http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk Public records infants. (2007). Retrieved July 5, 2012, from www.openpublic-records.com/virginia/buchanan_county_public_records Schools. (2011). Retrieved July 5, 2012, from www.localschooldirectory.com/publicschool/88240/VA Wampler, J. (May 11, 2006, May). PSA Cracks Down on Water Thieves. Virginia Mountaineer, pp. 3. Retrieved from www.virginiamountaineer.com Culture. (2011). R etrieved July 6, 2012, from www.quickfacts.census.gov Healthy people of Appalachia. (2009). Retrieved July 6, 2012, from www.healthyappalachia.org/files/docs/word/BuchananDraft%5B1%5D.pdf Income.

Overview of the Indus Qater Treaty

Overview of the Indus Qater Treaty CHAPTER V From time immemorial man has been emotionally attached to water. Water disputes have existed throughout the history of mankind and various mechanisms to deal with problems have been tried. So far no clear cut directions or conventions have emerged to deal with water disputes. Many organizations, including legal associations, have tried to lay down some principles. The best of these are the Helsinki Rules evolved by the International Law Association in 1966 at its 52 conference at Helsinki [1]. However at best the Helsinki Rules can serve as guidelines and in the case of the sub-continent the conditions are different because they deal with distribution of water for the purpose of irrigation which is not the case of Europe. The recent stresses and strains in the observance of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)[2]have been alarming. India has signed several agreements with its neighbours for sharing of waters of the major rivers of the subcontinent. Currently four major treaties govern the di stribution of the waters of Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra. These are the Indus Water Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan, Sankosh Multipurpose Project treaty (1993) between India and Bhutan, the Ganges Water Sharing Agreement (1996) between India and Bangladesh, and the Mahakali Treaty (1996) between India and Nepal. The reluctance in the observance of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)[3] have had many analysts believe the relation between India and Pakistan will be governed to a large extend by issues of water sharing in the years to come. The Indus River System The northern and western part of the Indian subcontinent is irrigated by the Indus River and its system of upper tributaries. The Indus then travels a length of approximately 3000 kms through Tibet, Jammu and Kashmir, POK, and Pakistan before entering the Arabian Sea. There are several distributaries that join the Indus River in its journey to the seas and the most important ones which are discussed in this chapter are Beas, Sutlej, Ravi, Chena band Jhelum rivers. The Indus Tributaries Sutlej: Sutlej is the longest of the many tributaries that join the Indus. The River Sutlej originates in Tibet and runs a course of approximately 1500 kms through the mountain ranges of Himachal Pradesh and enters Pakistan through the plains of Punjab. The Husseiniwala Headworks has been constructed downstream at the junction between of Beas and Sutlej, the closure of which on May 1, 1948 started the water crisis that encouraged the IWT. These Husseiniwals headworks supplied water to the State of Bikaner through Bikaner Canal and the state of Bahawalpurfrom the Depalpur Canal. The Bhakra Dam, which Nehru called the new temple of resurgent India,[4] is also situated on this river. Another important headwork on this Sutlej is Harike that water the Sirhind canal and Rajasthan canal. Chenab: This approximately 1000 km long river originates in Himachal Pradesh and is further augmented by Chandra and Bagha as it enters Jammu and Kashmir. After crossing the Pir Panjal range, it enters the Sialkot district in Pakistan near the town of Akhnoor. The Marala barrage has been built by Pakistan across the river in 1968 as part of its design to harness the water of the river under the provisions of the IWT. Jhelum Kishenganga (Neelum): The Kishenganga river originates in the mountains west of Dras and is further met by a number of tributaries and merges with the Jhelum River near Muzaffarabad in PoK. The Jhelum River originates in the foothills of the Pir Panjal Ranges near Verinag and then flows through the cities of Anantnag, Srinagar, Sopore and Baramulla. Some of its important tributaries are Lidar, Sindand Vishav. Ravi: This approximately 800 km long river rises in Himachal Pradesh and runs before joining Chenabin Pakistan after flowing past Lahore. The Thien Dam (Ranjit Sagar Dam) has been constructed on this river at the junction of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir States and feeds the Upper Bari Doab Canal. Beas: This approximately 500 km long river originates near Rohtang Passin Himachal Pradesh and flows through Kulu Valley and the Siwalik Range. The Pandoh Dam is located on this and diverts water to Sutlej through the Beas-Sutlej link. The Indus Water Treaty Even prior to 1947, as the irrigation from the Indus river systems covered a number of administrative units and water available was not always sufficient to meet the combined demands, disputes used to arise from time to time between these units for their share of water at different times of the year, and for the different projects contemplated by them[5]. The partition of India in 1947 was a complex problem and one which the then rulers of India did not solve satisfactorily. The problem was further complicated by the presence of several border princely states especially that of Jammu Kashmir as well as the river systems of Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra. The Indus river system presented a very complex problem because all the rivers originated either in Jammu and Kashmir or India but the irrigated the areas of Punjab that had been allocated to Pakistan also headworks that regulated the flow of waters of these rivers were allotted to India. Apart from the Punjab Boundary Commission pr oposition that the canal-headworks system be considered as a joint venture, a suggestion discarded by both countries, no deliberations were carried out on water sharing during the process of partition. Problems arising out of water sharing issues of Indus System would later take more than 10 years to resolve. Further