How Unemployment Affect Labour Market

How Unemployment Affect Labour Market How Unemployment Affect Labour Market How Unemployment Affect Labour MarketUnemployment is a socio-economic situation when part of the active, working population can not find work that they are able to perform. Unemployment is conditioned by excess of quantity of people wanting to find a job over the amount of available jobs, corresponding to the profile and qualifications of applicants for these jobs. Thus, able-bodied citizens, or job seekers registered at the labor exchange, who have no real opportunity to get a job in accordance with their education, specialization and labor skills are considered to be unemployed. Thus, the main aim of the assignment is to explain how unemployment affect labour market.Making a response to the article about unemployment, we may say that balance in the labor market exists when the amount of the requested labour is equal to the amount of the proposed work. According to the neoclassical concept, it can be achieved by instantaneous reaction of wages on supply and demand in the labor marke t. Due to the flexibility of wages, market mechanism provides full and productive employment. Full employment in this case means that anyone who needs a certain amount of labor in the current price can realize this wish at the moment.But, exploring stocks and flows of unemployment into the labour market, it becomes obvious that even in rather stable economic times, there are always can be seen large monthly flows into and out of employment. It means that there appear problems in labour market, when the level of unemployment is increased of decreased because balance is always better than sudden changes in one or another side.To continue, as it was previously mentioned, unemployment, being a socio-economic phenomenon, has great destructive scales. It is a fact that very often we estimate only economic impact of unemployment as the number of free workers and the amount of benefits paid, while the social consequences that are difficult to stand out and which have cumulative character ar e not practically evaluated. However, the degree of negative impact on the unemployment situation in the country depends on the particular characteristics of the overall social situation. So, researches in this area allow more clearly define the boundaries of the problem and find ways out of the crisis, in accordance with features of social, economic and political development of the country at the present stage.Thus, making a conclusion, it can be stated that the labor market is one of the indicators, the state of which gives an indication of the national well-being, stability and efficiency of social and economic transformation. It is a truth that mixed economy and its restructuring put forth new requirements for quality manpower, its professional qualification structure and the level of training, while everything of this greatly increases competition between workers because nobody wants to be unemployed. Moreover, it allows to make actual the tasks of clarifying the influence of f actors that shape the processes in the labor market, assessing patterns, trends, and prospects for its development. To add, employment is a necessary condition for human reproduction, as it is essential for people’s living standards, costs of the society for the selection, training, retraining and advanced training of people, their employment, as well as financial support for people who have lost their jobs. Therefore, such problems as employment, unemployment, labor force competitiveness and, in general, the labour market, are relevant to the economy and they are always relevant for consideration.

