Baking

My parents worked a lot of hours when I was a teenager, so dinner was left to me to cook. I soon learned all the usual family classics Like spaghetti bologna's, shepherds pie, roasts and cooked breakfasts. I became a lot more adventurous when I had my own family and quite often get the recipe books out to try something new. I only really got into baking once our boys came along and wanted to make them homemade cakes for their birthdays.I remember the first cake I ever made was at school in cooking class. It was awful, it sated like a biscuit, the icing was a terrible hot pink color that ran off the sides of the cake as I hadn't let them cool enough. It was a disaster but with age I have become a lot more patient. When I started baking I Just tried Victoria sponges everyone that tried them said that tasted delicious. So then I went on to experiment with different flavors like chocolate, carrot and coffee and walnut and a variety of different flavor cupcakes.I still haven't tried cake pops even though I have a little machine to try them. Not all of my cakes turn out perfect, some sink In the middle or urn around the outside edges. It takes a while to get to know your oven , what temperature Is best to cook at and remember never to open the oven door to early. So now I had mastered the cakes it was time to get on with the decorating which is either easy and straight forward or a nightmare and you keep pulling the icing off and starting again.It can be really frustrating when the icing splits or cracks but what is really awful is when you've laid the icing over the cake and you turn and put your finger in it. That's not so bad if your covering the cake with flowers or other secretions because you hide it but if it has to be smooth you have to restart it or try and patch if it's not in a noticeable place. The first cake I made was for my eldest when he was three. He was crazy for fireman Sam. Looking back on what I can do now it wasn't really that good.For the cake I made a 8 Inch round Victoria sponge and covered It with white fondant. I colored red fondant and cut out a fire engine shape as seen from the front. I put a photo of our boys on the cake and laid the fire engine shape over the top so it looked like they were driving I added the blue lights, a few details to the fire engine, name, age and the happy birthday. Everyone loved it even though we couldn't eat the picture. I had found something that I really loved doing. I get a warm feeling when I see someone face after they have received their cake.I started making them for our boys but ended up making them for friends, their children and other family members. The first cake I made outside the family was for my best friends son on his third birthday. He wanted a treasure chest, this I was a little worried about as I had never tried to bake any other shapes other than circles r squares, and this needed to have a lid on It. I always start by looking in my cake books and the Internet. Ther e are millions of cake pictures on Google Images. I look at the pictures and decide what shape, flavors and colors I'm going to use.Then I get a piece of paper and draw a rough copy of the cake and add little notes as to what the color is going to be or the type of icing I'm going to use or where the decorations buying a Swiss roll to give the lid a curved shape. Whilst the cake was cooling I got to work on making the decorations so they would have time to dry out before putting hem on the cake. I then made up a pile of chocolate butter cream and sandwiched the cakes together and covered the complete outside and the lid which was made out of a cardboard rectangle covered with foil.Once it was covered I dragged a fork through the icing to give it a wooden effect and stared putting the decorations and the lid on. I put the lid resting on two skewers so I could have chocolate gold coins and some Jewels spilling over the top. I dusted all the yellow fondant with gold shimmer powder to g ive it some elegance. It was one of my successes and with allow sugar all around the bottom to look like sand. Just to add a little surprise I buried a two pound coin under the sand and placed an x on top then finished with the usual name age and happy birthday.Not all of my cakes have been so amazing. It depends on what the birthday boy or girl likes. One cake I hated making was a Manchester united football shirt . When it was finally finished it looked okay but getting it to the end was a nightmare. The icing kept splitting or cracking, I couldn't cover the sleeves without creasing the icing I ended up throwing the icing at the wall ND having a cup of tea. When I went back to it with fresh icing and changing tactics I got it covered but swore I would never do another one.I found it to be a very plain cake with very little decoration even so the little boy was delighted. It depends on what the â€Å"in† thing is with the children as to what I get asked to make. With girls it tends to be princess castles, horses or anything pink or sparkly. With boys the last couple of years it's been mine craft but they also like football themes, been 10 and the minions from despicable me. My all time favorite cake to bake was when my ingest asked for a yellow minion ( there are purple one too. I thought it was going to be quite complex but it turned out to be one of the easiest cakes I have ever made. Once I had baked enough cakes and cooled them I sandwiched them all together with butter cream and covered with yellow fondant. Whilst this was all setting I fashioned a pair of blue dungarees from fondant, his eye and goggle, arms and legs. When these were all ready I stuck it all together and it Just went together like a dream. He was awe struck when he saw it and everyone said it was amazing and tasted fantastic.

Language & Literacy for Young Children Essay

This paper will discuss developmentally appropriate methodologies in teaching language and literacy to young children across a developmental curriculum. Also to be discussed will be the aspects/knowledge’s of language, language diversity and Theoretical Perspectives. In the Beginning There is now evidence that it is never too early to teach a child. Through research it has been discovered that the infant even before he/she is born can hear sound and as we know that is how we acquire language, by hearing spoken words. According to Otto (2010), language development begins when language speakers assume that an infant is a participating partner in conversational settings, even though it is months before the child is able to begin using conventional words. In an article written by Dr. Carmelita Lomeo-Smrtic,Ph. D, she wrote that â€Å"Teaching children to become literate members of society is a daunting task, often relegated to the elementary teacher. However, research on teaching children to become literate suggests that this process must begin well before kindergarten. Research suggests that children are primed for learning language in utero. Also from the Otto text, â€Å"research on children’s perception of speech and the development of the auditory system in utero has determined that the fetus can perceive sounds beginning with the 25th week of gestation and at the 35th week a fetus’s hearing acuity is at a level similar to an adult’s(2010). Knowing all of this has prompted mother’s and some father’s to read to their unborn infant and even â€Å"talk† to him/her. Documented research suggests that infants can distinguish their mother’s voice from the voice of others-including other female voices a first few days after birth (Otto,2010). Aspects of Language It has been established that children begin learning at a very early age, even though they do not begin speaking words for many months. Now we will move on to speak about howthey learn. There are five aspects or knowledge’s of language. -Phonetic, Semantic, Syntactic, Morphemic, and Pragmatic.

Analyzing Dickinson’s Poetry Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Dickinson’s Poetry Essay To analyze Dickinson’s poetry, this paper will involve the analysis of three of her works, `Safe in their Alabaster Chambers†, â€Å"I Heard a Fly Buzz-when I died†, and â€Å"The Brain-is wider than the Sky†. 1. The poems were written in the first person. Since most of her poems tackled the depressing situation of death, the speaker of the poem can in fact be a dead person. However, it seemed that ED may also be assuming an all-observing, all-seeing speaker like God. In the Brain-is wider than the sky, it even seemed that God was in fact the speaker since â€Å"the weight of God† was compared to the â€Å"brain†.   As for the poem’s audiences, it may be that the literary works were directed towards the ‘living’ – people who are not safe within alabaster chambers and who have not heard the buzzing fly as they lay on their deathbeds. 2. In the â€Å"The Brain – is wider than the sky†, there is really no definite setting, it can be likened to any moment of rationalization. In â€Å"I heard a fly buzz when I died†, the setting was in a deathbed while it was perhaps in the cemetery for the poem â€Å"Safe in the alabaster chambers†. The situation was related to dying. It may be that the speaker is already dead, or nearing his death. Nonetheless, the action in the poems remains the same – surrendering to the abyss. 3. Most of the poems had their verbs in the present tense, and in the indicative mood. The style may be to emphasize that the speaker is actually experiencing whatever situation is being imparted in the poems. Such style makes the poems more contemporary and typical, and thus engaging to read and easier to relate to despite the fact that they were written centuries ago. The syntax may also indicate that the poems will be eternal since the action involved is always presented as a current situation. 4. In her poems, Dickinson uses two formal patterns alternatively- tetrameter and trimeter. In every stanza, the first and third lines always have four stresses while there are only three stresses in the second and fourth lines. The rhyme schemes come in the ABCB form. 5. Dickinson uses the slant rhyme in the second and fourth lines of the first two or three stanzas to provide a sense of association and form. In the last stanza however, she then uses a true rhyme also in the last words of the second and fourth stanzas to emphasize conclusions to the proposed action. 6. In â€Å"The Brain is deeper than the sky†, the phrases â€Å"The brain is† and â€Å"The one the other will† were repeated thrice and twice, respectively, to give both indicative and comparative effects. The repetition emphasizes the subject of the poem – â€Å"the brain† – and stresses its association with other elements – the sea, the sky, and the weight of God. 7. To extensively describe the subjects of her poems, Dickinson The poem contained metaphors and personifications to describe her chosen subjects. In one poem, she likened a fly to death perhaps to stress out the repugnance of not being able to experience the simple joys of living. It is also important to note that she always compared the poem’s settings to universally recognizable elements of nature. For example, she likened the stillness of being dead to â€Å"heaves of storm†. 8. The effectiveness of Dickinson’s poems in relaying thematic obsessions may rely on the fact that she uses a mixture of images to convey the setting of her works. In `Safe in their Alabaster Chambers†, Dickinson describes the situation of the dead through their inability to be â€Å"touched by morning†, feel the sunshine, and hear the birds and the bees. She also totally equates death to â€Å"soundlessness†, darkness, and numbness. The same image associations can also be observed in â€Å"I Heard a Fly Buzz-when I died†. However, in contrast to the first poem, the latter’s scenario of soundlessness exempted the buzzing of the fly.   In â€Å"The Brain-is wider than the Sky†, visual comparisons were made with the brain and major elements of nature. 9. In most of the poems, the speaker just describes poem subjects in relation to what she sees, feels, or hears. In the process, she narrates her observations and seemingly creates an underlying story for her works. In these stories, the climactic moment is death and the resolution is one’s total submission to the darkness and numbness of losing her life. 10. Dickinson’s poems are mostly playfully dreadful as they deal with death in relation to bees, sunshine, and castles. Death was portrayed as a very awful situation of being deprived of the small things which make living simply a pleasant experience. Although not portrayed as something gruesome, the description of a death as a natural and inevitable experience adds dread to poem’s tone. Analyzing Dickinson’s Poetry. (2016, Dec 25).

