3.9 Budgeting Essays - Economy, Finance, Money, Free Essays

3.9 Budgeting Essays - Economy, Finance, Money, Free Essays 3.9 Budgeting What is a budget? A forward financial plan that covers all the aspects of a business costs and revenues (forecast) Why prepare a budget? To exercise control within a business It can provide direction and coordination To ensure that no department has an overspend Sets targets that performance can be judged against, which can motivate workers To delegate spending power to individuals or departments Budgetary Control The process by which financial control is exercise within an organization Budgets for revenue and expenditure are prepared in advance and compared with an actual performance to establish any variances Managers are held responsible for any adverse variances and will need to take action TYPES OF BUDGET Zero Budgeting Budgeted costs and revenues are set to zero Budget is based on new proposals for costs and sales Time consuming, but starting from scratch can ensure that funds are allocated the right way Historical Budgeting Use last years figures and add a little for inflation It is much quicker and simple but may not focus on problem areas of the business It does not encourage efficiency BUDGET ALLOCATION The level of expenditure will depend on the following factors: The amount available Inflation External factors This is a difficult task for certain businesses, as prices fluctuate and sales figures are unpredictable (e.g. restaurants, agriculture, and clothing company) VARIANCES - The measure of the anticipated performance (the budget) against what actually happened. The variance is the difference between the two. Favorable (positive) Variance Variance higher than expected Costs lower than expected Revenue higher than expected Budget is higher than actual Adverse (negative) Variance Variance lower than expected Costs higher than expected Revenue lower than expected Budget is lower than actual ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Budgets are an efficient way to control and monitor costs Budgets are based on assumptions and are not exact Can be used as a motivational tool External factors, e.g. the economy, make it almost impossible to set accurate budgets, so could be classed as time wasting Can be used to set target and judge performance Could be demoralizing if set incorrectly Managers take short-term decision in order to meet budgetary requirements. COST AND PROFIT CENTERS COST CENTER - a section of a business, such as a department, to which all costs can be allocated or charged Examples: Manufacturing Products Factories Departments Stages in production Hotel The restaurant The reception Conference station Bar *Different businesses will use different cost centers that are appropriate to their own needs. PROFIT CENTER - a section of a business to which both costs and revenues can be allocated Examples: Each branch of a chain of shops Each department or department store In a multi-product firm, each product in the overall portfolio of the business Why do businesses divide operations into cost and profit centers? Managers and staff will have targets to work towards - if reasonable and achievable - positive impact on motivation Targets can be used to compare with actual performance and help identify those areas performing well and those not so well The individual performances of divisions and their managers can be assessed and compared Work can be monitored and decision made about the future However, Managers and workers may consider their part of the business to be more important than the whole organization Some costs - indirect costs - can be impossible to allocate to cost and profit centers accurately (arbitrary overhead allocation) Reasons for the good or bad performance of one particular profit center may be due to external factors not under its control

Canadian House of Commons Question Period

Canadian House of Commons Question Period In Canada, Question Period is a daily 45-minute period in the House of Commons. This period allows the members of Parliament to hold the prime minister, the Cabinet  and the House of Commons committee chairs accountable by asking questions about policies, decisions, and legislation. What Happens During Question Period? Opposition members of Parliament and occasionally other members of ​Parliament ask questions to get the prime minister, Cabinet  ministers and House of Commons committee chairs to defend and explain their policies and the actions of the departments and agencies for which they are responsible. The provincial and territorial legislative assemblies have a similar Question Period. Questions may be asked orally without notice or may be submitted in writing after notice.  Members who are not satisfied with the answer they receive to a question may pursue the matter at greater length during the Adjournment Proceedings, which occur every day except Friday. Any member can ask a question, but the time is set aside almost exclusively for the opposition parties to confront the government and hold it accountable for its actions. The opposition typically uses this time to highlight the perceived inadequacies of the government. The Speaker of the House of Commons oversees Question Period and may rule questions out of order. The Purpose of Question Period Question Period reflects the concerns of national political life and is closely followed by members of Parliament, the press and the public. Question Period is the most visible part of the Canadian House of Commons schedule  and gets extensive media coverage. Question Period is televised and  is that part of the parliamentary day where the government is held accountable for its administrative policies and the conduct of its Ministers, both individually and collectively.  Question Period is also a major tool for members of Parliament to use in their roles as constituency representatives and government watchdogs.

Managerial Economics 610 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managerial Economics 610 - Essay Example all potential candidates for promotion to attend a number of seminars and take an exam upon completion around key terms and concepts required to be mastered in order to cope with the demands of the new supervisory role. The success for promotion relates to a large extent on the quality of the answers you will provide to this exam, the way they will be presented and the justifications (where applicable) of own views put forward. Two key assumptions of perfect competition are that (1) each firm is too small to affect the market price and output of an industry and that (2) firms produce homogenous products. Thus, given these two conditions, it is not possible for perfectly competitive firms to view each other as fierce rivals in the market. The firms will be merely responding to market signals in the industry. In particular, each firm will respond to a given price. Prices are given in a perfect competition and no firm is able to influence the price because of homogeneity of products and as each firm is too small in relation to the market. When total revenue is less than the total variable cost, it is implied that total revenue (TR) cannot even pay for the total variable cost (TVC) of the firm. Variable costs are costs that vary based on the output of the firm. It means that additional costs are paid for by the revenue of the firm as output is increased. It therefore makes no sense for the firm to continue production in the short run. If TR>TVC applies, it need not follow that the firm is making a profit because the fixed costs are not necessarily covered for by the total revenue. In other words, TRTVC applies. Nevertheless when TR>TVC and TR