Platos Meno Plot, Analysis, and Commentary on virtue

Plato's Meno Plot, Analysis, and Commentary on virtue Although fairly short, Platos dialog Meno is generally regarded as one of his most important and influential works. In a few pages, it ranges over several fundamental philosophical questions, such as: What is virtue?Can it be taught or is it innate?Do we know some things a priori (independent of experience)?What is the difference between really knowing something and merely holding a correct belief about it? The dialog also has some dramatic significance. We see Socrates reduce Meno, who begins by confidently assuming that he knows what virtue is, to a state of confusion–an unpleasant experience presumably common among those who engaged Socrates in debate. We also see Anytus, who will one day be one of the prosecutors responsible for Socrates trial and execution, warn Socrates that he should be careful what he says, especially about his fellow Athenians. The  Meno  can be divided into four main parts: The unsuccessful search for a definition of virtueSocrates proof that some of our knowledge is innateA discussion of whether virtue can be taughtA discussion of why there are no teachers of virtue Part One: The Search for a Definition of Virtue The dialog opens with Meno asking Socrates a seemingly straightforward question: Can virtue be taught? Socrates, typically for him, says he doesnt know since he doesnt know what virtue is, and he hasnt met anyone who does. Meno is astonished at this reply and accepts Socrates invitation to define the term. The Greek word usually translated as virtue is arete, although it might also be translated as excellence.  The concept is closely linked to the idea of something fulfilling its purpose or function. Thus, the arete of a sword would be those qualities that make it a good weapon, for instance: sharpness, strength, balance. The arete of a horse would be qualities such as speed, stamina, and obedience. Menos first definition: Virtue is relative to the sort of person in question. For example, the virtue of a woman is to be good at managing a household and to be submissive to her husband. The virtue of a soldier is to be skilled at fighting and brave in battle. Socrates response: Given the meaning of arete,  Menos answer is quite understandable. But Socrates rejects it. He argues that when Meno points to several things as instances of virtue, there must be something they all have in common, which is why they are all called virtues. A good definition of a concept should identify this common core or essence. Menos second definition: Virtue is the ability to rule men. This may strike a modern reader as rather odd, but the thinking behind it is probably something like this: Virtue is what makes possible the fulfillment of ones purpose. For men, the ultimate purpose is happiness; happiness consists of lots of pleasure; pleasure is the satisfaction of desire; and the key to satisfying ones desires is to wield power- in other words, to rule over men. This sort of reasoning would have been associated with the sophists. Socrates response: The ability to rule men is only good if the rule is just.  But justice is only one of the virtues.  So Meno has defined the general concept of virtue by identifying it with one specific kind of virtue. Socrates then clarifies what he wants with an analogy.  The concept of shape cant be defined by describing squares, circles or triangles.  Shape is what all these figures share.  A general definition would be something like this: shape is that which is bounded by color. Menos third definition: Virtue is the desire to have and the ability to acquire fine and beautiful things. Socrates response: Everyone desires what they think is good (an idea one encounters in many of Platos dialogues). So if people differ in virtue, as they do, this must be because they differ in their ability to acquire the fine things they consider good.  But acquiring these things–satisfying ones desires–can be done in a good way or a bad way.  Meno concedes that this ability is only a virtue if it is exercised in a good way–in other words, virtuously.  So once again, Meno has built into his  definition the very notion hes trying to define. Part Two: Is Some of Our Knowledge Innate? Meno declares himself utterly confused:   O Socrates, I used to be told, before I knew you, that  you were always doubting yourself and making others doubt; and now you  are casting your spells over me, and I am simply getting bewitched and  enchanted, and am at my wits end. And if I may venture to make a jest  upon you, you seem to me both in your appearance and in your power over  others to be very like the flat torpedo fish, who torpifies those who come  near him and touch him, as you have now torpified me, I think. For my soul  and my tongue are really torpid, and I do not know how to answer you. Menos description of how he feels gives us some idea of the effect Socrates must have had on many people. The Greek term for the situation he finds himself in is aporia, which is often translated as impasse but also denotes perplexity.  He then presents Socrates with a famous paradox. Menos paradox: Either we know something or we dont.  If we know it, we dont need to inquire any further.  But if we dont know it if we cant inquire since we dont know what were looking for and wont recognize it if we found it. Socrates dismisses Menos paradox as a debaters trick,  but he nevertheless responds to the challenge, and his response is both surprising and sophisticated.  He appeals to the testimony of priests and priestesses who say that the soul is immortal, entering and leaving one body after another, that in the process it acquires a comprehensive knowledge of all there is to know, and that what we call learning is actually just a process of recollecting what we already know. This is a doctrine that Plato may have learned from the Pythagoreans. The slave boy demonstration:  Meno asks Socrates if he can prove that all learning is recollection. Socrates responds by calling over a slave boy, who he establishes has had no mathematical training, and setting him a geometry problem.  Drawing a square in the dirt, Socrates asks the boy how to double the area of the square.  The boys first guess is that one should double the length of the squares sides.  Socrates shows that this is incorrect.  The slave boy tries again, this time suggesting that one increase the length of the sides by 50 percent.  He is shown that this is also wrong.  The boy then declares himself to be at a loss.  Socrates points out that the boys situation now is similar to that of Meno.  They both believed they knew something; they now realize their belief was mistaken; but this new awareness of their own ignorance, this feeling of perplexity, is, in fact, an improvement. Socrates then proceeds to guide the boy to the right answer: you double the area of a square by using its diagonal as the basis for the larger square. He claims at the end to have demonstrated that the boy in some sense already had this knowledge within himself: all that was needed was someone to stir it up and make recollection easier.   Many readers will be skeptical of this claim. Socrates certainly seems to ask the boy leading questions. But many philosophers have found something impressive about the passage.  Most dont consider it a proof of the theory of reincarnation, and even Socrates concedes that this theory is highly speculative. But many have seen it as a convincing proof that human beings have some a priori knowledge (information that is self-evident).  The boy may not be able to reach the correct conclusion unaided, but he is able to recognize the truth of the conclusion and the validity of the steps that lead him to it.  He isnt simply repeating something he has been taught. Socrates doesnt insist that his claims about reincarnation are certain.  But he does argue that the demonstration supports his fervent belief that we will live better lives if we believe that knowledge is worth pursuing as opposed to lazily assuming that there is no point in trying. Part Three: Can Virtue Be Taught? Meno asks Socrates to return to their original question: Can virtue be taught?  Socrates reluctantly agrees and constructs the following argument: Virtue is something beneficial; its a  good thing to haveAll good things are only good if they are accompanied by knowledge or wisdom (for example, courage is good in a wise person, but in a fool, it is mere recklessness)Therefore virtue is a kind of knowledgeTherefore virtue can be taught The argument is not especially convincing.  The fact that all good things, in order to be beneficial, must be accompanied by wisdom doesnt really show that this wisdom is the same thing as virtue.  The idea that virtue is a kind of knowledge, however, does seem to have been a central tenet of Platos moral philosophy.  Ultimately, the knowledge in question is the knowledge of what truly is in ones best long-term interests. Anyone who knows this will be virtuous since they know that living a good life is the surest path to happiness.  And anyone who fails to be virtuous reveals that they dont understand this.  Hence the flip side of virtue is knowledge is all wrongdoing is ignorance, a claim that Plato spells out and seeks to justify in dialogues  such as the Gorgias.   Part Four: Why Are There No Teachers of Virtue? Meno is content to conclude that virtue can be taught, but Socrates, to Menos surprise, turns on his own argument and starts criticizing it.  His objection is simple.  If virtue could be taught there would be teachers of virtue.  But there arent any.  Therefore it cant be teachable after all. There follows an exchange with Anytus, who has joined the conversation, that is charged with dramatic irony.  In response to Socrates wondering, rather tongue-in-cheek query whether sophists might not be teachers of virtue, Anytus contemptuously dismisses the sophists as people who, far from teaching virtue, corrupt those who listen to them. Asked who could teach virtue, Anytus suggests that any Athenian gentleman should be able to do this by passing on what they have learned from preceding generations.  Socrates is unconvinced.  He points out that great Athenians like Pericles, Themistocles, and Aristides were all good men, and they managed to teach their sons specific skills like horse riding, or music.  But they didnt teach their sons to be as virtuous as themselves, which they surely would have done if they had been able to. Anytus leaves, ominously warning Socrates that he is too ready to speak ill of people and that he should take care in expressing such views.  After he leaves Socrates confronts the paradox that he now finds himself with: on the one hand, virtue is teachable since it is a kind of knowledge; on the other hand, there are no teachers of virtue. He resolves it by distinguishing between real knowledge and correct opinion.   Most of the time in practical life, we get by perfectly well if we simply have correct beliefs about something. For example,  if you want to grow tomatoes and you correctly believe that planting them on the south side of the garden will produce a good crop, then if you do this youll get the outcome youre aiming at. But to really be able to teach someone how to grow tomatoes, you need more than a bit of practical experience and a few rules of thumb; you need a genuine knowledge of horticulture, which includes an understanding of soils, climate, hydration, germination, and so on. The good men who fail to teach their sons virtue are like practical gardeners without theoretical knowledge. They do well enough themselves most of the time, but their opinions are not always reliable, and they arent equipped to teach others. How do these good men acquire virtue?  Socrates suggests it is a gift from the gods, similar to the gift of poetic inspiration enjoyed by those who are able to write poetry but are unable to explain how they do it. The Significance of the  Meno The  Meno  offers a fine illustration of Socrates argumentative methods and his search for definitions of moral concepts.  Like many of Platos early dialogues, it ends rather inconclusively.  Virtue hasnt been defined.  It has been identified with a kind of knowledge or wisdom, but exactly what this knowledge consists in hasnt been specified.  It seems it can be taught, at least in principle, but there are no teachers of virtue since no one has an adequate theoretical understanding of its essential nature.  Socrates implicitly includes himself among those who cannot teach virtue since he candidly admits at the outset that he doesnt know how to define it.   Framed by all this uncertainty, however, is the episode with the slave boy where Socrates asserts the doctrine of reincarnation and demonstrates the existence of innate knowledge.  Here he seems more confident about the truth of his claims.  It is likely that these ideas about reincarnation and inborn knowledge represent the views of Plato rather than Socrates.  They figure again in other dialogues, notably the Phaedo.  This passage is one of the most celebrated in the history of philosophy and is the starting point for many subsequent debates about the nature and the possibility of a priori knowledge. An Ominous Subtext While the content of Meno is a classic in its form and metaphysical function, it also has an underlying and ominous subtext. Plato wrote Meno about 385 BCE, placing the events about 402 BCE, when Socrates was 67 years old, and about three years before he was executed for corrupting Athenian youth. Meno was a young man who was described in historical records as treacherous, eager for wealth and supremely self-confident. In the dialogue, Meno believes he is virtuous because he has given several discourses about it in the past: and Socrates proves that he cant know whether hes virtuous or not because he doesnt know what virtue is. Anytus was the main prosecutor in the court case that led to Socratess death. In Meno, Anytus threatens Socrates, I think that you are too ready to speak evil of men: and, if you will take my advice, I would recommend you to be careful. Anytus is missing the point, but nevertheless, Socrates is, in fact, shoving this particular Athenian youth off his self-confident pedestal, which would definitely be construed in Anytuss eyes as a corrupting influence. Resources and Further Reading Bluck, R. S. Platos Meno. Phronesis 6.2 (1961): 94–101. Print.Hoerber, Robert G. Platos Meno. Phronesis 5.2 (1960): 78–102. Print.Klein, Jacob. A Commentary on Platos Meno. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1989.Kraut, Richard. Plato. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University 2017. Web.Plato. Meno. Translated by Benjamin Jowett, Dover, 2019.Silverman, Allan. Platos Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University 2014. Web.Tejera, V. History and Rhetoric in Platos Meno, or on the Difficulties of Communicating Human Excellence. Philosophy Rhetoric 11.1 (1978): 19–42. Print.