Research and write the effects of the money policies applied by the Paper

And write the effects of the money policies applied by the Fed - Research Paper Example What is Fed and how they work? Fed refers to the United States bank that acts as a lender of last resort to commercial banks. Fed is some times referred to as a bank of other banks. The bank manages and regulates commercial banks and other financial institutions. Fed may promote economic growth via manipulation of interest rates. Whereby, Fed may decide to either decrease or increase lending rates to stimulate the U.S economic growth. The rates may be adjusted to increase the level of inputs and employments as well as to reduce the level of inflation. Connectively, Fed may participate in an open market operation to issue or to buy treasury securities with an aim of promoting economic stability (Obringer pp.1-3). What are Fed monetary policies? How they work and how it affects the economy? A monetary policy refers to the actions taken by the Federal Reserve to influence the amount of money in the United States economy. The Federal monetary policies involve three basic tools namely; op en market operation, reserve requirements and discount rates (Brezina pp. 19-20). Fed regulates the amount of money in circulation by participating in an open market operation, whereby, Fed buys and sell securities. ... Whereby, high reserves requirements may reduce the amount of credit rendered by commercial banks. This may consequently leads to a decrease in circulation of money (Brezina, pp.5-20). In above connection, Fed may utilize discount rates to stimulate economic growth as well as promote economic stability. Fed decides either to increase or decrease the rates of interest charged to the commercial banks. For example, if Fed increases interest rates to commercial banks, borrowers become discouraged and hence there will be less money in circulation (Brezina pp.10-25). What does Fed currently do with their monetary policies? Fed utilizes monetary policies to stabilize commodity prices; to ensure there is maximum level of employment as well as ensuring that the level of inflation has been fully minimised. For instance, Fed may decide to reduce or increase the cost of credit by making adjustments on discount rates (Tucker pp.436). Additionally, Fed may utilize reserve requirements and open mark et operations to stimulate U.S economic growth. Both Classical and monetarist economist asserted that monetary policies may be utilized to make adjustments on aggregate demand as well as to influence the commodities general price levels. On the contrary, monetary economist asserted that monetary policies may be utilized to make interest rates adjustment. This may consequently cause change in real GDP and investments (Tucker pp.436-437). Fed uses unconventional monetary policy? How it works and what is it? Unconventional monetary policy refers to an economic tools employed by Federal reserves in a situation where discount rates and other interest rates cannot be reduced further in order to stimulate economic growth (Glick and Leduc, paras1-4).

Photographer presentation- Martin Parr PowerPoint Presentation

Photographer - Martin Parr - PowerPoint Presentation Example They clearly reflect on their environment. A good example is shown in his book ‘Signs of the Times: A Portrait of the Nations Tastes’. (1992). He involved pictures of peoples’ homes, and used quotes below the pictures from this book. He has compiled very many photo books, which have taken long time to compile (Parr, 2012, p.78). There are several things that have contributed to his success in the field of photography. Firstly, he always focuses on sets, but not individual images. According to him, none of his individual photos was the favorite. This is because he has ne never focused on individual images, but he thinks of big collections as projects or sets. In a recent interview, Martin Purr said that he stopped focusing on single photos to be able to capture the minds of many people in the internet. Secondly, Martin Purr always adds statements on his photographs about the society. In every picture taken by him, there is a very strong statement that reflects on the society. This makes the photos interesting, funny, and depressing. Of late, he has been able to interject his thoughts and ideas into the photographs. This allows him to express his views about the society and the world at large. This documentary photographer is always obsessive. He includes inspiration and encouragement quotes in the sets of photographs and photo books that he collects. These inspirations add more attention to the viewer especially in the internet. Martin Purr is now at the age of 60s and has not stepped down even one bit. He still fights for popularity and commercial shoots, and this makes him travel the world for the mobilization (Dewi, 2005, p.89). Images taken by Martin Purr are always familiar. In a recent interview he explained that he does not possess a studio. However, he has an office in London but he does not visit the office regularly. He enjoys working at home where he preserves his photo books and other photographic collections. As technology

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Assignment 3 - Essay Example Great job satisfaction is something that most teachers do not experience especially those that lack formal responsibility. Based on the study the reason for this is because majority of the teachers do not embrace or engage themselves in some leadership training. Professional development activities that relate to leadership training help to train and equip all teachers with the required leadership capacity skills (Wiles & Bondi, 2004). Based on the study it is quite clear that any good and quality teacher leadership should be supported with collaborative school culture. There should be independent, adversarial or isolated relationship among teachers and also among the principals based on a traditional school setting. It is well noted that all school leaders should be aware of the fact that even though most adult relationships end up being thought of as social and superfluous such relationships may end up having influence on each aspect of the school. It is only when all adults tend to practice collaboration that the culture of that school can be a favourable condition for teacher leadership (Wiles & Bondi, 2004). With regards to the case study the principal is the only qualified person that can be able to facilitate the development of teachers with emphasis on their leadership skills. It is only when the principals in charge are well committed in ensuring that the aspect of collaborative culture is present that majority of the teachers will be able to give great contribution based on the set conditions. It is noted based on the research of the case study that majority of the teachers have been through professional situations that have focused on the legitimate power of principalship that has been regarded as intimidating. Principals that want the teachers under their guidance to be leaders must embrace the first step of ensuring that all the teachers are incorporated under

Module 1 Case Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Module 1 Case Assignment - Coursework Example It has a high market vision of a sustainable future implying that the coming generation will be in a world regarding creativity, variety and choice at heart. Businesses will enhance human and biological community’s integrity. Various institutions will be held accountable for their operations. In addition, it will be a world that honors education with the freedom to exchange ideas. Whole food faces strategic issues in both economy and competition. From the initial stages of being a one-store, it has grown to $8 billion a year corporation. Statistics indicates that as of 2008 (Quinn, 2012). The company is reputable in high-quality standard foods, Ethical relations like fair trading activities, choice of the product, premium services like cooking lessons and other related information like the use of labels and recipes. In addition, the customer services are duly executed where trust and confidence inbuilt; lastly the external information like information about the products is up to date (Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999). In several instances, the consumers have felt that the company is honest, approachable, and transparent in its operations. The retail environment is trustworthy and feels that it’s the only supermarket to shop in. The final result has been strong loyalty between clients and the brand (Veiga, 1999). It usually begins with whole foods, a whole people, and the whole planet. However, the holistic approach and declaration of independence becomes the top, followed by environment and sustainability, Health and Nutrition, Ethical development of the business and finally development in social aspect (Quinn, 2012). Persons from diverse social aspect form part of the audience to the supermarket. There is a range of customers, but the key ones are working parents between the age 30 and 50 preferably women, Professionals are not left behind and lastly the city dwellers. It is, however, important to note that it is not easy to become green. As the

How Culture affects Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

How Culture affects Anthropology - Essay Example Culture and society are different notions. If culture is a system of learned behavior perceptions and patterns, society is a group of interacting beings.   So animals also have societies. Though it is one of the prerogatives of human societies the ability to interact directly or indirectly with each other.   And one human society is distinguished from another one in terms of shared traditions and expectations.Despite the difference between human societies and cultures, they are closely interrelated because culture is created and transmitted to others in a society.   Cultures are not the product of separate individuals.   They are the permanently developing products of people interacting with each other.   Cultural patterns such as language and politics are useless except if they are not engaged in the interaction of people.   If you were the only human on earth, language or government would of no effect (Bernard, 1998, p. 14).The notion "culture" can be interpreted many d ifferent ways.   Some understand it as an opportunity to insight into a high-quality literature, art, music. Each science has its own understanding of culture. Cultural dimensions of logic, values and aesthetics are indeed of a great concern for philosophers. Social workers and people concerned themselves with the practical problems of minority groups also use this notion as a part of their stock in trade. Important research in medicine and in nutrition is oriented in cultural terms. On the other hand for anthropologists the notion "culture".... Cultures are not the product of separate individuals. They are the permanently developing products of people interacting with each other. Cultural patterns such as language and politics are useless except if they are not engaged in the interaction of people. If you were the only human on earth, language or government would of no effect (Bernard, 1998, p. 14). The notion "culture" can be interpreted many different ways. Some understand it as an opportunity to insight into a high-quality literature, art, music. Each science has its own understanding of culture. Cultural dimensions of logic, values and aesthetics are indeed of a great concern for philosophers. Social workers and people concerned themselves with the practical problems of minority groups also use this notion as a part of their stock in trade. Important research in medicine and in nutrition is oriented in cultural terms. On the other hand for anthropologists the notion "culture" generally means the full range of learned human behavior patterns (Bernard, 1998, p. 27). The term was first used in this meaning by the English anthropologist Edward B. Tylor. He defined culture as a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Of course, it is possessed and created not only by men but by women as well. The decisive term in this definition is "acquired." This underlines the feature that, as humans, we are not born with culture itself, but with the ability for culture. That is what we learn it, through our interactions and communication with other people in general. We practice the fundamental constituent of this learning in our childhood,