Opening of a Health Spa Luxury Hotel in Greece Essay

Opening of a Health Spa Luxury Hotel in Greece - Essay Example The essay "Opening of a Health Spa Luxury Hotel in Greece" assesses the investment possibilities for the opening of a health spa luxury hotel in Greece and explore all areas governing the requisites for the successful setup and operation of the hotel. The discussion takes place from the point of view of a consultant in the hospitality sector.Greece a country that lies in the Southeast part of Europe is officially known as the ‘Hellenic Republic’ It is surrounded by Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey to the east and the former Yugoslav republic to the north. The city of Athens is the Capital of Greece. Having the Aegean and Ionian Seas to either side the seas feature a vast number of islands on the Eastern Mediterranean Basin. This scenic beach and comfortable geography of Greece makes it a natural location for tourists. Therefore provides perennial business to the hospitality industry. Greece inherits the civilizations of ancient Greece, the Roman and the Byzantine empires and fo ur centuries of Ottoman rule. This rich heritage has left its mark on the culture of Greece, which is considered to be the birthplace of democracy, philosophies, mathematic and scientific principles, including the western drama of tragedy and comedy. Greece is a fully developed country today, a member of the European Union since 1981, a member of the European Economic and Monetary Union since 2001. The travel and tourism contribution to the Gross Domestic product of Greece is expected to rise to â‚ ¬ 69.6 billion by the year 2018.... Greece Cities and Topography Thessaloniki, Patra, Heraklio, Volos, Ionnania and Larissa are some of the major cities in Greece apart from Athens the Capital city. Athens, Crete the South of the Aegan Sea and the Ionian Islands are some of the primary tourist destinations. Beach resort visitations are widespread among the other coastal areas of Crete, Corfu, Rhodes and Chalikidiki as they are developed and more accessible and attract large number of annual tourists. The hospitality industry and the health spa and luxury hotels are heavily dependent on the tourism to that country and Greece has been voted as the second best tourist destination in Europe in "The Telegraph" early this January. Greece - Business Environment- Tourism Looking at the tourism industry in Greece, The travel and tourism contribution to the Gross Domestic product of Greece is expected to rise from 37.3 billion in 2008 to 69.6 billion by the year 2018. The travel and Tourist economy contributes 963, 000 jobs, which 20.9% of the total employment in 2008 and is expected to rise to 1,349,000 by 2018.The Injection of 40 million into the industry by the tourism ministry of Greece is bearing fruit. Moreover, the progressive economy of Greece proves to be of high attraction for investment possibility. Below is a table that proves the uptrend in the economy which makes Greece a land of business opportunity. Year Real GDP growth rate (%) Unemployment rate (%) 2005 3.7 9.8 2006 4.3 9.3 2007 4.1 8.3 2008 4 7.4 Source: The Greek state budget for 2008 The growth in the GDP rates couples with the reduction in the Unemployment rates is the key to the successful functioning of any economy. Looking at tourism after the Olympic games