What makes a Food Organic Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What makes a Food Organic - Article Example If a product is labeled â€Å"organic†, it means that a government-approved certifier has approved the food. This certifier has inspected where the food came from to ensure that the food is in fact organic. Organic foods are foods that are produced without pesticides, bacteria, fertilizers containing synthetic ingredients or chemicals, herbicides, antibiotics, bioengineering, hormones, and ionizing radiation. This paper intends to discuss how food is made organic. The most important thing is to convert the agricultural land to organic status. This is done on a much larger scale. Land conversion may take two to three years to convert the status of the land from infertile to fertile. â€Å"They will also look to ensure that the entire surrounding areas and systems maintain its biodiversity and sustainability† (BiofuelsWatch.com, 2012, para.3). The crop or produce that shows up in the first year is not organic, and that produced in the second year is still in the conversio n phase (Foerstel Design, 2012). Fully organic food is produced in the third year, when the land has fully turned into its organic status. So, the nature completes its course while producing organic food. Organic farming not only reduced the production costs but also helps sustain the environment. The produce, which includes vegetables, fruits, and livestock, is very much closer to the natural organic state. Hence, the most important step in making the food organic is organic farming, whose important factors are soil and natural fertility of the land. At small level, pots can also be used with potting soil, to produce a wide variety of vegetables and fruits (BiofuelsWatch.com, 2012). Potting soil is free of fertilizers and is handled very simply. Personal compost heaps can be used in the potting soil for the plants, which may include banana peels, which act as a very good fertilizer due to high content of potassium. Crushed mint leaves and camphor can be used as insect repellents fo r home grown plants, because these things expel pungent vapors that repel the insects, thus saving the plants. In order to save water, rain water can be conserved and saved in specially designed devices. Farmers can repot the plants with nutrient rich organic soil. Repotting is beneficial because it helps the plants to develop useful soil microorganisms and sustaining roots. Hence, home grown food is organic in nature since it is grown in soil which is free of fertilizers, and is grown in the most natural environment and by the most natural means ever possible. After production, there are manifold steps that producers go through to make sure that the organic food meets the standards of the consumers and is of high quality. Organic farmers make sure that the production is never sprayed with chemicals, insect repellents, synthetic hormones, and other synthetic sprays, so that the quality remains at its highest level. The livestock food chain is saved from synthetic hormones and antibi otic injections. Organic farmers use renewable sources to conserve soil and water, thus maintaining the organic state of the land and environment. This helps ensure that the quality of the organic food remains high year after year. Cover crops keep insects away, saving the organic produce from harmful effects of the environment. Animal manure and compost are used to feed the soil and the produce, which ensures the renewability of resources. However, according to Insel, Turner, and Ross (2009, p.609), it is important for the organic farmers to properly manage the animal manure while feeding the soil, so that it does not contaminate the water, soil and crops to affect the overall quality. Hence, organic farming needs proper management