Strategic Planning for Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Strategic Planning for Advertising - Essay Example On the other hand, as Wanadoo's chiefs believe, re-branding will enable the UK ISP to compete more effectively in the field of providing a host of services under one brand name (Armitt 2005). In addition, hence Wanadoo intends extending the services it has been providing, new brand will better reflect the range of new offerings. Some of the new services include combined mobile and Internet access, a broadband telephone that tells when a customer receives emails and remote surveillance of a customer's home through a mobile or a computer. New possibilities will enable a customer to transfer photos stored on a phone through the ISP's wireless Livebox hub to photoblog and an interactive mobile guide providing location-specific information when on the move (Woffenden 2005). FT Group intends that Orange will become the group's worldwide brand for mobile, broadband and multiplay services, and re-branding Wanadoo is one of the steps on this way. The expectations of the company are clearly ex pressed by the Wanadoo's spokesman: "A single, integrated brand strategy will enable the company to compete more effectively against our competitors. It will help to accelerate the momentum of the FT Group's ambition to become the leader in convergence. We will have a single brand with global clout" (The Register 2005). Despite of the company leaders' optimism and good expectations, there are some problems to overcome in the situation with the re-branded ISP though. Considering the fact that Wanadoo brand itself replaced Freeserve ISP only 14 month ago, the new re-branding may confuse the customers: "For customers in the UK, it's yet more confusion as the ISP takes on yet another identity" (The Register 2005). In addition, previous Freeserve's metamorphosis into Wanadoo was supported by pounds 20m TV, press and billboard campaign (Hirst 2004). In future advertising campaign the company chiefs should be ready to invest again to save old customers and attract new ones. Summarising all written above, we can outline the general situation. One of the leading UK ISPs Wanadoo becomes the acquisition of a well-known brand Orange. Parent corporate - Communications Group France Telecom - intends becoming the leader in providing the host of services under one brand name and the UK ISP is the step on a way for this strategy realisation. The FT Group's targets on the UK ISP market are to save Wanadoo's customers

Getting Corporations off the Public Dole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Getting Corporations off the Public Dole - Essay Example Year after year, these companies receive subsidies or handouts from the federal government and never learn to fend for themselves in the competitive marketplace. On the other hand the corporations open avenues for trade and commerce globally. The state also earns revenues from them and the industries grow. [1] [3] The people to blame are the political citizens of the state who promote their own interests by promoting the corporate culture. After all, the corporations ante up the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to win elections. Until we get corporations out of our elections entirely, we probably will not be able to end corporate welfare. As citizen activists, we can achieve clarity about one thing: our chief adversary is the corporate form, which has poisoned much of our land and water, harmed our health, polluted our politics, hijacked our democracy, and diminished our common wealth. These people are employed in important and influential places that in effect influence the people to obey them. These systemic imperatives, that people have to obey whether they want to or not, are made by these political candidates. Ironically the corporations make it systemic imperative on these politicians to take actions in their favor by helping them out in election campaigns. [1] [2] [3] Q3 Doling corporations from the pockets of the people is indeed a social problem. Not only it works on its perverted ethics and bad economics, it is a wasteful draining of public resources. [3] Extorting local tax giveaways by threatening to move elsewhere, companies are blackmailing state and local governments into giving them billions in tax freebies. Although they promote the corporate social responsibility, they themselves not pay fair share for public services and treating water and the rest of the environment as a free private waste dump. [1] [3] The public can accept a business-government partnership. People can go far enough to even accept placement for public subsidies to business for important public goals that would not otherwise be met. However doling public funds only for selfish corporate and political goals are ethically perverse and economically unsound. They promote an ethics of irresponsibility, greed, profligate waste and reckless endangerment of the community. They distort the so-called free-market to which business swears allegiance. They erode efficiency and self-reliance. They tilt the economic playing field in favor of businesses dependent upon the public dole. The only people not to grasp the importance of this social problem would either be involved in the dealings of corporate world or would be a politician trying to attain maximum support. [1] [3] Q4 It can be accurately said that the whole of the US public is not aware of this problem. Only the people who are working and are earning realize that so much taxes are being deducted from their salary and only a portion of that is going into their own welfare. The rest is being distributed in the corporate world only to be gobbled up for the corporation's profits.

So Much to Tell You by John Marsden Essay Example for Free

So Much to Tell You by John Marsden Essay How does the composer, John Marsden, use a variety of techniques to reveal the struggle involved in Marina’s journey towards wholeness? The novel, ‘So Much to Tell You’ by John Marsden explores the concept of growth and change through the character, Marina, and her struggle to become whole. Throughout the course of the book, Marina develops from someone who is so psychologically wounded that she is unable to engage with members of her community, to someone who experiences healing and demonstrates the capacity to reach out to others. The contrast of Marina’s character from the beginning of the novel to the end portrays her development during her journey to heal. The composer uses techniques to convey Marina’s growth and change throughout the novel. In the early stages of the novel, it is evident that Marina has an extremely wounded psyche due to conflict within her family. This leads to her having a resultant lack of spiritual wholeness, which she continually struggles with to heal. The damaged nature of her psyche is highlighted in the recount of Marina â€Å"Looking at the fragmented stars† on Ann’s doona and Ann’s dialogue, â€Å"They do fit together† foreshadows the ultimate reintegration of Marina’s psychological health. When Marina describes her â€Å"grey school blankets† which are sombre, lifeless and boring, even though there is an underlying tone of yearning, she is ultimately characterising herself as boring and lifeless also. Throughout Marina’s journey to wholeness we see many stages of struggle and conflict, and many of these struggles originate from Marina’s own lack of self-worth and her diminished ability (in the early stages of the novel) to communicate. This fearfulness of communication is conveyed through the rhetorical question she uses when she refers to the possibility of her teacher reading her journal: â€Å"What if he reads them? If he doesn’t keep his promise†¦I am lost. In this particular quote the metaphorical use of the word ‘lost’ highlights her fear of engagement with others and indicates that fear is an obstacle she has to overcome if she is to heal, grow and adjust to the way her life is changing and continue on her journey to wholeness. Marina’s struggle with communication and continued lack of wholeness is very present when Marina refers to her tennis practice: â€Å"I sat under a tree and watched†¦watched all the tennis players†. This description of Marina passively watching a tennis game, rather than actively participating in the game, symbolizes her inability to participate in life and also acts as a ontrast between the warm interactions displayed by the other girls and the social isolation Marina feels. This particular incident highlights the psychological damage that has taken place in Marina as there is a contrast between her present inaction and her recount of her past involvement in the lines, â€Å"In primary school, I played sport a lot and was quite good at it†¦I beat the other girls by miles†. Marina is characterised as steadily accepting awareness of the fact that other girls also struggle psychological problems and this moves her further along the path towards wholeness. Marina’s intense reflective tone in the lines, â€Å"It didn’t occur to me that there might be other people who are feeling really bad. Little dark islands floating in the shadows of the school† captures her recognition that other people also feel socially isolated. This recognition is suggested through the metaphor of the â€Å"little dark islands† which is intratextually connected with Marina’s use of an implied metaphor of an island to describe her own state of mine at the beginning of the novel: â€Å"the words break over my desk in soft waves†. Paradoxically Marina’s realisation that other people also feel isolated helps to make her feel less isolated. Marina’s relationship with her father is a major struggle that she has to face on her journey towards wholeness. Marina’s description of her father as a poisonous presence and the use of a descriptive simile in the line ‘like a radioactive cloud’ represents him as toxic and dangerous, but this is contradicted when she shows a glimmer of empathy in the question, â€Å"What’s it like where he is? †. This continued emotional uncertainty of Marina’s as she vainly attempts to clarify whether she loves or hates her father, is a major theme running through the novel and the evolution of her relationship with her father is crucial to her personal growth. Through the progression of highly emotional journal entries, we begin to learn that solely, Marina feels guilty for putting her father in jail. When she makes the comparison between scared and scarred: â€Å"I just realised how alike those words are† we learn that under all her barriers she is still scarred emotionally because of her father’s â€Å"brooding, quiet and ugly silences†. When Marina states that it is â€Å"really important to know whether he hates me or not† we realise that in every way she is imprisoned by the unknown presence in her mind, which is her father. We can acknowledge affirmation of this when she â€Å"draws stripes, which aren’t stripes at all, but are bars, prison bars† on the sand and can understand it as a symbol of Marina being trapped by vestiges of mistrust, fear and self-deprecation. When Marina arrived at Warrington she didn’t speak. However, as she progressively begins to address her struggles she becomes more accustomed to expressing herself in her journal and soon finds her â€Å"voice†. It is through her journal that she initially allows herself to express her pain, release her deepest thoughts and continue on her journey to wholeness. When Marina gives Cathy a flower: â€Å"I nearly backed out, but I didn’t. I placed it on her bed†, it was the first time Marina had reached out physically towards someone. This is a signpost of her mental health and is the first physical sign of her breaking down her self-imposed barrier. In expansion of Marina growing in health, the weekend at Mr Lindell’s, when Marina â€Å"picks up the ball and throws it back†, she visibly interacts with others and shows signs of progression on her journey towards wholeness. When Marina expresses that she â€Å"scored the wrong family† she discovers that not all families are destructive and this allows her to release her initial complete hatred towards all relationships. When Marina says that she wants her father to â€Å"hold her and forgive her† she shows stark contrast to her original aversion to close proximity at the beginning of the novel. Her motivation to meet her father grows greater day by day and it eventually is much greater than her fear. She expresses anxiety in the lines, â€Å"I keep imagining him seeing me and then his face going cold and hard† but soon disregards this and continues on her path towards wholeness as she states that she gets â€Å"courage† when she reads his letter. Once Marina begins to accept and let her father back into her mind, she begins to travel in great leaps along her journey to wholeness. At the end of the novel, the intense moment between Marina and her father (so much so that the â€Å"air was swollen†) releases Marina from her internal prison, and allows her to speak to her father and say: â€Å"I’ve got so much to tell you†.