War on Terror Essay Example for Free

War on Terror Essay I, myself, before September 11, 2001 did not know what terrorism was. It is completely a new term for me, and I could never figure how terrible it is. But then, experiencing and witnessing the feeling of losing the one you loved who was a victim of that disaster, I recognized that the world is no longer as safe as before. Today, not only America but also Britain, Spain, Indonesia†¦became the target of terrorists. The terror tissue is the most challenged thing for all the governments to solve. Even though after September 11, 2001, US has attacked and destroyed a lot terrorists’ bases in over the world, the terrorists still survive and keep aiming to US and its allies. There is an old proverb of ancient Asian military: â€Å"understanding yourself and your enemies is the key to win every battle.† Thus, in order to annihilate terrorism, we need to comprehend what it is. From the book â€Å"War on Terror† of Patrick Coaty, we will be able understand deeply how and why terror has an influence in our society by basing on 3 perspectives: terror and international environment, terror and state, and terror with individual. Terror was first used From the French revolution to the end of World War II as a tool to clean the monarchy in a society by the Jacobins, terrorist groups of French revolution. Then terror was developed when the Soviets threatened and exploited people. Opponents were starved to death. The state controlled what a person ate, wore and even drank. It was evaluated as reliable for Soviet society. The Soviets used terror to break the traditional societal structure that evolved during the Czars ‘reign†. Under the time Soviets ruled the country, the gap between the poor and the rich became larger. The rich became richer and they hide the poor to work for them. Later on, that created the food shortage in the urban of the society because the rich only produced what they needed for life instead of what society needed. The duty of the Soviet Union is to maintain the balance of entire society by control the products of rich peasants. However, they did not success, and that was also the reason why the Soviet Union is collapsed later. Eventually, terrorism evolved under Hitler’s reign to basically killing people to take control and gaining power by combining it with the police power of the state. Hitler learned from the experience of Stalin of Russia he killed all of the people that helped him to become a leader. The Military Organization combined with the Gestapo which was one of the four organizations of the German Workers Party, and was responsible for the killings of millions people. As a result of World War II, the United Nations, which were the permanent members of the U.N Security Council include Great Britain, France, Russian and the Soviet Union, China and the United States, was established to prevent future wars and genocides. The United Nation has an obligation to provide international peace and security. Unfortunately, each member has different perspectives and ways to maintain their influences over the world, and that led to the forming of a favorable environment for terrorist groups and their state sponsors. The nation liberation is another type of terror. During the cold war, many countries were established by using the violence to gain the power. We saw the connection between Soviet Union and groups that used terror as an expression of national revolutionaries to destabilize the government like revolutionaries in Vietnam, Cuba, and Korea. These attacks have these similarities: support from the state, the element of surprise and the access to international media. To gain more power and more influences to other half of the world, Soviet Union and its allies such as Syria, Libya secretly supported the terror group and used them as a political tool to break down the Western countries. The terror groups such as PFLP and the PLO usually targeted to citizen of Israel, and US allies. Although the ending of tension and completion between the Soviet Union and the United States led to the termination of the Soviet Union, and many of the terrorist of groups based in the United States and Western Europe began wither after Communism fell, terrorism did not disappear. In order to maintain and survive, terrorism needs to have a sponsor. The state sponsors of terrorism are between Iran, Syria and their sponsorship group Hezbollah. Iranians have expanded their impact through the Middle East and mainly in Lebanon by helping with the founding of Hezbollah. The Iranian administration has taken part in direct kidnapping and slaying of hundreds of Americans starting with the U.S. Marine barrack attack in Lebanon in 1983. In the meantime, while not directly responsible for the killing of Americans, the Syrian made the terrorist attacks possible by letting the Iranian provide Hezbolla h with military needs that the United State Department has approximately calculated is about 80 million dollars a year. After the attack of 9/11, the US government has discovered that Al-Qaeda was behind. September 11th, an important event for al-Qaeda, marked the change of al-Qaeda from an organization to a movement. The U.S. pushes the September 11th attacks, issue of the counter-terrorism to the top. Unlike the other groups of terrorist like Hezbollah which require a sponsor to make their move, Al-Qaeda has their own financial system. Al-Qaeda makes profits from our needs for drugs and oil. Another way to earn money quickly of Al-Qaeda is trading heroin for money and weapons; it is hard for US government keeps an eyes on what Al Qaeda did to prevent them on time in the future. Moreover, Al Qaeda also used charities as a cover to raise the fund for the attack their enemy, Americans. Bin Laden, a leader of Al Qaeda, made a speech that all Americans will be the target of attack because they pay tax for the government. Before 9/11, Al Qaeda has successful bombed World Trade Center of US, but US government failed to destroy all terrorists at that time. There are three different levels of plans to fight the counter-terrorism. The three are: criminal justice, preemptive strategy to counter-terrorism and targeted killing. Like criminal justice, the domestic police power of the state treats terrorist the same way one would treat kidnappers, bank robbers or murderers. Although international public opinion is generally in agreement that those that preach and actively use terrorist tactics to spread their ideas must be stopped, there is a problem when the U.S. uses means that go against the idea of humane and fair treatment of those being pursued. This is shown by the negative reaction of many Americans to the length of time suspected terrorists have been imprisoned on Guantanamo Bay and the mistreatment of suspected terrorist in the prisons of Iraq. However, to wait for the terrorists to come to U.S. soil is to play with fire. It does not know when and where their next attack will be. How to prevent terrorism is one of the most concerning problem of the government. Supporting the terrorists’ group is one way helps them gain more power and influence. Therefore, the government had better find a way to cut off all the connection between them and their sponsor than trying to rummage everywhere and destroy terrorists one by one. The government has to tighten the security. The lack of security along our borders has also made it possible for terrorist to live among us and to train and organize without our consent. It is the best to let the police and army always be prepared and practice every single day. Protecting and checking status and biography of every citizen cannot be neglected. As a citizen, we should and have to report some suspicious actions of stranger to police. There are a lot of plans being given, but it is said above that we will not know when and where their next attack will be. All we can do is being prepared and knowing how to protect not only ourselves but also people we cherish. Our government needs our help and cooperation. . Although we don’t know that the attack like 9/11 would happen in the future or not, it would be a good start in letting the average individual improves their understanding the elements in the War on Terror.

Hybrid Cars Essay -- Gasoline Electric Hybrid Automobiles

1 Introduction A healthy and prosperous society is based on a healthy and prosperous economy. And during the last century, following the economic growth, the social networks expansion and the geographic dispersion of economic activities, transport became the spinal column of commercial and industrial interaction. The capacity of individuals as well as firms to exchange goods and services became crucial not only for economic purposes but also for better life quality. Unfortunately, the drawback effects of transport have an important impact on the natural and human environments on one hand, and on the growing fuel consumption accompanying the current oil crisis on another hand. Fossil fuel combustion associated to urban transport conditions lead to serious damage to fragile ecosystems and human health as well as contributing to climatic changes and global warming. This leads to the call of the environmental protection agencies and market competition all over the world for significant improvement of fuel economy of all the different classes of vehicles. Meanwhile, studies have confirmed that in recent years, fuel consumption from heavy duty vehicles has grown at a much faster rate then that of passenger cars due to an increase in the demand for transportation of goods [2]. In addition, heavy trucks and buses are normally equipped with highly efficient diesel engines, which limit the opportunities for improvements in fuel economy through studies on the engines efficiency. Consequently, hybrid propulsion systems can be critical solutions to achieve future fuel economy goals for heavy duty vehicles [3]. 2 What is a Hybrid Car. A hybrid car is a vehicle that uses a combination of at least two different fuel sources for its prop... ...ice for Hybrid Powertrain Applications†, SAE paper 2005-01-0810, 2005 . [2] – Wu, Lin, Filipi, Peng, Assanis, â€Å"Optimization of power management strategies for a Hydraulic Hybrid Medium Truck†, the university of Michigan, Advanced vehicle control conference, Hiroshima, Japan, September 2002. [3] – Buchwald, Christensen, Larsen and Pedersen, â€Å"Improvement of City bus Fuel Economy Using a Hydraulic Hybrid Propulsion System – a Theoretical and Experimental Study†, SAE Paper 790305, Warrendale, 1979. [4] – Filipi, Louca, Daran, Lin, Yildir, Wu, Kokkolaras, Assanis, Szkubiel and Chapp, â€Å"Combined optimization of design and power management of the hydraulic hybrid propulsion system for the 6x6 medium truck† , Automotive research center, University of Michigan, National Automotive Center, US Army RDECOM, 2004. [5] – www.hybridcars.com [6] – www.consumerreports.org