Forbidden Foods and Drinks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Forbidden Foods and Drinks - Essay Example These prohibitions have origins that are varied. In other situations the forbidden food is due to some considerations of health, others come about because of the symbolic system of humans (Gebhardt 21). Different foods could be prohibited in certain festivals, specific times in life, and different classes of people. This paper explores different types of forbidden food and drinks. Religion prohibits the intake of some specific foods. For instance, A strict rule is set by Judaism concerning whatever could and could not be eaten. Similar laws are observed in Islam who divide food in the form of halal and haraam. On the other hand, Jains strictly follow their religion hence only consume vegetarian. Hindus also prohibit the consumption of cow meet since they take cows as being that is sacred (Mike 6). Apart from this, some communities scrutinize the cooking process instead of real food. For example, in Christianity of early medieval specific uncooked of fast food were considered to be of dubious status. In this case, the consumption of canned, as well as other fast foods, is forbidden to this group of individuals. This can be attributed to the fact that the canned foods and other fast foods are sweeter and consumption-ready; they can be directly taken without requiring farther preparations that other food substances require. It is also because the cost of these ty pes of food kinds of stuff has been reducing drastically making the affordable. Examples of common canned and fast foods that are widely consumed include beef jerky, yogurt, jam, canned tea, and canned meat, just but to name a few. In spite of the large markets that they command, the foodstuffs are considered to be harming the society in various ways, but what are these various ways that the canned foods are considered to harm the society? This paper discusses the ways in which the canned foods are harming the society. To begin with, the canned food manufacturers are hurting the

Political Systems in U.K and U.S Essay Example for Free

Political Systems in U.K and U.S Essay What are the similarities and differences between the political systems in U. K and U. S? When the U. S. Constitution was being drafted, its writers had the British Parliamentary system to base on. The British system was the system they were used to and had learnt since childhood. However, because the monarchy was one of the main things that the former colonists had rebelled against, any form of monarchy and most forms of concentrated power were avoided. The most fundamental difference between the political system in the U. K and the U. S is the constitution. The United States has a written constitution which is very difficult to change. The UK does not have a single document called the constitution but instead its constitutional provisions are scattered over various Acts of Parliament, any of which can be changed by a simple majority in the Parliament. Similarities Both the U. S. and British political systems have a head of state, a court system and an upper and lower house. The U. S political system has a constitution which lays out the rules for government and the rights of the people, however, the U. K has documents with constitutional provisions which lay out the same rules. Both systems are democratic in nature, as governments are put in place and removed from power by the will of the people and both have systems of checks and balances to limit the power of any one branch. Head of State In the U. S. political system, the president is the official head of state. The president is elected under the electoral college system. In the U. K. , although the prime minister usually has the spotlight on political matters and is the official head of government, the queen or king is the official head of state. The queen officially signs off on acts of parliament and, just as the U. S. president delivers the State of the Union Address every year, the queen reads the Speech from the Throne, which is written by the prime minister. In U. K, the monarch is more of a ceremonial figurehead and it is unusual for any member of the royal family to directly interfere with the political process. The Upper House The United States has a Senate as the upper house of the legislative branch and the U. K. has the House of Lords. Under the U. S. ystem, each state, regardless of size, has two senators. Originally, senators were appointed by the governor of the state they represented but they are now elected to serve six-year terms. The House of Lords is very different. Members of the House of Lords are not elected. The 792 members of the House of Lords are members by inheritance, appointment or their rank in the Church of England; they are not elected and cannot be removed by vote. This part of the political system in the U. K is not democratic. Otherwise the House of Lords serve the same purpose as the U. S. Senate. They discuss, debate and vote on legislation passed by the lower house of the legislative branch. The Lower House The U. S. House of Representatives and the British House of Commons have a great deal in common. Each house is made up of representatives elected by the people. In both systems control of the lower house goes to the party that has the most seats. Under the U. K. system, the leader of the party with the most seats becomes the Prime Minister and the official head of the government. Under the U. S. system this person would be the Speaker of the House. One other key difference is elections. Under the parliamentary system, the prime minister can go to the crown at any point and ask to dissolve Parliament. If this is done an election is called. An election can also be called if the prime minister loses the confidence of the house. This means that the prime minister lost a vote in Parliament on a matter of confidence. Matters of confidence are usually over budgetary matters. If the prime minister loses a vote of confidence, the end result is an election Other political differences. The American general election lasts almost two years, starting with the declaration of candidates for the primaries. The British general election lasts around four weeks. In the United States, no Cabinet member is allowed to be a member of the Congress because of the strict theory of the separation of the powers. In Britain, every Government Minister must be a member of one of the two Houses of Parliament and, if he or she is not already in the Parliament, he or she is made a peer. The constitutional system in the UK involves a lot of custom and practice, and much more flexibility than the US system. For example, the timing of US presidential elections is fixed. In the UK, it is essentially the Prime Ministers choice as to when elections are to be held, up to the 5 year limit. The resignation of a president in the US would have to lead either to an election or to his vice president taking up the office. In the UK, the resignation of a prime minister will lead to the party choosing a new leader, but there is no technically requiring this, the Queen is technically free to choose whoever she wishes.