complicating this issue, Pakistan covertly and later overtly tried to take control of Jammu Kashmir for many reasons including that of its perceived need to have the rivers of Jammu and Kashmir under its control which creating a feeling of animosity in the minds of the Indian politicians. Both India and Pakistan agreed to a Standstill Agreement on Dec 30, 1947thereby freezing the existing water systems at the two headworks of Madhopur (on theRavi) and Ferozepur (on the Sutlej) until March, 31, 1948[6]. Arbitral Tribunal (AT) was set up under Section Nine of the Indian Independence Act which was meant to resolve any dispute which the Punjab Partition Committee was unable to resolve. The East Punjab government decided to stop the flow of water to West Punjab on 01 April 1948 when the East Punjab government did not respond favorably to the idea of talks and therefore technically there was no agreement between these two government. Incidentally the term of the AT also finished on the same day. At the invitation of East Punjab, the representatives of the two divided-Punjab States met in Simla on15 Apr 1948and signed two Standstill Agreements[7]regarding the Depalpur Canal and Central Bari Doab Canal to be in effect until15 Oct 1948. However, the West Punjab Government refused to approve the Agreement and the PM of Pakistan, called for a meeting. The Finance Minister of Pakistan along with ministers from West Pakistan visited Delhito work out an agreement[8]in the Inter-Dominion Conference held on May 1948.Indiaagreed to release of water from the headworks, but made it obvious that Pakistan could not lay claim to these waters. Mr Eugene R. Black, the President of the World Bank visited India and Pakistan in 1951 and suggested that a team of Indian, Pakistani and World Bank engineers to solve the functional aspect of water sharing without getting involved in the political issues. The two countries accepted this mediation[9]. The World Bank also asked both the sides to give out their plan for the division of the water resources which both the countries did by Oct 53. While the plans of both the country were remarkably similar on the issue of availability of water it varied considerably on the critical issues of requirement[10]. In order to resolve the dispute, the World Bank finally proposed its own plan in Feb 1954 as India and Pakistan had failed to reach a consences. The plan offered the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers to Pakistan whereas the three remaining rivers were offered to India. India accepted the proposal whereasP akistan gave only a qualified acceptance to the proposal. The plan suggested by the World Bank was far closer to the Indian proposal than that of the Pakistan one and in a way consolidated Indias position. Pakistan was not satisfied with this plan and even made a threat of withdrawing from the negotiations. Eventually the plan was not fully transformed into a settlement but provided provision for future negotiations which continued for the next six years.[11] [12]In the absence of a full agreement India and Pakistan signed an Interim Agreement in June 1955. As no definite agreement could be reached, the World Bank announced in Apr 1956 that the negotiation deadline has been indefinite ly extended.[13] Under the World Bank plan, Pakistan was to construct barrages and canals to divert the Western river waters so as to compensate the loss of Eastern rivers. The final treaty was signed by the head of states of the two country in the presence of the World Bank President on 19 Sep 1960. The treaty allocated the three Eastern Rivers to India and the three Western rivers largely to Pakistan. The IWT enunciated a mechanism to exchange regularly flow-data of rivers, canals and streams. A Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) was constituted, headed by two Commissioners, one from each country. The PIC is expected to meet at least once a year alternately in India and Pakistan and submit an annual report to their respective Governments before June, 30thevery year. The IWT has seen several issues that have rocked the very foundation of the treaty. No more issue was more publicized than the aftermath of the attacks on the Indian Parliament. There was also a widespread demand within India for withdrawal from the IWT after the attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. Apart from this some of the contentious issues have been elaborated in the succeeding paragraphs. The Tulbul Navigation Lock/Wullar Barrage Issue In order to improve navigation in the Wullar Lake , India planned to construct a barrage on the entrance of the lake so as to raise the flow of water as also increase the depth to accommodate larger vessels. This would result in the increase of the storage capacity of the lake and therefore Pakistan objected to the supposedly consummative use of water. Pakistans objection[14] [15]stems from two issues, one India needs to get consensus of the design from Pakistan and two, it cannot store waters as per IWT on the Jhelum Main anything in excess of 0.01 MAF. Pakistan also feels that any storage of water on the Jhelum is a security risk as it would provide India with the capability to control the flow of water into Pakistan which could be used in an offensive nature. Indias argument[16]is that such a construction will not reduce the amount of water flowing to Pakistan and in fact it would also be beneficial to Pakistan by regulating water flow to Mangla Dam. When the agreement was reached in 1991, the only point of contention that remained was the timing of the filling up of the lake. The Salal Hydroelectric Project This was the first major dispute successfully resolved bilaterally under IWT. The project provides waters to Pakistan in a regulated manner but involves no diversion by India. However, Pakistan successfully objected to the construction of the six anti-siltation sluice gates which resulted in decreased power generation capacity. India also agreed to reduce the heights of the spillway gates from 40 feet to 30 feet. The Ranbir and Pratap Canals The Ranbir Canal, were built by the Dogra rulers of Jammu and Kashmir and were meant to water the areas of Miran Sahib, Vijaypur and Madhopur. Under the treaty, India is allowed to take out a fixed quantity of water for these channels. Many restrictions, such as quantum and dates of withdrawal have been imposed on India by the IWT. The Kishenganga Project[17] The project involves the construction of a 103 metre dam before the crosses the Line of Control (LoC) and a channel and a 27 Km long tunnel through the North Kashmirranges to transport the water to the Wullar lake where a hydroelectric power station will be built as part of an integrated project. Pakistan objects to the Kishenganga project as it suspected that it would have an adverse impact on its envisaged 969-MW Neelum-Jhelumpower plant. This project was initially planned for 1994-1997 but lies inactive because of lack of funds. The Indian Kishenganga project is expected to lead to a shortfall of 21% loss of water flow in Neelum resulting in a 9% reduction in power for the Pakistani project.