Badly behaved pupils and parents put teachers off Essay

Suggestions have been raised over the child benefits in United States. For example, Iain Duncan Smith’s suggested that child-related benefits should be limited to two offspring in a family. The fight against the child benefits aren’t justified as they are ill treated. The move should be encouraged as it has helped a good number of the families in the country, in addition limiting the benefit to only a handful (two) children in a family, it doesn’t really play the intended role in the society. Contrary to this, the government should be encouraged to continue with the child benefits program as it has been a gain to a big number of families. Despite the need to have family planning aspects among the people to control the number of children at each family, the child benefit from the government should still remain (Liz, 2014). Child benefit or better still child allowance is a social security payment distributed to parents, children or guardians which highly dependent on the number of children in a family. the child benefit has been effective in helping to support children from less advantaged families which has enables them access essential human needs such a education, food and such. The anti- child benefit campaigns should be shunned as the move is more beneficial to a good number of people and children in the society. Scrubbing the project would land more families especially the poor ones which cannot afford human basic wants. In other words it is the cash expenditure to families with kids not considering their parents income. The advantage amount may vary by the ordinal arrangement of the child, the age of the child, and/or the employment status of the parent. In addition to being of great benefit to the families and children, the benefit helps with extra cost to the families on the extra cost of children. The benefit also includes benefits for women who are pregnant or who have just given birth. The benefits are also helpful to partners whose partners have given birth, people who adopt, tax credits among other benefits. The benefit is essential when one has a responsibility for a child or a young person. In addition to child benefit, there is also the child tax credit. The benefit is also intertwined with the guardians allowances as well as both are meant to help children below the age of 18. The redeployment of income from childless households to families with children, in appreciation of the heavier financial weight incurred by child-rearing (Liz, 2014). Moreover, in order to enjoy the benefits of the child benefit, the benefiting families aren’t required to contribute any national insurance contribution and this in turn comes as gain to the poor families. In addition, the benefit isn’t offered to children who might be under the custody or in prison. In case of child death that was on the child benefit plan, the benefits continue to be given to the family for the next eight weeks. However, despite the benefit behind the child benefit payment, families should be encouraged to practice family planning in order to be able to raise the number of children whom they can comfortably support. The move is however, beneficial in case of calamities such as misfortunes and unemployment’s incase of the parents (Liz, 2014). The child benefit has been beneficial and should be maintained in order to keep boosting the upbringing of the children especially in the financially unstable family. In addition, when the parents loose their jobs they still have the chance to provide for their children, such as food and education. The benefit for the program is numerous and they outweigh the downside of the program. This program is one of the government programs for the grants to the people which have gone miles in assisting less fortunate families financially. A good number countries offer higher benefits levels or supplements for children with disabilities. Family allowances and child benefits are viewed as an instrument that can foster societal cohesion and progress and in turn should be maintained. The benefits also help in strengthening labor force attachments in the country and hence shouldn’t be abolished. Last and not the least, the benefit helps in supplementing the incomes of poor and modest income families with children as a means of reducing or preventing poverty. In conclusion, it’s clear that, the child benefit program is more beneficial to community, and in turn should be maintained. This means the anti-child benefit campaigns should be shunned as the program is of great help to the people. Article (II) Student Behaviour One of the driving forces behind the motivation of teachers in the school is the student behaviours. Badly behaved students are subject to putting off their teachers from the teaching profession. Teachers and school staff understands the changes encountered by students in school and provides them with relevant information and support needed. However, the dedication of the teachers and the staff depends much on the student behaviour and in most cases good behaved students encourages their teachers into the teaching profession. Contrary to this, badly behaved students and teachers are a discouraging factor to the teachers as they put them off from the teaching profession. It is ‘however’ true the student behaviour plays an important role in motivating and maintaining teachers into the profession. The survey is a true reflection of the teachers experience and the parent’s negligence in moulding their children’s behaviour (Jessica, 2014). ‘Badly behaved pupils and parents put teachers off’ was a survey conducted by Guardian Teacher Networks which shows that a good number of teachers have once in awhile considered quitting the profession. Student and parent’s behaviour are essential towards the teacher’s performance in schools. A good number of schools have issues in reference to student behaviours in recent years, which have become a vital problem in modern society. One of factors behind poor student behaviours is collapse of family functions such as divorced family, single parenthood, and children becomes isolated. This in turn leads to bad behaviour among parents and/or students, which de-motivates the teachers. According to the survey, it is clear that, the student or the pupil’s behaviours directly influence the performance of the teachers. Bad behaviour among parents and pupils would negatively influence the teachers and in turn them off from the work. Students who develop behavioural problems from their families are a discouraging aspect to the teachers. It is believed that, pupils/learns important skills and knowledge such as morals and wisdom, which are normally learned from their parents. The survey shows that, the student behaviour is one of the driving factors behind motivated and dedicated teachers (Jessica, 2014). One of the effects of bad student behaviour is that it interferes with individual and other learner’s behaviour. This turns to a challenge for the teacher, as the behaviour challenges day to day running and functioning of schools. In addition, the parents are not helping as much as they would in eradicating negative student and pupils behaviours, hence burdening the work of the teachers purporting them to consider leaving their jobs. Nowadays, the parents have become overprotective to their children. This has not helped at all in taming negative children behaviours and in turn, the burden is left to the teacher to mould the children’s behaviour. For example, an overprotected child expects special treatment at school is in for a frustrating time, which in turn may frustrate the teacher too. The frustration may overwhelm the teacher to a point of making the job dissertation choice. In addition, parents have developed negative expectations for their children which in turn instill negative or unruly behavior in children. From the survey conducted, it’s clearly evident that, â€Å"If unruly behavior is not policed with proper boundaries and a culture of respect for authority at home, teachers cannot effectively implement discipline in the classroom. In addition to negative learner’s behavior, the interference from the government demands of the teacher. 50 % of the interviewed teachers named poor pupil behavior as the main reason behind them leaving the teaching job. The unwanted student behavior influences teachers attitude towards the teaching profession, and if the unruly behavior continues, it may force the teachers to quit the teaching job. Attitude provides a frame for reference for an individual’s conduct and conditions behavior. The creation of unfavorable attitude to the teacher, elicits a reaction of avoidance or aggression towards the job or the learners (Jessica, 2014). In conclusion, it’s clear that, student and parents behavior towards the teachers as well as in the school plays a vital role in molding the teachers. The study reveals that, teacher’s motivation into teaching profession is highly dependent on the children or the learner’s behaviors. The parents are making the scenario worse by failing to support the teachers in the in order to change the learner’s negative behavior into acceptable ones. These demands and the stress accompanying the works force the teacher to quit. The survey, however suggests that â€Å"since its is disruptive children whose behavior is unchecked who miss out the most on their education. That’s why we want to make sure that teachers have more freedom to clamp down on persistently bad behavior without being hampered by bureaucracy, so that teaching time is not lost because of poor behavior,† and in turn prevent a stressing profession to the teachers. This would go miles in im proving both the teachers and students performance in the school. References Liz Jones. You don’t pay for my cats – so why should I pay for your kids? Retrieved from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2224260/LIZ-JONES-You-dont-pay-cats–I-pay-kids.html. On Tuesday 1 April 2014. Jessica Shepherd, ‘Badly behaved pupils and parents put teachers off’ ’ badly behaved pupils and parents put teachers off: retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/oct/03/teaching-poll-behaviour. On Tuesday 1 April 1, 2014. Source document

