The 10 Deadliest Tsunamis of All Time

When the ocean floor moves enough, the surface finds out about it — in the resulting tsunami. A tsunami is a series of ocean waves generated by large movements or disturbances on the oceans floor. The causes of these disturbances include volcanic eruptions, landslides, and underwater explosions, but earthquakes  are the most common. Tsunamis can occur close to the shore or travel thousands of miles if the disturbance occurs in the deep ocean. Wherever they occur, though, they often have devastating consequences for the areas they hit.   For example, on March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that was centered in the ocean 80 miles (130 km) east of the city of Sendai. The earthquake was so large that it triggered a massive tsunami that devastated Sendai and the surrounding area. The earthquake also caused smaller tsunamis to travel across much of the Pacific Ocean and cause damage in places like Hawaii and the west coast of the United States. Thousands were killed as a result of both the earthquake and tsunami and many more were displaced. Fortunately, it was not the worlds deadliest. With a death toll of only 18,000 to 20,000  and Japan being particularly active for tsunamis throughout history, the most recent doesnt even make the top 10 deadliest. Fortunately, warning systems are becoming better and more widespread, which can cut down on the loss of life. Also, more people understand the phenomena and heed the warnings to move to higher ground when a tsunami possibility exists. The 2004 Sumatran disaster spurred UNESCO to set a goal to establish a warning system for the Indian Ocean ​like exists in the Pacific and increase those defenses worldwide.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ The Worlds 10 Deadliest Tsunamis Indian Ocean (Sumatra, Indonesia)Estimated Number of Deaths: 300,000Year: 2004 Ancient Greece (Islands of Crete and Santorini)Estimated Number of Deaths: 100,000Year: 1645 B.C. (tie)  Portugal, Morocco, Ireland, and the United KingdomEstimated Number of Deaths: 100,000 (with 60,000 in Lisbon alone)Year: 1755 Messina, ItalyEstimated Number of Deaths: 80,000Year: 1908 Arica, Peru (now Chile)Estimated Number of Deaths: 70,000 (in Peru and Chile)Year: 1868 South China Sea (Taiwan)Estimated Number of Deaths: 40,000Year: 1782 Krakatoa, IndonesiaEstimated Number of Deaths: 36,000Year: 1883 Nankaido, JapanEstimated Number of Deaths: 31,000Year: 1498 Tokaido-Nankaido, JapanEstimated Number of Deaths: 30,000Year: 1707 Hondo, JapanEstimated Number of Deaths: 27,000Year: 1826 Sanriku, JapanEstimated Number of Deaths: 26,000Year: 1896 A Word on the Numbers Sources on death figures can vary widely (especially for those being estimated long after the fact), due to lack of data on populations in areas at the time of the event. Some sources may list the tsunami figures along with the earthquake or volcanic eruption death figures and not split out the amount killed just by the tsunami. Also, some numbers may be preliminary and are revised down when missing people are found or revised up when people die of diseases in coming days brought on by the floodwaters.

The Fine Line between Freedom of Speech or Hate Speech

Question 1: Islam is of the devil shirts in public school. Legal challenges -- freedom of speech or hate speech? It didnt take much digging to find that the shirt, which is offensive to me (and I am Catholic), was inspired by Dove International -- whos head is none other than Quran burning Terry Jones. In my own opinion, Terry Jones is as much a domestic terrorist as Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church. Comparing both leaders and their churches -- both are small (less than 100 members), and both are in the south, and in my opinion both profess hate speech. However, the SCOTUS has ruled that the WBC has a right to express their beliefs, and the Southern Poverty Law Center never designated the WBC as a hate group. At issue, however, is whether the children in a Florida public school had the right to wear t-shirts that were distracting to a positive learning environment, and whether the school district had a right to ban the children from wearing them. Schools are not public forums where the freedom of speech would be as protected as they would if they were in a park or other grounds. Schools have the right to set a precedent that is condusive to learning for all who are within their walls. In Tinker/Des Moines, the SCOTUS ruled that students DID have the right to wear armbands as a sign of protest against the Viet Nam conflict because their wearing of the armbands did not inhibit the positive educational environment of the other students. InShow MoreRelatedSpeech On Freedom Of Speech1484 Words   |  6 PagesEthics Freedom of Speech Professor Hunt Culver Stockton College Freedom of Speech Americans have many freedoms that people in other countries can only wish they had. Just imagine a life where you could possibly be killed for speaking your mind and stating your opinion, other countries are living lives like that. According to Katy Davis, The United States ratified the first amendment on December 15th 1791 (Davis, n.d). We as a country don’t know where the government draws the line betweenRead MoreHate Speech And Hate Speech967 Words   |  4 PagesHate Speech: No Exceptions for Malicious Intentions As a constitutional right, people often exercise their right to freedom of speech believing that they also have the right to voice their opinions which can be provocative to opposing parties no matter where they stand. There is a defining line between what can be constituted as hate speech and free speech. Depending on the way that it is expressed, voicing an opinion can easily be misinterpreted causing certain people to feel threatened or attackedRead MoreStudent Code Of Conduct And Employee Handbook867 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscuss public schools in protection of student from cyberbullying and its relationship with 1st Amendment. Cyberbullying â€Å"The jurisdictional line between the public, outside world and the schoolhouse gate is becoming less relevant, however, and physical barriers may no longer solve the problem of whether or not students can be punished for their on-campus speech.†(Boyd, 2010, p.1216). Cyberbullying is a serious offense in Beaufort County. Procedures require that employees transmit the complaint to theRead MoreCensorship from Obscene Material1066 Words   |  5 Pagesin the 1990s, citizens in our society are being bombarded with obscene material from every direction. From the hate lyrics of Guns N Roses to the satanic lyrics of Montley Crue and Marilyn Manson to the sexually explicit graphical content of todays movies, the issue is how much society is going to permit and where we, as a society, should we draw the line. The freedom of speech has always been considered a right, but that doesnt mean that you can shout, Fire! in a crowded movie theater.Read MoreThe First Amendment : The Second Amendment1738 Words   |  7 Pagesamendments today. Everyone in the world uses it and sometimes takes advantage of it and most times uses it when needed to. The Bill Of Rights was created on December 15th of 1779 and was created to make some rules in the future because no one had the freedom to do anything. Most were punished if they spoke their opinion, they did not even have the right to choose their own religion. But that all changed when James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights which is our first ten amendments. The First AmendmentRead MoreEssay on Music Censorship1049 Words   |  5 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today, in the 1990s, citizens in our society are being bombarded with obscene material from every direction. From the hate lyrics of Guns N Roses to the satanic lyrics of Montley Crue and Marilyn Manson to the sexually explicit graphical content of todays movies, the issue is how much society is going to permit and where we, as a society, should we draw the line. The freedom of speech has always been considered a right, but that doesnt mean that you can shout, Fire! in a crowded movie theater.Read MoreThe Freedom Of Speech Protected Under The Frist Constitution Essay1769 Words   |  8 PagesThe freedom of speech protected under the Frist Constitution in addition to other beloved values has often struggled in the world with its concept of what’s exactly determined as free speech and what’s not. In other words what’s free speech meaning that a person can state his or her personal opinion as opposed to Hate speech which is meant to offend threatens and insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits. It seems that in someRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Free Speech1328 Words   |  6 PagesFree speech is important. It enables humans to openly express any thoughts, opinions, or ide as one may have without the risk of government oppression or censorship. Social media act as platforms that promote free speech, as social media allow any person’s thoughts, opinions, or ideas to be shared with the world at the simple click of an â€Å"enter† key. However, there do exist limitations to free speech when threats or hate speech become involved. In these instances, ramifications and legal actions canRead MoreThe Police Officer At Unknown Police Department1635 Words   |  7 Pageshave a nice glass of fine apple cider while expressing his views of the people he dislikes. Christenson uses terrible words to describe minority’s in his community for a couple of days know. Christenson has frequently made comments on Facebook that some have considered racist or homophobic. Some in the community have pointed this out to the police chief at the station. When I see cases like this there are a few things that pop up in my mind that include, what is free speech and what is the importanceRead MoreThe University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill3032 Words   |  13 PagesChapel Hill opened in 1795 as the first public college in the United States. Since then, free speech and the formation of independent ideas and opinions have been seen as integral parts of a student’s educational experience. Unfortunately, through the categorization of public college campuses as designated public forums and the implementation of restrictive student conduct codes and debilitating free speech zones, universities are denying students the expression they deserve. While these policies were