[18] The Baglihar Project The dispute over the Baglihar is technically complex. Pakistan has raised six objections relating to project configuration : free board, spillway ( ungated or gated), firm power, pondage, level of intake, inspection during plugging of low level intake, and wheather the structure is meant to be a low weir or a dam[19].One set of objections relates to the dams storage capacity, a second to the power intake tunnels, and a third to the spillways. As for the dams storage capacity, Pakistani officials call attention to the treatys allowance of only run of the river dams. Such dams are by definition non-storage dams-in other words, power is generated from normal river flow, the tapping of running not dammed water. In practice, Pakistanis concede, some storage is essential (and is explicitly authorized by the treaty): there is, after all, considerable (especially seasonal) variation in the flow of rivers, a fact that necessitates installation of sufficient storage to enable stable, efficient operation of the hydroelectric plant on a regular, year round basis. Pakistani officials maintain that the Baglihar dams design supplies India with the means, on the one hand, to economically squeeze, starve or strangulate Pakistan, or, on the other hand, to flood Pakistan, conceivably for military purposes. They argue, moreover, that the Baglihar dam has huge precedent-setting importance: for Pakistan to compromise on Baglihar, they say, would set a precedent that India could invoke whenever it liked elsewhere on the Chenab or Jhelum rivers. Dr Raymond Lafitte of the Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne, Switzerland, was appointed by the World Bank and confirmed by India and Pakistan in May 2005 as the neutral arbitrator. Though Lafitte ruled favorably towards India on three of the four main criteria, both nations claimed victory[20].Each emphasized points of the ruling that favored their respective initial positions. Reasons for Success In spite of the various points of conflict in the IWT, the treaty can still be sited as an example of successful mediation by an international organization in dispute resolution. A unique mix of circumstances contributed to the success of the effort[21] :- The World Bank played the honest broker honestly and impartially. As both countries lacked financial resources to undertake projects independently the position of the World Bank became highly influential. The discussion was consciously restricted to engineering principles and facts and filtered out all political discourse from the issue. Despite the treatys success over the past decades, India and Pakistan have experienced numerous disputes over modifications to the flow of rivers. The increasing need to maintain a steady flow of water for survival and the recent rise in disagreement over aspects of the treaty raise the question of whether the treaty is still adequate[22]. Disagreements on construction of new reservoirs, declining ground water potential and the growing number of disputes with India[23] after a relatively uneventful period has complicated the situation for Pakistan and therefore arises the need to re-work the treaty. Indias Water Wealth, pp210. 6032. TheINDUSWATERS TREATY 1960 between THE GOVERNMENT OFINDIA, THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTANAND THE INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT. A River Story, Nandita Bhavnani,The Hindu,June 6, 2004 http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2004060600580800.htmdate=2004/06/06/prd=mag Department of Irrigation, Govt. of Rajasthan, http://www.rajirrigation.gov.in/4bhakhra.htm Indias Water Wealth, pp211. Ibid, pp211. Water Rationality: Mediating the Indus Waters Treaty,Undala Z. Alam, University ofDurham http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/publications/related_research/Alam1998.pdf Inter-Dominion Agreement, between the GoI and GoP on the Canal Water Dispute between East and WestPunjab. Water Rationality: Mediating the Indus Waters Treaty,Undala Z. Alam, University ofDurham http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/publications/related_research/Alam1998.pdf IndusWater Treaty: Case Study, Transboundary Fresh Water Dispute Database http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/projects/casestudies/ TheIndusWaters Treaty: A History by TheHenryL.StimsonCenter Fostering Riparian Cooperation in International River Basins, Syed Kirmani, Guy Le Moigne World Bank Technical Paper # 335, January 1997 World Bank Historical Chronology 1950-1959 Water Disputes inSouth Asia, Farzana Noshab, Nadia Mushtaq,Strategic Studies, Summer 2001, No.3, Vol. XXI, the Institute of Strategic Studies,Islamabad InternationalRiverWaters inSouth Asia: Source of Conflict or Cooperation? http://irs.org.pk/spotlight.htm#VIII Delhi Round of Indo-Pak Talks-II Tulbul Navigation Project/Wular Barrage, Mallika Joseph http://www.ipcs.org/newKashmirLevel2.jsp?action=showViewkValue=466subCatID=nullmod=null 330-MW Kishenganga Project gets Technical Clearance,Iftikhar Gilani,KashmirTimes http://kasmirtimes.com/archive/0406/040619/news2.htm Ibid Two Neighbours and aTreaty: Bagliar Project in Hot Waters by Rajesh Sinha, Water Conflicts in India ,pp394. Resource Disputes in South Asis: Water Scarcity and the Potential for Interstate Conflicts, Emma Condon, Office of South Asia Analysis , US CIA, pp 6. The Role of Independent Third Party Arbitration in Cross Border Water Disputes by Nishesh Mehat. The China-India-Pakistan Water Crisis : Prospect for Interstate Conflict, James F Brennan. The Indus Water Treaty , Subrahmanyam Sridhar.