Fear of Fear Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for panic disorder but the mechanism responsible for the improvement are lacking. The reduction of fear of fear (FOF), or the tendency to respond fearfully to benign bodily sensations, is believed to underlie the improvement resulting from CBT. Research has provided evidence consistent with the FOF hypothesis. Descriptive studies consistently show that panic disorder patients score significantly higher on self-report measures tapping fear of bodily sensations. Those who score high on measures tapping FOF display heightened emotional responding to challenge compared with those who score low on these same FOF measures (M. Brown, Smits, Powers, & Telch, 2003; Eke & McNally, 1996; Holloway & McNally, 1987; McNally & Eke, 1996; Rapee & Medoro, 1994; Telch et al., 2003). Findings from several prospective studies suggest that people score big on the Anxiety Sensititivity Index (ASI) a re at greater risk for developing occurring panic attacks (Schmidt, Lerew, & Jackson, 1997;p Shmidt, Lerew, & Joiner, 1998).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Specific procedural components contained in contemporary CBT manuals for panic disorder include education about the nature and physiology of panic and anxiety, breathing retraining designed to assist patients in learning to control hyperventilation, cognitive restructuring aimed at teaching patients to identify and correct faulty threat perceptions that contribute to their panic and anxiety, interoceptive exposure aimed at reducing patents’ fear of harmless bodily sensations associated with physiological activation, and fading of maladaptive defensive behaviors such as avoidance of external situations (Barlow, Craske, Cerny, & Klosko, 1989; Clark et al., 1994; Telch et al., 199).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the basis of contemporary psychological theories of panic disorder, several findings implicate change in FOF as a mediator of treatment outcome. CBT results in significant reductions on measures broadly tapping FOF (Bouchard et al., 1996; Clark et al., 1997, Poulton & Andrews, 1996). Modifying patients; catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily sensations result in significant reductions in panic (Taylor, 2000). A clinical trial comparing cognitive therapy with guided master... ... to 5 being extremely frightened Likert-type scale. The total score is computed by averaging the responses to the 17 items.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hypothesis that the effects of CBT would be mediated by changes in FOF was tested in accordance with the analytic steps outlined by Baron and Kenny (1986). Step 1 is testing the effects of treatment on the proposed mediator by performing an ANOVA with treatment group (CBT vs. waitlist) as the grouping factor and FOF score as the dependent variable. Step 2 is testing for the presence of a treatment effect by performing the grouping factor and residualized change scores of the four major clinical status measures as the dependent variables. Step 3 is the relationship between the proposed mediator and the four major clinical status measures was examined. This step was tested by performing a series of analyses of covariance with treatment group (CBT vs. waitlist) as the grouping factor, residualized change scores of clinical status measures as the dependent variables, and the FOF score as the covariate. The final step is tested by comparing the effect of treatment in the third step with the effect of treatment in the second step.