Science ; Future Free Essays

Much of what IVe said would seem uncontroversial or even platitudinous to the scientifically-attuned audiences here in Newcastle this week. But there’s one thing that scientific advisors in any democratic system must not forget. When really big and long-term policies are in contention – whether about nuclear weapons, nuclear power, drug classification, or health risks – political decisions are seldom purely scientific: they involve ethics, economics and social policies as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Science ; Future or any similar topic only for you Order Now Such discussions hould engage all of us, as citizens – and of course our elected representatives. Sometimes this has happened, and constructively too. The dialogue with parliamentarians led, despite divergent ethical stances, to a generally-admired legal framework on embryos and stem cells – a contrast to what happened in the US. And Lisa Jardine has chaired the HFEA, another fine precedent. But we’ve had failures too: the GM crop debate was left too late – to a time when opinion was already polarised between eco-campaigners on the one side and commercial interests on the other. Scientists have a special responsibility to engage – though they should accept that on the economic, social and ethical aspects of any policy they speak as citizens and not as experts. But despite many worthy efforts, there are habitual grumbles that such inputs don’t have much traction with politicians. For them, the urgent trumps the important. The local trumps the global. And getting re-elected trumps almost everything. Anything that gets headlined in the media, or makes their postbag bulge, will get attention. It’s volume not quality that counts. So scientists might have more leverage on politicians indirectly – by publicising their research and letting the media do the campaigning – rather than by more official and direct channels. This is one reason – over and above the general cultural value of our findings – why â€Å"outreach† by scientists is important. And there are special things universities teachers can do. We’re privileged to have influence over successive generations of students. We should try to sensitise them to the issues that will confront them in their careers – ndeed, polls show, unsurprisingly, that younger people who expect to survive most of the century, are more engaged and anxious about long-term issues. We fret too much about minor hazards of everyday life: improbable air crashes, carcinogens in food, low radiation doses, and so forth. But the wide public is in denial about two kinds of threats: those that we’re causing collectively to the biosphere, and those that stem from the greater vulnerability of our interconnected world to error or terror induced by individuals or small groups. The issues impel us to plan internationally (for nstance, whether or not a pandemic gets global grip may hinge, for instance, on how quickly a Vietnamese poultry farmer can report any strange sickness). And many of them – energy and climate change, for instance, involve multi-decade timescales – plainly far outside the â€Å"comfort zone† of most politicians. One issue that should be addressed is whether nations need to give up more sovereignty to new organisations along the lines of IAEA, WHO, etc. Final message Unlike our 17th century forebears who I cited at the beginning of this talk, we know a reat deal about our world – and indeed about what lies beyond. Technologies that our ancestors couldn’t nave conceived enrich our lives and our understanding. Many phenomena still make us fearful, but the advance of science spares us from irrational dread. We know that we are stewards of a precious â€Å"pale blue dot† in a vast cosmos – a planet with a future measured in billions of years, whose fate depends on humanitys collective actions. But all too often the focus is parochial and short term. We downplay what’s happening even now in impoverished far-away countries. And we discount too heavily the problems we’ll leave for our grandchildren. We can truly be techno-optimists. But the intractable politics and sociology – the gap between potentialities and what actually happens – engenders pessimism. We need a change in priorities and perspective – and soon – if we are to navigate the challenges of the 21st century: to share the benefits of globalisation, to prioritise clean energy, and sustainable agriculture; and to handle the Promethian challenge posed by ever more powerful technology. To survive this century, we’ll need the idealistic and effective efforts of natural scientists, environmentalists, social scientists and humanists. They must be guided by the insights that 21st century science will offer, but inspired by values that science itself can’t provide. And I give the last word to a great scientist who was himself once the president of the BA – the biologist Peter Medawar: The bells that toll for mankind are like the bells of Alpine cattle. They are attached to our own necks, and it must be our fault if they do not make a tuneful and melodious sound. How to cite Science ; Future, Papers