Money Is the Root of Evil Essay Example for Free

Money Is the Root of Evil Essay Money is the root of evil It could be said that money is one of the greatest inventions of mankind, which affects and changes wide and deep whole human society. It occurred when people had demand to exchange merchandise. Together with the process of development of society, money changed from too simple to complex and sophisticated forms to meet people’s needs in settlement. In its dawn, money was very simple things such as shells, fur and salt etc. When metal was discovered; iron, bronze, silver and gold were used in turn as the role of money. And now, we can use coins, note, card, and check and letter of credit etc. to buy goods in supermarket, pay water, electricity bills or even to settle imports. Money – even of its forms – this is a general parity object, does the role as means in settlement of merchandise and services. Doing the role of intermediary instrument in settlement, money contributes to the development of human society quickly in two aspects: economy and culture. As we know, money made exchange of goods more quickly and conveniently than any direct exchange way; since then trading industry came out into society and developed. In cultural aspect, the most typical features of an ethnic group or a nation will be chosen to make signs on money so by regarding money; we can see the basic features of an ethnic group or a nation. Specially, in our global time, money can be moved very easily between almost nations, it makes cultural exchange more advantageous. How do people think about money? There is a truth that many people value money too high, they think money is all and believe that â€Å"money is a passport to anything†. So they can do anything, even immoral and illegal things in order to have money. Robbers are ready to kill others cruelly for some tens of thousands of dong. Traders are ready to cheat in commerce to appropriate more money. Officials, who have large power and influence on society, themselves trample on their honor, others’ interests, their nation’s future etc. to take dirty money. With those evil acts, they make people believe that money is a cause of evil. Although there are many bad acts related to money; I always think that money couldn’t be the root of evil, money is just a victim of some people’s greed. Some people, with cruel and greedy character, did anything to have money; but is it true that their purpose is only about money? No, I don’t think so. I believe that their last aim is about things money can bring to them. So the deep reason of evil in society is cruelty and greed. It means people must bear full responsibility for their evil and they can’t blame anyone or anything. Until now, money is just a means in settlement.

Disadvantages Of Moving To A Paperless Office

Disadvantages Of Moving To A Paperless Office The growth in the economy of a country immediately raises the demands for several products to make business work. These demands will in turn influence the growing production and increased output which requires additional energy to run the production machines. Both issues, while common in business, have potential to cause long-term problems; especially when dealing with environmental issues. In product development for instance, corporations are driven to develop and produce new products that comply with environmental requirements like environmentally-safe packaging and fuel-efficient vehicles using hybrid technology. These issues highlight that the future of business is so challenging that innovation becomes the key focus to win business. The development of technology spawns new trends in our business environment. One of the emerging technologies in the information era is a paperless office that benefits from the digitalization of documents. Most of these trends, like any other, possess both advantages and disadvantages. Paperless Office In this paper I am discussing the popular concept of a paperless office. However, the discussion will focus on its issues and disadvantage rather than its benefits. History of Paperless Office In the 1970s there were predictions regarding an office which doesnt require any use of paper. One of those predictions can be viewed in an edition of Business Week in 1975 (The Office of the Future, 1975). It was a dream of an office in 1975 that, in the future, paper would be obsolete. According to some predictions, offices would not require any paper because everything was processed and stored digitally through various technologies. The predictions stemmed from the birth of Personal Computers (Selen, 2001). In reality however, these predictions are still the stuff of cinema. A paperless office as predicted above has never been fully implemented. On the contrary, for most offices today, the presence of the personal computer has not radically reduced using papers as output. People have been swayed away with the easiness of writing or drawing within a personal computer only to then print them on a piece of paper; forgetting the dreams that were present before. Current Expectations Regarding Paperless Office Today, when the need for efficiency has been called for, we return to the hope of a paperless office. The concept has been slightly modified however in the realization that paper has been a part of our daily lives and that the use of personal computers in the 1990s has produced the need for more paper. The concept of Paperless Office is now a philosophy; one of working with minimal paper, using processes that eliminate the use of paper, and to make documentation in digital form whenever possible. The main focus is no longer on how much paper is used, but on the efficiency that is gained from the process towards a Paperless Office (McIndoo, 2009). Processes of Paperless office There are two methods of transforming a company into paperless office. The first is by automating the processes that generally use paper as an essential tool. Technologies that exist in facilitating that process are: Enterprise Data Automation Software. Software used to integrate forms and data with systems that processes them. Form Technology. Software used to design various types of forms. Using forms is no longer necessary if people performing business transactions have personal computers with form technology in it. Databases. Device to replace the function of a filing cabinet. Data is made into digital form and then stored in a database with sufficient security technology in it. Digital Signature. Software allows evidence of signature in digital form. Papers are generally used as business evidences. This is required in business transactions to generate legal binding between two or more parties. Workflow Platforms. Process flow of an office. Paper documents are generally used to transfer a data to other departments so that it can continue doing what is needed next. This flow of work can now be documented and transferred in digital form, using the workflow platforms. The second method of pursuing the paperless office is data storage transformation. In a general office, the data is conventionally stored and protected in a filing cabinet or in warehouses. This generally ends up creating piles of useless scrap paper rather than useful files. Using the Paperless Office technology, all this data can be transformed to a digital form very easily. Some of the tools available to support this process are scanners, book copiers, photo scanners, microfiche scanners, negative scanners, fax to PDF converter, and document management systems. (The Economist, 2008). Issues in Implementing Paperless Office Despite the benefits that are offered by the presence of the concept, the paperless office also generates several problems in implementation that have not yet been overcome. In order to make ease of our understanding, these issues will be divided into the two methods below. Issues in Digitizing the Work-Flow In digitizing the office processes, issues that arise include: Difficulty in Submitting and Signing Digital Documents. It is foreseeable that we can process documents digitally with sufficient practicality. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to image a digital station that can be transferred to our clients desks, so that he/she can sign it. This process is made more complicated if we are to think about the legal implications of digital work processing. It is still a huge question whether digital signature can be used as legal evidence or not. End-user Adoption of the New Processes is Difficult. The issue of getting all divisions of a group of large companies on board regarding the digital processing system can be complex. The system concept may be accepted easier by high ranking officers. However, for end users and executors, the concept of digital work processing might be difficult to adopt. Additional planning and modifications become essential. Changing from the Legacy Processes Can be Problematic. An issue that arises in terms of transforming paper-based processes into digital processes is with dealing with parties that have not adopted the digital processing method. As the world has globalized, we are to think about how to serve and deal with practically all people in the world. Expecting all of them to accept and apply the digital processing system now is practically wishful thinking (Gladwell, 2005). Cost Saving Justifications are Sometimes Not Fulfilled. Another important issue to consider is whether the digital processing system can all be financially justified or not. The basic purpose of digitizing most of the working process is to get significant cost savings out of it. It might work on a smaller scale in areas that we have initially chosen. The question is, whether it will remain cost beneficial when it is implemented in a wider scale or in all areas without exceptions. Issues in Transferring Existing Documents into Digital Form Despite the pros and cons in practicing the paperless office, there are several requirements to take into account when making all documents digital. The issues are as follows: Legal Ramifications. The legal and governmental aspects of a technological development often grow very slowly compared to the technology itself. This should also be rationally expected in a paperless office. Will digital contracts be as lawfully binding as paper agreements? Can document manipulation be considered a heavy violation against the law? Questions like these need to be pondered over by the business society. The Target Reader. Even today, forming a financial report requires a sufficient consideration of the target readers ability to understand the report. The same applies to digital documents. Will the reader accept the new way of doing business or are they more likely to feel comfortable with the old ones? The readers ability to adapt is an important factor for consideration. Changed Longevity of the Documents. This is a similar consideration to our paper-based documentation. Will the technology exist to maintain the longevity of digital documents, at least 5 years into its future? 10 years? 20 years? This is necessary to abide with the rules of business and accounting (Walker, 2009). Companies Going Green. Some companies still perceive that the idea of being green companies is merely to comply with government regulation that forces them to do so. But, in fact, it provides the company with strategic opportunity to take benefits of the consumers increasing awareness of using green products. Since being green companies right now has become part of a corporations marketing strategy, it is now common that they start using traditional performance evaluation measures such as return on investment (ROI), net present value (NPV), market share, and other factors to assess their go green initiatives. In general, the driving forces of going green concept are the result of two forces: external or internal pressures. The Transfer Process. Figure 1 shows that by relying on paperwork, we spend a great deal of time on the process and also waste many sources. Figure 1 Paperless Office Schematic Process Conclusion In hindsight we can now conclude, the concept of a paperless office may not be even feasible. However with growing demands, the need to reduce our dependency on paper and its inefficient storage constraints can be analyzed to meet the growing demands of business. The main focus is no longer on moving to a completely paperless process but to a more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly paper reduction process. Many factors need to be taken into consideration during the economical growth cycle of a business and the people who support that growth. Word processors, scanners, software advancement, algorithms, hardware developments, etc. continue to improve the ability of businesses to be able to plan and implement the digitalization of accessible documents. Combined strategies help move the business forward by reducing paper reliance and improving efficiencies of data access while still maintaining security measures. Cost, ease of use, and legal issues continue to be a driving factor in determining when processes can be digitized. Transforming a business to a digitized process can be difficult and complex. Cost, timing, and longevity of the process need to be analyzed to determine if digitization is even a feasible concept for a particular process. State and federal regulations need also to be considered. Despite the benefits offered by the concept of a paperless office, several problems in implementation have not yet been overcome. Digitalization may work on smaller scales and may never be able to materialize on a wider scale. Cost and ease of use for all people continues to be the driving factor in preventing a paperless system in all areas without exception. There will always be issues and disadvantages of moving to a paperless office. The key focus is to define all the issues and disadvantages of moving to a reduced paper office along with the advantages and timeline constraints.