SLA: Language Acquisition Vs Learning

SLA: Language Acquisition Vs Learning Bilingualism 10/1/17 Introduction to Bilingualism During this lecture, I learned the definition and the importance of bilingualism. Throughout the years, the definition of bilingualism has changed slowly from possesses native-like control of two or more languages (Bloomfield, 1933) to operates in two languages on a daily basis (David, 1999, pg 157). As well as this, I also came to realise that there are a number of interconnected issues that affect bilingualism such as race, power, society, and culture. This interested me because I did not realise how much in the world affects bilingualism and how all of these issues are interconnected. For example, if a family are racist and have strong political views against immigrants, they are less likely to support bilingualism and their child/children are less likely to be open to learning a new language due to their parents views. Learning about bilingualism and understanding the importance of it will help me in my role as a teacher as it will help me to make bilingual children feel more com fortable and welcome in my classroom[A1]. In this lecture, we were put into groups and given a scenario about a bilingual child coming into the school. In the group that I was part of, our scenario was a young Spanish girl coming into primary 2. In our group, we discussed the importance of making this child feel welcome and ensuring that she understood what was going. To begin with, we thought that asking the child if she feels comfortable enough to share her background with class would be a good way to show her that as her teacher, I am interested in where she has come from while at the same establishing the level of English the child understands and can utilize. We also thought that having, for example, the colours up on a wall display in both English and Spanish would help the child to differentiate between both languages and get used to the English whilst still having the comfort of her first language. Using the Learning in 2+ Languages (2005) document during this lecture made me realise how important bilingualism is and how beneficial it can be for both young children and adults. I learned that bilingualism does not delay a childs cognitive development like some believe but brings a number of cognitive advantages such as a greater creative potential and a greater awareness of how languages operate. 17/1/17 Second Language Acquisition: Language Acquisition Vs Learning Throughout this session, I was introduced to a number of different hypotheses, and their criticisms, surrounding how a person acquires / learns a different language. According to Krashens Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis (1982) there are two distinct processes to learning a language: Acquisition or acquiring a language and Learning a language. Acquiring a language refers to the passive process of obtaining the subtleties of a language through natural learning however learning a language refers to the active process in which learners become aware of the rules of the language they are trying to learn. However, McLaughlin (1978) states that this theory is impossible to prove. This interested me as I had never realised that there was a belief that acquiring and learning a language were two different processes. Reflecting back to my own experiences of learning a language[A2], I was always taught the rules and grammar of language rather than acquiring it through natural processes therefore, in my own opinion, I believe that they are definitely two separate processes but I also believe that these are closely inter-connected. For me, the most interesting hypothesis that we were introduced to in this lecture was The Affective Filter Hypothesis. This is the idea that emotional variables can have an effect and prevent someone from learning a language. These include motivation, self-confidence, and anxiety. The lower the affective filter, the more language the student will acquire. This shows that a child with low self-confidence may not pick up a language as easily as a child with high self-confidence. According to the ONS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey (2004), 2.2% or about 96,000 children have an anxiety disorder. This shows that most likely, teachers will be faced with the challenge of trying to teach a language to a child who cannot acquire it as easily as the other children in the class. However, Krashen claims[A3] that children do not have the same affective filter as adults but also experience differences related to the affective filters. An affective filter only accounts for individual var iation in language acquisition, it cannot be applied to all children. As well as this, we also looked at the Count Us In A Sense of Belonging (2009) which highlighted the importance of improving the learning of some pupils. As well as this, the document made me aware of the shift in patters of migration, especially since 2004. Due to easier access and cheaper travel, the number of immigrants coming to Scotland has increased dramatically. Many of those immigrating to Scotland bring with them young children who have to be put into the schooling system. This Count Us In document emphasises the importance of teachers in supporting newly-arrived children and ensuring that they can access the curriculum. As a trainee primary teacher, this is extremely important to me as children must be able to access the curriculum in order to learn and succeed. 24/1/17 Language and Society Watching Jane Elliots experiments in prejudice both shocked me and intrigued me. The method that she uses to teach the children about discrimination is both effective and intriguing but it is also very wrong. However, this experiment took place in the 1960s therefore even though it is wrong in the current educational context, it may not have been as wrong then. By telling the children one day that the blue eyed people were better than the brown eyed people, it changed their attitudes towards each other drastically and even resulted in some children being aggressive to one another. As soon as the teacher mentions that the people with blue eyes are better and more superior than the children with brown eyes, the brown eyed children look upset and shocked whereas the blue eyed children think it is funny and they are excited. Jane Elliot forces the brown eyed children to wear collars and doesnt allow them to play on any of the playground equipment. She gives the blue eyed children special privileges and they take full advantage of these. In the reverse situation, the blue eyed children become upset and come to realise how the brown eyed children felt the day before. As well as this, we see that when the children are given privileges and are treated as superior, they do their work quicker and their learning is improved. At the end of this day, th e children all come back together and discuss how being discriminated against made them feel. One child described it as feeling like a dog on a leash. Many of the children came to realise that being discriminated against for something that you cannot control is one of the worst feelings and that no one should be discriminated against. This experiment made me realise that in my role as a primary teacher, it is essential to teach my pupils the importance of respecting everyone and treating everyone the same. Tomlinson (2005, pg 154) states that Failure to develop a curriculum for a multiethnic society has contributed to an increase in xenophobia and racism. This made me believe that equality is something that children need to become aware of at a young age and it is part of my job to make them aware of it. If, for example, a child of another race came into my classroom, my job would be to ensure that all the children in my classroom were respectful and did not treat them any different just because of the colour of their skin. While this experiment made me realise all of this, it also made me realise that when in a classroom, treating children differently can have a massive effect on their attitudes to one another therefore teachers need to be careful[A4]. 