Informational Rents in Oil and Gas Concession Auctions

Question: Describe about research the reasons and justification behind host governments moving away from Concessions and replacing with PSAs/PSCs, and why IOCs have accepted such a dramatic change in their own share and profits from Exploration and Production activity in resource-rich countries. Answer: Introduction Traditionally, concession agreements were one of the most important instruments which the host governments used to guarantee foreign investors over oil resources. In the agreement, the International Oil Companies (IOCs) were given exclusive rights to explore, produce, and market oil for a finite period (Herkenhoff, 2014). The first concession right was in the United States in 1859 between Colonel Edwin, Titusville, Drake, and Pennsylvania oil. Concessions became popular in the early 20 th century when most developing countries, especially in the Middle East, were under colonial rule. Since most developing countries were at that time under the British and French rule, Britain and France were the first to obtain concession rights. In the 1960s, concessionary agreements were replaced by Public Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and Public Sharing Agreements (PSAs) due to the rise of nationalism, among other reasons. Reasons and Justification behind Host Governments Moving Away From Concessions to PSAs and PSCs The agreement granted the host government no rights apart from receiving payments based on production. The amount paid by International Oil Companies for the rights over natural resources was mostly uneven and was not tied to the value of resources, but the volume produced (Brasil and Postali, 2014). Since companies determined the amount of production, the interests of host governments (that of revenue maximization) and IOC (profit maximization) often diverged. With total control over the manner and the schedule in which the mineral deposits were explored, companies could reduce production in times of low oil prices without incurring some penalties. The concession agreement was broad, regarding geography and location. The wide limit meant that the interests of the host governments were not always congruent with the companies interests. Foreign companies were granted exclusive rights over large tracts of land, which in most cases extended over the entire country. A prime example is the concessions given by Abu Dhabi and Kuwait rulers, which was regardless of the companies financial interests in comprehensive exploration (Herkenhoff, 2014). International Oil Companies held significant leaseholds and with minimal production until such a time when the producer had the finances or the interests to develop the property further. The concession was signed for longer periods, which was sometimes more than 70 years. A good example is the oil contract between the British millionaire William Knox Darcy and the king of Iran on 29 March 1901, where William Knox Darcys company was given concession rights for exploration, exploitation, transportation and selling, and these rights continued for more than 60 years (Brasil and Postali, 2014). Due to the nature of the contract, the host governments could not seek out thirstier companies, thereby denying them of any potential sources of revenue. Though the host governments were justified to move away from concession agreements, its important to note that the contracts helped oil producing countries to discover oil for the first time. For example, in Iraq 1923, and Iran in 1908, the oil was found, and despite the many criticisms, the host countries have continued to enjoy many benefits later on. Concession agreement thrived because the host countries were unable to do the discovery by themselves because of financial and professional limitation, and most importantly, they had no power over exploration because they were colonies. Reasons that Explains the Willingness of Foreign Companies to Renegotiate Contracts that initially served them well Knowing that the original terms were unreasonable, companies feared that their refusal to negotiate would increase hostility with the locals and host government, potentially leading to more nationalism in the oil industry and the loss of valuable resource. Since the concession agreements were highly profitable, the less favorable terms would still mean profitable production. Therefore, any agreement allowing companies to tap into the benefits this vast resource was deemed as acceptable. Since the oil companies were becoming more vertically integrated- they produced, refined, and marketed nearly 100% of their product- access to resources was becoming more important than a reduction in returns, provided that the profits were guaranteed. Another reason companies were willing to move from concession agreement is that although they assumed all the rewards, they also assumed all the risks. They were overly cautious when bidding for virgin or non-productive areas because of production uncertainties. This was, however, to change under PSAs and PSCs where some countries share risks with the IOC. The formation of OPEC in the 1960s forced International Oil Companies to abandon the concession agreement. OPEC shifted the bargaining power from large oil companies to Oil producing companies. Failure to comply with the terms of this cartel would mean a complete loss of oil reserves to competitors. Furthermore, some countries engaged in direct negotiations with potential licenses when granting the concessions, thereby making concession system unfavorable due to alleged subject to undue influence and corruption (Herkenhoff, 2014). Fundamental Differences between the Concession Systems and PSA/PSC Systems Product Sharing Agreement was first practiced in Indonesia in 1966 as a bridge between concession agreement that gives resource sovereignty to a foreign firm and establishment of National Oil Companies that required some technical know-how (Polyakevich, 2010). Today, more than 10% of gas and oil production is done through the agreement. Furthermore, more than half of countries with oil potential have a tax system that is based on PSC/PSA. The agreement gives IOC the right to explore for natural resources. If the resources are found, the company has rights to recoup sunk costs and share in profits. If the resources are not found, then the company is out of pocket. The PSA incentive shoulders the risk of non-discovery. The major differences between PSC and the concession agreement are the levels of control given to International Oil Companies, levels of involvement by the host government, reward sharing schemes, and the compensation terms. On concessionary system, the IOC gets the license from the host government to take out and own a hydrocarbon in a specific area, and then in return, the state receives income taxation and a royalty payment from the IOC (Heilbrunn, 2014). In PSC/PSA, the state owns all the oil production and the IOCs only serves as contractors to provide financial and technical services for development and exploration operations. In return, production is shared between the IOC and the state as per the stipulation of the PSC. PSA is also different from the concession in that since it doesnt grant the company the ownership of the resource and the government may take an interest in technology transfer, as it prepares for the turning over of the resources to its hands (Goltelova, 2014). Unlike concession that grants the company rights to ownership of resources over specified period, PSA/PSC gives ownership of resources that is tied to recouping of sunk costs and the garnering of profits. It is only in PSC where there is sharing of oil profit. The portion of production left after the cost of oil has been deducted is shared between the IOC and the host government using a predetermined formula. Many countries have a production sharing mechanism that is based on the rate of return or any other assessment to the contractor on a given date (Pongsiri, 2004). These are countries like Tunisia, Libya, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea, India, and Azerbaijan. Unlike in concession, PSA/PSC gives the host government varying degrees of oversight over the decision making (Polyakevich, 2010). The projects life is crucial here. If the venture shifts to government control after the IOC has recouped the sunk costs and garnered the profits, the host must resume for this eventuality right from the start (Polyakevich, 2010). In simple terms, the decision control is to some extent reserved for the host government even in periods of robust private involvement. In comparison to concessionary agreements, PSC/PSA is involving in nature. The foreign company pays a royalty on gross production to the host government. After the deduction of the royalty, the foreign company is entitled to a pre-destined share (e.g. 45 percent) of the production to cater for cost recovery. The remainder (the profit oil), is shared between the host government and the IOC at a specified share (e.g. 70 percent for the government and 30 percent for the International Oil Company). The contractor is then supposed to pay an income tax from its share of profit oil. PSAs have substantially changed over the years and today they take different forms. There is a change of language in PSC/PSA. The state is described as the owner and the foreign company as the contractor, even though the practice is almost equivalent to the classical concessionary agreements (Polyakevich, 2010). PSA/PSC often contains a stabilization clause restricting future governments to pass any new law or change the tax rates, which can be detrimental to the companys future profits. Stabilization clause is very rare in concessionary agreements. The rationale behind producer countries favoring the greater economic rentals they receive through PSAs/PSCs The aim of the government is revenue maximization. Since the international oil industry is an industry in which, normally, huge economic rents can be received, for the reason that the market price exceeds the price required to keep the factor of production in active use and is above the price required to generate profits, host governments can receive more rentals without interfering with the profits. In the past, there has been recurring transformations in the comparative stability of power between host states, major IOCs and their National Oil Companies (NOCs), is insightful of the cyclical character of the gas and oil industry. Some periods, such as the 1970- the 1980s and the 2000s can be grouped as conflicting (Polyakevich, 2010). During these epochs, the rising and fairly high oil prices gifted the host countries with more revenues, which assisted them to re-negotiate their agreements with the International Oil Companies and to gain a bigger share of the economic rent. Depending on the local competencies, International Oil Companies have better knowledge of the actual production costs can inflate the current production cost and capture some of the rent. In such situations, the host governments are justified to seek out for more economic rent from IOCs. Furthermore, the rise of nationalism, sovereignty issues, environmental factors such as air, land and water pollution, externalities and the fact that oil is a non-renewable resource call for greater economic rental. The host governments favor PSAs/PSCs because despite them receiving royalties from the foreign companies, companies also share their profits with the government and pay income tax on their shares of profits (Heilbrunn, 2014). Production Sharing Contract is one of the most attractive models in inviting high investments particularly in virgin or non-productive areas. The government is on the safe side. Unexplored areas can be explored without the governments direct investment. Furthermore, the government can play off companies against each other to get one with the most attractive terms. Depending on the agreement, the contract may specify that all the project related equipment brought by the contractor be passed over to the host government and the cost of equipment be recovered as the operating cost. The contract may further specify that all geological data be the host governments property as was the case with the Pertamina agreement. By keeping the geological data, the host country may begin to see the nationwide picture of its basins. Why host governments have succeeded in extracting more money from the IOCs Some developing nations have succeeded in extracting more money from the International Oil Companies because some countries now have the ability to evaluate the oil assets on their own, independently access on the production costs, and more significantly, develop the oil reserves on their own (Goltelova, 2014). Many of the developing nations have a take it or leave it attitude since they have nothing to lose in the case when IOCs fails to play to their terms. Furthermore, the ever rising competition between the IOC always favors the host governments. They have many options available, and when one company fails to comply with the set terms, they can always seek another until they get the company with most attractive terms. Many countries have recently discovered some oil reserves. The overall availability of larger oil reserves in the host country, the stronger the bargaining power. IOCs know that they need to come back for more transactions, and they need to be seen as fair. In a context of repeat businesses, countries with a reputation for reliability and stability in sticking to the contract (even if unfavorable), can attach these qualities to their oil prices (Heilbrunn, 2014). IOC have often valued and accepted to do business with dictatorial regimes because they provide the much-needed stability (Heilbrunn, 2014). Another reason the host governments have succeeded in extracting more money from International Oil Companies is the emergence on OPEC- which is a sort of a cartel that determines the oil prices and fights for the welfare of the oil producing states (Heilbrunn, 2014). Since the oil-rich countries act like some form of monopoly, IOCs have nothing to do but to comply with the terms or be out of the business. Why the IOCs have continued to explore for, and exploit mineral, assets now their financial share of the profits has been severely reduced? International oil companies have continued to explore and exploit mineral assets despite their share of profits being eroded because under PSC, they enjoy autonomy and can optimize the EP to ensure cost recovery. The rise of OPEC, the vertical integration of IOC, and the rise of nationalism as stated before, also explains why IOC have continued to explore for, and exploit oil now their financial share of profits have been severely reduced. References Brasil, E. and Postali, F. (2014). Informational rents in oil and gas concession auctions in Brazil. Energy Economics, 46, pp.93-101. Goltelova, S. (2014). Production Sharing Agreement As a Special Technique in the Provision of the State Guarantees For Oil and Gas Projects Financing in Russia, (5), pp.324-336. Heilbrunn, J. (2014). Oil, democracy, and development in Africa. New York: Cambridge University Press. Herkenhoff, L. (2014). A Profile of the Oil and Gas Industry: Resources, Market Forces, Geopolitics, and Technology, Business Expert Press, New York [ISBN: 978-1-60649-500-1] Polyakevich, V. (2010). Sustainable development and evolution of production sharing agreements. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada = Bibliotheque et Archives Canada. Pongsiri, N. (2004). Partnerships in oil and gas production sharing contracts. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 17(5), pp.431-442.

Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day Essay Example

Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day Essay The first of the two poems, Wordsworths Daffodils is about a man remembering that some daffodils cheered him up one day. The poem starts off with the person being described as a cloud and how he slowly joins a host of golden daffodils. But the reader does not know at first that this poem is actually a memory until further down in the poem. Throughout the poem Wordsworth refers back to the daffodils and makes a connection with other things like them such as stars. Wordsworth also depicts how the daffodils dance. In the last verse the reader finally finds out that the poem is a recollection. Whilst the second of the two poems, Miracle on St. Davids Day written by Gillian Clarke is about a mentally ill patient reciting Wordsworths Daffodils in front of a crowd of other patients and daffodils. From the title Miracle on St. Davids Day it is revealed to the reader what this poem is about. It is obvious that a miracle is the main point of the poem, meaning something holy yet unexpected. The poem starts off in a very positive setting among the cedars and enormous oaks but by the second verse the reader finds out that Clarke is, in reality, describing an Insane Asylum. We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The poet describes herself reading poetry to the insane as she does a huge and mild man recites Wordsworths Daffodils with no emotion the memory of the poem is perfect but the sound isnt because he hadnt spoken in a long time. He recites the poem in front of the other patients and ten thousand daffodils outside. Both these poems have the theme of memory and daffodils but each are represented in a different way. In the first line of Daffodils Wordsworth describes himself as a cloud, wandering lonely. The verb and adverb tell us that the cloud isnt moving very fast and that the cloud is a distance from everything else. This is also personification because the cloud could also be a person outcast by society, for example Wordsworth could be trying to describe his own experience. In the second line of the verse the poet uses another slow verb floats. Half way through the verse there is a change of pace all at once and the reader then sees the crowd of daffodils. Additionally the poet using two adjectives to describe the numbers of daffodils host and crowd showing that there must have been at least one hundred. This could also mean that the person being described as a cloud being accepted back into society. Wordsworth describes the daffodils as golden with illustrates the radiant colour and wealth of the memory. In the last line of the first verse Wordsworth uses personification to give the daffodils human characteristics when he uses the verbs Fluttering and dancing which are also metaphors. The verb dancing also gives the sense that the daffodils were dancing all together in rhythm. In the first verse and throughout the poem the poet uses rhyming couplets at the end of each line. Wordsworth also uses the rhyme scheme of ABABCC in each verse. Wordsworth in the second verse talks about stars and how many there were and makes a connection between them and the daffodils. The poet describes the stars, as continuous showing the reader that there are countless numbers of them. In the second line the writer uses the adjective and verb twinkle to describe the stars; there is also a connection between twinkle and golden because stars are also golden. The poet carries on to say, they stretched in a never-ending line which supports the other quotes. Most of the second verse goes on about how many stars there actually are. In the fourth line the poet says Ten thousand saw I at a glance which shows he wasnt paying attention to how many there were it also gives us the impression that the stars saw him. Wordsworth makes another connection between the daffodils and the stars because they both dance. He uses the verb tossing and the adverb sprightly to describe the way they danced. Wordsworth connects the daffodils and the stars by telling us that they both danced. Wordsworth, throughout the poem, has repeated the dancing, the daffodils and the fact that in every verse there is a mentioning of water, in the first verse it was lake in the second bay and finally in the third waves. And again in the first line of the third verse the poet repeats the fact that he saw something dance. He says the waves beside them danced, but . The mood then changes with the use of the word but, because it makes the reader expect something. After all the describing of the magical and romantic atmosphere, the reader feels pessimistic that something is going to change the whole mood of the poem. The reader then discovers that nothing terrible happens but the but was only to shame the waves, as the daffodils were more effective out-did the sparkling waves in glee. This means that the daffodils were better than waves. The atmosphere is now light and fantastic again, glee meaning merriment and cheerfulness. There is a colon in the middle of verse three indicating a pause, which continues with Wordsworth commenting on his feelings and actions. I gazed- and gazed- but little thought. The dashes slow the line down by breaking it up gradually. By doing this Wordsworth indicates the end of the description of the daffodils. There is also a metaphor in this verse, what wealth to me the show had brought. The wealth in this verse is a metaphor describing the memory, experience and emotion of seeing the daffodils. The last verse indicates that the poem was a memory or flashback. The reader knows this from the first line of the verse, For oft, when on my couch I lie. The reader knows that the memory is frequently visited because oft means often. The next line creates an empty mood, far away, drifting and dreaming. The mood and atmosphere is quite strongly put forward to the reader with vacant or in pensive mood. This means absent and dreaming, inattentive and expressionless but with a thoughtful frame of mind. Verse four has a special meaning. It is a time in Wordsworths life when he is having a look back at his experiences, which is so emotionally overwhelming to him that it has created an extremely long lasting impression in his mind. Wordsworth sums up his feelings from the experience in the last verse they flash upon that inward eye; here he is saying that the vision of the crowd of daffodils is stuck in his imagination for the rest of his life. This brings great happiness to him, which is the bliss of solitude. By using the word bliss, Wordsworth expresses his emotion of complete happiness. Solitude, meaning being alone completely with no-one near you at all, tells the reader that this experience was very personal to him and special, and only he will ever know the wonder of it even if he describes is as best as he can to others and then my heart with pleasure fills. This is a personification as there is an image of a jug being filled to the brim with pure joy. Also there is another personification in the last verse, and dances with the daffodils. It is a further personification of a lively person who dances. In this last line Wordsworth is saying that his heart is dancing with the daffodils. Daffodils do not dance, but to Wordsworth they give off life, joy and radiant beauty. The last three lines of verse four create a pure and lovely mood. In The Daffodils Wordsworth is trying to teach the reader to appreciate the beauty of nature and to understand the importance of memory. I also think that he is trying to teach the reader about how the effect of just one experience in your life can be so strong and powerful that it can be remembered as vividly as it was the day of the experience many years later. Miracle on St Davids day starts off very positively in the first verse. With the use of slow verbs the atmosphere becomes very relaxed An afternoon yellow and open-mouthed. Clarke uses the sun to describe the rest of the setting The sun treads the path. Clarke uses very descriptive adjectives to describe the setting and the trees such as the enormous oaks. But in the fourth line there is a cast of doubt to this happy place when it says, It might be as well as a warning it also adds mystery to the poem. In the last but one line of the first verse we finally find out that it is a country house with guests strolling, this sounds like the perfect fantasy for most people. But in the second verse the perfect image is shattered I am reading poetry to the insane this is a shock for the reader because it was totally unexpected. It is a very bold statement to put in to a poem. The reader finds out that the perfect country house is actually an insane asylum or a hospital. From being very positive, Miracle on St Davids day has turned into a very negative poem. The verse carries on to describe the audience sitting down listening to the poem, A beautiful chestnut -haired boy although these people are mentally ill Clarke still tries to describe them as if they were normal people. Another shock is that the child she described so perfectly was actually, a schizophrenic on a good day. Gillian Clarke describes the hospital further by saying In a cage of first March sun this statement gives you the image of a prison not a hospital. But the bars of the cage are actually only the blinds on the window but it still gives you the idea that the patients are trapped inside the hospital. The poet then describes a woman not listening, not seeing, not feeling Clarke uses the techniques of tripling and repetition of the word not to describe the womans mental state. Gillian Clarke further explains that the woman was absent meaning that she wasnt really listening just sitting there. Gillian Clarke at the end of the third verse mentions, A big mild man is tenderly led to his chair. We have know idea what is wrong with him; all we know is that he is a big, mild man this shrouds the patient in mystery because we dont know what he is going to do or say. But immediately after the man has been led to his chair Clarke reveals to us he has never spoken whilst being a patient at the hospital. Although the man seems a tough guy the reader finds out that he actually isnt he rocks gently to the rhythms of the poems. Gillian Clarke depicts herself reading to their absences, presences she uses rhyme contrast to describe the patients she is reading to. In the last line she once more describes the silence man as she did in the previous verse big, dumb labouring man as he rocks. The verb and adjective labouring portrays an image of a strong but unintelligent man. To start off the fifth verse Clarke uses the technique of sibilance, tripling and alliteration to describe the mans movements suddenly standing, silently. These three words put together are called sibilants. The man had never really been noticed before until now. Although the man hasnt done anything Gillian Clarke is still afraid of him, she says huge and mild, but I feel afraid. The poet uses similes to describe the man breaking through his silence, like slow movement of spring water. In the last line of verse five the man starts to recite The Daffodils. Clarke describes the nurses are frozen silenced and shocked by the miracle before them that the man can actually speak. Clarke describes him as hoarse but word perfect this reinforces the fact that he hadnt spoken in a long time. As he recites the poem outside we find out that there are daffodils as still as wax which is another simile. The daffodils are also shocked by the man speaking because they are frozen as well. They are also his audience. Clarke describes the numbers of daffodils and how their syllables are unspoken. In the last but one verse we find out how the man knew the poem. 40 years ago in a valleys school although it is a short poem he still remembered it after 40 years. After starting to speak again h had remembered there was a music of speech but he did use to speak and that he once had something to say. At the end of the mans poem before the applause, we observe the flowers silence. A thrush sings and the daffodils are flame. Gillian Clarke portrays a vivid and colourful image of the daffodils. She describes them as flame but the reader knows that they are actually clapping. These two poems the Daffodils by William Wordsworth and Miracle on St. Davids Day by Gillian Clarke are both very similar in style, content and ideas both have some mentioning of daffodils. And both have the theme of memory except theyre represented in a different way. These two poems talk about the importance of memory to a person; in Wordsworth case a man remembering a great day he had with some daffodils and in Clarke case a mental patient remembering the poem The Daffodils after 40 years without speaking. Both these poems have a lot in common with each other. But they are also connected by their style of writing.