Denman Leigh, :: essays research papers

You have entered into the world where you will further discover the secret behind Denman Leigh, the creator of his â€Å"twin.† Behind the curtains’ of Dr. Leigh is his science world filled with suspense that no one can imagine. This movie provides the opportunity for viewers to ponder how and why the â€Å"twin† was created. Science fiction opens the doors to imagination and infinite possibilities that keeps the viewers questioning â€Å"what if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This sort of questioning makes people connect the movie to their reality and wonder whether science can really create new controversial innovations. Movies like Frankenstein made numerous viewers wonder how the monster was created in the first place and whether it was justified. Sorrow is Increased with Knowledge especially will cause the audience to say â€Å"Oh, oh† since Dr. Leigh is about to clone a human. Suspense is even included to give the audiences a shiver down their spines for them to fe el the dilemma and emotions the characters are going through in the movie. It also brings high levels of anticipation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wracking tension that will keep the audience cliff-hanging at the edge of their seats as the plot builds towards a climax. It is the most exciting feeling that most people love to feel and will always keep in mind once the movie ends. It is the perfect genre that will let people to think outside of the box and experience the thrill that will literally knock their socks off.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sorrow is Increased with Knowledge features one of the most authentic and realistic actors and actresses that helped bring the movie into life. Willem DaFoe as Denman Leigh, is specialized in playing the role as the curious scientist and clone since he starred in Spider Man as the green goblin with two different personalities as the foe and the scientist. Thus, he is capable of playing another similar role in this film. DaFoe loves to be a part of suspenseful movies such as Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Shadow of the Vampire, which makes him the perfect character to play the role as the cloning scientist. His sharp-featured with a seductive and serpentine smile allows the audience to see Denman’s frightening and mad character. DaFoe was given the name Denman Leigh since it defines â€Å"dark doctor† which truly reflects the character’s character in the movie. Melissa Ula, played by Kate Winslet, is known to playing roles in innoc ent, mystic, erotic, and historical movies.

Comparision of cities :: essays research papers

3 Cities Comparison Paper: Alexandria, Egypt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are some differences between Alexandria in 1000 A.D and present day Alexandria, Egypt. There are also some similarities, too. In ancient times, the population of Alexandria was not actually calculated, but definitely far less than today. Presently, there is a population of approximately 3,380,000 people. Along with the increased population, comes a totally different way of life. In the past, people made their living trading products typical to their era and working for more prominent people. Nowadays, there are many factories and industries, such as oil refineries, automobile assembly plants, and textile plants. Trade is still a common way of life and business, but in a slightly different way. In the past, items traded were related to the time it existed. Now, items are more modern, according to the time period and what is in demand. Another distinctive characteristic is the structure of society in Alexandria, Egypt. Ancient Egyptian society consisted in a structure closely resembling a pyramid, and actually still exists today. There is a system of castes and classes that range from the very rich to the very poor. Generally the society has not drastically changed, but is slowly but surely trying to catch up with the times and with the rest of the world. A particular custom in this country which has changed is the idea and practice of marriage. Formerly, it was customary and dependably arranged and most of the times, at a very young age. This ritual or custom was particularly due to the families exchanging goods and other possessions between each other. Today, marriage has a completely different outlook. Women are able to choose who they wish to marry, but not without the consent and approval of the families.

Free Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide Essay - Assisted Suicide :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia The purpose of this essay is to inform readers clearly and coherently enoughof the terms and issues in the euthanasia debate that they can make sense of the euthanasia question. Descriptions are in relatively simple, non-technical language to facilitate learning. The definition of euthanasia is simple: "Easy, painless death." But the concept of euthanasia proposed by adherents of the euthanasia movement is complex and has profound consequences for all. Because the subject involves the discipline of medicine (diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, medical ethics and so on) as well as the discipline of law, the general public will have difficulty understanding it without some knowledge of these matters. We begin with the definition of terms: * Euthanasia: traditionally, an easy, painless death. Now used to mean "mercy killing," "assisted suicide," or "involuntary euthanasia." * Voluntary euthanasia: death administered to one who asks for it. In practice, truly voluntary euthanasia requests may be very rare, since the patient rarely gives informed consent because the alleged consent is influenced by depression, improperly treated pain or other factors that are not controlled but could be controlled. * Involuntary euthanasia: death administered without the recipient's consent, commonly known as "mercy killing," as in the case of children or incompetent adults. * Active, direct or positive euthanasia: direct killing of the patient by administering lethal drugs or other direct means of ending life, or by withholding or withdrawing ordinary means of sustaining life such as food and water, protection from exposure and so on. * Passive, indirect or negative euthanasia: ambiguous. Can be the decision by patient, parent or guardian and physician to withhold or withdraw extraordinary means of sustaining or prolonging life, such as deciding against high-risk surgery for a patient dying of cancer or kidney failure. When the intent is not to cause death but rather to reject extraordinary treatment, this results in the acceptance of death or continued life, whichever occurs, but it is not true euthanasia. The terms "passive," "indirect" or "negative euthanasia" should not be used since they play into the hands of euthanasia advocates by confusing legitimate actions with euthanasia, thereby desensitizing people to the fact that euthanasia is killing. More importantly, passive euthanasia is sometimes defined by others as the withholding of lifesaving treatment with the intention and result of causing the patient's death. This is the equivalent to active, direct euthanasia.

Methods of storing records and the benefits Essay

â€Å"Databases† are a very useful way of storing records, uses a database called Oracle ‘People System’. The database keeps individual records and what courses have run. It can be accessed by managers and the L&D team, we can produce quick reports. Once information have been entered into the system can always be found. The information that we can get from the database report: †¢Who has attended or cancelled courses †¢What kind of training has run in certain periods (Management, Personal Development, Commercial, and Editorial). †¢What kind of training employees have done †¢What courses are on demand †¢External trainers used â€Å"Spreadsheets† this is another very useful way of storing information, such as budget tracker which can automatically calculate costs if you put the right formula in. particular cells can be filtered to find precise information, you can turn data into charts Identify types of data to be collected and explain how each supports â€Å"Specific Learning needs information’’ this helps to identify the learning needs of individuals and departments. This allows us to have correct courses and external trainers. We can identify strengths and weaknesses of individuals at, we collect information from managers which help identify training needs. Everyone needs Personal Development skills which can help identify problems, line managers will tell us what the problems are for example it could be struggle with conversations with clients or helps with sales meetings or product selling. We will analysis this information and design courses, I would recommend courses that we have at Tough conversation, make meeting happen or face to face selling courses. â€Å"Organisational Information’’ this helps to identify what the business needs from the L&D team, and what the current and future plans are. How can we develop the new skills that the business requires. Knowing what the business needs helps us to plan and priorities and design courses.

Lgbt Issues

LGBT Issues LGBT issues really caught my attention. I was never cared or thought about people are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender until I took this class. What really caught my attention was Paula’s story. That was very touching, and I felt bad for her. And I realized that probably many people have most likely gone through what she went through; especially with your family. Your family are the ones who love you and are always suppose to be there for you and when they are not there for you when you really need them at a time like that.In your lecture, on November 17th, you discussed about sexual orientation. Not only is it a sexual attraction but also a spiritual connection, as well as an emotional and romantic attraction. It is not the same as sexual behavior because it deals with feelings and emotions. This ranges on a scale from exclusive homosexuality to exclusive heterosexuality. The scale is called the â€Å"Kinsey Scale† from 0-6. Zero meaning heterosexualit y and six meaning homosexuality. There has been a struggle for equality for many years. Through gender, race and now sexual orientation.Still to this day there are the struggles of gender and race, such as for African Americans and Women, but it has gotten better. Now the main struggle is for the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender. The struggle for equality, such as marriage. I am now starting to realize that why should a person be judged on whom you are attracted to, or whom you connect with? I know I would not want to be judged that way. Also, if you love someone and you are willing to spend the rest of your life with them and make a family and you are willing to marry them, then go do it.No one should have the right to tell you who to marry. As it says in this article, â€Å"The Semantics of Marriage Equality†, written by Steve Kleinedler, he argues, â€Å"When asserting that marriage has always been solely a union between one man and one woman, our adversaries tro t out old dictionary definitions to support their claims. The job of dictionaries is primarily to describe how language is used, not to dictate how it should be used. † Still to this day people are fighting for the same sex marriage. A recent article in The New York Times, â€Å"New York State Senate Votes Down Gay Marriage Bill†, written by Jeremy W.Peters. had said that The New York State Senate rejected a bill on this past Wednesday that would have allowed same sex marriages. The vote was 38 to 24. The gay rights organizations have steered almost up to $1 million into the New York legislative races to boost the support for the bill to be passed. He said that the senators who had voted against had explained by saying, â€Å"the public was gripped by economic anxiety and remained uneasy about changing the state’s definition of marriage. † They believe that the problem is â€Å"dead† in New York at least until 2011, when a new legislature will be in stalled.Now reading about all these articles and hearing stories, such as Paula’s I now feel bad and understand where they are coming from. I may not fully understand since I am not a lesbian or bisexual, but I now have an understanding of what people are going through. I do not have any lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender friends, so I never understood or really cared about the situation, but now I do. Whenever I found out that someone was gay or lesbian or even bisexual I would honestly stop talking to him or her, I do not know why, but that was my reaction.Now I want to make friends with them, it would not hurt. I am not saying that I am going to go out and try to make friends, but if I do happen to come across and meet someone who is gay or lesbian or ever transgender I would like to give them a chance to be my friend. I think if my parents knew they would not be happy about it, but I think maybe I can make my parents realize that it is okay. They are normal people like anyone else. Spending time with someone does not turn you gay, because some people may feel that way.Like when we had a discussion in class about gay and lesbian parents, and some people had felt if the parents were gay or lesbian that the child sexual orientation would be homosexual as well. Which is not true. It is something inside of you that you cannot control. I honestly believe it is something that you are born with, you just cannot help it. I hear stories about people whom if they could change their sexual orientation and become heterosexual they would, so they would not have to go through the pain that some people put them through.I enjoyed learning this topic in class. At first I was not so pleased that we would be talking about it, but Paula’s story caught my interest and that is when I decided I wanted to do my paper on LGBT issues. Works Cited New York State Senate Votes Down Gay Marriage Bill. The New York Times. 2 Dec. 2009. 1 Dec. 2009. http://www. nytimes. co m/2009/12/03/nyregion/03marriage. html? _r=1. The Semantics of Marriage Equality. Advocate. 24 Nov. 2009. 1 Dec. 2009. http://www. advocate. com/News/News_Features/The_Semantics_of_Marriage_Equality/.