31/01/17 The Scottish Context The number of families immigrating to Scotland has increased throughout the years and, particularly in 2004, the number of immigrants that came to Scotland increased considerably (Count Us In, pg 2). During this lecture, we examined the statistics of both immigration and the number of immigrant children moving into new schools. For me as a developing primary teacher, it was interesting to see how the number of immigrants coming to Scotland affected the schooling statistics. The reasons that people move to another country can vary drastically. Many move for family reasons or new careers whereas others move because they want a place of safety. Immigration has a huge impact on both Scottish society and schools. As a society, we have to be more welcoming as a whole as well as just in the communities where the immigrants move to. Showing respect to all families and becoming aware of what some of these families will face every day is essential. When a family immigrate to Scotland and put their child(ren) into a school, it affects the school sector[A5]. As primary teachers, we must think about bilingualism and become aware of diversity. Inside the classroom, we have to ensure that the child is comfortable and understands what is going on at all times as it is our responsibility to make sure that they do not fall behind on the work and are learning. In my role as a primary teacher, it is important for me to expose children to a second language at a young age as this is the best window of opportunity and is more likely to lead the child to become bilingual than exposure to a second language in teenage or adult years. Many parents believe that they should not introduce a second language until they have fully established one language however it is more difficult to introduce a second language later on. As well as this, introducing a second language later on makes it difficult for parents to interact with this language and use it around the house. According to the Count Us In A Sense of Belonging document, a child learning a second language can benefit from a number of cognitive advantages that are associated with bilingualism. 14/02/17 Language and Identity The people that we spend the most time with have the biggest influence on our language and our identity. According to Baker (2006, pg 136) [A6]we construct our identities yet they are created and confined by other people, situations and influences on us. Everyone forms multiple social identities depending on the group and interactions with other people. Learning a second language is affected by our interactions with others and helps us to find a voice within a social group. As well as this, it is more than just gaining vocabulary and grammar, it is about being believed and being respected as language says things about our values and knowledge. There are many layers to our language and when we first learn to speak, we speak in the same ways as those around us. Introducing a second language at this stage can encourage a child to acquire the language quicker while learning it alongside their first language. During this lecture, we discussed the issues around age and second language acquisition. Younger learners are neither more nor less successful in second language acquisition than older learners however children who learn a second language in child do tend to achieve higher capability levels than those who begin after childhood. Even though length of exposure is an important factor in learning a second language, in a formal classroom setting, older learners tend to learn quicker than younger learners do.   In the early years, second language acquisition is dependent on the teacher providing suitable materials and resources to children and ensuring that learning is enjoyable. As a primary teacher, it is important to make learning a second language more enjoyable for my pupils through resources such as songs etc. By doing so, they are more likely to remember what I have taught them and they are more likely to be engaged in the lesson. 28/02/17 Supporting Bilingual Learners in the Classroom (1) Meeting the needs and supporting bilingual children is an essential role for a primary teacher. When a bilingual child first comes into a teachers classroom, it is important for you to find them a buddy that they can talk to, or if they are not comfortable talking, just listen to. This not only benefits the bilingual child, but there are also cognitive benefits for monolingual learners who work with bilingual learners and good practice for bilingual learners is good practice for all learners. In my role as a primary teacher, I need to ensure that I am supporting bilingual learners at all times as well as supporting all other children in my classroom. It is important to ensure that everyone in the classroom knows what is happening throughout[A7] every lesson. Cummins (1976) refers to The Threshold Theory which describes the relationship between cognition and the level of bilingualism. The theory is represented as a house which has three floors and two linguistic ladders, representing L1 and L2, on each side. The further up they are on the ladders and floors, the greater chance the children have of being bilingual and obtaining cognitive advantages. As well as this, Cummins (1980, 1981) uses an Iceberg Analogy and describes a common underlying proficiency between the first language (L1) and the second language (L2). Cummins explains that when using two or more languages, there is a common source where ideas come from meaning that individuals can use two or more language with ease. Listening, reading, speaking and writing in the L1 or L2 helps to develop the cognitive system however the language that the learner uses must be well developed in order to be able to process the cognitive challenges of the classroom. Towards the end of this lecture, we focused on discussing the importance of supporting the development of English as an additional language (EAL) in the classroom. New arrivals must feel welcomed and be placed in an appropriate group based on their age and ability meaning that the school and class teacher must take into account the childs previous education background. By carefully placing the child into an appropriate group, the teacher can carefully monitor them and take account of the advantages of collaborative learning. Class tasks must be appropriately planned and appropriately scaffolded to support EAL learners. Supporting beginners in English is essential and there are a number of strategies which can be used to help these children. For example, composing sentence halves to be matched or creating gaps in sentences to be filled. As previously mentioned, good practice for bilingual children is good practice for all children therefore activities like this not only help EAL learn ers but also help all other children in the classroom. Pairing a child who has a good grasp of the English language with an EAL learner can help when these activities take place as they can help the EAL learner to understand how the sentences work and why the halves go together if they do not fully grasp the concept. [A8] References Baker, C. (2011) Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 5th Ed. McNaughton Gunn; USA Baker, C. (2006) Foundation of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 4th ed. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Bloomfield, L. (1933) Language. Holt; New York Cummins, J. (1976) The Influence of Bilingualism on Cognitive Growth: A Synthesis of Research Findings and Explanatory Hypotheses. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 9. David, T. (1999) Young Children Learning. Bilingual Children in a Monolingual Society. Sage: London Her Majestys Inspectorate of Education (2009) Count us in: A Sense of Belonging Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People Newly Arrived in Scotland. [Online] Available: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/cuimnnus_tcm4-618947.pdf [Accessed: 17/1/17]. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTScotland). 2005. Learning in 2(+) languages. Ensuring effective inclusion for bilingual learners. Good practice for teachers, educational establishments and local authorities. Dundee: LTScotland. ONS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey (2004) Accessed : http://www.youngminds.org.uk/training_services/policy/mental_health_statistics [Date Accessed: 17/1/17] Tomlinson, S. (2005b) Race, Ethnicity and Education under New Labour, Oxford, inOxford Review of Education Vol. 31, No. 1, March 2005, pp. 153-171 [A1]Good point [A2]good [A3](ibid.)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦? [A4]Good commentary [A5]How/in what way(s)? [A6] [A7]And why? [A8]Well written and fluent; make sure that all LOs can be covered by your choice of journal entries: we will discuss ICT Support in Business: Cisco Case Study ICT Support in Business: Cisco Case Study Ting Cheuk Sze Topic: How do you think ICT / Information System infrastructure and IT strategy at Cisco is supporting the business? (1451words) A) A short summary of Nolans (1973) stages of growth model Nolan describes a learning curve in the development of data processing in 1974 Harvard Business Review. Nolan believes that organizations need to understand the growth characteristics associated with each stage of development. Understanding this curve is conducive to help organizations effective implementation of information technology. The first version consisted the stages of initiation, Contagion, Control, Integration. It eventually expanded to six stages in 1979, which include Data administration and Maturity. Nolans main content of the stage model: Stage I, Initiation The organisation introduces computer system to increase its competitiveness. Data processing costs are lack of control, the establishment of information systems often do not pay attention to economic efficiency in this stage. Stage II, Contagion Information technology applications began to spread in the organisation. The organisation managers began to pay attention to the economic benefits of information systems investment, but the real control does not exist. Stage III, Control The management information system became a formal department to control its internal activities and launched a project management plan and a system development methodology. The current application began to formal, and lay the foundation for the future development of information systems. Stage IV, Integration Organizations began to use databases and telematics technologies to consolidate existing information systems. Which is the stage that previous systems are integrated with the newer systems. Stage V, Data administration The organization begins to examine and evaluate the various costs and benefits of information system construction, and analyzes and resolves issues of balance and coordination in all areas of information systems investment. Stage VI, Maturity At this stage, the information system can meet the needs of enterprises at all levels. the enterprise will integrate the management process together with the internal and external resources, thus enhancing the competitiveness and development potential of the enterprise. B) Apply Nolans Stage of Growth Model (1973) in Cisco case In this essay, I will discuss the Cisco case by using Nolan model stage by stage and show how Cisco was following the Nolan model during the system develop process. Moreover, discuss about the problem when Cisco tried to process to the next stage. For the Cisco case, I will focus on the first version of Nolans Stage of Growth Model (1973) as the essay question require, which is only consider four stages, Initiation, Contagion, Control and Integration stages. Moreover, the fifth stage will be discussed which because it may appropriate in the Cisco case, which is Data administration stage. I will not discuss about the sixth stage. In my view, Cisco had not process to the sixth stage form the case study(2004). Cisco is one of the example can be explain by Nolans Stages of Growth Model. Nolans (1973) stages of growth model framework is appropriate in the Cisco development process because they are similar which Cisco development process is also following the stage that mention in Nolans model. The model summarises the experiences and law of development of management information systems. It is generally assumed that the phases in the model are not jumpable, because the organization needs some experience before preparing for the next phase of work. The development process in Cisco is almost same as the Nolans model. its basic idea for the construction of management information system is instructive. In-depth understanding of Nolan model may help organisations more effectively manage the process. Although these phases contain some natural growth processes, these growth processes can be effectively coordinated and managed, so that each stage represents a change in the order of planning and manag ement. The first two stages: Initiation and Contagion Cisco was already experience first two stage before Peter Solvik joined Cisco as its CIO in 1993.1984, Cisco Systems was founded in the United States, the founders are two computer scientists from Stanford University. Computer was introduced when the company was founded. Computer is a necessary equipment for the company because the products and computer are complement in the production line. However, there were only a few individuals can use the computer, for example, the two computer scientist founders. After the expansion of Cisco, Enterprises had a certain understanding of the computer. They would like to use computers to solve problems at work, such as more data processing, management and business to bring convenience. Thus, the application began to increase demand, IT applications began to generate interest in enterprises, and the development of software enthusiasm, investment began to increase significantly. It is easy to blindly purchase, blind development of custom software p henomenon, the lack of planning and planning, so the application level is not high, the overall effectiveness of IT cannot be highlighted as Nolan (1974) has been discussed on his paper. Until Peter