Fleur Adcock: Analysis of Instead of an Interview Essay

‘Instead of an Interview’ by Fleur Adcock, is a poem essentially about the divided sense of identity she has inherited: from both family (or historical) emigrant experience and personal deportation. In the poem, the issue is complicated, as Adcock explores the loss and alienation that emerges from the choice of long-term separation from family. It begins with descriptive visual imagery, where Adcock attempts to familiarise herself with the childhood images of â€Å"The hills†, â€Å"water, the clean air†, and â€Å"a river or two†, â€Å"certain bays†, and â€Å"those various and incredible hills†. The description almost seems like a ramble, which evokes a fresh and exciting experience. Although we learn later on in this poem that she addresses England as her â€Å"home†, this stanza largely bears feelings of nostalgia. The â€Å"ah† in the last line of the stanza re-emphasises her expression of relief, relaxation and comfort, after her first visit back to New Zealand after 13 years. Through this poem, Adcock offers â€Å"snapshots† of her family’s past, and the struggles of family, marriage, and life. In the second stanza, we see Fleur warming up to the familiarity of New Zealand – the â€Å"streets I could follow blind†, and other â€Å"familiar settings†. There seems to be a sense of distress, as Fleur is engaging in parts of her past that she has tried to forget about. Coming back to her birthplace appears to be more overwhelming, than comforting. It seems like she had gone away because she hadn’t like it enough to stay. Whether good or bad, â€Å"the dreams (she’d) not bothered to remember† kept creeping back automatically as she passed â€Å"familiar settings†. She further relates this attachment with the atmosphere of the country: â€Å"ingrained; ingrown; incestuous: like the country. The elaborated vowel sounds enhance the warmth of the stanza, drawing the reader closer to Adock’s personal feelings. The semicolons serve as caesuras, creating dramatic pauses for emphasis. The slightly grotesque terms – â€Å"ingrained†, â€Å"ingrown†, â€Å"incestuous† – are used to emphasise the vividness of her hometown memories, as if they were carved into her thoughts. The three adjectives and the caesuras have a rapid flow, which then shifts to a lingering rhythm with â€Å"like the country†, composed of three words. This sudden change in rhythm brings about a grand atmosphere or aura, especially ue to the end-stopped line, since this breaks the flow and changes to a new stanza. The use of â€Å"country† enhances this importance – her memories and country complement one another, emphasising the size and enormity of these â€Å"ingrained†, â€Å"ingrown†, and â€Å"incestuous† memories. Another significant and extremely personal connection mentioned in this stanza is, â€Å"my Thorndon† – Thorndon being the capital city of New Zealand. The personal pronoun â€Å"my† emphasises a sense of belonging and possession, as though she wants to point out that this country is a significant part of her childhood. In the third stanza, Fleur is genuine to mention all the wonderful things ‘another city’ in New Zealand offered to her: â€Å"a lover†, â€Å"quite enough friends†, in terms of relationships. Her use of caesuras is evident once again in the third line: â€Å"bookshops; galleries; fish in the sea†. She is heightening the reader’s interest with her clever use of punctuation, once again emphasising the different and essential memories of her country. The reader is able to identify from this line Fleur’s many areas of interest. She seems to enjoy the company of nature – natural imagery is abundant in this particular stanza. The â€Å"gardens†, â€Å"fish in the sea†, â€Å"lemons and passionfruit† signify her love for nature. It is evident that these authentic memories are destroyed due to urbanisation; as she mentions in the earlier stanza – â€Å"half my Thorndon smashed for the motorway†. The trees and gardens were ruined over the years and replaced by synthetic and unnatural materials. Hence, her sense of possession has strengthened, with whatever piece of nature and memory that remains. ‘Instead of an Interview’ exposes Adcock’s sense of an identity split between New Zealand and Britain. This alternating change in culture evidently created confusion with Adcock identifying herself. Adcock explained to her niece, â€Å"home is London; and England, Ireland, Europe. â€Å"Perhaps she is entirely attached (maybe temporarily) to the British culture, since she has practically lived there her whole adult and professional life. After visiting her birth town, all the childhood memories came flooding in; perhaps she resisted them because she is still so confused about where she really belongs. The idea of ‘home’ being a â€Å"loaded word† re-emphasises her befuddled state of being. Adding to that, the poem ends with a question ark: â€Å"have I made myself for the first time an exile? † This use of punctuation leaves the reader puzzled, with plenty of questions, because the speaker herself is unsure about her identity. For the first time, Fleur feels she has made herself an â€Å"exile†, which is the state of being expelled from one’s native country. This is a serious dilemma and seems as though she wrote this poem in a slightly sentimental hangover from having visited New Zealand after 13 years. What is misleading is that the poem comes across as Adcock’s way of saying she does not like to talk or be interviewed but rather to show her emotions through her poems.