Hazard of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health Essay

Coal is a solid but brittle sedimentary rock with a natural brown to black color and is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and lesser amounts o f sulphur and trace elements. Coal is classified into four types depending on the carbo n, oxygen and hydrogen content on which the higher the carbon content, the more energy the coal contains (Coal at a Glance, 2009). The amount of energy in coal is define d by the heat value measured by British thermal units (Btu). One Btu is equivalent to the amount of energy in a single match (RockTalk, 2005). The four types of coal include lignite, sub bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. The lowest rank of the coal i s lignite and has a heating value of 4,000 to 8,300 British thermal units (Btu) per pound. This type is the softest with high moisture content, least amount of carbon a nd is mainly used to produce electricity. The second least of the four types is sub-bituminous coal with a heating value of 8,300 to 13,000 Btu per pound and contains 35 to 45 percent carbon. After addition of more heat and pressure on lignite, bituminous coal is formed which is made of many tiny layers. It contains 11,000 to 15,500 Btu per pound heating value and is an important fuel for the steel and iron industries. Of the commonly minable coals, anthracite is the hardest and has a heating value of 15,000 Btu per p ound containing 86 to 97 percent carbon (Coal at a Glance, 2009). Coal is a non-renewable source of energy because it takes million of years to form. It has become a powerhouse by the 1800’s in America in which the people used coal to manufacture goods and to power steamships and railroad engines . It was noted that after the American Civil war, coal was used to make iron and steel and by the end of 1800’s, people used coal to make electricity. In the 1900’s, coal is the mainstay for the nation’s business and industries. Coal stayed America’s number one energy source until petroleum was used for petroleum products that became a demand. In 2009, 93.6 percent of all the coal in the United States was used for electricity production. Coal generates almost half of the electricity used in the U.S (Coal at a Glance, 2009). Based from Gree n World Investor (2011), coal has numerous uses primarily as a source of fuel and as a rich carbon source. It also plays an important role in cement and steel industries and coal is the largest source of electricity production. Coal is mainly used as fuel to generate electricity t hrough combustion. In steel production, coal together with iron, are the two raw materials used to produce steel in which the former is used as a fuel to smelt the iron in furnace until the cast iron is further refined. Similar with electricity and cement production, coal is also being used as a fuel in cement industry. Furthermore, paper a nd aluminum industry also uses coal as a fuel since coal is cheap and very available for these types of industries that are huge consumers of energy fuel. According to World Coal Association (2012), â€Å"the biggest market for coal is Asia, which currently accounts for over 65% of global coal consumption; although China is responsible for a significant proportion of this. Many countries do not have n atural energy resources sufficient to cover their energy needs, and therefore need to import energy to help meet their requirements. Japan, Chinese Taipei and Korea, for example, import significant quantities of steam coal for electricity generation and co king coal for steel production†. They also added that coal users further include alumina refineries and chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Chemical products can be produced from the by-products of coal. Refined coal tar is used in the manufacture of c hemicals, such as creosote oil, naphthalene, phenol, and benzene. Despite the myriad benefits coal has to offer, t here is always a disadvantage of using it. According to Fossil Fuel Resources (2012), coal burning causes the emission of harmful waste such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphuric acids, arsenic and ash. Furthermore, coal emits twice as much carbon dioxide compared to natural gas in producing the same level of heat which increases the level of emission of greenhouses ga ses into the earth’s atmosphere. As well as large factories and power industry that burn coal causes acid rain in some areas. Moreover, coal mining damages t he landscape a nd the environment as a whole plus t he large and noisy equipment used for mining may a ffect local wildlife. Transportation of coal can also be a problem since it requires extensive transportation system and causes additional pollution from vehicle emissions. Another huge disadvantage is that the coal is a non-renewable energy source and thi s millennium, coal can be depleted if burning of coal is continued in the future. Likewise, in coal mining industry, health difficulties of miners occur and fatalities due to dangerous nature of work increase. This paper would be tackling about the Health Hazard that is imposed otherwise could be caused by coal and coal mi ning. However, it is important to understand the impact of this activity to economy and environment, which could help in knowing the impact to health t hus socioeconomic and environmental effects of coal mining are at the same time discussed. Developing co untries seek to exploit mineral resources to provide needed revenue thus, mineral wealth is a part of some nation’s natural capital (Davis and Tilton, 2003). However, Sideri and Johns (1990) stated that mineral development does not always boost a country’s economic growth and in some cases contribute to increased poverty. Some of the contributing factors for this misfortune were low level of employment, institutional corruption and mismanagement (Sideri and Johns, 1990). Coal industry development may result in national economic growth however, the benefits are not equally shared, causing local communities nearest to the mining site suffer the most. Miranda et. al (1998) added that mining as a general triggers negative impacts such as alcoholism, prostitution a nd sexually transmitted disease. According to Dr. Michael Hendryx (2009), â€Å"Areas with especially heavy mining have the highest unemployment rates in the region contrary to the common perception that mining contributes to overall employment†. S ynapse Energy Economics (2009) added, referring to Appalachia where mountaintop removal for coal mining is being done, â€Å"History shows that the transition from deep to surface mining devastated the region economically, and that the prosperity of mining companies has not gone hand in hand with the economi c welfare of coal mine workers. Appalachia has suffered from current and persistent economic di stress, and that this distress has been associated with employment in the mining industry, particularly coal mining.† Mountaintop removal coal mining remove the miner from the process, replacing manpower with machinery, and lowering the coal companies’ overhead cost (Appalachian Voices, 2012). From the article â€Å"Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost† authored by Michael Hendryx and Melissa M. Ahern (2009), it was stated that the Appalachian region of the United States has long been associated with severe socioeconomic disadvantages. These results to a poor public health comprising elevated morbidity and mortality rates for a variety of serious, chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Furthermore, recent studies have confirmed that health discrepancies exist in coal mining regions of Appalachia compared with other areas of the region or the nation . These discrepancies include elevated mortality rates for total causes, lung cancer, and some chronic illnesses. It was noted that t hese studies showed that mortality is related to higher poverty, lower educati on levels, and smoking behavior, and further s uggested that environmental pollution from the mining industry is a contributing factor. In the study of Paul Younger (2004) , â€Å"Environmental impacts of coal mining and associated wastes: a geochemical perspec tive†, it was stated that in the early years of coal mining, impact on the environment adversely affect long -established agricultural interests. The negative impacts of coal mining came to be accepted as a by-product of the generation of coal-based wealth d uring the time when coal trade dominate regional economies in mining districts. These negative impacts became unacceptable when large-scale mining began and took place in major coal-mining economies. It was further stated in the study that t he environmental impacts of coal mining are results of the exposure of reduced earth materials that involves coal and others, to the oxidizing power of the Earth’s atmosphere. The study recognize subcategories of impacts under five major headings consisting of air pollu tion, fire hazards, ground deformation, water pollution and water resource depletion. Production of large quantities of waste is one major environmental issue that can be caused by coal mining. The impacts are more widespread in open-casts compared to underground mining, which produces less waste. Severe impacts could cause degradation of aquatic and marine resources and causes water quality reduction. According to Johnson (1997), erosion after heavy rainfall pushes waste rock piles and runoffs to nearby waste bodies and sometimes, this lead to disruption, diversion, and changing of slope and bank stability of stream channel and t hese disturbances significantly reduces the water quality. Ripley (1996) added that higher sediment concentrations increase the t urbidity of natural waters which lowers the available light to aquatic plant for photosynthesis. Elimination of important food source and decreased available habitat for fish to migrate and spawn usually happens if there is increased sediment loads that s uffocate organisms in marine organisms (Johnson, 1997). Fur thermore, higher sediments decrease the depth of water bodies which could contribute to flood (Mason, 1997). Deforestation is also a major indirect environmental impact of coal mining especially i n opencast or surface mining. Biodiversity is greatly affected , more importantly the removal of vegetation that alters the shelter and the availability of food for the wildlife. Coal mining also poses an environmental alarm in wetlands such as estuaries, mangroves and floodplains that actually served as natural filters of pollution as well as provide habitat for aquatic organisms. These areas are destroyed through direct habitat elimination or pollution from washable coals that were washed to produc e a clean pure coal (H.A. Mooney et al, 1995). Mining activities in general has many environmental impacts but at the same time, poses a significant risk to human health. The health cost of mining operations most of the time outweighs the advantages gaine d ( Yeboah, J.Y, 2008). Possible hazard including diseases or illnesses acquired from coal mining is discussed below as summary of various studies and articles about health risks caused by exposure to coal and coal mining. The association of pneumoconiosi s and other respiratory health risks with exposure to respirable mixed dust was identified in the study of Love R.G, Miller B.G., 6 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health et. al. (1997), entitled â€Å"Respiratory health effects of opencast coalmining: a cross sectional study of current workers† conducted in United Kingdom opencast coal mines. The study carried out 1,224 men and 25 women at nine large and medium sized opencast sites in England, Scotland and Wales. Full sized chest radiographs, respiratory symptoms, occupational history questionnaires, and simple spirometry were used in the study to characterize the respiratory health of the workforce. In addition, logistic or multiple regression techniques were utilized to examine relations between indices of exposure and respiratory health. The study c oncluded that the frequency of (mostly mild) chest radiographic abnormalities is associated with working in the dustier, preproduction jobs in the coal mining industry. Although some of these mild abnormalities may be non -occupational (due to aging or smok ing), the association with exposure indicates a small risk of pneumoconiosis in these men, and the need to monitor and control exposures, particularly in the high-risk occupations. This study of respiratory health effects of opencast coal mining seems unalarming and maybe controlled since it was indicated that there is a small risk of pneumoconiosis among miners, however, coal mining effects to humans are not just limited to respiratory health. Furthermore, there are various studies that could prove that co al mining or coal combustion is a great contributing factor of respiratory illnesses most especially black lung disease. The negative impact of coal mining pollution to public health is analyzed in a study in West Virginia. Michael Hendryx and Melissa Ahern (2008) used the data from a 2001 research survey correlated with data from West Virginia Geological and economic survey showing volume of coal production from mining. Hendryx and Ahern study was â€Å"Relations between Health Indicators and Residential Proximity to Coal Mining in West Virginia† which have examined the coal mining in West Virginia if it is related to poorer health status and incidence of chronic illness. The study used data from a survey of 16, 493 West Virginians merged with county- level coal production and other covariates in investigating the relations between health indicators and residential proximity to coal mining. The research sought to find whether the effects of coal mining may result only from socioeconomic factors such as inco me and education problems together with environmental exposure problems or it a lso a ffects the health aspect of the people. It was emphasized that quantitative research on health consequences of residential proximity to coal mining is limited to a few stud ies of respiratory illness, which was conducted in Great Britain. With t hese few studies, one showed no effect of coal mining but there are studies t hat found increased risks. These were the main reason why this study was conducted. The result of the study showed that â€Å"As coal production increased, health status worsened, and rates of cardiopulmonary disease, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease increased. Within larger disease categories, specific types of disease associated with coal production included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), black lung disease, and h ypertension.