Solvik joined Cisco, he recognized the problem from the second stage(Contagion), such as data redundancy, data inconsistency, and the date was hard to share. Business managers realized that the use of computers applications was out of control, IT investment growth was fast, but the benefits were not satisfactory. He tried to begin to control the overall development of computer systems, such as the reorganize the IT budget planning, replaced committee and change the reporting relationship. However, Cisco was still stunning in the beginning of the third stage. The third stage: Control Boston joined Cisco as a new CIO after Solvik left in 2001. He finds that there is an ineffectiveness investment on the customized tools. There were nine different tools to access the customer order which create multiple data and different definition on explanation with the order. He thought the conflicts and redundancies is occur because there were not centralized team checking for the company systems which lead to a rise of unnecessary tools. As Nolan (1974) discuss, for the need to control the cost of data processing, managers began to convene users from different sectors of the Committee, to jointly plan the development of information systems. The management information system became a formal department to control its internal activities and launched a project management plan and a system development methodology. The current application began to formal, and lay the foundation for the future development of information systems. In the Cisco case, Boston stopped the investment of th e new tools applications and upgraded its ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system, solving the reporting and intelligence problem and developing its customer database. The fourth stage: Integration Boston also focused on funding IT project. It makes the company process to the fourth stage, which is Integration stage. Organizations from the management of computer management information resources. From the first stage to the third stage, usually a lot of independent entities. Based on control, enterprises began to re-planning and design, the establishment of basic database, and build a unified information management system. Enterprise IT construction began by the scattered and single-point development into a system. At this point, corporate executives began unified different enterprise IT organizations systems into a single system for management. People, financial, material and other resources can be integrated in the enterprise sharing, lead to more effective use of existing IT systems and resources. Nolan recognized such integration costs will be higher, longer, and the system is more unstable. However, Cisco did not in the case. Boston encouraged his team being carefully in th e enterprise project, tried to reduce the multiple data and different definitions of the order problem to avoid the future large scale of cleanups. It was because it will increase the unnecessary spending if it is useless. The fifth stage: Data administration In this stage, the organization began a comprehensive study and evaluation of the various costs and benefits of information system construction. The challenges had occurred in Cisco, the process of funding budget in a pool from different groups across the world is complex. It is hard to show the benefit of the new enterprise project to every group. Boston started to consider about the communication between the group on order to increase efficacy when starting a new project. This stage, enterprises began to select a unified database platform, data management system and information management platform, unified data management and use of various departments, the basic realization of the system integration of resources, information sharing. IT system planning and resource utilization more efficient. Conclusion Nolan stage model summarizes the experiences and rules of management information system development, and its basic idea has guiding significance for the construction of management information system.it can be apply in the Cisco case. Nolans (1973) stages of growth model framework is appropriate in the Cisco development process because they are similar which Cisco development process is also following the stage that mention in Nolans model. Cisco was experience from the first stage when it has been founded in 1984 and continue to the fifth stage in 2004. (1451 words) Bibliography Andrew Mcafee, F. Warren Mcfarlan, Alison Berkley wagonfeld (2004) ,Enterprise IT at Cisco. Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163. Nonna, Richard. Managing The Crisis In Data Processing. Harvard Business Review. 57 (2): 115-126. Nolan, Richard (1973). Managing The Computer Resource: A Stage Hypothesis. Communications of the ACM. 16 (4): 399-405

Pricing Strategies :: Business Market Marketing Price

Pricing Strategies (graphics not included) One of the four major elements of the marketing mix is price. Pricing is an important strategic issue because it is related to product positioning. Pricing also affects other marketing mix elements as well, such as product features, channel decisions, and promotion. A pricing strategy is a course of action designed to achieve pricing objectives. This strategy helps marketers set prices. There are many ways to price a product. The following, figure 1.1, shows a list of five major types of pricing strategies. (Business, 8th Ed., pg 421) Figure 1.1 New-Product Pricing There are two primary types of new product pricing strategies, price skimming and penetration pricing. An organization can use one or both of them over a calculated period of time. Price Skimming involves charging the highest price possible for a short time where a new, innovative, or much-improved product is launched onto a market. The objective with skimming is to â€Å"skim the cream† off customers who are willing to pay more to have the product sooner. Prices are lowered once demand falls. (Business, 8th Ed., pg 422) Penetration Pricing is the opposite extreme; it involves the setting of lower, rather than higher price for a new product. The main purpose is to build market share quickly. The seller wants to discourage competitors from entering the market by building a large market share quickly. (Business, 8th Ed., pg 422) Differential Pricing Differential pricing occurs when a company attempts to charge different prices to two different customers for what is essentially the same product. For this to be effective, the market must have multiple segments with different price sensitivities. Differential pricing can happen in several ways: negotiated pricing, secondary-market pricing, periodic discounting, and random discounting. The following describes two of the ways. Negotiated Pricing happens when the final price is established through bargaining between the seller and the buyer. This occurs in various industries and at all levels of distribution. Prices are normally negotiated for houses, cars and used merchandise. (Business, 8th Ed., pg 423) Periodic Discounting is the temporary reduction of prices. This normally happens when retailers have holiday sales or seasonal sales. The downside of this is that customers can predict when the price reductions will occur and hold off on buying until the sales take place. (Business, 8th Ed., pg 423) Psychological Pricing Psychological pricing is a marketing practice based on the theory that certain prices have a psychological impact.