Domestic Violence Essay

Domestic Violence is one of the many social issues that society is faced with. Research has it that the female group is the one that becomes victimized the most and there are several strategies that have been put into place to culminate this issue of violence at home, more especially against women. One of the strategies that have been introduced in fighting domestic violence in South Africa is the Domestic Violence Act of 1998. Although this Act is one of the good moves by the government, it has many shortcomings. This essay will therefore discuss critically domestic violence and how the Domestic Violence Act is not sufficient to protect women in South Africa from violence at the hands of their abusers To begin with, South African government refers domestic violence to any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexual ity; and in the (South Africa) constitution enacted is an Act which aims â€Å"to provide for the issuing of protection orders with regard to domestic violence; and for matters connected therewith† which is the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act No. 116 of 1998). There are several good points about this Act, and primary to those is that people (especially women and children) to some extent are protected from the deliberate abuse at home. However, many are the shortcomings of this Act. For instance, the exact statistics concerning domestic violence are extremely difficult to obtain hence it becomes difficult to know how much the Act is working. Domestic violence is not a crime as such, and police statistics reflect only reported crimes, such as assault, rape or malicious damage to property, and so forth. In some instances, domestic violence is not reported by the victims because of several reasons. There are many actions that constitute domestic violence that are not defined as crimes, such as forced isolation, verbal abuse, stalking and economic abuse. Domestic violence is often not just a one-off event, but a series of events, or a continuous pattern of abuse. Domestic violence may also exist as a continuum with one serious violent incident at one end, to ongoing and multiple abuses at the other. This pattern of abuse is not recognized in South African criminal law, which tends to isolate individual incidents. In addition, as outlined by Bollen et.al (1999).most crimes of domestic  violence are not reported to the police for fear of intimation, shame, and fear of not being believed, self-blame, or fear of retaliation. Furthermore, it appears from studies and work by organizations offering support to victims that the incidence of domestic violence is very high in South Africa. Community based studies have revealed that in some areas almost a quarter of women report having being abused in their life times by a current or ex-partner, and that up to a half are affected by emotional or financial (Jewkes et.al, 1999). A survey of 269 women who had contacted helping agencies in three major cities found emotional or physical abuse to be the most prevalent form of domestic violence experienced by women, with 90 percent of the sample having experienced this abuse (Bollen et al, 1999). The Domestic Violence Act (Act 116) was introduced in 1998 with the aim of affording women protection from domestic violence by creating obligations on law enforcement bodies to protect women (victims) as far as is possible. The Act sets out a broad range of behaviours that constitute domestic violence; including physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse, stalking, intimidation, harassment, malicious damage to property, unauthorized access to the complainant’s property, as well as other forms of controlling behaviour which may cause harm to the safety, health or wellbeing of the complainant. The Act also extends the notion of ‘domestic relationship’, affording to protection to married couples; same-sex relationships; couples who are (or were) in a dating, engagement or customary relationship, including an actual or perceived relationship; any person in an intimate relationship; parents of a child; and people who do or have recently shared a residence. The Domestic Violence Act allows a complainant to apply to court for a protection order asking for relief or protection. An interim order may be granted, and after an enquiry, a final order may be granted against a respondent. The protection order may prohibit the respondent from committing any act of domestic violence; from entering a specified place; or from committing an act set out in the order. A warrant of arrest is issued simultaneously with the order, and brought into effect if the complainant reports that the respondent has breached any provision of the order. If he or she is found guilty of a contravention, then the court may convict the respondent and sentence him or her to a fine or a term of imprisonment. In terms of the Act, no prosecutor is permitted to refuse to  institute an action, or to withdraw a charge unless authorized by the Director of public prosecution (Dissel & Ngubeni, 2003). Another of the other very serious shortcoming of this Act is that, while the Act criminalizes the breach of an order, it does not create an offence of domestic violence (Dissel & Ngubeni). Where the offender commits an act that is recognized by the criminal law as a criminal offence, a woman can report the case to the police, and it may proceed to a criminal trial but if it is not recognized, then there is nothing to be done. In conclusion, the Act is an indication of the seriousness with which domestic violence is now viewed in South Africa. It offers one form of protection to women who are the victims of domestic violence, but it does not necessarily offer remedies to the problem. The essay has outlined that sometimes the reason why domestic violence is so prevalent is due to the fear of shame and not being believed. The recommendation therefore is that there should be trained personnel who understand clearly the domestic violence issue, persons who understand of such related issue s and that will enable the victims to talk freely so as to reveal everything. References Bollen, S., Artz, L., Vetten, L., Louw, A. (1999). Violence Against Women in Metropolitan South Africa: A study on impact and service delivery. Institute for Security StudiesMonograph Series No 41, September 1999. http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/Monographs/No41/Contents.html. Retrieved 8 October 2013 Dissel, A & Ngubeni, K. (2003).Giving Women their voice: Domestic Violence and Restorative Justice in South Africa. CSR: Paper presented at the XIth International Symposium on Victimology, Stellenbosch, July 2003. Jewkes, R., Penn-Kekana, L., Levin, J., Ratsaka, M., Schreiber, M. (1999). â€Å"He must giveme money, he mustn’t beat me†: Violence against women in three South African provinces. Pretoria: CERSA (Women’s Health) Medical Research Council