† The research found t hat the result of black lung disease is higher in men compared to women since this condition affects miner’s which are men. The risks for coal -associated illnesses increase with exposure to coal by-products. Toxins and impurities in coal cause kidney disease, hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. The effects also resulted from the general inflammatory or systemic consequences of inhaled particles and these effects may be multi -factorial, a result of slurry holdings that leach toxins into drinking water and air pollution effects of coal mining and washing. This study served as a screening test to examine whether co al mining poses a health risk for adults living near the mining site. The researcher recommended that confirmatory tests should be undertaken to establish mechanism of action, magnitude, and health consequences of an exposure effect. Another study of health hazard brought by coal mining is â€Å"The association between mountaintop mining and birth defects among live births in ce ntral Appalachia, 1996–2003†, a research study authored by Melissa Ahern et. al.(2011). This study examined birth defects in mountaintop coal mining areas compared to other coal mining areas and in non-mining areas of central A ppalachia. The researchers aimed to know if higher birth-defect rates are present in mountaintop mining areas . Moreover, this study analyzed 1996-2003 live births i n four Central Appalachian states using natality files from National Center for Health Statistics. It was stated from the study that â€Å"The prevalence rate ratio (PRR) for any birth defect was significantly higher in mountaintop m ining areas compared to n on-mining areas, but was not higher in the non m ountaintop mining areas, after controlling for covariates. Rates were significantly higher in m ountain top m ining areas for six of seventy types of defects: circulatory/ respiratory, central nervous system, m usculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and ‘other’.† It was found out that mountaintop- mining effects became more pronounced in the latter years (2000–2003) versus earlier years (1996–1999.). Furthermore, it was mentioned that the elevated birth defect rates are partly a function of socioeconomic disadvantage, but remain elevated after controlling for those risks. They also added that both socioeconomic and e nvironmenta l inf luences in mountaintop mining areas maybe contributing factors. In a researc h article authored by Hans L. Falk and William Jurgelski, Jr., â€Å"Health Effects of Coal Mining and Combustion: Carcinogens and Cofactors†, carcinogens and cofactors that may be present in coal is being tackled. As an epidemiologic evidence of carcinogenic risks in coal mining and combustion, it was mentioned that several epidemiological studies imply that the incidence of gastric carcinoma in coal miners is elevated above that of comparable segments of the general population not engaged in mining of coal. On t he other hand, the article noted that death rate of coal miners from lung cancer is appreciably lower than the rate for non-miners of comparable age. It was explained that the data obtained from various studies about lower rate of lung cancer among coal miners strongly suggest that an unknown factor probably coal dust, exerts a protective effect from acquiring cancer. It was further noted that even though the coal dust is beneficial with regard to lung cancer, it is the causative factor of black lung disease. Therefore, while lung cancer rates might not increase as a result of an expansion of coal production, black lung and other respiratory diseases would probably become more prevalent. Health effect of exposure to respirable coal mine dust according to Center for Disease and Control Prevention includes Black Lung Disease or Coal Worker’s Pneumocosis (CWP), silicosis, mixed -dust pneumoconiosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). CWP was defined as a chronic dust disease of the lung and its sequelae, including respiratory and pulmonary impairments, arising out of coal mine employment. It was moreover defined as parenchymal lung disease produced by deposits of coal dust in the lung and the response of the host to the retained dust. The primary lesion of CWP is like that of silicosis however, the amount and nature of dust and quantity and disposition of fibrous tissue and the presence of emphysema differs. Coal macules are rounded, irregular and ranges from 1 to 5 millimeters, lesions are distributed symmetrically found in both lungs with a greater concentration in the upper lobes (Attfield and Wagner, 1992). The proportion of dust, cellular material, or collagen varies depending on the rank of coal dust inhaled (Cotes and Steel, 1987). Silicosis develops when respirable silica inhaled is deposited in the lungs and varies from chronic, complicated, accelerated, or acute. Third is mixed -dust pneumoconiosis, which describes pulmonary lesions where crystalline silica is deposited combined with less fibrogenic dusts as iron oxides, kaolin, mica and coal (Silicosis and Silicate Disease Comittee, 1988). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to three disease processes which involve chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma which are all characterized by airway dysfunction (Barnhart, 1994). COPD is mainly caused by cigarette smoking nevertheless, it could also be caused by air pollution and exposure to dust. Chronic bronchitis is associated with airflow obstruction and abnormalities in gas exchange (Barnhart, 1994). Coal dust and its sequelae are not the only health hazards of coal mining. Common occupational hazards brought by mining are also applied in mining coal. According to Institute for Occupational and Safety Development (2006), â€Å"M ining poses tremendous risks to life and limb, not only to miners but to community as well †. Hazardous mining operations caused both directly and indirectly countless accident. Hazards presented by mining to workers include intense exposure to heat, poor ventilation, fumes, repetitive stress injury, intense noise, manual handling of heavy machinery aside from biological and chemical hazard. Miner’s tend to have fluid and salt deficiency due to constant sweating since hydration is very limited combined with inte nse heat especially in underground mining sites. Furthermore, miners could have increased heart stress, heat stroke, and fertility reduction due to high temperature. Poor ventilation on the other hand, steals the oxygen from the body which results to brain malfunction and this can lead to death. Vibration from handling or operating large machines could result to permanent bone damage and vibration syndrome or dead finger syndrome that could proceed to hand and finger gangrene. The constant shaking could als o progressed to digestive problems because of constant moving of internal organs. Hearing impairment or disruption of body functions such as blood circulation and hormone imbalance could be a result of noise and hazardous sound that comes from drilling, blasting among others. Manual lifting of materials can cause back troubles leading to acute pain. Based from the government statistics, a ccidents in the industry of mining was used to be 0.1% in the year 2000 of the total occupational accidents however in 2 002 it increased to 1.7% of the total accidents which is in fact only 0.3% of the total labor force was into mining and this poses a very dangerous trend for mining ( IODC, 2006). Hazards mentioned above are, of course, i nevitable due to the nature of the activity itself. Yet, there are still other ways for them, in a way, to minimize the occurrence of these while working. In line with this is the importance of risk management. To be aware of the Risk Management is very important most espe cially when involving to activities that could pose risk not only to one ’s heal th but also to emotional, psychosocial, economical and e nvironmental aspect of an individual. Risk management is mainly the identification, assessment and prioritizations of threats brought about the actions going through or have gone through already. Through this method, t he pros and cons o f the action to be considered could be weighed. In t his discussion paper, certain risks that should have been given much attention b y the implementers of coal mining are tackled. From the hazards mentioned above, risk management that could minimize the impact includes the following assessment. There should have been even just an exhaust fan or some opening that some air could enter for them to be able to breathe as normally as possible. Also, to be able to minimize cases of deafness, miners are advised to wear ear plugs when heavy equipment is be i ng operated. Through this, noise could be minimized. It will also be advisable for the miners to have a sufficient supply of water with them as they progress with their work. Proper hydration is very much essential for them because there is poor ventilation inside the mine. The beverage they have with them should contain electrolytes for them to minimize incidence of fluid and salt deficiencies. An excerpt taken from t he article of Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Development s tates that, â€Å"Mines exposes workers to different types of airborne particulates, making them vulnerable to systemic toxic effects due to the absorption of coal dus t. Coupled with poor ventilation, this can trigger accidents and cause death to workers. RSI being a soft -issue disorder is caused by overloading of particular muscle group from repetitive use or maintenance of constrained postures. Miners who suffer from RSI complain of weakness of the affected muscles, heaviness, â€Å"pins and needles† sensation and numbness.† In this hazard, miners are expected to have protective masks that cou ld keep them from inhaling coal dust. Without the masks, this makes them very much vulnerable, primarily, to respiratory diseases and to other health -related illnesses. Presence of openings within the mines should also be considered for them to be able to breathe normally as possible. According to an article posted on www.greatmining.com, â€Å"Coal dust settles like pollen over the surrounding areas.† As what we ha ve discussed o n our Environmental Health class this s ummer, coal dust measures above 100 µm. Thus, it could only irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat but not going further . Yet, considering that there is an occurence of anthracosis, which is detect ed primarily in the lungs. There is a contradiction between this standard measurement and association and the chemical effect of the inhalation of coal dust. According to a study conducted by Sapko,M. J, et. al, â€Å"Particle size can vary both within and between mines, since size is dependent on several factors such as mine type (i.e., longwall or continuous miner, along with cutting speed and depth) and coal seam type. In addition to total incombustible content and methane concentration, the coal dust particle size should be considered as an essential part of the explosibility assessment strategy in underground coal mines.â€Å" Coal mining creates several billion gallons of coal slurry, which contains extremely high levels of mercury, cadmium, and nickel. Although lauded by mining companies that this is a safer, more efficient way to produce coal, this type of strip mining has evoked strong protests from environmentalists and people who reside near coal mining areas. Coal mining work can be extremely dangerous, a s the numerous occupational hazards can cause critical injuries or even death. Since coal is also a necessity in our day to day lives, there is no way to be able to totally terminate or stop the operations of coal mining. All we could do is to minimize the risks that could threaten us if we are to put up or be involved in coal mining. References: Ahern M . e t. al. (2011) . The association between mountaintop mining and birth defects among live births in ce ntral Appalachia, 1996–2003. E nvironmental Research ; Volume 111, Issue 6, Pp 838–846 Attfield MD, Wagner GR [1992]. A report on a workshop on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health B Reader certification program. J Occup Med 34:875Colina N P (2006). Briefing on Mining in the Philippines and the effects on Occupational Health and Safety of Mine Workers Conference on Coal Mining . IOHSAD ; Renmin University, Beijing, PROC Disadvantages of Coal Energy- Biggest Contributor to Global Warming is Co al’s Biggest Drawback (2011). G reen World Investor . Retrived from http://www.greenworldinvestor.com/2011/04/09/disadvantages-of -coal -energybiggest-contributor-to -global -warming-is-coals-biggest-drawback/ Economic Impacts of Mountaintop Removal (2012). Appalachian Voices. Retrieved from http://appvoices.org/end- mountaintop -removal/economy/ Falk H L& J urgelski W,Jr (1979) . Health effects of coal mining and combustion: carcinogens and cofactors.Environ Health Perspect; 33: 203–226. Hamburger T (2010). Pressure builds against mountaintop coal mining. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/08/nation/la – na-coal8 2010jan08 Hendryx M . & A hern M. (2008). Relations between Health Indicators and Residential Proximity to Coal Mining in West Vi rginia. Public Health 12 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health Hendryx, M Ahern M. (2009) . Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost. Association of Schools of Public Health Public Health Reports Volume 124. Johnson, S.W. et al. (1997), â€Å"Effects of Submarine Mine Tailings Disposal on Juvenile Yellowfin Sole (Pleuronectes asper): A Laboratory Study,† Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 36 Love R.G, Miller B .G., et . al. (1997). Respiratory Health Effects Of Opencast Coalmining: A Cross Sectional Study Of Current Workers†. Occupational Environmental Medicine.:54(9): 696. Mason, R.P. (1997), â€Å"Mining Waste Impacts on Stream Ecology,† In C.D. Da Rosa (ed), Golden Dreams, Poisoned Streams, How Reckless Mining Pollutes America’s Waters and How We Can Stop It .Washington, DC: Mineral Policy Center. Miranda, M. A. Blanco-Uribe Q., L. Hernà ¡ndez, J. Ochoa G., E. Yerena (1998), All That Glitters is Not Gold: Balancing Conservation and Development in Venezuela’s Frontier Forests, World Resources Institute: Washington, DC. Ripley, E.A. et al. (1996), Environmental Effects of Mining. Delray Beach, Florida: S t. Lucie Press. Roenker J.M. (2001). The Economic Impact of Coal in Appalachian Kentucky. Center for Business and Economic Research. Sapire R. (2012).Engulfed in a Toxic Cloud: The Effects of Coal Mining On Human Health. Harvard College Global Health Review. Retrieved from http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/hghr/2012/02/01/engulfed -in-a- toxic-cloud- the -effectsof-coal- mining-on- human- health/ Sideri, S. and S. Johns (eds) (1990), Mining for Development in the Third World: Multinational Corporations, State Enterprises and the International Economy. New York: Pergamon Press. The Disadvantages of Coal (2012). Fossil Fuel Resources. Retrieved from http://fossilfuel.co.uk/coal/the-disadvantages-of -coal Uses of Coal (2012) . World Coal Association. Retrieved from http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses -of-coal/ Yeboah J.Y (2008). E nvironmental And Health Impact Of Mining On Surrounding Communities: A Case Study of Anglogold Ashanti In Obuasi. Kwame Nkrumah 13 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health University Of Science And Technology : Department Of Geography And Rural Development . Younger P L (2004). Environmental impacts of coal mining and associated wastes: a geochemical perspective . The Geological Society of London