The Like Minds of Emerson and Douglass Essay -- Biography Biographies

The Like Minds of Emerson and Douglass      Ã‚   Few, if any, writers of the American Renaissance period had as great an influence on contemporaries as did Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was insistent that America put its mark on the literary world with its own, genuine American literature, and he launched the movement with his own works (Bode 574). Frederick Douglass was a slave of the American south when Emerson was starting out and moving up in his profession. Eventually, Douglass became Emersonà ¢s fellow writer and lecturer. Douglass was present and was asked to speak for the Womenà ¢s Anti-Slavery Society in August 1844, in Concord, where Emerson was the keynote speaker. The two men shared common ideas, as we shall see as the literary works and lives of the two men are examined. To some extent Emerson had an influence on Douglassà ¢s expressed views, but on the other hand, some of Douglassà ¢s views were a product of his own natural inclination.    Emerson believed that the human spirit could be relied on to lift man up to overcome any tribulation that might be encountered (Bode 574). Douglass inadvertantly proved Emerson right when he lifted himself out of the dehumanizing bondage of slavery through his sheer will of human spirit. Douglass went on to become a hero of the slave movement after he gained his freedom.    Emerson "believed in a reality and a knowledge that transcended the everyday reality ·" He also felt strongly that individuals should trust fully in the integrity of self (Bode 573). There is a correspondence between this "self-made" man of Emersonà ¢s and Frederick Douglass. During the course of Douglassà ¢s career, his actions and words epitomized Emersonian ideas.    The issue of abolishment of slavery d... ...ce, exemplary character, and social inspiration" (Martin 263).    Works Cited    Belasco, Susan. Harriet Martineauà ¢s Black Hero and the American Antislavery Movement. Nineteenth-Century Literature, Vol II. University of California Press, 2000. 1-23. Bode, Carl. Emerson. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography Vol III. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1973. 572-574. Frederick Douglass 1818-1895. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton, 1998. 1578-1690. Martin, Waldo E., Jr. The Mind of Frederick Douglass. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1985. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton, 1998. 1578-1690. Rowe, John Carlos. At Emersonà ¢s Tomb: The Politics of Classic American Literature. New York: Columbia UP, 1997.   

Liberty Bell Essays -- essays research papers

Among the more obscure events in American history involves the Liberty Bell's travels by rail car around the United States to be placed on exhibit at numerous World's Fairs. From 1885 to 1915, the Liberty Bell traveled by rail on seven separate trips to eight different World's Fair exhibitions visiting nearly 400 cities and towns on those trips coast to coast. At the time, the Liberty Bell's trips were widely publicized so that each town where the Liberty Bell train stopped was well prepared for their venerable guest. Each stop on the way to the host World's Fair exhibition lasted anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. The Liberty Bell was nearly always met with military salutes, parades, patriotic music and throngs of cheering men, women and children. In 1873, Philadelphian Henry Seybert donated to the City of Philadelphia a new bell and a large clock for tower of Independence Hall. Seybert commissioned the Meneely and Kimberly Bell Foundry to cast the bell and have it installed in the steeple by July 4, 1876 in time to usher in the Centennial anniversary celebration. The bell was cast using a mixture of 80% copper and 20% tin with the addition of one hundred pounds each of four cannons - a British and American cannon from the battle of Saratoga and a Union and Confederate cannon from the battle of Gettysburg. The bell weighs 13,000 pounds representing 1,000 pounds for each of the 13 original states and bears the following inscriptions: Around the crown: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men - Luke, chapter II, verse 14." Around the lip: " Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof - Leviticus, chapter XXV, verse 10." Upon one side of the of the bell is cast - "Presented to the city of Philadelphia, July 4, 1876, for the belfry of Independence Hall, by a citizen." On the opposite side is the date "1776" and the coat of arms of the United States set in a shield containing 13 stars. I... ...;. Unfortunately, the fair was not a tremendous success due to low attendance - only 10 million of the expected 50 million visitors attended. Attributing to low attendance was the rain that was present on more than half the days the fair was open. While the Liberty Bell remained in its home in Independence Hall not far from the fairgrounds its image was used repeatedly as a symbol of the Exposition. The Liberty Bell had long since come to represent liberty and freedom for the United States and using its image on Exposition souvenirs was ideal in light of the fair's theme - our nation's 150th birthday. In 1950, the United States Department of the Treasury assisted by several private companies selected a foundry in Annecy-le-Vieux, France to cast 55 full-sized replicas of the Liberty Bell. The bells were shipped as gifts to states and territories of the United States and the District of Columbia to be displayed and rung on patriotic occasions. This was part of a savings bond drive held from May 15 to July 4, 1950 with the slogan "Save for Your Independence."

The summer holiday

After each term in school pupils have holidays. It Is cool to have holidays. You can do whatever you like and you don't have to get up early. Most of all I like summer holidays because they are the longest ones. Last summer was very interesting for me. I don't go to the seaside or somewhere abroad but I spent a good time with my family and my friends. In June I with my friends watched Euro 201 2 and we didn't miss any match. It was a great event for Ukraine. And I think at that moment everybody believed In the victory.In July I went to my grandmother who lives In the village. I had a very good time there, because I had an active rest. I got up early In the morning and worked In the vegetable garden. I helped my granny to water the vegetables and to take care of the plants. The days In the country passed very quickly. I had a lot of things to do every day. Sometimes I went to the forest. It Is not far from the village. There I picked up berries and mushrooms. In the evening I watched TV and read books.August was not very special but it stuck in my memory because of the trip to the mountains with my father. It was very interesting and exciting. We made our trip on the Independence day. We started early in the morning, took some food and equipments. And in the afternoon we were on the tip of Hoverer. We made friends with a lot of people and made many photos. It was wonderful day. We had a very good time. Now my holidays are over and I am looking forward to the next ones. I suppose they will be much better.