Regrouping and Carrying Over in Mathematics

Regrouping and Carrying Over in Mathematics When kids are learning two-digit addition and subtraction, one of the concepts theyll encounter is regrouping, which is also known as borrowing and carrying, carry-over, or column math. This is an important mathematics concept to learn, because it makes working with large numbers manageable when calculating math problems by hand. Getting Started Before tackling carry-over math, its important to know about place  value, sometimes called base-10. Base-10 is the means by which numerals are assigned place value, depending on where a digit is in relation to the decimal. Each numeric position is 10 times greater than its neighbor. Place value determines a digits numerical value.   For example, 9 has a greater numerical value than 2. They are also both single whole numbers less than 10, meaning their place value is the same as their numerical value. Add them together, and the result has a numerical value of 11. Each of the 1s in 11 has a different place value, however. The first 1 occupies the tens position, meaning it has a place value of 10. The second 1 is in the ones position. It has a place value of 1. Place value will come in handy when adding and subtracting, especially with double-digit numbers and larger figures. Addition Addition is where the carry-over principle of math comes into play. Lets take a simple addition question like 34 17.   Begin by lining up the two figures vertically, or on top of one another. This is called column  addition because 34 and 17 are stacked like a column.Next, some mental math. Start by adding the two digits that occupy the ones place, 4 and 7. The result is 11.  Look at that number. The 1 in the ones place will be the first numeral of your final sum. The digit in the tens position, which is 1, must be then placed on top of the other two digits in the tens position and added together. In other words, you must carry over or regroup the place value as you add.  More mental math. Add the 1 you carried over to digits already lined up in the tens positions, 3 and 1. The result is 5. Place that figure in the tens column of the final sum. Written out horizontally, the equation should look like this: 34 17 51. Subtraction Place value comes into place in subtraction as well. Instead of carrying over values as you do in addition,  you will be taking them away or borrowing them. For example, lets use 34 - 17. As you did in the first example, line up the two numbers in a column, with 34 on top of 17.Again, time for mental math, beginning with the digits in the ones position, 4 and 7. You cant subtract a larger number from a smaller one or youd wind up with a negative. In order to avoid this, we must borrow value from the tens place to make the equation work. In other words, youre taking a numerical value of 10 away from the 3, which has a place value of 30, in order to add it to the 4, giving it a value of 14.  14 - 7 equals 7, which will occupy the ones place in our final sum.  Now, move to the tens position. Because we took away 10 from the place value of 30, it now has a numerical value of 20. Subtract the place value of 2 from the place value of the other figure, 1, and you get 1. Written out horizontally, the final equation looks like this: 34 - 17 17. This can be a hard concept to grasp without visual helpers, but the good news is that there are ​many resources for learning base-10 and regrouping in math, including teacher lesson plans and student worksheets.