Business Law Essay

1.The contract provides that for every day of delay in completion of a commercial building, damages of $1000 are payable. The completion is delayed by 20 days due to the fault of the contractor. How much can the innocent party claim if the actual loss suffered is $22,000? Do you think generally, it is wise for a business to always have a liquidated damages clause? 2.At Your Service Pte Ltd is a big company which provides various travel related services, including overseas tour packages which are designed in-house. Tom, a customer, had booked a special in-house tour for 2 to Bali. Tom had booked the tour as he wanted to go to Bali for his honeymoon. However, subsequently Tom cancelled the booking as he broke up with his fiancà ©e. Tom had paid the sum in full as per the contract. However, the contract also provides that, if a cancellation is received 1 month before departure, 20% of the sum would be forfeited, if a cancellation is received 2 weeks before departure, 50% of the sum would be forfeited, if a cancellation is received 1 week before departure, 75% of the sum would be forfeited and if a cancellation is received at any time less than a week before departure, 100% of the sum would be forfeited. Tom cancelled the booking 3 days before departure. Tom nonetheless wants the full sum he paid returned, on the ground that he has not used any of the services. (Exam 09) 3. Perfect Timing Pte Ltd agreed to sell a machine to Sosway Pte Ltd at $20000. Delivery was to be on the 1st. However, when the 1st came, Perfect Timing Pte Ltd did not supply the machine to Sosway Pte Ltd and repudiated the contract due to various problems on its end. Sway Pte Ltd had wanted to use the machine for the production process. Thus far it had been using another machine for the production process, but on the eve of the 31st (the day before the delivery of the new machine), the old machine was sold and delivered to a third party. As a result Sosway Pte Ltd’s production came to a stand still on the 1st. Sosway Pte Ltd managed to get another similar machine from some other source within 21 days of the breach. (a) What damages can Sosway Pte Ltd claim for?   (b) Is there anything Sosway Pte Ltd could have done prior to entering into the contract which would have improved its position? (c) Does the concept of â€Å"mitigation† make business/practical sense? 4. On the 1st of May, Sweendal Pte Ltd, a van dealership company, entered into a contract with Mind Changers Pte Ltd, under which Mind Changers Pte Ltd agrees to buy a commercial van for $130000. On the 2nd of May, Mind Changers Pte Ltd cancels the order as it cannot get the financing. The market price of the van has remained the same. (a) What are Sweendal Pte Ltd’s remedies? (b) What if Sweendal Pte Ltd collected a deposit of $5000 and the contract provided that all deposits are non-refundable and will be forfeited if the buyer cancels the order? (c) Considering your answers in (a) and (b), would it be wise of Sweendal Pte Ltd to have a non-refundable deposit clause in the contract? 5. Mann Shan is a landlord and has rented out his premises to Payne. The contract prohibits sub-letting. Payne sublets the premises and has earned $30,000 profits in the process thus far. Advice Mann Shan who is unhappy. Market rates for rentals have gone up. 6. Deeva is a famous pop star who has been engaged by Show Off Productions to do a concert in Singapore. Thus far, Show Off Productions has spent $50,000 in promotions and all the tickets have been sold out. After this, Deeva cancels the concert as she has some other more important engagement. (a) Assuming if the concert had gone on, Show Off Productions would have made $200000 in net profits, advise them as to the damages they can recover from Diva. (b) What if the Show Off Productions cancelled the show (after Deeva cancelled it) before any of the tickets were sold and before any expenses were incurred? What can they sue for? Can they sue for damages for lost reputation? 7. J Pte Ltd entered into a contract with T Pte Ltd under which the latter is supposed to deliver some complicated custom made software. Can T Pte Ltd sub-contract part of the job to R Pte Ltd? What if R Pte Ltd, does something wrong in the process – can J Pte Ltd, sue T Pte Ltd in respect of that? If J Pte Ltd did not want the contract to be sub-contracted, what could it have done? Generally, what could be some reasons, why you do not want the contract to be sub-contracted? 8. Generally only parties to the contract can sue and be sued. However, in the following cases, are X and Y parties to the contract: (a)Z is an â€Å"authorized agent† for P type of cars in Singapore. The manufacturer is Y in Germany. X goes to Z and buys a P car. Is there a contract between X and Y? (b)Z sells hand phones and is the authorized agent for Y, a mobile phone service provider. X goes to Z shop and buys a phone and signs up to receive mobile phone service from Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? (c)Z is a maid agency. Y is a maid. X goes to the maid agency and chooses Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? (d)Z is a modeling agency. Y is a model. X goes to Z to get models to perform for an event. The models include Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? 9. Search web sites containing legal/contractual terms. Can you find an example of : (a)a liquidated damages clause .   (b)a clause dealing with or prohibiting sub-contracts or assignments Note: such exercises are important to understand and appreciate that what you are studying is not something just theoretical but arises in real life.