Biography of Henry Clinton, British General

Biography of Henry Clinton, British General Henry Clinton (April 16, 1730–Dec. 23, 1795) was the Commander of the British North American forces during the American War for Independence. Fast Facts: Henry Clinton Known For: Commander of the British North American forces during the American War for IndependenceBorn: About 1730 in Newfoundland, Canada or Stourton Parva, England.Parents: Admiral George Clinton (1686–1761) and Ann Carle (1696–1767).Died: December 23, 1795 in GibraltarEducation: In New York colony and possibly studied under Samuel SeaburyPublished Works: The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clintons Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782Spouse: Harriet Carter (m. 1767–1772)Children: Frederick (1767–1774), Augusta Clinton Dawkins (1768–1852), William Henry (1769–1846), Henry (1771–1829), and Harriet (1772) Early Life Henry Clinton was likely born in 1730 to Admiral George Clinton (1686–1761), at the time the Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, and his wife Ann Carle (1696–1767). References are that available post his birth date as 1730 or 1738; English peerage records state the date as April 16, 1730, but list his birth location as Newfoundland and George Clinton did not arrive until 1731. Henry Clinton had at least two sisters who survived to adulthood,  Lucy Mary Clinton Roddam, 1729–1750, and Mary Clinton Willes (1742–1813), and Lucy Mary was born in Stourton Parva, Lincolnshire, England.   Little more than that is known about his childhood: what there is comes primarily from 19th-century brief biographical records and the letters and documents left by Clinton himself. When George Clinton was appointed governor of New York in 1743, the family moved there and it is assumed that Henry was educated in the colony and may have studied under Samuel Seabury (1729–1796), the first American Episcopal bishop. Early Military Career Beginning his military career with the local militia in 1745, Clinton obtained a captains commission the following year and served in the garrison at the recently captured fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island.  Three years later, he traveled back to England with hopes to secure another commission in the British Army. Purchasing a commission as a captain in the Coldstream Guards in 1751, Clinton proved to be a gifted officer. Swiftly moving through the ranks by buying higher commissions, Clinton also benefited from family connections to the Dukes of Newcastle. In 1756, this ambition, along with assistance from his father, saw him gain an appointment to serve as aide-de-camp to Sir John Ligonier. Seven Years War By 1758, Clinton had reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the 1st Foot Guards (Grenadier Guards). Ordered to Germany during the Seven Years War, he saw action at the Battles of Villinghausen (1761) and  Wilhelmsthal (1762).  Distinguishing himself, Clinton was promoted to colonel effective June 24, 1762, and appointed an aide-de-camp to the armys commander, Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick. While serving in Ferdinands camp, he developed a number of acquaintances including future adversaries Charles Lee and William Alexander (Lord Stirling). Later that summer both Ferdinand and Clinton were wounded during the defeat at Nauheim. Recovering, he returned to Britain following the capture of Cassel that November.   With the end of the war in 1763, Clinton found himself head of his family as his father had died two years earlier. Remaining in the army, he endeavored to resolve his fathers affairs- which included collecting an unpaid salary, selling land in the colonies, and clearing a large number of debts. In 1766, Clinton received command of the 12th Regiment of Foot.   In 1767 he married Harriet Carter, the daughter of a wealthy landowner. Settling in Surrey, the couple would have five children (Frederick (1767–1774), Augusta Clinton Dawkins (1768–1852), William Henry (1769–1846), Henry (1771–1829), and Harriet (1772).  On May 25, 1772, Clinton was promoted to major general, and two months later he used family influence to gain a seat in Parliament. These advancements were tempered in August when Harriet died a week after giving birth to their fifth child. After she died, Henrys in-laws moved into his house to raise the children. He apparently acquired a mistress at a later point in his life and had a family with her, but their existence is merely mentioned in Clintons surviving correspondence. The American Revolution Begins Crushed by the loss of wife, Clinton failed to take his seat in Parliament and instead traveled to the Balkans to study the Russian army in 1774. While there, he also viewed several of the battlefields from the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774). Returning from the trip, he took his seat in September 1774. With the American Revolution looming in 1775, Clinton was dispatched to Boston aboard HMS Cerberus with Major Generals William Howe and John Burgoyne to provide assistance to Lieutenant General Thomas Gage. Arriving in May, he learned that fighting had begun and that Boston had fallen under siege.  