Strategiespoliciesprograms could be utilized to reduce the healthcare Essay

Strategiespoliciesprograms could be utilized to reduce the healthcare cost to the taxpayers for uninsured Texans - Essay Example These areas are prescription drug coverage, technology, managed care, reducing the number of uninsured, and innovative programs. There are several aspects of the prescription drug program that need to be reviewed. Currently Texas has a local health care system where the counties are responsible for the healthcare of its residents. Care often falls to charity or safety net hospitals (Uninsured in Texas n.d. p.4). There needs to be more focus on regional and statewide cooperation involving the purchase of prescription drugs. This would provide a centralized point of purchase, which would aid in the negotiating power of the state on drug prices from the pharmaceutical companies. In addition to lower price there needs to be some forms of cost control on the use of prescription drugs. There should be a review of the formulary for drug availability that would exclude some drugs from coverage. These would include cosmetic, hair loss, and investigational drugs. Drugs with a high potential for abuse such as amphetamines and barbiturates should also come under review. These exclusions would have to be accomplished within the current federal guidelines. Generic drug use should also be encouraged. ... This would also help reduce public resistance to low cost generic drugs. A preferred drug list of the lowest cost drugs should be utilized to pre-authorize a particular drug. Prior authorization would be necessry for any drug not on the list. Several other state programs have used this approach with some success. It may be seen as a burden to physicians and pharmacists and should be introduced in a step program beginning with non-emergency treatments such as anorexants and anti-ulcer reflux medications (Kaiser Commission 2002 p.9). Emergency supplies for short-term treatment could still be provided without prior authorization. There should also be a 'failed first policy' on prescription drugs. If a new more expensive drug is available, it should not be used until the older and less expensive substitute has been proven ineffective. Fail first programs may not be appropriate for rapidly evolving medications such as used for the treatment of mental illness (Fail-first policies 2003). This program would need to be strictly monitored and have a physician right to supersede it. 2. Technology Improved technology has the potential to save billions of dollars in health care costs. Texas needs to adopt the most recent innovations in medical technology. Shared medical records across a network would aide physicians and emergency rooms in reducing redundant tests and procedures. It also has the capacity to make the most recent knowledge and diagnosis available across the network in a virtual care coordination system. The creation of a cross care coordinated network would be a valuable tool for the uninsured as well as offering health care providers easy access to medical records. A system of community based care

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and Essay

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and the mother - Essay Example They further assert that most people are willing to support young ladies as well as their children. This is evidenced by what takes place in the U.S.; the citizens of the U.S. participate significantly in raising enough cash for the upbringing of the young children as well as for the care of their mothers. For instance, it is documented that the U.S. spent approximately $9 billion on teenagers’ children in 2004. The dollar amount rose significantly in 2008; approximately $11 billion was spent on children born out of marriage. From this amount, one can deduce that the U.S. spends approximately $1,647 on each child born to teenagers each year (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Thus, it beats logic when a person to asserts that the future of teenage mothers and their children is doomed. The current society is also full of humane people. This is evidenced by the fact that there are organizations as well as individuals who participate in upbringing of teens’ children. It is also evident that working together of the government with non-governmental organizations aid in the addressing the socioeconomic challenges that teen mothers face in life (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Although teen mothers, as well as their children, receive support from taxpayers money, government, and non-governmental organizations, it is evident their future lives will be affected significantly. In most occasions, teenage pregnancy affects the future of both the mother and the child negatively. This is evidenced by the Bhana and MCambi’s article. According to Bhana and MCambi (2013), teenage pregnancy is associated with a high level of stigmatization. Teenage girls when pregnant as well as when having children find it very hard to relate with their fellow students because of self-denial. The rearing of a child while at school is also a big problem to teenage mothers. In most occasions, such mothers are requested by their respective schools

GCC Economics and OPEC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GCC Economics and OPEC - Research Paper Example The common market agreement among the GCC countries took effect from 1 January 2008. The members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an association of developing countries, which include Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria, Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Ecuador, Angola and Algeria. OPEC was formed to help market oil and stabilize oil prices in the world. United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates whose capital city is Abu Dhabi, Dubai covers an area of 82,880 Km2 and the land is predominantly desert with few pockets of agricultural areas. It is a member of OPEC. The country has an opened and highly developed economy, which is among the fastest growing in the world. The rate of inflation in United Arab Emirates is low and was 0.9 percent and 1.6 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. To boost trade, a free trade zone for manufacturing and distribution purposes. Presence of a deep-water port has also promoted international trade. The rate of interest charged by commercial banks was also lower at 6.2 percent and 5.9 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. Figure 1: GDP growth rate There was a sharp decline in the real GDP growth from 3.2 percent in 2008 to -3.2 in 2009. Sharp decline is attributed to the global financial turmoil. However, there was a strong growth in real GDP growth rate to 5.3 percent in 2010 due to recovering economy and increasing oil prices. OPEC Quotas in United Arab Emirates is 2.3 million barrels daily but its capacity is 2.8 million barrels daily. According to CIA (2011), United Arab Emirates’ reserves are estimated to be 97.8 billion barrels. Non- oil sectors include agriculture that produce dried fish, dates, watermelons, vegetables, eggs, poultry and dairy products (Department of State 2011). Non-oil sector covers tourism and international finance. United Arab Emirates produces cement, aluminum, fertilizers, boat building, commercial ship repair, textiles and handicrafts. Major trade pa rtners include Japan, India, China, United States, Germany, Iran, South Korea and Thailand Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose capital is Riyadh also referred to as Saudi Arabia covers an area of 2,149,690 km2 with arid climate. It is a member of OPEC. It has a command economy, where government controls major economic activities and depends heavily on oil exports. The GDP of Saudi Arabia was $623 billion in 2010. Inflation rate is slightly lower at 5.4 percent and 5.1 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia was 10.8 percent, 10.5 percent and 9.8 percent in 2010, 2009 and 2008 respectively. High unemployment rates are among the highest rates in the gulf region. Commercial bank interest rates were 7.3 percent and 7.2 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. The country’s proven oil reserves are 262.6 billion barrels (Sfakianakis 2011). Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves with and is the world top oil exporter. Oil generates 75 per cent of the total budget revenues and comprises about 90 percent of total exports. Increase in oil prices caused by increasing demand has improved the economy of Saudi Arabia. The current quota for Saudi Arabia as set by OPEC is 9.4 million barrels daily. However, the country can produce up to 10.52 millions barrels daily. The non-oil sector real GDP growth r