Cost Allocation

Cost allocation for indirect costs Cost Pool – Set of costs that are added together before being allocated to cost objects on some common basis Cost Driver/ Allocation base Cost Object Cost Driver Rate = Total Costs in Pool/ Total Quantity of Driver Where total quantity of driver = practical capacity of driver Cost of excess capacity = Cost Driver Rate * Excess capacity Predetermined overhead rate – cost per unit of the allocation base used to charge overhead to products. Predetermined overhead rate=Estimated overhead/Estimated allocation base One-stage allocation system Single cost pool – Entire manufacturing overhead * Single allocation base / cost driver-Direct materials cost/ Direct labor hours/ Direct labor cost/ Machine hours/ etc. * Predetermined Overhead Rate or Burden rate = Total manufacturing overhead / X * Where X = Total Direct materials cost or Total Direct labor hours or Total Direct labor cost or Total machine hours used * Total product costs of A = Direct materials cost + Direct labor cost + allocated overhead cost where allocated overhead = Burden rate * # of machine hours used by ADisadvantage: Assumes that all products consume direct labor (or other driver) and overhead in the same proportion. Two-stage allocation system and Product Costing Overhead costs are divided into different cost pools. Each cost pool has a cost driver (allocation base). * Split manufacturing overhead into more than one cost pool (e. g. create 2 cost pools whose costs add up to total manufacturing overhead cost) * Calculate burden rate Cost pools| Cost Drivers|Overhead related to direct materials| Direct materials Cost| Overhead related to direct labor hours| Direct labor hours| Overhead related to direct labor cost| Direct labor cost| Overhead related to machine-hours| Machine hours| Advantage: * Provides most accurate cost information * Cost system captures differences in the way overhead is consumed in different parts of the production process Disadvantage: * Cost of the system redesign may be high. The selection of an optimal cost system is based on trade-offs between increased accuracy and the cost of system redesign.Predetermined Overhead Rate or Burden rate = Overhead cost related to direct materials/ Total Direct materials cost OR Overhead cost related to direct labor hours/ Total Direct labor hours OR Overhead cost related to direct labor cost/ Total Direct labor cost OR Overhead cost related to machine hours/ Total machine hours used Total product costs of A = Direct materials cost + Direct labor cost + allocated overhead cost where allocated overhead = Burden rate per machine hour * # of machine hours used by A + Burden rate per direct labor $ * direct labor cost of ADepartmental overhead rate – Rates based on a department's direct and indirect overhead costs and some measure of the department's activity, such as the department's machine hours. Departmental rates are more accurate than plant-wide rates when a company manufactures diverse products requiring a variety of processes. Allocate overhead on a plantwide basis using machine hours – Burden rate per machine hour = total overhead costs of all departments/ total machine hours used by all departmentsAllocate overhead using department rate with machine hours as the allocation base – Burden rate per machine hour = Overhead costs of a department/ Machine hours used by that department Activity Based Costing 1. Identify activities, and identify overhead costs for each activity 2. Identify the cost drivers for each activity 3. Compute cost driver rates (cost per driver unit)= activity overhead cost/ total driver volume 4. Allocate costs to cost objects Overhead costs allocated to A = cost driver 1 rate * cost driver 1 volume for A + cost driver 2 rate * cost driver 2 volume for AABC Costs and Benefits Costs are very high if: †¢ You have a large number of activities, none of which dominate †¢ You do not know/unders tand your activities †¢ Your activities are changing quickly and dramatically †¢ You do not have any sort of ERP system in place Benefit: * Detailed Cost break-down at activity level can manage costs at activity level, or charge customers for their activity use * More accurate information * Flexibility in Choice of Cost objects * Flexibility in Types of Companies/Organizations this works for such as Product companies, Services, Non-profitsSymptoms of faulty accounting system †¢ The outcome of bids is difficult to explain †¢ Customers do not complain about price increases †¢ Competitors’ prices appear unrealistically low †¢ Profit margins are hard to explain †¢ Products those are difficult to produce show high profits †¢ Operational mgrs want to drop products that appear profitable †¢ Some departments are using their own accounting system †¢ The accounting department spends a lot of time on special projects †¢ Product cost s change because of changes in financial reporting RegulationsCommon Cost Allocation Systems Plantwide/Company-wide Cost System (â€Å"Peanut-Butter†) – Typically 1 cost pool – â€Å"burden rate† based on 1 cost driver (1 stage†¦) Department Allocation Method – Typically 1 cost pool per department – cost driver for each department (testing rooms in Seligram) 2-stage Cost System with Logical Cost Pools – Typically at least 1 cost pool per department, but might split more carefully (For example, what if Seligram’s electronic and mechanical testing had all been in 1 room? ) Direct cost can be directly traced to specific cost objects, in an economically feasible way. Example: direct materials, direct labor, etc. * One-stage costing system (â€Å"Peanut butter†): pool all indirect costs together, use a single cost driver. inaccurate. * The Seligram case: in the original costing system, â€Å"burden was grouped into a si ngle cost pool†, they use a single cost driver â€Å"testing and engineering labor dollars† * Two-stage costing system: first stage, costs are traced/allocated to cost pools (at least two).Second stage, costs are allocated from cost pools to cost objects using cost drivers. * The more cost pools, the more accurate your cost numbers, but the more costly to track. * The Seligram case: the costing system proposed by the accounting managers is a two-stage system. * Stage 1: burden is traced to two pools: (1) burden related to admin and technical functions; (2) all other burden costs * Stage 2: pool 1 will be charged on a rate per direct labor dollar. Pool 2 would be charged based on machine hours. Sometimes firms are already using two-stage costing, but they need to add new cost pools. * Add a new category * Divide current pool into subcategories * The formula for cost driver rates: total costs in pool / total quantity of driver * Activity-Based Costing system: 1 cost pool for each major activity performed in the company. * Idea is that resource usage is homogeneous within each activity, so the allocation is more accurate. * Disadvantage of ABC system: costly. * When NOT to use ABC system: when activities change quickly, when there is no ERP system in place

Death Penalty - Pro stance essays

Death Penalty - Pro stance essays I believe in the death penalty. I believe that in certain cases, criminals deserve to die. We dont need them to be a burden to our society. And when people say that it is a waste of human resources, theyre saying that theyre okay if a murderer lives and has a chance to escape and kill again. We knows whom he or she kills, it could be you, him, her, me, them? The death penalty is not inhumane because we are getting rid of the bad people in society. Also, what do we do if a person that is sentenced to life commits another crime? Does he/she get sentenced to life again? That wouldnt make sense. The only way we can deter them is o kill them. If there were no death penalty, then the world would be overcrowded with prisoners. Our prison system is already over crowded. I think that the death penalty is good for society. Liberals argue that we make mistakes in the cases sometimes, that sometimes the person on death row is found innocent after. Well, if theyre found innocent then it was our mistake. But that case happens rarely since a person that is sentenced to death has an automatic court appeals case. There is always more than one case and if the evidence to prove that he/she is guilty is great, why not execute him/her? Society should operate on a basis of the greatest good for the greatest number. The utilitarianism of the Renaissance in Europe is an example of that. If the majority of death penalties are correct and only a few of them, a miniscule amount are wrong, then it is good to proceed with the executions. My view on the death penalty is 3 strikes and youre out. If a criminal commits 3 major felonies then hes dead. There should be no argument about that. Its justified to execute the bad people; we have a moral obligation. ...