Assessing the situation, Clinton brusquely suggested manning Dorchester Heights but was refused by Gage. Though this request was denied, Gage did make plans for occupying other high ground outside of the city, including Bunker Hill. Failure in the South On June 17, 1775, Clinton took part in the bloody British victory at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Initially tasked with providing reserves to Howe, he later crossed to Charlestown and worked to rally the dispirited British troops. In October, Howe replaced Gage as commander of British troops in America and Clinton was appointed as his second-in-command with the temporary rank of lieutenant general. The following spring, Howe dispatched Clinton south to assess military opportunities in the Carolinas. While he was away, American troops emplaced guns on Dorchester Heights in Boston, which compelled Howe to evacuate the city. After some delays, Clinton met a fleet under Commodore Sir Peter Parker, and the two resolved to attack Charleston, South Carolina. Landing Clintons troops on Long Island, near Charleston, Parker hoped the infantry could aid in defeating the coastal defenses while he attacked from the sea. Moving forward on June 28, 1776, Clintons men were unable to render assistance as they were halted by swamps and deep channels. Parkers naval attack was repulsed with heavy casualties and both he and Clinton withdrew. Sailing north, they joined Howes main army for the assault on New York. Crossing to Long Island from the camp on Staten Island, Clinton surveyed the American positions in the area and devised the British plans for the upcoming battle. Success in New York Utilizing Clintons ideas, which called for a strike through the Guan Heights via Jamaica Pass, Howe flanked the Americans and led the army to victory at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776. For his contributions, he was formally promoted to lieutenant general and made a Knight of the Order of Bath. As tensions between Howe and Clinton increased due to the latters constant criticism, the former dispatched his subordinate with 6,000 men to capture Newport, Rhode Island in December 1776. Accomplishing this, Clinton requested leave and returned to England in spring 1777. While in London, he lobbied to command a force that would attack south from Canada that summer but was denied in favor of Burgoyne. Returning to New York in June 1777, Clinton was left in command of the city while Howe sailed south to capture Philadelphia. Possessing a garrison of only 7,000 men, Clinton feared attack from General George Washington while Howe was away. This situation was made worse by calls for help from Burgoynes army, which was advancing south from Lake Champlain. Unable to move north in force, Clinton promised to take action to aid Burgoyne. In October he successfully attacked American positions in the Hudson Highlands, capturing Forts Clinton and Montgomery, but was unable to prevent Burgoynes eventual surrender at Saratoga. The British defeat led to the Treaty of Alliance (1778) which saw France enter the war in support of the Americans. On March 21, 1778, Clinton replaced Howe as commander-in-chief after the latter resigned in protest over British war policy. In Command Taking command at Philadelphia, with Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis as his second-in-command, Clinton was immediately weakened by the need to detach 5,000 men for service in the Caribbean against the French. Deciding to abandon Philadelphia to focus on holding New York, Clinton led the army into New Jersey in June. Conducting a strategic retreat, he fought a large battle with Washington at Monmouth on June 28 which resulted in a draw. Safely reaching New York, Clinton began drawing up plans for shifting the focus of the war to the South where he believed Loyalist support would be greater. Dispatching a force late that year, his men succeeded in capturing Savannah, Georgia. After waiting for much of 1779 for reinforcements, Clinton was finally able to move against Charleston in early 1780. Sailing south with 8,700 men and fleet led by Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, Clinton laid siege to the city on March 29. After a prolonged struggle, the city fell on May 12 and over 5,000 Americans were captured. Though he wished to lead the Southern Campaign in person, Clinton was forced to turn over command to Cornwallis after learning of a French fleet approaching New York. Returning to the city, Clinton attempted to oversee Cornwallis campaign from afar. Rivals who did not care for each other, Clinton and Cornwallis relationship continued to be strained. As time passed, Cornwallis began to operate with increasing independence from his far-away superior. Hemmed in by Washingtons army, Clinton limited his activities to defending New York and launching nuisance raids in the region. In 1781, with Cornwallis under siege at Yorktown, Clinton attempted to organize a relief force. Unfortunately, by the time he departed, Cornwallis had already surrendered to Washington. As a result of Cornwallis defeat, Clinton was replaced by Sir Guy Carleton in March 1782. Death Officially turning command over to Carleton in May, Clinton was made the scapegoat for the British defeat in America. Returning to England, he wrote his memoirs in an attempt to cleanse his reputation and resumed his seat in Parliament until 1784. Re-elected to Parliament in 1790, with assistance from Newcastle, Clinton was promoted to general three years later. The following year he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar, but died in Gibraltar on Dec. 23, 1795, before taking over the post.