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK Assignment Title: Living Standards The UK in 2013 had a population of approximately 64 million; standards of living are used to monitor and identify which areas of the UK and the world are living in penury and which areas are more affluent and are thriving. The government is responsible for identifying the contributing factors towards a wealthy region or a poor region. Burtless, G (1987, p.232) defines standards of living as â€Å"the sustained level of consumption of goods and services that can be afforded on the basis of a household’s current assets and current and future income†. Economists and economic research companies have tried and tested many different ways to record the standard of living in the UK. Living standards is a hot topic in political conversations, and the government are pressured to focus on improving the well-being of the population. Elliot, L (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses the views of Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society who exclaims that â€Å"What we measure – and how we measure it – matters. The financial crisis proved that simply targeting the headline goals of GDP growth, unemployment and inflation was totally inadequate as these measures failed to identify major economic weaknesses as they emerged†. This would suggest that the government need to revisit their policy on standards of living on focus on refining them in order to achieve their objectives. Mankiw, N (2011) suggests that policymakers must accumulate factors of production quickly in order to make the population more efficient and more positive. There are many different measures of standard of living that have been developed over the past 30-40 years, there are the more traditional ways of measurement and modern, innovative and experimental measures that are both used in the world of business. Traditional standard of living measures Crafts et al (2007) suggests that historically, standards of living have been measured by assessing real wages. Real wages is the income of a person and with consideration of the inflationary effects on purchasing power. Recent UK and US wage statistics compiled by Branchflower Machin (2014) suggests that after a healthy upwards movement of the average wage in the UK in the 1990’s and early part of the 2000’s; there is an alarming downward trend from the year 2010 to 2013 where wages rates are increasingly lowering. From the graph it is also clear that the US wage growth is very little historically and there are no major fluctuations in comparison to the UK. (See Appendix 1). The Economist (2014) blames the fall in real wages on the UK’s ‘dismal productivity’ since the recession, output in the UK is below the pre-financial crisis peak. This would suggest that Britain needs more highly skilled jobs and possible incentives to boost productivity and create an efficient labour market. Real wages are effective in measuring standards, real wages statistics can be used to identify trends in wages in different countries over a particular period, this is further emphasised by the International Labour Organisation (2003) who suggest that real wages are useful for identifying differences in purchasing power of wages in different world economies, real wages can also provide an idea of the progress of a working population. Nordhaus (1997 p.30) criticises the method of calculating real wages, he states that â€Å"If we are to obtain accurate estimates of the growth of real incomes over the last century, we must some-how construct price indexes that account for the vast changes in the quality and range of goods and services that we consume†. It could be argued that countries such as the US and the UK have already constructed price indexes with the use of the Retail Price Index, the Consumer Price Index in the last century. Another of the more traditional measures of living standards is GDP; the main GDP elements that are important for living standards are GDP per capita and Real GDP per capita. GDP per capita is the total output divided by the population of a country. Recent figures from the ONS (2014) shows a comparison of the top economies in the world of the year 1997 and 2012; from the graph (see Appendix 2) it is clear to see that the UK GDP per capita has risen but not as much in value as the likes of the US, Canada and Germany – the UK still however has the 4th biggest GDP per capita in the world. Nominal GDP per capita is often criticised by economists because it does not take inflation into consideration, so it is better to use Real GDP as the measurement because it is relevant and reflects a true value. Eurostat’s graph (see Appendix 3) shows the year on year growth percentage of real GDP per capita in the UK, the research shows a large dip after the financial crisis and since that has happened the percentage growth rate has never reached the peaks pre-financial crisis, this would suggest that productivity in the UK is low and there needs to be more employment created, which could lead to an increase the output of the country. The main positive of using GDP per capita as a measure is that it is used nationwide and recorded fairly frequently, GDP per capita is measured in quarters and allows countries to evaluate the figures and look at trends over different periods – this is important to identify which countries are trending downwards and is important at a regional level, governments can identify what areas are lacking in output and where investment needs to be focused. Whereas real wages are said to be useful in comparing the difference in wealth in economies International Labour Organisation (2003), Tucker (2013) argues there are several issues when comparing countries using GDP per capita, he suggests that low economically developed countries are not as accurate as wealthier countries when recording the data necessary for GDP. He also suggests that some countries have very different income distribution using the United Arab Emirates as an example; the majority of income comes from oil which is only distributed amongst a number of rich families. Real GDP per capita is important because it can give a true value after inflationary adjustments are made, however this measure also has some limitations. Similarly to GDP per capita, real GDP per capita fails to identify inequalities in income and wealth in a country, there is also the issue of the ‘black market’ which can he hidden amongst the value of real GDP per capita. Another traditional measure of living standards to consider is the Gini coefficient; the Gini index measures the actual distribution income in a country in comparison to an equal distribution of income. The index measures the difference between a Lorenz curve and a line of equality. The Gini index line of 0 represents equality whereas 100 would indicate inequality. The Poverty Site (2010) Gini Coefficient graph (see Appendix 4) shows a comparison of the 27 members of the European Union, at the time the UK figure stood at just over 30% which ranks sixth highest in inequality in Europe and higher than the EU27 average of 30%. The graph also shows how Scandinavian countries such as Sweden Finland have a much more equal society in terms of income despite their questionable taxation policies. The United Kingdom would likely try and target a smaller percentage to achieve better equality amongst the population. Concerns over income inequality have been raised recently. Treanor Farrell (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses how the UK is the only G7 country with growing inequality, the article discusses findings from a Credit Suisse global wealth report show that the UK’s richest 10% of people represent 54.1% of the total national income. There will be inevitable pressure on the government from low income families that have been suffering from rising utility bills and only a small rise in wages. The Gini Co-efficient is very effective in showing the inequality in countries throughout the world, it can also help economists and businessman understand and support their thinking if they believe the country is increasing in terms of inequality of income. McKinley, T (1995 p.141) writes that â€Å"the Gini coefficient does not concentrate merely on differences from the mean; it is a much more direct measure of inequality because it accounts for the differences between every pair of observations†. The Gini co-efficient isn’t without its limitations, Parrillo (2008) suggests that the measure does not alter much when transfers are made between the rich and the poorer people. Another disadvantage of the Gini coefficient is that it fails to inform you of the changes in the distribution of income between income groups as opposed to alternative measures of living standards. Alternative standard of living measures Throughout the last 20-30 years there have been a number of alternative measures developed across the world, trying to find a better way to measure living standards. The Human Development Index was originally developed by the UN to monitor and develop a ranking of countries by the following criteria; average years of schooling, expected years of schooling, life expectancy from birth and gross national income per capita. From the most recent HDI data (see appendix 5) the United Kingdom ranks at #14 in the top 15, the HDI shows some interesting developments and differences between the nations of the world. The United States for example has a high GNI Per capita compares to other countries, their life expectancy however ranks lower than any other country in the top 15; this could suggest that the United States standard of living is not truly reflected in the HDI. Although the Scandinavian countries rank high on the HDI, Henrietta Moore of The Guardian (2014) argues that they are not the model for global prosperity; she suggests that their principles of autonomy and self determination are the reasons for their high human development. Moore summarises statistics that suggest that the Scandinavian countries are consuming resources far too quickly they rank top of both the carbon emissions usage and they rank high in the WWF’s scale of ecological impact. It could be argued that it is important to consider the environmental impacts of nation’s activities