The Four Sounds of the Spelling OU

The Four Sounds of the Spelling OU The Four Sounds of the Spelling OU The Four Sounds of the Spelling OU By Maeve Maddox In response to the post on all a rouse, Paul Wilkins wrote I am wondering why people are misusing rouse to mean ruse. What other spellings of common words are there that would cause them to think that rouse is pronounced in the same was as ruse? The only only one that comes to mind is the -use word ending for words such as hypotenuse. Actually, there are several English words in which the spelling ou represents the /oo/ sound: you, your, tour, crouton, group, coup The reference on which I most rely for discussing the sounds and spelling of English is Romalda Spaldings The Writing Road to Reading. Spalding based the teaching guidelines in her book on the work of Samuel Orton and his student Anne Gillingham. Both the Spalding Method and the Orton-Gillingham Method organize the sounds and symbols of English into 46 sounds (phonemes) and 70 written symbols (phonograms). In the Spalding method phonograms that represent more than one sound are presented in order of frequency. That is, if a letter or letter combination can represent more than one sound, the first sound is the most common, the second less common, and so on. When encountering an unfamiliar word, the beginning reader is taught to try the first sound first. If that doesnt produce a recognizable word, then the second sound is to be tried. In Spalding the four sounds of the phonogram ou are presented in this order: 1. /ow/ as in found about, house, shout, mouse, count, loud, sound, hound 2. long o as in four pour, course, court, gourd, mourn, fourth 3. /oo/ as in you your, tour, crouton, group, coup 4. /uh/ as in country cousin, double As one might expect, American pronunciation has undergone changes since Orton and his students did their research back in the 1920s and 1930s. Television has spread many pronunciations and words that were once considered regional rather than standard. For example, the word tour [tÊŠr] is often heard pronounced to rhyme with chore. In answer to the readers question, the bloggers who spell the word ruse with the phonogram ou have never seen the word in print. They are associating the spelling ou with its third sound and not its most common sound. As the writing population continues to read less, many conventional spellings will be lost. They will be replaced by forms that look right to writers who are not used to seeing them in print. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing LightWhat is Dative Case?Affect vs. Effect

Statistics Quiz Multiple choice Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quiz Multiple choice - Statistics Project Example IV. If the process were repeated many times, each time selecting random samples of 500 people aged 20-24 and 450 people aged 25-29 and each time constructing a confidence interval for p1  - p2, 95% of the time the confidence interval limits will contain the true difference between the two population proportions. Assume that you plan to use a significance level of  Ã‚  = 0.05 to test the claim that p1  = p2, Use the given sample sizes and numbers of successes to find the pooled estimate  . Round your answer to the nearest thousandth. The table shows the number satisfied in their work in a sample of working adults with a college education and in a sample of working adults without a college education. Assume that you plan to use a significance level of  Ã‚  = 0.05 to test the claim that  Ã‚  Find the critical value(s) for this hypothesis test. Do the data provide sufficient evidence that a greater proportion of those with a college education are satisfied in their work? Use this approach to find the size of each sample if you want to estimate the difference between the proportions of men and women who plan to vote in the next presidential election. Assume that you want 99% confidence that your error is no more than 0.05. A researcher reports an F-ratio with df= 3, 36 from an independent-measures research study. Based on the df values, how many treatments were compared in the study and what was the total number of subjects participating in the study? A research obtains an F-ratio of F = 4.00 from an independent-measures research study comparing 2 treatment conditions. If the researcher had used an independent-measures t statistic to evaluate the data, what value would be obtained for the t statistic? An independent-measures research study compares three treatment conditions using a sample of n = 5 in each treatment. For this study, the three samples totals are, T1 = 5, T2 = 10, T3 = 15. What value would be obtained for SS between? An

Globalisation is Not Always a Solution to Poverty And Inequality Essay

Globalisation is Not Always a Solution to Poverty And Inequality - Essay Example Because of its sheer force and power, many people are wont to think that it can automatically eradicate poverty. Economic, political and social factors within the domestic arena play a big part in ensuring that inequality and poverty are addressed with sustainable solutions. This paper argues that without internal governance and social stability in the domestic arena, globalization can exacerbate rather than mitigate the problem. It will argue this point by examining the case of Brazil, and why, despite its large land size and the investments in bioethanol, the economic benefits have yet to trickle down to the poor and inequality and poverty remain to be pervasive. This paper will proceed as follows: first, it will give a brief background of globalization, second, it will give a brief overview on Brazil, third it will provide an analysis of the internal political and social conditions in the country that explain why the benefits of the globalization are not spread equally across the population. Globalization did not take place by happenstance. It was the culmination of a long process that began after the end of World War 2 in what was called the Bretton Woods Agreements. The Bretton Woods Agreements resulted in the creation of three organizations: the International Monetary Fund or IMF, the World Bank, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or GATT. (ibid, page 2) Powerful countries converging around a specific set of economic interests came together to hammer out the specifics and details of these institutions that they believed could shepherd the world out of the wreckage of the Second World War and out of the specter of Communism, and create a new world order based on the Capitalist framework. The United States played a lead role in making this all come together.