Korean War MiG-15 Communist Jet Fighter

Korean War MiG-15 Communist Jet Fighter In the immediate wake of World War II, the Soviet Union captured a wealth of German jet engine and aeronautical research. Utilizing this, they produced their first practical jet fighter, the MiG-9, in early 1946. While capable, this aircraft lacked the top speed of the standard American jets of the day, such as the P-80 Shooting Star. Though MiG-9 was operational, Russian designers continued to have issues perfecting the German HeS-011 axial-flow jet engine. As a result, airframe designs produced by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevichs design bureau began to outpace the ability to produce engines to power them. While the Soviets struggled with developing jet engines, the British had created advanced centrifugal flow engines. In 1946, Soviet aviation minister Mikhail Khrunichev and aircraft designer Alexander Yakovlev approached Premier Joseph Stalin with the suggestion of buying several British jet engines. Though not believing that the British would part with such advanced technology, Stalin gave them permission to contact London. Much to their surprise, the new Labour government of Clement Atlee, which was friendlier towards the Soviets, agreed to the sale of several Rolls-Royce Nene engines along with a licensing agreement for overseas production. Bringing the engines to the Soviet Union, engine designer Vladimir Klimov immediately began reverse-engineering the design. The result was the Klimov RD-45. With the engine issue effectively resolved, the Council of Ministers issued decree #493-192 on April 15, 1947, calling for two prototypes for a new jet fighter. Design time was limited as the decree called for test flights in December. Due to the limited time allowed, designers at MiG elected to use the MiG-9 as a starting point. Modifying the aircraft to include swept wings and a redesigned tail, they soon produced the I-310. Possessing a clean appearance, the I-310 was capable of 650 mph and defeated the Lavochkin La-168 in trials. Re-designated the MiG-15, the first production aircraft flew December 31, 1948. Entering service in 1949, it was given the NATO reporting name Fagot. Principally intended for intercepting American bombers, such as the B-29 Superfortress, the MiG-15 was equipped with two 23 mm cannon and one 37 mm cannon. MiG-15 Operational History The first upgrade to the aircraft came in 1950, with the arrival of the MiG-15bis. While the aircraft contained numerous minor improvements, it also possessed the new Klimov VK-1 engine and external hardpoints for rockets and bombs. Widely exported, the Soviet Union provided the new aircraft to the Peoples Republic of China. First seeing combat at the end of the Chinese Civil War, the MiG-15 was flown by Soviet pilots from the 50th IAD. The aircraft scored its first kill on April 28, 1950, when one downed a Nationalist Chinese P-38 Lightning. With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the North Koreans began operations flying a variety of piston-engine fighters. These were soon swept from the sky by American jets and B-29 formations began a systematic aerial campaign against the North Koreans. With the Chinese entry into the conflict, the MiG-15 began to appear in the skies over Korea. Quickly proving superior to straight-wing American jets such as the F-80 and F-84 Thunderjet, the MiG-15 temporarily gave the Chinese the advantage in the air and ultimately forced United Nations forces to halt daylight bombing. MiG Alley The MiG-15s arrival compelled the US Air Force to begin deploying the new F-86 Sabre to Korea. Arriving on the scene, the Sabre restored balance to the air war. In comparison, the F-86 could out dive and out turn the MiG-15, but was inferior in rate of climb, ceiling, and acceleration. Though the Sabre was a more stable gun platform, the MiG-15s all-cannon armament was more effective than the American aircrafts six .50 cal. machine guns. In addition, the MiG benefited from the rugged construction typical of Russian aircraft which made it difficult to bring down. The most famous engagements involving the MiG-15 and F-86 occurred over northwestern North Korea in an area known a MiG Alley. In this area, Sabres and MiGs frequently dueled, making it the birthplace of jet vs. jet aerial combat. Throughout the conflict, many MiG-15s were covertly flown by experienced Soviet pilots. When encountering American opposition, these pilots often were evenly matched. As many of the American pilots were veterans of World War II, they tended to have the upper hand when facing MiGs flown by North Korean or Chinese pilots. Later Years Eager to inspect the MiG-15, the United States offered a bounty of $100,000 to any enemy pilot who defected with an aircraft. This offer was taken up by Lieutenant No Kum-Sok who defected on November 21, 1953. At the end of the war, the US Air Force claimed a kill ratio of around 10 to 1 for MiG-Sabre battles. Recent research has challenged this and suggested that the ratio was much lower. In the years after Korea, the MiG-15 equipped many of the Soviet Unions Warsaw Pact allies as well as numerous other countries around the world. Several MiG-15s flew with the Egyptian Air Force during the 1956 Suez Crisis, though their pilots were routinely beaten by the Israelis. The MiG-15 also saw extended service with the Peoples Republic of China under the designation J-2. These Chinese MiGs frequently skirmished with Republic of China aircraft around the Straits of Taiwan during the 1950s. Largely replaced in Soviet service by the MiG-17, the MiG-15 remained in many countries arsenals into the 1970s. Trainer versions of the aircraft continued to fly for another twenty to thirty years with some nations. MiG-15bis Specifications General Length:  33 ft. 2 in.Wingspan:  33 ft. 1 in.Height:  12 ft. 2 in.Wing Area:  221.74  sq. ft.Empty Weight:  7,900 lbs.Crew:  1 Performance Power Plant:  1 Ãâ€" Klimov VK-1 turbojetRange:  745 milesMax Speed:  668 mphCeiling:  50,850 ft. Armament 2 x NR-23 23mm cannons in lower left fuselage1 x Nudelman N-37 37 mm cannon in lower right fuselage2 x 220 lb. bombs, drop tanks, or unguided rockets on underwing hardpoints Selected Sources Warbird Alley: MiG-15Aviation History: MiG-15Military Factory: MiG-15 (Fagot)

A Vivid Rememberance of my chilhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Vivid Rememberance of my chilhood - Essay Example Starting school is a big step in a child’s life and is typically remembered and taken to adulthood. I can vividly recall my first day of school. My first day of school was an apprehensive and sad time in my life. Growing up in Ecuador, I was close with my mother and enjoyed being at home. Starting school was a big event for me sense I was very shy. Being shy makes starting school harder than it should be sense it is harder to make friends and socialize. A typical day at school for me was a lonely day. I was very opposite then my sister. My sister was outgoing and easily made friends. Unlike her, I struggled with friends. My shyness made it hard for me to make friends as I kept to myself. I can recall an exact memory as I was sitting in the classroom just before recess. My school was named Santa Mariana de Jesus. The school was a great school that taught discipline but allowed for fun. Recess was at the same time every day. Other kids could not wait for recess to begin but I dr eaded the thought. To me it made the day go by even slower. As the recess bell rang, children rushed outside with excitement. I walked slowly and sat off to the side alone and by myself. This was an everyday thing. My shyness pushed other kids away. Besides recess, almost every aspect of school was just as dreadful as the next.

Consulting critical path analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consulting critical path analysis - Case Study Example duce products that are innovative in the real sense which is wasting a lot of resources and time of the company, therefore this should also be looked at and the company should come up with a better plan of where and how to invest the capital. All these steps are vital to be carried out in an order so that the company can benefit from them. The first step towards coming up with an optimal solution would be to find a common ground for both the technical and sales team. This has to be done in order to work collaboratively with more resources to help solve the case. The technical and the sales team might seem an odd couple, but these days a product’s success depend upon the cooperation, ability, and willingness of the teams involved in it. Despite the differences between the technical and sales team, they are more linked then they actually think. In order to achieve success for themselves it is important that they work together for the success of the product, or a strategy in this case, from product launch concept to its implementation both of the teams’ efforts are required. Therefore, it is important that this not so odd couple be realized that there is only one way to conquer their common goal; to work together. Once both the teams realize the common ground between them, the strategy formulation stage wou ld be made easy and highly productive. (Kelly, 2002) The second stage that needs to be undertaken is the research stage. The case presented states that there has not been enough research done on the following issue, and without much analysis the consultants have highlighted the high volume of the products as the main reason for the decline in sales. Therefore, it is important to be sure of the issue and do additional research for that matter. In the research stage, the research teams carry out a consumer survey to find out their preferences and come forward with solid results supported by genuine facts and figures. If still the result is the same then the next