before considering their Human Development ranking. The obvious advantage of the HDI is that it makes it simple to monitor the changes in development of countries over a period of time, it is also effective to use when comparing different countries around the world and how they are developing and which element of the criteria is changing most. There is a drawback to the HDI, Soubbotina Sheram (2000) suggests that it fails to show the significance of the different elements and fails to support why a countries index may have altered over time. It could be argued that the United Nations needs to provide more reasoning and evidence to support changes in figures. Another of the more recent innovative measurements of living standards is the Happy Planet Index developed in 2006; countries are measured on life expectancy, well-being and ecological footprint. Each country is given a particular colour as in the HPI (see Appendix 6) based on their performance; green being good, amber being middle or average, red being bad performance after accumulating the different components for each country. From appendix 6, the countries performing worst are the United States and a lot of African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. The United Kingdom is ranked in the middle ranking as a result of their poor ecological footprint in which they rank #121 out of the 151 countries. Surprisingly Mexico is one of the best performing countries based on the index ranking 23rd out of 151 with a healthy well-being score. The Happy Planet Index became very popular when it first came out because of the results it produced. Simms Boyle (2009) praises the measure suggesting it is the first measure to combine well-being and environmental impact to find a countries efficiency. A social factor and criticism of the Happy Planet Index is described by Murray, P (2011) he argues that families may find that they do not welcome giving information on personal health to help determine life expectancy and levels of personal health, this suggests that the information for some countries may be inaccurate because a lot of people may have refused to give such sensitive personal information. Another alternative measure which has been viewed as a successor for GDP is the Genuine Progress Indicator, this measure is designed to measure improvements made in economic welfare. GPI takes several factors into consideration including monetary value of voluntary and unpaid work, leisure time. Similarly to the previous measures discussed, GPI takes into consideration income distribution, environmental impacts and state of the environment. The GPI also accounts for the cost of crime in the country being measured. The GPI has been tested across the world in a number of different experiments. Bagstad Shammin (2012) looked at testing different GPI factors in 17 counties in Ohio and compared the results of change from 1990-2005 (see appendix 7), from the table we can see the differences in 15 years in some important factors to the people of Ohio. There have been drastic changes in some factors including net capital investment which is good for the areas because it may improve job prospects. The advantage of GPI in this particular testing process in Ohio is that it combines an element of consumption, GDP per capita and Gini coefficient. The GPI is being used increasingly around the world because it has a number of advantages in comparison to traditional methods such as GDP, the GPI is said to take into consideration negative contributions to growth such as pollution and crime, GPI is effective in measuring people’s living standards and not just a measure of output as is the primary objective of GDP. GPI is much more useful in long term planning than GDP because environmental impacts are taking into consideration and be addressed in the long term. Although GPI takes the value of leisure time and environmental impacts, these factors are very hard to determine a specific value to include in the calculations, GDP per capita in comparison is a much simpler method; GPI is also ineffective in relation to a business cycle. Measures of living standards are ever changing; there may never be a measure more accurate or reliable as another because they all have their criticisms and drawbacks that are fresh within economist’s minds. It is clear that there is a shift of focus from just measuring output of a population through GDP per capita to recognising the issues and factors that affect a population; the alternative measures each focus on social factors such as life expectancy. Rather than looking at just earnings and wages, the newer measures of living standards focus on what is actually relevant to people around the world. GDP per capita and real wages show some difference in the level of wealth and income inequality but it is methods like the Human Development Index which can be used to determine a more global perspective of living standards, to summarise the more traditional methods are useful for measuring the wealth whereas the alternative and more innovative measures focus on the social facto rs that indicate a populations standard of living. Appendices Appendix 1 Source: Branchflower Machin (2014) Appendix 2 Source: ONS (2014) Appendix 3 Yearly change in percentage of Real GDP per capita growth in the UK Source: Eurostat (2014) Appendix 4 Source: The Poverty Site (2010) Appendix 5 HDI Index 2013 top 15 rankings, Source: United Nations Development Programme (2013) Appendix 6 Source: Happy Planet Index (2012) Appendix 7 Source: Bagstad Shammin (2012) Bibliography Bagstad,K, Shammin, R. (2011) ‘Can the Genuine Progress Indicator better inform sustainable regional progress?—A case study for Northeast Ohio’, Ecological Indicators, 18, pp.330-341, Science Direct (Online) Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ergo.glam.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S1470160X11003918# (Accessed 22/11/14). Boyle, D., Simms, A. (2009). The New Economics: A Bigger Picture. Oxford: Routledge. Branchflower, D., Machin, S. (2014) ‘Falling real wages’, Paper No CEPCP422, 19 (1) pp. 19-21. CentrePiece (Online). Available at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp422.pdf (Accessed 17/11/14) Burtless, G (1987). 1st edn. Work, Health and Income among the Elderly. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution. Crafts, N., Gazeley, I. Newell, A. (2007). Work and Pay in 20th Century Brtiain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Elliot, L (2014) ‘Living standards should be central measure of UK economic performance’ 12 March (Online) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/12/living-standard-measure-economic-growth (Accessed 16/11/14) Eurostat (2014). Real GDP per capita, growth rate and totals. Available at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graph.do?tab=graphplugin=1pcode=tsdec100language=entoolbox=sort. Accessed (17/11/14). Happy Planet Index (2012). HPI 2012: Map View. Available at: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/data/. (Accessed 21/11/14) International Labour Organisation. (2003). 3rd edn. Key Indicators of the Labour Market. Geneva: ILO Publications. Mankiw, N (2011). 6th edn. Principles of Economics. Ohio: South-western publishing. McKinley, T (1995). The Distribution of Wealth in Rural China. Oxford: Routledge. Moore, H (2014). ‘Why Scandinavia is not the model for global prosperity we should all pursue’. 1st December (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/01/why-scandinavia-is-not-the-model-for-global-prosperity-we-should-all-pursue. (Accessed 1/12/14) Murray, P. (2011). The Sustainable Self: A Personal Approach to Sustainability Education. Oxford: Routledge. Nordhaus, W. (1997). P.27-70. The Economics of New Goods. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ONS (2014). The UK has one of the fastest growing economies in the G7. Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/elmr/gdp-and-the-labour-market/q1-2014may-gdp-update/sty-gdp-g7-economies.html. Accessed (17/11/14). Parrillo, V (2008). Encyclopedia of Social Problems. Washington DC: Sage Publications. Soubbotina, T., Sheram, K. (2000). Beyond Economic Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. Washington DC: World Bank Publications. The Economist (2014). What recovery? Real wages 413(8910), 32(US). 25th October. Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA387050752v=2.1u=uwcnit=rp=STNDsw=wasid=a520ff594e7283ba19a015fcb5d8e35f (Accessed 17/11/14). The Poverty Site (2010). European Union: Gini Coefficient. Available at: http://www.poverty.org.uk/e14/index.shtml. Accessed (17/11/14). Treanor, J Farrell, S (2014). ‘UK only G7 country with wider inequality than at turn of century’. 14th October (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/14/uk-inequality-wealth-credit-suisse. Accessed (17/11/14). Tucker, I (2013). Macroeconomics for Today. 8th edn. Ohio: South-western publishing. United Nations Development Programme (2013). Human Development Index and its components. Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components. (Accessed 21/11/14)

Maturation of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Ess

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird Jem and Scout change tremendously. They do not change physically, but rather mentally. Their maturation can be seen as the novel progresses and by the end of the story they seem to be two completely different people. As the novel goes on, the reader can see that Jem and Scout mature even when the rest of the town does not. In part one, Jem and Scout are terrified of Boo Radley because of stories they have heard. They have never actually seen or talked to him and yet they are still children and believe most of the things they hear. The stories about Boo eating cats and squirrels are enough to scare them out of their shoes. The children love to play the game they made called â€Å"Boo Radley† which always ends with someone getting â€Å"stabbed† in the leg, just as Boo Radley stabbed his father’s leg. In part two on the other hand, Jem and Scout stop playing their game and stop telling the stories because it no longer entertains or scares them. If they had not matured, these games and stories would still frighten them. Because they have matured however,...